Humbleness He...

Humbleness He, peace be on him, said: Humbleness is that you give to men that which you want them to give to you. He, peace be on him, wrote to Mohammed b. Sinān: Humbleness is degrees. One of them is that man should know the measure of his own soul and sincerely place it in its rank. He does not like to do anything for others except that which he wants others to do for him. If others do evil deed for him, he repels the evil deed with a good one.

He restrains his anger, pardons men, and Allah loves good-doers . [1] The reality of humbleness is that man should honor men and treat them kindly just as he wants them to treat him in the same manner. Humbleness is evidence for the honor and exaltedness of soul. Men love and honor him who shows humbleness toward them. Meanwhile Allah loves and exalts him.

Believers Noble Qualities He, peace be on him, said: The believer is not believing unless he has three qualities: a quality from his Lord, a quality from his Prophet, and a quality from his ruler. As for the quality from his Lord, it is concealing his secret. Allah, the Great and Almighty has said: The Knower of the unseen, so He does not reveal His secrets to any.

As for the quality from his Prophet, it is humoring with men, for Allah, the Great and Almighty ordered His Prophet to humor with men, saying: Take to forgiveness and enjoin good. As for the quality from his ruler, it is patience during prosperity and adversity. [2] How noble qualities are these! They raise the level of man to the top of honor and perfection, and they turn him aside from falling into destruction. [1] Al-Durr al-Nazim, p. 216. [2] Wasā'il al-Shi'a, vol. 11, p. 241.

The Best and Worst of Men Ali b. Shuayb said: [I visited Abū al-Hasan al-Ridā, peace be on him, and he asked me:] O Ali, do you know whose subsistence is the best? Master, you know better than me, I replied It is that of one through whom others subsistence is improved, he explained. O Ali, do you know who has the worst subsistence? he asked. Master, you know better than me, I answered. It is that of the one who does not include others in it, he declared.

The Imām went on advising him to do good and kindness to men, saying: O Ali, be thoughtful to the boons, for they are wild: if they leave people, they never come back to them. O Ali, the worst of men is he who stops his contributions to charity, eats by himself, and whips his slave. [1] These words summons man to do good and kindness to men.