Evaluation of Deeds

كَانَ أَمِيرُ الْمُؤْمِنِينَ ع يَقُولُ‌ إِنَّمَا الدَّهْرُ ثَلَاثَةُ أَيَّامٍ أَنْتَ فِيمَا بَيْنَهُنَّ مَضَى أَمْسِ بِمَا فِيهِ فَلَا يَرْجِعُ أَبَداً فَإِنْ كُنْتَ عَمِلْتَ فِيهِ خَيْراً لَمْ تَحْزَنْ لِذَهَابِهِ وَ فَرِحْتَ بِمَا اسْتَقْبَلْتَهُ مِنْهُ‌[2] وَ إِنْ كُنْتَ قَدْ فَرَّطْتَ فِيهِ فَحَسْرَتُكَ شَدِيدَةٌ لِذَهَابِهِ وَ تَفْرِيطِكَ فِيهِ وَ أَنْتَ فِي يَوْمِكَ الَّذِي أَصْبَحْتَ فِيهِ مِنْ غَدٍ فِي غِرَّة

“Amir al-Mu’minin, Ali ibn abu Talib (a.s.) would say, ‘Time consists of three days in the middle of which you live. Yesterday that has passed in history with all that was in it and it will never return. If you had done good deeds in it you do not feel sad about it’s passing into history and you feel happy about everyt

لَيْسَ مِنَّا مَنْ لَمْ يُحَاسِبْ نَفْسَهُ فِي كُلِّ يَوْمٍ فَإِنْ عَمِلَ حَسَناً اسْتَزَادَ اللَّهَ وَ إِنْ عَمِلَ سَيِّئاً اسْتَغْفَرَ اللَّهَ مِنْهُ وَ تَابَ إِلَيْهِ.

“One who does not evaluate his deeds every day is not one of us. One must evaluate his deeds and pray to Allah to increase his good deeds, plead for forgiveness to Allah due to one’s committing evil deeds and turn to Him in repentance.”

يَا أَبَا النُّعْمَانِ لَا يَغُرَّنَّكَ النَّاسُ مِنْ نَفْسِكَ فَإِنَّ الْأَمْرَ يَصِلُ إِلَيْكَ دُونَهُمْ وَ لَا تَقْطَعْ نَهَارَكَ بِكَذَا وَ كَذَا فَإِنَّ مَعَكَ مَنْ يَحْفَظُ عَلَيْكَ عَمَلَكَ وَ أَحْسِنْ فَإِنِّي لَمْ أَرَ شَيْئاً أَحْسَنَ دَرَكاً وَ لَا أَسْرَعَ طَلَباً مِنْ حَسَنَةٍ مُحْدَثَةٍ لِذَنْبٍ قَدِيمٍ.[1] - عِدَّةٌ مِنْ أَصْحَابِنَا عَنْ أَحْمَدَ بْنِ مُحَمَّدِ بْنِ خَالِدٍ عَنْ عُثْمَانَ بْنِ عِيسَى

“O abu al-Nu’man, do not allow people to deceive you about yourself; the matter will come to you and not to them. Do not spend your day in this and that; with you there is one who preserves your deeds for you. Do good deeds; I do not see anything of better result and remedy for the old sins then new good deeds.’” A num

قَالَ: اصْبِرُوا عَلَى الدُّنْيَا فَإِنَّمَا هِيَ سَاعَةٌ فَمَا مَضَى مِنْهُ فَلَا تَجِدُ لَهُ أَلَماً وَ لَا سُرُوراً وَ مَا لَمْ يَجِئْ فَلَا تَدْرِي مَا هُوَ وَ إِنَّمَا هِيَ سَاعَتُكَ الَّتِي أَنْتَ فِيهَا فَاصْبِرْ فِيهَا عَلَى طَاعَةِ اللَّهِ وَ اصْبِرْ فِيهَا عَنْ مَعْصِيَةِ اللَّهِ.

“Exercise patience in worldly matters; it is only an hour. You do not find any pain or happiness in whatever has passed. The hour that has not yet arrived is unknown to you in matters of its contents. The only time is the hour in which you live. Exercise patience in it to obey Allah and exercise patience in such time i

قَالَ أَبُو عَبْدِ اللَّهِ ع‌ احْمِلْ نَفْسَكَ لِنَفْسِكَ فَإِنْ لَمْ تَفْعَلْ لَمْ يَحْمِلْكَ غَيْرُكَ.

“Abu ‘Abd Allah (a.s.) has said, ‘Hold your soul responsible for yourself. If you did not do so others will not do for you.’”

قَالَ أَبُو عَبْدِ اللَّهِ ع لِرَجُلٍ‌ إِنَّكَ قَدْ جُعِلْتَ طَبِيبَ نَفْسِكَ وَ بُيِّنَ لَكَ الدَّاءُ وَ عُرِّفْتَ آيَةَ الصِّحَّةِ وَ دُلِلْتَ عَلَى الدَّوَاءِ فَانْظُرْ كَيْفَ قِيَامُكَ عَلَى نَفْسِكَ.

6. It is narrated from him (narrator of the Hadith above) in a marfu’ manner from abu ‘Abd Allah (a.s.) who has said the following to a man: “You have been made the physician for your own self. Medicine is prescribed for you; signs of good health are shown to you, and the direction for medicine is given to you. It is a

قَالَ أَبُو عَبْدِ اللَّهِ ع لِرَجُلٍ‌ اجْعَلْ قَلْبَكَ قَرِيناً بَرّاً- أَوْ وَلَداً وَاصِلًا[1] وَ اجْعَلْ عَمَلَكَ وَالِداً تَتَّبِعُهُ وَ اجْعَلْ نَفْسَكَ عَدُوّاً تُجَاهِدُهَا وَ اجْعَلْ مَالَكَ عَارِيَّةً تَرُدُّهَا.

“Make your heart a virtuous companion for yourself or like a child who does not fail to maintain good relations with parents. Consider your deeds as your father whom you follow, consider your soul as your enemy against whom you strive and consider your properties as borrowed for the safe return of which you are respons

‌ أَقْصِرْ نَفْسَكَ عَمَّا يَضُرُّهَا مِنْ قَبْلِ أَنْ تُفَارِقَكَ وَ اسْعَ فِي فَكَاكِهَا كَمَا تَسْعَى فِي طَلَبِ مَعِيشَتِكَ فَإِنَّ نَفْسَكَ رَهِينَةٌ بِعَمَلِكَ

“Hold back your soul from that which harms it before it departs you, strive to set it free just as you strive to make a living; your soul’s well being depends upon your good deeds.”

قَالَ أَبُو عَبْدِ اللَّهِ ع‌ كَمْ مِنْ طَالِبٍ لِلدُّنْيَا لَمْ يُدْرِكْهَا وَ مُدْرِكٍ لَهَا قَدْ فَارَقَهَا فَلَا يَشْغَلَنَّكَ طَلَبُهَا عَنْ عَمَلِكَ وَ الْتَمِسْهَا مِنْ مُعْطِيهَا وَ مَالِكِهَا فَكَمْ مِنْ حَرِيصٍ عَلَى الدُّنْيَا قَدْ صَرَعَتْهُ وَ اشْتَغَلَ بِمَا أَدْرَكَ مِنْهَا عَنْ طَلَبِ آخِرَتِهِ حَتَّى فَنِيَ عُمُرُهُ وَ أَدْرَكَهُ أَجَلُهُ. - وَ قَالَ أَبُو عَبْدِ اللَّهِ ع‌ الْمَسْجُونُ مَنْ سَجَنَتْ

“How many are those who seek worldly gains but can not achieve them and how many are those who had achieved worldly gains but have already departed them! Do not allow your seeking worldly gains prevent you from good deeds. You must request worldly gains from the One Who grants them and is the owner of the same. How man

قَالَ: إِذَا أَتَتْ عَلَى الرَّجُلِ أَرْبَعُونَ سَنَةً قِيلَ لَهُ خُذْ حِذْرَكَ فَإِنَّكَ غَيْرُ مَعْذُورٍ وَ لَيْسَ ابْنُ الْأَرْبَعِينَ بِأَحَقَّ بِالْحِذْرِ مِنِ ابْنِ الْعِشْرِينَ فَإِنَّ الَّذِي يَطْلُبُهُمَا وَاحِدٌ وَ لَيْسَ بِرَاقِدٍ فَاعْمَلْ لِمَا أَمَامَكَ مِنَ الْهَوْلِ وَ دَعْ عَنْكَ فُضُولَ الْقَوْلِ.

“When a man reaches the age of forty it is said to him, ‘Beware, you have no excuses!’ In fact, a person at the age of forty is not obliged to exercise caution against sins more than the person at the age of twenty. What is after both of them is the same (that is death) and it is not sleeping. Perform good deeds for wh

قَالَ أَبُو عَبْدِ اللَّهِ ع‌ خُذْ لِنَفْسِكَ مِنْ نَفْسِكَ خُذْ مِنْهَا فِي الصِّحَّةِ قَبْلَ السُّقْمِ وَ فِي الْقُوَّةِ قَبْلَ الضَّعْفِ وَ فِي الْحَيَاةِ قَبْلَ الْمَمَاتِ.

“Abu ‘Abd Allah (a.s.) has said, ‘Take from your soul for your soul. Take from it in good health before illness, during its strength before weakness and in its lifetime before death.”’

إِنَّ النَّهَارَ إِذَا جَاءَ قَالَ يَا ابْنَ آدَمَ اعْمَلْ فِي يَوْمِكَ هَذَا خَيْراً أَشْهَدْ لَكَ بِهِ عِنْدَ رَبِّكَ يَوْمَ الْقِيَامَةِ فَإِنِّي لَمْ آتِكَ فِيمَا مَضَى وَ لَا آتِيكَ فِيمَا بَقِيَ وَ إِذَا جَاءَ اللَّيْلُ قَالَ مِثْلَ ذَلِكَ.

“When the day comes it says, ‘O son of Adam do good deeds this day so I may bear witness to it to testify (in your support) before your Lord on the Day of Judgment. I had not come to you before and will not come to you in future.’ When the night comes it speaks likewise.’”

جَاءَ رَجُلٌ إِلَى أَمِيرِ الْمُؤْمِنِينَ ع فَقَالَ يَا أَمِيرَ الْمُؤْمِنِينَ أَوْصِنِي بِوَجْهٍ مِنْ وُجُوهِ الْبِرِّ أَنْجُو بِهِ قَالَ أَمِيرُ الْمُؤْمِنِينَ ع أَيُّهَا السَّائِلُ اسْتَمِعْ ثُمَّ اسْتَفْهِمْ ثُمَّ اسْتَيْقِنْ ثُمَّ اسْتَعْمِلْ‌[1] وَ اعْلَمْ أَنَّ النَّاسَ ثَلَاثَةٌ زَاهِدٌ وَ صَابِرٌ وَ رَاغِبٌ فَأَمَّا الزَّاهِدُ فَقَدْ خَرَجَتِ الْأَحْزَانُ وَ الْأَفْرَاحُ مِنْ قَلْبِهِ فَلَا يَفْرَحُ بِشَيْ‌ء

“Once a man came to Amir al-Mu’minin, Ali ibn abu Talib (a.s.) and said, ‘O Amir al- Mu’minin, grant me good advice in the aspects of virtue so I may attain salvation.’ Amir al-Mu’minin, Ali ibn abu Talib (a.s.) said, ‘O seeker of advice, listen carefully, understand, ascertain and practice. You must know that people a

قَالَ أَمِيرُ الْمُؤْمِنِينَ ص‌ لَا يَصْغَرُ[4] مَا يَنْفَعُ يَوْمَ الْقِيَامَةِ وَ لَا يَصْغَرُ مَا يَضُرُّ يَوْمَ الْقِيَامَةِ فَكُونُوا فِيمَا أَخْبَرَكُمُ اللَّهُ عَزَّ وَ جَلَّ كَمَنْ عَايَنَ.

“Amir al-Mu’minin, Ali ibn abu Talib (a.s.) has said, ‘What is beneficial on the Day of Judgment is not small (insignificant) and nor what is harmful for one on the Day of Judgment is small (insignificant). About whatever Allah, the Most Majestic, the Most Holy, has informed, you must be like one who has eye-witnessed

سَمِعْتُ أَبَا عَبْدِ اللَّهِ يَقُولُ‌ إِنْ قَدَرْتَ أَنْ لَا تُعْرَفَ فَافْعَلْ وَ مَا عَلَيْكَ أَلَّا يُثْنِيَ عَلَيْكَ النَّاسُ وَ مَا عَلَيْكَ أَنْ تَكُونَ مَذْمُوماً عِنْدَ النَّاسِ إِذَا كُنْتَ مَحْمُوداً عِنْدَ اللَّهِ ثُمَّ قَالَ قَالَ أَبِي عَلِيُّ بْنُ أَبِي طَالِبٍ ع لَا خَيْرَ فِي الْعَيْشِ إِلَّا لِرَجُلَيْنِ رَجُلٍ يَزْدَادُ كُلَّ يَوْمٍ خَيْراً وَ رَجُلٍ يَتَدَارَكُ مَنِيَّتَهُ بِالتَّوْبَةِ وَ أَنَّى

“Once I heard Abu ‘Abdillah (a.s.) saying, ‘If you can remain unknown, then do so. There will be nothing wrong if people will not praise you. There is nothing wrong for you if people censure you if you are praiseworthy before Allah.’ The Imam said, ‘My father Amir al- Mu’minin, Ali ibn abu Talib (a.s.) has said, “There

دَخَلَ قَوْمٌ فَوَعَظَهُمْ‌[3] ثُمَّ قَالَ مَا مِنْكُمْ مِنْ أَحَدٍ إِلَّا وَ قَدْ عَايَنَ الْجَنَّةَ وَ مَا فِيهَا وَ عَايَنَ النَّارَ وَ مَا فِيهَا إِنْ كُنْتُمْ تُصَدِّقُونَ بِالْكِتَابِ‌[4].

“Once a people came to the Imam (abu Ja’far or abu ‘Abd Allah (a.s.)) who granted them good advice and then said, ‘If you really affirm the Holy book there is no one among you who have not observed paradise and all that it contains or the fire with all that is in it.’”

سَمِعْتُ أَبَا الْحَسَنِ ع يَقُولُ‌ لَا تَسْتَكْثِرُوا كَثِيرَ الْخَيْرِ وَ تَسْتَقِلُّوا قَلِيلَ الذُّنُوبِ فَإِنَّ قَلِيلَ الذُّنُوبِ يَجْتَمِعُ حَتَّى يَصِيرَ كَثِيراً وَ خَافُوا اللَّهَ فِي السِّرِّ حَتَّى تُعْطُوا مِنْ أَنْفُسِكُمُ النَّصَفَ وَ سَارِعُوا إِلَى طَاعَةِ اللَّهِ وَ اصْدُقُوا الْحَدِيثَ وَ أَدُّوا الْأَمَانَةَ فَإِنَّمَا ذَلِكَ لَكُمْ وَ لَا تَدْخُلُوا فِيمَا لَا يَحِلُّ لَكُمْ فَإِنَّمَا ذَلِكَ عَل

‘Do not consider a great deal of good deeds a great deal. Do not consider a little sin little; the little sins accumulate to become a great deal. Have fear of Allah in private so you can yield to justice against yourselves. Hurry up in obedience to Allah, be truthful in your words, keep the trust; it is for you. Do not

سَمِعْتُهُ يَقُولُ‌ مَا أَحْسَنَ الْحَسَنَاتِ بَعْدَ السَّيِّئَاتِ وَ مَا أَقْبَحَ السَّيِّئَاتِ بَعْدَ الْحَسَنَاتِ.

“I heard abu Ja’far (a.s.) saying ‘How excellent are good deeds after evil deeds and how disgraceful are evil deeds after good deeds!”’

إِنَّكُمْ فِي آجَالٍ مَقْبُوضَةٍ[1] وَ أَيَّامٍ مَعْدُودَةٍ وَ الْمَوْتُ يَأْتِي بَغْتَةً مَنْ يَزْرَعْ خَيْراً يَحْصُدْ غِبْطَةً وَ مَنْ يَزْرَعْ شَرّاً يَحْصُدْ نَدَامَةً وَ لِكُلِّ زَارِعٍ مَا زَرَعَ وَ لَا يَسْبِقُ الْبَطِي‌ءَ مِنْكُمْ حَظُّهُ وَ لَا يُدْرِكُ حَرِيصٌ مَا لَمْ يُقَدَّرْ لَهُ مَنْ أُعْطِيَ خَيْراً فَاللَّهُ أَعْطَاهُ وَ مَنْ وُقِيَ شَرّاً فَاللَّهُ وَقَاهُ.

“You live in a period of time that is continuously reduced and in calculated days. Death comes suddenly. Whoever sows goodness will harvest what is very much sought after. Whoever sows evil will harvest regret. Every farmer finds what he has planted. The sustenance of the slow moving ones among you will not move ahead

جَاءَ رَجُلٌ إِلَى أَبِي ذَرٍّ فَقَالَ يَا أَبَا ذَرٍّ مَا لَنَا نَكْرَهُ الْمَوْتَ فَقَالَ لِأَنَّكُمْ عَمَرْتُمُ الدُّنْيَا وَ أَخْرَبْتُمُ الْآخِرَةَ فَتَكْرَهُونَ أَنْ تُنْقَلُوا مِنْ عُمْرَانٍ إِلَى خَرَابٍ فَقَالَ لَهُ فَكَيْفَ تَرَى قُدُومَنَا عَلَى اللَّهِ فَقَالَ أَمَّا الْمُحْسِنُ مِنْكُمْ فَكَالْغَائِبِ يَقْدَمُ عَلَى أَهْلِهِ وَ أَمَّا الْمُسِي‌ءُ مِنْكُمْ فَكَالْآبِقِ يَرِدُ عَلَى مَوْلَاهُ قَالَ فَكَيْف

“A man came to abu Dhar and asked, ‘O abu Dhar, why do we dislike death?’ He said, ‘It is because you have developed the world and destroyed the next life and you dislike moving from developed to that which is mined.’ The man asked, ‘How do you see our moving in the presence of Allah?’ He replied, ‘The people of good d

سَمِعْتُهُ يَقُولُ‌ اصْبِرُوا عَلَى طَاعَةِ اللَّهِ وَ تَصَبَّرُوا عَنْ مَعْصِيَةِ اللَّهِ فَإِنَّمَا الدُّنْيَا سَاعَةٌ فَمَا مَضَى فَلَيْسَ تَجِدُ لَهُ سُرُوراً وَ لَا حُزْناً وَ مَا لَمْ يَأْتِ فَلَيْسَ تَعْرِفُهُ فَاصْبِرْ عَلَى تِلْكَ السَّاعَةِ الَّتِي أَنْتَ فِيهَا فَكَأَنَّكَ قَدِ اغْتَبَطْتَ‌[1].

“I heard Abu ‘Abdillah (a.s.) saying, ‘Exercise patience in the act of obedience to Allah and dictate yourselves with patience in the matters of disobeying Allah. The world is one hour. What is passed its joys and sadness do not renew. What has not yet arrived, you do not know it. Bear patience in the hour in which you

قَالَ الْخَضِرُ لِمُوسَى ع يَا مُوسَى إِنَّ أَصْلَحَ يَوْمَيْكَ الَّذِي هُوَ أَمَامَكَ فَانْظُرْ أَيُّ يَوْمٍ هُوَ وَ أَعِدَّ لَهُ الْجَوَابَ- فَإِنَّكَ مَوْقُوفٌ وَ مَسْئُولٌ وَ خُذْ مَوْعِظَتَكَ مِنَ الدَّهْرِ فَإِنَّ الدَّهْرَ طَوِيلٌ قَصِيرٌ فَاعْمَلْ كَأَنَّكَ تَرَى ثَوَابَ عَمَلِكَ لِيَكُونَ أَطْمَعَ لَكَ فِي الْآخِرَةِ[2] فَإِنَّ مَا هُوَ آتٍ مِنَ الدُّنْيَا كَمَا هُوَ قَدْ وَلَّى مِنْهَا.

“Al-Khidr said to Moses, peace be upon him, ‘O Moses, the best of your two days is the one before you. Consider which one it is. Then prepare the answer for it. You will be stopped for questioning. Learn your lessons from time. Time is long and also (in certain cases) short. Act as if you see the reward for your deeds

قِيلَ لِأَمِيرِ الْمُؤْمِنِينَ ع عِظْنَا وَ أَوْجِزْ فَقَالَ الدُّنْيَا حَلَالُهَا حِسَابٌ وَ حَرَامُهَا عِقَابٌ وَ أَنَّى لَكُمْ بِالرَّوْحِ وَ لَمَّا تَأَسَّوْا بِسُنَّةِ نَبِيِّكُمْ‌[3] تَطْلُبُونَ مَا يُطْغِيكُمْ وَ لَا تَرْضَوْنَ مَا يَكْفِيكُمْ.[4]

23. A number of our people have narrated from Sahl ibn Ziyad from Ya’qub ibn Yazid from those whom has mentioned (in his book) from abu ‘Abd Allah (a.s.) who has said the following: “It was said to Amir al-Mu’minin, Ali ibn abu Talib (a.s.) ‘Instinct us briefly with good advice.’ He then said, ‘For the lawful things of