Nahj al-Balagha Hadith n. 420

Selections from The Sayings and Preaching of Amir al-Muminin Ali ibn Abi Talib (Peace Be Upon Him) Including His Replies to Questions and Maxims Expressed for Various Purposes.
Translated by Sayyid Ali Reza

وروي أنه عليه السلام كان جالساً في أصحابه، فمرّت بهم امرأة جميلة، فرمقها القوم بأبصارهم. فقال عليه السلام :

It is related that Amir al-mu’minin, peace be upon him, was sitting with his companions when a beautiful woman passed by them and they began to look at her whereupn Amir al-mu’minin, peace be upon him, said:

إِنَّ أَبْصَار هذِهِ الْفُحُولِ طَوَامِحُ

The eyes of these men are covetous

وَإِنَّ ذلِكَ سَبَبُ هَبَابِهَا

and this glancing is the cause of their becoming covetous.

فإِذَا نَظَرَ أَحَدُكُمْ إِلَى امْرَأَةٍ تُعْجِبُهُ

Whenever anyone of you sees a woman who attracts him,

فَلْيُلاَمِسْ أَهْلَهُ،

he should meet his wife

فَإِنَّمَا هِيَ امْرَأَهٌ كَامْرَأَةٍ.

because she is a woman like his wife.

فقال رجل من الخوارج: قاتله الله كافراً ما أفقهه. فوثب القوم لِيقتلوه. فقال عليه السلام : رُوَيْداً إِنَّمَا هُوَ سَبٌّ بِسَبٍّ، أَوْ عَفْوٌ عَنْ ذَنْبٍ.

Then one of the Kharijites said: “May Allah kill this heretic! How logical he is!” People then leapt towards him to kill him, but Amir al-mu’minin, peace be upon him, said: “Wait a bit. There should either be abuse [for an abuse] or else pardoning from the offence.”