Nahj al-Balāghah: The Wisdom and Eloquence of ʿAlī
Raḍī’s Introductionp. 98
Section 1: Orations: Chapter containing selections from the Commander of the Faithful’s orations and directives, including selections from his addresses that may be likened to orations, spoken in charged gatherings, famous battles, and times of danger
| 1.1 |
Creation of sky, earth, angels, Adam, and prophets, and the hajj1 “I praise God. Yet no speaker can articulate his praise” ( |
| 1.2 |
Following Ṣiffīn, state of the people before Muḥammad, praise for the Prophet’s family “I praise God, seeking the completion of his favor” ( |
| 1.3 |
“The Roar of the Camel Stallion” (Shiqshiqiyyah), on the caliphate “By God, that man donned its cloak knowing that I am the pivot to its grinding stone” ( |
| 1.4 |
Following the Battle of the Camel “Through us you received guidance in the dark night” ( |
| 1.5 |
To ʿAbbās and Abū Sufyān following the Prophet’s death, regarding the succession “People! Cut through the waves of rebellion by boarding the ark of salvation” ( |
| 1.6 |
When advised not to fight Ṭalḥah and Zubayr “By God, I shall not behave like the hyena that, sleeping through a prolonged barrage of pebbles, is captured” ( |
| 1.7 |
Censuring a group of his challengers “They made Satan master of their affairs and he made them his partners” ( |
| 1.8 |
Before the Battle of the Camel, about Zubayr “He declares that he pledged allegiance with his hand but not his heart” ( |
| 1.9 |
Before the Battle of the Camel, in response to a speech by Talḥah “They thundered and blazed but that is the way of cowards” ( |
| 1.10 |
During one of his battles “Hark! Satan has mustered his host and armed his cavalry and infantry” ( |
| 1.11 |
Instructions to Ibn al-Ḥanafiyyah at the Battle of the Camel, charging him with the banner “Mountains may move, but you should not” ( |
| 1.12 |
Following victory at the Battle of the Camel “… Our fight has been witnessed by a mighty host in the loins of men” ( |
| 1.13 |
Following the Battle of the Camel, criticizing Basra and rebuking its people “You fought for the woman and followed the camel” ( |
| 1.14 |
In Basra, following the Battle of the Camel “Your land is close to the sea and far from the sky” ( |
| 1.15 |
In Medina after he became caliph, on returning ʿUthmān’s land grants to the treasury “By God, even if the money had been spent to wed women” ( |
| 1.16 |
In Medina, when he became caliph “I guarantee the truth of what I say and stand as surety for my pledge” ( |
| 1.17 |
Censuring self-styled authorities “The most hateful creatures in God’s eyes are of two kinds” ( |
| 1.18 |
Censuring scholars who follow their whims “When a case comes to one of them, he passes judgment based on his capricious opinion” ( |
| 1.19 |
When Ashʿath challenged him on the pulpit “What do you know about what goes against me” ( |
| 1.20 |
What comes after death “If you saw what the dead see” ( |
| 1.21 |
The swift passage of life “The end is ahead of you and the dreaded hour drives your caravan to the waterhole” ( |
| 1.22 |
Before the Battle of the Camel, on his opponents’ responsibility for ʿUthmān’s killing “Hear me! Satan has roared to his followers” ( |
| 1.23 |
Unimportance of wealth, value of kin “God’s command descends from the sky to the earth like raindrops” ( |
| 1.24 |
Urging followers to fight for truth “By my life, no softness or weakness shall hold me back from fighting those who challenge the truth” ( |
| 1.25 |
Censuring followers for not fighting in the cause of truth “I only have you, Kufa” ( |
| 1.26 |
The Arabs before Islam, ʿAlī’s situation when Muḥammad died, ʿAmr ibn al-ʿĀṣ’s corrupt deal with Muʿāwiyah “God sent Muḥammad as a warner to all peoples” ( |
| 1.27 |
Censuring followers for not fighting Muʿāwiyah, after Sufyān al-Ghāmidī’s attack on Anbar “Jihad is a door to heaven that God has opened for his special devotees” ( |
| 1.28 |
Eid sermon containing pious counsel “The world has shown its back and proclaimed its farewell” ( |
| 1.29 |
Censuring his followers, after Ḍaḥḥāk’s attack on pilgrims at Thaʿlabiyyah “People! You are together in body but divided in aspiration” ( |
| 1.30 |
About ʿUthmān and his assassination “If I had commanded it I would be a killer” ( |
| 1.31 |
Instructions to ʿAbdallāh ibn al-ʿAbbās before the Battle of the Camel, to speak with Zubayr, not Ṭalḥah “Don’t speak with Ṭalḥah, for you will find him a bull with twisted horns” ( |
| 1.32 |
Four categories of men who seek to rule, pious counsel “People! We live in a challenging age” ( |
| 1.33 |
At Dhū Qār, before the Battle of the Camel “God sent Muḥammad when no Arab read scripture” ( |
| 1.34 |
After the Battle of Nahrawān, urging followers to fight Muʿāwiyah “Shame! I am tired of rebuking you!” ( |
| 1.35 |
After the arbitration “I praise God even though this age has brought a great calamity” ( |
| 1.36 |
Before the Battle of Nahrawān, warning the Kharijites “I warn you! Take heed or you will soon be corpses strewn at the bend of this river” ( |
| 1.37 |
After the Battle of Nahrawān, describing his precedence in Islam, and his situation after the Prophet’s death “I answered Muḥammad’s call when others held back” ( |
| 1.38 |
On doubt’s resemblance to truth “Doubt is called doubt because it resembles truth” ( |
| 1.39 |
Censuring followers for not fighting, after the attack on ʿAyn al-Tamr “I am tested with followers who do not obey my command” ( |
| 1.40 |
About the Kharijites’ statement, “No rule save God’s!” “The statement is true, but the intent is false” ( |
| 1.41 |
ʿAlī and his enemy “Loyalty is honesty’s twin” ( |
| 1.42 |
In Basra, following the Battle of the Camel, pious counsel “People! I fear most for you two things” ( |
| 1.43 |
When advised to hasten in attacking Muʿāwiyah “If I prepared to battle the Syrians while Jarīr is still with them, I would close the door to reconciliation” ( |
| 1.44 |
Following Maṣqalah’s defection to Muʿāwiyah, after the Banū Nājiyah incident “May God strike Maṣqalah with shame!” ( |
| 1.45 |
Eid sermon with pious counsel “I praise God, never uncertain of his mercy” ( |
| 1.46 |
Supplication when marching on Syria “God, protect me from the hardships of travel” ( |
| 1.47 |
Prophecy about Kufa “I see you, Kufa, stretched like raw leather on display at the Market of ʿUkāẓ” ( |
| 1.48 |
Informing of his instructions to his vanguard, when commencing the march on Syria “I praise God whenever night spreads and darkens” ( |
| 1.49 |
God’s transcendence “Praise God, who is concealed in unseen mysteries” ( |
| 1.50 |
After the arbitration “Revolt begins with the indulgence of whims” ( |
| 1.51 |
Urging his army to fight at Ṣiffīn, when Muʿāwiyah blocked access to water “By this act, they beg to be fed the victuals of war” ( |
| 1.52 |
Eid of Sacrifice sermon with pious counsel, sacrificial animal “Harken! The world has severed its rope” ( |
| 1.53 |
The Medinans’ eagerness to pledge allegiance to him as caliph, reasons to fight the Syrians “They crowded me like parched camels jostling at the waterhole” ( |
| 1.54 |
To troops at Ṣiffīn, allaying their impatience to begin fighting “You taunt, ‘All these excuses to avoid death!’” ( |
| 1.55 |
At or after the Battle of Ṣiffīn, describing Muḥammad’s Companions’ sincerity and courage “We fought in support of God’s Messenger and killed our fathers” ( |
| 1.56 |
Prophecy and instructions for the future “After me, you will be ruled by a man with a large maw and a massive belly” ( |
| 1.57 |
To the Kharijites at Nahrawān “May you be wiped out by sandstorms!” ( |
| 1.58 |
Before the Battle of Nahrawān, when told that the Kharijites had escaped “Their deaths are written on this side of the clear water” ( |
| 1.59 |
When warned about Ibn Muljam’s intent to assassinate him “I am protected by God’s shield” ( |
| 1.60 |
Censure of this world “Hear me! The world is an abode from which you cannot be saved except within it” ( |
| 1.61 |
Counsel to consciousness of God “Be conscious of God, O servants of God, and outrace your imminent end with good deeds” ( |
| 1.62 |
God’s transcendence “No state for God precedes another state” ( |
| 1.63 |
Instructions to troops at Ṣiffīn “Muslims! Sheathe yourselves in God’s awe … bite down hard on your back teeth” ( |
| 1.64 |
Following the Prophet’s death, response to report about the Assembly at the Portico “Did you not remind them of the Messenger’s directive” ( |
| 1.65 |
When Muḥammad ibn Abī Bakr was killed, and the Umayyads took over Egypt “My own choice for governor of Egypt was Hāshim ibn ʿUtbah” ( |
| 1.66 |
Censuring followers for not fighting, after Ibn Bashīr’s attack on ʿAyn al-Tamr “How long should I coax you and blandish you? How long must I handle you gingerly as a young camel whose hump a heavy load would crush?” ( |
| 1.67 |
In the predawn hour of the day in which he was struck his deathblow “Sleep overtook me as I sat, and the Messenger appeared before my eyes” ( |
| 1.68 |
Following Ṣiffīn, censuring followers for agreeing to a truce on the verge of victory “Iraqis! You are like a pregnant woman who, at full term, delivers a stillborn child” ( |
| 1.69 |
Invoking blessings on the Prophet and praising him “God, unfolder of lands unfolded” ( |
| 1.70 |
About Marwān, when he offered the pledge to ʿAlī after the Battle of the Camel “Did he not pledge allegiance to me right after ʿUthmān was killed?” ( |
| 1.71 |
To the Shūrā Council, when they resolved to install ʿUthmān as caliph “You know full well that I have more right to the caliphate than anyone else” ( |
| 1.72 |
When the Umayyads accused him of complicity in ʿUthmān’s killing “Is the Umayyads’ own knowledge of my character not enough to stop them from injuring me?” ( |
| 1.73 |
Pious counsel “May God have mercy on the man who listens to wisdom and retains” ( |
| 1.74 |
Response to a gift sent by Saʿīd ibn al-ʿĀṣ, ʿUthmān’s governor in Kufa “The Umayyads stingily throw at me my share of Muḥammad’s inheritance, piece by piece” ( |
| 1.75 |
A frequent supplication “God, forgive my sins—you know more about them than I do” ( |
| 1.76 |
To an associate who cited astrological portents and warned him against marching on the Kharijites “Do you presume to guide me to the hour in which those who advance are shielded from injury?” ( |
| 1.77 |
To the Basran army following their defeat at the Battle of the Camel, oblique censure of ʿĀʾishah “People! Women are deficient in faith” ( |
| 1.78 |
Pious counsel “People! To reject worldliness is to desire little” ( |
| 1.79 |
Censure of the world “How do I describe a world that begins in weariness and ends in death” ( |
| 1.80 |
The Radiant Oration (Gharrāʾ), lengthy pious counsel “Praise God, exalted in his might and near through his grace” ( |
| 1.81 |
ʿAmr ibn al-ʿĀṣ’s hypocrisy and ʿAlī’s virtue “How strange! The Harlot’s son tells the Syrians that I have a streak of foolishness” ( |
| 1.82 |
God’s transcendence, paradise, pious counsel “I bear witness that there is no god but God, who has no partner. He is the first, for there was nothing before him” ( |
| 1.83 |
Pious counsel “God knows your thoughts and discerns your feelings” ( |
| 1.84 |
Pious versus immoral scholars, the Prophet’s family “Servants of God! The most beloved of his servants … keeps his passions under control” ( |
| 1.85 |
In Medina, early in ʿAlī’s caliphate, describing the errant “God has not crushed tyrants of any era except after a long respite” ( |
| 1.86 |
On the Prophet’s mission “God sent Muḥammad when an age had gone by without prophets” ( |
| 1.87 |
God’s transcendence, pious counsel “God is recognized without being seen” ( |
| 1.88 |
The Oration on Ethereal Forms (Ashbāḥ), on God’s transcendence, his creation of skies, angels, the earth, and prayer “Praise God, whom withholding does not make richer” ( |
| 1.89 |
After ʿUthmān’s death, when entreated to assume the caliphate “Leave me and seek another” ( |
| 1.90 |
ʿAlī’s virtue, prophecy of the Umayyads’ harsh governance after him “People! I have gouged out the eyes of revolt” ( |
| 1.91 |
God’s transcendence, the Prophet’s ancestry, pious counsel “Blessed is God! Vaunting aspirations cannot attain him” ( |
| 1.92 |
Muḥammad’s mission “At the time when God sent Muḥammad as a prophet, people wandered in confusion” ( |
| 1.93 |
God’s transcendence, the Prophet’s ancestry and mission “Praise God! He is the first—there was nothing before him” ( |
| 1.94 |
After the arbitration, chastising followers for disobedience, comparing them unfavorably to the Prophet’s Companions “God may have granted the tyrant a reprieve, but he will surely apprehend him” ( |
| 1.95 |
At Ṣiffīn, censuring the Umayyads “By God, they will continue thus until they commit every forbidden act” ( |
| 1.96 |
Friday sermon early in ʿAlī’s caliphate, pious counsel “We praise him for favors past and seek his help for what is to come” ( |
| 1.97 |
Muḥammad and his family “Praise God who extended his grace to all creatures” ( |
| 1.98 |
God’s transcendence, prophesy of an epic battle “He is the first before every first” ( |
| 1.99 |
Judgment day, prophecy of coming seditions “On that day, God will assemble all who went before and all who came after” ( |
| 1.100 |
Pious counsel, praise of the learned, prophecy of difficult times to come “Look at the world with the eyes of those who have little interest in her” ( |
| 1.101 |
ʿAlī’s support of the Prophet’s mission “God sent Muḥammad as a prophet when no Arab read scripture” ( |
| 1.102 |
In Medina early in ʿAlī’s caliphate, a leader’s accountability to God, pious counsel “God sent Muḥammad as a witness, a herald, and a warner” ( |
| 1.103 |
Islam and its Prophet “Praise God who paved the path of Islam” ( |
| 1.104 |
At Ṣiffīn, praising the right wing’s return to battle “I saw you turn away from your battle lines and fall back” ( |
| 1.105 |
God’s majesty, the Prophet as a physician healing hearts, censure of followers for errant ways, warning of evil times “Praise God, who appears to his creation through his creation” ( |
| 1.106 |
God as creator and sustainer, angels, humans’ blind love for the world, imminence and horrors of death, praise for the Prophet and his family “Everything bows to him, and everything exists through him” ( |
| 1.107 |
Worship rites and God’s remembrance “The deeds that bring you closest to God are the following” ( |
| 1.108 |
Censure of the world “I warn you against this world, for it is sweet and lush and surrounded by temptations” ( |
| 1.109 |
Angel of death “Do you sense his presence when he enters a home” ( |
| 1.110 |
Warning of life’s transience, censure of followers “I warn you of this world: it is a home from which you will be uprooted” ( |
| 1.111 |
God’s favors, pious counsel, and this world “Praise God who has linked praise with favors and favors with thanks” ( |
| 1.112 |
Supplication for rain “God, our mountains are parched, and our plains have filled with dust” ( |
| 1.113 |
The Prophet, followers’ reluctance to fight, warning of a despot to come “God sent Muḥammad to call toward truth and bear witness to people” ( |
| 1.114 |
Wealthy who fail to help the needy “You don’t spend your wealth for the one who has provided it” ( |
| 1.115 |
Praise of supporters, following the Battle of the Camel “You are my supporters in the cause of truth and my brothers in faith” ( |
| 1.116 |
Chastising supporters for apathy in the wake of a Syrian raid “What is wrong with you? What you propose is not the right course or the proper way!” ( |
| 1.117 |
ʿAlī’s virtues, pious counsel “By God! I have been taught the transmission of God’s messages” ( |
| 1.118 |
After the arbitration, to the emerging Kharijite faction “This is how one who relinquishes a sound position is rewarded!” ( |
| 1.119 |
Reminding the Kharijites of their push for the arbitration, ʿAlī’s service to Islam “When the Syrians raised leaves from the Qurʾan on spears—using trickery” ( |
| 1.120 |
Instructions to troops ahead of Ṣiffīn “If any of you finds composure in his heart when meeting the enemy” ( |
| 1.121 |
Chastising followers for refusing to fight, presumably after Ṣiffīn “I see you now, scuttling away like a group of thorn-tailed lizards” ( |
| 1.122 |
Instructions to troops during Ṣiffīn, exhortation to fight for God’s cause “Place the armor-clad in front and the unprotected behind” ( |
| 1.123 |
To the Kharijites, saying arbitration was sought from the Qurʾan “I did not appoint men to arbitrate—I sought arbitration from the Qurʾan” ( |
| 1.124 |
Response to complaints when ʿAlī levelled treasury stipends “Do you urge me to seek victory by oppressing the people I rule?” ( |
| 1.125 |
To the Kharijites “Even if you insist—and you do so wrongly—on believing that I have sinned and erred” ( |
| 1.126 |
To Aḥnaf, foretelling epic fighting in Basra, interpreted as the Zanj revolt “Listen, Aḥnaf! I see him marching with troops that raise no dust” ( |
| 1.127 |
Transience of life, corrupt trade practices “Servants of God! You, with all that you desire of this world, are lodgers with fixed timespans” ( |
| 1.128 |
To Abū Dharr al-Ghifārī when ʿUthmān exiled him to Rabadhah “Abū Dharr, you were roused to anger in God’s cause” ( |
| 1.129 |
Chastising followers for disobedience, ʿAlī’s righteousness “You divided souls and fragmented hearts!” ( |
| 1.130 |
Pious counsel “I give praise to God for what he has taken away and what he has granted” ( |
| 1.131 |
God’s omnipotence, the Qurʾan’s guidance, Muḥammad’s mission, censure of this world “This world and the hereafter have submitted their reins to God” ( |
| 1.132 |
Response to ʿUmar’s query on personally marching against the Byzantines “God has guaranteed to followers of this faith that he will protect their land” ( |
| 1.133 |
To Mughīrah ibn al-Akhnas, who offered to ʿUthmān that he would handle ʿAlī “You son of a barren, cursed father” ( |
| 1.134 |
Early in ʿAlī’s caliphate, on the Medinans sitting out the conflict “Your oath of allegiance to me was not sworn on an impulse” ( |
| 1.135 |
Preceding the Battle of the Camel, censure of Ṭalḥah and Zubayr, reminder of entreaties to ʿAlī to assume the caliphate after ʿUthmān’s death “By God, they have no cause to fault me” ( |
| 1.136 |
Prophesy of epic fighting in Iraq “He will bend passion to conform to guidance” ( |
| 1.137 |
During the Shūrā Council “No one will outpace me in calling to the truth” ( |
| 1.138 |
Forbidding the shaming of people for their sins “It befits those who are protected … to show compassion to sinners” ( |
| 1.139 |
Forbidding giving ear to rumors “People! Whoever knows his brother to have strong faith and good ways should not give ear to the rumors men spread about him” ( |
| 1.140 |
Urging giving to the needy and forbidding gifts to the undeserving “A person who distributes gifts in unsuitable quarters … earns only the praise of the immoral” ( |
| 1.141 |
Supplication for rain “Hark! The earth that carries you” ( |
| 1.142 |
Praise of prophets and Muḥammad’s family, censure of enemies “God singled out messengers and sent them bearing the revelation” ( |
| 1.143 |
The world’s vicissitudes, heretical innovations “People! You are targets in this world at which the fates shoot their arrows” ( |
| 1.144 |
Response to ʿUmar’s query on personally marching against the Persians “In this matter, victory or defeat will not hinge on how large the number of troops is or how small” ( |
| 1.145 |
Muḥammad’s mission, warning of difficult times “God sent Muḥammad to turn his servants away from worship of idols” ( |
| 1.146 |
Before the Battle of the Camel, criticizing Ṭalḥah and Zubayr “Each of the two wants the caliphate” ( |
| 1.147 |
Pious counsel, just before ʿAlī’s death “People! Each person shall meet what he flees as he flees” ( |
| 1.148 |
Sedition-mongers “Those others went right and left, travelling the paths of error” ( |
| 1.149 |
Pious counsel, coming seditions “I ask him for aid against Satan’s expulsions and evictions” ( |
| 1.150 |
In Medina early in ʿAlī’s caliphate, God’s transcendence, God’s religion “Praise God, who demonstrated his existence through his creatures” ( |
| 1.151 |
Enroute from Medina before the Battle of the Camel, pious counsel “Such men, during the respite granted them by God, fall into error” ( |
| 1.152 |
The family of the Prophet “An intelligent person possesses a keen heart” ( |
| 1.153 |
Marvelous creation of the bat “Praise God! Descriptions are too feeble to plumb his core” ( |
| 1.154 |
To the people of Basra after the Battle of the Camel, his righteousness, oblique criticism of ʿĀʾishah, on sedition, and pious counsel “At that time, whoever is able to bind himself totally to God should do so” ( |
| 1.155 |
Pious counsel “Praise God, who made praise the key to his remembrance” ( |
| 1.156 |
The Prophet, the Umayyads, prophesy of a quick end to their rule “God sent Muḥammad after a period without prophets” ( |
| 1.157 |
ʿAlī’s forbearance and care for the people “I protected you well and strove to keep you safe” ( |
| 1.158 |
Placing hope in God, Muḥammad, Moses, David, and Jesus “His command constitutes judgment and wisdom” ( |
| 1.159 |
The Prophet, pious counsel, life’s transience “God sent Muḥammad with brilliant light” ( |
| 1.160 |
Response when asked: How is it that your tribe has driven you away from this station? “You man of Asad! Your mount’s girth is loose, and you fire without aim” ( |
| 1.161 |
God’s transcendence, human creation “Praise God, who created his servants” ( |
| 1.162 |
Advice to ʿUthmān, a little before his death “People have gathered behind me, and they have sent me to negotiate” ( |
| 1.163 |
The marvelous creation of birds, especially the peacock, marvels of paradise “God created wondrous creatures” ( |
| 1.164 |
Censuring the Umayyads, chastising followers for weakness and straying “Let your young emulate your elders, let your elders nurture your young” ( |
| 1.165 |
Pious counsel, injunctions to care for the earth and animals “God has revealed a book to guide you” ( |
| 1.166 |
When urged to punish ʿUthmān’s assailants “Brothers, I am not unmindful of what you know, but how do I enforce retribution” ( |
| 1.167 |
Before the Battle of the Camel, ʿAlī’s righteousness, his challengers’ iniquity “God sent a messenger, a guide, with a book that speaks” ( |
| 1.168 |
Injunction to a Basran to pledge allegiance “If the people you represent had sent you as a scout to find out where the rains are falling” ( |
| 1.169 |
Prayer and address just before the Battle of Ṣiffīn “God, O Lord of the lofty sky and layers of air” ( |
| 1.170 |
Criticizing associates of the Camel, defending his right to the caliphate “Praise God, from whom one sky does not conceal another” ( |
| 1.171 |
Criticizing associates of the Camel, defending ʿAlī’s right to the caliphate, pious counsel “Muḥammad was the trustee of God’s revelation” ( |
| 1.172 |
In Medina when associates of the Camel revolted, Ṭalḥah’s complicity in ʿUthmān’s killing “I have never been one to be shaken by threats of battle” ( |
| 1.173 |
ʿAlī’s closeness to the Prophet, censure of followers for moving away from God “O heedless people who go not unheeded!” ( |
| 1.174 |
Urging godliness, adherence to the Qurʾan, good deeds, and the licit “Profit from God’s revelation” ( |
| 1.175 |
Criticizing the arbitrators “Your majority opinion settled on choosing two arbitrators” ( |
| 1.176 |
In Medina early in ʿAlī’s caliphate, God’s transcendence, pious counsel, past events “No matter can preoccupy him, no time can alter him” ( |
| 1.177 |
On God’s transcendence, in response to Dhiʿlib’s question: “Have you seen your Lord?” “Eyes do not see him through physical observation” ( |
| 1.178 |
Censuring associates for disobedience and apathy, condemning Muʿāwiyah and ʿAmr “I offer praise to God for the affairs he has ordained” ( |
| 1.179 |
Condemnation of faction who left Kufa to join the Kharijites “«Away with» them, «as the Thamūd were done away with!»” ( |
| 1.180 |
God’s transcendence and creation, ubi sunt questions, God’s proof, martyrs of Ṣiffīn, call to jihad “Praise God, to whom all creation arrives” ( |
| 1.181 |
Praise of God, the Qurʾan’s guidance, pious counsel “Praise be to God, recognized without being seen” ( |
| 1.182 |
To the Kharijite Burj ibn Mus’hir, who shouted, “No rule save God’s!” “Silence! May God disfigure you, you toothless driveller!” ( |
| 1.183 |
God’s transcendence, the Prophet, God’s marvelous creation, including the ant and the locust “Praise God! Senses do not grasp him” ( |
| 1.184 |
God’s transcendence and creation “Those who assign him a form have not acknowledged his oneness” ( |
| 1.185 |
Praise of those “whose names are recognized in the heavens but remain unknown on earth,” prophesy of difficult times “I would offer my father and mother as ransom for that host” ( |
| 1.186 |
Piety, imminence of death “People! I counsel you to be conscious of God and to give abundant thanks for his bounties to you” ( |
| 1.187 |
Kinds of belief, migration, ʿAlī’s deep knowledge, urging people to learn from him before the arrival of sedition “Some people’s hearts are firm and steadfast in belief” ( |
| 1.188 |
Describing the pious and urging piety, recognition of God, God’s messenger, and his family “I offer praise to God in thanks for his blessings” ( |
| 1.189 |
Urging piety and preparation for the hereafter “Praise God, whose praise is pervasive” ( |
| 1.190 |
The Crushing Oration (Qāṣiʿah) containing censure of Lucifer, tribal factionalism, and pride, on lessons provided by past nations who incurred exemplary punishments, Moses’ and Adam’s humility, placement of God’s Sacred House in a barren land, ubi sunt, chastisement of Muslims for straying from the path of truth, and description of ʿAlī’s closeness to the Prophet “Praise God, who donned robes of might and pride” ( |
| 1.191 |
Oration to Hammām, describing the truly pious “When God created people … The pious in this world are people of virtue” ( |
| 1.192 |
Hypocrites who feign faith “We praise God for having guided us toward obedience” ( |
| 1.193 |
Pious counsel “Praise God! He has revealed traces of his authority” ( |
| 1.194 |
The Prophet’s mission, pious counsel “God sent Muḥammad when no waymark was raised” ( |
| 1.195 |
ʿAlī’s loyalty and special closeness to the Prophet “Muḥammad’s true companions know” ( |
| 1.196 |
Urging piety, God’s knowledge, Islam, Muḥammad’s mission, the Qurʾan “He knows the bellowing of beasts in the forest” ( |
| 1.197 |
Ritual prayer, the alms-levy, and upholding trust “Be diligent in the matter of the ritual prayer” ( |
| 1.198 |
Condemning Muʿāwiyah, declaring his own uprightness “By God, Muʿāwiyah is not more astute than I, but he deceives and lies” ( |
| 1.199 |
Dissociating from evil people, Thamūd’s slaughter of God’s camel mare “People! Do not be nervous about following the path of guidance because its followers are few” ( |
| 1.200 |
Address to the Prophet at his graveside, after the death of Fāṭimah “Salutations to you, Messenger of God, from me and from your daughter who has come to stay with you” ( |
| 1.201 |
Pious counsel, preparation for the hereafter “People! The world is a passage and the hereafter your permanent home” ( |
| 1.202 |
Pious counsel, nearness of death “Gather your supplies—May God have mercy on you!—for the call has come to depart” ( |
| 1.203 |
To Ṭalḥah and Zubayr, who rebuked ʿAlī for levelling stipends “You rebuke me for a small matter” ( |
| 1.204 |
To supporters at Ṣiffīn who cursed the Syrians “I don’t like you to curse! Rather, describe their deeds” ( |
| 1.205 |
At Ṣiffīn, when Ḥasan rushed into the fray “Help me! Restrain this lad!” ( |
| 1.206 |
At Ṣiffīn, when ʿAlī’s army insisted on accepting Muʿāwiyah’s call for arbitration “People! You have followed my command … but now warfare has worn you out” ( |
| 1.207 |
ʿAlāʾ al-Ḥārithī’s lavish house, his brother ʿĀṣim’s self-denial “What will you do with this large house here in this world?” ( |
| 1.208 |
Four kinds of hadith reporters “Reports current among people today include both the right and the wrong” ( |
| 1.209 |
God’s sublime craftsmanship “Through his supreme power and sublime and wondrous craftsmanship, God produced dry, solid earth from the raging, crashing, ocean masses” ( |
| 1.210 |
For God to bear witness against those who were holding back from fighting for the truth “God! I ask you, O greatest witness, to bear witness over any of your servants who hear my words” ( |
| 1.211 |
God’s transcendence, praise of the Prophet “Praise God—exalted beyond comparisons to created beings” ( |
| 1.212 |
Praise for those entrusted with preserving God’s knowledge “I testify that God is the fount of justice” ( |
| 1.213 |
ʿAlī’s frequent supplication “Praise God who brought me to this morning alive and healthy” ( |
| 1.214 |
At Ṣiffīn, describing ʿAlī’s and his subjects’ rights, forbidding flattery “God has given me rights over you … you have rights over me” ( |
| 1.215 |
After the Battle of the Camel, describing opponents’ crimes in Basra “God! I ask your help against the Quraysh! They have severed my kinship” ( |
| 1.216 |
After the Battle of the Camel, while passing corpses of Ṭalḥah and ʿAbd al-Raḥmān ibn ʿAttāb “Abū Muḥammad sleeps here this morning, an exile from his home!” ( |
| 1.217 |
A pious man “This man resuscitated his intellect and killed his sentient soul” ( |
| 1.218 |
Horrors of death, reciting Q Takāthur 102:1–2: «You are obsessed with gathering more and more until you visit your graves.» “What a goal, and how distant!” ( |
| 1.219 |
Those who remember God, reciting Q Nūr 24:37: «They are men whom neither commerce nor trade distract from God’s remembrance.» “God has made his remembrance the burnish for your hearts” ( |
| 1.220 |
Arrogant humans, reciting Q Infiṭār 82:6: «O human, what has deceived you into neglecting your Generous Lord?» “Of all who could be questioned, you have the most unstable arguments” ( |
| 1.221 |
ʿAlī’s refusal to give treasury funds to ʿAqīl, or to accept Ashʿath’s inappropriate gift “By God! I would prefer to lie on a bed of three-pronged Saʿdān thorns” ( |
| 1.222 |
Supplication for honest wealth “God! Protect my countenance through prosperity” ( |
| 1.223 |
Censure of this world “This is a residence encircled by trials and renowned for deceit” ( |
| 1.224 |
Supplication for comfort and guidance “God! You are the greatest comforter for those who love you” ( |
| 1.225 |
An upright Companion “May God cherish the land that produced that man!” ( |
| 1.226 |
The fervor of the pledge to him as caliph “You pulled my hand toward you, and I resisted” ( |
| 1.227 |
Consciousness of God, approaching death, and renunciants “Consciousness of God is the key to righteousness” ( |
| 1.228 |
At Dhū Qār before the Battle of the Camel, praising the Prophet “God’s Messenger proclaimed what he had been commanded to proclaim” ( |
| 1.229 |
To ʿAbdallāh ibn Zamaʿah who asked for money from the treasury “These funds do not belong to me, and they do not belong to you” ( |
| 1.230 |
The Prophet’s family, people of ʿAlī’s age “Hark! The tongue is but an instrument wielded by men” ( |
| 1.231 |
Differences among people according to the clay from which they are fashioned “What differentiates them is the source of their clay” ( |
| 1.232 |
Address to the Prophet while preparing his body for burial “May my father and mother give their lives for you! Your death has cut short what the death of no other has” ( |
Additional Orationsp. 524
Section 2: Letters: Chapter containing selections from the Commander of the Faithful’s dispatches and letters to his enemies and his regional governors, including selections from instructions to his tax-collectors and testaments to his family and companions
| 2.1 |
To the people of Kufa, as ʿAlī marched on Iraq from Medina, on events preceding and after ʿUthmān’s death “I write to inform you of what happened to ʿUthmān” ( |
| 2.2 |
To the people of Kufa, after the victory at the Battle of the Camel at Basra “Residents of Kufa, may God reward you on behalf of your Prophet’s family!” ( |
| 2.3 |
To his judge, Shurayḥ, who had just bought a large house: a “contract” “Shurayḥ, soon there will come to you one who will not look at your written contract” ( |
| 2.4 |
To Ibn Ḥunayf, governor of Basra, when Ṭalḥah, Zubayr, and ʿĀʾishah marched there, and many residents turned against ʿAlī “If they reenter the canopy of obedience, then that is what we desire” ( |
| 2.5 |
To Ashʿath, governor of Azerbaijan, who had embezzled treasury funds “Your governorship is not a meal for you to devour” ( |
| 2.6 |
Sent with Jarīr following the Battle of the Camel, to Muʿāwiyah, persuading him to pledge allegiance “The same people who pledged allegiance to Abū Bakr, ʿUmar, and ʿUthmān pledged allegiance to me” ( |
| 2.7 |
To Muʿāwiyah, toward the end of the Battle of Ṣiffīn “I have received from you a string of advice, enclosed in an embroidered epistle” ( |
| 2.8 |
To Jarīr, emissary to Muʿāwiyah, before the Battle of Ṣiffīn, pressing for a decision “When you receive my letter, tell Muʿāwiyah that he must take a final decision” ( |
| 2.9 |
Before the Battle of Ṣiffīn to Muʿāwiyah, who had accused ʿAlī of envying the earlier caliphs “Our tribe decided to kill our Prophet and extirpate our root” ( |
| 2.10 |
To Muʿāwiyah, just before marching to Ṣiffīn “How will you fare when the robes with which this world adorns herself … are stripped off?” ( |
| 2.11 |
Instructions sent from ʿAlī’s camp at Nukhaylah to Ziyād ibn al-Naḍr and Shurayḥ, commanders of his vanguard to Syria “When you reach the enemy, or when they reach you, set up camp just before the high ground” ( |
| 2.12 |
Instructions sent from Kufa to Maʿqil, commander of troops who were likely sent against the Kharijite Ḥurayth in Ramhormoz “Fear God, whom you must meet … and fight only those who fight you” ( |
| 2.13 |
To Ziyād ibn al-Naḍr and Shurayḥ, commanders of the vanguard to Syria, appointing Ashtar over them “I have appointed Mālik ibn al-Ḥārith al-Ashtar over both of you” ( |
| 2.14 |
Instructions to the army just before the Battle of Ṣiffīn “Don’t attack them unless they attack you first” ( |
| 2.15 |
Battlefield supplication “God, it is to you that our hearts flow” ( |
| 2.16 |
Instructions to the army at the Battle of Ṣiffīn “Don’t hesitate to retreat then assail, to withdraw then attack” ( |
| 2.17 |
To Muʿāwiyah at Ṣiffīn, refusing to make him governor of Syria, denying that they were peers “You demand Syria, but I’m not about to give you today what I refused you yesterday” ( |
| 2.18 |
After the Battle of the Camel to ʿAbdallāh ibn al-ʿAbbās, governor of Basra, instructing kindness to Tamīm tribesmen “Know that Basra is where Iblīs landed after his fall from grace” ( |
| 2.19 |
To ʿAmr ibn Salamah, governor of Isfahan, in rebuke for harshness to the populace “The Dihqān landowners in your province have complained of your harshness” ( |
| 2.20 |
To Ziyād, deputy governor of Basra, warning against misappropriating treasury funds “I swear this by God, in all truth: If I hear that you have misappropriated funds” ( |
| 2.21 |
To Ziyād, deputy governor of Basra, warning against extravagance “Turn from extravagance to moderation” ( |
| 2.22 |
To ʿAbdallāh ibn al-ʿAbbās in Mecca, following his misappropriation of treasury funds, counselling focus on the hereafter “A man is gladdened by obtaining a thing that he was not going to lose” ( |
| 2.23 |
Testament to family and close associates after the death blow “This is my testament to you: Do not assign partners to God” ( |
| 2.24 |
ʿAlī’s will, written after Ṣiffīn, regarding distribution of properties “This is what I—God’s servant, ʿAlī ibn Abī Ṭālib, Commander of the Faithful—have directed with regard to my property in the pursuance of God’s pleasure” ( |
| 2.25 |
Instructions to tax collectors about compassion to subjects when assessing their herds, and care while bringing animals to the treasury “Set out in consciousness of God” ( |
| 2.26 |
To Mikhnaf, sent to collect taxes, warning against abusing subjects or misappropriating funds “ʿAlī commands his tax collector to be conscious of God in private affairs and hidden acts” ( |
| 2.27 |
To Muḥammad ibn Abī Bakr on his appointment as governor of Egypt, instructing piety, fairness, and kindness “Lower your wing over them” ( |
| 2.28 |
Before the Battle of Ṣiffīn to Muʿāwiyah, who again accused ʿAlī of envy toward the first three caliphs, virtues of the Prophet’s family, iniquities of Muʿāwiyah’s clan “I received your letter in which you speak of how God selected Muḥammad” ( |
| 2.29 |
To the people of Basra, following Muʿāwiyah’s seizure of Egypt, when Muʿāwiyah sent Ibn al-Ḥaḍramī to foment dissent in Basra, and ʿAlī’s commander Jāriyah defeated and killed him “You know this well: You severed your rope of allegiance earlier and seceded from the community” ( |
| 2.30 |
To Muʿāwiyah, presumably before the Battle of Ṣiffīn, persuading him to obedience “Fear God in all that you do” ( |
| 2.31 |
The Testament of Ḥasan, written on the way back from Ṣiffīn, containing lengthy pious counsel “From a father who admits the power of time” ( |
| 2.32 |
To Muʿāwiyah, presumably in the lead-up to Ṣiffīn “You have destroyed a whole generation of people” ( |
| 2.33 |
To Qutham, governor of Mecca, a few months before ʿAlī’s death, warning of Muʿāwiyah’s agents fomenting dissent during the hajj “My agent in the west has written to inform me that a group of Syrians … are being sent to Mecca this hajj season” ( |
| 2.34 |
To Muḥammad ibn Abī Bakr, governor of Egypt, extolling Ashtar and explaining ʿAlī’s reasons for sending him to take over “I have learned that you are distressed at my sending Ashtar to take charge of your region” ( |
| 2.35 |
To ʿAbdallāh ibn al-ʿAbbās, praising Muḥammad ibn Abī Bakr, who had been killed in Egypt, and describing ʿAlī’s unsuccessful efforts to send aid “Egypt has been conquered, and Muḥammad ibn Abī Bakr—may God have mercy on him!—has gained martyrdom” ( |
| 2.36 |
To ʿAqīl in Medina, describing Ḥujr’s fight against Ḍaḥḥāk, who had raided Iraq, condemning the Quraysh and declaring ʿAlī’s resolve to continue fighting in the path of truth “I dispatched a large army of Muslims to fight him” ( |
| 2.37 |
To Muʿāwiyah, before the Battle of Ṣiffīn, accusing him of using ʿUthmān’s killing for his own benefit, and of abandoning him earlier, when asked to aid him “Great God! How fervently you cling to your outlandish passions” ( |
| 2.38 |
To the people of Egypt, when appointing Ashtar as governor “… I have sent you one of God’s own servants, who neither sleeps during the days of danger” ( |
| 2.39 |
Warning to ʿAmr ibn al-ʿĀṣ before marching on Ṣiffīn “You have subordinated your faith to the worldly gain promised to you by a man whose deceit is plain” ( |
| 2.40 |
To a governor, possibly ʿAbdallāh ibn al-ʿAbbās, who had misappropriated funds “I am informed that you have done something, which, if you have done it, means you have angered your Lord” ( |
| 2.41 |
Sent shortly before ʿAlī’s death, possibly to ʿAbdallāh ibn al-ʿAbbās in Mecca, rebuking him for misappropriation of funds “I had shared my charge with you” ( |
| 2.42 |
To ʿUmar ibn Abī Salamah, governor of Bahrain, recalling him to participate in the march on Syria, and replacing him with al-Nuʿmān ibn ʿAjlān “I have appointed al-Nuʿmān ibn ʿAjlān over Bahrain” ( |
| 2.43 |
To Maṣqalah, governor of Ardashīr, rebuking him for misappropriation of treasury funds “I am informed that you have done something, which, if you have done it, means that you have angered your Lord” ( |
| 2.44 |
To Ziyād, warning against Muʿāwiyah’s blandishments “I have learned that Muʿāwiyah wrote to you in an attempt to befuddle your mind and dull your blade” ( |
| 2.45 |
To Ibn Ḥunayf, governor of Basra, rebuking him for favoring the wealthy, Fadak, which was taken from his family, his own renunciant ways and compassionate governance, censure of the world, pious counsel “Ibn Ḥunayf, I am informed that one of Basra’s grandees invited you to a feast and you rushed to go” ( |
| 2.46 |
To Ashtar, governor of Naṣībīn, recalling him after the arbitration, sending him to Egypt “You are one of those whose support I rely on to establish our religion” ( |
| 2.47 |
Testament of counsel for Ḥasan and Ḥusayn after the death blow, and for ʿAlī’s family, urging restraint in blood retaliation “I counsel you both to remain conscious of God. Do not seek this world even if it seeks you” ( |
| 2.48 |
To Muʿāwiyah at Ṣiffīn, reluctantly accepting arbitration, warning him against treachery, and underscoring ʿAlī’s submission to the ruling of the Qurʾan “Treachery and lies kill a man’s faith and ruin his worldly affairs” ( |
| 2.49 |
Warning to ʿAmr ibn al-ʿĀṣ, sent from Nukhaylah, just before the march on Syria “This world distracts you from the next” ( |
| 2.50 |
To his commanders, declaring his principled policies and offering pious counsel “It befits those in authority” ( |
| 2.51 |
To tax collectors, instructing justice and compassion, and warning against unfair seizure of property from subjects, whether Muslim, Christian, or Jew “Whoever fails to care about his end, fails to safeguard himself by advancing provisions for his soul” ( |
| 2.52 |
To governors on timings of the ritual prayers “Pray the noon prayer when the sun casts a shadow equal to a squatting goat” ( |
| 2.53 |
The Testament of Ashtar (ʿAhd al-Ashtar) on his appointment as governor of Egypt, lengthy instructions on fair, kind, and astute governance, pious counsel “This is what God’s servant, ʿAlī, Commander of the Faithful, commands Mālik ibn al-Ḥārith al-Ashtar, in the epistle he writes appointing him governor of Egypt” ( |
| 2.54 |
To Ṭalḥah and Zubayr, preceding the Battle of the Camel, urging them to return to the fold “Although you deny this now, you know that I did not approach the people” ( |
| 2.55 |
To Muʿāwiyah in the lead-up to the Battle of Ṣiffīn, urging him to return to the path of truth “God created this world for the hereafter” ( |
| 2.56 |
To Shurayḥ, when appointing him commander of the vanguard to Syria, pious counsel “Be conscious of God every morning and every night” ( |
| 2.57 |
Sent from Dhū Qār to the people of Kufa, urging them to join ʿAlī in fighting the associates of the Camel at Basra “I have marched from my hometown as either oppressor or oppressed” ( |
| 2.58 |
To the garrison towns, describing the Battle of Ṣiffīn “Events began thus: We and the Syrians faced off” ( |
| 2.59 |
To Aswad ibn Quṭbah, commander of Ḥulwān, pious counsel “A ruler’s passions, if they lean in one direction” ( |
| 2.60 |
To administrators through whose lands ʿAlī’s army was marching “I have dispatched troops who, God willing, will pass through your lands” ( |
| 2.61 |
To Kumayl, governor of Hīt, rebuking him for failing to defend against Sufyān ibn ʿAwf’s attack “A man’s neglect of what he has been charged with” ( |
| 2.62 |
To the people of Egypt, sent with the newly appointed governor Ashtar, on events after the Prophet’s death, ʿAlī’s righteousness, the Umayyads, urging the Egyptians to fight for the truth “God sent Muḥammad as warner for the world” ( |
| 2.63 |
To Abū Mūsā, governor of Kufa, when he urged the people not to support ʿAlī in the Battle of the Camel, rebuking and dismissing him from his post “I am told that you have spoken words that go both for you and against you” ( |
| 2.64 |
To Muʿāwiyah, presumably in the lead-up to the Battle of Ṣiffīn, who had written accusations and demands “Yes, my clan and yours were on terms of affection and unity, as you say” ( |
| 2.65 |
After the Battle of Nahrawān, to Muʿāwiyah, who had demanded that ʿAlī appoint him successor “This is the time for you to understand fully the affairs swiftly unfolding before your eyes” ( |
| 2.66 |
To ʿAbdallāh ibn al-ʿAbbās, likely sent from Kufa to Mecca, shortly before ʿAlī’s death “A man is overjoyed by gaining a thing he was not going to lose” ( |
| 2.67 |
To Qutham, governor of Mecca, on leading the hajj, teaching the pilgrims, and disbursing charity “Lead the hajj among the people and remind them to revere these, God’s special days” ( |
| 2.68 |
To Salmān, before ʿAlī’s caliphate, pious counsel “This world is like a snake” ( |
| 2.69 |
To Ḥārith, pious counsel “Hold fast to the Qurʾan and embrace its counsel” ( |
| 2.70 |
To Sahl, governor of Medina, telling him not to grieve over defectors “I have learned that men from your town are stealing out to join Muʿāwiyah” ( |
| 2.71 |
To Mundhir, governor of Iṣṭakhr, chastising him for misappropriation of treasury funds “I was deceived about you by your father’s piety” ( |
| 2.72 |
To ʿAbdallāh ibn al-ʿAbbās in Mecca, containing pious counsel “You will not exceed your lifespan or be granted sustenance that is not yours” ( |
| 2.73 |
To Muʿāwiyah, possibly after the arbitration, rejecting his demands to make him successor “I attribute to weak judgment … the fact that I exchanged letters with you” ( |
| 2.74 |
Treaty between the tribes of Yemen and Rabīʿah “This is what the people of Yemen … have agreed upon” ( |
| 2.75 |
From Medina early in ʿAlī’s caliphate to Muʿāwiyah, explaining recent events and instructing him to take the pledge of the caliphate for ʿAlī in Syria “… You know that I was justified both in my efforts for your clan and in turning away from them” ( |
| 2.76 |
To ʿAbdallāh ibn al-ʿAbbās, while appointing him governor of Basra after the Battle of the Camel “Be generous with your attention” ( |
| 2.77 |
To ʿAbdallāh ibn al-ʿAbbās, sent to debate the Kharijites “Don’t argue with them on the basis of the Qurʾan” ( |
| 2.78 |
To Abū Mūsā in the lead-up to the arbitration “The state of the people is such that many have bartered away most of their allotted share” ( |
Additional Letterp. 676
Section 3: Sayings: Chapter containing selections from the Commander of the Faithful’s wise sayings and words of counsel, including selections from his answers to questions and short texts from all genres of his literary production [Includes aphorisms and short texts not listed here, and the following longer pieces]:
| 3.1 |
First aphorism in Sayings chapter “In times of sedition, be like a young camel buck” ( |
| 3.26 |
Four pillars of faith, four pillars of unbelief, four branches of doubt “Faith stands on four pillars: forbearance, conviction, justice, and struggle against evil” ( |
| 3.33 |
Warning to Ḥasan about whom not to befriend “My dear son, remember four things from me” ( |
| 3.69 |
Addressing this world, Ḍirār’s report “World, O world, get away from me!” ( |
| 3.70 |
Destiny and the march on Syria “Woe! Perhaps you think destiny is final” ( |
| 3.73 |
Five traits of character “I counsel you to five traits so precious it is only right that you should whip your camels to reach them” ( |
| 3.95 |
To Nawf al-Bikālī, pious counsel, David and Jesus as exemplars “Nawf, blessed are those who reject worldliness” ( |
| 3.99 |
Vagaries of the heart “There is a piece of flesh attached to the jugular vein” ( |
| 3.110 |
Clans of Quraysh, Hāshim “Makhzūm are the sweet blossoms of Quraysh” ( |
| 3.112 |
When a man laughed while following a funeral procession “We behave as though death were decreed for everyone other than ourselves” ( |
| 3.119 |
Address to residents of graves “O people of desolate abodes” ( |
| 3.120 |
To a man who criticized this world “You who reproach this world—do you choose to be deceived by her yet censure her?” ( |
| 3.124 |
The Qurʾan’s promise “Whoever is granted four gifts will not be refused four others” ( |
| 3.133 |
To Kumayl on the virtues of knowledge, vaunt of his own knowledge, and the continuity of God’s proof through one who upholds it in all ages “Kumayl, these hearts are like vessels, and the best are those that best receive and store” ( |
| 3.136 |
Pious counsel in Kufa after the Battle of Nahrawān “Do not be one of those who expect the hereafter without work” ( |
| 3.237 |
Reasons for the Shariʿah laws “God has mandated belief to purify you from polytheism” ( |
3.245–253 Section on Rare Words: A selection from ʿAlī’s sayings that need lexical explanations
| 3.245 |
First aphorism in Rare Words Section “When that happens, religion’s queen bee will rest its abdomen on the ground” ( |
| 3.263 |
The Kaʿbah’s ornaments “At the time when the Qurʾan was revealed to the Prophet, there were four kinds of property” ( |
| 3.275 |
The Prophet “In a time now past, I had a brother whom I loved in God’s name” ( |
| 3.277 |
Condolence to Ashʿath on the death of his son “Ashʿath, it is fitting that you mourn your son” ( |
| 3.319 |
A believer “A believer shows his joy in his face and hides his sorrow in his heart” ( |
| 3.327 |
Pious counsel “Words are remembered, intentions are tested, and «every soul is mortgaged to what it has earned.»” ( |
| 3.350 |
Pious counsel “People! The stuff of this world is like rotten grass” ( |
| 3.353 |
Counsel to Jābir “The world is sustained by four types of people” ( |
| 3.358 |
On sustenance being decreed and the need for contentment “Sustenance is of two types” ( |
| 3.367 |
How to apportion time “The believer divides his time into three parts” ( |
| 3.387 |
Spending wealth for good “My dear son, do not leave your wealth for others to inherit” ( |
| 3.388 |
How to seek God’s forgiveness “May your mother be bereaved! Do you know what it means to beg God’s forgiveness?” ( |
| 3.403 |
God’s special devotees “God’s special devotees are those who perceive the world’s reality” ( |
| 3.429 |
Last aphorism in Sayings chapter “Many are seduced by praise” ( |
Additional Sayingsp. 818
Raḍī’s Conclusionp. 824
The majority of Nahj al-Balāghah texts do not have titles. The descriptors here are thus my own, drawing on the content of the text, on Raḍī’s remarks if there are any, and context from the history books. For each piece, I have also added the first line of both the translation and the Arabic.