Imam Ali ibn Abu Talib [a]
1968 sayings · page 9 of 50
There is nothing worse from amongst the transgressions than submitting to one's base desires, so do not obey them as they will preoccupy you from [remembering] Allah
Ghurar al-Hikam, no. 7520; Mizan ul Hikmah, page No. 782 · permalink
Anything that distracts you from the remembrance of Allah is classified as gambling
Bihar al-Anwar, v. 73, p. 157, no. 2; Mizan ul Hikmah, page No. 782 · permalink
Anything that distracts you from the remembrance of Allah is from Iblis [Satan].
Tanbih al-Khawatir, v. 2, p. 170; Mizan ul Hikmah, page No. 782 · permalink
Verily the most sufficient of riches is the intellect
Nahj al-Balagha, Saying 38; Mizan ul Hikmah, page No. 466 · permalink
Whoever forgets Allah, Glory be to Him, Allah makes him forget himself and blinds his heart
Ghurar al-Hikam, no. 8875; Mizan ul Hikmah, page No. 783 · permalink
Repentance purifies the hearts and washes away the sins.
Ghurar al-Hikam, no. 1355; Mizan ul Hikmah, page No. 784 · permalink
They planted the trees of their sins before their eyes and hearts, and watered them with the water of remorse; thus they produced safety for them and left them with contentment and dignity.
Bihar al-Anwar, v. 78, p. 72, no. 38; Mizan ul Hikmah, page No. 785 · permalink
A man who is blessed with repentance will not be deprived of its acceptance, and a man who is blessed with seeking forgiveness will not be deprived of forgiveness
Bihar al-Anwar, v. 69, p. 410, no. 124; Mizan ul Hikmah, page No. 785 · permalink
Remorse for a sin counts as seeking forgiveness.
Mustadrak al-Wasa`il, v. 12, p. 118, no. 13674; Mizan ul Hikmah, page No. 786 · permalink
Remorse of the heart offsets the sin
Bihar al-Anwar, v. 23, p. 30, p. 46; Mizan ul Hikmah, page No. 786 · permalink
A sinner who confesses to his sin is better than an obedient man who brags about his deed
Ghurar al-Hikam, no. 6334; Mizan ul Hikmah, page No. 787 · permalink
Repentance stands on four pillars: remorse with the heart, asking for forgiveness with the tongue, work with the limbs, and resolve not to repeat [the offense].
Bihar al-Anwar, v. 78, p. 81, no. 74; Mizan ul Hikmah, page No. 787 · permalink
The root of self-restraint is contentment, and its fruit is fewer sorrows.
Masalib al-Sa' ul, p. 50; Mizan ul Hikmah, page No. 835 · permalink
Satisfaction with one' s lot leads to self-restraint.
Ghurar al-Hikam, no. 1512; Mizan ul Hikmah, page No. 835 · permalink
The worth of a man is proportionate to his ambition and his chastity is in proportion with his sense of self-worth
Nahj al-Balagha, Saying 47; Mizan ul Hikmah, page No. 835 · permalink
He who uses his intellect restrains himself
Ghurar al-Hikam, no. 7646; Mizan ul Hikmah, page No. 835 · permalink
Amirul Momineen (a.s.) says in his will, "By Allah, be careful about Zakat because it silences the anger of your Lord."
Sawab al-A`amal, Page 77 · permalink
Visit each other for the sake of Allah, sit in each other's company for the sake of Allah, give for the sake of Allah and deny for the sake of Allah, keep away from the enemies of Allah and maintain relations with the friends of Allah
Ghurar al-Hikam, nos. 5392-5393; Mizan ul Hikmah, page No. 974 · permalink
Visiting too often brings about boredom
Bihar al-Anwar, v. 77, p. 237, no. 1; Mizan ul Hikmah, page No. 976 · permalink
When you are assured of your brother's love for you, then do not worry about when you will meet each other
Ghurar al-Hikam, no. 4087; Mizan ul Hikmah, page No. 976 · permalink
Vitality is the most beneficial of bounties
Ghurar al-Hikam, no. 973; Mizan ul Hikmah, page No. 976 · permalink
There is no garment more beautiful than vitality.
al-Tawhid, v. 74, no. 27; Mizan ul Hikmah, page No. 976 · permalink
Joie-de-vivre [i.e. the pleasure of living] is to be found through vitality
Ghurar al-Hikam, no. 4207; Mizan ul Hikmah, page No. 976 · permalink
Vitality has ten parts, nine of which lie in silence except for the remembrance of Allah, and one part of which lies in abandoning the company of fools
Tuhaf al-`Uqoul, no. 89; Mizan ul Hikmah, page No. 977 · permalink
Three actions are considered to be gallant: lowering one's gaze, lowering one's voice and walking with deliberation
Ghurar al-Hikam, no. 4660; Mizan ul Hikmah, page No. 979 · permalink
Lowering one's voice, lowering one's gaze, and walking with deliberation are among the marks of one's faith and the integrity of one's devoutness.
Ghurar al-Hikam, no. 5073; Mizan ul Hikmah, page No. 980 · permalink
Amir al-Mu'minin Im?m 'Al? ibn Ab? T?lib (a.s.), when asked about the gravest of the grave sins, said, 'Feeling secure from Allah's plan, giving up all hope of Allah's munificence, and despairing of Allah's mercy
Bihar al-Anwar, no. 4325; Mizan ul Hikmah, page No. 864 · permalink
Whoever takes pleasure in committing acts of disobedience to Allah, Allah will bring disgrace down upon him
Ghurar al-Hikam, no. 8823; Mizan ul Hikmah, page No. 865 · permalink
Tears only dry up and fail to flow as a result of hard-heartedness, and the hearts only harden as a result of an abundance of sins
Ellal al-Shara'ie, p. 81, no. 1; Mizan ul Hikmah, page No. 866 · permalink
No servant from amongst our followers (shi`aa) who commits an act that we have forbidden dies without first being afflicted with a severe calamity which expiates his sins, be it with regard to his wealth, his children or his own soul, such that he meets Allah with a clean slate. Moreover, if any of his sins remain even after that, then they are expiated by the pain and difficulty at the time of death.
al-Khisal, p. 235, no. 10; Mizan ul Hikmah, page No. 869 · permalink
The world is for the one who abandons it and the Hereafter is for the one who seeks it.
Bihar al-Anwar, v. 73, p. 81, no. 43; Mizan ul Hikmah, page No. 998 · permalink
The example of this world is like your shadow for if you stand still, it stands still and if you chase it, it distances itself.
Ghurar al-Hikam, no. 9818; Mizan ul Hikmah, page No. 998 · permalink
O you who insult the world, who have been deceived by its deceit and cheated by its falsities, do you covet the world and then insult it? Should you accuse it or should it accuse you? When did it bewilder it or deceive you?! Verily the world is an abode of truth for he who is truthful to it, an abode of wellbeing for he who understands it, and an abode of riches for he who collects provision from it [for the next world].
Nahj al-Balagha, Saying.131; Mizan ul Hikmah, page No. 999 · permalink
Beware of the world, for verily with regards to its lawful things there is accountability and with regards to its unlawful things there is punishment, its beginning is hardship and its end is annihilation.
Bihar al-Anwar, v. 78, p. 23, no. 88; Mizan ul Hikmah, page No. 1002 · permalink
Beware of this deceptive and deceitful world that has been beautified by its ornaments and has seduced through its delusions such that it has become like an unveiled bride upon whom everyone's eyes are gazing.
Bihar al-Anwar, v. 73, p. 108, no. 109; Mizan ul Hikmah, page No. 1002 · permalink
Beware of the world, for verily it is deceptive, delusive and deceitful, it is a giver that deprives, and one who clothes yet leaves you naked.
Nahj al-Balagha, Sermon 230; Mizan ul Hikmah, page No. 1002 · permalink
Beware of the world, for verily it is the enemy of the friends of Allah and the enemy of His enemies too. As for the friends of Allah, it fills them with grief and as for Allah's enemies, it deludes them.
Nahj al-Sa`ada, v. 3, p. 202; Mizan ul Hikmah, page No. 1002 · permalink
Verily the world is a house of deception and deceit, it takes a spouse everyday, kills a family every night and splits up a group every hour.
Nahj al-Sa`ada, v. 3, p. 174; Mizan ul Hikmah, page No. 1002 · permalink
Jabir ibn Abdullah Ansari relates that Ali (a.s.) saw that a man was abusing Hazrat Qambar and Qambar was about to reply to him. Ali (a.s.) called him:
Greater Sins Vol 1, part 3, page 254; Safinatul Behaar · permalink
Starving out is the best of remedies
Ghurar al-Hikam, no. 903; Mizan ul Hikmah, page No. 771 · 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