كثير

Imam Ali (AS) said, describing the believer, ‘Great is his silence and occupied is his time.

Imam Ali (AS) said, A believer is one whose affair is near, whose sorrow is distant, whose silence is much and whose actions are sincere.

Imam Ali (AS) said, ‘The believer is such that his joy is evident on his face whereas his sorrow is in his heart. His breast is at its widest [i.e. biggest heart] but his ego is at its lowest. He despises high rank and shuns reputation. His grief is long-lasting and his ambition is lofty. His silence is much and his time occupied. He is grateful, extremely patient, and immersed in deep thought. He is thrifty with his needs. He is good-natured and mild-tempered. His soul is firmer than steel whilst he [i.e. his ego] remains lower than a slave.

Imam Ali (AS) said, The cheerfulness of a believer is in his face and his sorrow is in his heart. He has the broadest chest (i.e. has great patience, knowledge and virtue) and is most humble in spirit. He hates high position and dislikes renown. His grief is long, his sorrow is distant, his silence is much and his time is occupied. He is grateful and patient, submerged in his thoughts [about the Hereafter], sparing in his friendship, easy going and of soft temperament. He is firmer than a hard rock but humbler than a slave.

“I heard ʿAlī (a) say, ‘Verily Allah has some servants whose hearts have been humbled by the awe of Allah, so they abstain from speech despite being eloquent, articulate, wise, and noble. They race towards Him with pure actions, not considering their numerous [good] deeds to be much, nor being satisfied with [only] little. They consider themselves to be vile while they are [truly] sagacious and virtuous.’”