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) في شأن طلحة و الزبير و في البيعة له

[طلحة و الزبير :] وَاللهِ مَا أَنْكَرُوا عَلَيَّ مُنْكَراً، وَلاَ جَعَلُوا بَيْنِي وَبَيْنَهُمْ نِصْفاً، وَإِنَّهُمْ لَيَطْلُبُونَ حَقّاً هُمْ تَرَكُوهُ، وَدَماً هُمْ سَفَكُوهُ، فَإِنْ كُنْتُ شَرِيكَهُمْ فِيهِ فَإِنَّ لَهُمْ نَصِيبَهُمْ مِنْهُ، وَإِنْ كَانُوا وَلُوهُ دُونِي فَمَا الطَّلِبَةُ إِلاَّ قِبَلَهُمْ، وَإِنَّ أَوَّلَ عَدْلِهِمْ لَلْحُكْمُ عَلَى أَنْفُسِهِمْ، وَإِنَّ مَعِي لَبَصِيرَتِي، مَا لَبَّسْتُ وَلاَ لُبِّسَ عَلَيَّ،

By Allāh, they did not find any disagreeable thing in me, nor did they do justice between me and themselves. Surely, they are now demanding a right which they have abandoned and blood which they have themselves shed. If I pertook in it with them then they too have a share in it, but if they committed it without me the demand should be against them. The first step of their justice should be that they pass verdict against themselves. I have my intelligence with me. I have never mixed matters nor have they appeared mixed to me.

وَإِنَّهَا لَلْفِئَةُ الْبَاغِيَةُ، فِيهَا الْحَمأُ وَالْحُمَةُ وَالشُّبْهَةُ الْمُغْدِفَةُ، وَإِنَّ الاْمْرَ لَوَاضِحٌ، وَقَدْ زَاحَ الْبَاطِلُ عَنْ نِصَابِهِ، وَانْقَطَعَ لِسَانُهُ عَنْ شَغَبِهِ. وَايْمُ اللهِ لاَفْرِطَنَّ لَهُمْ حَوْضاً أَنَا مَاتِحُهُ، لاَ يَصْدُرُونَ عَنْهُ بِرِيٍّ، وَلاَ يَعُبُّونَ بَعْدَهُ فِي حَسْي.

Certainly, this is the rebellious group in which there is the near one (az-Zubayr), the scorpion’s venom (‘Ā’ishah) and doubts which cast a veil (on facts). But the matter is clear, and the wrong has been shaken from its foundation. Its tongue has stopped uttering mischief. By Allāh, I will prepare for them a cistern from which I alone will draw water. They will not be able to drink from it nor would they be able to drink from any other place.

[منه في أمر البيعة :] فَأَقْبَلْتُمْ إِلَيَّ إِقْبَالَ الْعُوذِ الْمَطَافِيلِ عَلَى أَوْلاَدِهَا، تَقُولُونَ: الْبَيْعَةَ الْبَيْعَةَ! قَبَضْتُ كَفِّي فَبَسَطْتُمُوهَا، وَنَازَعَتْكُمْ يَدِي فَجَاذَبْتُمُوهَا. اللَّهُمَّ إنَّهُمَا قَطَعَاني وَظَلَمَاني، وَنَكَثَا بَيْعَتِي، وَأَلَّبَا النَّاسَ عَلَيَّ; فَاحْلُلْ مَا عَقَدَا، وَلاَ تُحْكِمْ لَهُمَا مَا أَبْرَمَا، وَأَرِهِمَا الْمَسَاءَةَ فِيَما أَمَّلاَ وَعَمِلاَ، وَلَقَدِ اسْتَثَبْتُهُمَا قَبْلَ الْقِتَالِ، وَاسْتَأْنَيْتُ بِهمَا أَمَامَ الْوِقَاعِ، فَغَمَطَا النِّعْمَةَ، وَرَدَّا الْعَافِيَةَ.

[A part of the same sermon :] You advanced towards me shouting “allegiance, allegiance” like she-camels having delivered newly born young ones leaping towards their young. I held back my hand but you pulled it towards you I drew back my hand but you dragged it. O my Allāh! these two have ignored my rights and did injustice to me. They both have broken allegiance to me, and roused people against me. Unfasten Thou what they have fastened, and do not make strong what they have woven. Show them the evil in what they aimed at and acted upon. Before fighting I asked them to be steadfast in allegiance and behaved with them with consideration but they belittled the blessing and refused (to adopt the course of) safety.

Extrait de ses paroles au sujet de Talhat et de Zubaïr

[Talhat et Zubaïr :] Par Dieu, ils n’ont pas pu enregistrer contre moi quelque chose qui déplaît à Dieu et n'ont pas été équitables à mon égard. Ils réclament un droit qu’ils avaient délaissé, du sang qu’eux-mêmes avaient versé [celui de ‘Outhman], Si j’avais participé avec eux [au meurtre de ‘Outhman] ils ne sauraient renier leur responsabilité; et si le forfait était commis par eux seuls, ils devaient subir la vengeance. Leur premier acte de justice est de se juger eux-mêmes. J’ai ma clairvoyance, je ne dissimule pas et ne laisse personne s’immiscer dans mes affaires.

C’est chez les transgresseurs qu’on trouve le parent du Prophète [Zubaïr était son cousin maternel], la vipère [Talhat] et l’équivoque consistant à réclamer la vengeance de ‘Outhman]. L’affaire est claire. L'injustice est coupée de sa racine; sa langue s’arrête d’exciter la foule. Par Dieu, je leur ferai boire la coupe de la mort...

[L’installation du calife :] Vous êtes venus chez moi comme si vous étiez des chamelles qui accourent à leurs petits, en disant: nous prêterons un serment d’allégeance en ta faveur. J’ai serré ma main mais vous Laviez ouverte [j’ai refusé mais vous aviez insisté]. Elle s’est refusée mais vous l’aviez tirée. Seigneur, ils [Talhat et Zubaïr] se sont séparés de moi, ont lésé mes droits, rompu leur serment d’allégeance, excité les gens contre moi; délie donc ce qu’ils ont noué, ne les laisse pas réussir dans leur rancune et fais leur voir l’erreur de ce qu’ils ont manigancé. Je leur ai demandé de s’amender avant que je ne leur livre bataille, mais ils ont rejeté la grâce...

Nahj al-Balāgha

Book 1, Chapter 137