Maʿānī al-ʾAkhbār

Chapter #94

The meaning of the two small, the two big and the two guises

Hadith #1

حدثنا أحمد بن إبراهيم بن الوليد السلمي، قال: حدثنا أبو الفضل محمد بن أحمد الكاتب النيسابوري بإسناد رفعه إلى أمير المؤمنين عليه السلام أنه قال: كمال الرجل بست خصال: بأصغريه، وأكبريه، وهيئتيه. فأما أصغراه فقلبه ولسانه إن قاتل قاتل بجنان، وإن تكلم تكلم بلسان، وأما أكبراه فعقله وهمته، وأما هيئتاه فماله وجماله.


1. We were told by Ahmad bin Ibrahim bin Waleed al-Sulami, that he said: We were told by Abu’l-Fadl, Muhammed bin Ahmad al-Katib al-Naisabouri, with a chain of narrators that he ascribed to the Commander of the Believers, peace be upon him, that he said: The perfection of man is in six traits: with his two small things, his two big things and his two guises. As for his two small things, they are his heart and tongue; if he fights, he fights with pneuma, and if he speaks, he speaks with a tongue. As for his two big things, they are his intellect and enthusiasm. As for his two guises, they are his property and beauty.