٤٢٠. وَرُوِيَ أَنَّهُ (عليه السلام) كَانَ جَالِساً فِي أَصْحَابِهِ، فَمَرَّتْ بِهِمُ امْرَأَةٌ جَمِيلَةٌ، فَرَمَقَهَا الْقَوْمُ بِأَبْصَارِهِمْ فَقَالَ (عليه السلام) :
420. It is related that Amīr al-mu’minīn, peace be upon him, was sitting with his companions when a beautiful woman passed by them and they began to look at her whereupon Amīr al-mu’minīn, peace be upon him, said:
إِنَّ أَبْصَار هذِهِ الْفُحُولِ طَوَامِحُ وَإِنَّ ذلِكَ سَبَبُ هَبَابِهَا فإِذَا نَظَرَ أَحَدُكُمْ إِلَى امْرَأَةٍ تُعْجِبُهُ فَلْيُلاَمِسْ أَهْلَهُ، فَإِنَّمَا هِيَ امْرَأَهٌ كَامْرَأَةٍ.
The eyes of these men are covetous and this glancing is the cause of their becoming covetous. Whenever anyone of you sees a woman who attracts him, he should meet his wife because she is a woman like his wife.
فَقَالَ رَجُلٌ مِنَ الْخَوَارِجِ: قَاتَلَهُ اللَّهُ، كَافِراً مَا أَفْقَهَهُ. فَوَثَبَ الْقَوْمُ لِيَقْتُلُوهُ، فَقَالَ (عليه السلام) :
Then, one of the Khārijites said: Allāh may kill this heretic. How logical he is! The people then leapt towards him to kill him but Amīr al-mu’minīn, peace be upon him, said:
رُوَيْداً إِنَّمَا هُوَ سَبٌّ بِسَبٍّ، أَوْ عَفْوٌ عَنْ ذَنْبٍ.
Wait a bit. There should either be abuse for abuse or else pardon from the offence.
