The following are the maxims and words of wisdom of the commander of faithful, Imam Ali (peace be upon him).

To His Companions

To His Companions1

Adornment

لِيَتَزَيَّنْ أَحَدُكُمْ لِأَخِيهِ الْمُسْلِمِ إِذَا أَتَاهُ كَمَا يَتَزَيَّنُ لِلْغَرِيبِ الَّذِي يُحِبُّ أَنْ يَرَاهُ فِي أَحْسَنِ هَيْئَةٍ.

You should be in your best adornment when you meet your friends like that when you meet the strangers that you want to be in the best style before them.

Pay Attention

لَا يَلْتَفِتَنَّ أَحَدُكُمْ فِي صَلَاتِهِ فَإِنَّ الْعَبْدَ إِذَا الْتَفَتَ فِيهَا قَالَ اللَّهُ لَهُ إِلَيَّ عَبْدِي خَيْرٌ لَكَ مِمَّنْ تَلْتَفِتَ إِلَيْهِ.

Do not turn the faces in the prayers. God will say to the servant that turns his face in the prayer, “Be with Me, My servant, I am certainly better for you than that which you are turning to.”

Relatives

Regard your relatives even by greeting. God says,

صِلُوا أَرْحَامَكُمْ وَ لَوْ بِالسَّلَامِ لِقَوْلِ اللَّهِ وَ اتَّقُوا اللَّهَ الَّذِي تَسائَلُونَ بِهِ وَ الْأَرْحامَ

“be aware of God, in whose Name you adjure one another, and the relatives.”(4:1)

Wasting Time

وَ لَا تَقْطَعُوا نَهَارَكُمْ بِكَيْتَ وَ كَيْتَ وَ فَعَلْنَا كَذَا وَ كَذَا فَإِنَّ مَعَكُمْ حَفَظَةً يَحْفَظُونَ عَلَيْكُمْ.

Do not spend your days with mentioning your deeds and with gossips. There are surely keeping angels with you (the angels are with you, recording).

Return the Deposit

أَدُّوا الْأَمَانَاتِ وَ لَوْ إِلَى قَتَلَةِ الْأَنْبِيَاءِ.

Deliver anything you have been entrusted with (to its owners) even the killers of the prophets.

Remembrance of God

أَكْثِرُوا ذِكْرَ اللَّهِ إِذَا دَخَلْتُمُ الْأَسْوَاقَ وَ عِنْدَ اشْتِغَالِ النَّاسِ بِالتِّجَارَاتِ فَإِنَّهُ كَفَّارَةٌ لِلذُّنُوبِ وَ زِيَادَةٌ فِي الْحَسَنَاتِ وَ لَا تَكُونُوا مِنَ الْغَافِلِينَ.

Remember God very much when you are in marts and when people are engaged in their trades. The reference to God repeals the sins and increases the advantages. Do not be of the heedless.

The Best Helper

مَنْ أَحَبَّنَا فَلْيَعْمَلْ بِعَمَلِنَا وَ يَسْتَعِنْ بِالْوَرَعِ فَإِنَّهُ أَفْضَلُ مَا يُسْتَعَانُ بِهِ فِي الدُّنْيَا وَ الْآخِرَةِ.
He who cherishes us (the household of the Prophet) should imitate our acts and seek the help of piety. It is surely the best helper in this world and the Hereafter.

Honesty

الْزَمُوا الصِّدْقَ فَإِنَّهُ مَنْجَاةٌ.

Stick to honesty, because it is savior.

His Satisfaction

ارْغَبُوا فِيمَا عِنْدَ اللَّهِ وَ اطْلُبُوا مَرْضَاتَهُ وَ طَاعَتَهُ وَ اصْبِرُوا عَلَيْهِمَا.

Seek importunately from God and work for obtaining His satisfaction and for carrying out the acts of obedience to Him painstakingly.

The Valueless Pleasures

لَا تَفْضَحُوا أَنْفُسَكُمْ عِنْدَ عَدُوِّكُمْ يَوْمَ الْقِيَامَةِ وَ لَا تَكْذِبُوا أَنْفُسَكُمْ فِي مَنْزِلَتِكُمْ عِنْدَ اللَّهِ بِالْحَقِيرِ مِنَ الدُّنْيَا

Do not expose yourselves before your enemies on the Day of Resurrection and do not prove the opposite of your enjoying a great standing with God through your adherence to the valueless pleasures of this world.

Meeting with God

تَمَسَّكُوا بِمَا أَمَرَكُمُ اللَّهُ بِهِ- فَمَا بَيْنَ أَحَدِكُمْ وَ بَيْنَ أَنْ يَغْتَبِطَ وَ يَرَى مَا يُحِبُّ إِلَّا أَنْ يَحْضُرَهُ‏ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ‏ وَ ما عِنْدَ اللَّهِ خَيْرٌ وَ أَبْقى‏ وَ تَأْتِيهِ الْبِشَارَةُ وَ اللَّهِ فَتَقَرُّ عَيْنُهُ وَ يُحِبُّ لِقَاءَ اللَّهِ.

Cling to the commandments of God. There is nothing standing between your pleasures and you but the arrival of God’s messenger –the angel of death- with the good tidings that delight you and make you eager to meet God. The means of enjoyment, which you will receive from God in the life to come, will be better and everlasting.

Disrespect

لَا تُحَقِّرُوا ضُعَفَاءَ إِخْوَانِكُمْ فَإِنَّهُ مَنِ احْتَقَرَ مُؤْمِناً حَقَّرَهُ اللَّهُ وَ لَمْ يَجْمَعْ بَيْنَهُمَا يَوْمَ الْقِيَامَةِ إِلَّا أَنْ يَتُوبَ.

Do not humiliate your weak friends. God will surely disgrace him whoever disgraces a believer and will not gather them in the same place on the Day of Resurrection unless repentance is shown.

Brother’s Need

وَ لَا يُكَلِّفِ الْمَرْءُ أَخَاهُ الطَّلَبَ إِلَيْهِ إِذَا عَرَفَ حَاجَتَهُ.

You should not make your brothers ask you for their needs if you have recently known them.

Do not be Hypocrite

تَزَاوَرُوا وَ تَعَاطَفُوا وَ تَبَاذَلُوا وَ لَا تَكُونُوا بِمَنْزِلَةِ الْمُنَافِقِ الَّذِي يَصِفُ مَا لَا يَفْعَلُ.

Exchange visits, treat each other mercifully, give each other, and do not be like the hypocrites who say what they do not do.

Save Your Baby.

تَوَقَّوْا عَلَى أَوْلَادِكُمْ مِنْ لَبَنِ الْبَغِيِّ مِنَ النِّسَاءِ وَ الْمَجْنُونَةِ فَإِنَّ اللَّبَنَ يُعْدِي.

Save your babies from the milk of the prostitutes and the mad women, because milk transmits the wet nurse’s -genetic- properties.

Fashion of the Pharaoh

وَ لَا تَلْبَسُوا السَّوَادَ فَإِنَّهُ لِبَاسُ فِرْعَوْنَ.

Do not wear in black, because it is the fashion of the Pharaoh.

Door of Poverty

اتَّبِعُوا قَوْلَ رَسُولِ اللَّهِ فَإِنَّهُ قَالَ مَنْ فَتَحَ عَلَى نَفْسِهِ بَابَ مَسْأَلَةٍ فَتَحَ اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ بَابَ فَقْرٍ.

Pursue the Prophet (peace be upon him and his family), who said, “For those who open to themselves a door of beggary, God will open to them a door of poverty.”

Forgiveness (Isteghfar)

أَكْثِرُوا الِاسْتِغْفَارَ فَإِنَّهُ يَجْلِبُ الرِّزْقَ.

Seek God’s forgiveness very frequently, because it brings about sustenance.

Good Deeds

قَدِّمُوا مَا اسْتَطَعْتُمْ مِنْ عَمَلِ الْخَيْرِ تَجِدُوهُ غَداً.

Do good deeds as much as possible and you will find their rewards tomorrow (in the Hereafter).

Disputation

إِيَّاكُمْ وَ الْجِدَالَ فَإِنَّهُ يُورِثُ الشَّكَّ.

Beware of disputation, because it causes suspect.

Seeking Provisions

اطْلُبُوا الرِّزْقَ فِيمَا بَيْنَ طُلُوعِ الْفَجْرِ إِلَى طُلُوعِ الشَّمْسِ فَإِنَّهُ أَسْرَعُ لِطَلَبِ الرِّزْقِ مِنَ الضَّرْبِ فِي الْأَرْضِ وَ هِيَ السَّاعَةُ الَّتِي يَقْسِمُ اللَّهُ جَلَّ وَ عَزَّ فِيهَا الْأَرْزَاقَ بَيْنَ عِبَادِهِ.

Respond to the callers of God and seek provisions in the time between dawn and sunrise. To ask God for provisions in this time is better than wandering in lands -seeking for earnings. It is the very time in which, God distributes the sustenance of His servants.

Expecting the Relief

انْتَظِرُوا الْفَرَجَ‏ وَ لا تَيْأَسُوا مِنْ رَوْحِ اللَّهِ‏ فَإِنَّ أَحَبَّ الْأُمُورِ إِلَى اللَّهِ انْتِظَارُ الْفَرَجِ وَ مَا دَاوَمَ عَلَيْهِ الْمُؤْمِنُ.

Expect the Relief and never despair of receiving comfort from God. The most favorable act to God is the expectation of the Relief and the acts that are pursued steadily.

Near the Graves

أَلِمُّوا بِالْقُبُورِ الَّتِي يَلْزَمُكُمْ حَقُّ سُكَّانِهَا وَ زُورُوهَا وَ اطْلُبُوا الرِّزْقَ عِنْدَهَا فَإِنَّهُمْ يَفْرَحُونَ بِزِيَارَتِكُمْ لِيَطْلُبِ الرَّجُلُ الْحَاجَةَ عِنْدَ قَبْرِ أَبِيهِ وَ أُمِّهِ بَعْدَ مَا يَدْعُو لَهُمَا.

Visit and encircle the graves the rights of whose people are obligatory upon you, and visit them and seek earnings there, because the dead will be delighted if you visit them. You should ask your need near the graves of your parents after supplicating to God for them.

The Insignificant Sins

لَا تَسْتَصْغِرُوا قَلِيلَ الْإِثْمِ لَمَّا لَمْ تَقْدِرُوا عَلَى الْكَبِيرِ فَإِنَّ الصَّغِيرَ يُحْصَى وَ يَرْجِعُ إِلَى الْكَبِيرِ.

Do not disregard the insignificant sins when there is no way to commit the major ones. The insignificant sins will be added to each other and reckoned with the deadly ones.

Mentioning Death

أَكْثِرُوا ذِكْرَ الْمَوْتِ وَ يَوْمَ خُرُوجِكُمْ مِنَ الْقُبُورِ وَ يَوْمَ قِيَامِكُمْ بَيْنَ يَدَيِ اللَّهِ تَهُنْ عَلَيْكُمُ الْمَصَائِبُ.

Mention very much death, the day on which you will be taken out of your graves, and the day on which you will be stashed before your Lord, so that your misfortunes will be alleviated.

The Reason of Misfortunes

Be wary of committing sins. The reason of any misfortune, lack of earnings, or even a scratch, injury or a wound is surely the commitment of a sin. God the Majestic says,

تَوَقَّوُا الذُّنُوبَ فَمَا مِنْ بَلِيَّةٍ وَ لَا نَقْصِ رِزْقٍ إِلَّا بِذَنْبٍ حَتَّى الْخَدْشِ وَ النَّكْبَةِ وَ الْمُصِيبَةِ فَإِنَّ اللَّهَ جَلَّ ذِكْرُهُ يَقُولُ ما أَصابَكُمْ مِنْ مُصِيبَةٍ فَبِما كَسَبَتْ أَيْدِيكُمْ وَ يَعْفُوا عَنْ كَثِيرٍ.

“Whatever hardship befalls you is the result of your own deeds. God pardons many of your sins.” (42:30)

During Eating Food

أَكْثِرُوا ذِكْرَ اللَّهِ جَلَّ وَ عَزَّ عَلَى الطَّعَامِ وَ لَا تَلْفَظُوا فِيهِ فَإِنَّهُ نِعْمَةٌ مِنْ نِعَمِ اللَّهِ وَ رِزْقٌ مِنْ رِزْقِهِ يَجِبُ عَلَيْكُمْ شُكْرُهُ وَ حَمْدُهُ.

Mention God very much during having food. Because it is one of God’s graces and provisions, for which you should thank and praise Him.

With the Blessings

أَحْسِنُوا صُحْبَةَ النِّعَمِ قَبْلَ فَوَاتِهَا فَإِنَّهَا تَزُولُ وَ تَشْهَدُ عَلَى صَاحِبِهَا بِمَا عَمِلَ فِيهَا.

Associate with the blessings properly before they vanish and testify against you.

Satisfaction with Sustenance

مَنْ رَضِيَ مِنَ اللَّهِ بِالْيَسِيرِ مِنَ الرِّزْقِ رَضِيَ اللَّهُ مِنْهُ بِالْيَسِيرِ مِنَ الْعَمَلِ.

Those who are satisfied with the few earnings and sustenance of God, God will surely accept their few deeds.

Wastage

إِيَّاكُمْ وَ التَّفْرِيطَ فَإِنَّهُ يُورِثُ الْحَسْرَةَ حِينَ لَا تَنْفَعُ الْحَسْرَةُ.

Beware of wastage and negligence, because it causes regret when there is no beneficence in regret.

Your Stature with God

مَنْ أَرَادَ مِنْكُمْ أَنْ يَعْلَمَ كَيْفَ مَنْزِلَتُهُ عِنْدَ اللَّهِ فَلْيَنْظُرْ كَيْفَ مَنْزِلَةُ اللَّهِ مِنْهُ عِنْدَ الذُّنُوبِ.

If you want to know your standings with God, you should first notice God’s status with you when you encounter sins.

The Mirror

الْمُسْلِمُ مِرْآةُ أَخِيهِ فَإِذَا رَأَيْتُمْ مِنْ أَخِيكُمْ هَفْوَةً فَلَا تَكُونُوا عَلَيْهِ أَلْباً وَ أَرْشِدُوهُ وَ انْصَحُوا لَهُ وَ تَرَفَّقُوا بِهِ.

Muslims should be the mirrors of each other. When you notice a flaw of your friend, you should guide and advise, and treat him leniently. You should not oppose him.

Disagreement

إِيَّاكُمْ وَ الْخِلَافَ فَإِنَّهُ مُرُوقٌ وَ عَلَيْكُمْ بِالْقَصْدِ تَرَاءَفُوا وَ تَرَاحَمُوا.

Beware of disagreement, because it is deviation. Cling to moderation and treat each other kindly and mercifully.

Animal rights

مَنْ سَافَرَ بِدَابَّتِهِ بَدَأَ بِعَلْفِهَا وَ سَقْيِهَا لَا تَضْرِبُوا الدَّوَابَّ عَلَى حُرِّ وُجُوهِهَا فَإِنَّهَا تُسَبِّحُ رَبَّهَا.

Before you ride the riding animals for a journey, you should feed and water them. Do not whip the animals on their faces because they praise their Lord.

Ask the Beggar

إِذَا نَاوَلْتُمْ سَائِلًا شَيْئاً فَاسْأَلُوهُ أَنْ يَدْعُوَ لَكُمْ فَإِنَّهُ يُسْتَجَابُ فِيكُمْ وَ لَا يُجَابُ فِي نَفْسِهِ لِأَنَّهُمْ يَكْذِبُونَ.

When you hand over alms to a beggar, ask him to supplicate to God for you, because his supplication for you will be responded while his supplication for himself may not be responded because beggars often lie.

Kiss Your Hand

When you want to give alms, first kiss your hand because it reaches God’s hand before it is handed over to the beggar’s. God the Exalted says,

وَ يَرُدُّ الَّذِي يُنَاوِلُهُ يَدَهُ إِلَى فِيهِ فَلْيُقَبِّلْهَا فَإِنَّ اللَّهَ يَأْخُذُهَا قَبْلَ أَنْ تَقَعَ فِي يَدِ السَّائِلِ قَالَ اللَّهُ تَبَارَكَ وَ تَعَالَى‏ وَ يَأْخُذُ الصَّدَقاتِ‏. تَصَدَّقُوا بِاللَّيْلِ فَإِنَّ صَدَقَةَ اللَّيْلِ تُطْفِئُ غَضَبَ الرَّبِّ.

“It is God who receives the charities.”(9:104)

Give alms at night, because the night alms extinguish the Lord’s wrath.

Reticence

احْسُبُوا كَلَامَكُمْ مِنْ أَعْمَالِكُمْ يَقِلَّ كَلَامُكُمْ إِلَّا فِي الْخَيْرِ.

Count your words as your deeds, then you will not speak but good wording.

Spend Generously

أَنْفِقُوا مِمَّا رَزَقَكُمُ اللَّهُ‏ فَإِنَّ الْمُنْفِقَ‏ فِيَّ بِمَنْزِلَةِ الْمُجَاهِدِ فِي سَبِيلِ اللَّهِ فَمَنْ أَيْقَنَ بِالْخَلَفِ أَنْفَقَ وَ سَخَتْ نَفْسُهُ بِذَلِكَ.

Spend for the cause of God out of what He has provided to you. The spender enjoys the same rank of the mujahid (warrior) supporting for the cause of God. He who is certain of the reward will surely spend generously.

Wine

وَ لَا تَجْلِسُوا عَلَى مَائِدَةٍ يُشْرَبُ عَلَيْهَا الْخَمْرُ فَإِنَّ الْعَبْدَ لَا يَدْرِي مَتَى يُؤْخَذُ.

Do not sit to a table on which there is wine, because no one can guess the very hour in which his soul is grasped.

Supplication

الدُّعَاءُ يَرُدُّ الْقَضَاءَ الْمُبْرَمَ فَأَعِدُّوهُ وَ اسْتَعْمِلُوهُ.

Supplication obstructs the decisive act of God; hence, you should prepare well and persevere with supplications.

ادْفَعُوا أَنْوَاعَ الْبَلَاءِ بِالدُّعَاءِ عَلَيْكُمْ بِهِ قَبْلَ نُزُولِ الْبَلَاءِ فَوَ الَّذِي فَلَقَ الْحَبَّةَ وَ بَرَأَ النَّسَمَةَ لَلْبَلَاءُ أَسْرَعُ إِلَى الْمُؤْمِنِ مِنَ السَّيْلِ مِنْ أَعْلَى التَّلْعَةِ إِلَى أَسْفَلِهَا أَوْ مِنْ رَكْضِ الْبَرَاذِينِ. سَلُوا الْعَافِيَةَ مِنْ جَهْدِ الْبَلَاءِ فَإِنَّ جَهْدَ الْبَلَاءِ ذَهَابُ الدِّينِ.

Stop the various sorts of misfortune by supplication to God. Persist on supplicating to God before the falling of misfortunes. I swear by Him who split the seed and created the soul, misfortunes are quicker to the believers than the falling of floods downward a hill and speedier than workhorses. Supplicate to God to endow you safety from hardships. It surely causes the religion to vanish.

The True Believer

الْمُؤْمِنُ نَفْسُهُ مِنْهُ فِي تَعَبٍ وَ النَّاسُ مِنْهُ فِي رَاحَةٍ.

The true believer should exhaust himself and give rest to people.

Beware of Sinning

احْذَرُوا الذُّنُوبَ فَإِنَّ الْعَبْدَ يُذْنِبُ الذَّنْبَ فَيُحْبَسُ عَنْهُ الرِّزْقُ.

Beware of sinning. A sin may cause the earnings to be obstructed.

Almsgiving

دَاوُوا مَرْضَاكُمْ بِالصَّدَقَةِ وَ حَصِّنُوا أَمْوَالَكُمْ بِالزَّكَاةِ.

Treat your sick folks with almsgiving and guard your wealth by defraying the obligatory alms.

اسْتَنْزِلُوا الرِّزْقَ بِالصَّدَقَةِ.

Seek earnings through almsgiving.

Jihad of Woman

حُسْنُ التَّبَعُّلِ جِهَادُ الْمَرْأَةِ.

Correctitude with husband is the jihad of woman.

Certainty to Reward

حُسْنُ التَّبَعُّلِ جِهَادُ الْمَرْأَةِ.

He who is certain of the reward will give generously.

The Happy

السَّعِيدُ مَنْ وُعِظَ بِغَيْرِهِ وَ اتَّعَظَ.

The true happy is that who learns lessons from others.

Good Manner

رَوِّضُوا أَنْفُسَكُمْ عَلَى الْأَخْلَاقِ الْحَسَنَةِ فَإِنَّ الْعَبْدَ الْمُؤْمِنَ يَبْلُغُ بِحُسْنِ خُلُقِهِ دَرَجَةَ الصَّائِمِ الْقَائِمِ.

Subdue yourselves to the good manners. The faithful servant may attain the rank of the fasting worshipper through his good manners.

Apply Your Instructions.

الدَّاعِي بِلَا عَمَلٍ كَالرَّامِي بِلَا وَتَرٍ.

The instructors who do not apply their instructions to themselves are like those who try to shoot without having a string.

Sufficiency

تَعَرَّضُوا لِمَا عِنْدَ اللَّهِ عَزَّ وَ جَلَّ فَإِنَّ فِيهِ غِنًى عَمَّا فِي أَيْدِي النَّاسِ.

Seek what is with God, because it will suffice you from what is in people’s hands.

Prayer

لَيْسَ مِنْ عَمَلٍ أَحَبَّ إِلَى اللَّهِ مِنَ الصَّلَاةِ لَا تَشْغَلَنَّكُمْ عَنْ أَوْقَاتِهَا أُمُورُ الدُّنْيَا فَإِنَّ اللَّهَ ذَمَّ أَقْوَاماً اسْتَهَانُوا بِأَوْقَاتِهَا فَقَالَ‏ الَّذِينَ هُمْ عَنْ صَلاتِهِمْ ساهُونَ‏.

Prayer is the most favorable deed to God. The worldly pleasures should never engage you from offering the prayers in their proper times. God has censured those who disregarded the times of their prayers. He says, “Woe to the praying ones, who are unintelligent of their prayers.”

With the Believers

الْمُؤْمِنُ لَا يُعَيِّرُ أَخَاهُ وَ لَا يَخُونُهُ وَ لَا يَتَّهِمُهُ وَ لَا يَخْذُلُهُ وَ لَا يَتَبَرَّأُ مِنْهُ.

The believers should not dishonor, betray, accuse, disappoint, or disavow each other.

Accept the Excuse

اقْبَلْ عُذْرَ أَخِيكَ فَإِنْ لَمْ يَكُنْ لَهُ عُذْرٌ فَالْتَمِسْ لَهُ عُذْراً.

Accept your friend’s excuse. You should justify him if he is excuseless.

In the Proper Time

لَا تَعَجَّلُوا الْأَمْرَ قَبْلَ بُلُوغِهِ فَتَنْدَمُوا.

Do not exercise a matter before attaining its proper time lest, you will be regretful.

Treat Mercifully

ارْحَمُوا ضُعَفَاءَكُمْ وَ اطْلُبُوا الرَّحْمَةَ مِنَ اللَّهِ عَزَّ وَ جَلَّ.

Treat the weak mercifully and seek mercy from God the Majestic.

Backbiting

Beware of backbiting. True Muslims should never backbite each other, because God forbids this in His saying,

إِيَّاكُمْ وَ الْغِيبَةَ فَإِنَّ الْمُسْلِمَ لَا يَغْتَابُ أَخَاهُ وَ قَدْ نَهَى اللَّهُ عَنْ ذَلِكَ فَقَالَ‏ أَ يُحِبُّ أَحَدُكُمْ أَنْ يَأْكُلَ لَحْمَ أَخِيهِ مَيْتاً فَكَرِهْتُمُوهُ.‏

“Would any of you like to eat the disgusting dead flesh of your brother?”(49:12)

The Repentant

تُوبُوا إِلَى اللَّهِ وَ ادْخُلُوا فِي مَحَبَّتِهِ فَإِنَّ اللَّهَ يُحِبُّ التَّوَّابِينَ وَ يُحِبُّ الْمُتَطَهِّرِينَ‏ وَ الْمُؤْمِنُ مُنِيبٌ وَ تَوَّابٌ.

Repent to God and find yourselves a place in the adoration to Him. God surely loves the repentant and the pure. The believers should always refer to God and repent to Him.

بَابُ التَّوْبَةِ مَفْتُوحٌ لِمَنْ أَرَادَهَا فَتُوبُوا إِلَى اللَّهِ تَوْبَةً نَصُوحاً عَسى‏ رَبُّكُمْ أَنْ يُكَفِّرَ عَنْكُمْ سَيِّئاتِكُمْ‏.

The portals of repentance are open for everybody. Hence, repent to God purely so that your Lord may forgive your sins.

Avoid Accusing

لَا يَنْبَغِي لَهُ (الْمُؤْمِن) أَنْ يَتَّهِمَهُ (أَخِيهِ) فَإِنِ اتَّهَمَهُ انْمَاثَ الْإِيمَانُ بَيْنَهُمَا كَمَا يَنْمَاثُ الْمِلْحُ فِي الْمَاءِ.

The believers should avoid accusing each other lest; their faith will be dissolving like salt when dissolved in water.

The Reason of Misfortunes

The reason of the removal of any grace or luxury of any people was surely the commitment of a sin.

God is not tyrannical to the servants. (3:182)

فَمَا زَالَتْ نِعْمَةٌ عَنْ قَوْمٍ وَ لَا عَيْشٌ إِلَّا بِذُنُوبٍ اجْتَرَحُوهَا- أَنَّ اللَّهَ لَيْسَ بِظَلَّامٍ لِلْعَبِيدِ وَ لَوِ اسْتَقْبَلُوا ذَلِكَ بِالدُّعَاءِ لَمْ تَزُلْ وَ لَوْ أَنَّهُمْ إِذَا نَزَلَتْ بِهِمُ النِّقَمُ أَوْ زَالَتْ عَنْهُمُ النِّعَمُ فَزِعُوا إِلَى اللَّهِ عَزَّ وَ جَلَّ بِصِدْقٍ مِنْ نِيَّاتِهِمْ وَ لَمْ يَهِنُوا وَ لَمْ يُسْرِفُوا لَأَصْلَحَ لَهُمْ كُلَّ فَاسِدٍ وَ رَدَّ عَلَيْهِمْ كُلَّ ضَائِعٍ.

Had they supplicated to God, their graces would not have been removed. Had they proceeded to God sincerely and intentionally without showing slowdown or excess, God would have certainly saved them from misfortunes and given them back what they had lost.

In Troubles

In troubles, a Muslim should not complain about his Lord, but he should complain to Him, because He possesses the keys and arrangements of matters in the heavens and the earth and whatever is between them.

He is surely the Lord of the Grand Throne. (9:129)

إِذَا ضَاقَ الْمُسْلِمُ فَلَا يَشْكُوَنَّ رَبَّهُ وَ لَكِنْ يَشْكُو إِلَيْهِ فَإِنَّ بِيَدِهِ مَقَالِيدَ الْأُمُورِ وَ تَدْبِيرَهَا فِي السَّمَاوَاتِ وَ الْأَرَضِينَ وَ مَا فِيهِنَ‏ وَ هُوَ رَبُّ الْعَرْشِ الْعَظِيمِ‏- وَ الْحَمْدُ لِلَّهِ رَبِّ الْعالَمِينَ.

All praise is due to God the Lord of the worlds. (1:2)

After Waking up

وَ إِذَا جَلَسَ الْعَبْدُ مِنْ نَوْمِهِ فَلْيَقُلْ قَبْلَ أَنْ يَقُومَ حَسْبِيَ الرَّبُّ مِنَ الْعِبَادِ حَسْبِي هُوَ حَسْبِي‏ وَ نِعْمَ الْوَكِيلُ.

As soon as you wake up, you should say – before you leave the bed, “Sufficient unto me is the Lord against the servants. Sufficient unto me is He. God is the Sufficient as the best Guardian.”

The Eye

لَيْسَ فِي الْبَدَنِ أَقَلُّ شُكْراً مِنَ الْعَيْنِ فَلَا تُعْطُوهَا سُؤْلَهَا فَتَشْغَلَكُمْ عَنْ ذِكْرِ اللَّهِ جَلَّ وَ عَزَّ.

The less thankful organ of the body is the eye; therefore, do not respond to it so that you will not be diverted from mentioning God the Majestic.

The Best Supply

تَزَوَّدُوا مِنَ الدُّنْيَا التَّقْوَى فَإِنَّهَا خَيْرُ مَا تَزَوَّدْتُمُوهُ مِنْهَا.

Supply yourselves with God wariness (righteousness), because it is the best supply in this world.

The Remotest Servant

أَبْعَدُ مَا يَكُونُ الْعَبْدُ مِنَ اللَّهِ إِذَا كَانَتْ هِمَّتُهُ بَطْنَهُ وَ فَرْجَهُ.

The remotest servants from God are those whose main concern is to satisfy the belly and the sexual appetite.

Despising a Believer

أَبْعَدُ مَا يَكُونُ الْعَبْدُ مِنَ اللَّهِ إِذَا كَانَتْ هِمَّتُهُ بَطْنَهُ وَ فَرْجَهُ.

God will detain in the mixture of clay and blood, anyone who intends to despise a Muslim’s personality by a saying, unless he submits an excuse.

The Best Matter

خَيْرُ الْأُمُورِ مَا كَانَ لِلَّهِ جَلَّ وَ عَزَّ رِضًا.

The best of matters are those that achieve God’s satisfaction.

The Worldly Pleasures

مَنْ عَبَدَ الدُّنْيَا وَ آثَرَهَا عَلَى الْآخِرَةِ اسْتَوْخَمَ الْعَاقِبَةَ.

He who adores to the worldly pleasures and prefers them to the Hereafter will suffer insalubrious result.

The Maintainer of Prayer

لَوْ يَعْلَمُ الْمُصَلِّي مَا يَغْشَاهُ مِنْ رَحْمَةِ اللَّهِ مَا انْفَتَلَ وَ لَا سَرَّهُ أَنْ يَرْفَعَ رَأْسَهُ مِنَ السَّجْدَةِ.

If the maintainer of prayer (Musalli) is aware of God’s mercy that covers him, he will not come to the end of the prayer and will not accept to raise the head after being prostrate.

Keep Your Tongue

بِاللِّسَانِ يُكَبُّ أَهْلُ النَّارِ فِي النَّارِ وَ بِاللِّسَانِ سْتَوْجِبُ أَهْلُ الْقُبُورِ النُّورَ فَاحْفَظُوا أَلْسِنَتَكُمْ وَ اشْغَلُوهَا بِذِكْرِ اللَّهِ.

Because of their tongues, people of Hell will be in Hell and people of the graves will have light. Keep your tongues and engage them in the reference to God.

Shia

مَا مِنْ شِيعَتِنَا أَحَدٌ يُقَارِفُ أَمْراً نَهَيْنَاهُ عَنْهُ فَيَمُوتُ حَتَّى يُبْتَلَى بِبَلِيَّةٍ تُمَحَّصُ بِهَا ذُنُوبُهُ‏ إِمَّا فِي مَالٍ أَوْ وَلَدٍ وَ إِمَّا فِي نَفْسِهِ حَتَّى يَلْقَى اللَّهَ مُحِبُّنَا وَ مَا لَهُ ذَنْبٌ وَ إِنَّهُ لَيَبْقَى عَلَيْهِ شَيْ‏ءٌ مِنْ ذُنُوبِهِ فَيُشَدَّدُ عَلَيْهِ عِنْدَ الْمَوْتِ فَيُمَحِّصُ ذُنُوبَهُ.

Any Shiite who commits a sin against which we had warned will not die before he is inflicted by a misfortune in his fortune, sons, or himself, so that he will meet God guiltless. If such misfortune does not meet all his sins, death will be very violent for him until all the sins are erased.

Turn Your Sight

إِذَا رَأَى أَحَدُكُمُ امْرَأَةً تُعْجِبُهُ فَلْيَلْقَ أَهْلَهُ فَإِنَّ عِنْدَهَا مِثْلَ الَّذِي رَأَى وَ لَا يَجْعَلْ لِلشَّيْطَانِ عَلَى قَلْبِهِ سَبِيلًا وَ لْيَصْرِفْ بَصَرَهُ عَنْهَا فَإِنْ لَمْ تَكُنْ لَهُ زَوْجَةٌ فَلْيُصَلِّ رَكْعَتَيْنِ وَ يَحْمَدِ اللَّهَ كَثِيراً.

If your eyes fall on a charming woman, you should come to your wife and copulate with her, because all women have the same. You should also avoid allowing the Satan to control you in any way. Finally, turn your sight away from charming women.

If you are bachelor, you should offer a recommendable prayer and thank God a lot.

• 1. . Tohaf al-Oqoul, p. 100.