ভূমিকা

Shiavault - a Vault of Shia Islamic Books Reciprocal Rights (risalatu 'l-huquq) Supplement As for the right of him who seeks your advice (mustashir) is that, if you have advice for him, you should be sincere to him and give him such advice which, had you been in his place, you would have followed yourself; and the advice should be rendered gracefully and gently, because gentleness turns strangeness into friendship, and rudeness estranges friends.

And if you can think of no advice for him but know someone whose judgment you trust and whom you will gladly consult if it comes to your affairs, you should lead and guide your conferee to him. Thus you will not be keeping your kindness away from him or hiding your sympathy from him. And there is no power save in God.

As for the right of him who advises you (mushir) is that, if his advice is not in line with your own views, you should not doubt his sincerity, because it is a matter of opinion and people differ in it, one from another. Therefore, if you disagree with him, you are at liberty to follow your own opinion; but it is not proper for you to put him under suspicion when previously you had thought him worthy of consultation.

And do not forget to thank him for his kindness in giving you his opinion and his advice. And if his advice conforms with your own opinion, be thankful to God and accept it from your brother, that is, the said adviser, with gratitude. And if he should sometime need your advice, advise him sincerely as he did you. And there is no power save in God.

As for the right of him who asks your counsel (mustansih) is that you should counsel him according to his need and ability in a way that is agreeable to his hearing, and talk with him according to his intellectual capacity, because every intellect recognizes discourse which is on its own level, and avoids [that which is not on that level] ; and your way should be [based on] mercy. And there is no power save in God.

As for the right of your counselor (nasih) is that you should remain humble before him, and give your heart to what he says, and open your ears to his call, so that you may understand his counsel. Then examine it carefully. If he is right, be thankful to God for it, and accept his counsel, and appreciate it. But if he could not discern the truth, then have mercy upon him and do not blame him. You should understand that he did not withhold his counsel from you though his ideas were mistaken.