Sayings of Imam Ali

Ø As the body becomes tired, the heart becomes tired too. You should therefore search for beautiful sayings for them. [To enjoy by way of refreshment].

Ø He who does not know his own worth is ruined.

Ø The worth of every man is in his attainment.

Ø The worth of a man is according to his courage, his truthfulness is according to his balance of temper, his valour is according to his self - respect, and his chasteness is according to his sense of shame.

Ø A self-respecting person never commits adultery.

Ø He who puts himself in condition of ill repute should not blame those who entertain bad ideas about him.

Ø If a person has good idea about you, make his idea be true.

Ø It is enough for your own discipline that you refrain from what you dislike from others.

Ø Loving one another is half of wisdom.

Ø The most unfortunate of all men is he who cannot find a few friends during his lifetime, but still more unfortunate is he who finds one but loses him [because of his behaviour].

Ø Treat people in such a way and live amongst them in such a manner that if you die they weep over you and if you live they crave for your company.

Ø Through change of circumstances, mettle of man is known.

Ø To keep silent when you can say something wise and useful is as bad as propagating foolish and unwise thought.

Ø If you want to remove evil from the minds of others, then first give up evil intentions yourself.

Ø If you are wished and saluted then return the wish in the most appropriate manner, if you are favoured then repay the obligation manifold: but he will always excel in merit who takes the initiative.

Ø Blindness of eyes is better than the blindness of mind.

Ø Keep in company of people of virtue; you will become one of them. Keep aloof from people of vice; you will remain safe from them.

Ø Do not close a door that you are unable to open.

Ø A man can be valued through his sayings.

Ø One who seeks advice learns to recognise mistakes.

Ø As long as your position is good, your defects will be hidden from the eyes of the world.

Ø A man’s worth depends on the nobility of his aspirations.

Ø The most complete gift of God is life based on knowledge.

Ø The best of men is he who benefits others.

Ø Speech is like medicine; a small dose of which cures and excess kills the patient.

Ø People are asleep when alive; they are awake only when they are dead.

Ø The chief aim of wisdom is to admit one’s ignorance.

Ø The wise aim at perfection.

Ø There is no disease more hopeless than want of wisdom.

Ø To be good to the good is goodness in its highest sense.

Ø The choicest work of man is to associate with the virtuous.

Ø Live with your body in this world and with your faith work for the next

Ø The strongest of men is he who subdues his passion.

Ø How incongruous to have a sickly spirit and a handsome body.

Ø To fight against one’s own desires is highest wisdom.

Ø Fear none but your own sin.

Ø The dead supply lessons for the living.

Ø He is a true adviser who points out your mistakes.

Ø One’s behavior is the index of one’s mind.

Ø Let good deeds be your companions and desires your enemies.

Ø Care for your parents and your children will care for you.

Ø He who bears tales to you certainly bears tales about you.

Ø In overwhelming difficulties a man’s greatness is disclosed.

Ø Prosperity consists not in the increase of money and children, but in growth of virtue and development of patience.

Ø Minds are locked-up stores, only questions open them.

Ø The real gainer is he who checks the items of his own life.

Ø Knowledge is better than wealth. Knowledge guards you while you have to guard wealth. Wealth decreases by spending while knowledge increases by spending, and the results of wealth die as wealth decay. With it a man acquires obedience during his lifetime and a good name after his death. Knowledge is a ruler while wealth is ruled upon.

Ø Acquire knowledge, because he who acquires it, in the way of the Lord, performs an act of piety; who speaks of it praises the Lord; who seeks it, adores God, who dispenses instruction in it, bestows alms; and who imparts it to its fitting objects, performs an act of devotion to God. Knowledge enables its possessor to distinguish what is forbidden from what is not; lights the way to Heaven; it is our friend in the desert, our companion in solitude, our companion, when bereft of friends; it guides us to happiness; it sustains us in misery; it is our ornament in the company of friends; it serves as an armour against our enemies. With knowledge, the creatures of Allah rise to the heights of goodness and to noble position, associates with the sovereigns in this world and attains the perfection of happiness in the next.

Ø There is no greater wealth than wisdom, no greater poverty than ignorance, no greater heritage than culture, and no greater friend and helpmate than consultation.

Ø Whoever wants to be a leader and a guide should educate himself before educating others; before teaching morality to others, he should improve his own morals and character. Whoever educates himself and improves his own morals and character is superior to the person who tries to teach and train others.

Ø A man without mind is not a man and a mind without religion is worst than the instinct of a beast, more harmful, more dangerous and more carnivorous. Devotion without understanding will not bring blessings of God; it is useless.

Ø I wonder at the proud man who was just a drop of semen the other day and will turn into a corpse tomorrow. I wonder at the man who doubts existence of God although he sees His creations. I wonder at him who has forgotten death although he sees people dying. I wonder at him who denies the second life although he has seen the first life. I wonder at him who inhabits this transient abode but ignores the ever-lasting abode.

Ø When a community is composed of really honest, sober and virtuous people then your forming bad opinion about any one of its member when nothing wicked has been seen of him is a great injustice to him; on the contrary in a corrupt society, to form good opinion of anyone out of those people and trust him is doing harm to yourself.

Ø One who assents or subscribes to the actions of group or party is as good as if he has committed the deed himself. A man who joins sinful deeds makes himself responsible for twofold punishment; one for doing the deed and the other for assenting or subscribing to it.

Ø In man there is a piece of flesh attached to him. It is the heart. It has wisdom and things contrary to wisdom. If he sees a ray of hope, eagerness humiliates it and when eagerness increases, greed ruins it. If disappointment overtakes it, grief kills it. If anger rises in it, a serious rage develops. If it is blessed with pleasure, it forgets to be cautious. If it becomes fearing, it becomes heedless. If peace extends all round, it becomes neglectful. If it earns wealth, freedom from ease puts it in the wrong. If trouble befalls it, impatience makes it humble. If it faces starvation, distress overtakes it. If its eating increases, heaviness of stomach pains it. Thus, every shortness is harmful to it and every excess is injurious to it.

Ø I define Islam for you in a way that nobody dare do it before me. Islam means obedience to God; obedience to God means having sincere faith in Him; such a faith means to believe in His power; a belief in His power means recognizing and accepting His Majesty; accepting His Majesty means fulfilling the obligations laid down by Him; and fulfilment of obligations means actions. [Therefore, Islam does not mean mere faith, but faith plus deeds].

SAYINGS OF IMAM ALI, THE SON-IN-LAW AND ALSO THE FIRST OF THE TWELVE RIGHTFUL SUCCESSORS OF THE HOLY PROPHET MUHAMMAD. [PEACE AND BLESSINGS BE UPON HIM AND HIS FAMILY].