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) يحمد اللّه ويثني على نبيه ويوصي بالزهد والتقوى

الْحَمْدُ لِلَّهِ الْفَاشِي فِي الْخَلْقِ حَمْدُهُ وَالْغَالِبِ جُنْدُهُ وَالْمُتَعَالِي جَدُّهُ أَحْمَدُهُ عَلَى نِعَمِهِ التُّؤَامِ وَآلَائِهِ الْعِظَامِ الَّذِي عَظُمَ حِلْمُهُ فَعَفَا وَعَدَلَ فِي كُلِّ مَا قَضَى وَعَلِمَ مَا يَمْضِي وَمَا مَضَى مُبْتَدِعِ الْخَلَائِقِ بِعِلْمِهِ وَمُنْشِئِهِمْ بِحُكْمِهِ بِلَا اقْتِدَاءٍ وَلَا تَعْلِيمٍ وَلَا احْتِذَاءٍ لِمِثَالِ صَانِعٍ حَكِيمٍ وَلَا إِصَابَةِ خَطَإٍ وَلَا حَضْرَةِ مَلَإٍ.

Praise be to Allāh Whose praise is wide-spread, Whose army is over-powering and Whose dignity is grand. I praise Him for His successive favours and His great gifts. His forebearance is high so that He forgives and is just in whatever He decides. He knows what is going on and what has already passed. He crafted all creation by His knowledge and produced it by His intelligence without limitation, without learning, without following the example of any intelligent producer, without committing any mistake and without the availability of any group (for help);

[الرسول الأعظم :] وَأَشْهَدُ أَنَّ مُحَمَّداً عَبْدُهُ وَرَسُولُهُ ابْتَعَثَهُ وَالنَّاسُ يَضْرِبُونَ فِي غَمْرَةٍ وَيَمُوجُونَ فِي حَيْرَةٍ قَدْ قَادَتْهُمْ أَزِمَّةُ الْحَيْنِ وَاسْتَغْلَقَتْ عَلَى أَفْئِدَتِهِمْ أَقْفَالُ الرَّيْنِ.

I stand witness that Muḥammad — the peace and blessing of Allāh be upon him and his descendants — is His slave and His Messenger whom He deputed (at a time) when people were collecting in the abyss and moving in bewilderment. The reins of destruction were dragging them, and the locks of malice lay fixed on their hearts.

[الوصية بالزهد و التقوى :] أُوصِيكُمْ عِبَادَ اللهِ بِتَقْوَى اللهِ، فَإِنَّهَا حَقُّ اللهِ عَلَيْكُمْ، وَالْمُوجِبَةُ عَلَى اللهِ حَقَّكُمْ، وَأَنْ تَسْتَعِينُوا عَلَيْهَا بِاللهِ، وَتَسْتَعِينُوا بِهَا عَلَى اللهِ، فَإِنَّ الْتَّقْوَى فِي الْيَوْمِ الْحِرْزُ وَالْجُنَّةُ، وَفِي غَد الطَّرِيقُ إِلَى الْجَنَّةِ، مَسْلَكُهَا وَاضِحٌ، وَسَالِكُهَا رَابحٌ، وَمُسْتَوْدَعُهَا حَافِظٌ، لَمْ تَبْرَحْ عَارِضَةً نَفْسَهَا عَلَى الاُْمَمِ الْمَاضِينَ وَالْغَابِرينَ لِحَاجَتِهِمْ إِلَيْهَا غَداً، إِذَا أَعَادَ اللهُ مَا أَبْدَى، وَأَخَذَ مَا أَعْطَى، وَسَأَلَ عَمَّا أَسْدَى. فَمَا أَقَلَّ مَنْ قَبِلَهَا، وَحَمَلَهَا حَقَّ حَمْلِهَا! أُولئِكَ الاْقَلُّونَ عَدَداً، وَهُمْ أَهْلُ صِفَةِ اللهِ سُبْحَانَهُ إِذْ يَقُولُ ﴿وَقَلِيلٌ مِّنْ عِبَادِيَ الشَّكُورُ﴾

[Advice about fear of Allāh and an account of this world and its people :] I advise you, O creature of Allāh, that you should have fear of Allāh because it is a right of Allāh over you and it creates your right over Allāh, and that you should seek Allāh’s help in it, and its help in (meeting) Allāh. Certainly, for today fear of Allāh is a protection and a shield, and for tomorrow (the Day of Judgement) it is the road to Paradise. Its way is clear and he who treads it is the gainer. Whoever holds it, guards it. It has presented itself to the people who have already passed and to those coming from behind, because they will need it tomorrow (on the Day of Judgement) when Allāh will revive His creation again, take back what He has given and take account of what He has bestowed. How few will be those who accept it and practice it as it ought to be practice. They will be very few in number, and they are the people who correspond to the description given by Allāh, the Glorified, when He says : “. . . And very few of My creatures are grateful!” (Qur’ān, 34:13)

فَأَهْطِعُوا بِأَسْمَاعِكُمْ إِلَيْهَا، وأكظّوا بِجِدِّكُمْ عَلَيْهَا، وَاعْتَاضُوهَا مِنْ كُلِّ سَلَف خَلَفاً، وَمِنْ كُلِّ مُخَالِف مُوَافِقاً. أَيْقِظُوا بِهَا نَوْمَكُمْ، واقْطَعُوا بِهَا يَوْمَكُمْ، وَأَشْعِرُوهَا قُلُوبَكُمْ، وَارْحَضُوا بِهَا ذُنُوبَكُمْ، وَدَاوُوا بِهَا الاْسْقَامَ، وَبَادِرُوا بِهَا الْحِمَامَ، وَاعْتَبِرُوا بِمَنْ أَضَاعَهَا، وَلاَ يَعْتَبِرَنَّ بِكُمْ مَنْ أَطَاعَهَا. أَلاَ وصُونُوهَا وَتَصَوَّنُوا بِهَا،

Therefore, hasten with your ears towards it and intensify your efforts for it. Make it a substitute for all your past (shortcomings) to take their place as a successor, and make it your supporter against every opponent. Turn your sleep into wakefulness by its help, and pass your days with it. Make it the equipment of your hearts, wash your sins with it, treat your ailments with it and hasten towards your death with it. Take a lesson from him who neglects it, so that others who follow it should not take a lesson from you (i.e., from your neglecting it). Beware, therefore; you should take care of it and should take care of yourselves through it.

وَكُونُو عَنِ الدُّنْيَا نُزَّاهاً، وَإِلَى الاْخِرَةِ وُلاَّهاً وَلاَ تَضَعُوا مَنْ رَفَعَتْهُ التَّقْوَى، وَلاَ تَرْفَعُوا مَنْ رَفَعَتْهُ الدُّنْيَا، وَلاَ تَشِيمُوا بَارِقَهَا، وَلاَ تَسْمَعُوا نَاطِقَهَا، وَلاَ تُجِيبُوا نَاعِقَهَا، وَلاَ تَسْتَضِيئُوا بِإِشْرَاقِهَا، وَلاَ تُفْتَنُوا بِأَعْلاَقِهَا، فَإِنَّ بَرْقهَا خَالِبٌ، وَنُطْقَهَا كَاذِبٌ، وَأَمْوَالَهَا مَحْرُوبةٌ، وَأَعْلاَقَهَا مَسْلُوبَةٌ.

Keep away from this world and proceed towards the next world infatuatedly. Do not regard humble he whom fear of Allāh has given a high position, and do not accord a high position to him whom this world has given a high position. Do not keep your eyes on the shining clouds of the world, do not listen to him who speaks of it, do not respond to him who calls towards it, do not seek light from its glare, and do not die in its precious things, because its brightness is deceitful, its words are false, its wealth is liable to be looted, and its precious thing are to be taken away.

أَلاَ وَهِيَ الْمُتَصَدِّيَةُ الْعَنُونُ، وَالْجَامِحَةُ الْحَرُونُ، وَالْمَائِنَةُ الْخَأُون، وَالْجَحُودُ الْكَنُودُ، وَالْعَنُودُ الصَّدُودُ، وَالْحَيُودُ الْمَيُودُ. حَالُهَا انْتِقَالٌ، وَوَطْأَتُهَا زِلْزَالٌ، وَعِزُّهَا ذُلٌّ، وَجِدُّهَا هَزْلٌ، وَعُلْوُهَا سُفْلٌ، دَارُ حَرَب وَسَلَب، وَنَهْب وَعَطَب، أَهْلُهَا عَلَى سَاق وَسِيَاق، وَلَحَاق وَفِرَاق. قَدْ تَحَيَّرَتْ مَذَاهِبُهَا، وَأَعْجَزَتْ مَهَارِبُهَا، وَخَابَتْ مَطَالِبُهَا، فَأَسْلَمَتْهُمُ الْمَعَاقِلُ، وَلَفَظَتْهُمُ الْمَنَازِلُ، وَأَعْيَتْهُمُ الْـمَحَاوِلُ

Beware, this world attracts and then turns away. It is stubborn, refusing to go ahead. It speaks lies and misappropriates. It disowns and is ungrateful. It is malicious and abandons (its lovers). It attracts but causes trouble. Its condition is changing, its step shaking, its honour disgrace, its seriousness jest, and its height lowliness. It is a place of plunder and pillage, and ruin and destruction. Its people are ready with their feet to drive, to overtake and to depart. Its routes are bewildering, its exits are baffling, and its schemes end in disappointment. Consequently, strongholds betray them, houses throw them out and cunning fails them.

فَمِنْ نَاج مَعْقُور، وَلَحْم مَجْزُور، وَشِلْو مَذْبُوح، وَدَم مَسْفُوح، وَعَاضّ عَلَى يَدَيْهِ، وَصَافِق لِكَفَّيْهِ، وَمُرْتَفِق بِخَدَّيْهِ، وَزَار عَلَى رَأْيِهِ، وَرَاجِع عَنْ عَزْمِهِ، وَقَدْ أَدْبَرَتِ الْحِيلَةُ، وَأَقْبَلَتِ الْغِيلَةُ، ﴿وَّلَاتَ حِينَ مَنَاصٍ﴾ هَيْهَاتَ هَيْهَاتَ! قَدْ فَاتَ مَا فَاتَ، وَذَهَبَ مَا ذَهَبَ، ومَضَتِ الدُّنْيَا لِحَالِ بَالِهَا ﴿فَمَا بَكَتْ عَلَيْهِمُ السَّمَاءُ وَالْأَرْضُ وَمَا كَانُوا مُنظَرِينَ﴾.

Some of them are like hocked camel, some like butchered meat, some like severed limbs, some like spilt blood, some are biting their hands (in pain) some are rubbing their palms (in remorse), some are holding their cheeks on their hands (in anxiety), some are cursing their own views and some are retreating from their determination. But the time for action has gone away and the hour of calamity has approached, while (there was no longer) the time to escape (Qur’ān, 38:3). Alas! Alas! What has been lost is lost! What has gone is gone! The world has passed in its usual manner. “So wept not on them the heavens and the earth nor were they respited.” (Qur’ān, 44:29)

Extrait d’un discours où il glorifie Dieu, loue Prophète et recommande l’ascèse et la piété

Gloire à Dieu dont la louange est répandue dans la Création, les armées victorieuses et la magnificence transcendante. Je Le remercie de Ses grâces et bienfaits énormes; Sa man- suétude nous octroie le pardon. Sa justice est patente dans tous Ses jugements, Sa connaissance englobe tout ce qui se passe et s’est passé; par Sa Science Il a créé les êtres qu’ïl a formés par Sa Sagesse, sans imitation ni apprentissage, sans suivre l’exem- le d’un artisan sage, sans commettre d’erreur et sans la présence d’une foule.

[Le plus grand des prophètes :] Et j’atteste que Mouhammad est Son Serviteur et Son Messager qu’il a envoyé lorsque les hommes vaguaient dans Terreur et s’gitaient dans l’incertitude, guidés qu’ils étaient par les brides de la perdition et dont les cœurs étaient voilés par la confusion.

[Recommandation de l'abstinence et la piété :] Adorateurs de Dieu! Je vous recommande de craindre Dieu par devoir. Demandez-Luî de vous donner la piété qui vous aidera à avoir Dieu pour lot: elle est aujourd’hui votre refuge et votre cuirasse et sera demain la voie vers le Paradis. C’est une voie manifeste; celui qui la suit est gagnant car elle est déposée chez Dieu. La piété s’est offerte aux nations passées et antiques qui en eurent besoin lorsque Dieu récupéra la vie qu’il leur avait donnée et demanda compte de leurs actions. Rares étaient ceux qui l’avaient acceptée et tenue en considération. Cette minorité a été spécifiée par Dieu lorsqu’il dit: «un petit nombre de mes serviteurs sont reconnaissants»

Empressez-vous d’écouter les directives de la piété, insistez pour l’avoir comme lot, laissez-la succéder à vos actions antérieures par lesquelles vous avez enfreint la volonté de Dieu. Réveillez-vous par la piété, passez votre journée en sa compagnie, sentez-la dans vos cœurs, lavez vos péchés, remédiez vos maladies et affrontez la mort par elle. Tirez les leçons de ceux qui l’ont perdue et ne laissez pas les pieux tirer des leçons de votre mauvaise conduite. Protégez la piété et qu’elle soit votre rempart.

Eloignez-vous du monde et aspirez à l'Au-delà. N'abaissez pas celui que la piété a relevé et ne relevez pas celui que le monde a relevé. Que le feu follet de la vie terrestre ne vous éblouise; n’écoutez pas ses paroles; ne répondez pas à ses cris; ne vous éclairez pas par ses lumières; ne vous laissez pas séduire par ce que la vie contient de précieux. Car son éclair est trompeur, ses paroles mensongères, ses biens pillés, ses trésors volés.

Elle ressemble à une courtisane exhibitionniste, à une mule têtue; elle est mensongère, perfide, ingrate, entêtée, tendencieuse et agitée; die renie ses promesses et se détourne de ses amis. Son état est mutable, sa violence sismique, sa puissance humiliante, son sérieux comique et sa supériorité est infériorité. La vie terrestre est une demeure de guerre, de vol, de pillage et d'anéantissement. Ceux qui s’y attachent s’agitent, affrontent la mort pour suivre ceux qui les ont devancés et se séparer des autres. Les hommes sont perplexes devant les vicissitudes de la vie et sont incapables de les fuir. En vain cherchent-ils à lui faire des réclamations. Ils sont livrés à l’ennemi par leurs abris, chassés par leurs maisons, fatigués par les tentatives de fuir;

ci-gît un survivant blessé, un corps égorgé, de la chair écorchée, du sang versé; ici on voit un mort qui mord ses mains, un autre qui applaudit ou un troisième recroquevillé, Parmi les vivants, voici un qui se blâme, un autre qui fait défection. Pas d'échappatoire! Partout le mal et la vilainie du monde. «Hélas! Il n’est plus temps d’échapper!» (Sad, 3) Loin de vous, ce spectacle! Moments révolus! Et la vie continue son cycle à sa guise. «Ni le ciel, ni la terre ne les pleurèrent et ils n’eurent aucun délai» (La Fumée, 29)

Nahj al-Balāgha

Book 1, Chapter 191