أ ـ حُسنُ الخُلقِ
Noble Character
719. رسول اللّه صلى الله عليه و آله :
719. The Prophet (SA) said:
عَلِيٌّ . . . أحسَنُ النّاسِ خُلُقا .
“Ali . . . is the best of people in character.”1800
المناقب لابن المغازلي : ص151 ح188 .
1800. Al-Manaqib, by ibn al-Maghazili, p. 151, h. 188.
720. الكامل في التاريخـ في عَلِيٍّ عليه السلام ـ:
720. Al-Kamil fi al-Tarikh, relates concerning Ali (AS):
كانَ مِن أحسَنِ النّاسِ وَجها ،
“He was the best of people in appearance;
ولا يُغَيِّرُ شَيبَهُ ،
he never changed his greyness,
كَثيرَ التَّبَسُّمِ .
even as he would smile a lot.”
الكامل في التاريخ : ج2 ص440 .
Al-Kamil fi al-Tarikh, vol. 2, p. 440.
ب ـ الصَّبرُ
Patience
721. رسول اللّه صلى الله عليه و آلهـ لِعَلِيٍّ عليه السلام ـ:
721. The Prophet (SA) said to Ali (AS):
إنَّكَ لَن تَموتَ حَتّى تُؤمَرَ ،
“You will not die until you are commanded,
وتُملَأَ غَيظا ،
filled with anger,
وتوجَدَ مِن بَعدي صابِرا .
and be found to be patient after me.”
تاريخ دمشق : ج 42 ص 422 ح 9016 .
Tarikh Dimashq, vol.42, p. 422, h.9016.
722. الإمام عليّ عليه السلامـ في خُطبَةٍ لَهُ يَذكُرُ فيها صِفَتَهُ قَبلَ البَيعَةِ لَهُ ـ:
722. Imam Ali (AS) said, in a sermon describing his condition before the allegiance to him:
فَنَظَرتُ فَإِذا لَيسَ لي مُعينٌ إلّا أهلَ بَيتي ،
“I looked but found that there was no supporter for me except my family,
فَضَنِنتُ بِهِم عَنِ المَوتِ ،
so I refrained from thrusting them unto death.
وأغضَيتُ عَلَى القَذى ،
I closed my eyes despite the dust,[ie. I had to grin and bear it.]
وشَرِبتُ عَلَى الشَّجا ،
drank despite choking of [the] throat,
وصَبَرتُ عَلى أخذِ الكَظَمِ ،
exercised patience despite trouble in breathing
وعَلى أمَرَّ مِن طَعمِ العَلقَمِ .
and despite having to take sour colocynth as food.”
نهج البلاغة : الخطبة 26 .
Nahj al-Balagha, Sermon 26.
723. الإرشاد عن جندب بن عبد اللّه:
723. Al-Irshad, reports from Jundub ibn Abdullah’ who said:
دَخَلتُ عَلى عَلِيِّ بنِ أبي طالِبٍ بِالمَدينَةِ
“I entered upon Ali ibn Abi Talib in Medina
بَعدَ بَيعَةِ النّاسِ لِعُثمانَ ،
after people had pledged allegiance to ‘Uthman,
فَوَجَدتُهُ مُطرِقا كَئيبا ،
so I found him with his head lowered and sorrowful.
فَقُلتُ لَهُ : ما أصابَ قَومَكَ ؟
I said to him: ‘What has afflicted your people?’
قالَ : صَبرٌ جَميلٌ .
‘Patience is graceful’‚ he answered.
فَقُلتُ لَهُ : سُبحانَ اللّهِ ! وَاللّهِ إنَّكَ لَصَبورٌ .
I said to him: ‘Glory be to God! By God, you are indeed patient.”
الإرشاد : ج1 ص241 .
Kitab al-Irshad, vol. 1, p. 241.
ج ـ قُوَّةُ العَزمِ وَالاِستِقامَةِ
Strong Willpower and Steadfastness
724. الإمام عليّ عليه السلامـ في كَلامٍ لَهُ بَعدَ وَقعَةِ النَّهرَوانِ يَذكُرُ فيهِ فَضائِلَهُ ـ:
724. Imam Ali (AS) said, in his words after the Battle of al-Nahrawan-:
فَقُمتُ بِالأَمرِ حينَ فَشِلوا ،
“I undertook the affair when others failed (to do so)
وتَطَلَّعتُ حينَ تَقَبَّعوا ،
and came forward when others hid themselves,
ونَطَقتُ حينَ تَعتَعوا ،
spoke when others remained silent,
ومَضَيتُ بِنورِ اللّهِ حينَ وَقَفوا ،
advanced with divine light when others remained halted.
وكُنتُ أخفَضَهُم صَوتا ،
I was the quietest of them in voice
وأعلاهُم فَوتا ،
but the most prominent in advancing.
فَطِرتُ بِعِنانِها ،
I cleaved to its rein
وَاستَبدَدتُ بِرِهانِها،
and applied myself to its pledge,
كَالجَبَلِ ؛ لا تُحَرِّكُهُ القَواصِفُ ،
like the mountain which neither the sweeping wind could move
ولا تُزيلُهُ العَواصِفُ ،
nor the storm could shake.
لَم يَكُن لِأَحَدٍ فِيَّ مَهمَزٌ ،
No one could find fault with me
ولا لِقائِلٍ فِيَّ مَغمَزٌ .
nor could any speaker speak ill of me.”
نهج البلاغة : الخطبة 37 .
Nahj al-Balagha, Sermon 37.
د ـ تَمامُ الإِخلاصِ
Perfect Sincerity
725. الفخري :
725. Al-Fakhri
قيلَ إنَّ عَلِياً عليه السلام صَرَعَ في بَعضِ حُروبِهِ رَجُلاً ،
It is related that Ali (AS) struck down a man in one of the wars
ثُمَّ قَعَدَ عَلى صَدرِهِ لِيَحتَزَّ رَأسَهُ ،
and then sat on his chest to sever his head
فَبَصَقَ ذلِكَ الرَّجُلُ في وَجهِهِ ،
when the latter spat on his face.
فَقامَ عَلِيٌّ عليه السلام وتَرَكَهُ ،
So Ali (AS) stood up and left him.
فَلَمّا سُئِلَ عَن سَبَبِ قِيامِهِ وتَركِهِ قَتلَ الرَّجُلِ بَعدَ التَّمَكُّنِ مِنهُ قالَ :
When he was asked why he stood and left the man after having the ability to kill him, he said:
إنَّهُ لَمّا بَصَقَ في وَجهِي اغتَضتُ مِنهُ ،
When he spat on my face, I was enraged
فَخِفتُ إن قَتَلتُهُ أن يَكونَ لِلغَضَبِ وَالغَيظِ نَصيبٌ في قَتلِهِ ،
so I feared that I should kill him out of anger and rage.
وما كُنتُ اُحِبُّ أن أقتُلَهُ إلّا خالِصاً لِوَجهِ اللّهِ تَعالى .
I would only desire to kill him for the sake of God exclusively.”
الفخري : ص44 .
Al-Fakhri, p. 44.
ه ـ كَمالُ الصِّدقِ
Complete Honesty
726. الإمام عليّ عليه السلام:
726. Imam Ali (AS) said:
وَاللّهِ ، ما كَذَبتُ ولا كُذِّبتُ ،
“By God, I have never spoken a lie nor a lie has ever been spoken to me.
ولا ضَلَلتُ ولا ضُلَّ بي
I have not gone astray nor were others misled by me.
وما نَسيتُ ما عُهِدَ إلَيَّ ،
I have not forgotten that which was entrusted to me, or else,
إنّي إذا لَنَسِيٌّ .
I would be very forgetful.”
الأمالي للصدوق : ص 491 ح 668 .
Al-Amali, by al-Saduq, p. 491, h. 668.
و ـ كَمالُ الإِيثارِ
Perfect Self-sacrifice
727. الإمام زين العابدين عليه السلام :
727. Imam Zayn al-Abidin (AS) said:
إنَّ أوَّلَ مَن شَرى نَفسَهُ ابتِغاءَ رِضوانِ اللّهِ عَلِيُّ بنُ أبي طالِبٍ عليه السلام ،
“ Indeed, the first person to sell his soul seeking the pleasure of God was Ali ibn Abi Talib (AS).
وقالَ عَلِيٌّ عليه السلام عِندَ مَبيتِهِ عَلى فِراشِ رَسولِ اللّهِ صلى الله عليه و آله :
Ali (AS) said when he slept on the bed of the Messenger of God (SA):
وَقَيتُ بِنَفسي خَيرَ مَن وَطِى ءَ الحَصى ومَن طافَ بِالبَيتِ العَتيقِ وبِالحِجر
‘I have protected through myself the best of those who pace the earth Who circumambulates the Ancient House and the Stone.
رَسولَ إلهٍ خافَ أن يَمكُروا بِهِ فَنَجّاهُ ذُو الطَّولِ الإِلهُ مِنَ المَكر
A Messenger of God who feared they would device against him So God the Almighty delivered him from device
وباتَ رَسولُ اللّهِ فِي الغارِ آمِنا مُوَقّىً وفي حِفظِ الإلهِ وفي سِتر
The Messenger of God spent the night in the cave peacefully Saved under the protection of God and covered
وبِتُّ اُراعِيهِم ولَم يَتهَمونَني وقَد وَطَّنتُ نَفسي عَلَى القَتلِ وَالأَسر
I spent the night observing them so they did not accuse me I had prepared myself for death and captivity.’ ”
المستدرك على الصحيحين : ج3 ص5 ح4264 .
Al-Mustadrak Ala al-Sahihayn, vol. 3, p. 5, h. 4264.
ز ـ زينَةُ الزُّهدِ
The Adornment of Asceticism
728. رسول اللّه صلى الله عليه و آله :
728. The Prophet (SA) said:
يا عَلِيُّ ،
“O Ali,
إنَّ اللّهَ قَد زَيَّنَكَ بِزينَةٍ لَم يَتَزَيَّنِ العِبادُ بِزينَةٍ أحَبَّ إلَى اللّهِ مِنها ؛
Indeed, God has adorned you with ornaments with which none of his servants have been adorned in respect of its dearness to God,
الزُّهدِ فِي الدُّنيا ،
asceticism in this world.
فَجَعَلَكَ لا تَنالُ مِنَ الدُّنيا شَيئا ،
He caused you not to acquire anything from this world
ولا تَنالُ الدُّنيا مِنكَ شَيئا ،
nor would the world acquire anything from you.
ووَهَبَ لَكَ حُبَّ المَساكينِ ،
He has gifted you the love of the poor,
فَرَضوا بِكَ إماما ،
so they are pleased with you as their leader,
ورَضيتَ بِهِم أتباعا ،
even as you are pleased with them as your followers.
فَطوبى لِمَن أحَبَّكَ وصَدَقَ فيكَ ،
Blessed is he who loves you and is truthful with you.
ووَيلٌ لِمَن أبغَضَكَ وكَذَبَ عَلَيكَ ؛
Woe unto him who hates you and lies to you.
فَأَمَّا الَّذينَ أحَبّوا وصَدَقوا فيكَ فَهُم جيرانُكَ في دارِكَ ،
As for those who love you and are truthful with you,
ورُفَقاؤُكَ في قَصرِكَ ،
they are your neighbours in your abode and friends in your palace.
وأَمَّا الَّذينَ أبغَضوكَ وكَذَبوا عَلَيكَ
As for those who hate you and lie to you,
فَحَقٌّ عَلَى اللّهِ أن يوقِفَهُم مَوقِفَ الكَذّابينَ يَومَ القِيامَةِ .
God has made it incumbent upon Himself to let them stand on the Day of Judgment the station of liars.”
تاريخ دمشق : ج 42 ص 281 و 282 .
Tarikh Dimashq, vol.42, p. 281 and 282.
729. الإمام عليّ عليه السلام:
729. Imam Ali (AS) said:
دُنياكُم هذِهِ أزهَدُ عِندي مِن عَفطَةِ عَنزٍ .
“This world of yours is of lesser value to me than the sneezing of a goat.”
نهج البلاغة : الخطبة 3 .
Nahj al-Balagha, Sermon 3.
730. عنه عليه السلام :
730. Imam Ali (AS) said:
وَاللّهِ لَدُنياكُم هذِهِ أهوَنُ في عَيني مِن عُراقِ خِنزيرٍ في يَدِ مَجذومٍ .
“By God, this world of yours is more despicable in my sight than the bones of a pig in the hand of a leper.”
نهج البلاغة : الحكمة 236 .
Nahj al-Balagha, Aphorism 236.
731. خصائص الأئمّة عليهم السلام:
731. Al-Khasa’is al-A’immah (AS) relates:
قالَ [ عَلِيٌّ ] عليه السلام يَوما عَلى مِنبَرِ الكوفَةِ :
“Once Ali (AS), on the pulpit of Kufa, said:
«مَن يَشتَري مِنّي سَيفي هذا ، ولَو أنَّ لي قوتُ لَيلَةٍ ما بِعتُهُ» ،
“Who buys this sword from me? If I had provisions for a night I would not sell it,”,
وغَلَّةُ صَدَقَتِهِ تَشتَمِلُ حينَئِذٍ عَلى أربَعينَ ألفَ دينارٍ في كُلِّ سَنَةٍ .
when the revenue of his alms amounted to forty thousand dinars per annum.”
خصائص الأئمّة عليهم السلام : ص 79 .
Khasa’is al-A’immah (AS), p. 79.
ح ـ سَماحَةُ الكَفِّ
Genorosity
732. رسول اللّه صلى الله عليه و آلهـ في وَصفِ عَلِيٍّ عليه السلام ـ:
732. The Prophet (SA) said describing Ali (AS):
هذَا البَحرُ الزّاخِرُ ،
“This is the overflowing sea,
هذَا الشَّمسُ الطالِعَةُ ،
the rising sun,
أسخى مِنَ الفُراتِ كَفّا ،
whose hand is more generous than the Euphrates,
وأوسَعُ مِنَ الدُّنيا قَلبا ،
whose heart is broader than the world;
فَمَن أبغَضَهُ فَعَلَيهِ لَعنَةُ اللّهِ .
so whoever hates him, on him be the curse of God.”
مائة منقبة : ص55 ح12 .
Mi’ah Manqabah, p. 55, h. 12.
733. الإمام الصادق عليه السلام :
733. Imam al-Sadiq (AS) said:
إنَّ أميرَ المُؤمِنينَ عليه السلام أعتَقَ ألفَ مَملوكٍ مِن مالِهِ وكَدِّ يَدِهِ .
“The Commander of the Faithful (AS) set free a thousand slaves from his wealth and manual labour.”
الكافي : ج5 ص74 ح2 .
Al-Kafi, vol. 5, p. 74, h. 2.
734. ربيع الأبرار عن محمّد ابن الحنفيّة :
734. Rabi al-Abrar, reporting from Muhammad ibn al-Hanafiyya, who said:
كانَ أبي عليه السلام يَدعو قَنبَرا بِاللَّيلِ ،
“My father (AS) would call Qanbar at night,
فَيُحَمِّلُهُ دَقيقا وتَمرا ،
make him carry flour and dates,
فَيَمضي إلى أبياتٍ قَد عَرَفَها ، ولا يُطلِعُ عَلَيهِ أحَدا .
so he would proceed to houses he knew and would not inform anyone.
فَقُلتُ لَهُ : يا أبَةِ ،
I said to him: O my father,
ما يَمنَعُكَ أن يُدفَعَ إلَيهِم نَهارا ؟
what prevents you from giving them during the day?
قالَ عليه السلام : يا بُنَيَّ ،
He (AS) said: O my son,
صَدَقَةُ السِّرِّ تُطفِئُ غَضَبَ الرَّبِّ .
charity in secrecy extinguishes the wrath of the Lord.”
ربيع الأبرار : ج 2 ص 148 .
Rabi al-Abrar, vol. 2, p. 148.
ط ـ التَّواضُعُ عَن رِفعَةٍ
Humility despite Power
735. فضائل الصحابة لابن حنبل عن زاذان :
735. Fadail al-Sahaba, by Ibn Hanbal, reporting from Zadhan, who said:
رَأَيتُ عَلِيَّ بنَ أبي طالِبٍ عليه السلام يُمسِكُ الشُّسوعَ بِيَدِهِ ،
“I saw Ali ibn Abi Talib (AS) carry shoe laces in his hand
يَمُرُّ فِي الأَسواقِ ،
passing through the markets.
فَيُناوِلُ الرَّجُلَ الشِّسعَ ،
He would give someone a lace,
ويُرشِدُ الضّالَّ ،
guide the lost
ويُعينُ الحَمّالَ عَلَى الحَمولَةِ وهُوَ يَقرَأُ هذِهِ الآيَةَ :
and assist the bearer with his load, reciting His words:
«تِلْكَ الدَّارُ الْأَخِرَةُ نَجْعَلُهَا لِلَّذِينَ لَا يُرِيدُونَ عُلُوًّا فِى الْأَرْضِ وَلَا فَسَادًا وَ الْعَـقِبَةُ لِلْمُتَّقِينَ» القصص : 83 .
“This is the abode of the Hereafter which We shall grant to those who do not desire to domineer in the earth nor to cause corruption, and the outcome will be in favour of the God wary.” Quran, 28: 83.
ثُمَّ يَقولُ :
Then he would say:
هذِهِ الآيَةُ اُنزِلَت فِي الوُلاةِ وذَوِي القُدرَةِ مِنَ النّاسِ .
‘This verse was revealed concerning the rulers and men of power amongst the people.’”
فضائل الصحابة لابن حنبل : ج 2 ص 621 ح 1064 .
Fadail al-Sahabah, by Ibn Hanbal, vol. 2, p. 621, h. 1064.
ي ـ الجَمعُ بَينَ الأَضدادِ
Combination of Opposites
736. نهج البلاغةـ فِي الإِمامِ عَلِيٍّ عليه السلام ـ:
736. Nahj al-Balagha – concerning Imam Ali (AS) –
ومِن عَجائِبِهِ عليه السلام الَّتِي انفَرَدَ بِها وأمِنَ المُشارَكَةَ فيها ،
“Of the wonderful things with which no one shares is
أنَّ كَلامَهُ الوارِدَ فِي الزُّهدِ وَالمَواعِظِ ،
his speech concerning asceticism, exhortations‚
وَالتَّذكيرِ وَالزَّواجِرِ ،
remembrance of God and admonition.
إذا تَأَمَّلَهُ المُتَأَمِّلُ ، وفَكَّرَ فيهِ المُتَفَكِّرُ ،
If a person contemplates, thinks about it,
وخَلَعَ مِن قَلبِهِ أنَّهُ كَلامُ مِثلِهِ مِمَّن عَظُمَ قَدرُهُ ،
and removes from his heart that this is the speech of him whose worth is mighty,
ونَفَذَ أمرُهُ ، وأحاطَ بِالرِّقابِ مُلكُهُ ،
whose sentence has legal force and who controls destinies of men,
لَم يَعتَرِضهُ الشَّكُّ في أنَّهُ كَلامُ مَن لا حَظَّ لَهُ في غَيرِ الزَّهادَةِ ،
he will not doubt that this is the speech of one who has no part in anything but asceticism,
ولا شُغلَ لَهُ بِغَيرِ العِبادَةِ ،
who has no activity except worship,
قَد قَبَعَ في كِسرِ بَيتٍ ،
who is confined to a corner of the house
أوِ انقَطَعَ إلى سَفحِ جَبَلٍ ،
or secluded to the foot of a mountain,
ولا يَسمَعُ إلّا حِسَّهُ ،
who does not hear but his whisper
ولَا يَرى إلّا نَفَسَهُ .
and does not see but himself.
ولا يَكادُ يوقِنُ بِأَنَّهُ كَلامُ مَن يَنغَمِسُ فِي الحَربِ مُصلِتا سَيفَهُ ،
It will be hard for him to believe that it is the speech of one who has been immersed into war unsheathing his sword,
فَيَقُطُّ الرِّقابَ ،
severing heads
ويُجَدِّلُ الأَبطالَ ،
and confronting heroes.
ويَعودُ بِهِ يَنطِفُ دَما ،
He would return with his sword with blood a
ويَقطُرُ مُهَجا ،
nd heart’s fluid.
وهُوَ مَعَ تِلكَ الحالِ زاهِدُ الزُّهّادِ ،
He is, despite all that, supreme among the ascetics
وبَدَلُ الأَبدالِ .
and chief among the honourable and upright people.
وهذِهِ مِن فَضائِلِهِ العَجيبَةِ ،
These are among his wonderful virtues
وخَصائِصِهِ اللَّطيفَةِ ،
and graceful characteristics
الَّتي جَمَعَ بِها بَينَ الأَضدادِ ،
with which has combined between opposites
وألَّفَ بَينَ الأَشتاتِ .
and united between various thing.”
نهج البلاغة : المقدّمة ص35 .
Nahj al-Balagha, The Introduction, p. 35.
