أفضَلُ النّاسِ The Most Virtuous of People

14ـ رسولُ اللهِ‏ِ (صَلَّيَ اللهُ عَلَيهِ وَ آلِهِ): أفضَلُكُم مَنزِلَةً عندَ اللّه‏ِ تعالى أطوَلُكُم جُوعاً وتَفَكُّراً، وأبغَضُكُم إلَى اللّه‏ِ تعالى كُلُّ نَؤومٍ وأكُولٍ وشَروبٍ .

14– The Prophet (SAWA) said, ‘Those among you who have the best status with Allah, most High, are those who prolong their hunger and contemplation. Those of you who are most hated by Allah, most High, are those who sleep, eat and drink excessively.’[Tanbih al-Khawatir, v. 1, p. 100]
 

15ـ رسولُ اللهِ (صَلَّيَ اللهُ عَلَيهِ وَ آلِهِ): أيُّها الناسُ، إنّ أفضَلَ الناسِ مَن تَواضَعَ عَن رِفعَةٍ، وزَهِدَ عن غُنيَةٍ، وأنصَفَ عن قُوَّةٍ، وحَلُمَ عن قُدرَةٍ، ألاَ وإنَّ أفضَلَ الناسِ عَبدٌ أخَذَ مِن الدنيا الكَفافَ، وصاحَبَ فيها العَفافَ، وتَزَوَّدَ للرَّحيلِ، وتَأهَّبَ للمَسيرِ.

15– The Prophet (SAWA) said, ‘O people! The most virtuous of people is he who is humble from loftiness, abstains from [accumulating] wealth, is fair in spite of his strength and forgiving in spite of his power. Verily, the most virtuous of people is a servant who takes what suffices him from this world, takes self-restraint as his companion therein, prepares his provisions to leave [this world], and is ready for the journey [to the Hereafter].’[A`alam al-Din, p. 337, no. 15]
 

16ـ الإمامُ عليٌّ (عَلَيهِ الّسَلامُ): أفضَلُ عِبادِ اللّه‏ِ عِندَ اللّه‏ِ إمامٌ عادِلٌ، هُدِيَ وهَدَى، فَأقامَ سُنَّةً مَعلومَةً، وأماتَ بِدعَةً مَجهولَةً.

16– Imam Ali (AS) said, ‘The most virtuous of Allah's servants according to Allah is a just leader, who is guided and guides [others], and who has established the known tradition, and abolished the unknown innovations.’[Nahj al-Balagha, Sermon 164]
 

17ـ الإمامُ عليٌّ (عَلَيهِ الّسَلامُ): إنّ أفضَلَ الناسِ عندَ اللّه‏ِ مَن كانَ العَمَلُ بالحَقِّ أحَبَّ إلَيهِ ـ وإن نَقَصَهُ وكَرَثَهُ ـ مِن الباطِلِ وإن جَرَّ إلَيهِ فائدَةً وزادَهُ.

17– Imam Ali (AS) said, ‘The most virtuous of people according to Allah is he to whom action in accordance with what is right is most beloved - even if it damages and worries him – rather than what is false, even if it gives him benefit and increases him.’[Nahj al-Balagha, Sermon 12]