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Shiavault - a Vault of Shia Islamic Books Ethical Discourses: Volume 1 Discourse 1: We Must Always Go To The Source of The Problem Imam 'Ali b. Muhammad al-Hadi (as) was a great Imam who lived under some of the hardest conditions and opposition (to his leadership). It was through the use of the military (of the ruling class of that time), that the Imam was forcefully separated from his Shia (followers); and it is because of this, that there are not many traditions narrated from this Imam.

One of the crimes which the Bani Umayyah and the Bani 'Abbas perpetrated on the nation was the cutting off of all relations and ties between the people and the A`immah of the Ahlul Bait (as). If this cutting off of contact had not been done, then today we would have had countless books at our disposal containing the words of these great personalities. In the time period between the leadership of Imam Muhammad b. 'Ali al-Baqir (as) and Imam Ja'far b.

Muhammad as-Sadiq (as), we see what kind of valuable treasures were left behind for their followers. However it is after this time, meaning during the time of Imam Musa b. Ja'far al-Kazim (as) in which the limits and restrictions were imposed (on the A`immah (as)). In any case, there are some short sayings available from Imam 'Ali b. Muhammad al-Hadi (as) even though the words which have reached us from this personality are quite few in number.

Nevertheless, we will explain one of the short sayings of this Imam. خَيْرٌ مِنَ الْخَيْرِ فَاعِلُهُ وَ أَجْمَلَ مِنَ الْجَمِيلِ قَائِلُهُ وَ أَرْجَحَ مِنَ الْعِلْمِ حَامِلُهُ وَ شَرٌّ مِنَ الشَّرِّ جَالِبُهُ وَ أَحْوَلَ مِنَ الْحَوْلِ رَاكِبُهُ.

“Even better than a good act, is the person who performs the good act; and more attractive than beautiful (words) is the person who speaks beautiful words; and what is more nobler that knowledge is that person who possess knowledge; and what is even worse than wickedness is the person who commits evil; and what is more of an obstruction than the obstruction (itself) is the person that obstructs (others).”[^1] In these five statements, the Imam has referred to some very important points.

What is the meaning of these sentences of which, three of them refer to something good, while the other two are in reference to something bad? In reality, the Imam is pointing to one fundamental principle, which is that we must always go in search of the roots and causes (of anything).

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