Muhammad''s nobility of descent, the characteristics of the virtuous
Nahj al-Balāgha|Volume 1|Book 1|Chapter 214
Nahj al-Balāgha
Book 1, Chapter 214
Muhammad''s nobility of descent, the characteristics of the virtuous
[العظة بالتقوى :] فَلْيَقْبَلِ امْرُؤٌ كَرَامَةً بِقَبُولِهَا، وَلْيَحْذَرْ قَارِعَةً قَبْلَ حُلُولِهَا، وَلْيَنْظُرِ امْرُؤٌ فِي قَصِيرِ أَيَّامِهِ، وَقَلِيلِ مُقَامِهِ، فِي مَنْزِل حَتَّى يَسْتَبْدِلَ بِهِ مَنْزِلاً، فَلْيَصْنَعْ لِمُتَحَوَّلِهِ، وَمَعَارِفِ مُنْتَقَلِهِ.
Therefore, man should secure honour by adopting these qualities. He should fear the day of Doom before it arrives, and he should appreciate the shortness of his life and the shortness of his sojourn in the place of stay which has only to last for his change over to the next place. He should therefore do something for his change over and for the known stages of his departure.