Imam Ali ibn Abu Talib [a]
1968 sayings · page 22 of 50
The one who listens to the remembrance of Allah in turn remembers [Him].
Ghurar al-Hikam, no. 5579; Mizan ul Hikmah, page No. 571 · permalink
Whoever listens effectively reaps its benefits immediately.
Ghurar al-Hikam, no. 9243; Mizan ul Hikmah, page No. 571 · permalink
The obligation incumbent upon the hearing is that it not be used for acts of disobedience, for Allah, Mighty and Exalted, has said, "Certainly He has sent down to you in the Book that when you hear Allah's signs being disbelieved and derided, do not sit with them until they engage in some other discourse, or else you [too] will be like them" [Qur'an 4:140]
Nur al-Thaqalayn, v. 1, p. 564, no. 628; Mizan ul Hikmah, page No. 571 · permalink
A man who abandons the world for the sake of the world, and therefore he misses out on the world and loses the Hereafter, and a man who worships, struggles and fasts as a display for others, and thus forbids [himself] the pleasures of this world and also tires himself. And were he to do all that sincerely [for the sake of Allah], he would be deserving of its reward.
Tanbih al-Khawatir, v. 2, p. 95; Mizan ul Hikmah, page No. 572 · permalink
Verily the biggest loser with the worst end of the deal and the most unsuccessful in his striving is the man who exerts himself in the quest for his wealth even though fate does not help him in his aims, and he consequently leaves this world with regret while heading towards the Hereafter, where he will face its ill consequences.
Nahj al-Balagha, Saying 430; Mizan ul Hikmah, page No. 573 · permalink
Love is acquired kinship.
Tuhaf al-`Uqoul, no. 97; Mizan ul Hikmah, page No. 573 · permalink
Love does not need kinship so much as kinship needs love.
Nahj al-Balagha, Saying 308; Mizan ul Hikmah, page No. 573 · permalink
Three things bring about love: good temperament, kindness, and humbleness.
Ghurar al-Hikam, no. 4684; Mizan ul Hikmah, page No. 573 · permalink
Love for the commoners [in society] breaks up like the breaking up of clouds, and dissolves like the dissolving of the mirage.
Ghurar al-Hikam, no. 9872; Mizan ul Hikmah, page No. 574 · permalink
The friendships that are the quickest to break are the friendships made with evildoers.
Ghurar al-Hikam, no. 3124; Mizan ul Hikmah, page No. 574 · permalink
Beware of loving the enemies of Allah, or of harbouring affection for other than the friends of Allah, for verily man will be resurrected with those whom he loves.
Ghurar al-Hikam, no. 2703; Mizan ul Hikmah, page No. 574 · permalink
The lover's eye is blind to the defects of the beloved, and his ear is deaf to the ugliness of his misdeeds.
Ghurar al-Hikam, no. 9872; Mizan ul Hikmah, page No. 574 · permalink
He who loves you forbids you [from committing sin].
Ghurar al-Hikam, no. 7718; Mizan ul Hikmah, page No. 574 · permalink
The jealous one sees a loss for the one he is jealous of as a gain for himself.
Ghurar al-Hikam, no. 1832; Mizan ul Hikmah, page No. 492 · permalink
The bane of piety is lack of contentment.
Ghurar al-Hikam, no. 3935; Mizan ul Hikmah, page No. 133 · permalink
The downfall of judges is greed.
Ghurar al-Hikam, no. 3936; Mizan ul Hikmah, page No. 133 · permalink
Islam has seven fundamentals: the first is reason, on which perseverance is founded. The second is maintenance of one's honour and honest speech. The third is proper recitation of the Qur'an. The fourth is to love for the sake of Allah and to hate for the sake of Allah. The fifth is the right due to the household of the Prophet (SAWA) and their guardianship. The sixth is the right of one's fellow brothers and their protection. The seventh is close contact with people through fair means.
Tuhaf al-`Uqoul, no. 196; Mizan ul Hikmah, page No. 489 · permalink
Verily Islam is submission, and submission is conviction, and conviction is certification of something, and certification is attestation, and attestation of something is fulfilment of it, and fulfilment is the performance of required acts.
Nahj al-Balagha, Saying 125; Mizan ul Hikmah, page No. 490 · permalink
Repel treachery, for verily it repels Islam.
Ghurar al-Hikam, no. 4742; Mizan ul Hikmah, page No. 490 · permalink
Whoever aids and abets wrongdoing towards a fellow Muslim is not a Muslim.
Ghurar al-Hikam, no. 922; Mizan ul Hikmah, page No. 490 · permalink
Jealousy is the spirit's imprisonment.
Ghurar al-Hikam, no. 372; Mizan ul Hikmah, page No. 491 · permalink
Jealousy is the worst disease.
Ghurar al-Hikam, no. 332; Mizan ul Hikmah, page No. 491 · permalink
The chief of vices is jealousy.
Ghurar al-Hikam, no. 5242; Mizan ul Hikmah, page No. 491 · permalink
How capable jealousy is! And how just it is, that it starts off with its perpetrator and ends up killing him!
Sharhe Nahj al-Balagha by Abi al-Hadid, v. 1, p. 316; Mizan ul Hikmah, page No. 491 · permalink
The fruit of jealousy is the misery of this world and the Hereafter.
Ghurar al-Hikam, no. 4632; Mizan ul Hikmah, page No. 492 · permalink
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. 492 · permalink
That which he suffers is [torment] enough for the jealous one.
Mustadrak al-Wasa`il, v. 12, p. 17, no. 13388; Mizan ul Hikmah, page No. 492 · permalink
The jealous one has many regrets, and his vices are manifold.
Ghurar al-Hikam, no. 1520; Mizan ul Hikmah, page No. 492 · permalink
The jealous one can never rule.
Ghurar al-Hikam, no. 1017; Mizan ul Hikmah, page No. 492 · permalink
You must adopt earnestsness, diligence, preparedness and willingness.
Nahj al-Balagha, Sermon 230; Mizan ul Hikmah, page No. 493 · permalink
When Allah afflicts a servant with illness, sins shed away from him in proportion to the severity of his ailment
Da`aim al-Islam, v. 1, p. 218; Mizan ul Hikmah, page No. 869 · permalink
The illness that afflicts a child is expiation for his parents' sins
Bihar al-Anwar, v. 81, p. 186, no. 40; Mizan ul Hikmah, page No. 870 · permalink
Among the things that expiate grave sins are: bringing solace to a grief-stricken person, and providing relief to an anguished person
Nahj al-Balagha, Saying 24; Mizan ul Hikmah, page No. 871 · permalink
He was never seen stretching his leg out towards someone sitting with him.
Bihar al-Anwar, v.84, p. 16, no. 236; Mizan ul Hikmah, page No. 873 · permalink
None but a man possessing three virtues is worthy of sitting in the main seat in an assembly: he who answers when asked, speaks when others are not able to, and provides the counsel which is best for his people. He who does not possess any of these and sits there is certainly a fool.
Bihar al-Anwar, v. 78, p. 304, no. 1; Mizan ul Hikmah, page No. 874 · permalink
Do not hasten to occupy the highest spot in the assembly, for a seat which you are promoted to is better than one you are demoted to
Ghurar al-Hikam, no. 10283; Mizan ul Hikmah, page No. 874 · permalink
Take charge of the discipline of your selves and shift them away from their rough habits.
Ghurar al-Hikam, no. 4522; Mizan ul Hikmah, page No. 365 · permalink
A man who teaches his own self and disciplines it deserves more reverence than a man who teaches others and disciplines them.
Bihar al-Anwar, v. 2, p. 56, no. 33; Mizan ul Hikmah, page No. 366 · permalink
The best form of open-handedness is that expressed in spite of hardship.
Ghurar al-Hikam, no. 3185; Mizan ul Hikmah, page No. 651 · permalink
The [valid] opinion comes from balanced judgment, whilst the impetuous and rash opinion is a vile foundation indeed.
Bihar al-Anwar, v. 78, p. 81, no. 76; Mizan ul Hikmah, page No. 651 · permalink
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