Salam to all,

The lofty position which Imam Jafar As-Sadiq (a.s.) occupies in Muslim history is well known, however, I wanted to share some of the traditions (and commentary/explanation) which he relates in the collection "Latern of the Path". For the complete work, see http://www.rafed.net/books/other-lang/mesbah/ - http://www.rafed.net/books/other-lang/mesbah/

ON KNOWLEDGE AND MEN OF KNOWLEDGE

"Know that a small amount of knowledge requires a great deal of action, because knowledge of the Hour' requires the person who has such knowledge to act accordingly during his entire life. 'Isa (peace be upon him) said, 'I saw a stone on which was written, "Turn me over", so I turned it over. Written on the other side was "Whoever does not act by what he knows will be doomed by seeking what he does not know, and his own knowledge will be turned against him." '

'Isa (peace be upon him) said, 'The most wretched of all people is he who is known for his knowledge, not for his actions.'

The Holy Prophet (peace be upon him and his family) said, 'Do not sit with every presumptuous caller who summons you from certainty to doubt, from sincerity to showing off, from humility to pride, from good counsel to enmity, and from abstinence to desire. Draw near to the person with knowledge, who summons you from pride to humility, from showing off to sincerity, from doubt to certainty, from desire to abstinence, from enmity to good counsel.' None are fit to preach to creation except that person who has gone beyond these evils by his truthfulness. He sees the faults of speech and knows what is sound from what is unsound, the defectiveness of thoughts, and the temptations of the self and his fancies."

ON THE IMPORTANCE OF GIVING CORRECT JUDGEMENT (or avoiding giving judgement altogether)

"The Holy Prophet (peace be upon him and his family) said, 'Whoever is boldest among you in judging is also the most insolent to Allah (SWT)'. Does not the judge know that he is the one who has come between Allah (SWT) and His bondsmen, and that he is wavering between the Garden and the Fire?"