So valuable conceptions needed to be applied by any body seeking to the happiness

اللَّهُمَّ إِنِّى أَسْألُكَ سُؤَالَ خَاضِعٍ مُّتَذَلِّلٍ خَاشِعٍ أَن تُسَامِحَنِى وَتَرْحَمَنِى وَتَجْعلَنِى بِقَسَمِكَ رَاضِيًا قَانِعًا، وَفِى جَمِيعِ الأَحْوَاِل مُتَوَاضِعًا.

O Allah! Verily I ask You with the asking of a submissive, abased and lowly man to show me forbearance, to have mercy on me and to make me satisfied and content with Your apportionment, and humble in every state.

Four Requests from the Almighty

If a supplication is done in the darkness of night with a humble heart, a submissive appearance and tearful eyes, it is undoubtedly more probable to be accepted. The Almighty revealed to Prophet Moses (a.s):

يَا بْنَ عِمْرَانَ! هَبْ لِي مِنْ قَلْبِكَ الخُشُوعَ، وَمِنْ بَدَنِكَ الخُضُوعَ، وَمِنْ عَيْنَيْكَ الدُّمُوعَ فِي ظُلَمِ اللَّيْلِ، وَادْعُني فَإنَّكَ تَجِدُنِي قَرِيباً مُجِيباً.

O son of Imran! Bring to My Presence submission of your heart, humbleness of your body, and tears of your eyes in the darkness of night and then call Me, you would then find Me near and compliant.[4]

In this section of Kumayl supplication, the supplicant humbly asks Allah four requests and he should hope that his humbleness and submission would bring his supplication to compliance. These four requests are: 1. Allah’s forbearance toward him, 2. His Mercy for him, 3. Satisfaction with Allah’s apportionment, and 4. Humbleness in all states of his life.

The supplicant should bear in mind that based on the principle of

إِنْ أَحْسَنتُمْ أَحْسَنتُمْ لأَنفُسِكُمْ.

If you do good, you will do good for your own souls. (17/7)

Anyone who does good has done it to himself, gaining Allah’s forbearance is not possible but through lenity to His servants, and gaining His Mercy is only possible through compassion to all the Muslim believers and anyone who deserves it. One who is not lenient and merciful to others would not be subject to Allah’s forbearance and Mercy.

Forbearance

Islam has forbidden all Muslims from hostility and jealousy toward each other and cutting ties of kinship, and invited everyone to lenity and compassion toward others. It has considered the believers as moral brothers and presented valuable rights of brotherhood in this regard that are recommended and sometimes obligatory for them to be observed.

Making moral and brotherhood relationships and continuing it is the result of purity from moral vices. Human vices, such as proud, egotism, greed, stinginess, and jealousy avoid compassion and mercy among people and families.

The Messenger of Allah (a.s), in a significant tradition, has warned people against moral vices and encouraged them to observe brotherhood rights:

لاَ تَدَابَروا وَلاَ تَحَاسَدوا وَلاَ تَقَاطَعوا، وَكُونُوا عِبَادَ اللهِ اِخْواناً؛ اَلمُسْلِمُ أخُو المُسْلِمِ لاَ يَظْلِمُهُ وَلاَ يَحْرِمُهُ وَلاَ يَخْذُلُهُ.

Do not be hostile toward each other, and not be angry with each other, do not be jealous of each other, do not cut ties of friendship, and befriend each other! Muslims are brothers, a Muslim does not oppress his Muslim brothers, does not deprive him from his compassion and his wealth, and does not leave him alone.[5]

He also stated:

مُدَارَاةُ النَّاسِ نِصْفُ الإيمَانِ، وَالرِّفْقُ بِهِمْ نِصْفُ العَيْشِ.

Lenience with people is half the belief and compassion to them is half the life.[6]

And he said:

رَحِمَ اللهُ امْرَءً سَهَّلَ الْبَيْعَ وَسَهَّلَ الشِّرَاءَ وَسَهَّلَ الاقْتِضَاءَ.

May Allah forgive the one who is lenient in buying and selling goods, and in collecting debts.[7]

The Prophet (s.a) has stated as well:

مَنْ أنْظَرَ مُعْسِراً أو تَرَكَ حَاسَبَهُ اللهُ حِسَاباً يَسِيراً.

One who respites a debtor or leaves him Allah would account for his deeds leniently.[8]

It is also narrated from the Prophet (s.a):

إنَّ رَجُلاً كَانَ مُسْرِفاً عَلَى نَفْسِهِ، حُوسِبَ فَلَمْ تُوجَدْ لَهُ حَسَنَةٌ، فَقِيلَ لَهُ: هَلْ عَمِلْتَ خَيْراً قَطُّ؟ فَقَالَ: لاَ، إلاَّ أنِّي كُنْتُ رَجُلاً أُدَايِنُ النَّاسَ، فَأقُولُ لِفِتْيَانِي: سَامِحُوا المُوسِرِينَ، وَأَنْظِرُوا المُعْسِرِينَ. فَقَالَ اللهُ تَعَالَى: فَنَحْنُ أحَقُّ بِذَلِكَ مِنْكَ! فَتَجَاوَزَ اللهُ عَنْهُ وَغَفَرَ لَهُ.

In the Hereafter, a sinner man is called to account and no virtue is found in his letter of deeds to save him. He is asked: ‘Have you ever done a good deed?’ He replies: ‘No, but I lent people money from my wealth and I told the young people around me to be lenient with wealthy debtors and leave poor ones.’ Then the Almighty would say: ‘I am more lenient than him.’ So Allah would forgive his sins.[9]

Hammad Ibn Othman says: “Someone came to Imam Sadiq (a.s) and complained about one of Imam’s disciples. That disciple came there after a while and Imam (a.s) asked him: ‘Why does this man complain about you?’ He said: ‘He is complaining about me because I collected the money I had lent him to the last drachma.’ Imam ¯¡diq (a.s) got angry and then said: ‘Do you suppose it not bad to get your money back completely? Allah has described the behavior of believers in the Holy Qur’¡n:’ Those who… fear the terrible reckoning. (13:21)’ Do you think they fear Allah’s oppression on them in reckoning their deeds? No, by Allah that they do not fear except evil reckoning. Anyone who does this has done a bad deed.’”

The Messenger of Allah (s.a) stated:

Beware that there are containers of Allah’s Mercy on the earth, which are people’s hearts. The most favorite of these containers are the purest, strongest, and the most lenient ones. Favorite hearts are pure of sins, strong in belief, and lenient with religious brothers.[10]

In other traditions, the Prophet (s.a) stated:

أمَرَنِي رَبِّي بِمُدَارَاةِ النَّاسِ كَما أمَرَنِي بِأدَاءِ الفَرَائِضِ.

My Lord has ordered me to be lenient with people, as he has ordered me to do obligatory deeds.[11]

ثَلاَثٌ مَنْ لَمْ يَكُنَّ فِيهِ لَمْ يَتِمَّ لَهُ عَمَلٌ: وَرَعٌ يَحْجِزُهُ عَنْ مَعَاصِي اللهِ، وَخُلُقٌ يُدَارِيِ بِهِ النَّاسَ وَحُلُمٌ يَرُدُّ بِهِ جَهْلَ الجَاهِلِ.

Anyone who does not have these three things has accomplished no deed; the piety that prevents him from wrongdoing, the morality that leads him to be lenient with people, and the patience that stands against the ignorance of the foolish.[12]

إنَّ الرِّفْقَ لَمْ يُوضَعْ عَلَى شَيْءٍ اِلاَّ زَانَهُ وَلاَ نُزِعَ مِنْ شَيْءٍ إلاَّ شَانَهُ.

Lenience is not placed in anything except that adorns it, and is not removed from anything except that aggravates it.[13]

لَوْ كَانَ الرِّفْقُ خَلْقاً يُرَى مَا كَانَ مِمَّا خَلَقَ اللهُ عَزَّ وَجَلَّ شَيْءٌ أحْسَنُ مِنْهُ.

If peoples’ lenience was discernible, it was more beautiful than any of Allah’s creatures.[14]

It is narrated from Amir Al-Mo’minin (a.s):

ثَمَرَةُ العَقْلِ مُدَارَاةُ النَّاسِ.

The fruit of wisdom is lenience with people.[15]

مُدَارَاةُ الرَّجُلِ مِنْ أفْضَلِ الأعْمَالِ.

Lenience with people is among the best deeds.[16]

دَارِِ النَّاسَ تَسْتَمْتِعْ بِإخَائِهِمْ، وَألْقِهِمْ بِالبِشْرِ تُمِتْ أضْغَانَهُمْ.

Behave leniently with people to benefit from their brotherhood, and be kind to them to eliminate their hatred.[17]

According to the Messenger of Allah (s.a) the lenience of Allah to His servants is the result of the servants’ lenience with other people:

إسْمَحْ يُسْمَحْ لَكَ.

Be lenient with people to get subject to lenience.[18]

Lenience and mercy are attributes of Allah’s. As the Prophet (s.a) stated:

تَخَلَّقُوا بِأخْلاَقِ اللهِ.

Imitate the attributes of Allah.[19]

It is worthy for people to be adorned with Allah’s attributes, so that they would be prosperous in the two worlds.

Mercy

Much was said about Allah’s Mercy on the first chapter of the book. It was pointed out that Allah’s specific Mercy is subject to people who are obedient to Him and merciful to His servants. They should avoid annoying and oppressing other people and violating their rights. They should always keep in mind the principle:

إرْحَمْ تُرْحَمْ.

Be merciful to get subject to others’ mercy.[20]

This means that If human does not accomplish Allah’s orders and obligatory deeds correctly, does not avoid sins, and is not kind to people, he should not expect Allah’s Compassion.

Important traditions are narrated in some valuable books about Allah’s Mercy, some of which come here:

The Messenger of Allah (s.a) stated:

إنَّ للهِ تَعَالَى مِائَةَ رَحْمَةٍ أنْزَلَ مِنْهَا رَحْمَةً وَاحِدَةً بَيْنَ الجِنِّ وَالإنْسِ وَالطَّيْرِ وَالبَهَائِمِ وَالهَوامِّ؛ فَبِهَا يَتَعَاطَفُونَ وَبِهَا يَتَرَاحَمُونَ، وَأخَّرَ تِسْعاً وَتِسْعِينَ رَحْمَةً يَرْحَمُ اللهُ بِهَا عِبَادَهُ يَوْمَ القِيَامَةِ.

Allah’s mercy has one hundred aspects, one of which He has revealed among his creatures like humans, jinns, animals, and birds and they have affection for each other by that single aspect of Mercy. Allah will have Mercy on his servants on the Day of Judgment by the other ninety nine aspects.[21]

The Prophet of Islam (s.a) said:

إنَّ اللهَ عَزَّ وَجَلَّ يَقُولُ يَوْمَ القِيَامَةِ لِلْمُؤمِنِينَ: هَلْ أحْبَبْتُمْ لِقَائِي؟ فَيَقُولُونَ: نَعَمْ يَا رَبَّنَا. فَيَقُولُ: لمَ؟ فَيَقُولُونَ: رَجَوْنَا عَفْوَكَ وَمَغْفِرَتَكَ. فَيَقُولُ: قَدْ أوْجَبْتُ لَكُمْ مَغْفِرَتِي.

The Almighty Allah would reveal to the believers on the Last Day: Did you like My countenance? They would confirm it. Allah would ask them the reason, and they would say: Because we were hopeful of Your forgiveness. Then Allah would say: I obliged My forgiveness for you.[22]

It is narrated from Prophet Mohammad (a.s):

يَقُولُ اللهُ يَوْمَ القِيَامَةِ: أخْرِجُوا مِنَ النَّارِ مَنْ ذَكَرَنِي يَوْماً أوْ خَافَنِي فِي مَقَامٍ.

The Lord of the worlds would say on the Resurrection Day: Bring out of Fire whoever has remembered Me only one day, or has feared Me for something.[23]

The Prophet (s.a) also stated:

اللهُ أرْحَمُ بِعَبْدِهِ المُؤْمِنِ مِنَ الوَالِدَةِ الشَّفِيقَةِ بِوَلَدِهَا.

The Almighty Allah is more compassionate to His servant than a kind father.[24]

Based on the words of the infallible Imams (a.s), it is understood that what attracts Allah’s Compassion is indeed worship, obedience, avoiding sins, and kindness to others. It is narrated from the Prophet (s.a):

الرَّاحِمُون يَرْحَمُهُمُ اللهُ. إرْحَمُوا مَنْ فِي الأرْضِ يَرْحَمْكُمْ مَنْ فِي السَّمَاءِ.

Allah would compassionate the compassionate people. Compassionate anyone on the earth, so that Allah would compassionate you.[25]

The author of An¢s al-Layl quoted from the book Zinat al-Majalis that Moses, in his prayers, (s.a) asked Allah: “What attribute of mine made You content with me?” He was replied: “When you were grassing Jethro’s sheep on a summer day, a lamb ran away from the cattle. You chased it a long way until you got tired and thirsty. When you found the lamb you caught it and told it: ‘You suffered yourself and I.’ Then you took it back to the cattle. Because of your kindness to that lamb I chose you as My prophet and appointed you as My messenger.”[26]

Someone told the Prophet (s.a): “I would like my Lord to have Mercy on me.” He was responded:

إرْحَمْ نَفْسَكَ وَارْحَمْ خَلْقَ اللهِ يَرْحَمْكَ اللهُ.

Have mercy on yourself and Allah’s creatures, so that He would have Mercy on you.[27]

Prophet Mohammad (a.s) stated:

تَعَرَّضُوا لِرَحْمَةِ اللهِ بِمَا أمَرَكُمْ مِنْ طَاعَتِهِ.

Make yourselves subject to Allah’s Mercy by obeying Him.[28]

The Commander of the Believers, Imam `Al¢ (a.s) stated:

أبْلَغُ مَا تُسْتَدَرُّ بِهِ الرَّحْمَةُ أنْ تُضْمِرَ لِجَمِيعِ النَّاسِ الرَّحْمَةَ.

The major factor bringing about Allah’s embracing Mercy is intending kindness for all people.[29]

He also said:

بِالعَفْوِ تُنَزَّلُ الرَّحْمَةُ.

By forgiving people Mercy is revealed.[30]

Besides, he stated:

رَحْمَةُ الضُّعَفَاءِ تَسْتَنْزِلُ الرَّحْمَةَ.

Kindness to the disabled causes Allah’s Compassion.[31]

Satisfaction

The Sacred Entity from whose Wisdom, Will, and Mercy all the hidden and apparent creatures are created and place in their right positions and toward their right goals managed to provide the sustenance of all creatures in accord with their lifestyle, dignity and activities for getting sustenance.

وَمَا مِنْ دَابَّةٍ فِي الأَرْضِ إِلاَّ عَلَى اللَّهِ رِزْقُهَا.

There is no moving creature on earth but its sustenance depends on Allah. (11:6)

The Compassionate provides His servants’ sustenance, out of expedience, in two ways; expanded for some and narrow for some others.

إِنَّ رَبَّكَ يَبْسُطُ الرِّزْقَ لِمَنْ يَشَاءُ وَيَقْدِرُ إِنَّهُ كَانَ بِعِبَادِهِ خَبِيرًا بَصِيرًا.

Surely your Lord outspreads and straitens His provision unto whom He will; surely He is aware of and sees His servants. (30:17)

The Benevolent has set different ways for His servants to get Halal (lawful) sustenance, like ranching, farming, business, industry, and other beneficial professions that are the result of thought and activity. He has set no one’s sustenance through unlawful activities, such as theft, plunder, looting, bribery, and usurpation. In fact, what they get unlawfully is detracted from their lawful sustenance.

The Holy Qur’¡n and traditions have encouraged people to gain sustenance through legal works. They consider the expansion or narrowness of lawful sustenance as Allah’s expedience, which should be accepted wholeheartedly by humans.

Islam has obliged seeking lawful sustenance, considering it as a great worship. Suffering the body and enduring difficulties in this way is also considered the key to many values. Many traditions are narrated from the Prophet (s.a) in this regard:

طَلَبُ الحَلاَلِ فَرِيضَةٌ عَلَى كُلِّ مُسْلِمٍ وَمُسْلِمَةٍ.

Seeking lawful sustenance is obligatory for all Muslim men and women.[32]

طَلَبُ الحَلاَلِ فَرِيضَةٌ بَعْدَ الفَرِيضَةِ.

Setting out for getting lawful sustenance is an obligatory deed after other obligatory deeds.[33]

طَلَبُ الحَلاَلِ جِهَادٌ.

Seeking out lawful sustenance is like Jihad (holy war) in Allah’s way.[34]

The traditions include some issues, which make the sustenance more expanded. Once a man asked the Messenger of Allah (s.a) how he could expand his sustenance. Prophet Mohammad (s.a) stated:

دُمْ عَلَى الطَّهَارَةِ يُوَسَّعْ عَلَيْكَ فِي الرِّزْقِ.

Keep on purity and cleanness and your sustenance would be expanded.[35]

Amir Al-Mo’minin (a.s) said:

مُوَاسَاةُ الأخِ فِي اللهِ عَزَّ وَجَلَّ تَزِيدُ فِي الرِّزْقِ.

Helping religious brothers increases sustenance.[36]

اِسْتِعْمَالُ الأمَانَةِ يَزِيدُ فِي الرِّزْقِ.

Trustworthiness enlarges sustenance.[37]

The fifth infallible Imam, Imam al-B¡qir (a.s) stated:

عَلَيْكَ بِالدُّعَاءِ لإخْوَانِكَ بِظَهْرِ الغَيْبِ فَإنَّهُ يُهِيلُ الرِّزْقَ.

Pray for your religious brothers in their absence because it descends an extended sustenance for you.[38]