الهِمَّةُ
 
 
 
 AMBITION 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
فَضلُ عُلُوِّ الهِمَّةِ / High Ambition
 
  1ـ رسولُ اللهِِ (صَلَّيَ اللهُ عَلَيهِ وَ آلِهِ): إنّ اللّهَ تعالى يُحِبُّ مَعالِيَ الاُمورِ وأشرافَها، ويَكرَهُ سَفسافَها. 
1– The Prophet (SAWA) said, ‘Allah Almighty loves the highest and the most dignified of things and hates inferior things.’ 
[Kanz al-`Ummal, no. 43021] 
 
 
 
 
   2ـ الإمامُ عليٌّ (عَلَيهِ الّسَلامُ): قَدرُ الرّجُلِ على قَدرِ هِمَّتِهِ. 
 
2– Imam Ali (AS) said, ‘The worth of a man is according to the extent of his ambition.’ 
 
[Nahj al-Balagha, Saying 47] 
  
  
  
الهِمَّةُ
 
 
AMBITION 
 
 
 
 
 
   3ـ الإمامُ عليٌّ (عَلَيهِ الّسَلامُ): مَن شَرُفَت هِمَّتُهُ عَظُمَت قِيمَتُهُ. 
 
3– Imam Ali (AS) said, ‘He whose ambition is lofty his value is heightened.’ 
 
[Ghurar al-Hikam, no. 8320] 
  
  
  
 
   4ـ الإمامُ زينُ العابدينَ (عَلَيهِ الّسَلامُ) ـ في الدُّعاءِ ـ: أسألُكَ مِن الشَّهادَةِ أقسَطَها، ومِن العِبادَةِ أنشَطَها ... ومِن الهِمَمِ أعلاها. 
 
4– Imam Zayn al-Abidin (AS), in a supplication, said, ‘I ask You for the most fair witnessing, and the most active of worship … and the highest ambition.’ 
 
[al-SaHIfa al-SajjAdiyya, p. 439, no. 199] 
  
  
  
 
   5ـ الإمامُ الباقرُ (عَلَيهِ الّسَلامُ): لاشَرَفَ كبُعدِ الهِمَّةِ. 
 
5– Imam al-Baqir (AS) said, ‘There is no dignity like great ambition.’ 
 
[Bihar al-Anwar, v. 78, p. 165, no. 1] 
  
  
  
ثَمَراتُ عُلُوِّ الهِمَّةِ / The Benefits of High Ambition
 
 
   6ـ الإمامُ عليٌّ (عَلَيهِ الّسَلامُ): الحِلمُ والأناةُ تَوأمانِ يُنتِجُهُما عُلُوُّ الهِمَّةِ. 
 
6– Imam Ali (AS) said, ‘Tolerance and perseverance are twins, and high ambition produces them.’ 
 
[Nahj al-Balagha, Saying 460] 
  
  
  
 
   7ـ الإمامُ عليٌّ (عَلَيهِ الّسَلامُ): الكَرَمُ نَتيجَةُ عُلُوِّ الهِمَّةِ. 
 
7– Imam Ali (AS) said, ‘Kindness is the product of high ambition.’ 
 
[Ghurar al-Hikam, no. 1477] 
  
  
  
 
   8ـ الإمامُ عليٌّ (عَلَيهِ الّسَلامُ): الفِعلُ الجَميلُ يُنبئُ عَن عُلُوِّ الهِمَّةِ. 
 
8– Imam Ali (AS) said, ‘Good action is a sign of high ambition.’ 
 
[Ghurar al-Hikam, no. 1388] 
  
  
  
 
   9ـ الإمامُ عليٌّ (عَلَيهِ الّسَلامُ): بقَدرِ الهِمَمِ تَكونُ الهُمومُ. 
 
9– Imam Ali (AS) said, ‘Worries are proportionate to the extent of one’s ambition.’ 
 
[Ghurar al-Hikam, no. 4277] 
  
  
  
 
   10ـ الإمامُ عليٌّ (عَلَيهِ الّسَلامُ): على قَدرِ الهِمَّةِ تَكونُ الحَمِيَّةُ. 
 
10– Imam Ali (AS) said, ‘Enthusiasm is proportionate to the extent of one’s ambition.’ 
 
[Ghurar al-Hikam, no. 1674] 
  
  
  
 
   11ـ الإمامُ عليٌّ (عَلَيهِ الّسَلامُ): شَجاعَةُ الرّجُلِ على قَدرِ هِمَّتِهِ. 
 
11– Imam Ali (AS) said, ‘The bravery of a man is proportionate to his ambition. 
 
[ Ghurar al-Hikam, no. 7850/5763] 
  
  
  
 
   12ـ الإمامُ الباقرُ (عَلَيهِ الّسَلامُ): اِستَجلِبْ عِزَّ اليأسِ بِبُعدِ الهِمَّةِ. 
 
12– Imam al-Baqir (AS) said, ‘Attract the dignity of dismay with far ambition.’ 
 
[Bihar al-Anwar, v. 78, p. 10, no. 1] 
  
  
  
قِصَرُ الهِمَّةِ / Low Ambition
 
 
   13ـ الإمامُ عليٌّ (عَلَيهِ الّسَلامُ): مَن صَغُرَت هِمَّتُهُ بَطَلَت فَضيلَتُهُ. 
 
13– Imam Ali (AS) said, ‘He who has low ambition, his virtue ceases.’ 
 
[Ghurar al-Hikam, no. 8019] 
  
  
  
 
   14ـ الإمامُ عليٌّ (عَلَيهِ الّسَلامُ): مِن صِغَرِ الهِمَّةِ حَسَدُ الصَّديقِ علَى النِّعمَةِ. 
 
14– Imam Ali (AS) said, ‘He whose ambition is short, he will envy a friend in his blessings.’ 
 
[Ghurar al-Hikam, no. 9256] 
  
  
  
 
   15ـ الإمامُ عليٌّ (عَلَيهِ الّسَلامُ): لا هِمَّةَ لِمَهينٍ. 
 
15– Imam Ali (AS) said, ‘A disgraceful person has no ambition.’ 
 
[Bihar al-Anwar, v. 78, p. 10, no. 67] 
  
  
  
 
   16ـ الإمامُ الصّادقُ (عَلَيهِ الّسَلامُ): ثَلاثٌ يَحجُزنَ المرءَ عَن طَلَبِ المَعالي: قِصَرُ الهِمَّةِ، وقِلَّةُ الحِيلَةِ، وضَعفُ الرّأيِ. 
 
16– Imam al-Sadiq (AS) said, ‘There are three things that hinder a person from seeking the lofty: low ambition, few stratagems, and weak opinion.’ 
 
[Tuhaf al-`Uqoul, p. 318] 
  
  
  
مَن كانَت هِمَّتُهُ بَطنَهُ / He who’s Sole Concern is His Stomach
 
 
   17ـ رسولُ اللهِِ (صَلَّيَ اللهُ عَلَيهِ وَ آلِهِ): مَن كانَت هِمَّتُهُ أكلَهُ، كانَت قِيمَتُهُ ما أكَلَهُ. 
 
17– The Prophet (SAWA) said, ‘He whose sole concern is his food, his worth is 
 
[equivalent] to that which he eats.’ 
 
[Tanbih al-Khawatir, v. 1, p. 48] 
  
  
  
 
   18ـ الإمامُ عليٌّ (عَلَيهِ الّسَلامُ): مَن كانَت هِمَّتُهُ ما يَدخُلُ بَطنَهُ، كانَت قِيمَتُهُ مايَخرُجُ مِنهُ. 
 
18- Imam Ali (AS) said, ‘He whose sole concern is what enters his stomach, his worth is 
 
[equivalent to] what comes out of it.’ 
 
[Ghurar al-Hikam, no. 8830] 
  
  
  
 
   19ـ الإمامُ عليٌّ (عَلَيهِ الّسَلامُ): ما أبعَدَ الخَيرَ مِمَّن هِمَّتُهُ بَطنُهُ وفَرجُهُ! 
 
19– Imam Ali (AS) said, ‘How far away is goodness from he whose sole concern is his stomach and private parts.’ 
 
[Ghurar al-Hikam, no. 9642]