Sayings

٦. وَقَالَ (عليه ‏السلام): صَدْرُ الْعَاقِلِ صُنْدُوقُ سِرِّهِ وَالْبَشَاشَةُ حِبَالَةُ الْمَوَدَّةِ وَالِاحْتِمَالُ قَبْرُ الْعُيُوبِ‏.

6. Amīr al-mu’minīn, peace be upon him, said: The bosom of the wise is the safe of his secrets; cheerfulness is the bond of friendship; effective forbearance is the grave of short-comings.

وَرُوِيَ أَنَّهُ قَالَ فِي الْعِبَارَةِ عَنْ هَذَا الْمَعْنَى أَيْضاً : الْمَسْأَلَةُ خِبَاءُ الْعُيُوبِ وَمَنْ رَضِيَ عَنْ نَفْسِهِ كَثُرَ السَّاخِطُ عَلَيْهِ.

It is narrated that Amīr al-mu’minīn said in expressing this meaning that: Mutual reconciliation is the covering for short-comings; and he who admires himself attracts many opponents against him. [1]

٧. وَقَالَ (عليه ‏السلام): الصَّدَقَةُ دَوَاءٌ مُنْجِحٌ، وَأَعْمَالُ الْعِبَادِ فِي عَاجِلِهِمْ، نُصْبُ أَعْيُنِهِمْ فِي آجِلِهِمْ.

7. Amīr al-mu’minīn, peace be upon him, said: Charity is an effective cure, and the actions of people in their present life will be before their eyes in the next life. [1]

٨. وَقَالَ (عليه ‏السلام): اعْجَبُوا لِهذَا الْإِنْسَانِ يَنْظُرُ بِشَحْمٍ وَيَتَكَلَّمُ بِلَحْمٍ وَيَسْمَعُ بِعَظْمٍ، وَيَتَنَفَّسُ مِنْ خَرْمٍ.

8. Amīr al-mu’minīn, peace be upon him, said: How wonderful is man that sees with fat, talks with a piece of flesh, hears with a bone and breathes through a hole.

٩. وَقَالَ (عليه ‏السلام): إِذَا أَقْبَلَتِ الدُّنْيَا عَلَى أَحَدٍ أَعَارَتْهُ مَحَاسِنَ غَيْرِهِ وَإِذَا أَدْبَرَتْ عَنْهُ سَلَبَتْهُ مَحَاسِنَ نَفْسِهِ.

9. Amīr al-mu’minīn, peace be upon him, said: When this world advances towards anyone (with its favours) it attributes to him other’s good; and when it turns away from him it deprives him of his own good. [1]

١٠. وَقَالَ (عليه ‏السلام): خَالِطُوا النَّاسَ مُخَالَطَةً إِنْ مِتُّمْ مَعَهَا بَكَوْا عَلَيْكُمْ وَإِنْ عِشْتُمْ حَنُّوا إِلَيْكُمْ.

10. Amīr al-mu’minīn, peace be upon him, said: Meet people in such a manner that if you die they should weep for you and if you live they should long for you. [1]

١٣. وَقَالَ (عليه ‏السلام): إِذَا وَصَلَتْ إِلَيْكُمْ أَطْرَافُ النِّعَمِ فَلَا تُنَفِّرُوا أَقْصَاهَا بِقِلَّةِ الشُّكْرِ.

13. Amīr al-mu’minīn, peace be upon him, said: When you get (only) small favours do not push them away through lack of gratefulness.

٤. وَقَالَ (عليه ‏السلام): الْعَجْزُ آفَةٌ وَالصَّبْرُ شَجَاعَةٌ وَالزُّهْدُ ثَرْوَةٌ وَالْوَرَعُ جُنَّةٌ وَنِعْمَ الْقَرِينُ الرِّضَى.

4. Amīr al-mu’minīn, peace be upon him, said: Incapability is a catastrophe; endurance is bravery; abstinence is riches; self-restraint is a shield (against sin); and the best companion is submission (to Allāh’s will).

١٤. وَقَالَ (عليه ‏السلام): مَنْ ضَيَّعَهُ الْأَقْرَبُ أُتِيحَ لَهُ الْأَبْعَدُ.

14. Amīr al-mu’minīn, peace be upon him, said: He who is abandoned by near ones is dear to remote ones.

١٥. وَقَالَ (عليه ‏السلام): مَا كُلُّ مَفْتُونٍ يُعَاتَبُ.

15. Amīr al-mu’minīn, peace be upon him, said: Every mischief monger cannot even be reproved. [1]

١٧. وَسُئِلَ (عليه ‏السلام) عَنْ قَوْلِ الرَّسُولِ (صلى‌ الله‌ عليه‌ وآله‌ وسلم): غَيِّرُوا الشَّيْبَ وَلَا تَشَبَّهُوا بِالْيَهُودِ. فَقَالَ (عليه ‏السلام):

17. Amīr al-mu’minīn, peace be upon him, was asked to explain the saying of the Messenger of Allāh: “Banish your old age (by hair-dye) and do not acquire resemblance to the Jews.” Amīr al-mu’minīn replied:

إِنَّمَا قَالَ (صلى‌ الله‌ عليه‌ وآله‌ وسلم) ذَلِكَ وَالدِّينُ قُلٌّ فَأَمَّا الْآنَ وَقَدِ اتَّسَعَ نِطَاقُهُ وَضَرَبَ بِجِرَانِهِ فَامْرُؤٌ وَمَا اخْتَارَ.

The Prophet (S) said this at a time when the religion was confined to a few, but now that its expanse has widened and it is firmly settled everyone is free in his action. [1]

١٨. وَقَالَ (عليه ‏السلام) فِي الَّذِينَ اعْتَزَلُوا الْقِتَالَ مَعَهُ: خَذَلُوا الْحَقَّ، وَلَمْ يَنْصُرُوا الْبَاطِلَ.

18. Amīr al-mu’minīn, peace be upon him, said about those who avoided fighting on his side: They abandoned right but did not support wrong. [1]

٢٠. وَقَالَ (عليه ‏السلام): أَقِيلُوا ذَوِي الْمُرُوءَاتِ عَثَرَاتِهِمْ فَمَا يَعْثُرُ مِنْهُمْ عَاثِرٌ إِلَّا وَيَدُهُ بِيَدِ اللهِ يَرْفَعُهُ.

20. Amīr al-mu’minīn, peace be upon him, said: Forgive the shortcomings of people of virtue and honor because when they fall into error Allāh raises them up.

٢١. وَقَالَ (عليه ‏السلام): قُرِنَتِ الْهَيْبَةُ بِالْخَيْبَةِ وَالْحَيَاءُ بِالْحِرْمَانِ وَالْفُرْصَةُ تَمُرُّ مَرَّ السَّحَابِ، فَانْتَهِزُوا فُرَصَ الْخَيْرِ.

21. Amīr al-mu’minīn, peace be upon him, said: The consequence of fear is disappointment and of bashfulness is frustration. Opportunity passes away like the cloud. Therefore, make use of good opportunities. [1]

٢٣. وَقَالَ (عليه ‏السلام): مَنْ أَبْطَأَ بِهِ عَمَلُهُ لَمْ يُسْرِعْ بِهِ حَسَبُهُ.

23. Amīr al-mu’minīn, peace be upon him, said: He whose deeds accord (him) a back position cannot be given a front position because of his lineage.

٢٤. وَقَالَ (عليه ‏السلام): مِنْ كَفَّارَاتِ الذُّنُوبِ الْعِظَامِ إِغَاثَةُ الْمَلْهُوفِ، وَالتَّنْفِيسُ عَنِ الْمكْرُوبِ.

24. Amīr al-mu’minīn, peace be upon him, said: Rendering relief to the grief-stricken and providing comfort in hardship are among the means of atonement for great sins.

٢٦. وَقَالَ (عليه ‏السلام): مَا أَضْمَرَ أَحَدٌ شَيْئاً إِلَّا ظَهَرَ فِي فَلَتَاتِ لِسَانِهِ وَ صَفَحَاتِ وَجْهِهِ.

26. Amīr al-mu’minīn, peace be upon him, said: Whenever a person conceals a thing in his heart it manifests itself through unintentional words from his tongue and (in) the expressions of his face. [1]

٢٧. وَقَالَ (عليه ‏السلام): امْشِ بِدَائِكَ مَا مَشَى بِكَ.

27. Amīr al-mu’minīn, peace be upon him, said: Keep walking in your sickness as long as you can. [1]

٢٩. وَقَالَ (عليه ‏السلام): إِذَا كُنْتَ فِي إِدْبَارٍ وَالْمَوْتُ فِي إِقْبَالٍ فَمَا أسْرَعَ الْمُلْتَقَى.

29. Amīr al-mu’minīn, peace be upon him, said: When you are running away from the world and death is approaching, there is no question of delay in the encounter.

٣٠. وَقَالَ (عليه ‏السلام): الْحَذَرَ! الْحَذَرَ! فَوَاللهِ لَقَدْ سَتَرَ، حتَّى كَأَنَّهُ قَدْ غَفَرَ.

30. Amīr al-mu’minīn, peace be upon him, said: Fear! Fear! By Allāh, He has hidden your sins so much so as though He has forgiven.

٣٢. وَقَالَ (عليه ‏السلام): فَاعِلُ الْخَيْرِ خَيْرٌ مِنْهُ، وَفَاعِلُ الشَّرِّ شَرٌّ مِنْهُ.

32. Amīr al-mu’minīn, peace be upon him, said: The doer of good is better than the good itself, and the doer of evil is worse than the evil itself.

٣٣. وَقَالَ (عليه ‏السلام): كُنْ سَمَحاً وَلَا تَكُنْ مُبَذِّراً، وَكُنْ مُقَدِّراً وَلَا تَكُنْ مُقَتِّراً.

33. Amīr al-mu’minīn, peace be upon him, said: Be generous but not extravagant; be thrifty but not miserly.

٣٥. وَقَالَ (عليه ‏السلام): مَنْ أَسْرَعَ إِلَى النَّاسِ بِمَا يَكْرَهُونَ، قَالُوا فِيهِ بِمَا لَا يَعْلَمُونَ.

35. Amīr al-mu’minīn, peace be upon him, said: If someone is quick in saying about people what they dislike, they speak about him that about which they have no knowledge.

٣٦. وَقَالَ (عليه ‏السلام): مَنْ أَطَالَ الْأَمَلَ أَسَاءَ الْعَمَلَ.

36. Amīr al-mu’minīn, peace be upon him, said: Whoever prolongs his desire ruins his actions.

٣٨. وَقَالَ (عليه ‏السلام) لِابْنِهِ الْحَسَنِ (عليه ‏السلام): يَا بُنَيَّ، احْفَظْ عَنِّي أَرْبَعاً وَأَرْبَعاً، لَا يَضُرَّكَ مَا عَمِلْتَ مَعَهُنَّ: إِنَّ أَغْنَى الْغِنَىُ الْعَقْلُ، وَأَكْبَرَ الْفَقْرِ الْحُمْقُ، وَأَوحَشَ الْوَحْشَةِ الْعُجْبُ وَأَكْرَمَ الْحَسَبَ حُسْنُ الْخُلُقِ.

38. Amīr al-mu’minīn, peace be upon him, said to his son al-Ḥasan: O my son, learn four things and (a further) four things from me. Nothing will harm you if you practise them. That the richest of riches is intelligence; the biggest destitution is foolishness; the wildest wildness is vanity and the best achievement is goodness of the moral character.

يَا بُنَيَّ، إِيَّاكَ وَمُصَادَقَةَ الْأَحْمَقِ، فَإِنَّهُ يُريِدُ أَنْ يَنْفَعَكَ فَيَضُرَّكَ. وَإِيَّاكَ وَمُصَادَقَةَ الْبَخِيلِ، فَإِنَّهُ يَقْعُدُ عَنْكَ أَحْوَجَ مَا تَكُونُ إِلَيْهِ. وَإِيَّاكَ وَمُصَادَقَةَ الْفَاجِرِ، فَإِنَّهُ يَبِيعُكَ بِالتَّافِهِ وَإِيَّاكَ وَمُصَادَقَةَ الْكَذَّابِ، فَإِنَّهُ كَالسَّرَابِ يُقَرِّبُ عَلَيْكَ الْبَعِيدَ، وَيُبَعِّدُ عَلَيْكَ الْقَرِيبَ.

O my son, you should avoid making friends with a fool because he may intend to benefit you but may harm you; you should avoid making friends with a miser because he will run away from you when you need him most; you should avoid making friends with a sinful person because he will sell you for nought; and you should avoid making friends with a liar because he is like a mirage, making you feel far things near and near things far.

٣٩. وَقَالَ (عليه ‏السلام): لَا قُرْبَةَ بِالنَّوَافِلِ إِذَا أَضَرَّتْ بِالْفَرَائِضِ.

39. Amīr al-mu’minīn, peace he upon him, said: Supererogatory worship cannot bring about nearness to Allāh if it hampers the obligatory.

٤١. وقد روي عنه (عليه ‏السلام) هذا المعنى بلفظ آخر، وهو قوله: قَلبُ الْأَحْمَقِ فِي فِيهِ، وَلِسَانُ الْعَاقِلِ فِي قَلْبِهِ.

41. This very sense has been related from Amīr al-mu’minīn, peace be upon him, in a different version as follows: The heart of a fool is in his mouth while the tongue of the wise man is in his heart.

ومعناهما واحد.

The meaning of both the sayings (40 and 41) is the same.

٤٣. وَقَالَ (عليه ‏السلام) فِي ذِكْرِ خَبَّابِ بْنِ الْأَرَتِّ: يَرْحَمُ اللَّهُ خَبَّابَ بْنَ الْأَرَتِّ فَلَقَدْ أَسْلَمَ رَاغِباً وَهَاجَرَ طَائِعاً وَقَنِعَ بِالْكَفَافِ وَرَضِيَ عَنِ اللَّهِ وَعَاشَ مُجَاهِداً.

43. Amīr al-mu’minīn, peace be upon him, said about Khabbāb ibn al-Aratt [1]: May Allāh have mercy on Khabbāb ibn al-Aratt since he accepted Islam willingly, immigrated (from Mecca) obediently, remained content with what sufficed him, was pleased with Allāh and lived the life of a mujāhid (holy soldier).

٤٥. وَقَالَ (عليه ‏السلام): لَوْ ضَرَبْتُ خَيْشُومَ الْمُؤْمِنِ بِسَيْفِي هَذَا عَلَى أَنْ يُبْغِضَنِي مَا أَبْغَضَنِي وَلَوْ صَبَبْتُ الدُّنْيَا بِجَمَّاتِهَا عَلَى الْمُنَافِقِ عَلَى أَنْ يُحِبَّنِي مَا أَحَبَّنِي. وَذَلِكَ أَنَّهُ قُضِيَ فَانْقَضَى عَلَى لِسَانِ النَّبِيِّ الْأُمِّيِّ (صلى ‏الله ‏عليه ‏وآله ‏وسلم) أَنَّهُ قَالَ: يَا عَلِيُّ لَا يُبْغِضُكَ مُؤْمِنٌ وَلَا يُحِبُّكَ مُنَافِقٌ.

45. Amīr al-mu’minīn, peace be upon him, said: Even if I strike the nose of a believer with this, my sword, for hating me he will not hate me, and even if I pile all the wealth of the world before a hypocrite (Muslim) for loving me he will not love me. This is because it is a verdict pronounced by the tongue of the revered Prophet, may Allāh bless him and his descendants, as he said: “O ‘Alī, a believer will never hate you and a hypocrite will never love you.” [1]

٤٦. وَقَالَ (عليه ‏السلام): سَيِّئَةٌ تَسُوءُكَ خَيْرٌ عِنْدَ اللَّهِ مِنْ حَسَنَةٍ تُعْجِبُكَ.

46. Amīr al-mu’minīn, peace be upon him, said: The sin that displeases you is better in the view of Allāh than the virtue which makes you proud. [1]

٤٨. وَقَالَ (عليه ‏السلام): الظَّفَرُ بالْحَزْمِ، وَالْحَزْمُ بِإِجَالَةِ الرَّأْيِ، وَالرَّأْيُ بِتَحْصِينِ الْأَسْرَارِ.

48. Amīr al-mu’minīn, peace be upon him, said: Victory is by determination; determination is by the turning over of thoughts; and thoughts are formed by guarding secrets.

٥٠. وَقَالَ (عليه ‏السلام): قُلُوبُ الرِّجَالِ وَحْشِيَّةٌ، فَمَنْ تَأَلَّفَهَا أَقْبَلَتْ عَلَيْهِ.

50. Amīr al-mu’minīn, peace be upon him, said: The hearts of the people are like wild beasts. Whoever tames them, they would pounce upon him. [1]

٥١. وَقَالَ (عليه ‏السلام): عَيْبُكَ مَسْتُورٌ مَا أَسْعَدَكَ جَدُّكَ.

51. Amīr al-mu’minīn, peace be upon him, said: So long as your position is good, your defects will remain covered.

٥٣. وَقَالَ (عليه ‏السلام): السَّخَاءُ مَا كَانَ ابْتِدَاءً، فَأَمَّا مَا كَانَ عَنْ مَسْأَلَةِ فَحَيَاءٌ وَتَذَمُّمٌ.

53. Amīr al-mu’minīn, peace be upon him, said: Generosity is that which is by one’s own initiative, because giving on being asked is either out of self-respect or to avoid rebuke.

٥٤. وَقَالَ (عليه ‏السلام): لَا غِنَى كَالْعَقْلِ، وَلَا فَقْرَ كَالْجَهْلِ، وَلَا مِيرَاثَ كَالْأَدَبِ، وَلَا ظَهِيرَ كَالْمُشَاوَرَةِ.

54. Amīr al-mu’minīn, peace be upon him, said: There is no wealth like wisdom, no destitution like ignorance, no inheritance like refinement and no support like consultation.

٥٥. وَقَالَ (عليه ‏السلام): الصَّبْرُ صَبْرَانِ: صَبْرٌ عَلَى مَا تَكْرَهُ، وَصَبْرٌ عَمَّا تُحِبُّ.

55. Amīr al-mu’minīn, peace be upon him, said: Patience is of two kinds, patience over what pains you, and patience against what you covet.

٥٧. وَقَالَ (عليه ‏السلام): الْقَنَاعَةُ مَالٌ لَا يَنْفَدُ.

57. Amīr al-mu’minīn, peace be upon him, said: Contentment is wealth that does not diminish. [1]

قال السيد الرضي: وقد روي هذا الكلام عن النبي صلي الله عليه وآله وسلم.

As-Sayyid ar-Raḍī says: This saying has also been related from the Prophet, may Allāh bless him and his descendants.

٥٨. وَقَالَ (عليه ‏السلام): الْمَالُ مَادَّةُ الشَّهَوَاتِ.

58. Amīr al-mu’minīn, peace be upon him, said: Wealth is the fountain head of passions.

٦٠. وَقَالَ (عليه ‏السلام): الِّلسَانُ سَبُعٌ، إِنْ خُلِّيَ عَنْهُ عَقَرَ.

60. Amīr al-mu’minīn, peace be upon him, said: The tongue is a beast; if it is let loose, it devours.

٦١. وَقَالَ (عليه ‏السلام): الْمَرْأَةُ عَقْرَبٌ حُلْوَةُ اللَّسْبَةِ.

61. Amīr al-mu’minīn, peace be upon him, said: Woman is a scorpion whose sting is sweet.

٦٣. وَقَالَ (عليه ‏السلام): الشَّفِيعُ جَنَاحُ الطَّالِبِ.

63. Amīr al-mu’minīn, peace be upon him, said: The interceder is the wing of the seeker.

٦٤. وَقَالَ (عليه ‏السلام): أَهْلُ الدُّنْيَا كَرَكْبٍ يُسَارُ بِهِمْ وَهُمْ نِيَامٌ.

64. Amīr al-mu’minīn, peace be upon him, said: The people of the world are like travellers who are being carried while they are asleep.

٦٦. وَقَالَ (عليه ‏السلام): فَوْتُ الْحَاجَةِ أَهْوَنُ مِنْ طَلَبِهَا إِلَى غَيْرِ أَهْلِهَا.

66. Amīr al-mu’minīn, peace be upon him, said: To miss what one needs is easier than to beg from an inappropriate person. [1]

٦٧. وَقَالَ (عليه ‏السلام): لَا تَسْتَحِ مِنْ إِعْطَاءِ الْقَلِيلِ، فَإِنَّ الْحِرْمَانَ أَقَلُّ مِنْهُ.

67. Amīr al-mu’minīn, peace be upon him, said: Do not feel ashamed for giving little because refusal is smaller than that.

٦٩. وَقَالَ (عليه ‏السلام): إِذَا لَمْ يَكُنْ مَا تُرِيدُ فَلَا تُبَلْ مَا كُنْتَ.

69. Amīr al-mu’minīn, peace be upon him, said: If what you aim at does not come about then do not worry as to what you were.

٧١. وَقَالَ (عليه ‏السلام): إِذَا تَمَّ الْعَقْلُ نَقَصَ الْكَلاَمُ.

71. Amīr al-mu’minīn, peace be upon him, said: As intelligence increases, speech decreases. [1]

٧٢. وَقَالَ (عليه ‏السلام): الدَّهرُ يُخْلِقُ الْأَبْدَانَ، وَيُجَدِّدُ الْآمَالَ، وَيُقَرِّبُ الْمَنِيَّةَ، ويُبَاعِدُ الْأُمْنِيَّةَ، مَنْ ظَفِرَ بِهِ نَصِبَ، ومَنْ فَاتَهُ تَعِبَ.

72. Amīr al-mu’minīn, peace be upon him, said: Time wears our bodies, renews desires, brings death nearer and takes away aspirations. Whoever is successful with it encounters grief and whoever misses its favours also undergoes hardships.

٧٤. وَقَالَ (عليه ‏السلام): نَفْسُ الْمَرْءِ خُطَاهُ إِلَى أَجَلِهِ.

74. Amīr al-mu’minīn, peace be upon him, said: The breath of a man is a step towards his death. [1]

٧٥. وَقَالَ (عليه ‏السلام): كُلُّ مَعْدُود مُنْقَض، وَكُلُّ مُتَوَقَّعٍ آتٍ.

75. Amīr al-mu’minīn, peace be upon him, said: Every countable thing is to pass away and every expected thing must come about.

٧٧. وَمِنْ خَبَرِ ضِرَارِ بْنِ حَمْزَةَ الضَّبَائِيِّ عِنْدَ دُخُولِهِ عَلَى مُعَاوِيَةَ وَمَسْأَلَتِهِ لَهُ عَنْ أَمِيرِ الْمُؤْمِنِينَ (ع) وَقَالَ فَأَشْهَدُ لَقَدْ رَأَيْتُهُ فِى بَعْضِ مَوَاقِفِهِ وَقَدْ أَرْخَى اللَّيْلُ سُدُولَهُ وَهُوَ قَائِمٌ فِى مِحْرَابِهِ قَابِضٌ عَلَى لِحْيَتِهِ يَتَمَلْمَلُ تَمَلْمُلَ السَّلِيمِ وَيَبْكِى بُكَاءَ الْحَزِينِ وَيَقُولُ:

77. It is related that when Ḍirār ibn Ḥamzah (the correct: Ḍamrah) aḍ-Ḍibābī (or aṣ-Ṣudā’ī) [1] went to Mu‘āwiyah, and Mu‘āwiyah enquired from him about Amīr al-mu’minīn, peace be upon him, he said: I stand witness that I have seen him on several occasions when night had spread and he was standing in the niche (of the mosque) holding his beard, groaning like a man bitten by a snake and weeping as a grieved man, saying:

يَا دُنْيَا يَا دُنْيَا إِلَيْكِ عَنِّى، أَبِى تَعَرَّضْتِ أَمْ إِلَيَّ تَشَوَّقْتِ؟ لَا حَانَ حِينُكِ هَيْهَاتَ غُرِّى غَيْرِى لَا حَاجَةَ لِى فِيكِ قَدْ طَلَّقْتُكِ َثلَاثاً لَا رَجْعَةَ فِيهَا فَعَيْشُكِ قَصِيرٌ وَخَطَرُكِ يَسِيرٌ وَأَمَلُكِ حَقِيرٌ. آهِ مِنْ قِلَّةِ الزَّادِ وَطُولِ الطَّرِيقِ وَبُعْدِ السَّفَرِ وَعَظِيمِ الْمَوْرِدِ.

O world, O world! Get away from me. Why do you present yourself to me? Or are you eager for me? You may not get that opportunity to impress me. Deceive some other person. I have no concern with you. I have divorced you thrice whereafter there is no restitution. Your life is short, your importance is little and your aspirations are base. Alas! The provision is little, the way is long, the journey is far and the goal is hard to reach.

٧٨. وَ مِنْ كَلَامٍ لَهُ (عليه السلام) لِلسَّائِلِ الشَّامِيِّ لَمَّا سَأَلَهُ أَ كَانَ مَسِيرُنَا إِلَى الشَّامِ بِقَضَاءٍ مِنَ اللَّهِ وَ قَدَرٍ بَعْدَ كَلَامٍ طَوِيلٍ هَذَا مُخْتَارُهُ:

78. A Syrian enquired from Amīr al-mu’minīn: Was our going to fight against the Syrians destined by Allāh? Amīr al-mu’minīn, peace be upon him, gave a detailed reply, a selection from which is hereunder:

وَيْحَكَ لَعَلَّكَ ظَنَنْتَ قَضَاءً لَازِماً وَقَدَراً حَاتِماً لَوْ كَانَ ذَلِكَ كَذَلِكَ لَبَطَلَ الثَّوَابُ وَالْعِقَابُ وَسَقَطَ الْوَعْدُ وَالْوَعِيدُ. إِنَّ اللَّهَ سُبْحَانَهُ أَمَرَ عِبَادَهُ تَخْيِيراً وَنَهَاهُمْ تَحْذِيراً وَكَلَّفَ يَسِيراً وَلَمْ يُكَلِّفْ عَسِيراً وَأَعْطَى عَلَى الْقَلِيلِ كَثِيراً وَلَمْ يُعْصَ مَغْلُوباً وَلَمْ يُطَعْ مُكْرِهاً وَلَمْ يُرْسِلِ الْأَنْبِيَاءَ لَعِباً وَلَمْ يُنْزِلِ الْكُتُبَ لِلْعِبَادِ عَبَثاً وَلَا خَلَقَ السَّمَاوَاتِ وَالْأَرْضَ وَمَا بَيْنَهُمَا بَاطِلًا (ذَٰلِكَ ظَنُّ الَّذِينَ كَفَرُوا ۚ فَوَيْلٌ لِّلَّذِينَ كَفَرُوا مِنَ النَّارِ).

Woe to you! You take it as a final and unavoidable destiny [1] (according to which we are bound to act). If it were so, there would have been no question of reward or chastisement and there would have been no sense in Allāh’s promises or warnings. (On the other hand) Allāh, the Glorified, has ordered His people to act by free will and has cautioned them and refrained them (from evil). He has placed easy obligations on them and has not put heavy obligations. He gives them much (reward) in return for little (action). He is disobeyed, not because He is overpowered. He is obeyed but not under force. He did not send prophets just for fun. He did not send down the Book for the people without purpose. He did not create the skies, the earth and all that is in between them in vain. That is the imagination of those who disbelieve; then woe to those who disbelieve - because of the fire. (Qur’ān, 38:27)

٨٠. وَقَالَ (عليه ‏السلام): الْحِكْمَةُ ضَالَّةُ الْمُؤْمِنِ فَخُذِ الْحِكْمَةَ وَلَوْ مِنْ أَهْلِ النِّفَاقِ.

80. Amīr al-mu’minīn, peace be upon him, said: A wise saying is a lost article of the believer. Therefore, get wise sayings even though from people of hypocrisy.

٨٢. وَقَالَ (عليه ‏السلام): أُوصِيكُمْ بِخَمْسٍ لَوْ ضَرَبْتُمْ إِلَيْهَا آبَاطَ الْإِبِلِ لَكَانَتْ لِذَلِكَ أَهْلًا. لَا يَرْجُوَنَّ أَحَدٌ مِنْكُمْ إِلَّا رَبَّهُ وَلَا يَخَافَنَّ إِلَّا ذَنْبَهُ وَلَا يَسْتَحِيَنَّ أَحَدٌ مِنْكُمْ إِذَا سُئِلَ عَمَّا لَا يَعْلَمُ أَنْ يَقُولَ لَا أَعْلَمُ وَلَا يَسْتَحِيَنَّ أَحَدٌ إِذَا لَمْ يَعْلَمِ الشَّيْ‏ءَ أَنْ يَتَعَلَّمَهُ. وَعَلَيْكُمْ بِالصَّبْرِ فَإِنَّ الصَّبْرَ مِنَ الْإِيمَانِ كَالرَّأْسِ مِنَ الْجَسَدِ وَلَا خَيْرَ فِي جَسَدٍ لَا رَأْسَ مَعَهُ وَلَا فِي إِيمَانٍ لَا صَبْرَ مَعَهُ.

82. Amīr al-mu’minīn, peace be upon him, said: I impart to you five things which, if you ride your camels fast in search of them, you will find them worth it. No one of you should repose hope save in his Lord (Allāh); no one of you should fear anything save his sin; no one should feel ashamed of saying “I do not know” when he is asked a matter which he does not know; no one should feel ashamed of learning a thing that he does not know; and you should practise endurance, because endurance is for belief what the head is for the body, so that just as there is no good in a body without the head there is no good in belief without endurance.

٨٣. وَقَالَ (عليه ‏السلام) لِرَجُلٍ أَفْرَطَ فِي الثَّنَاءِ عَلَيْهِ وَكَانَ لَهُ مُتَّهِماً: أَنَا دُونَ مَا تَقُولُ وَفَوْقَ مَا فِي نَفْسِكَ.

83. Amīr al-mu’minīn, peace be upon him, said about a man who praised him much, although he did not admire him: I am below what you express and above what you feel in your heart.

٨٥. وَقَالَ (عليه ‏السلام): مَنْ تَرَكَ قَوْلَ لَا أَدْرِي أُصِيبَتْ مَقَاتِلُهُ.

85. Amīr al-mu’minīn, peace be upon him, said: Whoever abandons saying, “I do not know” meets his destruction.

٨٦. وَقَالَ (عليه ‏السلام): رَأْيُ الشَّيْخِ أَحَبُّ إِلَيَّ مِنْ جَلَدِ الْغُلاَمِ؛ وَروي: مِنْ مَشْهَدِ الْغُلاَمِ.

86. Amīr al-mu’minīn, peace be upon him, said: I love the opinion of an old man more than the determination of a young man; (or according to another version) more than the martyrdom of a young man.

٨٨. وَحَكَى عَنْهُ أَبُو جَعْفَرٍ مُحَمَّدُ بْنُ عَلِيٍّ الْبَاقِرُ (عليه ‏السلام) أَنَّهُ قَالَ: كَانَ فِى الْأَرْضِ أَمَانَانِ مِنْ عَذَابِ اللَّهِ وَقَدْ رُفِعَ أَحَدُهُمَا فَدُونَكُمُ الْآخَرَ فَتَمَسَّكُوا بِهِ: أَمَّا الْأَمَانُ الَّذِى رُفِعَ فَهُوَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ (ص) وَأَمَّا الْأَمَانُ الْبَاقِى فَالِاسْتِغْفَارُ قَالَ اللَّهُ تَعَالَى (وَمَا كَانَ اللَّـهُ لِيُعَذِّبَهُمْ وَأَنتَ فِيهِمْ ۚ وَمَا كَانَ اللَّـهُ مُعَذِّبَهُمْ وَهُمْ يَسْتَغْفِرُونَ).

88. (Imām) Abū Ja‘far Muḥammad ibn ‘Alī al-Bāqir, peace be upon him, has related from Amīr al-mu’minīn, peace be upon him, that he said: There are two sources of deliverance from the Allāh’s punishment, one of which has been raised up, while the other is before you. You should therefore adhere to it. The source of deliverance which has been raised up is the Messenger of Allāh (may He bless him and his descendants), while the source of deliverance that remains is the seeking of forgiveness. Allāh, the Glorified, has said: And Allāh is not to chastise them while you are among them, nor is Allāh to chastise them while yet they seek forgiveness. (Qur’ān, 8:33)

قال السيد الرضى: وهذا من محاسن الاستخراج ولطائف الاستنباط.

As-Sayyid ar-Raḍī says: This is one of the most beautiful way of deducing the meaning and the most delicate manner of interpretation.

٩٠. وَقَالَ (عليه ‏السلام): الْفَقِيهُ كُلُّ الْفَقِيهِ مَنْ لَمْ يُقَنِّطِ النَّاسَ مِنْ رَحْمَةِ اللهِ، وَلَمْ يُؤْيِسْهُمْ مِنْ رَوْحِ اللهِ وَلَمْ يُؤْمِنْهُمْ مِنْ مَكْرِ اللَّهِ.

90. Amīr al-mu’minīn, peace be upon him, said: The perfect jurist of Islam is he who does not let people lose hope from the mercy of Allāh, does not make them despondent of Allāh’s kindness and does not make them feel safe from Allāh’s punishment.

٩١. وَقَالَ (عليه ‏السلام): إِنَّ هذِهِ الْقُلُوبَ تَمَلُّ كَمَا تَمَلُّ الْأَبْدَانُ، فَابْتَغُوا لَهَا طَرَائِفَ الْحِكْمَةِ.

91. Amīr al-mu’minīn, peace be upon him, said: The hearts get weary as bodies get weary; so look for beautiful wise sayings for them (to dispel their weariness).

٩٣. وَقَالَ (عليه ‏السلام): لَا يَقُولَنَّ أَحَدُكُمْ اللَّهُمَّ إِنِّى أَعُوذُ بِكَ مِنَ الْفِتْنَةِ لِأَنَّهُ لَيْسَ أَحَدٌ إِلَّا وَهُوَ مُشْتَمِلٌ عَلَى فِتْنَةٍ وَلَكِنْ مَنِ اسْتَعَاذَ فَلْيَسْتَعِذْ مِنْ مُضِلَّاتِ الْفِتَنِ فَإِنَّ اللَّهَ سُبْحَانَهُ يَقُولُ وَاعْلَمُوا أَنَّمَا أَمْوَالُكُمْ وَأَوْلَادُكُمْ فِتْنَةٌ وَمَعْنَى ذَلِكَ أَنَّهُ يَخْتَبِرُهُمْ بِالْأَمْوَالِ وَالْأَوْلَادِ لِيَتَبَيَّنَ السَّاخِطَ لِرِزْقِهِ وَالرَّاضِيَ بِقِسْمِهِ وَإِنْ كَانَ سُبْحَانَهُ أَعْلَمَ بِهِمْ مِنْ أَنْفُسِهِمْ وَلَكِنْ لِتَظْهَرَ الْأَفْعَالُ الَّتِى بِهَا يُسْتَحَقُّ الثَّوَابُ وَالْعِقَابُ لِأَنَّ بَعْضَهُمْ يُحِبُّ الذُّكُورَ وَيَكْرَهُ الْإِنَاثَ وَبَعْضَهُمْ يُحِبُّ تَثْمِيرَ الْمَالِ وَيَكْرَهُ انْثِلَامَ الْحَالِ.

93. Amīr al-mu’minīn, peace be upon him, said: None of you should say, “O Allāh, I seek Your protection from trouble” because there is no one who is not involved in trouble, but whoever seeks Allāh’s protection he should seek it from misguiding troubles, because Allāh, the Glorified, says: And know you that your wealth and your children are a temptation!. (Qur’ān, 8:28) and its meaning is that He tries people with wealth and progeny in order to distinguish one who is displeased with his livelihood from the one who is happy with what he has been given. Even though Allāh, the Glorified, knows them more than they know themselves yet He does so to let them perform actions with which they earn reward or punishment because some of them like to have male (children) and dislike to have female (children), and some like to amass wealth, and dislike adversity.

قال السيد الرضى: وهذا من غريب ما سمع منه فى التفسير.

As-Sayyid ar-Raḍī says: This is one of the wonderful interpretations related from him.

٩٨. وَقَالَ (عليه ‏السلام): اعْقِلُوا الْخَبَرَ إِذَا سَمِعْتُمُوهُ عَقْلَ رِعَايَةٍ لَا عَقْلَ رِوَايَةٍ فَإِنَّ رُوَاةَ الْعِلْمِ كَثِيرٌ وَرُعَاتَهُ قَلِيلٌ.

98. Amīr al-mu’minīn, peace be upon him, said: When you hear a tradition test it according to the criterion of intelligence not that of mere hearing, because relaters of knowledge are numerous but those who guard it are few.

١٠٠. وَقَالَ (عليه ‏السلام) وَمَدَحَهُ قَوْمٌ فِى وَجْهِهِ فَقَالَ: اللَّهُمَّ إِنَّكَ أَعْلَمُ بِى مِنْ نَفْسِى وَأَنَا أَعْلَمُ بِنَفْسِى مِنْهُمْ. اللَّهُمَّ اجْعَلْنَا خَيْراً مِمَّا يَظُنُّونَ وَاغْفِرْ لَنَا مَا لَا يَعْلَمُونَ.

100. Some people praised Amīr al-mu’minīn, peace be upon him, to his face, then he said: O My God! You know me better than myself, and I know myself better than they do. O My God! Make us better than what they think and forgive us what they do not know.

١٠١. وَقَالَ (عليه السلام): لَا يَسْتَقِيمُ قَضَاءُ الْحَوَائِجِ إِلَّا بِثَلَاثٍ بِاسْتِصْغَارِهَا لِتَعْظُمَ وَبِاسْتِكْتَامِهَا لِتَظْهَرَ وَبِتَعْجِيلِهَا لِتَهْنُؤَ.

101. Amīr al-mu’minīn, peace be upon him, said: Fulfilment of (others’) needs becomes a lasting virtue in three ways:- regarding it small so that it attains bigness, concealing it so that it may manifest itself, and doing it quickly so that it becomes pleasant.

١٠٣. وَرُئِيَ عَلَيْهِ إِزَارٌ خَلَقٌ مَرْقُوعٌ فَقِيلَ لَهُ فِى ذَلِكَ فَقَالَ: يَخْشَعُ لَهُ الْقَلْبُ وَتَذِلُّ بِهِ النَّفْسُ وَيَقْتَدِى بِهِ الْمُؤْمِنُونَ إِنَّ الدُّنْيَا وَالْآخِرَةَ عَدُوَّانِ مُتَفَاوِتَانِ وَسَبِيلَانِ مُخْتَلِفَانِ فَمَنْ أَحَبَّ الدُّنْيَا وَتَوَلَّاهَا أَبْغَضَ الْآخِرَةَ وَعَادَاهَا وَهُمَا بِمَنْزِلَةِ الْمَشْرِقِ وَالْمَغْرِبِ وَمَاشٍ بَيْنَهُمَا كُلَّمَا قَرُبَ مِنْ وَاحِدٍ بَعُدَ مِنَ الْآخَرِ وَهُمَا بَعْدُ ضَرَّتَانِ.

103. Amīr al-mu’minīn, peace be upon him, was seen in worn-out clothes with patches and when it was pointed out to him he said: With it the heart fears, the mind feels humble and the believers emulate it. Certainly, this world and the next are two enemies against each other and two paths in different directions. Whoever likes this world and loves it hates the next and is its enemy. These two are like East and West. If the walker between them gets near to one, he gets farther from the other. After all, they are like two fellow-wives.

١٠٥. وَقَالَ (عليه ‏السلام): إِنَّ اللَّهَ افْتَرَضَ عَلَيْكُمْ فَرَائِضَ فَلَا تُضَيِّعُوهَا وَحَدَّ لَكُمْ حُدُوداً فَلَا تَعْتَدُوهَا وَنَهَاكُمْ عَنْ أَشْيَاءَ فَلَا تَنْتَهِكُوهَا وَسَكَتَ لَكُمْ عَنْ أَشْيَاءَ وَلَمْ يَدَعْهَا نِسْيَاناً فَلَا تَتَكَلَّفُوهَا.

105. Amīr al-mu’minīn, peace be upon him, said: Allah has placed on you some obligations which you should not ignore, laid down for you limits which you should not transgress and prohibited you from certain things which you should not violate. He has kept silent about certain things but has not left them out through forgetfulness, so do not burden yourself with them.

١٠٧. وَقَالَ (عليه ‏السلام): رُبَّ عَالِمٍ قَدْ قَتَلَهُ جَهْلُهُ وَعِلْمُهُ مَعَهُ لَا يَنْفَعُهُ.

107. Amīr al-mu’minīn, peace be upon him, said: Often the ignorance of a learned man ruins him while the knowledge he has does not avail him.

١٠٨. وَقَالَ (عليه ‏السلام): لَقَدْ عُلِّقَ بِنِيَاطِ هَذَا الْإِنْسَانِ بَضْعَةٌ هِيَ أَعْجَبُ مَا فِيهِ وَ ذَلِكَ الْقَلْبُ وَذَلِكَ أَنَّ لَهُ مَوَادَّ مِنَ الْحِكْمَةِ وَأَضْدَاداً مِنْ خِلَافِهَا فَإِنْ سَنَحَ لَهُ الرَّجَاءُ أَذَلَّهُ الطَّمَعُ وَإِنْ هَاجَ بِهِ الطَّمَعُ أَهْلَكَهُ الْحِرْصُ وَإِنْ مَلَكَهُ الْيَأْسُ قَتَلَهُ الْأَسَفُ وَإِنْ عَرَضَ لَهُ الْغَضَبُ اشْتَدَّ بِهِ الْغَيْظُ وَإِنْ أَسْعَدَهُ الرِّضَى نَسِيَ التَّحَفُّظَ وَإِنْ غَالَهُ الْخَوْفُ شَغَلَهُ الْحَذَرُ وَإِنِ اتَّسَعَ لَهُ الْأَمْرُ اسْتَلَبَتْهُ الْغِرَّةُ وَإِنْ أَفَادَ مَالًا أَطْغَاهُ الْغِنَى وَإِنْ أَصَابَتْهُ مُصِيبَةٌ فَضَحَهُ الْجَزَعُ وَإِنْ عَضَّتْهُ الْفَاقَةُ شَغَلَهُ الْبَلَاءُ وَإِنْ جَهَدَهُ الْجُوعُ قَعَدَ بِهِ الضَّعْفُ وَإِنْ أَفْرَطَ بِهِ الشِّبَعُ كَظَّتْهُ الْبِطْنَةُ فَكُلُّ تَقْصِيرٍ بِهِ مُضِرٌّ وَكُلُّ إِفْرَاطٍ لَهُ مُفْسِدٌ.

108. Amīr al-mu’minīn, peace be upon him, said: In man there is a piece of flesh attached to him with a vein and it is the strangest thing in him. It is the heart. It has a store of wisdom and things contrary to wisdom. If it sees a ray of hope, eagerness humiliates it and when eagerness increases, greed ruins it. If disappointment overtakes it, grief kills it. If anger rises in it, a serious rage develops. If it is blessed with pleasure, it forgets to be cautious. If it becomes fearing, it becomes heedless. If peace extends all round, it becomes neglectful. If it earns wealth, freedom from care puts it in the wrong. If trouble befalls it, impatience makes it humble. If it faces starvation, distress overtakes it. If hunger attacks it, weakness makes it sit down. If its eating increases, heaviness of stomach pains it. Thus, every shortness is harmful to it and every excess is injurious to it.

١١٠. وَقَالَ (عليه ‏السلام): لَا يُقِيمُ أَمْرَ اللَّهِ سُبْحَانَهُ إِلَّا مَنْ لَا يُصَانِعُ وَلَا يُضَارِعُ وَلَا يَتَّبِعُ الْمَطَامِعَ.

110. Amīr al-mu’minīn, peace be upon him, said: No one can establish the rule of Allāh, the Glorified, except he who shows no relenting (in the matter of right), who does not behave like wrong doers and who does not run after objects of greed.

١١٢. مَنْ أَحَبَّنَا أَهْلَ الْبَيْتِ فَلْيَسْتَعِدَّ لِلْفَقْرِ جِلْبَاباً.

112. Whoever loves us, members of the Household (of the Prophet), should be prepared to face destitution.

قال السيد الرضى: وقد يؤول ذلك على معنى آخر ليس هذا موضع ذكره.

As-Sayyid ar-Raḍī says: This has been interpreted in a different way as well, but on this occasion is not fit to mention here. [1]

١١٣. وَقَالَ (عليه ‏السلام): لَا مَالَ أَعْوَدُ مِنَ الْعَقْلِ، وَلَا وَحْدَةَ أَوْحَشُ مِنَ الْعُجْب، وَلَا عَقْلَ كَالتَّدْبِيرِ، وَلَا كَرَمَ كَالتَّقْوَى، وَلَا قَرين كَحُسنِ الخُلْقِ، وَلَا مِيرَاثَ كَالْأَدَبِ، وَلَا قَائِدَ كَالتَّوْفِيقِ، وَلَا تِجَارَةَ كَالْعَمَلِ الصَّالِحِ، وَلَا رِبْحَ كَالثَّوَابِ، وَلَا وَرَعَ كالْوُقُوفِ عِنْدَ الشُّبْهَةِ، وَلَا زُهْدَ كَالزُّهْدِ فِي الْحَرَامِ، وَلَا عِلْمَ كَالتَّفَكُّرِ، وَلَا عِبَادَةَ كَأَدَاءِ الْفَرائِضِ، وَلَا إِيمَانَ كَالْحَيَاءِ وَالصَّبْرِ، وَلَا حَسَبَ كَالتَّوَاضُعِ، وَلَا شَرَفَ كَالْعِلْمِ، وَلَا مُظَاهَرَةَ أَوْثَقُ مِن مُشَاوَرَةٍ.

113. Amīr al-mu’minīn, peace be upon him, said: No wealth is more profitable than wisdom, no loneliness is more estranging than vanity, no wisdom is as good as tact, no honour is like fear from Allāh, no companion is like the goodness of moral character, no inheritance is like civility, no guide is like promptitude, no trade is like virtuous acts, no profit is like Divine reward, no self-control is like inaction in time of doubt, no abstention is like that (which is) from prohibitions, no knowledge is like thinking, no worship is like the discharge of obligation, no belief is like modesty and endurance, no attainment is like humility, no honour is like knowledge, no power is like forbearance, and no support is more reliable than consultation.

١١٥. وَقِيلَ لَهُ (عليه ‏السلام): كَيْفَ نَجِدُكَ يَا أَمِيرَ الْمُؤْمِنِينَ فَقَالَ (عليه ‏السلام): كَيْفَ يَكُونُ حَالُ مَنْ يَفْنَى بِبَقَائِهِ وَيَسْقَمُ بِصِحَّتِهِ وَيُؤْتَى مِنْ مَأْمَنِهِ.

115. It was said to Amīr al-mu’minīn, peace be upon him: How are you, O Amīr al-mu’minīn? and he replied: How can he be whom life is driving towards death, whose state of healthiness can change into sickness any moment and who is to be caught (by death) from his place of safety.

١١٦. وَقَالَ (عليه ‏السلام): كَمْ مِنْ مُسْتَدْرَجٍ بِالْإِحْسَانِ إِلَيْهِ وَمَغْرُورٍ بِالسَّتْرِ عَلَيْهِ وَمَفْتُونٍ بِحُسْنِ الْقَوْلِ فِيهِ وَمَا ابْتَلَى اللَّهُ أَحَداً بِمِثْلِ الْإِمْلَاءِ لَهُ.

116. Amīr al-mu’minīn, peace be upon him, said: There are many people who are given time (by Allāh) through good treatment towards them, and many who are deceived because their sinful activities are veiled (by Allāh), and many who are enamoured by good talk about themselves. And Allāh does not try anyone as seriously as He tries him whom He allows time (to remain sinful).

١١٨. وَقَالَ (عليه ‏السلام): إِضَاعَةُ الْفُرْصَةِ غُصَّةٌ.

118. Amīr al-mu’minīn, peace be upon him, said: To miss an opportunity brings about grief.

١١٩. وَقَالَ (عليه ‏السلام): مَثَلُ الدُّنْيَا كَمَثَلِ الْحَيَّةِ لَيِّنٌ مَسُّهَا وَالسَّمُّ النَّاقِعُ فِى جَوْفِهَا يَهْوِى إِلَيْهَا الْغِرُّ الْجَاهِلُ وَيَحْذَرُهَا ذُو اللُّبِّ الْعَاقِلُ.

119. Amīr al-mu’minīn, peace be upon him, said: The example of the world is like a serpent. It is soft to the touch but its inside is full of venom. An ignorant person who has fallen into deceit is attracted towards it but a wise and intelligent man keeps on his guard against it.

١٢١. وَقَالَ (عليه ‏السلام): شَتَّانَ مَا بَيْنَ عَمَلَيْنِ: عَمَلٍ تَذْهَبُ لَذَّتُهُ وَتَبْقَى تَبِعَتُهُ، وَعَمَلٍ تَذْهَبُ مَؤُونَتُهُ وَيَبْقَى أَجْرُهُ.

121. Amīr al-mu’minīn, peace be upon him, said: What a difference there is between two kinds of actions: an act whose pleasure passes away but its (ill) consequence remains, and. the act whose hardship passes away but its reward stays.

١٢٢. وَتَبِعَ جِنَازَةً فَسَمِعَ رَجُلًا يَضْحَكُ فَقَالَ كَأَنَّ الْمَوْتَ فِيهَا عَلَى غَيْرِنَا كُتِبَ وَكَأَنَّ الْحَقَّ فِيهَا عَلَى غَيْرِنَا وَجَبَ وَكَأَنَّ الَّذِى نَرَى مِنَ الْأَمْوَاتِ سَفْرٌ عَمَّا قَلِيلٍ إِلَيْنَا رَاجِعُونَ. نُبَوِّئُهُمْ أَجْدَاثَهُمْ وَنَأْكُلُ تُرَاثَهُمْ كَأَنَّا مُخَلَّدُونَ بَعْدَهُمْ ثُمَّ قَدْ نَسِينَا كُلَّ وَاعِظٍ وَوَاعِظَةٍ وَرُمِينَا بِكُلِّ فَادِحٍ وَجَائِحَةٍ.

122. Amīr al-mu’minīn, peace be upon him, was accompanying a funeral when he heard someone laugh. Then he said : Is it that death has been ordained only for others? Is it that right is obligatory only on others? Is it that those whom we see departing on their journey of death will come back to us? We lay them down in their graves and then enjoy their estate (as if we will live for good after them). We have ignored every preacher, man or woman, and have exposed ourselves to every catastrophe.

١٢٤. وَقَالَ (عليه ‏السلام): غَيْرَةُ الْمَرْأَةِ كُفْرٌ وَغَيْرَةُ الرَّجُلِ إِيمَانٌ.

124. Amīr al-mu’minīn, peace be upon him, said: The jealousy of a woman (with co-wives) is heresy, while the jealousy of a man is a part of belief.

١٢٦. وَقَالَ (عليه ‏السلام): عَجِبْتُ لِلْبَخِيلِ يَسْتَعْجِلُ الْفَقْرَ الَّذِى مِنْهُ هَرَبَ وَيَفُوتُهُ الْغِنَى الَّذِى إِيَّاهُ طَلَبَ فَيَعِيشُ فِى الدُّنْيَا عَيْشَ الْفُقَرَاءِ وَيُحَاسَبُ فِى الْآخِرَةِ حِسَابَ الْأَغْنِيَاءِ.

126. Amīr al-mu’minīn, peace be upon him, said: I wonder at the miser who is speeding towards the very destitution from which he wants to run away and misses the very ease of life which he covets. Consequently, he passes his life in this world like the destitute, but will have to render an account in the next world like the rich.

وَعَجِبْتُ لِلْمُتَكَبِّرِ الَّذِى كَانَ بِالْأَمْسِ نُطْفَةً وَيَكُونُ غَداً جِيفَةً وَعَجِبْتُ لِمَنْ شَكَّ فِى اللَّهِ وَهُوَ يَرَى خَلْقَ اللَّهِ وَعَجِبْتُ لِمَنْ نَسِيَ الْمَوْتَ وَهُوَ يَرَى الْمَوْتَى وَعَجِبْتُ لِمَنْ أَنْكَرَ النَّشْأَةَ الْأُخْرَى وَهُوَ يَرَى النَّشْأَةَ الْأُولَى وَعَجِبْتُ لِعَامِرٍ دَارَ الْفَنَاءِ وَتَارِكٍ دَارَ الْبَقَاءِ.

I wonder at the proud man who was just a drop of semen the other day and will turn into a corpse tomorrow. I wonder at the man who doubts Allāh although he sees His creations. I wonder at him who has forgotten death although he sees people dying. I wonder at him who denies the second life although he has seen the first life. I wonder at him who inhabits this transient abode but ignores the everlasting abode.

١٢٨. وَقَالَ (عليه ‏السلام): تَوَقَّوُا الْبَرْدَ فِى أَوَّلِهِ وَتَلَقَّوْهُ فِى آخِرِهِ فَإِنَّهُ يَفْعَلُ فِى الْأَبْدَانِ كَفِعْلِهِ فِى الْأَشْجَارِ أَوَّلُهُ يُحْرِقُ وَآخِرُهُ يُورِقُ.

128. Amīr al-mu’minīn, peace be upon him, said: Guard against cold in its (seasonal) beginning and welcome it towards its end because it effects bodies in the same way as it effects plants. In the beginning, it destroys them but in the end it gives them fresh leaves. [1]

١٢٩. وَقَالَ (عليه ‏السلام): عِظَمُ الْخَالِقِ عِنْدَكَ يُصَغِّرُ الْمَخْلُوقَ فِى عَيْنِكَ.

129. Amīr al-mu’minīn, peace be upon him, said: Greatness of the Creator appreciated by you would belittle the creatures in your view.

١٣١. وَقَالَ (عليه ‏السلام): وَقَدْ سَمِعَ رَجُلًا يَذُمُّ الدُّنْيَا أَيُّهَا الذَّامُّ لِلدُّنْيَا الْمُغْتَرُّ بِغُرُورِهَا الْمَخْدُوعُ بِأَبَاطِيلِهَا أَ تَغْتَرُّ بِالدُّنْيَا ثُمَّ تَذُمُّهَا أَنْتَ الْمُتَجَرِّمُ عَلَيْهَا أَمْ هِيَ الْمُتَجَرِّمَةُ عَلَيْكَ مَتَى اسْتَهْوَتْكَ أَمْ مَتَى غَرَّتْكَ أَ بِمَصَارِعِ آبَائِكَ مِنَ الْبِلَى أَمْ بِمَضَاجِعِ أُمَّهَاتِكَ تَحْتَ الثَّرَى كَمْ عَلَّلْتَ بِكَفَّيْكَ وَكَمْ مَرَّضْتَ بِيَدَيْكَ تَبْتَغِى لَهُمُ الشِّفَاءَ وَتَسْتَوْصِفُ لَهُمُ الْأَطِبَّاءَ غَدَاةَ لَا يُغْنِى عَنْهُمْ دَوَاؤُكَ وَلَا يُجْدِى عَلَيْهِمْ بُكَاؤُكَ لَمْ يَنْفَعْ أَحَدَهُمْ إِشْفَاقُكَ وَلَمْ تُسْعَفْ فِيهِ بِطَلِبَتِكَ وَلَمْ تَدْفَعْ عَنْهُ بِقُوَّتِكَ وَقَدْ مَثَّلَتْ لَكَ بِهِ الدُّنْيَا نَفْسَكَ وَبِمَصْرَعِهِ مَصْرَعَكَ.

131. Amīr al-mu’minīn, peace be upon him, heard a man abusing the world and said: O you who abuse the world, O you who have been deceived by its deceit and cheated by its wrongs. Do you covet the world and then abuse it? Do you accuse it or it should accuse you? When did it bewilder you or deceive you whether by the decay and fall of your forefathers, or by the sleeping places of your mothers under the ground? How much you looked after them in their illness and nursed them during sickness, desiring them to be cured and consulting physicians for them in the morning when your medicine did not avail them and your wailing for them did not benefit them. Your mourning over them did not prove useful to them and you could not achieve your aims. You could not ward off (death) from them with all your power. In fact, through the dying man the world presented an illustration for you and showed you by the example of his falling down how you would (also) fall.

إِنَّ الدُّنْيَا دَارُ صِدْقٍ لِمَنْ صَدَقَهَا وَدَارُ عَافِيَةٍ لِمَنْ فَهِمَ عَنْهَا وَدَارُ غِنًى لِمَنْ تَزَوَّدَ مِنْهَا وَدَارُ مَوْعِظَةٍ لِمَنِ اتَّعَظَ بِهَا مَسْجِدُ أَحِبَّاءِ اللَّهِ وَمُصَلَّى مَلَائِكَةِ اللَّهِ وَمَهْبِطُ وَحْيِ اللَّهِ وَمَتْجَرُ أَوْلِيَاءِ اللَّهِ اكْتَسَبُوا فِيهَا الرَّحْمَةَ وَرَبِحُوا فِيهَا الْجَنَّةَ.

Certainly, this world is a house of truth for him who appreciates it; a place of safety for him who understands it; a house of riches for him who collects provision from it (for the next world); and a house of instructions for him who draws instruction from it. It is the place of worship for the lovers of Allāh; the place of praying for the angels of Allāh; the place where the revelation of Allāh descends; and the marketing place for those devoted to Allāh. Herein they earned mercy and herein they acquired Paradise by way of profit.

فَمَنْ ذَا يَذُمُّهَا وَقَدْ آذَنَتْ بِبَيْنِهَا وَنَادَتْ بِفِرَاقِهَا وَنَعَتْ نَفْسَهَا وَأَهْلَهَا فَمَثَّلَتْ لَهُمْ بِبَلَائِهَا الْبَلَاءَ وَشَوَّقَتْهُمْ بِسُرُورِهَا إِلَى السُّرُورِ رَاحَتْ بِعَافِيَةٍ وَابْتَكَرَتْ بِفَجِيعَةٍ تَرْغِيباً وَتَرْهِيباً وَتَخْوِيفاً وَتَحْذِيراً فَذَمَّهَا رِجَالٌ غَدَاةَ النَّدَامَةِ وَحَمِدَهَا آخَرُونَ يَوْمَ الْقِيَامَةِ ذَكَّرَتْهُمُ الدُّنْيَا فَتَذَكَّرُوا وَحَدَّثَتْهُمْ فَصَدَّقُوا وَوَعَظَتْهُمْ فَاتَّعَظُوا.

Therefore, who can abuse it when it has announced its departure and called out that it would leave! It had given news of its own destruction and the death of its people. By its hardship it set an example of their hardships. By its pleasures it created eagerness for the pleasures (of the next world). It brings ease in the evening and grief in the morning by way of persuasion, dissuasion, alarm and warning. People abuse it on the morning of their repentance but there are others who will praise it on the Day of Judgement. The world recalled to them the next life and they bore it in mind. It related to them (things of the next life) and they acknowledged them. It preached to them and they took lesson therefrom. [1]

١٣٢. وَقَالَ (عليه ‏السلام): إِنَّ لِلَّهِ مَلَكاً يُنَادِى فِى كُلِّ يَوْمٍ لِدُوا لِلْمَوْتِ وَاجْمَعُوا لِلْفَنَاءِ وَابْنُوا لِلْخَرَابِ.

132. Amīr al-mu’minīn, peace be upon him, said: There is an angel of Allāh who calls out every day, “Beget children for death, collect wealth for destruction, and raise construction for ruin.”

١٣٤. وَقَالَ (عليه ‏السلام): لَا يَكُونُ الصَّدِيقُ صَدِيقاً حَتَّى يَحْفَظَ أَخَاهُ فِى ثَلَاثٍ فِى نَكْبَتِهِ وَغَيْبَتِهِ وَوَفَاتِهِ.

134. Amīr al-mu’minīn, peace be upon him, said: A friend is not a friend unless he affords protection to his comrade on three occasions: in his adversity, in his absence and at his death.

١٣٦. وَقَالَ (عليه ‏السلام): الصَّلَاةُ قُرْبَانُ كُلِّ تَقِيٍّ وَالْحَجُّ جِهَادُ كُلِّ ضَعِيفٍ وَلِكُلِّ شَيْ‏ءٍ زَكَاةٌ وَ زَكَاةُ الْبَدَنِ الصِّيَامُ وَجِهَادُ الْمَرْأَةِ حُسْنُ التَّبَعُّلِ.

136. Amīr al-mu’minīn, peace be upon him, said: For the God-fearing prayers is a means of seeking nearness to Allāh; and for the weak the ḥajj (pilgrimage to Mecca) is as good as jihād (fighting in the way of Allāh). For every thing there is a levy; and the levy of the body is fasting. The jihād of a woman is to afford pleasant company to her husband.

١٣٧. وَقَالَ (عليه ‏السلام): اسْتَنْزِلُوا الرِّزْقَ بِالصَّدَقَةِ.

137. Amīr al-mu’minīn, peace be upon him, said: Seek livelihood by giving alms.

١٣٩. وَقَالَ (عليه ‏السلام): تَنْزِلُ الْمَعُونَةُ عَلَى قَدْرِ الْمَئُونَةِ.

139. Amīr al-mu’minīn, peace be upon him, said: Assistance is allowed according to need.

١٤٠. وَقَالَ (عليه ‏السلام): مَا عَالَ مَنِ اقْتَصَدَ.

140. Amīr al-mu’minīn, peace be upon him, said: He who is moderate does not become destitute.

١٤١. وَقَالَ (عليه ‏السلام): قِلَّةُ الْعِيَالِ أَحَدُ الْيَسَارَيْنِ.

141. Amīr al-mu’minīn, peace be upon him, said: A small family is one of the ways of (securing) ease.

١٤٣. وَقَالَ (عليه ‏السلام): الْهَمُّ نِصْفُ الْهَرَم.

143. Amīr al-mu’minīn, peace be upon him, said: Grief is half of old age.

١٤٤. وَقَالَ (عليه ‏السلام): يَنْزِلُ الصَّبْرُ عَلَى قَدْرِ الْمُصِيبَةِ، وَمَنْ ضَرَبَ يَدَهُ عَلَى فَخِذِهِ عِنْدَ مُصِيبَتِهِ حَبِطَ أجْرُهُ.

144. Amīr al-mu’minīn, peace be upon him, said: Endurance comes according to the affliction. He who beats his hand on the thigh in his affliction ruins all his good actions.

١٤٦. وَقَالَ (عليه ‏السلام): سُوسُواإِيمَانَكُمْ بِالصَّدَقَةِ، وَحَصِّنُوا أَمْوَالَكُمْ بِالزَّكَاةِ، وَادْفَعُوا أَمْواجَ الْبَلاَءِ بِالدُّعَاءِ.

146. Amīr al-mu’minīn, peace be upon him, said: Protect your belief by charity; guard your wealth by paying Allāh’s share; and ward off the waves of calamity by praying.

١٤٧. وَمِنْ كَلَامٍ لَهُ (عليه السلام) لِكُمَيْلِ بْنِ زِيَادٍ النَّخَعِيِّ

147. Amīr al-mu’minīn’s Conversation with Kumayl Ibn Ziyād an-Nakha‘ī [1]

قَالَ كُمَيْلُ بْنُ زِيَادٍ: أَخَذَ بِيَدِي أَمِيرُ الْمُؤْمِنِينَ عَلِيُّ بْنُ أَبِي طَالِبٍ (عليه السلام)، فَأَخْرَجَنِي إِلَى الْجَبَّانِ فَلَمَّا أَصْحَرَ تَنَفَّسَ الصُّعَدَاءَ ثُمَّ قَالَ:

Kumayl ibn Ziyād has related: Amīr al-mu’minīn, peace be upon him, caught hold of my hand and took me to the graveyard. When he had passed through the graveyard and left the city behind, he breathed a deep sigh and said:

يَا كُمَيْل بْن زِيَادٍ، إِنَّ هذهِ الْقُلُوبَ أَوْعِيَةٌ فَخَيْرُهَا أَوْعَاهَا فَاحْفَظْ عَنِّي مَا أَقُولُ لَكَ:

O Kumayl, these hearts are containers. The best of them is that which preserves (its contents). So, preserve what I say to you:

النَّاسُ ثَلاَثَةٌ: فَعَالِمٌ رَبَّانِيٌّ وَمُتَعَلِّمٌ عَلَى سَبِيلِ نَجَاةٍ، وَهَمَجٌ رَعَاعٌ أَتْبَاعُ كُلِّ نَاعِقٍ يَمِيلُونَ مَعَ كُلِّ رِيحٍ، لَمْ يَسْتَضِيئُوا بِنُورِ الْعِلْمِ، وَلَمْ يَلْجَؤُوا إِلَى رُكْنٍ وَثِيقٍ.

People are of three types: One is the scholar and divine; then the seeker of knowledge who is also on the way to deliverance. Then (lastly) the common rot who run after every caller and bend in the direction of every wind. They seek no light from the effulgence of knowledge and do not take protection of any reliable support.

يَا كُمَيْلُ، الْعِلْمُ خَيْرٌ مِنَ الْمَالِ: الْعِلْمُ يَحْرُسُكَ وَأَنْتَ تَحْرُسُ المَالَ، وَالْمَالُ تَنْقُصُهُ النَّفَقَةُ، وَالْعِلْمُ يَزْكُوعَلَى الْإِنْفَاقِ، وَصَنِيعُ الْمَالِ يَزُولُ بِزَوَالِهِ.

O Kumayl, knowledge is better than wealth. Knowledge guards you, while you have to guard the wealth. Wealth decreases by spending, while knowledge multiplies by spending, and the results of wealth die as wealth decays.

يَا كُمَيْلَ بْنَ زِيَادٍ مَعْرِفَةُ الْعِلْمِ دِينٌ يُدَانُ بِهِ بِهِ يَكْسِبُ الْإِنْسَانُ الطَّاعَةَ فِى حَيَاتِهِ وَجَمِيلَ الْأُحْدُوثَةِ بَعْدَ وَفَاتِهِ وَ الْعِلْمُ حَاكِمٌ وَالْمَالُ مَحْكُومٌ عَلَيْهِ.

O Kumayl, knowledge is belief which is acted upon. With it man acquires obedience during his life and a good name after his death. Knowledge is the ruler while wealth is ruled upon.

يَا كُمَيْلُ هَلَكَ خُزَّانُ الْأَمْوَالِ وَهُمْ أَحْيَاءٌ وَ الْعُلَمَاءُ بَاقُونَ مَا بَقِيَ الدَّهْرُ أَعْيَانُهُمْ مَفْقُودَةٌ وَأَمْثَالُهُمْ فِى الْقُلُوبِ مَوْجُودَةٌ هَا إِنَّ هَاهُنَا لَعِلْماً جَمّاً وَأَشَارَ بِيَدِهِ إِلَى صَدْرِهِ لَوْ أَصَبْتُ لَهُ حَمَلَةً بَلَى أَصَبْتُ لَقِناً غَيْرَ مَأْمُونٍ عَلَيْهِ مُسْتَعْمِلًا آلَةَ الدِّينِ لِلدُّنْيَا وَمُسْتَظْهِراً بِنِعَمِ اللَّهِ عَلَى عِبَادِهِ وَبِحُجَجِهِ عَلَى أَوْلِيَائِهِ أَوْ مُنْقَاداً لِحَمَلَةِ الْحَقِّ لَا بَصِيرَةَ لَهُ فِى أَحْنَائِهِ يَنْقَدِحُ الشَّكُّ فِى قَلْبِهِ لِأَوَّلِ عَارِضٍ مِنْ شُبْهَةٍ.

O Kumayl, those who amass wealth are dead even though they may be living while those endowed with knowledge will remain as long as the world lives. Their bodies are not available but their figures exist in the hearts. Look, here is a heap of knowledge (and Amīr al-mu’minīn pointed to his bosom). I wish I could get someone to bear it. Yes, I did find (such a one); but either he was one who could not be relied upon. He would exploit the religion for worldly gains, and by virtue of Allāh’s favours on him he would domineer over the people and through Allāh’s pleas he would lord over His devotees. Or he was one who was obedient to the hearers of truth but there was no intelligence in his bosom. At the first appearance of doubt he would entertain misgivings in his heart.

أَلَا لَا ذَا وَلَا ذَاكَ أَوْ مَنْهُوماً بِاللَّذَّةِ سَلِسَ الْقِيَادِ لِلشَّهْوَةِ أَوْ مُغْرَماً بِالْجَمْعِ وَالِادِّخَارِ لَيْسَا مِنْ رُعَاةِ الدِّينِ فِى شَيْ‏ءٍ أَقْرَبُ شَيْ‏ءٍ شَبَهاً بِهِمَا الْأَنْعَامُ السَّائِمَةُ كَذَلِكَ يَمُوتُ الْعِلْمُ بِمَوْتِ حَامِلِيهِ.

So, neither this nor that was good enough. Either the man is eager for pleasures, easily led away by passions, or is covetous for collecting and hoarding wealth. Neither of them has any regard for religion in any matter. The nearest example of these is the loose cattle. This is the way that knowledge dies away with the death of its bearers.

اللَّهُمَّ بَلَى! لَا تَخْلُو الْأَرْضُ مِنْ قَائِمٍ لله بِحُجَّةٍ، إِمَّا ظَاهِراً مَشْهُوراً، وَإِمَّا خَائِفاً مَغْمُوراً لِئَلاَّ تَبْطُلَ حُجَجُ اللهِ وَبَيِّنَاتُهُ. وَكَمْ ذَا وَأَيْنَ أُولئِكَ؟ أُولئِكَ ـ وَاللَّهِ ـ الْأَقَلُّونَ عَدَداً، وَالْأَعْظَمُونَ عِنْدَ اللَّهِ قَدْراً، يَحْفَظُ اللهُ بِهِمْ حُجَجَهُ وَبَيِّنَاتِهِ، حَتَّى يُودِعُوهَا نُظَرَاءَهُمْ، وَيَزْرَعُوهَا فِي قُلُوبِ أَشْبَاهِهِمْ،

O My Allāh! Yes; but the earth is never devoid of those who maintain Allāh’s plea either openly and reputedly or, being afraid, as hidden in order that Allāh’s pleas and proofs should not be rebutted. How many are they and where are they? By Allāh, they are few in number, but they are great in esteem before Allāh. Through them Allāh guards His pleas and proofs till they entrust them to others like themselves and sow the seeds thereof in the hearts of those who are similar to them.

هَجَمَ بِهِمُ الْعِلْمُ عَلَى حَقِيقَةِ الْبَصِيرَةِ، وَبَاشَرُوا رُوحَ الْيَقِينِ، وَاسْتَلاَنُوامَا اسْتَوْعَرَهُ الْمُتْرَفُونَ وَأَنِسُوا بِمَا اسْتَوْحَشَ مِنْهُ الْجَاهِلُونَ، وَصَحِبُوا الدُّنْيَا بِأَبْدَانٍ أَرْوَاحُهَا مُعَلَّقَةٌ بِالْـمَحَلِّ الْأَعْلَى، أُولئِكَ خُلَفَاءُ اللهِ فِي أَرْضِهِ، وَالدُّعَاةُ إِلَى دِينِهِ،

Knowledge has led them to real understanding and so they have associated themselves with the spirit of conviction. They take easy what the easygoing regard as hard. They endear what the ignorant take as strange. They live in this world with their bodies here but their spirits resting in the high above. They are the vicegerents of Allah on His earth and callers to His religion.

آهِ آهِ شَوْقاً إِلَى رُؤْيَتِهِمْ! انْصَرِفْ (يَا كُمَيْلُ) إِذَا شِئْتَ.

Oh, oh, how I yearn to see them! Go away now, O Kumayl, wherever you wish!

١٤٩. وَقَالَ (عليه ‏السلام): هَلَكَ امْرُؤُ لَمْ يَعْرِفْ قَدْرَهُ.

149. Amīr al-mu’minīn, peace be upon him, said: He who does not know his own worth is ruined.

١٥١. وَقَالَ (عليه ‏السلام): لِكُلِّ امْرِئٍ عَاقِبَةٌ حُلْوَةٌ أَوْ مُرَّةٌ.

151. Amīr al-mu’minīn, peace be upon him, said: Every human being has to meet the end, sweet or bitter.

١٥٢. وَقَالَ (عليه ‏السلام): لِكُلِّ مُقْبِلٍ إِدْبَارٌ، وَمَا أَدْبَرَ كَأَنْ لَمْ يَكُنْ.

152. Amīr al-mu’minīn, peace be upon him, said: Every comer has to return and after returning it is as though he never existed.

١٥٣. وَقَالَ (عليه ‏السلام): لَا يَعْدَمُ الصَّبُورُ الظَّفَرَ وَإِنْ طَالَ بِهِ الزَّمَانُ.

153. Amīr al-mu’minīn, peace be upon him, said: The endurer does not miss success although it may take a long time.

١٥٥. وَقَالَ (عليه ‏السلام): اعْتَصِمُوا بِالذِّمَمِ فِي أَوْتَادِهَا.

155. Amīr al-mu’minīn, peace be upon him, said: Adhere to contracts and entrust their fulfilment to steadfast persons.

١٥٦. وَقَالَ (عليه ‏السلام): عَلَيْكُمْ بِطَاعَةِ مَنْ لَا تُعْذَرُونَ بِجَهَالَتِهِ.

156. Amīr al-mu’minīn, peace be upon him, said: On you lies (the obligation of) obedience to the person about whom you cannot plead the excuse of ignorance. [1]

١٥٨. وَقَالَ (عليه ‏السلام): عَاتِبْ أَخَاكَ بِالْإِحْسَانِ إِلَيْهِ، وَارْدُدْ شَرَّهُ بِالْإِنْعَامِ عَلَيْهِ.

158. Amīr al-mu’minīn, peace be upon him, said: Admonish your brother (comrade) by good behaviour towards him, and ward off his evil by favouring him. [1]

١٦٠. وَقَالَ (عليه ‏السلام): مَنْ مَلَكَ اسْتَأْثَرَ.

160. Amīr al-mu’minīn, peace be upon him, said: Whoever obtains authority (usually) adopts partiality.

١٦١. وَقَالَ (عليه ‏السلام): مَنِ اسْتَبَدَّ بِرَأْيِهِ هَلَكَ، وَمَنْ شَاوَرَ الرِّجَالَ شَارَكَهَا فِي عُقُولِهَا.

161. Amīr al-mu’minīn, peace be upon him, said: He who acts solely according to his own opinion gets ruined, and he who consults other people shares in their understanding.

١٦٣. وَقَالَ (عليه ‏السلام): الْفَقْرُ الْمَوْتُ الْأَكْبَرُ.

163. Amīr al-mu’minīn, peace be upon him, said: Destitution is the greatest death.

١٦٤. وَقَالَ (عليه ‏السلام): مَنْ قَضَى حَقَّ مَنْ لَا يَقْضِي حَقَّهُ فَقَدْ عَبَدَهُ.

164. Amīr al-mu’minīn, peace be upon him, said: He who fulfils the right of a man who does not fulfil his right, (is as though he) worships him.

١٦٦. وَقَالَ (عليه ‏السلام): لَا يُعَابُ الْمَرْءُ بِتَأْخِيرِ حَقِّهِ، إِنَّمَا يُعَابُ مَنْ أَخَذَ مَا لَيْسَ لَهُ.

166. Amīr al-mu’minīn, peace be upon him, said: No person is to be blamed for delay in (securing) his own right but blame lies on him who takes what he is not entitled to.

١٦٧. وَقَالَ (عليه ‏السلام): الْإِعْجَابُ يَمْنَعُ الِازْدِيَادَ.

167. Amīr al-mu’minīn, peace be upon him, said: Vanity prevents progress. [1]

١٦٩. وَقَالَ (عليه ‏السلام): قَدْ أَضَاءَ الصُّبْحُ لِذِي عَيْنَيْنِ.

169. Amīr al-mu’minīn, peace be upon him, said: For the man who has eyes the dawn has already appeared.

١٧٠. وَقَالَ (عليه ‏السلام): تَرْكُ الذَّنْبِ أَهْوَنُ مِنْ طَلَبِ التَّوْبَةِ.

170. Amīr al-mu’minīn, peace be upon him, said: Abstention from sin is easier than seeking forgiveness afterwards. [1]

١٧٢. وَقَالَ (عليه ‏السلام): النَّاسُ أَعْدَاءُ مَا جَهِلُوا.

172. Amīr al-mu’minīn, peace be upon him, said: People are enemies of what they do not know. [1]

١٧٣. وَقَالَ (عليه ‏السلام): مَنِ اسْتَقْبَلَ وُجُوهَ الْآرَاءِ عَرَفَ مَوَاقِعَ الْخَطَاَ.

173. Amīr al-mu’minīn, peace be upon him, said: He who has several opinions understands the pitfalls.

١٧٤. وَقَالَ (عليه ‏السلام): مَن أَحَدَّ سِنَانَ الْغَضَبِ لله قَوِيَ عَلَى قَتْلِ أَشِدَّاءِ الْبَاطِلِ.

174. Amīr al-mu’minīn, peace be upon him, said: He who sharpens the teeth of anger for the sake of Allāh acquires the strength to kill the stalwarts of wrong. [1]

١٧٦. وَقَالَ (عليه ‏السلام): آلَةُ الرِّيَاسَةِ سَعَةُ الصَّدْرِ

176. Amīr al-mu’minīn, peace be upon him, said: The means to secure high authority is breadth of chest (i.e., generosity).

١٧٧. وَقَالَ (عليه ‏السلام): ازْجُرِ الْمُسِيءَ بِثوَابِ الْـمُحْسِنِ.

177. Amīr al-mu’minīn, peace be upon him, said: Rebuke the evil-doer by rewarding the good-doer. [1]

١٧٩. وَقَالَ (عليه ‏السلام): اللَّجَاجَةُ تَسُلُّ الرَّأْيَ.

179. Amīr al-mu’minīn, peace be upon him, said: Stubbornness destroys (good) advice.

١٨٠. وَقَالَ (عليه ‏السلام): الطَّمَعُ رِقٌّ مُؤَبَّدٌ.

180. Amīr al-mu’minīn, peace be upon him said: Greed is a lasting slavery.

١٨٢. وَقَالَ (عليه ‏السلام): لَا خَيْرَ فِي الصَّمْتِ عَنِ الْحُكْمِ، كَمَا أَنَّهُ لَا خَيْرَ فِي الْقوْلِ بِالْجَهْلِ.

182. Amīr al-mu’minīn, peace be upon him, said: There is no advantage ill keeping quiet about an issue of wisdom, just as there is no good in speaking out an unintelligent thing.

١٨٣. وَقَالَ (عليه ‏السلام): مَا اخْتَلَفَتْ دَعْوَتَانِ إِلَّا كَانَتْ إِحْدَاهُمَا ضَلاَلَةً.

183. Amīr al-mu’minīn, peace be upon him, said: If there are two different calls then one (of them) must be towards misguidance.

١٨٤. وَقَالَ (عليه ‏السلام): مَا شَكَكْتُ فِي الْحَقِّ مُذْ أُرِيتُهُ.

184. Amir al-mu'minin, peace be upon him, said: I have never entertained doubt about right since I was shown it.

١٨٦. وَقَالَ (عليه ‏السلام): لِلظَّالِمِ الْبَادِي غَداً بِكَفِّهِ عَضَّةٌ.

186. Amīr al-mu’minīn, peace be upon him, said: He who takes the lead in oppression has to bite his hand (in repentance) tomorrow.

١٨٧. وَقَالَ (عليه ‏السلام): الرَّحِيلُ وَشِيكٌ.

187. Amīr al-mu’minīn, peace be upon him, said: The departure (from this world) is imminent.

١٨٩. وَقَالَ (عليه ‏السلام): مَنْ لَمْ يُنْجِهِ الصَّبْرُ أَهْلَكَهُ الْجَزَعُ.

189. Amīr al-mu’minīn, peace be upon him, said: If patience does not give relief to a man impatience kills him.

١٩١. وَقَالَ (عليه ‏السلام): إِنَّمَا الْمَرْءُ فِى الدُّنْيَا غَرَضٌ تَنْتَضِلُ فِيهِ الْمَنَايَا وَنَهْبٌ تُبَادِرُهُ الْمَصَائِبُ وَمَعَ كُلِّ جُرْعَةٍ شَرَقٌ وَفِى كُلِّ أَكْلَةٍ غَصَصٌ وَلَا يَنَالُ الْعَبْدُ نِعْمَةً إِلَّا بِفِرَاقِ أُخْرَى وَلَا يَسْتَقْبِلُ يَوْماً مِنْ عُمُرِهِ إِلَّا بِفِرَاقِ آخَرَ مِنْ أَجَلِهِ فَنَحْنُ أَعْوَانُ الْمَنُونِ وَأَنْفُسُنَا نَصْبُ الْحُتُوفِ فَمِنْ أَيْنَ نَرْجُو الْبَقَاءَ وَهَذَا اللَّيْلُ وَالنَّهَارُ لَمْ يَرْفَعَا مِنْ شَيْ‏ءٍ شَرَفاً إِلَّا أَسْرَعَا الْكَرَّةَ فِى هَدْمِ مَا بَنَيَا وَ تَفْرِيقِ مَا جَمَعَا.

191. Amīr al-mu’minīn, peace be upon him, said: In this world man is the target towards which the arrows of death fly, and is like that wealth whose destruction is quickened by hard ships. (In this world) with every drink there is suffocation and with every morsel there is choking. Here no one gets anything unless he loses something else, and not a day of his age advances till a day passes out from his life. Thus, we are helpers of death and our lives are the targets of mortality. How then can we expect everlasting life since the night and day do not raise anything high without quickly arranging for the destruction of whatever they have built and for the splitting asunder of whatever they have joined together.

١٩٢. وَقَالَ (عليه ‏السلام): يَا ابْنَ آدَمَ مَا كَسَبْتَ فَوْقَ قُوتِكَ، فَأَنْتَ فِيهِ خَازِنٌ لِغَيْرِكَ.

192. Amīr al-mu’minīn, peace be upon him, said: O son of Adam, whatever you earn beyond your basic needs you are only a treasurer of it for others.

١٩٣. وَقَالَ (عليه ‏السلام): إِنَّ لِلْقُلُوبِ شَهْوَةً وَإِقْبَالًا وَإِدْبَاراً، فَأْتُوهَا مِنْ قِبَلِ شَهْوَتِهَا وَإِقْبَالِهَا، فَإِنَّ الْقَلْبَ إِذَا أُكْرِهَ عَمِيَ.

193. Amīr al-mu’minīn, peace be upon him, said: Hearts are imbued with passion and the power of advancing and retreating. Therefore, approach them for action at the time of their passionateness and when they are in a mood for advancing, because if hearts are forced (to do a thing) they will be blinded.

١٩٥. وَقَالَ (عليه ‏السلام) وَقَدْ مَرَّ بِقَذَرٍ عَلَى مَزْبَلَةٍ: هَذَا مَا بَخِلَ بِهِ الْبَاخِلُونَ.

195. Amīr al-mu’minīn, peace be upon him, passed beside a dump of rubbish full of filth and remarked: This is what the misers used to be niggardly about.

وَرُوِيَ فِي خَبَرٍ آخَرَ أَنَّهُ قَالَ: هَذَا مَا كُنْتُمْ تَتَنَافَسُونَ فِيهِ بِالْأَمْسِ!

In another tradition it is related that he said: This is what you used to dispute with each other about until yesterday!

١٩٧. وَقَالَ (عليه ‏السلام): إِنَّ هذِهِ الْقُلُوبَ تَمَلُّ كَمَا تَمَلُّ الْأَبْدَانُ، فَابْتَغُوا لَهَا طَرَائِفَ الْحِكْمَةِ.

197. Amīr al-mu’minīn, peace be upon him, said: The hearts become tired as the bodies become tired. You should therefore search for beautiful sayings for them (to enjoy by way of refreshment).

١٩٨. وَقَالَ (عليه ‏السلام) لَمَّا سَمِعَ قَوْلَ الْخَوَارِجِ ـ لَا حُكْمَ إِلَّا لِلهِ ـ : كَلِمَةُ حَقٍّ يُرَادُ بِهَا بَاطِلٌ.

198. When Amīr al-mu’minīn, peace be upon him, heard the slogan of the Khārijites: There is no verdict save of Allāh, he said: This sentence is true but it is interpreted wrongly.

٢٠٠. وَقَالَ (عليه ‏السلام) وقد أُتي بِجَانٍ وَمَعَهُ غَوْغَاءُ: فَقَالَ : لَا مَرْحَباً بِوُجُوهٍ لَا تُرَى إِلَّا عِنْدَ كُلِّ سَوْأَةٍ .

200. An offender was brought before Amīr al-mu’minīn, peace be upon him, and there was a crowd of people with the man, so Amīr al-mu’minīn remarked: Woe to the faces who are seen only on foul occasions.

٢٠٢. وَقَالَ (عليه ‏السلام) وَقَدْ قَالَ لَهُ طَلْحَةُ وَالزُّبَيْرُ: نُبَايِعُكَ عَلَى أَنَّا شُرَكَاؤُكَ فِي هَذَا الْأَمْرِ: لَا، وَلكِنَّكُمَا شَرِيكَانِ فِي الْقُّوَّةَ وَالِاسْتِعَانَةِ، وَعَوْنَانِ عَلَى الْعَجْزِ وَالْأَوَدِ.

202. When Ṭalḥah and az-Zubayr said to him: We are prepared to swear allegiance to you on condition that we have a share with you in this matter (of caliphate), Amīr al-mu’minīn, peace be upon him, said: No, but you will have a share in strengthening (the caliphate) and in affording assistance and you will both be helping me at the time of need and hardship.

٢٠٥. وَقَالَ (عليه ‏السلام): كُلُّ وِعَاءٍ يَضِيقُ بِمَا جُعِلَ فِيهِ إِلَّا وِعَاءَ الْعِلْمِ، فَإِنَّهُ يَتَّسِعُ بِهِ.

205. Amīr al-mu’minīn, peace be upon him, said: Every container gets narrower according to what is placed in it except the container of knowledge which expands instead.

٢٠٦. وَقَالَ (عليه ‏السلام): أَوَّلُ عِوَضِ الْحَلِيمِ مِنْ حِلْمِهِ أَنَّ النَّاسَ أَنْصَارُهُ عَلَى الْجَاهِلِ.

206. Amīr al-mu’minīn, peace be upon him, said: The first reward the exerciser of forbearance gets is that people become his helpers against the ignorant.

٢٠٨. وَقَالَ (عليه ‏السلام): مَنْ حَاسَبَ نَفْسَهُ رَبِحَ، وَمَنْ غَفَلَ عَنْهَا خَسِرَ، وَمَنْ خَافَ أَمِنَ، وَمَنِ اعْتَبَرَ أَبْصَرَ وَمَنْ أَبْصَرَ فَهِمَ وَمَنْ فَهِمَ عَلِمَ.

208. Amīr al-mu’minīn, peace be upon him, said: Whoever takes account of his self is benefited, and whoever remains neglectful of it suffers. Whoever fears remains safe; whoever takes instruction (from things around) perceives; and whoever perceives gains understanding, and whoever gains understanding secures knowledge.

٢١٠. وَقَالَ (عليه ‏السلام): اتَّقُوا اللَّهَ تَقِيَّةَ مَنْ شَمَّرَ تَجْرِيداً وَجَدَّ تَشْمِيراً وَكَمَّشَ فِى مَهَلٍ وَبَادَرَ عَنْ وَجَلٍ وَنَظَرَ فِى كَرَّةِ الْمَوْئِلِ وَعَاقِبَةِ الْمَصْدَرِ وَمَغَبَّةِ الْمَرْجِعِ.

210. Amīr al-mu’minīn, peace be upon him, said: Fear Allāh like the one who prepares himself after extracting himself (from worldly affairs) and after getting ready in this way makes effort; then he acts quickly during the period of this life, hastens in view of the dangers (of falling into error) and has his eye on proceeding towards the goal, on the end of his journey and on the place of his (eventual) return.

٢١١. وَقَالَ (عليه ‏السلام): الْجُودُ حَارِسُ الْأَعْرَاضِ وَالْحِلْمُ فِدَامُ السَّفِيهِ وَالْعَفْوُ زَكَاةُ الظَّفَرِ وَالسُّلُوُّ عِوَضُكَ مِمَّنْ غَدَرَ وَالِاسْتِشَارَةُ عَيْنُ الْهِدَايَةِ وَقَدْ خَاطَرَ مَنِ اسْتَغْنَى بِرَأْيِهِ وَالصَّبْرُ يُنَاضِلُ الْحِدْثَانَ وَالْجَزَعُ مِنْ أَعْوَانِ الزَّمَانِ وَأَشْرَفُ الْغِنَى تَرْكُ الْمُنَى وَكَمْ مِنْ عَقْلٍ أَسِيرٍ تَحْتَ هَوَى أَمِيرٍ وَمِنَ التَّوْفِيقِ حِفْظُ التَّجْرِبَةِ وَالْمَوَدَّةُ قَرَابَةٌ مُسْتَفَادَةٌ وَلَا تَأْمَنَنَّ مَلُولًا.

211. Amīr al-mu’minīn, peace be upon him, said: Generosity is the protector of honour; forbearance is the bridle of the fool; forgiveness is the levy of success; disregard is the punishment of him who betrays; and consultation is the chief way of guidance. He who is content with his own opinion faces danger. Endurance braves calamities while impatience is a helper of the hardships of the world. The best contentment is to give up desires. Many a slavish mind is subservient to overpowering longings. Capability helps preservation of experience. Love means well-utilized relationship. Do not trust one who is grieved.

٢١٣. وَقَالَ (عليه ‏السلام): أَغْضِ عَلَى الْقَذَى وَالْأَلَمِ تَرْضَ أَبَداً.

213. Amīr al-mu’minīn, peace be upon him, said: Ignore pain otherwise you will never be happy. [Or according to another reading): Ignore pain and grief; you will ever be happy.] [1]

٢١٤. وَقَالَ (عليه ‏السلام): مَنْ لَانَ عُودُهُ كَثُفَتْ أَغْصَانُهُ.

214. Amīr al-mu’minīn, peace be upon him, said: The tree whose trunk is soft has thick branches. [1]

٢١٦. وَقَالَ (عليه ‏السلام): مَنْ نَالَ اسْتَطَالَ.

216. Amīr al-mu’minīn, peace be upon him, said: He who gives generously achieves position. (Or according to another interpretation): He who achieves position begins to make wrong use of it.

٢١٧. وَقَالَ (عليه ‏السلام): فِي تَقَلُّبِ الْأَحْوَالِ عِلْمُ جَوَاهِرِ الرِّجَالِ.

217. Amīr al-mu’minīn, peace be upon him, said: Through change of circumstances the mettle of men is known.

٢١٩. وَقَالَ (عليه ‏السلام): أَكْثَرُ مَصَارِعِ الْعُقُولِ تَحْتَ بُرُوقِ الْمَطَامِعِ.

219. Amīr al-mu’minīn, peace be upon him, said: Most of the deficiency of intelligence occurs due to the flash of greed. [1]

٢٢٠. وَقَالَ (عليه ‏السلام): لَيْسَ مِنَ الْعَدْلِ الْقَضَاءُ عَلَى الثِّقَةِ بِالظَّنِّ.

220. Amīr al-mu’minīn, peace be upon him, said: There is no justice in passing a verdict by relying on probability.

٢٢٢. وَقَالَ (عليه ‏السلام): مِنْ أَشْرَفِ أَفْعَالِ الْكَرِيمِ غَفْلَتُهُ عَمَّا يَعْلَمُ.

222. Amīr al-mu’minīn, peace be upon him, said: The highest act of a noble person is to ignore what he knows.

٢٢٣. وَقَالَ (عليه ‏السلام): مَنْ كَسَاهُ الْحَيَاءُ ثَوْبَهُ لَمْ يَرَ النَّاسُ عَيْبَهُ.

223. Amīr al-mu’minīn, peace be upon him, said: Whomever modesty clothes with its dress people cannot see his defects. [1]

٢٢٥. وَقَالَ (عليه ‏السلام): الْعَجَبُ لِغَفْلَةِ الْحُسَّادِ عَنْ سَلاَمَةِ الْأَجْسَادِ.

225. Amīr al-mu’minīn, peace be upon him, said: It is strange that the jealous do not feel jealous about bodily health. [1]

٢٢٦. وَقَالَ (عليه ‏السلام): الطَّامِعُ فِي وِثَاقِ الذُّلِّ.

226. Amīr al-mu’minīn, peace be upon him, said: The greedy is in the shackles of disgrace.

٢٢٨. وَقَالَ (عليه ‏السلام): مَنْ أَصْبَحَ عَلَى الدُّنْيَا حَزِيناً فَقَدْ أَصْبَحَ لِقَضَاءِ اللهِ سَاخِطاً، وَمَنْ أَصْبَحَ يَشَكُو مُصِيبَةً نَزَلَتْ بِهِ فَقَدْ أَصْبَحَ يَشْكُو رَبَّهُ، وَمَنْ أَتى غَنِيَّاً فَتَوَاضَعَ لِغِنَاهُ ذَهَبَ ثُلُثَا دِينِهِ، وَمَنْ قَرَأَ الْقُرْآنَ فَمَاتَ فَدَخَلَ النَّارَ فَهُوَ مِمَّنْ كَانَ يَتَّخِذُ آيَاتِ اللهِ هُزُواً، وَمَنْ لَهِجَ قَلْبُهُ بِحُبِّ الدُّنْيَا الْتَاطَ قَلْبُهُ مِنْهَا بِثَلاَثٍ: هَمٍّ لَا يُغِبُّهُ، وَحِرْصٍ لَا يَتْرُكُه، وَأَمَلٍ لَا يُدْرِكُهُ.

228. Amīr al-mu’minīn, peace be upon him, said: He who is sorrowful for this world is in fact displeased with the dispensation of Allāh. He who complains of a calamity that befalls him complains of his Lord (Allāh). He who approaches a rich man and bends before him on account of his riches then two-third of his religion is gone. If a man reads the Qur’ān and on dying goes to Hell then it means that he was among those who treated Divine verses with mockery. If a man’s heart gets attached to the world, then it catches three things, namely worry that never leaves him, greed that does not abandon him and desire which he never fulfils.

٢٢٩. وَقَالَ (عليه ‏السلام): كَفَى بِالْقَنَاعَةِ مُلْكاً، وَبِحُسْنِ الْخُلُقِ نَعِيماً. وَسُئِلَ (عليه السلام) عَنْ قَوْلِهِ تَعَالَى ﴿فَلَنُحْيِيَنَّهُ حَيَاةً طَيِّبَةً﴾ فَقَالَ: هِيَ الْقَنَاعَةُ.

229. Amīr al-mu’minīn, peace be upon him, said: Contentment is as good as estate, and goodness of moral character is as good as a blessing. Amīr al-mu’minīn, peace be upon him, was asked about Allāh’s saying: We will certainly make him live a life good and pure. (Qur’ān, 16:97) when he said: that means contentment. [1]

٢٣١. وَقَالَ (عليه ‏السلام) فِي قَوْلِهِ تَعَالَى ﴿إِنَّ اللهَ يَأْمُرُ بِالْعَدْلِ وَالْإِحْسَانِ﴾: الْعَدْلُ الْإِنْصَافُ، وَالْإِحْسَانُ التَّفَضُّلُ.

231. Amīr al-mu’minīn, peace be upon him, said about Allāh’s saying: Verily, Allāh enjoins justice (‘adl) and benevolence (iḥsān),(Qur’ān,16:90). Here ‘adl means equidistribution and iḥsān means favour.

٢٣٢. وَقَالَ (عليه ‏السلام): مَنْ يُعْطِ بِالْيَدِ الْقَصِيرَةِ يُعْطَ بِالْيَدِ الطَّوِيلَةِ.

232. Amīr al-mu’minīn, peace be upon him, said: He who gives with his short hand is given by a long hand.

قال السيد الرضى: ومعنى ذلك أن ما ينفقه المرء من ماله فى سبيل الخير و البر و إن كان يسيرا فإن الله تعالى يجعل الجزاء عليه عظيما كثيرا و اليدان هاهنا عبارة عن النعمتين ففرق (عليه السلام) بين نعمة العبد و نعمة الرب تعالى ذكره بالقصيرة و الطويلة فجعل تلك قصيرة و هذه طويلة لأن نعم الله أبدا تضعف على نعم المخلوق أضعافا كثيرة إذ كانت نعم الله أصل النعم كلها فكل نعمة إليها ترجع و منها تنزع .

as-Sayyid ar-Raḍī says: The meaning of this saying is that even though what a man spends in charity from his possessions may be small, yet Allāh, the Sublime, gives good reward for it. And the two hands referred to, here means two favours. Thus, Amīr al-mu’minīn has differentiated between the favour of man and the favour of the Lord (Allāh) — exalted be the mention of His name — since he has described the first as small and the other as big. This is because the favours of Allāh are ever multiplied manifold to the favours of man since Allāh’s favours are basic in the sense that every other favour springs from it and turns to it.

٢٣٤. وَقَالَ (عليه ‏السلام): خِيَارُ خِصَالِ النِّسَاءِ شِرَارُ خِصَالِ الرِّجَالِ: الزَّهْوُ وَالْجُبْنُ وَالْبُخْلُ، فَإذَا كَانَتِ الْمَرْأَةُ مَزْهُوَّةً لَمْ تُمَكِّنْ مِنْ نَفْسِهَا، وَإِذَا كَانَتْ بِخِيلَةً حَفِظَتْ مَالَهَا وَمَالَ بَعْلِهَا، وَإِذَا كَانَتْ جَبَانَةً فَرِقَتْ مِنْ كُلِّ شِيْءٍ يَعْرِضُ لَهَا.

234. Amīr al-mu’minīn, peace be upon him, said: The best traits of women are those which are the worst traits of men, namely: vanity, cowardice and miserliness. Thus, since the woman is vain, she will not allow anyone access to herself; since she is miserly, she will preserve her own property and the property of her husband; and since she is weak-hearted, she will be frightened with everything that befalls her.

٢٣٥. وَقِيلَ لَهُ (عليه السلام): صِفْ لَنَا الْعَاقِلَ. فَقَالَ (عليه السلام): هُوَ الِّذِي يَضَعُ الشَّيْءَ مَوَاضِعَهُ. فَقِيلَ: فَصِفْ لَنَا الْجَاهِلَ. فَقَالَ: قَدْ فَعَلْتُ.

235. It was said to Amīr al-mu’minīn, peace be upon him: Describe the wise to us; and he said: The wise is one who places things in their proper positions. Then, he was asked: Describe the ignorant to us; and he said: I have already done so.

قال السيد الرضى: يعنى أن الجاهل هو الذى لا يضع الشي‏ء مواضعه فكأن ترك صفته صفة له إذ كان بخلاف وصف العاقل.

as-Sayyid ar-Raḍī says: The meaning is that the ignorant is one who does not place things in their proper positions. In this way, Amīr al-mu’minīn’s abstention from describing was a way of describing him because his attributes are just the opposite of the wise.

٢٣٧. وَقَالَ (عليه ‏السلام): إِنَّ قَوْماً عَبَدُوا اللهَ رَغْبَةً فَتِلْكَ عِبَادَةُ التُّجَّارِ، وَإِنَّ قَوْماً عَبَدُوا اللهَ رَهْبَةً فَتِلْكَ عِبَادَةُ الْعَبِيدِ، وَإِنَّ قَوْماً عَبَدُوا اللهَ شُكْراً فَتِلْكَ عِبَادَةُ الْأَحْرَارِ.

237. Amīr al-mu’minīn, peace be upon him, said: A group of people worshipped Allāh out of desire for reward surely, this is the worship of traders. Another group worshipped Allāh out of fear, this is the worship of slaves. Still another group worshipped Allāh out of gratefulness, this is the worship of free men.

٢٣٩. وَقَالَ (عليه ‏السلام): مَنْ أَطَاعَ التَّوَانِيَ ضَيَّعَ الْحُقُوقَ، وَمَنْ أَطَاعَ الْوَاشِيَ ضَيَّعَ الصَّدِيقَ.

239. Amīr al-mu’minīn, peace be upon him, said: He who is a sluggard loses his rights and he who believes in the backbiter loses his friend.

٢٤٠. وَقَالَ (عليه ‏السلام): الْحَجَرُ الْغَصِيبُ فِي الدَّارِ رَهْنٌ عَلَى خَرَابِهَا.

240. Amīr al-mu’minīn, peace be upon him, said: One ill-gotten piece of stone in a house is a guarantee for its ruin.

قال السيد الرضى: و يروى هذا الكلام عن النبى (ص) و لا عجب أن يشتبه الكلامان لأن مستقاهما من قليب و مفرغهما من ذنوب .

as-Sayyid ar-Raḍī says: In one tradition this saying is attributed to the Prophet. It is no wonder that the two sayings should resemble each other because they are driven from the same source and dispersed through the same means.

٢٤٢. وَقَالَ (عليه ‏السلام): اتَّقِ اللهَ بَعْضَ التُّقَى وَإِنْ قَلَّ، وَاجْعَلْ بَيْنَكَ وَبَيْنَ اللهِ سِتْراً وَإِنْ رَقَّ.

242. Amīr al-mu’minīn, peace be upon him, said: Fear Allāh to some degree (even) though it be little; and set a curtain between you and Allāh (even) though it be thin.

٢٤٣. وَقَالَ (عليه ‏السلام): إِذَا ازْدَحَمَ الْجَوَابُ خَفِيَ الصَّوَابُ.

243. Amīr al-mu’mnīn, peace be upon him, said: When replies are numerous the correct point remains obscure. [1]

٢٤٥. وَقَالَ (عليه ‏السلام): إِذَا كَثُرَتِ الْمَقْدِرَةُ قَلَّتِ الشَّهْوَةُ.

245. Amīr al-mu’minīn, peace be upon him, said: When capability increases, desire decreases.

٢٤٦. وَقَالَ (عليه ‏السلام): احْذَرُوا نِفَارَ النِّعَمِ فَمَا كُلُّ شَارِدٍ بِمَرْدُودٍ.

246. Amīr al-mu’minīn, peace be upon him, said: Keep on guard against the slipping away of blessings because not everything that runs away comes back.

٢٤٧. وَقَالَ (عليه ‏السلام): الْكَرَمُ أَعْطَفُ مِنَ الرَّحِمِ.

247. Amīr al-mu’minīn, peace be upon him, said: Generosity is more prompting to good than regard for kinship.

٢٤٩. وَقَالَ (عليه ‏السلام): أَفْضَلُ الْأَعْمَالِ مَا أَكْرَهْتَ نَفْسَكَ عَلَيْهِ.

249. Amīr al-mu’minīn, peace be upon him, said: The best act is that which you have to force yourself to do.

٢٥٠. وَقَالَ (عليه ‏السلام): عَرَفْتُ اللهَ سُبْحَانَهُ بِفَسْخِ الْعَزَائِمِ وَحَلِّ الْعُقُودِ.

250. Amīr al-mu’minīn, peace be upon him, said: I came to know Allāh, the Glorified, through the breaking of determinations, change of intentions and losing of courage. [1]

٢٥١. وَقَالَ (عليه ‏السلام): فَرَضَ اللَّهُ الْإِيمَانَ تَطْهِيراً مِنَ الشِّرْكِ وَالصَّلَاةَ تَنْزِيهاً عَنِ الْكِبْرِ وَالزَّكَاةَ تَسْبِيباً لِلرِّزْقِ وَالصِّيَامَ ابْتِلَاءً لِإِخْلَاصِ الْخَلْقِ وَالْحَجَّ تَقْرِبَةً لِلدِّينِ وَالْجِهَادَ عِزّاً لِلْإِسْلَامِ وَالْأَمْرَ بِالْمَعْرُوفِ مَصْلَحَةً لِلْعَوَامِّ وَالنَّهْيَ عَنِ الْمُنْكَرِ رَدْعاً لِلسُّفَهَاءِ وَصِلَةَ الرَّحِمِ مَنْمَاةً لِلْعَدَدِ وَالْقِصَاصَ حَقْناً لِلدِّمَاءِ وَإِقَامَةَ الْحُدُودِ إِعْظَاماً لِلْمَحَارِمِ وَتَرْكَ شُرْبِ الْخَمْرِ تَحْصِيناً لِلْعَقْلِ وَمُجَانَبَةَ السَّرِقَةِ إِيجَاباً لِلْعِفَّةِ وَتَرْكَ الزِّنَى تَحْصِيناً لِلنَّسَبِ وَتَرْكَ اللِّوَاطِ تَكْثِيراً لِلنَّسْلِ وَالشَّهَادَاتِ اسْتِظْهَاراً عَلَى الْمُجَاحَدَاتِ وَتَرْكَ الْكَذِبِ تَشْرِيفاً لِلصِّدْقِ وَالسَّلَامَ أَمَاناً مِنَ الْمَخَاوِفِ وَالْأَمَانَةَ نِظَاماً لِلْأُمَّةِ وَالطَّاعَةَ تَعْظِيماً لِلْإِمَامَةِ.

252. Amīr al-mu’minīn, peace be upon him, said: Allāh has laid down īmān (belief) for purification from polytheism; ṣalāt (prayer) for purification from vanity; zakāt (levy) as a means of livelihood; ṣiyām (fasting) as a trial of the people; ḥajj (pilgrimage to the House of Allāh in Mecca) as a support for religion; jihād (fighting in the way of Allāh) for the honour of Islam; persuasion for good (al-amr bi’l-ma‘rūf ) for the good of the common people; dissuasion from evil (an-nahy ‘ani’l-munkar) for the control of the mischievous; regard for kinship for increase of number; revenge for stoppage of bloodshed; the award of penalties for the realization of importance of the prohibitions; the abstinence from drinking wine for protection of the wit; the avoidance of theft for inculcating chastity; abstinence from adultery for safeguarding descent; abstinence from sodomy for increase of progeny; tendering evidence for furnishing proof against contentions; abstinence from the lie for increasing esteem for truth; maintenance of peace (salām) for protection from danger; imāmah or Imāmate (Divine Leadership) for the orderliness of the community and obedience (to Imāms) as a mark of respect to the Imāmate. [1]

٢٥٤. وَقَالَ (عليه ‏السلام): يَا ابْنَ آدَمَ كُنْ وَصِيَّ نَفْسِكَ فِى مَالِكَ وَاعْمَلْ فِيهِ مَا تُؤْثِرُ أَنْ يُعْمَلَ فِيهِ مِنْ بَعْدِكَ.

254. Amīr al-mu’minīn, peace be upon him, said: O’ son of Adam, be your own representative in the matter of your property and do about it whatever you want to be done with it after your death. [1]

٢٥٥. وَقَالَ (عليه ‏السلام): الْحِدَّةُ ضَرْبٌ مِنَ الْجُنُونِ، لاِنَّ صَاحِبَهَا يَنْدَمُ، فَإِنْ لَمْ يَنْدَمْ فَجُنُونُهُ مُسْتَحْكِمٌ.

255. Amīr al-mu’minīn, peace be upon him, said: Anger is a kind of madness because the victim to it repents afterwards. If he does not repent his madness is confirmed.

٢٥٦. وَقَالَ (عليه ‏السلام): صِحَّةُ الْجَسَدِ مِنْ قِلَّةِ الْحَسَدِ.

256. Amīr al-mu’minīn, peace be upon him, said: Health of body comes from paucity of envy. [1]

٢٥٨. وَقَالَ (عليه ‏السلام): إِذَا أَمْلَقْتُمْ فَتَاجِرُوا اللهَ بِالصَّدَقَةِ.

258. Amīr al-mu’minīn, peace be upon him, said: When you fall in destitution, trade with Allāh through charity.

٢٦٠. وَقَالَ (عليه ‏السلام): كَمْ مِنْ مُسْتَدْرَجٍ بِالْإِحْسَانِ إِلَيْهِ، وَمَغْرُورٍ بِالسَّتْرِ عَلَيْهِ، وَمَفْتُونٍ بِحُسْنِ الْقَوْلِ فِيهِ، وَمَا ابْتَلَى اللهُ سُبْحَانَهُ أَحَداً بِمِثْلِ الْإِمْلَاءِ لَهُ.

260. Amīr al-mu’minīn, peace be upon him, said: There is many a man being gradually brought towards punishment by good treatment with him; many a man who remains in deceit because his evils are covered; and many a man who is in illusion because of good talk about him, while there is no greater ordeal by Allāh, the Glorified, than the giving of time.

قال السيد الرضى: وقد مَضى هذا الكلام فيما تقدم، إلاّ أن فيه هاهنا زيادة مفيدة

as-Sayyid ar-Raḍī says: This saying has appeared earlier as well but here it contains a beautiful and useful addition.

٢٦١. وقال (عليه السلام) لَمَّا بَلَغَهُ إِغَارَةُ أَصْحَابِ مُعَاوِيَةَ عَلَى الْأَنْبَارِ، فَخَرَجَ بِنَفْسِهِ مَاشِياً حَتَّى أَتَى النُّخَيْلَةَ وَأَدْرَكَهُ النَّاسُ وَقَالُوا: يَا أَمِيرَ الْمُؤْمِنِينَ نَحْنُ نَكْفِيكَهُمْ. فَقَالَ (عليه السلام) :

261. When the news of the attack of Mu‘āwiyah’s men on al-Anbār reached Amīr al-mu’minīn, peace be upon him, he himself came out walking till he reached an-Nukhaylah, where people overtook him and said: “O’ Amīr al-mu’minīn, we are enough for them,” then he said:

وَاللهِ مَا تَكْفُونَنِي أَنْفُسَكُمْ، فَكَيْفَ تَكْفُونَنِي غَيْرَكُمْ؟ إِنْ كَانَتِ الرَّعَايَا قَبْلِي لَتَشْكُوا حَيْفَ رُعَاتِهَا، وَإِنَّنِي الْيَوْمَ لَأَشْكُو حَيْفَ رَعِيَّتِي، كَأَنَّنِيَ الْمَقُودُ وَهُمُ الْقَادَةُ، أَوِ ألْمَوْزُوعُ وَهُمُ الْوَزَعَةُ.

You cannot be enough for me against yourselves, so how can you be enough for me against others? Before me the people used to complain of the oppression of their rulers but now I have to complain of the wrongful actions of my people; as though I am led by them and they are the leaders or that I am the subject and they are the rulers.

فلما قال (عليه السلام) هذا القول، في كلامٍ طويلٍ قد ذكرنا مختارَه في جملةِ الخُطَب، تقدّم إليه رجلان من أصحابه، فقال أحدهما: إنّي لا أملك إلا نفسي وأخي، فَمُرْنا بأمرك يا أميرالمؤمنين نُنْفِد له. فقال (عليه السلام): وأَيْنَ تَقَعَانِ مِمَّا أُريدُ؟

The narrator says: When Amīr al-mu’minīn, peace be upon him, uttered this during his long speech which we have included in the collection of sermons (No. 27), two men from his companions advanced towards him and one of them said : I rule no one except myself and my brother (Qur’ān, 5:25). So, order us with your command, O’ Amīr al-mu’minīn and we will accomplish it. Thereupon, Amīr al-mu’minīn, peace be upon him, said: How can you two accomplish what I aim at?

٢٦٢. وَقِيلَ: إِنَّ الْحَارِثَ بْنَ حَوْطٍ أَتَاهُ (عليه السلام) فَقَالَ: أَ تُرَانِی أَظُنُّ أَصْحَابَ الْجَمَلِ كَانُوا عَلَى ضَلَالَةٍ؟

262. It is said that al-Ḥārith ibn Ḥawṭ came to Amīr al-mu’minīn, and said: Do you believe I can ever imagine that the people of Jamal were in the wrong?

فَقَالَ (عليه السلام) : يَا حَارِثُ، إِنَّكَ نَظَرْتَ تَحْتَكَ وَلَمْ تَنْظُرْ فَوْقَكَ فَحِرْتَ إِنَّكَ لَمْ تَعْرِفِ الْحَقَّ فَتَعْرِفَ مَنْ أَتاهُ، وَلَمْ تَعْرِفِ الْبَاطِلَ فَتَعْرِفَ مَنْ أَتَاهُ.

Amīr al-mu’minīn, peace be upon him, said: O’ al-Ḥārith! You have seen below yourself but not above yourself, and so you have been confused. Certainly, you have not known right, so that you can recognize the righteous. And you have not known wrong, so that you can recognize the people of wrong!

فَقَالَ الْحَارِثُ: فَإِنِّي أَعْتَزِلُ مَعَ سَعِيدِ بْنِ مَالِكٍ وَعَبْدِ اللَّهِ بْنِ عُمَرَ.

Then al-Ḥārith said: In that case, I shall withdraw along with Sa‘d ibn Mālik and ‘Abdullāh ibn ‘Umar;

فَقَالَ (عليه السلام) : إِنَّ سَعِيداً وَعَبْدَ اللهِ بْنَ عُمَرَ لَمْ يَنْصُرَا الْحَقَّ، وَلَمْ يَخْذُلَا الْبَاطِلَ.

whereupon Amīr al-mu’minīn, peace be upon him, said: Verily, Sa‘d and ‘Umar have neither sided with Right nor forsaken Wrong. [1]

٢٦٤. وَقَالَ (عليه ‏السلام): أَحْسِنُوا فِي عَقِبِ غَيْرِكُمْ تُحْفَظُوا فِي عَقِبِكُمْ.

264. Amīr al-mu’minīn, peace be upon him, said: Do good with the bereaved ones of others so that good is done to your bereaved ones also.

٢٦٥. وَقَالَ (عليه ‏السلام): إِنَّ كَلاَمَ الْحُكَمَاءِ إذَا كَانَ صَوَاباً كَانَ دَوَاءً، وَإِذَا كَانَ خَطَأً كَانَ دَاءً.

265. Amīr al-mu’minīn, peace be upon him, said: When the utterance of the wise is to the point it serves as a cure, but if it is wrong it proves like an illness. [1]

٢٦٧. وَقَالَ (عليه ‏السلام): يَابْنَ آدَمَ، لَا تَحْمِلْ هَمَّ يَوْمِكَ الَّذِي لَمْ يَأْتِكَ عَلَى يَوْمِكَ الَّذِي قَدْ أَتَاكَ، فَإِنَّهُ إِنْ يَكُ مِنْ عُمُرِكَ يَأْتِ اللهُ فِيهِ بِرِزْقِكَ.

267. Amīr al-mu’minīn, peace be upon him, said: O’ son of Adam, do not inflict the worry of the day that has not yet come on the day which has already come, because if that day be in your life Allāh will bestow its livelihood also.

٢٦٨. وَقَالَ (عليه ‏السلام): أَحْبِبْ حَبِيبَكَ هَوْناً مَا عَسَى أَنْ يَكُونَ بَغِيضَكَ يَوْماً مَا، وَأَبْغِضْ بَغِيضَكَ هَوْناً مَا عَسَى أَنْ يَكُونَ حَبِيبَكَ يَوْماً مَا.

268. Amīr al-mu’minīn, peace be upon him, said: Have love for your friend up to a limit, for it is possible that he may turn into your enemy some day; and hate your enemy up to a limit for it is possible that he may turn into your friend some day.

٢٧٠. وَرُوِيَ أَنَّهُ ذُكِرَ عِنْدَ عُمَرَ بْنِ الْخَطَّابِ فِي أَيَّامِهِ حَلْيُ الْكَعْبَةِ وَكَثْرَتُهُ، فَقَالَ قَوْمٌ: لَوْ أَخَذْتَهُ فَجَهَّزْتَ بِهِ جُيُوشَ الْمُسْلِمِينَ كَانَ أَعْظَمَ لِلْأَجْرِ، وَمَا تَصْنَعُ الْكَعْبَةُ بِالْحَلْيِ؟ فَهَمَّ عُمَرُ بِذَلِكَ، وَسَأَلَ عَنْهُ أَمِيرَ الْمُؤْمِنِينَ (عليه السلام).

270. It is related that during the days of (Caliph) ‘Umar ibn al-Khaṭṭāb, the question of the excess of the ornaments of the Ka‘bah was mentioned to him and some people suggested: If you prepare with it an army of Muslims that will be a matter of great reward; and what would the Ka‘bah do with the ornaments? ‘Umar thought of doing so but asked Amīr al-mu’minīn, peace be upon him, when he said:

فقال (عليه السلام): إِنَّ القُرْآنَ أُنْزِلَ عَلَى النَّبِيِّ (صلى الله عليه وآله) وَالْأَمْوَالُ أَرْبَعَةٌ: أَمْوَالُ الْمُسْلِمِينَ فَقَسَّمَهَا بَيْنَ الْوَرَثَةِ فِي الْفَرَائِضِ، وَالْفَيْءُ فَقَسَّمَهُ عَلَى مُسْتَحِقِّيهِ، وَالْخُمُسُ فَوَضَعَهُ اللهُ حَيْثُ وَضَعَهُ، وَالصَّدَقَاتُ فَجَعَلَهَا اللهُ حَيْثُ جَعَلَهَا. وَكَانَ حَلْيُ الْكَعْبَةِ فِيهَا يَوْمَئِذٍ، فَتَرَكَهُ اللهُ عَلَى حَالِهِ، وَلَمْ يَتْرُكْهُ نِسْيَاناً، وَلَمْ يَخْفَ عَلَيْهِ مَكَاناً، فَأَقِرَّهُ حَيْثُ أَقَرَّهُ اللهُ وَرَسُولُهُ.

When the Qur’ān was descended on the Prophet, peace be upon him and his descendants, there were four kinds of property. One, the property of Muslim individuals which he distributed among the successors according to fixed shares. Second, the tax (fay’) which he distributed to those for whom it was meant. Third, the One-fifth (khums) levy for which Allāh had fixed the ways of disposal. Fourth, amounts of charity (ṣadaqāt) whose disposal was also fixed by Allāh. The ornaments of Ka‘bah did exist in those days but Allāh left them as they were, but did not leave them by omission, nor were they unknown to Him. Therefore, you retain them where Allāh and His Prophet placed them.

فقال له عمر: لولاك لافتضحنا. وترك الحَلْي بحاله.

Thereupon, ‘Umar ibn al-Khaṭṭāb said: If you had not been here we would have been humiliated; and he left the ornaments as they were. [1]

٢٧٢. وَقَالَ (عليه ‏السلام): لَوْ قَدِ اسْتَوَتْ قَدَمَايَ مِنْ هذِهِ الْمَدَاحِضِ لَغَيَّرْتُ أَشْيَاءَ.

272. Amīr al-mu’minīn, peace be upon him, said: If my steps acquire firmness out of these slippery places, I will alter several things. [1]

٢٧٣. وَقَالَ (عليه ‏السلام): اعْلَمُوا عِلْماً يَقِيناً أَنَّ اللَّهَ لَمْ يَجْعَلْ لِلْعَبْدِ وَإِنْ عَظُمَتْ حِيلَتُهُ وَاشْتَدَّتْ طَلِبَتُهُ وَ قَوِيَتْ مَكِيدَتُهُ أَكْثَرَ مِمَّا سُمِّيَ لَهُ فِى الذِّكْرِ الْحَكِيمِ وَلَمْ يَحُلْ بَيْنَ الْعَبْدِ فِى ضَعْفِهِ وَقِلَّةِ حِيلَتِهِ وَبَيْنَ أَنْ يَبْلُغَ مَا سُمِّيَ لَهُ فِى الذِّكْرِ الْحَكِيمِ وَالْعَارِفُ لِهَذَا الْعَامِلُ بِهِ أَعْظَمُ النَّاسِ رَاحَةً فِى مَنْفَعَةٍ وَالتَّارِكُ لَهُ الشَّاكُّ فِيهِ أَعْظَمُ النَّاسِ شُغُلًا فِى مَضَرَّةٍ وَرُبَّ مُنْعَمٍ عَلَيْهِ مُسْتَدْرَجٌ بِالنُّعْمَى وَرُبَّ مُبْتَلًى مَصْنُوعٌ لَهُ بِالْبَلْوَى فَزِدْ أَيُّهَا الْمُسْتَنْفِعُ فِى شُكْرِكَ وَقَصِّرْ مِنْ عَجَلَتِكَ وَقِفْ عِنْدَ مُنْتَهَى رِزْقِكَ.

273. Amīr al-mu’minīn, peace be upon him, said: Know with full conviction that Allāh has not fixed for any person more livelihood than what has been ordained in the Book of Destiny, even though his means (of seeking it) may be great, his craving for it intense and his efforts for it acute; nor does the weakness of a person or the paucity of his means stand in the way between what is ordained in the Book of Destiny and himself. He who realizes it and acts upon it is the best of them all in point of comfort and benefit; while he who disregards it and doubts it exceeds all men in disadvantages. Very often a favoured person is being slowly driven (towards punishment) through those favours; and very often an afflicted person is being done good through his affliction. Therefore, O’ listener, increase your gratefulness, lessen your haste and stay within the bounds of your livelihood.

٢٧٥. وَقَالَ (عليه ‏السلام): إِنَّ الطَّمَعَ مُورِدٌ غَيْرُ مُصْدِرٍ وَضَامِنٌ غَيْرُ وَفِيٍّ وَرُبَّمَا شَرِقَ شَارِبُ الْمَاءِ قَبْلَ رِيِّهِ وَكُلَّمَا عَظُمَ قَدْرُ الشَّيْ‏ءِ الْمُتَنَافَسِ فِيهِ عَظُمَتِ الرَّزِيَّةُ لِفَقْدِهِ وَالْأَمَانِيُّ تُعْمِى أَعْيُنَ الْبَصَائِرِ وَالْحَظُّ يَأْتِى مَنْ لَا يَأْتِيهِ.

275. Amīr al-mu’minīn, peace be upon him, said: Greed takes a person to the watering place but gets him back without letting him drink. It undertakes responsibility but does not fulfil it. Often the drinker gets choked before the quenching of his thirst. The greater the worth of a thing yearned for the greater is the grief for its loss. Desires blind the eyes of understanding. The destined share will reach him who does not approach it.

٢٧٧. وَقَالَ (عليه ‏السلام): لَا وَالَّذِي أَمْسَيْنَا مِنْهُ فِي غُبْرِ لَيْلَةٍ دَهْمَاءَ تَكْشِرُعَنْ يَوْمٍ أَغَرَّ مَا كَان كَذَا وَكَذَا.

277. Amīr al-mu’minīn, peace be upon him, said: I swear by Him Who let us pass the dark night after which there was a bright day that such and such [1] did not happen.

٢٧٨. وَقَالَ (عليه ‏السلام): قَلِيلٌ تَدُومُ عَلَيْهِ أَرْجَى مِنْ كَثِيرٍ مَمْلُولٍ مِنْهُ.

278. Amīr al-mu’minīn, peace be upon him, said: A small action which is continued with regularity is more beneficial than a long one performed with disgust.

٢٨٠. وَقَالَ (عليه ‏السلام): مَنْ تَذَكَّرَ بُعْدَ السَّفَرِ اسْتَعَدَّ.

280. Amīr al-mu’minīn, peace be upon him, said: Whoever keeps in view the distance of the journey remains prepared.

٢٨١. وَقَالَ (عليه ‏السلام): لَيْسَتِ الرَّوِيَّةُ كَالْـمُعَايَنَةِ مَعَ الْإِبْصَارِ، فَقَدْ تَكْذِبُ الْعُيُونُ أَهْلَهَا، وَلَا يَغُشُّ الْعَقْلُ مَنِ اسْتَنْصَحَهُ.

281. Amīr al-mu’minīn, peace be upon him, said: Perception by the eyes is not real observation because the eyes sometimes deceive people; but wisdom does not deceive whomsoever it counsels.

٢٨٣. وَقَالَ (عليه ‏السلام): جَاهِلُكُمْ مُزْدَادٌ وَعَالِمُكُمْ مُسَوِّفٌ.

283. Amīr al-mu’minīn, peace be upon him, said: The ignorant among you get too much while the learned are just put off.

٢٨٤. وَقَالَ (عليه ‏السلام): قَطَعَ الْعِلْمُ عُذْرَ الْمُتَعَلِّلِينَ.

284. Amīr al-mu’minīn, peace be upon him, said: Knowledge dispels the excuse of those who advance excuses.

٢٨٦. وَقَالَ (عليه ‏السلام): مَا قَالَ النَّاسُ لِشَيْءٍ: طُوبَى لَهُ، إِلَّا وَقَدْ خَبَأَ لَهُ الدَّهْرُ يَوْمَ سَوْءٍ.

286. Amīr al-mu’minīn, peace be upon him, said: For everything to which people say “how good!” there is an evil hidden in this world.

٢٨٧. وَسُئِلَ عَنِ الْقَدَرِ، فقال: طَرِيقٌ مُظْلِمٌ فَلاَ تَسْلُكُوهُ، وَبَحْرٌعَمِيقٌ فَلاَ تَلِجُوهُ، وَسِرُّ اللهِ فَلاَ تَتَكَلَّفُوهُ.

287. Amīr al-mu’minīn, peace be upon him, was asked about Destiny, when he said: It is a dark path — do not tread upon it, it is a deep ocean — do not dive in it, and it is the secret of Allāh — do not take trouble about (knowing) it.

٢٨٩. وَقَالَ (عليه ‏السلام): كَانَ لِى فِيمَا مَضَى أَخٌ فِى اللَّهِ وَكَانَ يُعْظِمُهُ فِى عَيْنِى صِغَرُ الدُّنْيَا فِى عَيْنِهِ وَكَانَ خَارِجاً مِنْ سُلْطَانِ بَطْنِهِ فَلَا يَشْتَهِى مَا لَا يَجِدُ وَلَا يُكْثِرُ إِذَا وَجَدَ وَكَانَ أَكْثَرَ دَهْرِهِ صَامِتاً فَإِنْ قَالَ بَذَّ الْقَائِلِينَ وَنَقَعَ غَلِيلَ السَّائِلِينَ وَكَانَ ضَعِيفاً مُسْتَضْعَفاً فَإِنْ جَاءَ الْجِدُّ فَهُوَ لَيْثُ غَابٍ وَصِلُّ وَادٍ.

289. Amīr al-mu’minīn, peace be upon him, said: In the past I had a brother-in-faith [1], and he was prestigious in my view because the world was humble in his eyes, the needs of the stomach did not have sway over him, he did not long for what he did not get; if he got a thing he would not ask for more; most of his time he was silent, if he spoke he silenced the other speakers, he quenched the thirst of questioners, he was weak and feeble but at the time of fighting he was like the lion of the forest or the serpent of the valley.

لَا يُدْلِى بِحُجَّةٍ حَتَّى يَأْتِيَ قَاضِياً وَكَانَ لَا يَلُومُ أَحَداً عَلَى مَا يَجِدُ الْعُذْرَ فِى مِثْلِهِ حَتَّى يَسْمَعَ اعْتِذَارَهُ وَكَانَ لَا يَشْكُو وَجَعاً إِلَّا عِنْدَ بُرْئِهِ وَكَانَ يَقُولُ مَا يَفْعَلُ وَلَا يَقُولُ مَا لَا يَفْعَلُ وَكَانَ إِذَا غُلِبَ عَلَى الْكَلَامِ لَمْ يُغْلَبْ عَلَى السُّكُوتِ وَكَانَ عَلَى مَا يَسْمَعُ أَحْرَصَ مِنْهُ عَلَى أَنْ يَتَكَلَّمَ وَكَانَ إِذَا بَدَهَهُ أَمْرَانِ يَنْظُرُ أَيُّهُمَا أَقْرَبُ إِلَى الْهَوَى فَيُخَالِفُهُ.

He would not put forth an argument unless it was decisive, he would not abuse anyone in an excusable matter unless he had heard the excuse, he would not speak of any trouble except after its disappearance, he would say what he would do, and would not say what he would not do, even if he could be exceeded in speaking, he could not be excelled in silence, he was more eager for keeping quiet than speaking and if two things confronted him he would see which was more akin to the longing of the heart and he would oppose it.

فَعَلَيْكُمْ بِهَذِهِ الْخَلَائِقِ فَالْزَمُوهَا وَتَنَافَسُوا فِيهَا فَإِنْ لَمْ تَسْتَطِيعُوهَا فَاعْلَمُوا أَنَّ أَخْذَ الْقَلِيلِ خَيْرٌ مِنْ تَرْكِ الْكَثِيرِ.

These qualities are incumbent upon you. So, you should acquire them and excel each other in them. Even if you cannot acquire them you should know that acquiring a part is better than giving up the whole.

٢٩٠. وَقَالَ (عليه ‏السلام): لَوْ لَمْ يَتَوَعَّدِ اللهُ عَلَى مَعْصِيَةٍ لَكَانَ يَجِبُ أَنْ لَّا يُعْصَى شُكْراً لِنِعَمِهِ.

290. Amīr al-mu’minīn, peace be upon him, said: Even if Allāh had not warned of chastisement on those disobedient to Him, it would be obligatory by way of gratefulness for His favours that He should not be disobeyed.

٢٩٢. وَقَالَ (عليه السلام): عَلَى قَبْرِ رَسُولِ اللَّهِ (صلى الله عليه وآله) سَاعَةَ دَفْنِهِ:

292. Amīr al-mu’minīn, peace be upon him, said on the grave of the Messenger of Allāh, peace be upon him and his descendants, at the time of burial:

إِنَّ الصَّبْرَ لَجَمِيلٌ إِلَّا عَنْكَ، وَإِنَّ الْجَزَعَ لَقَبِيحٌ إِلَّا عَلَيْكَ، وَإِنَّ الْمُصَابَ بِكَ لَجَلِيلٌ، وَإِنَّهُ قَبْلَكَ وَبَعْدَكَ لَجَلَلٌ.

Certainly, endurance is good except about you; fretting is bad except over you; and the affliction about you is great while every other affliction before or after it is small.

٢٩٣. وَقَالَ (عليه ‏السلام): لَا تَصْحَبِ الْمَائِقَ فَإِنَّهُ يُزَيِّنُ لَكَ فِعْلَهُ، وَيَوَدُّ أَنْ تَكُونَ مِثْلَهُ.

293. Amīr al-mu’minīn, peace be upon him, said: Do not associate with a fool because he will beautify his actions before you and long that you too be like him. [1]

٢٩٥. وَقَالَ (عليه ‏السلام): أَصْدِقَاؤُكَ ثَلاَثَةٌ، وَأَعْدَاؤُكَ ثَلاَثَةٌ: فَأَصْدِقَاؤُكَ: صَدِيقُكَ، وَصَدِيقُ صَدِيقِكَ، وَعَدُوُّ عَدُوِّكَ. وَأَعْدَاؤكَ: عَدُوُّكَ، وَعَدُوُّ صَدِيقِكَ، وَصَدِيقُ عَدُوِّكَ.

295. Amīr al-mu’minīn, peace be upon him, said: Your friends are three and your enemies are (also) three. Your friends are: your friend, your friend’s friend and your enemy’s enemy. And your enemies are: your enemy, your friend’s enemy and your enemy’s friend.

٢٩٦. وَقَالَ (عليه ‏السلام) لِرَجُلٍ رَآهُ يَسْعَى عَلَى عَدُوٍّ لَهُ بِمَا فِيهِ إِضْرَارٌ بِنَفْسِهِ: إنَّمَا أَنْتَ كَالطَّاعِنِ نَفْسَهُ لِيَقْتُلَ رِدْفَهُ.

296. Amīr al-mu’minīn, peace be upon him, saw a man busy against his enemy with what was harmful to himself too, so he said: You are like one who pierces a spear through himself in order to kill the person sitting behind him.

٢٩٨. وَقَالَ (عليه ‏السلام): مَن بَالَغَ فِي الْخُصوُمَةِ أَثِمَ، وَمَنْ قَصَّرَ فِيهَا ظُلِمَ، وَلَا يَسْتَطِيعُ أَنْ يَتَّقِيَ اللهَ مَنْ خَاصَمَ.

298. Amīr al-mu’minīn, peace be upon him, said: He who goes too far in quarrelling is a sinner, but if one falls short in it, one is oppressed and it is difficult for a quarreller to fear Allāh.

٣٠٠. وَسُئِلَ (عليه السلام) : كَيْفَ يُحَاسِبُ اللَّهُ الْخَلْقَ عَلَى كَثْرَتِهِمْ؟

300. Amīr al-mu’minīn, peace be upon him, was asked: How Allāh would conduct the accounting of all persons despite their large number.

فَقَالَ (عليه السلام) : كَمَا يَرْزُقُهُمْ عَلَى كَثْرَتِهِمْ.

He replied: Just as He provides them livelihood despite their large number.

فَقِيلَ: كَيْفَ يُحَاسِبُهُمْ وَلَا يَرَوْنَهُ؟

Then it was said to him: How will He conduct their accounting without their seeing Him.

فَقَالَ (عليه السلام) : كَمَا يَرْزُقُهُمْ وَلَا يَرَوْنَهُ.

He replied: Just as He provides them livelihood although they do not see Him.

٣٠٢. وَقَالَ (عليه ‏السلام): مَا الْمُبْتَلَى الَّذِي قَدِ اشْتَدَّ بِهِ الْبَلاَءُ، بِأَحْوَجَ إِلَى الدُّعَاءِ مِنَ المُعَافَى الَّذِي لَا يَأمَنُ البَلاَءَ.

302. Amīr al-mu’minīn, peace be upon him, said: The person who is afflicted with hardship is not in greater need of praying than the one who has been spared affliction but is not immune from it.

٣٠٣. وَقَالَ (عليه ‏السلام): النَّاسُ أَبْنَاءُ الدُّنْيَا، وَلاَ يُلاَمُ الرَّجُلُ عَلَى حُبِّ أُمِّهِ.

303. Amīr al-mu’minīn, peace be upon him, said: People are the progeny of the world and no one can be blamed for loving the mother.

٣٠٤. وَقَالَ (عليه ‏السلام): إِنَّ الْمِسْكِينَ رَسُولُ اللهِ، فَمَنْ مَنَعَهُ فَقَدْ مَنَعَ اللهَ، وَمَنْ أَعْطَاهُ فَقَدْ أَعْطَى الله.

304. Amīr al-mu’minīn, peace be upon him, said: The destitute is the Messenger of Allāh. Whoever denies him denies Allāh and whoever gives him gives Allāh.

٣٠٦. وَقَالَ (عليه ‏السلام): كَفَى بِالْأَجَلِ حَارِساً.

306. Amīr al-mu’minīn, peace be upon him, said: The fixed limit of life is enough to remain watchful. [1]

٣٠٧. وَقَالَ (عليه ‏السلام): يَنَامُ الرَّجُلُ عَلَى الثُّكْلِ وَلَا يَنَامُ عَلَى الْحَرَبِ.

307. Amīr al-mu’minīn, peace be upon him, said: A man can sleep on the death of his child, but cannot sleep at loss of property.

قال السيد الرضى: ومعنى ذلك: أنه يصبر على قتل الاَولاد، ولا يصبر على سلب الاَموال.

as-Sayyid ar-Raḍī says: It means that a man keeps patience on the death of his children but does not do so on the loss of property.

٣٠٩. وَقَالَ (عليه ‏السلام): اتَّقُوا ظُنُونَ الْمُؤْمِنِينَ، فَإِنَّ اللهَ تَعَالَى جَعَلَ الْحَقَّ عَلَى أَلْسِنَتِهِمْ.

309. Amīr al-mu’minīn, peace be upon him, said: Be afraid of the ideas of believers, because Allāh, the Sublime, has put truth on their tongues.

٣١٢. وَقَالَ (عليه ‏السلام): إِنَّ لِلْقُلُوبِ إِقْبَالًا وَإِدْبَاراً فَإِذَا أَقْبَلَتْ فَاحْمِلُوهَا عَلَى النَّوَافِلِ، وَإذَا أَدْبَرَتْ فَاقْتَصِرُوا بِهَا عَلَى الْفَرَائِضِ.

312. Amīr al-mu’minīn, peace be upon him, said: Sometimes the hearts move forward and sometimes they move backward. When they move forward get them to perform the optionals (as well), but when they move backward keep them confined to obligatories only.

٣١٣. وَقَالَ (عليه ‏السلام): وَفِي الْقرْآنِ نَبَأُ مَا قَبْلَكُمْ، وَخَبَرُ مَا بَعْدَكُمْ، وَحُكْمُ مَا بَيْنَكُمْ.

313. Amīr al-mu’minīn, peace be upon him, said: The Qur’ān contains news about the past, foretellings about the future and commandments for the present.

٣١٥. وَقَالَ (عليه ‏السلام) لِكَاتِبِهِ عُبَيْدِ اللَّهِ بْنِ أَبِى رَافِعٍ: أَلِقْ دَوَاتَكَ وَأَطِلْ جِلْفَةَ قَلَمِكَ وَفَرِّجْ بَيْنَ السُّطُورِ وَقَرْمِطْ بَيْنَ الْحُرُوفِ فَإِنَّ ذَلِكَ أَجْدَرُ بِصَبَاحَةِ الْخَطِّ.

315. Amīr al-mu’minīn, peace be upon him, said to his secretary ‘Ubaydullāh ibn Abī Rāfi‘: Put cotton flake in the ink-pot, keep the nib of your pen long, leave space between lines and close up the letters because this is good for the beauty of the writing.

٣١٧. وَقَالَ لَهُ بَعْضُ الْيَهُودِ: مَا دَفَنْتُمْ نَبِيَّكُمْ حَتَّى اخْتَلَفْتُمْ فِيهِ. فَقَالَ (عليه السلام) لَهُ: إِنَّمَا اخْتَلَفْنَا عَنْهُ لَا فِيهِ وَلَكِنَّكُمْ مَا جَفَّتْ أَرْجُلُكُمْ مِنَ الْبَحْرِ حَتَّى قُلْتُمْ لِنَبِيِّكُمْ ﴿اجْعَل لَّنَا إِلَـٰهًا كَمَا لَهُمْ آلِهَةٌ ۚ قَالَ إِنَّكُمْ قَوْمٌ تَجْهَلُونَ﴾.

317. Some Jews said to Amīr al-mu’minīn, peace be upon him: You had not buried your Prophet when you picked up differences about him, when Amīr al-mu’minīn replied: We did not differ about him but we differed after him (i.e. about his succession); whereas you had not dried up your feet after coming out of the river (Nile) when you began asking your Prophet: Make you for us a god as they have gods of their own. Said he: ‘Verily you are a people behaving ignorantly.’ (Qur’ān, 7:138) [1]

٣١٨. وَقِيلَ لَهُ (عليه ‏السلام): بِأَيِّ شَيْ‏ءٍ غَلَبْتَ الْأَقْرَانَ، فَقَالَ (عليه السلام): مَا لَقِيتُ رَجُلًا إِلَّا أَعَانَنِى عَلَى نَفْسِهِ.

318. Amīr al-mu’minīn, peace be upon him, was asked: With what did you overpower your adversaries? He answered: Whenever I confronted a person he helped me against himself.

قال السيد الرضي: يومئ بذلك إلى تمكن هيبته فى القلوب.

as-Sayyid ar-Raḍī says: Amīr al-mu’minīn is pointing out his striking of awe in the hearts. [1]

٣٢٠. وَقَالَ (عليه ‏السلام) لِسَائِلٍ سَأَلَهُ عَنْ مُعْضِلَةٍ: سَلْ تَفَقُّهاً وَلَا تَسْأَلْ تَعَنُّتاً فَإِنَّ الْجَاهِلَ الْمُتَعَلِّمَ شَبِيهٌ بِالْعَالِمِ وَإِنَّ الْعَالِمَ الْمُتَعَسِّفَ شَبِيهٌ بِالْجَاهِلِ الْمُتَعَنِّتِ.

320. Amīr al-mu’minīn, peace be upon him, replied to a man who had asked him a difficult question: Ask me for understanding but do not ask me for confusion, because the ignorant person who tries to learn is like the learned man, but the learned man who tries to create confusion is like the ignorant.

٣٢٢. وَرُوِيَ أَنَّهُ (عليه السلام) لَمَّا وَرَدَ الْكُوفَةَ قَادِماً مِنْ صِفِّينَ مَرَّ بِالشِّبَامِيِّينَ فَسَمِعَ بُكَاءَ النِّسَاءِ عَلَى قَتْلَى صِفِّينَ، وَخَرَجَ إِلَيْهِ حَرْبُ بْنُ شُرَحْبِيلَ الشِّبَامِيِّ، وَكَانَ مِنْ وُجُوهِ قَوْمِهِ. فَقَالَ (عليه السلام): لَهُ أَ تَغْلِبُكُمْ نِسَاؤُكُمْ عَلَى مَا أسْمَعُ؟ أَ لَا تَنْهَوْنَهُنَّ عَنْ هذَا الرَّنِينِ،

322. When Amīr al-mu’minīn, peace be upon him, returned to Kūfah from Ṣiffīn he passed by the residences of the Shibāmites (who belonged to the tribe of Shibām) and heard the women weeping over those killed in Ṣiffīn. At that time a Shibāmite, Ḥarb ibn Shuraḥbil ash-Shibāmi, who was one of the nobles of those people, came to him, and Amīr al-mu’minīn, peace be upon him, said to him: Do your women have control over you as regards the weeping that I hear? Do you not refrain them from this crying?

وَأَقْبَلَ حَرْبٌ يَمْشِي مَعَهُ، وَهُوَ (عليه السلام) رَاكِبٌ. فَقَالَ (عليه السلام) لَهُ: ارْجِعْ، فَإِنَّ مَشْيَ مِثْلِكَ مَعَ مِثْلِي فِتْنَةٌ لِلْوَالِي، وَمَذَلَّةٌ لِلْمُؤْمِنِ.

Ḥarb began to walk with him while Amīr al-mu’minīn was on horseback, so Amīr al-mu’minīn, peace be upon him, said to him: Get back because the walking of a man like you with one like me is mischief for the ruler and disgrace for the believer.

٣٢٤. وَقَالَ (عليه ‏السلام): اتَّقُوا مَعَاصِيَ اللهِ فِي الْخَلَوَاتِ، فَإِنَّ الشَّاهِدَ هُوَ الْحَاكِمُ.

324. Amīr al-mu’minīn, peace be upon him, said: Beware of disobeying Allāh in solitude, because the witness (of that situation) is also the judge.

٣٢٥. وَقَالَ (عليه ‏السلام) لَمَّا بَلَغَهُ قَتْلُ مُحَمَّدِ بْنِ أَبِي بَكْرٍ: إِنَّ حُزْنَنَا عَلَيْهِ عَلَى قَدْرِ سُرُورِهِمْ بِهِ، إِلَّا أَنَّهُمْ نَقَصُوا بَغِيضاً، وَنَقَصْنَا حَبِيباً.

325. When the news of killing of Muḥammad ibn Abī Bakr [1] reached Amīr al-mu’minīn, peace be upon him, he said: Our grief over him is as great as their (i.e. the enemy’s) joy for it, except that they have lost an enemy and we have lost a friend.

۳۲۷. وَقَالَ (عليه ‏السلام): مَا ظَفِرَ مَنْ ظَفِرَ الْإِثْمُ بِهِ، وَالْغَالِبُ بِالشَّرِّ مَغْلُوبٌ.

327. Amīr al-mu’minīn, peace be upon him, said: He whom sin overpowers is not victorious, and he who secures victory by evil is (in fact) vanquished.

۳۲۹. وَقَالَ (عليه ‏السلام): الِاسْتِغْنَاءُ عَنِ الْعُذْرِ أَعَزُّ مِنَ الصِّدْقِ بِهِ.

329. Amīr al-mu’minīn, peace be upon him, said: Not to be in need of putting forth an excuse is better than putting forth a true excuse. [1]

۳۳۰. وَقَالَ (عليه ‏السلام): أَقَلُّ مَا يَلْزَمُكُمْ لله أَلَّا تَسْتَعيِنُوا بِنِعَمِهِ عَلَى مَعَاصِيهِ.

330. Amīr al-mu’minīn, peace be upon him, said: The least right of Allāh on you is that you should not make use of His favours in committing His sins. [1]

۳۳۲. وَقَالَ (عليه ‏السلام): السُّلْطَانُ وَزَعَةُ اللهِ فِي أَرْضِهِ.

332. Amīr al-mu’minīn, peace be upon him, said: The sovereign is the watchman of Allāh on earth.

٣٣٣. وَقَالَ (عليه ‏السلام) فِى صِفَةِ الْمُؤْمِنِ: الْمُؤْمِنُ بِشْرُهُ فِى وَجْهِهِ وَحُزْنُهُ فِى قَلْبِهِ أَوْسَعُ شَيْ‏ءٍ صَدْراً وَأَذَلُّ شَيْ‏ءٍ نَفْساً يَكْرَهُ الرِّفْعَةَ وَيَشْنَأُ السُّمْعَةَ طَوِيلٌ غَمُّهُ بَعِيدٌ هَمُّهُ كَثِيرٌ صَمْتُهُ مَشْغُولٌ وَقْتُهُ شَكُورٌ صَبُورٌ مَغْمُورٌ بِفِكْرَتِهِ ضَنِينٌ بِخَلَّتِهِ سَهْلُ الْخَلِيقَةِ لَيِّنُ الْعَرِيكَةِ نَفْسُهُ أَصْلَبُ مِنَ الصَّلْدِ وَهُوَ أَذَلُّ مِنَ الْعَبْدِ.

333. Amīr al-mu’minīn, peace be upon him, said describing a believer: A believer has a cheerful face, a sorrowful heart, a very broad chest (full of generosity), and a very humble heart. He hates high position and dislikes renown. His grief is long, his courage is far-reaching, his silence is much and, his time is occupied. He is grateful, enduring, buried in his thoughts, sparing in his friendship (with others), of bright demeanour and of soft temperament. He is stronger than stone but humbler than a slave.

۳۳۴. وَقَالَ (عليه ‏السلام): لَوْرَأَى الْعَبْدُ الْأَجَلَ وَمَسِيرَهُ لَأَبْغَضَ الْأَمَلَ وَغُرُورَهُ.

334. Amīr al-mu’minīn, peace be upon him, said: If a man happens to see the end of (his) life and his final fate, he will begin hating desires and their deception.

۳۳۶. وَقَالَ (عليه ‏السلام): الْمَسْؤُولُ حُرُّ حَتَّى يَعِدَ.

336. Amīr al-mu’minīn, peace be upon him, said: The person who is approached with a request is free until he promises.

٣٣٧. وَقَالَ (عليه ‏السلام): الدَّاعِي بِلاَ عَمَلٍ كَالرَّامِي بِلاَ وَتَرٍ.

337. Amīr al-mu’minīn, peace be upon him, said: He who prays but does not exert effort is like the one who shoots without a bow-string.

٣٣٩. وَقَالَ (عليه ‏السلام): صَوَابُ الرَّأْيِ بِالدُّوَلِ: يُقْبِلُ بِإِقْبَالِهَا وَيَذْهَبُ بِذَهَابِهَا.

339. Amīr al-mu’minīn, peace be upon him, said: Correctness of decision goes together with power. The one emerges with the other’s emergence and disappears when the other disappears. [1]

٣٤١. وَقَالَ (عليه ‏السلام): يَوْمُ الْعَدْلِ عَلَى الظَّالِمِ أَشَدُّ مِنْ يَومِ الْجَوْرِ عَلَى الْمَظْلُومِ!

341. Amīr al-mu’minīn, peace be upon him, said: The day of justice will be severer on the oppressor than the day of oppression on the oppressed.

٣٤٢. وَقَالَ (عليه ‏السلام): الْغِنَى الْأَكْبَرُ الْيَأْسُ عَمَّا فِي أَيْدِى النَّاسِ.

342. Amīr al-mu’minīn, peace be upon him, said: The biggest wealth is that one should not have an eye on what others possess.

٣٤٣. وَقَالَ (عليه ‏السلام): الْأَقَاوِيلُ مَحْفُوظَةٌ وَالسَّرَائِرُ مَبْلُوَّةٌ وَ﴿كُلُّ نَفْسٍ بِمَا كَسَبَتْ رَهِينَةٌ﴾ وَالنَّاسُ مَنْقُوصُونَ مَدْخُولُونَ إِلَّا مَنْ عَصَمَ اللَّهُ: سَائِلُهُمْ مُتَعَنِّتٌ وَمُجِيبُهُمْ مُتَكَلِّفٌ يَكَادُ أَفْضَلُهُمْ رَأْياً يَرُدُّهُ عَنْ فَضْلِ رَأْيِهِ الرِّضَى وَالسُّخْطُ، وَيَكَادُ أَصْلَبُهُمْ عُوداً تَنْكَؤُهُ اللَّحْظَةُ وَتَسْتَحِيلُهُ الْكَلِمَةُ الْوَاحِدَةُ.

343. Amīr al-mu’minīn, peace be upon him, said: Utterances are preserved and actions are to be tried. Every soul, for what it earned, is held in pledge! (Qur’ān, 74:38). People are to be made deficient (as regards their bodies) and meddled with (as regards their minds) except those whom Allāh protects. The questioner among them aims at confusing and the answerer creates hardship. It is possible that the man who has the best views among them will be deviated from the soundness of his thinking by pleasure or displeasure, and it is possible that a single glance may affect even the man with the best wisdom among them or a single expression may transform him.

٣٤٥. وَقَالَ (عليه ‏السلام): مِنَ الْعِصْمَةِ تَعَذُّرُ الْمَعَاصِي.

345. Amīr al-mu’minīn, peace be upon him, said: Lack of access to sins is also a kind of chastity

٣٤٦. وَقَالَ (عليه ‏السلام): مَاءُ وَجْهِكَ جَامِدٌ يُقْطِرُهُ السُّؤَالُ، فَانْظُرْ عِنْدَ مَنْ تُقْطِرُهُ.

346. Amīr al-mu’minīn, peace be upon him, said: The dignity of your face is solid but begging dissolves it away; therefore, look carefully before whom you dissolve it.

٣٤٨. وَقَالَ (عليه ‏السلام): أَشدُّ الذُّنُوبِ مَا اسْتَهَانَ بِهِ صَاحِبُهُ.

348. Amīr al-mu’minīn, peace be upon him, said: The most serious sin is that which the doer considers light. [1]

٣٤٩. وَقَالَ (عليه ‏السلام): مَنْ نَظَرَ فِي عَيْبِ نَفْسِهِ اشْتَغَلَ عَنْ عَيْبِ غَيْرهِ، وَمَنْ رَضِيَ برِزْقِ اللهِ لَمْ يَحْزَنْ عَلَى مَا فَاتَهُ، وَمَنْ سَلَّ سَيْفَ الْبَغْيِ قُتِلَ بِهِ، وَمَنْ كَابَدَ الْأُمُورَ عَطِبَ، وَمَنِ اقْتَحَمَ اللُّجَجَ غَرِقَ، وَمَنْ دَخَلَ مَدَاخِلَ السُّوءِ اتُّهِمَ،

349. Amīr al-mu’minīn, peace be upon him, said: He who sees his own shortcomings abstains from looking into other’s shortcomings. He who feels happy with the livelihood with which Allāh provides him does not grieve over what he misses. He who draws out the sword of revolt gets killed with it. He who strives without means perishes. He who enters the depths gets drowned. He who visits places of ill-repute receives blame.

وَمَنْ كَثُرَ كَلاَمُهُ كَثُرَ خَطَؤُهُ، وَمَنْ كَثُرَ خَطَؤُهُ قَلَّ حَيَاؤُهُ، وَمَنْ قَلَّ حَيَاؤُهُ قَلَّ وَرَعُهُ، وَمَنْ قَلَّ وَرَعُهُ مَاتَ قَلْبُهُ، وَمَنْ مَاتَ قَلْبُهُ دَخَلَ النَّارَ.

He who speaks more commits more errors. He who commits more errors becomes shameless. He who is shameless will have less fear of Allāh. He whose fear of Allāh is less, his heart dies. He whose heart dies enters the Fire.

وَمَنْ نَظَرَ فِي عُيُوبِ النَّاسِ فَأَنْكَرَهَا ثُمَّ رَضِيَهَا لِنَفْسِهِ فذَاك الْأَحْمَقُ بِعَيْنِهِ.

He who observes the shortcomings of others and disapproves of them and then accepts them for himself is definitely a fool.

وَالْقَنَاعَةُ مَالٌ لَا يَنْفَدُ، وَمَنْ أَكْثَرَ مِنْ ذِكْرِ الْمَوْتِ رَضِيَ مِنَ الدُّنْيَا بِالْيَسيرِ، وَمَنْ عَلِمَ أَنَّ كَلاَمَهُ مِنْ عَمَلِهِ قَلَّ كَلاَمُهُ إِلَّا فِيَما يَعْنيِهِ.

Contentment is a capital that does not dwindle. He who remembers death much is satisfied with small favours in this world. He who knows that his speech is also a part of his action speaks less except where he has some purpose.

۳۵۱. وَقَالَ (عليه ‏السلام): عِنْدَ تَنَاهِي الشِّدَّةِ تَكُونُ الْفَرْجَةُ، وَعِنْدَ تَضَايُقِ حَلَقِ الْبَلاَءِ يَكُونُ الرَّخَاءُ.

351. Amīr al-mu’minīn, peace be upon him, said: At the extremity of hardship comes relief, and at the tightening of the chains of tribulation comes ease.

۳۵۲. وَقَالَ (عليه ‏السلام) لِبَعْضِ أَصْحَابِهِ : لَا تَجْعَلَنَّ أَكْثَرَ شُغُلِكَ بِأَهْلِكَ وَوَلَدِكَ: فَإِنْ يَكُنْ أَهْلُكَ وَوَلَدُكَ أَوْلِيَاءَ اللهِ، فَإِنَّ اللهَ لَا يُضِيعُ أَوْلِيَاءَهُ، وَإِنْ يَكُونُوا أَعْدَاءَ اللهِ، فَمَا هَمُّكَ وَشُغُلُكَ بأَعْدَاءِ اللهِ؟

352. Amīr al-mu’minīn, peace be upon him, said to one of his companions: Do not devote much of your activity to your wife and your children, because if your wife and children are lovers of Allāh then He will not leave His lovers uncared for, and if they be enemies of Allāh then why should you worry and keep yourself busy about the enemies of Allāh?

۳۵۴. وَهَنَّأَ بِحَضْرَتِهِ عليه السلام رَجُلٌ رَجُلًا بِغُلَامٍ وُلِدَ لَهُ فَقَالَ لَهُ: لِيَهْنِئْكَ الْفَارسُ. فقال (عليه السلام) :

354. Someone congratulated another person in the presence of Amīr al-mu’minīn, peace be upon him, on the birth of a son saying: Congratulations for getting a rider of horses. Then Amīr al-mu’minin said:

لَا تَقُلْ ذلِكَ، وَلكِنْ قُلْ: شَكَرْتَ الْوَاهِبَ، وَبُورِكَ لَكَ فِي الْمَوْهُوبِ، وَبَلَغَ أَشُدَّهُ، وَرُزِقْتَ بِرَّهُ.

Do not say so; but say: You have occasion to be grateful to Allāh, the Giver, and be blessed with what you have been given. May he attain full life and may you be blessed with His devotion.

۳۵۶. وَقِيلَ لَهُ (عليه ‏السلام) لَوْ سُدَّ عَلَى رَجُلٍ بَابُ بَيْتِهِ، وَتُرِكَ فِيهِ مِنْ أَيْنَ كَانَ يَأْتِيهِ رِزْقُهُ؟ فَقَالَ (عليه السلام):

356. It was said to Amīr al-mu’minīn, peace be upon him: If a man is left in his house and the door is closed, from where will his livelihood reach him. And he replied:

مِنْ حَيْثُ يَأْتِيهِ أَجَلُهُ.

From whatever way his death reaches him. [1]

۳۵۷. وَعَزَّى (عليه السلام) قَوْماً عَنْ مَيِّتٍ مَاتَ لَهُمْ فَقَالَ (عليه السلام):

357. Condoling with people among whom one had died, Amīr al-mu’minīn, peace be upon him, said:

إِنَّ هذَا الْأَمْرَ لَيْسَ لَكُمْ بَدَأَ، وَلَا إِلَيْكُمُ انْتَهَى، وَقَدْ كَانَ صَاحِبُكُمْ هذَا يُسَافِرُ، فَعُدُّوهُ فِي بَعْضِ أَسْفَارِهِ، فَإِنْ قَدِمَ عَلَيْكُمْ وَإِلَّا قَدِمْتُمْ عَلَيْهِ.

This thing has not started with you nor does it end with you. This fellow of yours was used to journeying and therefore it is better to think him still to be journeying. Either he will rejoin you or else you will rejoin him.

۳۵۹. وَقَالَ (عليه ‏السلام): يَا أَسْرَى الرَّغْبَةِ أَقْصِرُوا فَإِنَّ الْمُعَرِّجَ عَلَى الدُّنْيَا لَا يَرُوعُهُ مِنْهَا إِلَّا صَرِيفُ أَنْيَابِ الْحِدْثَانِ.

359. Amīr al-mu’minīn, peace be upon him, said: O’ slaves of desires, cut them short because he who leans on the world gets nothing out of it except the pain of hardships.

أَيُّهَا النَّاسُ تَوَلَّوْا مِنْ أَنْفُسِكُمْ تَأْدِيبَهَا وَ اعْدِلُوا بِهَا عَنْ ضَرَاوَةِ عَادَاتِهَا.

O’ people, take upon yourselves your own training and turn away from the dictates of your natural inclinations.

۳۶۰. وَقَالَ (عليه ‏السلام): لَا تَظُنَّنَّ بِكَلِمَةٍ خَرَجَتْ مِنْ أَحَدٍ سَوءاً، وَأَنْتَ تَجِدُ لَهَا فِي الْخَيْرِ مُحْتَمَلاً.

360. Amīr al-mu’minīn, peace be upon him, said: Do not regard an expression uttered by any person as evil if you can find it capable of bearing some good.

٣٦٢. وَقَالَ (عليه ‏السلام): مَنْ ضَنَّ بِعِرْضِهِ فَلْيَدَعِ الْمِرَاءَ.

362. Amīr al-mu’minīn, peace be upon him, said: He who is jealous of his esteem should keep from quarrelling.

٣٦٣. وَقَالَ (عليه ‏السلام): مِنَ الْخُرْقِ الْمُعَاجَلَةُ قَبْلَ الْإِمْكَانِ، وَالْأَنَاةُ بَعْدَ الْفُرْصَةِ.

363. Amīr al-mu’minīn, peace be upon him, said: To make haste before the proper time or to delay after a proper opportunity, in either case is folly.

٣٦٥. وَقَالَ (عليه ‏السلام): الْفِكْرُ مرْآةٌ صَافِيَةٌ، وَالِاعْتِبَارُ مُنْذِرٌ نَاصِحٌ، وَكَفَى أَدَباً لِنَفْسِكَ تَجَنُّبُكَ مَا كَرِهْتَهُ لِغَيْرِكَ.

365. Amīr al-mu’minīn, peace be upon him, said: Imagination is a clear mirror, and the taking of lessons (from things around) provides warning and counsel. It is enough for improving yourself that you should avoid what you consider bad in others.

٣٦٦. وَقَالَ (عليه ‏السلام): الْعِلْمُ مَقْرُونٌ بِالْعَمَلِ فَمَنْ عَلِمَ عَمِلَ، وَالْعِلْمُ يَهْتِفُ بِالْعَمَلِ فَإِنْ أَجَابَهُ وَإِلَّا ارْتَحَلَ عَنْهُ.

366. Amīr al-mu’minīn, peace be upon him, said: Knowledge is associated with action. Therefore, he who knows should act, because knowledge calls for action; if there is a response well and good, otherwise it (i.e., knowledge) departs from him.

٣٦٧. وَقَالَ (عليه ‏السلام): يَا أيُّها النَّاسُ، مَتَاعُ الدُّنْيَا حُطَامٌ مُوبِئٌ فَتَجَنَّبُوا مَرْعَاهُ! قُلْعَتُهَا أَحْظَى مِنْ طُمَأْنِينَتِهَا وَبُلْغَتُهَا أَزْكَى مِنَ ثَرْوَتِهَا، حُكِمَ عَلَى مُكْثِرٍ مِنْهَا بِالْفَاقَةِ وَأُعيِنَ مَنْ غَنِيَ عَنْهَا بِالرَّاحَة، مَنْ رَاقَهُ زِبْرِجُهَا أَعْقَبَتْ نَاظِرَيْهِ كَمَهاً وَمَنِ اسْتَشْعَرَالشَّغَفَ بِهَا مَلاَتْ ضَمِيرَهُ أَشْجاناً، لَهُنَّ رَقْصٌ عَلى سُوَيْدَاءِ قَلْبِهِ هَمٌّ يَشْغَلُهُ، وَغَمٌّ يَحْزُنُهُ، كَذلِكَ حَتَّى يُؤْخَذَ بِكَظَمِهِ فَيُلْقَى بِالْفَضاءِ، مُنْقَطِعاً أَبْهَرَاهُ، هَيِّناً عَلى اللهِ فَناؤُهُ، وَعَلَى الْإِخْوَانِ إِلْقَاؤهُ.

367. Amīr al-mu’minīn, peace be upon him, said: O’ people, the wealth of this world is broken orts that brings an epidemic; therefore keep off this grazing land, leaving it is a greater favour than peacefully staying in it, and its part enough for subsistence is more blissful than its riches. Destitution has been ordained for those who are rich here, while comfort has been destined for those who keep away from it. If a person is attracted by its dazzle, it blinds both his eyes; and if a person acquires eagerness towards it, then it fills his heart with griefs which keep alternating in the black part of his heart, some grief worrying him and another giving him pain. This goes on till the suffocation of death overtakes him. He is flung in the open while both the shrines of his heart are severed. It is easy for Allāh to cause him to die and for his comrades to put him in the grave.

وَإِنَّمَا يَنْظُرُ الْمُؤْمِنُ إِلَى الدُّنْيَا بَعَيْنِ الِاعْتِبَارِ وَيَقْتاتُ مِنْهَا بِبَطْنِ الِاضْطِرَارِ وَيَسْمَعُ فِيهَا بِأُذُنِ الْمَقْتِ وَالْإِبْغَاضِ، إِنْ قِيلَ أَثْرَى قِيلَ أَكْدَى! وَإِنْ فُرِحَ لَهُ بِالْبَقَاءِ حُزِنَ لَهُ بِالْفَنَاءِ! هذَا وَلَمْ يَأْتِهِمْ يَوْمٌ فِيهِ يُبْلِسُونَ.

The believer sees the world with eyes that derive instruction, and takes from it food enough for his barest needs. He hears in it with ears of hatred and enmity. If it is said (about someone) that he has become rich, it is also said that he has turned destitute; and if pleasure is felt on one’s living, grief is felt over his death. This is the position, although the day has not yet approached when they will be disheartened.

۳۶۹. وَقَالَ (عليه ‏السلام): يَأْتِي عَلَى النَّاسِ زَمَانٌ لَا يَبْقى فِيهِمْ مِن الْقُرآنِ إِلَّا رَسْمُهُ، وَمِنَ الْإِسْلَامِ إِلَّا اسْمُهُ، وَمَسَاجِدُهُمْ يَوْمَئِذٍ عَامِرَةٌ مِنَ الْبِنَاءِ، خَرَابٌ مِنَ الْهُدَى، سُكَّانُهَا وَعُمَّارُهَا شَرُّ أَهْلِ الْأَرْضِ، مِنْهُمْ تَخْرُجُ الْفِتْنَةُ، وَإِلَيْهِمْ تَأوِي الْخَطِيئَةُ، يَرُدُّونَ مَنْ شَذَّ عَنْهَا فِيهَا، وَيَسُوقوُنَ مَن تأَخَّرَ عَنْهَا إِلَيْهَا، يَقُولُ اللهُ سُبْحَانَهُ فَبِي حَلَفْتُ لَأَبْعَثَنَّ عَلَى أُولئِكَ فِتْنَةً تتْرُك الْحَلِيمَ فِيهَا حَيْرَانَ، وَقَدْ فَعَلَ، وَنَحْنُ نَسْتَقِيلُ اللهَ عَثْرَةَ الْغَفْلَةِ.

369. Amīr al-mu’minīn, peace be upon him, said: A time will come when nothing will remain of the Qur’ān except its writing, and nothing of Islam except its name. The mosques in those days will be busy with regards to construction but desolate with regard to guidance. Those staying in them and those visiting them will be the worst of all on earth. From them mischief will spring up and towards them all wrong will turn. If anyone isolates himself from it (mischief) they will fling him back to it and if anyone steps back from it they will push him towards it. Says Allāh, the Glorified, (in ḥadīth qudsī — i.e., the tradition in which Allāh Himself speaks) : I swear by Myself that I shall send upon them an evil wherein the endurer would be bewildered, and He would do so. We seek Allāh’s pardon from stumbling through neglect.

۳۷۱. وَقَالَ (عليه ‏السلام): لَا شَرَفَ أَعْلَى مِنَ الْإِسْلَامِ، وَلَا عِزَّ أَعَزُّ مِنَ التَّقْوَى، وَلَا مَعْقِلَ أَحْسَنُ مِنَ الْوَرَعِ، وَلَا شَفِيعَ أَنْجَحُ مِنَ التّوْبَةِ، وَلَا كَنْزَ أَغْنَى مِنَ الْقَنَاعَةِ، وَلَا مَالَ أَذْهَبُ لِلْفَاقَةِ مَنَ الرِّضَى بِالْقُوتِ، وَمَنِ اقْتَصَرَ عَلَى بُلْغَةِ الْكَفَافِ فَقَدِ انْتَظَمَ الرَّاحَةَ وَتَبَوَّأَ خَفْضَ الدَّعَةِ وَالرَّغْبَةُ مِفْتَاحُ النَّصَبِ، وَمَطِيَّةُ التَّعَبِ، وَالْحِرْصُ وَالْكِبْرُ وَالْحَسَدُ دَوَاعٍ إِلَى التَّقَحُّمِ فِي الذُّنُوبِ، وَالشَّرُّ جَامِعُ مَسَاوِئِ الْعُيُوبِ.

371. Amīr al-mu’minīn, peace be upon him, said: There is no distinction higher than Islam; no honour more honourable than fear of Allāh; no asylum better than self restraint; no intercessor more effective than repentance; no treasure more precious than contentment; and no wealth is a bigger remover of destitution than being satisfied with mere sustenance. He who confines himself to what is just enough for maintenance achieves comfort and prepares abode in ease. Desire is the key of grief and the conveyance of distress. Greed, vanity and jealousy are incentives to falling into sins and mischief-mongering is the collection of all bad habits.

۳۷۲. وَقَالَ (عليه ‏السلام) لِجَابِرِ بْنِ عَبْدِ اللَّهِ الْأَنْصَارِيِّ

372. Amīr al-mu’minīn, peace be upon him, said to Jābir ibn ‘Abdillāh al-Anṣārī:

يَا جَابِرُ، قِوَامُ الدِّينِ وَالدُّنْيَا بِأَرْبَعَةٍ: عَالِمٍ مُسْتَعْمِلٍ عِلْمَهُ، وَجَاهِلٍ لَا يَسْتَنْكِفُ أَنْ يَتَعَلَّمَ، وَجَوَادٍ لَا يَبْخَلُ بِمَعْرُوفِهِ، وَفَقِيرٍ لَا يَبِيعُ آخِرَتَهُ بِدُنْيَاهُ؛ فَإِذَا ضَيَّعَ الْعَالِمُ عِلْمَهُ اسْتَنْكَفَ الْجَاهِلُ أَنْ يَتَعَلَّمَ، وَإِذَا بَخِلَ الْغَنِيُّ بِمَعْرُوفِهِ بَاعَ الْفَقِيرُ آخِرَتَهُ بِدُنْيَاهُ.

O’ Jābir, the mainstay of religion and the world are four persons: The scholar who acts on his knowledge; the ignorant who does not feel ashamed of learning; the generous who is not niggardly in his favours; and the destitute who does not sell his next life for his worldly benefits. Consequently, when the scholar wastes his knowledge, the ignorant feels shame in learning; and when the generous is niggardly with his favours, the destitute sells his next life for the worldly benefits.

يَا جَابِرُ مَنْ كَثُرَتْ نِعَمُ اَللَّهِ عَلَيْهِ كَثُرَتْ حَوَائِجُ اَلنَّاسِ إِلَيْهِ فَمَنْ قَامَ لِلَّهِ فِيهَا بِمَا يَجِبُ فِيهَا عَرَّضَهَا لِلدَّوَامِ وَالْبَقَاءِ وَمَنْ لَمْ يَقُمْ فِيهَا بِمَا يَجِبُ عَرَّضَهَا لِلزَّوَالِ وَالْفَنَاءِ.

O’ Jābir, if favours of Allāh abound on a person the people’s needs towards him also abound. Therefore, he who fulfils for Allāh all that is obligatory on him in this regard will preserve them (Allāh’s favours) in continuance and perpetuity, while he who does not fulfil those obligations will expose them to decay and destruction.

۳۷۴. وَفِي كَلَامٍ آخَرَ لَهُ (عليه السلام) يَجْرِي هَذَا الْمَجْرَى:

374. Another saying in the same strain runs as follows:

فَمِنْهُمُ الْمُنْكِرُ للْمُنْكَرِ بيَدِهِ وَلِسَانِهِ وَقَلْبِهِ فَذَلِكَ الْمُسْتَكْمِلُ لِخِصَالِ الْخَيْرِ، وَمِنْهُمُ الْمُنْكِرُ بِلِسَانِهِ وَقَلْبهِ وَالتَّارِكُ بِيَدِهِ فَذلِكَ مُتَمَسِّكٌ بِخَصْلَتيَنِ مِنْ خِصَالِ الْخَيْرِ وَمُضَيِّعٌ خَصْلَةً، وَمِنْهُمُ الْمُنْكِرُ بِقَلْبِهِ وَالتَّارِكُ بيَدِهِ وَلِسَانِهِ فَذلِكَ الَّذِي ضَيَّعَ أَشْرَفَ الْخَصْلَتَيْنِ مِنَ الثَّلاَثِ وَتَمَسَّكَ بوَاحِدَةٍ، وَمِنْهُمْ تَارِكٌ لِإِنْكَارِ الْمُنكَرِ بِلِسَانِهِ وَقَلْبِهِ وَيَدِهِ فَذلِكَ مَيِّتُ الْأَحْيَاءِ.

So, among them (the Muslim community) there is he who disapproves evil with his hand, tongue and heart. This man has perfectly attained the virtuous habits. And among them there is he who disapproves evil with his tongue and heart but not with his hand. This man has attained only two virtuous habits but lacks one. And among them there is the third one who disapporves evil with his heart but not with his tongue and hand. This is the one who lacks the two better qualities out of three and holds only one. Then, among them there is also he who does not disapprove evil either with his tongue, heart or hand. He is just a dead man among the living.

وَمَا أَعْمَالُ الْبِرِّ كُلُّهَا وَالْجِهَادُ فِي سَبِيلِ اللهِ، عِنْدَ الْأَمْرِ بالْمَعْرُوفِ وَالنَّهْيِ عَنِ الْمُنكَرِ، إِلَّا كَنَفْثَةٍ فِي بَحْرٍ لُجِّيٍّ وَإِنَّ الْأَمْرَ بالْمَعْروُفِ وَالنَّهْيَ عَنِ الْمُنكَرِ لَا يُقَرِّبَانِ مِنْ أَجَلٍ، وَلَا يَنْقصَانِ مِنْ رِزْقٍ، وَأَفضَلُ مِنْ ذلِكَ كُلِّهِ كَلِمَةُ عَدْلٍ عِنْدَ إِمَامٍ جَائِرٍ.

All the virtuous deeds including war in the way of Allāh as compared to the persuasion for good and dissuasion from evil are just like spitting in the deep ocean. The persuasion for good and dissuasion from evil do not bring death nearer nor do they lessen the livelihood. And better than all this is to utter a just expression before the tyrannical ruler.

۳۷۵. وَعَنْ أَبِي جُحَيْفَةَ قَالَ: سَمِعْتُ أَمِيرَ الْمُؤْمِنِينَ (عليه السلام) يَقُولُ:

375. It is related from Abū Juḥayfah who said: I heard Amīr al-mu’minīn, peace be upon him, saying:

أَوَّلُ مَا تُغْلَبُونَ عَلَيْهِ مِنَ الْجِهَادِ الْجِهَادُ بِأَيْدِيكُمْ، ثُمَّ بِأَلْسِنَتِكُمْ، ثُمَّ بِقُلُوبِكُمْ؛ فَمَنْ لَمْ يَعْرِفْ بِقَلْبِهِ مَعْرُوفاً، وَلَمْ يُنْكِرْ مُنْكَراً، قُلِبَ فَجُعِلَ أَعْلاَهُ أَسْفَلَهُ، وَأَسَفَلُهُ أَعْلاَهُ.

The first fighting with which you will be overpowered is the fighting with hands, thereafter with your tongues and then with your hearts. Consequently, he who does not recognize virtue with his heart or does not disapprove evil will be turned upside down. Thus, his upside will be turned downwards and his lowside will be turned upwards.

۳۷۷. وَقَالَ (عليه ‏السلام): لَا تَأْمَنَنَّ عَلَى خَيْرِ هذِهِ الْأُمَّةِ عَذَابَ اللهِ، لِقَوْلِهِ تَعَالى: ﴿فَلَا يَأْمَنُ مَكْرَ اللهِ إِلَّا الْقَوْمُ الْخَاسِرُونَ﴾

377. Amīr al-mu’minīn, peace be upon him said: Do not feel safe from the punishment of Allāh even about the best man in the whole community because Allāh, the Sublime, says: But no one feels secure against the plan of Allāh save the people (who are the) losers. (Qur’ān, 7:99).

وَلَا تَيْأَسَنَّ لِشَرِّ هَذِهِ الْأُمَّةِ مِنْ رَوْحِ اَللَّهِ لِقَوْلِهِ تَعَالَى: ﴿إِنَّهُ لَا يَيْأَسُ مِن رَّوْحِ اللهِ إِلَّا الْقَوْمُ الْكَافِرُونَ﴾.

Again, do not lose hope even for the worst man of the community because Allāh, the Sublime says : Verily, despairs not of Allāh’s mercy but the disbelieving people. (Qur’ān, 12:87).

۳۷۸. وَقَالَ (عليه ‏السلام): الْبُخْلُ جَامعٌ لِمَسَاوِئِ الْعُيُوبِ، وَهُوَ زِمَامٌ يُقَادُ بِهِ إِلَى كُلِّ سُوءٍ.

378. Amīr al-mu’minīn, peace be upon him, said: Miserliness contains all other evil vices and is the rein with which one can be led to every evil.

۳۷۹. وَقَالَ (عليه ‏السلام): يَا ابْنَ آدَمَ الرِّزْقُ رِزْقَانِ: رِزْقٌ تَطْلُبُهُ، وَرِزْقٌ يَطْلُبُكَ، فَإِنْ لَمْ تَأْتِهِ أَتَاكَ، فَلاَ تَحْمِلْ هَمَّ سَنَتِكَ عَلَى هَمِّ يَوْمِكَ! كَفَاكَ كُلُّ يَوْمٍ عَلَى مَا فيِهِ، فَإِنْ تَكُنِ السَّنَةُ مِنْ عُمُرِكَ فَإنَّ اللهَ تَعَالَى سَيُؤْتِيكَ فِي كُلِّ غَدِ جَدِيدٍ مَا قَسَمَ لَكَ، وَإِنْ لَمْ تَكُنِ السَّنَةُ مِنْ عُمُرِكَ فَمَا تَصْنَعُ بِالْهَمِّ لِمَا لَيْسَ لَكَ، وَلَنْ يَسْبِقَكَ إِلَى رِزْقِكَ طَالِبٌ، وَلَنْ يَغْلِبَكَ عَلَيْهِ غَالِبٌ، وَلَنْ يُبْطِئَ عَنْكَ مَا قَدْ قُدِّرَ لَكَ.

379. Amīr al-mu’minīn, peace be upon him, said: O’ son of Adam, livelihood is of two kinds: the livelihood which you seek and the livelihood which seeks you; if you do not reach it, it will come to you. Therefore, do not turn your one day’s worry into a year’s worry. Whatever you get every day should be enough for you for the day. If you have a whole year of your life even then Allāh, the Sublime, will give you every next day what He has destined as your share. If you do not have a year in your life then why should you worry for what is not for you. No seeker will reach your livelihood before you nor will anyone overpower you in the matter of livelihood. Similarly, whatever has been destined as your share will not be delayed for you.

قال السيد الرضي: وقد مضى هذا الكلام فيما تقدم من هذا الباب، إلاّ أنه هاهنا أوضح وأشرح، فلذلك كررناه على القاعدة المقررة في أول هذا الكتاب.

as-Sayyid ar-Raḍī says: This saying has already appeared elsewhere in this chapter except that here it is clearer and more detailed. This is why we have repeated it according to the principle laid down in the beginning of the book.

۳۸۱. وَقَالَ (عليه ‏السلام): الْكَلاَمُ فِي وَثَاقِكَ مَا لَمْ تَتَكَلَّمْ بِهِ، فَإذَا تَكَلَّمْتَ بِهِ صِرْتَ فِي وَثَاقِهِ، فَاخْزُنْ لِسَانَكَ كَمَا تَخْزُنُ ذَهَبَكَ وَوَرِقَكَ فَرُبَّ كَلِمَةٍ سَلَبَتْ نِعْمَةً وَجَلَبَتْ نِقْمَةً.

381. Amīr al-mu’minīn, peace be upon him, said: Words are in your control until you have not uttered them; but when you have spoken them out you are under their control. Therefore, guard your tongue as you guard your gold and silver, for often one expression snatches away a blessing and invites punishment.

۳۸۲. وَقَالَ (عليه ‏السلام): لَا تَقُلْ مَا لَا تَعْلَمُ، بَلْ لَا تَقُلْ كُلَّ مَا تَعْلَمُ، فَإِنَّ اللهَ (سبحانه قد) فَرَضَ عَلَى جَوَارِحِكَ كُلِّهَا فَرَائِضَ يَحْتَجُّ بِهَا عَلَيْكَ يَوْمَ الْقِيَامَةِ.

382. Amīr al-mu’minīn, peace be upon him, said: Do not say what you do not know; rather do not say all that you know, because Allāh has laid down some obligations for all your limbs by means of which He will put forth arguments against you on the Day of Judgement.

۳۸۴. وَقَالَ (عليه ‏السلام): الرُّكُونُ إِلَى الدُّنْيَا مَعَ مَا تُعَايِنُ مِنْهَا جَهْلٌ، وَالتَّقْصِيرُ فِي حُسْنِ الْعَمَلِ إذَا وَثِقْتَ بِالثَّوَابِ عَلَيْهِ غَبْنٌ وَالطُّمَأْنِينَةُ إِلَى كُلِّ أَحَدٍ قَبْلَ الِاخْتِبَارِ لَهُ عَجْزٌ.

384. Amīr al-mu’minīn, peace be upon him, said: Leaning towards this world despite what you see of it, is folly, and lagging behind in good deeds when you are convinced of good reward for them is obvious loss, while trusting in every one before trying is weakness.

۳۸۶. وَقَالَ (عليه ‏السلام): مَنْ طَلَبَ شَيْئاً نَالَهُ أَوْ بَعْضَهُ.

386. Amīr al-mu’minīn, peace be upon him, said: One who is in search of something will obtain it, at least a part of it

٣٨٧. وَقَالَ (عليه ‏السلام): مَا خَيْرٌ بِخَيْرٍ بَعْدَهُ النَّارُ، وَمَا شَرٌّ بِشَرٍّ بَعْدَهُ الْجَنَّةُ، وَكُلُّ نَعِيمٍ دُونَ الْجَنَّةِ فَهُوَ مَحْقُورٌ وَكُلُّ بَلاَءٍ دُونَ النَّارِ عَافِيَةٌ.

387. Amīr al-mu’minīn, peace be upon him, said: That good is no good after which there is the Fire, and that hardship is no hardship after which there is Paradise. Every bliss other than Paradise is inferior and every calamity other than the Fire is comfort.

۳۸۹. وَقَالَ (عليه ‏السلام): مَنْ أَبْطَأَ بِهِ عَمَلُهُ لَمْ يُسْرِعْ بِهِ نَسَبُهُ.

389. Amīr al-mu’minīn, peace be upon him, said: Whomever his action detains behind, his lineage cannot put him forward.

وَفِي رِوَايَةٍ أُخْرَى: مَنْ فَاتَهُ حَسَبُ نَفْسِهِ لَمْ يَنْفَعْهُ حَسَبُ آبَائِهِ.

In another version it is thus: Whoever misses personal attainment cannot be benefited by his forefathers’ attainments.

۳۹۰. وَقَالَ (عليه ‏السلام): لِلْمُؤْمِنِ ثَلاَثُ سَاعَات: فَسَاعَةٌ يُنَاجِي فِيهَا رَبَّهُ، وَسَاعَةٌ يَرُمُّ مَعَاشَهُ، وَسَاعَةٌ يُخَلِّي بَيْنَ نَفْسِهِ وَبَيْنَ لَذَّتِهَا فِيَما يَحِلُّ وَيَجْمُلُ.

390. Amīr al-mu’minīn, peace be upon him, said: The believer’s time has three periods : The period when he is in communion with Allāh; the period when he manages for his livelihood; and the period when he is free to enjoy what is lawful and pleasant.

وَلَيْسَ لِلْعَاقِلِ أَنْ يَكُونَ شَاخِصاً إِلَّا فِي ثَلاَثٍ: مَرَمَّةٍ لِمَعَاشٍ، أَوْ خُطْوَةٍ فِي مَعَادٍ، أَوْ لَذَّةٍ فِي غَيْرِ مُحَرَّمٍ.

It does not behove a wise person to be away (from his house) save for three matters, namely for purposes of earning, or going for something for the next life or for enjoying what is not prohibited.

۳۹۲. وَقَالَ (عليه ‏السلام): تَكَلَّمُوا تُعْرَفُوا، فَإِنَّ الْمَرْءَ مَخْبُوءٌ تَحْتَ لِسَانِهِ.

392. Amīr al-mu’minīn, peace be upon him, said: Speak so that you may be known, since man is hidden under his tongue.

۳۹۳. وَقَالَ (عليه ‏السلام): خُذْ مِنَ الدُّنيْا مَا أَتَاكَ، وَتَوَلَّ عَمَّا تَوَلَّى عَنْكَ، فَإِنْ أَنْتَ لَمْ تَفْعَلْ فَأَجْمِلْ فِي الطَّلَبِ.

393. Amīr al-mu’minīn, peace be upon him, said: Take off the favours of the world whatever comes to you and keep away from what keeps away from you. If you cannot do so be moderate in your seeking.

۳۹۴. وَقَالَ (عليه ‏السلام): رُبَّ قَوْلٍ أَنْفَذُ مِنْ صَوْلٍ.

394. Amīr al-mu’minīn, peace be upon him, said: Many an expression is more effective than an attack.

۳۹۶. وَقَالَ (عليه ‏السلام): الْمَنِيَّةُ وَلَا الدَّنِيَّةُ وَالتّقَلُّلُ وَلَا التَّوَسُّلُ وَمَنْ لَمْ يُعْطَ قَاعِداً لَمْ يُعْطَ قَائِماً وَالدَّهْرُ يَوْمَانِ: يَوْمٌ لَكَ، وَيَوْمٌ عَلَيْكَ؛ فَإذَا كَانَ لَكَ فَلاَ تَبْطَرْ، وَإِذَا كَانَ عَلَيْكَ فَاصْبِرْ!

396. Amīr al-mu’minīn, peace be upon him, said: Let it be death but not humiliation. Let it be little but not through others. He who does not get while sitting will not get by standing either. The world has two days one for you and the other against you. When the day is for you, do not feel proud but when it is against you endure it.

۳۹۷. وَقَالَ (عليه ‏السلام): نِعْمَ الطِّيبُ الْمِسْكُ، خَفِيفٌ مَحْمِلُهُ، عَطِرٌ رِيحُهُ.

397. Amīr al-mu’minīn, peace be upon him, said: The best scent is musk; its weight is light while its smell is scentful.

۳۹۹. وَقَالَ (عليه ‏السلام): إِنَّ لِلْوَلَدِ عَلَى الْوَالِدِ حَقّاً، وَإِنَّ لِلْوَالِدِ عَلَى الْوَلَدِ حَقّاً: فَحَقُّ الْوَالِدِ عَلَى الْوَلَدِ أَنْ يُطِيعَهُ فِي كُلِّ شَيْءٍ إِلَّا فِي مَعْصِيَةِ اللهِ سُبْحَانَهُ، وَحَقُّ الْوَلَدِ عَلَى الْوَالِدِ أَنْ يُحَسِّنَ اسْمَهُ وَيُحَسِّنَ أَدَبَهُ وَيُعَلِّمَهُ الْقُرْآنَ.

399. Amīr al-mu’minīn, peace be upon him, said: The child has a right on the father while the father too has a right on the child. The right of the father on the child is that the latter should obey the former in every matter save in committing sins of Allāh, the Glorified, while the right of the child on the father is that he should give him a beautiful name, give him good training and teach him the Qur’ān.

۴۰۱. وَقَالَ (عليه ‏السلام): مُقَارَبَةُ النَّاسِ فِي أَخْلاَقِهِمْ أَمْنٌ مِنْ غَوَائِلِهِمْ.

401. Amīr al-mu’minīn, peace be upon him, said: Nearness with people in their manners brings about safety from their evil.

۴۰۲. وَقَالَ (عليه ‏السلام) لِبَعْضِ مُخَاطِبِيهِ، وَقَدْ تَكَلَّمَ بِكَلِمَةٍ يُسْتَصْغَرُ مِثْلُهُ عَنْ قَوْلِ مِثْلِهَا: لَقَدْ طِرْتَ شَكِيراً، وَهَدَرْتَ سَقْباً.

402. Someone uttered an expression above his position, then Amīr al-mu’minīn, peace be upon him, said to him: You have started flying soon after growing feathers (shakīr) and commenced grumbling before attaining youth (saqb).

قال السيد الرضي: والشكير هاهنا: أول ما ينبت من ريش الطائر قبل أن يقوى ويستحصف، والسقب: الصغير من الإبل ولا يهدر إلا بعد أن يستفحل.

as-Sayyid ar-Raḍī says: Here “shakīr” means the first feathers that grow on a bird before it is strong enough to fly. And “saqb” means the young camel who does not grumble unless it becomes major.

٤٠٤. وَقَالَ (عليه ‏السلام) وَقَدْ سُئِلَ عَنْ مَعْنَى قَوْلِهِمْ: لَا حَوْلَ وَلَا قُوَّةَ إِلَّا باللهِ:

404. On being asked the meaning of the expression: “lā ḥawla walā quwwata illā bi’llāh” (there is no strength nor power but by means of Allāh). Amīr al-mu’minīn, peace be upon him, said:

إِنَّا لَا نَمَلِكُ مَعَ اللهِ شَيْئاً، وَلَا نَمْلِكُ إِلَّا مَا مَلَّكَنَا، فَمَتَى مَلَّكَنَا مَا هُوَ أَمْلَكُ بِهِ مِنَّا كَلَّفَنَا، وَمَتى أَخَذَهُ مِنَّا وَضَعَ تَكْلِيفَهُ عَنَّا.

We are not master of anything along with Allāh, and we are not master of anything save what He makes us master of. So, when He makes us master of anything of which He is a superior Master over us He also assigns some duties to us; and when He takes it away He will take away those duties as well. [1]

٤٠٦. وَقَالَ (عليه ‏السلام): مَا أَحْسَنَ تَوَاضُعَ الْأَغْنِيَاءِ لِلْفُقَرَاءِ طَلَباً لِمَا عِنْدَ اللهِ! وأَحْسَنُ مِنْهُ تِيهُ الْفُقَرَاءِ عَلَى الْأَغْنِيَاءِ اتِّكَالًا عَلَى الله.

406. Amīr al-mu’minīn, peace be upon him, said: It is good for the rich to show humility before the poor to seek reward from Allāh, but better than that is the haughtiness of the poor towards the rich with trust in Allāh.

٤٠٧. وَقَالَ (عليه ‏السلام): مَا اسْتَوْدَعَ اللهُ امْرَأً عَقْلاً إِلَّا اسْتَنْقَذَهُ بِهِ يَوْماً مَا.

407. Amīr al-mu’minīn, peace be upon him, said: Allāh does not grant wisdom to a person except that some day He will save him from ruin with its help.

٤٠٨. وَقَالَ (عليه ‏السلام): مَنْ صَارَعَ الْحَقَّ صَرَعَهُ.

408. Amīr al-mu’minīn, peace be upon him, said: Whoever clashes with Truth would be knocked down by it.

٤١٠. وَقَالَ (عليه ‏السلام): التُّقَى رَئِيسُ الْأَخْلَاقِ.

410. Amīr al-mu’minīn, peace be upon him, said: Fear of Allāh is the chief trait of human character.

٤١٢. وَقَالَ (عليه ‏السلام): كَفَاكَ أَدَباً لِنَفْسِكَ اجْتِنَابُ مَا تَكْرَهُهُ مِنْ غَيْرِكَ.

412. Amīr al-mu’minīn, peace be upon him, said: It is enough for your own discipline that you abstain from what you dislike from others.

٤١٣. وَقَالَ (عليه ‏السلام): مَنْ صَبَرَ صَبْرَ الْأَحْرَارِ، وَإِلَّا سَلاَ سُلُوَّ الْأَغْمَارِ.

413. Amīr al-mu’minīn, peace be upon him, said: One should endure like free people, otherwise one should keep quite like the ignorant.

٤١٥. وَقَالَ (عليه ‏السلام) فِي صِفَةِ الدُّنْيَا: تَغُرُّ وَتَضُرُّ وَتَمُرُّ، إِنَّ اللهَ تَعَالَى لَمْ يَرْضَهَا ثَوَاباً لِأَوْلِيَائِهِ، وَلَا عِقَاباً لِأَعْدَائِهِ، وَإِنَّ أَهْلَ الدُّنْيَا كَرَكْبٍ بَيْنَا هُمْ حَلُّوا إِذْ صَاحَ بِهِمْ سَائِقُهُمْ فَارْتَحَلُوا.

415. Amīr al-mu’minīn, peace be upon him, said about the world: It deceives, it harms and it passes away. Allāh, the Sublime, did not approve it as a reward for His lovers nor as a punishment for His enemies. In fact, the people of this world are like those riders that as soon as they alighted the driver called out to them and they marched off.

٤١٦. وَقَالَ (علیه السلام) لِابْنِهِ الْحَسَنِ (علیه السلام): يَا بُنَيَّ لَا تُخَلِّفَنَّ وَرَاءَكَ شَيْئاً مِنَ الدُّنْيَا، فَإِنَّكَ تُخَلِّفُهُ لِأَحَدِ رَجُلَيْنِ: إِمَّا رَجُلٍ عَمِلَ فِيهِ بِطَاعَةِ اللهِ فَسَعِدَ بِمَا شَقِيتَ بِهِ، وَإِمَّا رَجُلٍ عَمِلَ فِيهِ بِمَعْصِيَةِ اللهِ فَشَقِيَ بِمَا جَمَعْتَ لَهُ فَكُنْتَ عَوْناً لَهُ عَلى مَعْصِيَتِهِ، وَلَيْسَ أَحَدُ هذَيْنِ حَقِيقاً أَنْ تُؤْثِرَهُ عَلَىُ نَفْسِكَ.

416. Amīr al-mu’minīn, peace be upon him, said to his son al-Ḥasan (peace be upon him): O’ my son, do not leave anything of this world behind you, because you will be leaving it for either of two sorts of persons: Either a person who uses it in obeying Allāh, in this case he will acquire virtue through what was evil for you, or it will be a person who uses it in disobeying Allāh and in that case he will be earning evil with what you collected for him, and so you will be assisting him in his sinfulness; and neither of these two deserves to be preferred by you over yourself.

قال السيد الرضي: وَيُرْوَى هَذَا الْكَلَامُ عَلَى وَجْهٍ آخَرَ، وَهُوَ : أَمَّا بَعْدُ، فَإِنَّ الَّذِي فِي يَدِكَ مِنَ الدُّنْيَا قَدْ كَانَ لَهُ أَهْلٌ قَبْلَكَ، وَهُوَ صَائِرٌ إِلَى أَهْلٍ بَعْدَكَ، وَإِنَّمَا أَنْتَ جَامعٌ لِأَحَدِ رَجُلَيْنِ: رَجُلٍ عَمِلَ فِيَما جَمَعْتَهُ بِطَاعَةِ اللهِ فَسَعِدَ بِمَا شَقِيتَ بِهِ، أَوْ رَجُلٍ عَمِلَ فِيهِ بِمَعْصِيَةِ اللهِ فَشَقِيَ بِمَا جَمَعْتَ لَهُ، وَلَيْسَ أَحَدُ هذَيْنِ أَهْلاً أَنْ تُؤْثِرَهُ عَلَى نَفْسِكَ وَلَا أَنْ تَحْمِلَ لَهُ عَلَى ظَهْرِكَ، فارْجُ لِمَنْ مَضَى رَحْمَةَ اللهِ، و لِمَنْ بَقِيَ رِزْقَ الله.

as-Sayyid ar-Raḍī says: This saying is also related in another version namely: Whatever of this world is now with you was with others before you and it will pass to some others after you. Thus, you are collecting things for either of two sorts of men: either a man who uses whatever you collected in obedience of Allāh and so acquires virtues with what was evil for you, or a man who uses it in disobedience of Allāh and so you will be getting evil for what you collected. And neither of these two is such that you may prefer him over yourself or you may burden yourself for him. Therefore, hope for the mercy of Allāh for him who has passed away and for Divine livelihood for him who survives.

١١. وَقَالَ (عليه ‏السلام): إِذَا قَدَرْتَ عَلَى عَدُوِّكَ فَاجْعَلِ الْعَفْوَ عَنْهُ شُكْراً لِلْقُدْرَةِ عَلَيْهِ.

11. Amīr al-mu’minīn, peace be upon him, said: When you gain power over your adversary pardon him by way of thanks for being able to overpower him. [1]

١٢. وَقَالَ (عليه ‏السلام): أَعْجَزُ النَّاسِ مَنْ عَجَزَ عَنِ اكْتِسَابِ الْإِخْوَانِ وَأَعْجَزُ مِنْهُ مَنْ ضَيَّعَ مَنْ ظَفِرَ بِهِ مِنْهُمْ.

12. Amīr al-mu’minīn, peace be upon him, said: The most helpless of all men is he who cannot find a few brothers during his life, but still more helpless is he who finds such a brother but loses him. [1]

١٦. وَقَالَ (عليه ‏السلام): تَذِلُّ الْأُمُورُ لِلْمَقَادِيرِ حَتَّى يَكُونَ الْحَتْفُ فِي التَّدْبِيرِ.

16. Amīr al-mu’minīn, peace be upon him, said: All matters are subject to destiny, so much so that sometimes death results from effort.

١٩. وَقَالَ (عليه ‏السلام): مَنْ جَرَى فِي عِنَانِ أَمَلِهِ عَثَرَ بِأَجَلِهِ.

19. Amīr al-mu’minīn, peace be upon him, said: He who gallops with loose rein collides with death.

٢٢. وَقَالَ (عليه ‏السلام): لَنَا حَقٌّ، فَإِنْ أُعْطِينَاهُ، وَإِلاَّ رَكِبْنَا أَعْجَازَ الاْبِلِ، وَإِنْ طَالَ السُّرَى.

22. Amīr al-mu’minīn, peace be upon him, said: We have a right. If it is allowed to us well and good, otherwise, we will ride on the hind part of the camel (like lowly people) even though the night journey may be long.

قال السيد الرضي: وهذا من لطيف الكلام وفصيحه ومعناه أنا إن لم نعط حقنا كنا أذلاء وذلك أن الرديف يركب عجز البعير كالعبد و الأسير و من يجري مجراهما.

As-Sayyid ar-Raḍī says: This is a very fine and eloquent expression. It means that if we are not allowed our right we will be regarded humble. This sense comes out from this expression because on the rear part of the camel only slaves, prisoners or other people of this type used to ride. [1]

٢٥. وَقَالَ (عليه ‏السلام): يَابْنَ آدَمَ، إِذَا رَأَيْتَ رَبَّكَ سُبْحَانَهُ يُتَابِعُ عَلَيْكَ نِعَمَهُ وَأَنْتَ تَعْصِيهِ فَاحْذَرْهُ.

25. Amīr al-mu’minīn, peace be upon him, said: O son of Adam, when you see that your Lord, the Glorified, bestows His favours on you while you are disobeying Him, you should fear Him. [1]

٢٨. وَقَالَ (عليه ‏السلام): أَفْضَلُ الزُّهْدِ إِخْفَاءُ الزُّهْدِ.

28. Amīr al-mu’minīn, peace be upon him, said: The best abstemiousness is to conceal it.

٣١. وسُئِلَ (عليه ‏السلام) عَنِ الْإِيمَانِ، فَقَالَ: الْإِيمَانُ عَلَى أَرْبَعِ دَعَائِمَ: عَلَى الصَّبْرِ، والْيَقِينِ، وَالْعَدْلِ، وَالْجَهَادِ.

31. Amīr al-mu’minīn, peace be upon him, was asked about faith. He said: Faith stands on four supports: on endurance, conviction, justice and jihād (fighting in the way of Allāh).

وَالصَّبْرُ مِنْهَا عَلَى أَربَعِ شُعَبٍ: عَلَى الشَّوْقِ وَالشَّفَقِ وَالزُّهْدِ وَالتَّرَقُّبِ: فَمَنِ اشْتَاقَ إِلَى الْجَنَّةِ سَلاَ عَنِ الشَّهَوَاتِ، وَمَنْ أشْفَقَ مِنَ النَّارِ اجْتَنَبَ الْـمُحَرَّمَاتِ، وَمَنْ زَهِدَ فِي الدُّنْيَا اسْتَهَانَ بِالْمُصِيبَاتِ، وَمَنِ ارْتَقَبَ الْمَوْتَ سَارَعَ إِلَى الْخَيْرَاتِ.

Endurance again has four aspects: eagerness, fear, abstention (from the world) and anticipation (of death). So, whoever is eager for Paradise will ignore the passions; whoever fears the Fire (of Hell) will refrain from prohibited acts; whoever abstains from the world takes hardships lightly; and whoever anticipates death will hasten towards good deeds.

وَالْيَقِينُ مِنْهَا عَلَى أَرْبَعِ شُعَبٍ: عَلَى تَبْصِرَةِ الْفِطْنَةِ، وَتَأَوُّلِ الْحِكْمَةِ وَمَوْعِظَةِ الْعِبْرَةِ وَسُنَّةِ الاْوَّلِينَ فَمَنْ تَبَصَّرَ فِي الْفِطْنَةِ تَبَيَّنَتْ لَهُ الْحِكْمَةُ، وَمَنْ تَبَيَّنَتْ لَهُ الْحِكْمَةُ عَرَفَ الْعِبْرَةَ، وَمَنْ عَرَفَ الْعِبْرَةَ فَكَأَنَّمَا كَانَ فِي الْأَوَّلِينَ.

Conviction also has four aspects: prudent perception, intelligence and understanding, drawing lessons from instructive things and following the precedents of past people. So, whoever perceives with prudence, wise knowledge will be manifest to him, and to whomsoever wise knowledge becomes manifest he appreciates instructive objects, and whoever appreciates instructive objects he is just like past people.

وَالْعَدْلُ مِنْهَا عَلَى أَرْبَعِ شُعَبٍ: عَلَى غائِصِ الْفَهْمِ، وَغَوْرِ الْعِلْمِ وَزُهْرَةِ الْحُكْمِ،ِ، وَرَسَاخَةِ الْحِلْمِ: فَمَنْ فَهِمَ عَلِمَ غَوْرَ الْعِلْمِ، وَمَنْ عَلِمَ غَوْرَ الْعِلْمِ صَدَرَ عَنْ شَرَائِعِ الْحُكْمِ وَمَنْ حَلُمَ لَمْ يُفَرِّطْ فِي أَمْرِهِ وَعَاشَ فِي النَّاسِ حَمِيداً.

Justice also has four aspects: keen understanding, deep knowledge, a good power of decision and firm forbearance. Therefore, whoever understands comes to acquire depth of knowledge; whoever acquires depth of knowledge drinks from the spring of judgement; and whoever exercises forbearance never commits evil actions in his affairs and leads a praiseworthy life among the people.

وَالْجِهَادُ مِنْهَا عَلَى أَرْبَعِ شُعَبٍ: عَلَى الْأَمْرِ بالْمَعْرُوفِ، وَالنَّهْي عَنِ الْمُنكَرِ، وَالصِّدْقِ فِي الْمَوَاطِنِ وَشَنَآنِ الْفَاسِقيِنَ: فَمَنْ أَمَرَ بِالْمَعْرُوفِ شَدَّ ظُهُورَ الْمُؤمِنِينَ، وَمَنْ نَهَى عَنِ الْمُنْكَرِ أَرْغَمَ أُنُوفَ الْكَافِرِينَ، وَمَنْ صَدَقَ فِي الْمَوَاطِنِ قَضَى مَا عَلَيْهِ، وَمَنْ شَنِئَ الْفَاسِقِينَ وَغَضِبَ لله غَضِبَ اللهُ لَهُ وَأَرْضَاهُ يَوْمَ الْقِيَامَةِ.

Jihād also has four aspects: to ask others to do good, to keep away others from doing evil, to fight (in the way of Allāh) sincerely and firmly on all occasions, and to detest the vicious. So, whoever asks others to do good provides strength to the believers; whoever desists others from evil humiliates the unbelievers; whoever fights sincerely on all occasions discharges all his obligations; and whoever detests the vicious and becomes angry for the sake of Allāh, then Allāh will be angry in favour of him and will keep him and will keep him pleased on the Day of Judgement.

وَالْكُفْرُ عَلَى أَرْبَعِ دَعَائِمَ: عَلَى التَّعَمُّقِ وَالتَّنَازُعِ وَالزَّيْغِ وَالشِّقَاقِ فَمَنْ تَعَمَّقَ لَمْ يُنِبْ إِلَى الْحَقِّ، وَمَنْ كَثُرَ نِزَاعُهُ بِالْجَهْلِ دَامَ عَمَاهُ عَنِ الْحَقِّ، وَمَنْ زَاغَ سَاءَتْ عِنْدَهُ الْحَسَنَةُ وَحَسُنَتْ عِنْدَهُ السَّيِّئَةُ وَسَكِرَ سُكْرَ الضَّلاَلَةِ، وَمَنْ شَاقَّ وَعُرَتْ عَلَيْهِ طُرُقُهُ وَأَعْضَلَ عَلَيْهِ أَمْرُهُ وَضَاقَ عَلَيْهِ مَخْرَجُهُ.

Unbelief stands on four supports: hankering after whims, mutual quarrelling, deviation from the truth, and dissension. So, whoever hankers after whims does not incline towards right: whoever quarrels much on account of ignorance remains permanently blinded from the right; whoever deviates from truth, for him good becomes evil and evil becomes good and he remains intoxicated with misguidance; and whoever makes a breach (with Allāh and His Messenger), his path becomes difficult, his affairs become complicated and his way of escape becomes narrow.

وَالشَّكُّ عَلَى أَرْبَعِ شُعَب: عَلَى التَّمَارِي وَالْهَوْلِ وَالتَّرَدُّدِ وَالِاسْتِسْلَامِ فَمَنْ جَعَلَ الْمِرَاءَ دَيْدَناً لَمْ يُصْبِحْ لَيْلُهُ وَمَنْ هَالَهُ مَا بَيْنَ يَدَيْهِ نَكَصَ عَلَى عَقِبَيْهِ وَمَن تَرَدَّدَ فِي الرَّيْبِ وَطِئَتْهُ سَنَابِكُ الشَّيَاطِينِ وَمَنِ اسْتَسْلَمَ لِهَلَكَةِ الدُّنْيَا وَالْآخِرَةِ هَلَكَ فِيهِمَا.

Doubt has also four aspects: unreasonableness, fear, wavering and undue submission to every thing. So, he who adopts unreasonableness as his way, for him there is no dawn after the night; he who is afraid of what befalls him has to run on his heels; he who wavers in doubt Satans trample him under their feet and he who submits to the destruction of this and the next world succumbs to it.

قال السيد الرضي: وبعد هذا كلام تركنا ذكره خوف الإطالة والخروج عن الغرض المقصود في هذا الكتاب.

As-Sayyid ar-Raḍī says: We have left out the remaining portion of this saying for fear of length and for being outside the purpose of this chapter.

١. قال (عليه السلام): كُنْ فِي الْفِتْنَةِ كَابْنِ اللَّبُونِ، لاَ ظَهْرٌ فَيُرْكَبَ، وَلاَ ضَرْعٌ فَيُحْلَبَ.

1. Amīr al-mu’minīn, peace be upon him, said: During civil disturbance be like an adolescent camel [1] who has neither a back strong enough for riding nor udders for milking.

٢. وَقَالَ (عليه‏ السلام): أَزْرَى بِنَفْسِهِ مَنِ اسْتَشْعَرَ الطَّمَعَ وَرَضِيَ بِالذُّلِّ مَنْ كَشَفَ عَنْ ضُرِّهِ وَهَانَتْ عَلَيْهِ نَفْسُهُ مَنْ أَمَّرَ عَلَيْهَا لِسَانَهُ.

2. Amīr al-mu’minīn, peace be upon him, said: He who adopts greed as a habit devalues himself; he who discloses his hardship agrees to humiliation; and he who allows his tongue to overpower his soul debases the soul.

٣. وَقَالَ (عليه السلام): الْبُخْلُ عَارٌ وَالْجُبْنُ مَنْقَصَةٌ وَالْفَقْرُ يُخْرِسُ الْفَطِنَ عَنْ حُجَّتِهِ وَالْمُقِلُّ غَرِيبٌ فِي بَلْدَتِهِ.

3. Amīr al-mu’minīn, peace be upon him, said: Miserliness is shame; cowardice is a defect; poverty disables an intelligent man from arguing his case; and a destitute person is a stranger in his home town.

٥. وَقَالَ (عليه ‏السلام): الْعِلْمُ وِرَاثَةٌ كَرِيمَةٌ وَالْآدَابُ حُلَلٌ مُجَدَّدَةٌ وَالْفِكْرُ مِرْآةٌ صَافِيَةٌ.

5. Amīr al-mu’minīn, peace be upon him, said: Knowledge is a venerable estate; good manners are new dresses; and thinking is clear mirror.

٣٤. وَقَالَ (عليه ‏السلام): أَشْرَفُ الْغِنَى تَرْكُ الْمُنَى.

34. Amīr al-mu’minīn, peace be upon him, said: The best of riches is the abandonement of desires.

٣٧. وَقَالَ (عليه ‏السلام): وَقَدْ لَقِيَهُ عِنْدَ مَسِيرِهِ إِلَى الشَّامِ دَهَاقِينُ الْأَنْبَارِ فَتَرَجَّلُوا لَهُ وَاشْتَدُّوا بَيْنَ يَدَيْهِ، فَقَالَ: مَا هذَا الَّذِي صَنَعْتُمُوهُ؟ فقالوا: خُلُقٌ مِنَّا نُعَظِّمُ بِهِ أُمَرَاءَنَا. فَقَالَ (عليه ‏السلام) وَاللهِ مَا يَنْتَفِعُ بِهذَا أُمَرَاؤُكُمْ! وَإِنَّكُمْ لَتَشُقُّونَ عَلَى أَنْفُسِكْمْ فِي دُنْيَاكُمْ، وَتَشْقَوْنَ بِهِ فِي آخِرَتِكُمْ، وَمَا أخْسرَ الْمَشَقَّةَ وَرَاءَهَا الْعِقَابُ، وَأَرْبَحَ الدَّعَةَ مَعَهَا الْأَمَانُ مِنَ النَّارِ.

37. Once Amīr al-mu’minīn, peace be upon him, was proceeding towards Syria when the countrymen of al-Anbār met him. Seeing him they began to walk on foot and then ran in front of him. He enquired why they were doing so and they replied that this was the way they respected their chiefs. Then he said: By Allāh, this does not benefit your chiefs. You are belabouring yourself in this world and earning misery for the next world by it. How harmful is the labour in whose wake there is punishment and how profitable is the case with which there is deliverance from the Fire (of Hell).

٤٠. وَقَالَ (عليه ‏السلام) : لِسَانُ الْعَاقِلِ وَرَاءَ قَلْبِهِ، وَقَلْبُ الْأَحْمَقِ وَرَاءَ لِسَانِهِ.

40. Amīr al-mu’minīn, peace be upon him, said: The tongue of the wise man is behind his heart, and the heart of the fool is behind his tongue.

قال السيد الرضي: و هذا من المعاني العجيبة الشريفة، والمراد به أنّ العاقل لا يطلق لسانه إلاّ بعد مشاورة الرَّوِيّةِ ومؤامرة الفكرة، والأحمق تسبق خذفاتُ لسانه وفلتاتُ كلامه مراجعةَ فكره ومماخضة رأيه، فكأن لسان العاقل تابع لقلبه، وكأن قلب الاحمق تابع للسانه.

As-Sayyid ar-Raḍī says: This sentence has a strange and beautiful meaning. It means that the wise man does not speak with his tongue except after consulting his mind and exercising his imagination, but the fool quickly utters whatever comes to his tongue without thinking. In this way, the tongue of the wise man follows his heart while the heart of the fool follows his tongue.

٤٢. وَقَالَ (عليه ‏السلام) لِبَعْضِ أَصْحَابِهِ فِي عِلَّةٍ اعْتَلَّهَا: جَعَلَ اللهُ مَا كَانَ مِنْ شَكْوَاكَ حطّاً لِسَيِّئَاتِكَ، فَإِنَّ الْمَرَضَ لَا أَجْرَ فِيهِ، وَلكِنَّهُ يَحُطُّ السَّيِّئَاتِ، وَيَحُتُّهَا حَتَّ الْأَوْرَاقِ، وَإِنَّمَا الْأَجْرُ فِي الْقَوْلِ بِالّلسَانِ، وَالْعَمَلِ بِالْأَيْدِي وَالْأَقْدَامِ، وَإِنَّ اللهَ سُبْحَانَهُ يُدْخِلُ بِصِدْقِ النِّيَّةِ وَالسَّرِيرَةِ الصَّالِحَةِ مَنْ يَشَاءُ مِنْ عَبَادِهِ الْجَنَّةَ.

42. Amīr al-mu’minīn, peace be upon him, said to one of his companions during his sickness: May Allāh make your illness a means for writing off your sins, because there is no reward for sickness but that it erases sins and makes them fall like (dried) leaves. Reward lies in saying by the tongue and doing something with the hands and feet. Certainly, Allāh, the Glorified, admits into Paradise by virtue of truthfulness of intention and chastity of heart to whomsoever He wishes from among His creatures.

قال السيد الرضي: و أقول: صدق (عليه السلام)، «إنّ المرض لا أجر فيه»، لانه ليس من قبيل ما يُستحَقّ عليه العوض، لان العوض يستحق على ما كان في مقابلة فعل الله تعالى بالعبد، من الآلام والأمراض، وما يجري مجرى ذلك، والأجر والثواب يستحقان على ما كان في مقابلة فعل العبد، فبينهما فرق قد بينه (عليه السلام)، كما يقتضيه علمه الثاقب ورأيه الصائب.

As-Sayyid ar-Raḍī says: Amīr al-mu’minīn is right in saying that there is no reward for sickness as such because compensation is admissible in respect of the acts of Allāh, the Sublime, towards his creatures such as grief, illness and the like, whereas reward and recompense becomes admissible against actions by the creature. This is the difference between the two and Amīr al-mu’minīn has clarified it through his lustrous knowledge and sound view.

٤٤. وَقَالَ (عليه ‏السلام): طُوبَى لِمَنْ ذَكَرَ الْمَعَادَ، وَعَمِلَ لِلْحِسَابِ، وَقَنِعَ بِالْكَفَافِ، وَرَضِيَ عَنِ اللهِ.

44. Amīr al-mu’minīn, peace be upon him, said: Blessed is the person who kept in mind the next life, acted so as to be able to render account, remained content with what sufficed him and remained pleased with Allāh.

٤٧. وَقَالَ (عليه ‏السلام): قَدْرُ الرَّجُلِ عَلَى قَدْرِ هِمَّتِهِ، وَصِدْقُهُ عَلَى قَدْرِ مُرُوءَتِهِ، وَشَجَاعَتُهُ عَلَى قَدْرِ أَنَفَتِهِ، وَعِفَّتُهُ عَلَى قَدْرِ غَيْرَتِهِ.

47. Amīr al-mu’minīn, peace be upon him, said: The worth of a man is according to his courage, his truthfulness is according to his balance of temper, his valour is according to his self-respect and his chasteness is according to his sense of shame.

٤٩. وَقَالَ (عليه ‏السلام): احْذَرُوا صَوْلَةَ الْكَرِيمِ إذَا جَاعَ، واللَّئِيمِ إِذَا شَبِعَ.

49. Amīr al-mu’minīn, peace be upon him, said: Fear the attack of a noble person when he is hungry, and that of an ignoble person when he is satiated. [1]

٥٢. وَقَالَ (عليه ‏السلام): أَوْلَى النَّاسِ بِالْعَفْوِ أَقْدَرُهُمْ عَلَى الْعُقُوبَةِ.

52. Amīr al-mu’minīn, peace be upon him, said: The most capable of pardoning is he who is the most powerful to punish.

٥٦. وَقَالَ (عليه ‏السلام): الْغِنَى فِي الْغُرْبَةِ وَطَنٌ، وَالْفَقْرُ فِي الْوَطَنِ غُرْبَةٌ.

56. Amīr al-mu’minīn, peace be upon him, said: With wealth a strange land is a homeland, while with destitution even a homeland is a strange land. [1]

٥٩. وَقَالَ (عليه ‏السلام): مَنْ حَذَّرَكَ كَمَنْ بَشَّرَكَ.

59. Amīr al-mu’minīn, peace be upon him, said: Whoever warns you is like one who gives you good tidings.

٤١٧. وَقَالَ (عليه ‏السلام) لِقَائِلٍ قَالَ بِحَضْرَتِهِ: أَسْتَغْفِرُ اللهَ.

417. Someone said before Amīr al-mu’minīn, peace be upon him: “astaghfiru’llāh” (I ask Allāh’s forgiveness), then Amīr al-mu’minīn, peace be upon him, said:

ثَكِلَتْكَ أُمُّكَ، أَتَدْرِي مَا الِاسْتِغْفَارُ؟ (إنَّ) الِاسْتِغْفَارُ دَرَجَةُ الْعِلِّيِّينَ، وَهُوَ اسْمٌ وَاقِعٌ عَلَى سِتَّةِ مَعَانٍ:

Your mother may lose you! Do you know what “istighfār” (asking Allāh’s forgiveness) is? “istighfār” is meant for people of a high position. It is a word that stands on six supports.

أَوَّلُهَا: النَّدَمُ عَلَى مَا مَضَى.

The first is to repent over the past;

وَالثَّانِي: الْعَزْمُ عَلَى تَرْكِ الْعَوْدِ إِلَيْهِ أَبَداً.

the second is to make a firm determination never to revert to it;

وَالثَّالِثُ: أَنْ تُؤَدِّيَ إِلَى الْـمَخْلُوقِينَ حُقُوقَهُمْ حَتَّى تَلْقَى اللهَ عزّوجلّ أَمْلَسَ لَيْسَ عَلَيْكَ تَبِعَةٌ.

the third is to discharge all the rights of people so that you may meet Allāh quite clean with nothing to account for;

وَالرَّابِعُ: أَنْ تَعْمِدَ إِلَى كُلِّ فَرِيضَةٍ عَلَيْكَ ضَيَّعْتَهَا فَتُؤَدِّيَ حَقَّهَا.

the fourth is to fulfil every obligation which you ignored (in the past) so that you may now do justice with it;

وَالْخَامِسُ: أَنْ تَعْمِدَ إِلَى اللَّحْمِ الَّذِي نَبَتَ عَلَى السُّحْتِ فَتُذِيبَهُ بِالْأَحْزَانِ، حَتَّى يَلْصِقَ الْجِلْدُ بِالْعَظْمِ، وَيَنْشَأَ بَيْنَهُمَا لَحْمٌ جَدِيدٌ.

the fifth is to aim at the flesh grown as a result of unlawful earning, so that you may melt it by grief (of repentance) till the skin touches the bone and a new flesh grows between them;

وَالسَّادِسُ: أَنْ تُذِيقَ الْجِسْمَ أَلَمَ الطَّاعَةِ كَمَا أَذَقْتَهُ حَلاَوَةَ الْمَعْصِيَةِ.

and the sixth is to make the body taste the pain of obedience as you (previously) made it taste the sweetness of disobedience.

فَعِنْدَ ذلِكَ تَقُولُ: أَسْتَغْفِرُاللهَ.

On such an occasion you may say “astaghfiru’llāh”.

٤١٩. وَقَالَ (عليه ‏السلام): مِسْكِينٌ ابْنُ آدَمَ: مَكْتُومُ الْأَجَلِ، مَكْنُونُ الْعِلَلِ، مَحْفُوظُ الْعَمَلِ، تَؤْلِمُهُ الْبَقَّةُ، وَتَقْتُلُهُ الشَّرْقَةُ وَتُنْتِنُهُ الْعَرْقَةُ.

419. Amīr al-mu’minīn, peace be upon him, said: How wretched the son of Adam (man) is! His death is hidden, his ailments are concealed, his actions are preserved, the bite of a mosquito pains him, choking causes his death and sweat gives him a bad smell.

٤٢٠. وَرُوِيَ أَنَّهُ (عليه السلام) كَانَ جَالِساً فِي أَصْحَابِهِ، فَمَرَّتْ بِهِمُ امْرَأَةٌ جَمِيلَةٌ، فَرَمَقَهَا الْقَوْمُ بِأَبْصَارِهِمْ فَقَالَ (عليه السلام) :

420. It is related that Amīr al-mu’minīn, peace be upon him, was sitting with his companions when a beautiful woman passed by them and they began to look at her whereupon Amīr al-mu’minīn, peace be upon him, said:

إِنَّ أَبْصَار هذِهِ الْفُحُولِ طَوَامِحُ وَإِنَّ ذلِكَ سَبَبُ هَبَابِهَا فإِذَا نَظَرَ أَحَدُكُمْ إِلَى امْرَأَةٍ تُعْجِبُهُ فَلْيُلاَمِسْ أَهْلَهُ، فَإِنَّمَا هِيَ امْرَأَهٌ كَامْرَأَةٍ.

The eyes of these men are covetous and this glancing is the cause of their becoming covetous. Whenever anyone of you sees a woman who attracts him, he should meet his wife because she is a woman like his wife.

فَقَالَ رَجُلٌ مِنَ الْخَوَارِجِ: قَاتَلَهُ اللَّهُ، كَافِراً مَا أَفْقَهَهُ. فَوَثَبَ الْقَوْمُ لِيَقْتُلُوهُ، فَقَالَ (عليه السلام) :

Then, one of the Khārijites said: Allāh may kill this heretic. How logical he is! The people then leapt towards him to kill him but Amīr al-mu’minīn, peace be upon him, said:

رُوَيْداً إِنَّمَا هُوَ سَبٌّ بِسَبٍّ، أَوْ عَفْوٌ عَنْ ذَنْبٍ.

Wait a bit. There should either be abuse for abuse or else pardon from the offence.

٤٢٢. وَقَالَ (عليه ‏السلام): افْعَلُوا الْخَيْرَ وَلَا تَحْقِرُوا مِنْهُ شَيْئاً، فَإِنَّ صَغِيرَهُ كَبِيرٌ وَقَلِيلَهُ كَثِيرٌ، وَلَا يَقُولَنَّ أَحَدُكُمْ: إِنَّ أَحَداً أَوْلَى بِفِعْلِ الْخَيْرِ مِنِّي فَيَكُونَ وَاللهِ كَذلِكَ، إِنَّ لِلْخَيْرِ وَالشَّرِّ أَهْلاً، فَمَهْمَا تَرَكْتُمُوهُ مِنْهُمَا كَفَاكُمُوهُ أَهْلُهُ.

422. Amīr al-mu’minīn, peace be upon him, said: Do good and do not regard any part of it small because its small is big and its little is much. No one of you should say that another person is more deserving than I in doing good. Otherwise, by Allāh, it would really be so. There are people of good and evil. When you would leave either of the two, others will perform them.

٤٢٣. وَقَالَ (عليه ‏السلام): مَنْ أَصْلَحَ سَرِيرَتَهُ أَصْلَحَ اللهُ عَلاَنِيَتَهُ، وَمَنْ عَمِلَ لِدِينِهِ كَفَاهُ اللهُ أَمْرَ دُنْيَاهُ، وَمَنْ أَحْسَنَ فِيَما بَيْنَهُ وبَيْنَ اللهِ، أَحْسَنَ اللَّهُ مَا بَيْنَهُ وَبَيْنَ النَّاسِ.

423. Amīr al-mu’minīn, peace be upon him, said: Whoever set right his inward self, Allāh sets right his outward self. Whoever performs acts for his religion, Allāh accomplishes his acts of this world. Whoever’s dealings between himself and Allāh are good, Allāh turns the dealings between him and other people good.

٤٢٥. وَقَالَ (عليه ‏السلام): إِنَّ لِلَّهِ عِبَاداً يَخْتَصُّهُمُ اللَّهُ بِالنِّعَمِ لِمَنَافِعِ الْعِبَادِ، فَيُقِرُّهَا فِي أَيْدِيهِمْ مَا بَذَلُوهَا، فَإِذَا مَنَعُوهَا نَزَعَهَا مِنْهُمْ، ثُمَّ حَوَّلَهَا إِلَى غَيْرِهِمْ.

425. Amīr al-mu’minīn, peace be upon him, said: There are some creatures of Allāh whom Allāh particularizes with favours for the benefit of the people, therefore He stays them in their hands so long as they give them to others; but when they deny them to others He takes away the favours from them and sends them to others.

٤٢٦. وَقَالَ (عليه ‏السلام): لَا يَنْبَغِي لِلْعَبْدِ أَنْ يَثِقَ بِخَصْلَتَيْنِ: الْعَافِيَةِ، وَالْغِنَى: بَيْنَا تَرَاهُ مُعَافًى إِذْ سَقِمَ، وَبَيْنَا تَرَاهُ غَنِيّاً إِذِ افْتَقَرَ.

426. Amīr al-mu’minīn, peace be upon them, said: It does not behove a man to have trust in two positions, health and riches, because there is many a man whom you see healthy but he soon falls sick and many a man whom you see rich but soon turns destitute.

٤٢٨. وَقَالَ (عليه ‏السلام) فِی بَعْضِ الْأَعْيَادِ: إِنَّمَا هُوَ عِيدٌ لِمَنْ قَبلَ اللهُ صِيَامَهُ وَشَكَرَ قِيَامَهُ، وَكُلُّ يَوْمٍ لَا يُعْصَى اللهُ فِيهِ فَهُوَ (يَوْمَ) عِيدٌ.

428. Amīr al-mu’minīn, peace be upon him, said on the occcasion of an ‘īd (Muslim feast day): It is an ‘īd for him whose fasting Allāh accepts and for whose prayers He is grateful; and (in fact) every day wherein no sin of Allāh is committed is an ‘īd. [1]

٤٢٩. وَقَالَ (عليه ‏السلام): إِنَّ أَعْظَمَ الْحَسَرَاتِ يَوْمَ الْقِيَامَةِ حَسْرَةُ رَجُلٍ كَسَبَ مَالًا فِي غَيْرِ طَاعَةِ اللهِ، فَوَرَّثَهُ رَجُلٌ فَأنْفَقَهُ فِي طَاعَةِ اللهِ سُبْحَانَهُ، فَدَخَلَ بِهِ الْجَنَّةَ، وَدَخَلَ الْأَوَّلُ بِهِ النَّارَ.

429. Amīr al-mu’minīn, peace be upon him, said: On the Day of Judgement the greatest regret will be felt by the man who earned wealth through sinful ways, although it is inherited by a person who spends it in obeying Allāh, the Glorified, and he will be awarded Paradise on that account while the first one will go into the Fire on account of it.

٤٣١. وَقَالَ (عليه ‏السلام): الرِّزْقُ رِزْقَانِ: طَالِبٌ، وَمَطْلُوبٌ، فَمَنْ طَلَبَ الدُّنْيَا طَلَبَهُ الْمَوْتُ حَتَّى يُخْرِجَهُ عَنْهَا، وَمَنْ طَلَبَ الْآخِرَةَ طَلَبَتْهُ الدُّنْيَا حَتَّى يَسْتَوْفِيَ رِزْقَهُ مِنْهَا.

431. Amīr al-mu’minīn, peace be upon him, said: Livelihood is of two kinds: the seeker and the sought. Therefore, he who hankers after this world death traces him till it turns him out of it; but he who hankers after the next world, worldly ease itself seeks him till he receives his livelihood from it.

٤٣٣. وَقَالَ (عليه ‏السلام): اذْكُرُوا انْقِطَاعَ الَّلذَّاتِ، وَبَقَاءَ التَّبِعَاتِ.

433. Amīr al-mu’minīn, peace be upon him, said: Remember that pleasures will pass away while the consequences will stay

٤٣٤. وَقَالَ (عليه ‏السلام): اخْبُرْ تَقْلِهِ.

434. Amīr al-mu’minīn, peace be upon him, said: Try (a man) and you will hate him.

قال السيد الرضي: ومن الناس من يروي هذا لرسول الله (صلى الله عليه وآله)، ومما يُقوّي أنه من كلام أميرالمؤمنين (عليه السلام) ما حكاه ثعلب قال: حدّثنا ابن الأعرابي قال: قال المأمون: لو لا أنّ علياً (عليه السلام) قال: «اخبُر تَقْلِهِ» لقلت أنا: اقْلِهِ تَخْبُرْ.

as-Sayyid ar-Raḍī says: Some people say this saying is of the Prophet (s.a.w.), but what confirms that it is the saying of Amīr al-mu’minīn (a.s.), is the statement related by Tha‘lab from Ibn al-A‘rābī namely that (Caliph) al-Ma’mūn said: “If ‘Alī had not said ‘ukhbur taqlihi’ (Try a man and you will hate him), I would have said, ‘aqlihi takhbur’ (Hate a man in order to try him).”

٤٣٦. وَقَالَ (عليه ‏السلام): أوْلَى النَّاسِ بِالْكَرَمِ مَنْ عَرَقتْ فيه الْكِرَامُ.

436. Amīr al-mu’minīn, peace be upon him, said: The most appropriate person for an honourable position is he who descends from the people of honour.

٤٣٧. وَسُئِلَ (علیه السلام) أَیُّهُمَا أَفْضَلُ: الْعَدْلُ أَوِ الْجُودُ؟ فَقَالَ (علیه السلام):

437. Amīr al-mu’minīn, peace be upon him, was asked: Which of the two is better; justice or generosity? Amīr al-mu’minīn, peace be upon him, replied:

الْعَدْلُ يَضَعُ الْأُمُورَ مَوَاضِعَهَا، والْجُودُ يُخْرِجُهَا عَنْ جِهَتِهَا، وَالْعَدْلُ سَائِسٌ عَامٌّ، وَالْجُودُ عَارضٌ خَاصٌّ، فَالْعَدْلُ أَشْرَفُهُمَا وَأَفْضَلُهُمَا.

Justice puts things in their places while generosity takes them out from their directions; justice is the general caretaker while generosity is a particular benefit. Consequently, justice is superior and more distinguished of the two.

۴۳۹. وَقَالَ (عليه ‏السلام): الزُّهْدُ كُلُّهُ بَيْنَ كَلِمَتَينِ مِنَ الْقُرْآنِ: قَالَ اللهُ سُبْحَانَهُ : ﴿لِّكَيْلَا تَأْسَوْا عَلَىٰ مَا فَاتَكُمْ وَلَا تَفْرَحُوا بِمَا آتَاكُمْ﴾، وَمَنْ لَمْ يَأْسَ عَلَى الْمَاضِي، وَلَمْ يَفْرَحْ بِالْآتِي، فَقَدْ أَخَذَ الزُّهْدَ بِطَرَفَيْهِ.

439. Amīr al-mu’minīn, peace be upon him, said: The whole of asceticism is confined between two expressions of the Qur’ān. Allāh, the Glorified says : “Lest distress you yourselves for what escapes you, and be overjoyous for what He has granted you” (Qur’ān, 57:23). Whoever does not grieve over what he misses and does not revel over what comes to him acquires asceticism from both its sides.

٤٤٠. وَقَالَ (عليه ‏السلام): مَا أَنْقَضَ النَّوْمَ لِعَزَائِمِ الْيَوْمِ.

440. Amīr al-mu’minīn, peace be upon him, said: What a breaker is sleep for resolutions of the day!

٤٤٢. وَقَالَ (عليه ‏السلام): لَيْسَ بَلَدٌ بأَحَقَّ بِكَ مِنْ بَلَدٍ، خَيْرُ الْبِلاَدِ مَا حَمَلَكَ.

442. Amīr al-mu’minīn, peace be upon him, said: No town has greater right on you than the other. The best town for you is that which bears you.

٤٤٣. وَقَالَ (عليه ‏السلام) وَقَدْ جَاءَهُ نَعْيُ الْأَشْتَرِ رَحِمَهُ اللَّهُ:

443. When the news of the death of (Mālik) al-Ashtar (may Allāh have mercy on him), reached Amīr al-mu’minīn, peace be upon him, he said:

مَالكٌ وَمَا مَالِكٌ! وَاللهِ لَوْ كَانَ جَبَلاً لَكَانَ فِنْداً، وَلَوْ كَانَ حَجَراً لَكَانَ صَلْداً، لَا يَرْتَقِيهِ الْحَافِرُ، وَلَا يُوفِي عَلَيْهِ الطَّائِرُ.

Mālik, what a man Mālik was! By Allāh, if he had been a mountain he would have been a big one (find), and if he had been a stone he would have been hard; no horseman could have reached it and no bird could have flown over it.

قال السيد الرضي: الفند: المنفرد من الجبال.

as-Sayyid ar-Raḍī says: “find” means a lonely mountain (rising in height above the range).

٤٤٥. وَقَالَ (عليه ‏السلام): إذَا كَانَ في رَجُلٍ خَلَّةٌ رَائِعَةٌ فَانْتَظِرُوا أَخَوَاتِهَا.

445. Amīr al-mu’minīn, peace be upon him, said: If a man possesses a revealing quality wait and see his other qualities. [1]

٤٤٦. وَقَالَ (عليه ‏السلام) لِغَالِبِ بْنِ صَعْصَعَةَ أَبِی الْفَرَزْدَقِ، فِی كَلَامٍ دَارَ بَيْنَهُمَا: مَا فَعَلَتْ إِبِلُكَ الْكثِيرَةُ؟

446. Amīr al-mu’minīn, peace be upon him, said to Ghālib ibn Ṣa‘ṣa‘ah, the father of al-Farazdaq (the famous Arabic poet) during a conversation between them: What about the large number of your camels?

قال: ذَعْذَعَتْها الحُقُوقُ يا أميرالمؤمنين.

The man replied: They have been swept away by (discharging of) obligations, O’ Amīr al-mu’minīn!

فَقَالَ (عليه السلام) : ذَاكَ أَحْمَدُ سُبُلِهَا.

Whereupon Amīr al-mu’minīn, peace be upon him, said: That is the most praiseworthy way of (losing) them.

٤٤٨. وَقَالَ (عليه ‏السلام): مَنْ عَظَّمَ صِغَارَ الْمَصَائِبِ ابْتَلاَهُ اللهُ بِكِبَارِهَا.

448. Amīr al-mu’minīn, peace be upon him, said: Whoever regards small distresses as big, Allāh involves him in big ones.

٤٤٩. وَقَالَ (عليه ‏السلام): مَنْ كَرُمَتْ عَلَيْهِ نَفْسُهُ هَانَتْ عَلَيْهِ شَهْوَتُهُ.

449. Amīr al-mu’minīn, peace be upon him, said: Whoever maintains his own respect in view, his desires appear light to him.

٤٥١. وَقَالَ (عليه ‏السلام): زُهْدُكَ فِي رَاغِبٍ فِيكَ نُقْصَانُ حَظٍّ، وَرَغْبَتُكَ فِي زَاهِدٍ فِيكَ ذُلُّ نَفْسٍ.

451. Amīr al-mu’minīn, peace be upon him, said: Your turning away from him who inclines towards you is a loss of your share of advantage while your inclining towards him who turns away from you is humiliation for yourself.

۴۵۲. وَقَالَ (عليه ‏السلام): الْغِنَى وَالْفَقْرُ بَعْدَ الْعَرْضِ عَلَى اللهِ.

452. Amīr al-mu’minīn, peace be upon him, said: Riches and destitution will follow presentation before Allāh.

٤٥٤. وَقَالَ (عليه ‏السلام): مَا لِابْنِ آدَمَ وَالْفَخْرِ: أَوَّلُهُ نُطْفَةٌ، وَآخِرُهُ جِيفَةٌ، وَلَا يَرْزُقُ نَفْسَهُ، وَلَا يَدفَعُ حَتْفَهُ.

454. Amīr al-mu’minīn, peace be upon him, said: What has a man to do with vanity. His origin is semen and his end is a carcass while he cannot feed himself nor ward off death. [1]

٤٥٦. وَقَالَ (عليه ‏السلام): أَلَا حُرٌّ يَدَعُ هذِهِ اللُّمَاظَةَ لِأَهْلِهَا؟ إِنَّهُ لَيْسَ لِأَنْفُسِكُمْ ثَمَنٌ إِلَّا الْجَنَّةَ، فَلاَ تَبِيعُوهَا إِلَّا بِهَا.

456. Amīr al-mu’minīn, peace be upon him, said: Is there no free man who can leave this chewed morsel (of the world) to those who like it? Certainly, the only price for yourselves is Paradise. Therefore, do not sell yourself except for Paradise.

٤٥٧. وَقَالَ (عليه ‏السلام): مَنْهُومَانِ لَا يَشْبَعَانِ: طَالِبُ عِلْمٍ، وَطَالِبُ دُنْيَا.

457. Amīr al-mu’minīn, peace be upon him, said: Two greedy persons never get satiated, the seeker of knowledge and the seeker of this world.

٤٥٩. وَقَالَ (عليه ‏السلام): يَغْلِبُ الْمِقْدَارُعَلَى التَّقْديرِ حَتَّى تَكُونَ الْآفَةُ فِي التَّدْبِيرِ.

459. Amīr al-mu’minīn, peace be upon him, said: Destiny holds sway over (our) predetermination till effort itself brings about ruin.

قال السيد الرضي: وقد مضى هذا المعنى فيما تقدم برواية تخالف هذه الألفاظ.

as-Sayyid ar-Raḍī says: Something of this meaning has already appeared earlier though in words different from these.

٤٦٠. وَقَالَ (عليه ‏السلام): الْحِلْمُ وَالْأَنَاةُ تَوْأَمَانِ يُنْتِجُهُمَا عُلُوُّ الْهِمَّةِ.

460. Amīr al-mu’minīn, peace be upon him, said: Forbearance and endurance are twins and they are the product of high courage.

٤٦٢. وَقَالَ (عليه ‏السلام): رُبَّ مَفْتُونٍ بِحُسْنِ الْقَوْلِ فِيهِ.

462. Amīr al-mu’minīn, peace be upon him, said: Many a man gets into mischief because of being spoken well about.

٤٦٣. وَقَالَ (عليه ‏السلام): الدُّنْيَا خُلِقَتْ لِغَيْرِهَا، ولَمْ تُخْلَقْ لِنَفْسِهَا.

463. Amīr al-mu’minīn, peace be upon him, said: This world has been created for other than itself and has not been created for itself.

٤٦٥. وَقَالَ (عليه ‏السلام) فِي مَدْحِ الْأَنْصَارِ:

465. Amīr al-mu’minīn, peace be upon him, said eulogizing the anṣār:

هُمْ وَاللهِ رَبَّوُا الْإِسْلَامَ كَمَا يُرَبَّى الْفَلُوُّخ مَعَ غَنَائِهِمْ بَأَيْدِيهِمُ السِّبَاطِ وَأَلْسِنَتِهِمُ السِّلاَطِ.

By Allāh, they nurtured Islam with their generous hands and eloquent tongues as a year old calf is nurtured.

٤٦٦. وَقَالَ (عليه ‏السلام): الْعَيْنُ وِكَاءُ السَّهِ.

466. Amīr al-mu’minīn, peace be upon him, said: The eye is the strap of the rear.

قال السيد الرضي: وَهذه من الاستعارات العجيبة، كأنه شبّه السّهَ بالوعاء، والعين بالوكاء، فإذا أُطلق الوكاءُ لم ينضبطِ الوعاءُ وَهذا القول في الأشهر الأظهر من كلام النبي (صلى الله عليه وآله)، وَقد رواه قوم لأمير المؤمنين (عليه السلام)، وَذكر ذلك المبرّد في كتاب المقتضب في باب اللفظ بالحروف. وَقد تكلمنا على هذه الاستعارة في كتابنا الموسوم: بمجازات الآثار النبوية.

as-Sayyid ar-Raḍī says: This is a wonderful metaphor, it is as though Amīr al-mu’minīn has likened the rear part of the body with a bag and the eye with a strap. When the strap is let loose the bag cannot retain anything. According to the well-known and reputed view it is the saying of the Prophet but some people have stated it to be of Amīr al-mu’minīn. al-Mubarrad has mentioned it in his book al-Muqtaḍab under the chapter ‘Words of single letters’. We too have discussed this metaphor in our book named Majāzāt al-āthār an-nabawiyyah.

٤٦٨. وَقَالَ (عليه ‏السلام): يَأْتِي عَلَى النَّاسِ زَمَانٌ عَضُوضٌ يَعَضُّ الْمُوسِرُ فِيهِ عَلَى مَا فِي يَدَيْهِ وَلَمْ يُؤْمَرْ بِذلِكَ، قَالَ اللهُ سُبْحَانَهُ: ﴿وَلَا تَنسَوُا الْفَضْلَ بَيْنَكُمْ﴾، تَنْهَدُ فِيهِ الْأَشْرَارُ، وَتُسْتَذَلُّ الْأَخْيَارُ، ويُبَايعُ الْمُضْطَرُّونَ، وَقَدْ نَهَى رَسُولُ اللهِ (صَلى اللهُ عليه و آله و سلم) عَنْ بِيَعِ الْمُضْطَرِّينَ.

468. Amīr al-mu’minīn, peace be upon him, said: A severe time will come upon the people wherein the rich will seize their possessions with their teeth (by way of miserliness) although they have not been commanded to do so. Allāh the Glorified, says: Forget not generosity among yourselves (Qur’ān, 2:237). During this time the wicked will rise up while the virtuous will remain low and purchases will be made from the helpless although the Prophet, peace be upon him and his descendants, has prohibited purchasing from the helpless. [1]

٤٦٩. وَقَالَ (عليه ‏السلام): يَهْلِكُ فِيَّ رَجُلاَنِ: مُحِبٌّ مُفْرِطٌ، وَبَاهِتٌ مُفْتَرٍ.

469. Amīr al-mu’minīn, peace be upon him, said: Two types of persons will fall into ruin over me: The one who loves exaggerates and the other who lays false and baseless blames.

قال السيد الرضي: وهذا مثل قوله (عليه ‏السلام): هَلَكَ فِيَّ رَجُلَانِ مُحِبٌّ غَالٍ ومُبْغِضٌ قَالٍ.

as-Sayyid ar-Raḍī says: This is on the lines of Amīr al-mu’minin’s own saying which runs as: “Two categories of persons will be ruined over me: the one who loves exaggeratingly and the hater and malicebearer.” [1]

٤٧١. وَقَالَ (عليه ‏السلام): لَا خَيْرَ فِي الصَّمْتِ عَنِ الْحُكْمِ، كَمَا أنَّهُ لَا خَيْرَ فِي الْقَوْلِ بِالْجَهْلِ.

471. Amīr al-mu’minīn, peace be upon him, said: There is no good in silence over matters involving wisdom just as there is no good in speaking with ignorance.

٤٧٢. وَقَالَ (عليه ‏السلام) فِي دُعَاءٍ اسْتَسْقَى بِهِ:

472. Amīr al-mu’minīn, peace be upon him, said in his prayer for seeking rain:

اللَّهُمَّ اسْقِنَا ذُلُلَ السَّحَابِ دُونَ صِعَابِهَا.

O’ my Allāh, send us rain by submissive clouds not by unruly ones.

قال السيد الرضي : وهذا من الكلام العجيب الفصاحة، وذلك أنه (عليه السلام) شبّه السحاب ذوات الرُّعود والبوارق والرياح والصواعق بالإبل الصّعاب التي تَقْمُصُ برحالها وتقِصُّ بركبانها، وشبّه السحاب خاليةً من تلك الروائع بالإبل الذُّلُلِ التي تُحْتَلَبُ طَيِّعَةً‌ وتُقْتَعَدُ مُسْمِحَةً.

as-Sayyid ar-Raḍī says: This is an expression of wonderful eloquence, because Amīr al-mu’minīn, peace be upon him, has likened the cloud which is accompanied by thunder, lighting, wind and flashes with unruly camels who throw away their saddles and throw down their riders, and likened the clouds free from these terrible things to the submissive camels which are easy to milk and obedient to ride.

٤٧٤. وَقَالَ (عليه ‏السلام): مَا الْـمُجَاهِدُ الشَّهِيدُ فِي سَبِيلِ اللهِ بِأَعْظَمَ أَجْراً مِمَّنْ قَدَرَ فَعَفَّ، لَكَادَ الْعَفِيفُ أَنْ يَكُونَ مَلَكاً مِنَ الْمَلاَئِكَةِ.

474. Amīr al-mu’minīn, peace be upon him, said: The fighter in the way of Allāh who gets martyred would not get a greater reward than he who remains chaste despite means. It is possible that a chaste person may become one of the angels.

٤٧٥. وَقَالَ (عليه ‏السلام): الْقَنَاعَةُ مَالٌ لَا يَنْفَدُ.

475. Amīr al-mu’minīn, peace be upon him, said: Contentment is a wealth that does not exhaust.

قال السيد الرضي: وقد رَوى بعضُهم هذا الكلام عن النبی (صلى الله علیه وآله).

as-Sayyid ar-Raḍī says: Some people have related that this is the saying of the Messenger of Allāh, peace be upon him and his descendants.

٤٧٧. وَقَالَ (عليه ‏السلام): أَشَدُّ الذُّنُوبِ مَا اسْتَخَفَّ بِهِ صَاحِبُهُ.

477. Amīr al-mu’minīn, peace be upon him, said: The worst sin is that which the committer takes lightly.

٤٧٩. وَقَالَ (عليه ‏السلام): شَرُّ الْإِخْوَانِ مَنْ تُكُلِّفَ لَهُ.

479. Amīr al-mu’minīn, peace be upon him, said: The worst comrade is he for whom formality has to be observed. [1]

قال السيد الرضي: لأن التكليف مستلزمٌ للمشقة، وهو شرٌ لازمٌ عن الأخ المتَكلّفِ له، فهو شرُّ الإخوان.

as-Sayyid ar-Raḍī says: This is because formality is inseparable from hardship and it is an evil that is caused by a comrade for whom formality is observed. Consequently, he is the worst of all comrades.

٤٨٠. وَقَالَ (عليه ‏السلام): إِذَا احْتَشَمَ الْمُؤْمِنُ أَخَاهُ فَقَدْ فَارَقَهُ.

480. Amīr al-mu’minīn, peace be upon him, said: If a believer enrages (iḥtashama) his brother, it means that he leaves him.

قال السيد الرضي: يقال: حشمه وأحشمه: إذا أغضبه، وقيل: أخجله، واحتشمه: طلب ذلك له، وهو مَظِنّة مفارقته.

as-Sayyid ar-Raḍī says: It is said “ḥashamahu” or “aḥshamahu” to mean “He enraged him”. According to another view it means “He humiliated him”. While “iḥtashamahu” means “He sought these for him”, and that is most likely to cause him to separate.

* * * * *

* * * * *

وهذا حين انتهاء الغاية بنا إلى قطع المختار من كلام أمير المؤمنين عليه السلام، حامدين للّه سبحانه على ما منّ به من توفيقنا لضم ما انتشر من أطرافه، و تقريب ما بعد من أقطاره. وتقرر العزم كما شرطنا أولا على تفضيل أوراق من البياض في آخر كل باب من الأبواب، ليكون لاقتناص الشارد، واستلحاق الوارد، وما عسى أن يظهر لنا بعد الغموض، ويقع إلينا بعد الشذوذ، وما توفيقنا إلا باللّه عليه توكلنا، وهو حسبنا ونعم الوكيل.

This is the end of our selection of the utterances of Amīr al-mu’minīn, peace be upon him, We are praiseful to Allāh, the Glorified, for having enabled us to collect the scattered utterances from various sides and to bring together from different places the material that was lying far away. We intend, as we stipulated in the beginning, to leave some blank pages at the end of every chapter for the insertion of whatever we may get and the addition of whatever comes to us, for it is possible that some material which is not in our view at present or which is not available may become known to us and fall in our hands. We have no ability save through Allāh. In Him we trust, and He is Sufficient for us. He is the best Supporter.

وذلك في رجب سنة أربع مائة من الهجرة،

This book was completed in the month of Rajab, in the year 400 A.H.

وصلى اللّه على سيدنا محمد خاتم الرسل، والهادي إلى خير السبل، وآله الطاهرين، وأصحابه نجوم اليقين.

May Allāh send blessings on our master Muḥammad the last of the prophets who guided us towards the best path, and his chaste descendants and his companions who are the stars of conviction.

٦٢. وَقَالَ (عليه ‏السلام): إِذَا حُيِّيْتَ بِتَحِيَّةٍ فَحَيِّ بِأَحْسَنَ مِنْهَا، وإِذَا أُسْدِيَتْ إِلَيْكَ يَدٌ فَكَافِئْهَا بِمَا يُرْبِي عَلَيْهَا، وَالْفَضْلُ مَعَ ذلِكَ لِلْبَادِئِ.

62. Amīr al-mu’minīn, peace be upon him, said: If you are met with a greeting, give better greetings in return. If a hand of help is extended to you, do a better favour in return, although the credit would remain with the one who was first.

٦٥. وَقَالَ (عليه ‏السلام): فَقْدُ الْأَحِبَّةِ غُرْبَةٌ.

65. Amīr al-mu’minīn, peace be upon him, said: A lack of friends means strangeness.

٦٨. وَقَالَ (عليه ‏السلام): الْعَفَافُ زِينَةُ الْفَقْرِ، والشُّكْرُ زِينَةُ الغِنَى.

68. Amīr al-mu’minīn, peace be upon him, said: Charity is the adornment of destitution while gratefulness (to Allāh) is the adornment of riches.

٧٠. وَقَالَ (عليه ‏السلام): لَا تَرَى الْجَاهِلَ إِلَّا مُفْرِطاً أَوْ مُفَرِّطاً.

70. Amīr al-mu’minīn, peace be upon him, said: You will not find an ignorant person but at one extreme or the other (i.e. a person who neglects or a person who exaggerates).

٧٣. وَقَالَ (عليه ‏السلام): مَنْ نَصَبَ نَفْسَهُ لِلنَّاسِ إِمَاماً فَلْيَبْدَأْ بِتَعْلِيمِ نَفْسِهِ قَبْلَ تَعْلِيمِ غَيْرِهِ، وَلْيَكُنْ تَأْدِيبُهُ بِسِيرَتِهِ قَبْلَ تَأْدِيبِهِ بِلِسَانِهِ، وَمُعَلِّمُ نَفْسِهِ وَمُؤَدِّبُهَا أَحَقُّ بِالْإِجْلَالِ مِنْ مُعَلِّمِ النَّاسِ وَمُؤَدِّبِهِمْ.

73. Amīr al-mu’minīn, peace be upon him, said: Whoever places himself as a leader of the people should commence with educating his own self before educating others; and his teaching should be by his own conduct before teaching by the tongue. The person who teaches and instructs his own self is more entitled to esteem then he who teaches and instructs others.

٧٦. وَقَالَ (عليه ‏السلام): إِنَّ الْأُمُورَ إذا اشْتَبَهَتْ اعْتُبِرَ آخِرُهَا بِأَوَّلِهَا.

76. Amīr al-mu’minīn, peace be upon him, said: If matters get mixed up then the last ones should be appreciated according to the previous one. [1]

٧٩. وَقَالَ (عليه ‏السلام): خُذِ الْحِكْمَةَ أَنَّى كَانَتْ فَإِنَّ الْحِكْمَةَ تَكُونُ فِي صَدْرِ الْمُنَافِقِ فَتَلَجْلَجُ فِي صَدْرِهِ حَتَّى تَخْرُجَ فَتَسْكُنَ إِلَى صَوَاحِبِهَا فِي صَدْرِ الْمُؤْمِن.

79. Amīr al-mu’minīn, peace be upon him, said: Take wise points from wherever they may be, because if a wise saying is in the bosom of a hypocrite it flutters in his bosom till it comes out and settles with others of its own category in the bosom of the believer.

٨١. وَقَالَ (عليه ‏السلام): قِيمَةُ كُلِّ امْرِئٍ مَا يُحْسِنُهُ.

81. Amīr al-mu’minīn, peace be upon him, said: The worth of every man is in his attainments. [1]

قال السيد الرضي: وهي الكلمة التي لا تصاب لها قيمة ولا توزن بها حكمة ولا تقرن إليها كلمة.

as-Sayyid ar-Raḍī says: This is the sentence whose value cannot be assessed, with which no wise saying can be weighed and with which no other sentence can be matched.

٨٤. وَقَالَ (عليه ‏السلام): بَقِيَّةُ السَّيْفِ أَبْقَى عَدَداً وَأَكْثَرُ وَلَداً.

84. Amīr al-mu’minīn, peace be upon him, said: The survivors of the sword (from getting killed) are large in number and have a large progeny.

٨٧. وَقَالَ (عليه ‏السلام): عَجِبْتُ لِمَنْ يَقْنَطُ وَمَعَهُ الِاسْتِغْفَارُ.

87. Amīr al-mu’minīn, peace be upon him, said: I wonder about the man who loses hope despite the possibility of seeking forgiveness.

٨٩. وَقَالَ (عليه ‏السلام): مَنْ أَصْلَحَ مَا بَيْنَهُ وَبَيْنَ اللهِ أَصْلَحَ اللهُ مَا بَيْنَهُ وَبَيْنَ النَّاسِ، وَمَنْ أَصْلَحَ أَمْرَ آخِرَتِهِ أَصْلَحَ اللهُ لَهُ أَمْرَ دُنْيَاهُ، وَمَنْ كَانَ لَهُ مِنْ نَفْسِهِ وَاعِظٌ كَانَ عَلَيْهِ مِنَ اللهِ حَافِظٌ.

89. Amīr al-mu’minīn, peace be upon him, said: If a man sets right matters between himself and Allāh, then Allāh sets right matters between him and other people; and if a man sets right the affairs of his next life then Allāh sets right for him the affairs of this world. Whoever is a preacher for himself is protected by Allāh.

٩٢. وَقَالَ (عليه ‏السلام): أَوْضَعُ الْعِلْمِ مَا وُقِفَ عَلَى اللِّسَانِ وَأَرْفَعُهُ مَا ظَهَرَ فِي الْجَوَارِحِ وَالْأَرْكَانِ.

92. Amīr al-mu’minīn, peace be upon him, said: The lowest form of knowledge is that which remains on the tongue and the most superior form is that which manifests itself through (the action of) the limbs and the organs of the body.

٩٤. وَسُئِلَ (عليه ‏السلام) وَعَنِ الْخَيْرِ مَا هُوَ؟ فَقَالَ لَيْسَ الْخَيْرُ أَنْ يَكْثُرَ مَالُكَ وَ وَلَدُكَ وَلَكِنَّ الْخَيْرَ أَنْ يَكْثُرَ عِلْمُكَ وَأَنْ يَعْظُمَ حِلْمُكَ وَأَنْ تُبَاهِيَ النَّاسَ بِعِبَادَةِ رَبِّكَ فَإِنْ أَحْسَنْتَ حَمِدْتَ اللَّهَ وَإِنْ أَسَأْتَ اسْتَغْفَرْتَ اللَّهَ وَلَا خَيْرَ فِى الدُّنْيَا إِلَّا لِرَجُلَيْنِ رَجُلٍ أَذْنَبَ ذُنُوباً فَهُوَ يَتَدَارَكُهَا بِالتَّوْبَةِ وَرَجُلٍ يُسَارِعُ فِى الْخَيْرَاتِ.

94. Amīr al-mu’minīn, peace be upon him, was asked what is good and he replied: Good is not that your wealth and progeny should be much, but good is that your knowledge should be much, your forbearance should be great, and that you should vie with other people in worship of Allāh. If you do good deeds you thank Allāh, but if you commit evil you seek forgiveness of Allāh. In this world good is for two persons only; the man who commits sins but rectifies them by repentance; and the man who hastens towards good actions.

٩٥. وَقَالَ (عليه ‏السلام): لَا يَقِلُّ عَمَلٌ مَعَ التَّقْوَى وَكَيْفَ يَقِلُّ مَا يُتَقَبَّلُ.

95. Amīr al-mu’minīn, peace be upon him, said: Action accompanied by fear for Allāh does not fail, and how can a thing fail that has been accepted. [1]

٩٦. وَقَالَ (عليه ‏السلام): إِنَّ أَوْلَى النَّاسِ بِالْأَنْبِيَاءِ أَعْلَمُهُمْ بِمَا جَاءُوا بِهِ، ثُمَّ تَلاَ (عليه السلام): (إِنَّ أَوْلَى النَّاسِ بِإِبْرَاهِيمَ لَلَّذِينَ اتَّبَعُوهُ وَهَـٰذَا النَّبِيُّ وَالَّذِينَ آمَنُوا ۗ وَاللهُ وَلِيُّ الْمُؤْمِنِينَ) ثُمَّ قَالَ (عليه ‏السلام): إِنَّ وَلِيَّ مُحَمَّد مَنْ أَطَاعَ اللهَ وإِنْ بَعُدَتْ لُحْمَتُهُ، وَإِنَّ عَدُوَّ مُحَمَّد مَنْ عَصَى اللهَ وَإِنْ قَرُبَتْ قَرَابَتُهُ!

96. Amīr al-mu’minīn, peace be upon him, said: The persons most attached to the prophets are those who know most what the prophets have brought. Then Amīr al-mu’minīn recited the verse: “Verily, of men the nearest to Abraham are surely those who followed him and this (Our) Prophet (Muḥammad) and those who believe.” (Qur’ān, 3:68) Then he said: The friend of Muḥammad is he who obeys Allāh, even though he may have no blood relationship, and the enemy of Muḥammad is he who disobeys Allāh even though he may have near kinship.

٩٨. سَمِعَ (عليه ‏السلام) رَجُلًا مِنَ الْحَرُورِيَّةِ يَتَهَجَّدُ وَيَقْرَأُ فَقَالَ: نَوْمٌ عَلَى يَقِينٍ خَيْرٌ مِنْ صَلَاةٍ فِى شَكٍّ.

97. Amīr al-mu’minīn, peace be upon him, heard about a Kharijite who said the mid-night prayers and recited the Qur’ān, then he said: Sleeping in a state of firm belief is better than praying in a state of doubtfulness.

٩٩. وَسَمِعَ رَجُلًا يَقُولُ (إِنَّا لِلهِ وَإِنَّا إِلَيْهِ رَاجِعُونَ). فَقَالَ: إِنَّ قَوْلَنَا إِنَّا لِلهِ إِقْرَارٌ عَلَى أَنْفُسِنَا بِالْمُلْكِ وَقَوْلَنَا وَإِنَّا إِلَيْهِ رَاجِعُونَ إِقْرَارٌ عَلَى أَنْفُسِنَا بِالْهُلْكِ.

99. Amīr al-mu’minīn, peace be upon him, heard a man recite: Verily we are Allāh’s and verily to Him shall we return (Qur’ān, 2:156). Then he said: Our saying “innā lillāh” (Verily we are Allāh’s) is an admission of His Majesty over us and our saying “wa innā ilayhī raji‘un” (and verily to Him shall we return) is an admission of our being mortal.

١٠٢. وَقَالَ (عليه السلام): يَأْتِى عَلَى النَّاسِ زَمَانٌ لَا يُقَرَّبُ فِيهِ إِلَّا الْمَاحِلُ وَلَا يُظَرَّفُ فِيهِ إِلَّا الْفَاجِرُ وَلَا يُضَعَّفُ فِيهِ إِلَّا الْمُنْصِفُ يَعُدُّونَ الصَّدَقَةَ فِيهِ غُرْماً وَصِلَةَ الرَّحِمِ مَنّاً وَالْعِبَادَةَ اسْتِطَالَةً عَلَى النَّاسِ فَعِنْدَ ذَلِكَ يَكُونُ السُّلْطَانُ بِمَشُورَةِ النِّسَاءِ وَإِمَارَةِ الصِّبْيَانِ وَتَدْبِيرِ الْخِصْيَانِ.

102. Amīr al-mu’minīn, peace be upon him, said: Shortly a time will come for people when high positions will be given only to those who defame others, when vicious people will be regarded as witty and the just will be regarded as weak. People will regard charity as a loss, consideration for kinship as an obligation, and worship grounds for claiming greatness among others. At this time, authority will be exercised through the counsel of women, the posting of young boys in high positions and the running of the administration by eunuchs.

١٠٤. وَعَنْ نَوْفٍ الْبَكَالِيِّ قَالَ: رَأَيْتُ أَمِيرَ الْمُؤْمِنِينَ (عليه السلام) ذَاتَ لَيْلَةٍ وَقَدْ خَرَجَ مِنْ فِرَاشِهِ فَنَظَرَ فِي النُّجُومِ، فَقَالَ لِي: يَا نَوْفُ أَ رَاقِدٌ أَنْتَ أَمْ رَامِقٌ، فَقُلْتُ بَلْ رَامِقٌ، قَالَ:

104. It is related by Nawf al-Bikālī that: I saw that one night Amīr al-mu’minīn, peace be upon him, came out from his bed and looked at the stars, then he said to me: “O Nawf, are you awake or sleeping?” I said: “I am awake, O Amīr al-mu’minīn.” Then he said:

يَا نَوْفُ طُوبَى لِلزَّاهِدِينَ فِى الدُّنْيَا الرَّاغِبِينَ فِى الْآخِرَةِ أُولَئِكَ قَوْمٌ اتَّخَذُوا الْأَرْضَ بِسَاطاً وَتُرَابَهَا فِرَاشاً وَمَاءَهَا طِيباً وَالْقُرْآنَ شِعَاراً وَالدُّعَاءَ دِثَاراً ثُمَّ قَرَضُوا الدُّنْيَا قَرْضاً عَلَى مِنْهَاجِ الْمَسِيحِ.

O Nawf! Blessed be those who abstain from this world and are eager for the next world. They are the people who regard this earth as a floor; its dust as their bed-cloth; and its water as their perfume; they recite the Qur’ān in low tones and supplicate in high tones and then they are cut off from the world like ‘Īsā (Jesus).

يَا نَوْفُ إِنَّ دَاوُدَ (عليه السلام) قَامَ فِى مِثْلِ هَذِهِ السَّاعَةِ مِنَ اللَّيْلِ فَقَالَ إِنَّهَا لَسَاعَةٌ لَا يَدْعُو فِيهَا عَبْدٌ إِلَّا اسْتُجِيبَ لَهُ إِلَّا أَنْ يَكُونَ عَشَّاراً أَوْ عَرِيفاً أَوْ شُرْطِيّاً أَوْ صَاحِبَ عَرْطَبَةٍ ـ وَهِيَ الطُّنْبُورُ ـ أَوْ صَاحِبَ كَوْبَةٍ ـ وَهِيَ الطَّبْلُ،

O Nawf! The prophet Dāwūd (David), peace be upon him, rose up at a similar hour one night and said, “This is the hour when whatever a person prays for is granted to him unless he is a tax-collector, an intelligence man, a police officer, a lute player or a drummer.”

قال السيد الرضى: وَقَدْ قِيلَ أَيْضاً إِنَّ الْعَرْطَبَةَ الطَّبْلُ وَالْكَوْبَةَ الطُّنْبُورُ.

As-Sayyid ar-Raḍī says: It is also said that “‘arṭabah” means ‘ṭabl’ (drum) and “kūbah’’ means ‘lute’.

١٠٦. وَقَالَ (عليه ‏السلام): لَا يَتْرُكُ النَّاسُ شَيْئاً مِنْ أَمْرِ دِينِهِمْ لِاسْتِصْلَاحِ دُنْيَاهُمْ إِلَّا فَتَحَ اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِمْ مَا هُوَ أَضَرُّ مِنْهُ.

106. Amīr al-mu’minīn, peace be upon him, said: If people give up something relating to religion to set right their worldly affairs, Allah will inflict upon them something more harmful than that.

١٠٩. وَقَالَ (عليه ‏السلام): نَحْنُ النُّمْرُقَةُ الْوُسْطَى بِهَا يَلْحَقُ التَّالِى وَإِلَيْهَا يَرْجِعُ الْغَالِى.

109. Amīr al-mu’minīn, peace be upon him, said: We (the members of the Prophet’s family) are like the pillow in the middle. He who lags behind has to come forward to meet it while he who has exceeded the bounds has to return to it.

١١١. وَقَالَ (عليه ‏السلام) وَقَدْ تُوُفِّيَ سَهْلُ بْنُ حُنَيْفٍ الْأَنْصَارِيُّ بِالْكُوفَةِ بَعْدَ مَرْجِعِهِ مَعَهُ مِنْ صِفِّينَ، وَكَانَ أَحَبَّ النَّاسِ إِلَيْهِ: لَوْ أَحَبَّنِي جَبَلٌ لَتَهَافَتَ.

111. Sahl ibn Ḥunayf al-Anṣārī died at Kūfah after his return from the battle of Ṣiffīn and he was very much loved by Amīr al-mu’minīn, peace be upon him. On this occasion Amīr al-mu’minīn said: Even if a mountain had loved me, it would have crumbled down.

قال السيد الرضى: معنى ذلك أن المحنة تغلظ عليه فتسرع المصائب إليه ولا يفعل ذلك إلا بالأتقياء الأبرار والمصطفين الأخيار وهذا مثل قوله (عليه السلام):

As-Sayyid ar-Raḍī says: The meaning of this is that since the trial of the man who loves Amīr al-mu’minīn will be so severe troubles would leap towards him, and this is not the case except with the God-fearing, the virtuous and select good. There is another similar saying of Amīr al-mu’minīn’s individuals, namely:

١١٤. وَقَالَ (عليه ‏السلام): إِذَا اسْتَوْلَى الصَّلَاحُ عَلَى الزَّمَانِ وَأَهْلِهِ ثُمَّ أَسَاءَ رَجُلٌ الظَّنَّ بِرَجُلٍ لَمْ تَظْهَرْ مِنْهُ حَوْبَةٌ فَقَدْ ظَلَمَ وَإِذَا اسْتَوْلَى الْفَسَادُ عَلَى الزَّمَانِ وَأَهْلِهِ فَأَحْسَنَ رَجُلٌ الظَّنَّ بِرَجُلٍ فَقَدْ غَرَّرَ.

114. Amīr al-mu’minīn, peace be upon him, said: At a time when virtue is in vogue in the world and among people, if a person entertains an evil suspicion about another person from whom nothing evil has ever been seen, then he has been unjust. And at a time when vice is in vogue in the world and among people, if a man entertains a good idea about another person he has flung himself in peril.

١١٧. وَقَالَ (عليه ‏السلام): هَلَكَ فِيَّ رَجُلَانِ مُحِبٌّ غَالٍ وَمُبْغِضٌ قَالٍ.

117. Amīr al-mu’minīn, peace be upon him, said: Two categories of persons will face ruin on account of me: he who loves me with exaggeration, and he who hates me intensely.

١٢٠. وَسُئِلَ (عليه السلام) عَنْ قُرَيْشٍ فَقَالَ: أَمَّا بَنُو مَخْزُومٍ فَرَيْحَانَةُ قُرَيْشٍ، نُحِبُّ حَدِيثَ رِجَالِهِمْ، وَالنِّكَاحَ فِي نِسَائِهِمْ. وَأَمَّا بَنُو عَبْدِ شَمسٍ فَأَبْعَدُهَا رَأْياً، وَأَمْنَعُهَا لِمَا وَرَاءَ ظُهُورِهَا. وَأَمَّا نَحْنُ فَأَبْذَلُ لِمَا فِي أَيْدِينَا، وَأَسْمَحُ عِنْدَ الْمَوْتِ بِنُفُوسِنَا. وَهُمْ أَكْثَرُ وَأَمْكَرُ وَأَنْكَرُ، وَنَحْنُ أَفْصَحُ وَأَنْصَحُ وَأَصْبَحُ.

120. Amīr al-mu’minīn, peace be upon him, was asked about the Quraysh, when he replied: As for Banū Makhzūm they are the blossoms of the Quraysh. It is delightful to talk to their men and to marry their women. As for Banū ‘Abd Shams, they are farsighted and cautious about all that is hidden from them. As for ourselves (Banū Hāshim) we spend whatever we get and are very generous in offering ourselves in death. Consequently, those people are more numerous, more contriving and more ugly while we are more eloquent, well-wishing and handsome.

١٢٣. وَقَالَ (عليه ‏السلام): طُوبَى لِمَنْ ذَلَّ فِى نَفْسِهِ وَطَابَ كَسْبُهُ وَصَلَحَتْ سَرِيرَتُهُ وَحَسُنَتْ خَلِيقَتُهُ وَأَنْفَقَ الْفَضْلَ مِنْ مَالِهِ وَأَمْسَكَ الْفَضْلَ مِنْ لِسَانِهِ وَعَزَلَ عَنِ النَّاسِ شَرَّهُ وَوَسِعَتْهُ السُّنَّةُ وَلَمْ يُنْسَبْ إلَى الْبِدْعَةِ.

123. And he (AS) said: Blessed be he who humbles himself, whose livelihood is pure, whose heart is chaste, whose habits are virtuous, who spends his savings (in the name of Allāh), who prevents his tongue from speaking nonsense, who keeps people safe from evil, who is pleased with the (Prophet’s) sunnah, and who is unconnected with innovation (in religion).

قال السيد الرضي: أقول: ومن الناس من ينسب هذا الكلام إلى رسول الله (صلى الله عليه وآله) و كذلك الذي قبله.

As-Sayyid ar-Raḍī says: Some people attribute this and the previous saying to the Messenger of Allāh (may Allāh bless him and his descendants).

١٢٥. وَقَالَ (عليه ‏السلام): لَأَنْسُبَنَّ الْإِسْلَامَ نِسْبَةً لَمْ يَنْسُبْهَا أَحَدٌ قَبْلِى الْإِسْلَامُ هُوَ التَّسْلِيمُ وَالتَّسْلِيمُ هُوَ الْيَقِينُ وَالْيَقِينُ هُوَ التَّصْدِيقُ وَالتَّصْدِيقُ هُوَ الْإِقْرَارُ وَالْإِقْرَارُ هُوَ الْأَدَاءُ وَالْأَدَاءُ هُوَ الْعَمَلُ.

125. Amīr al-mu’minīn, peace be upon him, said: I am defining Islam as no one has defined before me: Islam is submission, submission is conviction, conviction is affirmation, affirmation is acknowledgement, acknowledgement is discharge (of obligations), and discharge of obligations is action.

١٢٨. وَقَالَ (عليه ‏السلام): مَنْ قَصَّرَ فِى الْعَمَلِ ابْتُلِيَ بِالْهَمِّ وَلَا حَاجَةَ لِلَّهِ فِيمَنْ لَيْسَ لِلَّهِ فِى مَالِهِ وَنَفْسِهِ نَصِيبٌ.

127. Amīr al-mu’minīn, peace be upon him, said: Whoever falls short of actions falls into grief, and Allāh has nothing to do with him who spares nothing from his wealth in the name of Allāh.

١٣٠. وَقَالَ (عليه ‏السلام) وَقَدْ رَجَعَ مِنْ صِفِّينَ فَأَشْرَفَ عَلَى الْقُبُورِ بِظَاهِرِ الْكُوفَةِ: يَا أَهْلَ الدِّيَارِ الْمُوحِشَةِ وَالْمَحَالِّ الْمُقْفِرَةِ وَالْقُبُورِ الْمُظْلِمَةِ يَا أَهْلَ التُّرْبَةِ يَا أَهْلَ الْغُرْبَةِ يَا أَهْلَ الْوَحْدَةِ يَا أَهْلَ الْوَحْشَةِ أَنْتُمْ لَنَا فَرَطٌ سَابِقٌ وَنَحْنُ لَكُمْ تَبَعٌ لَاحِقٌ أَمَّا الدُّورُ فَقَدْ سُكِنَتْ وَأَمَّا الْأَزْوَاجُ فَقَدْ نُكِحَتْ وَأَمَّا الْأَمْوَالُ فَقَدْ قُسِمَتْ هَذَا خَبَرُ مَا عِنْدَنَا فَمَا خَبَرُ مَا عِنْدَكُمْ

130. When Amīr al-mu’minīn, peace be upon him, returned from (the battle of) Ṣiffīn and noticed the graves outside Kūfah, he said: O residents of houses which give a sense of loneliness, of depopulated areas and gloomy graves. O people of the dust, O victims of strangeness, O people of loneliness and O people of desolateness! You have gone ahead and preceded us while we are following you and will meet you. The houses (you left) have been inhabited by others; the wives (you left) have been married by others; the properties have been distributed (among heirs). This is the news about those around us; what is the news about things around you?

ثُمَّ الْتَفَتَ إِلَى أَصْحَابِهِ فَقَالَ: أَمَا لَوْ أُذِنَ لَهُمْ فِى الْكَلَامِ لَأَخْبَرُوكُمْ أَنَّ خَيْرَ الزَّادِ التَّقْوَىٰ.

Then Amīr al-mu’minīn, peace be upon him, turned to his companions and said: Beware If they were allowed to speak they would inform you that: Verily, the best provision is fear of Allāh. (Qur’ān, 2:197)

١٣٣. وَقَالَ (عليه ‏السلام): الدُّنْيَا دَارُ مَمَرٍّ لَا دَارُ مَقَرٍّ وَالنَّاسُ فِيهَا رَجُلَانِ رَجُلٌ بَاعَ فِيهَا نَفْسَهُ فَأَوْبَقَهَا وَرَجُلٌ ابْتَاعَ نَفْسَهُ فَأَعْتَقَهَا.

133. Amīr al-mu’minīn, peace be upon him, said: This world is a place for transit, not a place for stay. The people herein are of two categories. One is the man who sold away his self (to his passions) and thus ruined it, and the other is the man who purchased his self (by control against his passions) and freed it.

١٣٥. وَقَالَ (عليه ‏السلام): مَنْ أُعْطِيَ أَرْبَعاً لَمْ يُحْرَمْ أَرْبَعاً مَنْ أُعْطِيَ الدُّعَاءَ لَمْ يُحْرَمِ الْإِجَابَةَ وَمَنْ أُعْطِيَ التَّوْبَةَ لَمْ يُحْرَمِ الْقَبُولَ وَمَنْ أُعْطِيَ الِاسْتِغْفَارَ لَمْ يُحْرَمِ الْمَغْفِرَةَ وَمَنْ أُعْطِيَ الشُّكْرَ لَمْ يُحْرَمِ الزِّيَادَةَ.

135. Amīr al-mu’minīn, peace be upon him, said: He who is bestowed four things is not disallowed four things: he who is allowed to pray is not deprived of the response to it; he who is allowed to offer repentance is not deprived of its acceptance; he who is allowed to seek forgiveness is not deprived of forgiveness; and he who is allowed to be grateful is not deprived of furtherance of favours.

قال السيد الرضى: و تصديق ذلك كتاب الله قال الله فى الدعاء ﴿ادْعُونِي أَسْتَجِبْ لَكُمْ﴾ وقال فى الاستغفار ﴿وَمَن يَعْمَلْ سُوءًا أَوْ يَظْلِمْ نَفْسَهُ ثُمَّ يَسْتَغْفِرِ اللهَ يَجِدِ اللهَ غَفُورًا رَّحِيمًا﴾ وقال فى الشكر ﴿لَئِن شَكَرْتُمْ لَأَزِيدَنَّكُمْ﴾ وقال فى التوبة ﴿إِنَّمَا التَّوْبَةُ عَلَى اللهِ لِلَّذِينَ يَعْمَلُونَ السُّوءَ بِجَهَالَةٍ ثُمَّ يَتُوبُونَ مِن قَرِيبٍ فَأُولَـٰئِكَ يَتُوبُ اللهُ عَلَيْهِمْ ۗ وَكَانَ اللهُ عَلِيمًا حَكِيمًا﴾.

As-Sayyid ar-Raḍī says: This is confirmed by the Book of Allāh. About praying, Allāh says: “Call you to Me, I will answer you” (Qur’ān, 40:60). About forgiveness Allāh says: “And whoever does evil, or wrongs his own self and thereafter seeks pardon of Allāh, shall find Allāh Oft-forgiving, Merciful” (Qur’ān, 4:110). About gratefulness He says: “If you be grateful I will increase (my favours) to you” (Qur’ān, 14:7). About repentance He says: “Verily, repentance (acceptable) with Allāh is only for those who do evil ignorantly and then turn (to Allāh) soon (after); these (are those) Allāh will turn (merciful) to them; and Allāh is All-knowing, All-wise” (Qur’ān, 4:17).

١٣٨. وَقَالَ (عليه ‏السلام): مَنْ أَيْقَنَ بِالْخَلَفِ جَادَ بِالْعَطِيَّةِ.

138. Amīr al-mu’minīn, peace be upon him, said: He who is sure of a good return is generous in giving.

١٤٢. وَقَالَ (عليه ‏السلام): الْتَّوَدُّدُ نِصْفُ الْعَقْل.

142. Amīr al-mu’minīn, peace be upon him, said: Loving one another is half of wisdom

١٤٥. وَقَالَ (عليه ‏السلام): كَمْ مِنْ صَائِمٍ لَيْسَ لَهُ مِنْ صِيَامِهِ إِلَّا (الْجُوعُ وَ)الظَّمَأُ، وَكَمْ مِنْ قَائِمٍ لَيْسَ لَهُ مِنْ قِيَامِهِ إِلَّا السَّهَرُ وَالْعَنَاءُ، حَبَّذَا نَوْمُ الْأَكْيَاسِ وَإِفْطَارُهُمْ.

145. Amīr al-mu’minīn, peace be upon him, said: There is many a person who fasts whose fast is nothing but just hunger and thirst, and many an offerer of prayers whose prayer is no better than wakefulness and hardship. The sleep as well as the eating and drinking of the intelligent (God-knowing) person is far better.

١٤٨. وَقَالَ (عليه ‏السلام): الْمَرْءُ مَخْبُوءٌ تَحْتَ لِسَانِهِ.

148. Amīr al-mu’minīn, peace be upon him, said: Man is hidden under his tongue. [1]

١٥٠. وَقَالَ (عليه ‏السلام) لِرَجُلٍ سَأَلَهُ أَنْ يَعِظَهُ:

150. Amīr al-mu’minīn, peace be upon him, said to a man who had requested him to preach:

لَا تَكُنْ مِمَّنْ يَرْجُو الْآخِرَةَ بِغَيْرِ عَمَلٍ وَيُرَجِّي التَّوْبَةَ بِطُولِ الْأَمَلِ يَقُولُ فِي الدُّنْيَا بِقَوْلِ الزَّاهِدِينَ وَيَعْمَلُ فِيهَا بِعَمَلِ الرَّاغِبِينَ إِنْ أُعْطِيَ مِنْهَا لَمْ يَشْبَعْ وَإِنْ مُنِعَ مِنْهَا لَمْ يَقْنَعْ يَعْجِزُ عَنْ شُكْرِ مَا أُوتِيَ وَيَبْتَغِي الزِّيَادَةَ فِيمَا بَقِيَ يَنْهَى وَلَا يَنْتَهِي وَيَأْمُرُ بِمَا لَا يَأْتِي يُحِبُّ الصَّالِحِينَ وَلَا يَعْمَلُ عَمَلَهُمْ وَيُبْغِضُ الْمُذْنِبِينَ وَهُوَ أَحَدُهُمْ يَكْرَهُ الْمَوْتَ لِكَثْرَةِ ذُنُوبِهِ وَيُقِيمُ عَلَى مَا يَكْرَهُ الْمَوْتَ مِنْ أَجْلِهِ.

Do not be like him who hopes for (bliss in) the next life without action, and delays repentance by lengthening desires, who utters words like ascetics in this world but acts like those who are eager for it; if he is allowed something from it he does not feel satisfied; if he is denied he is not content; he is not grateful for what he gets and covets for increase in whatever remains with him; he refrains others but not himself; he commands others for what he himself does not do; he loves the virtuous but does not behave like them; he hates the vicious but himself is one of them; he dislikes death because of the excess of his sins but adheres to that for which he is afraid of death.

إِنْ سَقِمَ ظَلَّ نَادِماً وَإِنْ صَحَّ أَمِنَ، لَاهِياً يُعْجَبُ بِنَفْسِهِ إِذَا عُوفِيَ وَيَقْنَطُ إِذَا ابْتُلِيَ، إِنْ أَصَابَهُ بَلَاءٌ دَعَا مُضْطَرّاً وَإِنْ نَالَهُ رَخَاءٌ أَعْرَضَ مُغْتَرّاً، تَغْلِبُهُ نَفْسُهُ عَلَى مَا يَظُنُّ وَلَا يَغْلِبُهَا عَلَى مَا يَسْتَيْقِنُ، يَخَافُ عَلَى غَيْرِهِ بِأَدْنَى مِنْ ذَنْبِهِ وَيَرْجُو لِنَفْسِهِ بِأَكْثَرَ مِنْ عَمَلِهِ، إِنِ اسْتَغْنَى بَطِرَ وَفُتِنَ وَإِنِ افْتَقَرَ قَنِطَ وَوَهَنَ، يُقَصِّرُ إِذَا عَمِلَ وَيُبَالِغُ إِذَا سَأَلَ، إِنْ عَرَضَتْ لَهُ شَهْوَةٌ أَسْلَفَ الْمَعْصِيَةَ وَسَوَّفَ التَّوْبَةَ وَإِنْ عَرَتْهُ مِحْنَةٌ انْفَرَجَ عَنْ شَرَائِطِ الْمِلَّةِ، يَصِفُ الْعِبْرَةَ وَلَا يَعْتَبِرُ وَيُبَالِغُ فِى الْمَوْعِظَةِ وَلَا يَتَّعِظُ، فَهُوَ بِالْقَوْلِ مُدِلٌّ وَمِنَ الْعَمَلِ مُقِلٌّ يُنَافِسُ فِيمَا يَفْنَى وَيُسَامِحُ فِيمَا يَبْقَى يَرَى الْغُنْمَ مَغْرَماً وَالْغُرْمَ مَغْنَماً، يَخْشَى الْمَوْتَ وَلَا يُبَادِرُ الْفَوْتَ.

If he falls ill he is remorseful; if he is healthy he feels secure and indulges in amusements; when he recovers from illness he feels vain about himself; when he is afflicted he loses hope; if distress befalls him he prays like a bewildered man; when he finds ease of life he falls into deceit and turns his face away; his heart overpowers him by means of imaginary things while he cannot control his heart by his conviction; for others he is afraid of small sins, but for himself he expects more reward than his performance; if he becomes wealthy he becomes self-conceited and falls into vice; if he becomes poor he despairs and becomes weak; he falls short when doing a good thing but goes too far when he is begging; when passion overtakes him he is quick in committing sin but delays repentance; if hardship befalls him he goes beyond the cannons of the (Islamic) community; he describes instructive events but does not take instruction himself; he preaches at length but does not accept any preaching for himself; he is tall in speaking but short in action; he aspires for things that will perish and ignores things that will last for good; he regards profit as loss and loss as profit; he fears death but does nothing in its anticipation.

يَسْتَعْظِمُ مِنْ مَعْصِيَةِ غَيْرِهِ مَا يَسْتَقِلُّ أَكْثَرَ مِنْهُ مِنْ نَفْسِهِ، وَيَسْتَكْثِرُ مِنْ طَاعَتِهِ مَا يَحْقِرُهُ مِنْ طَاعَةِ غَيْرِهِ، فَهُوَ عَلَى النَّاسِ طَاعِنٌ وَلِنَفْسِهِ مُدَاهِنٌ، اللَّهْوُ مَعَ الْأَغْنِيَاءِ أَحَبُّ إِلَيْهِ مِنَ الذِّكْرِ مَعَ الْفُقَرَاءِ، يَحْكُمُ عَلَى غَيْرِهِ لِنَفْسِهِ وَلَا يَحْكُمُ عَلَيْهَا لِغَيْرِهِ يُرْشِدُ غَيْرَهُ وَيُغْوِى نَفْسَهُ، فَهُوَ يُطَاعُ وَيَعْصِى وَيَسْتَوْفِى وَلَا يُوفِى، وَيَخْشَى الْخَلْقَ فِى غَيْرِ رَبِّهِ وَلَا يَخْشَى رَبَّه فِى خَلْقِهِ.

He regards the sins of others as big but considers the same things for himself as small; if he does something in obedience to Allāh he considers it much but if others do the same he considers it small; he therefore rebukes others but flatters himself; entertainment in the company of the wealthy is dearer to him than remembrance (of Allāh) with the poor; he passes verdicts against others for his own interests and does not do so against himself for others’ interests; he guides others but misguides himself; he is obeyed by others but he himself disobeys (Allāh); he seeks fulfilment (of obligations towards himself) but does not fulfil his obligations (towards others); he fears the people (and acts) for other than his Lord (Allāh) and does not fear his Lord in his dealings with the people.

قال السيد الرضى: و لو لم يكن فى هذا الكتاب إلا هذا الكلام لكفى به موعظة ناجعة و حكمة بالغة و بصيرة لمبصر و عبرة لناظر مفكر.

As-Sayyid ar-Raḍī says: If this book had contained nothing save this short utterance it would have sufficed as a successful piece of preaching, a specimen of high philosophy, an object of wisdom for the onlooker and a source of instruction for the meditative watcher.

١٥٤. وَقَالَ (عليه ‏السلام): الرَّاضِي بِفِعْلِ قَوْمٍ كَالدَّاخِلِ فِيهِ مَعَهُمْ، وَعَلَى كُلِّ دَاخِلٍ فِي بَاطِلٍ إِثْمَانِ: إِثْمُ الْعَمَلِ بِهِ، وَإِثْمُ الرِّضَى بِهِ.

154. Amīr al-mu’minīn, peace be upon him, said: He who agrees with the action of a group of persons is as though he joins them in that action. And every one who joins in wrong commits two sins; one sin for committing the wrong and the other for agreeing with it.

١٥٧. وَقَالَ (عليه ‏السلام): قَدْ بُصّرْتُمْ إِنْ أَبْصَرْتُمْ وَقَدْ هُدِيتُمْ إِنِ اهْتَدَيْتُمْ، وأُسْمِعْتُمْ إِنِ اسْتَمَعْتُمْ.

157. Amīr al-mu’minīn, peace be upon him, said: Surely, you have been made to see if (only) you care to see; surely, you have been guided if (only) you care to take guidance; and surely, you have been made to hear if (only) you care to lend your ears.

١٥٩. وَقَالَ (عليه ‏السلام): مَنْ وَضَعَ نَفْسَهُ مَوَاضِعَ التُّهَمَةِ فَلاَ يَلُومَنَّ مَنْ أَسَاءَ بِهِ الظَّنَّ.

159. Amīr al-mu’minīn, peace be upon him, said: He who puts himself in conditions of ill-repute should not blame those who entertain bad ideas about him.

١٦٢. وَقَالَ (عليه ‏السلام): مَنْ كَتَمَ سِرَّهُ كَانَتِ الْخِيرَةُ بِيَدِهِ.

162. Amīr al-mu’minīn, peace be upon him, said: He who guards his secrets retains control in his own hands.

١٦٥. وَقَالَ (عليه ‏السلام): لَا طَاعَةَ لِمخْلُوقٍ فِي مَعْصِيَةِ الْخَالِقِ.

165. Amīr al-mu’minīn, peace be upon him, said: There should be no obeying anyone against Allāh’s commands.

١٦٨. وَقَالَ (عليه ‏السلام): الْأَمْرُ قَرِيبٌ وَالِْاصْطِحَابُ قَلِيلٌ.

168. Amīr al-mu’minīn, peace be upon him, said: The Day of Judgement is near and our mutual company is short.

١٧١. وَقَالَ (عليه ‏السلام): كَمْ مِنْ أَكْلَةٍ مَنَعَتْ أَكَلاَتٍ.

171. Amīr al-mu’minīn, peace be upon him, said: Many a single eating prevents several eatings. [1]

١٧٥. وَقَالَ (عليه ‏السلام): إِذَا هِبْتَ أَمْراًفَقَعْ فِيهِ، فَإِنَّ شِدَّةَ تَوَقِّيهِأَعْظَمُ مِمَّا تَخَافُ مِنْهُ.

175. Amīr al-mu’minīn, peace be upon him, said: When you are afraid of something dive straight into it, because the intensity of abstaining from it is greater (worse) than what you are afraid of.

١٧٨. وَقَالَ (عليه ‏السلام): احْصُدِ الشَّرَّ مِنْ صَدْرِ غَيْرِكَ بِقَلْعِهِ مِنْ صَدْرِكَ.

178. Amīr al-mu’minīn, peace be upon him, said: Cut away evil from the chest of others by snatching (it) away from your own chest. [1]

١٨١. وَقَالَ (عليه ‏السلام): ثَمَرَةُ التَّفْرِيطِ النَّدَامَةُ، وَثَمَرَةُ الْحَزْمِ السَّلاَمَةُ.

181. Amīr al-mu’minīn, peace be upon him, said: The result of neglect is shame, while the result of far-sightedness is safety.

١٨٥. وَقَالَ (عليه ‏السلام): مَا كَذَبْتُ وَلَا كُذِّبْتُ، وَلَا ضَلَلْتُ وَلَا ضُلَّ بِي.

185. Amīr al-mu’minīn, peace be upon him, said: I have neither spoken a lie nor have I been told a lie. I have neither deviated nor have I been made to deviate (others).

١٨٨. وَقَالَ (عليه ‏السلام): مَنْ أَبْدى صَفْحَتَهُ لِلْحَقِّ هَلَكَ.

188. Amīr al-mu’minīn, peace be upon him, said: Whoever turned away from right was ruined.

١٩٠. وَقَالَ (عليه ‏السلام): وَاعَجَبَاهُ! أَتَكُونُ الْخِلاَفَةَ بِالصَّحَابَةِ وَلاَتَكُونُ بِالصَّحَابةِ وَالْقَرَابَةِ؟

190. Amīr al-mu’minīn, peace be upon him, said: How strange? Could the caliphate be through the (Prophet’s) companionship but not through (his) companionship and (his) kinship?

قال السيد الرضى: و روي له شعر في هذا المعنى، وهو: فَإِنْ كُنْتَ بِالشُّورَى مَلَكْتَ أُمُورَهُمْ * فَكَيْفَ بِهذَا وَالْمُشِيرُونَ غُيَّبُ وَإِنْ كنْتَ بِالْقُرْبَى حَجَجْتَ خَصِيمَهُمْ * فَغَيْرُكَ أَوْلَى بِالنَّبِيِّ وَأَقْرَبُ

As-Sayyid ar-Raḍī says: Verses have also been related from Amīr al-mu’minīn on the same matter. They are:- If you claim to have secured authority by consultation, how did it happen when those to be consulted were absent! If you have scored over your opponents by kinship then someone else has greater right for being nearer to the Holy Prophet. [1]

١٩٤. وكان (عليه ‏السلام) يقول: مَتَى أَشْفِي غَيْظِي إِذَا غَضِبْتُ؟ أَحِينَ أَعْجِزُ عَنِ الِانْتِقَامِ فَيُقَالُ لِي: لَوْ صَبَرْتَ؟ أَمْ حِينَ أَقْدِرُ عَلَيْهِ فَيُقَالُ لي: لَوْ عَفَوْتَ.

194. Amīr al-mu’minīn, peace be upon him, used to say: If I am angry when shall I vent my anger - when I am unable to take revenge and it be said to me, “better you endure” or when I have power to take revenge and it be said to me, “better forgive”?

١٩٦. وَقَالَ (عليه ‏السلام): لَمْ يَذْهَبْ مِنْ مَالِكَ مَا وَعَظَكَ.

196. Amīr al-mu’minīn, peace be upon him, said: The wealth that teaches you lesson does not go waste. [1]

١٩٩. وَقَالَ (عليه ‏السلام) فِي صِفَةِ الْغَوْغَاءِ هُمُ الَّذِينَ إِذَا اجْتَمَعُوا غَلَبُوا، وَإِذَا تَفَرَّقُوا لَمْ يُعْرَفُوا.

199. Amīr al-mu’minīn, peace be upon him, said about the crowd of people: These are the people who, when they assemble together, are overwhelming but when they disperse they cannot be recognized.

وَقِيلَ بَلْ قَالَ (عليه السلام): هُمُ الَّذِينَ إِذَا اجْتَمَعُوا ضَرُّوا، وَإِذَا تَفَرَّقُوا نَفَعُوا. فقيل: قَدْ عَرَفْنَا مَضَرَّةَ اجْتِمَاعِهِمْ، فَمَا مَنْفَعَةُ افْتِرَاقِهِمْ؟ فَقَالَ: يَرْجِعُ أَصْحَابُ الْمِهَنِ إِلَى مِهَنِهِمْ، فَيَنْتَفِعُ النَّاسُ بِهِمْ، كَرُجُوعِ الْبَنَّاءِ إِلَى بِنَائِهِ، وَالنَّسَّاجِ إِلَى مَنْسَجِهِ، وَالْخَبَّازِ إِلَى مَخْبَزِهِ.

It is related that instead of this Amīr al-mu’minīn, peace be upon him, said: These are the people who when they assemble together cause harm but when they disperse are beneficial. It was pointed out to him: We know their harm at the time of their assembling but what is their benefit at the time of their dispersal? Then he replied: The workers return to their work and people get benefit out of them, like the return of the mason to the building site, that of the weaver to his loom, and that of the baker to his bakery.

٢٠١. وَقَالَ (عليه ‏السلام): إِنَّ مَعَ كُلِّ إِنْسَانٍ مَلَكَيْنِ يَحْفَظَانِهِ، فَإِذَا جَاءَ الْقَدَرُ خَلَّيَا بَيْنَهُ وَبَيْنَهُ، وَإِنَّ الْأَجَلَ جُنَّةٌ حَصِينَةٌ.

201. Amīr al-mu’minīn, peace be upon him, said: With every individual there are two angels who protect him; when destiny approaches they let it have its own way with him. Certainly, the appointed time is a protective shield (against the events which occur before it).

٢٠٣. وَقَالَ (عليه ‏السلام): أَيُّهَا النَّاسُ، اتّقُوا اللهَ الَّذِي إِنْ قُلْتُمْ سمِعَ، وَإِنْ أَضْمَرْتُمْ عَلِمَ، وَبَادِرُوا الْمَوْتَ الَّذِي إِنْ هَرَبْتُمْ (مِنْهُ) أَدْرَكَكُمْ، وَإِنْ أَقَمْتُمْ أَخَذَكُمْ، وَإِنْ نَسِيتُمُوهُ ذَكَرَكُمْ.

203. Amīr al-mu’minīn, peace be upon him, said: O people, fear Allāh Who is such that when you speak He hears and when you conceal (a secret) He knows it. Prepare yourself to meet death which will overtake you even if you run away, catch you even if you stay and remember you even if you forget it.

٢٠٤. وَقَالَ (عليه ‏السلام): لَا يُزَهِّدَنَّكَ فِي الْمَعْرُوفِ مَنْ لَا يَشْكُرُهُ لَكَ، فَقَدْ يَشْكُرُكَ عَلَيْهِ مَنْ لَا يَسْتَمْتِعُ بِشَيْءٍ مِنْهُ، وَقَدْ تُدْرِكُ مِنْ شُكْرِ الشَّاكِرِ أَكْثَرَ مِمَّا أَضَاعَ الْكَافِرُ ﴿وَاللهُ يُحِبُّ الْمُحْسِنِينَ﴾.

204. Amīr al-mu’minīn, peace be upon him, said: If someone is not grateful to you, that should not prevent you from good actions, because (possibly) such a person will feel grateful about it who has not even drawn any benefit from it, and his gratefulness will be more than the ingratitude of the denier; And Allāh loves those who do good. (Qur’ān, 3:134,148; 5:93)

٢٠٧. وَقَالَ (عليه ‏السلام): إِنْ لَمْ تَكُنْ حَلِيماً فَتَحَلَّمْ، فَإِنَّهُ قَلَّ مَنْ تَشَبَّهَ بَقَوْمٍ إِلَّا أَوْشَكَ أَنْ يَكُونَ مِنْهُمْ.

207. Amīr al-mu’minīn, peace be upon him, said: If you cannot forbear, feign to do so because it is seldom that a man likens himself to a group and does not become as one of them. [1]

٢٠٩. وَقَالَ (عليه ‏السلام): لَتَعْطِفَنَّ الدُّنْيَا عَلَيْنَا بَعْدَ شِمَاسِهَا عَطْفَ الضَّرُوسِ عَلَى وَلَدِهَا. وَتَلَا عَقِيبَ ذَلِكَ: ﴿وَنُرِيدُ أَن نَّمُنَّ عَلَى الَّذِينَ اسْتُضْعِفُوا فِي الْأَرْضِ وَنَجْعَلَهُمْ أَئِمَّةً وَنَجْعَلَهُمُ الْوَارِثِينَ﴾.

209. Amīr al-mu’minīn, peace be upon him said: The world will bend towards us after having been refractory as the biting she-camel bends towards its young. Then Amīr al-mu’minīn recited the verse: And intend We to bestow (Our) favour upon those who were considered weak in the land, and to make them the Imams (guides in faith), and to make them the heirs. (Qur’ān, 28:5) [1]

٢١٢. وَقَالَ (عليه ‏السلام): عُجْبُ الْمَرْءِ بِنَفْسِهِ أَحَدُ حُسَّادِ عَقْلِهِ.

212. Amīr al-mu’minīn, peace be upon him, said: A man’s vanity for himself is one of the enemies of his intelligence. [1]

٢١٥. وَقَالَ (عليه ‏السلام): الْخِلاَفُ يَهْدِمُ الرَّأْيَ.

215. Amīr al-mu’minīn, peace be upon him, said: Opposition destroys good counsel.

٢١٨. وَقَالَ (عليه ‏السلام): حَسَدُ الصَّدِيقِ مِنْ سُقْمِ الْمَوَدَّةِ.

218. Amīr al-mu’minīn, peace be upon him, said: Jealousy by a friend means defect in his love.

٢٢١. وَقَالَ (عليه ‏السلام): بِئْسَ الزَّادُ إِلَى الْمَعَادِ الْعُدْوَانُ عَلَى الْعِبَادِ.

221. Amīr al-mu’minīn, peace be upon him, said: The worst provision for the Day of Judgement is high-handedness over people.

٢٢٤. وَقَالَ (عليه ‏السلام): بِكَثْرَةِ الصَّمْتِ تَكُونُ الْهَيْبَةُ وَبِالنَّصَفَةِ يَكْثُرُ الْمُوَاصِلُونَ وَبِالْإِفْضَالِ تَعْظُمُ الْأَقْدَارُ وَبِالتَّوَاضُعِ تَتِمُّ النِّعْمَةُ وَبِاحْتِمَالِ الْمُؤَنِ يَجِبُ السُّؤْدُدُ وَبِالسِّيرَةِ الْعَادِلَةِ يُقْهَرُ الْمُنَاوِئُ وَبِالْحِلْمِ عَنِ السَّفِيهِ تَكْثُرُ الْأَنْصَارُ عَلَيْهِ.

224. Amīr al-mu’minīn, peace be upon him, said: Excess of silence produces awe; justice results in more close friends; generosity hightens position; with humility blessings abound in plenty; by facing hardships leadership is achieved; by just behaviour the adversary is overpowered; and with forbearance against a fool there is increase of one’s supporters against him.

٢٢٧. وَسُئِلَ عَنِ الْإِيمَانِ فَقَالَ الْإِيمَانُ مَعْرِفَةٌ بِالْقَلْبِ، وَإِقْرَارٌ بِاللِّسَانِ، وَعَمَلٌ بِالْأَرْكَانِ.

227. Amīr al-mu’minīn, peace be upon him, was asked about belief (īmān) when he said: Belief means appreciation with the heart, acknowledgement with the tongue, and action with the limbs.

٢٣٠. وَقَالَ (عليه ‏السلام): شَارِكُوا الَّذِي قَدْ أَقْبَلَ عَلَيْهِ الرِّزْقُ، فَإِنَّهُ أَخْلَقُ لِلْغِنَى، وَأَجْدَرُ بِإِقْبَالِ الْحَظِّ عَلَيْهِ.

230. Amīr al-mu’minīn, peace be upon him, said: Be a sharer with him who has an abundant livelihood because he is more probable to get more riches and likely to secure an increase of the share therein.

٢٣٣. وَقَالَ (عليه ‏السلام) لِابْنِهِ الْحَسَنِ (عليه السلام): لَا تَدْعُوَنَّ إِلَى مُبَارَزَةٍ وَإِنْ دُعِيتَ إِلَيْهَا فَأَجِبْ فَإِنَّ الدَّاعِيَ إِلَيْهَا بَاغٍ وَالْبَاغِيَ مَصْرُوعٌ.

233. Amīr al-mu’minīn said to his son al-Ḥasan, peace be upon them both: Do not call out for fighting, but if you are called to it do respond, because the caller to fighting is a rebel and the rebel deserves destruction. [1]

٢٣٦. وَقَالَ (عليه ‏السلام): وَاللهِ لَدُنْيَاكُمْ هذِهِ أَهْوَنُ فِي عَيْنِي مِنْ عِرَاقِ خِنْزِيرٍ فِي يَدِ مَجْذُومٍ.

236. Amīr al-mu’minīn, peace be upon him, said: By Allāh, this world of yours is more lowly in my view than the (left over) bone of a pig in the hand of a leper.

٢٣٨. وَقَالَ (عليه ‏السلام): الْمَرْأَةُ شَرٌّ كُلُّهَا، وَشَرُّ مَا فِيهَا أَنَّهُ لَا بُدَّ مِنْهَا.

238. Amīr al-mu’minīn, peace be upon him, said: Woman is evil, all in all; and the worst of it is that one cannot do without her.

٢٤١. وَقَالَ (عليه ‏السلام): يَوْمُ الْمَظْلُومِ عَلَى الظَّالِمِ أَشدُّ مِنْ يَوْمِ الظَّالِمِ عَلَى الْمَظْلُومِ.

241. Amīr al-mu’minīn, peace be upon him, said: The day of the oppressed over the oppressor will be severer than the day of the oppressor over the oppressed. [1]

٢٤٤. وَقَالَ (عليه ‏السلام): إِنَّ لله فِي كُلِّ نِعْمَةٍ حَقّاً، فَمَنْ أَدَّاهُ زَادَهُ مِنْهَا، وَمَنْ قَصَّرَ مِنْهُ خَاطَرَ بِزَوَالِ نِعْمَتِهِ.

244. Amīr al-mu’minīn, peace be upon him, said: Surely in every blessing there is a right of Allāh. If one discharges that right Allāh increases the blessing, and if one falls short of doing so one stands in danger of losing the blessing.

٢٤٨. وَقَالَ (عليه ‏السلام): مَنْ ظَنَّ بِكَ خَيْراً فَصَدِّقْ ظَنَّهُ.

248. Amīr al-mu’minīn, peace be upon him, said: If a person has a good idea about you make his idea be true.

٢٥١. وَقَالَ (عليه ‏السلام): مَرَارَةُ الدُّنْيَا حَلاَوَةُ الْآخِرَةِ، وَحَلاَوَةُ الدُّنْيَا مَرَارَةُ الْآخِرَةِ.

251. Amīr al-mu’minīn, peace be upon him, said: The sourness of this world is the sweetness of the next world while the sweetness of this world is the sourness of the next one.

٢٥٣. وَكَانَ (عليه السلام) يَقُولُ: أَحْلِفُوا الظَّالِمَ إِذَا أَرَدْتُمْ يَمِينَهُ بِأَنَّهُ بَرِي‏ءٌ مِنْ حَوْلِ اللَّهِ وَقُوَّتِهِ فَإِنَّهُ إِذَا حَلَفَ بِهَا كَاذِباً عُوجِلَ الْعُقُوبَةَ وَإِذَا حَلَفَ بِاللَّهِ الَّذِى لَا إِلَهَ إِلَّا هُوَ لَمْ يُعَاجَلْ لِأَنَّهُ قَدْ وَحَّدَ اللَّهَ تَعَالَى.

253. Amīr al-mu’minīn, peace be upon him, used to say: If you want an oppressor to take an oath ask him to swear like this that he is out of Allāh’s might and His power, because if he swears falsely in this way he will be quickly punished, while if he swears by Allāh Who is such that there is no god but He, he will not be quickly punished since he is expressing the Unity of Allāh, the Sublime. [1]

٢٥٧. وَقَالَ (عليه ‏السلام) لِكُمَيْلِ بْنِ زِيَادٍ النَّخَعِيِّ: يَا كُمَيْلُ، مُرْ أَهْلَكَ أَنْ يَرُوحُوا فِي كَسْبِ الْمَكَارِمِ، وَيُدْلِجُوا فِي حَاجَةِ مَنْ هُوَ نائِمٌ، فَوَالَّذِي وَسِعَ سَمْعُهُ الْأَصْوَاتَ مَا مِنْ أَحَدٍ أَوْدَعَ قَلْباً سُرُوراً إِلَّا وَخَلَقَ اللهُ لَهُ مِنْ ذلِكَ السُّرُورِ لُطْفاً، فَإِذَا نَزَلَتْ بِهِ نَائِبَةٌ جَرَى إلَيْهَا كَالْمَاءِ فِي انْحِدَارِهِ حَتَّى يَطْرُدَهَا عَنْهُ كَمَا تُطْرَدُ غَرِيبَةُ الْإِبِلِ.

257. Amīr al-mu’minīn, peace be upon him, said to Kumayl ibn Ziyād an-Nakha‘ī: O’ Kumayl, direct your people to go out in the day to achieve noble traits and to go out in the night to meet the needs of those who might be sleeping, for I swear by Him Whose hearing extends to all voices if ever someone pleases another’s heart, Allāh will create a special thing out of this pleasing so that whenever any hardship befalls him it will come running like flowing water and drive away the hardship as wild camels are driven away.

٢٥٩. وَقَالَ (عليه ‏السلام): الْوَفَاءُ لِأَهْلِ الْغَدْرِ غَدْرٌ عِنْدَ اللهِ، وَالْغَدْرُ بَأَهْلِ الْغَدْرِ وَفَاءٌ عِنْدَ اللهِ.

259. Amīr al-mu’minīn, peace be upon him, said: Faithfulness with faithless people is faithlessness with Allāh, while faithlessness with faithless people is faithfulness with Allāh.

٢٦٣. وَقَالَ (عليه ‏السلام): صَاحِبُ السُّلْطَانِ كَرَاكِبِ الْأَسَدِ : يُغْبَطُ بِمَوْقِعِهِ، وَهُوَ أَعْلَمُ بِمَوْضِعِهِ.

263. Amīr al-mu’minīn, peace be upon him, said: The holder of authority is like the rider on a lion — he is envied for his position but he well knows his position. [1]

٢٦٦. وَسَأَلَهُ (عليه السلام) رَجُلٌ أَنْ يُعَرِّفَهُ الْإِيمَانَ. فَقَالَ (عليه السلام): إِذَا كَانَ الْغَدُ فَأْتِنِي حَتَّى أُخْبِرَكَ عَلَى أَسْمَاعِ النَّاسِ، فإِنْ نَسِيتَ مَقَالَتِي حَفِظَهَا عَلَيْكَ غَيْرُكَ، فَإِنَّ الْكَلاَمَ كَالشَّارِدَةِ، يَنْقُفُهَا هَذَا وَيُخْطِئُهَا هَذَا.

266. Someone asked Amīr al-mu’minīn, peace be upon him, to define religion for him, so he said: Come to me tomorrow so that I enlighten you in the presence of all the people, so that if you forget what I say others might retain it, because an utterance is like a fluttering prey which may be grappled with by someone but missed by others.

وقد ذكرنا ما أجابه به عليه السلام فيما تقدم من هذا الباب، وهو قوله: الاِيمان على أربع شعب.

as-Sayyid ar-Raḍī says: We have already stated in the earlier chapter what Amīr al-mu’minīn replied to this man, namely his saying (no. 31) “Faith stands on four supports.”

٢٦٩. وَقَالَ (عليه ‏السلام): النَّاسُ فِي الدُّنْيَا عَامِلاَنِ: عَامِلٌ عَمِلَ فِي الدُّنْيَا لِلدُّنْيَا، قَدْ شَغَلَتْهُ دُنْيَاهُ عَنْ آخِرَتِهِ، يَخْشَى عَلَى مَنْ يَخْلُفُهُ الْفَقْرَ، وَيَأْمَنُهُ عَلَى نَفْسِهِ، فَيُفْنِي عُمُرَهُ فِي مَنْفَعَةِ غَيْرِهِ. وَعَامِلٌ عَمِلَ فِي الدُّنْيَا لِمَا بَعْدَهَا، فَجَاءَهُ الَّذِي لَهُ مِنَ الدُّنْيَا بِغَيْرِ عَمَلٍ، فَأَحْرَزَ الْحَظَّيْنِ مَعاً، وَمَلَكَ الدَّارَيْنِ جَمِيعاً، فَأَصْبَحَ وَجِيهاً عِنْدَ اللَّهِ، لَا يَسْأَلُ اللهَ حَاجَةً فَيَمْنَعَهُ.

269. Amīr al-mu’minīn, peace be upon him, said: There are two kinds of workers in the world. One is a person who works in this world for this world and his work of this world keeps him unmindful of the next world. He is afraid of destitution for those he will leave behind but feels himself safe about it. So, he spends his life after the good of others. The other is one who works in this world for what is to come hereafter, and he secures his share of this world without effort. Thus, he gets both the benefits together and becomes the owner of both the houses together. In this way, he is prestigious before Allāh. If he asks Allāh anything He does not deny him.

٢٧١. رُوِيَ أَنَّهُ (عليه السلام) رُفِعَ إِلَيْهِ رَجُلَانِ سَرَقَا مِنْ مَالِ اللَّهِ، أَحَدُهُمَا عَبْدٌ مِنْ مَالِ اللَّهِ، وَالْآخَرُ مِنْ عُرُوضِ النَّاسِ.

271. It is related that two persons were brought to Amīr al-mu’minīn, peace be upon him. They had committed theft of public property. One of them was a slave purchased from public money and the other had been purchased by someone among the people.

فَقَالَ (عليه السلام) : أَمَّا هذَا فَهُوَ مِنْ مَالِ اللهِ وَلَا حَدَّ عَلَيْهِ، مَالُ اللهِ أَكَلَ بَعْضُهُ بَعْضاً، وَأَمَّا الْآخَرُ فَعَلَيْهِ الْحَدُّ، (الشَّدِيدُ) فَقَطَعَ يَدَهُ.

Then Amīr al-mu’minīn said: As for this one who is the property of public money, there is no punishment for him for it means one property of Allāh having taken another property of Allāh. As for the other, he should get the punishment. Consequently, his hand was cut.

٢٧٤. وَقَالَ (عليه ‏السلام): لَا تَجْعَلُوا عِلْمَكُمْ جَهْلًا وَيَقِينَكُمْ شَكّاً إِذَا عَلِمْتُمْ فَاعْمَلُوا وَإِذَا تَيَقَّنْتُمْ فَأَقْدِمُوا.

274. Amīr al-mu’minīn, peace be upon him, said: Do not turn your knowledge into ignorance or your conviction into doubt. When you gain knowledge act (upon it) and when you acquire conviction proceed (on its basis). [1]

٢٧٦. وَقَالَ (عليه ‏السلام): اللَّهُمَّ إِنِّى أَعُوذُ بِكَ مِنْ أَنْ تُحَسِّنَ فِى لَامِعَةِ الْعُيُونِ عَلَانِيَتِي وَتُقَبِّحَ فِيمَا أُبْطِنُ لَكَ سَرِيرَتِى مُحَافِظاً عَلَى رِثَاءِ النَّاسِ مِنْ نَفْسِى بِجَمِيعِ مَا أَنْتَ مُطَّلِعٌ عَلَيْهِ مِنِّى فَأُبْدِيَ لِلنَّاسِ حُسْنَ ظَاهِرِى وَأُفْضِيَ إِلَيْكَ بِسُوءِ عَمَلِى تَقَرُّباً إِلَى عِبَادِكَ وَتَبَاعُداً مِنْ مَرْضَاتِكَ.

276. Amīr al-mu’minīn, peace be upon him, said: O’ my Allāh, I seek Your protection from this that I may appear to be good in the eyes of the people whilst my inward self may be sinful before You, and that I may guard myself (from sins) only for show before the people although You are aware of all about me. Thus, I appear before the people in good shape although my evil deeds are placed before You. This means achieving nearness to Your creatures but remoteness from Your pleasure.

٢٧٩. وَقَالَ (عليه ‏السلام): إذَا أَضَرَّتِ النَّوَافِلُ بالْفَرَائِضِ فَارْفُضُوهَا.

279. Amīr al-mu’minīn, peace be upon him, said: When optional issues stand in the way of obligatories, abandon them.

٢٨٢. وَقَالَ (عليه ‏السلام): بَيْنَكُمْ وَبَيْنَ الْمَوْعِظَةِ حِجَابٌ مِنَ الْغِرَّةِ.

282. Amīr al-mu’minīn, peace be upon him, said: Between you and the preaching there is a curtain of deception.

٢٨٥. وَقَالَ (عليه ‏السلام): كُلُّ مُعَاجَلٍ يَسْأَلُ الْإِنْظَارَ وَكُلُّ مُؤَجَّلٍ يَتَعَلَّلُ بالتَّسْويفِ.

285. Amīr al-mu’minīn, peace be upon him, said: He whom death overtakes early seeks time while he whose death is deferred puts forth excuses for postponement (of doing good actions).

٢٨٨. وَقَالَ (عليه ‏السلام): إِذَا أَرْذَلَ اللهُ عَبْداً حَظَرَعَلَيْهِ الْعِلْمَ.

288. Amīr al-mu’minīn, peace be upon him, said: When Allāh intends to humiliate a person He denies him knowledge.

٢٩١. وَقَالَ (عليه ‏السلام): وَقَدْ عَزَّى الْأَشْعَثَ بْنَ قَيْسٍ عَنِ ابْنٍ لَهُ:

291. Amīr al-mu’minīn, peace be upon him, said in condoling Ash‘ath ibn Qays about (the death of) his son:

يَا أَشْعَثُ، إِنْ تَحْزَنْ عَلَى ابْنِكَ فَقَدِ اسْتَحَقَّتْ مِنْكَ ذَلِكَ الرَّحِمُ، وَإِنْ تَصْبِرْ فَفِي اللهِ مِنْ كُلِّ مُصِيبَةٍ خَلَفٌ.

O’ Ash‘ath, if you grieve over your son, certainly it is the consequence of the blood relationship; but if you endure, then Allāh provides recompense for every affliction.

يَا أَشْعَثُ، إِنْ صَبَرْتَ جَرَى عَلَيْكَ الْقَدَرُ وَأَنْتَ مَأْجُورٌ، وَإِنْ جَزِعْتَ جَرَى عَلَيْكَ الْقَدَرُ وَأَنْتَ مَأْزُورٌ

O’ Ash‘ath, if you endure even then matters will move on as ordained by Allāh but in that case you will deserve reward; while if you lose patience, matters will again move as ordained by Allāh, but in this case you will be bearing the burden (of sins).

يَا أَشْعَثُ، ابْنُكَ سَرَّكَ وَهُوَ بَلاَءٌ وَفِتْنَةٌ، وَحَزَنَكَ وَهُوَ ثَوَابٌ وَرَحْمَةٌ.

O’ Ash‘ath, your son (when he lived) gave you happiness while, at the same time, he was a trial and hardship and (when he died) he grieved you while, at the same time, he has proved a source of reward and mercy for you.

٢٩٤. وَقَدْ سُئِلَ عَنْ مَسَافَةِ مَا بَيْنَ الْمَشْرِقِ وَالْمَغْرِبِ فَقَالَ (عليه السلام): مَسِيرَةُ يَوْمٍ لِلشَّمْسِ.

294. Amīr al-mu’minīn, peace be upon him, was asked about the distance between East and West when he replied: One day’s travelling for the sun.

٢٩٧. وَقَالَ (عليه ‏السلام): مَا أَكْثَرَ الْعِبَرَ وأَقَلَّ الِاعْتِبَارَ.

297. Amīr al-mu’minīn, peace be upon him, said: How many are the objects of lessons, but how few the taking of lessons. [1]

٢٩٩. وَقَالَ (عليه ‏السلام): مَا أَهَمَّنِي ذَنْبٌ أُمْهِلْتُ بَعْدَهُ حَتَّى أُصَلِّيَ رَكْعَتَيْنِ وَأسْأَلَ اللهَ الْعَافِيَة.

299. Amīr al-mu’minīn, peace be upon him, said: I am not worried by a fault after which I get time to offer prayer in two units (rak‘ah) and beg safety from Allāh.

٣٠١. وَقَالَ (عليه ‏السلام): رَسُولُكَ تَرْجُمَانُ عَقْلِكَ، وَكِتَابُكَ أَبْلَغُ مَا يَنْطِقُ عَنْكَ.

301. Amīr al-mu’minīn, peace be upon him, said: Your messenger is the interpreter of your intelligence while your letter is more eloquent in expressing your true self.

٣٠٥. وَقَالَ (عليه ‏السلام): مَا زَنَى غَيُورٌ قَطُّ.

305. Amīr al-mu’minīn, peace be upon him, said: A self respecting man never commits adultery.

٣٠٨. وَقَالَ (عليه ‏السلام): مَوَدَّةُ الْآبَاءِ قَرَابَةٌ بَيْنَ الْأَبْنَاءِ، وَالْقَرَابَةُ إِلَى الْمَوَدَّةِ أَحْوَجُ مِنَ الْمَوَدَّةِ إِلَى الْقَرَابَةِ.

308. Amīr al-mu’minīn, peace be upon him, said: Mutual affection between fathers creates a relationship between the sons. Relationship is more in need of affection than affection is of relationship.

٣١٠. وَقَالَ (عليه ‏السلام): لَا يَصْدُقُ إِيمَانُ عَبْدٍ، حَتّى يَكُونَ بِمَا فِي يَدِ اللهِ سُبْحَانَهُ أَوْثَقَ مِنهُ بِمَا فِي يَدِهِ.

310. Amīr al-mu’minīn, peace be upon him, said: The belief of a person cannot be regarded as true unless his trust in what is with Allāh is more than his trust in what he himself has.

٣١١. وَقَالَ (عليه ‏السلام) لِأَنَسِ بْنِ مَالِكٍ، وَقَدْ كَانَ بَعَثَهُ إِلَى طَلْحَةَ وَالزُّبَيْرِ لَمَّا جَاءَ إِلَى الْبَصْرَةِ يُذَكِّرُهُمَا شَيْئاً مِمَّا سَمِعَهُ مِنْ رَسُولِ اللَّهِ (صلى الله عليه وآله) فِي مَعْنَاهُمَا، فَلَوَى عَنْ ذَلِكَ، فَرَجَعَ إِلَيْهِ، فَقَالَ إِنِّي أُنْسِيتُ ذَلِكَ الْأَمْرَ.

311. When Amīr al-mu’minīn, peace be upon him, came to Baṣrah he sent Anas ibn Mālik to Ṭalḥah and az-Zubayr to make them recall what he (Anas) himself had heard the Messenger of Allāh, peace be upon him and his descendants, say concerning them both, but he avoided doing so and when he came back to Amīr al-mu’minīn, he said that he had forgotten that matter.

فَقال (عليه السلام): إِنْ كُنْتَ كَاذِباً فَضَرَبَكَ اللهُ بِهَا بَيْضَاءَ لَامِعَةً لَا تُوَارِيهَا الْعِمَامَةُ.

Thereupon, Amīr al-mu’minīn, peace be upon him, said: If you are speaking a lie Allāh may afflict you with white spots (leucoderma) which even the turban may not cover.

قال السيد الرضى: يعني البرص، فأصاب أَنَساً هذا الداء فيما بعدُ في وجهه، فكان لا يُرى إلاّ مُبَرقعاً.

as-Sayyid ar-Raḍī says: White spot means leucoderma. After sometime this disease did occur to Anas’s face so much so that he was never seen without a veil. [1]

٣١٤. وَقَالَ (عليه ‏السلام): رُدُّوا الْحَجَرَمِنْ حَيْثُ جَاءَ، فَإِنَّ الشَّرَّ لَا يَدْفَعُهُ إِلَّا الشَّرُّ.

314. Amīr al-mu’minīn, peace be upon him, said: Throw a stone in return from where one comes to you because evil can be met only with evil.

٣١٦. وَقَالَ (عليه ‏السلام): أَنا يَعْسُوبُ الْمُؤْمِنِينَ، وَالْمَالُ يَعْسُوبُ الْفُجَّارِ.

316. Amīr al-mu’minim, peace be upon him, said: I am the ya‘sūb (leader) of the believers, while wealth is the leader of the wicked.

قال السيد الرضي: ومعنى ذلك أن المؤمنين يتبعونني، والفجار يتبعون المال، كما تتبع النحل يعسوبها، وهو رئيسها.

as-Sayyid ar-Raḍī says: It means that the believers follow me while the wicked follow wealth just as the bees follow their “ya‘sūb” who is their leader. [1]

٣١٩. وَقَالَ (عليه ‏السلام) لِابْنِهِ مُحَمَّدِ ابْنِ الْحَنَفِيَّةِ: يَا بُنَيَّ إِنِّى أَخَافُ عَلَيْكَ الْفَقْرَ فَاسْتَعِذْ بِاللَّهِ مِنْهُ فَإِنَّ الْفَقْرَ مَنْقَصَةٌ لِلدِّينِ مَدْهَشَةٌ لِلْعَقْلِ دَاعِيَةٌ لِلْمَقْتِ.

319. Amīr al-mu’minīn, peace be upon him, said to his son Muḥammad ibn al-Ḥanafiyyah: O’ my son, I fear lest destitution overtakes you. So, you should seek Allāh’s protection from it, because destitution is deficiency of religious belief, perplexity of intelligence, and it is conducive to hatred of obstinate people.

۳۲۱. وَقَالَ (عليه ‏السلام) لِعَبْدِ اللَّهِ بْنِ الْعَبَّاسِ، وَقَدْ أَشَارَ عَلَيْهِ فِي شَيْ‏ءٍ لَمْ يُوَافِقْ رَأْيَهُ: لَكَ أَنْ تُشِيرَ عَلَيَّ وأَرَى، فَإِنْ عَصَيْتُكَ فَأَطِعْنِي.

321. ‘Abdullāh ibn al-‘Abbās once advised Amīr al-mu’minīn, peace be upon him, against his views, so he said: You have only to advise me but then I have to see (what to do); and if I act against your advice you have to follow me. [1]

٣٢٣. وَقَالَ (عليه ‏السلام) وَقَدْ مَرَّ بِقَتْلَى الْخَوَارِجِ يَوْمَ النَّهْرَوَانِ: بُؤْساً لَكُمْ، لَقَدْ ضَرَّكُمْ مَنْ غَرَّكُمْ.

323. Amīr al-mu’minīn, peace be upon him, passed by the dead bodies of the Khārijites on the day of the battle of Nahrawān and said: Woe unto you! You have been harmed by him who deceived you.

فَقِيلَ لَهُ: مَنْ غَرَّهُمْ يَا أَمِيرَ الْمُؤْمِنِينَ؟ فَقَالَ: الشَّيْطَانُ الْمُضِلُّ، وَالْأَنْفُسُ الْأَمَّارَةُ بِالسُّوءِ، غَرَّتْهُمْ بِالْأَمَانِيِّ، وَفَسَحَتْ لَهُمْ فِي المَعَاصِيِ، وَوَعَدَتْهُمُ الْإِظْهَارَ، فَاقْتَحَمَتْ بِهِمُ النَّارَ.

He was asked: O’ Amīr al-mu’minīn, who deceived them? Then, he replied: Satan, the deceiver, and the inner spirit that leads one to evil deceived them through passions, made it easy for them to get into sins, promised them victory and eventually threw them into the Fire.

۳۲۶. وَقَالَ (عليه ‏السلام): الْعُمْرُ الَّذِي أَعْذَرَ اللهُ فِيهِ إِلَى ابْنِ آدَمَ سِتُّونَ سَنَةً.

326. Amīr al-mu’minīn, peace be upon him, said: The age up to which Allāh accepts any excuse for a human being is sixty years.

۳۲۸. وَقَالَ (عليه ‏السلام): إِنَّ اللهَ سُبْحَانَهُ فَرَضَ فِي أَمْوَالِ الْأَغْنِيَاءِ أَقْوَاتَ الْفُقَرَاءِ، فَمَا جَاعَ فَقِيرٌ إِلَّا بِمَا مَنَعَ بِهِ غَنِي، وَاللهُ تَعَالَى سَائِلُهُمْ عَنْ ذلِكَ.

328. Amīr al-mu’minīn, peace be upon him, said: Allāh, the Glorified, has fixed the livelihood of the destitute in the wealth of the rich. Consequently, whenever a destitute remains hungry it is because some rich person has denied (him his share). Allāh, the Sublime, will question them about it.

۳۳۱. وَقَالَ (عليه ‏السلام): إِنَّ اللهَ سُبْحَانَهُ جَعَلَ الطَّاعَةَ غَنِيمَةَ الْأَكْيَاسِ عِنْدَ تَفْرِيطِ الْعَجَزَةِ.

331. Amīr al-mu’minīn, peace be upon him, said: When the disabled fall short in performing acts of obedience to Allāh, the Glorified, it is a good opportunity given by Allāh for the intelligent to perform such acts.

۳۳۵. وَقَالَ (عليه ‏السلام): لِكُلِّ امْرِئٍ فِى مَالِهِ شَرِيكَانِ، الْوَارِثُ وَالْحَوَادِثُ.

335. Amīr al-mu’minīn, peace be upon him, said: There are two sharers in the property of every person — successors and accidents.

٣٣٨. وَقَالَ (عليه ‏السلام): الْعِلْمُ عِلْمَانِ: مَطْبُوعٌ وَمَسْمُوعٌ وَلَا يَنْفَعُ الْمَسْمُوعُ إِذَا لَمْ يَكُنِ الْمَطْبُوعُ.

338. Amīr al-mu’minīn, peace be upon him, said: Knowledge is of two kinds — that which is absorbed and that which is just heard. The one that is heard does not give benefit unless it is absorbed.

٣٤٠. وَقَالَ (عليه ‏السلام): الْعَفَافُ زِينَةُ الْفَقْرِ، وَالشُّكْرُ زِينَةُ الْغِنَى.

340. Amīr al-mu’minīn, peace be upon him, said: The beauty of destitution is chastity and the beauty of riches is gratefulness.

٣٤٤. وَقَالَ (عليه ‏السلام): مَعَاشِرَ النَّاسِ اتَّقُوا اللَّهَ فَكَمْ مِنْ مُؤَمِّلٍ مَا لَا يَبْلُغُهُ وَبَانٍ مَا لَا يَسْكُنُهُ وَجَامِعٍ مَا سَوْفَ يَتْرُكُهُ وَلَعَلَّهُ مِنْ بَاطِلٍ جَمَعَهُ وَمِنْ حَقٍّ مَنَعَهُ أَصَابَهُ حَرَاماً وَاحْتَمَلَ بِهِ آثَاماً فَبَاءَ بِوِزْرِهِ وَ قَدِمَ عَلَى رَبِّهِ آسِفاً لَاهِفاً قَدْ ﴿خَسِرَ الدُّنْيَا وَالْآخِرَةَ ۚ ذَٰلِكَ هُوَ الْخُسْرَانُ الْمُبِينُ﴾.

344. Amīr al-mu’minīn, peace be upon him, said: O’ groups of people, fear Allāh, for there is many a man who aspires for what he does not get, many a builder of a house who does not live in it, and many a collector of that which he shall just leave behind. Possibly he may have collected it wrongfully or by denying a right. He acquired it unlawfully and had to bear the weight of sins on account of it. Consequently, he returned (from this world) with that weight and came before Allāh with sorrow and grief. Loses he both this world and (also) the hereafter; that is a loss (which is) manifest. (Qur’ān, 22:11)

٣٤٧. وَقَالَ (عليه ‏السلام): الثَّنَاءُ بِأَكْثَرَ مِنَ الِاسْتِحْقَاقِ مَلَقٌ وَالتَّقْصِيرُ عَنِ الِاسْتِحْقَاقِ عِيٌّ أَوْ حَسَدٌ.

347. Amīr al-mu’minīn, peace be upon him, said: To praise more than what is due is sycophancy; to do it less is either because of inability to speak or of envy.

٣٥٠. وَقَالَ (عليه ‏السلام): لِلظَّالِمِ مِنَ الرِّجَالِ ثَلاَثُ عَلاَمَاتٍ: يَظْلِمُ مَنْ فَوْقَهُ بِالْمَعْصِيَةِ، وَمَنْ دُونَهُ بِالْغَلَبَةِ وَيُظَاهِرُ الْقَوْمَ الظَّلَمَةَ.

350. Amīr al-mu’minīn, peace be upon him, said: The oppressor among the people has three signs: he oppresses his superior by disobeying him, and his junior by imposing his authority and he supports other oppressors.

۳۵۳. وَقَالَ (عليه ‏السلام): أَكْبَرُ الْعَيْبِ أَنْ تَعِيبَ مَا فِيكَ مِثْلُهُ.

353. Amīr al-mu’minīn, peace be upon him, said: The greatest defect is to regard that defect (in others) which is present in yourself. [1]

۳۵۵. وَبَنَى رَجُلٌ مِنْ عُمَّالِهِ بِنَاءً فَخْماً فَقَالَ (عليه السلام):

355. One of the officers of Amīr al-mu’minīn, peace be upon him, built a stately house, about which Amīr al-mu’minīn said:

أَطْلَعَتِ الْوَرِقُ رُؤُوسَهَا! إِنَّ الْبِنَاءَ يَصِفُ لَكَ الْغِنَى.

This is silver coins showing forth their faces. Certainly, this house speaks of your riches.

۳۵۸. وَقَالَ (عليه ‏السلام): أَيُّهَا النَّاسُ لِيَرَكُمُ اللَّهُ مِنَ النِّعْمَةِ وَجِلِينَ كَمَا يَرَاكُمْ مِنَ النِّقْمَةِ فَرِقِينَ إِنَّهُ مَنْ وُسِّعَ عَلَيْهِ فِى ذَاتِ يَدِهِ فَلَمْ يَرَ ذَلِكَ اسْتِدْرَاجاً فَقَدْ أَمِنَ مَخُوفاً وَمَنْ ضُيِّقَ عَلَيْهِ فِى ذَاتِ يَدِهِ فَلَمْ يَرَ ذَلِكَ اخْتِبَاراً فَقَدْ ضَيَّعَ مَأْمُولًا.

358. Amīr al-mu’minīn, peace be upon him, said: O’ people, let Allāh see you fearing at the time of happiness just as you fear Him at the time of distress. Certainly, he who is given ease (of life) and does not consider it as a means of slow approach towards tribulation (wrongly), considers himself safe against what is to be feared while he who is afflicted with straitened circumstances but does not perceive them to be a trial loses the coveted reward.

٣٦١. وَقَالَ (عليه ‏السلام): إِذَا كَانَتْ لَكَ إِلَى اللهِ سُبْحَانَهُ حَاجَةٌ فَابْدَأْ بِمَسْأَلَةِ الصَّلاَةِ عَلَى رَسُولِهِ (صلى الله عليه وآله)، ثُمَّ سَلْ حَاجَتَكَ، فَإِنَّ اللهَ أَكْرَمُ مِنْ أَنْ يُسْأَلَ حَاجَتَيْنِ فَيَقْضِيَ إِحْدَاهُمَا وَيَمْنَعَ الْأُخْرَى.

361. Amīr al-mu’minīn, peace be upon him, said: If you have a need from Allāh, the Glorified, then begin by seeking Allāh’s blessing on His Messenger, may Allāh bless him and his descendants, then ask your need, because Allāh is too generous to accept one (seeking His blessing on His Messenger) of the two requests made to Him and deny the other.

٣٦٤. وَقَالَ (عليه ‏السلام): لَا تَسْأَلْ عَمَّا لَا يَكُونُ، فَفِي الَّذِي قَدْ كَانَ لَكَ شُغُلٌ.

364. Amīr al-mu’minīn, peace be upon him, said: Do not ask about things which may not happen because you have enough to worry about with what happens.

۳۶۸. وَقَالَ (عليه ‏السلام): إِنَّ اللهَ سُبْحَانَهُ وَضَعَ الثَّوَابَ عَلَى طَاعَتِهِ، وَالْعِقَابَ عَلَى مَعْصِيَتِهِ، ذِيَادَةً لِعِبَادِهِ عَنْ نِقْمَتِهِ، وَحِيَاشَةً لَهُمْ إلَى جَنِّتِهِ.

368. Amīr al-mu’minīn, peace be upon him, said: Allāh, the Glorified, has laid down reward for obedience to Him and punishment for committing sins against Him in order to save men from His chastisement and to drive them towards Paradise.

۳۷۰. وَرُوِيَ أَنَّهُ (عليه السلام) قَلَّمَا اعْتَدَلَ بِهِ الْمِنْبَرُ إِلَّا قَالَ أَمَامَ الْخُطْبَةِ:

370. It is related that it was seldom that Amīr al-mu’minīn, peace be upon him, ascended the pulpit and did not utter the following before his sermon:

أَيُّهَا النَّاسُ، اتَّقُوا اللهَ، فَمَا خُلِقَ امْرُؤٌ عَبَثاً فَيَلْهُوَ وَلَا تُرِكَ سُدىً فَيَلْغُوَ وَمَا دُنْيَاهُ الَّتي تَحَسَّنَتْ لَهُ بِخَلَفٍ مِنَ الْآخِرَةِ الَّتي قَبَّحَها سُوءُ النَّظَرِ عِنْدَهُ، وَمَا الْمَغْرُورُ الَّذِي ظَفِرَ مِنَ الدُّنْيَا بأَعْلَى هِمَّتِهِ كَالْآخَرِ الَّذِي ظَفِرَ مِنَ الْآخِرَةِ بِأَدْنَى سُهْمَتِهِ.

O’ people, fear Allāh for man has not been created for naught so that he may waste himself, nor has he been left uncared for so that he may commit nonsensical acts. This world which appears beautiful to him cannot be the replacement of the next world which appears bad in his eyes, nor is the vain person who is successful in this world through his high courage like him who is successful in the next world even to a small extent.

۳۷۳. وَرَوَى ابْنُ جَرِيرٍ الطَّبَرِيُّ فِي تَارِيخِهِ عَنْ عَبْدِ الرَّحْمَنِ بْنِ أَبِي لَيْلَى الْفَقِيهِ. وَكَانَ مِمَّنْ خَرَجَ لِقِتَالِ الْحَجَّاجِ مَعَ ابْنِ الْأَشْعَثِ. أَنَّهُ قَالَ فِيمَا كَانَ يَحُضُّ بِهِ النَّاسَ عَلَى الْجِهَادِ: إِنِّي سَمِعْتُ عَلِيّاً رَفَعَ اللَّهُ دَرَجَتَهُ فِي الصَّالِحِينَ وَأَثَابَهُ ثَوَابَ الشُّهَدَاءِ وَالصِّدِّيقِينَ، يَقُولُ يَوْمَ لَقِينَا أَهْلَ الشَّامِ:

373. Ibn Jarīr aṭ-Ṭabarī has, in his history (vol. 2, p. 1086; also Ibn al-Athīr in his history, vol. 4, p. 478), related from ‘Abd ar-Raḥmān ibn Abī Laylā, al-faqīh (the theologian), who was one of those who had risen with (‘Abd ar-Raḥmān ibn Muḥammad) Ibn al-Ash‘ath to fight al-Ḥajjāj (ibn Yusuf ath-Thaqafī), that he (Ibn Abī Laylā) was exhorting people to jihād by recalling: On the occasion of encounter with the people of Syria I heard Amīr al-mu’minīn, may Allāh exalt his degree of rank among the righteous and may He reward him the reward of martyrs and men of truth, saying:

أَيُّهَا الْمُؤْمِنُونَ، إِنَّهُ مَنْ رَأَى عُدْوَاناً يُعْمَلُ بِهِ وَمُنْكَراً يُدْعَى إِلَيْهِ، فَأَنْكَرَهُ بِقَلْبِهِ فَقَدْ سَلِمَ وَبَرِىءَ وَمَنْ أَنْكَرَهُ بِلِسَانِهِ فَقَدْ أُجِرَ وَهُوَ أَفْضَلُ مِنْ صَاحِبِهِ، وَمَنْ أَنْكرَهُ بِالسَّيْفِ لِتَكُونَ كَلِمَةُ اللهِ هِيَ الْعُلْيَا وَكَلِمَةُ الظَّالِمِينَ هِيَ السُّفْلَى، فَذلِكَ الَّذِي أَصَابَ سَبيلَ الْهُدَى، وَقَامَ عَلَى الطَّريق، وَنَوَّرَ فِي قَلْبِهِ الْيَقِينُ.

O’ believers, whoever observes excesses being committed and people being called towards evil and disapproves it with his heart is safe and free from responsibility for it, and whoever disapproves of it with his tongue would be rewarded and he is in a higher position than the former but whoever disapproves it with his sword in order that the word of Allāh may remain superior and the word of the oppressors may remain inferior, catches hold of the path of guidance and stands on the right way, while his heart is lighted with conviction.

۳۷۶. وَقَالَ (عليه ‏السلام): إِنَّ الْحَقَّ ثَقِيلٌ مَرِيءٌ وَإِنَّ الْبَاطِلَ خَفِيفٌ وَبِيءٌ.

376. Amīr al-mu’minīn, peace be upon him, said: Certainly, right is weighty and wholesome while wrong is light and epidemical.

۳۸۰. وَقَالَ (عليه ‏السلام): رُبَّ مُسْتَقْبِلٍ يَوْماً لَيْسَ بِمُسْتَدْبِرِهِ وَمَغْبُوطٍ فِي أَوَّلِ لَيْلِهِ قَامَتْ بَوَاكِيهِ فِي آخِرِهِ.

380. Amīr al-mu’minīn, peace be upon him, said: Many a man faces a day after which he finds no day and many a man is in an enviable position in the earlier part of the night but is wept over by bewailing women in its later part.

۳۸۳. وَقَالَ (عليه ‏السلام): احْذَرْ أَنْ يَرَاكَ اللهُ عِنْدَ مَعْصِيَتِهِ، وَيَفْقِدَكَ عِنْدَ طَاعَتِهِ، فَتَكُونَ مِنَ الْخَاسِرِينَ، وَإِذَا قَوِيتَ فَاقْوَ عَلَى طَاعَةِ اللهِ، وَإِذَا ضَعُفْتَ فاضْعُفْ عَنْ مَعْصِيَةِ اللهِ.

383. Amīr al-mu’minīn, peace be upon him, said: Fear lest Allāh sees you while committing His sins or misses you when it is time to obey Him and as a result thereof you become a loser. Therefore, when you are strong be strong in obeying Allāh and when you are weak be weak in committing sins of Allāh.

۳۸۵. وَقَالَ (عليه ‏السلام): مِنْ هَوَانِ الدُّنْيَا عَلَى اللهِ أَنَّهُ لَا يُعْصَى إِلَّا فِيهَا، وَلَا يُنَالُ مَا عِنْدَهُ إِلَّا بِتَرْكِهَا.

385. Amīr al-mu’minīn, peace be upon him, said: It is (the proof of the) humbleness of the world before Allāh that He is disobeyed only herein and His favours cannot be achieved except by abandoning it.

۳۸۸. وَقَالَ (عليه ‏السلام): أَلَا وإِنَّ مِنَ الْبَلاَءِ الْفَاقَةَ وَأَشَدُّ مِنَ الْفَاقَةِ مَرَضُ الْبَدَنِ، وَأشدُّ مِنْ مَرَضِ الْبَدَنِ مَرَضُ الْقَلْبِ.

388. Amīr al-mu’minīn, peace be upon him, said: Beware that destitution is a calamity, but worse than destitution is ailment of the body, while worse than bodily ailment is the disease of the heart.

أَلَا وإِنَّ مِنَ النِّعَم سَعَةَ الْمَالِ، وَأَفْضَلُ مِن سَعَةِ الْمَالِ صِحّةُ الْبَدَنِ، وَأَفْضَلُ مِنْ صِحَّةِ الْبَدَنِ تَقْوَى الْقَلْبِ.

Beware that plenty of wealth is a blessing, but better than plenty of wealth is the health of the body, while still better than the health of the body is the chastity of heart.

۳۹۱. وَقَالَ (عليه ‏السلام): ازْهَدْ فِي الدُّنْيَا يُبَصّرْكَ اللهُ عَوْرَاتِهَا، وَلَا تَغْفُلْ فَلَسْتَ بِمَغْفُولٍ عَنْكَ.

391. Amīr al-mu’minīn, peace be upon him, said: Abstain from the world so that Allāh may show you its real evils and do not be neglectful because (in any case) you will not be neglected.

۳۹۵. وَقَالَ (عليه ‏السلام): كُلُّ مُقْتَصَرٍ عَلَيْهِ كَافٍ.

395. Amīr al-mu’minīn, peace be upon him, said: Every small thing that is contented upon, suffices.

۳۹۸. وَقَالَ (عليه ‏السلام): ضَعْ فَخْرَكَ، وَاحْطُطْ كِبْرَكَ، وَاذْكُرْ قَبْرَكَ.

398. Amīr al-mu’minīn, peace be upon him, said: Put off boasting, give up self-conceit and remember your grave.

۴۰۰. وَقَالَ (عليه ‏السلام): الْعَيْنُ حَقٌّ، وَالرُّقَى حَقٌّ، وَالسِّحْرُ حَقٌّ، وَالْفَأْلُ حَقٌّ، وَالطِيَرَةُ لَيْسَتْ بِحَقٍّ، وَالْعَدْوَى لَيْسَتْ بِحَقٍّ، والطِّيبُ نُشْرَةٌ وَالْعَسَلُ نُشْرَةٌ، وَالرُّكُوبُ نُشْرَةٌ، وَالنَّظَرُ إِلَى الْخُضْرَةِ نُشْرَةٌ.

400. Amīr al-mu’minīn, peace be upon him, said: Evil effect of sight is right; charm is right; sorcery is right, and fa’l (auguring good) is right, while ṭiyarah (auguring evil) [1] is not right, and spreading of a disease from one to the other is not right. Scent gives pleasure, honey gives pleasure, riding gives pleasure and looking at greenery gives pleasure.

۴۰۳. وَقَالَ (عليه ‏السلام): مَنْ أَوْمَأَ إِلَى مُتَفَاوِتٍ خَذَلَتْهُ الْحِيَلُ.

403. Amīr al-mu’minīn, peace be upon him, said: Whoever hankers after contraries gets no means of success.

۴۰۵. وَقَالَ (عليه ‏السلام) لِعَمَّارِ بْنِ يَاسِرٍ (رحمه الله) وَقَدْ سَمِعَهُ يُرَاجِعُ الْمُغِيرَةَ بْنَ شُعْبَةَ كَلَاماً:

405. Amīr al-mu’minīn, peace be upon him, heard ‘Ammār ibn Yāsir (may Allāh have mercy on him) conversing with al-Mughīrah ibn Shu‘bah and said:

دَعْهُ يَا عَمَّارُ، فَإِنَّهُ لَمْ يَأْخُذْ مِنَ الدِّينِ إِلَّا مَا قَارَبَهُ الدُّنْيَا، وَعَلَى عَمدٍ لَبَّسَ عَلَى نَفْسِهِ لِيَجْعَلَ الشُّبُهَاتِ عَاذِراً لِسَقَطَاتِهِ.

Let him alone O’ ‘Ammār, for he has entered religion only to the extent of his deriving advantage of the world, and he has willfully involved himself in misgivings in order to adopt them as cover for his shortcomings.

٤٠٩. وَقَالَ (عليه ‏السلام): الْقَلْبُ مُصْحَفُ الْبَصَرِ.

409. Amīr al-mu’minīn, peace be upon him, said: The heart is the book of the eye.

٤١١. وَقَالَ (عليه ‏السلام): لَا تَجْعَلَنَّ ذَرَبَ لِسَانِكَ عَلَى مَنْ أَنْطَقَكَ، وَبَلاَغَةَ قَوْلِكَ عَلَى مَنْ سَدَّدَكَ.

411. Amīr al-mu’minīn, peace be upon him, said: Do not try the sharpness of your tongue against Him Who gave you the power to speak, nor the eloquence of your speaking against Him Who set you on the right path.

٤١٤. وَفِي خَبَرٍ آخَرَ أَنَّهُ (عليه السلام) قَالَ لِلْأَشْعَثِ بْنِ قَيْسٍ مُعَزِّياً (عَنِ ابْنٍ لَهُ)

414. In another tradition it is related that Amīr al-mu’minīn, peace be upon him, said to al-Ash‘ath ibn Qays by way of condolence on the death of his son:

إِنْ صَبَرْتَ صَبْرَ الْأَكَارِمِ، وَإِلَّا سَلَوْتَ سُلُوَّ الْبَهَائِمِ.

Either endure like great people or else you will forget like animals.

٤١٨. وَقَالَ (عليه ‏السلام): الْحِلْمُ عَشِيرَةٌ.

418. Amīr al-mu’minīn, peace be upon him, said: Clemency is (like) a kinsfolk.

٤٢١. وَقَالَ (عليه ‏السلام): كَفَاكَ مِنْ عَقْلِكَ مَا أَوْضَحَ لَكَ سَبِيلَ غَيِّكَ مِنْ رُشْدِكَ.

421. Amīr al-mu’minīn, peace be upon him, said: It is enough if your wisdom distinguishes for you the ways of going astray from those of guidance.

٤٢٤. وَقَالَ (عليه ‏السلام): الْحِلْمُ غِطَاءٌ سَاتِرٌ، وَالْعَقْلُ حُسَامٌ قَاطِعٌ، فَاسْتُرْ خَلَلَ خُلُقِكَ بِحِلْمِكَ، وَقَاتِلْ هَوَاكَ بِعَقْلِكَ.

424. Amīr al-mu’minīn, peace be upon him, said: Forbearance is a curtain for covering, and wisdom is a sharp sword. Therefore, conceal the weaknesses in your conduct with forbearance and kill your desires with your wisdom.

٤٢٧. وَقَالَ (عليه ‏السلام): مَنْ شَكَا الْحَاجَةَ إِلَى مُؤْمِنٍ فَكَأَنَّمَا شَكَاهَا إِلَى اللهِ، وَمَنْ شَكَاهَا إلَى كَافِرٍ فَكَأَنَّمَا شَكَا اللهَ.

427. Amīr al-mu’minīn, peace be upon him, said: Whoever complains about a need to a believer, it is as though he has complained about it to Allāh; but whoever complains about it to an unbeliever it is as though he complained about Allāh.

٤٣٠. وَقَالَ (عليه ‏السلام): إِنَّ أَخْسَرَ النَّاسِ صَفْقَةً وَأَخْيَبَهُمْ سَعْياً، رَجُلٌ أَخْلَقَ بَدَنَهُ فِي طَلَبِ آمَالِهِ، وَلَمْ تُسَاعِدْهُ الْمَقَادِيرُ عَلَى إِرَادَتِهِ، فَخَرَجَ مِنَ الدُّنْيَا بِحَسْرَتِهِ، وَقَدِمَ عَلَى الْآخِرَةِ بِتَبِعَتِهِ.

430. Amīr al-mu’minīn, peace be upon him, said: The worst in bargaining and the most unsuccessful in striving is the man who exerts himself in seeking riches although fate does not help him in his aims and consequently he goes from this world in a sorrowful state while in the next world too he will face its ill consequences. [1]

٤٣٢. وَقَالَ (عليه ‏السلام): إِنَّ أَوْلِيَاءَ اللهِ هُمُ الَّذِينَ نَظَرُوا إِلَى بَاطِنِ الدُّنْيَا إِذَا نَظَرَ النَّاسُ إِلَى ظَاهِرِهَا، وَاشْتَغَلُوا بِآجِلِهَا إِذَا اشْتَغَلَ النَّاسُ بِعَاجِلِهَا، فَأَمَاتُوا مِنْهَا مَا خَشُوا أَنْ يُمِيتَهُمْ وَتَرَكُوا مِنْهَا مَا عَلِمُوا أَنَّهُ سَيَتْرُكُهُمْ، وَرَأَوُا اسْتِكْثَارَ غَيْرِهِمْ مِنْهَا اسْتِقْلَالًا، وَدَرَكَهُمْ لَهَا فَوْتاً، أَعْدَاءُ مَا سَالَمَ النَّاسُ، وَسِلْمُ مَا عَادَى النَّاسُ! بِهِمْ عُلِمَ الْكِتَابُ وَبِهِ عُلِمُوا وَبِهِمْ قَامَ الْكِتَابُ وَبِهِ قَامُوا، لَا يَرَوْنَ مَرْجُوّاً فَوْقَ مَا يَرْجُونَ، وَلَا مَخُوفاً فَوْقَ مَا يَخَافُونَ.

432. Amīr al-mu’minīn, peace be upon him, said: The lovers of Allāh are those who look at the inward side of the world while the other people look at its outward side, they busy themselves with its remoter benefits while the other people busy themselves in the immediate benefits. They kill those things which they feared would have killed them, and they leave here in this world what they think would leave them. They took the amassing of wealth by others as a small matter and regarded it like losing. They are enemies of those things which others love while they love things which others hate. Through them, the Qur’ān has been learnt and they have been given knowledge through the Qur’ān. With them the Qur’ān is staying while they stand by the Qur’ān. They do not see any object of hope above what they hope and no object of fear above what they fear.

٤٣٥. وَقَالَ (عليه ‏السلام): مَا كَانَ اللهُ لِيَفْتَحَ عَلَى عَبْدٍ بَابَ الشُّكْرِ وَيُغْلِقَ عَنْهُ بَابَ الزِّيَادَةِ، وَلَا لِيَفْتَحَ عَلَى عَبْدٍ بَابَ الدُّعَاءِ وَيُغْلِقَ عَنْهُ بَابَ الْإِجَابَةِ، وَلَا لِيَفْتَحَ لِعَبْدٍ بَابَ التَّوْبَةِ وَيُغْلِقَ عَنْهُ بَابَ الْمَغْفِرَةِ.

435. Amīr al-mu’minīn, peace be upon him, said: It is not that Allāh, to Whom belongs Might and Majesty, may keep the door of gratitude open for a person and close the door of plenty upon him, or to open the door of prayer to a person and close the door of acceptance upon him, or to open the door of repentance on a person and close the door of forgiveness upon him.

٤٣٨. وَقَالَ (عليه ‏السلام): النَّاسُ أَعْدَاءُ مَا جَهِلُوا.

438. Amīr al-mu’minīn, peace be upon him, said: People are enemies of what they do not know.

٤٤١. وَقَالَ (عليه ‏السلام): الْوِلَايَاتُ مَضَامِيرُ الرِّجَالِ.

441. Amīr al-mu’minīn, peace be upon him, said: Governing power is the proving ground for people.

٤٤٤. وَقَالَ (عليه ‏السلام): قَلِيلٌ مَدُومٌ عَلَيْهِ خَيْرٌ مِنْ كَثِيرٍ مَمْلُولٍ مِنْهُ.

444. Amīr al-mu’minīn, peace be upon him, said: A little that lasts is better than much that brings grief.

٤٤٧. وَقَالَ (عليه ‏السلام): مَنِ اتَّجَرَ بِغَيْرِ فِقْهٍ فَقَدِ ارْتَطَمَ فِي الرِّبَا.

447. Amīr al-mu’minīn, peace be upon him, said: Whoever trades without knowing the rules of religious law will be involved in usury.

۴۵۰. وَقَالَ (عليه ‏السلام): مَا مَزَحَ امْرُؤٌ مَزْحَةً إِلَّا مَجَّ مِنْ عَقْلِهِ مَجَّةً.

450. Amīr al-mu’minīn, peace be upon him, said: Whenever a man cuts a joke he separates away a bit from his wit.

٤٥٣. وَقَالَ (عليه ‏السلام): مَا زَالَ الزُّبَيْرُ رَجُلاً مِنَّا أَهْلَ الْبَيْتِ حَتَّى نَشَأَ ابْنُهُ الْمَشْؤُومُ عَبْدُ اللهِ.

453. Amīr al-mu’minīn, peace be upon him, said: az-Zubayr remained a man from our house till his wretched son ‘Abdullāh came forth. [1]

٤٥٥. وَسُئِلَ (عليه السلام) : مَنْ أَشْعَرُ الشُّعَرَاءِ؟ فقال (عليه السلام) :

455. Amīr al-mu’minīn, peace be upon him, was asked about the greatest poet and he said:

إِنَّ الْقَوْمَ لَمْ يَجْرُوا فِي حَلبةٍ تُعْرَفُ الْغَايَةُ عِنْدَ قَصَبَتِهَا فَإِنْ كَانَ وَلَا بُدَّ فَالْمَلِكُ الضِّلِّيلُ.

The whole group of them did not proceed on the same lines in such a way that we can know the height of their glory; but if it has to be done then it is the “al-Mālik aḍ-ḍillīl” (the mislead king).

قال السيد الرضي: يريد امرأ القيس

as-Sayyid ar-Raḍī says : Amīr al-mu’minīn means Imriu’l-Qays. [1]

٤٥٨. وَقَالَ (عليه ‏السلام): (عَلَامَةُ) الْإِيمَانُ أَنْ تُؤثِرَ الصِّدْقَ حَيْثُ يَضُرُّكَ عَلَى الْكَذِبِ حَيْثُ يَنْفَعُكَ، وَأَلَّا يَكُونَ فِي حَديِثِكَ فَضْلٌ عَنْ عِلْمِكَ وَأَنْ تَتَّقِيَ اللهَ فِي حَدِيثِ غَيْرِكَ.

458. Amīr al-mu’minīn, peace be upon him, said: Belief means that you should prefer truth (even) when it harms you rather than falsehood (even) when it benefits you; that your words should not be more than your action and that you should fear Allāh when speaking about others.

٤٦١. وَقَالَ (عليه ‏السلام): الْغِيبَةُ جُهْدُ الْعَاجزِ.

461. Amīr al-mu’minīn, peace be upon him, said: Backbiting is the tool of the helpless.

٤٦٤. وَقَالَ (عليه ‏السلام): إِنَّ لِبَنِي أُمَيَّةَ مِرْوَدَاً يَجْرُونَ فِيهِ، وَلَوْ قَدِ اخْتَلَفُوا فِيَما بَيْنَهُمْ ثُمَّ كَادَتْهُمُ الضِّبَاعُ لَغَلَبَتْهُمْ.

464. Amīr al-mu’minīn, peace be upon him, said: The Banū Umayyah (Umayyids) have a fixed period (mirwad) wherein they are having their way. But when differences arise among them then even if the hyena attacks them it will overpower them.

قال السيد الرضي: وَالْمِرْوَدُ هاهنا مفعَل من الإرْوَاد، وهو الإمهال وَالإظهار، وهذا من أفصح الكلام وأغربه، فكأنه (عليه السلام) شبّه المهلة التي هم فيها بالمضمار الذى يجرون فيه إلى الغاية، فإذا بلغوا مُنقَطَعها انتقضَ نظامُهم بعدها.

as-Sayyid ar-Raḍī says: Herein “mirward” is a form derived from “irwād” which means to allow time, to wait for. It is an extremely eloquent and wonderful expression. It is as though Amīr al-mu’minīn, peace be upon him, has likened the period of Banū Umayyah to a limited area meant for the training of horses for racing where they are running towards the limit, so that when they reach its extremity their organization will be destroyed. [1]

٤٦٧. وَقَالَ (عليه ‏السلام) فِي كَلَامٍ لَهُ: وَوَلِيَهُمْ وَالٍ فأَقَامَ واسْتَقَامَ، حَتَّى ضَرَبَ الدِّينُ بِجِرَانِهِ.

467. Amīr al-mu’minīn, peace be upon him, said in one of his speeches: A ruler came into position over them. He remained upright and made them upright till the entire religion put its bosom on the ground.

٤٧٠. وَسُئِلَ عَنِ التَّوْحِيدِ وَالْعَدْلِ فَقَالَ (عليه السلام): التَّوْحِيدُ أَلَّا تَتَوَهَّمَهُ وَالْعَدْلُ أَلَّا تَتَّهِمَهُ.

470. Amīr al-mu’minīn, peace be upon him, was asked on the Unity of Allāh and His justice, when he replied: Unity means that you do not subject Him to the limitations of your imagination and justice means that you do not lay any blame on Him. [1]

٤٧٣. وَقِيلَ لَهُ (عليه السلام) : لَوْ غَيَّرْتَ شَيْبَكَ يَا أَمِيرَ الْمُؤْمِنِينَ. فَقَالَ (عليه السلام) :

473. It was said to Amīr al-mu’minīn, peace be upon him: We wish you had changed your grey hair, O’ Amīr al-mu’minīn. Then he said:

الْخِضَابُ زِينَةٌ، وَنَحْنُ قَوْمٌ فِي مُصِيبَةٍ!

Dye is a way of adornment while we are in a state of grief.

قال السيد الرضي: يُرِيدُ وَفَاةَ رَسُولِ اللَّهِ (صلى الله عليه وآله).

as-Sayyid ar-Raḍī says: Amīr al-mu’minīn, peace be upon him, is referring to the death of the Messenger of Allāh, peace be upon him and his descendants.

٤٧٦. وَقَالَ (عليه ‏السلام) لِزِيَادِ ابْنِ أَبِيهِ. وَقَدِ اسْتَخْلَفَهُ لِعَبْدِ اللَّهِ بْنِ الْعَبَّاسِ عَلَى فَارِسَ وَأَعْمَالِهَا، فِي كَلَامٍ طَوِيلٍ كَانَ بَيْنَهُمَا، نَهَاهُ فِيهِ عَنْ تَقَدُّمِ الْخَرَاجِ:

476. When Amīr al-mu’minīn, peace be upon him, put Ziyād ibn Abīh in place of ‘Abdullāh ibn al-‘Abbās over Fārs (in Persia) and its revenues, he had a long conversation with him in which he prohibited him from advance recovery of revenue. Therein he said:

اسْتَعْمِلِ الْعَدْلَ، وَاحْذَرِ الْعَسْفَ والْحَيْفَ فَإِنَّ الْعَسْفَ يَعُودُ بِالْجَلاَءِ، وَالْحَيْفَ يَدْعُو إِلَى السَّيْفِ.

Act on justice and keep aloof from violence and injustice because violence will lead them to forsake their abodes while injustice will prompt them to take up arms.

٤٧٨. وَقَالَ (عليه ‏السلام): مَا أَخَذَ اللهُ عَلَى أَهْلِ الْجَهْلِ أَنْ يَتَعَلَّمُوا حَتَّى أَخَذَ عَلَى أَهْلِ الْعِلْمِ أَنْ يُعَلِّمُوا.

478. Amīr al-mu’minīn, peace be upon him, said: Allāh has not made it obligatory on the ignorant to learn till He has made it obligatory on the learned to teach.