Hadith 955
۞
You should also fear what calamities befell peoples before you on account of their evil deeds and detestable actions. Remember, during good or bad circumstances, what happened to them, and be cautious that you do not become like them. After you have thought over both the conditions of these people, attach yourself to everything with which their position became honourable, on account of which enemies remained away from them through which safety spread over them, by reason of which riches bowed before them and as a result of which distinction connected itself with their rope. These things were abstention from division, sticking to unity, calling each other to it and advising each other about it. You avoid everything which broke their backbone and weakened their power, such as malice in the heart, hatred in the chest, turning away (from each other’s help) and withholding the hand from one another’s assistance.
واحْذَرُوا مَا نَزَلَ بِالاْمَمِ قَبْلَكُمْ مِنَ الْمَثُلاَتِ بِسُوءِ الاْفْعَالِ، وَذَمِيمِ الاْعْمَالِ، فَتَذَكَّرُوا فِي الْخَيْرِ وَالشَّرِّ أَحْوَالَهُمْ، وَاحْذَرُوا أَنْ تَكُونُوا أَمْثَالَهُمْ. فَإِذَا تَفَكَّرْتُمْ فِي تَفَاوُتِ حَالَيْهِمْ، فَالْزَمُوا كُلَّ أَمْر لَزِمَتِ الْعِزَّةُ بِهِ حَالَهُمْ، وَزَاحَتِ الاْعْدَاءُ لَهُ عَنْهُمْ، وَمُدَّتِ الْعَافِيَةُ فِيهِ عَلَيْهِمْ، وَانْقَادَتِ النِّعْمَةُ لَهُ مَعَهُمْ، وَوَصَلَتِ الْكَرَامَةُ عَلَيْهِ حَبْلَهُم: مِنَ الاْجْتِنَابِ لِلْفُرْقَةِ، وَاللُّزُومِ لِلاْلْفَةِ، وَالتَّحَاضِّ عَلَيْهَا، وَالتَّوَاصِي بِهَا. وَاجْتَنِبُوا كُلَّ أَمْر كَسَرَ فِقْرَتَهُمْ، وَأَوْهَنَ مُنَّتَهُمْ: مِنْ تَضَاغُنِ الْقُلُوبِ، وَتَشَاحُنِ الصُّدُورِ، وتَدَابُرِ النُّفُوسِ، وَتَخَاذُلِ الاْيْدِي.
Similar narrations
- Nahj al-Balāgha #851 [An account of past peoples and about learning from them :] I advise you, creatures of Allāh, to practise fear of Allāh Who gave you good...
- Nahj al-Balāgha #958 [Learning lessons from the past nations :] You should take a lesson from the fate of the progeny of Ismael, the children of Isaac and the...
- Nahj al-Balāgha #957 Look, how they were when their groups were united, their views were unanimous, their hearts were moderate, their hands used to help one...
- Nahj al-Balāgha #941 [Taking lessons from the past peoples :] Take instruction from how Allāh’s wrath, violence, chastisement and punishment fell upon the...
- Nahj al-Balāgha #951 (Fear) Allāh! Allāh! from the immediate consequence of rebellion (to accrue in this world), and the eventual consequence of weighty...
- Nahj al-Balāgha #954 In case you cannot avoid vanity, your vanity should be for good qualities, praiseworthy acts, and admirable matters with which the dignified...
- Nahj al-Balāgha #956 Think about the condition of people from among the believers who passed before you. What distresses and trials they were in! Were they not...