Aban ibn Abi Ayyash narrates that Sulaym said: “A man from the companions of Ali (a.s) who was called Hammam, stood up. He was a devotee and was a great worshipper. He said: [“O Amirul Mumineen, tell me the qualities of faithfuls (mumineen) in such a way as if I am seeing them.”]
For a while Amirul Mumineen kept quiet at what he said and then said: {“O Hammam, choose fear of God, and do good deeds because Allah is with those people who choose fear of God (piety) and do good deeds.”} Hammam requested: [“I am asking you, for the Sake of Him, Who gave you the high esteem and specialized you and honored you and whatever He has given you, He has given you in abundance, you please definitely tell me the qualities of Mumineen.”]
Amirul Mumineen (a.s) stood on his both feet, thanked Allah, praised Him, and prayed for blessings on the Holy Prophet (S.A.W), and his ahlulbayt, and then said: {“After that, when Allah created the entire being, He did not have any need for His obedience, and was safe from His disobedience because anyone’s disobeying Him does not harm Him, and if anyone obeys Him, his obedience does not benefit Him. So He distributed subsistence among beings and whatever place was there in the world for it, He gave it. No doubt. He sent Adam to the world due to the action that he did, which he was forbidden to do, and he did not listen. Allah had commanded him, and he did not fulfill it.
So mumineen in this world are those people who are people with integrity. Their saying is absolutely correct and their dress is medium, their walking is with humbleness. They, in obedience to Allah, bow their heads, and whatever Allah has declared forbidden, they close their eyes over it and walk. Their ears are donated for knowledge. They behave themselves in calamities just in the same manner that they behave in happy times and are pleased with every decision of Allah.
If there was no time that Allah had fixed for them, then even for a split second their souls would not stay in their bodies due to their desire for Reward and fear for punishment. In their eyes, Khaliq (the creator) has such a high status that after Him everything seems small to their eyes.
The example of them and Paradise is like the one who has seen Paradise and people having the bounties of it. The example of them and Hell is like the person who has seen Hell and people suffering in it. Their hearts are sorrowful and others are safe from them; their bodies are weak and their desires are minor. They are pure and their help to Islam is major.
They remained patient for a few days so they acquired a long period of rest. Their business is profitable which their Generous Lord has given them. The world loved them but they did not love the world. The world sought them but they did not accept it.
At night they are on their feet worshipping Allah, and they recite parts of the Quran with sweetness and make themselves sorrowful through Quran and get cure for their illnesses from Quran. The increase in their sorrow is due to crying from the sins and due to pain in every part of their body when they go through a verse in which there is incentive, then in desire of it they go forward and due to the incentive they start loving it. They think that that is their target and they gather around the edge and are acceptors of the Greatness of Allah and lay their foreheads, palms, knees and feet on the floor, their tears roll down their cheeks and to free their necks from Hell they pray to Allah, sobbing. When they go through a verse that is fearful, they turn their ears of heart and ears of eyes to it. Their hair raises due to that, and their hearts start trembling due to it. The voices of Hell ring in their ears.
During the day they are patient, knowledgeable, good and pious. Fear has made them like arrows. When a person sees them, he thinks they are all ill, although they do not have any illness, or a fear has surrounded them, whereas a huge Amr (Day of Judgment) surrounds them.
When they remember the Greatness of Allah and the difficulty of His Kingdom combined with the mention of death in it, and the frightening matters of Qiyamah, their hearts become fearful and their understanding is puzzled. Their senses do not work, their hair rise up. When they regain consciousness, they start running towards Allah through pure deeds, and are not happy with lesser deeds for Allah and do not consider even bigger deeds sufficient.
These people accurse themselves and stay fearful of their own deeds. If anyone praises their deeds, they remain scared of peoples praises and say ‘I know myself better than others, and my God is more aware of me than others. O Allah, do not question me concerning what they say about me and make me better than what they think of me. Forgive me for what they do not know about me. Surely, You know best about what is hidden, and are concealer of all bad things.’
From their signs, one sign is that you will get a firm strength of religion in him, despite the gentle determination in intention, and in faith you will find Iman, and in knowledge you will find envy, in jurisprudence you will find understanding, in patience there is knowledge, and in expending you will find love, in gentleness you will find intelligence, in wealth you will find moderation, in worship you will find sincerity and in strength – to bear hunger, in difficulty you will find patience, in action you will find mercy, in rights you will find a giver, in earning you will find gentleness, in permitted matters you will find purity, in guidance you will find happiness, and one who safeguards in bribes; in firmness you will find him good, in desires one who safeguards.
They do not become proud with praises from the ignorant and do not miss taking an account of their deeds. They do not delay in good deeds and do good deeds.
He is a person whose concern is thankfulness in the evening and when it is morning his task is dhikr. He spends the night fearful and the morning with happiness, and he is fearful of that with which one should be fearful and is happy because of the virtues and blessing that he has been given. If he finds something he does not like difficult, then he does not let what he likes surpass it. His happiness is in those things that are everlasting, his attention is towards those things that will remain forever and he refrains from those that will be destroyed.
He joins patience to knowledge and knowledge to intelligence. You will find laziness is away from him. He is always happy. His hopes are nearness, and he rarely deviates. He is awaiting his death and his heart is humble, and it is contented and ignorance is away from him.
His work is easy. He safeguards his religion and has killed his desires and controls his temper. His behavior is very clean. His neighbor is safe from him and pride and arrogance is very weak. He is contented with what he gets and he is very patient. His actions are firm, and his remembrance is a lot.
He does not mention what his friends have kept with him for safeguard, and does not hide the witnessing of enemies, and he does not act truthfully to show off, and does not leave it due to shame or embarrassment. One is always hopeful for a good deed from him, and people are safe from any evil from him.
He forgives who oppresses him, he gives to one who disappoints him, and whoever cuts off relationship with him, he keeps relation with that person. His patience does not separate from him and he does not rush in doubtful matters. What is evident for him, he tolerates it. Ignorance is far from him, his talks are soft, and thinks bad about unpleasant things. His good deeds are very near, his talks are true, and his actions are good. His good deeds go ahead and his bad deeds far behind.
He stays firm when faced with unsteady situations. He is patient in difficulties and is thankful in times of ease. He does not oppress his enemies and does not claim what is not his right, and does not deny anyone’s rights. He accepts what is true before witnesses are brought.
What ever is kept with him for safekeeping he does not destroy it, does not call anyone by a disliked title, and does not exceed on anyone, and has no intention of jealousy, does not harm neighbors, and is not happy at anyone’s problems.
He returns what is kept with him for safekeeping, hurries towards prayers, does not rush towards things disliked. He practices Amr Bil Ma’nuf and Nahiy Anil Munkar. He does not get out of truth because of being fed up.
If he is quiet, quietness does not upset him, and if he talks, he does not utter false, if he laughs his voice is low and what has been decided for him, he is content. Anger does not make him be oppressive and desires do not overpower him. Miserliness does not suppress him and he is not desirous of what is not his by right. He meets people because he acquires knowledge and chooses quietness so that he remains safe. He questions so that he can understand and does business so that he benefits. He discusses to get knowledge. He does not lend his ears towards good deeds to be proud, and does not talk to belittle a person.
He puts himself into difficulty but people are safe from him. He puts himself into difficulty for his Hereafter and makes people feel comfortable. If he is oppressed he is patient so that Allah punishes the oppressor. Due to his purity and self-restraint from the world he remains aloof from people who stay away from him. Due to his softness and kindness he gets nearer to people who come near him. His staying away is not due to pride or arrogance, and his coming near is not on account of cheating and any harm to others. He follows the good people before him. He is the Imam for those who do good after him.”}
Sulaym says that Hammam screamed and became unconscious and fell down. Amirul Mumineen (a.s) said: {“By God, I was afraid of this for him.”} And said: {“Those who are capable, good advise does this work.’}
Someone said to him: [“O Amirul Mumineen, what is your state then?”] He replied: {“For every person a time is appointed from which he cannot go forward, and there is a reason for him not getting forward. Stop and do not proceed ahead because Shaytan is talking with your tongue.”}
Then Hammam raised his head and took another deep breath and passed away. May Allah have Mercy on him.