جَاءَ رَجُلٌ إِلَى أَمِيرِ الْمُؤْمِنِينَ ( عليه السلام ) فَقَالَ يَا أَمِيرَ الْمُؤْمِنِينَ أَوْصِنِي بِوَجْهٍ مِنْ وُجُوهِ الْبِرِّ أَنْجُو بِهِ قَالَ أَمِيرُ الْمُؤْمِنِينَ ( عليه السلام ) أَيُّهَا السَّائِلُ اسْتَمِعْ ثُمَّ اسْتَفْهِمْ ثُمَّ اسْتَيْقِنْ ثُمَّ اسْتَعْمِلْ وَ اعْلَمْ أَنَّ النَّاسَ ثَلَاثَةٌ زَاهِدٌ وَ صَابِرٌ وَ رَاغِبٌ فَأَمَّا الزَّاهِدُ فَقَدْ خَرَجَتِ الْأَحْزَانُ وَ الْأَفْرَاحُ مِنْ قَلْبِهِ فَلَا يَفْرَحُ بِشَيْءٍ مِنَ الدُّنْيَا وَ لَا يَأْسَى عَلَى شَيْءٍ مِنْهَا فَاتَهُ فَهُوَ مُسْتَرِيحٌ وَ أَمَّا الصَّابِرُ فَإِنَّهُ يَتَمَنَّاهَا بِقَلْبِهِ فَإِذَا نَالَ مِنْهَا أَلْجَمَ نَفْسَهُ عَنْهَا لِسُوءِ عَاقِبَتِهَا وَ شَنَآنِهَا لَوِ اطَّلَعْتَ عَلَى قَلْبِهِ عَجِبْتَ مِنْ عِفَّتِهِ وَ تَوَاضُعِهِ وَ حَزْمِهِ وَ أَمَّا الرَّاغِبُ فَلَا يُبَالِي مِنْ أَيْنَ جَاءَتْهُ الدُّنْيَا مِنْ حِلِّهَا أَوْ مِنْ حَرَامِهَا وَ لَا يُبَالِي مَا دَنَّسَ فِيهَا عِرْضَهُ وَ أَهْلَكَ نَفْسَهُ وَ أَذْهَبَ مُرُوءَتَهُ فَهُمْ فِي غَمْرَةٍ يَضْطَرِبُونَ .
Translation
Al Husayn Bin Muhammad, from Moalla Bin Muhammad, from Ahmad Bin Muhammad, from Shuayb Bin Abdullah, from one of his companions, raising it, said, ‘A man came over to Amir Al-Momineen<sup>asws</sup> and he said, ‘O Amir Al-Momineen<sup>asws</sup>! Advise me of an aspect from the aspects of the righteousness I can attain salvation with it’. Amir Al-Momineen<sup>asws</sup> said: ‘O you questioner! Listen intently, then understand, then be convinced, and perform; and know that the people are three (types) – an ascetic, and a patient, and a coveting one (having cravings). So as for the ascetic one, so the grief and the happiness has exited from his heart, so he does not get happy with anything from the world nor does he despair upon anything that is lost from him. Thus he is in peace (of mind). And as for the patient one, so he wishes for it in his heart. So when he does attain from it, reins (restraints) his self from it due to the evil consequences of it and its seduction. Were you to be notified upon (the contents of) his heart it would astonish you from its chastity, and its humbleness, and its resoluteness. And as for the covetous one, so he does not care from when the world comes to him, from its Permissible (means) or from its Prohibited (means), and he does not care what filth there is in its display, and it destroys his soul, and removes his honour. Thus, these (covetous ones) are in the midst of disturbances’.
Compiled by Shaykh Muhammad ibn Ya'qub al-Kulayni
Source
License: Free for educational and research use (Thaqalayn Data API)
Provided for research and educational purposes. Original source: Thaqalayn Project. Open License.