Usul16

The letter of ‘Amir al-Mu’minin, AS, to Ibn Abbas RA

alkafi-15081Vol. 8, p. 240

كَتَبَ أَمِيرُ الْمُؤْمِنِينَ ع إِلَى ابْنِ عَبَّاسٍ أَمَّا بَعْدُ فَقَدْ يَسُرُّ الْمَرْءَ مَا لَمْ يَكُنْ لِيَفُوتَهُ وَ يَحْزُنُهُ مَا لَمْ يَكُنْ لِيُصِيبَهُ أَبَداً وَ إِنْ جَهَدَ فَلْيَكُنْ سُرُورُكَ بِمَا قَدَّمْتَ مِنْ عَمَلٍ صَالِحٍ أَوْ حُكْمٍ‌[2] أَوْ قَوْلٍ وَ لْيَكُنْ أَسَفُكَ فِيمَا فَرَّطْتَ فِيهِ مِنْ ذَلِكَ وَ دَعْ مَا فَاتَكَ مِنَ الدُّنْيَا فَلَا تُكْثِرْ عَلَيْهِ حَزَناً وَ مَا أَصَابَكَ مِنْهَا ف

‘Having said that, what has made the person happy is what he did not miss, and grieved for what he never could have got, ever. The efforts that you have made should make you happy with what you have sent forward from the righteous deeds, or Judgement, or speech, and it is to your regret regarding what you have neglecte