Instructions for Malik al-Ashtar upon his appointment as the governor of Egypt

Nahj al-Balāgha|Volume 1|Book 2|Chapter 53
Nahj al-Balāgha

Book 2, Chapter 53

Instructions for Malik al-Ashtar upon his appointment as the governor of Egypt

وَأَمَرَهُ أَنْ يَكْسِرَ نَفْسَهُ مِنَ الشَّهَوَاتِ، وَيَزَعَهَا عِنْدَ الْجَمَحَاتِ، فَإِنَّ النَّفْسَ أَمَّارَةٌ بِالسُّوءِ، إِلَّا مَا رَحِمَ اللهُ.
He also orders him to break his heart off from passions, and to restrain it at the time of their increase, because the heart leads towards evil unless Allāh has mercy.