Imam Ali ibn Abu Talib [a]
1968 sayings · page 16 of 50
Satan takes charge of him [the servant] and glamorizes the sin to him in order that he commit it, and makes him indulge false hopes of forgiveness in order that he delay it
Nahj al-Balagha, Sermon 64; Mizan ul Hikmah, page No. 817 · permalink
Increase in your supplication and you will be secure from Satan's force
Bihar al-Anwar, v. 78, p. 9, no. 64; Mizan ul Hikmah, page No. 818 · permalink
Sitting in the company of people who are driven by their base desires is the key to obliviousness of one's faith and is the very seat of Satan's presence.
Nahj al-Balagha, Sermon 86; Mizan ul Hikmah, page No. 819 · permalink
The origin of satisfaction is trust in Allah
Ghurar al-Hikam, no. 3805; Mizan ul Hikmah, page No. 820 · permalink
There is no life except through religion, and there is no death except through denial of the certain truth.
Kitab al-Irshad, v. 1, p. 297; Mizan ul Hikmah, page No. 564 · permalink
Monotheism is the life of the soul.
Ghurar al-Hikam, no. 540; Mizan ul Hikmah, page No. 564 · permalink
Verily your lifespan is the total number of your breaths, and there is a watcher over them counting them.
Ghurar al-Hikam, no. 3434; Mizan ul Hikmah, page No. 564 · permalink
Verily nobody will receive a single extra day to his lifespan except that another day will be taken from him from his end
Tanbih al-Khawatir, v. 2, p. 218; Mizan ul Hikmah, page No. 564 · permalink
Your yesterday has passed on, your tomorrow is uncertain, and your today is to be taken advantage of.
Ghurar al-Hikam, no. 9840; Mizan ul Hikmah, page No. 565 · permalink
How fast the hours in a day go by, and how fast the days in a month, and how fast the months in a year, and how fast the years in a lifetime!
Nahj al-Balagha, Sermon 188; Mizan ul Hikmah, page No. 565 · permalink
O people! [take advantage of] Now! Now before regret sets in, and before "anyone should say, 'Alas for my negligence in the vicinage of Allah!"[ Qur' an 3956].
Tanbih al-Khawatir, v. 2, p. 89; Mizan ul Hikmah, page No. 565 · permalink
Allah has mercy on the man who knows that his breaths are but his steps towards his end, so he hastens to perform good deeds and cuts short his high hopes.
Ghurar al-Hikam, no. 5214; Mizan ul Hikmah, page No. 565 · permalink
Be cautious of wasting away your lives in that which will not last for you, for whatever has passed of them never returns.
Ghurar al-Hikam, no. 2618; Mizan ul Hikmah, page No. 565 · permalink
Truthfulness saves you even though you fear it whereas lying ruins you even though you feel safe from it
Ghurar al-Hikam, nos. 1118-1119; Mizan ul Hikmah, page No. 962 · permalink
Truthfulness is the goodness of everything whereas lying corrupts everything.
Ghurar al-Hikam, nos. 1115-1116; Mizan ul Hikmah, page No. 962 · permalink
Truthfulness is a trust whereas lying is deception
Ghurar al-Hikam, no. 15; Mizan ul Hikmah, page No. 962 · permalink
The worth of a man is measured by the extent of his ambition, and his truthfulness is measured by his integrity
Nahj al-Balagha, Saying 47; Mizan ul Hikmah, page No. 963 · permalink
Faith is to prefer to tell the truth, even if it be to your detriment, over lying even though it be to your benefit
Nahj al-Balagha, Saying 458; Mizan ul Hikmah, page No. 963 · permalink
The truthful one is at the height of salvation and dignity, whereas the liar is on the brink of ignominy and degradation
Nahj al-Balagha, Sermon 86; Mizan ul Hikmah, page No. 963 · permalink
Better than the truth itself is the one who tells it, and better than the good deed itself is the one who performs it
Amali al-Tusi, p. 223, no. 385; Mizan ul Hikmah, page No. 964 · permalink
None can uphold the command of Allah, Glory be to Him, save one who is neither neglectful [in carrying out his duties], nor runs after his personal gains, nor follows coveted desires.
Sharhe Nahj al-Balagha by Abi al-Hadid, v. 18, p. 22 and p. 274; Mizan ul Hikmah, page No. 538 · permalink
Among the definitions of the custodianship of an Imam whose obedience is obligatory is to know that he is immune from committing mistakes, errors, intentional wrongs, and from all sins, petty and grave. He never makes mistakes or sin, and neither is he ever diverted from the issues that endanger the religion by any sort of diversion. He is the most knowledgeable of all people about what Allah has made lawful and unlawful, His obligations, recommendations and rulings. He stands needless of the entire world whilst they all need him. And he is the most generous and courageous of men.
Bihar al-Anwar, v. 68, p. 389, no. 39; Mizan ul Hikmah, page No. 538 · permalink
You certainly know that he who is in charge of the honor, the lives, the booty [enforcement of], the commandments and the leadership of the Muslims must not be: a miser, as he would avidly crave their wealth, nor an ignorant man as he would then mislead them with his ignorance, nor crude in his manner for he would estrange them with his crudeness, nor one who deals unjustly with different places thus preferring one group over another, nor one to accept bribes in his ruling lest he forfeit people's rights and pass judgments without them, nor one to abolish recommended practices whereby he would ruin the community.
Nahj al-Balagha, Sermon 131; Mizan ul Hikmah, page No. 539 · permalink
Verily there is no obligation on the Imam except that which has been devolved on him by Allah, namely to convey exhortations, to strive to give good counsel, to keep the prophetic practice alive, to enforce penalties on those liable to them and to issue shares [of taxes and charity] to those who deserve them.
Sharhe Nahj al-Balagha by Abi al-Hadid, v. 7, p. 167; Mizan ul Hikmah, page No. 540 · permalink
Being happy with the world is foolishness.
Ghurar al-Hikam, no. 404; Mizan ul Hikmah, page No. 1003 · permalink
Amir al-Mu'minin Im?m 'Al? ibn Ab? T?lib (a.s.) with regards to Allah's verse: "Under it there was a treasure belonging to them", said, 'that (the treasure) was a golden tablet upon which was written : I wonder at those who see the world and the fluctuating states that people experience, how can they be satisfied with it?
Ma`ani al-Akhbar, p. 200, no. 1; Mizan ul Hikmah, page No. 1003 · permalink
Now it is obligatory upon a ruler that the distinction he achieves, or the wealth with which he has been exclusively endowed, should not make him change his behavior towards those under him. Rather the bounties that Allah has bestowed on him should increase him in nearness to his people and in kindness towards his brethren.Beware then that it is my duty towards you that I should not keep anything secret from you except during war, nor should I decide any matter without consulting you except with regards to the commands of religion, nor should I postpone the fulfillment of any of your rights nor desist until I discharge it fully. And that all of you are equal to me in your rights. When I have done all this, it becomes obligatory upon you to thank Allah for this bounty and to obey me.
Sharhe Nahj al-Balagha by Abi al-Hadid, v. 17, p. 16]; Mizan ul Hikmah, page No. 541 · permalink
Certainly the worst of people before Allah is the oppressive leader who himself has gone astray and misleads others. He destroys the prophetic practice and revives abandoned innovations. I have heard the Messenger of Allah (SAWA) saying, 'On the Day of Resurrection the oppressive leader will be brought without any helper or anyone to advance excuses on his behalf, and then he will be thrown into the Fire of Hell, where he will turn as the hand-mill turns, then he will be confined to its depth.
Sharhe Nahj al-Balagha by Abi al-Hadid, v. 9, p. 261; Mizan ul Hikmah, page No. 542 · permalink
The Prophet (SAWA) dispatched an army, over whom he appointed a commander and ordered them to listen to him and to obey him. He [the commander] set ablaze a fire and ordered them to jump in it. Some people refused to enter it, saying, 'Verily we flee from the fire', whilst others intended to enter it. The Prophet (SAWA) was informed of this, about which he (SAWA) said, 'Had they entered it, they would have remained therein forever [i.e. the Hellfire].' And he said, 'There is no obedience due to [one who calls to] Allah's disobedience. Rather obedience is due [when calling] for the good.
Tanbih al-Khawatir, v. 1, p. 5; Mizan ul Hikmah, page No. 544 · permalink
Look at the people of the Prophet's household. Adhere to their direction, follow their footsteps, because they will never remove you from guidance, and will never throw you into destruction. If they sit down [i.e. desist from revolting], you sit down, and if they rise up, you rise up.
Sharhe Nahj al-Balagha by Abi al-Hadid, v. 7, p. 76; Mizan ul Hikmah, page No. 546 · permalink
Lo! Verily the example of the family of Muhammad (SAWA) is like that of the stars in the sky. When one star sets, another one rises. So you are in a position that Allah's blessings on you have been perfected and he has shown you what you have wished for.
Sharhe Nahj al-Balagha by Abi al-Hadid, v. 7, p. 84; Mizan ul Hikmah, page No. 547 · permalink
We are the tree of prophethood, the settling place of the divine message, the place frequented by angels, the mines of knowledge and the springs of wisdom.
Sharhe Nahj al-Balagha by Abi al-Hadid, v. 7, p. 218; Mizan ul Hikmah, page No. 547 · permalink
Verily the Imams are the vicegerents of Allah over His creation, and they make the creatures know Allah. None will enter Paradise except he who acknowledges them and who himself is acknowledged by them, and none will enter Hell except he who denies them and is himself denied by them.
Sharhe Nahj al-Balagha by Abi al-Hadid, v. 9, p. 152; Mizan ul Hikmah, page No. 547 · permalink
Many a war is more profitable than peace.
Ghurar al-Hikam, no. 5320; Mizan ul Hikmah, page No. 980 · permalink
Diversity is the instigator of wars.
Ghurar al-Hikam, no. 705; Mizan ul Hikmah, page No. 980 · permalink
Obstinacy is the instigator of wars.
Ghurar al-Hikam, no. 406; Mizan ul Hikmah, page No. 980 · permalink
Indeed I have called you to fight those people day and night both secretly and openly, and I have told you: 'Attack them before they attack you', for by Allah no sooner are any people attacked in the midst of their abodes than they are disgraced.
Nahj al-Balagha, Sermon 27; Mizan ul Hikmah, page No. 981 · permalink
By Allah I did not postpone the war even for one day unless if I hoped a group of people would join me to be guided by me and repose in my light, and I love that more than killing them for their [choosing to remain in] error.
Nahj al-Balagha, Sermon 55; Mizan ul Hikmah, page No. 981 · permalink
Amir al-Mu'minin Im?m 'Al? ibn Ab? T?lib (a.s.) in his advice to Ziyad b. al-Nazr, said, 'Know that the forefront of the people are their eyes, and that the eyes of the forefront troops are their vanguards; so when you leave your land and approach your enemy do not hesitate to send the vanguards to every side and to some mountain passes, woods, hiding places and every side, lest your enemy attack and lie in ambush for you.'
Tuhaf al-`Uqoul, no. 191; Mizan ul Hikmah, page No. 982 · permalink
Put the armoured man forward and keep the unarmoured one behind. Grit your teeth because this will make the swords skip off the skull, and dodge on the sides of the spears for it changes the direction of their blades. Close the eyes because it strengthens the spirit and gives peace to the heart. Kill the voices because this will keep off spiritlessness.
Nahj al-Balagha, Sermon 124; Mizan ul Hikmah, page No. 982 · permalink
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