Ghurar Al-Hikam Wa Durar Al-Kalim, Exalted Aphorisms And Pearls Of Speech

Vain Desire

Vain desire-الهوى

1. Overcome your vain desires and flee from them, for indeed if they capture you they will take you into the farthest depths of destruction.

1ـ اِغْلِبُوا أهْوائَـكُمْ، وهارِبُوها، فَإنَّها إنْ تُقَيِّدْكُمْ

2. Beware of allowing vain desire to gain control over you for indeed its beginning is temptation and its end is tribulation.

2ـ إيّاكُمْ وتَمَكُّنَ الهَوى مِنْكُمْ، فَإنَّ أوَّلَهُ فِتْنَةٌ،

3. Indeed, the thing I fear most for you is [the result of your] following vain desires and having lengthy aspirations.

3ـ اَلا وإنَّ أخْوَفَ ما أخافُ عَلَيْكُمْ اِتِّباعُ الهَوى، وطُولُ

4. Vain desire destroys.

4ـ اَلْهَوى يُرْدي.

5. Vain desires are passions of youth.

5ـ اَلْهَوى صَبْوَةٌ.

6. Vain desire is the enemy of reason.

6ـ اَلْهَوى عَدُّوُ العَقْلِ.

7. Vain desire is the bane of the intellects.

7ـ اَلْهَوى آفَةُ الألْبابِ.

8. Vain desire is an obeyed enemy.

8ـ اَلْهَوى عَدُوٌّ مَتْبُوعٌ.

9. Verily if you follow your vain desire, it will make you deaf and blind, ruin your place of [final] return and destroy you.

9ـ إنَّكَ إنْ أطَعْتَ هَواكَ أصَمَّكَ وأعْماكَ وأفْسَدَ مُنْقَلَبَكَ

10. Verily if you allow vain desire rule over you, it will deafen you, blind you and destroy you.

10ـ إنَّكُمْ إنْ أمَّرْتُمْ عَلَيْكُمُ الهَوى أصَمَّكُمْ، وأعْماكُمْ،

11. The bane of the intellect is vain desire.

11ـ آفَةُ العَقْلِ اَلْهَوى.

12. When your vain desires overcome you, they drag you into places of destruction.

12ـ إذا غَلَبَتْ عَلَيْكُمْ أهْوائُـكُمْ أوْرَدَتْكُمْ مَوارِدَ

13. Oppose vain desire and you will be safe; turn away from this world and you will benefit.

13ـ خالِفِ الهَوى تَسْلَمْ، وأعْرِضْ عَنِ الدُّنْيا تَغْنَمْ.

14. May Allah have mercy upon the person who fights his vain desire and breaks loose from the entanglements of this world.

14ـ رَحِمَ اللّهُ امْرَءاً غالَبَ الهَوى وأفْلَتَ مِنْ حَبائِلِ

15. The cornerstone of religion is opposing vain desire.

15ـ رَأْسُ الدّينِ مُخالَفَةُ الهَوى.

16. The cornerstone of reason is struggling against vain desire.

16ـ رَأْسُ العَقْلِ مُجاهَدَةُ الهَوى.

17. Deterring [the self from] vain desire is a trait of the intelligent ones.

17ـ رَدْعُ الهَوى شيمَةُ العُقَلاءِ.

18. The cause of corruption of the intellect is vain desire.

18ـ سَبَبُ فَسادِ العَقْلِ اَلهَوى.

19. The cause of corruption of faith is vain desire.

19ـ سَبَبُ فَسادِ الدّينِ اَلْهَوى.

20. Counter vain desire with the reason.

20ـ ضادُّوا الهَوى بِالعَقْلِ.

21. Blessed is the one who endures [the temptations of] his vain desire, rejects his [false] aspiration, hits the target and acquires recompense.

21ـ طُوبى لِمَنْ كابَدَ هَواهُ، وكَذَّبَ مُناهُ، وَرَمى غَرَضاً،

22. Yielding to vain desire corrupts the intellect.

22ـ طاعَةُ الهَوى تُفْسِدُ العَقْلَ.

23. Submitting to vain desire causes ruin.

23ـ طاعَةُ الهَوى تُرْدي.

24. Vain desire is victorious over the one who is led by his lust.

24ـ ظَفِرَ الهَوى بِمَنِ انْقادَ لِشَهْوَتِهِ.

25. He who overcomes his vain desire is victorious in attaining the Paradise of the [everlasting] Abode.

25ـ ظَفِرَ بِجَنَّةِ المَأْوى مَنْ غَلَبَ الهَوى.

26. The delusions of vain desire beguile.

26ـ غُرُورُ الهَوى يَخْدَعُ.

27. Being overcome by vain desire corrupts [one’s] faith and reason.

27ـ غَلَبَةُ الهَوى تُفْسِدُ الدّينَ وَالعَقْلَ.

28. Combat vain desire just as an adversary would combat his adversary, and battle it the way an enemy would battle his enemy, [if successful] you may gain mastery over it.

28ـ غالِبِ الهَوى مُغالَبَةَ الخَصْمِ خَصْمَهُ، وحارِبْهُ مُحارَبَةَ

29. In succumbing to vain desire there is every [form of] deviation.

29ـ في طاعَةِ الهَوى كُلُّ الغَوايَةِ.

30. He who overcomes his vain desire and controls the urges of his [carnal] soul is successful.

30ـ فازَ مَنْ غَلَبَ هَواهُ، ومَلَكَ دَواعِيَ نَفْسِهِ.

31. Indeed the one who is deceived by the temptations of [his] vain desire has gone astray.

31ـ قَدْ ضَلَّ مَنِ انْخَدَعَ لِدَواعِى الهَوى.

32. Combat your vain desire with your intellect and you will acquire right guidance.

32ـ قاتِلْ هَواكَ بِعَقْلِكَ، تَمْلِكْ رُشْدَكَ.

33. Combat your vain desire with your knowledge and your anger with your forbearance.

33ـ قاتِلْ هَواكَ بِعِلْمِكَ، وغَضَبَكَ بِحِلْمِكَ.

34. Be a conqueror of your vain desire and a seeker of your salvation.

34ـ كُنْ لِهَواكَ غالِباً، ولِنَجاتِكَ طالِباً.

35. If vain desire were to be lifted, the insincere person would despise [and feel ashamed of] his [own] action.

35ـ لَوِارْتَفَعَ الهَوى لأَنِفَ غَيْرُ المُخْلصِ مِنْ عَمَلِهِ.

36. One who is controlled by his vain desire goes astray.

36ـ مَنْ مَلَكَهُ هَواهُ ضَلَّ.

37. Whoever yields to his vain desire is destroyed.

37ـ مَنْ أطاعَ هَواهُ هَلَكَ.

38. Whoever overcomes his vain desire is honoured.

38ـ مَنْ يَغْلِبُ هَواهُ يَعِزَّ.

39. Whoever controls his vain desire acquires intelligence [and wisdom].

39ـ مَنْ مَلَكَ هَواهُ مَلَكَ النُّهى.

40. Whoever agrees with his vain desire opposes his rectitude [and reason].

40ـ مَنْ وافَقَ هَواهُ خالَفَ رُشْدَهُ.

41. One whose vain desire is strong, his resolve becomes weak.

41ـ مَنْ قَوِيَ هَواهُ ضَعُفَ عَزْمُهُ.

42. Whoever embarks on his vain desire slips.

42ـ مَنْ رَكِبَ هَواهُ زَلَّ.

43. Whoever follows his vain desire destroys himself.

43ـ مَنِ اتَّبَعَ هَواهُ أرْدى نَفْسَهُ.

44. Whoever opposes his vain desire has followed [the path of] knowledge.

44ـ مَنْ خالَفَ هَواهُ أطاعَ الْعِلْمَ.

45. One who proceeds with vain desire falls into destruction.

45ـ مَنْ جَرى مَعَ الهَوى عَثَرَ بِالرَّدى.

46. With vain desire there is no [reason and] intellect.

46ـ لاعَقْلَ مَعَ هَوىً.

47. Whoever embarks on vain desire is afflicted by blindness.

47ـ مَنْ رَكِبَ الهَوى أدْرَكَ العَمى.

48. There is no faith with vain desire.

48ـ لادينَ مَعَ هَوىً.

49. Whoever yields to his vain desire has sold his Hereafter for his worldly life.

49ـ مَنْ أطاعَ هَواهُ باعَ آخِرَتَهُ بِدُنْياهُ.

50. One whose vain desire overpowers his intellect is overcome by disgrace.

50ـ مَنْ غَلَبَ هَواهُ عَلى عَقْلِهِ ظَهَرَتْ عَلَيْهِ الفَضائِحُ.

51. Whoever wishes to attain lofty stations should overcome his vain desire.

51ـ مَنْ أحَبَّ نَيْلَ الدَّرَجاتِ العُلى فَلْيَغْلِبِ الهَوى.

52. One who is controlled by vain desire does not accept the advice of any sincere adviser.

52ـ مَنْ مَلَكَهُ الهَوى لَمْ يَقْبَلْ مِنْ نَصُوح نُصُحاً.

53. One whose actions are free from vain desire, his effect [and result] is good in every matter.

53ـ مَنْ عَرِيَ عَنِ الهَوى عَمَلُهُ، حَسُنَ أثَرُهُ في كُلِّ أمْر.

54. Whoever follows his vain desire, it blinds him, deafens him, humiliates him and misguides him.

54ـ مَنِ اتَّبَعَ هَواهُ أعْماهُ، وأصَمَّهُ، وأذَلَّهُ، وأضَلَّهُ.

55. Whoever is led by his vain desire, Satan prevails upon him.

55ـ مَنِ اسْتَقادَهُ هَواهُ اِسْتَحْوَذَ عَلَيْهِ الشَّيْطانُ.

56. Whoever looks with the eye of his vain desire falls into temptation and wrongdoing, and deviates and turns away from the clear open path.

56ـ مَنْ نَظَرَ بِعَيْنِ هَواهُ اِفْتَتَنَ وجارَ، وعَنْ نَهْجِ

57. Nothing opposes reason like vain desire.

57ـ ما ضادَّ العَقْلَ كَالهَوى.

58. Nothing destroys religion like vain desire.

58ـ ما أهْلَكَ الدّينَ كَالهَوى.

59. Vain desire is a riding mount that throws down its rider.

59ـ مَرْكَبُ الهَوى مَرْكَبٌ مُرْد.

60. Opposing vain desire is a cure for the intellect.

60ـ مُخالَفَةُ الهَوى شِفاءُ العَقْلِ.

61. The one who is overpowered by vain desire is always wretched and forever enslaved.

61ـ مَغْلُوبُ الهَوى دائِمُ الشَّقاءِ مُؤَبَّدُ الرِّقِّ.

62. He is drawing in large buckets [from the well] of his vain desire and exerting a lot of efforts for his worldly life.[^1]

62ـ ماتِحاً في عَرْبِ هَواهُ كادِحاً سَعْياً لِدُنْياهُ.

63. Following vain desire is indeed a good aide to Satan.

63ـ نِعْمَ عَوْنُ الشَّيْطانِ اِتِّباعُ الهَوى.

64. Ruined is the one who is led astray by vain desire and pulled by Satan towards the path of blindness.

64ـ هَلَكَ مَنْ أضَلَّهُ الهَوى، واسْتَقادَهُ الشَّيْطانُ إلى سَبيلِ

65. Your vain desire is a greater enemy towards you than all [other] enemies, so overpower it otherwise it will destroy you.

65ـ هَواكَ أعْدى عَلَيْكَ مِنْ كُلِّ عَدُوّ فَأغْلِبْهُ وإلاّ

66. Never let your vain desire relegate your knowledge.

66ـ لايُبْعِدَنَّ هَواكَ عِلْمَكَ.

67. Do not follow [your] vain desire, for whoever follows his vain desire becomes disconcerted.

67ـ لاتَتَّبِعِ الهَوى، فَمَنْ تَبِـعَ هَواهُ اِرْتَبَكَ.

68. Do not incline towards your ignorant people (or your ignorance) and do not follow your vain desires, for indeed the one who alights at this stop is on the brink of a collapsing bank.

68ـ لاتَرْكَنُوا إلى جُهّالِكُمْ (جِهالَتِكُمْ) ولاتَنْقادُوا

69. Vain desire is the greater of the two enemies.

69ـ اَلْهَوى أعْظَمُ العَدُوَّيْنِ.

70. Vain desire is a worshipped deity.

70ـ اَلْهَوى إلهٌ مَعْبُودٌ.

71. Because of succumbing to vain desire and misguidance, [only a] few will be saved from hellfire.

71ـ اَلنّاجُونَ مِنَ النّارِ قَلِيلٌ لِغَلَبَةِ الهَوى والضَّلالِ.

72. Control your vain desire and be stingy with yourself [by keeping away] from those things that are forbidden for you, for indeed being stingy with oneself is the essence of honour.

72ـ اِمْلِكْ عَلَيْكَ هَواكَ، وشُحَّ بِنَفْسِكَ عَمّا لايَحِلُّ لَكَ

73. Be cautious of the vain desire that pulls the souls down, dropping them [to the lowest levels], and causes them to become more distanced from [the place of] success [and prosperity].

73ـ اِحْذَرُوا هَوىً، هَوى بِالأَنْفُسِ هُوِيّاً، وأبْعَدَها عَنْهُ

74. The smallest vain desire can corrupt the intellect.

74ـ يَسيرُ الهَوى يُفْسِدُالعَقْلَ.

75. There is no damage [and loss] greater than [what is brought about by] vain desire.

75ـ لاتَلَفَ أعْظَمُ مِنَ الهَوى.

76. The most destructive thing is vain desire.

76ـ أهْلَكُ شَيْء الهَوى.

77. Beware of yielding to vain desire, for indeed it leads [one] towards every [form of] tribulation.

77ـ إيّاكَ وطاعَةَ الهَوى، فَإنَّهُ يَقُودُ إلى كُلِّ مِحْنَة.

78. The best of people is one who struggles against his vain desire.

78ـ أفْضَلُ النّاسِ مَنْ جاهَدَهَواهُ.

79. The beginning of vain desire is temptation and its end is tribulation.

79ـ أوَّلُ الهَوى فِتْنَةٌ وآخِرُهُ مِحْنَةٌ.

80. Vain desire is the partner of blindness.

80ـ اَلْهَوى شَريكُ العَمى.

81. Vain desire is a hidden ailment.

81ـ اَلْهَوى داءٌ دَفينٌ.

82. Vain desire is a bane of the intellects.

82ـ اَلْهَوى آفَةُ الألْبابِ.

83. Vain desire is a pernicious associate.

83ـ اَلْهَوى قَرينٌ مُهْلِكٌ.

84. Vain desire is the opposite of reason.

84ـ اَلْهَوى ضِدُّ العَقْلِ.

85. Vain desire is the foundation of tribulations.

85ـ اَلْهَوى أُسُّ المِحَنِ.

86. Vain desire is the riding mount of temptations.

86ـ اَلْهَوى مَطِيَّةُ الفِتَنِ.

87. Vain desire is a [cause of one’s] fall to the lowest of the low.

87ـ اَلْهَوى هَوِيٌّ إلى أسْفَلِ سافِلينَ.

88. Do not be a slave to vain desires and coveted objects.

88ـ لاتَكُونُوا عَبيدَ الأهْواءِ والمَطامِعِ.

89. There is no enemy like vain desire.

89ـ لاعَدُوَّ كَالهَوى.

90. Vain desire is a riding mount of temptation.

90ـ اَلْهَوى مَطِيَّةُ الْفِتْنَةِ.

[^1]: Taken from Khutba no. 83 of Nahj al-Balāgha where the human being and his life on this earth is beautifully described.