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.
Taken
from:
Peak of Eloquence
Nahjul Balagha
Sermons and Letters of Imam Ali Ibn Abi Talib (as)
Translated by Askari Jafri
Eleventh Revised Edition - Islamic
Seminary Publications
ISBN 0-941724-18-2
http://www.holynajaf.net/eng/html/nahjulbalaga/sayings/sayings.htm