Imam Hasan(A.S.) Answers to Questions Put by His Father Amirul Muminin and others in Various Subjects.
He was asked: What is asceticism?
He answered: Asceticism is the desire for God-fearing and the abstinence from the worldly pleasures.
– What is clemency?
– Clemency is the suppression of one’s anger and self-possession.
– What is appositeness?
– Appositeness is to shove evil by means of goodness.
– What is relief?
– Relief is to protect the refugee, to be firm in misfortunes, and to be courageous in crises.
– What is glory?
– Glory is to give in loss and forgive the sin.
– What is chivalry?
– Chivalry is to keep the religion, personality, be lenient, sustain in doing favors, fulfill the rights, and behave amicably with people.
– What is generosity?
– Generosity is to begin with providing the gift before it is asked from you and serve food in times of famine.
– What is vice?
– Vice is to take care in worthless things and refrain from giving the few.
– What is meanness?
– Meanness is the fewness of giving and the speech of obscene language.
– What is indulgence?
– Indulgence is to give in sorrow and in joy.
– What is avarice?
– Avarice is to consider what you have in hand as an honor and what you have spent as waste.
– What is fraternity?
– Fraternity is to keep fraternity in misfortune and luxury.
– What is cowardice?
– Cowardice is to dare the friend and fear the enemy.
– What is opulence?
– Opulence is to satisfy with fated regardless of its quantity.
– What is poverty?
– Poverty is to be greedy to everything.
– What is liberality?
– Liberality is to do the best.
– What is generosity?
– Generosity is to preserve in good and bad situations.
– What is intrepidity?
– Intrepidity is to challenge the opponents.
– What is might?
– Might is the intensity of power and the contest against the strong men.
– What is humility?
– Humility is to feel fearful in situations of frankness.
– What is clumsiness?
– Clumsiness is to confront the ruler and that who is more powerful than you.
– What is sublimity?
– Sublimity is to do the good and avoid the evil.
– What is determination?
– Determination is to be long-suffering, behave leniently with the rulers, and be cautious against all people.
– What is honor?
– Honor is to accede to the friends and regard the neighbors.
– What is deprivation?
– Deprivation is to shun the opportunity when you are able to seize it.
– What is foolishness?
– Foolishness is to pursue the mean and associate with the seducers.
– What is faltering?
– Faltering is to play with your beard and to hem excessively before you speak.
– What is courage?
– Courage is to challenge the opponents and to be steadfast during fighting.
– What is overacting?
– Overaciting is to intrude in unconcerned matters.
– What is stupidity?
– Stupidity is to behave foolishly with the wealth and to disregard the honor.
– What is lowliness?
– Lowliness is to will to have everything for oneself and to dissociate with the companion.
Source:Tuhaf al-Uqool
