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 خطب الملاحم

It is one of the sermons about the vicissitudes of time

[اللّه تعالى ] الْحَمْدُ للهِ الْمُتَجَلِّي لِخَلْقِهِ بِخَلْقِهِ، وَالظَّاهِرِ لِقُلُوبِهِمْ بِحُجَّتِهِ، خَلَقَ الْخَلْقَ مِنْ غَيْرِ رَوِيَّة، إِذْ كَانَتِ الرَّوِيَّاتُ لاَ تَلِيقُ إِلاَّ بِذَوي الضَّمائِرِ وَلَيْسَ بِذِي ضَمِير فِي نَفْسِهِ، خَرَقَ عِلْمُهُ بَاطِنَ غَيْبِ السُّتُرَاتِ، وَأَحَاطَ بِغُمُوضِ عَقَائِدِ السَّرِيرَاتِ.

Praise be to Allāh Who is Manifest before His creation because of themselves. Who is apparent to their hearts because of clear Proof; who created without meditating, since meditating does not befit except one who has thinking organs while He has no thinking organ in Himself. His knowledge has split forth the inside of unknown secrets and covered the bottom of deep beliefs.

[ومنها في ذكر النبي (صلى الله عليه وآله) :] اخْتَارَهُ مِنْ شَجَرَةِ الاْنْبِيَاءِ، وَمِشْكَاةِ الضِّيَاءِ ، وَذُؤَابَةِ الْعَلْيَاءِ، وَسُرَّةِ الْبَطْحَاءِ، وَمَصَابِيحِ الظُّلْمَةِ، وَيَنَابِيعِ الْحِكْمَةِ.

[A part of the same sermon about the Holy Prophet :] Allāh chose him from the lineal tree of prophets, from the flame of light, from the forehead of greatness, from the best part of the valley of al-Baṭha', from the lamps for darkness, and from the sources of wisdom.

ومنها : طَبِيبٌ دَوَّارٌ بِطِبِّهِ، قَدْ أَحْكَمَ مَرَاهِمَهُ، وَأمْضى مَوَاسِمَهُ، يَضَعُ من ذلِكَ حَيْثُ الْحَاجَةُ إِلَيْهِ، مِنْ قُلُوب عُمْي، وَآذَان صُمٍّ، وَأَلْسِنَة بُكْم؛ مُتَتَبِّعٌ بِدَوَائِهِ مَوَاضِعَ الْغَفْلَةِ، وَمَوَاطِنَ الْحَيْرَةِ؛ لَمْ يَسْتَضِيئُوا بِأَضْوَاءِ الْحِكْمَةِ، وَلَمْ يَقْدَحُوا بِزِنَادِ الْعُلُومِ الثَّاقِبَةِ; فَهُمْ فِي ذلِكَ كَالاْنْعَامِ السَّائِمَةِ، وَالصُّخُورِ الْقَاسِيَةِ.

[A part of the same sermon :] The Prophet was like a roaming physician who has set ready his ointments and heated his instruments. He uses them wherever the need arises for curing blind hearts, deaf ears, and dumb tongues. He followed with his medicines the spots of negligence and places of perplexity. They (people) did not take light from the lights of his wisdom nor did they produce flame from the flint of sparkling knowledge. So in this matter they are like grazing cattle and hard stones.

[فتنة بني أمية :] قَدِ انْجَابَتِ السَّرائِرُ لاِهْلِ الْبَصَائِرِ، وَوَضَحَتْ مَحَجَّةُ الْحَقِّ لِخَابِطِهَا، وَأَسْفَرَتِ السَّاعَةُ عَنْ وَجْهِهَا، وَظَهَرَتِ الْعَلاَمَةُ لِمتَوَسِّمِهَا. مَا لي أَرَاكُمْ أَشْبَاحاً بِلاَ أَرْوَاح، وَأَرْوَاحاً بِلاَ أَشْبَاح، وَنُسَّاكاً بِلاَ صَلاَح، وَتُجَّاراً بِلاَ أَرْبَاح، وَأَيْقَاظاً نُوَّماً، وَشُهُوداً غُيَّباً، وَنَاظِرَةً عُمْيَاً، وسَامِعَةً صُمَّاً، وَنَاطِقَةً بُكْماً! رَايَةُ ضَلاَلة قَدْ قَامَتْ عَلَى قُطْبِهَا ، وَتَفرَّقَتْ بِشُعَبِهَا، تَكِيلُكُمْ بِصَاعِهَا، وَتَخْبِطُكُمْ بِبَاعِهَا . قَائِدُهَا خَارجٌ مِنْ الْمِلَّةِ، قَائِمٌ عَلَى الضِّلَّةِ; فَلاَ يَبْقَى يَوْمَئِذ مِنْكُمْ إِلاَّ ثُفَالَةٌ كَثُفَالَةِ الْقِدْرِ، أَوْ نُفَاضَةٌ كَنُفَاضَةِ الْعِكْمِ،

Nevertheless hidden things have appeared for those who perceive, the face of right has become clear for the wanderer, the approaching moment has raised the veil from its face and signs have appeared for those who search for them. What is the matter with me! I see you just bodies without spirits and spirits without bodies, devotees without good, traders without profits, wakeful but sleeping, present but unseen, seeing but blind, hearing but deaf and speaking but dumb. I notice that misguidance has stood on its centre and spread (all round) through its off-shoots. It weighs you with its weights and confuses you with its measures. Its leader is an out-cast from the community. He persists on misguidance. So on that day none from among you would remain except as the sediment in a cooking pot or the dust left after dusting a bundle.

تَعْرُكُكُمْ عَرْكَ الاْدِي، وَتَدُوسُكُمْ دَوْسَ الْحَصَيدِ ، وَتَسْتَخْلِصُ الْمُؤْمِنَ مِنْ بَيْنِكُمُ اسْتَخْلاصَ الطَّيْرِ الْحَبَّةَ الْبَطِينَةَ مِنْ بَيْنِ هَزِيلِ الْحَبِّ. أَيْنَ تَذْهَبُ بِكُمُ الْمَذَاهِبُ، وَتَتِيهُ بِكُمُ الْغَيَاهِبُ، وَتَخْدَعُكُمُ الْكَوَاذِبُ؟ وَمِنْ أَيْنَ تُؤْتَوْنَ، وَأَنَّى تٌؤْفَكُون؟ فَلِكُلِّ أَجَل كِتَابٌ، وَلِكُلِّ غَيْبَة إِيَابٌ، فَاسْتَمِعُوا مِنْ رَبَّانِيِّكُمْ، وَأَحْضِرُوهُ قُلُوبَكُمْ، واسْتَيْقِظُوا إِنْ هَتَفَ بِكُمْ،

It would scrape you as leather is scraped, and trample you as harvest is trampled, and pick out the believer as a bird picks out a big grain from the thin grain. Where are these ways taking you, glooms misleading you, and falsehoods deceiving you? Whence are you brought and where are you driven? For every period there is a written document and everyone who is absent has to return. So listen to your godly leader and keep your hearts present. If he speaks to you be wakeful.

وَلْيَصْدُقْ رَائِدٌ أَهْلَهُ، وَلْيَجْمَعْ شَمْلَهُ، وَلْيُحْضِرْ ذِهْنَهُ، فَلَقَدْ فَلَقَ لَكُمُ الاْمْرَ فَلْقَ الْخَرَزَةِ، وَقَرَفَهُ قَرْفَ الصَّمْغَةِ. فَعِنْدَ ذلِكَ أَخَذَ الْبَاطِلُ مَآخِذَهُ، وَرَكِبَ الْجَهْلُ مَرَاكِبَهُ، وَعَظُمَتِ الطَّاغِيَةُ، وَقَلَّتِ الدَّاعِيَةُ، وَصَالَ الدَّهْرُ صِيَالَ السَّبُعِ الْعَقُورِ، وَهَدَرَ فَنِيقُ الْبَاطِلِ بَعْدَ كُظُوم، وَتَوَاخَى النَّاسُ عَلَى الْفُجْورِ، وَتَهَاجَرُوا عَلَى الدِّينِ، وَتَحَابُّوا عَلَى الْكَذِبِ، وَتَبَاغَضُوا عَلَى الصِّدْقِ.

The forerunner must speak truth to his people, should keep his wits together and maintain presence of mind. He has clarified to you the matter as the stitch-hole is cleared, and scraped it as the gum is scraped (from the twigs). Nevertheless, now the wrong has set itself on its places and ignorance has ridden on its riding beasts. Unruliness has increased while the call for virtue is suppressed. Time has pounced upon like devouring carnivore, and wrong is shouting like a camel after remaining silent. People have become brothers over ill-doings, have forsaken religion, are united in speaking lie but bear mutual hatred in the matter of truth.

فَإِذَا كَانَ ذلِكَ كَانَ الْوَلَدُ غَيْظاً، وَالْمَطَرُ قَيْظاً، وَتَفِيضُ اللِّئَامُ فَيْضاً، وَتَغِيضُ الْكِرَامُ غَيْضاً، وَكَانَ أَهْلُ ذلِكَ الزَّمَانِ ذِئَاباً، وَسَلاَطَينُهُ سِبَاعاً، وَأَوْسَاطُهُ أُكَّالاً، وَفُقَرَاؤُهُ أَمْوَاتاً، وَغَارَ الصِّدْقُ، وَفَاض الْكَذِبُ، وَاسْتُعْمِلَتِ الْمَوَدَّةُ بِاللِّسَانِ، وَتَشَاجَرَ النَّاسُ بِالْقُلُوبِ، وَصَارَ الْفُسُوقُ نَسَباً، وَالْعَفَافُ عَجَباً، وَلُبِسَ الاْسْلاَمُ لُبْسَ الْفَرْوِ مَقْلُوباً.

When such is the case, the son would be a source of anger (instead of coolness of the eye to parents) and rain the cause of heat, the wicked would abound and the virtuous would diminish. The people of this time would be wolves, its rulers beasts, the middle class men gluttons and the poor (almost) dead. Truth would go down, falsehood would overflow, affection would be claimed with tongues but people would be quarrelsome at heart. Adultery would be the key to lineage while chastity would be rare and Islam would be worn overturned like the skin.

Extrait d’un discours appartenant au genre épique

[Dieu :] Louange à Dieu qui se manifes- te par Ses créatures et par Ses arguments. Auteur de la création sans examen attentif, car une telle attitude sied aux êtres ayant des cœurs et des sens primitifs et non à un être qui a une conscience de soi. Sa science a pénétré l’intérieur de l’Audelà et englobé les croyances énigmatiques des intentions.

[Le Prophète :] Dieu l’a choisi de l’arbre des prophètes, de la niche des lampes éclairantes, du toupet du ciel, du meilleur endroit dans Al Batha’ [région aux environs de la Mecque], des lampes qui éclairent l’obscurité et des sources de la sagesse.

Un médecin ambulant, qui a parfait ses onguents et chauffé son fer [outil qui brûle quelques endroits du corps en vue de le guérir] pour imprimer les endroits malades, c.à-d. les cœurs aveugles, les oreilles sourdes, les langues muettes, et qui applique son médicament sur les lieux de l’insouciance et de la perplexité [la phrase est imcompiète. à moins de dire «‘Ali est un médecin»...]. Ils [les Omeyyades] ne se sont pas éclairés par les lumières de la sagesse et n’ont pas battu le briquet des sciences pénétrantes. En cela, ils sont comme le bétail et les roches dures.

Les intentions se révèlent aux clairvoyants, le chemin de la vérité s’étale clairement devant le marcheur, l’Heure montre son visage et le signe apparaît à celui qui le cherche. Comment se fait-il que je vous vois comme des fantômes sans esprit des esprits sans silhouette, des ascètes sans bonté, des marchands sans gain; je vois que vous veillez en dormant, que vous êtes des présents absents, des voyeurs aveugles, des écouteurs sourds, des parlants muets! Une bannière d’erreur qui s’est dressée sur son axe et s’est embranchée vous mène malgré vous vers votre perte. Son commandant est un hors-la-loi appuyé sur l’erreur. [Dans ce contexte], seulement les mauvais sujets parmi vous survivront,

car les hors-la-loi vous racleront jusqu'à vous user, vous piétineront comme du blé battu et extirperont les croyants parmi vous comme font les oiseaux avec les grains bien remplis. Où vous mènent les chemins? Dans quels labyrinthes errez-vous? Comment vous laissez-vous mener par les mensonges? De quel côté seriez-vous pris et où seriez-vous détournés? La fin de toute chose absence est inscrite est dans suivie le registre d’une, et préchaque. Écoutez donc le connaisseur des choses divines, placez-le dans vos cœurs et réveillez-vous s’il crie pour vous éveiller.

Que l’éclaireur soit sincère avec les siens, qu’il les rassemble et qu’il aiguise sa prudence. Il [Mou’awîyat] a scindé la nation en deux camps. Dans le sien, le mal règne partout avec l’ignorance, l’oppression augmente, ceux qui invoquent Dieu diminuent. Le siècle attaque tes hommes avec férocité, le mal s’acharne, les hommes tendent vers le libertinage en s’éloignant de la religion; leur amour n’est que mensonge et haine de la vérité.

Les enfants suscitent la colère de leurs parents, la pluie n’est plus utile, les ignobles deviennent nombreux, tandis que les nobles deviennent rare. Les gens de ce temps sont des loups, les sultans des bêtes féroces, les médiocres des chancres et les pauvres des morts. La sincérité fuit devant l’abondance du mensonge. L’amitié reste verbale, les cœurs des hommes sont pleins de rancœur, l’impudeur est devenue un lignage et la chasteté étonne. L’Islam porte une fourrure à l’envers.

Nahj al-Balāgha

Book 1, Chapter 108