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) بالبصرة، وقد دخل على العلاء بن زياد الحارثي ـ وهو من أصحابه ـ يعوده، فلما رأى سعة داره قال:

Amīr al-mu’minīn went to enquire about the health of his companion al-‘Alā’ ibn Ziyād al-Ḥārithī and when he noticed the vastness of his house he said:

مَا كُنْتَ تَصْنَعُ بِسِعَةِ هذِهِ الدارِ فِي الدُّنْيَا، أَنْتَ إِلَيْهَا فِي الاْخِرَةِ كُنْتَ أَحْوَجَ؟ وَبَلَى إِنْ شِئْتَ بَلَغْتَ بِهَا الاْخِرَةَ، تَقْرِي فِيهَا الضَّيْفَ، وَتَصِلُ فِيهَا الرَّحِمَ، وَتُطْلِعُ مِنْهَا الْحُقُوقَ مَطَالِعَهَا، فَإذَا أَنْتَ قَدْ بَلَغْتَ بِهَا الاْخِرَةَ.

What will you do with this vast house in this world, although you need this house more in the next world. If you want to take it to the next world you could entertain in it guests and be regardful of kinship and discharge all (your) obligations according to their accrual. In this way you will be able to take it to the next world.

فقال له العلاء: يا أميرالمؤمنين، أشكو إليك أخي عاصم بن زياد.

Then al-‘Alā’ said to him: O’ Amīr al-mu’minīn, I want to complain to you about my brother ‘Āṣim ibn Ziyād.

Amīr al-mu’minīn enquired: What is the matter with him?

قال: لبس العباءة وتخلّى من الدنيا.

al-‘Alā’ said: He has put on a woollen coat and cut himself away from the world.

Amīr al-mu’minīn said: Present him to me.

فلمّا جاء قال: يَا عُدَىَّ نَفْسِهِ! لَقَدِ اسْتَهَامَ بِكَ الْخَبِيثُ! أَمَا رَحِمْتَ أَهْلَكَ وَوَلَدَكَ! أَتَرَى اللهَ أَحَلَّ لَكَ الطَّيِّبَاتِ، وَهُوَ يَكْرَهُ أَنْ تَأْخُذَهَا! أَنْتَ أَهْوَنُ عَلَى اللهِ مِنْ ذلِكَ!

When he came Amīr al-mu’minīn said: O enemy of yourself. Certainly, the evil (Satan) has misguided you. Do you feel no pity for your wife and your children? Do you believe that if you use those things which Allāh has made lawful for you, He will dislike you? You are too unimportant for Allāh to do so.

قال: يا أميرالمؤمنين، هذا أنت في خشونة ملبسك وجُشوبة مأكلك!

He said: O Amīr al-mu’minīn, you also put on coarse dress and eat rough food.

قال: وَيْحَكَ، إِنِّي لَسْتُ كَأَنْتَ، إِنَّ اللهَ تَعَالَى فَرَضَ عَلى أَئِمَّةِ الْعَدْلِ أَنْ يُقَدِّرُوا أَنْفُسَهُمْ بِضَعَفَةِ النَّاسِ، كَيْلاَ يَتَبَيَّغَ بِالْفَقِيرِ فَقْرُهُ!

Then he replied: Woe be to you, I am not like you. Certainly, Allāh, the Sublime, has made it obligatory on true leaders that they should maintain themselves at the level of low people so that the poor do not cry over their poverty. [1]

Extrait de ses paroles à Basra, où il visita Al’Ala’ bin Ziad Al Harithi, l’un de ses amis qui était malade et qui avait une vaste maison

Que faisais-tu de cette vaste maison durant la vie terrestre tandis que tu en avais plus besoin pour l’autre vie? Si tu veux, tu peux l’utiliser pour avoir la vie dans l’autre monde: tu y héberges des hôtes, tu y reçois tes parents et tu la prends pour centre où tous les droits seront accomplis.

Al 'Ala’ lui dit: O Prince des Croyants, je plains auprès de toi mon frère ’Assem bin Ziad.

Al‘Ala' répond: il a pris l’habit des mystiques et se détourne de la vie.

Et ‘Ali de répondre: Présente-le-inoî.

Lorsqu’il fut en sa présence, ‘Ali lui dit: O toi, ennemi de ta propre personne! Le diable t’a fait errer! N’as-tu donc pitié de ton épouse et de tes enfants?! Crois-tu donc que Dieu qui t’a permis de jouir des délices t’interdit de t’en servir?! Dieu ne t’afflige pas tant!

’Assem dit : O Prince des Croyants, mais je te vois grossièrement habillé et te nourrissant sobrement! Eh, quoi?!

Et ‘Ali de répondre: Malheur à toi! Je ne suis pas comme toi! Dieu a imposé aux Imams équitables de se comparer aux plus faibles afin que les pauvres ne désespèrent pas mais se réconfortent.

Nahj al-Balāgha

Book 1, Chapter 209