Hadith

Imam Ali ibn Abu Talib [a]

1968 sayings · page 12 of 50

1. Accept your fellow brother's excuse, and if he has no excuse then find an excuse for him.

   Bihar al-Anwar, v. 74, p. 165, no. 29; Mizan ul Hikmah, page No. 586 · permalink

2. The most understanding person is he who accepts people's excuses most readily.

   Ghurar al-Hikam, no. 2988; Mizan ul Hikmah, page No. 586 · permalink

3. You were ordered to fear Allah and you were created for obedience and good deeds.

   Sharhe Nahj al-Balagha by Abi al-Hadid, v. 3, no. 108; Mizan ul Hikmah, page No. 587 · permalink

4. The world is the origin of evil and the place of deceit.

   Ghurar al-Hikam, no. 1473; Mizan ul Hikmah, page No. 999 · permalink

5. Pitiable is the son of Adam! His death is hidden [from him], his illnesses are invisible, and his actions are recorded. A mosquito causes him pain, a gasp can kill him, and a little sweat makes him stink.

   Sharhe Nahj al-Balagha by Abi al-Hadid, v. 20, p. 62; Mizan ul Hikmah, page No. 588 · permalink

6. Man ['s worth] is measured according to his two little organs his heart and his tongue so that when he fights, he should do so with a firm heart, and when he speaks, he should do so with eloquence.

   Ghurar al-Hikam, no. 2089; Mizan ul Hikmah, page No. 589 · permalink

7. Sovereignty is [efficient] management.'

   Ghurar al-Hikam, no. 17; Mizan ul Hikmah, page No. 589 · permalink

8. The downfall of leading politicians is [due to] their poor management.

   Ghurar al-Hikam, no. 3931; Mizan ul Hikmah, page No. 589 · permalink

9. Let your family not become the most miserable of people because of you

   Nahj al-Balagha, Letter 31; Mizan ul Hikmah, page No. 881 · permalink

10. Interact with people with the use of your tongues and your bodies, and part from them with your hearts and your actions

    Ghurar al-Hikam, no. 5071; Mizan ul Hikmah, page No. 882 · permalink

11. For your brother, offer your blood and your wealth, for your enemy your justice and fairness, and for people in general your joy and your good favour

    Bihar al-Anwar, v. 78, p. 50, no. 76; Mizan ul Hikmah, page No. 882 · permalink

12. Obligate yourself to adopt affection, and make yourself tolerate the encumbrances of people

    Bihar al-Anwar, v. 74, p. 175, no. 6; Mizan ul Hikmah, page No. 882 · permalink

13. He who is quick to criticize people in a manner that they dislike, they will talk about him saying that which they do not know.

    Bihar al-Anwar, v. 75, p. 151, no. 17; Mizan ul Hikmah, page No. 882 · permalink

14. Worry is half of old age

    Tuhaf al-`Uqoul, no. 214; Mizan ul Hikmah, page No. 883 · permalink

15. I have not seen a wrong-doer resemble a wronged person more than the jealous one: he has an exhausted spirit, a wandering heart, and an inherent sorrow.

    Bihar al-Anwar, v. 76, p. 256, no. 29; Mizan ul Hikmah, page No. 884 · permalink

16. He who is negligent in his work is afflicted with anxiety

    Nahj al-Balagha, Saying 127; Mizan ul Hikmah, page No. 884 · permalink

17. Beware of apprehension, for it kills hope, weakens action, and brings about worry

    Da`aim al-Islam, v. 1, p. 223; Mizan ul Hikmah, page No. 884 · permalink

18. Ibn `Abbas narrated, I have not profited by any speech after the Messenger of Allah (SAWA) more than by a letter written by Ali b. Abi Talib (AS). He wrote to me, saying, "But now, indeed man grieves for having missed that which he would not have attained anyway, and is overjoyed at attaining that which he would not have missed anyway. So, let your happiness be for what you attain for your Hereafter, and let your regret be for what you miss of it. Do not be happy for what you attain for this world, nor regret sorrowfully what you miss from it, and let your concern be for what comes after death, and peace be with you

    Masalib al-Sa' ul, p. 55; Mizan ul Hikmah, page No. 885 · permalink

19. What an excellent repellent of worries conviction is

    Bihar al-Anwar, v. 77, p. 211, no. 1; Mizan ul Hikmah, page No. 885 · permalink

20. Washing clothes takes away worry and sorrow

    al-Khisal, p. 612, no. 10; Mizan ul Hikmah, page No. 885 · permalink

21. Patience is that a man bears whatever afflicts him and swallows his anger.

    Kanz al-`Ummal, no,6518; Mizan ul Hikmah page No. 686 · permalink

22. Truthfulness is the tongue of the Real

    Ghurar al-Hikam, no. 275; Mizan ul Hikmah, page No. 962 · permalink

23. The intercessor for all of creation is action according to what is right and adherence to the truth.

    Ghurar al-Hikam, no. 5789; Mizan ul Hikmah, page No. 481 · permalink

24. Only the truth will ever afford you company [as an intimate friend], and only falsehood will desert you.

    Ghurar al-Hikam, no. 10303; Mizan ul Hikmah, page No. 483 · permalink

25. A man who isolates himself away from people will find intimacy with Allah, glory be to Him.

    Ghurar al-Hikam, no. 8644; Mizan ul Hikmah, page No. 484 · permalink

26. There are four types of intoxication: the intoxication induced by drink, the intoxication induced by wealth, the intoxication of sleep, and the intoxication induced by power.

    Bihar al-Anwar, v. 10, p. 114, no. 1; Mizan ul Hikmah, page No. 485 · permalink

27. The man of reason must be on his guard against the intoxication of wealth, of power, of knowledge, of praise and of youth, for all of these have offensive vapours about them that strip away one's reason and carry away one's dignity.

    Ghurar al-Hikam, no. 10948; Mizan ul Hikmah, page No. 485 · permalink

28. The intoxication of heedlessness and arrogance take longer to regain consciousness from than the intoxication of wines.

    Ghurar al-Hikam, no. 5651; Mizan ul Hikmah, page No. 485 · permalink

29. The intellect is the messenger of the truth.

    Ghurar al-Hikam, no. 272; Mizan ul Hikmah, page No. 465 · permalink

30. There is no distinction higher than Islam.

    Nahj al-Balagha, Saying 371; Mizan ul Hikmah, page No. 487 · permalink

31. Verily this Islam is the religion of Allah, which He has chosen for Himself, which He has developed before His eyes, which He has preferred for the best of all His creatures, and whose pillars he has founded upon His love. He has abased other religions by honouring it and humiliated other creeds before its sublimity.

    Nahj al-Balagha, Sermon 198; Mizan ul Hikmah, page No. 487 · permalink

32. Amir al-Mu'minin Im?m 'Al? ibn Ab? T?lib (a.s.) in his description of Islam, said, 'It is the brightest of all paths, the clearest of all passages, with towering minarets, brightly lit highways and illuminating lamps.'

    Nahj al-Balagha, Sermon 106; Mizan ul Hikmah, page No. 488 · permalink

33. Miserliness encompasses all vices, and it is a rein with which one is led to every defect.

    Bihar al-Anwar, v. 73, p. 307, no. 36; Mizan ul Hikmah, page No. 609 · permalink

34. Miserliness is [a source of] shame

    Nahj al-Balagha, Saying 3; Mizan ul Hikmah, page No. 609 · permalink

35. Miserliness is the garment of wretchedness.

    Bihar al-Anwar, v. 77, p. 238, no. 1; Mizan ul Hikmah, page No. 609 · permalink

36. Miserliness in giving [to others] what is at hand is a mistrust in God

    Ghurar al-Hikam, no. 1258; Mizan ul Hikmah, page No. 610 · permalink

37. A man who is miserly with his money will face humiliation, but a man who is miserly with his faith [i.e. he does not readily give it up] will be dignified.

    Ghurar al-Hikam, nos. 7921-7922; Mizan ul Hikmah, page No. 610 · permalink

38. A person's freedom from [coveting] what others possess is better than the liberality in giving

    Bihar al-Anwar, v. 76, p. 4, no. 3537; Mizan ul Hikmah, page No. 614 · permalink

39. Abundance of excuses [for not giving] is a sign of miserliness.

    Bihar al-Anwar, v. 77, p. 209, no. 1; Mizan ul Hikmah, page No. 614 · permalink

40. The miser justifies himself by presenting [many] excuses and justifications.

    Ghurar al-Hikam, no. 1275; Mizan ul Hikmah, page No. 614 · permalink

Shown with the book and page each saying is taken from. The collection carries no grading, and the English is the compiler’s. All speakers and subjects