Tradition

مَنْ ساءَ خُلْقُهُ عَذَّبَ نَفْسَهُ

Imam al-Sadiq (‘a) is narrated to have said: “He who is ill mannered torments himself.”1

Brief Commentary

It is commonly understood that people who have a bad attitude and are always ill mannered towards others are a cause of their friends and close relatives’ torment. By associating with such a person, they undergo various hardships and difficulties due to their negative behavior. While this is undoubtedly correct, such people are actually a source of the greatest torment for themselves and their entire lives are made bitter and unlivable as a result. Such negative and pessimistic people usually live shorter lives, and they spend their days upset at everything and everyone. Contrary to this is someone who has good behavior and who sees life in a positive light. This type of demeanor and viewpoint is actually considered a type of great worship by the religion of Islam and it has been greatly emphasized and encouraged. It is counted as one of the important factors which allows us to gain entry into paradise.

• 1. Taken from the book: Tuhaf al-’Uqul, p. 270.