The greatest of what Imam Ali (PBUH) saidCategory Archive

  “Give them appointment after tests and do not appoint them according to partiality or favouritism, because these two things constitute sources of injustice and unfairness.” One of the worst things in the society is people getting favourable treatment due to their relationship with powerful people. Islamic history is full of this as well as in contemporary society. Imam Ali, the More ...

  “Appreciate the performance of every one of them, do not attribute the performance of one to the other, and do not minimize the reward below the level of the performance. The high position of a man should not lead you to regard his small deeds as big, nor should the low position of a man make you regard his big deeds as small.” We have all experienced a situation where someone More ...

  “Know that the people consist of classes who prosper only with the help of one another, and they are not independent of one another.” When leading a group of people or an organisation, everyone has a role to play from those at the top to those doing the hands-on jobs. Imam Ali says all these roles are important and if one is devalued, the whole body is devalued. This is a clear More ...

  “Do not discontinue the good practices which the earlier people of this community had acted upon, by virtue of which there was general unity and through which the subjects prospered.” It is tempting to come in all guns blazing and impose what you want to. It is like when a football manager is appointed at a new club and completely changes the philosophy straight away. This usua More ...

  “The virtuous and the vicious should not be in equal position before you because this means dissuasion of the virtuous from virtue and persuasion of the vicious to vice. Keep everyone in the position which is his.” The Imam gives a very interesting piece of advice. When first reading this, one may be outraged and think Imam Ali is saying not to treat people equally. Well, let u More ...

  “Unfasten every knot of hatred in the people and cut away from yourself the cause of every enmity.” Imam orders Malik to cut ties with any form of hatred, both its root and manifestation. This ties into Imam Ali’s earlier idea of seeing everyone as a human. Once we do that, we can get rid of hatred that causes barriers between people. That is not enough though. Imam says More ...

  “The one among the people under you who is furthest from you and the worst of them in your view should be he who is the most inquisitive of the shortcomings of the people, because people do have shortcomings and the ruler is the most appropriate person to cover them.” Imam Ali says that these people are no good for you. We all know people whose sole purpose on the earth seems t More ...

  “They are of two kinds, either your brother in religion or one like you in creation. They will commit slips and encounter mistakes. They may act wrongly, wilfully or by neglect. So, extend to them your forgiveness and pardon, in the same way as you would like Allah to extend His forgiveness and pardon to you…” He then says arguably his most famous quote, but what he says More ...

  “Then, know, O Malik, that I have sent you to an area where there have been governments before you, both just as well as oppressive. People will now watch your dealings as you used to watch the dealings of the rulers before you…” Imam Ali reminds Malik not to forget previous leaders. When you enter a new environment, it is imperative you are aware of what you are followi More ...

  “This is what Allah’s servant `Ali, Amir al-mu’minin (commander of the believers), has ordered Malik ibn al-Harith al-Ashtar in his instrument (of appointment) for him when he made him Governor of Egypt…” Imam Ali opens with pure humility. Although the leader of a vast empire, Imam Ali reminds everyone that there is no power except God and that he is nothing More ...

  “Your aim (reward or punishment) is before you. Behind your back is the hour (of resurrection), which is driving you on. Keep (yourself) light and overtake (the forward ones). Your last ones are being awaited by the first ones (who have preceded).”[xii] Remember your ultimate goal in life is success in religion and meeting your Lord with that element of peace. In such small wor More ...

  “If you could see that (which) has been seen by those of you who have died, you would be puzzled and troubled. Then you would have listened and obeyed; but what they have seen is yet curtained off from you. Shortly, the curtain would be thrown off. You have been shown, provided you see and you have been made to listen provided you listen, and you have been guided if you accept guidanc More ...

  “Among all the people most detested before Allah are two persons. One who is devoted to himself…He did not try to find the reality of knowledge…The other man is he who has picked up ignorance…Whatever he does not know he does not regard it worth knowing.”[vi] Always try to gain more knowledge. Refrain from being narrow-minded and ignorant. Stick to your own More ...

  “He sits amongst people as a judge responsible for solving whatever is confusing to the others…He is ignorant, wandering astray in ignorance and riding on carriages aimlessly moving in darkness.”[v] Go into university/ work with a relaxed mind, try and say that you will concentrate on yourself from now on and take from others, that which will benefit you, rather than dis More ...

  “Mountains may move from their position but you should not move from yours. Grit your teeth. Lend to Allah your head. Plant your feet firmly on the ground.”[iv] This was said in the Battle of Jamal by Imam Ali (a.s.). Such powerful words for such a momentous occasion… X-mas party coming up or peer pressure at university pressurising you to bend your principles to fit int More ...

  “It is a pity that after all the ups and downs (I have been through). By Allah the son of Abu Talib is more familiar with death than an infant with the breast of its mother. I have hidden knowledge, if I disclose it you will start trembling like ropes in deep wells.”[iii] No matter what the day throws at you or what you’ve been through, try and remember the plight of Imam More ...

  “Prosperous is one who rises with wings (i.e. when he has power) or else remains peaceful and others enjoy ease…One who plucks fruits before ripening is like one who cultivated in another’s field.”[ii] Not getting the promotion you wanted/ getting the job you’ve applied for? When the time is right, with Allah (s.w.t.) by your side everything will work out. Co More ...

  “If I speak out they would call me greedy towards power but if I keep quiet they would say I was afraid of death.”[i] You will always have people who will complain about you doing something in a certain way because human nature is such, in some people. Do what you have to do, do it to the best of your ability and then try and take positive criticism for improvement but don&rsqu More ...

  Praise, it is commending in tongue voluntarily good work on purpose. Also it is said that it is commending in tongue every good work, whether it is from the virtuous or the virtues. As for slander, it is showing evil with the intent of blaming. Because reprehensible qualities are bad for the addressee, affecting him and appearing on his tongue, causing shame and slandering the one who i More ...

 وَاَسْاَلُكَ الاْمانَ يَوْمَ لا يَنْفَعُ الظّالِمينَ مَعْذِرَتُهُمْ وَلَهُمُ اللَّعْنَةُ وَلَهُمْ سُوءُ الدّارِ، And I ask You for protection on the day when the unjust shall not benefit from their excuse and for them is curse and for them is the evil abode(1).(2) وَاَسْاَلُكَ الاْمانَ يَوْمَ لا تَمْلِكُ نَفْسٌ لِنَفْس شَيْئاً وَالاْمْرُ يَوْمَئِذ للهِ، And I ask You for protection on the More ...