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) وفيها بيان للاسباب التي تهلك الناس

About the division of the community into factions

أَمَّا بَعْدُ، فَإِنَّ اللهَ سُبْحانَهُ لَمْ يَقْصِمْ جَبَّارِي دَهْر قَطُّ إِلاّ بَعْدَ تَمْهِيل وَرَخَاء، وَلَمْ يَجْبُرْ عَظْمَ أَحَد مِنَ الاْمَمِ إِلاَّ بَعْدَ أَزْل وَبَلاَء، وَفِي دُونِ مَا اسْتَقْبَلْتُمْ مِنْ خَطْب وَاسْتَدْبَرْتُمْ مِنْ خَطْب مُعْتَبَرٌ! وَمَا كُلُّ ذِي قَلْب بَلَبِيب، وَلاَ كُلُّ ذِي سَمْع بِسَمِيع، وَلاَ كُلُّ ذِي نَاظِر بِبَصِير.

So now, certainly, Allāh did not break the neck of any unruly tyrant in this world except after allowing him time and opportunity and did not join the broken bone of any people (ummah) until He did not inflict calamity and distress upon them. Even less than what sufferings and misfortunes have yet to fall upon you or have already befallen you are enough for giving lessons. Every man with a heart is not intelligent, every ear does not listen and every eye does not see.

فَيَا عَجَباً! وَمَا لِيَ لاَ أَعْجَبُ مِنْ خَطَإِ هذِهِ الْفِرَقِ عَلَى اختِلاَفِ حُجَجِهَا فِي دِينِهَا! لاَ يَقْتَصُّونَ أَثَرَ نَبِيٍّ، وَلاَيَقْتَدُونَ بَعَمَلِ وَصِيٍّ، وَلاَ يُؤْمِنُونَ بَغَيْب، وَلاَ يَعِفُّونَ عَنْ عَيْب، يَعْمَلُونَ فِي الشُّبُهَاتِ، وَيَسِيرُونَ فِي الشَّهَوَاتِ، الْمَعْرُوفُ فِيهمْ مَا عَرَفُوا، وَالْمُنْكَرُ عِنْدَهُمْ مَا أَنْكَرُوا، مَفْزَعُهُمْ فِي الْمُعْضِلاَتِ إِلَى أَنْفُسِهمْ، وَتَعْوِيلُهُمْ فِي المُبْهماتِ عَلَى آرَائِهِمْ، كَأَنَّ كُلَّ امْرِىء مِنْهُمْ إِمَامُ نَفْسِهِ، قَدْ أَخَذَ مِنْهَا فِيَما يَرَى بَعُرىً ثِقَات، وأَسْبَاب مُحْكَمَات.

I wonder, and there is no reason why I should not wonder, about the faults of these groups who have introduced alterations in their religious pleas, who do not move on the footsteps of their Prophet nor follow the actions of the vicegerent. They do not believe in the unknown and do not avoid the evil. They act on the doubts and tread in (the way of) their passions. For them good is whatever they consider good and evil is whatever they consider evil. Their reliance for resolving distresses is on themselves. Their confidence in regard to dubious matters is on their own opinions as if every one of them is the Leader (Imām) of himself. Whatever he has decided himself he considers it to have been taken through reliable sources and strong factors.

Extrait d'un discours où il expose les causes qui font périr les gens

Tout compte fait, Dieu ne brise les tyrans d’une époque qu’après leur avoir donné un délai durant lequel ils vivent en abondance. Il ne soude fos d’une nation quelconque qu’après des souffrances et des malheurs encourus par ses membres. Or, les peines dont vous avez souffert sont en deçà de ces souffrances auxquelles vous tournez maintenant le dos. Il n’est pas dit que quiconque a un entendement est doué de jugement, ou que celui qui est doté d’ouïe et de vue entend et voit.

Il va de soi que je ne pourrais pas ne pas être étonné par l’erreur de ces sectes qui se contredisent dans leurs arguments théologiques! Elles ne suivent pas les traces d’un prophète ni l’exemple d’un commandant, ne croient pas à l’Au-delà, ni s'abstiennent d’aucun vice. Tout ce qu’elles font est ambigu. Ses membres se délectent de leurs passions et ne distinguent pas entre ce qui est convenable et ce qui déplaît à Dieu. Ils n’ont de recours, dans les questions difficiles à résoudre, qu’à eux-mêmes et ne comptent dans les situations critiques que sur leurs propres opinions, comme si chacun d’eux est un exemple à suivre [Imam], détenant des choses précieuses et des arguments raffermis.

Nahj al-Balāgha

Book 1, Chapter 88