Points of wisdom from Bab Madina-tul Ilm

By: Fatimah

Seal of Messengers Prophet Muhammad b. Abdollah (s)’s seventh infallible descendant Al-Imam Musa b. Jafar Al-Kazem (s) narrated from his respected father from their respect worthy grandfather Ali b. Al-Husayn (s) from his respected father that one day while Amir al-Mo’menin Al-Imam Ali b. Abi Talib (s) was sitting in the mosque with some of his companions, Zaid b. Sohaan Abdi asked Imam Ali (s), who according to a saying of Holy Prophet (s) is Bab Madinatul Ilm (Gate of City of Knowledge), some question.

He asked: ‘O Amir al-Mo’menin (s)! Which king is strongest among all?

Amir al-Mo’menin (s) replied: Death.

Zaid asked: What is the most abject act?

He Replied: Gathering wealth greedily.

Zaid asked: Which poverty is hardest?

He Replied: Atheism after belief.

Zaid asked: Which invitation is most misleading?

He Replied: One who calls people to what he does not have himself.

Zaid asked: What is the best deed?

He Replied: Piety.

Zaid asked: Which deed is best for salvation?

He Replied: Requesting what is with Allah.

Zaid asked: Who is the worst friend?

He Replied: One who presents sins as beautiful acts.

Zaid asked: Who is the most wretched among people?

He Replied: One who sells his religion in return for the materialistic world of others.

Zaid asked: Who is the strongest among people?

He Replied: One whose patience is more.

Zaid asked: Who is the most miserly?

He Replied: One who earns money from an unlawful way.

Zaid asked: Who is the wisest among all?

He Replied: One who can find the path to guidance among all other paths and moves towards the right path.

Zaid asked: Who is best to be the judge among people?

He Replied: One who does not get angry.

Zaid asked: Who is most consistent on his word?

He Replied: One who is not deceived by other people because of himself and by the world by its wealth.

Zaid asked: Who is the most stupid?

He Replied: One who is deceived by this world while he notices the unstableness of this world.

Zaid asked: Who is the most regretful?

He Replied: One who banned everything for himself in this world and in the hereafter; indeed this is the biggest regret.

Zaid asked: Who is blind?

He Replied: One who has done nothing for Allah, but expects rewards.

Zaid asked: Which satisfaction is best?

He Replied: One who is satisfied with whatever Allah has given him.

Zaid asked: Which tragedy is hardest?

He Replied: Tragedy in religious matters.

Zaid asked: Which deed is the most preferred by Allah?

He Replied: Awaiting relief (Faraj).

Zaid asked: Who has a better status in the view of Allah?

He Replied: One who fears Him most and is most pious and ascetic.

Zaid asked: In the view of Allah, which word is the best?

He Replied: Remembrance of Allah and entreating from Him by prayer.

Zaid asked: Which word is the truest?

He Replied: Testifying that Allah is the only God.

Zaid asked: Which deed is greatest in the view of Allah?

He Replied: Submitting to him, piety, and fear of Allah.

Zaid asked: Who is the most truthful among people?

He Replied: One who tells the truth in the battlefield.

(Taken from the book “Mann La Yah-dor-hoo al-Faqih, vol. 4, p. 381)

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