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 ذم الدنيا

أَمَّا بَعْدُ فَإِنِّي أُحَذِّرُكُمُ الدُّنْيَا، فَإِنَّهَا حُلْوَةٌ خَضِرِةٌ، حُفَّتْ بِالشَّهَوَاتِ، وَتَحَبَّبَتْ بِالْعَاجِلَةِ، وَرَاقَتْ بِالْقَلِيلِ، وَتَحَلَّتْ بِالاْمَالِ، وَتَزَيَّنَتْ بِالْغُرُورِ، لاَ تَدُومُ حَبْرَتُهَا، وَلاَ تُؤْمَنُ فَجْعَتُهَا، غَرَّارَةٌ ضَرَّارَةٌ، حَائِلَةٌ زَائِلَةٌ، نَافِدَةٌ بَائِدَةٌ، أَكَّالَةٌ غَوَّالَةٌ، لاَ تَعْدُوـ إِذَا تَنَاهَتْ إِلَى أُمْنِيَّةِ أَهْلِ الرَّغْبَةِ فِيهَا والرضى بِهَا ـ أَنْ تَكُونَ كَمَا قَالَ اللهُ سُبْحَانَهُ وتعالى: ﴿كَمَاءٍ أَنزَلْنَاهُ مِنَ السَّمَاءِ فَاخْتَلَطَ بِهِ نَبَاتُ الْأَرْضِ فَأَصْبَحَ هَشِيمًا تَذْرُوهُ الرِّيَاحُ ۗ وَكَانَ اللهُ عَلَىٰ كُلِّ شَيْءٍ مُّقْتَدِرًا﴾.

So now, certainly I frighten you from this world for it is sweet and green, surrounded by lusts, and liked for its immediate enjoyments. It excites wonder with small things, is ornamented with (false) hopes and decorated with deception. Its rejoicings do not last and its afflictions cannot be avoided. It is deceitful, harmful, changing, perishable, exhaustible, liable to destruction, eating away and destructive. When it reaches the extremity of desires of those who incline towards it and feel happy with it, the position is just what Allah the Glorified, says (in the Qur’ān): “. . . like the water which send We down from heaven, and the herbage of the earth mingleth with it, then it becometh dry stubble which the winds scatter; for Allah over all things hath power.” (18:45)

لَمْ يَكُنِ امْرُؤٌ مِنْهَا فِي حَبْرَةٍ إِلاَّ أَعْقَبَتْهُ بَعْدَهَا عَبْرَةً وَلَمْ يَلْقَ منْ سَرَّائِهَا بَطْناًئف إِلاَّ مَنَحَتْهُ مِنْ ضَرَّائِهَا ظَهْراً وَلَمْ تَطُلَّهُ فِيهَا دِيمَةُ رَخَاءٍ إِلاَّ هَتَنَتْ عَلَيهِ مُزْنَةُ بَلاَءٍ! وَحَرِيٌّ إِذَا أَصْبَحَتْ لَهُ مُنْتَصِرَةً أَنْ تُمْسِيَ لَهُ مُتَنَكِّرَةً، وَإِنْ جَانِبٌ مِنْهَا اعْذَوْذَبَ وَاحْلَوْلَى، أَمَرَّ مِنْهَا جَانِبٌ فَأَوْبَى. لاَ يَنَالُ امْرُؤٌ مِنْ غَضَارَتِهَارَغَباً إِلاَّ أَرْهَقَتْهُ مِنْ نَوَائِبِهَا تَعَباً! وَلاَ يُمْسِي مِنْهَا فِي جَنَاحِ أَمْنٍ، إِلاَّ أَصْبَحَ عَلَى قَوَادِمِ خَوْفٍ!

No person gets rejoicing from this world but tears come to him after it, and no one gets its comforts in the front but he has to face hardships in the rear. No one receives the light rain of ease in it but the heavy rain of distress pours upon him. It is just worthy of this world that in the morning it supports a man but in the evening it does not recognize him. If one side of it is sweet and pleasant the other side is bitter and distressing. No one secures enjoyment from its freshness but he has to face hardship from its calamities. No one would pass the evening under the wing of safety but that his morning would be under the feathers of the wing-tip of fear.

غَرَّارَةٌ، غُرُورٌ مَا فِيهَا، فَانِيَةٌ، فَانٍ مَنْ عَلَيْهَا، لاَ خَيْرَ في شَيْءٍ مِنْ أَزْوَادِهَا إِلاَّ التَّقْوَى. مَنْ أَقَلَّ مِنْهَا اسْتَكْثَرَ مِمَّا يُؤْمِنُهُ! وَمَنِ اسْتَكْثَرَ مِنْهَا اسْتَكْثَرَ مِمَّا يُوبِقُهُ وَزَالَ عَمَّا قَلِيلٍ عَنْهُ. كُمْ مِنْ وَاثِقٍ بِهَا قَدْ فَجَعَتْهُ، وَذِي طُمَأْنِينَةٍ إِلَيْهَا قَدْ صَرَعَتْهُ، وَذِي أُبَّهَةٍ قَدْ جَعَلَتْهُ حَقِيراً، وَذِي نَخْوَةٍ قَدْ رَدَّتْهُ ذَلِيلاً! سُلْطَانُهَا دُوَّلٌ وَعَيْشُهَا رَنِقٌ وَعَذْبُهَا أُجَاجٌ وَحُلْوُهَا صَبِرٌ وَغِذَاؤُهَا سِمَامٌ وَأَسْبَابُهَا رِمَامٌ حَيُّهَا بِعَرَضِ مَوْتٍ، وَصَحِيحُهَا بَعَرَضِ سُقْمٍ! مُلْكُهَا مَسْلُوبٌ، وَعَزِيزُهَا مَغْلُوبٌ، وَمَوْفُورُهَا مَنْكُوبٌ، وَجَارُهَا مَحْرُوبٌ.

It is deceitful, and all that is there in it is deception. It is perishable and all that is on it is to perish. There is no good in its provisions except in piety. Whoever takes little from it collects much of what would give him safety, while one who takes much from it takes much of what would ruin him. He would shortly depart from his collection. How many people relied on it but it distressed them; (how many) felt peaceful with it but it tumbled them down; how many were prestigious but it made them low and how many were proud but it made them disgraceful. Its authority is changing. Its life is dirty. Its sweet water is bitter. Its sweetness is like myrrh. Its food are poisons. Its means are weak. The living in it is exposed to death; the healthy in it is exposed to disease. Its realm is (liable to be) snatched away. The strong in it is (liable to be) defeated and the rich is (liable to be) afflicted with misfortune. The neighbour in it is (liable to be) plundered.

أَلَسْتُمْ فِي مَسَاكِنِ مَنْ كَانَ قَبْلَكُمْ أَطْوَلَ أَعْمَاراً، وَأَبْقَى آثَاراً، وَأَبْعَدَ آمَالاً، وَأَعَدَّ عَدِيداً، وَأَكْثَفَ جُنُوداً! تَعَبَّدُوا لِلدُّنْيَا أَيَّ تَعَبُّدٍ، وَآثَرُوهَا أَيَّ إِيثَارٍ، ثُمَّ ظَعَفُوا عَنْهَا بَغَيْرِ زَادٍ مُبَلِّغٍ وَلاَ ظَهْرٍ قَاطِعٍ. فَهَلْ بَلَغَكُمْ أَنَّ الدُّنْيَا سَخَتْ لَهُمْ نَفْساً بِفِدْيَةٍ أَوْ أَعَانَتْهُمْ بِمَعُونَةٍ؟ أَوْ أَحْسَنَتْ لَهُمْ صُحْبَةً؟ بَلْ أَرْهَقَتْهُمْ بَالْفَوَادِحِ وَأوْهَنَتْهُمْ بِالْقَوَارِعِ وَضَعْضَعَتْهُمْ بِالنَّوَائِبِ، وَعَفَّرَتْهُمْ لِلْمَنَاخِرَ، وَوَطِئَتْهُمْ بَالْمَنَاسِمِ وَأَعَانَتْ عَلَيْهِمْ ﴿رَيْبَ الْمَنُونِ﴾.

Are you not (residing) in the houses of those before you, who were of longer ages, better traces, had bigger desires, were more in numbers and had greater armies. How they devoted themselves to the world and how they showed preference to it? Then they left it without any provision that could convey them through, or the back (of a beast for riding) to carry them. Did you get the news that the world was ever generous enough to present ransom for them, or gave them any support or afforded them good company? It rather inflicted them with troubles, made them languid with calamities, molested them with catastrophes, threw them down on their noses, trampled them under hoofs and helped the “vicissitudes of time” (52:30) against them.

فَقَدْ رَأَيْتُمْ تَنَكُّرَهَا لِمَنْ دَانَ لَهَا وَآثَرَهَا وَأَخْلَدَ إِلَيْهَا، حِينَ ظَعَنُوا عَنْهَا لَفِرَاقِ الاْبَدِ. هَلْ زَوَّدَتْهُمْ إِلاَّ السَّغَبَ أَوْ أَحَلَّتْهُمْ إِلاَّ الضَّنْكَ أوْ نَوَّرَتْ لَهُمْ إِلاَّ الظُّلْمَةَ؟ أَوْ أَعْقَبَتْهُمْ إِلاَّ النَّدَامَةَ؟ أَفَهذِهِ تُؤْثِرُونَ؟ أَمْ إِلَيْهَا تَطْمَئِنُّونَ؟ أَمْ عَلَيْهَا تَحْرِصُونَ؟ فَبِئْسَتِ الدَّارُ لَمَنْ لَمْ يَتَّهِمْهَا، وَلَمْ يَكُنْ فِيهَا عَلَى وَجَلٍ مِنْهَا! فَاعْلَمُوا ـ وَأَنْتُمْ تَعْلَمُونَ ـ بِأَنَّكُمْ تَارِكُوهَا وَظَاعِنُونَ عَنْهَا، وَاتَّعِظُوا فِيهَا بِالَّذِينَ ﴿قَالُوا مَنْ أَشَدُّ مِنَّا قُوَّةً﴾: حُمِلُوا إِلَى قُبُورِهِمْ فَلاَ يُدْعَوْنَ رُكْبَاناً وَأُنْزِلُوا الاْجْدَاثَ فَلاَ يُدْعَوْنَ ضِيفَاناً، وَجُعِلَ لَهُمْ مِنَ الصَّفِيحِ أَجْنَانٌ وَمِنَ التُّرَابِ أَكْفَانٌ، وَمِنَ الرُّفَاتِ جِيرَانٌ.

You have observed its strangeness towards those who went near it, acquired it and appropriated it, till they depart from it for good. Did it give them any provision other than starvation, or make them stay in other than narrow places, or give them light other than gloom, or give them in the end anything other than repentance? Is this what you much ask for or remain satisfied with, or towards which you feel greedy? How bad is this abode for him he did not suspect it (to be so) and did not entertain fear from it? You should know, as you do know, that you have to leave it and depart from it. While in it, take lesson from those “who proclaimed ‘who is more powerful than we’” (Qur’ān, 41:15) but they were carried to their graves, though not as riders. They were then made to stay in the graves, but not as guests. Graves were made for them from the surface of the ground. Their shrouds were made from earth. Old bones were made their neighbour.

فَهُمْ جِيرَةٌ لاَ يُجِيبُونَ دَاعِياً، وَلاَ يَمْنَعُونَ ضَيْماً، وَلاَ يُبَالُونَ مَنْدَبَةً، إِنْ جِيدُوا لَمْ يَفْرَحُوا، وَإِنْ قُحِطُوا لَمْ يَقْنَطُوا، جَمِيعٌ وَهُمْ آحَادٌ، وَجِيرَةٌ وَهُمْ أَبْعَادٌ، مُتَدَانُونَ لاَ يَتَزَاوَرُونَ، وَقَرِيبُونَ لاَ يَتَقَارَبُونَ، حُلَمَاءُ قَدْ ذَهَبَتْ أَضْغَانُهُمْ، وَجُهَلاءُ قَدْ مَاتَتْ أَحْقَادُهُمْ، لاَ يُخْشَى فَجْعُهُمْ، وَلاَ يُرْجَى دَفْعُهُمْ، اسْتَبْدَلُوا بِظَهْرِ الاْرْضِ بَطْناً، وَبِالسَّعَةِ ضِيقاً، وَبِالاْهْلِ غُرْبَةً، وَبِالنُّورِ ظُلْمَةً، فَجَاؤُوهَا كَمَا فَارَقُوهَا، حُفَاةً عُرَاةً، قَدْ ظَعَنُوا عَنْهَا بِأَعْمَالِهِمْ إِلَى الْحَيَاةِ الْدَّائِمَةِ وَالدَّارِ الْبَاقِيَةِ، كَمَا قَالَ اللهُ سُبْحَانَهُ: ﴿كَمَا بَدَأْنَا أَوَّلَ خَلْقٍ نُّعِيدُهُ ۚ وَعْدًا عَلَيْنَا ۚ إِنَّا كُنَّا فَاعِلِينَ﴾.

They are neighbours who do not answer a caller nor ward off trouble, nor pay heed to mourner. If they get rain they do not feel happy, and if they face famine they do not get disappointed. They are together but each one apart. They are close together but do not see each other. They are near but do not meet. They are enduring and have no hatred. They are ignorant and their malice has died away. There is no fear of trouble from them and no hope of their warding off (troubles). They have exchanged the back (surface) of the earth with its stomach (interior), vastness with narrowness, family with loneliness, and light with darkness. They have come to it (this world) as they had left it with bare feet and naked bodies. They departed from it with their acts towards the continuing life and everlasting house as Allāh has said: “.. As we caused the first creation, so will We get it return. (It is) a promise binding Us, verily We were doing it.” (Qur’ān, 21:104)

Extrait d’un discours Blâme de la vie terrestre

...Après cette introduction, je vous incite à prendre garde de la vie terrestre; elle est belle et verdoyante, entourée de passions, aimable pour ses biens, facilement reposante, parée d'espoirs et d’illusions. Cependant, ses plaisirs sont éphémères et l’on ne peut pas si fier à elle, tellement ses malheurs sont brusques; car elle vous trompe par ses changements maléfiques, elle a une fin inévitable et doit disparaître sans avertir, mais entre-temps elle agit comme une ogresse insatiable. Lorsqu’elle va à la rencontre de ceux qui la désirent, elle n’est pas loin d’être ce que Dieu-gloire à Luia dit: «[Et propose-leur l’exemple de la vie ici-bas] Elle est semblable à une eau que Nous faisons descendre du ciel; la végétation de la terre se mélange à elle puis elle devient de l’herbe desséchée que les vents dispersent. Allah est certes Puissant en toutes choses!» (La Caverne, 45),

Tout homme qui y vit heureux se voit amené à pleurer, car si elle lui accorde des moments de plaisir elle se hâte de l’accabler de malheurs. Elle lui fournit quelques moments d’agrément qu’elle fait suivre d’un fléau de désastres! Il est de son propre d’être, le matin, un ami fidèle et de se convertir, le soir, en ennemi antipathique. Déguisée de masques différents, elle montre successivement un visage délicieux et agréable, suivi d’un autre qui dénote Tamertume maladive. Nul n’acquiert d’elle une grâce ou une richesse qu’il n’en paie le prix par des calamités pénibles! Bien que l’homme passe sa nuit en toute tranquillité, il se voit le matin assailli par la peur!

Car la vie ici-bas est traîtresse et tout ce qu’elle contient est illusion; elle est périssable avec tout ce qu’elle renferme. Elle est digne d’être vécue uniquement parce qu’elle permet à l’homme d’être pieux et de craindre Dieu. Celui qui s’en détache voit sa foi grandir et celui qui s’y attache court rapidement à sa perte et à celle de ses acquisitions! Combien a-t-elle peiné de gens confiant en elle, affecté d’hommes qui s'y reposaient en toute confiance, abaissé d’orgueilleux et méprisé d’intrépides! Sa puissance est instable, ses aliments sont sans saveur, son eau est saumâtre, sa douceur est amère, sa nourriture est empoisonnée et ses moyens de subsistance ressemblent à une corde pourrie! Le vivant ici-bas est un accident [opposé à substance] périssable! Sa santé est vouée à la maladie et ses possessions sont condamnées au vol! Tout fort ici-bas sera vaincu, tout riche appauvri et tout voisin pillé!

N’occupez-vous pas les demeures de ceux qui vous ont devancés et avaient mené une vie plus longue et laissé plus de traces? Ne nourrissaient-ils pas plus d’espoirs? N’étaient-ils pas plus nombreux et mieux équipés en troupes? Ils avaient fortement adoré la vie terrestre, l’avaient préférée à toutes choses, puis l’avaient quittée sans provisions ni montures. Vous a-t-on dit que la vie a racheté l’un d’eux contre une rançon, ou qu’elle l’a assisté ou lui a offert une bonne compagnie? Non, au contraire! Elle les a tous opprimés par les caries [maladies], fouettés par les calamités, dispersés par les malheurs, roulés dans la poussière, foulés par les pieds [du chameau] et livrés aux «affres de la mort».

Vous avez vu comment elle renie celui qui s’y soumet, la préfère et lui fait confiance: elle s’en sépare pour toujours. Lui a-t-elle laissé sinon la faim, la vie gênée, les ténèbres et les regrets? Est-ce cette vie terrestre que vous voulez, préférez, convoitez et espérez? Elle est une demeure misérable pour celui qui ne la suspecte pas et ne nourrit aucune peur d’elle! Sachez-et vous le savez bien-que vous allez la quitter et recevez l’avis de ceux qui ont dit: «Y a-t-îl quelqu’un plus puissant que nous?». Ceux-ci ont été portés à leurs tombes bon gré mal gré, non comme des cavaliers, ni comme des hôtes, mais avec la poussière comme linceul et les restes des morts comme voisins,

des voisins qui ne répondent pas à leurs appels, qui ne repoussent pas une oppression, qui sont insensibles aux pleurs des vivants, qui ne se réjouissent pas s’il pleut et qui sont indifférents à la sécheresse. Tous ces morts sont des individus tassés ensemble, c.à-d, des voisins sans communications mutuel-les et sans visites réciproques... Ils sont devenus aimables et sans rancunes, ignorants et sans ressentiment, inoffensifs et inutiles les uns pour les autres. Ils ont échangé la surface de la terre par ses entrailles, l’étendu par l’étroitesse, la vie de famille par l’isolement et la lumière par les ténèbres. Ils ont quitté la vie tels qu’ils l’avaient reçue: totalement nus, sans prendre avec eux aucun de leurs biens, sauf les bonnes actions qui leur assurent la vie étemelle, comme Dieu l’avait révélé par ce verset: «Tout comme nous avons commencé la première création, ainsi Nous la commencé la répéterons; c’est une promesse qui nous incombe et Nous l’accomplirons!» (Les Prophètes, 104).

Nahj al-Balāgha

Book 1, Chapter 111