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) يعظ فيها ويزهد في الدنيا

[حمد اللَّه :] نَحْمَدُهُ عَلَى مَا أَخَذَ وَأَعْطَى، وَعَلَى مَا أَبْلَى وَابْتَلَى، الْبَاطِنُ لِكُلِّ خَفِيَّة، الْحَاضِرُ لِكُلِّ سَرِيرَة، العَالِمُ بِمَا تُكِنُّ الصُّدُورُ، وَمَا تَخُونُ الْعُيُونُ. وَنَشْهَدُ أَنْ لاَ إِلهَ غَيْرُهُ، وَأَنَّ مُحَمَّداً نَجِيبُهُ وَبَعِيثُهُ، شَهَادَةً يُوَافِقُ فِيهَا السِّرُّ الاْعْلاَنَ، وَالْقَلْبُ اللِّسَانَ.

We praise Him for whatever He takes or gives or whatever He inflicts on us or tries us with. He is aware of all that is hidden and He sees all that is concealed. He knows all that breasts contain or eyes hide. We render evidence that there is no god except He and that Muḥammad — peace be upon him and his progeny — has been chosen by Him and deputed by Him — evidence tendered both secretly and openly, by heart and by tongue.

ومنها في عظة الناس : فَإِنَّهُ وَاللهِ الْجِدُّ لاَ اللَّعِبُ، وَالْحَقُّ لاَ الْكَذِبُ، وَمَا هُوَ إِلاَّ الْمَوْتُ أَسْمَعَ دَاعِيهِ، وَأَعْجَلَ حَادِيهِ، فَلاَ يَغُرَّنَّكَ سَوَادُ النَّاسِ مِنْ نَفْسِكَ، فَقَدْ رَأَيْتَ مَنْ كَانَ قَبْلَكَ مِمَّنْ جَمَعَ الْمَالَ وَحَذِرَ الاْقْلاَلَ، وَأَمِنَ الْعَوَاقِبَ ـ طُولَ أَمَل وَاسْتِبْعَادَ أَجَل ـ كَيْفَ نَزَلَ بِهِ الْمَوْتُ فَأَزْعَجَهُ عَنْ وَطَنِهِ، وَأَخَذَهُ مِنْ مَأْمَنِهِ، مَحْمُولاً عَلَى أَعْوَادِ الْمَنَايَا يَتَعَاطَى بِهِ الرِّجَالُ الرِّجَالَ، حَمْلاً عَلَى المَنَاكِبِ وَإِمْسَاكاً بِالاْنَامِلِ.

[A part of the same sermon :] By Allāh, certainly it is reality not fun, truth not falsehood. It is none else than death. Its caller is making himself heard and its dragsman is making haste. The majority of the people should not deceive you. You have seen those who lived before you, amassed wealth, feared poverty and felt safe from its (evil) consequences, the longerity of desires and the (apparent) distance from death. How, then, death overtook them, turned them out of their homelands and took them out of their places of safety. They were borne on coffins, people were busy about them one after another, carrying them on their shoulders and supporting them with their hands.

أَمَا رَأَيْتُمُ الَّذِينَ يَأْمُلُونَ بَعِيداً، وَيَبْنُونَ مَشِيداً، وَيَجْمَعُونَ كَثِيراً! أَصْبَحَتْ بُيُوتُهُمْ قُبُوراً، وَمَا جَمَعُوا بُوراً، وَصَارَتْ أَمْوَالُهُمْ لِلْوَارِثِينَ، وَأَزْوَاجُهُمْ لِقَوْم آخَرِينَ، لاَ فِي حَسَنَة يَزِيدُونَ، وَلاَ مِنْ سَيِّئَة يَسْتَعْتِبُونَ! فَمَنْ أَشْعَرَ التَّقْوَى قَلْبَهُ بَرَّزَ مَهَلُهُ، وَفَازَ عَمَلُهُ. فَاهْتَبِلُوا هَبَلَهَا، وَاعْمَلُوا لِلْجَنَّةِ عَمَلَهَا، فَإِنَّ الدُّنْيَا لَمْ تُخْلَقْ لَكُمْ دَارَ مُقَام، بَلْ خُلِقَتْ لَكُمْ مَجَازاً لِتَزَوَّدُوا مِنْهَا الاَعْمَالَ إِلَى دَارِ الْقَرَارِ; فَكُونُوا مِنْهَا عَلى أَوْفَاز، وَقَرِّبُوا الظُّهُورَ لِلزِّيَالِ.

Did you not witness those who engaged in long-reaching desires, built strong buildings, amassed much wealth but their houses turned to graves and their collections turned into ruin. Their property devolved on the successors and their spouses on those who came after them. They cannot (now) add to their good acts nor invoke (Allāh’s) mercy in respect of evil acts. Therefore, whoever makes his heart habituated to fear Allāh achieves a forward position and his action is successful. Prepare yourself for it and do all that you can for Paradise. Certainly this world has not been made a place of permanent stay for you. But it has been created as a pathway in order that you may take from it the provisions of your (good) actions for the permanent house (in Paradise). Be ready for departure from here and keep close your riding animals for setting off.

Extrait d’un discours où il prêche et renonce à la vie terrestre

[Louange à Dieu :] Nous Le louons pour ce qu’il a pris et pour ce qu’il a donné, pour Ses bienfaits et Ses épreuves. Il pénètre tout secret, est présent dans les consciences, connaît ce que cachent les poitrines et ce que trahissent les yeux. Nous témoignons qu’il n’est point de dieu autre que Lui et que Mouhammad est Son élu et Son messager. Nous le témoignons en notre for intérieur et d’une façon notoire où le cœur est en accord avec la langue.

[La prêche :] Par Dieu, il s’agit d’une affaire [la mort] sérieuse et non dérisoire, véritable et non mensongère. Tout vivant sait bien qu’il va mourir, le héraut de la mort étant partout. Ne te leurres pas en voyant la multitude des vivants. Tu connais déjà ceux qui t’ont devancés, amassé de l’argent de peur de la pauvreté et se croyaient assurés contre la mort en espérant une longue vie. Eh bien, la mort s’est abattue sur eux, les a déracinés et arrachés de leurs refuges.Ils ont été étendus sur une civière portée sur ies épaules des hommes...

N’avez-vous pas vu ceux qui espéraient une longue vie, qui construisaient des maisons et qui amassaient beaucoup d’argent comment leurs maisons sont devenues des tombes, leurs bien perdus et distribués aux héritiers, comment leurs épouses se sont remariées? Après leur mort, ils seront incapables d’augmenter leurs bonnes actions ou de demander que les mauvaises soient oubliées! Celui dont la piété touche son cœur surpasse les autres dans la recherche du bien et réussit dans ses travaux. Aspirez à la piété et œuvrez pour le Paradis: la vie terrestre n’est pas pour vous une demeure étemelle; elle est un relais où vous vous approvisionnez de bonnes actions pour la demeure où vous séjournerez éternellement. Soyez donc disposés à la quitter...

Nahj al-Balāgha

Book 1, Chapter 132