Al-Kafi · Hadith 26

The Book of Belief and Disbelief · A Believer’s Signs and Qualities · Volume 2, book 1, chapter 99, Hadith 26

Original Arabic text

26ـ عَنْهُ عَنْ بَعْضِ أَصْحَابِهِ مِنَ الْعِرَاقِيِّينَ رَفَعَهُ قَالَ خَطَبَ النَّاسَ الْحَسَنُ بْنُ عَلِيٍّ (صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وآلِه) فَقَالَ أَيُّهَا النَّاسُ أَنَا أُخْبِرُكُمْ عَنْ أَخٍ لِي كَانَ مِنْ أَعْظَمِ النَّاسِ فِي عَيْنِي وَكَانَ رَأْسُ مَا عَظُمَ بِهِ فِي عَيْنِي صِغَرَ الدُّنْيَا فِي عَيْنِهِ كَانَ خَارِجاً مِنْ سُلْطَانِ بَطْنِهِ فَلا يَشْتَهِي مَا لا يَجِدُ وَلا يُكْثِرُ إِذَا وَجَدَ كَانَ خَارِجاً مِنْ سُلْطَانِ فَرْجِهِ فَلا يَسْتَخِفُّ لَهُ عَقْلَهُ وَلا رَأْيَهُ كَانَ خَارِجاً مِنْ سُلْطَانِ الْجَهَالَةِ فَلا يَمُدُّ يَدَهُ إِلا عَلَى ثِقَةٍ لِمَنْفَعَةٍ كَانَ لا يَتَشَهَّى وَلا يَتَسَخَّطُ وَلا يَتَبَرَّمُ كَانَ أَكْثَرَ دَهْرِهِ صَمَّاتاً فَإِذَا قَالَ بَذَّ الْقَائِلِينَ كَانَ لا يَدْخُلُ فِي مِرَاءٍ وَلا يُشَارِكُ فِي دَعْوًى وَلا يُدْلِي بِحُجَّةٍ حَتَّى يَرَى قَاضِياً وَكَانَ لا يَغْفُلُ عَنْ إِخْوَانِهِ وَلا يَخُصُّ نَفْسَهُ بِشَيْ‏ءٍ دُونَهُمْ كَانَ ضَعِيفاً مُسْتَضْعَفاً فَإِذَا جَاءَ الْجِدُّ كَانَ لَيْثاً عَادِياً كَانَ لا يَلُومُ أَحَداً فِيمَا يَقَعُ الْعُذْرُ فِي مِثْلِهِ حَتَّى يَرَى اعْتِذَاراً كَانَ يَفْعَلُ مَا يَقُولُ وَيَفْعَلُ مَا لا يَقُولُ كَانَ إِذَا ابْتَزَّهُ أَمْرَانِ لا يَدْرِي أَيُّهُمَا أَفْضَلُ نَظَرَ إِلَى أَقْرَبِهِمَا إِلَى الْهَوَى فَخَالَفَهُ كَانَ لا يَشْكُو وَجَعاً إِلا عِنْدَ مَنْ يَرْجُو عِنْدَهُ الْبُرْءَ وَلا يَسْتَشِيرُ إِلا مَنْ يَرْجُو عِنْدَهُ النَّصِيحَةَ كَانَ لا يَتَبَرَّمُ وَلا يَتَسَخَّطُ وَلا يَتَشَكَّى وَلا يَتَشَهَّى وَلا يَنْتَقِمُ وَلا يَغْفُلُ عَنِ الْعَدُوِّ فَعَلَيْكُمْ بِمِثْلِ هَذِهِ الأخْلاقِ الْكَرِيمَةِ إِنْ أَطَقْتُمُوهَا فَإِنْ لَمْ تُطِيقُوهَا كُلَّهَا فَأَخْذُ الْقَلِيلِ خَيْرٌ مِنْ تَرْكِ الْكَثِيرِ وَلا حَوْلَ وَلا قُوَّةَ إِلا بِالله.

Published English translation

26. It is narrated from him (narrator of the Hadith above) from certain individuals of his people from the people of Iraq in a marfu’ manner who has said the following: “Al-Hassan ibn Ali (a.s.) once addressed the people saying, ‘I like to tell you about one of my friends who was the greatest in my sight. The head of what was the greatest in my sight about him was the worthlessness of the world in his sight. He was free of the control of his stomach, thus, he did not have any appetite for what he could not find; he, however, would not accede when he did find it. He was out of the control of his private parts and it would not weigh his reason and opinion lightly. He was out of the control of ignorance, thus, he would not extend his hands unless he was confident of its benefits. He did not desire, become angry, or disappointed. Most of the time he remained silent, and when he spoke, he surpassed the speakers. He did not enter in arguments or take part in claims. He would not testify without the presence of a judge. He was not unaware of his brothers (in belief) and did not appropriate anything for himself without them. He was the weakest of the weak people but in serious matters he acted as an advancing lion. He did not blame anyone without a good cause. He would do what he said, and would not say what he would not do. When he became attracted to two things that he did not know which is better he would ignore that which he desired most. He would not complain for any pain before anyone unless he had known that one had a cure for it and would not consult anyone unless he had hope for good advice from him. He did not become frustrated, angered, and did not complain, desire, revenge and did not remain neglectful of his enemies. Therefore, you must acquire such noble moral behaviors if you can. You must acquire the little if you cannot bear the whole. There is no means and power without Allah.”’

Narrator and transmission

See the transmission information preserved in the original source text.

Attributed scholarly assessments

Allamah Baqir al-Majlisi: مرسل

Mirʾāt al-ʿUqūl fī Sharḥ Akhbār Āl al-Rasūl (9/258)

Assessment transcribed from the source's named scholar and reference. No new grading or consensus is asserted; differing entries remain separate.

Shaykh Baqir al-Behbudi: Catalogue non-inclusion note (not an authenticity grade)

Ṣaḥīḥ al-Kāfī

Source records non-inclusion in this scholar's selection; this is not itself a weak or authentic grade.

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translator: Muhammad Sarwar
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