ومن خطبة له عليه السلام يصف فيها المتقين رُوِيَ أَنَّ صَاحِباً لِأَمِيرِ الْمُؤْمِنِينَ (عليه السلام) يُقَالُ لَهُ هَمَّامٌ كَانَ رَجُلًا عَابِداً فَقَالَ لَهُ يَا أَمِيرَ الْمُؤْمِنِينَ صِفْ لِيَ الْمُتَّقِينَ حَتَّى كَأَنِّي أَنْظُرُ إِلَيْهِمْ فَتَثَاقَلَ (عليه السلام) عَنْ جَوَابِهِ ثُمَّ قَالَ يَا هَمَّامُ اتَّقِ اللَّهَ وَأَحْسِنْ فَ ﴿إِنَّ اللَّهَ مَعَ الَّذِينَ اتَّقَوْا وَالَّذِينَ هُمْ مُحْسِنُونَ﴾‏ فَلَمْ يَقْنَعْ هَمَّامٌ بِهَذَا الْقَوْلِ حَتَّى عَزَمَ عَلَيْهِ فَحَمِدَ اللَّهَ وَأَثْنَى عَلَيْهِ وَصَلَّى عَلَى النَّبِيِّ (صلى الله عليه وآله) ثُمَّ قَالَ (عليه السلام) :
It is related that a companion of Amīr al-mu’minīn called Hammām [1] who was a man devoted to worship said to him, “O Amīr al-mu’minīn, describe to me the pious man in such a way as though I see them.” Amīr al-mu’minīn avoided the reply and said, “O Hammām, fear Allāh and perform good acts because ‘Verily, Allāh is with those who guard (themselves against evil), and those who do good (to others)’” (Qur'an, 16:128). Hammām was not satisfied with this and pushed him to speak. Thereupon, Amīr al-mu’minīn praised Allāh and extolled Him and sought His blessings on the Holy Prophet and then spoke: