Al-Kafi 6088

Translation

A number of our companions, from Sahl Bin Ziyad, from Muhammad Bin Abu Al Asbagh, from Bundar Bin Aasim, raising it, (It has been narrated) from Abu Abdullah^asws has said: ‘the best means and recourse of approaching me for help is the appeal of a man who has received help from me once, then asks for help again. My hands have done a good deed for him before the Lord^azwj.  I have found denying a later appeal for help cuts off the appreciation for the favour already received.  I dislike for my soul to deny help for the second time, which may cause to discontinue the appreciation for the earlier help and favour. It is just like a poet has said:  If you face to risk the dignity of your face, you should face such risk before a king and generous person.  If a generous person promises to do a favour to you and he does it in time without any delays; and if he favour come as soon as an appeal is made, the appeal become more preferable than the favour.‘ And when your face is afflicted with the humiliation of asking, so humiliate it for the generous one, the graceful – the benevolent one, when he gifts to you with a promise, he would give it to you smoothly, without delay – and when asking is with the attaining, paired up, the asking overweighs and everything attained becomes lighter’’.

Provided for research and educational purposes. Original source: Thaqalayn Project. Open License.