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Ali was the cousin and the son-in-law of Muhammad, the last prophet of Islam. He ruled as the fourth caliph from 656 to 661, but is regarded as the rightful immediate successor to Muhammad as an Imam by Shia Muslims.

Born to Abu Talib and Fatimah bint Asad, Ali is the only person to be born in the sacred sanctuary of the Kaaba in Mecca, the holiest place in Islam. Ali was the first male who accepted Islam, and, according to some authors, the first Muslim. Ali protected Muhammad from an early age and took part in almost all the battles fought by the nascent Muslim community. After migrating to Medina, he married Muhammad's daughter Fatimah. He was appointed caliph by Muhammad's companions in 656, after Caliph Uthman ibn Affan was assassinated. Ali's reign saw civil wars and in 661, he was attacked and assassinated by a Kharijite while praying in the Great Mosque of Kufa, being martyred two days later.Ali is important to both Shias and Sunnis, politically and spiritually. The numerous biographical sources about Ali are often biased according to sectarian lines, but they agree that he was a pious Muslim, devoted to the cause of Islam and a just ruler in accordance with the Qur'an and the Sunnah. While Sunnis consider Ali the fourth and final of the Rashidun caliphs, Shia Muslims regard Ali as the first Imam after Muhammad due to their interpretation of the events at Ghadir Khumm. Shia Muslims also believe that Ali and the other Shia Imams are the rightful successors to Muhammad. It was this disagreement that split the ummah into the Shia and Sunni branches.

✵ 15. September 601 – 29. January 661

Works

Ali: 124 quotes225 likes

Famous Ali Quotes

“The first fruit of forbearance is that people will sympathize with you and they will go against the man who offended you arrogantly.”

Ali book Nahj al-Balagha

Nahj al-Balagha

“Do not feel ashamed to forgive and forget.”

Ali book Nahj al-Balagha

Nahj al-Balagha, Letter 53: An order to Malik Al-Ashtar
Variant: The best deed of a great man is to forgive and forget.

“Whoever wants to be a leader should educate himself before educating others. Before preaching to others he should first practice himself. Whoever educates himself and improves his own morals is superior to the man who tries to teach and train others.”

Ali book Nahj al-Balagha

Nahj al-Balagha

“Remember that this world which you covet so ardently and attempt to acquire so earnestly, and which sometimes annoys you and sometimes pleases you so much, is neither your home nor a permanent destination. You have not been created for it, nor invited to it as your resting-place. It shall neither remain with you for ever, nor will you remain in it eternally. If it has enticed you away with its charrns, it has also warned and cautioned you of real dangers lurking in its folds. Take account of the warnings it has given you and do not be seduced or deceived by its allurements. Let these warnings frighten you from being too greedy to possess it. Try to advance towards the place where you are invited for eternal bliss and turn your face away from the vicious world.”

Ali book Nahj al-Balagha

Nahj al-Balagha

“Two things cause people to be destroyed: fear of poverty and seeking superiority through pride.”

Ali

Majlisi, Bihārul Anwār, vol. 72, p. 39

Ali Quotes about people

“During civil disturbance adopt such an attitude that people do not attach any importance to you — they neither burden you with complicated affairs, nor try to derive any advantage out of you.”

Ali book Nahj al-Balagha

Nahj al-Balagha

“Endurance is composed of four attributes: eagerness, fear, piety and anticipation (of death). so whoever is eager for Paradise will ignore temptations; whoever fears the fire of Hell will abstain from sins; whoever practices piety will easily bear the difficulties of life and whoever anticipates death will hasten towards good deeds.
Conviction has also four aspects to guard oneself against infatuations of sin; to search for explanation of truth through knowledge; to gain lessons from instructive things and to follow the precedent of the past people, because whoever wants to guard himself against vices and sins will have to search for the true causes of infatuation and the true ways of combating them out and to find those true ways one has to search them with the help of knowledge, whoever gets fully acquainted with various branches of knowledge will take lessons from life and whoever tries to take lessons from life is actually engaged in the study of the causes of rise and fall of previous civilizations.
Justice also has four aspects depth of understanding, profoundness of knowledge, fairness of judgment and dearness of mind; because whoever tries his best to understand a problem will have to study it, whoever has the practice of studying the subject he is to deal with, will develop a clear mind and will always come to correct decisions, whoever tries to achieve all this will have to develop ample patience and forbearance and whoever does this has done justice to the cause of religion and has led a life of good repute and fame.
Jihad is divided into four branches: to persuade people to be obedient to Allah; to prohibit them from sin and vice; to struggle (in the cause of Allah) sincerely and firmly on all occasions and to detest the vicious. Whoever persuades people to obey the orders of Allah provides strength to the believers; whoever dissuades them from vices and sins humiliates the unbelievers; whoever struggles on all occasions discharges all his obligations and whoever detests the vicious only for the sake of Allah, then Allah will take revenge on his enemies and will be pleased with Him on the Day of Judgment.”

Ali book Nahj al-Balagha

Nahj al-Balagha

“O' my Allah! Sustainer of the high sky and the suspended firmament which Thou hast made a shelter for the night and the day, an orbit for the sun and the moon and a path for the rotating stars, and for populating it Thou hast created a group of Thy angels who do not get weary of worshipping Thee. O' Sustainer of this earth which Thou hast made an abode for people and a place for the movement of insects and beasts and countless other creatures seen and unseen. O' Sustainer of strong mountains which Thou hast made as pegs for the earth and (a means of) support for people. If Thou givest us victory over our enemy, save us from excesses and keep us on the straight path of truth. But if Thou givest them victory over us, then grant us martyrdom and save us from mischief.”

Ali book Nahj al-Balagha

Nahj al-Balagha

“There are so many highly esteemed ones who became miserable and humiliated just because of their bad temper and morals; and humble people who have attained eminence and the highest honors because of good temper and morals.”

Ali

Majlisi, Bihārul Anwār, vol. 71, p. 396

“Hearts of people are like wild beasts. They attach themselves to those who love and train them.”

Ali book Nahj al-Balagha

Nahj al-Balagha

“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.”

Ali book Nahj al-Balagha

Nahj al-Balagha

Ali Quotes about personality

“To whatever extent a person's knowledge increases, his attention will be turned more towards his soul.”

Ali

Husayn al-Nuri al-Tabarsi, Mustadrak al-Wasā'il, vol. 11, p. 323
Regarding Knowledge & Wisdom, Religious

“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.”

Ali book Nahj al-Balagha

Nahj al-Balagha

“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.”

Ali book Nahj al-Balagha

Nahj al-Balagha

“There are three signs of a knowledgeable person: knowledge, forbearance and silence.”

Ali

Majlisi, Bihārul Anwār, vol. 2, p. 59.
Regarding Knowledge & Wisdom, General

Ali: Trending quotes

“I am less than what you tell about me but more than what you think about me”

Ali book Nahj al-Balagha

Nahj al-Balagha
Context: A man sarcastically started praising Imam Ali, though he had no faith in him and Imam Ali hearing these praises from him said "I am less than what you tell about me but more than what you think about me."

“Patience is of two kinds: patience over what pains you, and patience against what you covet.”

Ali book Nahj al-Balagha

Nahj al-Balagha

“Defend your faith (in Allah) with the help of charity. Protect your wealth with the aid of Zakat. Let the prayers guard you from calamities and disasters.”

Ali book Nahj al-Balagha

Nahj al-Balagha

Ali Quotes

“O son of Adam, if you have collected anything in excess of your actual need, you will act only as its trustee for someone else to use it.”

Ali book Nahj al-Balagha

Nahj al-Balagha

“Adversities often bring good qualities to the front.”

Ali book Nahj al-Balagha

Nahj al-Balagha

“Oppression and tyranny are the worse companions for the Hereafter.”

Ali book Nahj al-Balagha

Nahj al-Balagha

“The best deed of a great man is to forgive and forget.”

Ali book Nahj al-Balagha

Nahj al-Balagha

“One who comes into power often oppresses.”

Ali book Nahj al-Balagha

Nahj al-Balagha

“Avarice dulls the faculties of judgment and wisdom.”

Ali book Nahj al-Balagha

Nahj al-Balagha

“One of the conveniences in life is to have less children.”

Ali book Nahj al-Balagha

Nahj al-Balagha

“One who forsakes truth earns eternal damnation.”

Ali book Nahj al-Balagha

Nahj al-Balagha

“When truth was revealed to me I never doubted it.”

Ali book Nahj al-Balagha

Nahj al-Balagha

“Do not feel ashamed if the amount of charity is small because to refuse the needy is an act of greater shame.”

Ali book Nahj al-Balagha

Nahj al-Balagha

“Value of a man depends upon his courage; his veracity depends upon his self-respect and his chastity depends upon his sense of honor.”

Ali book Nahj al-Balagha

Nahj al-Balagha

“Recommended prayers cannot attain the pleasures of Allah for you when obligatory prayers are left unattended.”

Ali book Nahj al-Balagha

Nahj al-Balagha

“Not to have a thing is less humiliating than to beg it.”

Ali book Nahj al-Balagha

Nahj al-Balagha

“The weakest man is the one who is able to correct his moral defects, but doesn't take action.”

Ali

Husayn al-Nuri al-Tabarsi, Mustadrak al-Wasā'il, vol. 11, p. 324

“Do not hurry over punishments and do not be pleased and do not be proud of your power to punish.”

Ali book Nahj al-Balagha

Nahj al-Balagha, Letter 53: An order to Malik Al-Ashtar

“One who rushes madly after inordinate desire, runs the risk of encountering destruction and death.”

Ali book Nahj al-Balagha

Nahj al-Balagha

“Wealth converts a strange land into homeland and poverty turns a native place into a strange land.”

Ali book Nahj al-Balagha

Nahj al-Balagha

“Aid (from Allah) is in proportion to the trouble.”

Ali book Nahj al-Balagha

Nahj al-Balagha

“A fool's mind is at the mercy of his tongue and a wise man's tongue is under the control of his mind.”

Ali book Nahj al-Balagha

Nahj al-Balagha

“One who takes account of his shortcomings will always gain by it; one who is unmindful of them will always suffer. One who is afraid of the Day of Judgment, is safe from the Wrath of Allah. One who takes lessons from the events of life, gets vision, one who acquires vision becomes wise and one who attains wisdom achieves knowledge.”

Ali book Nahj al-Balagha

Nahj al-Balagha

“Islam does not mean mere faith, but faith plus deeds”

Ali book Nahj al-Balagha

Nahj al-Balagha
Context: I define Islam for you in a way that nobody dared do it before me. Islam means obedience to Allah, obedience to Allah means having sincere faith in Him, such a faith means to believe in His Power, belief in His Power means recognizing and accepting His Majesty, acceptance of His Majesty means fulfilling the obligations laid down by Him and fulfillment of obligations means actions (Therefore, Islam does not mean mere faith, but faith plus deeds).

“When wisdom reaches the pinnacle of perfection, it will suppress the vicious instincts and injurious desires.”

Ali

Majlisi, Bihārul Anwār, vol. 78, p. 6
Regarding Knowledge & Wisdom, Religious

“Contentment is the capital which will never diminish.”

Ali book Nahj al-Balagha

Nahj al-Balagha

“One who imagines himself to be all-knowing will surely suffer on account of his ignorance.”

Ali book Nahj al-Balagha

Nahj al-Balagha

“Silence will create respect and dignity; justice and fairplay will bring more friends; benevolence and charity will enhance prestige and position; courtesy will draw benevolence; service of mankind will secure leadership and good words will overcome powerful enemies.”

Ali book Nahj al-Balagha

Nahj al-Balagha

“Reciter and listener of the Qur'an are alike in prize and reward.”

Ali

Husayn al-Nuri al-Tabarsi, Mustadrak al-Wasā'il, vol. 4, p. 261
Regarding the Qur'an

“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.”

Ali book Nahj al-Balagha

Nahj al-Balagha

“Recitation of the Qur'an without contemplation and thought is futile.”

Ali

Majlisi, Bihārul Anwār, vol. 92, p. 211
Regarding the Qur'an

“Tongue is a beast, if it is let loose, it devours.”

Ali book Nahj al-Balagha

Nahj al-Balagha

“Loving one another is half of wisdom.”

Ali book Nahj al-Balagha

Nahj al-Balagha

“If you want to pray to Allah for better means of subsistence, then first give something in charity”

Ali book Nahj al-Balagha

Nahj al-Balagha

“There is no greater wealth than wisdom, no greater poverty than ignorance; no greater heritage than culture and no greater support than consultation.”

Ali book Nahj al-Balagha

Nahj al-Balagha

“He who is deserted by friends and relatives will often find help and sympathy from strangers.”

Ali book Nahj al-Balagha

Nahj al-Balagha

“The best companion and helper is admirable morals.”

Ali

Majlisi, Bihārul Anwār, vol. 77, p. 149

“The mind of a wise man is the safest custody of secrets; cheerfulness is the key to friendship; patience and forbearance will conceal many defects.”

Ali book Nahj al-Balagha

Nahj al-Balagha

“Books are the gardens of scholars.”

Ali

Abdul Vahed Tamimi, Ghurar al-Hikam wa Durar al-Kalim, p. 245.
Regarding Knowledge & Wisdom, General

“Anger and desire of vengeance are not going to be of much help to you in your administration.”

Ali book Nahj al-Balagha

Nahj al-Balagha, Letter 53: An order to Malik Al-Ashtar

“Only he who has the power to punish can pardon.”

Ali book Nahj al-Balagha

Nahj al-Balagha

“If a friend envies you, then he is not a true friend.”

Ali book Nahj al-Balagha

Nahj al-Balagha

“If you understand Allah's Majesty, then you will not attach any importance to the creatures.”

Ali book Nahj al-Balagha

Nahj al-Balagha

“A greedy man will always find himself in the shackles of humility.”

Ali book Nahj al-Balagha

Nahj al-Balagha

“It is wiser to abstain than to repent.”

Ali book Nahj al-Balagha

Nahj al-Balagha

“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.”

Ali book Nahj al-Balagha

Nahj al-Balagha

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