fbpx
Wikipedia

Ghurar al-hikam

April 13, 2024

Ghurar al-ḥikam wa durar al-kalim (Arabic: غرر الحکم و درر الکلم, lit. 'exalted aphorisms and pearls of speech') is a large collection of aphorisms attributed to Ali ibn Abi Talib (d. 661), the fourth Rashidun caliph (r. 656–661), the first Shia imam, and the cousin and son-in-law of the Islamic prophet Muhammad. This work was compiled by the Muslim scholar Abd al-Wahid al-Amidi (d. 1116).

Compiler edit

Ghurar al-hikam was compiled by Abd al-Wahid al-Amidi (d. 1116), who has been described as either a Shafi'i jurist or a Twelver Shia scholar.[1] He was a student of the Sufi scholar Ahmad al-Ghazali (d. 1123),[2] and a teacher to Ibn Shahrashub (d. 1192), a prominent Twelver scholar.[1]

Contents edit

Ghurar al-hikam is a collection of over ten thousand pietistic and ethical sayings attributed to Ali, taken from various sources, including Nahj al-balagha by the Twelver theologian Sharif al-Radi (d. 1015), Mi'a kalema (lit. 'hundred sayings [of Ali]') by the Abbasid-era scholar al-Jahiz (d. 869),[2][1] Tuhuf al-uqul by the Shia traditionist Ibn Shu'ba al-Harrani, and Dustur ma'alim al-hikam by the Shafi'i jurist al-Quda'i (d. 1062).[2] The oldest extant manuscript of Ghurar al-hikam dates to 1123 CE.[2] The aphorisms in Ghurar al-hikam and other works attributed to Ali are said to have exerted considerable influence on the Islamic mysticism throughout its history.[3]

Passages edit

  • Consider not who said [it], rather, look at what he said.[2]
  • If your aspiration ascends to the reforming of the people, [then] begin with yourself, for your pursuit of the reform of others, when your own soul is corrupt, is the greatest of faults.[4]


  • Action–all action–is dust, except what is purified [accomplished sincerely] within it.[5]
  • Make purely (akhlis) for God your action and your knowledge, your love and your hatred, your talking and your leaving, your speech and your silence.[6]
  • Action without knowledge is error.[7]


  • The invocation [of God] is not a formality of speech nor a way of thinking; rather, it comes forth firstly from the Invoked [i.e., God], and secondly from the invoker (awwal min al-madhkur wa th'anin min al-dh'akir).[3][8]
  • Where are they whose actions are accomplished purely for God, and who purify their hearts [so that they become] places for the remembrance of God?[9]
  • Do not remember God absent-mindedly (s'ahiyan), nor forget Him in distraction; rather, remember Him with perfect remembrance (dhikran k'amilan), a remembrance in which your heart and tongue are in harmony, and what you conceal conforms with what you reveal. But you will not remember Him according to the true reality of the remembrance (haqiqat al-dhikr) until you forget your own soul in your remembrance.[3][10]
  • Perpetuate the dhikr, for truly it illuminates the heart, and it is the most excellent form of worship.[11]
  • He who loves a thing dedicates himself fervently to its invocation.[12]
  • Whoever invokes God, glorified be He, God enlivens his heart and illuminates his inner substance (lubb).[13]


  • He who knows his soul fights it.[14]
  • The ultimate battle is that of a man against his own ego.[4]
  • The strongest people are those who are strongest against their own egos.[4]
  • Struggling against the ego through knowledge—such is the mark of the intellect.[4]
 
Folio from an old manuscript of Ghurar al-hikam


  • The dispensing of mercy brings down [divine] mercy.[15]
  • As you grant mercy, so will you be granted mercy.[16]
  • I am astounded by the person who hopes for mercy from one above him, while he is not merciful to those beneath him.[16]


  • [Divine] knowledge calls out for action; if it is answered [it is of avail], otherwise it departs.[17]
  • He attains deliverance whose intellect dominates his caprice.[7]
  • The intellect (al-aql) and passion (al-hawa) are opposites. The intellect is strengthened by knowledge, passion by caprice. The soul (al-nafs) is between them, pulled by both. Whichever triumphs has the soul on its side.[18]
  • He who knows God integrates himself (tawahhad). He who knows his soul disengages himself (tajarrad). He who knows people isolates himself (tafarrad). He who knows the world withholds himself (tazahhad).[6]
  • Acquire [divine] knowledge, and [true] life will acquire you.[19]
  • The prophet of a man is the interpreter of his intellect (rasul al-rajul tarjuman aqlihi).[20][21]
  • There is no religion for one who has no intellect.[7]
  • Learning and reflecting upon knowledge is the delight of the knowers.[22]
  • The excellence of the intellect is in the beauty of things outward and inward (jama'l al-zawahir wa'l-bawatin).[23]


See also edit

Footnotes edit

  1. ^ a b c Gleave 2008.
  2. ^ a b c d e Shah-Kazemi 2007, p. 4.
  3. ^ a b c Jozi & Shah-Kazemi 2015.
  4. ^ a b c d Shah-Kazemi 2006, p. 80.
  5. ^ Shah-Kazemi 2007, p. 50.
  6. ^ a b Shah-Kazemi 2007, p. 42.
  7. ^ a b c Shah-Kazemi 2007, p. 49.
  8. ^ Shah-Kazemi 2007, p. 168.
  9. ^ Shah-Kazemi 2007, p. 145.
  10. ^ Shah-Kazemi 2007, p. 162.
  11. ^ Shah-Kazemi 2007, p. 138.
  12. ^ Shah-Kazemi 2007, p. 157.
  13. ^ Shah-Kazemi 2007, p. 159.
  14. ^ Shah-Kazemi 2007, p. 40.
  15. ^ Shah-Kazemi 2006, p. 83.
  16. ^ a b Shah-Kazemi 2007, p. 99.
  17. ^ Shah-Kazemi 2007, p. 44.
  18. ^ Shah-Kazemi 2007, p. 68.
  19. ^ Shah-Kazemi 2007, p. 45.
  20. ^ Shah-Kazemi 2006, p. 63.
  21. ^ Shah-Kazemi 2007, pp. 25–26.
  22. ^ Shah-Kazemi 2007, p. 46.
  23. ^ Shah-Kazemi 2007, p. 47.

References edit

  • Gleave, Robert M. (2008). "ʿAlī b. Abī Ṭālib". In Fleet, Kate; Krämer, Gudrun; Matringe, Denis; Nawas, John; Stewart, Devin J. (eds.). Encyclopaedia of Islam (Third ed.). doi:10.1163/1573-3912_ei3_COM_26324. ISBN 9789004171374.
  • Jozi, Mohammad Reza; Shah-Kazemi, Reza (2015). "'Alī b. Abī Ṭālib 6. Mysticism (Taṣawwuf and 'Irfān)". In Daftary, Farhad (ed.). Encyclopaedia Islamica. Translated by Brown, Keven. doi:10.1163/1875-9831_isla_COM_0252.
  • Shah-Kazemi, Reza (2006). "A Sacred Conception of Justice: Imam 'Ali's Letter to Malik al-Ashtar". In Lakhani, M. Ali (ed.). The Sacred Foundations of Justice in Islam: The Teachings of 'Alī Ibn Abī Ṭālib. World Wisdom. pp. 61–108. ISBN 9781933316260.
  • Shah-Kazemi, Reza (2007). Justice and Remembrance: Introducing the Spirituality of Imam 'Ali. I.B. Tauris. ISBN 9781845115265.

External links edit

  • Ghurar al-hikam in English

April 13, 2024
ghurar, hikam, ghurar, ḥikam, durar, kalim, arabic, غرر, الحکم, درر, الکلم, exalted, aphorisms, pearls, speech, large, collection, aphorisms, attributed, talib, fourth, rashidun, caliph, first, shia, imam, cousin, islamic, prophet, muhammad, this, work, compil. Ghurar al ḥikam wa durar al kalim Arabic غرر الحکم و درر الکلم lit exalted aphorisms and pearls of speech is a large collection of aphorisms attributed to Ali ibn Abi Talib d 661 the fourth Rashidun caliph r 656 661 the first Shia imam and the cousin and son in law of the Islamic prophet Muhammad This work was compiled by the Muslim scholar Abd al Wahid al Amidi d 1116 Contents 1 Compiler 2 Contents 3 Passages 4 See also 5 Footnotes 6 References 7 External linksCompiler editGhurar al hikam was compiled by Abd al Wahid al Amidi d 1116 who has been described as either a Shafi i jurist or a Twelver Shia scholar 1 He was a student of the Sufi scholar Ahmad al Ghazali d 1123 2 and a teacher to Ibn Shahrashub d 1192 a prominent Twelver scholar 1 Contents editGhurar al hikam is a collection of over ten thousand pietistic and ethical sayings attributed to Ali taken from various sources including Nahj al balagha by the Twelver theologian Sharif al Radi d 1015 Mi a kalema lit hundred sayings of Ali by the Abbasid era scholar al Jahiz d 869 2 1 Tuhuf al uqul by the Shia traditionist Ibn Shu ba al Harrani and Dustur ma alim al hikam by the Shafi i jurist al Quda i d 1062 2 The oldest extant manuscript of Ghurar al hikam dates to 1123 CE 2 The aphorisms in Ghurar al hikam and other works attributed to Ali are said to have exerted considerable influence on the Islamic mysticism throughout its history 3 Passages editConsider not who said it rather look at what he said 2 If your aspiration ascends to the reforming of the people then begin with yourself for your pursuit of the reform of others when your own soul is corrupt is the greatest of faults 4 Action all action is dust except what is purified accomplished sincerely within it 5 Make purely akhlis for God your action and your knowledge your love and your hatred your talking and your leaving your speech and your silence 6 Action without knowledge is error 7 The invocation of God is not a formality of speech nor a way of thinking rather it comes forth firstly from the Invoked i e God and secondly from the invoker awwal min al madhkur wa th anin min al dh akir 3 8 Where are they whose actions are accomplished purely for God and who purify their hearts so that they become places for the remembrance of God 9 Do not remember God absent mindedly s ahiyan nor forget Him in distraction rather remember Him with perfect remembrance dhikran k amilan a remembrance in which your heart and tongue are in harmony and what you conceal conforms with what you reveal But you will not remember Him according to the true reality of the remembrance haqiqat al dhikr until you forget your own soul in your remembrance 3 10 Perpetuate the dhikr for truly it illuminates the heart and it is the most excellent form of worship 11 He who loves a thing dedicates himself fervently to its invocation 12 Whoever invokes God glorified be He God enlivens his heart and illuminates his inner substance lubb 13 He who knows his soul fights it 14 The ultimate battle is that of a man against his own ego 4 The strongest people are those who are strongest against their own egos 4 Struggling against the ego through knowledge such is the mark of the intellect 4 nbsp Folio from an old manuscript of Ghurar al hikam The dispensing of mercy brings down divine mercy 15 As you grant mercy so will you be granted mercy 16 I am astounded by the person who hopes for mercy from one above him while he is not merciful to those beneath him 16 Divine knowledge calls out for action if it is answered it is of avail otherwise it departs 17 He attains deliverance whose intellect dominates his caprice 7 The intellect al aql and passion al hawa are opposites The intellect is strengthened by knowledge passion by caprice The soul al nafs is between them pulled by both Whichever triumphs has the soul on its side 18 He who knows God integrates himself tawahhad He who knows his soul disengages himself tajarrad He who knows people isolates himself tafarrad He who knows the world withholds himself tazahhad 6 Acquire divine knowledge and true life will acquire you 19 The prophet of a man is the interpreter of his intellect rasul al rajul tarjuman aqlihi 20 21 There is no religion for one who has no intellect 7 Learning and reflecting upon knowledge is the delight of the knowers 22 The excellence of the intellect is in the beauty of things outward and inward jama l al zawahir wa l bawatin 23 See also editNahj al balagha Al Sahifa al sajjadiyya List of Shia booksFootnotes edit a b c Gleave 2008 a b c d e Shah Kazemi 2007 p 4 a b c Jozi amp Shah Kazemi 2015 a b c d Shah Kazemi 2006 p 80 Shah Kazemi 2007 p 50 a b Shah Kazemi 2007 p 42 a b c Shah Kazemi 2007 p 49 Shah Kazemi 2007 p 168 Shah Kazemi 2007 p 145 Shah Kazemi 2007 p 162 Shah Kazemi 2007 p 138 Shah Kazemi 2007 p 157 Shah Kazemi 2007 p 159 Shah Kazemi 2007 p 40 Shah Kazemi 2006 p 83 a b Shah Kazemi 2007 p 99 Shah Kazemi 2007 p 44 Shah Kazemi 2007 p 68 Shah Kazemi 2007 p 45 Shah Kazemi 2006 p 63 Shah Kazemi 2007 pp 25 26 Shah Kazemi 2007 p 46 Shah Kazemi 2007 p 47 References editGleave Robert M 2008 ʿAli b Abi Ṭalib In Fleet Kate Kramer Gudrun Matringe Denis Nawas John Stewart Devin J eds Encyclopaedia of Islam Third ed doi 10 1163 1573 3912 ei3 COM 26324 ISBN 9789004171374 Jozi Mohammad Reza Shah Kazemi Reza 2015 Ali b Abi Ṭalib 6 Mysticism Taṣawwuf and Irfan In Daftary Farhad ed Encyclopaedia Islamica Translated by Brown Keven doi 10 1163 1875 9831 isla COM 0252 Shah Kazemi Reza 2006 A Sacred Conception of Justice Imam Ali s Letter to Malik al Ashtar In Lakhani M Ali ed The Sacred Foundations of Justice in Islam The Teachings of Ali Ibn Abi Ṭalib World Wisdom pp 61 108 ISBN 9781933316260 Shah Kazemi Reza 2007 Justice and Remembrance Introducing the Spirituality of Imam Ali I B Tauris ISBN 9781845115265 External links editGhurar al hikam in English Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Ghurar al hikam amp oldid 1173972526, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,

article

, read, download, free, free download, mp3, video, mp4, 3gp, jpg, jpeg, gif, png, picture, music, song, movie, book, game, games.