( 752 )

wonderful saying

401. Amir al-mu'minin, peace be upon him, said: Nearness with people in their manners brings about safety from their evil.

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

as-Sayyid ar-Radi says: Here "shakir" 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.

403. Amir al-mu'minin, peace be upon him, said: Whoever hankers after contraries gets no means of success.

404. On being asked the meaning of the expression: "la hawla wala quwwata illa bi'llah " (there is no strength nor power but by means of Allah) . Amir al-mu'minin, peace be upon him, said : We are not master of anything along with Allah, and we are not master of anything save what He makes us master of. So, when lie makes us master of anything of which lie is a superior Master over us He also assigns some duties to us; and when lie takes it away He will take away those duties as well. (1)

(1). What Amir al-mu'minin means is that man does not enjoy regular mastery over anything, hut such mastery as he is assigned by Allah, and so long as this mastery lasts the obligations of the shari'ah also continue, whereas  when the mastery is taken away the obligations too are lifted off, since in such a case the laying of obligations would mean placing of responsibility beyond capacity which cannot be allowed by any wise or prudent person. This is why Allah has placed the responsibility of performing various acts after having conferred the necessary energy in the limbs. It follows that this responsibility would remain only so long as the energy subsists and that on the disappearance of the energy the responsibility for action would also disappear. For example, the obligation to pay zakat (tax) applies only when there is wealth; but when Allah would take away the wealth He would lift off the liability to pay zakat because in such a case the laying of obliga. tion is against prudence.


( 753 )

401. وقال عليه السلام: مُقَارَبَةُ النَّاسِ فِي أَخْلاَقِهِمْ أَمْنٌ مِنْ غَوَائِلِهِمْ (4951) .

402. وقال عليه السلام لبعض مخاطبيه، وقد تكلم بكلمة يُسْتَصْغَرُ مثلُه عن قول مثلها: لَقَدْ طِرْتَ شَكيِراً ،هَدَرْتَ سَقْباً. والشكير هاهنا: أول ما ينبت من ريش الطائر قبل أن يقوى ويستحصف، والسقب: الصغير من الإِبل ولا يهدر إلا بعد أن يستفحل.

403. وقال عليه السلام: مَنْ أَوْمَأَ (4952) إِلَى مُتَفَاوِتِ (4953) خَذَلَتْهُ الْحِيَلُ (4954) .

404. وقال عليه السلام وَقَدْ سُئِلَ عن معنى قولهم: ( لاَ حَوْلَ وَلاَ قُوَّةَ إِلاَّ باللهِ): إِنَّا لاَ نَمْلِكُ مَعَ اللهِ شَيْئاً، وَلاَ نَمْلِكُ إِلاَّ مَا مَلَّكَنَا، فَمَتَى مَلَّكَنَا مَا هُوَ أَمْلَكُ بِهِ مِنَّا (4955) كَلَّفَنَا، وَمَتى أَخَذَهُ مِنَّا وَضَعَ تَكْلِيفَهُ عَنَّا.

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( 754 )

405. Amir al-mu'minin, peace be upon him, heard 'Ammar ibn Yasir (may Allah have mercy on him) conversing with al- Mughirah ibn Shu'bah and said: Let him alone O' 'Ammar, for he has entered religion only to the extent of his deriving advantage of the world, and he has wilfully involved himself in misgivings in order to adopt them as cover for his shortcomings.

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

407. Amir al-mu'minin, peace be upon him, said: Allah does not grant wisdom to a person except that some day He will save him from ruin with its help.

408. Amir al-mu'minin, peace be upon him, said: Whoever clashes with Truth would be knocked down by it.

409. Amir al-mu'minin, peace be upon him, said: The heart is the book of the eye.

410. Amir al-mu'minin, peace be upon him, said: Fear of Allah is the chief trait of human character.

411. Amir al-mu'minin, 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.

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


( 755 )

405. وقال عليه السلام لعمار بن ياسر وقد سمعه يراجع المغيرة بن شعبة كلاماً: دَعْهُ يَا عَمَّارُ، فَإِنَّهُ لَمْ يَأْخُذْ مِنَ الدِّينِ إِلاَّ مَا قَارَبَتْهُ الدُّنْيَا، وَعَلَى عَمدٍ لَبَسَ عَلَى نَفْسِهِ (4956) لِيَجْعَلَ الشُّبُهَاتِ عَاذِراً لِسَقَطَاتِهِ.

406. وقال عليه السلام: مَا أَحْسَنَ تَوَاضُعَ الْأَغْنِيَاءِ لِلْفُقَرَاءِ طَلَباً لِمَا عِنْدَ اللهِ! وأَحْسَنُ مِنْهُ تِيهُ الْفُقَرَاءِ عَلَى الْأَغْنِيَاءِ اتِّكَالاً عَلَى الله.

407. وقال عليه السلام: مَا اسْتَوْدَعَ اللهُ امْرَأً عَقْلاً إِلاَّ اسْتَنْقَذَهُ (4957) بِهِ يَوْماً مَا!

408. وقال عليه السلام: مَنْ صَارَعَ الْحَقَّ صَرَعَهُ.

409. وقال عليه السلام: الْقَلْبُ مُصْحَفُ الْبَصَرِ (4958) .

410. وقال عليه السلام: التُّقَى رَئِيسُ الْأَخْلاَقِ.

411. وقال عليه السلام: لاَ تَجْعَلَنَّ ذَرَبَ (4959) لِسَانِكَ عَلَى مَنْ أَنْطَقَكَ، وَبَلاَغَةَ قَوْلِكَ عَلَى مَنْ سَدَّدَكَ (4960) .

412. وقال عليه السلام: كَفَاكَ أَدَباً لِنَفْسِكَ اجْتِنَابُ مَا تَكْرَهُهُ مِنْ غَيْرِكَ.

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( 756 )

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

414. In another tradition it is related that Amir al-mu'minin, peace be upon him, said to al-Ash'ath ibn Qays by way of condolence on the death of his son: Either endure like great people or else you will forget like animals.

415. Amir al-mu'minin, peace be upon him, said about the world: It deceives, it harms and it passes away. Allah, 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.

416. Amir al-mu'minin, peace be upon him, said to his son al-Hasan (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 Allah, in this case he will acquire virtue through what was evil for you, or it will be a person who uses it in disobeying Allah 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

as-Sayyid ar-Radi 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 Allah and so acquires virtues with what was evil for you, or a man who uses it in disobedience of Allah and so you will be getting evil for what you collected. And neither of these two is such that you


( 757 )

413. وقال عليه السلام: مَنْ صَبَرَ صَبْرَ الْأَحْرَارِ، وَإِلاَّ سَلاَ (4961) سُلُوَّ الْأَغْمَارِ (4962) .

414. وفي خبرٍ آخر أنّه عليه السلام قال للأَشعث بن قيس معزياً عن ابن له: إِنْ صَبَرْتَ صَبْرَ الْأَكَارِمِ، وَإِلاَّ سَلَوْتَ سُلُوَّ الْبَهَائِمِ.

415. وقال عليه السلام في صفة الدنيا: تَغُرُّ وَتَضُرُّ وَتَمُرُّ، إِنَّ اللهَ تَعَالَى لَمْ يَرْضَهَا ثَوَاباً لِأَوْلِيَائِهِ، وَلاَ عِقَاباً لِأَعْدَائِهِ، وَإِنَّ أَهْلَ الدُّنْيَا كَرَكْبٍ بَيْنَا هُمْ حَلُّوا إِذْ صَاحَبِهِمْ سَائِقُهُمْ فَارْتَحَلُوا (4963) .

416. وقال لابنه الحسن عليهما السلام : لاَ تُخَلِّفَنَّ وَرَاءَكَ شَيْئاً مِنَ الدُّنْيَا، فَإِنَّكَ تُخَلِّفُهُ لِأَحَدِ رَجُلَيْنِ: إِمَّا رَجُلٌ عَمِلَ فِيهِ بِطَاعَةِ اللهِ فَسَعِدَ بِمَا شَقِيتَ بِهِ، وَإِمَّا رَجُلٌ عَمِلَ فِيهِ بِمَعْصِيَةِ اللهِ فَشَقِيَ بِمَا جَمَعْتَ لَهُ فَكُنْتَ عَوْناً لَهُ عَلى مَعْصِيَتِهِ، وَلَيْسَ أَحَدُ هذَيْنِ حَقِيقاً أَنْ تُؤْثِرَهُ عَلَىُ نَفْسِكَ. قال الرضي: و يروى هذا الكلام على وجه آخر، وهو: 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 فَشَقِيَتَ بِمَا جَمَعْتَ لَهُ، وَلَيْسَ أَحَدُ هذَيْنِ أَهْلاً أَنْ

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( 758 )

may prefer him over yourself or you may burden yourself for him. Therefore, hope for the mercy of Allah for him who has passed away and for Divine livelihood for him who survives.

417. Someone said before Amir al-mu'minin, peace be upon him: "astaghfiru 'llah" I ask Allah's forgiveness), then Amir al-mu'minin, peace be upon him, said: Your mother may lose you! Do you know what "istighfar" (asking Allah's forgiveness) is? "istighfar" is meant for people of a high position. It is a word that stands on six supports. The first is to repent over the past; the second is to make a firm determination never to revert to it; the third is to discharge all the rights of people so that you may meet Allah- quite clean with nothing to account for; the fourth is to fulfil every obligation which you ignored (in the past) so that you may now do justice with it; 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; and the sixth is to make the body taste the pain of obedience as you (previously) made it taste the sweetness of disobedience. On such an occasion you may say "astaghfiru 'llah".

418. Amir al-mu'minin, peace be upon him, said: Clemency is (like) a kinsfolk.

419. Amir al-mu'minin, 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.


( 759 )

تُؤْثِرَهُ عَلَى نَفْسِكَ تَحْمِلَ لَهُ عَلَى ظَهْرِكَ، فارْجُ لِمَنْ مَضَى رَحْمَةَ اللهِ، لِمَنْ بَقِيَ رِزْقَ اللهِ.

417. وقال عليه السلام لقائل قال بحضرته:( أَسْتَغْفِرُ اللهَ). ثَكِلَتْكَ أُمُّكَ، أَتَدْرِي مَا الْإِِسْتِغْفَارُ؟ الْإِسْتِغْفَارَ دَرَجَةُ الْعِلِّيِّينَ، وَهُوَ اسْمٌ وَاقِعٌ عَلَى سِتَّةِ مَعَانٍ: أَوَّلُهَا: النَّدَمُ عَلَى مَا مَضَى. وَالثَّانِي: الْعَزْمُ عَلَى تَرْكِ الْعَوْدِ إِلَيْهِ أَبَداً, وَالثَّالِثُ: أَنْ تُؤَدِّيَ إِلَى الْمَخْلُوقِينَ حُقُوقَهُمْ حَتَّى تَلْقَى اللهَ أَمْلَسَ لَيْسَ عَلَيْكَ تَبِعَةٌ, وَالرَّابِعُ: أَنْ تَعْمِدَ إِلَى كُلِّ فَرِيضَةٍ عَلَيْكَ ضَيَّعْتَهَا فَتُؤَدِّيَ حَقَّهَا, وَالْخَامِسُ: أَنْ تَعْمِدَ إِلَى اللَّحْمِ الَّذِي نَبَتَ عَلَى السُّحْتِ (4964) فَتُذِيبَهُ بِالْأَحْزَانِ، حَتَّى يَلْصِقَ الْجِلْدُ بِالْعَظْمِ، وَيَنْشَأَ بَيْنَهُمَا لَحْمٌ جَدِيدٌ, وَالسَّادِسُ: أَنْ تُذِيقَ الْجِسْمَ أَلَمَ الطَّاعَةِ كَمَا أَذَقْتَهُ حَلاَوَةَ الْمَعْصِيَةِ, فَعِنْدَ ذلِكَ تَقُولُ: ( أَسْتَغْفِرُاللهَ).

418. وقال عليه السلام: الْحِلْمُ عَشِيرَةٌ (4965) .

419. وقال عليه السلام: مِسْكِينٌ ابْنُ آدَمَ: مَكْتُومُ الْأَجَلِ، مَكْنُونُ (4966) الْعِلَلِ، مَحْفُوظُ الْعَمَلِ، تَؤْلِمُهُ الْبَقَّةُ، وَتَقْتُلُهُ الشَّرْقَةُ (4967) وَتُنْتِنُهُ (4968) الْعَرْقَةُ (4969) .

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( 760 )

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

Then, one of the Kharijites said: Allah may kill this heretic. How logical he is! The people then leapt towards him to kill him but Amir al-mu'minin, peace be upon him, said: Wait a bit. There should either be abuse for abuse or else pardon from the offence.

421. Amir al-mu'minin, peace be upon him, said: It is enough if your wisdom distinguishes for you the ways of going astray from those of guidance.

422. Amir al-mu'minin, 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 Allah, it would really be so. There are people of good and evil. When you would leave either of the two, others will perform them.

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

424. Amir al-mu'minin, 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.


( 761 )

420. وروي أنه عليه السلام كان جالساً في أصحابه، فمرّت بهم امرأة جميلة، فرمقها القوم بأبصارهم. فقال عليه السلام: إِنَّ أَبْصَار هذِهِ الْفُحُولِ طَوَامِحُ (4970) وَإِنَّ ذلِكَ سَبَبُ هَبَابِهَا (4971) فإِذَا نَظَرَ أَحَدُكُمْ إِلَى امْرَأَةٍ تُعْجِبُهُ فَلْيُلاَمِسْ أَهْلَهُ، فَإِنَّمَا هِيَ امْرَأَهٌ كَامْرَأَةٍ. فقال رجل من الخوارج: قاتله الله كافراً ما أفقهه. فوثب القوم لِيقتلوه. فقال عليه السلام: رُوَيْداً (4972) إِنَّمَا هُوَ سَبٌّ بِسَبٍّ، أَوْ عَفْوٌ عَنْ ذَنْبٍ!

421. وقال عليه السلام: كَفَاكَ مِنْ عَقْلِكَ مَا أَوْضَحَ لَكَ سُبُلَ غَيِّكَ مِنْ رُشْدِكَ.

422. وقال عليه السلام: افْعَلُوا الْخَيْرَ وَلاَ تَحْقِرُوا مِنْهُ شَيْئاً، فَإِنَّ صَغِيرَهُ كَبِيرٌ وَقَلِيلَهُ كَثِيرٌ، وَلا يَقُولَنَّ أَحَدُكُمْ: إِنَّ أَحَداً أَوْلَى بِفِعْلِ الْخَيْرِ مِنِّي فَيَكُونَ وَاللهِ كَذلِكَ، إِنَّ لِلْخَيْرِ وَالشَّرِّ أَهْلاً، فَمَهْمَا تَرَكْتُمُوهُ مِنْهُمَا كَفَاكُمُوهُ أَهْلُهُ (4973) .

423. وقال عليه السلام: مَنْ أَصْلَحَ سَرِيرَتَهُ أَصْلَحَ اللهُ عَلاَنِيَتَهُ، وَمَنْ عَمِلَ لِدِينِهِ كَفَاهُ اللهُ أَمْرَ دُنْيَاهُ، وَمَنْ أَحْسَنَ فِيَما بَيْنَهُ وبَيْنَ اللهِ كَفَاهُ اللهُ مَا بَيْنَهُ وَبَيْنَ النَّاسِ.

424. وقال عليه السلام: الْحِلْمُ غِطَاءٌ سَاتِرٌ، وَالْعَقْلُ حُسَامٌ قَاطِعٌ، فَاسْتُرْ خَلَلَ خُلُقِكَ بِحِلْمِكَ، وَقَاتِلْ هَوَاكَ بِعَقْلِكَ.

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( 762 )

425. Amir al-mu'minin, peace be upon him, said: There are some creatures of Allah whom Allah 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.

426. Amir al-mu'minin, 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.

427. Amir al-mu'minin, peace be upon him, said: Whoever complains about a need to a believer, it is as though he has complained about it to Allah; but whoever complains about it to an unbeliever it is as though he complained about Allah.

428. Amir al-mu'minin, peace be upon him, said on the occasion of an 'id (Muslim feast day): It is an 'td for him whose fasting Allah accepts and for whose prayers He is grateful; and (in fact) every day wherein no sin of Allah is committed is an 'id.  (1)

(1). If feeling and conscience is alive even the remembrance of a sin destroys peace of mind because tranquility and happiness are achieved only when the spirit is free from the burden of sin and one's robe is not polluted with disobedience. And this real happiness is not bound by time, but on whatever day a man desires he can avoid sin and enjoy this happiness, and this very happiness will be the real happiness and the harbinger of 'id.


( 763 )

425. وقال عليه السلام: إِنَّ لِلَّهِ عِبَاداً يَخْتَصُّهُمْ اللهُ بِالنِّعَمِ لِمَنَافِعِ الْعِبَادِ، فَيُقِرُّهَا (4974) فِي أَيْدِيهِمْ مَا بَذَلُوهَا، فَإِذَا مَنَعُوهَا نَزَعَهَا مِنْهُمْ، ثُمَّ حَوَّلَهَا إِلَى غَيْرِهِمْ.

426. وقال عليه السلام: لاَ يَنْبَغِي لِلْعَبْدِ أَنْ يَثِقَ بِخَصْلَتَيْنِ: الْعَافِيَةِ، وَالْغِنَى: بَيْنَا تَرَاهُ مُعَافىً إِذْ سَقِمَ، وَغَنِيّاً إِذِ افْتَقَرَ.

427. وقال عليه السلام: مَنْ شَكَا الْحَاجَةَ إِلَى مُؤْمِنٍ فَكَأَنَّهُ شَكَاهَا إِلَى اللهِ، وَمَنْ شَكَاهَا إلَى كَافِرٍ فَكَأَنَّمَا شَكَا اللهَ .

428. وقال عليه السلام في بعض الأَعيَاد: إِنَّمَا هُوَ عِيدٌ لِمَنْ قَبلَ اللهُ صِيَامَهُ وَشَكَرَ قِيَامَهُ، وَكُلُّ يَوْمٍ لاَ يُعْصَى اللهُ فِيهِ فَهُوَ عِيدٌ.

* * * * *


( 764 )

429. Amir al-mu'minin, 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 Allah, the Glorified, and he will be awarded Paradise on that account while the first one will go into the Fire on account of it.

430. Amir al-mu'minin, peace b~ 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)

431. Amir al-mu'minin, 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. 

432. Amir al-mu'minin, peace be upon him, said: The lovers of Allah are those who look at the inward side of the world while the other people look at its outward side, they busy themselves

(1). Despite efforts throughout life a man does not always achieve all the successes of life. If on some occasions he succeeds as a result of effort and seeking, on many others he has to face defeat and to give up his objectives admitting defeat before fate. A little thinking can lead to the conclusion that when things of this world cannot be achieved despite effort and seeking how can the success of the next world be achieved without striving and seeking.

A Persian couplet says:

You hankered after the world but did not attain the object. O' Allah, what would be the result when the good of the next world has not even been sought.


( 765 )

429. وقال عليه السلام: إِنَّ أَعْظَمَ الْحَسَرَاتِ يَوْمَ الْقِيَامَةِ حَسْرَةُ رَجُلٍ كَسَبَ مَالاً فِي غَيْرِ طَاعَةِ اللهِ، فَوَرَّثَهُ رَجُلٌ فَأَنْفَقَهُ فِي طَاعَةِ اللهِ سُبْحَانَهُ، فَدَخَلَ بِهِ الْجَنَّةَ، وَدَخَلَ الْأَوَّلُ بِهِ النَّارَ.

430. وقال عليه السلام: إِنَّ أَخْسَرَ النَّاسِ صَفْقَةً (4975) وَأَخْيَبَهُمْ سَعْياً، رَجُلٌ أَخْلَقَ بَدَنَهُ (4976) فِي طَلَبِ مَالِهِ، وَلَمْ تُسَاعِدْهُ الْمَقَادِيرُ عَلَى إِرَادَتِهِ، فَخَرَجَ مِنَ الدُّنْيَا بِحَسْرَتِهِ، وَقَدِمَ عَلَى الْآخِرَةِ بِتَبِعَتِهِ (4977) .

431. وقال عليه السلام: الرِّزْقُ رِزْقَانِ: طَالِبٌ، وَمَطْلُوبٌ، فَمَنْ طَلَبَ الدُّنْيَا طَلَبَهُ الْمَوْتُ حَتَّى يُخْرِجَهُ عَنْهَا وَ مَنْ طَلَبَ الْآخِرَةَ طَلَبَتْهُ الدُّنْيَا حَتَّى يَسْتَوْفِيَ رِزْقَهُ مِنْهَا.

432. وقال عليه السلام: إِنَّ أَوْلِيَاءَ اللهِ هُمُ الَّذِينَ نَظَرُوا إِلَى بَاطِنِ الدُّنْيَا إِذَا نَظَرَ النَّاسُ إِلَى ظَاهِرِهَا، وَاشْتَغَلُوا بِآجِلِهَا (4978) إِذَا

* * * * *


( 766 )

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'an has been learnt and they have been given knowledge through the Qur'an. With them the Qur'an is staying while they stand by the Qur'an. They do not see any object of hope above what they hope and no object of fear above what they fear.

433. Amir al-mu'minin, peace be upon him, said: Remember that pleasures will pass away while the consequences will stay.

434. Amir al-mu'minin, peace be upon him, said: Try (a man) and you will hate him.

as- Sayyid ar- Radi says: Some people say this saying is of the Prophet (p.b.u.h.a.h.p), but what confirms that it is the saying of Amir al-mu'minin (p.b.u.h.), is the statement related by Tha'lab from Ibn al-A'rabi namely that (Caliph) al-Ma'mun said: "If 'Ali 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)."

435. Amir al-mu'minin, peace be upon him, said: It is not that Allah-, 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.

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


( 767 )

آشْتَغَلَ النَّاسُ بِعَاجِلِهَا، فَأَمَاتُوا مِنْهَا مَا خَشُوا أَنْ يُمِيتَهُمْ (4979) وَتَرَكُوا مِنْهَا مَا عَلِمُوا أَنَّهُ سَيَتْرُكُهُمْ، وَرَأَوُا اسْتِكْثَارَ غَيْرِهِمْ مِنْهَا اسْتِقْلالاً، وَدَرَكَهُمْ لَهَا فَوْتاً، أَعْدَاءُ مَا سَالَمَ النَّاسُ، وَسِلْمُ (4980) مَا عَادَى النَّاسُ! بِهِمْ عُلِمَ الْكِتَابُ وَبِهِ عُلِمُوا وَبِهِمْ قَامَ الْكِتَابُ وَبِهِ قَامُوا، لاَ يَرَوْنَ مَرْجُوّاً فَوْقَ مَا يَرْجُونَ، وَلاَ مَخُوفاً فَوْقَ مَا يَخَافُونَ.

433. وقال عليه السلام: اذْكُرُوا انْقِطَاعَ الَّلذَّاتِ، وَبَقَاءَ التَّبِعَاتِ.

434. وقال عليه السلام: اخْبُرْ تَقْلِهِ (4981) قال الرضي: ومن الناس من يروي هذا للرسول صلى الله عليه وآله وسلم ، ومما يُقوّي أنه من كلام أميرالمؤمنين عليه السلام ما حكاه ثعلب عن ابن الأعرابي قال: قال المأمون: لولا أنّ علياً قال: «اخبُر تَقْلِهِ» لقلت: اقْلِهِ تَخْبُرْ.

435. وقال عليه السلام: مَا كَانَ اللهُ لِيَفْتَحَ عَلَى عَبْدٍ بَابَ الشُّكْرِ وَيُغْلِقَ عَنْهُ بَابَ الزِّيَادَةِ، وَلاَ لِيَفْتَحَ عَلَى عَبْدٍ بَابَ الدُّعَاءِ وَيُغْلِقَ عَنْهُ بَابَ الْإِجَابَةِ، وَلاَ لِيَفْتَحَ لِعَبْدٍ بَابَ التَّوْبَةِ وَيُغْلِقَ عَنْهُ بَابَ الْمَغْفِرَةِ.

436. وقال عليه السلام: أوْلَى النَّاسِ بِالْكَرَمِ مَنْ عُرِفَتْ بِهِ الْكِرَامُ.

* * * * *


( 768 )

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

438. Amir al-mu'minin, peace be upon him, said: People are enemies of what they do not know.

439. Amir al-mu'minin, peace be upon him, said: The whole of asceticism is confined between two expressions of the Qur'an. Allah, the Glorified says: Lest distress you yourselves for what escapes you, and be overjoyous for what He has granted you (Qur'an, 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.

440. Amir al-mu'minin, peace be upon him, said: What a breaker is sleep for resolutions of the day!

441. Amir al-mu'minin, peace be upon him, said: Governmg  power is the proving ground for people.

442. Amir al-mu'minin, 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.

443. When the news of the death of (Malik) al-Ashtar (may Allah~ have mercy on him), reached Amir al-mu'minin, peace be upon him, he said: Malik, what a man Malik was! By Allah, 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.


( 769 )

437. وسئل عليه السلام أَيّهُما أَفضل: العدل، أَو الجود؟ فقال: الْعَدْلُ يَضَعُ الْأَُمُورَ مَوَاضِعَهَا، والْجُودُ يُخْرِجُهَا عَنْ جِهَتِهَا، وَالْعَدْلُ سَائِسٌ عَامٌّ، وَالْجُودُ عَارضٌ خَاصٌّ، فَالْعَدْلُ أَشْرَفُهُمَا وَأَفْضَلُهُمَا.

438. وقال عليه السلام: النَّاسُ أَعْدَاءُ مَا جَهِلُوا.

439. وقال عليه السلام: الزُّهْدُ كُلُّهُ بَيْنَ كَلِمَتَينِ مِنَ الْقُرْآنِ: قَالَ اللهُ سبحانه: (لِكَيْلاَ تَأْسَوْا عَلَى مَا فَاتَكُمْ وَلاَ تَفْرَحُوا بِمَا آتَاكُمْ)، فَمَنْ لَمْ يَأْسَ (4982) عَلَى الْمَاضِي، وَلَمْ يَفْرَحْ بالْآتِي، فَقَدْ أَخَذَ الزُّهْدَ بِطَرَفَيْهِ.

440. وقال عليه السلام: ما أَنْقَضَ النَّوْمَ لِعَزَائِمِ الْيَوْمِ (4983) !

441. وقال عليه السلام: الْوِلاَيَاتُ مَضَامِيرُ الرِّجَالِ (4984) .

442. وقال عليه السلام: لَيْسَ بَلَدٌ بأَحَقَّ بِكَ مِنْ بَلَدٍ، خَيْرُ الْبِلاَدِ مَا حَمَلَكَ.

443. وقال عليه السلام: وقد جاءه نعي الْأَشتر رحمه الله: مَالكٌ (4985) وَمَا مَالِكٌ! وَاللهِ لَوْ كَانَ جَبَلاً لَكَانَ فِنْداً، وَلَوْ كَانَ حَجَراً لَكَانَ صَلْداً، لاَ يَرْتَقِيهِ الْحَافِرُ، وَلاَ يُوفِي عَلَيْهِ (4986) الطَّائِرُ.

* * * * *


( 770 )

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

444. Amir al-mu'minin, peace be upon him, said: A little that lasts is heifer than much that brings grief.

445. Amir al-mu'minin, peace be upon him, said: If a man possesses a revealing quality wait and see his other qualities. (1)

446. Amir al-mu'minin, peace be upon him, said to Ghalib ibn Sa'sa'ah, the father of al-Farazdaq (the famous Arabic poet) during a conversation between them: What about the large num her of your camels? The man replied: They have been swept away by (discharging of) obligations, O' Amir al-mu'minin! Whereupon Amir al-mu'minin, peace be upon him, said: That is the most praiseworthy way of (losing) them.

447. Amir al-mu'minin, peace be upon him, said: Whoever trades without knowing the rules of religious law will be involved in usury.

448. Amir al-mu'minin, peace be upon him, said: Whoever regards small distresses as big, Allah involves him in big ones.

449. Amir al-mu'minin, peace be upon him, said: Whoever maintains his own respect in view, his desires appear light to him.

(4). The good or bad quality that is found in a man springs from his natural temperament. If the temperament produces one quality, his other qualities will also be akin to this one because the dictates of temperament will be equally effective in either. Thus, if a man pays zakat and khums it means that his temperament is not miserly. Therefore, it is expected that he would not be niggardly in spending in other items of charity as well. Similarly, if a man speaks a lie it can be expected that he will indulge in backbiting too, because these two habits are similar to each other.


( 771 )

قال الرضي: الفند: المنفرد من الجبال.

444. وقال عليه السلام: قَلِيلٌ مَدُومٌ عَلَيْهِ خَيْرٌ مِنْ كَثِيرٍ مَمْلُولٍ مِنْهُ.

445. وقال عليه السلام: إذَا كَانَ في رَجُلٍ خَلَّةٌ (4987) رَائِقَةٌ فَانْتَظِرْ أَخَوَاتِهَا.

446. وقال عليه السلام لغالب بن صعصعة أبي الفرزدق، في كلام دار بينهما: مَا فَعَلَتْ إِبِلُكَ الْكثِيرَةُ؟ قال: دَغْدَغََتْها الحُقُوقُ (4988) يا أميرالمؤمنين فَقال عليه السلام: ذَاكَ أَحْمَدُ سُبُلِهَا .

447. وقال عليه السلام: مَنِ اتَّجَرَ بِغَيْرِ فِقْهٍ ارْتَطَمَ (4989) فِي الرِّبَا.

448. وقال عليه السلام: مَنْ عَظَّمَ صِغَارَ الْمَصَائِبِ ابْتَلاَهُ اللهُ بِكِبَارِهَا.

449. وقال عليه السلام: مَنْ كَرُمَتْ عَلَيْهِ نَفْسُهُ هَانَتْ عَلَيْهِ شَهْوَتُهُ.

* * * * *

. غوَائِل: جمع غائلة، وهي العداوة وما تجلبه من الشرور.

. أوْمَأ: أشار، والمراد طلب وأراد.

. المُتَفاوِت: المتباعد.

. خَذَلَتْه الحِيلَ: تخلّت عنه عند حاجته إليها.

. أَمْلَكُ به مِنّا: أي فوق طاقتنا.

. ( على عمْد): متعلق بلَبّس، أي أوقع نفسه في اللَّبْس وهو ـ الشُبْهة ـ عامداً لتكون الشبهة عذراً له في زَلاّته.

. ( ما اسْتَوْدَع الله امرءاً عَقْلاً إلا اسْتَنْقَذَه): أي إن الله لا يهب العقل، إلاّ حيث يريد النجاة، فمتى أَعطى شخصاً عقلاً خلّصه به من شقاء الدَارَيْن.

. ( القلب مُصْحَفُ البصر): أي ما يتناوله البصر يحفظ في القلب كأنه يكتب فيه.

. الذَرَب: الحِدّة.

. التَسْدِيد: التقويم والتثقيف.

. سَلا: نسيَ.

. الاَغْمَار: جمع غِمْر مثلّث الاَول، وهو الجاهل لم يجرّب الاَمور.

. ( صاح بهم سائقهم فارتحلوا): أي: بينما هم قد حلّوا فاجأهم صائح الاَجل وهو سائقهم بالرحيل فارتحلوا.

. السُحْت ـ بالضم ـ : المال من كسب حرام.

. خُلُق الحِلْم يجمع إليك من معاونة الناس لك ما يجتمع لك بالعَشيرة، لاَنه يُوليك محبّةَ الناس فكأنه عشيرة.

. ( مَكْنُون ) أي: مستور العِلَل والاَمراض لا يعلم من أين تأتيه.

. الشَرْقة: الغَصّة بالرّيق.

. تُنْتِنُ ريحه: تُوسِخها.

. العَرْقَة: الواحد من العَرَق يتصبّب من الاِنسان.

. طَوَامِح: جمع طامح أو طامحة، وتقول: طمح البصر إذا ارتفع، وطَمَحَ: أَبعد في الطلب.

. هَبَابها ـ بالفتح ـ أي: هَيَجان هذه الفحول لملامسة الاَنثى.

. رُوَيْداً أي: مَهْلاً.

. ( إنّ للخير والشرّ أهلا)ً...: أي ما تركتموه من الخير يقوم أهله بفعله بدلكم، وما تركتموه من الشر يؤديه عنكم أهله، فلا تختاروا أن تكونوا للشر أهلاً ولا أن يكون عنكم في الخير بدلاً.

. يُقِرّها: أي يبقيها ويحفظها مدة بَذْلِهِمْ لها.

. ( الصَفْقَة) أي البيعة، أي: أخسرهم بيعاً وأشدهم خيبة في سعيه.

. أخْلَقَ بدنَهُ : أي أبلاه ونَهَكَهُ في طلب المال ولم يحصّله.

. التَبِعَة ـ بفتح فكسر ـ : حقّ الله وحقّ الناس عنده يطالب بِه.

. إضافة( الآجل ) إلى( الدنيا،) لاَنه يأتي بعدها، أو لاَنه عاقبة الاَعمال فيها، والمراد منه ما بعد الموت.

. ( أمَاتُوا فيها ما خشُوا أن يميتهم): أي أماتوا قوة الشهوة والغضب التي يخشون أن تميت فضائلهم.

. سَلم: مصدر بمعنى الصفة :اي مُسالم.

. اخْبُرْ ـ بضم الباء ـ : أمر من ( خبرته، ) من باب قتل أي: علمته. وتَقْلِهِ، مضارع مجزوم بعدالاَمر، من قلاه يَقْلِيه كَرَماه يَرْمِيه، بمعنى أبْغَضَه، أى: إذا أَعجبك ظاهر الشخص فاختبره فربما و جدت فيه ما لا يسرّك فتبغضه.

. ( لم يَأسَ): لم يحزن على ما نفذ به القضاء.

. (ما أنْقَضَ النوْمَ لعزائم اليوم):اي قد يجمع العازم علي أمر ,فاذا نام و قام وجد الانحلال في عزيمة أو ثم يغلبه النوم عن إمضاء عزيمة .

. المَضَامِير: جمع مِضْمَار، وهو المكان الذي تضمّر فيه الخيل للسباق. والولايات أشبه بالمضامير، إذ يتبين فيها الجواد من البِرْذَوْن.

. مالك: هو الاَشتر النَخَعِي.

. ( أوْفى عليه): وصل إليه.

. الخَلّة ـ بالفتح ـ : الخَصلة.

. ذعذع المال: فرّقه وبدّده، : أي فرّق إبلي حقوق الزكاة والصدقات.

. ذاك أحمد سبلها ـ جمع سبيل ـ أي أفضل طرق إفنائها.

. ارْتَطَمَ: وقع في الوَرْطة فلم يمكنه الخلاص.