Ali quotes - page 4

Do not feel ashamed if the amount of charity is small because to refuse the needy is an act of greater shame. (Ali)
Only he who has the power to punish can pardon. View quote
Ali
Time wears out bodies, renews hopes, brings death nearer and takes away aspirations. Whoever gets anything from the world lives in anxiety for holding it and whoever loses anything passes his days grieving over the loss. View quote
Ali
Tongue is a beast, if it is let loose, it devours. View quote
Ali
To refrain from unlawful and impious source of pleasures is an ornament to the poor and to be thankful for the riches granted is the adornment of wealth. View quote
Ali
Anything which can be counted is finite and will come to an end. View quote
Ali
Many persons get nothing out of their fasts but hunger and thirst, many more get nothing out of their night prayers but exertions and sleepless nights. Wise and sagacious persons are praiseworthy even if they do not fast and sleep during the nights. View quote
Ali
A conceited and self-admiring person is disliked by others; charity and alms are the best remedy for ailments and calamities; one has to account in the next world for the deeds that he has done in this world. View quote
Ali
Allah seeks you to thank Him and assigns to you His affairs. He has allowed time in the limited field (of life) so that you may vie with each other in seeking the reward (of Paradise). Therefore, tight up your girdles and wrap up the skirts. High courage and dinners do not go together. Sleep causes weakness in the big affairs of the day and (its) darkness obliterates the memories of courage. View quote
Ali
Do not get angry and lose your temper quickly over the mistakes and failures of those over whom you rule. On the contrary, be patient and sympathetic with them. View quote
Ali
These are the orders issued by the creature of Allah, Ali, the son Abu Taalib to Maalik, the son of Ashtar when he appointed Maalik as the Governor of Egypt to collect zakat there, to combat the enemies of Islam and Egypt, to work for the welfare of its people and to look after its prosperity. (Ali)
Generosity is to help a deserving person without his request, and if you help him after his request, then it is either out of self-respect or to avoid rebuke. View quote
Ali
He who is deserted by friends and relatives will often find help and sympathy from strangers. View quote
Ali
Where are those who protect honour, and those self-respecting persons who defend respectable persons in the time of hardship? Shame is behind you while Paradise is in front of you. View quote
Ali
Our affairs are attached to the destiny decreed by Allah, even our best plans may lead us to destruction. View quote
Ali
There is enough light for one who wants to see. View quote
Ali
Wealth is the fountain head of passions. View quote
Ali
If matters get mixed up then scrutinize the cause and you will know what the effects will be. View quote
Ali
If you cannot get things as much as you desire than be contented with what you have. View quote
Ali
If you overpower your enemy, then pardon him by way of thankfulness to Allah, for being able to subdue him. View quote
Ali
When someone is sure of the returns, then he shows generosity. (Ali)
So now, surely this world has turned its back and announced its departure while the next world has appeared forward and proclaimed its approach. Today is the day of preparation while tomorrow is the day of race. The place to proceed to is Paradise while the place of doom is Hell. Is there no one to offer repentance over his faults before his death? Or is there no one to perform virtuous acts before the day of trial? View quote
Ali
An ignorant person will always overdo a thing or neglect it totally. View quote
Ali
Never say to yourself, "I am their Lord, their ruler and all in all over them and that I must be obeyed submissively and humbly" because such a thought will unbalance your mind, will make you vain and arrogant, will weaken your faith in religion and will make you seek support of any power other than that of Allah. View quote
Ali
Whenever a tradition of the Holy Prophet is related to you, scrutinize it, do not be satisfied with mere verbatim repetition of the same because there are many people who repeat the words containing knowledge but only few ponder over them and try to fully grasp the meaning they convey. View quote
Ali