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

وَأُحَذّرُكُمُ الدُّنْيَا، فَإِنَّهَا مَنْزِلُ قُلْعَة، وَلَيْسَتْ بِدَارِ نُجْعَة، قَدْ تَزَيَّنَتْ بَغُرُورِهَا، وَغَرَّتْ بِزِينَتِهَا، دَارُهَا هَانَتْ عَلَى رَبِّهَا، فَخَلَطَ حَلاَلَهَا بِحَرَامِهَا، وَخَيْرَهَا بِشَرِّهَا، وَحَيَاتَهَا بِمَوتِهَا، وَحُلْوَهَا بِمُرِّهَا، لَمْ يُصْفِهَا اللهُ لاَوْلِيَائِهِ، وَلَمْ يَضِنَّ بِهَا عَلَى أَعْدَائِهِ، خَيْرُهَا زَهِيدٌ، وَشَرُّهَا عَتِيدٌ، وَجَمْعُهَا يَنْفَدُ، وَمُلْكُهَا يُسْلَبُ، وَعَامِرُهَا يَخْرَبُ. فَمَا خَيْرُ دَار تُنْقَضُ نَقْضَ الْبِنَاءَ، وَعُمُر يَفْنَى فَنَاءَ الزَّادِ، وَمُدَّة تَنْقَطِعُ انْقِطَاعَ السَّيْرِ!

I warn you of the world for it is the abode of the unsteady. It is not a house for foraging. It has decorated itself with deception and deceives with its decoration. It is a house which is low before Allāh. So He has mixed its lawful with its unlawful, its good with its evil, its life with its death, and its sweetness with its bitterness. Allāh has not kept it clear for His lovers, nor has He been niggardly with it towards His foes. Its good is sparing. Its evil is ready at hand. Its collection would dwindle away. Its authority would be snatched away. Its habitation would face desolation. What is the good in a house which falls down like fallen construction or in an age which expires as the provision exhausts, or in time which passes like walking?

فاجْعَلُوا مَا افْتَرَضَ اللهُ عَلَيْكُمْ مِنْ طَلِبَتِكُمْ، وَاسْأَلُوهُ مِنْ أَدَاءِ حَقِّهِ مَا سَأَلَكُمْ، وَأَسْمِعُوا دَعْوَةَ الْمَوْتِ آذَانَكُمْ قَبْلَ أَنْ يُدْعَى بِكُمْ. إِنَّ الزَّاهِدِينَ في الدُّنْيَا تَبْكِي قُلُوبُهُمْ وَإِنْ ضَحِكُوا، وَيَشْتَدُّ حُزْنُهُمْ وَإِنْ فَرِحُوا، وَيَكْثُرُ مَقْتُهُمْ أَنْفُسَهُمْ وَإِنِ اغْتُبِطُوا بِمَا رُزِقُوا.

Include whatever Allāh has made obligatory on you in your demands. Ask from Him fulfilment of what He has asked you to do. Make your ears hear the call of death before you are called by death. Surely the hearts of the abstemious weep in this world even though they may (apparently) laugh, and their grief increases even though they may appear happy. Their hatred for themselves is much even though they may be envied for the subsistence they are allowed.

قَدْ غَابَ عَنْ قُلُوبِكُمْ ذِكْرُ الاْجَالِ، وَحَضَرَتْكُمْ كَوَاذِبُ الاْمَالِ، فَصَارَتِ الدُّنْيَا أَمْلَكَ بِكُمْ مِنَ الاْخِرَةِ، وَالْعَاجِلَةُ أَذْهَبَ بِكُمْ مِنَ الاْجِلَةِ، وَاِنَّمَا أَنْتُم إِخْوَانٌ عَلَى دِينِ اللهِ، مَا فَرَّقَ بَيْنَكُمْ إِلاَّ خُبْثُ السَّرَائِرَ، وَسُوءُ الضَّمائِرِ، فَلاَ تَوَازَرُونَ، وَلاَ تَنَاصَحُونَ، وَلاَ تَبَاذَلُونَ، وَلاَ تَوَادُّونَ. مَا بَالُكُمْ تَفْرَحُونَ بِالْيَسِيرَ مِنَ الدُّنْيَا تُدْرِكُونَهُ، وَلاَ يَحْزُنُكُمُ الْكَثِيرُ مِنَ الاخِرَةِ تُحْرَمُونَهُ! وَيُقْلِقُكُمُ الْيَسِيرُ مِنَ الدُّنْيَا يَفُوتُكُمْ، حَتَّى يَتَبَيَّنَ ذلِكَ فِي وُجُوهِكُمْ، وَقَلَّةِ صَبْرِكُمْ عَمَّا زُوِيَ مِنْهَا عَنْكُمْ! كَأَنَّهَا دَارُ مُقَامِكُمْ، وَكَأَنَّ مَتَاعَهَا بَاق عَلَيْكُمْ.

Remembrance of death has disappeared from your hearts while false hopes are present in you. So this world has mastered you more than the next world, and the immediate end (of this world) has removed you away from the remote one (of the next life). You are brethren in the religion of Allāh. Dirty natures and bad conscience have separated you. Consequently you do not bear burdens of each other nor advise each other, nor spend on each other, nor love each other. What is your condition? You feel satisfied with what little you have secured from this world while much of the next world of which you have been deprived does not grieve you. The little of this world which you lose pains you so much so that it becomes apparent in your faces, and in the lack of your endurance over whatever is taken away from you; as though this world is your permanent abode, and as though its wealth would stay with you for good.

وَمَا يَمْنَعُ أَحَدَكُمْ أَنْ يَسْتَقْبِلَ أَخَاهُ بِمَا يَخَافُ مِنْ عَيْبِهِ، إِلاَّ مَخَافَةُ أَنْ يَسْتَقْبِلَهُ بِمِثْلِهِ، قَدْ تَصَافَيْتُمْ عَلَى رَفْضِ الاْجِلِ وَحُبِّ الْعَاجِلِ، وَصَارَ دِينُ أَحَدِكُمْ لُعْقَةً عَلَى لِسَانِهِ، صَنِيعَ مَنْ قَدْ فَرَغَ مِنْ عَمَلِهِ، وَأَحْرَزَ رِضَى سَيِّدِهِ.

Nothing prevents anyone among you to disclose to his comrade the shortcomings he is afraid of, except the fear that the comrade would also disclose to him similar defects. You have decided together on leaving the next world and loving this world. Your religion has become just licking with the tongue. It is like the work of one who has finished his job and secured satisfaction of his master.

Extrait d’un discours où il honnit la vie terrestre

Je vous mets en garde contre la vie terrestre:c’est une demeure non habitée et non un foyer où l’on trouve des pâturages. Elle est enjolivée par sa vanité et elle séduit par sa parure. Mais Dieu a peu de considération pour elle, et c’est pour cela qu’il l’a créée un mélange de licite et d’illicite, de bien et de mal, de vie et de mort, de doux et d'amer. Il ne l’a pas rendue digne de ses élus purifiés; ni ne l’a refusée à ses ennemis. Son bien est minime et son mal présent. Son profit s’épuise, ses biens sont violables et ses constructions connaissent la ruine. Quel bien trouve-t-on dans une demeure vouée à la destruction si la vie des hommes se consomme comme les aliments et leur espérance de vie se coupe comme une ceinture?!

Demandez donc l'accomplissement des devoirs que Dieu vous a imposés. . . ! Faîtes que vos oreilles entendent l’appel de la mort avant d’être effectivement appelées à quitter ce monde. Ceux qui ont renoncé à ce monde ont des cœurs qui pleurent même s’ils rient. Leur affliction augmente alors qu’ils vivent dans la joie et ils se haïssent quand même ils sont contents du bien-être dont ils jouissent.

Vos coeurs ont oublié la notion des termes et vous vous trouvez en face des espérances mensongères. Et vous êtes devenus attachés à la vie terrestre plus qu’à la vie future. Néanmoins vous êtes des frères ayant la même religion de Dieu et vous n’êtes séparés que par la malice des fors intérieurs et les mauvaises consciences. On ne trouve parmi vous ni aide mutuelle, ni conseils, ni générosité, ni amour. Qu’avez-vous donc? Pourquoi vous réjouissez-vous du peu que vous obtenez dans cette vie et ne vous attristez-vous pas à cause de biens énormes dont vous serez privés dans l’autre vie?! Vous vous inquiétez quand vous vous trouvez privés d’un bien infime de ce monde et l’agitation apparaît sur vos visages, de même que votre impatience devant ce qui vous échappe, comme si la vie terrestre est votre demeure définitive et ce qu’elle contient vous appartient toujours!

Ce qui vous retient d’imputer un défaut à un frère c’est la peur de rendre reproche pour reproche. Cependant, vous vous êtes mis d’accord pour aimer l’éphémère et refuser le durable; votre foi même est seulement verbale, sans contenu, et en cela vous agissez comme le serviteur qui croit satisfaire son maître en achevant une tâche.

Nahj al-Balāgha

Book 1, Chapter 113