Divine Authority over the people after Amir al-Mu’minin Ali 6ـ الْحُسَيْنُ بْنُ الْحَسَنِ الْحَسَنِيُّ رَفَعَهُ وَمُحَمَّدُ بْنُ الْحَسَنِ عَنْ إِبْرَاهِيمَ بْنِ إِسْحَاقَ الاحْمَرِيِّ رَفَعَهُ
قَالَ لَمَّا ضُرِبَ أَمِيرُ الْمُؤْمِنِينَ (عَلَيْهِ السَّلام) حَفَّ بِهِ الْعُوَّادُ وَقِيلَ لَهُ يَا أَمِيرَ الْمُؤْمِنِينَ أَوْصِ فَقَالَ اثْنُوا لِي وِسَادَةً ثُمَّ قَالَ الْحَمْدُ لله حَقَّ قَدْرِهِ مُتَّبِعِينَ أَمْرَهُ وَأَحْمَدُهُ كَمَا أَحَبَّ وَلا إِلَهَ إِلا الله الْوَاحِدُ الاحَدُ الصَّمَدُ كَمَا انْتَسَبَ أَيُّهَا النَّاسُ كُلُّ امْرِئٍ لاقٍ فِي فِرَارِهِ مَا مِنْهُ يَفِرُّ وَالاجَلُ مَسَاقُ النَّفْسِ إِلَيْهِ وَالْهَرَبَ مِنْهُ مُوَافَاتُهُ كَمْ أَطْرَدْتُ الايَّامَ أَبْحَثُهَا عَنْ مَكْنُونِ هَذَا الامْرِ فَأَبَى الله عَزَّ ذِكْرُهُ إِلا إِخْفَاءَهُ هَيْهَاتَ عِلْمٌ مَكْنُونٌ أَمَّا وَصِيَّتِي فَأَنْ لا تُشْرِكُوا بِالله جَلَّ ثَنَاؤُهُ شَيْئاً وَمُحَمَّداً (صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَآلِه) فَلا تُضَيِّعُوا سُنَّتَهُ أَقِيمُوا هَذَيْنِ الْعَمُودَيْنِ وَأَوْقِدُوا هَذَيْنِ الْمِصْبَاحَيْنِ وَخَلاكُمْ ذَمٌّ مَا لَمْ تَشْرُدُوا حُمِّلَ كُلُّ امْرِئٍ مَجْهُودَهُ وَخُفِّفَ عَنِ الْجَهَلَةِ رَبٌّ رَحِيمٌ وَإِمَامٌ عَلِيمٌ وَدِينٌ قَوِيمٌ أَنَا بِالامْسِ صَاحِبُكُمْ وَأَنَا الْيَوْمَ عِبْرَةٌ لَكُمْ وَغَداً مُفَارِقُكُمْ إِنْ تَثْبُتِ الْوَطْأَةُ فِي هَذِهِ الْمَزَلَّةِ فَذَاكَ الْمُرَادُ وَإِنْ تَدْحَضِ الْقَدَمُ فَإِنَّا كُنَّا فِي أَفْيَاءِ أَغْصَانٍ وَذَرَى رِيَاحٍ وَتَحْتَ ظِلِّ غَمَامَةٍ اضْمَحَلَّ فِي الْجَوِّ مُتَلَفِّقُهَا وَعَفَا فِي الارْضِ مَحَطُّهَا وَإِنَّمَا كُنْتُ جَاراً جَاوَرَكُمْ بَدَنِي أَيَّاماً وَسَتُعْقَبُونَ مِنِّي جُثَّةً خَلاءً سَاكِنَةً بَعْدَ حَرَكَةٍ وَكَاظِمَةً بَعْدَ نُطْقٍ لِيَعِظَكُمْ هُدُوِّي وَخُفُوتُ إِطْرَاقِي وَسُكُونُ أَطْرَافِي فَإِنَّهُ أَوْعَظُ لَكُمْ مِنَ النَّاطِقِ الْبَلِيغِ وَدَّعْتُكُمْ وَدَاعَ مُرْصِدٍ لِلتَّلاقِي غَداً تَرَوْنَ أَيَّامِي وَيَكْشِفُ الله عَزَّ وَجَلَّ عَنْ سَرَائِرِي وَتَعْرِفُونِّي بَعْدَ خُلُوِّ مَكَانِي وَقِيَامِ غَيْرِي مَقَامِي إِنْ أَبْقَ فَأَنَا وَلِيُّ دَمِي وَإِنْ أَفْنَ فَالْفَنَاءُ مِيعَادِي وَإِنْ أَعْفُ فَالْعَفْوُ لِي قُرْبَةٌ وَلَكُمْ حَسَنَةٌ فَاعْفُوا وَاصْفَحُوا أَ لا تُحِبُّونَ أَنْ يَغْفِرَ الله لَكُمْ فَيَا لَهَا حَسْرَةً عَلَى كُلِّ ذِي غَفْلَةٍ أَنْ يَكُونَ عُمُرُهُ عَلَيْهِ حُجَّةً أَوْ تُؤَدِّيَهُ أَيَّامُهُ إِلَى شِقْوَةٍ جَعَلَنَا الله وَإِيَّاكُمْ مِمَّنْ لا يَقْصُرُ بِهِ عَنْ طَاعَةِ الله رَغْبَةٌ أَوْ تَحُلُّ بِهِ بَعْدَ الْمَوْتِ نَقِمَةٌ فَإِنَّمَا نَحْنُ لَهُ وَبِهِ ثُمَّ أَقْبَلَ عَلَى الْحَسَنِ (عَلَيْهِ السَّلام) فَقَالَ يَا بُنَيَّ ضَرْبَةً مَكَانَ ضَرْبَةٍ وَلا تَأْثَمْ.
6. Al-Husayn ibn al-Hasan al-Hassani has narrated in a Marfu‘ manner, rafa‘ahu, and Muhammad ibn al-Hassan from Ibrahim ibn Ishaq al-Ahmari has narrated in a marfu‘ manner, (rafa‘ahu) the following:
“When Amir al-Mu’minin Ali was injured the visitors crowded around him saying, “O Amir al-Mu’minin Ali , (please, grant us) your directive will.' The Imam then said, 'You must fold the pillow for me (to help me sit so I can speak).' He then said, 'All praise belongs to Allah, as He is worthy of it. We follow (obey) His commands. I praise Him just as He has loved it. No one deserves to be worshipped and obeyed except Allah, Who is One, the only One. The Self-sufficient is His own description of His Ownself. O people, every man, in his running away, comes face to face with the very thing from which he runs away so badly (namely his death). The appointed time (to die) is the driver of the soul to such time. In other words, running away from death is rushing to find it. How many days have come and gone in which I searched for the secret in this matter, however, Allah, the Majestic, the Glorious, disdains to do anything else, but to keep it secret. It certainly is beyond comprehension; it is hidden knowledge. Of my directive will to you is that you must not consider anything similar to Allah, Great is Whose praise. You must not disregard the Sunnah (traditions) of Prophet Muhammad ﷺ. Keep these two pillars straight and light up these two beacons. You will not face any blame as long as you do not disperse (but remain united). Every man is held responsible for what he assiduously gains. Ignorant, (the lay) people's burden is held light and reduced. The Lord is Merciful, the Imam is knowledgeable and religion is a constructive system. Yesterday I was your companion, today (I am) a lesson (one's death is the best lesson) for you to learn and tomorrow I will depart from you. If one's feet can remain firm at this slippery position (despite the fragility of life) then that is the goal. However, if the feet wavered (and failed to hang on to life) it is because we live under the short-lived shadows of the branches, in the blowing winds, under the thin cover of dissipating clouds in the air and disappearing traces (shrinking resources) on the land. "I was your neighbor that lived along with you with my body for a number of days. You will soon escort my dead body (to the grave). It will be a motionless body that once moved, and a silent one that once spoke (so sweetly). My silence, my closed eyes and my motionless limbs must be thought of as the best preachers. They are far better preachers to you than an eloquent orator is. I have said farewell to you as the one who expects reunion. Tomorrow you will see my days and Allah, the Most Holy, the Most High, will reveal my secrets. You will know me better when you find my place vacant and see others holding my position. If I survive I will be the authority for my own self but if I die then death is my destination. If I forgive (my assassin) then forgiveness is a means of getting closer (to Allah) and for you it is a good deed. You must forgive and ignore. Do you not like it that Allah will forgive you? How great is the sorrow for the neglectful one, whose life will be testimony for his own condemnation or his days lead him to misfortune. May Allah place you and us among those who do not fall short in life in matters of obedience to Allah due to their desire (to obey Him) or for fear of suffering after death. We are only for Him and with Him.' Then he turned to al-Hassan and said, 'My son, one strike for one strike, you will not be in sin.'"
