dawood_smriti
Junior Member
Asalamalykum.
It is related that a devout worshipper named Hamam came to Imam 'Ali
(May Allah ennoble his countenance) and asked him to describe the pious
people so vividly he could almost see them. 'Ali (May Allah be Pleased
with him) responded, "Their speech is accurate; their clothing is
moderate; and they walk with utmost humility. They lower their gaze
from everything Allah has forbidden. They only allow their ears to
listen to beneficial knowledge. Their souls accept exposure to trials
and tribulations as easily as others accept luxurious living.
Were it not for their appointed term, their spirits would not have
remained in their bodies the span of a twinkling of the eye out of
their intense longing for their Lord. Because the Creator is magnified
in their souls, everything else is viewed as insignificant in their
sight. Their hearts are sober; people are safe from any wickedness from
them; their bodies are slim [they don't overindulge their appetites];
their basic needs are few; and their souls are chaste. They patiently
endure the few days they spend in this world knowing that they will be
followed by a long, peaceful rest -this is the profitable life-
transaction which their Lord has allowed them to enter into. The world
desired them, however, they had no desire for it. It imprisoned them,
but they ransomed their souls from it [with their restraint and
righteous deeds].
At night, their feet are arranged in ranks as they dutifully recite the
Qur'an in slow, measured tones. If they pass by a verse which
stimulates them to long [for the delightful things which Allah has
promised] they pondered it, craving to attain them. Their souls soar
owing to the intensity of their longing for those delights. If they
pass by a verse that fills them with fear [of the dreadful punishment
of Allah] they hear it reverberating in the depths of their hearts.
They imagine that they hear the terrible sighing of the Hellfire in the
innermost recesses of their ears. You find them kneeling down [before
their Lord] begging to be liberated from the Hellfire.
As for their days, they are forbearing, clement scholars. They are
righteous and pious. Fear [of Allah] penetrates them like arrows. One
who gazes upon them thinks that they are sick, however, they are far
from being sick. They are not satisfied with a minimal amount of
righteous deeds, nor do they consider excessive amounts of worship to
be great. They see their faults, and they fear that their deeds won't
be accepted. If one of them is praised he says, "I know myself better
than others [know me], and my Lord is more knowledgeable of me than
myself. O Allah, don't take me to task for what they say, make me
better than what they think of me, and forgive me for those sins which
they are unaware of."
>From the signs of one of them is that you observe strength in his
religion. His gentleness is accompanied by sobriety. His faith is
coupled with certainty. He longs for knowledge. He acts with
forbearance. He lives moderately, even when blessed with wealth. He is
humble in his worship. He endures poverty with dignified grace. He
patiently endures trying circumstances. He seeks his sustenance from
the lawful. He hastens to right guidance. He is agitated if he
perceives greed in himself.
He works righteousness while trembling, [fearing that his deeds won't
be accepted]. His greatest concern is thankfulness. He arises in the
morn preoccupied with the remembrance of Allah. He reclines at night
overwhelmed with dread, and arises in the morning overjoyed. His dread
is for the consequences of his heedlessness, his joy is caused by the
bounties and mercy Allah has showered upon him. If his soul presses him
with something he despises, he does not concede, giving in to its
desires. The comfort of his eye is found that which endures -[the
reward of his righteous deeds]. His abstinence is from the temporal. He
mixes clemency with knowledge, and speech with action. He expects death
at any moment. His slips are few [because of his cautiousness and
deliberation in speech and actions]. His heart is content. He is easy-
going. He is constantly on guard against assaults upon his Din. His
lusts are dead. His anger suppressed.
People anticipate good from him. They are safe from any wickedness from
him. If he is in the company of the heedless he is recorded as being
mindful [of his Lord]. He overlooks those who oppress him, and gives to
those who deny him. He joins relations with those who cut him off. He
is far removed from any indecency. His speech is gentle. You find
nothing bad in him. He is always a source of good. During calamities he
is composed. In dire straits he is patient. In times of ease he is
thankful. He doesn't oppress those he dislikes, nor does he sin for the
sake of those he loves. He admits the truth before his witnessing is
sought. He doesn't misappropriate that which he is entrusted with. He
doesn't hurl abusive names at people. He never harms his neighbor, nor
does he insult people when he is experiencing difficulties. If he is
transgressed against he perseveres until Allah takes revenge for him.
He relies on himself while he himself is a source of relief for others -
[they can rely on him]. He tires himself out seeking salvation, while
not burdening others in any way. His estrangement from those who avoid
him is a form of abstinence, while his drawing near to people is from
his gentleness and mercy. Hence, his distance from people doesn't arise
from arrogance and haughtiness, nor is his closeness to them motivated
by cunning and treachery.
Hearing this, Hamam dropped dead. Imam 'Ali (May Allah ennoble his
countenance) said, "This is what I feared would happen to him."
It is related that a devout worshipper named Hamam came to Imam 'Ali
(May Allah ennoble his countenance) and asked him to describe the pious
people so vividly he could almost see them. 'Ali (May Allah be Pleased
with him) responded, "Their speech is accurate; their clothing is
moderate; and they walk with utmost humility. They lower their gaze
from everything Allah has forbidden. They only allow their ears to
listen to beneficial knowledge. Their souls accept exposure to trials
and tribulations as easily as others accept luxurious living.
Were it not for their appointed term, their spirits would not have
remained in their bodies the span of a twinkling of the eye out of
their intense longing for their Lord. Because the Creator is magnified
in their souls, everything else is viewed as insignificant in their
sight. Their hearts are sober; people are safe from any wickedness from
them; their bodies are slim [they don't overindulge their appetites];
their basic needs are few; and their souls are chaste. They patiently
endure the few days they spend in this world knowing that they will be
followed by a long, peaceful rest -this is the profitable life-
transaction which their Lord has allowed them to enter into. The world
desired them, however, they had no desire for it. It imprisoned them,
but they ransomed their souls from it [with their restraint and
righteous deeds].
At night, their feet are arranged in ranks as they dutifully recite the
Qur'an in slow, measured tones. If they pass by a verse which
stimulates them to long [for the delightful things which Allah has
promised] they pondered it, craving to attain them. Their souls soar
owing to the intensity of their longing for those delights. If they
pass by a verse that fills them with fear [of the dreadful punishment
of Allah] they hear it reverberating in the depths of their hearts.
They imagine that they hear the terrible sighing of the Hellfire in the
innermost recesses of their ears. You find them kneeling down [before
their Lord] begging to be liberated from the Hellfire.
As for their days, they are forbearing, clement scholars. They are
righteous and pious. Fear [of Allah] penetrates them like arrows. One
who gazes upon them thinks that they are sick, however, they are far
from being sick. They are not satisfied with a minimal amount of
righteous deeds, nor do they consider excessive amounts of worship to
be great. They see their faults, and they fear that their deeds won't
be accepted. If one of them is praised he says, "I know myself better
than others [know me], and my Lord is more knowledgeable of me than
myself. O Allah, don't take me to task for what they say, make me
better than what they think of me, and forgive me for those sins which
they are unaware of."
>From the signs of one of them is that you observe strength in his
religion. His gentleness is accompanied by sobriety. His faith is
coupled with certainty. He longs for knowledge. He acts with
forbearance. He lives moderately, even when blessed with wealth. He is
humble in his worship. He endures poverty with dignified grace. He
patiently endures trying circumstances. He seeks his sustenance from
the lawful. He hastens to right guidance. He is agitated if he
perceives greed in himself.
He works righteousness while trembling, [fearing that his deeds won't
be accepted]. His greatest concern is thankfulness. He arises in the
morn preoccupied with the remembrance of Allah. He reclines at night
overwhelmed with dread, and arises in the morning overjoyed. His dread
is for the consequences of his heedlessness, his joy is caused by the
bounties and mercy Allah has showered upon him. If his soul presses him
with something he despises, he does not concede, giving in to its
desires. The comfort of his eye is found that which endures -[the
reward of his righteous deeds]. His abstinence is from the temporal. He
mixes clemency with knowledge, and speech with action. He expects death
at any moment. His slips are few [because of his cautiousness and
deliberation in speech and actions]. His heart is content. He is easy-
going. He is constantly on guard against assaults upon his Din. His
lusts are dead. His anger suppressed.
People anticipate good from him. They are safe from any wickedness from
him. If he is in the company of the heedless he is recorded as being
mindful [of his Lord]. He overlooks those who oppress him, and gives to
those who deny him. He joins relations with those who cut him off. He
is far removed from any indecency. His speech is gentle. You find
nothing bad in him. He is always a source of good. During calamities he
is composed. In dire straits he is patient. In times of ease he is
thankful. He doesn't oppress those he dislikes, nor does he sin for the
sake of those he loves. He admits the truth before his witnessing is
sought. He doesn't misappropriate that which he is entrusted with. He
doesn't hurl abusive names at people. He never harms his neighbor, nor
does he insult people when he is experiencing difficulties. If he is
transgressed against he perseveres until Allah takes revenge for him.
He relies on himself while he himself is a source of relief for others -
[they can rely on him]. He tires himself out seeking salvation, while
not burdening others in any way. His estrangement from those who avoid
him is a form of abstinence, while his drawing near to people is from
his gentleness and mercy. Hence, his distance from people doesn't arise
from arrogance and haughtiness, nor is his closeness to them motivated
by cunning and treachery.
Hearing this, Hamam dropped dead. Imam 'Ali (May Allah ennoble his
countenance) said, "This is what I feared would happen to him."