Common Courtesy
25 sayings
Imam Amir-ul-Mu'mineen Ali [a] said
Performing common acts of courtesy, bringing solace to a grief-stricken person, and being hospitable to guests is the instrument of leadership.
Ghurar al-Hikam, no. 6585; Mizan ul Hikmah, page No. 200 link
Imam Amir-ul-Mu'mineen Ali [a] said
Acts of courtesy are treasures for eternity.
Ghurar al-Hikam, no. 980; Mizan ul Hikmah, page No. 200 link
Know that acts of courtesy earn praiseworthy results, and end in rewardable gains. If you were to see acts of courtesy personified as a man, you would perceive him to be good and handsome, pleasing for people to behold and transcending all the worlds. And if you were to see acts of vileness personified, you would perceive an ugly, revolting, disfigured man, whom the hearts would be averse to and whom the eyes would turn away from in disgust
Mustadrak al-Wasa`il, v. 12, p. 343, no. 14242; Mizan ul Hikmah, page No. 200 link
Never hold any act of common courtesy in contempt, even simply meeting a fellow brother with a face displaying pleasure at seeing him.
Kanz al-Fawa' id li al-Karajiki, v. 1, p. 212; Mizan ul Hikmah, page No. 203 link
Imam Amir-ul-Mu'mineen Ali [a] said
Never deem any act of common courtesy that you are able to carry out as insignificant in comparing it to a greater act, for verily the simple act performed when the need for it arises is more beneficial to its receptor than the great act for which there is no need. Perform for each day good acts that befit it and you will grow on the right course.
al-Ja`afariyyat, p. 233; Mizan ul Hikmah, page No. 203 link
Imam Amir-ul-Mu'mineen Ali [a] said
The best act of common courtesy is that which good people are able to benefit from.
Ghurar al-Hikam, no. 4983; Mizan ul Hikmah, page No. 204 link
The mark of acceptance of a servant with Allah is that his good acts reach the objects of their intention. If not, then that is not the case.
Bihar al-Anwar, v. 74, p. 419, no. 47; Mizan ul Hikmah, page No. 204 link
He who leads a blind man forty steps on level ground, even if he was to be rewarded the whole world's worth of gold, it would not be enough to recompense a needle's worth of what that act deserves. And if there is a danger on the path which he averts him from, he will find that act on the Day of Resurrection within his balance of good deeds, larger than one hundred thousand times the expanse of the earth.
Bihar al-Anwar, v. 75, p. 15, no. 8; Mizan ul Hikmah, page No. 204 link
The first people to enter Paradise will be those who performed acts of common courtesy to others.
al-Da`awat, p. 108, no. 240; Mizan ul Hikmah, page No. 201 link
The people who perform acts of courtesy in this world will be the same ones to perform them in the Hereafter, for verily in the Hereafter their scales will be so laden with their good deeds that they will be able to bestow them generously on the sinners [in order to assist them].
Amali al-Tusi, p. 304, no. 610; Mizan ul Hikmah, page No. 201 link
People who perform acts of courtesy towards others benefit more from them than the receptors of their kindness, for verily they have the reward for them, the [rewarding feeling of] pride for having helped someone as well as a mention. So however much good a man may do for others, it ultimately always starts by benefiting himself, such that he never seeks thanks for the benefit incurred by himself through helping others.'
Kashf al-Ghamma, v. 3, p. 137]; Mizan ul Hikmah, page No. 201 link
The peak of good reason after religious devotion is treating people with love, and doing good to both good and bad people.
Bihar al-Anwar, v. 74, p. 401, no. 44; Mizan ul Hikmah, page No. 201 link
Perform acts of courtesy to those who are worthy of them as well as those who are not worthy of them, and even if they have no effect on those who deserve them, you are at least worthy of [performing] them.
Uyoun Akhbar al-Reza (AS), v. 2, p. 35, no. 76; Mizan ul Hikmah, page No. 201 link
He who offers charity to a poor man gets the reward befitting the action, but if forty thousand people pass the same offering from hand to hand until it reaches the poor man, they all receive a complete reward for it.
Sawab al-A`amal, p. 342, no. 1; Mizan ul Hikmah, page No. 202 link
If an act of charity [or courtesy] goes through eighty changes of hands, all of them receive the reward for it, without any decrease in the reward of the initiating good-doer.
al-Kafi, v. 4, p. 18, no. 2; Mizan ul Hikmah, page No. 202 link
Imam Amir-ul-Mu'mineen Ali [a] said
Give life to your act of courtesy by killing it [i.e. by killing your expectation of receiving anything in return].
Ghurar al-Hikam, no. 2282; Mizan ul Hikmah, page No. 202 link
Imam Amir-ul-Mu'mineen Ali [a] said
If an act of courtesy is done unto you, then be sure to remember it, and if you do an act of courtesy unto someone else, then be sure to forget it.
Ghurar al-Hikam, nos. 4000-4001; Mizan ul Hikmah, page No. 202 link
Imam Amir-ul-Mu'mineen Ali [a] said
The yardstick [used to measure the goodness] of an act of courtesy is the absence of expectation accompanying it.
Ghurar al-Hikam, no. 9724; Mizan ul Hikmah, page No. 202 link
Bringing a good act to completion is better than [merely] initiating it.
Amali al-Tusi, p. 596, no. 1235; Mizan ul Hikmah, page No. 203 link
Imam Amir-ul-Mu'mineen Ali [a] said
One who does not sustain his good action loses it.
Ghurar al-Hikam, no. 9115; Mizan ul Hikmah, page No. 203 link
A good turn done to a fellow believer is not considered complete until accompanied by three things: underestimation of the act, concealing it, and hastening its completion. He who underestimates his good turn to a fellow believer has esteemed his brother highly indeed, whereas he who esteems his good turn to be great has deemed his brother to be insignificant. He who conceals the good turn that he has done has honored his action, and he who hastens to fulfill his promise takes pleasure in the gift too.
Tuhaf al-`Uqoul, no. 403; Mizan ul Hikmah, page No. 203 link
A servant [of Allah] entered Paradise because of a thorn branch that he removed from the path of fellow Muslims.
al-Khisal, v. 32, p. 111; Mizan ul Hikmah, page No. 204 link
He who builds a structure on the road affording shelter to a traveller, All?ah will raise him on the Day of Resurrection mounted on a fine-bred camel made of pearls, and his face will radiate light for all the dwellers of Paradise.
Sawab al-A`amal, p. 343, no. 1; Mizan ul Hikmah, page No. 205 link
He who averts an impediment of water or fire from a group of Muslims becomes deserving of obligatory entrance into Paradise.
al-Kafi, v. 5, p. 55, no. 3; Mizan ul Hikmah, page No. 205 link
I have witnessed the act of common courtesy to be exactly as its name suggests, and nothing excels the act of common courtesy than its own reward.
Makarim al- Akhlaq, v. 1, p. 294, no. 915; Mizan ul Hikmah, page No. 205 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 subjects