Al-Tafsīr al-Qayyim - Ibn al-Qayyim - (693)

Al-Tafsīr al-QayyimIbn al-Qayyim

and roams about, frequenting the doors of desire. When hungry, however, it grows still, humble, and submissive.

As for excessive socializing, it is an incurable disease that brings every kind of evil. How many blessings have been lost through association and companionship! How much enmity they have sown! How many resentments they have planted in hearts—resentments that remain even when firmly rooted mountains pass away! Excessive socializing brings loss in this world and the Hereafter. A person should therefore associate with others only as much as necessary.

In this regard, he should distinguish four categories of people. Whenever he confuses one category with another and fails to distinguish between them, evil befalls him.

The first category comprises those whose company is like nourishment, needed every day and night. Once he has taken what he needs, he withdraws from their company; whenever he needs them again, he returns to them, continuing in this way. Such people are rarer than red sulfur. They are those who know Allah and His commands, the schemes of His enemy, and the diseases of the heart and their remedies. They are sincerely devoted to Allah, His Book, and His Messenger, and sincerely seek the good of His creation. Associating with such people is pure gain.

The second category comprises those whose company is like medicine, needed during illness. As long as you are healthy, you have no need of their company. These are people whose company is indispensable for securing your livelihood and meeting your needs through various transactions, partnerships, consultation, treatment of illnesses, and the like. Once your need for associating with such people has been met, any further association with them falls into:

The third category: those whose company is like a disease, with its varying degrees, kinds, and severity.

Among them are those whose company is like an incurable disease or a chronic illness: you gain nothing from them in either your religious or worldly affairs. Yet you inevitably suffer loss through them in your religion and your worldly affairs

وجالت، وطافت على أبواب الشهوات، وإذا جاعت سكنت وخشعت وذلت. وأما فضول المخالطة: فهي الداء العضال الجالب لكل شر. وكم سلبت المخالطة والمعاشرة من نعمة. وكم زرعت من عداوة. وكم غرست في القلب من حزازات تزول الجبال الراسيات، وهي في القلوب لا تزول، ففي فضول المخالطة خسارة الدنيا والآخرة. وإنما ينبغي للعبد أن يأخذ من المخالطة بمقدار الحاجة. ويجعل الناس فيها أربعة أقسام: متي خلط أحد الأقسام بالآخر، ولم يميز بينهما دخل عليه الشر. أحدها: من مخالطته كالغذاء لا يستغنى عنه في اليوم والليلة. فإذا أخذ حاجته منه ترك الخلطة ثم إذا احتاج إليه خالطه هكذا على الدوام. وهذا الضرب أعز من الكبريت الأحمر، وهم العلماء بالله وأمره، ومكايد عدوه، وأمراض القلوب وأدويتها الناصحون لله ولكتابه ولرسوله ولخلقه. فهذا الضرب في مخالطتهم الربح كل الربح. القسم الثاني: من مخالطته كالدواء، يحتاج إليه عند المرض. فما دمت صحيحا فلا حاجة لك في خلطته، وهم من لا يستغنى عن مخالطتهم في مصلحة المعاش، وقيام ما أنت محتاج من أنواع المعاملات والمشاركات والاستشارة والعلاج للأدواء ونحوها فإذا قضيت حاجتك من مخالطة هذا الضرب بقيت مخالطتهم من. القسم الثالث: وهم من مخالطته كالداء على اختلاف مراتبه وأنواعه وقوته وضعفه. فمنهم من مخالطته كالداء العضال، والمرض المزمن، وهو من لا تربح عليه في دين ولا دنيا. ومع ذلك فلا بد من أن تخسر عليه الدين والدنيا