Muhammad b. al-Hasan b. Ahmad b. al-Walid narrated to me. He said: Muhammad b. al-Hasan al-Saffar narrated to me. He said: `Ali b. Hassan al-Wasiti narrated to us from his uncle `Abd al-Rahman b. Kathir al-Hashimi from Ja`far b. Muhammad from his father . He said: A man from the companions of Amir al-Mu’minin called Hammam, who was a worshiper, stood up and said: O Amir al-Mu’minin! Describe the Godfearing ones to me in such a way that it is as though I am looking at them. So, Amir al-Mu’minin did not reply. Then, he said to him: Woe to you, Hammam, fear Allah and beautify, for Allah is with the Godfearing who beautify. So, Hammam said: O Amir al-Mu’minin! I ask you by Him who honoured you with that which He distinguished you with, and preferred you with what He gave you, and granted you with what you describe to me. So, Amir al-Mu’minin stood on his feet, praised Allah and commended Him, blessed the Prophet and his Family, then said: As for that which comes after: Surely, Allah created the creation, and He was needless of their obedience and safe from their disobedience; for the disobedience of one who disobeys Him does not harm Him, and the obedience of one who obeys Him does not benefit Him. He apportioned their livelihood between them and placed them in their position in the world. Surely, Allah only caused Adam and Hawwa’ to fall from Paradise as a punishment for what they had done when He prohibited them [from the fruit] and they defied Him; when He commanded them and they disobeyed Him. The pious therein (in the world) are of the people of virtue – their logic is sound, their apparel is prudence, and their sojourn is humility. They humble themselves before Allah through obedience, and they empty themselves [of this world]. They lower their gaze from that which Allah forbade them from. Their ears are set upon knowledge. They remedy their souls in calamity just as they remedy their souls in tranquility. They are content with the predestination of Allah. Had it not been for the time that Allah has ordained for them, their souls would not remain in their bodies for [the duration of] a twinkling of the eye out of desire for reward and fear of punishment. The greatness of the Creator is in their souls, and everything else is insignificant in their eyes. It is as though they could see Paradise and are reclining in it. It is as though they could see the Fire and are suffering in it. Their hearts are in grief, their evil is harmless, their bodies are thin, their needs are trivial, their souls are pure, and their restraint from this world is great. They are patient for a short number of days, followed by [a] long [period of] rest – [it is a] good trade that the Generous Lord eased for them. This world wanted them, but they did not want it; it sought them, but they escaped it. At night, they line up their legs and recite and hymn sections (ajza’) of the Quran. With it, they bring grief to their souls, and they use it to treat their ailments, the agitation of their grief, their weeping over their sins, and the pain of their wounds. When they come across a verse that frightens, they attend to it with their hearts and their sights. Their skin shudders from it, their hearts tremble from it, and they feel as though the roar, exhalation, and inhalation of Hell is in their ears. When they come across a verse that gives glad tidings, they incline toward it with hope, their souls [almost] leave [their body] out of desire for it, and they feel as though it is before their eyes. They kneel, glorifying the Great and Powerful God, [prostrating with] their foreheads, hands, knees, and the tips of their feet. Their tears flow down their cheeks, pleading to Allah that He unfastens their necks. In the day, they are wise, scholarly, righteous, and pious. Fear has made them thin like arrows. When one looks at them, he will think that they are ill, even though they are not ill; or he will say: “they are bewildered”, and [yes,] they are bewildered by a great matter. When they think about the greatness of Allah and the intensity of His power along with their bewilderment at the thought of death and the horrors of the Resurrection, their hearts panic. So, their thoughts become overwhelmed and their minds become astounded. When they awake, they hasten to Allah with pure deeds. They are not satisfied with doing few deeds for Allah, and they do not regard their many deeds as great. They cast blame on their own selves, and they pity their own deeds. If one of them is praised [by the people], he fears what they say, and he repents to Allah for what they do not know about, and he says: “I know more about myself than others, and Allah knows more about me than myself. O Allah! Do not hold me account to what they say, make me better than what they think, and forgive me of that which they do not know about me, for You are the Knower of the Unseen and the Concealer of Flaws.” One of their signs is that you will see that they have strength in religion, determination with leniency, faith with certainty, protectiveness over knowledge, the comprehension of understanding, knowledge with forbearance, favourable in good times, sorrowful in loss, moderate when they are wealthy, humble in worship, elegant in poverty, patient in tough times, graceful in effort, giving in the rights [of others], friendly in good times, seeking the permissible, lively in guidance, ashamed of greediness, healed by uprightness, and neglectful of desires. He is not deceived by the compliments of those ignorant of him, and he does not stop counting his deeds. He takes his time in his deeds, and he does righteous deeds whilst he is fearful. When he sleeps, his concern is gratitude, and when he awakes, he busies himself with the remembrance [of Allah]. He sleeps with caution lest he becomes heedless, and he becomes happy when he receives bounties and grace. When his soul burdens him, he does not give it that which ails it. His happiness is in the Immortal and the Everlasting. The joy of his eye is in Him who does not recede. His desire is in Him who remains. He is ascetic to that which is fleeting. He intertwines knowledge with forbearance, and he intertwines forbearance with intellect. You find him far removed from laziness, for he is always active. He inclines toward hope. He makes few slips. He is expectant of his death. He humbles his heart. He remembers his Lord. He fears his sin. He is content in his soul. His ignorance is absent. His demeanor is easygoing. He is protective of his religion. His lust is deadened. He withholds his wrath. His character is serene. His neighbours are safe from him. His arrogance is feeble. His patience is strong. His remembrance [of his Lord] is much. He is orderly. He does not speak about that which his friends have entrusted him with, and he does not hide what he sees of the enemy. He does not do the right thing to flaunt. Modesty never leaves him. Goodness is expected from him, and [people consider themselves] safe from his evil. When he is heedless, he is considered among those who remember; and when he is considered among those who remember, he will not be considered heedless. He forgives those who wrong him, he gives to those who deprive him, and he connects to those who cut him off. He does not cease in his forbearance. He does not come down on those who doubt him, and he pardons them once they see him [properly]. His ignorance is far removed. His speech is tender. His plotting is absent. His established virtues are imminent. His speech is honest. His actions are beautiful. His goodness is accepted [by Allah]. He has turned away from evil. In earthquakes, he is solemn. In bad times, he is patient. In relaxation, he is thankful. He does not treat one that he hates unfairly. He does not harm one that he loves. He does not claim what does not belong to him. He does not deny a right that he must give [to others]. He confesses to the truth before witnesses testify against him. He does not lose what he is entrusted with. He does not call people by hateful nicknames. He does not betray anyone. He does not concern himself with envy. He does not harm the neighbour. He does not gloat over misfortunes. He is quick to reason. He fulfills trusts. He avoids evil. He enjoins in the established virtues and prohibits evil. He does not enter matters ignorantly, and he does not depart from the truth out of weakness. When he is silent, silence does not overwhelm him, and when he speaks, he does not speak wrongly. When he laughs, his voice is not heard. He is content with what has been apportioned for him. Anger does not build up in him, nor is he overcome by desire. He is not overwhelmed by scarcity, nor does he covet that which is not his. He mixes with the people so that he may learn. He is silent so that he may be peaceable. He asks so that he may understand. He seeks so that he may learn. He does not harken to goodness to seek pride from it, nor does he speak of it to coerce others to behave like him. When he is betrayed, he is patient, so that Allah may be the one to seek vengeance for him. He troubles over himself, while the people are at rest because of him. He tires himself for the Hereafter, while the people are at rest because of him. His keeping away from those who distance themselves from him is asceticism and purification. His nearness to those who draw near to him is lenience and grace. Thus, his distancing is not out of arrogance or haughtiness, nor is his nearness out of trickery or manipulation. Rather, he behaves like the people of goodness before him, and thusly, he becomes an example for the people of righteousness after him. He said: So, Hammam swooned to the point where his soul passed with it. So, Amir al-Mu’minin said: By Allah, I feared that this may happen to him. So, he called for his [funeral] preparation and prayed over him. Then, he said: This is what goodly exhortations do when they reach their rightful audience. So, a person said: Why hasn’t this happened to you, Amir al-Mu’minin? So, he said: Woe to you! For every person is an apportioned time that cannot be surpassed and a cause that cannot be exceeded. So, be at ease, and do not repeat this, for Satan has placed this saying upon your tongue.