مَنْ زَهِدَ فِي الدُّنْيَا أَثْبَتَ اللَّهُ الْحِكْمَةَ فِي قَلْبِهِ وَ أَنْطَقَ بِهَا لِسَانَهُ وَ بَصَّرَهُ عُيُوبَ الدُّنْيَا دَاءَهَا وَ دَوَاءَهَا وَ أَخْرَجَهُ مِنَ الدُّنْيَا سَالِماً إِلَى دَارِ السَّلَامِ.
“One who abstains from worldly matters Allah establishes wisdom in his heart, makes his tongue speak it, and opens his eyes to see the defects of the world, its sicknesses and the cures for them. He takes him out of the world safely to the house of peace.”
سَمِعْتُهُ يَقُولُ جُعِلَ الْخَيْرُ كُلُّهُ فِي بَيْتٍ وَ جُعِلَ مِفْتَاحُهُ الزُّهْدَ فِي الدُّنْيَا ثُمَّ قَالَ قَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ ص لَا يَجِدُ الرَّجُلُ حَلَاوَةَ الْإِيمَانِ فِي قَلْبِهِ حَتَّى لَا يُبَالِيَ مَنْ أَكَلَ الدُّنْيَا[1] ثُمَّ قَالَ أَبُو عَبْدِ اللَّهِ ع حَرَامٌ عَلَى قُلُوبِكُمْ أَنْ تَعْرِفَ حَلَاوَةَ الْإِيمَانِ حَتَّى تَزْهَدَ فِي الدُّنْيَا.
“I heard Abu ‘Abdillah (a.s.) say, ‘All the good is placed in a house and the key to that house is abstinence from worldly matters.’ The Imam then said, ‘The Messenger of Allah has said, “A man will not sense the sweetness of belief in his heart until he is free of all concerns about worldly matters.”’ The Imam then sa
قَالَ أَمِيرُ الْمُؤْمِنِينَ ع إِنَّ مِنْ أَعْوَنِ الْأَخْلَاقِ عَلَى الدِّينِ الزُّهْدَ فِي الدُّنْيَا.
“Amir al-Mu’minin (Ali ibn abu Talib) (a.s.) has said, ‘The most supportive, of religious moral behavior, is abstinence from worldly matters.’”
عَشَرَةُ أَشْيَاءَ فَأَعْلَى دَرَجَةِ الزُّهْدِ أَدْنَى دَرَجَةِ الْوَرَعِ وَ أَعْلَى دَرَجَةِ الْوَرَعِ أَدْنَى دَرَجَةِ الْيَقِينِ وَ أَعْلَى دَرَجَةِ الْيَقِينِ أَدْنَى دَرَجَةِ الرِّضَا أَلَا وَ إِنَّ الزُّهْدَ فِي آيَةٍ مِنْ كِتَابِ اللَّهِ عَزَّ وَ جَلَّ- لِكَيْلا تَأْسَوْا عَلى ما فاتَكُمْ وَ لا تَفْرَحُوا بِما آتاكُمْ[2].
“A man asked Ali ibn al-Husayn (a.s.) about renunciation of worldly matters. The Imam said, ‘It consists of ten issues. The highest degree of renunciation of worldly matters is the lowest stage of abstinence in worldly matters (sins). The highest stage of abstinence in worldly matters is the lowest degree of certainty.
سَمِعْتُ أَبَا عَبْدِ اللَّهِ ع وَ هُوَ يَقُولُ كُلُّ قَلْبٍ فِيهِ شَكٌّ أَوْ شِرْكٌ فَهُوَ سَاقِطٌ وَ إِنَّمَا أَرَادُوا بِالزُّهْدِ فِي الدُّنْيَا لِتَفْرُغَ قُلُوبُهُمْ لِلْآخِرَةِ.
“I heard Abu ‘Abdillah (a.s.) say, ‘Any heart in which there is doubt or that considers anything as a partner of Allah, such heart is a failure. The only purpose for their (servants of Allah’s) renunciation of worldly things is to evacuate them from their heart for the matters of next life.’”
قَالَ أَمِيرُ الْمُؤْمِنِينَ ع إِنَّ عَلَامَةَ الرَّاغِبِ فِي ثَوَابِ الْآخِرَةِ زُهْدُهُ فِي عَاجِلِ زَهْرَةِ الدُّنْيَا أَمَا إِنَّ زُهْدَ الزَّاهِدِ فِي هَذِهِ الدُّنْيَا لَا يَنْقُصُهُ مِمَّا قَسَمَ اللَّهُ عَزَّ وَ جَلَّ لَهُ فِيهَا وَ إِنْ زَهِدَ- وَ إِنَّ حِرْصَ الْحَرِيصِ عَلَى عَاجِلِ زَهْرَةِ الْحَيَاةِ الدُّنْيَا لَا يَزِيدُهُ فِيهَا وَ إِنْ حَرَصَ فَالْمَغْبُونُ مَنْ حُرِمَ حَظَّهُ مِنَ الْآخِرَةِ.
“Amir al-Mu’minin (Ali ibn abu Talib) (a.s.) has said, ‘Of the signs of one’s interest in the rewards of the next life is his renunciation of immediate attraction of worldly matters. Renunciation of worldly matters does not reduce one’s share of what Allah, the Most Majestic, the Most Holy, has assigned for him despite
مَا أَعْجَبَ رَسُولَ اللَّهِ ص شَيْءٌ مِنَ الدُّنْيَا إِلَّا أَنْ يَكُونَ فِيهَا جَائِعاً خَائِفاً.
“Abu ‘Abd Allah (a.s.) has said, ‘Every one of things the Messenger of Allah liked from this world was associated with suffering, hunger or fear.’”
خَرَجَ النَّبِيُّ ص وَ هُوَ مَحْزُونٌ فَأَتَاهُ مَلَكٌ وَ مَعَهُ مَفَاتِيحُ خَزَائِنِ الْأَرْضِ فَقَالَ يَا مُحَمَّدُ هَذِهِ مَفَاتِيحُ خَزَائِنِ الْأَرْضِ يَقُولُ لَكَ رَبُّكَ افْتَحْ وَ خُذْ مِنْهَا مَا شِئْتَ مِنْ غَيْرِ أَنْ تُنْقَصَ شَيْئاً عِنْدِي فَقَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ ص الدُّنْيَا دَارُ مَنْ لَا دَارَ لَهُ[1] وَ لَهَا يَجْمَعُ مَنْ لَا عَقْلَ لَهُ فَقَالَ الْمَلِكُ وَ الَّذِي بَعَثَكَ بِالْحَقِّ نَبِيّاً لَ
“Once, the Holy Prophet came out very depressed. An angel came to him with the key to the treasures of the earth and said, ‘O Muhammad, these are the keys to the treasures of the earth and your Lord says, “Open these treasures and take whatever you want. It will not cause any reduction in your reward with Me.” The Mess
مَرَّ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ ص بِجَدْيٍ أَسَكَ[2] مُلْقًى عَلَى مَزْبَلَةٍ مَيْتاً فَقَالَ لِأَصْحَابِهِ كَمْ يُسَاوِي هَذَا فَقَالُوا لَعَلَّهُ لَوْ كَانَ حَيّاً لَمْ يُسَاوِ دِرْهَماً فَقَالَ النَّبِيُّ ص وَ الَّذِي نَفْسِي بِيَدِهِ لَلدُّنْيَا أَهْوَنُ عَلَى اللَّهِ مِنْ هَذَا الْجَدْيِ عَلَى أَهْلِهِ[3].
“The Messenger of Allah (a.s.) once passed by a kid of a goat that was dead, with ears cut and was thrown on the trash collection site of a people. He asked those people how much it was worth. They replied, ‘Even when alive it was worth less than a dirham.’ The Holy Prophet then said, ‘I swear by the One in whose hand
إِذَا أَرَادَ اللَّهُ بِعَبْدٍ خَيْراً زَهَّدَهُ فِي الدُّنْيَا وَ فَقَّهَهُ فِي الدِّينِ وَ بَصَّرَهُ عُيُوبَهَا[1] وَ مَنْ أُوتِيَهُنَّ فَقَدْ أُوتِيَ خَيْرَ الدُّنْيَا وَ الْآخِرَةِ وَ قَالَ لَمْ يَطْلُبْ أَحَدٌ الْحَقَّ بِبَابٍ أَفْضَلَ مِنَ الزُّهْدِ فِي الدُّنْيَا وَ هُوَ ضِدٌّ لِمَا طَلَبَ أَعْدَاءُ الْحَقِّ قُلْتُ جُعِلْتُ فِدَاكَ مِمَّا ذَا[2] قَالَ مِنَ الرَّغْبَةِ فِيهَا وَ قَالَ أَ لَا مِنْ صَبَّارٍ كَرِي
“Abu ‘Abd Allah (a.s.) has said, ‘When Allah wants good for a servant (of Allah) He makes him reduce his interest in worldly matters, grants him good understanding in religion, and shows him his shortcomings. Whoever receives these things receives the good of both this and the next life.’ The Imam then said, ‘For the s
سُئِلَ عَلِيُّ بْنُ الْحُسَيْنِ ع أَيُّ الْأَعْمَالِ أَفْضَلُ عِنْدَ اللَّهِ عَزَّ وَ جَلَّ فَقَالَ مَا مِنْ عَمَلٍ بَعْدَ مَعْرِفَةِ اللَّهِ جَلَّ وَ عَزَّ وَ مَعْرِفَةِ رَسُولِهِ ص أَفْضَلَ مِنْ بُغْضِ الدُّنْيَا وَ إِنَّ لِذَلِكَ لَشُعَباً كَثِيرَةً[5] وَ لِلْمَعَاصِي شُعَباً فَأَوَّلُ مَا عُصِيَ اللَّهُ بِهِ الْكِبْرُ وَ هِيَ مَعْصِيَةُ إِبْلِيسَ حِينَ أَبى وَ اسْتَكْبَرَ وَ كانَ مِنَ الْكافِرِينَ وَ الْحِرْصُ
“Ali ibn al-Husayn (a.s.) was asked, ‘Which deed is more meritorious in the sight of Allah, the Most Majestic, the Most Holy?’ The Imam said, ‘No deed, after knowing Allah, the Most Majestic, the Most Holy, and the Messenger of Allah is more meritorious than to dislike (and hate) the world. It has many branches. Sins h
قَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ ص إِنَّ فِي طَلَبِ الدُّنْيَا إِضْرَاراً بِالْآخِرَةِ وَ فِي طَلَبِ الْآخِرَةِ إِضْرَاراً بِالدُّنْيَا فَأَضِرُّوا بِالدُّنْيَا فَإِنَّهَا أَوْلَى بِالْإِضْرَارِ.
“The Messenger of Allah has said, ‘Seeking worldly benefits amounts to one’s disadvantages of the next world and seeking the advantages of the next world may become losses in the benefits of this world. You must then cause losses to worldly benefits; it is better to suffer worldly losses (than to suffer losses in the n
قُلْتُ لِأَبِي جَعْفَرٍ ع حَدِّثْنِي بِمَا أَنْتَفِعُ بِهِ فَقَالَ يَا أَبَا عُبَيْدَةَ أَكْثِرْ ذِكْرَ الْمَوْتِ فَإِنَّهُ لَمْ يُكْثِرْ إِنْسَانٌ ذِكْرَ الْمَوْتِ إِلَّا زَهِدَ فِي الدُّنْيَا.
“I asked abu Ja’far (a.s.) ‘(I request you to) teach me a Hadith that can benefit me.’ The Imam said, ‘O abu ‘Ubaydah, speak of death very often. No one speaks of death very often but that it reduces his interest in worldly matters.’”
قَالَ أَبُو جَعْفَرٍ ع مَلَكٌ يُنَادِي كُلَّ يَوْمٍ ابْنَ آدَمَ لِدْ لِلْمَوْتِ وَ اجْمَعْ لِلْفَنَاءِ وَ ابْنِ لِلْخَرَابِ[6].
Abu Ja’far (a.s.) has said, ‘There is an angel that announces every day, “O sons of Adam, reproduce for death, accumulate for annihilation and build for destruction.’”
قَالَ عَلِيُّ بْنُ الْحُسَيْنِ ص إِنَّ الدُّنْيَا قَدِ ارْتَحَلَتْ مُدْبِرَةً وَ إِنَّ الْآخِرَةَ قَدِ ارْتَحَلَتْ مُقْبِلَةً[7] وَ لِكُلِّ وَاحِدَةٍ مِنْهُمَا بَنُونَ فَكُونُوا مِنْ أَبْنَاءِ الْآخِرَةِ- وَ لَا تَكُونُوا مِنْ أَبْنَاءِ الدُّنْيَا أَلَا وَ كُونُوا مِنَ الزَّاهِدِينَ فِي الدُّنْيَا الرَّاغِبِينَ فِي الْآخِرَةِ أَلَا إِنَّ الزَّاهِدِينَ فِي الدُّنْيَا اتَّخَذُوا الْأَرْضَ بِسَاطاً وَ التُّرَابَ فِرَاش
“Ali ibn al-Husayn (a.s.) has said, ‘The world has begun to move backwards and the next world is moving forward. Each world has its sons. Therefore, you must be of the sons of the next world and not the sons of this world. You must be of those who have reduced their interest in worldly matters and of those seriously in
دَخَلْتُ عَلَى أَبِي جَعْفَرٍ ع فَقَالَ يَا جَابِرُ وَ اللَّهِ إِنِّي لَمَحْزُونٌ وَ إِنِّي لَمَشْغُولُ الْقَلْبِ قُلْتُ جُعِلْتُ فِدَاكَ وَ مَا شَغَلَكَ وَ مَا حَزَنَ قَلْبَكَ فَقَالَ يَا جَابِرُ إِنَّهُ مَنْ دَخَلَ قَلْبَهُ صَافِي خَالِصِ دِينِ اللَّهِ شُغِلَ قَلْبُهُ عَمَّا سِوَاهُ يَا جَابِرُ مَا الدُّنْيَا وَ مَا عَسَى أَنْ تَكُونَ الدُّنْيَا هَلْ هِيَ إِلَّا طَعَامٌ أَكَلْتَهُ أَوْ ثَوْبٌ لَبِسْتَهُ أَوِ امْرَ
“Once I went to visit abu la’ far (a.s.) and he said, ‘O Jabir, I swear by Allah, I am very sad and my heart is pre-occupied.’ I then asked, ‘May Allah keep my soul in service for your cause, what has pre-occupied your heart and what is the reason for your sadness?’ The Imam said, ‘O Jabir, if the religion of Allah in
قَالَ أَبُو ذَرٍّ رَحِمَهُ اللَّهُ جَزَى اللَّهُ الدُّنْيَا عَنِّي مَذَمَّةً بَعْدَ رَغِيفَيْنِ مِنَ الشَّعِيرِ أَتَغَدَّى بِأَحَدِهِمَا وَ أَتَعَشَّى بِالْآخَرِ وَ بَعْدَ شَمْلَتَيِ الصُّوفِ أَتَّزِرُ بِإِحْدَاهُمَا وَ أَتَرَدَّى بِالْأُخْرَى.
“Abu Dhar, may Allah grant him favors, has said, ‘May Allah renounce the world, on my behalf, except for two loaves of barley bread daily, one for my lunch and the other for my dinner and two woolen pieces of cloth which I use one as a shirt and the other as trousers.’”
كَانَ أَبُو ذَرٍّ رَضِيَ اللَّهُ عَنْهُ يَقُولُ فِي خُطْبَتِهِ يَا مُبْتَغِيَ الْعِلْمِ كَأَنَّ شَيْئاً مِنَ الدُّنْيَا لَمْ يَكُنْ شَيْئاً إِلَّا مَا يَنْفَعُ خَيْرُهُ وَ يَضُرُّ شَرُّهُ إِلَّا مَنْ رَحِمَ اللَّهُ[2] يَا مُبْتَغِيَ الْعِلْمِ لَا يَشْغَلُكَ أَهْلٌ وَ لَا مَالٌ عَنْ نَفْسِكَ أَنْتَ يَوْمَ تُفَارِقُهُمْ كَضَيْفٍ بِتَّ فِيهِمْ ثُمَّ غَدَوْتَ عَنْهُمْ إِلَى غَيْرِهِمْ وَ الدُّنْيَا وَ الْآخِرَةُ كَمَنْز
“Abu Dhar, may Allah grant him favors, has said in his sermons, ‘O you who are found of knowledge, consider worldly things as nothing except what is beneficial in it, and its evil is harmful to people except those to whom Allah has done favors. O you who are found of knowledge do not allow your family and property to p
قَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ ص مَا لِي وَ لِلدُّنْيَا[3] إِنَّمَا مَثَلِي وَ مَثَلُهَا كَمَثَلِ الرَّاكِبِ رُفِعَتْ لَهُ شَجَرَةٌ فِي يَوْمٍ صَائِفٍ فَقَالَ تَحْتَهَا[4] ثُمَّ رَاحَ وَ تَرَكَهَا.
“The Messenger of Allah has said, ‘What do 1 have to do with the world. My case with the world is like a traveler who finds a tree in his day of journey and uses its shadow for a short rest and then continues for the rest of his journey, leaving the tree behind.’”
قَالَ أَبُو جَعْفَرٍ ع مَثَلُ الْحَرِيصِ عَلَى الدُّنْيَا كَمَثَلِ دُودَةِ الْقَزِّ كُلَّمَا ازْدَادَتْ عَلَى نَفْسِهَا لَفّاً كَانَ أَبْعَدَ لَهَا مِنَ الْخُرُوجِ حَتَّى تَمُوتَ غَمّاً قَالَ وَ قَالَ أَبُو عَبْدِ اللَّهِ ع كَانَ فِيمَا وَعَظَ بِهِ لُقْمَانُ ابْنَهُ يَا بُنَيَّ إِنَّ النَّاسَ قَدْ جَمَعُوا قَبْلَكَ لِأَوْلَادِهِمْ فَلَمْ يَبْقَ مَا جَمَعُوا وَ لَمْ يَبْقَ مَنْ جَمَعُوا لَهُ وَ إِنَّمَا أَنْتَ عَبْدٌ
20. Ali ibn Ibrahim has narrated from Muhammad ibn ‘Isa from Yahya ibn ‘Aqaba al-Azdi from abu ‘Abd Allah (a.s.) who has said the following: “Abu Ja’far (a.s.) has said, ‘The case of a person who is greedy in worldly matters is like the case of a silkworm. The more it wraps silk around itself the more difficult it beco
سَمِعْتُ أَبَا عَبْدِ اللَّهِ ع يَقُولُ فِيمَا نَاجَى اللَّهُ عَزَّ وَ جَلَّ بِهِ مُوسَى ع يَا مُوسَى لَا تَرْكَنْ إِلَى الدُّنْيَا رُكُونَ الظَّالِمِينَ وَ رُكُونَ مَنِ اتَّخَذَهَا أَباً وَ أُمّاً[6] يَا مُوسَى لَوْ وَكَلْتُكَ إِلَى نَفْسِكَ لِتَنْظُرَ لَهَا إِذاً لَغَلَبَ عَلَيْكَ حُبُّ الدُّنْيَا وَ زَهْرَتُهَا يَا مُوسَى نَافِسْ[7] فِي الْخَيْرِ أَهْلَهُ وَ اسْتَبِقْهُمْ إِلَيْهِ فَإِنَّ الْخَيْرَ كَاسْمِهِ وَ
“I heard Abu ‘Abdillah (a.s.) saying, ‘Of the things that Allah, the Most Majestic, the Most Holy, spoke to Moses was this: “O Moses, do not rely upon the world like the unjust ones or like those who take it as their parents. O Moses, were I to leave you in the care of your own soul, lover of worldly things and its att
إِنَّ فِي كِتَابِ عَلِيٍّ ص إِنَّمَا مَثَلُ الدُّنْيَا كَمَثَلِ الْحَيَّةِ مَا أَلْيَنَ مَسَّهَا وَ فِي جَوْفِهَا السَّمُّ النَّاقِعُ يَحْذَرُهَا الرَّجُلُ الْعَاقِلُ وَ يَهْوِي إِلَيْهَا الصَّبِيُّ الْجَاهِلُ.
“It is in the book of Ali (a.s.) ‘The example of the world is like a snake which is of soft touch and has deadly poison inside. People of reason stay away from it and ignorant children wish to feel it.’”
قَالَ أَبُو عَبْدِ اللَّهِ ع كَتَبَ أَمِيرُ الْمُؤْمِنِينَ ع إِلَى بَعْضِ أَصْحَابِهِ يَعِظُهُ أُوصِيكَ وَ نَفْسِي بِتَقْوَى مَنْ لَا تَحِلُّ مَعْصِيَتُهُ وَ لَا يُرْجَى غَيْرُهُ وَ لَا الْغِنَى إِلَّا بِهِ فَإِنَّ مَنِ اتَّقَى اللَّهَ جَلَّ وَ عَزَّ وَ قَوِيَ وَ شَبِعَ وَ رَوِيَ وَ رُفِعَ عَقْلُهُ عَنْ أَهْلِ الدُّنْيَا فَبَدَنُهُ مَعَ أَهْلِ الدُّنْيَا وَ قَلْبُهُ وَ عَقْلُهُ مُعَايِنُ الْآخِرَةِ فَأَطْفَأَ بِضَوْ
23. Ali ibn Ibrahim has narrated from Muhammad ibn ‘Isa from Yunus from abu Jamilah who has said the following: “Abu ‘Abd Allah (a.s.) has said, ‘Amir al-Mu’minin (Ali ibn abu Talib) (a.s.) wrote to one of his companions to advise him. “I recommend that you and I be pious before the One whose disobedience is not lawful
مَثَلُ الدُّنْيَا كَمَثَلِ مَاءِ الْبَحْرِ كُلَّمَا شَرِبَ مِنْهُ الْعَطْشَانُ ازْدَادَ عَطَشاً حَتَّى يَقْتُلَهُ.
“The case of the world is like the water of the ocean. The more a thirsty person drinks from it, the thirstier he becomes, consequently, it kills him.”
سَمِعْتُ الرِّضَا ع يَقُولُ قَالَ عِيسَى ابْنُ مَرْيَمَ ص- لِلْحَوَارِيِّينَ يَا بَنِي إِسْرَائِيلَ لَا تَأْسَوْا عَلَى مَا فَاتَكُمْ مِنَ الدُّنْيَا كَمَا لَا يَأْسَى[1] أَهْلُ الدُّنْيَا عَلَى مَا فَاتَهُمْ مِنْ دِينِهِمْ إِذَا أَصَابُوا دُنْيَاهُمْ. بَابٌ
“I heard al-Rida (a.s.) say, ‘Jesus son of Mary (peace be upon him) said to his disciples, “O Israelites, do not regret for what you may miss of the world, just as the people of the world (who have no religion) do not regret for what they miss of religion when they find their worldly materials.’”