Chapter Five: Warning against Extremism in Showing Love for Him

Encyclopedia of Imam Ali (AS), written by Muhammad Muhammadi Rayshahri, abridged by Mahdi Gholamali, translated by Zaid Alsalami and Safyullah Khan, edited by Hamid Reza Salarkia and published by NORPUB.

889. رسول اللّه صلى الله عليه و آله :

889. The Prophet (SA) said:

يا عَلِيُّ ، إنَّ فيكَ مَثَلاً مِن عيسىَ بنِ مَريَمَ ؛

“O Ali, there is a sort of similarity between you and Jesus, son of Mary;

أحَبَّهُ قَومٌ فَأَفرَطوا في حُبِّهِ

a people loved him but they went to extremes in their love for him,

فَهَلَكوا فيهِ ،

so they perished,

وأبغَضَهُ قَومٌ فَأَفرَطوا في بُغضِهِ

another people hated him and went to extremes in their hatred for him,

فَهَلَكوا فيهِ ،

so they perished as well.

وَاقتَصَدَ فيهِ قَومٌ فَنَجوا .

Still another people were moderate [concerning love for him] thus they were delivered.”

الأمالي للطوسي : ص 345 ح 709 .

Al-Amali, by al-Tusi, p. 345, h. 709.

890. الإمام عليّ عليه السلام :

890. Imam Ali (AS) said, [in one of his sermons]:

سَيَهلِكُ فِيَّ صِنفانِ :

“Two groups of people will perish because of me:

مُحِبٌّ مُفرِطٌ يذهَبُ بِهِ الحُبُّ إلى غَيرِ الحَقِّ ،

“An excessive lover whose love leads him astray

ومُبغِضٌ مُفرِطٌ يَذهَبُ بِهِ البُغضُ إلى غَيرِ الحَقِّ .

and an excessive hater whose hatred leads him astray.

وخَيرُ النّاسِ فِيَّ حالاً النَّمَطُ الأَوسَطُ ،

The best of people is the middle body,

فَالزَموهُ .

so be with him.”

نهج البلاغة : الخطبة 127 .

Nahj al-Balagha, Sermon 127.

891. عنه عليه السلام :

891. Imam Ali (AS) said:

اللّهُمَّ إنّي بَريءٌ مِنَ الغُلاةِ

“O God! I dissociate myself from the extremists,

كَبَراءَةِ عيسَى بنِ مَريمَ مِنَ النَّصارى ،

as Jesus, son of Mary, dissociated himself from the Christians.

اللّهُمَّ اخذُلهُم أبَدا ،

O God! Abondon them forever

ولا تَنصُر مِنهُم أحَدا .

and help none of them.”

الأمالي للطوسي : ص 650 ح 1350

Al-Amali, by al-Tusi, p. 650, h. 1350.