collections of Traditions current among the Shi'ites. Turning once more to the 'Ainu'l-Hayat, we there find it stated on Imam Ja'far's authority that whoever ¹ repeats two rak'ats of the fixed prayers and knows what he says (that is, attends to what he is reciting), no sin will remain on him when he has finished prayers. This Tradition bears a great resemblance to one handed down from Zaid bin Khalid which we have quoted above ² as found in the Mishkat. Again, in the 'Ainu'l-Hayat, in another passage, it is written on 'Ali's authority that whoever ³ recites the fixed prayers during four nights, or during one whole night remains engaged in reciting at one time the fixed prayers and at another time in reading the Qur'an aloud and in repeating God's name, all his sins will be forgiven, and he will gain great merit (ثواب), and God Most High will say to the angels, 'Place this man in paradise.'

In the Kitab-i-Tahiyyah of Muhammad Ibrahim of Isfahan, it is mentioned that Fatima's tasbih ⁴ and Ja'far Tayyar's fixed prayers possess much value and profit, and that whoever recites the former and performs the latter will, according to Tradition, obtain remission of all his sins, and seventy misfortunes will be averted from him. In the 'Ainu'l-Hayat three Traditions supported by Imam Ja'far are quoted, to this effect that, whoever recites

such and such a Sura of the Qur'an a certain number of times, or who makes a habit of reciting one of its Suras, God Most High will not only forgive all his sins but will also accept his intercession for others, and will admit him to paradise without taking an account from him.' In the same book it is stated, on the authority of Imam Muhammad Baqir, that whoever recites Suratu'l-Mu'min (xl) every night, God Most High will forgive him his past and future sins and will not deprive him of faith, and will render his future existence better than his life in this ² world. Again, on Imam Ja'far's authority it is related that, whoever frequently recites the Sura beginning, ³ 'A questioner inquired ' (سال سائل) on the resurrection day God Most High will not inquire about any of his ⁴ sins. Imam Ja'far's saying is also quoted, that whoever shall recite a hundred times the Sura beginning, 'Say ⁵ thou, He is God alone' (قل هو الله احد) God Most High will pardon him twenty-five years' sins, and he will obtain a high ⁶ rank in paradise. On the same page of the 'Ainu'l-Hayat it is stated on 'Ali's authority that Muhammad said that whoever, when going to sleep, repeats this Sura, his sins during fifty years will be forgiven him. It is also related on Imam Ja'far's authority that, whoever day and night commits forty heinous sins (كبيرة) and then repeats the istighfar