سورة التكاثر

Imam Sadiq (peace be upon him): A believer is not called to account for three things: the food he eats, the clothing he must wear, and a righteous wife who is a helper in his life and a means of preserving his chastity.

Imam Baqir and Imam Sadiq (peace be upon them): There are three things for which a servant is not questioned: a cloth with which he covers his private parts, a piece of bread with which he stills his hunger, and a house that shelters him from heat and cold.

The Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him and his family): Every blessing — its possessor is answerable for it, except a blessing obtained in fighting the enemy or in Hajj.

Imam Sadiq (peace be upon him): Whoever mentions the name of Allah over food, Allah will never question him about the blessing of that food.

Imam Ali (peace be upon him): ثُمَّ لَتُسْأَلُنَّ یَوْمَئِذٍ عَنِ النَّعِیمِ [Then on that day you shall most certainly be questioned about the boons]; that is, fresh dates and cold water.

Imam Ali (peace be upon him): It is narrated from Imam Ali (peace be upon him) that regarding the word of Allah the Exalted: ثُمَّ لَتُسْأَلُنَّ یَوْمَئِذٍ عَنِ النَّعِیمِ [Then on that day you shall most certainly be questioned about the boons], he said: "That is, security, well-being and health."

The Prophet (peace be upon him and his family): O son of Mas'ud! Leave the blessings of the world — its sweetness, its eating, its hot and cold, its soft and delicious things — and make patience away from them binding upon yourself, for you will be questioned about all of that. Allah the Mighty and Majestic has said: لَتُسْئَلُنَّ یَوْمَئِذٍ عَنِ النَّعِیم [You shall most certainly be questioned that day about the boons].

Ibn Abbas (may Allah have mercy on him): The Prophet (peace be upon him and his family) recited Surah at-Takathur... ثُمَّ لَتُسْئَلُنَّ یَوْمَئِذٍ عَنِ النَّعِیمِ [Then on that day you shall most certainly be questioned about the boons]; you will be questioned about five blessings: food, pleasant cold drink, the pleasure of sleep, the shade of dwellings, and the balance of creation.

Imam Ali (peace be upon him): In the book al-Ihtijaj, a long hadith is narrated from Imam Ali (peace be upon him) in which, while arguing with a zindiq (heretic), he said: "In this matter He completed the proof against them thus: He addressed them with speech indicating His oneness and uniqueness, and said that He has awliya (guardians) whose actions and rulings run in the place of His action. They are the honoured servants. They are the very blessing about which the servants will be questioned; for Allah, Blessed and Exalted, bestowed a favour through them upon their friends who followed their path." The man asked: "Who are these proofs?" He said: "They are the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him and his family) and his successors from among Allah's chosen ones. Allah the Mighty and Majestic said: فَأَیْنَمَا تُوَلُّواْ فَثَمَّ وَجْهُ اللّهِ [Whichever way you turn, there is the face of Allah] (al-Baqarah/115), those whom Allah joined to Himself and to His Messenger, and just as He made obedience to Himself obligatory upon the servants, He also made obedience to them obligatory upon them."

Imam Baqir (peace be upon him): Allah will question you only about the truth upon which you stand.

Imam Sadiq (peace be upon him): Hanan ibn Sadir narrated from his father: I was with Imam Baqir (peace be upon him)... He said: "O Sadir! You will never be questioned about good food, soft clothing, or pleasant fragrance. These have been created for us, and we are commanded to use them so that by using these blessings we obey Allah." I said: "May my father and mother be your ransom! Then what is al-na'im (the blessing)?" He said: "The love of Amir al-Mu'minin Ali ibn Abi Talib (peace be upon him) and his household (peace be upon them). Allah will question on the Day of Judgement how you gave thanks for the blessing I bestowed upon you, of the love of Ali (peace be upon him) and his progeny (peace be upon them)."

Imam Sadiq (peace be upon him): Allah the Mighty and Majestic is more honoured and exalted than to feed you food and make it lawful for you, then question you about it. Rather, He questions you about the blessing He has bestowed upon you through Muhammad (peace be upon him and his family) and the family of Muhammad (peace be upon them).

Imam Sadiq (peace be upon him): Allah is more generous than to feed you food and then question you about it. Rather, all of you are responsible regarding the blessing of our existence — did you recognise it and fulfil its right?

Imam Sadiq (peace be upon him): Shaykh Mufid, with his chain of narration, has reported from Muhammad ibn al-Sa'ib al-Kalbi: When Imam Sadiq (peace be upon him) came to Iraq, he stopped at Hira. Then Abu Hanifa came to him and asked him about various matters. Among his questions was this — he said to him: ... 'May I be your ransom! Inform me of the words of Allah the Mighty and Majestic: ثُمَّ لَتُسْأَلُنَّ یَوْمَئِذٍ عَنِ النَّعِیمِ [Then on that day you shall most certainly be questioned about the boons].' He said: 'In your view, what is that boon, O Abu Hanifa?' He said: 'Safety in one's dwelling, soundness of body, and available sustenance.' The Imam (peace be upon him) said: 'O Abu Hanifa! If Allah the Mighty and Majestic makes you stand on the Day of Resurrection to question you about every morsel you have eaten and every drink you have drunk, your standing will indeed be very long.' He said: 'Then what is that boon, may I be your ransom?' He said: 'That boon is us — with us Allah rescued the people from misguidance, and through us He gave them sight [after their] blindness, and through us He taught them [after their] ignorance.'

Imam Sadiq (peace be upon him): Abu Hanifa asked Imam Sadiq (peace be upon him) about this verse, and he said to him: 'In your view, what is that boon, O Nu'man?' He said: 'A person's sustenance of food and cold water.' The Imam (peace be upon him) said: 'If Allah, on the Day of Resurrection, makes you stand before Him to question you about everything you have eaten and drunk, your standing before Him will indeed be very long.' He said: 'Then what is that boon, may I be your ransom?' He said: 'We, the Ahl al-Bayt, are that boon which Allah bestowed upon His servants, and through us He united them after they had been in factions, and through us Allah joined their hearts together and made them brothers after they had been enemies, and through us Allah guided them to Islam. This is a boon that does not come to an end. Allah will question them about the due of that boon which He bestowed upon them, and that is the Prophet (peace be upon him and his family) and his progeny (peace be upon them).'

Imam Sadiq (peace be upon him): It has been narrated from Abu Hanifa: Imam Sadiq (peace be upon him) said: ... 'I have heard that you interpret the verse: ثُمَّ لَتُسْأَلُنَّ یَوْمَئِذٍ عَنِ النَّعِیمِ [Then on that day you shall most certainly be questioned about the boons] as pure food and cold water on a hot day?' I said: 'That is correct.' He said: 'If someone invites you and brings you pure and good food and gives you cool, sweet water to drink and then reminds you of the favour — just as you interpret this verse, what would you say about him, and what sort of person would you consider him?' I said: 'I would consider him miserly.' He said: 'Does Allah act miserly?' I said: 'Then what is the boon in this verse?' He said: 'Love for us, the family of the Prophet (peace be upon him and his family).'

Imam al-Rida (peace be upon him): Ibrahim ibn Abbas al-Suli said: ... Imam al-Rida (peace be upon him) narrated from his father, from Imam al-Sadiq (peace be upon him), who said: Allah never questions His servants about that which He has bestowed upon them as a favour, nor does He remind them of it as an obligation. Reminding people of a favour is considered ugly among people, so how can something be attributed to Allah the doing of which is not proper from people? But the boon (na'im) is the love of us, the Ahl al-Bayt, and devotion to us, about which Allah asks after tawhid (the oneness of Allah) and prophethood; for when a servant fulfils the right of this boon, it takes him to the everlasting Paradise. My father narrated from his father, from Muhammad ibn Ali (peace be upon him), from his father Ali ibn al-Husayn (peace be upon him), from his father al-Husayn ibn Ali (peace be upon him), from his father Ali (peace be upon him), that the Noble Prophet (peace be upon him and his family) said: 'O Ali (peace be upon him), the first thing a person is questioned about after death is bearing witness to لَا إِلَهَ إِلَّا اللَّهُ [there is no god but Allah] and مُحَمَّدٌ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ [Muhammad is the Messenger of Allah], and that you are the wali (guardian) of the believers by virtue of the station that Allah and I have given you. Whoever makes such a confession and continues his life upon it will proceed to Paradise — a boon that has no end.'

Imam al-Sadiq (peace be upon him): By Allah! That boon is not food and drink, but rather the wilayah (guardianship) of us, the Ahl al-Bayt (peace be upon them).

Imam Sadiq (peace be upon him): Abdullah ibn Najih al-Yamani said: I said to Imam Sadiq (peace be upon him): "What is the meaning of the word of Allah the Mighty and Majestic: ثُمَّ لَتُسْأَلُنَّ یَوْمَئِذٍ عَنِ النَّعِیمِ [Then on that day you shall most certainly be questioned about the boons]?" He said: "That blessing is the blessing which Allah bestowed upon you through our wilayah (guardianship) and the love of Muhammad (peace be upon him and his family) and his family (peace be upon them)."

Imam Baqir (peace be upon him): Abu Khalid al-Kabuli said: I came in upon Imam Baqir (peace be upon him)... He said: By Allah! You will not be questioned about this food. The Imam (peace be upon him) laughed until his blessed teeth became visible, and said: "Do you know what al-Naʿim (the blessing) is?" I said: "No!" He said: "We are the Naʿim (blessing) about which you will be questioned."

Imam Sadiq (peace be upon him): Abu Hafs al-Saʾigh said: I heard Imam Sadiq (peace be upon him) saying: "We are the Naʿim (blessing) mentioned in the Quran." Then he recited this verse: وَ إِذْ تَقُولُ لِلَّذِی أَنْعَمَ اللَّهُ عَلَیْهِ وَ أَنْعَمْتَ عَلَیْهِ [And when you said to him upon whom Allah had bestowed a favour and upon whom you too had bestowed a favour] (al-Ahzab/37).

Imam Kazim (peace be upon him): Muhammad ibn Abi Umayr narrated from Imam Musa Kazim (peace be upon him) that he said regarding the word of Allah the Mighty and Majestic: ثُمَّ لَتُسْأَلُنَّ یَوْمَئِذٍ عَنِ النَّعِیمِ [Then on that day you shall most certainly be questioned about the boons]: "We are the blessing of the believer and the bitterness of the disbeliever."

Imam Baqir (peace be upon him): It is narrated from Imam Baqir (peace be upon him) that he said regarding the word of Allah the Exalted: ثُمَّ لَتُسْأَلُنَّ یَوْمَئِذٍ عَنِ النَّعِیمِ [Then on that day you shall most certainly be questioned about the boons]: "That is, security, well-being, and the wilayah (guardianship) of Imam Ali ibn Abi Talib (peace be upon him)."

Imam Sadiq (peace be upon him): Ali ibn al-Hasan al-Abdali said: I heard Imam Sadiq (peace be upon him) say [in the supplication after the prayer of Ghadir]: O Allah! O One whose promise is true and who does not break the appointed pledge, and O Allah who every moment is engaged in some affair, You perfected Your blessing upon us through the love of Your friends — those about whom Your servants will be questioned; for You Yourself said: ثُمَّ لَتُسْئَلُنَّ یَوْمَئِذٍ عَنِ النَّعِیم [Then on that day you shall most certainly be questioned about the boons].

Ali ibn Ibrahim (may Allah have mercy on him): ثُمَّ لَتُسْئَلُنَّ یَوْمَئِذٍ عَنِ النَّعِیمِ [Then on that day you shall most certainly be questioned about the boons]; that is, about wilayah (guardianship). The evidence for this is the verse: "And stop them, indeed they must be questioned" (as-Saffat/24) — meaning they will be questioned about wilayah.

Amir al-Muminin (peace be upon him): I am the one about whom people will question one another on the Day of Resurrection concerning my wilayah (guardianship); ثُمَّ لَتُسْئَلُنَّ یَوْمَئِذٍ عَنِ النَّعِیمِ [Then on that day you shall most certainly be questioned about the boons]; I am that blessing of Allah the Exalted through which Allah bestowed His blessing upon His creation.

Imam Sadiq (peace be upon him): Abdullah ibn Najih al-Yamani said: I asked Imam Sadiq (peace be upon him): "What is the meaning of the verse ثُمَّ لَتُسْئَلُنَّ یَوْمَئِذٍ عَنِ النَّعِیمِ [Then on that day you shall most certainly be questioned about the boons]?" He said: "What is meant is the blessing that Allah has bestowed upon you through Muhammad (peace be upon him and his family) and the family of Muhammad (peace be upon them)."