Balancing family devotion with spiritual priorities

Nahj al-Balāgha|Volume 1|Book 3|Chapter 352

Nahj al-Balāgha

Book 3, Chapter 352

Balancing family devotion with spiritual priorities
1 Ḥadīth
Ḥadīth 432

۳۵۲. وَقَالَ (عليه ‏السلام) لِبَعْضِ أَصْحَابِهِ : لَا تَجْعَلَنَّ أَكْثَرَ شُغُلِكَ بِأَهْلِكَ وَوَلَدِكَ: فَإِنْ يَكُنْ أَهْلُكَ وَوَلَدُكَ أَوْلِيَاءَ اللهِ، فَإِنَّ اللهَ لَا يُضِيعُ أَوْلِيَاءَهُ، وَإِنْ يَكُونُوا أَعْدَاءَ اللهِ، فَمَا هَمُّكَ وَشُغُلُكَ بأَعْدَاءِ اللهِ؟

352. Amīr al-mu’minīn, peace be upon him, said to one of his companions: Do not devote much of your activity to your wife and your children, because if your wife and children are lovers of Allāh then He will not leave His lovers uncared for, and if they be enemies of Allāh then why should you worry and keep yourself busy about the enemies of Allāh?