SAYINGS OF AMEER-UL-MOMINEEN ALI (A.S.)

1. Ameer-ul-Momineen, peace be upon him, said:
He who adopts greed as a habit devalues himself; he who discloses his hardship agrees to humiliation; and he who allows his tongue to overpower his soul debases the soul.

2. Ameer-ul-Momineen, peace be upon him, said:
Miserliness is shame; cowardice is defect; poverty disables an intelligent man from arguing his case; and a destitute person is a stranger in his home town.

3. Ameer-ul-Momineen,, peace be upon him, said:
Incapability is a catastrophe, endurance is bravery; abstinence is riches; self-restraint is a shield (against sin); and the best companion is submission (to Allah's will).

4. Ameer-ul-Momineen, peace be upon him, said:
Knowledge is a venerable estate; good manners are new dresses; and thinking is clear mirror.

5. Ameer-ul-Momineen, peace be upon him, said:
The bosom of the wise is the safe of his secrets; cheerfulness is the bond of friendship; effective forbearance is the grave of short-comings.

6 Ameer-ul-Momineen, peace be upon him, said:
Meet people in such a manner that if you die they should weep for you and if you live they should long for you.

7. Ameer-ul-Momineen, peace be upon him, said:
When you are running away from the world and death is approaching, there is no question of delay in the encounter.

8. Ameer-ul-Momineen, peace be upon him, said:
Fear! Fear! By Allah, He has hidden your sins so much so as though He has forgiven.

9. Ameer-ul-Momineen, peace be upon him, said:
Time wears our bodies, renews desires, brings death nearer and takes away aspirations. Whoever is successful with it encounters grief and whoever misses its favours also undergoes hardships.

10. Ameer-ul-Momineen, peace be upon him, said:
Whoever places himself as a leader of the people should commence with educating his own self before educating others; and his teaching should be by his own conduct before teaching by the tongue. The person who teaches and instructs his own self is more entitled to esteem then he who teaches and instructs others.

11. Ameer-ul-Momineen, peace be upon him, was asked what is good and he replied:
Good is not that your wealth and progeny should be much, but good is that your knowledge should be much, your forbearance should be great, and that you should vie with other people in worship of Allah. If you do good deeds you thank Allah, but if you commit evil you seek forgiveness of Allah. In this world good is for two persons only; the man who commits sins but rectifies them by repentance; and the man who hastens towards good actions.

12. Ameer-ul-Momineen, peace be upon him, said:
The example of the world is like serpent. It is soft to the touch but its inside is full of venom. An ignorant person who has fallen into deceit is attracted towards it but a wise and intelligent man keeps on his guard against it.

13. Ameer-ul-Momineen, peace be upon him, said:
What a difference there is between two kinds of actions : an act whose pleasure passes away but its (ill) consequence remains, and act whose hardship passes away but its reward stays.

14. Ameer-ul-Momineen, peace be upon him, said:
There is many a person who fasts whose fast is nothing but just hunger and thirst, and many an offerer of prayers whose prayer is no better than wakefulness and hardship. The sleep as well as the eating and drinking of the intelligent (God-knowing) person is far better.

15. Ameer-ul-Momineen, peace be upon him, said:
Every human being has to meet the end, sweet or sour.

16. Ameer-ul-Momineen, peace be upon him, said:
No person is to be blamed for delay in (securing) his own right but blame lies on him who takes what he is not entitled to.

17. Ameer-ul-Momineen, peace be upon him, said:
For the man who has eyes the dawn has already appeared.

18. Ameer-ul-Momineen, peace be upon him, said:
Stubborness destroys (good) advice.

19. Ameer-ul-Momineen, peace be upon him, said:
The result of neglect is shame, while the result of far-sightedness is safety.

20. Ameer-ul-Momineen, peace be upon him, said:
Surely in every blessing there is a right of Allah. If one discharges that right Allah increases the blessing, and if one falls short of doing so one stands in danger of losing the blessing.