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) في التزهيد في الدنيا

يُّهَا النَّاسُ، انْظُرُوا إِلى الدُّنْيَا نَظَرَ الزَّاهِدِينَ فِيهَا، الصَّادِفِينَ عَنْهَا؛ فَإِنَّهَا وَاللهِ عَمَّا قَلِيلٍ تُزِيلُ الثَّاوِيَ السَّاكِنَ، وَتَفْجَعُ الْمُتْرَفَ الاْمِنَ، لاَ يَرْجِعُ مَا تَوَلَّى مَنْهَا فَأَدْبَرَ، وَلاَ يُدْرَى مَا هُوَ آتٍ مِنْهَا فَيُنْتَظَرَ. سُرُورُهَا مَشُوبٌ بِالْحُزْنِ، وَجَلَدُالرِّجَالِ فَيهَا إِلَى الضَّعْفِ وَالْوَهْنِ فَلا يَغُرَّنَّكُمْ كَثْرَةُ مَا يُعْجِبُكُمْ فِيهَا لِقِلَّةِ مَا يَصْحَبُكُمْ مِنْهَا

O people ! look at the world like those who abstain from it, and turn away from it. By Allāh, it would shortly turn out its inhabitants and cause grief to the happy and the safe. That which turns and goes away from it never returns and that which is likely to come about is not known or anticipated. Its joy is mingled with grief. Herein men's firmness inclines towards weakness and languidness. The majority of what pleases you here should not mislead you because that which would help you would be little.

رَحِمَ اللهُ امْرَأً تَفَكَّرَ فَاعْتَبَرَ، واعْتَبَرَ فَأَبْصَرَ، فَكَأَنَّ مَا هُوَ كَائِنٌ مِنَ الدٌّنْيَا عَنْ قَلِيل لَمْ يَكُنْ، وَكَأَنَّ مَا هُوَ كَائِنٌ مِنَ الاْخِرَةِ عَمَّا قَلَيل لَمْ يَزَلْ، وَكُلُّ مَعْدُود مُنْقَض، وَكُلُّ مُتَوَقَّع آت، وَكُلُّ آت قَرِيبٌ دَان.

Allāh may shower His mercy on him who ponders and takes lesson thereby, and when he takes lesson he achieves enlightenment. Whatever is present in this world would shortly not exist, while whatever is to exist in the next world is already in existence. Every countable thing would pass away. Every anticipation should be taken to be coming up and everything that is to come up should be taken as just near.

ومنها في صفة العالم : الْعَالِمُ مَنْ عَرَفَ قَدْرَهُ، وَكَفَى بِالْمَرءِ جَهْلاً أَلاَّ يَعْرِفَ قَدْرَهُ; وَإِنَّ مِنْ أَبْغَضَ الرِّجَالِ إِلَى اللهِ لَعَبْدٌ وَكَّلَهُ اللهُ إِلَى نَفْسِهِ، جَائِرٌ عَنْ قَصْدِ السَّبِيلِ، سَائِرٌ بَغَيْرِ دَلِيل، إِنْ دُعِيَ إِلَى حَرْثِ الدُّنْيَا عَمِلَ، أوْ إِلَى حَرْثِ الاْخِرَةِ كَسِلَ! كَأَنَّ مَا عَمِلَ لَهُ وَاجِبٌ عَلَيْهِ، وَكَأَنَّ مَا وَنَى فِيهِ سَاِقطٌ عَنْهُ!

[A part of the same sermon on the attributes of a learned person :] Learned is he who knows his worth. It is enough for a man to remain ignorant if he knows not his worth. Certainly, the most hated man with Allāh is he whom Allāh has left for his own self. He goes astray from the right path, and moves without a guide. If he is called to the plantation of this world he is active, but if he is called to the plantation of the next world he is slow. As though what he is active for is obligatory upon him whereas in whatever he is slow was not required of him.

ومنها في آخر الزمان : وَذلِكَ زَمَانٌ لاَ يَنْجُو فِيهِ إِلاَّ كُلُّ مٌؤْمِنٍ نُوَمَةٍ إِنْ شَهِدَ لَمْ يُعْرَفْ، وَإِنْ غَابَ لَمْ يُفْتَقَدْ، أُولَئِكَ مَصَابِيحُ الْهُدَى، وَأَعْلاَمُ السُّرَى لَيْسُوا بِالْمَسَايِيحِ وَلاَ الْمَذَايِيعِ الْبُذُرِ أُولَئِكَ يَفْتَحُ اللهُ لَهُمْ أَبْوَابَ رَحْمَتِهِ، وَيَكْشِفُ عَنْهُمْ ضَرَّاءَ نِقْمَتِهِ

[A part of the same sermon concerning future times :] There would be a time wherein only a sleeping (inactive) believer would be safe (such that) if he is present he is not recognized but if he is absent he is not sought after. These are the lamps of guidance and banners of night journeys. They do not spread calumnies nor divulge secrets, nor slander. They are those for whom Allāh would open the doors of His mercy and keep off from them the hardships of His chastisement.

أَيُّهَا النَّاسُ، سَيَأْتي عَلَيْكُمْ زَمَانٌ يُكْفَأُ فِيهِ الاْسْلاَمُ، كَمَا يُكْفَأُ الاْنَاءُ بِمَا فِيهِ. أَيُّهَا النَّاسُ، إِنَّ اللهَ قَدْ أَعَاذَكُمْ مِنْ أَنْ يَجُورَ عَلَيْكُمْ، وَلَمْ يُعِذْكُمْ مِنْ أَنْ يَبْتَلِيكُمْ، وَقَدْ قَالِ جَلَّ مِنْ قَائِل: ﴿إِنَّ فِي ذَٰلِكَ لَآيَاتٍ وَإِن كُنَّا لَمُبْتَلِينَ﴾.

O people! a time will come to you when Islam would be capsized as a pot is capsized with all its contents. O people, Allāh has protected you from that He might be hard on you but He has not spared you from being put on trial. Allāh the Most Sublime of all speakers has said : Verily in this are signs and We do only try (the people). (Qur’ān, 23:30)

قال السيد الشريف: أما قوله (عليه السلام): «كلّ مؤمِن نُوَمَة» فإنما أَراد به: الخامل الذكر القليل الشر. والمساييح: جمع مِسياح، وهو: الذي يسيح بين الناس بالفساد والنمائم. والمذاييع: جمع مِذْياع، وهو: الذي إذا سمع لغيره بفاحشة أذاعها، ونوّه بها. والبُذُرُ: جمع بَذُور وهو: الذي يكثر سفهه ويلغو منطقه.

as-Sayyid ar-Raḍī says: As regards Amīr al-mu’minīn’s words “kullu mu'minin nuwamah” (every sleeping believer), he implies thereby one who is talked of little and causes no evil. And the word “al-masayiḥ” is the plural of “misyaḥ”. He is one who spreads trouble among people through evils and calumnies. And the word “al-madhāyi'” is the plural of “midhyā'”. He is one who on hearing of an evil about some one spreads it and shouts about it. And “al-budhur” is the plural of “badhur”. He is one who excels in foolishness and speaks rubbish.

Extrait d’un discours Renoncement au monde

O gens, regardez le monde comme font les ascètes qui le méprisent. Par Dieu, dans peu de temps il anéantit le résident tranquille et afflige Phomme aisé. Le passé révolu ne revient pas et l’on ne sait pas ce à quoi on s’attend. Les plaisirs du monde sont tachés de tristesse. La robustesse des hommes tend vers la faiblesse et la débilité. Ne vous laissez donc pas vous leurrer par ses nombreux aspects qui vous plaisent, car peu de choses vous en restent.

Que Dieu aie pitié d’un homme qui réfléchit et considère, qui considère et voit que ce qui existe dans le monde ne l’était pas peu auparavant, que l’Au-delà ne tarde pas à venir, que tout ce qu’on peut compter a une fin, que tout ce qui est attendu aura lieu dans un proche avenir.

[Qualité du savant :] Le savant est celui qui connaît sa propre valeur, car il suffit pour un ignorant de ne pas se connaître. L’homme le plus haï de Dieu est le serviteur à qui Dieu recommande de prendre soin de lui-même, mais qui s’écarte de la voie de et déambule sans guidance perspective; si on l’appelle à fructifier la vie terrestre, il consent à travailler; si on lui demande de fructifier la vie future, il agit en paresseux! Comme s’il devait travailler ici-bas et lui est permis d’être non- chalant vis à vis de l’éternité!

[La fin des temps :] En ce temps-là, seulement seront sauvé les croyants «dont la présence n’est pas observée [par les mauvais gens] et l’absence n’est pas regrettée». Il s’agit des champions de la bonne guidance et des lanternes qui éclairent la marche nocturne; ils ne rapportent pas des propos dans l’intention de nuire ou de répandre les péchés des mitres, ils ne sont pas insensés et illogiques. Dieu leur ouvre les portes de Sa miséricorde et les protège des dommages de Sa disgrâce.

O gens, un temps viendra où l’Islam recule comme un vase renversé. O gens, Dieu vous fait éviter d’être injuste envers vous, mais II ne vous a pas épargné la possibilité de vous examiner. Il a dit : «Voilà bien là des signes. Nous sommes certes celui qui éprouve» (Les Croyants, 30).

Nahj al-Balāgha

Book 1, Chapter 103