While returning from Siffin, Imam Ali
passed along the cemetery of Kufa.
Addressing the graves he said: “O you,
who are lying in horrible and deserted
houses. O you, who are shut up in the
dark graves, who are alone in their
abodes, strangers to the places assigned to
them; you have gone ahead and preceded
us, while we are also following your steps
and shall shortly join you. Do you know
what has happened aver you? Your houses
and property was taken up by others, your
widows have remarried, this is what we
can tell you of this world. Can you give us
some news about things around you?”
Saying this, Imam Ali turned to his
companions and said, “If they are
permitted to speak they will inform you
that the best provision for the next world
is piety and virtue”. I wonder at the
mentality of a miser, fearing poverty he
takes to stinginess and thus hastily pushes
himself head-long into a state of want and
destitution, he madly desires plenty and
ease, but throws it away without
understanding. In this world he, of his
own free will, leads the life of a beggar
and in the next world he will have to
submit an account like the rich.
Whoever is not diligent in his work, will
suffer; whoever has no share of Allah in
his wealth and in his life, then there is no
place for him in His Realm.
Be very cautious of cold in the
beginning of winter and welcome it at the
close of the season, because cold season
effects your bodies exactly as it effects the
trees; in the early season its severity
makes them shrivel and shed their leaves
and at the end it helps them to revive.
If you understand Allah’s Majesty, then
you will not attach any importance to the
creatures.
"To recognize the actuality of your friend,
you should enrage him. If he keeps up his
friendship, he is true friend lest, he is
false."
"Do not appreciate one's affection before
you enrage him three times."
A friend cannot be considered a friend
unless he is tested on three occasions: in
time of need, behind your back and after
your death.
"Allah says: For him who saves a
confused individual, I will consider him
as thankful and will lodge him in My
Paradise."
"Do not trust your friend perfectly,
because the knockdown of the trustful is
incurable."
"To remove a mountain is easier than
removing faith."
"Life is to rent a house and buy bread."
"Rage eliminates the intelligence of the
wise. He who cannot control his rage will
not be able to control his mind."
" Do not discuss matters that do not
concern you. Leave discussing most of
the matters that concern you until you
find the appropriate time. It often happens
that the rightful discusser of a matter that
concerns him will be exhausted because
he uses improper time. Do not dispute
anyone; whether foolish or clement. The
clement overcomes you and the ignorant
embarrasses you. Mention your absent
friends in the same way as you like him to
mention you when you are absent. This is
the true action. When you act, you should
be certain that you will be rewarded for
good deeds and punished for evildoing's."
"A believer is not perfectly virtuous
unless he enjoys three characters-knowledgeability of the religious affairs,
moderation in living, and steadfastness
against misfortunes."
"Beware of joking, because it causes
rancor and drives into malice. Joking is
the lesser revilement."
"An actual believer is that whose sexual
appetite does not overcome him and
whose stomach does not shame him."
"A twenty-year friendship is kinship."
"You will not be regarded as (true)
believers before you see the misfortunes
as graces and the luxury as disaster."
"He who desires for enjoying a long age
should do things precisely. He who
desires for having his burdens--sins-lightened should put the screen of
prudency. He who desires for being
praised and estimated should hide his
beliefs."
"The best deeds of the servants are three:
they are to treat the believers fairly, to
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console the friends, and to mention Allah
in every situation. Some asked: "What is
the meaning of mentioning Allah in
every situation?" The Imam (A.S.)
answered: This means to mention Allah
when you want to commit a sin so that He
will prevent you from committing it."
"Envy is of two sorts: the seditious envy
and the inadvertent envy. As an example
of the latter sort is the angels' saying to
Allah, when He decided to choose a
deputy on earth, "Are you going to
appoint one who will commit corruption
and bloodshed therein, even though we
(are the only ones who) commemorate
your Name and glorify You?" (Holy
Qur'an 2:30). This means that they
suggested that the deputy should be one
of them. This suggestion was not out of
seditious, rejecting, and denial envy to
Adam. As an example of the previous sort
of envy, which causes atheism and
polytheism, is the Shaitan's envying
Adam (a.s) and refuting Allah's order
when he rejected to prostrate (himself
before Adam)."
"The flavor of water is life and the flavor
of bread is power. The source of the
physical weakness and power is the fats
of the kidneys. The place of the mind is
the brain while severity and tenderness
are in the heart."
No wealth is more useful than intelligence
and wisdom; no solitude is more horrible
than when people avoid you on account of
your vanity and conceit or when you
wrongly consider yourself above
everybody to confide and consult; no
eminence is more exalting than piety; no
companion can prove more useful than
politeness; no heritage is better than
culture; no leader is superior to Divine
Guidance; no deal is more profitable than
good deeds; no profit is greater than
Divine Reward; no abstinence is better
than to restrain one’s mind from doubts
(about religion); no virtue is better than
refraining from prohibited deeds; no
knowledge is superior to deep thinking
and prudence; no worship or prayers are
more sacred than fulfillment of
obligations and duties, no religiou ́