Hadith

Imam Ali ibn Abu Talib [a]

1968 sayings · page 25 of 50

1. You may improve the doers of good by honoring them, and rehabilitate the wrongdoers by disciplining them.

   Bihar al-Anwar, v. 78, p. 82, no. 81; Mizan ul Hikmah, page No. 370 · permalink

2. Reprimand your brother by being kind to him, and react to his wrongdoing by being generous to him.

   Bihar al-Anwar, v. 71, p. 427, no. 76; Mizan ul Hikmah, page No. 371 · permalink

3. Rehabilitate the wrongdoer by your good deed [towards him], and indicate towards good through your good words.

   Ghurar al-Hikam, no. 2304; Mizan ul Hikmah, page No. 371 · permalink

4. A man who disciplines himself by following the etiquette of Allah, the Exalted, will have lasting prosperity.

   Bihar al-Anwar, v. 92, p. 214, no. 13; Mizan ul Hikmah, page No. 371 · permalink

5. A man who is not reformed through the etiquette of Allah will not be rehabilitated through his self-discipline.

   Ghurar al-Hikam, no. 9001; Mizan ul Hikmah, page No. 371 · permalink

6. Misfortune is a form of discipline for the wrongdoer.

   Bihar al-Anwar, v. 81, p. 198, no. 55; Mizan ul Hikmah, page No. 372 · permalink

7. The most miserly of people with his wares is the most liberal of them with his own reputation [in that he gives it up readily].

   Ghurar al-Hikam, no. 3190; Mizan ul Hikmah, page No. 372 · permalink

8. The best form of wealth is that which is used to safeguard one's reputation.

   Ghurar al-Hikam, no. 3038; Mizan ul Hikmah, page No. 372 · permalink

9. He who cares for his reputation must desist from disputation.

   Nahj al-Balagha, Saying 362; Mizan ul Hikmah, page No. 372 · permalink

10. Amir al-Mu'minin Im?m 'Al? ibn Ab? T?lib (a.s.) said regarding the arbitration, 'These [people] say, 'There is no need for government!' Indeed there has to be a ruler under whose rule the believer toils and the wicked seeks to make merry.'

    Nahj al-Sa`ada, v. 2, p. 333; Mizan ul Hikmah, page No. 374 · permalink

11. The people have to have a ruler over them, be he pious or wicked, under whose rule the believer toils and the wicked seeks to make merry, and in which Allah decrees the final outcome, and under which the booty is collected, the enemy is fought, the roads are made safe, and the weak is protected from the powerful, until the pious rests and the wicked is cast aside.

    Bihar al-Anwar, v. 75, p. 358, no. 72; Mizan ul Hikmah, page No. 375 · permalink

12. A wild lion is better than an oppressive ruler, while an oppressive ruler is better than lasting schisms.

    Bihar al-Anwar, v.75, p. 359, no. 74; Mizan ul Hikmah, page No. 375 · permalink

13. The zakat of power is equity

    Ghurar al-Hikam, no. 5448; Mizan ul Hikmah, page No. 100 · permalink

14. The zakat of beauty is chastity

    Ghurar al-Hikam, no. 5449; Mizan ul Hikmah, page No. 100 · permalink

15. The zakat of prosperity is goodness to one's neighbours and maintaining relations with one's kin.

    Ghurar al-Hikam, no. 5453; Mizan ul Hikmah, page No. 100 · permalink

16. The zakat of health is exerting oneself in Allah's obedience

    Ghurar al-Hikam, no. 5454; Mizan ul Hikmah, page No. 100 · permalink

17. The zakat of courage is fighting in the way of Allah.

    Ghurar al-Hikam, no. 5455; Mizan ul Hikmah, page No. 100 · permalink

18. Fast, for that is the zakat of the body

    Bihar al-Anwar, v. 78, p. 99, no. 1; Mizan ul Hikmah, page No. 100 · permalink

19. He who pays the obligatory alms-tax at the end of Ramazan, Allah uses it to make up for any deficit in the alms-tax paid on his wealth.

    Wasael al-Shi`aah, v. 6, p. 220, no. 4; Mizan ul Hikmah, page No. 101 · permalink

20. When Allah punishes a faithful servant in this world, He is too Bountiful and too Glorious to re-punish him [for the same sin] on the Day of Resurrection.

    Tuhaf al-`Uqoul, no. 12966; Mizan ul Hikmah, page No. 554 · permalink

21. Moderation is the key to success.

    Ghurar al-Hikam, no. 294; Mizan ul Hikmah, page No. 556 · permalink

22. Sheer cowardice ensues from the impotence of the soul and the weakness of conviction.

    Ghurar al-Hikam, no. 5773; Mizan ul Hikmah, page No. 231 · permalink

23. He who is overtaken by death whilst he is seeking knowledge, there remains but a difference of one level between him and the Prophets.

    Majma`a al-Bayan, v. 9, p. 380; Mizan ul Hikmah, page No. 509 · permalink

24. Allah does not obligate the ignorant to learn until He has obligated the knowledgeable to teach.

    Nahj al-Balagha, Saying 478; Mizan ul Hikmah, page No. 510 · permalink

25. If you make your religion secondary to your worldly affairs, you have destroyed both your religion and your worldly affairs, and thus you will be among the losers in the Hereafter. But if you make your worldly affairs secondary to your religion, you have safeguarded your religion and your worldly affairs and you will be among the victorious ones in the Hereafter.

    Ghurar al-Hikam, no. 3750-3751; Mizan ul Hikmah, page No. 1008 · permalink

26. The parable of this world is like your shadow - if you stop, it stands still, and if you chase it, it distances itself from you.

    Ghurar al-Hikam, no. 9818; Mizan ul Hikmah, page No. 1009 · permalink

27. The world is a transitory and mobile thing, even if it waits for you, do not wait for it.

    Ghurar al-Hikam, no. 1802; Mizan ul Hikmah, page No. 1010 · permalink

28. O people, verily the world is a passage while the Hereafter is a permanent abode, so take [as much as you can] from the passage for the permanent abode.

    Nahj al-Balagha, Sermon 203; Mizan ul Hikmah, page No. 1010 · permalink

29. This world is a transitory place and not a permanent one. The people therein are of two types, the man who has sold his self [to his passions] and thus ruined it, and the man who has purchased his self [by control against his passions] and thus freed it.

    Nahj al-Balagha, Saying 133; Mizan ul Hikmah, page No. 1010 · permalink

30. [The world] is a house surrounded by trials, well-known for treachery, whose conditions do not last, whose inhabitants do not remain safe, its states are variable, its ways are changing, life in it is shameful and security in it is non-existent.

    Nahj al-Balagha, Sermon 226; Mizan ul Hikmah, page No. 1011 · permalink

31. When Allah loves a servant He inspires him to carry out the best forms of worship.

    Ghurar al-Hikam, no. 4066; Mizan ul Hikmah, page No. 1012 · permalink

32. Adoration [of Allah] consists of five things: keeping the stomach empty, reading the Qur'an, performing the night prayer, imploring Allah at dawn, and crying much from fear of Allah.

    Mustadrak al-Wasa`il, v. 11, p. 244, no. 12875; Mizan ul Hikmah, page No. 1012 · permalink

33. Worship without understanding is no good.

    Tuhaf al-`Uqoul, no. 204; Mizan ul Hikmah, page No. 1013 · permalink

34. He who stands in a suspect place cannot blame anyone for thinking suspiciously of him.

    Amali al-Saduq, p. 250, no. 8; Mizan ul Hikmah, page No. 214 · permalink

35. The one who enters bad places naturally stands to be accused, and the one who exposes himself to accusation cannot blame anyone for thinking suspiciously of him

    Kanz al-Fawa' id li al-Karajiki, v. 2, p. 182; Mizan ul Hikmah, page No. 214 · permalink

36. Sitting in the company of bad people engenders suspicious thoughts about good people.

    Bihar al-Anwar, v. 74, p. 197, no. 31; Mizan ul Hikmah, page No. 214 · permalink

37. The person in the worst state is the one who does not trust anybody because of his suspiciousness, and who is not trusted by anybody because of his evil actions.'

    Kanz al-Fawa' id li al-Karajiki, v. 2, p. 182; Mizan ul Hikmah, page No. 214 · permalink

38. The one who does not think well of people feels alienated from everybody.

    Ghurar al-Hikam, no. 9084; Mizan ul Hikmah, page No. 214 · permalink

39. At a time when good prevails over an era and among its people, if a man suspects another person who has never been seen committing an offence, then he has indeed wronged him. And when corruption prevails over an era and among its people, if a man assumes the best about somebody, then he has indeed jeopardised himself.

    Nahj al-Balagha, Saying 114; Mizan ul Hikmah, page No. 215 · permalink

40. If they cut off ties with their kin, their wealth will be placed at the disposal of evil people.

    al-Kafi, v. 2, p. 348, no. 8; Mizan ul Hikmah, page No. 217 · permalink

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