Prophet, peace be upon him, His counsel to the Commander of the Faithful:
In the name of Allah, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful. (Narrated from the Prophet, peace be upon him and his family, regarding these profound matters.) His counsel to the Commander of the Faithful: O Ali, true certainty (*yaqin*) entails that you do not seek to please anyone by incurring the wrath of Allah; that you do not praise anyone for what Allah has bestowed upon you; and that you do not blame anyone for what Allah has withheld from you. For provision (*rizq*) cannot be drawn by the intense craving of the covetous, nor can it be averted by the aversion of the reluctant—Allah has ordained it. Through His grace, He has placed contentment and joy within certainty and satisfaction, while He has placed worry and sorrow within doubt and discontent. O Ali, there is no poverty more severe than ignorance , no wealth more beneficial than intellect , no solitude more desolate than vanity , no form of support better than consultation , no intellect like sound planning , no nobl...