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
وَالْصَقْ بِأَهْلِ الْوَرَعِ وَالصِّدْقِ، ثُمَّ رُضْهُمْ عَلَى أَلَّا يُطْرُوكَ وَلَا يُبَجِّحُوكَ [يَبْجَحُوكَ] بِبَاطِل لَمْ تَفْعَلْهُ، فَإِنَّ كَثْرَةَ الْإِطْرَاءِ تُحْدِثُ الزَّهْوَ، وَتُدْنِي مِنَ الْعِزَّةِ.
Associate yourself with God-fearing and truthful people; then educate them, so that they should not praise you or please you by reason of an action you did not perform, because an excess of praise produces pride and drives you near haughtiness.