To Whom Should I Take My Complaints?

Many of us, are not sufficiently careful about to whom we talk about our problems and complaints.  In the following authentic tradition, we are told very clearly, to whom we should go to for help, and from whom we should refrain from opening up and discussing our problems. 

Arabic Text:

 

مُحَمَّدُ بْنُ يَحْيَى عَنْ أَحْمَدَ بْنِ مُحَمَّدٍ عَنِ ابْنِ مَحْبُوبٍ عَنْ يُونُسَ بْنِ عَمَّارٍ قَالَ سَمِعْتُ أَبَا عَبْدِ اللَّهِ ع يَقُولُ أَيُّمَا مُؤْمِنٍ شَكَا حَاجَتَهُ وَ ضُرَّهُ إِلَى كَافِرٍ أَوْ إِلَى مَنْ يُخَالِفُهُ عَلَى دِينِهِ فَكَأَنَّمَا شَكَا اللَّهَ عَزَّ وَ جَلَّ إِلَى عَدُوٍّ مِنْ أَعْدَاءِ اللَّهِ وَ أَيُّمَا رَجُلٍ مُؤْمِنٍ شَكَا حَاجَتَهُ وَ ضُرَّهُ إِلَى مُؤْمِنٍ مِثْلِهِ كَانَتْ شَكْوَاهُ إِلَى اللَّهِ عَزَّ وَ جَلَّ

Farsi Translation:

يونس بن عمار گويد: شنيدم از امام صادق عليه السّلام كه ميفرمود : هر مؤمنى كه حاجت و گرفتارى خود را بدرگاه كافرى و يا بنزد كسى كه در دين و مذهب با او مخالفت دارد ببرد و باو شكوه حال خود كند، بمانند آن است كه شكايت خداى عز و جل را بنزد دشمنى از دشمنانش برده باشد و هر مرد مؤمنى كه شكايت و گرفتارى خود را بنزد مؤمنى مانند خود ببرد چنين كسى بدرگاه خداى عز و جل شكايت برده است.

English Translation:

Younis ibn Ammar said: I heard Abu Abdillah (peace be upon him) say: 

"Whenever a believer takes his needs and complaints to a disbeliever or to an individual who is against  his religion and tells him about his problems, it is as if he has taken God's, Glorified and Exalted, complaints to one of His enemies; and whenever a believer takes his complaints and problems to another believer like himself, he has taken his complaints to God, Glorified and Exalted."

Source:

Rawdat al-Kafi, P. 144, Tradition #113