Hadith

Imam Hasan ibn Ali [a]

37 sayings

1. Imam Ali (a.s) asked Imam Hassan (a.s) and Imam Hussein (a.s) the difference between faith and certitude. They remained silent. "There is only one hand-breadth distance between the two." Imam Ali (a.s) asked: "How come?" He replied: "Since faith is related to what we hear and acknowledge with our heart, and certitude is related to what we see and use to argue in favor of what we cannot see.

   Mishkat ul-Anwar, Section 1 on Faith, Islam & Related Issues, Chapter 3 On Certitude,Page 54, Hadees 34 link

2. I guarantee you that the one who entertains nothing save satisfaction with Allah in his heart, has only to ask Allah and He will answer him.

   Ghurar al-Hikam, v. 71, p. 159, no. 75; Mizan ul Hikmah, page No. 821 link

3. Maymun b. Mihran narrated 'I was once sitting in the presence of al-Hasan b. Ali (AS) when a man came to him, saying, 'O son of the Prophet of Allah, verily x is claiming money from me that I owe him and wants to arrest me.' So he replied, 'By Allah, I do not have money to pay your debt on your behalf.' So he asked, 'Then talk to him.' So he (AS) put on his sandals, whereupon I asked him, 'O son of the Prophet of Allah, have you forgotten the fact that you are in a state of retreat' So he replied, 'No, I have not forgotten, but I have heard my father (SAWA) narrating on the authority of my grandfather, the Prophet of Allah (AS) that he had said, 'He who strives to fulfil a fellow Muslim brother' s need is as if he has worshipped Allah, Mighty and Exalted, for nine thousand years, fasting during the day and standing in prayer at night.

   al-Faqih, v. 2, p. 189, no. 2108; Mizan ul Hikmah, page No. 800 link

4. I guarantee that the one who does not harbour anything but contentment in his heart will be answered when he supplicates to Allah

   Bihar al-Anwar, v. 43, p. 351, no. 25; Mizan ul Hikmah, page No. 916 link

5. The one who recites the Qur'an has a supplication of his answered, be it immediately or later

   Bihar al-Anwar, v. 93, p. 313, no. 17; Mizan ul Hikmah, page No. 917 link

6. Associate with people the way you would like them to associate with you.

   A`alam al-Din, p. 297; Mizan ul Hikmah, page No. 882 link

7. [It is] (Greed) when you count what is in your hands as a source of honour, while you count what you have given away as a waste

   Bihar al-Anwar, v. 73, p. 305, no. 23; Mizan ul Hikmah, page No. 610 link

8. Indeed the silent one has great earnestness

   Bihar al-Anwar, v. 78, p. 113, no. 7; Mizan ul Hikmah, page No. 853 link

9. How excellent an aid silence is in numerous situations, even if one be an expressive person

   Ma`ani al-Akhbar, p. 401, no. 62; Mizan ul Hikmah, page No. 853 link

10. A man devoid of reason cannot have good manners.

    Bihar al-Anwar, v. 78, p. 111, no. 6; Mizan ul Hikmah, page No. 365 link

11. He who trusts whatever Allah has chosen for him to be good, will never wish to be in any situation other than what Allah has chosen for him to be in

    Bihar al-Anwar, v. 78, p. 106, no. 6; Mizan ul Hikmah, page No. 819 link

12. How can a believer call himself a believer if he is dissatisfied with his lot in life and despises his current circumstances when Allah is the authority above him.

    Bihar al-Anwar, v. 43, p. 351, no. 25; Mizan ul Hikmah, page No. 819 link

13. Im?m Hasan ibn 'Al? ibn Ab? T?lib (a.s.) in his letter to the inhabitants of Kufa said, 'By my life, an Imam is only one who rules by the Book, a maintainer of justice, bound to the right religion, who controls himself for the sake of Allah.

    Kitab al-Irshad, v. 2, p. 39; Mizan ul Hikmah, page No. 539 link

14. It is blameworthy that you do not thank for a favour done unto you.

    Tuhaf al-`Uqoul, no. 223; Mizan ul Hikmah, page No. 935 link

15. Thinking is the life of the heart of the cognizant

    Bihar al-Anwar, v. 78, p. 115, no. 11; Mizan ul Hikmah, page No. 938 link

16. I advise you with Godwariness and continuous thinking, for thinking is the father and mother of all good

    Tanbih al-Khawatir, v. 1, p. 52; Mizan ul Hikmah, page No. 938 link

17. He who seeks to please Allah at the expense of displeasing people, Allah suffices him in everything including his affairs with people. But the one who seeks to please people at the expense of Allah's displeasure, Allah relegates him to those very people.

    Bihar al-Anwar, v. 71, p. 208, no. 17; Mizan ul Hikmah, page No. 97 link

18. Verily I am one of your Shi`aa', 'O `Aabdallah, if you are truly obedient to us in our commands and prohibitions, then you are telling the truth. But if not, then do not add to your sins by falsely claiming such a dignified position that you are not worthy of. Do not say, 'I am one of your Shi`aa', but say rather, 'I am one of your adherents and one of your lovers and an enemy to your enemies.' You are [doing] good and aiming towards good

    Tanbih al-Khawatir, v. 2, p. 106; Mizan ul Hikmah, page No. 843 link

19. Im?m Hasan ibn 'Al? ibn Ab? T?lib (a.s.) when asked about poverty, said, 'It is the greed of the self for everything

    Tuhaf al-`Uqoul, no. 225; Mizan ul Hikmah, page No. 706 link

20. There are twelve things that every Muslim should know about the table [manners]; four are mandatory, four are recommended, and four are general manners. The mandatory are: knowledge [of the food], to be content with it, mentioning the name of Allah [before it], and offering thanks to Him [afterwards]. The recommended acts are: ablution before eating, sitting on one's left side, eating with three fingers, and licking the fingers [after the meal]. And the general manners are: eating from the closest spot to you, taking small bites, chewing well, and rarely looking at people's faces [while eating].

    Wasael al-Shi`aah, v. 16, p. 539, no. 1; Mizan ul Hikmah, page No. 325 link

21. Im?m Hasan ibn 'Al? ibn Ab? T?lib (a.s.) when asked about cowardice, replied, '[It is] aggressiveness with one's friends, and flight from one's enemy.'

    Tuhaf al-`Uqoul, no. 225; Mizan ul Hikmah, page No. 231 link

22. Imam al-Hasan (AS) said to man who came to ask his advice about getting his daughter married, 'Marry her to a pious man, for if he loves her he will honour her, and if he comes to dislike her, at least he will not be unjust towards her.'

    Makarim al- Akhlaq, v. 1, p. 446, no. 1534; Mizan ul Hikmah, page No. 596 link

23. Habits are overpowering, for he who forms a habit to something in secret and during his free times is plagued by them in public and when occupied.

    Tanbih al-Khawatir, v. 2, p. 113; Mizan ul Hikmah, page No. 384 link

24. It is narrated in Bihar al-Anwar that when Imam al-Hasan (AS) used to perform his ablution the colour of his face would change and his joints would tremble. When he was asked about this once, he replied, 'It is only fitting for one who stands before the Lord of the Throne that his face should change colour and his joints should tremble

    Bihar al-Anwar, v. 80, p. 346, no. 30; Mizan ul Hikmah, page No. 718 link

25. The greatest characteristic of chiefdom is giving before one is asked.

    Bihar al-Anwar, v. 78, p. 113, no. 7; Mizan ul Hikmah, page No. 185 link

26. It(Ignorance) is hastening to snatch up an opportunity before having made oneself capable [of fulfilling it], and it is to refuse to answer.

    Ma`ani al-Akhbar, p. 401, no. 62; Mizan ul Hikmah, page No. 425 link

27. The giving of the alms-tax never diminishes wealth.

    Bihar al-Anwar, v. 96, p. 23, no. 56; Mizan ul Hikmah, page No. 98 link

28. Im?m Hasan ibn 'Al? ibn Ab? T?lib (a.s.) was once asked about courage, to which he replied, 'It is to know when to stand up to one's opponents, and when to be patient in the face of criticism.'

    Tuhaf al-`Uqoul, no. 226; Mizan ul Hikmah, page No. 223 link

29. Negligence is [manifest] in your abandonment of the mosque and in your obedience of the corrupt.

    Bihar al-Anwar, v. 78, p. 115, no. 10; Mizan ul Hikmah, page No. 633 link

30. The one who is subservient to Allah, Allah will make everything else subservient to him.

    Tanbih al-Khawatir, v. 2, p. 108; Mizan ul Hikmah, page No. 321 link

31. Im?m Hasan ibn 'Al? ibn Ab? T?lib (a.s.) when asked about clemency, said, '[It is] suppressing one's anger and controlling oneself.'

    Bihar al-Anwar, v. 78, p. 102, no. 7402; Mizan ul Hikmah, page No. 190 link

32. Absolute goodness that is untainted with evil is being thankful for bounties and having patience in calamity.

    Tuhaf al-`Uqoul, no. 234; Mizan ul Hikmah, page No. 354 link

33. Afflictions are the keys to reward

    Mizan ul Hikmah, page No. 85 link

34. Both the abodes [of the world and the Hereafter] are grasped by the intellect, and whoever is deprived of the intellect is deprived of them both.

    Kashf al-Ghamma, v. 3, p. 197; Mizan ul Hikmah, page No. 468 link

35. Im?m Hasan ibn 'Al? ibn Ab? T?lib (a.s.) when asked about the intellect, said, 'To suppress one' s annoyance until the opportunity arises.'

    Ma`ani al-Akhbar, p. 240, no. 1; Mizan ul Hikmah, page No. 470 link

36. Im?m Hasan ibn 'Al? ibn Ab? T?lib (a.s.) when his father asked him regarding the intellect, said, 'It is for the heart to safeguard what you have deposited therein.

    Ma`ani al-Akhbar, p. 401, no. 62; Mizan ul Hikmah, page No. 470 link

37. Allah has never opened the door of request for anyone only to hold back the door of response

    Bihar al-Anwar, v. 78, p. 113, no. 7; Mizan ul Hikmah, page No. 905 link

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