Nahj al-Balāgha

وَأَشْهَدُ أَنْ لاَ إلهِ إِلاَّ اللهُ غَيْرَ مَعْدُول بِهِ، وَلاَ مَشْكُوك فِيهِ، وَلاَ مَكْفُور دِينُهُ، وَلاَ مَجْحُود تَكْوِينُهُ، شَهَادَةَ مَنْ صَدَقَتْ نِيَّتُهُ، وَصَفَتْ دِخْلَتُهُ، وَخَلَصَ يَقِينُهُ، وَثَقُلَتْ مَوَازِينُهُ.

I stand witness that there is no god but Allāh, Who has no parallel, Who is not doubted, Whose religion is not denied and Whose creativeness is not questioned. My witnessing is like that of a man whose intention is free, whose conscience is clear, whose belief is pure and whose loads (of good actions) are heavy.

وَأَشْهَدُ أَنَّ مُحَمَّداً عَبْدُهُ وَرَسُولُهُ، الْـمُجْتَبَى مِنْ خَلاَئِقِهِ، وَالْمُعْتَامُ لِشَرْحِ حَقَائِقِهِ، وَالْـمُخْتَصُّ بِعَقَائِلِ كَرَامَاتِهِ، وَالْمُصْطَفَى لِكَرَائِمِ رِسَالاَتِهِ، وَالْمُوَضَّحَةُ بِهِ أَشْرَاطُ الْهُدَى، وَالْـمَجْلُوُّ بِهِ غِرْبِيبُ الْعَمَى.

I also stand witness that Muḥammad — the peace and blessings of Allāh be upon him and his progeny — is His slave and His Messenger, chosen from His creations, selected for detailing His realities, picked for His selected honours and chosen for His esteemed messages. Through him the signs of guidance have been lighted and the gloom of blindness (misguidance) has been dispelled.

أَيُّهَا النَّاسُ، إنَّ الدُّنْيَا تَغُرُّ الْمُؤَمِّلَ لَهَا وَالْـمُخلِدَ إِلَيْهَا، وَلاَ تَنْفَسُ بِمَنْ نَافَسَ فِيهَا، وَتَغْلِبُ مَنْ غَلَبَ عَلَيْهَا. وَايْمُ اللهِ، مَا كَانَ قَوْمٌ قَطُّ فِي غَضِّ نِعْمَة مِنْ عَيْش فَزَالَ عَنْهُمْ إِلاَّ بِذُنُوب اجْتَرَحُوهَا، لِ «أَنَّ اللَّهَ لَيْسَ بِظَلَّامٍ لِلْعَبِيدِ» وَلَوْ أَنَّ النَّاسَ حِينَ تَنْزِلُ بِهِمُ النِّقَمُ، وَتَزُولُ عَنْهُمُ النِّعَمُ، فَزِعُوا إِلَى رَبِّهِمْ بِصِدْق مِنْ نِيَّاتِهمْ، وَوَلَه مِنْ قُلُوبِهمْ، لَرَدَّ عَلَيْهِمْ كُلَّ شَارِد، وَأَصْلَحَ لَهُمْ كُلَّ فَاسِد،

O people, surely this world deceives him who longs for it and who is attracted towards it. It does not behave niggardly with him who aspires for it and overpowers him who overpowers it. By Allāh, no people are deprived of the lively pleasures of life after enjoying them, excepts as a result of sins committed by them, because certainly Allāh is not unjust to His creatures. Even then, when calamities descend upon people and pleasures depart from them, they turn towards Allāh with true intention and the feeling in their hearts that He will return them everything that has fled from them and cure all their ills.

وَإنِّي لاَخْشَى عَلَيْكُمْ أَنْ تَكُونُوا فِي فَتْرَة، وَقَدْ كَانَتْ أُمُورٌ مَضَتْ، مِلْتمْ فِيهَا مَيْلَةً، كُنْتُمْ فِيهَا عِندِي غَيْرَ مَحْمُودِينَ، وَلَئِنْ رُدَّ عَلَيْكُمْ أَمْرُكُمْ إنَّكُمْ لَسُعَدَاءُ، وَمَا عَلَيَّ إلاَّ الْجُهْدُ، وَلَوْ أَشاءُ أَنْ أَقُولَ لَقُلْتُ: عَفَا اللهُ عَمَّا سَلَفَ!

I fear about you lest you fall into ignorance (that prevailed before the appearance of the Prophet). In the past there were certain matters in which you were deflected, and in my view you were not worthy of admiration; but if your previous position could be returned to you then you would become virtuous. I can only strive; but if I were to speak I would (only) say may Allāh forgive your past actions.

ومن كلام له (عليه السلام) وقد سأله ذِعلبٌ اليماني فقال : هل رأيت ربّك يا أميرالمؤمنين؟ فقال (عليه السلام) : أَفأَعْبُدُ مَا لا أَرَى؟ فقال : وكيف تراه؟ فقال :

Dhi‘lib al-Yamānī asked Amīr al-mu’minīn whether he had seen Allāh, when he replied, “Do I worship one whom I have not seen?” Then he enquired, “How have you seen Him?” Then Amīr al-mu’minīn replied:

لاَ تُدْرِكُهُ الْعُيُونُ بِمُشَاهَدَةِ الْعِيَانِ، وَلكِنْ تُدْرِكُهُ الْقُلُوبُ بِحَقَائِقِ الاْيمَانِ، قَرِيبٌ مِنَ الاْشْيَاءِ غَيْرُ مُلاَمِس، بَعِيدٌ مِنْهَا غَيْرُ مُبَايِن، مُتَكَلِّمٌ بِلاَ رَوِيَّة، مُرِيدٌ بِلاَ هِمَّة، صَانِعٌ لاَ بِجَارِحَة، لَطِيفٌ لاَ يُوصَفُ بِالْخَفَاءِ، كَبِيرٌ لاَ يُوصَفُ بِالْجَفَاءِ، بَصِيرٌ لاَ يُوصَفُ بِالْحَاسَّةِ، رَحِيمٌ لاَ يُوصَفُ بِالرِّقَّةِ، تَعْنُو الْوُجُوهُ لِعَظَمَتِهِ، وَتَجِبُ الْقُلُوبُ مِنْ مَخَافَتِهِ.

Eyes do not see Him face to face, but hearts perceive Him through the realities of belief. He is near to things but not (physically) contiguous. He is far from them but not (physically) separate. He is a speaker, but not with reflection. He intends, but not with preparation. He moulds, but not with (the assistance of) limbs. He is subtle but cannot be attributed with being concealed. He is great but cannot be attributed with haughtiness. He sees but cannot be attributed with the sense (of sight). He is Merciful but cannot be attributed with weakness of heart. Faces feel low before His greatness and hearts tremble out of fear of Him.

ومن كلام له (عليه السلام) في ذمّ العاصين من أصحابه

Condemning his disobedient men

أَحْمَدُ اللهَ عَلَى مَا قَضَى مِنْ أَمْر، وَقَدَّرَ مِنْ فِعْل، وَعَلَى ابْتِلاَئِي بِكُم أَيَّتُهَا الْفِرْقَةُ الَّتِي إذَا أَمَرْتُ لَمْ تُطِعْ، وَإذَا دَعَوْتُ لَمْ تُجِبْ، إنْ أُمْهِلْتُمْ خُضْتُمْ، وَإنْ حُورِبْتُمْ خُرْتُمْ، وَإنِ اجْتَمَعَ النَّاسُ عَلَى إمَام طَعَنْتُمْ، وَإنْ أُجِبْتُمْ إلَى مُشَاقَّة نَكَصْتُمْ. لاَ أَبَا لِغَيْرِكُمْ! مَا تَنْتَظِرُونَ بِنَصْرِكُمْ وَالْجِهَادِ عَلَى حَقِّكُمْ؟ الْمَوْتَ أَوِ الذُّلَّ لَكُمْ؟ فَوَاللهِ لَئِنْ جَاءَ يَوْمِي ـ وَلَيَأْتِيَنِّي ـ لَيُفَرِّقَنَّ بَيْني وَبَيْنَكُمْ وَأَنا لِصُحْبَتِكُمْ قَال، وَبِكُمْ غَيْرُ كَثِير.

I praise Allāh for whatever matter He ordained and whatever action He destines, and for my trial with you, O’ group of people who do not obey when I order and do not respond when I call you. If you are at ease you engage in (conceited) conversation, but if you are faced with battle you show weakness. If people agree on one Imām you taunt each other. If you are faced with an arduous matter you turn away from it. May others have no father (woe to your enemy!) what are you waiting for, in the matter of your assistance and for fighting for your rights? For you there is either death or disgrace. By Allāh, if my day (of death) comes, and it is sure to come, it will cause separation between me and you, although I am sick of your company and feel lonely with you.

لله أَنْتُمْ! أمَا دِينٌ يَجْمَعُكُمْ! وَلاَ مَحْمِيّةٌ تَشْحَذُكُمْ ! أَوَلَيْسَ عَجَباً أَنَّ مُعَاوِيَةَ يَدْعُو الْجُفَاةَ الطَّغَامَ فَيَتَّبِعُونَهُ عَلَى غَيْرِ مَعُونَة وَلاَ عَطَاء، وَأَنَا أَدْعُوكُمْ ـ وَأَنْتُمْ تَرِيكَةُ الاْسْلاَمِ، وَبَقِيَّةُ النَّاسِ ـ إلَى الْمَعُونَةِ أَوطَائِفَة مِنَ الْعَطَاءِ، فَتَفَرَّقُونَ عَنِّي وَتَخْتَلِفُونَ عَلَيَّ؟ إِنَّهُ لاَ يَخْرُجُ إِلَيْكُمْ مِنْ أَمْرِي رِضىً فَتَرْضَوْنَهُ، وَلاَ سُخْطٌ فَتَجْتَمِعُونَ عَلَيْهِ، وَإنَّ أَحَبَّ مَا أَنَا لاَق إِلَيَّ الْمَوْتُ! قَدْ دَارَسْتُكُمُ الْكِتَابَ، وَفَاتَحْتُكُمُ الْحِجَاجَ، وَعَرَّفْتُكُمْ مَا أَنْكَرْتُمْ، وَسَوَّغْتُكُمْ مَا مَجَجْتُمْ، لَوْ كَانَ الاْعْمَى يَلْحَظُ، أَوِ النَّائِمُ يَسْتَيْقِظُ! وَأَقْرِبْ بِقَوْم مِنَ الْجَهْلِ بِاللهِ قَائِدُهُمْ مُعَاوِيَةُ! وَمُؤَدِّبُهُمُ ابْنُ النَّابِغَةِ!

May Allāh deal with you! Is there no religion which may unite you nor sense of shamefulness that may sharpen you? Is it not strange that Mu‘āwiyah calls out to some rude low people and they follow him without any support or grant, but when I call you, although you are the successors of Islam and the (worthy) survivors of the people, with support and distributed grants you scatter away from me and oppose me? Truly, there is nothing between me to you which I like and you also like it, or with which I am angry and you may also unite against it. What I love most is death. I have taught you the Qur’ān, clarified to you arguments, apprised you of what you were ignorant and made you swallow what you were spitting out. Even a blind man would have been able to see, and he who was sleeping would have been awakened. How ignorant of Allāh is their leader Mu’āwiyah and their instructor Ibn an-Nābighah. [1]

ومن كلام له (عليه السلام) وَقَدْ أَرْسَلَ رَجُلًا مِنْ أَصْحَابِهِ يَعْلَمُ لَهُ عِلْمَ أَحْوَالِ قَوْمٍ مِنْ جُنْدِ الْكُوفَةِ قَدْ هَمُّوا بِاللِّحَاقِ بِالْخَوَارِجِ، وَكَانُوا عَلَى خَوْفٍ مِنْهُ (عليه السلام)، فَلَمَّا عَادَ إِلَيْهِ الرَّجُلُ قَالَ لَهُ: أَ أَمِنُوا فَقَطَنُوا أَمْ جَبَنُوا فَظَعَنُوا؟ فَقَالَ الرَّجُلُ بَلْ ظَعَنُوا يَا أَمِيرَ الْمُؤْمِنِينَ۔ فَقَالَ (عليه السلام) :

Amīr al-mu’minīn sent one of his men to bring him news about a group of the army of Kūfah who had decided to join the Khārijites but were afraid of him. [1] When the man came back Amīr al-mu’minīn said to him: “Are they satisfied and staying or feeling weak and going astray?” The man replied, “They have gone away, O’ Amīr al-mu’minīn.” Then Amīr al-mu’minīn said: