16ـ عِدَّةٌ مِنْ أَصْحَابِنَا عَنْ أَحْمَدَ بْنِ مُحَمَّدِ بْنِ خَالِدٍ عَنْ أَبِيهِ رَفَعَهُ عَنْ مُحَمَّدِ بْنِ دَاوُدَ الْغَنَوِيِّ عَنِ الأصْبَغِ بْنِ نُبَاتَةَ قَالَ
جَاءَ رَجُلٌ إِلَى أَمِيرِ الْمُؤْمِنِينَ (صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وآلِه) فَقَالَ يَا أَمِيرَ الْمُؤْمِنِينَ إِنَّ نَاساً زَعَمُوا أَنَّ الْعَبْدَ لا يَزْنِي وَهُوَ مُؤْمِنٌ وَلا يَسْرِقُ وَهُوَ مُؤْمِنٌ وَلا يَشْرَبُ الْخَمْرَ وَهُوَ مُؤْمِنٌ وَلا يَأْكُلُ الرِّبَا وَهُوَ مُؤْمِنٌ وَلا يَسْفِكُ الدَّمَ الْحَرَامَ وَهُوَ مُؤْمِنٌ فَقَدْ ثَقُلَ عَلَيَّ هَذَا وَحَرِجَ مِنْهُ صَدْرِي حِينَ أَزْعُمُ أَنَّ هَذَا الْعَبْدَ يُصَلِّي صَلاتِي وَيَدْعُو دُعَائِي وَيُنَاكِحُنِي وَأُنَاكِحُهُ وَيُوَارِثُنِي وَأُوَارِثُهُ وَقَدْ خَرَجَ مِنَ الإيمَانِ مِنْ أَجْلِ ذَنْبٍ يَسِيرٍ أَصَابَهُ فَقَالَ أَمِيرُ الْمُؤْمِنِينَ (صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وآلِه) صَدَقْتَ سَمِعْتُ رَسُولَ الله (صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وآلِه) يَقُولُ وَالدَّلِيلُ عَلَيْهِ كِتَابُ الله خَلَقَ الله عَزَّ وَجَلَّ النَّاسَ عَلَى ثَلاثِ طَبَقَاتٍ وَأَنْزَلَهُمْ ثَلاثَ مَنَازِلَ وَذَلِكَ قَوْلُ الله عَزَّ وَجَلَّ فِي الْكِتَابِ أَصْحَابُ الْمَيْمَنَةِ وَأَصْحَابُ الْمَشْأَمَةِ وَالسَّابِقُونَ فَأَمَّا مَا ذَكَرَ مِنْ أَمْرِ السَّابِقِينَ فَإِنَّهُمْ أَنْبِيَاءُ مُرْسَلُونَ وَغَيْرُ مُرْسَلِينَ جَعَلَ الله فِيهِمْ خَمْسَةَ أَرْوَاحٍ رُوحَ الْقُدُسِ وَرُوحَ الإيمَانِ وَرُوحَ الْقُوَّةِ وَرُوحَ الشَّهْوَةِ وَرُوحَ الْبَدَنِ فَبِرُوحِ الْقُدُسِ بُعِثُوا أَنْبِيَاءَ مُرْسَلِينَ وَغَيْرَ مُرْسَلِينَ وَبِهَا عَلِمُوا الأشْيَاءَ وَبِرُوحِ الإيمَانِ عَبَدُوا الله وَلَمْ يُشْرِكُوا بِهِ شَيْئاً وَبِرُوحِ الْقُوَّةِ جَاهَدُوا عَدُوَّهُمْ وَعَالَجُوا مَعَاشَهُمْ وَبِرُوحِ الشَّهْوَةِ أَصَابُوا لَذِيذَ الطَّعَامِ وَنَكَحُوا الْحَلالَ مِنْ شَبَابِ النِّسَاءِ وَبِرُوحِ الْبَدَنِ دَبُّوا وَدَرَجُوا فَهَؤُلاءِ مَغْفُورٌ لَهُمْ مَصْفُوحٌ عَنْ ذُنُوبِهِمْ ثُمَّ قَالَ قَالَ الله عَزَّ وَجَلَّ تِلْكَ الرُّسُلُ فَضَّلْنا بَعْضَهُمْ عَلى بَعْضٍ مِنْهُمْ مَنْ كَلَّمَ الله وَرَفَعَ بَعْضَهُمْ دَرَجاتٍ وَآتَيْنا عِيسَى ابْنَ مَرْيَمَ الْبَيِّناتِ وَأَيَّدْناهُ بِرُوحِ الْقُدُسِ ثُمَّ قَالَ فِي جَمَاعَتِهِمْ وَأَيَّدَهُمْ بِرُوحٍ مِنْهُ يَقُولُ أَكْرَمَهُمْ بِهَا فَفَضَّلَهُمْ عَلَى مَنْ سِوَاهُمْ فَهَؤُلاءِ مَغْفُورٌ لَهُمْ مَصْفُوحٌ عَنْ ذُنُوبِهِمْ ثُمَّ ذَكَرَ أَصْحَابَ الْمَيْمَنَةِ وَهُمُ الْمُؤْمِنُونَ حَقّاً بِأَعْيَانِهِمْ جَعَلَ الله فِيهِمْ أَرْبَعَةَ أَرْوَاحٍ رُوحَ الإيمَانِ وَرُوحَ الْقُوَّةِ وَرُوحَ الشَّهْوَةِ وَرُوحَ الْبَدَنِ فَلا يَزَالُ الْعَبْدُ يَسْتَكْمِلُ هَذِهِ الأرْوَاحَ الأرْبَعَةَ حَتَّى تَأْتِيَ عَلَيْهِ حَالاتٌ فَقَالَ الرَّجُلُ يَا أَمِيرَ الْمُؤْمِنِينَ مَا هَذِهِ الْحَالاتُ فَقَالَ أَمَّا أُولاهُنَّ فَهُوَ كَمَا قَالَ الله عَزَّ وَجَلَّ وَمِنْكُمْ مَنْ يُرَدُّ إِلى أَرْذَلِ الْعُمُرِ لِكَيْ لا يَعْلَمَ بَعْدَ عِلْمٍ شَيْئاً فَهَذَا يَنْتَقِصُ مِنْهُ جَمِيعُ الأرْوَاحِ وَلَيْسَ بِالَّذِي يَخْرُجُ مِنْ دِينِ الله لأنَّ الْفَاعِلَ بِهِ رَدَّهُ إِلَى أَرْذَلِ عُمُرِهِ فَهُوَ لا يَعْرِفُ لِلصَّلاةِ وَقْتاً وَلا يَسْتَطِيعُ التَّهَجُّدَ بِاللَّيْلِ وَلا بِالنَّهَارِ وَلا الْقِيَامَ فِي الصَّفِّ مَعَ النَّاسِ فَهَذَا نُقْصَانٌ مِنْ رُوحِ الإيمَانِ وَلَيْسَ يَضُرُّهُ شَيْئاً وَمِنْهُمْ مَنْ يَنْتَقِصُ مِنْهُ رُوحُ الْقُوَّةِ فَلا يَسْتَطِيعُ جِهَادَ عَدُوِّهِ وَلا يَسْتَطِيعُ طَلَبَ الْمَعِيشَةِ وَمِنْهُمْ مَنْ يَنْتَقِصُ مِنْهُ رُوحُ الشَّهْوَةِ فَلَوْ مَرَّتْ بِهِ أَصْبَحُ بَنَاتِ آدَمَ لَمْ يَحِنَّ إِلَيْهَا وَلَمْ يَقُمْ وَتَبْقَى رُوحُ الْبَدَنِ فِيهِ فَهُوَ يَدِبُّ وَيَدْرُجُ حَتَّى يَأْتِيَهُ مَلَكُ الْمَوْتِ فَهَذَا الْحَالُ خَيْرٌ لأنَّ الله عَزَّ وَجَلَّ هُوَ الْفَاعِلُ بِهِ وَقَدْ تَأْتِي عَلَيْهِ حَالاتٌ فِي قُوَّتِهِ وَشَبَابِهِ فَيَهُمُّ بِالْخَطِيئَةِ فَيُشَجِّعُهُ رُوحُ الْقُوَّةِ وَيُزَيِّنُ لَهُ رُوحُ الشَّهْوَةِ وَيَقُودُهُ رُوحُ الْبَدَنِ حَتَّى تُوْقِعَهُ فِي الْخَطِيئَةِ فَإِذَا لامَسَهَا نَقَصَ مِنَ الإيمَانِ وَتَفَصَّى مِنْهُ فَلَيْسَ يَعُودُ فِيهِ حَتَّى يَتُوبَ فَإِذَا تَابَ تَابَ الله عَلَيْهِ وَإِنْ عَادَ أَدْخَلَهُ الله نَارَ جَهَنَّمَ فَأَمَّا أَصْحَابُ الْمَشْأَمَةِ فَهُمُ الْيَهُودُ وَالنَّصَارَى يَقُولُ الله عَزَّ وَجَلَّ الَّذِينَ آتَيْناهُمُ الْكِتابَ يَعْرِفُونَهُ كَما يَعْرِفُونَ أَبْناءَهُمْ يَعْرِفُونَ مُحَمَّداً وَالْوَلايَةَ فِي التَّوْرَاةِ وَالإنْجِيلِ كَمَا يَعْرِفُونَ أَبْنَاءَهُمْ فِي مَنَازِلِهِمْ وَإِنَّ فَرِيقاً مِنْهُمْ لَيَكْتُمُونَ الْحَقَّ وَهُمْ يَعْلَمُونَ الْحَقُّ مِنْ رَبِّكَ أَنَّكَ الرَّسُولُ إِلَيْهِمْ فَلا تَكُونَنَّ مِنَ الْمُمْتَرِينَ فَلَمَّا جَحَدُوا مَا عَرَفُوا ابْتَلاهُمُ الله بِذَلِكَ فَسَلَبَهُمْ رُوحَ الإيمَانِ وَأَسْكَنَ أَبْدَانَهُمْ ثَلاثَةَ أَرْوَاحٍ رُوحَ الْقُوَّةِ وَرُوحَ الشَّهْوَةِ وَرُوحَ الْبَدَنِ ثُمَّ أَضَافَهُمْ إِلَى الأنْعَامِ فَقَالَ إِنْ هُمْ إِلا كَالأنْعامِ لأنَّ الدَّابَّةَ إِنَّمَا تَحْمِلُ بِرُوحِ الْقُوَّةِ وَتَعْتَلِفُ بِرُوحِ الشَّهْوَةِ وَتَسِيرُ بِرُوحِ الْبَدَنِ فَقَالَ لَهُ السَّائِلُ أَحْيَيْتَ قَلْبِي بِإِذْنِ الله يَا أَمِيرَ الْمُؤْمِنِينَ.
16. A number of our people have narrated from Ahmad ibn Muhammad ibn Khalid from his father in a marfu’ manner from Muhammad ibn Dawud al-Ghanawi from Asbagh ibn Nubatah who has said the following:
“Once a man came to Amir al-Mu’minin, Ali ibn abu Talib 
and said, ‘O Amir al- Mu’minin, certain people think a servant of Allah, who is a believer, does not fornicate, commit theft, drink wine, consume unlawful interest in trade, and does not spill blood that is not lawful to spill. This has become heavy on me and my chest feels constrained when 1 think that this servant (of Allah) prays the way I do, pleads to Allah the way I do, marries from us and agrees we marry from them, he can inherit us and I can inherit him but is out of belief just because of a few sins. ’ Amir al- Mu’minin, Ali ibn abu Talib said, ‘You spoke the truth. I heard the Messenger of Allah saying, and evidence to it is the book of Allah, the Most Majestic, the Most Holy, ‘People are of three categories and of three stages as mentioned in the book of Allah, the Most Majestic, the Most Holy: people of the right, people of the left and the foremost people. The foremost people are the Messenger prophets and non-Messenger prophets. In these people Allah has placed five spirits: The Holy Spirit, the spirit of belief, the spirit of power, the spirit of desire and the spirit of the body. With the Holy Spirit they were raised as the prophets who were Messengers and non-Messengers and with this they received the knowledge about things. With the spirit of belief they worshipped Allah and did not consider anything as His partners. With the spirit of power they performed Jihad (hard work in the way of Allah) and managed their living. With the spirit of desire they enjoyed food, lawful carnal relations with young women. With the spirit of the body they were able to move and walk around. These people are forgiven and no sin is recorded against them. Then he (the Messenger of Allah) said, ‘Allah, the Most Majestic, the Most Holy, has said, ‘We gave certain ones of Our Messengers preference over others. There are those to whom Allah spoke and He raised the rank of certain others. We gave authoritative proof to Jesus, son of Mary, and supported him by means of the Holy Spirit. . . .’ (2:253) Then about one group He has said, ‘He has supported them with a spirit from Him.’ He (Allah) says that He has given them honor with it and has granted excellence over the others. These are forgiven and no sins are recorded against them.’ “He (the Messenger of Allah) then mentioned the people of the right hand and they are the believers in truth, in reality. Allah has placed four spirits in them: The spirit of belief, the spirit of power, the spirit of desire and the spirit of the body. A servant continues to perfect these four spirits and goes through conditions.’ The man then asked, ‘O Amir al-Mu’minin, what are these conditions?’ The Imam said, ‘The first condition is as Allah, the Most Majestic, the Most Holy, has said, ‘Certain individuals among you will grow to an extremely old age and lose their memory. . . .’ (16:70) All the spirits in him reduce and it is not a case wherein he is out of the religion of Allah. It is because the agent has returned him to the weakest point of life. He does not recognize the time for prayer, he is not able to perform Tahajjud (prayer at night) nor is he able to stand up in line with people. It is a reduction in the spirit of belief but it does not harm him. In certain ones of them the spirit of power is reduced; thus, they are not able to fight the enemy or make a living. In others the spirit of desire is reduced and a time comes when the daughters of Adam show no passion for him; he does not stand up. The spirit of the body remains with him. He moves and walks around until the angel of death comes. This condition is good because Allah, the Most Majestic, the Most Holy, is the power behind it. He faces other conditions when he is strong and young. He thinks of committing sins and the spirit of power encourages him, the spirit of desire makes it attractive to him and the spirit of the body leads him until he falls in sin. If he faces weakness in belief and it moves away from him it (belief) will not return to him before repentance. If he then repents, Allah turns to him (with forgiveness) but if he repeats the sin, Allah sends him to fire.’ “The people of the left are the Jews and the Christians as Allah, the Most Majestic, the Most Holy, has said, ‘Those to whom We have given the Book (Bible) know you (Muhammad) just as good as they know their sons.’ They know Muhammad and al- Walayah (the status of people who possess Divine Authority) from the Torah and the Gospel just as they know their sons in their homes. ‘ ... It is clear that certain individuals among them deliberately hide the truth. (2:146) Never doubt that the essence of truth (that you are the Messenger of Allah to them) comes from your Lord.’ (2:147) When they rejected what they knew Allah placed them under the trial. He removed the spirit of belief from them and allowed the three spirits to remain in them: The spirit of power, the spirit of desire and the spirit of the body. Thereafter He added them to the animals saying, ‘They are like cattle or even more, straying and confused.’ (25:44) The animals carry loads because of the spirit of power, feed themselves because of the spirit of desire and move around because of the spirit of the body.’ The man who had asked the question then said, ‘You brought life to my heart by the permission of Allah, O Amir al-Mu’minin .’”
