✦⋆· said,"For everything there is a basis, and the basis of faith is piety."

● "The criterion of religion is piety."

● "Stop in the face of things that Allah has forbidden and you will be the most pious of people."

● "Piety is the master of action.

He who does not have piety to prevent him from an act of disobedience to Allah Almighty when left with it, Allah will not care about any of his other actions.

This means that it [piety] is fear of Allah, both in secret and in public, economizing both in poverty and wealth, and fairness both in [times of] contentment and discontentment."

✦⋆· "There is no stronghold better than piety."

● "Piety is the best weapon of defence."

● "He who loves us should do as we do, and seek refuge in piety; for it is the best assistance in matters of this world and the Hereafter."

● "Piety prevents from committing prohibited acts."

● "The root of piety is keeping away from sins, and restraining oneself from the forbidden."

● "Piety is stopping [in the face of] obscure matters."

● "Piety is the measure of religious devotion."

● "Knowledge cannot be purified without piety."

● "The most pious of people is the most free of wants."

● "The smartest from among you is the most pious of you."

● Nawf bin Fizala Bakali, the famous scholar of the early Islamic days said that one night he was with Imam Ali (as).

In the middle of the night, Imam (as) got up from his bed, looked for sometime at the stars and inquired of Nawf whether he was awake.

Nawf said: "I got up from my bed replying, "Yes, Amirul Mo'minin (Commander of the Faithful)! I am awake."

Imam Ali (as) said: "Nawf ! Those are the fortunate people who adopt piety as the principle of their lives and are fully attentive to their welfare for the Hereafter.

They accept bare earth as the most comfortable bed and water as the most pleasant drink.

They adopt the Holy Qur'an and prayers as their guide and protector and like Prophet Isa (as) they forsake the world and its vicious pleasure.

Nawf! Prophet Dawud (as) once got up at such an hour in the night and said this was the hour when prayers of everyone who prayed were accepted except of those who forcibly collected revenues or who were scandal- mongers or were people in the police force of a despotic regime or were musicians."

● While returning from Siffin, Imam Ali (as) passed along the cemetery of Kufa.

Addressing the graves he said: "O you, who are lying in horrible and deserted houses. O you, who are shut up in the dark graves, who are alone in their abodes, strangers to the places assigned to them; you have gone ahead and preceded us, while we are also following your steps and shall shortly join you.

Do you know what has happened aver you? Your houses and property was taken up by others, your widows have remarried, this is what we can tell you of this world.

Can you give us some news about things around you?"

Saying this, Imam Ali (as) turned to his companions and said, "If they are permitted to speak they will inform you that the best provision for the next world is piety and virtue."

✦⋆· "Piety is the system of worship, and if it is cut, religion goes just like when a wire is cut the system follows it!"

✦⋆· "Allah Almighty has said, ‘O son of Adam, refrain from what I have forbidden to you and you will be the most pious of people."

✦⋆· "You must have piety; for it is the religion that we adhere to, and with which we devote ourselves to Allah, and we require it from those who accept our guardianship."

● "He who lives in a place with a population of one hundred thousand or more and there is in that place someone more pious than him, then he is not [considered] one of us."

● "Fear Allah and safeguard your faith with piety."

● "Diligence is of no use without piety."

● Imam Sadiq (as), when he was asked about piety, said, "He who restrains himself from what Allah has forbidden."