Advantageous advice
Al-Kāfi|Volume 8|Book 1|Chapter 338
عِدَّةٌ مِنْ أَصْحَابِنَا عَنْ سَهْلِ بْنِ زِيَادٍ وَ عَلِيُّ بْنُ إِبْرَاهِيمَ عَنْ أَبِيهِ جَمِيعاً عَنِ ابْنِ مَحْبُوبٍ عَنْ هِشَامِ بْنِ سَالِمٍ قَالَ سَمِعْتُ أَبَا عَبْدِ اللَّهِ (عليه السلام) يَقُولُ لِحُمْرَانَ بْنِ أَعْيَنَ يَا حُمْرَانُ انْظُرْ إِلَى مَنْ هُوَ دُونَكَ فِي الْمَقْدُرَةِ وَ لَا تَنْظُرْ إِلَى مَنْ هُوَ فَوْقَكَ فِي الْمَقْدُرَةِ فَإِنَّ ذَلِكَ أَقْنَعُ لَكَ بِمَا قُسِمَ لَكَ وَ أَحْرَى أَنْ تَسْتَوْجِبَ الزِّيَادَةَ مِنْ رَبِّكَ وَ اعْلَمْ أَنَّ الْعَمَلَ الدَّائِمَ الْقَلِيلَ عَلَى الْيَقِينِ أَفْضَلُ عِنْدَ اللَّهِ جَلَّ ذِكْرُهُ مِنَ الْعَمَلِ الْكَثِيرِ عَلَى غَيْرِ يَقِينٍ وَ اعْلَمْ أَنَّهُ لَا وَرَعَ أَنْفَعُ مِنْ تَجَنُّبِ مَحَارِمِ اللَّهِ وَ الْكَفِّ عَنْ أَذَى الْمُؤْمِنِينَ وَ اغْتِيَابِهِمْ وَ لَا عَيْشَ أَهْنَأُ مِنْ حُسْنِ الْخُلُقِ وَ لَا مَالَ أَنْفَعُ مِنَ الْقُنُوعِ بِالْيَسِيرِ الْمُجْزِي وَ لَا جَهْلَ أَضَرُّ مِنَ الْعُجْبِ.
338. A number of our companions, from Sahl Bin Ziyad, and Ali Bin Ibrahim, from his father altogether, from Ibn Mahboub, from Hisham Bin Saalim who said: I heard Abu Abdullah عليه الصلاة والسلام saying to Humraan Bin Ayn: ‘O Humraan! Look to the one who is below you in the capability, and do not look at the one who is above you in the capability, for that would be contentment for you with what Allah عز وجل has Distributed for you, and you would be more likely to receive more from your Lord عز وجل. And know that a small amount of deeds with certainty are more preferable in the Presence of Allah عز وجل than the numerous deeds performed without certainty. And know that there is no devoutness which is more beneficial than avoiding the Prohibitions of Allah عز وجل and the restraint from hurting the Believers and back-biting against them, and no life more enjoyable than good manners, and no wealth more beneficial than contentment with less, and no ignorance more harmful than ‘الْعُجْبِ’ the self-conceit’.
- Mirʾāt al-ʿUqūl fī Sharḥ Akhbār Āl al-Rasūl (16/209)
- Ṣaḥīḥ al-Kāfī, vol. 3, p. 396