Three types of friends and enemies

Nahj al-Balāgha|Volume 1|Book 3|Chapter 295

Nahj al-Balāgha

Book 3, Chapter 295

Three types of friends and enemies
1 Ḥadīth
Ḥadīth 362

٢٩٥. وَقَالَ (عليه ‏السلام): أَصْدِقَاؤُكَ ثَلاَثَةٌ، وَأَعْدَاؤُكَ ثَلاَثَةٌ: فَأَصْدِقَاؤُكَ: صَدِيقُكَ، وَصَدِيقُ صَدِيقِكَ، وَعَدُوُّ عَدُوِّكَ. وَأَعْدَاؤكَ: عَدُوُّكَ، وَعَدُوُّ صَدِيقِكَ، وَصَدِيقُ عَدُوِّكَ.

295. Amīr al-mu’minīn, peace be upon him, said: Your friends are three and your enemies are (also) three. Your friends are: your friend, your friend’s friend and your enemy’s enemy. And your enemies are: your enemy, your friend’s enemy and your enemy’s friend.