Intellect and Speech
عقل اور کلام
Original Arabic • متنِ عربی
إِذَا تَمَّ الْعَقْلُ نَقَصَ الْكَلَامُ.
Urdu Translation • اردو ترجمہ
جب عقل کامل ہو جاتی ہے تو گفتگو کم ہو جاتی ہے۔
English Translation • انگریزی ترجمہ
“When the intellect becomes complete, speech becomes brief.”
Reflections: Imam Ali ؑ provides a masterclass in self-discipline. He explains that as a person’s understanding of the world and themselves deepens, they realize the weight of their words. A “complete intellect” ($`Aql$) prioritizes listening over talking and quality over quantity. Excessive speech often leads to errors, vanity, or meaningless chatter; silence, conversely, provides the space for observation and wisdom to grow.