Pars Today – Imam Baqer (Peace upon him) said, “The silence of a man who has propriety before God is better than glorifying God by an ignorant man.”
Imam Sadeq (Peace upon him) (702-765 AD), the sixth Imam of the Prophet’s progeny, says, “My father trained me with three points…” Then he continues, “He who sits with an evil companion will not be [spiritually] healthy; and he who is not careful of his words will regret it; and he who commutes to evil places will be accused of.”
Propriety has been defined as morality by some people and they have called it as good temperament. But, pondering on the word helps us understand that propriety is different from morality. Sheikh Tabarsi has pointed to some differences between morality and propriety and said,
Morality discusses the issues related to human spirit, but propriety is related to the physical actions.
Moral issues are always fixed in time and there is no change in them, but propriety varies in different eras.
Moral issues are fixed in every place, too, and are the same in every city and country, but propriety changes in different cities and countries and the propriety of every region is related to it.
Here, Pars Today has taken a glance at 6 precious maxims of the Imams of the Prophet’s progeny about propriety.
What is propriety?
Imam Hossein (Peace upon him) was asked, “What is propriety?” The Imam answered, “Propriety means when you go out of your house, you do not face anyone unless you consider him superior to you.”
Being loved by Prophet’s progeny
Imam Sadeq (Peace upon him) said, “Among our followers, we love the ones who are wise, considerate, aware, patient, stick to propriety, are adaptable, forbearing and truthful.”
Propriety superior to genealogy
Imam Ali (Peace upon him said, “Propriety makes you needless of genealogy.”
Best legacy for child
Imam Sadeq (Peace upon him) said, “The best thing that fathers leave as legacy for their children is propriety rather than property; because property perishes while propriety remains.”
He who has propriety is more valuable than an ignorant worshipper
Imam Baqer (Peace upon him) said, “The silence of a man who has propriety before God is better than glorifying God by an ignorant man.”
Least degree of propriety
Imam Hassan Askari (Peace upon him) said, “It suffices for your propriety that you refrain from doing what you do not like others to do.”
RM/MG
Key phrases: What is propriety? importance of propriety, What is morality? Who are the Prophet’s Ahl al-Bayt (progeny)? How can we have propriety?
