Qualities of a Mu'min

Here is a Ṣaḥīḥ (Authentic) ḥadīth from the Ahlul Bayt (عليهم السلام) on what constitutes a true mu’min (believer). In this ḥadīth Imām al-Ṣādiq (عليه السلام) says that in order to be considered a mu’min (believer), one much willingly follow ALL the commandments given by the Prophet (صلى الله عليه وآله وسلم) and the A’immah (عليهم السلام).

Among the scholars who have authenticated this ḥadīth are `Āṣif al-Muḥsinī[1], Hādī al-Najafī[2], Wahīd al-Khurāsānī[3], and al-Majlisī[4].

عَلِيُّ بْنُ إِبْرَاهِيمَ عَنْ أَبِيهِ عَنِ ابْنِ مَحْبُوبٍ عَنِ ابْنِ رِئَابٍ عَنْ أَبِي عَبْدِ اللَّهِ ع

`Alī b. Ibrāhīm[5] from his father[6] from Ibn Maḥbūb[7] from Ibn Ri’āb[8] from Abī `Abd Allāh (عليه السلام),

قَالَ إِنَّا لَا نَعُدُّ الرَّجُلَ مُؤْمِناً حَتَّى يَكُونَ لِجَمِيعِ أَمْرِنَا مُتَّبِعاً مُرِيداً أَلَا وَ إِنَّ مِنِ اتِّبَاعِ أَمْرِنَا وَ إِرَادَتِهِ الْوَرَعَ فَتَزَيَّنُوا بِهِ يَرْحَمْكُمُ اللَّهُ وَ كَبِّدُوا أَعْدَاءَنَا بِهِ يَنْعَشْكُمُ اللَّهُ

Said: “Verily, we do not consider a man a mu’min until he follows ALL of our commands, willingly, [know that] a part of following out commands and wishing to fulfill it is through al-Wara`a (piety), then adorn yourselves with it (i.e. piety), may Allāh have mercy on you, and keep busy (fighting) our enemies with it (i.e. piety), may Allāh reinvigorate you”[9]

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[1] `Āṣif al-Muḥsinī, Mashra`ah Bihār al-Anwār, vol. 2, pg. 350 [He said the ḥadīth is Mu`tabar (Authentic)]

[2] Hādī al-Najafī, Alf Ḥadīth fī al-Mu’min, ch. 146, pg. 261, ḥadīth # 786 & Hadi al-Najafi, Mawsū`ah Aḥādīth Ahl al-Bayt , vol. 12, pg. 142, ḥadīth # 15115 [He said the ḥadīth has a Ṣaḥīḥ al-Isnād (Authentic Chain of narrators)]

[3] Wahīd al-Khurāsānī, Muqaddimah Fī Usūl al-Dīn, pg. 501 [He said this ḥadīth is Ṣaḥīḥ (Authentic)]

[4] al-Majlisī, Mir’āt al-`Uqūl, vol. 8, pg. 64 [He said this ḥadīth is Hasan (Good)]

[5] `Alī b. Ibrāhīm b. Hāshim al-Qummī is thiqah (trustworth) according to al-Najāshī (See: al-Najāshī, al-Rijāl, pg. 260, person # 680) and al-Ḥillī (See: al-Ḥillī’s al-Khulāṣah, pg. 100, person #45).

[6] Ibrāhīm b. Hāshim is praised according to al-Najāshī (See: al-Najāshī, al-Rijāl, pg. 16, person # 18), al-Ṭūsī (See: al-Ṭūsī, al-Fihrist, pg. 12, person # 6) and al-Ḥillī (See: al-Ḥillī’s al-Khulāṣah, pg. 5, person #9).

[7] al-Ḥasan b. Maḥbūb is thiqah (trustworthy) according to al-Ṭūsī (See: al-Ṭūsī, al-Fihrist, pg. 122, person # 162 & al-Ṭūsī, al-Rijāl, pg. 334, person # 4978) and al-Ḥillī (See: al-Ḥillī’s al-Khulāṣah, pg. 36, person # 1).

[8] `Alī b. Ri’āb al-Kūfī is thiqah (trustworthy) according to al-Ṭūsī (See: al-Ṭūsī, al-Fihrist, pg. 263, person # 375) and al-Ḥillī (See: al-Ḥillī’s al-Khulāṣah, pg. 93, person # 13).

[9] al-Kulaynī, al-Kāfī, vol. 2, pg. 78, ḥadīth # 13

Bibliography

al-Ḥillī. al-Khulāṣah al-`Aqwāl. 1st ed. 1 vols. Qum: , Dār al-Dukhā’ir, 1411.

al-Khurāsānī, Wahīd. Muqaddimah Fī Usūl al-Dīn. Qum, n.d.

al-Kulaynī. al-Kāfī. Ed. `Alī Akbar al-Ghaffārī. 3rd. 8 vols. Tehran: Dār al-Kutub al-Islāmiyyah, 1388.

al-Majlisī. Mir’āt Al-`Uqūl. 26 vols. Tehran: Dār al-Kutub al-Islāmiyyah, 1410.

al-Muḥsinī, `Āṣif. Mashra`ah Bihār al-Anwār. 2nd. 2 vols. Beirut: Mu’assasah al-`Ārif lil-Maṭbū`āt, 1426/2005.

al-Najafī, Hādī. Alf Ḥadīth fī al-Mu’min. 1st ed. Qum: Mu’assasah al-Nashr al-Islāmī, Qum, 1416, 1st ed., 1416.

—. Mawsū`ah Aḥādīth Ahl al-Bayt. 1st. 12 vols. Beirut: Dār Iḥyā’ al-Turāth al-`Arabī, 1423/2002.

al-Ṭūsī. al-Fihrist. Najaf: al-Maktabah al-Raḍawiyyah, n.d.

—. al-Rijāl. 1st. Qum: Mu’assasah al-Nashr al-Islāmī, 1415.