- When the news of the attack of Muawiyah’s men on al-Anbar reached Imam he himself came out walking till he reached an-Nukhaylah, where people overtook him and said: “O’ Ameerul Momineen we are enough for them,” then he said: You cannot be enough for me against yourselves, so how can you be enough for me against others? Before me the people used to complain of the oppression of their rulers but now I have to complain of the wrongful actions of my people; as though I am led by them and they are the leaders or that I am the subject and they are the rulers.
- It is said that al-Harith ibn Hawt came to Imam and said: Do you believe I can ever imagine that the people of Jamal were in the wrong? Imam peace be upon him, said: O’ al-Harith! You have seen below yourself but not above yourself, and so you have been confused. Certainly, you have not known right, so that you can recognize the righteous. And you have not known wrong, so that you can recognize the people of wrong! Then al-Harith said: In that case, I shall withdrawalong with Sa’d ibn Malik and ‘Abdullah: ibn ‘Umar; whereuponAmeerul Momineen (pbuh) said: Verily, Sa’d and ‘Umar have neither sided with Right nor forsaken Wrong
- The holder of authority is like the rider on a lion – he is envied for his position but he well knows his position.
- Do good with the bereaved ones of others so that good is done to your bereaved ones also.
- When the utterance of the wise is to the point it serves as a cure, but if it is wrong it proves like an illness.
- Someone asked Ameerul Momineen (pbuh), to define religion for him, so he said: Come to me tomorrow so that I enlighten you in the presence of all the people, so that if you forget what I say others might retain it, because an utterance is like a fluttering prey which may be grappled with by someone but missed by others.
- O son of Adam, do not inflict the worry of the day that has not yet come on the day which has already come, because if that day be in your life Allah will bestow its livelihood also.
- Have love for your friend up to a limit, for it is possible that he may turn into your enemy some day; and hate your enemy up to a limit for it is possible that he may turn into your friend some day.
- There are two kinds of workers in the world. One is a person who works in this world for this world and his work of this world keeps him unmindful of the next world. He is afraid of destitution for those he will leave behind but feels himself safe about it. So, he spends his life after the good of others. The other is one who works in this world for what is to come hereafter, and he secures his share of this world without effort. Thus, he gets both the benefits together and becomes the owner of both the houses together. In this way, he is prestigious before Allah. If he asks Allah anythingHe does not deny him.
- It is related during the days of (Caliph) ‘Umar ibn al-Khattab, the question of the excess of the ornaments of the Ka’bah was mentioned to him and some people suggested: If you prepare with it an army of Muslims that will be a matter of great reward; and what would the Ka’bah do with the ornaments? ‘Umar thought of doing so but asked Imam when he said: When the Quran was descended on the Prophet, peace be upon him and his descendants, there were four kinds of property. One, the property of Muslim individuals which he distributed among the successors according to fixed shares. Second, the tax which he distributed to those for whom it was meant. Third, the One-fifth levy for: which Allah had fixed the ways of disposal. Fourth, amounts of charity whose disposal was also fixed by Allah. The ornaments of Ka’bah did exist in those days but Allah left them as they were, but did not leave them by omission, nor were they unknown to Him. Therefore, you retain them where Allah and His Prophet placed them. Thereupon, ‘Umar ibn al-Khattab said: If you had not been here we would have been humiliated; and he left the ornaments as they were.
