لطفا منتظر باشید ...
Sayings of Imam Ali (A.S.)
1. During civil disturbance adopt such an attitude that
people do not attach any importance to you - they neither
burden you with complicated affairs, nor try to derive any
advantage out of you.
2. He who is greedy is disgraced; he who discloses his
hardship will always be humiliated; he who has no control
over his tongue will often have to face discomfort.
3. Avarice is disgrace; cowardice is a defect; poverty
often disables an intelligent man from arguing his case;
a poor man is a stranger in his own town; misfortune and
helplessness are calamities; patience is a kind of bravery; to
sever attachments with the wicked world is the greatest
wealth; piety is the best weapon of defence.
4. Submission to Allah's Will is the best companion;
wisdom is the noblest heritage; theoretical and practical
knowledge are the best signs of distinction; deep thinking
will present the clearest picture of every problem.
5. The mind of a wise man is the safest custody of
secrets; cheerfulness is the key to friendship; patience and
forbearance will conceal many defects.
6. A conceited and self-admiring person is disliked by
others; charity and alms are the best remedy for ailments
and calamities; one has to account in the next world for
the deeds that he has done in this world.
7. Man is a wonderful creature; he sees through the
layers of fat (eyes), hears through a bone (ears) and speaks
through a lump of flesh (tongue).
8. When this world favors somebody, it lends him the
attributes, and surpassing merits of others and when it
turns its face away from him it snatches away even his own
excellences and fame.
9. Live amongst people in such a manner that if you die
they weep over you and if you are alive they crave for
your company.
10. If you overpower your enemy, then pardon him by
way of thankfulness to Allah, for being able to subdue him.
11. Unfortunate is he who cannot gain a few sincere
friends during his life and more unfortunate is the one who
has gained them and then lost them (through his deeds).
12. When some blessings come to you, do not drive them
away through thanklessness.
13. He who is deserted by friends and relatives will often
find help and sympathy from strangers.
14. Every person who is tempted to go astray, does not
deserve punishment.
15. Our affairs are attached to the destiny decreed by
Allah, even our best plans may lead us to destruction.
16. There is a tradition of the Holy Prophet "With the
help of hair-dye turn old age into youth so that you do not
resemble the Jews". When Imam Ali was asked to comment
on this tradition, he said that in the early stage of Islam
there were very few Muslims. The Holy Prophet advised
them to look young and energetic and not to adopt the
fashion of the Jews (priest) having long, white flowing
beards. But the Muslims were not in minority then, theirs
was a strong and powerful State, they could take up any
style they liked.
17. For those who refused to side with any party, Imam
Ali or his enemies, Imam Ali said: They have forsaken
religion and are of no use to infidelity also.
18. One who rushes madly after inordinate desire, runs
the risk of encountering destruction and death.
19. Overlook and forgive the weaknesses of the generous
people because if they fall down, Allah will help them.
20. Failures are often the results of timidity and fears;
disappointments are the results of bashfulness; hours of
leisure pass away like summer-clouds, therefore, do not
waste opportunity of doing good.
21. If the right usurped from us is given back to us we
shall take it, otherwise we shall go on claiming it.
22. If someone's deeds lower his position, his pedigree
cannot elevate it.
23. To render relief to the distressed and to help the
oppressed make amends for great sins.
24. O son of Adam, when you see that your Lord, the
Glorified, bestows His Favors on you while you disobey
Him, you should fear Him (take warning that His Wrath
may not turn those very blessings into misfortunes).
25. Often your utterances and expressions of your face
leak out the secrets of your hidden thoughts.
26. When you get ill do not get nervous about it and try
as much as possible to be hopeful.
27. The best form of devotion to the service of Allah is
not to make a show of it.
28. When you have to depart from this world and have to
meet death (eventually), then why wish delay (why feel
nervous about death).
29. Take warning ! He has not exposed so many of your
sinful activities that it appears as if He has forgiven you
(it may be that He has given you time to repent).
30. When Imam Ali was asked about Faith in Religion, he
replied that the structure of faith is supported by four
pillars endurance, conviction, justice and jihad.
Endurance is composed of four attributes: eagerness,
fear, piety and anticipation (of death). so whoever is eager
for Paradise will ignore temptations; whoever fears the fire
of Hell will abstain from sins; whoever practices piety will
easily bear the difficulties of life and whoever anticipates
death will hasten towards good deeds.
Conviction has also four aspects to guard oneself
against infatuations of sin; to search for explanation of
truth through knowledge; to gain lessons from instructive
things and to follow the precedent of the past people,
because whoever wants to guard himself against vices and
sins will have to search for the true causes of infatuation
and the true ways of combating them out and to find
those true ways one has to search them with the help of
knowledge, whoever gets fully acquainted with various
branches of knowledge will take lessons from life and
whoever tries to take lessons from life is actually engaged
in the study of the causes of rise and fall of previous
civilizations .
Justice also has four aspects depth of understanding,
profoundness of knowledge, fairness of judgment and
dearness of mind; because whoever tries his best to under-
stand a problem will have to study it, whoever has the
practice of studying the subject he is to deal with, will
develop a clear mind and will always come to correct
decisions, whoever tries to achieve all this will have to
develop ample patience and forbearance and whoever does
this has done justice to the cause of religion and has led a
life of good repute and fame.
Jihad is divided into four branches: to persuade people
to be obedient to Allah; to prohibit them from sin and
vice; to struggle (in the cause of Allah) sincerely and firmly
on all occasions and to detest the vicious. Whoever persuades
people to obey the orders of Allah provides strength to the
believers; whoever dissuades them from vices and sins
humiliates the unbelievers; whoever struggles on all occasions
discharges all his obligations and whoever detests the
vicious only for the sake of Allah, then Allah will take
revenge on his enemies and will be pleased with Him on
the Day of Judgment.
31. There are four causes of infidelity and loss of belief in
Allah: hankering after whims, a passion to dispute every
argument, deviation from truth; and dissension, because
whoever hankers after whims does not incline towards
truth; whoever keeps on disputing every argument on
account of his ignorance, will always remain blind to truth,
whoever deviates from truth because of ignorance, will
always take good for evil and evil for good and he will
always remain intoxicated with misguidance. And whoever
makes a breach (with Allah and His Messenger) his path
becomes difficult, his affairs will become complicated and
his way to salvation will be uncertain.
Similarly, doubt has also four aspects absurd reason-
ing; fear; vacillation and hesitation; and unreasonable
surrender to infidelity, because one who has accustomed
himself to unreasonable and absurd discussions will never
see the Light of Truth and will always live in the darkness
of ignorance. One who is afraid to face facts (of life, death
and the life after death) will always turn away from
ultimate reality, one who allows doubts and uncertainties
to vacillate him will always be under the control of Satan
and one who surrenders himself to infidelity accepts
damnation in both the worlds.
32. A virtuous person is better then virtue and a vicious
person is worse than vice.
33. Be generous but not extravagant, be frugal but not
miserly.
34. The best kind of wealth is to give up inordinate
desires.
35. One who says unpleasant things about others, will
himself quickly become a target of their scandal.
36. One who hopes inordinately, impairs his deeds.
37. When Imam Ali, marching at the head of his army
towards Syria, reached Ambar, the landlords of the place
came out to meet him in zeal of their love, faithfulness
and respect, no sooner had they seen Imam Ali they got
down from their horses and started running in front of
him. Imam Ali asked the reason of their strange actions.
They replied that it was their custom to show their love
and respect in that way. Imam Ali replied: "By Allah, by
your action you do no good whatsoever to your rulers but
you tire yourself and put yourself in toils in this world and
in trouble in the next. How unfortunate is that exertion,
which brings harm here and in the Hereafter and how
useful is that ease which keeps you in comfort in this
world and away from the Hell in the next.
38. Imam Ali once said to his son Imam Hasan, My son,
learn four things from me and through them you will
learn four more. If you keep them in mind your actions
will not bring any harm to you: The greatest wealth is
Wisdom; the greatest poverty is stupidity; the worst unso-
ciableness is that of vanity and self-glorification; and
the best nobility of descent exhibits itself in politeness and
in refinement of manner. The next four things, my son,
are: "Do not make friendship with a fool because when he
will try to do you good he will do you harm; do not make
a miser your friend because he will run away from you at
the time of your dire need; do not be friendly with a
vicious and wicked person because he will sell you and
your friendship at the cheapest price and do not make
friend of a liar because like a mirage he will make you
visualize very near the things which lie at a great distance
and will make you see at the great distance the things
which are near to you".
39. Recommended prayers cannot attain the pleasures of
Allah for you when obligatory prayers are left unattended.
40. A wise man first thinks and then speaks and a fool
speaks first and then thinks.
41. A fool's mind is at the mercy of his tongue and a wise
man's tongue is under the control of his mind.
42. One of the companions of Imam fell ill. Imam Ali
called upon him and thus advised him: "Be thankful to
Allah. He has made this illness a thing to atone your sins
because a disease in itself has nothing to bring reward to
anyone, it merely expiates one's sins and so far as reward
is concerned, one has to earn it with his good words and
good deeds. The Almighty Lord grants Paradise to his
creatures on account of their piety and noble thoughts".
43. May Allah Bless Kabbab bin Aratt. He embraced
Islam of his own freewill and immigrated (from Makkah)
cheerfully. He lived a contented life. He bowed happily
before the Will of Allah and he led the life of a mujahid.
44. Blessed is the man who always kept the life after
death in his view, who remembered the Day of Judgment
through all his deeds, who led a contented life and who
was happy with the lot that Allah had destined for him.
45. If I cut a faithful Muslim into pieces to make him
hate me, he will not turn into my enemy and if I give all
the wealth of this world to a hypocrite to make him my
friend he will not befriend me. It is so because the Holy
Prophet has said: " O Ali! No faithful Muslim will ever be
your enemy and no hypocrite will ever be your friend. "
46. The sin which makes you sad and repentant is more
liked by Allah than the good deed which turns you arrogant.
47. Value of a man depends upon his courage; his veracity
depends upon his self-respect and his chastity depends
upon his sense of honor.
48. Success is the result of foresight and resolution,
foresight depends upon deep thinking and planning and
the most important factor of planning is to keep your
secrets to yourself.
49. Be afraid of a gentleman when he is hungry, and of a
mean person when his stomach is full.
50. Hearts of people are like wild beasts. They attach
themselves to those who love and train them.
51. So long as fortune is favouring you, your defects will
remain covered.
52. Only he who has the power to punish can pardon.
53. Generosity is to help a deserving person without his
request, and if you help him after his request, then it is
either out of self-respect or to avoid rebuke.
54. There is no greater wealth than wisdom, no greater
poverty than ignorance; no greater heritage than culture
and no greater support than consultation.
55. Patience is of two kinds: patience over what pains
you, and patience against what you covet.
56. Wealth converts a strange land into homeland and
poverty turns a native place into a strange land.
57. Contentment is the capital which will never diminish.
58. Wealth is the fountain head of passions.
59. Whoever warns you against sins and vices is like the
one who gives you good tidings.
60. Tongue is a beast, if it is let loose, it devours.
61. Woman is a scorpion whose grip is sweet.
62. If you are greeted then return the greetings more
warmly. If you are favoured, then repay the obligation
manifold; but he who takes the initiative will always excel
in merit.
63. The source of success of a claimant is the mediator.
64. People in this world are like travelers whose journey
is going on though they are asleep. ( Life's journey is going
on though men may not feel it ).
65. Lack of friends means, stranger in one's own country.
66. Not to have a thing is less humiliating than to beg it.
67. Do not feel ashamed if the amount of charity is small
because to refuse the needy is an act of greater shame.
68. To refrain from unlawful and impious source of
pleasures is an ornament to the poor and to be thankful
for the riches granted is the adornment of wealth.
69. If you cannot get things as much as you desire than
be contented with what you have.
70. An ignorant person will always overdo a thing or
neglect it totally.
71. The wiser a man is, the less talkative will he be.
72. Time wears out bodies, renews hopes, brings death
nearer and takes away aspirations. Whoever gets anything
from the world lives in anxiety for holding it and whoever
loses anything passes his days grieving over the loss.
73. Whoever wants to be a leader should educate himself
before educating others. Before preaching to others he
should first practice himself. Whoever educates himself and
improves his own morals is superior to the man who tries
to teach and train others.
74. Every breath you take is a step towards death.
75. Anything which can be counted is finite and will
come to an end.
76. If matters get mixed up then scrutinize the cause and
you will know what the effects will be.
77. Zirar bin Zamra Zibabi, known as Zirar Suda'i, was
a companion of Imam Ali. When, after the martyrdom of
Imam Ali, he went to Damascus, Muawiya called him and
asked him to say something about Imam Ali. Zirar, knowing
that Muawiya hated Imam Ali intensely tried to avoid this
topic, but Muawiya forced him to speak. Thereupon, Zirar
said: "O Amir, I had often seen Imam Ali in the depth of
nights, when people were either sleeping or engrossed in
amusements, he would be standing in the niche of the
Masjid, with tears in his eyes and he would beseech Allah
to help him maintain a pious, a virtuous and a noble
character and to forsake the world. He would then address
the world, saying 'O vicious world! Be away from me, why
do you come in front of me like this ? Do you want to
allure me ? Allah forbid that I should be allured and
tempted by you and your pleasures. It is not possible. Go
and try your allurements on somebody else. I do not desire
to own you and do not want to have you. I have forsaken
you thrice. It is like divorcing a woman thrice after which
act she cannot be taken back as a wife. The life of pleasures
that you offer is of a very little duration. There is no real
importance in what you offer, the desire of holding you is
an insult and a humiliation to sober minds. Sad is the
plight of those who want to acquire you. They do not
provide for the Hereafter. They have to pass through a
long journey over a very difficult road towards a sat
destination'. Zirar says that when he stopped, there were
tears in the eyes of Muawiya who said, 'May peace of Allah
be upon Abul Hasan Ali bin Abi Talib, he was undoubtedly
like that. Now tell me, Zirar! How do you feel his separa-
tion?' Zirar replied, "My sorrow and grief is like that of
woman whose only child has been murdered in her lap".
With this remark Zirar walked out of the court of Muawiya
and left the city.
78. After the Battle of Siffin, somebody asked Imam Ali
whether they had been destined to fight against the Syrians.
Imam Ali replied if by destiny you mean a compulsion
(physical or otherwise) through which we are forced (by
nature) to do a thing then it is not so. Had it been an
obligation of that kind there would have been no question
of reward for doing it and punishment for not doing it
(when you are physically forced to do a thing, like breathing,
sleeping, eating, drinking etc. then there can be no reward
for doing it and no retribution for not doing it. In such
cases nature forces you to do a thing and you cannot but
do it), then the promised blessings and punishments in life
after death will have no meaning. The Merciful Lord has
given his creatures (human beings) complete freedom to do
as they like, and then prohibited them from certain actions
and warned them of the consequences of such actions (His
Wrath and His Punishments). These orders of Allah carry
in them the least trouble and lead us towards the most
convenient ways of life and the rewards which He has
promised for good deeds are many times more than the
actions actually deserve. He sees people disobeying Him
and tolerates them not because He can be overruled or be
compelled to accept human supremacy over Him. He did
not send His prophets to amuse Himself or provide amuse-
ment for them. He did not reveal His orders without any
genuine reason nor has He created the galaxies and the
earth without any purpose. The Universe without plan,
purpose and program is the idea of infidels and the
pagans, sorry will be their plight in the leaping fires of Hell.
Hearing this the man asked Imam Ali, "Then what
kind of destiny was it that we had?" Imam Ali replied: "It
was an order of Allah to do it like the order He has given
in His Holy Book: You are destined by Allah to worship
none but Him, here 'destined' means 'ordered' it does not
mean physical compulsion".
79. Acquire wisdom and truth from whomever you can
because even an apostate can have them but unless they
are passed over to a faithful Muslim and become part of
wisdom and truth that he possesses, they have a confused
existence in the minds of apostates.
80. Knowledge and wisdom are really the privilege of a
faithful Muslim. If you have lost them, get them back even
though you may have to get them from the apostates.
81. Value of each man depends upon the art and skill
which he has attained.
82. I want to teach you five of those things which deserve
your greatest anxiety to acquire them: Have hope only in
Allah. Be afraid of nothing but sins. If you do not know a
thing never feel ashamed to admit ignorance. If you do not
know a thing never hesitate or feel ashamed to learn it.
Acquire patience and endurance because their relation
with true faith is that of a head to a body, a body is of no
use without a head, similarly true faith can be of no use
without attributes of resignation, endurance and patience.
83. A man hypocritically started praising Imam Ali,
though he had no faith in him and Imam Ali hearing these
praises from him said "I am less than what you tell about
me but more than what you think about me".
84. Those who have come alive out of a blood-bath live
longer and have more children.
85. One who imagines himself to be all-knowing will
surely suffer on account of his ignorance.
86. I appreciate an old man's cautious opinion more than
the valor of a young man.
87. I wonder at a man who loses hope of salvation when
the door of repentance is open for him.
88. Imam Muhammad Baqir says that Imam Ali once
said: "There were two things in this world which softened
the Wrath of Allah and prevented its descent upon man:
One has been taken away from you; hold the other stead-
fastly. The one which has been taken away from men is
the Holy Prophet and the one which is still left with them
and which they must hold steadfastly is repentance and
atonement for sins because Allah at one place in the Holy
Book addressed the Holy Prophet and said Allah would
not punish them while you were among them nor while
they were asking for forgiveness. (Surah Anfal, 8 : 33)
89. Whoever keeps in order his affairs with Allah (follows
His orders sincerely), Allah will also put his affairs with
men in order. Whoever makes arrangement for his salvation,
Allah will arrange his worldly affairs; whoever is a preacher
for himself, Allah will also protect him.
90. He is the wisest and the most knowing man who
advises people not to lose hope and faith in the Mercy of
Allah and not to be too sure and over-confident of
immunity from His Wrath and Punishment.
91. Like your body your mind also gets tired so refresh
it by wise sayings.
92. That knowledge which remains only on your tongue
is very superficial. The intrinsic value of knowledge is that
you act upon it.
93. Take care and do not pray to the Lord, saying,
"Lord! I pray to You to protect and guard me from
temptations and trials", for there is none who is not
tempted and tried. But beseech Him to guard you against
such temptation as may lead you towards wickedness and
sins because Allah says in His Holy Book, Know that your
wealth and children are temptations. (Surah al-Anfal,
8: 28) it means Allah tried people through wealth and
children so that it may be tested as to who is content with
what he gets honestly and who is thankful to Allah for the
position he is placed in with regard to his children.
Though Allah knows them better than even they know
themselves, yet those trials and tests are for the purpose of
their realizing and knowing those deeds which merit
reward or which deserve punishment. There are some
people who love to have male children and hate daughters
and there are some who simply crave for wealth and hate
poverty.
94. Imam Ali was asked the meaning of being well-off or
well-provided for. Imam Ali replied, "Your welfare does
not lie in your having enormous wealth and numerous
children but it rests in your being highly educated and
forbearing and in your being proud of your obedience to
Allah. If you do a good deed then thank Allah for it and
if you commit a sin then repent and atone for it. In this
world there is a real welfare for two kinds of people, one is
the person who, when commits a sin, atones for it and the
other is anxious to do good as much as possible.
95. Importance of the deeds that you have done with fear
of Allah cannot be minimized and how can the deeds
which are acceptable to Allah be considered unimportant.
96. "Nearest to the prophets are those persons who have
to those prophets and obey them". Saying this, Imam Ali
cited a passage from the Holy Qur'an 'Best liked by
Abraham and nearest to him were the people who obeyed
him'. He further said, "That the present times are the
times of our Holy Prophet and his faithful followers. The
best friend of our Holy Prophet is he who, though not
related to him, obeys the orders of Allah and his greatest
enemy is the man who though related to him, disobeys
Allah '.
97. Imam Ali was told of a Kharijite that he got up in
the night to pray and recite the Holy Book. Imam Ali said,
"To sleep with having sincere faith in religion and Allah is
better than to pray with wavering faith".
98. Whenever a tradition of the Holy Prophet is related to
you, scrutinize it, do not be satisfied with mere verbatim
repetition of the same because there are many people who
repeat the words containing knowledge but only few
ponder over them and try to fully grasp the meaning they
convey.
99. Imam Ali heard somebody reciting the passage of the
Holy Qur'an we belong to Allah and our return is towards
Him, Imam Ali said, "How true it is ! Our declaring that we
belong to Allah indicates that we accept Him as our Master,
Owner and Lord. And when we say that our return is
towards Allah indicates that we accept our mortality".
100. Some people praised Imam Ali on his face. He replied,
"Allah knows me very well and I also know myself more
than you. Please, Lord ! make me better than what they
imagine me to be and please excuse those Weaknesses of
mine which they are not aware of".
101. To secure for you fame, credit as well as blessings,
the help that you give to men in need, should possess the
following attributes: whatever its extent, it should be
considered by you as trifling so that it may be granted a
high status; it should be given secretly, Allah will manifest
it; and it must be given immediately so that it becomes
pleasant.
102. Your society will pass through a period when cunning
and crafty intriguers will be favoured by status, when
profligates will be considered as well-bred, well-behaved
and elegant elites of the society, when just and honest
persons will be considered as weaklings, when charity will
be considered as a loss to wealth and property, when
support and help to each other will be considered as
favour and benevolence and when prayers and worship to
Allah will be taken up for the sake of show to gain
popularity and higher status, at such times regimes will be
run under the advice of women and the youngsters will be
the rulers and counselors of the State.
103. Imam Ali's garment was very old with patches on it.
When somebody drew his attention towards it, he replied,
" Such dresses, when worn by men of status make them
submissive to Allah and kind-hearted towards others and
the faithful Muslims can conveniently follow the example ".
Vicious pleasures of this world and salvation are like two
enemies or two roads running in opposite directions or
towards opposite poles, one to the North and the other to
the South. Whoever likes to gain the pleasures and pomps
of this world will hate austerity in life which is necessary
to gain salvation. Reverse will be the attitude of a man
desirous of achieving Eternal Bliss. One has to adopt
either of the two ways of life, and as they both cannot be
brought together, a man has to choose one of them.
104. Nawf bin Fizala Bakali, the famous scholar of the
early Islamic days says that one night he was with Imam
Ali. In the middle of the night, Imam Ali got up from his
bed, looked for sometime at the stars and inquired of
Nawf whether he was awake. Nawf said: "I got from my
bed replying, "Yes, Amirul Mo'minin (Commander of the
Faithful) ! I am awake".
Imam Ali said Nawf ! Those are the fortunate people
who adopt piety as the principle of their lives and are fully
attentive to their welfare for the Hereafter. They accept
bare earth as the most comfortable bed and water as the
most pleasant drink. They adopt the Holy Qur'an and
prayers as their guide and protector and like Prophet Jesus
Christ (Isa) they forsake the world and its vicious pleasure.
Nawf ! Prophet David (Daud) once got up at such an
hour in the night and said this was the hour when prayers
of everyone who prayed were accepted except of those
who forcibly collected revenues or who were scandal-
mongers or were persons in the police force of a despotic
regime or were musicians".
105, Those who give up religion to better their lot in life
seldom succeed. The Wrath of Allah makes them go
through more calamities and losses than the gains they
gather for themselves.
106. There are many educated people who have ruined
their future on account of their ignorance of religion.
Their knowledge did not prove of any avail to them.
107. More wonderful than man himself is that part of his
body which is connected with his trunk with muscles. It is
his brain (mind). Look what good and bad tendencies
arise from it. On the one hand it holds treasures of know-
ledge and wisdom and on the other it is found to harbour
very ugly desires. If a man sees even a tiny gleam of
success, then greed forces him to humiliate himself. If he
gives way to avarice, then inordinate desires ruin him, if he
is disappointed, then despondency almost kills him. If he is
excited, then he loses temper and gets angry. If he is
pleased, then he gives up precaution. Sudden fear makes
him dull and nervous, and he is unable to think and find
a way out of the situation. During the times of peace and
prosperity he becomes careless and unmindful of the
future. If he acquires wealth, then he becomes haughty
and arrogant. If he is plunged in distress, then his agitation,
impatience and nervousness disgrace him. If he is overtaken
by poverty, then he finds himself in a very sad plight,
hunger makes him weak, and over-feeding harms him
equally. In short every kind of loss and gain makes his
mind unbalanced.
108. We, Ahlul Bayt (chosen descendants of the Holy
Prophet), hold such central and balancing position in
religion that those who are deficient in understanding and
acting upon its principles, will have to come to us for
reformation, and those who are overdoing it have got to
learn moderation from us.
109. A Divine rule can be established only by a man, who,
where justice and equity are required, neither feels deficient
nor weak and who is not greedy and avaricious.
110. Sohayl bin Hunayf Ansari was a favourite companion
of Imam Ali. At the time of Imam Ali's return from Siffin,
he died at Kufa of the wounds sustained in the battle. His
death left Imam Ali very sad and he said: "Even if a
mountain loves me it will be crushed into bits". (it means
people are tested with my love, and to prove it they have
to pass through loss and calamities).
111. Anyone who loves us Ahlul Bayt must be ready to
face a life of austerity.
112. No wealth is more useful than intelligence and
wisdom; no solitude is more horrible than when people
avoid you on account of your vanity and conceit or when
you wrongly consider yourself above everybody to confide
and consult; no eminence is more exalting than piety; no
companion can prove more useful than politeness; no
heritage is better than culture; no leader is superior to
Divine Guidance; no deal is more profitable than good
deeds; no profit is greater than Divine Reward; no
abstinence is better than to restrain one's mind from
doubts (about religion); no virtue is better than refraining
from prohibited deeds; no knowledge is superior to deep
thinking and prudence; no worship or prayers are more
sacred than fulfillment of obligations and duties, no religious
faith is loftier than feeling ashamed of doing wrong and
bearing calamities patiently; no eminence is greater than to
adopt humbleness; no exaltation is superior to knowledge;
nothing is more respectable than forgiveness and forbear-
ance; no support and defense are stronger than consultation.
113. When a community is composed of honest, sober and
virtuous people, your forming a bad opinion about anyone
of its members, when nothing wicked has been seen of
him, is a great injustice to him. On the contrary in a corrupt
society to form good opinion of anyone of them and to
trust him is to harm yourself.
114. When somebody asked Imam Ali as to how he was
getting on, he replied: "What do you want to know about
a person whose life is leading him towards ultimate death,
whose health is the first stage towards illness and whom
society has forced out of his retreat".
115. There are many persons whom constant grants of His
Bounties turn them wicked and fit for His punishment and
there are many more who have become vain and self-
deceptive because the Merciful Allah has not exposed their
weaknesses and vices to the world and the people speak
highly about them. All this is an opportunity. No trial of
the Lord is more severe than the time He allows (in which
either you may repent or get deeper into vices).
116. Two kinds of people will be damned on my account
Those who form exaggerated opinion about me and those
who under-estimate me because they hate me.
117. To lose or to waste an opportunity will result in
grief and sorrow.
118. She world is like a serpent, so soft to touch, but so
full of lethal poison. Unwise people are allured by it and
drawn towards it, and wise men avoid it and keep away
from its poisonous effects.
119. When asked about Quraysh, Imam Ali replied that
amongst them Bani Mukhzum are like sweet scented
flower of Quraysh; their men are good to talk to and their
women prove very good wives; Bani Abdush Shams are
very intelligent and very prudent but we (of Bani Hashim)
are very generous and very brave to face death. Bani
Abdush Shams are more in numbers, ugly and intriguers
but Bani Hashim are beautiful, good speakers and orators
and very faithful as friends.
120. What a difference is there between a deed whose
pleasure passes away leaving behind it the pangs of pain
and punishment and the deed whose oppressive harshness
comes to an end leaving behind Divine rewards !
121. Imam Ali was following a funeral and as it was
passing along a road, somebody laughed loudly ( a sign of
discourtesy and lack of manner ). Hearing this laugh, Imam
Ali remarked, " Some of us feel that death is meant for
everybody except themselves or it is destined to others and
not to themselves or those whom we see dying around us
are only travelers going on a journey and will come back
to us. It is a sad sight to see that in one moment we
commit them to earth and in the next we take hold of the
things left by them as if we are going to remain permanently
in this world after them. The fact is that we forget sensible
advice given to us and become victim of every calamity.
122. Blessings are for the man who humbles himself before
Allah, whose sources of income are honest, whose inten-
tions are always honorable, whose character is noble,
whose habits are sober, who gives away in the cause and in
the Name of Allah, the wealth which is lying surplus with
him, who controls his tongue from vicious and useless
talk, who abstains from oppression, who faithfully follows
the traditions of the Holy Prophet and who keeps himself
away from innovation in religion.
123. Jealousy in woman is unpardonable but in man it is
a sign of his faith in religion (because Islam has permitted
polygamy and prohibited polyandry).
124. I define Islam for you in a way that nobody dared do
it before me. Islam means obedience to Allah, obedience
to Allah means having sincere faith in Him, such a faith
means to believe in His Power, belief in His Power means
recognizing and accepting His Majesty, acceptance of His
Majesty means fulfilling the obligations laid down by Him
and fulfillment of obligations means actions (Therefore,
Islam does not mean mere faith, but faith plus deeds).
125. I wonder at the mentality of a miser, fearing poverty
he takes to stinginess and thus hastily pushes himself head-
long into a state of want and destitution, he madly desires
plenty and ease, but throws it away without understand-
ing. In this world he, of his own free will, leads the life of a
a beggar and in the next world he will have to submit an
account like the rich.
I wonder at the arrogance of a haughty and vain
person. Yesterday he was only a drop of semen and
tomorrow he will turn into a corpse. I wonder at the man
who observes the Universe created by Allah and doubts His
Being and Existence. I wonder at the man who sees people
dying around him and yet he has forgotten his end. I
wonder at the man who understands the marvel of genesis
of creation and refuses to accept that he will be brought
back to life again. I wonder at the man who takes great
pains to decorate and to make comfortable this mortal
habitat and totally forgets his permanent abode.
126. Whoever is not diligent in his work, will suffer; who-
ever has no share of Allah in his wealth and in his life then
there is no place for him in His Realm.
127. Be very cautious of cold in the beginning of winter
and welcome it at the close of the season because cold
season effects your bodies exactly as it effects the trees; in
the early season its severity makes them shrivel and shed
their leaves and at the end it helps them to revive.
128. If you understand Allah's Majesty, then you will not
attach any importance to the creatures.
129. While returning from Siffin, Imam Ali passed along
the cemetery of Kufa. Addressing the graves he said: "O you,
who are lying in horrible and deserted houses. O you, who
are shut up in the dark graves, who are alone in their
abodes, strangers to the places assigned to them; you have
gone ahead and preceded us, while we are also following
your steps and shall shortly join you. Do you know what
has happened aver you? Your houses and property was
taken up by others, your widows have remarried, this is
what we can tell you of this world. Can you give us some
news about things around you?" Saying this, Imam Ali
turned to his companions and said, "If they are permitted
to speak they will inform you that the best provision for
the next world is piety and virtue".
130. Imam Ali heard someone abusing and blaming the
world and said to him, "O you, who are blaming the
world, who have been allured and enticed by it, and have
been tempted by its false pretenses. You allowed yourself
to be enamored of, to be captivated by it and then you
accuse and blame it. Have you any reason or right to
accuse it and to call it a sinner and seducer? Or is the
world not justified in calling you a wicked knave and a
sinning hypocrite? When did it make you lose your intelli-
gence and reasoning? And how did it cheat you or snake
false pretenses to you? Did it conceal from you the fact
of the ultimate end of everything that it holds, the fact of
the sway of death, decay and destruction in its domain?
Did it keep you in the dark about the fate of your fore-
fathers and their final abode under the earth? Did it keep
the resting-place of your mothers a secret from you? Do
you not know that they have returned to dust? Many a
time you must have attended the sick persons and many of
them you must have seen beyond the scope of medicine.
Neither the science of healing nor could your nursing and
attendance nor your prayers and weeping prolonged the
span of their lives, and they died. You were anxious for
them, you procured the best medical aid, you gathered
famous physicians and provided best - medicines for them.
Death could not be held back and life could not be pro-
longed. In this drama and in this tragedy did the world not
present you with a lesson and a moral?
Certainly, this world is a house of truth for those who
look into it carefully, an abode of peace and rest for those
who understand its ways and moods and it is the best
working ground for those who want to procure rewards for
life in the Hereafter. It is a place of acquiring knowledge
and wisdom for those who want to acquire them, a place
of worship for the friends of Allah and for Angels. It is the
place where prophets received revelations of Allah. It is the
place for virtuous people and saints to do good deeds and
to be assigned with rewards for the same. Only in this
world they could trade with Allah's Favors and Blessings
and only while living here they could barter their good
deeds with His Blessings and Rewards. Where else could all
this be done? Who are you to abuse the world when it has
openly declared its mortality and mortality of everything
connected with it, when it has given everyone of its inha-
bitants to understand that all of them are to face death,
when through its ways it has given them all an idea of
calamities they have to face here, and through the sight of
its temporary and fading pleasures it has given them
glimpses of eternal pleasures of Paradise and suggested
them to wish and work for the same. If you study it
properly you will find that simply to warn and frighten
you of the consequences of evil deeds and to persuade you
towards good actions, every night it raises new hopes of
peace and prosperity in you and every morning it places
new anxieties and new worries before you. Those who
passed such lives are ashamed of and repent the time so
passed abuse this world. But there are people who will
praise this world on the Day of Judgment that it reminded
them of the Hereafter and they took advantage of these
reminders. It informed them of the effects of good deeds
and they made correct use of the information it advised
them and they were benefited by its advice".
131. An Angel announces daily: "Birth of more human
beings means so many more will die, collection of more
wealth means of much more will be destroyed, erection of
more buildings means so many more ruins will come".
132. This world is not a permanent place, it is a passage, a
road on which you are passing. There are two kinds of
people here: One is the kind of those who have sold their
souls for eternal damnation, the other is of those who have
purchased their souls and freed them from damnation.
133. A friend cannot be considered a friend unless he is
tested on three occasions: in time of need, behind your
back and after your death.
134. Anyone who has been granted four attributes will not
be deprived of their (four) effects; one who prays to Allah
and implores to Him will not be deprived of granting of
his prayers; one who repents for his thoughts and deeds
will not be refused acceptance of the repentance; one who
has atoned for his sins will not be debarred from salvation
and one who thanks Allah for the Blessings and Bounties
will not be denied the increase in them.
The truth of these facts is attested by the Holy
Qur'an As far as prayers are concerned He says Pray to
Me and I shall accept your prayers. About repentance He
says: Whoever has done a bad deed or has indulged in sin
and then repents and asks for His forgiveness will find
Allah most Forgiving and Merciful. About being thankful
He says if you are thankful for what you are given, I shall
increase My Bounties and Blessings. About atonement of
sin He says Allah accepts the repentance of those who
have ignorantly committed vice and then soon repent for
it, Allah accepts such repentance's, He is Wise and Omniscient.
135. Daily prayers are the best medium through which one
can Seek the nearness to Allah. Hajj is Jihad (Holy War) for
every weak person. For everything that you own there is
Zakat, and Zakat of your body is fasting. The Jihad of a
woman is to afford pleasant company to her husband.
136. If you want to pray to Allah for better means of
subsistence, then first give something in charity
137. When someone is sure of the returns, then he shows
generosity.
138. Aid (from Allah) is in proportion to the trouble.
139. He who practices moderation and frugality will
never be threatened with poverty.
140. One of the conveniences in life is to have less children.
141. Loving one another is half of wisdom.
142. Grief is half of old age.
143. Grant of patience (from Allah) is in proportion to the
extent of calamity you are passing through. If you exhibit
fretfulness, irritation, and despair in calamities, then your
patience and your exertions are wasted.
144. Many persons get nothing out of their fasts but
hunger and thirst, many more get nothing out of their
night prayers but exertions and sleepless nights. Wise and
sagacious persons are praiseworthy even if they do not fast
and sleep during the nights.
145. Defend your faith (in Allah) with the help of charity.
Protect your wealth with the aid of Zakat. Let the prayers
guard you from calamities and disasters.
146. Kumayl bin Ziyad Nakha'i says that once Imam Ali
put his hand in his hand and took me to the grave-yard.
When he passed through it and left the city behind, he
heaved a sigh and said "Kumayl, these hearts are containers
of the secrets of knowledge and wisdom and the best
container is the one which can hold the most and what it
holds, it can preserve and protect in the best way. Therefore,
remember carefully what I am telling you. Remember that
there are three kinds of people: one kind is of those
learned people who are highly versed in the ethics of truth
and philosophy of religion, second is the kind of those
who are acquiring the above knowledge and the third is
that class of people who are uneducated. They follow
every pretender and accept every slogan, they have neither
acquired any knowledge nor have they secured any support
of firm and rational convictions. Remember, Kumayl,
knowledge is better than wealth because it protects you
while you have to guard wealth. It decreases if you keep
on spending it but the more you make use of knowledge
the more it increases. What you get through wealth dis-
appears as soon as wealth disappears but what you achieve
through knowledge will remain even after you.
O Kumayl ! Knowledge is power and it can command
obedience. A man of knowledge during his lifetime can
make people obey and follow him and he is praised and
venerated after his death. Remember that knowledge is a
ruler and wealth is its subject.
O Kumayl ! Those who amass wealth, though alive,
are dead to realities of life, and those who achieve know-
ledge, will remain alive through their knowledge and
wisdom even after their death, though their faces may
disappear from the community of living beings, yet their
ideas, the knowledge which they had left behind and their
memory, will remain in the minds of people".
Kumayl says that after this brief dissertation, Imam
Ali pointed towards his chest and said, "Look Kumayl!
Here I hold stores and treasures of knowledge. I wish I
could find somebody to share it with me. Yes, I found a
few, but one of them, though quite intelligent, was
untrustworthy, he would sell his salvation to get hold of
the world and its pleasures, he would make religion a
pretence to grasp worldly power and wealth, he would
make this Blessing of Allah (knowledge) serve him to get
supremacy and control over friends of Allah and he would
through knowledge exploit and suppress other human
beings. The other person was such that he apparently
obeyed truth and knowledge, yet his mind had not
achieved the true light of religion, at the slightest
ambiguity or doubt he would get suspicious of truth,
mistrust religion and would rush towards skepticism. So
neither of them was capable of acquiring the superior
knowledge that I can impart. Besides these two I find some
other person One of them is a slave of self and greedy for
inordinate desires, which can easily drag him away from
the path of religion, the other is an avaricious, grasping and
acquisitive miser who will risk his life to grasp and hold
wealth, none of these two will be of any use to religion or
man, both of them resemble beasts having appetite for
food. If sensible trustees of knowledge and wisdom totally
disappear from human society then both knowledge and
wisdom will suffer severely, may bring harm to humanity
and may even die out. But this earth will never be without
those persons who will prove the universality of truth as
disclosed by Allah, they may be well-known persons,
openly and fearlessly declaring the things revealed to them
or they may, under fear of harm, injury or deaths hide
themselves from the public gaze and may carry on their
mission privately so that the reasons proving the reality of
truth as preached by religion and as demonstrated by His
Prophet may not totally disappear. How many are they
and where could they be found? I swear by Allah that they
are very few in number but their worth and their ranks
before Allah are very high. Through them Allah preserves
His Guidance so that they, while departing, may hand over
these truths to persons like themselves. The knowledge
which they have acquired has made them see the realities
and visualize the truth and has instilled into them the spirit
of faith and trust. The duties which were decreed as hard
and unbearable by them. They feel happy in the company
and association of things which frighten the ignorant and
uneducated. They live in this world like everybody else but
their souls soar to the heights of Divine Eminence. They
are media of Allah on this earth and they invite people
towards Him. How I love to meet them O Kumayl ! I have
told you all that I have to say, you can go back to your
place whenever you like".
147. A man can be valued through his sayings.
148. One who does not realize his own value is condemned
to utter failure. (Every kind of complex, superiority or
inferiority is harmful to man).
149. Somebody requested Imam Ali to advise him how to
lead a useful and sober life. Imam Ali thereupon advised
him thus: "Do not be among those people who want to
gain good returns without working hard for them, who
have long hopes and keep on postponing repentance and
penance, who talk like pious persons but run after vicious
pleasures. Do not be among those who are not satisfied if
they get more in life and are not content if their lot in
life's pleasures is less (they are never satisfied), who never
thank Allah for what they get and keep on constantly
demanding increase in what is left with them; who advise
others to such good deeds that they themselves refrain
from; who appreciate good people but do not follow their
ways of life; who hate bad and vicious people but follow
their ways of life; who, on account of their excessive sins
hate death but do not give up the sinful ways of life; who,
if fallen ill, repent their ways of life and on regaining their
health fearlessly readopt the same frivolous ways; who get
despondent and lose all hopes, but on gaining health,
become arrogant and careless; who, if faced with misfor-
tunes, dangers or afflictions, turn to Allah and keep on
beseeching Him for relief and when relieved or favoured
with comfort and ease they are deceived by the comfortable
conditions they found themselves in and forget Allah and
forsake prayers; whose minds are allured by day dreams
and forlorn hopes and who abhor to face realities of life;
who fear for others the enormous repercussions of vices
and sins but for their own deeds expect very high rewards
or very light disciplinary actions. Riches make such people
arrogant, rebellious and wicked, and poverty makes them
despondent and lethargic. If they have to work, they work
lazily and if they put up a demand they do it stubbornly.
Under the influence of inordinate cravings, they
commit sins in quick succession and keep on postponing
repentance. Calamities and adversities make them give up
the distinguished characteristics of Muslims (patience,
hope in future and work for improvement of circumstances).
They advise people with narration's of events and facts but
do not take any lesson from them. They are good at
preachings but bad at practice, therefore they always talk
of lofty deeds but their actions belie their words. They are
keen to acquire temporal pleasures but are careless and
slow to achieve permanent (Divine) benefits. They think
good for themselves the things which are actually injurious
to them and regard harmful the things which really benefit
them. They are afraid of death but waste their time and do
not resort to good deeds before death overtakes them. The
vices which they regard as enormous sins for others, they
consider as minor shortcomings for themselves. Similarly,
they attach great importance to their obedience to the
orders of Allah and belittle similar actions in others.
Therefore, they often criticize others and speak very
highly of their own deeds. They are happy to spend their
time in society of rich persons, wasting it in luxuries and
vices but are averse to employing for useful purposes in
company of the poor and pious people: They are quick
and free to pass verdicts against others but they never pass
a verdict against their own vicious deeds. They force others
to obey them but they never obey Allah. They collect
their dues carefully but never pay the dues they owe. They
are not afraid of Allah but fear powerful men".
150. Everyone has an end, it may be pleasant or sorrowful.
151. Everyone, who is born, has to die and once dead he is
as good as having not come into existence.
152. One, who adopts patience, will never be deprived of
success though it may take a long time to reach him.
153. One who assents or subsribes to the actions of a
group or a party is as good as having committed the deed
himself. A man who joins a sinful deed makes himself
responsible for two-fold punishments, one for doing the
deed and the other for assenting and subscribing to it.
154. Accept promises of only those persons who can stead-
fastly-adhere to their pledges.
155. You are ordained to recognize the Imams (the right
successors of the Holy Prophet) and to obey them.
156. You have been shown, if you only care to see; you
have been advised if you care to take advantage of advice;
you have been told if you care to listen to good counsels.
157. Admonish your brother (comrade) by good deeds and
kind regards, and ward off his evil by favouring him.
158. One, who enters the places of evil repute has no right
to complain against a man who speaks ill of him.
159. One, who acquires power cannot avoid favouritism.
160. One, who is willful and conceited will suffer losses
and calamities and one who seeks advice can secure advan-
tages of many counsels.
161. One, who guards his secrets has complete control
over his affairs.
162. Poverty is the worst form of death.
163. One, who serves a person from whom he gets no reci-
procal performance of duties, in fact, worships him.
164. One should not obey anyone against the commands
of Allah.
165. Do not blame a man who delays in securing what are
his just rights but blame lies on him who grasps the rights
which do not belong to him.
166. Conceit is a barrier to progress and improvement.
167. Death is near and our mutual company is short.
168. There is enough light for one who wants to see.
169. It is wiser to abstain then to repent.
170. Often inordinate desire to secure a single gain acts as
a hindrance for the quest of many profitable pursuits.
171. People often hate those things which they do not
know or cannot understand.
172. One, who seeks advice learns to realize his mistakes.
173. One who struggles for the cause of Allah secures
victory over His enemies.
174. When you feel afraid or nervous to do a thing then do
it because the real harm which you may thus receive is less
poignant than its expectation and fear.
175. Your supremacy over others is in proportion to the
extent of your knowledge and wisdom.
176. The best way to punish an evil-doer is to reward
handsomely a good person for his good deeds.
177. If you want to remove evil from the minds of others
then first give up evil intentions yourself.
178. Obstinacy will prevent you from a correct decision.
179. Greed is permanent slavery.
180. Deficiency will result in shame and sorrow but
caution and foresight will bring peace and security.
181. To keep silent when you can say something wise and
useful is as bad as keeping on propagating foolish and
unwise thoughts.
182. If two opposite theories are propagated one will be
wrong.
183. When truth was revealed to me I never doubted it.
184.I never lied and the things revealed to me were not
false I never misled anybody nor was I misled.
185. One, who starts tyranny, will repent soon.
186. Death is never very far.
187. One who forsakes truth earns eternal damnation.
188. One who cannot benefit by patience will die in grief.
189. In this world, man is a target of death, an easy prey
to calamities, here every morsel and every draught is liable
to choke one, here one never receives a favour until he
loses another instead, here every additional day in one's
life is a day reduced from the total span of his existence,
when death is the natural outcome of life, how can we
expect immortality?
190. O son of Adam, if you have collected anything in
excess of your actual need, you will act only as its trustee
for someone else to use it.
191. Hearts have the tendency of likes and dislikes and are
liable to be energetic and lethargic, therefore, make them
work when they are energetic because if hearts are forced
(to do a thing) they will be blinded.
192. When I feel angry with a person how and when
should I satisfy my anger, whether at a time when I am not
in a position to retaliate and people may advise me to bear
patiently or when I have power to punish and I forgive.
193. Minds get tired like bodies. When you feel that your;
mind is tired, then invigorate it with sober advice.
194. If you find that somebody is not grateful for all that
you have done for him, then do not get disappointed
because often you will find that someone else feels under
your obligation though you have done nothing for him and
thus your good deeds will be compensated, and Allah will
reward you for your goodness.
195. The first fruit of forbearance is that people will
sympathize with you and they will go against the man who
offended you arrogantly.
196. One who takes account of his shortcomings will
always gain by it; one who is unmindful of them will
always suffer. One who is afraid of the Day of Judgment,
is safe from the Wrath of Allah. One who takes lessons
from the events of life, gets vision, one who acquires
vision becomes wise and one who attains wisdom achieves
knowledge.
197. Bear sorrows and calamities patiently, otherwise you
will never be happy.
198. One who comes into power often oppresses.
199. Adversities often bring good qualities to the front.
200. If a friend envies you, then he is not a true friend.
201. Avarice dulls the faculties of judgment and wisdom.
202. Oppression and tyranny are the worse companions
for the Hereafter.
203. The best deed of a great man is to forgive and forget.
204. Silence will create respect and dignity; justice and
fairplay will bring more friends; benevolence and charity
will enhance prestige and position; courtesy will draw
benevolence; service of mankind will secure leadership and
good words will overcome powerful enemies.
205. A greedy man will always find himself in the shackles
of humility.
206. There are people who worship Allah to gain His
Favors, this is the worship of traders; while there are
some who worship Him to keep themselves free from His
Wrath, this is the worship of slaves; a few who obey Him
out' of their sense of gratitude and obligations, this is the
worship of free and noble men.
