Hadith

Imam Ali ibn Abu Talib [a]

1968 sayings · page 14 of 50

1. If you were to preoccupy yourself with supererogatory acts instead of the obligatory, you will not gain a single merit by losing an obligation

   Ghurar al-Hikam, no. 3793; Mizan ul Hikmah, page No. 643 · permalink

2. Allah, most High, has made obligatory upon the leaders of justice [truth] to equate themselves with the weak ones from among of people, so that the poor cannot be intimidated as a result of his poverty

   Nahj al-Balagha, Sermon 209; Mizan ul Hikmah, page No. 644 · permalink

3. Allah, Glory be to Him, made the provisions of the poor incumbent upon the wealth of the rich; so no poor person goes hungry except as a result of what the rich person enjoys

   Nahj al-Balagha, Saying 328; Mizan ul Hikmah, page No. 644 · permalink

4. It is deceitful, and all that is in it is deceptive. It is perishable and all that is on it will perish. There is no good in any of its provisions except in piety and Godwariness.

   Nahj al-Balagha, Sermon 111; Mizan ul Hikmah, page No. 1003 · permalink

5. O World, deceive those who are ignorant of your tricks and who are unaware of the snares of your sly deceptions.

   Ghurar al-Hikam, no. 6413; Mizan ul Hikmah, page No. 1003 · permalink

6. The transient world is the booty of the foolish.

   Ghurar al-Hikam, no. 1110; Mizan ul Hikmah, page No. 1003 · permalink

7. Look at the world through the eyes of those who have renounced it, for verily its inhabitants are quick to depart it and its opulence inflicts distress. So do not allow the abundance of what amazes you therein to deceive you, for it is but a little that you will take with you thereof.

   Bihar al-Anwar, v. 78, p. 20, no. 79; Mizan ul Hikmah, page No. 1004 · permalink

8. View the world through the eyes of one who has renounced it and separated from it, and do not view it through the eyes of one who loves it passionately and tenderly.

   Ghurar al-Hikam, no. 2386; Mizan ul Hikmah, page No. 1004 · permalink

9. The one who worships the world and prefers it over the Hereafter seeks an unhealthy outcome.

   al-Khisal, p. 632, no. 10; Mizan ul Hikmah, page No. 1004 · permalink

10. No sooner do people abandon an aspect of their religion in order to advance their worldly affairs than Allah will inflict them with something that is more detrimental than that.

    Nahj al-Balagha, Saying 106; Mizan ul Hikmah, page No. 1004 · permalink

11. The one who regards the worldly affairs as his greatest concern, his grief and distress are lengthened.

    Bihar al-Anwar, v. 73, p. 81, no. 43; Mizan ul Hikmah, page No. 1005 · permalink

12. The lowliness of the world in Allah's eyes can be seen by the fact that He is not disobeyed except in it, and what is with Him cannot be attained except by abandoning the world.

    Nahj al-Balagha, Saying 385; Mizan ul Hikmah, page No. 1006 · permalink

13. Verily the world and the Hereafter are two opposing enemies and two different paths, so whoever loves and befriends the world has despised the Hereafter and has made it his enemy. They [the world and the Hereafter] are like the east and the west and whoever walks between them, however much he gets closer to one, he distances himself from the other. After all, they are like two wives of the same husband.

    Nahj al-Balagha, Saying 103; Mizan ul Hikmah, page No. 1007 · permalink

14. The bitterness of the world is the sweetness of the Hereafter, and the sweetness of the world is the bitterness of the Hereafter.

    Nahj al-Balagha, Saying 251; Mizan ul Hikmah, page No. 1007 · permalink

15. Seeking to bring together this world and the next is from the deception of the soul.

    Ghurar al-Hikam, no. 5995; Mizan ul Hikmah, page No. 1007 · permalink

16. No one tastes a worldly pleasure except that he will face a torment on the Day of Resurrection.

    Ghurar al-Hikam, no. 9618; Mizan ul Hikmah, page No. 1007 · permalink

17. The wealth of this world is the poverty of the Hereafter.

    Ghurar al-Hikam, no. 4705; Mizan ul Hikmah, page No. 1007 · permalink

18. Wealth and children are the cultivation of the world and righteous deeds are the cultivation of the Hereafter, and sometimes Allah combines the two for people.

    Nahj al-Sa`ada, v. 3, p. 127; Mizan ul Hikmah, page No. 1008 · permalink

19. There is no good in keeping silent about a matter of wisdom, just as there is no good in speaking about something one is ignorant of.

    Nahj al-Balagha, Saying 182; Mizan ul Hikmah, page No. 853 · permalink

20. said about the distinguishing characteristics of the pious one, 'Verily when he is silent, his own silence does not distress him, and when he laughs he does not do so loudly

    Nahj al-Balagha, sermon 193; Mizan ul Hikmah, page No. 854 · permalink

21. Sincerity is the peak of religion.

    Ghurar al-Hikam, no. 727; Mizan ul Hikmah, page No. 854 · permalink

22. Sincerity is the worship of those brought near [to Allah].

    Ghurar al-Hikam, no. 667; Mizan ul Hikmah, page No. 854 · permalink

23. Sincerity is the criterion for worship

    Ghurar al-Hikam, no. 859; Mizan ul Hikmah, page No. 854 · permalink

24. Sincerity is the summit of faith

    Ghurar al-Hikam, no. 860; Mizan ul Hikmah, page No. 854 · permalink

25. Blessed is he whose knowledge and practice, love and hate, acceptance and refusal, speech and silence, and words and actions are sincerely for the sake of Allah

    Tuhaf al-`Uqoul, no. 100; Mizan ul Hikmah, page No. 855 · permalink

26. Perfecting an action is more difficult than [performing] the action itself, and purifying an intention from corruption is tougher for the striving ones than engaging in lengthy jihad.

    Bihar al-Anwar, v. 77, p. 288, no. 1; Mizan ul Hikmah, page No. 855 · permalink

27. Commit a tyrant to oath whenever you want his oath in a way that it is devoid of [the mention of] the power and strength of Allah, for verily if he falsely takes oath by it, his chastisement will be hastened, and if he takes oath by Allah whom there is no god but He, it will not be hastened because he has professed the unity of Allah, the all-High.

    Nahj al-Balagha, Saying 253; Mizan ul Hikmah, page No. 639 · permalink

28. Obedience to Allah is the key to every efficient matter and the redressing of every immoral act.

    Ghurar al-Hikam, no. 6012; Mizan ul Hikmah, page No. 640 · permalink

29. The person most worthy of Allah's mercy is the one most diligent in Allah's obedience.

    Ghurar al-Hikam, no. 3192; Mizan ul Hikmah, page No. 640 · permalink

30. It is incumbent upon you to obey the One whom you hold no excuse to remain ignorant of.

    Bihar al-Anwar, v. 70, p. 95, no. 1; Mizan ul Hikmah, page No. 640 · permalink

31. Obey the intelligent man and you will gain, and disobey the ignorant man and you will remain safe.

    Ghurar al-Hikam, no. 2263-2264; Mizan ul Hikmah, page No. 641 · permalink

32. Obey knowledge and disobey ignorance and you will prosper.

    Ghurar al-Hikam, no. 2309; Mizan ul Hikmah, page No. 641 · permalink

33. The religion of one who adheres to obeying creatures and disobeying the Creator does not count

    Uyoun Akhbar al-Reza (AS), v. 2, p. 69, no. 318; Mizan ul Hikmah, page No. 641 · permalink

34. Obey one who is above you [in authority] and the one below you will obey you.

    Ghurar al-Hikam, no. 2475; Mizan ul Hikmah, page No. 641 · permalink

35. He whose heart submits to Allah, his body never tires of Allah's obedience.

    Bihar al-Anwar, v. 78, p. 90, no. 95; Mizan ul Hikmah, page No. 641 · permalink

36. Beware O beware of obeying your leaders and your elders who felt proud of their achievements and boasted about their lineage and do not obey those who claim to be Muslims [but are hypocrites] whose filth you imbibe alongside your propriety, whose ailments you mix with your healthiness, and whose wrongs you have allowed to infiltrate your rightful matters, while they are the very foundation of vice

    Nahj al-Balagha, Sermon 192; Mizan ul Hikmah, page No. 642 · permalink

37. Verily your lifetime is the ransom for your eternal prosperity if you spend it in the obedience of your Lord.

    Ghurar al-Hikam, no. 3429; Mizan ul Hikmah, page No. 565 · permalink

38. The age up to which Allah accepts the excuse of His servants for certain things is sixty years.

    Nahj al-Balagha, Saying 326; Mizan ul Hikmah, page No. 566 · permalink

39. So alas for every negligent one that his age be a proof against him, and that the days of his life should lead him to perdition!

    Ghurar al-Hikam, Sermon 64; Mizan ul Hikmah, page No. 566 · permalink

40. He who wishes to remain alive though there is no remaining forever should eat his lunch early, wear good shoes, dress in light clothing, and lessen his sexual intercourse with women.

    Uyoun Akhbar al-Reza (AS), v. 2, p. 38, no. 112; Mizan ul Hikmah, page No. 567 · permalink

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