me and then spread it or reveal it to one not worthy of it, Allah shall make you taste the heat of iron and its cold.

Have you not heard from Baqir al-'Ilm — Exalted Glory — that he said: 'Our secret is a hidden secret, difficult and made difficult; none can bear it but a near angel, or a sent prophet, or a believer whose heart Allah has tested for faith.' The angels are many, so he informed us that none of the angels can bear it except he who was near; and the prophets are many, so he informed us that none of the prophets can bear it except he who was sent; and the believers are many, so he informed us that none of the believers can bear it except the tested ones.

You are in ease as long as you have not heard it and then spread it." He [the narrator] said: I said to him: "O my master, if I do not spread it, what will become of me?" He said: "You shall be among those to whom the secret of Allah was entrusted and who hid it, so Allah granted him the reward of the righteous and joined him to the world of the joiners." I said: "I am trusting in Allah — Exalted Glory — to keep me firm and guide me." He said: "And despite this, that which you desire is difficult and made difficult; none can bear it except a near angel, or a sent prophet, or a believer whose heart Allah has tested with faith. And you are in ease regarding your religion as long as I do not command you with a matter and forbid you, and then you oppose my command, for that would be the cause of your destruction." I said to him: "And where is [the danger] in that, my master?"

He said: "Safeguarding your brothers, looking after them, maintaining the inquiry after them and connecting with them, and not transgressing against any of them. For blindness is acquired from looking at their sanctities; deafness is acquired from listening to what is ugly regarding them; and leprosy is acquired from slandering them and diminishing their status. There is no ailment, outward or inward, except that it is acquired because of [harming] them. So, look to your soul and look to where you are proceeding." I said to him: "O my master, I am trusting