Islam Guidance

saying - 280 to 300

281. It is related that two persons were brought to Imam Ali ibn Aba Talib, peace be upon him once. They had stolen a public property. One of them was a slave purchased with public money and the other had been purchased by someone from among the people. Imam Ali ibn Aba Talib (p.b.u.h.) said, “As for this one who has stolen the public property, there is no punishment for him, for it means one who is the property of Allah has taken another property of Allah. As for the other, he should be punished.” Consequently, the thief’s hand was cut off.

282. Imam Ali ibn Aba Talib, peace be upon him said: If my steps acquire firmness out of these slippery places, I will alter several things.

283. Imam Ali ibn Aba Talib, peace be upon him said: Know with full conviction that Allah has not fixed for any person more livelihood than what has been ordained in the Book of Destiny, even though his means (of seeking it) may be great, his craving for it intense and his efforts for it acute. Nor does the weakness of a person or the paucity of his means stand in the way between what is ordained in the Book of Destiny and himself.
Whoever realizes it and acts upon it is the best of them all in comfort and benefit, while whoever disregards it and doubts it exceeds all men in disadvantages. Very often, a favored person is being slowly driven (towards punishment) through those favors, and very often an afflicted person is being done good through his own affliction. Therefore, O listener, increase your gratefulness, lessen your haste and stay within the bounds of your livelihood.

284. Imam Ali ibn Aba Talib, peace be upon him said: Do not turn your knowledge into ignorance or your conviction into doubt. When you gain knowledge act (upon it), and when you acquire conviction, proceed (on its basis).

285. Imam Ali ibn Aba Talib, peace be upon him said: Greed takes a person to the watering place but brings him back without letting him drink. It undertakes responsibility but does not fulfill it. Often, the drinker gets choked before he quenches his thirst. The greater the worth of a thing yearned for, the greater is the grief for its loss. Desires blind the eyes of understanding. The destined share will reach him who does not approach it.

286. Imam Ali ibn Aba Talib, peace be upon him said: O Allah! I seek Your protection from this: that I may appear to be good in the eyes of the people while my inward self may be sinful before You, and that I may guard myself (from sinning) only for show before the people although You are aware of everything about me. Thus, I appear before the people in good shape although my evil acts are placed before You. This means achieving nearness to Your creatures but remoteness from Your pleasure.

287. Imam Ali ibn Aba Talib, peace be upon him said: I swear by the One Who let us pass the dark night after which there was a bright day that such and such did not happen.

288. Imam Ali ibn Aba Talib, peace be upon him said: A small action which is continued with regularity is more beneficial than a long one performed with grudge.

289. Imam Ali ibn Aba Talib, peace be upon him said: When optional issues stand in the way of obligatory ones, abandon them.

290. Imam Ali ibn Aba Talib, peace be upon him said: Whoever keeps in view the distance of the journey remains prepared.

291. Imam Ali ibn Aba Talib, peace be upon him said: Perception by the eyes is not real observation because the eyes sometimes deceive people; but wisdom does not deceive whomsoever it counsels.

292. Imam Ali ibn Aba Talib, peace be upon him said: Between you and preaching there is a curtain of deception.

293. Imam Ali ibn Aba Talib, peace be upon him said: The ignorant among you get too much while the learned are just put off.

294. Imam Ali ibn Aba Talib, peace be upon him said: Knowledge dispels the excuse of those who advance excuses.

295. Imam Ali ibn Aba Talib, peace be upon him said: Anyone whom death overtakes early seeks time while the death of anyone who is deferred puts forth excuses for the postponement (of doing good deeds).

296. Imam Ali ibn Aba Talib, peace be upon him said: For every thing to which people say “how good!” there is an evil hidden in this world.

297. Imam Ali ibn Aba Talib, peace be upon him was asked about destitution. He said the following: It is a dark path; do not tread upon it. It is a deep ocean; do not dive in it. And it is the secret of Allah; do not take trouble about (knowing) it.

298. Imam Ali ibn Aba Talib, peace be upon him said: When Allah intends to humiliate a person, He denies him knowledge.

299. Imam Ali ibn Aba Talib, peace be upon him said: In the past, I had a brother-in-faith, and he was prestigious in my view because the world was humble in his eyes, the needs of the stomach did not have a sway over him. He did not long for what he did not get. If he got a thing, he would not ask for more. He remained most of the time silent. When he spoke, he silenced the other speakers. He quenched the thirst of inquirers. He was weak and feeble, but at the time of fighting, he was like the lion of the forest or the serpent of the valley: he would not put forth an argument unless it was decisive.
He will not abuse anyone in an excusable matter unless he had heard the excuse. He would not speak of any trouble except after its disappearance. He said what he would do and would not say what he will not. Even if he could be exceeded in speech, he could not be excelled in silence. He was more eager for keeping quiet than speaking, and if two things confronted him, he would see which was more akin to the longing of the heart and he would oppose it.
These qualities are incumbent upon you. So, you should acquire them and compete with each other in upholding them. Even if you cannot acquire them, you should know that acquiring a part is better than giving up the whole.

300. Imam Ali ibn Aba Talib, peace be upon him said: Even if Allah had not warned of chastisement on those who are disobedient to Him, it will be obligatory by way of gratitude for His favors that He should not be disobeyed.

• Prev
• Next