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 كلام له (عليه السلام) بعد ليلة الهرير وقد قام رجل من أصحابه فقال: نهيتنا عن الحكومة ثمّ أمرتنا بها، فما ندري أيّ الامرين أَرشد؟ فصفق (عليه السلام) إحدى يديه على الاخرى ثمّ قال:

A man from among the companions of Amīr al-mu’minīn stood up and said, “O Amīr al-mu’minīn, you first stopped us from Arbitration and thereafter gave order for it. We do not know which of these two was more appropriate.” Amīr al-mu’minīn struck one hand over the other and said :

هذا جَزَاءُ مَنْ تَرَكَ الْعُقْدَةَ! أَمَا وَاللهِ لَوْ أَنِّي حِينَ أَمَرْتُكُمْ بِما أَمَرْتُكُمْ بِهِ حَمَلْتُكُمْ عَلَى الْمَكْرُوهِ الَّذِي يَجْعَلُ اللهُ فِيهِ خَيْراً، فَإِنِ اسْتَقَمْتُمْ هَدَيْتُكُمْ وَإِنِ اعْوَجَجْتُمْ قَوَّمْتُكُمْ وَإِنْ أَبَيْتُمْ تَدَارَكْتُكُمْ، لَكَانَتِ الْوُثْقَى، وَلكِنْ بِمَنْ وَإِلَى مَنْ؟ أُرِيدُ أَنْ أُدَاوِيَ بِكُمْ وَأَنْتُمْ دَائي، كَنَاقِشِ الشَّوْكَةِ بِالشَّوْكَةِ، وَهُوَ يَعْلَمُ أَنَّ ضَلْعَهَا مَعَهَا! اللَّهُمَّ قَدْ مَلَّتْ أَطِبَّاءُ هذَا الدَّاءِ الدَّوِيِّ، وَكَلَّتِ النَّزْعَةُ بِأَشْطَانِ الرَّكِيِّ!

This is the reward of one who breaks pledge. By Allāh, when I gave you my orders (namely) to abide by arbitration I had led you to an undesirable thing (namely war) in which Allāh had ordained good. If you had been steadfast I would have guided you, if you had been bent I would have straightened you and if you had refused I would have rectified you. This was the surest way. But with whom and to whom. I wanted my treatment from you but you proved to be my disease, like the extractor of thorn with the thorn when he knows that the thorn bends towards itself. My Allāh, the physicians have despaired of this fatal ailment and water-drawers have become tired with the rope of this well.

أَيْنَ الْقَوْمُ الَّذِينَ دُعُوا إِلَى الاِسْلاَمِ فَقَبِلُوهُ؟ وَقَرَأُوا الْقُرْآنَ فَأَحْكَمُوهُ؟ وَهِيجُوا إِلى الْجِهَادِ فَوَلَّهُوا اللِّقَاحَ أَوْلاَدَهَا، وَسَلَبُوا السُّيُوفَ أَغْمَادَهَا، وَأَخَذُوا بِأَطْرَافِ الاْرْضِ زَحْفاً زَحْفاً وَصَفّاً صَفّاً؟! بَعْضٌ هَلَكَ، وَبَعْصٌ نَجَا. لاَيُبَشَّرُونَ بِالاْحْيَاءِ، وَلاَ يُعَزَّوْنَ عَنِ الْمَوْتَى، مُرْهُ الْعُيُونِ مِنَ الْبُكَاءِ، خُمْصُ الْبُطُونِ مِنَ الصِّيَامِ، ذُبُلُ الشِّفَاهِ مِنَ الدُّعَاءِ، صُفْرُ الاْلْوَانِ مِنَ السَّهَرِ، عَلَى وَجُوهِهمْ غَبَرَةُ الْخَاشِعيِنَ، أُولئِكَ إِخْوَاني الذَّاهِبُونَ، فَحَقَّ لَنَا أَنْ نَظْمَأَ إِلَيْهِمْ وَنَعَضَّ الاْيْدِيَ عَلَى فِرَاقِهمْ!

Where [1] are those who were invited to Islam and they accepted it? They read the Qur’ān and decided according to it. They were exhorted to fight and they leapt (towards it) as she-camels leap towards their youngs. They took their swords out of the sheaths and went out into the world in groups and rows. Some of them perished and some survived. The good news of survival does not please them nor do they get condoled about the dead. Their eyes have turned white with weeping. Their bellies are emaciated because of fasting. Their lips are dry because of (constant) praying. Their colour is pale because of wakefulness. Their faces bear the dust of God-fearing. These are, my comrades who have departed. We should be justified if we feel eager for them and bite our hands in their separation.

إِنَّ الشَّيْطَانَ يُسَنِّي لَكُمْ طُرُقَهُ، وَيُرِيدُ أَنْ يَحُلَّ دِينَكُمْ عُقْدَةً عُقْدَةً، وَيُعْطِيَكُمْ بَالْجَمَاعَةِ الْفُرْقَةَ، وَبِالْفُرْقَةِ الْفَتْنَةَ; فَاصْدِفُوا عَنْ نَزَغَاتِهِ وَنَفَثَاتِهِ، وَاقْبَلُوا النَّصِيحَةَ مِمَّنْ أَهْدَاهَا إِلَيْكُمْ، وَاعْقِلوهَا عَلَى أَنْفُسِكُمْ.

Certainly, Satan has made his ways easy for you and wants to unfasten the knots of religion one by one and to cause division among you in place of unity. Keep away from his evil ideas and enchantments and accept good advice of one who offers it to you and preserve it in your minds.

Extrait d’un discours prononcé à la suite de la nuit Harir. Un homme de sa suite dit: Tu nous as défendu d'avoir un gouvernement puis tu nous as donné l’ordre de l’établir; laquelle de ces deux positions est la plus capable de nous diriger? ‘Ali tape une main sur l'autre et dit:

C’est la rémunération de celui qui a délaissé le pacte conclu [au sujet de la guerre contre ceux qui n’avaient pas accepté ‘Ali comme calife]. Par Dieu, si lorsque je vous ai donné l’ordre [de gouverner] je vous avais porté à faire un acte haïssable que Dieu transforme en un bien, (c.à-d. si vous marchiez droit je vous guiderais, si vous agissiez d’une manière tortueuse je vous ramènerais dans le droit chemin et si vous refusiez j’aurais prévu votre mal pour le prévenir); si tout cela était fait, alors la deuxième position serait la plus ferme. Cependant, avec qui gouverner et qui gouverner? Je voudrais remédier [la situation politique] grâce à vous, quand même vous seriez ma maladie, comme quelqu’un qui veut enlever l’épine de sous la peau en utilisant une autre épine! Mon Dieu, les médecins de cette grave maladie se sont ennuyés, et le tireur du seau du puits par les cordes est devenu faible!

Où sont les gens qui ont été appelé à l’Islam et l’ont accepté? Qui ont lu le Coran et font bien retenu? Qui ont été incité au Jihad et ont soupiré vers lui comme soupire la chamelle vers son fils? Qui, enfin, ont jeté les fourreaux des épées et marché en lignes serrées contre l’ennemi dans les contrées lointaines? Quelques-uns ont péri, d'autres ont été sauvés; ils ne se réjouissent pas quand on leur dit que tel et tel ont été sauvés [car la mort est pour eux le commencement de la vie éternelle] et ne veulent pas recevoir les condoléances. Leurs yeux sont devenus blanchâtres à force de pleurer, leurs tailles minces à force de jeûner, leurs lèvres desséchées à force de prier avec instance et leurs couleurs pâles à force de veiller. Sur leurs visages apparaît la couleur de poussière qu'on trouve chez les ascètes. Ceux-ci sont mes frères défunts, îl nous est loisible d'évoquer ardemment leur souvenir et de mordre les doigts en signe de tristesse pour leur départ.

Satan vous facilite ses voies, veut anéantir votre religion par étapes, semer la dispersion et la sédition dans vos rangs. Éloignez-vous donc de ses tentations, acceptez le conseil de celui qui vous le donne et ne vous en défaites pas.

Nahj al-Balāgha

Book 1, Chapter 121