The Shrine of Imam \u2018Ali b. Abi Talib in Najaf, Iraq \u00a0 \u00a0\u00a0(Wikimedia Commons)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\u00a0<\/p>\n
Many wise sayings are attributed to \u2018Ali b. Abi Talib (d. AD 661), the cousin and son-in-law of the Prophet Muhammad and, eventually, the fourth Islamic caliph (and the figure around whom the Shi\u2018i form of Islam ultimately coalesced). \u00a0I\u2019ve selected a few of them for sharing here, in no particular order:<\/p>\n
\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cIf you want to know someone\u2019s character, examine the friends\u00a0he sits with.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cThere is no wealth like education and no poverty like ignorance.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cBe an enemy to oppressors and a helper to the oppressed.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cTo fight against one\u2019s desires is the greatest of all fights.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cPeople are of two types: They are either your brothers in faith or your brothers in humanity.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cBe respectful to women, for they are the mothers of mankind.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cDon\u2019t speak wisdom in front of someone of an ignorant mentality. \u00a0First he\u2019ll debate you, and then he\u2019ll become enemy through seeing his defeat.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cI was not created to be occupied by eating delicious foods like tied-up cattle.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cHide the good you do, and make known the good done to you.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cDon\u2019t follow the majority. \u00a0Follow the truth.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cThe worst of our faults is our interest in other people\u2019s faults.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cA wise man first thinks and then speaks, but a fool speaks first and then thinks.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cNever trust in your physical strength and wealth, because illness and poverty will arrive shortly.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cIf, one night, you see someone committing a sin, don\u2019t look at him tomorrow as a sinner. He may have repented during the night and you did not know.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cAct for this life as if you live forever. \u00a0Act for the afterlife as if you die tomorrow.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cThe biggest shame is to mock something that you have in yourself.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cAnger begins with madness and ends with regret.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cA true friend is one who, upon seeing a fault, gives you advice \u2014 and who defends you in your absence.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cGreed is permanent slavery.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cDon\u2019t talk about your riches in front of the poor. \u00a0Don\u2019t talk about your good health in front of the sick. \u00a0Don\u2019t talk about your power in front of the weak. \u00a0Don\u2019t talk about the joys of your life in front of sad people. \u00a0Don\u2019t talk about your freedom in front of those in captivity. \u00a0Don\u2019t talk about your parents in front of orphans, for their wounds cannot withstand more pain.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cOur enemies are not Jews or Christians. \u00a0Instead,\u00a0our enemies are our ignorance.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cDon\u2019t use sharpness of speech on the mother who taught you how to speak.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cSee the bad inside yourself, and see the good inside others.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cAn alert and learned man will take advice from any incident.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cMeet people in such a manner that, if you die, they will\u00a0weep for you, and if you live, they will\u00a0long for you.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cThe strongest amongst you is he who subdues his self.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cIt is easier to turn a mountain into dust than to create love in a heart that is filled with hatred.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cDo not criticize too much. Too much criticism leads to hate and bad behavior.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cGold is tested with fire, and the believer is tested with trials.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cWhen proven wrong, the wise man corrects himself and the ignorant man argues.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cDon\u2019t show pleasure in anybody\u2019s downfall, for you have no knowledge of what the future holds in store for you.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cThe tongue is like a lion. \u00a0If you let it loose, it will wound someone.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cFear God\u00a0and you will have no cause to fear anyone else.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cA friend cannot be considered a friend until he is tested on three occasions: in time of need, behind your back, and after your death.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cBeautiful people aren\u2019t always good, but good people are always beautiful.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cIf you are the recipient of kindness, remember it. If you are the giver of kindness, forget it.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cWhen the people of truth remain quiet against falsehood, the people of falsehood start believing it is the truth.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cDon\u2019t hate what you don\u2019t know, for the greater part of knowledge consists of what you don\u2019t know.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u00a0<\/p>\n<\/body><\/html>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
\u00a0 \u00a0 Many wise sayings are attributed to \u2018Ali b. Abi Talib (d. AD 661), the cousin and son-in-law of the Prophet Muhammad and, eventually, the fourth Islamic caliph (and the figure around whom the Shi\u2018i form of Islam ultimately coalesced). \u00a0I\u2019ve selected a few of them for sharing here, in no particular order: \u00a0 […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1019,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[9119,374,9125,9122,66,1769],"class_list":["post-83640","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-uncategorized","tag-ali","tag-caliph","tag-ibn-abi-talib","tag-imam","tag-islam","tag-muslim"],"yoast_head":"\n
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![\"Shrine](\"https:\/\/wp-media.patheos.com\/blogs\/sites\/186\/2016\/10\/Shrine_of_Imam_Ali_ibn_Abi_Talib.jpg\")
<\/a>