Saying Number 38

Amīr al-mu'minīn Imam Ali (as), peace be upon him, said:

to his son al- Hasan:

O my son,

learn four things and (a further) four things from me.

Nothing will harm you if you practise them.

That the richest of riches is intelligence;

the biggest destitution is foolishness;

the wildest wildness is vanity

and the best achievement is goodness of the moral character.

O my son,

you should avoid making friends with a fool

because he may intend to benefit you but may harm you;

you should avoid making friends with a miser

because he will run away from you when you need him most;

you should avoid making friends with a sinful person

because he will sell you for nought;

and you should avoid making friends with a liar

because he is like a mirage,

making you feel far things near

and near things far.