Maʿānī al-ʾAkhbār

حدثنا محمد بن الحسن بن أحمد بن الوليد - رضي الله عنه - قال: حدثنا محمد بن الحسن الصفار، عن أيوب بن نوح، عن محمد بن أبي عمير، عن سيف بن عميرة، عن أبي حمزة الثمالي، عن الصادق جعفر بن محمد عليهما السلام، قال: الاشتهار بالعبادة ريبة، إن أبي حدثني عن أبيه، عن جده عليهم السلام أن رسول الله صلى الله عليه وآله قال: أعبد الناس من أقام الفرائض، و أسخى الناس من أدى زكاة ماله، وأزهد الناس من اجتنب الحرام، وأتقى الناس من قال الحق فيما له وعليه، وأعدل الناس من رضي ما يرضى لنفسه وكره لهم ما يكره لنفسه، وأكيس الناس من كان أشد ذكرا للموت، وأغبط الناس من كان تحت التراب قد أمن العقاب يرجوا الثواب، وأغفل الناس من لم يتعظ بتغير الدنيا من حال إلى حال، وأعظم الناس في الدنيا خطرا من لم يجعل للدنيا عنده خطرا، وأعلم الناس من جمع علم الناس إلى علمه، وأشجع الناس من غلب هواه، وأكثر الناس قيمة أكثرهم علما، وأقل الناس قيمة أقلهم علما، وأقل الناس لذة الحسود، وأقل الناس راحة البخيل، وأبخل الناس من بخل بما افترض الله تعالى عليه، وأولى الناس بالحق أعملهم به، و أقل الناس حرمه الفاسق، وأقل الناس وفاء الملوك، وأقل الناس صديقا الملك، وأفقر الناس الطماع، وأغنى الناس من لم يكن للحرص أسيرا، وأفضل الناس إيمانا أحسنهم خلقا وأكرم الناس أتقاهم، وأعظم الناس قدرا من ترك مالا يعنيه، وأورع الناس من ترك المراء وإن كان محقا، وأقل الناس مروءة من كان كاذبا، وأشقى الناس الملوك، و أمقت الناس المتكبر، وأشد الناس اجتهادا من ترك الذنوب، وأحكم الناس من فر من جهال الناس، وأسعد من خالط كرام الناس، وأعقل الناس أشدهم مداراة للناس، وأولى الناس بالتهمة من جالس أهل التهمة، وأعتى الناس من قتل غير قاتله أو ضرب غير ضاربه، وأولى الناس بالعفو أقدرهم على العقوبة، وأحق الناس بالذنب السفيه المغتاب، وأذل الناس، من أهان الناس، وأحزم الناس أكظمهم للغيظ، وأصلح الناس أصلحهم للناس، وخير الناس من انتفع به الناس.

1. We were told by Muhammed bin Hasan bin Ahmad bin Waleed, may Allah be pleased with him, that he said: We were told by Muhammed bin Hasan al-Saffar, from Ayub bin Nuh, from Muhammed bin Abi ‘Umayr, from Saif bin ‘Umayra, from Abu Hamza al-Thumali, from al-Sadiq, Ja’far bin Muhammed, peace be upon them both, that he said: Famousness through acts of worship is a (cause for) doubt. Indeed, my father told me of his father, of his grandfather, peace be upon him, that the Messenger of Allah, Allah’s blessings be upon him and his Family, said: The most worshipping among the people is the one who establishes the obligatory acts; the most openhanded among the people is the one who gives the alms tax of his property; the most abstaining among the people is the one who refrains from the forbidden; the most godfearing among the people is the one who says the truth with regards to what is for (the advantage of) himself and (for what is of disadvantage) upon himself; the most just among the people is the one who is pleased for people what he is pleased with for himself, and dislikes for them what he dislikes for himself; the most smart among the people is the one who most intensively mentions death; the one to be most envied among the people is the one who is beneath the sand, for certainly, he is to be safe from punishment and expects reward; the most unaware among the people is the one who does not take lesson from the change of this world from one case to another case; the one with greatest danger among the people in this world is the one who does not make this world a matter of danger to himself; the most knowledgeable among the people is the one who gathers the knowledge of people to his own knowledge; the most courageous among the people is the one who defeats his desire; the most worthy among the people is the one with the most knowledge; and the least worthy among the people is the one with the least knowledge; the one with the least enjoyment among the people is the jealous; the one with the least comfort among the people is the stingy; the most stingy among the people is the one who is stingy with regards to what Allah, the Exalted, has obliged upon him; the one who is more rightful to the truth among the people is the one who acts most with it; the one with the least sanctity among the people is the impious; those with the least loyalty among the people are kings; the one with the least friends among the people is the king; the most poor among the people is the greedy; the most rich among the people is the one who is not a captive to craving; the one with the best faith among the people is the one with the best mannerisms among them; the most generous among the people is the most godfearing among them; the most worthy among the people is the one who leaves what does not concern him; the most pious among the people is the one who leaves quarrel, even if he is rightful; the one with the least manliness among the people is the one who is a liar; the most wretched among the people are kings; the most loathsome among the people is the arrogant; the one with most intense diligence among the people is the one who abandons sins; the most wise among the people is the one who flees from the severely ignorants among people; the most happy among the people is the one who mingles with dignified people; the most intelligent among the people is the one with the most conformity with people; the one who is more rightful to accusation among the people is the one who sits with the people of accusation; the most insolent among the people is the one who kills other than his murderer or hits other than his hitter; the one who is more rightful to pardoning among the people is the one who is most able among them to punish; the most rightful to sin among the people is the fool, the backbiter; the most debased among the people is the one who humiliates people; the most resolute among the people is the one who mostly suppresses rage among them; the most righteous among the people is the one among them who is more righteous to people; and the best among the people is the one from whom people benefit.

حدثنا علي بن عبد الله الوراق، قال: حدثنا سعد بن عبد الله، عن إبراهيم بن معروف عن إبراهيم بن مهزيار، عن أخيه علي، عن الحسن بن سعيد، عن الحارث بن محمد بن النعمان الأحول صاحب الطاق، عن جميل بن صالح، عن أبي عبد الله الصادق عن آبائه عليهم السلام قال: قال رسول الله صلى الله عليه وآله: من أحب أن يكون أكرم الناس فليتق الله عز وجل ومن أحب أن يكون أتقى الناس فليتوكل كل على الله، ومن أحب أن يكون أغنى الناس فليكن يما عند الله عز وجل أوثق منه بما في يده ثم قال صلى الله عليه وآله: ألا أنبئكم بشر الناس؟ قالوا: بلى يا رسول الله، قال: من أبغض الناس وأبغضه الناس. ثم قال: ألا أنبئكم بشر من هذا؟ قالوا: بلى يا رسول الله، قال: الذي لا يقيل عثرة ولا يقبل معذرة ولا يغفر ذنبا. ثم قال: ألا أنبئكم بشر من هذا؟ قالوا: بلى يا رسول الله، قال: من لا يؤمن شره ولا يرجى خيره، وإن عيسى ابن مريم عليه السلام قام في بني إسرائيل فقال: يا بني إسرائيل لا تحدثوا بالحكمة الجهال فتظلموها، ولا تمنعوها أهلها فتظلموهم، ولا تعينوا الظالم على ظلمه فيبطل فضلكم، الأمور ثلاثة: أمر تبين لك رشده فاتبعه، وأمر تبين لك غيبه، وأمر اختلف فيه فرده إلى الله عز وجل.

2. We were told by Ali bin Abdullah al-Warraq, that he said: We were told by Sa’d bin Abdullah, from Ibrahim bin Ma’ruf, from Ibrahim bin Mahziyar, from his brother, Ali, from Hasan bin Sa’eed, from Harith bin Muhammed bin Nu’man, the cross-eyed, the companion of al-Taq, from Jameel bin Saleh, from Abu Abdillah al-Sadiq, from his fathers, peace be upon them, that he said: The Messenger of Allah, Allah’s blessings be upon him and his Family, said: The one who would like to be the most generous of the people, let him fear Allah, Exalted and Glorious is He. The one who would like to be the most godfearing of the people, let him trust Allah. The one who would like to be the wealthiest of people, let him be with regards to what is with Allah, Exalted and Glorious is He, more confident than with what is in his hand. Then he, Allah’s blessings be upon him and his Family, said: Shall I not inform you of the worst of people? They said: Sure, O Messenger of Allah. He said: The one who hates people and whom people hate. Then he said: Shall I not inform you of worse than this? They said: Sure, O Messenger of Allah. He said: The one who does not dismiss an accidental mistake, nor accepts an apology nor forgives a sin. Then he said: Shall I not inform you of worse than this? They said: Sure, O Messenger of Allah. He said: The one whose evil cannot be guarded from, nor whose good can be expected. Indeed, Isa ibn Maryam, peace be upon him, stood upon among the sons of Isra’eel and said: O sons of Isra’eel, do not speak of the wisdom to the severely ignorants, lest you wrong it, and do not prevent its people, lest you wrong them, and do not assist the oppressor with his oppression, lest your virtue is invalidated. Things are three: a matter whose guidance has been clarified to you, so follow it; a matter whose enticement has been clarified to you, so avoid it; and a matter about whom it is disputed, so leave it for Allah, Exalted and Glorious is He.

حدثنا أبي - رضي الله عنه - قال: حدثنا علي بن إبراهيم، عن أبيه، عن الحسين بن يزيد النوفلي، عن إسماعيل بن أبي زياد، عن الصادق جعفر بن محمد، عن أبيه، عن آبائه عليهم السلام قال: سئل رسول الله صلى الله عليه وآله: أي المال خير؟ قال: زرع زرعه صاحبه وأصلحه وأدى حقه يوم حصاده. قيل: يا رسول الله فأي المال بعد الزرع خير؟ قال: رجل في غنمه قد تبع بها مواضع القطر يقيم الصلاة ويؤتي الزكاة. قيل يا رسول الله فأي المال بعد الغنم خير؟ قال: البقر تغد وبخير وتروح بخير قيل: يا رسول الله فأي المال بعد البقر خير؟ قال: الراسيات في الوحل والمطعمات في المحل ، نعم الشئ النخل من باعه فإنما ثمنه بمنزلة رماد على رأس شاهق اشتدت به الريح في يوم عاصف إلا أن يخلف مكانها. قيل: يا رسول الله فأي المال بعد النخل خير؟ فسكت، فقال له رجل: فأين الإبل؟ قال: فيها الشقاء والجفاء والعناء وبعد الدار تغد ومدبرة و تروح مدبرة لا يأتي خيرها إلا من جانبها الأشأم أما إنها لا تعدم الأشقياء الفجرة .

3. We were told by my father, may Allah be pleased with him, that he said: We were told by Ali bin Ibrahim, from his father, from Hussain bin Yazid al-Nawfili, from Isma’eel bin Abi Ziyad, from al-Sadiq, Ja’far bin Muhammed, from his father, from his fathers, peace be upon them, that he said: The Messenger of Allah, Allah’s blessings be upon him and his Family: What type of property is the best? He said: A cultivation planted by its owner, made right by him and whose right he fulfils on the day of its harvesting. It was said: O Messenger of Allah, then what type of property is the best after cultivation? He said: That a man among his sheep who leads them to the places of rain, establishes the prayer and gives the alms tax. It was said: O Messenger of Allah, then what type of property is the best after sheep? He said: Cows, they are milked at the morning in goodness, and at departure in goodness. It was: O Messenger of Allah, then what type of property is the best after cows? He said: The immovable (plants) in mire and which feed during the state of being barren. The best of things is the palm three when it is sold, for its price is only by the like of ash on the top of a lofty thing when intensively hit by wind on a stormy day, except if he leaves behind (something) in its place. It was said: O Messenger of Allah, then what type of property is the best after the palm trees? Then he became silent, and then a man said to him: Then where are camels? He said: In them are wretchedness, roughness and laborious effort, and after (leaving) home, at the morning, it turns its back, and at departure, it turns it back. Its goodness does not come except from its ill-omened side. Verily, it, indeed, it is not free of the wretched, the dissolute.

حدثنا محمد بن إبراهيم بن إسحاق، قال: حدثنا أحمد بن محمد الهمدان يقال: حدثنا الحسن بن القاسم قراءة قال: حدثنا علي بن إبراهيم المعلى، قال: حدثنا أبو عبد الله محمد بن خالد، قال: حدثنا عبد الله بن بكر المرادي، عن موسى بن جعفر، عن أبيه، عن جده [عن] علي بن الحسين، عن أبيه عليهم السلام قال: بينا أمير المؤمنين صلوات الله عليه ذات يوم جالس مع أصحابه يعبئهم للحرب إذ أتاه شيخ عليه شجبة للسفر ، فقال: أين أمير المؤمنين؟ فقيل: هو ذا. فسلم عليه، ثم قال: يا أمير المؤمنين إني أتيتك من ناحية الشام وأنا شيخ كبير قد سمعت فيك من الفضل ما لا أحصي وإني أظنك ستغتال فعلمني مما علمك الله. قال: نعم يا شيخ، من اعتدل يوماه فهو مغبون، ومن كانت الدنيا همته اشتدت حسرته عند فراقها، ومن كان غده شر يوميه فمحروم، ومن لم يبال ما رزئ من آخرته إذا سلمت له دنياه فهو هالك، ومن لم يتعاهد النقص من نفسه غلب عليه الهوى ومن كان في نقص فالموت خير له، يا شيخ ارض للناس ما ترضى لنفسك و إيت إلى الناس ما تحب أن يؤتي إليك. ثم أقبل على أصحابه فقال: أيها الناس أما ترون إلى أهل الدنيا يمسون ويصبحون على أحوال شتى فبين صريع يتلوى وبين عائد ومعود وآخر بنفسه يجود، وآخر لا يرجى وآخر مسجى ، وطالب الدنيا والموت يطلبه، وغافل ليس بمغفول عنه، وعلى أثر الماضي يصير الباقي. فقال له زيد بن صوحان العبدي: يا أمير المؤمنين أي سلطان أغلب وأقوى؟ قال: الهوى، قال: فأي ذل أذل؟ قال: الحرص على الدنيا، قال: فأي فقر أشد؟ قال: الكفر بعد الايمان، قال: فأي دعوة أضل؟ قال: الداعي بما لا يكون، قال: فأي عمل أفضل؟ قال: التقوى، قال: فأي عمل أنجح؟ قال: طلب ما عند الله، قال: فأي صاحب شر؟ قال: المزين لك معصية الله، قال: فأي الخلق أشقى؟ قال: من باع دينه بدنيا غيره، قال: فأي الخلق أقوى؟ قال: الحليم، قال: فأي الخلق أشح؟ قال: من أخذ المال من غير حله فجعله في غير حقه قال: فأي الناس أكيس؟ قال: من أبصر رشده من غيه فمال إلى رشده، قال: فمن أحلم الناس؟ قال: الذي لا يغضب، قال: فأي الناس أثبت رأيا. قال: من لم تغره الناس من نفسه ولم تغره الدنيا بتشوفها ، قال: فأي الناس أحمق؟ قال: المغتر بالدنيا وهو يرى ما فيها من تقلب أحوالها، قال: فأي الناس أشد حسرة؟ قال: الذي حرم الدنيا و الآخرة ذلك هو الخسران المبين، قال: فأي الخلق أعمى؟ قال: الذي عمل لغير الله يطلب بعمله الثواب من عند الله عز وجل، قال: فأي القنوع أفضل؟ قال: القانع بما أعطاه الله، قال: فأي المصائب أشد؟ قال: المصيبة بالدين، قال: فأي الأعمال أحب إلى الله عز و جل؟ قال: انتظار الفرج. قال: فأي الناس خير عند الله عز وجل؟ قال: أخوفهم الله وأعملهم بالتقوى وأزهدهم في الدنيا، قال: فأي الكلام أفضل عند الله عز وجل؟ قال كثرة ذكره والتضرع إليه والدعاء، قال: فأي القول أصدق. قال: شهادة أن لا إله إلا الله، قال: فأي الأعمال أعظم عند الله عز وجل؟ قال: التسليم والورع. قال: فأي الناس أصدق؟ قال: من صدق في المواطن، ثم أقبل عليه السلام على الشيخ فقال: يا شيخ إن الله عز وجل خلق خلقا ضيق الدنيا عليهم نظرا لهم فزهدهم فيها وفي حطامها فرغبوا في دار السلام التي دعاهم إليها وصبروا على ضيق المعيشة وصبروا على المكروه و اشتاقوا إلى ما عند الله من الكرامة وبذلوا أنفسهم ابتغاء رضوان الله وكانت خاتمة أعمالهم الشهادة فلقوا الله وهو عنهم راض، واعملوا أن الموت سبيل من مضى ومن بقي، فتزودوا لآخرتهم غير الذهب والفضة، ولبسوا الخشن، وصبروا على الذل، وقدموا الفضل، وأحبوا في الله، وأبغضوا في الله عز وجل، أولئك المصابيح في الدنيا وأهل النعيم في الآخرة والسلام. فقال الشيخ: فأين أذهب وأدع الجنة - وأنا أراها وأرى أهلها معك يا أمير المؤمنين -؟ جهزني بقوة أتقوى بها على عدوك فأعطاه أمير المؤمنين عليه السلام سلاحا وحمله وكان في الحرب بين يدي أمير المؤمنين عليه السلام يضرب قدما قدما وأمير المؤمنين عليه السلام يعجب مما يصنع فلما اشتدت الحرب أقدم فرسه حتى قتل - رحمة الله عليه - وأتبعه رجل من أصحاب أمير المؤمنين عليه السلام فوجده صريعا ووجد دابته ووجد سيفه في ذراعه، فلما انقضت الحرب أتى أمير المؤمنين عليه السلام بدابته وسلاحه وصلى عليه أمير المؤمنين عليه السلام فقال: هذا والله السعيد حقا فترحموا على أخيكم.

4. We were told by Muhammed bin Ibrahim bin Ishaq, that he said: We were told by Ahmad bin Muhammed al-Hamdani, that he said: We were told by Hasan bin Qasem, while he was reading, that he said: We were told by Ali bin Ibrahim al-Mu’alla, that he said: We were told by Abu Abdillah, Muhammed bin Khalid, that he said: We were told by Abdullah bin BIkr al-Muradi, from Musa bin Ja’far, from his father, from his grandfather, from Ali bin Hussain, from his father, peace be upon them, that he said: The Commander of the Believers was, one day, sitting with his companions, preparing them for war, as an old man, in whom was the fatigue of travel, approached him and said: Where is the Commander of the Believers? Then it was said: It is him. So he sent peace upon him, and then he said: O Commander of the Believers, indeed, I have come to you from the side of the Levant, and I am an old man who have heard about you of virtue what I cannot count, and indeed, I assume that you will be assassinated. Hence, teach me from what Allah has taught you. He said: Yes, O old man, the one whose two days are equal, is defrauded; the one to whom this world is his concern, his heartbrokenness will intensify when it is separated (from him); the one whose tomorrow is the worst of his two days, is prevented; the one who does not care about what will afflict him in his Hereafter once his worldly affairs are safe, is to perish; the one who does not promise to give himself less will be defeated by desire; and the one who is in (a state of) decline, death is best for him. O old man, be pleased for people what you are pleased with for yourself, and give to people what you would like to be given to you. Then he turned towards his companions and said: O people, do you not see the people of this world, that they sleep at night and wake up at morning on various conditions; between one who has collapsed and bends, between one who visits (an ill person) and one who is visited (due to illness), and another who struggles with himself (due to decline), and another who is not sought, and another who is covered (by a cloth after having died), and who demands from this world while death seeks him, and one who is unaware, but is not neglected. In accordance to the past (In this manner) the rest become. Then Zaid bin Sawhan al-‘Abdi said to him: O Commander of the Believers, which (element of) authority is more defeating and strong? He said: Desire. He said: Then what type of debasement is the most debased? He said: Craving for this world. He said: Then what type of poverty is the most intense? He said: Disbelief after faith. He said: Then what type of call is the most misleading? He said: The one who calls for what will not be. He said: Then what act is the best? He said: Godfearness. He said: Then what act is the most successful? He said: Seeking what is with Allah. He said: Then what type of companion is the worst? He said: The one who beautifies for you the disobedience to Allah. He said: Then whom of the creation is the most wretched? He said: The one who sells his afterlife with the worldly affairs of someone else. Then whom of the creation is the strongest? He said: The forbearing. He said: Then whom of the creation is the most avaricious? He said: The one who takes a property from other than what is allowable and places it in other than its right. He said: Then whom among the people is the smartest? He said: The one who is insightful of his guidance from enticement and inclines to his guidance. He said: Then who is the most forbearing among the people? He said: The one who does not become angry. Then who among the people has the most stable opinion? He said: The one whom people do not seduce from himself, and whom this world does not seduce with its beautification. He said: Then whom among the people is the most stupid? He said: The one who is seduced by this world while he sees what is in it of its change of conditions. He said: Then who among the people is the most intensively heartbroken? He said: The one who was prevented from this world and the Hereafter; that is the clear loss. He said: Then who among the creation is the most blind? He said: The one who acts for other than Allah and seeks with his act reward from Allah, Exalted and Glorious is He. He said: Then what type of the content is the best? He said: The one who is content with what Allah has given him. He said: Then what type of calamity is the most difficult? He said: The calamity with regards to Religion. He said: Then which act is the most beloved to Allah, Exalted and Glorious is He? He said: Awaiting relief. He said: Then who among the people is the best to Allah, Exalted and Glorious is He? He said: The one among them who is most fearful of Allah, the one among them who acts the most with godfearness and the one among them who is the most abstaining in this world. He said: Then what type of speech is the best to Allah, Exalted and Glorious is He? He said: Mentioning him in abundance, invoking to Him and supplicating. He said: Then what saying is the most truthful? He said: The testimony that there is no god but Allah. He said: Then which act is the greatest to Allah, Exalted and Glorious is He? He said: Submission and piety. He said: Then who among the people is the most truthful? He said: The one who is truthful in places of trial. Then he, peace be upon him, approached the old man and said: O old man, indeed, Allah, Exalted and Glorious is He, created a creation which He tightened this world upon in favor to them, and so He made them abstinent in it and with regards to its waste material. Hence, they became desiring for the Home of Peace which He called them to, and they became patient for the tight livelihood and became patient for adversity, and they longed for what is with Allah of dignity and spent their lives for the sake of achieving the satisfaction of Allah, and the seal of their acts has become martyrdom. Thus, they met Allah while He was pleased with them, and they knew that death is the path of those who went and who remain, and so, they increased for their Hereafter with other than gold and silver, wore coarse clothing, were patient for humiliation, preferred virtue, loved for the sake of Allah and hated for the sake of Allah, Exalted and Glorious is He. Those are the lamps in this world and the people of bliss in the Hereafter. Peace. Then the old man said: Then to where shall I go and leave Paradise, while I see it and see its people with you, O Commander of the Believers? Prepare me with strength by which I can become strong against your enemy. Then the Commander of the Believers, peace be upon him, gave him a weapon and incited him, and he was in the war between the hands of the Commander of the Believers, peace be upon him, hitting foot by foot, and the Commander of the Believers, peace be upon him, was amazed by what he was doing. When the war intensified, he moved his horse forward until he was killed, may Allah grant him mercy. He was followed by a man from the companions of the Commander of the Believers, peace be upon him, and he found him collapsed, and he found his riding animal, and he found his sword in his arm. When the war ended, the Commander of the Believers, peace be upon him, was brought his riding animal and weapon, and the Commander of the Believers, peace be upon him, prayed upon him, and he said: This is, by Allah, the truly ejoicing, so ask Allah to grant mercy to your brother.