[^4] Imam ‘Ali...
[^4] Imam ‘Ali, the Commander of the Faithful (‘a), is reported to have composed the following poetic lines: عَلَيْكَ بِإِخْوَانِ الصَّفَاءِ فَإِنَّهُمْ Try to win pure-hearted brothers, for they become عِمَادٌ إِذَا اسْتَنْجَدْتَهُمْ وَظَهُورُ Your trust and support when you seek their aid وَلَيْسَ كَثِيراً أَلْفُ خِلٍّ وَصَاحِبٍ A thousand associates and friends are not many, وَإِنَّ عَدُوّاً وَاحِداً لَكَثِيرُ But a single enemy is much too many!
Warning against aloofness and hostility With respect to the trend of building good social relations with people, the Holy Imams (‘a) warned their followers against aloofness, incurring the hostility of others, and disputing and arguing, as such things damage social relations. One of the Infallible Imams (‘a) is reported to have said: الإنْقِبَاضُ عَنِ النَّاسِ مُكْسِبَةُ الْعَدَاوَةِ. Detachment from people provokes hostility.
[^5] Imam al-Sadiq (‘a) is reported to have quoted Imam ‘Ali (‘a) as saying: إِيَّاكُمْ وَالْمِرَاءَ وَالْخُصُومَةَ فَإِنَّهُمَا يُمْرِضَانِ الْقُلُوبَ عَلَى الإِخْوَانِ وَيَنْبُتُ عَلَيْهِمَا النِّفَاقُ. Beware of engaging yourselves in contention and dispute because these two matters poison your hearts towards your friends and act as a fertile source of hypocrisy.
[^6] Imam al-Sadiq (‘a) is also reported to have quoted the Holy Prophet (S) as saying: مَا كَانَ جَبْرَئِيلُ يَأْتِينِي إِلاَّ قَالَ: يَا مُحَمَّدُ، إِتَّقِ شَحْنَاءَ الرِّجَالِ وَعَدَاوَتَهُمْ.
Every time (Archangel) Gabriel visited me, he would say to me, “O Muhammad, beware of the hostility and animosity of others.” [^7] Indulgence Another indication of the trend of the Holy Imams towards building good relations with others is that they instructed their followers to gratify others by treating them leniently in matters of humor and disposition.
According to an authentic tradition, Imam al-Sadiq (‘a) is reported to have quoted the Holy Prophet (S) as saying: أَمَرَنِي رَبِّي بِمُدَارَاةِ النَّاسِ كَمَا أَمَرَنِي بِالْفَرَائِضِ. My Lord ordered me to accommodate people with the same fortitude that He ordered me to have in obligatory (religious) duties.
[^8] Isolation and Monasticism On the other hand, there are some traditions that can be taken to mean that secluding oneself and steering clear of social activities and associations with people could be the most preferred course one might adopt.
✦ ✦ ✦