Quoted in Tuhaf al-Uqool(The Masterpieces of the Intellects)
1- Piety, concealment of the good actions, stedfastness against disasters, and suppression of the misfortunes are within the treasures of Paradise.
2- The best friend is good mannerism. It is the title of the believers' record books.
3-The true abstinent in this world is he whose tolerance is not overcome by the ill-gotten matters and whose gratitude is not engaged by the legal gotten matters.
4- Imam Ali(A.S.) wrote to Abdullah ibn Abbas: So then, a man becomes delighted if he catches up the things that he would never miss and becomes unhappy if he misses the things that he would never catch up. You should be delighted only for the things of the next life that you have caught up, and should be sorry only for the things of the next life that you have missed. Do not be excessively happy for gaining a worldly pleasure and do not be excessively unhappy for missing it. All your concern should be for that which will occur to you after death.
5- Imam Ali(A.S.) said about the censure of this world: It begins with
hardship and ends with decline. Judgment will be set for its legally gotten
things and punishment will be sentenced for its ill-gotten things. If somebody
is healthy in it, he will feel secure, and if he becomes ill, he will be
sorrowful. If he becomes wealthy, he will be seditious and if he becomes poor,
he will be sad. He whoever runs for it will miss it, and he whoever disregards
it will gain it. It will blind him whoever gazes at it and will teach him
whoever looks at it properly.
6- When you cherish someone you should cherish him moderately for he may be your enemy someday, and when you hate someone you should hate him moderately for he may be your friend someday.
7- No wealth like intelligence and no poverty harsher than ignorance.
8- The value of a man is what he does expertly.
9- Fear is attached to disappointment, and pudency is attached to deprivation. Wisdom is the lost of the believer who should seek it even if it is found with the evil ones.
10- Had the scholars carried knowledge properly, Allah and the angels as well as all people of obedience would have cherished them. Unfortunately, they carried knowledge for seeking worldly pleasures; therefore, Allah abominated them and people disgraced them.
11- Tolerance, silence, and expecting the relief are the best of worship.
12- Each crisis has an end at which it will definitely fade away. If you are encountering a crisis, you should submit and be patient until it passes away. Any attempt to find a solution will not solve the problem. It will make it worse.
13- Imam Ali(A.S.) said to Malik al-Ashtar:
O Malik, retain and understand the following wording:
O Malik, the owners of weak conviction are disregarding their personality.
He whoever takes greed as his slogan is disgracing himself.
He whoever publicizes his problem is satisfied with humility.
He whoever shows others his secrets is disrespecting himself.
He whoever makes his tongue as his leader is perishing himself.
Greed is the butcher of the personality.
He who intrudes himself in various sorts of acts will surely be disappointed by
his desire.
Stinginess is dishonor.
Cowardice is shortcoming.
Piety is a shelter.
Thankfulness is fortune.
Patience is bravery.
The poor is strange in his homeland.
Poverty prevents the intelligent from providing his arguments.
Satisfaction is the best comrade.
Good manners are new garnemts.
The rank of a man is his mind.
A man's chest is the store of his secrets.
Verification is prudence.
Thinking is a fine mirror.
Forbearance is a virtuous character.
Alms-giving is an effective medicine.
The current actions will be in front of their doers later on.
Learning examples is a good warner.
Good humor is the trap of amiability.
14- The rank of patience to faith is as same as the rank of the head to the body. Hence, the impatient are faithless.
15- You are in respite followed by a deadline. With you there is the hope
that precludes you from acting-good deeds. Seize the opportunity of respite,
take the initiative to the deadline, distrust the hope, and do as much as
possible. Is there an opportunity of avoidance, escape, getaway, shelter, or
refuge or not? How are you then turned away?
16- I command you to adhere to God-fearing because it is surely the delight of
the suppliant seeker- of Allah's mercy and favors- and the confidence of the
homeless seeker of asylum. Betake God-fearing as a hidden slogan and mention
Allah so purely that you will have the best life and will be lead to the courses
of safety. Look at this world with the eye of the abstinent that is about to
leave it, because it surely dislodges the relaxed resident
and distresses the secure luxurious. Whatever passes away from it is no longer
expected and whatever is to come is not realized so that it will be awaited. Its
comfort is connected to its trouble and its survival is connected to its
bereavement.. Its pleasure is mixed with grief and its survival is mixed wit
weakness and feebleness.
17- Vanity comes from tyranny. Tyranny comes from arrogance. Arrogance comes from conceit. The Shaitan is a present enemy who promises falsely. Muslims are brothers. Do not disappoint each other and do not impute dishonor to each other. The canons of the religion are the same and its courses are clear. He who embraces these courses will catch up, he who departs them will surely fall behind, and he who leaves them will surely apostatize. A Muslim should never say untruth when he speaks, never breach when he promises, and never betray when something is deposited with him.
18- Intelligence is the intimate friend of the believer, clemency is his supporter, forbearance is his father, and lenience is his brother. The intelligent must enjoy three characters---he must think of his affairs, control his tongue (against saying bad wording), and realize the nature of the time he is living in. Certainly, poverty is a branch of misfortune. Illness of bodies is harsher than poverty. Ill-heartedness is harsher than illness of body. Certainly, financial prosperity is one of the graces. Physical soundness is better than financial prosperity. The true God-fearing is better than physical soundness.
19- A believer should divide his time into three parts--- he should supplicate to his Lord secretly in one,settle an account with himself in the second,and permit himself to enjoy the good and legal pleasures in the third. The intelligent should not travel except in three situations: seeking the worldly earnings, getting supplies for the life to come, and gaining a lawful pleasure.
20- Many are those whom are tempted by receiving graces, many are those whom are trapped by the concealment of their flaws, and many are those whom are cheated by wording of praise. Allah has never used a means of test more infelicitous than respite. Allah the Majestic says: We only give them time to let them increase their sins. (Holy Qur'an: 3: 178).
21- You should gather in your heart the need for people and the dispensing with them. You may have the need for people through showing good humour with them, and you may have the dispensing with them through the candor of your honor and the continuity of your power.
22- Do not be angry and do not enrage others. Exchange greetings and use good wording.
23- The generous becomes lenient when his clemency is beseeched, but the mean becomes more severe when he is treated kindly.
24- May I tell you of the true scholar? He is that who does not permit people to act disobediently to Allah, does not make them despair of His mercy, does not make them feel secure from Allah's retribution and does not substitute anything for the Quran. Adoration without comprehension, knowledge without pondering (over things), and recitation without understanding - all these are valueless.
25- When Allah will gather people - for judgment- a caller will declare: O people, today, the most favorable to Allah will be the most fearful of Him. The most preferable to Allah will be the best doers of good acts. The closest to Allah will be the most desirous for gaining what He has in possession through acting. The most honorable to Allah will be the most God-fearing.
26- I wonder at those who protect themselves against having harmful food, how do they not protect themselves from committing sins so that they will be saved from Hell? I wonder at those who purchase slaves with their money, why do they not purchase the free ones through doing favors to them? Good and evil cannot be recognized with any means other than people. If you want to recognize good, you should do it so as to know its people, and if you want to recognize evil, you should do it so as to know its people.
27- For you, I am only afraid of two things-prolonged hope and pursuance of passions. The prolonged hope makes you forget the life to come, and the pursuance of passions precludes you from the right.
28- A man from Basra asked Imam Ali(A.S.) about the qualifications of friends. He answered: There are two kinds of friends- friends of confidence and friends of grimace. The friends of confidence are the refuge, the wing, the folks, and the wealth. If you confide in your friend, you should provide your wealth and help to him. You should also befriend him who befriends him and antagonize him who antagonizes him. You should keep his secrets and defects and publicize his good conducts. You should know, O asker, that the friends of confidence are as scanty as red sulfur. Regarding the friends of grimace, you gain from them only your pleasure; therefore, you should not deprive them of your pleasure. Do not ask them for any further thing. Give them happy mien and good wording as long as they give you their happy mien and good wording.
29- Do not befriend the enemy of your friend lest you become the enemy of your friend.
30- Do not desert your friend due to suspicion and do not leave him before you blame him.
31- A Muslim should avoid befriending three categories of people: the sinful, the foolish, and the liars. The sinful shows you his evildoings as good deeds, wants you to be like him, and does not help you in the affairs of your religion and your life to come. It is rude and tough to befriend such an individual whose visit to you brings you dishonor.
The foolish does not advise you of good and is not expected to save you from any problem even if he does his best. Moreover, he may harm you as he intends to benefit you. His death is better than his life, his silence is better than his words, and his remoteness is better than his closeness.
The liar will deprive you of any pleasant life with him. He tells others of your conducts and relates to you the others' conducts. Whenever he finishes from telling a lie, he invents another to the degree that even his true sayings cannot be believed. He sows enmity between people to plan malice in their hearts. Fear Allah and consider for yourselves.
32- Do not care when you associate with the intelligent even if you are deprived of his generosity. You may benefit by his intelligence, but be cautions of his ill manners. Do not neglect associating with the generous even if you are deprived of benefiting by his intelligence. You may benefit by his generosity for your mind. Escape as remote as possible from the mean foolish individuals.
33- Steadfastness is of three sorts---steadfastness againts misfortunes, steadfastness in (performing) the acts of obedience to Allah, and steadfastness by the avoidance of the acts of disobedience to Him.
34- It will be quite worthy for those who are able to prevent themselves from enjoying the following four characters to be saved from encountering any detestable matter. These four characters are rashness, disputation, self-conceit, and indolence.
35- Deeds are either obligatory, recommendable, or acts of disobedience. Regarding the obligatory deeds, the servants- of Allah- practice them under Allah's order, will, satisfaction, knowledge, and arrangement. Hence, they save themselves - from Allah's punishment - through carrying out such obligatory deeds. The recommendable deeds are not Allah's order, yet they are done under His will, satisfaction, knowledge, and arrangement. As the servants act such deeds, they are rewarded for them. Regarding the acts of disobedience (to Allah), they are done not for Allah's order, will, and satisfaction. Yet, they are done under His knowledge and arrangement. He arranges their times but the servants commit them optionally; therefore, Allah punishes them for committing such acts of disobedience. This is because Allah has warned the servants against them, but they did not obey.
36- O people, Allah enjoys a right (that is incumbent upon you) in every favor He bestows. He will increase them who thank Him (for that favor), while those who do not show gratitude are risking the removal of these favors and dragging Allah's punishment nearer to them. You should show Allah that you are fearful of the removal of the favors and terrible for committing sins.
37- He who encounters poverty and does not believe that such a situation has been Allah's favor to him is surely wasting an expecting an expected errand. He who is given wealth but does not believe that it has been a means of test is feeling secure from an alarmed matter.
38- O people, supplicate to Allah to provide you with conviction and beseech to Him to grant you good health. Good health is surely the best of graces, and conviction is the best thing that perpetuates in the heart. The true wronged is that who wrongs his religion. The true happy is that whose conviction is proper.
39- No one can find the true taste of faith before he believes that whatever befalls him would never miss him and whatever missed him would never befall him.
40- The harshest misfortunes that a believer may suffer are the deprivation of three things - the consolation with wealth, self-equity, and very much reference to Allah. I do not mean that you mention Allah by phrases such as þþ'Praise be to Allah' and ' Glory be to Allah', but you should refer to Him by adhering to the halal and refraining from the haram.
41- He who satisfies himself with only what suffices him from the worldly affairs will be sufficed with the least of it, but whoever is dissatisfied with what suffices him nothing at all will suffice him.
42- Death is preferred to meanness and endurance is preferred to anxiety. This life consists of two days - one for you and one against you. On the day that is for you, you should not behave vainly, and on the day that is against you, you should not be grieved because both days are tests for you.
43- Do favor to whomever you want and he will be your prisoner.
44- Flattery and envy are not within the characters of a believer except when they are used for seeking studies.
45- The supports of atheism are four. They are desire -for the worldly pleasures-, fear- form missing any worldly pleasure-, dissatisfaction- with the acts of Allah-, and anger.
46- Patience is the key to the achievement, and success is the end result of the patient. For everyseeker of a matter there is a definite time that is controlled by the destiny.
47- Tongue is a measure that is lowered by ignorance and outweighed by mind.
48- For those who avenge themsleves improperly, Allah will inflict humility upon them. Certainly, Allah is the enemy of whatever He detests.
49- He who seeks good will never feel perplexed and who seeks- other's- consult will never feel sorry.
50- Countries were constructed because of patriotism.
51- He who observes the following three matters will be happy. You should thank Allah for every grace that you gain, you should seek Allah's forgiveness whenever your earnings fail to reach you, and you should say, 'All power and might belong to Allah' frequently whenever a misfortune inflicts you.
52- Sciences are three - jurisprudence for the knowledge of religions, medicine for the cure of the bodies, and grammar for the correction of the language.
53- Allah's rights (that are incumbent upon His servants) in difficulty are satisfaction and patience, and His rights in ease are praise and gratitude.
54- Avoidance of sins is easier than seeking (the acceptance of) repentance. Often a one-hour passion may bring about a time-consuming grief. Death is the sign of the scandal and valueless of this world. It did not leave any moment of happiness for the intelligent and did not leave any moment of pleasure for the attentive.
55- Knowledge is the leader, act is the driver, and the soul is balky.
56- You should hope for the unexpected more than the expected. As he went for fetching a kindle of fire for his family, Moses(A.S.) was back with prophecy after Allah had spoken with him. As she went out, the queen of Sheba converted to Islam with Solomon the prophet. Similarly, the sorcerers of the Pharaoh went for supporting the king, but they went back with faith.
57- People's similarity to their rulers is more than their similarity to their fathers.
58- O people, you should know that he who is upset because of a false wording that is said about him is not intelligent, and whoever is satisfied with the praise of the ignorant is not wise. People are the sons of what they do expertly. The value of every man is what he does expertly. Discuss matters of knowledge so that your posts will be recognized.
59- Allah's mercy be upon him who observes his Lord, abstains from committing sins, challenges his passions, distrusts his expectations, ties himself to God-fearing with reins, and binds himself to the fear of the Lord with bridles to lead it to the obedience with its reins and prevents it from committing acts of disobedience with its bridle. He raises his sight to the world to come, expects death in any moment, thinks ceaselessly, stays up for nights, abstains from the worldly pleasures, works hard for the life to come, and betakes patience as the pack animal of his safety and God-fearing as the provisions of his death and the remedy of his malady. As he pondered and measured, he knew the reality of this world and people.
He learns for undersanding and opting for straightforwadness. His heart is
pierced by the mention of the world to come; therefore, he folded his bed and
deserted his pillow. His desire for what is there with Allah is so great, and
his fear from Allah is so intense. He shows less than what he conceals and
suffices with less than he knows. Such individuals are surely Allah's deposits
on the earth and the means by whom He saves the servants from misfortunes. They
fulfill their pledges with Allah so perfectly. The last of their prayer is 'All
praise is due to Allah the Lord of the worlds.'
60- Earnings are given the authority on foolishness, deprivation is bound to
mind, and misfortune is bound to patience.
61- As a consolation for the death of Abdur Rahman, Al-Ash'ath's brother, Imam Ali(A.S.) said to him: If you show impatience, then you are fulfilling the right of Abdur Rahman (that is incumbent upon you). But if you show patience then you are fulfilling the right of Allah. Nevertheless, if you show patience, you will suffer the matter while you are praised, and if you show impatience, you will suffer it while you are dispraised. Al-Ash'ath said: We are from Allah's and to Him we will return. Imam Ali(A.S.) asked: Do you know the interpretation of your saying? Al- Ash'ath replied: You are surely the utmost and best of Knowledge. The Imam (A.S.) said: Your saying, We are Allah's, is a confession of Allah's possession of everything, while your saying, 'To Him we will return, 'is a confession of death.
62- One day, Imam Ali (A.S.) rode a pack animal and some people walked with
him. As he noticed so, he said: Do you not know that walking with the rider
ruins the manners of the rider and humiliates the walker? Leave me now.
63- Matters are of three kinds: a matter the guidance of which is clear; hence,
you should follow it, a matter the misguidance of which is clear; hence, you
should avoid it, or a matter that is confused; hence, you should refer to those
who can solve its confusion.
64- One day, Jabir asked Imam Ali(A.S.): " How was your morning, Amirul Muminin?" He answered: We began this morning with the innumerable graces of our Lord while we should first thank Him for the nice graces that He is dispersing on us or for our bad deeds that he is covering up.
65- As he consoled Abdullah-bin-Abbas for the death of one of his babies, Imam Ali(A.S.) said: A misfortune that inflicts someone other than you while its reward is your is better for me than a misfortune that inflicts you while its reward is another's. Hence, the reward is yours not by you, and the consolation is said to you not because of you, and Allah may recompense you in the same way that He recompensed from you.
66- As he was asked about the pure repentance, Imam Ali(A.S.) said: A pure repentance is feeling of sorrow in the heart, seeking forgiveness with the tongue (by utterance), and the intention not to do so ever again.
67- You have been created by ability and you have(been under the power of) the Lord compulsorily. You will inevitably lean in graves, become debris, be resurrected individually, and be condemned in judgment. Allah's mercy be upon the servant who confesses of his commitment (of sins), acts due to his fear (of Allah), watches out and takes the initiative (in doing good deeds), notices the examples and learns lessons from them, listens the warning and abstains (from doing evil), responds and returns (to Allah), seeks guidance and patterns (after the example), searches by means of seeking, escapes by means of running away, takes supplies, has relaxed conscience, readies for the day to come, equips himself for the day of his departure, direction of his course, manner of his need, and place of his poverty, and supplies himself with what he will need for his eternal abode. Arrange for yourselves. The people of the youth's opulence should not wait for anything other than the bending of senility, the people of good health should wait for nothing other than the mishaps of ailment, and the people of survival should not wait for anything other than the surprise of termination, nearness of the deadine, and the imminence of doom.
68- Fear Allah like the fear of him who disrobes everything and prepares himself for it, strives distinctively, shrinks leisurely, worries fearfully, and regards the unavoidable turn, the end result, and the consequence of the deeds. Allah is surely sufficient punisher and supporter, Paradise is sufficient reward and attainment, Hell is sufficient punishment and example, and Allah's Book is sufficient arguer and adversary.
69- As a man asked Imam Ali(A.S.) about Sunnah, heresy, discrepancy, and congruity, he answered: The Sunnah is the traditions of the Prophet(S.A.W.). Heresy is whatsoever opposes the Sunnah. Discrepancy is the wrong party regardless of their great numbers. Congruity is the right party regardless of their little number. A servant-of Allah- should not hope for anything other than his Lord and should not fear anything other than his guilt. Scholars should not be embarrassed by saying, 'Allah is the most knowledgeable, ' when they cannot find an answer for the question that is addressed to them. The rank of patience to faith is as the rank of the head to the body.
70- As a man asked him for an advice, Imam Ali(A.S.) said to him: I advise you not to state a limit for the numerousness of deeds of charity and not to state a limit for the scantiness of acts of disobedience to Allah.
71- As a man asked him for an advice, Imam Ali(A.S.) said to him: Do not think of poverty and longevity.
72- The religious people enjoy certain distinctive features: truthfulness, custody of deposits, fulfillment of pledges, regard of the relatives, merciful treatment for the weak, lack of copulation -with their wives-, doing favors, good mannerism, broad- mindedness, and pursuance of knowledge as well as whatever brings near to Allah. They will receive abundant blessings and the best eternal dwelling.
73- Long hope will unavoidably lead to the negligence of acting good deed.
74- The most similar thing to son of Adam-man-is the scales, since people are
either imperfect due to ignorance or outbalancing due to knowledge.
75- To revile at the believers is defection, to fight them is atheism, and
their wealth is as sacred as their blood(soul).
76- Offer your soul and wealth to your friend, offer your equity and fairness
for your enemy, and offer your courtesy and charity for people. Greet people so
that they will greet you.
77- In this world, the masters of people are the openhanded, while in the world to come the God-fearing ones will be the masters.
78- Definitely, I encounter one of two things. One is not mine. It was not
given to me in the past and I will not hope for it in the future. The other
thing is mine. I will never obtain it in other than its proper time even if I
use the entire power of the heavens and the earth. Then, why should I cause my
life to fade away for any of these two matters?
79- The true believer is that who learns lessons from what he sees, ponders over
things when he is silent, mentions Allah when he speaks, thanks (Allah) when he
is rich, and becomes patient when a trouble befalls him. He is near to
satisfaction and far from discontent. He is pleased with the few gifts of Allah
and does not show frustration for the many troubles. His good intentions are too
many to be applied. He intends a lot of good but can do only a part of them and
sighs for the good deeds that he missed.
The hypocrite, on the other hand, is that who plays when he sees, omits when he is silent, talks nonsense when he speaks, exceeds the bonds when he is rich, and wails when a misfortune befalls him. He is near to discontent and far from satisfaction. He is displeased when he receives few gifts from Allah and is not satisfied with the much. He intends many evildoings but he can do only a part of them and sighs for the ill deeds that he missed.
80- This world and the next world are two hostile antagonists and two opposing courses. He whoever loves and accedes to this world will hate and antagonize the world to come. They are like east and west. He whoever walks between them will be remoter and remoter from one of them when he draws near to the other.
81- He who fears the threat-of Allah- will see the remote as lose to him. He who is not satiated with the food of this world will not be sufficient with whatever he collects. He who runs after this world will surely miss it and whoever leaves it will surely catch it. This world is just like a shadow that is extended to limited time. Allah's mercy be upon the servant who comperhends the wording of wisdom that he listens to, draws near to the guidance to which he is called, clings to the neck of a true guide to save himself, provides well-intended deeds, acts good deeds, supplies for himself, avoids the inconvenience, hits the target, gains a remuneration, challenges his passion, distrusts his hope, takes patience as the pack animal of his safety and Good-fearing as the equipment of his death, adheres to the venerable course and the clear way, seizes the opportunity, prepares for the time to come, and supplies himself with as much as possible deeds.
82- Imam Ali(A.S) asked a man about his manner. The man answered, "we hope and fear." The Imam(A.S.) spoke: He who hopes for something should seek it and whoever fears something should escape it. I do not know the reality of the fear of a man who does not neglect the passion that he faces and I do not know the reality of the hope of a man who does not show steadfastness against a misfortune that befalls him for the sake of obtaining what he hopes for.
83- Abaya bin Rab'i asked Imam Ali(A.S.) about the ability by which we can stand erect, sit, and do things. The Imam (A.S.) answered, "You asked about the ability. Do you possess it with or without Allah?"Abaya could not find any answer. The Imam then said, "If you claim you possess it without Allah, I will kill you. And if you claim you possess it with Allah, I will kill you, too." "what should I say, then?" asked Abaya. The Imam said: You possess it by the way of Allah who poossesses it exclusively. If He gives you a part of it, then He is bestowing upon you, and if He seizes it from you, that will be a kind of his test. He is the Possessor of the abililty that He gives to you and He is the Prevailing on the matters that you can do.
84- Al-Asbagh-bin-Nubata said: I heard Amirul Muminin(A.S.) saying, "I will speak of the wording that every Muslim should comprehend." He then approached us and said: Allah is too generous and glorious to punish anew the believer that He punishes in this world. Likewise, He is too generous and glorious to cancel the forgiveness that He provides for a believer in this world when He covers up his defect. Allah may strike a misfortune in the body, wealth, or family member." He then recited Allah's saying: "Whatever hardship befalls you is the result of your own deeds. Imam Ali(A.S.) contained his hands and said three times: Allah pardons many of your sins. (Holy Qur'an, 42:30).
85- Shutting the mouth is the first stage of rupture of relations. Never feel sorry for the bored. The ugliest reward is the bad turn.
86- The first of self-conceitedness is the ruin of the mind. He who can control his tongue will be safe from the problems that it-the tongue-originates. He who cannot amend his manners will suffer many defects. He whose manners are ill will be detested by his family members. A single word often spoils the grace. Thanks is a shelter against sedition. Dignity is the head of personality. Submission is the interceder of the guilty. The origin of determination is the avoidance of going into suspicious matters. The treasures of provisions lie in the broadness of mannerism.
87- Misfortunes are distributed among the creatures equally. Do not despair because of your sin while the protals of repentance are open. Right guidance lies in the opposition of passions. Death is the history of hope. Looking at the stingy causes hard-heartedness. Looking at the foolish darkens the eye. Generosity is intelligence and meanness is inadvertence.
88- Poverty is the grand death. Fewness of the dependants is one of the two facilities. It is the half of the livelihood. Care is the half of senility. The moderate will never be needy and the seeker of other's consult will never fail. Favors are wothless unless they are done to the highborn or the religious. The very happy is that who learns lessons from others. The wroged is neither praised nor rewarded. Piety is everlating and the sin will not be overlooked.
89- Do favors and you will gain admiration. Carry gratefulness as slogan and the intelligent will gain perceive you. Avoid curiostiy and the foolish will leave you. Respect your sitters and your sessions will be full (of attendants). Protect the foreigner and your neighborhood will be desirable. Treat people fairly and you will be trusted. Adhere to the high traits because they are exalt. Beware of the mean manners because they humiliate the masters and ruin the glory.
90- Satisfy yourself and you will gain dignity.
91- Patience is a shelter against poverty. Care is the sign of destitute. Moderation is the avoidance of indigence. Admonition is the haven of him who seeks its refuge.
92- He whose dress is chosen by knowledge will have his defects screened from people.
93- The envious cannot enjoy nice life. The bored cannot be given amiability. The liars are lacking personality.
94- Keep your dignity up by means of loneliness.
95- Every powerful that is under---Allah's---control is humble.
96-People perish due to two things---fear of poverty and seeking of pride.
97-O people, beware of fondness of this world, because it is the head of every sin, the door to every misfortune, the companion of every sedition, and the caller to every disaster.
98- The whole good is gathered in three characters---consideration, silence, and wording. Every consideration that lacks learning lessons is inattention, every silence that lacks thinking is inadvaertence, and every wording that lacks the mention of Allah is nonsense. Blessed are those whose consideration teaches them lessons, whose silence causes them to think, whose wording is mention of Allah, who weep for their sins, and save people from their evil.
99- How strange this man is! He becomes happy when he gains that which would never miss him, and become sad when he misses that which he would never catch. Had he thought, he would have realized that everything is planned and his earnings are predestined. He would have also sufficed with the available and would not have gone into the hard.
100- As he passed by marts, Imam Ali Amirul Muminin(A.S.) used to say: O tradesmen, seek good from Allah before doing anything else, seek blessing by dealing with people leniently, come near to the purchasers, adorn yourselves with clemency, avoid swearing, avoid telling lies, be away from oppression, be fair with the oppressed, do not approach usury, give a full measure, weigh (things) with a right balance, do not wrong men of their things, and do not act corruptly in the earth, making mischief.
101- As he was asked about the best and the worst creations of Allah, Imam Ali(A.S.) answerd: Wording is the best and the worst thing that Allah created. By means of wording, some faces become white and by means of wording, some faces become black.
102- Say good wording and it will be your distinctive feature. Do good deeds and you will be reckoned with its people.
103- When a misfortune befalls you, sacrifice your wealth for your souls. When a disaster befalls you, sacrifice your souls for your religion. You should realize that the very perishing one is that whose religion is stolen from him. It is surely there will be no poverty after Paradise and on prosperity after Hell.
104- No one will find the true taste of faith before he neglects telling lies whether seriously or jokingly.
105- A Muslim should avoid associating with the liars, because the liars will not be believed even when they tell truths.
106- The gravest sin is to seize the wealth of a Muslim wrongly.
107- He who fears retaliation will abstain from oppressing people.
108- I have never seen like the wrong envious who is most similar to the wronged.
109- The wrongdoer, his supporter, and the one who desires for wrongdoing are three partners of the same evil.
110- Steadfastness is of two forms: steadfastness against misfortunes. It is good and fair. Steadfastness that is better and fairer is the ability to avoid what Allah has forbidden for you. Similarly, the reference to Allah is of two forms. There is the mention of Allah when a misfortune befalls. It is surely good and fair. The mention of Allah that is better and fairer is to mention Him before matters that He has forbidden you to do. Therein , the mention of Allah will screen you from committing such deeds.
111- O Allah, do not cause me to need any of the evils. When I need, make my need with the most good humored, the most generous, the most eloquent, and less referrer to the favor he has done to me.
112- Blessed are those who exchange intimate terms with people for the sake of obedience to Allah.
113- A form of the true faith is that a servant should prefer honesty until he stops telling lies totally even in situations when lie is helpful. A man should not say anything with which he does not have full knowledge.
114- Keep the deposits even if their owners were the murderers of the prophets' sons.
115- God-fearing is the origin of faith.
116- The humiliation of obedience to Allah is more favorable than the honor of the disobedience to Him.
117- Wealth and sons are the harvest of this world, and the good deed is the harvest of the world to come. Allah has given some people the both.
118- On a page of the Torah, the following words are inscribed: He who begins his day with grief for a worldly affair is surely dissatisfied with Allah'a act. Any believer who complains a misfortune that befalls him to a person of another belief is durely complaining against his Lord to the enemies. Two thirds of the religion of him who behaves humbly before a rich man so as to get his prize are gone. The dead reciters of the Quran whom are sent to Hell are certainly those who mock the Verses of Allah. On another page (of the Torah), the following words are inscribed: He who does not seek the advice of others will surely be sorry. He who prefers money to everything else is destroying himself. Poverty is the grand death.
119- The core of a man is his tongue, his mind is his religion, and his
personality is the situation that he chooses for himself. Earnings are
distributed. Days are changeable.
120- Imam Ali(A.S.) said to Kumayl-bin-Ziyad: Slow down and you will not suffer
scandals. Hide your personality and you will not be mentioned. Learn and you
will know. Keep silent and you will be safe. When Allah guides you to the
religion, you should not care whether people know you or you know them.
121- He who does not humor those who he has to humor is not wise.
122- You should hope for no one other than the Lord, not fear anything other than your guilt, not be embarrassed to say, 'I do not know' when you do not know, and you should not feel too haughty to learn what you do not know. These four matters are so great that it is so easy for you to ride for long time so as to get them.
123- Imam Ali(A.S.) wrote to Abdullah ibn Abbas: So then, seek only what concerns you and leave what does not concern you. Through leaving what does not concern you, you will get what concerns you. You will tried for what you have done, not what you have left behind you. Opt for the deeds by the results of which you will benefit in the morrow. Peace be upon you.
124- The best things that cause people love each other and remove hatred from the hearts of the enemies are showing good humor in meetings, asking about them when they are absent, and receiving them with happy miens when they are present.
125- No one can find the true taste of faith before he believes that whatever befalls him would never miss him and whatever missed him would never befall him.
126- O Lord, how unlucky is he whose eye and heart do not consider the
greatness of Your royalty and power beside the greatness of Your royalty and
power that his eye and heart did not see! The more unlucky is surely that whose
eye and heart do not belittle Your royalty and power that he saw and did not see
beside Your greatness and glory. Lord, You are the only god Whom I glorify. I
have certainly done wrong to myself.
127- This world is only termination, suffering, raids, and lessons. As a form of
its termination is that you see that the bows of time are strung, its arrows are
put to use, its spears are not missing the target, and its wounds are incurable.
It hits the healthy with ailment and hits the alive with death. As a form of the
suffering of this world is that man gathers while he will not have what he
gathers and builds but he will not reside in what he builds. Then he leaves to
Allah without being able to carry the wealth or use his building. As a form of
the raids of this world is that you imminently see the lucky change into unlucky
and the unlucky change into lucky. Between the two, there is nothing more than
the luxury that vanished and the misery that befell. As a form of the lessons of
this world is that a man becomes very near to achieve his expectation but
suddenly death captures him. Thus, neither the expectation is achievable nor is
the hopeful left free. Glory be to Allah! Its pleasure is so cheating, its
satiation is so thirsting, and its shade is so unattainable, as if whatever is
in it did not exist, and whatever will occur in it had already occurred.
However, the life to come is the abode of the eternal residence and settlement
where there is Paradise and Hell. Due to patience, the disciples of Allah will
obtain their rewards and will achieve their hopes through their good deeds.
128- The most favorable way to Allah is two doses: the dose of ire that is refuted by clemency and the dose of grief that is refuted by patience. The most favorable way to Allah is two drops: a drop of tear in midnight and a drop of bleed (that is offered) for Allah's sake. The most favorable way to Allah is two steps: a step of the Muslim towards strengthening the rows of the fighters for Allah's sake and a step to regard the relatives. This step is preferred to the first.
129- A true friend is that who regards in misfortunes, absence, and after death.
130- The hearts of the ignorant are stirred up by greed, captured by hopes, and locked up by trickeries.
131- I will pardon him who enjoys a good character, but I will not pardon those who lose their mind or religion. This is because the loss of religion means the loss of security. Life with fear is worthless. Likewise, loss of mind means loss of life. Hence, the losers of life are compared only to the dead.
132- He who puts himself in situations of accusation should not blame those who doubt him. He who conceals his secrets will have his decisions in the hand.
133- Allah punishes the Arabs for their extremism, the rich for their arrogance, the rulers for their inequity, the scholars for their envy, the tradesmen for their fraud, and the villagers for their ignorance.
134- O people, fear Allah. The steadfastness in God-fearing is surely more acceptable than Allah's punishment.
135- The ascesis in this world is to neglect expectation, thank (Allah) for every grace, and refrain from whatever Allah has forbidden.
136- When things were combined, indolence and incapacity combined and produced poverty.
137- Days are surely three One passed and you do not hope for it, the second is present and you will unavoidably meet it, and the third is the day to come and you cannot trust it. Yesterday was admonition, today is a good opportunity, and tomorrow is unknown who will live for it. Yesterday was an accepted witness, today is faithful keeper, and tomorrow will leave you soon as you catch it. Its absence will be long. It will come to you and you will not go to it. O people, survival will certainly come after termination. It is just we have inherited those who precceded us and we will be inherited by the coming ones. By means of that which you will surely leave, reform that which you will surely come to encounter. Take the courses of good and do not feel lonely because of the fewness of the people who take such courses. Remember Allah's good companionship in such courses. The loans should be given today so that the prizes will be gained tomorrow. We are only the branches of those origins that departed. How can the branches continue after their origins? O people, if you prefer this world to the life to come you will take quick steps towards responding to the lowermost vanities, and the mounts of your hopes will take you to the endless point to water you from these springs which cause you sorrow and make you suffer the same pains of the past nations and the bygone ages who underwent the changes of manners and the punishments.
138- Prayer is the offertory of the pious.
Hajj is the jihad of the weak.
Everything has its tax, and the tax of bodies is fasting.
The best deed of a man is the expectation of the Relief.
The instructors who do not apply their instructions to themselves are like those
who try to shoot without having a string.
He who is certain of the reward will give generously.
Seek earnings through alms-giving.
Protect your wealth by defraying the zakat.
The moderate will never suffer neediness.
Moderation is the half of livelihood.
Amicability is the half of intelligence.
Care is the half of senility.
Fewness of dependants is one of the two facilities.
To depress the parents is impiety to them.
As for those who beat the hand on the thigh in misfortunes, their rewards will
be cancelled.
Favors are worthless unless they are done to the highborn or the religious.
Allah endows with patience inasmuch as the (measure of) misfortune.
Allah will endow the moderate with earnings and will deprive the squanderer of
them.
Keeping of the trusts brings about earnings and treachery brings about poverty.
If Allah wants the good of an ant, He will not create a wing for it.
139- The pleasures of this world are trash and its heritage is only a jumble.
Subsistence in this world is better than amassment. To neglect it is safer than
to feel secure of it. Poverty is the sentence of those who seek excessive
pleasures from it. Rest is the result of those who desert it. It will cause
blindness to anyone who is admired by its beauty, and will fill in the heart of
anyone who feels fond of it with griefs that dance on the core of his heart like
the dancing of butter on the edges of a water skin. He will suffer a grief that
saddens him and another that engages him until he loses forbearance and the
aortas of his heart are incised. Then he will be laid on the ground and it is
surely easy for Allah to catch his soul and for the pious to find him a place of
burial. The believer should look at his world with the eye of learning lessons,
have from is food like the obliged, and lend it the ear of hatred.
140- Show clemency, for it is the intimate friend and the supporter of the
believer. Likewise, knowledge is his guide, lenience is his brother,
intelligence is his comrade, and patience is the commander of his troops.
141- As he noticed a man who exceeded the limits of asceticism, Imam Ali(A.S.) said to him: O you, have you not heard Allah's saying: "And proclaim the bounties of your Lord? (Holy Qur'an,93: 1) By Aallah's favors by means of deeds is certainly better than thanking them by means of words.
142- Imam Ali(A.S.) said to his son Imam Hasan(A.S.): I command you to fear Allah, offer the prayers in their proper time, and defray the zakat in their proper forms. I also command you to pardon the wrong, control your anger, regard your relatives, possess yourself before the ignorant, learn the religious affairs, verify (matters), lean to the Quran, opt for good neighborhood, bid good, forbid evil, and avoid all the evildoings and the acts of disobedience to Allah.
143- This world rests upon four supports: a scholar who applies his knowledge (to himself), a rich man who does favors generously, an ignorant who is not too arrogant to learn, and a poor man who does not vent his life to come with others' worldly pleasures. Woe are the scholars who suspend acting upon their Knowledge, the rich men who withhold giving, the ignorant who feel arrogant against learning, and the poor men who vend their lives to come with others' worldly pleasures.
144- It will be quite worthy for those who are able to prevent themselves
from enjoying the following four characters to be saved from suffering any
detestable matter. These four characters are rashness, disputation,
self-conceit, and indolence.
145- O servants of Allah, you should know that God-fearing is well-fortified
garrison while wickedness is an unprotected garrison that is too short to defend
its people or save anyone who seeks its succor. Through God-fearing, the stings
of sins are healed, through steadfastness in the obedience to Allah, His rewards
are healed, and through convictions, the furthest target is hit. O servants of
Allah, as He attracted the attentions of His disciples to the ways of salvation,
Allah has not banned them from attaining such ways. Likewise, He has not made
them despair of His mercy for their commitment of acts of disobedience to Him if
they show repentance to Him.
146- Silence is wisdom, abstinence from speaking is safety, and concealment
is a part of happiness.
147- All matters are submissive to the predestined until defect occurs to the
management.
148- A man's personality is imperfect before he learns the religious questions, manages the affairs of his livelihood moderately, tolerates the misfortunes that befall him, and finds sweet the bitterness of his friends.
149- As he was asked about personality, Imam Ali(A.S.) said: Personality is to avoid doing a matter secretly if you feel embarrassed to do it openly.
150- Seeking Allah's forgiveness along with the insistence on committing the sin---from which you seek forgiveness---are additional sins.
151- Settle the acknowledgment of what you worship in yourselves so that the movements of your organs will benefit you in the worship of what you acknowledge.
152- For him who dedicates his religion to the obtainment of his worldly pleasures, his reward will be only that which he has benefited through his religion.
153- Faith is accepted saying, applied action, and acknowledgment in the minds.
154- Faith stands on four supports: they are dependence upon Allah, entrustment with Allah, submission to the decision of Allah, and satisfaction with the acts of Allah. Disbelief too stands on four supports: they are the desire for the worldly pleasures, fear from missing any worldly pleasure, anger, and passion.
155- As for those who abstain from receiving the worldly pleasures, show steadfastness against the worldly humiliation, and do not compete with others on the worldly reputation, Allah will guide them without the mediation of anybody, instruct them directly, fix wisdom in their hearts, and make them speak of wisdom.
156- There are the servants of Allah who acted with their Lord purely secretly; therefore, He thanked their efforts purely appreciatively. On the Day of Resurrection, the records of those groups will pass empty. Then they stand before Allah, He will fill in them with what they acted with Him purely secretly.
157- Master your manners by the high traits, drive them into the nobilities of character, familiarize them with clemency, be steadfast against preferring others to your selves in the things that you most like, do not doubt people while you deal with them, raise your personalities by means of negligence of the mean affairs, keep the weak barely alive by the means of your positions and your support if you are unable to supply them with what they hope from you, do not investigate the hidden lest many people will investigate what is hidden from your affairs, keep yourselves away from lying, for it is the meanest manner. It is also a sort of evil and a form of meanness. Elevate yourselves against analyzing matters that do not concern you.
158- Term of death is certainly a sufficient protector. For every human being, Allah has assigned some angels to keep him so that he will not fall in a well, a wall will not fall on him, or a beast will not raven him. When his term of death falls, the keeping angels will leave him.
The Holy Prophet of Islam(S.A.W.) Commandment for Imam Ali(A.S.)
O Ali, to avoid pleasing anyone and discontenting Allah, thanking anyone for a favor that Allah has not given to you, and reproaching anyone for something that Allah has not given to you--these are parts of the conviction. The sustenance cannot be obtained through (any sort of) niggardliness and will not be ceased when someone hates it. Out of His wisdom and grace, Allah has made relief and delight lie in conviction and satisfaction, and made care and grief lie in suspect and malice.
O Ali, no poverty is harsher than ignorance, no fortune better than the intellect, no loneliness drearier than pride, no victory like counseling, no intellect like moderation, no lineage like good manners, and no worship like pondering (over things).
O Ali, untruth is the epidemic of talking, oblivion is the epidemic of knowledge, laziness is the epidemic of worship, to remind reproachfully (of your favors) is the epidemic of leniency, despot is the epidemic of courage, showing off is the epidemic of handsomeness, and pride is the epidemic of (belonging to good) ancestry.
O Ali, keep up saying the truth and your tongue should never utter any single lie. Never approach any treason. Fear Allah as if you see Him before you. Sacrifice your property and soul for the sake of your religion. Ride the good manners and avoid the ill manners.
O Ali, the most favorable deeds to Allah are three: the best worshipper is he who fulfills the obligatory duties of Allah properly. The most pious of people is he who abstains from the forbidden matters. The wealthiest of people is he who satisfies himself with that which Allah has given to him.
O Ali, three matters save you: (They are) to control your tongue (stop saying obscene language or stop reviling at people), to weep for your sins, and to contend with your home.
O Ali, three characters are the masters of deeds: they are to treat people fairly, justify your friends, and to praise Allah's sake. This man is certainly Allah's guest, and it is incumbent upon Allah to honor His guests and satisfy their needs. The second is a man who offers a prayer and immediately offers another. He is surely Allah's guest and it is incumbent upon Allah to honor His guest. The hajji and the performer of umrah are the delegations to Allah, and it is incumbent upon Allah to honor His delegation.
O Ali, three matters are rewarded in this world and the world to come: the hajj eradicates poverty, the alms-giving eradicates catastrophes, and regard of the relatives increases the age.
O Ali, the deeds of those who do not enjoy the following three characters are nil: piety that impedes against the ignorance of the foolish ones, and an intellect that helps in associating with people courteously.
O Ali, three men will be stood under the shade of the (Divine) Throne on the Day of Resurrection: they are a man who likes for his friend whatever he likes for himself, a man who stops doing any thing before he realizes whether it pleases or displeases Allah, and a man who does not find fault with himself whenever he gets rid of one. It is quite sufficient for a man to be engaged with himself.
O Ali, three matters are within the doors to charity: they are generosity, good wording, and steadfastness against harm.
O Ali, it is written in the Torah that four matters always accompany other four ones. He who begins his day with acquisitiveness is beginning his day with discontentment to Allah. He who complains about misfortune is complaining against his Lord.Two thirds of the religion of him who declines before a rich man are gone. The people of this umma who will be in Hell are surely those who deride and disregard the Verses (or signs) of Allah.
Four matters always accompany other four ones. He who holds a position of leadership will surely act arbitrarily. He who does not seek others' advice will surely regret. As you subjugate, you will surely be subjugated. Poverty is the grand death.
The Holy Prophet (S.A.W.) was asked whether the intended poverty is the financial neediness. He answered: No, it is the poverty of the religion.
O Ali, except three, every eye will be weeping on the Day of Resurrection. These three are an eye that passed a night sleeplessly for Allah's sake, an eye that is lowered before what Allah has prohibited to gaze, and an eye that shed tears due to fearing Allah.
O Ali, blessed be the face (of an individual) that Allah notices (him) weeping for a sin, which no one has seen except Him.
O Ali, three matters are destructive and three others are rescuing. The three destructive matters are the pursued passion, the obeyed niggardliness, and the self-conceit. The three rescuing matters are to treat (others) fairly in both situations of satisfaction and displeasure, to be moderate in both situations of richness and poverty, and to fear Allah secretly and openly. Fear Allah as if you see Him. If you do not see Him, He can surely see you.
O Ali, four matters go uselessly: to eat after (attaining) satiety, to light a lamp in the moonlit, to seed in the briny land, and to do favors to the undeserved.
O Ali, four matters are the quickest in punishment: to recompense the favor with mistreatment, to trespass him who does not show hostility, to break the faith of the party who keeps up his faith with you, and to rupture the relations with the relatives who regard you properly.
O Ali, those who keep these four characters enjoy perfect Islam. These characters are telling only truth, showing gratitude, prudence, and good mannerism.
O Ali, the present richness is surely the fewness of asking from people. To ask from people frequently is surely humility. It is also the present poverty.
Another Brief Commandment for Imam Ali(A.S.)
O Ali, a faithful believer must enjoy three characteristics: they are fasting,
offering prayers, and alms-giving. Likewise, the false believer enjoys three
characteristics: he flatters slavishly when he witnesses (a situation),
backbites, and rejoices over the others misfortunes.
The unjust people enjoy three characteristics: they dominate him who is less powerful than they are by means of acts of disobedience (to Allah), and they support the oppressors.
The showy has three characteristics: he activates among people, he becomes lazy when he is alone, and he desires to be praised in all states.
The hypocrite has three characteristics: he lies in speech, breaches his trusts, and breaks his promise.
The indolent has three characteristics: he slackens until he neglects, neglects until he wastes, and wastes until he commits a sin.
The intelligent ones should not travel except in three situations; in seeking the worldly earnings, getting supplies for the life to come, and gaining a legal pleasure.
O Ali, no poverty is harsher than ignorance, no fortune is more useful than
the mind, no loneliness is gloomier than self-esteem, no activity like
moderation, no piety like abstinence, and no ancestry like good mannerism.
Untruth is the epidemic of speech, oblivion is the epidemic of knowledge,
reminding (others of your favors) reproachfully is the epidemic of leniency.
O Ali, whenever your sight falls on the new moon, you should say 'Allahu Akbar three times, and say: 'All praise be to Allah Who created you and me and made you in various stages and made you a sign for all peoples.
O Ali, whenever you look in a mirror, you should say 'Allahu Akbar' three times, and say: O Allah, better my morals in the same way You bettered my creation.
O Ali, whenever a matter frightens you, you should say: O Allah, (I implore to You) by the right of Muhammad(S.A.W.) and Muhammad's(S.A.W.) family, relieve my fear.
Ali(A.S.) said: I asked, "O Allah's messenger, what are the words that are
intended in Allah's saying: Then Adam received (some) words from his Lord? Holy
Qur'an 2:37
The Prophet(S.A.W.) answered: O Ali, Allah brought down Adam (from Paradise)
in India, Eve in Jeddah, the snake in Isfahan, and the Shaitan in Maysan(*).
Jeddah is a seaprot on the Red Sea coast of Saudi Arabia, near Makkah. Isfahan is city in central Iran. Maysan is a city southern Iraq.
In Paradise, nothing was better than the snake, which had four legs like a
camel, and the peacock. The Shaitan entered in the interior of the snake and
could deceive Adam. Hence, Allah got angry at the snake. He amputated its legs
and said: I will make the dust as your earnings and will make you walk on your
belly. I will not compassionate anyone who treats you kindly." He also got angry
at the peacock because it showed the Shaitan the tree. Hence, He took its sound
and two legs. For one hundred years, Adam stayed -in India- unable to raise the
head to the heavens. He used to put the hands on the head weeping for his guilt.
Then, Allah sent Gabriel the angel to tell him that the Exalted Lord sends His
greetings to him and says:
"O Adam, have I not created you with My hand? Have I not lodged you in My
Paradise? What for are you weeping, then?
You should utter these words and Allah will surely accept your repentance. Say:
All praise is due to You. There is no god but You. I had done wrong and wronged
myself. Accept my repentance. You are surely the Oft-returning, the Merciful."
(These were the words that Adam received from his Lord Who accepted his
repentance.
O Ali, four characters are the signs of unhappiness: they are solidity of the eye, hard-heartedness, long hope, and fondness of the worldly pleasures.
O Ali, whenever someone praises you face to face, you should say: "O "Allah,
make me better than what he thinks of me, forgive my sins that he does not know,
and do not blame me for what he has said."
O Ali, whenever you copulate with your wife, you should say: "In the Name of
Allah. O Allah, take the Shaitan away from what you will grant." If it is
ordained that you will be given a baby, the Shaitan will never hurt it (if you
say these words).
O Ali, begin (your meals) with the salt and end with it. Salt is surely the cure of seventy diseases the least of which is psychosis and leprosy.
O Ali, use the olive oil. The Shaitan will not approach those who use the olive oil for forty nights.
O Ali, do not copulate on the night before the fifteenth of every - lunar -
month and the night before the first of every -lunar-month. Have you not notice
that the insane are often affected on these two nights?
O Ali, if you have a baby, you should recite azan, in his right ear and recite
iqama in the left. Thus, the Shaitan will never affect him.
O Ali, may I inform you of the evilest people? Ali(A.S.): I said, "Yes, you
may, Allah's Messenger."
He(S.A.W.) said: they are those who never forgive and never overlook. May I
inform of those who are worse than those people are? Ali(A.S.): I said, "Yes,
you may, Allah's Messenger."
He(S.A.W.) said: They are those whose evil is not secured and good is not
expected from them.
Another Commandment for Imam Ali(A.S.)
O Ali, do not go to the bathroom naked. Damn are those who go to the bathroom
naked and those who look at them.
O Ali, do not wear a ring in the forefinger or the middle finger. People of Lot the prophet used to wear their rings in those two fingers. You should never disrobe the pinkie (A ring should always be in your pinkie).
O Ali, Allah surely likes the servant who says, "O Lord, forgive me. Except
You, no one forgive the sins." In this case, the Lord says: "O My angels, My
servant has known that except Me, no one forgives the sins. Be the witnesses, I
have forgiven him."
O Ali, beware of telling untruths, for it blackens the face then the teller of
lies will be recorded by Allah as liar. Honesty whitens the face and the honest
will be recorded by Allah as truthful. You should know that honesty is blessed
and lie is ill-omened.
O Ali, beware of backbiting and tale bearing. Backbiting breaks the -ritual- fasting and tale bearing causes the burial punishment.
O Ali, do not swear by Allah whether you say the truth or not except in cases of emergency. Do not make Allah the matter of your oath, for Allah will never keep or compassionate him who swears by His Name falsely.
O Ali, so not care for tomorrow's livelihood. Every tomorrow comes with its livelihood.
O Ali, beware of disputation, for it begins with ignorance and ends with regret.
O Ali, persist in using the toothbrush, for it purifies the mouth, satisfies the Lord, and betters the sight. Cleaning the teeth (with a special stick called khilal) makes the angels approach you, for they dislike the malodor of those who do not clean their mouths after eating.
O Ali, do not be angry (under any circumstances). If you are enraged, you should sit down and think of the Lord's power over His servants; yet, He treats them leniently. If someone say to you, "Fear Allah," you should try to relinquish your rage and cling to your (feeling of) clemency.
O Ali, whatever you spend for yourself, you will surely find it saved (for you) with Allah.
O Ali, show good mannerism to your folks, neighbors, associates, and friends, so that Allah will record the highest grades for you.
O Ali, you should dislike for others whatever you dislike for yourself and like for them whatever you like for yourself. This will make you a just arbitrator and a fair judge. Furthermore, the inhabitants of the heavens will favor you and the inhabitants of the earth will love you. You should keep my commandments, If Allah wills it, Inshallah.
Hadith Praising the Shias of 'Ali (A.S.)
Hadith in which Rasulullah (s) praised Ali and his Shi'a can be found in many classical Ahl'ul Sunnah texts, and have even been recorded by Ulema like Ibn Hajar al Makki in their books written against the Shi'a. For the sake of brevity we will cite just a handful of traditions to prove our point.
It is in praise of the Shi'a of Ali that Allah (swt) sent down the following
revelation:
"Those who believe and do righteous deeds are the best of the creatures. Their
reward from their Lord shall be everlasting gardens, below which flow rivers,
they will abide there forever. Well pleased is God with them and they are well
pleased with Him" (Qur'an 98:7)".
Muhammad bin Ali narrates in Tafsir ibne Jarir, Volume 33 page 146 (Cairo
edition) that the Prophet (s) said "The best of creations are you Ali and your
Shi'as."
Jalaladin Suyuti, (849 - 911 AH) is one of the highest ranked Sunni scholars of
all time. In his commentary of this verse, he records through 3 asnad (chains)
of narrators, that the Prophet (s) told his companions that the verse referred
to Ali and his Shi'a:
"I swear by the one who controls my life that this man (Ali) and his Shi'a shall
secure deliverance on the day of resurrection".
(Tafseer Durre Manthur Volume 6 page 379 (Cairo edition)
The 3 Sahaba who narrated this hadith are (1) Ali (as) himself (2) Jabir bin
Abdullah Ansari (ra) (3) Abdullah ibne Abbas (ra). The majority school
acknowledges them as truthful narrators of hadith. Had this been in a Shi'a
book, you would have deemed it a forgery, but it's presence in your has really
confused your Ulema.
There are no hadith in which the Prophet (s) guaranteed paradise for a specific Sahaba and his followers, with the sole exception of Ali (as) and his Shi'a.
Other Sunni scholars have also recorded this hadith from Jabir bin Abdullah
Ansari in their commentaries of the above verse.
[Tafsir Fatha ul bayan Volume 10 page 333 (Egypt edition) & Tafsir Fatha ul
Qadir, Volume 5 page 477]
Hadhrath Abdullah ibne Abbas narrates "that when this verse descended the
Prophet (s) said, 'Ali you and your Shi'a will be joyful on the Day of
Judgement" (Tafseer Durre Manthur Volume 6 page 379 (Cairo edition)
Ahmad ibn Hajr al Makki quotes from Imam Dar Qatany in his al Sawaiqh al
Muhrriqa page 159 (Cairo edition) "O Abul Hasan, you and you Shi'a will attain
paradise".
Ibn Hajr al Makki in his anti Shia book, Sawaiqh al Muhriqa, records this
tradition from Imam Tabarani:
"O Ali four people will enter heaven first of all. Me, You, Hasan, and Hussain,
your descendants will follow us and our wives will follow our descendants and
our Shi'a will be to the left and right of us".
Hadhrath Ali narrates in Tafsir Durre Mansur, Volume 6 page 379 (Cairo
edition) that Rasulullah (s) said to him:
"Have you not heard this verse "Their reward from their Lord shall be
everlasting gardens, below which flow rivers, they will abide there forever"?
This verse refers to you and you Shi'a, I promise you that I will be meet you at
the Fountain of Kawthur".
The classical Shafii scholar al Maghazli records a tradition from Anas bin
Malik that he heard the Prophet (s) say:
"Seventy thousand people will go to heaven without questions, the Prophet then
turned to Ali and said 'they will be from among your Shi'a and you will be their
Imam"
Manaqib Ali al Murtaza, page 184 by al Maghazli al Shafii
Sayings of the Leader of the Believers, Imam Ali (A.S.)
1. One who has cognizance of his soul has cognizance of God.
Note: a) Regarding ‘Soul’ God says:“They ask you about the 'Soul' Say the
soul is a command of God & you are not given of its knowledge but a little(S
17:A87)
When a person cannot understand his soul, He can never understand God’s Self, as
worthy of Him.
God is Light of the heavens and the earth and is present everywhere. He has no body & no abode. He is the Hidden & the Manifest, the Distant & the Near. Eyes cannot see Him but He is visible to our heart & mind. He is Infinite & cannot be grasped by our finite knowledge: Nothing is like Him & no light is like God's Light.
2. Ali (A.S) says "O 'He' of whom no one knows WHAT 'He'(God) is, nor How 'He' is, nor WHERE 'He' is, nor in WHICH direction,' He' is except ‘He’ Himself " .
The above statement is in the beginning of Dua e Mashlool by Imam Ali (A.S)
Note: a) We could not understand You (God) to the extent worthy of Your
cognizance. (the holy messenger)
b) No one has comprehension of God's Self (ذات خدا) but all mankind by human
nature loves and worships God and seeks His help when in danger and despair.
Men can understand some attributes of God, such as, God is Beneficent & Merciful. He is Just & Loving& Praiseworthy. He is the Best Protector.
He is the Creator of everything merely with His Will & Intention. He is the First & Primal Existence & is Everlasting. He is Ever Alive without death & transformation.
He is All-Hearing, All-Seeing & All-Knowing. He can make trees & stones & anything speak (e.g. God’s voice came from a tree for Moses A.S), He is All-Powerful, He has no partner. He is the Unerring, the Holy &the Wise. He is absolute Truth.
He guides us through His appointed messengers & Imams regarding the purpose
of our life with His commandments & prohibitions in Heavenly Books. (e.g. Torah,
Bible, Quran)
He is Extremely Patient, and gives respite to criminals, sinners & tyrants
before punishing them. He is Forgiving for those who repent and seek pardon. He
forgives the sinners, who love and follow God’s best pleaders & intercessors ie.
the fourteen sinless personalities when they intercede, with His permission (من
ذالذي يشفع عنده الا باذنه)
He is the Reviver of the dead for reckoning equitably on the Day of Judgment for
eternal reward in Paradise or punishment in Hell.
3. Imam Ali (A.S) has said: If all the curtains between me& God are removed, my belief in God will not increase a bit.
4. Someone asked Ali (A.S), “Do you worship a God whom you have not seen”?
Ali (A.S) replied: “I don’t worship a God whom I have not seen”. i.e. Ali (A.S)
has seen God through his heart & insight which is more reliable than eyes. Eyes
cannot see air, nor microbes & virus, nor Laser & x-rays, nor invisible ultra
violet and infra red-rays which are. beyond the visible spectrum violet to red
.Eyes are deceived by mirage .the holy Quran says : “Eyes can not see Him
(God).”
No one has seen God neither His messengers nor Imams nor angels & jinns nor
anybody else. But all' momins' have firm belief in God .They seek his help by
saying ((بک يا الله on the ‘Night of Destiny’ although atheists & polytheists
have been deceived by Satan, and satanic evil spirit (نفس اماره).
5. One never enjoys the relish of Belief (in God, His appointed divine guides i.e. His messengers and Imams and Resurrection) until he gives up falsehood both in humorous as well as serious situations.
6. It is astonishing if son of Adam is proud, when his beginning is a sperm and his end is a decaying corpse. (dead body).
7. Every person’s worth is as much as his good deeds.
Note: We live in deeds not years. A person whose life is full of good deeds, good thoughts & good feelings is much more precious than one whose life is long but empty and without precious good deeds.
8. Your Honor is solid, but it becomes liquid when you beg or ask for something from people. Therefore you should see before whom your honor liquefies.
Note: Men with high spirituality do not beg except from God or generous momins. Men with no sense of honor sell themselves to devilish tyrants at a cheap price & commit any sin or crime and earn eternal punishment in the hereafter.
9. Some good qualities of women are bad qualities for men:
a. Pride b. Timidity (modesty) c. Miserliness. These are good for women but bad
for men. Humility, Courage and Generosity are good for men, and these are
exactly the opposite of good qualities in women.
10. A person with sense of honor (غيرت) never commits adultery.
Note: a) The holy Quran has prescribed punishment for adultery in the first
few Aayaat of surahe Noor:
As for the adulteress & the adulterer, strike each of them a hundred lashes and
let not pity for them overcome you in Allah's law if you believe in Allah and
the last Day (the Day of Judgment), and let the punishment be witnessed by a
group of the faithful.(Noor :A2)
b) O you who have faith! do not follow in foot steps of Satan …. He indeed
prompts indecent acts& wrong. Were it not for Allah's grace and His mercy upon
you not one of you would ever be pure and chaste (S24:A21)
c) Vicious women are for vicious men. Good women are for good men (S24:A26)
d) God has permitted temporary marriage (under special conditions) (S4:A24) to
prevent adultery.
One who prevented temporary marriage shall bear the burden of sins of all adulterers and fornicators.
e) A person is not allowed to marry two sisters (S4:A23) but he can marry up to four wives if he can be equitable and just to them otherwise he should marry only one wife. One who is vicious and lacks justice should not marry even one good wife.
f) When a man and a woman have different religions and are not married religiously , it is considered as adultery .A muslim women is not permitted to marry a non-muslim even on temporary basis. A muslim man can marry a good christian or jew woman by a temporary marriage contract, which can be made permanent if the bride accepts Islam.
g) Homosexuality was an indecency committed by the people of the time of Hazrate Lut (A.S) It was prohibited by God, but the people didn't care for God's punishment, whereupon all the people of that town were destroyed as a punishment from the sky for this transgression.
It is extremely shameful for men to commit this sin which is not committed even by animals. Such men have benighted understanding and are worse than animals. God is extremely patient and the transgressors shall definitely be punished by God. One way to combat homosexuality is to arrange early marriages between men & women; & also to make temporary marriages easy for registration for the sake of determining children’s father.
11. Ali (A.S) has said:" You have three categories of your friends & enemies:
Your friends are: 1. your own friends. 2 .your friends' friends 3. your enemy's
enemy.
And your enemies are 1. your own enemy 2. your friend’s enemy 3. your enemy's
friend."
Note: The above guidance should be taken into consideration by governments in
diplomatic and human relations.
12. One who is very talkative will make many mistakes, his mistakes will lessen his sense of shame, and when sense of shame is reduced he will have less piety and therefore a dead heart which will lead to hell.
13. If good behavior failed to reform a person good recompense will amend him.
14. Do not enslave yourself to others when the Glorious God has created you free.
Note: a) All persons should be true servants of God and obey Him and not the tyrants. Those who enslave themselves to tyrants not only lose their freedom but also become a fuel for hell in the everlasting life hereafter. No one lives forever in this temporal world, so people should know their purpose of life and strive to please God, the Creator, who puts everyone to test before recompensing him. Those who even agree with tyrants shall meet the same fate as the tyrants no matter in which country or era they live.
God says: “Do not obey the faithless and the hypocrites”
(Ahzaab 33:1) and God says: “Obey not from among them a sinner or a skeptic.
(Dahr76: 24) So one should obey the messengers and Imams chosen by God; if they
are killed by tyrants, God recompenses them with paradise.Imam Ali (A.S) was
martyred in a mosque while saying prayers. The misleading slogan of his enemies
was: “Sovereignty or judgment is for God alone” (Yosef 12:40) Well, that is
quite true but God likes to test you. He does not pass every verdict or
judgment. God entrusts judgment to His divine guides. The holy Quran says :
“Judge between them by what God has revealed ( the divine laws)and do not follow
their (low)desires against the truth that has come to you. (Maeda5:48) Moreover,
God says : “If they obey most of those on the earth, they will lead you astray
from God’s way ; they follow assumptions or conjectures and they fabricate lies”
(Ana’am 6:116) Furthermore: “Indeed God commands you that when you judge between
people JUDGE WITH JUSTICE.(Nisa 4: 58) Justice of Imam Ali (A.S) is
unquestionable. The holy messenger (S.A) has said: “Ali is with the truth and
the truth is with Ali.”
15. If you obey God's commandments & His prohibitions they will neither allow
death to approach soon nor reduce your sustenance, rather they double your
reward and make your recompense bountiful and what is superior to these two is
to manifest JUSTICE for its administration by a cruel ruler.
A Few Quotes of Imam Ali (A.S.)
Conduct
People act like mirrors; friends reflect your good qualities and enemies your
faults.
Ten social virtues
Generosity, modesty, truthfulness, integrity, hospitality, decency, courage,
tolerance, steadfastness and gratitude
Sincerity
A person is sincere if his words and deeds, exterior and interior are the same;
he fulfills his pledges and maintains purity in worship.
A favour is a trust that you must return.
Courtesy
Courtesy conceals genetic flaws.
Intelligence blossoms on courtesy.
Unity
Truth unites, falsehood divides. Stay with the truthful, no matter how few; stay
away from the false, no matter how many.
Satan first creates discord in congregations, then divides and destroys.
Speech
Speech is the scale, which reason makes weighty, ignorance makes weightless.
A man reveals himself through his speech.
The knowledge expressed only through speech is the meanest; that which is demonstrated through every act of the body is sublime.
Learning through experience
He who learns a lesson from each experience will save himself from ruin.
In the rise and fall of fortunes are lessons to be learnt.
Folly
A man’s folly is demonstrated through three acts:
Talking about matters that don’t concern him
Offering comments when not asked
Interfering in other people’s affairs without understanding
He, who thinks he is the wisest, is the most foolish.
A foolish man speaks without thinking; a wise man thinks before he speaks.
Ignorance
Ignorance reveals itself in the following:
Being angry without cause,
Speaking without need,
Rewarding the undeserving,
Not distinguishing between friend and foe,
Revealing a secret,
Trusting everyone.
The ignorant never realizes his mistake nor accepts advice.
Lies
No one ever believes a man who lies.
Nobility
Ensuring justice for the weak is a sign of nobility.
Defect
The greatest of defects is to point out a defect in others, which you yourself
possess but fail to notice in yourself.
He is the wisest who tries to mend his own defects rather than keep an eye on the defects of others.
Hypocrisy
Hypocrites can be identified by the following characteristics:
They say peace but mean war.
Their nourishment is false allegations.
Their generosity is being dishonest.
They keep their distance due to arrogance.
They do not wish anybody well.
They sleep like a log at night and create furor during the day.
They have no respect for the mosque, and present themselves in it at the end of the prayer or worship.
Revenge
The best revenge is to improve yourself.
It is easier to win your enemy over by sincere measures and good deeds than declare war and dominate him after great bloodshed and destruction.
The best revenge is forgiveness.
Miserliness
A true believer (momin) is never miserly nor ill tempered.
Envy
Three things can only ruin:
Arrogance- it brought damnation to Iblis
Avarice- it made Adam lose paradise
Envy- it made Qabeel commit the first murder, and that too of his own brother,
Habeel
Envy is to man what rust is to iron.
Malice
Malice is an incurable disease, which is also infectious.
He who breeds malice breeds unhappiness and lives in it till he dies.
Disobedience
The worst friend is one who glorifies the disobedience of God.
Try to postpone disobeying God, instead of hurrying to disobey.
Death
He who desires the world is sought by death, and he who is prepared for it, the
world seeks to deliver his sustenance to him.
He who waits for death hurries to perform good deeds.
Death for the virtuous is a reward for them, death for the vicious is a relief for the people.
Martyrdom is the best way to depart from this world. I swear by him in whose hand lies the soul of this son of Abu Talib (‘a), I would prefer a thousand wounds of the sword in the way of Allah, than disobey Him and die in bed.