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) يصف جوهر الرسول، ويصف العلماء ويعظ بالتقوى

وَأَشْهَدُ أَنَّهُ عَدْلٌ عَدَلَ، وَحَكَمٌ فَصَلَ، وَأَشْهَدُ أَنَّ مُحَمَّداً عَبْدُهُ وَرَسُولُهُ، وَسَيِّدُ عِبَادِهِ، كُلَّمَا نَسَخَ اللهُ الْخَلْقَ فِرْقَتَيْنِ جَعَلَهُ فِي خَيْرِهِمَا، لَمْ يُسْهِمْ فِيهِ عَاهِرٌ، وَلاَ ضَرَبَ فِيهِ فَاجِرٌ.

I stand witness that He is just and does justice; He is the arbiter Who decides (between right and wrong). I also stand witness that Muḥammad is His slave. His Messenger and the Chief of His creatures. Whenever Allāh divided the line of descent, He put him in the better one, and therefore, no evil-doer ever shared with him nor was any vicious person his partner.

أَلاَ وإِنَّ اللهَ جَعَلَ لِلْخَيْرِ أَهْلاً، وَلِلْحَقِّ دَعَائِمَ، وَلِلطَّاعَةِ عِصَماً، وَإِنَّ لَكُمْ عِنْدَ كُلِّ طَاعَة عَوْناً مِنَ اللهِ يَقُولُ عَلَى الاْلْسِنَةِ، وَيُثَبِّتُ الاْفْئِدَةَ، فِيهِ كِفَاءٌ لِمُكْتَف، وَشِفَاءٌ لِمُشْتَف.

Beware! Surely Allāh, the Glorified, has provided for virtue those who are suited to it, for truth pillars (that support it), and for obedience protection (against deviation). In every matter of obedience you will find Allāh, the Glorified's succour that will speak through tongues and accord firmness to hearts. It has sufficiency for those who seek sufficiency, and a cure for those who seek cure.

[صفة العلماء :] وَاعْلَمُوا أَنَّ عِبَادَ اللهِ الْمُسْتَحْفَظِينَ عِلْمَهُ، يَصُونُونَ مَصُونَهُ، وَيُفَجِّرُونَ عُيُونَهُ، يَتَوَاصَلُونَ بِالْوِلاَيَةِ، وَيَتَلاَقَوْنَ بالْـمَحَبَّةِ، وَيَتَسَاقَوْنَ بِكَأْس رَوِيَّة، وَيَصْدُرُونَ بِرِيَّة، لاَ تَشُوبُهُمُ الرِّيبَةُ، وَلاَ تُسْرِعُ فِيهِمْ الْغِيبَةُ. عَلَى ذلِكَ عَقَدَ خَلْقَهُمْ وَأَخْلاَقَهُمْ، فَعَلَيْهِ يَتَحَابُّونَ، وَبِهِ يَتَوَاصَلُونَ، فَكَانُوا كَتَفَاضُلِ الْبَذْرِ يُنْتَقَى، فَيُوْخَذُ مِنْهُ وَيُلْقَى، قَد مَيَّزَهُ التَّخْلِيصُ، وَهذَّبَهُ الـتَّمْحيصُ.

[The characteristics of the virtuous whose guidance must be followed :] Know that, certainly, those creatures of Allāh who preserve His knowledge offer protection to those things which He desires to be protected and make His springs flow (for the benefit of others). They contact each other with friendliness and meet each other with affection. They drink water from cups that quench the thirst and return from the watering places fully satiated. Misgiving does not affect them and backbiting does not gain ground with them. In this way Allāh has tied their nature with good manners. Because of this they love each other and meet each other. They have become superior, like seeds which are selected by taking some and throwing away others. This selection has distinguished them and the process of choosing has purified them.

[العظة بالتقوى :] فَلْيَقْبَلِ امْرُؤٌ كَرَامَةً بِقَبُولِهَا، وَلْيَحْذَرْ قَارِعَةً قَبْلَ حُلُولِهَا، وَلْيَنْظُرِ امْرُؤٌ فِي قَصِيرِ أَيَّامِهِ، وَقَلِيلِ مُقَامِهِ، فِي مَنْزِل حَتَّى يَسْتَبْدِلَ بِهِ مَنْزِلاً، فَلْيَصْنَعْ لِمُتَحَوَّلِهِ، وَمَعَارِفِ مُنْتَقَلِهِ.

Therefore, man should secure honour by adopting these qualities. He should fear the day of Doom before it arrives, and he should appreciate the shortness of his life and the shortness of his sojourn in the place of stay which has only to last for his change over to the next place. He should therefore do something for his change over and for the known stages of his departure.

فَطُوبَى لِذِي قَلْب سَلِيم، أَطَاعَ مَنْ يَهْدِيهِ، وَتَجَنَّبَ مَنْ يُرْدِيهِ، وَأَصَابَ سَبِيلَ السَّلاَمَةِ بِبَصَرِ مَنْ بَصَّرَهُ، وَطَاعَةِ هَاد أَمَرَهُ، وَبَادَرَ الْهُدى قَبْلَ أَنْ تُغْلَقَ أَبْوَابُهُ، وَتُقْطَعَ أَسْبَابُهُ، وَاسْتَفْتَحَ التَّوْبَةَ، وَأَمَاطَ الْحَوْبَةَ، فَقَدْ أُقِيمَ عَلَى الطَّرِيقِ، وَهُدِيَ نَهْجَ السَّبِيلِ.

Blessed be he who possesses a virtuous heart, obeys one who guides him, keeps away from one who takes him to ruin, catches the path of safety with the help of him who provides him light (of guidance) and by obeying the leader who commands him, hastens towards guidance before its doors are closed, gets open the door of repentance and removes the (stain of) sins. He has certainly been put on the right path and guided towards the straight road.

Je témoigne que Dieu est juste dans ses jugements et un arbitre équitable, et que Mouhammad est Son serviteur, Son Messager et le maître de Ses serviteurs...

Dieu a créé les défenseurs du bien, les soutiens de la vérité et les secoureurs de l'obéissance. Chaque fois que vous obéissez Dieu vous aidera dans vos paroles et affermira vos cœurs...

[Les attributs des savants :] Sachez que les serviteurs de Dieu, chez lesquels II a déposé la science pour qu’ils la retiennent, préservent le dépôt de la science divine qu’ils divulguent partout. Ils se communiquent en amis sincères, se réunissent aimablement, s’offrent mutuellement à boire la coupe de l’entente, après quoi ils reviennent désaltérés, prémunis contre le doute et la médisance. C’est ainsi que Dieu forma le naturel des ces savants de telle sorte qu’ils aiment les uns les autres en Lui avec Lequel ils communiquent. Ils sont comme les meilleurs grains choisis pour être semés. Après ce choix et leurs expériences, la meilleure partie sera tirée de ces savants.

[Le prêche de la piété :] Qu’un homme ait la noblesse de suivre le conseil, qu’il prenne garde de la mort avant son arrivée, qu’il considère que ses jours sont peu nombreux et que son séjour sur la terre est de courte durée. Dès qu’il se trouve dans une demeure il sera trans- féré à une autre. Qu’il agisse donc en connaissance de cause d'après les conditions de cette nouvelle demeure.

Heureux celui qui possède un cœur sain, qui obéit à celui qui le dirige, évite ce qui le tue, retrouve la voie de la paix par les yeux de son conseiller et celle de l’obéissance par la voix de celui qui le guide. Heureux celui qui marche sur la voie de la guidance avant que ses portes ne soient fermées et qu’il devienne impossible de la suivre, celui qui ouvre la porte de son âme au repentir et éloigne de lui le péché. Celui-ci suit la bonne voie.

Nahj al-Balāgha

Book 1, Chapter 214