Shiavault - a Vault of Shia Islamic Books Imam ‘Ali’s First Treatise On The Islamic Ethics And Education Preserve Yourself from the Greedness of this World and remain Free ====================================================================== "واعلَم يا بُنَىَّ اَنَّ مَن كانَت مَطِيَته الَّليل والنَّهار فاِنَّه يُسارُ بِهِ واِن كانَ واقِفاً، ويَقطَعُ المَسافَةَ واِن كانَ مُقِيماً وادعاً.
واعلَم يَقِيناً اَنَّكَ لَن تَبلُغَ اَمَلَكَ ولَن تَعْدُوَ اَجَلَكَ واِنَّكَ في سَبَيلِ مَن كانَ قَبلَكَ فَخَفِّض في الطَلَبِ واَجمِل في المُكْتَسَبِ فِانَّه رُبَّ طَلَبٍ قَد جَرَّ اِلى حَربٍ ولَيسَ كُلُّ طَالِبٍ بِمرزُوقٍ ولا كُلُّ مُجمِلٍ بِمَحْرُومٍ، واَكرِم نَفسَكَ عَن كُلِّ دَنِيَّةٍ واِن سَاقَتكَ اِلى الرَغائِب فَاِنَّكَ لَن تَعتَاضَ بِما تَبْذِلُ مِن نَفسَكَ عِوَضاً ولا تَكُن عَبْدَ غَيرِكَ وقَد جَعَلكَ اللهُ حُرّاً وما خَيرُ خَيرٍ لا يُنالُ الاَّ بِشَرٍّ ويُسْرٍ لا يُنالُ اِلاّ بِعُسرٍ؟!
واِيَّاكَ اَن تُوجِفَ بِكَ مَطايَا الطَمَعِ فَتُورِدَكَ مَناهِلَ الهَلَكَةِ واِن استَطَعْتَ اَن لا يَكُونَ بَينَكَ وبَينَ الله ذُو نِغْمَةٍ فَافعَل فَاِنَّكَ مُدرِكَ قِسْمَكَ، وآخِذٌ سَهمَكَ واِنَّ اليَسِيرَ مِنَ الله سُبحانَهُ اَعظَمُ واكرَمُ مِنَ الكَثيرِ مِنْ خَلقِهِ واِنْ كانَ كُلٌّ مِنْهُ" “Know, my son! One whose riding animal is the day and the night, is continuously on the move although he is standing still, and he is travelling (long) distances although he is resident and stationary.
Know for certain that you will never attain all your wishes and or exceed your appointed time of death. You are on the same path as those before you, therefore reduce your seeking (of this world) and be moderate in earning, for sometimes seeking leads to destruction and not every seeker receives sustenance nor is every moderate one deprived.
Preserve your self from every baseness, even though it may take you to your desired objectives, for you will never be compensated in return for what you have spent of yourself (i.e. of your honour). Do not be a slave to another when Allah has created you free. There is no good in that good which is only acquired through evil, and in that ease which is only acquired through hardship. Beware that the mount of greed should carry you and make you enter the springs of destruction.
If you are able to do so, then do not let there be a benefactor between you and Allah, for you will attain your portion and acquire your share (anyway).