From 'Abd al-Rahman ibn Kathir al-Hashimi, from Ja'far ibn Muhammad, from his father (peace be upon them both), who said: The Commander of the Faithful (AS) said, describing the God-fearing: Their garb is moderation. They have bowed before God in obedience until they are struck with awe. Their souls rest within them in affliction as they rest within them in ease, out of their contentment with God's decree. The Creator is great in their souls, and all that is besides Him is small in their eyes. Their needs are few. They endured patiently for a few days and were followed by a long repose. The world sought them, but they did not seek it. One of them passes the evening with gratitude as his concern and rises in the morning with remembrance as his occupation; he rises wary of heedlessness and rejoicing at the bounty and mercy he has received. He blends forbearance with knowledge and knowledge with understanding. You see him far from sloth and constant in vigour. He pardons the one who wrongs him, gives to the one who withholds from him, and joins ties with the one who cuts him off. In upheavals he is dignified, in hardships patient, in ease thankful. If he is silent, his silence does not grieve him; if he speaks, he says nothing wrong. He is content with what has been decreed for him. If he is wronged, he bears it patiently until it is God Himself who takes vengeance for him... (Sifat al-Shi'a, vol. 1, p. 18)
Passages from the Sermon of Hammam, in which the Commander of the Faithful (AS) described the God-fearing, and which is among the choicest of his sermons: Their clothing is the clothing of people of modest means; through constant humility before God in servanthood they have come to stand in awe of Him; contentment with the divine decree has settled so deeply in them that the bitterness and sweetness of life are one to them; God is so great in their being that all else has become small and paltry beside them; their needs are few; they endure the two days of this world so as to attain the everlasting rest of the hereafter; the world has offered itself to them, but they do not want it; they pass the night with gratitude as their whole concern, and they rise in the morning with remembrance as their whole endeavour; they are constantly on guard against heedlessness, and filled with joy at God's mercy and bounty; they have blended forbearance with knowledge and knowledge with understanding; they are perpetually vigorous and rarely slack; they pardon those who have wronged them, give to those who have withheld from them, and visit those who have severed ties with them; in hardships they are dignified, in difficulties patient, and in blessings thankful; silence does not drag them into sorrow, nor does speech lead them into error; they are content with what has been decreed for them; and if they are wronged, they leave it for God to take vengeance on their behalf.