● حَسْبُكَ مِنَ الكِذْبِ أنْ تُحَدِّثَ بِكُلِّ مَا سَمِعْتَ.
Narrating whatever you have heard suffices to show your mendacity.
● لَيْسَ الغِنَى عَنْ كَثْرَةِ العَرَضِ، وَلكِنَّ الغِنَى غِنَى النَّفْسِ.
Needlessness does not in abundance lie; on needless souls does it rely.
● الغِنَى اليَأْسُ عَمَّا في أيْدِي النَّاسِ، وَمَنْ مَشَى مِنْكُمْ إلى طَمَعٍ فَلْيَمْشِ رُوَيْدَاً.
Needlessness lies in being hopeless of what people possess, and whoever walks in the way of greed, should slow his speed.
● حَدُّ الجِوارِ أرْبَعُوْنَ دارَاً.
Neighborhood extends to forty houses.
● جَارُ الدَّارِ أَحَقُّ بِدارِ الجَارِ.
Neighbors have priority (to others) in buying their neighbors' houses.
● لا تَدَعَنَّ حَقَّاً لِغَدٍ فَاِنَّ لِكُلِّ يَوْمٍ ما فيهِ.
Never leave your job for tomorrow, for each day has it's own share.
● لا تَتَمَنَّوُا المَوْتَ.
Never long for death.
● ما حَسَّنَ اللَّهُ خَلْقَ عَبْدٍ وَخُلْقَهُ إلاّ اسْتَحْيَا أنْ يُطْعِمَ لَحْمَهُ النَّارَ.
Never will God put to Fire the flesh of a servant to whom He has given good countenance and character.
● اِلْبَسْ جَدِيدَاً وَعِشْ حَمِيدَاً.
New dresses wear, and good fame (try to) bear.
● الشَّعْرُ الحَسَنُ أحَدُ الجَمَالَيْنِ يَكْسُوهُ اللَّهُ المَرْءُ المُسْلِمَ.
Nice hair is one of the two beauties God bestows on a Muslim.
● الخَطُّ الحَسَنُ يَزِيْدُ الحَقَّ وَضحَاً.
Nice handwriting adds to the clarity of truth.
● ما عُبِدَ اللَّهُ بِشَي ءٍ أفْضَلُ مِنْ فِقْهٍ في
No act of worship is superior to acquiring deep knowledge in
165
الدِّيْنِ.
religion.
● ما يَحِلُّ لِمُؤْمِنٍ أنْ يَشْتَدَّ إلى أخِيْهِ بِنَظْرَةٍ تُؤْذِيْهِ.
No believer is allowed to look harshly at his brother (in faith), bothering him thereof.
● لَيْسَ أحَدٌ أحَبَّ إليْهِ المَدْحُ مِنَ اللَّهِ، وَلا أحَدٌ أكْثَرَ مَعَاذِيْرَ مِنَ اللَّهِ.
No body loves being praised more than God, and nobody accepts excuses more than Him.
● ما تَصَدَّقَ النَّاسُ بِصَدَقَةٍ أفْضَلَ مِنْ عِلْمٍ يُنْشَرُ.
No charity is superior to people's diffusion of knowledge.
● ما صَدَقَةٌ أفْضَلَ مِنْ ذِكْرِ اللَّهِ تَعَالى.
No charity weighs over remembering the Exalted God.
● ما جُمِعَ شَي ءٌ إلى شَي ءٍ أفْضَلَ مِنْ عِلْمٍ إلى حِلْمٍ.
No combination is better than that of knowledge and patience.
● ما مِنْ شَىْ ءٍ في المِيْزَانِ أثْقَلُ مِنْ حُسْنِ الخُلْقِ.
No deed will be heavier in man's scale (of deeds) than good- temperedness.
● ما تَجَرَّعَ عَبْدٌ جُرْعَةً أفْضَلَ عِنْدَ اللَّهِ مِنْ جُرْعَةِ غَيْظٍ كَظَمَهَا ابْتِغَاءَ وَجْهِ اللَّهِ.
No drink is superior to God than a sip of anger a servant of God drinks to please Him.
● خَمْسٌ لَيْسَ لَهُنَّ كَفَّارَةٌ: الشِّرْكُ بِاللَّهِ، وَقَتْلُ النَّفْسِ بِغَيْرِ حَقٍّ، وَبَهْتُ المُؤْمِنِ، وَالفِرارُ مِنَ الزَّحْفِ، وَيَمِيْنٌ صَابِرَةٌ يَقْتَطِعُ بِهَا مَالاً بِغَيْرِ حَقٍّ.
No expiation can make up for the following five sins, and faithless is the one who lacks any single one of them: surrendering to the will of God, being pleased with His decrees, leaving one's affairs to Him, relying on Him, and keeping patient when one first faces a disaster.
● لا خَيرَ لَكَ في صُحْبَةِ مَنْ لا يَرى لَكَ ما يَرَى لِنَفْسِهِ.
No good can you find in the company of the one who does not count himself equal to you.
● ثَلاثَةٌ لا يَنْفَعُ مَعَهُنَّ عَمَلٌ: الشِّرْكُ بِاللَّهِ؛ وَعُقُوقُ الوالِدَيْنِ؛ وَالفِرارُ مِنَ الزَّحْفِ.
No good deed is of any benefit if coupled with the following sins: taking a partner with God, displeasing one's parents and escaping from battlefield.
166
● لا خَيْرَ في صُحْبَةِ مَنْ لا يَرَى لَكَ مِنَ الحَقِّ مِثْلَ ما تَرَى لَهُ.
No good is there in the company of the one who does not observe the rights you do for him.
● لا خَيْرَ فيمَنْ لا يُضيفُ.
No good is there in the one who does not invite guests.
D لا خَيْرَ في مَالٍ لا يُزْرَأُ مِنْهُ، وَجَسَدٍ لا يُنالُ مِنْهُ.
No good is there in the wealth without loss and in the flesh without pain.
● لا نَعْلَمُ شَيْئَاً خَيْراً مِنْ أَلْفٍ مِثْلِهِ اِلاّ الرَّجُلُ المُؤْمِنُ.
No grief is like unto that of debt, and no pain is like unto that of eyes.
● لا تَكُونَ زاهِداً حَتَّى تَكُونَ مُتَواضِعَاً.
No humility and no piety.
● ما كَانَتْ فَرْحَةٌ اِلاّ تَبَعَتْها تَرْحَةٌ.
No joy can escape being followed by grief.
● لا يَحْمِلَنَّكُمْ اِسْتِبْطاءُ أمْرٍ عَلى اسْتِعْجالِهِ؛ فَاِنَّ اللَّهَ عَزَّ وَجَلَّ لا يَعْجَلُ بِعَجَلَةِ أحَدٍ.
No man will sit with a woman in privacy, unless Satan is the third party to them.
● لا بَأْسَ بِالْغِنَى لِمَنِ اتَّقى، وَالصِّحَةُ لِمَنِ اتَّقى خَيْرٌ مِنَ الغِنَى، وَطِيْبُ النَّفْسِ مِنَ النَّعِيْمِ.
No matter if the pious is wealthy, but piety is better for them than riches, and peace of mind is among (God's) blessings.
● لا هَمَّ إلاّ هَمُّ الدَّيْنِ؛ وَلا وَجَعَ إلاّ وَجَعُ العَيْنِ.
No migration will be there after the conquest (of Mecca).
● كُلُّ المُسْلِمِ عَلَى المُسْلِمِ حَرَامٌ: دَمُهُ وَعِرْضُهُ وَمَالُهُ.
No Muslim is allowed to encroach upon another Muslim's possessions including his blood, fame and wealth.
● كُلُّ المُسْلِمِ عَلَى المُسْلِمِ حَرَامٌ: مَالُهُ وَعِرْضُهُ وَدَمُهُ، حَسْبُ امْرِى ءٍ مِنَ الشَّرِّ أنْ
No Muslim is allowed to encroach upon other Muslims' blood, fame and wealth. Belittling a Muslim brother
167
يُحَقِّرَ أخَاهُ المُسْلِمَ.
suffices (to show) one's evil.
● ما مِنْ شَيْ ءٍ أُطِيعَ اللَّهُ فِيْهِ بِأَعْجَلَ ثَوَابَاً مِنْ صِلَةِ الرَّحِم؛ وَما مِنْ عَمَلٍ يُعْصَى اللَّهُ فِيْهِ بِأَعْجَلَ عُقُوبَةً مِنْ بَغْيٍ.
No obedience to God fruits in quicker reward than observing bonds of kinship, and no disobedience to Him results in quicker punishment than oppression.
● لا يَبْغي عَلَى النَّاسِ اِلاّ وَلَدُ بَغِيٍّ؛ وَلا مَنْ فيهِ عِرْقٌ مِنْهُ.
No one achieves the state of virtue unless he connives at the permissible, out of fear for the impermissible.
● لا يَبْلُغُ العَبْدُ حَقيقَةَ الإيْمَانَ حَتَّى يَخْزُنَ مِنْ لِسانِهِ.
No one achieves true faith unless he comes to know that both what he gains and what he doesn't are predestined for him.
● لا يَبْلُغُ العَبْدُ أنْ يَكُونَ مِنَ المُتَّقينَ حَتَّى يَدَعَ ما لا بَأْسَ بِهِ حَذَراً لِمَا بِهِ البَأْسُ.
No one achieves true faith unless he controls his tongue.
● لا تُنْزَعُ الرَّحْمَةُ إلاّ مِنْ شَقِيٍّ.
No one but the wicked are deprived of (God's) mercy.
● ما اكْتَسَبَ مُكْتَسِبٌ مِثْلَ فَضْلِ عِلْمٍ يَهْدي صَاحِبَهُ إلى هُدَىً، أوْ يَرُدَّهُ عَنْ رَدىً؛ وَلا اسْتَقَامَ دِينُهُ حَتَّى يَسْتَقيمَ عَقْلُهُ.
No one can gain anything better than the knowledge leading its holder to guidance or saving him from danger, and no one's faith gets perfected unless his wisdom is improved.
● لا يَتَجالَسُ قَوْمٌ إلاّ بِالأَمَانَةِ.
No one is allowed to put himself into trouble in serving his guests.
● ما زُوِيَتِ الدُّنْيَا عَنْ أحَدٍ إلاّ كَانَتْ خَيْرَاً لَهُ.
No one is deprived of the world (secular benefits) without being rewarded in good.
● لَيْسَ أحَدٌ مِنْكُمْ بِأَكْسَبَ مِنْ أحَدٍ، قَدْ كَتَبَ اللَّهُ المُصِيْبَةَ وَالأجَلَ وَقَسَّمَ المَعِيْشَةَ وَالعَمَلَ.
No one is more capable of making a living than others, for God has predestined calamity, death, business and sustenance.
● ما مِنْ أحَدٍ أفْضَلَ عِنْدَ اللَّهِ مِنْ اِمَامٍ؛ إنْ قَالَ صَدَقَ؛ وَإنْ حَكَمَ عَدَلَ.
No one is more superior to God than a leader who tells the truth when speaking, and administers justice
168
● لَيْسَ لأحَدٍ عَلى أحَدٍ فَضْلٌ إلاّ بِالدِّيْنِ أوْ عَمَلٍ صَالِحٍ.
No one is superior to others save for faith and good deeds.
● لا يَتَمَّنى أحَدُكُمُ المَوْتَ؛ اِمَّا مُحْسِنَاً فَلَعَلَّهُ يَزْدَادُ؛ وَاِمَّا مُسِيْئَاً فَلَعَلَّهُ يُسْتَعْتَبُ.
No one is to wish for death when suffering (something).
● لا يَتَكَلَّفَنَّ أحَدٌ لِضَيْفِهِ ما لا يَقْدِرُ.
No one is to wish for death, for if you are on the right path, your good might increase, and if you are astray, you might go the way of salvation.
● لَيْسَ أحَدٌ مِنْ أُمَّتِي يَعُولُ ثَلاثَ بَنَاتٍ أوْ ثَلاثَ أخَوَاتٍ فَيُحْسِنُ اِلَيْهِنَّ إلاّ كُنَّ لَهُ سِتْرَاً مِنَ النَّارِ.
No one of my people is there to look kindly after three daughters or three sisters of his, unless God will keep him intact from Hell.
● لا يَسْتَقيمُ اِيْمَانُ عَبْدٍ حَتَّى يَسْتَقيمَ قَلْبُهُ؛ وَلا يَسْتَقيمُ قَلْبُهُ حَتَّى يَسْتَقيمَ لِسَانُهُ.
No one of you will be perfect in true faith unless he controls his tongue.
● لا يُؤْمِنُ عَبْدٌ حَتَّى يُحِبَّ لِنَفْسِهِ مِنَ الخَيْرِ ما يُحِبُّ لأَخِيْهِ المُسْلِمِ.
No one oppresses people, save the son of adultery or the one with a hue of it.
● لا يَرْحَمُ اللَّهُ مَنْ لا يَرْحَمُ النَّاسَ.
No one should reject his brother's gift; rather, he should compensate for it, if possible.
● ما مِنْ عَبْدٍ أُبْتُلِىَ بِبَلِيِّةٍ في الدُّنْيَا إلاّ بِذَنْبٍ؛ وَاللَّهُ أكْرَمُ وَأعْظَمُ عَفْوَاً مِنْ أنْ يَسْأَلَهُ عَنْ ذلِكَ الذَّنْبِ يَوْمَ القِيَامَةِ.
No one will be afflicted with calamity in this world, save in lieu of a sin he has committed, and God is too generous to call him to account for that very sin in the Day of Judgment.
● ما أكَلَ أحَدٌ طَعَامَاً قَطُّ خَيْرَاً مِنْ أنْ يَأْكُلَ مِنْ عَمَلِ يَدِهِ؛ وَإنَّ نَبِىَّ اللَّهِ دَاوُودَ كانَ يَأْكُلُ مِنْ عَمَلِ يَدِهِ.
No one will eat anything better than what he has himself earned. Verily, David (the Messenger of God) ate what he himself earned.
● لَنْ يَهْلِكَ امْرُؤٌ بَعْدَ مَشْوَرَةٍ.
No one will perish out of counseling
169
with others.
● ما ضَلَّ قَوْمٌ بَعْدَ هُدَىً كَانُوْا عَلَيْهِ إلاّ أُوْتُوْا الجَدَلَ.
No people will fall to deviation after having been guided unless they get into constant dispute among themselves.
● ما مِنْ رَجُلٍ مِنَ المُسْلِمِيْنَ أعْظَمَ أجْرَاً مِنْ وَزِيْرٍ صَالِحٍ مَعَ اِمَامٍ يُطيعُهُ وَيَأْمُرُهُ بِذَاتِ اللَّهِ.
No reward for a Muslim is greater than that of a qualified minister who obeys a king and makes him obey God.
● لا يُؤْمِنُ أحَدُكُمْ حَتَّى يُحِبَّ لأَخِيْهِ ما يُحِبُّ لِنَفْسِهِ.
No servant (of God) is a (true) believer unless he wishes for his Muslim brother what he does for himself.
● لا فاقَةَ لِعَبْدٍ يَقرَأُ القُرْآنَ؛ وَلا غِنى لَهُ بَعْدَهُ.
No sin is (counted) capital with deprecation, and no sin is venial with insistence (to commit it repeatedly).
● لا يَبْلُغُ العَبْدُ حَقيقَةَ الإيْمَانِ حَتَّى يَعْلَمَ أنَّ ما أصَابَهُ لَمْ يَكُنْ لِيُخْطِئَهُ؛ وَما أخْطأَهُ لَمْ يَكُنْ لِيُصِيْبَهُ.
No trustworthiness, and no companionship.
● ما نَحَلَ وَالِدٌ وَلَدَهُ أفْضَلَ مِنْ أدَبٍ حَسَنٍ.
No wealth of a father for his child is better than courtesy.
● ما نَقَصَ مَالٌ مِنْ صَدَقَةٍ، وَلا عَفَى رَجُلٌ عَنْ مَظْلَمَةٍ اِلاّ زَادَهُ اللَّهُ بِهَا عِزَّاً.
No wealth will decrease through charity, and no one will sustain a loss through abandoning sins; rather will God make his dignity increase.
● ما شَقَى عَبْدٌ قَطُّ بِمَشْورَةٍ؛ وَما سَعَدَ بِاسْتِغْناءٍ بِرَأْيِ.
Nobody becomes unlucky for consultation and lucky for obstinacy.
● لَيْسَ مِنِّي إلاّ عَالِمٌ أوْ مُتَعَلِّمٌ.
Nobody belongs to me save the knowledgeable and the seekers of knowledge.
● ما أُوْذِيَ أحَدٌ ما أُوْذِيْتُ في اللَّهِ.
Nobody has ever suffered as me in the way of God.
170
● لا يَجْلِسُ الرَّجُلُ بَيْنَ الرَّجُلِ وَابْنِهِ في الَمجْلِسِ.
Nobody hoards (goods), save a wrongdoer.
● ثَلاثٌ لَيْسَ لِأحَدِ النَّاسِ فيهِ رُخْصَةٌ: بِرُّ الوالِدَيْنِ؛ مُسْلِمَاً كانَ أَوْ كافِرَاً؛ وَالوَفاءُ بِالعَهْدِ؛ لِمُسْلِمٍ أَوْ كافِرٍ؛ وَالاَمانَةُ اِلى مُسْلِمٍ.
Nobody is allowed to abandon the following three: kindness to parents, being them Muslims or non- Muslims, keeping one's promise for Muslims and non- Muslims, and returning Muslims' deposits.
● لا طَاعَةَ لِأحَدٍ في مَعْصِيَةِ اللَّهِ؛ إِنَّما الطَّاعَةُ في المَعْرُوفِ.
Nobody is allowed to obey (others) in disobedience of God. Obedience is only (permissible) in good deeds.
● لا شَيْ ءَ أغْيَرُ مِنَ اللَّهِ.
Nobody is more zealous than God.
● لا هِجْرَةَ بَعْدَ الفَتِْحِ.
None of you is a (true) believer unless he wishes for his brother what he does for himself.
● ما رَأيْتُ مِثْلَ النَّارِ نَامَ هَارِبُهَا، وَلا مِثْلَ الجَنَّةِ نَامَ طَالِبُهَا.
Nothing as Hell do I know with its haters not being negligent, and nothing as Paradise do I know with its lovers not being asleep!
● ما تَقَرَّبَ العَبْدُ إلَى اللَّهِ بِشَى ءِ أفْضَلَ مِنْ سُجُوْدٍ خَفِىٍّ.
Nothing can bring a servant of God more proximity to Him than hidden (private) prostration.
● لا يَرُدُّ الرَّجُلُ هَدِيَّةَ أخِيْهِ فَاِنْ وَجَدَ فَلْيُكافِئْهُ
Nothing can ward off one's predestined fate save praying, and nothing can prolong one's life save benevolence.
● لَمْ يَبْقَ مِنَ النُّبُوَّةِ إلاّ المُبَشِّرَاتُ: الرُّؤْيَا الصَّادِقَةُ.
Nothing has been left of Prophethood, save the givers of good tidings, i.e. true dreams.
● ما مِنْ عَمَلٍ أفْضَلَ مِنْ اِشْبَاعِ كَبَدِ جَائٍِع.
Nothing is better than feeding a hungry stomach.
● ما مِنْ شَيْ ءٍ أحَبُّ إلَى اللَّهِ تَعَالى مِنْ شَابٍّ تَائِبٍ؛ وَما مِنْ شَيْ ءٍ أبْغَضُ إلَى اللَّهِ
Nothing is more beloved to the Exalted God than the penitent youth, and nothing is more hated by Him than the aged indulged in their sins.
171
تَعَالى مِنْ شَيْخٍ مُقيمٍ عَلى مَعاصِيْهِ.
● لا شَي ءَ أحَقُّ بِالسِّجِنِ مِنَ اللِّسانِ.
Nothing is more entitled to be imprisoned than (man's) tongue.
● ما مِنْ جُرْعَةٍ أحَبَّ إلى اللَّهِ مِنْ جُرْعَةِ غَيْظٍ كَظَمَها رَجُلٌ؛ أوْ جُرْعَةِ صَبْرٍ عَلى مُصيبَةٍ، وَما مِنْ قَطْرَةٍ أحَبَّ إلى اللَّهِ مِنْ قَطْرَةِ دَمْعٍ أُهْرِيقَتْ مِنْ خَشْيَةِ اللَّهِ، وَقَطْرَةِ دَمٍ أُهْرِيقَتْ في سَبيلِ اللَّهِ.
Nothing is more favorable to God than a sip of anger or a sip of patience one drinks, and no drop is more favorable to God than a drop of tear dripped out of fear of God or a drop of blood shed for the cause of Him.
● ما مِنْ جُرْعَةٍ أحَبُّ إلَى اللَّهِ تَعَالى مِنْ جُرْعَةِ غَيْظٍ يَكْظِمُهَا عَبْدٌ؛ ما كَظَمَهَا عَبْدٌ إلاّ مَلَأَ اللَّهُ تَعَالى جَوْفَهُ اِيْمَانَاً.
Nothing is more favorable to the Exalted God than a sip of anger one drinks, and He will load with faith the heart of whoever does so.
● لَيْسَ شَي ءٌ أَكْرَمَ عَلى اللَّهِ تَعَالى مِنَ المُؤْمِنِ.
Nothing is worthier than a believer to the Exulted God.
● لَيْسَ شَيْ ءٌ أكْرَمَ عِنْدَ اللَّهِ مِنَ الدُّعَاءِ.
Nothing is worthier to God than praying.
● ما مَحَقَ الإسْلامَ مَحْقَ الشُّحِّ شَيْ ءٌ.
Nothing ruins Islam as much as miserliness.
● لَيْسَ شَي ءٌ خَيْرَاً مِنْ ألْفِ مِثْلِهِ إلاّ الإنْسَانُ.
Nothing save man is better than a thousand like himself.
● لا سَهْلَ إلاّ ما جَعَلْتَ سَهْلاً.
Nothing will be easy unless one takes it easy.
● لَيْسَ شَيْ ءٌ أثْقَلَ في المِيْزَانِ مِنَ الخُلْقِ الحَسَنِ.
Nothing will be heavier than good temper in one's Balance of deeds.
source : NAHJ AL-FASAHAH HEIGHT OF RHETORIC Translation of WISE OF THE HOLY PROPHRT, MUHAMMAD
