Wonderful Sayings1. Amir al-mu'minin, 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. 2. Amir al-mu'minin, 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. 3. Amir al-mu'minin, 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. 4. Amir al-mu'minin, 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 Allah's will). 5. Amir al-mu'minin, peace be upon him, said: Knowledge is a venerable estate; good manners are new dresses; and thinking is clear mirror.
(1). "labun" means a milch camel and "ibnu'l-labun" means
its two year old young. In this age the young is neither suitable for riding nor
does it has udders which could be milked. It is called "ibnu'l-labun" because in
this period of two years its mother bears another young and begins yielding milk
again.
The intention is that during civil disturbance or trouble a man should behave in
such a manner that lie may be regarded of no consequence and ignored. No need
should be felt for his participation in either party". This is because during
mischief only dissociation can save from molestation. Of course, when the clash
is between right and wrong it is not permissible to keep aloof nor can it be
called civil disturbance: but on such occasions it is obligatory to rise up for
the support of right and suppression of wrong. For example, (luring the battles
of jamal and Siffin it was obligatory to support the right and to fight against
the wrong.
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1. قَال عليه السلام: كُنْ فِي الْفِتْنَةِ كَابْنِ اللَّبُونِ (4428) ، لاَ ظَهْرٌ فَيُرْكَبَ، وَلاَ ضَرْعٌ فَيُحْلَبَ. 2. وقَالَ عليه السلام: أَزْرَى (4429) بِنَفْسِهِ مَنِ اسْتَشْعَرَ (4430) الطَّمَعَ، وَرَضِيَ بِالذُّلِّ مَنْ كَشَفَ ضُرَّهُ، وَهَانَتْ عَلَيْهِ نَفْسُهُ مَنْ أَمَّرَ (4431) عَلَيْهَا لِسَانَهُ. 3. وقَالَ عليه السلام: الْبُخْلُ عَارٌ، وَالْجُبْنُ مَنْقَصَةٌ، وَالفَقْرُ يُخْرِسُ الْفَطِنَ عَنْ حُجَّتِهِ، وَالْمُقِلُّ غَرِيبٌ فِي بَلْدَتِهِ (4432) . 4. وقَالَ عليه السلام: الْعَجْزُ آفَةٌ، وَالصَّبْرُ شَجَاعَةٌ، وَالزُّهْدُ ثَرْوَةٌ، وَالْوَرَعُ جُنَّةٌ (4433) ، وَنِعْمَ الْقَرِينُ الرِّضَى. 5. وقَالَ عليه السلام: الْعِلْمُ وِرَاثَهٌ كَرِيمَةٌ، وَالْأَدَبُ حُلَلٌ مُجَدَّدَةٌ، وَالْفِكْرُ مِرْآةٌ صَافِيَةٌ. |
6. Amir al-mu'minin, 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. It is narrated that Amir al-mu'minin 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) 7. Amir al-mu'minin, 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. (2)
(1). In the last phrase, Amir al-mu'minin has described
the consequences and effects resulting from self-admiration namely that it
creates the feeling of hatred and humiliation-against others. Thus, the man who
manifests his greatness by every pretext in order to make himself conspicuous is
never regarded with esteem. People begin to despise him because of his mental
condition in seeking self-conspicuity and are not prepared to accord him the
worth which he really has, much less to regard him as he himself thinks to be.
(2). This saying comprises of two phrases:-
The first sentence relates to charity and Amir al-mu'minin has described it as
an effective cure, because when a man helps the poor and the destitute by alms
they pray for his health and recovery from the depth of their hearts and
therefore their prayer is granted and brings him cure. In this connection, there
is the saying of the Holy Prophet that, "Cure your sick by charity."
The second sentence relates to the disclosure of actions on the Day of
Judgement, namely that the good and bad deeds which a person performs in this
world cannot be perceived by human senses because of the veil of material
elements but on the Day of Judgement when material curtains will be lifted they
will so appear before the eyes that there will be no possibility of denial by
anyone. Thus, Allah has said:
On that day shall come out people (from their graves) in (scattered) groups, to
be shown their own deeds. Then he who has done an atom-weight of good
shall see it. And he who has done an atom-weight of evil shall see it. (Qur'an,
99:6-8)
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6. وقَالَ عليه السلام: صَدْرُ الْعَاقِلِ صُنْدُوقُ سِرِّهِ، وَالْبَشَاشَةُ حِبَالَةُ (4434) الْمَوَدَّةِ، وَالْإِحْتِمالُ (4435) قَبْرُ العُيُوبِ. وروي عنه عليه السلام أنّه قال في العبارة عن هذا المعنى أيضاً: الْمُسَالََةُ خَبْاءُ الْعُيُوبِ، وَمَنْ رَضِيَ عَنْ نَفْسِهِ كَثُرَ السَّاخِطُ عَلَيْهِ. 7. وقَالَ عليه السلام: َالصَّدَقَةُ دَوَاءٌ مُنْجِحٌ، وَأَعْمَالُ الْعِبَادِ فِي عَاجِلِهِمْ، نُصْبُ أَعْيُنِهِمْ فِي آجالِهِمْ. |
8. Amir al-mu'minin, peace be upon him, said: How wonderful is man that he speaks with fat, talks with a piece of flesh, hears with a bone and breathes through a hole. 9. Amir al-mu'minin, 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) 10. Amir al-mu'minin, 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. (2) 11. Amir al-mu'minin, peace be upon him, said: When you gain power over your adversary pardon him by way of thanks for being able to overpower him.(3)
(1). The meaning is that when a man's fortune is helpful
and the world is favourable to him then people describe his performances with
exaggeration and give credit to him for others' actions as well, while if a man
loses the favour of the world and the clouds of ill-luck and misfortune engulf
him, they ignore his virtues and do not at all tolerate even to recall his name.
They are friends of him whom the world favours and the foes of him whom the
world hits.
(2). To the person who behaves with others with benignity
and manner-liness, people extend their hand of cooperation, they honour
and respect him and shed tears after his death. Therefore, a person should lead
such an agreeable life that no one should have any complaint against him,
nor should any harm be caused by him to anyone so that during life he should
attract others and after death too he should be remembered in good words
(3). The occasion for pardon and forgiveness is when
there is power to take revenge. But when there is no such power, then pardon is
just the result of helplessness, for which there is no credit. However, to
practise pardon despite having power and the ability to avenge is the essence of
human distinction and an expression of thanks to Allah for bestowing this power,
because the feeling of gratefulness necessitates that man should bow before.
Allah in humbleness and humiliation by which the delicate feeling of pity and
kindness will arise in his heart and the rising flames of rage and
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8. وقال عليه السلام: اعْجَبُوا لِهذَا الْإِنْسَانِ يَنْظُرُ بِشَحْمٍ (4436) ، وَيَتَكَلَّمُ بِلَحْمٍ (4437) ، وَيَسْمَعُ بِعَظْمٍ (4438) ، وَيَتَنَفَّسُ مِنْ خَرْمٍ!! 9. وقال عليه السلام: إِذَا أَقْبَلَتِ الدُّنْيَا عَلَى أحَد أَعَارَتْهُ مَحَاسِنَ غَيْرِهِ، وَإِذَا أَدْبَرَتْ عَنْهُ سَلَبَتْهُ مَحَاسِنَ نَفْسِهِ. 10. وقال عليه السلام: خَالِطُوا النَّاسَ مُخَالَطَةً إِنْ مِتُّمْ مَعَهَا بَكَوْا عَلَيْكُمْ، وَإِنْ عِشْتُمْ حَنُّوا إِلَيْكُمْ. 11. وقال عليه السلام: إِذَا قَدَرْتَ عَلَى عَدُوِّكَ فَاجْعَلِ الْعَفْوَ عَنْهُ شُكْراً لِلْقُدْرَةِ عَلَيْهِ. |
12. Amir al-mu'minin, 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) 13. Amir al-mu'minin, peace be upon him, said: When you get (only) small favours do not push them away through lack of gratefulness. 14. Amir al-mu'minin, peace be upon him, said: He who is abandoned by near ones is dear to remote ones. 15. Amir al-mu'minin, peace be upon him, said: Every mischief monger cannot even be reproved. (2) 16. Amir al-mu'minin, peace be upon him, said: All matters are subject to destiny, so much so that sometimes death results from effort. anger will cool down after which there will be no urge to take revenge under the effect of which he would use his power and capability to satisfy his anger instead of using it properly. (1). It is not difficult to attract others by good manners and cheerfulness and to befriend them by sweet speech because no physical exertion or mental worry is required for this: and after making friends it is still easier to maintain the friendship and good relations because for making friends some effort or other is needed while for maintaining it no difficulty is to be surmounted. Therefore, no one can be more wretched than the man who cannot even retain a thing which could be retained just by keeping away a frown from the face. The intention is that a man should meet everyone with good manners and cheerfulness so that people may like to associate with him and extend a hand of friendship towards him. (2). Amir al-mu'minin uttered this sentence when Sa'd ibn Abi Waqqas, Muhammad ibn Maslamah and 'Abdullah ibn 'Umar refused to support him against the people of Jamal. He means to say that these people are so against me that neither have my words any effect on them nor do I need to reproof, rebuke or correct them. |
12. وقال عليه السلام: أَعْجَزُ النَّاسِ مَنْ عَجَزَ عَنِ اكْتِسَابِ الْإِخْوَانِ، وَأَعْجَزُ مِنْهُ مَنْ ضَيَّعَ مَنْ ظَفِرَ بِهِ مِنْهُمْ. 13. وقال عليه السلام: إِذَا وَصَلَتْ إِليْكُمْ أَطْرَافُ النِّعَمِ (4439) فَلاَ تُنْفِرُوا أَقْصَاهَا (4440) بِقِلَّةِ الشُّكْرِ. 14. وقال عليه السلام: مَنْ ضَيَّعَهُ الْأَقْرَبُ أُتِيحَ لَهُ (4441) الْأَبْعَدُ. 15. وقال عليه السلام: مَا كُلُّ مَفْتُونٍ (4442) يُعَاتَبُ. 16. وقال عليه السلام: تَذِلُّ الْأُمُورُ لِلْمَقَادِيرِ، حَتَّى يَكُونَ الْحَتْفُ (4443) في التَّدْبِيرِ. |
17. Amir al-mu'minin, peace be upon him, was asked to explain the saying of the Messenger of Allah that: Banish your old age (by hair-dye) and do not acquire resemblance to the Jews. Amir al-mu'minin replied: The Prophet (p.b.u.h.a.h.p.) 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) 18. Amir al-mu'minin, peace be upon him, said about those who avoided fighting on his side: They abandoned right but did not support wrong.(2) 19. Amir al-mu'minin, peace be upon him, said: He who gallops with loose rein collides with death. 20. Amir al-mu'minin, peace be upon him, said: Forgive the shortcomings of considerate people because when they fall into error Allah raises them up. 21. Amir al-mu'minin, 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.(3)
(1). The intention is that since in the beginning of
Islam the number of Muslims was limited it was necessary to keep them distinct
from the Jews in order to maintain their collective entity, so the Prophet
ordered the use of hair-dye which was not in use among the Jews. Besides, it was
also the aim that when facing the enemy the people should not appear old in age
and weak.
(2). This saying is about those who claimed to be
neutrals, such as 'Abdullah ibn 'Umar, Sa'd ibn Abi Waqqas, Abu Musa al-Ash'ari,
al-Ahnaf ibn Qays, Muhammad ibn Maslamah, Usamah ibn Zayd and Anas ibn Malik,
etc. No doubt these people did not openly support wrong but not to support right
is also a kind of support of wrong. Therefore, they will be counted among the
opponents of right.
(3). However had a thing may be regarded among the
people and how
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17. وسئل عليه السلام وعن قول النَّبيّ صلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَآله وَسلّم: «غَيِّرُوا الشَّيْبَ (4444) ، وَلاَ تَشَبَّهُوا بِالْيَهُودِ». فَقَال عليه السلام: إِنَّمَا قَالَ صلى الله عليه وآله ذلِكَ وَالدِّينُ قُلٌّ (4445) ، فَأَمّا الْآنَ وَقَدِ اتَّسَعَ نِطَاقُهُ (4446) ، وَضَرَبَ بِجِرَانِهِ (4447) ، فَامْرُؤٌ وَمَا اخْتَارَ. 18. وقال عليه السلام: في الذين اعتزلوا القتال معه: خَذَلُوا الْحَقَّ، وَلَمْ يَنْصُرُوا الْبَاطِلَ. 19. وقال عليه السلام: مَنْ جَرَى فِي عِنَانِ (4448) أَمَلِهِ عَثَرَ بِأَجَلِهِ (4449) . 20. وقال عليه السلام: أَقِيلُوا ذَوِي الْمُرُوءَاتِ عَثَرَاتِهِمْ (4450) ، فَمَا يَعْثُرُ مِنْهُمْ عَاثِرٌ إِلاَّ وَيَدُ اللهُ بِيَدِهِ يَرْفَعُهُ. 21. وقال عليه السلام: قُرِنَتِ الْهَيْبَةُ بِالْخَيْبَةِ (4451) ، وَالْحَيَاءُ بِالْحِرْمَانِ (4452) ، وَالْفُرْصَةُ تَمُرُّ مَرَّ السَّحَابِ، فَانْتَهِزُوا فُرَصَ الْخَيْرِ. |
22. Amir al-mu'minin, 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. as-Sayyid ar-Radi 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) 23. Amir al-mu'minin, peace be upon him, said: He whose deeds accord (him) a back position cannot be given a front position because of his lineage. 24. Amir al-mu'minin, peace be upon him, said: To render relief to the grief-stricken and to provide comfort in hardship means the atonement of great sins. 25. Amir al-mu'minin, peace be upon him, said: O' son of Adam, when you see that your Lord, the Glorified, bestows
(1).The sense of the interpretation written by as-Sayyid
ar- Radi is that Amir al-mu'minin intends to say that if our right, that lies
with others in our position, as with the Imam whom it is obligatory to obey, is
acknowledged and we are given the chance of worldly rule well and good,
otherwise, we will have to bear all sorts of hardships and ignominies and we
shall be compelled to live this life of ignominy and humiliation for a long
time.
Some commentators have stated a different meaning than this, namely that
"If our position is belittled and put aside, and others are given precedence
over us, we shall bear it patiently and agree to remain behind" and this is what
is meant by riding on the hind part of the camel, because the person who rides
on the hind part is on the rear while the person who sits on its back is in the
fore. Some people take it to mean that if we are allowed our right we will
accept it but if it is not given we shall not behave like the rider who gives
over the rein of his animal into the hands of some other person who is free to
take him wherever he likes but we shall stick to our right even though a long
time may elapse and not surrender to the usurpers.
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His favours oil you while you are disobeying Him, you should fear Him. (1) 26. Amir al-mu'minin, 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. (2)
(1). When a person goes On receiving favours despite
sinfulness he develops the misunderstanding that Allah is pleased with him and
that this is the result of His pleasure, because increase in favours arises out
of gratefulness and in the event of ungratefulness the bestowal of favours
stops, as Allah says:
And when declared your Lord: "If you be grateful I will increase (My favours) to
you, and if you be ungrateful, verily My torment is indeed severe." (Qur'an,
14:7)
Nevertheless, continuous bestowal of favours, despite disobedience and
ungratefulness, cannot be the result of Allah's pleasure, nor can it he said
that in this way Allah has put him under the misconception that he should regard
this exuberance of favours as the result of Allah's pleasure because when he
knows that he is a sinner and disobedient and is commiting sins and vices,
knowing them to be sins and vices, then there are no grounds for misconception
on his part by assuming Allah 's pleasure and consent. He should rather think
that this is a sort of trial and respite for when his sinfulness and
high-handedness reaches its zenith he will be caught all at once. Therefore, in
such a case he should keep waiting as to when Allah 's favours are taken away
from him and he is punished with deprival and discomfiture.
(2). The things which a man wants to conceal from
others do come out through his tongue sometime or another, and his effort at
concealment is unsuccessful. This is because although the far-sighted mind
desires to keep them concealed yet sometimes it gets entangled in some more
important matter and becomes careless on this score when the concealed thing
comes out in words through his tongue. When the mind becomes attentive, it is
not possible to undo the matter just as an arrow cannot be got back after
shooting. Even if this is not the case and mind is fully cautious and attentive,
the thing cannot remain concealed because the lines of the face are indicative
of mental feelings and reflect the heart's emotions, and consequently redness of
face can easily point out to the sense of shame, and its yellowness fear.
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يُتَابِعُ عَلَيْكَ نِعَمَهُ وَأَنْتَ تَعْصِيهِ فَاحْذَرْهُ. 26. وقال عليه السلام: مَا أَضْمَرَ أَحَدٌ شَيْئاً إِلاَّ ظَهَرَ فِي فَلَتَاتِ لِسَانِهِ، وَصَفَحَاتِ وَجْهِهِ. |
27. Amir al-mu'minin, peace be upon him, said: Keep walking in your sickness as long as you can. (1) 28. Amir al-mu'minin, peace be upon him, said: The best abstemiousness is to conceal it. 29. Amir al-mu'minin, 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. 30. Amir al-mu'minin, peace be upon him, said: Fear! Fear! By Allah, He has hidden your sins so much so as though He has forgiven. FAITH, UNBELIEF, DOUBT AND THEIR SUPPORTS31. Amir al-mu'minin, peace be upon him, was asked about faith when he said: Faith stands on four supports: on endurance, conviction, justice and jihad (fighting in the way of Allah). 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
(1). The intention is that as long as sickness does not
become serious do not give it importance, because by giving importance the
feelings get effected and the illness increases. Therefore, continued activity
and regarding oneself well dispels sickness and also prevents the power of
resistance from getting weak, and keeps up its psychological power, while the
psychological power curbs small ailments by itself, provided it is not forced to
give up resistance by the surrendering the imagination to the ailment.
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27. وقال عليه السلام: امْشِ بِدَائِكَ مَا مَشَى بِكَ (4453) . 28. وقال عليه السلام: أَفْضَلُ الزُّهْدِ إِخْفَاءُ الزُّهْدِ. 29. وقال عليه السلام: إِذَا كُنْتَ فِي إِدْبَارٍ (4454) ، وَالْمَوْتُ فِي إِقْبَالٍ (4455) ، فَمَا أسْرَعَ الْمُلْتَقَى! 30. وقال عليه السلام: في كلام له: الْحَذَرَ الْحَذَرَ! فَوَاللهِ لَقَدْ سَتَرَ، حتَّى كَأَنَّهُ قَدْ غَفَرَ. 31. وسُئِلَ عليه السلام عَنِ الْإِيمَانِ، فَقَالَ: الْإِيمَانُ عَلَى أَرْبَعِ دَعَائِمَ: عَلَى الصَّبْرِ، والْيَقِينِ، وَالْعَدْلِ، وَالْجَهَادِ: فَالصَّبْرُ مِنْهَا عَلَى أَربَعَِ شُعَبٍ عَلَى الشَّوْقِ، وَالشَّفَقِ (4456) ، وَالزُّهْدِ، وَالتَّرَقُّبِ: فَمَنِ اشْتَاقَ إِلَى الْجَنَّةِ سَلاَ عَنِ الشَّهَوَاتِ، وَمَنْ أشْفَقَ مِنَ النَّارِ اجْتَنَبَ الْمُحَرَّمَاتِ، وَمَنْ زَهِدَ فِي الدُّنْيَا اسْتَهَانَ بِالْمُصِيبَاتِ، وَمَنِ ارْتَقَبَ الْمَوْتَ سَارَعَ |
ألى الْخَيْرَاتِ . وَالْيَقِينُ مِنْهَا عَلَى أَرْبَعِ شُعَبٍ: عَلَى تَبْصِرَةِ الْفِطْنَةِ، وَتَأَوُّلِ الْحِكْمَةِ (4457) ، وَمَوْعِظَةِ الْعِبْرَةِ (4458) ، وَسُنَّةِ (4459) الْأَوَّلِينَ: فَمَنْ تَبَصَّرَ فِي الْفِطْنَةِ تبَيَّنَتْ لَهُ الْحِكْمَةُ، وَمَنْ تَبَيَّنَتْ لَهُ الْحِكْمَةُ عَرَفَ الْعِبْرَةَ، وَمَنْ عَرَفَ الْعِبْرَةَ فَكَأَنَّمَا كَانَ فِي الْأَوَّلِينَ. وَالْعَدْلُ مِنْهَا عَلَى أَرْبَعِ شُعَبٍ: عَلَى غائِصِ الْفَهْمِ، وَغَوْرِ الْعِلْمِ (4460) ، وَزُهْرَةِ الْحُكْمِ (4461) ، وَرَسَاخَةِ الْحِلْمِ: فَمَنْ فَهِمَ عَلِمَ غَوْرَ الْعِلْمِ، وَمَنْ عَلِمَ غَوْرَ الْعِلْمِ صَدَرَ عَنْ شَرَائِعِ الْحُكْمِ (4462) ، وَمَنْ حَلُمَ لَمْ يُفَرِّطْ فِي أَمْرِهِ وَعَاشَ فِي النَّاسِ حَمِيداً. وَالْجِهَادُ مِنْهَا عَلَى أَرْبَعِ شُعَبٍ: عَلَى الْأَمْرِ بالْمَعْرُوفِ، وَالنَّهْيِ عَنِ الْمُنكَرِ، وَالصِّدْقِ فِي الْمَوَاطِنِ (4463) ، وَشَنَآنِ (4464) الْفَاسِقيِنَ: فَمَنْ أَمَرَ بِالْمَعْرُوفِ شَدَّ ظُهُورَ الْمُؤمِنِينَ، وَمَنْ نَهَىِ عَنِ الْمُنْكَرِ أَرْغَمَ أُنُوفَ الْكَافِرِينَ ومَنْ صَدَقَ فِي الْمَوَاطِنِ قَضَى مَا عَلَيْهِ، وَمَنْ شَنِىءَ الْفَاسِقِينَ وَغَضِبَ لِلَّهِ غَضِبَ اللهُ لَهُ وَأَرْضَاهُ يَوْمَ الْقِيَامَةِ. وَالْكُفْرُ عَلَى أَرْبَعِ دَعَائِمَ: عَلَى التَّعَمُّقِ (4465) ، وَالتَّنَازُعِ، وَالزَّيْغِ (4466) ، وَالشِّقَاقِ (4467) : فَمَنْ تَعَمَّقَ لَمْ يُنِبْ (4468) إِلَى الْحَقِّ، وَمَنْ كَثُرَ نِزَاعُهُ بِالْجَهْلِ دَامَ عَمَاهُ عَنِ الْحَقِّ، وَمَنْ زَاغَ سَاءَتْ عِنْدَهُ الْحَسَنَةُ وَحَسُنَتْ عِنْدَهُ السَّيِّئَةُ وَسَكِرَ سُكْرَ الضَّلاَلَةِ، وَمَنْ شَاقَّ وَعُرَتْ (4469) عَلَيْهِ طُرُقُهُ وَأَعْضَلَ (4470) عَلَيْهِ أَمْرُهُ وَضَاق عَلَيْه مَخْرَجُهُ. |
وَالشَّكُّ عَلَى أَرْبَعِ شُعَبٍ: عَلَى الَّتمارِي (4471) ، وَالهَوْلِ (4472) ، وَالتَّرَدُّدِ (4473) والْإِسْتِسْلاَمِ (4474) : فَمَنْ جَعَلَ الْمِرَاءَ (4475) دَيْدَناً (4476) لَمْ يُصْبِحْ لَيْلُهُ (4477) ، وَمَنْ هَالَهُ مَا بَيْنَ يَدَيْهِ نَكَصَ عَلَى عَقِبَيْهِ (4478) ، وَمَن تَرَدَّدَ فِي الرَّيْبِ (4479) وَطِئَتْهُ سَنَابِكُ الشَّيَاطِينِ (4480) ، وَمَنِ اسْتَسْلَمَ لِهَلَكَةِ الدُّنْيَا وَالْآخِرَةِ هَلَكَ فِيهِمَا. قال الرضي: و بعد هذا كلام تركنا ذكره خوف الْإِطالة والخروج عن الغرض المقصود في هذا الباب . 32. وقال عليه السلام: فَاعِلُ الْخَيْرِ خَيْرٌ مِنْهُ، وَفَاعِلُ الشَّرِّ شَرٌّ مِنْهُ. 33. وقال عليه السلام: كُنْ سَمَحاً وَلاَ تَكُنْ مُبَذِّراً، وَكُنْ مُقَدِّراً (4481) وَلاَ تَكُنْ مُقَتِّراً (4482) . 34. وقال عليه السلام: أَشْرَفُ الْغِنَى تَرْكُ الْمُنى (4483) . 35. وقال عليه السلام: مَنْ أَسْرَعَ إِلَى النَّاسِ بِمَا يَكْرَهُونَ، قَالُوا فِيهِ بما لاَ يَعْلَمُونَ. 36. وقال عليه السلام: مَنْ أَطَالَ الْأَمَلَ (4484) أَسَاءَ الْعَمَلَ. 37. وقال عليه السلام وقد لقيه عند مسيره إلى الشام دهاقين الأنبار (4485) ، فترجّلوا له (4486) واشتدّوا بين يديه (4487) فقال: مَا هذَا الَّذِي صَنَعْتُمُوهُ؟ فقالوا: خُلُقٌ مِنَّا نُعَظِّمُ بِهِ أُمَرَاءَنَا. فقال : |
وَاللهِ مَا يَنْتَفِعُ بِهذَا أُمَرَاؤُكُمْ! وَإِنَّكُمْ لَتَشُقُّونَ (4488) عَلَى أَنْفُسِكْمْ فِي دُنْيَاكُمْ، وَتَشْقَوْنَ (4489) بِهِ فِي آخِرَتِكُمْ، وَمَا أخْسرَ الْمَشَقَّةَ وَرَاءَهَا الْعِقَابُ، وَأَرْبَحَ الدَّعَةَ (4490) مَعَهَا الْأَمَانُ مِنَ النَّارِ! 38. وقال عليه السلام: لِإِبنه الحسن عليه السلام: يَا بُنَيَّ، احْفَظْ عَنِّي أَرْبَعاً وَأَرْبَعاً، لاَ يَضُرَّكَ مَا عَمِلْتَ مَعَهُنَّ: إِنَّ أَغْنَى الْغِنَىُ الْعَقْلُ، وَأَكْبَرَ الْفَقْرِ الْحُمْقُ، وَأَوحَشَ الْوَحْشَةِ الْعُجْبُ (4491) ، وَأَكْرَمَ الْحَسَبَ حُسْنُ الْخُلُقِ. 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 (4492) . وَإِيَّاكَ وَمُصَادَقَةَ الْكَذَّابِ، فَإِنَّهُ كَالسَّرَابِ (4493) : يُقَرِّبُ عَلَيْكَ الْبَعِيدَ، وَيُبَعِّدُ عَلَيْكَ الْقَرِيبَ. 39. وقال عليه السلام: لاَ قُرْبَةَ بِالنَّوَافِلِ (4494) إِذَا أَضَرَّتْ بِالْفَرَائِضِ. 40. وقال عليه السلام: لِسَانُ الْعَاقِلِ وَرَاءَ قَلْبِهِ، وَقَلْبُ الْأَحْمَقِ وَرَاءَ لِسَانِهِ. قال الرضي: و هذا من المعاني العجيبة الشريفة، والمراد به أنّ العاقل لا يطلق لسانه إلاّ بعد مشاورة الرَّوِيّةِ ومؤامرة الفكرة. والأحمق تسبق حذفاتُ لسانه (4495) وفلتاتُ كلامه |
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. 41. This very sense has been related from Amir al-mu'minin, 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. The meaning of both the sayings (40 and 41) is the same. 42. Amir al-mu'minin, peace be upon him, said to one of his companions during his sickness: May Allah 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, Allah, the Glorified, admits into Paradise by virtue of truthfulness of intention and chastity of heart to whomsoever He wishes from among His creatures. as-Sayyid ar-Radi says: Amir al-mu'minin is right in saying that. there is no reward for sickness as such because compensation is admissible in respect of the acts of Allah, 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 Amir al-mu'minin has clarified it through his lustrous knowledge and sound view. 43. Amir al-mu'minin, peace be upon him, said about Khabbab ibn al-Aratt. (1) May Allah have mercy on Khabbab ibn al-Aratt since he accepted Islam willingly, immigrated (from Mecca) obediently, remained content with what sufficed him, was pleased with Allah and lived the life of a mujahid (holy soldier).
(1). Khabbab ibn al-Aratt was a distinguished
companion of the Holy Prophet and was one of the early muhajirun (immigrants).
He suffered various sorts of hardships at the hands of the Quraysh. He was made
to stand in the scorching sun, and to lie on fire but he did not for any reason
abandon the side of the Holy Prophet. He accompanied the Holy Prophet in Badr
and other battles. He supported Amir al-mu'minin in Siffin and Nahrawan. He had
left Medina and settled in Kufah. Thus, he died here in 39 A.H. at the age of
73, Amir al-mu'minin led his funeral prayer and he was buried outside Kufah.
Amir al-mu'minin uttered these mercy-invoking words standing on his grave.
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مراجعةَ فكره (4496) ومماخضة رأيه (4497) ، فكأن لسان العاقل تابع لقلبه، وكأن قلب الأحمق تابع للسانه. 41.و قد روي عنه عليه السلام هذا المعني بلفظ، آخر و هو قوله :قَلْبُ الْأَحْمَقِ فِي فَيهِ، وَ لَسَانُ الْعَاقِلِ فِي قَلْبِهِ. و معناهما واحد. 42. وقال عليه السلام لبعض أَصحابه في علّة اعتلّها: جَعَلَ اللهُ مَا كَانَ مِنْ شَكْوَاكَ حطّاً لِسَيِّئَاتِكَ، فَإِنَّ الْمَرَضَ لاَ أَجْرَ فِيهِ، وَلكِنَّهُ يَحُطُّ السَّيِّئَاتِ، وَيَحُتُّهَا حَتَّ (4498) الْأَوْرَاقِ، وَإِنَّمَا الْأَجْرُ فِي الْقَوْلِ بِالّلسَانِ، وَالْعَمَلِ بِالْأَيْدِي وَالْأَقْدَامِ، وَإِنَّ اللهَ سُبْحَانَهُ يُدْخِلُ بِصِدْقِ النِّيَّةِ وَالسَّرِيرَةِ الصَّالِحَةِ مَنْ يَشَاءُ مِنْ عَبَادِهِ الْجَنَّةَ. قال الرضي: و أقول: صدق عليه السلام، إنّ المرض لا أجر فيه، لأنه ليس من قبيل ما يُستحَقّ عليه العوض، لأن العوض يستحق على ما كان في مقابلة فعل الله تعالى بالعبد، من الآلام والأمراض، وما يجري مجرى ذلك،الأجر والثواب يستحقان على ما كان في مقابلة فعل العبد، فبينهما فرق قد بينه عليه السلام، كما يقتضيه علمه الثاقب رأيه الصائب. 44. وقال عليه السلام في ذكر خباب بن الارت : يرحم الله خباب بن الارت، فلقد أسلم راغبا، و هاجر طائعا، و قنع بالكفاف (4499) و رضي عن الله ، و عاش مجاهدا. * * * * * |
44. Amir al-mu'minin, 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 Allah. 45. Amir al-mu'minin, 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 Allah bless him and his descendants, as he said: O' `Ali, a believer will never hate you arid a hypocrite (Muslim) will never love you. (1)
(1). This is one of the authentic traditions
(ahadith) of the Holy Prophet whose authenticity the scholars of traditions had
never doubted. It was narrated by certain companions of the Holy Prophet such as
'Abdullah ibn al-'Abbas, 'Imran ibn al-Husayn, Umm al-mu'minin Umm Salamah and
others, such as Amir al-mu'minin himself, also narrated that:
By Him Who split the seed and created the soul, verily the Messenger of Allah,
peace be upon him and his progeny, gave me a promise that no one but a (true)
believer will love me, and none but a hypocrite will hate me. (as-Sahih.,
Muslim, vol.1, p.60; [Muslim, in his book, regards the love of 'Ali as an
ingredient of iman or faith and one of its signs; and the hatred of 'Ali as the
sign of dissemblance] al-Jami'
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44. وقال عليه السلام طُوبَى لِمَنْ ذَكَرَ الْمَعَادَ، وَعَمِلَ لِلْحِسَابِ، وَقَنِعَ بِالْكَفَافِ ، وَ رَضِيَ عَنِ اللهِ. 45. وقال عليه السلام: لَوْ ضَرَبْتُ خَيْشُومَ (4500) الْمُؤْمِنِ بِسَيْفِي هذَا عَلَى أَنْ يُبْغِضَنِي مَاأَبْغَضَنِي، وَلَوْ صَبَبْتُ الدُّنْيَا بِجَمَّاتِهَا (4501) عَلَى الْمُنَافِقِ عَلَى أَنْ يُحِبَّنِي مَا أَحَبَّنِي: وَذلِكَ أَنَّهُ قُضِيَ فَانْقَضَى عَلَى لِسَانِ النَّبِيِّ الْأُمِّيِّ صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَآلِهِ وَ سَلَّمِ أَنَّهُ قَالَ: يَا عَلِيُّ، لاَ يُبْغِضُكَ مُؤْمِنٌ، وَلاَ يُحِبُّكَ مُنَافِقٌ. |
46. Amir al-mu'minin, peace be upon him, said: The sin that displeases you is better in the view of Allah than the virtue which makes you proud. (1) 47. Amir al-mu'minin, peace be upon him, said: The worth of a man is according to his courage, his truthfulness is according to his balanco of temper, his valour is according to his self-respect and his chasteness is according to his sense of shame. as-sahih, vol.5, pp.635,643; as-Sunan, Ibn Majah, VOl.1, p.55; as-Sunan, an-Nasa'i, vol.8, pp.115- 116,117; al-Musnad, Ah mad ibn Hanbal, vol.1, pp.84,95,128; vol.6, p.292; ' Ilal al-hadith, Abu Hatim, vol.2, p.400; Hilyah al-awlya', Abu Nu'aym, vol4, p.l85; Jami' al-usul, Ibn al-Athir, vol.9, p.473; Majma' az-zawa'id, vol.9, p.133; Manaqib 'Ah ibn Abi Talib, Ibn al-Maghazili, pp.190-195; al-Isti'ab, vol.3, p.1100; Usd al-ghabah, vol.4, p.26; al-Isabah, vol.2, p.509: Tarikh Baghdad, vol.2, p.255; vol.8, p.417; vol.14, p.426; at-Tarikh, Ibn Kathir, vol.7, p.354) It was in this way that the companions of the Holy Prophet used to test tile faith (iman) or hypocracy (nifaq) of the Muslims through their love or hatred towards Amir al-mu'minin, as is related from Abu Dharr al-Ghifari, Abu Sa`id al-Khudri, 'Abdullah ibn Mas'ud and Jabir ibn 'Abdullah that: We (the companions of the Holy prophet) used to distinguish the hypocrites by their hatred of 'Ali ibn Abi Talib. (at-Tirmidhi, vol.5, p.635; al-Mustadrak, vol.3, p. 129; Hilyah al-awliya', vol.6, p.294; Majma' az-zawa'id, vol.9, pp.132 133; Jami' al-usul, vol.9, p. p.473; ad-Durr al-manthur, vol.6, pp.66-67; Tarikh Baghdad, vol.13, p. 153; ar-Riyad an-nadirah, vol. 2, pp.214, 215; al-Isti'ab, vol.3, p. 1110; Usd al-ghabah, vol.4, pp.29-30) (1). The person who feels ashamed and repentant after committing sin and offers repentance before Allah remains safe from the penalty of that sin and deserves the reward of repentance: while the person who after doing a virtuous deed begins to feel superiority over others, and being proud of his virtues thinks that he has no apprehension whatever, destroys his virtue and remains deprived of the reward of the virtuous deed. Obviously, he who has erased the blot of his sin by repentance will be better than he who has ruined his action by being proud of it, and having not repented of it either. |
48. Amir al-mu'minin, peace be upon him, said: Victory is by determination; determination is by the turning over of thoughts. and thoughts are formed by guarding secrets. 49. Amir al-mu'minin, 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) 50 Amir al-mu'minin, peace be upon him, said: The hearts of the people are like wild beasts. Whoever tames them, they would pounce upon him .(2) 51. Amir al-mu'minin, peace be upon him, said: So long as your position is good, your defects Will remain covered. 52. Amir al-mu'minin, peace be upon him, said: The most capable of pardoning is he who is the most powerful to punish. 53. Amir al-mu'minin, 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.
(1). The meaning is that a man of prestige and esteem
never tolerates humiliation or disgrace. If his honour is assailed he will leap
like a hungry lion and break away the shackles of humiliation. If a low and
narrow minded person is raised beyond his name he would not be able to contain
himself but, regarding himself very high, will assail other's position.
(2). this saying confirms the theory that by nature
human hearts love wildness and that the feeling of love and affection in them is
an acquired attribute. Consequently, when the factors and causes of love and
affection crop up they get tamed hut when these factors disappear or the
feelings of hatred are created against them, the people return to wildness, and
thereafter they return to the path of love and affection with great difficulty.
Do not tease the heart because it is a wild bird. If once it flies away from the
roof it would come down with great difficulty.
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49. وقال عليه السلام: احْذَرُوا صَوْلَةَ الْكَرِيمِ إذَا جَاعَ، واللَّئِيمِ إِذَا شَبِعَ. 50. وقال عليه السلام : قُلُوبُ الرِّجَالِ وَحْشِيَّةٌ فَمَنْ تَأَلَّفَهَا أَقْبَلَتْ عَلَيْهِ. 51. وقال عليه السلام: عَيْبُكَ مَسْتُورٌ مَا أَسْعَدَكَ جَدُّكَ (4502) . 52. وقال عليه السلام: أَوْلَى النَّاسِ بِالْعَفْوِ أَقْدَرُهُمْ عَلَى الْعُقُوبَةِ. 53. وقال عليه السلام: السَّخَاءُ مَا كَانَ ابْتِدَاءً، فَأَمَّا مَا كَانَ عَنْ مَسْألَةٍِ فَحَيَاءٌ وَ تَذَمُّمٌ (4503) . |
54. Amir al-mu'minin, peace be upon him, said: There is no wealth like wisdom, no destitution like ignorance, no inheritance like refinement and no support like consultation. 55. Amir al-mu'minin, peace be upon him, said: Patience is of two kinds, patience over what pains you, and patience against what you covet. 56. Amir al-mu'minin, peace be upon him, said: With wealth a strange land is a homeland, while with destitution even a homeland is a strange land. (1) 57. Amir al-mu'minin, peace be upon him, said: Contentment is wealth that does not diminish. (2) as-Sayyid ar-Radi says: This saying has also been related from the Prophet, may Allah bless him and his descendants.
(1). A person who has wealth and riches will get friends
and acquaintances wherever he may be and therefore he will not feel strange in a
foreign land; but if he is poor and destitute he will have no friends even in
his homeland because people do not like to make friends with the poor and
the destitute, or to extend relations with them. He is therefore, a stranger
even at home and has no friends or well-wishers.
He who has no worldly successor remains unknown as a stranger even in his
homeland.
(2). Contentment means that a man should remain satisfied
with what he gets and should not complain if he gets less. if he is not so
contented he will try to satisfy his greed by committing social crimes
like misappropriation, cheating and deceiving others, because greed compels one
to satisfy one's wants by any means whatever. Then the satisfaction 0f one's
want opens the way for another want and as a man's wants get satisfied his
craving increases and he can never get rid of his needs or of dissatisfaction.
This increasing dissatisfaction can be stopped only by contentment which makes a
man carefree from all wants except the most essential ones. This is that
everlasting wealth that gives satisfaction for good.
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58. Amir al-mu'minin, peace be upon him, said: Wealth is the fountain head of passions. 59. Amir al-mu'minin, peace be upon him, said: Whoever warns you is like one who gives you good tidings. 60. Amir al-mu'minin, peace be upon him, said: The tongue is a beast; if it is let loose, it devours. 61. Amir al-mu'minin, peace be upon him, said: Woman is a scorpion whose grip is sweet. 62. Amir al-mu'minin, 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. 63. Amir al-mu'minin, peace be upon him, said: The interceder is the wing .of the seeker. 64. Amir al-mu'minin, peace be upon him, said : The people of the world are like travellers who are being carried while they are asleep. 65. Amir al-mu'minin, peace be upon him, said: A lack of friends means strangeness. 66. Amir al-mu'minin, peace be upon him, said: To miss what one needs is easier than to beg from an inappropriate person. (1)
(1). The shame that is faced in putting a request before
an inappropriate person gives more mental pain than the grief in not obtaining
its fulfilment. That is why non-fulfilment of a request can be tolerated but the
obligation of a low- and humble person is intolerable. Every self-respecting
person would therefore prefer deprival to being under obligation to an
inappropriate mail, and will not tolerate placing his request before a low and
humble person.
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58. وقال عليه السلام: الْمَالُ مَادَّةُ الشَّهَوَاتِ. 59. وقال عليه السلام: مَنْ حَذَّرَكَ كَمَنْ بَشَّرَكَ. 60. وقال عليه السلام: الِّلسَانُ سَبُعٌ، إِنْ خُلِّيَ عَنْهُ عَقَرَ (4504) . 61. وقال عليه السلام: الْمَرْأَةُ عَقْرَبٌ حُلْوَةُ اللَّسْبَةِ (4505) . 62. وقال عليه السلام: إِذَا حُيِّيْتَ بِتَحِيَّةٍ فَحَيِّ بِأَحْسَنَ مِنْهَا، وَإِذَا أُسْدِيَتْ إِلَيْكَ يَدٌ فَكَافِئْهَا بِمَا يُرْبِي عَلَيْهَا، وَالْفَضْلُ مَعَ ذلِكَ لِلْبَادِىءِ. 63. وقال عليه السلام: الشَّفِيعُ جَنَاحُ الطَّالِبِ. 64. وقال عليه السلام: أَهْلُ الدُّنْيَا كَرَكْبٍ يُسَارُ بِهِمْ وَهُمْ نِيَامٌ. 65. وقال عليه السلام: فَقْدُ الْأَحِبَّةِ غُرْبَةٌ. 66. وقال عليه السلام: فَوْتُ الْحَاجَةِ أَهْوَنُ مِنْ طَلَبِهَا إِلَى غَيْرِأَهْلِهَا. |
67. Amir al-mu'minin, peace be upon him, said: Do not fell ashamed for giving little. because refusal is smaller than that. 68. Amir al-mu'minin, peace be upon him, said: Charity is the adornment of destitution . while gratefulness ( to Allah ) Is the adornment of riches. 69. Amir al-mu'minin, peace be upon him, said: If what you aim at does not come about then do not worry as to what you were. 70. Amir al-mu'minin, 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). 71. Amir al-mu'minin, peace be upon him, said: As intelligence increases, speech decreases. (1) 72. Amir al-mu'minin, 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. 73. Amir al-mu'minin, 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.
(1). Talkativeness is the result of diffused thinking
while diffusion of thought is the result of the unripeness of wisdom. When
wisdom attains perfection and understanding ripens one's mind, and thoughts are
balanced, and wisdom acquires power and control over the tongue, as over other
parts of the body, the tongue does not act without thinking or outside the
dictates of wisdom. Obviously, uttering after thinking is short and free from
extras.
AS A: man's intelligence increases his speaking decreases and he does not speak
save at the opportune moment.
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67. وقال عليه السلام: لاَ تَسْتَحِ مِنْ إِعْطَاءِ الْقَلِيلِ، فَإِنَّ الْحِرْمَانَ أَقَلُّ مِنْهُ. 68. وقال عليه السلام: الْعَفَافُ زِينَةُ الْفَقْرِ، والشُّكْرُ زِينَةُ الغِنَى. 69. وقال عليه السلام: إِذَا لَمْ يَكُنْ مَا تُرِيدُ فَلاَ تُبَلْ (4506) مَا كُنْتَ. 70. وقال عليه السلام: لاَتَرَى الْجَاهِلَ إِلاَّ مُفْرِطاً أَوْ مُفَرِّطاً. 71. وقال عليه السلام: إِذَا تَمَّ الْعَقْلُ نَقَصَ الْكَلاَمُ. 72. وقال عليه السلام: الدَّهرُ يُخْلِقُ اللْأَبْدَانَ، وَيُجَدِّدُ الْآمَالَ، وَيُقَرِّبُ الْمَنِيَّةَ، ويُبَاعِدُ الْأَُمْنِيَّةَ (4507) مَنْ ظَفِرَ بِهِ نَصِبَ (4508) ومَنْ فَاتَهُ تَعِبَ. 73. وقال عليه السلام: مَنْ نَصَبَ نَفْسَهُ لِلنَّاسِ إِمَاماً ْ فَلْيَبْدَأْ بِتَعْلِيمِ نَفْسِهِ قَبْلَ تَعْلِيمِ غَيْرِهِ، وَلْيَكُنْ تَأْدِيبُهُ بِسِيرَتِهِ قَبْلَ تَأْدِيبِهِ |
The person who teaches and instructs his own self is more entitled to esteem then he who teaches and instructs others. 74. Amir al-mu'minin, peace be upon him, said: The breath of a man is a step towards his death. (1) 75. Amir al-mu'minin, peace be upon him, said: Every countable thing is to pass away and every expected thing must come about. 76. Amir al-mu'minin, peace be upon him, said: If matters get mixed up then the last ones should be appreciated according to the previous One. (2)
(1). That is just as each step makes way for the other
and this exercise by steps is the means of nearing the goal, similarly every
breath of life serves as, death-knell for the previous one and carries life
towards death, as if the breath whose motion is regarded as a sign of life is in
fact the sign of the passing away of one moment of life and a means of nearing
the goal of death, because each breath is death for the previous one, and life
is the name of those very death -carrying breaths.
Every breath is the dead body of the life that passed by. Life is the name of
living by facing successive deaths.
(2). By looking at a seed a cultivator can say what plant
will come out of it, what fruits, flowers or leaves it will have and what will
be its expanse. In the same way, a guess can be made about the success of a
student by looking at his labour and effort or about the failure of some other
student by looking at his leisureliness and idleness, because the beginning is
indicative of the end and the premises of the conclusion. Therefore, if the end
of any matter is not visible then its beginning should be looked at. If its
beginning is bad the end too would be bad and if tile beginning is good the end
too would be good.
An auspicious river begins from the very spring.
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بِلِسَانِهِ، وَمُعَلِّمُ نَفْسِهِ وَمُؤَدِّبُهَا أَحَقُّ بِالْإِِجْلاَلِ مِنْ مُعَلِّمِ النَّاسِ وَمُؤَدِّبِهِمْ. 74. وقال عليه السلام: نَفْسُ الْمَرْءِ خُطَاهُ إِلَى أَجَلِهِ (4509) . 75. وقال عليه السلام: كُلُّ مَعْدُودٍ مُنْقَضٍ، وَكُلُّ مُتَوَقَّعٍ آتٍ. 76. وقال عليه السلام: إِنَّ الْأَُمُورَ إذا اشْتَبَهَتْ اعْتُبِرَ آخِرُهَا بِأَوَّلِهَا (4510) . |
77. It is related that when Dirar ibn Hamzah (the correct: Damrah) ad-Dibabi (or as-Suda'i) (1) went to Mu'awiyah. and Mu`awiyah enquired from him about Amir al-mu'minin, peace he 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 heard, groaning like a man bitten by a snake and weeping as a grieved man, saying: 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 liking is humble. Alas! The provision is little, the way is long, the journey is far and the goal is hard to reach.
(1). Dirar ibn Damrah was one of the companions of Amir
al-mu'minin. After the death of Amir al-mu'minin, he went to Syria (ash-Shim)
where he met Mu'awiyah. Mu'awiyah asked him, "Describe 'Ah to me." He replied,
"Would you please excuse me from answering this?" But Mu'awiyah insisted, "You
must describe him." Whereupon Dirar said:
If there is no alternative, then you should know that 'Ali was a man whose
personality knew no limits, terrible in power, his speech was decisive, his
judgements based on justice, his knowledge spread out in all directions and
wisdom was manifest in all his behaviour. Among the food he liked most was the
coarse kind and among the clothes, the short (and humble) ones. By Allah, he was
among us as one of us. He used to respond to our questions and fulfil all our
requests. By Allah, although be used to let us get close to him and he himself
was close to us, we did not dare address him due to our feeling of awe towards
him nor did we dare to speak first due to his greatness in our hearts. His smile
displayed a row of pearls. He used to honour the pious; to be kind to the needy,
to feed the orphan, the near of kin or the needy man in misery on the day of
huuger; to clothe the bare ones and to help the undefended person. He used to
detest the world and its flowering. I stand witness that. . . (and so forth, as
quoted above by as-Sayyid ar-Radi).
When Mu'awiyah heard this from Dirar his eyes became full of tears and he
said, "May Allah have mercy on Abu'l-Hasan. He really was so." Then, turning to
Dirar he said, "How do you feel in his absence, O' Dirar!" Dirar replied, "My
grief is like that of a woman whose only child is butchered in her arms."
(al Isti'ib, vol.3, pp.1107-1108; Hilyah al-awlya', vol.2, p.84;
Sifatu's-Safwah, Ibn al-Jawzi, vol.1, p.121;aI-Amali; Abu 'Ali al-Qali, vol.2.
p.147: Zahr al-adab, al-Husri, vol.1, pp.40-41; Muruj adh-dhahab, vol.2, p.42l:
ar-Riyad an-nadirah, al-Muhibb at-Tabari, vol.2, p.212; Ibn Abi'l-Hadid, vol.18,
pp.225 -226)
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77. ومن خبر ضرار بن ضَمُرَةَ الضُّبابِيِّ عند دخوله على معاوية ومسألته له عن أميرالمؤمنين عليه السلام. قال: فأشهَدُ لقَدْ رَأَيْتُهُ في بعض مواقِفِهِ وقَد أرخى الليلُ سُدُولَهُ (4511) وهو قائمٌ في محرابِهِ قابِضٌ على لِحْيتِهِ يَتَمَلْمَلُ (4512) تَمَلْمُلَ السَّليمِ (4513) ويبكي بُكاءَ الحَزينِ، ويقولُ: يَا دُنْيَا يَا دُنْيَا، إِلَيْكِ عَنِّي، أَبِي تَعَرَّضْتِ (4514) ؟ أَمْ إِلَيَّ تَشَوَّقْتِ؟ لاَ حَانَ حِينُكِ (4515) ! هيْهَات! غُرِّي غَيْرِي، لاَ حاجَةَ لِي فيِكِ، قَدْ طَلَّقْتُكِ ثَلَاثاً لارِجْعَةَ فِيهَا! فَعَيْشُكِ قَصِيرٌ، وَخَطَرُكِ يَسِيرٌ، وَأَمَلُكِ حَقِيرٌ. آهِ مِنْ قِلَّةِ الزَّادِ، وَطُولِ الطَّرِيقِ، وَبُعْدِ السَّفَرِ، وَعَظِيمِ الْمَوْرِدِ (4516) . |