Nahj al-Balāgha

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)