"The foundation upon which our nation stands is much richer and firmer than the sympathies that may occasionally divide us. And we never know this more truly than in Christmas time. In good times or in bad, under clear skies or under the shadow of uncertainty, the Christmas message is the imperishable one of joy, hope and brotherhood."

"The Filipino, it seems, has lost his soul, his dignity, and his courage. We have come upon a phase of our history when ideals are only a veneer for greed and power, (in public and private affairs) when devotion to duty and dedication to a public trust are to be weighted at all times against private advantages and personal gain, and when loyalties can be traded…Our government is in the iron grip of venality, its treasury is barren, its resources are wasted, its civil service is slothful and indifferent, its armed forces demoralized and its councils sterile. We are in crisis. You know that the government treasury is empty. Only by severe self-denial will there be hope for recovery within the next year…This nation can be great again. This I have said over and over. It is my articles of faith, and Divine Providence has willed that you and I can now translate this faith into deeds."

"When authoritarianism is no longer necessary to protect the welfare of the people, I will be the first to move for its dismantling. But the easy, casual wave of the hand dismissing the dangers that confront the worsening world situation and us is not for me. It is for those who insist that I dismantle martial law against my best judgment but, legally and morally, cannot be held liable for any Kampuchean-like tragedy that would be fall our people if I followed their advice. But I would be liable. I would be called all kinds of names. I would be called stupid, naïve and obstinate. History and our people would hold me accountable not only perhaps for lack of wisdom, but for lack of courage if I followed such advice."

"Authority must be utilized by government to attain certain noble objective but this authority must be circumscribed."

"Of what good is democracy if it is not for the poor?"

"The most complete gift of God is a life based on knowledge."

"A person's intellect becomes apparent through his dealings, and a man's character is known by the way he exercises authority. The intellect is a king and characteristics are its subjects, so if it is weak in governing them, disorder takes place. The intellect is better than desire, for the intellect makes you a king over your destiny, and desire makes you a slave of your destiny. The intellect is a natural disposition which learns from experience. The intellect is what arrives at what is correct through reasoning, and recognizes what has not yet happened through what has already taken place. Use your intellect to understand something when you hear about it-the intellect that examines, that is, and not just the intellect that repeats what it hears, for surely there are many who repeat the knowledge that they hear, and there are few who examine it. The one who has an intellect longs to be like the righteous people so that he can be of one of them, and he loves them so that he can be united with them in his love, even if he falls short in emulating their actions. The one who has an intellect does not openly display it except in one of two situations: when he is furthest away from seeking something in the world, and when he is furthest away from abandoning it. Surely hated adversity has final objectives in which it will inevitably end, so the one who has an intellect should try to sleep over it until this happens, for surely any attempt to stop it before it has come to an end will only intensify that hated diversity even more. The first opinion of the person of intellect is the last opinion of an ignorant person. The one who has an intellect finds harshness of life amongst persons of intellect more agreeable than a life of ease amongst the foolish."

"When a dead person is placed in his grave, four kinds of fire will cover him, but then the prayer will come and put one of them out, and the fast will come and put another one of them out, and then charity will come and put another one out, and knowledge will come and put the forth one out, and it will say : ' If I had come sooner, I would a have put all of them out, and given you delight for I am with you now, and you'll not see anything else distressing."

"Do not share the knowledge with which you have been blessed with everyone in general, as you do with some people in particular; and know that there are some men in whom Allah, may He he glorified, has placed hidden secrets, which they are forbidden to reveal. Remember the reply of the righteous slave to Moses when he said to him: 'May I follow you so that you can teach me what you know about what is right?' He replied: 'Surely you will not be able to be patient with me. How can you be patient about something which you do not understand?'."

"Boasting issues from small minds."

"Humility is one of the nets spread by real greatness."

"Pride mars greatness."

"Self-conceit impedes progress."

"Self-conceit poisons the mind."

"Humility is the product of knowledge."

"He is really wise whose actions reflect his words."

"To separate oneself from things of time and to connect oneself with things of eternity is highest wisdom."

"The foolish aim at wealth."

"The wise aim at perfection."

"To fight against one's own desires is highest wisdom."

"One's obedience to God is proportionate to one's wisdom."

"Enemity is the occupation of fools."

"Lying spoils news."

"Misrepresentation spoils narration."

"Friendship is impossible with a liar."

"Truth means conformity of speech with the Divine mode of working."

"To fulfill promises is the highest form of integrity."

"Honesty is Divine language."

"To teach is to learn."

"Practice makes knowledge perfect."

"Knowledge creates fear of God."

"To respect the learned is to respect God."

"Knowledge gives life to the soul."

"The ignorant man does not understand the learned for he has never been learned himself."

"The learned man understands the ignorant for he was once ignorant for he was once ignorant himself."

"The innumerable fools have made the learned very scarce."

"Two groups were in love with Ali's way, one was wise and pure-hearted, and the other was good-hearted and full of taste. Ali ibn Abi Talib was a martyr of his own greatness. He passed away while prayer was flowing on his tongue and his heart was filled with the desire for God. The Arab people did not understand the truth of his position until a group of people from their neighboring country (Iran) arose, distinguished this precious gem from the stone, and recognized him."

"“O world, what would happen if you gathered all your forces and again manifested a personality like Ali with that reason, heart, tongue and sword?”"

"“Ali ibn Abi Talib is the spokesman of the word of God and his heart is alert and aware of it.”"

""I do not know which of you has visited Najaf, the house of the Commander of the Faithful in Kufa is behind the Kufa Mosque near the Dar al-Marah; I have entered that house; It is about one hundred to one hundred and fifty meters, it had two or three small rooms, at that time Ali had absolute power, from this house he ruled a country that was perhaps ten times the size of your Iran… Even though he was the ruler, the Imam would come to the market of Kufa…”"

""He never worshipped idols; therefore, the Sunnis also call him "May Allah have honored his face." In addition, he was given the privilege of breaking idols. God knows how difficult it would have been for those who had worshipped idols for years and had made many appeals to their idols if they had been ordered to break them, and how they would have refused!"

"He is the foster-child of the Messenger of Allah and his educated son. Ali is a great jurist whose opinion, from the perspective of those seeking the light of truth, is the most correct opinion of the people. He is the leader and master of the ascetics before and after him."

"People have made his character and method a means of blaming the caliphs."

""Ali made the past forget and put the future in difficulty." [About knowing him]"

"There has not been a more ascetic than Ali in the world."

"“In my opinion, Ali was the first Arab who came into contact with the universal spirit and entered into dialogue with it. He was martyred because of his greatness and died while praying between his lips. The Arabs did not recognize his value until they learned among their Persian neighbors some of the differences between sand and precious stones."

"“A brilliant mind... full of fiery influence and boldness. There was something chivalrous about him; brave as a lion; but with the kindness, truth and love worthy of Christian chivalry... His martyrdom was due to the severity of his justice.""

"“The last will of the Prophet of Islam was not carried out; because he had appointed Ali as his successor, while after his death, some chose Abu Bakr"

"“With a keen intellect, warm in influence, and trustworthy in friendship, he was from childhood the devotee of the Prophet in heart and soul. Simple, quiet, and unambitious, it was more a strain than a desire when, after a few days, he gained the rule of half the Muslim world.”"

"“No new Muslim has surpassed Ali in zeal and virtue. He united the merits of a poet, a soldier, and a saint; his rationality still inspires in a collection of moral and religious sayings; And every enemy, in the battles of tongue or sword, was subdued by his eloquence and courage. From the first hour of his mission to the last funeral, the Prophet was never abandoned by a generous friend who was happy to call him his brother, his successor, and his faithful Aaron.”"