SacredTwo

Nahj al-Balaghah

Nahj al-Balaghah

The sermons, letters and sayings attributed to Imam Ali, read from the published Shia library edition with the Arabic and the published English translation side by side.

Sermons1191Letters450Sayings619

Topical chapters

Amīr al-mu’minīn's wisdom on knowledge and virtue 11True meaning of istighfār in Islam 9Four pillars of faith and unbelief 8Believer's anger leads to separation 6Hypocrisy and spiritual negligence in religious practice 5Contentment as inexhaustible wealth 4Amir al-mu'minīn's nocturnal reflections on asceticism 4Discerning right from wrong in leadership 4Endurance and divine recompense in grief 4Divine sustenance and accountability parallels 4Self-reflection and contentment in Islamic teachings 4Ali's counsel on restraining lustful gazes 4Critique of worldliness and its transient nature 3Ali's lament over his people's disobedience 3Caliph 'Umar's deliberation on Ka'bah ornaments 3Exemplary virtues of a devout brother-in-faith 3

Numbers below are this edition's record sequence. Short sayings and long sermons are both split into records, so a sequence number is not the printed sermon, letter or saying number.

Sayings · Self-reflection and contentment in Islamic teachings

4 passages

  • Sayings · Self-reflection and contentment in Islamic teachings#426

    ٣٤٩. وَقَالَ (عليه ‏السلام): مَنْ نَظَرَ فِي عَيْبِ نَفْسِهِ اشْتَغَلَ عَنْ عَيْبِ غَيْرهِ، وَمَنْ رَضِيَ برِزْقِ اللهِ لَمْ يَحْزَنْ عَلَى مَا فَاتَهُ، وَمَنْ سَلَّ سَيْفَ الْبَغْيِ قُتِلَ بِهِ، وَمَنْ كَابَدَ الْأُمُورَ عَطِبَ، وَمَنِ اقْتَحَمَ اللُّجَجَ غَرِقَ، وَمَنْ دَخَلَ مَدَاخِلَ السُّوءِ اتُّهِمَ،

    349. Amīr al-mu’minīn, peace be upon him, said: He who sees his own shortcomings abstains from looking into other’s shortcomings. He who feels happy with the livelihood with which Allāh provides him does not grieve over what he misses. He who draws out the sword of revolt gets killed with it. He who strives without means perishes. He who enters the depths gets drowned. He who visits places of ill-repute receives blame.

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  • Sayings · Self-reflection and contentment in Islamic teachings#427

    وَمَنْ كَثُرَ كَلاَمُهُ كَثُرَ خَطَؤُهُ، وَمَنْ كَثُرَ خَطَؤُهُ قَلَّ حَيَاؤُهُ، وَمَنْ قَلَّ حَيَاؤُهُ قَلَّ وَرَعُهُ، وَمَنْ قَلَّ وَرَعُهُ مَاتَ قَلْبُهُ، وَمَنْ مَاتَ قَلْبُهُ دَخَلَ النَّارَ.

    He who speaks more commits more errors. He who commits more errors becomes shameless. He who is shameless will have less fear of Allāh. He whose fear of Allāh is less, his heart dies. He whose heart dies enters the Fire.

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  • Sayings · Self-reflection and contentment in Islamic teachings#428

    وَمَنْ نَظَرَ فِي عُيُوبِ النَّاسِ فَأَنْكَرَهَا ثُمَّ رَضِيَهَا لِنَفْسِهِ فذَاك الْأَحْمَقُ بِعَيْنِهِ.

    He who observes the shortcomings of others and disapproves of them and then accepts them for himself is definitely a fool.

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  • Sayings · Self-reflection and contentment in Islamic teachings#429

    وَالْقَنَاعَةُ مَالٌ لَا يَنْفَدُ، وَمَنْ أَكْثَرَ مِنْ ذِكْرِ الْمَوْتِ رَضِيَ مِنَ الدُّنْيَا بِالْيَسيرِ، وَمَنْ عَلِمَ أَنَّ كَلاَمَهُ مِنْ عَمَلِهِ قَلَّ كَلاَمُهُ إِلَّا فِيَما يَعْنيِهِ.

    Contentment is a capital that does not dwindle. He who remembers death much is satisfied with small favours in this world. He who knows that his speech is also a part of his action speaks less except where he has some purpose.

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