۳۷۴. وَفِي كَلَامٍ آخَرَ لَهُ (عليه السلام) يَجْرِي هَذَا الْمَجْرَى:
374. Another saying in the same strain runs as follows:
فَمِنْهُمُ الْمُنْكِرُ للْمُنْكَرِ بيَدِهِ وَلِسَانِهِ وَقَلْبِهِ فَذَلِكَ الْمُسْتَكْمِلُ لِخِصَالِ الْخَيْرِ، وَمِنْهُمُ الْمُنْكِرُ بِلِسَانِهِ وَقَلْبهِ وَالتَّارِكُ بِيَدِهِ فَذلِكَ مُتَمَسِّكٌ بِخَصْلَتيَنِ مِنْ خِصَالِ الْخَيْرِ وَمُضَيِّعٌ خَصْلَةً، وَمِنْهُمُ الْمُنْكِرُ بِقَلْبِهِ وَالتَّارِكُ بيَدِهِ وَلِسَانِهِ فَذلِكَ الَّذِي ضَيَّعَ أَشْرَفَ الْخَصْلَتَيْنِ مِنَ الثَّلاَثِ وَتَمَسَّكَ بوَاحِدَةٍ، وَمِنْهُمْ تَارِكٌ لِإِنْكَارِ الْمُنكَرِ بِلِسَانِهِ وَقَلْبِهِ وَيَدِهِ فَذلِكَ مَيِّتُ الْأَحْيَاءِ.
So, among them (the Muslim community) there is he who disapproves evil with his hand, tongue and heart. This man has perfectly attained the virtuous habits. And among them there is he who disapproves evil with his tongue and heart but not with his hand. This man has attained only two virtuous habits but lacks one. And among them there is the third one who disapporves evil with his heart but not with his tongue and hand. This is the one who lacks the two better qualities out of three and holds only one. Then, among them there is also he who does not disapprove evil either with his tongue, heart or hand. He is just a dead man among the living.
وَمَا أَعْمَالُ الْبِرِّ كُلُّهَا وَالْجِهَادُ فِي سَبِيلِ اللهِ، عِنْدَ الْأَمْرِ بالْمَعْرُوفِ وَالنَّهْيِ عَنِ الْمُنكَرِ، إِلَّا كَنَفْثَةٍ فِي بَحْرٍ لُجِّيٍّ وَإِنَّ الْأَمْرَ بالْمَعْروُفِ وَالنَّهْيَ عَنِ الْمُنكَرِ لَا يُقَرِّبَانِ مِنْ أَجَلٍ، وَلَا يَنْقصَانِ مِنْ رِزْقٍ، وَأَفضَلُ مِنْ ذلِكَ كُلِّهِ كَلِمَةُ عَدْلٍ عِنْدَ إِمَامٍ جَائِرٍ.
All the virtuous deeds including war in the way of Allāh as compared to the persuasion for good and dissuasion from evil are just like spitting in the deep ocean. The persuasion for good and dissuasion from evil do not bring death nearer nor do they lessen the livelihood. And better than all this is to utter a just expression before the tyrannical ruler.
