Greed - Page 2

1185 - الطَّمَعُ المَمدوحُ‏

1185. PRAISEWORTHY AVIDITY1

(تَتَجافَى جُنُوبُهُمْ عَنِ المَضاجِعِ يَدْعُونَ رَبَّهُمْ خَوْفاً وَطَمَعاً وَمِمَّا رَزَقْناهُمْ يُنْفِقُونَ).2

“Their sides vacate their beds to supplicate their Lord in fear and hope, and they spend out of what We have provided them.”3

(وَما لَنا لا نُؤْمِنُ بِاللَّهِ وَما جاءَنا مِنَ الحَقِّ وَنَطْمَعُ أَن يُدْخِلَنا رَبُّنا مَعَ القَوْمِ الصَّالِحِينَ).4

“Why should we not believe in Allah and the truth that has come to us, avid as we are that our Lord should admit us among the righteous people?”5

3819.الإمامُ زينُ العابدينَ عليه السلام - في الدعاءِ - : إذا رَأيتُ مَولايَ ذُنُوبي فَزِعتُ، وإذا رَأيتُ عَفوَكَ طَمِعتُ .6

3819. Imam Zayn al-Abidin (AS) said in one of his supplications, ‘When I consider my sins my Lord, I am horrified [at them], and when I consider Your pardon, I am avidly eager [for it].’7

3820.الإمامُ زينُ العابدينَ عليه السلام - أيضاً - : فإنّما أسألُكَ لِقَديمِ الرَّجاءِ فيكَ، وعَظيمِ الطَّمَعِ منكَ؛ الذي أوجَبتَهُ على‏ نفسِكَ مِن الرَّأفَةِ والرَّحمَةِ .8

3820. Imam Zayn al-Abidin (AS) said in another one of his supplications, ‘For indeed I ask You because of my eternal hope in You and because of the great desire that I entertain about You; which is the graciousness and mercy that You have made obligatory upon Yourself.’9

1.Translator’s Note: Since ‘greed’ is a word that has intrinsically negative implications, in this sub-section outlining its positive and praiseworthy aspects, we will proceed to refer to it as ‘avidity.’

2.السجدة : ۱۶ .

3.Qur’an ۳۲:۱۶

4.المائدة : ۸۴ .

5.Qur’an ۵:۸۴

6.بحار الأنوار : ۹۸ / ۸۳ / ۲ .

7.Bihar al-Anwar, v. ۹۸, p. ۸۳, no. ۲

8.الإقبال : ۱ / ۱۶۸ .

9.Iqbal al-Amal, v. ۱, p. ۱۶۸

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