Hadith

Imam Ali ibn Abu Talib [a]

1968 sayings · page 41 of 50

1. The cause of enmity is lack of consideration [for others].

   Ghurar al-Hikam, no. 6302; Mizan ul Hikmah, page No. 268 · permalink

2. Everything has a seed, and the seed of enmity is mockery.

   Ghurar al-Hikam, 7316; Mizan ul Hikmah, page No. 268 · permalink

3. All good is contained in three traits: looking, being quiet and talking. If one does not get admonished when he sees things, he is in error. Not thinking when you are quiet equals ignorance, and any talk in which there is no remembrance of Allah is in vain.

   Mishkat ul-Anwar, Section 1 on Faith, Islam & Related Issues, Chapter 9 on Thinking, Hadees 158 · permalink

4. Man's stomach is his enemy.

   Ghurar al-Hikam, no. 4424; Mizan ul Hikmah, page No. 268 · permalink

5. Verily I bring myself to prohibit people from that which I myself do not refrain from, or to enjoin them that which I myself have not performed before them.

   Ghurar al-Hikam, no. 3780; Mizan ul Hikmah, page No. 265 · permalink

6. Allah curses those who enjoin good but abandon its practice, and those who prohibit wrong but commit it themselves.

   Nahj al-Balagha, Sermon 129; Mizan ul Hikmah, page No. 265 · permalink

7. And prohibit wrong and abstain from it yourselves, for verily you have been commanded to prohibit wrong after abstention from it.

   Nahj al-Balagha, Sermon 105; Mizan ul Hikmah, page No. 266 · permalink

8. He who abandons the prohibition of wrong with his heart, his hand and his tongue is a dead man walking amongst the living

   al-Tahdhib, v. 6, p. 181, no. 374; Mizan ul Hikmah, page No. 266 · permalink

9. The Prophet (SAWA) commanded us to meet the sinners with stern faces.

   al-Kafi, v. 5, p. 59, no. 10; Mizan ul Hikmah, page No. 267 · permalink

10. The peak of ignorance is showing enmity towards people.

    Ghurar al-Hikam, no. 5237; Mizan ul Hikmah, page No. 267 · permalink

11. Whoever falls into a sleep of neglect of his enemy is jolted awake by his crafty schemes.

    Ghurar al-Hikam, no. 8672; Mizan ul Hikmah, page No. 269 · permalink

12. He who overlooks [his enemy] is himself surely not overlooked.

    Nahj al-Balagha, Letter 62; Mizan ul Hikmah, page No. 269 · permalink

13. Never underestimate an enemy even if he be weak.

    Ghurar al-Hikam, no. 10216; Mizan ul Hikmah, page No. 269 · permalink

14. He who reconciles with his enemy increases the numbers on his own side.

    Ghurar al-Hikam, no. 8230; Mizan ul Hikmah, page No. 269 · permalink

15. He who reconciles with the opposition achieves his aim.

    Ghurar al-Hikam, no. 8043; Mizan ul Hikmah, page No. 269 · permalink

16. Love is when hearts harbour mutual affection due to the harmony between their spirits

    Ghurar al-Hikam, no. 2057; Mizan ul Hikmah, page No. 888 · permalink

17. The body experiences six different states: health, sickness, death, life, sleep and wakefulness, and so does the spirit. Its life is its knowledge and its death ignorance; its sickness is doubt whereas its health is certainty; its sleep is its negligence and its wakefulness is its consciousness

    Bihar al-Anwar, v. 61, p. 40, no. 10; Mizan ul Hikmah, page No. 888 · permalink

18. Be liberal, but do not squander; and be calculating, but do not be parsimonious

    Sharhe Nahj al-Balagha by Abi al-Hadid, v. 18, p. 150; Mizan ul Hikmah, page No. 891 · permalink

19. Squandering is the epitome of destitution.

    Ghurar al-Hikam, no. 890; Mizan ul Hikmah, page No. 891 · permalink

20. Squandering is a penniless companion

    Ghurar al-Hikam, no. 1043; Mizan ul Hikmah, page No. 892 · permalink

21. A man who takes pride in squandering will be humiliated by bankruptcy

    Ghurar al-Hikam, no. 9057; Mizan ul Hikmah, page No. 892 · permalink

22. Fear is the garment of the gnostics.

    Ghurar al-Hikam, no. 664; Mizan ul Hikmah, page No. 318 · permalink

23. The one who fears his Lord refrains from wrongdoing.

    Bihar al-Anwar, v. 75, p. 309, no. 3; Mizan ul Hikmah, page No. 319 · permalink

24. When you fear a matter, dive straight into it for verily the intensity of your wariness of it is greater than what you actually fear.

    Nahj al-Balagha, Saying 175; Mizan ul Hikmah, page No. 322 · permalink

25. If you fear the difficulty of a situation, be hard and firm in front of it and it will lower [in difficulty] for you, and wittingly deceive the problems of the age and they will become easy for you.

    Ghurar al-Hikam, no. 4108; Mizan ul Hikmah, page No. 322 · permalink

26. The one who does not fear anyone will never ever fear.

    Ghurar al-Hikam, no. 8955; Mizan ul Hikmah, page No. 323 · permalink

27. Justice is the base that supports the whole world.

    Masalib al-Sa' ul, p. 61; Mizan ul Hikmah, page No. 498 · permalink

28. Allah, Glory be to Him, made justice a support for mankind, an eliminator of wrongs and sins, and an elevator of Islam.

    Ghurar al-Hikam, no. 4789; Mizan ul Hikmah, page No. 498 · permalink

29. Justice is the support of the masses and the beauty [adorning] the governors.

    Ghurar al-Hikam, no. 1954; Mizan ul Hikmah, page No. 498 · permalink

30. Justice is the shield of the nations.

    Ghurar al-Hikam, no. 1873; Mizan ul Hikmah, page No. 498 · permalink

31. The masses behave righteously through justice.

    Ghurar al-Hikam, no. 4215; Mizan ul Hikmah, page No. 498 · permalink

32. Blessings are multiplied through justice.

    Ghurar al-Hikam, no. 4211; Mizan ul Hikmah, page No. 498 · permalink

33. Allah does not try anyone with anything as [severe as] respite [i.e. a false sense of security].

    Bihar al-Anwar, v. 73, p. 383, no. 8; Mizan ul Hikmah, page No. 663 · permalink

34. Poverty is part of the trial, and worse than that is the sickness of the body, and worse than that is the sickness of the heart.

    Amali al-Tusi, p. 146, no. 240; Mizan ul Hikmah, page No. 663 · permalink

35. Salvation comes at the peak of the ordeal

    Bihar al-Anwar, v. 78, p. 12, no. 70; Mizan ul Hikmah, page No. 663 · permalink

36. During every hardship, say, 'There is no power or strength save in Allah, the High and the Great' (La Hawla wa La quwwata illa billah al- `Aliy al-`Adhim) and you will surmount it.

    Bihar al-Anwar, 77, p. 270, no. 1; Mizan ul Hikmah, page No. 664 · permalink

37. Indeed I have not seen anything like Paradise, the seeker whereof is sleeping, nor have I seen anything like the Fire, whose escapee is sleeping.

    Nahj al-Balagha, Sermon 28; Mizan ul Hikmah, page No. 665 · permalink

38. Paradise is the best goal

    Ghurar al-Hikam, no. 1024; Mizan ul Hikmah, page No. 665 · permalink

39. Paradise is the abode of security.

    Ghurar al-Hikam, no. 397; Mizan ul Hikmah, page No. 665 · permalink

40. Verily there is no price for your soul except for Paradise, so do not sell it for anything else

    Bihar al-Anwar, v. 78, p. 13, no. 71; Mizan ul Hikmah, page No. 665 · 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