Hadith and Traditions

According to numerous narrations, chess is classed alongside gambling and described as a form of impurity and frivolous amusement. It is said to harden the heart and distract people from important responsibilities. Some narrations attribute its invention to Satan and say it can cause bewitchment and attract jinn. Cheating at chess is also regarded as a grave sin.

A hadith from Imam al-Baqir (AS) says that the heart sometimes has neither faith nor disbelief, but is like a piece of flesh into which God later places either faith or disbelief. This does not mean that people are compelled; through prayer and supplication, one can seek the grace of guidance. Being heedless in everyday matters can also be an instance of this state.

According to a hadith from Imam al-Sadiq (AS) in *al-Kafi*, any one of our followers who falls short in helping a fellow believer has betrayed God, His Messenger, and the believers (meaning the Imams). This hadith is not about the extent of a person’s individual worship; it concerns the duty to support fellow believers.

The hadith “Ali is enraptured by God Almighty” appears in Shi‘i hadith sources such as *Manaqib Al Abi Talib* and *Bihar al-Anwar*. It means that Imam Ali (AS) was wholly devoted to God and took the path that leads to His pleasure. The phrase does not mean madness or transformation; rather, it expresses the highest degree of servitude and spiritual wayfaring. This hadith is discussed in response to earlier questions.

A true lover considers only the beloved’s wishes and desires in every action and decision, and calls upon God by His most beautiful names. God’s names are signs of Him among His creation. The origin and root of the name Allah—the name of God’s hidden secret—is disclosed only with the Creator’s permission and at His command; no one may reveal that name without such leave.

The good character of disbelievers stems from their contact with the substance of Paradise; in the end, they return to the nature of their original creation. Believers’ efforts to avoid sin, too, are due to God’s will, which encompasses everyone, so they should not become complacent.

According to *Uṣūl al-Kāfī*, the *mustaḍʿafūn* include children and those unable to understand or distinguish truth from falsehood. Because they lack the capacity for recognition, they are excused. This category is distinct from people who possess full reason and the ability to discern.

The interpretation of Letter 45 of Nahj al-Balagha—that throwing away a morsel of doubtful permissibility is not wasteful and is permissible—is correct. In this letter, Imam Ali (AS) advises Uthman ibn Hunayf to discard anything whose permissibility or prohibition is unclear and to eat only wholesome, lawful food. This advice reflects the Imam’s (AS) contentment and avoidance of attachment to worldly life.

In the hadith “خیرکم خیرکم لأهله و أنا خیرکم لأهلی,” the word “family” refers to one’s household. This includes parents, sisters and brothers, spouse, and children. The hadith emphasizes the importance of treating one’s family well, and the Prophet (PBUH) described himself as the best of people to his own family.

According to narrations, after the advent of Imam Mahdi (AJ), Iblis will kneel in the Mosque of Kufa and be killed. This event, described in some narrations as occurring on the appointed day, will lead to his final execution at the end of time by the Noble Prophet (PBUH) in Jerusalem. Once Iblis has been executed, seeking refuge from his evil will no longer make sense; seeking refuge in God from the temptations of the lower self, however, will still be necessary.

It is impossible to describe God’s Essence, for He is beyond every description. God’s nearness to us does not mean that He is physically attached to us. Rather, He is the Creator and originator of all things, and our life and continued existence depend on Him. He transcends our material and limited conceptions.

God may love a person while disapproving of their actions. Take someone who drinks alcohol: God may love their kindness while detesting their drinking. This reflects the difference between God’s discerning gaze and the broad judgments people make when they are quick to judge.

In Imam Jaʿfar al-Sadiq’s (AS) view, true youth is a matter of faith and piety, not merely physical age. The Companions of the Cave were called young because of their faith, despite having grown old. The way characters are portrayed in films does not necessarily reflect reality or the individuals’ actual ages.

Before Adam (AS), species both similar and dissimilar to him lived on Earth. According to a narration from Imam al-Baqir (AS), God created thousands of worlds and thousands of Adams, and the human beings who exist today are the last of these worlds and generations of Adam.

According to a report from Imam al-Sadiq (AS) cited in *al-Kafi*, Noah (AS) took eight pairs of domesticated and wild animals aboard the Ark, including sheep, goats, camels, and cattle, as well as birds. After that, the earth was submerged.

Innate knowledge of the unseen belongs exclusively to God and is not granted to anyone. Nor is it correct to speak of acquired knowledge of the unseen. Rather, the knowledge God teaches the Prophet and the Imams (AS) is manifest to them, while remaining unseen to others. This knowledge is bestowed upon them by God, and the same principle applies when they convey it to others.

The Lord’s speech consists of originated utterances and creative words brought into being by the command “Be, and it is.” It is unlike the speech of created beings. In the conversation with Moses, the angel of revelation played no part; the divine will was conveyed to him in the form of words. This speech is not like speaking with a mouth and tongue.

A report attributed to Imam al-Sadiq (AS) says that the Imam of the Age (AJ) will not appear until two-thirds of the people have perished. According to this report, the remaining one-third will be the sincere believers and true Shi‘a, who will be among those saved.

The image of Islam as an overturned vessel, with everything inside spilling out, refers to the period of the Greater Occultation and the present age—an age of immense trial for people everywhere, especially the Muslim community and the faithful. God will not wrong you, but He has not spared you from being tested.

Fleeing from the plague is different from fleeing from illness. The plague has a specific definition, and extending it to every kind of illness would be contrary to the intent of the blessed hadith. Pure and wholesome believers serve as medicine and a vaccine for other believers. The company of believers, where the remembrance of God is raised, is a place of safety and healing for them.