Chapter of the Obligations on the Limbs

Amir al-Mu'minin Imam Ali ibn Abi Talib عليه السلام said in his will to his son Muhammad ibn al-Hanafiyyah, may Allah سبحانه وتعالى be pleased with him: "My son, do not speak of what you do not know. In fact, do not say everything that you know, for Allah سبحانه وتعالى, the Blessed and Exalted, has made obligations on all your limbs, which He will hold you accountable for on the Day of Resurrection. He will question you about them. He has reminded them, advised them, warned them, and disciplined them, leaving none of them without guidance. Allah سبحانه وتعالى, the Exalted, says: 'And do not pursue that of which you have no knowledge. Indeed, the hearing, the sight, and the heart—all those will be questioned about.' (Surah Al-Isra 17:36) And He, the Exalted, says: 'When you received it with your tongues and said with your mouths that of which you had no knowledge, and you thought it insignificant, while it was, in the sight of Allah سبحانه وتعالى, tremendous.' (Surah An-Nur 24:15) Then He commanded obedience to Him, saying: 'O you who have believed, bow and prostrate and worship your Lord عز وجل and do good that you may succeed.' (Surah Al-Hajj 22:77) This is a comprehensive and obligatory duty upon all limbs. Allah سبحانه وتعالى, the Exalted, says: 'And [He revealed] that the places of prostration are for Allah سبحانه وتعالى, so do not invoke anyone with Allah سبحانه وتعالى.' (Surah al-Jinn 72:18) By "places of prostration," He means the face, hands, knees, and big toes. Allah سبحانه وتعالى, the Exalted, also says: 'And you did not cover yourselves, lest your hearing testify against you or your sight or your skins.' (Surah Fussilat 41:22) By "skins," He refers to private parts. Then, Allah سبحانه وتعالى specified a duty for each of your limbs, clarifying it explicitly. He made it obligatory upon the hearing not to listen to sinful matters, as He says: 'And it has already come down to you in the Book that when you hear the verses of Allah سبحانه وتعالى denied and ridiculed, do not sit with them until they enter into another conversation. Indeed, you would then be like them.' (Surah An-Nisa 4:140) And He, the Exalted, says: 'And when you see those who engage in [offensive] discourse concerning Our verses, then turn away from them until they enter into another conversation.' (Surah An-An’am 6:68) Then, He made an exception for forgetfulness, saying: 'And if Satan should cause you to forget, then do not remain after the reminder with the wrongdoing people.' (Surah An-An’am 6:68) And Allah سبحانه وتعالى, the Exalted, says: "So give good tidings to My servants. Those who listen to speech and follow the best of it. Those are the ones Allah سبحانه وتعالى has guided, and those are people of understanding." (Surah Az-Zumar 39:17-18) And He, the Exalted, says: "And when they pass near ill speech, they pass by with dignity." (Surah Al Furqan 25:72) And He, the Exalted, says: "And when they hear ill speech, they turn away from it." (Surah Al Qasas 28:55) This is what Allah سبحانه وتعالى, the Exalted, has made obligatory upon hearing, and it is its duty. He also made it obligatory upon the sight not to look at what Allah سبحانه وتعالى has forbidden, as He, the Exalted, says: "Tell the believing men to lower their gaze and guard their private parts." (Surah An-Nur 24:30) Thus, He prohibited anyone from looking at the private parts of another. And He made it obligatory upon the tongue to profess faith and express what is affirmed in the heart, as He, the Exalted, says: "Say, 'We believe in Allah سبحانه وتعالى and what has been revealed to us.'" (Surah Al-Baqarah 2:136) And He, the Exalted, says: "And speak to people good [words]." (Quran 2:83) And Allah سبحانه وتعالى has made it obligatory upon the heart, which is the commander of the limbs, through which you understand, reason, and act according to its direction and judgment. Allah سبحانه وتعالى, the Exalted, says: "Except for one who is forced [to renounce his religion] while his heart is secure in faith." (Surah An-Nahl 16:106) And He, the Exalted, informed about people who professed faith with their tongues but whose hearts did not believe, saying: "Those who said with their mouths, 'We believe,' but their hearts did not believe." (Surah Al-Ma’idah 5:41) And He, the Exalted, says: "Unquestionably, by the remembrance of Allah سبحانه وتعالى hearts are assured." (Surah Ar-Ra’d 13:28) And He, the Exalted, says: "Whether you reveal what is within yourselves or conceal it, Allah سبحانه وتعالى will bring you to account for it. Then He will forgive whom He wills and punish whom He wills." (Surah Al-Baqarah 2:284) He made it obligatory upon the hands not to extend them to what Allah سبحانه وتعالى has forbidden and to use them in obedience to Him. Allah سبحانه وتعالى, the Exalted, says: "O you who have believed, when you rise to [perform] prayer, wash your faces and your forearms to the elbows and wipe over your heads and your feet to the ankles." (Surah Al-Ma’idah 5:6) And He, the Exalted, says: "So when you meet those who disbelieve, strike their necks." (Surah Muhammad صلى الله عليه وعلى آله وسلم 47:4) He also made it obligatory upon the feet to move them in His obedience and not to walk with them in disobedience. Allah سبحانه وتعالى, the Exalted, says: "And do not walk upon the earth exultantly. Indeed, you will never tear the earth [apart], and you will never reach the mountains in height. All that [behavior]—its evil is ever, in the sight of your Lord عز وجل, detested." (Surah Al-Isra 17:37-38) And Allah سبحانه وتعالى, the Exalted, says: "That Day, We will seal their mouths, and their hands will speak to Us, and their feet will testify about what they used to earn." (Surah Ya-Sin 36:65) He informs us that these limbs will testify against their owner on the Day of Resurrection. This is what Allah سبحانه وتعالى, the Blessed and Exalted, has made obligatory upon your limbs. So, my dear son, fear Allah سبحانه وتعالى and use them in His obedience and for His pleasure. Beware of letting Allah سبحانه وتعالى see you in a place of disobedience or missing you in a place of obedience, for that will render you among the losers. Be steadfast in reading the Quran, acting upon its teachings, adhering to its obligations and laws, observing its permissible and impermissible matters, following its commands and prohibitions, and reciting it in your prayers at night and during the day. The Quran is a covenant from Allah سبحانه وتعالى, Blessed and Exalted, to His creation, and it is obligatory upon every Muslim to reflect upon it daily, even if only by reading fifty verses. Know that the levels of Paradise correspond to the number of verses in the Quran. On the Day of Resurrection, it will be said to the reciter of the Quran, "Recite and ascend." Thus, none in Paradise will have a rank higher than that of the reciter of the Quran, except the Prophets and the truthful ones. The full advice is extensive; we have taken from it what is relevant to the need. There is no might or power except with Allah سبحانه وتعالى, the Most High, the Great. Praise belongs to Allah سبحانه وتعالى, the Lord عز وجل of all worlds.