This section includes explanations and reports from the Epistle, scattered from every art; may God grant us the success to understand it.

(579) My Master and my Reminder Abu al-Fath Muhammad ibn al-Hasan al-Baghdadi — may God be pleased with him — narrated to me and enjoined it upon me in his epistle which he sent to me and specialized me with; I have extracted from it what I have included in this chapter, as well as what I transmitted from others, as we have clarified in their respective places. Among that: what he related from Muhammad ibn Sinan by his chain from al-Mufaddal ibn Umar, who said: I said to my Master al-Sadiq — exalted be his glory: "O my Master, how must a believing servant treat his brother?"

He replied: "O Mufaddal, there is no man who claims faith and then treats his brother as he treats the rest of the people except that he is quit of God, and God is quit of him."

(580) From al-Sadiq — exalted be his glory — that he said: "Whoever learns a science intending by it to debate the scholars, to argue with the jurists, to eat through it from the wealthy, to lord over the weak, or to employ the poor, let him take his seat in the Fire."

(581) From him — exalted be his glory — that he said to al-Mufaddal ibn Umar — peace be upon him: "O Mufaddal, whoever backbites a believer has embarked upon a sin that only the ignorant embark upon. Backbiting is to say regarding him what is in him; and if one says what is not in him, he has killed him, and his recompense shall be Hell."

(582) Our Master al-Sadiq — exalted be his glory — was asked: "What do you say regarding a man among your Shia who repents for a sin then returns to it?" He — exalted be his glory — said: "These are the lapses which the Messenger of God — exalted be his glory — mentioned in his saying: 'The believer is like a sweet basil (rayhana); at times it stands and at times it falls.'"