Imam Hussain said: “Know that al-ma’ruf (an act of goodness) is a praiseworthy earning and rewardable gain. If you were to see al-ma’ruf personified as a man, you would perceive him to be good and handsome, pleasing for people to behold, and transcending all of the worlds. And if you were to see acts of vileness personified, you would perceive an ugly, revolting, accursed man, whom the hearts would be averse to and whom the eyes would turn away from in disgust.”
لإمامُ الحسينُ (عَلَيهِ الّسَلامُ): اعلَموا أنَّ المَعروفَ مُكِسبٌ حَمداً ، ومُعقِبٌ أجراً ، فلَو رَأيتُمُ المَعروفَ رَجُلاً لَرَأيتُموهُ حَسَناً جَميلاً يَسُرُّ النّاظِرينَ ويَفوقُ العالَمينَ ، ولَو رَأيتُمُ اللُّؤمَ رَأيتُموهُ سَمِجاً قَبيحاً مَشوماً تَنفِرُ مِنهُ القُلوبُ وتُغَضُّ دُونَهُ الأبصارُ.
Sources
Mizan al-Hikma, hadith 694; Mustadrak al-Wasa’il, vol. 12, pg. 343, hadith 14242.
