The first step of religion is to accept, understand and realize Him as the Lord, the perfection of understanding lies in conviction and confirmation, and the true way of conviction is to sincerely believe that there is no God but He. The correct form of belief in His Unity is to realize that He is absolutely pure and above nature that nothing can be added to or subtracted from His being. Sermon.1 para 3. page 1.
"You know the prophet Moses was never afraid of death, what he really feared was ascedancy and triumph of wealth, power and ignorance over truth and justice. Similar is my case, death does not frighten me, it never did, what I am nervous about you is the fact that you do not realize that you are standing on the cross roads and religion and infidelity. Remember those sincerely accept religion will never be disappointed." Sermon. 8, para 5, page 10, about mentality of Quraish.
"Beware that you are being spiritually tried at this hour and you will find hardships, perils and calamities reappearing in the same form as befell upon you at the time when God first ordered our Holy Prophet(may be peace of God be upon him and his descendents) to deliver His Message and to propagate Islam. Sermon. 20, para 2, page 16 (at the time when he was asked to accept Rulership)
"Remember that there are two ways of life the right and wrong, And there are two kinds of people; those who follow the right path and those who adopt wrong way. If you find evil doers in majority or in ascedancy and followers of religion and truth in minority and down trodden, a world full of apparent contradictions, do not feel surprised or disappointed; it has often happened like that. But truth and justice will conquer in the end, though it may not appear possible that those fallen low will ever rise to great heights. Sermon. 20, para 6, page 16, context as above.
"You will find three types of people in the society, those who exert and strive to be good and to do good, their salvation is certain. Those who are lazy and lethargic-tardy stragglers inactively and ineffectively hoping for the best. And lastly those are defaulters and failures in duty; they shall end in Hell. Sermon. 21 para 2. page 17
No individual is lost and no nation is refusd prosperity and success if foundations of their thoughts and action rest upon piety and good liness, and upon truth and justice." Sermon 21, para 4, page 17.
"Remember! that to a casual observer the Quran appears to a book very easy to understand and interesting but inner meanings of its passages are far extending, profound and hard to understand. For deep thinkers its fascination will never cease and its wonders will never end". Sermon. 23. para last. page. 19.
About Jang-e-Jamal helping his people, must remember that he has withheld one hand of help and at the time of his need thousands of hands will abstain from his help." Sermon. 28 para 11. page. 22.
"Upon my life, I never showed undue leniency towards enemies of God or towards those who bring harm to religion with their words and deeds".
O Muslims fear God, follow the path which He hath fixed and lighted for you and obey his commands."
And if you are not rewarded in this life, I stand guarantee for your reward hereafter". Sermon. 29. page. 22
Re. giving up vicious ways of life : "Remember, one who is benefited by religion, falls an easy prey to the devil; and one, whom guidance cannot lead to the right path, ends in calamities and destruction.
Remember life is decreed to move on and you are directed to lay up for the next world with right thoughts and righteous deeds.
On your behalf I am afraid of two things; that you may be misguided by desires and that you be allured with wishful thinking, avoid both and take from life such things as would protect you from punishment on the DAY OF JUDGEMENT." Sermon. 33. Last three paras. page. 26.
"A benevolent and godly government is necessary so that under its kind rule, Muslims and Non-Muslims alike may prosper and enjoy fruits of the efforts of their mind and body; that under it benign protection God may grant them happy life and peaceful end, that under its auspicous government they may flourish and thrive; that under its banner they may defend themselves from enemies; that there may be safety of highways and security of life, honor, religion and hereafter; and that the rights and claims of poor, humble and depressed may be secured for them from the grasp of rich and powerful oppressors so that virtous people may be protected from molestation of vicious manners." Sermon . 45. Last para page. 32.
Re : Observation of Faith : I have enough knowledge and wisdom to know what diplomacy and dissimulation mean and have enough aptitude and authority to make use of them, but before me are commands and interdictions of God the Almighty which protect me from sin; yet a man who has no respect for religion jumps to every opportunity to profit through deceit, dissimulation and diplomacy. Sermon. 46 para last page. 33
Reg : more attention to life hereinafter : "his life and hereafter are like two mothers and human beings are like children. Take the life to come as your mother and do not let this world adopt you as her son, because on the day of judgement every child will be attached to mother". "Remember that this life is a place to work and not of judgement and the day of judgment will be the day of reckoning and not action" Sermon. 47, last two paras, page. 34.
What kind of animals can be sacrificed on Idul Zuha; If ears and eyes of an animal are healthy and sound it is worth sacrificing even it its horns are broken and even it is lame and limps to the place of sacrifice. Sermon 58. Para 1. page. 37
At the time of War of Siffin, Hazrat was hesitant : "I fully considered over the apparent and inherent consequences of war and came to the conclusion that only two alternatives were left for me; either to fight the rebels or to forsake the teachings of the Holy Prophet (A.S.). I adopted the first course becuase I felt that it was wiser than to face punishment in the next, and that death to end this life was far better than eternal damnation". Sermon 59, last para. page. 37
When Companions of Hazrat were eager to start the war at Siffin :
"It is not right for you to say that I am hesitating to start the war because I am afraid of death. I bear God as my witness that I never cared whether I approach death or death approach me; and you are equally wrong to say that my delaying the war is due to the fact that I am not fully convinced of the righteous ness of my cause and falsity of the claims of Moavia and his Assyrian hordes". Sermon. 60. para 1. page. 38.
"O people fear God and whatever you do, do it anticipating death, and try to attain everlasting blessing in return for transitory and perishable wealth, power and pleasures of this world." Sermon. 67, para 1. page. 40.
"Death which approaches everybody with certain steady steps and which may either bring success for hereafter or failure, deserves to be welcomed whole heartedly ." Sermon.67, para 4. page 40.
"I pray to God to make me among such persons whom His bounties have not made proud and arrogant, whose works and engagements have not kept them away from obedience to his God, and whom death will not bring sorrows and shame, repentance and regret." Sermon 67. para last. page. 41.
While censuring Iraquis when he was forced to accept arbitration at Siffeen : "I am distributing heavenly knowledge and do not want any price for it, provided you try to understand and grasp it. Shortly the world will realize the truth and importance of my teachings". Sermon. 74 page. 44
About this world : "O you have been created by God! Keep in mind the purpose for which you are created and fear God lest you fail to fulfil the purpose. Be afraid of Him as much as He wants to be afraid of. If you believe that He will bring his promise to fulfillment and if you dear the terrors of the day of judgement then try to deserve all blessings that he has reserved for you”. Sermon 86. page. 49.
A few advises to his followers : “creatures of God, take warnings from useful examples, and learn from clear and tangible instances. Let horrors of punishment keep you away from sins”. Sermon 88. page. 54.
Advice to those who sincerely believe in religion : “Abstain from telling lies because lying will keep you away from religion and God. A truth speaking and truth loving person is the man who will receive salvation and honor from God, and a liar will be disgraced and humiliated by Him. Do not envy, because it will lead to calamities and bad luck”. Sermon 89. page. 55 para last but one.
How a faithful and True Muslim can be recognized : "O people! listen and remember well sayings of the Holy Prophet (may the peace of God be upon him and his descendents) that our physical death does not mean that we have totally disappeared from amongst you and our old age does not mean that we have become senile and useless (our teachings, our traditions, our directing principles and our guidance will always remain with you to lead and guide you) Sermon. 90, page. 54, para last.
How God has created things : "verily He is the God Who created all the creatures and will also bring about their total and complete annihilation. He will remain when they will come to an end. He is their Lord and He preserves and nourishes them. Sun and the solar system are moving in the space according to the ways destined by Him.; wearing out every new thing that comes into their contact and turning present into past, they cover gigantic distances in the space during their journey. Sermon. 93. page. 58 para 3.
"Remember unless you try to improve yourself and help yourself to secure His favour no advice and education can improve you, unless you chastise your mind, no outside chastisement can improve you" .Sermon 93. page. 59 para last.
What is the ultimate end of living beings : "Take warning from those whose slogans were "There is none mightier than I". They went to their graves leaving all their might and glory behind them. entertain them. Sermon. 114. p. 85 para last but one.
What is piety : "O people! piety prevents good people from indulging in sins and vices, it makes them God fearing, it persuades them to spend their nights in worship and to pass their days in their duties towards man and God. They always keep their death before their mind's eye". Sermon. 117. page. 87. para 4.
"How alluring and delusive are pleasures of this world; how every enhancement and increase of wealth and position here increases greed and avariciousness; and how the protection offered here very often ends in punishment and pain; what a place is it where neither death can be averted nor the paste can be brought back" Sermon 117. page 87. para 5.
"Remember that it is better to have less in this world and more in the next than to have more in this world and less in heavens, becuase very few things here are really beneficial and many are ultimately harmful. Sermon. 117 page. 87. para 6.
In the praise of the Prophet (S.A.W.) 'God Almighty sent our Holy prophet (may the peace of God be upon him and his descendents) to invite people to truth and also to be witness to the fact that his preachings were understood or not. He delivered the message of God without minimising it and without manifesting weakness in presenting it. He fought the enemies of God without hesitation and excuse. He is leader of those who accept piety and he is guide to those who have vision and presight. Sermon. 119. page. 89.
About the descendents of prophet; "I swear by the Lord that I know fully well all the messages of God that the Holy prophet (may the peace of God be on him and his descendents) has received, the ways of fulfilment of promises made by the God and of all the knowledge that science or philosophy could disclose."
"We the progeny of the Holy prophet (may the peace of God be upon him and his descendents) are the doors through which real wisdom and true knowledge will reach mankind; we are lights of religion. Sermon 123. page 91. para 1 and 2.
From the Sermon to Kharjiites : "Did you not beseech me to accept their request and to give them protection and peace? Did! I not tell you that they are pretending Islam, and have the enmity with God hidden in their hearts. Did I not tell you that your weakness and show of pity will result in our disgrace and humiliation? Did I not order you to go your way and to continue fighting bravely, courageously and patiently till the enemy is completely vanquished and routed. Is it not a fact that I had already advised you not to pay attention to those braving asses (Moavia and Amer-E Aas) because a respond to their call would result in your deviation from the right path," Sermon 125. page. 92 para 1.
"Today we are fighting against such of our brothers who pretend to be Muslims, but are apostates and heretics. Sophisticism and wrong interpretation of Quran has taken hold of their religion and doubts about the truth of its doctrines have crept in-to their minds. When we desire peace it will be with the hope that God may unite us and bring our enemies nearer to Islam. If this will appear to be possible we shall desire for peace and not for war". Sermon. 125. para last. page. 93
A PROPHECY : The army, the armament and the mode of invasion is of the kind which man has not fully evolved, some more time must pass before the world will face a soundless movement of armies- when supersonic army carriers will be able to cross from East to West and from North to South and will reach destinations even before the sound of this aircrafts or the prophecy may be about the guided missiles carrying destructive bombs. Sermon 131. page. 97. para 2.
About worldly activities and Heaven: "You are born in a age when you are faced with more and more evil, and find good receding away and away from you. It is an age when Satan has greater desire of misleading people. His scheming maneuvers are being persued and more vigorously, his cunning devices to lure you are becoming very common and it is very easy for him now to gather victims from amongst you.
Look carefully around you and collect true information of the society. You will either find beggars who are suffering the torture of poverty, or rich people who repay the bounties of God with ungratefulness and ingratitude; misers who though possessing millions yet refuse to attend to their obligation or pay due to God and man, or such arrogant and haughty persons who do not care to listen to good advice’s and suggestions given by religion". Sermon. 132. p. 98. para 3 and 4.
PART OF THE SPEECH WHEN HAZRAT WENT TO SEE OF HAZRAT ABU-ZAR GHAFFARI : O Abuzar! since your indignation and anger against the enemies of God was for the sake of God and to secure his pleasure therefore you may rightly expect His Blessings. People are afraid of you because they will lose their worldly possessions and positions (on account of your true interpretations of Islam), you were afraid of them because you thought that Islam would suffer on their account. Now leave with them what they were afraid to lose on your account (vicious and sinful worldly possession and power) and take away in your safe custody that which you were anxious that it might not suffer at their hands a serious loss (true teachings of Islam). In fact they are really and truly in need of that which you are taking away with you (peace and blessings bestowed by religion) and you can very conveniently do without that which they want to hold at any cost (worldly power and wealth), and in near future (on the day of judgement) you will know who has been benefited by this transaction and who is being envied for this gain. Sermon. 133. page. 99. para 1.
"Abuzar! love only truth and justice and hate only falsehood and impiety. Impious people are such that they will befriend you only when you accept their way of life, and will take you under their protection if you enter their fold (They will not come to your help merely on humanitarian principles or because you rightly deserves help and protection). Sermon. 133 page. 99, para 2.
I have heard the Holy prophet (A.S.) saying, "The cruel leader will be brought before God, on the Day of reckoning, there will be no one to plead for him and come to his help. He will be sent to hell where he will be thrown into one whirlpool of one punishment after another till he meets the chastisement which he deserves". Sermon. 167. page. 128. para 5.
"O Lord! Thou art the One Who maintaineth the earth in its position and place. Thou hast made it habitat for man, a place where insects, reptiles and mammals came into being and disappeared each having its sway on the earth for some time and where innumerable forms of life rose by degrees-some of which can be seen by man and while many others were such that they were invisible to human eye. Sermon. 176. page. 135. para 4.
"Take my advice and obey not those leaders and those heads of tribes who are vain and arrogant on account of their wealth, power and position; who pride over their ancestors; who lay the responsibility of evil on God; who deny that God has been Kind to them; who disregard His commands and interdictions and who are ungrateful to His favors and Bounties. They are strong holds of party spirit, provincialism and bigotry (they oppose the idea of the brotherhood of man) they are the centres of temptations, mischieves and revolts (against law and order) and they propagate and defend ideas of the superiority of one race over the other, which has proved so harmful and injurious to humanity. So beware of these leaders. Fear God, do not ill use the Bounties bestowed upon you and do not envy each other for the Favors granted by Him, because envy and thanklessness will cause His Favors to be taken back from You". Sermon. 197. page. 162. para 12.
"During the prayers you prostate before God your heads on the ground, thus humbleness and submission is acquired by the mind in the place of vanity and conceit. While fasting you suffer, willingly and in obedience to the orders of God, pangs of hunger and thirst, you may learn to feel what hunger and want is. In payment of poor rate (Zakat) you distribute yields of the land and money amongst the poor and have-not, and thus you in some measure alleviate their poverty and come in their contact. Sermon 197. page. 165. para 24.
COMPILERS NOTE : out of 245 Sermons I could only touch upto 197, some others are more interesting and meaningful, if space will be available I will revert to those later on. Those who want to check the Sermons, they can check it from Nehjul Balagha, Sheikh Hasan Saeed, Chehel Satoon Library & Theological School, Masjid Jame, Tehran Iran, Eid-al Ghadeer, 1397, Azar 9, 2536, November 30, 1977. There is another edition with me, Translated By Mr. Syed Ali Raza, introductory note by Syed Mohammad Askary Jafery. Published in India. The two differ in Nos. of Sermons as well as contents. The following extracts of letters have also been derived from the Iranian edition.
EXTRACTS FROM FEW LETTERS WRITTEN BY IMAM ALI (A.S.) TO DIFFERENT INDIVIDUALS :
"O time! O world! how I wonder at your vagaries. People have started considering such a person (Hazrat meant Moavia) equal to me, who in his whole life time never exerted himself in the service of Islam and God as I have done in each and every day of my life. In Islam there is no rank, no honor, no position and no merit for him as for me. None can pretend to to claim any superiority and excellence over me but a pretender. I donot know of anybody who served Islam and the Holy Prophet (S.A.W.) as sincerely and consistently as I have. The Almighty Lord knows that I am not wrong in saying what I have said and nobody can be compared to me in this respect. All Glory, Praise and Greatness belongs to Him and to nobody else. Letter, 9. p. 210, para 3. written to Moavia.
"Have you ever seriously considered what would happen to you if all your wealth and property is taken away from you. The possessions, the riches and the luxuries that you have surrounded yourself with, they all belong to this world. A world which has profusely decorated itself and is bent upon alluring you with its enjoyment and pleasures. It enticed you and you fell an easy pray to its allurements. It dragged you and you followed it like a tame animal at the end of rope. It ordered you and you obeyed its orders submissively". Letter. 10, para 1, written to Moavia.
"If you do not faithfully and sincerely follow the dictates of religion and donot act as I have advised you then I want to warn you of something that you have forgotten. It is that you are unthankful to God for all which He has granted to you and are ungrateful to Him for the favors bestowed upon you. Satan has taken possession of your soul. Its desire to secure you as his obedient slave, is fully fulfilled. It has a firm hold on your mind". Letter. 10, page 211, para 3, written to Moavia.
"O Moavia! were you ever entrusted with the important position and noble status of dispensing peace and justice to mankind? Have you the necessary knowledge for the work? Do you really know the canons of equity and justice as laid down by Islam? You and your ways of government may God protect me and withhold me from behaving towards mankind the way that you have behaved and from tyranny, exploitation and murder committed by you. Take care, you are being madly driven by the lust of wealth, power and vicious indulgences, you are behaving hypocritically against man and God, and you may be damned for eternity". Letter 10, page. 211, para 4.
"Do not take initiative to begin a battle, let them begin it. Because by the favor of God you are on the side of truth and justice (and God does not like men to be keen upon fratricide). Leave them until they begin their hostilites and then you are at liberty to take fighting. Their keen ness to begin a battle will be another proof of your sincere belief in the orders of God". Letter 14, page. 213. para 1. to his army in Siffeen.
"If God favors you with your success and their defeat then donot attack those who have surrendered, do not injure disabled and weak, do not assault wounded; and do not excite women and make them angry with rude and insulting behavior and molestation, even when they use harsh and insulting words against your commander and officers because they are physically and mentally weak and get excited easily and frightened quickly. During the days of the Holy Prophet (may the peace be upon him and his descendents) we had strict orders not to touch , molest or insult women though they were unbelievers. Even in pre-Islamic days it was the custom that if a man strikes a woman even with a stick or a stone the revenge would be carried to his sons and descendent". Letter 14. page. 213 para 2.
"O Lord! our hearts seek Thy protection, our faces turn to Thee, our eyes look, towards Thee, our feet move towards Thy path, and our bodies are sincerely used in obedience to Thy Command. O Lord! Hidden enemies and concealed spite are exposed; hearts are boiling over with envy and malice. O Lord! we place before Thee our difficulties; absence of the Holy prophet (A.S.) from amongst us. Lord ! let truth prevail and let our people realise the justice, honesty and virtuousness of our case". Letter 15. page. 213.
When Hazrat faced the enemy.
"After prayers to God and praise of the Holy prophet (A.S.) be it known to you that villagers, farmers, and husbandmen of the provinces under you, complain of your harshness, arrogance and cruelty. They complain that you consider them as mean, humble and insignificant and treat them insultingly and you are cruel and harsh with them. I deliberated about their complaints and about the situation and I found that if on account of their heathenism they do not deserve any favorable treatment or extra privileges yet they do not deserve to be treated insultingly, cruelly and harshly. They are governed by us they made certain agreements with us and we are obliged to respect and honor the terms of those agreements.
Therefore, you in future be kind to them, tolerate them and give them the respect, but at the same time keep your prestige and guard well the position and honor of the authority which you hold, therefore govern with a soft but strong hand. Treat them as they individually deserve, kindly or harshly and with respect or with contempt. Letter 19, page. 215 .
written to Governors.
"O creatures of God! remember that the Almighty Lord is going to take account of every one of your sins, major or minor and whether committed openly or covertly. If he punishes you for your sins, it will not be an act of tyranny and if He forgives you it will be because of His Great Mercy and Forgiveness". Letter 27, page. 219, para 2.
written to Mohammad bin Abu Bakr.
My first and foremost advice to you, my son, is to fear God. Be his obedient servant. Keep his thought always fresh in your mind. Be attached to and caefully guard the rope which connects you with Him (Islam). Can any other connection be stronger, more durable and more lasting than this to command greater respect and consideration or to replace it. Letter 31. page. 225, para 4 .
"Adopt piety and kill your inordinate desires with its help. Build your character with the help of sincere faith in religion and God. Subjugate your self-willed, obstinate and refractory nature with the vision of death, make it see the mortality of life and of all that it holds dear, force it to realise the actuality of misfortunes and adversities, the changes of circumstances and times and compel it to study the histories of past people. Persuade it to see the ruined cities, the dilapidated palaces and decaying signs and relics of fallen empires and past nations" Letter 31. page. 225. para 5.
"RESERVES YOUR PRAYERS, YOUR REQESTS, YOUR SOLICITATIONS, YOUR SUPPLICATIONS AND YOUR ENTREATIES TO HIM AND HIM ALONE.BECAUSE TO GRANT, TO GIVE, TO CONFER AND TO BESTOW, AS WELL AS TO WITHHOLD, TO DEPRIVE, TO REFUSE AND TO DEBAR LIES IN HIS AND ONLY HIS POWER. ASK AS MUCH OF HIS FAVOURS AND SEEK AS MUCH OF HIS GUIDANCE AS OFTEN AS YOU CAN" Letter 31. page. 225, para 10 last part.
"I leave you like an unbroken and untrained colt. Because young and fresh mind is like a virgin soil and which allows things sown in it to grow verdantly and to bear luxuriously. There, I have made use of early opportunities to educate and train you, before your mind uses freshness, before it gets hardened or wrapped, before you start facing unprepared for encounter and before you are forced to use your decision and discretions without gaining advantages of cumulated traditions, collected knowledge and experience of others. Letter 31. page. 226. part of para 12.
"Remember that this world is working under the laws ordained by Him and it consists of assemblage and aggregate of actions and reactions, causes and effects, calamities and reverses, pains and pleasures, rewards and punishments; but this is not all which the picture depicts; there are things in it which are beyond our ken, things which we do not and cannot know and the things which cannot be foreseen, foretold, for instance the reward and punishment of the day of judgement". Letter 31, page. 227, para 28 (part).
"My dear son, so far as your behavior with other human beings is concerned let your self act as scales to help you judge its goodness or wickedness. Do unto others as you wish others to do unto you. Whatever you like for yourself like for others and whatever you dislike to happen to you spare others from such happenings. Do not oppress and tyrannize any body because you surely do not like to be oppressed and tyrannized. Be kind and sympathetic to others as you certainly desire others to treat you like kindly and sympathetically”. Letter 31. page. 228, part of para 32.
“Be it known to you, my son, that you can not have every wish of yours granted, you cannot expect to escape death, and you are passing through your days of life as others before you have done. Therefore, control your expectations, desires and cravings; be moderate in your demands, earn your livelihood through scrupulously honest means, be contented with what you get honestly and honorably”. Letter 31. page. 231 para 42.
This letter is much lengthier than produced. In the introduction the author has attributed it written to Hazrat Imam Hussain (A.S.) or Hazrat Mohammede-Hanafia, Allah knows better.