اخلاق و عرفان اسلامي

Islamic Morality and Mysticism

What are the main distinctions of the believers and real friends of God? The present paper interprets Imam Aliʹs words on the distinctions of Godʹs servants and friends. According to Imam Ali the most important distinctions of Godʹ friends are sincerity and justice. To attain sincerity and reach the station of sincere people one must take pains, undergoing mortification and making oneʹs words and deeds sincere. In other words, one can get to the station of sincere people only after one resists against oneʹs temptations and becomes sincere in terms of thinking, speaking and behaving. It is only after doing sincere deeds and making oneself in accordance with Islamic standards that oneʹs heart opens up to divine knowledge. Ahlubayt are the source of divine knowledge for sincere ones.