Forty Hadith of Shah Waliullah Dehlawi

The report is not like witnessing.

لَيْسَ الْخَبَرُ كَالْمُعَايَنَةِ

War is deception.

الْحَرْبُ خُدْعَةٌ

A Muslim is a mirror of the Muslim.

الْمُسْلِمُ مِرْآةُ الْمُسْلِمِ

Someone whose advice is sought is in a position of trust.

الْمُسْتَشَارُ مُؤْتَمَنٌ

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

الدَّالُّ عَلَى الْخَيْرِ كَفَاعِلِهِ

Seek help for any needs discreetly.

اسْتَعِينُوا عَلَى قَضَاءِ الْحَوَائِجِ بِالْكِتْمَانِ

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

اتَّقُوا النَّارَ وَلَوْ بِشِقِّ تَمْرَةٍ

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

الدُّنْيَا سِجْنُ الْمُؤْمِنِ وَجَنَّةُ الْكَافِرِ

Modesty is entirely good.

الْحَيَاءُ خَيْرٌ كُلُّهُ

The word of the believer is like seizing of the hand.

عِدَةُ الْمُؤْمِنِ كَأَخْذِ الْكَفِّ

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

لَا يَحِلُّ لِمُؤْمِنٍ أَنْ يَهْجُرَ أَخَاهُ فَوْقَ ثَلَاثَةِ أَيَّامٍ

He is not one of us who cheats us.

لَيْسَ 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 فِي هِبَتِهِ كَالرَّاجِعِ فِي قَيْئِهِ

Affliction comes from (loose) talk.

الْبَلَاءُ مُوَكَّلٌ بِالْمَنْطِقِ

People are like the teeth of a comb.

النَّاسُ كَأَسْنَانِ الْمُشْطِ

Richness lies in the richness of the soul.

الْغِنَى غِنَى النَّفْسِ

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

السَّعِيدُ مَنْ وُعِظَ بِغَيْرِهِ

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

إِنَّ مِنَ الشِّعْرِ لَحِكْمَةً، وَإِنَّ مِنَ الْبَيَانِ لَسِحْرًا

The king’s pardon preserves the kingdom.

عَفْوُ الْمُلُوكِ إِبْقَاءٌ لِلْمُلْكِ

A man will be with whom he loves.

الْمَرْءُ مَعَ مَنْ أَحَبَّ

A man who knows his worth will not be ruined.

رَحِمَ اللهُ امْرَأً عَرَفَ قَدْرَهُ

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

الْوَلَدُ لِلْفِرَاشِ وَلِلْعَاهِرِ الْحَجَرُ

The upper hand is superior to the lower hand.

الْيَدُ الْعُلْيَا خَيْرٌ مِنَ الْيَدِ السُّفْلَى

He does not thank Allah who does not thank people.

لَا يَشْكُرُ اللهَ مَنْ لَا يَشْكُرُ النَّاسَ