Ghurar Al-Hikam Wa Durar Al-Kalim, Exalted Aphorisms And Pearls Of Speech

Affection And Friendship

Affection and friendship-الودّ والتودد والمودّة

1. Honour your friendship and keep your promise.

1ـ أكْرِمْ وُدَّكَ، واحْفَظْ عَهْدَكَ.

2. Affection is an auspicious blessing.

2ـ اَلتَّوَدُّدُ (التُّؤَدَةُ) يُمْنٌ.

3. When you love [something or someone] then do not be excessive [in your love].

3ـ إذا أحْبَبْتَ فَلا تُكْثِرُ.

4. When friendship gets established then [mutual] co-operation and support becomes necessary.

4ـ إذا ثَبَتَ الوُدُّ وَجَبَ التَّرافُدُ والتَّعاضُدُ.

5. Through affection comes love.

5ـ بِالتَّوَدُّدِ تَكُونُ المَحَبَّةُ.

6. The best person in granting favours is the one who begins by [showing] friendship.

6ـ أفْضَلُ النّاسِ مِنَّةً مَنْ بَدَأَ بِالمَوَدَّةِ.

7. The quickest friendships to get cut off are the friendships of wicked people.

7ـ أسْرَعُ المَوَدّاتِ اِنْقِطاعاً مَوَدّاتُ الأشْرارِ.

8. Verily friendship is expressed by the tongue whereas love is expressed by the gaze (or the eyes).

8ـ إنَّ المَوَدَّةَ يُعَبِّرُ عَنْهَا اللِّسانُ، وَعَنِ المَحَبَّةِ

9. Friendship is kinship.

9ـ اَلْمَوَدَّةُ رَحِمٌ.

10. Friendship is affinity.

10ـ اَلْمَوَدَّةُ نَسَبٌ.

11. Friendship is the closest relationship.

11ـ اَلْمَوَدَّةُ أقْرَبُ نَسَب.

12. Friendship is the closest kinship.

12ـ اَلْمَوَدَّةُ أقْرَبُ رَحِم.

13. Friendship is an acquired affinity.

13ـ اَلْمَوَدَّةُ نَسَبٌ مُسْتَفادٌ.

14. Being friendly with people is the cornerstone of intelligence.

14ـ اَلتَّوَدُّدُ إلَى النّاسِ رَأسُ العَقْلِ.

15. Friendship for the sake of Allah is the best relationship.

15ـ اَلمَوَدَّةُ فِي اللّهِ أقْرَبُ نَسَب.

16. Friendship for the sake of Allah is stronger than the bond of blood-relationship.

16ـ اَلْمَوَدَّةُ فِي اللّهِ آكَدُ مِنْ وَشيجِ الرَّحِمِ.

17. By [showing] affection love is strengthened.

17ـ بِالتَّوَدُّدِ تَتَأَكَّدُ المَحَبَّةُ.

18. Three things bring about love: religion, humility and generosity.

18ـ ثَلاثَةٌ يُوجِبْنَ المَحَبَّةَ: الدّينُ، والتَّواضُعُ، والسَّخاءُ.

19. Three things bring about love: good character, good companionship and humility.

19ـ ثَلاثٌ يُوجِبْنَ المَحَبَّةَ: حُسْنُ الخُلْقِ، وحُسْنُ الرِّفْقِ،

20. The best choice is making friends with the virtuous.

20ـ خَيْرُ الاِخْتِيار مُوادَّةُ الأخْيارِ.

21. The cornerstone of intelligence is being friendly with the people.

21ـ رَأسُ العَقْلِ التَّوَدُّدُ إلَى النّاسِ.

22. Many a [seemingly] friendly person is only feigning [friendship].

22ـ رُبَّ مُتَوَدِّد مُتَصَنِّع.

23. Ask the hearts about [your] affections, for indeed they are witnesses that do not accept bribes.

23ـ سَلُوا القُلُوبَ عَنِ المَودّاتِ: فَإنَّها شَواهِدُ لاتَقْبَلُ

24. Soundness of friendship is part of honouring one’s promise.

24ـ صِحَّةُ الوُدِّمِنْ كَرَمِ العَهْدِ.

25. In times of hardship and adversity, the value of [one’s] friendship becomes apparent.

25ـ فِي الضّيقِ وَالشِّدَّةِ يَظْهَرُ حُسْنُ المَوَدَّةِ.

26. Every friendship [and affection] that is based on [anything] other than seeking proximity to Allah is misguidance, and relying on it is impossible.

26ـ كُلُّ مَوَدَّة مَبْنِيَّة عَلى غَيْرِ ذاتِ اللّهِ ضَلالٌ

27. Be an upholder of friendship even if you do not find any custodian [for it].

27ـ كُنْ لِلْوُدِّ حافِظاً وإنْ لَمْ تَجِدْ مُحافِظاً.

28. One whose friendship is sincere, his audacity is tolerated.

28ـ مَنْ خَلُصَتْ مَوَدَّتُهُ اُحْتُمِلَتْ دالَّتُهُ.

29. Whoever befriends a silly person proclaims his own silliness.

29ـ مَنْ وادَّ السَّخيفَ أعْرَبَ عَنْ سَخَفِهِ.

30. One who befriends you for a [specific] objective, turns his back [on you] once it is accomplished.

30ـ مَنْ وادَّكَ لأمْر وَلّى عِنْدَ اِنْقِضائِهِ.

31. Nothing brings about love like generosity, companionship and good character.

31ـ مَا اسْتُجْلِبَتِ المَحَبَّةُ بِمِثْلِ السَّخاءِ، والرِّفْقِ،

32. One who does not give good advice is not sincere in his friendship.

32ـ ما أخْلَصَ المَوَدَّةَ مَنْ لَمْ يَنْصَحْ.

33. The friendship of the religious ones does not get severed quickly and is ever firm and lasting.

33ـ مَوَدَّةُ ذَوِى الدّينِ بَطيئَةُ الاِنْقـطاعِ، دائِمَةُ الثَّباتِ

34. The friendship of a fool is like a tree of fire, part of it consumes [its] other parts.

34ـ مَوَدَّةُ الأحْمَقِ كَشَجَرَةِ النّارِ، يَأْكُلُ بَعْضُها بَعْضاً.

35. The friendship of a fool vanishes the way a mirage vanishes and is dispersed the way mist gets dispersed.

35ـ مَوَدَّةُ الحَمْقى تَزُولُ كَما يَزُولُ السَّرابُ، وتُقْشِعُ كَما

36. The friendship of ignorant people constantly changes [with changes in circumstances] and quickly transforms [into enmity].

36ـ مَوَدَّةُ الجُهّالِ مُتَغَيِّرَةُ الأحْوالِ وشيكَةُ الاِنْتِقالِ.

37. The friendship of lay people parts like the parting of clouds, and disappears like the mirage disappears.

37ـ مَوَدَّةُ العَوامِّ تَنْقَطِعُ كَانْقِطاعِ السَّحابِ، وتَنْقَشِعُ

38. The friendship of worldly people is cut off when its [worldly] motives are severed.

38ـ وُدُّ أبْناءِ الدُّنْيا يَنْقَطِعُ لانْقِطاعِ أسْبابِهِ.

39. The friendship of the people who care for the Hereafter lasts as long as its motive [of pleasing Allah] lasts.

39ـ وُدُّ أبْناءِ الآخِرَةِ يَدُومُ لِدَوامِ سَبَبِهِ.

40. Have affection for those whom you befriend [only] for the sake of Allah and hate those whom you dislike [only] for the sake of Allah, the Glorified.

40ـ وادُّوا مَنْ تُوادُّونَهُ فِي اللّهِ، وأبْغِضُوا مَنْ

41. Do not grant your friendship to one who has no loyalty.

41ـ لاتَمْنَحَنَّ وُدَّكَ مَنْ لاوَفاءَ لَهُ.

42. Do not be keen in befriending a person whose true nature you have not known.

42ـ لاتَرْغَبَنَّ في مَوَدَّةِ مَنْ لَمْ تَكْشِفْهُ.

43. Do not befriend the disbeliever and do not accompany the ignorant.

43ـ لا تُوادُّوا الكافِرَ، ولاتُصاحِبُوا الجاهِلَ.

44. Do not rely on the friendship of the one who does not fulfil his promise.

44ـ لاتَعْتَمِدْ عَلى مَوَدَّةِ مَنْ لايُوفي بِعَهدِهِ.

45. Never extend your friendship when you do not find a [suitable] place for it.

45ـ لاتَبْذُلَنَّ وُدَّكَ إذا لَمْ تَجِدْ مَوْضِعاً.

46. No one shows compassion like the sincere friend.

46ـ لاشَفيقَ كَالوَدُودِ النّاصِحِ.

47. No one befriends the wicked except those who are like them.[^1]

47ـ لايُوادُّ الأشْرارَُ إلاّ أشْباهَُهُمْ.

48. The friendship of one who has no faith is not something to be envious about.

48ـ لايُغْتَـبَطُ بِمَوَدَّةِ مَنْ لادينَ لَهُ.

49. The loyal friend does not turn away from his friendship even if he is far away.

49ـ لايَنْتَقِلُ الوَدُودُ الوَفِيُّ عَنْ حِفاظِهِ وإنْ أُقْصيَ.

50. Friendship that lacks equity does not last.

50ـ لاتَدُومُ عَلى عَدَمِ الإنْصافِ المَوَدَّةُ.

51. It is befitting for the person who values the friendship of a fool to be humiliated.

51ـ يَنْبَغي أنْ يُهانَ مُغْتَنِمُ مَوَدَّةِ الحَمْقى.

52. The most beneficial of treasures is the love of the hearts.

52ـ أنْفَعُ الكُنُوزِ مَحَبَّةُ القُلُوبِ.

53. Friendship is one of two [close] relationships.

53ـ اَلْمَوَدَّةُ إحْدَى القِرابَتَيْنِ.

54. Friendship for the sake of Allah is the more perfect of the two kinships.

54ـ اَلْمَوَدَّةُ فِي اللّهِ أكْمَلُ النَّسَبَيْنِ.

55. Friendship is the [mutual] empathy of the hearts and the harmony of the souls.

55ـ اَلْمَوَدَّةُ تَعاطُفُ القُلُوبِ في (وَ) ايتِلافِ الأرْواحِ.

56. The closest proximity is the affection of the hearts.

56ـ أقْرَبُ القُرْبِ مَوَدّاتُ القُلُوبِ.

57. The farthest remoteness is the aloofness of the hearts.

57ـ أبْعَدُ البُعْدِ تَنائِى القُلُوبِ.

58. Beware of loving the enemies of Allah or having sincere affection for other than the friends of Allah, for indeed whoever loves a group of people is resurrected with them.

58ـ إيّاكَ أنْ تُحِبَّ أعْداءَ اللّهِ، أوْ تُصْفِيَ وُدَّكَ لِغَيْرِ

59. Seek the love of Allah, the Glorified, by desiring that which is with Him.

59ـ تَحَبَّبْ إلَى اللّهِ سُبْحانَهُ بِالرَّغْبَةِ فيما لَدَيْهِ.

60. Endear yourself to the people by being uninterested in their possessions and you will be successful in gaining their love.

60ـ تَحَبَّبْ إلَى النّاسِ بِالزٌّهْدِ فيما أيْديِهِمْ، تَفُزْ

61. How can one in whose heart love for this world resides, claim to love Allah?!

61ـ كَيْفَ يَدَّعي حُبَّ اللّهِ مَنْ سَكَنَ قَلْبَهُ حُبُّ الدُّنْيا؟!

62. Friendship does not become pure [and sincere] with one who is not well-mannered.

62ـ لاتَصْفُو الخُلَّةُ مَعَ غَيْرِأديب.

[^1]: Or [in another reading]: The wicked do not befriend anyone except those who are like them.