النِعمَةُ
BOUNTIES
نِعَمُ اللّهِ لا تُحصى / The Bounties of Allah cannot be enumerated
1ـ رسولُ اللهِِ (صَلَّيَ اللهُ عَلَيهِ وَ آلِهِ): مَن لَم يَرَ للّهِ عَزَّوجلَّ علَيهِ نِعمَةً إلّا في مَطعَمٍ أو مَشرَبٍ أو مَلبَسٍ، فقد قَصُرَ عَملُهُ ودنا عَذابُهُ.
1– The Prophet (SAWA) said, ‘He who does not see the bounties of Allah upon himself other than in his food, drink, and clothes, then his actions fall short and his punishment is near.’
[al-Kafi, v. 2, p. 316, no. 5]
2ـ الإمامُ عليٌّ (عَلَيهِ الّسَلامُ): الحَمدُ للّهِ الذي لا يَبلُغُ مِدحَتَهُ القائلونَ، ولا يُحصِي نَعماءَهُ العادُّونَ.
2– Imam Ali (AS) said, ‘Praise be to Allah Whose extolment speakers cannot attain, and Whose bounties cannot be enumerated by those who count.’
[Nahj al-Balagha, Sermon 1]
النِعمَةُ
BOUNTIES
3ـ الإمامُ عليٌّ (عَلَيهِ الّسَلامُ) ـ في وَصيَّتِهِ لِكُميلٍ ـ: يا كُمَيلُ، إنّهُ لا تَخلو مِن نِعمَةِ اللّهِ عَزَّوجلَّ عِندَكَ وعافِيَتِهِ، فلا تَخْلُ مِن تَحميدِهِ وتَمجيدِهِ وتَسبيحِهِ وتَقديسِهِ وشُكرِهِ وذِكرِهِ على كلِّ حالٍ.
3– Imam Ali (AS), in his advice to Kumayl said, ‘O Kumayl, you cannot ever be devoid of the bounties of Allah and the good health
[given to you by Him], so do not remain without praising Him, exalting Him, glorifying Him, sanctifying Him, thanking Him and remembering Him in every situation.’
[Bashara al-Mustafa, p. 28]
الغَفلَةُ عَنِ النِّعَمِ / Negligence of Bounties
4ـ رسولُ اللهِِ (صَلَّيَ اللهُ عَلَيهِ وَ آلِهِ): نِعمَتانِ مَفتونٌ فيهِما كَثيرٌ مِن النّاسِ: الفَراغُ والصِّحَّةُ .
4– The Prophet (SAWA) said, ‘There are two bounties that most people are tested with: free time and health.’
[al-Khisal, p. 35, no. 7]
5ـ رسولُ اللهِ (صَلَّيَ اللهُ عَلَيهِ وَ آلِهِ): نِعمَتانِ مَكفورَتانِ: الأمنُ والعافِيَةُ.
5– The Prophet (SAWA) said, ‘There are two bounties that people are ungrateful for: safety and good health.’
[Bihar al-Anwar, v. 81, p. 170, no. 1]
6ـ الإمامُ عليٌّ (عَلَيهِ الّسَلامُ): مَن كانَ في النِّعمَةِ جَهِلَ قَدرَ البَلِيَّةِ.
6– Imam Ali (AS) said, ‘He who lives in bounties is ignorant of the worth of the calamity.’
[Bihar al-Anwar, v. 78, p. 12, no. 70]
7ـ الإمامُ الحسنُ (عَلَيهِ الّسَلامُ): تُجهَلُ النِّعَمُ ما أقامَت، فإذا وَلَّت عُرِفَت.
7– Imam Hasan (AS) said, ‘Bounties are ignored as long as they exist, but when they go they
[their worth] are known.’
[Bihar al-Anwar, v. 78, p. 115, no. 12]
إحسانُ مُجاوَرَةِ النِّعَمِ / Embracing Bounties
8ـ الإمامُ عليٌّ (عَلَيهِ الّسَلامُ): أحسِنوا صُحبَةَ النِّعَمِ قَبلَ فِراقِها ؛ فإنّها تَزولُ وتَشهَدُ على صاحِبِها بما عَمِلَ فيها.
8– Imam Ali (AS) said, ‘Embrace your bounties before their departure, for they will leave and testify against their owner with respect to what he has done with them.’
[`AeIlal al-Shara’i`a, p. 464, no. 12]
9ـ الإمامُ عليٌّ (عَلَيهِ الّسَلامُ): اِحذَروا نِفارَ النِّعَمِ ؛ فما كلُّ شارِدٍ بمَردُودٍ.
9– Imam Ali (AS) said, ‘Beware the fleeing of bounties, for not every runaway returns.’
[Nahj al-Balagha, Saying 246]
10ـ الإمامُ الهادي (عَلَيهِ الّسَلامُ): ألقُوا النِّعَمَ بحُسنِ مُجاوَرَتِها ؛ والتَمِسوا الزِّيادَةَ فيها بالشُّكرِ علَيها، واعلَموا أنّ النَّفسَ أقبَلُ شيءٍ لِما اُعطِيَت، وأمنَعُ شَيءٍ لِما مُنِعَت.
10– Imam al-Hadi (AS) said, ‘Meet bounties by embracing them, and plead for an increase in them by giving thanks for them, and know that the self is the most accepting of what it is given and the most depriving of that which it itself has been deprived of.’
[A`alam al-Din, p. 312]
ما يوجِبُ بَقاءَ النِّعَمِ / That which Causes Bounties to Remain
11ـ رسولُ اللهِِ (صَلَّيَ اللهُ عَلَيهِ وَ آلِهِ): إنّ للّهِ عِبادا اختَصَّهُم بالنِّعَمِ، يُقِرُّها فيهِم ما بَذَلوها للنّاسِ، فإذا مَنَعوها حَوَّلَها مِنهُم إلى غَيرِهِم.
11– The Prophet (SAWA) said, ‘Allah has servants whom He has chosen for bounties. He establishes these in them as long as they distribute them to people, but if they withhold them
[the bounties], He transfers them to other people.’
[Bihar al-Anwar, v. 75, p. 353, no. 62]
12ـ الإمامُ عليٌّ (عَلَيهِ الّسَلامُ): مَن كَثُرَت نِعَمُ اللّهِ علَيهِ كَثُرَت حَوائجُ النّاسِ إلَيهِ، فمَن قامَ للّهِ فيها بما يَجِبُ فيها عَرَّضَها لِلدَّوامِ والبَقاءِ، ومَن لَم يَقُمْ فيها بما يَجِبُ عَرَّضَها لِلزَّوالِ والفَناءِ.
12– Imam Ali (AS) said, ‘He upon whom the bounties of Allah are plenty, people’s needs from him increase accordingly. So, if he uses them for Allah in the way he must do so, He causes them to continue and remain. But if he does not use them in the way that he must, He will make them cease and perish.’
[Nahj al-Balagha, Saying 372]
13ـ الإمامُ عليٌّ (عَلَيهِ الّسَلامُ): أقلُّ ما يَلزَمُكُم للّهِ إلّا تَستَعينوا بنِعَمهِ على مَعاصيهِ.
13– Imam Ali (AS) said, ‘The least of what you are obliged to do for Allah is to not use His bounties to commit acts of disobedience to Him.’
[Nahj al-Balagha, Saying 330]
14ـ الإمامُ الصّادقُ (عَلَيهِ الّسَلامُ): لا تَدومُ النِّعَمُ إلّا بعدَ ثَلاثٍ (إلّا بثَلاثٍ): مَعرِفَةٌ بما يَلزَمُ للّهِ سبحانَهُ فيها، وأداءُ شُكرِها، والتَّعَبُ فيها.
14– Imam al-Sadiq (AS) said, ‘Bounties only remain when accompanied by three things: knowledge of what Allah has made incumbent with respect to them, fulfilment of thanks for them, and striving with them.’
[Tuhaf al-`Uqoul, p. 318]
15ـ الإمامُ الصّادقُ (عَلَيهِ الّسَلامُ): مَن عَظُمَت نِعمَةُ اللّهِ علَيهِ اشتَدَّت مَؤونَةُ النّاسِ علَيهِ، فاستَديموا النِّعمَةَ باحتِمالِ المَؤونَةِ ولا تُعَرِّضوها لِلزَّوالِ، فقَلَّ مَن زالَتَ عَنهُ النِّعمَةُ فكادَت أن تَعودَ إلَيهِ .
15– Imam al-Sadiq (AS) said, ‘He upon whom are great bounties from Allah, people’s needs from him increase accordingly. So, seek continuity in your bounties through tolerating the provisions, and do not let them cease, for it is seldom that one’s bounties cease and return to him again.’
[al-Kafi, v. 4, p. 37, no. 1]
16ـ الإمامُ الكاظمُ (عَلَيهِ الّسَلامُ): مَنِ اقتَصَدَ وقَنَعَ بَقِيَت علَيهِ النِّعمَةُ، ومَنبَذَّرَ وأسرَفَ زالَت عنهُالنِّعمَةُ .
16– Imam al-Kazim (AS) said, ‘He who economizes and is content, his bounties will stay, and he who wastes and squanders, his bounties cease to remain with him.’
[Bihar al-Anwar, v. 78, p. 327, no. 4]
17ـ الإمامُ الرِّضا (عَلَيهِ الّسَلامُ): اِستِعمالُ العَدلِ والإحسانِ مُؤْذِنٌ بِدَوامِ النِّعمَةِ .
17– Imam al-Rida (AS) said, ‘Observing justice and benevolence invites the continuation of bounties.’
[`Uyoun Akhbar al-Ridha (AS), v. 2, p. 24, no. 52]
تَتابُعُ النِّعَمِ وَالاستِدراجُ / Consecutive Succession of Bounties and Gradual Baiting
[for Chastisement]
18ـ الإمامُ عليٌّ (عَلَيهِ الّسَلامُ): يابنَ آدمَ، إذا رَأيتَ ربَّكَ سبحانَهُ يُتابِعُ علَيكَ نِعمَهُ وأنتَ تَعصيهِ فاحذَرْهُ.
18– Imam Ali (AS) said, ‘O son of Adam, if you see your Lord bestowing bounties upon you in continuous succession while you are disobeying Him, then be cautious of Him.’
[Nahj al-Balagha, Saying 25]
19ـ الإمامُ عليٌّ (عَلَيهِ الّسَلامُ): أيُّها النّاسُ، لِيَرَكُمُ اللّهُ مِن النِّعمَةِ وَجِلِينَ كما يَراكُم مِن النِّقمَةِ فَرِقِينَ ؛ إنّهُ مَن وُسِّعَ علَيهِ في ذاتِ يَدِهِ فلَم يَرَ ذلكَ استِدراجاً فَقد أمِنَ مَخُوفاً، ومَن ضُيِّقَ علَيهِ في ذاتِ يَدِهِ فلَم يَرَ ذلكَ اختِباراً فَقد ضَيَّعَ مَأمولاً.
19– Imam Ali (AS) said, ‘O people, let Allah see you fearing Him at the time of happiness just as you fear Him in time of distress. Certainly he who is given ease
[of life] and does not consider it as a means of gradual baiting towards tribulation
[wrongdoing], considers himself safe against what is to be feared, while he who is afflicted with straitened circumstances but does not perceive them to be a trial loses the coveted reward.’
[Nahj al-Balagha, Saying 358]
20ـ الإمامُ عليٌّ (عَلَيهِ الّسَلامُ): رُبَّ مُنعَمٍ علَيهِ مُستَدرَجٌ بالنُّعمى، ورُبَّ مُبتَلىً مَصنوعٌ لَهُ بالبَلوى.
20– Imam Ali (AS) said, ‘Very often a favoured person is gradually being driven
[towards punishment] through these favours; and very often an afflicted person is being done good through his affliction.’
[Nahj al-Balagha, Saying 273]
21ـ الإمامُ الحسينُ (عَلَيهِ الّسَلامُ): الاستِدراجُ مِن اللّهِ سبحانَهُ لِعَبدِهِ أن يُسبِغَ علَيهِ النِّعَمَ ويَسلُبَهُ الشُّكرَ.
21– Imam Husayn (AS) said, ‘Allah Almighty’s gradual baiting of His servant is that He envelops him with bounties and eradicates thankfulness from him.’
[Bihar al-Anwar, v. 78, p. 117, no. 7]
التَّحَدُّثُ بِنِعمَةِ اللّهِ / Proclaiming about the Bounties of Allah
22ـ رسولُ اللهِِ (صَلَّيَ اللهُ عَلَيهِ وَ آلِهِ): إنَّ اللّهَ يُحِبُّ أن يَرى أثَرَ نِعمَتِهِ على عَبدِهِ .
22– The Prophet (SAWA) said, ‘Allah loves to see the signs of His bounties on His servant.’
[Sunan al-Tirmidhi, no. 2819]
23ـ عن أبي الأحوَصِ عن أبيهِ: أتَيتُ النَّبيَّ (صَلَّيَ اللهُ عَلَيهِ وَ آلِهِ) في ثَوبٍ دُونٍ، فقالَ: ألكَ مالٌ ؟ قالَ: نَعَم . قالَ: مِن أيِّ المالِ ؟ قالَ: قد آتانيَ اللّهُ مِن الإبِلِ والغَنَمِ والخَيلِ والرَّقيقِ . قالَ: فإذا آتاكَ اللّهُ مالاً فليُرَ أثَرُ نِعمَةِ اللّهِ علَيكَ وكَرامَتُهُ .
23– Abu al-Ahwal! Narrating from his father said, ‘I visited the Prophet (SAWA) and he saw me with a bad appearance, so the Prophet (SAWA) said, ‘Do you own anything?’ I said, ‘Yes, all the wealth that Allah has given me.’ He (SAWA) said, ‘If you have wealth then it should be seen on you.’
[Sunan al-Nasa`ai, v. 8, p. 196]
24ـ الإمامُ عليٌّ (عَلَيهِ الّسَلامُ): إنّ اللّهَ جَميلٌ يُحِبُّ الجَمالَ، ويُحِبُّ أن يَرى أثَرَ النِّعمَةِ على عَبدِهِ .
24– Imam Ali (AS) said, ‘Allah is Beautiful and He loves beauty, and He loves to see the sign of His bounties on His servant.’
[al-Kafi, v. 6, p. 438, no. 1]
25ـ الإمامُ الصّادقُ (عَلَيهِ الّسَلامُ): إذا أنعَمَ اللّهُ على عَبدِهِ بنِعمَةٍ فظَهَرَت علَيهِ سُمِّيَ حَبيبَ اللّهِ مُحَدِّثاً بنِعمَةِ اللّهِ، وإذا أنعَمَ اللّهُ على عَبدٍ بِنِعمَةٍ فلَم تَظهَرْ علَيهِ سُمِّيَ بَغيضَ اللّهِ مُكَذِّباً بنِعمَةِ اللّهِ.
25– Imam al-Sadiq (AS) said, ‘When Allah blesses His servant with bounties and it is manifest about him, he is called the beloved of Allah and a proclaimer of Allah's bounties, and when Allah blesses a servant with bounties and he does not show it, he is called one despised by Allah and a denier of Allah's bounties.’
[al-Kafi, v. 6, p. 438, no. 2]
26ـ الإمامُ الصّادقُ (عَلَيهِ الّسَلامُ): إنّي لَأكرَهُ لِلرّجُلِ أن يَكونَ علَيهِ نِعمَةٌ مِن اللّهِ فلا يُظهِرُها.
26– Imam al-Sadiq (AS) said, ‘Indeed I hate for a man to have been bestowed bounties by Allah and to not show it.’
[al-Kafi, v. 6, p. 439, no. 9]
تَمامُ النِّعمَةِ / The Completion of Bounties
27ـ رسولُ اللهِِ (صَلَّيَ اللهُ عَلَيهِ وَ آلِهِ): مَن أمسى وأصبحَ وعِندَهُ ثَلاثٌ فقد تَمَّت علَيهِ النِّعمَةُ في الدُّنيا: مَن أصبَحَ وأمسى مُعافىً في بَدَنِهِ، آمِنا في سَرْبِهِ، عِندَهُ قُوتُ يَومِهِ، فإن كانَت عِندَهُ الرّابِعَةُ فَقد تَمَّت علَيهِ النِّعمَةُ في الدُّنيا والآخِرَةِ ؛ وهُو الإيمانُ.
27– The Prophet (SAWA) said, ‘Whoever sleeps and wakes up possessing three things, then bounties for him in this world are complete: he who sleeps and wakes up with a healthy body, safe in his den, with enough sustenance for the day. And if he has a fourth thing then the bounties of this world and the Hereafter are complete in him, and that is faith.’
[Tuhaf al-`Uqoul, p. 36]
28ـ الإمامُ عليٌّ (عَلَيهِ الّسَلامُ): بالتَّواضُعِ تَتِمُّ النِّعمَةُ.
28– Imam Ali (AS) said, ‘Bounties are completed through humbleness.’
[Nahj al-Balagha, Saying 224]
29ـ الإمامُ عليٌّ (عَلَيهِ الّسَلامُ): استَتِمُّوا نِعمَ اللّهِ علَيكُم بالصَّبرِ على طاعَتِهِ، والمُجانَبَةِ لِمَعصيَتِهِ .
29– Imam Ali (AS) said, ‘Complete the bounties of Allah over you by having patience in obeying Him, and refraining from disobeying Him.’
[Nahj al-Balagha, Sermon 188]
30ـ الإمامُ الصّادقُ (عَلَيهِ الّسَلامُ): النَّعيمُ في الدُّنيا الأمنُ وصِحَّةُ الجِسمِ، وتَمامُ النِّعمَةِ في الآخِرَةِ دُخولُ الجَنَّةِ، وما تَمَّتِ النِّعمَةُ على عَبدٍ قَطُّ لَم يَدخُلِ الجَنَّةَ .
30– Imam al-Sadiq (AS) said, ‘Bounties in this world are safety and a healthy body, and the completion of bounties in the Hereafter is entrance into Heaven. And as long as the bounties
[of Allah] are not complete in a servant he will not enter Heaven.’
[Ma`ani al-Akhbar, p. 408, no. 87]