1001 - التَّعَلُّمُ فِي الشَّبابِ‏

1001. LEARNING DURING ONE'S YOUTH

3195.رسولُ اللَّهِ صلى اللَّه عليه وآله : مَن تَعَلَّمَ في شَبابِهِ كانَ بِمَنزِلَةِ الرَّسمِ في الحَجَرِ ، ومَن تَعَلَّمَ وهُو كبيرٌ كانَ بمَنزِلَةِ الكِتابِ على‏ وَجهِ الماءِ .¹

3195.The Prophet (SAWA) said, 'Learning something during one's youth is like engraving in stone, and learning something when one is old is like writing on the surface of water.' ²

3196.الإمامُ الباقرُ عليه السلام : لَو اُتِيتُ بِشابٍّ مِن شَبابِ الشِّيعَةِ لا يَتَفَقَّهُ (في الدِّينِ) لأََدَّبتُهُ .³

3196.Imam al-Baqir (AS) said, 'If I was brought a young Shia man undevoted to learning [religious matters], I would discipline him.' ⁴

3197.الإمامُ الصّادقُ عليه السلام : لَستُ اُحِبُّ أن أرى‏ الشّابَّ مِنكُم إلّا غادياً في حالَينِ : إمّا عالِماً أو مُتَعَلِّماً ، فإن لَم يَفعَلْ فَرَّطَ ، فإن فَرَّطَ ضَيَّعَ ، وإنْ ضَيَّعَ أثِمَ ، وإن أثِمَ سَكَنَ النارَ والذي بَعَثَ مُحمّداً بِالحَقِّ .⁵

3197.Imam al-Sadiq (AS) said, 'I only like to see the young man from among you occupied in either of two states: learning or teaching, for if he does not [engage in either of these two], he is wasting his time; and by wasting his time, he will lose out; and by losing out, he will be committing a sin; and by committing a sin, he will dwell in the Fire, by the One who sent Muhammad with the truth.' ⁶

1000 - تَربِيَةُ الأحداثِ‏

1000. EDUCATING YOUNGSTERS

3193.الإمامُ عليٌّ عليه السلام : إنّما قَلبُ الحَدَثِ كالأرضِ الخاليَةِ ، ما اُلقِيَ فيها مِن شَي‏ءٍ قَبِلَتهُ .¹

3193.Imam Ali (AS) said, 'Verily the heart of a youngster is like an empty plot of land - it accepts whatever is planted therein.' ²

3194.الكافي عَن إسماعيلَ بنِ عبدِ الخالقِ : سمعت أبا عَبدِاللَّه عليه السلام يقول لأبي جعفر الأحول وأنا أسمع : أتَيتَ البَصرةَ ؟ فَقالَ : نَعَم ، قالَ : كيفَ رَأيتَ مُسارَعَةَ الناسِ إلى هذا الأمرِ ودُخُولَهُم فيهِ ؟ قالَ : واللَّهِ إنّهُم لَقليلٌ ، ولَقَد فَعَلُوا وإنّ ذلك لَقليلٌ ، فقالَ : علَيكَ بِالأحداثِ ؛ فإنّهُم أسرَعُ إلى‏ كُلِّ خَيرٍ .³

3194. Imam al-Sadiq (AS) asked al-Ahwal, 'Did you go to Basra?' He replied, 'Yes.' Imam (AS) asked, 'How did you find people's hastening to this matter [of Imamate] and embracing it?' He replied, 'By Allah, such people were few in number, and even that which they did do was little.' Imam replied, 'You should put it forth to the youngsters, for verily they hasten towards anything good.' ⁴