Private Advice

Private Advice – الإمام الشافعي

Imam Ash-Shaafi’i said:

تَعَمَّدني بِنُصحِكَ في اِنفِرادي
وَجَنِّبني النَصيحَةَ في الجَماعَه

فَإِنَّ النُصحَ بَينَ الناسِ نَوعٌ
مِنَ التَوبيخِ لا أَرضى اِستِماعَه

وَإِن خالَفتَني وَعَصِيتَ قَولي
فَلا تَجزَع إِذا لَم تُعطَ طاعَه

“Shelter me with your advice in private *
And avoid advising me in public.

For indeed, advice amongst the people is *
A form of rebuke which I’m not pleased to hear.

But if you differ and disobey these words of mine *
Then don’t be sad when you’re not given obedience.”

[“Diwan Imam As-Shafi’ii”, p. 56].