Admonition

Imam Ali (AS) said, He (‘a) said about the one whom he was rebuking: He is bold in his words but falls short in his actions. He rebukes others but flatters himself. He has been given respite by Allah along with the heedless ones. He leaves in the morning in the company of sinners without a [straight] path to follow or a leader to [act as a] guide, without any clear knowledge or strong faith. He fears death but does not fear loss [of opportunity to do good deeds for his Hereafter].

Imam Ali (AS) said, He loves to be obeyed while he disobeys and to be given his full share while he does not give others their dues. He loves to be described as generous while he does not give [anything to the needy] and to seek from others what is due to him while not letting others ask for their rights from him.

Imam Ali (AS) said, He speaks of the world with the words of the abstemious yet acts in it with the actions of the desirous.

Imam Ali (AS) said, He manifests the traits of the virtuous yet secretly performs the actions of the wicked. He hates death because of his numerous sins yet does not abandon them in his lifetime. He expedites sins but delays repentance. He loves the righteous ones but does not follow their actions. He hates the sinful yet he is one of them. He says: ‘Why should I act and become weary, instead I will sit and aspire. He always hastens towards what perishes and leaves aside that which remains. He is incapable of being thankful for what he is given yet always seeks more in what remains. He guides others to the right but deceives himself. He forbids the people from that which he does not forbid himself from and enjoins them to perform that which he does not perform. He takes upon himself more responsibility from people than what is required yet he neglects from his own soul what is more important [and necessary]. He commands the people but does not follow the commandments [himself] and he warns them but does not heed the warnings. He hopes for the reward of an act which he has not performed and feels secure from the punishment of an act which is undoubtedly a sin. He attracts the attention of people through his religiousness yet he conceals within himself the opposite of what he displays. He knows the right that he has on others but does not recognize the right that others have on him. He fears for others more than [he fears about] his sins and hopes for himself more than [he deserves by] his actions. For big things he puts his hope in Allah but for small things he puts his hope in the people, so he gives the servant that which he does not give the Lord. He fears the servants with regards to [the commandments of] his Lord yet does not fear his Lord with regards to the servants.