Hadith

Imam Ali ibn Abu Talib [a]

1968 sayings · page 18 of 50

1. When you hear a report, scrutinize it with the reasoning of careful attention and not the reasoning of the report itself, for verily the reporters of knowledge are many but those who attend to it are few.

   Nahj al-Balagha, Saying 98; Mizan ul Hikmah, page No. 522 · permalink

2. Those who know and those who do not know are not equal in the sight of Allah with regards to their chastisement. Allah has caused us and you to benefit from the knowledge we have and has made it to be reserved solely for His pleasure; verily He is all-hearing, responsive.

   Kitab al-Irshad, v. 1, p. 230; Mizan ul Hikmah, page No. 522 · permalink

3. A knowledgeable man's blunder is as the destruction of a boat which itself sinks and drowns [those aboard it].

   Bihar al-Anwar, v. 2, p. 58, no. 39; Mizan ul Hikmah, page No. 523 · permalink

4. The moral lesson is a sincere warner. Whoever contemplates takes lesson, and whoever takes the lesson on board keeps away from making the same mistake twice, and whoever keeps away remains safe

   Bihar al-Anwar, v. 78, p. 92, no. 101; Mizan ul Hikmah, page No. 618 · permalink

5. Drawing a lesson [from an experience] leads one to integrity of conduct.

   Bihar al-Anwar, v. 78, p. 92, no. 101; Mizan ul Hikmah, page No. 618 · permalink

6. Whoever draws a lesson [from something] gains insight into it, and whoever gains insight into it comprehends it, and whoever comprehends it comes to know it for certain.

   Nahj al-Balagha, Saying 207; Mizan ul Hikmah, page No. 618 · permalink

7. There is a lesson to be taken from the vicissitudes of this world.

   Ghurar al-Hikam, no. 6453; Mizan ul Hikmah, page No. 619 · permalink

8. If only you drew lessons from all that you have lost in what has passed of your life you would look after what is left of it.

   Ghurar al-Hikam, no. 7589; Mizan ul Hikmah, page No. 619 · permalink

9. So take lesson from how Allah dealt with Satan when he thwarted his long years of good deeds, and all his hard work [because of his outright defiance of Allah].

   Nahj al-Balagha, Sermon 192; Mizan ul Hikmah, page No. 619 · permalink

10. So take lesson from Allah's intense force, His attacks, His blows and His exemplary punishmentsish that befell the arrogant nations before you

    Mizan ul Hikmah, page No. 619 · permalink

11. How many the lessons, and how little the contemplation [upon them]!

    Nahj al-Balagha, Saying 297; Mizan ul Hikmah, page No. 619 · permalink

12. Taking lesson [from past faults] results in immunity [from further faults].

    Ghurar al-Hikam, no. 879; Mizan ul Hikmah, page No. 620 · permalink

13. Whoever patiently endures the path to Allah reaches Him

    Bihar al-Anwar, v. 71, p. 95, no. 60; Mizan ul Hikmah, page No. 684 · permalink

14. We do not know the essence of Your greatness. All that we do know is that You are Ever-Living and Self-Subsisting through Whom all things subsist. Drowsiness and sleep do not overtake You, vision does not reach You and sight cannot perceive You.

    Nahj al-Balagha, Sermon 160; Mizan ul Hikmah, page No. 441 · permalink

15. They (angels)are in their own places [distinct] from You, [and yet] their positions are near You. Their desires are all concentrated on You, their worship for You is abundant, and their neglect of Your command is little. If they were to witness the essence of what is hidden about You from them, they would regard their deeds insignificant, they would reproach themselves and would realize that they have not worshipped You as You deserve to be worshipped, and have not obeyed You as You deserve to be obeyed.

    Nahj al-Balagha, Sermon 109; Mizan ul Hikmah, page No. 442 · permalink

16. He who [undertakes to] describe Him has defined Him, and he who defines Him has numbered Him, and he who numbers Him has nullified His eternity. He who asks 'How?' [about Allah] has indeed sought to describe Him, and he who asks 'Where?' has indeed confined Him.

    Nahj al-Balagha, Sermon 152; Mizan ul Hikmah, page No. 442 · permalink

17. So blessed be the One Whom the highest ambitions cannot reach and Whom the conjecture of intelligent minds cannot grasp.

    Nahj al-Balagha, Sermon 94; Mizan ul Hikmah, page No. 443 · permalink

18. [He is] One, but not by enumeration. He is everlasting without extremity. He exists without any support.

    Nahj al-Balagha, Sermon 185; Mizan ul Hikmah, page No. 443 · permalink

19. Allah's divine Unity is the life of the soul.

    Ghurar al-Hikam, no. 540; Mizan ul Hikmah, page No. 444 · permalink

20. [Faith in] Allah's divine Unity is that you do not subject Him to the limitations of your imagination.

    Nahj al-Balagha, Saying 470; Mizan ul Hikmah, page No. 444 · permalink

21. Every living thing has been given its own provision

    Amali al-Saduq, p. 264, no. 9; Mizan ul Hikmah, page No. 921 · permalink

22. Amir al-Mu'minin Im?m 'Al? ibn Ab? T?lib (a.s.) said in his will to his son, al-Hasan (AS), 'And know my son that if your Lord were to have a partner, his messengers would surely have come to you, and you would have seen the signs of his dominion and his power, and you would know his acts and his attributes. He, however, is One God, just as He as described Himself. He is neither opposed by anyone in His kingdom, nor will He ever cease to be.'

    Nahj al-Balagha, Letter 31; Mizan ul Hikmah, page No. 445 · permalink

23. Patience makes light work of calamities.

    Ghurar al-Hikam, no. 533; Mizan ul Hikmah, page No. 684 · permalink

24. Good management prolongs one's [term of] leadership.

    Ghurar al-Hikam, no. 482; Mizan ul Hikmah, page No. 589 · permalink

25. Good management acts as a support for one's subjects.

    Ghurar al-Hikam, no. 4818; Mizan ul Hikmah, page No. 589 · permalink

26. Efficient organisation and avoidance of squandering is part of good management.

    Ghurar al-Hikam, no. 4821; Mizan ul Hikmah, page No. 590 · permalink

27. Disorganisation is the cause of destruction.

    Ghurar al-Hikam, no. 5571; Mizan ul Hikmah, page No. 590 · permalink

28. The yardstick of good management is justice.

    Ghurar al-Hikam, no. 9714; Mizan ul Hikmah, page No. 590 · permalink

29. The peak of good management is the employment of moderation.

    Ghurar al-Hikam, no. 5266; Mizan ul Hikmah, page No. 590 · permalink

30. Tolerance is the adornment of management.

    Ghurar al-Hikam, no. 772; Mizan ul Hikmah, page No. 590 · permalink

31. He who is able to manage his own self truly understands management.

    Ghurar al-Hikam, no. 8013; Mizan ul Hikmah, page No. 590 · permalink

32. Beware of sitting in the marketplaces for they are the meeting places of Satan and the targets of mischief.

    Nahj al-Balagha, Letter 69; Mizan ul Hikmah, page No. 591 · permalink

33. Abu Sa`aid narrated that Imam Ali (AS) used to come to the market and exhort, 'O market traders, fear Allah and beware of making false oaths, for though it may sell your goods, it eradicates all benediction thereof. The trader [by nature] is corrupt, except those who take only their right, and give back the right due, and upon you be peace.' Then a few days would pass, and he would come there again and exhort them as he did before. And when he would arrive, people would say, 'Here comes the big-bellied man', to which he would reply, 'The bottom of it may be food, but the top is knowledge.'

    Bihar al-Anwar, v. 103, p. 102, no. 44; Mizan ul Hikmah, page No. 592 · permalink

34. The intellect is an intrinsic thing that increases with knowledge and experiences.

    Ghurar al-Hikam, no. 1717; Mizan ul Hikmah, page No. 472 · permalink

35. By abandoning that which does not concern you, your intellect will be completed.

    Ghurar al-Hikam, no. 4291; Mizan ul Hikmah, page No. 472 · permalink

36. The cause of wretchedness is love of this world.

    Ghurar al-Hikam, no. 4499; Mizan ul Hikmah, page No. 1019 · permalink

37. The intellect of every man can be determined by the words that flow on his tongue.

    Ghurar al-Hikam, no. 10957; Mizan ul Hikmah, page No. 473 · permalink

38. Your messenger is the interpreter of your intellect, and your letter is more eloquent at expressing your true self.

    Nahj al-Balagha, Saying 301; Mizan ul Hikmah, page No. 473 · permalink

39. There are six things by which people' s intellects may be tested clemency at the time of anger, patience at the time of fear, calculation when faced with a desire, Godwariness at all times, amicableness, and minimal engagement in disputation.

    Ghurar al-Hikam, no. 5608; Mizan ul Hikmah, page No. 473 · permalink

40. There are six things by which men' s intellects may be tested the company they keep, their dealings, where their allegiance lies, their disassociation from people, their wealth and their poverty.

    Ghurar al-Hikam, no. 5600; Mizan ul Hikmah, page No. 474 · 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