O you who have faith, when you whisper with the Messenger, offer charity before you whisper. It is narrated that the Commander of the Faithful ʿAlī said that when this verse came down, he gave one dinar in charity and asked ten questions from God's Messenger. He said, “'O Messenger of God! How should I supplicate God?': How should I call upon God and worship Him?” The Messenger answered, “'With truthfulness and loyalty': Be loyal to the covenant that was made with Him on the Day of Alast and be truthful in your speaking and doing. Have what you show, do what you say, and be whence you call out.” ʿAlī said, “What should I ask for from God?” He answered, “'For safety in this world and the next:' In this world and the next the safety of the heart from the blights of mortal nature and the well-being of the body in the varieties of trial.” ʿAlī said, “'What should I make ready for my salvation?': What should I do so that in the gathering place of the resurrection I may be delivered, secure from the terrors of the resurrection and arrived at the degrees of the Garden?” He answered, “'Eat the permitted and speak with truthfulness': When you eat something, eat the permitted, and when you speak, speak with truthfulness. Do not give the forbidden access to yourself, for the forbidden has a bad outcome. Avoid lying, for anyone who lies will have a bad name in the two worlds.” He said, “'What is the stratagem?': What stratagem should I use so that things will come out as I want?” He answered, “'The stratagem is to abandon stratagems': Let go of stratagems and know that everything is as God wants and that the stratagems and governance of the servant will never over- come God's predetermination.” He said, “'What must I do?': What are the rules that I must discharge?” He answered, “'The command of God and His Messenger': Everything mandatory and oblig- atory commanded by God, and everything set down as Sunnah and recommended by the Mes- senger.” He said, “'What is ease?': What is ease and comfort?” He answered, “'The Garden': Ease is that you settle down in paradise and its blessings and that you stay secure from hell and its punishment.
