Hadith

Imam Ali ibn Abu Talib [a]

1968 sayings · page 6 of 50

1. The [just] ruler is Allah's lifeguard on His earth

   Nahj al-Balagha, Saying 332; Mizan ul Hikmah, page No. 811 link

2. Verily the ruler in the way of Allah safeguards your affairs, so offer him such obedience as is neither blameworthy nor reluctant. By Allah, you must do so else Allah will take away the rule of Islam from you, never to return it to you thereafter until it settles with others

   Bihar al-Anwar, Sermon 169; Mizan ul Hikmah, page No. 812 link

3. The greeting is rewarded the worth of seventy good deeds, sixty-nine of which are rewarded to the initiator and one to the reciprocator [of the greeting].

   Bihar al-Anwar, v. 76, p. 11, no. 46; Mizan ul Hikmah, page No. 813 link

4. Silence is the garden of thought.

   Ghurar al-Hikam, no. 546; Mizan ul Hikmah, page No. 853 link

5. How ugly the man who is sick inwardly and beautiful outwardly

   Ghurar al-Hikam, no. 9661; Mizan ul Hikmah, page No. 849 link

6. O Allah I seek refuge in You from looking good in the gleaming mirror of people's eyes whilst my inward self that I conceal [from others] be ugly in front of You, and from guarding myself [against sins] only for show in front of people whilst You know all there is to know about me, such that I may display my good side to people, leaving the bad deeds for You, in seeking nearness to mere servants of Yours and getting further and further away from Your good pleasure

   Nahj al-Balagha, Saying 276; Mizan ul Hikmah, page No. 849 link

7. Know that even the slightest showing off is tantamount to polytheism

   Tuhaf al-`Uqoul, no. 151; Mizan ul Hikmah, page No. 850 link

8. Three characteristics distinguish a show off: he is energetic and active whilst in the presence of people, he is lazy when he is by himself, and he loves to be praised for everything

   al-Kafi, v. 2, p. 295, no. 8; Mizan ul Hikmah, page No. 851 link

9. Silence is the sign of nobility and the fruit of the intellect

   Ghurar al-Hikam, no. 1343; Mizan ul Hikmah, page No. 852 link

10. Great is his silence and occupied is his time

    Nahj al-Balagha, Saying 333; Mizan ul Hikmah, page No. 852 link

11. Adhere to silence for the very least of its benefits is health

    Ghurar al-Hikam, no. 2314; Mizan ul Hikmah, page No. 853 link

12. Imam Ja'far Sadiq (a.s.) narrates from his predecessors that Amirul Momineen (a.s.) said, "A single Salaat of Baitul Muqaddas is equal to one thousand prayers. A single prayer of Masjid-e-Azam is equal to one hundred prayers. A single prayer of Masjid-e-Qabeelah is equal to twenty-five prayers and a single prayer of Masjid-e-Sooq is equal to twelve prayers. A Salaat offered in one's house is equal to a single prayer only."

    Sawab al-A`amal, Page 60 link

13. Imam Ja'far Sadiq (a.s.) narrates from his predecessors that Amirul Momineen (a.s.) said, one of you performs the Sajdah you must place the palms of your hands on the ground, perhaps by that you will be exempted from the chains on the Day of Qiyamat."

    Sawab al-A`amal, Page 64 link

14. Amir al-Mu'minin Im?m 'Al? ibn Ab? T?lib (a.s.), when asked who the most wretched of all people was, replied, 'He who sells his Hereafter for someone else's profit in this world.'.

    Amali al-Saduq, p. 322, no. 4; Mizan ul Hikmah, page No. 1020 link

15. One of the symptoms of wretchedness is swindling one's own friend.

    Ghurar al-Hikam, no. 9297; Mizan ul Hikmah, page No. 1020 link

16. Among the symptoms of wretchedness is maltreatment of good people.

    Ghurar al-Hikam, no. 9307; Mizan ul Hikmah, page No. 1020 link

17. Wrongdoing is the most painful of all vices.

    Ghurar al-Hikam, no. 804; Mizan ul Hikmah, page No. 1021 link

18. Wrongdoing causes feet to slip, snatches away bounties and destroys nations.

    Ghurar al-Hikam, no. 1734; Mizan ul Hikmah, page No. 1021 link

19. By Allah, I would rather spend a sleepless night on the thorns of the Sa`adan tree [a type of prickly tree], or be driven as a prisoner in shackles, than meet Allah and His Messenger on the Day of Resurrection having wronged any servant or having usurped any kind of worldly wealth. How can I wrong anyone for the sake of this soul that is rapidly hastening towards destruction and is to remain under the earth for a long time?

    Nahj al-Balagha, Sermon 224; Mizan ul Hikmah, page No. 1021 link

20. By Allah, if I was given all the seven domains with all that exists under its celestial spheres in order that I may disobey Allah to the extent of snatching a single grain of barley from an ant, I would not do it.

    Nahj al-Balagha, Sermon 224; Mizan ul Hikmah, page No. 1022 link

21. Beware of wrongdoing, for the living days of one who wrongs others become odious.

    Ghurar al-Hikam, no. 2638; Mizan ul Hikmah, page No. 1022 link

22. Nothing induces the reversal of Allah's bounty or the hastening of His retribution than continuous injustice [to others]; for verily Allah hears the call of the oppressed and lies in wait for the oppressors.

    Nahj al-Balagha, Letter 53; Mizan ul Hikmah, page No. 1022 link

23. The life of one who wrongs others is shattered.

    Ghurar al-Hikam, no. 7940; Mizan ul Hikmah, page No. 1022 link

24. The one who takes wrongdoing as a mount is thrown off by it.

    Ghurar al-Hikam, no. 5391; Mizan ul Hikmah, page No. 1022 link

25. The one who tyrannises others is ruined by his own tyranny.

    Ghurar al-Hikam, no. 7835; Mizan ul Hikmah, page No. 1022 link

26. Know that wrongdoing is of three types: the wrongdoing that is unforgivable, the wrongdoing that cannot be left unaccounted, and the wrongdoing that is forgivable and unquestioned. The wrong that is unforgivable is association of anything with Allah the wrong that is forgivable is when the servant is unjust to himself and wrongs himself with regard to his faults, and the wrong that cannot be left unaccounted is the wrong that people do unto each other.

    Nahj al-Balagha, Sermon 176; Mizan ul Hikmah, page No. 1023 link

27. Wronging the weak is the most atrocious type of injustice.

    Nahj al-Balagha, Letter 31; Mizan ul Hikmah, page No. 1023 link

28. was once asked, 'Which sin hastens punishment down on its perpetrator the fastest?' to which he replied, 'He who wrongs somebody that has no helper save Allah, he who repays bounties with negligence and laxity, and he who displays arrogant and intimidating behaviour towards the poor.'

    Bihar al-Anwar, v. 75, p. 320, no. 43; Mizan ul Hikmah, page No. 1023 link

29. One of the most atrocious types of injustice is to wrong kind people.

    Ghurar al-Hikam, no. 9272; Mizan ul Hikmah, page No. 1024 link

30. Your need to a miser is colder than the cold wind.

    Bihar al-Anwar, v. 78, p. 31, no. 99; Mizan ul Hikmah, page No. 612 link

31. Verily the most detested of all people in the sight of Allah are two: the man whom Allah has relegated to his own carnal self, so he has deviated from the straight path and is passionately fond of talking about innovations and misguiding others towards the wrong path. He tempts those who are charmed by him. He himself has strayed away from the guidance of his predecessors, and misleads those who follow him during his life as well as after his death. He carries the burden of others' sins and is entangled in his own misdeeds

    Nahj al-Balagha, Sermon 17; Mizan ul Hikmah, page No. 896 link

32. I warn you against the hypocrites, for verily they are themselves misguided and they misguide other people. They have slipped and they cause others to slip too.

    Nahj al-Balagha, Sermon 194; Mizan ul Hikmah, page No. 897 link

33. It is a scholar' s right upon you that you greet people in general as a whole but single him out with your greeting, that you sit in front of him, that you do not point to him with your hand, nor make hints against him with your eyes, nor say, 'but x said' in opposition to his statements, nor backbite anyone in his presence, nor whisper secrets to others in his gathering, nor pull on his robe, nor insist for him to continue if he is tired, nor show disinclination at the length of his speech, for verily it [i.e. his speech] is as a palm tree from which you [should] anxiously wait for something to fall from it for you.

    Kanz al-`Ummal, no. 29363; Mizan ul Hikmah page No. 515 link

34. It is not part of the moral virtues of a believer that he should flatter or be jealous except in the quest for knowledge.

    Kanz al-`Ummal, no. 29364; Mizan ul Hikmah page No. 515 link

35. The timid merchant is often deprived and the bold merchant is often endowed with profit

    Kanz al-`Ummal, no. 9293; Mizan ul Hikmah page No. 194 link

36. It is narrated in Kanz al-`Ummal: ' Ali used to go to the market and stand in his usual place to say, 'Peace be upon you, O people of the market! Fear Allah in your oaths, for the oath degrades the commodity and drives away the blessing. The merchant is iniquitous except for he who takes and gives only what is right.'

    Kanz al-`Ummal, no. 10043; Mizan ul Hikmah page No. 197 link

37. By Allah, the sunna is the tradition of Muhammad (SAWA); innovation is anything that deviates from it; the congregation is the gathering of people who are with the truth, even if they are few in number; and division is the dissention of people who are with falsehood, even if they be many in number.

    Kanz al-`Ummal, no. 1644; Mizan ul Hikmah page No. 211 link

38. Do you like it for Allah and His Messenger to be called liars?! Then transmit to the people only that which they understand and withhold that which they [i.e. their intellects] reject.

    Bihar al-Anwar, v. 2, p. 77, no. 60; Mizan ul Hikmah, page No. 946 link

39. Nothing destroys religion like innovations.

    Bihar al-Anwar, v. 78, p. 92, no. 98; Mizan ul Hikmah, page No. 458 link

40. Concern yourself with your companion [on the journey] over the way itself, and with your neighbour [upon your return] before your house

    Nahj al-Balagha, Letter 31; Mizan ul Hikmah, page No. 948 link

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