ومن خطبة له (عليه السلام) وتشتمل على تهذيب الفقراء بالزهد وتأديب الاغنياء بالشفقة

About keeping aloof from envy, and good behaviour towards kith and kin

أمَّا بَعْدُ، فَإِنَّ الاْمْرَ يَنْزِلُ مِنَ السَّماءِ إِلَى الاْرْضِ كَقَطر المَطَرِ إِلَى كُلِّ نَفْسٍ بِمَا قُسِمَ لَهَا مِنْ زِيَادَةٍ أَوْ نُقْصَانٍ، فإذا رَأَى أَحَدُكُمْ لاِخِيهِ غَفِيرَةًفي أَهْلٍ أَوْ مَالٍ أَوْ نَفْسٍ فَلاَ تَكُونَنَّ لَهُ فِتْنَةً، فَإِنَّ المَرْءَ المُسْلِمَ مَا لَمْ يَغْشَ دَنَاءَةً تَظْهَرُ فَيَخْشَعُ لَهَا إِذَا ذُكِرَتْ، وَيُغْرَى بهَا لِئَامُ النَّاسِ، كانَ كَالفَالِجِ اليَاسِرِشة الَّذِي يَنْتَظِرُ أَوَّلَ فَوْزَةٍ مِنْ قِدَاحِهِ تُوجِبُ لَهُ المَغْنَمَ، وَيُرْفَعُ عَنْهُ بهاالمَغْرَمُ.

Now then, verily Divine orders descend from heaven to earth like drops of rain, bringing to every one what is destined for him whether plenty or paucity. So if any one of you observes for his brother plenty of progeny or of wealth or of self, it should not be a worry for him. So long as a Muslim does not commit such an act that if it is disclosed he has to bend his eyes (in shame) and by which low people are emboldened, he is like the gambler who expects that the first draw of his arrow would secure him gain and also cover up the previous loss.

كَذْلِكَ المَرْءُ المُسْلِمُ البَرِيءُ مِنَ الخِيَانَةِ يَنْتَظِرُ مِنَ اللهِ إِحْدَى الحُسْنَيَيْنِ: إِمَّا دَاعِيَ اللهِ فَمَا عِنْدَ اللهِ خَيْرٌ لَهُ، وَإِمَّا رِزْقَ اللهِ فَإِذَا هُوَ ذُوأَهْلٍ وَمَالٍ، وَمَعَهُ دِينُهُ وَحَسَبُهُ. إِنَّ المَالَ وَالبَنِينَ حَرْثُ الدُّنْيَا، والعَمَلَ الصَّالِحَ حَرْثُ الاْخِرَةِ، وَقَدْ يَجْمَعُهُمَا اللهُ لاِقْوَامٍ،

Similarly, the Muslim who is free from dishonesty expects one of the two good things: either call from Allāh and in that case whatever is with Allāh is the best for him, or the livelihood of Allāh. He has already children and property while his faith and respect are with him. Certainly, wealth and children are the plantations of this world while virtuous deed is the plantation of the next world. Sometimes Allāh joins all these in some groups.

فَاحْذَرُوا مِنَ اللهِ مَا حَذَّرَكُمْ مِنْ نَفْسِهِ، وَاخْشَوْهُ خَشْيَةً لَيْسَتُ بَتَعْذِيرٍ وَاعْمَلُوا في غَيْرِ رِيَاءٍ وَلاَ سُمْعَةٍ؛ فَإِنَّهُ مَنْ يَعْمَلْ لِغَيْرِ اللهِ يَكِلْهُ اللهُ إِلَى مَنْ عَمِلَ لَهُ. نَسْأَلُ اللهَ مَنَازِلَ الشُّهَدَاءِ، وَمُعَايَشَةَ السُّعَدَاءِ، وَمُرَافَقَةَ الاْنْبِيَاءِ.

Beware of Allāh against what He has cautioned you and keep afraid of Him to the extent that no excuse is needed for it. Act without show or intention of being heard, for if a man acts for some one else then Allāh makes him over to that one. We ask Allāh (to grant us) the positions of the martyrs, company of the virtuous and friendship of the prophets.

أَيُّهَا النّاسُ، إِنَّهُ لاَ يَسْتَغْنِي الرَّجُلُ ـ وَإِنْ كَانَ ذَا مَالٍ ـ عَنْ عَشِيرَتِهِ، وَدِفَاعِهِمْ عَنْهُ بِأَيْدِيهِمْ وَأَلسِنَتِهمْ، وَهُمْ أَعْظَمُ النَّاسِ حَيْطَةً مِنْ وَرَائِهِ وَأَلَمُّهُمْ لِشَعَثِهِ، وَأَعْطَفُهُمْ عَلَيْهِ عِنْدَ نَازِلَةٍ إنْ نَزَلَتْ بِهِ. وَلِسَانُ الصِّدْقِ يَجْعَلُهُ اللهُ لِلْمَرْءِ في النَّاسِ خَيْرٌ لَهُ مِنَ المَالِ يُورِثُهُ غيرَهُ.

O people! Surely no one (even though he may be rich) can do without his kinsmen, and their support by hands or tongues. They alone are his support from rear and can ward off from him his troubles, and they are the most kind to him when tribulations befall him. The good memory of a man that Allāh retains among people is better than the property which others inherit from him.

ومنھا : أَلاَ لاَيَعْدِلَنَّ أَحَدُكُمْ عَنِ القَرَابِةِ يَرَى بِهَا الخَصَاصَةَ أنْ يَسُدَّهَا بِالَّذِي لايَزِيدُهُ إِنْ أَمْسَكَهُ وَلاَ يَنْقُصُهُ إِنْ أَهْلَكَهُ، وَمَنْ يَقْبِضْ يَدَهُ عَنْ عَشِيرَتِهِ، فَإِنَّمَا تُقْبَضُ مِنْهُ عَنْهُمْ يَدٌ وَاحِدَةٌ، وَتُقْبَضُ مِنْهُمْ عَنْهُ أَيْد كَثِيرَةٌ; وَمَنْ تَلِنْ حَاشِيَتُهُ يَسْتَدِمْ مِنْ قَوْمِهِ المَوَدَّةَ.

In the same sermon : Behold! If any one of you finds your near ones in want or starvation, he should not desist from helping them with that which will not increase if this help is not extended, nor decrease by thus spending it. Whoever holds up his hand from (helping) his kinsmen, he holds only one hand, but at the time of his need many hands remain held up from helping him. One who is sweet tempered can retain th love of his people for good.

قال السيد الشريف: اقول: الغفيرة ها هنا الزيادة و الكثرة ، من قولهم للجمع الكثير: الجم الغفير، و الجماء الغفير. و يروي «عِفوة من اهل أو مال» و العِفوة: الخيار من الشيء، يقال: اكلت عِفوة الطعام، اي خياره. وما أحسن المعنى الذي أراده (عليه السلام) بقوله: «ومن يقبض يده عن عشيرته...» إلى تمام الكلام، فإن الممسك خيره عن عشيرته إنما يمسك نفع يد واحدة; فإذا احتاج إلى نصرتهم، واضطر إلى مرافدتهم قعدوا عن نصره، وتثاقلوا عن صوته، فمنع ترافد الايدي الكثيرة، وتناهض الاقدام الجمة.

as-Sayyid ar-Raḍī says: In this sermon “al-ghafirah” means plenty or abundance, and this is derived from the Arab saying, “al-jamm‘ l-ghafir” or “aljamm‘ al-ghafir” meaning thick crowd. In some versions for “al ghafirah”, “‘afwatan” appears. “‘afwah” means the good and selected part of anything. It is said “akaltu `afwata 't-ta‘ām”, to mean “I ate select meal.” About “wa man yaqbiḍ yadahu ‘an ‘asheeratihi” appearing towards the end he points out how beautiful the meaning of this sentence is, Amīr al-mu’minīn implies that he who does not help his own kinsmen withholds only his hand but when he is in need of their assistance and would be looking for their sympathy and support then he would remain deprived of the sympathies and succour of so many of their extending hands and marching feet.

Extrait d’un discours qui traite de l’éducation des pauvres par la tempérance et de celle des riches par la miséricorde

Les ordonnances [divines] descendent du ciel sur la terre comme des gouttes d’eau qu’un chacun reçoit, en abondance ou en rareté, d’après ce qu’il lui est destiné. Si l’un de vous voit chez son frère un don plus ou moins grand-parents ou biens ou enfants - que son cœur ne se trouble pas. Car l’homme musulman, à moins qu’il n’ait commis une vilainie qui le fit rougir de honte devant les mauvais gens, est semblable au joueur qui mise dans l’attente que les dés lui soient favorables.

En effet, le musulman, innocent de la vilenie, attend de Dieu l’une des deux grâces; ou le bonheur de l’autre vie où ce qui appartient à Dieu lui est un grand bien, ou bien la fortune que lui offre Dieu dans cette vie pour qu’il devienne muni de parents et de richesses, tout en menant une vie heureuse dans le cadre de sa religion et de son milieu social. Certes, l’argent et les enfants sont la moisson de ce monde, et les bonnes actions sont celles de l’autre, et il se peut que Dieu octroie ces deux grâces à quelques privilégiés.

Préservez-vous contre ce dont Dieu vous a mis en garde; craignez-Le sans chercher des excuses; agissez sans hypocrisie et sans recherche de la bonne réputation; car celui qui agit autrement que pour Dieu sera délaissé à ses seuls moyens qui ne sont pas d’ailleurs grand-chose. Quant à nous, nous demandons à Dieu de nous élever au rang des martyrs, de nous faire vivre parmi les gens heureux et dans la compagnie des prophètes.

O gens! Tout homme - même s’il est fortuné- ne peut se passer des siens qui le défendent par leurs mains et leurs langues et qui forment un rempart solide derrière lui. ils sont les plus disposés à l’entourer et les plus compatissants s’il encoure des mal- heurs. La bonne réputation qu’un homme, avec l’aide de Dieu, laisse parme les gens vaut mieux qu’une richesse que d’autres hériteraient

Qu’aucun parmi vous ne s’écarte des siens: s’il voit son prochain dans la misère qu’il l’aide; ce qu’il aurait donné n’augmenterait pas sa fortune s’il l’avait gardé, de même qu’il ne l’aurait pas diminuée s’il l’avait offert. Celui qui s’abstient d’aider les siens ne leur présente qu’une seule main fermée; mais en retour de son avarice, toutes les mains des siens seront fermées devant sa face. Enfin, celui qui témoigne de la tendresse aux siens recevra toujours leur amitié.

Nahj al-Balāgha

Chapter #23