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) يذكر فيها عجيب خلقه الطاووس

Describing the wonderful creation of the peacock

[خلقة الطيور :] ابْتَدَعَهُمْ خَلْقاً عَجِيباً مِنْ حَيَوَان وَمَوَات، وَسَاكِن وَذِي حَرَكَات، وَأَقَامَ مِنْ شَوَاهِدِ الْبَيِّنَاتِ عَلَى لَطِيفِ صَنْعَتِهِ، وَعَظِيمِ قُدْرَتِهِ، مَا انْقَادَتْ لَهُ الْعُقُولُ مُعْتَرِفَةً بِهِ، وَمُسْلِّمَةً لَهُ، وَنَعَقَتْ فِي أَسْـمَاعِنَا دَلاَئِلُهُ عَلَى وَحْدَانِيَّتِهِ، وَمَا ذَرَأَ مِنْ مُخْتَلِفِ صُوَرِ الاْطْيَارِ الَّتِي أَسْكَنَهَا أَخَادِيدَ الاْرْضِ، وَخُرُوقَ فِجَاجِهَا، وَرَوَاسِي أعْلاَمِهَا

[About the wonderful creation of birds :] Allāh has provided wonderful creations including the living, the lifeless, the stationary, and the moving. He has established such clear proofs for His delicate creative power and great might that minds bend down to Him in acknowledgement thereof and in submission to Him, and arguments about His oneness strike our ears. He has created birds of various shapes which live in the burrows of the earth, in the openings of high passes and on the peaks of mountains.

مِنْ ذَوَاتِ أَجْنِحَة مُخْتَلِفَة، وَهَيْئَات مُتَبَايِنَة، مُصَرَّفَة فِي زِمَامِ التَّسْخِيرِ، وَمُرَفْرِفَة بِأَجْنِحَتِهَا فِي مَخَارِقِ الْجَوِّ المُنفَسِحِ وَالْفَضَاءِ المُنفَرِجِ. كَوَّنَهَا بَعْدَ إِذْ لَمْ تَكُنْ فِي عَجائِبِ صُوَر ظَاهِرَة، وَرَكَّبَهَا فِي حِقَاقِ مَفَاصِلَ مُحْتَجِبَة، وَمَنَعَ بَعْضَهَا بِعَبَالَةِ خَلْقِهِ أَنْ يَسْمُوَ فِي الْهَوَاءِ خُفُوفاً، وَجَعَلَهُ يَدِفُّ دَفِيفاً،

They have different kinds of wings, and various characteristics. They are controlled by the rein of (Allāh’s) authority. They flutter with their wings in the expanse of the vast firmament and the open atmosphere. He brought them into existence from nonexistence in strange external shapes, and composed them with joints and bones covered with flesh. He prevented some of them from flying easily in the sky because of their heavy bodies and allowed them to use their wings only close to the ground.

وَنَسَقَهَا عَلَى اخْتِلاَفِهَا فِى الاْصَابِيغِ بِلَطِيفِ قُدْرَتِهِ، وَدَقِيقِ صَنْعَتِهِ؛ فَمِنْهَا مَغْمُوسٌ فِي قَالَبِ لَوْن لاَ يَشُوبُهُ غَيْرُ لَوْنِ مَا غُمِسَ فِيه، وَمِنْهَا مَغْمُوسٌ فِي لَوْنِ صِبْغ قَدْ طُوِّقَ بِخِلاَفِ مَا صُبِغَ بِهِ.

He has set them in different colours by his delicate might and exquisite creative power. Among them are those which are tinted with one hue and there is no other hue except the one in which they have been dyed. There are others which are tinted with one colour, and they have a neck ring of a different colour than that with which they are tinted.

[الطاووس :] وَمِنْ أَعْجَبِهَا خَلْقاً الطَّاوُوسُ، الَّذِي أَقَامَهُ فِي أَحْكَمِ تَعْدِيل، وَنَضَّدَ أَلْوَانَهُ فِي أَحْسَنِ تَنْضِيد، بِجَنَاح أَشْرَجَ قَصَبَهُ، وَذَنَب أَطَالَ مَسْحَبَهُ. إذَا دَرَجَ إلَى الاْنْثَى نَشَرَهُ مِنْ طَيِّهِ، وَسَمَا بِهِ مُطِلاًّ عَلَى رَأْسِهِ كَأَنَّهُ قِلْعُ دَارِيّ عَنَجَهُ نُوتِيُّهُ. يَخْتَالُ بِأَلْوَانِهِ، وَيَمِيسُ بِزَيَفَانِهِ، يُفْضِي كَإفْضَاءِ الدِّيَكَةِ، وَيَؤُرُّ بِمَلاَقِحِهِ أَرَّ الْفُحُولِ الْمُغْتَلِمَةِ لِلضِّرَابِ

[About the Peacock :] The most amazing among them in its creation is the peacock, which Allāh has created in the most symmetrical dimensions, and arranged its hues in the best arrangement with wings whose ends are inter-leaved together and whose tail is long. When it moves to its female it spreads out its folded tail and raises it up so as to cast a shade over its head, as if it were the sail of a boat being pulled by the sailor. It feels proud of its colours and swaggers with its movements. It copulates like the cocks. It leaps (on the female) for fecundation like lustful energetic men at the time of fighting.

أُحِيلُكَ مِنْ ذلِكَ عَلَى مُعَايَنَة، لاَ كَمَنْ يُحِيلُ عَلى ضَعِيف إسْنَادُهُ، وَلَوْ كَانَ كَزَعْمِ مَنْ يَزْعُمُ أَنَّهُ يُلْقِحُ بِدَمْعَة تَسْفَحُهَا مَدَامِعُهُ، فَتَقِفُ في ضَفَّتَي جُفُونِهِ، وأَنَّ أُنْثَاهُ تَطْعَمُ ذلِكَ، ثُمَّ تَبِيضُ لاَ مِنْ لِقَاحِ فَحْل سِوَى الدَّمْعِ الْمُنبَجِسِ، لَمَا كَانَ ذلِكَ بَأَعْجَبَ مِنْ مُطَاعَمَةِ الْغُرَابِ!. تَخَالُ قَصَبَهُ مَدَارِىَ مِنْ فِضَّة، وَمَا أُنْبِتَ عَلَيْهَا مِنْ عَجِيبِ دَارَاتِهِ وَشُمُوسِهِ خَالِصَ الْعِقْيَانِ، وَفِلَذَ الزَّبَرْجَدِ.

I am telling you all this from observation, unlike he who narrates on the basis of weak authority, as for example, the belief of some people that it fecundates the female by a tear which flows from its eyes and when it stops on the edges of the eyelids the female swallows it and lays its eggs thereby and not through fecundation by a male other than by means of this flowing tear. Even if they say this,it would be no amazing than (what they say about) the mutual feeding of the crows (for fecundation). You would imagine its feathers to be sticks made of silvers and the wonderful circles and sun-shaped feathers growing thereon to be of pure gold and pieces of green emerald.

فَإنْ شَبَّهْتَهُ بِمَا أَنْبَتَتِ الاْرْضُ قُلْتَ: جَنِىٌّ جُنِىَ مِنْ زَهْرَةِ كُلِّ رَبِيع، وَإنْ ضَاهَيْتَهُ بِالْملابِسِ فَهُوَ كَمَوْشِىِّ الْحُلَلِ أَوْ كَمُونِقِ عَصْبِ الَيمَنِ، وَإنْ شَاكَلْتَهُ بِالْحُلِيِّ فَهُوَ كَفُصُوص ذَاتِ أَلْوَان، قَدْ نُطِّقَتْ بِاللُّجَيْنِ الْمُكَلَّلِ.

If you likened them to anything growing on land, you would say that it is a bouquet of flowers collected during every spring. If you likened them to cloths, they would be like printed apparels or amazing variegated cloths of Yemen. If you likened them to ornaments then they would be like gems of different colours with studded silver.

يَمْشِي مَشْيَ الْمَرِحِ الْـمُخْتَالِ، وَيَتَصَفَّحُ ذَنَبَهُ وَجَنَاحَهُ، فَيُقَهْقِهُ ضَاحِكاً لِجَمَالِ سِرْبَالِهِ، وَأَصَابِيغِ وِشَاحِهِ؛ فَإذَا رَمَى بِبَصَرِهِ إِلَى قَوَائِمِهِ زَقَا مُعْوِلاً بِصَوْت يَكَادُ يُبِينُ عَنِ اسْتِغَاثَتِهِ، وَيَشْهَدُ بِصَادِقِ تَوَجُّعِهِ، لاِنَّ قَوَائِمَهُ حُمْشٌ كَقَوَائِمِ الدِّيَكَةِ الْخِلاَسِيَّةِ. وَقَدْ نَجَمَتْ مِنْ ظُنْبُوبِ سَاقِهِ صِيصِيَةٌ خَفِيَّةٌ، وَلَهُ فِي مَوْضِعِ الْعُرْفِ قُنْزُعَةٌ خَضْرَاءُ مُوَشَّاةٌ، وَمَخْرَجُ عَنُقِهِ كالاْبْرِيقِ، وَمَغَرزُهَا إلَى حَيْثُ بَطْنُهُ كَصِبْغِ الْوَسِمَةِ الْـيَـمَانِيَّةِ، أَوْ كَحَرِيرَة مُلْبَسَة مِرْآةً ذَاتَ صِقَال، وَكَأَنَّهُ مُتَلَفِّعٌ بِمِعْجَر أَسْحَمَ؛ إلاَّ أنَّهُ يُخَيَّلُ لِكَثْرَةِ مَائِهِ، وَشِدَّةِ بَرِيقِهِ، أَنَّ الْخُضْرَةَ النَّاضِرَةَ مُمْتَزِجَةٌ بِهِ، وَمَعَ فَتْقِ سَمْعِهِ خَطٌّ كَمُسْتَدَقِّ الْقَلَمِ فِي لَوْنِ الاْقْحُوَانِ، أَبْيَضُ يَقَقٌ، فَهُوَ بِبَيَاضِهِ فِي سَوَادِ مَا هُنَالِكَ يَأْتَلِقُ.

The peacock walks with vanity and pride, and throws open its tail and wings and laughs admiring the handsomeness of its dress and the hues of its necklace of gems. But when it casts its glance at its legs it cries loudly with a voice which indicates its call for help and displays its true grief, because its legs are thin like the legs of Indo-Persian cross-bred cocks. At the end of its shin there is a thin thorn and on the crown of its head there is a bunch of green variegated feathers. Its neck begins in the shape of a goblet and its stretch upto its belly is like the hair-dye of Yemen in colour or like silk cloth put on a polished mirror which looks as if it has been covered with a black veil, except that on account of its excessive lustre and extreme brightness it appears that a lush green colour has been mixed with it. Along the openings of its ears there is a line of shining bright daisy colour like the thin end of a pen. Whiteness shines on the black background.

وَقَلَّ صِبْغٌ إلاَّ وَقَدْ أَخَذَ مِنْهُ بِقِسْط، وَعَلاَهُ بِكَثْرَةِ صِقَالِهِ وَبَرِيقِهِ، وَبَصِيصِ دِيبَاجِهِ وَرَوْنَقِهِ، فَهُوَ كَالاْزَاهِيرِ الْمَبْثُوثَةِ، لَمْ تُرَبِّهَا أَمْطَارُ رَبِيع، وَلاَ شُمُوسُ قَيْظ. وَقَدْ يَنْحَسِرُ مِنْ رِيشِهِ، وَيَعْرَى مِنْ لِبَاسِهِ، فَيَسْقُطُ تَتْرَى، وَيَنْبُتُ تِبَاعاً، فَيَنْحَتُّ مِنْ قَصَبِهِ انْحِتَاتَ أَوْرَاقِ الاْغْصَانِ، ثُمَّ يَتَلاَحَقُ نَامِياً حَتَّى يَعُودَ كَهَيْئَتِهِ قَبْلَ سُقُوطِهِ، لاَ يُخَالِفُ سَالِفَ أَلْوَانِهِ، وَلاَ يَقَعُ لَوْنٌ فِي غَيْرِ مَكَانِهِ! وَإذَا تَصَفَّحْتَ شَعْرَةً مِنْ شَعَرَاتِ قَصَبِهِ أَرَتْكَ حُمْرَةً وَرْدِيَّةً، وَتَارَةً خُضْرَةً زَبَرْجَدِيَّةً، وَأَحْيَاناً صُفْرَةً عسْجَدِيَّةً

There is hardly a hue from which it has not taken a bit and improved it further by regular polish, lustre, silken brightness and brilliance. It is therefore like scattered blossoms which have not been seasoned by the rains of spring or the sun of the summer. It also sheds its plumage and puts off its dress. They all fall away and grow again. They fall away from the feather stems like the falling of leaves from twigs, and then they begin to join together and grow till they return to the state that existed before their falling away. The new hues do not change from the previous ones, nor does any colour occur in other than its own place. If you carefully look at one hair from the hairs of its feather stems it would look like red rose, then emerald green and then golden yellow.

فَكَيْفَ تَصِلُ إلَى صِفَةِ هذَا عَمَائِقُ الْفِطَنِ، أَوْ تَبْلُغُهُ قَرَائِحُ الْعُقُولِ، أَوْ تَسْتَنْظِمُ وَصْفَهُ أَقْوَالُ الْوَاصِفِينَ؟! وَأَقَلُّ أَجْزَائِهِ قَدْ أَعْجَزَ الاْوهَامَ أَنْ تُدْرِكَهُ، وَالاْلْسِنَةَ أَنْ تَصِفَهُ!

How can sharpness of intellect describe such a creation, or faculty of mind, or the utterances of describers manage to tell of it. Even its smallest parts have made it impossible for the imagination to pick them out or for tongues to describe them.

فَسُبْحَانَ الَّذِي بَهَرَ الْعُقُولَ عَنْ وَصْفِ خَلْق جَلاَّهُ لِلْعُيُونِ، فَأَدْرَكَتْهُ مَحْدُوداً مُكَوَّناً، وَمُؤَلَّفاً مُلَوَّناً، وَأَعْجَزَ الاَْلْسُنَ عَنْ تَلْخِيصِ صِفَتِهِ، وَقَعَدَ بِهَا عَنْ تَأْدِيَةِ نَعْتِهِ!

Glorified is Allāh who has disabled intellects from describing the creation which He placed openly before the eyes and which they see bounded, shaped, arranged and coloured. He also disabled tongues from briefly describing its qualities and also from expanding in its praise.

[صغار المخلوقات :] فَسُبْحَانَ مَنْ أَدْمَجَ قَوَائِمَ الذَّرَّةِ وَالْهَمَجَةِ إلَى مَا فَوْقَهُمَا مِنْ خَلْقِ الْحِيتَانِ وَالاْفْيِلَةِ! وَوَأَى عَلَى نَفْسِهِ أَلاَّ يَضْطَرِبَ شَبَحٌ مِمَّا أَوْلَجَ فِيهِ الرُّوحَ، إِلاَّ وَجَعَلَ الْحِمَامَ مَوْعِدَهُ، وَالْفَنَاءَ غَايَتَهُ.

[The magnificence of the Creator in great and small creation :] Glorified is Allāh who has assigned feet to small ants and gnats and also to those above them, the serpents and the elephants. He has made it obligatory upon Himself that no skeleton in which He infuses the spirit would move, but that death is its promised place and destruction its final end.

[منها في صفة الجنة :] فَلَوْ رَمَيْتَ بِبَصَرِ قَلْبِكَ نَحْوَ مَا يُوصَفُ لَكَ مِنْهَا لَعَزَفَتْ نَفْسُكَ عَنْ بَدَائِعِ مَا أُخْرِجَ إِلَى الدُّنْيَا مِنْ شَهَوَاتِهَا وَلَذَّاتِهَا، وَزَخَارِفِ مَنَاظِرِهَا، وَلَذَهِلَتْ بِالْفِكْرِ فِي اصْطِفَاقِ أَشْجَار غُيِّبَتْ عُرُوقُهَا فِي كُثْبَانِ الْمِسْكِ عَلَى سَوَاحِلِ أَنْهَارِهَا، وَفِي تَعْلِيقِ كَبَائِسِ اللُّؤْلُؤِ الرَّطْبِ فِي عَسَالِيجِهَا وَأَفْنَانِهَا، وَطُلُوعِ تِلْكَ الِّثمارِ مُخْتَلِفَةً فِي غُلُفِ أَكْمَامِهَا، تُجْنَى مِنْ غَيْرِ تَكَلُّف فَتأْتي عَلَى مُنْيَةِ مُجْتَنِيهَا، وَيُطَافُ عَلَى نُزَّالِهَا فِي أَفْنِيَةِ قُصُورِهَا بِالاْعْسَالِ الْمُصَفَّقَةِ، وَالْخُمُورِ الْمُرَوَّقَةِ.

[A part of the same sermon Describing Paradise :] If you cast your mind’s eye at what is described to you about Paradise, your heart would begin to hate the delicacies of this world that have been displayed here, namely its desires and its pleasures, and the beauties of its scenes, and you would be lost in the rustling of the trees whose roots lie hidden in the mounds of musk on the banks of the rivers in Paradise and in the attraction of the bunches of fresh pearls in the twigs and branches of those trees, and in the appearance of different fruits from under the cover of their leaves. These fruits can be picked without difficulty as they come down at the desire of their pickers. Pure honey and fermented wine will be handed round to those who settle down in the courtyards of its palaces.

قَوْمٌ لَمْ تَزَلِ الْكَرَامَةُ تَتَمادَى بهِمْ حَتَّى حَلُّوا دَارَ الْقَرَارِ، وَأَمِنُوا نُقْلَةَ الاْسْفَارِ. فَلَوْ شَغَلْتَ قَلْبَكَ أَيُّهَا الْمُسْتَمِعُ بِالْوُصُولِ إلَى مَا يَهْجُمُ عَلَيكَ مِنْ تِلْكَ الْمَنَاظِرِ الْمُونِقَةِ، لَزَهِقَتْ نَفْسُكَ شَوْقاً إِلَيْهَا، وَلَتَحَمَّلْتَ مِنْ مَجْلِسِي هذَا إِلَى مُجَاوَرَةِ أَهْلِ الْقُبُورِ اسْتِعْجَالاً بِهَا.

They are a people whom honour has always followed till they were made to settle in the house of eternal abode, and they obtained rest from the movement of journeying. O listerner! If you busy yourself in advancing towards these wonderful scenes which will rush towards you, then your heart will certainly die due to eagerness for them, and you will be prepared to seek the company of those in the graves straight away from my audience here and hasten towards them.

جَعَلَنَا اللهُ وَإِيَّاكُمْ مِمَّنْ يَسْعَى بِقَلْبِهِ إِلى مَنَازِلِ الاْبْرَارِ بِرَحْمَتِهِ.

Allāh may, by His mercy, include us and you too among those who strive with their hearts for the abodes of the virtuous.

[تفسير بعض ما في هذه الخطبة من الغريب :] قال السيد الشريف: قَوْلُهُ (عليه السلام): «ويَؤُرُّ بِمَلاقِحِهِ» الاْرُّ: كِنَايَةٌ عَنِ النّكَاح، يُقَالُ: أرّ المَرْأةَ يَؤُرّهَا، إذَا نَكَحَهَا. وَقَوْلُهُ (عليه السلام): «كَأنّهُ قلْعُ دَارِيّ عَنَجَهُ نُوتيّهُ» الْقلْعُ: شِرَاعُ السّفِينَةِ، وَدَارِيّ: مَنْسُوبٌ إلى دَارِينَ، وَهِيَ بَلْدَةٌ عَلَى الْبَحْرِ يُجْلَبُ مِنْهَا الطّيبُ. وَعَنَجَهُ: أَيْ عطفه. يُقَالُ: عَنَجْتُ النّاقَةَ أَعْنُجُهَا عَنْجاً إذَا عَطَفْتُهَا. وَالنّوتي: الْمَلاّحُ. وَقَوْلُهُ: «ضَفّتَيْ جُفُونِهِ» أَرَادَ جَانِبَيْ جُفُونِهِ. وَالضّفّتَانِ: الجانِبَانِ. وَقَوْلُهُ: «وَفِلَذَ الزّبَرْجَدِ» الْفِلَذُ: جَمْعُ فِلْذَة، وَهِيَ القِطْعَةُ. وَقَوْلُهُ: «كَبَائِسِ اللّؤْلُؤِ الرّطْبِ» الْكِبَاسَة: الْعِذْقُ. وَالْعَسَالِيجُ: الْغُصُونُ، وَاحِدُهَا عُسْلُوجٌ.

[Note explaining some of the wonderful and obscure portions of this sermon :] as-Sayyid ar-Raḍī says: In Amīr al-mu’minīn’s words “ya’urru bimalāqiḥihi”, “al-arr” implies “copulation”, e.g. When it is said “arra’r-rajulu al-mar’ata ya’urruhā”, it means “he copulated with the woman.” In his words “ka’annahu qal‘u dāriyyin ‘anajahu nūtiyyuhu”, “alqal‘” means the sail of a boat. “dārī” means belonging to Dārīn which is a small town on the coast from where scents are bought. And “‘anajahu” means “turned it”. It is said “‘anajtun’n-nāqata — like naṣartu — a ‘najuhā ‘anjan”. “When you turn the she-camel.” And “an-nūtī” means sailor. His words “daffatay jufūnihi” means edges of the eyelids, since “aḍ-ḍaffatān” means the two edges. His words “wa filadhu’z-zabarjadi”: “al-filadh” is the plural of “al-fildhah ’’ it means piece. His words “ka bā’isi’llu’lu’i’r-raṭibi”. “al-kibāsah” means bunch of dates. “al-‘asālīj”. means twigs. Its singular is “‘uslūj”.

Extrait d’un discours où il expose la création merveilleuse du paon

[Création des oiseaux :] Dieu créa d’une façon merveilleuse les êtres animés et non animés, inertes et mouvants. Les preuves qu’il a données sur la délicatesse de Sa création et la grandeur de Sa puissance ont amené les intelligences à croire en Lui, à s’y soumettre et à déclarer à haute voix qu’il est l’Etre Unique qui a créé toutes les espèces d’oiseaux qu’il fait habiter dans les anfractuosités de la terre: dans les fentes des grands chemins et les cimes des montagnes.

Il les a munis d’ailes de différentes constitutions et formes pour qu’ils fassent ce qui Lui plaît, voltigeant dans l’atmosphère immense et les grandes espaces. Dieu créa les oiseaux en leur donnant des formes merveilleuses qui n’étaient pas visibles auparavant, et les composa d’articulations dissimulées sous des tissus et des plumages. Il empêcha certains oiseaux volumineux de voler rapidement et élégamment dans les airs, mais leur permit de voleter au-dessus du sol.

Il tes a ordonnés d’après différentes couleurs de plumage, tant Sa puissance est gracieuse et Son adresse est fine. Il y en a parmi eux ceux qui sont teints d’une couleur unique et ceux dont celle-ci est contrastée par un collier d’une autre couleur.

[Le paon :] Le paon figure parmi les oiseaux les plus merveilleux. Sa forme est modelée d’une façon parfaite et ses plumes sont empilées pour former un plumage multicolore à la coloration et à l’aspect caractéristiques. Les ailes forment un ensemble de plumes, de pennes, de rémiges et de duvets bien entrelacés. La queue traîne en longueur, et quand le mâle aborde la femelle il la déploie en éventail qu’il élève jusqu'à ombrager sa tête, comme si elle était la voile d’un navire portant les parfums de Darine, que son matelot hisse sur le mât. Le paon fait la roue en se pavanant, montrant ses couleurs. Il couvre sa femelle à la manière des coqs, se comportant avec l’ardeur des étalons en rut.

Je te dis cela d'après l’observation que tu peux, toi aussi, faire au lieu de te rapporter aux dires des autres. Quelques-uns prétendent que le paon féconde sa femelle par une larme sécrétée par ses glandes lacrymales, fixée entre ses paupières et avalée par la femelle qui pond des oeufs fécondés. Cette prétention est aussi absurde que la croyance qui dit que la femelle du corbeau est fécondée par ce qu’elle ingurgite du gosier du mâle! Ses pennes ressemblent à des peignes d’argent, peints de halos magnifiques, de soleils comme de l’or pur et des pièces de topaze.

Si tu compares son plumaage aux récoltes de la terre tu diras; des fruits fraîchement cueillis de fleurs printanières. Si tu les compares aux habits ce sera une dentelle finement brodée ou des malines comme celles brodées au Yémen. En le comparant ayec les bijoux, ce plumage ressemble aux chatons colorés des bagues serties dans de l’argent et des perles.

II parade avec joie et suffisance, contemple sa queue et ses ailes, rit aux éclats devant la magnificence de son habit et le coloris de son plumage. Mais à regarder ses pattes il s’écrie en pleurnichant tant elles sont minces comme celles des coqs hybrides, et l’os du tibia se termine par un ergot caché et grossier. A la place de la crête il a une sorte de mèche verdâtre et tachetée. Son cou s’élance comme le bec d’un pot à eau qui lui descend jusqu’au ventre où les couleurs ressemblent à une plante yéménite servant à teindre ou à une pièce de soie parée d’un miroir poli entouré d’une couleur. Cependant, l’éclat de son cou, presque humide, semble dégager une verdure splendide. A la fente des oreilles on voit une ligne dont la couleur blanche, comme celle d’une marguerite, s’amincit comme une plume qui brille.

Rares sont ses couleurs qui ne dénoncent pas une mesure harmonieuse, d’autant plus que le polissage et la brillance, le lustre et l’éclat de ses plumes ressemblent aux fleurs éparpillées qui n’ont pas été abîmées ni par les pluies du printemps, ni par le soleil de la canicule. Le paon change ses plumes successivement; elles tombent l’une après l’autre comme les feuilles des arbres, mais elles repoussent aussitôt et s’accroissent jusqu’à remplacer celles qui étaient avant la mue: même emplacement, mêmes couleurs, exactement même brillance. Si tu examines une barbe de l’une de ses plumes, tu verras ou une couleur rouge rosâtre ou une couleur verdâtre comme la ehrysolite ou une couleur jaunâtre dorée.

Comment alors les intelligences les plus perspicaces peuvent-elles arriver à qualifier cette beauté créée par Dieu ou à tenter de la décrire?! Cette partie minime du paon échappe à la conception des intel- ligences et à la description des lan- gués!

Loué soit Celui qui éblouit les esprits de ceux qui sont incapables de décrire l’une de Ses créatures si visible, se contentant de ia concevoir formée, limitée, composée et coloriée, sans pour autant pouvoir synthétiser ses qualités.

[Les petites créatures :] Loué aussi Celui qui créa les membres des petites fourmis et des moucherons semblables à ceux des animaux supérieurs comme les gros poissons et les éléphants! Celui qui promit â Lui-même que chaque silhouette à qui Il a insufflé la vie sera vouée à la mort à la fin de son terme et à l'anéantissement comme fin suprême.

[Description du Paradis :] Si tu regardais avec le cœur les caractéristiques du Paradis tu te dégoûterais des merveilles, des passions et des plaisirs de ce monde, et des ornements de ses paysages; tu serais ébloui en écoutant les bruissements des feuilles des arbres dont les racines sont couvertes de dunes de musc sur les rives des fleuves du Paradis; tu verrais avec joie des fruits suspendus comme des perles à ses branches et ses rejetons. Ces fruits, de différentes formes, éclatent dans leurs pétales; on les cueille sans effort d’après le goût du cueilleur. Un miel filtré et des vins clairs seraient servis aux habitants du Paradis dans les cours de ses palais.

Ce sont des gens que la bienfaisance de Dieu a placés définitivement dans cette demeure étemelle. Toi, qui m'écoutes, si tu pouvais fimprégner de ces paysages plaisants, tu mourrais d'envie de les voir et tu quitterais cette réunion pour être auprès des morts dans leurs tombes, en souhaitant les rejoindre.

Que Dieu fasse de vous et de moi des hommes qui aspirent dans leurs cœurs à rejoindre, par Sa miséricorde, les deumeures des justes.

Nahj al-Balāgha

Book 1, Chapter 165