Hadith

Imam Ali ibn Abu Talib [a]

1968 sayings · page 21 of 50

1. There is no personal merit more useful than good manners.

   Bihar al-Anwar, v. 71, p. 428, no. 78; Mizan ul Hikmah, page No. 364 · permalink

2. Spoiled is the noble descent of a man who has no good manners.

   Tuhaf al-`Uqoul, no. 96; Mizan ul Hikmah, page No. 364 · permalink

3. Good manners are your beauty.

   Nahj al-Sa`ada, v. 2, no. 50; Mizan ul Hikmah, page No. 364 · permalink

4. There is no adornment like good manners.

   Ghurar al-Hikam, no. 10466; Mizan ul Hikmah, page No. 364 · permalink

5. Everything needs the mind, and the mind needs good manners.

   Ghurar al-Hikam, no. 6911; Mizan ul Hikmah, page No. 365 · permalink

6. Good manners in man resemble a tree whose root is the mind.

   Ghurar al-Hikam, no. 2004; Mizan ul Hikmah, page No. 365 · permalink

7. Sit with scholars to increase your knowledge, to improve your manners and to purify your soul.

   Tanbih al-Khawatir, v. 1 no. 4786; Mizan ul Hikmah, page No. 366 · permalink

8. When man's knowledge increases his manners improve and his fear of his Lord increases.

   Tanbih al-Khawatir, v. 1 no. 5932; Mizan ul Hikmah, page No. 366 · permalink

9. It suffices you in disciplining yourself to avoid all that you hold in contempt from others.

   Bihar al-Anwar, v. 70, p. 73, no. 27; Mizan ul Hikmah, page No. 367 · permalink

10. It suffices man in disciplining himself to not associate anyone with his Lord in his bounties and desires.

    Bihar al-Anwar, v. 94, p. 94, no. 12; Mizan ul Hikmah, page No. 367 · permalink

11. The best of manners is for man to stop at his limits and to not exceed his status.

    Ghurar al-Hikam, no. 3241; Mizan ul Hikmah, page No. 368 · permalink

12. The best of manners is that which prevents you from committing sins.

    Ghurar al-Hikam, no. 3298; Mizan ul Hikmah, page No. 368 · permalink

13. Self-restraint in times of desire and fear is one of the best manners.

    Ghurar al-Hikam, no. 5932; Mizan ul Hikmah, page No. 368 · permalink

14. Imam Ali (AS) said to Imam al-Hasan (AS), 'The heart of a youth resembles an empty land - it receives all that is thrown into it. This is why I have started to teach you good manners before your heart is hardened and your soul is preoccupied.'

    Sharhe Nahj al-Balagha by Abi al-Hadid, v. 16, p. 66; Mizan ul Hikmah, page No. 369 · permalink

15. Imam Ali (AS) said, I complained to the Prophet (SAWA) about people's jealousy towards me, so he replied, 'O Ali, the first four people to enter Paradise will be myself, you, Hasan and Husayn. The rest of our progeny will be behind us, those who love us will be behind them, and our Shi`aa will be on either side of us.

    Kitab al-Irshad, v. 1, p. 43; Mizan ul Hikmah, page No. 842 · permalink

16. Amir al-Mu'minin Im?m 'Al? ibn Ab? T?lib (a.s.) asked Nawf al-Bakali, 'Do you know who my Shi`aa are, Nawf?' to which he replied, 'By Allah, no.' Imam replied, 'My Shi`aa have parched lips and empty stomachs. They are those whose faces disclose asceticism, for they are ascetics by night, lions by day.'

    Bihar al-Anwar, v. 78, p. 28, no. 95; Mizan ul Hikmah, page No. 843 · permalink

17. The peak of justice is that a man be just towards his own self.

    Ghurar al-Hikam, no. 6368; Mizan ul Hikmah, page No. 500 · permalink

18. My God, I have no way to guard myself from sin except through Your protection, and no way to attain good deeds except by Your will. So how can I ever benefit from that which You have preceded with Your will! And how can I ever guard myself from sins as long as Your protection does not cover me therein!

    al-Balad al-Amin, p. 315; Mizan ul Hikmah, page No. 430 · permalink

19. Separation from one' s beloved is the penalty for infatuation.

    Bihar al-Anwar, v. 78, p. 11, no. 70; Mizan ul Hikmah, page No. 431 · permalink

20. The one who is infatuated with something, his eyes become blind and his heart becomes sick, such that he sees with unsound eyes and hears with deaf ears, his base desires having torn apart his reason and [love of] the world having killed his heart.

    Nahj al-Balagha, Sermon 109; Mizan ul Hikmah, page No. 432 · permalink

21. The fighter who is martyred in the way of Allah has no greater reward than the one who is able to sate his lust but restrains himself.

    Nahj al-Balagha, Saying 474; Mizan ul Hikmah, page No. 432 · permalink

22. Knowledge is the first proof whereas inner knowledge is the last step in the conclusion.

    Ghurar al-Hikam, no. 2061; Mizan ul Hikmah, page No. 433 · permalink

23. Inner knowledge is the light of the heart.

    Ghurar al-Hikam, no. 538; Mizan ul Hikmah, page No. 433 · permalink

24. Foolishness is the worst disease.

    Ghurar al-Hikam, no. 687; Mizan ul Hikmah, page No. 333 · permalink

25. The greatest poverty is foolishness.

    Ghurar al-Hikam, no. 2849; Mizan ul Hikmah, page No. 333 · permalink

26. A person does not ruin his enemy worse than a fool ruins himself.

    Nahj al-Sa`ada, v. 3, p. 225; Mizan ul Hikmah, page No. 334 · permalink

27. The one who pries into the faults of people, rebukes them and then adopts those faults himself is truly a fool.

    Nahj al-Balagha, Saying 349; Mizan ul Hikmah, page No. 334 · permalink

28. The foolishness of a man is recognised by three things: idle talk, answering something he was not asked, and being careless in matters.

    Ghurar al-Hikam, no. 4542; Mizan ul Hikmah, page No. 334 · permalink

29. Among the signs of the fool is his profusely whimsical nature.

    Ghurar al-Hikam, no. 9445; Mizan ul Hikmah, page No. 334 · permalink

30. Do not refute everything that people say to you for that is enough to classify you as foolish.

    Ghurar al-Hikam, no. 10251; Mizan ul Hikmah, page No. 334 · permalink

31. The most foolish of people is the one who thinks that he is the most intelligent.

    Ghurar al-Hikam, no. 3089; Mizan ul Hikmah, page No. 335 · permalink

32. The most foolish of people is the one who prevents goodness but expects thanks, and he commits evil and expects the reward of good.

    Ghurar al-Hikam, no. 3283; Mizan ul Hikmah, page No. 335 · permalink

33. The most foolish of people is he who rebukes others for their vices while he possesses the same.

    Ghurar al-Hikam, no. 3343; Mizan ul Hikmah, page No. 336 · permalink

34. The most wholesome lifestyle is achieved through throwing out unnecessary expenses.

    Ghurar al-Hikam, no. 2964; Mizan ul Hikmah, page No. 569 · permalink

35. The most pleasant [type] of life is [a life of] contentment

    Ghurar al-Hikam, no. 2918; Mizan ul Hikmah, page No. 569 · permalink

36. The man with the most comfortable lifestyle is he whom Allah, Glory be to Him, has granted contentment and to whom he has given a virtuous wife.

    Ghurar al-Hikam, no. 3295; Mizan ul Hikmah, page No. 569 · permalink

37. Even if you are not an articulate scholar, at least be an attentive listener.

    Ghurar al-Hikam, no. 4090; Mizan ul Hikmah, page No. 570 · permalink

38. Indeed the most heedful of all ears is that which is attentive to and accepting of a reminder.

    Nahj al-Balagha, Sermon 105; Mizan ul Hikmah, page No. 570 · permalink

39. Not every man with a heart is understanding, nor every man with an ear a listener, and nor every man with eyes able to see.

    Nahj al-Balagha, Sermon 88; Mizan ul Hikmah, page No. 571 · permalink

40. Accustom your ear to listen effectively, and do not listen to anything that will not benefit your progress.

    Ghurar al-Hikam, no. 6234; Mizan ul Hikmah, page No. 571 · permalink

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