Alī ibn Abī Ṭālib Quotes

Loving one another is half of wisdom.

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

He who practices moderation and frugality will never be threatened with poverty.

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

When someone is sure of the returns, then he shows generosity.

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

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

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).

Nawf! Prophet David (Daud) once got up at such an hour in the night and said this was the hour when prayers of everyone who prayed were accepted except of those who forcibly collected revenues or who were scandal- mongers or were persons in the police force of a despotic regime or were musicians".

Imam Ali said Nawf! Those are the fortunate people who adopt piety as the principle of their lives and are fully attentive to their welfare for the Hereafter. They accept bare earth as the most comfortable bed and water as the most pleasant drink. They adopt the Holy Qur'an and prayers as their guide and protector and like Prophet Jesus Christ (Isa) they forsake the world and its vicious pleasure.

Nawf bin Fizala Bakali, the famous scholar of the early Islamic days says that one night he was with Imam Ali. In the middle of the night, Imam Ali got up from his bed, looked for sometime at the stars and inquired of Nawf whether he was awake. Nawf said: "I got from my bed replying, "Yes, Amirul Mo'minin (Commander of the Faithful) ! I am awake".

I wonder at a man who loses hope of salvation when the door of repentance is open for him.

I appreciate an old man's cautious opinion more than the valor of a young man.

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

Those who have come alive out of a blood-bath live longer and have more children.