Based on the analysis, it is found that the poems of Imam Ali contained and implied many
valuable moral messages and wisdoms which are very important to be studied, revealed, explained,
and known by the public. The valuable moral messages conveyed by Imam Ali in the verses of his
poems are mainly originated from the values of Islamic teachings contained in the Quran and the
Hadith of the Prophet Muhammad PBUH.
1. The Primacy of Seeking Knowledge and Science
)1( الػلم شٍن فكن للػلم مكدظبـا -وكن له طـالبا ما غشذ مقخبظا
Al-‘ilmu zainun fa kun li al-‘ilmu muktasiban, wa kun lahu
thāliban mā ‘isyta muqtabasan
‚Science is a beauty, so be a smart person and be a seeker of
science (knowledge) for your life so that you will be useful‛
)2( ؤزكن بليه وثق بــاهلل واغن بـــــه -وكن حليمـ ـازشٍن الػقل محترطا
Urkun ilaihi wa tsiq billahi waghni bihi, wa kun chalīman
razīnu al-‘aqli muchtarisan
‚Rely on it (the science), believe in God, trust yourself with it
(the science), be wise, always take care of yourself‛
)3 منهمكـا
َ
نذ
ُ
( الجـ ـ ـإمن فةماك - في الػلم ًىما وبما كنذ منغمظا
La tu`ammina fa imma kunta munhakiman, fī al-‘ilmi yauman
wa imma kunta munghamisan
‚Do not be weak when you are serious about (seeking) science
one day, even when you are engrossed in it (science)‛
)4( وكن فتىماطكامحضالخقى وزغا - للدًن مغخنمـا للػلم مفترطــا
Wa kun fatā māsikan machdha at-taqā wa ra’ā, li ad-dīni
mughtaniman li al-’ilmi muftarasan
‚Be a young man who holds firmly to pure devotion, who
always preserves religion and (preserves) science‛
)5 جخلق بـ ـ ـ ـاآلداب ظل بهـ ـا
ْ
(فمن -زئيع قىم بذامافـ ـ ـ ـ ـ ـازق السئطاء
Fa man takhluqu bi al-ādābi zhalla bihā, ra`īsu qaumin idzā mā
fāraqa ar-ru`asā
‚Whoever behaves with manners then he always becomes a
leader even though he has separated from his head (died)‛
)6( واغلم هدًذ بإن الػلم خير ضفا - ؤضحى لطالبه من فضله طلظا
Wa’lam hadaita bi anna al-‘ilma khairu shaffa, adhchā li
thālibihi min fadhlihi salsa
‚Know that that science will give clues to the best of holiness,
which with its virtue (science) makes its seekers the good
person‛
In general, the fragment of the poems above contains an important moral message about the
primacy of science or knowledge and the virtues of smart people. In verse (1) Imam Ali compared
the science/knowledge with a beautiful jewelry (zainun). Jewelry is an object to decorate or
beautify ourselves. The message delivered to the audience in this fragment of the poem is to
always adorn themselves with knowledge or science so it would benefit the community.