NINE Gifts for Eid-ul-Fitr

When Unwan al-Basri, a 94 year old man went to seek counsel from Imam Jaffar Sadiq (as), the Imam replied:
"O Unwan! I exhort you to observe NINE things because these are the things that I advise to those who resolve to seek God and to journey on His path. I beseech God to give you success in acting upon them.
Three of those things pertain to the "Training and Discipline of the Soul".
Three of them pertain to "Forbearance and Patience"
And three of them pertain to "Knowledge and Wisdom".
So, commit them to your memory and be careful lest you should be negligent or lethargic in acting upon them."

Unwan says, "I emptied my mind and my heart so as to dedicate them to receive and practice what Imam said".

TRAINING AND DISCIPLINING OF THE SOUL

1. You should not eat anything for which you have no appetite because it creates stupidity and foolishness in man.
2. Do not eat anything unless you are hungry. Keep 1/3rd of the stomach for food, 1/3rd for water and 1/3rd for breath.
3. When you want to eat anything, eat of that which is lawful, taking God's name and remember the tradition of the noble Messenger, because no man has ever filled a vessel worse than his stomach".

FORBEARANCE AND PATIENCE

1. If someone were to say to you, "If you say one word, you will have to hear ten". Tell him, "If you say ten words, you will not hear from me even one".
2. If anyone should insult and abuse you, tell him, "If what you say about me is right, I pray to God to forgive me. And if what you say is false, then I beseech God to forgive you".
3. If anyone threatens to betray and abuse you, reassure him that you will be his well-wisher and mindful of his rights.

KNOWLEDGE AND WISDOM

1. You should question the learned concerning what you do not know and never ask to confuse or to belittle them.
2. Avoid giving legal verdicts (Fatwa) as if you were running away from a lion and do not make your neck a bridge for the people to cross over.
3. In the matters of the "Shariah", never do anything in accordance with your own subjective judgment. When you find a way to caution and care, make caution your practice.

EID-UL-FITR MUBARAK