18ـ الإمامُ عليٌّ (عَلَيهِ الّسَلامُ): يابنَ آدمَ، إذا رَأيتَ ربَّكَ سبحانَهُ يُتابِعُ علَيكَ نِعمَهُ وأنتَ تَعصيهِ فاحذَرْهُ.
18– Imam Ali (AS) said, ‘O son of Adam, if you see your Lord bestowing bounties upon you in continuous succession while you are disobeying Him, then be cautious of Him.’[Nahj al-Balagha, Saying 25]
19ـ الإمامُ عليٌّ (عَلَيهِ الّسَلامُ): أيُّها النّاسُ، لِيَرَكُمُ اللّهُ مِن النِّعمَةِ وَجِلِينَ كما يَراكُم مِن النِّقمَةِ فَرِقِينَ ؛ إنّهُ مَن وُسِّعَ علَيهِ في ذاتِ يَدِهِ فلَم يَرَ ذلكَ استِدراجاً فَقد أمِنَ مَخُوفاً، ومَن ضُيِّقَ علَيهِ في ذاتِ يَدِهِ فلَم يَرَ ذلكَ اختِباراً فَقد ضَيَّعَ مَأمولاً.
19– Imam Ali (AS) said, ‘O people, let Allah see you fearing Him at the time of happiness just as you fear Him in time of distress. Certainly he who is given ease [of life] and does not consider it as a means of gradual baiting towards tribulation [wrongdoing], considers himself safe against what is to be feared, while he who is afflicted with straitened circumstances but does not perceive them to be a trial loses the coveted reward.’[Nahj al-Balagha, Saying 358]
20ـ الإمامُ عليٌّ (عَلَيهِ الّسَلامُ): رُبَّ مُنعَمٍ علَيهِ مُستَدرَجٌ بالنُّعمى، ورُبَّ مُبتَلىً مَصنوعٌ لَهُ بالبَلوى.
20– Imam Ali (AS) said, ‘Very often a favoured person is gradually being driven [towards punishment] through these favours; and very often an afflicted person is being done good through his affliction.’[Nahj al-Balagha, Saying 273]
21ـ الإمامُ الحسينُ (عَلَيهِ الّسَلامُ): الاستِدراجُ مِن اللّهِ سبحانَهُ لِعَبدِهِ أن يُسبِغَ علَيهِ النِّعَمَ ويَسلُبَهُ الشُّكرَ.
21– Imam Husayn (AS) said, ‘Allah Almighty’s gradual baiting of His servant is that He envelops him with bounties and eradicates thankfulness from him.’[Bihar al-Anwar, v. 78, p. 117, no. 7]
