Brotherhood
92 sayings · page 2 of 3
Imam Amir-ul-Mu'mineen Ali [a] said
A man whose brotherhood is for the sake of Allah is bound to gain, while a man who seeks brothers for the sake of this world is bound to lose
Ghurar al-Hikam, no. 7776-7777; Mizan ul Hikmah, page No. 151 link
Imam Amir-ul-Mu'mineen Ali [a] said
A man who draws close to you for a purpose will abandon you when it is fulfilled.
Ghurar al-Hikam, no. 8552; Mizan ul Hikmah, page No. 151 link
When one of you likes his companion or brother, he should let him know.
al-Mahasin, v. 1, p. 415, no. 953; Mizan ul Hikmah, page No. 151 link
A man passed through the mosque, where Abu Ja'far and Abu 'Abdullah [Imam al-Baqir and Imam al-Sadiq (AS)] were seated, when one of the people present said, 'By Allah, I like this man.' Abu Ja'far replied, 'Then let him know, for this will maintain the amity and enhance the affection.'
Bihar al-Anwar, v. 74, p. 181, no. 1; Mizan ul Hikmah, page No. 152 link
Imam Amir-ul-Mu'mineen Ali [a] said
Ask your hearts about their amities, for they are witnesses that take no bribes.
Ghurar al-Hikam, no. 5641; Mizan ul Hikmah, page No. 152 link
Know the amity that your brother has for you in his heart through what you harbour of the same in your own heart.
Kashf al-Ghamma, v. 2, p. 331; Mizan ul Hikmah, page No. 152 link
Do not seek sincere amity from a man you have insincere sentiment for, nor honest advice from someone you direct your distrust towards, for another's feelings [lit. heart] towards you are similar to your feelings towards him.
Bihar al-Anwar, v. 74, no. 181; Mizan ul Hikmah, page No. 152 link
Imam Amir-ul-Mu'mineen Ali [a] said
If you want to cut off relations with your brother make sure to leave a place for him in your heart, so he can return to it one day when he so wishes.
Nahj al-Balagha, Letter 31; Mizan ul Hikmah, page No. 153 link
Imam Amir-ul-Mu'mineen Ali [a] said
How awful it is to cut off relations after having maintained them, to turn away after brotherhood, and to have animosity after amity.
Bihar al-Anwar, v. 77, p. 210, no. 1; Mizan ul Hikmah, page No. 153 link
A man who places his amity in the wrong place is bound to suffer abandonment.
al-Mahasin, v. 1, p. 415, no. 950; Mizan ul Hikmah, page No. 153 link
Imam Amir-ul-Mu'mineen Ali [a] said
Do not let your brother be stronger in his avoidance of you than you are in your maintaing relations with him, and do not be stronger in your harm to him than in your kindness towards him.
Nahj al-Balagha, Letter 31; Mizan ul Hikmah, page No. 153 link
The best person is the one who maintains relations with one who cuts him off.
Bihar al-Anwar, v. 78, p. 121, no. 4; Mizan ul Hikmah, page No. 153 link
The most scarce things at the end of time will be a trustworthy brother and a legitimately earned dirham.
Tuhaf al-`Uqoul, no. 54; Mizan ul Hikmah, page No. 154 link
The most scarce things at the end of time will be a trustworthy brother and a legitimately earned dirham.'[Tuhaf al-`Uqoul, no. 54]Imam al-Sadiq (AS) said, 'Brothers are of three [kinds]: one, like food, is needed all the time and he is the wise [friend]. Another is similar to disease, and this is the fool. And the third is like medicine, and this is the tactful [friend].
Tuhaf al-`Uqoul, no. 323; Mizan ul Hikmah, page No. 154 link
Brothers are three [kinds]: one helps with his own self, and another helps with his money, and these are true in their brotherhood. A third is the one who takes from you what he needs and keeps you for some of his pleasure - do not consider him trustworthy.
Tuhaf al-`Uqoul, no. 324; Mizan ul Hikmah, page No. 154 link
Imam Amir-ul-Mu'mineen Ali [a] said
The one you need to safeguard yourself against is not your brother.
Ghurar al-Hikam, no. 7503; Mizan ul Hikmah, page No. 154 link
Imam Amir-ul-Mu'mineen Ali [a] said
Do not take for brother a man who hides your virtues and exposes your lapses.
Ghurar al-Hikam, no. 1042; Mizan ul Hikmah, page No. 155 link
The worst brother is the one who stays with you in your affluence and abandons you in your poverty.
Kitab al-Irshad, v. 2, p. 166; Mizan ul Hikmah, page No. 155 link
Do not take for brothers or companions: the fool, the miserly, the coward, and the liar.
al-Khisal, p. 244, no. 100; Mizan ul Hikmah, page No. 155 link
Be warned against having a brother who wants you for greed, avoidance of fear, or getting food and drink. Instead, seek the brotherhood of the pious even if they are in the darkness of the earth and even if you have to spend your life seeking them.
Bihar al-Anwar, v. 74, p. 282, no. 3; Mizan ul Hikmah, page No. 155 link
Imam Amir-ul-Mu'mineen Ali [a] said
Choose the new of everything, but the oldest one from among brothers.
Ghurar al-Hikam, no. 2461; Mizan ul Hikmah, page No. 156 link
Imam Amir-ul-Mu'mineen Ali [a] said
Your true brother is the one who forgives your lapse, fulfils your need, accepts your excuse, hides your vices, removes your fear, and lives up to your expectation.
Ghurar al-Hikam, no. 3645; Mizan ul Hikmah, page No. 156 link
Imam Amir-ul-Mu'mineen Ali [a] said
Your brother is the one who does not abandon you in difficulty, does not forget you at the time of trouble, and does not cheat you when you seek his advice.
Bihar al-Anwar, v. 77, p. 269, no. 1; Mizan ul Hikmah, page No. 156 link
Imam Amir-ul-Mu'mineen Ali [a] said
A man who shuns his brothers for every lapse has few friends.
Ghurar al-Hikam, no. 8166; Mizan ul Hikmah, page No. 156 link
A man who does not befriend [anyone] unless they are flawless will have few friends.
A`alam al-Din, no. 304; Mizan ul Hikmah, page No. 157 link
Imam Amir-ul-Mu'mineen Ali [a] said
Tolerate the lapse of your friend for the time of your enemy's attack.
Bihar al-Anwar, v. 74, p. 166, no. 29; Mizan ul Hikmah, page No. 157 link
Imam Amir-ul-Mu'mineen Ali [a] said
Tolerance is the splendor of companions.
Ghurar al-Hikam, no. 752; Mizan ul Hikmah, page No. 157 link
Imam Amir-ul-Mu'mineen Ali [a] said
A man who does not endure the lapses of a friend will die in loneliness.
Ghurar al-Hikam, no. 9079; Mizan ul Hikmah, page No. 157 link
The best of your brothers is the one who helps you to obey Allah, prevents you from disobeying Him, and orders you to please Him.
Tanbih al-Khawatir, v. 2, p. 123; Mizan ul Hikmah, page No. 157 link
Imam Amir-ul-Mu'mineen Ali [a] said
The best of brothers is the one with the least hesitance in offering [harsh] advice.
Ghurar al-Hikam, no. 4978; Mizan ul Hikmah, page No. 158 link
Imam Amir-ul-Mu'mineen Ali [a] said
The best of your brothers is the one who stands by you, and better than him is he who suffices himself with you, and even when he is in need of you, he spares you.
Ghurar al-Hikam, no. 4988; Mizan ul Hikmah, page No. 158 link
Imam Amir-ul-Mu'mineen Ali [a] said
The best brother is the one whose amity is for the sake of Allah.
Ghurar al-Hikam, no. 5017; Mizan ul Hikmah, page No. 158 link
Imam Amir-ul-Mu'mineen Ali [a] said
The best of your brothers is the one who rushes to do good and draws you alongside him, and orders you to do good and helps you with it.
Ghurar al-Hikam, no. 5021; Mizan ul Hikmah, page No. 158 link
It suffices for a man to depend on his brother to charge him with his need.
al-Kafi, v. 2, p. 198, no. 8; Mizan ul Hikmah, page No. 162 link
Imam Amir-ul-Mu'mineen Ali [a] said
The best of your brothers is the one who is roused to anger for your sake in [standing up for] what's right
Ghurar al-Hikam, no. 5009; Mizan ul Hikmah, page No. 158 link
Imam Amir-ul-Mu'mineen Ali [a] said
The best of brothers is the one who does not let his fellow brothers need anyone other than himself.
Ghurar al-Hikam, no. 4985; Mizan ul Hikmah, page No. 158 link
The most beloved of my brothers to me is he who confers my faults to me
Bihar al-Anwar, v. 74, p. 282, no. 4; Mizan ul Hikmah, page No. 159 link
The worst of brothers is he for whom one [is made] to go out of one's way.
Nahj al-Balagha, Saying 479; Mizan ul Hikmah, page No. 159 link
Imam Amir-ul-Mu'mineen Ali [a] said
The Commander of the Faithful (AS) was asked, 'Which is the worst companion?' He replied, 'The one who glamorizes acts of disobedience to Allah to you.'
Ma`ani al-Akhbar, p. 198, no. 4; Mizan ul Hikmah, page No. 159 link
Imam Amir-ul-Mu'mineen Ali [a] said
A man who takes a brother after careful selection is bound to have a lasting companionship and a firm amity, whereas a man who takes a brother without careful testing is bound to resort to the friendship of evil people.
Ghurar al-Hikam, nos. 8921 and 8923; Mizan ul Hikmah, page No. 160 link
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