Ali Ibn Abi Talib Quotes & Sayings

Two kinds of greedy people never get satisfied; the seeker of knowledge and the seeker of this world — Ali Ibn Abi Talib

Safety lies in silence. It is easier to rectify what you miss by silence, than to secure what you lose by speaking. — Ali Ibn Abi Talib

I am the guide and the guided. I am the father of the orphans and the destitute, and the guaridan of the widows. I am the refuge of the weak person and the haven of every fearful one. I am the leader of the believers to paradise. I am the strong rope of Allah(swt); I am Allah's firmest handle and the word of Godwariness. I am the eye of Allah(swt), His truthful tongue and His hand. — Ali Ibn Abi Talib

A hopeless man sees difficulties in every chance, but a hopeful person sees chances in every difficulty. — Ali Ibn Abi Talib

Recitation of the Qur'an without contemplation and thought is futile. — Ali Ibn Abi Talib

Don't engage your heart in grief over the past or you wont be ready for what is coming. — Ali Ibn Abi Talib

Silence is the garden of thought. — Ali Ibn Abi Talib

Be afraid of a dignified man when he is hungry and a wicked man when his belly is full. — Ali Ibn Abi Talib

Envy of prosperity, confirmers of scourge, desperate of hope. They have a victim in every certain way, a mediator to every heart, and a tear in every complaint. — Ali Ibn Abi Talib

Two things cause people to be destroyed: fear of poverty and seeking superiority through pride. — Ali Ibn Abi Talib

I wonder at a man who loses hope of salvation when the door of repentance is open for him. — Ali Ibn Abi Talib

Know you that Allah has made Islam the most sublime path for attainment of His supreme pleasure and the highest standards of his worship and obedience. He has favoured it with noble precepts, exalted principles, undoubtable arguments, unchallengeable supremacy and undeniable wisdom. It is up to you to maintain the eminence and dignity granted to it by the Lord, to follow it sincerely, to do justice to its articles of faith and belief, to obey implicitly its tenets and orders and to give it the proper place in your lives. — Ali Ibn Abi Talib

Either you are just or unjust. If you are just, then you will not keep aloof from the people, but will listen to them and meet their requirements. But if you are unjust, the people themselves will keep away from you. — Ali Ibn Abi Talib

If you are greeted then return the greetings more warmly. If you are favored, then repay the obligation manifold; but he who takes the initiative will always excel in merit. — Ali Ibn Abi Talib

Often your utterances and expressions of your face leak out the secrets of your hidden thoughts. — Ali Ibn Abi Talib

A moment of patience in a moment of anger prevents a thousand moments of regret. — Ali Ibn Abi Talib

By the welling of lord of Ka'ba, I have succeeded. — Ali Ibn Abi Talib

Understanding the knowledge and wisdom of the Qur'an is by far, higher than memorizing. — Ali Ibn Abi Talib

People are like waves of the ocean, some cover you with tides of refreshment, whilst others drown you in floods of turmoil — Ali Ibn Abi Talib

Beautiful people are not always good, but good people are always beautiful. — Ali Ibn Abi Talib

Fear only the will of God and you will have no cause to fear anyone else. — Ali Ibn Abi Talib

How many lessons there are and how little they are taken — Ali Ibn Abi Talib

If poverty were a man, I would have slain him. — Ali Ibn Abi Talib

Oh writer! An Angel watches over all you write. Make your writing meaningful for it will eventually return to you and you will be questioned about what you wrote. — Ali Ibn Abi Talib

Greed takes a person to the watering place but gets him back without letting him drink. It undertakes responsibility but does not fulfill it. Often the drinker gets choked before quenching his thirst. The greater the worth of a thing yearned for, the greater is the grief for its loss. Desires blind the eyes of understanding. The destined share would reach him who does not approach it. — Ali Ibn Abi Talib

He who is greedy is disgraced; he who discloses his hardship will always be humiliated; he who has no control over his tongue will often have to face discomfort. — Ali Ibn Abi Talib

Do not be like those on whom advice has no effect and who require punishment to correct themselves. — Ali Ibn Abi Talib

Do for this life as if you live forever, do for the afterlife as if you die tomorrow. — Ali Ibn Abi Talib

Silence is the best reply to a fool. — Ali Ibn Abi Talib

Never make a decision in anger and never make a promise in happiness. — Ali Ibn Abi Talib

When wisdom reaches the acme of perfection, it will suppress the vicious instincts and injurious desires. — Ali Ibn Abi Talib

Blessed is he whose own faults keep him from seeing the faults of others. — Ali Ibn Abi Talib

If someone's deeds lower his position, his pedigree cannot elevate it. — Ali Ibn Abi Talib

When proven wrong, the wise man will correct himself and the ignorant will keep arguing. — Ali Ibn Abi Talib

When my prayers are answered, I am happy because it was my wish. When my prayers are not answered, I am even more happy because that was gods wish. — Ali Ibn Abi Talib

Work for your afterlife as if you will die tomorrow, and work for this life as if you will live forever — Ali Ibn Abi Talib

Let me alone, and go in search of someone else. — Ali Ibn Abi Talib

Do not feel lonely on the road of righteousness Because of the fewness of the walkers on it. — Ali Ibn Abi Talib

The best companion and helper is admirable morals. — Ali Ibn Abi Talib

There is no knowledge and science like pondering and thought; and there is no prosperity and advancement like knowledge and science. — Ali Ibn Abi Talib

A person of riyaa (showing off) has three characteristics : He is lazy when alone, energetic when with others, and increases in his actions when he is praised while decreasing in them when he is criticized. — Ali Ibn Abi Talib

Associating with the wise and the knowledgeable people adds to the prestige of a person. — Ali Ibn Abi Talib

Man comes from a drop of semen and leaves as a piece of dust. He doesn't know when he came and he doesn't know when he's leaving, yet he walks on the earth thinking he knows everything. — Ali Ibn Abi Talib

The best which entailed from parents to children, is the good behavior. — Ali Ibn Abi Talib

Your souls are precious and can only be equal to the price of Paradise, therefore sell them only at that price — Ali Ibn Abi Talib

Body is purified by water. Ego by tears. Intellect is purified by knowledge. And soul is purified with love. — Ali Ibn Abi Talib

A True friend is one who sees a fault, gives you advice and who defends you in your absence. — Ali Ibn Abi Talib

Do not be too hard, lest you be broken; do not be too soft, lest you be squeezed. — Ali Ibn Abi Talib

Nothing hurts a good soul and kind heart more than to live amongst people who can't understand it. — Ali Ibn Abi Talib

He who understands humanity seeks solitude — Ali Ibn Abi Talib

Imam Ali(as) said, " The body experinces six different states: health, sickness, death, life, sleep, and wakefulness, and so does the spirit. Its life is its knowledge and its death is ignorance; its sickness is doubt whereas its health is certainty; its sleep is negligence and its wakefulness is consiousness. — Ali Ibn Abi Talib

An accepted deed is never small in Taqwa (consciousness of Allah), how can what has been accepted be small? — Ali Ibn Abi Talib

Greed is permanent slavery — Ali Ibn Abi Talib

The disease of the heart is worse than the disease of the body. — Ali Ibn Abi Talib

Glory is for none but the learned,
Guided are they - and proofs for seekers of guidance.
Every person is measured based on how much of it (knowledge) he mastered,
The ignorant are to the learned their enemies,
Succeed with knowledge and live energetically forever,
Men are all dead, only the possessors of knowledge are truly alive — Ali Ibn Abi Talib

No wealth like education and no poverty like ignorance — Ali Ibn Abi Talib

The sin which makes you sad and repentant is more liked by Allah than the good deed which turns you arrogant. — Ali Ibn Abi Talib

A man's behavior is the index of the man, and his discourse is the index of his understanding. — Ali Ibn Abi Talib

There is no nobility with bad manners. — Ali Ibn Abi Talib

The emaan of a person cannot be true until he has more trust in that which is in Allah's Hands than that which is in his own hands. — Ali Ibn Abi Talib

Awaken your heart to kindness and mercy for the people and love and tenderness for them. Never, never act with them like a predatory beast which seeks to be satiated by devouring them, for the people fall into two categories: they are either your brethren in faith or your kindred in creation ... Do not ever say, 'I have been given authority' or 'My command should be obeyed.' Because it corrupts the heart, consumes one's faith, and invites calamities. — Ali Ibn Abi Talib

Know thyself, and thou shalt know God. — Ali Ibn Abi Talib

Do not be misled by appearances for these are apt to be deceptive. — Ali Ibn Abi Talib

The real Muslim is the one who prefers speaking the truth even when it is ruinous to him over lying even when it benefits him, and who finds inner peace in doing so. — Ali Ibn Abi Talib

True friends are a single soul divided between different bodies. — Ali Ibn Abi Talib

Beware of the flight of Blessings,
For nothing that runs away is returned. — Ali Ibn Abi Talib

If you find that somebody is not grateful for all that you have done for him, then do not get disappointed because often you will find that someone else feels under your obligation though you have done nothing for him and thus your good deeds will be compensated, and Allah will reward you for your goodness. — Ali Ibn Abi Talib

Put aside your pride,
Set down your arrogance,
And remember your grave. — Ali Ibn Abi Talib

Many a spoken word is more piercing than an attack. — Ali Ibn Abi Talib

Work for a Better Life as if you live forever,
And work for Better End as if you die tomorrow — Ali Ibn Abi Talib

The most precious wealth is wisdom, and the most miserable poverty is stupidity. — Ali Ibn Abi Talib

A girl is a good deed and a boy is a bounty. Good deeds are rewarded while people are held accountable for bounties. — Ali Ibn Abi Talib

Work for this world as if you will live forever and work for the here-after as if you will die tomorrow. — Ali Ibn Abi Talib

To make one good action succeed another, is the perfection of goodness. — Ali Ibn Abi Talib

Justice is putting everything in its proper place — Ali Ibn Abi Talib

Everyone who is taken by death asks for more time, while everyone who still has time makes excuses for procrastination. — Ali Ibn Abi Talib

A friend cannot be considered a friend until he is tested in three occasions: in timeof need, behind your back, and after your death. — Ali Ibn Abi Talib

People are of two types, they are either your brothers in faith or your equals in humanity. — Ali Ibn Abi Talib

The one who has no control over his desires has no control over his mind. — Ali Ibn Abi Talib

You are as much able as you know — Ali Ibn Abi Talib

You should desire for others what you desire for yourself, and hate for others what you hate for yourself. Do not oppress, just as you do not like to be oppressed. Do good to others just as you would like good to be done to you. Dislike in yourself what you dislike in others. Accept that treatment from others which you would like others to accept from you. Do not say to others what you do not like to be said to you. — Ali Ibn Abi Talib

The world is darkness; knowledge is light; but knowledge without truth is a mere shadow. — Ali Ibn Abi Talib

There is no greater wealth than wisdom, no greater poverty than ignorance; no greater heritage than culture and no greater support than consultation. — Ali Ibn Abi Talib

It is better to listen to a wise enemy than to seek counsel from a foolish friend. — Ali Ibn Abi Talib

The vision of the eye is limited; the vision of the heart transcends all barriers of time and space. — Ali Ibn Abi Talib

There is no wealth like knowledge, no poverty like ignorance. — Ali Ibn Abi Talib

The most helpless person is the one who is helpless in reforming himself. — Ali Ibn Abi Talib

Not every man with a heart is understanding, nor every man with an ear a listener, and nor every man with eyes able to see. — Ali Ibn Abi Talib

People's hearts are like wild animals. They attach their selves to those that love and train them. — Ali Ibn Abi Talib

If you don't like chickens I don't like you — Ali Ibn Abi Talib

In this world, man is a target of death, an easy prey to calamities, here every morsel and every draught is liable to choke one, here one never receives a favour until he loses another instead, here every additional day in one's life is a day reduced from the total span of his existence, when death is the natural outcome of life, how can we expect immortality. — Ali Ibn Abi Talib

Lead such a life, that, when you die, the people may mourn you, and while you are alive they long for your company. — Ali Ibn Abi Talib

Every breath you take is a step towards death. — Ali Ibn Abi Talib

Justice is better than courage as if everyone is fair to others, then there will be no need for courage. — Ali Ibn Abi Talib

O World, try to deceive someone else. Are you trying to tempt me or attract me? No way! I divorce you irrevocably. Your time is short and you are insignificant. Alas! The provision is little, the journey is long and the way is lonely. — Ali Ibn Abi Talib

The worst of our faults is our interest in other people's faults. — Ali Ibn Abi Talib

I will be patient till even patience tires of my patience. — Ali Ibn Abi Talib

Your cure is within you, yet you do not sense it! Your sickness is from you, yet you do not see it! You consider yourself a small body; Yet encapsulated within you is the entire universe! — Ali Ibn Abi Talib

The relation of patience to iman is like the relation of the head to the body. If the head is chopped off, the body becomes useless. Then he raised his voice and said: Certainly, the one who has no patience has no iman, and patience is like a riding-beast that nevers gets tired — Ali Ibn Abi Talib

A poor man is like a foreigner in his own country. — Ali Ibn Abi Talib