People Whose Friendship and Association is Necessary

قَالَ أَمِيرُ الْمُؤْمِنِينَ ع‌ لَا عَلَيْكَ أَنْ تَصْحَبَ ذَا الْعَقْلِ وَ إِنْ لَمْ تَحْمَدْ كَرَمَهُ‌[1] وَ لَكِنِ انْتَفِعْ بِعَقْلِهِ وَ احْتَرِسْ مِنْ سَيِّئِ أَخْلَاقِهِ وَ لَا تَدَعَنَّ صُحْبَةَ الْكَرِيمِ وَ إِنْ لَمْ تَنْتَفِعْ بِعَقْلِهِ- وَ لَكِنِ انْتَفِعْ بِكَرَمِهِ بِعَقْلِكَ وَ افْرِرْ كُلَّ الْفِرَارِ مِنَ اللَّئِيمِ الْأَحْمَقِ.

“Amir al-Mu’minin, Ali ibn abu Talib (a.s.) has said, ‘It is not against you to associate with a person of reason even though you may not appreciate his generosity but you can benefit from his reason. However, you must avoid his immoral manners. Do not ignore the association of a magnanimous person, even though you may

قَالَ أَبُو جَعْفَرٍ ع‌ يَا صَالِحُ اتَّبِعْ مَنْ يُبْكِيكَ وَ هُوَ لَكَ نَاصِحٌ وَ لَا تَتَّبِعْ مَنْ يُضْحِكُكَ وَ هُوَ لَكَ غَاشٌّ وَ سَتَرِدُونَ عَلَى اللَّهِ جَمِيعاً فَتَعْلَمُونَ.

“O Salih, follow the one who makes you cry while providing good advice and do not follow the one who makes you laugh but is cheating. You will all return to Allah and will find out.”

قَالَ أَمِيرُ الْمُؤْمِنِينَ ع قَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ ص‌ انْظُرُوا مَنْ تُحَادِثُونَ فَإِنَّهُ لَيْسَ مِنْ أَحَدٍ يَنْزِلُ بِهِ الْمَوْتُ إِلَّا مُثِّلَ لَهُ أَصْحَابُهُ‌[2] إِلَى اللَّهِ إِنْ كَانُوا خِيَاراً فَخِيَاراً وَ إِنْ كَانُوا شِرَاراً فَشِرَاراً وَ لَيْسَ أَحَدٌ يَمُوتُ إِلَّا تَمَثَّلْتُ لَهُ عِنْدَ مَوْتِهِ.

“Amir al-Mu’minin, Ali ibn abu Talib (a.s.) has said that the Messenger of Allah has said, ‘Consider who you talk to (make friendship). Everyone after death will find the forms of his associates in the presence of Allah; these forms follow the worldly origins. A good form is from a good origin and an evil form is from

قَالَ أَبُو عَبْدِ اللَّهِ ع‌ عَلَيْكَ بِالتِّلَادِ[1] وَ إِيَّاكَ وَ كُلَّ مُحْدَثٍ لَا عَهْدَ لَهُ وَ لَا أَمَانَ وَ لَا ذِمَّةَ وَ لَا مِيثَاقَ وَ كُنْ عَلَى حَذَرٍ مِنْ أَوْثَقِ النَّاسِ عِنْدَكَ.

“You should maintain good relations with your old associates and friends, be cautious about a new one who does not have any protection, responsibility, or commitment and always avoid (caution) the one whom you trust the most.”

أَحَبُّ إِخْوَانِي إِلَيَّ مَنْ أَهْدَى إِلَيَّ عُيُوبِي.

“To me, the most beloved of my brethren (friends) is the one who most points out my defects to me.”

لَا تَكُونُ الصَّدَاقَةُ إِلَّا بِحُدُودِهَا فَمَنْ كَانَتْ فِيهِ هَذِهِ الْحُدُودُ أَوْ شَيْ‌ءٌ مِنْهَا فَانْسُبْهُ إِلَى الصَّدَاقَةِ وَ مَنْ لَمْ يَكُنْ فِيهِ شَيْ‌ءٌ مِنْهَا فَلَا تَنْسُبْهُ إِلَى شَيْ‌ءٍ مِنَ الصَّدَاقَةِ فَأَوَّلُهَا أَنْ تَكُونَ سَرِيرَتُهُ وَ عَلَانِيَتُهُ لَكَ وَاحِدَةً وَ الثَّانِي أَنْ يَرَى زَيْنَكَ زَيْنَهُ وَ شَيْنَكَ شَيْنَهُ وَ الثَّالِثَةُ أَنْ لَا تُغَيِّرَهُ عَلَيْكَ وِلَايَةٌ وَ ل

“There can be no friendship without its rules. You may call one a friend only when he follows such rules and those who do not follow such rules cannot be called a friend. First of all a friend must be the same inside and outside. Secondly, he must consider your beauty his own beauty and your flaw as his flaw. Thirdly t

كَانَ أَمِيرُ الْمُؤْمِنِينَ ع إِذَا صَعِدَ الْمِنْبَرَ قَالَ يَنْبَغِي لِلْمُسْلِمِ أَنْ يَتَجَنَّبَ مُوَاخَاةَ ثَلَاثَةٍ الْمَاجِنِ الْفَاجِرِ وَ الْأَحْمَقِ وَ الْكَذَّابِ فَأَمَّا الْمَاجِنُ الْفَاجِرُ فَيُزَيِّنُ لَكَ فِعْلَهُ وَ يُحِبُّ أَنَّكَ مِثْلُهُ وَ لَا يُعِينُكَ عَلَى أَمْرِ دِينِكَ وَ مَعَادِكَ وَ مُقَارَبَتُهُ جَفَاءٌ وَ قَسْوَةٌ وَ مَدْخَلُهُ وَ مَخْرَجُهُ عَارٌ عَلَيْكَ وَ أَمَّا الْأَحْمَقُ فَإِنَّ

1. A number of our people have narrated from Ahmad ibn Muhammad ibn Khalid from ‘Amr Aban ibn ‘Uthman ‘Uthman from Muhammad ibn Salim al-Kindy from those whom he has mentioned (in his book) from abu ‘Abd Allah (a.s.) who has said the following: “When Amir al-Mu’minin, Ali ibn abu Talib (a.s.) were to take his place on