Forty Hadith of Shah Waliullah Dehlawi

The report is not like witnessing

لَیْسَ الْخَبَرُ کَالْمُعَایَنَةِ

War is deception

الْحَرْبُ خُدَعَةٌ

A Muslim is a mirror of the Muslim

الْمُسْلِمُ مِرْآةُ الْمُسْلِمِ

Someone whose advice is sought is in a position of trust

الْمُسْتَشَارُ مُؤتَمَنٌ

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

الدَّالُّ عَلَی الْخَیْرِ کَفَاعِلِهِ

Seek help for any needs discreetly

إِسْتَعِیْنُوْا عَلَی الْحَوَائِجِ بِالْکِتْمَانِ

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

إِتَّقُوْا النَّارَ وَلَوْ بِشِقِّ تَمْرَةٍ

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

الدُّنْیَا سِجْنُ الْمُؤمِنِ وَ جَنَّةُ الْکَافِرِ

Modesty is entirely good

الْحَیَاءُ خَیْرٌ کُلُّهُ

The word of the believer is like seizing of the hand

عِدَةُ الْمُؤمِنِ کَاَخْذِ الْکَفِّ

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

لَا یَحِلُّ لِمُؤمِنٍ اَنْ یَّجُهْرَ أخَاهُ فَوقَ ثَلَاثَةِ أیَّامٍ

He is not one of us who cheats us

لَیْسَ مِنَّا مَنْ غَشَّنَا

A little that suffices is better than an abundance that distracts

مَا قَلَّ وَكَفَى خَيْرٌ مِمَّا كَثُرَ وَأَلْهَى

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

الرَّاجِعُ فِيْ هِبَتِهِ کَالرَّاجِعِ فِيْ قَیْئِهِ

Affliction comes from (loose) talk

الْبَلَاءُ مُوَکِّلٌ بِالْمَنْطِقِ

People are like the teeth of a comb

النَّاسُ کَأسْنَانِ الْمُشْطِ

Richness lies in the richness of the soul

الْغِنَى غِنَى النَّفْسِ

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

الْسَّعِیْدُ مَنْ وُّعِظَ بِغَیْرِهِ

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

وَ إِنَّ مِنَ الشِّعْرِ لَحِکْمَةً وَاِنَّ مِنَ الْبَیَانِ لَسِحْرًا

The king’s pardon preserves the kingdom

عَفْوُ الْمُلُوْكِ إِبْقَاءٌ لِلْمُلْكِ

A man will be with whom he loves

اَلْمَرْءُ مَعَ مَنْ أَحَبَّ

A man who knows his worth will not be ruined

مَا هَلَكَ إمْرُؤٌ عَرَفَ قَدْرَهُ

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

اَلْوَلَدُ لِلْفِرَاشِ وَ لِلْعَاهِرِ الْحَجَرُ

The upper hand is superior to the lower hand

الْیَدُ الْعُلْیَا خَیْرٌ مِّنَ الْیَدِ السُّفْلَی

He does not thank Allah who does not thank people

لَا شَکَرَ اللهَ مَنْ لَّا یَشْکُرُ النَّاسَ

Your love of something can blind and deafen (you)

حُبُّكَ الشَّيْءَ یُعْمِيْ وَ یُصِمُّ

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

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

One who repents from sin is like someone without sin

الْتَّائِبُ مِنَ الذَّنْبِ کَمَنْ لَا ذَنْبَ لَهُ

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

الشَّاهِدُ یَرَی مَا لَا یَرَاهُ الْغَائِبُ

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

اِذا جَاءَکُمْ کَرِیْمُ قَوْمٍ فَاَکْرِمُوهُ

False oaths lay waste to home (lands)

الْیَمِینُ الْفَاجِرَةُ تَدَعُ الدِّیَارَ الْبَلَاقِعَ

Whoever is killed attempting to save his property is a martyr

مَنْ قُتِلَ دُونَ مَالِهِ فَهُوَ شَهِیْدٌ

Actions are through intentions

الْاَعْمَالُ بِالنِّیَّةِ

The leader of a people is their servant

سَیِّدُ الْقَوْمِ خَادِمُهُمْ

The best of affairs is that which is balanced

خَیْرُ الْأُمُوْرِ أَوْسَطُهَا

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

اَللَّهُمَّ بَارِكْ فِیْ أُمَّتِیْ فِی بُکُوْرِهَا یَوْمَ الْخَمِیْسِ

Poverty can almost turn into disbelief

کَادَ الْفَقْرُ أَنْ یَکُوْنَ کُفْرًا

Travelling is a portion of punishment

الْسَّفَرُ قِطْعَةٌ مِّنَ الْعَذَابِ

The best of provision is God-Consciousness (taqwa)

خَیْرُ زَّادِ الْتَّقْوَی

Meetings are under trust

الْمَجَالِسُ بِالْاَمَانَةِ