وسأَله عليه السلام رجل أَن يعرّفه ما الاِيمان. فقال:
Someone asked Amir al-mu'minin, peace be upon him, to define faith for him, so he said:
إِذَا كَانَ غَدٌ فَأْتِنِي حَتَّى أُخْبِرَكَ عَلَى أَسْمَاعِ النَّاسِ،
Come to me tomorrow so that I enlighten you in the presence of all the people,
فإِنْ نَسِيتَ مَقَالَتِي حَفِظَهَا عَلَيْكَ غَيْرُكَ،
so that if you forget what I say others might retain it,
فَإِنَّ الْكَلاَمَ كَالشَّارِدَةِ،
because an utterance is like a fluttering prey
يَنْقُفُهَاهذَا
which may be grappled with by someone
وَيُخْطِئُهَاهذَا.
but missed by others.
وقد ذكرنا ما أجابه به عليه السلام فيما تقدم من هذا الباب، وهو قوله: الاِيمان على أربع شعب.
As-Sayyid ar-Radi says: We have already stated in the earlier chapter what Amir al-mu'minin replied to this man, namely his saying (no.31) "Faith stands on four supports."
