خَيْرٍ وَ مُجَالَسَةُ الْمَوْتَى فَقِيلَ لَهُ يَا رَسُولَ اللَّهِ وَ مَا الْمَوْتَى قَالَ كُلُّ غَنِيٍّ مُتْرَفٍ.

and keeping company with the dead. It was said: O Messenger of God, may God bless him and his family, who are the dead? He said: Every rich man given to pleasure.

«11»- ل، الخصال ابْنُ الْمُتَوَكِّلِ عَنِ الْحِمْيَرِيِّ عَنِ ابْنِ مَحْبُوبٍ عَنْ أَبِي وَلَّادٍ ١ عَنْ أَبِي عَبْدِ اللَّهِ عليه السلام قَالَ كَانَ عَلِيُّ بْنُ الْحُسَيْنِ عليهما السلام يَقُولُ إِنَّ الْمَعْرِفَةَ بِكَمَالِ دِينِ الْمُسْلِمِ تَرْكُهُ الْكَلَامَ فِيمَا لَا يَعْنِيهِ وَ قِلَّةُ الْمِرَاءِ وَ حِلْمُهُ وَ صَبْرُهُ وَ حُسْنُ خُلُقِهِ.

Al-Khisal: Imam Zayn al-'Abidin, peace be upon him, used always to say: A Muslim's completeness in religion is recognised by this: that he speak no idle words, wrangle little, and be forbearing, patient and good-natured.

بيان: أي سبب المعرفة.

Elucidation: That is, the cause of recognition.

«12»- ل، الخصال أَبِی وَ ابْنُ الْوَلِيدِ مَعاً عَنْ مُحَمَّدٍ الْعَطَّارِ وَ أَحْمَدَ بْنِ إِدْرِيسَ مَعاً عَنِ الْأَشْعَرِيِّ قَالَ حَدَّثَنِي بَعْضُ أَصْحَابِنَا يَعْنِي جَعْفَرَ بْنَ مُحَمَّدِ بْنِ عُبَيْدِ اللَّهِ عَنْ أَبِي يَحْيَى الْوَاسِطِيِّ عَمَّنْ ذَكَرَهُ أَنَّهُ قَالَ لِأَبِي عَبْدِ اللَّهِ عليه السلام أَ تَرَی هَذَا الْخَلْقَ كُلَّهُ مِنَ النَّاسِ فَقَالَ أَلْقِ مِنْهُمُ التَّارِكَ لِلسِّوَاكِ وَ الْمُتَرَبِّعَ فِي مَوْضِعِ الضَّيِّقِ وَ الدَّاخِلَ فِيمَا لَا يَعْنِيهِ وَ الْمُمَارِيَ فِيمَا لَا عِلْمَ لَهُ بِهِ وَ الْمُتَمَرِّضَ مِنْ غَيْرِ عِلَّةٍ وَ الْمُتَشَعِّثَ مِنْ غَيْرِ مُصِيبَةٍ وَ الْمُخَالِفَ عَلَى أَصْحَابِهِ فِي الْحَقِّ وَ قَدِ اتَّفَقُوا عَلَيْهِ وَ الْمُفْتَخِرَ يَفْتَخِرُ بِآبَائِهِ وَ هُوَ خِلْوٌ مِنْ صَالِحِ أَعْمَالِهِمْ فَهُوَ بِمَنْزِلَةِ الْخَلَنْجِ يُقْشَرُ لِحاً مِنْ لِحاً حَتَّى يُوصَلَ إِلَى جَوْهَرِيَّتِهِ وَ هُوَ كَمَا قَالَ اللَّهُ عَزَّ وَ جَلَّ إِنْ هُمْ إِلَّا كَالْأَنْعامِ بَلْ هُمْ أَضَلُّ سَبِيلًا.

Al-Khisal: The narrator said to Imam Ja'far al-Sadiq, peace be upon him: Do you count all these two-legged creatures as men? He said: Throw out eight classes of them: one who does not use the toothstick; one who sits cross-legged in a narrow place; one who meddles in idle business; one who argues without knowledge; one who feigns illness without any ailment; one who is distressed without any calamity; one who opposes his own companions in a sound matter on which they are agreed; and one who boasts of his forefathers while having no share in their good deeds. Such a man is like the "khalanj" plant, whose bark is stripped off to reach its core and pith. He is just as God, mighty and exalted, said: "They are only like cattle; nay, they are further astray" — "Or do you suppose that most of them hear or understand? They are only like cattle; nay, they are further astray."

بيان: الخلنج كسمند شجر فارسي معرب و كانوا ينحتون منه القصاع و الظاهر أنه شبه من يفتخر بآبائه مع كونه خاليا عن صالح أعمالهم بلحا شجر الخلنج فإن لحاه فاسد و لا ينفع اللحاء كون لبه صالحا لأن ينحت منه الأشياء بل إذا أرادوا ذلك قشروا لحاه و نبذوها و انتفعوا بلبه و أصله فكما لا ينفع صلاح اللب للقشر مع مجاورته له فكذا لا ينفع صلاح الآباء للمفتخر بهم مع كونه فاسدا- ل، الخصال في الأربعمائة ما يناسب الباب.

Elucidation: It appears that in this hadith one who boasts of his forefathers while being himself empty of their good deeds is likened to the "khalanj" tree; for since the bark of that tree is worthless, it has no use at all. When they wish to use that tree they strip off its bark and use only its core — just as the bark of that tree, though it adjoins the core, is of no use to it. Likewise the goodness of forefathers worthy of pride is of no use at all to a corrupt man. Al-Khisal: In the hadith of the four hundred there is material suited to this chapter.

«13»- ن، عيون أخبار الرضا عليه السلام بِإِسْنَادِ التَّمِيمِيِّ عَنِ الرِّضَا عَنْ آبَائِهِ عَنْ عَلِيٍّ عليه السلام قَالَ: لَعَنَ اللَّهُ الَّذِينَ يُجَادِلُونَ فِي دِينِهِ أُولَئِكَ مَلْعُونُونَ عَلَى لِسَانِ نَبِيِّهِ صلى اللّٰه عليه و آله.

'Uyun Akhbar al-Rida, peace be upon him: Imam al-Rida, peace be upon him, related from his forefathers, from the Commander of the Faithful, peace be upon him, that he said: God, exalted, has cursed those who contend with the believers about the religion of God, and they are cursed by the tongue of the Messenger of God, may God bless him and his family, as well.

«14»- ما، الأمالي للشيخ الطوسي فِي وَصِيَّةِ أَمِيرِ الْمُؤْمِنِينَ عليه السلام عِنْدَ وَفَاتِهِ دَعِ الْمُمَارَاةَ وَ مُجَارَاةَ مَنْ لَا عَقْلَ لَهُ وَ لَا عِلْمَ.

Amali of al-Shaykh al-Tusi: In the counsel of 'Ali, peace be upon him, which he gave at the time of his death, it comes: Abandon wrangling and keeping pace in debate with one who has neither intellect nor knowledge.