seventeen for the Iqamah. What the Shia say in the Adhan is: "Muhammad and Ali are the best of mankind," and their saying: "Muhammad is the best of mankind and Ali is the best of creation." However, this is not [technically] part of the Adhan or the Iqamah, nor is what the Hashwiyya —may Allah curse them—say; for they abolished "Hasten to the best of deeds" (Hayya 'ala khayr al-'amal) and substituted in its place: "Prayer is better than sleep" (Al-salatu khayrun min al-nawm). The Commander of the Faithful [Ali]—to him be submission—said: "By Allah, they did not leave it [the prayer] except by its inversion; indeed, I am the Prayer and they are the Sleep."

As for Fasting (Al-Siyam), it is a shield (junnah) for the believer and a protection ('isma) for him from corrupt deeds. Regarding it is the saying of the Messenger—may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him and his family: "Fasting is a revelation (wahy) from him [the Manifestation]." It is an obligation and prescribed upon this nation by the saying of the Almighty:

{O you who have believed, decreed upon you is fasting as it was decreed upon those before you that you may become righteous [practice Taqwa] — [Fasting for] a limited number of days} (Al-Baqarah: 183-184).

Then the most Majestic of Speakers said: {The month of Ramadan [is that] in which was revealed the Quran, a guidance for the people