hadith
2150
۞
Imam Ali (AS) was once asked which was better, justice or generosity, to which he replied, ‘Justice puts things in their rightful place, whereas generosity takes them away from their course. Justice is a general predominant state, whereas generosity is a transient characteristic. Justice is therefore the nobler and better of the two.
الإمامُ عليٌّ (عَلَيهِ الّسَلامُ) ـ لَمّا سُئلَ عَن أفضَلِيّةِ العَدلِ أو الجُودِ ـ: العَدلُ يَضَعُ الاُمورَ مَواضِعَها، والجُودُ يُخرِجُها مِن جِهَتِها، والعَدلُ سائسٌ عامٌّ، والجُودُ عارِضٌ خاصٌّ، فالعَدلُ أشرَفُهُما وأفضَلُهُما.