Divine punishment through worldly indulgence

Nahj al-Balāgha|Volume 1|Book 3|Chapter 260

Nahj al-Balāgha

Book 3, Chapter 260

Divine punishment through worldly indulgence
2 Aḥadīth
Ḥadīth 311

٢٦٠. وَقَالَ (عليه ‏السلام): كَمْ مِنْ مُسْتَدْرَجٍ بِالْإِحْسَانِ إِلَيْهِ، وَمَغْرُورٍ بِالسَّتْرِ عَلَيْهِ، وَمَفْتُونٍ بِحُسْنِ الْقَوْلِ فِيهِ، وَمَا ابْتَلَى اللهُ سُبْحَانَهُ أَحَداً بِمِثْلِ الْإِمْلَاءِ لَهُ.

260. Amīr al-mu’minīn, peace be upon him, said: There is many a man being gradually brought towards punishment by good treatment with him; many a man who remains in deceit because his evils are covered; and many a man who is in illusion because of good talk about him, while there is no greater ordeal by Allāh, the Glorified, than the giving of time.

Ḥadīth 312

قال السيد الرضى: وقد مَضى هذا الكلام فيما تقدم، إلاّ أن فيه هاهنا زيادة مفيدة

as-Sayyid ar-Raḍī says: This saying has appeared earlier as well but here it contains a beautiful and useful addition.