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 رسول الله (صلى الله عليه وآله وسلم) ومن هو جدير بأن يكون للخلافة وفي هوان الدنيا

[رسول الله :] أَمِينُ وَحْيِهِ، وَخَاتَمُ رُسُلِهِ، وَبَشِيرُ رَحْمَتِهِ، وَنَذِيرُ نِقْمَتِهِ.

The Prophet is the trustee of Allāh’s revelation, the Last of His Prophets, the giver of tidings of His mercy and the warner for His chastisement.

[الجدير بالخلافة :] أَيُّهَا النَّاسُ، إنَّ أَحَقَّ النَّاسِ بِهذَا الاْمْرِ أَقْوَاهُمْ عَلَيْهِ، وَأَعْلَمُهُمْ بِأَمْرِ اللهِ فِيهِ، فَإِنْ شَغَبَ شَاغِبٌ اسْتُعْتِبَ، فَإِنْ أَبَى قُوتِلَ.

O people, the most rightful of all persons for this matter (namely the caliphate) is he who is most competent among them to maintain it, and he who knows best Allāh’s commands about it. If any mischief is created by a mischief-monger, he will be called upon to repent. If he refuses, he will be fought.

وَلَعَمْرِي، لَئِنْ كَانَتِ الاْمَامَةُ لاَ تَنْعَقِدُ حَتَّى يَحْضُرَهَا عَامَّةُ النَّاسِ، فـمَا إِلَى ذلك سَبِيلٌ، وَلكِنْ أَهْلُهَا يَحْكُمُونَ عَلَى مَنْ غَابَ عَنْهَا، ثُمَّ لَيْسَ لِلشَّاهِدِ أَنْ يَرْجِعَ، وَلاَ لِلغَائِبِ أَنْ يَخْتَارَ. أَلاَ وَإِنَّي أُقَاتِلُ رَجُلَيْنِ: رَجُلاً ادَّعَى مَا لَيْسَ لَهُ، وَآخَرَ مَنَعَ الَّذِي عَلَيْهِ.

By my life, [1] if the question of Imāmah was not to be decided unless all the people were present, then there would be no such case. But those who agreed about it imposed the decision on those who were absent, so much so that he who was present could not dissent and the one who was absent could not choose (any one else). Know that I shall fight two persons — one who claims what is not his and the other who ignores what is obligatory upon him.

أُوصِيكُمْ عياد اللهِ بَتَقْوَى اللهِ، فَإنَّهـا خَيْرُ مَا تَوَاصَى الْعِبَادُ بِهِ، وَخَيْرُ عَوَاقِبِ الاْمُورِ عِنْدَ اللهِ، وَقَدْ فُتِحَ بَابُ الْحَرْبِ بَيْنَكُمْ وَبَيْنَ أَهْلِ الْقِبْلَةِ، وَلاَ يَحْمِلُ هذَا الْعَلَمَ إِلاَّ أَهْلُ الْبَصَرِ والصَّبْرِ وَالْعِلْمِ بِمَوَاضِعِ الْحَقِّ، فَامْضُوا لِمَا تُؤْمَرُونَ بِهِ، وَقِفُوا عِنْدَ مَا تُنْهَوْنَ عَنْهُ، وَلاَ تَعْجَلُوا فِي أَمْر حَتَّى تَتَبَيَّنُوا، فَإِنَّ لَنَا مَعَ كُلِّ أَمْر تُنْكِرُونَهُ غِيَراً

[The need for sagacity in fighting against Muslims :] O creatures of Allāh! I advise you to have fear of Allāh because it is the best advice to be mutually given by persons, and the best of all things before Allāh. The door of war has been opened between you and the other Muslims. And this banner will be borne only by him who is a man of sight, of endurance and of knowledge of the position of rightfulness. Therefore, you should go ahead with what you are ordered and desist from what you are refrained. Do not make haste in any matter till you have clarified it. For in the case of every matter which you dislike we have a right to change it.

[هوان الدنيا :] أَلاَ وَإِنَّ هذِهِ الدُّنْيَا الَّتِي أَصْبَحْتُمْ تَتَمَنَّوْنَهَا وَتَرْغَبُونَ فِيهَا، وَأَصْبَحَتْ تُغْضِبُكُمْ وَتُرْضِيكُمْ، لَيْسَتْ بِدَارِكُمْ، وَلاَ مَنْزِلِكُمُ الَّذِي خُلِقْتُمْ لَهُ وَلاَ الَّذِي دُعِيتُمْ إِلَيْهِ، أَلاَ وَإِنَّهَا لَيْسَتْ بِبَاقِيَة لَكُمْ وَلاَ تَبْقَوْنَ عَلَيْهَا، وَهِيَ وَإِنْ غَرَّتْكُمْ مِنْهَا فَقَدْ حَذَّرَتْكُمْ شَرَّهَا،

[The behaviour of this world with its adherents :] Know that this world which you have started to covet and in which you are interested, and which sometimes enrages you and sometimes pleases you is not your (permanent) abode, nor the place of your stay for which you might have been created, nor one to which you have been invited. Know that it will not last for you nor will you live along with it. If anything out of this world deceives you (into attraction), its evils warn you too.

فَدَعُوا غُرُورَهَا لِتَحْذِيرِهَا، وَأَطْمَاعَهَا لِتَخْوِيفِهَا، وَسَابِقُوا فِيهَا إِلَى الدَّارِ الَّتي دعِيتُمْ إِلَيْهَا، وَانْصَرِفُوا بِقُلُوبِكُمْ عَنْهَا، وَلاَ يَخِنَّنَّ أَحَدُكُمْ خَنِينَ الاْمَةِ عَلَى مَا زُوِىَ عَنْهُ مِنْهَا، وَاسْتَتِمُّوا نِعْمَةَ اللهِ عَلَيْكُمْ بِالصَّبْرِ عَلَى طَاعَةِ اللهِ وَالْـمُحَافَظَةِ عَلَى مَا اسْتَحْفَظَكُمْ مِنْ كِتَابِهِ.

You should give up (the objects of) its deceits in favour of (the objects of) its warning and (the objects of) its attractions in favour of (the objects of) its terrors. And while here in it, advance towards that house to which you have been called, and turn away your hearts from the world. None of you should cry like a maid slave over anything which she has been deprived of. Seek the perfection of Allāh’s bounty over you by endurance in obedience to Allāh and in guarding what He has asked you to guard, namely His Book.

أَلاَ وَإِنَّهُ لاَ يَضُرُّكُمْ تَضْيِيعُ شَيْء مِنْ دُنْيَاكُمْ بَعْدَ حِفْظِكُمْ قَائِمَةَ دِينِكُمْ، أَلاَ وَإِنَّهُ لاَ يَنْفَعُكُمْ بَعْدَ تَضْيِيعِ دِينِكُمْ شَيْءٌ حَافَظْتُمْ عَلَيْهِ مِنْ أَمْرِ دُنْيَاكُمْ، أَخَذَ اللهُ بِقُلُوبِنَا وَقُلُوبِكُمْ إِلَى الْحَقِّ، وَأَلْهَمَنَا وَإِيَّاكُمُ الصَّبْرَ!

Know that the loss of anything of this world will not harm you, if you have guarded the principles of your religion. Know also that after the loss of your religion nothing of this world for which you have cared will benefit you. May Allāh carry our hearts and your hearts towards the right and may He grant us and you endurance.

[L’Envoyé de Dieu :] Il est le gardien fidèle de la Révélation, le dernier des Envoyés, le prédicateur de la Miséricorde divine et l’avertisseur du châtiment de Dieu.

[Celui qui est digne du califat :] O gens, l’homme le plus digne du califat est celui qui est le plus apte à l’exercer et le plus versé dans les ordres de Dieu concernant le gouvernement des hommes. Si un perturbateur de l’ordre public surgit, on lui rappelle son devoir de suivre le droit chemin; s’il refuse, il sera combattu.

Par Dieu, si l’imamat est fonction de l’unanimité des croyants, ce sera impossible. Ceux qui se sont présentés suffisent pour l’élection. L’absent n’a pas le droit de choisir et le présent ne peut pas se rétracter. De la sorte, j’ai à combattre et celui qui prétend à ce qui n’est pas son dû, et celui qui n’accomplit pas son devoir.

Je vous exhorte, ô adorateurs de Dieu, à la piété qui est le meilleur bien en cette vie et mène aux meilleurs résultats dans l’autre. La porte de la guerre est ouverte entre vous et les autres musulmans, et son étendard ne peut être porté que par les gens clairvoyants, endurants et connaissant les lieux de la justice. Suivez les ordres qui vous sont donnés, abstenez-vous de ce qui est proscrit et ne vous précipitez pas dans une affaire sans l’avoir considérée au préalable. D’ailleurs; nous sommes prêts à changer d’opinion si l’avis contraire est pris par des hommes d’Etat, conformément aux prescriptions légales.

[Dédain du monde :] Ce monde auquel vous aspirez, que vous désirez et qui commence à vous mettre en colère et à vous contenter n’est ni votre demeure, ni te foyer pour lequel vous avez été créés et appelés à y séjourner. ïl ne dure pour vous et vous n’y restez pas. Bien qu’il vous ait séduit il vous a averti qu’il est mauvais.

Éloignezvous de ses illusions et ambitions. Tant que vous êtes en vie, détachez votre cœur d’elle et courez à la demeure à laquelle vous êtes appelés. Qu’aucun de vous ne pleure, d’une voie nasillarde caractéristique de l’esclave, ce qu’il n’a pu goûter en elle; demandez à Dieu d’accomplir Sa grâce envers vous en persévérant dans Son obéissance et dans l'observance de Son Livre que vous avez déjà retenu.

Il ne vous est pas nuisible de perdre quelques moments de votre vie après avoir soutenu votre religion, de même qu’il ne vous est pas utile - après l’avoir perdue- de conserver pour vous quelque chose de votre vie terrestre. Que Dieu soutienne nos cœurs et les vôtres dans la vérité et qu’il nous inspire la patience.

Nahj al-Balāgha

Book 1, Chapter 173