159. Imām al-Sādiq (a.s.): Some non-Arab Muslims (al-Mawāli) came to the Commander of the Faithful (a.s.) and said: “We have a complaint to you against these Arabs. Verily the Messenger of God (s.a.w.) gave us portions that were equal to theirs and married off Salmān, Bilāl and Suhayb, but these (Arabs) refuse and say: “We will not do that!”
The Commander of the Faithful (a.s.) went to them and talked to them about this. The Arabs shouted: “We refuse it, O Abu al-Hasan! We refuse it!”
So, Ali (a.s.) left angrily dragging his robe and saying: “O group of non-Arabs! In truth, they have reduced you to the status of the Jews and the Christians. They get married to your women but refuse to allow you to marry theirs. They do not give you as much as they take from you. Therefore engage in trading and God will bestow His blessings on you. Indeed I heard from the Messenger of Allah (s.a.w.) that sustenance (rizq) has ten parts; nine parts are in trading and one part is in other things.”1
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Refraining from Reception Ceremonies
160. Nahj al-Balāghah: The Commander of the Faithful (a.s.) was proceeding towards Syria when the countrymen (farmers) of al-Anbār met him. Seeing him, they began to walk on foot and then ran in front of him.
He enquired: “Why are you doing this.”
They replied: “This is the way we respect our chiefs.”
He then said: “By God, this does not benefit your chiefs. By doing this you are troubling yourselves in this world and earning misery for the next world. How harmful is the labor
that is followed by punishment and how profitable is the ease with which there is deliverance from Hellfire!”2
1.. al-Kāfi, vol. ۵, p. ۳۱۸, h. ۵۹.
2.. Nahj al-Balāghah, Aphorism ۳۷, Manāqib Ali ibn Abi Tālib, vol. ۲ p. ۱۰۴, Bihār al-Anwār, vol. ۴۱, p. ۵۵, h. ۳.
