Imam al-Hadi (AS) in the Scale of Wisdom

Better than good is its doer, more beautiful than beautiful words is the one who says them and weightier than knowledge is the one who carries it.

الإمامُ الهاديُّ عليه السلام : لا تَطلب الصَّفا ممّن كَدّرتَ علَيهِ ، ولا النُّصْحَ ممّن صَرَفْتَ سُوءَ ظنِّكَ إلَيهِ ، فإنّما قلبُ غيرِكَ لكَ كقلبِكَ لَهُ . بحار الأنوار : 74 / 181 .

 Imam al-Hadi (AS) said, 'Do not seek sincere amity from a man you have insincere sentiment for, nor honest advice from someone you direct your distrust towards, for another's feelings [lit. heart] towards you are similar to your feelings towards him.' Bihar al-Anwar, v. 74, no. 181

الإمامُ الهاديُّ عليه السلام : السَّهَرُ ألذُّ لِلمَنَامِ ، والجُوعُ يَزِيدُ فِي طِيبِ الطَّعَامِ . بحار الأنوار : 78 / 369 / 4 .

 Imam al-Hadi (AS) said, 'Lack of sleep sweetens sleeping and hunger increases the tastiness of food.' Bihar al-Anwar, v. 78, p. 369, no. 4

الإمامُ الهاديُّ عليه السلام : الإمامُ بَعدي الحسَنُ ، وبعدَ الحسنِ ابنُه القائمُ ، الّذي يَملأُ الأرضَ قِسْطاً وعدلاً كما مُلِئتْ جَوراً وظُلماً . بحار الأنوار : 50 / 239 / 4 .

 Imam al-Hadi (AS) said, 'The Imam after me is al-Hasan, and after Hasan his son al-Qaim [lit. the one who will rise], the one who will fill the land with fairness and justice just as it was filled with tyranny and oppression.' Bihar al-Anwar, v. 50, p. 239, no. 4

الإمامُ الهاديُّ عليه السلام - عن إبراهيم بنِ عقبةَ لَمّا سَألَهُ عن زيارَةِ أبي عبدِاللَّهِ الحُسينِ وعن زيارَةِ أبي الحَسنِ الكاظم وأبي جعفرٍ الجوادِ عليهم السلام - : أبوعبدِاللَّه عليه السلام المُقَدَّمُ، وهذا أجمَعُ وأعظَمُ‏أجراً . الكافي : 4 / 583 / 3 .

 Imam al-Hadi (AS) was once asked by Ibrahim b. Aqaba about visiting the graves of Imam Husayn (AS), Imam al-Kazim (AS) and Imam al-Jawad (AS), to which he replied, '[visiting] Imam Husayn (AS) takes precedence, and this [visiting of the two Imams] has the greatest and most complete reward.' al-Kafi, v. 5, p. 583, no. 3

الإمامُ الهاديُّ عليه السلام : الشاكِرُ أسعَدُ بالشُّكرِ مِنهُ بِالنِّعمَةِ التي أوجَبَتِ الشُّكرَ ؛ لأنَّ النِّعَمَ مَتاعٌ ، والشُّكرَ نِعَمٌ وعُقبى‏ . تحف العقول : 483 .

 Imam al-Hadi (AS) said, ‘The thankful person prospers more as a result of his thanks than as a result of the bounty which incited the thanks, because bounties are sources of delight [in this world] whereas to thank brings bounties in this world and the hereafter.’ Tuhaf al-Uqul, no. 483

الإمامُ الهاديُّ عليه السلام : الطَّمَعُ سَجِيَّةٌ سَيِّئَةٌ. الدرّة الباهرة : 42 .

 Imam al-Hadi (AS) said, ‘Greed is an evil characteristic.’ al-Durra al-Bahira, p. 42

الإمامُ الهاديُّ عليه السلام : مَن أطاعَ الخالِقَ لَم يُبالِ بسَخَطِ المَخلوقِ . بحار الأنوار : 78 / 366 / 2 .

 Imam al-Hadi (AS) said, ‘He who obeys the Creator is not bothered by the displeasure of the creation [i.e. other people].’ Bihar al-Anwar, v. 78, p. 366, no. 2

الإمامُ الهاديُّ عليه السلام : مَن جَمَعَ لَكَ وُدَّهُ ورَأيَهُ فَاجمَعْ لَهُ طاعَتَكَ . بحار الأنوار : 78 / 365 / 4 .

 Imam al-Hadi (AS) said, ‘He who gives you both his affection and his good opinion is entitled to your giving him your obedience.’ Bihar al-Anwar, p. 365, no. 4

الإمامُ الهاديُّ عليه السلام - في جَوابِ ابنِ السِّكِّيتِ عَن عِلّةِ بَعثِ موسى‏ بِالعَصا ويَدِهِ البَيضاءِ وآلَةِ السِّحرِ، وبَعثِ عيسى‏ بِآلَةِ الطِّبِّ، وبَعثِ مُحمَّدٍ - صلَّى اللَّهُ علَيهِ وآلِهِ وعَلى‏ جَميعِ الأنبِياءِ - بِالكَلامِ والخُطَبِ - : إنَّ اللَّهَ لَمّا بَعَثَ موسى‏ عليه السلام كانَ الغالِبُ عَلى‏ أهلِ عَصرِهِ السِّحرَ، فأتاهُم مِن عِندِ اللَّهِ بِما لَم يَكُن في وُسعِهِم مِثلُهُ، وما أبطَلَ بِهِ سِحرَهُم، وأثبَتَ بِهِ الحُجَّةَ عَلَيهِم . وإنَّ اللَّهَ بَعَثَ عيسى‏ عليه السلام في وَقتٍ قَد ظَهَرَت فيهِ الزَّماناتُ واحتاجَ النّاسُ إلَى الطِّبِّ ، فأتاهُم مِن عِندِ اللَّهِ بِما لَم يَكُن عِندَهُم مِثلُهُ، وبِما أحْيا لَهُمُ المَوتى‏ ، وأبرَأ الأكمَهَ والأبرَصَ بِإذنِ اللَّهِ، وأثبَتَ بِهِ الحُجَّةَ عَلَيهِم . وإنَّ اللَّهَ بَعَثَ مُحَمَّداً صلى اللَّه عليه وآله في وَقتٍ كانَ الغالِبُ على‏ أهلِ عَصرِهِ الخُطَبَ والكَلامَ - وأظُنُّهُ قالَ : الشِّعرَ - فأتاهُم مِن عِندِ اللَّهِ مِن مَواعِظِهِ وحِكَمِهِ ما أبطَلَ بِهِ قَولَهُم، وأثبَتَ بِهِ الحُجَّةَ عَلَيهِم . الكافي : 1 / 24 / 20 .

 Imam al-Hadi (AS) said in reply to Ibn Sikkit’s question about the reason for Allah’s sending Prophet Moses (AS) with the staff [that turned into a snake], his illuminated hand and magic as a resource, and His sending Prophet Jesus (AS) with medicine as a resource, and His sending Prophet Muhammad (SAWA) with speech and eloquence, ‘Verily when Allah sent Moses (AS), the trend prevalent among the people of the time was magic, so he brought them something from Allah the like of which they were incapable of producing, which thwarted their magic, and with which he demonstrated the proof against them. And verily Allah sent Jesus (AS) at a time when paralytic diseases were widespread and people needed medicine, so he brought them something from Allah the like of which they did not have, and with which he brought life to the dead, cured the blind and the leper with Allah’s permission, and demonstrated the proof against them. And verily Allah sent Muhammad (SAWA) at an era when the prevalent trend among the people of the time was speech and eloquence – and I think he even said poetry – so he brought to them Allah’s exhortations and wisdoms with which he thwarted their words, and with which he demonstrated the proof against them.’ al-Kafi, v. 1, p. 24, no. 20

الإمامُ الهاديُّ عليه السلام : إنّ الخالِقَ لا يُوصَفُ إلّا بِما وَصَفَ بِهِ نَفسَهُ ، وأنّى‏ يُوصَفُ الخالِقُ الّذي تَعجُزُ الحَواسُّ أن تُدرِكَهُ ، والأوهامُ أن تَنالَهُ ، والخَطَراتُ أن تَحُدَّهُ ، والأبصارُ عَنِ الإحاطَةِ بِهِ ؟ ! جلَّ عَمّا يَصِفُهُ الواصِفونَ ، وتَعالى‏ عَمّا يَنعَتُهُ الناعِتونَ . كشف الغمّة : 3 / 176 .

 Imam al-Hadi (AS) said, ‘Verily the Creator can only be described by that which He Himself has described Himself, and how can the Creator ever be described anyway, Whom the senses are incapable of perceiving and the imaginations unable to grasp and the ideas unable to confine and the sights unable to contain?! He is too exalted for the description of those who undertake to describe, and too high to be attributed by those who seek to attach attributes to Him.’ Kashf al-Ghamma, v. 3, p. 176

الإمامُ الهاديُّ عليه السلام : الفَقرُ شَرَهُ النفسِ وشِدَّةُ القُنوطِ . بحار الأنوار : 78 / 368 / 3 .

 Imam al-Hadi (AS) said, 'Poverty is the greed of the self and the extremity of despair.' Bihar al-Anwar, v. 78, p. 368, no. 3

الإمامُ الهاديُّ عليه السلام : المَقاديرُ تُريكَ ما لَم يَخطُرْ بِبالِكَ . أعلام الدين : 311 .

 Imam al-Hadi (AS) said, 'Predeterminations show you what would have never crossed your mind.' Alam al-Din, p. 311

الإمامُ الهاديُّ عليه السلام : الجاهِلُ أسيرُ لِسانِهِ . الدّرة الباهرة : 41 .

 Imam al-Hadi (AS) said, 'The ignorant person is the prisoner of his own tongue.' al-Durra al-Bahira, p. 41

الإمامُ الهادي عليه السلام : ألقُوا النِّعَمَ بحُسنِ مُجاوَرَتِها ؛ والتَمِسوا الزِّيادَةَ فيها بالشُّكرِ علَيها ، واعلَموا أنّ النَّفسَ أقبَلُ شي‏ءٍ لِما اُعطِيَت ، وأمنَعُ شَي‏ءٍ لِما مُنِعَت . أعلام الدين : 312 

 Imam al-Hadi (AS) said, 'Meet bounties by embracing them, and plead for an increase in them by giving thanks for them, and know that the self is the most accepting of what it is given and the most resistant against that which it has been deprived of.' Alam al-Din, p. 312

الإمامُ الهادي عليه السلام : السَّهَرُ ألَذُّ لِلمَنامِ . أعلام الدين : 311 .

 Imam al-Hadi (AS) said, 'Staying awake makes sleeping more sweet.' Alam al-Din, p. 311

الإمامُ الهاديُّ عليه السلام : البُخلُ أذَمُّ الأخلاقِ . بحار الأنوار : 72 / 199 / 27 .

 Imam al-Hadi (AS) said, 'Miserliness is the most blameworthy vice.' Bihar al-Anwar, v. 72, p. 199, no. 27

الإمامُ الهاديُّ عليه السلام - وقد سُئلَ عنِ التّوبةِالنَّصُوحِ - : أنْ يَكونَ الباطِنُ كالظّاهِرِ وأفْضَلَ مِن ذلكَ . بحار الأنوار : 6 / 22 / 20 .

 Imam al-Hadi (AS) when he was asked about sincere repentance, said, ' [It is] when the inner self becomes identical to the outer behavior, and even better than it.' Bihar al-Anwar, v. 6, p. 22, no. 20

الإمامُ الهاديُّ عليه السلام : العِتابُ خَيرٌ مِن الحِقْدِ . بحار الأنوار : 78 / 369 / 4 .

 Imam al-Hadi (AS) said, 'Reproof [expressed] is better than resentment [harboured within].' Bihar al-Anwar, v. 78, p. 369, no. 4

الإمامُ الهاديُّ عليه السلام : الحِكمَةُ لا تَنْجَعُ في الطِّباعِ الفاسِدَةِ . بحار الأنوار : 78 / 370 / 4 .

 Imam al-Hadi (AS) said, 'Wisdom does not avail an immoral character.' Bihar al-Anwar, v. 78, p. 370, no. 4

الإمامُ الهاديُّ عليه السلام : مَنِ اتّقى‏ اللَّهَ يُتّقى‏. بحار الأنوار : 78 / 366 / 2 .

 Imam al-Hadi (AS) said, 'The one who is wary of Allah, Allah will make everyone wary of him.' Bihar al-Anwar, v. 77, p. 366, no. 32

الإمامُ الهاديُّ عليه السلام : خَيرٌ مِن الخَيرِ فاعِلُهُ ، وأجمَلُ مِن الجَميلِ قائلُهُ، وأرجَحُ مِن العِلمِ حامِلُهُ . بحار الأنوار : 78 / 370 / 4 .

 Imam al-Hadi (AS) said, 'Better than good is its doer, more beautiful than beautiful words is the one who says them and weightier than knowledge is the one who carries it.' Bihar al-Anwar, v. 78, p. 370, no. 4

 الإمامُ الهاديُّ عليه السلام : لَمّا كَلَّمَ اللَّهُ عزّوجلّ موسى ابنَ عِمرانَ عليه السلام قالَ موسى‏ : إلهي ... ما جَزاءُ مَن وَصَلَ رَحِمَهُ ؟ قالَ: يا موسى‏، أنسَأُ  لَهُ أجَلَهُ، واُهَوِّنُ علَيهِ سَكَراتِ المَوتِ . الأمالي للصدوق : 276 / 307 .

 Imam al-Hadi (AS) said, 'When Allah allowed [Prophet] Moses son of Amran (AS) to converse with Him, Moses (AS) asked, 'My God, what is the reward of one who maintains relations with his kin?' He replied, 'O Moses, I delay the appointed time of his death, and ease the pangs and agonies of death for him.' Amali al-Saduq, p. 173, no. 8

الإمامُ الهاديُّ عليه السلام : المِراءُ يُفسِدُ الصَّداقَةَ القَديمَةَ ، ويُحَلِّلُ العُقدَةَ الوَثِيقَةَ ، وأقَلُّ ما فيهِ أن تَكونَ فيهِ المُغالَبَةُ ، والمُغالَبَةُ اُسُّ أسبابِ القَطيعَةِ . أعلام الدين : 311

 Imam al-Hadi (AS) said, ‘The quarrel corrupts a long friendship and dissolves strong ties, the least of it is that one tries to overcome the other, and strife is the main cause of a break in friendship.’ Alam al-Din, no. 311

الإمامُ الهاديُّ عليه السلام : النّاسُ فِي الدّنيا بِالأموالِ ، وفي‏الآخِرَةِ بِالأعمالِ . الدرّة الباهرة : 41 .

 Imam al-Hadi (AS) said, ‘People transact through wealth in this world and through deeds in the Hereafter.’ al-Durra al-Bahira, p. 41

الإمامُ الهاديُّ عليه السلام : الغِنى‏ قِلَّةُ تَمَنِّيكَ والرِّضا بما يَكفِيكَ . الفَقرُ شَرَهُ النّفسِ وشِدَّةُ القُنُوطِ . الدرّة الباهرة : 41 .

 Imam al-Hadi (AS) said, ‘[Truly] Being rich is to wish for little and to be content with whatever suffices you, and [true] poverty is the voracity of the soul [for more] and severe despondence.’ al-Durra al-Bahira, p. 41

الإمامُ الهاديُّ عليه السلام : المِراءُ يُفسِدُ الصَّداقَةَ القَديمَةَ ، ويَحلُلُ العُقدَةَ الوَثيقَةَ ، وأقلُّ ما فيهِ أن تَكونَ فيهِ المُغالَبةُ ، والمُغالَبةُ اُسُّ أسبابِ القَطيعَةِ . أعلام الدين : 311 .

 Imam al-Hadi (AS) said, 'Disputation corrupts old friendships, undoes strong ties, and the least of it brings about agression, and agression is the basic cause of cutting off relations.' Alam al-Din, p. 311

 الإمامُ الهاديُّ عليه السلام : اُذكُرْ مَصرَعَكَ بينَ يَدَي أهلِكَ؛ ولا طَبيبَ يَمنَعُكَ، ولا حَبيبَ يَنفَعُكَ . بحار الأنوار: 78 / 370 / 4 .

 Imam al-Hadi (AS) said, 'Remember your death in front of your family; when there will be no doctor to prevent it from you and no beloved to help you.' Bihar al-Anwar, v. 78, p. 370, no. 4

الإمامُ الهادي عليه السلام : العُقوقُ يُعقِبُ القِلَّةَ ، ويُؤَدّي إلَى الذِّلَّةِ . بحار الأنوار : 74 / 84 / 95 .

  Imam al-Hadi (AS) said, 'Insolence brings about lack and leads to humiliation.' Bihar al-Anwar, v. 74, p. 84, no. 95

كشف الغمّة عن أيُّوب بن نوح: كانَ لِيَحيَى بنِ زَكَرِيّا حَملٌ، فَكَتَبَ إلَيهِ [أي إلَى الإِمامِ الهادي علیه السلام ]: إنَّ لي حَملاً فَادعُ اللهَ‏َ أن يَرزُقَني ابناً. فَكَتَبَ إلَيهِ: رُبَّ ابنَةٍ خَيرٌ مِن ابنٍ، فَوُلِدَت لَهُ ابنةٌ. كشف الغمّة: ج 3 ص 175، بحار الأنوار: ج 50 ص 177.

 Kashf al-Ghummah, narrating from Ayyub ibn Nuh who said: “Yahyā ibn Zachariah [his wife] was expecting a child, so he wrote to him [i.e. Imām al-Hādi] (a.s.), saying: “I am expecting a newborn, so please beseech Allah to grant me a son.” He [the Imām] (a.s.) wrote back to him: “Many a time it is that a daughter is better than a son!” And a daughter was born to him.” Kashf al-Ghummah, vol. 3, p. 175. Bihār al-Anwār, vol. 50, p. 177.