Top 15 Musa al-Kazim Quotes

"You [i.e., the Shia] have nothing to do with analogical reasoning (qiyas); those who came before you perished because of such reasoning. When it comes to a case about which you have received information, speak about it; otherwise, keep silent."^:15

"The occultation of the Lord of this Cause (Sahib al-zaman, i.e., Muhammad al-Mahdi) is inevitable so that those who profess this cause may withdraw from it. This is a painful test that God has given to His creatures."^:114

"Our Shias [i.e., followers] see through the light (nur) of God and move through the mercy of God and succeed through the grace (beneficence, karama) of God."^:171

"How base is the world for people, unless God gives them joy; and how great is this life, if God is not angry with them."^:157

Quoting Ali ibn Abi Talib, "God is not served through a thing better than reason. Man's reason is not perfect unless it has various qualities: unbelief and evil from him are safe [nonexistent]. Reason and good from him are hoped. The surplus of his money is spent [on charity]. The surplus of his speech is prevented. His share of the world is only daily bread. ... Abasement along with God is more beloved to him than exaltedness along with other than Him. Humbleness is more beloved to him than high rank. He regards as much the little good from other than him and as little his own good. He sees all men better than him, and that he is the most wicked of them in his soul."^:132

"Good neighbor is not refraining from harm, but good neighbor is showing patience toward harm."^:152

"Silence is among the doors to wisdom; it brings about love and is a proof of all good things."^:151

"Misfortune is one for the patient and two for the impatient."^:151

"The generous and polite is under the protection of God; He does not leave him until He makes him enter the Garden. God sends out none as a prophet except the generous."^:151

"Tell yourselves of neither poverty nor a long lifetime, for whoever tells himself of poverty becomes miserly. Whoever tells himself of a long lifetime becomes greedy."^:309

"Try hard that your time may be four hours: one hour is for supplicating God, one hour for the affairs of the livelihood, one hour for associating with the brothers (friends) and the reliable ones who let you know your defects and who are inwardly loyal to you, and one hour for that you are alone with yourselves (and) for non-forbidden things. Through this hour you have power over the three hours."^:309

"Little work from a scholar is doubly accepted; much work from the men of low desire and ignorance is refused."^:309

"Believers are few and the unbelievers are legion."^:162

"God has two proofs over men: outward proof and inward one. As for the outward proof, it is the messengers, the prophets, and the imams. As for the inward proof, it is reason."^:309

When the fifth from my offspring disappears, then, I adjure you by Allah to watch for your religion so that no one would take it away from you. Without doubt, there shall be an occultation for the holder of this matter, until such time that (most) people who believe in his Imāmat would leave their belief. Verily this (occultation) is but a test by Allah, the Glorious, for his creation.