In the same Sermon

Behold! If any one of you finds your near ones in want or starvation, he should not desist from helping them with that which will not increase if this help is not extended, nor decrease by thus spending it. Whoever holds up his hand from (helping) his kinsmen, he holds only one hand, but at the time of his need many hands remain held up from helping him. One who is sweet tempered can retain the love of his people for good.

As-Sayyid ar-Radi says: In this sermon “al-ghafirah” means plenty or abundance, and this is derived from the Arab saying, “al-jamm al-ghafir” or “al-jamma’ al-ghafir” meaning thick crowd. In some versions for “al-ghafirah” “‘afwatan” appears. “‘afwah” means the good and selected part of anything.

It is said “akaltu ‘afwata ‘t-ta’am“, to mean “I ate select meal.” About “wa man yaqbid yadahu ‘an ‘ashiratihi” appearing towards the end he points out how beautiful the meaning of this sentence is, Amir al-mu’minin implies that he who does not help his own kinsmen withholds only his hand but when he is in need of their assistance and would be looking for their sympathy and support then he would remain deprived of the sympathies and succour of so many of their extending hands and marching feet.

Alternative Sources for Sermon 23

(1) Al-Kulayni, al-Kafi, II, 56, 294, V, 56;

(2) Ibn ‘Abd Rabbih, al-’Iqd, II, 366;

(3) Nasr ibn Muzahim, Siffin, 10;

(4) al-Ya’qubi Ta’rikh, II, 149;

(5) al-Zamakhshari, Rabi’, bab al-kasb wa al-mal;

(6) al-Muttaqi, Kanz, VIII, 225;

(7) Ibn ‘Asakir, Ta’rikh, in the biographical account of ‘A1i (A);

(8) Ibn Salam, Gharib al-hadith, II, 183;

(9) Ibn al-‘Athir, al-Nihayah, III, 468;

(10) Ibn Qutaybah, ‘Uyun, I, 189;

(11) al-Thaqafi, al-Gharat, I, 80