Instructions to the commander of a vanguard contingent dispatched to Syria

Nahj al-Balāgha|Volume 1|Book 2|Chapter 56

Nahj al-Balāgha

Book 2, Chapter 56

Instructions to the commander of a vanguard contingent dispatched to Syria
2 Aḥadīth
Ḥadīth 356

ومن وصيته له (عليه السلام) وصى بها شريح بن هانئ لما جعله على مقدمته إلى الشام

When Amīr al-mu’minīn placed Shurayḥ ibn Hānī (al-Madhḥijī) at the head of the vanguard preceding towards Syria, he issued this document of instruction to him.

Ḥadīth 357

اتَّقِ اللهَ فِي كُلِّ صَبَاحٍ وَمَسَاءٍ، وَخَفْ عَلَى نَفْسِكَ الدُّنْيَا الْغَرُورَ، وَلَا تَأْمَنْهَا عَلَى حَالٍ، وَاعْلَمْ أَنَّكَ إِنْ لَمْ تَرْدَعْ نَفْسَكَ عَنْ كَثِيرٍ مِمَّا تُحِبُّ، مَخَافَةَ مَكْرُوهٍ، سَمَتْ بِكَ الْأَهْوَاءُ إِلَى كَثِيرٍ مِنَ الضَّرَرِ. فَكُنْ لِنَفْسِكَ مَانِعاً رَادِعاً، وَلِنَزْوَتِكَ عِنْدَ الْحَفِيظَةِ وَاقِماً قَامِعاً.

Fear Allāh every morning and evening and remain apprehensive about yourself of this deceitful world and do not regard it safe in any case. Know that if for fear of some evil you do not refrain yourself from things which you love, then passions will fling you into a lot of harm. Therefore, be for yourself a refrainer and protector, and for your anger a suppressor and killer.