25. Al-Sadiq (as) exhorts Taqwa
Back to book25 - وبالإسناد الأول عن علي بن مهزيار [عن الحسن]، عن علي بن عقبة عن أبي كهمس، عن عمرو بن سعيد بن هلال قال: قلت لأبي عبد الله صلوات الله عليه: أوصني. قال: أوصيك بتقوى الله والورع والاجتهاد ، واعلم أنه لا ينفع اجتهاد لا ورع فيه، وانظر إلى من هو دونك، ولا تنظر إلى من هو فوقك، فلكثيرا ما قال الله تعالى لرسوله صلى الله عليه وآله: " فلا تعجبك أموالهم ولا أولادهم " وقال: " ولا تمدن عينيك إلى ما متعنا به أزواجا منهم زهرة الحياة الدنيا ". وإن نازعتك نفسك إلى شئ من ذلك فاعلم أن رسول الله صلى الله عليه وآله وسلم كان قوته الشعير، وحلواه التمر إذا وجده، ووقوده السعف ، وإذا أصبت بمصيبة فاذكر مصابك برسول الله صلى الله عليه وآله فإن الناس لن يصابوا بمثله أبدا.
25. And with the first chain of narration, from ‘Ali ibn Mahzyar, (from al-Hassan), from ‘Ali ibn Uqba, from Abi Kahmas, from Amru ibn Saeed ibn Hilal, who said: I requested Abu Abdillah, peace be upon him: ’Guide me.’ He said: ’My admonition to you is to be mindful of your duties to Allah (taqwa), to refrain from that which is forbidden and to make a strenuous effort (to win His Pleasure). And you should know that any effort, which is not coupled with abstaining from that, which is forbidden, has no benefit. And always look at those who are lower than you, and do not look at those who are above you. For how often has Allah, Most High, advised His messenger: ’So do not be deluded by their wealth and their children’, (al-Tawbah, 9:55), and again He said: ’And do not even look at the wordly wealth. We have let some pairs of disbelievers to gain, it is only an allurement of the life of this world....’ (Taha, 20:131)." And if your passion (or desires) drive you towards any of those things, then you should be aware that the Prophet, peace be upon him, and his progeny, had barley for daily subsistence, dates for his sweet dish, when available, and the source of warmth (firewood, fuel) was from the branches of the palm tree. And when any calamity befalls you, then remember how you were tested by the passing away of the Prophet, peace be upon him; for the people will never face a similar tribulation ever again."