Hadith

Imam Ali ibn Abu Talib [a]

1968 sayings · page 23 of 50

1. Use some opinions to attack other opinions and the valid one will emerge thereof.

   Ghurar al-Hikam, no. 2567; Mizan ul Hikmah, page No. 652 · permalink

2. Know that Allah, most Highig, uncovered the people, not because He was ignorant of their well-kept secrets and inner thoughts, but in order to test them [to see] which of them is best in conduct, so that reward becomes the prize and punishment becomes the penalty.

   Sharhe Nahj al-Balagha by Abi al-Hadid, v. 9, p. 84; Mizan ul Hikmah, page No. 655 · permalink

3. There are four aspects to doubt: unreasonable debating [born out of a desire to doubt everything], fear, wavering and undue submission. The one who always resorts to unreasonable debating never again sees the light after darkness. The one who is afraid of what befalls him [doubting as a result] is always turning back on his heels. The one who wavers between his misgivings is trampled by Satan underfoot, and the one who succumbs to the perils of this world and the next is destroyed in them both.

   Nahj al-Balagha, Saying 31; Mizan ul Hikmah, page No. 255 · permalink

4. You must adhere to conviction and keep away from doubt, for there is nothing more detrimental to a man's faith than for doubt to overpower his conviction.

   Ghurar al-Hikam, no. 6146; Mizan ul Hikmah, page No. 253 · permalink

5. I have never doubted the truth since I have been shown it.

   Ghurar al-Hikam, no. 9482; Mizan ul Hikmah, page No. 253 · permalink

6. Verily I am absolutely convinced about my Lord, and do not entertain any obscurity in my religion.

   Nahj al-Balagha, Sermon 22; Mizan ul Hikmah, page No. 253 · permalink

7. Eloquence is that which is easy [for the speaker] to pronounce and light on the [listener's] intellect.

   Ghurar al-Hikam, no. 1881; Mizan ul Hikmah, page No. 257 · permalink

8. Do not blame a person who tries to seek his ration, for he who does not have a ration, his mistakes increase. O son, a poor person is humiliated, his words are not heard, and his status is not recognized. If a poor person speaks the truth, they call him a liar, and if he is an ascetic, they call him ignorant. O son, those who are tried with poverty are tested in four things: weakness in their certainty, deficiency in their intellect, fragility in their devotion, and lack of shame on their face. So, we seek refuge in Allah from poverty.

   Jami`a al-Akhbar, p. 300, no. 818; Mizan ul Hikmah, page No. 703 · permalink

9. O son, I fear for you because of poverty, so seek refuge in Allah from it, for poverty brings diminishment in one's faith, confusion to the intellect and a motive for hatred.

   Nahj al-Balagha, Saying 319; Mizan ul Hikmah, page No. 703 · permalink

10. Poverty in one's homeland is like being foreign in it.

    Nahj al-Balagha, Saying 56; Mizan ul Hikmah, page No. 703 · permalink

11. Poverty is more decorative for a believer than a beauty spot on the cheek of a horse

    al-Kafi, v. 2, p. 265, no. 22; Mizan ul Hikmah, page No. 704 · permalink

12. Everything decreases with giving away except knowledge.

    Ghurar al-Hikam, no. 6888; Mizan ul Hikmah, page No. 510 · permalink

13. There is no poverty like ignorance

    Nahj al-Balagha, Saying 54; Mizan ul Hikmah, page No. 706 · permalink

14. The greatest of poverty is stupidity

    Bihar al-Anwar, Saying 38; Mizan ul Hikmah, page No. 706 · permalink

15. Amir al-Mu'minin Im?m 'Al? ibn Ab? T?lib (a.s.) when asked what was the severest of poverty, said, 'Disbelief after faith

    Bihar al-Anwar, v. 77, p. 377, no. 1; Mizan ul Hikmah, page No. 706 · permalink

16. Poverty of the soul is the most evil poverty

    Ghurar al-Hikam, no. 6547; Mizan ul Hikmah, page No. 706 · permalink

17. Wealth and poverty come after submission to Allah

    Nahj al-Balagha, Saying 452; Mizan ul Hikmah, page No. 706 · permalink

18. There will remain no poverty after Heaven, and no wealth after the Hellfire

    Tuhaf al-`Uqoul, no. 216; Mizan ul Hikmah, page No. 706 · permalink

19. He who thinks perceives.

    Nahj al-Balagha, Letter 31; Mizan ul Hikmah, page No. 937 · permalink

20. Do not humiliate the weak ones from among your brethren; for whoever humiliates a believer, Allah Almighty will not bring them together in Heaven until he repents.

    al-Khisal, p. 614, no. 10; Mizan ul Hikmah, page No. 708 · permalink

21. Imam Ja'far Sadiq (a.s.) narrates from his ancestors that Amirul Momineen (a.s.) said, "Keep a cornelian ring in your hand so that Allah gives you abundance and you remain safe from calamities."

    Sawab al-A`amal, Page 226/227 · permalink

22. Wear a ring of Jiz-e-Yamani in your hand for the deceit of Satan is destroyed through it.

    Sawab al-A`amal, Page 228 · permalink

23. Patience in the face of tribulation is better than well-being in times of comfort.

    Ghurar al-Hikam, no. 1821; Mizan ul Hikmah, page No. 684 · permalink

24. Whoever mentions the name of Allah at the beginning of [eating his] food or drink and thanks Allah at the end will never be asked about the favor of this food.

    Wasael al-Shi`aah, v. 16, p. 484, no. 5; Mizan ul Hikmah, page No. 331 · permalink

25. Start with salt before you eat. If people knew what [benefits] salt has, they would prefer it to tested medicine.

    Wasael al-Shi`aah, v. 16, p. 520, no. 3; Mizan ul Hikmah, page No. 331 · permalink

26. Set hot food aside until it cools off, for when the Prophet (SAWA) was given hot food, he said, 'Set it aside until it cools down, for Allah, Mighty and Exalted, would not feed us fire when blessings lie with that which is cool.

    al-Kafi, v. 6, p. 321, no. 1; Mizan ul Hikmah, page No. 332 · permalink

27. Through patience are great things accomplished.

    Ghurar al-Hikam, no. 4276; Mizan ul Hikmah, page No. 684 · permalink

28. Abu al-Bakhtari said, 'A man entered the mosque and said, 'There is no rule save Allah's.' Then another man said, 'There is no rule save Allah's.' So [Imam] Ali said, 'There is no rule save Allah's. "Allah's promise is indeed true. And do not let yourself be upset

    Mizan ul Hikmah, page No. 375 · permalink

29. He who tackles all sides of an opinion will know where the pitfalls lie.

    Nahj al-Balagha, Saying 173; Mizan ul Hikmah, page No. 652 · permalink

30. The man with the best opinion is he who does not write off the need for a second opinion from someone else

    Ghurar al-Hikam, no. 3152; Mizan ul Hikmah, page No. 652 · permalink

31. Amir al-Mu'minin Im?m 'Al? ibn Ab? T?lib (a.s.) said to ['Abdullah] Ibn 'Abbas, who entered his tent while he was mending his sandal, and told him, 'The pilgrims have gathered to listen to you' 'I swear by Allah, these [sandals] have more value to me than ruling over you, except for being able to do right and prevent injustice.'

    al-Manaqib li Ibn Shahr ashub, v. 2, p. 101; Mizan ul Hikmah, page No. 376 · permalink

32. Eyesight is useless if the insight goes blind.

    Ghurar al-Hikam, no. 9972; Mizan ul Hikmah, page No. 461 · permalink

33. Indeed, the insightful one is he who listens and contemplates, looks and sees, derives benefit from lessons, then he takes a clear path on which he avoids the falls into abysses.

    Sharhe Nahj al-Balagha by Abi al-Hadid, v. 9. p. 158; Mizan ul Hikmah, page No. 462 · permalink

34. Vision is not dependent on the eyes, for the eyes may often belie their owners, yet the mind never deceives a man seeking its counsel.

    Sharhe Nahj al-Balagha by Abi al-Hadid, v. 19, p. 173; Mizan ul Hikmah, page No. 462 · permalink

35. Losing one's eyesight is easier than losing one's insight.

    Ghurar al-Hikam, no. 6536; Mizan ul Hikmah, page No. 462 · permalink

36. The most insightful person is he who sees his own flaws and refrains from sins as a result.

    Ghurar al-Hikam, no. 3061; Mizan ul Hikmah, page No. 462 · permalink

37. Careful Qanbar! Leave your insulter to his disdain and you will please the Beneficent Lord, displease Satan and punish thereby your enemy, for by the One who split the grain and created the breeze, there is no stance better than clemency with which a believer can please his Lord, and nothing like silence to offend Satan, and an idiot is best punished by ignoring him.

    Amali al-Mufid, p. 118, no. 2; Mizan ul Hikmah, page No. 463 · permalink

38. Allah has only assigned man with an intellect so that it may one day deliver him.

    Nahj al-Balagha, Saying 407; Mizan ul Hikmah, page No. 465 · permalink

39. The intellect is the strongest foundation.

    Ghurar al-Hikam, no. 475; Mizan ul Hikmah, page No. 465 · permalink

40. O merchants! Knowledge [of trading laws and ethics] first, then the trade itself! Knowledge first, then trade! Knowledge first, then trade!

    al-Kafi, v. 5, p. 150, no. 1; Mizan ul Hikmah, page No. 194 · permalink

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