NAHJUL BALAGHA

SERMONS, LETTERS AND SAYINGS

of

HAZRATH ALI

Translated by:

SYED MOHAMMED ASKARI JAFERY



First Published by
Khorasan Islamic Centre,
Karachi.

Second Edition
(February, 1971)

Reprint
Dar es Salaam. 2021
 CONTENTS

1. PREFACE.
(i) The Book: what it contains, and how and when its contents were
originally compiled .……………………………....................................................................1
(ii) The Author: the Eminence of his character, his teachings, his services
to the cause of religion and humanity .……………………………......................................6
(iii) The Compiler .…………………………….................................................................….…….65
(iv) The Translation .……………………………...................................................................…...69

2. THE BOOK NAHJ-UL-BALAGHA

(i) Sermons .……………………………......................................................................…………….72
(ii) Letters and Orders .……………………………...........……………………….............................309
(iii) Sayings .…………………………….................................................................……………….385

3. Index

No. I Genealogical Table of Hazrath Ali .……………………………................................405

No. II (a) Name of Books Containing Sermons etc. of Hazrath Ali,
written long before Syed Razi compiled Nahjul Balagha .………………………..407
No. II (b) List of Sermons & Letters, which appeared in the above Books .………………409
II (c) List of compilers of Sermons etc. of Hazrath Ali from 1st Century
to the 5th Century .……………………………........................................................412
 ‫‪DEDICATION‬‬

‫رکدہ ام یا� ذنر ومالیئ فجن‬

‫رگ وبقل ادتف زےھ زع ورشف‬
 1

THE BOOK

This book is a translation of the sermons, letters, orders and some of the sayings of
Hazrath Ali (A.S.) as compiled by Syed Razi and named ‘Nahjul Balagha’.

These sermons and preachings of Hazrath Ali (A.S.) were so highly valued and venerated
in the Islamic world that within a century of his death they were taught and read as the last word
on the Philosophy of monotheism, as the best lectures for character building, as exalted sources
of inspiration, as very persuasive sermons towards piety, as guiding beacons towards truth and
justice, as marvellous eulogies of the Holy prophet (A.S.) and the Holy Quran, as convincing
discourses on the spiritual values of Islam, as awe inspiring discussions about the attributes of
God, as master-piece of literature, and as models of the art of rhetoric.

1st CENTURY

According to the famous book of biographies Rejal-e-Kabeer, the first person to collect
these sermons in a book form was Zaid Ibne Wahab Jehny, who died in 90 A.H. and who was
regarded as a narrator of Ahaadees (Traditions). Thus within thirty years of Hazrath Ali’s
death and during the first century of Hijrath his sermons, letters, sayings, Ahaadees etc. were
collected, quoted and preserved.

2nd CENTURY

With the dawn of 2nd Century Ibne Wahab’s example was followed by (1) the famous
calligraphist of the early Abbasites regime, Abdul Hameed-bin-Yahyah (132 A.H.), (2) and then
Ibne-ul-Moqquffa (142 A.H.) took up this work of compilation. Jahiz-e-Oosmanee says Ibn-ul-
Moqquffa had very carefully studied these sermons and used to say that he had saturated
himself from the Fountain head of knowledge and wisdom and was daily getting fresh
inspirations from these sermons, (3) Ibne-Nadeem in his biographies “The Fahrist” says that
Hushsham Ibne Saaeb-e-Kalbee (146 A.H.) had also collected these sermons (Fahrist-e-Ibne-
Nadeem, section VII page 251).

Thence onward century after century Muslim scholars, theologians, historians and
mohaddiseen were citing these sermons, quoting them, discussing the meanings of the words
and phrases used by Hazrath Ali (A.S.), and referring them when they needed an authority on
theology, ethics, the teachings of the Holy prophet (A.S.) and the Holy Quran or on literature and
rhetorics.
 2
3rd CENTURY

During the third century five famous men took up this work.
1. Abu Oosman Omero-bin-Bahr-ul-Jahiz, who died in 255 A.H. (868 A.D.), quoted many
sermons in his book Al-bayan-wo-Tabyan.
2. Ibne-Quateeba-e-Daynoori, who died in 276 A. H., in his books O’ Yoon-ul- Akhbar and
Ghareeb-ul-Hadees quoted many sermons and discussed meanings of many words and phrases
used by Hazrath Ali (A.S.).
3. Ibne Wazeh-e-Yaquoobee, who died in 278 A.H., cited many sermons and sayings of
Hazrath Ali (A.S) in his history.
4. Abu Haneefa-e-Daynoori (280 A.H.) in his history Akhbar-e-Tawal quoted many ser-
mons and sayings.
5. Abul Abbas Almobard (286 A.H) in his book Kitab-ul-Mobard collected many sermons
and letters

4th CENTURY

1. The famous historian Ibne Jurair-e-Tabaree who died in 310 A.H. quoted some of these
sermons in his Tareekh-e-Kabeer.
2. Abu Mohammed Hassan-Ibne-Ali-Ibne-Shoba-e-Halbee (320 AH.) had collected some
sermons in his book “Thohfath-ul-Oquool”. This book was later printed in Persia.
The following writers have also extensively quoted the sermons and sayings of Hazrath
Ali in their respective books.
3. Ibne-Wareed (321 A.H.) in his book Almoojthabnee.
4. Ibne-Abd Rabbahoo (328 AH.) in Aqud-ul-Fareed.
5. Siquathul Islam Koolaynee (329 AH.) in Kaafee.
6. Ali Ibne Mohammed Ibne Abdullah-e-Madanee (335 AH.) collected sermons, letters
and sayings of Hazrath in his book. Yaqooth-e-Hameveene mentions of this book in Mojam-ul-
Addiba page 313 Volume V.
7. The Historian Masoodee (346 A.H.), in Morravij-ul-Zahab, has quoted some of the letters
and sermons of Hazrath.
8. Abul Farj Ispahanee (356 A.H.) in Aaghanee,
9. Abu Ali Quali (356 A.H.) in Nawadir, and
10. Shaikh Sadook (381 AH.) in Kitab-ul- Taoheed, have extensively quoted these sermons,
letters and sayings.

5th CENTURY

1. Shaikh Moofeed (413 AH.) in Irshad has quoted many sermons, Ahaadees (traditions)
sayings and letters of Hazrath.
2. Syed Razi (420 AH.) compiled the book Nahjul Balagha.
3. Shaikh-ul-Taa’ye’fa Abu Jaffer Mohammed ibne-Hussan-e-Toosee (460 A.H.) was a con-
temporary of Syed Razi and had collected some of these sermons etc., long before Syed took up
his work.
 3
What Syed Razi could compile in Nahjul Balagha does not contain all the sermons, letters
and sayings of Hazrath Ali (A.S.). Masoodi (346 A.H.) in his famous history Morravej-ul-Zahab
(Vol. II page 33 printed at Cairo) says that only sermons of Hazrath Ali, which have been
preserved by various people, number more than four hundred and eighty. These were extempore
orations, people have copied them one from another and have compiled them in book forms;
they have cited them and have quoted passages from them in their books.
Apparently out of these four hundred and eighty sermons some were lost and Syed Razi
could lay hand on only about 245 sermons, besides them he collected about 75 letters and more
than 200 sayings. Almost every one of the sermons, letters and sayings collected in Nahjul
Balagha is to be found in books of Authors who died long before Syed Razi was born, while some
are found in works of such authors who, though his contemporaries, yet were older to him and
had written their books before Nahjul Balagha was compiled. In the Index No. 2: A, B and C, I
have given a list of the names of these authors, books and the number of sermons, etc. found in
those books.
If I quote all of what has been said by the Muslim and the Christian Arab scholars,
Theologians, Philosophers and Historians in praises of these sermons, sayings and letters it will
cover a volume as big as this book, therefore, I shall briefly quote only a few of them:-
1. Abu Sa’adath Mubarak Majdud bin-Ibne-Aseer Jazaree (606 A.H.) is recognized even
today not only as a narrator of Ahaadees (traditions) but also as a lexicologist of great eminence.
His book “Nehaya”, is a study of the history and meanings of the difficult words of Holy Quran
and the traditions. In this book he has at great length discussed many words, phrases and
the sentences of Hazrath Ali’s sermons from the book Nahjul Balagha. He says that so far as
comprehensiveness is concerned Ali’s words come next only to the Quran.
2. Allama Shaikh Kamalludin-Ibne-Mohammed-Ibne-Talha-e-Shafayee (who died in 652
A.H.) in his famous book “Mothaleb-ul-Soaol writes:-
“The fourth attribute of Hazrath Ali (A.S.) was his eloquence and rhetorics. He was such
an Imam in these arts that none can aspire to rise up to the level of the dust of his shoes.
One who has studied Nahjul Balagh can form some idea of his supreme eminence in this
sphere”
3. Allama Abu Hamid Abdul Hameed-Ibne-Hibathulah, known as Ibne-Abil Hadeed-e-
Moathazalee, who died in 655 A.H., and who has written a really great commentary on these
sermons says:
i) “His speeches, letters and sayings are so supremely eminent that they are above the
sayings of man and below only to the words of God. None can surpass it but the Holy
Quran.”
(ii) At another place he says that “His (Hazrath Ali) sayings are miracles of the Holy
prophet (A.S.). His prophecies show that his knowledge was super-human”.
4. Allama Sa’addudin Thafthazanee (791 A.H.) in “Sharah-e-Maquasid” says that “Ali had
supreme command over language, over ethics and over tenets of religion, at the same time he
was a great orator, his sermons compiled in Nahjul Balagha bear witness to these facts.”
5. Allama Alauddin Quoshjee (875 A.H.) in Sharah-e-Thujreed says that “The book Nahjul
Balagha that is the sermons and the sayings contained therein prove that none, can surpass it on
these lines but the Holy Quran.”
6. Mufthi of Egypt, Shaikh Mohammed Abdahoo (1323 A.H.) has written a commentary on
 4
the book Nahjul Balagha. He was among those modern thinkers, who made the modern world
realise the beauties of the teachings of Islam. His introduction on his own commentary of Nahjul
Balagha deserves careful study.
In this introduction he says that everyone who fully understands Arabic language must
agree that the sermons and sayings of Hazrath Ali (A.S.) are next only to the words of God and
the Holy prophet (A.S.). Ali’s words are so full of meanings and they convey such great ideas
that this book Nahjul Balagha should be very carefully studied, referred and quoted by students
as well as teachers. This professor of Arabic literature and philosophy persuaded the Universities
of Cairo and Beruit to include the book Nahjul Balagha in their courses for advance studies of
literature and philosophy.
7. The famous author and orator Shaikh Mustafa Ghala’ Aenee of Beruit, who is considered
as an authority on commentaries (Tafseer) of the Quran and also on Arabic literature in his book,
‘Areej-ul-Zahr’ in chapter, “The styles of language” writes:-
“Who can write better than Ali except the Holy prophet (A.S.) and God. Those who want
to study supremely eminent standards of literature should study the book Nahjul Balagha.
It contains such depth of knowledge and such wonderful advices on the subjects of ethics
and religion that its constant study will make a man wise, pious and noble minded and will
train him to be an orator of great standing”.
8. Ustad Mohammed Mohiuddin, professor of the Arabic language, Alazhar University of
Cairo says that the Nahjul Balagha is a collection of the words of Hazrath Ali. It is compiled by
Syed Razi. It contains such examples of chaste language, noble eloquence and superior wisdom
that none but Ali can produce such a work because next to the Holy prophet (A.S.), he was the
greatest orator, the greatest authority on language and literature and the greatest source of
wisdom of the religion (Islam). He was such a philosopher that from his words flow streams of
knowledge and wisdom.
9. Ustad Abdul Wahab Hamodha, an authority on Arabic literature and the “traditions”,
and a professor of the Fuwad I University of Cairo, in 1951 writes, “The Book Nahjul Balagha
contains all that great scholars, professors of ethics, philosophers, scientists, authorities on reli-
gions and politicians can say or write. The wonderful force of advices and the superfine way of
presenting arguments and the depth of vision prove that it is the work of a super mind like that
of Ali.
10. Abdul Maseeh-al-Anthakee the Christian editor of the Egyptian Magazine “Alamran”
in his famous book “Sharah-e-Quasa’ed-e-Alwiya” writes, “It cannot be denied that Ali was the
Imam of speakers and orators, and he was the teacher and the leader of writers and philoso-
phers. There is truth in this assertion that his sayings are superior to that of any man and are
inferior only to the sayings of God the Almighty. He undoubtedly was the man from whom
writers, speakers, philosophers, theologians and poets have drawn inspirations, have improved
their styles and have mastered their arts. The compilation of his work is named Nahjul Balagha,
which should be read often.”
11. Fuwad Afram Al Basthanee, professor of Arabic literature in the Quadese Eusuf
College of Beruit, is a Roman Catholic Christian. He has compiled a book containing selections
from the works of philosophers, scientists, theologians and essayists. He starts this book with
the following words, “I want to start this work of mine with the selections from the book Nahjul
Balagha. It is a work of the greatest thinker of the world Imam Ali-Ibne-Abu-Talib.”
 5
12. The famous Christian moralist, author and poet, Polos Salamah in his famous book
“Awal-lay-Mulhamah-e-Arabia” (printed at Alnaseer Press of Beruit) says, “The famous book
Nahjul Balagha is the work which makes one realise the great mind of Ali Ibne Abu Talib.
No book can surpass it but the Quran. In it you will find pearls of knowledge strung in
beautiful chains, flowers of language making one’s mind fragrant with sweet and pleasing smell
of heroism and nobility, and streams of chaste language sweeter and cooler than the famous
stream of the Kauser flowing constantly and refreshing minds of readers”.
 6

786

THE AUTHOR

Hazrath Ali-Ibne-Abu Talib

1. His Genealogy:
Hazrath Ali (A.S.) the lord of the faithful was the first cousin of the Holy prophet (A.S.).
His father, Abu Talib, and the father of the Holy prophet (A.S.), Abdullah, were sons of Abdul
Muttalib, and children of the same mother, Fatima, the daughter of Amro of the Makhzoom
clan. The name of Hazrath Ali’s mother was also Fatima, the daughter of Asad son of the famous
Hashim. Thus his (Hazrath Ali) Parents were cousins. His genelogical table is as follows. (Refer
index no. I) .
2. His Birth:
Hazrath Ali (A.S.) was born on the 13th Rajab 30 (Aam-ul-Feel) about 610 A.D. i.e. 23
years before Hijruth of the Holy prophet (A.S.). Historians say that he was born in the precincts
of Kaaba. In this connection please refer the following books: 1. Imam Hakim in Mustadrik, 2.
Masoodi, in Murravaj-ul-Zaheb page 125, 3. Izaluthul Khifa- 2nd subject page 251, and 4. Allama
Aloosee in Sharah-e-Aeneiya.
3. His Name:
At the time of his birth his father and his cousin, Muhammed, the Holy prophet (A.S.),
were out of Mecca, his mother gave him the names of Asad and Hyder; when his father returned
he called him Zaid. But when the Holy prophet (A.S.) came back to the city he took his young
cousin in his charge and gave him the name of Ali, saying that it was the name decreed for him
by God.
(1) Imam Noodi the commentator of Bookhari.
(2) Ibn-ul-Arabi in his book Yoowakheeth.
(3) Sabth Ibne-Joazee in his book Tazkara-e-Khawas-ul-Aa'imma.
Hazrath Ali has called himself Ali and Hyder.
4. His Kunniath:
Among his various Kunniaths the most famous were Abul Hussan, Abus Sibtain, and Abu
Turab. (Refer Note below) 1
5. His Alquab:
His Alquabs were, Murtaza (the chosen one), Amir-ul-Momineen (the Commander of the
faithful), Imam-ul-Muttaqueen (the leader of the pious and God fearing persons).
6. His Features:
Famous historian and biographer Allama Ali Ibne Mohammed in his book Asadul Ghaba
Fee Tameez-e-Sahaba (book IV page 398) says that he was a man of middle height with very
black, very big and piercing eyes, very handsome cast of face, very clear and fair complexion,
broad shoulders, powerful arms, vast chest, strong and roughened hands, a long muscular neck,
a broad forehead and he had few hairs on the top of his head.
1 Note:-Names derived on account of some relation or some connection. It is an Arab system
that respectable people are addressed with their ‘Kunniath’ and not with their names.
 7
Imam Hakim in his Mustadrek (book III), Kamil Ibne Aseer in his Tareekh-e-Khamees,
Ibne Abdul Bar in his Iste-ab (book II page 486) and Allama Tubranee in his Reeyaz-ul-Nazara
(book II pages 202 and 218) agree with the above description. Tubranee further says that he used
to walk with very light tread and was very agile in his movements, had a very smiling face, very
pleasing manners, a jovial temperament, very kind disposition and very courteous behaviour.
He would never lose his temper.
7. His Upbringing:
He was born three years before the marriage of the Holy prophet (AS.) with Hazrath
Khadeeja (AS.). Soon after his birth the Holy prophet (AS.) took him under his holy care and
Ali was like a son unto him. He used to live with the prophet, used to sleep with him, was fed
by him, washed and dressed by him, and even carried by him on a sling whenever he would go
out. The historian Masoodee in Isbath-e-Waseeyeth (page 119) says that when the Holy prophet
(AS.) married Khadeeja, she adopted this child as her son. Hazrath Ali, himself, has described
his childhood in Khutba-e-Quasaya; saying that I was still a new born baby when the prophet
took me from my parents. I used to cling to him, he would made me sleep in his bed, pressing
my body against his and making me smell his fragrance and feel its warmth; he used to feed me,
and (when I grew a little older) he never found me uttering a lie or feigning a deceit. To me he
was like a guiding star and I used to carefully follow his actions and deeds. I was attached to him
like a young camel attached to its mother. He used to place before me high values of morality,
and used to advise me to follow them; every year he would spend some days at the grotto of the
Hera Mountainand I used to be with him, I was his only companion then and none else could
meet him at Hera, there I used to see the light of revelation, and used to smell the fragrance of
apostlehood. Once the Holy prophet (AS.) told me that “Ali! you have attained a very eminent
place. You see what I see and you hear what I hear”.
Hafiz Abu Na’eem in his book Hulyatul Awliya, (book I page 67) and Imam Seeyootee in
his Tafseer-e-Duray Munsoor say that once Holy prophet (AS.) told Hazrath Ali “O Ali! God
hath ordered me to keep you near me. You are to me like an ear that retain everything, because
yours are the retaining ears that the Holy book (Quran) has praised”.
8. The Holy Prophet (A.S.) and Hazrath Ali, how they loved each other:
(i) Ibne Abil Hadeed-e-Moatazalee, the commentator of Nahjul Balagha, cites Abdullah
Ibne Abbas, saying “Once I asked my father ‘Sir, my cousin Mohammed had many sons, all of
whom died in babyhood, which of them he loved the most’? He replied ‘Ali Ibne Abu Talib’. I
said, “Sir I was enquiring about his sons”. He replied “The Holy prophet (AS.) loved Ali more
than all of his sons. When Ali was a child I never saw him separated from Mohammed for half
an hour, unless Mohammed went out of the house for some work. I never saw a father love his
son so much as the Holy Prophet (A.S.) loved Ali, and I never saw a son so obedient, so attached
and so loving to his father as Ali was to Mohammed”.
(ii) The same author cites the companion of the Holy prophet (AS.), Joobair-Ibne-Moth’um
-Ibne Addi-Ibne-Naufil, saying that once his father addressed him and some young men of his
family “have you noticed the child Ali loving, venerating and obeying that young man, Moham-
med, instead of his own father, what an intensity of love and veneration! I swear by our gods,
the Lath and the Uzza, that instead of having so many off springs of Naufil around me I had a
son like Ali.”
(iii) Allama Thirmizee (Jama-e-Thirmizee-Vol. I page 38, Mishkauth Vol. II page 8 and
 8
Musnad-e-Imam Ahmed Vol. I page 146), quotes the Holy prophet (A.S.) saying, “O Ali! I wish
to achieve every such thing for you that I desire to acquire myself and I want to keep you away
from all those things whose contact I abhor”.
(iv) Allama Thabranee (in his Oasuth) and Imam Hakim (in his Sahee) say that whenever
the Holy prophet (A.S.) was in anger nobody dare address him but Ali.
(v) Ibne Abil Hadeed (commentary of Nahjul Balagha Vol. III page 251) once again quotes
the uncle of Holy prophet (A.S.), Abbas saying that they (Holy prophet and Ali) loved each other
intensely. The prophet was so fond of Ali that once when Ali was a young boy he sent him out
on some errand and the child took long time to return, he started getting worried and anxious
and in the end he prayed to God “Please Lord do not let me die unless I behold Ali once again”.
(This incident is also quoted by Thirmizee).
(VI) Ali started acting as the bodyguard of the Holy prophet (A.S.) even when he was just
a boy of 13 or 14 years. The young men of Quraish under instigation of their parents used to
stone the Holy prophet (A.S.). Ali took up the work of acting as his defender, he fell upon those
young men, broke the nose of one, teeth of the other, pulled the ears of the third and threw down
the fourth. He often fought against those who were older than him, was often himself hurt, but
he never forsook the self-imposed duty. After some days he got the nick name of Quazeem (the
breaker or thrower) and nobody dared throw anything at Holy Prophet (A.S.) when Ali was with
him and he would not allow the Holy Prophet (A.S.) to go out of the house alone (Aayan Vol. III
page 280).
Offering himself as a sacrifice at the night of Hijrath (migration) and his subsequent
behaviour in all the battles are enough proofs of the intensity of Ali’s love to the Holy Prophet
(A.S.).
9. His Character:
I. Jurjy Zaidan (George Gordan) who died recently was a famous Christian historian,
linguist, philosopher and poet of the modern Egypt. Arabic was his mother tongue, but he
was so well versed in English, French, German, Persian and Latin that he used to contribute to
historical and philosophical Magazines of France, Germany and England. About Hazrath Ali he
says:-
“None can praise Ali to the extent that he (Ali) deserves. So many instances of his piety
and fear of God are cited that one starts loving and venerating him. He was a true, strict and
scrupulous follower of Islam. His words and deeds bore stamps of nobility, sagacity and courage
of conviction. He was a great man having his own independent views about life and its
problems. He never deceived, misled, or betrayed anybody. In various phases and periods of
his life he exhibited marvellous strength of body and mind which were due to his true faith in
religion and in his sincere belief in truth and justice. He never had a servant and never allowed
his slaves to work hard. Often he would carry his household goods himself and if anybody
offered to relieve him of the weight he would refuse”.
II. The famous Egyptian philosopher and Professor of Islamics of Alazhar University,
Allama Mohammed Mustafa Beck Najeeb in his equally famous book “Hima’ethul Islam”
says: “What can be said about this Imam? It is very difficult to fully explain his attributes and
qualities. It is enough to realize that the Holy prophet (A.S.) had named him the gateway of
knowledge and wisdom. He was the most learned person, the most brave man and the most
eloquent speaker and orator. His piety, his love of God, his sincerity and fortitude in following
 9
religion were of such high order that none could aspire to reach him. He was the greatest
politician because he hated diplomacy and loved truth and justice, his was the policy as taught
by God. On account of his sagacity and thorough knowledge of human mind he always arrived
at correct conclusions and never changed his opinions. His was the best judgment, and had he
no fear of God he would have been the greatest diplomat amongst the Arabs. He is loved by all,
and everyone has a place for him in his heart. He was a man of such surpassing and pre-eminent
attributes and such transcending and peerless qualities that many learned men got perplexed
about him and imagined him to be an incarnation of God. Several men amongst Jews and
Christians love him and such philosophers who came to know of his teachings bow down before
his incomparable vast knowledge. Roman kings would have his pictures in their palaces and
great warriors would engrave his name on their swords”. (Hima’athul Islam, part I, page 98)
III. Another philosopher and historian of Egypt Ustad (Professor) Mohammed Kamil
Hatha, pays his tributes in the following words: “His life is an agglomeration of pleasing
incidents, bloody encounters and sad episodes. His personality is very prominent on account of
his transcending and high qualities. Each aspect of his life is so lofty and glorious that a study of
one phase would make you feel that it was the best phase of his character and the most beautiful
picture of his personality, while contemplation of any other phase will enchant you more and
you will come to the conclusion that no human-being can attain that height, and a third aspect
will fascinate you equally and you will realize that before you is a personality of such great
eminence that you cannot fully appreciate its greatness and you will feel that Ali was an Imam
(Leader) in battle-field, was an Imam (Leader) in politics, was an Imam (Leader) in religion,
and also an Imam in ethics, in philosophy, in literature, in learning and in wisdom. It is not
difficult for God to create such a person”. (A review on the character of Ali by Ustad (Professor)
Mohammed Kamil Hatha Page 40)
IV. The historian John J. Pool (author of the life of H.M. Queen Victoria) in his book Studies
in Mohammedanism says:-
i) “This prince was a man of mild and forbearing character, wise in counsel and bold in war.
Mohammed had given him the surname of ‘the Lion of God’”.
(ii) “Ali and his sons Hassan and Hussain were truly noblemen-men of righteousness,
men of a brave, a humble, and a forgiving spirit. Their lives deserve to be commemorated;
for there was a peculiar pathos about them (their lives) which were not spent selfishly or
in vain. As Mathew Arnold (Essays in Criticism) says: “the sufferers of Karbala had aloft
to the eyes of millions the lesson so loved by the sufferer of Calvary (Representation of
Crucification):-”Learn of Me, for I am meek and lowly in heart, and Ye shall find rest unto
your souls”. He further says that Ali was the first Caliph to protect and encourage national
literature. This prince was a scholar himself and many of his wise sayings and proverbs
are published in a book. It is a remarkable work and deserves to be more widely read in
the West”.
V. Ibne-abil-Hadeed, the Mothazali commentator of Nahjul Balagha, says that: “Hazrath
Ali had a personality in which opposite characteristics had so gathered that it was difficult
to believe that a human mind could manifest such a combination. He was the bravest man
that history could cite and such brave persons are always hard-hearted, cruel, and eager for
bloodshed. On the contrary Ali was kind, sympathetic, responsive and warm hearted person,
qualities quite contradictory to the other phase of his character and more suited to pious and
 10
God-fearing persons.
He was very pious and God-fearing person and often pious and religious persons avoid
society and do not care to mix with men of sins and men of wrath, similarly warriors, kings
and dictators are usually arrogant and haughty, they consider it below themselves to mix with
poor, lowly and humble persons. But Ali was different. He was friend to all. As a matter of fact
he had a tender spot in his heart for poor and humble, and for orphans and cripples. To them he
always was a kind friend, a sympathetic guide and a fellow sufferer; he was meek unto them but
haughty and arrogant against famous warriors and generals, so many of whom he had killed in
hand to hand combats. He was always kind but strict with wayward persons, sympathetically
teaching them the ways of God. He always smiled and passed happy and witty rejoinders, it was
difficult to overcome him in debates or repartees, his rejoinders and retorts always bore high
mark of culture, education and knowledge.
He was a scion of a very illustrious, rich and noble clan, as well as son-in-law and great
favorite of the Holy Prophet (A.S.), at the same time he was the greatest warrior and marshal
of his time, yet in spite of his riches he ate, dressed and lived like a poor person, to him wealth
was for the use of other needy persons, not for himself and his family. Change of times and
change of circumstances did not bring any change in his bearing, mien, or character. Even when
he ascended the throne of Arabia and was acclaimed as the Caliph, he was the same Ali as they
had found him to be during the previous regimes. Once in the society of Abdullah, son of Imam
Malik-ibne-Humbel, a discussion took place about Ali and his caliphate, Abdullah brought the
discussion to an end saying that the caliphate did not bring any honor or glory to Ali, but it was
itself honored and glorified by Ali and it received the status actually due to it”.
I want to add one more point to the points discussed by Ibne-abil-Hadeed. World cannot
quote an example other than that of Ali of a first class warrior and a marshal who is also a
philosopher, a moralist and a great teacher of religious principles and theology. A study of his
life shows that his sword was the only help that Islam received during its early days of struggle
and its wars of self-defense. For Islam he was the first line of defence, the second line of defence
and the last line of defence. Who was with him in the battles of Bader, Ohad, Khundaque, Khyber
and Hunain? This is one aspect of his life. While the other phase of his character is portrayed
by his sermons, orders, letters and sayings. What high values of morality they teach, what
ethics they preach, what intricate problems of unitarianism they elucidate, how rich they are in
philosophy; how they try to train us to be kind, good, benevolent and God-fearing rulers, and
faithful, sincere and law-abiding subjects; how they persuade us to be warriors who can fight
only for God, truth and justice, and not mercenaries murdering and plundering for wealth and
riches; and how they instruct us to be teachers who can teach nothing injurious and harmful to
mankind. Was there any such combination before and will there ever be?
VI. To Oelsner (the famous French Orientalist and author of ‘Les Effects de La Religion
de Mohammed’) Ali was beau ideal of chivalry; and personification of gallantry, bravery and
generosity.
He says: “Pure, gentle and learned without fear and without reproach, he set the world the
noblest example of chivalrous grandeur of character. His spirit was a pure reflection of that of
Mohammed, it overshadowed the Islamic world and formed the animating genius of succeeding
ages”.
VII. Osborne, in ‘Islam under the Arabs’ says:- that “Ali had been advised by several of his
 11
counsellors to defer the dismissal of the corrupt governors previously appointed until he himself
was sure against all enemies. The Bayard of Islam, the hero without fear and without reproach,
refused to be guilty of any duplicity or compromise with injustice. This uncompromisingly
noble attitude costed him his state and his life; but such was Ali, he never valued anything above
justice and truth”.
VIII. Gibbon, in “The History of the Decline and Fall of the Roman Empire (Vol. V)” says
that “The zeal and virtues of Ali were never out-stripped by any recent proselyte. He united the
qualification of a poet, a solider and a saint. His wisdom still breaths in a collection of moral
and religious saying; and every antagonist in the combats of tongue or of sword was subdued
by his eloquence and valour. From the first hour of mission to the last rites of his funeral, the
Apostle was never forsaken by this generous friend, whom he delighted to name his brother, his
vicegenerent and the faithful Aaron of second Moses.”
IX. Masoodi, the famous historian of Islam says that :-”If the glorious name of being the
first Muslim, a comrade of the Prophet in exile, his faithful companion in the struggle for the
faith, his intimate associate in life, and his kinsman, if a true knowledge of the spirit of his
teachings and of the Book, if self-abnegation and practice of justice, if honesty, purity, and love
of truth and if knowledge of law and science constitute a claim to pre-eminence, then all must
regard Ali as the foremost Muslim. We shall search in vain to find, either among his predeces-
sors (save the Holy prophet, A.S.), or among his successors, those virtues with which God had
endowed him.”
10. His Religion
As has been declared by all the historians of Islam, Ali from his babyhood was adopted
and looked after by the Holy Prophet (A.S.). Therefore naturally his religious tendencies from
his childhood were those of the Holy prophet (A.S.). The question as to when he embraced Islam
is out of consideration. He was Muslim from the very beginning. His religion was the religion
of the Holy prophet (A.S.). At the age of 5th, 7th, l0th, 12th, and 14th year he was following the
religion which the Holy prophet (A.S.) had at his 35th, 37th, 40th, 42nd and 44th year of his
life; (the difference between the respective ages of the Holy prophet (A.S.) and Ali was about
30 years). If the Holy prophet (A.S.) at any period of his life was a non-muslim, then Ali at that
period was also a non-muslim. This is the logic of facts. Imamul Kabeer Nooruddin Ali-ibne-
Ibrahim-e-Shafayee in his book Seerath-e- Halebeya says “Ali was like a son unto the Holy
prophet (A.S.) therefore his religion from the very beginning was the religion followed by the
Holy prophet (A.S.)”. The famous historian Masoodi says that “The general conscientous of
opinion amongst the Muslim historians and theologians is that Ali was never a non-Muslim and
never prayed before idols, therefore, the question of his embracing Islam does not and cannot
arise”.
11. His Wife, Children and Home Life:
Hazrath Ali was married to Hazrath Fatima, the only daughter of the Holy prophet (A.S.)
from Hazrath Khadija. He had been betrothed to her several days before the expedition to
Bader. But the marriage was celebrated three months later, Hazrath Ali being in his 21st year
and Hazrath Fatima in 15th year of her life (The spirit of Islam). It was very happy marriage. The
transcendental distinctiveness of their respective characters blended so well with each other
that they never quarreled and complained of one another and led a happy and contented life.
Each one of them was rich in his own rights; Fatima was the only heir of one of the richest
 12
woman of Arabia, Khadija, and had inherited many orchards and gardens in Mecca and Madina,
besides that she was the daughter of the head of a rich clan and a king of a fast growing
kingdom. Ali was a marshal who had very handsome shares from the spoils of wars. Yet all that
they owned went to the poor, cripples and orphans and they themselves often starved. Their
only luxury in life was prayers and the company of each other and their children; and they
willingly shared the sorrows and sufferings of poor. They were given a slave girl, Fizza, but the
Holy prophet (A.S.) had made arrangement that every alternate day was the off day of Fizza and
her mistress would do all the household work. Even when Hazrath Fatima was ill on Fizza’s off
day, Fizza would not be allowed to attend to the duties, but Hazrath Ali would work; and the
hero of Bader, Ohad, Khandaque, Khyber and Hunain was seen grinding oats, lighting the oven,
preparing the bread and looking after the children. Sulman says “What a household, the only
daughter of the Holy prophet (A.S.) and wife of his vicegerent leading the life of a poor laborer.
If they had spent one-tenth of what they were distributing daily they would have led a life of
ease and comfort”. From Hazrath Ali the Lady of Light (Fatima) had four children and the fifth
(Mohsin) was a still birth. The causes of this mishap and also that of her death are very sad and
pathetic incidents of their lives. The names of these four children were Hassan, Hussain, Zainab
(wife of Abdullah Ibne-Jafar) and Umm-e-Kulsoom (wife of Obaidullah Ibne-Jafar). During the
life time of Hazrath Fatima (A.S) Hazrath Ali did not marry another woman. After her death he
married Yamama and at her death another lady, having the name of Hanafia, from whom he had
a son, Mohammed-e-Hanafia and after her death he married again, thus he had many children
some of whom had unparallel place in the history of mankind, e.g. Hassan, Husain (the hero of
Karbala), Zainab (the defender of true Islam in Koofa and Damascus), Abbas (the commander of
Hussain’s army in Karbala) and Mohammed Hanafia, the hero of Nahrwan.
12. Ali Amidst his Friends and Foes and Amongst Rich and Poor :
I have cited below a few cases which go to show what type of man was ‘Ali-ibne-Abu-
Talib’. He was, as Pool says “Truly a noble man, a man of righteousness, and a man of brave,
humble and forgiving spirit”; and as Oelsner says “Pure, gentle and learned, without fear and
without reproach, setting the noblest example of character to the world”. Out of hundreds and
hundreds of cases to select I find it rather difficult which to choose and which not to choose. I
have selected a few according to the standard of my knowledge and visualisation.
I. Ali’s behavior with his foes:
(1) Talha-Ibne-Abi Talha was not only a bitter enemy of Islam, but was personal enemy of
the Holy prophet (A.S) and Ali. His exertions to harm these two and their mission is a legion. In
the battel of Ohad he was the flag-bearer of the army of Quraish. Ali faced him and in a hand
to hand encounter dealt him such a severe blow that he reeled and fell down. Ali left him like
that and walked away from him. Many Muslim warriors ran up to Ali and advised him to finish
Talha, saying that he was Ali’s worst enemy. Ali replied “enemy or no enemy he cannot defend
himself now, and I cannot strike a man who is not in a position to defend himself. If he survives
he is welcome to live as long as his life lasts”.
(2) In the battle of “Jamal” in the thick of the encounter his slave Quamber brought some
sweet syrup saying “my lord the sun is very hot and you have been constantly fighting, have a
glass of this cold drink to refresh yourself”. He looked around himself and replied “shall I refresh
myself when hundreds of people around me are lying wounded and dying of thirst and wounds?
Instead of bringing sweet syrup for me take a few men with you and give each of these wounded
 13
persons a cool drink”. Quamber replied “My lord, they are all our enemies”. He said “They may
be, but they are human beings and attend to them”.
(3) In the battle of “Siffeen” Moavia reached the river Eupharates before the army of
Hazrath and took position of the river. When Hazrath’s army reached there he was informed that
they would not be allowed a drop of water from the river. Hazrath sent a messenger to Moavia
saying that this action was against the canons of humanity and orders of Islam. Moavia’s reply
was that “a war is a war and therein one cannot accept principles of humanity and doctrines of
Islam. My sole aim is to kill Ali and to demoralize his army and this stoppage of water will bring
about these results easily and quickly”. Hazrath ordered Imam Hussain to attack and get back
the river. The attack took place and river-side position was captured. It was then Moavia’s turn
to beseech permission to get water from the river. His messengers arrived and Ali told them to
take as much water as they liked and as often as they required. When his officers told him that
those were the very people who had refused water to them, should they be allowed a free run
of the river? He replied “they are human beings and though have acted inhumanly yet I cannot
follow their example and cannot refuse a man food and drink because he happens to be my
worst enemy”.
(4) It was the battle of Nahrwan and he himself was fighting like any other ordinary
soldier. During this battle a man came to face him and in the encounter lost his sword. He
realized his hopeless plight of standing before Ali without any weapon in hand. Ali’s hand was
raised for a blow when he saw the antagonist trembling with fear, he lowered his hand slowly
and said “runaway friend you are not in a position to defend yourself”. This attitude made the
man bold and he said “Ali! why do not you kill me, it would have made one enemy less for you”.
Ali replied “I cannot strike a man, who cannot defend himself. You were begging for your life
and it was spared”. The opponent got bolder and said, “I am told that you have never refused a
beggar. Now I beg you of your sword, will you grant it to me?” Ali handed him over the sword.
Taking possession of the sword he said “now Ali who is going to defend you against me and save
you from my killing blow”. He replied “Of course God, He will defend me if He so wills. He has
appointed my death to be my guarding angels, none can harm me before it is due and none can
save me when it arrives”. Nobility of thought and action effected the foe and he kissed the bridle
of Ali’s horse and said “O lord! you are a great man indeed. You cannot only forsake the life of
your enemy in a battle-field but also you can grant him your sword. May I have the honour to
act as your bodyguard and to fight for you”? He replied “friend fight for truth and justice and do
not fight for persons.”
(5) During 39 and 40 A.H. Moavia organized bands of murderers and brigands to enter
border towns and to carry on loot, plunder, arson and rape. Kumail was at that time the
Governor of Hayeth. He asked Hazrath’s permission to organize similar bands and carry plunder
in the province of Circiea, which was under the control of Moavia. Hazrath Ali replied to him
“I never expected such a suggestion from a man like you. It is more noble and more moral to
guard your people and province than to plunder others. They might be our enemies but they are
human beings. They consist of civil population comprising of women and children, how can one
kill, loot and plunder them? No, never. Do not even dream of such a venture.”
(6) It was the month of Ramzan, the month of fasting. It was the time of the morning
prayers; the mosque was full of Muslims. Ali was kneeling before God and when he raised
his head a terrible blow fell upon it giving a very deep cut. There was a great disturbance and
 14
commotion in the mosque. The murderer started running. The Muslims followed, caught and
bound him in ropes and brought him before Ali who was on the prayer carpet drenched in blood
and was reclining upon his sons. He knew the blow was fatal and he could not survive it but
when the murderer was brought before him, he saw that the rope which had bound him was so
tightly bound that it was cutting into his flesh. He turned towards those Muslims and said, “You
should not be so cruel with your fellow being, slacken his ropes, do not you see that they are
cutting into his flesh and he is in agony”.
So was Ali. History of Islam is full of the incidents of his chivalrous and merciful behavior
against his enemies.
II. Let us see what the history says about his behavior with his friends and relatives.
1. Abdullah, son of his brother Jafer, was his favorite nephew, whom he had brought up
since the death of Jafer and to whom he had given his most favorite daughter, Zainab, into
marriage. This Abdullah once came to him requesting for an advance instalment of his share
from Baitul Mal. Ali refused and when the young man persisted he said “no my son, not a day
before all the others and not a pie more”.
2. Aquil, his elder brother was financially in a very unhappy condition, he asked for
something more than his share and before the time was due. Hazrath refused, saying that he
could not resort to dishonesty. Aquil must wait till the time of distribution, and must bear the
sufferings patiently. He had cited this incident in one of his sermons.
3. Ibne Haneef was his trusted disciple and a faithful follower. He was governor of a
province and was once invited to a function which was followed by sumptuous dinner. When
Hazrath heard of this he wrote him a very severe letter, criticizing his action and saying that
“you went to a dinner where only rich people were invited and poor were scornfully excluded”.
This letter can be seen in Nahjul Balagha.
III. Ali amongst his servants and slaves:
He had two slaves Quamber and Saeed: After his death Quamber related that he very
seldom had the occasion to serve his master. Hazrath used to do his work for himself, used
to wash his own clothings, used even to patch them whenever needed. He would draw water
from the well for his daily use. He would give them good food and decent dresses and would
himself eat and dress like a very poor man. Let alone whipping or beating he never even got
angry with us. He never used a cane even on his horse, camel or mule. These animals apparently
understood his mood and desire and would trot and walk as he wished them to do. His often
used phrase with them was ‘go easy child’. Continuing Quamber said “Once and only once he
got annoyed with me. It was the occasion when I showed him the money that I had hoarded. It
was from my share of income given to me like others from the Muslim treasury and the gift I
had received from the members of his family. I had no immediate use of it and had collected the
amount. It was not much, being barely 100 dirhams. When I showed him the amount he looked
annoyed and what pained me more he looked very sad. I enquired as to why he was so sad. He
said ‘Quamber, if you had no use of this money, were there not people around you who were in
need of it, some of them might have been starving and some ill and infirm, could you not have
helped them. I never thought that you could be so heartless and cruel, and could love wealth for
the sake of wealth. Quamber I am afraid you are not trying to acquire much from Islam, try more
seriously and sincerely. Take these coins out of my house’. I took them out and distributed them
amongst the beggars in the Koofa mosque”.
 15
Saeed says, it was a very hot day, Hazrath was writing some letters, he wanted to send me
to call some of his officers, he called me, once, twice and thrice and each time I purposely kept
silent and did not reply. He got up to go himself and saw me sitting not very far away from him.
He asked me as to why I did not respond to his call, I replied “Sir, I want to find out when and
how you get angry”. A smile played on his lips and he replied, “you cannot rouse my anger with
such childlike tricks”, then he set me free and kept on supporting me till his death.
IV. Ali amongst his subjects:-
(i) Once Obaidullah-ibne-Abbas, as Governor, ill-treated the Bani Tameem clan. They
complained to Hazrath. He wrote to Ibne-Abbas, “you should not behave like a beast with your
subjects. They are respectable people and should be treated respectfully. You are representing me
and your treatment is considered as that of mine. Your first consideration should be the welfare
of those over whom you rule and then to treat them with due respect and consideration”.
(ii) Once a group of non-Muslim subjects waited on Hazrath complaining, that
Abdullah-ibne-Abbas always treated them with contempt and scorn. They were agriculturists
and agricultural labour. It had then become a practice that non-Muslims were usually treated
scornfully. Hazrath wrote to Abdullah “Agricultural population of your province complain about
your harsh, contemptuous and cruel treatment. Their complaints require careful consideration.
I feel that they deserve better treatment than what was met out to them, give them a chance to
approach you and meet them kindly and politely. They may be heathens, and polytheists but
being our subjects and human beings they do not deserve to be driven away from us and to be
treated harshly and contemptuously”.
(iii) Hazrath Ali was passing through Ambaz, with his army. The rich men of the province,
as was the custom of those times, came out to greet him. They offered the best Persian horses as
presents and requested his permission to act as hosts to his army. He met them very courteously,
but very politely refused to accept the gifts and the invitation, saying “you have paid your taxes,
to receive anything more from you, even when you offer it voluntarily and willingly, is a crime
against the state”. But when they persisted and pressed their request, he ordered that the horses
could be accepted against their taxes, and so far as the feast was concerned it must be paid out
of the war expenses.
(iv) In the Magazine ‘Al Hukam’ Vol. II No. 47 of 1906, there appeared an article saying that
the Russians in 1905 found an order of Hazrath Ali, in his own hand-writing which was in Koofi
script. This was found in a monastry of Ardabail, chief town of Azer Baijaan. This letter was an
amnesty deed to the monastry and the Christians of Ardabail. Translation of this deed appeared
in the Russian newspapers and thence it was translated in the Turkish papers and in the Arabic
Magazines of Cairo and Bairuth, and lots of commentating articles on the spirit of toleration
and the treatment of conquered by Islam were written by the Russians and Arab Christians.
Apparently from the Magazine Hablul Mateen it was translated by the Al Hukam.
In this deed Hazrath says that as a caliph and a ruler, he promises safety and security of
life, property, honour, social status and religious freedom of Armanian Christians. This order
should be obeyed by his officers and by his successors. The Christians should not be maltreated
or looked down because they are non-Muslims. So long as they do not try to betray and injure
the cause of the state or Islam they should not be molested and should be allowed to practice
their religion and trades freely and openly. Islam teaches us to carry a message of peace with
us and improve the status of society wherever we go and the best way to achieve this is to
 16
create amity, friendliness and concord between human beings; therefore, Muslims should try
to develop friendship of these people and should never resort to wrong use of power, force and
arrogance. They should not be overtaxed, should not be humiliated and should not be forced
out of their homes, lands and trades. Their priests should be treated with due respects, their
monastries should be protected, they should be allowed to carry on their lectures, teachings
and preachings as usual and their religious ceremonies should not be prohibited. If they want to
build their places of worship then fallow and ownerless lands should be allotted to them. One,
who disobeys this order is going against the orders of God and the Holy prophet (A.S.) and will
deserve His Wrath.
(v) Haris-ibne-Sohail, one of the governors of the provinces, was in Koofa, once he
was riding through the city and saw Hazrath Ali also riding. He got down from his horse to
accompany Hazrath on foot. Hazrath stopped his horse and said, “It ill-becomes a man to
lower himself before anybody but his God, please get upon your horse, even had you not been
an officer of the state I would not have allowed you to lower yourself like this, the sight of such
humiliation of man before man never pleases me. It is the worst form of tyranny which can be
practiced.”
(vi) There is a letter of Hazrath, which is actually a system of rules and regulations for the
administration of a benign government and a code for higher values of morality, it is included
in Nahjul Balagha and is referred so often by historians of Europe and philosophers of Arabia,
and even by Justice Kayani in his presidential address in Karachi Bar on April 16, 1960 that it
now needs no introduction. In this letter there are orders which show that he wanted his officers
to remember that the people over whom they rule are the trust entrusted to them by God and
should be treated as such.
V. Ali amongst the poor:
He had a very soft corner in his heart for old, weak, infirm, disabled and poor, and children
were always his favourites.
(i) It was the hottest day of the season, he had finished his noon-prayers in the mosque
and was passing through the bazar, he saw a young slave-girl piteously weeping on the road. He
asked her the reason. She said that her master had given her some money to get dates from the
bazar; the dates which she brought were not liked by her master, he wanted them to be returned
and get back the money. The fruit-seller refused to take them back, her master was beating her
for the money and fruitier had also caned her for going to him over and over again. She did not
know what to do and whom to approach for help. Hazrath accompanied her to the fruitier to
advise him to take back the dates. He was a new comer to Koofa and did not recognize Hazrath
and was rude to him, some passer-by intervened and told him who Hazrath was. He jumped
from his shop and begged of Hazrath to excuse him and said that he would give back the money
immediately to her. Hazrath replied that it was really mean of him to treat honest suggestion
disdainfully and haughtily and to cow down before power and might so abjectly and
humiliatingly. The owner of the slave-girl had also heard the news of this incident and ran to
meet Hazrath to apologize for the trouble caused by the slave-girl. Hazrath told him, “you have
no mercy for a person who is under your power and cannot forgive her mistake, have you a right
to expect Mercy and Forgiveness from the Lord. You people have acquired nothing from Islam
but its name”.
(ii) One day he saw an old woman carrying a heavy load of firewood which she could
 17
ill-afford to lift, she was tottering under the weight. Hazrath relieved her of her weight, carried it
to her hamlet and on her request lighted her oven for her and gave her some money also. She did
not know who Hazrath was and was thanking him for his kindness when a neighbour entered
the hamlet, recognized Hazrath and told her who he was, only then she realized that who had
served her like an obedient servant was the caliph and the king.
(iii) Only after his death the world came to know that he had provided a shelter for a lepor
in an advanced stage of the disease. The shelter was outside the town, he used to go there daily,
dress his wounds, feed him with his own hands (because the lepor had lost his hands), wash
him, put his bed in order and carry him out of the shelter for little time, so that he may get fresh
air. Accidently relatives and friends of Hazrath came across this shelter and found a lepor in it,
learned his history and told him Hazrath was murdered and they had just then buried him. The
news so effected the poor cripple that he died on the spot.
13. Ali’s Food:
Hazrath Ali (A.S.) always ate such kind of food and dressed in such a way that even the
poorest can afford better than that. It was not because he was poor but it was because he want-
ed to lead the life of the poorest person and spend all that could thus be spared on poor. I have
noted below certain cases quoted by the historians, these incidents are of the time when he was
the ruler and king of the entire Muslim Empire except Syria:-
(i) Imam Ahmed Ibne Humbal in his ‘Masnad’ cites Sowaeda-Ibne-Ghafla’ saying “One day
I went to see Ali (A.S.) in the Government House (Darul Imarah). It was the time of breakfast and
before him there was a cup of milk and some barley bread. The bread was dry, stale, hard and
did not contain any butter, or oil. It could not be easily broken into pieces. Hazrath was exerting
himself to break it and to soften it. I turned towards his slave, Fizza and said ‘Fizza! Have you no
pity upon your old master and why cannot you give him softer bread and add some butter or oil
to it?’ She replied ‘why should I pity him when he never pities himself. He has given strict orders
that nothing is to be added to his bread and even chaff and husks are not to be separated from
the flour. We, ourselves, eat much better food than this, though we are his slaves’. Hearing this
I told him O Lord, have pity on yourself, look at your age, your responsibilities, your hard work
and your food. He replied “O Sowaeda, you have no idea what the Holy prophet (A.S.) used to
eat. He never ate full stomach for three consecutive days.”
(ii) Allama Kamal-ud-din Mohammed-Ibne- Talha-e-Shafeyee in his book Matalib-ul-Soul
quotes Abdullah Ibne Zurare saying “I went to see Hazrath Ali (A.S.) on an Eid day. He asked
me to join in his breakfast. I agreed. A very poor kind of food was served before us. I told him,
O Lord, you are such a rich man, a caliph and a king. I was expecting that game would be served
before us but what do I see? Hazrath replied ‘Ibne-Zurare, you have heard of mighty kings who
have lead life of luxury. Let me be a ruler leading the life of a poor and humble person-a humble
laborer.”
(iii) Millanee in his book ‘Seerath’ and Imam Ahmed in his Musnad quote the famous
‘Tabayee’ Ibne Abee-Rafay, who says that he went to Hazrath on an Eid day and while he was
sitting there a bag was brought before Hazrath, he thought that it might contain jewels. Hazrath
opened the bag, it contained dried pieces of bread, which he softened with water. Ibne Abee
Rafay asked him as to the reason of sealing such a kind of food which even a beggar would not
care to steal. Hazrath smiled and said “I keep it sealed because my children try to substitute
softer bread, containing oil or butter in it”. Ibne Abee Rafay said, “Has God prohibited you to eat
 18
better kind of food?” He replied “No, but I want to eat the kind of food which the poorest of this
realm can afford at least once a day. I shall improve it after I have improved their standards of
life. I want to live, feel and suffer like them”.
14. His Dress
(i) Imam Ahmed in his book “Almunaaquib” and Ibne Aseer in his history quote Haroon
Ibne Anzaa saying that he accompanied his father (Anzaa) to the “Khorenique” castle to meet
Hazrath Ali, those were winter days, and the winter was very severe, he found Hazrath in a
very thin cotton garment, and the cold wind was making him shiver. Anzaa asked him “O Com-
mander of faithful! God has reserved a share for you and your family from Baithul Mal (Muslim
Treasury) why do you not make use of it”? He replied “O Anzaa! I do not want anything from
your treasury, this is the dress I have brought with me from Madina.”
(II) Imam Ahmed quotes Zaid Ibne Wahab saying that once Hazrath came out of his house
and there were patches sewn to his dress. Ibne Noaja, who was a Kharijite and an enemy and
yet was allowed to lead a peaceful and comfortable life by Hazrath at Koofa taunted Hazrath
on the very poor and coarse kind of dress put on by him. He replied “Let go, what have you to
find objection in my dress, it is the kind which our masses can afford, why can you not think of
their lives and dresses, I shall improve my standard after I have succeeded in improving theirs.
I shall continue to live like them. Such kind of dress makes one feel humble and meek and give
up vanity, haughtiness and arrogance.”
(iii) Ali-al-Muthaquee in his books ‘Kunz-ul-Ammaal’ and Tabaree in ‘Reyaz-ul-Nazarah’
quote Omer Ibne Quais saying that once he asked Hazrath as to the reason of his having patches
in his dress, he replied “O Omer, such type of dress makes you soft-hearted, vanishes vanity from
your mind and it is the kind which poor Muslims can conveniently afford.”
(iv) Shaikh-ul-Islam Imam Abu Omer Eusuf Ibne Abdul Burr in his book ‘Al-Istheeaab’
quotes Hussan Ibne Jermoze saying that his father once saw Hazrath coming out of Koofa
mosque in a shirt made of jute cloth and around him were people so well-dressed that compared
to him they looked like princes, he was advising them as to how understand religion.
(v) Imam Ahmed quotes Abu Nozia, the ready-made cloth merchant of Koofa saying that
Hazrath purchased two shirts from his shop, one was of superior quality, which he handed over
to his slave Quamber to put on and the other which was of a rough cloth, very coarse and cheap,
he reserved it for himself.
15. His services to Islam and the Holy Prophet (A.S.);
(i) The first occasion on which Ali offered his services to the cause of Islam was when the
Holy prophet (A.S.) was first ordered by God to preach Islam openly.
For three years the Holy prophet (A.S.) was preaching Islam under absolute secrecy, at the
end of the third year (i.e. the fourth year after ‘Baysuth’, in 45 Aamul Feel) he received orders
to preach his near relations and to admonish them. “The Holy prophet (A.S.) directed Ali to
prepare an entertainment and to invite the sons and grandsons of Abdul Muttalib. This was done
and about forty of them came, but Abu Lahab, made the company break up before Mohammed
(A.S.) had an opportunity to speak. Next day a second invitation was issued and when they came
and the frugal meal was served the Holy prophet (A.S.) rose and declared his sacred character,
offered the treasures of time and of eternity to whomsoever should become his disciples,
and concluded by demanding, who among you will aid me to bear this burden, who will be
my Lieutenant, and Vazir, as Aron was unto Moses? The assembly remained mute with
 19
astonishment, not one venturing to accept the offered perilous office, until Ali, Mohammed’s
cousin, stood up and exclaimed ‘O prophet! I will, though I am indeed the youngest of these
present, the most rheum of them as to the eyes and the slenderest of them as to the legs; I, O
Prophet, will be thy Vazir over them’. On which throwing his arms around the generous and
courageous youth, and pressing him to his bosom, Mohammed (A.S.) declared: “Behold my
brother and my Vazir and obey him”. (John Devonport “An apology for Mohammed and Quran”).
Many historians are of the opinion that it was a momentous declaration at a momentous
occasion. The first and the greatest service done to the cause of Islam. If the appeal of the Holy
prophet (A.S.) was then left unanswered the propagation of Islam would have been nibbed in
the bud. Carlyle is of the opinion that though all the people gathered there, were not enemies of
the Holy prophet (A.S.) yet most of them were dead against this religion and some were quite
uninterested. To them the whole thing (an adult person preaching a new religion and a young
courageous youth offering his services vehemently) looked like a big farce. They laughed at both
of them and dispersed advising Ali’s father to obey his youngest son from that day onward.
But these two people (Holy prophet, A.S., and Hazrath Ali) proved to the world that there was
nothing laughable in their declaration and they had wisdom and courage enough to make their
mission a success. He further says that young Ali had really such a personality as could be liked,
loved and venerated by everybody. He was the man of excellent character loving and lovable, so
intensely brave that if anything stood against his bravery it was consumed as if by fire, yet he
was so gentle and kind that he represented the model of a Christian Knight.
As was said this was really the first and the greatest service of Islam. From this day to the
last day of his life, Hazrath Ali sincerely, bravely and nobly acted as the defender of the faith.
(ii) The second great occasion was when the Holy prophet (AS.) was forced to leave Mecca,
making somebody stay in his place in such a way that his enemies would believe that he was
still in his house and thus he might safely go away in the darkness of the night. This departure
to Madina is called Hijrath and the Muslim era is named after this event. It took place during the
month of September, 662 A.D. Thursday the 26th Safar (thirteen years after the Holy prophet,
A.S., started preaching Islam). People of Madina were favourably inclined towards Islam and
some had embraced this religion and had promised every kind of support to the Holy prophet
(A.S.). Many Muslims had left for Madina and were handsomely treated by Ansars of Madina.
Quraish realizing that Islam was gaining a good support and a firm hold at Madina and those
who had fled from Mecca were being happily settled there, decided to strike at the root cause.
Their hatred of the Holy prophet (A.S.) was so intense that nothing would satisfy them but his
death. They gathered at Noodva and decided that a few people from each clan of Quraish would
jointly attack the Holy prophet (A.S.) and strike him with their swords at one and the same time.
Thus no individual of any single clan would be responsible of his death, and Bani Hashim would
not be able to kill anyone person in return or to fight against any single clan and as they were
not strong enough to fight against all the clans of Quraish, at the same time they would be forced
to be satisfied with blood-money (Diyat). They further decided to surround the house of the Holy
prophet (A.S.) during the night so that he may not go away and then to kill him next morning.
Thus forty men got ready and surrounded his house. God revealed to His Apostle of the intrigue
planned against him and ordered him to leave Mecca the very same night. It was a serious and
dangerous occasion, He was ordered by God to go and to go in such a way that none of his
enemies might suspect his departure and, if possible, none of his friends might know of it. The
 20
walls of his house were barely seven feet high and anyone placing a stone and standing upon
it could easily peep into the house. He knew the house was surrounded. Whom could he ask
to sleep in his bed covering himself with his (Holy prophet’s) coverlet, such a person should
not expose his identity till the dawn (till the Prophet was safe and out of danger) and should be
unarmed, so that he might not rouse the suspicion of peeping enemies; he should thus be willing
to bear the brunt of the enemies’ anger in the morning and be ready to be killed. To whom but
to Ali, could the Holy prophet (AS.) turn at this most dangerous moment. In details he informed
Ali of the whole plan and of the positive danger of taking his place, saying that the least could
be expected of those enemies, would be death without torture. Ali asked “If I take your place
and leave you alone to go through the gathered enemies will your life be safe?” “Yes” replied the
Holy prophet (A.S.). “God has promised me a safe passage through them”. Ali bowed his head
before God as a sign of thanks-giving. He lied down on the bed of the Holy prophet (A.S.) and
covered himself with the Prophet’s coverlet. During the night many stones and arrows were
aimed at him. Stones hit him in the back and on the head and arrows embedded in his legs but
he did not even turn in his bed. In the morning he was found out by the enemies only when
one of them pulled the coverlet. When they wanted to attack him knowing that he was Ali not
Mohammed (A.S.), only then he unsheathed his sword.
In Madina the Holy prophet (A.S.) was forced to defend himself and his followers, and
was thus forced to fight many battles. At each and every battle Ali was the hero. And it was he
who fought single-handed with famous warriors of Arabia, defeated the enemies and brought a
victory to Islam.
Records of these battles carry with them chronicles of his bravery, courage and chivalry.
Even the enemies sang songs of his valour and gallantry.
Every one of these battles was an outcome of very grave circumstances and conditions,
and combination of very serious events and very harmful forces against the safety of the
Muslims and Islam. There were many such encounters but I have briefly mentioned only five
of those instances where the events had far-reaching effects. In each of them Ali alone broke
through evil combinations and carried the Muslims and Islam to position of safety, eminence
and power.
(iii) The first of these battles was Badar. It took place in the month of Ramazan of the
2nd year of Hijrath. Muslims were not prepared for a battle and could ill-afford to fight against
superior forces. But Madina was being invaded and necessarily the Holy prophet (A.S.) was
forced to defend himself and his followers. He decided to leave Madina and fight out the battle
in an open field. He had only 313 Muslims who were not adequately armed for a battle, many of
them were nervous of an encounter, and were suffering from inferiority complex. The Quraish
had come with an army of about 1000 warriors which fact had frightened the Muslims even
more. The battle took place and about 36 Quraish were killed by Ali; some of them were very
important persons and famous warriors of Quraish.
Ali killed every one of those 36 antagonists in hand to hand combat, and most of them
were the persons who had surrounded the house of Holy prophet (A.S.) on the night of Hijrath.
During this encounter he was wounded, but by his bravery and courage he brought home to
Muslims that he would act as the first line of defense for Islam, that they had no cause to
suffer from inferiority complex and that God would defend them against heavy odds. Amongst
Quraish there were two worst enemies of Islam, Abu Jehal and Abu Sufyan; and in this battle
 21
Abu Jehal was killed. Ali was hero of this battle and brought the first victory to Islam in armed
encounters with its enemies.
(iv) The second most important battle was that of Ohad. Quraish and their leader Abu
Sufyan were smarting under the defeat of Badar and had sworn to retaliate. The idolaters were
burning for revenge. They made formidable preparations for another encounter and succeeded
in obtaining assistance of Thihama and Kinana tribes. Abu Sufyan’s wife Hinda, mother of
Moavia, took keen interest in all arrangements and preparations. She had written poems to
excite Quraish against Islam and had organized a band of women minstrels who accompanied
the army of Quraish to the battle-field. Thus they had mobilised an army of 3,000 infantry
and 2,000 cavalry. The Holy prophet (A.S.) could muster only 700 Muslims to face this horde.
They faced each other in the battle-field of Ohad. The battle took place on the 11th Shawal 3
A.H. (a year after the battle of Badar). The command of Muslim army was divided between Ali
and Hamza and Abu Sufyan had appointed Khalid Ibne Waleed, Akrama Ibne Abu Jehal and
Omer Ibne Aass as the three commanders to command the right and left wing and the center
respectively.
The first encounter took place between Ali and Talha Ibne Talha. This encounter
carries with it an incident of marvellous chivalry by Ali, which I have narrated elsewhere. Talha
suffered defeat at the hands of Ali and died. He was flag-bearer of Quraish’s army. His death
brought his four sons and one grandson to face Ali, and each one of them was killed by him,
and other flag-bearers followed them and were in turn killed by Ali; then a general encounter
took place in which Ali and Hamza carried the day and Muslims came out victorious. “But
eagerness for spoils through the ranks of Muslim army into disorder, Ali however tried to keep
them in order, but it was not to be. Khalid Ibne Waleed immediately attacked them from the rear
and the flank, he wounded the Holy prophet (A.S.) with a javelin; and had also stoned him, face
of the Prophet was also wounded and he had fallen down from the horse. Khalid Ibne Waleed
started shouting with a loud voice ‘the lying prophet is slain’ upon which without stopping to
ascertain the followers of Islam fled panic-stricken” (Devonport). The wounded Prophet was left
in the battle-field with only Ali, Hamza, Abu Dajana and Zakwan to defend him. These brave
warriors fought fiercely and during this encounter Hamza was killed, Zakwan and Abu Dajana
lay seriously wounded and Ali was left alone in the battle-field. He had received 16 wounds
but he searched and found the Holy prophet (A.S.) lying wounded and surrounded by enemies
under command of Khalid who were trying to kill him; he fought against these six men, killed
two of them and scattered the rest; he bodily lifted the Holy prophet (A.S.) and carried him to
a mount; he kept on attacking the rallying armies of the enemy; and kept on shouting that “the
Holy prophet (A.S.) is alive and calling Muslims to come back.” Those Muslims who had not fled
very far came back, saw the wounded Prophet, saw his daughter, Fatima (who had come out of
Madina hearing the rumour of her father’s death) attending him, they took heart and gathered
again under the command of Ali and started fighting again, and victory was gained. The most
peculiar aspect of this battle was that the greed of the Muslim warriors had converted a hard-
earned victory into an ignominious defeat and Ali had reconverted this defeat into a glorious
victory. He thus once again saved the day, saved the face of the fleeing Muslims and the most
important of all he saved was the life of the Holy prophet (A.S.), but without Ali the Holy
prophet would have been killed.
Twenty eight famous warriors of Arabia were killed by Ali in this battle, of whom
 22
seventeen were flag-bearers of Quraish. The Holy Prophet (A.S.) declared that the Angel Gabriel
was loud in the praises of Ali and had said ‘there is no braver youth than Ali and no better sword
than his Zulfiquar.’ A detailed account of this battle may be read in:-
1. Waquadi’s history of Prophets,
2. Shah Ismail Hamveenee’s history ‘Abul Fida’, and
3. Tabaree’s history.
(v) The third momentous armed encounter of Muslims with Quraish is called the battle
of clans (Ahzab) or battle of the moat or ditch (Khundaque). It is so called because many clans
of Arabs were persuaded by Abu Sufyan to help him to annihilate Islam and the Muslims; and
because when these forces invaded Madina, the Holy prophet (A.S.) was obliged to dig a moat
or ditch around his army. This battle also proves that the Holy prophet (A.S.) was forced to take
up arms in defense of his followers and his mission. It took place on the 23rd Zeequadh in the
year 5 A.H.
The defeat at Ohad was a great blow to Quraish and their leader Abu Sufyan. While
retreating from Ohad he had promised that he will come back again to avenge the defeat.
He instigated the clans of Bani Nazeer, Bani Ghuthfan, Bani Sleem and Bani Kinana and also
succeeded in persuading Bani Khariza, who till then had not sided with any party, to join their
forces against Islam. Abu Sufyan was very sure of his success. He specially relied upon the fame
of Omer Ibne Abd-e-Woodh, who was as famous in Arabia as Rustam was in Persia. He had gath-
ered an army of about 9 to 10 thousand soldiers under command of this famous warrior.
They marched upon Madina, the Holy prophet (A.S.) could barely muster 2,000 Muslims to
face this army. For nearly a month the armies stood facing each other and one day Omer jumped
the moat and faced the Muslim army, challenging them for an encounter. He was accompanied
by Akrama-Ibne-Abu Jehal, Abdullah-Ibne-Mogheera, and Zarar-Ibne-Khattab, Nofil-Ibne-
Abdullah and others. His bravery, his valour and courage were so well-known in Arabia that
none of the Muslims except Ali dared face him. The assemblage of famous warrior tribes and the
presence of Omer Ibne-e-Abd-e-Woodh as their commander had made the Muslims so nervous
that even the Quran says that “Their eyes were petrified and their hearts were beating violently
and they were thinking of running away.” Thrice Omer-Ibne-Abd-e-Woodh challenged them to
out and every time none but Ali stood up and asked the permission of the Holy prophet (A.S.) to
face him. Twice the Holy prophet (A.S.) refused him the permission, but in the end he allowed
him, saying that “Today faith in embodiment is facing embodied infidelity”; then he raised his
hands in prayers and beseeched God, saying “Lord! I am sending Ali alone in the battle-field,
do not allow me to be left alone, you are the best Companion and the best Guardian”. Muslims
were so certain of Ali being killed by Omer that some of them came forward to have a last look
at his face. The encounter ended in Ali’s success and Omer’s death, after Omer he faced
Abdullah-Ibne-Mogheera and Nofil-Ibne-Abdullah and killed them both. Thus a victory was won
without any Muslim, except Ali, coming out of the ranks. In the encounter with Omer and the
defeat and death of this great warrior Ali again exhibited such a chivalrous attitude that the
sister of Omer composed a poem in praise of the man who faced her brother, fought bravely
against him and paid such a noble and chivalrous tribute to his vanquished enemy. In it she said
“if anyone else than Ali had killed her brother, she would have wept over the infamy her lifelong,
but not now.” The death of Omer had completely demoralized the various clans gathered and
they started leaving the army and going back to their countries. Quraish and Abu Sufyan felt
 23
that they cannot carry on the battle without the help of other clans and went back to Mecca sad
and dejected.
Thus Ali brought an end to the hostilities of Quraish in three encounters of Bader, Ohad
and Khundaque. Their best warriors were killed, their unity against Islam was crushed, their
pride was humiliated and their prestige before Arab clans was lowered by him and by him alone.
He further raised the status of Muslims among the haughty, merciless and warring tribes
of Arabia. In all these three battles not more than sixty Muslims were killed, and he alone had
killed more than seventy enemies of Islam, everyone of whom was the head of some clan or a
sub-clan, a warrior famous for his bravery or a deadly enemy of the Holy prophet (A.S.) and
Islam.
For a detailed account of this battle following books may be consulted:-
1. Shah Waliullah Dehlavi’s ‘Izabuth-ul-khifa’.
2. Kamil Ibne Asir’s History Vol. II.
3. Seyoothee’s ‘Durray Munshoor’.
4. Tabaree’s History.
(vi) In their struggle for existence Muslims had to face a very serious opposition from
Jews. In the beginning they tried to help Quraish against Islam surreptitiously and then openly.
But when Ali broke through the enmity of Quraish and when Holy prophet (A.S.) was forced to
banish the Jews from Madina, they decided to try their fate against Islam with the help of Bani
Asad, Bani Kinana and Bani Ghathfan. Khyber was the province, which they had occupied since
the times of their banishment from Palestine. It contained a few fortresses, the biggest of them
was called Qumoose, which was on a steep hill. In these fortresses they started gathering in
large numbers and in the end they raised an army of about 10 to 12 thousand warriors and were
scheming to march on Madina. Hearing these serious news the Holy prophet (A.S.) decided to
face them at Khyber only. He marched at the head of an army of 3,000 soldiers. This battle took
place in Moharrum of the year 7 A.H.
Ali then was suffering from sour eyes and was left at Madina. The Muslim army succeeded
in defeating the Jews in minor skirmishes but when they tried to capture the main fort of
Qumoose they had to face a setback; they could not succeed though they tried for days at a
stretch. The defeats sustained there, were sadly demoralizing the Muslim army. Holy prophet
(A.S.) had allowed every important person to command the Muslim forces day by day, but each
day the result was fresh defeat, fresh demoralization, fresh boldness of Jews and daily increasing
danger of some more clans, emboldened by the weakness and defeats of Muslims, joining hands
with the Jews. There were still many such tribes who were deadly against Islam and wanted
to harm it, but Muslims victories at Bader, Ohad and Khundaque had made them nervous. The
news of the defeats at Khyber were making them bold. “The Jews of Khyber united by an ancient
alliance with Beduin horde of the Bani Ghatafan were incessantly working for the formation of
a powerful coalition against the Muslims, and the Holy prophet (A.S.) knew fully well the power
possessed by the desert races to injure Muslims (The Spirit of Islam)”. There was further danger
of Munafiqueen (hypocrites and double-dealers) staging a revolt in Madina. Prompt measures
were needed to avert these evils. Only a victory could have saved ‘the situation which was
getting more and more critical day by day. The prophet was himself ill and sadly felt the need
of Ali at his side. He knew that though ill yet Ali had not left him alone and had followed him;
therefore ill or not ill Ali had to come to the succour of Muslims, Islam and the Holy prophet
 24
(A.S.). When the news of the last disastrous repulse of the Muslims were brought to him, the
Holy prophet (A.S.) said, “Tomorrow I shall give the command (the flag, an ensignia of the
command) of this army to a man who is brave, who will keep on attacking, who will not run
away from the battle-field, who loves God and His Prophet and is beloved by God and His
Prophet and who will not come back to me without success.” Next day Ali was called from
his bed and was handed over the command. He took the fort by storm; killed Marhab, Anther,
Murra, Harris and four other chieftains of the Jew tribes in hand to hand combats, broke the door
of the fort single-handed, carried his army inside the fort and within four hours he flew the flag
of the Holy prophet (A.S.) on the biggest fortress of Arabia and thus once more saved Islam from
a disastrous end.
The news of success so pleased the Holy prophet (A.S.) that he, though ill, came out
to greet the victor, embraced him and said “Ali! had I not been afraid that Muslims will start
regarding you as Christians regard the Christ, I would have said things about you which would
have made the Muslims venerate you and to consider the dust of your feet as something worth
venerating; but it will suffice to say that you are from me and I am from you; you will inherit
me and I will inherit you; you are unto me what Aron was unto Moses; you will fight for my
cause, you will be nearest to me on the Day of Judgment; you will be next to me on the fountain
of Kauser; enmity against you is enmity against me; a war against you is a war against me; your
friendship is my friendship; to be at peace with you is to be at peace with me; your flesh is my
flesh; your blood is my blood; who will obey you will obey me. Truth is on your tongue, in your
heart and in your mind. You have as much faith in God as I have. You are door to me. As per
orders of God I give you these tidings that your friends will be rewarded in the Heaven and your
enemies will be punished in the Hell.”
For further details of the above Hadith and the battle of Khyber, following books may be
consulted:-
1. Moarej-un-Naboovath Vol. IV page 216 ) Refer for the Hadith quoted above.
2. Almanquibe of Akhtab-e-Kharzami
3. Mulah Ali Hamdani’s Unabee-ul-Moaduth
4. Ibne Hasham’s Seeruth page 187 ) Refer for details of the battle.
6. Tabari’s History
(vii) The victory which Ali brought to Islam in Khyber proved of great consequence to its
mission and its followers. It gave Islam such an importance and prestige over the infidels of the
Quraish that they, who till then had complete control and sway over Mecca and did not even
allow the Holy prophet (A.S.) and his followers to come for Haj and Umra and had forced them
for the treaty of Hudaibia, were now obliged to surrender the city to him and Mecca fell before
the superior forces of Islam.
The causes of the invasion and fall of Mecca are not to be discussed here; suffice it to say
that Abu Sufyan who had brought it all upon the heads of Quraish, later leaving the country and
countrymen to the devil started running after every important person to secure his own and his
family’s freedom of life and property from the Holy prophet (A.S.) and through the mediation
of Abbas (uncle of Holy prophet, A.S.) he received the pardon sought for. The behaviour of
the Holy prophet (A.S.) against these murderers of Muslims and the enemies of Islam was so
merciful, benign and humane, that he pardoned everyone of them, a clemency and kindness
which was and shall ever remain unparalleled in the history of mankind. But Mecca was taken
 25
over by the Muslims, the precincts of Ka’aba were cleared of all idols by the person of the Holy
prophet (A.S.) and Ali, and it ceased to exist as the centre of infidelity and polytheism in Arabia.
The fall of Mecca which took place in the Ramazan of 8 A.H. (January 630 A.D.) was
accompanied with serious repercussions. The success of Islam since the Hijrath had brought
many followers to its fold. Those were of three types, some had seen the truth in its
preaching and had accepted it sincerely and faithfully, some were such that they wanted to bask
in the glory of a religion which was fast becoming a mighty temporal power and they wished to
make their worldly positions good through its influence and had accepted it with those ulterior
motives, while there were some whose conversion was under false impression that unless, they
had accepted Islam their lives and properties were not safe. The fall of Mecca had very sad effect
upon those two latter groups. They were not expecting that Abu Sufyan and Quraish would
succumb so easily to the pressure of Muslim invasion. Clearing of idols from the precincts
of Ka’aba and closing its doors to the infidels was a sadder blow, it became more poignant
when they found that their age-long enemy, the man whose valour and whose sword brought
all these victories to Islam and disastrous defeats to their side, that is, Ali was the flag-bearer
(commander) of the Holy prophet’s (A.S.) forces on the occasion of the fall of Mecca, and along
with the Holy prophet (A.S.) he was the man who cleared Ka’aba of its idols.· There still were
many polytheist clans in Arabia, to them Mecca was the centre of worship, amongst them there
were two powerful beduin tribes; Bani Hawaazen and Bani Saqueef. They now were joined by
Bani Nusser, Bani Saad, Bani Hushum and Bani HilaI. Those tribes decided to stage a come-back
and were quietly promised help by the hypocrites.
(viii) The whole thing was arranged so quickly and so stealthily that by the time the
Muslims could come out of the sweet pleasure of success at Mecca there was an army of 20,000
warriors at Tayef ready to face them. The Holy prophet (A.S.) marched to Tayef at the head of
an army of 15,000 Muslims. Some of them were freed slaves of Muslim conquest of Mecca and
many more were the hypocrites of the types mentioned above, and there were few thousand of
those Muslims who had accompanied him from Madina.
The hostile tribes decided to attack the Muslim army at a point of vantage at Hunain and
selected two prominences where they concealed their archers. Muslims were very proud of
their strength and were very sure of their success, but their behavior during the encounter was
shamelessly timorous and cowardly. The Almighty Lord discussing their attitude in this battle
says “God came to your help on so many occasions, on the day of Hunain, your vanity in the
number of your soldiers and your arrogance did not prove of any avail to you, you were badly
defeated and could not find any place of shelter, you started running away without shame”.
(section 9, Tauba).
This encounter took place in the month of Shawwal 8, A.H. (January/February 630 A.D.).
When the Muslim army marched towards the place where archers were concealed the enemy
opened the campaign with such a severe onslaught of their archery that Muslim army could not
stand it. The assault was fierce and the confusion in the Muslim ranks made the archers bolder
and they came nearer and attacked from both the flanks and from the front. Muslims could not
stand the attack any longer. They started running without putting up any resistance and did not
care to leave even the Holy prophet (A.S.) alone (Sahee Bukharee).
The first battalion to run in pell-meIl was the one in command of Khalid Ibne Waleed
(Rauzath-us-Safa, Vol. II, page 137, Tareekh-e-Ambia, Vol, II page 388). He was accompanied by
 26
Bani Saleem, a freshly converted Quraish of Mecca. This was followed by such a disorderly and
tumultuous flight of Muslims that only ten persons out of an army of 15,000 were left with the
Holy prophet (A.S.). Eight of them were Bani Hashim (Abbas and his two sons, Ali, Aqueel and
three other Cousins of the Holy prophet, A.S.).
Abbas was shouting the Muslims to come back, reminding them of oaths of allegiance
taken and promises made, but it was of no avail. Those who had accepted Islam for wealth and
power or under false fears were not willing to risk their lives. They ran as fast as they could.
Many of them who had carefully hidden their enmity of the rising power were happy at the
defeat, they gathered round Abu Sufyan, started congratulating him and saying that “the
magical circle of the lying prophet is broken”. They were praying for the comeback of
polytheism (Abul Fida, page 349,-Ruazath-us-Safa, page 136 Vol. II-Tareekh-e-Ambia, page 389
vol. II).
Once again it fell to the lot of Ali to save the Holy prophet (A.S.) and the Islam. Armies of
Bani Hawaazen and Bani Saqueef under cover of their arches were rushing down the hillock,
and were getting ready for a fierce onslaught. Ali divided the small band of faithful Muslims
in three divisions; to Abdullah-Ibne-Masood, Abbas-Ibne-Abdul Muttalib and his nephew Abu
Sufyan-Ibne-Harris he assigned the duty of guarding the Holy prophet (A.S.),to three others he
ordered to guard the rear and he faced the onslaught with only three warriors along with him.
He fought and fought, he was wounded, but he faced the commander of hostile army, Abu Jerdal
in a hand to hand combat and killed him with one stroke of sword; he attacked the enemy’s rank
once again, bringing the number of those whom he had slain on that day to forty. His aides had
a glorious example before them, they also fought bravely and killed thirty more men.
The day was saved, the commander of the enemy’s army was killed, their ranks were
broken, they had no courage to face Ali and started retreating. The sight of a powerful enemy
under retreat, made the fleeing Muslims bold and they came back after a victory was won for
them.
A detailed account of this encounter is to be found in:-
1. Rauzath-us-Safa Vol II, page 136.
2. Thareekh-e-Ambia Vol II, page 388.
3. Seeruth-e-Ibne Hushsham Vol II page 621.
4. Kunz-ul-Ummal Vol V, Page 307.
(ix) During the lifetime of Holy prophet (A.S.) Hazrath Ali was sent on many occasions for
propagation of Islam and on many missions of mercy and peace. He carried out these duties to
the satisfaction of the Holy prophet (A.S.) and God. For instance, in the words of ‘The Spirit of
Islam’, “The men of Khalid Ibne Walid, under the order of this newly converted warrior killed
Bani Jazima Beduin. The news of this wanton bloodshed deeply grieved the Prophet and he
prayed “O Lord! I am innocent of what Khalid has done”. He immediately despatched Hazrath
Ali to make every possible preparation for the outrage committed. Such mission was congenial
to Ali’s nature and he executed it faithfully. He made careful enquiries as to the number of
persons killed, their status, and the losses incurred by their families, and paid the ‘Diyat’
strictly. When every loss was made good he distributed the remainder of the money he had
brought among the kinsman of the victims and other members of the tribe, gladdening every
heart by his gentleness and benevolence, carrying with him the blessings of the whole people he
returned to the Prophet who over-whelmed him with thanks and praises.
 27
Similarly in 8 A. H. when other missions failed to bring the powerful Yamanee tribe of
Bani Hamdan to the folds of Islam, Ali was sent there. Ibne Khaldoon says that on the first
occasion he gathered the tribesmen, some of whom were very learned and spoke before them
of the truths which Islam preached. This sermon was so effective that some of those learned
persons immediately embraced Islam. This was followed by long discussions with others, he
made them realized the rationality of the doctrines of Islam. The discussions ended in the
whole-hearted conversion of Bani Hamdan, who followed their learned leaders. These news so
pleased the Holy prophet (A.S.) that he bowed down before God in thanks and thrice said “Peace
be to Bani Hamdan and to Ali”. Again in 10 A.H. his sermons and preachings proved so effective
that the whole province embraced Islam as one man.
16. Designation of Ali as Vicegerent:
It is generally supposed that the Holy prophet (A.S.) had not expressly designated
anyone as his successor in the spiritual and temporal government, but this notion is framed on
an incorrect apprehension of fact, for there is abundant evidence that many a time the Prophet
(A.S.) had openly indicated Ali for Vicegerency (The Spirit of Islam page 292).
(i) The first occasion was when he was ordered by God to openly and unreservedly invite
his kith and kin to Islam. This occasion is called Dawath-e-Asheera (propagation of the religion
amongst the relatives). In the words of Rev: Sale the Holy prophet (A.S.) said “God hath com-
manded me to call you unto Him; who therefore, among you will be assisting to me herein and
become my brother and my vicegerent? All of them hesitating and declining the matter, Ali at
length rose up, and declared that he would be his assistant and threatened those who should
oppose him. Mohammed upon this embraced Ali, with great demonstration of affection, and
desired all those present to hearken to and to obey him as his Deputy”.
Thus at this occasion of the introduction of Islam as a religion Hazrath Ali was declared
by the Holy prophet (A.S.) as his Deputy. The value of Ali’s support to the Holy prophet (A.S.)
and his designation as a vicegerent at this stage is fairly well assessed by theologians, historians
and thinkers of the West and the East.
Refer: -
1. Thafseer-e-Tabari Vol. 19 page 68.
2. Thafseer-e-Mo’allam-ul- Thunzeel page 663.
3. Masnad Imam Ahmed Ibne Humbal Vol. I page 163.
4. Musthadrik Imam Hakim Vol. III page 133.
5. History of Tabari Vol. II page 216.
6. History of Kamil Vol. II page 26.
7. History of Abul Fida Vol. I page 116.
(ii) The second occasion was at the time of Ali’s conquest of Khyber. The words of the
Holy prophet (A.S) quite clearly, positively and expressively give out his opinion about Hazrath
Ali and his desire to leave Hazrath Ali as the guardian and the propagator of his mission. He
said “You are from me and I am from you, you will inherit me .... you are unto me what Aron
was unto Moses.... you will be nearest to me on the Day of Judgement and next to me on the
fountain of Kauser, enmity against you is enmity against me, a war against you is a war against
me.... you have as much faith in God as I have. You are door to me.” (Refer page 26 The battle
of Khyber) What more can one say? Can there be anything more forceful, more eloquent, more
pregnant with clear indications and more categorical than the words which the Holy prophet
 28
(A.S.) has used? Do they leave any shadow of doubt? Has the Holy prophet (A.S.) ever used such
words for anybody else?
(iii) The third instance was the occasion of the invasion of Thabook. To understand the
occasion and the cause of remarks of the Holy prophet (A.S.) it is necessary to know the
historical background of the incident. It was the summer of 9 A.H. and the Holy prophet (A.S.)
had received the information that the Roman King was mobilizing his forces to invade the
Islamic State and many Arab tribes were gathering round him. He decided to face them in their
own land and not to allow them the run of the Muslim state so that they might not lay waste to
the lands through which they pass. The situation had become very serious because there was
famine in Hijaz, Taef and Yaman. The hypocrites (the Munafequeen) were carrying on intensive
propaganda compaign and trying to make the people believe that the famine was the sign that
God was angry with Muslims and wants to exterminate them with the worst form of death
(cannibalism). And in case of a defeat against the Roman armies there was eminent danger of
revolt. It was imperative that the state should be left in the hands of a faithful and powerful
guardian otherwise there was every possibility of being sandwiched between the two enemies.
The Holy prophet (A.S.) therefore decided that Hazrath Ali should act as a regent in his place and
the world might also realize that in the opinion of the Holy prophet (A.S.) none could look after
the temporal as well as spiritual welfare of the Muslims during his absence but Ali. He called
Ali and told him that he would have to act as the last line of defence for him and Islam, saying
that “O Ali! nobody could look after this center of Muslim state but I or you” (Imam Hakim in
Musthadrik, Allama Ibne Abdul Bur in Istheeaab, Shah Waliullah in Izalathul Khifa, Subth
Ibne Jauzee in Thuzakera-e-Khavas-ul-Aaimma and Allama Ali Muttaquee in Kunzul Ummal).
Hazrath Ali’s stay at Madina disappointed the Munafequeen (hypocrites and double-dealers)
and as they constituted the majority of those left behind by the Holy prophet (A.S.) they started
a whispering compaign. It was to the effect that the Holy prophet (A.S.) had lost faith in Hazrath
Ali and had therefore left him behind and that it was positively certain that the Holy prophet
(A.S.) was going to suffer a defeat. Hazrath Ali naturally felt anxious for the Holy prophet (A.S.)
and annoyed at aspersions against him. He left Madina immediately, met the Prophet at the
place of Jerf and told him all that was said at his back. Thereupon the Holy prophet (A.S.) said
“Ali! They are lying against you as they have lied against me, they have called me an epileptic,
a magician, a sorcerer and a necromancer and have always styled me as a liar. I have appointed
you as my vicegerent and my Caliph over all which I have left behind. Are YOU not satisfied to
realize that you are unto me what Aron was unto Moses (Sahee Bokhari Para 145 page 387 and
para 18 page 89).
(iv) The fourth time was (in the words of the Spirit of Islam) “Notably the occasion of the
return journey from the performance of ‘The Farewell Pilgrimage’, during a halt at a place called
Khumm, he had convoked an assembly of the people accompanying him, and used the words
which could leave little doubt as to his intention regarding a successor. “Ali”, said he, “is to me
what Aron was to Moses. The Almighty God be a friend to his friends and a foe to his foes; help
those who help him and frustrate those who betray him” (The Spirit of Islam page 292).
I would be doing a great dis-service to the cause of truth and to the history of Islam if I do
not sketch at least a bare outline of this incident. Because more than fifty thousand people had
gathered on that occasion and many of them narrated all that took place there; among those
narrators we find such luminaries as Hazrath Abu-baker-e-Siddique, Hazrath Omer-e-Farooq,
 29
Hazrath Oosman-e-Ghani, Zubair Ibne Awam, Abdullah Ibne Omer, Abdullah Ibne Abbas,
Ummul Momaneen Bibi Aiyesha, Ummul Momaneen Bibi Umme Sulma, Abdullah Ibne Masood
and Hussan Ibne Sabith (The book Arjahul Mattalib cites 100 names of the companions of
the Holy prophet (A.S.). From these narrators about 153 historians, biographers, collectors
of the Holy prophet’s traditions and authors of Sehas, Mojums and Massaaneed from the 1st
Century A.H. right up to 1300 A.H., have narrated the whole incident in details and have drawn
practically the same inference as the author of the Spirit of Islam. The book Arjahul Mutalib
again gives a list of them in chronological order of 13 Centuries, from which I have quoted a few
names at the end of this section (page 30)).
The Holy prophet (A.S.) was returning from the “Farewell Pilgrimage” and had reached the
place Khumm, (which in the words of the famous historian and geographist Ibne-Khallekhan is
a valley lying between Mecca and Madina and in the neighborhood of Juhfa). It contains a pond,
Ghadir, near which the prophet pronounced his invocation. This took place on the 18th of Zil
Hijjah and the 18th of this month is the anniversary of the Feast of Ghadir (Eid-ul-Ghadir)”.
There the Holy prophet (A.S.) suddenly made his camel stop and said that just then a
message of God was revealed unto him which must be immediately conveyed to the Muslims.
He dispatched messengers towards those who had gone ahead and those who were following
him leisurely to come back or to hurry up and join him at once. When all of them were gathered
he performed the Noon-prayers in that blazing hot summer sun. A pulpit was erected for him
and from this eminence he preached a sermon which is rightly considered as a masterpiece of
Arabic literature and a brief survey of what the Holy prophet (A.S.) had taught and achieved for
the Muslims. Then he said that he had just then received the revelation which said, “O Apostle!
Proclaim the whole of that which hath been sent down to thee from Thy Lord, for if thou dost
it not, it will be as if thou hast not at all performed the duty of His prophet-hood. And God will
protect thee (thy mission) from evil men, verily God guideth not the unbelievers”, and he was
standing there to convey that message to the Muslims and to perform the duty he was ordered
to perform. Continuing the sermon he said “O people! Shortly I shall be called (to the Heaven),
and if I go back I shall have to give an account as to how I have conveyed His Message to you and
you (in your turn) will also be asked as to how you have accepted and carried out my teachings.
Now tell me what you will say”. Thereupon all the gathering as one man declared “O Apostle of
God! we testify and declare that you have conveyed the message of God in full details, you have
strived your utmost to guide us to the right path, and taught us, to follow it, you were most kind
to us and you never wished for us but our good, may God repay you for all that”. Thereupon
he asked the gathering “Do you not testify that there is no god but God, that Mohammed is
His creature, His servant and His apostle, that there is the Heaven and the Hell, that death will
overtake everyone of you, that you will be’ brought back from your graves, that the Day of
Resurrection will surely dawn and human beings will be resurrected from their graves to
account for their deeds”. The gathering declared “We believe and testify all of this”. Hearing this
declaration he said “I am leaving amongst you two most important things worthy of obedience,
the Quran and my progeny (descendants). Take care how you treat them, they will not separate
from each other till they reach me on the Fountain of Kausur”. Then said he “The Almighty
God is my Lord (Maula) and I am the Lord of all Muslims and have more right and power on
their lives than they themselves; do you believe in this assertion of mine”? They all in one voice
replied “yes O Apostle of God”. Thrice he asked the same question and thrice he received the
 30
same reply. On this solemn affirmation he said “Hear and remember that to whomever I am
Lord or Maula Ali is the Lord and Maula to him. He is to me what Aron was unto Moses. The
Almighty God be a friend to his friends and a foe to his foes, help those who help him and
frustrate those who betray him”, while saying this he raised Hazrath Ali so that the gathering
may have a look at the man, who will be Lord and Maula of those who believe the Holy prophet
(A. S.) to be their Lord and Maula. Thereupon the Holy prophet (A.S.) received the revelation:
“This day I have perfected your religion for you and have filled up the measure of my bounties
upon you and I am pleased with Islam to be your religion”.
After performing this ceremony and receiving the above revelation the Holy prophet (A.S.)
came down the pulpit prostrated before God in prayers and ordered a tent to be fixed. In this
tent Hazrath Ali was made to take his seat and people were ordered to pay homage to him and
to address him as Amir-ul-Momineen (Lord of the faithful). The first person to congratulate and
address him as such was Hazrath Omer-e-Khuttab, saying “I congratulate you, O Ali!, today you
have become my Maula (Lord) and Lord of every Muslim man and woman”.
Refer:
1. Musnad Imam Ahmed Ibne Humbal (Vol. V page 281)
2. Imam Ghizaalee in Sir-ul-Aalemeen,
The remarks of Imam Ghizaalee about this event and the inferences he has drawn are
instructive readings. If I have space at my disposal I shall add them as a separate index otherwise
Sir-ul-Aalemeen may be referred.
List of some out of the famous 153 authors and books which contain the above event:
1. Ibne Shehab-al-Zohri (125 A.H)
2. Mohammed Ibne Ishaq (152 A.H)
3. Ibne Rahooya (238 A.H)
4. Imam Ahmed Ibne Humbal Musnad Vol. V, page 281 (243 A.H)
5. Jurare-Tabaree (310 A.H)
6. Hakeem Tirmizee (320 A.H)
7. Imam Hakim (Musthadrik) (400 A.H)
8. Imam Ghizalee (Sir-ul-Aalemeen) (505 A.H)
9. Subth Ibne Joazee (654 A.H)
10. Ibne Subbaq-e-Malekee (855 A.H)
11. Soyoothee (911 A.H)
12. Shaikh Abdul Huq Mohaddis Dahlavi (1052 A.H)
13. Shah Waliullah Mohaddis Dahlavi (1176 A.H)
14. Allama Mohammed Moin (1280 A.H)

17. A brief survey of Hazrath Ali’s life from Hijarath to the death of the Holy Prophet (A.S.) i.e. from
1 A.H. to 40 A.H.:
When the Holy prophet (A.S) left his house at Mecca in the night and Ali was found in his
bed, the Quraish at first thought of killing him, but when they found him ready to defend himself
they gave up the idea and dispersed in search of the Holy prophet (A.S.).
Ali as per orders of the Holy prophet (A.S.) stayed three days at Mecca and handed back
all the articles which were entrusted to the Holy prophet (A.S.) for safe custody, mostly by his
enemies, secured their receipts and left the city in broad daylight.
 31
He was entrusted by the Holy prophet (A.S.) for safe transport of Holy prophet’s daughter
Hazrath Fatima, daughter of Hamza, another Fatima, his own mother, a third Fatima, and
his aunt, that was the daughter of Abdul Muttalib, a fourth Fatima. The Quraish wanted to
prevent the departure of these four ladies. Eight prominent people came out to fight. Ali fought
single-handed with them. He killed Junah with a stroke of his sword and scattered the rest and
continued the journey. On account of scarcity of mounts he had to travel on foot and thus he
reached Madina with bleeding feet. Awaiting the arrival of Hazrath Ali the Holy prophet (A.S.)
was staying at Qubba, two miles away from Madina, when he reached Qubba, on the 12th of
Rabiul Awwal (probably the end of June) the Holy prophet (A.S.) embraced him, dressed his
bleeding feet and entered Madina along with him.
Before his migration to Madina the Holy prophet (A.S.) had created a bond of brotherhood
between the Muslims. He had fraternized Hazrath Aboobaker to Hazrath Omer, Hazrath
Oosman to Abdul Rehman Ibne Oaf, Hazrath Hamza to Zaid Ibne Haresa and Talha to Zubair.
On that occasion he had fraternized Hazrath Ali to himself, saying, “Oh Ali! you are my brother
in this world as well as in the next”. (Tharikh-e-Khamees Vol. I page 398).
1st A.H.
Five months after his arrival at Madina he fraternized the Mohajirs (the Migrators) with
the Ansars (the citizens of Madina). On that occasion again he called Ali and said “Oh Ali!
you are my brother in this world and hereafter”. The historian Ibne Hashsham says “The Holy
prophet (A.S.) caught the hand of Hazrath Ali and said ‘he alone is my brother’ thus the Apostle
of God, who was actually the leader of all the prophets as well as of all the pious men of the
world and who had no parallel among human beings by fraternizing with Hazrath Ali, showed
that Ali also had no parallel among mankind except the Holy prophet (A.S.)”. (Seerath-e-Ibne
Hashsham Vol. II, Abul Fida Vol. I page 127, Musthadrik of Imam Hakim Vol. III and Fatehul Bari,
commentary of Sahee Bokhari Vol. VII page 211).
2nd A.H.
During the 2nd year of Hijrath Hazrath Ali’s marriage took place with the Holy prophet’s
daughter Fatima. Holy prophet (A.S.) was receiving many offers for his daughter from very rich
people of Madina, from some of the Mohajirs and from chiefs of mighty clans of Arabia. He
had refused even to consider these offers and sometime felt annoyed at them and at the end he
closed the door by saying that he was awaiting the orders of God. The book Asadul Ghaba Fee
Tameez-e-Sahaba, gives a detailed account of these offers and the way of refusal by the Holy
prophet (A.S.). Some of the Ansars suggested to Hazrath Ali to place a proposal for himself
before the Holy prophet (A.S.). Hazrath Ali went before him feeling shy and modest. This was
the first time in his life that he talked reservedly to a man who was like a father unto him and
to whom he was like a dear son. When the Holy prophet (A.S.) heard the proposal he was so
pleased that he smiled and said “‫( ”اھال ومرحبا‬it is a welcome and happy proposal). (Tareekh-e-
Khamees Vol. I page 407, Ibne Saad Vol. VIII pages 11 and 12, and Asadul Ghaba).
The Holy prophet (A.S.) took the consent of Hazrath Fatima for this proposal. The marriage
ceremony was very simple and without pomp and ostentation. There was a Khutba from the
Holy prophet (A.S.) in which he praised God mentioning some of His attributes and citing verses
of the Quran and concluding with the remarks that he was ordered by God to give Hazrath
Fatima into marriage with Hazrath Ali. This was followed by a Khutba from Hazrath AIi,
praising God and the Holy prophet (A.S.) and desiring the gathering to witness his marriage
 32
with Hazrath Fatima, the daughter of Holy prophet (A.S). After this happy ceremony somebody
reminded the Holy prophet (A.S.) of his late companion in life, the mother of Hazrath Fatima,
Hazrath Khadija and he said “Khadija! where is Khadija, who can be like Khadija, she testified
me when the world was falsely accusing me as a liar, she relieved me of much of my weight, she
was my partner in my work and she helped me when others were creating obstructions in my
mission” .
After reaching Madina the Holy prophet (A.S.) stayed in the house of Kulsoom Ibne
Hadam for seven months and Hazrath Ali was staying with him. When the Holy prophet (A.S.)
finished the construction of mosque he built houses for his wives around it and in the center of
them he built a house for Hazrath Ali (Sahee Bokhari, para 14 page 387). Following his example
many of his companions except Hazrath Aboobaker built their houses around the mosque.
Hazrath Aboobaker was staying in the locality of Banee Abde-Oaf where the marriages of both
of his daughters took place and later on he shifted to Sukh. (Bokhari Vol. I) The doors of all the
houses built around the mosque opened in the mosque. One day the Holy prophet (A.S.) ordered
that except the doors of his house and that of Ali all the other doors should be closed. Some of
the companions requested him to allow them to keep a small window open. He replied “No, not
a pin-hole, God so willed it”. (Musnad-e-Imam Ahmed, Musthadrik-e-Imam Hakim, Khasais-e-
Nasaaee).
In the year 2 A.H. battle of Bader took place. (Refer Section 15 page 20).
3rd A. H.
In the year 3 A.H. the first child to Hazrath Ali and Hazrath Fatima was born and he was
named Hassan (Imam Hassan) by the Holy prophet (A.S.).
In the same year (3 A.H.) battle of Ohad took place (refer Section 15 page 21) which was
followed by dispatch of expeditionary force to Hamaraul Asad under Hazrath Ali.
4th A. H.
In the year 4 A.H., Hazrath Ali and Hazrath Fatima had the second child Hussain (Imam
Hussain) who was also named by the Holy prophet (A.S.). In the same year a battle took place
with Bani Nazeer and Hazrath Ali brought it to a successful end and Bani Nazeer were forced to
vacate their fortress.
5th A. H.
In the year 5 A.H. three battles took place, battle with Banee Mustalaque, battle of Khun-
daque (the moat) and battle with Banee Khanza. In all three of them Ali was the commander of
the army. Most important of them was the battle of Khundaque which I have narrated in section
15 page 22.
6th A. H.
In the year 6 A.H. an expedition to Fadak was sent under the command of Hazrath Ali and
without a battle or skirmish he brought the whole province under control of the Holy prophet
(A.S.).
In Ziquad of this year the Holy prophet (A.S.) along with fourteen hundred Muslims left
for Mecca with the intention of pilgrimage. He had no desire to fight anybody and had left all
the armaments at Madina. When Quraish came to know about this intending pilgrimage they
refused to allow the Holy prophet (A.S.) to enter Mecca. Khalid Ibne Waleed came out with
a force of well-equipped two hundred cavalry-men to obstruct the Holy prophet (A.S.) and if
necessary to fight over the issue. At an oasis called Hudaibia the opponents faced each other.
 33
A chieftain named Orwa from Quraish came out to discuss the situation with the Holy prophet
(A.S.) and instead of a battle a treaty was arranged, and it was written by Hazrath Ali. The last
clause of the treaty was that the present intention of the pilgrimage should be given up but next
year the Holy prophet (A.S.) and Muslims can come for ‘Umra’.
7th A. H.
In the year 7 A.H. two battles took place, the Khyber and the Wadiul Quara. The more
important of them was Khyber which I have accounted in section 15 page 23.
In the same year the Holy prophet (A.S.) along with Muslims went to perform Umra, it
was very peaceful mission. The Holy prophet (A.S.) and many of the Muslims had their wives
and children with them. The Umra was performed without any unpleasant incident taking place.
8th A. H.
The year 8 A.H. had some important events in its fold.
The first of them was the fall of Mecca. The terms of the treaty of Hudaibia were
dishonored by the Quraish. Within two years of the Treaty they killed twenty persons of Banee
Khuzaa’s clan without rhyme or reason. Representatives of the clans came to the Holy prophet
(A.S.) asking for his promised support, he was annoyed at this flagrant dishonoring the Treaty
and said “I may not be helped if I do not help them”.
The arrangement for the invasion of Mecca was being carried on by the Muslims, in the
meanwhile, Hatab, a companion of the Holy prophet (A.S.) who was with him in the battle of
Bader, wrote a letter to his family, informing them of the intention of Muslims. This espionage,
under orders of the Holy prophet (A.S.), was detected by Hazrath Ali and he brought this letter
to the Holy prophet (A.S.). It was being sent through an Abysinian slave-girl. Hatab confessed
his crime and was mercifully pardoned by the Holy prophet (A.S.). (Bokhari)
When all the arrangements were ready, the army of invasion, numbering about ten
thousand, marched towards Mecca. The command of the army this time was given to Saad-Ibne
Abbada Ansari, with orders to enter Mecca as an advance party. Saad entering Mecca, said
“Today is going to be a big day, a day of retaliation, a day when Mecca will be looted”. Abbas,
uncle of the Holy prophet (A.S.), hearing this came to the Holy prophet (A.S.) and said, “O
Apostle of God! Saad has very serious intention against Quraish. He may carry on a massacre”.
The Holy prophet (A.S.) called Hazrath Ali and said “O Ali! You go and take the command
from Saad and do the needful. He would not be unhappy in handing over the command to you
and to you alone”. Hazrath Ali took over the command of the expedition and entered the city,
declared perfect amity and peace and waited for the Holy prophet (A.S.). When Holy prophet
(A.S.) entered Mecca he went straight to Kaaba and started removing the idols placed there.
Some of them were placed on a very high platform where his hands would not reach, he asked
Ali to mount on his back and remove the idols. Ali obeyed the order, mounted on his back and
was removing the idols when the Holy prophet (A.S.) asked “O Ali! How do you find yourself”,
Hazrath Ali replied, “O Apostle of God! I find myself on such an eminent place that I feel as if
my head is resting on the Empyrean of God the Almighty”. Thereupon the Holy prophet (A.S.)
replied “O Ali! how fortunate you are, doing the work of God and how fortunate I am that I am
bearing your burden” (Musnad-e-Imam Ahmed, Vol. I page 151).
At the occasion, a poet presented a eulogium in praise of Hazrath Ali. In which he said:-
“I am asked to praise Ali in verses,
Because recital of his praises will
 34
Release a man from the Hell.

I replied to them, how can I praise

A man whose attributes are so sublime
That men got confused over these attributes
And started apotheosising him.

He has placed his foot at such an eminent

Place, that according to the Holy prophet (A.S.),
It is the place on which, on the night of
Meraj, God Hath placed His hand of
Grace and Mercy”.
Hearing this eulogium the Holy prophet (A.S.) rewarded the poet handsomely.
The second important event was the massacre of Bani Jazima by Khalid Ibne Waleed and
reparation carried by Hazrath Ali under orders of the Holy prophet (A.S.). (Refer section 15 page
26).
The Shawwal of this year saw the Muslims facing certain powerful tribes of Arabs on the
battle-field of Hunain. Ali again secured a victory for them. (Refer section 15 page 26) Hunain
was followed by an expedition to Thaef under command of Hazrath Ali. Those who had run
away from Hunain and gathered there and wanted to measure their strength once again. The
commander of their army who was the chief of Bani Zaigham clan was killed by Hazrath Ali,
which broke the back of resistance and various parties of hostile clans started dispersing. Seeing
this the Holy prophet (A.S.) raised the siege and brought the expedition to an end.
In the same year Hazrath Ali was sent to Yaman on a missionary service, he carried on this
work so successfully and his speeches there proved so effective that the tribe of Bani Hamdan
embraced Islam as one man. (Refer section 15 page 27)
9th A. H.
The 9th year of the Hijrath has to relate four important incidents of Hazrath Ali’s life:
The first was the expedition to Zath-ul-Salasul, Ali brought it to a successful end, defeated
the clans gathered there to invade Madina and brought the happy news to the Holy prophet
(A.S.). The Apostle of God came out of Madina to welcome the warrior. Ali was riding a horse
at the head of his army, saw the Holy prophet (A.S.) walking towards him and jumped from his
horse. The prophet told him “keep on riding, do not dismount, God and His prophet are really
pleased with your services” and made him remount his horse and he walked along with the
horse. (Refer Habeel-ul-Seer and Mo’arej-ul-Naboowath).
The second event was the Holy prophet’s expedition in person to Thabook, which I have
narrated in Section 16 page 28. The third important event in the life of Ali and in the history of
Islam was the reading of the Chapter (Sura) Barat before the infidels of Mecca. This Sura declares
that God and His apostle in future will have .nothing to do with the infidels and polytheists.
All the treaties which existed till then are now annulled and cancelled. No polytheist or infidel
will in future be allowed to enter the city of Mecca or the precincts of Kaaba. Imam Hakim in
his Musthadrik Vol. III page 32, Riaz-ul-Nazarah Vol. II, page 203, Musnad-e-Imam Ahmed Ibne
Humbal Vol. I page 331, Asaba-Fee-Ma’arayfath-e-Sahaba Vol. IV, page 270 and Izalath-ul-Khifa,
Section 2, page 261 say that the Holy prophet (A.S.) first ordered Hazrath Aboobaker to carry
 35
this Sura to Mecca and to read it at the Kaaba, but immediately after him he sent Hazrath Ali to
replace Hazrath Aboobaker on the mission. When Hazrath Aboobaker complained about this
change, the Apostle of God replied “I have done it under orders of God which came explicitly
that either I should perform this duty or somebody who is like me”.
The fourth event:-Najran was a city in the province of Yaman. It was center of the
Christian Missionary activities in Southern Arabia. The Holy prophet (A.S.) had written to the
Chief Priest of the city to realize the blessings of Islam. In reply he wrote that he would like to
personally discuss the teachings of this new religion. His name was Haris. He was invited and
came with a retinue of fourteen Priests. These Priests stayed at Madina as guests of the Holy
prophet (A.S.). Long discussions about monotheism versus trinity took place and it was realized
that these Priests were not open minded, on the contrary, were prejudiced against Islam. The
Almighty Lord ordered the Holy prophet (A.S.) to explain to them that “Verily Jesus is as Adam
in the sight of God. He created him out of dust. He then said unto him ‘Be’ and he was. This is the
truth from Thy Lord; be not therefore one of those who doubt; and whoever shall dispute with
thee after the knowledge which hath been given thee, say unto them, come let us call together
our sons and your sons, our women and your women and ourselves and yourselves; then let us
make imprecations and lay the curse of God upon those who lie”. (Sura Alay (Family of) Imran,
Chap. III)
According to Aamer Ibne Sa’ad and Ummul Momineen Bibi Aiyesha when the above
verses were revealed to the Apostle of God he called Ali, Fatima, Hassan and Hussain and said
“Lord! this is my family and progeny (Ahlay Baith)”. (Refer Sahee Bukharee, Parts VII page 77,
Sahee Muslim, Vol. II page 278, Jama-e-Tirmizee Page 421, Misquath Vol. VIII page 129).
Imam Fukhuruddin Raazee (in Tufseer-e-Kabeer Vol. II page 701, printed in Egypt) says
that when the above verses were revealed the prophet of God covered himself with a black
coverlet, took in it Ali, Fatima, Hassan and Hussain and said “Lord! this is my progeny, my
household and my family (Ahlay Baith). Thereupon the Apostle of the Lord received the
revelation “Verily God desireth to remove from you every abomination of sin and evil, and you
are the household of the Prophet, and to purify you by a perfect purification”. (Tufseer Kushshaf
Vol. I, page 308 agrees with Imam Fukhruddin-e-Raazee)
Hearing the glad news of the Divine Purification, Sanctification and Consecration the Holy
prophet (A.S.) decided to take only these four persons along with him for the ceremony of trial
by imprecations as ordered by God; that is, Ali representing the “selves” as mentioned in the
above verses, Fatima representing “women”, Hassan and Hussain representing “sons”.
The Christian Priests were then informed of these orders of God and “They agreed next
morning to abide by the trial as a quick way of deciding which of them were in the wrong.
Mohammed (A.S.) met them accordingly accompanied by his daughter Fatima, his son-in-law
Ali and his two grandsons Hassan and Hussain and desired them (the Christian Priests) to wait
till he had said his prayers. But when they saw him kneel down their resolution failed them and
they dared not venture to curse him and his party, but agreed to sign a treaty and pay tribute to
him” (Rev. Sale)
“Ahlay-Baith” people of the household (of Mohammad, A.S.), is the designation usually
given to Fatima, Ali and their children and descendants. This is the name by which Ibne Khaldun
invariably designates them, and followers and disciples, Shias or adherents of the “People of the
House”. Sanai (the famous Sufi poet whom Maulana Room praises) represents the general feeling
 36
with which the descendants of Mohammed (A.S.) were regarded in the following verses:-
“Excepting the book of God and his family (Descendants) nothing has been left by Ahmed
the prophet; Memorial such as these can never be obtained till the Day of Judgement” (The
Spirit of Islam page 313; note)
Kunz-ul-Ammal Vol. VI page 159, Tufseer-e-Kushshaf Vol. I page 308, Ali Hamadani in
Mo’adduth-ul-Qurba, and Allama Ibne Hajr-e-Mukki in Sawa’eq-e-Mohrayqua, while discussing
this event and the verses referred above, have given their opinion that the Holy prophet (A.S) ,
by translating the word “Selves” as himself and Ali, the word “Women” as Fatima and the word
“Sons” as Hassan and Hussain have shown to the Muslim the estimation in which these four
persons are held by God and by himself, and that they and they alone are his Ahlay Baith, who
deserve the Divine Purification, Sanctification and Consecration.
10th A. H.
During this year Ali was sent once again on a propagation mission to Yaman and thence
on an expedition against Amer-ibne-M’adee Kurb. He performed both the duties successfully.
Imam Ahmed ibne-Hambal in his Masnad Vol. V page 356, Imam Nisa’ee in Khasa’es and Allama
Ibne Hajr-e-Mukki in Sawa’eq-e-Mohrayqua Chap. II, say that from the later expedition Khalid-
ibne- Waleed sent a letter containing complaints of Hazrath Ali to the Holy prophet (AS.). This
letter was carried by Boraeda, a companion of the Holy prophet (AS.). On receipt of this letter
the Apostle of God was annoyed and got angry and said “You are fabricating lies and fictitious
complaints against Ali, he is from me and I am from him, he is your lord (Valee) after me. Who-
ever annoys him actually annoys me and whoever forsakes him forsakes me. He is made of the
same material that I am made of and I am made of the same material that Abraham is made of
and my status before God is superior to that of Abraham”.
The end of the l0th A.H saw the Holy prophet (AS.) performing the “Farewell Pilgrimage”
and while returning from there he for the last time designated Hazrath Ali as his Vicegerent. I
have narrated this incident in Section 16 page 28.
11th A. H.
The year 11th A.H was the saddest year of Hazrath Ali’s life. He lost two of his best friends.
One of whom he loved and venerated like a father, like a master and like the dearest friend, the
Holy prophet (A.S.), who died during the early months of the year. His death was followed by the
death of Hazrath Ali’s dearest companion, his wife, Fatima, the Lady of the Light.
The last year of Holy Prophet’s life was spent at Madina. An envoy of his was killed by the
Syrians and he had ordered an expedition against the Byzantines, under Osama Ibne Zaid and
he had ordered all his companions except Hazrath Ali to join this expedition, and had ordered
the troops to be encamped outside the city (Tareekh-e-Tabaree, Tareekh-e-Kamil Ibne Aseer.
Tabaquath-e-Ibne-Sa’d, Seerath-e-Halabia and Madarej-ul-Naboovath Vol. II page 766). Though
he was ill, yet in spite of his weakness he came out, arranged the flag (the Insignia of the
command) with his own hands and handed it over to Osama. He felt that people were not willing
to join this expedition, because of the young age of Osama, he got annoyed and said “Curse of
God be on those who forsake the army of Osama”. (Millal-o-Nahal of Allama Shahristanee and
Sharahe Mo’aquef-ud-Dunia).
Cause of this illness was the poison which had been given to him and which had slowly
penetrated into his system and had now begun to show its effect, and it became evident that he
had not long to live. The news of his approaching end led to the stoppage of the expedition (The
 37
Spirit of Islam). At the last stage of illness the Holy prophet (A.S.) was staying at the house of
Ummul Momineen Bibi Aiyesha. From there he came out for the last time to lead the prayers. He
was so weak that he was actually carried there by the sons of Abbas-Ibne-Abdul Muttalib. He,
himself, led the prayers (Fath-ul-Bari, Sharahe Sahee-e-Bukhari, Para 3 page 372).
This exertion proved too much for the Apostle of the Lord and when he returned home
from the mosque he was fainted. His condition was very serious at that time and fainting fit
was of long duration. His children and members of family and his companions started weeping
and lamenting. He came out of the swoon and looked at those tear-sprinkled faces around him
and said “Bring pen, ink and paper so that I may write a will for you that will keep you on the
straight path”. Some of his companions wanted to offer the pen and paper while Hazrath Omer
was of opinion that he was talking insanely on account of the intensity of illness, they have
the Holy Quran with them which would suffice them. This discussion took a serious turn and
people started arguing in loud voices. The Apostle of God got annoyed at this and asked them
to go away and to leave him alone. (Sahee-e-Bukhari Para 12 page 126, Para 8 page 100, Para
23 page 384; Minhaj-ul-Sunnath of Allama Ibne Themia and Sharahe Sahee Muslim of Allama
Noodi, give a detailed account of this event).
This was Sunday the 27th Safar, after the above incident the Apostle of God called Ali
and said “Ali you will be first to meet me on the fountain of Kauser. After me when hardships
and reverses face you then do not lose patience and when you find people running after
worldly gains then you busy yourself in the way of truth and God”. (Roaz-ul-Ahlab Vol. I page
559, Madarej-ul-Naboovath Vol. II page 511) Next day, Monday the 28th of Safar, the Apostle of
God passed away to the realm of His Grace, Blessings and Majesty.
Last moments and the last rights of Holy Prophet (A.S.).
Allama Mohammed-Ibne-Sa’ad in his famous book Thabaquath (Vol. II, Section 2, pages 51
and 61) relates that during the caliphate of Hazrath Omer once the famous Jew Ka’b-ul-Akbar
(who later embraced Islam) asked of the caliph “Sire! please tell me what were the last words of
the Holy prophet”. The caliph told him to ask Hazrath Ali about it. Ka’b came to him and asked
him the same question. Hazrath Ali replied “during the last moments of the Holy prophet (A.S.)
his head was resting on my shoulder and his words were Namaz, Namaz (prayers, prayers)”. Ka’b
declared “verily last moments of prophets have always been thus, they are ordained for it and
they carry the message even with their last breath”. Then Ka’b went to Hazrath Omer and asked
him “Sire! who performed the abolutions of the body of the Prophet after his death”. The caliph
told him to ask Hazrath Ali about that also. He again came to Hazrath Ali and repeated the ques-
tion. Hazrath Ali replied “The Apostle of God had willed that none but I should perform those
abolutions; because if any other person looked at his naked body he would get blind. A curtain
was hanged and from the other side of the curtain Fazl-Ibne-Abbas and Osama, blind-folded,
were handing over water to me and I was performing the abolutions”.
These facts, that Hazrath Ali was the only person to be with the Holy prophet (A.S.) at his
last moments and to have performed the last rites, are also borne out by the books: (Thazkeray
Khasul A’imma Chap. II page 16, Kunzul Ammal Vol. IV page 55, Musthadrik of Imam Hakim
Vol. III page 139, Riaz-ul-Nazarah, printed in Egypt, page 80 and Mo’jum-e-Kabeer of Thabranee).
After the last abolutions and after shrouding the august body of the Apostle of God as per
his will, first Hazrath Ali performed the ‘Death prayers’ alone and then parties of Muslims came
and offered Death prayers without any leader (Imam). Allama Ibne Abdul Bar in Isthee’ab says
 38
that after Hazrath Ali offered his ‘Death prayers’ alone then Bani Hashim offered the prayers,
then Mohajirs and then Ansars.
Burial of the Holy Prophet (A.S.)
After the death prayers were said. Hazrath Ali, Abbas, Fazl-Ibne-Abbas and Osaama-Ibne-
Zaid got busy with the arrangements of burial of the Apostle of God, and at the request of
Ansars, Aos-ibne-Kholee Ansari who was also a Baderee, was allowed to join them. Osaama dug
the grave in the house of Ummul Momineen Bibi Aiyesha. Aos got into the grave and Hazrath
Ali lifted the august body in hands and lowered it into the grave. He stayed in the grave for
sometime, he was weeping bitterly, Osaama says that “I have never seen Ali weeping like that
before or after this occasion”, and then he came out of the grave and lifting his hands said, “Lord!
he was Thy first creation, his apparent death is not a sign of his mortality, he lifted the gloom
prevailing before the creation started, he was a proof of Thy Glory and Benevolence, he had
come to us from the Realm of Thy Love and Glory, and was our guide towards that Realm. His
soul was the Emblem of Thy Supreme Might, his body was the masterpiece of Thy Creation and
his mind was Thy Treasure house”. Then he closed the grave (Irshad-e-Shaikh Mofeed).
When Ali with Bani Hashim were busy with the last rites of the burial of the Apostle
of God, some Mohajirs and some Ansars gathered at ‘Saqueefa’ and decided that Hazrath
Aboobaker be the first Caliph. Hazrath Ali was asked to accede to this decision. He refused. Abu
Sufyan came to Madina and went to Abbas (uncle of the Holy prophet (A.S.) and told him “these
people have taken away the caliphate from Bani Hashim. You are uncle of the Apostle of God
and oldest among the Quraish, you have been kind to them also, they will accept your lead. Let
you and I swear allegiance to Ali. If anybody opposes us we shall kill him”. They both came to
Ali and Abu Sufyan told him “Ali if you like I shall overflow Madina with infantry and cavalry,
accept our proposal, put out your hand and let us swear the oath of allegiance”. Hearing this
Ali replied “Abu Sufyan! I swear by God the Almighty that you, through this proposal, want to
create serious dissension amongst the Muslims. You have always tried to harm Islam, I do not
need your sympathies and your help”.
A detailed account of this event may be found in:-
1. Tabaree Vol. III pages 202 and 303.
2. Tareekh-e-Khulafa page 45.
3. Kunz-ul-Ammal Vol. III page 140.
Hazrath Ali realized that any serious dissension at this stage would harm the cause of
Islam considerably. He had before him the example of the Holy prophet (A.S.) and treaty of
Hudaibia and had been foretold by the Holy prophet (A.S.) of all that would happen. Allama
Ali-Ibne-Mohammed (630 A.H.) in Asad-ul-Ghaba Fee Thameez-e-Sahaba (Vol. IV page 31) says
“The Holy prophet (A.S.) had told Hazrath Ali your status is like that of Ka’aba. People (Muslim)
go to Ka’aba but that august house never approaches anybody. Therefore after my death if
people come to you and swear the oath of allegiance you accept it and if they do not come to you
then you do not go to them”.
Allama Shaikh Abdul Haq Mohaddis Dehlavi in Madarej-ul-Naboovath (Vol. II page 511)
says that the Holy prophet had advised Hazrath Ali “after me you will have to face extremes of
suffering, do not get disheartened and do not lose patience; and when you find people craving
for and trying their utmost to secure worldly power and wealth you mould your life for the
Hereafter”.
 39
Hazrath Ali loved Islam as intensely as the Holy prophet (A.S.) had loved it, he could not,
therefore, for the sake of worldly kingdom endanger Islam. He fully well knew that a civil war at
that stage would give chances to the Jew clans of Bani Nazir and Bani Khareza on one side and
the Christian tribes of Najran and Syria supported by the Byzantine armies on the other, and
the Munafiqueen (hypocrites) and fresh converts on the third to simply take advantage of the
situation. When they would find the Muslims busy killing each other they would literarily cut
them to pieces and Islam would totally disappear as a messenger of peace. He wanted the Arabs
to remain in the fold of Islam even with the desires of making their worldly position good, and
wanted the enemies of Islam to realize that Islam was powerful enough to defend itself even after
the sad demise of the Apostle of the Lord. Therefore, he was willing to accept every wrong for
the Islam and to retire to seclusion of his house. The advice he gave to his uncle Abbas is to be
found in Nahjul Balagha wherein he told him not to join the turmoil.
According to the famous Arab philosopher, mathematician and physician Ave Sena (Bu Ali
Sena) Hazrath Ali and Holy Quran were the two miracles of Mohammed (A.S.), the Apostle of
God. Life of Hazrath Ali at every stage was a mirror-like reflection of the life of the Holy prophet
(A.S.). The days of Bader, Ohad, Khyber, and Hunain were not long passed and their hero still had
the same courage, valour, bravery and strength with him, he could have jumped at the proposal
of Abu Sufyan. But had he done so he would not have been Ali-ibne-Abu Talib, the man “who
loved God and His apostle and was loved by God and His apostle”. (Me’araj-ul-Naboovath).
DEATH OF FATIMA
But, unfortunately, his feelings were not reciprocated. Following books give an account
of very serious events which happened at Hazrath Ali’s refusal to accede to the decision of
Saqueefa:-
1. Tabari Vol. III page 198.
2. Aqd-ul-Fareed of Ibne Abd-e-Rubbaho, Vol. II page 179, printed in Egypt.
3. History of Abul Fida Vol. I page 156 printed in Egypt.
4. Kitabul Imamuth-wo-Siyasuth of Allama Ibne Quateeba Vol. I page 20, printed in Egypt
(this book gives a very detailed account).
5. Morravej-ul-Zahab Musoodee page 159.
6. Millal-wo-Nahal of Shahristany Vol. 1 page 25 printed in Bombay, India.
7. Al-Farooq of Shibli Noamani, printed in India.
8. Ibne Abil Hadeed in commentary of Nahjul Balagha.
What one could gather, from various accounts which these books have given, is a sad and
pathetic episode. It appears that though Hazrath Ali had decided to retire to the seclusion of
his house not to take any part in power-politics yet his house was burnt down on the head of
his family, and either the burning door or a hard hit from the hilt of a sword or a heavy push
or all together broke the ribs and hand of Hazrath Fatima (daughter of the Holy Prophet (A.S.))
and caused her such a serious injury that the baby she was carrying was a still birth. Allama
Shahristany in Millal-wo-Nahal (Vol. I page 25) says that there was nobody in the house but
Ali, Fatima and their Children (who were between the ages of 4 to 8). Apparently the assault
was sudden and unexpected, nobody was ready for it. The resulting confusion could be better
imagined than narrated. The Lady of the house was seriously hurt, and had fainted, the house
was full of smoke, the children were frightened. Ali was attending to his wounded wife and
suffocating children when he was overpowered and dragged from the house. Later Hazrath
 40
Fatima was refused her heritage. The physical injury and the mental shock laid her low and after
a short illness she passed away on the 14th of Jamadi-ul-Awwal, 11 A.H. She was buried in the
dead of the night. Besides Bani Hashim only following companions of the Holy prophet (A.S.)
attended her funeral: - Sulman, Abuzar, Ammar and Miqdad. Before her death she had expressed
her sufferings in a poem, a verse of which has come down in the Arabic language as a proverb.
She says “so many sufferings have descended upon me that if they had descended upon bright
days they would have been turned into dark nights”.
The account of the last day of her life clearly show what kind of a Lady was this daughter
of the Holy prophet (A.S.). She told the household that she was feeling better, the pain in her ribs
and in her hand was not so severe and that her fever had come down. Then she started bathing
the children, immediately Ali and Fizza came to her assistance. She got those children bathed,
dressed and fed, then sent them away to her cousin. Then she called Hazrath Ali to her side and
said “Ali, my dear husband! you know very well why I did all that. Please excuse my fussiness,
they have suffered so much with me and during my illness that I want to see them happy on the
last day of my life. Yes, Ali! you know also that this is the last day of my life, I am happy and also
I am sad. Happy I am that my troubles will shortly be over and I shall meet my father and sorry
I am to part with you. Please, Ali! make a note of what I say and do as I wish you to do. After me
you may marry anybody you like but you must marry my cousin Yamama, she loves my children
and Hussain is very much attached to her. Let Fizza remain with you even after her marriage, if
she so desires, she was more than a mere servant to me. I loved her like my daughter. Ali! bury
me in the night and do not let those who have been so cruel to me attend my burial, let my death
do not dishearten you, you have to serve Islam and humanity for a long time to come. Let not my
sufferings embitter your life, promise me Ali”. Hazrath Ali said “yes Fatima I promise”.
“Ali”! she continued “I know how you love my children but be very careful of Hussain. He
loves me dearly and will miss me sadly, be a mother unto him. Till my recent illness he used to
sleep on my chest, he is already missing it”. Ali was caressing the broken hand, his hot and big
tears dropped on her hand. She looked up and said “Do not weep Ali! I know with a rough out-
ward appearance what a tender heart you possess. You have already borne too much and will
have to bear more. Farewell my lord, Farewell my dear husband, Farewell Ali! Say Good-bye to
me”. Sorrow had choked Ali, his words were mixed with his tears, he said “Good-bye Fatima”.
Hearing this she said “May the Merciful Lord help you to bear these sorrows and sufferings
patiently. Now let me be alone with my God”. Saying this she turned towards her prayers-carpet
and prostrated before God. When after a little time Hazrath Ali entered the room he found her
still in prostration but the soul had departed to join her Holy Father in the Realm of His Grace,
Mercy and Might. She died very young as Hazrath Ali says “A flower nibbed in the bud, it was
from Junnath (the Heaven) and it went to Junnath, but has left its fragrance in my mind”.
FROM 12th A. H. to 24th A. H.
Thence onward till 35 A.H. Hazrath Ali led a very retired life. In the beginning he spent
his days in compiling the Holy Quran in the chronological order of chapters and verses as they
were revealed to the Holy prophet (A.S.), he presented this to Muslims, but when its acceptance
was refused, he advised his companions to accept this Holy Book as compiled officially, saying
that his compilation would not be seen by anybody, so that there might not come into existence
more than one version of the Quran and might not create doubts about the authenticity of this
august book.
 41
When Abu Sufiyan found that Hazrath Ali was not paying attention to him he tried to get
in the good books of the government and his eldest son Yazid was appointed as the Governor of
Syria and on his death his brother Moavia was appointed on the same post.
During the caliphate of Hazrath Aboobaker and more often during the time of Hazrath
Omer whenever Ali’s advice was asked for, he like a true Muslim, offered his sincere advice.
Though Bani Hashim were never given any post or place of honour with the government
yet Ali did not mind this indifference and whenever a serious problem arose and his counsel was
sought he cooperated whole heartedly.
The Spirit of Islam says that “From the commencement of the Islamic preaching, Hazrath
Ali had extended the utmost consideration and friendship to the conquered. After the battle of
Quadesia, Ali used to devote his share of prize money to redemption of captives, and repeatedly
with his counsels and persuasive interference he induced Hazrath Omer to lighten the burden
of subjects and captives”.
Imam Hakim in Musthadrik and Kamil Ibne Aseer in his history say that till the year 17
A.H. no era was fixed by the Muslims to designate their years. Sometimes Aam-ul-Feel (year of
Abysinian invasion of Mecca) was considered as the beginning of era, at other times the battle
of Fujjar (a pre-Islamic encounter between Arab clans), while with some year of repairs carried
on to Ka’aba was considered the year to mark the era. When this confusion was brought to the
notice of Hazrath Omer, he asked the advice of Hazrath Ali, who told him to begin the Muslim
era from the year of the Hijrath (emigration of the Holy Prophet, A.S.) to Madina.
People went to Hazrath Omer, saying that a lot of jewels and valuable articles and
attachments are in Ka’aba; if this could be converted into currency and be used for arming
the armies it would prove a very useful asset. When Hazrath Ali’s advice was sought he said
“These articles were there during the times of the Holy prophet (A.S.) but he did not touch them.
Though Muslims were poorer then than now, and though they were more in need of arms and
mounts than you are in need of, yet the Holy prophet (A.S.) did not make use of these ornaments
for such purposes. It shows that the Apostle of God did not appreciate such appreciation. You
also do not do it”. Hearing this Hazrath Omer said “O Ali! had you not been here we would have
suffered a disgrace”. (Rabi-ul-Abrar of Allama Zamakhshari)
On the occasion of the invasion of Rome when Hazrath Omer sought his counsel as to the
advisability of heading the army as the Commander-in-Chief, he advised him to be at the helm
and to send some experienced general as a commander. This advice is narrated in a sermon in
Nahjul Balagha. Similarly at the time of invasion of Persia he counselled the caliph Omer not to
leave the capital and to send somebody else.
The books Izalathul Khifa (subject II page 268 and 269), Riaz-e-Nuzarah Vol II pages 194 to
197), Musnad-e-Imam Ahmed Vol. II page 231 (Margin), Musthadrik Imam Hakim Vol. I pages
458 to 460, Ishtheab-e-Allama Abdul Bar Vol. II page 474 and Ahya-ul-Oloom of Imam Ghizali),
cite several such cases where his counsel was asked for and he sincerely gave his advice.
Only one case I want to relate which shows in what high esteem Ali held the value of the
knowledge acquired, collected and preserved by man in the fields of philosophy, science, history,
geography and ethics.
Following authors give a detailed account of the famous Library of Iskunderia (Alexandria)
in Egypt:-
1. Quazi Abdul Quasim Sa’d-ibne-Ahmed-e-Ondlesee (462 A.H.) in Tabquath-ul-Omum
 42
2. Haji Khalifa Chulpee in Kushf-ul-Zonoon Vol. I, preface, page 24, printed in Egypt.
3. The famous biographers Ibne Nadeem in Alfahrist page 334, printed in Egypt.
4. The historian Jamal-ud-Din, known as, Ibne-ul-Quftee in Akhbar-ul-Olama-wo-Akhbar-
ul-Hukama, pages 232 and 233, printed in Egypt and at Leipzieg (Germany).
5. Imam Hafiz-ud-din Mohammed-ibne-Mohammed-ibne-Shahal, known as Ibnul Buzzaz-
ul-Koormi (827 A.H.) in Kitab-ul-Imam-ul-A’zam Vol. I, page 37, printed at Hyderabad (Dn) India.
6. Allama Ahmed-ibne-Mustafa, known as, Tash-ul-Kubra Zada (962 A.H.) in Miftah-ul-
Sa’dath and Misbah-ul-Seyaduth Vol. I, page 241, printed in Hyderabad (Dn) India.
They are unanimous in saying that there was a fairly large Library at Iskundria in Egypt. It
contained between five to seven thousand books on papyri leaves and parchments, a very large
Library indeed when compared with the standard of literacy and Education of those days.
It contained books on chemistry, astronomy, irrigation, engineering, physics, philosophy
and on various religions etc.
When Omer-ibne-Aas conquered Egypt, he enquired as to what was to be done with those
books. Orders were issued from the Centre that “if these books are according to the Holy Quran
(i.e. they say the same things which this Holy book has said) then we do not need them and if
they say anything contrary to the Holy Quran then we do not want them. Therefore, in any case
they ought to be burnt”. (Akhbar-ul-Olama-wo-Akhbar Hukama of Ibn-ul-Quftee pages 232 and
233, printed at Cairo and Liepzieg).
The history of Mohammed-ibne-Abdahoo edited by Allama Rasheed Raza, Editor, Alminar,
Cairo, (Egypt) Vol. I page 535, the Tabquath-ul-Omum of Shahri Quazi Sa’ed Ondelesee as well
as Ayath-e-Biayuth of Mohsen-ul-Mulk say that when Hazrath Ali heard the news of this,
he tried to pursue them to refrain from issuing such order. He told them “These books are
treasures of knowledge and they cannot say anything against the Holy Quran, on the contrary,
the knowledge contained therein would act as commentaries of this Holy Book and would as-
sist and help in further explanations of the knowledge as presented by the Holy prophet (A.S.).
Knowledge is an asset for human-beings and a birth right of man. It should not be destroyed”.
Akhbar-ul-Olama further states that his suggestion was not accepted and those books were
distributed among one thousand hot water-baths of Alexandria to be burnt as fire wood.
From 11 A.H. to 33 A.H.
At his death Hazrath Aboobaker nominated Hazrath Omer as his successor to the
caliphate and Hazrath Omer on his death had appointed a board of six members to select his
successor; the board consisted of (1) Abdul Rehman ibne Oaf, (2) Sa’ad ibne Abi Waqquas
(3) Hazrath Oosman-ibne-Afan (4) Talha Ibne-Abdullah (5) Zubair ibne-Awan and (6) Hazrath
Ali-ibne-Abu Talib. The terms of reference for this council were:-
1. If they unanimously select a person he will be designated as the caliph.
2. If there is no unanimity, then that person will be caliph for whom Abdul Rehman ibne-
Oaf and his party vote.
3. If any five of them agree on one man and the sixth disagrees then the dissenter should
be immediately killed.
4. If any four of them agree on one man and the two disagree then those two should be
killed.
5. If there is equal division then the casting-vote would be that of Abdullah-ibne-Omer
(his son). Abdul Rehman-ibne-Oaf was cousin of Hazrath Oosman and husband of the aunt
 43
of Sa’ad-ibne-Abi-Vaqquas and Zubair was son-in-law of Hazrath Aboobaker-e-Siddiq. Abdul
Rehman-ibne-Oaf declared that he is not standing as a candidate to the caliphate.
(Refer Kitabul Imamuth-wo-Siasuth of Mohammed ibne-Muslim-ibne-Quatheeba-e-
Daynoori (270 A.H.) page 26 and History of Ibne Khuladoon, second part pages 134 to 136,
printed in Egypt).
In the council opinions were equally divided in favor of Hazrath Ali and Hazrath Oosman.
Abdul Rehman-ibne-Oaf asked Hazrath Ali “If you are selected as a caliph do you promise that
you will act according to the Holy Quran and the traditions and orders of the Holy prophet (A.S.)
and according to the rulings and decisions of the previous two caliphs”? Hazrath Ali replied “So
far as the Holy Quran and the orders and traditions of the Holy prophet (A.S.) are concerned
I agree to abide by them and follow them faithfully and sincerely, but so far as the rulings and
decisions of the previous two caliphs are concerned if these are according to the Holy Book
and the traditions of the Holy prophet (A.S.) who could dare refuse them and if they are against
the orders of God or the Holy prophet (A.S.) who would dare accept and follow them. I refuse
to bind myself with those rulings and decisions. I shall act according to my knowledge and my
discretion”.
Then Abdul Rehman asked the same question of Hazrath Oosman. He agreed not only
to act according to the Holy Quran and the traditions of the Holy prophet (A.S.) but also to
implicitly follow the rulings and the decisions of the previous two caliphs. Then Abdul Rehman
declared that Hazrath Oosman is selected as a caliph. (Refer 1. Tabari Vol. V pages 35 to 38; Vol.
16 page 590; 2. Ibne-Khaladoon page 134 to 136; 3. Abul Fida page 349; 4. Rozath-ul-Safa Vol. 2
page 98).
1st Muharrum 24 A.H.
Justice Syed Ameer Ali in his book A Short History Of The Saracen, page 46, says “that the
choice of electorate fell upon Oosman, a member of the Ummaiyides family. (First Moharrum
24 A.H. (The 7th November 644 A.D.), his election proved in the end the ruin of Islam. He
fell at once under the influence of his clan. He was guided entirely by his secretary and
son-in-law Marwan, who had once been expelled by the prophet for the breach of trust. With his
usual patriotism and devotion to the faith, Ali gave his adhesion to Oosman as soon as he was
elected. Oosman displaced most of the lieutenants employed by Omer and appointed in their
stead incompetent and worthless members of his own family. The weakness of the center and
the wickedness of the favorites was creating a great ferment among the people. Loud complaints
of exaction and oppression by the governors began pouring into the capital. Ali pleaded and
expostulated several times with the caliph the manner in which he allowed the government to
fall into the hands of the unworthy favourites but Oosman under the influence of his evil genius
Marwan paid no heed to these counsels”. Twice Hazrath Ali was asked to leave Madina and to
go to a village near it and twice he was called back to intervene between the ruler and the ruled,
in few sermons in Nahjul Balagha he has related these facts. To continue the version of the Short
History of the Saracen “At last a deputation from the provinces arrived in Madina to demand
redress. They were sent back with promises. On their way home they intercepted a letter of
Marwan, purporting to bear the seal of the caliph, containing directions to the local governors
to behead the leaders of the deputation on their arrival at their destinations. Furious at this
treachery, they returned to Madina and demanded the surrender of Marwan. And this demand
was enforced even by members of the house of Ummaiya (Masudi in Moravej-ul-Zahab). The
 44
ill-fated Oosman met this demand with stern refusal. Enraged at what they believed to be the
complicity of the caliph, they besieged him at his home”. (A short history of the Saracen, pages
47 and 48)
Narrating the details of the siege and the murder, Tarikh Khamese (Vol. II pages 261 and
262), Tarikh Khulafa-e-Seyothee (page 108), Moravej-ul-Zahab of Masudi and Riaz-ul-Nazarah
(Vol. II page 125), say that at this hour of peril, the Ummaiyides deserted the old chief and some
fled towards Syria and that Moavia though ordered by the caliph did not come to his help, on the
contrary, the contingent which he sent to Madina came under instructions to stop and stay at a
place thirty miles away from Madina and wait for further orders which never arrived until the
caliph was killed, and then the contingent was called back. But Hazrath Ali sent water and food
to the caliph during the siege and later as per his orders Hazrath Oosman was bravely defended
by his sons and dependents, and the insurgents had great difficulty in making any impression
on the defenders; therefore on the 18th Zilhij 34 A.H. some of these besiegers scaled a wall of a
neighbour’s house, entered the house of the caliph and killed him inside his house.
The people who were furious against the caliph were:-
1. Talha: He played an important role in the siege and the stoppage of water. He was
commanding the group of the people who were bent upon killing Hazrath Oosman
and on that account Marwan killed him in the battle of Jamal. (Tabari vol. VI page 154,
Kamil-ibne-Aseer Vol. IV page 70, Ibne Khaldoon Vol. II page 397). And this very Talha
later came out as the avenger of murder of the caliph and carried on the propaganda that
Hazrath Ali was responsible for this murder. He was one of the chief instigators of the
battle of Jamal. He had insinuated people to kill Hazrath Oosman with the hope of
succeeding to the caliphate, and when he was frustrated in it he instigated a revolt against
Hazrath Ali. (Refer Note to sermon 179 of Nahjul Balagha)
2. Zubair ibne Awan: He was enemy number one of the caliph (Musthadrik of Imam
Hakim Vol. III page 118, Kitab-ul-Imamath wo Siyasuth Vol. VI page 58, Moravej-ul-Zahab
of Masudi Vol. II page 11). Later Zubair with motives like those of Talha staged a revolt
against Ali and was the prime mover for the battle of Jamal. In the battle-field of Jamal
when Hazrath Ali reminded him of the orders given to him by the Holy prophet (A.S.)
about Hazrath Ali, he left the battle-field and was riding away to Madina when he was
killed by Omer-ibne-Jerneoze, who was neither in Hazrath Ali’s army nor his companion.
Hazrath Ali felt sad at Zubair’s death, and said “though he later turned into a bitter enemy
of mine yet in early days of Islam he was a good defender of the cause of religion.” (Refer
Note to sermon 12)
3. Omer-ibne-Aas: He was the third bitter enemy of Hazrath Oosman. Tabari gives a
detailed account of the way he insulted the caliph in the mosque, and says “That nobody
was more pleased at the murder of Hazrath Oosman than Omer-ibne-Aas”. The reason was
that he had been deposed from the governorship of Egypt by the third caliph. Later this
Omer joined Moavia as a claimant for retribution of the murder of Hazrath Oosman.
When the events from the year 11 A.H. to 34 A.H. were molding their course Hazrath
Ali took no part in the affairs of the state. In the words of the history of Saracen “He was
endeavouring in Madina to give an intellectual turn to the newly developed energy of the
Saracenic race. In the public mosque at Madina he delivered weekly lectures on philosophy,
logic, history, explanation of the traditions of the Holy prophet (A.S.) and the verses of the Holy
 45
Quran as well as on Muslim law and rhetorics. Thus he formed the nucleus of the intellectual
movement which displayed itself in such great force in the later days”. Those lectures and
sermons were compiled within forty years of his death by Zaid Ibne Wahab-e-Jehny (Rijal-ul-
Kabeer). Many of them were lost, but some of them are preserved in Nahjul Balagha (Masudi).
34 A.H. to 40 A.H.
Five days after the death of caliph Oosman, by a unanimous election in which
representatives from Basra, Koofa, Egypt and Hijaz took part, Hazrath Ali was elected as a
caliph. This took place on the 24th Zilhij 34 A.H.
Eric Schroeder in “Mohammad’s people”, printed in England 1955, says “Five days after
the murder of caliph Oosman, the people gathered together and decided: ‘We know no fitter
man to be Imam than Ali but he will not take the burden of Immamate’. Answered some ‘press
him home till he consents’. They all gathered at Ali’s house with such eagerness that they
were pushing and crushing each other, they called Ali out, and said: ‘If we go our homes again
without an Imam and a caliph such a strife will stir as will never again be stilled, you will have to
consent to be our Imam and caliph of God’. Ali replied ‘small longings have I for this authority,
yet the believers must have a chief; and right gladly will I accept temporal authority of another
of Talha’. ‘Nay thou hast more right than I’ said Talha. One who stood by forced open Ali’s palm
and Talha swore oath of allegiance to Ali. Zubair did the like and from his house they brought
Ali to the mosque and everybody once again thronged round him to swear the oath of allegiance
to him as their Imam and caliph”.
The Spirit of Islam says “It might have been thought that all would submit themselves
before the glory; so fine and so grand. But it was not to be, Zubair and Talha, who had hoped that
the choice of people might fall on either of them for caliphate balked in their ambitious design
and smarting under the refusal of the new caliph to bestow on them the Governorship of Basra
and Koofa, were the first to raise the standard of revolt. They were assisted by Ummul Momineen
Bibi Aiyesha, who had taken a decisive part in the former elections. She was the life and soul
of the insurrection and herself accompanied the insurgent troops to the field riding a camel. Ali
with his characteristic aversion to bloodshed sent his cousin Abdullah-ibne-Abbas to adjure the
insurgents by every obligation of the faith to abandon the arbitrement of war, but to no avail.
Zubair and Talha gave battle at a place called Khoraiba and were defeated and killed. The battle
is called the battle of Jamal (camel) - from Bibi Aiyesha’s presence in a litter on a camel. Bibi
Aiyesha was taken prisoner, was treated with courtesy and consideration and escorted with
every mark of respect to Madina. She was sent under escort of her brother Mohammed-ibne-
Aboobaker”. (Refer; Asam-e-Koofi, page 147; Tabari Vol. IV pages 548 to 565; Roazath-ul-Safa
Vol. II; Tarikh-e-Zahbi pages 1-21; Abul Fida pages 518 to 520).
After the battle when Ummul Momineen Bibi Aiyesha felt that though she had brought
about this insurgence yet Hazrath Ali was treating her with utmost courtesy and kindness she
requested that her nephew Abdullah-ibne-Zubair, who had been commander-in-chief of the
rebel forces and was taken prisoner, to be forgiven and freed. Hazrath Ali granted the request.
Marwan got nervous and thought that two worst enemies of Hazrath Ali (Talha and Zubair)
were killed, one (Abdullah Ibne-Zubair) was excused and pardoned, the burden of vengeance
might fall upon him. He requested Imam Hassan and Imam Hussain to plead for his cause,
they requested for his pardon and he was also pardoned (years afterwards the very same
Marwan made his archers shoot arrows on the dead body and bier of Imam Hassan and later he
 46
persuaded the governor of Madina, though unsuccessfully, to immediately kill Imam Hussain on
his refusal to accept Yazid as the caliph). Then an order for general amity, peace and forgiveness
was issued, every opponent was forgiven and every prisoner was released. (Masud-e-Zahbi page
28)
Hazrath Ali’s officers and commanders in this battle, besides his sons Imam Hassan,
Imam Hussain and Mohammed-e-Hanafia, were the following companions of the Holy prophet
(A.S.): 1) Abdullah-ibne-Abbas, 2) Ammar-e-Yasir, 3) Abu Ayoob-e-Ansari, 4) Hazima-ibne-
Sabith (for whom the Holy prophet (A.S.) had said that his sole testimony would be equal to
the testimony of two witnesses), 5) Quais-ibne-Sa’ad-ibne-Abbada, 6) Obaidullah-ibne-Abbas,
7) Mohammed-ibne-Aboobaker-e-Siddiq, 8) Hajr-ibne-Addi-e-Kundi, 9) Addi-ibne-Hatim Thaaee.
The victory gave Ali time to consolidate his kingdom in Hijaz, Iraq and Egypt. And
according to Masudi with the honesty of purpose which always distinguished him, he
disregarded all advices for temporising. Several of his advisers counselled him to defer the
dismissal of the corrupt officers previously appointed until he was himself sure against all
enemies, but this hero without fear and without reproach refused to be guilty of any duplicity
or compromise with injustice and inequity. Therefore, immediately after his accession he had
given orders for the dismissal of corrupt and tyrannous governors, for the resumption of fiefs
and states which had been previously bestowed at public loss among the principle favourites
of the rulers, and for the equal distribution of the public revenues amongst the Arabs and non-
Arabs, blacks and whites, masters and slaves, heads of clan and paupers.
These orders gave great offence to those who had enriched themselves under former
administrations, and his endeavours to remedy the evils, which had crept into administration,
raised against him host of enemies. No sooner the rebellion of Talha and Zubair was supressed
Moavia, an Ummaiyid by descent, who had held the governorship of Syria from the time of
Hazrath Omer, raised the standard of revolt.
Abu Sufyan, his son Moavia and his clan Bani Ummaiya had little sympathy and no faith
in Islam. Masudi, in Murravej-ul-Zuhab Vol. VI, says that when Abu Sufyan had grown old and
blind, he was sitting in the mosque and there were Hazrath Ali, Abdullah-ibne-Abbas and many
other Muslims besides them. The Moazzin (the man who calls for prayers) started Azan (the
invitation for prayers) and he reached the part ‘I testify that Mohammed (A.S.) is the prophet of
God’. Abu Sufyan said ‘look at my cousin, meaning the Holy prophet (A.S.), where he has placed
his name’. Hazrath Ali got annoyed and said that it was done by the order of God. Tareekh
(history) Khamees Vol. II page 97, printed in Egypt says that Abu Sufyan advised Bani Ummaiya
to treat the caliphate like a ball and to pass it on from one to another of their clan and never
let the ball go out of their possession because “I swear that there is neither punishment nor
judgement, neither the Heaven nor the Hell, and neither the Resurrection nor the day of
Reckoning”. His son and his clan accepted his teachings, followed his faith, adopted his advice
and obeyed his orders.
In the very beginning Moavia had made fools of Talha and Zubair. According to Ibne Abil
Hadeed when Moavia learnt that people had sworn the oath of allegiance to Hazrath Ali, he
wrote to Zubair that he had taken oath of allegiance for him and for Talha as his successor. The
whole of Syria was ready to back them, and they should try to overthrow Hazrath Ali’s regime
and accept the caliphate which was awaiting them in Damascus (Refer Note to Sermon No. 12 of
Nahjul Balagha). Thus exciting these two old men he got Hazrath Ali busy with their rebellion
 47
and secured time to make his government more powerful in Syria.
Talha and Zubair by their rebellion had done a great service to his cause but they were
no more in the world to serve his purpose any longer, he therefore, gathered around him
Mogheera-ibne-Shoaba (who had originally tried to approach Hazrath Ali but was repulsed
by him), Marwan-ibne-Kahum, Waleed-ibne-Aquaba, Abdullah-ibne-Omer, Abu Hurayra and
Omer-ibne-Aas. His best find was Omer-ibne-Aas. Though Moavia had to pay a heavy price
(governorship of Egypt and more than 10 Lacs of Dinars) to purchase the fidelity and faith of
this Omer, yet the later events proved that it was the best investment that Moavia had made
in his life. He also collected proofs that Ziad-ibne-Abihay was actually the son of Abu Sufyan
(born in sin) and not the son of a slave Obaid. This change of fatherhood was officially (though
shamelessly) proclaimed and Ziad proudly became the natural brother of Moavia. He proved
himself to be a man without conscience, without remorse, without faith in Islam and without
any consideration of human rights, but a very useful ally to Moavia. He was Moavia’s second
best find. Histories of Tabari, Roazath-ul-Safa, A’asum-e-Koofi, Moravejuz-ul-Zuhab, Abul
Fida, Kamil-ibne-Aseer may be referred for details of the above mentioned facts. With these
henchmen at his back Moavia staged a revolt against Hazrath Ali.
After settling Chaldea and Mesopatenisce Hazrath Ali was forced to march towards Syria
to face Moavia’s forces at a place called Siffeen. The books noted above and Simon D. Aucklay
in the History of the Saracens give a detailed account of this battle which was long drawn one.
Tabari Vol. VI page 577, Roazath-ul-Safa Vol. II page 425, Abul Fida page 425 narrate in
details the orders issued by Hazrath Ali to his officers and soldiers before the battle. As these
orders give a clear indication of the principles and methods laid down by Hazrath Ali as to how
Jehad (Holy War) should be carried on, I have briefly copied them here:-
1. Never begin a war yourself, God does not like blood-shed, fight only in defense.
2. Never be first to attack your enemy, repulse his attacks, but do it boldly, bravely and
courageously.
3. While declaring yourself and your deeds (Rajuz, a custom amongst hand to hand
combatants) never waste your time, and instead of speaking about yourself speak about
God and the Holy prophet (A.S.).
4. Never follow and kill those who run away from the battle or an encounter, life is dear to
them, let them live as long as death permits them to live.
5. Never kill wounded persons who cannot defend themselves.
6. Never strip naked a dead man for his coat of arms or dress.
7. Never cut nose or ears of dead men to humiliate them.
8. Never take to loot and arson.
9. Never molest or outrage the modesty of a woman.
10. Never hurt a woman even if she swears at you or hurts you.
11. Never hurt a child.
12. Never hurt an old or an enfeebled person.
This battle started on the 1st Safar 38 A.H. and lasted for more than two months. During
this period about 18 encounters took place.
“In the beginning with his usual humanity Hazrath Ali endeavoured to bring about a
peaceful settlement. But Moavia was inflated with pride and wanted impossible conditions. To
avoid unnecessary shedding of blood, Hazrath Ali offered to end the quarrel by personal combat,
 48
but Moavia realizing who and what Hazrath Ali was, declined the challenge. In spite of every
exasperation Hazrath Ali commanded the troops to await the enemy’s attack, to spare the
fugitives and to respect the captives”. During the encounters once Omer-ibne-Aas and at other
time Busr-ibne-Artath faced Hazrath Ali in the battlefield. They did not, until the encounter
started realize that the warrior facing them was Hazrath Ali. One blow was sufficient to send
them down from their horses. When they found no way of escaping his sword immediately each
one of them in his turn stripped himself naked and fell down turning their faces towards the
earth and backs towards the sky. Both the armies laughed at those life-saving antics and some-
body suggested Hazrath Ali to kill these arch enemies of him. In the case of Omer-Ibne-Aas he
replied “I cannot kill timid dogs, he has begged for his life though in a shameless and humiliating
manner, yet it is granted to him”. And when Busr-Ibne-Artath behaved in the same manner he
said “I cannot dirty my arms with the blood of such a cowardly and shameless person”.
These rebels were defeated in three successive battles and Moavia was ready to fly from
the field, when a trick of his accomplice Omer-ibne-Aas saved them from destruction. He made
his mercenaries tear the Holy Quran into so many pages and to tie those pages to their lances
and flags and shout for quarters. When even such pages were not available mere rags were
tied to the lances. There were some persons in the army of Hazrath Ali who were bribed by
Moavia, for instance, Ashas-ibne-Quais etc. and as per orders of Omer-ibne-Aas they and their
soldiers desisted from the battle and forced other soldiers to desist from it. They gathered around
Hazrath Ali and called upon him to refer the dispute to arbitration. Hazrath Ali saw through the
ruse practiced by the rebels, and tried to make his soldiers realize it, but the clamour of the army
led him to consent to the course granted. He then wanted Abdullah-ibne-Abbas to represent his
side in the arbitration, but again a part of the army, under instigation of Ashas demanded that
“a weak and old man, named Abu Moosa Ashari, who was also secretly hostile to Hazrath Ali
(The History of the Saracen) be nominated as an arbitrator from this side”. There was immediate
danger of serious factions arising in his own army, which might have developed in bloodshed,
therefore Hazrath Ali acceded to the demand and Abu Moosa was appointed as an arbitrator.
Moavia was represented by the astute and cunning Omer-ibne-Aas. They both decided against
Hazrath Ali, who deprived of the fruits of victories by a section of his soldiers and faithless
officers, retired in disgust with a part of his army and faithful followers to Koofa.
In the battle of Siffeen one of the famous companions of the Holy prophet (A.S.) Ammar-e-
Yasir and another great favourite of the Holy prophet Ovase-e-Qurrani, fought for Hazrath Ali
and were killed in the battle.
The men who had been, with ulterior motives, most clamorous at Siffeen for the reference
to arbitration, when felt that their hopes could not be realized, repudiated the arbitration and
denounced it as sinful. They openly mutinied against Hazrath Ali (therefore they were called
Kharijites). From Koofa they withdrew to a place called Nahrwan, which was on the border of
the desert. There they assumed threatening attitude, killed some officers of the government and
many respectable men as well as many women and children. They refused to hear reasonable
advice, to join duty or to return home. Their conduct at last became so serious that Hazrath Ali
was forced to attack them at Nahrwan, that encounter is called the battle of Nahrwan. The
majority fell fighting, a few escaped to Bahrain and Ahsa, where they formed the nucleus of a
fanatical horde which later assumed various names and adopted various guises.
Abu Moosa had also retired to Madina where he subsequently received a handsome yearly
 49
pension from the court of Moavia. (Refer: Tabari, Abul Fida, Assum-e-Koofi, Raozath-ul-Safa,
Mooravej-ul-Zahab, Kamil-ibne-Aseer and the Short History of the Saracen).
From the day of ascension to the rulership to the last day of his life Hazrath Ali did not get
a day’s rest and peace. It is a wonder, that facing the heavy odds that he had to encounter, how
and when he could get time to introduce reforms in the government; to layout fundamentals of
grammar for Arabic language, to deliver sermons on theology, on rhetorics, on philosophy of
religion, on wonders of creation and nature, and on duties of man to God and man; to advise
people in the most persuasive style to supress the tendencies for innovation and schism, which
had crept in the minds of Muslims, or to introduce and to bring into effect principles of a benign
government.
After dealing with the revolt of Kharijites Hazrath Ali had to face the problem of
consolidating his control over Egypt. He had sent Quais-Ibne-Sa’ad as a governor there, but had
to call him back and to send Mohammed-ibne-Aboobaker-e-Siddiq in his stead. Unfortunately
Mohammed though brave and sincere was no match to Moavia and Omer-ibne-Aas. He was
forced by Moavia for a battle. He wrote to Hazrath Ali who sent Malik-Ibne-Ashter for his help.
But Malik could not reach Egypt, he was on the way poisoned by a henchman of Moavia and
he died. (Tabari Vol IV page 521). Mohammed was informed of this fact. That young man faced
Omer-Ibne-Aas alone, was defeated in the encounter, was killed, and by the orders of Moavia his
dead body was burnt and his ashes were strewn (Tabari Vol. IV page 592). Hazrath Ali’s words
at the news of death of Mohammed show how he loved the young man and how the youth loved
him. After him Hazrath Ali had to send some experienced officer to Egypt. He therefore was
busy with that problem when Moavia organized bands of guerrillas with orders for loot, murder,
arson and rape. These bands were to attack, in the form of waves after waves the provinces of
Hijaz, Basra, Ra’ay, Mosul and Harath. Hazrath Ali organized defenses of these provinces,
defeated these bands and freed the country from their harassment.
It was very easy for Hazrath Ali to divert the minds of masses towards foreign invasion
and thus make them busy in murder and plunder. It had always been done by rulers and is even
today considered as the best form of employing energies of a rising nation as well as the easiest
way to form Empire and to propagate religion. But Hazrath Ali hated bloodshed, did not believe
in Imperialism, and had no faith in propagation of religion with sword in one hand and the
Quran in the other. He believed Islam to be a message of Peace and Love and wanted mankind
to be ruled on the basis of equity and justice. Therefore after strengthening one province after
another and fortifying their defenses he got busy in introducing reforms to create a benign
temporal state and never seriously thought of expanding his domain.
By the time he got complete control over those problems and could organize an army to
liberate Syria and Egypt from the reign of terror which had held them in its sway, the fateful
month of Ramazan 40 A.H. arrived.
40th A. H.
It was the 19th of the Ramazan, the month of fasting of that eventful year. The time was that
of morning prayers. The place was the mosque of Koofa. Hazrath Ali had arrived in the mosque
long before the time of the prayers, had roused those who were sleeping in the mosque. Amongst
them was Abdul Rehman-ibne-Muljim-e-Muradi. He was lying on his face and had hidden under
his garment a sword, the blade of which had been poisoned. Hazrath Ali roused him, told him
that it was an unhealthy way of sleeping, it hinders free breathing, and also told him that he
 50
had hidden a sword in his garment and an evil intention in his mind. Hazrath Ali then called the
Muslims to morning prayers and led the service. It was the first part of the prayers and he was
rising from the kneeling posture when the sword of Abdul Rehman-ibne-Muljim descended on
his head. It was the same sword that Hazrath Ali had pointed out only half an hour ago, it gave
him a very deep cut. The prayers were disturbed. Abdul Rehman started running. People went
after him. Nobody was attending the prayers. There was confusion everywhere. But Hazrath Ali
finished his two prostrations and then reeled into the hands of his sons Hassan and Hussain.
The wound which was bleeding profusely was attended to. His blood-drenched lips parted into
thanks-giving prayers and he said “Lord! I thank Thee for rewarding me with martyrdom; how
kind are Thee and how Gracious. May Thy Mercy further lead me to the Realm of Thy Grace and
Benevolence”. Abdul Rehman was caught by Sasa-ibne-Sohan and was brought before Hazrath
Ali. Hands of the murderer were tied behind his back. Hazrath saw that the ropes were cutting
into the flesh of the murderer. He forgot the wound of his head, the blow which was to end his
life and to cut his career in its prime, he forgot that Abdul Rehman was murderer, all that he saw
was a human being subjected to unhuman torture. He ordered the Muslims to loosen the hands
of Abdul Rehman and to treat the man more humanly. The kindness touched the murderer and
he started weeping. A smile played on those lips and in faint voice he said “It is too late to repent
now, you have done your deed. Was I a bad Imam or an unkind ruler?”.
They carried him to his house and when he saw the bright day he addressed it:-
“O day! you can bear testimony to the fact that during the lifetime of Ali you have never,
not even once, dawned and found him sleeping”.
He lived two days after this event and in that interval whenever he found time he delivered
a few sermons (sermon No. 152 is one of them). In those sermons and with his dying breath
he expressly ordered that no harshness should be used towards his murderer, who should be
executed, if the heirs of Hazrath Ali so desire, with one blow, he should not be tortured
before death, his dead body should not be mutilated, members of his family should not suffer on
account of his crime and his property should not be confiscated. He designated his son Imam
Hassan (A.S.) as his Vicegerent.
Thus closed the last chapter of the history of a life which from beginning to its end
was full with noble deeds, pious thoughts and sublime words, and every hour of which was a
crowded hour of a glorious life. “Had Ali been allowed to reign in peace” says Oeslner, “his
virtues, his firmness, and his ascendency of character would have perpetuated the basic
principles of a good government and its simple manners”. The dagger of an assassin destroyed
the hope of Islam. “With him”, says Osborn, “perished the truest-hearted and the best Muslim
of whom the Mohammedan history has preserved the rememberance”. “Seven Centuries before”
says Justice Amir Ali, “this wonderful man would have been apotheosised, and thirteen centuries
later his genius and talents, his virtues and his valour, would have exerted the admiration of the
civilized world. Chivalrous, humane and forbearing to the verge of weakness, as a ruler he came
before his time. He was almost no match by his uncompromising love of truth, his gentleness
and his merciful nature to cope with Ummaiyides treachery and falsehood” (The Spirit of Islam),
Justice Amir Ali further says “To quote the language of the modern French historian “But for his
assassination the Muslim world might have witnessed the realization of the prophet’s teachings,
in actual amalgamation of the first principles of true philosophy into positive action. The same
passionate devotion to knowledge and learning which distinguished Mohammed (A.S.) breathed
 51
in every word of Ali. With a literality of mind-for beyond the age in which he lived-was joined a
sincere devotion of spirit and earnestness of faith. His sermons, his psalms, his litanies portray a
devout uplooking towards the source of All Good, and an unbounded faith in humanity”.
According to his will he was buried at Najaf, a place about two miles from Koofa.
About Ali, his character, his wisdom, his teachings, his services to Islam, his love of
mankind, his respect to duty, and adherence to piety, to truth and to justice, more than eight
thousands books have already been written. They are in Arabic, Persian, Turkish, Urdu, English,
Spanish, Italian, German, French, Gujrat, Hindi, Telegu and Tamil, a sincere homage to the
sincerity of his faith in the greatness and nobility of character inherent in man and in the
possibility of human-beings developing these traits by good thoughts and good deeds.
Hazrath Ali (A.S.) as a Ruler and a Statesman
Before Hazrath Ali took charge of the state the condition of the country was in a hopeless
turmoil. All the most important people and the companions of the Holy prophet (A.S.) had
lost sympathy with the government and were openly hostile to it. Rank-favouritism and short-
sighted greed of Marwan and his clan were responsible for this chaos. People were emboldened
to rise in arms against the mismanaged and malevolent rule. Their uprising had succeeded. They
had lost every respect of the authority, and had no desire to see the ruling junta back into power
again. On the other hand the members of the overthrown regime had sinister designs to gain
back the control which had benefited them for so long, while some influential persons were
hoping to gain caliphate for themselves.
For three days after the murder of the caliph there was anarchy in the capital and on
the fifth day Hazrath Ali was unanimously elected. He neither claimed nor contested for the
temporal kingdom. It was forced upon him. But when he accepted it he openly declared his
policy in his very first speech. And that was to the effect that they had elected him as their
temporal ruler and so he would remain as long as they kept on obeying him. But he had grave
doubts about the sincerity of their desire, therefore, he had originally twice refused to accept
their request to act as their ruler; but their hopeless plight and their repeated solicitations moved
him to assent to their entreaties; yet he was under no obligation to them for their election, on
the contrary, he had done them a service by agreeing to rule over them. He knew fully well the
reasons of their persistent supplications for his rulership, they had been very badly treated by
the malevolent, cruel and oppressive regime, the ruling-class had insulted them and had always
refused to listen to their grievances and to come to their relief. The masses had been kept under
complete ignorance of the true teachings of Islam and were made to feel that such ignorance was
the best thing for them, they had been made to concentrate on worldly benefits at the cost of
religion and piety, the result was a rule of brutal force of which they were tired and wanted the
kind of benign government which had been introduced by the Holy prophet (A.S). That desire
had made them look for somebody who could reintroduce that type of government; and they
realized that he was the man in whom the Holy prophet (A.S.) had confided and entrusted more
than in anybody else, and that he had been the Trustee to everyone of Holy prophet’s (A.S.)
secrets, therefore, they unanimously elected him as their ruler.
But they had not realized the responsibilities and obligations under which they had
brought themselves by making him their Amir (ruler). He knew their weaknesses and also
knew that they would lose their confidence in him when they would find that he attached more
importance to general welfare than to personal good, when he would make them follow the
 52
path laid down by the Holy prophet (A.S.), when with the introduction of equality and equity
he would make them accept the principles of brotherhood of man and general amity, towards
their fellow beings, and when he would try to lead them towards selfless discharge of duties as
laid down by God and the Holy prophet (A.S.), and thus would make them a model subject of the
kingdom of God, a model to be adopted by those who desire peace and prosperity under a benign
rule. He was afraid that with introduction of such system of the government and the society they
would revolt against him, they would clamour for personal benefits, and would crave for vicious
pleasures as well as wealth and power to acquire and enjoy those pleasures, but which would be
made impossible in his government. They did not realize that by allowing them cheap and simple
pleasures, by granting them limited power and by keeping them in darkness of ignorance the
rulers had actually turned them into automata to work for them, kind of slaves without vision,
foresight and prospect of future life. He would try to make them follow the true path of religion
of their own free will, to develop the habit of simple living and high thinking and to give up the
desire of seeking undue favors and unjustifiable pleasures. That was the kind of men that God
wanted them to be and the Holy prophet (A.S.) had tried to model them likewise. The task had
not been easy then, the lapse of a quarter century had made it even more difficult, but he would
try to achieve it. (Alkurrar of Maulana Riaz Ali).
Whatever shadow of hope was lurking in the minds of persons expecting wealth,
prosperity and governorship disappeared by this very first speech of Hazrath Ali. They knew
that they cannot expect unholy and ungodly concessions from Ali-ibne-Abu Talib. Their
unreasonable claims on public wealth, their fiefs and their unjustifiable holdings of public
property will not remain with them. The result was three rebellions against Ali-ibne-Abu Talib
and a restless period of rulership for about four years.
His Reforms:
But Ali with the sincerity of purpose tried to do what he had promised, that is to raise
the mental uplift of the masses. The first thing was the consolidation of the state. This he
successfully carried out against very heavy odds. The second thing was to create a Central
Bureau where he distributed the work of training the crude Arabs into educated and civilized
beings. To Abul-Asswad- Daveli, he dictated basic principles and rules of grammar for the Arabic
language with special instruction to concentrate on the syntax of that language. Abdul Rehman
Sulmee was made to look after the art of reading the Quran correctly. Kumail-ibne-Ziyad was
made responsible for Mathematics, Engineering and Astronomy. Omer-Ibne-Sulma for Arabic
language and literature (prose). Abadaa-ibne-Samith for poetry and logic. Abdullah-ibne-Abbas
for principles of Administration and Rhetorics, and he himself for philosophy of religion, ethics,
commentary of the Holy Quran and the traditions of the Holy prophet (A.S.). But actually he was
hub of the whole activity. Though every hour of his glorious life was crowded yet he found time
to teach his assistants, what to say, when and how to say it, what to teach, and when and how
to teach it. Long after his death every one of his above pupils proved a shining star in the sky of
Muslim civilization, they have been considered as Imams.
Introduction to new system of Government:
The next subject which engaged his immediate attention was the improvement of
administration. To make due arrangements for security of the state from external attacks, to
preserve law and order, to control corruption and bribery, to provide equality of opportunities
and equal distribution of public wealth among his subjects, to appoint honest and pious officers,
 53
to chastise and remove from service dishonest ones, to maintain a powerful army, to avoid
enrolment of mere mercenaries in it, to take care of trades and traders and to treat non-Muslims
with deserving leniency and respect, were apparently the items of his programme which he
successfully carried out.
Division of Public Service Department:
He divided the state services into following sections:
1. Public Finance,
2. Army,
3. Central Secretariat,
4. Judiciary ,
5. Provincial offices.
Finance Department: The department of the Public Finance was divided into two sections:-
a. Collection section and
b. Distribution section.
Collection Section was sub-divided into three heads and only three kinds of taxes were allowed
to be collected by Hazrath Ali:-
(i) Land Revenue: It was usually collected in coins of silver and gold or in bullion. Officers
to collect this revenue were sometimes appointed by the center, but Hazrath had also authorized
the governor to appoint such officers themselves.
(ii) Zakath (poor-rate) and Sadaquath (poor-fund): it was usually collected in kind or in
live-stock. Officers to collect this revenue were always appointed directly by Hazrath and he
took great care to appoint honest and pious persons on these posts and to keep a sharp look out
on their activities and behavior.
(iii) Jaziyah: a tax from non-Muslims in lieu of Zakath etc. and in return for the security
and amenities provided to them. Collection of no other kind of tax, from non-Muslims was al-
lowed by him.
Land survey was carried on by him wherever necessary. Every tax-payer had the right to
appeal and an appellate jurisdiction was brought into force. Officers for this court of appeal were
directly appointed by Hazrath.
He was the first man to introduce the Budget system for collection of Revenues and for its
Expenditure. Every province had to present its budget direct to him for approval. The incomes
were divided into two heads; provincial and central. Zakath and Sadaquath were items of the
Central Revenue, Land Revenue and Jaziya were Provincial Incomes.
The schedule of rate for Land Revenue was fixed by him as under:-
1. 1st class (most fertile) land : 1 1/2 Dirham per Jareeb
2. 2nd class fertile land : 1 Dirham per Jareeb
3. 3rd Grade land : 1/2 Dirham per Jareeb
4. Vine-yards, Orchards and date palm-groves 10 Dirhams per Jareeb
(Note 1 Jareeb = 2268 3/4 sq. yds.):
Sadaquath and Zakath were the taxes which only Muslims had to pay. It was a tax levied
on personal income, landed property, hoarded bullion and currency and on live-stock, its rate
was that which was fixed by tenets of the Muslim Law.
Jaziya was a personal tax, collected per head of a person irrespective of his income or
property. But such persons were divided into classes. It was an annual tax. The division of classes
 54
was as under:-
1st class: Very rich persons and land-lords 48 Dirhams per head
2nd class: Middle class people 42 Dirhams per head
3rd class: Businessmen 42 Dirhams per head
4th class: General public 12 Dirhams per head
There were positive orders that no Jaziya was to be collected from beggars and persons
falling in following categories:-
1. Those who were above 50 years of age.
2. Those who were below 20 years of age.
3. All women-folks.
4. All paralyzed persons.
5. All disabled persons.
6. All blind persons.
7. All mad persons.
Income from the source of Zakath and Sadaquath was reserved for the following heads:-
A. Administration of the Departments of Collection and Distribution.
B. Grants, Donations and aids to poor, have-nots, orphans, aged widows and disabled
persons.
C. Honorarium to volunteers who fought for the state.
D. Pensions to widows and orphans of soldiers and officers of the army.
E. To acquire and to set free slaves from the bondage of slavery.
F. Reparation of government loans.
G. To help Hajis whenever and wherever they were found stranded.
Items C to F were for the first time introduced by Hazrath Ali and so far as F was
concerned previously no king ever thought his kingdom to be morally obliged to pay back a loan
taken from somebody.
Hazrath Ali was the first man who declared that a ruler’s share of income from the state
was equal to that of any commoner.
Income from Jaziya was ear-marked for the following items of expenditure:-
(i) Maintenance of army.
(ii) Construction and maintenance of Forts.
(iii) Construction and maintenance of Roads and Bridges.
(iv) Well sinking.
(v) Construction of Sarais (Rest houses).
Land Revenue was the provincial income to be spent on maintenance of courts, offices, and
other necessary items as per orders of the Centre. Before I bring to an end the narration of his
system of revenue collection I must mention a remark passed by him in this respect to one of
his governors. He said “So far as collection of land revenue is concerned you must always keep
in view the welfare of the tax-payer, which is of primary importance than the taxes themselves,
and as actual taxable capacity of people rests on fertility of land therefore more attention should
be paid to fertility of land and prosperity of the subjects than to the collection of revenues.”
Distribution of Public wealth was a subject on which Hazrath Ali spent much time and
thought and which in return caused him to lose many adherents and followers.
The first reform that Hazrath Ali (A.S.) introduced was to reorganize the Treasury and
 55
the Accounts department. Dishonest officers were removed from the service. A system of
accounting was introduced. Oosman-ibne-Haneef was appointed as the Chief Treasury Officer.
The principle of equal distribution of public money was introduced. The system of weekly
distribution was for the first time adopted. Every Thursday was the distribution day or pay day
so that Muslims could spend their National Holiday of Friday happily. Every Thursday accounts
were closed and every Saturday started with fresh books of accounts.
Impartiality and equity were the key-notes of his policy of distribution of wealth. At the
Centre (Koofa) he often supervised the distribution himself and after the work was over and
accounts cleared he would say prayers in the Treasury and thank his Lord that he had performed
his duty faithfully.
Imam Shoobee says that as a young boy once he passed by the Treasury at the time when
Hazrath Ali was supervising the distribution, he saw negro-slaves standing in line with the Arab
Shaikhs and getting equal shares, and within a short time the heaps of silver and gold coins
disappeared, the Treasury was cleared, Hazrath Ali said the prayers and left the office empty-
handed. That day he had given his share to an old woman who complained that her share was
not sufficing her (Kitab-e-Gharath).
Once one of his favourite and trusty companion, Osman-ibne-Haneef, told him that by
introduction of the principle of Equal Distribution of wealth and bringing important persons
down to the level of commoners, by raising the status of Negroes, and Persians to that of Arabs,
by allotting shares to slaves equal to their masters, by depriving the rich persons of their jagirs
and by stopping special grants apportioned to them according to their status, he had done more
harm to himself and his cause than good. Continuing he said “Look my Lord! these are the
reasons why influential and rich Arabs are deserting you and are gathering around Moavia. Of
what use these poor persons, disabled people, aged widows and Negro slaves are to you? How
can they help and serve you?” He replied “I cannot allow rich and influential persons to exploit
the society of this Muslim state and to run an inequitable and unjust system of distribution of
wealth and opportunities. I cannot for a moment tolerate this. This is public wealth, it comes
from the masses it must go back to them. The rich and powerful persons have not created any
wealth, they have merely sucked it from the masses and after paying the taxes, etc., what is left
to them is many times more than what they pay to the state and they are welcome to retain it.
Had all this been private property I would have gladly distributed it in the same manner. So
far as their desertion is concerned I am glad they have deserted me. So far as the usefulness or
services of these disabled persons and have-nots is concerned, remember that I am not helping
them to secure their services, I fully well know they are unable to serve me. I help them because
they cannot help themselves and they are as much human-beings as you and I. May God help
me to do my duty as He wishes me to do”. (Kitab-e-Gharath)
Army:
Hazrath Ali was a born soldier and had started his Military career at the age of fourteen,
when he acted as a bodyguard to the Holy prophet (A.S.). Thence onward he was the only
Military talent on whom the Holy prophet (A.S.) would rely and all arrangements for
organization of defenses and maintenance of an army of volunteers or soldiers were totally
entrusted to him by the Holy prophet (A.S.). It was his ability and valour which brought such
success to Islam in its early stage against such enormous odds. Even Hazrath Omer was taking
his advice on Military problems. (Sirajul Mobeen, Almurtaza and Kitab-e-Gharath)
 56
Time had not dimmed his valour or his ability to organize such an important section of
the state. At the age of sixty in the battle-fields of Jamal, Siffeen and Nahrwan he was as brave
soldier, as good leader and as keen Marshal as he was in the prime of his life, in the battle-fields
of Bader, Ohad, Khundaq, Khaiber and Hunain.
During his short period of rulership of about four years he organized this department very
carefully.
The first liability on the state exchequer was the army department. Every governor of the
province besides being chief finance officer of the province was the commander of the army
placed under him. When officers could not be found to look after the military as well as civil
administration then the functions were divided.
Hazrath Ali did not tolerate mere mercenaries but did not let the services of volunteers
go unpaid. He hated murder and bloodshed and desired his soldiers to be soldiers in the service
of God and religion. His strict orders to the army were, “always keep fear of God in your mind,
remember that you cannot afford to do without His Grace. Remember that Islam is a mission
of peace and love. Keep the Holy prophet (A.S.) before you as a model of bravery, valour and
piety. Do not kill anybody unless in self-defense. Take care of your mounts and your arms,
they are your best guards. Work hard while you are at it and then devote sometime to rest and
relaxation. Rest and relaxation are as much necessary for you as hard work. Do not let one
overstep the time limit of the other. Do not pursue those who run away from an encounter and
do not kill fleeing persons. Do not kill those who beg for life and mercy. Do not kill civilians. Do
not outrage modesty of women. Do not harm old people and children. Do not accept any gifts
from the civil population of any place. Do not billet your soldiers or officers in the houses of
civilians. Do not forget to say your daily prayers. Fear God. Remember that death will inevitably
come to everyone of you sometime or other, even if you are thousands of miles away from a
battle-field; therefore be always ready to face death”. He did not appreciate heavily armed
and clad soldiers. He liked lighter swords, lighter bows and arrows, lighter coat of arms and
lighter chain of armors. He preferred to have an agile and a mobile army. I wish I had space at my
disposal to translate parts from the books - Algharath, Siraj-ul-Mobeen, Al-Murtaza and Kitab-
e-Siffeen (as quoted by Ibne Abil Hadeed). They have discussed and narrated at some length his
system of reorganizing the army, his principles of strategy and his tactics of war. How he divided
the army into six units, beginning from van-guard (Muquadamath-ul-Jaish) and ending it at the
rear guards (Radah and Saqquah); how he arranged to cover every possibility of a retreat with
the help of these units; how he sub-divided the cavalry into horse and camel units; and infantry
into archers, swordsmen and ‘Mata’een’ (soldiers armed with short lances which they threw
with precision, skill and force); how he made the van guard responsible for scouting, pioneering
and performing duties of sappers and miners; how he used to arrange the army in a battle-field;
how he never suffered a defeat in his life; how bold he was; how he used to fight without
protecting his body with armour or shield; how he never delivered more than one blow (mostly
his one blow was sufficient to kill his opponent, if not he would give the opponent chance to get
up and run away) and how nobody ever dared stand before him for his second blow. To him war
was a pious duty to be performed only for the purpose of defense. He often declared “A Muslim’s
life is a battle-field, where he is seldom required to defend his self or his cause and country at
the point of sword, which is Jehad-e-Asghar (Holy war on a minor scale), however formidable
be the forces he is to face, while in every day of his life he is to fight against evil desires, vicious
 57
cravings and inordinate wishes, which is Jehad-e-Akber (A holy war on a major scale), take care
and do not suffer a defeat in this battle; remember it is life long struggle; a success here will be
honored with martyrdom, even if one dies in his bed surrounded by his relatives”.
Judicature:
The principle of keeping judicature independent of, and over and above the executive,
administrative and military sections of the state was the main factor of the reforms introduced
by him. He was very particular about this. So much so that historians narrate that he appeared
before his Chief Justice (Quazi Sharaih) as a complainant and the Chief Justice wanted to give
him a place of honour in the court and to treat him like a king or caliph. He reproached the judge
for such a behaviour, saying that he was there as a plaintiff and not as a king or a caliph, and
then he cheerfully accepted the decision of the court against him. The effect of upholding the
prestige of the court of justice, and his adherence to the principles of equality and equity were
so impressive that the person, against whom he had filed the case and had lost it, ran after him,
kissed the hem of his garment and said “My Lord! teach me Islam, I am a Christian and I want to
be converted”. “Why”? enquired Hazrath Ali, “Did anybody forced you to do that?” “No My lord”
he said, “But your behaviour of treating even a non-Muslim subject as your equal, the prestige
you have granted to justice and fair play, and your abstination from use of power and authority
made me feel that Islam is a great religion. You are a ruler and a caliph, you could have easily
ordered me to be killed and my property looted, and nobody dared ask reasons of your actions,
but you took the case against me to the court and cheerfully accepted the decision against you;
I have never heard of such a ruler before you. What is more the thing that you claimed as your
is actually yours and not mine, but I know the persons who could provide proof of this are out
of Koofa, therefore, I boldly said that it was mine and not yours. That was a lie, and now I am
ashamed to feel that I lied against such an honourable person. You have heard me. Will you not
allow me to enter the fold of Islam”? Hazrath enquired, “Are you of your free-will entering our
fold”? “Yes”, he replied “Under your regime I have nothing to lose by remaining in my religion
and no worldly benefit to gain by embracing Islam and by confessing my guilt and sin”.
The code which he laid down for selection and enrolment of judges shows he took care of
even minute requirements of the post and position, it says :-
1. Only such persons should be selected who are well-versed in Muslim Law and know
enough of the Holy Book and traditions of the Holy prophet (A.S.) to decide according to the
principles laid down therein, besides they must have knowledge of personal Laws of other reli-
gions followed in their provinces.
2. They must be men of some standing and status.
3. They must not lose temper or patience and treat litigants harshly and insultingly. The
litigants must feel that their interests are well guarded and well looked after, and the doors of
justice are always open for them.
4. If they feel that they have made a mistake they should not obstinately stick to it, but try
to undo the injustice done by them.
5. They should be able to probe deeply into cases before them and to reach the truth.
6. They must be able to reach decisions quickly and must not unnecessarily prolong a case.
7. They must not accept recommendations and must not be influenced.
8. Their salaries should be so fixed that they are not tempted by bribes and gifts.
9. In audiences and levees of the governors they should be given seats of honours.
 58
10. Greedy and avaricious persons, and those who are open to flattery and cajolery should
also be avoided.
11. The door of appeal to the public should not be closed. The caliph should always hear
appeals against the decisions of the courts and should decide as per orders of God and the Holy
Prophet (A.S.).
Central and Provincial secretariat and subordinate offices:
Hazrath has laid down a code for the officers of the State which cover every aspect of
their duties and obligations. It is embodied in the form of a letter (Letter No. 53, Nahjul Balagha)
written to one of his governors. Abdul Maseeh-e-Antaki, the famous Christian Jurist, Poet and
Philosopher of Bairuth, who died in the beginning of the 20th Century says that “it is by far
a superior and better code than the ones handed down by Mosses and Hamurabi. It explains
what a humane administration should be like and how it is to be carried on and it justifies
the claims of Muslims that Islam wants to introduce a Godly administration of the people, by
the people and for the people and it decrees that a ruler should not rule to please himself but
to bring happiness to the ruled, no religion before Islam tried to achieve this end. Ali must be
congratulated for having introduced these principles in his government and for having written
them down for posterity”.
I quote here just a few points to illustrate what Abdul Maseeh meant by saying that it was
a better code than the codes handed down by Mosses or Hamurabi:-
(1) You must create in your mind kindness and love for your subjects. Do not behave with
them as if you are voracious and ravenous beasts and your success lies in tearing them up and
devouring them.
(2) Muslims and Non-Muslims should be treated alike. Muslims are your brothers and
Non-Muslims are human beings just like you.
(3) Do not feel ashamed to forgive. Do not hurry over punishments. Do not quickly lose
your temper over mistakes and failures of those over whom you rule. Anger and desire of venge-
ance are not going to be of much use to you in your administration.
(4) Do not allow favouritism and nepotism force you to violate your duties to God and to
man, and drive you towards tyranny and oppression.
(5) While selecting officers take care that you do not select such people who have served
tyrannous and oppressive rulers and have been responsible for atrocities and savage cruelties
committed by the state.
(6) Select honest and kind persons and from amongst them prefer those who speak out
bitter truth to you unreservedly without fear or favour.
(7) Appointments in the first place must be on probation.
(8) Keep your officers well-paid so that they may not be tempted to corruption or mis-
appropriation.
(9) Appoint confidential officers to secretly watch the activities of your officers and staff
and report to you about their behaviours.
(10) Your secretaries should be cream of your civil, judicial or military service. Choose the
best amongst them irrespective of age or period of service.
(11) All letters or applications should be dealt with by the officers and replies or orders
about them should be drafted by them only, no subordinate must be allowed to work as the eyes
and minds of these officers.
 59
(12) Take your subjects into your confidence and make them feel that you are their
well-wisher and friend.
(13) Never break a promise or go against the terms of a treaty. It is a sin against God.
(14) You must take care of your traders but should never allow them to resort to hoarding,
black-marketing and profiteering.
(15) Help handicraft, it reduces poverty and raises the standard of life.
(16) Agriculturists are assets to the state and should be protected as an asset.
(17) Remember that your sacred duty is to look after the poor, disabled and orphans. Let
not your officers humiliate them, ill-treat them or oppress them. Help them, protect them and let
them approach you whenever they are in need of your help.
(18) Avoid bloodshed, do not kill anybody unless he deserves to be killed according to the
canons of Islam.
 60

HAZRATH ALI (A.S.)

and
Philosophy of Religions

A man enters a garden laid out into beautiful flower-beds, artistically and aesthetically
arranged. Flowers in each beds have been grown by persons who know the art and science of it.
The beauty of their colors and the delicacy of their forms and shade are pleasing to the eyes, and
their fragrance enchants the minds. He knows that he has not the knowledge and capability to
cultivate and grow flowers like that and the public have no time to go through the garden and
enjoy the sights and fragrance of these beds at leisure. He picks up a few flowers from each of
these beds and arranges them in a bouquet as a humble homage to the grandness and beauty of
the garden.
With this view in my mind's eyes I took up to write these chapters. I have drawn freely
from the following books: Al-Murtaza, Al-Kurrar, Siraj-ul-Mobeen, Thazeed-ul-Mateen, Nufs-e-
Rasool, The Spirit of the Islam, The Islam under Arabs, The preaching of Islam, Quasais-e-
Nissaee, Ahtejaj Tabresee, Behar-ul-Anwar, Almanaquib, Sharhay-ibne-Maisum, Sharhay Mirza
Fathullah, Sharhay-ibne-Abil Hadeed and Irshad.
I am sure the selection is not the best, but it is the best that I can do and I am sure it will
provoke minds superior to mine for better efforts.
In this last chapter I shall try to discuss the teachings of Hazrath in the field of philosophy
of religions.
With Hazrath Ali and the Imams of his descent religion was a vital and positive force of life.
Their philosophy never sinks to that war of words without life and without earnestness which
is main feature of the schools under Ptolemies or the vicious circles created by philosophers
of the West and the East. Their ardent love of knowledge, their devotion to the cause of
humanity, their intense desire to improve the lot of man, their belief in evolution of human mind,
their sincere faith in God, and in His Mercy, Love and Kindness, and their looking upwards
for above the literalness of common interpretation of the law, show the spirituality and
expansiveness of their philosophy of religion. Hazrath Imam Jafer-e-Sadiq (A.S.) defines
knowledge "Enlightenment of heart is its essence, Truth is its principal object, Inspiration is its
guide, Reason is its accepter, God is its Inspirer, and the words of man are its utterers". To them
evolution of mind was the essence of life and religion was the essence of the evolution of mind.
How correctly Hazrath Ali taught us that a man without mind is not a man, and a mind
without religion is worse than the instinct of a beast, more harmful, more dangerous and more
carnivorous. Devotion without understanding will not bring Blessings of God, it is useless.
He attaches so much value to mind and its correct ways of grasping truth that he says your
first leader and guide is your mind. At another place he says that nothing is more useful to man
than his intelligence, or there is nothing wealthier than wisdom, or there is no greater bounty of
the Lord than the intellect granted to you, or you can dispense with everything but your mind
and intelligence, or there is no better guide towards truth than wisdom, or one hour of deep and
 61
sober meditation is better than a life of prayers without understanding, or a wise man thinks
first and speaks or acts afterwards.
Next to intelligence and wisdom he taught us to attach importance to sincerity of purpose
in life. Once explaining a certain verse to Abdullah-ibne-Abbas, he said “Ibne Abbas if you
sincerely and intelligently go in search of truth or religion and if you wander out of the right
path even then there is a reward for you”. There is sermon in Nahjul Balagha in which he says
do not kill Kharijites after me because to go in search of truth and to lose the true path is better
than to spend the entire span of one’s life in pursuit of vicious pleasure and wickedness.
The natural and logical sequence of the above two attributes is to take count of yourself,
your knowledge, your thoughts, your intentions, your desires and your deeds. He therefore
advises us “To weigh your own souls before the time of weighing of your actions arrives. Take
count with yourself before you are called upon to account for your conduct in this existence”.
To obtain favourable results of such weighing and taking count of oneself one must have
done good deeds. And so far as actions and, reactions are concerned he wants us to understand
that human conduct is not fortitous, one act is the result of another, life, destiny and character
mean connected series of incidents, events and actions which are related to each other, as cause
and effect by an Ordained Law. Therefore, apply yourself to good and pure actions, adhere to
truth, follow the true path to salvation, before death makes you leave this abode. If you do not
warn yourself none other can direct you. The Lord has pointed out to you the path of salvation
and has warned you of the temptation of this world. Abstain from foulness though it may be
fair-seeming to your sight. Avoid evil however pleasant, for you know not how far it takes you
away from Him.
His discourses in Nahjul Balagha about noble deeds are supreme reading. His warnings
against sinful life are very persuasive teachings. He says “O Ye servants of the Lord! Fulfil the
duties that are imposed on you for in their neglect there is abasement, your good work alone
will render easy the road to death and to the Heaven. Remember each sin increases the debt and
makes the chain heavier. The message of mercy has come, the path of truth (Haq) is clear; obey
the command that has been laid on you; live in purity and work with nobility of purpose and ask
God to help you in your endeavors and to forgive your past transgressions. Cultivate humility
and forbearance, comfort yourself with sincere truth”.
Next to sincere faith in the unity of God and the apostle hood of the Holy prophet
(A.S.), he lays great stress on piety. He wants us to realize that piety is not a juicy morsel to be
swallowed easily nor it is a dip in river to clean all dirt and filth from the body. Piety means
actions and those actions in beginning may be sour, harsh, and painful to perform. Piety means
to free oneself from vicious desires and wicked deeds. This freedom cannot be obtained but by
constant efforts and endeavours. Such efforts are a continuous struggle and long-drawn war
against vicious cravings of mind. Nobody can be free from vices and sins unless he develops the
capacity to abhor and hate them. When once this capacity develops then to adopt a pious and
sober life because a habit, a second nature. Few things are forbidden to you and so many things
are allowed, that no one is barred from normal relaxations, ease and comfort and from sober and
harmless pleasures and pursuits.
With him asceticism was a sin against self. History cites many instances where he
admonished the persons who had given up their homes and families, had severed every
connection with society, had taken to a mosque, and had been praying, fasting and reciting
 62
the Holy Book morning, noon and night. He sent them back to their homes and told them that
their duties lie among their fellow beings, and what they had taken to is not piety but fanatic
asceticism which is not allowed in Islam. He strongly reprobated observance of asceticism and
condemned the abandonment of the affairs of this life in fanatic pursuits of rituals.
He says that he who acts with piety gives rest to his soul; he who takes warning
understands the truth and he who understands it attains the perfect knowledge.
His teachings do not convey any impression of predestination; on the contrary, they
portray a soul animated with living faith in God and yet full of trust in human development
founded on individual exertion springing from human volition. Somebody one day, asked him
the meaning Quaza and Quader. He replied Quaza means obedience to commandments of God
and avoidance of sin and Quader means the ability to live a pious and Holy life, and to do that
which brings one nearer to God and to shun that which throws him away from His Perfection.
Say not that man is compelled, for that attribution is tyranny to God, nor say that man has
absolute discretion to decide what is right and what is wrong, we are furthered by His Help and
Grace in our endeavours, to act righteously and we transgress because of our neglect of His
Commands.
Explaining the meaning of the verse “There is no power nor help but from God” he said
“It means that I am not afraid of God’s Anger, but I am afraid of His Purity; nor have I power to
observe His Commandments, but my strength is in His assistance. God has placed us on earth
to try each according to his endowments”. Explaining the verse “We will try you to see who are
strivers (after truth and purity) and who are forbearing and patient and we will test your actions
and we will help you by degrees to attain what you know not!” he says that “these verses prove
the liberty of human volition.” Explaining the verse “God directs him whom He Chooses, and
leads him astray whom He Chooses” he says that “This does not mean that He compels men to
evil or good deeds, or that He either gives direction or refuses it according to His caprice, for this
would do away all responsibility for human action; on the contrary, it means that God points out
the road to truth, and lets men choose as they will”.
In a sermon in Nahjul Balagha he says, “The theory of compulsion, predestination or
predetermination of fate is a satanic insinuation and a doctrine of faith amongst enemies of God.
On the contrary, God hath ordained man to obey His Commands and hath given him freedom of
will and action, he is at full liberty to obey His Commands or to disobey. There is no compulsion
in accepting the religions preached by His apostles and no compulsion to obey His Commands.
Even His Commands (like daily prayers, fasting, Zakath etc.) are not hard, harsh and unbearable
and every leniency and ease on account of age and health is granted to man”.
The freedom of human will, based on the doctrine that man would be judged by the use
he had made of his reason, was inculcated in the teachings of the Holy prophet (A.S.), along
with an earnest belief in the Supreme Power ruling the universe. Hazrath Ali gave this idea a
more definite form and it grew into a philosophy. In reply to a question he says, “Perhaps you
consider predestination to be necessary and the particular decree to be irreversible; if it were
so then reward and punishment would be vain, and the promise and the threat would be of
no account; and surely blame would not have come from God for the sinner nor praise for the
righteous, nor would the righteous be more worthy of the reward of his good deeds, nor the
wicked be more deserving of the punishment of his sin than the righteous. God hath ordained
the giving of choice to man and the putting of them in fear and He hath not laid duties upon
 63
men by force, nor sent his prophets as farce”. When asked “What is predestination and particular
decree which drove us”? He answered “The command of God, and therein His purpose”. Then he
repeated the verse ‘The Lord hath ordained (predestined) that you worship none but Him and
kindness to your parents’.
Mortality of life is another point which Hazrath Ali wanted men to realize fully, sincerely
and rationally. He wants us to understand that death is a biological incident of all forms of life
and it is unavoidable, inevitable and sudden. Nobody knows when and how he is going to cross
his barrier. Therefore it is foolish to imagine that it can be avoided, sinful self-deception can
forget it, and idiotically timid can be afraid of it. He says, “I am as fond of death as a baby is
fond of his mother's breast”. The natural sequence of the mortality of life is that everything
connected with it and with this world is mundane, has no lasting value. Therefore, why
concentrate on pleasure and take to vicious ways to acquire them, why not try to improve your
lot in the hereafter.
Hazrath Ali's teachings are gospel of work. He wants man to work, and to work honestly,
sincerely and diligently and to work for the rewards reserved in the Heaven. He says, work,
work, and do good work while you still have life, health and opportunities. God ordains you to
work while there is still time to work. Be thankful for the time and opportunities allotted to you
and work for the good of mankind and for your own good. A life without work is a life without
worth. A mind without sober thoughts and a life without programme of honest work is the most
fertile soil for seeds of wickedness and vice. Work with nobility of purpose is one of the forms of
prayers. His advice to his son was: “exert yourself to earn an honest living. Worst form of folly
is waste of opportunities. Opportunities do not repeat themselves, make use of each one of them
when it presents itself, but let piety guide you in all of your actions”.
Thus guiding us to the problems of man in respect of self he leads us towards the solution
of problems pertaining to man versus man. In a letter to Imam Hussain (A.S.), he says “My dear
son, so far as your behaviour 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 dislike to happen to you spare others from such happenings”. At another place
he advises “do not make yourself slave of anybody. God has created you a free man. Do not sell
away this freedom in return for anything. There is no real value or benefit that you derive by
selling your honor, conscience and self-respect. Do not run after him who tries to avoid you.
Remember that to oppress a weak or helpless person is the worst form of tyranny. Do good to
your brother when he is bent upon doing harm to you. Befriend him when he ignores you. Be
generous to him if he is miserly to you. Be kind to him if he is harsh and cruel to you. But be very
careful that you do not behave thus with undeserving, mean and wicked persons”.
Hazrath Ali had a very soft corner in his noble heart for poor, disabled, aged and orphans.
To Malik he says, "I want to caution you about the poor. Fear God about your attitude towards
them. Let it be remembered that their welfare is he first charge on a state and on well-to-do
people.”
So far as the question of man and God is concerned Hazrath Ali teaches us to believe in a
God Who has created us, Who loves us, nourishes us, helps us and is our well-wisher. He should
be loved, adored and venerated.
Through many of his prayers Hazrath Ali has implanted in the minds of those who have
faith in God the highest devotional spirit. He teaches us to love and adore him and to think of
 64
Him as “The Lord, the Adorable, the Eternal, the Ever-Existing, the Cherisher, the True Sover-
eign, Whose Mercy and Grace overshadows the universe. Who is the Master, the Loving and
Forgiving. Who bestows power and might on whom He pleases. None can lower him whom He
exalted. Whose beneficence is all persuading. Whose Forgiveness and Mercy is all embracing.
Who is the Helper of the afflicted, the Reliever of all distressed, the Consoler of the broken
hearts. Who is present everywhere to help His Creatures. Who fulfils all needs, bestows all bless-
ings. Who is friend of poor and bereaved”. At another place he beseechs the Lord thus “Thou art
my Fortress: a Castle for all who seek Thy Protection and Help; The Helper of pure and true; the
Refuge of the weak; The Helper of those who seek Thy help. Thank be to Thee O Lord! Whose
Mercy extends to every sinner and who provides for even those who deny Him”.
This is how he wants us to have faith in God, a Creator, a Nourisher, a Helper, a Refuge, a
Protection. One who loves you and One to be loved, adored, venerated and worshiped.
The other aspect of his teaching is that he has clearly and emphatically condemned
all anthropomorphists (to attribute human forms, qualities or personality to God) and
anthropopathic (ascription of human passions and affections to God) conceptions of deity.
He says “God is not like any object that the human mind can conceive. No attribute can be
ascribed to Him which bears the least resemblance to any quality of which human-being have
perception from their knowledge of material objects. The perfection of piety consists in knowing
God; the perfection of knowledge is the affirmation of His Verity; and the perfection of verity is
the acknowledgment of His Unity in all sincerity; and the perfection of sincerity is to deny all
attributes to the Deity. He, who refers an attribute to God believes the attributes to be God, and
he who so believes an attribute to be God, regards God as two or part of one. He who asks where
God is assimilates him with some object. God is the Creator, not because He Himself is created.
God is Existent not because he was non-existent. He is with every object, not from resemblance
or nearness. He is outside everything not from separation or indifference towards His creatures.
He works and creates not in the meaning of motions or actions. He sees and hears but not with
help of bodily organs or outside agencies. He was seeing when there was nothing created to
see. He has no relation to matter, time and space, God is Ommiscient because knowledge is His
Essence, Loving because love is His Essence, Mighty because Power is His Essence, Forgiving
because Forgiveness is His Essence, and not because these are attributes apart from His Essence”.
At another place he says "O my Lord! Thou art the Creator, I am the created; Thou art the
Sovereign, I am only Thy servant; I am the beseecher, Thou my Lord! art the Refuge. Thou art
the Forgiver, I am the sinner; Thou my Lord! art the Merciful, All - knowing, All-loving; I am
groping in the dark; I seek Thy knowledge and Love. Bestow my Lord all Thy Knowledge, Love
and Mercy and let me approach Thee, my Lord. Thou livest in every heart and every soul. Thy
Knowledge is ingrained in every mind.
 65

THE COMPILER
and
Some Commentrators

The last compiler of the Sermons, Letters, Orders and Sayings of Hazrath Ali was Syed
Razi. His was the compilation which came down to us in its entire form through ten centuries.
He named this compilation as NAHJUL BALAGHA.
His name was Abul Hassan Syed Mohammed Razi. Razi was his nickname (Laqub). He
was born in Baghdad (during the year 359 A.H.) in a family famous all over the country for their
connections with the state, for their patronage of art and literature, and for their interest in
history, philosophy and religion. It was a time when Baghdad was vying with Cairo and Cardova
for superiority over arts, science, philosophy and languages.
His father, Abu Ahmed Syed Hussain was appointed five times as Naqueeb or chief of the
member of the Family of Hazrath Ali (A.S.). His family was held in great regards by Abbasite
caliphs and by Alay Abaweya Kings.
His father was descendant of Hazrath Imam Moosi-e-Kazim (A.S.), being the great
grandson of the Imam. His mother was the great granddaughter of Hazrath Imam Zain-ul-
Abideen (A.S.). She was a woman famous for her piety and her literary talents.
His elder brother Syed Murtaza was great theologian and poet. Syed Murtaza’s work
(poems) are still being published in Cairo and Bairuth and form part of the course of Arabic
literature in the universities of those two cities. Syed Murtaza has a great place among the
Shia Theologians and is nicknamed Alam-ul-Hudda (standard or way-mark of the true path of
religion).
His mother took keen interest in educating her two sons, Syed Murtaza and Syed Razi. She
personally took them both to the famous Shia Theologian and Mujthahed, Abu Abdullah Shaikh
Mofeed and requested him to educate these children under his personal supervision and care.
Syed Razi under instructions of Shaikh Mofeed, received early education in Arabic
grammar, literature and lexicology from Hassan-ibne-Abdullah Sairafee. There at the early
stage of ten he was considered as a finished product of that institution and a good poet. Thence
he joined educational institutions of Abu Ishaq-Ahmed-ibne-Mohammed-Tabaree, Ali-ibne-
Eesa Rubaee, Oosman-ibne-Jinny and Aboobaker Mohammed-ibne-Moosa Khawrzami, and with
them he studied the Holy Book, the Traditions, Theology, History of Religions, Philosophy and
Literature. From early childhood his keen desire of acquiring knowledge and concentrating on
studies was noted and appreciated by everyone of those great scholars under whom he received
his training. As a matter of fact he was considered as a prodigy by many of them.
At the age of twenty his merit was recognized and respected by all of them and even
Shaikh Mofeed regarded this young man as his equal.
He died young at the age of fortyfive or fortyseven years, but during this short period
he had written many books, his commentary of the Holy Quran is considered by the historian
Ibne-Khalakan as peerless, and his explanation of the traditions of the Holy prophet (A.S.) is still
respected as a great source of meanings of the words used by the Holy Apostle of God.
 66
At the age of twentyone he was elected in place of his father as Naqueeb of the Family of
Abu Talib and was appointed by the state as Amir of Pilgrimage to Mecca.
He was a man of strong character, free will and independent views. During his time the
Abbasites caliphate of Baghdad was on war with the Fatemite caliphate of Egypt, and had
persuaded Sunni and Shia men of importance to sign a Mahzur (public attestation) depicting
Non-Muslim tendencies and activities of the Fatemite caliphs. Even the elder brother of Syed
Razi and his father were forced to sign it, but Syed Razi point-blank refused to sign such a decree.
This brought him under the bad-books of the government, but he cheerfully accepted the loss of
political privilege and status. Four times during his life he refused to accept financial aid from
the government.
In his early age he had come across sayings, sermons and letters of Hazrath Ali. He had
found them scattered in various books of philosophy, religion, history, biography, literature
and commentaries of the Holy Quran and the Traditions of the Holy prophet (A.S.). He had
also found that the collections of Hazrath Ali’s work as carried on by great scholars of the first
four centuries, on account of the unsettled political condition of the centers of learning in the
peninsula, were lost. He, therefore, decided to re-collect them once again. The desire became a
passion with him. He toured all over the peninsula to collect these sermons, sayings and letters,
gathered all the various books containing them and classified them into sermons, letters and
sayings. The letters also included orders of Hazrath Ali to his officers and two of his wills. In
fact, the classification was on the basis of what Hazrath Ali preached, what he wrote and what
he said. Some biographers say that for years he devoted eighteen hours a day for this work. It
was a labour of love for him. His health was failing yet he continued the work without abetment
of intensity.
To him this compilation was a sacred duty and he carried it out with the devotion and
diligence that it deserved. He was particularly and sincerely careful not to add and not to
subtract a word from the texts which he found. So much so that if he found a sermon divided
into many parts he did not join these pieces into a continuous whole but let them remain as two
or three or four disjointed parts. Such system of compilation annoyed the later commentators
of Nahjul Balagha, like Ibne Abil Hadeed and Ibne-Maisum, and they have in a way complained
about it. Sometimes he found the middle part of a sermon missing, he left the two remaining
parts as two separate sermons.
As he was collecting from a pile of books and manuscripts on various subjects and he
had come across those books at various periods of his work, naturally there could not be any
chronological order in his collection. The sermons which are supposed to be delivered in Madina
or in the early period of Hazrath Ali’s temporal rulership are found in the later part of the book
and sermons on the events of Siffeen and Nahrwan in early part. Similarly the sermon which
is considered as the last sermon of Hazrath Ali precedes many discourses which by their text
may rightly be considered to be delivered in Madina during the periods of the first and second
caliphate. At places we find that the Syed had copied the same sermon in different places as
quoted by different authors. All these discrepancies jar upon the minds of the readers. But they
stand as iron-clad irrefutable proof of the honest and sincere desire of Syed Razi to present the
thing as he found it and not to interfere with it in anyway however essential it might be.
Some historians and biographers are of the opinion that Syed Razi was helped in this work
by his elder brother Syed Murtaza. But had this been a fact the noble minded Syed would have
 67
willingly mentioned it in his preface, because he has tried to mention all the sources from which
he found these sermons etc.
Syed Razi died in the month of Mohurram 404 A.H. at the age of 45 years. Some
biographers are of the opinion that the year of his death was 406 A.H., his age at the time of
death was 47 years. His elder brother Syed Murtaza and his teacher Shaikh Mofeed were so grief
stricken that they could not lead the funeral service of that great man and the service was led by
the Prime Minister, Abu Ghalib Fukhrul Mulk.
Syed Razi has left about 40 books as his memorial, some of them are great works, and they
consist of commentaries of the Holy Quran, on religion and philosophy, yet his masterpiece was
the collection of the sermons, letters and sayings of Hazrath Ali.
As soon as the noble Syed compiled this book (The Nahjul Balagha) his contemporaries
started writing commentaries on it, and this work of commenting on the text and explanation
of meanings of the words used by Hazrath Ali, and the historical events mentioned therein is
continued till today. I am citing herein the names of some of the famous commentators of Nahjul
Balagha:-
Sunni Commentators:
1. Imam Ahmed Ibne Mohammed-ul-Wayree (about 470 A.H.).
2. Abul Hassan Ali-ibne-Abul Qasim-ul-Ba'ehaquee (565 A.H.). His commentary is quoted
by Moajum-ul-Adibba of Yaqooth-e-Hamveenee-Vol 13, page 225, printed in Egypt.
3. Imam Fakhruddin Razi (606 A.H.). His commentary is quoted by :
(I) Akhbar-ul-Hukama of Ibn-ul-Quftee page 192, printed in Egypt.
(II) Oyoonul-Ambia of Ibn-e-Abi-Sabee'a page 25, printed in Egypt.
4. Abdul Hameed Hibathullah Mohammed-ibne-Mohammed ibne-Abil Hadeed-
Moathazalee, (known as Ibne-Abil Hadeed 655 A.H.). His commentary is a world-famous
classic covering 17 volumes, printed half-a-dozen times in Cairo, Bairuth, Tehran and
Isphehan.
5. Shaikh Kamal-ul-din Abdul Rehman Shaybenee (about 705 A.H.).
6. Allama Sad-ud-din Taftazanee (797 A.H.).
7. Quazi of Baghdad Shaikh Quewaam-ud-din.
8. Allama Shaikh Mohammed Abdahoo (1323 A.H.). His commentary has been printed
very often and forms a part of the university course in Cairo and Bairuth.
9. Ostad (Professor) Mohammed Hassan-ul-Nayer-ul-Mursafee of Egypt. His commentary
is printed in Dar-ul-Kutub Press Cairo (Egypt).
10. Ostad (Professor) Mohammed Mohiuddin Abdul Hameed, Professor of Lexicology of
Alazhur University. His book was printed at Isthequamuth-e-Misr Press, Cairo.
11. Ostad (Professor) Sahikh Abdullah Allayelli-al-Bairoonee of Cairo (Egypt).
Shia Commentators:
1. Allama Syed Ali-ibne-Nasir (about 450 A.H.). He was contemporary of Syed Razi.
2. The famous Shia Mujtahid, Theologian and Philosopher Allama Qutub-ud-din e-
Ravendee. His Commentary is named Minhaj-ul-Bra'ah.
3. Fazil-e-Jaleel, Allama Syed Ibne-Ta'oos.
4. Allama Ibne-Maisum-e-Bahranee (about 660 A.H.). He was contemporary of Ibne-Abil-
Hadeed. His commentary is famous and is considered of immense value on problems of
the philosophy of Islam. He has not devoted as much time towards literary and historical
 68
aspects of Nahjul Balagha as Ibne-Abil-Hadeed. His book is greatly valued by Shia
theologians and philosophers.
5. Allama Qutub-ud-din Mohammed-ibne-Husain Iskandari. His commentary is named as
Islah.
6. Shaikh Husain-ibne-Shaukh Shahbuddin Hyder Ali A'amelee-ul-Kirkee. He died in
Hyderabad (Dn) India in the year 1076 A.H.
7. Shaikh Nizam-ud-din Ali ibne Husain-ibne-Nizam-ud-din Jeelani. He named his com-
mentary as “Anwar-ul-Fusah and Asrar-ul-Balagha”.
8. Allama Syed Sanad Mirza Allauddin Mohammed-ibne-Abu Turab, known as Fazil-e-Gu-
listanah (1110 A.H.). His commentary covers 20 volumes.
9. Agha Shaikh Mohammed Raza. His commentary is called Ba'dra-e-Najafia. It has been
printed often and is very much liked in Persia.
10. Allama Syed Ma'jid-ibne-Mohammed Bahranee. He was contemporary of Shaikh
Bahayee and died in 1028 A.H. His commentary is greatly valued by Shia theologians.
11. Mullah Fathulla Kashanee. He died in 997 A.H. He was a lexicologist, grammarian,
mathematician, physicist, engineer and theologist. He had been to the court of Akber also,
and was contemporary of the famous historian of Akber’s court, Mullah Abdul Quadir
Badayoonee. The Mullah speaks very highly of him in his book Muntakhab-ul-Tawareekh.
He says Adil Khan, governor of Deccan, Khan-e-Khanan and Hakeem Abul Fatah of the
court of Akber paid great respects to him and Akber also had great regards for him. His
commentary is printed very often, and so far as translation of words used by Hazrath Ali
in Persian is concerned it is the best book ever published.
 69

The Translation

Now a few words about this book and why and how I took in hand the work of translating
Nahajul Balagha.
Dear readers! Can you imagine the plight of a man who can barely swim twenty yards
jumping into the English Channel to swim from Dover to Calais? If you can then you can very
well realize the futile rashness of my attempt to translate this august and noble work. If there is
anything good in this composition of mine and if it is found to achieve even a part of what I want
it to achieve then the credit of its goodness and achievements goes to the mind who inspired
me to do it. And if there are defects and mistakes in it they are all due to me, and I am sure it is
so full of them that only a charitable mind can overlook them and forgive me. And who can be
more forgiving than God who created me, His Apostle who taught me to adore, venerate and
worship Him, and the lord whose work I try to translate and whose glory I want to portray? I
crave their forgiveness for the defects found therein. They know very well that the failure is not
due to heart but due to my knowledge and its limitations.
I must say something about the noble being who not only inspired me but emboldened
and encouraged me to such an extent that forgetting the deficiency of my knowledge in the
languages from which and into which it is to be translated, the inadequacy of my learning in the
subjects which this sublime book (Nahjul Balagha) covers and the enormity of the task, I took
the work of translation in hand.
I honestly feel that to say something about this great man is a debt which I am honour
bound to repay, and to commemorate his life and his work is a debt to be repaid by the
brotherhood of rational thinkers. He hated religiosity and loved his religion (Islam) and its
rational aspects.
He believed in the saying of the Imam Jaffer-e-Sadiq (A.S.), “There are ways and ways to
reach the sublimity of His Realm”. He once told me that to translate the book Nahjul Balagha is
one of the ways for me to achieve that Great Aim. We were discussing rational aspects of the
teachings of Islam and I had repeated a saying of Hazrath Ali (A.S.), when all of a sudden he
asked me as to why I should not take up the work of translating Nahjul Balagha.
I informed him of the enormity of the task and sad limitations of my qualifications and
capacities to perform the task adequately, I concluded by saying “My work can never be the best
of its kind”.
His reply shows what a practical and rational view of the performance of one’s duty
towards the cause of the truth and religion he had. He said “I agree that this work requires
great knowledge and greater capacity of mind. I see that you do not presume to possess these
attributes to the extent which the work demands. I agree that your translation will not be the
best. It may not even be the second or the third best, it may even be the worst, but by this
translation you will be doing a duty and serving a noble cause. I am sure your work, however
poor it may be, will be a humble contribution, and will persuade somebody with superior
knowledge and mind to improve upon it. Personally I feel that it is really noble to serve as a
humble-stepping-stone for the sublime height of a great cause or a foot-print serving as a way
mark towards sacred ideals”. After sometime he again took up the subject and when he still
found me hesitating he said “Friend! I know, with you it is struggle between your vanity and
 70
your sense of duty, you are afraid that people will redicule your poor performance. Humble
yourself before the Lord, seek His Help and do your duty”. Thus inspired and emboldened I
started the translation.
The man who thus emboldened me was Mahomedali Habib. Since his death much has been
written about him, and his noble deeds have been rightly commemorated. I do not want to add
anything to it but as a mark of obligation and appreciation for guiding me towards this noble
work I want to recount just few personal experiences. They will bear testimony that with him
religion meant something rational and practical, a subject for heart as well as for head.
Once he was explaining his programme of expanding a charitable hospital. Somebody
suggested the change of its place, saying that it was in a very congested and unhealthy locality
often ridden by epidemic, therefore the hospital should be placed in more healthy surroundings.
He replied “It is a hospital and not a sanitorium. People do not go there to improve their health
but to seek treatment when ill, ninety percent of these patients are poor and are often suffering
from the very epidemics that you mention of. Usually they are too weak and too poor to cover
long distances for treatment. Therefore medical aid to serve its best purpose must be centered in
their midst. The first requirement of a poor and unhealthy locality is a hospital.”
One day in my presence a friend told him that the scheme and programme of his school
was very ambitious. He smiled and said that he was indeed ambitious. Life without ambition was
not worth living. He was keenly ambitious of having a residential university for training and
educating technical subjects. Education was the best weapon to fight against poverty. His Moula
Ali had taught him the lesson “Give them a chance to educate and they will improve their lot”.
I never saw him coming to the mosque well-dressed and during the prayers he was often
found amidst the poor and lowly.
I found a painting with him. It was a real piece of art and was supposed to be the portrait
of Hazrath Ali. I asked him whether Hazrath Ali looked like that. He replied “How can I know?
Please do not philosophise. For small minds it is very difficult to love abstract qualities. They
want them in human form, something resembling them at least in appearance. I believe one of
the reasons why God sent His Apostles in human form was this weakness of human mind”.
He was rare, a very rare combination of temporal and spiritual greatness. He was a
progressive industrialist, a successful financer and a keen businessman, at the same time he was
such a philanthropist who tried to benefit mankind irrespective of class, creed and ideology. He
made lakhs out of dust and spent those lakhs on human beings, whom the Lord hath created out
of dust.
I am sorry that this translation could not be printed in his lifetime. My lengthy illness
consequent upon an accident which laid me low with broken ribs and subsequent operation kept
me away from this work for so long that by the time I could come back to it he was no more
amongst us. He had gone to them whom all through his life he had loved, adored and venerated,
may his soul rest in peace in their company in the Realm of His Mercy and Grace.
Besides this noble being who had so inspired me there are few more persons of whom I am
greatly obliged for the help which I received from them. Their commentaries, and translations of
Nahjul Balagha, and explanation of words and phrases used by Hazrath Ali have helped me so
much that I do not find words to express my gratitude to them. At places I may have disagreed
with some of them but it did not mean that I have no respect for them, on the contrary, I hold
them in great regards. May the Lord reward them.
 71
They are:-
1. Allama-Ibne-Maisum, .. .. .. Sharhay Nahjul-Balagha
2. Allama-Ibne-Abil Hadeed, .. .. .. Sharhay Nahjul-Balagha
3. Mulla Fathulla Kashanee, .. .. .. Sharhay Nahjul-Balagha
4. Allama-Ibne-Abdahoo of Egypt, .. .. Sharhay Nahjul-Balagha
5. Allama Shaikh Mofeed, .. .. .. Irshad
6. Allama Majlisee, .. .. .. .. Bihar-ul-Anwar
7. Hakim Syed Zakir Husain Akhter, .. .. Translation of Nahj-ul-Balagha called
Nairung-e-Fasahuth
8. Moulana Syed Zafer Husain, .. .. Translation called Sulsabeel-e-
Fasahat
9. Moulana Syed Mohammed Taqi, .. .. Translation called Sulsabeel-e-
Fasahat
10. Mufti Syed Jaffer Husain, .. .. .. Translation of Nahj-ul-Balagha

BIBLIOGRAPHY
In preparation of the preface and notes I have been guided by the following authors to
whom also I owe a debt of gratitude:-
1. Moulvi Raes Ahmed Jaferry Nadvi, Translation of Nahj-ul-Balagha.
2. Moulvi Imtiaz Ali Arsh, the article about Nahj-ul-Balagha in the Sarfraz.
3. Moulana Syed Ali Naqi, the article about Nahj-ul-Balagha in the Sarfraz.
4. The Magazines of Islah, Alkalam, Sohail-e-Yamun and Al-Burhan.
5. Moulana Syed Aulad Hyder Fauq Bilgrami, Sirajul Mobeen.
6. Moulana Syed Mazhar Husain, Tahzeeb-ul-Matheen.
7. Moulana Syed Ali Hyder, Nafs-e-Rasool.
8. Hakim Nisaa’ee, Khasa’es.
9. Masudi, Murravej-al-Zahab.
10. Imam Ahmed-Ibne-Humbal, Al Manaquib.
11. Mulla Abdul Rehman Jami, Shawahed-ul-Naboowath.
12. Akhtab-e-Kharzami (Khateeb-e-Bagdad), Albayan.
13. Tabari, The History.
14. Hafiz Abdul Rehman, Al Murtuza.
15. Justice Dr. Amir Ali, The Spirit of Islam.
16. Moulvi Obeadulla Bismil, Arhajul Matalib.
17. Simon D. Aucklay, The History of Saracen.
18. Osborn, Islam under Arabs.
19. Oelsnor, des, Effects, de la Religion de Mohammed (Translation).
20. Eric Schroeder, Mohammed’s people.
21. Edward Gibbon, The decline and fall of the Roman Empire.
22. Stanley Lane Pool, Selections from Quran.
23. John Davenport, An Apology for Mohammed and the Quran.

Karachi:
November, 1960. SYED MOHAMMED ASKARI ]AFERY.
 SERMONS
OF
HAZRATH ALI
 73

786
202

NAHJ-UL-BALAGHA

KHUTBA-1
All praise and glory is due to the Lord, Whose Worth cannot be described even by the
greatest rhetoricians of all times; Whose Blessings and Bounties cannot be enumerated by
reckoners and enumerators of all ages, and homage due to Him cannot be adequately paid
even by the most assiduous and persevering attempters. None can fully understand or explain
His Being however hard he may try. Reason and sagacity cannot visualize Him. Intelligence,
understanding and attainment cannot attain the depth of knowledge to study or scrutinize the
Godhead. Human faculties of conception, perception and learning, and attributes of volition,
intuition and apprehension cannot catch Sight of His Person or fathom the extent of His Might
and Glory. His Attributes cannot be fixed, limited or defined. There do not exist words in any
language to specify or define His qualities, peculiarities, characteristics and singularities. As His
Being is Eternal, therefore, no time could be imagined to say that He existed since then, similarly
no period could be assigned for duration of His Existence.
The creation of the Universe, the universal expansion of (primordial) gas and its gradual
solidification in the form of mountains acting as pegs in the body of the earth are all due merely
to His Omnipotence.
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 so absolutely Pure and above nature, that nothing can be added to
or substracted from His Being.
That is, one should realize that there is no difference between His Person and His
Attributes, and His Attributes should not be differentiated or distinguished from His Person.1
1 That is they cannot be added to or taken away from His Person. Because every attribute, quality or property by its
very existence proves that it is something other than and different to the person to whom it is attributed and whom
it qualifies or describes. Because existence of every created being is a proof that it is quite a different and separate
entity to its attributes and properties.
For instance, a man may be very wise and learned but his wisdom or knowledge is not the same thing as his
being; once he, as a child, existed without wisdom and knowledge, later he may have acquired them both with hard
work and during his lifetime he may get mad and may lead a long life as a lunatic; therefore, he and his attributes of
wisdom and knowledge are two different things. Each has a place in nature independent of the other; one (a person)
can acquire the other (attributes) and can gradually increase them or totally lose them without loss of his existence.
Same is the case of our five senses; a person may have sight and then may get blind, may have hearing and may
lose it afterwards, may also suffer from the loss of senses of touch, smell and taste after having once enjoyed them;
similar is the condition of other abstract qualities. But such is not the case with Lord, the Almighty; His being and
His attributes are same. He was never without them. He had not to acquire them and He shall never be without
them. There is no difference between His various attributes. For instance, our sight is quite a different property to
 74
Whoever accepts His Attributes to be other than His Person then he actually forsakes the
idea of Unity of God and believes in duality (He and His Attributes). Such a person in fact be-
lieves Him to exist in Parts.1
One who holds such a faith cannot form a true concept of God, he is ignorant and will
always try to believe in some creation of his imagination as his god. And whoever holds such a
belief he accepts limitations in His Being and confines Him to a place or to particular powers and
attributes and brings Him in level to His creatures.
To believe that He is invested with characteristic of a particular place (Heaven or Earth)
and to point towards Him accordingly, or to believe that He is restricted to a special position or
occasion (that is to localize Him), or to consider that certain place or time can exist without Him,
and can be void of His Omniscience and Omnipresence.2 Such conception results in assigning
Godhead to a numerical unity.3
To assign a place to Him by considering Him within or over a place means to subject Him
to the limitations of space and to allot Him an importance secondary to space, it also means to
believe that some place can exist outside the sphere of His Omnipresence.
His Existence is eternal, He did not come into being at some period of time neither He was
created. His Existence is not coming into Being from non-existence. He is with everything but
not physically and bodily, He is away from everything but not by way of bodily distance or of
being unconcerned and uninterested and indifferent to it. He acts and works but the action or
work does not require any movement or help of any parts of body, instruments or machinery. He
was seeing even when there was no created thing to see. He is One and Alone, because He has
no companion who would keep His company or whose absence He would miss.
For Him creation of universe was a simultaneous action. He has created them and
everything in them in the most perfect and excellent form and He originated the creation
without passing through any anxiety,4 without first trying experiments and benefitting by the
results or improving the models; without any movement having taken place in His Being; and
without His finding Himself obliged and forced to carefully work out a particular programme or
line of action.5

our hearing and both are quite different to our courage or bravery. With the Lord no distinction can be imagined.
Then there is question of limitations. Each one of our qualities depends upon certain circumstances and aspects.
For instance, our sight, it must have light to work, it must have optic system of our body in working condition, it
must have some object to see and the last but not the least the objects we wish to see should be within the range
of the distance that light can travel within the period of our life span or without getting totally dissipated. But
the Lord does not require the aid of light or any other agent to make things visible to Him. He sees anywhere and
everywhere; He is Omnipresent and Omniscient. His knowledge, His sight, His hearing and His presence are all one
and the same. Thus Hazrath says, you do not create god as a magnified copy of yourself. Your attributes should not
be attributed to Him. Do not try to understand His attributes on the standard of yours and do not believe them to
be on the same plane as of yours. Do not try to go into details of His attributes.
1 That is, having different parts of the body, one that sees, the other that hears, a third that feels and so on.
2 That is, He is dependent upon time, space, qualities and attributes.
3 That is, He is like a number which can be added to, subtracted from, multiplied and divided, and, such is not the
Lord.
4 Anxiety about how to create it, how to give it a form, how to allot properties and attributes, how to maintain it
in existence and how to annihilate it.
5 Creation of all the universes was a simultaneous affair; He desired and wished and everything came into being as
He had wished it to be.
 75
Hazrath then briefly explained the process of creation
Lord the Almighty destined things (that is matter and energy) to be dissolved into time.1
He so arranged and consolidated these factors (matter, time and space) that the intensity
of their diverse and opposing properties was reduced.2
As soon as things came into existence everyone of them was allotted properties and place
in nature. And soon after creation of things order for expansion and extension was given3 and
just as things were obeying this order each one of them was given a form and a body.4
Thus every creature (from cosmic ray down to the most complicated form of life) and
every object had a place permanently fixed, was assigned a position in nature which none can
change. In this arrangement there was nothing accidental but everything had prearranged and
predestined place in nature.
He knew the very details of everything before He brought everyone of them into
existence,5 His knowledge covered the near and distant effects of the coming into being, working
and destruction of everything which was created.6 The Almighty Lord assigned7 places to
these objects in space (and to gain this end) the (primordial) gas or yelm started breaking its
continuity and dividing into nebulous masses; the space was ordered to expand and to provide
in its body places for this expanding nebulous mass. This stupendous mass of fluid8 was swirling,
sweeping, and shaking conglomeration in extremely disturbed and turbulent state, in its huge
waves (millions of miles high) were rising. (The force of spontaneous expansion was acting as).
The most powerful stormy wind rolling, rotating, shaking, drifting, sweeping and forcing this
fluid mass into outer regions of the space. At this stage the force of expansion received the order
to reverse to the system of condensation.9 All this time the enormous velocity of expansion was

1 To have their existence relative to and dependent upon time, thus giving matter time and therefore, space a
continuum that one cannot exist without the other two.
2 In such a way that they all joined together to turn themselves into millions and millions of galaxies having billions
and billions of suns, moons and earths and innumerable forms of life. But as He had destined spontaneity to be the
main feature of creation, therefore, all progress of creation was spontaneous and simultaneous.
3 Simultaneously with creation and immediately after it the universes began to expand, the might of His Order is
such that galaxies which had come into being billions of years ago are expanding even today.
4 Solidity, liquidity, gaseousness, radio-activity, inertness, form of (energy or of matter), and size (bigger or smaller
than the wave length of light); in short every form of property or attribute which exists in nature. And it was made
compulsory for everything to come into being, to exist, to work, and to decay in accordance with certain laws and
in obedience to His plan and programme.
5 Details of-existence, of properties, of affinities, of incongruities, of incompatibilities, of the stages of development
and destruction, of the ages and the changes through which things have to pass.
6 Effects of every change in the form or properties of matter and energy, every stage of development every form of
evolution were known to Him before they were given a place or introduced in nature.
7 After having set a programme, set of laws to govern it and also a routine to be followed, and after giving form and
properties to each and every object.
8 Interstellar or primordial gas which is called yelm by scientists; I have used the word fluid in translation for
the word “Maa” used by Hazrath, because this gas, on account of the effect of colossal pressure of the original
condensation, was too thick to behave like an ordinary gas or liquid, it was in fluid state, and I believe for this reason
the word “Maa” is used. There is another point worth consideration; this primordial gas was mostly nothing else but
Hydrogen which is the main ingredient of water and for which the present Arabic word is “Maaeen”.
9 So that in the created space each galaxy may find an empty place for it to develop and condense into billions and
billions of suns and planets and thus may not dissipate completely.
 76
kept under perfect control1 to that end, He bound the whole system within limits.2
At this juncture the Almighty Lord brought into existence a third force, resembling a
highly strong wind.3 It stopped further thinning of the fluid (yelm) and forced it back (towards
the center of the gravitation) therefore tremendous disturbances were raised in its body. This
third force began acting upon it, creating fresh waves and forming fresh eddies, like curd being
converted into thin butter milk and thick small globules of butter.4
This wind (the third force) was acting very strongly in diverse ways; on the one hand it
turned the whole body (of matter and energy) in such a way that every part of it was equally and
uniformly under its influence5 till the yelm took up the form of something resembling foam and
froth, which formed islands of thicker matter in the (sea of) thinner (star) dust (each foam and
eddy was a galaxy). Thus Lord created seven skies6 -one beyond the other; the lowest cluster7
was to act as a base or center (from which expansion was developed in all directions) and others
(galactic clusters) looking like roofs one over the other. The skies (galaxies) were (and are still
today) floating in space without any support, occupying their places without any prop.8 He then
allowed (each galaxy) to be adorned with its luminous suns or stars, planets reflecting lights of
suns, and satellites (moons); while everyone out of them (stars and satellites) was decreed to
rotate on their orbits in the body of the constantly rotating roof (galaxy).

ABOUT ANGELS
After having opened up the space, the Almighty God filled it with different kinds of
Angels. Some of them since their creation have lowered their heads in prayers and have not got
and will not get a chance to rise to the bending posture (Rukoo). Some are bending in prayers
and will never stand up. While there are some who are standing in a file praying and will
never leave their place or move. Some are repeating His names since their creation and will
continue like this without a break to the end of their existence, they never get tired nor the
constant work annoys them. All angels are so created that exhaustion and fatigue do not
act upon them, and oversight, negligence or forgetfulness do not affect them. Some of them
are trustees of His Revelations and act as messengers carrying His Commandments to His
Prophets and Apostles. Some of them are guardians of His creatures, while others are gate
keepers of paradise. Some are so created that they extend from one part of the space to the
other9 even reaching beyond the limits of space. The Grandeur of His Might and Glory has
dazzled them and conception of their own humility and meekness overpowers them. His Might
1 That matter and energy may act totally within certain bounds and may not dissipate into space; therefore, space
was kept finite-however large it may be, the matter was kept finite-however enormous its quantity may be and the
time was kept finite-however long its periods may be thus there is nothing infinite in nature.
2 Space as well as galactic regions were controlled within gravitational fields, though space was very vast and the
fluid very turbulent.
3 It was gravitational force acting against the velocity of expansion.
4 Hazrath has explained this phase with the simile of curd being violently shaken and being divided into clots (star)
and thin watery liquid (star dust and interstellar gas) an apt simile.
5 Influence of gravitational field and velocity of expansion-at one and the same moment, and it allowed enough rest
for the atomic cohesion to develop into elements i.e. molecules.
6 Regions of galactic clusters each having millions of galaxies in it; each galaxy holding billions of stars.
7 The one at the center of the premordial mass, perhaps the one in which our earth has found a place.
8 These galaxies, though mostly consist of loose star dust, and stars yet are strongly knit and durable.
9 Perhaps like primordial gas or gravitational field or curvature of the space.
 77
and Power screens them from the eyes of His other creatures. Having realized His Greatness
they do not associate Him with any form, figure, appearance, shape or size, neither do they
ascribe attributes of His creatures to Him, nor confine Him to a place or position nor compare
or liken Him to anything.

ABOUT ADAM
(Some commentators consider this Khutba to be Sermon No. 2)

God then gathered together elements and compounds in the form of hard (solids) soft
(liquids), saline and sweat (acids and bases) of the matter of the earth. He moistened them1 and
allowed them to ferment till they all became one body and took up a form (perhaps amino-acid).
He then allowed this shapeless form to take up a shape which had various twists in its body and
many limbs united or disjointed.
He then allowed this to remain for a period known to Him till some part started getting
solidified and became solid and strong to support itself (central structure of bones) and to bear
its weight, which continued like that for a period of time and then He infused into it the Divine
soul (mind) and the figure stood up as a man. This creation was an intelligent and rational being,
using intellect instead of instinct and having complete control of mental faculties2 and has full
command over his limbs. He further has natural sagacity and wisdom, to differentiate between
right and wrong, between truth and falsehood and between justice and inequity; and he can
distinguish between various tastes, colours, smells as well as between different species (of plants
and animals around him). This creature (man) has a body constituted and composed of materials
having contradictory, conflicting and divergent properties as well as compatible, agreeing and
harmonious qualities, having intrinsic heat and cold, and latent humidity and dryness.
Having created such a being He ordained the angels to hand him over the trust committed
to their care and to fulfil the promise they had made which was to accept the superiority of
man and to recognize his greatness. He, therefore, ordered them all to pay their homage to him
and to bow down before him. They all obeyed His command except the Satan. The Satan was
prejudiced against Adam and its bigotry led it to rebel against His orders and to behave
impudently and arrogantly. It was vain and proud of his origin from fire and disgraced and
humiliated Adam upon his origin out of dust (material of the earth). Wrath of God descended
upon it and it was given time till the Day of Judgment.
God then allowed Adam to live in such a place where he could pass his days happily, free
from every kind of sorrow and worry. Adam was fully warned of Satan's enmity to him and its
evil intentions against him. When the Satan saw Adam living in such a happy surroundings
and having such a good company, it again felt jealous of him and allured him out of his place,
position and status. Unfortunately (for him) Adam did not see through the deception and changed
1 Added water to this compound. This shows that life started in water. In the Holy Quran God says I have created
every living creature out of water.
2 This being (man) has sagacity, understanding and comprehension, has memory and can collect experiences, and
sort them out and make use of those which may be useful and serviceable to him; he has apprehension, imagination
and vision. He can distinguish and differentiate between right and wrong and between good and bad; he can form
plans and policies. He can organize, arrange, systematize, marshal and introduce orders; he can research, discover,
originate, fabricate, construct, shape and produce; he can make free use of his limbs and can handle and manipulate
instruments, tools and machinery.
 78
the firm belief (which he ought to have in the advice of God) to doubt in the usefulness of this
advice (that Satan is jealous of him and will harm him) and instead of a strong courage to act
in obeyance to the advice and according to his conviction he falterred and fell into the trap. He
thus changed his happy and care-free condition into that of uncertainty, fear, disappointment
and shame. After his first lapse, Adam felt ashamed of his weakness and repented. The Merciful
God, finding that Adam is chagrined at his mistake, is ashamed of his weakness and is penitent
of the evil done by him, accepted his penitence and apology, taught him the way to seek His
Forgiveness, Fovour and Grace and promised to take him back to His Paradise, but for the time
being He sent him to the place where he had to work and worry for his living, a place where he
can have children and where his race can multiply and grow. God selected His apostles from the
descendants of Adam, took covenants from them to faithfully act according to his revelations, to
convey His message truly and to propagate His Mission.
The system of appointing messengers and prophets was adopted when many people
broke their promises given to God and went back upon their words, forgot their duties and
Divine Rights, began accepting others as their gods and worshipping them, because Satan had
insinuated them to give up the ways of God and to forsake His worship. God sent His apostles
continuously one after another so that they may remind human beings of the duties, which
nature had laid down upon them as a part of the plan of their existence and as the fulfilment of
the promises made by their souls in the spiritual world on the day of creation. These prophets
were to draw the attention of humanity towards the Blessings and Bounties bestowed by Him, to
convey His messages to them, to teach them, to intelligently and wisely use the treasures hidden
in their minds and intellects and also to direct them to understand the manifestations as well as
secrets of nature, such as the high roof over their heads (the sky, which protects from destructive
and devastating effects of the space) the land spread under their feet (with all its treasures and
bounties) the ways and means of their subsistence and civilization (so abundantly and profusely
provided) the diseases which age them and weaken them the misfortunes and calamities which
often face them and lastly the death which brings an end to everything.
God has never left any human being without guidance and education from His Prophets,
without a Holy Book, without conclusive, effective and certain proof of His Godhood and
without a clear and bright path to His Realm. His prophets were men of such strength of
character and courage that though they were often in minority and those who opposed them
always had the majority yet these apostles never, felt nervous, disappointed or baffled and never
forsook their missions. None of them left this world without indicating and pointing out the
one who is to take up his place after his demise and carry the mission of God; thus everyone of
them was predicted by the prophet who passed away before him and in turn was testified by
him (therefore it was not difficult for human beings to recognize a true apostle and to distinguish
him from a pretender.) Thus ages succeeded ages, till the Merciful Lord desired to bring
the teachings of His religion to the final and highest stage. And as He had promised in the
beginning He appointed the Holy Prophet Muhammed (May the peace of God be upon him
and his descendants) as His Last Prophet. He had made every one of His Prophets to accept the
leadership and greatness of this chosen Apostle and to predict his time and mission (and they
had fulfilled their promises). Signs and indications of his birth and delegation of His Mission
to him were very clear and prominent, and the place where he was born was very august and
auspicious. When he was entrusted with the mission the human beings were following different
 79
creeds, were divided into numerous sects and had multitudinous schools of thought. These
diverse creeds and religions were mostly divided into three main classes. Some of them
compared God to His creatures and thus tried to personify Him; some others tried to impart
His attributes to others and thus gave way to infidelity, while some others had no faith in His
attributes or His Person. Through our Holy Prophet (A.S.), God made these people check their
ways of thought and worship and He thus wished to bring them out of their ignorance.
God decided to call back Muhammed (may the peace of God be upon him and his
descendants) to the sublime vicinity of His Glory and selected him to receive His Highest
Favour and Blessings; He concluded that the life in this world is not any more worthy of the
Holy Prophet (may the peace of God be upon him and his descendants) and turned his face
away from its irksome environments and distressing atmosphere and raised him with adequate
honour and deserving welcome to the transcendent eminence of His Vicinage.
The Holy Prophet (may the peace of God be upon him and his descendants) while
departing from this world, left amongst you the same things as were left by other previous
departing prophets amongst their followers, because none of them ever left this world without
leaving behind him a clear and intelligible set of directions and a prominent, easily recognizable
and lasting emblem. In the same way our Holy Prophet (may the peace of God be upon him
and his descendants) left the Book of God (the Quran) with you. He not only left this Book but
he had during his lifetime fully explained all which this Book declared lawful and legitimate or
unlawful and prohibitory for you; which was obligatory and which good work may be done as
supererogatory; which of the orders or interdictions remain in force and which were repealed
and annulled; where no exemption and leniency was to be tolerated and where the Merciful God
has allowed indulgence and leniency; the commands which pertain to particular occasions and
persons and those which were general for all times, places, and persons; the warnings given;
the examples cited; the maxims, the percepts, the aphorisms and the truisms repeated; the
instructions which were precise and clear and those which were complicated and difficult
to understand. All this he explained to you, commenting, interpreting and explaining every
ambiguous passage and clearing implied subtleties and significances.
In the Holy Book (Quran) there are certain portions whose knowledge and understanding
is made imperative to every Muslim, and there are certain others which are such that their
full understanding is not made obligatory to all but it is optional. Few orders in it appear
incumbent according to the text of the book but the traditions of the Holy Prophet (A.S.) have
explained them to be repealed later on; conversely certain orders originally enforced through
the traditions, were afterwards revoked through this Book. Certain injunctions there pertained
to certain times and were not universal and not obligatory in changed circumstances and times.
This Book has clearly differentiated between several interdictions and prohibitory commands.
There are unpardonable and mortal sins which kill the soul and are fatal to salvation and the
penalty for them is Hell, while there are minor sins and lapses which may be pardoned. In the
same way certain deeds are indicated that even a part of them is acceptable and men are at lib-
erty to widen the scope, field and extent of these deeds.
 80
KHUTBA-3
About Haj (holy Pilgrimage to Mecca)

God has made the pilgrimage to His sacred house incumbent upon you. It is a house which
He had destined it to be an alter and a place of veneration, respect and prayers for all human
beings. People gather around it to satisfy their longing for faith and religion as animals gather
around a watering-place to satiate their thirst, and as pigeons fly towards a place of refuge to
save themselves from dangers. People collect at this House of God to obtain hope and peace of
mind and to find a refuge from sins and vices.
God, Glory be to Him, has made Haj an institution to judge the submission of human mind
towards His Might and a sign of their belief and respect to His Greatness.
Of human beings He selected those who listen to His Commands and obey them, who tes-
tify to His orders and come to stand at places where prophets, have stood before them. In going
round the Kaaba they resemble the angels who fly round His Empyrean.
In this divine market they are bargaining for heavenly benefits and are facing happily and
comfortably towards the Promised Land of forgiveness and blessings.
The Glorious and Almighty God has made this House an emblem of Islam, a place where
people can find rest, peace and hope. He has made Haj obligatory and its pilgrimage incumbent
upon you. He says “for people who are rich and who can afford it, Haj is a duty laid down by
God and those who do not pay attention to this Divine Commands (must remember) that the
Almighty God does not care (for their opinions and actions) and is far above the help and
support of His creatures”.

KHUTBA-4

Hazrath delivered this sermon on his return from the battle of Siffeen. In it Hazrath has
explained the condition of Arabs in pre-Islamic days and the evil condition in which
Islamic society had fallen again.
Praying for His Supreme Kindness and Mercy, submitting with willingness and obedience
before His Majesty and Glory, and avoiding sins and vices I thank God for His Blessings. In
destitutions and distress I seek and pray for His Help which will always suffice. Whom He
guides will never be misled; who earns His enmity will never attain salvation; and whomever
He helps will never be confused or confounded. Verily, none deserves thanks so much as He and
nobody can repay such thanks so beneficently and so bounteously as He. I testify and declare
that there is no god but God and He has no co-sharer; the sincerity of this declaration and of
my faith is tested, and the earnestness of my belief is beyond doubt. I shall hold this belief to the
end of my life, and I shall treasure it against dangerous times and dreadful places, because such
a declaration is stronghold of one’s faith, is the attainment of His Pleasure, and is the best kind
of repulse to the Satan.
I testify that Muhammed (may the peace of God be upon him and his descendants) is the
servant of God and also His Prophet, whom He has entrusted with His famous religion, with
His recorded commandments, with His revealed and described Book (The Holy Quran) and with
specific and clear commands and interdictions so that minds may be cleared of heathenish
superstitions, traditions and taboos, so that doubts about truth and justice of the teachings of
 81
Islam be removed, so that intellects may be trained to accept reasoning and logical proofs of
the eminence of his (The Holy Prophet A.S.) preaching and people may take warnings from the
verses of the Holy Quran and lessons from the lives of evil-minded persons.
When Holy Prophet (A.S.) first started preaching Islam, society was in such a sinful state
that, no true form of religion was followed, convictions and believes about truth and justice were
disrespected, basic principles of life had become very divergent; commands of God were set at
naught; a way out of this vicious chaos seemed impossible; and the road to the realm of God
appeared closed.
Conditions now have taken a similar turn, teachings of the true religion are forgotten,
blind faith is the order of the day; commands of the God are disobeyed; the Satan is
appreciated and religion is ignored in such a way that its tenets are falling apart, its dogmas
are being altered, its precepts are being effaced and eclipsed, and its paths are decaying. Satan
is being obeyed, its ways are being followed, and it is filling their minds with Satanic ideas,
these ideas have become its army and are raising its standard to promote vicious and sinful
disorders. The slaves of Satan in their turn have become masters of situation crushing the
society, subjugating everybody, and holding the country under its sway. The masses, being
uneducated, have fallen easy prey and are now standing confused. Such is the condition of the
best country of the world which is now populated with the worst type of human beings, who
waste their working hours and weep over the losses, it is a country where learned have to keep
their mouths tight-shutand where uneducated and ignorants rule.

KHUTBA-5

In praise of Ahlay Baith (descendants of the Holy Prophet). Some commentators consider
this as a part of the previous Sermon.
The Almighty God has placed His trust in Aal-e- Muhammed (Descendants of Muhammed,
may the peace of God be upon them), they are strongholds where His Commandments receive
protection and from which they are expounded and interpreted, they are fountain-heads of
knowledge created by Him, shelters for His teachings, refuges for Heavenly Books and moun-
tain-like citadels to defend His religion. Islam in its beginning was weak and helpless, they came
to its help and defence. Islam was nervous of the infidels around it, they made it strong and
powerful.

KHUTBA-6

What kind of people were hypocrites. Some commentators consider this as the part of the
Sermons 4 and 5.
They sowed the seeds of sins and vices, watered them with vanity, deception and deceit
and then they gathered the crop of self-deception and self-destruction. None of the followers of
the Holy Prophet (A.S.) could be brought in comparison to Aal-e-Muhammed1--- (may the peace
of God be upon him and his Descendants) and none should be considered equal to them. There
can be no resemblance between those who distribute bounties and those who receive them.
Ahlay Baith1 are the bases of religion and pillars of faith. To them both the extreme fanatics as
1 Descendants of Holy Prophets (A.S.)
 82
well as stragglers in the path of truth and religion can approach for guidance and salvation. They
are efficiently capable and eminently fit for the place and privilege of Imamate and Caliphate,
they have been and are even now rightful heirs of the Holy Prophet (A.S.) who had willed for
their Imamate.
The Caliphate has now come back to its right place and has reached position assigned to
it by the Heaven.

KHUTBA-7

This is the famous sermon of Hazrath named as 'Shiqshiqiya’. It is so named because while
Hazrath was delivering it an Iraquee got up and presented a letter to Hazrath. Hazrath
got busy in reading it and after he finished the letter Abdulla-Ibn-Abbas requested him to
continue with his sermon. Hazrath replied “Ibne Abbas! it is not to be. This speech of mine
was extempore and was being delivered at the impulse of moment like the Shiqshiqua
(the call) of a camel, not to be continued”. So far as the subject is concerned the sermon is
self-explanatory.
By God! That man snatched the Caliphate as if it was an insignia which could be put on by
him; all the while he knew very well that I was as indispensable to the Caliphate as a pivot to the
grinding-stone upon which its revolutions depend.
The eminence of my position among those men was such that I was like a fountain-head
from which the rivers of wisdom flow and nobody could aspire to rise to the heights of my
knowledge. But I was forced to close my eyes to this usurpation and turn my face away from
the calamity. I was in great straits; there were two alternatives before me: either to fight
for my rights without the help of supporters, or to patiently endure the bereavement; the
endurance was going to be of such a sad and long duration that during this period young men
would become old, the old would lose their vitalities and the faithful would end their days
unsuccessfully trying to improve the situation.
After having weighed the situation carefully I came to the conclusion that the wisest
course for me was to face the disaster with patience and courage. I, therefore, bore it all
patiently, though the very thought, of having my just rights usurped, was extremely painful and
saddening to me.
At last the first Caliph died, but while going he appointed another to fill this vacancy.
Here Hazrath cited a verse of the poet Asha, in which the poet draws a comparison
between the days when he was leading with his brother a happy and carefree life and
again when he had to face difficulties alone.
Is it not astonishing that during his lifetime he was always badly in need of the help of
others to compensate for his imperfections and defects and to cover his faults and failures, but
at the time of his death he thought himself to be wise and learned enough to fix and appoint
somebody to carry on the duties at which he was a complete failure himself.
Boldly and unscrupulously he and his successor, in his turn, pillaged and plundered the
wealth of the community leaving the state in such sadly injured condition that passage of time
was increasing the intensity of the injury. It was almost impossible to redeem the harm. And the
danger of further repetition of the unscrupulous exploitations was apparent. But it was carried
on under the guise of law and order and many unacceptable excuses were offered to justify these
 83
irreligious and ungodly arrogations and many more will be repeated in future.
Thus the situation was brought to such a pitch that whosoever took up the reins of the
state or Caliphate was in the unhappy predicament of riding an untrained and refractory she-
camel; if desiring to keep the animal under control he pulled the bridle hard he would cut and
wound its nostrils, and if he allowed it a free-run the beast would rush itself and its rider to
destruction and death.
I swear by God that people were misled and went astray; they missed the straight path of
religion. But accepting the inevitable without repining and with resignation I bore the long and
painful period of the devastation of human rights and religion; till the second person also died,
but before his death he left the question of the caliphate to the decision of a body of men and
he thought that I could also be one (because he had himself nominated) of the personnel of that
committee.
O God! What had I to do with this selection board (I had nothing common with any of its
members). Did I ever have doubt about my pre-eminence and superiority when compared to the
first that I would accept to be one of the body of persons far inferior to him. But in the interest
of humanity and religion I agreed to be a member of this selection board. I had to adjust myself
to their level, to demand my just rights to them, as I had done at the time of those who were
superior to them.
Of the members of this committee one turned against me because he hated me intensely
(by this Hazrath meant either Saad or Talha), the other (Abdul Rehman Bin Auf) had also one
very obvious reason of kinship, besides a few other reasons which the world came to know later
(he was brother-in-law of Caliph Oosman). Consequently the third proudly took charge of the
caliphate, as if it was a private grazing-ground, and with bloated stomachs he and members
of his clan (Bani Ummiya) started plundering the wealth of the Muslim world in the same
recklessly gluttonous manner which characterizes a camel when it devours harvest grass.
However, this man met an untimely death. The greed of his clan was the cause of his undoing.
After his death people flocked around me imploring me to take up the Caliphate. They
gathered in such numbers and were so anxious to show their sincerity that both of my sons
(Husnain A.S.) were almost trampled and my dress was torn. They were simply falling upon me
to accept their rulership and leadership. I would have turned down their request but I was afraid
that with my refusal they will completely lose touch of the truth and religion.
But when I accepted their rulership and made them follow the path of God-i.e. the same
path as the Holy Prophet (may the peace of God be upon him and his descendants) taught them
to follow, they revolted. One party (that of Ummul Momineen Hazrath Aiysha) broke the oath
of allegiance; the second party (that of Kharijites) became apostates and the third adopted an
equally wrong course and coveting the power and wealth which are part of such a rulership they
started tyrannizing the people and oppressing them into subjugation.
All the three groups behaved as if they have never heard the Quran saying “Heaven is
meant for those who do not covet, do not create dissensions and do not oppress human beings;
the Eternal Peace and Happiness is for those who lead a pious and holy life”. I swear by God that
they were made to hear these words of God repeatedly and their meanings were explained to
them completely and fully. But the vicious ways of ungodly life fascinated them and its luxuries,
its pomp and glory as well as its power and wealth enchanted them.
I swear by the Creator of this universe that had they not sworn unconditional allegiance to
 84
me; had they not manifested unbounded thankfulness in my accepting their rulership; had not
the presence of helpers and supporters made it incumbent upon me to defend the faith; and had
God the Almighty not taken a promise from the learned doctors of theology to put a check upon
the luxurious and vicious lives of oppressors and tyrants as well as to try to reduce the pangs of
poverty and starvation of the oppressed and down-tordden; and had He not made it incumbent
upon them to secure back the usurped rights of the weak from the mighty and powerful, I would
even now have left the rulership of this state and would have allowed it to sink into anarchy
and chaos as I did during the early days. The pomp and glory of a vicious life is to me worth less
even than the sneeze of a goat.

KHUTBA-8

In this Khutba Hazrath has drawn a pen-picture of the mind and mentality of Quraish and
what Aal-e-Muhammed1 have done to teach them Islam and to improve their minds, and
Hazrath had finished it with an advice to them to accept religion sincerely.
We (Aal-a-Muhammed)1 guided you from the obscurity of ignorance and infidelity
towards the splendours of knowledge and religion; we raised the standards of your life and
culture for you. Because of us you saw the lights of truth and wisdom and came out of the
darkness of heathenism and depravity.
Those ears are better deaf which do not care to listen to good advices and do not wish to be
warned of the evil consequences of a vicious life. How could my soft and subdued voice induce
such people to pay heed to truth, justice and religion when the strongly repeated commands of
God and His Holy Prophet (A.S.) did not make them attentive. May God grant strength, boldness
and stability to persons who are afraid of nothing but His Might.
And you Queraish, so far as you are concerned, I always expected deceit, duplicity and
dissimulation from you and have awaited for the same. I always noted in you traits of hypocrisy
and knavery. I was not harsh with you because of your outward show of Islam while you were
under the wrong impression that you could deceive me, but my sincere love of truth and justice
has always kept me warned of your treacheries and frauds.
Remember who forsakes me and does not obey me is in the wrong. I never doubted the
obligations laid upon me and the rights and privileges due to me from the time they were
revealed to me.
You know the prophet Moses was never afraid of death, what he really feared was
ascendency 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 of religion and infidelity. Remember
those who sincerely accept religion will never be disappointed.

KHUTBA-9

After the death of the Holy Prophet (A.S.) when Abbas (Uncle of the Holy Prophet
A.S.) and Abusufyan came to Hazrath to swear allegiance Hazrath advised them in the
following words:-
1 Descendants of the Holy Prophet
 85
O people! When you see revolt and anarchism raging like storms try to find a way
out of their injurious effects. Avoid the ways of hatred and malice and do not let superiority
complex drive you towards a class-war. Remember only those who have followers and helpers,
can achieve success and those who lack supporters should not try to balance on billowy illusions
and should not vie for power and supremacy, it is the safest course for them.
This rulership is like dirty water, not fit for consumption; it is like a morsel which
suffocates the person trying to swallow it. Any struggle at this stage is as foolish as picking raw
fruits or trying to harvest uncultivable land.
My present position had been placed on the horns of a dilemma; if I put forward my
just claims people will start saying that I have become avaricious and greedy for power and
wealth, and if I sit quiet they say that I have grown nervous and timid and that fear of death is
restraining me from asserting my just rights.
Alas! do not they realize that I have never been afraid of death, I have faced it so often and
have passed through so many phases of dangers and perils. I swear by God that Abu Talib’s son
(Hazrath himself) is as fond of death as a suckling baby is fond of its mother’s breast. Death does
not frighten me from claiming my rights, but such deep secrets and such a hidden knowledge
has been revealed and entrusted to me that if you know it you will tremble like a rope hanging
in a deep well.

KHUTBA-10

When Talha and Zubair rebelled against Hazrath and collecting an army tried to take
possession of the provinces of Basra and Kufa, Hazrath resolved to fight against them and
to overthrow the rebellion. Some people, exaggerating the might and forces of the rebels,
tried to persuade Hazrath against this decision. This speech was delivered by Hazrath in
reply to their persuasion.
I swear by God that I shall not sit quiet and allow these people to do as they like. I shall
not act like the hunted beast which could be lulled and fooled by its hunter and falls an easy
prey to his tricks and devices; but, with the help of believers in the truth and justice of Islam, I
shall try to suppress this revolt against God and religion. I declare that with the assistance of my
faithful followers I shall always fight against upholders of schism and hypocrisy and supporters
of injustice and falsehood, till I meet my death.
There is nothing new to me in this revolt. Since the death of the Holy Prophet (may the
peace of God be upon him and his Aal1) how often were my rights usurped, and unjust and
unjustifiable precedence was given to others, till the situation has now been brought to such
gravity that these ungodly hordes have resolved to fight against me.

KHUTBA-11

In this Khutba Hazrath describes the mental condition of those Muslims who in reality
were hypocrites and had in their inner hearts no place for truth, justice and religion. To
gain their ulterior motives they stoop to every vice and evil and the Satan was their guide
and lord.
1 Descendants
 86
These hypocrites, to gain their desires have accepted the devil as their lord and have
depended upon his help and support. The devil in his turn uses them as his underlings and
accomplices. He has poisoned their souls with doubts and suspicions about truth and with schism
and hypocrisy about religion. These vices creeping secretly and uncomprehensively into their
minds gradually establish a very firm hold there, till these persons reach a stage when they only
see what the devil wants them to see and speak what it wants them to speak. It instigates them
to every kind of evil and makes every sin and vice appear to them as charming, beautiful and
beneficial. They act as if they are confederates of the Satan to establish its authority and centers
to propagate its lies, delusions and deceits.

KHUTBA-12

To understand this and the Khutbas 13 to 20 and few others, some information of the
reasons and events which brought about these speeches and knowledge of personalities
who were responsible for these events is necessary. First and foremost among them was
Zubair (this Khutba deals with him only), a cousin of Hazrath. His mother was sister to
Jenab Abu Talib and Jenab Abdullah, his wife was sister of Ummul-Muslemeen Aiysha.
After the death of Caliph Oosman Zubair took oath of allegiance to Hazrath Ali, and later
on he changed his mind and along with Talha and Ummul-Muslemeen Aiysha was
responsible for the rebellion against Hazrath and the battle of Jamal was the result.
Zubair’s contention was that his oath of allegiance was based upon hypocrisy and mental
reservation.
According to Allama lbn-e-Abil Hadeed this contention was false, because when Zubair
first took the oath of allegiance Hazrath warned him saying “Zubair I am afraid lest you
may break this oath”. Zubair had replied “Do not be apprehensive on my account, I shall
not go back upon my oath, I bear God as witness to the truth of my words”. The real
reason, Ibn-e-Abil Hadeed says, for Zubair and Talha to go back upon their oaths, was
that Moavia made fool of them. When Moavia learned that Muslims were unanimous in
accepting Hazrath Ali as their ruler, he wrote a letter to Zubair and sent it through a
Bani-Umais. In that letter Moavia wrote: - “This letter is from Moavia to Amir-ul-
Momaneen (Head or Sardar of Muslims) Zubair, he be informed that I have taken oath of
allegiance for his Caliphate from people of Syria, not only for his Caliphate but also to the
effect that Talha will be the Caliph after him. The people have agreed to both. They are
under my influence and have always obeyed my command. You take care of Basra and
Kufa and do not allow Ali to take hold of these rich and powerful provinces. Once these
provinces as well as Syria come under your sway, what shall be left to Ali will not be big
enough to be covered with a mulberry leaf. To collect people of Basra and Kufa around
you and to drive all the rest from Ali the best course is to start the propaganda that he
insinuated for the murder of Caliph Oosman”.
The bait was too juicy for poor Zubair and Talha. They were no match to the cunning of
Moavia. They started dreaming for the Caliphate or at least for the rulership of rich and
powerful provinces for themselves or their sons. In the dust which had covered the camel
of the messenger of Moavia, they saw silver-lined clouds. They even did not take the
trouble to find out whether Moavia has actually taken the oath of allegiance for them or
 87
for himself. Forgotten was the oath of allegiance, forgotten was God whom they had called
as witness to trustworthiness of their oaths, forgotten was fealty, faithfulness, loyalty and
devotion sworn and forgotten were the traditions of Hazrath Rasool (our Holy Prophet
A.S.) which they had themselves been citing in favor of Hazrath Ali. The glitter of kingship
dimmed their vision to the realities of truth and justice. And they shamelessly declared
that their oath of allegiance was hypocrisy. And foolishly acting as the first line of offence
for Moavia they suffered a defeat, lost their lives and could not secure anything for their
sons but did very useful services to the cause of Moavia.
Hazrath in this Khutba discusses the point raised by Zubair that his allegiance was based
on hypocrisy.
Zubair’s position in the battle of Jamal and his death thereon are sadly interesting events
of history. I have condensed these facts from the following books:-
Ibn-e-Abil Hadeed, Ibn-e-Quateeba, Tabari, lsthee-aab, and Asaba. Of the army gathered
to fight against Hazrath Ali, Ummul-Muselemeen Aiysha was the Commander-in-Chief,
Zubair’s son Abdullah was the Chief of the Staff and Talha and Murwan Ibn-e-Hukum
were other officers besides Zubair.
Just before the start of the battle Hazrath called one of his officers (Abdullah lbn-e-Abbas)
and handed him his sword and spear and came out in the field unarmed and unattended
by anybody. He called Zubair to come out from his side. Zubair came out well armed and
well-guarded. When he reached near, Hazrath reminded him of a certain event which
took place during the life time of the Holy Prophet (A.S.) and the warning given by him
to Zubair.
Hazrath said “Zubair do you remember that particular day when you embraced me before
our Holy Prophet (A.S.) and he had enquired of you, “Do you love Ali so much”? and you
had replied, “Yes my lord! why not, he is my uncle’s son”. Hearing this our Holy Prophet
(A.S.) had warned you in the following words, “Remember Zubair you will one day come
out to fight against Ali, and you will certainly be on the wrong, remember, the man who
kills Ali and the man who is killed by Ali, the man who fights against Ali all go to hell”. The
whole accident came to the mind of Zubair. He remembered the warning, and realized his
folly. He turned his horse’s head towards his army, went back to his group of warriors and
swore that he would not fight against Hazrath Ali. His son Abdullah, a confirmed enemy
of Hazrath, rebuked his father for this change of mind, saying that women of Arab will
call him a coward. Zubair got exited, came out again in the field, holding a spear without
a point, and attacked the ranks of Hazrath’s army. When Hazrath saw him coming again
he gave orders that nobody should fight with him and nobody should harm him even if he
attacks. When Zubair reached Hazrath’s army he passed through rows after rows of well-
armed soldiers standing still, he attacked them with the butt-end of his spear and found
that nobody was replying to attacks. They stood stock-still as if carved out of stone. Thrice
he attacked the army like this and then he left the battle-field and rode towards Vadee-us
Saba, where he was killed by a fantatic Omer-ibn-e-Jermoze. After the battle Omer brought
the sword and ring of Zubair to Hazrath. When Hazrath learned of the death of Zubair
he felt sad, he took the sword in his hand and said, “How often it had defended Islam and
Muslims, I swear that my cousin was neither a coward nor a miser he was misguided and
fooled.” When Omer asked for a reward for having killed Zubair, Hazrath replied, “Your
 88
reward is Hell. You were not in my army, you were not in the battle-field, you had no
orders to kill anybody let alone Zubair, you had no business to take law into your hands.
If you think that you are my follower then you ought to have waited for my orders. Even
my officers had orders not to harm but to allow him to pass through their ranks and files
unmolested”. This Omer later on was killed in the battle of Naherwan fighting against
Hazrath.
Zubair says that he swore the oath of allegiance to me hypocritically, with mental
reservations, that he placed in my hand his hand and not his heart, what a strange assertion,
not only strange but injurious to him, did he realize that, he confessed to the oath of fealty and
allegiance and at the same time he admits that he had hidden my enmity in his heart of hearts.
His oath of loyalty and allegiance to me is a fact accepted by him and witnessed by thousands
of others. It is for him now to give justifiable reasons of his hypocrisy, or to once again take the
oath of allegiance and fealty.

KHUTBA-13

Before the battle of Jamal, Talha, Zubair and their party opened up a barrage of foul prop-
aganda against Hazrath, boasting of superiority of their arms, bravery of their followers,
invincibility of their army and cunningness of their plans. They prophesied a crushing de-
feat and total annihilation of the army of Hazrath, futility of his plans and worthlessness of
his tactics. But the battle proved how empty were their boasts, how glaringly apparent was
their cowardice and how ignoble were deaths which Talha and Zubair had to encounter.
In this Khutba Hazrath has referred to this propaganda and his own policy of not to vaunt.
These people were very loud in their boasts and bravado and very conspicuous with their
pomp and pageantry. Yet in spite of all this they proved very timorous and cowardly. Our policy
is to believe more in deeds than in words, not to boast but to attain. We never talk of success
unless we have achieved it.

KHUTBA-14

Hazrath delivered this speech when Talha and Zubair breaking their oaths of allegiance
and severing their connections with Hazrath went away to Mecca. Hazrath through his
prevision and foresight realized that Moavia is behind all this mischief, he is making Talha
and Zubair his cat’s-paw and they are acting under his insinuations, he foresaw the result
of their rebellion and predicted the same.
Followers of truth and religion! beware that the Satan has amassed his followers and has
mustered his cavalry and infantry. But I have my prescience with me; neither my intelligence
ever confused me or kept me in doubt about truths and facts; nor was I ever deceived or
prevailed upon by others. Let them try their worst, I swear by God that I also shall put up such
a fight that those who confront me shall not leave the battle-field alive and those who escape
death shall not dare to fight against me again.
 89
KHUTBA-15

During the battle of Jamal when Hazrath appointed his son Muhammad-e-Hanafia as
Commander of his armies, he gave Muhammad the following instructions:-
Remember my son, mountains may move away and may leave their places but you on no
account should retreat or run away from the battle-field. Be brave and resolute, and offer your
head in the service of God. Strongly fix your feet in the ground (do not think of fleeing). Keep
your eyes on the last row of your enemy’s army (You must reach there after overthrowing the
front rows, or you must not overlook the movements of rear ranks and merely concentrate on
the front lines). Do not waver and do not get nervous. Remember that only God can help and
should be trusted upon. .

KHUTBA-16

After the battle of Basra one of the Arabs came and congratulated Hazrath on this success
wishing that his brother was also present there to witness the victory. Hazrath asked him
whether his brother was a friend and follower of Hazrath, and getting the reply in affirm-
ative he said:-
“Then he was with us, was in our army, not only he but even those of our friends and
followers who are yet to be born in times to come were with me in this battle, and in them the
true Islam will find its power”.

KHUTBA-17

After having defeated the Basarites in the battle of Jamal and taking possession of Basra
and adjoining provinces, Hazrath delivered this Khutba in which he condemned the
activities of Basarites. Allama Ibne-Maesum in his book copies this Khutba with the
following sentence which is missing in Syed Ruzee’s compilation:-
“You people of Basra! you citizens of Mootafeka! (a very old name of Basra the old
Mootafeka which was thrice inundated and on every occasion all of its citizens were drowned),
I am afraid you have earned a fourth destruction.”
You Basarites! you were in the army commanded by a woman (Ummul Muslemeen
Aiysha) and you were the followers of an animal (the camel of Ummul-Muslemeen, which was
used as a banner in the battle of Jamal and around which the Basarites had flocked); you obeyed
the blubbering and braying of that camel (as if it was a command from a leader) and when that
beast was killed you routed and ran away. You are wicked and depraved in nature; faithless and
untrustworthy in character; and hypocrites and schismatics in religion, even the waters of your
wells reflecting the sourness of your disposition, are brackish.
Those who live amidst you are forced to lead a life of sin, and those who severe relations
with you will receive Blessings of All-Merciful God.
As if I see the whole city of Basra inundated once again and the mosque of Basra standing
in the midst like a boat on the bosom of the sea, it appears as if the curse of God has swept you
in the form of a flood, submerging everything in its way, low-lying areas as well as highlands.
(There are few more versions of this last paragraph of Hazrath’s speech which are
 90
translated below).
The Second Version
I swear by God that surely your city will be inundated in such a way that the mosque will
appear like a boat with bulging breast or like an ostrich seated on the ground.
The Third Version
The mosque of Basra will look like the breast of sea-bird swimming on the surface of the
sea.
The Fourth Version
You Basarites! can you not realize that your city is extremely dirty and stinking. It is
so near to water (Persian Gulf on one side and doab of Euphrates and Tigres on the other)
and yet (on account of your evil thoughts and deeds) you are far-removed from the blessing
of the Heaven (You even cannot take advantage of these bounties of nature). Out of the evil,
corruptness, vices and sins spread all-over the earth, nine-tenths are concentrated here. They
engulf those who come to this city; and those who run away from your surroundings receive the
pardon of God. With my mind’s eyes I see your city submerged in such a way that only white
minarets of its mosque appear above the water-level like sea-birds on the surface of a sea.
This prophecy also came true. The rivers of Tigres and Euphrates flooded the city and com-
pletely submerged it, leaving the minarets of mosque above the water-level.

KHUTBA-18

This Khutba is also in denunciation and rebuke of Basarites.

Though your land is so near to water (Persian Gulf on one side and the Doab of Euphrates
and Tigres on the other) yet on account of your evil thoughts and deeds you are so far removed
from blessings of the Heaven (You are not in position to take advantage of these bounties of
nature). You are ignorant and stupid, and in your mind sagacity and wisdom have given place to
foolishness and idiocy. You are a very conspicuous target for those who want to hurt you, a soft
morsel conveniently to be swallowed and an easy prey to be hunted.

KHUTBA-19

Before reading this note please read the notes to Khutba 20 and 22 for this Khutba ought
to have been placed after them. After the events, as described in the above notes, when
Hazrath took charge of rulership of Islamic State he found that Caliph Oosman had granted
large states and fiefs to his relatives. According to Ibn-e-Abil Hadeed and Abu Osman-e-
Jahiz, when Mohammedans invaded Armania and conquered it Caliph Oosman granted all
of the “Khums” income of this rich state to Marwan-Bin-Hakam. Hazrath did not approve
this type of nepotism and squandering of public wealth. He handed back all these fiefs and
states to the public exchequer. On that occasion he delivered the following Khutba:-
By God, if I had found that public money had been squandered even in celebrating
marriages and in purchasing slave-girls I would have taken them back and would have handed
them over to the country, because functions and responsibilities of justice and equity are
 91
far-reaching and far-extending. One who does not boldly act according to the dictates of justice
and fairplay, will feel very nervous in facing tyranny and oppression.

KHUTBA-20

Most of the commentators regard this Khutba as the first to be delivered by Hazrath on
the occasion when people flocked around him to induce him to accept the rulership of
the Islamic State after the death of Caliph Oosman. In it Hazrath has advised the people
as what to expect; the cruel times ahead; minority of followers of truth and justice; perils,
disasters and death which they will have to face; and the ascendancy of vice over virtue
and of falsehood over truth. Please refer to the Note to the Khutba No. 21.
I hold myself responsible for what I say and I guarantee the truth of my assertions. Those
who remember well the hardships, trials and distresses of the early days of Islam and those
who can correctly anticipate and foresee the cruel times ahead-times fraught with uncertainties,
perils and disasters-to them fear of God can restrain from rashly and nervously doubting the
teachings of Islam and can help to stand up to unknown and undreamt of ordeals in the way of
accepting the principles of truth and justice.
Beware that you are being spiritually tried at this hour and you will find hardships, perils
and calamities reappearing in the same forms as befell upon you at the time when God first or-
dered our Holy Prophet (may be peace of God be upon him and his descendants) to deliver His
Message and to propagate Islam.
I swear by Him who appointed Muhammad (may the peace of God be upon him and his
descendants) as His Messenger and as an Apostle worthy of His Trust that the existing order
and form of your society will be subjected to satanical destruction, its major parts will be
vehemently disturbed and its various sections will be violently mixed up, till the lowest and
the meanest amongst you will find themselves in lofty places, and exalted persons will find
themselves humiliated and persecuted, those who from the time of the rise of Islam were very
advanced in the service of religion will be pushed back, and those hypocrites who then had been
lagging behind and waiting for favorable opportunities will be raised to proud ranks.
I swear by God that I do not keep back anything which deserves disclosure and I have
never spoken a lie. Believe me when I tell you that the developments of the grim events ending
in the present situation and the happenings of the day have long ago been revealed to me.
Remember that sins are unmanageable and rebellious stallions ridden by sinners having
no hold on the bridles, and these uncontrollable beasts are rushing along with their riders madly
towards the hell; while fear of God is like trained and submissive horses under full control of
their riders pacing with fast but gentle steps towards the Heaven.
Remember that there are two ways of life, the right and the wrong. And there are two
kinds of people; those who follow the right path and those who adopt wrong ways. If you find
the evil doers in majority or in ascendancy and followers of religion and truth in minority and
downtrodden, 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.
 92
KHUTBA-21

This sermon is considered by some commentators as a part of the Sermon 20. (See the Note
at the end). In it Hazrath has described the three kinds of persons found in a society; and
also the best course to be followed in life.
A person, who keeps in mind the consequences and reactions of his acts and deeds (the
eternal reward and the eternal punishment) and who is busy moulding his life with the ultimate
destination in view, has no time for vice and wickedness.
You will find three types of people in a 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 who are defaulters and failures
in duty; they shall end in hell.
Remember! that extremes of right and left will lead you astray, moderation is the best
course for you to adopt. It will keep you within the four corners of the teachings of Holy Quran
and the traditions of our Prophet (A.S.). It is a path which will guide you to the true impressions
of the doctrines and life of the Prophet (A.S.), it will lead you to the fountain-head of Sunnah
(tradition) and along it is the correct route to liberation. Whoever claims to know a better path
to salvation than disclosed by the Holy Prophet (A.S.), is doomed; who frames and invents lies
against its true principles is condemned, and one who tries to oppose its precepts is fated for
eternal destruction.
No individual is lost and no nation is refused prosperity and success if foundations of their
thoughts and actions rest upon piety and godliness, and upon truth and justice.
Do not create disturbance and discord among men, let there be peace and tranquillity and
try to advance friendship and unity. Concentrate on atonement of your misdeeds. Do not praise
anybody but your God and do not condemn anyone but your ownself.

Translator’s Note
I think Syed Ruzee could not obtain this Khutba also in full, because three other famous
scholars of Arabic language and authorities on Islamic traditions have quoted a Khutba
far-larger in text than this. They are Allama Ibne-Abil Hadeed-e-Moutazully, Allama lbne-
Maisum and Shaikh Abu Osman Jahiz. Shaikh Abu Osman Jahiz was noble man of the
court and tutor to the sons of Mutawakil Billah, an Abbasite Caliph of Baghdad, one of
the deadliest enemies of Aal-e-Rasool. In his famous book “The Bayan and Tibyan” Shaikh
Abu Osman not only quotes this Khutba in full but had also commented upon it in great
details. In dealing with it all the three scholars besides treating the Khutbas 19 and 20
as parts of it have also added a few more paragraphs to its text. As I am following Syed
Ruzee I have treated Khutba 19 and 20 as separate sermons but the translation of the extra
paragraphs I have included in this note, because if read along with the above Khutba they
make an interesting reading.
Extra passages according to Abu Osman Jahiz:-
“Friends take pity upon you and take care of yourselves, but remember who treats other
with consideration, sympathy and mercy is actually looking after his ownself in the best manner.
To a person who keeps in mind..........(continued in the text para 1).
(Continued from para 2.)......... these three groups are from ordinary men, beyond them
 93
there are angels, whose greatness could be measured from the fact that their access is as far and
as high as Empyrean (Ursh); and then there are prophets who receive Divine guidance and help.
Besides these five there is no sixth group. Whoever, besides us, claims to be an Imam or Caliph
or whoever rushes along this path blindly is lost eternally. Remember that extremes of right and
left will lead.........(continued in para 3 above).........(para 4).
It is decreed that punishment or death will be the reward of a vicious life, and those
ungodly leaders whom you are following will not lead you to a better destiny. Do not create
disturbances and discord.........(to the end of the Khutba as translated above).

KHUTBA-22

Some commentators are of the opinion that this sermon is a censure and denouncement
of such people who take up the posts of Quazi (Judge) without having qualification or
capacity for this kind of responsible work.
Amongst men God the Almighty detests most two kinds of people:-
Firstly the person who takes wrong advantage of the freedom and ease allowed to him
by circumstances, he does not realize that he is being given a long rope. He deviates from the
right path, is driven by inordinate desires to create schism through his talks, loves to lead people
astray and misguides all those who could be deceived by him. He has wandered away from the
correct ways of virtuous people gone before him and during his life and even after his death he
is leading others to depravity and vice. Having pawned his own soul against sin he carries the
responsibility of sins of others also.
And then the person who has collected half truths, wicked ideas and wrong concepts and
is, consequently, busy spreading apostasy among the ignorants and uneducated, he is habitually
engaged in dark deeds of creating dissensions and discords among fellow men and is blind to the
blessings of peace and tranquility. Uneducated and ignorant people credit him with wisdom and
knowledge though he actually is neither learned nor wise.
From early life he has been collecting such ideas, the abundance of which is more injurious
to man than their scarcity, till his soul is saturated with wicked notions and perverted beliefs,
and his mind is filled with useless and harmful theories.
He pretends to be a jurist and a Quazi taking up the responsibility of unravelling such
intricate problems as have often bewildered and baffled others. And if actually a difficult
question is placed before him, he tries to solve it with the help of incorrect or irrelevant and
often absurd or irrational concepts fully believing them to be correct, authentic and genuine. In
fact on account of doubts and uncertainties created by incorrect knowledge his mind is always
in confusion worse confounded.
He never knows whether his readings are right· or wrong. If accidentally he arrives at
a correct decision he is in doubt about its truth and authenticity, and if he makes a mistake as
is usually the case, he hopes that his rulings are correct. He is not only ill-informed but is also
sinking day to day into further and further depths of ignorance.
Being incapable of appreciating realities of truth and blind to divine enlightenment he
places his faith in doubtful and dubious suppositions.
As he has never studied hard to acquire real attainment and correct information, he
therefore, carelessly plays with traditions of our Holy Prophet (A.S.) and with tenets of Muslim
 94
Laws treating them as irreverently as a gust of wind treats chaff and straw. If a question is asked
of him he will not be able to give a correct answer. He does not deserve the rank and position
assigned to him.
He is so uneducated and ill-informed that he cannot even imagine that real knowledge
lies hidden in the very truths which he has refused to accept, and beyond the flight of his
imagination there are ways for others to attain the heights of truth and wisdom. But he well
realizes the untutored and unenlightened conditions of his mind, therefore, whenever he cannot
understand a problem he tries to hide his ignorance.
Bloodshed, on account of capital punishments carried on due to his wrong judgments, are
crying for retribution and heirs deprived of their rights, due to his faulty decrees, are lamenting
over the injustice.
I complain to God of such people who spend their lives in this kind of ignorance and sin
and die sinning and leaving their bad examples behind for others to be misled. To them the
Quran has no use if it is correctly interpreted, and is of immense value if to suit their sinful
purposes and intentions it is wrongly explained. There is nothing more harmful to them than
goodness and justice and nothing more beneficial than vice and sin.

KHUTBA-23

Remarks of Hazrath on differences of opinions amongst the jurists and Quazis on one and
the same question of Muslim Law.
The condition of these jurists and Quazis, who pretend to be well-versed in the tenets of
Muslim Law, is such that if a decision is obtained from one of them on any proposition and if
the very same proposition is submitted to another, this second jurist will pass a judgment quite
contrary to the first one. And if all such dissenting and disagreeing decisions are placed before
the person who is their chief he will approve everyone of them.
How could these diversions and differences of opinions arise? They believe in the same
God, follow the same Prophet and accept the same Holy Book.
Has the Lord ordered for such wild differences and diversions and they are obeying His
commands? Or has He prohibited them to play with Divine tenets and they are disobeying Him?
Has His revelations to the Holy Prophet (A.S.) been incomplete and He wanted their help to
complete them? Are they His copartners and have the right to say what they like and He has
approved this arrangement? Or the God has revealed the Divine Law in full but the Holy Prophet
(A.S.) has not done his duty in imparting and communicating them to world and these people
are filling up the gaps?
Praise and Glorification be to God; His commands were revealed in full and were fully
conveyed by the Holy Prophet (A.S.). He has affirmed and declared this in several places in His
Holy Quran: At one instance He says, “We have not left anything in the Quran” and again “There
is explanation of everything in the Quran”.
At another place it is emphatically declared that “Various portions of this book confirm
and verify each other and there is no discord and variance in them”; and then there is quite clear
specification to the effect that “Had these revelations any other source than that of God you
would have found considerable discord and disunity in their various parts”.
Remember! that to a casual observer the Quran appears to be a book very easy to
 95
understand and interesting but inner meanings of its passages are far-extending, profound and
hard to understand. For deep thinkers its fascinations will never cease and its wonders will never
end.

KHUTBA-24

While Hazrath was delivering a sermon in the mosque of Koofa, he was interfered by
Ashus-ibne-Quais who disturbed Hazrath’s sermon, saying that such a speech is injurious
to Hazrath only. Following is a rebuke on that remark. Ashus was a great hypocrite. He
was the chief instigator in Siffeen to bring about a truce and to save Moavia from a defeat.
He had also once betrayed his own clan and got hundreds of them killed, just to please
Khalid and to get into his good books.
You a wicked son of a depraved father, a hypocrite son of an infidel Sire, what do you
know, which part of my speech is injurious and which is beneficial to me? May the curse of God
and men lie upon you. You were taken prisoner twice, once by non-Muslim Arabs and once by
Muslims and on both the occasions your ill-gotten wealth and your family connections did not
prove of any service or help to you and could not protect you from getting behind the bars. One
who directs and guides enemy’s sword against his own kith and kin deserves to be abhored and
loathed. Neither his friends can consider themselves safe from his wickedness nor his enemies.

KHUTBA-25

Hazrath has explained, how and from whom we can take lessons to model or shape our
lives.
If you only had true conception of what would happen after death, you would
have screamed with horror and trembled with fright, and would have readily obeyed the
commandments. But what the dead has seen is hidden from your eyes. Nevertheless in
everybody’s life the time is not far off when this curtain will rise and death will knock at his
door.
Had you really a desire to see, a wish to hear and a longing to learn, Islam has depicted
vivid images, has given true accounts and has tried to explain effectively and simply of what is
going to be the end of life, and what is to happen after death.
It is a truth which I repeat that Islam has shown you a way out of these horrors explaining
to you what to do and what not to do.
Apart from the teachings of Islam, have not the histories of nations and lives of great men
enough material in them for you to take warning from? Have they not explained to you that
outcome of life is death, and where death would lead to?
Who couldm besides the heavenly prophets, be better messenger of God to man than the
history of man itself?

KHUTBA-26

How to face your destiny on the DAY OF JUDGMENT?

 96
Heaven and Hell are both in front of you, and death as a course of nature is driving you
towards your end.
Reduce the burden of your sins and vices that you may carry on the journey with ease and
may feel happy to embrace your destiny.
Those who have gone before are awaiting you.

KHUTBA-27

There came a time in the lives of Talha and Zubair when they started craving for Caliphate
or at least for the Governorship of some of the rich provinces for themselves and their
sons. They found Hazrath in their way. And as they were actually the people responsible
for the murder of Caliph Oosman, they felt that by falsely declaring Hazrath answerable
for this deed they will succeed in allaying the suspicion resting on them and in gathering
followers around themselves or in driving people away from Hazrath.
They started the propaganda that Hazrath was responsible for this murder. Hazrath has
reproached them in this Khutba and has told them that morally and factually they were
accountable for the deed. He also warned them that he will frustrate their plans, accept
their challenge and deliver them a crushing defeat. And this actually happened, Talha and
Zubair were killed during the battle of Jamal (Basra). As a matter of history Talha was
murdered by his companion Murvan in settlement of old accounts, there was dissension
amongst the thieves; and Zubair was killed by a fanatic Muslim outside the battle-field.
Zubair’s son Abdulla and Murvan, the two arch instigators were taken prisoners and it
proved a disastrous defeat to their armies. Hazrath then very graciously not only pardoned
and freed Abdulla and Murvan but also showed the same kindness and mercy towards
every soldier taken as a prisoner, and sent Ummul Muslemeen with befitting respect and
pageantry back to Madina.
Beware! Satan has stirred up its hordes and has gathered its armies against truth and
justice. Its underlings want unequivocal licence to carry on oppression and tyranny. They desire
unchecked freedom to lie so loudly and so constantly that their lies may be taken for truth.
By God! In slandering and falsely accusing me they have not left a lie unsaid and
have resolved to shelve aside honesty, truth and justice. They want to place upon me the
responsibility of performing a duty, which they themselves have neglected, of an obligation
which they have forsaken, and vengeance and requital of blood which actually they have shed.
If I was a party to this murder they also cannot escape the responsibility of their share in
it. And if they have done it without my counsel-as the truth is-then they are solely answerable
for it and nobody else should be held responsible for the deed and should be punished for it.
Their arguments work against them and prove that their demands on me are irrational and
illogical and are not able to stand the acid test of truth and reason.
They are trying to revive the dead schism and heresy hoping thus to gain support from
false accusations, they do not realize that falsehood does not possess inherent ability to support
any cause.
Sad disappointment and frustration await those who, creating unreasonable and absurd
claims challenge me to fight. God the Almighty knows what they are after; I obediently and
willingly accept His decree and shall defend the religion and faith. If they do not accept my
 97
advice and obey my commands then I shall have to fight with them. That will be only course left
open to defeat falsehood and schism and to defend truth and justice.
Is it not a matter of profound surprise that they challenge me for an all-out war and a
straight fight? Sad will be their plight if they forget my past performances and if they under-
estimate me. Was I ever afraid of a battle, did I ever wince before an adversary? Did anybody
ever dare frighten me? I shall crash their world around their ears. I have full faith in my religion
and trust in God.

KHUTBA-28

In this Sermon Hazrath has advised the poors not to envy rich and have advised the rich
to support and help the poors.
Whatever a man receives in the form of children or wealth and affluence is decreed. These
blessings fall like raindrops bringing happiness and plenty in their wake. And just like raindrops
their quanta is predestined, lavish and abundant in many cases and scanty and sparing in many
others.
Thus if you find some of your brothers having many children and wealth then do not envy
and do not try to hurt or harm them.
One must work and endeavour to better himself; and unless a Muslim adopts such mean
ways of life as their publicity and disclosure may bring disgrace and shame to him, he may
expect reasonable returns for his efforts and exertions.
Happy is the lot of a pious man who is honest in his dealings; he awaits with pleasing
expectancy either of the two returns: he is happy and pleased to meet death whenever it comes,
that is, he is always ready to go whenever called, and if he is endowed with a long life he is
contended and happy with whatever the Merciful God hath blessed him with.
Of course, children and worldly possessions are pastures and flourishing fields of this
world, but good deeds will lead to gardens of the Heaven and to many, God through His
Kindness and Mercy, has granted both.
Verily, you must fear God and honestly resort to good deeds, there should not be cant and
hypocrisy in your actions; because God will not reward hypocrisy. If one has been good just for
the sake of show, then he must expect the reward from the world only.
But if one desires to attain exalted places of martyrs and companionship of prophets and
saints in Heaven then these can only be attained through goodness and honesty.
Remember! however rich a man may be, he cannot find himself above the helping-hands
and good opinions of his people, he cannot dispense with their sympathies; they are his best
friends in misfortunes and calamities, and good protection against defamation and slander.
The good reputation that a generous man leaves behind him is always thousands of times
better than the riches and wealth which he leaves to be inherited by others.
Beware! that if anybody finds poverty, destitution and starvation among his people
and refuses to extend a helping-hand, he will not increase his wealth by such means while
expenditure on charity will neither decrease his wealth nor reduce him to poverty.
He, who refrains from 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.
He, whose behaviour with his people is good, earns a lasting love and devotion.
 98
KHUTBA-29
Piety will pay in the long-run

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.

KHUTBA-30

When the news started reaching Hazrath that Moavia’s directed hordes were ransacking
border towns and have even taken possession of some of them; when two of his Governors,
Obedulla-ibne-Abbas and Saeed-ibne-Numran ran back to Koofa leaving their provinces
unguarded and undefended; and when Hazrath learnt that Obedulla-ibne-Abbas flight was
so precipitate that he even had left his wife and two small babies behind, who were very
brutally murdered by Buser-ibne-Arthath, the commander of Moavia’s armies, he felt very
sad and annoyed at their nervousness to face war and at their unwillingness to accept
discipline and obey orders. He delivered the following Khutba:-
Very little beside Koofa is left to me to control and to trust upon. And Oh Koofa! if even
you betray me and if storms of opposition rise against me within your gates then I am justified
in feeling sad, disappointed and grieved.
News have reached me that Buser-ibne-Arthath has reached Yamun, I am afraid his armies
will capture that province also, you are bound to be defeated because you would not make the
sacrifices necessary for the occasion and the cause; and because they put up collective action
and help each other though they are on the wrong and you cannot control conflicting and selfish
interests for overall welfare though you are on the side of truth and justice. Even after knowing
me so well you have not seen fit to acknowledge my value and to obey my orders, while they
are united in obedience of their leader Moavia though he is leading them to vice and sin and to
infamy and Hell. They are honest to their leader, and you try to deceive me on every occasion.
They are managing their affairs very well, and you are not competent to carry on good
administration.
O Lord! I am sick of these people and they hate the honourable, sincere and religious way
of life that I want them to follow. They hate me on that account and I loathe and detest their
vicious and sinful motives. Either soften their hearts towards truth and religion or give me better
people and give them a worse ruler than I.1
Instead of these people I wish I had with me only thousand horsemen from the clan of Bani
Frass Bin Ghunim, who were so quick in answering a call and so diligent in attending to duty.

1 Hazrath’s prayers were answered and soon after Hazrath for nearly a century these people were ruled by rulers
who killed them, dishonored them, plundered them and made slaves of their children. Zeeyad, his son Obaidullah
and Hajaj-ibne-Abu Eusuf, who ruled over them were scourage and manifestations of Divine punishment.
 99
KHUTBA-31

In this Khutba light has been thrown on three phases of the history of Islam: firstly on
the condition of Arabs before Islam and what Islam wanted to achieve for them; secondly
the reason why Hazrath did not take serious steps to defend his cause till the battle of
Basra (Jamal); thirdly how Moavia bartered for the allegiance and help of Omer-ibne-Aas.
Apparently this sermon was delivered before the battle of Siffeen.
Apparently Syed Ruzee could not secure the complete Khutba, all that he could secure
were three disjointed paragraphs of a big sermon wherein Hazrath had advised his
followers to get ready to defend themselves, giving them a brief survey of the change Islam
wanted to bring about in their ways of life, ideology and vision, and of the untiring efforts
of ungodly forces exerting themselves-in the beginning openly and later on covertly but
always unceasingly.
You Arabs! do you ever realize in what state were you when God, the Merciful appointed
Muhammad (may the peace of God be upon him and his descendants) as His prophet and
selected him as a trustworthy and faithful Messenger of Divine Revelations?
You were following a wicked ideology and were leading an evil life. You lived in dirty huts
and unclean houses amidst hard stones and deadly serpents. You ate loathsome and unhealthy
food and drank muddy and filthy water. You hysterically hated each other fighting with and
killing even your blood relations and friends. You had set up idols for worship. Your lives and
your environments, your religion and even your salvation were totally wrapped up and engulfed
with vice and sin.
(Another part of the sermon)
I surveyed the situation in which I found myself and came to the conclusion that none but
my relatives, so few in numbers, will come to my help against the anti-God forces which have
violently and vehemently gathered to subvert and overthrow the basic principles which had so
long baffled and enraged them. I silently suffered the bitter disappointment because I did not like
my helpers to be savagely and ruthlessly murdered.
(Another part of this sermon)
Omer-ibne-Aas did not yield to overtures of Moavia unless he was paid an increditably
high price for the sinful alliance. The aid to sin so dearly bargained for cannot bring success to
the purchaser, and the allegiance so viciously procured cannot but end into infamy and sin. My
friends! you now are abundantly capable and strong to defend yourselves and your religion, get
ready and be equipped-do it rapidly but not hysterically. The fire of war has kindled up, it has
started burning furiously, its flames can be seen even from here. Bear the sufferings with pa-
tience because nothing but patience will bring success to you.

KHUTBA-32

This sermon is in praise of Jehad (Holy War in defence of Islam), what it means and
what it can achieve for you. Hazrath has also commented the merits of bravery and has
condemned cowardice. He has also denounced those who fail to follow his orders.
The famous French historian, research scholar and orientalist, Gabriel Enkiri in his equally
famous book “Le Chevealier de Islam” says that: “in the extremely superfine, grand and
 100
noble character of Ali there were two traits which, it is difficult to believe, that can be
united in one man. Besides Ali, history cannot show any other man who has displayed
these two qualities at one and the same time, and each one in such a marked way that none
can surpass him and very few could reach him. He was the greatest marshal of his time
(even of all times) and he was the wisest man who can explain and expound upon religion,
philosophy, science, sociology and ethics, in a style which was not and which cannot be
improved; what is more he was such a great speaker that his speeches enchant you even
thirteen centuries after his death”.
In this sermon as in so many others Hazrath has left a pen-picture of these traits of his
character. I wish had enough control over English language (as a matter of fact over any
language) to bring out the force which his words convey, the pathos which they hold and
the disappointment, at the behavior of people, which they exhibit, people who promised
to defend Islam and betrayed it at the eleventh hour.
At the age of sixty in the battle-field of Basra (Jamal), Siffeen and Naharwan, Hazrath was
as great a Marshal and a soldier as he was at Badur, Ohad, Khunduk, Khyber and Hunain,
when he was in the prime of his life. And at the same time from the pulpit he was as
great a preacher and speaker as the world has not seen before and will never see again.
His all-knowing mind was very intimately familiar and very well-versed in physics and
metaphysics, in philosophy and religion, in psychology and economics, and in rhetorics
and ethics, and he tried to convey as much of this knowledge to his listeners as they could
understand and grasp.
Of course, JEHAD-a war in defence of religion and humanity-is one of the gateways of
Heaven which God hath kept open for His privileged friends. It, in fact, is an armour
designed by Him for defence of His cause, and a strong shield to protect His friends from
His foes and enemies of mankind.
Whosoever turns away from it, with aversion, will be punished with disgrace; will be
visited with sorrows and calamities; will receive humiliations in life; and his faculties of
attainment, foresight and sagacity will be dulled. As he has declined the honour of defending his
faith his course from the path of Truth will be diverted; the world will despise him and treat him
with humility and disdain; and he shall be refused justice.
Have I not constantly been advising you to stand up, individually and collectively, to
defend your religion against these enemies of God? Have not I often told you that sometimes
offence is the best form of defence? I swear by God that people who have waited for the war
to come to their doors have waited for utter ruination and disgrace. But you have tried to shift
the responsibilities from one to other and refused coming to each other’s help till plunder and
pillage descended upon you, and your country was taken away from you. The armies of Sufyan
Bin Auf invaded your province, they killed Hassaan-Bin-Hassaan and drove away your army
from its cantonment.
It is reported to me that these plunderers pillaged the houses of Muslims and non-Muslims,
snatching jewellery of women from their bodies; what could these poor women do but cry for
help and mercy, and nobody came to their succour. These invaders returned unharmed loaded
with booty sacked from the houses of Muslims and non-Muslims.
If a Muslim died with sorrow on hearing these degrading news, I shall not blame him but
shall consider him as a worthy person.
 101
Is it not astonishing that enemies of God can co-operate and co-ordinate on tyranny and
oppression against man and religion, and you cannot unite to defend the cause of justice and
truth; contrary to it you are disunited and discoordinated?
Sorrow and shame is going to be your lot. You have become targets towards which arrows
are directed and you cannot defend yourselves; you are being plundered and you cannot protect
yourselves; you are being invaded and you sit still with folded hands; and orders of God are
being disobeyed before your eyes and you are acting as willing witnesses.
If I ask you to march in summer you want me to wait till the hot season is over, and if I
order you for a move in winter you come down with a request of delay till the cold season comes
to an end. It is because you cannot stand rigours of seasons; and if you cannot face seasons you
can never face a drawn-sword. You appear to be men but have undeveloped minds of children
and timidity and nervousness of women accustomed to boudoirs.
I wish I had not seen or known you. I bear the Almighty God as my witness that your
contact has brought shame and sorrow upon me. You have made my heart bleed and have filled
my mind with grief.
By not following my advice and by disobeying orders of God you have created a situation
where Quraish have started saying that though Ali is brave, yet he does not know tactics of
war. May God forgive their parents. Is there one among them having as much experience of war
as Ali? Has anyone of them been more often than Ali in the first line of offence or acted as a
Commander oftener?
You all know that I entered a battle-field when I was not even twenty and I am now sixty
years old. Are these experiences wasted upon me? No. But when advices of a leader are not fol-
lowed he naturally cannot improve the situation.

KHUTBA-33

In this sermon Hazrath has advised people to give up sinful and vicious ways of life and to
try to achieve salvation.
It is a truth that life is passing and it has tolled the knell of its departure; Hereafter is facing
you and has clearly manifested its approach. If you want to win His Blessings in the next world,
today is the only day left for you in this life to work for it, tomorrow is the day for a reward;
and the reward is Heaven; Hell is the ultimate end of all who spend their lives in pursuits of
pleasures only.
Is there not one amongst you who would repent his deeds before death; compensate for
what he has done and do good before the calamity of retribution descends upon him?
Remember! your today may be the only time left to you to hope, desire and work, and
beyond today may be the biggest void-the death. Whoever works during this period of
expectation and hope (the span of life allotted to him), he shall reap the harvest and death will
not harm him; but the person who does not care to utilize this period beneficially his time and
work is wasted and death will bring calamity to him.
Remember! your work for God and man during this period of expectation, hope and
respite should be of the same high standard of sincerity and submission which you will adopt
when you will be facing dangers and anxieties.
Believe me, I know not of any blessing as great as Paradise yet those who seek it are so
 102
lazy and unconcerned about it, and any punishment, as formidable and ever-lasting as Hell and
those who wish to escape it are so fearless of it.
Remember! one who is not benefited by religion, falls an easy prey to the devil; and one, to
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 may be allured with wishful thinking, avoid both and take from life such things as would
protect you from punishment on the DAY OF JUDGMENT.

KHUTBA-34

Wherein Hazrath Ali has censured the words and deeds of people who had surrounded
him, had sworn to obey him and to fight against the enemies of Islam. But when the time
for action came they showed timidity and cowardice. Hazrath has told them that through
their cowardice they could not protect their own homes, how could they protect homes of
others? They are expecting victory without trying to achieve it or deserve it.
O people! though you appear to live together yet your views and purposes are divergent.
You are boastful and speak so forcefully that your words appear powerful enough to break hard
stones, yet you act so timorously as to tempt your enemy to attack you often and often. When
you gather together you talk as if you will achieve great success, yet when time comes for you
to fight for the cause of truth and justice you try to shun and to avoid it.
Who appeals to you for help will never achieve honour and glory and who sympathizes
with you will never have peace of mind. Your excuses and pretences are due to your faulty and
erroneous ways of thinking. You want to put off the war, like a bad debtor uselessly trying to put
off the day of repayment.
It is true, that a meek, contemptible and humiliated person cannot prevent oppression and
injustice; and rights cannot be obtained but by efforts, endeavours and exertions.
Whose home and hearth will you defend when you allow your own homes to be plundered
and destroyed and under whose lead and guidance you will fight when you lose me?
By God! whoever trusts you is badly deceived, whoever tries to succeed with your help is
doomed to failure and whoever wants to carry on a war with your help is trying to fight with
broken and useless armaments.
By God! I neither believe in you nor do I hope for your support, nor can I frighten the
enemy with you by me.
What is come to you? How can your minds be improved? Is there a remedy for your
disease?
Do you not realize that your enemies are also men like you? You talk of things without
understanding them. You are careless of ways and means of success because of your sinful life.
You hope and expect a victory without being fit to achieve it or to deserve it.
 103
KHUTBA-35

In this sermon Hazrath has explained the causes of the murder of Caliph Oosman and his
having no connection whatsoever with that incident.
If I had ordered him to be killed I undoubtedly would have been his murderer, and if I
had prevented people from killing him I would have been his helper. But I have no connection
whatsoever with that affair.
Those who came to the help of Oosman cannot say that they were better than those who
deserted him and those who1 deserted him cannot say that they were better than his helpers.
I shall place both sides of the case before you. Oosman was wilful and obstinate and
extremely so; and you were inordinately impatient and hasty. It rests with God the Almighty to
pass His Judgment between the wilful and hasty.

KHUTBA-36

Wherein Hazrath Ali gives advice to Abdullah-ibne-Abbas when he is sent to Zubair Bin-
Awan before the battle of Jamal.
Do not meet Talha, he is not open to conviction and reasoning. He is arrogant and behaves
like a bull with raised head and horns tilted towards his back. He is trying to lead an illiterate,
unruly and ungodly mob believing them to be docile and obedient. But you must meet Zubair,
he is reasonable and considerate. Tell him that you have this message from his cousin. “You have
accepted me in Hijaz as Caliph of the Prophet and as your leader, but in Iraq you refuse to rec-
ognise my rights. What made you turn back upon your words and deeds?”

KHUTBA-37

In this Sermon Hazrath Ali has advised his people to lead an honest and pious life and has
explained the condition of the society in which they find themselves.
O people! It is a reality that you find yourselves in harsh times and cruel days; times which
try mens’ soul, times when virtuous persons are considered as wicked and when tyrants and
despots are becoming more and more oppressive and cruel, while you neither make use of your
knowledge nor try to improve it; unfortunately you do not even realise a calamity unless it ruins
you.
Remember that there are four major groups of people in this world:-
Firstly there are those who abstain from vice, villainy and violence because they are timid
and cowards, and because they have neither necessary means nor enough wealth.
Then there are those who have drawn their swords, have openly avowed of their evil
intentions, and have gathered armies around themselves. They are ready for every form of
mischief and tyranny and have ruthlessly chosen to put the power of evil ahead of all. They have
sold their souls to the devil in exchange for the worldly benefits which they gain, for the armies
which they lead and for the pulpits from which they preach impiety and sin. But verily, it is a bad
trade to barter your soul and blessing reserved for you against a vicious life and its allurements.
1 By this Hazrath meant Zubair, Talha and host of others who had originally instigated the deed, later turned a deaf
ear to the appeals of Caliph Oosman. And afterwards they themselves came forward as avengers of this murder.
 104
And there are some, who instead of trying to gain Blessings of God with sincere good
deeds, want to secure a high place in this world with pretence of piety and holiness. They are
hypocrites pretending to be humble, honest and abstinent. The Merciful God has not exposed
them to the world and they with easy conscience take wrong advantage of His Benevolence to
hide their sins under the show of piety and godliness.
Lastly there are people weak in mind and depraved in character. They can neither create
resources nor can secure assistance from others, and thus find themselves far from wealth and
high positions. They also try to cover their humility and poverty under the guise of a religious
and contented life, pretending to be virtuous and at peace with the world, though morning, noon
and night they think of nothing else but how to acquire wealth and how to secure high position
in society.
Besides these four major groups there is also an insignificant minority of such God-
fearing people whom the true conception of His Greatness and Might does not allow to be cruel
villainous and haughty; and the fear of the Day of Judgment does not permit to lead a frivolous
life. Theirs is a sorry plight in the present surroundings. They are driven away from the
society of their fellow beings, often terrorised, humiliated and persecuted. Some of them are
silent workers, sincerely and unostensibly trying to draw people towards the path of religion
and God, while others who cannot find opportunity even for this,’ live in seclusion often
surrounded with humiliation and poverty, holding heroically to their mission. They are like a
person thrown into the sea, with his hands and feet tied and mouth gagged; who can neither
swim to safety nor can cry for help.
They have done their duty to man and God, and have tried to bring people round to
religion and truth till most of them were so ruthlessly suppressed that they lost every position
and prestige in society, or were so mercilessly killed that what remains of them is now an
insignificant minority.
You must realize that a vicious life and the pomp and glory gained through vice are really
worthless, renounce the world thus acquired as contemptible, it has always deserted those who
fell madly in love with it. Take a warning from the lives of others before your lives become pages
of history for others to take lesson from.

KHUTBA-38

Abdullah-ibne-Abbas says that Hazrath was marching at the head of his army to Basra.
When the army stopped at Ziquar he found Hazrath putting stitches to and repairing his
very old and worn-out shoes. Ibne-Abbas looked at this act of Hazrath with astonishment;
and Hazrath seeing the look of astonishment in his eyes said, “Ibne-Abbas what do you
think would be the cost of this pair of shoes?” Ibne-Abbas replied, “Nothing Sir, not even
the cost of the stitches put on them, they are worthless”. Hazrath said, “Ibne-Abbas if I
cannot establish a regime of justice and truth, and if I cannot eradicate tyranny and
impiety then the value of this Caliphate is less to me than the cost of this pair of shoes”.
Hazrath then turned towards his officers and delivered the following Khutba.
Verily, when the Almighty God sent Muhammed (May the peace of God be upon him
and his descendants) as His Messenger and the Prophet of peace there was not a single person
in Arabia who actually knew anything about the HEAVENLY BOOK or who had claimed to be
 105
Prophet. Our Holy Prophet (A.S.) guided men till they saw the right path and found the road to
salvation; till he taught them simple living and high thinking; and till he brought peace of mind,
faith and assurance to them.
I bear God as my witness that, along with him I also toiled to remove ignorance and
impiety till the mind of his true and faithful followers were completely cleaned of these evils.
During this work I never felt dejected or worn-out nor was I ever afraid of opposition.
My mission, today, is the same as it was at the time of the Prophet (A.S.). I shall strive till
I eradicate impiety and injustice, and till I establish a rule of justice and truth, ----a humane and
heavenly regime.
By God! Have the Quraish given up realizing who or what I am? I have fought against
them and defeated them1 when they were infields, and now I will fight against them to remove
their tyrannous, unjust and impious rule.
Today I am as much their well-wisher as I was during the lifetime of the Holy Prophet
(A.S.) and my courage and determination have not deteriorated.

KHUTBA-39

In this Sermon Hazrath has expressed his sorrow upon the mental conditions of lraqees,
warning them of the results of negligence of duty and indifference to religion.
Alas! when I say that I am tired of advising and rebuking you I speak more in pain than in
anger. What has come to you? Have you really accepted a vicious and sinful life in exchange for
ETERNAL BLESSINGS? Are you sincerely satisfied with humiliation and subversion in place of
honour and glory?
If I order you for JEHAD against enemies of God and religion your eyes roll as if you are
passing through spasms of a fainting fit or suffering the agonies of death. Apparently you do not
try to understand what is being taught to you and thus are puzzled and perplexed acting as if
you are mad. The confused condition of your mind is such that you behave like camels that have
lost their drivers and stampede nervously and aimlessly if one tries to gather them in one place.
I have completely lost faith in you. You are not the kind of helpers who could be trusted,
nor such honorable assistants as could be relied upon. You are helpless and useless fodder for the
fire of war. Your enemies are fooling you and intriguing against you and you are no match for
them; they are day and right planning for your destruction and you are insensible to the danger;
they are reducing boundaries of your kingdom and you do not feel disturbed over it.
I swear by God that those who forsake and desert each other and do not adopt an
effectively collective measure to resist an enemy will always be subdued and conquered. I am
positively sure that, in a violently fierce battle when you see many dying and dead around you,
you will desert me.
Remember! that your surrendering to an enemy, who ruthlessly wishes to cut your
flesh into ribbons, to crush every bone of your body and to flay you alive or dead, shows how

1 Hazrath defeated Quraish in this battle of Basra and again delivered a crushing defeat in the battle of Naharwan,
he was preparing for an invasion of Syria, when he was murdered while kneeling before God during his morning
prayer in the month of Ramazan 40 A.H.
 106
incompetent, cowardly and meek minded you are. You are at liberty to adopt such a course of
life. So far as I am concerned, instead of allowing the enemy to gain an upper hand over me I
shall defend myself to the best of my ability and the rest to God.
O people! remember that you and I have mutual duties towards each other. My duty
towards you is to teach you correct ways of life, to provide a welfare state for you, to raise
incomes and standards of life for everyone of you, to educate you and to infuse higher culture
in you. Your duty towards me is that you do not violate your promise of allegiance to God and
Religion, to be loyal to me even behind my back, to accept discipline and to obey orders.

KHUTBA-40

According to Mohammed-Ibne-Abadhoo, the Muftee of Egypt and the commentator of

Khutbas of Hazrath, when Hazrath was engaged in the battle of Siffeen against Moavia,
and Moavia’s army was on the verge of a disastrous defeat then Moavia’s Commander,
Omer-e-Aas suggested that they should bribe some officers of Hazrath’s army and also
take up the ruse of raising Quran on spears and surrendering and saying that we surrender
before the Quran and desire to appoint an arbitrator to decide between us according to the
rulings of the Quran. This trick succeeded. Though Hazrath advised his officers not to be
deceived and not to convert an overwhelming victory into an idiotic truce, yet money and
the guise of few rags that were raised on spears and were named the Quran won the day,
and except a few trusted and faithful officers like Maalik-e-Ashtar and Quais Ibne-Maquel,
the others put down their arms and a truce was declared. Arbitrators were appointed and
as Hazrath had predicted these arbitrators sold the cause of Islam along with their souls to
the Devil. Some of the Sardars realized their folly and came to Hazrath with apologies, it
was on that occasion when this Khutba was delivered.
The Merciful God must always be thanked though you may be facing harsh time or
encountering reverses and misfortunes. I testify that there is no god but One, the Almighty. He
has neither a colleague nor an associate and that our Holy Prophet, Muhammed, (A.S.) is His
servant and Messenger (may the blessings of God be upon him and his descendants).
I want you to learn this obvious truth that to disbelieve the advice of a solicitous and
devoted friend and to disobey the counsel of a learned, experienced and well-wishing adviser
always terminates in shame and grief and results in regret and sorrow.
Do you remember the advice I gave you in respect to that arbitration affair? It was truly
sincere and highly valuable advice. But behaving like suspicious and evil-wishing enemies or
faithless and untrue followers you refused to accept my counsel till I was reluctantly forced to
withhold it. You lost a golden opportunity, and are now realizing it too late. I wish you would
have realized it in time.

KHUTBA-41

The battle of Naharwan took place between Hazrath and Kharijites. Kharijites were the
people who were in the army of Hazrath at the battle of Siffeen. As described in the Note
of Khutba 40; they compelled Hazrath against his better judgment, to accept the proposal
of arbitration. But when the result of arbitration was made known to them and when the
 107
promises made by Moavia were not fulfilled by him, they declared that Hazrath had made
a mistake in accepting arbitration, because none could arbitrate in the affairs of Islam but
God. With this ruse they decided to fight against Hazrath and gathered an army of more
than twelve thousand soldiers. In the beginning Hazrath did not want to fight against
them and advised his officers not to interfere with them. This leniency they took to be
weakness on the part of Hazrath and attacked Naharwan, a town on the bank of Eupharatis,
and killed its governor, his children and wife. The poor woman was carrying, after killing
her they cut open her stomach, took out the baby and cut the little thing into pieces; then
they started an orgy of murder and loot, killing such famous person as Sinan-e-Saedawi
and Haris Ibne Murra and many men, women and children. They pillaged many houses at
Naharwan and many towns near it. Thus Hazrath was forced to fight against them. This
battle took place at Naharwan.
Just before the battle, Hazrath warned them in the following Khutba drawing their
attention towards the fact that it was they who had brought about the arbitration at Siffeen
and now they have drawn their swords against him making the very same arbitration, a
cause to fight against him. This Khutba contains a prophecy which came true and almost
every soldier from the army of these rebels was killed before the day was over.
I want to warn and advise you against this battle, lest you may all be killed in it, and the
next sun may shed its morning light upon your mutilated and blood-strewn bodies scattered
along the basin of this river. You and only you will be responsible of your death; and you will die
without justifying your action before man and God; you have no reason whatsoever to declare a
war against me. You are maddened with the lust of false grandeur of a sinful life, it has confused
you and has entrapped you in its meshes.
Do you not remember that from the very beginning I was advising you all not to accede
to the proposal of arbitration and truce at Siffeen, but behaving like a bitter enemy of mine you
refused to accept my advice; and I was, with a great repugnance, forced to concede to your de-
mands. Your fickle mindedness and want of judgment was responsible for the loss. But now you
want to lay the responsibility at my door and make it a cause to revolt against me, though I was
always your well-wisher and never suggested anything to you that would have brought harm to
you. Mean and contemptible you have been and so you will always remain.

KHUTBA-42

In this Khutba Hazrath has described his sincere work, his courage and fortitude in the
cause of Islam, comparing with other Muslims, specially during those early days when
Holy Prophet (A.S.) first started preaching of Islam.
I stood up alone among my contemporaries to welcome the order of God while they were
keeping back timidly. I boldly came forward to defend the faith while they were nervously
hiding their heads under their hoods. I unhesitatingly testified the message of God while they
were tongue-tied with fear of non-believers. I walked the path of truth under the Divine Light,
while they stood still under clouds of uncertainty and doubt about religion and God. I never
spoke aloud of my virtues and never fretted for rewards though I surpassed every one of them
in attaining Divine Favours.
Possessing these attributes and distinctions I rose higher than any of them and stood alone
 108
at that eminence. My stand was firm like that of a mountain to which neither cyclone can shake
nor tornadoes can break. Not a single person has any justifiable cause to blame me or to find
fault with me.
All those, whom Society has wronged or has unjustly humiliated, are respectable before
me and dear to me and I shall secure for them their just claims and rights, while despotic and
arrogant usurpers of human rights are contemptible in my eyes and I shall make them give back
the rights and privileges wrongly usurped.
I have cheerfully resigned to the will of God and have willingly bowed my head at his
commands.
Can you believe that I could frame a lie unto our Holy Prophet (A.S.)? I was the first person
to attest him as the Prophet of God, how can I be first to calumniate him? Therefore, when I
deliberated upon my state of affairs I came to the conclusion that I must give priority to
fulfilment of promises made to the Holy Prophet (A.S.) over the problem of asking people to take
the oath of allegiance to me.

KHUTBA-43
Doubt and how to overcome them

An idea which creates an uncertainty about religion is called a doubt, it is so named

because it very much resembles truth and reality. Godly people walk through the darkness and
gloom of doubts under the light of faith and trust in God. But enemies of God are led by a desire
to go astray and have mental obscurity and lack of foresight as their guides.
Remember! those who fear death will not escape it and those who desire immortality will
not achieve it.

KHUTBA-44

In 39 A.H. Maalik-ibne-Kaab was the Governor of Ain-uth-Thamur, one of the

provinces under Hazrath. Maalik had a very small contingent of about 100 cavalry
men with him. Moavia without any declaration of war sent an army of invasion under
Noman-ibne-Bashir. When the news of this attack came to Hazrath, he called the Muslims
to go to the help of Maalik, and seeing how timid and nervous they appeared and what
a poor show they put up, Hazrath delivered the following Khutba. After the Khutba
Addi-ibne Hathim-e-Thaee came to Hazrath with one thousand warriors of Bani Thai.
Hazrath gave him command of an expeditionary force and advised him to collect some
more men. He was busy with mobilizing when news arrived from Maalik-ibne-Kaab that
he with his hundred men, have defeated Moavia’s horde of thousand soldiers.
I am being tried with the Government of a people like you who are so lethargic in obeying
orders and so indifferent to attend to your duties.
What has come to you? Why have you become so weak and timid? Why do you not stand
up to defend your rights and your faith? What manner of man are you? Have you no religion to
bring you together and to make you help each other? Is no sense of honour and shame left with
you to rouse feelings of courage and bravery in you?
I am standing amongst you calling you up to defend your country and your religion and
 109
you do not pay attention to my call and do not get up to obey orders. Your apathetic condition
will continue till its evil consequences will become evident to you, and then you will realise the
truth and importance of my counsel but too late.
With you to assist me it is difficult to avenge the wrongs done to us and impossible
to achieve the end in view. When I summoned you to help of your brethren, you started
lamenting like a camel suffering from colic, and manifested reluctance like a beast of burden
with a wounded back. And those of you who turned up in reply to my summons were a motley
crowd of confused and timid people behaving so nervously as if they were being dragged to
destruction and as if they were actually facing the horrors of a terrible death.

KHUTBA-45

As is referred in the Notes of Khutba 40 & 41 in the battle of Siffeen Hazrath had advised
his followers not to be deceived by Moavia’s guile and cunning ruse and not to accept
truce and arbitration, but cash presents and promises of more to follow with false pledges
on the Quran of friendship and comity had won many of the faithless officers to the side
of Moavia, and except a few trusted followers the rest had refused to accept Hazrath’s
advice, and revolted outright. And when Moavia having thus cunningly averted a
crushing defeat, treated these rebels niggardly and violated virtually all his promises, they
were disillusioned and revolted against him also. They had spiritually fallen apart, and
the pains, fears and tribulations that are always outcome of such a pattern of sin made
them desperate. In desperation they laid the blame of this truce upon Hazrath. Like all
politico-religious bodies they wanted a quasi-religious slogan to gather people around
them to fight Hazrath. They selected the slogan of “There is no order and law but that of
God”.
Hazrath in this Khutba threw light upon this slogan and the false meaning they wanted to
derive from it.
As a matter of chronological accuracy this Khutba ought to have preceded Khutba 41 but
the order as arranged by the great compiler Syed Ruzee is being followed :-
(In this Khutba Hazrath has enumerated duties of a benevolent government).
The slogan which they keep on repeating, is in itself a truth, but they deduce wrong
meaning and infer conclusions out of it harmful to mankind.
Yes! there can be no law and no order but that of God; but they infer that none should be
the king of or ruler over mankind but God.
How is it possible? Necessarily there ought to be some form of government of man over
man. There ought to be human agency as a ruler, this may either be a pious and benevolent ruler
or an ungodly government.
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
its benign protection God may grant them happy life and peaceful end; that under its auspicious
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, honour, religion and
hereafter; and that the rights and claims of poor, humble and depressed may be secured for them
from the grasps of rich and powerful oppressors so that virtuous people may be protected from
molestations of vicious sinners.
 110
KHUTBA-46

Hazrath has given reasons why he does not appreciate diplomacy and deceit. His teaching
is that end and means both should be above every kind of vice and wickedness. He says
that he knows how to cheat, how to dissimulate or how to be diplomatic and he has power
and command over ways to do it but fear of God restrains him. Therefore the guiding fac-
tor of your life should not be ‘success’ but ‘fear of God’.
Sincerity and observation of faith
Faithfulness is, in fact, a human attribute akin to truth and veracity, and I know of no
better protection to mankind from evil and harm.
One who believes in life hereafter will never resort to deception and duplicity. But
unfortunately we are passing through times when majority of worldly people think that
hypocrisy means wisdom and they lead the uneducated masses to believe that dissimulation is
the best form of sagacity.
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 at every opportunity to profit through deceit, dissimulation and diplomacy.

KHUTBA-47

Through this sermon Hazrath has taught us that avarice and inordinate craving will be our
undoing. Vicious ways of life will not procure for us material gains of permanent nature.
We must attach more importance to life hereafter.
O people! I am not so much afraid of anything on your behalf as on account of your two
weaknesses: one is your wish of achieving and realizing every desire and craving; and the other
is your belief in inordinate hopes (day dreams). Remember! that avarice and greed will prevent
you from following the path of God, and excessive ambitions in this life will make you forget
the next.
Beware that world often turns its face quickly away from you and usually what is left of
its pleasures for you is not more than the wetness in a glass of water after it has been turned
upside-down and completely drained. Beware that hereafter is in front of you.
This life and the 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 Judgment every child will be attached to its mother.
Remember that this life is a place of work and not of judgment and the Day of Judgment
will be the Day of Reckoning and not of action.

KHUTBA-48

Hazrath had sent Jurair Bin Abdullah-e-Bajalee as his Ambassador to Moavia, asking him
(Moavia) to take, like others, the vow of allegiance to Hazrath. Jurair was still in Syria
when Hazrath was informed that Moavia would not accept Hazrath as a Caliph and was
getting ready to wage a war against him (Hazrath) and Hazrath should also get ready for
 111
it. On that occasion Hazrath delivered the following sermon.
My getting ready for a war when Jurair is still with Moavia appears as if I am closing the
door of peaceful negotiations for Syrians and as if I am forcing them to rebel against me even if
they have a genuine and sincere desire to take the vow of my allegiance.
The fact is that I have had already fixed a time for Jurair’s return. If he overstays there
then either of the two will be the reason; he is being fooled by Moavia or he has turned a rebel
against me.
My idea is to face facts squarely and to go about my work easily; so you also be easy, do
your work rapidly but not hysterically, there is no harm for you to stay ready and braced to meet
your foe.
I have given full thought to the problem and have fully considered the pros and cons of the
case. I find that no choice is left to me; either I have to crush the rebellion by force or to submit
to heathenism.
You must have by now realized this stark reality (that how Islam has come to this stage)
and what dangers lie ahead. The previous ruler had introduced so much schism and innovation
that people started criticizing; in the beginning they tried to advise and persuade him out of the
wrong path, failing in this they revolted against him.
(With this example in view it is easy to visualize how revolt against center has become
easy).

KHUTBA-49

When Musquala son of Hubair Shebanee left Koofa and ran away to Moavia with some
money of the government treasury to his account, on that occasion Hazrath said:-
May God not forgive Musquala son of Hubair. In the beginning he acted like a chieftain,
but in the end he fled like a slave. He did not give his eulogists time to finish their eulogies and
before they had time to testify to his good qualities he forced them to change their views. If he
had not run away we would have forced him to pay a part of his due and would have waited for
the other till his financial condition improved.

KHUTBA-50
Praise of God and advice to human beings.

All praises are due to Him only, of Whose Favours nobody is deprived, of Whose
Blessings nobody is left destitute, and of Whose Bounties nobody needs despair. One who prays
to Him need feel no disgrace or ignominy. His Munificence is everlasting and His Blessings
will never end. This world in its nature is destructible and its inhabitants will have to desert it.
To vicious-minded people the perishable pleasures of this life are pleasing, but in actuality life
quickly passes away though one may however love it dearly and madly. My advice to you is to
pass through life in such a way as to carry good results with you for the next world; to take from
life only such things as would be helpful to you in the next.
 112
KHUTBA-51

On the occasion of his journey to Syria Hazrath said:- (It actually is a prayer).
O Lord! I beseech Thee for Thy protection against the difficulties of the journey, against
the sorrows of a sad return, and against finding my family and my home in distress when I come
back to them.
Lord! Thou Art the best companion and guide in journey, and the best trustee under whose
care I can leave my family and my house; Nobody but Thee my Lord, can combine both these
attributes in himself: to be my companion and guide, if I leave my home and hearth to him to
take care of: and to look after my family and fortune if I ask him to be my companion and my
guide on my journeys. (Because nobody but the Lord possesses the attribute of Omnipresence
and Omnipotence, to be with everybody and everywhere at one and the same moment).

KHUTBA-52

In few words Hazrath had predicted the future of Koofa and what will be the end of its
oppressors.
O Koofa! as if I see that they are treating you with little courtesy, they are being cruel
with you, they grind you with calamities, and force you through such catastrophies which
would shake the very foundations of your peace and prosperity. But I know the oppressor who
tyrannises you will be punished and prosecuted by God.

KHUTBA-53

This sermon Hazrath delivered at the place of Nokhaela while he was proceeding towards
Syria at the head of his army.
God be praised till nights keep on setting in and world keeps on getting dark and till stars
keep on rising and setting (i.e. till the revolution of earth continues; and as it will continue till
solar systems continue to exist in galaxies and they will continue till universe exists, therefore it
means that the praise of the Lord will be continued till the universe continue to exist); praised be
God whose Bounties will never disappear, whose Favours are gratis and do not require returns.
Be it known to you that I have advanced the vanguard of my armies with instructions
to stay on the banks of Euphrates until further order. I myself have decided to cross Euphrates
and reach the group of people living on the banks of Tigris so that I may make them fight the
enemies of Islam and be of help to you.

KHUTBA-54

In a very simple language Hazrath has explained the very complex theory of accepting the
existence of God, and how best His Existence can be realized.
Praised be God who knows secrets of things (Universe) and proofs of whose existence
shine in various phases of the nature. No physical eye has and will ever see Him. But those
who have not seen Him physically cannot deny His Existence, yet the minds of those who have
accepted His Existence cannot grasp the real essence of Divine Nature. His place is so high that
 113
nothing can be imagined higher. He is so near to us that nothing can be nearer. The Eminence
of His position has not placed Him further away from His creatures, and His Nearness has not
brought them up to His Level. He has not permitted human mind to grasp the Essence of His
Being yet He has not prevented them from realizing His Presence. Various aspects of universe
force even atheists to accept Him (as a Grand, Architect of the Universe) yet He is far above the
conceptions of those who refuse His Existence and also of those who imagine His Attributes in
various expressions of nature.

KHUTBA-55

In this sermon Hazrath has thrown light on the causes of people going astray in religion.
Surely the causes of discord and rebellion against religion are, that in opposition to the laid
down orders of the Book of God people follow dictates of their minds and introduce innovations
and schism, consequently in spite of the commands of God such persons are considered heads of
religions who know nothing about religion.
The fact is, had’ falsehood been allowed to show separately from truth, seekers of truth
would have easily discerned it and would have kept away from falsehood, and had truth been
allowed to appear distinct from falsehood, people would not have found easy to criticize
religion. But unfortunately men started mixing parts of truth with falsehood, and the Satan took
advantage of this situation and got complete control over the minds of its followers; and only
such persons can escape its traps who have advanced with the help of God towards sober and
rational ways of meditation.

KHUTBA-56

In the early stages of the battle of Siffeen, Moavia and his armies occupied the river
Euphrates and stopped supply of water to Hazrath, challenging him to take the river by
force. Hazrath overthrowing Moavia’s forces took possession of the river and allowed the
army of the enemy free use of the water. Just before the battle Hazrath has delivered this
Khutba.
The army of your enemy has challenged you for a battle. You either accept the defeat and
the resulting humiliation or accept the challenge and wet your swords with the blood of your
enemy and your throats with the water of Euphrates. Remember that while defending Islam if
you accept defeat and lead the life of a subdued person such a life will be worse than death, and
if you die defending your faith then in such a death there is eternal life.
Beware, Moavia has collected hordes of ignorant people whom he has misguided as much
as possible and from whom he has hidden the goodness of truth and religion till phanatically
they have offered their throats as targets for the arrows of death.

KHUTBA-57

This sermon is a warning to those who believe that this world and the life upon it are the
only important items of creation, they do not attach any value to the life here-after and
 114
do not realize either the extent of His Mercy, Munificence and Kindness or the enormity
of their sins. Some commentators think that this was a very big sermon dealing with the
destructibility of life upon this earth, weaknesses to which human flesh is heir to and His
Mercy and Kindness towards His creatures. But as the whole sermon could not be obtained
as one unit its various parts as and when secured by Syed Ruzee are found scattered in
Nahjul Balagha appearing as separate sermons.
Beware that this earth and life upon it are destructible, nature has fully disclosed this fact
to you. All those things that please you here are perishable, usually they depart from you very
quickly. This world (in the course of nature) is leading its inhabitants towards death and decay.
Often its pleasures end in grieves and sorrows, and bright hopes terminate in disappointments
and disillusions; remember that its enjoyments and happinesses never satiate, they often do not
even suffice.
O creatures of God! Be ready for eternal separation from the house whose inhabitants are
destined for destructions and cessation. Take care that inordinate hopes may delude you and you
may start believing that the very span of your life is a long sojourn.
By God! If you cry like a mother-camel whose baby has died, lament like a hurt dove,
pray and call to God like a monk and renounce your family and fortune like an ascetic; if you
do all this to gain the favour of God or to secure His Forgiveness for such of your sins as have
been noted by His angels, in my opinion all this penitence and even much more is not sufficient
to compare favourably with the greatness, immensity and extent of His Kindness and
Benevolence which He showers upon human beings or to the enormity of punishment which, I
am afraid, your sins deserve. (You can never realize the Greatness and Glory of His Benevolence
or enormity of your sins, and your greatest efforts are not sufficient to achieve the one or to save
you from punishment for the other. Only His Mercy and your sincere and faithful belief in Him
can help you).
Even if you cry your heart out, hurt your eyes by constant weeping and even if you lead
the life of an ascetic till the end of the world, all these untiring efforts of yours will not be able
to make compensation for a tithe of His Good-will and Kindness,. His Bounties and Munificence
and His Mercy and Charity in directing you towards the path of truth and religion.

KHUTBA-58

Hazrath has in the following words explained what kind of animals could be sacrificed on
the Eid-uz-Zoha occasion.
If the ears and eyes of an animal are healthy and sound it is worth sacrificing even if its
horns are broken and even if it is slightly lame and limps to the place of slaughter.

KHUTBA-59

Just before the battle of Siffeen Hazrath was trying his best to abstain from the war and
the resulting blood-shed but Moavia was keen to measure his army’s strength with that
of the army of Hazrath and on the side of Hazrath not only the officers but rank and file
of his army were also so anxious for an all out encounter with the enemy that they madly
crowded round him beseeching his permission for a strife. On that occasion Hazrath
 115
delivered the following Khutba:-
These people crowded round me like thirsty camels crowding round a watering-place
when released for a drink. They were anxiously and repeatedly demanding my permission
for the battle till I became apprehensive lest either they may try to kill me or start fighting
amongst themselves and killing each other. I fully considered over the apparent and inherent
consequences of a 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 because 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.

KHUTBA-60

Hazrath was always averse to shed human blood and with this reason in view was
delaying to commence the battle at Siffeen. He tried his best to avoid a battle and to
peacefully settle the dispute. Contrary to this his companions were very anxious for a fight
and getting tired of the delay they started saying that he was feeling nervous and timid. He
replied them in the following words:-
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
approaches 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 righteousness of my cause and falsity of the claims of Moavia and
his Assyrian hordes. By God I never delayed war even for a day but with the hope that some of
the rebels may come back to me and through me they may be guided towards religion and seeing
the Divine Light may try to illuminate their lives with it. I like this better than massacring them
or leaving them in darkness of sin and vice, because their present condition of faith is such that
even death is not going to bring them peace and comfort.

KHUTBA-61

During the battle of Siffeen Hazrath saw that those people who were clamouring most
for the battle; and who were loudest in complaining about the delay and most boisterous
about their bravery, when the war actually broke out proved themselves to be timid and
coward. In the following speech he explained to them the consequences of their cowardice
and timidity and told them what type of people were those who accompanied the Holy
Prophet (may the peace of God be upon him and his descendants) how selfless and sincere
were they in the cause of God and how they helped in securing a safe and secure haven
and refuge in Madina.
Those of us who were with our Holy Prophet (May the peace of God be upon him and
his descendants) were so selfless and sincere in the service of Islam that while defending our
Prophet (A.S.) and our religion we fought against our nearest and dearest, and against our kith
and kin. And this sincerity of us increased our faith in God, our desire to willingly and gladly
submit to His Will, our earnest wish to follow the right path, our will to bear patiently the
sorrows or calamities and our zest to fight to the best of our ability against the enemies of God
and Islam. Often there used to be single combats. One person from each side would come to fight
 116
the other, usually it used to be a fight unto death, and the combatants kept on fighting till one fell
dead. Sometimes we succeeded at other times some of us suffered defeat and death.
At last when God tested our sincerity of desire, honesty of our purpose and zest of our
action. He sent victory and success to us and descended defeat and disgrace upon our enemies,
till Muslims became strong and powerful community, till Muslims found a country to live
therein safely and happily, till Islam became popular amongst the people.
I swear by my life, if we had behaved as you are behaving now, if we had then been as
nervous and timid as you are today, if we had been as wavering and lethargic as you are, the
pillar of faith could not have been erected and tree of religion could not have bloomed.
By God! your thoughts and deeds are doing you harm and will bring shame and disgrace
to you.

KHUTBA-62

In this Khutba there is a prophecy that Moavia will rule the Islamic world after the death
of Hazrath, and he will force people to calumniate Hazrath and to forsake him. Hazrath
advises people what to do then. It is a prophecy which came out true.
Certainly after my death you will be overpowered and ruled by a pot-bellied glutton. He
will eat away whatever he will find and will even demand for things which are not available.
Beware he will ask you to calumniate me and to disown me. So far as calumniation is
concerned you can obey his orders because it will save you from his wrath and tyranny and it
will vindicate the truth of my cause; but so far as disowning me is concerned you should not do
so, because I am a Muslim by birth and I was the first to testify the Holy Prophet (A.S.) and to
accept the order of Hijrath with the Holy Prophet (A.S.) towards Shob-be-Abu Talib.

KHUTBA-63

When Moavia broke the terms of the treaty of Siffeen and started getting ready for an
invasion of Koofa, Hazrath decided not to wait for Moavia’s attack but to invade Syria
himself. He asked the Kharijites to come to his help but they refused saying that as he
was the rightful Caliph he should not have agreed to the arbitration, by this act he had
deliberately gone against the canons of Muslim Law and if he was ready to confess of his
apostasy and to repent for the same only then they could come to his help. He, in reply to
their message, spoke thus:-
May you be punished by God (for falsely defaming me), may nobody remain amongst
you to correct your wrong views and to introduce reforms in your society. Having the faith
that I have in God and having, in company with the Holy prophet (A.S.), defended Islam and
Muslims in the battle-fields and outside of them, you expect me to wrongly avow of apostasy
just to please you? It would be wrong for me to adopt such a course and if I do it people will have
a right to consider me as misguided. The correct course for you is to give up your false views
and to come back to the fold of true religion. Beware your misguided policy will bring death
and destruction to you, I am afraid in near future tyrants and oppressors will make a habit of
subjecting you to humiliation, tyranny and death.
(This prophecy also came true, in the battle of Naharwan about nine thousand of them
 117
were killed; and histories say that after the death of Hazrath, Mahleb-ibne-Abi Safra, then
Obaedullah-ibne-Omer, then Haaris-ibne-Rabiya, Abdul Rehman-ibne-Muqnuf and lastly
Hajjaj-ibne-Abu Eusuf made a point of killing Kharijites all over the country and for years
they were tortured and hunted from pillar to post).

KHUTBA-64

When Kharijites adopted an aggressively militant attitude and resolved to invade Basra,
Hazrath was informed that their army has crossed the bridge at Naharwan and is
marching towards the capital. Hazrath replied, “They will all be killed on that side of Ti-
gris. I swear by God that out of their army hardly ten men will escape death and out of you
hardly ten will be killed”.
Allama Shaikh Mohamed Ibne Abdahu of Egypt says this prophecy came out to be
true, in the battle of Naharwan the whole of their army was annihilated and only nine
Kharijites could run away from the battle-field to propagate their religion and out of the
army of Hazrath only ten people were killed and when he was informed of this and was
told that Kharijitism has come to an end, he remarked as in the following Khutba. The last
paragraph of this sermon contains the greatest and the highest value of ethics. It shows
the respect that Hazrath wanted to create in the minds of people about sincere decisions.
Every person should have a right to decide his own faith and unless he leads a life harmful
to mankind (following the Satan or the devil) he should not be molested.
No by God, it is not the case, the Kharijites institution has not come to an end. Many more
Kharijities will still be born and whenever they will gather under a leader and a banner they will
be killed till their last generation will be forced to lead the life of dacoits and thieves.
But after my death you should not kill Kharijites because one who is in search of truth and
religion and has failed to reach his goal, is better than the person who is in search of the devil,
finds it and follows it.

KHUTBA-65

When Hazrath was informed that some persons are planning to make a surprise attack
upon him and kill him, he said:-
God’s protecting shield is still protecting me. On the day which is fixed for my death, this
shield will disappear and will hand me over to death. On that day the arrow of death will not
miss the target and the death-dealing wound will not heal.

KHUTBA-66

Some commentators think this sermon is part of Sermon No. 57. In this Hazrath has
recounted truths about life and what one has to face and to do here.
Remember that this world is a place where there is no safety from its sorrows and
afflictions while one is engulfed in it. Whatever worldly gains anybody acquires here cannot
secure salvation for him. Human beings are tested here with calamities and sorrows and are
being tempted with impiety and sin. Those who have collected worldly pleasures around
 118
themselves will have to leave them and on the Day of Reckoning they will have to give an
account (of how they came in possession of such wealth or power and what they did with it).
And those who have spent their lives in good deeds shall find their rewards waiting for them in
Heaven, which they shall enjoy forever.
Sages always looked upon this world as a shadow which would appear spreading,
contracting and finally disappearing altogether.

KHUTBA-67

In this sermon Hazrath has warned us of certain basic facts about life.
First of all he draws our attention towards the fact that life and everything connected with
it is mundane and mortal. Life is being lessened with every second of time. The permanent
abode of man is heaven or hell. One must in this life try to gain a place in heaven.
The second point, which Hazrath lays emphasis on, is death. It is sure to come but its
approach is incomprehensible, mysterious, unobserved, unavoidable and invincible, we
must always be ready to meet it.
Then there is the warning about the Satan, how it wants to mislead us, and painting sins
and vices with charm and beauty it tries to allure us to its domain.
Lastly Hazrath advises us to realize that we are not created without any plan and purpose.
Therefore, we must attain the purpose with sober and virtuous lines.
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.
Be prepared for a fast passage because here you are destined for a short stay. Always be
ready for death because you are living under its shadow. Be wise like people who have heard the
message of God and have taken a warning from it.
Beware that this world is not made for you to live forever, you will have to change it for
hereafter. God, Glory be to Him, has not created you without a purpose and has not left you
without duties, obligations and responsibilities.
There is no barrier between you and Heaven or Hell but that of death, which everyone will
have to cross. “Life”, which is being lessened by every tick of a second, is like a buildingwhich is
being undermined, every moment it deserves to come down. “Human being”, whom each turn
of night and day is driving towards his end, is destined to reach there quickly.
“Death”, which approaches everybody with certain and steady steps and which may either
bring success for hereafter or failure, deserves to be welcomed whole-heartedly. You must
remember to gather from this life such harvest as will be of use and help to you hereafter.
Every human being should fear the Almighty God, should train his mind for virtuous and
honorable ideas and for straightforward and just deeds; should repent for his sins and vices;
and should keep his desires, longings and impulses under check and control, because approach
of death is so incomprehensible, so mysterious, so invisible and so unobserved that it is never
realized and comprehended; because inordinate ambitions and desires often cheat and lead one
astray; and because the Satan is always watching for opportunities to enslave you, is trying
to paint sins and vices with beauty and charm to entangle you with them and is constantly
endeavouring to make you postpone the desire of sober thinking and repentance with bright
 119
hopes till death comes upon you suddenly at a time when you were expecting it the least.
I pity negligent and unmindful people, because on the Day of Reckoning the very
happenings of their lives will act as proof against their ill intentions and evil deeds, and lead
them to Hell.
I pray to God to make me amongst 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.

KHUTBA-68
GOD THE ALMIGHTY

Through this sermon Hazrath has taught us as how to comprehend the Might and the
Glory of God, His Omnipresence and Omnipotence. Hazrath wants us to understand
that we can never fully realize or envisage His Being or imagine His attributes. He has
cited certain examples of human attributes, comparing human limitations with His
Omnipotence so that we may not imagine God as a glorified example of our good qualities
and attributes-a superman. In the same way Hazrath has explained that God is beyond the
grasp of time and space and beyond the possibility of a beginning or an end.
Praise and Glory be to the Supreme Being whose existence is not subject to any change of
circumstances and conditions. He was before anything came into existence and will remain after
everything has come to an end. His Glory and Greatness was distinctly apparent and unmistak-
ably evident even before minds of His creatures could try to realize or discern it.
Except Him, every object thought to be as one is insignificant and paltry, every existing
thing believed to be great is humble and contemptible, every being imagined to be strong is weak
and timid, everyone supposed to be master (of himself or his surroundings) is actually a slave of
circumstances, every person deemed to be learned is in reality no better than a school child and
every creature considered to be mighty is in fact a preordained being, weak and helpless in the
hands of nature.
Every ear, but His, is unable to hear the faintest of sound, is deafened by very harsh ones
and physically unfit to detect very distant ones. No eye, but His, can discern palest shades of
each colour or can perceive shades of transparent objects.
Except His Sublime Being every other thing, supposed to be having a distinct
individuality has no important place in the Universe; and every being, supposed to have a
mystical origin, actually has an unmistakably ascertainable existence. He did not originate His
creatures to strengthen His Kingdom or to arm Himself against the change of circumstances,
or defend Himself against His rivals and enemies. But they were created as beings whom He
nourished, over whom He has complete control and who are absolutely humble and weak before
His power and might.
He has not incarnated Himself into His creatures, and it cannot be said that He is part of
the Universe or things created by Him, neither He is far away from His creation and it cannot be
said that He is quite aloof from and have no control over it.
Bringing into existence of the Universes has neither tired Him, nor origination of the
nature has exhausted Him; neither He felt helplessness and deficiency in having complete
control over His creatures, nor He ever had any uncertainty about the programme of creation;
 120
He never doubted about His decisions; and fates of things ordained by Him are inevitable and
unavoidable. His knowledge is supreme. His orders are binding. When calamities and disasters
overwhelm us we can have hope in Him only, and when we are surrounded with wealth and
affluence we must not forget His displeasure and wrath.

KHUTBA-69

In the battle of Siffeen, one day both the armies fought continuously for 24 hours, the fight
during the night was terrible, it is called Lailathul Hareer. On the morning of that night
Hazrath spoke thus to his officers:-
O Muslims! make a habit of always remembering and fearing God. And (during a battle) be
calm, self-relying, resolute and bold, only thus you will keep enemies’ swords away from you.
Keep your arms and armour in order and make certain that your swords can easily and freely
come out of the sheaths, keep an eye on the movements of your enemies and while fighting use
your spears and swords freely.
Remember that God is watching you and you are fighting under command of the Cousin
and Son-in-Law of the Holy Prophet (may the peace of God be upon him and his descendants).
Keep on constantly attacking the ‘enemy, do not accept the shame and disgrace of a defeat
or a rout, for which you shall be punished on the Day of Judgment (because yours is a Jehad
in defence of Islam, truth and justice). Death in this battle-field is a death in the cause of God,
and you must (as true Muslims) face it cheerfully and must advance towards it unfalteringly,
unflinchingly, boldly and gladly.
The Hordes of your enemy’s army are in front of you, attack them and try to reach the
yonder tent. The Satan is resting in the shade of that tent, ready either to advance or to retreat.
You must fight resolutely and courageously till the Divine Light illumines your way and success
greets you towards glory and God. God the Almighty is with you and He will not grudge to
reward you generously for your courage and bravery in this Jehad.

KHUTBA-70

When the news of the happenings of Saqueefa-e-Bani Saa-e-da reached Hazrath,

he enquired about the reactions of the Ansars to the question of the Caliphate. To his
astonishment Hazrath was informed that the Ansars also fell a prey to the lure of rulership
and demanded that as a price of their agreement to this so-called election they must also
be given an Ameership and there should be one Ameer from the Mohajirs and one from
the Ansars.
Hazrath enquired why did nobody remind the Ansars of the will of our Holy Prophet
(may the peace of God be upon him and his descendants)? The will was to the effect
that “Virtuous Ansars should be treated kindly and the bad ones should be forgiven”. The
companions enquired of Hazrath as to how this would have acted as a stopple for the
Ansars. Hazrath replied “If Ameership and Caliphate could have been the right of the
Ansars, the Holy Prophet (A.S.) would not have willed for kindness and clemency to them
(because a desire for kindness and mercy is to safeguard the privilege of the ruled and
not to defend the ruler). Then Hazrath enquired about the way the Quraish replied to the
 121
demand of Ansars. Hazrath was told that the Quraish claimed to belong to the same family
tree, as the Holy Prophet (A.S.). (Apparently the claim of kinship stopped the Ansars from
pressing their demand).
Hazrath remarked that “They (the Quraish) forwarded the claim of family tree but they
ignored and wronged the fruit of this tree”. (Hazrath himself).

KHUTBA-71

Mohammad, the son of Caliph Abubaker-e-Siddek was adopted by Hazrath after the the
death of the Caliph. Hazrath loved, treated and trained this boy as his own son. During his
lifetime he was always called Mohammad Ibne Ali and was also designated as the third
after the two Husnain (Imam Hassan and Imam Hussain A.S.). He grew up to a handsome,
bold, virtuous and learned young man. He also loved Hazrath and hated enemies of
Hazrath with the intensity that love of truth in young age and bold nature could produce.
With all his good qualities he had one weakness which caused him his death. He always
under-rated his enemies. While sending him to Egypt as Governor, Hazrath had advised
him to be very careful of Moavia. Unfortunately, for himself and Egypt he did not attach
as much importance to this advice as it deserved; he over-estimated his strength, lost the
battle against Omer-e-Aas and was later lured and killed by Moavia’s henchmen. News of
his death saddened Hazrath very much and on that occasion Hazrath said:-
I wanted to appoint Hashim Ibne Athba as the Governor of Egypt, if I had done so he
would not have left Egypt unguarded and would not have given the enemy a chance to invade
and occupy it. By thus praising Hashim I have no intention of censuring Mohammed, he was my
adopted son and we always loved each other so much.
As a matter of fact Hazrath loved Mohammed so much that on one occasion he said,
“Mohammed is my son though born of Abubaker”.

KHUTBA-72
Censuring his hypocritical companions

How far can I caress you as a she-camel with a wounded back is caressed, or how long
can I keep on treating you tenderly and delicately as if you are old clothes which when stitched
on one side get torn on the other (and the user cannot replace them)? From your timidity and
cowardice it is apparent that if one of the armies of Syria appears on the horizon everyone of
you like a desert lizard or a hyena, will scamper to his house and will bolt his door from inside.
I swear by God that he will earn disgrace and defeat who believes in your help, and who
tries to secure a success with your aid. You gather in crowds in city squares but on a battle-field
so few of you can be seen. I know how to force you to submission and obedience, and how to
make you work, but I do not want to be a tyrant and a slave-driver (I want you to serve God and
religion of your own free will).
May you be disgraced by God, do you not realize that you are drawn more towards
falsehood and sin than towards truth and religion and you do not hate vice as much as you abhor
virtue.
 122
KHUTBA-73

Hazrath narrated this dream, on the eve of his Martyrdom. Next morning he received a
mortal wound while engaged in his morning prayers.
As I was sitting I fell asleep and dreamt that the Holy Prophet (may the peace of God be
upon him and his descendants) came in front of me. I told him of the intrigues, enmities and
sufferings that fell to my lot from the hands of his followers. Hazrath told me to curse them. And
I prayed to God to give me better companions than they and to make a tyrant rule over them in
my place.

KHUTBA-74

In this speech Hazrath has censured the lraquees, telling them that in the beginning they
exerted to uphold the cause of truth and religion but just as the achievement of purpose
was in view and its fulfilment in sight they fell a prey to the viles of the enemy and
forced Hazrath to accept the arbitration at Siffeen, turning a deserving success into an
unexpected defeat, undoing all the good that they had done and leaving themselves
utterly defenceless in the hands of the most callous enemy without any possibility of a
bright future.
After praising the Almighty God, praying for peace and blessing to Holy Prophet,
Mohammed and his descendants I want to tell you, lraquees, how idiotic was your behavior. You
acted like a woman who bears the sufferings and troubles of carrying a baby for nine months,
and just as the time for child-birth approaches she forces an unnatural miscarriage (resulting in
still-birth to the child and danger to her life) and then she loses her husband and leads for a long
time the life of a widow living on the mercies of her distant relations.
I swear by God that I did not come to you of my own free will and choice, but fate has sent
me here to check your rebellious intentions against religion and remove discord and disunity
from your society.
I am given to understand that you call me a liar. May you be punished by God for thus
slandering me. Against whom could I lie? Could I frame a lie against God? I swear by Him that
I am the first to accept and believe in His Omnipotence and Omnipresence, in His Glory and
Greatness and in His Mercy and Kindness. Could I fabricate a lie against the Holy Prophet, (may
the peace of God be upon him and his descendants) while I was the first to testify and accept him
as His Prophet and Messenger? I swear by God that I never lied against anybody. The fact is that
most of what I speak and what the Holy Prophet (A.S.) has said is beyond your understanding
and conception. 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.

KHUTBA-75

In this Sermon Hazrath has taught the Muslims the way to pray for peace and blessing on
the Holy Prophet (A.S.).
O Lord! Who has created and set in motion the universes, Who has assigned the galaxies
 123
safe harbourages in the space and Who has given inborn disposition to human minds to shape
themselves towards good or towards evil, bestow the highest, the most illustrious and the
most exalted of Thine Blessings, the most welcomed, pleasing and agreeable of Thine Favours
on Thy servant and Apostle, Mohammed (may Thy peace and blessings be upon him and his
descendants) who is the last of the prophets appointed by Thee, who opened the closed doors
of heavenly knowledge for human being; who intelligibly, explicity and clearly proclaimed the
truth about Thee and Thy message, who defeated the hordes of men of vice and falsehood and
who delivered crushing defeats to the powerful armies of non-believers and misguided persons.
From the time he accepted the responsibilities of Thy prophethood, O Lord! he in obeying Thy
commands and in securing Thy pleasures, worked so diligently, so vigorously and so willingly
that no threats of death and destruction did ever frighten him, and nothing ever kept him back
from the duty imposed on him by Thee. He protected Thy revelations, guarded Thy covenants
and testaments, and always carried on Thy orders, till he made the light of heavenly knowledge
illumine the path of religion and truth for misguided people and persons groping in the darkness
of uncertainty and vice; till he brought human beings out of the depths of sin and impiety, till
he unambiguously specified Thy orders and clearly testified and pointed out the proofs of Thy
Might and Glory.
Lord! he is the trusted guardian of Thy revelations, the protector of Thy religion, the
faithful trustee of Divine secrets, on the Day of Reckoning he is Thy witness to the response of
humanity, to the call for piety and religion, and he was sent by Thee among human beings as Thy
true apostle and faithful messenger.
Lord! through Thy grace and mercy assign to him the most sanctified and the most
eminent position under the Glory of Thy greatness and might, destine for him the best of
virtues, make the religion preached by him to be the purest, the noblest and the best of all
religions, make his place in Heaven the most exalted of positions destined for your favorite
beings and glorify the enlightenment brought about by him.
Lord! Bless him for being a Prophet, whose words are accepted, whose teachings are
believed, whose judgments are just, and whose decisions are correct.
Lord! make us shape our lives on the model of his life in obtaining honest pleasures from
Thy bounties, in deserving Thy everlasting blessings, in inspiration of good desires, in praying of
Thee for unharmful happinesses, in granting us ease and comfort, in bestowing upon us, peace
of mind, and assigning us a place in Thy Heavens.

KHUTBA-76

Historians write that when Hazrath defeated the Basarites in the battle of Jamal, Murwan
Bin-e-Hakum (one of Chiefs of the rebellion forces) was taken as a prisoner. Murwan
requested Imam Hassan and Imam Hussain (may the peace of God be upon them) to
intervene before Hazrath on his behalf and to recommend for his release. The brothers
(may the peace of God be upon them) granted his prayers and begged of Hazrath for his
release. Hazrath acceded to their request and Murwan was released. The brothers then told
Hazrath that Murwan wanted to swear the oath of allegiance. Hazrath replied
“Did he not swear the oath of allegiance to me after the death of Oosman and later he was
found leading this army of rebels against me. I do not want his fealty and allegiance. Like Jews
 124
his oaths of allegiance and fealty are sworn to be broken. If he takes up an oath today he will
break and violate it tomorrow”.
“Remember he is going to have a kingdom and it will last only so long as it takes a dog
time to lick its nose. He will be father of four chieftains and very soon he and his sons will bring
red-death to Muslim world.”
What prophecies! History shows that each one of them was fulfilled. Murwan became the
King of the Muslim state after death of Yazeed’s son Moavia and period of his rulership
was four months and ten days. His four sons became chiefs. Abdul Malik-ibne-Murwan
became Caliph after his father, Abdul Aziz was the Governor and chief of Egypt, the third
son Basheer was the Governor of Iraq and the fourth son Mohammed was the Governor of
Aljuzaaer. The massacre and blood-shed of Muslims at the hands of the father and his four
sons are the facts of history.

KHUTBA-77

Hazrath delivered this speech on the occasion of the Caliphate of Caliph Oosman.
You know very well that I deserve Caliphate more than anyone else. I swear by God that
I shall keep on bearing this injustice as long as oppression and bloodshed of Muslims are not
resorted to and as long as I alone remain a target to their tyrannies. I hope of being rewarded
in Heaven for bearing this injustice, wrong and tyranny in this world. This world and its pomp
and glory (accompanying wealth, power and rulership) never appealed to me, they have always
been insignificant in my eyes.

KHUTBA-78

When news reached Hazrath that Bani-Ummia are falsely accusing him that he had a part
in the murder of Caliph Oosman, he said:-
“Did the knowledge of my character not prevent Bani-Ummia from falsely accusing me
of having a hand in the murder of Oosman? Did the fact of my being the first to testify Islam,
the fact of my services to Islam and Muslims, not dissuade and check these wicked people from
calumniating and slandering me?” Though the advice and order of God the Almighty about ca-
lumniating or slandering is expressed in more forceful and explicit phrases and sentences than
I could frame1 (yet none of these facts restrain these people from committing the sin). Certainly
I always protest against heretics and schismatics and always hate those who doubt and suspect
the truth, goodness and sincerity of Islam.
Facts about the truth of which we feel doubts and uncertainties should be deliberated in
the light of the Quran and its teachings. Undoubtedly on the Day of Reckoning, men will be re-
warded or punished according to their faiths and sincere beliefs.

1 By this Hazrath meant the Ayath (verses) of Quran where God has decreed slandering, calumniating and back-
biting as sin.
 125
KHUTBA-79
Qualities of a true Muslim

May God bless the man who has heard His orders and remembered them; who was
called by Him and obeyed the commands; who has affiliated himself to His messenger and has
thus secured his salvation, who has faithfully obeyed the commands and interdictions of his
Preserver and Protector and fears the consequences of his sins; who has been sincere in doing
such good deeds as will win for him rewards in Heaven; who has always acted sinlessly, right-
eously and honourably, who has tried to earn His blessings and avoided vices and sins; who has
repudiated and discarded false pomp and glory of this world and concentrated in achieving an
exalted position in the world to come; who has completely checked and restrained his desires
and longings and kept his fancies and cravings under control; who has decided that patience on
suffering was the best way to reach Heaven and abstinence from sin as the best mode of securing
salvation; who has adopted the best of the religions (Islam) as his creed and followed the bright
path of truth and justice; who has correctly decided that the span of his life is a period of grace
allotted to him to do good before death and having provided himself for the next world is eager
to welcome death.

KHUTBA-80

In this Khutba Hazrath has complained of the behaviour of Bani Ummia during the
Caliphate of Caliph Oosman in depriving Hazrath of the free use of his rightful heritage.
“The Bani Ummia grudgingly allow me bit by bit of my inheritance from the Holy Prophet
Muhammed, (may the peace of God be upon him and his descendants). By God! if I remain alive
to reform and improve their misguided minds I shall teach them a lesson.”

KHUTBA-81
A lesson about how to pray for His forgiveness

Lord! Forgive my sins which Thou knowest better than I. Lord! if I repeat these sins please
let Thy Forgiveness cover them again. Lord! I have always promised myself to obey Thy Com-
mands and have always broken these promises. Forgive this weakness of mine. Lord! I have
always declared that I shall come near Thee but my mind opposed this, forgive this fault of my
mind. Lord! Forgive the sins committed by my eyes. Forgive my vicious and sinful utterances,
and forgive my inability to resist temptations.

KHUTBA-82

Hazrath was starting from Koofa to go and face the rebellion of Kharijites at Naharwan
when one of his companions by the name of Afeef told him not to undertake the journey
just then because according to the findings of astrology it was an unauspicious moment,
and his journey would not end into a victory. Hazrath replied to him in the following
words. Through this reply Hazrath has denounced astrologers and has advised people to
have faith in God and not in such sooth- sayers:-
 126
“Do you think that you are competent enough to tell of a time when a journey, if
attempted, will end into a failure of the mission, and you are qualified enough to frighten
anybody to believe that if an expedition is undertaken at a particular moment it would result
into loss and disaster. Whoever testifies or accepts your assertions falsifies the teachings of the
Quran, and is indifferent towards the mercy and kindness of God in allowing to secure objects
that he wishes to have and in averting misfortunes and calamities. Besides this your declaration
makes one point clear that those who believe in your assertions should praise you instead of
God, because you can always direct them to act at such opportune moments when they will
always gain and never lose or suffer”.
(Saying this to Afeef, Hazrath turned towards those who had gathered there and said):-
O People! abstain from learning and believing in astrology, except those facts (of
Astronomy) which will guide you on land and sea, because astrology will lead you towards
magic, witchcraft and oracularity. An astrologer is like a magician (who delves in black magic)
and such a magician is an infidel, and all infidels are destined to Hell. You people start on your
journey in the name of God.

KHUTBA-83

After the battle of Jamal, Hazrath delivered the following speech:-

O People! Women suffer from three deficiencies, of faith, of mind and of share in heritage.
Their deficiency in religion is apparent from the fact that at certain times they keep away from
prayers and fasting, deficiency of mind could be gauged from the circumstance that two female
witnesses are considered equal to one male, and deficiency in shares of heritage is plain from the
incident that their share is equal to half of the share of male members.
Keep yourself away from the wiles of wicked women and do not indulge too much even
in good ones, do not blindly follow their advices even in good deeds so that they may not be
tempted to lead you towards bad ones.

KHUTBA-84
Abstimoniousness and Abstinence from sins

O People! Do you realize what piety and devotion to God mean; they mean curtailment
of inordinate desires, thanking God for His Mercy and Bounties, and abstinence from forbidden
deeds and thoughts. If you cannot attain these heights, at least be such that cravings for sins and
vices may not overcome your patience and better judgment, and you may not forget to thank the
All Merciful God for His Bounties and Blessings. Remember that God has rejected and turned
down all unacceptable excuses of man by distinct and unmistakable reasoning and by His ex-
plicitly clear teachings.

KHUTBA-85
This World

How can I eulogise a place where one’s entrance is accompanied with pain and grief to
him and one’s departure is due to death. Where one’s activities are to be reckoned for and if
 127
they are legitimate and lawful, one has to give an account of them, and if they are forbidden and
against the orders of God, one shall be punished for them. Where rich and wealthy are usually
absorbed in sins and vices and those who are poor and destitute are engulfed in sorrows and
calamities. It eludes those who try to get it and pays homage to them who are indifferent to its
allurements. It is a good teacher to those who take lessons from histories of nations, but blinds
those who are attracted only by its false charms and glamour.

KHUTBA-86

Following is one of the famous sermons of Hazrath. It is called Khutba-e-Ghurra (an

eminent sermon) or Khutba-e-Ajeeba (a wonderful sermon):-
All praise be to God who is sublime (not because of any eminence which can be
ascertained and spoken of, but) due to His power and might. Who is near everything (it is not
any physical nearness but) due to His knowledge, Kindness and Mercy. He alone can bestow
every advantage, utility and gain, can grant every celebrity, eminence and fame, and can protect
from worst kind of calamities and misfortunes.
I praise and thank Him for His constant favours and for His vast bounties and for His
lasting protection. It is my firm belief that He is Eternal and existed before anything came into
existence and that He is the Mighty Creator. I seek His guidance because He is nearest source of
guidance to me. I beseech Him for His help because He is Mighty enough to help me wherever
and whenever I need it. I trust Him because He can protect and assist me to overcome every
difficulty.
I testify that Mohammed (may the peace of God be upon him and his descendants) is His
creature and His apostle. He appointed him as a Prophet to execute His orders, and to carry His
final message to warn people of the results of their actions pointing them the examples of people
who disobeyed Him and suffered the consequences.
O creatures of God! I advise you to fear God Who with utmost kindness set for you
examples and gave you intellect so that you can judge for yourself consequences and after effects
of good or bad deeds; Who has fixed period for various stages of your life and a time for its end;
Who gave you such an intellectual mind that you may provide yourself with such garments
which allow you to live happily and comfortably in all kinds of climates (from polar regions to
the equator) and in all varieties of land (from scorching deserts to marshy river-basins (Refer
Note No. 1 at the end of the Khutba); who arranged for you inexhaustible and superior varieties
of food (Refer Note No. 2 at the end of the Khutba).
He is fully aware of your capabilities and capacities of doing good or bad work. He
has fixed rewards for your good deeds. He has conferred upon you extensive favors and best
blessings. He has warned you with rational and effective reasons of the consequences of your
actions. Since the beginning of the race of mankind to the end of it He knows every human
being; and has fixed the age of everyone of them in this world, where they are being tested, and
He foretold of the effects of their good and bad thoughts and actions.
O people! you are being tested and your errors of commission and omission will be taken
into account. The streams of this world are dirty and its springs are turbid (most of the ways
and means of enjoyment in this world are vicious and many sources of income are sinful). Its
window-dressing and its show is beautiful but destructive. It is a quickly ending deception, a
 128
speedily fading light, a hurrying shade and a weak and unreliable protection. It is so deceptive
that it waits till those who abhor it start taking interest in it, and those who do not know its
deception are attracted by it and are satisfied with it, then it shows scanty regards for them, it
snares and captivates them and tying the rope of death round their necks drags them to their
graves; from there they will be resurrected to receive the punishment for their deeds and to go
to their final destination.
In this world the fate of every posterity is similar to that of its ancestors. Neither death
leaves off the work of destruction nor the survivors give up their sinful activities. Human beings
follow, in each other’s foot-steps; groups after groups and nations after nations end their days
without mending their ways.
Thus it may continue till the world comes to an end and the Day of Reckoning arrives.
Then God will resurrect them all from their graves, if they have been buried; or from the bodies
of other animals (beast, birds, fish and reptiles) if their bodies have been eaten up. They shall all
collect together, gathering in groups by groups and advancing silently and quietly, and, in rows
upon rows they will press forward to obey the Divine Order. Thus they will hurry towards their
destination. They all will be before the eyes of God and everyone of them shall hear the caller
calling them to their places.
Their conditions will be wretched and helpless, absolutely indignified and pitiable; nobody
will be there to help them or to come to their succour. No arguments and excuses can be of any
use to them and no hope will be left to them.
Hearts sinking, hopes dying, voices silenced, tones suppressed, bodies perspiring
and minds petrified with astonishment and terror will be the signs of that gathering. When
human beings will thus be collected to receive the final decision and decree of His reward or
punishment, the thundering voice of the announcer announcing their fates will make everyone
shiver with terror and apprehension.
Creation of human beings is a proof of His Might and Power, they did not come into
existence of their own will and desire; their births, their growths and their mental developments
are all subject to the laws of creation as decreed by Him, they are (physically) bound to obey
them. As in their births so in their deaths they have no choice and no power. At the time of their
deaths their souls are withdrawn from their bodies, and the bodies are thrown into graves where
they disintegrate. Then each one of them will be resurrected individually and will be retributed
according to his deeds. During their lifetime they had all been given chances to achieve their
emancipation and salvation, they had also been shown the correct ways to attain them and
were also given time and opportunities to reach the realm of His Grace and Pleasure. They had
been provided with fair and normal chances to dispel their distrusts, misgivings, perplexities
and doubts about religion. Then they were given complete liberty in this world of thoughts and
deeps to think as they like and do as they desire, so that they may train their minds and with
the help of such trained minds, free will and the span of life allotted to them, they may find the
purpose for which they were created. The lifetime given to them was enough to attain eternal
blessings and to provide for hereafter.
In extremely simple and easy ways these facts about life and death have been explained to
you in the form of correct examples, proverbs and adages to help and improve your faculty of
thinking. You can take advantage of them if only you develop a virtuous mind, and an advice-
accepting soul, a strong will and a judicious and prudent disposition.
 129
Fear God like a person who has heard His message and bowed before it, who admits the
sins committed by him and recognises their enormity, who is afraid of the consequences of his
actions, therefore, does good deeds, who dreads the Wrath of the Lord and hastens to lead a
virtuous life, who believes in the Day of Judgment and affects honesty and piety, and when
advised to take a warning accepts the advice and abstains from evil deeds.
Fear God like a person who faithfully believes in His Commands and sincerely decides to
follow them, who repents the sins committed by him and the good work left undone by him,
who carefully follows in the footsteps of virtuous people gone before him, and when the truth
is told to him he recognises it and associates himself with it.
Fear God like a person who spends his life in search of truth, and when alarmed by
vicious ties of a wicked world discards and renounces them, who provides himself carefully for
hereafter, who keeps his mind free from evil desire and sinful ambitions, who purifies his soul
and who prepares to secure for himself a place in the Heaven.
O you, who have been created by God! keep in mind the purpose for which you have been
created and fear God lest you fail to fulfil the purpose. Be afraid of Him as much as He wants
you to be afraid of. If you believe that He will bring His promises to fulfilment and if you fear the
terrors of the Day of Judgment then try to deserve all the blessings that He had reserved for you.
(Following is also a part of this Sermon)
He has given ears to you so that you may hear and preserve in mind things useful to you.
He has given eye to you so that you may acquire such knowledge which will bring you out of the
darkness of ignorance and make you see the light of reasoning and wisdom. He has also given to
you so many useful organs of body, each of which is composed of many parts, their functioning
depends upon their interdependence and their symmetry; their forms and periods of their utility,
their co-ordinated action to serve the body, their connection which a heart which is properly
fed (with blood) and nourished, in fact this perfectly expedient body and mind are the blessing
bestowed upon you besides so many other bounties and thank-worthy boons and perfections.
He then fixed a limit of life for everyone of you and has kept it a secret from you.
In the histories of the past nations and lives of individuals, He provided opportunities for
you to study the foot-prints on the sands of time and to be warned of the consequences of evil
deeds. Lives of men, who were enjoying themselves to their hearts’ contents and had perfect
freedom of action, have such useful lessons in them to teach. Just read them over and over
again and see how quickly death overtook them. They did not get time to satisfy their desires
fully before death put an end to their lives and placed them beyond any further possibility of
fulfilment of those wishes. When they had health and opportunities they never thought of
preparing themselves for hereafter. When they had youth and vitality they did not care to be
warned. What were they waiting for and what are you waiting for? Are you in the prime of your
youth waiting for disabling old age to warn you of the effects of a wicked life? Are you in the
bloom of your health waiting for sudden and merciless attacks of diseases to teach you a lesson
of not placing too much faith on life and its opportunities? Are the living amongst you waiting
for death? What is this delay for and to what effect? Do you realize that when it will be time
for you to go and when the hour of departure will approach, when pains of disease and pangs
of regret will have their sway over you, when the suffocating chokes will not often allow your
saliva to pass down your throat, when you will be tossing in bed, turning from side to side and
requesting your friends, relatives and children to come to your help, will there be any time left
 130
for thought and action? Will your relatives prolong your life and keep away the death from you?
Will the weeping sympathy and sorrow of your relatives be of any use to you?
No, death will come and will take away your life with it. You will be placed in a dark and
narrow grave, bound hand and foot, and alone. There, the insects and reptiles will eat their way
through your skin and flesh. Gradually, normal decay will completely destroy your body and
change of time will fade your reputation and fame, even your grave will disappear making room
for a house for living-being or a grave for dead-one. What will happen to you? Your strong and
robust body will be decayed, even the bones will turn into dust. Your soul may be lying under the
burden of your sins. Then and only then your soul will have complete faith in all that had been
told about life after death. It will be first-hand knowledge. But this knowledge will not be any
use to you. There will not be time for you to increase the stock of your good deeds or to repent
for your sins.
Is the picture presented to you in these words fictitious or allegorical? Is it not a reality?
Have you not seen people around you passing through all these stages? Were not some of them
related to you? Are you not brother, son or father of some of those who have died? Do you not
realize that you will have to pass through similar stages before reaching the threshold of death
and passing through it? Will you not pass the way they have gone before you? Yet your hearts
are still not desirous of achieving salvation and are indifferent to guidance towards truth. You
are still bent upon going the wrong way; as if all these teachings of religion are not meant for
you; as if death and decay are not for you; and as if to acquire wealth and power and to enjoy to
your entire satisfaction is all that is expected of you.
Remember that you will have to pass over the Saraath (Bridge over Hell, according to
Muslim belief). A place where people stagger and slip down and where at every step there are
so many dangers and horrors.
Fear God like a wise man, whose mind is so filled with thoughts of tomorrow that he has
forgotten everything else (all his idea, words and deeds are concentrated on the sole purpose of
thinking high thoughts, saying good things and doing good deeds so that a deserving place in
the realm of Heaven may be achieved). Whose minds has realized the enormity of His Wrath
and to escape it he exerts himself to the best of his ability. Night prayers have kept him awake
when many people are sleeping or enjoying themselves. In the hope of Heavenly rewards his
days are spent in doing good deeds even under the scorching summer sun and even under that
fatigue and thirst of fast. Piety has kept his desires in control. All the time his tongue is busy
with prayers and his mind is full of the thoughts of God. He is aware of danger and pitfalls
before he encounters them and avoiding dubious and crooked ways he takes to the true and
straight path so that he may reach his destination safely. Vanity and pride does not lead him
towards self-deception and does not turn his brain. He is never deceived with doubtful or false
arguments. He knows his place in the Heaven, he is aware that he will be rewarded, he has faith
in the promise of his Lord. With this faith and hope he leads a peaceful, happy and contented
life, always busy in doing good work and always at rest with life and its troubles. Thus he leads
a glorious life and passing this period of transition with meritorious and exemplary character he
reaches the next world happily and gracefully. He knows beforehand the dangers one has to face
there and protects himself well with the help of sublime thoughts, ideal virtues and noble deeds.
And he thus passes the few days of temporary stay allotted to him in this world. He concentrates
on the ways and means of attaining His Favour, successfully endeavors to keep away from vice
and wickedness, has his death in mind and provides himself to meet it.
 131
What can be more sublime reward and blessing than a place in His Heaven and what can
be worse punishment than the Hell? Who can be a mightier avenger than the Lord and who can
reward more handsomely? And what book can be a better guide in this world and more powerful
defender in the next than the Holy Quran?
I advise you to fear God Who has arranged in the most perfect manner to educate and
inform you of the effects of a good and bad life, of virtue and vice, and of sin and Godliness.
He left no chances for you to put up excuses, to pretend ignorance or to plead and postulate
justification of sin and wickedness. He has warned you of the enemy (the Satan) who silently
and subtly insinuates and allures you and drags you towards eternal damnation; who
encourages you with false hopes, who colours most dangerous crimes and the most damnable
sins in ravishingly beautiful colours and makes them appear harmless and innocent; and when
once it has succeeded in dragging you in its lair, has persuaded you to work for it and your
damnation and has fully gained its purpose, then and only then it opens your eyes to realities,
appraises you of the enormity of your sins, enlightens you of inevitabilities, and warns you of
the sad consequences of your words and deeds (but this is always too late) there will be no time
for you to repent or undo the evil done by you.
(Another part of the above sermon in which Hazrath speaks about creation of man)
Just have a look at man who received his form and perfection of his body in the
intense darkness and thickly curtained regions of his mother’s womb. In the beginning he
was a microscopic, shining and intensely active living organism like a solidified lump of blood
without any particular shape. Then he gradually evolved human form and became an embryo
and thence he was born a weak baby living and growing only on milk as his food. Gradually
passing from there into childhood and then into youth and thence full manhood. God had
granted him a perfectly working heart, a sound and well protecting mind, a tongue that can
speak, ears that can hear and eyes that can see, so that he may acquire correct knowledge, may
find out what is good for him and what is harmful, may hear useful advices, may realize their
usefulness and may shape his life according to sound principles of wisdom and truth, abstaining
from vice and adopting virtue as the chief principle of his life.
But do you realize what actually happens. When his body develops its normal proportions,
when he acquires vigour and health, when he grows to be tall and powerful, he becomes proud
and vain; refuses to be led by truth and virtue; starts grouping in the darkness of ignorance and
vice, commences acquiring wealth and power and begins enjoying base pleasures to his heart’s
content. Not satisfying with this he risks his present existence and his eternity and sells his soul
and salvation for the sake of life’s vicious enjoyments. He is neither afraid of any danger nor he
fears consequences of his deeds, he continues in this way till the time of death. Intoxicated with
vice and wickedness and still leading a sinful life he meets his death. He neither did his duty to
man and God nor did he cared to earn Heavenly rewards. Actually he was still busy with evil and
inequity and still engrossed with misdeeds and wrongs when death-bearing diseases overtook
him. Unexpected as was the attack it left him confused and confounded. Agonies and sufferings
of the disease and pangs and paroxysms of the ailment kept him awake during the nights and
restless during the days. Gradually he was drifting towards death. Before the eyes of his devoted
brother, his fond-father, his affectionate sister and his loving and wailing mother he was lying
in the agony of death, his senses were passing into senseless paroxysms and his breaths were
choking into gasps, and finally he passed into oblivion, submitting his soul to death. Then he
 132
was wrapped in a shround, a manifestation and a symbol of his utterly hopeless and helpless
state. In this condition his body was submitted to every kind of treatment offered by others, he
was obliged to yield and to bear with every indignity aimed at it; he could neither resent nor
resist. Like a camel, over-tired and exhausted with long journey and ill with serious disease, he
had no control over his limbs and he could not move them; he was in need of help and support
of his relatives and friends, who carried him in a coffin to the grave. It was strange house and a
residence where all worldly connections were totally severed, where nobody would come to see
him and which he would not leave to go and meet others. In that abode, the relatives, the friends
and the mourners left him to his fate and went back to their homes. In that new and strange
place he had to face new horrors, he was obliged to submit to the questions about his life asked
of him by the angels; replying to them he had to leave of his arrogance, haughtiness and conceit;
circumstances forced him to adopt meekness and humility; the worst horror of the place was the
tortures of the Hell met out to those who deserve it. Remember that for sinners there will be no
rest in the grave to relieve the exhaustions and fatigue of illness before death and sufferings of
death, no tranquillity and no peace, and nobody to come to their help and succour, there will not
be even death to relieve them of the horrors and pains, it will be a constant endless punishment
without respite or interval.
O creatures of God! Can you tell me where are those people who were given long lives
but they wasted them in ease and comfort, and in vice and luxury? Where are those people who
were provided with good minds and equally good opportunities to acquire wisdom and to know
truth but who even after realizing and understanding the true ways of life wasted the faculties
bestowed and the time granted and the knowledge imparted to them? They were given time and
chances but they did not make any use of them. They were conferred with sound health and
robust physique, but they used them extravagantly and unwisely, forgetting that these qualities
were the Grace of God and deserved grateful and judicious use. They were conferred with
long lives and plenty of good things, they were warned of the consequences of bad deeds, and
they were also promised of the Heavenly rewards. But nothing kept them away from vice and
wickedness.
You have their examples before you. You refrain from such vices which will bring Wrath
of God upon you. O you! who have eyes and ears, who have health and vigour, and who have
wealth and power, have you ever realized the evil effects of an evil life? Have you found a way to
escape the Wrath of the Lord? Have you found anyone to shelter you from it? Can you run away
and escape from it? Can you find a refuge from it? Is there any possibility of coming back to
this world (after death) and undoing all that you have done? Then deliberate and think carefully
what are you doing with your life. Where are you going? How you are deceiving yourself? Just
take a careful look around you. Out of this earth stretching around you, far away on every side
of you, yours and every other person’s share is barely about the height (his grave) you will lie
there with your cheek on nothing but bare earth. You are not going to get anything more than
that however hard you may try (then why all this craving for power, might, glory and empire). If
you arrive at this truth and reality then O people make correct use of all which has been given to
you. When there is still health and energy in your body, when there is still life and opportunities
at your disposal, when there is still time to search for truth, to find it and to follow it, when there
is still leisure available to do what you ought to do, when you still have place to gather together
and have co-operative spirit to work together, when you still have a chance to do good or to
 133
undo the evil done by you and when you still have time to repent and regret then repent and do
good. Yes, do good before the door of repentance and the door of action are closed upon you;
before the peace, tranquillity and comfort leave you forever, before distresses or adversities
overtake you, before troubles, anxieties and fears overcome you, before death closes your eyes
forever and before His Wrath descends upon you.
Syed Razee, the original collector of these Sermons says that this sermon was so effective
that before Hazrath reached the end of it, people started weeping, many of them were
shivering and many others were trembling in their places and long after the sermon was
over there was dead silence in the mosque and none dared to move or leave his seat. Some
people have named this sermon as KHUTBA-E-GHURRA.1

KHUTBA-87

In this Khutba Hazrath has referred to the false propoganda carried on against him by
Omer-ibne-Aas.
It is a wonder that the son of Nabegha (name of the mother of Omer-ibne-Aas) daily
instigates the Assyrians against me. He tells them that I constantly joke and that I am fond
of sports, jests, fun and frolics. He keeps on deliberately lying against me, and as such is
committing sin. Remember that it is wicked and sinful to lie. You know very well that Omer-
ibne-Aas himself is an inveterate liar, he usually lies, he makes promises without intentions of
fulfilling them. If he asks for a thing he presses for it, and if he is asked for a thing he behaves like
a miser. He habitually breaks his pledges, never keeps a promise and is unkind and unmerciful.
1 Note No. I- It must be remembered that no animal other than man can live comfortably or even survive the
extremes of climates without any change in skin and hair. A polar bear or a polar fox or a stag will die at the
equator, similarly a tiger, leopard, camel or elephant will die at the poles. Some kinds of animals are found at all the
different climatic zones, for instance, a bear and a fox but their skins, fur and fat change according to the changes
of climates. And this change takes place in hundreds of generations and after millions of animals have died on
account of inability of their bodies to immediately adopt themselves to the changed climatic conditions. But, man,
merely with a change of dress can within hours be happy at the poles as well as in the desert of Sahara. He now is
evolving a dress (space-suit) which will protect him in the space-vacuum. This peculiarity of man is one of the most
surpassing peculiarities.

Note No. 2- Like dress, food is another peculiarity of man. There are species of animals in this world which are
older than man by millions of years, but their ways of feeding have not changed, they are at the mercy of their food.
Shortage of the variety of food they consume have sometimes exterminated the whole species of some of them.
Take the instance of a tiger, it is a carnivora and it cannot live upon grass or leaves; if its food is not available it
will die or turn to cannibalism. Similar will be the condition of all herbivorous animals. If the varieties of the food
they subsist upon disappear they die out or are forced to change their habitats, for instance, water-animals taking
to land or land-animals taking to sea. They cannot grow or cultivate or rear the variety they live upon but it is not
so with man. He not only grows, cultivates, rears or breeds the variety he wants, but he has done something more
wonderful. He has developed and evolved new species and new varieties and he is now synthetising food out of
the elements. Thus with the help of food factory he can live comfortably where not a plant can grow and not an
animal can live. He may even control rainfall and climate and thus turn deserts into flourishing-fields. Is not a mind
with such colossal capacities a Blessing of the Lord? Should He not be thanked and feared. Can He not take away
all which He has granted? Hazrath in these three sentences has explained the three chief blessings bestowed upon
man. The quality of learning by examples, the attributes of adjusting himself to surroundings and climates and the
faculty of bringing his food under his control, cultivating, growing, rearing it and evolving new varieties to suit the
rigours of climate and then synthetising food out of elements.
 134
In a battle-field before the swords are drawn and fight begins, he is usually very bold
in giving orders and very conspicuous in pretension of leading the army; but when the fight
actually begins his greatest tactics is to show his opponents his naked buttocks.1
I swear by God that the thought of death has always kept me away from pursuits of pleas-
ure and his indifference to hereafter always makes him bold to lies. Unless he was paid very
richly to sell his soul and conscience he did not swear allegiance to Moavia.

KHUTBA-88

A few attributes of God and a few advices to his followers. Apparently these passages are
parts of a very big sermon.
I testify that there is no creator and ruler of the universe but God the Almighty. He is One
and has none to share His Might and Glory. He has been in existence since eternity, nothing
existed before Him, and His existence will never come to an end. No imagination can fathom
the reality of His attributes and no mind can grasp the mode of His entity. He is such a One that
division or splitting into parts of His entity cannot even be imagined. No eye can see Him and
no mind can imagine Him.
(Another part of the above sermon) ………………………. O creatures of God, take warnings
from useful examples, and learn from clear and tangible instances. Let the horrors of
punishment keep you away from sins. Take such prompt advantage of good advices and religious
teachings as if death is holding you tight in its grip and all worldly connections have broken, as
if you are being driven towards the destination at which every living being is decreed to arrive.
On the Day of Resurrection every human being will be accompanied with a driver (an angel)
and a witness (another angel), one will lead him to the assembly of judgment and the other will
testify as to his faith and deeds.
(Another passage of the same Sermon) ………………………. So far as eminence and honour
are concerned there are stages in the Heaven, one superior to the other; surpassing in excellence
and excelling in greatness and glory. The Heavenly blessings descending upon its inhabitants
will never cease, they shall reside there forever, shall not suffer from old age and shall have no
privation and no sorrow.

KHUTBA-89

An advice to people to sincerely believe in religion and to act according to its teachings.
Verily, God knows the secrets of hearts and the thoughts concealed in minds. His
knowledge surrounds everything. His Might overpowers everything and He can do whatever
He desires.
Every one of you should work to secure eternal blessings during the time allowed to you
before death claims you. You should act during the opportune time of leisure before you are
deprived of it. Gather heavenly goods for your permanent home in the Heaven during your
temporary stay in this terrestrial abode.
1 Omer-e-Aas actually did this in the battle of Siffeen, when Hazrath engaged him in a hand to hand combat, and
when receiving a blow from the sword of Hazrath he fell down from his horse, he turned on his stomach and lying
on his face he opened up his buttock. Hazrath turned his face away and asked him to get up and run away which
he did very quickly. Hazrath has referred to this incident.
 135
O people! fear God about those things which He in His book ordered you to remember.
Take care of rights entrusted unto you, and obligations laid upon you, because God the Almighty
has not created you without a purpose and He has neither left you without obligations and
duties nor has He kept you uninformed or ignorant of the same. He has in great details explained
to you what to do in life and what not to do and why not. Your thoughts are no secrets to Him
and He has fixed the periods of your life. He has revealed His book to you which expounds and
describes everything to you. He has allowed the Holy Prophet (A.S.) to live amongst you long
enough to completely explain by his words and deeds the religion which was revealed unto him,
till He got His teachings and instructions completed and till such a perfection of His chosen
religion was achieved by him that satisfied and pleased Him. Through His Apostle He has given
you full instructions about the “Dos” and “Do nots” of life explaining every aspect of religion
rationally and closing every avenue of false arguments logically. He promised His Blessings as
well as warned you of His terrible Punishments.
Take care of the days of life left to you and compensate and atone for the misdeeds
committed by you and try to keep away from vice and sin, because the period of life left to you
now is probably much less than the period of ignorance and darkness through which you have
already passed heedless of the good advices and instructions given to you by your religion.
Do not allow the self in you to rush madly after inordinate desires because it will drive you
to the path of wickedness and vice or oppression and tyranny.
Do not allow laziness and procrastination to keep you away from following the orders of
God, this will lead you towards sin and evil.
The man who obeys God the most is the best and most sincere friend of his own self, and
the man who disobeys Him is own worst and the deadliest enemy. He is a fool and a loser who
tries to deceive and harm himself and he is really in gain who keeps his mind free from vice and
sin. He is fortunate who takes lessons from his surroundings. He is unfortunate who is lured by
his immoderate desires and passions.
Learn these truths that even smallest hypocrisy towards God is a kind of polytheism; that
to keep company with sensuous and wicked person is the easiest way of forgetting the teachings
of religion and of inviting the Satan to take control of one’s mind.
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 honour from
God, and a liar will be disgraced and humiliated by Him. Do not envy, because envy destroys
your faith in religion as fire destroys wood. Do not hate and detest each other, because it will
lead to calamities and bad luck.
Remember that wrong hopes and day dreams will sadly affect your mental capacities and
will make you forget God. Go against such hopes and desires because they are delusions and one
who believes in them is cheated and deceived.

KHUTBA-90

In this sermon Hazrath has described the signs by which a faithful and true Muslim and a
person liked by God can be recognized. He has explained what heathenism and apostasy
mean and how guidance or salvation can be attained. He has shown the ways to achieve
the Favours of the Lord and to avoid His Wrath.
 136
O people! He is liked best by God who has prayed for His help to overcome his passions,
who recognises the seriousness and sadness of life and who fears Him; who has accepted the
true religion and is ready to meet death when it comes; who realizes the ultimate goal of his
existence and is willing to bear every hardship for life’s virtuous duration and happy end; who
has studied facts and realities of existence on this earth and has taken lessons and warnings
from the same; and keeping Him always in mind who tries his best to do good. Who endeavours
to acquire the perfection which God has helped him to attain, and after achieving it, walks the
path of piety and truth. Who has overcome immoderate desires and is not seriously anxious for
anything but (to seek) to advance himself in the Favour of God and to receive His Blessings.
Who has overcome mental blindness, has given up the company of vicious people and has
become a source of guidance towards truth and a means of control over vicious activities. Who
has seen the straight path of religion and has adopted it, has recognized truth and justice and
boldly facing difficulties and overcoming obstacles has associated himself with God and religion.
His faith in God is like a sun radiating virtue and illuminating the path of truth. He has
devoted himself to the services of God solving problems of life with the help of truth and
justice and directing people towards religion; he is like a lighted candle, in the darkness of
uncertainties, dispelling doubts, unravelling difficult problems and leading people out of the
chaos of heathenism. If he speaks it is to explain facts and realities, if he keeps silent it is because
he has accepted the logic of truth hidden in religion.
As he is sincere in his love and devotion to God, He has also selected him to act as a guide
and a leader of men, as one of the fountains of His religion and as one of the pillars of faith on
this earth.
Such a person makes it incumbent upon himself to be always just and the first act of justice
that he will do is to remove immoderate desires and craving from his mind and to speak truth
and to act accordingly. He will not leave any good deed undone and any good idea unthought of.
He has based his thoughts and deeds upon the Quran, which is his leader and guide, he
accepts its teaching and carefully follows its rulings.
In comparison to him there is another person, who pretends to be learned, but he is not. He
has amassed foolish notions and ignorance from ignorant people, and wrong ideas and schism
from misguided and vicious persons. To deceive people he has laid traps of lies and deceits
around himself. He explains the meaning of the Holy Book to suit his purpose and twists truth
to fit his desires and wishes. He pacifies peoples’ conscience and encourages them for great sins
belittling atrocious and heinous crimes. He declares that he is always cautious about doubts and
schism, yet as a matter of fact he is deeply involved in them. He looks like a man but has got
undeveloped intellect of a beast. Neither he knows the path of true religion to follow it nor the
course of real atheism to avoid it; his is a dead-mind in a living-body.
Where are you going and whom are you following? The truth (Islam) has fixed its land
marks, has lighted its beacons and has set up direction indicators, in spite of all this you are
being misled and confused. But why should you be perplexed when you have Ahlay Baith
(descendants) of the Holy Prophet (A.S.) amongst you. They will direct you towards truth and
religion, guide you towards the path of God, they will speak to you in the language of truth. Love
and respect them as you love and respect the Holy Quran. To satisfy your thirst for realities of
life turn to them as thirsty animals gather round watering-places.
O people! listen and remember well the sayings of the Holy Prophet (may the peace of God
 137
be upon him and his descendants) 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).
O people! do not talk about things that you do not know, because you may thus deny
truths, do not hold such person responsible for your vices and sins whose advices and teachings
you have refused to accept. Have I not explained the Quran to you? Have I not left Ahlay
Baith (descendants of the Holy Prophet A.S.) with you to guide you? Have I not kept raised the
standard of faith for you to gather around it? On the strength of my Justice and fair dealings
have I not provided you with peace and prosperity? And with words and deeds have I not taught
you simple living and high thinking? With my example before you have I not trained you to
accept higher values of morality? So please remember that you should not try to form opinions
and come to conclusions on things that you do not understand or cannot comprehend.
The supremacy of Bani Ummaiya over the Islamic State will remain long enough for
the people to wrongly imagine that their sway will be everlasting and their cruelties and
tyrannies over the Muslim world will never come to an end. Such a notion is wrong; to them the
pleasures of this ungodly rule are like a pleasant draught which they may hold in their mouth
for sometime and shall then be forced to spit out little by little.

KHUTBA-91

Where Muslims of that period took a wrong turn in following the teachings of Islam.
Be it known to you that the Almighty God has not punished tyrants unless He has allowed
them enough time, affluence and ease (unless He has given them a very long rope), and He has
not improved the conditions of any nation until it was tested with calamities and sorrows or
tried with privations and miseries.
The afflictions that you have already faced and the difficulties through which you have
passed should have been a good source of training to you; but unfortunately every man having
grey cells in his head is not wise, every person having eyesight does not possess foresight and
everybody having ears is not ready to hear good advice.
Is it not really surprising and should I not wonder at those persons who realize that
religious doctrines are often explained diversely and contradictorily yet they neither care to
follow their Prophet, nor want to act like his vicegerent? The fact is that they do not actually
have any faith in God, and, therefore, do not abstain from vice. They act according to wrong
presumptions of their minds and follow the cravings of their passions. Whatever they like and
desire they believe it to be really good and virtuous, and whatever they do not like, they consider
it to be evil and bad. When called upon to solve difficult problems, they try to make use of their
imperfect knowledge, and where important religious questions are concerned they rely upon
their unsound ideas as if everyone of them is his own guide and leader and whatever conclusions
he has arrived at is in reality based upon very sound and very thorough knowledge of truth and
religion.
 138
KHUTBA-92

In this Khutba Hazrath describes the condition of the society before God sent the Holy
Prophet (A.S.) as His Messenger and Apostle. He advises people to take lessons from
history, and to realize that they have so quickly forgotten the things taught by the Holy
Apostle of God that the conditions of their times is not much different to that of the Pre-
Islamic days. In the end he counsels them to understand that he is teaching them the same
things over again which the Holy Prophet of God had taught.
The Almighty God Hath sent our Holy Prophet (A.S.) with His mission at a time when
the world was left for long without any prophet or guide. When nations had passed years
without realizing the duty of man towards man and God; when men had gone through ages of
disturbances and discord; when long spells of wars had ravaged human society and when the
world was passing through utter darkness and delusion.
He sent our Holy Prophet (A.S.) among human beings when the humanity had a very sad
past, a frightful present and, having dissipated its energies, was hopeless about its future. The
teachings of the past prophets had been forgotten and everywhere signs of destructions and ruin
were apparent. The world had become a very unhealthy and troublesome place for humanity,
full of destruction and death, panic and terrorism and wars and tumults.
O people! let the history of man teach a lesson to you. Let the lives of your fathers and
brothers warn you against adopting the course of life followed by them and which they shall
have to account.
By my life, not much time has passed between you and them, and you cannot have so
quickly forgotten their lives. But those lives have not taught you any lesson, have not changed
your vision and have not improved your minds.
You are behaving in the same way that your ancestors behaved during the days of the Holy
Prophet (may the peace of God be upon him and his descendants).
I swear by God that I am teaching you the same things that the Holy Prophet (A.S.) had
initiated your forefathers with, and your reactions to my teachings are exactly similar to those
of people around our Prophet, some accepting the truth and most of them either being in doubts
and uncertainties or opposing it whole-heartedly; the condition of your minds also indicates
that you have not learned anything from the past. Remember that I am not telling you anything
which was not told to your fathers and you are not being asked to follow any creed other than
that which was taught to them and you are passing through troubles similar to those through
which they had passed, let their lives be an education to you.
Let me warn you that the things like wealth, power, pleasures, vices and sins which
crafty imposters and knavish seducers have surrounded themselves with, may not allure and
tempt you, because life is like a shadow across the earth which before finally disappearing may
lengthen for some time, but will ultimately fade away.

KHUTBA-93

This Khutba is a discourse on the attributes of God and how He has created things; how He
is going to treat His obedient and disobedient creatures. It also contains an advice to man
to do good while there is time for him to act.
 139
All thanks are due to God who can be recognised without being seen. The creation of
universe caused Him no mental exertion.
He has been existing since the eternity when there was no space divided into galaxies and
no universes (and no time also); when there were no dark spots in the space acting as curtains
and closing the further view of universes with some windows (open spaces) in them (to allow
very limited information to pass out); when there was not even the darkness (let alone the light);
when there was no earth, to bear and nourish life upon its surface; no lofty mountains sheltering
dusky ravines in their folds; no deep valleys; no oceans surrounding the lands; and no creatures
with mind and mental faculties.
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 all will come to an end. He is their Lord and He
preserves and nourishes them. Suns and solar systems 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 journeys.
He has fixed and preordained the quality and quantity and the means of subsistence of
every kind of creature. He knows the capacity, the property, the faculty and activity of everyone
of them as well as the extent of the periods of their existence. He knows what each and everyone
of them indicates and what is in the minds of those who are gifted with minds and mental
capacities. He knows through how many bodies of parents a living being passed before it was
born, as well as the time when each one of them came into being, and how long it will remain
existing.
Notwithstanding all the Bounties that He had showered upon them in this world He is
going to severely punish His enemies, and His friends are going to be blessed by Him and
receive His Favours inspite of all the severity of His Punishments. He subdues those who try
to match their power with Him, destroys those who disobey Him, humiliates those who try to
oppose Him and overcomes those who behave like His enemies. But to those who put their trust
in Him and depend upon Him and to those who beg of Him, He always grants according to their
merits and deserts to those who are charitable towards others, He grants handsome Rewards,
and on those who always thank Him He bestows His Blessings.
O people! judge yourselves, before you are judged and take an account of your activities
before you are asked to submit your account for them, repent when there is still time at your
disposal and submit to His orders before death ends all possibilities of improvement.
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.

KHUTBA-94
KHUTBA-E-ASHBAH

This sermon is named Al-Ashbah and it is one of those sermons which were very often
referred by historians and biographers. Commentators of Nahjul Balagha say that once
somebody asked Hazrath to describe God in such a way that they might feel as if they
were seeing Him with their eyes. Hazrath felt annoyed at this. Because it is not possible to
describe God in this way, neither it is necessary to try to understand Him in this manner
 140
nor is it of any earthly use to do so. He in this sermon explained such attributes of God
which clearly indicate that there is nothing common between God and man and He cannot
be explained in the way as requested and then he gave out qualities and properties of man
and angel. The word Ashbah is plural of Shabah which means forms, quality, property and
attribute of things. Qualities and forms of man and matter are explained in this Sermon.
All praise be to the Lord Whose wealth will neither increase nor multiply if He ceases to be
generous and magnanimous towards His creatures, nor His Benevolence and Munificence makes
Him poor or decreases His wealth, while every person decreases a part of his wealth by every
generous act, and everyone who keeps off from helping others is considered bad and wicked. He
is a benefactor Whose favours are unlimited, Whose grants are abundant, Whose blessings are
sublime and Who has destined man to achieve greatness. He treats all His creatures as if they
are His children. He has arranged for them means of their subsistence. He has fixed varieties and
kind of food adequate to and capable of sustaining all the different species living on this earth.
He has taught them the ways to acquire their requirements from their surroundings and also to
attain His Blessings and Favours. He is so generous that His munificence reaches those who do
not ask for it as much as those who beseech for it.
He is such a Being that He had no beginning and nothing existed before Him, and He
has no end and nothing can be imagined to exist after Him. He made it impossible for eyes to
see Him and for minds to visualise Him. Time cannot affect Him and change of circumstances
and conditions cannot work any change in Him (He is beyond the reach and range of time).
Similarly, He does not occupy any space to imagine movement or change of place for Him.
If He gives away all which mountains give out from their mines (like gold, silver, iron,
manganese, coal, mica, sulpher, petrol etc.) and all which grow in oceans (like pearls, corals etc.)
still His generosity and power of granting will not and cannot be restricted. He can keep on
creating new forms of wealth or multiplying old kinds as and when He so desires. His resources
cannot be exhausted even by constant and excessive desires of man to obtain more and more
of His Bounties. He is a Mighty and Powerful creator and such a generous and magnanimous
Benefactor that even if He gives out all that exists in the universe His Munificence and
Generousity and His Might to create fresh objects or matter and new sources and means will not
come to an end. He is so sympathetic, so benevolent and so kind that a constant demand on His
benevolence will not turn Him a miser.
O you! who want to understand His attributes read the Holy Quran. This Holy book
has directed you towards those attributes, take guidance from it, and try to understand and
enlighten your mind according to it. Know and understand that the devil has insinuated you to
try to find out certain things about God, Whose knowledge is neither made obligatory for you by
the Quran nor by the orders and traditions of the Holy Prophet (may the peace of God be upon
him and his descendants) nor by the teachings of the true Imams of the progeny of the Holy
Prophet (A.S.). Leave the knowledge of these things to God. They are beyond the capacity of
human mind. The obligation laid down by God upon you is to know and understand (about God)
only as much as is explained by the Quran, the Holy Prophet (A.S.) and the Imams of progeny
of the Holy Prophet (A.S.). Remember that well-versed in knowledge are only those people
who have strong faith in one God, His apostles and in those hidden secrets about God-head
which are supernatural and beyond the ken of human understanding. They summarily believe
in these matters and do not tax their minds to probe deep into the mysteries of His person and
 141
attributes. They realise the limitations of their minds and also those of human knowledge and
do not waste their energies and capacities probing deeper into these secrets. They know how
to make best use of their capabilities in the service of man and God. God praises those who
admit their limitations and do not waste their times and lives in trying to understand things
which are not made obligatory for them and in fact the realisation of one’s limitations as well as
obligations is actual depth of knowledge and height of understanding.
O man! there are in nature enough fields of research open for you, try your energies there,
cut short your speculations about Divine Nature. On the very limited extent of mind and mental
power do not try to pry and investigate deep into secrets of God and mysteries of His Power,
Might, Glory and Excellence, otherwise you will perish eternally.
Remember that His Being is so far beyond range, and grasp of human knowledge,
experience, reason, and visualisation that imagination cannot conceive Him and profound
thinking cannot understand Him; however deep human mind may try to probe the secrets of
God-head it cannot apprehend them and however keen and sincere may be the desire of human
heart to grasp realities of His Attributes it cannot envisage them, He has so ordained that every
attempt and endeavour to understand the Divine Nature has failed and will always fail. And man
is forced to realise that the Being of God and His Might, Glory and Power cannot be understood
by him with the limited mental capacity that nature has granted him and with equally limited
knowledge at his disposal.1
He is the Almighty Lord Who originated all the creatures (energies, matters, compounds,
forms of life and the laws of the nature) without having any model before Him and without
having any specimen of creations worked out by any god afore Him. He has manifested His
glory, might and wisdom through such wonderful and awe-inspiring intricacies of nature that
they definitely declare the supreme grandeur of His Omnipotence and Omniscience. The fact
that everything in nature and every object created depends for its movement and rest (as the
theory of inertia explains) on His Power and Might (which is not a part of the nature but is
something over and above it), and other intricate aspects of creation and its working compel
us to conceive that there is some power and force behind them driving them to act as they
do. Wonders of creation in their each and every phase bear most glorious and brilliant
characteristics and features of the beauty and elegance of His artistic designs and unmistakable
indications and evidences of His Supreme Knowledge and Might, so much so that every
creature in its aspects of creation, existence, interdependence upon others and decay is the
supreme proof of His art of creation; even such creatures as appear to us to be dumb and unable
to speak, by their very existence and activities enunciate and declare the plan and purpose of
the Grand Architect of the Universe, and teach one to realise the exquisite and majestic beauty
of the art of creation.
Lord I testify that whoever compares you with your creatures, keeping in view differences
in their various component parts or the symmetry and supplementing tendency of their multiple
sections and segments and thus attributing all the qualities, functions and therefore limitations
of Your creatures to You, has not forced his mind to understand and realise Your Greatness and
Glory, and he has no faith in Your being the one and sole Lord and Creator having no partners
or co-workers. He imagines that you could be like the idols he creates and worships. As if he
1 So far as the limitation of human Knowledge is concerned, an idea about it can be obtained by reading
SULLIVAN’S Book “The limitation of Mind”.
 142
has not heard those people who had once worshipped such gods and later (realising their folly)
disown them and renounce their allegiance to them and say, “By God, how foolish we were and
how sadly we were persisting in error and sin when we believed and declared you (idol and god)
equal to the Lord who has created and maintains the Universe”. Lord! they are misguided and
liars who considering You equal to others compare You with their idols and gods. They assign
to you attributes and qualities of Your creatures, and in their imagination they try to divide
Your Supreme Power, Might and Omniscience into various different attributes, qualities and
characteristics. They believe You to possess a body and mind like that of a creature of Yours, a
body which could attend to different functions and a mind which could only act under various
limitations.
I testify, O Lord! that whoever thinks You to be like the creatures created by You, he
imagines of a being equal to You, and whoever imagines such a being he refuses to accept the
explicit, indisputable and unambiguous verses of the Holy Quran which with the help of
intelligent and rational reasons and arguments prove Your Unity, Omniscience, Omnipotence
and Omnipresence. Lord! You are the Being who is alone, Whom imagination and mind cannot
comprehend, deliberation and meditation cannot grasp and Who cannot be brought within the
limits of conception or apprehension.
Another part of the above sermon
He has destined certain limitations and circumscriptions and allotted certain place and
confine in time and space to everything which He has created. To each one of them He assigned
such a perfectly suitable position and place in the organisation of nature that none can change
it, neither can go beyond it nor lag behind it. They are all moving in one direction (the one
way movement of nature is the latest discovery of science) and have to reach the place, He has
decreed for them. When nature and everything in it was ordered to act according to His will
they immediately and implicity obeyed. How dare they disobey His commands when their very
existence and everything around them, within them and beyond them was the result of His will
and decree. He originated and invented all the various forms of creation (from energy down
to man and his marvelous mind) without feeling any need either to speculate and to study the
process or to mediate over the forms or to contemplate over the laws governing the creation,
existence and interdependence of various creatures. His art of creation was not the result of
any desire or craving, hidden in His Heart, to do something, neither had it necessitated Him to
utilise the experiences provided by the passage of time or ageing of creation, nor it forced Him
to seek the help of a co-partner to model, evolve or invent this wonderful universe. It was merely
His wish and the creation came into being, obedient to His orders, and submissive to His
Commands. There was no possibility of anything delaying to observe these commands nor
objecting to pursue the course set down by Him. His orders brook no delay, no dissension,
no argument and no objection; everywhere there was obedience, submission, compliance and
subjection. Every part and every particle, every segment and every section, and every aspect
and every phase of creation was accurately perfect and ideally complete. Because while bringing
it into being He removed all discrepancies and inconsistencies that could have possibly arisen;
He fixed limits for properties, attributes, tendencies, activities and even the period of existence
for everything which came into being. He softened or removed, wherever necessary, all
contradicting and opposing tendencies, conflicting and inharmonious properties, and all
disparities and diversities introducing affinities, attractions, similarities and analogies. He made
 143
every part of this grand organisation and everything in it dependent upon others (so that none
could exist without the other; time cannot exist without space or matter, similarly space cannot
exist without time and matter and matter cannot exist without space and time and this triple
alliance or triangle of interdependence is the latest theory of the general relativity, towards
which Hazrath has probably hinted in the above sentence). He then divided the whole
creation into groups and divisions (of energy, matter, compounds, galaxies, stars, star-dust,
planets, live-bearing bodies of plants, animals and men). Each group is distinct from the other
and every group has its own peculiarities, properties, attributes and limitations. Such was the
first creation of the universe which He brought into being with extreme elegance and beauty and
according to His wish and desire.
Part of the above sermon dealing with skies
God has joined and collected vast and gigantic galaxies into clusters without apparent and
visible connecting links between them. In the same way he set the intervening spaces in such an
order that these galaxies can influence each other.1 He forced them to act in unison. The whole
system of these clusters is so marvelously arranged that the angels who come down with His
messages and go back with records of activities of His creatures do not find any difficulty in their
coming and going. When the universe was still in the form of (primordial) gas he ordered it to
assume shape and form and the (primordial) gas coagulated (taking up the form of millions of
galaxies, each one consisting of suns, planets, star-dusts, star clusters).
He then closed these galaxies in such a way that there were no gaps in them and each one
was a complete unit; but the matter in them was so arranged that it allowed certain forms of
creation to pass through them (for instance light, cosmic rays, radiation) and at the same time
the open spaces were so well-guarded by stars (meteorites, meteors, suns, planets and star-dust)
that nothing could pass through these guard-posts until He so wills it. He ordered these guards
to be at their appointed beat and not to wander out of their course; they all obey His commands.
He ordered the sun to provide daylight (for this earth) and the moon to brighten the dark nights
with its pleasingly dim and diffused light, He made them revolve on their respective orbits and
fixed their speeds for them, so that day and night may be differentiated and period of a year
may be fixed and other useful calculations and reckonings (like that of seasons, winds and sea-
currents, movements of clouds, wind-storms, electric-storms etc.) may be correctly estimated.
(Look at the sky, it appears as if) The sun, the stars, the planets are lanterns hanging in
firmament or pearls strung in beautiful designs. There are meteorites acting archers and
guarding the outer space. Each and everyone of them is set in its place either as a planet, moon,
sun, comet or meteor moving along their orbits, some of them appear to come near the earth
and then to recede.
Part of the above sermon praising the angels
He created the wonderful beings, called angels, to populate the various spaces of skies
(galaxies) and to inhabit the higher and far distant reaches of His Realm. He filled with them
every nook and corner of the empty spaces (of the galaxies). Their voices raised in His praise and
in reciting His prayers filled the space and echoed through the regions of galaxies sanctifying
the universe and filling it with acclamation of His glory and grandeur of creation. Beyond these
echoes, which would deafen the ears if they could only be heard, there is the area of supreme
brightness, its brilliance is so intense and profound that eyes cannot bear it and therefore cannot
see it.
1 Further advance of sciences may show what kind of influence it is at which Hazrath has hinted and how it acts.
 144
He has created the angels in different shapes and sizes. They are granted with bodies and
strength suitable to fly. They praise His Might and Glory and pray for His Grace and Favour.
They know what they are and neither claim His attributes to themselves, nor do they allege that
they can create anything which He alone can create. They are His honourable, respectable and
loyal creatures, they obey Him and never say anything unless He wishes them to say it. God had
made them trusty messengers of His revelations, carrying His commands and His messages to
His prophets and apostles. They are above doubts and suspicions. As they never go against His
will and pleasure He has endowed them with His guidance and grace.
They are humble and submissive before Him. They spend their lives in praising Him and
in praying for His favours and grace. They fully understand that there is no God but He, the
Almighty. Their existence is not burdened with sins. Days and nights (that is change of time) do
not affect them. Doubts about His power, justice and might have never shaken their faith. Their
belief can never give way to scepticism. They do not envy each other. The glory of God and
greatness of His kingdom is so fully realised by them that no power or inducement can shake
their faith. Temptations have no place in their minds, thus they have a very clear and true idea
of the purpose for which they have been created.
Some of them are placed over rain-bearing heavy clouds, some are appointed on
mountains and hills, and some have their duties in the realm of perpetual darkness. While there
are others who have passed the depth of this earth. They are like white flags which have pierced
the space where a soft wind is blowing and is helping them to keep to their places.
They have no other work but to pray to God and to fulfil the duties laid down by Him.
Their firm belief in God and His Might and Glory is the root of their faith. And this faith has
made them think of nothing else but God and duties assigned by Him. They do not expect and
desire anything from anybody except His Grace and Bounties. They have seen the greatness of
His power and have fully realised the grandeur of His realm. They are sincerely afraid of Him
and are constant at their prayers. There is no indolence and lethargy in them and they can never
revolt against His orders and can never be negligent in performance of their duties.
Though their long existence is spent in seeking His favour and pleasure yet they are
neither tired nor exhausted. Though they have such a noble and high position in His realm, yet
they are meek and they fear Him as any other creature. They are not self-conceited and they do
not imagine their work, performance of their duties and their prayers as something to be proud
of. The real conception of His Might and Greatness has never allowed them to think very highly
of their virtues. Long life of prayers and duties has not made them indolent and lazy, neither
they are tired of seeking His favours, nor have they any other work to keep them away from
prayers and duty. They do not seek rest and pleasure, they do not forget their obligations and
duties, and they do not yield to temptations. They desire to make their faith and trust in God as
provision for the Day of Reckoning. They do not pray Him for any greed but because the sole
aim of their existence is to seek His pleasure. Their ardent desire to secure His favour and their
fear of God keeps them vigilant, careful and persevering, and withhold them from negligence,
lethargy, temptations, avarice, conceit, arrogance and self-aggrandisement. Worldly pleasures
do not tempt and persuade them to concentrate on worldly activities and to give up their duties.
Conceit never deceived them to think too much of their selves or their works. The Satan can
never seduce them to doubt the justice of His orders and rewards or punishments. Jealousy did
not make them to dissociate and turn away from each other. Mutual enmity and malice did not
 145
so affect them as to dissent with each other or to oppose each other. Timidity and fright never
secured a hold upon them. They are sincere in their belief and evil can never confound them
and laziness cannot keep them away from their duties. Nothing can ensure them to give up God.
There is not an inch of space in the skies where there is not an angel praying to the Lord or car-
rying out some duty assigned to him. The more they pray the greater becomes their knowledge
of God and firmer becomes their faith in His Might and Glory.
Part of the above sermon discussing the earth, what it contains and how it was
inhabited by Adam and his progeny.
The Almighty God has solidified and spread this earth out of the gigantic and terrible
waves (of a nebula) and over very deep (nebular) matter. The violent (nebular) mass was so
stormy that huge waves were pushing each other, were rolling over each other and were thus
gradually solidifying their mass. This continued till the pressure of the solid earth (crust) kept
the inner (volcanic) masses in control as if the earth was pressing down with its breast the
turbulent material inside it (its crust) and was forcing it to cool down. Its solid crust with the
help of its mountains pressed it from all sides in such a way that it was forced to give up its
energy (in the form of volcanoes) and to yield to the superior force and pressure. The earth thus
cooled down, the tumult was controlled within its body and it gave way in the form of volcanos
which brought out vast quantities of water in the form of small streams. These streams started
filling the valleys, depressions and lowlands with water, turning them into lakes, lagoons, seas
and oceans. The riotous (volcanic) energy of the earth found another way. It cooled down in
the form of high and lofty mountains having their bases deep inside the crust of the earth.
These mountains have a great balancing effect and act as a check to its movements (floating of
continents).
God then furnished the earth with air to provide means of breathing and existence for the
living beings that would make it its habitat. The ocean of atmosphere was very wide extending
like an envelope from the surface of the earth to fairly good depth of space.
After thus furnishing the earth God brought into existence living beings to populate its
surface and provided for them all the requirements, necessities and amenities that were found
necessary to keep them living and propagating on this earth. The lands which could not receive
waters from rivers and lakes, were not left high and dry. God arranged to water them with
rain-bearing clouds. These clouds brought life to these highlands where vegetation flourished,
grass grew and forests developed. Small patches of scattered clouds gathered together into
water-lined thick clouds extending over large areas. They were moved about by the winds and
thunder and lightning was playing in their folds. They were then ordered to go over to the lands
which were meant to be watered. Borne on the wings of (monsoon) winds, these clouds swept
from place to place watering, inundating and fertilising highlands and valleys. Thus watered,
these lands turned fertile. How beautiful they look with beautiful flowers, green fields, and
fruit-bearing trees, and providing food for man and beast. God also arranged the land in such a
way that people would move from place to place and made the sun, the moon and the stars to
provide light during days and nights and to act as direction indicators.
When the Merciful Lord made the earth perfectly suitable for living beings. He selected
Adam from amongst all the creatures because Adam had superior mind and body. He made
him the first human being and father of mankind. He allowed Adam to live in His paradise and
gave him liberty to eat and drink anything which he may desire except one article. Adam was
 146
forewarned of the consequences of going against the interdiction; he was told that consumption
of the prohibited article would amount to insubordination and disobedience and it would
extremely endanger his position and prestige. But Adam could not resist the temptation and did
what he was prohibited from doing, his spirit was willing but the flesh was weak. The Merciful
God knew what would happen and when Adam repented He sent him to this earth. This earth
was assigned to him because God wanted that Adam’s progeny and descendants may inhabit
the earth and through them His Glory and Mercy may be proved and His Power and Grandeur
may be realised.
After calling back Adam to Heavens He did not keep his descendants ignorant of evidences
of His Divinity and did not leave them in the dark of the ways of realising His Godhood and
comprehending His Benevolence and Generosity. In every period of human civilisation and in
every country He sent His prophets amongst human beings. They carried His messages and
acted as a connecting link between God and man; this continued till through our Holy Prophet
Muhammad (may the peace of God be upon him and his descendants) this course of educating
human mind was brought to its final stage. Our Holy Prophet (A.S.) is the last Apostle of God, he
finalised the education and as much as possible warned human beings of the effects of ignoring
God.
The Almighty God apportioned livelihood and sustenance to each and every creature.
Some are assigned more and some less. Therefore there are some who are well-to-do while
others are poor. But this kind of distribution is based upon equity. The fact is that He has
tested people in these ways. Some were tried through opulence while others through poverty.
He wants to find out whether wealth makes people grateful to God and persuades them to show
their gratitude through their words and deeds; and poverty brings out patience and endurance in
man and whether he remembers to be thankful to Him even in straitened circumstances. Always
mixed along with great riches and wealth are dangers of poverty and starvation. Lurking in the
folds of peace and prosperity are monsters of calamities unknown and misfortunes unforeseen;
and usually sorrows and sufferings are found mingled with joys and comforts; in short no
happiness and blessing in this world is unmixed. One must remember this and must not give
way either to vanity and arrogance or to despair and despondency.
As is the condition with wealth, comfort and happiness, so it is with age. He has fixed
different periods of lives for different people. Some are given longer spans while others are
assigned with shorter durations; some will always go ahead and others will follow. But life will
always end in death.
His attributes of Omniscience and Omnipresence make it easy for Him to know all. He
knows the secrets of those who try to hide them. He hears the whispers passed under extremely
suppressed tones. He is well-acquainted with thoughts hidden in the depth of mind, evil
intentions formed in the secrecy of one’s heart and wicked desires covered with curtains of
hypocrisy. Undertone talks which are difficult to hear even with the greatest care and attention
are known to Him. There is absolutely nothing of which He is ignorant of. He knows where and
how smallest living organisms pass their lives. He knows where ants pass their summers and
worms sleep out the winter seasons. He hears the sorrowful cries of speechless animals and
footsteps of persons walking quietly and soundlessly. He knows how every bud develops under
the covering of green-folds and how it blooms into a flower. He is aware of the habitat and the
den of every beast in the caves of mountains and in the density of jungles. He knows under
 147
which leaf and inside the bark of which tree, mosquitoes live and multiply. He knows from what
part of a branch a bud will shoot, and which sperm will pass through its normal and natural
course and form (fetus). He knows which drops of water (from an ocean) will rise (in the form
of steam) to form clouds, which of these clouds gather together and which part of the land they
will fertilise. He is aware of the life-history of every drop of rain, every particle of sand, how it
has started its individual existence, how the wind has blown it from place to place and how one
day it will come to an end. He knows all those marks and places which have been destroyed or
levelled by floods. He recognises foot-prints of insects on sand-hills, nests of birds on lofty peaks
of mountains and songs of birds singing in the shades of green trees. He knows which shell holds
pearls and which does not, what is hidden in the depth of the ocean, what the dark nights try
to conceal, what the sun’s rays reveal, which is in absolute darkness and how the light travels
and illuminates things. He is well aware of the ways of movement and locomotion of each living
organism and also the way it responds to touch or any outside impression. He hears the sound of
every word said, sees the movements of every lip, and knows the weight of every particle; in fact
everything on this earth and beyond it, is known to Him. He has not to make an effort to know
or to understand all these things. Nothing can prevent Him from knowing everything about His
creatures and from fostering, nourishing, maintaining and protecting them. He never felt tired,
slow, idle or weak in running the universe as He wishes it to run. He fully knows every detail
of all this gigantic organisation and sees that each part of it works according to the plan set
out by Him, His power, His might and His desire to organise, govern and influence every-part,
every-phase and every-aspect of this mighty creation and His favours and His benevolences
reach them all. And they are not able to thank Him as much as His kindness and Mercy deserves,
and to show gratitude as much as they should.
O Lord! You and You alone deserve all the compliments, praises and acclamations. Lord!
to have faith, trust and confidence in You is the best way of achieving comfort, encouragement
and firmness of minds. To hope for and to expect the best of blessings from you is the best form
of expectation and hope. O Lord! how can I thank you, you have granted me such power of
rhetorics that I praise none but you. I cannot praise other; I cannot acclaim those who do
not deserve it; and I cannot extol or eulogise those who cannot be trusted, who are diffident
and can always be suspected. I have always abstained from praising human beings and from
complimenting your creatures. Lord! everyone who sincerely realises the favours bestowed
upon him and praises the donor, deserves rewards from him whom he has praised; my trust
O my Lord! is in You. I hope that You will forgive me, because You alone are the source of
forgiveness, love, salvation and eternal blessing. Lord! I am standing before You and I am the
person who sincerely believes that there is no god but You and none deserves the praise, the
worship and faithful obedience but You. I need help and protection from none but You. None
can satisfy my needs and none can come to my succour but you. Let me be graced my Lord with
Your Favour and Pleasures, and do not let me spread my hands before anybody but You. Verily,
You are Almighty and all Powerful.

KHUTBA-95

After the death of Caliph Oosman when people in thousands gathered round Hazrath
requesting him to assume the caliphate and beseeched him to accept their rulership,
 148
Hazrath delivered the following Khutba; in this connection a passage from the book
“Mohammed’s people” by the famous historian and Arabist, Eric Schroeder, is interesting
and is added as a note at the end of this Khutba.
Let me alone go in search of somebody else. You will be shortly facing such debatable
subjects and such controversial problems as will have contradictory solutions and divergent
aspects, and on account of doubts and uncertainties introduced into the true religion (since the
death of the Holy Prophet A.S.) people are not ready to accept true meanings of the message of
God, because their minds cannot stand the test of severity and sobriety preached therein.
Can you deny the fact that the clouds of ungodliness and schism have darkened the skies of
religion and the bright path of faith is under such a gloom that it cannot be properly discerned?
Remember that if I accept your caliphate I shall make you follow the religion
according to my own rulings and judgments, I shall not accept suggestions from anybody nor
will I bother about the discontentment and anger of dissatisfied persons, because I know that
they have neither really and truly understood the teachings of the Holy Prophet (A.S.) nor their
minds are free from desires of achieving wealth and power.
If you leave me alone I shall be like you just a citizen of the Islamic State, and in that case
if the ruler selected by you governs and acts honestly and piously I shall in worldly affairs be
more obedient to him than any of you. As a matter of fact I like more to guide and advise you
than to rule over you.
“MOHAMMAD’S PEOPLE’
By Eric Schroeder
A Tale by Anthology
Five days after the death of Caliph Oosman the rebels called the men of Madina and after
discussion decided that “We know no fitter man than Ali. But he will not take the burden of
Imamate.”
It was then decided by them to press him home till he consents. Then they all came to Ali’s
house and told him “If we go our homes again without an Imam, such a strife will stir as will
never again be stilled”. After long discussions Ali consented on condition that Talha and Zubair
swore allegiance. Those two came to him with some others.
“Small longings have I for this authority” said Ali, “But the believers must have a chief; and
right gladly will I swear allegiance to another-to Talha.”
“Nay thou hast more right than I”, said Talha.
One who stood by, forced open Ali’s palm and bade Talha strike his thereto. So Talha
swore allegiance to Ali as a Caliph. Zubair did the like, and afterwards, in the mosque, the people
took oath.

KHUTBA-96

Hazrath delivered this sermon after he dealt a crushing defeat to Kharijites in the battle of
Naharwan.
O people! be it known to you that I have subdued the rebellion of Kharajites. You should
realise that nobody but I could have done it specially when the revolt had taken such a serious
turn and when it had so intensely excited the greed for wealth and power in the minds of these
people.
 149
You now may ask me anything you like, before you lose sight of me (before my death takes
me away from you - What a prophecy! because very shortly after this, Hazrath was killed in the
Mosque of Koofa). I swear by God that you will not ask any question about important events
that would happen from today to the Day of Judgment but I shall explain them all to you. I shall
tell you about such ideologies which will shortly come into existence, and which will guide
hundreds of people towards truth, and many others which will mislead hundreds more. I shall
tell you the names of persons who will propagate these ideologies and of those who will guide
and support them and also of countries from which they will rise and countries where they will
acquire firm holds. I shall even tell you how many of these propagators will be killed and how
many will die of natural death. Beware that if you do not take advantage of my knowledge and
presight and if calamities and sorrows visit you after my death; the people to whom you will
approach for advice will not be able to offer you good counsel or to lead you to safety out of
dangers and disasters.
This will happen at a time when you will be dragged into long wars; will be forced to
defend yourselves without adequate means; the world will treat you very cruelly and harshly
and you will find the days of your trials and afflictions long-drawn, but the Merciful God will
come to your help and will grant you victory and peace through the few selected and best who
will survive amongst you.
Remember when sinful disregards of religion enter a society they always come in the
garb of real virtues, piety and goodness and having done their worst harm they disclose their
realities while departing; that is, vices cannot be easily recognised while approaching, they can
only be recognised while departing and after their mission of wickedness if accomplished, their
evil effects become apparent; they move about like hurricanes visiting some societies and not
touching others.
Remember that I do not consider any schism or vice worse than that which is being
introduced by Ummayids. They are real sinners and have the capacity to convert the world
around them into a sinful place. They will tyrannise the society but their worst cruelties will be
levelled towards Aal-e-Rasool (descendants of the Holy Prophet (A.S.). In their regime honest
and pious persons will suffer and criminals and sinners will prosper.
By God after my death, you will find Ummayids tyrannical, cruel and oppressive rulers,
they will exploit you, plunder you, terrorise you and none of you will be left without humiliation
and injury unless he serves their purposes or offers no hindrance to their ungodly ways. They
shall not rest in peace unless their slave-drive regime lowers you to the status of slaves. Their
devilish, dreadful and despotic rule will descend upon you in such frightfully oppressive and
disgustingly cruel form that no light of faith will be left for you to be guided with and no centre
of truth and justice to seek redress from.
Ahlay-Baith, (descendants of the Holy Prophet (A.S.), will have no connection whatsoever
with that regime of terror.
Then God the Almighty will bring their unjust and villainous reign to an end. Their
sway will be brought to a termination by Him through such people who will drag them to
breavements and sorrows, will make them go through extreme humiliation and ignomy, and will
terrorise and kill them. It will be the time when Quraish will wish to see me and have me back in
their midst even for just a few seconds. They will be willing to pay both the worlds for my sight
and sound, and for my advice and guidance so that I may accept the whole of it (their leadership
and rulership) which they are refusing me today even in part.
 150
The later part of this sermon about Ummayids is a prophecy which came true word for
word. Ummayids tyrannical rule started in about 42 A.H. a year and a half after the death
of Hazrath. And in Arabia it came to an end at about 125 A.H., eighty years of Neronian
regime. They sacked Mecca, stoned the Holy Kaaba, burned it and hanged Abdullah-Ibne
Zujair within its precincts. They pillaged Madina, killed more than 10,000 people in that
city, despoiled the mosque of the Holy Prophet (A.S.) and his shrine, and ran through
that city with orgies of murder, loot, arson and rape. They killed Imam Hassan and Imam
Hussain along with other faithful Muslims. They killed many companions of the Holy
Prophet (A.S.). So far as general bloodshed was concerned only one of their many generals,
Hujjaj Ibne Abu Yusuf was responsible for killing 40,000 people. The Abbasites brought
their rule to a bloody termination, massacring men, women and children in orgies of car-
nage and slaughter. It was at this period that Quraish wished to have somebody having
qualities of Hazrath to guide them, some went to his great-grandson Imam Jaffer-E-Sadiq,
but Imam Jaffer-E-Sadiq (A.S.) refused to have anything to do with ungodly forces and
decided not to side with any party.

KHUTBA-97
In this discourse Hazrath has praised the Prophet.

Praise be unto Him Whose Entity cannot be reached by any flight of imagination or height
of wisdom, Who has always been and shall always remain.
(The following part of this sermon is in praise of the Holy Prophet (A.S.)):-
God had made every one of his prophet descent from the most noble and virtuous parents.
Whenever one of them passed away (died) his successor took up the duty of propagation of
the religion of God; this chain of His Benevolence and Blessing (appointment of prophets after
prophets) continued from generations to generations of mankind, till he finalised His message
through the Holy Prophet Muhammed (may the peace of God be upon him and his descendants).
Muhammad (may the peace of God be upon him and his descendants) also came of very
illustrious and noble ancestors and of a family which has left a history of excellent qualities and
sublime characteristics, as well as high moral standards. It was a family which claimed as its
members several great prophets and many faithful apostles of the Lord (Abraham, Issac, Ismail,
Jacob, Jooseph, Mosses and Jesus, the last and the most exalted of them all, Muhammad (may the
peace of God be upon him and his descendants). Thus his lineage was the best, his descent the
noblest and his family the most learned of the human beings.
He was born in the Holy city of God, was brought in eminently pious surroundings, had
immediate ancestors solemnly exalted in their character and none shall be able to surpass the
glory, honour, nobility and eminence of his descendants.
He was leader of pious people, and source of intelligence and advice to those who sought
guidance towards God and religion, a lamp illuminating the way to truth and justice, a star
brightening the path of faith and knowledge and. a luminary which lighted the dark ages of man.
Moderation in life was his disposition and character; his Sunna was a well-laid-out path
towards nobility and piety, his sermons and discourses were always so explicit as to make the
difference between right and wrong quite distinct and clear, and his decisions were always based
upon justice and equity.
 151
God the Almighty had sent him as His Messenger and Apostle at a time when the world
for long had been without a prophet, when the people had erred from the true path, and were
driving fast towards ignorance, stupidity and folly.
God in appointing him as His Messenger, has been kind and merciful to you. Follow the
path thus lighted for you by Him, it will lead you to the Eternal House of His Blessings and
Peace. Remember that you are now passing through a life where your actions and thoughts are
being recorded by angels, for which you will have to account. You are granted a life where you
are endowed with mind and body to think and to work, where you have some kind and some
measure of power and authority at your disposal to make use of and a tongue to speak as you
like, make use of these bounties and the chances they offer to think, speak and to do good. There
is still opportunity for you to have your repentance accepted and opportunities to resort to good
deeds.

KHUTBA-98

Something about the conditions of the Arabs at the time when God appointed our Holy
Prophet (A.S.) as His Messenger.
At the time when God entrusted Muhammad (may the peace of God be upon him and his
descendants) with the mission of conveying His message to mankind, the people were ignorant
about religion, had confused notion of truth, had erred from the true path and had wandered
into the region of impiety and sin. Irrational ambitions and inordinate desires had fascinated and
enchanted them. Arrogance and pride had kept them away from religion. Heathenism had made
them extremely foolish and stupid. Unenlightened condition of their mind had so amazed them
that they had become violently emotional, unsteady and superstitious. The Holy Prophet tried
his best to educate and enlighten them, to lead them to the straight path of real knowledge and
religion. He taught them in the easiest, the best and the least irksome manner.

KHUTBA-99
In praise of God the Almighty and the Holy Prophet (A.S.).

All praise befits Him who is the First and there was nothing before Him and Who will
remain when everything else will cease to exist; none can overcome His Might and nothing is
more impossible to comprehend than His entity.
(In this sermon Hazrath praises the Holy Prophet (A.S.) in the following terms):-
His family was the most eminent and exalted among the human beings, and his race was
far above their fellow beings in nobility of character and solemnity of behaviour.
Virtuous minds and honest intellects were drawn towards him. Through him God made
people bury their jealousies and discard their vendetta and blood feuds. He made humanity
realise and achieve the principle and practice of brotherhood of man, and give up intrigues and
conspiracies against truth and justice.
Due to him the status of depressed and humbled, of conquered and subdued, and of
overpowered and subjugated individuals and nations was raised, and on account of his
teachings the arrogance, the haughtiness, the vanity and the brutal desires to tyrannise by the
conquerors, tyrants and despots was checked. His sermons discoursed the soul of truth and his
silence manifested the spirit of virtue and faith.
 152
KHUTBA-100

In censure and condemnation of such of his followers, who do not respond when called to
defend the cause and the country.
If God has allowed time and opportunities to any tyrant, it does not mean that He has
completely lost control over him. He can wait before bringing down His punishment which
nobody can escape and none can offer protection from, not even death.
I swear by God that this group (Ummayids) will defeat you, not because they are defending
justice or protecting truth, but simply because they implicitly and willingly obey their leader
even in vice and sin and you are lazy to gather round me when I call upon you to defend the
cause of religion and God.
There are nations who pass their days under the anxiety and dread of the tyranny of their
cruel rulers, but I am passing my days worried and tyrannised by my subjects, (because Hazrath
was not a cruel ruler and despotic tyrant over them, and allowed them to enjoy the liberty of
difference of opinion and freedom of will and they grudged even justifiable help to him).
I ask you to defend your religion and faith but you do not follow my advice. I try in every
honourable and intelligible way to make you listen to truth but you do not pay attention to it. I
give you the best possible counsel but it falls upon deaf ears.
Your presence before me is no better than your absence. They could neither pay attention
to what was being explained to them nor try to understand and realise it. To all appearances you
look like my obedient subjects, but in reality you act contrarily.
I read to you such passages from the Quran as will increase your knowledge, presight,
judiciousness and wisdom, but you do not care to hear them, I try to give best advices and very
sensible warnings but you run away from them. When I want to advise you to protect your
country your homes and your religion from attacks of the rebels against Islam, I find that you
scatter away even before I come to the end of my speech.
When you leave me and gather in your assemblies, you deceive each other with wrong
advices. In the morning I make you see a truth and realise it and in the evening when you come
back to me I find that your minds are as crooked as if they are made to be perverted.
O people! you behave as if you have bodies and minds but no intellects; as if you have
extremely divergent views and do not want to gather round and obey an authority. This
carelessness and this discord and dissension is bringing calamities, ruin and disgrace to you.
O people when your Amir orders you to obey God, you disobey him and when the ruler
of Syrians flagrantly commits sins and goes against orders of God the Syrians follow and obey
him whole-heartedly. As gold coins are converted into silver currency so I am willing to make a
bargain with Moavia to change you against Syrians, one of Syrians against ten of you.
O Koofites! you are in difficulties because of three defects that you have developed and two
good qualities that you do not possess. Your three defects are: though you possess ears yet so far
as good advices are concerned you behave as if you are deaf and cannot hear what is being told
to you; though you have faculty of speech yet where declaration of truth is concerned you act
as if you are dumb; you have eyes to see and mind to understand yet when you are asked to see
facts and realities you behave as if you are incapable to see and unable to understand. And the
two good qualities that you are deficient in, are: you are not brave in time of war and that you
cannot be trustworthy companions in times of adversity and calamity. You behave like camels
 153
who do not have herds-man, if you are collected in a place of safety you stampede nervously and
scatter in another direction.
Your picture in my mind’s eyes is that of persons who when a war breaks out will desert
me and act like panicky women not knowing how to protect themselves. And yet, by God, I
am on a perfectly understandable, and clearly distinct path of our God and easily intelligible
traditions of our Holy Prophet (A.S.). I am on a bright and illuminated road to truth and piety
which I am trying to explain in details to you.
Keep your eyes on descendants of Holy Prophet (may the peace of God be upon him and
his descendants), make it incumbent upon yourself to follow their lead and to act according
to their traditions, because they shall never misguide or mislead you. When they order you to
adhere firmly to a cause or to stand up against an enemy, obey them. Do not try to usurp their
leadership, because such a desire will lead you to go astray, and do not try to disown them
because this will cause your mental and moral death.
I have seen companions of the Holy Prophet (may the peace of God be upon him and his
descendants). None of you leads a life like them, they used to spend their nights in prayers and
meditations, they were very often standing or bowing before their God, the apprehension of the
Day of Judgment always was in their minds; thought of God the Almighty always kept them
frightened. They feared His Wrath and kept hoping for His Blessing and Reward.

KHUTBA-101

This Khutba is a prophecy. It is about the way, the Ummayids will rule the Muslim State
after Hazrath. Like other prophecies of Hazrath this also came true and the history has
recorded the tyrannous rule of these people over the Muslim.
I swear by God that these Ummayids shall remain in power till they force the people to
discard Islam so flagrantly that every act forbidden by God will be considered and enacted as le-
gitimate and lawful; till every religious and moral obligation will be dissolved; till their tyranny
and oppression will enter every house and dwelling, even every tent and hut, carrying calamities
and sufferings in their wake; and till the minds of the people will be filled with sorrow, some
grieving for the loss of their religion and others over their worldly losses.
The conditions of the society will so deteriorate that even when they intend to be kind
their behaviour towards you will be just like that of a tolerant master towards his slaves (you
will not be treated and tolerated like free persons).
In their presence you will obey them and behind their backs you will abuse them. The most
pious amongst you will be worst sufferer.
During these harsh times if God grants you peace and security be thankful for it and if
He tries you with calamities and sufferings bear them heroically with courage and patience.
Remember that the Blessings and Rewards of the next world are reserved only for good and
virtuous persons.

KHUTBA-102

In this Khutba Hazrath has described the life and absolutely inconsistent and mortal
condition of everything connected with it. He has warned people against allurements of
the vicious and sinful world and has advised them to abstain from indulgences.
 154
I praise and thank God for whatever I have passed through life and pray and supplicate for
His Help for the times and events which I shall have to face in future. As I beg of Him to preserve
my health and energy so I solicit and ask Him to protect my faith in religion.
O people! I advise you to give up indulgences in vile and sinful affairs of this world. It
is a place which will disown you though you may not like to renounce it; a place which will
gradually decay your physique though you may very much like to always remain young or to
rejuvenate yourselves. Remember your life here is like that of a traveler on the way, yet you
behave as if your journey has come to an end and you have reached your destination. It is a
sad delusion for those who have got to continue their journey; they have to keep on going, it
is inevitable; and they shall have to reach the end, it is unavoidable. To believe in immortality
in this world is an unprofitable self-deception for him whose span of life is fixed and who is
destined to face death towards which the very life is driving him.
Do not crave for the false honour and glory of a vicious world, do not inordinately covet
its pomp and sinful pleasures, likewise do not get frightened of and do not cow down before its
calamities and disasters, because the pomp and the pleasure, the honour and the glory of this
world are passing stages bound to come to an end sooner or later. Every phase of life on this
earth is shaped to change and every living being is fore-ordained to die.
Tell me; has not the history of man any lessons for you to learn! Do not lives of your
ancestors bring home to your mind truths about life and death? Have you never seen people die?
Do you or heirs of those who have died never realise that dead will never come back and those
who are alive today will not live forever? Do you not behold the people around you? In what
different conditions they pass their days and nights and how their mornings and evenings find
them? At one place you see a person dead and some people are weeping over him while there
is another who is being condoled for the death of his relative; you find a man in the clutches
of disease and others are attending him, while there are some who are dying. Despite all these
sights you will on one side, find people in mad search of vicious pleasures and pomp of this life
without realising that death is in quest of them, on the other hand, you will see unwise persons
leading fast lives as if death is going to overlook them, which it will not, they all are following
in the footsteps of those who have passed.
Take my advice and remember that when you go in pursuit of vice and sin do not forget
death which can abruptly intercept or ‘utterly destroy all pleasures and also can put an end to
all inordinate desires. When facing such temptations always pray for His help for fulfilment of
obligations laid down upon you and for discharge of your duties; and invoke His aid to show
your gratitude for the innumerable blessings which have been conferred upon you by Him.

KHUTBA-103

In this Khutba after praising the Holy Prophet (A.S.) Hazrath says something about
himself, his untimely death and the person who would come to the help of Muslim after
him.
All praises are due to Him who has profusely distributed His boons and scattered His
favours amongst his creatures. I thank Him for all the affairs of my life, whether beneficial to
me or otherwise, and I invoke His help to guard the duties laid down upon me and to attach due
importance to them.
 155
I testify that there is no god but Allah and Muhammad (may the peace of God be upon
him and his descendants) is His servant and prophet. He has sent him to carry out His message
carefully and disclose His commands and interdictions accurately. And the Holy Prophet (may
the peace of God be upon him and his descendants) discharged his duties honestly, led a wise
and well-guided life and while passing left amongst us high standards of enlightenment and
truth to guide us. Whoever tries to surpass these standards will deviate from true religion and
whoever behaves tardily and disrespectfully towards them will become a heretic, but who
adheres to them will reach and follow the true path. The person who will guide you towards
these standards is one who deliberates very carefully, balancing all facts and reasons before he
speaks upon any subject; who will not take up a work on hand unless he meditates over and
weighs all the consequences of the action, and when once he decides to take an action he is very
quick in doing it.1
But at the time when you decide to obey and follow him and swear the oath of allegiance
to him death will snatch him away from you (what a prophecy!) and you will have to wait for a
leader till God decides to grant you one. Verily, He will in due course give you such a leader who
will convene and gather you around a central authority and will dispel disunity and confusion
reigning amongst you.
Do not expect to accept your rulership from a person who is leading a retired life and does
not manifest any desire to rule over you, at the same time do not be disappointed and do not lose
faith in him. His lack of interest may be due to the fact that though he may possess a very strong
desire to lead you towards the true religion and God, yet on account of scarcity of supporters he
may not be in a position to assume your rulership, and will naturally have to wait till his side
becomes strong enough to support his cause.
Remember that descendants of the Holy Prophet (A.S.) are like stars in the Heaven, if one
sets the other will rise to illumine your path; the Merciful Lord has thus completed His Blessings
amongst you. And I have now explained to you the things that you wanted to understand.

KHUTBA-104

Once again Hazrath has given a prophetic pen-picture of the days of Ummayid’s rule in
Arabia and their complete destruction by the hands of Abbasites.
Praised be God, Who is such a first entity that nothing precedes Him and such last that
nothing shall exist after Him. I testify that there is no god but Allah, and this I affirm without
mental reservation; it is a declaration of my sincere belief.
O people! beware that your enmity with me may not lead you to repudiate and disown
me, and your opposition against me may not incite you to disobey me. Remember when I speak
to you do not underestimate the value of my sayings and do not show indifference or disrespect
to them. I swear by God, who created life, that whatever message I carry to you from the Holy
Prophet (may the peace of God be upon him and his descendants) is true, because the messenger
of God (the Holy Prophet (A.S.) was not a liar and I, (whom he entrusted with all that he received
from God) was neither inattentive nor illiterate.
I am thinking of a person from Syria, who is misguided and is misleading people with loud
1 Ibne Abil Hadeed, the famous commentator and interpreter of these Khutbas, says that by these sentences Hazrath
meant himself.
 156
and flagrant lies (Ibne Abil Hadeed says that Hazrath by this meant Moavia). He has now sent
his armies towards the province of Koofa.
When he gets a chance to speak more forcefully and when people start putting faith
in his lies and outspoke schism, his arrogance will know no bounds, and his oppression and
tyranny will have no limits. Internecine blood feuds will descend upon you making you kill even
your kith and kin, wars with the intensity of storms will be raging among you and harsh and
cruel days will be followed by harsher and more cruel nights.
Then there will be a rule of anarchy and false slogans and brutal force will have their sway.
Sin and vice will advance towards you like dark nights or stormy seas. Koofa will have to face
worse even, it will be rent and split by worse bloodshed and strife and in the end a civil war
will set in, in which the conqueror will be sadly mutilated and conquered will be completely
annihilated.

KHUTBA-105

This sermon is in three parts. Part I deals about the Day of Resurrection. Part 2 is a
prophecy about the time immediately after the death of Hazrath. Part 3 is a prophecy about
Basra. Apparently the whole Khutba could not be found. Its disjointed parts were found
and were copied.
The Day of Resurrection shall be the day of reckoning and of judgment. God the Almighty
will resurrect and gather all the human beings to receive their dues: rewards for their good
deeds and punishments for their sins. They shall gather in complete submission and humility,
immersed in anxiety, fear and hope. The earth will be rocking and trembling under their
feet, those who will get affirm foothold and space enough for free and easy breathing will be
fortunate and blessed.........
After the above passage a large part of this sermon is lost, and only the following passages
are noted:-
The disturbances and calamities which shall visit you after my death will be disastrous
and will ominously darken your days. No one will be able to face them or to overcome them.
Their visitations will be fast and furious. They shall be stirred up by people of very low status
and humble origin whom inordinate greed will be driving madly towards terrorism and anarchy.
And those who will stand up to fight against these evil forces and thus to serve man and God
will be people who are usually looked down upon by rich and arrogant and are humiliated by
the society, but they have a lofty and honourable position before God and His blessed beings
……………………..
Woe is to you O Basra! you will in future be cursed with a war in which no dust will
be raised (by moving armies) and no sound (of either tramp of infantry, charge of cavalry or
rumbling of heavy war vehicles and cannons) will be heard but your inhabitants will have
to encounter and to pass through the red-death which will be followed by a devastating and
ravaging famine.1

1 Does this mean an air War? A similar prophecy about Basra and Middle East is found in a Hadeeth of Holy
Prophet (may the peace of God be upon him and his descendants).
 157
KHUTBA-106

In this sermon Hazrath has drawn attention towards the mortality of this world, towards
the evils of a vicious life, towards the importance that we attach to worldly gains and our
desire to work only for them and towards the attitude that we should adopt when facing
harsh and hard times.
View the vicious life of this world in the right light, the light of those who have renounced
it and of those who have turned their backs towards it. Because by God this world will very
shortly turn those out who have tried to secure shelter here and it will bereave, disappoint and
bring sorrows to those who think of finding safety and security under its protection. The condi-
tions and times through which one has passed will never come back, and nobody knows what
the future has in store for him, so that he may anticipate it fearfully and cautiously or happily
and cheerfully. Pleasures of this world are blended with sorrows, and its blessings are mixed
with afflictions. Remember! moral and physical strength of those who lead a vicious and sinful
life will shortly be displaced by weakness and timidity. Be warned that unholy pleasures and
pomp of this life may not allure you because very little of them will be left with you and none of
them will accompany you hereafter.
May God have mercy on one who takes an account of the problems of this life and here-
after, ponders over them carefully and this deep meditation makes him perceive that whatever
we find on this earth has a short life, it is not immortal and is subject to decay, and whatever is
reserved for the life hereafter, though however small and insignificant it may appear, is ever-
lasting. He realises that whatever he takes an account of or values in this life is perishable and
destructible and whatever is expected (life after death) is bound to arrive soon.
In this world, wise is he who can judge his own worthiness and worthlessness correctly
and can fix his value accurately; while not being able rightly to esteem himself is sufficient to
prove one’s ignorance and incompetence.
God keeps such an ignorant person furthest away from His blessings and guidance and
leaves him to act according to his judgment and decision, who, deviating from the right path
of religion and forsaking the spiritual leaders wants to go his own way; whenever he is called
upon to exert himself for worldly gains he works industriously and diligently but if duty calls
him towards some work which only carries its rewards in hereafter he is found lethargic and in-
attentive, as if his duty is solely to work for worldly gains and returns and there is no obligation
for him to secure something for the life to come.
During the days of trouble and unrest only such faithful believers can live in comparative
peace and security who are persons of no importance in the society, if they are found in any
company no notice is taken of them and if they are absent from anywhere their absence is not
generally noted. Such persons are like lamps lightening the path of faith and religion. They nei-
ther create unrest in the society nor discord or disunity amongst men. For them God has opened
the door of His Blessings and has closed the door of Punishment.
O people shortly you will be facing such sad and cruel times when the teachings of Islam
will be altered and revolutionised, when God may under His Kindness and Mercy protect you
from oppression and tyranny, but you will never be protected from ordeals, temptations and
tests of your faith in truth and religion. Do you not remember what the Almighty Lord hath
said? “Verily, in such trials and ordeals there are lessons to learn and most certainly we intend
 158
testing your faith and beliefs”. (Holy Quran Part XVIII, Chapter XXIII: 30)

KHUTBA-107

This Khutba explains the conditions of the world before the Holy Prophet (A.S.) started
preaching Islam, how he trained his followers and educated them, what type of obstacles
he had to face and Hazrath’s work in propagation of this religion.
After praising God and invoking His Blessings on the Holy Prophet Muhammad and his
descendants (A.S.) I want to assure you that when the Lord selected and appointed our Holy
Prophet (A.S.) as His apostle and messenger, the Arabs were illiterate, uneducated and ignorant
and none had claimed to be His prophet and to have received Divine Revelation.
While propagating the message of God, the Holy Prophet (may the peace of God be upon
him and his descendants) was forced with the help of his faithful followers, to defend himself
and Islam against those who resented this introduction of a religion and propagation of truth.
But he kept on urging the masses to secure for themselves the means of their salvation, and
hasten to accept the truth about religion before it was too late and before death overtook them.
When people could not easily grasp the philosophy of such a religion as Islam or when they
lost enthusiasm in its preachings and practices, he was always at their sides to explain the
precepts in the simplest and easiest way and to show by example the manner in which this
religion could be followed in practice till they fully understood the principles of Islam and
willingly and enthusiastically started following it. But there were also such people who
constantly and unceasingly dissented, opposed and fought against Islam, nothing could be done
for them, they earned their eternal death. Yet in spite of all such objections, the Holy Prophet
(may the peace of God be upon him and his descendants) succeeded in showing the people
the way of salvation, the mode of improving their standards of life and the manner to achieve
greatness, till they attained all these objects.
I swear by God that I was there along with the Holy Prophet (may the peace of God be
upon him and his descendants) persuading them to see the light, convincing them of the truth
of religion and defending them against the armies of infidels till they gave up heathenism and
embraced Islam. During all this period of hard struggle to establish truth and justice I never once
displayed weakness and timidity, nor laziness and dishonesty towards the cause. And by God I
shall keep on dispelling ungodliness till clear, bright and visible truth emerges from the darkness
and chaos of falsehood.

KHUTBA-108

In this sermon Hazrath has explained the mission of the Holy Prophet (A.S.) has eulogised
his character, then he gave out the reasons how Ummayids could grasp the state and lastly
he prophesied a quick end to their cruel regime.
At the most opportune and suitable time the all Merciful God selected the Holy Prophet,
Muhammad (may the peace of God be upon him and his descendants) to act as His Trustworthy
Witness (to the fact that the various prophets all over the world have done their best to teach
the humanity the truth about life and death, the contrast between virtue and vice and the
difference between righteousness and sin, and our Holy Prophet (A.S.) has to finalise these
 159
teachings and to testify that no nation was left untaught)1 He assigned to him the duty of an
apostle to carry good news of Heavenly Rewards and warning of eternal Punishments.
As a child the Holy Prophet (may the peace of God be upon him and his descendants) had
the noblest disposition and the most exalted personality and as an adult he was the greatest hero
of mankind. His politeness, sincerity and character was sublime and nobody could excell his
generosity.
O Ummayids, only after his death you could take possession of this rich Arab State and
could enjoy its wealth and power to your hearts’ content. You could do so because you found
weak, selfish and greedy people in control of the state and power. (And you could make use of
their weakness and greed to secure your ends).
To certain people forbidden and unlawful wealth and pleasures are most exciting and fas-
cinating, and legitimate and religiously allowed possessions and acquisitions are of no interest,
distant and even non-existent.
O Ummayids, by God you found though for a short time, the Muslim State extending
under your sway like an expanding shadow. World around you was unguarded and
unprotected, you could stretch your hands in any direction and could grasp whatever you
desired. Your drawn-swords were hindering and preventing sincere and real leaders from
defending humanity against your cruel rule. Remember that cruelty, oppression and spilling of
human blood will be avenged; and usurpation of human rights will have to be requitted.
And He who will give judgment on the Day of Reckoning will avenge our martyrs whom
you have mercilessly killed. He is Almighty, All Powerful and All Supreme, Whom nobody can
refuse to face and Whose Wrath nobody can escape. I swear by God that very soon you will find
this Caliphate in the hands of your enemies.
Remember that talented is the mind which enables one to see the realities of life and
rational is the ear which makes one take notice of a good advice.
O people! do accept advices of such adviser who practices what he preaches and gather
knowledge from such a fountain-head which is clear of all impurities.
O people! do not insist to remain ignorant, uneducated and unenlightened and do not
blindly try to gain your inordinate desires, because those who persistently pursue such a course,
carry the burden of their sins and inequities from one stage of depravity and vice to another till
they land themselves in the Hell; such people usually aspire and pretend to deserve and hold the
apostleship of God and leadership of man, attributes which are far from their capacity to possess.
O people! remember that it is no use to take your complaints to ignorant or ill-informed
people or to misguided and ungodly persons. They cannot solve your worldly problems and
cannot remove the doubts, which have been deeply ingrained in your minds by the Satan against
religion.
Remember that an Imam has no responsibility other than the one laid upon him by God.
He is to fully exert himself in advising and guiding the people to lead their lives in the light of
religion. He is to keep the commandments of religion and the Sunnah of the Holy Prophet (A.S.)
alive. He is to enforce law and order bestowing rewards and dispensing punishments to those
who deserve them, and allotting actual dues and shares to rightful claimants.
Make haste in acquiring knowledge and wisdom before it becomes difficult for you to
1 Here Hazrath is referring to the verse of the Holy Quran “From every nation we have selected a witness and we
have appointed you as a witness over all of them.”
 160
reach the source of learning, before your indulgence in vicious pleasures and carnal desires do
not allow you to reach these fountain-heads. Advise people not to commit sin and vice and you
also abstain from them, because you are ordered to first abstain from sin and then to persuade
others to do the same (You must first set an example).

KHUTBA-109

This sermon tells us about Islam, the Holy Prophet (A.S.) and Muslims: Islam, how great it
is? Holy Prophet (may the peace of God be upon him and his descendants), how sublime he
is? Muslims, how they were honoured and how they are trying, with the aid of Ummayids,
to undo the good which God has bestowed upon them through Islam?
Praised be God who revealed Divine Laws through Islam. For its followers He made its
code easy to understand and gave its principles a position so exalted and so noble that their
eminence overcomes all contentions and objections. He destined Islam to be a harbinger of
eternal peace and a haven of unfailing security for those who enter its fold. Its doctrines provide
logical and well-founded arguments for those who want to defend truth and justice. Its precepts
contain the best protection for piety and virtue. It is a heavenly beacon unto seekers for light
and a great source of enlightenment for intellectual persons. Who pay due attention to it will
find great wisdom in its teachings, and its careful examination will prove it to be a very bright
manifestation of the goodness of virtue. Islam furnishes most educative patterns and instances
to those who want to discern between right and wrong, who are willing to accept its timely
admonitions of the consequences of evil and falsehood. It brings salvation to its testifiers,
great moral strength to its believers, perpetual peace and comfort to its faithful followers and
considerable power of resistance against sin and vice to those who patiently bear sufferings in
life.
Islam is the brightest path and the clearest highway to salvation. Its illustrious principles
excel in glory and nobleness, its ways are distinct and perfect and its brilliant precepts
bring enlightenment to those who live in the darkest ignorance of truth. Its teachings
are so exhaustive that they extend over and surpass the teachings of older religions. It is a
religion whose followers compete with and try to surpass each other in goodness and virtue.
Confirmation of truth and justice are its ways, enlightenment of humanity is its chief object, to
expect and to face death boldly and nobly is one of the main items of its teachings. This world is
the place where Islam wants to prepare you for high positions in hereafter, therefore, the Day of
Reckoning will be the day when its true followers will surpass others and heaven will be their
reward.
(In the above sermon Hazrath thus spoke of the Holy Prophet (may the peace of God be
upon him and his descendants);
The Holy Prophet (may the peace of God be upon him and his descendants) guided human·
beings, till those, who seek truth learned how and where to find it and till those, lost in darkness
of ignorance and heresy could easily see the lighted beacons of religion.
Lord! he is Thy loyal and trustworthy Apostle, and on the Day of Judgement he shall bear
witness whether human beings have truly and sincerely accepted and obeyed Thy Commands.
He is the bearer of Thy Bounties and Beneficence towards humanity and faithful messenger
carrying the message of Thy Kindness and Mercy to mankind.
 161
O Lord! through Thy Justice reward him handsomely for his good deeds and through Thy
Mercy make his virtues and excellence eminent and exalted. O Lord! make the religion preached
by him surpass other religions, glorify his approach and accession to Thy realm and exalt and
ennoble his position near Thee. Make him the most exalted means of approaching Thee, and
grant him pre-eminence and surpassing excellence.
O Lord! on the Day of Judgement resurrect and assemble us in his company as his
followers so that we may not feel ashamed of our short comings and may not be disgraced.
O Lord! do not let us go astray, help us to follow the straight path and to keep the promises
we have made to You and to him.
O Lord! do not let us be misguided and do not make us pass through temptations and trials.
In this sermon Hazrath thus addresses his companions:-
O people! The Merciful God has through His Kindness exalted your position so much
that even your slaves bask under your reflected glory and your neighbours are respected on
your account. On account of Islam you are surpassing those, over whom you actually have no
superiority and eminence, and who are under no obligation to you. Even such people respect
you whom your pomp and glory do not terrify and over whom you have no sway. All this is due
to the Kindness and Mercy of God, but you are so indifferent to the religion that you see people
around you breaking the oaths of allegiance to Him and yet you do not feel annoyed though
you get extremely angry and feel insulted if promises made to your ancestors were dishonoured.
Originally the orders of God were coming to you through the Holy Prophet (may the peace of
God be upon him and his descendants) and were meant to be transmitted through you. But you
have allowed tyrants to get supremacy over you and to control your affairs, even handing them
over the orders of God and thus entrusting the work of God to those who have no real faith in
Islam. They openly plunged into scepticism and led vicious lives.
I swear God that if to preserve their sway these Ummayids scatter true Muslim all over the
solar system God the Almighty will yet gather them some day to witness the fall of Ummayids.

KHUTBA-110

During the battle of Siffeen one day some soldiers from the army of Hazrath for a short
time retreated and then took back the lost position. On that occasion he delivered the
following Khutba:-
I saw you retreating from the battle-field. I felt sad to see that you were running away
from a disorderly mob of untrained and unscrupulous blood thirsty villagers of Syria, though
you were the noblest and the bravest of all the Arabs coming from noble clans and families noted
for their wisdom and bravery. But in the end I was pleased to see that you checked your retreat
bravely, returned to the field, pushed them back and put them to rout with the help of your
swords and spears. Their front ranks were falling back upon their rear files in such confusion as
could only be seen among thirsty camels when they fall upon one another to reach water first.
 162
KHUTBA-111

In this sermon Hazrath has explained some attributes of the Almighty Lord, some sublime
duties of the Holy Prophet (A.S.) which were assigned to him by God, and lastly about
himself and people around him. How he is trying to serve mankind, how he feels
astonished at the behavior of human beings, their soulless and senseless ways, the pitfalls
surrounding them, their care-free attitude amidst these dangers and the results which will
surely follow. In the end he predicts the types of government the man is going to suffer
from.

ABOUT GOD
Glory be to God who can only be understood and recognised by studying His creations. He
is revealed to the minds of people only through the undeniable evidence of inference. He created
the universes and all they contain without pre-meditation, pre-examination, pre-planning and
revision of His plans. Pre-meditation, pre-planning, pre-examination and revision of plans are
attributes of mind and its workings and He is above all mental exertions. Nothing can remain
hidden from and nothing can escape His knowledge.

ABOUT HOLY PROPHET

(May the peace of God be upon him and his descendants)
From among His prophets He hath selected him to be His greatest Apostle, to be the source
of learning and fountain-head of knowledge, to be the Divine light to illuminate the darkness of
ignorance with his teachings and to glorify the seat of Islam.
Following is another part of this Sermon but some commentators, e.g. Ibne Maysum
etc., consider this to be altogether separate oration where Hazrath spoke about himself,
explaining his position among the people.
He is the one who knows how to treat diseases of intellect and reasoning, helping those
who suffer and who need treatment and care. He knows specific cures and his system of
treatment is infallible. Where there are minds suffering from vicious desires, where there are
eyes blind to the virtues of piety and justice, where there are ears deaf to the call of mercy and
forbearance and where there are tongues dumb to declare truth; there you will find him busy
among the patients treating them carefully and tenderly, searching for the causes of diseases
among the sources of ignorance and prejudice and origins of confusion and perplexity. He goes
amidst those who have not received the light of education and enlightenment and therefore are
confused and prejudiced and he brings light, peace and comfort into their lives.
Secrets about life, its environments and its ultimate end have been revealed to those who
have vision, intelligence and foresight; the bright path of Islam is provided for the education
of ignorant and misguided non-believers, the truth about the Day of Judgment and Reckoning
has been clearly explained, its significance can be easily understood by those who wish to
carefully examine the consequences of such an occurrence.
I am astonished at your behaviour that notwithstanding all this you still behave like
bodies without souls or minds without power of realisation; like prayers without piety or
traders without desire of profit. Though you look wide-awake yet you are not conscious to the
seriousness of the situation. Physically you are present to hear me but your minds are away,
 163
you do not grasp or understand what is being told to you. I find around me eyes without sight,
ears without sense of hearing, tongues without power of speech and minds without capacity of
vision.
I see schism securing a firm foothold in your midst and extending its tentacles around you,
it is measuring you, tormenting you to test your power of resistance against depravity and sin.
The leader of this movement is an infidel who has deserted Islam and he is resolutely and firmly
backing ungodliness. He will have his sway over your country, and especially those of you who
remain faithful to Islam will be humiliated, insulted, maltreated and massacred by him (what a
prophecy). (All this will happen because of your weakness and erroneous policy). Do you realise
where these mistaken and irrational desires are carrying you, where are your heathenish
tendencies driving you and how false hopes (of power, pleasure and enjoyment) are alluring and
misleading you? Do you realise that you are deceiving yourself?
Remember that every period has an end and every action is followed by a reaction,
therefore, it is not only advisable but also imperative upon you to hear the advices given to you
by the Caliph of God and to act accordingly (it will be to your good). Be ready to obey his orders
and follow him.
It is the duty of the leaders amongst you to carefully note what they hear from me and
to repeat it word for word amongst the people, they should concentrate upon my words and
correct their confused and scattered ideas.
Verily, I have clearly explained everything to you, separating truth from falsehood and
godliness from heathenism. I have given complete information about the dangers and perils
towards which you are rushing blindly.
Remember that when bad times will visit you, you will find that unbelievers of Islam will
have their sway, the number of persons revolting against God and religion will increase and
religious-minded and pious people will be tormented and harsh times will attack people like
ferocious and hungry beasts, lies will be told loudly and repeatedly; people will co-operate
wholeheartedly on falsehood and sin, and disunite and fall out on subjects of truth, piety and
religion. During such times children will be source of anxiety and worry to their parents; even
kindness and benevolence will have only exchange values, society will mostly be composed of
ignoble and avaricious people; and generous and noble-minded people will be reduced to mere
minority. People of such times will be like hungry wolves; the rulers will be like carnivorous
beasts, ravenously devouring the middle class and recklessly killing the poor. Very little of
truth will be left but falsehood will reign amongst men. Only lip-sympathy will remain because
hypocrisy and hidden enmity will have a firm hold on minds of people, viciousness and sins will
be worshipped and teaching of Islam will be turned inside out like an undesirable and soiled
garment.

KHUTBA-112

In this sermon Hazrath has explained to us limitations of human mind to understand God
and to describe Him, and he has laid emphasis on such attributes of God, which affect
man in general. Further he describes angels, how they fear Him and obey Him. Then
he gives out an outline of weakness and wickedness of man, his wanton disregard to
his obligations, his obstinate persistence in vicious pleasures and his final but untimely
 164
realisation of these shortcomings and vices but futility of such realisation. Thus sketching
carriers of individuals he draws our attention towards the race of man, how it will come
to a finish, how this earth is going to end its carrier and how human beings will be
resurrected and brought up for the final reckoning.
Lastly he eulogised the Holy Prophet (may the peace of God be upon him and his
descendants) praising his teachings and explaining how he acted upon the precepts he had
preached and proved that they are adaptable and workable.
Everything is bound to be naturally submissive before God. Everything exists because He
wishes it to thus exist and continue.
Only He can make beggars rich, and only He is the source of power to weak and depressed
and haven of refuge for oppressed and tyrannised.
He hears those who speak and knows the secrets of those who keep quiet. Those who are
alive find their subsistence because of Him and those who die are bound compulsorily to return
towards Him.
O Lord! none can describe Thee, because nobody has seen or can ever see Thee. Thou
existed long before the creatures who praise Thee came into existence. Thou hath not created
them to remove Thy loneliness, nor to deprive any benefit out of them.
Whom Thou calleth cannot run away from Thy call and whom Thou holdeth cannot
escape out of Thy hold. Disobedience of people will neither mar Thine Kingdom, nor will their
obedience will increase Thy Sway. Those who disagree with Thy Decisions cannot reject them
(they are forced by nature to abide by them) and those who refuse to obey Thy Commands and
Interdictions cannot do without Thy Bounties and Boons. Every secret is known to Thee and
every hidden things is clearly obvious to Thee.
Thou art Eternal and hast no end, Thou art the Goal of everything and nothing can
run away from Thee. None deserving Thy Wrath can escape it but through Thy Mercy and
Beneviolence. Everything is under Thy Control and its return is towards the goal destined by
Thee.
Glory and Greatness be to Thee O Lord. How vast are the universe created by Thee, and
yet in spite of their vastness how insignificantly small are they when compared to Thy Power.
How complete and thorough and how supreme and absolute is Thy Control over nature which
can be discerned and understood, yet how small is its greatness when compared to that phase
of Thy Omnipotence which is hidden from our eyes and which our minds cannot grasp. How
benevolent and gracious are Thy Favours in this life, yet how small they are when compared to
Heavenly munificences of the next world.
In this sermon Hazrath thus spoke about the Angels
Some of the angels are such that Thee has destined them to be in the skies, high above the
earth. They understand Thee better, fear Thee more and are nearer to Thy Favour than any other
creature. They are neither outcome of biological urges, nor changes of times and circumstances
bring about decay in them. Though they are so near to Thee, have such elevated position in Thy
Grace, think of nothing but Thy obedience and are so far from unfaithfulness to Thee yet if they
could realise the actual greatness and magnificence of Thy Realm which is hidden even from
them, their prayers and their position will appear insignificant to them and they will consider
that they have never offered such prayers as Thou deserveth.
Glory be to Thee O Lord. Thou art the Creator and deserveth worship. And Thou, after
 165
testing the capacity of man in the best possible way, hath created for those who deserve them
Heavens with the choicest viands and drinks, with the best companions and servants and
with palaces on the banks of beautiful rivers laid out with lovely gardens and orchards. Then
Thou sendeth messengers who invited people towards these blessings. But people neither paid
attention to the call of these messengers nor did they show any desire to earn and deserve these
blessings nor any wish to achieve these ends. Instead they turned towards the filth of worldly
enjoyments, were unanimous in enjoying these pleasures, were contented with the disgrace
these indulgences brought to them and were ununited in their love of this world.
If a man loves a thing he becomes blind to its defects, his mind is predisposed in its favour,
his sight and hearing lose the power of seeing and hearing realities and he cannot tolerate
to see and hear anything against the object of his devotion. Such is the condition of people
who go blindly after worldly pleasures. Their minds are sadly affected and the lust of worldly
enjoyments kills their conscience. They are madly in love with it and consequently become its
slaves as well as slaves of the resorts of vicious pleasures and sources of wealth and power. They
bend and kneel whenever the world so desires and go wherever it wishes to.
The advices and premonitions of the prophets have no effect upon them, though they
see the plight of sinners around them that how suddenly these misguided persons are called to
account for their deeds not having any chance to return to life again, nor any possibility of
being forgiven. They see that death, which during their lives, they had completely ignored,
descends upon them without any warning; how they are made to part with this world where
they have been so happy and so well-protected and how they have to face the next world which
was predicted to them.
The transition of such a person from this life to the next is so painful that it cannot be
easily described. The painful sensation of death, and the disappointment and the shame of
having lost lifelong opportunities of being and doing good, crowd into his mind. The
consciousness of guilty life makes him feel sad and shameful and the horror and hopelessness of
the situation leaves him pale. Just at such a moment death steps in stopping the faculty of speech
and expression. The dying man is surrounded by his relatives, though his power of speech has
left him, yet his mind is wonderfully clear now. He can see and hear, he can visualise realities,
and can understand truth. He thinks of the life that he had wasted, of the wealth that he had
amassed by sinful and vicious ways, by adopting every foul mean or fair. He now realises that
he has to face the consequences of amassing this wealth from which he is now forced to part for
ever, leaving it to others who will enjoy it (the fruits of his sins). He knows that the pleasures
of enjoyment will be theirs and the pains of punishment will be his lot, because all the sins and
crimes that he had committed to accumulate this have been noted by the angels of God. At this
moment how keenly evident it is to him that he has irrecoverably mortgaged his soul to gather
these worldly possessions and how it is impossible now to undo what has been done; and it is
too late even to repent. The sorrow and shame of the situation is so poignant that it makes him
wince and hate those very things which he so much loved when he was fully alive to life and its
pleasures. He wishes that those people who used to envy him for his power, wealth and worldly
possessions, had all of them and he would have led a simple and honest life. As his mind passes
through these tortures of sorrow, shame, regret and contrition, death approaches him a step
nearer and like power of speech he loses the power of hearing also. He can now neither hear nor
speak, yet his power of sight is still with him, he can see people around him, can see their lips
 166
moving but cannot hear any sound. Death comes still nearer and gradually his sight also deserts
him; shortly the soul parts with the body, leaving him a corpse amongst his relations. They
now feel afraid to come near his dead body and want to keep away from it. He cannot now
sympathise with the mourners nor reply to their call. He is then carried to his grave and
surrendered there to the consequences of his faith and deeds. They shall not see him again till
the Day of Resurrection, a day when all the human beings will be joined by those who follow
them, it is the day when the span allotted to life on the earth will come to an end, and the Will
of God, to create and resurrect human beings will be carried into effect.
When this day (Day of Judgement) approaches, the solar system will be broken up, the
earth will wander out of its course (orbit), it will be broken into fragments, mountains will be
uprooted, and His Might and Power will make them crash against each other and the inner
portions of the earth will be made to come out. And dead persons will also be resurrected, after
having been separated from each other for long times they will all be recollected together.
As each and every human being will then have to give an account of his thoughts and
deeds he will be made to stand separately and individually. After the reckoning they will all be
divided into two groups. Those who have obeyed His orders will be rewarded and those who
have disobeyed Him will be punished.
The blessed ones will receive the eternal bliss, of His approbation of their deeds and
blessings of Heavens, where the life is eternal, where there is no change (for the worse) no fear
from anything and no disease of any kind. There nobody will have to face dangers or calamities,
none will be forced to go out of the paradise.
As far the sinful beings, the punishments will be according to the enormity of their
sins. Theirs will be a horrible dwelling to live in and a sad life to lead. They will be completely
deprived of the powers of self-defence and of changing their environment. They will be
surrounded by scorching fire, which will perpetually keep on burning them (without cremating
them to annihilation) blazing with intense heat and appallingly terrific sounds. There shall be no
escape from this torture by fire; and there shall be no change and no relief, and no ransom shall
be accepted. This abode of horror is eternal, there is no end to it and those who are imprisoned
there will have to suffer the punishment eternally.
Hazrath has praised then the Holy Prophet (may the peace of God be upon him and his
descendants) in the following words:-
He had always considered the life spent in pursuits of pleasure as disdainful and evil and
he loathed and hated such a life. He was convinced that because God wanted to exalt and glorify
him therefore He kept him high above the allurements and temptations of sins and vices; while
to those whom He considered as contemptible on account of their thoughts and deeds the Lord
allowed all the enjoyments and pleasures of a vicious life. Realising this, he looked upon these
pleasures with contempt and ignored them as something despicable and loathsome. He turned
away from its pomp and glory with supreme indifference and never took anything out of it and
never thought of making it as his abode. As he lived so he preached (his life was a model of his
teachings). He warned the people of punishments of the Hell, explained to them the blessings of
the Heaven and invited them to follow his path which leads straight to Heaven.
O people! let it be known to you that we are his descendants; we are the centres which
receive messages of God and where angels arrive with His Orders; we are fountains of
knowledge and springs of wisdom.
 167
One who is our friend and follower, deserves the Blessings of God and one who is our
enemy may wait for the punishment which he deserves.

KHUTBA-113

A sermon which tells us what to believe in, what to do and how to derive correct
advantages from the Quran.
For those who want to approach the realm of God through good deeds, following are the
best ways to achieve success:-
The first and foremost is to have complete faith in God and His Holy Prophet (may the
peace of God be upon him and his descendants); the second is to exert oneself in the service of
God to the best of one’s capacity, because such endeavours (be it a war in defence of Islam or any
other form of intensive activity for the cause of religion and justice) are the sublime heights of
the glory of Islam; thirdly the repetition and belief in the phrases of devotion (the phrases that
“there is none worthy of worship except God”-Ashhadu-unla illaha lllallah, and that Muhammad
(may the peace of God be upon him and his descendants, is his Prophet) because they are the
basic concepts of the religion of Islam; fourthly to continue offering daily prayers, because these
services are soul of religion, (then) payment of poor-rate (zakat) because it is a compulsory
obligation (for Muslims); the sixth is fasting during the month of Ramazan, because it saves one
from the Wrath of God, the seventh is the pilgrimage to the House of God (Mecca) during the
days of Haj and at other times (Umra) because journeys on these occasions reduce poverty and
clean the soul of sins; the eight is to pity one’s poor relations and to help them in their financial
distress because these charities affect an increase in the wealth of people; the ninth is the charity
and help extended to each and every needy or poor and deformed or crippled person, these
charities when given secretly wash away one’s sins and when given openly they prevent
accidental or horrible death; and lastly to be kind, sympathetic and solicitous to the creatures of
God, this habit prevents one from falling into calamities, abjections, and disgraces.
O people! try your best to praise God and to speak more and more of Him because this
is the best discourse. Create an intense desire in your mind for the Heaven (Junnuth) which
is promised to the pious. Verily, His Promises are true. Follow the mode of life and character
of your Holy Prophet (may the peace of God be upon .him and his descendants) because it is
the best way of leading a good life. Adhere to his traditions and implicitly obey his teachings
because they are the best guide to a noble life. Read the Holy Quran carefully because it is the
most sublime of all the holy books, try to understand and to study it diligently because it is best
food for thought, enlighten your mind with its teachings because its Divine Light is the best cure
for diseased mentality, and read it with sincerely good intentions because it contains very useful
and instructive episodes from the history of man.
Remember that if even a highly educated man acts against his knowledge and convictions
he behaves like an illiterate and uneducated person having a confused mind, like one who does
not want to come out of the comatose condition of ignorance. On the Day of Reckoning such
a person will not be able to justify his attitude, will sadly repent his folly and will have to face
severe rebuke.
 168
KHUTBA-114

Hazrath in this sermon speaks about the vicious world, how it allures and captivates, how
it forsakes and deserts, how merciless is its treatment for those who fell for it and what is
the ultimate end of a living being in this world.
O people! after thanking God and praising the Holy Prophet (A.S.) I want to warn you
against the allurements of a vicious life. This warning is necessary because, to all outward
appearances, such a life presents peculiar sweetness, charm and attraction. It has surrounded
itself with temptations and is loved by almost everybody because it offers such enjoyments as
could be obtained quickly and easily, though they may last only for short time, and because it
provides such adornments which though momentary and few yet make one love it. It has gilded
itself with false hopes and dream-like expectations and it has garnished itself with deceits and
treacheries.
Remember that its pleasures will not last long and it cannot offer you freedom from
pains, sufferings and sorrows. It is a consumate liar, a capricious deceiver and a ruinous evil
doer. Its gifts are not merely destructible but they are dangerously destructive and positively
annihilating. Its connections sever easily and its pleasures fade and disappear quickly. Its pomp
and glory are themselves subject to speedy exhaustion and decay, and they consume and destroy
their lovers as speedily.
Its behaviour, with those people who are attached to it and spend their lives after it, is very
peculiar; when they reach the height of their pursuits, it suddenly drops them, leaving them to
utter ruination and decay; in the Holy Quran God hath explained this with a smile. He says, “It
is like rains which We send down from the clouds, they turn the herbage of the earth green and
luxuriant and then the green becomes dry, is broken into pieces and is scattered by the winds;
only Allah holds the sway over all things”.
Remember that nobody has enjoyed such a life (for whatever period) but he has repented
for it, mourned over the days so passed and regretted the time so wasted. None has received
smiles of its favours and fortunes but has ended his days in sufferings and loss (in one form or
another). Those on whom it showered its gifts of wealth, power, pomp and glory have ultimately
to face adversities, calamities, humiliations and disgraces. It is a common sight that whom it
has befriended and favoured in the morning, it has treated like an enemy in the evening. If one
aspect of its behaviour is pleasant, charming and alluring, the other aspect is ugly ferocious.
Whoever achieves successes here will have to pass through reverses and misfortunes. Those
who pass the night with ease and comfort very often wake up to face frustrations,
disappointments and dangers. A life surrounded with vicious pleasures and pomp is a fraud with
one’s soul and deception to others. It is transitory; its every phase is ephemeral and everything in
it is of extremely short duration. Nothing from life can act as a provision for hereafter but one’s
good deeds. One who indulges less in wicked ways of life and secures the least out of it is in the
best position to escape from great sufferings and severe punishments; and the one who tries to
get the most out of it in reality strives to accumulate things which are not only momentary in
nature but which will carry in their wake enormous harm, injury and destruction for him.
Oh the vicious and sinful life! how many of those, who had absolute faith in it were
shamelessly betrayed, how many who had full confidence in it were sadly deserted, how many
who possessed power, pomp and glory were dishonored and thrown into oblivion; and how
many proud heads were forced to bow in disgrace and humiliation?
 169
Every kind of power and authority under it is liable to quick changes, every life in its fold is
subject to disturbances and vexations, every spring in its domain, supposed to be of fresh water,
is in reality savour, every sweetness leaves a bitter taste behind it and every eatable is actually
a poison to one’s mind and soul. Alliances and connections there are weak and cannot be relied
upon. Living beings there are facing death constantly and healthy persons have perpetually to
confront diseases. There empires appear to quickly disappear and mighty despots hold sway to
be subdued. Its wealth’s and possessions are sources of destruction and poverty, and everybody
there is bound to be robbed and plundered some day.
Are you not now occupying habitations of those who passed away before you? Some of
them had longer lives, left behind them more lasting monuments and traces of their glory and
might, had greater hopes and expectations with life, were more numerous in number and had
mightier armies than you. Have you ever realized how they served this world and worshipped
it and how they tried to adopt themselves to its quick changing vagaries and vicious caprices
and with what results? They were forced to leave it in such a way that they had no provision
for the next, no guide and no due preparation for any form of convenience or comfort during
their voyage into eternity. Were you ever told that this world extended a helping hand to them,
offered to compensate for their sufferings and losses, or showed any sympathy or compassion to
them. No. On the contrary you have heard that it was unmerciful and cruel to them, it showered
sorrows and miseries upon them, weakened them under its tyranneous sway, rocked them with
calamities and afflictions, humiliated and disgraced them, crushed them under its feet, helped
adversities against them and heaped misfortunes upon them.
You have undoubtedly noted that how it had ill-treated those who were faithful to it,
had preferred it to the life hereafter and were fully bent upon possessing and owning it. When
the time came for them to part with it forever, what did it give them as a parting gift except
unfulfilled hopes, unsatisfied desires, disappointments, disillusionments and regrets; where did
it land them except in a very narrow and a very dark grave, in the obscurity of sins and oblivion
of despair.
Seeing all this do you still like this kind of life, are you satisfied with what it has to offer
you, do you still crave for it? Why? Do you not realise that this vicious world is the worst place
for those who do not consider it to be disgraceful and dishonorable and who do not take account
of the dangers and pitfalls which abound here. Be warned and I am sure you already know that
you are mortals, you are going to leave this world and to part with it forever.
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. They were carried to their last
resting-place but their arrival was not announced, they were lowered in the pits dug for them
but nobody was there to welcome and entertain them.
Their neighbours were graves, made of stones, shrouds made of dusts, and rotting bones.
What neighbours! they do not reply when addressed to, do not come to help when needed and
do not care if sorrow and misery abounds around them. They are not happy if the world behaves
with them (i.e. with their graves or memories) kindly and are not worried if they are treated
cruelly. Though they are crowded in a small space yet they are separated from each other; though
they are neighbors yet they do not appear to have any interest in one another; though they are
placed so near yet they never meet. They appear to tolerate each other giving up enmity and
hatred, and to have lost all sense of malice and spite. They do not appear to realise any danger
 170
or to provide for any defense. They have accepted the change of living above the earth to that of
lying under it, a change from residence in palatial houses to a place in narrow graves, a change
from the society of their relations and friends to that of solitude and a change from the lights
of life to the oblivion and obscurity of a tomb. As they had parted from this world naked and
destitute carrying nothing with them but the burden of their sins, so they will appear on the Day
of Resurrection to enter the abodes of eternal life according to their deserts. The Almighty God
says “As We originated and created for the first time (so) We shall create them once again. (It is)
a Promise from (Us). We always fulfil Our Promises”.

KHUTBA-115
The Angel of death, how it works.

When Angel of death enters a house can anybody feel it with any of his senses? Can
anyone see this Angel when he extracts the soul of a person? How does death take away the
soul of a baby when it is still in the womb of its mother? How does he enter there? Does the soul
of the baby take permission of God to go out and meet the Angel of death or does he live in the
womb along with the baby? How can any person describe attributes of God, when he cannot
describe attributes of His creation (the Angel of death).

KHUTBA-116
OF LIFE AND ITS PLEASURES

In this sermon Hazrath has commented upon this world and its vicious pleasures; the
attitude of pious people with life; the irrational manner in which worldly minded persons
covet mortal pleasures and positions.
I warn you against this world because it is an abode of mortality, and a temporary
residence. It is not a place where one can find lasting prosperity and peace. It has decorated itself
with temptations and attractions and allures people with these adornments. Its vicious ways are
despicable and contemptible before God.
It is a place where unmixed blessings and virtues are not to be found, where lawful things
are sadly mixed with forbidden ones, where virtues are hopelessly confused with vices, where
pleasures are blended with pain and where life ends into death.
God has neither approved it for His friends nor has He withheld it from His enemies.
Virtues are rare in it and vices are evident and obvious. Here accumulated wealth is subject to
exhaustion and cessation, here mighty empires are liable to be wiped out and overthrown; here
prosperous persons are prone to be quickly turned into paupers.
What is good in a house which is so easily breakable and destructible? What is good in
a life which comes to an unexpected termination and ends like provisions in the middle of a
voyage (where there is no possibility of renewing them)? What is good in an age which abruptly
ends like a short journey?
O people! obey the orders of God, and seek His Help in discharging your duties and
obligations. Be prepared for death even before it calls you.
Pious people are really those who though live in worldly surroundings yet lead very
sober lives, though they appear happy and cheerful yet their minds are full of anxiety about their
 171
moral and religious obligations; so far as their thoughts and deeds are concerned they are very
hard task-masters against themselves though the world is envious of them for the bounties and
blessings bestowed upon them by God.
How it is that you have forgotten death and always keep unattainable hopes and desire
before your mind’s eyes? The world has taken such a possession of your intellect as to exclude
every consideration of hereafter from your thoughts. Its allurements and attractions are so
powerful that they have made you forget the world to come. You are so much enticed by mortal
pleasures that the life to come does not find a place in your imagination.
Though Islam had made you brothers and there is nothing to divide you, yet your minds
under the influence of wickedness, malice and vice create dissensions and disunity amongst you
with the result that you neither help nor advise each other, and neither love nor co-operate with
one another.
What has come to you? You are happy and pleased with the paltry and worthless, though
easily obtainable pleasures of this world, and the deprivation of immense and abundant bounties
of the Heaven does not grieve you. Loss of worldly possessions, though however contemptible
and mean they may be, make you so sad that even your faces reflect the depth of your sorrow
and height of your grief at your disappointments. As if you and this world are both immortals
and as if its wealth and pleasures are everlasting.
How mean are you, the only thing which prevents you from exposing the weaknesses and
defects of your brother is the fear that he will in turn expose your shortcomings and evils.
It appears that the common factors on which you agree and which bind you together are
your keen desire of achieving wealth and power in this world and your total indifference to the
life hereafter. Your religion is upon your lips only, it has not touched your heart. So far as His
Commands and Interdictions are concerned you behave like a man who need not work at all and
who has secured the approval and consent of his Master for his deeds and thoughts.

KHUTBA-117
What is piety?
(What is piety and how to achieve it, what is a sinful life and what it will bring?)

All praises be to God who associates His Praises with His Blessings and enjoins gratitude
for prosperity and happiness. I praise Him for calamities with which He tests me as I praise Him
for bounties which He confers upon me. I seek His help to overcome laziness and reluctance
in obeying His Orders and Commands and to resist temptations of daring wishfully and
actively against His Interdictions. I crave His Forgiveness for my sins and shortcomings which
He knows, and various forms of which have been fully explained by His Book. There is no limit
to His knowledge and His Book has left nothing unexplained. I have faith in Him like a person
who has seen the hidden secrets of nature with his own eyes and who fully believes in all which
has been promised by Him. My belief in Him is such that it has left no possibility of unbelief or
polytheism in me and has fully converted scepticism into true faith.
I testify that none deserves to be worshipped but God. He is the only One and has no
parallel, no co-worker and no partner. I further testify that Muhammed (May the peace of
God be upon him and his descendants) is his servant and Apostle. The two declarations are
testimonials which raise the standards of one’s words to higher planes and one’s deeds to nobler
 172
levels. When compared with other’s dogmas their importance will manifest itself; and if you do
away with these tenets nothing sober and grave remains in one’s faith.
I advise you, O people, to be pious, as piety is the best provision for the next world and
the best protection against sin. It is a provision which will help you to the Heaven and it is a
shelter which will protect you from the Wrath of God. It is an advice which the best law giver
of God, the Holy Prophet (A.S.) has given you and it was accepted and remembered by the best
of mankind. He was an adviser who has explained everything and those who accepted and
followed him succeeded in attaining the Blessings of God. 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 His worship and to pass their days in doing their duties towards man and God; and
the exertion of prayers and labour of doing their duty gives them pleasure and satisfaction.
They always keep their death before their minds’ eyes, they enhance the quality and quantity of
their performances, and keeping their eyes on the next world they regard with indifference the
pleasures and profits of this world.
Hear me once again that this world is perishable and destructible, its phases change
quickly, often leaving nothing but sad lessons behind them. A proof of the mortality of
everything in this world is the fact that there is destruction and decay everywhere, calamities
attack everyone without missing a chance and sorrows visit without allowing a single chance
of escape; here every living being shall have to pass through the doors of death, every healthy
person shall have visitations of disease, and every happy individual shall have to face sorrows
sometime or other. In its desire for destruction this world behaves like a glutton whose hunger
is never-satisfied or like a drunkard whose thirst is never quenched; (it demands for more and
more of creation of decay and destruction). Of sorrows and unrelenting severeness of this life it is
enough to visualise that those who amass wealth seldom enjoy it, those who build homes rarely
live in them. They always leave this world in such a way that they cannot carry their wealth and
property with them. The sharp, sudden and violent changes of circumstances in life are sights
to take lessons from. We find have-nots becoming so rich that they are envied, and millionaires
turning paupers overnight because of disappearance of wealth and visitation of afflictions. There
are enough warnings about us, if only we look carefully around and see persons on the door of
success being visited suddenly by death, which neither spares the desirer nor allows the tidings
of his success to reach him. Glory be to God! 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 past can be brought back? Good
God! How near are living beings to dead because of the fact of approach of death towards them,
and how far apart they are from each other because they cannot on their own accord contact
those who have ceased to exist.
There is no punishment worse than the punishment of God and no reward better than
His. Worldly things are better heard than seen and heavenly blessings are better seen than
heard. But in this you must be satisfied with what you hear from the Holy Prophet (A.S.) about
goodness and grandness of heavenly blessings and be contented with the news of hidden
bounties, because you cannot see them when alive.
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, because very few things here are really beneficial and
many are ultimately harmful.
 173
Remember, the merciful God has been very tolerant and not severe towards you. He has
allowed many things to you and has interdicted and prohibited very few. Abstain from those
few acts and thoughts which are declared as sinful for the sake of many which are allowed and
permitted by Him.
Undoubtedly He has made Himself responsible for your livelihood, and has ordained for
good deeds. Under these circumstances beware lest you exert yourself continuously for that
which has been already promised and allotted and neglect that which you have been ordered to.
Despite all which has been taught and preached to you I find, by God, that you are
becoming sceptic and scepticism is becoming your doctrine of life. So much so that you feel it
as your duty to concentrate solely on acquiring more and more of that which has already been
guaranteed to you by God and to neglect the duties which He has laid down upon you.
O people! make haste in doing your duty and carrying on the obligations laid down upon
you, and be afraid of death which may visit you suddenly, because there is no possibility of
regaining life which has passed but there is always hopes of getting back the lost wealth and
power. It is usual phenomena that lost opportunities often return in increased numbers but time
and life will never return; you can hope for the future, but what is past is past. Fear God as much
as He deserveth, and do not face death but like a true Muslim.

KHUTBA-118
Prayers for rains.

O Lord! for want of rains our mountains have cracked, our lands are covered with dust
and our cattles are thirsty, they are running all over their pastures in search of water; constant
wandering from pasture to pasture and from one watering place to another has made them sick
and weak.
O Lord! have mercy on our cattles, wandering in search of water and grass, and have pity
on their wailings and on the depth of their sorrows at the sight of dried up watering places and
barren grazing grounds.
Lord! we have come out of our houses to pray Thee when the famine has ruined and
overwhelmed us and when Thine food producing and life giving rains have deserted us.
Because, my Lord! You Alone is the hope of unhappy and destitute and only through You
one can reach the destination. We pray to You, my Lord! when all of us are disappointed and
despondent, when the clouds have withheld the rains and when our cattles are dying.
Please Lord! do not punish us for our sins and shower Thy Bounties upon us, with rain
pouring clouds, with luxuriant vegetation and with green and flourishing grass. Let the water
bearing clouds rain so heavily that our dried fields may again get green and our dead lands may
get life anew.
O Lord! we pray to Thee to grant us such rains as may give life to dead lands and may
fertile the dried ones; we pray for heavy showers, fulfilling our requirements, acting as
harbingers of spring and abundance, bringing Thy Blessings in the form of happiness and
affluence and in the guise of rich, harvests and delicious fruits. May our fields grow luxuriantly
and our trees bear plenty of fruits, so that the weak and starving citizens may regain their health,
may our remote lands flourish and dried up high lands be helped with enough supply of water.
Please Lord! let Your boundless Mercy and vast Blessings shower prosperity upon poor
and needy persons and provide rich fodder to our cattle roaming in search of water and fodder.
 174
Lord! let us have such continuous rains and such heavy showers following one another
as would saturate our lands and fill up our rivers. Let there be no thunder storm and lightening
without rains, let there be no scattered and waterless clouds and let no cold wind and frost mar
the reviving effects of rains, so that the famine stricken people may receive full benefit of Thine
Bounties.
Verily, my Lord, Thou art the One who sendeth down rains after the people had given up
all hopes, Thou art the One who spreadeth His Benevolence overall. Thou provideth food Thou
Art the Master and Thou deserveth all the Praise.

KHUTBA-119
In praise of the Holy Prophet (May the peace of God be upon him and his descendants); an
account of life hereafter and prophecy about Hajjaj lbne Abu Eusuf.

God Almighty sent our Holy Prophet (May the peace of God be upon him and his
descendants) to invite people to truth and also to be witness to the fact that his preaching
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
excuses. He is leader of those who accept piety and he is a guide to those who have vision and
presight.
(In the same sermon Hazrath says :-)
If you have the same knowledge of things about life after death (about the future of those
who are solely engrossed in worldly affairs), things which are hidden from you and revealed to
me, the information would have made you leave your hearth and home and to disperse in the
world weeping over your sins, putting yourself to torture for the evil deeds committed by you
and leaving your wealth and property in such a way that there will be no one to look after it and
none to Inherit it. The apprehension about the future and the remorse over the past would have
so affected every one of you that nobody would have had time to think of anything besides his
own future.
But you have forgotten what has been taught to you and (wrongly) believe yourself to be
well protected from the things of which you were warned. The result is that your plans are upset
and your affairs are confused.
I pray to God to separate me from you and to let me have the company of those who
merited my companionship and whose company I deserve (perhaps Hazrath was speaking of
those of his companions and Sahabas of the Holy Prophet (A.S.), who in the days past had
worked with Hazrath and were dead now). By God, they were the people who maintained a
very sober and serious view about life. They were patient and human towards people. They
were truthful and honest. They had given up evil ways of life. They were foremost in sincerely
accepting Islam, always followed the true path and dying as true Muslims they succeeded in
achieving high positions in heavens.
By God a young reprobate from the clan of Bani Saqueef will get control over you. He will
be haughty, vain, ill natured, mean, of low descent and an apostate from religion. He will get
sway over you. He will usurp your worldly possessions and will deprive you of your hard earned
wealth. Let the black cockroach tell you rest of the tale.
Commentators say that Hazrath by young reprobate meant Hajjaj Ibne Abu Eusuf-E-
 175
Saquafee. He was the governor of Iraq during the regime of Caliph Abdul Malik Ibne
Marwan. He was so cruel that he killed more than forty thousand people and tortured
many more. He deprived the Iraqees of their gardens, palaces, jewellery, cattle and other
wealth. The passage about a black cockroach is said to depict a very vile phase of Hajjaj’s
life. Its details and cause of Hajjaj’s death are ugly episodes of the history of Islam. Ibne
Abil Hadeed describing all those facts says that in reality Hazrath has used a simile,
symbolizing the omnivorous and scavenging character of a cockroach to the greed and lust
of Hajjaj. This sermon is regarded as one of the great prophecies of Hazrath.

KHUTBA-120
An advice to spend the wealth in the cause of God.

You shirk to spend your wealth for the grand purpose for which God has granted you so
much prosperity. You default on your obligations though you have been created to do your duty.
Of all creatures of God you (as human beings) stand on a higher level yet you do not show your
gratitude to Him and respect to His Commands.
All that is in your possession now was once under control of somebody else, let their
demise and the fact that one day death will part you from your family and possessions be a
warning to you.

KHUTBA-21
In this Khutba Hazrath has praised his faithful companions

You are supporters of truth and justice. You are brethren in religion. In wars, in difficulties
and misfortune you help and shield each other. You are my true friends nearer and dearer to me
than others.
With your help I fight against the apostates and traitors, and hope to keep control over
those who want to follow me.
Contempulate, examine and accept my sincere, honest and truthful advices which are
above bias and prejudice and free from scepticism and fallacies. By God, I am the most sincere
well-wisher of mankind.

KHUTBA-122

Hazrath collected people and advised them to come out to fight in defense of religion, truth
and justice. In reply there was a long and unbroken silence. Whereupon he said “Are you
dumb?” Some of them replied “If the commander of the faithful set out for Jehad we shall
accompany him.” Realizing the want of fervour and sincerity in this reply he addressed
them in the following words:-
What has happened to you? Have you never been shown the true path or have never been
advised to follow the right course? Is it wise and proper for me to set out in person on such a
mission and at such a time? No. I shall select a person from amongst you to lead you through
this expedition. He will be brave, honest, a good strategist and an experienced warrior. It is not
 176
advisable for me to leave the city, the army and the central treasury unprotected or to let the
disputes of Muslims and important law suits about settlement of rights remain unsettled. (For a
ruler administrative problems of justice and peace and internal affairs, i.e. finance, law and order
are as important subjects as the defense of the state. An unsatisfied and unsettled condition of
a state is as dangerous as the armies of an enemy.) I cannot leave all that and come out at the
head of an army and allow a host of unsatisfied and unsettled persons to raise an army against
me. I do not want to be a solitary arrow moving from side to side in an empty quiver. I am like
the pivot of a hand mill, if I am at my proper place the mill will revolve smoothly round me and
if I desert this place, the mill will vacillate and wobble and even the goat skin beneath the mill
will not rest in its place. Therefore the suggestion that I accompany this army is fraught with
insincere and evil intentions.
By God, if I have not a desire of martyrdom while facing the enemies of God, I will have
gathered my mounts near me .and will have parted from you forever; and will never have come
in search of you.
Remember! unless you have concord, harmony and unity amongst you, mere numerical
superiority will not be of any avail to you. I am trying to lead you towards a bright and straight
path, on which none perishes but a misguided one. Remember! He who firmly follows this path
goes to the Heaven, and he who wanders away from it goes to the hell.

KHUTBA-123
An advice to his companions, a word about himself and descendants of the Holy Prophet
(A.S.) and about piety and its reward.

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 upon him and his descendants) has received, the ways of fulfilment of
promises made by 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
descendants) are the doors through which real wisdom and true knowledge will reach mankind;
we are lights of religion.
Remember that all the paths leading to the realm of God are one, they are straight and
they direct people to moderation in life. Those who attain them reach the truth and gain reward
which they deserve; those who miss these paths are lost and (too late) will feel the regret for the
same.
Remember, today is the most opportune time for you to do good deeds and provide for
the day when your role will change from a judge to that of a person who is to be judged. The
day when the falsehood of hypocritical piety will be exposed (and men will know whether they
really deserve reward or punishment). If one’s sagacity and wisdom cannot be of use to him
in this world, it can be of no avail to him in the next. Fear the fire of the hell; the hell which is
extremely hot and deep, where there is hard and comfortless surroundings, and worst kind of
sustenance.
Remember, if God grants a man good reputation and good fame to leave behind him, this
is better than wealth which he leaves to posterity who seldom remember him with respect and
speak of him with regards and kindness.
 177
KHUTBA-124

In Siffeen Hazrath in the beginning strongly objected to arbitration, telling his army to
realize that they are on the verge of a victory that to save itself from a crushing defeat the
enemy has raised scraps of papers and rags upon spears calling them the Holy Quran and
is entreating and suing for arbitration and that it is not wise to be deceived by such a ruse.
But the advice given by Hazrath was not heeded and some of the officers of the army who
had received big bribes from the enemy and wanted to end the war in its favour, were on
the point of revolt. Seeing this Hazrath reluctantly agreed for arbitration. At this stage
one of ranks and file who could not properly understand the situation stood up and asked
Hazrath “At first you strongly objected to arbitration and later on you agreed to it. We
are at a loss to understand which action was nearer to the cause of truth and justice”.
Thereupon He sorrowfully replied thus:-
This confusion is due to the presence of those people who cannot keep up to their promises
and cannot sincerely obey the orders given.
Beware; as I was commanding you I had ordered for something which was repugnant to
you (to keep on fighting); if you had obeyed my orders God would have given good results to
you. If you had constantly remained on the straight path shown by me, I would have guided you
to success; I would have corrected ordinary wavering by you and routine punishment would
have been the result of disobedience. This would have been the correct course, and would have
brought forth good results. But most of you completely revolted against me. On whose support
and help could I issue orders and could I force others to obey me?
I wanted to make you a medium to treat the diseased mentality of the nation and to
guide it towards the path of true religion, but you are behaving like the worst form of a disease
yourself. Seeking to root out a trouble with your help is like trying to eradicate an evil with
the help of another evil knowing all the time that evils have the tendency of harmonizing and
co-operating with each other.
O God! the mental condition of these people is such that those who wanted to improve
it have been sadly disappointed in their expectation and those who wanted to lead the country
towards better ways of life felt tired and discouraged.
Where have those people gone who when invited to Islam accepted it sincerely, who
read the Quran and wholeheartedly followed the commands it contained, who loved Islam as a
she-camel loves her young one and when ordered to fight in defense of Islam they willingly left
their homes and families. Some of them died like martyrs and some survived the ordeals. Success
never overjoyed them and deaths never despaired them. Sights of human misery saddened their
lives, constant absorption of their minds and bodies in performance of their duties towards
God and man had made them look pale and haggard; and humility manifested itself from their
behaviour (as against the vanity of pseudo-pious people). They were brethren unto me. They
have gone (are dead). I am justified in desiring to meet them once again and to be sad at
separation from them.
O people! the Satan has made the ways of vice easy and pleasing for you, it tries to untie
every knot with which religion has tied you into groups of people attached to one another and
united with each other, and it introduces discord and dissention amongst you. Turn away from
it. Do not let doubts and scepticism misguide you. Hearken to the advice and instructions of the
 178
man who is your leader and guide (Hazrath himself), try to fully understand these advices and
never forget them.

KHUTBA-125
A sermon to Kharijites.

After the battle of Siffeen a party of those people who had done their worst on that
occasion and had succeeded in forcing Hazrath to arbitration revolted against him.
Originally they were in the army of Hazrath but receiving heavy bribes from Moavia
they brought about the arbitration. Later on they saw their mistake and felt humiliated at
having been fooled by Omer-e-Aas and Moavia. But instead of realising the fact that they
brought all this upon themselves and upon the nation, they with easy conscience tried
to lay the blame at the door of Hazrath and revolted against him. When they constantly
refused to accept his good advices, persisted in the rebellion, decided to fight against him
and forced him reluctantly into battle. He came out in the battle field and going in front of
their ranks enquired “Were all of you present on the battle field of Siffeen”? They replied,
“Some of us were present while others were not there”. Thereupon he asked them to divide
into two parties, one consisting of those who were present on that battle field and the
other of those who were not there, so that he may speak to them according to standards of
their knowledge of the facts. “Be silent for just a while, hear me carefully, pay attention to
what I say and when I ask of you then bear out the facts truthfully and sincerely”. Saying
this he delivered a long address, parts of which are as follows:-
When the army of Moavia artfully and cunningly hoisted the Holy Quran on spears with a
view to cheat you out of a sure and certain victory did you not say that they were your brethren
and were followers of the same religion? Did you not say that they wanted the war to come to
an end and wanted to take refuge under the Holy Book? 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 of 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 was completely
vanquished and routed? Is it not a fact that I had already advised you not to pay attention to
those braying asses (Moavia and Amer-E-Aas) because a respond to their call would result in
your deviation from the right path, and had you not then acceded to their entreaties they would
have been defeated and humiliated, but you were bent upon accepting the cheaters and believing
in the words of apostates, and did not rest till the arbitration took place and your humiliation
was completed. Were these not the facts?” (When they testified that they were, Hazrath
continued).
By God, I am bound in duty to God not to accept this humiliation and disgrace and I do
not commit any sin in refusing to accede to it. If ever I had accepted an arbitration it would have
been on the principles taught by the Holy Quran and I would have been fully justified to take
such an action. You know fully well that since I took up this book (Holy Quran) I never deserted
it.
You know very well that when we went to wars in company of the Holy Prophet (A.S.)
against the enemies of Islam, we unhesitantly faced and fought against our even nearest and
 179
dearest relatives, we submitted to the order of God implicitly and sincerely and bore the pangs
and pain of wounds patiently and cheerfully. Our sufferings increased in us a firm resolve to
succeed and to serve God. Today we are fighting against such of our brothers who pretend to
be Muslims, but are apostates and heretics. Sophisticism, schism and wrong interpretation of
the 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 may
bring our enemies nearer to Islam. If this will appear to be possible we shall desire for peace and
not for war.

KHUTBA-126

Part of Hazrath’s sermon which he delivered on a battle field. It contains an advice to

strong and brave people to help the weak and nervous.
Whoever in a field of battle finds himself courageous and brave enough to face the enemy
and bears the brunt of war boldly and sees one of his brethren in a nervous state, he should try
to go to the help of his nervous companion and to defend him against his enemies with the same
courage and zeal that he exhibits in defending himself. This should be a mark of gratitude for the
courage and strength granted to him by God. If God so wills the other person will also gather a
courage and strength (by this example).
Remember that death is such a quick and greedy seeker that it refrains its hands from
nobody. None is spared, neither the one who tries to close his doors in its face nor the one
who tries to run away from it. I swear by God Who is the master of the life of Abu Talib’s son
(Hazrath himself) that I feel it nobler to die on a battle field with hundreds wounds on my body
than to die on a death bed.
The following passage is considered by some as a part of the above discourse and by others
as a piece of some other sermon, therefore I have numbered it as 126A.

KHUTBA-126A

I feel as if I am looking at you on the occasion of your route from a battle field, you are
squeaking like a crowd of lizards (fleeting before death). You neither have the courage to stand
up for your rights, truth and justice nor the chivalry to put a stop to the cruelty and oppression.
You have been shown the path of salvation and are at liberty to accept or reject it. One who fol-
lows the path of God gets salvation and one who wavers is doomed.

KHUTBA-127

Instructions to his soldiers how to fight, how to advance and how to behave in a battle field.
Some commentators consider this as a part of Khutba No. 126, delivered on a battle-field.
Those who have armors on, should be given a place in the front ranks and those who have
not any armor should be in the rear of the army.
Be firm, (do not let nervousness make your teeth chatter) because firmness and courage
are the best shields against swords of your enemy. Hold your spears firmly because a firm hand
 180
makes the movement of spears very effective. Do not overestimate the strength and arms of your
enemy, for true confidence in your numbers and arms will give you courage and will reduce
your nervousness and you will feel better equipped for a fight. Do not shout, (and thus lose your
breath) for holding of breath and silence will make you more determined and will increase your
courage. Take particular care of your standards and flags. Do not let them be borne by unsuitable
persons. Let your flag bearers be such brave and experienced soldiers who can keep them raised
against very heavy odds and thus keep up the prestige as well as the courage of your army.
Do not leave these flags and flag bearers alone, rally round them when so required. Let only
those who can patiently face suffering and who are tried and experienced warriors gather round
the flags, especially when the battle is raging furiously and when there is lot of bloodshed,
remember that experienced persons will not retreat surrendering the flags nor advance leaving
them unguarded.
The one who feels that he is more than a match for his enemy must try to help his weak
and nervous companions and should not leave him alone to face his enemy single handed; gross
selfishness and callousness in a battle field often results in harm to callous persons also, for
usually the enemy after vanquishing a weak antagonist joins hands with his companions to
master the strong one (so the strong ones should remember that selfishness does not pay).
By God! If you do not face the swords of your enemy today and run away from them you
will never be safe from their swords in future. What is more, being nobles of Arabia and men of
position and rank you should not exhibit cowardice and nervousness.
Remember that in running away from a battle field you incur the Wrath of God and you
gather permanent disgrace and everlasting humiliation; one who runs away from a battle-field
cannot thus increase the span of his life, because nothing can postpone the day of his death
(which is fore doomed).
Whoever is so anxious to reach the realm of God as a thirsty person is anxious to reach a
water hole, should remember that heaven lies under the shadows of those spears which you face
when defending Islam.
Today (day one passes in a battle-field defending Islam) is the day when pious and sincere
persons are to be tested for their sincerity in religion and believe in God, (so far as I am con-
cerned) I am more desirous of facing my enemy than they are desirous of reaching home safe
from the battle field.
O God! If they refuse to accept the truth, then please scatter them, do not let them unite
the forces of evil against God and man, and punish them for their sins.
Their sinful and vicious ways of life will not cease poisoning human minds, unless their
forces are completely overthrown, unless they are vanquished and exterminated and unless the
centers of their activities are destroyed.

KHUTBA-128
On Arbitration at Siffeen and on some of his companions

The truth of the case of arbitration is that we never (originally) agreed to have any two
persons from amongst us as arbitrators, but we agreed to have the Holy Quran as an arbitrator
between us. But as you know the Holy Quran is a book encased between the two covers, it
cannot speak out like a human being; it naturally requires somebody to understand and explain
 181
it, and it is equally natural to have human being to translate it and to give order according to its
tenets.
When Moavia and his hordes invited me to the Quran for decision I could not turn my
face away from the Book of God. The Mighty and Glorious God hath declared that “If you
quarrel about anything refer it to Allah and His Apostle”, (Holy Quran Part V, Chap IV: 59).
Referring to God means that we should search the Holy Book and act according to its tenets and
commandments. Referring to the Holy Prophet (A.S.) means that we should follow his example
and act upon his traditions.
If one follows the teachings of the Holy Quran honestly, sincerely and without mental
reservation, then he will find that we (Hazrath himself and the descendants of the Holy Prophet)
are the best people to be obeyed. If one accepts the traditions of the Holy Prophet (A.S.),we and
we alone deserve to command and teach the faithful.
As regard your objection, as to why I allowed such long period to elapse before acting
against a judgment which was based upon schism, hypocrisy, cunningness and deceit and which
was wrongly named an arbitration, I say that I acted like that because ignorant people during
this period may come to distinguish between truth and falsehood, and persons well versed in the
teachings of the Holy Quran and the traditions of the Holy Prophet may get firmly established
upon their conviction, and also with a hope that perhaps during these quiet and peaceful days
people may utilise the guidance of the Divine religion to improve their ways and to differentiate
between just and unjust for which they should be given chance before they are asked to decide
or punished for wrong decision.
Verily before God, the most excellent and the most deserving (of His Blessings) is the
person who would love to accept the truth and act justly and rightly though his beliefs and
actions may cause him severe losses and sufferings and who would not adopt sinful ways of life
though they may bring him power and plenty.
I do not know how and whence have scepticism and confusion entered into your thoughts
and how the Satan has taken hold of your minds that you have become so anxious to join the
ranks of such sceptics and misguided people who, when they see truth and justice turn their
backs upon it, who are cruel, tyrannous and oppressive, who violate rights of others and who
do not understand the teachings of the Holy Quran. They have gone astray from the true path
of religion. But, alas your faith in Islam also cannot be trusted, nor your promises and pledges
can be relied upon. In defending Islam I cannot with confidence seek your help nor can I be wise
in considering you such honourable allies as to depend upon you in time of need. You are also
the worst people to provoke wars and strives. Sorrow be upon you, you have always caused me
anxiety and pain. Whenever I invite you to come to help the cause of religion you never proved
yourself brave and sincere and whenever I entrusted you with important secrets you always
betrayed me.

KHUTBA-129

When Hazrath began allotting equal shares from Baitul Mal (Government Treasury) to all
Muslims, irrespective of their being Arabs or Non-Arabs, Hijazees or Iraquees, Persians or
Negroes, masters or slaves, noblemen or commoners, sheikhs of tribes or mere peasants
and labourers, rich or poor, scions of influential clans or paupers from the street, heads
 182
of communities or beggars from the gutters, conquerors or the conquered, rulers or the
ruled; thus when he started equal distribution of wealth and opportunities and when more
consideration was shown by him to diseased, disabled and crippled, or weak and old;
when helplessness, physical deformity and poverty were placed by him at a premium;
and when rich and powerful were levelled down to the same plane as poor and helpless,
there arose a hue and cry. Frustrated expectations, baffled plans of acquiring fortunes and
opulence, thwarted schemes of achieving grandeur and pomp, and balked hopes of
controlling centers of wealth and power made those who were planning and scheming
great futures for themselves, resent this system of equality of wealth and opportunities.
Many felt that the have-nots, the poor, the destitutes, the disabled and the diseased were
becoming the centres of interest and sympathies of the government and they themselves
were losing the importance which they were holding till then. They rose in a body to
protest. Many delegations waited upon Hazrath, some headed by Zubair, some by Ibne
Abbas, and some by Ibne Haneef.
On each occasion Hazrath explained to them the principles of equity and justice, the
theories of the fair distribution of wealth and opportunities, the doctrines of equality of
man to man and the commands of God and the Holy Prophet in that respect. On one of
those occasions the following Khutba was delivered:-
“Do you want me to seek your help by oppressing and tyrannising the people over whom
I am appointed (by God) to rule. By God this will not happen so long as I continue to live in this
world and so long as the stars act under mutual gravitation. I can never abuse the power rested
in me nor can I be cruel towards human beings. Had it all been even my personal property I
would have distributed it equally amongst the needy and poor. But it (the national wealth) is the
property of God (entrusted to human care). Beware! that to spend upon undeserving occasions
and to give to undeserving persons is dissipation and waste of wealth. A squanderer may
gain some (unholy) popularity in this world but his position in the next will be unenviable.
Unjustifiable and undeserving donations may enhance the status of a man among his worldly
surroundings but he is sadly humiliated in the eyes of God. One who spends his wealth in evil
ways and on wrong persons is deprived by the Lord of the gratitude of those over whom he had
spent; these unentitled beneficiaries usually turn against him and at the times of distress and
need he finds them as his worst enemies, censuring his actions and blaming him for his lavish
grants.

KHUTBA-130

Hazrath delivered this sermon when news reached him that Kharijites are murdering and
killing Mohamedans simply because these Muslims could not see eye to eye with them.
You have resolved upon believing that I have made a mistake and I am a sinner; and if you
are bent upon understanding nothing else you are welcome to it. But simply because you want
to oppose me, why do you consider all the followers of the Holy Prophet, Muhammed-E-Mustafa
(May the peace of God be upon him and his descendants) to be mistaken and misguided? Why
do you hold them responsible for my mistakes? Why do you consider them to be unbelievers
and kafirs for my sin (for something which you supposed to be my sin)? You have got swords in
your hands and you are using them indiscriminately against everybody, killing sinners as well
as innocent and pious people.
 183
You know very well that when the Holy Prophet ordered a man to be punished (stoned to
death) for adultery, he, after death of the adulterer offered death prayers upon him, and allowed
his property to go to his heirs; similarly when he passed a death sentence upon a murderer
he permitted his heirs to inherit his property; even thieves and fornicators after undergoing
the sentences of punishment were considered by him to be deserving to receive their share of
donations from the Baitul Mal and were allowed to freely marry Muslim girls. When he found
men guilty of sins he punished them for transgressing the bounds (set by God for human
liberty); and he ordered them to receive the punishment they merited yet he never deprived
them of the rights of citizenship or declared them to be kafirs.
Of all the wicked and sinful people of this world you are the worst. You are the people
whom Satan has used for his sinful purposes and has driven towards vicious ways.
Verily, in respect to my position among men, two kinds of persons shall be lost (on account
of their ignorance); one group due to such excessive love of me as may lead them astray from
God, the other group on account of their enmity towards me, which will certainly lead them
away from truth and Islam, therefore, so far as I am concerned they are in the right, who try
to maintain the respect, love and awe which I truly deserve-a moderated point of view without
inordination and exaggeration.
I advise you to follow this course and gather round this principle, because the hand
of God will always protect and guide this group. Do not create dissension and do not keep
yourself aloof from such a group because separation from this party will make you a willing
victim to the schemes of Satan, as a sheep wandering away from a herd falls an easy prey to a
wolf. Beware! whoever persuades you to join the Kharijites kill him, even if his head is covered
with my turban.
So far as the question of the arbitration is concerned you must remember that the two
arbitrators were appointed with sole purpose and with clear and explicit orders that they
had to revive those principles which the Holy Quran hath revived and to annul those vices
and sins which the Holy Quran hath forbidden. Reviving of the Quran means to agree and to
accept the principles laid down by it, and death of the Quran means ignoring its commands and
interdictions.
If the Quran tells that our opponents are right, we shall follow them, and if the Holy Book
brings them towards truth and justice they must obey us.
I did not advise you towards anything sinful, neither did I mislead and nor did I keep
anything as a secret from you. At the same time I never doubted your sincerity towards Islam.
When you unanimously and adamantly demanded appointment of two arbitrators, I agreed to it
but I made them promise that they will act according to the commands of the Holy Book and will
not deviate from it. But those two did not keep their promises and purposely and deliberately
they did not act up to the pledge taken from them. They deviated from truth and Holy Quran
knowing all the while the injustice and viciousness of their action. Though they fully realise
where truth and justice lay yet they had an inordinate desire to go against God and religion. I
had already explained to them that I would not abide by their decision if it is against the Holy
Quran and if it is based on injustice and oppression.
 184
KHUTBA-131

In this sermon there is a certain prophecy, which foretells about some warrior and its army
and about the place where this army will strike. Some translators are of opinion that the
place was Basra and the army was that of Sahib-ul-Zunj, who invaded Basra about 100
years after Hazrath; while other think that the prophecy was about the famous pretender
who declared himself a prophet and marched on Basra in Abbasites regime during the
life time of Imam Hassan Askari (A.S.). But for obvious reasons I do not agree with either
group. The army, the armament and the mode of invasion is of the kind which man has
not yet 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 sounds of this
aircrafts or the prophecy may be about the guided missiles carrying destructive bombs.
Ahnuf was a Sahabi of the Holy Prophet (A.S.). He belonged to the tribe of Bani Tameem.
It was he who converted his clan to Islam. After Holy Prophet (A. S.) he spent his days with
Hazrath. Hazrath has addressed him in this Khutba.
O Ahnuf! it appears to me as if I am with that person who has marched at the head of an
army whose movements do not produce any sound and raise no dust from the earth. Their birds
of bad omen1 will not roar. Those people will persist in inciting wars over the earth with the
perseverance of an ostrich without understanding the far-off effects of such war.2
I feel sorry for your well populated streets, for your beautifully decorated houses, houses
which were so well-gilt that they shine like the wings of eagles and whose conduits were like
trunks of elephants. I pity those people who, when killed and annihilated, will not be mourned
and whose total disappearance will not be deplored.3 I have no interest in this vicious world
because I know its entire past, present and future and I fully realise its valuelessness.
In the same sermon Hazrath speaks of a certain nation, the commentators think that he
meant Mongols (Turks).
As if I actually see them with my own eyes; they are people with round flat faces, like
shields placed one over the other (round faces with raised cheek-bone, therefore flat). They are
clad in silk and brocade, their fast moving and powerful carriers will follow each other. They will
rage the battle so furiously that wounded will walk over the bodies of dead and very few will
escape death and imprisonment.4
1 Army carrying supersonic planes or bomb carrying guided missile. In the original text the word used by Hazrath
is (‫ )خ ی ل‬if it is read (Khail) it means horses, and if it is read (Kheel) it means birds of bad omen. During the times
of Hazrath and during the days of the commentators and translators of this book the best and the nosiest part of
army was cavalry; and horses played an important role in the pomp and glory of great men of the time. Naturally
therefore the word was read as (Khail) and translated as cavalry. But a noiseless cavalry can only be supersonic
army of bomb carrying air borne conveyances, they will not raise dust and they will reach their targets before their
sound, and they will truly be birds of bad omen to the city to which they will strike. Similarly the word (Humhama)
used in the original text means neigh of a horse, sound of the wings of birds. Therefore I am not wrong in
translating “their supersonic aeroplanes will not roar”. Further on (Yasser on) is from (Saar) meaning inciting war
and (Quidam) means perservance. Syed Razee (Alayhir Rehmat) says that Hazrath by that reference meant Sahibul
Zanj, but I cannot agree with him.
2 What a picture of power-drunk attitude of powerful nations.
3 Because none will remain alive to mourn the dead. What picturesque prophecy about an atomic warfare.
4 In my opinion Hazrath was prophesying the yellow peril which will rise from central Asia, comprising of Mongol
 185
When the sermon reached this stage a person from the clan of Bani Kilab got up and asked,
O Amirul Momineen can you foretell the future? Hazrath smiled and said:-
O my brother from the clan of Kilab! what I have told you is not the absolute hidden
knowledge which is known only to God, but it is a knowledge which has been granted to us by
the one who created knowledge (God). The absolute hidden knowledge is of the Day of Judg-
ment and of the things which the Lord Almighty has already enumerated. He Himself say in the
Holy Quran “Verily, the knowledge of the Day of Judgment is with God.” (Part XXVII, LVII : 21).
He knows what is in the womb of a mother, male or female baby, a beautiful or ugly child,
whether he will grow up to be generous or a miser, fortunate or unfortunate, whether he will
lead a pious life entering Heavens if company of prophets or will earn hell with his deeds. This
is the hidden knowledge known only to God. Besides this the rest of the knowledge has been
revealed by Him to the Holy Prophet, who in turn disclosed all of it to me, and prayed to God
that I may imbibe fully and guard it carefully.

KHUTBA-132
About worldly activities and Heaven.

O people! you and all that you wish and desire of this world are like visitant with very
limited time to stay. But your obligations (moral and religious) are like debts with a constant and
pressing demand for repayment, and which you have to pay back in a very limited span of your
life and with a set of actions which are to be taken account of. Some of you are such that due
to ignorance you expend your lives to no purpose, while many others are over-jealous and not
knowing the proper way they either over do a thing or do it wrongly and thus cannot achieve
what they want to.
You are born in an age when you are faced with more and more of evil, and find good
receding away and away from you. It is an age when Satan has greater desire of misleading
people. His scheming manoeuvers are being pursued more 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 tortures 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 obligations or pay their dues to God and man, or such arrogant and haughty persons
who do not care to listen to good advices and suggestion (given by religion).
Where are your, generous, merciful, noble and liberal-minded men? Where are those who
have been honest in their trades and transaction? Where are the people who had made piety
their aim of life? Have they not left this world which is so mean and so full of calamities and
afflictions? What did you get of this world after them but dregs or refuse of men and material?
Various strata of your society are composed today of such people that it is not worth-while even
to speak ill of them (they are not even worth slandering). Surely, we belong to Allah and to Him
we shall certainly return (Quran Ch. II:156). May God grant us patience over this loss of the
standards of morality.
Wickedness and depravity have so spread that those who do not like them cannot put
races, striking big cities of the world with atomic weapon carried by the supersonic guided planes.
 186
a stop to them and those who hate and abhor them cannot keep themselves away from them.
With all this viciousness and perversity do you still desire to secure a place in the realm of God
(the Paradise) or to be considered as His friends? What a childish whim! Nobody can deceive
God and secure a place in His Heaven through cheating, and nobody can win His Favour but by
implicitly obeying Him. Curse of God be upon those who advise others to be good but do not
follow the advice themselves. Woe be unto them who tell others to abstain from evil and they
themselves do not abstain from it.

KHUTBA-133

Part of the speech delivered on the occasion when Hazrath went to see off Abuzur who
was forced to go to Rubza and was banished from Madina during the 3rd Caliphate.
O Abuzur! 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 Blessing. People are afraid
of you because they will lose their worldly possessions and positions (on account of your true
interpretation 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 possessions 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 Judgment) you will know
who has been benefitted by this transaction and who is being envied for this gain.
Even when the doors of Heaven and earth are closed against a man, if he sincerely and
piously prays, the all Merciful God will confer upon him Blessings of both the worlds.
Abuzur! 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 ways of life, and will take you
under their protection if you enter their fold (They will not come to your help merely on human-
itarian principles or because you rightly deserve help and protection).

KHUTBA-134
An advice to the people who had gathered around Hazrath at Koofa.

O people you have divergent beliefs and different views of life, you have physiques of man
but your mental capacity is very low. I want you to like and to love truth and justice but you are
as much afraid of them as a sheep is afraid of the roar of a lion. What a pity! I find it impossible
to make you an example for working of the principles of equity and justice in society or to make
you go along a straight path.
Lord! Thou knowest very well that whatever I did was neither with the desire of securing
a kingdom nor with cravings for temporary benefits of a transient world. What I did was
with sole purpose of revealing and reviving the truth of Religion, the truth which was fast
disappearing and was being disregarded by man. My aim was to bring justice, peace and
prosperity to your creatures so that the oppressed may receive .due protection, and bounds
of human liberty set by Thy Commandments may be duly guarded. Lord! I was the first to
 187
recognise Thy Glory and Might, to hear Thy message and to accept Thy Command. None but the
Holy Prophet (May the peace of God be upon him and his descendants) preceded me in offering
Namaz and Prayers to Thee.
O people! you must understand and realise that so far as protection of properties, rights
and honour of the Muslim world, the propagation and preservation of Muslim laws and the
guardianship of Muslim finances are concerned, an ignorant person, a miser, a tyrant, a man
who accepts bribes or the one who has forsaken the principles of equity and justice should not
be entrusted with the ruler ship of a Muslim state. A miserly person will covet the wealth of
those over whom he rules, an ignorant will misguide them; a tyrant will oppress and tyrannise
them, one who is not afraid of fast changing times and policies will, to the detriment of the cause
of Islam, keep on forming unholy alliances with one nation after the other, a corrupt ruler, who
is open to bribery will violate rights and will not dispense justice and the one who has given up
the traditions of the Holy Prophet (A.S.) will be responsible for the destruction of Islamic ideals
and doctrines.

KHUTBA-135
A sermon on death and how to be ready for it.

Glory be to God, He punishes those who merit punishment and rewards those who earn
rewards. He deserved Praises for the bounties granted by Him and for calamities through which
He tries and tests us. He knows all the hidden things. He knows our secret thoughts as well as
all that we look at stealthily or covet for in the heart of our hearts.
I testify that none deserve worship but God and that Mohammad (may the peace of God
be upon him and his descendants) is His chosen Apostle whom He has entrusted with His
message. I testify all this with my tongue as well as my heart. I believe in that testimony honestly
and sincerely.
By God! what I am trying to alarm you with is not a phantom, it is something which has
got an undeniable and irrefutable reality, it is not a fiction but an actual fact, and an unavoidable
certainty. What is it? What else could it be but death? Hark! it has sounded the knell and would
not brook delay in its visit.
Beware! sight of thousands of living human beings around you may not deceive you. They
are all bound to go, one following the other. You have had enough experience of such a person
who was alive till the other day. He had amassed wealth and was afraid of poverty. He had
thought himself immune from the consequences of life (biological process of the beginning and
end of life), he had inordinately high hopes and had considered himself to be safe from the hands
of death. You have also seen how death overtook him; how it has torn him from his hearth and
home; how he was lifted on the shoulders of others to his grave.
Have you not seen such people who had great expectations, had built palatial houses to
live in and had collected great wealth around themselves? Did not their houses turned into
graves? Did not the wealth hoarded by them was either destroyed or was inherited by others—
any way they had to part with it? Did not their widows married other persons?
Now (after death) they cannot either make an addition to their deeds nor can they offer
any excuse for evil lives they had led.
But the person who has made up his mind to lead honest and virtuous life, has made a real
 188
use of the span of life granted to him and has succeeded in securing the reward reserved for such
a life. Remember that none of you is immortal; the duration of your life here is like a passage
on a bridge. Do good deeds in this life and thus provide for the next world. Do your duty and be
prepared for quick departure.

KHUTBA-136

Apparently the whole of this sermon was not found by the compilers and collectors of the
sermons, letters and sayings of Hazrath. Only five disjointed parts are found which are
considered by some, as five different sayings and by others as portions of a big sermon
dealing with the subject of the Quran and its teachings, the Holy Prophet (A.S.) and his
mission and lastly the Almighty Lord and His Might and Power, where Hazrath says that
universes obey His Orders.

Speaking of Quran Hazrath says:-

Amongst you is the Book of God (the Holy Quran). It untiringly guides you towards Islam.
Its teachings are like a house standing on strong pillars (keeping those who enter the fold of
Islam safe from calamities of both the worlds). It is a source of such an inherent power that those
who follow it will never be humiliated or defeated.

And then he praises the Holy Prophet (A.S.) thus:-

God hath sent him (the Holy Prophet - may the peace of God be upon him and his
descendants) as His Apostle and Messenger when a long interval to His Revelations has lapsed
and when there was general disagreement about the faith in God and religion. To remove this
confusion from human minds He decreed our Holy Prophet (A.S.) as His last Messenger and
thence brought to an end the continuance of His Revelations. The Holy Prophet (A.S.) fought in
defense of Islam against those who stood in the way of its propagation and those who wanted
to crush it with their might.

Speaking about this world and all that is connected with it, he says:-
This world is a thing of great and exclusive importance to those who have no breadth
of vision, and who cannot see or substantiate what lies behind it or beyond it. The man with
true insight of things realises that not this but the next world is the place to rest and to receive
rewards. Who understands realities does not care to work for this world only, but one who
cannot comprehend them concentrates his mind and energies on this life only.

(Another part of the above sermon)

Learn and remember that everything in this world is such that these who crave today may
get satiated of it and disgusted with it tomorrow. This is true of everything a mind desires but life
itself, for nobody gets really tired of life or thinks of finding rest and pleasure in death.
Verily a real insight in the philosophy of life and death is the source of knowledge which
will bestow new lives to minds dead to actualities, will give vision to eyes blind to realities
will confer power of-hearing to ears deaf to ‘the inner voice of conscience and reasoning and
 189
willfully satisfy the thirst for greater knowledge. Remember that for one who sincerely and
intelligently accepts religion there lies complete emancipation from the legal, social, political
and intellectual control of heathenism, superstitions and taboos, on it is based full freedom from
the sway of the Satan and its allurements and therein rests real peace and true comforts. Your
salvation is guaranteed by the Book of God. With its help you will recognise the way He wants
you to follow; through it you will speak truth; from it you will hear the voice of reason and
truth; it’s difficult or dogmatic sayings will explain each other and will bear testimony to
their rationality and continuity; in explaining His commands and interdictions there are
contradictions in its verses a d it will not misguide or misinform those who try to understand
and to follow it.
It is a pity that you have resolved to lead a life of hypocrisy, behave hypocritically with
each other and to be jealous and envious of one another. Therefore, the structure of your society
rests upon illwill, malice and enmity. You pretend sincerity to gain your ends and develop bitter
enmity when occasions of distribution of wealth and opportunities arise.
Verily, the Satan has confused you, and your inordinate desires are misleading you. Under
such conditions I pray God to help me and to guide you.

KHUTBA-137

When the second Caliph wanted to invade the Roman Empire, he consulted Hazrath
whether he should head the invasion. Hazrath replied in the following words:-
God stands security for the safety and honor of Muslims. He helped them when they were
in absolute minority and unable to help themselves. He defended them when they were so few
in numbers, that they could not defend themselves, against very heavy odds. His is the Eternal
Entity, there is no death for Him.
If you command this invasion personally and if you sustain a defeat or if you are killed
then there will not remain any line of defense for Muslims and they shall be left without a
central power to protect them. Their towns and their provinces will be left defenseless.
You appoint an experienced officer to take charge of the invasion and place under him
such soldiers who can face hardships, obey orders and have experience of war. If God grants
them victory you achieve your aim, and if they are defeated you will be there at the center to
protect and help the Muslim State.

KHUTBA-138

A contention took place between Hazrath and the third Caliph. On that occasion Moghira
Ibne-Akhnus, who was during the times of the Holy Prophet (A.S.) considered as an
apostate and a hypocrite, had said that he was quite sufficient to defend the third Caliph
against Hazrath and that Hazrath was in the wrong. When Hazrath heard of this he replied
in the following words:-
You are an accursed son of such a person whose identity could not be truly established.
You belong to a family which never had any status or position. Could you (a coward) ever dare
to fight against me. By God! The Lord will never grant him victory whom you help. The one who
receives your assistance will never be able to help himself. Get you gone from my society. May
 190
God not help you to achieve your end. You will never attain success even if you try to support
me, let alone your vanity to imagine yourself capable of defeating me.

KHUTBA-139

Originally Zubair was a friend of Hazrath he was one of those who were foremost in
taking the oath of allegiance to Hazrath. But later on when he felt dissatisfied with
Hazrath’s policy of equitable distribution of public wealth and opportunities, and found
that he could not receive as much as he had been expecting and when Moavia fooled him
with promises of support to secure caliphate, he revolted against Hazrath. Talha joined
him under feelings of similar motives and the battle of Basra was the outcome of this
unholy alliance between them and a few others. On this ungodly behaviour of Talha and
Zubair he delivered many speeches. Following is one of such discourses. In it he briefly but
lucidly explained the reasons of their revolt.
Your oath of allegiance to me was not a hasty and precipitate action, because you took the
oath after careful consideration and due deliberation, I wanted your help not to gain personal
benefits but to establish a Godly rule amongst his creatures. You wanted my support to improve
your personal position in this world.
O people! prefer the cause of God to your personal aggrandisement and help me to help
His cause. By God, I want to support the oppressed against the oppressor, to help the down
trodden against the tyrants. I shall try my best to suppress tyranny and oppression even if you
do not help me.1

KHUTBA-140

As I have mentioned elsewhere Talha and Zubair were carrying extensive propaganda
against Hazrath, were instigating ignorant masses for a revolt and had joined forces with
Marwan and few other arch enemies of Hazrath. This went on till the battle of Jamal (at
Basra) took place and those rebels sustained a crushing defeat. During those tumultuous
days Hazrath has often to address the people and to clear the ambiguities and doubts
created by Zubair and his party. Many of those speeches came down to us in fragments,
the whole text could not be preserved. Following is one of such addresses: -
By God they have not left any ill unsaid against me or any abuse unlevelled at me,
they did not do justice to me. They want me to avenge a blood which they had shed and kill
somebody for the murder which they had committed; whom would I punish for the murder
of Caliph Oosman, when Talha and Zubair, the real instigators and number one and two men
behind the movement of this bloodshed, have changed colours and have come out as avenging
angels. Even if I had been an accomplice in the affair, I would have been their accomplice, and
they could not be acquitted of this charge. If the deed was done without my cognisance or
permission then they and only they are responsible of it and should suffer for it. Their first action
of justice would have been to pass a judgment against themselves.
1 Sedillot in “Histoire des Arabes” says. It might have been thought that all would submit themselves before His
Glory; so pure and so grand. But it not to be. Zubair and Talha who had hoped that the choice of the people might
fall on either of them for the caliphate, baulked in their ambitious designs, and smarting under the refusal of the
new Caliph to bestow on them the Governorships of Basra and Koofa, were the first to raise the standard of revolt.
 191
Verily, I never misled or misguided anybody, nor did I ever allow anybody to fool me.
I know for certain that the party which is now demanding retribution and revenge (for the
murder of Caliph Oosman) consists of rebellious, malicious and sinful people (to gain their
worldly ends and to hide their crimes they were crying themselves hoarse for revenge). In fact
they are mischievous sceptics, who have decided upon stirring a revolt against me and a civil
war in the country. The truth of the case has exposed itself, reality has come out in the light,
the allegations that I was involved in the murder of Caliph Oosman are falsified by the logic of
events and the tongues of instigators against me are cut short. By God, I shall also gather forces
to fight against them and shall deliver them such a defeat that they will not be able to rise against
me again.
Further on Hazrath, addressing the people who had gathered around him, continued: -
You had gathered around me and had turned towards me with the same fondness as is
exhibited by a she camel towards its new born babe. You had exhibited keen anxiety to take the
oath of allegiance to me, and were repeatedly requesting me to accept it. Knowing the inner
workings of your mind I was abstaining to bind you down to the oath of allegiance but you
forced it upon me.
Lord! those two (Talha and Zubair) severed the bonds of friendship, they have done
injustice to me; and breaking the oath of allegiance, they now instigate people to rebel against
me. Lord! please let not their intrigues succeed against me, and let them not achieve their
unholy aims and let them see the evil day they deserve. Lord before the war I gave them a chance
to ratify their oath, and I treated them with kindness and love, but they treated the opportunity
with contempt and threw back my kindness on my face.
(God granted the prayers. The rebels lost the battle of Basra. Talha was killed by his friend
and protégé Murwan Ibne-e-Hukum and Zubair was killed by one of the persons whom he
had tried to instigate against Hazrath).

KHUTBA-141

About impending dangers to mankind and about the Imam, who will bring succour to
humanity.
When men will have twisted the meanings of the Holy Quran to gain their sinful desire-
sand will have given a false interpretations to its orders to suit their vicious ways, he (the Imam
of the time) will bring them back to obey the orders of the Holy Prophet (may the peace of God
be upon him and his descendants) and the Holy Book.
Continuing his address Hazrath mentions the conditions that would prevail during the
time of which he was prophesying:-
The society will be engulfd by ravaging wars, overflowing with havoc and devastation.
In the beginning the conquerors will feel very happy over their successes and booties gathered
therein, but it will all have a very sad end. I warn you of the wars of the future, you have no
idea of the enormity of evil which they will carry. The Imam who will create a world state will
make the ruling nations pay for their crimes against society. He will bring succour to humanity.
He will take out the hidden wealth from the breast of the earth and will distribute it equitably
amongst the needy and deserving. He will teach you simple living and high thinking. He will
make you understand that virtue is a state of character which is always a mean between the
 192
two extremes and which is based upon equity and justice. He will revive the teaching of the
Holy Quran and the traditions of the Holy Prophet (may the peace of God be upon him and his
descendants) after the world had ignored them as dead letters.
Apart of the above sermon depicting the activities of some future cruel conqueror —
perhaps Antichrist or any other scourge.
I feel as if I am actually seeing him with my own eyes. He reveals his identity in Syria and
quickly extends his domain in the vicinity of Koofa (Persian Gulf), then he invades it with the
ferocity of a beast and litters the earth with dead bodies. He plunders countries after countries
till the earth groans under his tyrannies. His dominion will be extensive and his invasions will
be cruelly ferocious. By God, he will scatter you (Muslims) all over the earth; your numbers will
be considerably reduced and you will be made to pass through disasters, calamities and sorrows.
This will continue till the Arabs get back their lost mental superiority and come back to the
path of God and religion. During these dreadful times you should carefully follow true teachings
of the Holy Quran and correct traditions of the Holy Prophet (A.S.) and you must abide by the
orders of the person of Ahlaybait1 who will be amongst you. Remember this will be a difficult
task because the Satan will make its ways easily accessible and alluring for you to be entrapped.

KHUTBA-142

Before his death the second Caliph had appointed a party of counsellors to select a Caliph.
Hazrath himself was appointed as one of them. Before the meeting of the counsellors took
place he delivered a few speeches, the following is a passage from one of them; it contains
a prophecy which came out true word for word:-
You know very well that non-surpassed me in inviting people to truth and in calling them
towards the Holy Prophet (may the peace of God be upon him and his descendants). None
surpassed me in kindness and charity towards your people. Listen carefully to what I say and
preserve it in your mind. The time is near when the caliphate will be claimed at the point of a
drawn sword and when promises will be recklessly broken. Conditions will so deteriorate that
some of you will guide people towards heresy and schism while others will be following false
leaders (Imams).

KHUTBA-143
Part of a sermon on evils of backbiting and slandering:-

Those who are well protected against sins and who guard themselves against disobedience
to God and the Holy Prophet (may the peace of God be upon him and his descendants) must
realise that all these virtues are His Gifts to them. It is incumbent upon them (as a sign of their
thankfulness) they should show mercy to sinners and vicious people and be thankful to God for
their pious and well balanced ways of life.
I cannot understand how a person can slander and asperse another man for vices and sins?
Does he not remember how the Merciful God has covered and concealed his sins and vices which
were of greater enormity than those of the persons whom he is exposing? How can he vilify
another man for sins when he himself is guilty of similar ones? And if he has not committed the
1 Descendants of the Holy Prophet.
 193
same kind of sins his wickedness and offenses may even be of greater magnitude in another field.
Granted that he has not committed major sins and his offenses against God and religion are of
minor kind he must remember that vilification, slandering and back-biting others are major sins.
O man! do not make haste in libeling and reviling the other man, for his sin might have
been forgiven and do not minimize the gravity and seriousness of your own minor sins because
you may be punished for the same.
When a person knows defects of other person he must abstain from calumniating him, he
must remember his own defects and shortcoming (which he carefully tries to hide and conceal
from public view).lf he finds that he is safe from the sins committed by the other man, he must
be busy in thanking God for this trait of his character (instead of disparaging other).

KHUTBA-144

Part of sermon, advising people not to lend their ears to and not to patronise and
encourage libels and scandals.
O people! whoever of you knows for certainty about the sincerity in religion and piety
of character of his brother must not lend his ears when that person is vilified and must not
encourage scandal against him. Remember that the best archer may sometimes miss his mark,
but arrows of slander and aspersions very seldom miss their targets and their after effects are
always ruinous.
Verily, the Omnipresent God sees and hears everything. Remember that the difference
between seeing a thing (ascertaining the facts) and hearing it is the distance covered by four
fingers (distance between an eye and an ear). Remember that your assertion that you have heard
something (that you want to believe it and repeat it) is a statement founded upon inequity and
error but if you say that you have actually seen a thing then your affirmation may be based upon
truth and reality.

KHUTBA-145

Part of a sermon advising people to spend judiciously and wisely on deserving persons
and causes.
If one misplaces his generosity, favours the undeserving and tried to patronise
occupations and activities harmful to man then in return for what he has spent and what he has
done he will get nothing but praises of mean, extolation of wicked and admiration of fools and
knaves and that too so long as he keeps on spending over them. Such a person is usually lavish
in spending over wrong persons, wrong occupations and wrong occasions, but when time comes
to spend upon deserving causes and persons, and to spend in the cause of God and man, he is
very miserly.
If God grants wealth and prosperity to any person, he should show kindness to his
deserving kith and kin, should provide for the poor, should come to assistance of those who are
oppressed with calamities, misfortunes and reverses, should help the poor and have-nots and
should assist honest people to liquidate their loans; thus by performing his moral duties and by
patiently bearing difficulties to bring others out of their afflictions he should qualify himself for
Rewards and Blessings of God, because only these attributes will carry him to the pinnacle of
virtues in this world and to the height of excellence in the next.
 194
KHUTBA-146
Part of the sermon delivered on the occasion of offering prayer for rains.

Remember that both the earth you live upon it and the atmosphere which envelopes you
obey God. The blessings they confer upon you and bounties they bestow are neither because
·they feel sympathy with your privations and sufferings, nor to gain your favour, nor because
they expect any repayment from you, but because they are ordered by God to convey His Grants
to you. They are made responsible to provide your requirements and they obey those orders.
There is no doubt that when vices and sins reach the extremes, God tries and tests you with
privation, with diminution in the products of your fields and orchards and also with the ease
with which you may close the doors of His Blessings upon yourself, so that you may feel pangs
of sufferings and pinches of privations, so you may realise the enormity of your wickedness,
and those of you who want to repent may repent and those who taking a warning from the
happenings may refrain themselves from indulgence in sins and vices.
Verily, God has decreed repentance to serve as a medium for increase in prosperity and
livelihood and as an instrument to achieve His Blessings. He says in His Holy Book: “Ask for
His forgiveness and crave His Mercy, verily, He is the most Merciful and Forgiving, He sends
towards you constantly rain bearing clouds, and increases your prosperity and progeny”.
May God bless the man who repents his sins, resolves not to indulge in them and asks for His
forgiveness before death overtakes him.
Then Hazrath prays for rains in the following words: -
O God! the cries of hungry children and famishing animals have brought us out of
our houses asking Thy Mercy, hoping to get Thy Blessings and fearing Thy Wrath and Thy
Punishment.
Lord! Let the rains bring Thy Blessings to us. Let us not go back disappointed. Let not
famine kill us. Let not Thy Wrath visit us for the actions of wickeds and knaves amongst us. O
Thou! Who art Most Merciful and Kind.to human beings.
Lord! we have come out of our dwellings complaining about something which is not
hidden from you. We have come before You when extreme adversities are holding us in their
grip, when famine is driving us out of our homes, when bare necessities of life are refused to us,
and when calamities in their great intensities have gathered around us.
We pray Thee O Lord! please do not send us back home sorrowful and dejected, do not
chasten us for our vices, do not punish us in proportion to our sins.
O Lord! let Thy Mercy shower life-giving rains upon us, bestow over us Thy Blessings
and grant us our subsistence. Let the rains be beneficial, refreshing and fertilizing. Let the trees
which are almost dead grow green again. Let our dead lands revive. Let the rains be really useful,
loading our orchards with fruits, watering our fields, filling our rivers and streams, covering our
trees with green leaves, reducing the high soaring prices and lowering our living cost. Thou hast
Power, Might and Mercy to grant us all this.

KHUTBA-147

In this sermon Hazrath has given reasons for missions of various Prophets and also the
causes of people envying Ahl-e-Bait. (Descendants of Holy Prophet).
 195
He bestowed upon his Prophets the sublime mission of carrying His Messages to humanity
and selected them to receive His revelations. He assigned them the august duty of proving to
mankind universality of truth and religion so that humanity may not put a plea of having been
left untutored and uneducated. At the end of the long successions of messengers He sent our
Holy Prophet (A.S.) to finally disclose before man the ultimate truth about the Creator and His
creatures and to invite mankind towards the path of His Religion.
God fully knows the understanding power and mental capacity of man. He did not send
His prophets to find this out, but to test as to who are the best, so far as deeds are concerned, so
that the deserving may be rewarded with His Blessings, and His Wrath may descend upon the
wicked.
Where are those people who pretend that they and not we, (Ahl-e-Bait), have the
full knowledge of the Holy Book, know everything about the creation and possess Divine
Knowledge? These pretenders and imposters lie against truth and do great dis-service to the
cause of God and man. They lie against us and covet our position, because the Merciful God hath
exalted our status and had made them inferior to us. He hath conferred upon us the eminence
from which He prevented them. He allowed us the entry to transcendental sphere of Divine
Revelation which He refused them.
Remember that guidance could be acquired and ignorance could be dispelled through us
only. Undoubtedly the Imams shall be from Quraish (but it means) from the descendants of
Hashim (son of Abde Munaf). The Divine appointment has been made for this August Progeny
and none deserves this sublime and sacred rank.
In the same sermon Hazrath says: -
These Ummayids preferred this vicious world to the realm of God. They chose the filthy
waters of this world to the celestial nectar. I feel as if I am looking at one of their wicked
and ungodly caliphs (some of the commentators think that by this Hazrath meant Abdul
Malik-Ibne-Murwan), he is a profligate and a pervert, he adopted immoral life and started
loving it, and he could drive pleasure only out of sin and perversity. He carried his vicious
life till his hair turned grey in wickedness and corruption and evil habits became his nature.
Then he turned towards the world, passionately desiring for more and more, foaming at his
mouth at oppositions, and not respecting rights of humanity. In satisfying his vicious desires and
exploiting human rights he was like a river in floods which does not care what it drowns or like
a roaring fire which irrationally consumes everything that it comes in contact with.
Where are those people who have lighted the lamps of their wisdom with Divine Light and
who have improved their vision by the help of piety and righteousness? Where are the hearts
devoted to the cause of God and who have taken vow to obey Him implicitly? Let them see how
these Ummayids are fallen on worldly gains and how they are fighting among themselves for
power to do more sins and commit more vices. Though they had been fully initiated with the
secrets of Heaven and Hell yet they have turned their faces away from Heaven, and show keen
desire of embracing Hell. They have refused to hear the call of God and turned round towards
the Satan to accept his invitation.
 196
KHUTBA-148

Part of a sermon in which Hazrath has advised people to look at the world around them
and to realise that nothing here can be achieved without losing something else, and that
there are more sorrows in life than joys.
O people! (Do you not realise) your lives here are like targets on which fate is trying
its arrows. (Do you not realise) Every draught of water or every morsel of food has the latent
possibility of getting into your wind pipe or choking life out of you. You seldom get a good thing
in life unless you part with something equally good in return for it. Every new day that dawns
upon one reaches him only when he has already finished a day out of his life (there is no increase
in the total span of life, a day is added only when the previous day is finished, that is, lost).
No new food is of any use to anybody unless he has consumed the one which he already had
partaken. No new tradition is established but by deleting the old one (no new theory comes into
being unless an old one is refuted). Nothing new comes into this world unless something old
goes out of it. By the time descendants of a man get themselves established his parents are no
more. Our ancestors are dead and gone, we are alive today, but how long shall we keep on living.
Hazrath further says: -
Innovation will creep into Islam only when the traditions of Holy Prophet (A.S.) are
discarded. Keep away from innovation and sincerely follow the principles and doctrines of Is-
lam. What God hath ordered you to do are actually the best things that can happen to you and
what He has ordained you are actually the most injurious things for you.

KHUTBA-149

The Second Caliph sought Hazrath’s advice to lead the army in: person against Persians.
He had told Hazrath that the Persians had gathered a huge army to invade the Muslim
world. Hazrath in the following words advised him not to go in person. (Refer the Khutba
137 wherein Hazrath has advised the second Caliph not-to personally command the army
invading Rome):-
So long as victory or defeat of Muslim forces is concerned, remember, that it does not
depend upon the strength of the army. Islam is the religion of God Which He hath aided till
this community has attained the position it now holds and has secured the status which it now
maintains. We have strong faith in the Promise of God. He will fulfil His Promise and will come
to the aid of His army. The position of the King of the Muslim world is like a thread in a pearl
bead (keeping all the various sections of the community well-coordinated). If this thread is
broken all the pearls will be scattered. Although the Arabs are not numerically strong today
yet their faith in God and Islam is the greatest source of their strength and a shield against
vulnerability and their unity will bring them victories.
You do not leave your place, be like a pivot round which the millstone revolves. Send the
Muslim army under command of somebody else. If you go out of Madina various tribes of Arabs
may invade the capital, and you may be forced to concentrate more seriously on the defence of
those whom you will leave behind than on attacking those whom you will have to face in the
battle-field.
There is another thing worth consideration, it is that if these Persians see you at the front
 197
they will naturally feel that you are the soul of the army-movement, and will try to take you
alive under the impression that by your arrest the defences of Muslim State will come to an end.
Such an idea will embolden them to concentrate against your person.
You tell me that the Persians have become aggressive. Let me tell that God the Almighty
never likes aggressive people and He is more powerful than you in annihilating that which
He does not approve. So far as the numerical superiority of the Persians over the Muslims is
concerned, remember, that the Holy Prophet never fought his enemy with a large force. He while
fighting the unbelievers had more faith in the help of the God than in numerical superiority.

KHUTBA-150

In this Khutba Hazrath has discussed the following subjects very briefly but very
graphically and lucidly:-
(a) What was God’s purpose in sending the Holy prophet (A.S.) and other apostles and
messengers?
(b) How God punishes those who disobey Him?
(c) How Islam will be affected, and the Quran and Ahley Baith (descendants of the Holy
Prophet (A.S.) will be treated after Hazrath?
(d) Why nations suffer?
(e) What kind of people pious persons are?
(f) How can you distinguish good from bad and virtue from vice?
(g) What it is which teaches pious people humility before God?
The Merciful God appointed Muhammad (may be peace of God be upon him and his
descendants) as His true and trustworthy messenger and entrusted him with the mission of
converting people from idolatry to the worship of God and guiding them to obey Him instead
of obeying the Satan.
The Holy prophet (A.S.) explained the Holy book so that on account of its teachings people
may recognise their Creator and Nourisher and those who previously had no faith in God may
change their views, while those who originally were unbelievers may be converted to a true
religion.
Glory be to Him, He is so far above the imperfection of being seen by human eyes, yet He
revealed Himself to humanity through His Book in such a way that without actually seeing Him
they could see His Glory and Might, could comprehend His Anger and could realise that how His
Wrath annihilated the sinners and His Punishment descended upon the bad and vicious people.
O people! soon after me a time will come when you will find that there will be nothing
more concealed, enigmatic and unintelligible than religion, truth and justice and nothing more
evident than infidelity, disbelief and atheism. Nothing then will be more prevalent and more in
common practice than lies against God and His Holy Prophet (may the peace of God be upon
him and his descendants). People will feel that nothing is more injurious to their faiths and
activities than true and correct meaning of Quran and nothing is more complimentary to their
wishes and desires than to twist its meanings and misinterpret its commands and interdictions.
Nothing will be more hateful than goodness and piety and nothing will be loved more than vice
and sin. Those who will be expected to have faith in this Book will pay scanty attention to its
teachings and those who will be supposed to have it by heart and to remember it in details will
 198
completely forget it. The Holy Book and its guardians, the people who understand and who can
explain it (descendants of the Holy Prophet A.S.) will suffer forced exclusion from recognition
and acceptance by society. These two will be each other’s companion in journey, none will
befriend them and none will offer them a shelter. They will be found in gatherings but none will
seek their advice or guidance. They will be amongst men but their knowledge will not be made
use of. This will happen because there cannot be anything common between heathenism and a
desire to know the true path to salvation; because they cannot compliment each other and unite
together however they may exist near each other. The result will be that Muslims will agree to
disagree with each other and will lose cohesion. They will act as if they are made to guide the
Quran and the Quran is not there to guide them. Amongst such people nothing will remain of
the Holy Quran but its name. Nothing will be comprehended by them but its figures and letters.
Before reaching this final stage these people will ill-treat and tyrannise pious persons whose
truths will be regarded as lies and whose pious deeds will be considered as vices and sins.
It is a historical truth that people have always perished miserably because of their
inordinate desires and immoderate ambitions. They never thought that they were to face
death till death took them unaware and then it was too late for them to repent and the door of
penitence was close to them and they were damned forever.
O people! One, who desires to seek advice of God, succeeds in his undertaking and God
grants him opportunities to secure His Favour, and whoever takes His Holy Book as his guide is
directed towards the true path. Verily, those who are near to God (morally) enjoy eternal peace
and blessing and enemies of God are in constant danger and fear of damnation.
Those who understand the Glory and Greatness of God, do not think it proper to consider
themselves as great. They understand that their greatness (of mind) lies in realising the
Grandeur and Glory of God and they fully comprehend how insignificant their existence is
when compared to His Might. Those who can truly comprehend His Power feel it a Blessing to
follow His Commands.
Do not try to keep away from the true Imam, like a healthy person trying to run away from
a person suffering from a contagious disease. You must fully comprehend that you can never
realise what guidance is and how it acts unless you understand the case of the person gone
astray or of the one who is lost due to ignorance. You cannot fulfil the pledges that you have
made with the Holy Quran unless you fully realise and understand the weakness of persons
who break such pledges. You cannot stick to the teachings of the Quran unless you can fully
recognise the kind of persons who have forsaken it. You must seek knowledge from those who
can give it to you. You must learn the Holy Book from those who know it because they give life
to knowledge and do away with ignorance. Those are people whose orders disclose the intensity
and extent of their knowledge, whose silence is as eloquent as their talk, whose day to day
lives manifest the height of their piety and sincerity. They are not against any religion nor they
unnecessarily criticise it. A religion amongst them is a silent but truthful witness of the piety,
sincerity and greatness of their minds.

KHUTBA-151

This sermon is about the attitude of Talha and Zubair and it was delivered at the time when
they left for Basra, getting ready to revolt against Hazrath.
 199
Each of these two persons (Talha & Zubair) is expecting the caliphate for himself only and
want to usurp it from the True Caliph (Hazrath). They neither attach themselves to the way of
life that God hath ordered them (i.e. Islam), nor they seek means to advance themselves in His
Favour. Each one of them is jealous of the other. Their jealousy will be exposed soon. (How true;
during the journey to Basra, Talha and Zubair quarrelled over the Imamuth of daily prayers and
Ummul Momaneen Aaesha had to intervene and patch up this quarrel. She ordered that none of
these two should do the Imamuth of prayers, and instead one day Zubair’s son Abdullah should
be the Imam and next day Talha’s son Mohammed should be allowed to lead the prayers; thus
they were made to forsake the Imamuth in favour of their sons). By God if one gets the caliphate
the other will try to kill him and will also be killed in return.
The rebels (Talha, Zubair and their parties) are ready to fight against Islam, but where are
the persons who would persuade people to follow the commandments of God. Let them come
forward. Dictates of the religion have already been fully explained to them by the Holy Prophet
(may the peace of God be upon him and his descendants, he had often and often told the Muslims
that the Quran and his Ahle Baith1 are to be followed; they cannot and shall not be separated till
the Day of Judgement and those who follow them will not go astray).
Remember that there is a cause for every vice or sin committed (be watchful of those
causes); and everyone who breaks a holy pledge treates a doubt about his sincerity and piety
(carefully examine sincerity and piety of each one who breaks a holy pledge).
By God I am neither ignorant nor careless of dangers gathering against Islam and I know
how to ward them off.

KHUTBA-152

It was the time for the morning prayers. They day of the 19th Ramazan 40 A.H. was
about to dawn. Hazrath had called the people for the prayers, had roused those who were
sleeping in the Mosque of Koofa. Abdul Rehman Ibne Muljim was also one of them.
Hazrath had advised him as how to lie down while going to sleep so that a man can
obtain the best relaxation and had also told him what he was hiding in his garments (a
sword) and what evil intentions he had in his mind (to murder Hazrath). Hazrath then had
attended to the lanterns hanging in the Mosque relighting those which had gone out and
went to his place of prayer. It was his first Rakath of the morning prayers and he was
bowing before God, the words “Glory be to Him, the all Highest and the all Mighty, and
may He be praised” were upon his lips when Abdul Rehman Ibne Muljim delivered the
blow with the same sword that Hazrath had pointed out. The sword gave a deep cut in
his head. The prayer was disturbed. Ibne Muljim started running, people went after him.
Nobody was now attending the prayers, there was confusion everywhere but Hazrath
finished his bow and the two prostrations (Sujdas) and then he realed into the hands of
Imam Hassan and Imam Husain. The bleeding head was attended to. The blood drenched
lips parted into thanks giving prayers and he said, “I thank Thee o Lord for rewarding me
with martyrdom. How kind of Thee, How Gracious, may Thy Mercies further lead me to
the Glory of Thy Realm”. Ibne Muljim who had been caught by Sasa-bine-Sauhan was
brought before him. Hands of murderer were tied behind his back. Hazrath saw that the
1 Descendants of the Holy Prophet.
 200
rope with which he was tied was cutting into his flesh. He forgot the wound of his head, he
felt that though Ibne Muljim had delivered a killing blow to him yet he was a human being
and should be treated as such. He ordered Sasa to loosen the bonds of Ibne Muljim and to
treat him humanly. The kindness touched the heart of the murderer, he started weeping,
so did everybody. A smile played upon the lips of Hazrath and in a faint voice he said “It is
too late to repent now, you have done your deed, was I a bad Imam, Ibne Muljim?” Hazrath
lived two days after this and in this period whenever he came out of swoon he delivered a
few sermons. The following is supposed to be the last:-
O people! every person tries to run away from death, yet meets death during one of these
flights. Death is that ultimate end of life towards which everybody is being driven. The best form
of flight from death is to face it when it arrives (a man can die but once and to a pious man death
means eternal life). How many days of my life had I spent in anxious search of the day and the
form of my death till at last it was revealed to me. Nobody can know what kind of death will be
his lot and when. Its knowledge is hidden from man and known only to God. (Do not try to find
it out, this kind of search will be fruitless, and when you learn of it, it will be too late to utilise
the knowledge; therefore, a better way of leading life is that) you should not consider anybody as
co-worker or partner of God. (He is One). He and He alone deserves to be worshipped and you
should not inflict spiritual injury to the Sunnat of the Holy Prophet (may the peace of God be
upon him and his descendants), keep these two pillars of Islam firmly and constantly standing.
Keep these two lamps alight. Nobody will censure you if you vigilantly and sincerely protect
these lamps. Every one of you has to shoulder his responsibility according to his capacity, the
burden of uneducated and ignorant is less than that of educated and well informed, because your
God is Merciful (He will not over burden a person beyond his mental capacity). Your religion is
strong (cannot be an easy prey to schism and innovation), and your Imam is wise.
Till yesterday I was your ruler and leader (in sound and vigorous health; I was serving you,
defending you and teaching you Islam). Today I am merely a source of advice to you (unable to
do anything that I did when I was healthy) and I may part company with you, may the Merciful
God forgive me. If I survive this wound, I shall submit to the Will of God, and if I pass away there
is nothing to wonder about it, for duration and stability of our existence is like a time passed
under the shadow of a tree (which moves from place to place along with the sun and is never
steady at a place for long) or like the shadow thrown by clouds whose positions rest at the mercy
of strong winds; when the clouds disappear from our sky their shadow will also disappear; such
is life.
Till yesterday I was your companion and neighbour, I was sound and healthy amongst
you. But shortly you will find my body without soul. You will find that after having been
moving, working and performing its duties it is now motionless and unable to do anything,
you will find that after having spoken to you, taught you, lectured you and advised you it is
absolutely silent now. You take a warning from my silence and from undisturbed stillness of my
body. Because the sight of moving, acting, thinking and speaking person to be suddenly turned
into a silent, quiet and motionless body is a better form of warning than the best lecture and the
most effective sermon.
I want to wish you Good-bye, I hope to meet you again in Heaven. You will realise the
merits of my Government tomorrow (after me). After I have vacated this place and after seeing
somebody else in my seat you will know and realise my worth and my character.
 201
KHUTBA-153

In this sermon there is a prophecy about the future and about the Twelfth Imam of the
progeny of the Holy Prophet (A.S.).
These are the people who having given up the straight path of religion are wandering in
the wilderness of error and delusion. Do not make haste in inviting the future nor try to put it
off; wait for it, it is inevitable and is bound to come. There are many people who often eagerly
desire for something, and when it reaches them, they wish that it had not come at all. Today is
so near to tomorrow (that it is not necessary either to wish for it or try to avoid it). The future is
the inevitable result of the present and is inseparably connected with it.
O people! remember that the present time is the time when something which has been
promised will happen and events which you do not know or cannot foresee or forecast will
take place. During the days of trials and temptations those who recognise the significance and
worth of Ahle-bait (Progeny of the Holy Prophet, may the peace of God be upon him and his
descendants) will, like a person walking in the dark with a lamp in his hand, not only go safely
through the times, but will be of help to others and will act like pious people. This will continue
till the true Imam of the time will clear the doubts created by heresy and schism, will free the
people from oppression and tyranny, will educate the ill-informed and ignorant, will introduce
reforms in the society and will cement the gaps which wickedness and impiety may have created
in the true teaching of Islam. For sometime he will be hidden from the eyes of man in such a way
that the greatest searcher of the day will not be able to find a trace of him however he may try.
But when he will appear, he will educate mankind in such a way that human vision will expand
through the teachings of the Quran, men will be able to acquire true wisdom and their minds
will be able to rise to higher planes of science and philosophy.

KHUTBA-154

Something about those who opposed Islam during the days of the Holy Prophet (may the
peace of God be upon him and his descendants) and those who turned apostates after him,
and about his companions who nobly and bravely suffered with him.
The sway of tyrants was long so that their tyranny and oppression could be fully exposed
and their infamy and disgrace could be disclosed. They deserved the revolution which overtook
them. They were destroyed and annihilated and the people were rescued from calamities and
destruction and were relieved of war and bloodshed which were brought about by the tyrants.
The pious people, who bravely passed through those days, patiently bore the suffering and gave
their lives for the cause of justice and Islam. They humbled themselves before God, they never
for a moment magnified their patience and bravery and never imagined that they were obliging
God and His Religion. Then God ordained that the times of trials and afflictions should come to
end. They were given permission to defend their faith with the help of their swords and obeyed
the orders of God according to the teachings of the Holy Prophet (may the peace of God be upon
him and his descendants).
Things continued like that till God called the Holy Prophet (may the peace of God be upon
him and his descendants) back. Then many became apostate or turned towards heathenism,
they were damned by the perversity of their minds and waywardness. They put faith in their
 202
relatives who were misguided or instigators who were heathens. They discarded the medium
(the progeny of the Holy Prophet (A.S.) whom they were ordered to love, to respect and to follow
and who would have kept them within the limits of the true religion. Thus they undermined the
foundation of the true religion and tried to introduce schism and heresy in Islam. They became
mines and fountain heads of sins, and sources of all vices. They were wayward and drunk with
power, arrogance and wickedness. They adopted the ways of Pharoas and his people, were at-
tached to worldly powers and pleasures and drifted away from the true religion.

KHUTBA-155

Commentators say that in the following sermon Hazrath has prophesied about the
irreligious and inhuman sway of Ummayids and Abbasites, but my contention is that
Hazrath has foretold about my calendar a time which would come much later than
Ummayids or Abbasites regimes. In this Sermon he informs us of all that the Holy Prophet
(A.S.) achieved for us and how it will be forgotten and forsaken.
I invoke the help of God to repulse the Satan and to save myself from its tricks and
deceptions. I testify that Mohammed (may the peace of God be upon him and his descendants)
is His servant and Apostle, selected, exalted and dignified by Him. Nobody has and will ever
surpass him in eminence and nobody will ever be able to replace him; to lose him, that is, to
forsake his teachings, is a loss which can never be recompensated. The world was in total
darkness of ignorance, superstitious beliefs and low standards of morality when he illuminated
human society with Divine Light. Before him people were accustomed to consider wrong as
right and to regard vice as virtue; they scorned high thinking people and ridiculed philosophers.
They lived without religion and died as heathens.
O Arabs! take care that you may not be engulfed with calamities and misfortunes, which
are not far from you, do not let power and wealth turn your heads, and keep in mind the
intensity of Divine Punishment. Be faithful to your religion when the darkness of heathenism
and hypocrisy surround you, when impiety and wickedness create doubts (about Islam) in your
minds, when disbelief and scepticism secretly and mysteriously creep amongst you and when
cloaked sinfulness enigmatically and incomprehensibly comes out of its concealment. Be firm
in your belief when masked heathenism establishes itself and spreads its tentacles all over (the
Islamic world). It will appear from hidden and unknown places and will suddenly develop into
open viciousness and shocking depravity and ungodliness. Its growth will be like that of young
man, growing more and more by the passage of time and its (far reaching) effects will be as
lasting as stone. This cruel regime will be handed down from one tyrant to another, it will pass
through treaties and pacts and through pledges and bargains from oppressor to oppressor.
Those who will start this ungodly revolution will lead the movement and generations
will follow them. Their sole desire will be power and pleasure and they will fight for this like
dogs fighting over noxiously putrid carcass. At short intervals the followers amongst them will
keep on fighting with the leaders and will be revolting against their dictators. Nations will be
constantly carrying on sanguinary wars or foul propaganda (cold wars) against each other.
This state of affairs will be followed by such a great general disturbance and upheaval
that it will completely disrupt civilisations. It will have such an unbalancing effect on society
that even those who had till then been following the right path will give it up, they will forsake
 203
peaceful ways of life. During these days of confusion and disorder humanity will developed
very divergent and contradictory views about truth and justice. Whoever will try to fight this
anarchy and chaos and will try to improve the situation will be overwhelmed, crushed and
annihilated. There will be total enmity and discord between various factions of society, each
trying to harm the other. Religion will lose its hold over human minds, true appreciation of
sciences and philosophy will give place to the blindness of their base and harmful uses and only
tyrants and dictators will have power to voice their views (the common man will be tongue tied).
This upheaval will be specially most injurious to Beduins and nomads. They will be crushed
and massacred. But everywhere individuals as well as nations will sink in this abyss.
Times like that are bound to come. During these days people will rejoice in massacre,
butchery and bloodshed, they will lose faith in religion and will treat it badly. Wise and pious
people will try to run away from such surroundings and vicious and vile will dictate and enforce
their policies. Family ties, family relations and family love will disappear (there will be no
family set-up). People in numbers will give up Islam. Civilisation will go up in a world wide
conflagration of excitement, carnage and pogrom. Sober Muslims will be worst sufferers, they
will try to escape from these environments but they will not succeed, most of them will be killed
and massacred without retribution and few fearing such a cruel treatment will try to obtain
some kind of protection, they will be lulled into false security with deceptive promises and
treacherous pledges.
During such evil days you take care not to support schisms and innovation, and not to join
oppression and tyranny but always try to uphold the cause which will bring general good and
peace to masses and always try to follow Islam. Go before God as an oppressed and wronged and
not as oppressor and tyrant. Be afraid of the ways of Satan and refrain from revolting against
God. Do not live on the wages of inequity and sin. Remember, that you are before God Who Has
strictly forbidden sin and viciousness and Who has prescribed such a course of worship, and
devotion to Him and obedience to religion that it is easy, convenient and natural for mankind
to follow.

KHUTBA-156

This sermon is supposed to be one of those early ones which Hazrath delivered soon
after he took charge of the Muslim State. In this sermon he, in his unique and unparalleled
style has spoken about God, about Ahlabaith (Progeny of Holy Prophet, A.S.) and
Islam, about his assumption of the Government, about God’s Mercy and Wrath and about
psychological phenomena of human minds.

ABOUT GOD
Glory be to Him Whose creations are proof of His Existence. The very beginning and
origin of creation (in time and space) proves that He is Eternal. Similarities amongst His
creatures and analogies in nature prove that there is none similar to Him. O Lord! intelligence
cannot comprehend Thee but nothing can hide, cloak or cover Thy Glory and Greatness. There
is a natural difference between the one who creates or invents and the things which are created
or invented; between the finite and infinite and between the one who nourishes and maintains
and creatures which cannot continue to exist unless maintained and nourished.
 204
He is One but not a numerical unity (which) can be mathematically and logically
subdivided. He is a creator but His act of creation has not caused Him any movement or
exertion. He hears but without the help of any bodily organism or any aid. He sees but without
the assistance of organs of sight or external media. He is present everywhere but His is not a
bodily presence. He is far away from everything created but this distance is not on account of
space or dimensions. His Omnipresence is unmistakably and intelligibly evident but He cannot
be seen, discerned or viewed. He is hidden from human sight not because of His fineness and
smallness. He is remote from His creation because of His complete Control, Might and Power
over them, and creatures are far away and separated from Him because they were brought into
existence by Him, because they cannot exist without His Will and Mercy and because they
are forced by nature to obey and to submit to His Commands (thus there is nothing common
between Him and His creatures to bring them bodily close to Him).
One who limits or classifies His attributes confines Him within those limits and
classifications, one who tries to so confine Him assigns to Him a mathematical entity and one
who describes Him like that, negates His Eternity. One who wants to know how the Lord is,
tries to bring Him within limits and bounds of attributes (suggested and proposed by man). One
who wishes to know where He is, wants to confine Him to a place. (And thus no form, no time
and no place could be assigned to Him). He knew every detail of everything before it came into
existence. He had power of maintaining and nourishing and keeping all things into existence
even before they were created. Every creature was under His complete control even before it
was designed, fashioned and shaped.
Then Hazrath thus spoke about his assumption of rulership and about Ahlaybaith
(progeny) of the Holy Prophet (A.S.) and what they are: -
Verily, the sun has risen to brighten the path of God, and the star to guide the
humanity towards the heaven is shining. The way to truth and justice which was crooked is
again straightened. God has replaced the time servers with honest and pious persons, and has
changed bad times into good and auspicious days. We have been waiting for this change as
famine stricken people wait for life giving rains.
Learn and remember that Imams (of the progeny of the Holy Prophet, (A.S.) are the
Caliphs appointed and designated by God to lead and rule human beings; they and only they can
guide humanity to the Heaven. Only those who recognise the leadership of these Imams and in
turn are accepted as true followers, will enter the Heaven; and those who renounce allegiance to
them or are disowned by them will go to hell.

ABOUT ISLAM
You must be thankful to God that He made you Muslim and selected you to represent
and propagate Islam. As its name indicates it is a religion which brings peace and salvation to
mankind. He has bestowed nobleness and dignity to gatherings of Muslims. He has chosen
Islam as a path to salvation. He has clearly proved the universality of truth through its simple,
distinct and intelligible code as well as through the deeper and far reaching significances and
inferences hidden in its orders and interdictions. Wonders that Islam can achieve in improving
human mind and miracles it can work to raise the standard of human life will never come to an
end. Islam holds secrets of real peace and prosperity which you will never acquire but through
its help; it can direct you to ways of improving your knowledge (about material as well as
 205
spiritual world) and you can never attain this but through its guidance. The Merciful God has
ordered you to faithfully accept its principles and to sincerely and diligently obey its commands
and interdictions. It brings salvation to those who follow it and worldly protection to those who
enter its folds.

ABOUT HUMAN BEHAVIOUR

A man is free to choose and act as he likes. He has been granted full liberty, time and
opportunities to select the correct path. If he has forsaken the true way and the true guide, then
he naturally will wake up in the company of sinful persons and will find himself in the society
of misguided people. Lives of such persons are usually identical and similar. They continue
their vicious lives until sinfulness of their ways is exposed to them (too late) and until they see
the end of their wicked and careless careers and until the punishment, of which they were so
careless and in which they never had any faith, faces them; they are forced to leave the world
and its pleasures which in their minds was all in all (the beginning, the duration and the end
of life); they cannot enjoy what they have procured and can not derive benefit from what they
have secured.
I have taken a warning myself and I want to alarm you against such state of affairs. Make
moral and righteous use of your mental capacities. He is wise who carefully meditates over
what he hears (and then accepts only truth), who tries to see things in their real and actual
perspectives and who takes warnings from happenings of the world. He is blessed who selects a
true and noble path and guards himself against the blind alleys of doubts; scepticism and heresy.
You should not allow misguided people or agnostics to take control of and to subjugate your
minds by your staying from the true path, by tampering with words and falsifying the meanings
of the Holy Book and by fearing to declare and accept the truth.
O listeners! wake up, come out of the stupor of ignorance, and do not hurry after the
vicious world, but deliberate carefully on the message of God delivered to you by the Holy
Prophet (may the peace of God be upon him and his descendants). It is imperative upon you
to understand and obey these commands. None can escape this obligation and responsibility.
Oppose those persons who defy the orders of the Holy Prophet (A.S.) and who are inclined
towards something else. Leave them and their doctrines to their fates. Humble you pride and
haughtiness. Do not attach supreme importance to wealth and power. Keep the vision of your
grave always before your mind, because everyone of you has to pass through it. Remember that
as you sow so you reap, as you do so you will be done by. Your actions of today will be repaid
tomorrow. Arrange your today in a way that you may be rewarded with eternal happiness in
future. Let your deeds of today provide blessings for the life hereafter. O you listeners! be warned
and be guided. O you careless and unmindful persons! attempt, endeavor and attain. Nobody can
inform you better than the man who really knows the secrets (of life and death).
A warning about the pits in the path of salvation and an advice about height of moral
values to be attained.
In the Holy Quran there are certain duties imposed by God upon man, the obedience or
disobedience of which are the criteria upon which depends His Pleasure or Wrath, they are the
tests to judge one’s title for His Blessings or deservation for His Punishment. Unless and until
he keeps them in mind and obeys them faithfully his work will not bring him any good return.
However diligently and carefully one may try to obey the commands and interdictions of God
 206
his exertions will be of no avail to him if he faces God having any of the following vices and
defects in him; if he worships anyone but God, if he allows irritation and nervous tension of his
mind to culminate into suicide, if he tries to get credit for the work done by others, if his deeds
do not coincide with his words, if he introduces innovation and schism to gain his ends and to
achieve his desires, if he is a hypocrite and in front of persons he speaks and behaves like their
friend and behind their backs he slanders and calumniates them and throws aspersions on their
actions. Understand these points and take care that you do not develop these defects and vices
in you.
Remember that sole aim of an animal’s life is to eat and drink its full, and main occupation
of beasts of prey is to kill weaker animals: (similarly) the predominating desire of a woman is to
decorate herself to her heart’s content and to create mischief and dissension. Verily, the lot of
faithful followers of the Holy Prophet (A.S.) is poverty and oppression but they are sincere and
honest friends of mankind.

KHUTBA-157

In this discourse Hazrath declares and affirms virtues, merits, eminence and surpassing
excellence of Ahlaybaith (the progeny of the Holy Prophet A.S.) and then he advises
people to lead a correct and moral life.
A wise person seriously realises the ultimate end of his existence. He soberly ponders
over the ups and downs of life. The Prophet (may the peace of God be upon his descendants)
has called the people to God, and wherever he may be, he is watching over you like a shepherd
tending the herd. Accept his invitation and try to attain and secure the protection offered by him.
Men have sunk again in the depths of impiety and vice, they have given up the ways
and traditions of the Holy Prophet (A.S.) and have taken to innovation and schism; the true
followers are observing a forced silence and wicked liars are loud in declaring their views.
Remember that we are the Ahlaybaith (the progeny) of the Holy Prophet (A.S.), we are his
true companions, we are trustees and treasurers of the knowledge granted to him and we are
doors through which one can reach this storehouse of wisdom and learning. It is unlawful to
enter a house but through its door, and he who disregards this principle is a trespasser or a thief.
Speaking further about Ahleybaith (progeny of the Holy Prophet (A.S.) he says:-
They own and possess in their deeds and words the excellence and nobleness which the
Holy Quran preaches. They are the treasure houses of Mercy and Benevolence of God and they
are the sources from which real wisdom and true knowledge, destined by Him for man, could
be obtained.
Their speeches contain nothing but truth. If they do not speak about any subject it is
not because they do not know anything about it or anyone else could speak better but simply
because it is advisable not to speak then. It is imperative on the man, who has been destined by
God to guide the humanity, to explain things correctly and truly to his followers, should utilise
his wisdom for their wellbeing, should think more of the next world and teach people to attach
more importance to it, because they are coming from there and have got to go back there.
A man with vision and foresight deeply ponders over pros and cons of his every action,
and undertakes and continues on such deeds which are useful and abstains from those which are
harmful and injurious. If a man does not know how to do a thing and tries to do it, he will never
 207
achieve success, he is like a traveler who does not know the way and takes up the journey, due
to ignorance the more he goes on his way the further he will be away from his destination. And
one who has full knowledge of the thing his actions and deeds is like a man who knows where
to go and what road to take, he will take the correct road and reach the goal. A man of prudence
and perception should carefully watch whether he is nearing the end in view or whether he is
going astray.

About thoughts and deeds of men.

Remember for outward appearance of everything or deed there is an inner identity,
and if the outward gives proves of sincerity, nobleness and sanctity then the inner cause or
individuality is also sincere, noble and pious, and if the outside itself is vile and vicious then the
inner identity is also wicked and sinful. The true Prophet of God (may the peace of God be upon
him and his descendants) has declared that the Merciful God loves His creatures, but He loathes
their evil deeds (because they are done with inner evil intentions), and He dislikes unbelievers
but He appreciates their good deeds (because they are caused by inner noble intentions). Know
it well that no plant will grow without water, and the varieties of plants nourished with sweet
and fresh water will bring forth delicious and sweet fruit, and plants which subsist upon brine
or foul water will produce sour and unwholesome fruits.

KHUTBA-158
About the “bat”

All the praises are due to Him Whose Entity words fall to describe, explain or expound and
Whose Majesty and Power are beyond the reach of intellect, therefore human minds are not able
to understand the extent and amplitude of His Wisdom, and Glory. He and He alone is Allah,
the Almighty King, God, the Self-Evident Truth. His Being is so manifest that eyes could never
discern Him. Even the highest intellect cannot define the limits of His Perfection and Excellence
because any estimation will be a resemblance to his creatures (in whatever way we describe Him
the description will bear some form of analogy to some created being). Minds cannot evaluate
His Might and Sublimity, because any kind of valuation will bring Him in comparison to His
creatures which will not be a correct comparison. The Grand Architect of the universe created
the whole of creation without the aid of a model and without the help of a counsellor or an
adviser. It was but only an order from Him and the creations came into being, attained perfection
(each in its place); they obeyed without any objection the laws of nature relating to them and
followed without resistance the course laid out for them.
If one wants to study the marvels of the art and wonders of the creation in nature as
designed and destined by Him, he may study the depth of the art and science of body building
exhibited in the creation of a bat.
Day light, the medium, with whose help most of the animals see, behold, observe, and
perceive things and distinguish one from the other, makes a bat blind, and darkness which sends
many of the animals to retirement, acts as a medium of vision to it. How its eyes are unable to
make use of sunlight to move about and take advantage of it for its life preserving activities? It
has been prevented to move from place to place during day light and to sleep out its days in its
lair. But it converts its nights into days. Dark night is like a bright day to it. It comes out to search
 208
for its food. Pitch darkness is for it no obstacle to convey itself from one place to another and to
see things clearly. But as soon as a day dawns and the sun rises sending its light in every nook
and corner it goes back to its hide out closing its eyes to the brightness of the sun, it satisfies
itself with what it had gathered during the night. Glory be to God, Who made the darkness of a
night acts for a bat as the light of a day to work and search for its food and Who made the day a
time for its rest and retirement.
He granted to a bat wings of flesh (not of feathers), and whenever it so desires it can rise
and fly with their help. They appear as if they are parts of its ears, having neither feathers nor
bones but you can very easily see the lines of arteries and veins running in them. These two
wings are neither so thin as to snap nor so thick as to be too heavy. When it flies its young one
adheres and attaches itself to its mother’s body; taking shelter under its expanding wings, it
goes up and comes down along with its mother and never parts from its parent unless it grows
strong and its wings get powerful and sturdy enough to bear the weight of its body, and unless it
develops enough animal instinct to recognise its food and the factors of its safety and wellbeing.
How Exalted is He and how Supremely Glorious is His Wisdom that He creates everything
without a specimen and without a model created by somebody else.

KHUTBA-159

Just before the battle of Basra Hazrath faced the opposing armies and delivered the
following sermon wherein Hazrath has explained his leadership, the mental attitude of
the Commander of the forces of rebels, the teachings of the Quran and the trials and tests
through which Muslims will have to pass.
Whosoever (amongst you) can resign himself to the will of God must do so. Thus if
you follow and obey me, I shall, God willing, guide you to the path leading to Heaven and its
blessings, though it is a way which in the beginning will make you go through difficulties,
troubles and sufferings.
So far as that woman is concerned (who has taken command of armies facing Hazrath in
this battle) her womanish mind is boiling with envy, hatred and jealousy. If the thing (rulership
of Muslim state) had gone to somebody else and if she then would have been asked to fight
against him, she would not have done so; yet in spite of her malignant and injurious behaviour
I shall maintain the same regardful attitude towards her that I was observing during the days of
the Holy Prophet (may the peace of God to be upon him and his descendants) but she will have
to reckon for her deeds before God.
(Following passages are supposed to be parts of the same sermon).
Way to God is a bright and broad high way it is a luminous and brilliant beacon. Faith
precede good actions and good actions point towards faith, they compliment and reciprocate
each other. Faith also guides a man towards education and learning; and knowledge makes him
realise the nearness of death. It is death which ends all worldly connections. But only in this
world and through it we can safeguard our position in the next world. Verily, there is no refuge
for human beings to protect them against the Day of Reckoning and mankind is rushing with
great speed towards that day.
(Another part of the same sermon)
Verily (on the Day of Judgement), people will come out of their graves and turn towards
 209
their destination (Heaven or Hell). None shall be able to change the place which has been as-
signed to him according to his merits.
To advise people to do good and to abstain from bad deeds and evil thoughts are two ba-
sic principles of religion. And these commands and interdictions neither bring a man nearer to
death nor lessen his livelihood.
You should act according to the teachings of the Book of God; it is a permanent covenant,
a bright beacon, a lasting cure for warped minds and a draught which willfully quench the thirst
for knowledge; it protects those who adhere to it and brings salvation to those who follow its
tenets. It is a training which never warps and thus requires no straightening, and which never
goes astray and thus never needs correction. Its repeated reading will keep it fresh into minds.
One who speaks through it, (according to its preaching) hearing and always speaks the truth and
one who acts through it is destined to go to Paradise.
When the sermon reached this stage one of the audience stood up and enquired, “Please
let us know what are trials, tests and allurements through which we shall have to pass;
have you enquired anything about them of the Holy Prophet (may the peace of God be
upon him and his descendants) and how did the Holy Prophet (A.S.) explained?” Hazrath
thereupon replied: -
When the Almighty God revealed the verse: “Do men believe that they will be left alone on
saying that they have faith (in God, the Holy Prophet and Islam) and they will not be tested and
tried” (Part XX, Ch. XX IX : 2). I knew that there will not be any examination and scrutiny (of
the hearts of Muslims) during the life time of the Holy Prophet (may the peace of God the upon
him and his descendants) I enquired of him “O Apostle of God please let us know what are these
trials and tests through which the Muslims are to pass which the Almighty God has predicted
in this Verse”. He had replied, “O Ali! soon after me my followers will have to pass through a
severe scrutiny”. On hearing this I said, “O Messenger of God on the battle-field of Ohad many
Muslims were crowned with martyrdom but I was left alive (did not die the death of a martyr),
I felt sad about it, but you had consoled me and had told me that I would get martyrdom after
your death”. Thereupon the Holy Prophet (may the peace of God be upon him and his descend-
ants) had replied, “of course as I have said so shall it be. But Ali! will you resign to it patiently?”
I had replied, “It (my martyrdom) will be an occasion (for me) to rejoice and feel grateful to God,
there will be no question of resigning to it patiently.” They Holy Prophet (A.S.) thereupon had
said, “O Ali! after my death my followers will be sadly greedy of the worldly wealth. They will
imagine that they hold God under obligation because of acceptance of Islam as their religion,
therefore, they will expect His Blessing (as their dues) and will consider themselves immune
from His Wrath. Scepticism and loss of faith mixed with maddening desires and inordinate
wishes will make them legalise illegal actions and will persuade them to grant religious sanction
to prohibited deeds. They will drink wines calling them fruit juices. They will accept bribes in
the name of presents. They will sanctify usury and style it as trade. On hearing this I enquired,
“Should they be considered as sceptics and seditious persons or as apostates.” The Holy prophet
replied, “They should be treated as seditious Muslims.”
 210
KHUTBA-160
Time and Life, and how you should make use of them for eternal benefit.

All praise be to God, Who has made His praise the key to His Remembrance, the cause
for augmentation of His Favours and the guide to understand His Glories and to realise His
Greatness and Might.
O Creatures of God! do realise that this world will treat the present people as it has treated
the past. The time which has passed will never come back and whatever is present today will
not remain so eternally. The world behaves today as it has behaved in the past, the sorrows and
sufferings it inflicts are continuous, its catastrophes and mishaps methodically and regularly
follow each other like causes and effects. It has made time drive you as mercilessly as a
camel-driver drives those she-camels whose milk has been dried up. If a person busies himself
with improper actions he confounds himself in ignorance and impiety and his soul perishes. The
Satan makes him rebel against God, and adorns and embelishes vicious actions and sins to lure
him. Remember that Paradise is for those who are pious and do good deeds; and Hell is meant for
those who exceed the bounds fixed by God or for those who forsake their obligations and duties.
Know O creatures of God! that piety is strongly fortified and respectable haven, and sinful
and vicious life is such a mean and undependable refuge that it can neither protect nor guard
those who take shelter there. Remember that fear of God can protect one against the evils of sins;
and that through true faith one can achieve greatness, excellence and perfection.
O people! fear God specially where you yourself or such a person is involved for whom
you hold inordinate love and regards. Verily, the Merciful God hath clearly shown you and
brilliantly illuminated for you the path of truth and justice. Thus what is left to you is to choose
either Eternal Bliss or perpetual damnation. You have been guided to the ways and means of
providing yourself for the next world, and are ordered to proceed and to be ready for the final
exit (death). Your stay here is like that of a caravan resting at the roadside; you do not know
when the order to march will be given.
Hearken! how one who has been created for Eternal Bliss, can gain anything by vicious
and sinful ways of life? And how one can drive permanent benefit by the wealth which will be
quickly taken away from him, leaving behind it the responsibility of accounting for its right or
wrong uses?
O people! whatever the Merciful God hath promised in the way of His Benevolence will
reach mankind, therefore, nothing should tempt wise men towards wickedness and evil from
which He Has forbidden humanity. O people! be afraid of the day when your actions will be
examined and surveyed, a day when extreme distress and dismay will prevail, and a day which
will be so awful and so terrific as to make young people old.
O people! remember that your inner self (subconscious mind) is watching your activities,
your limbs will bear testimony to your deeds and the angels of God are keeping a true record of
your every action and of even the number of breaths that you draw during your lifetimes. Even
the darkest night cannot prevent these angels from seeing you, and even closed doors cannot
hide you from them. Remember that tomorrow (the Day of Reckoning) is not far away from
today.
Today with whatever it contains (its pleasures and pains, its glories and sorrows, its ups
and downs) will pass away and tomorrow will immediately follow it. I see as if everybody has
 211
reached his lonely destination, the grave. How lonely is that house, what an abandoned, desolate
and melancholy place, how forlorn, lonesome and solitary abode for one to arrive as a stranger
at the end of his journey. I feel as if I hear the trumpet calling you for Resurrection, as if I see
the Day of Reckoning has dawned, as if you are coming out of your graves to receive the dues
you deserve. From your minds the notions of disbelief in God and His Might are now dispelled,
the obscurity has disappeared and you can see the reality face to face and can realise the truth
preached by Islam. Listen to me and take warning from changes of lives and times and avail
yourself in time of lessons that fear of God and piety teach you.

KHUTBA-161

In this discourse Hazrath speaks highly about the Holy Prophet (may the peace of God be
upon him and his descendants) and the Holy Quran, and then passes a few remarks about
himself and the Ummayids. He foretells that Ummayids after once losing their sway in
Arabia will never regain it there. A fact which proved true till now.
The Merciful God hath sent our Holy Prophet (may the peace of God be upon him and his
descendants) as His Messenger towards humanity at a time when the world was, for a long time,
left without a guide and a prophet, when mankind had passed ages in ignorance, infidelity and
heathenism; when teachings of the previous prophets were sadly dimmed and obliterated.
He came attesting, confirming and bearing testimony to the teachings of the prophets who
had passed before him and the Holy books which were revealed to them. He brought with him
a Divine Light which is the Holy Quran.
You request the Holy Book to speak to you. (I know that). It cannot (naturally) speak but I
shall explain its teachings and I shall interpret and construe the commands and the interdictions
found therein. Remember that this book can foretell about the future of the mankind, it contains
history of the past and it can prescribe the best and the surest cure for diseased consciences and
warped minds.
(In the same discourse Hazrath says):-
During those days (Ummayids regime) there will not be a residence of rich and nor a
dwelling of poor where oppression and injustice or hardships and sorrows will not be forced
in by the tyrannical rule or where vice and wickedness will not be introduced; and nobody will
come to the help of the oppressed and the wronged persons.
You will have selected wrong and undeserving persons for caliphate and you will have
handed the reins of the state in un-godly and wicked hands.
(But this unholy regime will not continue forever) and God will in near future punish the
tyrants and the oppressors; they will be paid in their own coins; they will be degraded and will
be made to suffer the deprivity, the injustice, the cruelty, the violence and tortures in the same
way and in the same measure as they themselves had resorted to. By God! these Ummayids shall
have to give up this State (not long) after me, and it shall never go back to them.
(How true, Hazrath said all this in about 38 A.H. and within a century the Ummayids
regime of sin and sorrow came to an end, never to be repeated in Arabia, though another
branch of this family had a long rule in Spain).
 212
KHUTBA-162

Hazrath in just few words says what he has done for those who were under his
Government: -
I have in a meritorious way done my duty to you as your neighbour and friend. I have
protected you to the best of my capacity. I have freed you from oppression, disgrace, humiliation
and dishonour. Overlooking such of your numerous shortcomings and faults as could be easily
detected I did all this in return for the small services to Islam rendered by you.

KHUTBA-163

In this Sermon after praising God and explaining glories of His Creation, Hazrath
expresses wonder at people who say that their hopes rest with God and they, in fact, serve
men of power and wealth more willingly than they serve God. He then advises people to
keep lives of prophets as models before their eyes, especially the life of our Prophet on the
greatness of whose character and whose ways of life Hazrath has expounded in details.
His decrees are irreversible and decisive, they are based on His Supreme Wisdom and
Justice. His Pleasure or Approval manifests itself in His Mercy and Forgiveness. His decisions
are final because His Knowledge covers everything and every fact. His pardon is due to His
forbearance, compassion and charity (on His creatures).
O Lord! Thou deserveth praise for every blessing which Thou conferest as well as for every
happiness which Thou takest away; Thou deserveth praise for every cure which a diseased body
is granted as well as for every illness that one is visited with. Thou deserveth such praises as are
fit and suitable to Thy Glory, praises which can deserve Thy Approval, which can be sublime
enough to express. Thy Greatness, which can best enunciate various aspects of Thy Glory and
Might, which can be agreeable to Thee, which cannot be considered unfit to attain the eminence
and honour of Thy Pleasure and transcendence of Thy Approval and Acceptance.
O Lord! We do not know how Great Thou art but we know that Thou art Immortal and
Eternal; and Thou holdeth such supreme Power and Wisdom that any form of weakness, sleep
or forgetfulness can never come near to Thee. None can ever see or comprehend Thee, but Thou
seest everybody and everything, Thou knowest the age of every creature; and every object in the
universe is under Thy complete Control.
Wonders of Thy Creation and examples of Thy Might which we see around us, hold us
surprised and awe-struck and make us realise that how great is Thy Wisdom and Knowledge
and How Supreme is Thy Might and Power. Yet, O Lord! our minds are unable to fully penetrate
or probe the expan of Thy Realm, to comprehend or conceive the processes of Thy Creation, to
survey or understand the laws which govern Thy universes, and to realise the stages through
which they have passed. Such are our limitations in respect of Thy Creations which we can see
and behold. But we are sure that such of Thy Creations which are absolutely hidden from our
knowledge, which we cannot visualise and understand, and which are concealed under heavy
curtains (of limitations of human mind and limitations of science) are even more wonderful,
more mysterious and more awe-inspiring.
Whoever, frees his mind from worldly connections and desires and can concentrate it to
contemplate upon the greatness of Thy Realm around him, finds that his mind reels, his vision
 213
and its aids (telescopes, microscopes, spectroscopes, radars, and other gadgets) fail, his intellect
is confused, and his knowledge cannot help him to understand. O Lord! how hast Thou created
the space? Why have Thou brought the creatures into being? How the galaxies are floating in
the (primordial or elementary) gas? How hast Thou stabilised the earth in the whirls of waxing,
undulating and rolling fluids (gas)?
(A part of the above Sermon)
Man often wrongly claims that he relies only upon God. But, by the Great God, his actions
belie him and his belief. Actions of every man naturally disclose what he expects as reactions
in the form of rewards or punishments. But so far his faith in God is concerned, it is found that
his belief in God and His justice is neither unmixed nor sincere. Man appears to be affected by
every kind of fear except fear of God. It appears as if fear of God has been accorded a secondary
importance by him. Obviously man should expect great rewards from God and smaller returns
from his fellow beings and yet he serves man more sincerely, vigorously and diligently than
God. Where God is concerned man’s behaviour is most wonderful. He grudges to God what he
willingly and sincerely offers to man. O man! are you afraid that your fellow beings will not
reward you unless you work for them more faithfully and persistently than you work for God,
or, is it that you do not expect to find any source of reward more genuine, objective and real than
from a man like yourself?
Similar is the phenomena of human mind when he is afraid of another individual or
society of his fellow beings; this fear in him manifests itself more strikingly than the fear of
God. Why is it so? Does man’s belief in displeasure and anger of another man is more sincere,
convincing and forceful than his belief in the Wrath of God? Does he believe that anger of man
will bear immediate results and Wrath of God is merely hearsay or something which may or
may not take effect in some distant and uncertain future?
Identical is the case of those who attach undue importance to this world and have allowed
great significance to it. They show more respect and regard to it than to God the Almighty, and
they attach themselves to it and become its slaves.
The example of the Holy Prophet (may the peace of God be upon him and his descendants)
is before you to follow. It is sufficient for you to be guided to the fact that he has censured this
world and has fully explained its evils, corruptions and vices. Its vicious and wicked pleasures
were not for him, but were for enemies of God and man. He did not enjoy the pleasures of life
nor did he bedeck himself with its pomp and glory.
If you want to study lives of great men, then there is life of Moses before you. He always
prayed before God “Lord I was really in need of that which Thee hast kindly granted to me.
Please Lord! do not forsake me”. In fact he was praying for a loaf of bread as he usually ate
vegetables and lived upon esculent herbs. He lived so long on green vegetables (uncooked and
unsavoured) that his skin (at places) took up a green tint.
If you like there is before you the example of David, the sweet singer of Heavens, whom
the Psalms were revealed. He used to make baskets of the leaves of date palm, he used to
sell them and to live upon its proceeds (though he was a King and had a large army at his
command).
You can imitate the noble example of Jesus Christ. He used stone as a pillow and put on
coarse cloth. Hunger was the only sauce that he ever used. Only the moon lighted his nights and
only the sun gave him warmth during the winters. His deserts (sweetmeat and fruits) were those
 214
green vegetables which were eaten by animals also. He had no wife to allure him to worldly
ways, no children whose love might stand between him and duty, he had no wealth the protec-
tion and procurement of which might have driven away the thoughts of the next world from his
mind. He was not greedy, therefore, he never humiliated himself. His conveyances were his legs
and his servants were his hands. If you like you can follow his example.
But the best example for you is to follow our Holy Prophet (A.S.). Follow him sincerely
and faithfully. He is the greatest leader for those who require a leader and the best teacher for
those who want to achieve self-respect. Amongst His creatures God likes him best who obeys
this Apostle of God and follows him in his steps.
Our Holy Prophet (may the peace of God be upon him and his descendants) made use of
the worldly things only for the barest necessities of life, and never thought of obtaining any
comfort or ease in life even temporarily. He ate little and generally went hungry. How often
the pleasures of the world were presented to him and he refused to accept them. His will was
the Will of God. He detested those things which were disliked by God, he scorned those things
which were scorned by God and he despised those deeds which were held in contempt by God.
Remember that such traits of our character, that we like those things that are disliked by
God and His Holy Apostle and we attach great importance to those things that are detested by
God and His Holy Prophet are, enough to make us enemies of God and rebels against His Orders.
Our Holy Prophet used to take his meals while sitting on the ground, and used to sit like
an ordinary (poor) person (not like a king or a lord); he repaired his own shoes, washed his own
clothes, rode on the naked back of a donkey, there too (if there was scarcity of mounts) he used
to make somebody ride behind him. Once he found a curtain on his door having some pictures
upon it. He asked his wife to remove the curtain, saying that those pictures remind him of this
wicked world and its vicious allurements.
He sincerely hated splendor and pomp of this world and had removed the desires of its
pleasures from his mind. He despised and hated ostentations of luxurious life lest they may
tempt him and lest he might think this world as an abode of permanent stay or a place to indulge
in luxury and opulence. He had absolutely no liking for a life of comfort and ease, it had no
charm for him and no place in his heart. Even the very talk of it was loathsome to him, he hated
to see it around him and to hear about its allurements in his society, like a person who hates to
see his worst enemy and loathes to hear him mentioned in his society.
Verily, the life and character of the Holy Prophet (A.S.) will teach you how evil and
vicious is this world and its ways. He, the members of his family (Ahlay Baith) and his faithful
followers often went hungry, and, though he had supremely high place in the kingdom of God
yet he avoided ostentations and pomp in his way of life and his true followers followed him in
this respect. A man with common sense can very well reason whether the Almighty God by
assigning such a simple life to this chosen Apostle has really shown high regards towards him
or has humiliated him. If he says that God has humiliated him and has apportioned a life of
poverty and destitution to him then he lies. (Because the historical fact is that the Holy Prophet
(A.S.) was a scion of fairly rich and noble family, had married a very wealthy wife Khadija) and
gradually became the Ruler and King of the Arab State, therefore, simple and poor life was not
forced upon him as humiliation or as a necessity but he voluntarily adopted it and it was as-
signed to him by God as a sign of His high regards towards His Apostle. To be a king and rich
man and to lead voluntarily the life of a pauper and to give away all the wealth to poor is not a
sign of humiliation but a mark and an emblem of greatness).
 215
And if he thinks that God hath thus raised the status and position of the prophet, then
he will have to admit that, by allotting lives of wealth splendour and luxury to his enemies and
keeping it away from His most favoured Apostle, He has humiliated the enemies of the Holy
Prophet (A.S.).
Therefore, it is the duty of his followers to take example from his life and try to imitate
him, to follow in his steps and to lead a life as the Apostle of God had led otherwise nothing can
save him from eternal damnation.
Remember that the Almighty God has apportioned to him the work of warning you of the
Day of Judgment, of carrying to you the good news of the Paradise and of frightening you of the
Hell.
He left the world as a poor and destitute person (though he was King of the Muslim world
when he died) and reached his destiny in deserving grandeur. Till he lived he never built a house
for himself and when God called him away he left happily for his eternal home.
The greatest blessing of the Merciful God upon us is that He has granted us such a Prophet,
a guide whom we must follow and a leader whom we must obey. Look at me, I have patched my
dress so often that I feel ashamed to hand it over for any more patches. Somebody suggested to
me to throw it away; but I told him “be gone, do not try to tempt me, because those who bear
hardships in this life will pass happy days hereafter”.

KHUTBA-164

In this sermon Hazrath has praised the Holy Prophet (may the peace of God be upon him
and his descendants) explaining the functions of prophethood; and counsels people to
embrace Islam and to follow its tenets sincerely and faithfully. He further advises people to
fear God, to do good and to take warning from the lives and deaths of people gone before
them.
The Almighty God has sent the Holy Prophet (A.S.) as His Messenger accompanied with a
Divine Light (Hazrath Ali, A.S.), a clear code (of laws and doctrines of Islam), an illuminated path
(of Sunnath) and a Divine Book of guidance (the Holy Quran). His ancestors and descendants
were the best race of mankind, his progeny (Ahley Baith) were people of glorious and sublime
character and his teachings were the best guide for mankind.
His birth place is Mecca and his place of Migration is Medina. From Medina his fame
travelled far and wide and his preachings were carried from place to place. The Merciful God has
sent him equipped with the most effective and adequate arguments (to prove his prophethood),
with the most factually convincing sermons (to warn people of the results of a sinful life) and
with a religion which will remove from society every sin, vice, impiety and crime.
Through Islam the Holy Prophet (A.S.) taught humanity such principles of truth and
justice as were not known to it on account of its ignorance. He eradicated those wicked
innovations which had crept in the religions of the world. He clearly explained orders and
interdictions of God. If now any person adopts any religion other than Islam it will be his
misfortune; he will undo himself, will be committing a great mistake and will seal his fate for
eternal damnation.
My trust is in God and my return is to Him. I pray to Him to guide me to the straight path
which will lead me to His paradise; it is the destination which He desires every human being to
reach.
 216
O people! I advise you to fear and obey God; because His fear and His obedience are the
two means of salvation on the Day of Reckoning, a salvation which is eternal. Our Holy Prophet
(may the peace of God be upon him and his descendants) tried his best to acquaint and warn you
of the horrors of the Hell and consequences of His Wrath. He not only explained to you but he
also cited examples from your society and from history of the ultimate results of achievement of
wealth and power; he told you how speedily wealth and power would part company with you,
how fast they decay and how quick is their deterioration. He advised you to avoid those worldly
things which attract and allure you because they will not be with you but for a short time. Re-
member that the world (the life) which has great opportunities to allure you towards sin is an
abode of His Wrath, and is a place with which He is not pleased.
O creatures of God! do not engross yourself in achieving such a world because you know
it is not worth the trouble, it is not lasting and it is not really beneficial. You be a kind and
sympathetic adviser to yourself and advise your innerself to refrain from such a toll and
exertion. Take a lesson from history and from death and destruction of (wealthy and powerful)
people who have passed away before you. Their names and fames are not with them and their
pleasures and pomp have disappeared. They cannot any longer live with their wives and chil-
dren. Their prides and vanities have disappeared. Their connections with humanity have parted,
they cannot bring forth children, they cannot meet each other and they cannot be useful to one
another like neighbours.
O people! fear God like a man who has mastered his emotions and desires and who has
acquired complete control over his mind; fear God like a man who has developed his knowledge
and wisdom and who has achieved command over his passions. The canons of Islam and the
Commandments and the Prohibitions have been fully explained to you. The sign of guidance has
already been fixed for you. They way of salvation is opened for you and this is a straight and
open road. (What more do you want?)

KHUTBA-165

One of his companions, a member of the clan of Bani Asad asked Hazrath as to how he
was deprived of the Caliphate though as a member of the family, as the son-in-law and as
the closest companion of the Holy Prophet (A.S.) he deserved it. In this Khutba Hazrath
has, briefly explaining the situation, drawn attention of hearers at the irony of events and
circumstances which connived at the son of the arch of enemy of Islam. Moavia claiming
the Caliphate. A lady of the clan of Bani Asad was the wife of the Holy Prophet (A.S.).
Hazrath in this sermon has referred to it saying that this relation has given the questioner
a right to ask this question of Hazrath.
O brother! from the Bani Asad tribe you apparently are not well aware of the
circumstances which led to it. But as your tribe is related to the Holy Prophet (A.S.) you have a
right to ask such a question. You want to know the truth, and want to understand the reason as
to why my rights were usurped, and why such a despotism was adopted against me. You know
very well that I came out of the best clan of Arabia and I am very closely related to him. (It was
not because of my being a person of lowly origin or of a distant tribe from the Holy Prophet
(A.S.) that this Caliphate was usurped). But because a party had the inordinate desire to catch
up the rulership of the Muslim State, while the other party did not attach much importance to it
 217
(they were busy in arranging for the burial of the Holy Prophet A. S.) On the Day of Judgment
God shall pass His decision between the right and the wrong.
But friend! drop this subject on which much has been said and on which I have often
spoken, but look at the irony of events happening now and look at the behavior of Ibne Abu
Sufyan. How the world has made me laugh at his foolish antics of running after such quickly
perishable things as worldly pomp and glory, and how it has made me sorry at the fate of
Muslims and Islam. Nothing in it surprises me (religions of the world have to pass through
all this). But what made me wonder at Moavia is the fact that after wrongly attaining his
heart’s desire (a despotic rulership of a rich state) he is not satisfied and is constantly busy in
introducing innovations and schism in Islam. This enemy of God wanted to extinguish the
Divine Light, to close the Fountain of Divine Knowledge, to pollute the crystal clear spring of
Islam. If I pass through these periods of trials and seditions successfully I shall try my best to
remove these innovations, to clear the sources of Divine Knowledge of all pollution and to make
the Islam guide you towards God as it should, but if I fail, do not lose heart, and do not give way
to despair. God knows what Moavia and his party are after (He will defend Islam against them).

KHUTBA-166

This is a sermon in praise of God, it also contains an advice to man to understand what
he is made of and how he was born and to realise the Glory and Might of that Grand
Architect, Who has designed him.
Glory be to God, Who has created the mankind, Who gave this earth a surface (crust),
Who made rivers flow through this crust and Who allowed verdure to cover even highlands and
mountains.
There is no beginning to His Entity and no end to it (He is beyond time). He is such a first
that no commencement to His Origin and no end to His Existence could be imagined. Nature
and everything therein (from microcosm to macrocosm) humbly bow before Him, submissively
obey His Commands and reverently offer praises to His Glory.
In the beginning of creation He granted everything (from radiation and energy, down to
matter compounds, life and mind) special and suitable properties, forms and functions. And so
bound them within the confines of these attributes that each one of them is a proof that it has
been created and is merely a creature (obeying a programme laid out for them). Imaginations
fail to find Him within confines of dimensions, they cannot suggest any movements or change
of place for Him or cannot think of any form or body for Him. He is beyond comprehension
and understanding. Thus it cannot be said when He came into into existence and how long He
will remain. His Existence is self-obvious but it cannot be said how He manifests Himself. He is
hidden from our senses and to our intellects, but it cannot be said where He is hidden. Having
no form and nobody He is not subject to any change, decay or destruction. No curtains can cover
or hide Him. He is not near to his creatures in a way that they can physically feel or touch Him,
neither His separation from His creatures is like that of one body from another.
Nothing is hidden from Him, He knows what a man sees, what he thinks and what he says
openly and secretly. He also sees when a man oversteps the bounds of morality and canons of
justice boldly, openly and shamelessly or fearless of society and God, or behind the curtains of
secrecy, hidden from the eyes of other men.
 218
He surpasses the beginning of time and space. He is far beyond such numbers and figures
and for above such spaces and dimensions as the men of knowledge (philosophers and scientists)
have discovered. (Time, space, dimensions and numbers are for His creatures and not for Him).
He has not created universes from matter and energy which was already in being, nor according
to forms and models which previously existed, neither He has bestowed nature with perpetual
existence or eternity. But He gave it spontaneous creation based upon His Supreme Foresight
and Wisdom, and gave every object a form, place and properties most suitable to it. Nothing in
nature can disobey Him, but this obedience is not meant to profit Him in any way. He knows
what has happened and what is happening. He knows what lies beyond the space as well as
what constitute it.
(Part of the above sermon)
O man! who is masterpiece of creation on this earth, whose body received the final shape
in the dark regions of his mother’s womb, behind thick overlapping curtains, remember that
you are made out of dust, and for a fixed period (while your development was going on) you
were kept concealed from human eyes. Your movements there were hidden, you could not hear
anybody and nor could reply if addressed to. Then you were given birth to in a place which was
quite new to you, where you were a stranger, where you did not know what was good for you
and what was harmful. Who thought you to obtain your food from the breast of your mother
and who taught you to suck milk? Who taught you to express your pleasure and demands with
your movements and cries? Verily, when you cannot fully understand your ownself how can you
understand your Creator. It is impossible for you to understand God from the attributes which
are meant only for His creatures.

KHUTBA-167

During the reign of Caliph Oosman people gathered around Hazrath complaining of the
ill-treatment they are receiving and the harm which was being done. They requested
Hazrath to approach the Caliph and to advise him to follow the ways of truth and justice.
Thereupon he went to Caliph Oosman and advised him thus: -
People are waiting for me to bring back your reply. They have sent me to you as a
messenger that I may act as a mediator between you and the masses.
By God I do not know what to tell you. You are as much aware of the situation as I am. You
can fully realise how serious it is. I am a non-party man, so I do not know anything of which
you are not aware, neither have I heard anything which has not already been related to you and
which I can carry to you as news. I do not want to lead you towards new troubles. Of the present
exigency I have seen only as much as you have and I have heard only what you have already
been told.
But I want to remind you that you have also passed your days in the company of the Holy
Prophet (A.S.) along all of us. You have heard him preaching and you have seen him treating the
humanity (why cannot you act as he taught you to do?). The responsibility of running a State
on the principles of equity and justice did not lie more upon the son of Abu Quahafa (Caliph
Abubaker) and son of Khuttab (Caliph Omer) than it does upon you. On the contrary yours is
the greater responsibility, because you are related to the Holy Prophet (A.S.) and in a way, you
 219
were his son in law.1
By God I am not explaining this to you because you cannot realise these facts or that you
have forgotten them. Ignorance cannot be an excuse in this case, because the way laid down
by Islam is quite clear, the path is straight and illuminated, the canons as dictated by the Holy
Prophet (A.S.) are unshakeable, steady and lasting and there is no possibility of ambiguity in
the commands and interdictions of God. Remember! the best man before God is a just and
benevolent ruler, a ruler who has been guided by Islam and who can guide others towards Islam,
who has kept up the traditions of the Holy Prophet (may the peace of God be upon him and
his descendants) and who tries his best to face and fight innovations slowly creeping into the
teachings of religion. Verily, all the traditions of the Holy Prophet (A.S.) are quite clear and easily
understandable, and through them the basic principles of a good government are permanently
fixed, they cannot be altered. Similarly, the ways of schism and innovation are also quite
obvious. There is no possibility of ambiguity, the bad cannot be mistaken from the good.
Before God the worst human being is the cruel and erring leader; he himself is misguided
and misleads others; he disregards the path laid down by the religion, the teachings imparted by
it and the reforms introduced by it; and he brings back into Islamic society old and bad customs
discarded by the Holy Prophet (may the peace of God be upon him and his descendants).
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.”
I beseech you in the name of God not to be such a cruel and malicious leader as to be
killed by the oppressed masses, because it is said that in Islam a ruler (a leader of Muslims)
will be killed, who with his wrong policy and cruel deeds will permanently open the ways of
cruelties, atrocities, ferocities and bloodshed. He will create doubts in the teachings of Islam,
will introduce innovations in it, will cause impiety and unbelief to take firm hold of the mind of
masses. Due to his bad influence people will not be able to distinguish between right and wrong,
and blaming each other for these calamities they will find themselves engulfed by sorrows and
sufferings.
You are fairly old and experienced person and at this age and with the experience and
knowledge at your disposal do not become like a pack animal to Murwan and do not allow him

1 Of the two wives of Caliph Oosman there are historical facts contradicting each other. The names of these two
ladies were RUQUIA and UMM-E-KULSOOM or ZAINAB and UMM-E-KULSOOM. Caliph Oosman had married
one after the death of the other. Some historians consider these ladies to be the daughters of the Holy Prophet (A.S.);
while some have written that they were daughters of Hazrath Khadija from her first husband, after whose death she
had married the Holy Prophet (A.S.) As she had these children with her, naturally our Holy Prophet (A.S.) treated
them as his; while there are some historians of the period of early Islamic era, who write to the effect that they were
daughters of Hala, sister of Hazrath Khadija and at the death of Hala and her husband, Khadija (A.S.) has taken
charge of these infant orphans. In pre-Islamic days these two ladies were fully grown up and were of marriageable
age. They had been married to Sheebah and Attebah, the two sons of Abu Lahab. When the Holy Prophet (A.S.)
started preaching Islam this fact annoyed Abu Lahab and he ordered both of his sons to divorce these ladies. At this
divorce one of them was married to Caliph Oosman and after her death the other lady was also married to him.
Abul Quasim Kifi (who died in 352 A.H.) in his book Kitab-ul-Isthaghasa-page 69 writes: -
“Some days after the marriage of Holy Prophet (A.S.) with Hazrath Khadija her sister Hala’s death took place.
She left two daughters and Hazrath Khadija fostered them as her children, therefore, they used to addressed the
Holy Prophet (A.S.) as her father”.
 220
to ride you where he likes and to drag you where he wants.
Hearing this Caliph Oosman replied, “Please Ali! ask these people to give me time so that
I may compensate for what they have suffered and undo the wrong done to them”.
Thereupon Hazrath said, “Why do you ask for time? So far as Madina is concerned, you
issue immediate orders and so far as out-lying provinces are concerned the time for your orders
to reach there will be grace enough. Think about it and act in the name of God”.

KHUTBA-168

In this sermon Hazrath draws attention of the people towards the wonders of creation,
and the perfection (in its own sphere of existence) granted by God to every creature. He
cites peacock as an example and explains various points of beauty in its body, he then
concludes that every form of life is a grand exhibit of the master art of creating life. Some
commentators who have made a point to always criticise Hazrath adversely, have now
started saying that his was a pessimistically ascetic mind; that he always looked at
this world and everything connected with it in a way as if it is a place where there is
no beauty, no charm, no hope, no pleasure, no opportunity and no time to stay or live
happily. This sermon and many others like this give the lie to such comments. They show
that Hazrath loved nature, he enjoyed the scrutiny of it, he marveled at the art exhibited,
at the depth of the knowledge revealed, at the power over matter and energy manifested
therein, he saw the Hand of the Grand Architect of Universe in all this. Marvels of nature
pleased him and made him praise God for His Glory and Might. He taught us to do the
same.
What he deprecated and disapproved was a world full of vicious and sinful ways of life
where there was no justice, no truth, no equality of rights or opportunities. He abhorred
such a world with a depth of hatred unparalleled in the history of man. He advised others
to hate it and to remember that life-good or bad-is mortal and not worth leading in vice
and wickedness.
What wonders of creation has Almighty God exhibited in His creature; be they living
organisms or inanimate matter, bodies having movements of their own or those which cannot
move on their own accord, they have all been originated and shaped in the most wonderful
ways. The Grand Architect of the universe has displayed clear, obvious and tangible signs of
Elegance and Grace in every design of creation and greatness and Glory of His Power in every
form and system that He gave existence to.
Look at nature and what it consists of, Oh! what a Display of wisdom, philosophy, science,
and art; and what a Manifestation of power and might it is. It has made great scientists, wise phi-
losophers and skillful artists-in short great minds and great intellects- wonder at its grandeur,
admire its greatness, bow before its sublimeness and accept one Sole and Supreme intellect, One
God behind all this.
Look around you, look at birds. How many species He has created of them, what
innumerable forms and shapes. There are those which live on the banks of rivers or in the
furrows of meadows, there are those which rest in valleys and there are those whose habitats are
peaks of high mountains. Their wings and feathers are of so many different forms and shapes,
that variety of one species hardly resembles the other. They fly, float and soar in space according
 221
to the ways predestined for them. Everything about their existence clearly indicates that their
forms and shapes, designs of their bones, feathers, wings and colours; their habitats and foods;
their ways of flying and building nests; even their chirruping, warbling and singing were all
destined before they were given existence. Some of them were created with such heavy bodies
that they cannot fly but could only hop. To them He has given feathers of beautiful hues and
colours; some have a single colour design in such a way as if no place could be found in their
bodies for any other colour while others have such varied colours that the band round neck is of
quite a different colour than the one of the main body.
One of the most fascinating colour scheme is in the feathers of peacock. Its body is well
built and strong and closely knit feathers of its wings and the spreading tail have beautifully
and artistically matched and blended colours and hues. It often proudly stretches its tail in such
a way that arching and spreading over its head it looks like a beautiful multi-coloured sail of
a boat which changes its position as and when the boats man desires. It appears as if the bird
knows the aesthetic beauty of the colour scheme given effect to in its body and is proud of it. Its
mating dance looks as if it is being done to show its pride and vanity.
Its method of mating is normal like that of other birds. There is nothing unusual and
abnormal in it, as is often falsely described, I am telling you a fact of natural history that the
reproductive system of this bird is absolutely in line with other birds of this species. There is
nothing uncommon in it. They say that when a peacock weeps the peahen drinks up the tears
at the end of both eyes of the male. This liquid becomes egg in its body and there is no other way
of mating for this bird. Ignorance of the knowledge of natural history has given rise to such a
fiction. A thing like this is not possible. This tale is as wonderful as that which is prevalent about
the crow. Here also they say that a crow feeds its mate with its peak and thus the female gets
impregnated. These are mere flights of imagination.
If you carefully look at a peacock you will feel as if the points connecting the feathers
with the bones are made up of silver and the various multi-coloured circles that you find on the
feathers look like so many suns made up of gold and emerald. If you are not satisfied to similise
with metals and stones and want to compare it with something more delicate, then you may
say that it is a bouquet in which flowers of various colours and shades a have been artistically
arranged. If you compare it with dress then you will say that it is garment having prints of
various colours on it with gold and silver threads running in between and if you compare it
with jewelery then you will say that precious stones of different colours have been beautifully
wrought in silver and gold. Similise it whichever way you want you will feel that the colour
scheme of this bird’s body is a blend of delicate art, careful selection and superb merging.
When a peacock walks sometimes happily and sometimes morosely it appears, as if happy
at the beauty of shape and galaxy of colours in its body and form, it struts proudly but when it
looks down at the ugliness of its feet it feels sad and the vain strutting disappears and it walks
slowly and sadly. Because its legs look like the legs of the cross breed of fouls and are rather thin
compared to its body and rather ugly looking, with a corn like development of one toe nearly in
the middle of the leg.
On its neck there is a beautiful growth of feathery dawn of a delicate green shade. The
neck itself is long and graceful like the neck of delicately carved goblet. Where the neck joins
the body down to the pit of the stomach the colour is dark and deep green with an inner glaze
so delicate and glossy that it looks like soft gleaming velvet or like a tightly fitted silk garment of
 222
greenish black hue properly sprinkled with silver green colour. From the holes of its ears a thin
white line of the colour of camomile flower runs upwards and brightens the black colour of the
surrounding parts.
A careful study will show you that barring a few all the other colours of rainbow have
bordered this white line and on account of their brightness, glaze and silky shine they look like
multi-coloured spring flowers arranged most artfully.
Sometimes you see the bird casting off its feathers and becoming featherless, but this is
a temporary phase. The feathers grow again in the same colours and shades and on the same
pattern as before. No colour is changed, no shade is deepened or lightened and no pattern is
altered. It is a repetition of the same design perfectly exact to the minutest detail. The colour
scheme of its body is wonderful, some parts are of rosy pink, some are emerald green while
others are golden yellow. Everywhere the blending is marvelous.
Now think again; how can an intelligent man describe the beauty of design and colour of
the body of such an animal? Minds fail to follow the beauty of lines and colours, words fail to
describe them. Glory be to God, Who creates such creatures which though they may be before
our eyes, though we may see them at leisure and may study them carefully, yet we cannot
describe them and do justice in our words to the grandeur of their forms and shapes.
Can we not realise the limitations of our knowledge when we see that a very minor and
ordinary phase of the marvels of His creations so confounds us that we cannot understand how
the beauty, grace and grandeur could be so artistically blended that it bewilders minds and holds
intellects spellbound?
How glorious is He and how perfect is His creation that man cannot grasp the “how” and
“why” of the forms, designs, shapes and colours of these creatures of His which are found all
around him and which have been created out of the same destructible material as he himself.
He is so Glorious that tongues cannot describe His Glory and minds do not find words to praise
Him. We praise God Who has filled the waters, the lands and the air of this earth with His
creatures, there are millions of varieties of aquatic life, thousands of species of birds and insects,
and almost every nook and corner of the land is a habitat of some animal, from mosquitos to
elephants from ants to man, who can easily enumerate the varieties? He gave every one of them
a body strong and suitable for its role in life, and made its decay and death a compulsory and
predestined factor of its existence.

KHUTBA-169

Some commentators think this sermon to be part of the preceding one. In this Hazrath
praises the Heaven.
If you pay careful attention and try to understand and realise all which has been said
in praise of the Paradise you will lose interest in these worldly pleasures which you usually
consider to be the highest, the best and the most enjoyable. Sights and sounds which are now so
pleasing to the eyes and ears, and pursuits and occupations which are so delightful to mind and
body will all appear worthless, idle and hollow.
If you visualise the Paradise you will find before your mind’s eyes beautiful and sweetly
scented arbours of green trees along the banks of clear streams. There are trees whose roots are
embedded in musky scented earth giving out such fragrance which cannot be imagined.
 223
There are trees whose branches are laden with various kinds of delicious fruits which are
so pleasing to look at and which can be gathered without trouble. There are beautiful palaces
for those who can enter the Heaven. Clear honey and delicious drinks will be served to them.
People who enter the Heaven are those who had commanded honest respect and veneration
in life, that is, who were pious and good and their piety and goodness deserved respect and
veneration. God’s Mercy and Bounties were always with them, till they reached their final rest-
ing place, the Heaven, now they have achieved eternal peace and rest.
O Listeners! if you could really know and visualise all that is in the Heaven you will so
keenly wish to reach there that your souls may leave your bodies in that earnest desire, and
you may prefer the neighbourhood of graves to your worldly places so that you could reach the
Heaven soon.
May the Lord through His Mercy adjudge us to deserve a place in this Blessed abode.

KHUTBA-170
An advice to people as how to behave with each other and how to be kind and tolerant.

Your young should follow and obey their elders, and old people should treat the young
kindly. Do not go back to that cruel intolerance which was prevalent amongst you before Islam.
The people then were merciless, inhumane and barbarous. They were ignorant, illiterate and
had not had any religious education, nor did they ever use their intellect to think about God and
religion. They were like the eggs of a dangerous reptile (snake or desert lizard) found in the soft
sand meant for the eggs of an ostrich, it looked cruel to destroy them but if they were left to be
hatched poisonous reptiles would come out of them.

KHUTBA-171

This sermon is considered by some to be part of the preceding one. In this Hazrath has
discussed the mentality of his companions and reasons as to why they were defeated;
Hazrath has also prophesied of what would fall upon them after his death and also what
would be the fate of Ummayaids at the end of their regime.
These Arabs after having been united (during the days of the Holy Prophet A.S.) have
divided again. Most of them have left the true Imam and are now confused and confounded.
There are some who have faithfully attached themselves to the true Imam, they follow and obey
him. In near future God will collect these scattered people to witness the fall of Ummayaids
(what a prophecy). He will make them help, tolerate and love each other. He will gather them
like rain clouds gathering in the sky, and then He will open the door of His Mercy upon them.
United they will be a power and will sweep Ummayaids before them like the two flooding rivers
of Iraq. None will be strong enough to resist them or check their advance. God will grant them
sway in the highlands, in the plains, in the deserts and along the river basins. They will take back
the rights usurped by one party or the other. They will conquer cities and towns. And by God the
power and glory of Ummayaids will melt like tallow in front of fire.
O people! If you, in helping truth and justice, had remain united, had not forsaken
each other and had not shown weakness and cowardise in fighting against evil then the man
(Moavia) would not have dared to attack you. The man who is inferior to you has succeeded
 224
in overcoming you because you have gone astray and are confused like Israelite in the valley
of Jordan. By my life, after me, your confusion will be multiplied, manifold. You have forsaken
religion, you have turned your back towards truth and justice, you have given up the person
who was a true friend to you and you have formed connection with one who wants to exploit
you. If you had only followed the person who was inviting you towards truth and towards Islam,
he would certainly have led you towards the path of the Holy Prophet (may the peace of God
be upon him and his descendants) and you would have been saved the misfortune of leading a
wrong life and bearing burdens of sins and wickedness.

KHUTBA-172

This is considered as one of those few sermons which Hazrath delivered soon after he took
charge of the Muslim State. In this Hazrath has advised people to respect rights of others,
not to harm human being, to do good, to respect truth and justice and to follow dictates of
God and religion.
Verily, the Almighty God hath sent a Book for your guidance. It is a Book which clearly
defines, describes and distinguishes between right and wrong, vice and virtue, and, truth and
falsehood. You adopt the path of truth and virtue that you may be guided and turn away from
vice and wickedness that you may achieve salvation. Find out your social, moral and religious
obligations and perform your duties sincerely; sincere performance of your duties will qualify
you for the Paradise.
God hath ordained certain actions to be illegal, immoral and irreligious and He hath
mercifully explained them to us in full; He hath also decreed certain things to be legal and
sanctified, these are the thoughts and deeds which will bring no harm and no injury to mankind.
Respect of a Muslim is a thing which has received highest sanctity and rights of Muslims have
also been for the purpose of social unity, closely bound and linked with sincere belief in Islam
and unitarianism (that is, for those who believe in Islam and in the unity of God it is obligatory
to respect the rights of Muslims).
A true Muslim is he from whose hands and tongue every other Muslim is safe, but not at
the cost of truth and justice. None is allowed to transgress the rights of a Muslim except where
justice demands.
Make haste to face problems of social justice, peace and security, these problems are
common to all; and when you have done your duty in these spheres then think of the problem
which is particular to everyone of you as an individual and that is death. Remember that those
who deserve your attention, care and sympathy, (society and introduction of reforms in social
structure and state) are in front of you, and those towards which you will approach are days of
your reckoning and reward, if your approach should be accompanied with good deeds; death
is drawing you nearer to them day by day. Be brave, reduce the burden of sins and do good so
that death may bring for you the opportunity of being in company of chosen people. Those good
people who have gone before are waiting for those who are to follow.
Fear God where sanctity of the rights of an individual or a society is concerned, because
you will be questioned about performance of your duties and obligations in sphere of your
activities even in respect of the land you live upon and the animals you have contact with.
Obey God and do not rebel against His Orders, try to attain and achieve good whenever
and wherever you find an occasion for it and turn away from evil wherever you see it.
 225
KHUTBA-173

After Hazrath took over the Government of the Muslim State and the people took the oath
of allegiance to him they came to him with a request to take action against the murderers
of the third Caliph; on that occasion Hazrath advised them in the following words: This
shows how keen was Hazrath’s desire to avoid unnecessary bloodshed and to allow justice
taking its own course in a civilised and peaceful manner. It is a sad phase of the history of
Islam that Hazrath’s opponents forced him to take up arms in self-defense and defense of
Islam and the result was the battle of Jamal, Siffeen and Naharwan.
O Brethren! I am fully aware of what you know and what you want. But how can I
retaliate when those who had then gathered in force (against the murdered caliph) are still in
great power. They and not we still control the situation. The present condition is so serious that
even your slaves and Arab-beduins from the desert regions have joined hands with them. Today
these people are amongst you in such a way and in such numbers that they can hurt you as and
when they like and you cannot harm them or defend yourself.
Can you suggest a way to face and overcome this grave situation?, if not, then your desire
for revenge is foolish and speaks of the pre-Islamic fanaticism about revenge. Can you not
realise that they have big support at hand? Besides when the question of retaliation starts people
will divide into diverse groups having diverse ideas. There will be some who will have the
same opinion as you and will like to help you, some will be holding opposite views and will
disagree with you, while there will be a few who will have neutral point of view, (under these
circumstances the best course will be that) you have patience and let people settle their minds,
let them have some peace and rest, so that a way to achieve your desire may be obtained
without a civil war and bloodshed. You be satisfied with me, wait and see how and when I give
my orders. Do not do anything which will shatter your power and bring humiliation and defeat
to you. I shall try to avoid civil war as far as possible, if I could not succeed in achieving this end,
bloodshed will naturally follow.

KHUTBA-174

When the army of Jamal under command of Talha, Zubair and Ummul Momineen Bibi
Aiysha started for Basra and the news reached Hazrath, he delivered a sermon, a part of
which is preserved as follows: -
Verily, the Merciful God has sent the Holy Prophet (may the peace of God be upon him and
his descendants) to guide, and enlighten the humanity. He was accompanied with one (Hazrath
himself) who could explain the Holy Book and with a code which is enough to guide humanity
for all times. Whoever wants eternal damnation will oppose them. Apostasy and innovation act
most destructively when they put on the garbs of truth and justice. But those whom (on account
of the sincerity of their faith in God) God wants to protect from this are not affected by it.
Verily, if you follow true Imam then there is eternal security for you. Therefore, you obey
orders of God blamelessly, sincerely, implicitly and without duress. By God! either you will
follow the true Imam (as He wants you to do) or the Almighty God will take away the control of
the Muslim State from you which will be handed over to somebody else, it shall leave you never
to return.
 226
So far as opposition to my Caliphate is concerned they have united upon it. I shall bear
it patiently as long as you do not catch this infection. And if in spite of the weakness of their
arguments they succeeded in affecting you, the connections will have to be broken and
bloodshed will follow. They envy the man (means himself) whom God has appointed a Ca-
liph. They want supremacy in religion to convert it into means of grasping wealth and power
(imperialism). They want Islam to go back into the pre-Islamic ways of life and civilisation.
If you remain faithful to God and true to Islam then your just rights and claims can be that
we allow you to follow the Holy Book and the ways of life and traditions of the Holy Prophet
(A.S.) to establish truth and justice and to prove Islam to be the most exalted and supreme
religion.

KHUTBA-175

Just before the battle of Jamal when Hazrath reached Basra at the head of his army
Basarites sent a man, Kaleeb-e-Jirmee, to find out from Hazrath whether it was right of
him to wage this war. Hazrath fully explained the situation to him. On hearing all the
details and convincing himself of the facts of the case he was satisfied that Hazrath was
fully justified to put up a fight in self-defense and defense of Islam. He expressed his
satisfaction and said that he would return and try to convince the Basarites. Thereupon
following conversation took place between Hazrath and Kaleeb-e-Jirmee: -
Hazrath then advised him to be on the side of truth and religion. He said he was a
messenger and unless he reaches back the people who have sent him, he will not do anything
new.
Hearing this Hazrath asked him, “Suppose some people send you in search of water
and grass (fodder for animal) and suppose you find it and go to them with the news and with
willingness to guide them to the oasis, and suppose they refuse to accept the true information
brought by you and to follow your lead, and, decide to go towards a place where is actually no
water and grass what will you do?” He replied that he would oppose them, would not go with
them and would act upon his own information. Hazrath said, “If such is your decision then you
should take the oath of allegiance to me”. He replied, “By God! O Master of faithful! in the face of
your argument there is no alternative for me but to swear allegiance to you”. So saying he took
the oath of allegiance to Hazrath.

KHUTBA-176

This is a part of the sermon which Hazrath delivered when he decided to defend Islam
against Moavia. In connection with this Khutba I want once again to draw the attention of
readers towards the following two facts:-
One is about the principles of astral physics which Hazrath has disclosed at a time when
none in this world could even imagine them; at a time when this earth of ours was
considered as the centre of the universe, when earth, water, fire and air were considered
as elements, when nobody even thought of believing in something as imaginary as
radiation and energy, when the idea of finiteness or otherwise of the universe never entered
the minds of the great thinkers (philosophers and scientists); when stars were considered
 227
as fixed bodies in the sky, Hazrath was hinting at the finiteness of universe, dissipation of
energy, diffusion of darkness, invisible viruses, movement of floating continents and all
of that in one sermon, what varied subjects and what breadth of knowledge! Does it not
prove that the source of Hazrath’s knowledge was not earthly or terrene, it was Divine?
The other point is that Hazrath, with all this heavenly knowledge of his, never thought
of teaching physics, chemistry, biology or astronomy. To him more important was the
evolution of human mind on moral plains. He merely hinted at the facts about nature or
disclosed certain secrets of nature only when he was discussing or explaining attributes of
God the Almighty or when he was speaking about His Power, Glory or Might.
O Lord! The Creator of high heavens and finite space, Thou art the Mighty One, Who made
the space a place where light (energy) is dissipated and darkness is diffused (by stars star-dust
and nebulae) a place through which the sun and the moon move, a place for the planets to
revolve and rotate, and residence for those angels who are never tired of praising Thee.
O Lord! Thou art the One, Who maintainth the earth in its position and place. Thou hast
made it a habitat for man, a place where insects, reptiles and mammals came into being and
disappeared, each having its sway on the earth for sometime 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 (like viruses) to human eye.
O Lord! Thou hast kept the mountains in their position and hast made them act as pivot
(for floating continents) and habitats for man and animal.
O Lord! if You allow us to achieve a victory over our enemies then keep us away from
vanity and false pride and keep us firm on the straight path of Thy religion. And if, O Lord! you
give them a victory over us confer upon us the honour of Martyrdom (let us die bravely) and
protect us from oppression and tyranny.
Where are those people who always defended a worthy cause, who bore hardships
patiently and who protected Islam and its sacred places? Remember! if you run away from a
battle-field humility and disgrace will always follow you and if you face the enemy boldly and
bravely then there is Heaven in front of you.

KHUTBA-177

Following are three disconnected pieces of a discourse in which Hazrath had discussed
the remarks of Saad Ibne Waqqas as well as the action of Talha and Zubair in pursuading
Ummul Momaneen Bibi Aiysha to leave her home and hearth and to go out at the head of
an army. As usual this discourse starts with the praise of God.
All praise is due to God from Whose views one sky cannot hide the other and one earth
cannot act as a screen to the other.
Part of the above discourse:
A person (Saad Ibne Abi Waqqas) once told me, “O Ibne Abu Talib! you are greedy of this
Caliphate”. I had replied to him that on the contrary you are greedier than I, what is more, you
do not have any qualification to suit you for the place while I am competent enough for the post,
worthy to hold it and nearer to it in every respect. And you have been constantly trying your
worst to come between me and my right and have incessantly endeavoured to deprive me of it.
Anybody claiming his right cannot with justice be considered as greedy, but if those, who have
 228
neither the right nor the qualification to hold a place, crave for it, they are justly considered
as greedy of it. And when I fully explained to him the situation before all the people (who had
gathered in the mosque) he was confounded and could not refuse the arguments.
O Lord! I invoke Thy help and protection against the enmity and antagonism of Quraish
and their supporters. They have broken their ties and relations with me, have usurped my rights,
disregarded my claims, ignored the eminence of my status and superiority of my situation. They
have continually gathered together to fight against me for a thing which was my right and
over which they had no claim. Now they tell me, that the truth is that none but I deserve the
Caliphate, and in the same breath they advise me to give it up (give up my right).
In the same discourse Hazrath thus spoke about the behaviour of Talha and Zubair.
Those people (Talha and Zubair and their supporters) left Mecca for Basra in such a way
that they have driven the wife (Bibi Aisha) of the Holy Prophet (may the peace of God be upon
him and his descendants) from place to place like slave-traders driving slave-girls from one
market to another. Those two leaders have left their wives safe and secure in their homes and
have brought out the wife of the Holy Prophet (may the peace of God be upon him and his
descendants) to serve their unholy and ungodly motives. What an undesirable action? She had
openly come out heading an army of such people who had in the beginning sincerely sworn the
oath of allegiance to me and were later instigated by the renegades to rebel against me. When
the army reached Basra they attacked my officials, some of whom were taken prisoners while
others were killed mercilessly and then they looted the Baitul Mal (Government treasury). The
details of the brutal slaughter that was carried on by them are horrid. Some of the Muslims were
tortured to death in prison and some were out right butchered.
By God! If they had killed one innocent person without any warrantable cause, I would
have been justified in ordering capital-punishment to every one of them. Because they all had
joined hands in the crime and had knowingly committed the sin. While the situation is that they
have mercilessly slaughtered as many defenseless and innocent people as they had soldiers in
their army.

KHUTBA-178

In this sermon Hazrath has availed as a stopple against his opponents an argument which
was once used by them against him.
To understand this, it is essential to know a few facts of the history. Those facts are that
immediately after the death of the Holy Prophet (may the peace of God be upon him
and his descendants) certain Muslims, leaving the body of the Apostle of God unburied
hurried to the Saqueefa-E-Bani Saeda to decide about the Caliphate. Hazrath did not
join this group; his contention was that the burial of the Prophet of Islam had priority
over every other action. Rest of the Bani Hashim also abstained from taking part in that
activity. Thus the case of the Caliphate was settled amongst the few, who had gathered at
the Saqeefa. They called it an “Election”. When Hazrath refused to accept the Caliph thus
decided upon, the argument referred above was brought forward to prove that Hazrath
was not right in refusing.
This argument was in three parts; first part said that the Caliphate of the Holy Prophet
(A.S.) should be decided by general election; the second part was that those who were
 229
present at the time of decision cannot later go back upon it; the third part was that those
who were absent should accept the decision of those who were present at the election.
People from whom Moavia was later receiving support, were those who had clamoured
the loudest about that argument. But when the ruler ship of the Muslim State, in the form
of Caliphate came to Hazrath, they rebelled against it, many of them were rebelling even
after having sworn the oath of allegiance to him and some saying that they were not
present when people gathered round him and requested him to accept the Caliphate.
Hazrath cited the above argument merely as a stopple against them, simply to prove how
fictitious and flimsy were points raised by his enemies to deprive him of his just rights and
how they would go back upon their accepted principles to harm him. He, in fact, never on
point of religion accepted either the election or the principle said to be involved in it.
Hazrath’s contention was that the Caliph of the Holy Prophet should be a person who
rightly deserves the place, that he should be nominated by the Holy Prophet (A.S.) under
orders of God, that the control of religion cannot be left at the mercy of ignorant masses,
that the Holy Prophet (A.S.) had already given out the names of the Twelve Caliphs or
Apostles that would succeed him one after another and that there would not be more than
those Twelve in all.
Mohammed (may the peace of God be upon him and his descendants) is the Holy Prophet,
whom God has entrusted with revelations. He is the last of all the prophets. He brings good news
of the Mercy of God and he warns human beings of the consequences of the Wrath of God.
O people! from amongst you only he deserves to be Caliph who possesses moral strength
to maintain peace and to carry on a government based on equity and justice; and who has best
understood the orders of God for this purpose. If one rebels against such a rule he should in the
beginning be dissuaded from his evil intentions and advised to repent for what he has done; and
if he does not abstain from his activities then no alternative is left but use of force.
By God! if the question of Caliphate cannot be settled (as they say) unless all the people
have gathered together and have decided unanimously, then there is no physical possibility of
such a thing happening. To overcome this impossibility they decided that those in power and
those who can control the situation may come to a conclusion and may decide in any one’s
favour. It was then made incumbent upon those who were present to abide by the decision (even
if they disagree with it) and absentees had no right to elect anybody else, they would also have
to yield and submit to the decision. (When once a person has not only accepted a principle but
has also forced others to bow before it, how can he now go back upon it? Does it not prove that
in the beginning he propagated certain pseudo-principles and when they worked acting against
him he went back upon them).
Know all that I shall certainly fight against two kinds of persons. Firstly, those who claim
Caliphate though they do not deserve it. Secondly those, who do not fulfil the obligations laid
down upon them by God (i.e. to faithfully adhere to the oath of allegiance sworn to).
(Part of the above sermon)
O creatures of God! I advise you to fear God. Because of all the advices that were ever
given to mankind this is the best; great are its effects and consequences, which one could aspire
to achieve in the realm of God. Unfortunately, a civil war has started between you and other
Muslims. None should lead you in this war but the person who has wisdom, who can bear
sufferings patiently, who knows where truth and justice lay and can guide you to them. Now
 230
do what you have been told to do and abstain from what you have been prohibited from. Do
not make haste but fully consider every action before you decide to do it. Upon those affairs of
administration which are disagreeable to you I am willing to accept reasonable and justifiable
modifications.
Remember that this world which you covet so ardently and attempt to acquire so
earnestly; and which some time annoys you and sometimes pleases you so much, is neither your
home nor a permanent destination. You have not been created for it, nor invited to it as your
resting place. It shall neither remain with you forever nor will you remain in it eternally. If it has
enticed you with its charms, it has also warned and cautioned you of real dangers lurking in its
folds. Take account of the warnings it has given you and do not be seduced or deceived by its
allurements, let these warnings frighten you from being too greedy or too covetous to possess
it. Try to advance towards the place where you are invited for eternal bliss and turn your face
away from the vicious world.
Do not weep and fret like a slave-girl over such worldly pleasures and profits that have
been refused to you. In obeyance to the commands of God bear your loss patiently, protecting
those things which you are ordained to protect. Pray and beseech God for His Bounties and
Blessings. Remember that if you follow your religion faithfully and observe its tenets carefully
then no worldly loss is going to harm you permanently. And if you have lost your faith in
religion and God then nothing that you have collected and gathered from this world will be of
any use to you.
May the Merciful God guide us to the path of truth and justice and May He teach us to bear
our sufferings patiently.

KHUTBA-179

Talha was a relative and a friend of Hazrath Oosman but during the Caliphate of the latter
he had quarreled with him. Murwan was one of the worst causes of this quarrel. After
having fallen out with the third Caliph he tried his worst to rouse the masses against him.
He was a propagandist of sorts and used this doubtful talents to deteriorate the situation
as much as possible. When the masses stormed the palace of Hazrath Oosman he actually
backed them. All the time he was expecting that after the third Caliph the Caliphate would
come to him. But when quite against his expectations people swore the oath of allegiance
to Hazrath Ali he felt frustrated. In this mood he found a companion in Zubair. They both
intrigued against Hazrath. The slogan of the war was “The revenge of death of the Third
Caliph.”
In this Khutba Hazrath has explained how baseless was the stand of Talha and how
worthless his challenge to Hazrath to come out for a fight. Hazrath had actually led a life
of warrior from the age of fourteen and was the only man who won the battles of Badur,
Ohad, Khaiber, Khandakh, Hunain and several other minor battles. During these battles
he had killed many famous marshals and warriors of the peninsula of Arabia like, Marhab,
Antur, Abd-e-woodh, Haris, Noafil bine Khalid, Omer, the uncle of this very same Talha,
and Talha ibne Abi Talha. It was really ridiculous to think of frightening such a person
with war. Hazrath explained the reason why Talha was so loud in demanding vengeance
of the murder of the Third Caliph.
 231
I cannot be frightened with war, neither have I ever felt nervous to face an enemy. I always
have full confidence and faith in the help which was promised to me by God, and it never failed
me.
By God, Talha is standing like a drawn-sword, to demand blood of Oosman’s murderers
simply because he is afraid that he himself will be rightly accused of this. As it is, most of the
people consider him to be one of the murderers of Oosman. And it is a fact that amongst the
enemies of Oosman, who were demanding his blood, none was the worst enemy and the most
intent upon the murder than Talha,
Now he has adopted this tactic of coming out as an avenger of the blood of Oosman
simply to create doubt in the minds of people and shift the point of suspicion from himself to-
wards somebody else. This collection of armed forces and this loud clamouring of vengeance are
for no other purpose but that.
By the Lord, if Talha was a sincere and honest person he ought to have adopted any of
three courses.
If Ibne Affaan (Caliph Oosman) was tyrant as Talha had believed him to be, Talha ought to
have helped his enemies (as he actually did) but afterwards ought not to have formed a party of
his so-called friends (as he is doing now).
And if Oosman was really a good man and was being oppressed by his enemies and if
Talha was his friend then Talha ought to have gone to his help during the lifetime of Oosman
and during the days when his enemies had gathered around him with drawn-swords, but he did
not do this.
And if he had his doubts about the goodness of Oosman and if he was an honest Muslim
he ought to have retired from the field during the life and after the death of Oosman, and left the
situation in the hands of those who know the lay of the land. But he did not do this also.
In fact he did not adopt any of the three courses opened to a faithful Muslim and an honest
citizen of the country, but contrary to all canons of justice and equity he has now come forward
with a claim which can neither be justified nor proved.

KHUTBA-180

Hazrath, like Jesus Christ, informs the world that he knows the past and future of the
world, not only of the world but also of every individual human being. And the fact is that
like the Christ and our Holy Prophet (A.S.) he never used this knowledge to profit by it.
O people! O you! Who are so indifferent to your obligations and so unmindful of your du-
ties, remember that you will not be excused for such carelessness and negligence.
O you! who want to go out of the folds of religion, remember that you shall not be left
unquestioned and unpunished.
How is it that I find you drifting away and away from God and swaying towards ungodly
thoughts and deeds. You are behaving as if you are cattle whom the pastor is driving towards a
pasture or a watering place where deadly cattle diseases are raging and they cannot resist this
drive, or like such sheep who are being fattened on fresh grams and good grass to be butchered
and they do not realise that they are being so well treated so that when killed they give soft and
fat meat. Their vision is so limited that they consider the day they are passing to be the whole
span of their lives, and the sole purpose of their existence is to eat and drink.
 232
By God, if I like I can tell everyone of you how he started life and how he is going to end
it, from where he is coming and where will he go and how he is passing his days. But I do not
do this lest they wrongly consider me superior to the Holy Prophet (May the peace of God be
upon him and his descendants), but I shall tell this to such of my faithful follower about whom
I am not nervous of apostasy.
I swear by Him, Who has appointed the Holy Prophet (A.S.) as His trusty Messenger to
carry the highest truth to man, and selected him of all His creatures for this work, that I am
speaking truth. The Holy Prophet (May the peace of God be upon him and his descendants) has
bequested all this to me. I know who will be damned and who will get salvation. I know the fate
of this Caliphate and what will happen to me.
O people! I swear by God that I do not persuade you to obey any order of God unless I have
myself first obeyed it faithfully and I do not prevent you from any vice or sin unless I have first
abstained from it myself.

KHUTBA-181

In this sermon Hazrath has advised the people to take full advantage of what God has
revealed to them through the Holy Prophet (May the peace of God be upon him and his
descendants). He has explained in details what the Holy Prophet (A. S.) has preached and
what the Quran can teach them and can achieve for them in this world and hereafter. He
tells them to take an account of their thoughts and deeds, to take warnings from lives of
people who are dead, to take lessons from things happening around them and to control
their tongues. He further advises them as to the way of life they should adopt, that is, their
hands should not be stained with blood of other human beings, their tongues should be
free from scandal and they should not exploit others to amass wealth. He informs them
that hypocrisy and innovation in religion are the two worst enemies and there are three
kinds of offences which one has to account for; offence against God, against man and
against self. He ends the sermon by revealing qualities of those whom he calls blessed.
Try to be benefitted by what the Merciful God has taught you (in the language of religion),
take counsel of the advices bestowed by Him and have sincere faith in them. He has explained
the effects of vices and virtues with the help of such clear arguments that no room is left for
you to doubt them and to advance excuses to go against them. He has most expressively and
emphatically refuted every argument against piety, virtuousness and Godliness, and has told
you what He likes and what He does not, so that you do good and abstain from evil.
The Holy Prophet (A.S.) has said that “the Heaven lies in the midst of duties and
obligations which human, beings usually find disagreeable, displeasing, hard, harsh and
painful,but to reach there one has to pass through all these; and contrarily hell is found amongst
such activities which are apparently attractive, alluring, pleasing, comforting and gratifying”.
Remember that every order of God appears as painstaking, displeasing, disagreeable and
harsh and every sin allures you in the form of your ardent desire extremely attractive and highly
gratifying to mind and body.
May God bless the man who dispels from his mind base desires and avarices. Because
human mind has the weakness of developing ardent desires and it is this ardency which drives
one towards vices and sins. O creatures of God! you must be aware that every morn and night a
 233
faithful Muslim looks at his thoughts and deeds with doubts and suspicions (of adopting vice in
the grab of virtue) he blames himself for his shortcomings and forces himself to strive more and
more to think and do good.
You try to follow those good people who have passed away before you. They left this world
like one who is proceeding on a long journey. They passed through this life as if it was a stage
on their route where their halt was to be of very short duration.
Remember that the Holy Quran is such a Gospel that it will never deceive you, is such a
guide that it will never mislead you and such a commentator that it will never puzzle or beguile
you. Whoever comes in contact with it, and has sincerity of purpose in achieving this contact,
the Holy Book will not leave him without enhancing his virtues and diminishing his vices.
Know all, that if one has studied the Quran carefully he does not require any other Gospel
to guide him; and without knowing the Quran no other knowledge is complete or useful.
If you have lost healthy balance of mind through attachment to vices and sins, then seek
treatment and guidance of this Holy Book, it will cure your mind of the diseases of schism,
doubt, heathenism and cruelty. Seek its help. It will teach you to face misfortunes and calamities.
Invoke the help of God through it, go towards Him with its love in your mind. But remember, do
not make it an instrument of beggary in society, because this Gospel teaches you how to seek
help of God and not to beg of your fellow beings.
Remember that on the Day of Reckoning this Book will intercede (a man who knows it
well will have the right and chance of pleading his cause on its basis) and its intercession will
be accepted. It will be (like) a speaker whose every word is true and is accepted. On that day
those persons whose thoughts and deeds are proved virtuous and good according to its tenets
will receive salvation and those whose vices are condemned through it will be damned; it will be
declared that those who have founded their faiths and beliefs on the teachings of this Book will
have their souls saved and fates of others shall be doomed. So you be guided by the Quran, take
instructions from it and make it your leader to take you to the dominion of God.
O people! take its advice. Do not give preference to your opinion against its doctrines.
Believe me, your views are quite misleading when compared to its tenets. Do good. Have faith in
life after death. Have patience on calamities and sufferings. Be pious. Be virtuous. For everyone
of you Islam has fixed an ideal. Strive to achieve it. For all of you there is a way-mark; try to be
guided by it. Islam has its aim for each of you to aspire and to attain it. God has imposed certain
duties and obligations upon you; discharge those duties and comply with those commands. On
the Day of Judgment, I shall bear witness to your activities.
Look what has destined to be, has come to pass, and the decision of God has taken effect.
Verily, I speak to you in accordance with the promise of God and the Holy Quran.
He has declared in his Holy Quran: -
“Verily, those who say that our Lord is Allah and then continue to sincerely live according
to this faith, the angels descend upon them and say unto them, fear not and grieve not but
receive happy news of the Heaven which has been promised.”
If you also declare that your God is Allah then it is upon you to obey the tenets laid down
in the Quran, to follow the orders of the religion and to carry on Divine Worship according to
the best ways taught by Islam. Do not go astray. Do not introduce innovation and schism in
Islam. Do not try to go out of its fold. Because on the Day of Judgment deserters shall have no
share in the Mercy of God.
 234
It is obligatory upon you that you do not play the part of a hypocrite in religion and do
not degrade your character. Always speak the truth. It is necessary for a man to have complete
control over his tongue, because it often betrays him and carries him to death and damnation.
I swear by God that I never saw anybody being benefitted by virtues and piety unless he has
complete control over his tongue. Verily, the tongue of a faithful Muslim follows his mind and
the mind of a hypocrite follows his tongue. Because when a true Muslim wants to speak out he
weighs the pros and cons of his speech, if he finds it useful and worth speaking he speaks out
and if he finds that it is injurious and harmful to anybody he abstains from giving it out. And
a hypocrite speaks out whatever comes to his mind without first weighing whether such a talk
will do any good or harm.
The Holy Prophet (A.S.) has declared, “No man can attain a firm faith, unless he develops
strength of character and that cannot be achieved unless one acquires the habit of speaking
truth”. Therefore, everyone of you must try to reach his Lord in such a state that his hands are
not stained with the blood of another human being, his wealth does not consist of the looted
property of others and his tongue is free from scandal and defamation of others. You try to attain
all these attributes.
O people! remember that to a faithful Muslim all that which has received religious
sanction once will always be lawful and everything which has been prohibited once will forever
remain illegal. Remember that innovations introduced by man cannot legalise things which God
has declared as illegal. Lawful is only that which has been declared lawful by God and unlawful
is only that which He so ordered it to be. You have already been fully acquainted and. advised on
all these points, and study of the past and experience of the present must have made you realise
the harm done to humanity through the innovations introduced into Islam.
These are the obvious facts and evident truths towards which your attention has often
been drawn and which have been forcefully brought to your notice. Only a deaf cannot hear
such preachings and only a blind cannot see such manifest realities. And if a man cannot take
warnings from history and from the happenings around him so mercifully provided by God then
no advice can be of any use to him. He will ever remain at fault and will always consider right
as wrong and wrong as right.
There are two kinds of people, those who sincerely and faithfully follow the religion
(Islam) and those who introduce innovation in it, the latter have neither any authority from
the traditions revealed by God to the Holy Prophet (may the peace of God be upon him and his
descendants), nor do they care for any logic or reasoning (They allow free run to their imagina-
tion or “Qias”).
Undoubtedly the Almighty God has not given a better advice than what He has revealed
through the Holy Quran. Because this Book is the best guide to the realm where Glory of God
dwells, and it is such an authority on problems of religion that it can be trusted upon. It contains
best pleasures for a super mind. It is the greatest source of knowledge to mankind. It purifies
one’s ideas and broadens one’s vision. Alas! those who had understood it and had acted upon its
teachings have died, and mostly those who have forgotten its preachings or have deliberately
tried to make others forget them, are alive today. Now it is your duty to assist and help those
whom you find doing good and to avoid those whom you find engulfed with vices and sins.
Remember that the Holy Prophet (A.S.) has said “O son of Adam! do good, avoid vice and
wickedness, and if you act thus you will be a good man following the true path”.
 235
Remember that there are three varieties of wrong. The one which shall never be pardoned,
the one which is to be punished and the one which may be pardoned. As far the wrong which
shall never be pardoned or excused is the association of anyone with God as His co-partner. He
Himself declares this (the Quran Part V, Ch. IV: 48) “Surely Allah does not forgive if any associ-
ates Him with a co-partner or co-worker”. The wrong which will be pardoned is the one which
a person inflicts upon himself in the form of minor offences against religion. And the wrong
which will be punished is the wrong done by one man to another. It shall be severely punished
in the next world, and this punishment will be worse than the most barbarous torture that could
be imagined.
Do not be a hypocrite in religion and do not keep on changing your mind. Your attention
and concentration and your co-operation with each other and co-ordination on truth and justice,
though you may find it however unpleasant, is better for you than adopting and assuming
numerous ways to introduce innovation or falsehood in religion, though, however, agreeable
and pleasant it may appear to you. God has never bestowed His Bounties, in the past and will
not do so now on people if they deviate and strayed from truth and religion.
O people! blessed is he who feels so much for his own shortcomings that he has no heart
and no time to probe for the vices of others. Happy is the man who leads a retired life; is
contended with what he gets; spends his time in the service of God and religion; is sorry over the
sins and vices committed by him, and so spends his time that none is injured or harmed by him.

KHUTBA-182

In this speech Hazrath explains how the two arbitrators, selected at Siffin, against his
wishes, went against the terms of reference given to them and thus their decision was not
morally binding.
When you people decided (against my wish) to select two arbitrators (one from each side),
I took promise from them that they will act according to the tenets and orders of the Holy
Quran, must on no account transgress it, and their minds and their decisions should follow
the teachings of the Holy Book. But they deviated from the Quran and closed their eyes to the
truth which was staring them in their faces. They strayed from the terms of reference. They had
no desire to do justice to the cause of Islam but wanted to serve their ulterior motives. Though
in the very beginning it was made imperative upon them that they would decide according to
principles of truth and justice and would not give way to sin and wickedness. But they acted
maliciously, went astray from the Holy Book and digressed from the terms of reference. This was
reason enough for not to accept their decision.

KHUTBA-183
In praise of God and the Holy Prophet (A.S.) and advice to his companion.

He is the Lord, Whom one work cannot stop from another; in Whom time cannot work
any change; Whom space cannot surround or encompass, and Whom none can understand
and praise. He knows how many drops of water there are in the universe and how the gas
(primordial or inter-stellar gas) moves in the space. Even movements of small insects in the
depth of night and places where leaves fall off from trees (all over the world) as well as secret
intentions of minds are not hidden from Him.
 236
I testify that there is no God but Allah. He has no equal and no peer. His existence cannot
be doubted. His religion can be easily understood and cannot be contradicted. His power of cre-
ation cannot be denied. I testify all this like a man who is sincere and honest in his belief, whose
mind is free from hypocrisy, whose faith is pure and the balance of whose good actions weighs
in his favour.
I further testify that Mohammad (may the peace of God be upon him and his descendants)
is the creature and Apostle of God, a prophet chosen by Him; of all the prophets his was the
best explanation of the ordinances and laws of God; he was endowed with exemplary virtues,
immaculate character, and worthiness deserving his excellence. He was selected to carry
the great message to man, and to light the path of God amidst heathenish and materialistic
tendencies.
O people! the world deceives the man who craves to own it and foolishly trusts it. It shuns
those who love it and try to come near it. It overpowers those who wish to have control over it.
By God, if all those people who once were enjoying the best of everything lose those bounties
and blessings it is absolutely due to their adopting sinful and vicious ways of lives, because God
is neither cruel nor unjust with His creatures (sufferings mostly are reactions and effects of sins
and vices). If at the times when misfortunes befall, when bounties disappear and when blessings
give way to sorrow and sufferings (if at such times) people sincerely repent, give up their vicious
ways, sincerely and earnestly pray to God, as for His protection and pray for His Blessings, He
will forgive them and improve their conditions and restore His Blessings.
I am afraid lest you may relapse to pre-Islamic ways, you have already deviated from the
correct path once and that was not a commendable action, but if you are brought to the right
way I am sure you have capacities to follow it. I am trying my best to teach you the best of the
things that could be taught. I know all your evil intentions and may declare them but I pray to
God to forgive your thoughts and deeds (and to show you the right way).

KHUTBA-184

A man Zaghlab, an inhabitant of Yamun and a companion of Hazrath, once asked Hazrath
“O Amir-ul-Momeneen, have you ever seen God”? Hazrath said “Do I pray to Him, Whom
I have not visualised”? Zaghlab asked, “How have you seen Him my lord?” Thereupon
Hazrath replied thus: -
Eyes cannot discern Him in the way they see physical bodies, but minds can realise His
existence with the purity of their faiths and sincerity of their beliefs. He is near to everything in
the world but this nearness is not physical. He is away from everything, but this does not mean
dis-interestedness in the existence and well-being of his creatures. He orders but is not obliged
to premeditate or think before what He is ordering. He wishes but is not compelled to weigh
the matter and to deliberate over it before-hand (His Knowledge is so supreme that there never
was and will never be any necessity of deliberation or premeditation on His part). He creates
but without the help of body or form. (He has no body and no form Himself). He cannot be
seen physically but it does not mean that He cannot be visualised. He is the Supreme Lord of all
the universes but He is not an oppressive dictator. He can see everything but senses cannot be
attributed to Him. He is Kind and Merciful but soft-heartedness is not His Characteristic.
Everything in universe is humble before Him and is afraid of His Wrath.
 237
KHUTBA-185

In this sermon Hazrath has drawn a pen picture of those people who were around Hazrath
and who had hypocritically declared themselves as his followers. These were the kinds
of Muslims with whose help he had to face Moavia on one side, Kharijites on the other
and followers of Abdulla-ibne-Zubair on the third. Even in the face of such obstructions
Hazrath carried on his work so successfully that when these enemies of Islam could not
succeed directly they intrigued against him and killed him when he was busy praying in
the Mosque of Koofa, and he was killed when actually kneeling before God.
I praise God for whatever he has decided and destined about me. I also praise Him for the
trials I am passing through on your account and calamities that I have to face because of you.
You are the kind of people who disobey me when I pass an order and who refuse to attend
when I call you. If you get a respite from wars you indulge in vain boasts and self-exaltations,
and if a war begins you are the worst cowards that one can come across. If others gather round
me you pass derogatory remarks about them. If you are forcibly brought to a battle field you
simply run away. Even with all this I still pray to God to show you the right path and not to
let your enemy prosper. But let me know what are you waiting for? Why do you not try to
help yourselves and to fight for your cause? Are you waiting for death to relieve you of these
responsibilities or for extreme disgrace and humiliation to put finishing touches to the death of
your degradation?
By God! When the day of my death arrives, and it is going to arrive sometime, this
separation will be a relief to me because I hate your company and I am lonely and alone in the
midst of your crowd. May God help you.
I wonder at you. Is not Islam enough to unite you at one centre? Is there no sense of
honour left in you to defend yourself and your cause?
Is it not wonderful that Moavia has collected a number of mean, vile and barbarous
mercenaries around him and they sincerely and faithfully help him without any hope of future,
(except the loot and exploitation which they are allowed to carry on) while I invite you with all
the prospects of a happy present and bright future in this world and in the next, yet you do not
obey me and oppose me, though you are considered as the cream of Muslim society and best of
the lot? (Because I do not allow you to carry on merciless plundering and callous exploitation of
weak and undefended). You refuse to obey my orders whether they are according to your own
views or against them.
Of all the events and things that I shall have to face the one which I love most is my death.
(How happy I shall be to meet it). Remember that I have taught you the Holy Book and have
explained it to you with all logical reasoning and rational arguments. I have passed judgments
which were fully based on principles of equity and justice. I have brought to your knowledge
things which you did not know before. I made you recognise things of which you were ignorant
of. I made you realise the beauty and utility of so many things in life which were distasteful to
you and which you hated.
Would the blind could see and the man in deep sleep of ignorance and heathenism would
come out the slumber? .
How ignorant and far from the teachings of God are those people who have Moavia as
their Leader and son of Nabegha (Omer-e-Aas) as their teacher.
 238
KHUTBA-186

Cash bribes and donations of camels and slave-girls offered by Moavia worked havoc
with the army of Hazrath in the battle of Siffeen. Except a few faithful Muslims and loyal
followers the rest of the army started clamouring for acceptance of arbitration as proposed
by Moavia. Hazrath tried to reason with them and wanted them to realise that the
victory was in sight; but corruption had done its worst and they openly rebelled and he
was obliged to agree for arbitration. After the arbitration had worked in his favour, Moavia
refused to share the glory and glamour of this ungodly success with those rebels. Except
a few top ranking deserters the rest were treated poorly. And those who were so treated
by Moavia wanted to lay the blame of such an arbitration on Hazrath. Kharees-bin-Rashid
was one of those people. He was a member of the powerful clan of Bani-Naajia. He came
to Hazrath and said “You betrayed the cause of Islam and I want to part with you”. Hazrath
advised Kharees to be reasonable and to satisfy himself after discussing the situation with
Hazrath. He promised to return next day and went back to his clan which was a part of
the Army of Hazrath.
After he left, Hazrath sent somebody to bring news of that part of the army. They were
wishing to join the Kharijites, but fear of Hazrath was holding them to do so openly.
When the messenger returned Hazrath asked him “Whether those people are satisfied and
staying or have run away nervously”? He replied, “O Amir-ul-Momeneen! they were afraid
and nervous and they scampered and were running towards the camps of Kharijites”.
Thereupon Hazrath said, “May God keep His Mercy away from them as He did with people
of Samood (tribe of ancient Arabs). They will repent when armies will be brought against them.
Today Satan has insinuated them to desert the cause of Islam and tomorrow (on the Day of
Judgment) it will desert them and leave them to their fates. Their desire to leave the fold of real
Islam, to go back to the dark ways of unfaithful and to revolt against the cause of truth and
justice are enough to make them deserve the Wrath of God”.

KHUTBA-187

This sermon Hazrath has delivered about a weak before his murder; the occasion was that
he wanted to mobilise volunteers to fight against Syria. As usual Hazrath has started the
sermon with the praise of God, stressing upon his sincere desire to praise Him, he has
explained the effects which a sincerely expressed praise of the Lord would have on
human minds and human environments in this life and hereafter. He then enumerates
some attributes of God, emphasising the eternity of His Existence, His Omnipotence, His
Omnipresence, His Omniscience, His power to create everything without exertion of
body and mind (as He has no body and no mind) and without the help of any model or
any co-worker, and His Benevolence and Mercy towards His creatures. Hazrath has also
briefly described some marvels of nature, hinting at creation of galaxies, the empty spaces
in between the galaxies and in the very body of each one of them, the passage of light and
other forms of energies through these spaces; he also advises human beings to understand
and realise the importance of the mind and the intellect granted to them, and to thank the
Lord for it, and thus describing the attributes of God he says that the Person of God cannot
 239
be comprehended and that limitations of human mind will always be such that a human
being can never visualise even many of the creatures of the Lord.
Hazrath then praises the Holy Prophet (A.S.) and the Quran and speaks at some length
about mortality of man and everything which he desires to acquire, about the habit of
man to misapply, waste and despoil teachings of religion and to introduce innovations in
its doctrines to suit his ulterior motives; and how Islam was being sadly affected by those
tendencies and how true Muslims should try to protect this religions. Lastly Hazrath
speaks about the twelfth Apostle of Islam, who is to come and is to form a world state,
how he will defend himself and his State with the help of sciences taking full care not to
use them for the harm of mankind, and how he will start as a helpless person, and what
will be the condition of Islam at the time of his appearance and how his rule will bring
justice and peace to mankind.
All praise be to the Lord towards Whom is the end of everything and to whom all shall
return. We praise Him for His Supreme Kindness, for the clear and graphic explanation of the
truth (Islam) and for the continuity of His Bounties and Blessings upon man. It is the kind of
praise which will do justice to the obligations under which we exist and which will rise upto the
standard which His Mercy and Benevolence deserve. It is the praise which will bring us near to
Heavenly Rewards and which will make us deserve great Favour of the Lord.
I seek His Help like one who sincerely expects His Mercy and Kindness, hopes for His
Benevolence and Bounties, has faith in His Protection and Refuge and faithfully obeys Him in
His thoughts, words and deeds. I have true faith in Him and honest hope in His Benevolence and
a genuine belief in His Omnipotence and Omnipresence. I pray to Him with such humility and
humbleness as His Greatness and Glory demands. I heartily believe that there is no Almighty
God but He. I try my best to seek His Protection and Shelter.
He is one God. He has no father to share His Greatness and Glory and no children to
inherit His Mighty Domain if He ever could cease to exist. He was before Time and Space come
into existence. No enhancement or loss in His Power and Might has and can take place. On
the contrary, the well designed and well controlled system of nature organised by Him is so
beautifully arranged and so marvelously marshalled that its very existence gives clear and
forceful indication of His Supreme Knowledge, Power and Might. Take for example, creation
of all the various galaxies which exist without any support or prop. He ordered them to be and
they spontaneously came into existence. If they had not accepted His Lordship and if they had
not immediately obeyed His Commands He would not have granted them room in His space,
would not have made them the habitats of His angels and would not have destined them as plac-
es to exhibit His Glory and as havens of blessings towards those who sincerely and faithfully
obey Him. (In fact they would not have come into existence and it was not physically possible
for them to disobey His commands. At His order they came into being and took up the places
assigned to them).
He made the stars of the heavens clear and luminous signals and manifestations for those
who want to understand the ways and means of how the universes and intervening spaces
came into being. These very same stars dispel the darkness of the space which cannot stop their
luminosities to radiate nor can put a check on the lights of moons and planets.
Glory be to God from Whose knowledge are not hidden those parts of the space which are
cloaked in obscurity, nor the faces of planets when darkness extends over them, covering them
 240
fully, depths of valleys or peaks of high and lofty mountains; nor the roar of thunder in clouds
(this roar is a homage to His Glory); nor those things which lightning strikes and destroys; nor
even all the leaves which fall from trees and are scattered away by the wind and rain, from the
places where they have fallen. He knows whence every drop of water is coming and where it
will rest. He knows everything about the movements, dwelling and habitat of every single ant
that exists, about how much food a single mosquito needs and whence it gets it, and whether a
child in its mother’s womb is a male baby or a female one. (His knowledge is all prevailing and
cover the minute details of the existence and requirements of everyone of His creatures).
All praise be to the Lord who was even when there was no space or time, no galaxies or
universes no solar systems or earth (Planet that can bear and sustain life) and no man and no
genii. He is The Lord, Who is far above comprehension and understanding. Grant of Bounties
to those who crave for His Benevolence do not keep Him away from other works, nor such
unlimited grants can reduce His Resources. No eyes can see Him, no space can bound Him
within limits and no parallel can be suggested for Him. He does not create anything with the
help of anybody or any instruments nor He understands anything with the help of senses. In fact
no one can understand Him on the bases of attributes, faculties, properties and powers of His
creatures. He is the Lord, Who spoke unto Moses and exhibited to him one of His great Marvels
but without the aid of any part of body or any instrument.
O you! who is trying your best to understand and to describe Him just try to realise
whether it is possible for you to call up to your mind distinct mental pictures of the two angels
Gabriel and Michael or other angels who in holy and divine places are constantly busy paying
homage and praying to Him. You cannot describe them and they in their turn are unable to
define and describe The Grand Creator of Universe.
Remember that you can describe and define only such a thing which possesses body,
occupies space, is endowed with attributes, properties and faculties and whose existence will
come to an end sometime.
Remember that there is no God but Allah who can brighten every dark corner of the space
and can darken every bright spot.
O people I advise you to assume piety for the sake of All Benevolent and Merciful God,
Who taught you how to protect your body with the help of dress and coverings, and Who had
opened up for you the ways and means of having control over things of this earth.1
1 Hazrath on more than one occasion has laid great stress on the attributes of human mind to find covering for body
and to make use of natural resources. They may appear to be simple attributes but they are not. A philosophical and
scientific outlook is necessary to realise their importance, therefore Hazrath, in these two sentences have drawn
the picture of man and his supremacy and lordship over earthly things. Of all animals and plants it is the man who
possesses physically the most defenseless body; defenseless against changes of weather, against bites of insects and
reptiles, against teeth and nails of carnivore and even against thorns of roses and cacti, but it is man and man alone
who has evolved such dresses and coverings that he can live amidst polar ice, on the peaks of Himalayas, in the
desert of Sahara, in the depths of Pacific Ocean-is not a submarine, a huge, big and gigantic envelope covering and
protecting him against water pressure, marine animals and lack of oxygen and providing for him life preserving air,
and living comforts in surroundings alien to him even for breathing purposes. Similarly he subsists on the wings of
air at the heights of 60 to 100 thousand feet, is not an aeroplane, another kind of envelope protecting man against
gravitation and effects of height and speed. Has he not found ways of defending himself against the bites, and nails
of reptiles and carnivora?
Who else but man has complete control over things of this earth; animals, plants, water, air, steam,
electricity, solar energy buried in the bosom of mother earth which we name as coal, petrol, gas, and now even
over atoms? Do not these things obey his commands, provide facilities and conveniences for him, and serve him
 241
If anybody had greater possibility of immortal life and of escaping death, he was, Solomon,
the son of David. He was such a prophet that God had granted him full control over men as well
as genii (besides the normal sway that he possessed over other terrestrial things more than other
human beings). But when the span of life allotted to him came to an end he had to face death like
every other mortal. His favourite city and his mighty empire was inherited by others.
Verily, the history of man holds lessons and warnings for you. Where are the Amalekites
and their descendants? Where are the Pharoes and their courts? Where are those powerful
rulers who founded an empire in the country of Russ? They killed prophets and the apostles of
God, tried their worst to stamp out religions and held ungodly and tyrannical sway over men.
Where are they and where are the huge armies which they moved from land to land defeating
and conquering nations after nations, killing thousands upon thousands of human beings and
razing cities after cities and then erecting new ones in their stead?
Following is supposed to be part of the above sermon stating about the last Imam who
will come to rule the world, the promised defender of mankind and benevolent ruler of the
world state:-
He will protect and defend himself with resources of science and supreme knowledge. His
control over these resources will be complete; he will know how supreme they are and how care-
fully they will have to be used; his mind will be free from the desires of bringing harm and injury
to humanity. Such a knowledge to him will be like the property which was wrongly possessed
by others and for which he was waiting for the permission to repossess and to use. He, in the
beginning, will be like a poor stranger unknown and uncared for, and Islam then will be in the
hopeless and hapless plight of an exhausted camel who has laid down its head and is wagging
its tail. With such a start he will establish an empire of God in this world. He will be the final
demonstration and proof of God’s Merciful wish to acquaint man with right ways of life.
(Hazrath continued the Khutba in the following words):-
O people! I have advised and instructed you in the way in which all prophets have advised
and instructed their followers and I have handed you all that was entrusted to me just like all
those, who were entrusted with interpretations of God’s Will by prophets, have done before, I
have tried to teach you discipline in life but you paid scant attention to my teachings, then I tried
to forcefully drive you towards Islamic ways of life but you did not care to adopt them. May God
help you. Are you expecting some other guide (Imam) to teach you these Godly ways and to lead
you towards the Divine Path?
Beware you have given up the advantages of Divine Guidance, and pre-Islamic ideologies
have again taken possession of your minds.
Godly persons from amongst you have decided to leave this world, they have sold the
mortal and base pleasures of this life in return for perpetual blessing of the next. Can you point
me out the harm that came to those of our brethren who received martyrdom on the battle field
of Siffeen. They are not amongst us today. But their lot is happier than ours. Had they been alive
today they would have had to face the same disappointments, humiliations, sufferings and trials
which we are encountering.
like most obedient slaves? How came he to possess such mastery and sway? Because of his brain. Who gave him
this brain? God. Was it not His Benevolence and Mercy that granted man such brain? He could have endowed even
ants with such intellect as this and then the ants and not man would have been masters of this earth. Does not such
kindness deserve obedience in return? Does it not merit our faithful following of His Commands? That is what
Hazrath has aimed at in these two sentences.
 242
I swear by God that theirs was a happy destiny. They are in front of their Lord. They have
received heavenly rewards, and after a life of harassments, trials and dangers they are at peace
with themselves and with their heavenly surroundings. But we are sorry to lose them, we miss
them and feel the loss of their absence. Oh! where are my brethren who led a pious life and
died in the odour of sanctity? Oh! where is Ammar, the son of Yasir? Where is Ibne-Thehan?
Oh! where is Khazima, the Zul-Shahadathain? (The Prophet has ordained that his testimony
should be valued as the testimony of two pious and just persons, therefore, he was named Zul-
Shahadathain, that is, equal to two witnesses). Where are such other people who were with
me once, who had promised to live and die for Islam and who stood as the first line of defence
against the attacks of sinful transgressors?
(Nauf, the narrator of this sermon says that when Hazrath repeated the names of these
friends and followers, their memories saddened his heart, a film appeared in those eagle bright
eyes, it developed into tears and they flowed on his white beard. And in front of thousands of
people gathered there to hear him he was not ashamed to weep for them and to mourn over
their loss. The great soldier and the great orator could not continue his speech and wept like a
bereaved woman, showing how tender was his heart and how dear and loving their memory.
After a few moments Hazrath continued his sermon).
How sadly I feel the loss of those brothers of mine who read Quran and understood it, who
pondered deeply over their obligations and did their duties, who kept alive the traditions of the
Holy Prophet (A.S.) and fought stubbornly against innovations and when called upon to defend
Islam who came forward willingly having complete faith in their leader and Imam and followed
him faithfully.
(Hazrath then loudly proclaimed) Jehad, Jehad Jehad, O creatures of God! Learn and beware
that today I am mobilising an army of volunteers to defend Islam, whoever wants to achieve the
favour of God may step forward.
(Nauf says that more than forty thousand people gathered around Hazrath. He divided
them into many divisions. The first division of ten thousand soldiers was given under the
command of Imam Hussain, another division of the same strength under Quais Ibne Abbada, a
third similar unit under Abu Ayoob-e-Ansari, a companion of Holy Prophet (A.S.), and many
smaller units under other petty officers. He was thus organising a big force and had resolved to
march towards Syria once again. The response to his call was marvellous, people in thousands
were gathering under his flag when within a week of the delivery of the above sermon Hazrath
received the death-blow from the sword of Ibne Muljim while Hazrath was kneeling in prayers
in the Mosque of Koofa. This was the month of Ramazan. After his death the armies which had
gathered around him disappeared and our conditions became that of a herd of goats who had no
pastor and who are attacked by wolves on all sides).

KHUTBA-188

As usual Hazrath starts this sermon with the praise of the Lord and explains some of
His attributes. Hazrath tells us that the Lord created the Universe out of nothing, that
for everything in nature He fixed properties, values and dimensions and also a span in
time, each one of which depends upon the other for its existence, that He had not to exert
Himself for this work, that He made this earth a habitat for human beings and sent
 243
prophets to teach them correct ways of life. Hazrath then explains what the Holy Quran
is and what it intends to teach, how clear and precise are its teachings; what God has
provided for man and what He expects of him; how He will reward God-fearing and pious
people, what will be kind of place they will be granted in the Heaven and what kind
of punishment awaits the sinners. Hazrath informs us as to the real significance of God
demanding help of man and asking him for debt of honour. The whole sermon is an advice
to man to know his place in nature and to work for his salvation.
All praise be to the Lord, Who is recognised without being seen and Who has created
the universe without any exertion. He shaped and fashioned His creatures out of nothing
but merely by the use of His Power and Might. He made great men of the world realise their
unimportance and ineffectiveness before His Might and Glory and their humbleness compared
to His Benevolence and Magnificence.
He is the Lord, Who made this earth a habitat for His creatures and sent His prophets
amongst human beings and genii to reveal secrets of life unto them, to warn them of the
consequences of evil thoughts and deeds, to cite examples of such consequences, to open their
eyes to the defects of a vicious life, to warrant them of its quickly changing aspects from health
to sickness, from wealth to poverty and from greatness to humility and to tell them how God
will reward His obedient creatures and how will He punish the disobedient ones.
I praise God as sincerely and assiduously as He expects His creatures to do.
He destined for everything in nature values, dimensions or properties and for each value,
dimension and property He fixed a span of time (one is made dependent upon the other as they
cannot exist independent of each other) and each of these spans of time is predestined and fixed
(None can bring about a change in anyone of them).
A part of the above sermon where Hazrath speaks about the Quran thus: -
The Holy Quran commands you to do good and to abstain from evil. Though apparently
it is silent (being merely a book) but actually with perfect clarity, brevity and simpleness, it
explains what is has to explain. It is the final word of God to His creatures. He has taken promise
out of you to act according to its tenets and has ordained you to follow carefully its orders. He
has completed His preaching through it and has finalised the code of Islam in it. He called back
the Holy Prophet (may the peace of God be upon him and his descendants) to the Heaven only
when the Apostle of the Lord had fully explained the orders of God convened by this Book
which if followed will bring eternal peace and salvation to mankind.
You praise and eulogise God with the attributes which He hath announced and declared
Himself. Because He has not kept secret from you any phase of religion and has also taught
you how to meditate about Him and how to worship Him. He has clearly indicated the ways
which He approves and the ways which He does not. These indications are precise, explicit and
simple, telling you what to do and what not to do. There shall never be any alterations in His
Commandments and no change in the standards of His Approvals and Displeasures. Remember,
He will not be pleased with you for doing, things which He has disapproved in people gone
before you and He will not be angry and indignant with you for such of your thoughts and
deeds which He has approved in others. It is enough for you if you follow the simple and clear
ways laid down for you and say and do things that good people before you have said and done.
He has taken the responsibility of making nature take care of you and to provide for you all
which is physically and basically necessary for your well-being and wants you to be thankful
 244
for these opportunities, to make honest and just use of them and to lead a pious, honourable and
conscientious life, which He has fixed as the acme of your achievement and sole purpose of your
creation.
Fear God before Whom you will have to account for your deeds, who has complete
control over your existence and has predestined your place in nature. If you try to hide anything
from Him He will know it and has witnesses to note and testify your thoughts and deeds. These
witnesses will never note anything wrong, will not leave anything un-noted and will never bear
out false evidences.
Remember that for those who fear God, He will find ways and means to keep them out
of mischief and troubles, out of vices and impieties and out of temptations and trials. He will
guide them out of darkness unto light. _ He will bestow upon them His Bounties in this world,
and in the Heavens, He will grant them such an exalted place that it will be in the vicinity
of His Throne, will be lighted with Divine Light and will have angels, prophets and saints as
visitors and neighbours. Now be ready for this glorious world, make yourself deserving of it and
be ready to face death happily and hopefully, for death shall overtake every one of you and when
it arrives the door for repentance will be closed and opportunities for good deeds will be lost.
Remember that still you are passing through a period towards which those who passed before
you have wished to return (i.e. life), but your stay here is also ephemeral, you are also a traveller.
Be ready to depart from this abode which is not your home and where you are not going to stay
eternally. He has clearly informed you that this life is a transitory phase and that you must make
provisions for the next world before you leave it.
Remember that your tender bodies and soft skins cannot bear the fires and tortures of the
Hell. Have mercy upon yourself. You have examined yourselves under hardships and calamities
of this life, you must have realised how weak you are to face pain and anguish; a pin prick makes
you howl and mere sight of blood makes many of you faint, and contact with hot and burning
sand makes you whimper and wail. Imagine the conditions of such men when thrown into the
fire of the Hell, having Satan as their sole companion and comforter. Can you imagine how the
fire of the Hell flares up, how it destroys and how it shoots up dashing against the gates of the
Hell.
O thou! who have grown old and weak, when you were young and strong you could not
easily bear hardships of this life, how could you bear tortures of the Hell when weak and feeble.
Fear God and be afraid of the Hell when there is still time for you to think and act; when
you have health and strength, wealth and opportunities, power and position, and life and its
capacities of doing good and bad. Do good and think of your salvation. Do not overfeed yourself
and do not dissipate your lives in injurious activities and wasteful sleep. Work and work hard.
Spend your wealth upon poor and needy, make your body bear hardships to improve your
mind. Help God (cause of God and creatures of God) and He will come to your help. In his Holy
Book (Part XXV, Ch. XI: 7) He says, “God will help those who help Him and will make them
persevering and firm in His path, and also whoever advances a debt of honour to God (help the
poor and have-nots) will not only be paid twice over but will also be nobly and handsomely
rewarded by him”.
Remember that He is not seeking your help because He is weak and in dire need of
succour; and He is not asking loans of you because He is poor and needy. Do you realise why
He has asked help of you though universe and galaxies are at His Bid and Command, He has
 245
created them, can destroy them and can recreate them over and over again, His is the Might
and Power. Why He solicits debt from you though He Himself has created all that which you
consider as your wealth, though prosperity, abundance and fortunes are His to order and direct;
yet He seeks your help and your wealth because He wants to test you and reward or punish you
according to your capacity to obey him and to serve humanity or your arrogance to disobey His
orders.
Now proceed towards His realm with abundance of good deeds to your credit; try to reach
the abode where your neighbours will be His glory, His prophets, His angels and His saints. They
have never suffered the tortures of the Hell. He has said “He bestows it to whom He pleases, and
Allah Is the Lord of Abundance, Bounties and Glory” (The Holy Quran part XXVII, Ch. L. VII:
21).
I have done my duty. I have told you what you ought to be told. It is now up to you to act
according to my advice or to pay no heed to my sermon. God is enough to come to our help, He
is quite sufficient for us and He is the best to direct our destinies.

KHUTBA-189

Burj Ibne Musha’ar-E-Taai was a Kharijite and a poet. Kharijites had evolved a slogan
against Hazrath “There is no order and no decision but that of God”. Burj was in the habit
of loudly repeating this slogan, especially when Hazrath was in the vicinity. Once when
he was repeating this slogan Hazrath heard him and said: -
Be quite O thou with filthy mouth and broken teeth. May God not forgive you. When truth
and justice were in power you were in a humble and disgraceful state and when inequity and sin
started their reign you began assuming power and suddenly appeared like the horns of a goat.

KHUTBA-190

Hazrath in this sermon has praised the Lord, saying that He is Eternal and Peerless; the
very creation of universes, the change in the conditions of matter and dissipation of ener-
gy prove that He is the creator and nothing in the universe is eternal but His being. Haz-
rath draws attention of man towards marvels of creation citing two examples from insect
life, that of an ant and a locust. Then he wonders at those who having seen the wonders of
universe refuse to study them and to accept the Grand Creator.
Praise be to the Lord, Whom eyes cannot envisage, senses cannot comprehend, and space
cannot enclose, and Whose Glory and Might nothing in nature can screen or hide. Coming
into existence of the universes and the very age of universe is the clear proof and evidence
of His pre-existence and eternity (Modern sciences have arrived at an approximate age of
universe, that is, to say, matter, energy, space and time. This may not be quite correct and further
development of sciences may increase or decrease these periods, and may even conclude that
universes along with space and time have a pulsating existence, cycle between chaos and
cosmos. But there must be and there is a beginning somewhere. The very existence of the
universe proves that the process started sometime. Hazrath calls this “Hudoos” that is beginning
of creation and argue that this beginning proves that He is beyond time and therefore Eternal,
nobody created Him and therefore nobody could exist before Him). The decay and destruction
 246
in nature proves that He will exist forever (The cycle of energy and matter and of the chaos and
cosmos, the pulsation of galaxies into primordial gas and of this gas back into galaxies logically
and mathematically prove that everything must sometime come to an end as it has started some
time and as He has no beginning so He has no end). Similarity in properties, attributes and
characteristics of things created is an evidence that there can be no similarity between Him and
His creatures and that He hath no equal and no peer. He is true and faithful unto His promises
and He is above oppression and tyranny. There is no error of commission or omission in His
Rule, neither excess or superfluity, nor deficiency or dearth (He has destined and ordained the
nature in such a way that it provides for things existing whatever they require for their existence
and only so much as they require).
The very existence of things is an evidence that He is Creator and that He existed before
them. The inability of all forms of creation to exist by themselves and to provide for themselves
(without any outside help is a proof of His Omnipotence and Omnicompetence. The constant
change in the conditions of the matter and persistent dissipation of energy reveals to reason His
attribute of Eternity).
All these facts prove that He is one but His unity is not a mathematical quality, that He
is Eternal, having no beginning and no end, that His Being and Existence is not in need of
any support or help from His creatures, that minds accept His Existence but not with the help
of sight and senses; that His creatures bear witness to His being without coming in contact
with Him and that imagination and comprehension cannot surround Him but can realise His
Omnific Existence. He is Great but not because of dimension, that is His Greatness is not a bodily
greatness; He is great because of His Might, Glory and His Sway.
I testify that Muhammad is His creature. His chosen Apostle. His selected Prophet and
trusted servant, (may the peace of God be upon him and his descendants.) He sent this chosen
Apostle amongst us to show us the right path and he was accompanied with irrefutable proofs,
undeniable successes and clear orders. This Prophet conveyed His message to us guiding us to
differentiate between right and wrong, between truth and falsehood, between vice and virtue
and between piety and sinfulness. He showed us the true way to salvation, illuminated the path
of religion fixing minarets of light all along the way and strengthening the bonds of Islam and
ties of faith.
(Following is a part of the above sermon. discussing beauties of creation in various forms
of life.)
If people could only study carefully the beauty and grandness of the art of creation and
blessing hidden in various forms of life, they will be struck with the grandeur, will sincerely
accept His Greatness, will follow the path laid out by Him, will try to achieve His Blessing and
will be afraid of His Wrath. But it is a great misfortune of man that he has a diseased mentality
and morbid vision. Why is he like that? Can he not see those small creatures which abound
around him? Can he not realise how God has made these beings so small and yet so sturdy and
strong? How small, delicate and helpless they look, but how strongly their limbs are constructed
and sturdily they are connected with each other. They are provided with eyes, ears, bones and
skin as any big animal.
Look at an ant. How tiny is its body and how delicate are its features. It is such a small
creature that it often escapes a cursory glance, and few people care to attach any importance
to it among the living beings found on this earth. Look at it and study its ways of life; how it
 247
crawls; how it attacks its food; how it lifts a gram, so many times heavier than its body, carries
it to its hole; how it stores grains; and how in summer it gathers and stocks food for winter and
rainy days. The Lord has ordained that nature provides for it the food that it physically requires.
The Merciful God hath not forsaken even such a small creature and nature caters for it and looks
after it even if it has a habitat in dry and stony places. If you carefully study its alimentary canal,
the places where food enters and refuse leaves its body, the cartilages of its ribs which protects
its respiratory and circulatory systems and its stomach, its head with its pin point eyes and its
organs of hearing and their connection with brain and body, you will be struck at the marvels of
creation in this small body and you will not find it easy to describe and explain them.
Great and glorious is the Lord Who has created it, made it stand on it legs and made the
microscopic organs of its body function in perfectly normal ways harmonising with each other.
None was His partner in this work and none helped Him to bring about the creation.
If you seriously and diligently inspect and examine nature you will realise that the One
Who has created an ant has also created a date palm. He is the sole Creator of the animal as well
as plant life. The details of living organisms are wonderfully small and delicate and amazingly
intricate; and the differences in the organs of various forms of life are minute but precise.
Creation of microscopic forms of life as well as huge and leviathan beings, the weak and the
strong, and the delicate and the sturdy, makes no difference to Him; to His Power and Might
one form of creation is as easy as the other. Similar is the case of creation of water, the air, the
atmosphere and the sky. Look at the sun, the moon, the green vegetation, mighty trees, the
stones and the rocks, the nights and days following each other, the flowing rivers, ranges of
mountains and their lofty peaks and differences of nationalities and languages in man, they all
are so many sources of benefits and blessings to humanity.
It is a pity that man refuses to accept the existence of this Grand Architect of universe
and this Mighty Creator of nature. It is a pity that he either believes his own existence to be an
accident, or that he has come into being of his own accord and none has created him. He thinks
that, he is like a plant whom nobody has grown and none had shaped, a life without plan and
purpose. But he offers no rational and objective proof of this. Can there be a building without a
builder; can there be an effect without cause.
There is another example near you to study the details of its creation. Look at a locust.
Can you not marvel about the symmetry of its body, its two red eyes twinkling like two stars,
and its two delicate and hidden organs of hearing, the senses to suit its way of life, its mouth so
appropriate to its ways of nourishment, its sharp jaws are so useful to eat grass and leaves
and its artistically delicate but fairly strong legs are powerful enough to support its body on
the blades of grass and leaves of trees. Farmers are afraid of it, but they cannot prevent it from
bringing devastation and destruction to their fields. How big and strong they are and how small
a locust is when compared to them, but these farmers even when gathered in numbers cannot
drive the locust away from their fields. It settles down on their field and gardens and fills its full.
It is no bigger than the small finger of a farmer, but is a big problem for him.
Glorious and Exalted is the Lord before Whom everything in nature is to bow down
willingly or unwillingly; is to remain humble and meek and is to yield his very existence to Him
and to His Order. Birds of air (which appear to us so free to move about) are in its complete
control, He knows how many feathers each one of them has and how many breaths each
will draw in its lifetime. Some of them He has destined to land and some He has ordained as
 248
water birds. He has fixed for them their ways of life and knows their varieties, species and
genera. There is the crow, the hawk, the pigeon and the ostrich, each species is created with its
peculiarities and with its habitats and ways of feeding.
What about those thick clouds so heavily laden with rain, each land is allotted its share
of them. They turn dry lands into green fields and dead land into smiling verdures and pleasing
gardens.

KHUTBA-191

In this sermon Hazrath has at some length discussed the attributes of God, warning us not
to ascribe our qualities and attributes to God and thus not to create our glorified image
as a personal deity. While describing Divine attributes he has hinted at the limitations of
human mind, science and nature, at the theory of Inertia, at the total annihilation of the
universe and at its recreation.
Whoever ascribes qualities and qualifications to God cannot actually believe in His Unity
(He is so sublime and so transcendent that mind cannot form any idea of His real attributes
and suggests his own good qualities in Him. Hazrath says that this is wrong attitude and in this
way man creates his own exalted image and calls it his god and thus a pantheon of gods comes
into being instead of One God). Whoever tries to find among created things an example or an
analogy for His attributes will never understand the reality of His Existence. Whoever attempts
to compare Him with any of His creatures will fail to visualize His Greatness, His Omnipotence
and His Omnipresence.
A being which can be understood on account of its peculiarities, attributes, and limitations
is a created being, and one which cannot exist by itself but requires from others some kind of
support or help for its existence cannot be a God and could not have come into existence of its
own accord.
To perform an action or a deed He does not require help of any bodily organs (like hands,
feet, mind, eyes, ears etc.) or any kind of instruments. He has predestined and pre-ordained
every phase and every aspect of nature but was not obliged to the assistance of mental faculties.
He is wealthy and rich but not with help of things created by Him. He is beyond the reach of the
time and space and too mighty to require any help from His creatures.
Creation of mind and mental capacities for His creatures proves that they cannot exist
without His kindness and Grace and He is above the need of their help or advice. Creation of
opposing faculties and properties in nature proves that none can be brought in opposition to
Him. Dependence of one aspect of nature upon another is an evidence to the fact that He is not
dependent upon and in need of help or support from His creatures. He is the Lord, Who created
contrast between light and darkness, land and sea, solids and liquids and between heat and cold.
Who gathered and collected together opposite and contradictory forces; and made antithetical
faculties supplement each other; Who compelled antipodal capacities to act complementary to
each other, and forced separated or divorced properties and objects to act as supplement to one
another (which proves His complete control over everything in nature of making and unmaking,
creating and destroying, uniting and severing and gathering and dispersing things, energies,
properties and capacities as and when He so wishes). He is the creator of all and free to mould
nature as He likes. Space cannot confine Him and His Might cannot be brought within the scope
of mathematical calculation.
 249
Properties (physical or chemical), capacities and qualities are attributes of things having
bodies. The time of its creation (whatever it may be and however long in the past it may have
extended) show that neither the universe nor anything in it is eternal. The very dependence of
one thing in nature upon other for its existence shows that none can exist free of His support or
help and destiny or decree. In spite of this dependence minds only can conceive His Greatness
and Glory, but eyes can and will never see Him.
Neither movement and motion nor rest and repose have access to His Supreme Being. He
created movement and imparted it to things and introduced it into nature as a sign of everything
being dependent for it on some force outside itself (nothing in universe can come into motion
of its own accord unless some outside agency imparts movement to it and when once moved
nothing will come to rest unless some force outside this body puts a break to this motion,
similarly nothing in universe will change its direction and speed of motion unless a foreign
factor compels it. This is the law of Inertia, which science says, was first made known to man
by Newton; but twelve hundred years prior to Newton, Hazrath has explained this very theory
while discussing attributes of God). Along with ‘motion’ He impelled rest and stillness wherever
necessary. How could attributes and limitations, which He imparted to things created by Him,
could act upon Him? How could qualities which He originated in others could be traced in Him?
If such a thing was possible then His Being will be subjected to change (in place and condition).
If a change of condition or place in His Being is accepted then analysis of His Person has also to
be accepted, and this will eventually lead us astray from our faith in Him, in His Eternity in His
Omnipotence and Omnipresence.
If you accept any being before Him you will be logically bound to admit that something
will remain into existence even after Him. If you presume that He needs something then you will
be obliged to presume that the “something” could only be provided from an outside agency. Thus
attribute and limitations of created beings will have to be accepted in the supreme Creator and
He will have to be lowered (in our minds) to the level of His creatures. Therefore, it is not a sane
and rational action to suggest in His Being qualifications and qualities of His creatures, because
however high or sublime they may be they suffer from limitations, which is the logical result of
their being part of nature, and He cannot be affected with any kind of limitations.
It must therefore be remembered that He is above all the attributes of His creatures; that
things which affect, influence and actuate the mortal universe and all that it contains will not
and cannot affect Him; that no change can take place in Him and no lessening, diminishing
dwindling, decay and dissipation of His Might and Glory is possible, that He is not begotten
from anyone nor He begets anybody, that He is for transcendent to possess any kith and kin or
to have any sex appeal.
He is inaccessible to the highest intellect which never form even a correct idea of His
Might and Glory. He is incomparable to anything. Minds cannot find a similarity or analogy to
visualise His Person. Senses cannot reach Him and He cannot be felt or touched by hand. He
neither changes nor passes from one condition to another. Aeons of periods cannot age Him.
Light and darkness cannot bring about any variation in. His Power. He has no body and no form.
Nothing in universe can rise His Power’ or Prestige and nothing can lower it. None can guide
or direct Him, or can influence His policy and programme. Nothing can enclose or overlap Him
and He does not cover anything. He is the Creator of all and is not influenced by His creatures.
His Omnipresence rests in complete control over everything in the universe.
 250
He talks though He has no tongue and no mouth. He hears though He has no ears. He
sees though He has no eyes. He remembers everything without the aid of mind and memory.
His commands are not carried through words of any language. He thinks and wishes without
the medium of mind or heart. His Mercy or Benevolence.is not due to softening of heart and
His Wrath is not on account of prejudice, malice or enmity. When He wishes to create a thing
(matter, energy. condition or state) He just orders it to be and it comes into existence; but this
order is not conveyed in words which a tongue could formulate or which sound carries to ears.
The saying of God is His Wil1 obeyed into action by any or every of His creatures which exist or
which come into existence due to His Command. His Commands are Immutable but they are not
Eternal; the only Eternal Existence is His Being and nothing else. If His words are considered as
Eternal, they would in themselves be another God.
It is wrong to think that He came into existence (which means once He was not and
then He came into Being). If you thus imagine Him to be, then understand once again that you
introduce in Him all the limitations of an ephemeral and mortal creature and the Creator is
brought down by you to the level of beings created by Him. Remember that He is Absolute
and Infinite, a Being without limitations, attributes or qualities of His creatures. He created
everything without the help of any model, pattern, sample or specimen of things created by
some other god, neither He was helped in the act of creation by anyone of His creatures.
He created the earth without exerting over the creation or without being busy with the
work. He suspended it in the space without any suspensions and supports. He made it safe from
breaking into pieces and from bursting into fragments. He created mountains upon it to act as
pegs (to act against the drift of floating continents). He made streams flow and opened up valleys
and basins for rivers.
Creation of universes did not tire Him, and strengthening of His creatures did not
weaken Him. On account of His Power He rules over the universes and on account of His
Supreme Knowledge He knows all the secrets of nature. Because of His Might, His Domain
prevails over every place and everything. Nothing can remain out of His Control or refuse to
accept His Orders. Nobody can pass beyond the bounds of His Authority and Jurisdiction. He
does not need any richer or mightier being to support or maintain Him. Everything in nature
is submissive and obedient to His Commands. None in the universe can dare think of running
away beyond the limits of His Domain. Nothing can dispense with His Bounties or can be
indifferent to His Authority. He has no peer and no equal.
He can destroy things created by Him in such a way that they will cease to exist and
disappear into nothingness. To annihilate the total universe, after having once created it, is
not more wonderful and difficult for Him than the original creation out of nothing. If all the
creatures, animate and inanimate, join their forces to create a mosquito they shall not succeed
to do so, they will not even know how to do it. They will be confused over the problem and will
confess their helplessness. Similar will be their helplessness if they want to exterminate a thing
out of the universe. (Only those who have fully understood the latest theory of antiphysics can
grasp the meaning hidden in these sentences).
Verily, after bringing the universe to an end He will exist alone as He existed before He
created all of this. Again there will be no time and no space; years, days and hours will disappear,
so the earths, suns, moons (and galaxies). All shall vanish into nothingness, only He the Mighty
Lord of creation and destruction, the Grand Architect and the Supreme Annihilator shall remain.
 251
It was beyond the power of the universe to come into existence of its own accord and it shall be
beyond its power to prevent its own decay and destruction. If it had power to remain immortal
then each one of His creatures would have achieved immortality.
When He wished to create a thing He never felt any difficulty in doing so nor the work
left Him exhausted.
He did not create the universe to make His Domain strong, or to stop the decline of
His Glory and Might, or to get help and support against a powerful enemy, or to extend the
boundaries of His Kingdom, or to satisfy His vanity or to do away His loneliness. He will not
annihilate it because He got tired of looking after if or maintaining it, or He was worried with its
constant demands on His Resources, or He wanted rest, relaxation and leisure, or it was a burden
on His mind or its long age was worrying or annoying him. But the creation of the universe was
an act of Grace on His part; it was created on account of His Grace, maintained by His Power and
was retained for aeons through His Might. After annihilating it He may recreate it, not because
He will be in need of its existence, help or company, neither to increase His knowledge with
experiments and trials nor to increase His Wealth and Power, nor to convert His humbleness
into Glory. Like the original creation the annihilation and the recreation will be acts of Grace.

KHUTBA-192

In this sermon Hazrath has given Muslims an idea of conditions through which a
society has often to pass and how a pious man should behave under such provocating
circumstances.
Oh! how I love, respect and venerate those persons who are better known and respected in
the Heaven than on the earth.
Remember that constant disappointments may be your lot in life, Society may be
disorganised. Your connections may be broken and disrupted. Those amongst you who are at
a low mental and moral level- fools and knaves- may come into power. Those will be the days
when a faithful Muslim will find it easier to get himself harmed and injured than to earn an
honest penny. When men will amass wealth with dishonest means and will give in charity to
earn fame and popularity, their philanthropic actions will be void of sincerity and the desire to
serve humanity, and they will not be rewarded in Heaven for these (apparent) good deeds. When
virtuous and scrupulous people will be forced to seek aid and to beg and their mediacy will
deserve a heavenly reward as they will have to choose between dishonest earnings and mediacy,
and will be obliged to select the humbler way of life, in which they will not be compelled to harm
other human beings. Those will be days when you will be intoxicated, not with wine but, with
wealth and luxury; when you will call God to witness, untruthfully and unnecessarily just to
gain paltry profits; and you will do it without being forced to it; then misfortunes will severely
prosecute and oppress you. Oh! how long will be the period of these trials for you and how
difficult you will find to come out of them.
O people! give up false hopes and do not give way to sinful desires which are driving you
towards vicious ways of life. Do not desert your Imam otherwise you will sadly repent for it. Do
not blindly jump into the whirl pool of sin and vice created by the society, avoid its ways and
give it a wide berth. I swear by myself that this is such a fire that it will burn up a faithful Muslim
but heathens and unbelievers will find themselves safe in it, they may even thrive.
 252
I am amongst you like a lamp in the darkness. Those who so desire may get the benefit of
this Divine Light. O people! listen and remember my advice. Carefully pay attention to what I
say, so that you may fully understand.

KHUTBA-193

In this sermon Hazrath has advised Muslims to fear God and has counselled them to look
around themselves and to realise how kind, benevolent and merciful He has been to us and
how often He forgave our shortcomings and sins. Hazrath warns us not to forget death,
the ultimate end of life.
O people! I advise you to be afraid of God, and to be thankful to Him for the Bounties
conferred upon you, Blessing bestowed upon you, Favours shown to you as well as for the trials
through which He has made you pass.
Do you realise how He has been Kind to you, how He has reserved Favour for you and how
He has showered His Blessings upon you (upon human beings). You have been living in sin, but
He hid your secrets, concealed your blemishes, and drew a curtain over your vices. Your deeds
richly deserved punishment but He did not punish you immediately and gave you time to repent
and to try to undo the evil you have done.
I advise you to remember death and be less forgetful of it. I do not know why you forget
and are so careless about a thing which does not overlook or forget you when your turn comes.
Why do you expect laxity and negligence from a thing (death) which is going to be very prompt
and expeditious? Is it not enough for you to see people dying around you? Are not those people,
whom you see, hear and talk with, carried to· their graves right before your eyes. They could not
be helped being carried thus, they were lowered in their graves and they could not be helped
being thus lowered. They did not go there of their free will and did not enter the graves of their
own accord. They so disappeared from this earth as if they had never been born and as if their
graves were their permanent habitats. They were forced to desert the place which they had made
their native country and were obliged to settle down at an abode which they so dreaded and
feared. How carefully they planned and provided for a place which they had to leave and how
careless and unconcerned they were of the place which they had to occupy.
When death once closed their eyes there was neither a possibility for them to repent for
their sins nor a chance to do good. They were mad after this vicious world which cheated them
and deserted them. They relied upon it and it forsook them.
May God have mercy upon you. You be quick in providing for the place where you are
ordered to settle down, towards which you are invited and which you were persuaded to like
and prefer.
Make the best use of His Favours and Blessings by obeying Him sincerely and faithfully.
Because tomorrow is not far off from today. So far as your span of life is concerned do you not
realise how fast hours pass away in a day, how quickly days move in a month and how speedily
months merge in a year and how simply years fly?
 253
KHUTBA-194

This apparently is not the whole sermon. Some passages are lost, therefore, the four
paragraphs appear disconnected. In this sermon Hazrath has hinted about the kinds of
minds so far as faith is concerned, and also about the principle of Hijrat. In this sermon he
has drawn our attention towards his omniscience (infinite knowledge).
There are two kinds of faiths. One is the kind where a man has come to a conclusion and
sincerely and firmly believes in it; this an undamageable faith. The other variety is of wavering
and vacillating nature, where no faith or conviction gets a firm hold of a mind. Therefore if you
are annoyed and disgusted with a person because of the evil you find in him, do not come to
immediate conclusions. But wait and see. He may improve. If he continues to carry on an evil
life to his last day then of course he deserves your abhorrence and hatred.
Migration from one’s home and country in the cause of God is as obligatory now as it was
during the days of the Holy Prophet (may the peace of God be upon him and his descendants).
So far as the Lord Almighty is concerned it does not make much difference if one accepts His
religion (Islam) openly or secretly. Unless a person recognises the true Imam and follows him,
the credit and the Heavenly reward of Hijrat (migration in the cause of God) is lost to him.
One who recognises the true Imam and accepts and follows him and migrates as per Imam’s
instructions will merit Blessings of God. To whom the Message of God (through the true Imam)
has reached, there is no excuse for not following the orders about migration.
Verily, the true faith in us (Ahlaybaith-E-Rasool i.e. progeny of the Holy Prophet A.S.)
is not easy for an ordinary mind and circumstances have rendered it more arduous and
exciting, only those persons could fully believe in us who have been tested and tried by God. Our
philosophy and our preaching could only be understood by superior minds and sincere hearts.
O people! ask me what you will, before you lose me (before I die) for verily, I know as
much and even more about the universe, the galaxies and their evolutions and the Heaven and
its blessing than about this earth. Ask me when there is still peace and before the rebellion and
disorder overwhelms you and schism and here say totally darkens your mind. It will be terrible
disorder. It will completely upset the society and will make people lose their sanity.

KHUTBA-195

In this sermon after praising God and the Holy Prophet (A.S.) Hazrath advises man to
adopt piety as the principle of his life. He teaches human beings how to be prepared for
death, and informs them as to the stages through which one has to pass between death and
the Day of Resurrection and also qualifications to deserve the Heaven and shortcomings
which will take one to the Hell.
I praise the Lord and thank Him for His Blessings and Bounties upon me. I seek His help
to perform the duties imposed by Him. He is the Lord of Powerful Armies and Supreme Might.
I testify that Muhammad (may the peace of God by upon him and his descendants) is
His trusted servant and chosen Apostle, he invited people to obey God, he fought against and
defeated the enemies of the Lord, and when people united against him to defy and falsify him
and to put obstructions in the way of Islam, he, in spite of their powerful opposition, carried on
his missionary work successfully.
 254
It is incumbent upon you to be pious for piety is the most noble and exalted way of life and
the strongest tie between man and God. Do your duty towards man and towards your Creator
before death or extreme sickness makes it impossible for you to do so. Be prepared to face death
with the help of your good deeds. Be ready to depart before the order reaches you. Remember
that the ultimate goal for every human being is the Day of Resurrection, and knowledge of this
fact is a lesson for a wise person and a warning for an unwise one.
Do you know what everyone of us will have to pass through between the day of death and
the Day of Resurrection. There is the dark and narrow grave; the sufferings of the Burzakh (the
place of temporary sufferings and expiation); the total disconnection of those whom we love and
who love us; and the helplessness of our condition.
Fear God, O creatures of God! Verily, the world is not going to change its attitude for you.
It will treat you as it has treated those who passed away before you. Remember you and your
Day of Judgment are strongly bound together. None can escape that day. Every one of you shall
have to face it. It has made itself evident and it has given incontestable and unmistakable proof
of its effects and its approach in everyone’s life. You are on your way to this goal. It is hovering
over your head. It cannot ever be too late for you to realise that ‘Life’ has actually relinquished
its possession over you and has surrendered you to the power and influence of ‘death’. Imagine
the life that you have lived to be a day at the most a month that has passed never to come back.
Its novelties have become stale and worse for age; its richness has disappeared; it is handing
you over to a narrow and dark grave. A grave is such a place that it may lead you (if your faith
and deeds deserve such treatment) to the Hell which is unimaginably hot. Though Hell is so
hot that its heat cannot be imagined, though the fires there are roaring hungrily yet the place
is totally dark and dreadful. There the blazing fire is so fierce and so powerful that it cannot be
extinguished, its depth cannot be measured, innumerable whirl-pools and eddies are forming in
it and are making the place extremely and terribly dreadful and horrible.
The very same grave may lead certain persons to the Heaven. There they will be shielded
and protected from the Hell and its tortures. They will enjoy the pleasures of the Heaven. They
will be pleased and thankful for the place allotted to them. Who will they be? They will be pious
persons. Persons who have led a blameless life. They were honest and sympathetic. Fear of
God was always in their minds, conditions of poor have always kept them sad and depressed.
They had turned their nights into days and had kept awake praying and deliberating about the
duties laid upon them by God. They had converted their days into nights by shunning the society
of vicious and sinful people, by avoiding rich and worldly persons and by moving among the
dark and mean dwellings of the poor trying to find the ways and means to help them. God has
rewarded them for their good deeds. He has awarded them with His Blessings in the Heaven, a
place of lasting Bliss under His Eternal Domain.
Therefore, O people! do such deeds as will be of help and benefit to you in the next world
and avoid such as will be injurious to you there. Take account of your life, revise your views,
improve your mental outlook, rectify your deeds, amend your ways and do all this before death
catches you unaware. Imagine that death is staring you in the face, and after this very moment
no time will be left for you to repent, to reform or to undo the evil that you have done in life.
May God keep us on the path of the Holy Prophet (A.S.) and give us courage to follow him
faithfully and sincerely. May God have mercy on us, May He forgive us and pardon us.
Remain where you are (Kufa). Bear the sufferings boldly and patiently. Do not get excited
 255
and do not give tongue to your feelings, and do not let these feelings rouse you to bloodshed
and war.
Verily, death in a battle field in the cause of God is martyrdom, but for a man who truly and
sincerely believes in God and has faith in the Holy Prophet (A.S.) and his Ahle Baith (Progeny) a
death in his house and in his bed is also martyrdom. He will receive the reward of a martyr. He
will deserve it. His sincere desire to serve the cause of Islam or die serving the cause is as good
as the deed itself. Remember that God has fixed a time for everything (and the time for you to
take up your swords has not yet come).

KHUTBA-196

In most of his sermons Hazrath has advised people to adopt piety as the basic principle
of life and not to attach undue importance to worldly pleasure. This sermon is a typical
specimen of this theme. Starting as usual with the praise of God, he has explained His
Might and Power, His justice and Mercy and His Consideration and Kindness towards His
creatures. Hazrath then discusses about His plan and purpose in originating the creation.
After praising God he has spoken about the Holy Prophet (may the peace of God be upon
him and descendants) explaining how and at what opportune moment this Apostle of God
has benefited mankind with his teachings.
Then advising mankind to adopt piety as the basic principle of life, he says that piety is a
duty laid down upon man. He counsels man to seek the help of God to lead a pious life,
and to seek the help of piety to gain His Favours. He says that piety was advised to every
nation by various prophets; that man will fully realise its benefits when he will be called
upon to account for the use of power, wealth and position granted to him. It is the best
shield against vices and sins and will help him to develop a noble character. He further
advises people not to underrate pious persons and not to be overawed with worldly wealth,
prosperity, power and position.
Speaking about this world and everything connected with it, he advises men not to be
lured by its glitters, because, “here everything which glitters is not gold”, the praises of-
fered here are misleading and insincere, and its wealth and power are subject to quick
decay. This world is a faithless lair and will always suddenly desert those whom it has
succeeded to allure. It is a place where war, bloodshed, devastation and annihilation will
always rule. Piety and piety alone will keep you out of its harmful and deadly clutches.
All praises be to the Lord to Whom everything in nature offers its praise, Whose Might
prevails upon everything and controls every aspects of nature and Whose Glory predominates
everywhere. I praise Him for His Constant Blessings and Great Favours. He is so Forgiving
and Merciful that He overlooks many of our shortcomings and pardons many of our sins. His
Decisions and Ordinances are based on equity and justice. He knows what has passed and
what is going to pass. He gave origin to the universe (an invention and an origination) and
made it works according to His Desire. The plan and programme for all of it came out of His
Supreme Knowledge. He neither followed anybody’s advice or design nor was necessitated to
learn anything from anyone. Neither had He models of any architect before Him, nor He once
wavered in His plans, nor He committed any mistake.
I testify that Mohammed (may the peace of God be upon him and his descendants) is His
 256
chosen Apostle and the selected servant. Who was sent amongst the human beings when they
were confused and confounded, were grouping in the darkness of ignorance, were being dragged
towards damnation and were prejudiced against truth and justice.
O creatures of God! I advise you to adopt piety as the basic principle of your lives.
Remember that piety is a duty made incumbent upon you by God, it is also your claim upon His
Benevolence, Favours and Blessings. You seek His help to assume piety in life and seek its help
to gain His Blessing. Because ‘Piety’ will act as your shield and defence and in after-life as your
guide to Heaven. Its ways are clear and simple. Those of you who espouse it will be benefitted
by it. And The One who has imposed it upon you will guard it and will guard you.
‘Piety’ was advised to nations before you and to individuals who were leading vicious
lives. They and you will know its value and its utility when God will recall you, when He will
take back from you all that He has granted and ask you to submit an account of how you have
used the power, privilege, position and wealth granted and blessing bestowed upon you. You will
then find that there will not be many who have done their duty to man and God, they will be
very few and they will truly deserve the praise which He has conferred upon them in the Holy
Quran “And very few of my creatures are thankful” (for all that was granted to them) Part XXII,
Chapter XXXIV-13.
So friends! lend your ears to the call of piety, try your best to remain pious, make it
compensate for your past shortcomings and let it act as your defenses against encroachment
of sinful ideas and vicious persons. Allow it to bring you out of your morbid ignorance of true
ways of Islam.
Pass your days as a pious person. Make it a habit of your life. Wipe out your sins with its
help. Yield to its cures for your moral ailments. Afford it occasions to provide for you His Grace
and Blessings. Take a lesson from the lives of those who have disowned and disregarded it and
let not your life be a lesson and warning to those who want to understand how impious persons
have fared in this world. Protect it against wild cravings of vicious desires and let it protect you
against failings, frailties and faults. Keep aloof from vices and sins prevailing in this world, and
love the next world. Do not consider him humble and do not underrate the man whom piety
has exalted, and do not be overawed and do not overrate the power and might of persons whom
world considers great.
Do not let the glitter of this world make you blind to its realities, do not pay attention to
its (false) praises, and do not be attracted by its charms. Do not respond to its call. Do not believe
that its temporary glare will light your way to success. Do not covet its luxuries and pleasures,
because everything connected with this world is false and delusive.
This world is such that all that glitters here is not gold. Its praises are misleading and its
wealth and power is subject to quick decay and destruction. Remember that it is a faithless
seducer who will turn away from you as soon as it has captured you. It is like a companion
who is of a low origin, a liar, an obstinate, ungrateful, dishonest, unreliable and back-biting
betrayer. Its every movement is fraught with woe, danger and destruction. Honours bestowed
by it carry shame and disgrace with them. Heights which it present are actually abyss of moral
degradations. It is a house of bloodshed, war, subservience and annihilation. Those who live in it
are staying there temporarily awaiting day and night for orders to depart which none can refuse,
their time is passed in making new relations and friends and in parting (mostly due to death)
with old ones.
 257
Ways of this world are dubious, confusing and misleading and its planning has always
been a failure. Once engulfed by its trials and disasters there are very few who can come safely
out of them. Even those who consider themselves safe and secure within its defences are
deserted by it, very often their nearest relations disown them, and their worldly wisdom and
sagacity proves harmful and injurious. Those who are intensely interested in it find themselves
sadly mutilated and crippled. If you study them carefully you will find them like a body which
has its every bone broken, every limb cut off, skin peeled off, and which has been bled to its last
drop of blood.
They will be usually lamenting over their failures, wringing their hands in sorrow; some
of them will be found still searching for ways to come out this chaos, while others will be
repenting over their wrong decisions and wishing to retrace their steps. But the time to repent
and to retrace is gone, never to return. Death is before them. Ways of retreat are closed for ever.
Time and life will never come back. Life has passed over them acquiring for them what they
had wished for and leaving behind it the result of these actions which are usually injurious.
Lamenting and repenting they passed away and the world did not feel the loss of their absence,
nor grieved over their loss.

KHUTBA-197

Following is the famous sermon known as Khutba-E-Quasea. It is one of those sermons

which have been accepted by Muslims of every shade of opinion as the original discourse
of Hazrath. In this sermon he has censured Satan for its vanity and arrogance. He has not
only called it the first to open up the ways of sins but also explains the various ways in
which it insinuates man and lures him to vice and sin and then he warns mankind of what
will happen if they follow its ways.
All praise and glory be to God, Who and Who only posseseth the real Power and Grandeur.
He hath chosen these two attributes only for His own self, hath made them inaccessible for
any of His creatures and forbadeth them to falsely claim these attributes because they are
the consequences of His Might and Glory. He has destined Divine Vengeance and Eternal
damnation as the fate of those who arrogantly pretend to possess them. He even tested His
favourite angles to see whether they wrongly and injustly pretend to possess these attributes
or they feel themselves truly and sincerely humble before His Might and Glory. Though He
knew secrets of their hearts yet (to teach a lesson to His creatures) He told them (the angles); “I
am creating man from the matter of (found on the) earth, so when he is completely made and
when I breath unto him My inspiration then falls you down before him making obeisance to
him”. (Upon this order of the Lord all the angels fell down in obeisance to Adam except Satan).
(Holy Quran: Part XXIII, Chapter XXXVIII: 71 & 72). Satan scorned at this idea and under the
false notion of the superiority of origin and fanatic vanity (fire versus earth) it looked down
upon Adam. Thus it became the first enemy of the Lord, a leader of vain persons and a chief of
arrogant rebels against God. It laid the foundation of fanatic vanity and sophistically imagined
that he could usurp His attributes of Might and Grandeur. It thought that where His Power and
Might are concerned it could with convenience behave arrogantly and insubordinately, and with
equal ease set aside humility and submission to His Will.
Have you realised how Satan’s conduct reacted upon it and how the Lord put it down for
 258
its behaviour and how its vanity brought upon it humiliation and disgrace? During its lifetime it
is accursed by Him and in the next world its place is the Hell.
Remember that if God had will to grant Adam a body of such high luminosity as to
make his sight unbearable to eyes or of such beauty that a glance at his face would have been
sufficient to allure and entice minds or of such sweat fragrance as to overpower mental faculties
He could have easily done so. And if He had so created Adam as to make him capable of exerting
supernatural influences and powers upon others it would have meant that He had not allowed
the angels free use of their discretion and all of them including Satan would have without
hesitation prostrated before Adam in obeisance. This forced obedience would not have been
voluntary act upon their part and they would not have deserved any reward for it.
(It would have been something forced by nature upon them) But God, the Almighty, tests
His creatures with such orders where the reasons for these commands are not quite clear (they
confuse one’s mind) but where the creature has free option to obey the order and do as the Lord
desireth him to do or to refuse obeying it. Because He wants to create a clear line of demarcation
between good and bad people (between those who have implicit faith in His Omniscience and in
Wisdom of His Orders and those who believe more in their knowledge than in that of God) and
because He wants to remove arrogance, vanity, conceit and egoism from minds of His creatures.
You must have Satan as an object of warning before your minds eyes and realise how the
Lord has treated it. The long periods of Divine Worship performed and the obedience shown by
it were set at naught. It had worshipped God for six thousand years; it cannot be said for certain
what was the actual period covered by those years, whether those were earthly years (according
to the sun and the earth) or those were some periods before the universe was created. With
this example before you, can you imagine anyone being immune from the Wrath of Lord if he
commits similar sins? No. How can you believe that God will admit any man to the Heaven in spite
of the sin for which He hath driven an angel out of it? No. It shall not be. And as it was for
angels, so it shall be for man. His orders shall have the same effect everywhere, the Heaven or
the earth. None of His creatures have such close intimacy with Him as to be exempted from any
of His Commands and dare go against them and not to suffer for it.
Creatures of God! be on your guard against Satan, the enemy of God, lest it may poison
your minds, may allure you with false hopes and may try to overpower you with the help of
its colleagues and camp followers (i.e. your evil desires and evil minded people around you). I
swear by my life that its sole purpose of life is to mislead you and to send you on the way to
damnation. It has made complete arrangements for this and has found out your weaknesses. It
had arrogance enough to declare this before God; as the Lord reveals in His Holy Book where
its words are quoted “Lord Thou hath harmed me and art unjust with me I shall bedeck the evil
ways of life for mankind and thus tempt, allure, seduce and mislead all of them”. (Holy Quran,
Part XIV: Ch: XV: 39). This assertion had one false accusation and one empty boast in it; but vile,
vicious and conceited people not only made this vain vaunt come true but behaved in a way as if
its accusation was also not false but justifiable. And thus gradually all arrogant and vain glorious
persons accepted the lead of Satan and its hopes of alluring and misleading you, went higher
and higher from time to time, and as all the secrets of your weak mindedness, false hopes and
unreasonable desires were revealed to it, its hold over you became stronger as days succeeded
days.
It invaded the kingdom of your minds with its mercenaries and minions, recruited from
 259
amongst you. They are pushing you down the abyss of degradation and disgrace, and the
whirlpool of wars, murders and fratricide. Can you not feel that they have destroyed your
capability to resist evil, they have blinded you to religion and to every form of truth, they have
crushed your self-respect, and turning you into blindly obeying slaves they have dragged you to
the hell, which is created for the followers of Satan.
Remember that Satan is worse than all such enemies of yours who have openly declared
their enmity and against whom you collect arms and armies; it will make this world too hot
for you to live in peacefully and comfortably and it will harm your religion also. Therefore, it
is necessary for you to be on guard against it, not to tolerate its overtures and to treat its self-
assertions and confidence with contempt and anger. Try your best to fight against it.
From the very beginning it objected to your forefathers’ (Adam) superiority over it, and
was arrogant with him and, laughed and taunted at his origin. It made evil desires invade your
mind and superstitions stop you from following right ways. These inordinate desires, these
superstitions and these taboos have hold upon you in every period of your age and in every walk
of your life. You cannot easily find your way out of them or get rid of them although they drag
you into humiliations and disgraces, privation and want, dangers and damnation.
You must abandon the idea of superiority of birth, blood or clan, and you must forsake
dislikes, ill-wills and hostilities prevailing amongst you from pre-Islamic days because vanity
egoism, malice and spite are due to suggestions and promptings of Satan. Its pride and
arrogance, its desire to see you humbled and damned and its wish to seduce and calumniate, you
actuate it to prompt and persuade you towards these defects. Be on your guard against them.
Let humility and meekness be the crowns to adorn your heads and let self-conceit, self-flattery
and self-glorification be forsaken by you. Humbleness, patience and forbearance are the best
defences everywhere against the hordes of Satan. Because it has its mercenaries and camp-
followers in every country and every nation.
Do not be like the man (Adam’s son Cain who killed Abel) who was vain and conceited
against his own brother without possessing any real superiority over him. He became arrogant
because envy developed into jealousy and jealousy into animosity in his mind, and Satan fanned
these flames into fury (and made him kill his brother). With the result that he was damned
eternally and on him lies the responsibility of all the murders committed, all the fractricide
indulged in and all the wars that were fought since then.
Do realise that by openly behaving as enemies of God and by coming out to fight against
faithful Muslims, you have carried tyranny and oppression to its limits, you have created
dissention and disunity among men and you have formented strives and wars? Fear God and do
not behave like vain and arrogant feudal-chiefs and warlords of the pre-Islamic days, because
vanity and conceit creates mutual distrust and hatred which are the most fertile soils for Satan
to sow its seeds; through them it seduced and tempted the past nations and dragged them into
the pits of ignorance and infamy, and for centuries nations after nations followed each other’s
footsteps, one nation rising on the mutilated corpse of the other. Remember that arrogance, and
vanity are such vices that they narrow human vision (men forget that they are brothers to each
other).
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
 260
His Commands and interdictions and who are ungrateful to His Favours 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 idea 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 Favours granted by Him,
because envy and thanklessness will cause His Favours to be taken back from you. Do not
respond to the call of those who are not really Muslims but pretend to be so. You frequently mix
your pure and honourable ideas with their vicious, sinful and ungodly beliefs, your sane views
with their unhealthy and incorrect precepts, and often you invite and welcome their irrational,
erroneous and baneful inclinations and tendencies in the midst of your honest and honourable
ways of life. You do not realise that such people are beast of burden upon whom Satan has
loaded his schemes of wickedness and vice, they act as foundations on which edifices of
immorality and inequity are raised. They are addicted to the habits of disobeying dictates of God
and the Holy Prophets (A.S.). They are the soldiers of Satan with whose help it invades society
and they are its propagandist through whom it reaches your hearts and minds, colours your
vision, and adversely affects your capacity to hear truth and bear justice. Thus it has completed
its plan to make you a target, to suppress and fool you, and your fellow beings are acting as its
tools and aids against you.
It is for you to arm yourself against such adversary. You must take warning from the fate
of nations passed before you. How mighty and powerful they were and how they suppressed
and terrorised the humanity, how they were punished for their inequity and tyranny, how the
Wrath of God descended upon them and through what hardships, suffering and humility they
were made to pass. Go and see their ruins, the places where their might was humbled and their
armies were annihilated and the graves where their crown-bearing heads are lying under dust
and stones. As you seek His protection against vagaries of time beseech His Support and shelter
against encroachment of ideas of vanity, arrogance and superiority of birth and position.
If the Lord Almighty had allowed any of His creatures to be proud of anything he would
have been His chosen Prophet or Apostle. But He did not do so. On the contrary He kept His
apostles free from every type of pride, vanity and arrogance. He liked in them humility, and
meekness. They were humble before their Lord, they were courteous, considerate and kind to
honest and faithful followers of religion, were (to all appearance) meek and helpless in this
world. They were tested with hunger, hardships and with adversity and calamity. So you be
careful to consider wealth, power and plurality of children as criterions of His Favours, because
you do not know how God tries human beings through might and affluence. Thus the Holy
Quran warns us: “When we bestow anybody with abundant wealth and many children, people
believe that We are favouring them. It is not so. People do not know the actual reason” (Part
XVIII, Chapter XXIII; 55 & 56).
Similarly, He tries arrogant, self-conceited and proud people through His friends whom
these presumptuous persons regard as humble, helpless, meek and low. There is the example
of Moses and his brother Aaron before you. When they went to meet the Pharoah they were
wearing coarse woollen cloaks and had shepherd’s crooks in their hands. They said to the
Pharoah, “If you accept our teachings you will retain your empire, power, prestige and position.”
Pharoah hearing this turned to his lords and nobles and said, “Do you not wonder that these
 261
two people try to bargain about my empire and power? In what wretched and miserable
condition they are and they want me to believe that if I accept their religion they will guarantee
continuance of my empire and my throne. Why should I not give each of them few gold coins
(so that they may get satisfied and go)”? Pharoah said this because to him gold, its collection and
possession was the greatest achievement and the highest aim of human life, and he considered
tattered garments as degrading and humiliating to man. But God has different views about acme
of aims and achievements for humanity. If He had the same opinion as the Pharoah He would
have furnished His prophets with mines of silver and gold and with green-fields, orchards and
gardens. He would have made birds and beast obey their commands. And if He had done so the
proud and powerful people could not have been tested along with poor and humble (They would
have obeyed the prophets because of their might, power and wealth). All the trials and testings
would have been useless. There would have been no question of rewards and punishment; and
all that has been revealed through the prophets would have been of no value. To stand through
tests and trials boldly and bravely would have carried no weight. Faithful following of religion
would not have brought any heavenly reward in its wake. And words and promises of the Lord
would have had no meanings in them.
Therefore, God made His prophets strong in faith, firm in their convictions and brave to
face any kind of ordeal, but at the same time to all appearance they looked poor, meek, humble
and helpless, yet they were satisfied at their lot and happy at the worst stage of the trials they
passed through. Their contentment, their courage, their brave humility and their determination
not to seek help of wicked people earned for them respect and veneration of those who saw and
heard them. Their privation and distress were often painful to behold, yet none could but admire
their firmness and bravery.
Had the prophets been endowed with such strength, power and might that none could
dare ill-treat and harm them or try to suppress them, had they been emperors of such mighty
empires that their sway and influence would have brought people down to their knees before
them, then one and all would have tried their best to support such empires, and such conditions
would have proved very favourable for propagation of any doctrine. Refusal to accept the
ideology of mighty persons or empires would have proved impossible because there could not
be free-choice and free-will to accept or reject the teachings preached from any pulpit supported
by a crown and an empire. Fear of suppression, tyranny and torture to some and desire to gain
riches and favours to other would have brought people in large numbers to the fold of the
religion which could afford backing of a powerful government or of a monarch. Under those
circumstances acceptance of faith would not be an act of sincere obedience to the Orders of
God. And the Lord wanted people to accept His prophets, to testify His books and to obey His
commands of their own free-will, only for His sake and not with ulterior and base motives or
through fear. The harder trial in His way the nobler and greater is the reward.
Do you not see that the Lord since Adam (A.S.) to this day has tested and tried every
nation, those which have passed and those which you find around you, with stones (idols)? Such
were those idols that they can neither see nor hear and can neither do any harm nor good. And
out of similar stones He got a house built and dedicated to Himself Which He ordered to be a
place of peace and safety to mankind (Kaaba in Mecca) There are two important points worth-
remembering about this house of God. The first is that Muslims must remember that Kaaba is
a house dedicated to God and not a God itself, the second is that the place where this shrine
 262
is lodged is destined to be a rocky highland in the midst of a desert. It has little or no fertile
soil. It is a narrow valley surrounded by bare and rough hillocks filled with soft sand which
the furious winds subject to quick changes. Though it has water-holes but they are few and far
between. Fewer hamlets are scattered over the valley, where birds and beast have scanty chance
of flourishing. He (having placed His house in such a dry and desolute place, as a test) ordered
Adam (A.S.) and his sons to turn their faces towards it while offering prayers and to come to its
pilgrimage. Thus it became a religious centre for them. They come to it from distant lands, far
off valleys and islands. They cross deserts, mountains, valleys, rivers and seas to reach it. And
when once they reach there, they obediently and sincerely carry on the various functions of the
pilgrimage with full zeal; going round the Kaaba; calling His name loudly and declaring that they
are there in obedience to His call and with shrivelled hairs, with dusty faces and with bundles
of garments on their backs they run from place to place in this valley. This is a severe test and a
hard trial to measure one’s sincerity of faith. God has made it the means of achieving His Favour
and reaching Heavens.
If God had so willed He would have given location to His sacred House (Kaaba) and to
so many other shrines; dedicated to him in the midst of green valleys, or places surrounded by
gardens and beautiful parks with streams and rivulets flowing through them, orchards over-
grown with fruit bearing trees, fields after fields of rich harvest of fine wheat and other food
grains and prosperous cities with abundance of palatial buildings and networks of good roads
(thus providing every facility of transport, stay, pleasure and ease suitable for pleasure resorts).
Then the anxieties, worries and troubles of pilgrims would have very much lessened (the
pilgrimage would have been converted into pleasure trip) and the Heavenly reward would also
have been reduced in the same proportions.
If the Lord Almighty had His house constructed of priceless diamonds, lovely green
emeralds, blood-red rubies and other precious stones reflecting light and giving glorious shines,
the sight might perhaps have awed minds of the people, and perhaps Satan, then may not have
so well-succeeded in insinuating people against the apparent humbleness and desoluteness of
the place and difficulties of travel.
But the Lord wants to test the qualities of faith and sincerity of His creature through
hardships and sufferings. He wants to test and see how they bear troubles and sufferings in
obedience to His commands, how happily they offer their prayers and thanks in the midst of
troubles and worries, adversities and reverses, or distresses and disappointments, so that, their
minds may be cleansed of pride and vanity as well as arrogance and self-conceit. And through
meekness, humility, faith and sincerity they may gain His Favours and may find places in His
Heaven.
Fear the Wrath of God which certainly is the effect of insubordination and disobedience to
His Orders, the result of arrogance and vanity against Him and the consequence of tyranny and
compulsion on other human beings. Remember that vanity and conceit are the strongest snare
of Satan and its subtle stratagem against you. It is the deadliest poison and such an arrow that it
never misses its target. None can be safe from it. The most learned man in spite of his knowledge
and learning and the poorest beggar despite his tattered clothes and humble ways of life, are apt
to fall a prey to these weapons of Satan. The Lord protects His faithful and obedient creatures
with the help of daily prayers (Namaz), fasting, Zakauth (compulsory contribution to poor rate)
and Holy wars. Thus He bestows peace to their heart, comfort to their bodies and humility and
meekness to their minds.
 263
During 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 (Zakauth) you distribute yields of the land and
money amongst the poor and have-nots, and thus you in some measure alleviate their poverty
and may come in their contact.
You try to realise how obedience to carry out these forms of devotions improves your
minds and intellects. How they remove pride, vanity, conceit and haughtiness from your
minds and replace them with humility, meekness and fellow-feelings with other human
beings.
I searched human minds and did not find a single person who defends a cause or adheres
to a principle without having a motive or a reason for it. But you appear to be an exception to
the rule.
You are vain about something and are in its favour without any reason and cause; how
silly you are? Even the very devil had a reason behind his action. It was prejudiced against Adam
(A.S.) because of its vanity. Its conceit made it believe that it was of superior birth to Adam. It
taunted Adam saying “You are created out of the dust (of the earth) and I am created out of fire”.
Similarly Devils, minions, rich and important people of great and powerful nations, boast in the
height of their vanity about their position and place. They often say “who or what can harm us”,
we possess so much wealth and we have so many children. We are invincible. Even the Wrath of
God cannot reach us. (Thus Satan and his lordlings have reasons, false and superstitious though
they may be, of birth, wealth and majority but what reasons have you? None).
If you at all want to be prejudiced in favour of something then develop pride and prejudice
in favour of acquiring exemplary character, high moral values and ideal qualities, as was the
custom among the noble Arab clans of old. They used to pride over their deeds of bravery and
chivalry, over their high character, noble qualities and superior wisdom. You also try to develop
high qualities in you; help and defend your neighbours, fulfil your promises, follow the examples
of virtuous people, refrain from the ways of arrogant and vain persons, develop nobility of
character, abstain from tyranny and suppression, avoid shedding human blood, adhere to the
principles of equity and justice in your dealings with the creatures of God have complete control
over your temper and desist from vice, wickedness and depravity.
Be afraid of the Wrath of God which befell upon past nations due to their vices and sins.
Scrutinise your deeds (good or bad), and while at it take warning from the fate of those who have
passed before you. Take care you may not follow evil people and may not suffer the same doom.
When you carefully deliberate over the histories of the past nations follow the ways which
brought them honour and glory, which kept their enemies away from them, which produced
prosperity and peace for them, which carried blessings of the Lord in their wake and which
enhanced their respect, veneration and reverence among their contemporaries.
Do you know what where the qualities which brought all the above blessings to people
gone before you? They avoided dissension, were united among themselves and persuaded each
other to it. Follow these habits, and avoid the other ones which broke the back of those who were
addicted to them, and converted their might into weakness. Those qualities were dissension and
hypocrisy. They hated one another, bore malice against each other and refused mutual help and
cooperation. The effects of such ways of life were obvious.
 264
In the same way study the conditions through which faithful and sincere Muslims before
you passed their lives. They went through dreadful sufferings and terrible hardships. Their
afflictions were greater than those of other people. The world was harsher to them than to
others. Men of power and position, Pharoahs of their times, were treating them worse than
slaves and were forcing them to undergo appalling ordeals. The bigoted tyrants were united
against them. Lives of those faithful Muslims were series of hardships and troubles, one worse
than the other. They had been brought to the verge of terrific humiliation to be followed by
ruination and death. They apparently had nobody to help them and no way to come out of
calamities. Then the Merciful Lord came to their help. He hath tested them and Knew how
sincere they were in His Love, how faithful to His religion, how courageous to bear the results
of their convictions, how patient to endure afflictions and how brave to face dreadful ordeals.
He provided for them ways to come out of those frightfully alarming situations. He changed
their humiliation into honour and might and their degrading and dangerous surroundings into
a prosperous and peaceful state. Thus they achieved worldly power and religious leadership and
received His Favours far more than they had even dreamt of.
Now carefully consider their case once again. When those people were united and had
amity among themselves, when their minds acted in perfect unison, when their hearts and hands
supported each other, when their swords were used for common cause and mutual defence
and when their presight was perfect and their decisions were unanimous then what was their
condition? Had they not acquired a sway over the land? Had they not suppressed and subjugated
their enemies?
The other side of this picture is also instructive and interesting. What happened to these
very people when amity, cooperation and love gave place to animosity, dissension and mutual
hatred. Their hearts as well as their tongues lost the unison, they divided into various factions
and groups and they started slandering each other and fighting against one another. The result
was that God humiliated and disgraced them. All the honour, the power and the prosperity
which had been granted to them was taken back from them. And the facts of their rise and fall
was left as history for you to take warning and lesson from.
Turn to another chapter of history and study the records of Bani Ismail and Bani Ishaq,
(that is Bani Israil). Their conditions were similar to those of early Muslims. Just look what
happened to them when they gave up mutual support, unity and cooperation? They were run
over by the Persians from one side and then by the Romans from the other. These conquerors
drove them away from their fertile lands and from the Euphro-Tigris planes to the lands of
thorny shrubs, wind-swept valleys and regions where little could be acquired from land and that
too with great difficulty, till they became poor and destitute. Only profession left to them was
to look after starving and deceased camels and only dwellings which were allowed were tents
of camel-hairs. Their big and prosperous cities and their beautiful houses were taken away from
them, their habitations were tattered tents, overcrowded and filthy, and their lands were dry and
overrun by draughts. Nobody cared to hear their grievances and came to their help and none
dared sympathise with them. Even in this condition they were disunited; their populace was
divided into parties and factions; their sufferings were horrible and their ignorance deplorable.
They used to bury their young daughters (that they may not be taken away by the conquerors).
They had in every home an idol to worship. They had broken family ties and forsaken mutual
help. Their only desire was to exploit each other. Do you know from what height they had fallen
 265
so low? But the Merciful Lord hath favoured them once again. He hath sent His chosen Prophet
among them, who invited them to follow him, bound them to obey him, and gathered them at
one centre. Prosperity returned to them, bounties and blessings surrounded them and Islamic
laws opened the doors of peace and plenty for them. Fortune overwhelmingly favoured them
with abundance and affluence. They were passing their lives under the grace of His Favours, and
under the benign rule of a powerful and just ruler (the Holy Prophet of Islam-may the peace
of God be upon him and his descendants) various aspects of civilisation and various phases of
culture were organised. They were made to improve their ways and to educate themselves
for better standards of lives and higher values of morality, till they commanded respect and
veneration. A powerful empire came under their sway which made them rule over those who
had once ruled over them, and placed them in a position to inflict indignities upon those who
had once subjected them to extreme humiliation.
Take an account of yourself and see that how you have drifted towards in-subordination
and disobedience and how you have allowed pre-Islamic ways to break through the
fortifications raised around your society and culture by Islamic traditions. Remember that the
Merciful Lord has, in the form of Islam, bestowed upon humanity such a Favour and such a
Blessing that none amongst His creatures can form a true estimate of its value and utility. This
Gift is more useful to mankind than anything which could be imagined, and more honourable
than any which could be fancied.
Take heed that after once divorcing heathenism and infidelity you are drifting back to is
surreptitiously, having once united into common brotherhood of Muslims you are unwillingly
developing the same clannish spirit and are dividing into factions and groups. Your connection
with Islam is merely for the sake of name, your faith in religion and the Holy Prophet (A.S.) is
lip-religion and your prayers are lip-worship; you do not know anything better than that. You
say that you would prefer the Hell to disgrace. I do not know what you mean by that; do you
prefer humiliation of Islam to your personal disgrace? Do you want to break your promise with
God and throw Islam to earth, undefended and unhelped? Islam, the covenant and the religion,
which the Merciful God has meant to be the harbinger of peace and protection to suffering
humanity, to be treated thus?
Remember if you desert and forsake Islam and enter any other fold, the unbelievers will
fight against you, then neither the angels nor the Mohajirs nor the Ansars will come to your
help. You will alone have to defend yourself till God passes His judgment about your actions and
till His Wrath in the form of severe calamities, utter humiliation, harsh punishment and total
annihilation of your culture and society descend upon you. Do not minimise His Wrath, do not
belittle His Displeasure. Examples of His Anger are before you, take a lesson from them and do
not disparage His Power to punish you, do not ignore His Hold and do not take His Punishment
easy. Do you know why God Has punished nations? Because they gave up advising each other
for good deeds and prohibiting each other from vice and sin. He punishes both the wise and the
fool for their sins of commission and omission.
Take warning that you have breached the commandments of Islam, you have transgressed
its laws and you have violated the bonds set by God. Beware that the Lord had ordained me
to carry on a holy war against those who rebel against Islam, who have broken the oath of
allegiance and who propagate vice, corruption and depravity. Thus I fought against those who
had broken the oath of allegiance to me (the battle of Jamal), then against the heretics and
 266
dissidents (the battle of Siffeen) lastly I crushed those who had rebelled against Islam and had
gone out of the religion (the battle of Nahrwan) they had to be disgraced and humiliated. During
that battle (Nehrwan) Wrath of God descended on that devils’ incarnation (Zoo Sudeya) in the
form of thunderbolt from the sky, he might have anticipated it for I could hear beating of his
heart and shivering of his bones. I had not to kill him because the bolt from the sky did that for
me. Now some of those heretic and dissidents are still going free, openly carrying on with their
vices and sins. If God allows me to fight once more against them I shall finish them and bring
their sway to an end. I shall change the direction and form of the Government, basing it on
the principles of equity and justice and then only such apostates and renegades will escape my
clutches who have scattered to the outer limits of the Muslim state.
I have been fighting these enemies of God from my very youth. I have defeated and killed
many of their generals and marshals. I have disgraced many of their brave knights in battle
fields. I humiliated the pride of the famous clans of Rabe’ah and Muzar.
Do you know, that due to my relationship and on account of my worth and merit,
what were my relations with the Holy Prophet (may the peace of God be upon him and his
descendants). From the very beginning of my life he loved me and I loved him. He took me in
his lap when I was a baby and thence I was always with him, he often kept me embraced to his
heart, he used to make me sleep next to him; we used to be so close to each other that I felt the
warmth of his body and smelled the fragrance of his odour. When I was a baby, he fed me with
his hands often chewing hard bits for me. He never found me lying and nor weak and wavering.
From the time of his babyhood God had appointed the Holy Ghost to be always with him and
this Arch Angel was leading him towards exemplary qualities and high moral values and I
followed the Holy Prophet (A.S.) step by step as a baby camel follows its mother. Daily he used
to place before me a fresh standard of efficiency and used to order me to follow it. Every year
he used to stay in a grotto of the Hira Mountains for sometime, and nobody used to be with him
but I. None could then see or hear him or be near him but I. During those days Islam was the
religion of only the Prophet and his wife Khadeeja, I was the third of the trio (the Holy Prophet
(A.S.) Khadeeja and Hazrath himself). Nobody else in this world had accepted Islam. I even then
used to see the Divine Light of Revelation and prophethood and smell the heavenly fragrance of
apostleship. When the Holy Prophet (A.S.) received the first Revelation Satan lamented loudly.
I asked the Holy Prophet “Who is lamenting and why”. He replied, “It is Satan who had given
up hopes of acquiring complete sway over human mind. In this disappointment he is lamenting
over the chance lost. Verily, Ali, you also hear whatever is revealed to me and you also see
whatever is being shown to me. With this difference that you are not entrusted with
prophethood, but you will be my successor, helper and vazier, and you will always uphold truth
and justice”.
I was with the Holy Prophet (A.S.) when chieftains of the clans of Quraish came to see
him. They said to him, “O Mohammad (A.S.) you claim to be a Prophet and it is a serious and
grave claim. None of your forefathers, nor any member of your family ever declared himself to
be a Prophet. We ask of you of one thing and if you fulfil our demand we shall accept you as His
Prophet and Apostle if not we will take you to be a pretender and a liar”. The Prophet asked them
to put forward their demand. They said that they wanted him to summon the tree, which was at
some distance from the Holy Prophet (A.S.) to come and to stand near him. He replied that God
has the Power and Might to do what He desires, but would they embrace Islam if their request
 267
was granted. They said that they would willing embrace Islam. Thereupon the Holy Prophet
(A.S.) replied that “I shall perform the miracle as you have desire but I know that you, even then
will not accept me as a Prophet and will not adopt Islam as your religion, because in your group
there are few persons (like Abu Jahal and Atba bin Waleed etc.) who will later fight against me,
will be killed and thrown into a well at the place called Badr and there are certain other persons
(Abu Sufyan, his son Moavia and Akrama, son of Abu Jahal) who will instigate clans of Arabs
against me to come out for a battle (the Khandaque or Ahzab). (These were great prophecies
of the Holy Prophet (A.S.) which came out true word for word). And then the Holy Prophet
(A.S.) ordered the tree to come near him, saying “O tree if you have faith in God and the Day of
Judgment, and if you believe that I am a Prophet of God, then by Grace and Order of God be
uprooted and come and stand near me”. I swear by God that no sooner were the words out of his
mouth than the tree uprooted and started moving towards the Holy Prophet (A.S.) the rustling of
its leaves sounded like the flatter of wings of birds, it came near him and taking root stood there,
some of its tall branches were throwing shadows over him and some others were touching my
shoulder. I was standing to his right. When the Quraish saw this wonderful sight their enmity
and antagonism increased, they arrogantly said that they wanted him to order the tree to be
divided in two parts, and one half of it to stand where it was and the other half to go still
nearer to him. The Prophet for the second time ordered the tree to do as they had desired. The
compliance of the second order of the Holy Prophet (A.S.) was more wonderous than the first.
With a loud report the tree divided itself in two parts, one half of it was again uprooted and came
nearer to him still, it came so near that it could have embraced the Apostle of the Lord. Even this
sight did not make them see the light of truth, they still were arrogant, wanted him to send that
half back with orders to join the other half and be one tree as before. And thus the Apostle of the
Lord ordered and the tree obeyed implicitly and was one tree as before.
That was a sight which would have impressed every right-thinking man, it impressed me
and I said “There is no god but the Lord Almighty, Oh Prophet of God! I was the first to testify
you and I am the first to declare that this tree has testified to your prophethood and had accepted
the greatness and glory of your command by implicitly obeying it. What we saw just now was
actually a fact and not an illusion”. Hearing me they all unanimously cried out “No. No. He is a
first class magician and a liar. His magic is wonderful, he is an expert in it and he can be testified
only by a person of his calibre”. By this they meant me. I did not mind that reference and satire,
because I belong to a group which does not care for any censure in the cause of God. This is such
a group that the faces of those who belong to it clearly indicates their sincerity, truthfulness and
honesty. Their talk is the pattern of the talk of pious and virtuous people. Their nights they spend
in prayers to God and their days in acting as guides to seekers of truth. They faithfully follow
the Quran. They revive the religion revealed by God and traditions of the Holy Prophet. (A.S.).
They are neither proud nor vain, neither ambitious nor dishonest, neither envious nor malicious
and neither they create dissension nor sophisticism. Their minds are filled with the love of the
Heaven and their bodies are busy in work to attain it.
 268
KHUTBA-198
On Attributes of Piety

This is one of Hazrath’s famous discourses about attributes of piety. It explains the
qualities of pious and God-fearing persons. Most of Hazrath’s sermons deal with this
subject but this Khutba has two peculiarities. First is that Hazrath has explained what
piety really means and what manner of men pious people are, describing graphic details
of their ways of living, thinking, praying and dealing with other men. The second is that a
very sad story is attached to this sermon. The sad story is about Hamam, who was one of
the companions of Hazrath, a very pious and God-fearing man. He once asked Hazrath to
explain at length qualities of pious persons. He wanted the explanation to be so graphic
and so vivid that he could get the picture of a pious man in his mind’s eyes. Hazrath knew
that Hamam had a very tender heart and was disinclined to explain piety in the way
that Hamam had requested and evading the subject he replied “Hamam! fear God and do
good deeds. Remember that God is always a companion of pious and good people”. But
Hamam was not satisfied with this reply and wanted Hazrath to say something more.
He pressed so much and so many joined him and seconded his request that Hazrath
reluctantly delivered the following sermon. And as Hazrath was fearing the effect of this
Sermon proved fatal for Hamam; before it came to the conclusion he expired.
After praising the Lord and praying Him to bless the Holy Prophet (A.S.) Hazrath thus
continued the sermon:
When God created mankind He was not in need of their obedience and prayers, neither
was He nervous of their disobedience. Because disobedience or insubordination of men cannot
harm Him, similarly obedience of obedient people cannot do Him any good. He is beyond the
reach of harm and benefit. After creating man, He destined for him the variety of food which
his body could absorb and assimilate, and the places which were congenial for him to live and
to propagate. Among these human beings excellent are those who are pious and who fear God.
They possess pre-eminence and excellent because they always speak truthfully, rightly
and to the point; their way of living is based upon moderation; and their mode of dealing with
other men is founded on their good will, fellow-feeling and courtesy towards them. They refuse
themselves the things prohibited by God. They concentrate their minds upon knowledge of
things which will bring them eternal bliss. They bear hardships and sufferings as happily as they
enjoy comforts and pleasures. If God had not fixed the span of life for each one of them, their
souls, in desire of attaining His Heaven and out of fear of falling into His displeasure, would not
have stayed in their bodies for long.
They have visualised mentally the glory of God in such a way that beyond Him nothing
in this world alarms, frightens or awes them. Everything other than His Might appears to them
as insignificant and humble. They believe in the Heaven and its Blessings like a person who has
been there and has actually seen everything of the Heaven with his own eyes. Similarly, their
faith in the Hell and its torments is as strong as that of a person who had passed through its
sufferings. They feel that the tortures of the Hell are around them and very near to them.
The ways of worldly people make them sorry. They harm nobody. Excessive eating and
pleasure-seeking does not fatten them. Their wants are limited. Their wishes are few. They have
accepted patiently sufferings and adversities in this mortal and transitory life for the sake of
 269
eternal bliss, which by the Grace of God proved for them a very profitable transaction. The
vicious world desired their fellowship but they turned their faces away from it. It wanted to
snare them but they willingly accepted every trouble and discomfort to free themselves from
its clutches. Their nights they spend in carefully studying the Quran because of their feeling
sorry for their weaknesses and short-comings, and try to find ways from this Holy Book for
improvements of their minds. In the study of the Quran when they come across a passage
describing the Heaven they feel highly attracted towards it and develop such a keen desire to
reach it that the Heaven with all its blessings visualises in their minds. While a passage about
the Hell frightens them and makes them feel as if they are seeing and hearing the raging fire and
the groans and lamentations of those who are suffering the tortures of the Hell.
Nights they spend in praying before the Lord and requesting and beseeching Him to
deliver them from the Hell. Days find them occupied with such works which clearly indicates
their wisdom, depth of knowledge, virtuousness and piety. Constant fasting, simple diet,
avoidance of every aspect of luxury and regular hard work make them look lean and haggard,
but they possess very sound and robust health. When people hear them discussing various
problems of life they often take them to be whimsical, fanatic or even half-witted. But it is not so,
they look confused and unhappy because they are not satisfied with the quality and quantity of
the work done by them in the cause of religion and humanity. The more they work the less they
feel satisfied. Having set up a very high standard of efficiency for their work they feel nervous
that indolence may not make it impossible for them to attain those heights.
If anyone of them is praised for piety, virtuousness and the good deeds done by him, he
does not like to be so complimented, he is afraid that such praise may not allure him towards
vanity, self-flattery and self-glorification. He says “I know my mind and my work more than
others and God knows much more than I. O Lord! please do not hold me responsible for what
they have said about me. You know very well that I did not instigate them for such praises.
Please Lord! grant me excellence far greater than what they complimented me for. And Lord!
please forgive those of my sins and short-comings which they do not know”.
You will find every pious person possessing following attributes: He is firm in his faith.
He is resolute though tender-hearted and kind. He is unwavering in his convictions and
beliefs. He is greedy of knowledge. He forgives those who harmed him fully knowing that they
have wronged him. Even when owning wealth his ways of life are based upon moderation. His
prayers are models of humility and submissiveness to God. Even when starving he will maintain
his self-respect. He will bear sufferings patiently. He will resort only to honest means of living.
Leading others towards truth and justice will give him pleasure. He disdains avarice and greed.
Though he does good deeds all the time yet he feels nervous of his short-coming. Every night
he thanks God for having passed one more day under His Grace and Mercy. Every morning
finds him starting the day with the prayers of the Lord. Of nights he is cautious that he may not
carelessly waste those hours in comfort and ease. He starts his days happy with the thought that
the Lord has given him another day to do his duty. If his mind wishes for something unholy and
unpious, he refuses to obey its dictates. His desires it to achieve eternal bliss. Worldly pleasure
do not interest him. His wisdom is mixed with patience. His deeds reciprocate his words (he does
what he says). Inordinate desires do not trouble him. He has few defects in him. He is courteous
to others. He possesses a contended mind. He eats little (he is not a gormand). He does not harm
anybody. He is easy to be pleased. He is strong in his faith. His passions are dead. His temper
 270
is controlled. People expect good out of him and consider themselves immune from his harm.
Even if he is found among godless-people his name will be written in the list of godly persons.
If he is in company of those who always remember God naturally his name will not be included
amongst those who forget Him. He forgives those who harm him. He helps those who have
forsaken him and have refused to help him. He is kind to those who have been cruel to him. He
does good to those who do evil to him. He never indulges in loose-talk. He has no vice in him,
and his good qualities are very outstanding, noticeable and prominent. When facing dangers
and disasters he is calm and undisturbed. In sufferings and calamities, he is patient and hopeful.
In prosperity he is thankful to God. He would not harm his worst enemy. He will never commit
a sin even for the sake of his best friend. Before anybody have to bear testimony to his fault he
accepts and owns it. He never misappropriates anything entrusted to him. He never forgets what
has been told to him. He does not slander anybody. He does not harm his neighbours. When
misfortunes befall any person he does not blame him, neither he is happy at the losses of others.
He neither goes astray from the right path nor follows a wrong one. His silence does not indicate
his morseness nor his laughters are loud and boisterous. He bears persecution patiently and
God punishes his oppressor. He is hard to himself and very lenient to others. He bears hardships
in this life to attain eternal comfort and peace. He never wrongs to a fellow being. If he avoids
anybody it is to retain his piety and uprightness. If he forms contact with anybody it is on
account of his kindness and clemency. He does not avoid anybody because of his pride and
vanity and he does not mix with others with ulterior motives of hypocrisy, pretence and vile.
The narrator says that Hamam was hearing the sermon very attentively when Hazrath
reached the above passage Hamam fainted and died during the faint.
Seeing this Hazrath said, “By God I was hesitating to explain all this to Hamam because
of this very reason. Effective advice on minds ready to receive them often brings almost similar
result”.
Abd-ibne-Kuwwa, who later turned to be a Kharajite and a bitter enemy of Hazrath on
hearing Hazrath’s remarks said, “Why this knowledge did not act upon you in the way it did on
Hamam?”
Hazrath replied, “Verily, death is inevitable and unavoidable, but for each person a time of
death is fixed, none can over pass it, and there is always an apparent cause for it. Do you know
that it was Satan who made you ask such a question, try not to accept its insinuations in future.”

KHUTBA-199
On Hypocrites.

This sermon deals with hypocrisy and ways of hypocrites. In it Hazrath explains in details
the ways of those, who do not sincerely accept Islam.
All praise be to God, Who enabled me to obey Him and to refrain from sins. I beseech
Him to favour me with His Blessings and to keep me firm on His Path. I testify that Mohammad
(may the peace of God be upon him and his descendants) is His servant and His Prophet that he
endured every kind of hardship and suffering to gain His Favour and that he suppressed
his anger and quelled excitements to achieve His Pleasures. Those who were near him kept
changing their minds and opinions about him and those who were not near him united together
to oppose him. Arabs also rose against him and from far and near they gathered to fight with
him, and to create every kind of trouble and frustration for him.
 271
O creatures of God! I advise you to fear God, and I warn you against the hypocrites. They
themselves are misguided and they will misguide you. They are lost in the labyrinth of sins and
vices and will make you lose your straight path in that tortuous maze. They change their colours
to suit their surroundings, and their words always have double meanings. To convert you to
their views and to win your sympathies they will resort to every sort of fraud and pretence, will
adopt varities of artifices and pretexts and will apply all possible allurements and deceptions.
They always lie in ambush to seduce you. They pretend to be sincere and honest but their hearts
are full of hypocrisy and vile. Their movements are very subtle. To mislead you they work so
artfully and cunningly that you cannot easily find out their purpose. They poison your minds
without your knowing it, like a disease spreading inside your body without your realising the
fact. They behave as if they are ministering cures to your ailments, they talk as if they really feel
for your troubles, but the result of their activities and their persuasions will affect you like an
incurable disease.
Happiness and prosperity of others make them jealous and unhappy. They will do their
worst to drag others into difficulties, reverses and troubles. They will exert themselves to convert
hopes of others into disappointments and despairs. And they have their victims in every walk
of life.
They know how to touch your heart and how to gain your ears. For your every sorrow
they have crocodile’s tears to shed and for every pain they offer you a balm-ineffective or
injurious. If they praise you it is with the hope of getting louder praises out of you. If they want
to get something out of you they will pester you with their demands. If they wish to slander
anybody they will expose him thread bare. If they pass judgments, they always forsake equity
and justice.
They are opportunists and time-servers possessing great adaptability of character.
For every occasion they have got a ruse to adopt and a vile to make use of. They can tell an
apparently convincing lie against every truth, can lead you towards a crocked way in opposition
to every straight path, and they may often advise you to prefer a vile murderer to an honest and
respectable person. They pretend to possess light for every gloom of your life and they try to
raise false hopes in the place of true disappointments, so that they may gain your confidence
and may convince you of their sincerity. They know how to paint a lie to resemble truth and how
to colour a foul action to make it look like a good deed.
They are vile enough to make wickedness and vice easy for themselves and they try to
raise difficulties for others in the path of religion and truth. They are devil-minions deserving
the Hell. God hath said about them: - “They are Satan’s group and verily, the group of Satan will
be sufferers and losers”. (Part XXVII, Chapter LVIII: 19).

KHUTBA-200
In praise of God, the Holy Prophet (A.S.) and piety.

All praise be to God, Who displayed the Glory of His Might and Wisdom in such a manner
that the grandeur of the art of creation kept all wise man in amazement and awe and Who made
it impossible for minds to understand the depth and significance of His Attributes.
I testify that there is no god but God the Almighty. This testimony of mine is the sign of
my sincere faith, true belief, firm conviction and honest desire to obey Him. I further testify
 272
that Mohammad (may the peace of God be upon him and his descendants) is His servant and
Prophet. He ordained him a Prophet at a time when signs of true religion had completely
disappeared and when the path of God was totally forsaken. The Holy Prophet (A.S.) made
mankind learn and understand the truth about God, advised them to be pious and just, showed
them the way of salvation and instructed them to avoid in life fanaticism and excesses as well as
indifference and disregard. He counselled them to be moderate, gentle and temperate. May He
bestow His choicest Blessing on him and his progeny.
O people! learn and understand that God has not created you in vain and without any
plan and purpose and at the same time He has not left you free-like birds and beasts without
assigning important duties to your minds and bodies. He knows the quality and quantity of
Blessings which He has granted and the Favours He has done to mankind. Seek His Help for
life’s achievements and successes. Invoke His Blessings. Beg of Him for more of His Favours.
There is none to intervene between you and Him and His door is never closed for you. Being
Omnipresent He is always (at everywhere and at every time) present with every man and genii.
His Boundless Generosity cannot lessen His treasures. His Munificence cannot reduce His
Possessions. No demand can exceed His assets and no grant can decrease His wealth.
His attention towards one thing at one time cannot make Him inattentive towards the
other at the same time, He is with everyone and everything at one and the same moment. He can
listen to all simultaneously. Granting of Favour to anyone cannot prevent Him from taking away
another Favour of the same person. His Wrath cannot obstruct His Mercy, neither His Kindness
nor Compassion come in the way of His Punishment.
The Glory and Grandeur of His creation cannot bring His Person in sight of His creatures,
nor His imperceptibility can hide His Glory and Might from them. He is so near to everybody
and yet so far. He is so exalted and yet so close to everything. His Wisdom and Might are self-
evident but His Person is hidden from every eye. He rewards others but He cannot be rewarded.
He had no need to ponder and deliberate over the problems of creation. He did not bring the
universe into being to seek any help or to take any advantage of them.
O creatures of the Lord! I advise you to be afraid of Him. I advise you to adopt piety,
because piety is the safest way to salvation and the best support for religion. Keep yourself
attached to it and never forsake it. It shall lead you to places of safety, to the positions of honour
and to pursuits bringing you peace and contentment. It will come to your help on the day when
the angel Israfeel will blow the trumpet, when terror of the occasion will hold people spellbound,
when all of you will die, when the earth will come to an end, lofty mountains will turn into dust,
mighty cities will be levelled, when there will be no one to plead for you or to intercede on your
behalf, when even your nearest relative shall not have time and nerves to come to your help,
then you will find piety coming to your help.

KHUTBA-201

About the Holy Prophet (May the peace of God be upon him and his descendants) his
preachings, and this world and opportunities to do good here.
The Almighty God entrusted His prophethood to our Holy Prophet (May the peace of
God be upon and his descendants) at a time when the signs of true religions were completely
obliterated, when humanity had practically given up recognition of superhuman and super-
 273
natural controlling power of God, Who is just and Kind, and when ways of truth and justice had
been totally forsaken.
O people! I counsel you to fear God. I want to warn you of this world. Sooner or later you
shall have to part with it. It is not a place of permanent residence and not a place for perpetual
happiness and comfort. Those who are residing here are actually travelers, halting temporarily
during their journey which they are bound to continue. Actually it is not a safe place even for a
temporary sojourn. Like a boat in a furious storm this world is throwing its passengers from side
to side; many of them have fallen over-board, some of whom are drowned while others are being
tossed by the waves and winds which are playing havoc with their lives; those who are drowned
will never come back and those who are still floating are not out of danger.
O people! while you are still alive and healthy, while your tongue is still under your
control and your limbs are fit to serve you, do good deeds and say good words. Take every
advantage of health and opportunity; this world, as it is, is big enough for you to work. Do your
duty before it is too late for you to do anything, before opportunities are lost and disability and
death overtakes you. Do not wait for the death to knock at your door, it is bound to come it is
inevitable, it is a natural and it is coming.

KHUTBA-202

On his relation with the Holy Prophet (may the peace of God be upon him and his
descendants) and his services to the cause of Islam.
Those companions of the Holy Prophet (may the peace of God be upon him and his
descendants), who acted as the first line of defence for the Prophet and Islam, know and can
testify that I never even for a second violated the orders of God and the Holy Prophet (A.S.).
On all such occasions when even the bravest of men felt nervous and wanted to get out of the
engagement I risked my life to save the life of the Holy Prophet (A.S.) and to defend the cause of
Islam. (It is a historical fact that on all such occasions when Arabs came out to attack the Holy
Prophet (A.S.) and the Muslims and the Battles of Badar, Ohad, Khandhaque Khaiber and Hunain
were fought, Hazrath Ali was the hero of all those battles; in every one of those actions he was
in command of the army of Islam; he killed famous Arab marshals and generals in hand to hand
combats; he defeated their armies and often when rest of the companions of the Holy Prophet
(A.S.) had run away leaving him alone on the battle field (e.g. Ohad, Khandhaque and Hunain)
Hazrath single handed fought against hordes of Arabs; close of many battles found him the most
wounded man alive but undaunted, undismayed and fearless.)
When the Holy Prophet (A.S.) died, he breathed his last with his head resting on my breast,
I was embracing him, I felt his last breath on my hands and I as a token of my love and respect
for him spread those hands of mine on my face, I bathed his dead body and none but angels were
helping me in those ablutions.
News of his death made his Ahlaybaith weep. They bemoaned and lamented loudly.
Angels were coming and going from and to the Heavens in large numbers. They were offering
his funeral-service, one group after another. I could hear their subdued voices. This continued
till I laid him into his grave. During his lifetime I was dearest and nearest to him and at his death
I was the last to part with him.
Who can claim to have closer connection with him than I and who can assert to have
greater right to be his heir and successor?
 274
Now you know my claim, use your wisdom to understand and realise it and under this
realisation come forward to defend Islam. Let your desire to follow me be based on sincerity and
faithfulness. I swear by God that I am on the right path of religion and they (Moavia and his
followers) are trying to lead you astray, where every step forward is going to take you nearer to
the Hell. I am sure you are trying to grasp what I am telling you. I invoke God to have mercy on
you and me.

KHUTBA-203

In this sermon Hazrath explains certain attributes of God and then tells us what piety
is and how it can help us, what is Islam and what it can give us, what is the Holy Book
(Quran) and how it protects us and how has the Holy Prophet (may the peace of God be
upon him and his descendants) guided us.
He hears voices of wild beasts roaming in deserts and jungles, He knows the sins
committed by human beings even in extreme privacy, He perceives the conditions of fish in
the depth of oceans, He knows the number of waves raised by storms and gales, in fact He is
Omnipresent and Omniscient.
I testify that Muhammad (May the peace of God be upon him and his descendants) is His
selected and chosen Apostle, the Prophet of His Revelation and the conveyer of His Message of
Mercy and Kindness.
Friends! I advise you to fear God, Who has created you and towards Whom is your return.
Remember that achievements of your aims and fulfilments of your desires lie in His Power, that
the true path of religion will carry you towards Him, and at the time of fear and danger He is
your Refuge.
Let piety be the aim and the aspiration of your life. It is the only cure for wickedness of
your heart. It is the Divine Light to expel darkness of your heart. It is a remedy for your ailing
mind. It is the only way of improvement for your corrupted soul. It purifies your conscience. It
brings back sight to the eyes blinded by ignorance of truth. It gives moral courage and removes
fear from your hearts.
Do not make pretence of obeying God, but obey Him sincerely and faithfully and let
this desire of obedience be engraved in your minds and be deep-rooted into your hearts, let it
rule over your words and deeds. Let it help you on the Day of Judgment, act as your guide to
salvation, plead for you on the Day of Reckoning, light your grave for you, be your sympathetic
companion in the solitude of your tomb, and a pilot to steer you out of the seas of anxieties and
sorrows surrounding you. Do not forget that obedience to God is the only real shield against the
onslaught of adversities, calamities and terrors and is the only protection against the flames and
tortures of the Hell.
Do you know how piety helps those who make it the basic principle of their lives? It wards
off the calamities which have crowded round them and laid siege of them. It converts bitter
disappointments of their affairs into pleasant achievements. It acts as a break-water against the
waves of disasters and destructions which want to dash against their lives and ambitions. Its
influence will change their harassing poverty and scarcity into contentment and affluence,
and its grace will transform their dry years into rainy seasons and their dry lands into green
orchards and flourishing fields.
 275
Fear the Lord, Who was so Kind as to grant you intellect and reasoning and then advised
you to do good; He then, through the teachings of His chosen prophet (Muhammad-may the
peace of God be upon him and his descendants) made it easy for you to understand the purpose
of your creation; not only this but His Love of mankind went further than that, and He
completed this course of education through the Ahlaybaith (descendants of the Holy Prophet
(A.S.). Now as a mark of obligation it is incumbent upon you to try your best to obey His
Commands sincerely and faithfully.
Remember that Islam is the religion which He has chosen as a medium for you to
understand your place in the universe and your relation with Him. The training which this
religion is to impart had its course laid down and finished under His direct command. He
entrusted it to the most Favourite and Chosen of His prophets. He made it superior to other
religions of the world. He glorified it by defeating its enemies and humiliating those who want
to over throw it. He wants it to obliterate ignorance and heathenism from human minds, to
saturate their thirst for wisdom and knowledge and to propagate truth, justice and piety.
The reasonableness and rationality of its doctrines is so powerful that they cannot be
repudiated, falsified or belied. They are so coordinated, so wisely interconnected and so
naturally follow each other that they cannot be separated nor can anyone of them be over
thrown. Islam is a tree which cannot be up-rooted neither it can be cut down nor can its
branches be trimmed. Its paths are broad and straight, there is nothing tortuous there; its canons
are easy to understand and to follow; it does not tolerate hypocrisy and insincerity; its light will
never dim out and the sympathetic congeniality of the forms of its services will never turn harsh
and unbearable.
Have you fully realised what Islam is? It is religion founded on truth. It is such a
fountain-head of learning that from it flow out several streams of wisdom and knowledge. It is
such a lamp that from it several lamps will be lighted. It is a tall beacon lightening the path of
God. It is a set of principles and beliefs which will satisfy every seeker of truths and realities.
Know you all that God has made Islam the most sublime path towards His Supreme
Pleasure and the highest standard of His worship and obedience. He has favoured it with noble
precepts, exalted principles, undoubtable arguments, unchallengeable supremacy and
undeniable wisdom.
It is up to you to maintain the eminence and dignity granted to it by the Lord, to follow it
sincerely, to do justice to its articles of faith and belief, to implicitly obey its tenets and orders,
and to give it the proper place in your lives.
Remember that He with utmost kindness and grace sent His Chosen Prophet unto you
at a time when devastation was hovering over the world, when humanity was on the verge of
annihilation, when various civilisations and religions were driving man towards destruction,
when on account of its harsh and cruel ways life had become a misery to most of human beings,
when dissension and disunity were holding their sway, when mankind was divided into
classes, castes, nationalities and religious groups; and when other religions were decaying and
disappearing into heathenism because their false and irrational dogmas had exposed them and
their doctrinarism had made them impractical and was forcing the world to forsake them.
At such a time He made the Holy Prophet (A.S.) the means of revealing His Command,
bringing Muslims out of the world-chaos, carrying the message of peace and prosperity to
mankind and creating through his companions standards for respect of self, veneration of the
Holy Prophet (A.S.) and obedience to God.
 276
God also revealed to him His message through the Holy Book (Quran). This book contains
such knowledge and enlightenment that it shall never be ineffective, futile or fruitless. It
carries in its words wisdom so deep that man cannot actually reach those depths. It is a highway
which will not mislead anybody. It is a light which will never die out. It creates such distinctions
between truth and falsehood that its decisions will never be challenged and refuted. Its
explanations cannot be proved to be wrong. It is the cure for perversity of minds. It is a power
which cannot be over thrown. It is truth personified. Its supporters will never feel sorry for the
support given to it. It is a mine of faith, a spring of knowledge and a fountain-head of equity
and justice. The wisdom which this book contains and the learning which it imparts cannot be
exhausted. It is such a destination that those who aim to reach it will never wander of the way. It
is such a landmark that those who follow the path of truth will never miss it. It is such a sublime
source of information that nothing can surpass it. God has made it a blessing for learned, wise
and pious persons, an unfailing remedy for wickedness of minds, and source of illumination for
dark depths of impiety and heathenism. It is a powerful binding force to keep men within the
bonds of faith and love. It is the safest refuge from sin and vice. It is the harbinger of peace for
humanity. It honours those who accept it, guides those who follow it, protects those who act
according to its dictates, and it acts as a sound argument for those who speak through it. It
testifies those who claim its testimony. It supports those who support it. It brings success
to those who embrace it. It is the quickest and the shortest way to salvation for those who
formulate their lives according to its tenets. It is the easiest and the best form of explanation for
those who want to understand the principles of truth and piety. So far as the history of mankind
is concerned it is the best source of information and so far as justice and equity is concerned it
is best code of law.

KHUTBA-204
An advice to his companions.

The most wonderful part of this sermon is its last paragraph where Hazrath has explained
in few words what science discovered some thirteen hundred years later. Hazrath has
said that when God so wills even your brain will give out what you have said and done
all through your life, that is, all of your experiences. This faculty of human brain so
graphically explained by him is the latest discovery of the science of medicine. This and
several other modern theories in the fields of science about which he has hinted as passing
remarks bear testimony to omniscient attribute of Hazrath.
This capacity of human brain is named “Interpretive cortex”. The world famous
Neurosurgeon, Wilder Penfield has just offered evidence to the National Academy of
Science that “Parts of the brain work like an audio-video tape recorder, preserving the
minutest details of everything that a man sees and hears”. He says this area of preservation
of experiences is in both temporal lobes (Islam has given the name of Kiramun Kathebeen,
the two honourable angels, one on each shoulder of a man to record his good and bad
deeds and words. They are called honourable because they will never record anything
that has not actually taken place). Dr. Penfield cites experiments where a person recalled
the music he had heard when he was a child, another recalled the experience of the child
birth, which had happened to her twenty years ago, a third person got the vision of some
 277
people sitting on chairs and talking, a happening of his childhood. All this was brought
to the minds of these people by merely touching the temporal lobes with fine electrodes.
The experiment is absolutely harmless and painless. This touching of lobes brings back to
mind a wide variety of incidents, even very trivial, often of childhood and connected with
family and neighbours.
Dr. Penfield says that, “There is hidden away in the brain, a record of the stream of
consciousness. It seems to hold the details of that stream as laid down during each man’s
waking conscious hours. Contained in this record are all those things of which the
individual was once aware-such details as a man might hope to remember for a few
seconds or minutes afterwards, but which are lost to voluntary recall after that time.........
This is not memory, as we usually use the word. No man can recall by voluntary efforts
such a wealth of details………….It is much more real than remembering.”
Offer your prayers regularly, be careful when you are offering them, pray as often as
you possibly can and through prayers seek the proximity of His Realm. Prayers are made
compulsory for faithful Muslims. Have you not read in the Holy Quran the reply of those who
would be thrown into the Hell. When they will be asked what has brought you to the Hell. They
will say, “We were not among those who prayed”. (Part XXIX, Ch. LXXIV: 42 and 43).
Remember that Salaat (daily prayers) removes sinful desires from your minds as strong
wind sheds dried leaves from trees, and it frees you from clutches of vice and wickedness. The
Holy Prophet (may the peace of God be upon him and his descendants) has said “Salaat is like a
hot spring at a man’s door. If he takes bath in it five times a day there shall be no dirt and filth
on his body (mind)”.
Only such persons can appreciate and realise the worth and usefulness of daily prayers
(Salaat) whom pomp and glory of this world has not allured or whom family ties, prosperity and
power have not made negligent of their duty. The Almighty God says, “There are some people
whom their business and trade cannot make unmindful of offering their prayers and paying
poor-rate (Zakaath)”. (Quran- Part XVIII, Ch: XXIV: 37).
The Holy Prophet (A.S.) though he knew that his place is in Heaven yet he used to
exert himself so much in daily prayers that he physically suffered on that account, because
he wantedto keep up the prestige of the order of God: “Enjoin prayers on members of your
household, and regularly and steadily adhere to it” (Quran- Part XVI, Ch: XX : 132). Thus the
Holy Prophet (A.S.) ordered the members of his family to offer, daily prayers regularly and he
himself was particularly careful of it.
Beside the daily prayer there is one another means of achieving proximity of His Favour,
it is the poor-rate (Zakaath). It is an expiration of sins and delivery from the Hell for those who
willingly and cheerfully pay it. Remember that after paying it none should feel sorry at the
thought of the loss thus suffered; none should even imagine it to be a loss. Because whoever pays
the poor-rate (Zakaath) not selflessly and sincerely but, with an eye to the benefits which may
follow and the popularity which may thus be gained, he does not understand the real meaning
of religion; he will be a loser and will be put to permanent shame and disgrace.
Then there is the attribute of honesty, it is made incumbent upon you to return the things
entrusted to you and to be honest in your thoughts and deeds. God enquired of the spreading
skies, the vast earth, the big mountains whether they like to act as His trustees for something
which He intends entrusting them with (a mind, intellectual enough to understand the relation
 278
between creatures and the Creator, the purpose of creation and the duties which He has laid
down for His creatures) they refused to accept the trust though they were so vast and so big;
because they were afraid of being found wanting and the Wrath of the Lord on account of
this weakness; but man accepted the offer, because he was hasty and did not possess enough
foresight. God says in the Holy Quran “Surely man is ignorant and hasty” (Part XXII, Ch: XXX-
III : 72).
O people! God is not unaware of all that you do during broad day light and in the depth
of night. He knows everything that you do and every thought that passes your mind. He is
Omniscient. Even your mind and your limbs will bear testimony before Him of your actions and
thoughts. Parts of your body are soldiers of His army, your conscience and your mind are His
spies against you. Your private life is fully known to Him.

KHUTBA-205

There are two ways of leading a life. One is the way which has been taught and practiced
by great minds from the time of every known Apostle of God up to our Holy Prophet
(A.S.). It is to be honest, virtuous, pious and to do one’s duty to man and God. The other
is the Machiavellian way of an unscrupulous schemer, who would not mind to resort to
any evil to gain his end. Islam calls this the way of Satan. This way of life was actually
responsible for all miseries that humanity had suffered since the descendt of its fore-father
from the Heaven. All the wars, all the poverty, all the crimes, the caste system of India,
the slavery in the East and the West, the imperialism that once dominated the globe, the
totalitarianism of today are all various phases of Machiavellian philosophy.
Hazrath as a true apostle hated this way of life and on many occasions when various
people, for instance Abdulla-ibne-Abbas, Mogheera and others suggested him for anything
nearing it, he got vexed and replied “End will never justify the Means, and true way of
life should never be polluted with such vices even to support and save a religion”. In this
Khutba Hazrath has hinted at this saying that if he wished he could practice duplicity
and crime in statecraft, doing it in more subtle way than Moavia, but he fears God while
Moavia does not.
I swear by God that Moavia is not wiser and more intelligent than me. But he is an
unscrupulous schemer, he would resort to every kind of duplicity, vice and sin to strengthen
his statecraft. Had I not hated wickedness and sin I would have been the greatest politician and
statesman of that type. But every vice, every wickedness, every duplicity, every crime and every
unscrupulousness is a sin and violation of the orders of God. One who violates and disregards
the principles of Islam is an infidel. On the Day of Judgment every unscrupulous schemer and
infidel will be made to carry a flag in his hand with which he will be distinguished.
I swear by God that none can fool or allure me with his cunning duplicity nor can I be
subjugated by force.

KHUTBA-206

An advice to companion not to feel nervous if in minority and to remember that moral
support of bad deeds is as punishable as the actual deed itself.
 279
O people! do not feel nervous and do not get disappointed if you find very few people
following the path of truth and salvation, because majority of men are mad after worldly
pleasures, a world, where after lengthy and tantalising expectations, little time is allowed for
enjoyments to be followed by very long periods of punishments and sufferings.
However different may be your modes of activities and ways of doing things the basic
principles of good and evil gather all men under certain categories. You know there was only one
man who killed the camel of Saleh, the Prophet, but the whole nation had to suffer for it because
they all had approved the action. The Lord had hinted of the incident saying, “They stabbed her,
but next day (when they say that the Wrath of God was descending) they (too late) regretted the
action” (Holy Quran- Part XIX: Chapter XXVI: I57). Their punishment was given in the form of a
devastating earthquake which came with terrible grinding sound to be followed by tremors and
terrible quakes, which wiped the whole community out of existence.
O people! one who goes the right way reaches the salvation easily and one who wanders
away will find his journey’s end to be eternal damnation.

KHUTBA-207

This is the saddest discourse that has ever been recorded of Hazrath. He had delivered it on
a really very sad occasion of his life. He was burying his dearest companion, his partner
in life, who was the daughter of the Holy Prophet (A.S.) and whom he loved as dearly as
he had loved her father. Nobody was dearer to him in this world; than these two, not his
own life nor even his two famous sons. And these two beloved ones had left him, one after
another, at very short interval. The edge of pathos was keener on this occasion because
Fatima (A.S.) his dearest spouse, had died in the prime of her life, barely twenty years
old. Her death was actually Martyrdom. Her house was burned down upon her head, the
burning door was flung upon her, which broke her ribs and her left hand. This cruelty has
caused the premature birth and death of a baby that she was carrying, and had ultimately
ended in her death. All this had happened within two to three months of death of the Holy
Prophet (may the peace of God be upon him and his Descendants). Hazrath had tried his
best to ward all this off but was helpless against the heavy odds working. Her heirloom
was also forcibly taken away from her and even the grant (Hiba) was refused to be taken
into consideration. The insult and the injury had killed her and Hazrath was burying her
when he could not resist the outburst. No one can really translate and depict the pathos
which words of Hazrath carried in them.
O Prophet of God please accept my Salams and those of your daughter who is being
buried not very far from you, and who is to meet you so quickly. O the chosen Apostle! the death
of your dear daughter has left me without patience and solace. I have lost my self-restrain and
power of endurance.
After having endured the separation from you I shall have to bear this catastrophe
patiently O Prophet of God! I laid you down in the grave with my own hands, your soul departed
from your body while you were resting upon my breast and your head was lying between my
neck and my heart. “Surely we belong to Allah and towards Him is our return”. (Holy Quran-
Part II, Chapter II: 156). Your trust (your daughter) which was entrusted to me is taken back from
me. Sorrow now abides with me and happiness has taken leave. This grief is so overbearing that
 280
it engulfs and swallow other sorrows, and it has left me with sleepless nights and joyless days.
From now onwards my life will be a continued heartache till God gathers me with you both in
the realm of His Favour and Peace.
O Apostle of God! your dear daughter will tell you how your followers have behaved with
her and how they have ill-treated her. You please ask her the details of what all has happened to
her during such a short period (barely three months) after your departure to the Heaven. This
period of separation from you was so short that people still remember you and were still talking
about you.
Please both of you accept my parting Salams and good-bye. It is the wish of a sincere heart
which has loved and will always love you both, a heart which will cherish and will carry your
tender and loving memories to its grave. Good-bye, O daughter of the chosen Apostle of God!
may you rest in peace which mankind has refused to you in this world. If I leave your grave to
go to my place, it is not because I am tired of your company, I wish I had it to the end of my
life. And if I make a permanent abode on your grave it will not be because I doubt the reward
that God has reserved for those who bear sorrows patiently. Good-bye! may God’s peace and
blessing be with you.

KHUTBA-208
An advice to his companions

Remember that this world is a thoroughfare, a road, upon which people are passing night
and day, and the next world is the abode of permanent stay. While passing along this road make
provision for the next, where you will reside forever.
Do not go under burden of sins and vices before one Who Knows everything about you.
Remove vicious ambitions from your mind before death removes you from your surroundings.
Remember that you are being tried in this world and are created to be given a permanent
residence in the next world.
When a man dies people ask what he has left behind as a legacy, and angels want to know
what he has sent forward (good deeds and good words).
May God have mercy upon you, send something in advance to the place where you will
have to follow, it may be a sort of loan on God to be repaid to you on your arrival. Do not leave
all of yours behind, it will be a drag upon you.

KHUTBA-209
An advice to his companions

Hazrath thus often advised his companions in similar words.

May God have mercy upon you. Do make some arrangements for your journey. The
notice for your departure has already been given to you. Do not take your sojourn here to be a
permanent stay. Take the best provision (of good deeds and noble thoughts) along with you
and turn towards the Lord. Because you have to cross a very arduous valley (grave) and many
frightfully horrible places. You shall positively have to cross them, there is no way out for any
of you. Remember that death is nearer to you today than yesterday (each day of your life as it
passes out leaves a day nearer to death) and it has you under its complete power and sway. Its
 281
horrors are silently and stealthily stalking you. Cut off your worldly connections as much as you
can and be pious because your piety is your best provision for next world.

KHUTBA-210

After swearing the oath of allegiance, Talha and Zubair started grumbling and
complaining that Hazrath has ignored them and is not consulting them in affairs of
caliphate and is not giving them the share of public money which their position and status
demanded and deserved. On hearing this Hazrath has replied to them in the following
words: -
You complain of such minor happenings and trifling affairs and you forget all the good that
has been done to you. Can you give me a single instance of my depriving you of your rights, or
of a single thing that was coming to you as your share and I withheld it from you. Can you point
out a single case of a complaint being brought before me for decision and I failed to give a just
decision or to pass a. correct decree or where I got confused.
By God, I never craved for a kingship or caliphate for its sake only. All of you invited me
to accept it and I accepted. And when I accepted it and became a ruler I started to rule according
to the dictates of the Quran and the traditions of the Holy Prophet (A.S.). In following the order
of the Quran and the Holy Prophet (A.S.) I never needed either your help or that of anybody
else. If I feel ever in need of advice I shall certainly consult you as well as other Muslim brothers.
So far as your complaints about equal distribution of wealth are concerned I want to tell,
that here too I am strictly following the Quran and the traditions of the Holy Prophet (may the
peace of God be upon him and his descendant). This theory of equal distribution of wealth and
opportunities was revealed to the Holy Prophet (A.S.) by the Merciful God and he had given this
out to us; you know this so do I. So what God had given out as His Policy should be accepted by
you and as well as by me. Therefore, you and your friends are not justified in blaming me for this.
May God keep you and keep me on the true and the straight path. May He grant us
patience.
May God have Mercy upon him who when truth is pointed out, accepts it and helps
it, who will ignore and reject falsehood if placed before him and who supports true cause
wholeheartedly.

KHUTBA-211

During the battle of Siffeen some of Hazrath’s followers were reviling and abusing the
Syrians. When this was brought to his notice, he advised the army in the following words:-
I consider it highly undesirable that you should resort to abuse and revile. If you in sober
language discloses their evil deeds, vicious thoughts and wicked ideas it is tolerable, and it will
bring them out before the world in true light, but reviling and abusing should be avoided. Instead
of that you pray to God and beseech Him to save them and save us from fratricide and bloodshed
to unite us, to show them true path of Islam, to lead them to recognise truth and to follow it, and
to make them give up disobedience, revolt and schism.
 282
KHUTBA-212

One day during the battle of Siffeen Hazrath saw Imam Hasan in the thick of the bat-
tle alone, surrounded by enemies on all sides. He was fighting furiously and was still
advancing boldly towards the center of the enemy’s lines. Hazrath seeing this turned to-
wards his companions and said: -
Please go to the help of that young man and try to bring him back to me. I cannot afford
to spare him and his brother (Imam Husain). I do not wish to see them dead lest the progeny of
the Holy Prophet (A.S.) should come to an end.

KHUTBA-213

When a winning battle was turned into a disastrous defeat by the faithlessness of
some, folly of others, frustration of many and helplessness of Hazrath’s few faithful
companions, and when arbitrators proved themselves real traitors to the cause of
Islam and they decided against the Iraquees. When all of that had taken place some of
the companions of Hazrath started complaining against him for having accepted the
arbitration. On this and on several similar occasions Hazrath made them realise that it was
their folly which brought this impasse. He said: -
O people! till the war did not tire you out, you were obeying me and following my orders.
But when it exhausted some of you a weakness appeared in your strength and your morals,
and you had not the nerves to see and realise that your enemy was on the verge of a crushing
defeat. If you had continued the fight for some time more the enemy would have been put to a
disastrous rout. But you got nervous, you faltered, you lost your faith in God and His words, you
accepted the ruse and you lost the war.
What could I do? Till you kept obeying my commands I kept leading you from victory to
victory, but you forced me to accept your decisions. Preferring this vicious world to the glories of
next you accepted humiliation and disgrace, and it was not left in my power to help you. I could
not force you to continue a war which you did not like.

KHUTBA-214

In Basra Hazrath called upon one of his companions. Ala lbne Zeyad-E-Haaresee, who
was ill. His was a very spacious and big house. Looking at the spaciousness of his house
Hazrath said to him: -
What are you going to do with such a spacious house in this world? What you really
require is a spacious abode in the Heaven where you are going to stay permanently. If you
sincerely desire to own also a house there along with this and as big as this one then make this
house a centre of your hospitality, treat your relatives well, go to their help, be particular in do-
ing your duties and meeting your obligations, then you will achieve your aim.
Hearing this Ala requested Hazrath to advise his brother also, whose name was Aasim-
ibne-Zeyad and against whom Ala had to make a complaint. Hazrath enquired what was wrong
with him and how was he misbehaving. He said, “Sir, wearing a course woollen cloak he has
retired from this world and is leading the life of a hermit”. Hazrath replied, “Bring him to me”.
 283
When he came Hazrath said to him, “O enemy of your ownself! the devil has misled you.
Do you not feel pity on your wife and children and on other members of your family? Why do
you not look after them? Why do you think that God will get angry with you if you eat, consume
and use all those things which have been allowed by Islam and which you have earned with
honest and pious means? Why renounce all that? You are far below the standard where such
renunciation will be asked of you.”
Upon these remarks of Hazrath he replied:- “O Amirul Momeneen! I am following your
example. Look at your dress how course, rough and cheap it is, even our poorest would not care
to wear it. Look at your food, it is dry and stale bread not obliged to a pinch of salt even”.
Hazrath said, “Alas friend! you are mistaken, you are not like me. God has made it
incumbent upon true and just Imams to keep themselves on the level of the poorest and
humblest of men, so that those poor and humble persons may not feel shame and humiliation
on account of their condition, may not lose heart, may not give way to frustration and grief and
may maintain their self-respect”.

KHUTBA-215
On spurious and false traditions

Saleem Ibne Ovase Halaby, one of Hazrath’s companions, asked him to say something
about those spurious and false traditions which were then prevailing so profusely. Hazrath
replied: -
It is absolutely within one’s discretion to adopt truth or falsehood and veracity or
fabrication, to resort to obliteration or abrogation and generalisation or particularisation, to
make use of obvious meanings or create ambiguities and to employ falsification or to report
correctly. During the very life time of the Holy Prophet (A.S.) many a false tradition were
attributed to him. This continued till the Apostle of God got so vexed that he stood up and
declared that “whoever deliberately and purposely tells lies against me or attributes lies to me
shall make a place for himself in the Hell”.
Remember that there are amongst you four kinds of narrators of traditions. One variety
is of people who pretend to be what they actually are not, they are hypocrites; they manifest
faith and behave like true Muslims but they are not afraid to resort to wickedness and sin,
neither they are alarmed of eternal punishment. They deliberately tell lies against the Holy
Prophet (A.S.). If people only know that these persons are hypocrites and liars, then their
narrated traditions and their statement of facts will not be accepted. But these ungodly
imposters feign to be companions of the Holy Prophet (A.S.), to have been with him, to have
heard traditions from him and to have been educated by him. And people accept them and their
fraud without carefully considering their antecedents, their connections with the Holy Prophet
(A.S.) and the confidence and reliance of the Holy Prophet (A.S.) achieved by them. God has also
warned you of such hypocrites and has apprised you of their ways and guiles. After the Holy
Prophet (A.S.) these hypocrites, imposing as Muslims, remained in the Muslim society and with
the help of spurious and false traditions they became leaders of schism and fast friends of those
who were trying to achieve power and wealth at the cost of peace and prosperity of Muslims and
at the expense of their salvation in the next world. When these false Imams and those leaders to
the Hell and perdition obtained control of the Muslim State, they purposely appointed all such
 284
imposters who had reputation of fabricating false traditions to important posts of the state or
made them governors of the provinces and thus gave them complete control over the lives and
properties of the people and through them carried on economic and religious exploitation of the
masses. And it is a common practice that people generally try to obey, cooperate and imitate
their rulers, kings and rich people. The populace, therefore, believing in them, respecting them
and following their lead. There are also exceptions to this common practice, but they are few and
far between, may God protect these exceptions.
The second kind of person quoting false traditions from the Holy Prophet (A.S.) is of a man
who has wrongly quoted the Prophet not on purpose but inadvertently. He had occasion to be
with the Prophet and to learn something from him, but his memory was not good and when he
repeated the traditions he could not repeat it correctly, and he was also not lying against the
Prophet deliberately. His repetition of a false tradition was under his sincere belief that he was
repeating it correctly. He acts upon those traditions and says that he has heard them from the
Prophet. If people could only know that he was suffering from bad memory they would give
up accepting his statements; and if he could but realise his own weakness of a bad memory he
would give up quoting the Holy Prophet (A.S.).
Thirdly there are persons who heard an order of the Holy Prophet (A.S.) and remembered
it rightly, but they did not know that particular order was later repealed and abrogated.
Conversely some people have heard the Prophet forbidding his followers from a certain action
but did not know that the Apostle of God later gave permission for the same. In both these cases
the older traditions were repeated by people who were not aware of the later cancellations. They
not only repeated what they had heard but also acted upon their knowledge and populace was
misguided by them. If they had only known of the abrogation they would not have repeated or
acted upon the repealed orders or interdictions.
The fourth is the kind of person who is actually a blessing among you. He is scrupulously
honest, will never lie against God or the Holy Prophet (A.S.). He fears God and respects the
Holy Prophet (A.S.) enough to lie against either. He carefully remembers what he has heard
and then carefully repeats it neither adding anything to it nor subtracting something from it.
He learns all about the latest sayings and orders of the Prophet and acts according to them. He
remembers those which have been obliterated and does not follow them. He can distinguish
and differentiate between such orders and interdictions as are meant for special place, time,
occasion or person and those which are meant to be general canons of Islam, and makes use of
each variety in its proper place and time. Similarly, he knows those traditions whose meanings
are clear and such others which require very careful consideration. Orders of our Holy Prophet
(A.S.) are of two kinds. Some are meant for special persons while others are for all Muslims and
for all times to come.
There were many persons who could not fully understand the significance of what the
Prophet has said. They could remember all right but could not grasp the true relevancy of these
traditions and began interpreting them as they desired.
Besides that all the companions of the Prophet were not of such importance as to dare
ask questions of Hazrath, neither they were learned enough to understand and digest what was
being told. They often waited till some Arabs from districts asked questions of the Holy Prophet
(A.S.) they then listened how Hazrath replied and tried to remember those traditions as much as
they could. But my condition was different, I never allowed an occasion to pass without asking
a question and without requesting for explanations.
 285
These are various reasons which caused so many spurious and false traditions to come into
circulations.

KHUTBA-216

In this sermon Hazrath Ali discusses the formation of the earth, its solidification from
a nebular mass, formation of the earth, mountains, oceans, floating of continents, and
gaseous envelopes around the earths.
Glory be to the Almighty God, an example of the greatness of His Might and Power
and Extra-ordinary beauty of His Art of Creation is the creation of this earth itself. Out of a
stupendous swirling, sweeping, extremely disturbed and turbulent mass of nebulous material
which was rolling and rotating in piles upon piles. He solidified a dry and practically steady
and motionless (when compared to the turbulent condition of the nebulous mass) earth. Over
this earth He created envelopes over envelops of gasses which are seven in number and which
are separated one from the other. These gaseous envelopes though overlap each other yet each
one is forced to occupy its own space, as if they are fixed in their places. This solid earth is so
created that it is covered by a bluish green mass of water-and it looks-as if it floats on the huge
volume of water. These deep oceans and seas are obedient to His Orders and movements of their
waves and currents are according to His Decrees. On this earth He created solid mountains and
fixed them in such a way that some of them are so high that their peaks pierce the upper layers
of atmosphere and some of them have their bases planted in the deepest parts of the oceans, i.e.
these mountains are raised higher than the surrounding lands around them and also reach deep
into the bosom of the earth. These apparently sky scraping mountains act as pivots and with
their help the slipping movement (floating of the continents) was brought under control. Thus
the earth (the continents of the earth) after passing through many upheavals and jolts steadied
itself into its present form. This was necessary so that the solid mass of the land may not leave
its place or may not tilt, carrying into sea the inhabitants living upon it (the continents may
not float towards deep oceans and may not disappear into them- Refer Modern Geophysics and
Geodesic theories of: -
1. Causes of volcanoes and volcanic regimes;
2. Margins and landslide portions of continents on the side of oceans; and
3. Causes of the poles changing their places).
Glory be to the Lord, Who raised the earth high and dry above the strong and turbulent
seas after it had been submerged, and made this earth as comfortable and as happy a habitat for
its inhabitants as if it was cradle for a baby, and laid the crust of the solid land on the bosom of
the fluid mass of material beneath it. It is such a crust that it is steady and there is very little or
no floating movement in it, heavy winds pass over it and raise waters of its oceans in the form
of clouds.
Verily, in these facts (in the biography of this earth) there are lessons and warnings for
those who fear the Might and Glory of the Lord.
 286
KHUTBA-217
One who does not lend his ear to the call of truth is a sinner.

O Lord! he who hears my speeches, explaining principles of equity and justice, and evil
effects of tyranny and oppressions, speeches guiding mankind towards His Blessing in this world
and hereafter, and teaching them to keep aloof from vice and wickedness, and refuses to accept
all the good that they carry, then it means that he refuses to come to the help of Thy cause and
to enhance the prestige of Thy religion. O Thou! who is the most Sublime and most Supreme of
all witnesses I bear Thee and all of Thy creations which abound in the skies and on the earth as
witness against such a person. Verily, Thou does not require any help of such a person. Those
arst above him and Thou canst punish him for his sins.

KHUTBA-218
About God and the Holy Prophet (A.S.).

All praise be to God who has no equal and no peer and Who is far Sublime to bear
any similarity to His creatures. His attributes cannot be described. Wise men can realise
and understand His Existence only on account of the Glory of His creation and Marvels of
existence and working of His universe. But on account of His Supreme Might and Greatness He
is above comprehension and imagination. He is Wise without learning anything from anywhere.
He creates everything without hesitation and solicitude. No darkness can hide Him and no light
can illuminate Him. Neither a night can bring any change in Him nor can a day affect Him. Eyes
can never see Him and nobody can ever explain the reality of God.
In the above sermon Hazrath thus spoke about the Holy Prophet (A.S.).
God has sent the Holy Prophet (A.S.) accompanied by Divine Light and selected him
among His Apostles as His most chosen and favourite messenger. He wants to dispel! through
this Prophet disunity and confusion and to introduce unity and brotherhood among men.
The Holy Prophet (A.S.) succeeded in delivering His message; he overcame difficulties, he
overthrew powerful opposition, he removed obstructions, he suppressed excesses and
disallowed shortcomings and vices and he succeeded in subjugating heathenism.

KHUTBA-219

About God and the Holy Prophet (A.S.); and the courses of the creation of man; what is
meant by protection of God; what kind of people good men are and how everyone should
follow them.
I testify that He is Just and Straightforward and every action of His is based upon
equity and justice, and He is such a Ruler that all His Orders are final (which do not require
reconsideration and are far above appeal and repeal). I testify that the Holy Prophet Muhammad
(may the peace of God be upon him and his descendants), is his servant and Apostle and far
superior to all of His creatures. From the time the progeny of Adam started dividing into branches
the ancestors of our Prophet right down to his parents belonged to nobler and superior branches
of man. In his ancestors there was not a single man or woman who can be called retrograde or
infidel.
 287
Remember that God created men to do good to act as supports to His religion and as
defences for those who obey Him and follow His Orders. For every occasion when you are acting
in obedience to His Orders He has arranged to defend and protect you. It is a defence which He
made His prophets to declare and disclose, which strengthens your hearts and holds up your
moral courage; a defence which is sufficient for those who are satisfied and are contented with
the help of the Lord; and a defence which will act as a remedy for all ailments of mind for those
who need such a remedy and ask for it.
You must understand and realise that those servants of the Lord, who are trustees and
guardians of His message and of the knowledge revealed, are honest and trustworthy. They
protect and guard these springs of knowledge. They freely supply this knowledge to others.
They help each other, and love and tolerate each other. They try to acquire as much knowledge
as they can. They do not give way to doubts and scepticism. They do not resort to scandal and
back biting. These good attributes have become part of their nature and on account of these
qualities they like each other and meet each other. Amongst the populace they are as prominent
as good grains mixed with bad. The good is utilised and the bad is thrown away. The eminence
and nobility of their character has made them more outstanding and prominent during their
trials and tests.
Men should try to develop such character and thus attain greatness and honour. They
should fear the Day of Reckoning before it arrives. During the few days of life which have been
allotted to them and the little respite which is assigned to them in this world they should provide
for the next world. They should try to change it in such a way as to acquire a better future. They
should avoid remissness and negligence and should take a careful account of themselves and
their doings and sayings. They should think of the place where they would have to return, and
the various stages (grave, purgatory etc.) through which they would have to pass and should do
good before it is too late.
Blessed is he, who has got such a noble mind and pure heart that he follows a true leader
and avoids the one who will lead him to perdition; he accepts such light which will enlighten
his way to salvation and accepts the guidance of a person who will lead him to the Heaven; he
accepts religion and truth before it is too late for him to accept or reject anything and he repents
for his sins and vices before death closes upon him the door of repentance. Verily, he stands on
the true path to Eternal Bliss which has been shown to him.

KHUTBA-220
The prayer which Hazrath often repeated.

Through this prayer Hazrath has taught us how to offer our thanks and for what we have
to be thankful; and how and for what to seek His protection.

I thank for His Mercy in keeping me alive and healthy, my veins or arteries are neither
diseased nor I am suffering from the effects of an immoral and vicious life. I am not childless. I
have neither given up my faith in Islam nor have I turned an infidel. Neither I hate religion nor
am I an atheist. Neither I am sceptic about the existence of God nor have I lost my mind. None of
the punishments which have fallen on the past nations have fallen over me. I am such a creature
of God who is given a life and who is to live and die within confines of certain limitations and
 288
bounds. I do not sympathise with or show favour and indulgence to myself, on the contrary, I
am hard upon my ownself.
O Lord! Thou hast done Your Best with me and hast tried to teach me everything that a
man ought to know. I cannot claim or ask for anything more. I cannot achieve anything unless
Thou bestowth it upon me. I cannot protect myself against any sin or calamity unless with your
Grace and Help.
Lord! I seek Thy Protection lest in spite of Thy Wealth I remain poor and needy, in spite
of Thy Guidance I go astray, and in spite of Thy Power and Might I be humbled and persecuted.
Lord! let Thy Blessings remain with me till my death. Out of the things entrusted to me by
Thee let my soul be the first to be taken away from me.
Lord! I seek Thy Protection against any desire of disobeying Thy Commands or against
any allurement and instigation to give up Thy religion. I seek Thy help lest inordinate desires so
overcome me as to drag me towards vice and wickedness.

KHUTBA-221

This is a sermon discussing basic principles of rights and obligations and how one is to
meet them; reciprocity of duties and how it is to be maintained; obligations of governed
and governing bodies, and duties of man towards God and religion. In this sermon Hazrath
has abused flattery and sycophancy and advised people not to flatter the ruling class. This
is a big sermon delivered in a difficult language.
The Almighty God by entrusting your affairs to me has given me a right over you. And
as I have a right over you so you have a right over me. This incumbence of duties between us is
mutual. Though the words, rights and obligations have very extensive meanings but their circle
of application is small. Between two persons one has rights over the other only when the latter
has rights over the former. One sided obligation is possible only with God. He has Rights over
His creatures but they in return have no rights over Him. This is His Privilege. His Power and
Authority over His creatures and His Equitable Assignment of attributes and qualities to each
one of them and His Justice in allotting just rights to every creature, has placed every one of
them under obligation to Him. And this obligation upon human beings takes the form of His
implicit obedience performed faithfully and sincerely.
This obedience carries His Reward. The Divine gesture thus rewarding our obedience is
simply His Kindness and Favour. Obedience to His Commands and submission to His Will is an
obligation to which every person must submit irrespective of there being any reward or not.
On account of His Benevolence, Mercy and Kindness He promised to reward us many times
more than the duty performed by us. A further sign of His Grace is that He gave to the rights of
one man over another an importance equal to His Rights over human beings. He granted these
rights reciprocally. Out of these obligations there are certain duties which create others and such
created rights and duties do not become obligatory unless the original duty which creates them
is first discharged and unless their mutuality is recognised by both the parties, that is unless a
person fulfils his own obligations towards others, he is never in his rights to claim of other’s
fulfilment of their duties towards him.
The greatest out of these reciprocal rights is that of a ruler on the ruled and that of the
governed on the governing authority. The Almighty Lord have made them obligatory on both
 289
(The ruler and the ruled). This obligation when discharged forges a link of affinity and love
between the ruler and the governed, it raises the prestige and honour of their religion and
enhances the happiness and contentment of the subject. But remember that no subject will be
happy and contented unless the system of government is sympathetic, humane and congenial.
And no ruler can introduce good form of government unless the subject is ready to meet their
obligations readily, sincerely and faithfully.
When the ruler and the ruled both will discharge their respective duties sincerely and
honestly then it will be the times when truth and piety will prevail in society, ways of religion
will be firmly followed, equity and justice will rule the day, traditions of our Holy Prophet (A.S.)
will be accepted and acted upon, civilisation will achieve higher standards, a secured and firm
government will be established, unholy greed and avarice will give way to disappointment and
despair, because there will not remain any chance of acquiring wealth by unholy means and
hoarding it against the canons of the religion.
But when the subject revolts against their ruler without any justifiable cause and tries to
overcome his authority, or when the ruler oppresses, tyrannises, exploits and deprives them of
their natural or acquired rights, then differences will creep in every phase of their relationship
and law and order will receive a set-back, despotism or totalitarianism will be the order of
the day, sincere and faithful following of religion will be given up, in fact religion will be
forsaken, inordinate desires will rule human minds, canons of religion will be disrespected and
disregarded, minds will get abnormally perverted and none will hesitate to do the foulest deed,
to disregard sacred obligations and to treat them with contempt and disrespect.
When society takes such a turn then pious and good people will be dishonoured and
disgraced; retrograde and wicked people will be honoured and respected and Wrath of God will
descend upon those people in one form or another. Therefore, it is a sacred duty of everyone of
you to advise and help each other to discharge their duties and to meet their obligations. Because
without thus helping each other and without doing this duty nobody will attain the highest
standard of obedience to the Lord aimed at or achieve His Greatest Favour, however keenly
desirous though he may be to achieve them and however hard he may have tried for the same.
For He has made it obligatory on human beings to advise each other for good deeds and noble
thoughts and to persuade and help each other to meet their obligations; none should consider
himself exempted from this duty. However highly placed a man may be in society, however
extensive may be his rights upon others and however pious and religious he may be, he is not
above the need of receiving others’ help in fulfilment of his own obligations. While nobody is so
low or so humble that he cannot assist others in meeting their obligations.
(When Hazrath’s sermon reached thus far, one of the companions of Hazrath rose and
made a lengthy speech in which he eulogised Hazrath greatly and declared that he has
paid careful attention to Hazrath’s speech and has resolved to sincerely and faithfully
carry out the instructions contained therein, whereupon Hazrath replied to him in the
following words):-
Whosoever has firm faith in the Greatness and Might of God and sincerely believes in.
His Glory it is but correct for him to consider every person and everything insignificant in
comparison to His Supreme Grandeur; this attitude is all the more proper and befitting to a
person whom the Lord has profusely favoured with His Blessings and Bounties because the one
receives His Favours the more are His Rights established over him. To honest and pious people
 290
the worst thing which could befall from a ruler is his behaving in such a way as to make them
imagine that he greatly appreciates to be considered as far superior to others, or that he is proud
and vain. So far as I am concerned I hate to feel that you believe me to appreciate being flattered
or to like being praised and eulogised. Thank God, I am not a man of that type. And if ever such
a craving had crossed my mind I would have compared my humility and powerlessness with His
Glory and Might and would have fought successfully against such a desire, because I know that
none possesses glory and might but He and none should give way to such assumption. People
after doing good deeds or after achieving great things often liked to be praised, but I do not
want you to praise me for obeying God sincerely and faithfully and for having done my duty
towards you, because I am still nervous about those obligations which I have to meet and the
responsibility of teaching you to realise the importance of duties and obligations and persuading
you to discharge them. So please do not flatter me and do not speak to me in the way that people
usually adopt for tyrants, despots and arrogant rulers; and with the desire of keeping me pleased
and under the wrong impression of shielding yourself from my anger or oppression do not try
to flatter me and do not talk to me as if I am an oppressing, victimising and persecuting ruler.
Do not behave with me like sycophants. flatterers and hypocrites. Do not imagine that I feel
annoyed at truth or at plain-speaking, or that I like being praised and lauded over and above my
merits. Remember whoever does not appreciate being told a truth or being reminded of equity
and justice will naturally find it difficult to speak truth and to act according to the principles of
equity and justice. Therefore, I advise you always to come up to me with your just and sincere
advices and to let me have your frank views without the least hesitation. Because I am not as
faultless as Omniscient and Omnipotent as God Almighty, but I am sure God has protected me
and will always protect me from doing wrong and He possesses more Control over my mind
than I myself. Remember that you and I are but creatures with respective limitations and there
is only one Omnipotent God who has created us and who nourishes us. He is Omnipotent and
possesses more control over us than we have over ourselves. He brought us out of bestiality
and ignorance and directed us towards the path of salvation and higher knowledge; in the
place of our infidelity He gave us religion and He transformed our animal instinct into human
intelligence and intellect.

KHUTBA-222
About Quraish

O God I seek Thy Help and Protection against Quraish. They have disregarded my relation
with the Holy Prophet (A.S.) and with them. They have tried to humiliate and insult me. They
have united to fight against me for the right and the place which I deserve more than they. They
say that Caliphate is my right if I take it. But it is proper that I should be deprived of it. They tell
me that either I should bear the loss and the grief patiently or may die sadly and sorrowfully.
Finding them in this mood I considered over the situation and found none but Ahlay Baith
(progeny of the Holy Prophet (A.S.) who would come to my help. But I did not like that they
should be killed fighting against the enemy. I did not like to lose them. I patiently bore the insult
and the injury. However bitter it was I drank the cup and however painful it was I allowed the
dagger to pierce my breast.
(Syed Razi-may he rest in peace-the original compiler of these Khutbas says that Hazrat
 291
has complained of Quraish on more than one occasion but the style and the way of
expression is different in each sermon, therefore, he has carefully noted down as many of
these sermons as he can find). A greater part of this speech is lost, what Syed Razi could
get was the above passage and following sentences which are about the party of Talha and
Zubair. Apparently Hazrath delivered this sermon before he went to Basra to fight Talha
and Zubair.
They attacked the public treasury and the government officers who were appointed by
me, and who were faithful and obedient to me. They created disunity and disloyalty among my
officers and lured many of them away from the government side and when they found my side
thus thinned and weakened they attacked it during my absence. Some of my followers were
killed through treachery and deceit while others fought bravely, boldly and desperately and
became Martyrs.

KHUTBA-223

After the Victory in the battle of Basra (Jamal) Hazrath was going through the battle field
and when he saw the dead bodies of Talha and Abdul Rehman-bin-Ataab-ibne-Usaed he
said: -
Abu Mohammad (Talha) is lying dead so far away from his home and family. By God, I
did not like that Quraish be so killed in battle fields and their bodies lying scattered under the
sun and the stars. The sons of Abdemunaf (Quraish) had to pay dearly for whatever they tried
to do against me. But leaders and important persons of the Bani Jamha clan has escaped on this
occasion. They were claiming something which they did not deserve, but they had to face
frustration and disappointment.

KHUTBA-224
What will a faithful Muslim do and what will be done for him by God?

He (a faithful Muslim) kept his mind alive and his knowledge fresh but he killed his pas-
sions and gave up easy living till his weight was reduced and he became thin and weary. And a
Divine Light showed him the way to salvation and directed him towards it, and passing through
several doors this light took him to the gateway of Eternal Peace and Bliss (Babul Salaam) and
to the Eternal Abode of Salvation. Because he had resolved to do good deeds and to say good
things the Lord was pleased with him and destined him for a place free from toil of body and
strain of mind, a place of pleasing and tranquil relief from all painful and weary activities and
place of peace and plenty.

KHUTBA-225

In pre-Islamic days ancestor-worship was greatly in vogue in all nations of the world.
Among the polytheists great kings, mighty tyrant, philosophers, beautiful women and
even singers were raised to the status of deities and thus new thrones were added to the
existing pantheon of gods. Where this was not possible, people often glorified heads of
their families, tribes and clans, eulogising their deeds in songs and ballads, and bards were
 292
paid to memorise and sing them. In addition often clans met to boast against each other
the deeds of their ancestors. These meetings were called “Mufakherah”. Mufakherahs often
ended in tribal wars. The Holy Prophet (A.S.) had tried to put a stop to this practice. The
Quran has also much to say against it. Hazrath in this sermon, repeating a verse of the
Holy Book, drew attention of the people towards the futility and baselessness of such
vaunts. He lucidly described how mighty persons have ended their lives, how they found
themselves helpless in the grip of death and what happened to their bodies, their proper-
ties, their palaces and even to their graves after them. Instead of raising them to the status
of a god how badly were their bodies treated by the earth and the hordes of insects which
it harbors. This sermon is a sad reading, but it is an eye opener. It forces one to realise how
futile and baseless are their glories which we so much desire to achieve. There is a passage
in the Holy Quran “Abundance of wealth, power and numerical superiority will make
you vain and conceited (and you will remain like that) until you see graves (and realise
what they tell you)”-Part XXX, Ch. CII: I & 2. Hazrath commenting on the above passage
delivered the following sermon:-
Just look, think and take a lesson from those people who are boasting about their dead
ancestors. What a foolish and irrational action? Those who boast about their deads or who go to
the graves of their ancestors merely as a sign of reverence to their deeds, how indifferent they
are to death itself. They do not realise how difficult the task before them. They have forgotten
that lives and deaths of those dead persons carry for them lessons and warnings but they have
tried to remember such lives and such deeds as they think fit to boast and brag upon. They pride
over the glories of their ancestors; and the more they can enumerate such forbears the more
enhanced are their pride and vanity. They feel that numerical superiority of their forefathers will
place them in proud position, mentally, morally and socially. They want to bring their dead back
to life and see their lifeless bodies once again active and repeating great deeds which they have
done when alive. Cannot they realise that lives of those deeds persons deserve more to serve
as instances of warnings and lessons of history than as minarets of light to be proud of. It is
better to give their memory the proper place it deserves than to extol it unnecessarily. Dimmed
and confused visions have made them see great things in their progenitors and thus instead of
improving their minds from the account of their lives they started ancestor worship.
If they had only asked the houses left vacant by those dead and gone people (if they
had searched carefully for the facts of the lives of those people) they would have learned in
what extreme ignorance and folly those dead people had passed their days and how sadly their
descendants are trying to follow them step by step. .
If those people who vaunt so much about their ancestors and also you, take a careful
account of human society you will see that you often (unknowingly) trample upon the skulls of
dead forefathers, you many times erect habitations and houses on the site of their graveyards,
you usually enjoy the wealth and property left by them and occupy the houses deserted by them.
Even the days that lie between your times and theirs weep over your ignorance and folly.
Those who have gone before you and those who have reached their destination ahead of
you (whom you remember so much and of whom you are proud) were those people who once
commanded respect, controlled power and handled wealth, some of them might even have been
kings, while others might have held position of rank and glory, granted. But where are they
now? They are passing through the depths of the Burzukh (intervening time between death and
 293
resurrection). This very earth which they once trampled upon is hiding them, it has sucked their
blood and it has eaten up their flesh and marrow. Having lost their growth and development
they are lying in graves like fossils or stones. They have so disappeared from amongst the society
of living persons that any amount of search cannot find them. Dreadful misfortunes cannot
now frighten them and changes in circumstances do not worry them. Even earthquakes (which
will shake their graves or throw out their bodies from those graves) do not worry them and
thunderbolts do not affect them. They are such absentees that nobody waits for them, and their
very existence cannot be realised. Once they had their own companions put they parted from
each other now. Once some of them had loved others but this love has disappeared now. Their
indifference to their surroundings and their quietness is not merely due to any passage of time
between their days and now, neither it is due to distance of place but the fact is that earth has
made them drink such a cup which has turned them deaf and dumb, which has taken away their
hearing and speech and which has turned their power of movement and sense of feeling into a
motionless and feelingless condition, a condition which made them look like persons sleeping
soundly.
They are such neighbours as never see each other. They are such friends as never meet
each other. Their social connections have withered and their brotherhood has come to an end.
How near they (their graves) are to each other yet how apart. How close they were to each other
when alive (mothers, sons, fathers, daughters, brothers, husbands and wives) yet how distant
they are now. Days and nights make no difference to them, and light and darkness have no effect
upon them. Those who were virtuous and good in this world will have perpetual luminosity of
Divine Light and for wicked and vicious it is eternal gloom and darkness.
They saw the horrors of the next world and found them more horrible than they had
feared. They also saw the blessing and favours reserved for good and pious and found them for
surpassing than what they could have imagined them to be, because the rewards or punishments
which are served for good or bad people far excel and transcend the picture which human minds
could make. Even if they had power to speak they could not have found words to describe what
they saw and felt.
Though they are no more amongst you and though even their signs, traces and relics have
disappeared, yet minds aided with correct imagination and true vision can see and hear them.
They speak not with voices and not in any known language, but they do speak out and say “Our
smiling faces have deformed into mirthless laughs of gaping naked jaws, out of our soft and
delicate bodies nothing is left but decayed and decaying bones. Our shrouds have fallen into
tatters and we are obliged to be confined to narrow graves. We have received inheritance from
each other of wilderness and horror. Even our silent abodes (graves) are crumbling down upon
us. Along with our bodies our personalities and individualities have also turned into dust. Our
stay here (the graves) is going to be of very long duration, and we have no power to get rid of
them or to come out of them. If you peep into our graves a sight will present itself to your eyes
enough to give you a lesson about life and its end. You will see that worms have eaten through
our eyes and ears and their sockets are filled with dust, our tongues have rotted, our hearts have
been eaten up, each and every limb of our body has become food for animals and insects and we
are not in a position to ward off any mishap which falls upon our bodies, nor there is anyone to
come to our help or to feel sorry for our present plight.
This is what their graves and their skeletons are telling you. If you can only see with
 294
your mind’s eye you will realise their sad condition; how their-once living, acting, smiling or
weeping-bodies are turned into dust, how their present condition is unchangeable, how it is
impossible for them to retrace their way from this sorry condition, and how nature in all such
cases has one way to go (one way traffic, no going back).
You will then learn how this earth has swallowed all of its mighty kings and haughty
queens, persons who during their times of glory did not know whether there were such things
as sorrows and disappointments; persons who always drowned their grieves and worries in
glittering cups of diversions, fresh pleasures and new past times, and all the time their sole aim
of life was to find new enjoyments and new sources of wealth to provide for those enjoyments.
They were satisfied and happy with the world and the world was busy in amusing them when
all of a sudden time changed their attitude with them; their power and glory was gone; they
found themselves nearing death. They were faced with such pains, anxieties and fears which
were new to them. Their health gave way to various diseases; to ward off approaching death
they took to such medicines of which they were accustomed and had always buoyed them up
and had kept them in good health. But those medicines which had once proved so effective not
only failed to help them in that stage but acted contrarily and increased the ailments which they
were supposed to cure. Thus a struggle between treatments and diseases started and continued,
and diseases succeeded in a way as if the treatments were meant to enhance them till the
physician found that the art of medicine cannot help them now. The attendants getting tired
started behaving negligently. The nurses and attendants were so tired and disgusted that they
would not even describe the condition of patient if anybody enquired of them; they also kept
the patient in dark about his condition; they disagreed among themselves, some of them were
of opinion that the condition of the patient might be serious but he was passing through a crisis
and he would recover; while others held that he was fast sinking and could not recover, his death
was a matter of a day or a few hours; and then they tried to console each other.
And all that time the patient was wavering between life and death, he felt that he was to
part with his friends and relations, he felt that he was suffocating, he could only breath in short
gasps and his mouth was getting dry, he could hear them speaking to him and lamenting over
him, some of those lamenters were his dearest relatives and some others were those whom he
respected, he wanted to reply to them, to say some endearing words or respectful sentences, he
wanted to tell them some very important things, but he could not; his tongue and lips refused
to form words and his throat refused to pass air or carry the voice. And thus the end arrived; of
course pangs of death are severe and its agonies can neither be described nor imagined.

KHUTBA-226

There is a passage in the Holy Quran “Men whom transaction and business cannot divert
from remembering God, keeping up their prayers and paying poor-rate”. (Zukkath Part
XVIII Ch. XXIV: 37) After repeating this passage Hazrath delivered the following sermon,
in which he has spoken very highly of certain people who were neither prophet nor
apostles yet who were so virtuous and good that they tried their best to lead people to-
wards religion and truth. They received Divine Light and secrets of creation were revealed
to them. Then he praises those Godly people who always remember God.
Verily, God has given His Remembrance the honour and prestige of bringing Divine
 295
Light to human minds. With its help those who were deaf to reasoning will be able to hear and
understand His Orders; those who were blind to realities and truth will see and realise the good
that religion teaches and those who were behaving like enemies of God will become obedient
and submissive.
During every part of’ human history and during the intervals between various prophets
there were men to whom He revealed secrets of creation in the form of wisdom and as the
result of deep and profound thinking, they hear Divine Secrets and see Divine Light. They
inform the people of the Greatness of God and advise them to remember the importance which
He has bestowed upon days of life (importance of life itself) and to be afraid of His Might
and Power. In the wilderness of life, they act as guides. They appreciate moderation in life and
tell people that moderation leads to salvation. They do not favour fanaticism in religion or
degeneration into infidelity and they warn both kinds of people to avoid wavering and to be
afraid of going astray, or else eternal damnation will be their lot. On account of these attributes
they act as beacons in the gloom of ignorance and as guides in the maize of perplexities, doubts
and disbeliefs.
There are certain Godly persons who are so devoted to the Lord that they have preferred
His remembrance to all worldly riches and glory. No trade, no business and no worldly work
can keep them away from it. No temptation of this world can stop them from remembering
God and offering Him prayers. They spend their lives with the thought of God. In words which
clearly warn and admonish they advise people against negligence of duty to man and God. They
persuade others to follow the principles of equity and justice and they themselves act according
to these principles. They prevent people from vice or wickedness and they themselves abstain
from them. They lead such lives as if though living in this world have severed every connection
with its wicked and vicious spheres for the sake of hereafter and as if they have actually seen
with their own eyes conditions of life after death, as if they know fully well as what would
happen during the long intervening period between death and resurrection and as if the Day of
Reckoning has fulfilled its promises with them, and therefore they are informing people of all
these facts and are raising the curtains of mysteries hanging over them. They see what others
cannot see and they hear what others do not hear.
If you could only visualise their conditions when they take an account of their deeds and
find therein errors of commission and omission, when they feel that they are being crushed
under the unbearable weight of their vices and sins, when they grieve over their sorry plight
and address each other in sad tones and when they beseech the Merciful God to have Mercy
on them, to forgive them and to help them to lead a virtuous life. When you see them in such
conditions you will feel that they really are beacons of Divine Light, that they are surrounded by
angels and endowed with contentment and peace that they have the doors of the Heaven opened
up for them and that they are favoured by Him with honour and glory. And it is a fact that God
looks upon them with Favour, is pleased with their deeds, efforts and endeavours, and looks with
favour at the position of honour and dignity assigned to them in His Realm. He has granted
their prayers and has forgiven their short comings. They feel that they need more of His
Mercy and Kindness and are absolutely humble before His Might and Glory. Long periods of
trials and sufferings in the cause of God has left them with tender hearts, and excessive sorrow
about their sins has made their sights weak. They accept every lesson which carries them nearer
to His Realm. They beg of Him Whose Bounties know no limits and from Whose door none has
returned despondent or disappointed.
 296
For the sake of your own good take an account of your own deeds and thoughts. Examine
yourself before you are examined and before the Day of Reckoning calls you up.

KHUTBA-227

There is a passage in the Holy Quran which says: - “O man! what has beguiled you from
your Lord, the Gracious and Merciful.” In speaking about this passage Hazrath asks man
two plain and simple questions “how can he be so ungrateful and disobedient man two
plain and simple questions “how can he be so ungrateful and disobedient to such a Kind
and Benevolent God?” and “how can he be as careless of his own good?” and then tells
him that actually speaking this world does not entice him but he runs after it madly and
when it sees his infatuation it tries to captivate him. As a matter of fact, it has, as warnings,
placed before him in the form of examples of sad end of those who went after it. Repeating
this passage Hazrath said :-
“Man, of whom this question is asked, is unable to reply; he is deceived and he is not in a
position to plead for his foolishness because he fell an easy prey to the temptations of this world,
he did not use his common sense to realise where he was going and what he was doing”.
“O man! what made you so bold as to commit sins? What beguiled you from your kind
Master? What made you accept your own damnation and be contended with it? Is there no
remedy for your disease? Will you not wake up from your sleep? Have you no mercy over your
soul though you are so kind and merciful to others? How often it has so happened in your life
that you took pity upon others and went to their help and protection. You saw a man sitting in
the burning glare of the sun and pitying him you gave him protection and shelter. You saw a
person crying with pain and you felt sorry for him and went to his help. Is it not wonderful
that you do not feel as much sympathy with yourself as with others? What made you so
unsympathetic about yourself? Why are you so satisfied with your own sad plight, so careless
about your own future and so heedless about your own calamities? Have you wept so much
over yourself that successions of sorrows have developed lethargic patience in you? Why this
morbed carelessness, though you love yourself more than you love anybody else? I wonder why
the thought of His Punishment does not keep you awake of nights though you are so involved
in sins and vices that you rightly deserve His Punishment.
Wake up. Come out of this sinful indifference and this criminal negligence of your own
good. Make an effort to be good and virtuous. Steadfastly follow the path of truth and nobleness.
Persevere in obeying God. Try to constantly keep His thought in your mind. Realise that He
wants to draw you towards Him, He is advancing towards you (His mercy and Grace are
advancing towards you) and you are arrogantly, impudently and sinfully turning your face away
from Him. He invites you to earn His Forgiveness and Blessing. He overlooks and screens your
vices and sins. He wants to take you under cover of His Kindness and Mercy. But you turn your
face towards somebody else and away from him.
How Sublime and Noble is the Lord that though He is so Omnipotent and Mighty yet
so Kind, Benevolent and Sympathetic. But you, with all your humility, powerlessness and
helplessness are so arrogant, ungrateful and degenerated that you commit vices and sins
though your very existence is dependent upon His Grace, Kindness and Protection and every
requirement of your life is provided because of His Favour and Benevolence. He did not debar
 297
you from His Bounties and Benevolences. He did not betray your weaknesses and infamies. In
every Bounty that He created for you, for every one of your sins which He screened from the
gauge of populace or during any calamity and misfortune which He prevented from attacking
you, you were not for a second out of the influence of His Kindness and Favour. In spite of all
this you keep on committing sins and vices. What then do you think of a being Who is Kind to
you with all your wickedness and depravity? What would have been His attitude towards you if
only you had been faithful and obedient to Him? What not He would have bestowed upon you.
Think once again, give a very careful consideration to your own case. Suppose there
are two persons both are equal in power and might, and one of whom is you. Suppose the
other person is kind, sympathetic and gracious towards you to the extent of utmost tender
heartedness and love, and you behave towards him arrogantly, unfaithfully and disloyally.
In reply to his every kind action and benevolence nothing comes out of you but rudeness,
impudence and depravity. In such a case how would you have decided about yourself and what
judgment you would have passed against yourself? Be honest and impartial with your own self
and think again what would have been your decision?
Let me tell you another truth. This vicious world did not actually fooled and lured you, but
you purposely went after it and allowed yourself to be lured and seduced by it. When it saw that
you were attracted by it and were falling an easy prey to its blandishment only then it decided to
decoy and entice you. But even then it warned you of the consequences and the results of your
running after it. It explained everything clearly and openly, and did not hide anything from you.
The consequences and effects of your evil deeds on your body and mind were openly told to you
in the form of diseased and sick bodies of reprobate and wicked people around you. You could
have seen how infirm their bodies and how unsound their minds have grown. It told you the
truth, nothing but naked truth. It did not keep you in the dark about the outcome of your deeds.
Besides these glaring examples of the consequences of a sinful life there were many of
your well-wishers who advised you well, told you not to be vicious and to look well around
yourself but you had no faith in them, you falsified and belied them.
If you look with your mind’s eyes at the ruins of houses, palaces and deserted cities you
would find them good advisers, warning you to realise and to comprehend the real value and
worth of a wicked life and you would see that those ruins were your sympathetic tutors and
wanted you not to make a ruin of your own life and opportunities.
This world is a good place to stay for the man who does not consider it to be a place of
permanent resort. Through this world only such people will attain salvation and His Blessings
who refrain from temptations to sin.
When the Day of Resurrection will arrive and when the quakes will destroy this earth,
then every religion and creed will have its adherents gathered together, every priest and teacher
will have his disciples around him and every leader will find his followers assembled behind
him, then perfect justice will rule. Every big and small action, every good or bad deed, every
word said, every act done and every thought propagated will be dealt with absolute equity and
fairness. On that day so many excuses and appeals will have no meaning and no value, and will
be turned down.
Therefore, adopt today in your life things which will plead your cause on the Day of
Reckoning. Take with you from this mortal world things which will be helpful to you on that
day and which may prove immortal and everlasting. Try to achieve salvation and exert yourself
to your utmost for it.
 298
KHUTBA-228

In this sermon Hazrath says that he shall willingly suffer any pain or anguish than to harm
or injure any man or commit a sin against God or religion. Then he cites two examples,
showing how on two occasions he was persuaded to go against the orders of God and how
he spurned at the temptations.
I bear God as my witness that I prefer to pass sleepless nights over the sharp thorns of
prickly plants or to suffer from the worst form of injury and insult than to meet my Lord and the
Holy Prophet (may the peace of God be upon him and his descendants) on the Day of Judgment
as a tyrant who has persecuted any person or as a usurper who has wrongfully seized property
of somebody else. Why should I tyrannise or exploit somebody to provide comfort and ease
for my body, which will shortly be destroyed and decayed, and which will lie in grave for long
periods.
I swear by God that I saw my own brother, Aqeel suffering from extreme poverty and
need. He requested me to spare him (3 1/2 seers) of wheat out of the public granary. Starvation
had turned his children into living skeletons and had changed their colour to blue. Aqeel was
persistent in his desire to acquire out of his turn something from the public treasury. He tried to
coax me and to appeal to my brotherly love. I wanted to help him out of my personal property,
but his desire to get something from the public property was hateful to me, it was against all the
canons of honesty and integrity and against the teachings of Islam. When he felt that I was
hearing him attentively, he thought that I would forego my principles and my religion for his
sake and for his children’s sake I wanted him to realise that by acceding to his wish I was placing
myself in the position of a sinner before my God which I would never do.
I then heated a disk of iron and when it was very hot I took it near his body pretending
to give him a burn. He shouted with horror and wanted to know what I meant by giving him
a burn. I replied, “O my brother you cry out when you fear that the fire kindled by a man
as a practical demonstration will burn you and you wanted me to accept with contentment
and pleasure the fire of the Hell kindled by God”.
A more surprising thing happened to me the other day. A person (history says that he was
Ashus-ibne-Qais) brought to me one night a very well cooked and delicious sweet in a basin,
it was cooked in honey and it was very fragrant. I hated and abhorred that sweet as if it was
cooked in the saliva of a serpent or in its poison. I asked him, “Is it zakaat (poor rate) or a reward
or charity or remuneration for any work which I have done for you because you know that all
these things are illegal and unlawful for us, Ahlay Baith, progeny of Holy Prophet (A.S.) and we
are forbidden by God to accept them.” He replied that it was none. It was merely a gift (as he had
never presented Hazrath anything when Hazrath was not a ruler, and as they were not on such
friendly terms as of mutually offering and accepting presents, it was clear that this offering had
some ungodly ulterior motive and Hazrath knew this and replied)-May you not live long, do you
want to seduce me? Have you gone mad? What nonsense is it that you are talking? By God! if all
the seven continents with all that they contain are offered to me as a remuneration or bribe for
depriving an ant of the husk of a grain of barley carried by it I will never do it. This world to me
is even more worthless than the small bit of a leave chewed by a locust. Ali has no interest with
mortal luxuries, wealth, ease and comforts of this world. I seek His Protection and Help from
negligence to my duty and from being wicked and vicious.
 299
KHUTBA-229

Following is one of the prayers often repeated by Hazrath. Through this prayer he teaches
us that not only wealth but contentment is also necessary to keep up one’s dignity, that
abject poverty forces one to begging and falsely praising his benefactors and slandering
those who refuse to help him and making one forget that, actually God and not man grants
or deprives one and who should be approached.
O Lord! protect my prestige and dignity by making me free from wants, by teaching me
contentment and satisfaction with what You have granted me. And please God do not let abject
poverty and destitution lower my status and position in the eyes of society and force me to go
begging from those who beg of Thee for their needs and requirements and to invoke favours of
those who are wicked and vicious. Lest I would lose nobility of my character and start praising
those who give me anything and slandering and backbiting those who refuse to come to my
help; and lest I would forget, You altogether and overlook the fact that You and You alone can
bestow anything and everything if You like, and prevent everything from reaching anybody if
You so desire. Verily, You have Power and Might to do as You desire.

KHUTBA-230

What is this world and what is life? How the world has treated others and how it is going
to treat you? What should you expect of it and what you have to learn from it? This is the
theme of this sermon.
This house (world) is surrounded by trials, distresses and ill-fortunes. It is notorious for its
faithlessness. It is whimsical and subject to constant changes. Whoever stays here cannot expect
security and cannot remain immune to calamities and reverses. No condition here is permanent.
Pleasures here lead to wickedness and vices. Peace and safety is not to be found here. Here one
has always to face adversities, disappointments and failures and in the end death finishes him.
O creatures of God! remember that this world is not going to treat you better than it has
treated others and you will have to pass through almost all of the experiences through which
others have passed before you. Many of them had longer spans of lives, had richer and happier
surroundings and possessed more distinctive personalities and reputations than you.
Where are they now? They have been silenced, their power and prestige have gone, their
bodies have decayed, their houses lie deserted and even their traces have disappeared. They were
forced to change their spacious and luxurious palaces and strong fortresses into graves made of
earth and stone slabs; graves which were deep, dark, narrow and hard; and which have cheer-
less, chilling, dismal and dreary surroundings.
It may also happen that their graves may be near to their habitations, but they in those
graves are like travelers far away from their homes and hearths. They are travelling through a
place which confuses and overawes them. It is a place which has brought their worldly activities
to an abrupt end and made them busy with thought of the Day of Reckoning. They now have no
love of their homeland and no friendly contacts even with their life long neighbours and friends.
How could they meet each other when decay and rot has taken hold of their bodies and brains,
and when the earth has eaten them up.
Imagine yourself to be there where they are now; imagine that the earth has taken hold
 300
of you and that a grave has embraced you. Can you suppose what will be your condition when
you will reach the end of the journey, when you will be resurrected, when everybody will realise
the worth of his deeds and words, when everyone will be brought before the Almighty God and
when deception of self and others will be of no use to anyone.

KHUTBA-231

This is one of the prayers of Hazrath. It teaches what to ask of God and how. It further
explains the attributes of persons who may be considered as friends of God.
O Lord! you love your friends more than they have ever been loved by anybody. You are
the best and the most speedy Helper of those who rely upon nobody else but you. You know
their secrets. Everything which is hidden in their minds is an open secret to You. You are fully
aware of the depths of their knowledge and flights of their imaginations. Your friend’s highest
ambition is to be in Your Vicinity and Your Favour. If remoteness from your Realm and of
your Favours disturbs and worries them they get solace out of Your Praise and Recollection. If
calamities and misfortunes befall them they seek Your Protection. They know that you are the
Master of everything and nothing can happen but with Your Permission.
If I am confused and perplexed in asking of you the best of Your Favours then Lord lead me
and guide me to beg of You of only such things as will be eternally beneficial to me, and look-
ing to Your Benevolence, Mercy and Grace in granting Favours I feel that such guidance will be
neither too big for you nor a novelty. O Lord please decide my case on the basis of clemency and
forgiveness and not on the principle of justice and true reward.

KHUTBA-232

This discourse is in praise of somebody whose name is not mentioned but his good
deeds are praised by Hazrath. This way of praising somebody without giving name but
eulogising his high attributes appear to be a common practice of Hazrath. In this very
book, Nahjul Balagha, there are several such discourses, where he has, in some places,
spoken of one person while at the other places of many persons speaking very highly of
their ways of living and thinking. He has seldom spoken highly of any person giving out
his name except the Holy Prophet (A.S.).
Ibne Abil Hadeed, the most famous and the greatest commentator of Nahjul Balagha says
that by this discourse Hazrath meant Caliph Omer. Allama Ali Bin Nasir, on the contrary,
commenting upon this Khutba (the name of his commentary is Shar-e-Alaim-E-Nahjul
Balagha) says Hazrath in this discourse have praised one of the companions of the Holy
Prophet (A.S.) who died before Hazrath. Same is opinion of Allama Qutabudeen Ravundee
(died 573 A.H. nearly a century before Hadeed). Another famous commentator of this
book, Ibne Maisum agrees with Qutabudeen Ravundee, and says “Hazrath has thus praised
one of the companions of the Holy Prophet (A.S.) who had died before evil days dawned
upon Islam”.
Efforts of some commentators to find from the very words of the discourse a meaning
which will fit none but a ruler of a state is also fruitless effort. Because they stress upon
the words Khaireha (good of this world) and Sharreha (the evil of this world). Now every
 301
man, even a pauper in the most limited sphere of his activities has occasion to do some
good and to commit some sin (evil), therefore, it is not right to say that only a ruler has
opportunities to do good or bad. Hazrath himself in one of his sermons advises everybody
“to keep the pillars of religion (unity of God and Prophethood of our Holy Prophet (A.S.))
raised and to keep these two lamps burning”. Naturally every Muslim was not, is not and
will never be a ruler, therefore, Hazrath advises every one of us to do his duty within the
sphere of our activities.
May God reward that person who straitened crooked things, cured diseased minds. Left
schism and innovation. Led a pious life and died in the odour of sanctity. He did good deeds and
abstained from evil. He obeyed God and feared Him. He died before people started seriously
dissenting among themselves. He left them in such an atmosphere and surroundings that they
were confused and misguided and could not find the true path and those who were following
right way did not know whether they were on the right or in the wrong.

KHUTBA-233

This discourse is about the oath of allegiance to his Caliphate. A similar discourse but in
different words occurs in this book at another place.
You were dragging my hand towards you to swear the oath of allegiance, but I was
withdrawing it; this struggle continued till you gathered round me in such numbers and in such
a way as if you were thirsty camels and as if I was the only spring of water. In your eagerness
you almost crushed me, you were pushing and dragging each other to reach me, till laces of my
shoes were broken, the sheet (Aba) fell off from my shoulder, and old and weak persons were
crushed. You were so overjoyed on the occasion that even young children came out toddling,
running and joyfully jumping, old people were falling down and dragging themselves to reach
my feet, ill and sick came to me staggering and creeping and even young girls came out of their
houses running towards me to show their veneration and respect to me. Can you deny these
facts?

KHUTBA-234

This discourse explains piety, the value of adopting piety when there is still time to be
pious and the evils which prevail in the world. It comments on the opportunities given by
life and taken away by death. It further describes the attributes of devotees to the service
of God and virtuous people. In this discourse Hazrath speaks of death and its effects in a
graphic style.
Verily, piety is a key to the doors of righteousness and virtue. It is a provision for the next
world. It is a source of freedom from slavery of evil desires and a wall of protection from every
ill-luck and misfortune. It is a refuge for those who try to run away from vice and wickedness.
Through it a person can achieve his aims of life.
Be virtuous when there still is time for you to realise and adopt virtues, when repentance
can do you good, when prayers are heard, when you are enjoying peace and comfort and
when the angels are still writing your good and bad actions (when you still have power and
opportunities to do good or to be wicked). Do good before old age or disability stops you from
 302
doing anything, before protracted illnesses may send you down exhausted and unfit for any
work and before death takes you away from this sphere of activities (Life). Because death, sooner
or later, will put an end to all your pleasures and enjoyments, it will frustrate all your aims and
desires, and it will send you far away from your cherished surroundings.
Remember that death comes like an unwelcomed guest. It is the only antagonist whom you
cannot defeat or overcome. It is a murderer who cannot be avenged.
Its snares are always around you. Its destructive forces are surrounding you. It has every
one of you under its complete control, perfect sway and absolute power. It keeps you under its
subjugation. It can never miss its work.
Soon its gloom may darken your life, its flame in the form of a disease may consume
your vitality and energy, its terrible pain and anguish may torture you, it will turn your normal
breathing to agonised gasps, it will subject you to faintings and trance, and you will come out
of them with very bad taste in your mouths. As none of you actually and sincerely expect death
therefore, even its normal approach will seem to you as if it has attacked you suddenly.
It will silence those who use to tell you their secrets quietly (your nearest relatives and
friends). It will disperse your groups, unions and associations. It will destroy your individuals.
It will depopulate your habitations. It will prepare your heirs to divide your property between
your near relatives, many of whom have never done any good to you; some of them may have
felt sorry at your death but many others may have been glad that you are dead and gone.
Therefore, it is advisable for you to be ready for death, to try your best to provide for the
next world. Be careful that this world may not deceive you as it has deceived people who have
gone before you. They may have been men of power, wealth, and may have taken full advantage
of this world and may have acquired rank and position. But their days were numbered and those
numbers came to an end. All their power and glory was taken away from them, their graves
were made their lodgings, their wealth and properties, even their kingdoms became heirloom
for their heirs to enjoy. They do not recognise those who visit their graves, they do not care who
weeps for them and who does not, and they do not reply to those who call them.
Beware of this world. It is dishonest and deceitful. It is unfaithful and mercenary.
Whatever it gives it takes back quickly. Whomever it clothes (with honour, power, wealth and
fame) it disrobes sooner or later. Its pleasures are not lasting. Its troubles are unending. Its
sorrows are constant.
In this sermon Hazrath speaks of pious people in the following words:-
Though these pious people appear to lead their lives like everybody else, yet in fact they
are not absorbed with this world. They passed their lives here as if they do not belong to this
place. They act upon their convictions, and they are convinced of the values of the next world.
They do only such deeds the effect of which they know fully well (that it will be beneficial to
them hence onward). They try their best to avoid those things which will harm their eternal
lives. They live amongst the living as if they are living amongst the dead. They see that people
attach great importance to physical death and they feel sad that people around them though
appear to be alive yet their minds are so dead that they do not recognise the importance of the
life after death.
 303
KHUTBA-235

While his armies were marching towards Basrah, Hazrath delivered this short lecture at
a place called Ziquar. The famous historian Vaquedee has also noted this discourse in his
book of Jamal.
The Holy Prophet (may the peace of God be upon him and his descendants) fully and
completely explained everything which he had been ordered to explain. He gave the message
of God in perfectly clear language. Through him God united those people who had dissension
amongst themselves and were disunited. Those friends and relatives who had forgotten friend-
ships and relations, who had turned into worst enemies and who were keen upon doing each
other the greatest possible harm were again united into friendship, were made to love each oth-
er and were again cemented into good companionship and all this was done through the Holy
Prophet (A.S.).

KHUTBA-236

Abdullah-Ibne-Zumaa was of the companions of Hazrath. During his Caliphate he came

one day and requested for some money from the public treasury. Hazrath replied to him
in the following words: -
The public treasury is neither my property nor yours. It is the property of the Muslims,
either it is collected through their exertion or it is booty of their wars. If you had joined them
in the wars you would also have received your share. What they have earned even at the risk of
their lives cannot be indiscriminately passed on to others.

KHUTBA-237

In the opinion of many commentators following is only a part of a very big sermon. The
whole sermon could not be secured. Syed Razi (may he rest in peace) could secure only
this small portion. This sermon was delivered on the occasion when Hazrath asked his
nephew Joada-Ibnee-Hibara-e-Mukhzoomi (son of Hazrath’s sister) to speak something
about Islam and that young man got nervous. Perhaps in the presence of Hazrath he felt
timid. Thereupon Hazrath stood up himself and delivered the sermon, part of which was
obtained by Syed Razi.
Remember that a tongue is a part of human body. If one’s mind does not respond to the
call of the occasion then naturally the tongue cannot function, if one’s knowledge is vast enough
and if one is quick witted and well informed then his thoughts follow each other in such quick
successions that even his tongue cannot keep up the pace.
We, the Ahlay Baith (members of the families of the Holy Prophet - may the peace of God
be upon him and his descendants) are kings of discourse. The art of making sensible and good
speeches is part of our nature. Our minds furnish us with material on every subject.
May God have Mercy upon you, remember that you are passing through such sad times in
which there are only few people who will speak the truth, when speeches seldom contain truth
and when those who speak out truth are humiliated and degraded. People now are bent upon
vices and sins. Their habitual hypocrisy and pretension make them pretend amity and friendship
 304
among themselves. Their youths are ill-natured and wicked. Their elders are vicious sinners.
Learned among them are dissemblers and pretenders. Preachers amongst them are flatterers.
Their young’s do not respect their elders. Their rich do not help the poor and have-nots.

KHUTBA-238

The famous Zuglab of Yaman says that he heard from Ahmed Ibne Khateeba who had
heard from Malik Ibne Wahab, who said that certain people had assembled round Hazrath,
they were discussing causes of differences in features, habits and dispositions of people.
They asked Hazrath for the reasons of such differences or similarities often found in men;
Hazrath replied: -
In the very origin of human body lie the causes of these differences or similarities in
dispositions and features. It is like the quality of soil in which trees take root. There is a saline
soil, then there is the most fertile soil, there is the hard and rugged land, sandy regions and
also very soft soil. Similar are differences in the inborn nature of man, and in his physical and
mental set up. Those who are off shoots of similar dispositions and physical characteristics bear
similarity in features and habits. Often physical characteristic and features do not respond to
mental capacities. Many a time it is seen that very beautiful persons are slow witted and dull.
Many tall and well built persons are found to be cowards and unaspiring, and one may often
come across very ugly and sinister looking people who are good tempered, honest and pious.
Similarly, short and stumpy men may be very intelligent and foresighted. It is often found that
men of good character have accidentally addicted themselves to bad habits. A person with
a confused mind when faced with problems of fife will always find himself perplexed and
embarrassed, while quick witted and intelligent persons are often eloquent speakers endowed
with faculty of quick decisions.

KHUTBA-239

While burying the Holy Prophet (may the peace of God be upon him and his descendants)
Hazrath delivered the following short sermon:-
O Prophet of God! I love and respect you more than I have loved and respected my parents.
Your death put an end to the prophethood, to revelation and to the messages from the Lord.
While death of other prophets had not resulted in this way. Your death caused your Ahlay Baith
(progeny) to be so grieved that every other grief was forgotten; the grief of your separation
became common sorrow and everybody felt it. If you had not ordered us to be patient and not to
lament and bemoan loudly, we would have kept weeping and lamenting ceaselessly, though all
this weeping, lamenting and bemoaning could not have compared with the actual loss of your
separation. But death is an inevitable event, nobody can turn the death back and nobody can
stop it from coming. Please remember us before God and please do not forget us.

KHUTBA-240

In Mecca during the early days of Islam the Quraish decided to kill the Holy Prophet (A.S.).
And some forty persons were selected to do this heinous deed. These forty persons were
 305
to surround his house during the night and get into it and kill him in his bed: God revealed
this to His Apostle and advised him to leave Mecca immediately and to migrate to Medina.
The Holy Prophet (A.S.) in obedience to the orders of God decided to leave for Medina that
very night. But as the Divine Orders were to depart with absolute secrecy and as there was
the danger of the secret of his departure leaking out if he was not found in his bed, the
Apostle of God found himself in great difficulty. As was his habit he asked Hazrath Ali to
come to his help. Hazrath Ali immediately and willingly offered to replace him in his bed
and to face the forty murderers instead of the Holy Prophet (A.S.). The condition was that
whatever may happen Ali would not expose his face and would not let the enemies know
that it was not Muhammad (may the peace of God be upon him and his descendants) that
they were killing but Ali (A.S.). Hazrath at that time was barely 23 years old. He accepted
the condition, occupied the bed of the Prophet and covered himself with Prophet’s green
coverlet. The Apostle of God then left the house in the darkness of the night. This was
neither the first nor the only occasion when Hazrath stood up as a defender of the Holy
Prophet (A.S.) or offered himself as a sacrifice to save the life and the mission of this
Apostle of God. The enemy under the impression that it was the Prophet who was in his
bed started pelting Hazrath with stones and aiming arrows at him. Wall of the house was
not very high. Mecca then was not a very big city, it was just a small town and houses
were of the kind which were often built with sun burnt bricks and had not very high walls.
The enemy collected a few stones along the wall and with this help they could easily see
that somebody was sleeping in the bed of the Holy Prophet (A.S.). Thus Hazrath became
an easy target. He received many stones on his back, on his chest, on his head and hands,
and few arrows got fixed in his legs, but he did not move a muscle when a stone or an
arrow found a place in his body. This continued till sun rose, and when the day dawned
all those who had gathered to kill the Holy Prophet (A.S.) breaking the door rushed in and
wanted to attack Hazrath. Khalid lbne Valeed had raised his sword when Hazrath removed
the coverlet from his face, jumped up, got hold of Khalid’s hand, took away his sword and
catching his neck pushed him away.
They were all thunder struck, they expected to find the Holy Prophet (A.S.) in his bed
but found Ali instead. They wanted Hazrath to tell them where the Holy Prophet (A.S.)
was. He replied that he did not know, Hazrath stayed for three days in Mecca when news
of safe reaching of the Holy Prophet (A.S.) to Medina reached him he left for Medina
with the daughter of the Prophet (Fatima), his mother (Fatima binthe Asad) and two other
ladies of his family. On the way he had to face those who were obstructing his departure, a
skirmish took place. He single handed defeated the enemy and conveyed the ladies safely
to Medina. In the following discourse Hazrath was probably giving detailed account of
this incident of his life. But the whole Khutba could not be found and Syed Razi had found
only a passage out of it which he faithfully conveyed to the Muslim World. Following is
the passage: -
I followed the way which the Holy Prophet (A.S.) had taken. I was receiving his news till
I reached the place called Urj.
 306
KHUTBA-241

Work while there is time and while life allows you to work. The gist of Hazrath’s teaching
is the gospel of work. To work honestly, sincerely, diligently and piously. To work for the
good of mankind. To work for the rewards reserved in the Heaven. To work when the
time, life and opportunities allow you. To work and free yourself from clutches of vice and
wickedness. To work and attain higher standards of morality. The realm of the Lord is
closed to easy-going, over-fed, overdressed, pleasure-seeking person; its doors are
always open for hardworking, honest, intelligent, pious and God-fearing men. Some
commentators consider the Khutba 245 as a part of this Khutba.
Work! Work! and do good work while you still have life, health and opportunities, while
there is possibility for you to do good, while your good deeds can still be recorded by the angels
and while there is still time for you to repent from vice and turn towards virtue and piety.
Through His Liberal Benevolent and Munificent Kindness, He calls all those who have
turned their faces away from Him. He informs them that there is hope and chance for the
sinners to repent from sins, to retrace their steps from vice and wickedness and reclaim their
place in the Realm of His Grace and Favour. He advises them to work while there is still time to
work, while there are opportunities to do good, while there is still life and energy in the body,
while the door of repentance is still left open and while those angels who guard them and record
their deeds are still with them (while they are still alive).
It is for every man to do good for himself, to provide for his hereafter during his lifetime, to
try to attain eternal bliss with deeds done through his mortal days. Every person who has been
allotted a span of life and has been graced with time and opportunities to work must thank God
and must be afraid of Him.
He is a true and brave man who can keep under perfect restrain his passions and desires;
who can keep his conscience, his mind and spirit free from evil thoughts and vicious desires,
who can forbid and prevent his own self from disobeying his Lord and Master and force it to
obey His Orders and Interdictions.

KHUTBA-242

This discourse is about Omer ibne Aas and Abu Moosa Ashari, the two arbitrators of
Siffeen. One of whom (Omer) was a thick friend and adviser of Moavia and was nominated
by the warlords of Moavia. The other (Abu Moosa) was bribed by Moavia and sold his soul
for few thousand dinars. He appointed as an arbitrator by the chief of the army of Koofa.
Against Hazrath’s desires of appointing Abdullah lbne Abbas.
They are evil minded tyrants; they are mean and wicked; they have given their souls in
the slavery of mean and vicious person and have surrendered their freedom of will, freedom
of choice between good and evil, and courage of conviction to an inequitous and degenerated
master, because they are scum of the society. They have gathered around themselves similar base,
mean, impure and hybrid kind of people to create dissension among Muslims and to instigate
them to rebel against truth and piety. Those who are misguided by these two vicious persons
are so ignorant that what they actually deserve is teaching of the real religion and training to
understand and follow truth and persuasion to do good deeds and to lead a virtuous life (and
 307
what they are actually taught by Moavia and his party is to worship prosperity, power and
pleasure). They deserve to have a good leader who would take them in his kind and benevolent
control and lead them towards virtue and piety. They are neither Mohajirs nor Ansars nor of
those people who embraced Islam in Medina and built a mosque there before the arrival of the
Holy Prophet (A.S.).
Consider carefully and see what they (Syrians) have done. They have selected a person
from amongst themselves (Omer-ibne Aas) to gain for them a thing which they desire most
or something near it. And you very foolishly want Abdulla-ibne-Quais (Abu Moosa Ashari) to
represent you and to get for you a thing which was actually hateful as well as harmful to you.
You knew already what kind of man he was. Do you not remember how he was instigating
and frightening you on the occasion of the battle of Jamal (Basra)? Did he not then tell you
that the war was creating friction amongst the Muslims? Did he not advise you to break your
arrows, unstrung your bones and put your swords back in their sheaths? If he was then right in
considering you and me as persons responsible for creating dissension amongst Muslims, then
he was totally in the wrong to come up to us as our colleague, He was neither forced nor
compelled to side with us. (He did that with ulterior motives) if he was a dishonest, and an
instigating liar at the battle of Jamal as you then believed him to be, then his dishonesty and
ulterior motives are proved by his later actions. Do not select him as an arbitrator from your
side. Let Abdulla-ibne-Abbas take his place. He is the most suitable person to counteract
insinuations and deceits of Omer-ibne-Aas. Take advantage of the opportunity given to you by
God and defend properly the cities of this Islamic State. Do you not see that your cities are being
attacked and your power and might is being crushed?
But Koofites very foolishly did not accept this advice and suffered the consequences of
their folly.

KHUTBA-243

This discourse described attributes of Alay Muhammad (Progeny of Muhammad A.S.).

They give life to learning and evolution of knowledge and they do their best to remove
ignorance. The depth of their patience points to the depth of their knowledge. Their speeches
carry deep knowledge and learning in them. They do not oppose truth nor they falsify it. They
are pillars to support Islam. They are the real defences where Islam can find a refuge. Because
of them religion got its proper place amongst human beings and ignorance, and falsehood were
looked upon with contempt and abhorrence. They understood the real spirit of Islam and its
significance by carefully carrying into practice its precepts. Among men there are many who
preach good and great things but very few would be found who act upon what they preach
(Deeds of Aley Muhammad perfectly correspond with their preachings).

KHUTBA-244

When Oosman, the third Caliph was besieged by the people of Egypt, Iraq and Hijaz he
sent for Abdullah-ibne-Abbas and asked him to request Hazrath to leave Medina and to go
to his Hazrath’s village Yamboo. Thereupon Hazrath said: -
O Ibne-Abbas! Oosman wants to treat me like a camel lifting water from a well which
 308
comes forward and goes backward along with the water bucket. In the early stages of this
conflict and hostilities he wanted me to leave Medina and to go and stay at Yamboo. I did as he
desired. He called me back. I came back. And now he wants me to go back again. By God, I did
my best to remove danger from him but now I am afraid if I act any more as he desires I may
become a sinner.

KHUTBA-245

Advising people not to get accustomed to easy and luxurious life, but be determined and
courageous, because only in this way you can do your duty to man and God.
God wants you to show your gratitude to Him and He granted you some of His Power and
Authority. He has also given you opportunities in the limited span of your life, so that everyone
of you may try to surpass the others to reach His domain of Glory and Favour. Tie your
girdles tightly and get ready. Remember that firm determinations and enjoyable entertainments
(luxurious life) do not go hand in hand. Comfortable sleep in luxurious beds breaks firm courage
and tenacious fortitude.
 LETTERS
OF
HAZRATH ALI
 310

LETTER No. 1

The following is the letter sent by Hazrath through Imam Husain (A.S.) and Ummar-E-
Yaasir to Kufiyites before Hazrath proceeded to Basra for the battle of Jummal (fought at
Basra).
This letter is from the servant and creature of God, Ali, the Ameer-ul-Momaneen, to Kufi-
yites who are leaders of Ansars and respectable persons.
After praising God and invoking His Blessing on the Holy Prophet (A.S.) I want to throw
light on the event of the murder of Oosman and to make the whole affair as clear as if you were
present on the occasion and were witnessing the affair yourself.
People were dissatisfied with him and were accusing and blaming him. Out of the
Mohajereen I was the only man who wanted to appease and pacify the people and who did not
want to participate in the activities of those dissatisfied persons, while Talha and Zubair were
instigating the populace in such a way that the least they said was the worse than the worst that
could be asserted or alleged against Oosman. Their whispering campaign was deadlier that the
loudest propaganda which could be carried on; Aiyesha also exhibited extreme annoyance and
anger against him. Under such conditions some persons resolved to kill him and they murdered
him. Then everybody (friends and foes alike) came to me and took my oath of allegiance. This
was done without any desire, instigation, inducement, persuation or compulsion and force on
my part. They came to me of their own free-will, without hesitation and with pleasure, ecstasy
and joy.
Let it be known to you that people of the city towards which the Holy Prophet (A.S.) had
migrated (Madina), is being deserted by its inhabitants, they are leaving it, it is seething with
discontent and rebellion. A sedition has started against the Amir. I want you to come to the help
of your Amir to fight against his enemies.

LETTER No. 2

After the conquest of Basra Hazrath wrote following letter to the citizens of Koofa:-
O citizens of Koofa! may the Merciful Lord reward you on His behalf and on behalf of
the Ahlay baith (Progeny of the Holy Prophet (A.S.) for obeying their orders and coming to
their help. May He Reward you more handsomely than He Rewards those who obey His orders
(because you followed the true path against very heavy odds and in spite of very alluring
enticements).
You have done your duty. You heard the call of your Amir, responded to it, he called you
and you obeyed his orders with sincerity and zeal.

LETTER No. 3

Shuray-ibne-Haaris had been holding important post during previous regimes. Hazrath
had also appointed him as a Quazi (Chief Judge) of Koofa. It was brought to the notice
of Hazrath that he has purchased a house for himself in the city (rather a costly and
expensive house-perhaps more expensive and lordly than his status demanded and that
 311
too rather cheap for the cost). Hazrath called him and asked of him: -
“I am given to understand that you have purchased this house for eighty deenars (deenar
was a gold coin like pound and lira) and a sale-deed has also been completed regularising it with
signatures of witnesses”.
Shuray replied, “O Amir-ul-Momaneen this is a fact”.
Hearing this Hazrath felt annoyed and angry and said to him, Shuray be warned that a
thing (death) will come to you which will not take any notice of this sale-deed nor will it accept
the testimony of the witnesses, but it will take you out of this house alone and unattended and
will drag you to your grave. And before such a happening you must think well over the fact
whether you have purchased this house with the money which does not belong to you but to
somebody else, and whether the purchase price was acquired with wrong and foul means or
it was ill-gotten wealth which provided the cost, if it was so then remember that you will part
(through death) with this house and in the bargain you will lose your place in the Heaven. If
you would have come to me prior to this transaction I would have drafted such a sale-deed for
you that you would not have cared to purchase this property even for a dirham (dirham was the
lowest coin, like our pie).
You know what that transfer deed would have been like, it would have been phrased in the
following words:-
A humble and a powerless creature has purchased this house from another mortal being,
its boundaries are as follows: -
On one side it is bounded by calamities and disasters, on the other side with
disappointments and sorrows, on the third side its borders are covered with inordinate and
excessive desires ending in failures and the fourth side it adjoins the misleading and captivating
allurements of Satan and the door of this house opens towards this forth side. A man leading
his life under the merciless grip of intemperate and disorderly desires has purchased this house
from another person who is being relentlessly persuaded by death. And for the purchase price
he has bargained the glory of an honourably contented and respectable way of living against the
detestable life of submitting to every form of humiliation for profits and pleasures. The buyer had
not realised what sorrows and degradations he was purchasing and what he was paying in the
form of the cost. His delivery now lies in the hands of One Who throws the bodies of kings into
dust and over-throws their empires. Who ends the lives of mighty rulers and who has brought
to an end the dominions of Egypt, Persia, Greece, Rome and Humayrabi kings of Yaman. Who
had destroyed the wealth, power and glory of all those individuals who had amassed wealth,
gathered property, built very strong and durable houses, furnished them with the most choice
and costly furniture and surrounded them with beautiful gardens. Those people were imagining
that they and their descendants will enjoy the fruits of their labours, though in reality every
one of the houses so built or the article so collected will have to be accounted for on the Day of
Reckoning, the day when people will be rewarded or punished according to their deeds, the day
on which evil doers will suffer for their vicious and wicked ways. Your mind will corroborate
and confirm this if it is kept free from intemperate ambitions, from lust of lure, from sensuality,
and from vicious affections and attachments.
 312
LETTER No. 4
A letter written to one of the commanders of his Army.

If our enemies agree to obey us, it will be as I desire, but if they adamantly insist upon
dissension and revolt then you be ready to fight against them with the help of your faithful
followers. Trust those who have proved themselves faithful. Do not trust and do not count upon
the help of those who have proved faithless and disloyal. Remember that the absence of those
who do not join us willingly and sincerely is better than their presence in our ranks, and their
inactivity and lethargy is better than their activity and their participation in our activities.

LETTER No. 5

Ashus-ibne-Quais was a hypocrite and time-server. For sometime he attached himself to

Hazrath pretending to be his sincere follower. The ulterior motive behind this was to amass
wealth and to grasp power. Hazrath had appointed him as the Governor of Azerbaijan. He
started collecting and procuring wealth by every means possible. When this was reported
to Hazrath, he wrote the following letter to Ashus.
On receipt of this letter he wanted to abscond with wealth so amassed, but good counsels
prevailed upon him and he was persuaded by Hujar Ibne Addi-E-Kundee to come to
Hazrath. When his accounts were audited he had to surrender four lakhs Dirhums.
Verily, you are not entrusted with the Governorship that you may amass wealth, neither
it is a tasty and juicy morsel to be swallowed. On the contrary it is a trust committed to your
care and faith. Its responsibility lies upon your shoulders. Your Amir (meaning Hazrath himself)
has appointed you as a shepherd and guardian of the people. You have no right to do as you like
and to act independently without seeking his advice and authority. In all important affairs of
the State and the public your decisions must be based on true facts and sound reasons. In your
control and custody there is one of the treasuries of God, you are only a treasurer, you have no
right to make personal use of any part of this wealth, it is your duty to pass it on to those to
whom it belongs. I hope you will not give me a chance to prove myself a hard task master and a
harsh lord for you. May you see the light.

LETTER No. 6

Following is a letter to Moavia and in it Hazrath has used the same stopple that he applied
against Talha and Zubair. Hazrath in this letter has raised all the points which were once
quoted against him. He says if an election on the basis of general franchise is the criterion
to decide for such a caliphate, then general election took place to elect him a Caliph and
nobody can deny this fact; and if limited franchise (Shoora) was the criterion then those
who represented this group (Mohajirs and Ansars) were amongst those who elected him
and therefore even according to the rules formulated by opponents of Hazrath election
was the lawful, regular, and bonafide. Thus no Muslim has a right to speak or act against
him.
Verily, those who took the oath of allegiance to Abu Baker, Omer and Oosman have sworn
allegiance to me. Now those who were present at the election have no right to go back upon
 313
their oaths of obedience and those who were not present on the occasion have no right to oppose
me. And so far Shoora (limited franchise or selection) was concerned it was supposed to be
limited to Mohajirs and Ansars and it was also supposed that whomever they selected became
Caliph as per approval and pleasure of God. If anybody goes against such decision then he
should be persuaded to adopt the course followed by others and if he refuses to fall in line with
others then war is the only course left open to be adopted against him, and as he has refused
to follow the course followed by the Muslims, God will let him wander in the wilderness of his
ignorance and schism.
O Moavia! I am sure that if you give up self-aggrandisement and self-interest, if you
forsake the idea of being alive only to personal profits and pleasures, if you cease to be actuated
solely by selfishness and if you consider dispassionately over the incident of the murder of
Oosman, you will realise that I am the last man to be held responsible for the affair and I am least
concerned with the episode. But it is a different thing that you create all these false rumours and
carryon this heinous propaganda to gain your ulterior motives. Well you may do whatever you
like.

LETTER No. 7

A letter to Moavia, on receiving letters from him based on hypocritical advices and false
accusations. To know who was Moavia and what claim he had on the caliphate and how
he could aspire for the place, it is necessary to know a few historical facts. Ibne Aseer, Ibne
Khaladoon, Tabari, Damyari and Khateeb-e-Baghdad may be referred. A precis of the facts
is given below: -
Abu Sufyan was the arch enemy of the Holy Prophet (may the peace of God be upon
him and his Descendants) and Islam. It was he who originally insinuated Quraish against
the Prophet and along with various clans of Quraish like Bani Aas, Bani Ummaiya, Bani
Tayyum etc., he made the very existence of the Holy Prophet (A.S.) precarious and caused
him to migrate to Madina. But he was not satisfied with the migration. He found the
Apostle of God receiving support in Madina. Bent upon killing the Holy Prophet (A.S.) and
bringing an end to his mission, he brought about the battles of Bader, Ohed, and Khanduq.
God gave victory to Muslims in all those battles and in the end Abu Sufyan and Quraish
had their final defeat in the battle of Mecca. After the fall of Mecca, when he found that he
had lost everything and there was no alternative left for him and no backing, Abu Sufyan
embraced Islam to save his property and position. After this conversion up to the demise
of the Holy Prophet (A.S.) he was tolerated as a Moalle Fathul Quloob (those who were
to be tolerated and treated well so as to keep Muslims safe from their cold war and active
hostilities). After the death of the Holy Prophet (A.S.) Abu Sufyan wanted to gain the
favour of Hazrath Ali but Hazrath refused to be allured by him, because Hazrath knew the
desires which were burning the heart and the soul of Abu Sufyan. The desire to destroy
the preachings of Islam openly or covertly and to take revenge of the defeats suffered at
the hands of Bani Hashim (the tribe of the Holy Prophet (A.S.) and the desire to bring
disunity amongst the Muslims. Abu Sufyan had tried his best to hide his intentions but
it was not difficult to know his mind. In the meanwhile Abu Sufyan had approached the
Caliph and his eldest son Yazeed, the elder brother of Moavia, was appointed Governor
 314
of Syria by the first Caliph; after the death of Yazeed, his younger brother Moavia was
replaced as the Governor. Thus Abu Sufyan's family got the chance of grasping a strong
hold on Syria. During the Caliphate of the third Caliph Moavia did not come to his help
though the Caliph wrote to him thrice to send his army to the capital so that those who
had risen against him may be suppressed. Moavia simply ignored to respond to those
orders and in the end when he did send a contingent it was with significant orders not to
approach the capital and to stay at a place about 30 miles away from Madina until further
orders. And there the army stayed till the Caliph was killed. After this event when Moavia
felt that people have gathered around Hazrath Ali and he has assumed the rulership of
the Muslim State, Moavia started the propaganda that Hazrath was the cause of Caliph
Oosman's murder. It was he who insinuated Talha and Zubair for caliphate and gave them
the idea of falsely blaming Hazrath for the death of the Caliph Oosman. He himself carried
on this propaganda as intensely as possible and as a part of the cold war he started writing
letters to Hazrath, some of them contained advices for repentance, some carried counsels
for Hazrath to adopt a pious life etc. Hazrath in his various letters have replied to him
to abstain from that unholy propaganda. Following letter is one of them. This note was
considered necessary to explain the historical background to the correspondence
exchanged between Hazrath and Moavia.
After praising God and invoking His Blessings and Peace on the Holy Prophet (A.S.) I want
to inform you that I am in receipt of many of your letters which appear to consist of advices to
me. You have very cunningly tried to couch them in flowery words and phrases. You have done
this because of your natural evil-mindedness and because of the envy, enmity and malice you
bore against me. These kinds of letters show that they have been written from a person who
has no inner-light to guide him and no benevolent guide to show him the true path. Avarice,
greed, self-aggrandisement and lust of power insinuated him to do so and he jumped at the
suggestion. It is a letter from a person whom selfishness leads astray and who .has lost his sense
of proportion, therefore, it contains no sense and no real worth.
Some commentators consider the following passage a part of the above letter:- Remember
the allegiance and fidelity sworn to me is such that it does not require reconsideration on the
part of those who have sworn it, neither they are at liberty (from religious point of view) to go
back upon it. Therefore, those who belittle it, scoff at it or go back upon it are hypocrites and
traitors.

LETTER No. 8

Jurair-ibne-Abdullah-E-Bajalee had been sent to Damascuss. He was carrying a letter for

Moavia. Some delay occurred in his return. Hazrath felt anxious about his safety and wrote
the following letter to him:-
After praise of God and the Holy Prophet (A.S.) I want to advise you that as soon as you
receive this letter of mine, force Moavia for a reply to my letter written to him. Compel him to
come to a decision and to give a final reply. He must decide between two things. Either a decisive
war or an obedience. If it is going to be a war then I shall get ready to fight against him and if it
is going to be peace then you must make him swear the oath of allegiance to me and then you
must return.
 315
LETTER No. 9
A letter to Moavia

Quraish was our tribe, but they wanted to kill the Holy Prophet (A.S.) and to exterminate
our family. They conspired against us and made plots after plots to harm us. They tried their
worst to frighten and to injure us. They forced us to give up our homes and hearths and to re-
tire to the cave of Shuab-e-Abu Talib. It was a very rough and hard place to live and very harsh
life we were forced to lead. They instigated their tribe as well as other clans to fight against us.
The Merciful God came to our help. He protected and defended us. From amongst us those who
had faith in the Holy Prophet (A.S.) and Islam, stood up to defend the Apostle and his cause;
their desire was to achieve the favour of the Lord; and those of us (Bani Hashim) who had not
embraced Islam as yet (like Abbas Ibne Abdul Muttalib) also came to our help because we
belonged to them and they to us. From amongst Quraish the condition of those who embraced
Islam was not as bad as ours. Either they had defensive alliance with the non-believers or some
tribes came forward to defend them in spite of differences of religion.
While it was the practice of the Holy Prophet (A.S.) that whenever a battle raged and his
companions behaved cowardly and either ran away from the battle-field (as in Bader, Ohad and
Hunain) which was usually the case, or started making the Muslims nervous (as in Khunduq),
he sent members of his family (Bani Hashim) to fight out the battle and thus protected his
companions, these Bani Hashim often fought single-handed and some of them got martyrdom;
for instance, Obedah ibne Haaris was killed in the battle of Bader, Hamza ibne Abdul Muttalib
in Ohed and Jafer ibne Abu Talib in the battle of Maota. Besides these three there was another
person (here Hazrath meant himself) who also tried his best to achieve Martyrdom, I could name
him but the date of his death had already been fixed and he came out of these ordeals alive.
O time! O world! how I wonder at your vagaries. People have started considering such a
person (Hazrath 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 honour, no position and no merit for him as for me. None can pretend to claim any
superiority and excellence over me but a pretender. I do not know of anybody who served Islam
and the Holy Prophet (A.S.) as sincerely and as constantly 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 these
respects. All Glory, Praise and Greatness belongs to Him and to nobody else.
You have requested me to send to you all those people who were responsible for the
murder of Oosman. I thought deeply over your request and found that it was not in my power to
send them to you or to anybody else. I swear by my life that if you do not leave your hypocrisy,
avarice and your rebellious activities they will make themselves known to you. Instead of your
demanding them they will demand you. On the sea and land and in the plains and on the hills
they will make their presence known to you and you will not find it easy or pleasant to face them
and will curse the day when you demanded to see them.
 316
LETTER No. 10
A letter 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 enjoyments and pleasures. It enticed you and you
fell an easy prey to its allurements. It dragged you and you followed it like a tame animal at the
end of a rope. It ordered you and you obeyed its orders submissively.
You have forgotten that shortly you will be called to bear the consequences of such a life;
consequences from which none can shield, liberate or absolve you. Abstain from such a life, keep
yourself ready for the Day of Reckoning, be ready for death, which is inevitable, bound to come
and sure to end every life, rich or poor. Do not lend your ears to exciting whispers of those who
want to tempt you and do not make them believe that they and their heinous whisperings have
any important place in your mind.
If you do not faithfully and sincerely follow the dictates of religion and do not act as I have
advised you then I want to warn you of something that you have entirely forgotten. It is that
you are unthankful to God for all which He has granted to you and are ungrateful to Him for the
Favours 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.
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.
You have challenged me to a battle. I accept your invitation. But I have a proposal to
make. Why have a war involving murder and bloodshed of thousands of ignorant people, why
be a scourge to mankind, let us have mercy on them, be they sincere and God fearing Muslims
or ignorant, unenlightened and greedy mercenaries misguided and fooled by you. Let there be
peace and safety for all the creatures of God. Let us, you and me, fight single- handed. Let it be a
fight unto death. Let the soldiers of both armies stand aside and let two of us alone fight against
each other. Let the world see and realise who is the sinner and who has forgotten God and the
Day of Judgment. Will you accept this invitation of mine, have you courage for it, are you man
enough to face death boldly and bravely or you are merely a vampire sucking others blood
surreptitiously?
Remember Moavia! though now old yet I am still Abul Hasan, the man who killed your
maternal grand-father, your uncle and your brother in single-handed combats in the battle of
Bader. The same sword is still in my hand, the same blood is still flowing in my veins the same
heart is still throbbing in my chest and with the same courage I still face my enemy. Will you
come and face me on a battle field?
Remember that I have not introduced any innovation in religion neither have I insinuated
schism. Verily, I sincerely believe in the religion which you pretended to embrace hypocritically,
 317
with mental reservations and pretentions, a religion which you in the heart of your heart had
actually hated and abhorred and which you gave up quickly, happily and cheerfully.
You pretend that you want to avenge the murder of Caliph Oosman. Do you know who
actually killed him and who caused this murder? If really you do so then seek vengeance of them.
I see before me the day when you will be tired of this war, when you will face defeat, when
you will find death or disgrace facing you, when I shall scatter your armies, killing your famous
but misled marshals, when I shall thin your ranks and files then in despondency and despair you
will run towards the Book of God, though you will have no faith in it and no belief in the truth
preached by it, because you and your followers being hypocrites have no faith in God, in the
Holy Prophet (A.S.) and the Day of Judgment and they have broken the promises made.
(What a prophecy. It all took place as Hazrath had prophesied. When facing defeat Moavia
as per advice of Omer-e-Aas tied some scraps of paper to spears and raising them declared
that it was the Quran and they wanted the Holy Book to act as an arbitrator between him
and Hazrath.)

LETTER No. 11
Part of instructions to his Marshal when Hazrath sent him to a battle.

When you approach an enemy or when he nears you make a point to keep your army on a
hill-top or at the foot of a mountain or on the side of a river, in order that you can easily watch
movements of your enemy. Do not involve the whole army in the encounter, allow only a few
units to take part in the engagements. If your army is not on a hill-top, then post your scouts
and guards on all high hills and along the line of fortification so that the enemy may not take
you unaware.
Remember that the Commanders of an army are its guardians and guides and eyes of these
Commanders are the scouts.
Try to avoid dissension and do not cause superiority or inferiority complexes to take root
amongst your officers and your rank and file. Wherever and whenever you camp make a point
that all of your officers and soldiers camp in the same locality and are provided with the same
comforts and conveniences and whenever you march always march in a company form. If you
want to rest during the night draw a circle of your lancers round your army, and do not let sound
sleep overpower you.

LETTER No. 12

When Hazrath sent an expedition of 3000 soldiers under Maaqual Ibne Quaeese-e- Rehaee
against the Syrian he issued the following instructions: -
Always keep the fear of God in your mind. Remember that you have to meet Him one day
(let the fear of God guide you in all your activities against man) and your end will be towards
Him and towards none else.
Do not fight against anybody unless he wishes to fight against you. During winters travel
in the mornings and in the evenings, give your army rest in the afternoons. Do not rush through
journey (unless absolutely necessary) travel by easy stages and do not tire out your army during
the journey. Do not travel in the early part of the evening because God has meant this to be time
 318
for rest and comfort and not for march and exertion; make use of these hours to give rest to your
body and mind; when you have so stayed and rested then begin your march with trust and faith
in God in the early hours of the morning.
When you face your enemy then stand in the midst of your army, never alone. Do not be
over anxious to fight and do not behave as if you are craving for a combat or spoiling for an
encounter, but at the same time do not try to avoid your enemy or to evade an engagement as
if you are afraid or nervous. Keep my orders in mind and act accordingly until you get further
orders. Last but not the least do not let the hatred and enmity of your opponents force you to
a combat, do not begin a battle even if the enemy so desires unless you have explored every
avenue of amity and good-will and have exhausted all the chances of peaceful settlement.

LETTER No. 13
Instructions to two of his Marshals.

I have appointed Malik-Ibne-Haaris as Chief of the Staff over you and the armies under
you. Take your orders from him and obey him. Treat him as if he is your shield and armour
because there is no danger of laziness or lethargy from him, neither of nervousness and blunders
nor of any error of commission and omission.

LETTER No. 14

At Siffeen Hazrath gave following instructions to his soldiers before the battle:-
Do not take initiative to begin a battle, let them begin it. Because by the favour 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 hostilities and then you are at liberty to take fighting. Their keenness
to begin a battle will be another proof of your sincere belief in the orders of God.
If God favours you with your success and their defeat then do not 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 behaviour 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 of God be upon him and his descendants) 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 descendants.

LETTER No. 15

Whenever Hazrath faced an enemy he prayed to God in the following way:-

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 enmities and concealed spite are exposed; hearts are boiling over
with envy and malice. O Lord we place before Thee our difficulties; the absence of the Holy
 319
Prophet (A.S.) from amongst us, the abundance of enemies, the disappointments and frustrations
which face us. Lord! let truth prevail and let our people realise justice, honesty and virtuousness
of our case.

LETTER No. 16

During the battles Hazrath used to advise his followers in these words:-
Do not allow a retreat to become so disastrous and overpowering as to make it
impossible for you to wheel round to the battle. Do not be so disappointed and discourage with
a withdrawal or a defeat as to be unfit for a comeback and resumption of activities. Be hold, be
courageous and allow your swords to do their duties and to justify your existence. Attack your
enemies furiously and bravely and let them feel the full might of your arms and your hands.
Impel and drive yourselves towards a dauntless and heroic courage and towards daring and
undismayed use of your armaments. Do not shout but attack with bent heads and with eyes fixed
on every movement of your enemy, because you will thus dispel nervousness and cowardice.
I swear by the Lord, Who allowed a seed to germinate into a plant and Who created men
that these people who are opposing and facing you, and are fighting against you did not embrace
Islam but as a measure of securing safety to their lives and properties. They were not sincere in
entering the fold of Islam. It was done simply to provide for them a place in the growing and
multiplying power and position of the Islamic State. They will keep their heathenism hidden till
they will find supporters and helpers and then they will come out openly.

LETTER No. 17
A reply to a letter of Moavia

You want me to give Syria over to you, but remember that what I have previously
forbidden you from, I am not going to hand it over to you or consent to your usurpation of
the same. You tell me that wars have annihilated the Arabs and very few people are left alive. I
must inform you that verily, those who were killed defending truth and Islam were martyrs and
they are in the Heaven and those who were killed helping heathenism or hypocrisy are now in
the Hell. But contention that your position in wars is the same as mine, is a very fantastic and
ludicrous. The absurdity of your claim is due to the fact that you want to match your doubt and
incredulity in the truth of Islam to my sincere belief and faith in it; which you cannot do. Further
the Syrians are as keen for these worldly gains as Iraquees are to achieve favour of God and the
Holy Prophet (A.S.) (therefore they are so willing to run the hazard of war).
Your claim that your clan is also descended from Abd-e-Manaf is true, but you must
remember and the history of the Arabs will convince you, that your ancestor, Ummaiya was not
equal to our ancestor, the famous Hashim, neither Harub, another ancestor of yours, was equal
to our Abdul Muttalib, who was defender and guardian of Mecca, nor Abu Sufyan could claim
himself equal to Abu Talib (who defended, guarded and suffered so much for the Holy Prophet
(A.S.) and Islam), what is more, no freed-slave can be considered equal to a Mohajir1 (Refer
1 Hazrath in this sentence has referred to a very important incident of the history of Islam. To understand and
appreciate it following facts are to be carefully taken into consideration. First of all the historically famous
animosity of Quraish especially Ummaiyides against the Holy Prophet (A.S.) they tried to kill him; they forced him
 320
note at the end of this letter) and one coming of a doubtful lineage cannot claim to be equal to
those who are descended from noble and famous parents, while there is no similarity between
one who follows truth and Islam and one who doubts the truth of Islam. Remember also worst
descendant is one who follows the footsteps of his ancestors in the way of heathenism,
hypocrisy and the Hell.
We (the Bani Hashim) still own the glory of prophethood (having the Holy Prophet from
amongst then). A prophethood which brought equality to mankind by lowering the position of
mighty and despotic lords and raising the status of lowly and humiliated persons. When God
willed that Arabs embrace Islam in large numbers they entered the fold willingly or reluctantly.
During the days when those who had precedence in embracing Islam were receiving the
Blessings of the Lord for this precedence, or when those who, on account of unbearable
sufferings from the hands of your clan, were forced to migrate from Mecca you and your family
were after wealth and power. Some of you embraced Islam to better your position because
Muslims were gaining ascendancy and supremacy and some others became Muslim because
after having harmed and wronged the Muslims in the early days of Islam you felt that the only
way to protect yourself from their vengeance was to profess their religion, though outwardly
and hypocritically.
Fear God and do not let Satan to have possession of your mind and body and do not give
it a way into your soul.

LETTER No. 18

When Abdullah-ibne-Abbas was acting as a Governor of Basrah, Hazrath wrote the

following letter to him. The cause of this letter was the behaviour of Ibne Abbas with the
out of his home and hearth; they made every effort to defeat him, his followers and his cause in the two battles
of Bader and Ohad and for this purpose they had gathered men and material but when they could not succeed
they made various clans join hand with them in the battle of Khanduq, suffering a defeat even in this battle they
persuaded Jews to annul the treaties signed with the Holy Prophet (A.S.) and to rise against Muslims and the battle
of Khyber was the result.
Let alone these highly militant activities their slandering campaign against the Apostle of God was terrible,
they had written a series of poems in which infamous words and ideas were written against the Apostle of God.
These poems were being sung in every city and village of the country. They had tried to kill individual Muslim if
found unattended and undefended. They had refused the entry of the Holy Prophet (A.S.) and Muslims in Mecca
even for a pilgrimage.
All these hostile activities and even much less, were enough to make Muslims hate them and to retaliate
against them. At the fall of Mecca Ummaiyides realised the situation and went to the father and mother of Moavia,
Abu Sufyan and Hinda went to Abbas Ibne Abdul Muttalib, uncle of the Holy Prophet (A.S.) and beseeched him to
use his influence with Hazrath and secure their pardon. Abbas intervened on their behalf so much that the Holy
Prophet (A.S.) felt that these ring-leaders were thus trying to escape the consequences of their heinous actions and
were leaving the masses at the mercy of Muslim swords. The Apostle of God felt pity for those ignorant masses who
were badly misled and sadly led down, because according to the customs and traditions of the time everyone of the
Ummaiyides and Quraish having been defeated in the battle were slaves of Muslims, who had traditional right to
kill, to sell or to make slave of every man, woman and child. And most of the Muslims wanted to avenge the wrongs
done to them for so long. Hazrath took the situation into his hands and said “La Thusreeb Haaz-ul-yome, untum
Thulaqua” (There is no vengeance and traditional retaliation today; you are the slaves whom I have set free). With
this merciful order of freedom everyone of Quraish and Ummaiyides was free- man, whose life and property was
safe from the hands of the conquerors. Hazrath Ali has hinted at this incident saying that how could a freed-slave
dare think himself equal to the man who has suffered so much in the cause of Islam.
 321
clan of Bani Tameem. Ibne Abbas hated them because some of them had sided with Talha
and Zubair in the battle of Basra (Jamal) and therefore, he had on occasions treated them
very insultingly. They reported this fact to Hazrath requesting that the whole clan should
not be treated badly because of the folly of a few. This letter shows what a kind, benevolent
and benign rule it was which Hazrath wanted to introduce.
Understand very well Ibne Abbas that Basra is a Satanic place. It is an abode of strifes
and bloodshed. So be kind and tolerant with the people of Basra. Win them over with kindness
sympathy and sincerity. Remove fear, suspicions, distrust and animosity from their minds. I am
given to understand that you have ill-treated the clan of Bani Tameem and have insulted them.
Remember that Bani Tameem is such a clan that their star has not set as yet; amongst them if one
great man dies there is another to take his place. Remember that after embracing Islam and even
during the pre-Islamic days these people were never regarded as mean, jealous or covetous, on
the contrary, they had very high status. Besides they have claims of kinship and friendship with
us. If we behave kindly, patiently and sympathetically with them God will reward us. But if we
ill-treat them we shall be sinning.
May God have mercy upon you, Ibne Abbas! be careful how you behave with those over
whom you are ruling, be kind to all and be careful of your tongue and your behaviour, because
you are ruling there on my behalf and your actions are mine and I am responsible for them. I
have good opinion about you, please try to be such that I may not be forced to change it.

LETTER No. 19

The following is a letter to one of his Governors, it speaks volumes about the ways of
Godly Government. It shows how Hazrath was teaching Muslims to behave tolerantly
with other religions, how minority was to be treated and what should those, who hold a
different religion from the state expect of a Muslim ruler.
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 complaint
and about the situation and I found that if on account of their heathenism they do not deserve
any favourable treatments or extra privileges yet they do not deserve to be treated insultingly,
cruelly and harshly. They are governed by us, they have made certain agreements with us and
we are obliged to respect and honour the terms of those agreements. Therefore, you in future be
kind to them, tolerate them and give them due respect, but at the same time keep your prestige
and guard well the position and honour 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 No. 20

Following is the letter from Hazrath to Ziyad, who was appointed as the commissioner
of the city of Basra by Abdullah Ibne Abbas, the Governor of provinces of Ahwaz, Basra,
Kirman and Farus. Ziyad was from the very beginning dishonest and corrupt, a man who
 322
would not stop at any vice or sin to gain his end; he had come from a very low family, so
much so that nobody knew his father's name, his mother was harlot. Ummul Momaneen
Aiyesha has nicknamed him "His father's son", and he was known allover Arabia by this
insulting name. But he was a self-made man, a great intriguer and plotter. Ibne Abbas had
found him a useful officer as he could suppress any voice raised against his Government,
had appointed him as a Commissioner and had recommended him to Hazrath. Hazrath
also had given him a chance and wanted to see whether he could give up his bad ways, he
did not and Hazrath dismissed him. Later on Moavia in a big Durbar declared him to be
his father's (Abu Sufyan’s natural son, born under sin) son. Ziyad was glad that at least he
could name some big man-though thirty years after the death of that man-to be his father,
and he became a staunch friend of Moavia- the so-called half-brother. Hazrath wrote this
letter to Ziyad when he was Commissioner of the city of Basra.
I swear by God that if I find you misappropriating the wealth of Muslims I shall punish you
in such a way that you will be left poor. Besides this poverty there will be the burden of sins on
yours shoulders, you will be disgraced and humiliated, losing your position and prestige.

LETTER No. 21
The following letter is also to Ziyad.

Give up extravagance and be sparing and moderate in your expenditure. Do not let
the pleasures of today make you forget the tomorrow, the Day of Reckoning and Judgment.
Keep money with you strictly according to your real requirements and give away the rest to
poors to act as a provision for you in the next world. Do you expect God to grant you rewards
reserved for courteous, complaisant, kind and benevolent people while you actually are
proud, vain, haughty and miserly? Do you hope to receive His Favours reserved for charitable,
generous and kind hearted persons, who always help poor and needy, while you rolling in
wealth and luxuries, prevent any part of your wealth from reaching disabled persons and
poverty-ridden old widows? Remember a man receives the reward according to actions he has
done in this world, because in the next world only the result of such deeds will face him which
he has committed during his life time.

LETTER No. 22

Abdullah Ibne Abbas says that Hazrath once advised him in the following words, and
except the advices of the Holy Prophet (A.S.) no advice has been so beneficial to him as
this.
After prayers to God and the praise of the Holy Prophet (A.S.) let it be known to you, Ibne
Abbas! that a man feels very happy if he achieves a thing without understanding that it would
have ultimately come to him and he would not have missed it; and sometimes he feels sorry at
not acquiring a thing which was not destined for him and which he could never have acquired.
Only such things should please you which will earn for you a reward in the next world, and
should only feel sorry for losing rewards of the next world. If you attain worldly pomp and
pleasures, then let not your happiness increase along with every enhancement of such pleasure
and if you lose any of these pleasures then do not feel sorry at the loss, because you must feel
sorry only at the loss of such things which will be of use to you in the next world.
 323
LETTER No. 23

Hazrath passed the following instructions to his family little before his death.
My advice to you is not to consider anyone as a co-worker of the Lord, be firm in your
belief that there is one and only one God. Do not waste the education given to you by Holy
Prophet (A.S.) and do not give up and destroy his Sunnah (Traditions). Keep these two pillars of
Islam (the unity of God and the teachings----Sunnah of the Holy Prophet (A.S.) standing. If you
act according to my advice then you cannot be blamed for damaging or destroying the religion.
Till yesterday I was your Amir, today I am only an object from whom you can take lesson
and warning and tomorrow I shall part from you. If I survive this fatal wound, I shall be at
liberty to decide as how to treat the man who attempted to murder me. If I die then my worldly
life comes to an end. If I forgive my murderer then it will be to gain the favour of God, for
forgiving a person who has harmed you, and it will be good deed if you also forgive him. Do you
not desire to be forgiven by the Lord?
I swear by God that death is not coming to me suddenly and unexpectedly that I may
hate or abhor it, neither it is such a visitor that I refuse to meet it. So far as death by martyrdom
is concerned I always expected and desired it and I now welcome it like a thirsty person who
finds water when he is extremely thirsty. I am a searcher who in martyrdom finds what he was
searching for. To pious people the best is that which they find with God.

LETTER No. 24

Following is the will of Hazrath in which he has left instructions as how to treat his
property and state. It was written after his return from the battle of Siffeen.
This is the will of a creature of God, Ali son of Abu Talib. It instructs as how to spend his
property only to gain favour of God, so that God may grant him peace and allow him to enter
His Heaven. After me my son Hassan will be the administrator, executor and testator of my
property. He can spend it according to the laws of Islam in helping the poor, destitutes and needy
as per canons ordained by God. If anything happens to Hassan and Husain is alive after him then
he will be the next executor and testator and should act according to the spirit of instructions
given herein.
Verily, for the two sons of Fatima, Imam Hassan and Imam Husain, the share out of my
property is equal to the shares of my other sons (being Imams they should not be barred from
taking their share at the same time their share cannot be more on account of their being ad-
ministrators and executors). I have appointed sons of Fatima executors to please God and out of
respect and love that I bear towards the Holy Prophet (A.S.) and his daughter (may the peace of
God be upon them and their descendants).
I order the executor to keep this property as it is and to spend the income on poor and
destitutes as desired by me. I further order that young date-palm of the village not to be cut until
the whole place is fully afforested with date-palm and takes up the shape of a well-developed
palm-orchard.
My widows are to be treated with respect and their shares, out of this property, are to be
included in the shares of their sons and even if any of them loses her son she will still enjoy her
share, she should not be left un-helped to work and slave for her living.
 324
LETTER No. 25
Directions to assessors and collectors of poor-rate (Zakaath)

These directions clearly show what form of Government it was that Hazrath wanted to
introduce. It was not to be a Government whose officers had upper hand and were fattened
on public money. It was to be a Government where the governed and the tax-payers were
at premium. It was their convenience that the State was to function for. A welfare-state
working solely for the welfare of the people living under its rule. A Government where the
rich cannot get richer and the poor cannot be made poorer. A Government where canons
of religion hold the balance between the governed and governing body.
Do not give up fearing God who has no co-worker and partner. Do not let the Muslims
grieve and lament (over their lot of having you as their ruler) and do not approach him in a way
as to make your approach hateful to him. Do not tax them more than what is actually due by
them to God.
When reach a group of people (tribe or village) to assess and tax them then stay only at
their watering-place (a well or water-hole the most convenient place for stay in desert regions)
and do not stay in their houses. Then go to them maintaining your dignity and prestige and
when you reach among them wish them peace and blessing of God and show due respect to
them. Tell them that the Caliph of God has sent you to collect from them the dues of God. Ask
them whether they possess enough means to pay dues of God that you may gather them and
pass them on to his Caliph. If somebody tells you that he does not hold wealth enough to make
him liable to pay taxes then do not worry him and accept his plea. If anyone tells you that he
is in a position to pay poor-rate, then with him follow to his house, field or pasture (because
poor-rate was then collected in coins as well as in kind). But do not frighten him or make him
nervous and do not behave with undue harshness or tyranny. Then accept the gold or silver
which he offers. (From here the instructions are as how to arrive at the numbers of cattle to be
assessed for Zakaath). If he has cows, bulls, goats and camels then do not enter the herd without
his permission, because most of it belongs to him (it is not part of Zakaath). If you have to enter
the herd, then do not enter like one who is coming there to take possession of the cattle. Do not
tyrannise the owner, do not frighten the cattle and make them run hither and thither. Do not
make the owner feel anxious or sorry for them. Then divide the herd into two parts and allow
the owner to select the one for himself. If he selects one part for keeping, then do not object to
it. Again divide the part which he has left, for the share of Zakaath to be selected from out of
these two parts, again allow him to select the lot which he wants to retain for himself. Never
object to his selection (because it is the assessor who is dividing them in equal lots, therefore, the
selection between the two lots should naturally rest with the owner). Continue like that till you
arrive at the lot which constitutes the dues of God (Zakaath) then take possession of it. Even in
spite of all these precautions he thinks the division was unfair and unjust, then mix the whole
lot and go through the process once again as I have already explained to you till you arrive at
the dues of Zakaat to the satisfaction of everybody concerned. Remember you have not to accept
old and diseased camels or such as have their limbs damaged. Entrust this lot to only such per-
son who is honest, who can be trusted and who can guard the Muslim property sympathetically
till it reaches their Amir and Caliph, that it may be distributed equitably among the Muslims. I
want to instruct you once again that you do not entrust these goods and animals to anyone who
 325
is not honest; trustworthy and of kindly sympathetic disposition so that he may not treat the
animals cruelly and may not starve them or tire them out during the transit. Instruct him not to
separate a she-camel from its young, not to milk it so much that nothing is left for its young-one
and not ride them harshly or over burden them with heavy loads. He should ride them in turns
so that those who have been already ridden may have easy journey. He should not drive them
fast and should avoid harshness. He should always give them enough rest at watering places.
They should not be driven through deserts. As far as possible green lands and well-wooded
regions should be selected for the passage. Thus every care should be taken so that they reach
their destination in healthy and robust condition without having received any harsh and brutal
treatment on the way, that I may distribute them according to the orders of God and the Holy
Prophet (A.S.). Verily, the collection of the dues of God in the way that I have explained to you
is a pious deed and a religious duty which will carry its reward before the Lord.

LETTER No. 26

Following are the instructions given to another Collector for Zakaath.

I order you to keep fear of God in your mind in all such affairs and on all such occasions
where there is no one to witness your actions and deeds or to guide your activities. I order you
not to pretend fear of God and assume false piety and to go against His Orders covertly and
secretly. One, whose deeds coincide with his words and who is as honest in his secret activities
as in open deeds, is the person who has faithfully discharged his duty laid upon him by the Lord,
has honestly handed over the things entrusted to him and has sincerely obeyed His God only to
achieve His Favours and Blessings.
I order you not to meet Muslims as a tyrant or an oppressor and a slanderer, not to ill-treat
them, not to calumniate them, because they are his brothers in religion and will help him to
collect dues and to find means and ways to help the poor.
Certainly there is share for you in the poor-rate (Zakaath) but remember that poor,
destitutes and have-nots also have claim over it. Verily, I have paid you your share and now you
pay them their shares. Otherwise there will be many who will complain and protest against you
on the Day of Judgment (they will be your enemies on that day). Woe be to the person against
whom poor, destitutes, beggars and those who have been debarred from their rights of receiving
poor-rate (Zakaath) complain before God.
Be it known to you that the person, who misappropriates the poor-rate funds, who fills
his stomach with such amounts and who harms his religion and injures his conscience with
such deeds will be punished and disgraced in this world as well as the next. The worst form of
dishonesty is the breach of trust of the public funds (poor-rate fund) and the most despicable
example of mal-administration is that the Imam (Amir) should tolerate such forms of dishonesty.

LETTER No. 27

When Hazrath appointed Mohammad, son of Hazrath Abubaker (the first Caliph) as
Governor of Egypt, he gave him the following instructions:-
Treat them (the Egyptian) with respect. Be kind and considerate with them. Meet them
with a smiling face (do not behave arrogantly and haughtily). Be fair, just and impartial in
 326
your dealings, so that even the influential persons may not dare take undue advantage of your
leniency, and the uninfluential and poor may not be disappointed in your justice and fair
dealings.
O creature 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.
O creature of God! remember that God-fearing and pious persons passed away from this
world after having led a respectable and fruitful life and they are going to be well rewarded in
the next world (when compared with worldly people they had equal opportunities of gathering
fruits of this world and utilised them to the best of their abilities and at the same time kept away
from all wicked and vicious ways of life). They did not jeopardise their salvation like worldly-
minded persons. They led a more contended, more respectable and happier life than those who
lived wickedly. They enjoyed the fruits of their labours, and had more gratifying, sober and
healthy experience of the pleasures of life than the rich and wealthy. They regaled and enjoined
the joys, the facilities and the bliss of this world as much as tyrant and vicious people desire to
enjoy. Yet while leaving this world they carried with them all which will be of use to them in
the next world. While living in this world they enjoyed the happiness of relinquishing its evil
ways. They made themselves sure that in the life to come they will be recipient of His Grace
and Blessings, their requests will not be turned down and the favours destined for them in the
Heaven will not be lessened or reduced.
O creature of God! fear the inevitable and unavoidable death which is so near to
everybody and be fully prepared to meet it. Verily, it will come as the most important and the
greatest event of your life, it will either carry unmixed blessings and rewards for you or it will
bring in its wake punishments, sufferings and eternal damnation; the harm so brought by it will
also be unmixed, there will be no chance of its lessening or redemption or any change for better.
It is for you to decide whether to head towards perpetual peace and blessing--- the Heaven---or
towards eternal damnation---the Hell. Remember that life is actually driving you towards death;
which will meet you if you are ready to face it, and which will follow you like a shadow if you
try to run away from it. Death is with you as if it has been twisted and tied round your head in
between your hairs and life is being rolled away from behind you with each exhalation of your
breath---never to be unrolled.
Be afraid of the fire ---Hell, whose depth is fathomless, whose intensity is enormous and
where new kinds of punishments are constantly being introduced. The hell is an abode where
there is no place for His Mercy and Blessings. Prayers of those who are thrown there will neither
be heard nor accepted and there will not be any lessening in their sufferings and sorrows.
If it is possible for you to be sincerely afraid of God as well as have sincere faith in His
Justice, Mercy and Love of His creatures, then try to hold these two faith firmly, because a man
entertains and cherishes the love, reverence and veneration of God in proportion to His fear and
awe that develops in his mind. Verily, among men he expects the best rewards from God who
fully believes in His Justice and Fair-Deal and is afraid of them as well as likes them.
O Mohammad---son of Abubaker! remember that I have entrusted you with the command
of the most important section of my army, which are Egyptians. Do not allow your whims and
passions to overrun your better judgment. Keep on guarding and defending your religion and
 327
the state given under your trust. Take care that not for a single moment in your life you incur
the displeasure of God to gain pleasure of some human being. Remember that pleasure of God
can substitute pleasure of everybody else and it will be the most beneficial substitute for you, but
His pleasures cannot be substituted by anything. Offer your prayers in time, do not rush through
them and never make delays in offering them. Remember that piety and nobleness of all of your
actions are subject to sincerity and punctuality of your prayers.
Remember that a true Imam and leader cannot be equal to the one who leads humanity
towards wickedness and vice and eventually towards Hell, neither there can be an equality be-
tween a friend of the Holy Prophet (A.S.) and his sworn enemies.
Remember what the Holy Prophet (A.S.) had said that so far as his followers are concerned
he was not afraid of encroachments of any true Muslim or a heathen, because God will protect
every true Muslim from evil deeds on account of the sincerity of his faith and He will expose
and expunge the evils introduced by heathens but he (our Holy Prophet A.S.) felt anxious about
activities of hypocrites among Muslims, activities of such outwardly wise and learned people
who loudly proclaimed greatness and virtues of good deeds but who secretly indulged in vices
and sins.

LETTER No. 28

Following is the famous reply of Hazrath to the letter of Moavia. It throws light on many
phases of the history of Islam from the time of its origin to the time of Hazrath.
After prayers to God and praise of the Holy Prophet (may the peace of God be upon him
and his descendants) let it be known to you that I am in receipt of your letter, wherein you write
to me that the Mighty Lord selected Mohammad, the Holy Prophet (A.S.) as the Messenger of His
Revelations and He helped those companions of the Prophet who sincerely exerted themselves
to assist him. Is it not irony of fate that circumstances have favoured you to such a position that
you dare remind us of the favours which God bestowed upon us and the blessings conferred by
Him upon His chosen Apostle who was one of us. You have nothing to do with them and you
have no share in these blessings and favours. Your condition is like that of a man which carries
dates to the date-growing districts (carrying coal to new castle) or that of a man who tries to
teach archery to the master from whom he has learnt the art. You believe that the best of the
people amongst Muslims are so and so and you have started discussing a subject (superiority
of Mohajirs over Ansars) which if it is proved correct will not be of any use to you---will not
enhance your status-and if it is repudiated, this repudiation will not harm you, because you are
neither a Mohajir nor an Ansar. What have you to do with their respective status and prestige?
What is that for you if one is considered superior to the other? How are you concerned in their
affairs? You are a freed and liberated slave, and slaves, though freed and liberated, and their sons
cannot aspire to the status of Mohajirs and Ansars and they have no right to introduce unholy
classification amongst the Mohajirs and Ansars. Do you realise your limitations? You do not
belong to either group, you are a liberated slave and son of liberated parents and you want to
introduce unhealthy division between these two groups (Refer Note to Letter No. 17). The false
status you have tried to grasp is not going to enhance your prestige (before God or in the eyes
of man). Can you not think of remaining at the place where your age-long enmity of Islam and
the Holy Prophet (A.S.) has kept you? How is the lower status or defeat of one class or a person
 328
of that class---to whom you do not belong- is going to harm you and how the success or higher
status of other is going to do you good? You have gone astray from the straight path and are
lost in the depth of ignorance-of the real teachings of Islam. Listen! I want to give you a short
description of the Blessing of God upon us. A party of Mohajirs received martyrdom which was
killed in the cause of Islam and God. Everyone of them was favoured by God with a status and
rank out of them those who belonged to my family and tribe-Bani Hashim- were granted very
excellent ranks by God. Hamza (uncle of the Holy Prophet (A.S.) and Hazrath) received the title
of Chief of Martyrs (Syedus Shohada) the Holy Prophet (A.S.) himself called him by this name
after his death and at his funeral service, the Prophet offered Takbeers (saying Allah-o-Akbar)
seventy times as a mark of distinction for him alone which is not for any other Muslim. Some
Mohajirs lost their hands in the battle-field, but when one of us (Jafar, cousin of the Holy
Prophet (A.S.) and brother of Hazrath) lost his both hands and died on the battle-field God
favoured him with angelic wings and the Holy Prophet (A.S.) informed us that this martyr has
received the title of "One who flies through Heaven". If God has not disapproved in man the
habit of eulogising and praising himself, I would have given several such instances which speak
of the enhancement of my prestige and rank before God, instances which are accepted and can
be testified by faithful Muslims and which hearers will have no reason to doubt. Do not be like a
man whom the devil has led astray. Accept the obvious truth when it faces you.
Listen O Moavia! we (Ahlay Baith or progeny of the Holy Prophet (A.S.) are supreme
examples of the creation of God. For such a status we are not under obligation to any person
or tribe, but the Almighty Lord granted us these favours. Human being have received and will
receive perfection through us. This perpetual supremacy and natural superiority does not prevent
us from forming contact with human beings or with your clan, and we have married amongst
you and have formed family connection with your (as we as with other) clan, though you do not
belong to our class. How can you be our equal when the Holy Prophet (A.S.) comes out of us and
Abu Jahal, the worst enemy of Islam was from amongst you.
Asadullah (the lion of God, the surname of Hazrath) is from amongst us and Asad-ul-
Hullab, who had sworn to fight against Islam and the Holy Prophet (A.S.) was from you (certain
clans of Arabs formed an unholy alliance with Quraish to keep on fighting against the Holy
Prophet A.S.). They were Bani Abdul dar, Bani Muqzoom, Bani Sehum and Bani Uddee and they
fought a final battle against the Holy Prophet (A.S.) at Khunduq. Their leader was Abu Sufyan,
father of Moavia. He was named Asad-ul-Hullab, that is (lion of entente). The two Chiefs of the
youth of Paradise (Imam Hassan and Imam Husain) are from us and children of Hell are from
you. The Holy Prophet (A.S.) has said that the progeny of Athba-lbne-Abi-Moeeth, maternal
grandfather of Moavia are brands of Hell, Refer “Muslim”, “Asaba”, “Sahee of Imam Humbal”.
The best woman of the world (title bestowed by God upon Fatima, the daughter of the Holy
Prophet A.S.) is from us and the slanderer and wood carrying woman (a name given in the Holy
Quran to Moavia’s aunt, who in Mecca used to carry household refuse and dust to throw it on
the Holy Prophet (A.S.) and used to always speak ill of him; she tried to spend every hour of her
life in doing harm to the Holy Prophet (A.S.) of Islam was your aunt. There are so many other
things similar to the few mentioned which praise us and speak ill of your clan, and which show
how far superior we are to you.
We were faithful followers of the orders of God and you and your clan always opposed
Islam and accepted it simply to save yourself from humiliation and disgrace. Our sincerity in
 329
Islam and our services to its cause are known events of history, at the same time history cannot
deny your enmity of Islam and the Holy Prophet (A.S.). The credit which you want to take away
from us and the honour of which you want to deprive us is the one which the Holy Quran is
carefully guarding for us. It says “some relatives are superior and have excellence over others,
according to this Book” and at other place in this very same book God informs mankind that “the
most liked person by Abraham are those who follow him and those who follow the Holy Prophet
(A.S.) and God is friend of faithful Muslims”. Therefore, we hold two excellences:
That of near relationship to the Prophet and that of faithfully accepting his doctrines. Do
you know on the day of Saqueefa, Mohajirs told the Ansars that they were superior to Ansars
because they-in one way or the other-were related to the Prophet and therefore they deserve the
caliphate and with the help of this argument Mohajirs carried the day. If success can be achieved
with the help of this argument and if it has got a grain of reality in it then according to it we and
not you deserve the caliphate, if not then Ansars still hold their claim over the caliphate.
You want to impress the world with the idea that I envied all the previous Caliphs and that
I was jealous of them. Even if I grant this, I want to know what right and authority have you to
ask an explanation of me. You have no place in religion to talk of such things.
You also want to taunt me by saying that when I refused to accept the caliphate of the
first Caliph I was dragged like a camel with a rope round my neck and every kind of cruelty and
humiliation was levelled against me. I swear by my life that by talking like that you want to
bring disgrace to me, but you are actually doing the greatest service to me and are disgracing
yourself, as well as the cause that you want to support. There is no disgrace for a Muslim if he
is subjected to tyranny and suppression so long as he is firm in his faith and believe in God and
religion. And this is exactly what I say that every cruelty and tyranny was levelled against me
to deprive me of the right which God and the Holy Prophet (A.S.) have given me, and this is
exactly what you do not want to acknowledge and accept. Your taunts against me go a long way
to prove that in reality there was no election, it was a coup d état followed by brutal force which
decided the fate of caliphate by making it neither hereditary nor elective but occupative. I had
no desire to go into these details but you brought in the subject and I was forced to explain a few
points about it.
Then you have referred to the murder of Oosman, and declaring yourself to be his relative;
you claim vengeance and blood (and want me to arrange for it as if I was responsible for the
murder). I want to say something about the insinuation and false propaganda carried on by you
in this respect. My reply to you is that first of all you try and find out who was the worst enemy
of Oosman. Can he be the worst enemy of who offered his help and services to Oosman and
Oosman refused to have anything to do with him and told him plainly to go and sit at home
as his help was not required and his services are not needed (This is what actually happened
between Hazrath and the third Caliph. Hazrath went to him to offer his help and advice and the
Caliph told him to go and stay at Yamboo, a village near Madina, to leave Madina and not to
meddle in the affairs of the State. All this was said on account of the advice of Merwan) or he is
the worst enemy of Oosman whom Oosman asked to come to his succour and who purposely
and intentionally delayed the help and allowed the events to take its course till it happened
what was fated to happen. (The facts of history are that when Egyptians, Basarites, Koofities and
Hijazees rose against the Caliph Oosman and when they invaded Madina, the Caliph Oosman
wrote to Moavia, who then was the Governor of Syria to send Syrian armies to his help. Moavia
 330
in the first instance delayed the help and when he sent a contingent it was with expressive
orders that this army should stop at a place about fifty miles from Madina and should stay there
until further orders. These "further orders" never reached and that auxiliary force and the Caliph
was left without any help till he was killed and then the orders arrived to the army to proceed
back to Damascus). No; these two persons cannot be considered in the same category. I swear by
the All Knowing God that He very well knows everything and as He says in the Holy Book, “He
knows the people who put obstacles in the ways of those who wanted to go to war and also to
those who did not stay to face a battle”.
I do not want to offer any excuse for having objected to his introducing innovation in
religion. If my objections to introduction of innovation and my advice to him to give it up was
considered by him as a sin committed by me, then I do not attach importance to his opinion,
because well-wishers are often blamed and their good advices are misconstrued, but they do
their duty to man and religion. God in the Holy Book repeats the saying of a Prophet, which
appropriately represent my position. He says, “I have no desire but to bring about correction and
reforms to the best of my capacity, God has advised me and has given me a chance to offer my
advice, I have faith in Him and trust in His help.”
Then you have tried to frighten me by saying that there is nothing with you for me and
my companions but your sword. Well, Moavia! you made those people laugh at your words
who were feeling very sad and depressed at the standard of mental depravity exhibited by you.
When did you find the sons of Abdul Muttalib (The grand-father of the Holy Prophet (A.S.) and
Hazrath) behaving cowardly in the face of their enemies or getting afraid of drawn swords?
Just wait a little, you will in near future have to face the attack of a brave soldier. He
will shortly invite you for the encounter you are spoiling for. The thing which you apparently
wish for is not as far away as you imagine it to be. I am coming towards you with an army of
Mohajirs, Ansars and those companions who have sincere faith in me. Theirs is a power
congregation. Their movements will raise huge clouds of dust (indicating strength of the army).
They are prepared to die or to kill. They believe that the best that could happen to them is to
receive the Favours and Blessings of the Lord by their good deeds. Sons of those warriors who
routed your clan in the battle of Bader is with them. The swords of Bani Hashims are with them.
And you have already realised the sharpness of these swords when your brother, your maternal
aunts’ husband and your grand-father were killed (those people were killed by Hazrath in the
battles of Bader and Ohad). These swords are now nearing the tyrants who have tyrannised the
Muslim world.

LETTER No. 29
Following is a letter to Basarites; -

Your actions brought into lime light your disloyalty to Islam, your enmity towards me and
the intense malice you bear of me, the things which you wanted to hide and which you knew
so well. I have forgiven your sinners and I do not want to punish those who once faced me in
the battle-field and then ran away from it. I have accepted the excuses of those who came back
to me repenting. If you again do what you have done once before, if you readopt schism and
if once again advices of unwise and wicked people drive you towards animosity of Islam then
remember I shall chastise you. I shall invade you at the head of my armies. If you force me to
 331
that then remember that this invasion will be such that the battle of Jamal will look like child’s
play when compared to it. I know you all and appreciate the sincerity of those who are faithful
to me and excellence of those who come to me with their sincere advices and good wishes. I
am willing to forgive and to forget those who have wronged me and to requite those who have
exhibited love and faithfulness.

LETTER No. 30
A letter to Moavia

Fear God in respect of the responsibilities you hold and the power and authority that you
command. Deeply deliberate over the duties that God has laid upon you, each one of them is His
due which should be respectfully rendered. Try to learn and understand that for which you have
no right to plead ignorance.
Remember that there are clear modes, honest means, bright ways, rational procedures
sensible manners, pious methods of faithfully carrying out His Orders and obeying His
Commands, and there are innumerable gains and unlimited advantages in that way of life. Wise
people adopt those ways and means, follow those methods and procedures and walk along
those paths and ways, but fools refuse to accept His Advices. Whoever turns away from God
actually turns away from realities of life and dictates of wisdoms and therefore he wanders in
the wilderness of ignorance. The Almighty God will take away His Blessings from him and will
descend His Wrath upon him.
For the sake of yourself be afraid of self-aggrandisement, self-glorification, and selfishness.
The Merciful God has shown you the correct way of leading an honest and a virtuous life and has
clearly pointed to you the place where life and its activities are going to end.
Beware that your vicious desire of gaining everything for yourself has landed you in a
maze of wickedness and crime, it has forcefully driven you in the folds of vices and sins, it has
made it easy for you to achieve your eternal, damnation and has rendered it impossible for you
to follow the path of virtue and to attain salvation.

LETTER No. 31

After returning from Siffeen Hazrath gave certain advices to one of his sons. Some
historians consider him to be Imam Hassan (A.S.) while others are of the opinion that
he was Mohammed-E-Hanafia. He wrote them in the form of a will. They deal with
almost every subject of life which goes a long way to make a man successful in life, brave,
chivalrous, humane, generous, virtuous and God-fearing.
These advices are from a father, who realises the mortality of life, who is getting old, who
has patiently borne reverses and calamities, who hates inordinate desire and has overcome them
and who is going shortly to pass out of this world, to his son, who is young, who has the desire
of leading the world to sober ways of thinking and better ways of life, a desire which is rather
difficult to be achieved (all the prophets and apostles have tried to achieve this end, but the lot
of humanity even today is unenviable); a son who is mortal and is bound by nature to follow
the steps of all mortals, is subject to ailments, is surrounded by misfortunes and calamities, has
to face oppressions and tyrannies, has often to confront and sometimes to tolerate hypocrisy,
 332
deceit, guile, duplicity and treason, who is to end his life in death, is to bear sufferings, is the heir
to a person who is dead and gone and who finally ended his life as a martyr to the animosity of
his enemies (what a prophecy).
After praise to God and the Holy Prophet (A.S.) let it be known to you that decay of health,
passing away of time and nearness of death have made me realise that I should give more
thought to my future (next world) and to my people, advise them more and spend more time
in equipping them mentally to face this world. I felt that my own sons and my near ones have
as much right to utilise my experiences and knowledge. All the ups and downs of life, all the
realities, and all the truths about life and hereafter which are known to me, as others. I decided
therefore to spend more time over you and to prepare you more for your future. This was neither
selfishness nor self-esteem and nor any mental luxury of giving away advices, but it was the
sincere desire of making you see the world as I found it, look at the realities of life as I looked at
them and do the right thing at the right time and right place as it should be done which made
me write down these advices to you. You will not find in them anything but truths and realities.
My dear son! you are part of my body and soul and whenever I look at you I feel as if I am
looking at myself. I, if any calamity happens to you, feel as if it has befallen to me. Your death
will make me feel as if it was my own death. Your affairs are to me like my own affairs. Therefore,
I committed these advices to paper. I want you to take care of them; to pay attention to them and
to guard them well. I may remain longer in your life (to personally guide you) or I may not but
I want these advices to remain with you.
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 carefully 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?
Accept good advices and freshen your mind with them. 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. Then meditate over the activities
of those people over what all they have done when they were alive and in power, what they
have achieved, from where they started their careers, where, when and how they were brought
to an end, where are they now, what have they actually gained out of life and what was their
contribution to the human welfare? If you carefully ponder over these problems you will find
that each one of those people has parted company with the others and with all that he cherished
and loved and he is now in a solitary abode; alone and unattended; and you will be also like him.
Take care to provide well for your future abode. Do not lose eternal blessing for the sake
of pleasures of this mortal world.
Do not talk about things which you do not know. Do not speculate and pass judgment over
subjects about which you are not in a position to form an opinion and are not called upon to do
so. Give up the way where there is possibility of your going astray. When there is danger of your
wandering in the wilderness of ignorance, possibility of losing the sight of the goal which you
want to attain and of reaching the end aimed at, then it is the better to give up the quest than to
advance forward facing uncertain dangers and unforeseen risks.
 333
Advise people to do good and to live virtuously, because you are fit to give such advices.
Let your words and deeds teach the world lessons of how to abstain from wickedness and
villainy. Try your best to keep away from those who indulge in vices and sins.
Fight, whenever required, to defend the cause of God. When you think of defending the
cause of God do not be afraid that people will laugh at you, censure your action or slander
you. Fearlessly and boldly help truth and justice. Bear patiently the sufferings and face bravely
the obstacles which come in your way when you follow truth and when you try to uphold it.
Adhere to the cause of truth and justice wherever you find it. Try to be well versed in Islamic
jurisprudence and theology and acquire a thorough knowledge of the canons of this religion.
Develop the habit of patience against sufferings, calamities and adversities. The virtue
of patience is one of the high values of morality and nobility of character, and is the best habit
which one can develop. Trust in God and let your mind seek His protection in every calamity
and suffering. Because you will thus entrust yourself and your affairs to the Best Trustee and
to the Mightiest Guardian. Do not seek help .and protection of anybody but God. Reserve your
prayers, your requests, 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 in His Power. Ask as much of His Favours and seek as
much of His Guidance as often as you can.
Try to understand my advices, ponder over them deeply, do not take them lightly and do
not turn away from them. Because the best knowledge is that which benefits the listener. The
knowledge which does not benefit anybody is useless, not valuable and not worth learning and
remembering.
My dear son! when I realised that I was getting old and when I felt that weakness and
feebleness is gradually creeping over me then I hastened to advise you as to the best ways of
leading a noble, virtuous and useful life. I hated the idea that either death overtakes me before
I can tell you all what I wanted to tell or my mental capacities like my bodily strength may fall
a prey to deterioration. I convey all this knowledge to you, lest inordinate desires, temptations
and inducements may start influencing you, or adverse changes of times and circumstances may
drag you into their mire and 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 loses its freshness, before it gets hardened or warped, before you start facing life
unprepared for the encounter and before you are forced to use your decisions and discretions
without gaining advantages of cumulated traditions, collected knowledge and experiences of
others. These advices and counsels that I give you, will save you from the worry of acquiring
knowledge, gathering experiences and soliciting others for their advices. Now you can very
easily make use of all the knowledge which men have to acquire with great care, trouble and
patience. Things which were hidden from them and which only experiments, experiences and
sufferings could bring to light are now made very conveniently and easily available to you
through these advices.
My dear son! though the span of my age is not as large as that of some other people who
have passed away before me, but I took great care to study their lives; assiduously I went through
their activities, I contemplated over their deliberations and deeds, I studied their remains, relics
and ruins; and I pondered over their lives so deeply that I felt as if I have lived and worked with
 334
them from early ages of history down to our times, and I know what did them good and what
brought harm to them. Sifting the good from bad I am concentrating within these pages and for
your good the knowledge that I so gathered. Through these advices I have tried to bring home to
you the value of honest-living and high-thinking and the dangers of a vicious and sinful life, and
I have taken care to cover and guard every aspect of your life as is the duty of a kind, considerate
and loving father.
From the very beginning I took care to help you to develop a noble character and to fit
you for the life which you will have to lead, to treat you grow up to be a young man with a
noble character, an open and honest mind and clear and precise knowledge of things around you.
Originally my desire was only to teach you the Holy Book thoroughly, to make you understand
its intricacies, to impart to you the complete knowledge of His Orders and Interdictions and not
to leave you at mercy of the knowledge of other people. But after having succeeded in this task
I felt nervous that I may leave you untrained and uneducated in the subjects which themselves
are subject to so much confusion and so many contradictions. Subjects whose confusions have
been worse confounded by selfish desires, warped-minds, wicked ways of life, and sinful modes
of thinking. Therefore, I have noted down, in these lines, the basic principles of nobility, piety,
truth and justice. You may feel them to be overbearing and harsh, but my desire is to arm you
with this knowledge instead of leaving you unarmed to face the world where there is every
danger of loss and damnation. As you are a noble, virtuous and pious young man, I am sure you
will receive Divine Guidance and Succour. I am sure He will help you to achieve your aim in life.
I want you to promise to yourself to follow my advices carefully.
Remember my son! the best out of these advices of mine are those which tell you to fear
God, to concentrate and to confine yourself to the performance of those duties which have
been made incumbent upon you by Him and to follow in the footsteps of your ancestors (The
Holy Prophet and Hazrath) and your pious and virtuous relations. Verily, they always carefully
scanned their thoughts and deeds, as you must also try to do and they carefully thought over the
subject before saying anything about it or before doing a deed. You should also be doing same.
This kind of deliberation made them take from life what was really the best and forsake that
which was not made incumbent upon them or which was not the best. If your mind refuses to
accept my advices and you persist like them to try your own experiments, then you are at liberty
to arrive at your conclusions but only after carefully studying the subject and after acquiring
the knowledge necessary for such decisions. You must not allow uncertainties and doubts,
poison your mind and scepticism or irrational likes and dislikes effect your views. But remember
that before you start thinking and deliberating over a problem seek guidance of the Lord and
beseech Him to give you a lead in the right direction, avoid confusion in your ideas and do not
let disbelief (about truth of the teachings of religion) take hold of your mind, because one will
lead you towards agnosticism and the other towards error and sins. When you are thus prepared
to solve any problem and you are sure that you poses a clear mind, a sincere and firm desire to
reach the truth, to say the correct thing and to do the correct deed then carefully go through the
advices that I am leaving for you. If your mind is not clear and it is not as free from doubts and
scepticism as you wish it to be, then you will be wandering in the wilderness of uncertainties
and errors like a camel suffering from night blindness, and under these circumstances it is best
for you to give up the quest because with such limitations none can ever reach the truth.
My dear son! carefully and very carefully remember these sayings of mine that the Lord,
 335
who is Master of death is also the Master of life. The Creator is the annihilator. And the One,
who annihilates has the power to again bring everything back to existence. The One, who sends
calamities towards you is One who will bring you safe out of them.
Remember that this world is working under laws ordained by Him and it consists of
assemblage and aggregation of actions and reactions, causes and effects, calamities and reverses,
pains and pleasures, and rewards and punishment; 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
things which cannot be foreseen and foretold, for instance, the rewards and punishments of the
Day of Judgment. Under these circumstances if you do not understand a thing, do not refuse to
accept it. Remember that your lack of understanding is due to insufficiency of your knowledge.
Remember that when you came into this world your first appearance was that of an ignorant,
uneducated and unlearned being, then you gradually acquired knowledge, but there are several
things (in this world) which were beyond your knowledge, which perplexed and surprised you
and about which you did not understand "why" and "how"; gradually you acquired knowledge
about some of those subjects and in future your knowledge and vision may further expand.
Therefore, the best thing for you to do is to seek guidance of One, Who has created you, Who
maintains and nourishes you, Who has given a balanced mind and a normally working body.
Your prayers should be reserved for Him only, your requests and solicitations should be alone to
Him, you should be afraid of Him and of nobody else.
Be it known to you my son that nobody has given the mankind such detailed information
about God (His mercy, His kindness, His Glory, His Might and His Power) as our Holy Prophet
(A.S.). I advise you to have faith in his teachings to make him your leader and to accept his
guidance for your salvation. In thus advising you I have done the best that I can do as a sincere
and loving adviser and I assure you however you may try to find a better way for your good, you
will not find any superior to the one advised by me (by this perhaps Hazrath meant his advice
to accept the guidance of the Holy Prophet (A.S.) for success in this world and salvation in the
next). Remember my son! had there been any other god, beside the One he would have also sent
his messengers and prophets and they would have pointed out to mankind the domain and glory
of this second god and you would have also seen them. But no such incident ever took place.
He is one God whom we all should recognise and worship. He has explained Himself. Nobody
is a partner to Him in His Domain, Might and Glory. He is Eternal, has always been and shall
always be. He existed even before the universes came into being but there is no beginning to His
Existence. He shall remain when every other thing will disappear into nothingness and there
shall be no end to His Existence. His Glory and His Existence is so supreme, pre-eminent,
transcendent, incomparable and excellent that it is beyond the grasp of minds and intellects.
None can understand or visualise Him. When you have accepted these truths and realities then
your behaviour, so far as His Orders and Interdictions are concerned, should be that of a person
who realises that his status, power and position is nothing when compared to that of His Lord,
who wants to gain His Favour through prayers and obedience, who fears His Wrath as well as
His Punishments, and who is absolutely in need of His Help and Protection. Remember my son,
that God has not ordered you to do anything but that which is good and which propagates and
distributes goodness and He has not interdicted you from anything but that which is bad and
will bring about bad affects.
My dear son! through this message of mine, I have explained everything about this world,
 336
how fickle and quick changing is its attitude, how short-lived and evanescent is everything that
it holds or offers and how fast it changes its moods and favours. I have also explained about the
life to come; the pleasures and blessings provided there and the everlasting peace, comfort and
happiness arranged for in the Heaven. I have given enough examples of both aspects of life,
before and after death, so that you may know the reality and lead your life on the basis of that
knowledge.
The truth is that those people who have carefully studied the conditions of life and the
world pass their days as if they know that they are travellers who have to leave a place which
is famine-stricken (practically a desert with extreme scarcity of food and water), unhealthy
and uncongenial, and they have to go towards lands which are fertile, healthy, congenial and
where there is abundant provision of all comforts and pleasures. They have eagerly taken up the
journey, happy in the hope of future blessings and peace. They have willingly accepted the
sufferings, troubles and hazards of the way, parting of friends, scarcity of food and comfort
during the pilgrimage so that they may reach the journey’s end --a happy place. They do not
refuse to bear any discomfort and do not grudge any expenditure on the way (giving out alms
and charities, and helping the poor and needy. In another paragraph further on Hazrath has
developed the idea that charity is the best way of providing for the next world). Every step which
they put forward towards their goal, however tiring and exhausting it may be, is a happy event
of their lives. On the contrary the condition of those people, who are solely engrossed in this
world and are sadly engulfed in its short-lived, quickly fading and vicious pleasures, is like that
of travellers who are staying in fertile and happy regions and who have to undertake a journey,
knowing fully well that the journey is going to end in inhospitable, arid and unfertile lands. Can
anything be more loathsome and abhorring to them than this journey? How they would hate to
leave the place where they are and to arrive at the place which they so much hate, and which is
so dismaying, dreadful and frightening.
My dear son! so far as your behaviour 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 your 'self' like for others and whatever you dislike to happen
to you spare others from such happenings. Do not oppress and tyrannise anybody because you
surely do not like to be oppressed and tyrannised. Be kind and sympathetic to others as you cer-
tainly desire others to treat you kindly and sympathetically. Whatever habits you find objective,
loathsome in others abstain from developing those traits of character. If you are satisfied or feel
happy in receiving a certain kind of behaviour from others, you may behave with others exactly
in the same way. Do not speak about them in the way that you do not like others to speak about
you. Do not speak on a subject about which you know little or nothing, and if you at all want to
speak on anything or about anyone of whom you are fully aware then avoid scandal, libel and
aspersion, as you do not like yourself to be scandalised and libelled in the same manner.
Remember son that vanity and conceit are forms folly, these traits will bring to you serious
harm and will be a constant source of danger to you, therefore, lead a well-balanced life (neither
be conceited nor suffer from inferiority complex), and exert yourself to earn an honest living.
But do not act like a treasurer for somebody (do not be miser that you earn hoard and leave it for
others). And, whenever you receive guidance of the Lord to achieve the thing you desire then do
not get proud of your achievement but be humble and submissive to Him and realise that your
success was due to his Mercy and Favour.
 337
Remember my son, that before you is a long and arduous journey (life). The journey is
not only very long, exhausting, laborious and onerous, but the route is mostly through dismal,
dreary and deserted regions, where you will be sadly in need of refreshing, renovating and
enlivening aids and helps and you cannot dispense with such provisions as to keep you going
and to maintain you till the end of your journey, the Day of Judgment. But remember that you
do not overload yourself (do not entrust yourself with so many obligations and duties that you
cannot honourably fulfil them or with such luxurious life as to be wicked and vicious). Because
if this load is more than what you can conveniently bear then your journey will be very painful
and toilsome to you. If you find around yourself such poor, needy and destitute people who
are willing to carry your load for you as far as the Day of Judgment then consider this to be a
boon, engage them and pass your burden on to them. (Distribute your wealth amongst the poor,
destitute and needy--help others to the best of your ability and be kind and sympathetic to
human beings). Thus relive yourself from the heavy responsibility and liability of submitting
an account on the Day of Reckoning of how you have made use of His Favours (of health,
wealth, power and position) and thus you may arrive to the end of your journey, light and fresh,
have enough provision for you there (reward for having done your duty to man and God in
this world). Have as many weight carriers as you can (help as many peoples you can) so that
you may not miss them when you very badly need them (when your sins of commission and
omission will be balanced against your good deeds you must have enough good deeds to turn the
scale in your favour). Remember that all you give out in charities and good deeds are like loans
which will be paid back to you. Therefore, when you are wealthy and powerful make use of your
wealth and power in such a way that you get all that back on the day when you will be poor and
helpless (The Day of Judgment). Be it known to you, my son, that your passage lies through an
appallingly dreadful valley (death or grave) and journey is extremely trying and arduous. Here a
man with light weight is far better than an overburdened person and one who can journey fast
will pass through it quickly than one whose encumbering forces go slowly. You shall have to
pass through this valley. The only way out of it is either in the Heaven or in the Hell; (there is
no other way out and no possibility of retracing one’s steps). Therefore, it is wise to send your
things there before hand, so that they (your good actions) reach there before you, pre-arrange
for the place of your stay before you reach there, because after death there is no repentance and
no possibility of coming back to this world to undo the wrong done by you.
Realise this truth, my son! that the Lord Who owns and holds the treasures of the Heaven
and earth has given you permission to ask and beg for them, and has promised to grant your
prayers. He has told you to pray for His Favours that they may be granted and to ask for His
Blessings that they may be bestowed. He has not appointed guards to prevent your prayers
reaching Him. Nor there is any need for anybody to intercede before Him on your behalf. If
you go back upon your promises, if you break your vows or start doing things that you have
repented from, He will not immediately punish you, neither He refuses you His Favours and
grants in haste; and if you repent once again He neither taunts you nor betrays you though you
may fully deserve both, but He accepts your repentances and forgives you. He never grudges
His Forgiveness nor refuses His Mercy; on the contrary, He has decreed repentance as a virtue
and pious deed. The Merciful Lord has ordered that every evil deed of yours will be counted as
one and good deed and pious action will be rewarded tenfold. He has left the door of repentance
open. He hears you whenever you call Him. He accepts your prayers whenever you pray to Him.
 338
You beg of Him to grant you your heart's desires; you lay before Him the secrets of your
heart; you tell Him about all the calamities that have befallen you and misfortunes which face
you and beseech His Help to overcome them. You invoke His Help and Support in difficulties
and distress. You implore Him to grant you long life and sound health; you pray to Him for
prosperity and you request of Him such favours and grants that none but He can bestow and
award.
Think over it that by simply granting you the privilege of praying for His Favours and
Mercies, He has handed over the keys of His Treasures to you. Whenever you are in need you
pray and He confers His Favours and Blessings.
But sometimes you find that your requests are not immediately granted then you need not
be disappointed. Because grant of prayers often rests with the true purpose and intention of the
implorer. Sometimes the prayers are delayed because the Merciful Lord wants you to receive
further rewards patiently bearing calamities and sufferings and still believe sincerely in His
Help. Thus you may be awarded better favours than you requested for. Sometimes your prayers
are turned down, and this is also in your interest; because you often, unknowingly, ask for
things that are really harmful to you, if your requests are granted they will do more harm than
good, and many of your requests may be such that if granted they will result in your eternal
damnation. Thus the refusal to accede to your solicitations is a blessing in disguise to you.
But very often your requests if they are not really harmful to you for this world or for the life
hereafter may be delayed but they are granted in quantities much more than you had asked for,
bringing in more blessings in their wake than you could ever imagine. So you should be very
careful in asking God for His Favour, only pray for such things which are really beneficial to you,
and these benefits are lasting and in the long run they do not end in harm. Remember, my dear
son! that wealth and power (if you pray for them) are such things that they will not always be
with you and may bring harm to you in life hereafter.
Be it known to you my son that you are created for the next world and not for this. You are
born to die and not to live forever. Your stay in this world is temporary. You live in a place which
is subject to decay and destruction. It is a place where you will have to be busy getting ready
for the next world. It is a road (to the next world) on which you are standing. Death is following
you. You cannot run away from it. However hard you may try to avoid it, it is going to catch you
sooner or later. Therefore, take care that it may not catch you unaware and unprepared and no
chance is left to you to repent the vices and sins committed and undo the harm done by you. If
death catches you unaware then you are eternally damned. Therefore, my dear son! always keep
three things in mind: death, your deeds and actions and the life hereafter. In this way you will be
always ready to face death and it will not catch you unaware.
My dear son, do not be carried away and do not be allured by the infatuations of the world-
ly people in vicious life and its pleasures, and do not be impressed by the sight of their acute
struggle to possess and own this world. God has very mercifully explained to you everything
about this world, not only the Merciful Lord but this world has also told you everything, it has
disclosed to you that it is mortal, it has openly declared its weakness, its shortcomings and its
vices.
Remember that these worldly people are barking dogs, and, hungry and ferocious beasts.
Some of them are constantly barking at the others. Their mighty lords kill and massacre the poor
and weak. Their powerful persons exploit and tyrannise the powerless. (Refer Footnote at page
 339
243). Their inordinate desires and their greed has such a complete hold over them that you will
find some of them like animals tamed and tied with a rope round their feet and necks. (They have
lost freedom of thought and cannot come out of the enslavement of desires and habits). While
there are others whom wealth and power have turned mad. They behave like unruly beasts.
Trampling, crushing and killing their fellow beings and destroying things around them. History
of this world is merely a reward of such incidents, some big and some small; the difference is of
might but the intensity is the same. These people have lost balance of their minds. They do not
know what they are doing and where they are going; scan their activities and study their ways
of thinking you will find them confused and irrational, they appear like cattle wandering in a
dreary desert, where there is no water to drink and no fodder to eat, no shepherd to cater for
them and no guardian to look after them. What has actually happened to them is that the vicious
world has taken possession of them, it is dragging them wherever it likes and is treating them as
if they are blind, because it has in reality blind-folded them against Divine Lights of true religion.
They are wandering without true aims and sober purposes in the wonderful show that the world
has staged for them; they are fully drunk with the wine and pleasures amassed around them.
They take this world to be their god and nourisher. The world is playing with them and they are
playing with it and have forgotten and forsaken everything else.
But the nights of enjoyments and pleasures will not forever last for anybody, the dawn
of realities will break sooner or later. The caravan of life will surely reach its destination one
day. One, who has nights and days acting as piebald horses for him, carrying him onward and
onward toward his journey’s end, must remember that though he may feel as if he is stopping
at one place, but actually he is moving on, he is enroute to his destination. Everyday is carrying
him a step further in his journey towards death.
Be it known to you, my son, that you cannot 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 honourably; go slow and do not let your desires drive you madly, because
there are many desires which will lead you towards disappointments and loss. Remember that
every beggar or everyone who prays for a thing will not always get what he begs or prays for,
and everyone who controls his desires, has self-respect and does not beg or pray for things, will
not always remain unlucky or disappointed. So, do not bring down your self-respect, do not be
mean and submissive and do not subjugate yourself through these vile and base traits though
they may appear to make it possible for you to achieve your hearts’ desires; because nothing in
this world can compensate the loss of self-respect, nobleness of mind and honour.
Take care, my son! be warned that you do not make yourself slave of anybody. God
has created you a free man. Do not sell away your freedom in return of anything. There is no
actual gain and real value in benefits that you derive by selling your honour and self-respect or
by subjugating yourself to disgrace, insults and indignities, and there is no real good in wealth
and power that you acquire by foul means. Beware, my son! that avarice and greed may not
drive you towards destruction and damnation. If you can succeed in having nobody as your
benefactor but God, then try your best to achieve this nobleness of character. Because He will
grant you your share whether you try to gather around your donors, patrons and benefactors
or not.
 340
Remember that the little which is given to you by God is going to be more useful and
serviceable to you and is more honourable and respectable than what is granted by man in
copious and abundant quantities. And what can a man give you but part of that which God has
granted him?
The losses that you suffer on account of your silence can be easily compensated, but the
losses which arise out of excessive and loose talk are difficult to requite. Do you not see that the
best way of guarding water in a water-bay is to close its mouth?
To guard what you already possess and own is better than to ask and pray of others for
what they possess.
The bitterness of disappointment, privation and poverty is in reality sweeter than the dis-
grace and humiliation of begging.
Returns of hard but respectable and honourable labour of a craft or profession, though
small in quantity, are better than the wealth which you may amass through sin and wickedness.
Nobody can guard your secrets better than you.
Often a man tried his best to acquire a thing which is the most harmful to him. Often one
does himself the worst harm.
One who talks too much makes most mistakes.
One who often thinks and reflects develops his foresight and vision.
By keeping company of good people you will develop goodness in your character and by
avoiding the society of wicked person you will abstain from wickedness.
Livelihood acquired by foul means is the worst form of livelihood.
To oppress a weak and helpless person is the worst form of tyranny and wickedness.
If your kindness or indulgence is going to bringforth cruel results then results then
severity or strictness is the real kindness.
Often medicating results in disease; sometime diseases prove to be health preservers.
Often you obtain warnings and advices from people who are not fit to warn and advise
you, and often you will come across advisers who are not sincere.
Do not rely on vain hopes because vain hopes are assets of idiots and fools.
Wisdom is the name of the trait of remembering experiences and making use of them.
The best experience is the one which gives the best warning and advice.
Take advantage of opportunities before they turn their backs upon you (make hay while
sun shines).
Everyone who tries cannot succeed.
Everyone who goes out of this world will not come back.
The worst form of folly is to waste opportunities of this life as well as to lose salvation.
For every action there is a reaction.
Shortly you will get what has been destined for you.
There is an element of risk and speculation in every trade as well as danger of loss.
Often small returns prove as beneficial as big profits.
An accessory or accomplice who insults you and a friend who has not formed a good
opinion of you will not be of any help or use to you.
Treat those with consideration and kindness over whom you have power and authority.
Do not run the risk of endangering yourself through irrational, unreasonable and extravagant
hopes.
 341
Take care and do not be fooled by flattery.
Do good to your brother when he is bent upon doing harm to you. When he ignores or
declines to recognise the kinship befriend him, go to his help and try to maintain relations. If
he is miserly with you and refuses monetary help to you be generous with him and support
him financially. If he is harsh and cruel with you be kind and considerate with him. lf he
harms you accept his excuses. Behave with him as if he is a master and you are a slave and
he is a benefactor and you are a beneficiary. But be careful that you do not thus behave with
undeserving and mean persons.
Do not develop friendship with the enemy of your friend otherwise your friend will turn
into an enemy.
Advise your friend sincerely and to the best of your ability though he may not like it.
Keep a complete control over your temper and anger, because I never found anything more
beneficial at the end and producing more good results than such a control.
Be mild, pleasant and lenient with him who is harsh, gross and strict with you, gradually
he will turn to your way of behaviour.
Grant favour and be considerate with your enemy, because you will thus gain either one
or the other of the two kinds of victories: (one rising above your enemy, the other of reducing
intensity of his enmity).
If you want to cease relations with your friend, then do not break off totally and
completely, let your heart retain some consideration (if not love) for him, so that you still have
(at least) some regards for him if he comes back to you.
Do not disappoint a person who holds a good opinion of you and do not make him change
his opinion.
Under impression that you, as a friend, can behave as you like, do not violate the rights
of your friend, because when deprived of his rights and privileges he will no more remain your
friend.
Do not ill-treat members of your household (wife, children and dependents) and do not
behave with them as if you are the worst-tempered and the cruelest man alive.
Do not run after him who tries to avoid you.
The greatest achievement of your character is that the enmity of your brother against you
dare not overcome the consideration and friendship you feel towards him, and his ill-treatment
of you cannot overbalance your kind treatment to him.
Do not get too much worried and depressed over the oppressions and cruelties, because
whoever oppresses you or tyrannises you is in reality doing himself a harm and is trying to find
ways for your good.
Never ill-treat a person who has done good unto you.
Know it well, son! that there are two kinds of livelihood: one which you are searching for
and the other which wants you (which has been destined for you), it will reach you, even if you
do not try to obtain it.
To be submissive, humble, crawling and begging when one is needy, powerless and poor,
and to be arrogant, oppressing and cruel when in power and opulence are two very ugly traits
of human character.
Nothing in this world is really useful and beneficial to you unless it has some utility and
benefit-value for you for the next world. If you at all want to lament over things which you have
 342
lost in this world, then worry and feel sorry over the loss of things which had immortal values
for you.
The past and almost all which was in your possession during the past is not with you
now. You may thus rationally come to the conclusion that the present and all which is in your
possession now will also leave you.
Do not be like persons on whom advices have no effect, the require punishment to correct
them. A sensible and reasonable man acquires education and culture through advices and brutes
and beasts always accept correction through punishment and chastisements.
Overcome your sorrows, your worries and your misfortunes with patience and faith in the
Merciful Lord and your hard work; one who gives up a straight path, honest and rational ways
of thinking and working, will harm himself.
A friend is like a relation, and a true friend is one who speaks well of you even behind your
back.
Inordinate desires have close relations with misfortunes and calamities.
Often close relations behave more distantly than strangers and as often strangers help you
more than your nearest relatives.
Poor is he who has no friends. Whoever forsakes truth finds that his path of life has
become narrow and troublesome.
Who wants to retain his prestige and position, through contentment and honesty, will find
them lasting assets.
Strongest relation is the one which is between man and God. One who does not care for
you is your enemy.
If there is a danger of death or damnation in achievement of an object, then your safety
lies in your failure to achieve it.
Weaknesses and short-comings are not the things to talk about.
Opportunities do not repeat themselves.
Sometimes very wise and learned persons fail to achieve the object they were aiming at,
and foolish and uneducated people attain their purposes.
Postpone evil deeds as long as possible because you can commit them whenever you so
desire (then why hurry in committing them).
To severe your connections with ignorant and uneducated people is itself like forming
connections and keeping company of wise and learned persons.
Whoever trusts this world is betrayed by it and whoever gives it importance and exalts its
position is disgraced and humiliated by it.
Every arrow of yours will not hit the bull's eye (your every scheme will not succeed). With
a change of status and position your conditions will also change.
Before ascertaining the conditions of route find out what kind of persons will accompany
you on the journey.
Instead of enquiring about the condition of home, in which you are going to stay, first of
all try to find out what kind of people your neighbours are.
Do not introduce ridiculous topics in your talk even if you have to repeat sayings of others.
Do not seek advice of women, their judgments are often immature and not correct and
their determinations are not firm. You must guard and defend them and act as a shelter or
screen to protect from impious and injurious surroundings and in famous sights; this kind of
 343
shelter will keep them well-protected from every variety of harm. Their contact with vicious
and sinful atmosphere (even with all the shelter that you can provide) is going to prove more
harmful to them than their being left with any protections. Do not let them interfere in affairs
where you cannot personally guide or protect them. Do not let them aspire for things which are
beyond their capacities. They are more like decoration to humanity and are not made to rule and
govern humanity. Exhibit rational and reasonable interest in things which they desire and give
importance to, but do not let them influence your opinions and do not let them impel against
your sane views. Do not force them into marriages which they abhor or which they consider
below their dignity because there is danger of thus converting honourable and virtuous women
into shameless and dishonourable beings.
Divide and distribute work amongst your servants so that you can hold each one
responsible for the work entrusted to them. This is better and smoother way of carrying on a
work than each one of them throwing the responsibility of every bit of work on somebody else.
Treat the members of your family with love and respect, because they act as wings with
which you fly and as hands which support you and fight for you. They are people towards whom
you turn when in trouble and in need.
My dear son! after having given these advices to you I entrust you to the Lord. He will
help, guide and protect you in this world and hereafter, I pray and beseech Him to take you
under His protection in both the worlds.1

LETTER No. 32
A letter to Moavia.

You have misguided a whole generation of men around you. Having no faith in the truth
of Islam you have led others astray. You have thrown them in the depths of ignorance. You have
enticed them towards the abyss of unenlightenment and illiteracy. They were out to reach truth,
but they cannot reach it now, because of you. They have lost the true path of religion. They are
becoming sceptics and most of them are returning to infidelity of pre-Islamic days. Theirs is an
unfortunate plight. A few wise from amongst them who have seen your ways and who have
realised the intensity of your viciousness and your cunningness in turning them away from the
ways of Islam, have given you up and have turned towards God. They are fortunate and they
may be blessed.
O Moavia! fear God, do not let the devil lead you to tile Hell; throw down its yoke which
is resting on your neck; remember that this life will after all come to an end and soon you will
have to face the next world.

1 Footnote of the Letter No. 31. What similies! Do they require any explanation? Do we find any canine
gathering more noisome than our society? What are our newspapers, weeklies and periodicals are doing? Do
we find anything thought-provoking or useful in them? Do they contain anything besides propaganda? Persons
speaking against persons; societies and parties against one another; nations decrying each other, countries carrying
on cold war against one another; Governments against the governed and the governed against the Governments.
Honestly speaking this howling has created such a din that one cannot hear a sensible sentence when said or a
useful suggestion when made. Let me repeat; can we find a worse canine congregation than human race.
As far as their ferocity: is concerned the last two wars has nothing left to be said. No beast in height of its
cannibalism has been more ferocious against its kind than man.
 344
LETTER No. 33

The following letter was written to Qussum-Ibne-Abbas (brother of Abdulla- Ibne-Abbas,

who was Hazrath's Governor of the province of Hijaz)
I have received confidential reports from the Western State to the effect that certain people
have been sent from Syria who are to pretend that they are at Mecca for Haj pilgrimage (but the
duty assigned to them was to carryon propaganda and create disloyalty against Hazrath). These
people have no eyes for truth and no ears for the orders of God and sayings of the Prophet. They
are trying to reach the path of religion through wrong ways and to acquire worldly wealth and
pleasure under pretense of religious activities. Not only this but they are also trying in various
ways to persuade godly and pious persons to sell their salvation for possessions and pleasures of
this life. They are serving their vicious ruler by sinning against God and man.
Remember that Heavenly Reward is for those who earn it with their sincere good deeds
and punishment is the lot of men who deserve it by their actions. Therefore, you carry on your
duties like an intelligent, experienced, wise and faithful officer; like an officer who obeys his
ruler, guards his interest and keeps himself well-informed of the affairs of the State. Do not act
in a way that you may in future feel sorry for your actions and may have to offer excuses and
apologies. Do not get arrogant when times prove favourable to you and do not show weakness
when your duties require you to be strong and resolute.

LETTER No. 34

Mohammed-Ibne-Abubaker was the favourite disciple and companion of Hazrath. Hazrath

had treated and trained him like his own child and had appointed him as the Governor of
Egypt. Later on Hazrath called him back from Egypt and sent Malik-Ibne-Haresul-Ashtar
as a Governor. Mohammed thought that he was deposed and felt sad about it. When
Hazrath came to know of this he wrote the following letter to Mohammed: -
I am given to understand that you feel sorry and aggrieved because I called you back and
sent Malik in your stead as the Governor of Egypt. The fact of the case is that I did not bring
about this change because I found you weak and inefficient and wanted to make you more
energetic and strong, but because as a change I wanted to send you to a place where the work
was easier and which you would find more congenial.
Undoubtedly the man whom I sent as the Governor of Egypt was very faithful to us and
very severe against our enemies. May God bless him, he finished the days of life assigned to him
and left this world. He died in such a state that we were pleased with him. May God grant him
His Pleasure and His highest Reward.
You come out of your house ready to face the enemies, armed with superior intelligence
and the best armours. Be ready to fight those who fight against you. Advise the people to obey
the orders of the Lord, and ask His help as much and as often as you can, so that He may grant
success to you in your important affairs and may help you in your difficulties.
 345
LETTER No. 35

When Mohammed-Ibne-Abubaker was killed in Egypt by the guerillas of Moavia through

faithlessness of his (Mohammed) own companions and officers, Hazrath felt great sorrow
and wrote the following letter to Abdullah-lbne-Abbas: -
Ibne-Abbas, Mohammed, may his soul rest in peace and blessing of God, died as a martyr
and Egypt has fallen in the hands of enemies, I beseech the reward of God for the sorrow I feel
and the grief I suffer from on account of martyrdom of this young man who was like a son unto
me. He loved me. He was faithful to me. So far as the defence of the Islamic State is concerned
he was like a sharp sword and an impregnable fort.
Long before this deplorable happening I had issued orders to the Heads of various provinc-
es and to the people of Koofa to reach him or send help to him when he calls for it. I had repeated
these orders. Some went to his help but half-heartedly, others started submitting excuses, while
some sent false reports of important engagements and did not cooperate with him.
I fell disgusted and pray to Lord to relieve me of the society of such faithless and
worth- less people.
Swear by God that had I no desire of dying as a martyr, and had I not been ready for my
death awaiting night and day I would not have liked to live amongst them even for a day and I
would not come out with them to fight against the enemies of God and Islam.

LETTER No. 36

Following is the letter written by Hazrath to his brother Aquil-lbne-Abu-Talib. The

occasion was that Zahak-Ibne-Qaise Fahree was sent to Mecca by Moavia with a force of
guerrillas to lay waste to the city. Hazrath had sent Hajur-Addi-e-Kundi to defend the city
of Mecca. Hajur defeated Zahak. Aquil at that time was in Mecca, he wrote to Hazrath
offering his voluntary services saying that Quraish are not sincerely serving the cause of
Islam and are bent upon the enmity of Hazrath. In reply Hazrath wrote: -
I had sent against him (Zahak) a strong force of Muslim fighters. When he realised this
he wanted to run away, giving up loot and dispoliation. Before sunset our expeditionary force
overtook him and his guerrillas-certain skirmish did take place---not worth being treated as a
battle, and he ran away. When he was caught by the throat he thought a cowardly retreat the
best solution.
You do not take to heart the behaviour of Quraish. To talk about their scepticism, their
enmity of Islam, their revolt against the cause of God and their desire to bring harm to me, is
waste of time. They now are as much bent upon doing me injustice, and fighting against me as
they were unanimous against the Holy Prophet (A.S.). May God punish them for their sins. They
have not even paid consideration to the relationship that existed between them and I. They have
deprived me of the state of my mother’s son.1
1 (By this Hazrath meant the Holy Prophet (A.S.) The parents of the Holy Prophet (A.S.) having died in his infancy,
he was looked after, fostered and nourished by Fatima Bintay Asad, mother of Hazrath. She was wife of Abu Talib,
the uncle of the Holy Prophet (A.S.) and as such was an aunt to him. After having adopted the Holy Prophet as her
son, she loved, cherished and fostered him so much that he forgot the love of his parents and she forgot that she
had children of her own. Their connections were those of a mother and son. The Holy Prophet called her ‘mother’
and treated her as his mother throughout her life. Therefore, Hazrath here has referred to the Holy Prophet as his
mother’s son).
 346
As far as your enquiry about my intentions against the enemies of Islam is concerned, my
opinion is to keep on fighting against those who have made up their minds to harm the cause of
Islam. I shall keep on fighting them to the end of my life.
I am neither emboldened by abundance of followers nor I am disheartened by their
inefficiency or scarcity. Do not think that your brother will lose heart if people forsake him
and give up his help, or he will humiliate himself, bow down before heavy odds, submit to
unreasonable demands of others or accept their commands or orders like a beast of burden.
So far as I am concerned I am like a person about whom a poet of Bani Saleem says: -
“If you enquire about me, my beloved,
Then hear me
I am very strong to face calamities and reverses
I cannot tolerate
That signs of sorrows and griefs on my face
Make my enemies happy
And increase sorrows of my friends”.

LETTER No. 37
A letter to Moavia

Allaho Akber (God is great). How hopelessly you are engulfed by your inordinate and
sinful desires, how mercilessly you are swept by such vicious and ungodly cravings which will
misguide you in this life and will bring you to a sad end. You have forsaken the cause of truth
and justice and have arrogantly spurned the arguments which are agreeable to the Lord and
were irrefutable by man.
What do you mean by creating this faction and revolt with pretence of taking revenge on
the murderers of Oosman? The real facts of the case are that during the life of Caliph Oosman,
you only went to his help when this action in the end was going to be beneficial to you and you
could get something out of him, and you refused to help him when he was really in need of you
and your support and had requested you so many times.

LETTER No. 38

A letter to the people of Egypt, telling them about Malik when Hazrath appointed him as
the Governor of that province.
From the creature of God, Ali Ibne-Abu-Talib, to people whose anger and enmity was on
account of God; they got angry when they saw that their land was being run over by people
disobedient to the Lord, when rights were being crushed and obligations were being ignored and
spurned, when tyranny and oppression were the orders of the day and every good or bad person
and every local resident or outsider had to face them, when goodness and piety were taboos and
when nobody cared to keep himself away from vices and sins.
After praise of God and compliments and homage to the Holy Prophet (A.S.) be it known to
you that I am sending towards you such a creature of God, who forsakes rest and sleeps during
days of danger, who does not fear his enemy in the worst frightening and critical junctures and
who is more severe than burning fire to sinners, and vicious people. He is Malik lbne-Haaris-E-
 347
Mazahaji (Mazahaj is a sub-class of Bani Nakaa). Hear him and obey his commands which you
will find to be right and according to true canons of Islam. He is such a sword among the swords
of God that its sharpness will never get blunt or whose stroke and blow will never be without
effect, and who will never lose an opportunity. If he orders to advance against your enemies then
advance, if he commands you to halt then halt, because he himself will neither advance nor halt,
he will never give orders to advance, halt or retreat without my consent. In sending him to you I
have given preference to your needs to those of mine (I also require him as the Chief of my Staff
but I preferred to send him to your help and protection) so that he may serve you faithfully and
may treat your enemies severely and strongly.

LETTER No. 39
A letter to Omer-ibne-Aas

Undoubtedly you have subordinated your religion to the worldly power, pomp and wealth
provided to you by a person whose apostation and scepticism is not a covered secret from
anybody. He and his ways are known to everybody. He sullies the reputation as well as the
character of those who keep his company. He tries to deceive sober and sedate people. For the
sake of remanents and leavings of his table you have attached yourself to him. You are following
him like a dog, which follows a tiger, frightfully looks at its paws and waits to live upon the re-
fuse which it leaves of its kill.
In this way you have lost your self-respect and honour in this world and your salvation in
the next. You have ruined your present and future. Had you followed the true path you might
have achieved success in this world as well as hereafter.
If God grants me success against you and the son of Abu Sufyan I shall take both of you to
task for the sins which you have committed against man and God. But if you both escape from
me and survive then on the Day of Judgment you will see that the punishment awarded to you
are of far more severe kind.

LETTER No. 40

A letter to a Commissioner of some province. It could not be ascertained as to whom it

was addressed.
I have been given to understand that you have taken possession of state-lands and that
you have not only brought them under personal use but you have misappropriated Government
money also. Will you immediately send the detailed accounts (about both the items)? Remember
that the reckoning of the Lord is far more severe than any audit which man can carry out.

LETTER No. 41

Following is the letter written to some Governor, who left Hazrath and ran away with
public treasury; this man was cousin to Hazrath and in his confidence. Some historians
say that he was Abdullah-Ibne-Abbas who was Hazrath's cousin and had once behaved in
this way.
After prayers to God and praise of the Holy Prophet (A.S.) let it be known to you
 348
that I trusted you fully, I took you into my full confidence and appointed you on a very
responsible post. I did this under the impression that from my own clan nobody will prove more
sympathetic, more helpful and more trustworthy to me than you.
But when you found that the times have gone against your cousin, his enemies are on the
warpath, wealth of the country is being recklessly plundered, the nation has lost sight of the
true path of religion and it is confused and confounded then you have also changed your colour.
You have forsaken your cousin, you left him along with other deserters and joining the gang of
dishonest person, you have also betrayed the trust I laid in you.
You have changed so much that you have not only lost the sense of sympathy for your
cousin but you have also lost the sense of honesty and virtue. Your present behaviour indicates
that you have never been sincere, as if your joining the holy wars (jehad) was not with the
desire to gain the pleasure of God and as if the true light of religion had never illuminated the
dark recess of your mind. Along with the majority you had also joined the holy wars to amass
wealth under the pretense of serving God and religion and awaited opportunities to decamp
with wealth of the Muslim State. And when the opportunity presented itself to you to be
dishonest to your heart's content and when you found your Amir seriously engaged somewhere
else you jumped at the sinful chance, you invaded the public treasury and you looted, as much
as was possible for you, the money which was reserved for old widows, orphans and poor. In
this plunder your action was so quick, so nimble and so effective that it resembled the action of a
very active and wary wolf attacking and snatching away a wounded and helpless goat. You have
with pleasure sent this looted wealth to Hijaz.
The sin pleased you and the loot made you happy. The thought that it was a sinful deed
never stopped you from the act. Did you take it for a heritage which you can take hold of and
send home. Allaho Akber (God is Great). Do you not believe in the Day of Judgment? Are you
not afraid of the reckoning on that day?
O you, whom we took for a wise and intelligent person, how can you happily and with
easy conscience eat and drink things bought by this wealth knowing all the time that what
you eat and drink is forbidden and unlawful? Do you realise the enormity of your sin? Out of
the money which was earmarked for the use of orphans, paupers and destitutes or which was
reserved for faithful Muslims and volunteers (Mujahids) or was conserved for the defence of the
Muslims State you provided for yourself means of your enjoyments and pleasures; you purchase
slaves-girls out of it and you spent it on your marriages.
I advise you to fear God and return the money to those to whom it rightfully belongs. If
you do not do this and if God gives me a chance to punish you then I shall act in such a way that
God will be pleased with me. I shall give you a stroke with that sword of mine which has sent all
those to hell whom I struck with it.
I swear by God that even Hassan and Hussain had behaved in the way you have behaved
I would not have shown indulgence to them; they could not have accepted any favour or
consideration from me. I would have taken this money back from them, and would have undone
the harm done by them.
I swear by the Merciful Lord that even if all the wealth which you have so sinfully looted
had come into my possession in a lawful way it would not have pleased me to leave it to my
heirs as a heirloom.
Control your inordinate desires, think well over what you have done and remember that
 349
you have reached the mature age; just try to visualise that death has brought an end to your
life, you are lying in a grave with so much earth over you and your deeds are placed before you.
What would you say and do at such a time and place; a place where tyrants and oppressors could
only repent and wish to go back to the world they left behind; but there will be no way out of
the punishment.

LETTER No. 42

Following is the letter which Hazrath wrote to Omer-Ibne-Abi Salma-E-Mukhzoomi when

Hazrath called him back from the Governorship of Bahrain and appointed Noman-Ibne-
Ajlan-E-Zarkhi in his place.
After praise of God and homage to the Holy Prophet (A.S.) let it be known to you that I
have appointed Noman as the Governor of the province of Bahrain and have removed you from
the post not because I was dissatisfied with your work or there was any charge against you.
Undoubtedly you have discharged your duties satisfactorily and have done full justice to the
trust reposed in you. I am quite satisfied with your work, and do not doubt your sincerity or
honesty nor I consider you to be inefficient and blameworthy.
Come to me immediately. The fact is that I have resolved to fight against the Syrian tyrants
and oppressors and I want you to be with me. Because you are one of those men whom I can
trust to help me in fighting the enemies of God and in establishment of a Muslim State.

LETTER No. 43

A letter to Muskala-Ibne-Hoobayra-E-Shebani, who was Governor of Ardsher Kharra.

I have received certain information about you and if you have actually done what is
reported against you then you have verily, displeased your God and have annoyed and angered
me.
I am given to understand that you are lavishly distributing State treasury among the
bedouins of your clan and among those desert-Arabs who are faithful to you. You know this
wealth has been gathered by faithful Muslims in the battle-fields at the risk of their lives; during
the wars in which many were killed and many more were wounded.
I swear by God, who gave life to plants and animals that if this accusation against you
proves correct then you will humiliate yourself in my eyes and will lose the good opinion I have
formed about you.
Do not imagine that the trust reposed by God in you can be treated lightly and do not harm
or ruin your religion, otherwise you will be one of those whose deeds are to be punished.
Remember that all the Muslims who are there or here have equal share in this wealth.
Believing and acting on this principle they come to me for their share and receiving it from me
they return to their places.

LETTER No. 44

Zeeyad was the son of slave Obaeda, his mother was Summaiya, a slave-girl of Haaris-
Ibne-Kulda, a lady of easy virtues and very elastic conscience. But Zeeyad grew up to be
 350
an intelligent man and very good speaker. Everybody knew that Zeeyad was born under
sin. During his Caliphate Hazrath Omer did not give him many chances, but later on he
became a Governor and Hazrath allowed him to retain that post. When Moavia came to
power, he started secret correspondence with Zeeyad, inviting him to leave the side of
Hazrath and to join him; offering him the bribe of being declared the son of Abu Sufyan.
(Refer Rijal-e-Nujjashee and Mufthee Syed Jafer Husain) When Hazrath came to know of
these secret messages he wrote to Zeeyad the following letter: -
I am given to understand that Moavia has been corresponding with you. Beware, he wants
to make a fool of you, to blunt your intelligence and to harm your self-respect. Remember that
it is Satan which will attack an imprudent and incautious Muslim from behind and from right
and left, so that finding him unwary and unwatchful, it may overpower him and may enslave his
reasoning and judgment.
The fact is that during the Caliphate of Caliph Omar, Abu Sufyan unwisely gave utterances
to something which was unjustifiable and unreasonable.1 It was one of those evil suggestions of
Satan which are not only an insult to a self-respecting man, but which cannot help in proving
the descent (according to the laws of Islam) or in legalising the heritage. The condition of man
claiming such a lineage is that of a gate crasher in a party from which he may be thrown out
with humiliation.

LETTER No. 45

Oosman Ibne Haneef was the Governor of Basra. He was one of those people who were
very much liked by Hazrath. During his governorship once Ibne-Haneef attended an
invitation given by one rich man of Basra. It was a very sumptuous meal. When Hazrath
heard of this he wrote the following letter to Oosman-lbne- Haneef. It shows the more
Hazrath liked a person the more severely Hazrath judged his actions and deeds:-
Ibne-Haneef! I have received information that a person of Basra invited you to a dinner
and you immediately accepted the invitation. And very sumptuous meals were served there,
finest varieties of viands were placed before you in very big plates and you enjoyed them. I am
sorry to hear the news. I never expected that you would accept invitation of person who invites
big officers and rich people and from whose doors poor persons and hungry paupers are turned
away rudely. Look carefully into the things which you eat. If there is even a shade of their being
obtained unlawfully then throw them away, only eat such things about which you are perfectly
certain that they are obtained in honest, lawful and virtuous ways.
1 Note:-- For the first time during the Caliphate of Caliph Omar Zeeyad was sent on an important expedition. When
he successfully returned from there he delivered a good speech and proved himself a good orator. On that occasion
Caliph Omer, Omer Ibne-Aass and Abu Sufyan were also present. Hearing him Orner-lbne-Aas said “Instead of
being son of a slave I wish he would have belonged to Quraish, then what an opening he would have found in this
kingdom”. On this Abu-Sufyan replied “He is actually a Quraishee, he is my son in sin, Abu- Muryam-e-Sholy, the
famous procurer knows this fact, I would have declared him my son today but I am afraid of Omer.
Syed Razee, the original compiler of Nahjul Balagha says that when Zeeyad received this letter he said
“By God Ali-lbne-Abu Talib himself has borne testimony that I am descended from Abu Sufyan”. And when later
Moavia claimed him as his father’s son, Zeeyad agreed to and accepted the testimony of Abu Maryam-e- Sholy
which was given in a durbar and which bore insulting, degrading and shameful account of his mother. Zeeyad was
proud of this degradation. This shows how much self-respect he possessed, how much he desired wealth, power,
pomp and pleasure, and how good advices are always effectless on a warped mind and degraded mentality.
 351
You must know Ibne Haneef, that for everyone who follows a religion there is a leader
and a guide from whom the follower learns the canons of that religion and the ways of leading
a pious life. Now look to your Imam and leader (Hazrath means himself). In this world he has
satisfied himself and is content with two old, torn and coarse garments and two pieces of breads
(one in the morning and one in the evening). I know that to adopt such a hard way of life is
beyond you but at least try to be pious. Try to follow me and be my companion in virtue, piety
and simple living. I swear by God that from this world I have neither amassed gold, nor have I
gathered wealth and possessions nor have I changed these coarse and old garments of mine with
even an ordinary raiment from your treasury.
Verily, under the sky we had only Fidak as our personal property but we were deprived of
it; it tempted them, they took forcible possession of it and we had to bear the wrench patiently
and cheerfully; the best judge is the Lord Almighty. What I was going to do with Fidak or
with any other worldly possession. I never wanted them for myself. I know that tomorrow my
lodging will be my grave. Its darkness will cover my traces and will not allow my news to reach
this world. A grave after all is a pit, and even if it is made very big and broad time will gradually
reduce its size and will fill it with earth and stones. My attention is concentrated on one thing;
that is, with the help of the fear of God and piety I keep my desires within control, so that in this
world I may not commit sins and errors and on the Day of Judgment when fear and fright will
be the lot of everybody I may feel safe, secured and satisfied.
If I had so wanted I could have very easily found ways and means to provide for myself
the purest and clearest honey, the best variety of wheat and the finest silk clothes that could
be woven. But it is not possible for inordinate cravings to overcome me, and it is not possible
that greediness persuades me to acquire the choicest of victuals when in Hijaz and Yaman there
may be people who have no hope of obtaining a piece of bread and who have never satisfied
their hunger fully. It is not possible for me to satiate myself when there are people around me
whom hunger and thirst keeps restless and writhing. Do you want me to be like that person
about whom somebody has very aptly said, “Is this disease not enough for you that you keep on
sleeping on a very heavy stomach and around you there are such starving mouths that they will
greedily eat even dried goat-skin”.
Shall I be content and satisfied simply because people call me Amir-ul-Momineen (Leader
and Ruler of the faithful and sincere Muslims)? Shall I not sympathise with the faithful Muslims
in their calamities, shall I not be their partner in their adversities, shall I not be their fellow-
suffer? Shall I not set an example for them to patiently, courageously, bravely and virtuously
bear up hardships and bereavements?
Am I created simply to keep on thinking about my food? Am I like that animal which is
tied down to a post and which thinks of nothing but its fodder or like that uncontrolled beast
which roams about and does nothing but eat, filling its full with grass and does not know the
purpose of life for which it is created? Have I no religion, no conscience and no fear of God? Am
I left absolutely free without any check or control to do as I like? Am I at liberty to go astray, to
wander away from the true path of religion and to roam about in the wilderness of greed and
avarice?
I am sure some of you would say that if son of Abu Talib eats so little and lives on the verge
of starvation, then surely he must have gone weak and exhausted and must be unfit to face his
enemies in battle-fields. But you must remember that hardy trees which grow on the borders of
 352
deserts have very strong timber, and trees which are found in marshy lands have thin bark and
soft wood, similarly when former are lit up they burn longer and with very strong glow and give
out more heat than the latter.
My relation with the Holy Prophet (A.S.) is like a branch shooting from the same stem or
like the relation of the wrist to the arm. I swear by God that even if all the Arabs unite together
against me I shall not run away from the battle-field and when occasion arrives I shall do my
best to subdue them, at the same time I shall try to clean the earth of the existence and vicious
influence of that untimely evil genius and warped mind (Moavia) so that the land may be free of
his wicked and sinful sway and domination.
O vicious world! do not try to snare me; thou canst not entrap me; I am beyond thy
temptations and pitfalls, and I have taken good care not to slip into such pitfalls. Where are those
people whom thou hast tempted with pleasures and enjoyments? Where are those groups whom
thou hast allured with pomp and glory? They are imprisoned in their graves pressed down by
tons of earth upon them. O vicious world! hast thou been a person or a being with life and
limb I would have punished thee under the laws of the Lord. Because thou hast tempted with
impossible hopes millions of individuals from the true path of humanity; thou hast brought
about destruction, decline and fall of nations after nations alluring them with power and
pleasure, thou hast thrown crowned heads into dust, thou hast lowered them to such depths that
there is no refuge for any of them at that place and none can come up from there.
Woe be to the man who with misplaced confidence steps on the slippery ground presented
by thee as firm foothold, he will certainly slip; woe be to the man who thinks of riding the waves
of false hopes and expectations raised by thee, he will surely sink.
Whoever tries not to be entrapped by thine temptations and get snared by thine
allurements will find the straight path of safety and salvation. Whoever tries to spurn thee does
not care for the consequences of his action though he may find himself in adverse circumstances
and difficulties, to him this world, its pleasures and the life surrounded by the pleasures or by
woes and afflictions is like a day which will soon pass away.
Be gone from me. I cannot be caught unaware by thee that thou may plunge me into
disgrace and humiliations, neither will I lose control of myself that thou must drag me wherever
you like.
I swear by God that barring His Destiny over which I have no control and which may mold
my life as He wishes, I shall control myself that I shall be contending and happy if I get one piece
of bread with a pinch of salt and my mind will be dead to the desires of pleasures, fame, power
and glory.
Ibne Haneef! You have seen sheep and goats, after having their full they retire to their
den and sleep their lives away, do you want Ali Ibne Abu Talib to be like them, to eat, drink and
enjoy? May I get blind if after having passed so many years of my life I now turn into an animal
in human form.
Happy is the person who did his duty with God and man, who bore adversities and
calamities patiently and when sleep over powered him he used his hand as a pillow and lay to
rest on mere earth along with those whom fear of the Day of Judgment has often kept awake,
who do not find much time to sleep, whose lips keep on moving in the praise of God, whose sins
have been absolved on account of the penance they impose upon themselves. They are godly
persons and they certainly will achieve salvation.
 353
O Ibne Haneef! fear God and be content with the bread that you get with lawful means so
that you may be exempted and freed from the fire of the hell.

LETTER No. 46
A letter from Hazrath to one of his Governors.

You are one of those persons whose assistance I require in propagating the religion, in
strengthening its hold, in defeating the unbelievers and sinners, and in guarding dangerous
frontiers of this State. Seek the help of God in your difficulties and enterprises. In your treatment
with the subject remember that you should use leniency and tolerance along with severity. Be
kind, tolerant and lenient as far as and as long as possible, but when you feel that your aims
cannot be achieved without severity, rigidity or harshness, only then you can adopt such an
attitude.
But remember always to treat them sympathetically, kindly, courteously and to meet them
with a smiling countenance and open arms. While meeting them, talking to them and wishing
everyone of them, whether rich or poor, big or small you should behave as if they are your
equals, so that important persons of your State may not presume to derive undue advantage
out of your uncalled for servile behaviour, and poor people may not lose hope in your justice,
fair-dealings and sympathy.

LETTER No. 47

When Abdul Rehman Ibne Muljim wounded Hazrath during the morning prayers in the
mosque of Koofa, Hazrath advised Imam Hassan and Imam Hussain in the following
words:-
I advise you to fear God, do not go after this vicious world though it may how often and
how much try to entice you and do not seek it though it may seek you, do not grieve and pine
over things which this world refuses you. Let the eternal Reward and Blessings of God be the
prompting factors for all that you say and do. Be an enemy of tyrants and oppressors and be a
friend and helper of those who are oppressed and tyrannised.
To you, to my other children, to my relatives and to everybody, who acquires this will of
mine, I advise to fear God and to be pious. To have fair and honest dealings with each other and
improve mutual relations. Because I have heard your grand-father, the Holy Prophet (may the
peace of God be upon him and his descendants) saying “to remove mutual enmity, ill-feeling and
hatred is better than prayers and fasting”.
Fear God when the question of helpless orphans arises. You should never let them starve.
So long as you are there to guard and protect them, they should not be ruined or lost. The Holy
Prophet (A.S.) had always advised, cautioned and warned us about this responsibility, so much
that we often thought that the Apostle of God may on the next occasion assign them a share
from our heritage.
Fear God in respect of the Holy Quran, lest others may excel and surpass you in following
its tenets and in acting according to its orders. Fear God so far as prayers are concerned because
prayers are pillars of your faith. Fear God in the matter of His Holy House (Kaaba), let it not be
deserted because if it is deserted you (the Muslims) will be lost.
 354
Do not forget God; fight in His cause with your tongue, with your wealth and with your
lives.
Develop mutual liking, friendship and love, and help each other. Beware and do not spurn
and cut each other and do not treat each other badly and unsympathetically.
Do not stop advising people to do good and to abstain from evil otherwise vicious people
and sinner will overlord you and if you willingly allow such persons to be your rulers then your
prayers will not be heard by the Lord.
He further continued, O sons of Abdul Muttalib! let there be no retaliation for the act of
my murder, do not roam about with a drawn sword and with the slogan of “Amirul Momineen
is killed” and do not start massacre of my opponents and enemies. See that only one man, that
is my murderer, is killed as the punishment of the crime of murder and nobody else is molested
or harmed or harassed. The punishment to the man who attempted the murder shall take place
only when I die of the wound delivered by him and this punishment shall be only one stroke of
sword to end his life, he should not be tortured before his death, his hands and feet should not
be cut, because I have heard the Holy Prophet (A.S.) saying “do not cut off hands and feet of
anybody, be it a biting dog”.

LETTER No. 48
A letter to Moavia

Remember that inequity and falsehood bring disgrace to a man in this world and hereafter.
The wickedness of the character of a tyrant always betrays itself to those who carefully look
into his actions. You must know that you can never get what has been destined not to reach you.
There are people who want to grasp a thing without having any right for having it or claim
over it. To get the object which they crave for, they try to interpret the orders of the Lord to suit
their purpose. But the Lord has always given a lie to such people.
Therefore, you also fear the Day of Judgment, the day when only those people could be
happy who have done deeds deserving reward, and those will be sorry who have surrendered
themselves to Satan and do not want to come out of its influence.
You invited me to let the Holy Book act as an arbitrator but as you never believed that
Book to be the Word of God, I, therefore, did not accept your invitation though I always accept
the orders of that book.

LETTER No. 49
A letter to Moavia

This vicious world will try to turn a man away from religion and from having faith in
hereafter. And when worldly people grasp a little of it, it always opens before them vistas of false
hopes, ambitions, temptations and greed, so that he is never satisfied with what he has grabbed
and will always covet for more. The result often is that he loses what he has already gathered
and his plans do not work out. If you take a lesson from the past, then you can guard your future
very well.
 355
LETTER No. 50
A circular to the Chiefs of his Army

This is a circular letter from the creature of God, Ali Ibne-Abu Talib to the Chiefs of Army
and Generals of his Cantonments.
It is incumbent on the Chiefs and the Heads of the State that their superior position, easy
circumstances and prestige should not make them change their attitude towards the subjects of
the State, instead the favours which the Lord has granted them should draw them nearer to his
people and should make them more sympathetic towards them.
My duty towards you is that except the secrets of war I do not keep anything pertaining
to the affairs of the State a secret from you; excepting religious questions in all other matters
concerning your welfare I should take you in my confidence and seek your advice; I should
guard your interests and rights to the best of my ability; I should see that you are well protected
and well looked after and I should treat all you equally without any favouritism.
If you receive such favourable treatment from me then it is your duty to thank God for His
Kindness. Your obedience to me is that you follow the orders given, be good and bravely face
difficulties to attain the right path. If you cannot maintain this standard of fidelity and behave
yourself in this manner, then you will lose the straight path of virtue and nobody will be lower
in my eyes than you. I shall punish you severely without fear, favour and leniency.
You make your subordinate officers promise to act accordingly and give them same
facilities and privileges as are given to you so that your affairs may run smoothly.

LETTER No. 51
A letter to the Collectors of Taxes and Revenues

A letter from the creature of God, Ali-Ibne-Abu Talib, to the Collectors of Revenues and
Taxes. One who does not care for his salvation will never think of providing for his after life
with good deeds and therefore will not be able to escape the punishment. Be it known to you
that the responsibilities laid upon you are few, but the Heavenly Reward reserved for them is
very high. God has forbidden you from tyranny and injustice; and even had there been no fear
of punishment for these inequities the mere reward of being just, kind and human was such that
there could not have been any excuse for not trying to achieve them.
Treat the Tax-payers with equity and justice and think over their wishes with patience
and kindness, because you are the treasurer of the subject, representative of the people and the
officer on behalf of higher authority. Do not force anybody to forsake his requirements and to do
without his necessities (so that he may pay the Taxes). In collection of taxes and revenues do not
sell their winter and summer clothings, their slaves or such of their animals as are of service to
them; do not resort to whipping, do not touch their property, be they Muslims or non-Muslims;
but if you find such armaments or weapons of non-Muslims or such of their horses for which
there is danger and possibility of being used in war against the State you may confiscate them.
Such things which are dangerous to safety of the country should not be left in the possession of
irresponsible persons so that they may not prove harmful and injurious to the Muslim State and
its people.
Be kind with the people, treat the Army well, do not grudge to do your best in helping
 356
the subject and in guarding the religion. These two duties are obligations laid upon you by God.
Because in return to the Favours and Bounties which He had Granted us He wants you and He
Wants me to be thankful to Him as much as we can and to help His Cause to the best of our
ability. You must remember that even our strength and capabilities are His Favours Granted to
us.

LETTER No. 52
A circular about prayers to the Governors of all the provinces

Lead the prayer of Zohar till the shadow of a wall becomes equal to the height of the wall;
the Assar prayers can be performed till the sun is still bright and enough time of the day is left
for a person to cover a distance of six miles. The Mughrib prayers should be performed when
fasting people open their fasts and when Hajees return from Arafath. And the time for Isha
prayers is when the red glow of the even tail-light disappears from the West, till a third of the
night is still left. The morning prayers are to be performed when there appears enough light of
the dawn for a man to recognise the face of his companion.
While leading the prayers make them so short that the weakest amongst you may not feel
tired to follow you and his strength and patience may not be overtaxed

LETTER No. 53
An order to Malik-e-Ashter

Malik-e-Ashter was a famous person of the time of Hazrath. He was head of the Bani
Nukha's clan. He was disciple and companion of Hazrath. He was a brave warrior and
had acted as a Commander-in-Chief of Hazrath's Armies. His valour had earned for him
the nickname of “Fearless Tiger”. Hazrath had specially trained him in the principles of
administration and jurisprudence.
He venerated and loved Hazrath sincerely and had earned Moavia's enmity on that
account. Moavia had intrigued against him and got him killed by his gang of paid-
murderers. His untimely death brought great sorrow to Hazrath, who expressing his grief
had said “He was to me, what I was to the Holy Prophet”.
The following instructions in the form of a letter were written to him by Hazrath, when he
appointed him as Governor of Egypt in place of Mohammed-Ibne-Abubaker:-
This letter is a precis of the principles of administration and justice as dictated by Islam. It
deals with the duties and obligations of rulers, their chief responsibilities, the question of
priorities of rights and obligations, dispensation of justice; control over secretaries and
subordinates staff; distribution of work and duties amongst the various branches of
administration, their coordination with each other and cooperation with the center. In it
Hazrath advises Malik to fight corruption and oppression amongst the officers; to con-
trol markets, and imports and exports; to curb evils of profiteering and hoarding and of
cornering and black marketing. In it he has also explained stages of various classes of
society, the duties of Government towards the lowest class (the poor and have-nots) how
are they to be looked after and how are their conditions to be improved; the principle
of equitable distribution of wealth and opportunities; orphans and their up-bringing,
 357
deformed, crippled and unfit-for-work persons and their maintenance, substitutes in
lieu of homes for the aged and disabled. Then he discusses the Army, of whom it should
consist of and how the ignorant, ruthless and corrupt mercenaries should not be allowed
to make Army as their profession. He lays great stress upon the honour and nobleness
of volunteers who at the time of need offer their voluntary service to defend the Islamic
State. Finally, he comments upon the rights of rulers over the ruled and of the ruled over
the rulers. There is a main central idea running all through these instructions, like one
single thread out of which the cloth is woven, it is that of God. The Government is of God,
the Governors and the governed are both creatures of God, their respective duties are laid
down by God. He expects each one to fulfill his obligations and do his duties, the orphans
and depressed are the trust of God, the Army is the Army of God, whose soldiers should
not behave like haughty and arrogant mercenaries but like honourable and noble knights,
everyone is expected to do his duty to the best of his ability and will be rewarded in
Heaven accordingly.
In short this letter is on one hand the Gospel of the principles of administration as taught
by Holy Quran; a code to establish a kind and benevolent rule, throwing light on various
aspects of justice, benevolence and mercy; an order based on the ethics of a benign and
pious rulership, where justice and mercy is shown to human beings irrespective of class,
creed and colour, where poverty is neither a stigma nor a disqualification and where jus-
tice is not tarred with nepotism, favouritism, provincialism or religious fanaticism; and on
the other hand it is a thesis on the higher values of morality.
The famous Arab Christian, jurist, poet and philosopher Abdul-Maseeh-e-Anthaki, who
died sometime in the beginning of the 20th Century while discussing this letter writes that
it is a far superior and better code than the one handed down by Moses and Hamurabi, it
explains what a human administration should be like and how it is to be carried on and
it justifies the claims of Muslims that Islam wants to introduce a Godly administration of
the people for the people and by the people, and it wants that a ruler should rule not to
please himself but to bring happiness to the ruled and no religion before Islam tried to
achieve this end; Ali should be congratulated for having introduced these principles in his
Government and for having written them down for posterity.
In the name of the All Merciful and Kind God. These are the orders issued by the creature
of God, Ali, the son of Abu Talib to Malik, the son of Ashter when he appointed Malik as the
Governor of Egypt to collect Zakaath there, to fight against the enemies of Islam and the Egypt,
to work for the welfare of its people and to look after its prosperity.
I order you Malik to always keep fear of God in your mind; to give priority to His
worship and to give preference to obey His Order over every other thing in life; to carefully
and faithfully follow the commandments and interdictions as are given out by Holy Book and
traditions of the Holy Prophet (A.S.). Because success of man to attain happiness in this world
and the next depends upon these qualities and a failure to achieve these attributes brings about
total failure here and hereafter.
I order you to use your head, heart, hands and tongue to help God (creatures of God)
because the Almighty God holds himself responsible to help those who sincerely try their best to
help Him (His cause and His creatures). The Lord has further ordered you to keep your desires
under control to keep your “self” under restraint, when extravagant and inordinate yearnings
 358
and cravings try to drive you towards wickedness and sin, because usually your “self” tries to
incite, coerce and drag you towards infamy and damnation unless the Merciful Lord comes to
your help.
Let it be known to you, Malik, I am sending you as a Governor to a country which had seen
many Governments before this. Some of them were benign, sympathetic and good, while other
were tyrannical, oppressive and cruel. People will judge your Government as critically as you
have studied the activities of other Governments and they will criticise you in the same way as
you have censured or approved other rulers.
You must know that a good and virtuous man is known and recognised by the good that
is said about him and the praises which God has destined him to receive from others. Therefore,
make your mind the source and fountain-head of good thoughts, good intentions and good
deeds. This can only be attained by keeping a strict control on your desires and yearnings,
however they may try to incite and coerce you. Remember that the best way to do justice to
your "self" and to keep it out of harm is to restrain it from vice and from things which the “self”
inordinately and irrationality desires.
Malik! You must create in your mind kindness, compassion and love of your subjects. Do
not behave with them as if you are voracious and ravenous beast and your success lies in tearing
them up and devouring them.
Remember Malik that among your subjects there are two kinds of people: those who
having the same religion as yours and they are brothers unto you and those who have other
religions than yours and yet are human-beings like you. Men of either category suffer from the
same weaknesses and disabilities that human flesh is heir to; they commit sins, indulge in vices
either intentionally or foolishly and unintentionally without realising the enormity of their
deeds. Let your mercy and compassion come to their rescue and help in the same way and to the
same extent that you expect God to show mercy and forgiveness to you.
Malik! you must never forget that if you are a ruler over them then the Caliph is the ruler
over you and God is the Supreme Lord over the Caliph. And the reality is that He has appointed
you the Governor and tried and tested you through the responsibility of this rulership over
them. Never think of raising yourself to such a false prestige that you dare declaring war against
God. Because you cannot ward off His Punishment and Revenge and you can never be free from
the need of His Mercy and Compassion.
Do not feel ashamed to forgive and to forget. Do not hurry over punishments and do not
be pleased and proud of your power to punish. Do not get angry and lose your temper quickly
over the mistakes and failures of those over whom you rule. On the contrary, be patient and
sympathetic with them. Anger and desire of vengeance are not going to be of much help to you
in your administration.
Never say to yourself “I am their Lord, their ruler and all in all over them and that I must be
obeyed submissively and humbly”. Because such a thought will unbalance your mind, will make
you vain and arrogant, will weaken your faith in religion and will make you seek support of any
power other than that of God (perhaps that of your party or of your Government). If you ever
feel any pride or vanity on account of your sway and rule over your subjects, then think of the
supreme sway and rule of the Lord over the Universe, the extent of His creations, the supremacy
of His Might and Glory, His Power to do things that you cannot even dream of doing and His
Control over you which is more dominating than you can ever achieve yourself over anything
 359
around you. Such thoughts will cure your mental weakness, will keep you away from vanity and
rebellion (against God), will reduce your arrogance and haughtiness and will take you back to
the sanity which you had foolishly deserted.
Take care, never think of bringing yourself in level to God, never think of matching your
power with Him and contesting His Glory, and never pretend that you possess might and power
like Him, because the Mighty Lord will always humble pitiless tyrants and will degrade all
pretenders of His Power and Might.
So far as your own affairs or those of your relatives and friends are concerned take care
that you do not violate the duties laid down upon you by God and usurp the rights of mankind,
be impartial and do justice. Because if you give up equity and justice then you will certainly be
a tyrant and an oppressor. And whoever tyrannises and oppresses creatures of God will earn
enmity of God along with the hatred of those whom he has oppressed; and whoever earns Wrath
of the Lord loses all chances of salvation; he has no excuse to offer on the Day of Judgment.
Every tyrant and oppressor is an enemy of the Lord unless he repents and gives up oppression.
Remember Malik! that there is nothing in this world so effective to turn His Blessings into
His Wrath and nothing will bring down His Vengeance and His Anger quicker than to insist
upon oppression and tyranny over His creatures, because the Merciful God will always hear the
prayers of those who have been crushed under the heels of cruelty and tyranny, and He will give
no chance to oppressors.
You must always appreciate and adopt a policy which is neither too severe nor harsh
nor too lenient, a policy which is based upon equity and justice and which will be largely
appreciated and liked. Remember that displeasure and disapproval of common men, have- nots
and depressed persons more than overbalances the approval of important persons; and
displeasure of few big people will be excused by the Lord if the general public and the mass-
es your subjects are happy with you. Remember, Malik! that usually these big personages are
mentally the scum of human society, they are the people who will be the worst drag upon you
during your moments of peace and happiness, and the least useful to you during your hours of
need and adversity; they hate equity and justice the most; they will keep on demanding more
and more out of the State resources and will seldom be satisfied with what they receive and will
never be obliged for the favour shown to them; if their demands are justifiably refused they will
never accept any reasonable excuse or any rational reason; and when time changes you will
never find them staunch, faithful and loyal. While the common men, the poor and apparently
the less important section of your subject are the pillars of Islam, they are the real assemblage of
Muslims and the power and defensive force against the enemies of Islam, keep an open mind for
them, be more friendly with them and secure their confidence and sympathy.
But be careful in forming your contacts and developing friendship (whether with the
important persons or the commoners); keep such people away from you and think them to be
enemy of the State who are scandal-mongers and who try to find faults of others and carry
on propaganda about them. Because everywhere people have weaknesses and failings and it
is the duty of the Government to overlook (minor) shortcomings. You must not try to go in
search of those weaknesses which are hidden from you, leave them to the Lord, and about those
weaknesses which come to your notice you must try to teach them how to overcome them.
Try not to expose the weaknesses of the people and God will cover and screen your own such
weakness from the public gaze which you do not want anybody to know.
 360
Do not give cause to the people to envy each other (man versus man, tribe versus tribe
or one section of the society versus the other). Try to alleviate and root out mutual distrust
and enmity from amongst your subject. Be fair, impartial and just in your dealings with all,
individually and collectively, and be careful not to make your person, position and favours act as
sources of jealousy and malice. Do not let any such thing or such person come near to you who
does not deserve your nearness and your favour. Never lower your dignity and prestige.
Remember that backbiters and scandal-mongers are a mean and cunning group, though
they pretend to be well-wishers and sincere advisers. Do not make haste to believe the news they
bring or the advices they offer.
Do not accept advices of misers, they will try their best to keep you away from acts of
kindness and from doing good to others. They will keep you frightening from poverty and
destitution. Similarly do not allow cowards and weaklings to act as your advisers because they
will make you timid in issuing and enforcing your orders, will terrify you to handle important
affairs boldly and will make your enterprises and invasions timid and timorous attempts. At
the same time avoid greedy and covetous person to aspire to the position of acting as your
counsellor, because he will teach you how to exploit the community and how to oppress and
tyrannise people to get their wealth. Remember that miserliness, cowardice and greed appears
to be different wicked qualities but they all arise from the same evil mentality of having no faith
and no trust in God.
Your worst ministers will be the men who had been a minister to the tyrannic and
oppressive rulers before you and who had been a party to atrocities and savage cruelties
committed by them. Such persons should not hold your confidence and should not be in your
trust, because they have aided sinners and have helped and assisted tyrants and cruel rulers. In
their stead you can comfortably find persons who are equally wise and learned but who have not
developed sinful and criminal mentalities, who have not helped tyrants in their tyrannies and
nor assisted sinners to carry on sinful deeds. Such persons will prove least troublesome to you.
They will be most helpful. They will sincerely sympathise with you. If you take them in your
confidence, they will sever their connections with your opponents. Keep such people with you
as your companions in your unofficial gatherings and in your durbars.
From amongst such honest and humane companions and ministers only those would
receive your fullest confidence and trust who can always speak out the bitter truth to you most
unreservedly and without fear of your position and place; who refuse to assist you or to be a
party in such deeds which God does not like His friends to commit.
Collect and gather honest, truthful and pious people around you as your companions and
friends. Train them not to flatter you and not to seek your favour by false praises. Because
flattery and false praise create vanity and conceit, they make one lose sight of his real self and
his duties.
You should not treat good and bad people alike, because in this way you will on one hand
discourage good person and at the same time embolden wicked to carry on their wicked- ness.
Everyone should receive the treatment from you which his deeds make him deserve.
Try to carefully realise that a ruler can create good will in the minds of his subjects and can
make them faithful and sincere to him only when he is kind and considerate to them, when he
reduces their troubles and difficulties, when he does not oppress or tyrannise them, and when he
never asks things of them which are beyond their capacities and power. These are the principles
 361
which you should keep in mind and act upon them. Let your attitude be such that they do not
lose faith in you. Because a good faith on their part will reduce many troubles of administration
and will relieve you of many worries and anxieties. And so far as your confidence and trust is
concerned let it rest with those people whom you have tried and tested in difficulties and whom
you have befriended and favoured; and you should always mistrust those people whom you
have wronged or who have proved themselves undeserving, inefficient or unfaithful.
Do not give up those practices and traditions and do not break those rules and regulations,
which good Muslims have evolved or introduced before you, which have created unity and
amity among the various sections of the society and which have done good to the masses. Do not
break them and do not introduce innovations into them, because if you do away with these good
rules and traditions, the reward of having introduced them will go to those who had evolved
them and punishment of having despoiled them will be your lot.
You must know, Malik! that the people over whom you rule are divided into classes and
grades and the prosperity or welfare of each class of the society individually and collectively is
so interdependent upon the well-being of the other classes that the whole set up represents a
closely woven net and a reciprocal aspect, one class cannot exist peacefully, cannot live happily
and cannot work without the support and good wishes of the other. Amongst them there are
the soldiers of the army of God who defend His cause; the next class is that of the secretaries of
the State to whom duties of writing out and issuing special or general orders are assigned, the
third group is of the judges and magistrates to administer justice, the fourth is of officers who
maintain law and order and guard the peace and prosperity of the country, then there are
common men, Muslims who pay the taxes levied by the Government and non-Muslims who
pay tribute to the State (in lieu of taxes), then comes the class of men who carry on various
professions and trades and the last but not the least are poor and have-nots who are considered
as the lowest class of the society. The Merciful Lord hath fixed rights and duties of each one of
them which have been either given out in His Book (Quran) or explained through the orders and
traditions of the Holy Prophet (A.S.) a complete code of which is preserved with us.
As far as the soldiers are concerned they are by the orders of God a fortress and stronghold
to guard and defend the subject and the State, they are ornaments to the ruler and the coun-
try, they provide power and protection to the religion, they propagate and preserve peace
among mankind, in fact, they are real guardians of peace and through them good internal
administration can be maintained. The upkeep and maintenance of an Army depends upon the
taxes collected by a State out of which God hath fixed for them a share. With this amount
they provide their requirements, maintain themselves and their arms in fit position to fight for
religion and cause of justice.
Though the army and the common men (general citizens who pay taxes or tributes) are
two important classes, but in a Welfare State their well-being cannot be guaranteed without
proper functioning and preservation of the other classes, the judges and magistrates, the
secretaries of the State and the officers of various departments, who collect various revenues
maintain law and order as we as preserve peace and amity among the diverse classes of the
society, they also guard rights and privileges of citizens and look to performances of numerous
duties by individuals and classes.
And the prosperity of this whole set up depends upon the traders and industrialists. They
act as a medium between the consumers and suppliers. They collect the requirements of society,
 362
they exert to provide goods. They open up shops, markets and trading centers. Thus providing
the consumers with their necessities, they relieve the citizens of the need of running after their
requisites of life.
Then comes the class of poor, have-nots and disabled persons; it is absolutely necessary
that they should be looked after, helped and well provided for.
The Merciful Lord has explained the ways and means of maintaining and providing for
each of the above classes. And everyone of this class has this right upon the ruler of the State
that at least minimum necessities for its well-being and contented living are provided.
Remember, Malik! that Almighty God will not absolve any ruler of the obligations laid
upon him, unless he sincerely tries his best to discharge duties, prays the Lord to help him in
their acquittal, remains steadily and diligently on the path of truth and justice and bears all this
whether the performance of these duties is congenial to him or hateful.
So far as the Army is concerned its Chief and Commander should be a person who is most
sincere and faithful to God, to the Holy Prophet (A.S.) and to your Imam, who is most pious, who
is famous for his forbearance, clemency and gentleness, who is neither short-tempered nor gets
angry quickly, who sympathetically treats sincere excuses and accepts apologies, who is kind
and compassionate towards the weak but haughty and domineering against strong and powerful
and whom vindictiveness does not lead to violence nor inferiority complex or weak-mindedness
leaves helpless and dejected. To find and select such persons you should form contacts with
pious and noble families; families with high ideals and exalted traditions; families well-known
for their bravery and courage, for their generosity and magnanimity; these are the people who
may be considered as sources of magnificence and sublimity of character and fountain-heads
of piety and good deeds. When you have found and selected such persons then keep an eye
over them and watch them as parents watch their children, so that you may find out if there
appears any deterioration in their characters. Treat them kindly and sympathetically. Do not
grudge highest considerations to them (if they rightly deserve) and do not refuse small mercies.
This kind of treatment will create reciprocal tendencies in them; they will trust you and will be
faithful to you. Under impression that you have paid enough attention to their major necessities
and wants, do not close your eyes to their minor requirements and needs, because small favours
often bear better fruits though careful attention to major necessities is very important. Among
the military officers those should receive your highest respect and consideration who pay most
attention to the needs of the soldiers under their command, who come forward to help the
soldiers with their personal means and property, so that the soldiers may lead a happy and
contented life and may have full confidence about the future of their families and children. If
they are thus satisfied and are free from anxieties and care, then they will bravely and whole-
heartedly fight out the battles which they will have to face. Your constant attention towards the
officers and the soldiers, will make them love you more and more.
The things which should most gladden the heart of a ruler must be the fact that his State
is being ruled on the principles of equity and justice and that his subjects love him. And your
subject will love you only when their hearts are not sore against you. Their sincerity and
faithfulness will be proved if they gather around you to support your Government when they
bear your authority without considering it an unbearable burden on their heads and when they
do not constantly wish your rule to come to an end. So let them have as many justifiable hopes
in you as they can and fulfil as many as you reasonably can. Speak well of those who deserve
 363
your praise. Appreciate the good deeds done by them and let these good actions be known
publicly. The correct and timely publicity of noble actions and golden deeds creates more zeal in
the minds of braves and emboldens the cowards and weaklings. You must know and realise the
good deeds done by every single individual, so that the credit of noble deeds done by one may
not be attributed to another. Do not underestimate and underpay the good work done, similarly
do not overpay a work simply because it has been done by a very important person and do not
let his position and prestige be the cause of overvaluation of the merit of his work, and at the
same time do not under value a great deed if done by a very ordinary person or a commoner. Let
equity, justice and fairplay be your motto.
When you are faced with such problems that you cannot solve them or such difficult
situations that you cannot find ways out of them or when uncertain and doubtful circumstances
confuse and perplex you then you turn to God and to the Holy Prophet (A.S.). Because God hath
thus ordered those whom He wants to guide "O! those people who have firm faith obey orders
of the Lord, and orders of His Prophet and of those who are your Amirs (Rulers and guides-
appointed by God and the Holy Prophet (A.S.). The way to turn to God is to diligently act
according to the clear and explicit orders given in His Holy Book (The Quran) and to turn to the
Holy Prophet (A.S.) means to follow such of his orders for which there is no doubt and ambiguity
and which have been generally accepted as to be correctly recorded.
So far as dispensing of justice is concerned, you have to be very careful in selecting officers
for the same. You must select people of excellent character, superior caliber and meritorious
record. They must possess following qualifications. Abundance of litigations and complexity
of cases should not make them lose their temper. When they realise that they have committed
a mistake in judgment they should not persist upon it and should not try to justify it. When
truth is made clear to them or when right path opens up before them, they should not consider
it below their dignity to correct the mistake made or to undo the wrong done. They should not
be corrupt, covetous or greedy. They should not be satisfied with ordinary enquiry or scrutiny
of a case but scrupulously go through all the pros and cons, must examine every aspect of the
problem carefully, and whenever and wherever they find doubtful and ambiguous points they
must stop, go through further details, clear the points and only then proceed with their decisions.
They must attach greatest importance to reasoning, arguments and proofs. They should not get
tired with lengthy discussions and arguments. They must exhibit patience and perseverance in
scanning the details, in testing the points presented as true and in shifting facts from fiction
and when the truth presents itself to them they must pass their judgments without fear, favour
or prejudice. They should not develop vanity and conceit when compliments and praises are
showered upon them. And they should not be misled by flattery and cajolery. But unfortunately
there are few persons having such characteristics. After you have selected such men, to act as
your judges, make a point to go through some of their judgments and to check their proceedings.
Pay them handsomely so that their needs are fully satisfied and they are not required to beg or
borrow or resort to corruption. Give them such a prestige and positon in your State that none
of your courtiers or officers can overlord them or bring harm to them. Let judiciary be above
every kind of executive pressure or influence, above fear or favour, intrigue or corruption. Take
every particular care of this aspect because before your appointment this State was under sway
of corrupt, time-serving and wealth-grasping opportunists who were lewd, greedy and vicious
and who wanted nothing out of a State but a sinful consent of amassing wealth and pleasures
for themselves.
 364
Then come officers of your State. You must supervise their work. They must be appointed
after a careful scrutiny of their capabilities and characters. These appointments must be made
originally on probation without any kind of favouritism being shown or influence being
accepted. Otherwise tyranny, corruption and misrule will reign in your State. While selecting
your officers take care to select experienced and honourable persons, members of respectable
families or families who had served Islam during its early days. Because these are usually of
noble character and good repute. They are not greedy and cannot be easily corrupted. They
mostly have before them the ultimate result of their thoughts and their deeds. Keep them also
well-paid, so that they may not be tempted to lower their standards of morality and may not
misappropriate the cash of the State which they hold in their trust; and even if after being
paid handsomely they prove dishonest then you will be right to punish them, therefore, keep a
careful watch over their system of work and rule. You may also appoint trustworthy and
honest men to keep a watch over the activities of these officers. The knowledge that they
are being watched secretly will keep them away from dishonesty, misrule, malpractices and
tyrannising the subject. Protect your Government from dishonest officers. If you find any
of them dishonest your confidential intelligence service submits acceptable proofs of his
dishonesty then you must punish him. This may be physical punishment, dismissal from service
and taking back from him all which he has dishonestly collected. He must be humiliated and
must be made to realise the infamy of his crooked deeds. His humiliation and punishment must
be given publicly so that it may act as a lesson and a deterrent example to others.
So far as collection of land revenues and taxes are concerned you must always keep in
view the welfare of the tax-payers, which is of primary importance than the taxes themselves.
Because these taxes and the tax-payers are the original source on which the welfare of your State
and its subject depends; a State really lives upon the revenues collected from the tax-payers.
Therefore, more importance should be attached to the fertility of land than to the collection of
taxes; because actual taxable capacity of people rests upon the fertility of the land. The ruler who
does not pay attention to the prosperity of his subjects and fertility of the land but concentrates
only on collection of revenue, lays waste the land, ruin the State and brings destruction to
creatures of God. His rule cannot last for long.
If the tax-payers complain to you about heavy incidence of taxation, of any accidental
calamity, of vagaries of monsoon, of scarcity and stoppage of the means of irrigation, of floods
or destruction of their crops on account of excessive rainfall, and if their complaints are true
then reduce their taxes. This reduction should be such that it provides them opportunities to
improve their conditions and eases their circumstances. Decrease in State-income due to such
reasons should not depress you, because the best investment for a ruler is to help his subjects at
the time of their difficulties. They are the real wealth of a country and any investment on them
even in the form of reduction of taxes, will be returned to the State in the shape of the prosperity
of its cities and improvement of the country at large, at the same time you will be in a position
to command and secure their love, respect and praises along with the revenues. Will that not
be a lasting happiness? Not only this but your benign rule and humane treatment will so affect
them that they will come to your help at the time of your difficulties and you will be able to rely
on their support. Your kindness, your clemency and your justice will be a kind of moral training
to them and the contented, happy and prosperous life for which they will be grateful to you,
will be the best support, strongest protection and the greatest treasury for you. Later if such
 365
circumstances arise that you find yourself in need of their support, their help, their confidence,
their wealth and their man-power then they will grudge nothing to you.
Remember Malik! if a country is prosperous and if its people are well-to-do then it
will happily and willingly bear any burden. The poverty of' people is the actual cause of the
devastation and ruination of a country, and main cause of the poverty of people is the desire of
its ruler and officers to amass wealth and possessions whether by fair means or foul. They are
afraid of losing their posts or positions and sway or rule, and want to make the most during the
shortest time at their disposal. They never learn any lesson from history of nations and never
pay any attention to the orders of God.
You will also have to be very careful of your secretaries. You should entrust your work
only to those who are the best among them. Specially the affairs which are of confidential
nature and which deal with secrets and safety of the State should be entrusted only to men of
exemplary character and honesty, men whose heads would not be so turned by powers, position
and prestige that they carryon propaganda or speak against the Government in public, who
openly misbehave with you or may consider themselves so important as to ignore you or your
orders in financial transactions essential to the State, in placing necessary papers before you or
in attending important correspondence. Particular care should be taken that when the officers
make contracts on behalf of the Government or sign agreements these contracts and agreements
are not defective or injurious to the State; if they are negotiating any treaties and alliances they
do not overlook or forsake the interests of the State; or if they find the State in a weak and
embarrassing position on account of harmful terms of the treaties or any intrigue they should
be able to find sensible ways out of them. See that they know and realise their proper place and
rank. Because one who does not realise his place and position will never understand those of
others.
One more thing about these officers; you must remember not to select them for very
important posts and not to trust them completely simply because you have found them honest,
diligent, trustworthy and intelligent and have formed good opinion about them; because there
are some people who, when it suits them, pretend honesty, diligence and fidelity and can put
on the garb of piety and virtue, and thus find their ways in the hearts of rulers, though in their
heart of hearts they are neither honest nor diligent nor wise nor sagacious Therefore, you must
always look to the record or reputation of the services of such men during previous regimes;
more importance should be attached to good reputation. This kind of selection and supervision
will prove that you are faithful to God and that you wish your Imam well.
Then you must appoint one officer as the Head of each important branch of your
Government. He should have knowledge and wisdom enough to cope successfully with all the
intricate problems of his department and diligence enough to face large amount of work.
Remember well that if there is any defect in your officers and you are tolerating it then you
and only you are responsible for all those evils.
I want to advise you about your businessmen and industrialists. Treat them well, and
order your officers to follow the same policy. They may be local businessmen carrying on their
trade in certain places, or those who send their merchandise from one place to another, there
may, even be those who import and export goods, similarly there may be industrialists and
manufacturers as well as industrial labour or men engaged in the handicrafts, they all deserve
sympathy, protection and good treatment. They all are sources of wealth to the country. They
 366
provide consumers goods. Most of these traders carry and convey these goods from across
deserts, seas and over open lands and mountains; their consignments are brought from distant
lands, often from places which are not easy to approach and where usually people do not care
or do not dare go. These businessmen are usually peace loving people, not given to mischievous,
disturbances and seditious fermentations. You must look after their interest and must protect
them whether they are trading in your cities or towns or whether they are travelling over the
countries conveying goods from place to place.
One more thing about these traders and industrialists. While treating them most
sympathetically you must keep an eye on their activities as well.
You know they are usually stingy misers, intensely self-centered and selfish, suffering
from obsession of grasping and accumulating wealth. They often hoard their goods to get more
profit out of them through creating scarcity and black-market. Such a condition is extremely
injurious to the public on one hand and infamous to the ruler on the other.
You must put a stop to all such practices because the Holy Prophet (may the peace of God
be upon him and his descendants) has explicitly prohibited such practices. Remember that trade
should go on between the purchasers and suppliers according to correct measures and weights
and on such reasonable terms that neither the consumers nor the suppliers should have to face
losses. But even with all the sympathetic treatments according to them and with all the facilities
provided for them if traders and industrialists carry on hoarding and black-market, then you
must punish them according to the intensity of their crime.
Then I want to caution you about the poor. Fear God about their conditions and your
attitude towards them. They have no support, no resources and no opportunities. They are poor,
they are destitute and many of them are cripples and unfit for work. Some of them come out
begging and some (who maintain self-respect) do not beg but their conditions scream about
their distress, poverty, destitution and wants. For the sake of God, Malik! protect them and their
rights. He has laid the responsibility of this upon your shoulders. You must fix a share for them
from the Government Treasury. Besides this reservation in cash you must also reserve a share in
kind of crops etc., from Government grain-godowns of cities, in which such grains are collected
as are cultivated on State-owned lands. Because in this collection the share of those living far
away from any particular city is equal to the share of those living nearby.
Let me remind you once again that you are made responsible to guard the rights of poor
people and to look after their welfare. Take care that the conceit of your position and vanity
of wealth may not deceive you to lose sight of such a grave and important responsibility. Yours
is such an important post that you cannot claim immunity from the responsibility of even
minor errors of commission or omission with an excuse that you were engrossed with the major
problems of the State which you have carried out diligently. Therefore, be very careful of the
welfare of poor people. Do not be arrogant and vain against them. Remember that you have to
take particular care of those who cannot reach you, whose poverty-stricken and disease-ridden
sight may be hateful to you, and whom society treats with disgust, detestation and contempt.
You should be source of comfort, love and respect to them. Appoint a respectable, honest and
pious person, a person who fears God, and can treat them respectfully, order him to find out
everything about them and to bring the report to you. Then treat these poor people in such a
way that on the Day of Judgment you can plead your case successfully before God, because of
all classes of your subject this class deserves more of your attention, sympathy and fair-deal.
 367
Though as a deserving person everyone of these poor persons deserves your sympathy and
you will have to do justice to his cause to achieve His Favour, yet you should pay more attention
to young orphans and old cripples. They neither have any support nor can they conveniently
come out begging. They cannot reach you, therefore, you must reach them.
Remember that fulfilment of this obligation and duty is considered as a tiresome burden
by most of the rulers, but to those who desire to achieve His Favour and to enter into His Realm,
he makes even this work light and congenial. They bear it happily, dutifully and sincerely. They
find pleasure in it and they believe in the promise made by the Lord.
Out of your hours of work fix a time for complainants and for those who want to approach
you with their grievances. During this time, you should do no other work but hear them and
pay attention to their complaints and grievances. For this purpose, you must arrange public
audience for them and during this audience, for the sake of God, treat them with kindness,
courtesy and respect. Do not let your army and police be in audience hall at such time, so that
those who have grievances against your Government may speak to you freely, unreservedly
and without fear. All this is a necessary factor of your rule because I have often heard the Holy
Prophet (A.S.) saying "That nation or Government cannot achieve salvation where the rights of
depressed, destitute and suppressed are not guarded and where mighty and powerful persons
are not forced to accede these rights". You must remember that in those audiences most common
men will gather, therefore, if you find them misbehaving or unmannerly or if you feel that their
talk is irrelevant tolerate them, do not be rude and insulting to them, so that the Lord may be
Kind and Merciful unto you and may reward you for obeying His Commands explicitly. Treat
them courteously, hear their grievances smilingly and if you are forced to refuse their demands
then refuse in such a way that your refusal may please them as much as your grants.
Then there are certain duties which only you will have to perform and which none of your
officers can carry out, among them are such replies to the letters of your Commissioners and
Governors which are beyond the jurisdiction or purview of your Secretaries. If you find that
your officers are not attending as much to the grievances and complaints of the public as they
should then you should personally attend to them. You must finish a day's work on that day only
because each day will bring its own special work for you. Reserve your best time for prayers
to the Lord, though every work of the State is the work of God, specially, if you are sincere and
honest and if your subject is happy with your rule and safe from your oppression.
Among those duties that you are to diligently perform must be your daily prayers. These
should be offered sincerely and persistently. You must fix times for this during days and nights.
You must tax your bodily strength for this duty though it may tire you. Your observance of
prayers should be sincere and faultless and should neither be so long as to tire out those who
follow you in these prayers nor so short as to be faulty and defective, because amongst those
who stand behind you during the prayers there may be some ill-persons, while other may have
to attend to important works. When the Holy Prophet (A.S.) sent me to Yaman I asked him as
how to lead prayers, he advised me “Pray like a weak and old person and be kind to faithfuls” (so
that weak and old person may follow your prayers easily and happily).
You must take care not to cut yourself off from the public. Do not place a prestige-curtain
between you and those over whom you rule. Such pretensions and show of pomp and pride are
in reality manifestations of inferiority complex and vanity. The result of such an attitude is that
you remain ignorant of the conditions of your subject and actual causes of incidence happening
 368
in the State. You will fail to realise comparative importance of events taking place and may
attach great significance to minor events and may slip over important facts, similarly you
may attach great weight to mediocre or insignificant people and may ignore real men of
consequence; and what is more you lose the quality of distinction between good and bad and
may take one for the other or hopelessly mix up the two. After all a ruler is as much a human
being as any other man and he may remain ignorant of facts of which his officers want to keep
him in dark (and on which the public may throw light). And thus truth may get mixed up with
falsehood and may not be distinguished, because there are no birth marks on the forehead of
truth that it may be easily differentiated from falsehood, one has to search for facts and sift
realities from fictions, only then he can reach truth. Think for yourself, there are only two
categories of rulers and you may belong to one of them. You may either be a God-fearing,
sincere and diligent ruler, doing the right thing at the right moment and following the principles
of justice and equity, you protect rights of others and do your best to fulfil your obligations, in
that case why hide from the public, why draw a curtain around you? On the other hand you may
be a miser refusing to be generous to anyone, in that case people will gradually come to know of
this trait of your character and will gradually give up asking favours of you; but do not overlook
this fact that most of demands presented before you will have nothing to do with your private
purse, they will be about the rights of people, obligations of the State, complaints about State
oppressions and solicitations of justice and equity; then why try to avoid hearing these requests?
You should never overlook this fact that around the rulers there usually are certain
privileged persons (relatives and friends), they may often try to take advantage of their positions
and may resort to selfishness, intrigue, fraud, corruption and oppression. If you find such
people around you then do away with them (however closely connected they may be with you),
immediately bring an end to the scandal and clear your surroundings of all such moral and
spiritual filth.
You must never give lands in permanent lease with all proprietory and ownership rights
(Jagirs) to your friends and relatives. You must never allow them to take possession of the source
of water-supply or lands which have special utility for the commune. If they get possession of
such holdings, they will oppress others to derive undue benefits and thus gather all the fruits for
themselves leaving for you a bad reputation in this world and the punishment in the next.
Be fair in dispensing justice. Punish those who deserve punishment, though he may be
your near relation or a close friend and though such an action may give you pangs of sorrow
and grief. Bear such a sorrow patiently and hope for the heavenly reward; I assure you that this
will bear good fruits.
If on account of certain of your strict measures people get suspicious of your behaving like
a tyrant and oppressor, then come out openly before them, explain to them the reasons of your
actions, let them see facts and realise the truth. This will give training to your mind, will be an
act of kindness to the subject, and, the confidence thus rested in them will make them support
justice and truth and you will achieve the end you have in view of obtaining their support in the
cause of truth.
If your enemy invites you for such a treaty that it will be agreeable to the Lord then never
refuse to accept such an offer, because peace will bring rest and comfort to your armies, will
relieve you from anxieties and worries, and will bring prosperity and abundance to your people.
But even after such treaties be very careful of the enemies and do not place too much faith in
 369
their promises, because they often resort to peace and treaty to deceive and delude you and take
advantage of your negligence, carelessness and trust. At the same time be very careful, never
break your promise with your enemy, and never forsake the protection or support that you have
offered to him, never go back upon your words and never violate the terms of treaty. You must
risk even your life to fulfil the promises given and terms settled. Because of all the obligation
laid by the Mighty Lord upon man (in respect to other men) there is none so important as to
keep one’s promises when made. Though people may differ in their religions and ideologies
and may have divergent views upon various problems of State yet they all agree that promises
when made must be fulfilled. Even the heathens take care to keep the promises made among
themselves, because they have seen and realised the evil effects of promises made and broken.
Therefore, you take very particular care of promises made, never go back upon the words given,
never attach or take up an offensive, without previously challenging and giving an ultimatum.
Deception and fraud even against your enemy is a deception against God and none but a
wretched sinner would dare do that.
God has given promises and treaties the high rank of being messengers of peace and
prosperity and through His Kindness and Mercy has made them a common desire (of keeping
promises) in the mind of all men and a common requirement for all human-beings. He has made
them such a shelter and asylum that everybody desires to be under their protection. Therefore,
there should be no mental reservation, no fraud, no deception and no meanings in between the
lines when you make a promise or conclude a treaty. Do not use such words and phrases in
your promises and treaties which have possibilities of being translated in more than one way
or which may have various interpretations and many explanations; let there be no ambiguity
in them and let them be clear, precise and to the point. And when once treaty has been finally
concluded do not try to take advantage of any ambiguous word or phrase in it. If you find
yourself in difficult situation on account of treaty made in the cause of God, then try to face the
situation and bear the difficulty manfully and do not try to back out of the terms on that account.
Because to face such difficulties and perplexing situations which may gain His Rewards and
Blessings is better than to break your promises on that account and earn that about which you
feel nervous and for which you will have to answer the Lord and which may bring down His
Wrath in this world and damnation in the next.
Beware of the sin of shedding blood without religious justification and sanction. Because
there is nothing quicker to bring down the Wrath of the Lord, to take away His Blessings and
Mercies, to make you more deserving of His Punishment and to reduce the span of your life
than to shed innocent blood. On the Day of Judgment God will first attend to sins of bloodshed
carried on by man of man. Therefore, never try to strengthen your power, position and prestige
by shedding innocent blood. Such murders instead of making your position strong will not only
considerably weaken it but may also transfer your power totally, taking it away from you and
entrusting it to somebody else.
If you have intentionally and purposefully murder a man then no excuse shall be
acceptable to God or to me, because punishment of such a crime is necessary. And if you
commit a man's slaughter by mistake without any intention or motive of killing; or while
delivering legal penalties, your whip, sword or hand unintentionally and inadvertently deals a
fatal blow, because even a forcibly delivered slap or box on the ear may cause death, then do not
on account of your prestige and position refuse paying the compensation to the heirs.
 370
Beware and do not develop the trait of self-admiration and self-appreciation. Do not get
conceited of the good points that you find in your character or good deeds that you have done.
Do not let flattery and complementation make you vain and egoist. Remember that of all the
cunning ruses of the devil to undo the good deeds of pious people and to affect their piety,
flattery and praises are the ones on which it relies the most.
Do not boast of the favours and kindnesses you have done to your subject and do not try to
make them realise this; do not think too much of the good that you have done to them and do not
go back upon the promises made; all these three habits are very ugly features of one’s character.
The practice of boasting over the favours done undoes the good done; the habit of exaggerating
and thinking very highly of our good actions will make you lose the guidance of God; and the
custom of breaking one’s promises is disliked both by the Lord and by the man. The Merciful
Lord says “It highly displeases God that you do not fulfil your promises”.
Do not be hasty and precipitate in your decisions and actions and when time comes for
an action to be done or a decision to be taken then do not be lazy, do not waste time and do not
show weakness. When you do not find a true way to do the thing on hand then do not persist on
the wrong way and when you find a correct solution then do not be lethargic in adopting it. In
short do everything in its proper time and proper way and keep everything in its proper place.
Do not reserve for yourself anything which is common property to all and in which others
have equal rights. Do not close your eyes from glaring mal-practices of the officers, miscarriage
of justice and misuse of rights, because you will be held responsible for the wrong thus done to
others. In near future your wrong practices and mal-administration will be exposed and you will
be called for and punished for the wrong done to the helpless and oppressed people. Take care
and keep good control over your temper, your anger, your desire to be arrogant and vain. Take
care of your hands when you are out to deliver punishment and of the sharpness of your tongue
when you are saying harsh things. The best way to achieve this is not to be hasty in remarks and
to delay in delivering punishment that your temper may be abated and you get complete control
over yourself. And this you cannot achieve unless you constantly remember that you have to
return to God and unless His fear overcomes every other sentiment.
You must always try to remember the good and useful things done in the past, activities
of a just and benign Government, good deeds done by it, good laws promulgated; orders and
traditions of the Holy Prophet (A.S.), orders of God given out in His Holy Book; and things that
you have seen me doing or have heard me saying. Follow the good actions and advices found
therein. Similarly, follow carefully the advices contained in these orders. Through them I have
tried to teach you all that can be taught about a good Government. I have done my duty with
you, so that you may not go astray and your mind may not crave after base desires. If it does,
then you will have no excuse before God.
I beseech God by His Limitless Mercy and by His Supreme Might of granting us our prayers,
that He may lead both of us to the Divine Guidance of achieving His Pleasure, of successfully
pleading our cases before Him, justifying our deeds before man, of gaining good repute, of
leaving good results of our benign and just rule with ever-expanding prosperity and ever-
increasing welfare of the State, and of meeting our ends as martyrs and pious persons, as our
return is towards Him only.
May the peace of God be upon the Holy Prophet and his Ahley Baith (Descendants).
 371
LETTER No. 54

A letter written by Hazrath to Talha and Zubair and sent to them through Imran-Ibne-Has-
sen-e-Khuzaee. This Imran was a companion of the Holy Prophet (A.S.). He had embraced
Islam before the battle of Khaiber and from then onwards he always accompanied the Holy
Prophet (A.S.). He was a very pious person and was one of the very authentic narrators of
the traditions of the Holy Prophet. Besides Nahjul Balagah this letter is narrated by Abu-
Jaffer-e-Iskafee, in his famous book “The Mohkamath”.
You may try as much as you like to hide this fact and to draw curtains over it, but both of
you know very well that I did not approach the people to get their oath of allegiance, but they
came to me with their desire to make me their Amir (Ruler). I did not extend my hands towards
them that they may swear the oath of allegiance upon it but they extended their hands towards
me. And you two were among those who had flocked round me to swear the oath.
You all came to me to take the oath not because you were afraid of any power of mine to
oppress or tyrannise you, neither you had expectations of any monetary gain from me.
If you two had then taken the oath of allegiance of your own free will without any duress
then does not break this oath, come back to it, repent before the Lord for your action of having
broken the oath. And if your action of swearing the oath of allegiance was not a sincere act done
with pleasure and free-will then your behaviour of pretending obedience and fidelity in the be-
ginning and revolting against me at a later time does not speak well of your character and serves
as an argument in my favour and against you.
Upon my life you had no more pressing need than other Mohajireen to hide your real
intentions from me and to hypocritically pretend fidelity and allegiance. In fact, there was more
justification then for you not to swear the oath of allegiance and not to offer your fidelity than
to go back upon your oath and promise now. You two were wealthy people, had your clans to
support and back you. Those clans were then as they are now, powerful tribes. You were not
forced to come and take the oath. Do you know what made you then behave like a hypocrite and
how like a freed-slave? They were your ulterior motives.
You are telling people that I am responsible for the murder of Caliph Oosman. To bear
witness to the fact that who is responsible for the murder of the Caliph, you two or I, there are
people in Madina, who are impartial, they have never sided you or me and have kept themselves
aloof from me from the very beginning. Shall we ask their opinion as to who is responsible
for this death? Their opinion will settle the question once for all, will lay the responsibility on
proper shoulders and will disclose the part each one of us has played of helping the Caliph as
much as possible or exciting the people against him and abetting with the murder.
My respected friends! give up your present attitude though I know that by declaring the
falsity of your position today you stand the chance of being ridiculed and disgraced, yet by
persisting in your wrong and sinful attitude you will tomorrow certainly earn the disgrace and
ridicule in this world as well as the punishment in the next.

LETTER No. 55
A letter to Moavia

You must know and understand that God has made this world a place where one is to stay
 372
only to provide for a happy life for his hereafter by his good deeds. People are tested here so that
they may be rewarded there according to their merits.
Our existence does not end here and we are not created only for this world, neither we are
ordered to concentrate our energies only to acquire pleasures, power and pomp here. We are
brought here simply to test our knowledge, intentions and activities.
You are being tested through me and I am being tested through you. Each one of us is
to be an evidence or a demonstration of the intentions and deeds of other-whether they have
been godly or sinful. You began by mis-interpreting the Holy Quran and on the basis of these
mis-interpretations and with their help you started grasping power and wealth and began
oppressing and tyrannising the people. Your next ungodly action was to call me responsible for
an action of which my tongue and my hands were both innocent (murder of Caliph Oosman).
You and Syrians tried your best to bring this deed to my door. They learned from your side,
persuaded the ignorant and influential people, impelled and drove the commoners to rise against
me.
Fear God and do not let Satan drive you wherever it wants; think of death and the life after
death because that is only resting-place for you and me and for every human being. Be afraid
that Wrath of the Almighty Lord may throw you into such a calamity that it will not only be an
end of you but an end of your dynasty.
I swear, and my oath is such that I have no intention of breaking it that if fate so arranges
as to bring us face to face against each other then I shall not leave the battle-field unless the Lord
decides combat one way or the other and He is the best judge.

LETTER No. 56

When Hazrath appointed Haane-lbne-Shoreh as Commanding Officer of the Vanguard of

his Army, which was marching towards Syria, he gave Haane the following instructions: -
Day and night keep the fear of God in your mind. Be afraid of this alluring and vicious
world, never trust it. If you do not check yourself from the desire of acquiring ungoldy and
inordinate cravings, then your mind will surely drive you towards losses. Therefore, have a
complete watch and command over yourself and at the time of anger and annoyance see that
you do not lose control over your temper.

LETTER No. 57

While leaving Madina for Basra, Hazrath wrote the following letter to Kufiyites. It is a
wonderful epistle. It invites people to check the godliness of his intentions and actions.
After praise of the Lord and homage to the Holy Prophet (A.S.) let it be known to you that I
am leaving this city either as a tyrant and an oppressor or I am being tyrannised and oppressed;
either I am revolting against the people or some of them have intrigued to revolt against me.
Whatever the case may be I invite in the name of God those to whom this letter reaches to come
and see for themselves whether I am in the right or on the wrong. If they find me on the path of
truth and justice, they may help me and if they find that I am on the wrong then they can reason
me out of it.
 373
LETTER No. 58

A letter sent by Hazrath to the people of various provinces, giving them the reasons of the
battle of Siffeen.
The thing began in this way: We and Syrians were facing each other while we had
common faith in one God, in the same Prophet and on the same principles and canons of the
religion. So far as the faith in God and the Holy Prophet (A.S.) was concerned we never wanted
them (the Syrian) to believe anything over and above or other than what they were believing and
they did not want us to change our faith. Both of us were united on these principles.
The point of contention between us was the question of murder of Oosman. It had created
the split. They wanted to lay the murder at my door and I am actually innocent of it.
I advised them that this problem cannot be solved by excitement, let the excitement
subside, let us cool down, let us do away with sedition and revolt, let the country settle down
into peaceful atmosphere and when once a stable Government is formed and right authority is
accepted then let this question be dealt with on principles of equity and justice, because only
then the authority will have power enough to find the criminals and to bring them to justice.
They refused to accept my advice and said that they wanted to decide the issue on the
point of sword.
When they thus rejected my proposal of peace and kept on sabre-rattling then naturally
the battle began, which was furious and bloody. When they saw defeat facing them across the
battle-field, when many of them were killed and many more wounded then they fell upon their
knees and proposed the same thing which I had proposed before the blood-shed had began.
I accepted their proposal so that their desire may be fulfilled, my intentions of accepting
the principle of truth and justice and acting according to these principles may become clear, and
they shall have no cause to complain against me.
Now whoever adheres firmly to the promises made will be the one, whose salvation will be
saved by the Lord, and one who will try to go back upon the promises made will go deeper and
deeper into heresy, error and loss. His eyes will be closed to realities and truth in this world and
he will be punished in the next world.

LETTER No. 59
A letter to Aswad-Ibne-Kathiba, the Governor of Hulwan: -

After praise of God and homage to the Holy Prophet (A.S.) let it be known to you that if
a ruler develops different inclinations and favours about different people over whom he rules
then his treatment with them will not be on the basis of equity and impartiality. And this will
not allow him to be just and fair to all and every. But so far as equity and justice are concerned
your treatment of all should be fair and unprejudiced. Remember that nothing can compensate
tyranny and oppression.
Keep yourself justly away from what you consider bad and evil in others. Try your best to
fulfil the obligations laid down by God upon you. Keep on hoping for his Reward and Favours
and fearing his Displeasure and Wrath. Because this world is a place for trials and tests and
whoever wastes his time here will repent this waste on the Day of Judgment.
Remember that nothing will ever make you independent of the Favours, Mercy and
 374
Blessing of God, and He has made it incumbent upon you that you have complete control over
your ownself, that you, to the best of your ability, protect and guard the people over whom you
rule. In this way you will be benefitted more than you benefit others.

LETTER No. 60

The following is the circular letter Hazrath had sent to those Governors and State Officers
through whose territory the Armies of Hazrath were to pass.
From the creature of God, Ali-Ibne-Abu Talib to the Governors and the Collectors of those
provinces through which his Armies are to pass:-
After praise of God and homage to the Holy Prophet (may the peace of God be upon
him and his descendants) be it known to you that I am sending some detachments of Army
which will, God willing, shortly pass through your cities and provinces. I have issued them the
orders which God wants them to obey; The orders are: that they should not molest anybody
and not harm any person or anything. I want to inform you and your subject that if the soldiers
misbehave themselves or if they take anything, their action is against my orders. Except for the
condition that they accidentally fall short of the ration and can find no way to appease their
appetite if they take anything from anybody they are to be punished. You may punish them. But
take care and do not allow the foolish and insolent people of your place to quarrel or insult them
and interfere or obstruct in things that I have permitted them. I shall also be following the army.
You may report to me of any excess or violence committed within your jurisdiction or of any
awkward and difficult position in which you find yourself or any harshness or atrocity which
was perpetrated in your province and which you cannot redeem without the help of God and
your Imam; if you report all such affairs to me, God willing I shall attend to them and settle them
to the satisfaction of all.

LETTER No. 61

A letter from Hazrath to Kumail Ibne Ziyad-E-Nakhaee, expressing his displeasure and
rebuking him in leaving his province unguarded and allowing the army of the enemy to
enter and carry on a loot. He was the Governor of Hayat and had not properly defended
the province against the Syrian Guerrillas, after their attack and loot he wanted permission
of Hazrath to take revenge of that action from the Syrian province of Kirkeesa. Hazrath
replied him in the following letter: -
It is wrong to a person to disregard and neglect the duty entrusted to him and try to take
up the work entrusted to somebody else and at a time when he is not called for it. Such an
attitude indicates a weak and harmful mentality. Your desire to invade Kirkeesa and to leave
your province undefended, unguarded and unattended shows the confusion of mind you are just
now passing through. By such an action you will convert yourself into a kind of bridge which
your enemy can cross conveniently to reach your friends. Thus you will be a useless auxiliary
who has neither power nor prestige nor dignity, who cannot stop his enemy's in-roads nor can
crush him and who cannot defend his subject nor can he may be of any use or help to his ruler.
 375
LETTER No. 62

A letter to Egyptians which Hazrath handed over to Malik Ibne-Haaris-ul-Ashter to take it

with him when he was appointed as the Governor of that province.
The Almighty God, Glory be to Him entrusted our Holy Prophet (A.S.) with the mission
of warning the people with the evil effects of their vicious actions and of bearing testimony
of the truth actually taught and preached by other prophets. When the Holy Prophet (A.S.)
died Muslims started a tug of war for the Caliphate. I swear by God that at that juncture it did
not even pass in my imagination that Arabs would snatch the Caliphate from the family and
descendants of the Holy Prophet (A.S.) and that they were swearing the oath of allegiance for
the Caliphate on the hand of a certain person. At every stage I kept myself aloof of that strug-
gle for supremacy and power-politics till I found that heretics have openly taken to heresy and
schism and were trying to undermine and ruin the religion preached by our Holy Prophet (A.S.).
I felt afraid that even after seeing and recognising the evil if I did not stand up to help Islam and
Muslims it would be worse calamity to me than losing authority and power over you, which was
only a transient and short lived affair. Therefore, when I stood up amidst the pressing swarm of
innovations and schism the dark clouds of heresy dispersed, falsehood and schism crushed and
the religion was saved.
Another part of this letter
I swear by God that if I alone come out to face them and if all the world joins them I shall
neither feel nervous nor attach much care to their following. By the grace of God, I know fully
well what kind of reprobates they are, how they persist on vice and how hardened they are in
sin.
I am very anxious to reach the Realm of God and I earnestly hope and pray for His
Blessings and Favours. But it grieves me to see that this nation and country is being ruled
by uneducated, unwise and vicious rulers. They grasp the wealth of the country and drive its
people into slavery. They hate pious and good people and quarrel or fight with them. They
gather heretics and sinners around them and are happy in such company. You have had
experience of some of them. One of them was punished for drinking wine. Among this crowd
there is a man who did not embrace Islam until he found Islam not only a faith or religion but
a powerful State and Government, offering enormous possibility of gaining power and wealth.
If I had no desire of saving Islam and Islamic society from the influence and sway of such
people I would not have called you for a Jehad, I would not have tried to make you see the
reality of situation, I would not have exerted myself to gather you together, and I would not have
persuaded you to defend the cause of God, but finding you so indifferent towards the good of
Islam and observing your reluctance to help its cause I would have left you to your condition.
Do you not see and realise that boundaries of your State are getting shorter and shorter
daily and parts of your kingdom are being snatched and usurped, your properties are being
confiscated and your cities are being invaded. May God have Mercy upon you, come out to
defend your country, your property and your religion from the in-roads of your enemies. Do not
be lazy, careless and cowardly otherwise your lot will be humiliation and disgrace. Remember a
warrior is always wary and vigilant and never incautious and negligent, whoever is unmindful
and careless about his cause his enemy will not sleep over this advantage.
 376
LETTER No. 63

Abdullah-Ibne-Quais, better known in history as Abu Moosa-E-Asharee, was a man with

weak faith, more inclined to look after his worldly interest than the cause of religion. At
the beginning of the Caliphate of Hazrath he was in Koofa. When he learnt that Talha and
Zubair along with Ummul Muslimeen Bibi Aiyesha have revolted against the Caliphate of
Hazrath, and declaring a war against him and had made Basra as their Headquarters; and
Hazrath had also started mobilising an army against them and had invited people of Koofa
to join that army, he realised that the party of Talha and Zubair was also a very rich and
influential group and it was a wise action to be friendly with both the parties, he started
saying “Though Ali was the lawful Caliph of Muslims, yet it was not correct for him to
fight against other Muslims”. Hazrath came to know that Abu Moosa though professing
his faith in Hazrath was yet persuading people not to help Hazrath; thereupon he sent the
following letter to Abu Moosa along with Imam Hassan (A.S.):-
From the creature of God, Ali Ibne-Abu-Talib, to Abdulla Ibne Quais (Abu Moosa-E-
Asharee). After praise of God and homage to the Holy Prophet (A.S.) let it be known to you that
I have received reports which may be considered favourable to you and yet at the same time may
be deemed against you (that you on one hand declare me to be a lawful Caliph and in the same
breath you persuade others not to come to my help). As soon as my messenger reaches get ready,
come out of your retreat, invite your people to join me and come yourself. If you are convinced
that I am on the right side then you must come to my help and if you feel uncertain, nervous or
timid then get you gone.
I swear by God that I shall not let you waver or carry a double-crossing policy, I shall not
allow you to sit peacefully at home with a double face, one for each party and I shall expose
you to the people. You will find yourself under suspicion from either group and will be forced to
declare your true inclinations.
This revolt, which has made Basra as its Headquarters is not an easy joke as you have
imagined it to be. It is a great tragedy and it shall have very far-reaching effects. But it has to be
faced and calamities which accompany it or which will follow it will have to be fought and get
the better of.
Therefore, I advise you to think carefully, control your weak and wavering mind, and
throw your cast bravely. And if you are not satisfied with me or have no faith in me then you
can with complete freedom go to the other side. You have my unreserved permission. But I am
sure you will not be welcomed there. But if you remain in my camp I shall not allow you to enjoy
a restful sleep when Islam itself is in troubles and at war with rebels. I swear by God that this
decision of mine is the right step of a faithful Muslim in the right direction.

LETTER No. 64
A reply to Moavia's letter:

It is correct as you say that in pre-Islamic days we were united and at peace with each
other. But have you realised that dissension and disunity between us dawned with the dawn of
Islam. The reason was that we accepted and preached Islam and you remained heathens. The
condition now is that we are faithful and staunch followers of Islam and you have revolted
 377
against it. Even your original acceptance was not sincere, it was simple hypocrisy. When you
saw that all the big people of Arabia have embraced Islam and have gathered under the banner
of the Holy Prophet (A.S.) you also walked in (after the fall of Mecca).
In your letter you have falsely accused me of killing Talha and Zubair, driving Ummul
Muslemeen Aiyesha from her home at Madina and making Koofa and Basra as the seat of the
Government. Even if all that you say against me is correct you have nothing to do with them,
you are not harmed by those incidents and I have not to apologise to you for any of them.
You have threatened that you are coming out to fight against me with a large horde of
Mohajereen and Ansars. Do tell me who these Mohajereen are, because the door of Hijrat
(Holy Migration of Muslims to save their lives from the hands of unbelievers of Quraish) was
closed on the day your elder brother, Yazid Ibne Abu Sufyan was taken as a prisoner and Mecca
was surrendered by your father. Because the necessity of migration ceased as soon as your
heathenish sway ceased (The Holy Prophet (A.S.) had said that there will no more be Hijrat after
the victory of Mecca).
Are you so anxious for a battle? Wait you may get it to your heart's content. I may come
out myself to meet you, which will be a correct gesture on my part, because God may have
destined me to punish you for your inequities. And if you take the initiative to come out to fight
then it would, as a poet of Bani Asad has said “They are facing those furious summer winds
which shower sand, rubble and gravel-stones”. Remember that I still hold the sword which has
sent your maternal grand-father, maternal uncle and your brother to the same resting-place, the
Hell.
By God I know you too well to argue with you or to advise you. Apostasy and
avariciousness has taken a firm hold of your mind; your intelligence is of inferior order and you
cannot differentiate what is in the end good for you and what is not. It is correct to say about
you that you have risen to such dangerous and sinful heights that your fall which is inevitable
will be eternal damnation. Because you are coveting a thing which morally does not belong to
you, for which you are religiously most unsuitable and with which you have neither sincere
affection nor any affinity or propensity. It had been once usurped from the right person and you
now want to grasp it.
How great is the difference between your words and deeds? How much you resemble your
maternal and paternal uncles, whose ill-luck persuaded them to deny and repudiate the Holy
Prophet (A.S.) and to fight against him and in the end every one of them was killed. You know
very well that they could not protect themselves or protect the cause they were championing
from men who were energetic and brave and were present in every battle field to defend the
cause of Islam.
You have also written so much about the murderers of Caliph Oosman. The correct thing
for you to do is to take the oath of allegiance to me as others have done and present the case in
my court of justice and then I shall pass my judgment according to tenets of the Holy Quran. But
what you are desiring now is a deceit usually played upon babies when they are to be checked
from breast-nursing.
May peace of God be upon those who deserve it.
 378
LETTER No. 65
A letter to Moavia

There is still time left for you to see realities which are bright enough to be seen and derive
the benefit from the knowledge thus gained. But you are following your ancestors’ footsteps in
pretending falsehood to be true, in seducing people with lies and false hopes, in claiming a thing
far above your merits and capacities and in grasping things which religion prohibits you to.
This is so because you want to flee from truth, from religion and from God and you have
denied and refused to accept realities which, if you realise are more important to you than your
own flesh and blood, these are the realities which you have been repeatedly told and have often
been made to understand.
Now tell me that if you disown truth and religion what will remain with you but plain
and evident apostasy and utter reprobation, and if refuse to accept the truth as told by God and
the Holy Prophet (A.S.) what will you believe in but foolish, superstitious and irrational fears.
Therefore, do not give way to doubts (about the truth which Islam has imparted) and do not be
misled by schism into blind alleys. Beware that sinful temptation has drawn heavy curtains and
the darkness they create is blinding to reason.
I received your letter. I do not know what to think about it. To me it appears to be an idiotic
confusion of irrelevant ideas. Reconciliation, treaty and peace are not the things which you want
to offer or to accept. What your letter contains but disjointed words and meaningless phrases.
It has been worded by somebody who has neither knowledge nor reasoning, who can neither
offer anything nor invite an offer. By writing such an idiotic letter you have placed yourself in
the position of a man who has been stuck in a bog or one who is groping his way in the dark.
It will be a great misfortune for Muslims if you become their despotic ruler after me- be
it the whole Islamic State or any small part of it-may God protect them during such a calamity.
God forbid that I appoint you as a Governor of any province or willingly allow you to control
the destinies of Muslims of any part of the State.
Be reasonable and act rationally because if you miss this chance you will find yourself in a
very serious situation when faithful Muslims attack you and what can be accepted of you today
will not then be acceptable.

LETTER No. 66

A letter to Abdullah Ibne Abbas. Ibne Abbas says that except the advices and sayings of the
Holy Prophet (A.S.) no other advice has benefitted him more than this: -
Sometime man feels very happy for getting a thing which has actually destined for him and
feels sorry for not getting a thing which he was not destined to get. Therefore, you should not
feel happy if your desires are fulfilled and should not feel sorry at deprivals (Leave everything to
the will of God). You should not consider the achievements of pleasures of life, or opportunities
of revenge for wrongs done to you as the main blessings bestowed upon you, but you must feel
happy for good deeds that you have provided for hereafter. You must feel sorry for the wealth
that you have left without spending it on good causes and the opportunities you have lost of
doing noble and pious deeds. Nothing should worry but the idea of death and the life after death.
(On another occasion Hazrath wrote another similar letter to Ibne-Abbas).
 379
LETTER No. 67

A letter to Quasum Ibne Abbas (brother of Abdullah Ibne Abbas), who was Governor of
Mecca.
After praise of God and homage to the Holy Prophet (A.S.) be it known to you that
you should make all necessary arrangements for the festival of Haj and remind people of the
importance of the days of God (days reserved for one or another kind of religious functions, for
instance, Eid, Haj, Ramazan etc.) and how are they to be observed. Hold meetings and audiences
(during these days) mornings and evenings. Give proper answers and guidance to those who
ask questions about religion and religious observances and functions. Educate those who are
ignorant. Hold discussions and exchange your views with educated and learned people. None
should carry your message to people but your tongue and let none come between you and those
who want to approach you (not even a door keeper or a guard). Do not let really poor and needy
people go from you with empty hands if they come to ask favour of you. Remember that if you
once send away a really needy person with a curt refusal and if you grant the favour on second
approach you will not get the credit of being sympathetic and generous.
Be careful of the public treasury. Spend its money on poor and have-nots of your province.
Find them out (if they do not come to you) and find out their necessities and spend over them. If
any surplus is left over after such expenditure, then send the amount to the centre so that it may
meet the requirements of the poor of this or being other place.
Order the citizens of Mecca not to charge rent of the quarter they give out to pilgrims,
because the Almighty Lord has decreed that in this Holy City the permanent residents and the
pilgrims have equal status and right. May God enable us to do the things which He approves
and likes.

LETTER No. 68

Hazrath wrote this letter to Sulman-e-Farsee, before his Caliphate: -

This world is like a serpent, so soft to touch yet so lethal in its bite. Therefore, try to avoid
those things of this place which please you or allure you, because this world will be with you
for a very short time and will be of very little use to you. Do not keep your mind fully engrossed
with mundane affairs because you know for certain that you will shortly leave this world.
Be most wary and cautious of this vicious world at times when it allures and pleases you
the most. Because it is an old trick of this world that when a man is most happy with pleasure
of owning and possessing it, it suddenly deserts him; and when a man is most confident of its
protection, help and love, it certainly forsakes him.

LETTER No. 69
A letter to Haarris-e- Hamadani: -

Never forsake the orders, instructions and advices given by the Quran. So far as basic
presumptions of actions and things, lawful, legitimate and allowable or unlawful, forbidden and
prohibited, are concerned accept the rulings of the Holy Book. Confirm and testify the truth
said before (religions of ancient prophets). Take lessons from history for your future. Because
 380
history often repeats itself, and future nations of the world will mostly follow the foot-steps of
those which have passed. But this whole world is going to end and every individual has to leave
it some day or the other.
Keeping in mind the Might of the Lord be particularly careful not to swear by Him unless
you are taking an oath for a true and lawful affair. Always remember death and the life after
death but never wish for death. If you want to face death, then do it for a great cause.
Try to avoid all such things which a man may like for himself and may grudge for others.
Abstain from every such action which you will have to do covertly and secretly and which you
feel ashamed to do openly. Refrain from every such deed, which the perpetrator will have to
accept as evil or bad or for which he will have to tender an apology or excuse.
Do not acquire a bad reputation and do not allow your good reputation to be sullied.
Do not mention hearsay things as authenticated facts, such a practice is sufficient for you to
be regarded as liar. Do not develop the habit of contradicting and falsifying others on every
occasion, it is a disgusting habit.
Control your temper. If you have power to retaliate then forgive and forget. When in anger,
be forbearing, patient and tolerant. When you are in possession of wealth, power and authority
then be forgiving, merciful and compassionate, these traits will help you to gain your salvation.
Be sincerely thankful for all the Favours and Blessings which the Merciful Lord has
granted to you, pray for their continuance, do not misuse them and do not waste them; you must
show by your deeds the extent of your obligations to Him for His Favours.
Remember that among the faithful Muslims he is the best who gives out alms and charities
on his own behalf and on the behalf of his family and his property. Whatever you spend in this
way is something that you send in advance for your life after death. You will then receive the
reward of such deeds. And whatever you leave here will be used by others and you will not get
the benefit of it.
Avoid the company of men who are weak in their decisions and views, who are
superstitious and who are wicked; because people are judged by the company they keep.
If possible, try to live in large cities because they are centers of Islamic culture and Islamic
traditions. Avoid places where time is wasted in pastimes and amusements, where there are
concentration of ignorant and uneducated people and where you find scarcity of companions or
lack of society and surroundings to carry on your religious functions.
Keep yourself busy with your work and do not frequent abodes meant for vicious pursuits,
because they are centers of activities of Satan and places which spread vice and sin.
Always look to the conditions of people not so well-off as you are because observation of
their lives and positions will make you more content with your lot in life and more thankful to
God for it.
Never start on a travel on Fridays without attending Friday prayers unless you are going
out for a Holy War or when there is no alternative for you but to set out.
In all of your works keep the thought of God in your mind and act according to His
Commands and Interdictions, because obedience to His Orders has priority over every other
thing. By various means and in various ways persuade yourself towards prayers but do not
overtax and do not be harsh with yourself, be gentle and persuasive. When you are free from
other duties and you are having good health then spend your free hours and healthy days in
prayers. But the question daily prayers (five times a day) is a different question. They have to be
performed compulsorily and in time.
 381
Take care that such a calamity may not overtake you, that while you are trying to run
away from religion and God and are running after a vicious world death overtakes you. Avoid
the company of sinful and wicked people, because bad company allures a person towards evil
ways. Always keep the Might and Majesty of God in view and be friend of his friends. Be afraid
of your own anger because out of the armies of Satan man's anger is its strongest force.

LETTER No. 70

A letter written to Sohail Ibne Haneef, the Governor of Madina (and brother of Oosman
Ibne Haneef) about some Madinites who had left him and gone over to Moavia. The
two brothers, Oosman and Sohail were favourite companions of Hazrath. Whenever he
felt that they have made even a minor error (like attending the dinner of a rich man by
Oosman) Hazrath warned them of the viciousness of such action.
After praise of God and homage Holy Prophet (A.S.) be it known to you that I am
informed that some Madinites are leaving you covertly and surreptitiously to join the hordes of
Moavia. Do not feel sorry for those who have left you and have thus refused you their help and
assistance. Their turning of faces away from God and His Guidance and stealthily walking over
to sin and vice is proof enough of their apostasy and schism, and reason enough for you to be
thankful for good riddance of bad rubbish. These are worldly people. They are drawn towards
the vicious world and are running fast after it. They have heard (from Quran, the Holy Prophet
(A.S.) and Hazrath) what equity and justice mean, they have seen a just and equitable rule, they
have recognised the implications of these principles and they have fully realised how the use
of these principles will bring them in level with the commonest and the poorest person of the
country and how they will be treated like every other human-being. Therefore, they are rushing
towards a society where corruption, vice and sin are at premium, where favouritism holds sway
and where justice and equity are abhorred.
I swear by God that these people are not running away from injustice, inequity, oppression
or tyranny, neither they are attaching themselves to truth, justice, equity and fair-play. I pray to
God to ease the difficulties and remove the obstacles this exodus has created and make our work
easy for us.

LETTER No. 71

Hazrath had entrusted something to Manzar lbne-Jarood-Abdi which he misappropriated.

Thereupon Hazrath wrote the following letter to him: -
The fact is that the piety, honesty and righteousness of your father made me to
miscalculate your character. I thought you were a worthy son of a worthy father and were
following him in his honesty and righteousness. But all of a sudden I received news about you
which confirms the fact that you do not check and control your inordinate desires, that you do
not attach any importance to you after-life and you want to adorn and beautify your life at the
cost of your salvation and that you are forsaking your religion to provide for your relatives. If all
that is reported to me about you is correct then the very camel you own or even the strap shoe is
superior to you. You and men of your calibre are not persons to be confided with financial affairs
of a country or to be assigned to important vacancies of the State or to be entrusted to check and
control dishonesty or disloyalty. Therefore, as soon as you receive this letter come back to me.
 382
LETTER No. 72
A letter to Abdullah-Ibne-Abbas

Remember Ibne Abbas that you cannot over live the span of life allotted to you, neither can
you ever get that which has not been destined for you. You must know that this world has two
aspects; one of its phase is that sometimes it serves you and works in your favour and the other
is, it acts against you. This world is a place for empires to come and go; it is an abode of constant
change. Here anything and everything which has been destined to do you good will reach you
though you may not be strong and fit enough to try for it, and the loss, if it has been decreed for
you, will come to you however you may try to avoid it.

LETTER No. 73
A letter to Moavia

I am tired of reading your letters and replying to them. I feel that I have made mistake in
giving them undue importance and taking them seriously. You are always unreasonable and
often irrational. Your sole desire is to make me accept your demand (of allowing your oppressive,
tyrannic and apostatic sway over a big province) and for this you have carried on an unending
series of correspondence. Your condition is that of a man, who wants to live in land of happy
dreams and does not want to face sad realities; or the one who is confused and does not know
what to do and where to go, who is unaware what the future (after-life) has in store for him. I
know that you are not a fool but how much you resemble foolish and unreasonable people.
I swear by God that had I not been disinclined to bring harm to you I would have taken
the initiative and would have punished you very seriously. Beware that Satan has made you
incorrigible; it has made you blind to good things as shown by the Holy Prophet (A.S.) and deaf
to his teachings.
May the Peace and Blessings of God reach those who deserve them.

LETTER No. 74

A treaty which Hazrath has worked for Bani Rabeeya tribe and Yamanites to agree upon.
Husham Ibne Saayeb-E-Kulbi had noted this treaty in his Book.
This is the treaty which has been agreed upon by the Yamanites people, be they urban or
rural and pastoral and the people of the Bani Rabeeya tribe, be they dwellers of cities or living in
villages or desert; through this treaty both the parties have agreed that they will steadfastly ad-
here to their faith in the Holy Book, will accept its orders and tenets, will invite people towards
it and will pass judgments according to its teachings and rulings; that they will accept the call of
those who invite them towards this Book and accept the judgement passed according to it, that
they will not accept anything in lieu and instead of this Book and will not sell it at any cost; that
they will forsake those who forsake this Book and that they will unite to fight against those who
go against this Book.
They promise to help each other and to speak with a common voice on affairs of mutual
interest. They will not break this agreement on account of excitement or anger of any person or
because one participant considers the other humble, weak or powerless, or because one group
speaks disparagingly of the other.
 383
Every member of the covenanting party whether present or absent, whether educated or
illiterate, wise or ignorant will stand by this agreement faithfully and sincerely.
Over and above the terms of this covenant is the promise of its observance which they
have made to God and for which they will be held responsible and answerable.
This is a treaty worded by Ali-Ibne-Abu Talib.

LETTER No. 75

After the Muslims took oath of allegiance to Hazrath, he wrote the following letter to
Moavia. Wakhedee has copied this letter in his book of Jamal.
After praise to God and homage to the Holy Prophet (A.S.) be it known to you, that you
very well know my attitude towards your tribe, why in the beginning I fought against you all in
defense of Islam and how and why later on I kept myself aloof from you and from your activities;
I had no concern about your tribe till that incident took place which could not be prevented.
It is a long story and much has been said and is being said about it. However, fate has done its
deed. Now you take oath of my allegiance of people in your province and come to me with their
deputation.

LETTER No. 76

When Hazrath sent Abdullah-Ibne-Abbas as his representative to Basra, he gave Ibne-

Abbas the following instructions: -
Treat people pleasantly and kindly, welcome them to your audience and company; do not
be very harsh in issuing and enforcing your orders; do not lose temper, because this weakness is
always a good opening for Satan to find its way into your mind. Always keep this in mind that
the thing which takes you nearer to God will carry you away from the Hell; and the thing which
drives you away from God will drive you towards the Hell.

LETTER No. 77

When Hazrath sent Abdullah-Ibne-Abbas for discussion against the Kharijites, he gave
Ibne-Abbas the following instructions: -
While arguing never quote statements from the Holy Quran, because the passages of this
Holy Book requires very careful study and consideration and they could be paraphrased in
various ways and various meanings could be construed of them. Thus you will adhere to your
explanation and they will stock to their elucidation. Therefore, argue with them in the light of
the traditions of Holy Prophet (A.S.) and then they will find no way to misrepresent truth.

LETTER No. 78

Abu Moosa Ashari (Abdullah Ibne-Quais) wrote a letter to Hazrath from the place where
decision of the arbitration took place. Hazrath wrote to him the following letter in reply.
Sayeed Ibne Yahya-e-Amwi has quoted this letter in his book “Almagazalee”.
Verily, there are many people in this world who have forsaken their salvation and in its
 384
place they have accepted the pomp and pleasures of a worldly life. They are being driven by their
unruly and inordinate desires and they work and speak on behalf of these desires only.
This affair has placed me in an awkward position. The people who have united against me
are those who want everything out of this vicious and wicked world for themselves and their
pleasures. They have drawn their swords in my face. I am trying to undo the harm they have
done, but I am afraid lest the problem may become very serious and even insolvable.
You know very well that no one is more desirous of the unity of Muslims than I, and the
only thing which I want to achieve by this unity is the Blessings of the Lord and my salvation.
I shall do what I have resolved to do though you may change that good opinion which you had
about me when we last parted. Surely, he is unfortunate who possesses wisdom and acquires
experience and yet does not care to make use of either.
I cannot tolerate lies and falsehood and I cannot bear to see people undoing the good done
by God through Islam.
Therefore, you give up forming opinion about things which you have not clearly
under- stood or visualised, because many people will try their best and their fastest to reach you
with their insinuations.

LETTER No. 79

This is the order issued by Hazrath to his Generals when Hazrath took over the rulership
of the Muslim State: -
Verily, previous rulers have come to sad ends because they prevented people from getting
their just rights; they got corrupted and could be purchased; when they were tempted by sins
and vices they fell in and followed the wicked lead.
 385

SAYINGS
OF
HAZRATH ALI
 386

SAYINGS OF HAZRATH ALI

l. During the times of troubles, disturbances, tumults and wars adopt such an attitude
that people do not attach any importance to you, they neither burden you with important and
weighty affairs nor try to derive any advantage out of you.
2. One who develops the trait of greediness and avarice invites degradation; one who
keeps on advertising his poverty and ill-luck will always be humiliated; one who has no control
over his tongue will often have to face embarrassment and discomfort.
3. Parsimony and avarice is ignominy and disgrace; cowardice is a defect and a vice;
poverty often makes the wisest and the most educated person hold his tongue even from
the most reasonable argument; a poor man is a stranger in his own town; misfortune and
helplessness are calamities; patience and ability to suffer in silence is a kind of bravery; to sever
connections with the vicious world is the greatest wealth and fortune; piety is the best defence
and the best armour.
4. Surrender and acceptance to the Will of God are the best companions; wisdom is the
noblest heritage; theoretical and practical knowledge are best marks of distinction; deep
thinking will present the clearest picture of every problem.
5. A wiseman’s mind is the safest custody of secrets; an open and pleasant countenance
gets more friends; patience and forbearance, will hide and cover many defects.
6. A conceited and self-admiring person is disliked by others; charity and alms are the best
treatments for ailments and calamities; one has to face in after-life the deeds that he has done
in this world.
7. Man is the wonderful creature, he sees through layers of fat (fatty tissue), he hears
through a bone, he speaks through a lump of flesh (tongue).
8. When this world favours anybody it lends him qualifications, attributes and surpassing
merits of others, and when it turns its face away from him it snatches away even his own
excellences and fame.
9. Treat people in such a way and live amongst them in such a manner that if you die they
weep over you, and if you are alive they crave for your company.
10. If you get an opportunity and power over your enemy then, in thankfulness to God for
this, forgive him.
11. He is very unfortunate who cannot in his lifetime gain a few sincere friends and
sympathisers and more unfortunate is the one who has gained them and then lost them. (through
his deeds).
12. When few blessings come your way, do not drive them away through thanklessness.
13. Who is deserted by friends and relatives will often find help and sympathy from
strangers.
14. Every person who is tempted to go astray does not deserve punishment.
15. Our affairs are hinged to the destiny decreed by the Lord; even our best thought out
programs may lead us to death and destruction.
16. There is a tradition of the Holy Prophet (A.S.) “With the help of hair-dye turn old age
into youth, so that you do not resemble Jews”. When Hazrath was asked to comment on this
tradition, he said that in the early stage of Islam there were very few Muslims. They Holy
 387
Prophet (A.S.) advised them to look young and energetic and not to adopt the fashion of Jews
(priest) having long, white flowing-beards. But Muslims are not in minority now, theirs is a
strong and powerful State, they can take up any style they like.
17. For those who refused to side with any party, Hazrath or his enemies, Hazrath said:
they have forsaken religion and were of no use to infidelity also.
18. One who rushes madly after inordinate desires runs the risk of encountering
destruction and death.
19. Overlook and forgive weaknesses of generous people, because if they fall down Hand
of God lifts them.
20. Failures are often result of timidity and fears; disappointments are results of uncalled
for modesty; hours of leisure pass away like summer-clouds, therefore, do not waste opportunity
of doing good.
21. If the right usurped from us is given back to us we shall take, if not we shall keep on
claiming it.
22. Whose deeds lower him, his pedigree cannot elevate.
23. To come to the relief of distressed and to help the oppressed act as expiation and
amends to many sins.
24. O son of Adam! when you see that in-spite of God's constant Favours your life is a
continuous sin, then take warning (His Wrath may not turn those very blessings into
misfortunes).
25. Often your utterances and expressions of your face leak out the secrets of your hidden
thoughts.
26. When you get ill do not get nervous over it and try as much as possible to act hopefully.
27. The best form of devotion to the service of God is not to make a show of it.
28. When you have (ultimately) to turn your face from this world and have (eventually) to
meet death, then why wish delay (why feel nervous of death).
29. Take warning! He has not exposed so many of your sinful activities that it appears as
if He has forgiven you (it may be that He has given you a very long rope).
30. When it was asked of Hazrath to explain ‘faith in religion’ he replied that the structure
of the faith is supported by four columns-patience, belief, justness or equity and Jehad, that is
defence for the cause of religion. He further elucidated those four points.
About equity, he said that equity is composed of the attributes of desire, fear,
abstemiousness and expectation; that is, whoever desires to reach the Heaven will not covet
anything of this vicious world, whoever is afraid of the Hell will abstain from sins and vices;
whoever practices piety and abstemiousness will pleasantly bear difficulties and calamities of
life; and whoever expects death will hurry to do good as much and as quickly as possible.
Of belief, Hazrath explained that it is a combination of four traits of character-to guard
oneself against infatuations of sin; to search for explanation of truth through Knowledge; to take
warning from history of nations and life of individuals; to follow the foot- steps of good people
who have passed. Because whoever wants to guard himself against vices and sins will have to
search for the true causes of infatuation and true ways of fighting them; to find those true ways
one has to search them with the help of knowledge; whoever gets fully acquainted with various
branches of knowledge will take lessons from life; and whoever tries to take lessons from life is
actually engaged in the study of the causes of rise and fall of previous civilisations.
 388
Hazrath further explained that justice and equity also claim four qualities in man: depth of
understanding; profoundness of knowledge, fairness of judgment and clearness of mind; because
whoever tries his best to understand a problem will have to study it; who- ever has the practice
of studying subject he is to deal with will develop a clear mind and will always come to correct
decisions; whoever tries to achieve all this will have to develop ample patience and forbearance;
and whoever does this has done justice to the cause of religion and has led a life of good repute
and fame.
Hazrath explained Jehad (defence of the religion) in the following terms: -
Jehad is divided into four branches: to advise, persuade and order people of obedience
towards God; to prohibit them from sin and vice; to speak truth on all occasions; and to hate
vicious persons and sinners. Whoever persuades people to obey the orders of God helps faithful
Muslims enormously; whoever dissuades them against vices and sins humiliates unbelievers and
apostates; whoever speaks truth on all occasions does his duty to God and man; and whoever
hates and is angry with unbelievers and apostates only for the sake of God then God will be
angry with his enemies and will be pleased with him on the Day of Judgment.
31. Hazrath in the same style has explained the reasons and effects of infidelity and loss of
belief in God.
He says that there are four reasons of infidelity and loss of belief in God: a desire for
unnecessary rationalisation; a passion to dispute every argument; a bigoted and ignorant mind
and a wish not to see and understand truth. Because whoever goes after unreasonable and
unnecessary rationalisation will never be able to reach truth; whoever keeps on disputing every
argument on account of his ignorance will always remain blind to realities; whoever turns his
face away from truth because of bigotedness and ignorance, will always take good for bad and
bad for good, and will always remain satisfied of his ignorance and infidelity; and whoever does
not wish to see truth and refuses to accept it will have a very difficult course left open for him,
his affairs will be very complicated and the way to salvation will be very uncertain.
Similarly, doubt and uncertainty about the truth of what Islam has taught is based
upon four basic reasons: absurd reasoning; fear; vacillation and hesitation; and unreasonable
surrender to heathenism and infidelity. Because one who has accustomed himself to
unreasonable and absurd discussions will never see the Light of Truth and will always live in
the darkness of ignorance; one who is afraid to face true facts (of life, death and the life after
death) will always turn away from ultimate reality; one who allows doubts and uncertainties to
vacillate him will always be under the sway and control of Satan; and one who surrenders
himself to heathenism, accepting damnation in this world and hereafter will so be damned.
32. Anyone who has done a good work is better than his action and anyone who has
committed bad deed is worse than the deed itself.
33. Be generous but not extravagant, be frugal but not miserly.
34. To give up inordinate desires is the best kind of wealth and fortune.
35. One who is quick in saying unpleasant things about others, will himself quickly
become a target to their scandal.
36. One who hopes inordinately impairs the standard of his work.
37. When Hazrath, marching at the head of his army towards Syria, reached Umbaz, the
Zamindars and landlords of the place came out to meet Hazrath. In exuberancy of their emotions
of love, faithfulness and respect, no sooner they saw Hazrath they got down from their horses
 389
and started running in front of him. Hazrath asked the reason for their strange actions. They
replied that it was their custom. To show their love, fidelity and respect they always acted in
that way. Hazrath replied "By God! by your action you do no good whatsoever to your Rulers,
but you tire yourself and put yourself in toils in this world and in troubles in the next. How
unfortunate is that exertion which brings harm here and hereafter, and how useful is that ease
which keeps you in comfort in this world and away from the Hell in the next.
38. Hazrath once said to his son Imam Hassan (A.S) “My son! learn four things from me
and through them you will learn four more. If you keep them in mind your actions will not bring
any harm to you”.
“The greatest wealth is the wealth of wisdom and judgment; the greatest poverty is the
poverty of stupidity and ignorance; the worst unsociableness is that of vanity, conceit and
self-glorification; the best nobility of decent exhibits itself in politeness and in refinement of
culture. The next four things, my son! are: do not make friend of a fool, because when he will try
to do you good he will do harm; do not make a miser your friend, he will run away from you at
the time of your dire need; do not make friend of a vicious and wicked person because he will
sell you and your friendship at the cheapest cost; and do not make friend of a liar because like a
mirage he will make you visualise very near the things which lie at great distance and will make
you see at great distance the things which are near to you”.
39. Optional prayers cannot attain the pleasures of God for you when compulsory daily
prayers are left unattended.
40. A wise man first thinks and then speaks and a fool speaks and then thinks.
41. A fool’s mind is at the mercy of his tongue and a wise man's tongue is under control
of his mind.
42. One of the companions of Hazrath fell ill, Hazrath called upon him and thus advised
him: “Be thankful to God. He has made this illness a thing to atone your sins; because a disease
in itself has nothing to bring reward to anyone; it merely expiates one’s sins; so far as reward
is concerned one has to earn it with his good words and good deeds. The Almighty Lord grants
Heavens to his creatures on account of their piety and sober thinking.”
43. Khubbab Ibne Aras was a very favourite companion of the Holy Prophet (A.S.). He was
very pious person. He was among those Muslims who were forced to migrate in the early days
of Islam. Before migration he was unhumanly tortured by Quraish. They cut his body in places,
made him lie down on burning sands under the summer sun and rolled him on burning red coals,
yet he stood fast and faithful with Islam. After Hijrath (Holy Migration) he was with the Holy
Prophet (A.S) in all of his wars and was with Hazrath Ali in the battles of Siffeen and Nahrwan
and died at Koofa at the ripe age of 73 years. Hazrath performed his death service and after his
burial eulogised him in the following words: -
“May God Bless Khubbab Ibne Aras, he embraced Islam of his own free-will, he took up
Holy Migration cheerfully, he lived a contented life, he bowed happily before the Will of the
Lord and he led the life of a Holy Warrior”.
44. Happy is the man who always kept the life after death in his view, who remembered
the Day of Reckoning through all his deeds, who led a contented life and who was happy with
the lot that God hath destined for him.
45. If I cut a faithful Muslim into pieces to make him hate me, he will not turn into my
enemy and if I give all the wealth of this world to a hypocritical Muslim to make him my friend
 390
he will not befriend me. It is thus because the Holy Prophet (A.S) has said “O Ali! no faithful
Muslim will ever be your enemy and no hypocritical Muslim will ever be your friend”.
46. The sin which makes you sad and repentant is liked better by the Lord than the good
deed which turns you vain and conceited.
47. Value of a man depends upon his courage and resolution; his veracity depends upon his
traits of nobility and self-respect and his chastity depends upon his sense of honour.
48. Success is the result of foresight and resolution, foresight depends upon deep thinking
and planning, and the most important factor of planning is to keep your secrets to yourself.
49. Be afraid of a gentleman when starvation gnaws his entrails and of mean person when
his stomach is full.
50. Hearts of people are like wild birds, they attach themselves to those who love and train
them.
51. So long as luck is favouring you, your defects will be hidden from the eyes of the world.
52. Only he can forgive who has power to punish.
53. If you help a deserving person without his request then it is generosity and if you help
him after his request then mostly it is due to shyness to refuse or fear of reproach.
54. There is no greater wealth than wisdom, no greater poverty than ignorance, no greater
heritage than culture and no greater friend and helpmate than consultation.
55. Endurance is of two kinds; when you endure unpleasant things coming to you and
when you bear refusal of things pleasing you.
56. Wealth converts every foreign country into your native place and poverty turns your
native place into a strange land.
57. Contentment is the capital which will never come to an end. (Syed Razi, the original
compiler of Nahjul Balagha, says that this saying is attributed to the Holy Prophet, (A.S.) also).
58. Wealth is the fountain-head of inordinate cravings.
59. Whoever warns you against sins and vices is like the one who is carrying news of
salvation to you.
60. Tongue is such a ferocious beast that if let loose it will act ravenously.
61. Woman is such a snake that its contact is most pleasing.
62. If you are wished and saluted then return the wish in the most appropriate manner. If
you are favoured then repay the obligation manifold; but he will always excel in merit who takes
the initiative.
63. The best source of success of a claimant is the mediator.
64. Peoples in this world are like travelers whose journey is going on though they are
asleep. (Life's journey is going on though men may not feel it).
65. To lose friends is to become a stranger in one’s own country.
66. Not to have a thing is less humiliating than to beg it of others.
67. Do not be ashamed if the amount of charity is small because to return the needy empty
handed is an act of greater shame.
68. To refrain from unlawful and impious source of pleasures is an ornament to poor, and
to be thankful for the riches granted is the greatest decoration to wealth.
69. If you cannot get things as much as you desire then be content with what you have.
70. An uneducated man or a savage will always overdo a thing or neglect to do it properly.
71. The wiser a man is, the less talkative he will be.
 391
72. Time decays bodies but rejuvenate hopes, daily it brings death nearer and nearer but
delays fulfilment of desires more and more.
Whoever gets anything from the world lives in anxiety of holding it, and whoever loses
anything passes his days grieving over the loss.
73. Whoever wants to be leader and a guide, should educate himself before educating
others; before teaching morality to others he should improve his morals and character.
Whoever educates himself and improves his own morals and character is superior to the
man who tries to teach and train others.
74. Every breath that you take is a step you put forward towards death.
75. Anything which can be counted or reckoned is finite and will come to an end.
76. If you are confused about good or bad effects of an action, then study carefully the
cause and you will know what the effects will be.
77. Zarar Ibne Zumra-e-Zubbaee, known as Zarar-e-Sadar, was a companion of Hazrath.
When, after the death of Hazrath, he went to Damascus Moavia called him and asked him to
say something about Hazrath. Zarar, knowing that Moavia hated Hazrath intensely tried to
avoid this topic, but Moavia forced him to speak. Thereupon Zarar said: “O Amir, I had often
seen Hazrath in the depth of the nights, when people were either sleeping or engrossed with
amusements, he would be standing in the niche of the mosque, with tears in his eyes, he would
beseech God to help him, maintain in life a pious, a virtuous and a noble character, and to
forsake the world. He would then address the world, saying ‘0 vicious world! be away from me;
why do you come in front of me like this? Have you fallen in love with me or do you want to
allure me? God forbid that I may be allured and tempted by you and your pleasures. It is not
possible; go and try your allurements on somebody else. I do not desire to own you and do not
want to have you. I have forsaken you thrice. It is like divorcing a woman thrice after which act
she cannot be taken back as a wife. The life of pleasures that you offer is of very little duration.
There is no real importance in what you offer, the desire of holding you is an insult and a
humiliation to sober minds. Sad is the plight of those who want to acquire you, they do not
provide for hereafter, they have to pass through a long journey over a very difficult road towards
a sad destination.’ Zarar says that when he stopped there were tears in the eyes of Moavia who
said “May the peace of God be upon Abul Hasan Ali Ibne Abu Talib, he was undoubtedly like
that. Now tell me Zarar how do you feel his separation”? Zarar replied, my sorrow and grief
is like that of woman whose only child has been murdered in her lap.” With this remark Zarar
walked out of the Darbar and the city.
78. After the battle of Siffeen somebody asked Hazrath whether they had been destined to
fight against the Syrians. Hazrath replied to him in the following words: -
If by destiny you mean a compulsion (physical or otherwise) where we are forced (by
nature) to do a thing, then it was not so. Had it been an obligation of that kind then there would
have been no question of reward for doing it and punishment for not doing it (when you are
physically forced to do a thing, like breathing, sleeping, eating, drinking etc. then there can be
no reward for doing it and no retribution for not doing it, in such cases nature forces you to do
a thing and you cannot but do it), then the promised blessings and punishments in after-life will
have no meanings. The Merciful Lord has given his creatures (human beings) complete freedom
to do as they like, and then prohibited them from certain actions and warned them of the
consequences of such actions (His Wrath and His Punishments). These orders of Him carry in
 392
them the least trouble and lead us towards the most convenient ways of life, and the rewards
which He has promised for good deeds are many times more than the actions actually deserve.
He sees people disobeying Him and tolerates them not because He can be overruled or be
compelled to accept human supremacy over Him. He did not send His prophets to amuse Himself
or provide amusement for them. He did not reveal His Orders without any reason and purpose.
Neither has He created the galaxies and the earth without any design, purpose and programme.
A universe without plan, purpose and programme is the idea of infidels and heathens; sorry will
be their plight in the fires of the Hell.
Hearing this the man asked Hazrath “Then what kind of destiny was it that we went”.
Hazrath replied “That it was an order of God to do it, like the order He has given in His
Holy Book ‘You are destined by God to worship Him and nobody else’, here ‘destined’ means
‘ordered’ it does not mean physical compulsion.”
79. Acquire wisdom and truth from whomever you can, because even an apostate can have
them, but unless they are passed over to a faithful Muslim and became part of wisdom and truth
that he possesses, they have a confused existence in the minds of apostates.
80. Knowledge and wisdom are really properties of a faithful Muslim, though lost to him,
get them back though you may have to get them from apostates.
81. Value of each man depends upon the art and skill which he has attained.
82. I want to teach you five such things which deserve your greatest anxiety to acquire:
1. Have hope in God and none else;
2. Be afraid of nothing but sins;
3. If you do not know a thing never feel ashamed to admit ignorance;
4. If you do not know a thing never hesitate or feel ashamed to learn it;
5. Acquire patience and endurance, because their relation with true faith is that of a
head to a body; a body is of no use without a head, similarly true faith can be of no
use without attributes of resignation, endurance and patience.
83. A man hypocritically started praising Hazrath, though he had no faith in him and
Hazrath hearing these praises from him said: “I am less than what you tell about me, but more
than what you think about me”.
84. Those who have come alive out of a blood-bath live longer and have more children.
85. One who imagines himself to be all-knowing will surely suffer on account of his
ignorance.
86. I appreciate an old man's cautious opinion more than the valour of young man.
87. How I wonder at a man who loses hope of salvation when the door of repentance is
open for him.
88. Imam Mohammed Baquer says that Hazrath once said: “There were two things in this
world which softened the Wrath of God and prevented its descent upon man. One has been
taken away from you, hold the other steadfastly. The one which has been taken away from men
is the person of the Holy Prophet (A.S.), and the one which is still left with them and which
they must hold steadfastly is repentance and atonement for sins. Because the Almighty Lord at
one place in the Holy Book addressed the Holy Prophet (A.S) and said ‘The Lord is not going to
punish them so long as you are amidst them’. And at another place in the same book He reveals
that, ‘He is not going to punish them so long as they repent and atone for their sins’.”
89. Whoever keeps his affairs in order with God (follows His Orders sincerely), God will
 393
also put his affairs with men in order; whoever makes arrangement for salvation, the Lord will
arrange his worldly affairs; whoever advises his ownself, God will also protect him.
90. He is the wisest and the most knowing man who advises people not to lose hope and
confidence in the Mercy of God and not to be too sure and over confident of immunity from His
Wrath and Punishment.
91. Like your body your mind also gets tired and fagged, in such case find educational
diversion for it.
92. That knowledge is very superficial which remains only on your tongue; the intrinsic
merit and value of knowledge is that you act upon it.
93. Take care and do not pray to Lord saying, “Lord I pray Thee to protect and guard me
from temptations and trials”, for there is none who is not tempted and tried. But beseech Him to
guard you against such temptation as may lead you towards wickedness and sins. Because God
has said in His Holy Book, ‘Know Thee that time, wealth and children are temptations’. It means
God tried people through wealth and children, so that it may be tested as who is content with
what he gets honestly and who is thankful to God for the position he is placed with regard to
his children. Though God knows them better than even they know themselves, yet those trials
and tests are for the purpose of their realising and knowing those deeds which merit reward
or which deserve punishment. There are some people who love to have male children and hate
daughters and there are some who simply crave after wealth and hate poverty.
94. Hazrath was asked the meaning of being well-of or well-provided for. Hazrath replied
: Your welfare do not lie in your having enormous wealth and numerous children but it rests in
your being highly educated and forbearing, and in your being proud of your obedience to God.
If you do a good deed then thank God for it, and if you commit a sin then repent and atone for it.
In this world there is real welfare for two kinds of people; one is the person who, when commits
a sin atones for it and the other is the man who is anxious to do good as much as possible.
95. Importance of the deeds that you have done with fear of God in your mind cannot be
minimised, and how can the deeds which are acceptable to God be considered unimportant.
96. “Nearest to the prophets are those persons who have carefully understood the things
revealed to those prophets and obey them” saying this Hazrath cited a passage from the Holy
Quran, “Best liked by Abraham and nearest to Him were people who obeyed Him”, and said
“that the present times are the times of our Holy Prophet (A.S.) and his faithful followers. The
best friend of our Holy Prophet (A.S.) is he who though not related to him yet obeys the orders
of God and his greatest enemy is the man who though related to him yet disobeys God.”
97. Hazrath was told of a Kharijite that gets up in the middle of night to pray and reads the
Holy Book, hearing this Hazrath said “To sleep having sincere faith in religion and God is better
than to pray with wavering faith”.
98. Whenever a tradition of the Holy Prophet (A.S.) is related to you examine it carefully
and think over it deeply, do not be satisfied with mere verbatim repetition of the same, because
there are many people who repeat the words containing knowledge but there are few who
ponder over them and try to fully grasp the meaning they convey.
99. Hazrath heard somebody repeating the passage of the Holy Quran “We belong to God
and our return is towards Him”, Hazrath said, how true it is. Our saying that we belong to God
indicates that we accept Him as our Master, Owner and Lord. And when we say that our return
is towards God indicates that we accept our mortality.
 394
100. Some people praised Hazrath in his face. He replied, “God knows me very well and I
also know myself more than you. Please Lord! Make me better than what they imagine me to be
and please excuse those weaknesses of mine which they are not aware of”.
101. To secure for you fame, credit as well as blessings the help that you give to men in
need should possess following attributes: (a) whatever its extent it should be considered by you
as trifling so that it may be granted a high status; (b) it should be given secretly, then the Lord
will bestow upon it fame and celebrity and (c) it must be given immediately, so that it may bring
pleasure and utility to the receiver.
102. Your society will pass through a period when cunning and artful intriguers will be
favoured by Governments; when profligates will be considered as well-bred, well-behaved and
elegant elites of the society; when just and honest persons will be considered as weaklings;
when charity will be considered as a loss to wealth and property; when support and help
to each other will be considered as favour and benevolence; and when prayers and worship
of God will be taken up for the sake of show to gain popularity and superior status; at such
times governments will be run under advice of women, youngsters will be rulers and will be
councillors of the States.
103. Hazrath's garment was very old and patched. When somebody drew the attention
of him towards it he replied, “such dresses, when worn by men of status and position, make
them submissive to God and kind-hearted towards man, and faithful Muslims can conveniently
follow the example”. Vicious pleasures of this world and salvation are like two enemies or two
roads running in opposite directions, or towards opposite poles, one to the North and the other
to the South. Whoever likes to gain the pleasures and pomp of this world will hate austerity in
life, which is necessary to gain salvation. Vice versa will be the attitude of a man desirous of
achieving Eternal Bliss. One has to adopt one of the two ways of life, and as they both cannot be
brought together, a man has to choose one of the either.
104. Naof-ibne-Fizala-e-Bakalee, the famous educationist of the early Islamic days says,
that he was with Hazrath one night. In the middle of the night Hazrath got up from his bed,
looked for sometimes at the stars and enquired of Noaf whether he was awake. Noaf said, I got
from my bed replying “Yes Amir-ul-Momineen (Commander of the Faithful)! I am awake”.
Hazrath said “Noaf! those people are fortunate who adopt piety as the principle of their
lives, and are fully attentive to their welfare for hereafter. They accept bare earth as the most
comfortable bed and water as the most pleasant drink. They adopt the Quran and prayers as
their guide and protector and like Christ they forsake the world and its vicious pleasures.
O Noaf! David once got up at such an hour in the night and said this is the hour when
prayers of everyone who prays are accepted except those who forcibly collect revenues or
scandal-mongers or a person in the police of an oppressive and tyrannical Government or a
musician.”
105. Those who give up religion to better their circumstances in life seldom succeed. The
Wrath of God makes them go through more calamities and losses than the gains they gather for
themselves.
106. There are many educated people who have ruined their future on account of their
ignorance of religion. Their knowledge did not prove of any avail to them.
107. More wonderful than man himself is that part of his body which is connected with
his trunk with muscles. It is his heart (mind). Look what good and bad tendencies it is a source
 395
of. On one hand it holds treasures of knowledge and wisdom and on the other it is found
to harbour very ugly desires. If a man sees even a tiny gleam of success, then greed forces
him to humiliate himself. If he gives way to avarice, then inordinate desires ruin him; if he is
disappointed then despondency almost kills him. If he is excited, then he loses temper and gets
angry. If he is pleased, then he gives up precaution. Sudden fear makes him dull and nervous
and he is unable to think and find a way out of the situation. During the times of peace and
prosperity he becomes careless and unmindful of future. If he acquires wealth, then he becomes
haughty and arrogant. If he is plunged in distress then his agitation, impatience and nervousness
disgrace him. If he is overtaken by poverty, then he finds himself in a very sad plight; hunger
makes him weak and over-feeding harms him equally. In short every kind of loss and gain
unbalances his mind.
108. We, Ahlay Baith (descendants of the Holy Prophet, A.S.), hold such Central and
Balancing position in religion that those who are deficient in understanding and acting upon its
principles will have to come to us for improvement and those who are over doing it have got to
learn moderation from us.
109. Only such person can establish a Divine Rule, who, where justice and equity are
required, will neither feel deficient nor weak and who is not greedy and avaricious.
110. Sohail Ibne Haneef was a favourite companion of Hazrath. At the time of Hazrath's
return from Siffeen he died at Koofa of the wounds sustained in the battle. His death left Hazrath
very sad and he said “Even if a mountain loves me it will be crushed into bits” (it means people
are tested with my love, and to prove it they have to pass through loss and calamities.) A similar
saying is the following:
111. Anyone who loves us, Ahlay Baith (descendants of the Holy Prophet, A.S.) must be
ready to face a life of austerity.
112. No wealth has more utility value than intelligence and wisdom; no solitude is more
horrible than when people avoid you on account of your vanity and conceit or when you
wrongly consider yourself above everybody to confide and consult; no eminence is more
exalting than piety; no companion can prove more useful than politeness; no heritage is better
than culture; no leader is superior to Divine Guidance; no deal is more profitable than good
deeds; no profit is greater than Heavenly Reward; no abstinence is better than to restrain
one’s mind from indulging in doubts (about religion); no virtue is better than refraining from
prohibited deeds; no knowledge is superior to deep thinking and prudence; no worship or
prayers are more sacred than fulfilment of obligations and duties; no religious faith is loftier
than feeling ashamed to do wrong and bearing calamities patiently; no eminence is greater than
to adopt humbleness; no exaltation or grandeur is superior to learning and knowledge; nothing
is more respectable than forgiveness and forbearance; no support and defence are stronger than
consultation and counsel.
113. When a community is composed of really honest, sober and virtuous people then your
forming a bad opinion about anyone of its member when nothing wicked has been seen of him
is a great injustice to him; on the contrary in a corrupt society to form good opinion of anyone
out of those people and to trust him is doing harm to yourself.
114. When somebody asked Hazrath as to how he was getting on. He replied: “What do
you want to know about a person whose life is leading him towards ultimate death, whose
health is the first stage towards illness and whom society has forced out of his retreat”.
 396
115. How many persons are there whom constant Grants of His Bounties turn wicked and
fit for His Punishment; and how many more are there who have become vain and self- deceptive
because the Merciful God hath not exposed their weaknesses and their vices to the world and
because people speak highly about them; all this is a long rope; and no trial of the Lord is more
severe than the time He allowed (in which either you may repent or get deeper into vices).
116. Two kinds of people will be damned on my account; those who form exaggerated
opinion about me and those who under-estimate me because they hate me.
Note: -Amongst Muslims a sect evolved which was called Noosairee, after the name of
its founder; Noosairee believed Hazrath to be the incarnation of God or
personification of God. Hazrath here has referred to them in the first sentence
and in the second sentence he has referred to all his enemies
117. To lose or to waste an opportunity will result in grief and sorrow.
118. The world, which offers you vicious pleasures is like a snake, so soft to touch, but so
full of lethal poison. Unwise people are allured by it and drawn towards it and wise men avoid
it and keep away from its poisonous effects.
119. When asked about Quraish Hazrath replied, that amongst them Bani Mukhzoom are
like sweet scented flower of Quraish, their men are good to talk and their women prove very
good wives; Bani Abdul Shums are very intelligent and very prudent and we (Bani Hashim) are
very generous and very brave to face death. Bani Abdul Shums are more numerous in numbers,
ugly and intriguers, but Bani Hashim are beautiful, good conservationists and orators and very
faithful as friends.
120. What difference is there between a deed whose pleasure passes away leaving behind
it the pangs of pain and punishment and the deed whose cruel severity or oppressive harshness
comes to an end leaving behind it heavenly rewards and blessings.
121. Hazrath was following a funeral, and as it was passing along a road somebody laughed
loudly (a sign of discourtesy and lack of culture). Hearing this laugh Hazrath remarked: some
of us feel that death is meant for everybody else but themselves, or it is destined for others and
not for them; or those whom we see dying around us are only travellers going on a journey and
will come back to us. It is a sad sight to see that in one moment we commit them to earth and
in the next we take hold of the things left by them, as if we are going to remain permanently in
this world after them. The fact is that we forget sensible advices given to us and become target
to every calamity.
122. Blessing are for the man who humbles himself before God, whose sources of income
are honest, whose intentions are always honourable, whose character is noble, whose habits are
sober, who gives away in the name and in the cause of God the wealth which is lying surplus
with him, who controls his tongue from vicious and useless talk, who abstains from oppression
and tyranny, who cheerfully and faithfully follows the traditions of the Holy Prophet (A.S.) and
who keeps himself away from innovation in religion.
123. Jealousy in woman is unpardonable, but in man it is a sign of his faith in religion
(because Islam has permitted polygamy and prohibited polyandry).
124. I define Islam for you in a way that nobody dare do it before me. Islam means
obedience to God; obedience to God means having sincere faith in Him; such a faith means
to believe in His Power; a belief in His Power means recognising and accepting His Majesty;
acceptance of His Majesty means fulfilling the obligations laid down by Him; and fulfilment of
obligations means action (Therefore Islam does not mean mere faith, but faith plus deeds).
 397
125. How I wonder at the mentality of a miser; fearing poverty he takes to stinginess and
thus hastily pushes himself head-long into the state of want and destitution; he madly desires
plenty and ease but throws it away without understanding. In this world he, of his own free
will, leads the life of a beggar and in the next world he will have to submit an account like a
millionaire.
How I wonder at the arrogance of a haughty and vain person. Yesterday he was only a cell
and tomorrow he will be a dead body.
I wonder at the man who observes the universe created by God and doubts His Being and
Existence.
I wonder at the man who sees people dying around him and yet has forgotten his end.
I wonder at the man who understands the marvel of original creation and refuses to accept
that he will be brought back to live again.
I wonder at the man who takes great pains to decorate and to make comfortable this
mortal habitat and totally forgets his permanent and immortal abode.
126. Whoever is not diligent in his work will suffer sorrow and loss; whoever has no share
of God in his wealth and in his life then there is no place for him in the Realm of God.
127. Be very cautious of cold in the beginning of winter and welcome it at the close of the
season. Because cold season behaves with your bodies exactly as it does with trees; in the early
season its severity makes them shrivel and shed their leaves and at the end it helps them to
revive and rejuvenate.
128. If you understand the Majesty of the Lord then you will not attach any importance to
the universe and its marvels.
129. While returning from Siffeen Hazrath passed along the cemetery of Koofa, and
addressing the graves he said: O you, who are lying in horrible and deserted houses, O you, who
are shut up in dark graves, who are alone in their abodes, strangers to the places assigned to
them, you have been quick, therefore have gone ahead of us, we are also following your steps
and shall shortly join your company. Do you know what has happened after you? Your houses
and property was taken up by others, and your widows have remarried; this is what we can tell
you of this world, can you give us some news of the place where you have gone? Saying this
Hazrath turned to his companions and said, “If they are permitted to speak they will inform you
that the best provision for the next world is piety and virtue”.
130. Hazrath heard someone abusing and blaming the world and said to him, “O you, who
are blaming the world, who have been allured and enticed by it and have been tempted by its
false pretences, you allowed yourself to be enamoured by it and to be captivated by it and then
you accuse and blame it. Have you any reason or right to accuse it and to call it a sinner and
seducer? Or is the world justified in calling you a wicked knave and a sinning hypocrite? When
did it make you lose your intelligence and reasoning? And how did it cheat you or made false
pretences to you? Did it hide from you the fact of the ultimate end of everything that it holds,
the fact of the sway of death, decay and destruction in its domain? Did it keep you in dark about
the fate of your forefathers and their final abode under the earth? Did it keep the resting place of
your mothers a secret from you? Do you not know that they have returned to dust?”
“How many times you have attended sick persons, and how many of them you have seen
beyond the help of the faculty of medicine? Neither the science nor the art of healing, nor your
nursing and attendance nor your prayers and weeping could prolong the span of their lives and
 398
they died. You were anxious for them, you procured the best medical aid, you gathered famous
physicians and provided best medicines, but your anxiety and the knowledge of physicians
proved of no avail. Death could not be held back and life could not be prolonged. In this drama
and in this tragedy did the world not present you with a lesson and a moral.”
“Verily, this world is a house of truth for those who look into it deeply and carefully,
an abode of peace and rest for those who understand its ways, and moods, and it is the best
working ground for those who want to procure rewards for life hereafter. It is a place of
acquiring knowledge and wisdom for those who want to acquire them, a place of worship for
friends of God and for Angels. It is the place where prophets receive revelations of the Lord. It
is the place for virtuous people and saints to do good deed and to be assigned with rewards for
the same; only in this world they could trade with God's Favours and Blessings and only while
living here they could barter their good deeds, with His Blessing and Rewards. Where else could
all this be done?”
“Who are you to abuse the world, when it has openly declared its mortality and mortality
of everything connected with it, when it has given everyone of its inhabitants to know that
all of them are to face death, when through its ways it has given them all an idea of calamities
they have to face here, and through the sight of its temporary and fading pleasures it has given
them glimpses of Eternal Pleasures of the Heaven and suggested them to wish and work for the
same. If you study it properly you will find that simply to warn and frighten you of bad results
of evil deeds and to persuade you towards good action, every night it raises new hopes of peace
and prosperity in you and every morning it places new anxieties and new worries in front of
you. Those who passed such lives that they are ashamed of and repent for the time so passed
abuse this world. But there are people who will praise this world on the Day of Judgment, that it
reminded them of hereafter and they took advantage of these reminders, it informed them of the
effects of good deeds and they made correct use of the information and it advised them and they
benefitted by its advice”.
131. An Angel announces daily “Birth of more human beings means so many more will
die; collection of more wealth means so much more will be destroyed; erection of more buildings
mean so many more ruins in time to come”.
132. This world is not a place of permanent settlement, it is a passage, a road on which you
are passing; there are two kinds of people here, one is the kind who have sold their souls for
Eternal Damnation, the other is of those who have purchased their souls and freed them from
damnation.
133. A friend cannot be considered as a friend unless he is tested on three occasions: in
time of need; behind your back and after your death.
134. Anyone who has been granted four attributes will not be deprived of their (four)
effects: one who prays to God and implores to Him will not be deprived of granting of the
prayers; one who repents for his thoughts and deeds will not be refused acceptance of the
repentance; one who has atoned for his sins will not be debarred from salvation; and one who
thanks the Lord for the Blessings and Bounties will not be denied for their increase in them.
The truth of these facts is attested by the Holy Quran. As far as prayers are concerned
He says: “Pray thee to me and I shall accept thy prayers”. About repentance He says:
“Whoever has done a bad deed or has persuaded himself to sin, and then repents and asks for
His Forgiveness, he will find the Lord Most Forgiving and Merciful”. About being thankful He
 399
says: “If you are thankful for what you are given then I shall increase My Bounties and
Blessings”. About atonement of sin He says: “The Lord accepts the atonement of those who
have committed a vice without realising its enormity and then atone for it; God accepts such
atonements, He is Wise and Omniscient”.
135. Daily prayers are best medium to advance oneself in favour of the Lord. Haj is a Jehad
(Holy War) for every weak person. For everything that you own there is Zakaath, a tax paid to
the Lord, and tax of your health is that you keep fast. The best defence of a woman against man
is to render his home-life pleasing and congenial.
136. If you want to pray to the Lord for better means of subsistence then first give
something in charity.
137. If one is sure of the returns then he shows great liberality in donations.
138. Aid (from Heavens) is in proportion to the trouble you are passing.
139. One who practices moderation and temperance will never be troubled with poverty.
140. One of the two conveniences in life is to have fewer children.
141. Half of the sagacity is to acquire friends and sympathisers.
142. Sorrow will make you half as decrepit as old age.
143. Grant of patience (from Heavens) is in proportion to the extent of calamity you
are passing through. If you exhibit fretfulness, irritation and despair in calamities then your
patience and your exertions are wasted.
144. Many persons get nothing out of their fasts but hunger and thirst; many more get
nothing out of their night prayers but exertions and sleepless nights. Wise and sagacious
persons are praiseworthy even if they do not fast and sleep during the nights.
145. Defend your faith (in God) with the help of charity. Protect your wealth with the aid
of Zakat (Poor-rate levied by Islam). Let the prayers guard you from calamities and disasters.
146. Kumail-Ibne-Ziyad-e-Naquaee says that once Hazrath put his hand in the hand of
Kumail and went towards a cemetery, when he passed through it and left the city behind and he
heaved a sigh and said: -
“Kumail, these minds are receptacles of the secrets of knowledge and wisdom and best
receptacle is the one which can hold the most and what it holds it can preserve and protect in
the best way. Therefore, remember carefully what I am telling you”.
“Remember that there are three kinds of people, one kind is of those learned people
who are highly versed in the ethics of truth and philosophy of religion, second is the kind of
those who are acquiring the above knowledge, and the third is that class of people who are
uneducated. They follow every pretender and accept every slogan, they have neither acquired
any knowledge nor have secured support of firm and rational convictions”.
“Remember Kumail, knowledge is better than and superior to wealth because protects
you and you have to guard wealth; because wealth decreases if you keep on spending it and
knowledge increases the more you make use of it; and because what you get through wealth
disappears as soon as wealth disappears, but what you achieve through knowledge will remain
even after you (science, philosophy and arts are still there in this world though scientists,
philosophers and men of art have died thousands of year back).
“O Kumail! knowledge is power and it can command obedience and following; a man
of knowledge during his life time can make people obey and follow him and he is praised and
venerated after his death; remember that knowledge is a ruler and wealth is its subject”.
 400
“O Kumail! those who amass wealth though alive yet are dead to realities of life and those
who gather knowledge will remain alive through their knowledge and wisdom even after their
death; though their faces may disappear from the community of living beings yet their ideas, the
knowledge which they had left behind them and their memory will remain in the minds of men”.
Kumail says after this brief dissertation Hazrath pointed towards his chest and said, “Look
Kumail! here I hold stores and treasures of knowledge, I wish I could find somebody to share it
with me. Yes, I found a few, but one out of them though quite intelligent was yet untrustworthy,
he would sell his salvation to get hold of world and its pleasures, he would make religion a
pretence to grasp worldly power and wealth, he would make this Blessing of God (knowledge)
serve him to get supremacy and control over friends of God and he would through knowledge
exploit and suppress other human-beings; the other person was such that he apparently obeyed
truth and knowledge yet his mind had not achieved the true light of religion, at the slightest
ambiguity or doubt he would get suspicious of truth, mistrust religion and would rush towards
scepticism. So neither of them was capable of acquiring the superior knowledge that I can
impart”.
“Besides these two I find such other persons that one of them is a slave of self and greedy
of lust; inordinate desires can easily drag him away from the path of religion; the other is an
avaricious, grasping and acquisitive miser, who will risk his life to grasp and hold wealth; none
of these two will be of any use or service to religion or man; both of them resemble beasts
having appetite for food and propagation. If sensible trustees of knowledge and wisdom totally
disappear from human society then both knowledge and wisdom will suffer severely, may bring
harm to humanity and may even die out”.
“But this earth will never be without such persons who will prove universality of truth
as disclosed by the Lord, they may be well known persons, openly and fearlessly declaring the
things revealed to them; or they may, under fear of harm, injury or death, hide themselves from
the public gaze and may carry on their missions privately so that the reasons proving the reality
of truth as preached by religion and as demonstrated by His apostles may not totally disappear.
How many are they and where could they be find? I swear by God that they are few in number,
but their worth and their ranks before God are very high. Through them the Lord preserves His
Teachings so that they, while departing, may hand over these truths to persons like themselves.
The knowledge which they have acquired has made them see the realities and visualise the
truth, and has instilled into them the spirit of faith and trust. The duties which were decreed as
hard and unsufferable by ease loving and easy going people are considered easy and bearable
by them. They feel happy in the company and association of things which frighten the ignorant
and uneducated. They live in this world like everybody else but their souls sour the heights of
Heavenly Eminence. They are Delegates of God on this earth and they invite people towards
Him. How I love to meet them O Kumail! I have told you all that I have to say, you can go back
to your place whenever you like.”
Kumail was one of the favourite companions of Hazrath and was a very pious and very
learned Muslim; in the year 83 A.H. he was, at the age of 90, killed by Hujjaj-ibne-Yousuf-
e-Saqqafee.
147. A man can be valued through his sayings.
148. One who does not realise his own value is condemned to utter failure. (Every kind of
complex, superiority or inferiority is harmful to man).
 401
149. Somebody requested Hazrath to advise him as how to lead a useful and sober life.
Hazrath thereupon advised him as under: -
Do not be among those people who want to gain good returns without working hard for
them, who have long hopes and keep on postponing repentance and penance, who talk like
pious persons but run after vicious pleasures.
Do not be among those who are not satisfied if they get more in life and are not content if
their lot in life’s pleasures is less (they are never satisfied). Who never thank God for what they
get and keep on constantly demanding increase in what is left with them;
who advise others to such good deeds that they themselves refrain from;
who appreciate good people but do not follow their ways of life;
who hate bad and vicious people but follow their ways of life;
who, on account of their excessive sins, hate death but do not give up the sinful ways of
life;
who, if fallen ill, repent their ways of life and on regaining their health fearlessly readopt
the same frivolous ways;
who, when get despondent and lose all hope, on gaining health they became arrogant and
careless;
who, if faced with misfortunes, dangers or afflictions, turn to God and keep on beseeching
Him for relief, and when relieved or favoured with comfort and ease they are deceived by the
comfortable conditions they found themselves in and forget God and forsake prayers;
whose minds are allured by day dreams and long hopes and abhor to face realities of life;
who fear for others the enormous repercussions of vices and sins but for their own deeds
they expect very high rewards or very light disciplinary actions;
riches make them arrogant, rebellious and wicked, and poverty makes them despondent
and lethargic. If they have to work they work lazily and lethargically, and if they put up a
demand they do it obdurately and incessantly;
under influence of inordinate cravings, they commit sins in quick successions and keep on
postponing repentance;
calamities and adversities make them give up the distinguished characteristics of Muslims
(patience, hope in future and work for improvement of circumstances);
they advise people with narrations of events and facts but do not take any advice
themselves;
they are good at preaching but bad at practice, therefore they always talk of lofty deeds but
their actions belie their words;
they are keen to acquire temporal pleasures but are careless and slow to achieve
permanent (Heavenly) benefits;
they think good for themselves the things which are actually injurious to them and regards
harmful the things which will really benefit them;
they are afraid of death, but waste their time and do not resort to good deed before death
overtakes them;
the vices which they regard as enormous sins for others they consider as minor short-
comings where their ownselves are concerned. Similarly, they attach great importance to their
obedience to orders of God-and belittle similar actions in others. Therefore, they often criticise
others and speak very highly of their own deeds;
 402
they are happy to spend their time in society of rich persons, wasting it in luxuries and
vices but are averse to employ it for any useful purposes in company of poor and pious;
they are quick and free to pass judgment against others but they never pass a judgment
against their own vicious deeds;
they force others to obey them but they never obey God;
they collect their dues carefully but never pay the dues they owe; they are not afraid of
their Lord but fear men in power.
150. Every man has an end, it may be pleasant or sorrowful.
151. Everyone who is born has to die and once dead he is as good as if he had never come
into existence.
152. One who adopts patience will never be deprived of success though the success may
take a long time to reach him.
153. One who assents or subscribes to the actions of a group or a party is as good as if he
has committed the deed himself. A man who joins a sinful deed makes himself responsible for
two-fold punishments, one for doing the deed and the other for assenting and subscribing to it.
154. Accept promises of only such persons who can steadfastly adhere to their pledges.
155. You are ordained to recognise the Imams (progeny of the Holy Prophet, A.S.) and to
obey them.
156. You have been shown, if you only care to see; you have been advised if you care to
take advantage of advices; you have been told if you care to lend your ears to good counsels.
157. If you want to punish your brother then punish him with good deeds and kind
regards, and if you want to avert the evil coming from him then avert it with the help of favours
and bounties (showered over him).
158. One who enters the places of evil reputes has no right to complain against a man who
talks evils of him.
159. One who acquires power cannot avoid favouritism.
160. One who is willful and conceited will suffer losses and calamities, and one who seeks
advices can secure advantages of many counsels.
161. One who guards his secrets has complete control over his affairs.
162. Poverty is the worst form of death.
163. One who serves such a person from whom he gets no reciprocal performance of
duties, in fact, worships him.
164. By disobeying God, you do not actually obey any human-being.
165. Do not find fault with or speak ill of a man who delays in securing what are his just
rights, it is more vicious to grasp the rights which do not belong to you.
166. Conceit is an impediment and bar to progress and improvement.
167. Death is so near and time for friendly actions in life is so limited.
168. There is enough light for one who wants to see.
169. It is wiser to obstain than to repent.
170. Often inordinate desire to secure a single gain acts as a hindrance for the quest of
many profitable pursuits.
171. People often hate those things which they do not know or cannot understand.
172. One who seeks advices learns to recognise mistakes.
173. One who fights for the cause of God secures victory over His enemies.
 403
174. When you feel afraid or nervous to do a thing then do it, because the real harm which
you may thus receive is less poignant than its expectation and fear.
175. Your supremacy over others is proportion to the extent of your knowledge and
wisdom.
176. The best way to punish an evil-doer is to reward handsomely good deeds of a good
person.
177. If you want to remove evil from the minds of others then first give up evil intentions
yourself.
178. Obstinacy and stubbornness will not allow you to arrive at a correct decision.
179. Greed is permanent slavery.
180. Deficiency will result in shame and sorrow, but caution and foresight will bring peace
and security.
181. To keep silent when you can say something wise and useful is as bad as keep on
propagating foolish and unwise thoughts.
182. If two opposite theories are propagated one will be wrong.
183. When truth was revealed to me I never doubted it.
184. I never lied and the things revealed to me were not false; I never misled anybody and
I was not misled.
185. One who starts tyranny will repent soon.
186. Death is never very far.
187. One who forsakes truth earns eternal damnation.
188. One who cannot benefit by patience will die of grief and excitement.
189. In this world man is a target for the arrow of death, an easy prey of calamities and
adversities; here every morsel and every draught is liable to choke one; here one never receives
a favour until he loses another instead; here every additional day in one’s life is a day reduced
from the total span of his existence; when death is the natural outcome of life then how can we
expect immortality.
190. O son of Adam! Whatever thou hath collected more than thy actual need, thou art not
going to use, thou wilt act only as trustee for someone else.
191. Hearts (minds) have the tendencies of likes and dislikes, and are liable to be energetic
and lethargic, therefore, make them work when they are energetic and on subjects which they
like.
192. When I feel angry with a person how and when should I satisfy my anger, whether
at a time when I am not in a position to retaliate and people may advise me to bear patiently, or
when I have power to punish and I forgive.
193. Minds get tired like bodies. When you feel that your mind is tired, then invigorate it
with sober advices.
194. If you find that somebody is not grateful for all that you have done for him then do
not get disappointed, because often you will find that someone else feels under your obligation
though you have done nothing for him and thus your good deeds will be compensated, and God
will reward you for your goodness.
195. The first fruit of forbearance is that people will sympathise with you and will go
against that man who offended you arrogantly.
196. One who takes account of his shortcomings will always gain by it, one who is
 404
unmindful of them will always suffer. One who is afraid of the Day of Judgment is safe from
the Wrath of God; one who takes lessons from happenings of life gets vision, one who acquires
vision becomes wise, and one who attains wisdom achieves knowledge.
197. Bear sorrows and calamities patiently otherwise you will never be happy.
198. One who comes into power often oppresses and tyrannises.
199. Adversities often bring your good qualities to the front.
200. If a friend envies you then he is not a true friend.
201. Greed and covetousness dulls the faculties of judgment and wisdom.
202. Oppression and tyranny are the worse companions for hereafter.
203. Best deeds of a great man is to forgive and forget.
204. Silence will create respect and dignity; justice and fairplay will bring more friends;
benevolence and charity will enhance prestige and position; courtesy will draw benevolence;
service of mankind will secure leadership; good words will overcome powerful enemies.
205. A greedy man will always find himself in the shackle of humility.
206. Be a partner of successful man because he knows how to achieve success.
207. The little that you give in the way of God will bring great returns to you.
208. There are people who obey God to gain His Favours, they act like businessmen trading
with God; while there are some who obey Him to keep themselves free from His Wrath, they act
as slaves; but there are few who obey Him out of their sense of gratitude and obligation, they act
as gentlemen and noblemen.
209. One who is lazy and lethargic loses his rights and dues.
210. To fix even a single unlawfully acquired stone in a house is to guarantee to its
destruction.
 405

INDEX I

There are twenty-eight generations between Hazrath Ali and Hazrath Ibrahim (Abraham, the
Prophet) :-

Ibrahim (Abraham, the Prophet 2008 B.C).

Ismail (Hishmael, the eldest son of Abraham, 1874 B.C).
Qeedar (He is mentioned in old Testament (songs of Solomon and prayers of David)
and also in Assyrian records. He was a powerful Ruler).
Hamal
From the time of Hamal to the time of Adnan, the Ismailee tribes led the life
Ansab
of conquered people, many of them were forced to migrate from Mecca; the
Solomon kingdom of Hijaz was in the hands of Bani Jerham. Bani Jerham were later
Ihameesa defeated by Bani Khaza’a and were forced in their turn to leave Mecca. While
going they had filled up the well of Zamzam and taken away the Hajr-e-Aswad.
Afyasa
Azhan A’war
Adnaan Founder of Adnaan dynasty and a State in Yamun.
Ma’ad Contemporary of Naehed Naezer of Babylon, 605 B. C., he defended Hijaz
against Babylonian invasion, was defeated and taken prisoner, was released
later and started reorganising Arab clans.
Nizar
Mazr Founder of Empire in Hijaz and Najd.
Ilyas Prophet, he is mentioned in old Testament.
Khazeema
Kinana
Nazr He first thought of gathering various tribes descending from Ismail into one big
clan, he tried to achieve this end but could not succeed.
Malik
Fahr Known in history as Quraish, and thence onward his descendants were named
as Quraish. He succeeded in carrying out his grandfather’s ambitious plan of
consolidating Ismailee clans and gathering them around him, he was, therefore,
called Quraish, the gatherer.
Galib
Loowaiya
Kilab
 406

Qussa He fought against Bani Khuza’a and Bani Baker, defeated them and secured the
guardianship and Trusteeship of Ka’ba; he reorganised the clans of Quraish,
formed a council of heads of these clans and dedicated a building for meetings
of this council and named it as Nudua.
Abde Munaf
Hashim He was recognised as Chief of Hijaz, Najd and Yamun by Roman and Persian
Empires, organised trade and industry in Hijaz, had his trade and political
representatives in Abysinian, Egyptian, Roman and Persian Courts. Ummaiya
tried to wrest the power from his hands but failed.
Abdul His name was Shaeba, but was called Abdul Muttalib. He had ten sons, whose
Muttalib names were:-
1. Haris.
2. Zubair.
3. Abu Talib.
4. Abdullah.
5. Hamza.
6. Abu Lahab.
7. Qeedar.
8. Almaquoom.
9. Zaraar.
10. Abbas.
Abu Talib and Abdullah were born of the same mother. Abdul Muttalib had
reopened the well of Zamzam. During his time Mecca was invaded by the
Yaminite King, Abraha.
Abu Talib His name was Imran.
Hazrath Ali
 407

INDEX II (a)

Sermons of Hazrath Ali Ibne Abu Talib had been compiled, read and taught long before Syed
Razi was born. They were found in books written by famous Muslims before Syed Razi’s time
and also by his contemporaries. A list of such Authors, who have quoted these Sermons, Letters
and Sayings and have also discussed in details the words and phrases used by Hazrath Ali is
given below:-
1. Abul Munzar Husham-bin-Sa’eb-ul-Kalbee. He was the author of many
books. Ibne Nadeem, in Al-Fahrist enumerates 144 of his Books. In his (204A.H.)
book ‘Jamal’ he narrated a letter and few sermons of Hazrath Ali.
2. Abu Abdullah Mohammed-bin-Omer-bin-Waquid Al-Aslaamee of
Madina, known as ‘Waquedee’. Ibne Abil Hadeed and Ibne Nadeem (207 A.H.)
have extensively quoted him.
3. Ibne Mazahem-ul-Koofee, Author of ‘Siffeen’. Ibne Abil Hadeed has
(212 A.H.)
referred this book extensively
4. Abu Obaid Quasun bin Salam AI Harvi Al Baghdadi. (224 A.H.)
5. Abu Jafer Mohammed-bin-Abdullah-al-Iskafee (240 A.H.)
6. Mohammed-bin-Habeeb Albaghdadee. Ibne Abil Hadeed has quoted him
(245 A.H.)
on many occasions.
7. Abu Oosman-Amero-bin Bahr-ul-Jahiz Oosmani. (255 A.H.)
8. Imam Muslim, in his book ‘Sahee Muslim’. (261 A.H.)
9. Abu Jafer Ahmed-bin-Mohammed-bin-Khalid Al-burquee, in his book
(274 A.H.)
‘Al-Mahaasin’.
10. Abu Mohammed Abdullah Muslim, known as Historian lbne Quateeba
Dainoori, in ‘Oyoon-ul-Akhbar’ and ‘Al lmamat-wo-Siyasat’ and (276 A.H.)
‘Ghareebul Hadees’ has quoted many Sermons and Letters.
11. Ahmed-bin- Yahya-al-Balazari (in ‘Ansab-ul-Ashraf’). (279 A.H.)
12. Ibrahim- bin- Mohammed-al-Saquafee of Koofa (in his Book ‘Al-
(283 A.H.)
Gharath’). Ibne Abil Hadeed quoted him extensively.
13. Abul Abbas Mohammed-bin-Yazeed-al-Azdee, known as ‘Mobard’, (in his
(285 A.H.)
book ‘Al-Kamil’).
14. Abu Hanifa Ahmed-bin-Dawood Dainoori (in ‘Kitab-e-Akhbar-e-Tawal’). (290 A.H.)
15. Abu Ali Mohammed-bin-Abdul Wahab Jabaee of Basra. Ibne Abil Hadeed
(303 A.H.)
and many other writers have quoted his books.
16. Abu Jafer Mohammed-ibne-Jurair-e-Tabari (in his history ‘Tarikh-e-
(310 A.H.)
Kabeer’).
17. Abul Quasim Abdullah-bin-Ahmed-bin-Mahmood-al-Ka’bee-al-Balakhee.
(319 A.H.)
Ibne Abil Hadeed & Ibne Maisam have referred him often.
 408

18. Aboobaker Mohammed-bin-Hassan-bin-Dareed al-Azdee of Basra, (in in

(321 A.H.)
his book ‘Almujtabanee’).
19. Abu Tayyeb Mohammed-bin-Ahmed Alvisha Alnahvee (in his book ‘Al-
(325 A.H.)
moos’he’).
20. Mohammed Ibne Yaquoob Kulainee (in his Books ‘Osool-e-Kafee’ and
(328 A.H.)
‘Furu-e-Kafee’.)
21. Mohammed Ibne Abd-e-Rubbahoo, (in ‘Al Aqd’). (328 A.H.)
22. Abul Quasim al-Zujajee, (in ‘Al-Amaalee’). (337 A.H.)
23. Historian Masoodee, (in ‘Murravej-u1-Zehab’). (346 A.H.)
24. Abul Farj-e-Ispahanee, (in ‘Kitab-ul-Aghanee’). (356 A.H.)
25. Abul Quasim Sulaiman-bin-Ahmed Tabaraanee (in ‘Mo’-jum-e-Sagheer). (360 A.H.)
26. Shaikh-e-Sadooq-ibne-Babooya-al-Qummee, (in ‘Kitab Illul-wo- Shahrah
(381 A.H.)
Ma’aniyul Akhbar, and ‘Ikmal-ud-Din’).
27. Darai Quitanee, (in ‘Alafraad’). (385 A.H.)
28. Aboobaker Baquelanee, (in ‘Ayjaz-ul-Quran’). (403 A.H.)
29. Abu Abdullah Mohammed, known as Imam Hakim, (in his ‘Mustadrik’). (405 A.H.)
30. Ibne Mazkoiya, (in ‘Tajarib-ul-Ommum’). (421 A.H.)
31. Abu Na’eem Al-Asbayhanee, (in ‘Hu1yathul Aowliyah’). (430 A.H.)
32. Abu Abdullah Mohammed-bin-N’omaan, known as Shaikh Moofeed, (in
(431 A.H.)
‘Irshad’, ‘Amaalee’ and ‘Kitab-ul-Jamal’). He was teacher of Syed Razi.
33. Abu Mohammed AI-Hassan-bin-AIi-bin-Sh’obath-ul-Harranee, (in
(432 A.H.)
‘Tohfathul Oquool’).
34. Shaikh-ul-Tah’yafa Abu Jafer Mohammed-bin-Hussan-e-Toosee. (460 A.H.)
35. Abu Ahmed Al-Hassan-bin-Abdullah Al-Askaree, (in ‘AI Hikam-wo-
(482 A.H.)
Amsaal’).
36. Ibrahim-bin-Mohammed Al-Baihaquee, (in ‘Al-mohasin-wo-Massavee’). (488 A.H.)
 409

INDEX II (b)

Following is the list of Sermons, Letters and Sayings fully or partly quoted by Authors and
Historians, as shown in Index II (a), or the meanings of whose words and phrases were discussed
by them. The numbers of Sermons and Letters shown in this list is according to the serial
numbers adopted in this Book. This research does not cover all the Sermons and Letters. Further
research is being carried out in Egypt, Pakistan and particularly in India, as Maulana Imtiaz Ali
Arshi Rampuri in his Treatise says that the research carried on by him is neither exhaustive nor
final, he is finding further sources of information about the authenticity of these Sermons.

Serial Sermon Particulars Serial Sermon Particulars

No. No. No. No.
1 7 (Known as Khutba-e- 23 39
Shiqshiqya)
2 8 24 40
3 9 25 41
4 10 26 42
5 14 27 44
6 16 28 45
7 17 29 47
8 19 30 51
9 20 31 53
10 22 32 55
11 24 33 56
12 25 34 61
13 27 35 62
14 28 36 63
15 30 37 67
16 31 38 69
17 32 39 70
18 33 40 73
19 34 41 75
20 36 42 80
21 37 43 82
22 38 44 83
45 84 77 167
 410

Serial Sermon Particulars Serial Sermon Particulars

No. No. No. No.
46 85 78 170
47 86 (Known as Khutba-e- 79 173
Ghurra or Ajaiba)
48 87 80 174
49 91 81 176
50 92 82 177
51 94 (Known as Khutbath- 83 178
ul-Ashbah)
52 95 84 179
53 96 85 l81
54 100 86 184
55 106 87 185
56 109 88 191
57 110 89 198
58 113 90 202
59 114 91 205
60 119 92 207
61 123 93 208
62 124 94 211
63 126 95 213
64 127 96 215
65 128 97 221
66 129 98 222
67 134 99 223
68 139 100 225
69 140 101 228
70 142 102 230
71 148 103 232
72 149 104 233
73 150 105 235
74 156 106 242
75 160 107 243
76 165
 411

Serial No. Letter No. Particulars

1 1
2 3
3 5
4 6
5 7
6 8
7 9
8 10
9 11
10 12
11 13
12 14
13 17
14 18
15 22
16 27
17 30
18 31
19 32
20 34
21 35
22 36
23 38
24 39
25 40
26 41
27 46
28 47
29 48
30 49
31 50
32 51
33 53
34 54
35 60
36 62
37 68
 412

INDEX II (c)

List of compilers of the Sermons, Letters etc. of Hazrath Ali, together with the dates of their
death, and when and by whom their Books were referred and quoted:-
1. The first compiler of the works of Hazrath was Zaid-ibne-Wahab-e-Jehni (died in 90 A.H.).
His book was extensively referred by Abu Jafer Toosi (680 A.H.), that is, for more than six
hundred years this compilation was in circulation.
2. Mohammed bin Abi Naser Alsokooni of Koofa, who died in 148 A.H. His collection of
Sermons and Letters of Hazrath AIi is mostly referred by the famous biographer Nujjashi
(450 A.H).
3. Abu Makhnuf Looth Ibne Yahyah (170 A.H). The biographer Ibne Nadeem has read and quot-
ed from Abu Makhnuf's following books:
‘Al Gharath’; ‘Maqthal-e-Ali’, ‘Al-Siffeen’; ‘Al-Nahrwan’; ‘Al-Jamal’; ‘Maqthale Oosman’;
‘Maqthale Mohammed Ibne Abu Baker’. Ibne Nadeem says that everyone of these books
contains many sermons, saying and letters of Hazrath Ali. Abu Makhnuf’s Maqthal-e-
Hussain is still widely in circulation and is translated in various Asiatic and European
languages.
4. Abu Mohammed Misa'da Bin Sadaquath-Al-Abdi of Koofa. He was a disciple and companion
of Imam Moosi-e-Kazim (A.S.), he died in 183 A.H. He had compiled Sermons of Hazrath Ali.
The Biographer Nujjashi has come across this book and has quoted some references from it.
5. Abu Ishaq Ibrahim-bin-Al Hakam bin-Zaheer-Al-Fraee, He was disciple of Quazi Shreek. He
died between 190 & 200 A.H. Allama Toosi (460 A.H.) has come across his following books:
‘Kitab Al-Malahe’ and ‘Kitab-e-Khutuba-e-Ali’. The Book ‘Kitab-e-Khutuba-e-Ali’ contained
Sermons of Hazrath.
6. Abul Khair Swaleh bin Abi Hammad Al-Raazee (214 A.H.) in his book ‘Kitab Khutuba-
e-Amir-ul-Momineen’ has collected Sermons of Hazrath Ali; Nujjashi has referred this book
in his Biographies.
7. Abdul Hussan Ali bin Mohammed Almada'aynee (224 A.H.) has compiled Sermons and
Letters of Hazrath Ali and had named his book ‘Kitab-e-Khutuba-e-Ali-wo-Katabah-Ila-
Ommalayhee’; Ibne-Nadeem in his 'biographies' has referred this book.
8. Abu Ahmed Abdul Aziz-bin-Yahya-bin-Ahmed-bin-Eisa-Al-Juloodi-al Azdi of Basra, collected
Sermons, Letters, Sayings, Poems and Maxims of Hazrath in separate books and had named
them ‘Kitab-e-Khutuba-e-Ali’ (sermons), ‘Kitab-e-Rasayel-e-Ali’ (letters); ‘Kitab-e-Shaer-e-
Ali’ (poems), ‘Kitab-e-Mo’a’ez-e-Ali’ (maxims) and ‘Kitab-ul-Adab-e-Ali’ (sayings). Nujjashi
has read all these books and had quoted them.
9. Abu Abbas Yaqoob-bin-Ahmed-bin-Ibrahim-Al Soomayree of Baghdad was a contemporary
of Shaikh Mofeed, he had collected Sermons of Hazrath Ali; Ibne Abilhadeed has often
quoted him.
These nine famous Scholars and Theologians of Arabia from 1st Century down to the 5th
Century had complied Sermons, Letters, Sayings, Maxims and Poems of Hazrath Ali and these
books were read, referred and quoted by such great biographers as Ibne Nadeem, Nujjashi and
Toosi.