Imam Ali Ibn Abi Talib had the best up bringing as he grew up in the house of non other than the Prophet (saw). So you can imagine his character and how good it was. Any of Imam Ali’s sayings would be of great importance and inspiring to any generation of Muslims and even non-Muslims. Previously I wrote an article on the Inspiring Islamic Quotes, I recommend you to read that as it contains quotes by Imam Ali and more.
He was the first from the Prophet’s (saw) family after Khadijah (ra) to embrace Islam and it was at a very young age. The quotes by Imam Ali number many, as there are many collections of his life especially among the Shia Muslims.
I am not going to write about the Shia/Sunni divide that emerged at the time of Imam Ali’s reign, as I don’t see any benefit in that in this instance. 
The character of Imam Ali was of the best in society in any time or generation, he was around great men, he was a great man and a great Judge! We could go on about the greatness of this great companion of the Prophet (saw) and still would not be able to do any justice.
This is what the great biographist Ibn Athir had to say about Hazrat Ali:
Ali was the first Caliph both of whose parents were pure Hashimites. He was so judicial minded that he could not put up with the dishonesty of his relations or friends, and was so much engrossed in piety that at the time of his marriage with Fatima (ra) he did not posses anything save a camel skin on which he fed his camels in the day, and which he converted into a bed sheet at night. The Prophet (saw) in his table talk has not extolled any one of his companions as much as he has Ali. Surely, Ali never spoke a lie during his lifetime.
The quotes by Imam Ali Ibn Abu Talib are of high importance and should affect a person immediately and make us active in becoming better Muslims, of course we have the primary sources of Islam i.e. the Quran, Sunnah etc but we can use these beautiful quotes of Imam Ali (ra) to keep our momentum going.
Quotes By Imam Ali about Life
- “The days of life pass away like clouds, so do good while you are alive.”
- “Of all the follies the greatest is to love the World.”
- “Opportunity is swift of flight but slow to return.”
- “The most happy is he to whom God has given a good wife.”
- “Do not sell your conscience for anything but heaven.”
His Sayings about Piety
- “Fear Allah (swt) and you will have no cause to fear anyone.”
- “Resignation to the Will of Allah (swt) is the cure of the heart.”
- “The word of Allah (swt) is the medicine of the heart.”
- “He who knows himself knows Allah.”
- “Patience is the fruit of faith.”
- “No shelter is safe than piety.”
- “A man’s behaviour is the index of his mind.”
- “Virtue never dies.”
- “Wealth and greed are the roots of all evils.”
- “Riches without faith are the greatest poverty.”
Quotes by Imam Ali about Good Character and Knowledge
- “The disease of the heart is worse than the disease of the body.”
- “To fight against one’s desires is the greatest of all fights.”
- “The strongest amongst you is he who subdues his self.”
- “A man’s worth depends upon the nobility of his aspirations.”
- “Generosity hides shortcomings.”
- “The learned lives although he dies.”
- “The sum total of excellence is knowledge.”
- “To respect the learner is to respect Allah.”
- “Knowledge enlivens the soul.”
- “A man’s glory from his virtue is greater than the glory of his pedigree.”
The great character of Imam Ali or any of the Companions of the Prophet (pbuh) cannot be emphasized enough, but what we really need to do is take a good look the lives of these great men and try to emulate them. After all they did take Islam to the rest of the World so much so that Muslims now are living in every part of the World.
What was it about these men that made them like that? They were Muslims, we are Muslims yet they were able to conquer lands and we are conquered!
The Sayings of Imam Ali in this article are taken from the Life of Hazrat Ali (ra) by Prof. masud ul-Hasan originally published by Islamic Publications LTD.
Awesome
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