Amir al-mu'minin...
Amir al-mu'minin, peace be upon him, said: When you get (only) small favours do not push them away through lack of gratefulness. وَ قَالَ عليهالسلام: إِذَا وَصَلَتْ إِلَيْكُمْ أَطْرَافُ النِّعَمِ فَلَا تُنَفِّرُوا أَقْصَاهَا بِقِلَّةِ الشُّكْرِ. Hadith n. 14 14. Amir al-mu'minin, peace be upon him, said: He who is abandoned by near ones is dear to remote ones. وَ قَالَ عليهالسلام: مَنْ ضَيَّعَهُ الْأَقْرَبُ أُتِيحَ لَهُ الْأَبْعَدُ. Hadith n. 15 15.
Amir al-mu'minin, peace be upon him, said: Every mischief monger cannot even be reproved. [^8] وَ قَالَ عليهالسلام: مَا كُلُّ مَفْتُونٍ يُعَاتَبُ Hadith n. 16 16. Amir al-mu'minin, peace be upon him, said: All matters are subject to destiny, so much so that sometimes death results from effort. وَ قَالَ عليهالسلام: تَذِلُّ الْأُمُورُ لِلْمَقَادِيرِ حَتَّى يَكُونَ الْحَتْفُ فِي التَّدْبِيرِ. Hadith n. 17 17.
Amir al-mu'minin, peace be upon him, was asked to explain the saying of the Messenger of Allah: Banish your old age (by hair-dye) and do not acquire resemblance to the Jews. Amir al-mu'minin replied: The Prophet (S) said this at a time when the religion was confined to a few, but now that its expanse has widened and it is firmly settled everyone is free in his action.
[^9] وَ سُئِلَ عليه السلام عَنْ قَوْلِ الرَّسُولِ ( صلىاللهعليه وآله وسلم): غَيِّرُوا الشَّيْبَ وَ لَا تَشَبَّهُوا بِالْيَهُودِ فَقَالَ عليهالسلام: إِنَّمَا قَالَ (صلىاللهعليه وآله وسلم) ذَلِكَ وَ الدِّينُ قُلٌّ فَأَمَّا الْآنَ وَ قَدِ اتَّسَعَ نِطَاقُهُ وَ ضَرَبَ بِجِرَانِهِ فَامْرُؤٌ وَ مَا اخْتَارَ . Hadith n. 18 18.
Amir al-mu'minin, peace be upon him, said about those who avoided fighting on his side : They abandoned right but did not support wrong.[^10] وقال عليه السلام في الذين اعتزلوا القتال معه: خَذَلُوا الْحَقَّ، وَلَمْ يَنْصُرُوا الْبَاطِلَ. Hadith n. 19 19. Amir al-mu'minin, peace be upon him, said: He who gallops with loose rein collides with death. وقال عليه السلام : مَنْ جَرَى فِي عِنَانِ أَمَلِهِ عَثَرَ بِأَجَلِهِ . Hadith n. 20 20.
Amir al-mu'minin, peace be upon him, said: Forgive the shortcomings of people of virtue and honor because when they fall into error Allah raises them up. وقال عليه السلام : أَقِيلُوا ذَوِي الْمُرُوءَاتِ عَثَرَاتِهِمْ فَمَا يَعْثُرُ مِنْهُمْ عَاثِرٌ إِلاَّ وَيَدُهُ بِيَدِ اللهِ يَرْفَعُهُ Hadith n. 21 21. Amir al-mu'minin, peace be upon him, said: The consequence of fear is disappointment and of bashfulness is frustration. Opportunity passes away like the cloud.
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