181. Imām al-Bāqir (a.s.): “Ali (a.s.) used to write to his commanders of the troops: “I implore by God to refrain from doing wrong to the farmers.”1
See 5/8 (Levying Taxes).
5/4
Development of Crafts
182. Imām Ali (a.s.): “The profession of a person is a treasure.”2
183. Imām Ali (a.s.): “Verily God Almighty loves one who has a profession and is trustworthy.”3
184. Imām Ali (a.s.) – in an aphorism attributed to him: “Do not seek speed of action, rather seek good quality. Indeed people will not be asked how long they took to finish the job, but they will be asked about the excellence of the product.”4
185. al-Kāfi - narrated by Umm Hasan al-Nakha`i: “The Commander of the Faithful passed by me and asked: “Umm Hasan! What do you do?”
I said, “I am a spinner.”
The Imām said, “Verily it is the most legitimate occupation [or] one of the most legitimate of occupations.”5
186. Tafsir al-Ayyāshi – narrating from Muhammad ibn al-Âabbi: “Ibrāhim al-Nakha`i passed by a woman who was sitting at her doorstep in the morning holding a spindle in her hands and spinning. Ibrāhim told her: “O Umm Bakr! Have you not grown old! Is it not the time for you to put the spindle aside?”
Umm Bakr said: “How should I put it aside and I have heard Ali Ibn Abi Tālib the Commander of the Faithful (a.s.) say: Spinning is among the good occupations.’”6
1.. Qurb al-Isnād, p. ۱۳۸, h. ۴۸۹, Bihār al-Anwār, vol. ۱۰۰, p. ۳۳, h. ۱۰.
2.. al-Mawā`iz al-`Adadiya, p. ۵۵.
3.. al-Kāfi, vol. ۵, p. ۱۱۳, h. ۱, Man lā Yahdarahu al-Faqih, vol. ۳, p. ۱۵۸, h. ۳۵۸۰, al-Khisāl, p. ۶۲۱, h. ۱۰.
4.. Sharh Nahj al-Balāghah, vol. ۲۰, p. ۲۶۷, h. ۱۰۳.
5.. al-Kāfi, vol. ۵, p. ۳۱۱, h. ۳۲. Tahdhib al-Ahkām, vol. ۶, p. ۳۸۲, h. ۱۱۲۷.
6.. Tafsir al-`Ayyāshi, vol. ۱, p. ۱۵۰, h. ۴۹۴, Bihār al-Anwār, vol. ۱۰۳, p. ۵۳, h. ۱۵.
