وَقَالَ (عليه السلام):
Amir al-mu'minin, peace be upon him, said:
الْعَيْنُ حَقٌّ،
Evil effect of sight is right;
وَالرُّقَى حَقٌّ،
charm is right;
وَالسِّحْرُ حَقٌّ،
sorcery is right,
وَالْفَأْلُ حَقٌّ،
and fa'l (auguring good) is right,
وَالطِيَرَةُ لَيْسَتْ بِحَقٍّ،
while tiyarah (auguring evil) (89) is not right,
وَالْعَدْوَى لَيْسَتْ بِحَقٍّ،
and spreading of a disease from one to the other is not right.
والطِّيبُ نُشْرَةٌ
Scent gives pleasure,
وَالْعَسَلُ نُشْرَةٌ،
honey gives pleasure,
وَالرُّكُوبُ نُشْرَةٌ،
riding gives pleasure
وَالنَّظَرُ إِلَى الْخُضْرَةِ نُشْرَةٌ.
and looking at greenery gives pleasure.
89. "Fa'l" means something from which one augurs well while "tiyarah" means something from which one augurs evil. From the point of view of religious law auguring evil from anything has no basis and it is just the product of whim. However, auguring well is not objectionable. For example, when after the immigration of the Prophet (from Mecca to Medina), the Quraysh announced that whoever apprehended the Prophet would be given one hundred camels as prize. Thereupon, Buraydah ibn al-Husayb al-Aslami set off in his search with seventy of his men arid when they met at a halting place the Prophet asked him who he was and he said he was Buraydah ibn al-Husayb al-Aslami. Buraydah said: "The Holy Prophet was not auguring evil instead he used to augur good." On hearing this, the Prophet remarked: "barada amruna wa salaha" (our consequence will be wholesome). Then he asked him what tribe he came from and on his replying that he was from Aslam, the Prophet remarked: "salimna" (we would be safe). Then he asked from which scion he was and when he replied that he was from Banu Sahm, the Prophet remarked: "kharaja sahmuka" (your arrow has missed the aim). Buraydah was much impressed by this pleasing conversation and inquired from the Prophet who he was. The Prophet replied, "Muhammad ibn 'Abdillah". Hearing this, he spontaneously exclaimed, "I do stand witness that you are the Messenger of Allah", and forsaking the prize announced by the Quraysh acquired the wealth of Belief. (al-Isti'ab, vol.1, pp.185-186: Usd al-ghabah, vol. 1, pp.175-176).
