How to be a good believer

In one of the sayings of Imam Rida(a.s.) in the context of portraying the vital traits of the Muslim's personality, he says:
The believer is not wise till ten qualities come together in him, since wisdom drives man to live his humanness in his community and become a productive and good man who opens up on the minds and hearts of the people to lead them to understand the realities they live in.

The good believer

The good from him is hoped: If he lives in a community, this community will feel confident to except good from him to every one he lives with, whether his family who would expect that he would sustain them and care for them, or the bigger community he is expected to care for and provide every service he is capable of. "Evil from him is safe". He is a man who does not treat anybody with evil, for he respects them being his brothers and fellow citizens, whom he loves for what he loves for himself and hates what he hates for himself.
"He regards little good from others much". If others do good to him he will appreciate it because he does not feel that he has the right to expect good from others.
"He regards his own good as little". When he is good to others he does not feel it is more than what he ought to, this is because he believes that the potentials Allah has given him are but a trust that he should give back to its owners. He is not fed up with those who request favours or needs, since he knows that needing him is one of the graces Allah has bestowed on him. He is not tired of seeking knowledge throughout his life.

Poverty and humbleness in God

Poverty in Allah is more lovable for him than richness with the enemy.
If he has to choose between being poor while keeping his faithfulness towards God and between becoming rich through his relations with the enemies of God he would choose poverty, because Allah is the one who enriches him if he becomes poor, and He is the one who bestows on him His Mercy and makes his abode in Heaven… Humbleness in God is more lovable for him than high rank with His enemy…
When he sees someone he says he is better than him and more pious.
People are two men – one man is better than him and more pious, the other is more evil and lower than him. If he sees the one that is more evil and lower than him he would say: perhaps the good of this person is hidden, which is good for him, while my good is apparent which is bad for me which means that I might not be better than him. Then when he sees the one who is better and more pious than him, he would be humble to him to reach his state. If he does that, his glory becomes high, and he will become the lord of the people of his time.

The Good Tidings

In another tradition , Imam Al-Rida(a.s.) says: "My father quoted his fathers who quoted the Messenger as saying: "You have become inflicted by the disease of the nations before you: hatred and malice".
The Prophet used to monitor how people behaved in his community and noticed that they were jealous of one another, with each wishing that Allah will give him what the others have. The Messenger wanted to tell the people that these two traits are not that of the Muslim who fears Allah. A believer does not hate fellow Muslims or get jealous from them. Asked who are the best worshippers Imam Al-Rida(a.s.) said :they are those when they do good they are cheerful.
And when they misbehave they ask for Allah's forgiveness… When they are given they are thankful, And when they are angered they forgive".

Imam Ali Al-Rida(a.s.) says: "No one will complete the truth of his belief till he has three trails: to be well learnt of his religion, to learn the culture the laws and the methodology of his religion and convey it to the people, so that his call will be one of good …to have a good sense in his decisions regarding his living, so as to avoid spending lavishly and patient when facing catastrophes.
This is the line of Ahl el-Beit the line of Ali bin Musa Al-Rida(a.s.).
If you visit his shrine in Iran, you have to remember all these words, and open up one on this truly Islamic line. This is what it means to be followers of Ahl el-Beit, you have to follow their line in doing what they did and not doing what they did not. We have to open up on all the facts they wanted us to open up on.
 

The Second Sermon

In the Name of God, the Compassionate, the Merciful

Threatening to punish the Palestinians

The Palestinians are still suffering from daily killings and detentions, as well as threatening to cut the power in Gaza, and to prevent the Jerusalemites from participating in elections, and planning to arrest the largest number of the Intifada activities, especially those of Hamas, so as to weaken their participation in the elections.
On its part, America threatens to stop its aid to the Palestinian Authority if it allows Hamas to take part in the elections. It is noteworthy that the Coordinator of the EU foreign policy has also threatened to do the same. They do not accept Hamas even through the ballot box, yet nobody asks Sharon to stop his brutal violence against the Palestinians.
This behaviour amounts to the trying of the Palestinian people and punishing them for choosing Hamas to represent them in the Legislative Council, because by doing this they support the Mujahideen in their resistance for freedom and independence. Is this the democracy they call for? Why do not they conduct a dialogue with the Mujahideen to reach a political settlement as they did in Vietnam and they are doing now in Iraq?
But on the other hand, we would like to voice our appreciation for France's rejection of this logic. Talking about the participation of Hamas in the elections a spokesperson for the French Foreign Ministry said: The Palestinians have to decide, and the Europeans have to think about the prospect of Hamas winning the coming elections. These elections should be held in all Palestinians districts including East Jerusalem, so that all candidates will have an equal chance.
The question is: if the Americans and Europeans make good on their threats what will the Arabs do? Will they increase their aid to offset the loss, or will they follow suit and punish the Palestinians?

Dialogue between the Gulf and Iran:

On anther level, we had hoped that the Gulf states had conducted a dialogue with Iran about its peaceful nuclear program since Iran has made it clear that it rejects producing nuclear weapons. They should not have followed the West in expressing their concerns. Instead they should have joined hands in voicing opposition of the Israeli nuclear arsenal that threatens the region. We hope that the relations between Iran and the Gulf states will be based on friendship, cooperation and mutual trust for the sake of the region security and that of all its Muslim peoples.
Iraqi National Unity
As for Iraq, we hope that the Iraqis will meet within the framework of a unity government that is based on their free will and not on the occupation instructions that aims at promoting its own interests. The Iraqis should prove that they are able to run their own affairs without needing others, for they have become adults on all political economic and security levels.
They are able to march forward on the road of freedom and independence and enhance their comprehensive national unity. If there are some differences regarding the elections they should not use the language of threat or seek outside help. Since the others, as proven by the experience, do not wish good for the Iraqis. All Iraqis should forego the sectarian language that has intensified in the aftermath of the elections, and resort to the Islamic national and Arab discourse, so that Iraq will get off the bottleneck.

Lebanese Interests

We notice that Lebanon is still living in a political impasse and security complications. Things are run in an emotional way that could further complicate the situation. And we hear things that should have never been said from officials on various levels, which could in turn create additional turmoil on the street level.
The Lebanese political club has the right to express freely its hopes and concerns, but they have to choose the calm words and the right and open way in dealing with the affairs of the country. No one should be preoccupied with his personal or sectarian interests.
They should open up on the interests of the country whose economic problems have put it on the verge of collapse and hunger. Moreover, the sectarian concerns might drive the country to a security explosion, especially with all the talk about training and arming which we hope that it is not correct.
The country cannot be ruled by political accusations or by exclusion , but by mutual understanding and reconciliation. Do not take the country to the unknown, and do not kill it politically and economically by a knockout punch. We, therefore, call on all parties in Lebanon, Syria and the Arab world to deal wisely with the international projects that aim at reinforcing
the arrogant hegemony on the entire region.
Those who have eyes should see and those who have ears should hear :
let us be free in our decisions, our destiny and our general affairs. Let us discuss what we differ on and let us seek truth in all our dialogues.