Forty Hadith of Shah Waliullah Dehlawi

لَیْسَ الْخَبَرُ کَالْمُعَایَنَةِ

The report is not like witnessing

الْحَرْبُ خُدَعَةٌ

War is deception

الْمُسْلِمُ مِرْآةُ الْمُسْلِمِ

A Muslim is a mirror of the Muslim

الْمُسْتَشَارُ مُؤتَمَنٌ

Someone whose advice is sought is in a position of trust

الدَّالُّ عَلَی الْخَیْرِ کَفَاعِلِهِ

The person guiding (someone) to do a good deed, is like the one performing the good deed

إِسْتَعِیْنُوْا عَلَی الْحَوَائِجِ بِالْکِتْمَانِ

Seek help for any needs discreetly

إِتَّقُوْا النَّارَ وَلَوْ بِشِقِّ تَمْرَةٍ

Protect yourself from the fire even with a part of a date

الدُّنْیَا سِجْنُ الْمُؤمِنِ وَ جَنَّةُ الْکَافِرِ

The world is the believer’s prison and the disbeliever’s paradise

الْحَیَاءُ خَیْرٌ کُلُّهُ

Modesty is entirely good

عِدَةُ الْمُؤمِنِ کَاَخْذِ الْکَفِّ

The word of the believer is like seizing of the hand

لَا یَحِلُّ لِمُؤمِنٍ اَنْ یَّجُهْرَ أخَاهُ فَوقَ ثَلَاثَةِ أیَّامٍ

It is unlawful for a believer to sever relations with his brother for more than three days

لَیْسَ مِنَّا مَنْ غَشَّنَا

He is not one of us who cheats us

مَا قَلَّ وَكَفَى خَيْرٌ مِمَّا كَثُرَ وَأَلْهَى

A little that suffices is better than an abundance that distracts

الرَّاجِعُ فِيْ هِبَتِهِ کَالرَّاجِعِ فِيْ قَیْئِهِ

Someone who takes back his gift is like someone who eats his vomit

الْبَلَاءُ مُوَکِّلٌ بِالْمَنْطِقِ

Affliction comes from (loose) talk

النَّاسُ کَأسْنَانِ الْمُشْطِ

People are like the teeth of a comb

الْغِنَى غِنَى النَّفْسِ

Richness lies in the richness of the soul

الْسَّعِیْدُ مَنْ وُّعِظَ بِغَیْرِهِ

The felicitous person takes lessons from (the actions of) others

وَ إِنَّ مِنَ الشِّعْرِ لَحِکْمَةً وَاِنَّ مِنَ الْبَیَانِ لَسِحْرًا

Indeed, in poetry there is wisdom and in eloquence there is magic

عَفْوُ الْمُلُوْكِ إِبْقَاءٌ لِلْمُلْكِ

The king’s pardon preserves the kingdom

اَلْمَرْءُ مَعَ مَنْ أَحَبَّ

A man will be with whom he loves

مَا هَلَكَ إمْرُؤٌ عَرَفَ قَدْرَهُ

A man who knows his worth will not be ruined

اَلْوَلَدُ لِلْفِرَاشِ وَ لِلْعَاهِرِ الْحَجَرُ

The child belongs to the bed and stoning is for the adulterer

الْیَدُ الْعُلْیَا خَیْرٌ مِّنَ الْیَدِ السُّفْلَی

The upper hand is superior to the lower hand

لَا شَکَرَ اللهَ مَنْ لَّا یَشْکُرُ النَّاسَ

He does not thank Allah who does not thank people

حُبُّكَ الشَّيْءَ یُعْمِيْ وَ یُصِمُّ

Your love of something can blind and deafen (you)

جُبِلَتِ الْقُلُوبُ عَلی حُبَّ مَنْ اَحْسَنَ اِلَیْهَا وَ بُغْضِ مَنْ اَسَاءَ اِلَیْهَا

Hearts are predisposed to love someone who does them good and detest someone who does them harm

الْتَّائِبُ مِنَ الذَّنْبِ کَمَنْ لَا ذَنْبَ لَهُ

One who repents from sin is like someone without sin

الشَّاهِدُ یَرَی مَا لَا یَرَاهُ الْغَائِبُ

The person who actually witnesses an (event) sees that which one who is absent does not

اِذا جَاءَکُمْ کَرِیْمُ قَوْمٍ فَاَکْرِمُوهُ

If the nobleman of a people comes to you, honour him

الْیَمِینُ الْفَاجِرَةُ تَدَعُ الدِّیَارَ الْبَلَاقِعَ

False oaths lay waste to home (lands)

مَنْ قُتِلَ دُونَ مَالِهِ فَهُوَ شَهِیْدٌ

Whoever is killed attempting to save his property is a martyr

الْاَعْمَالُ بِالنِّیَّةِ

Actions are through intentions

سَیِّدُ الْقَوْمِ خَادِمُهُمْ

The leader of a people is their servant

خَیْرُ الْأُمُوْرِ أَوْسَطُهَا

The best of affairs is that which is balanced

اَللَّهُمَّ بَارِكْ فِیْ أُمَّتِیْ فِی بُکُوْرِهَا یَوْمَ الْخَمِیْسِ

O Allah, bless my nation in its early rising on Thursdays

کَادَ الْفَقْرُ أَنْ یَکُوْنَ کُفْرًا

Poverty can almost turn into disbelief

الْسَّفَرُ قِطْعَةٌ مِّنَ الْعَذَابِ

Travelling is a portion of punishment

خَیْرُ زَّادِ الْتَّقْوَی

The best of provision is God-Consciousness (taqwa)

الْمَجَالِسُ بِالْاَمَانَةِ

Meetings are under trust