621. Imām Ali (a.s.) – in his instructions to his son Hasan (a.s.): “Make yourself a scale between you and others. You should aspire for others what you aspire for yourself and dislike for others what you dislike for yourself. Do not oppress, as you would not like to be oppressed. Do good to others as you would like good to be done to you. Consider as ignoble for yourself that which you consider as ignoble for others. Be pleased with what others do, that which you would like others to be pleased with.”1
622. Imām Ali (a.s.) – from his instructions to his son Muhammad ibn al-Hanafiya: “My son! Do good to all people as you like good to be done to you and long for others what you would long for yourself. Consider as ignoble for yourself that which you consider as ignoble for others. Be amiable to all people so that when you are away they would be looking forward to your return and when you die they would weep for you and say: “Indeed we belong to God, and to Him do we indeed return.” Do not be like those about whom when they die, people would say: “All praise belongs to God, Lord of all the worlds.”2
623. Imām Ali (a.s.): “The most equitable treatment of people is that you deal with people as you like to be dealt with.”3
624. Imām Ali (a.s.) – From an aphorism attributed to him: “Treat people in any manner you wish, they would treat you the same.”4
10/3 – 2
Self-Esteem
625. Imām Ali (a.s.): “Honor yourself [by avoiding] every ignoble thing even though it may take you to your aspirations,
because you will not get any return for the respect, which you have spent.”5
1.. Nahj al-Balāghah, Letter ۳۱, Kashf al-Mahajja, p. ۲۲۶.
2.. Man lā yahdurahu al-Faqih, vol. ۴, p. ۳۸۷, h. ۵۸۳۴, `Uyun al-Hikam wa al-Mawā`iz, p. ۷۹, h. ۱۹۱۴.
3.. Ghurar al-Hikam, h. ۳۱۷۰, `Uyun al-Hikam wa al-Mawā`iz, p. ۱۱۶, h. ۲۵۸۰.
4.. Sharh Nahj al-Balāghah, vol. ۲۰, p. ۳۰۹, h. ۵۳۹.
5.. Nahj al-Balāghah, Letter ۳۱, Ghurar al-Hikam, h. ۲۴۲۸, `Uyun al-Hikam wa al-Mawā`iz, p. ۸۵, h. ۲۰۵۶.
