O Husham! How hideous poverty after richness is! How hideous sinning after religiousness is! What is still more hideous is for a servant of God to quit worshipping Him after he used to act devotionally.

يا هشام ما أقبح الفقر بعد الغنى وأقبح الخطيئة بعد النسك وأقبح من ذلك العابد لله ثم يترك عبادته

O Husham! Life is worthless for everybody except two; a heedful listener or a speaking sage.

يا هشام لا خير في العيش إلا لرجلين لمستمع واع وعالم ناطق

O Husham! God has not distributed among His servants anything better than intelligence. The sleep of the intelligent is preferred to the staying up of the ignorant. God specified intelligence as a qualification for prophethood, so that their intelligences should be preferred to all the efforts of the diligent people. A servant of God is not considered to have carried out his duties towards God unless he has recognized Him reasonably.

يا هشام ما قسم بين العباد أفضل من العقل نوم العاقل أفضل من سهر الجاهل وما بعث الله نبيا إلا عاقلا حتى يكون عقله أفضل من جميع جهد المجتهدين وما أدى العبد فريضة من فرائض الله حتى عقل عنه

O Husham! God’s Messenger stated: “If you notice that a certain faithful believer is silent, then you should come near him, for such a silent believer will surely provide you with wisdom. A true faithful believer talks very little and acts very much. But the hypocrite talks very much and acts very little.”

يا هشام قال رسول الله ص إذا رأيتم المؤمن صموتا فادنوا منه فإنه يلقي الحكمة والمؤمن قليل الكلام كثير العمل والمنافق كثير الكلام قليل العمل

O Husham! God the All-exalted revealed to Prophet David, saying: Warn My servants not to put between them and Me scholars that are seduced by worldly pleasures. They will surely preclude them from remembrance of Me and block their way to winning My love and to supplicate to Me confidentially. Such wicked scholars are the bandits amongst My servants. The least thing I will do to them is that I will deprive their hearts of the sweetness of My love and the sweetness of supplication to Me confidentially.

يا هشام أوحى الله تعالى إلى داود ع قل لعبادي لا يجعلوا بيني وبينهم عالما مفتونا بالدنيا فيصدهم عن ذكري وعن طريق محبتي ومناجاتي أولئك قطاع الطريق من عبادي إن أدنى ما أنا صانع بهم أن أنزع حلاوة محبتي ومناجاتي من قلوبهم

O Husham! The angels of the heavens and the angels of the earth invoke My curses upon those who feel self-conceit. Whoever acts arrogantly towards his brothers-in-faith and friends and treats them haughtily, has certainly defied God. Whoever claims falsely what is not his, has in fact pulled himself away from his good.

يا هشام من تعظم في نفسه لعنته ملائكة السماء وملائكة الأرض ومن تكبر على إخوانه واستطال عليهم فقد ضاد الله ومن ادعى ما ليس له فهو أعني لغير رشده

O Husham! God the All-exalted revealed to Prophet David, saying: O David! Warn and advise your fellows against fondness of sensual desires. The hearts of those, whose hearts are affectionately fond of sensual desires, are certainly screened from Me.

يا هشام أوحى الله تعالى إلى داود ع يا داود حذر وأنذر أصحابك عن حب الشهوات فإن المعلقة قلوبهم بشهوات الدنيا قلوبهم محجوبة عني

O Husham! Beware of acting haughtily towards my disciples and beware of using your knowledge for humiliating them. If you do, God will abhor you. Once you are abhorred by God, neither this-worldly life nor will your otherworldly life be of any use to you. In your worldly life, act as an inhabitant of a house that is not his. So, he is always expecting to leave it at any moment.

يا هشام إياك والكبر على أوليائي والاستطالة بعلمك فيمقتك الله فلا تنفعك بعد مقته دنياك ولا آخرتك وكن في الدنيا كساكن دار ليست له إنما ينتظر الرحيل

O Husham! To sit to the religious people is an honour in this world and the Hereafter.

To consult the sincere, rational people is a good omen, blessing, prudence and success granted by God. Once the rational gives you an advice, beware of doing the opposite thereof. Otherwise, you will destroy yourself.

يا هشام مجالسة أهل الدين شرف الدنيا والآخرة ومشاورة العاقل الناصح يمن وبركة ورشد وتوفيق من الله فإذا أشار عليك العاقل الناصح فإياك والخلاف فإن في ذلك العطب

O Husham! Avoid associating and socializing with people, except for those who are intelligent and trustworthy. You may entertain such people, but run away from the others like running away from beasts.

Before taking any practical step, the intelligent should be ashamed of God.

And when God grants the rational people a blessing exclusively, they should beware of sharing others in their deeds.

If you have to choose between two things but you fail to realize which one of them is better and more suitable for you, you should leave the one that complies with your whims more. Very much correctitude lies in resisting one’s personal whims.

Beware of challenging the wisdom or giving it to the ignorant people.

يا هشام إياك ومخالطة الناس والأنس بهم إلا أن تجد منهم عاقلا ومأمونا فآنس به واهرب من سائرهم كهربك من السباع الضارية وينبغي للعاقل إذا عمل عملا أن يستحيي من الله وإذا تفرد له بالنعم أن يشارك في عمله أحدا غيره وإذا مر بك أمران لا تدري أيهما خير وأصوب فانظر أيهما أقرب إلى هواك فخالفه فإن كثير الصواب في مخالفة هواك وإياك أن تغلب الحكمة وتضعها في أهل الجهالة

Husham asked, “What should I do if I find somebody seeking wisdom but his mind is too narrow to receive it?”

قال هشام فقلت له فإن وجدت رجلا طالبا له غير أن عقله لا يتسع لضبط ما ألقي إليه

The Imam answered: “You should, in this case, convey wisdom to him so kindly. If his heart is too narrow to receive it, then you should not expose yourself to troubles.

Beware of the answers of the arrogant. Knowledge will be disgraced if it is given to the unaware.”

قال ع فتلطف له في النصيحة فإن ضاق قلبه فلا تعرضن نفسك للفتنة واحذر رد المتكبرين فإن العلم يدل على أن يملى على من لا يفيق

Husham asked: “What should I do if I cannot find a person who asks for wisdom reasonably?”

قلت فإن لم أجد من يعقل السؤال عنها

The Imam answered: “You should seize the opportunity of his failure to ask for wisdom properly. In so doing, you will spare yourself troubles of speech and the devastating consequences of unfitting reply.

You should also realize that God did not raise the ranks of the modest as much as the scope of their modesty required. Rather, He did according to the (infinite) scope of His all-greatness and glory. Nor did He grant security to the fearful ones according to the scope of their fear. Rather, He granted them security according to the (infinite) scope of His magnanimity and generosity. Nor did He relieve the aggrieved as much as their grief required. Rather, He did that out of the (infinite) scope of His compassion and mercy.

Now, what do you think about God the All-compassionate and All-merciful Who curries favour with those who annoy His elite servants? What will He then do to those whom are hurt due to their devotion to Him?

And what do you think about the Oft-Returning and All-merciful God Who accepts the repentance of His enemies? How will He then do to those who accept Him and undergo people’s enmity for His sake?

قال ع فاغتنم جهله عن السؤال حتى تسلم من فتنة القول وعظيم فتنة الرد واعلم أن الله لم يرفع المتواضعين بقدر تواضعهم ولكن رفعهم بقدر عظمته ومجده ولم يؤمن الخائفين بقدر خوفهم ولكن آمنهم بقدر كرمه وجوده ولم يفرج المحزونين بقدر حزنهم ولكن بقدر رأفته ورحمته فما ظنك بالرءوف الرحيم الذي يتودد إلى من يؤذيه بأوليائه فكيف بمن يؤذى فيه وما ظنك بالتواب الرحيم الذي يتوب على من يعاديه فكيف بمن يترضاه ويختار عداوة الخلق فيه

O Husham! Whoever cherishes this world, fear of the Hereafter will leave his heart.

No servant of God is endued with knowledge and he cherished the worldly pleasures more, but that he will be increasingly kept distant form God. Consequently, God will intensify His wrath on him.

يا هشام من أحب الدنيا ذهب خوف الآخرة من قلبه وما أوتي عبد علما فازداد للدنيا حبا إلا ازداد من الله بعدا وازداد الله عليه غضبا

O Husham! A true judicious and intelligent man is he who quits what is beyond his capacity. The majority of correctitude lies in denial of personal whims. Whoever depends on expectations excessively, will act progressively wrongly.

يا هشام إن العاقل اللبيب من ترك ما لا طاقة له به وأكثر الصواب في خلاف الهوى ومن طال أمله ساء عمله

O Husham! If you reflect on your march towards death, you will be diverted from hopes.

                                                                                            يا هشام لو رأيت مسير الأجل لألهاك عن الأمل

O Husham! Beware of avidity. Never expect having what is in people’s hands. Trim down your expectations from people. Certainly, avidity is the key to humiliation. It reduces reasonability, defaces personality, stains chastity and wipes out knowledgeability.

Always hold fast to your Lord and place your trust in Him. Resist your personal whims, for resistance of whims is as obligatory as fighting the enemy.

يا هشام إياك والطمع وعليك باليأس مما في أيدي الناس وأمت الطمع من المخلوقين فإن الطمع مفتاح للذل واختلاس العقل واختلاق المروات وتدنيس العرض والذهاب بالعلم وعليك بالاعتصام بربك والتوكل عليه وجاهد نفسك لتردها عن هواها فإنه واجب عليك كجهاد عدوك

Husham asked: “Which enemies should be fought more obligatorily?”

                                                                                           قال هشام فقلت له فأي الأعداء أوجبهم مجاهدة

The Imam answered: You should begin with the (enemy that is) nearest to you, the most inimical, harmful, aggressive and hidden, despite his closeness to you. He is namely Satan who is instigating your enemies against you and serving as the source of hearts’ ill inspirations. You should take him for your bitterest enemy and you should be more steadfast in combatting him than him trying to seduce you into perdition. He is surely less supported than you are and less harmful, despite his great evil, provided that you hold fast to God. In so doing, you will be guided to the straightest path.

قال ع أقربهم إليك وأعداهم لك وأضرهم بك وأعظمهم لك عداوة وأخفاهم لك شخصا مع دنوه منك ومن يحرض أعداءك عليك وهو إبليس الموكل بوسواس من القلوب فله فلتشتد عداوتك ولا يكونن أصبر على مجاهدته لهلكتك منك على صبرك لمجاهدته فإنه أضعف منك ركنا في قوته وأقل منك ضررا في كثرة شره إذا أنت اعتصمت بالله فقد هديت إلى صراط مستقيم

O Husham! Whomever God endues with these three, He has certainly done him a great favour and kindness. These three are an intellect that saves man from the heavy burdens of personal whims, knowledge that saves him from the heavy burdens of ignorance, and self-satisfaction that saves him from the apprehensions of poverty.

يا هشام من أكرمه الله بثلاث فقد لطف له عقل يكفيه مئونة هواه وعلم يكفيه مئونة جهله وغنى يكفيه مخافة الفقر

O Husham! Beware of this world and its adorers. People in this world are of four classes. One class represents those falling behind for they embrace their personal whims. The second class represents those who are self-conceited due to their knowledge. The more they learn, the more arrogant they become. They tower up conceitedly before the less knowledgeable. The third class represents those ignorant worshippers who look disgracefully at the less dutiful and are passionately fond of being respected and revered. The last class represents those heedful, knowledgeable and fully aware of the right track. They cannot lead people to the straight path because they are either powerless or weakened. So, they are grievous and distressed because they cannot put into effect what they know. This class thus represents those who are the most ideal and most intelligent of all people.

يا هشام احذر هذه الدنيا واحذر أهلها فإن الناس فيها على أربعة أصناف رجل مترد معانق لهواه ومتعلم مقرئ كلما ازداد علما ازداد كبرا يستعلي بقراءته وعلمه على من هو دونه وعابد جاهل يستصغر من هو دونه في عبادته يحب أن يعظم ويوقر وذي بصيرة عالم عارف بطريق الحق يحب القيام به فهو عاجز أو مغلوب ولا يقدر على القيام بما يعرفه فهو محزون مغموم بذلك فهو أمثل أهل زمانه وأوجههم عقلا