Sayings of Imam Ali Al-Rida (peace be upon him)

is not abundant prayer and fasting; rather it is abundant reflecting on the affair of Allah, the Great and Almighty."
"Everyone's friend is his reason; his enemy is his ignorance. "
"Worship is not abundant prayer and fasting; rather it is abundant reflecting on the affair of Allah, the Great and Almighty."
"Humbleness is that you give to men that which you want them to give to you."
"Humbleness is degrees. One of them is that man should know the measure of his own soul and sincerely place it in its rank. He does not like to do anything for others except that which he wants others to do for him. If others do evil deed for him, he repels the evil deed with a good one. He restrains his anger, pardons men ,and Allah loves good-doers"
"The believer is not believing unless he has three qualities: a quality from his Lord, a quality from his Prophet, and a quality from his ruler. As for the quality from his Lord, it is concealing his secret. Allah, the Great and Almighty has said: The Knower of the unseen, so He does not reveal His secrets to any. As for the quality from his Prophet, it is humoring with men, for Allah, the Great and Almighty ordered His Prophet to humor with men, saying: Take to forgiveness and enjoin good. As for the quality from his ruler, it is patience during prosperity and adversity. "
"Either you enjoin (men) to do good and forbid (them) from evil or Allah will employ the wicked from among you over you, hence the righteous from among you supplicate (Him), but (He) does not respond to them. "
"He who loves the disobedient is disobedient; he who loves the obedient is obedient. He who helps a wrongdoer is a wrongdoer; he who deserts a wrongdoer is just. There is no kinship between Allah and any, and the protection of Allah is not attained but through obedience. "
The Imam, peace be on him, was asked about the good men, and he replied: "It is they who are delighted when they do good, ask Allah's forgiveness when they do evil, give thanks when they are given, are patient when they are tried, and pardon (men) when they become angry. "
"The discretion of a Muslim is not perfect except after he acquires ten qualities: Allah accepts his good deeds, he is trustworthy, he sees as plentiful the little good that others do for him, while seeing his own abundant good as little; he does not fret from being asked for favor, nor does he feel tired of constantly seeking knowledge; poverty reached in order to please Allah is better for him than wealth accumulated otherwise; to be subjected to power while trying to serve Allah is better in his regard than achieving power over his foe, and obscurity he prefers over fame."
Then he, peace be on him, said: "And the tenth (one), do you know what the tenth (one) is?"
He was asked: "What is it?"
He, peace be on him, replied: "Whenever he sees someone, he says to himself: 'He is better than me and more pious. People are two types: a person better than him and more pious, and one who is more evil than him and more lowly. If he meets the one who is more evil than him and more lowly, he says to himself: 'Maybe, the goodness of this (statement) is implied, and it is better that he hears such a compliment, while my own goodness is apparent and it is detrimental to me. And when he sees someone better than him and pious, he would humble himself before him trying to raise himself to his level. So if he does that, his glory will be higher, his reputation will be better, and he will become distinguished above his contemporaries. "
"If one lacks five attributes, do not expect to gain anything good out of him for your life in this world or your life to come: if his lineage is known to be untrustworthy, if his nature lacks generosity, if his temper lacks balance, if he lacks a noble conduct, and if he lacks fear of his Lord. "
"He who does not thank the benefactor from among the creatures does not thank Allah, the Great and Almighty. "