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INSTRUCTION 56

When Amir al-mu'minin placed Shurayh ibn Hani (al- Madhhiji) at the head of the vanguard preceding towards Syria he issued this document of instruction to him.

Fear Allah every morning and evening and remain apprehensive  about yourself of this deceitful world and do not regard it safe in any case. Know that if for fear of some evil you do not refrain yourself from things which you love then passions will fling you into a lot of harm. Therefore be for yourself a refrainer and protector and for your anger a suppressor and killer.

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LETTER 57

To the people of Kufah at the time of his march from Medina to Basrah

Now I have come out of my city either as an oppressor or as the oppressed either as a rebel or one against whom rebellion has been committed. In any case to whomsoever this letter of mine reaches I appeal to him in the name of Allah that he should come to me and if I am in the right he should help me; but if I am in the wrong then he should try to get me to the right according to his view.

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[ 56 ] ومن كتاب له عليه السلام

وصىّ به شريح بن هانىء لما جعله على مقدمته إلى الشام

اتَّقِ اللهَ فِي كُلِّ صَبَاح وَمَسَاءٍ، وَخَفْ عَلَى نَفْسِكَ الدُّنْيَا الْغَرُورَ، وَلاَ تَأْمَنْهَا عَلَى حَالٍ، وَاعْلَمْ أَنَّكَ إِنْ لَمْ تَرْدَعْ نَفْسَكَ عَنْ كَثِيرٍ مِمَّا تُحِبُّ، مَخَافَةَ مَكْرُوهِهٍِ، سَمَتْ (1) بِكَ الْأَهْوَاءُ (2) إِلَى كَثِيرٍ مِنَ الضَّرَرِ. فَكُنْ لِنَفْسِكَ مَانِعاً رَادِعاً، وَلِنَزْوَتِكَ (3) عِنْدَ الْحَفِيظَةِ (4) وَاقِماً (5) قَامِعاً (6) .

[ 57 ] ومن كتاب له عليه السلام

إلى أهل الكوفة عند مسيره من المدينة إلى البصرة

أَمَّا بَعْدُ، فَإِنِّي خَرَجْتُ مِنْ حَيِّيٍ (1) هذَا: إِمَّا ظَالِماً، وَإِمَّا مَظْلُوماً، وَإِمِّا بَاغِياً، وَإِمَّا مَبْغِيّاً عَلَيْهِ. وَأني أُذَكِّرُ اللهِ مَنْ بَلَغَهُ كِتَابِي هذَا لَمَّا (2) نَفَرَ إِلَىَّ ، فَإِنْ كُنْتُ مُحْسِناً أعَانَنِي، وَإِنْ كُنْتُ مُسْيئاً استَعْتَبَنِي (3) .

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