٤ - حدثنا محمد بن إبراهيم بن إسحاق (رضي الله عنه)، قال: حدثنا أحمد بن محمد الهمداني، قال: حدثنا الحسن بن القاسم قراءة، قال: حدثنا علي بن إبراهيم بن المعلي، قال: حدثنا أبو عبد الله محمد بن خالد، قال: حدثنا عبد الله بن بكر المرادي، عن موسى بن جعفر، عن أبيه، عن جده، عن علي بن الحسين (عليهم السلام)، قال: بينا أمير المؤمنين (عليه السلام) ذات يوم جالس مع أصحابه يعبئهم للحرب، إذ أتاه شيخ عليه شحبة السفر، فقال: أين أمير المؤمنين؟ فقيل: هو ذا. فسلم عليه، ثم قال: يا أمير المؤمنين، إني أتيتك من ناحية الشام، وأنا شيخ كبير، قد سمعت فيك من الفضل ما لا أحصي، وإني أظنك ستغتال، فعلمني مما علمك الله. قال (عليه السلام): نعم يا شيخ، من اعتدل يوماه فهو مغبون، ومن كانت الدنيا همته  اشتدت حسرته عند فراقها، ومن كان غده شر يوميه فمحروم، ومن لم يبال بما زرى (١) من آخرته إذا سلمت له دنياه فهو هالك، ومن لم يتعاهد النقص من نفسه غلب عليه الهوى، ومن كان في نقص فالموت خير له. يا شيخ، إن الدنيا خضرة حلوة ولها أهل، وإن الآخرة لها أهل ظلفت (٢) أنفسهم عن مفاخرة أهل الدنيا، لا يتنافسون في الدنيا، ولا يفرحون بغضارتها، ولا يحزنون لبؤسها. يا شيخ، من خاف البيات قل نومه، ما أسرع الليالي والايام في عمر العبد! فاخزن لسانك وعد كلامك، يقل كلامك إلا بخير. يا شيخ، أرض للناس ما ترضى لنفسك، وأت إلى الناس ما تحب أن يؤتى إليك. ثم أقبل على أصحابه، فقال: أيها الناس، أما ترون إلى أهل الدنيا يمسون ويصبحون على أحوال شتى، فبين صريع يتلوى، وبين عائد ومعود، وآخر بنفسه يجود، وآخر لا يرجى، وآخر مسجى، وطالب الدنيا والموت يطلبه، وغافل وليس بمغفول عنه، وعلى أثر الماضي يصير الباقي. فقال له زيد ين صوحان العبدي: يا أمير المؤمنين، أي سلطان أغلب وأقوى؟ قال: الهوى. قال: فأي ذل أذل؟ قال: الحرص على الدنيا. قال: فأي فقر أشد؟ قال: الكفر بعد الايمان. قال: فأي دعوة أضل؟ قال: الداعي بما لا يكون قال: فأي عمل أفضل؟ قال: التقوى. قال: فأي عمل أنجح؟ قال: طلب ما عند الله. قال: فأي صاحب شر؟ قال: المزين لك معصية الله، قال: فأي الخلق أشقى؟ قال: من باع دينه بدنيا غيره. قال: فأي الخلق أقوى؟ قال: الحليم، قال: فأي الخلق أشح؟ قال: من أخذ المال من غير حله، فجعله في غير حقه. قال: فأي الناس أكيس؟ قال: من أبصر رشده من غيه، فمال إلى رشده. قال: فمن أحلم الناس؟ قال: الذي لا يغضب. قال: فأي الناس أثبت  رأيا؟ قال: من لم يغره الناس من نفسه ولم تغره الدنيا بتشوفها (١). قال: فأي الناس أحمق؟ قال: المغتر بالدنيا وهو يرى ما فيه من تقلب أحوالها. قال: فأي الناس أشد حسرة؟ قال: الذي حرم الدنيا والآخرة، ذلك هو الخسران المبين. قال: فأي الخلق أعمى؟ قال: الذي عمل لغير الله يطلب بعلمه الثواب من عند الله عز وجل. قال: فأي القنوع أفضل؟ قال: القانع بما أعطاه الله. قال: فأي المصائب أشد؟ قال: المصيبة بالدين. قال فأي الاعمال أحب ألى الله عز وجل؟ قال: انتظار الفرج. قال: فأي الناس خير عند الله عز وجل؟ قال: أخوفهم لله، وأعملهم بالتقوى، وأزدهم في الدنيا. قال: فأي الكلام أفضل عند الله عز وجل؟ قال: كثرة ذكره والتضرع إليه ودعاؤه. قال: فأي القول أصدق؟ قال: شهادة أن لا إله إلا الله. قال: فأي الاعمال أعظم عند الله عز وجل؟ قال: التسليم والورع. قال: فأي الناس أكرم؟ قال: من صدق في المواطن. ثم أقبل (عليه السلام) على الشيخ، فقال: يا شيخ، إن الله عز وجل خلق خلقا ضيق الدنيا عليهم نظرا لهم، فزهدهم فيها وفي حطامها، فرغبوا في دار السلام الذي دعاهم إليه، وصبروا على ضيق المعيشة، وصبروا على المكروه، واشتاقوا إلى ما عند الله من الكرامة، وبذلوا أنفسهم ابتغاء رضوان الله، وكانت خاتمة أعمالهم الشهادة فلقوا الله وهو عنهم راض، وعلموا أن الموت سبيل من مضى ومن بقي، فتزودوا لآخرتهم غير الذهب والفضة، ولبسوا الخشن، وصبروا على القوت، وقدموا الفضل، وأحبوا في الله عز وجل، وأبغضوا في الله عز وجل، أولئك المصابيح وأهل النعيم في الآخرة، والسلام. فقال الشيخ: فأين أذهب وأدع الجنة، وأنا أراها وأرى أهلها معك يا أمير المؤمنين؟ جهزني بقوة أتقوى بها على عدوك. فأعطاه أمير المؤمنين (عليه السلام) سلاحا وحمله، فكان في الحرب بين يدي أمير المؤمنين (عليه السلام) يضرب قدما، وأمير المؤمنين (عليه السلام) يعجب مما يصنع، فلما اشتدت الحرب أقدم فرسه حتى  قتل (رحمه الله) وتبعه رجل من أصحاب أمير المؤمنين (عليه السلام)، فوجده صريعا، ووجد دابته، ووجد سيفه في ذراعه، فلما انقضت الحرب أتى أمير المؤمنين (عليه السلام) بدابته وسلاحه، وصلى أمير المؤمنين (عليه السلام) عليه، وقال: هذا والله السعيد حقا، فترحموا على أخيكم (١).
Muhammad b. Ibrahim b. Ishaq  narrated to us. He said: Ahmad b. Muhammad al-Hamadani narrated to us. He said: Al-Hasan b. al-Qasim narrated to us. He said: `Ali b. Ibrahim b. al-Mu`alla narrated to us. He said: Abu `Abdillah Muhammad b. Khalid narrated to us. He said: `Abdullah b. Bakr al-Muradi narrated to us from Musa b. Ja`far from his father from his randfather from `Ali b. al-Husayn . He said: One day, Amir al-Mu’minin  was sitting with his companions and mobilizing them for war, when an elder came to him who had the signs of travel on him. So, he said: Where is Amir al-Mu’minin ? So, it was said: He is there. So, he greeted him, then said: O Amir al-Mu’minin! I have come to you from the direction of the Levant, and I am a very elderly man. I have heard countless merits about you, and I believe that you will surely be killed, so teach me what Allah has taught you. He  said: Yes, elder. Whoever makes two days the same [without progress] has lost. Whoever makes this world his concern, his protectiveness over it will only intensify when he departs from it. Whoever makes tomorrow worse than today has deprived himself. Whoever does not mind neglecting his Hereafter when his world submits itself to him is destroyed. Whoever does not prohibit deficiency for himself is conquered by his appetite. Whoever is in deficiency, then death is better for him. O elder! This world is green, sweet, and it has its people, while the Hereafter has people that have exonerated themselves from the pride of the people of this world. They do not compete over this world, nor do they rejoice in its arrogance, nor do they grieve in its misery. O elder! Whoever fears sleep lessens his sleep. How fast are the nights and the days in the age of a worshiper! So, stow away your tongue, count your words, and lessen your words except in goodness. O elder! Want for the people what you want for yourself and come to the people in the way that you would like to be come to.  Then, he turned to his companions and said: O people! Do you not see how the people of this world go to sleep and wake up upon different conditions? Some are writhing and close to death, some visit the ill and then are visited in their illness; one is striving, another cannot be hoped for [of anything good], another is lying down; some seek this world whilst they are sought by death, some are heedless but [the record is] not heedless of them, and the future is patterned on the past [behaviours]. So, Zayd b. Sawhan al-`Abdi said to him: O Amir al-Mu’minin! Which power is dominant and strong? He said: Desire. He said: So, which is weakest? He said: Protectiveness over this world. He said: Which poverty is most intense? He said: Disbelief after faith. He said: Which call is most deviant? He said: The call to that which does not exist. He said: Which deed is most virtuous? He said: God-wariness. He said: Which deed is most triumphant? He said: Seeking that which is with Allah. He said: Which companion is most evil? He said: He who adorns the disobedience of Allah. He said: Which creation is most wretched? He said: He who sells his religion for a world that is not his. He said: Which creation is strongest? He said: The forbearing. He said: Which creation is the most miserly? He said: He who earns wealth unlawfully and spends it wrongfully. He said: Which of the people is most elegant? He said: He who sees guidance and misguidance, and inclines toward guidance. He said: Who is the most forbearing of people? He said: He who does not become angry. He said: Which of the people has the most steadfast of opinion? He said: He whose appetite is not deceived by the people and cannot be tempted by looking at this world. He said: Which of the people is most foolish? He said: He who is deceived by this world despite seeing its constant changes. He said: Which of the people have the most grief? He said: He who prohibits this world and the Hereafter [for himself] – he is the evident failure. He said: Which of the creation is the most blind? He said: He who acts for other than Allah and expects to receive the reward with Allah. He said: Which contentedness is best? He said: He who is content with what Allah has given him. He said: Which affliction is most intense? He said: Affliction in religion. He said: Which action is most beloved to Allah? He said: Awaiting the relief (the coming of the Mahdi). He said: Which of the people are best with Allah? He said: He who fears Allah the most, is most wary of Him, and is most ascetic in this world. He said: Which words are best with Allah? He said: Frequent remembrance of Him, calling out to Him, and supplicating to Him. He said: Which saying is most truthful? He said: The testimony that there is no god but Allah (la ilaha illallah). He said: Which deeds are most great with Allah? He said: Obsequiousness and piety. He said: Which of the people is most noble? He said: He who is truthful among the nations. Then, he  proceeded to the elder, and said: O elder! Allah created a creature and gave them a scarce world as a lesson for them. So, they abstained from it and its debris. They desired the Abode of Peace, which they are called to. They patiently bore the scarcity, they patiently bore hateful things, and they longed for the bounties that are with Allah. They exerted themselves to achieve the pleasure of Allah. The last of their deeds was martyrdom, so they met Allah whilst He was pleased with them. They knew that death was a path for those who have passed and those who remain, so they avoided gold and silver for their Hereafter, they wore rough clothing, they were patient with their sustenance, they put forward virtuousness, they loved for the sake of Allah, and they hated for the sake of Allah – these are the light posts and the people of bliss in the Hereafter. Peace [be with you]. So, the elder said: So, where shall I go to find Paradise when I see it and its people with you, O Amir al-Mu’minin? Equip me with power so that I may overcome your enemy. So, Amir al-Mu’minin  gave him weapons and had him mounted. So, he was in front of Amir al-Mu’minin  in the war, striking ahead of him. Amir al-Mu’minin  was astonished with what he was doing. When the war intensified, he proceeded with his horse until he was killed (rh). A man from the companions of Amir al-Mu’minin  followed him and saw him dead. He saw his animal and he saw his sword in his arm. When the war subsided, he came to Amir al-Mu’minin  with his animal and his weapon. Amir al-Mu’minin  prayed over him and said: He, by Allah, is truly happy, so pray for mercy for your brother.