Alhassanain(p) Network for Heritage and Islamic Thought

Conjecture

Conjecture-الظّن

1 . The surmise of a believer is a divination.

1 ـ ظَنُّ المُؤْمِنِ كِهانَةٌ

2 . The conjecture of a man is to the extent of his intellect.

2 ـ ظَنُّ الرَّجُلِ عَلى قَدْرِ عَقْلِهِ

3 . The conjecture of a person is the measure of his intellect and his action is the truest witness about his origin.

3 ـ ظَنُّ الإنْسانِ ميزانُ عَقْلِهِ، وفِعْلُهُ أصْدَقُ شاهِد عَلى أصْلِهِ

4 . The conjecture of the people of insight and intelligence is the closest thing to correctness.

4 ـ ظَنُّ ذَوِي النُّهى والألْبابِ أقْرَبُ شَيْء مِنَ الصَّوابِ

5 . One whose supposition [about others] is good, overlooks [their lapses].

5 ـ مَنْ حَسُنَ ظَنُّهُ أهْمَلَ

6 . One whose assumption [about others] is negative, scrutinizes.

6 ـ مَنْ ساءَ ظَنُّهُ تَأمَّلَ

7 . One who thinks positively [about others], his intention becomes good.

7 ـ مَنْ حَسُنَ ظَنُّهُ حَسُنَتْ نِيَّتُهُ

8 . One who thinks ill [of others], his innermost thoughts become evil.

8 ـ مَنْ ساءَ ظَنُّهُ ساءَتْ طَوِيَّتُهُ

9 . One who thinks ill [of others], his imagination becomes evil.

9 ـ مَنْ ساءَ ظَنُّهُ ساءَ وَهْمُهُ

10 . When one thinks good of you, then prove his supposition to be true.

10 ـ مَنْ ظَنَّ بِكَ خَيْراً فَصَدِّقْ ظَنَّهُ

11 . One who belies the evil assumption about his brother has a sound covenant [of brotherhood] and a relaxed heart.

11 ـ مَنْ كَذَّبَ سُوءَ الظَّنِّ بِأخيهِ كانَ ذا عَقْد صَحيح وقَلْب مُسْتريح

12 . One whose thoughts [about others] are negative assumes the disloyalty of the one who is not disloyal to him.

12 ـ مَنْ ساءَتْ ظُنُونُهُ اِعْتَقَدَ الخِيانَةَ بِمَنْ لا يَخُونُهُ

13 . One who thinks ill of one who is not disloyal ends up thinking positively of that which is not so.

13 ـ مَنْ ساءَ ظَنُّهُ بِمَنْ لايَخُونُ حَسُنَ ظَنُّهُ بِما لايَكُونُ

14 . One who does not think positively of others alienates himself from everyone.

14 ـ مَنْ لَمْ يُحْسِنْ ظَنَّهُ اِسْتَوْحَشَ مِنْ كُلِّ أحَد

15 . Little conjecture [and uncertainty] is [a means of falling into] doubt.

15 ـ يَسيرُ الظَّنِّ شَكٌّ

16 . By Allah! Allah, the Glorified, will not punish a believer after he believes except because of his thinking ill [of others] and his bad character.

16 ـ واللّهِ لايُعَذِّبُ اللّهُ سُبْحانَهُ مُؤْمِناً بَعْدَ الإيمانِ إلاّ بِسُوءِ ظَنِّهِ، وسُوءِ خُلْقِهِ

17 . Do not think of a word that has been spoken by someone as evil while you find a possible positive meaning in it.

17 ـ لاتَظُنَّنَّ بِكَلِمَة بَدَرَتْ مِنْ أحَد سُوءً، وأنْتَ تَجِدُ لَها فِي الخَيْرِ مُحتَمَلاً

18 . The one who thinks ill [of others] has no faith.

18 ـ لادينَ لِمُسِيءِ الظَّنِّ

19 . A servant does not think positively of Allah, the Glorified, but that Allah, the Glorified, is just as his positive thoughts are of Him.

19 ـ لايُحْسِنُ عَبْدٌ الظَّنَّ بِاللّهِ سُبْحانَهُ إلاّ كانَ اللّهُ سُبْحانَهُ عِنْدَ حُسْنِ ظَنِّهِ بِهِ

20 . One who thinks positively about people earns love from them.

20 ـ مَنْ حَسُنَ ظَنُّهُ بِالنّاسِ حازَ مِنْهُمُ المَحَبَّةَ

21 . Thinking ill of a virtuous person is the gravest sin and the ugliest injustice.

21 ـ سُوءُ الظَّنِّ بِالمُحْسِنِ شَـرُّ الإثْمِ، وأقْبَحُ الظُّلْمِ

22 . Thinking ill of one who is not disloyal stems from vileness.

22 ـ سُوءُ الظَّنِّ بِمَنْ لايَخُونُ مِنَ اللُّؤْمِ

23 . Thinking ill corrupts matters and incites one to evils.

23 ـ سُوءُ الظَّنِّ يُفْسِدُ الأُمُورَ وَيَبْعَثُ عَلَى الشُّرُورِ

24 . Thinking evil (of others) destroys the one who adopts it and saves the one who avoids it.

24 ـ سُوءُ الظَّنِّ يُرْدي مُصاحِبَهُ ويُنْجي مُجانِبَهُ

25 . One who is overcome by negative thoughts leaves no room for reconciliation between him and his friend.

25 ـ مَنْ غَلَبَ عَلَيْهِ سُوءُالظَّنِّ لَمْ يَتْرُكْ بَيْنَهُ وَبَيْنَ خَليل صُلْحاً

26 . Thinking good of others lightens one’s grief and saves one from being shackled by sin.

26 ـ حُسْنُ الظَّنِّ يُخَفِّفُ الهَمَّ ويُنْجي مِنْ تَقَلُّدِ الإثْمِ

27 . Thinking positive of others is one of the best practices and most excellent allotments.

27 ـ حُسْنُ الظَّنِّ مِنْ أحْسَنِ الشِّيَمِ وأفْضَلِ القِسَمِ

28 . The positive thinking of a servant about Allah, the Glorified, is to the extent of his hope in Him.

28 ـ حُسْنُ ظَنِّ العَبْدِ بِاللّهِ سُبْحانَهُ عَلى قَدْرِ رَجائِهِ لَهُ

29 . Thinking positive is one of the best attributes and the most bountiful gifts.

29 ـ حُسْنُ الظَّنِّ مِنْ أفْضَلِ السَّجايا، وأجْزَلِ العَطايا

30 . Thinking positive means making your actions sincere and hoping that Allah will forgive your missteps.

30 ـ حُسْنُ الظَّنِّ أنْ تُخْلِصَ العَمَلَ، وتَرْجُو مِنَ اللّهِ أنْ يَعْفُوَ عَنِ الزَّلَلِ

31 . One who thinks positively [about others] attains Paradise.

31 ـ مَنْ حَسُنَ ظَنُّهُ فازَ بِالجَنَّةِ

32 . One who thinks positively of Allah, attains Paradise.

32 ـ مَنْ حَسُنَ ظَنُّهُ بِاللّهِ فازَبِالجَنَّةِ

33 . Be careful not to think negatively, for indeed thinking ill of others corrupts worship and increases the burden [of sin].

33 ـ إيّاكَ أنْ تُسِيءَ الظَّنَّ، فَإنَّ سُوءَ الظَّنِّ يُفْسِدُ العِبادَةَ، ويُعَظِّمُ الوِزْرَ

34 . Conjecture is suspicion.

34 ـ اَلظَّنُّ اِرْتيابٌ

35 . Correct conjecture is from the qualities of the people of understanding.

35 ـ اَلظَّنُّ الصَّوابُ مِنْ شِيَمِ أُولِي الألبابِ

36 . Conjecture errs, but certainty is [always] right and does err.

36 ـ اَلظَّنُ يخُطِئُ، واليَقينُ يُصيبُ ولا يُخْطِئُ

37 . The bane of religion is thinking ill [of others].

37 ـ آفَةُ الدّينِ سُوءُ الظَّنِّ

38 . In an age when righteousness prevails over a people, if a person entertains an evil suspicion about another person from whom no evil has become evident, then he has been unjust and has transgressed.

38 ـ إذَا اسْتَوْلَي الصَّلاحُ عَلَى الزَّمانِ وأهْلِهِ ثُمَّ أساءَ الظَّنَّ رَجُلٌ بِرَجُل لَمْ يَظْهَرْمِنْهُ خِزْيَةٌ، فَقَدْ ظَلَمَ واعْتَدى

39 . In an age when corruption prevails over a people, if a man thinks positive of another man then he has put himself in peril.

39 ـ إذَا اسْتَوْلى الفَسادُ عَلَى الزَّمانِ وأهْلِهِ ثُمَ أحْسَنَ الظَّنَّ رَجُلٌ بِرَجُل فَقَدْ غَرَّرَ

40 . Thinking positive is a comfort for the heart and security for religion.

40 ـ حُسْنُ الظَّنِّ راحَةُ القَلْبِ وسَلامَةُ الدّينِ

41 . There is no faith with negative thinking.

41 ـ لاإيمانَ مَعَ سُوءِ ظَنّ

42 . Correct conjecture is one for the two [possible] views.

42 ـ اَلظَّنُّ الصَّوابُ أحَدُ الرَأْيَيْنِ

43 . Cowardice, greediness and stinginess are evil characteristics that are brought together by thinking ill of Allah, the Glorified.

43 ـ اَلْجُبْنُ والحِرْصُ والبُخْلُ غَرائِزُ سُوء يَجْمَعُها سُوءُ الظَّنِّ بِاللّهِ سُبْحانَهُ

Support

Support-المظاهرة

1 . The best [form of] help is giving support.

1 ـ نِعْمَ العَوْنُ المُظاهَرَةُ

Precaution

Precaution-الاِستظهار والمستظهر

1 . How good a foresight precaution is!

1 ـ نِعْمَ الحَزْمُ الاِسْتِظْهارُ

2 . The best equipage is precaution.

2 ـ أفْضَلُ العُدَدِ الاِسْتِظْهارُ

3 . One who has the backing of Allah [and trusts in Him], his subjugation [by the enemy] becomes impossible.

3 ـ مَنِ اسْتَظْهَرَ بِاللّهِ أعْجَزَ قَهْرُهُ

4 . The one who is precautious may [also at times] get afflicted.

4 ـ قَدْ يُصابُ المُسْتَظْهِرُ

The Exteriors

The Exteriors-الظواهر

1 . Uprightness of the exteriors is a symbol of the soundness of the inner consciences.

1 ـ صَلاحُ الظَّواهِرِ عُنْوانُ صِحَّةِ الضَّمائِرِ

2 . For every exterior there is a hidden interior that is like it, so one who’s exterior is good his interior is also good, and whoever has a bad exterior has a bad interior.

2 ـ لِكُلِّ ظاهِر باطِنٌ عَلى مِثالِهِ، فَمَنْ طابَ ظاهِرُهُ طابَ باطِنُهُ، وما خَبُثَ ظاهِرُهُ خَبُثَ باطِنُهُ

Lightness of One’s Burden

Lightness of one’s burden-خفة الظَّهر

1 . In having a light burden there is inner peace and the safeguarding of [one’s] status.

1 ـ في خِفَّةِ الظَّهْرِ راحَةُ السِّـرِّ، وتَحْصينُ القَدْرِ

Servitude

Servitude-العبودية

1 . One who fulfils the conditions of servitude deserves to be freed.

1 ـ مَنْ قامَ بِشَرائِطِ العُبُودِيَّةِ أُهِّلَ لِلْعِتْقِ

Worship And The Worshipper

Worship and the worshipper-العبادة والمتعبد

1 . Sincere worship means that a person [puts his] hopes in none other than his Lord and fears nothing but his wrongdoing.

1 ـ اَلعِبادَةُ الخالِصَةُ أنْ لايَرْجُوَ الرَّجُلُ إلاّ رَبَّهُ، ولا يَخافُ إلاّ ذَنْبَهُ

2 . Reserve for yourself the best times and portions for that which is between you and Allah, the Glorified.

2 ـ اِجْعَلْ لِنَفْسِكَ فيما بَيْنَكَ وبَيْنَ اللّهِ سُبْحانَهُ أفْضَلَ المَواقيتِ وَالأقْسامِ

3 . The best worship is contemplation.

3 ـ أفْضَلُ العِبادَةِ اَلفِكْرُ

4 . The best worship is safeguarding the stomach and private parts [from the forbidden].

4 ـ أفْضَلُ العِبادَةِ عِفَّةُ البَطْنِ والفَرْجِ

5 . Worship is [a means to] success.

5 ـ اَلعِبادَةُ فَوْزٌ

6 . Continued worship is proof of success in attainment of prosperity.

6 ـ دَوامُ العِبادَةِ بُرْهانُ الظَّفَرِ بِالسَّعادَةِ

7 . The adornment of worship is humility [and submissiveness].

7 ـ زَيْنُ العِبادَةِ اَلخُشُوعُ

8 . The probity of worship is [in] having trust in Allah.

8 ـ صَلاحُ العِبادَةِ التَّوَكُّلُ

9 . The goal [and purpose] of worship is obedience.

9 ـ غايَةُ العِبادَةِ الطّاعَةُ

10 . In secluding oneself for the worship of Allah there are treasures of benefit.

10 ـ فِي الانْفِرادِ لِعِبادَةِ اللّهِ كُنُوزُ الأرْباحِ

11 . He who makes his worship sincere succeeds in attaining prosperity.

11 ـ فازَ بِالسَّعادَةِ مَنْ أخْلَصَ العِبادَةَ

12 . Little that is practiced continually is better than [doing] a lot that makes one weary.

12 ـ قَليلٌ تَدُومُ عَلَيْهِ خَيْرٌ مِنْ كَثير مَمْلُول

13 . Little which is easy for you to act upon is better than a lot that is too heavy for you to bear.

13 ـ قَليلٌ يَخِفُّ عَلَيْكَ عَمَلُهُ خَيْـرٌ مِنْ كَثير تَسْتَثْقِلُ حَمْلَهُ

14 . Little that continues is better than a lot that is discontinuous.

14 ـ قَليلٌ يَدُومُ خَيْرٌ مِنْ كَثير مُنْقَطِع

15 . How can one who does not abstain from lowly desires discover the delight of worship?

15 ـ كَيْفَ يَجِدُ لَذَّةَ العِبادَةِ مَنْ لايَصُومُ عَنِ الهَوى؟ !

16 . How can one who has not been aided by [divine granted] success derive joy in worship?

16 ـ كَيْفَ يَتَمَتَّعُ بِالعِبادَةِ مَنْ لَمْ يُعِنْهُ التَّوْفِيقُ؟ !

17 . One who seeks nearness [to Allah] is not brought closer [to Him] by anything other than the worship of Allah.

17 ـ ما تَقَرَّبَ مُتَقَرِّبٌ بِمِثْلِ عِبادَةِ اللّهِ

18 . The worshipper without knowledge is like the donkey that drives a mill, it moves round and round but does not depart from its place.

18 ـ اَلمُتَعَبِّدُ بِغَيْرِ عِلْم كَحِمارِ الطّاحُونَةِ، يَدُورُ وَلايَبْرَحُ مِنْ مَكانِهِ

19 . Verily a group worshipped Allah, the Glorified, out of desire [for reward] - that is the worship of the traders, and a group worshipped Him out of fear [of punishment] - that is the worship of the slaves, and a group worshipped Him out of gratitude - and that is the worship of the freemen.

19 ـ إنَّ قَوْماً عَبَدُوا اللّهَ سُبْحانَهُ رَغْبَةً فَتِلْكَ عِبادَةُ التُّجارِ، وقَوْماً عَبَدُوهُ رَهْبَةً فتِلْكَ عِبادَةُ العَبيدِ، وقَوْماً عَبَدُوهُ شُكْراً فَتِلْكَ عِبادَةُ الأحْرارِ

Servants

Servants1-العباد

1 . When Allah loves a servant, he inspires him with the goodness of worship.

1 ـ إذا أحَبَّ اللّهُ عَبْداً ألْهَمَهُ حُسْنَ العِبادَةِ

2 . When Allah loves a servant, he makes trustworthiness beloved to him.

2 ـ إذا أحَبَّ اللّهُ عَبْداً حَبَّبَ إلَيْهِ الأمانَةَ

3 . When Allah honours a servant, He occupies him with His love.

3 ـ إذا أكْرَمَ اللّهُ عَبْداً شَغَلَهُ بِمَحَبَّتِهِ

4 . When Allah specially chooses a servant, He inspires him with [religious] devotion.

4 ـ إذَا اسْتَخْلَصَ اللّهُ عَبْداً ألْهَمَهُ الدِّيانَةَ

5 . When Allah chooses a servant he covers him with His awe.

5 ـ إذَا اصْطَفى اللّهُ عَبْداً جَلْبَبَهُ خَشْيَتَهُ

6 . When Allah loves a servant, He adorns him with tranquillity and forbearing.

6 ـ إذا أحَبَّ اللّهُ عَبْداً زَيَّنَهُ بِالسَّكينَةِ، والحِلْمِ

7 . When Allah loves a servant, He inspires him with truth.

7 ـ إذا أحَبَّ اللّهُ عَبْداً ألْهَمَهُ الصِّدْقَ

8 . When Allah honours a servant, He helps him to establish justice.

8 ـ إذا أكْرَمَ اللّهُ عَبْداً أعانَهُ عَلى إقامَةِ الحَقِّ

9 . When Allah loves a servant, He makes him hate wealth and shortens his hopes.

9 ـ إذا أحَبَّ اللّهُ سُبْحانَهُ عَبْداً بَغَّضَ إلَيْهِ المالَ، وَقَصَّرَ مِنْهُ الآمالَ

10 . When Allah loves a servant, He bestows him with a good heart and an upright character.

10 ـ إذا أحَبَّ اللّهُ عَبْداً رَزَقَهُ قَلْباً سَليماً، وخُلْقاً قَويماً

11 . When Allah wishes good for a servant, He grants him a sound intellect and upright action.

11 ـ إذا أرادَ اللّهُ بِعَبْد خَيْراً مَنَحَهُ عَقْلاً قَويماً، وعَمَلاً مُسْتَقيماً

12 . When Allah wishes good for a servant, He safeguards his stomach and private parts from the unlawful.

12 ـ إذا أرادَ اللّهُ بِعَبْد خَيْراً أعَفَّ بَطْنَهُ وفَرْجَهُ

13 . When Allah wishes good for a servant, He inspires him with contentment and sets his wife right for him.

13 ـ إذا أرادَ اللّهُ بِعَبْد خَيراً ألْهَمَهُ القَناعَةَ، وأصْلَحَ لَهُ زَوْجَهُ

14 . When Allah wishes good for a servant, He makes his stomach abstain from [unlawful] food and his private parts from that which is forbidden.

14 ـ إذا أرادَ اللّهُ بِعَبْد خَيْـراً أعَفَّ بَطْنَهُ عَنِ الطّعامِ وفَرْجَهُ عَنِ الحَرامِ

15 . When Allah, the Glorified, wishes goodness for a servant, He inspires him to talk less, eat less and sleep less.

15 ـ إذا أرادَ اللّهُ سُبْحانَهُ صَلاحَ عَبْد ألْهَمَهُ قِلَّةَ الكَلامِ، وَقِلَّةَ الطَّعامِ، وَقِلَّةَ المَنامِ

16 . When Allah wishes good for a servant, He makes him learned in religion and inspires him with certitude.

16 ـ إذا أرادَ اللّهُ بِعَبْد خَيْـراً، فَقَّهَهُ فِي الدّينِ، وألْهَمَهُ اليَقينَ

17 . When Allah wishes good for a servant, He inspires him with contentment, so he becomes satisfied with the minimum and covers himself with chastity [and abstinence from the unlawful].

17 ـ إذا أرادَ اللّهُ بِعَبْد خَيْراً، ألْهَمَهُ القَناعَةَ، فَاكْتَفى بِالكَفافِ، واكْتَسى بِالعَفافِ

18 . When Allah wishes good for a servant, He inspires him with moderation and good management and keeps him away from mismanagement and wastefulness.

18 ـ إذا أرادَ اللّهُ بِعَبْد خَيْراً، ألْهَمَهُ الاِقْتِصادَ، وَحُسْنَ التَّدْبيرِ، وجَنَّبَهُ سُوءَ التَّدْبيرِ والإسْرافَ

19 . When Allah loves a servant, He inspires him with right guidance and makes him successful in His obedience.

19 ـ إذا أحَبَّ اللّهُ عَبْداً ألْهَمَهُ رُشْدَهُ، ووَفَّقَهُ لِطاعَتِهِ

20 . He (‘a) praised a man saying: This is one whose peacefulness benefits and injustice is not feared from him. When he says, he does and when he put in charge, he is just.

20 ـ وأثنى ـ عَليه السّلامُ ـ عَلى رَجُل فَقالَ:ذاكَ يَنْفَعُ سِلْمُهُ، ولا يُخافُ ظُلْمُهُ، إذا قالَ فَعَلَ، وإذا وُلِّيَ عَدَلَ

21 . He (‘a) said about the one whom he praised: He is the unfolder [and clarifier] of the obscure, the guide in vast deserts and the repeller of complex difficulties.

21 ـ وقالَ ـ عَليه السّلامُ ـ في حَقِّ مَنْ أثنى عَلَيْهِ: فَتّاحُ مُبْهَمات دلِيلُ فَلَوات، دَفّاعُ مُعْضِلات

22 . The best of servants is one who is delighted when he does good and when he does evil, he repents.

22 ـ خَيْرُ العِبادِ مَنْ إذا أحْسَنَ اِسْتَبْشَرَ، وإذا أساءَ اِسْتَغْفَرَ

23 . People are created by [Allah’s] power, raised up with constraint and made to die through pangs of death.

23 ـ عِبادٌ مَخْلُوقُونَ اِقْتِداراً، ومَرْبُوبُونَ اِقْتِساراً، ومَقْبُوضُونَ اِحْتِضاراً

24 . If the servants were to stop when they are ignorant [about something], they would neither apostatize nor would they go astray.

24 ـ لَوْ أنَّ العِبادَ حينَ جَهِلُوا وَقَفُوا، لَمْ يَكْفُرُوا، ولَمْ يُضِلُّوا

25 . When Allah humiliates (or abases) a servant, He denies him knowledge.

25 ـ إذا أرْذَلَ(أذَلَّ) اللّهُ عَبْداً حَظَرَ عَلَيْهِ العِلْمَ

26 . When Allah wants something bad for a servant, He makes wealth beloved to him and extends his [false] hopes.

26 ـ إذا أرادَ اللّهُ بِعَبْد شَـرّاً حَبَّبَ إلَيْهِ المالَ، وبَسَطَ مِنْهُ الآمالَ

28 . When Allah, the Glorified, wishes to remove a blessing from a servant, the first thing that He alters [and takes away from him] is his intellect, and losing it is the most difficult thing for him.

27 ـ إذا أرادَ اللّهُ سُبْحانَهُ إزالَةَ نِعْمَة عَنْ عَبْد، كانَ أوَّلَ ما يُغَيَّرُ عَنْهُ عَقْلُهُ، وَأشَدُّ شَيْء عَلَيْهِ فَقْدُهُ

29 . Verily, one of the creatures most hated by Allah, the Exalted, is the man who has been left on his own [by Allah] and has strayed from the right path, moving on without a guide.

28 ـ إنَّ مِنْ أبْغَضِ الخَلائِقِ إلَى اللّهِ تَعالى رَجُلاً وَكَلَهُ إلى نَفْسِهِ جائِراً عَنْ قَصْدِ السَّبيلِ سائِراً بِغَيْرِ دليل

30 . A servant is a servant, even if he is assisted by [divine] destiny.

29 ـ اَلْعَبْدُ عَبْدٌ،وَ إنْ ساعَدَهُ القَدَرُ

31 . The beauty of a servant is [in his] obedience.

30 ـ جَمالُ العَبْدِ الطّاعَةُ

Notes

1. The Islamic view is that all human beings are servants of Allah, as opposed to the Christian view wherein people are regarded as Children of God.