Short Maxims of Imam Ali (A.S.) – Part 4
32. Imam Ali (peace be upon him) said:
Do not care when you associate with the intelligent even if you are
deprived of his generosity. You may benefit by his intelligence, but be
cautions of his ill manners. Do not neglect associating with the
generous even if you are deprived of benefiting by his intelligence. You
may benefit by his generosity for your mind. Escape as remote as
possible from the mean foolish individuals.
33. Imam Ali (peace be upon him) said:
Steadfastness is of three sorts—steadfastness against misfortunes,
steadfastness in (performing) the acts of obedience to God, and
steadfastness by the avoidance of the acts of disobedience to Him.
34. Imam Ali (peace be upon him) said:
It will be quite worthy for those who are able to prevent themselves
from enjoying the following four characters to be saved from
encountering any detestable matter. These four characters are
rashness, disputation, self-conceit, and indolence.
35. Imam Ali (peace be upon him) said:
Deeds are either obligatory, recommendable, or acts of disobedience.
Regarding the obligatory deeds, the servants –of God- practice them
under God’s order, will, satisfaction, knowledge, and arrangement.
Hence, they save themselves –from God’s punishment- through
carrying out such obligatory deeds. The recommendable deeds are not
God’s order, yet they are done under His will, satisfaction, knowledge,
and arrangement. As the servants act such deeds, they are rewarded
for them. Regarding the acts of disobedience (to God), they are done
not for God’s order, will, and satisfaction. Yet, they are done under His
knowledge and arrangement. He arranges their times but the servants
commit them optionally; therefore, God punishes them for committing
such acts of disobedience. This is because God has warned the
servants against them, but they did not obey.
36. Imam Ali (peace be upon him) said:
O people, God enjoys a right (that is incumbent upon you) in every
favor He bestows. He will increase them who thank Him (for that
favor), while those who do not show gratitude are risking the removal
of these favors and dragging God’s punishment nearer to them. You
should show God that you are fearful of the removal of the favors and
terrible for committing sins.
37. Imam Ali (peace be upon him) said:
He who encounters poverty and does not believe that such a situation
has been God’s favor to him is surely wasting an expected errand. He
who is given wealth but does not believe that it has been a means of
test is feeling secure from an alarmed matter.
38. Imam Ali (peace be upon him) said:
O people, supplicate to God to provide you with conviction and
beseech to Him to grant you good health. Good health is surely the
best of graces, and Conviction is the best thing that perpetuates in the
heart. The true wronged is that who wrongs his religion. The true
happy is that whose conviction is proper.
39. Imam Ali (peace be upon him) said:
No one can find the true taste of faith before he believes that whatever
befalls him would never miss him and whatever missed him would
never befall him.
40. Imam Ali (peace be upon him) said:
The harshest misfortunes that a believer may suffer are the
deprivation of three things—the consolation with wealth, self-equity,
and very much reference to God. I do not mean that you mention God
by phrases such as ‘Praise to God’ and ‘Glory to God’, but you should
refer to Him by adhering to the halal and refraining from the haram.
41. Imam Ali (peace be upon him) said:
He who satisfies himself with only what suffices him from the worldly
affairs will be sufficed with the least of it, but whoever is dissatisfied
with what suffices him nothing at all will suffice him.
42. Imam Ali (peace be upon him) said:
Death is preferred to meanness and endurance is preferred to anxiety.
This life consists of two days —one for you and one against you. On
the day that is for you, you should not behave vainly, and on the day
that is against you, you should not be grieved because both days are
tests for you.
43. Imam Ali (peace be upon him) said:
Do favor to whomever you want and he will be your prisoner.
44. Imam Ali (peace be upon him) said:
Flattery and envy are not within the characters of a believer except
when they are used for seeking studies.
