THE GOLDEN SAYINGS OF AMIR-AL-MOMINEEN IMAM ALI (A.S.)

 

The Gateway of Knowledge (of the Noble Messenger s.a.w.a.s.), The Commander of the Faithful Imam Ali (a.s.) said:

“Do not be like him who hopes for (bliss of) the next life without action, and delays repentance by lengthening desires, who utters words like ascetics  in this world but acts like those who are eager for it; if he is allowed something form it  he does not feel satisfied, if he is denied he is not content; he is not grateful for what he gets and covets for increase in whatever remains with him; he refrains others  but not himself; he commands others for what he himself does not do; he loves the virtuous but does not behave like them; he hates the vicious but is himself is one of them; he dislikes death because of the excess of his sins but adheres to that for which he is afraid of death; if he falls ill he feels ashamed; if he is healthy he feels secure and indulges in amusements; when he recovers from illness he feels vain about himself; when he is afflicted he loses hope, if distress befalls him he prays like a bewildered man, when he finds ease of life he falls into deceit and turns his face away; his heart overpowers him by means of imaginary things while he cannot control his heart by his conviction; for others he is afraid of small sins, but for himself he expect smore reward than his performance; if he gets wealthy he becomes self-conscious and falls into vice; if he becomes poor he despairs and becomes weak; he is brief when he is doing good thing but goes too far when is begging ; when passion overtakes him he is quick in committing sin but delays repentance ; if hardship befalls him he goes out of the canons of the (Islamic) community; he describes instructive events but does not take instruction himself; he preaches at length but does not accept any preaching for himself, he is tall in speaking but short in action; he aspires for things that would perish and ignore things that would last for good; he regards profits as loss as profit; he fears death but does nothing in its anticipation; he regards the sins of others as big  but considers the same the same things for himself as small; if he does something in obedience to Allah he considers it much but if others do the same he considers it small; he therefore rebukes others but flatters himself; entertainment in the company of the wealthy is dearer to him than remembrance  (of Allah) with the poor; he passes verdicts against others for his own interest and does not do so against himself for others’ interest; he guides others but misguides himself; he is obeyed by others but he himself disobeys (Allah); he seeks fulfilment (of obligations toward himself) but does not fulfill his obligations (toward others); he fears the people  (and acts) for other than Allah and does not fear Allah in his dealings with the people.”

Source: Nahjul Balagha (Saying # 149)