1. Celebration of the Birth of Amir al-Mu'minin Ali (Peace Be Upon Him)
Time: Monday, January 13, 8:00 PM
Location: Qom, University of Qom, Sheikh Mofid Hall
All Arad members are invited with their families.
2. Congratulations on the Birth of Imam Jawad and Ali Asghar (Peace Be Upon Them)
🕰️ 1 minute
3. Special Article for Newcomers
4. The Battle Between Viruses and Businesses
🕰️ 2 minutes
5. Arad Branding in 60 Seconds
🕰️ 1 minute
6. Logistics Q&A
🕰️ 61 minutes
7. Export Negotiation Practice in Trade with Africa
🕰️ 20 minutes
8. Representative from France at Arad Branding Supply Factories
🕰️ 1 minute
9. Representative from Tunisia in Iran
🕰️ 1 minute
10. I Feel Sad About the Naivety of Aradi Merchants
I have often seen on social media that people mock the saying of the Prophet (peace be upon him): "Half of faith lies in marriage." They joke, saying, "I got married, so I have half of the faith; I don’t need the rest," or, "I’ve scored ten points, so I’m heading to Paradise."
I wish I could tell these mockers right then and there, "You fools!"
When the Prophet (peace be upon him) says that "Half of faith lies in marriage," it doesn’t mean that the moment a girl says "yes" to you, you are instantly granted half of the faith.
Rather, it means that if you don’t get married, you are deprived of that half of faith.
Now, when you do get married, your access to that half of faith is only unlocked.
How much of that faith you actually acquire depends on you.
It’s like saying, "There are 100 billion Tomans in this room."
Does this mean that anyone who enters the room automatically receives the 100 billion Tomans?
Of course not. It means that unless you enter the room, you certainly have no access to that 100 billion Tomans.
Once you enter the room, then and only then does your access to it begin.
In other words, the "lock" to this stage of the journey has been opened for you—it was previously sealed.
The same principle applies to other aspects mentioned in Islamic traditions and sayings.
For instance, when the Prophet (peace be upon him) says: "Nine-tenths of wealth lies in trade," it means that if you don’t engage in trade, you will undoubtedly have no share in that nine-tenths. Even if you exhaust yourself, investing full efforts, you will only ever gain from that remaining 10%.
But when you choose trade, the gates of divine wealth are opened for you. Then it’s up to you whether you take a share of that nine-tenths or not.
There are many people who, outside of trade, manage to take the full 10% that Allah has allocated, while someone who enters trade takes nothing from the 90%. You then see a doctor—working in a field with only 10% potential—becoming wealthier than someone engaged in trade, which has 90% potential.
In this case, it’s fair to say, "Shame on them!" The doctor, working with only 10% potential, has surpassed the person in trade, who has a 90% advantage but failed to benefit.
The same applies to the saying of Imam Sadiq (peace be upon him):
"Two-thirds of intellect lies in trade."
This means that unless you enter trade, don’t expect to access those two-thirds of intellect. No matter how much effort you put in, you will only be striving for that one-third.
Once you step into trade, the "lock" to those two-thirds is unlocked—not in the sense that completing your first transaction automatically grants you those two-thirds.
Thus, there are many people who are not merchants but have worked hard within the one-third and achieved it, while others who became merchants failed to access the two-thirds they had the potential for.
And then there are those who enter trade, but not only do they fail to utilize the two-thirds of intellect available in trade, they also neglect the one-third outside of trade, remaining intellectually stagnant for years.
The Quraysh, the tribe of the Prophet (peace be upon him), were traders by profession. However, apart from a few who pursued honest and clean trade, most mixed their business with usury, false oaths, and gambling. After every successful transaction, they indulged in wine.
Those who didn’t engage in trade often entrusted their wealth to traders due to Islam’s numerous recommendations about the blessings of trade. But time and again, it was observed that these traders squandered people’s wealth.
This led to a contradiction in people’s minds.
Didn’t Allah and His Prophet say that nine-tenths of wealth is in trade?
Didn’t they say that two-thirds of intellect lies in trade?
So why, when we give our money to traders—who are supposed to be more intelligent and in a path blessed with abundant wealth—do we see our wealth being destroyed?
It was here that Allah revealed the verse:
"Do not give the weak-minded your wealth." Surah An-Nisa, Ayah 5
The word "safih" in Arabic translates to what we call "ignorant," "foolish," or "stupid" in Persian.
After this verse was revealed, the Prophet of Allah (peace be upon him) told the people:
"And who is more foolish than the one who consumes alcohol?"
And how great is the loss of someone who enters trade—where Allah has placed two-thirds of intellect and nine-tenths of wealth—yet ends up with less intellect and wealth than someone who hasn’t even entered trade.
I personally know a horseback riding coach who entered trade through Arad.
Yesterday, when I saw a video of Mr. Ghorbani horseback riding, I genuinely admired him. A few years ago, I decided to learn horseback riding, but I found it extremely challenging and gave up. Maybe I started too late in life.
Years ago, I trained with the same riding coach. I remember how he used to say, “If you place your foot two centimeters incorrectly, this will happen; if you place it two centimeters correctly, that will happen.”
But when he entered trade with Arad, it was as if he completely ignored the need to learn and attend training sessions.
One day, when he was complaining about not achieving anything in trade, I told him: “How is it that to earn a mere pittance from horseback riding, you spent four years in university, then another eight years training here and there with different coaches to learn riding techniques, yet when it comes to trade, you don’t want to spend any time learning?”
What has happened to us that we are like this?
Why do we spend years learning useless knowledge, but when it comes to trade with Arad, we refuse to take the time for training?
It’s as if every profession requires education and learning—except trade.
Well, if professions that contain only one-tenth of wealth and at most one-third of intellect require 4, 6, 8, or even 12 years of education, why is it that for trade—where nine-tenths of wealth and two-thirds of intellect reside—we refuse to embrace learning?
Think about this question carefully and to conclude today’s discussion, I want you to closely observe a photo I captured yesterday. It’s a comment from a newly entered Aradi merchant. It doesn’t matter who they are; what matters is the content of their message.
First, read this comment carefully. Then I will begin my explanation.
These kinds of stories are everywhere on Instagram and social media.
You are supposedly an honorable merchant.
A merchant should not be this gullible.
First of all, many of these stories never even happened.
I mean, I seriously doubt that Robert Dawinson is even a golf champion. 😁
And even if we assume he is a golf champion, I highly doubt such a story ever took place because golf tournaments don’t allow spectators to enter the course like that, let alone a woman running up to him.
That in itself is suspicious.
On top of that, even if we assume a woman did run up to him, the prize money in golf competitions isn’t handed out in cash right on the spot for him to give to the woman.
Let’s say, for argument’s sake, they did hand out the money in cash. Robert wouldn’t be foolish enough to give all of it to that woman.
Now, assuming all of this is true.
Robert, the fool, gave all his hard-earned money to a scammer woman. Then, when he was informed that the woman was a fraud, he says, “Thank God she didn’t have a sick child—this is great news!”
Robert, what are you even on?
If I were the person who brought the news, I would have said: “You fool! By giving this money to the scammer, you’ve actually empowered them. Now, with the funds they received from you, they can expand their scams and exploit even more people.”
On the other hand, if you hadn’t given them this money, we could have used it to save the life of a genuinely sick person.
Now, instead of admitting your stupidity and repenting for it, you’re trying to whitewash your mess by acting all noble?
Honestly, if I were there, I’d have slapped Robert twice and said: “Stop spouting nonsense!
If that’s how it works, then listen—I have three sick children. Give me triple that amount, and when you find out I lied, you can thank God they weren’t actually sick. Idiot.”
Now, let’s set all that aside.
Dear Aradi merchant,
Why on earth would you write such a sentence at the end:
“How beautiful the world becomes because of those who are kind without expecting anything in return.”
When I read that comment, I was genuinely shocked by such a level of naïveté and found myself at a loss for words.
For the love of God, stop being so gullible.
Merchants are not supposed to be so quick to believe everything.
Haven’t you heard the command of your Lord:
“O ye who believe! If a wicked person comes to you with any news, ascertain the truth, lest ye harm people unwittingly, and afterwards become full of repentance for what ye have done.” Surah Al-Hujurat, Ayah 6
Do you know what truly hurts me?
It’s when you tell people, “The Messenger of God said: ‘Engage in trade so that God may bless you.’”
It’s when you tell people, “The Commander of the Faithful said: ‘Engage in trade so that you may not need what is in the hands of others.’”
It’s when you tell people, “Imam Sadiq said: ‘Engage in trade so that you are not humiliated and degraded.’”
And their response is: “How do we know this hadith is true?
These sayings have been altered throughout history.”
They label the authentic words of the Prophet as false and avoid engaging in trade.
They disregard the commands of the infallibles and then claim they are waiting for and supporting Imam Mahdi.
Well, when Imam Mahdi comes, he will likely say: “Did you not hear my ancestor say: engage in trade to escape humiliation and poverty?’
So go trade!”
They think that when Imam Mahdi comes, he will say, “Well, don't trade, I will make you wealthy instead.“
We question and doubt the hadith and commands of the Prophet and Imams with endless “ifs” and “buts,” but for fake, fabricated Western stories, we passionately defend and glorify them with all our might. It truly breaks one’s heart.
We may not be able to change society, but for the love of God, let us, as Aradis, make an effort not to be so naive.
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