إِنَّهُ يُحِبُّ الرِّئَاسَةَ فَقَالَ مَا ذِئْبَانِ ضَارِيَانِ[2] فِي غَنَمٍ قَدْ تَفَرَّقَ رِعَاؤُهَا بِأَضَرَّ فِي دِينِ الْمُسْلِمِ مِنَ الرِّئَاسَةِ.
“It was mentioned before the Imam that a certain man loves to have leadership. The Imam said, ‘Two fierce wolves in a flock of sheep, whose shepherd is far away, are not more harmful to the flock than seeking leadership to a Muslim’s religion is.’”
مَنْ طَلَبَ الرِّئَاسَةَ هَلَكَ.
"Whoever seeks leadership is destroyed.”
سَمِعْتُ أَبَا عَبْدِ اللَّهِ ع يَقُولُ إِيَّاكُمْ وَ هَؤُلَاءِ الرُّؤَسَاءَ الَّذِينَ يَتَرَأَّسُونَ فَوَ اللَّهِ مَا خَفَقَتِ النِّعَالُ خَلْفَ رَجُلٍ إِلَّا هَلَكَ وَ أَهْلَكَ[3].
“I heard Abu ‘Abdillah (a.s.) saying, ‘Beware of these leaders who pretend to be leaders. I swear by Allah, shoes (people) have never marched behind a man, but that he destroys (them) and (he) is destroyed.”
قَالَ أَبُو عَبْدِ اللَّهِ ع مَلْعُونٌ مَنْ تَرَأَّسَ مَلْعُونٌ مَنْ هَمَّ بِهَا مَلْعُونٌ مَنْ حَدَّثَ بِهَا نَفْسَهُ.
“Abu ‘Abd Allah (a.s.) has said, ‘Condemned is one who seeks leadership, condemned is one who intends to become a leader and condemned is one who speaks to himself of leadership.’”
قَالَ لِي أَبُو عَبْدِ اللَّهِ ع إِيَّاكَ وَ الرِّئَاسَةَ وَ إِيَّاكَ أَنْ تَطَأَ أَعْقَابَ الرِّجَالِ قَالَ قُلْتُ جُعِلْتُ فِدَاكَ أَمَّا الرِّئَاسَةُ فَقَدْ عَرَفْتُهَا وَ أَمَّا أَنْ أَطَأَ أَعْقَابَ الرِّجَالِ فَمَا ثُلُثَا مَا فِي يَدِي إِلَّا مِمَّا وَطِئْتُ أَعْقَابَ الرِّجَالِ[2] فَقَالَ لِي لَيْسَ حَيْثُ تَذْهَبُ إِيَّاكَ أَنْ تَنْصِبَ رَجُلًا دُونَ الْحُجَّةِ فَتُصَدِّقَهُ فِي كُلِّ مَا قَالَ.
“Once Abu ‘Abdillah (a.s.) said to me, ‘Beware of leadership and beware of marching behind men (following them).’ I (the narrator) asked, ‘May Allah keep my soul in service for your cause, I understand what leadership is. However, as far as walking behind men is concerned, I must acknowledge that two thirds of what I k
قَالَ لِي وَيْحَكَ يَا أَبَا الرَّبِيعِ لَا تَطْلُبَنَّ الرِّئَاسَةَ وَ لَا تَكُنْ ذِئْباً[3]- وَ لَا تَأْكُلْ بِنَا النَّاسَ فَيُفْقِرَكَ اللَّهُ وَ لَا تَقُلْ فِينَا مَا لَا نَقُولُ فِي أَنْفُسِنَا فَإِنَّكَ مَوْقُوفٌ وَ مَسْئُولٌ لَا مَحَالَةَ[4] فَإِنْ كُنْتَ صَادِقاً صَدَّقْنَاكَ وَ إِنْ كُنْتَ كَاذِباً كَذَّبْنَاكَ.
“Once abu Ja’far (a.s.) said to me, ‘Woe upon you, O abu al-Rabi’, do not seek leadership and do not be a wolf, do not eat people (consume their properties) through us so Allah makes you poor, do not say about us what we do not say about ourselves. One day you will be made to stand up (before the Judge) and will inevit
سَمِعْتُ أَبَا عَبْدِ اللَّهِ ع يَقُولُ مَنْ أَرَادَ الرِّئَاسَةَ هَلَكَ.
“I heard Abu ‘Abdillah (a.s.) saying, ‘Whoever wants leadership is destroyed.’”
سَمِعْتُ أَبَا عَبْدِ اللَّهِ ع يَقُولُ أَ تَرَى لَا أَعْرِفُ خِيَارَكُمْ مِنْ شِرَارِكُمْ بَلَى وَ اللَّهِ وَ إِنَّ شِرَارَكُمْ مَنْ أَحَبَّ أَنْ يُوطَأَ عَقِبُهُ إِنَّهُ لَا بُدَّ مِنْ كَذَّابٍ أَوْ عَاجِزِ الرَّأْيِ[1].
“I heard Abu ‘Abdillah (a.s.) asking, ‘Do you think I do not distinguish the bad from good among you? Yes, by Allah, the bad ones among you are those who love people walking behind him. Such a person is inevitably a liar or a helpless one (due to his ignorance) in his opinion.’”