Nahj al-Balāgha

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.