الشَّيبُ Old Age

1ـ رسولُ اللهِ‏ِ (صَلَّيَ اللهُ عَلَيهِ وَ آلِهِ): الشَّيخُ شابٌّ على حُبِّ أنيسٍ، وطُولِ حَياةٍ ، وكَثرَةِ مالٍ.

1– The Prophet (SAWA) said, ‘The old man is a youth when it comes to his love for his intimate one, his long life and his Abundant wealth.’[Bihar al-Anwar, v. 77, p. 174, no. 9]
 

2ـ الإمامُ عليٌّ (عَلَيهِ الّسَلامُ) :المَشِيبُ رسولُ المَوتِ.

2– Imam Ali (AS) said, ‘Gray hair is the herald of death.’[Ghurar al-Hikam, no. 1202]
 

3ـ الإمامُ عليٌّ (عَلَيهِ الّسَلامُ): كَفى بالشَّيبِ نَذِيراً.

3– Imam Ali (AS) said, ‘Old age suffices as a warning.’[Ibid. no. 7019]
 

4ـ الإمامُ عليٌّ (عَلَيهِ الّسَلامُ): وَقارُ الشَّيبِ أحَبُّ إلَيَّ مِن نَضارَةِ الشَّبابِ .

4– Imam Ali (AS) said, ‘The dignified bearing that comes with old age is more beloved to me than the vigour of youth.’[Ibid. no. 10099]
 

5ـ الإمامُ عليٌّ (عَلَيهِ الّسَلامُ): إذا شابَ العاقِلُ شَبَّ عَقلُهُ ، إذا شابَ الجاهِلُ شَبَّ جَهلُهُ .

5– Imam Ali (AS) said, ‘When an intelligent man grows old, his intellect remains young [and sharp], and when the ignorant man grows old, his ignorance too remains young [and more reckless].’[Ibid. nos. 4169-4170]
 

6ـ الإمامُ الباقرُ (عَلَيهِ الّسَلامُ): أصبَحَ إبراهيمُ (عَلَيهِ الّسَلامُ) فَرَأى في لِحيَتِهِ شَيبا شَعرَةً بَيضاءَ ، فقالَ: الحَمدُ للّه‏ِِ رَبِّ العالَمينَ الذي بَلَّغَني هذَا المَبلَغَ ولَم أعصِ اللّه‏َ طَرفَةَ عَينٍ.

6– Imam al-Baqir (AS) said, ‘Prophet Abraham (AS) woke up one morning to find old age in the form of a white hair in his beard, and said, ‘Praise be to Allah, the Lord of the worlds, Who has brought me to this ripe age in which I have never yet disobeyed Him for even the blink of an eye.’[`AIlal al-Shara’i`a, p. 104, no. 2]
 

7ـ الإمامُ الصّادقُ (عَلَيهِ الّسَلامُ): ما رَأيتُ شَيئاً أسرَعَ إلى شيءٍ مِن الشَّيبِ إلَى المؤمنِ ، وإنّهُ وَقارٌ للمؤمِنِ في الدنيا ، ونورُ ساطِعٌ يَومَ القِيامَةِ ، بهِ وَقَّرَ اللّه‏ُ تعالى خَليلَهُ إبراهيمَ (عَلَيهِ الّسَلامُ) ، فقالَ: ما هذا يا رَبِّ ؟ قالَ لَهُ: هذا وَقارٌ ، فقالَ: يا رَبِّ زِدني وَقاراً.

7– Imam al-Sadiq (AS) said, ‘I have never seen anything catch up with something faster than old age catches up with a believer, for verily it is a source of dignity for the believer in this world and a brilliant light for him on the Day of Resurrection. Allah, most High, honoured Abraham (AS) with it [old age], who said, ‘What is this, my Lord?’ to which Allah replied, ‘This is dignity’, so Abraham said, ‘O my Lord, increase me in dignity then.’[Amali al-Tusi, p. 699, no. 1492]