Creation of Universe

Age of Ignorance, Household of Muhammad, hypocrites

Shaqshaqiya (literally, "roar of the camel"), in which Alī lays out his claim to the caliphate and his superiority over his predecessors

His far-sightedness and his steadfastness in Islam

When Abbas and Abu Sufyan offered to pay allegiance to him for the caliphate after Muhammad''s death

On being advised not to chase Talha and Zubayr for fighting

The hypocrites

About Zubayr at a time for which it was appropriate

Cowardice of his enemies in the Battle of the Camel

Talha and Zubayr

When he gave the standard of the Battle of the Camel to his son Mohammad

When, after his victory in the Battle of the Camel, one of his comrades said, "I wish my brother had been present and he too would have seen what success and victory God had given you"

Condemning the people of Basra

Also in condemnation of the people of Basra

After resuming the land grants made by Uthman

Delivered when the people of Madina swore allegiance to him

About those who sit for dispensation of justice among people but are not fit for it

In disparagement of contradictory views among Muslim jurists

Treachery and hypocrisy of al-Ashath al-Kindi

Death and taking lessons from it

Advice to keep light in this world

About those who accused him of killing Uthman

Keeping aloof from envy, and good behavior towards kin

Exhorting people for jihad

When his men were overpowered by Muawiya''s men

People after Muhammad''s death, the settlement between Muawiya and Amr ibn al-As

The transient nature of this world and importance of the next world

About those who found pretexts at the time of jihad

In connection with Uthman''s killing

Before the Battle of the Camel, he sent Ibn Abbas to Zubayr to advise him back to obedience

Disparagement of the world and categories of people

At the time of setting for the Battle of the Camel

Exhorting people to fight against the people of Syria

After arbitration

Warning the people of Nahrawan of their fate

His steadfastness and precedence in Islam

In disparagement of those in doubt

In disparagement of those who shrink from fighting

In response to the slogan of Kharijites: "Judgment belongs to God alone"

In condemnation of treason

Heart''s desires and hopes

In response to a suggestion of war

When Masqala defected to Syria

The greatness of God and the lowliness of this world

When he decided to march towards Syria

Calamities befalling Kufa

At the time of marching towards Syria

God''s greatness and sublimity

Admixture of right and wrong

When his men were prevented from taking water from the River Euphrates

Reward and punishment in the next world

On the description of the Day of Sacrifice

On the swear of allegiance

When his men showed impatience on his delay in giving them permission to fight in Siffin

Steadiness on the battlefield

Muawiya swallows whatever he gets and craves for what he does not get

Addressing the Kharijites

When he was told that the Kharijites had crossed the bridge of Nahrawan

When he was told that the Kharijites had been totally annihilated

Do not fight the Kharijites after me!

When he was warned of being killed by deceit

Transience of this world

Decline and destruction of this world

Attributes of God

Ways of fighting

On hearing the account of what took place in Saqifah of Bani-Sa''ida

When Mohammad ibn Abi Bakr, governor of Egypt, was overpowered and killed

Admonishing his companions for careless behavior

In the morning of the day he was fatally struck with a sword

In condemnation of the people of Iraq

Praise for Muhammad

When Hasan and Husayn interceded on behalf of Marwan

When the elective committee (or shura) decided to swear allegiance to Uthman

When he learned that the Umayyads blamed him for killing Uthman

Preaching and counseling

Banu Umayyad

One of his supplications

Prophecy of astrologers

Shortcomings of women

Way of preaching and counseling

World and its people

Al-Gharra (literally, "the brilliant"), in which Ali enjoined people to piety

Amr ibn al-As

Perfection of God and counseling

Preparing for the hereafter by following God''s commandments

Faithful and unfaithful believers

Factions of community

Holy Prophet

God''s attributes and some advice

Al-Ashbaah (literally, "the skeletons"), in which Ali talked about the creation of the universe

When people decided to swear allegiance to him after the murder of Uthman

Annihilation of the Kharijites, mischief mongering of the Umayyads, vastness of his own knowledge

God''s praise and eulogy of the prophets

Age of Ignorance and Muhammad''s efforts to disseminate God''s message

In eulogy of Muhammad

Admonishing his companions

Oppression of the Umayyads

Abstinence of the world and vicissitudes of time

Muhammad and his descendants

ومن خطبة له (عليه السلام) وهي من خطبته التي تشتمل على ذكر الملاحم

لْحَمْدُ للهِ الاْوَّلِ قَبْلَ كُلِّ أَوِّل، وَالاْخِرِ بَعْدَ كُلِّ آخِر، بِأَوَّلِيَّتِهِ وَجَبَ أَنْ لاَ أَوَّلَ لَهُ، وَبِآخِرِيَّتِهِ وَجَبَ أَنْ لاَ آخِرَ لَهُ، وَأَشْهَدُ أَنْ لاَ إِلهَ إِلاَّ اللهُ شَهَادَةً يُوَافِقُ فِيهَا السِّرُّ الاْعْلاَنَ، وَالْقَلْبُ اللِّسَانَ.

He (Allāh) is the First before every first and the Last after every last. His Firstness necessitates that there is no (other) first before Him and His Lastness necessitates that there is no other last after Him. I do stand witness that there is no god but Allah both openly as well as secretly, with heart as well as with tongue.

أَيُّهَا النَّاسُ، لاَ يَجْرِمَنَّكُمْ شِقَاقِي، وَلاَ يَسْتَهْوِيَنَّكُمْ عِصْيَاني، وَلاَ تَتَرَامَوْا بِالاْبْصَارِ عِنْدَ مَا تَسْمَعُونَهُ مِنِّي. فَوَالَّذِي فَلَقَ الْحَبَّةَ، وَبَرَأَ النَّسَمَةَ، إِنَّ الَّذِي أُنَبِّئُكُمْ بِهِ عَنِ النَّبِيِّ (صلى الله عليه وآله)، مَا كَذَبَ الْمُبَلِّغُ، وَلاَ جَهِلَ السَّامِعُ،

O people, do not commit the crime of opposing me, do not be seduced into disobeying me and do not wing at each other with eyes when you hear me. By Allāh, Who germinates the seed and blows the wind, whatever I convey to you is from the Prophet. Neither the conveyor (of Allāh’s message, i.e. the Prophet) lied nor the hearer misunderstood.

لَكَأَنِّي أَنْظُرُ إِلَى ضِلِّيل قَدْ نَعَقَ بِالشَّامِ ،وَفَحَصَ بِرَايَاتِهَ فِي ضَوَاحِي كُوفَانَ. فإِذَا فَغَرَتْ فَاغِرَتُهُ، وَاشْتَدَّتْ شَكِيمَتُهُ، وَثَقُلَتْ فِي الاْرْضِ وَطْأَتُهُ، عَضَّتِ الْفِتْنَةُ أَبْنَاءَهَا بِأَنْيَابِهَا، وَمَاجَتِ الْحَرْبُ بِأَمْوَاجِهَا، وَبَدَا مِنَ الاْيَّامِ كُلُوحُهَا، وَمِنَ اللَّيَالِي كُدُوحُهَا. فَإِذَا يَنَعَ زَرْعُهُ، وَقَامَ عَلَى يَنْعِهِ، وَهَدَرَتْ شَقَاشِقُهُ، وَبَرَقَتْ بَوَارِقُهُ، عُقِدَتْ رَايَاتُ الْفِتَنِ الْمُعْضِلَةِ، وَأَقْبَلْنَ َالْلَيْلِ الْمُظْلِمِ، وَالْبَحْرِ الْمُلْتَطِمِ. هذا، وَكَمْ يَخْرِقُ الْكُوفَةَ مِنْ قَاصِف، وَيَمُرُّ عَليْهَا مِنْ عَاصِف !وَعَنْ قَلِيل تَلْتَفُّ الْقُرُونُ بِالْقُرُونِ، وَيُحْصَدُ الْقَائِمُ، وَيُحْطَمُ الْـمَحْصُودُ.

Well, it is as though I see a misguided man [1] who is shouting in Syria (ash-Shām) and has put his banners in the outskirt of Kūfah. When his mouth would be fully opened, his recalcitrance would become intense and his steps on earth would become heavy (and tyrannic) then the disorder (so created) would cut the people with its teeth and war would rage with (all) its waves, days would become severe and nights full of toil. So when the crop grows and stands on stalks, its foam shoots forth and its lightning shines, the banners of misguiding rebellion would fire up and shoot forth like darkening night and surging sea. This and how many other storms would rend Kūfah and gales would sweep over it, and shortly heads would clash with heads, the standing crop would be harvested and the harvest would be smashed.

Extrait de l’un de ses discours qui comprend des récits épiques

Louanges à Dieu, le premier avant tout premier, le dernier après tout dernier. Étant premier implique qu’il n’a pas de commencement; étant dernier implique qu’il n’a pas de fin. Et je témoigne qu’il n’y a de dieu que Dieu; un témoignage admis par le cœur et la langue, secrètement et expressément.

O gens, ne vous soulevez pas contre moi car vous serez perdants! Que vos yeux ne clignotent pas lorsque vous m’entendez parler! Par celui qui a fendu le grain et créé l’esprit, ce que je vous déclare au sujet du Prophète analphabète n’est ni taché de mensonge de ma part, ni ignoré par ceux qui m’entendent.

D’autre part, il me semble que j’ai devant les yeux un grand séducteur qui crie à Damas [Cham] et installe ses drapeaux dans les environs de Koufa. Quand il ouvre sa gueule, déploie sa force et remplit la terre de terreur, la sédition fait rage parmi le peuple, la guerre déploie ses malheurs, les jours deviennent sombres et les nuits sanglantes. Et lorsque sa récolte mûrit, que sa voix mugit et que ses épées brillent, la sédition soulève ses bannières compliquées, se faufile comme la nuit obscure et la mer tumultueuse. D'ailleurs, Koufa connaîtra des orages violantes, où les héros s’entremêleront et le bon ordre périra si les tenants de la vérité ne livrent pas bataille.

Nahj al-Balāgha

Book 1, Chapter 101