1. In a time where justice is more than oppression,
it is unlawful to suspect anyone before being certain of that which is
suspected of, and in a time where oppression is more than justice, one should
not trust in anyone except after being certain of him.
2.An understanding oppressor is about to take
attentions away from his oppression through his understanding, and a foolish
just man is about to put out the light of his justice through his foolishness.
3.The anger
at one, over whom you have authority, is meanness.
4.Whoever
shows you his sincere love you are to show him your obedience.
5.Disputing destroys old friendship, and
unties firm knots. The least of it is that it leads to hatred which is the
first cause of the rupture of relations.
6. Imam al-Hadi (a.s.) said to al-Mutawakkil
(the Abbasid caliph), “Do not expect good will from one whom you have offended,
or loyalty from one whom you have betrayed, or sincerity from one whom you have
suspected, because the hearts of others towards you are like your heart towards
them.
7.Wealth is the littleness of wishing and the
satisfaction with what suffices you, poverty is greediness and despair, and
lowness is following the little and looking forward to insignificants.
8. The rider of a reluctant horse is a captive of
himself. He, who walks in crooked ways, is led by his fancy that throws him
into the abyss of misfortunes.
9.The
evilest of misfortune is bad morals.
10.Worse
than evil is its doer and more horrible than horror is an adventurer into it.
11.There is
no cure for corrupted natures.
12.Ignorance
and niggardliness are the worst of morals.
13.Stinginess
is the worst of morals, and greediness is a bad nature.
14.The denying of blessings is a sign of
ungratefulness and a cause for changing (of blessings).
15.Mockery
is the joking of the foolish and the craft of the ignorant.
16.Un-dutifulness
(to parents) lessens offspring and leads to meanness.
17. Imam
al-Hadi (a.s.) was asked about resolution and he said, ‘It is to see your
opportunity
and
hurry to achieve it as possible as you can.
18.People
(run their affairs) in this life with money and in the afterlife with deeds.
19.Allah made the worldly life a place of trying
and the afterlife a place of reward. He made the misfortunes of the worldly life
as a means for the reward of the afterlife, and the reward of the afterlife as
a compensation for the misfortunes of the worldly life.
20.The
world is a market in which some people gain and others lose.
21.Good
appearance is apparent beauty and good mind is hidden beauty.
22.Think of your death between your family where
no physician shall defend you and no friend shall benefit you!
23.Sleeplessness
makes sleep more pleasant, and hunger makes food more delicious.
24.Fates
show you what you do not imagine.
25.He, who
asks for more than his merit, is worthier of deprivation.
26.Self-conceit
turns one away from seeking knowledge and leads him to ignorance.
27.Patience
is to possess yourself and control your anger when you are able to show it.
28.Misfortune
for the patient is one, and for the impatient is two.
Better than good is its doer, better than favor is
its sayer, and more preferable than
knowledge is its follower.’
30. He
said to one of his servants, ‘Blame so-and-so (friendly) and say to him: if
Allah wants good for someone, He made him be pleased when he is blamed.’
31.The
rightness of one, who ignores dignity, is his lowness.
32.Whoever
is pleased with himself, many are those who are displeased at him.
33.An
ignorant one is a captive of his tongue.
34.Blaming
is the key to haughtiness, though it is better than spite.
35. One
of Imam al-Hadi’s companions exaggerated in praising the Imam who said to him,
‘Much flattery attacks discernment. If you are trusted by your brother, turn
from flattery to good will.
36. Envy eradicates good deeds, and pride brings
detestation.
37. Associating with the wicked shows the
wickedness of one who associates with them.
38.Importunity
takes peacefulness away and leads to regret.
39.Think of
the regrets of wasting to be more determined!
40.A
niggard and a wise man do not rest.
41.He, who
cannot prevent, cannot give.
42.Beware
of envy for it harms you and not your enemy.
43.Retain blessings by being good neighbor to
them (by spending them in the right way and helping people through charities),
expect more by being grateful to Allah for them, and know that soul is very
willing to what it is given and very unwilling to what it is prevented from, so
carry it on a sumpter that does not slow.
44.It is from inadvertence to Allah that one
keeps on disobedience and wishes forgiveness from Allah.
45.If people walked in a vast valley, I would
walk in a valley of a man who worshipped Allah alone sincerely.
46.A grateful one is happier with gratitude than
with the blessing that requires gratitude, because blessings are enjoyment and
gratitude is a blessing.
47.Do not
feel safe from the evil of one who despises himself.
References
1.These
sayings are quoted from ad-Durr an-Nadhim, al-Ittihaf Bihubil Ashraf, Bihar
al-Anwar, al-Amali of Sheikh at-Tusi, Aa’yan ash-Shi’a, Nuzhat an-Nadhir, Tuhaf
al-Uqul, al-Amali of Sheikh al-Mufid, Ma’ani al-Akhbar of Sheikh as-Saduq,
Ma’athir al-Kubara’.