Nahjul Balaaghah about Ali’s Contemporaries

1. Nahjul Balaaghahabout Ali’s Contemporaries By A.S. Hashim. MD

2. Nahjul Balaaghah about Ali's Contemporaries Supplicationبـســـم الله الرحمن الرحيم In the Name of God, Lord of Mercy and Lord of Grace

3. Nahjul Balaaghah about Ali's Contemporaries Nahjul Balaaghah • Nahjul Balaaghah, a highly valued book, consists of: • 254 sermons, • 48 letters, and • 212 sayings of Imam Ali • Nahjul Balaaghah is unique to Imam Ali • None of the Sahaaba was ever able to produce anything like it: • neither in substance • nor in literary eloquence. • No wonder Ali was referred to as: • Sayyid al-Bulaghaa' (Pinnacle of Literary Expression) and • Sayyid al-Fu'qahaa, (Pinnacle of the Jurisprudents)

4. Nahjul Balaaghah about Ali's Contemporaries The 15 References • Nahjul Balaaghah contains 15 references on behalf of his companions and contemporaries • The quotes appear in various sermons, • said at variable occasions and • about different subjects. • The Arabic quotes are from the book of Nahjul Balaaghah, by Dr. Subhi Al-Salih, and so is the numbering of the sermons and pages, 1st Edition, Beirut 1967. • The Number of the sermons may differ by a factor of 1 in other volumes of Nahjul Balaaghah • The references are quotes by Abd al-Zahra' al-Husayni in vols. I & IV of his work (see Al-Islam.org, internet)

5. Nahjul Balaaghah about Ali's Contemporaries Time Element • The majority of Ali's sayings and speeches were stated: • During his Khilaafah when in Kufa, • At Different Places • At Different Occasions • Often at Khutba of Jumu’ah

6. Nahjul Balaaghah about Ali's Contemporaries In Sermon 118, Ali in praise of faithful followers • See next slide please • Other sources: • Al-Tabari, Ta'rikh; • Ibn Qutaybah, al-'Imamah, I, 121; • al-Waqidi, in al-Jamal and; • al-Mada'ini in his book, see Ibn Abi al-Hadid, Sharh, II, 259.

7. Nahjul Balaaghah about Ali's Contemporaries In Sermon 118, page 175,Ali in praise of faithful followers

8. Nahjul Balaaghah about Ali's Contemporaries In Sermon 106,,Ali at Siffin • See next slide please • Other Sources: • Al-Ghazali, Ihya'; • al-Harrani, Tuhaf, 126; • al-Kulayni, Usul al-Kafi, II, 49; • al-Qali, al-'Amali, 171; • Abu Talib al-Makki, Qut, I, 382, 407; • Abu Nu`aym, Hilyah, I, 74, 75; • al-Saduq, al-Khisal, I, 108; • al-Qadi al-Quda`i, Dustur, 121; • al-Tusi, al-'Amali, * 23.

9. Nahjul Balaaghah about Ali's Contemporaries In Sermon 106, page 154,Ali at Siffin

10. Nahjul Balaaghah about Ali's Contemporaries In Sermon 107,,Ali during one of the days of Siffin • See next slide please • Other Sources: • Al-Tabari, Ta'rikh, VI, 14, events of 37 H.; • al-Kulayni, Furu` al-Kafi, V, 40; • Nasr ibn Muzahim, Siffin, 256.

11. Nahjul Balaaghah about Ali's Contemporaries In Sermon 107, page 155,Ali during one of the days of Siffin

12. Nahjul Balaaghah about Ali's Contemporaries In Sermon 123,,Ali speech before Siffin • Ali’s address to his followers on the battlefield of Siffin. About supporting the weak and the low-spirited during the fighting • Other sources • Ibn `Abd Rabbih, al-`Iqd, IV, 338; • al-Kulayni, Usul al-Kafi, V, 53; • al-Mufid, al-Jamal, 190, from al-Waqidi's al-Jamal; • al-Mufid, al-'Irshad, 139, 159; • Ibn Miskawayh, Tajarib al-'umam, see Ta'sis al-Shi`ah, 415; • al-Tusi, al-'Amali, I, 220.

13. Nahjul Balaaghah about Ali's Contemporaries In Sermon 123, page 180,Ali speech before Siffin

14. Nahjul Balaaghah about Ali's Contemporaries In Sermon 125,,Ali, Kharijis and Arbitration • About the Arbitrators: We did not name people the arbitrators but we named the Quran the arbitrator. The Quran is a book, covered, between two flaps, and it does not speak. When these people invited us to name the Quran as the arbitrator between us, we could not be the party turning away from the Book of Allah. • Other sources • Al-Tabari, Ta'rikh, VI, 37, events of 37 H.; • Sibt ibn al-Jawzi, Tadhkirah, 100; • al-Mufid, al-'Irshad, 157; • al-Tabarsi, al-'Ihtijaj, I, 275.

15. Nahjul Balaaghah about Ali's Contemporaries In Sermon 125, page 183,Ali, Kharijis and Arbitration

16. Nahjul Balaaghah about Ali's Contemporaries In Sermon 131,,Ali about quest of Khilaafah • See next slide please • Other sources • Sibt, Tadhkirah, 120; • al-Qadi al-Nu`man, Da`a'im, 531;(3) Ibn al-'Athir, al-Nihayah, III,154 (z.'a.r), V, 270 (w.`a.a).

17. Nahjul Balaaghah about Ali's Contemporaries In Sermon 131, page 188,Ali about quest of Khilaafah

18. Nahjul Balaaghah about Ali's Contemporaries In Sermon 180, Ali criticizing his followers • See next slide please • Other sources • Al-Thaqafi, al-Gharat, I, 291; • al-Tabari, Ta'rikh, VI, 60, events of 38 H.; • Ibn al-'Athir, al-Nihayah, I, 188 (t.r.k).

19. Nahjul Balaaghah about Ali's Contemporaries In Sermon 180, page 258,Ali criticizing his followers

20. Nahjul Balaaghah about Ali's Contemporaries In Sermon 71, Ali criticizing people of Iraq • When after Arbitration the Iraqis displayed complacency toward the harassments and continuous attacks of Mu'awiya, Ali delivered this sermon condemning the Iraqis. He referred to their being deceived at Siffin and has likened them to a woman who has five qualities • Other sources • Ibn Da`b, al-'Ikhtisas, 155; • al-Mufid, al-'Irshad, 161; • al-Tabarsi, al-'Ihtijaj, I, 254; • al-Kulayni, al-Kafi, II, 236; • Ibn Qutaybah, `Uyun, II, 301; • al-Mufid, al-Majalis, 105; • Sibt, Tadhkirah, 137.

21. Nahjul Balaaghah about Ali's Contemporaries In Sermon 71, page 100,Ali criticizing people of Iraq

22. Nahjul Balaaghah about Ali's Contemporaries In Sermon 25, Ali after the debacle of Yemen • The speech was delivered when: • Ali received successive news that Mu’awiya's men were occupying cities and his own officers in Yemen (Ubaydullah ibn Abbas and Sa’id ibn Nimran) came to him in retreat after being overpowered by Busr ibn Abi Arta’. Ali was much perturbed by the slackness of his own men in jihad and their difference with his opinion. • Other sources: • Al-Mas`udi, Muruj, III, 149; • Ibn `Abd Rabbih, al-`Iqd, III, 337; • Ibn `Asakir, Ta'rikh, I, 305, X, 225; • al-Baladhuri, Ansab, II, 383; • al-Mufid, al-'Irshad,* 163; • al-Thaqafi, al-Gharat II, 636.

23. Nahjul Balaaghah about Ali's Contemporaries In Sermon 25, page 67,Ali after the debacle of Yemen

24. Nahjul Balaaghah about Ali's Contemporaries In Sermon 27, Ali after the Anbar incident • After the battle of Siffin, Mu'awiya had spread terror in the land, with killing and bloodshed all round. • Mu’awiya deputized al-Ghamidi with a force of six thousand to attack Hit, al-Anbar and al-Mada'in. • At al-Anbar a contingent of 500 soldiers was posted as guard from Ali’s side, but it could not resist the large army (6,000) of Mu'awiya. • Of the 500 contingent only a hundred men stuck to their position and they did face the invaders stoutly and as far as they could. • The enemy's force made an overwhelming attack on the 100, killing the leader Hassan al-Bakri along with 30 others. • When the battle was over the enemy ransacked al-Anbar with impunity and left the city in shambles.

25. Nahjul Balaaghah about Ali's Contemporaries In Sermon 27, page 70,Ali after the Anbar incident

26. Nahjul Balaaghah about Ali's Contemporaries In Sermon 29,About the pretext at time of jihad Slide I • After the battle of Nahrawan, Mu'awiya sent Dahhak al-Fihri with a force of 4,000 towards Kufa with orders to: • create disorder in the area, kill and keep busy in bloodshed and destruction so that • Ali should find no rest or peace of mind. • al-Fihri set off shedding innocent blood and spreading destruction until he reached Tha`labiyyah. • In Tha`labiyyah, al-Fihri attacked a caravan of pilgrims going to Mecca and looted their wealth and belongings. • In Qutqutanah al-Fihri killed the nephew of Abdullah ibn Mas’ood, (the companion), together with his followers.

27. Nahjul Balaaghah about Ali's Contemporaries In Sermon 29,About the pretext at time of jihad Slide II • When Ali learned of this rack and ruin he called his men to battle to put a stop to the terror, • Ali’s people seemed slack, trying to avoid war. • Disgusted with their complacency Ali ascended the pulpit and delivered the sermon (see next slide): • He roused them to shame but also to motivate them to protect their country like valiant men, not to employ lame excuses. • As a result, Hujr ibn Adi al-Kindi with four thousand men overtook the enemy at Tadmur. • At Tadmur a small encounter took place with the enemy and as nighttime settled al-Fihri fled away with nineteen killed on his side • In al-Kindi’s force only two persons fell as martyrs.

28. Nahjul Balaaghah about Ali's Contemporaries In Sermon 29, page 72,About the pretext at time of jihad

29. Nahjul Balaaghah about Ali's Contemporaries In Sermon 69,,Ali about his followers’ behavior • See next slide please • Other sources: • Al-Baladhuri, Ansab, II, 438, 458; • (2) al-Ya`qubi, Ta'rikh, II, 184; • (3) al-Thaqafi, al-Gharat; • (4) al-Tabari, Ta'rikh,* VI, 3444, 3445, chronicles of the year 39.

30. Nahjul Balaaghah about Ali's Contemporaries In Sermon 69, page 99,Ali about his followers’ behavior

31. Nahjul Balaaghah about Ali's Contemporaries In Sermon 97, Ali about Kufa people • Although Allah gives time to the oppressor, He will not spare him. Allah watches him on the passage and the position of what can suffocate the throats • Other Sources: • Kitab Sulaym ibn Qays, 110; • al-Kulayni, al-Kafi, II, 236; • Ibn Qutaybah, `Uyun, II, 301; • Abu Nu`aym, Hilyah, I,76; • al-Mufid, al-'Irshad, 161; • al-Mufid, al-Majalis, 105; • Sibt, Tadhkirah, 137; • Ibn `Asakir, Ta'rikh, biographical account of `Ali (A); • al-Jahiz, al-Bayan, II, 68; • al-Baladhuri, Ansab, II, 142; • al-Tusi, al-'Amali,* 62

32. Nahjul Balaaghah about Ali's Contemporaries In Sermon 97, page 144,Ali about Kufa people

33. Nahjul Balaaghah about Ali's Contemporaries In Sermon 119, Ali on urging people for Jihad • When after the Battle of Siffin, Mu'awiya's forces began to attack various places in Ali's area, Ali asked the Iraqis to check them, but they declined on the plea that they would follow him if he himself came forward. • Thereupon Ali delivered this sermon, and clarified his limitations, that if he himself went out it would be impossible to run the affairs of the country. • In such circumstances it would be folly to leave the center unguarded. • But what could be anticipated from the one’s who had transformed the victory at hand in Siffin into disarray and opened the door for these debacles. • Other Sources: • Ibn al-'Athir, al-Nihayah, I, 215 (th.f.l) .

34. Nahjul Balaaghah about Ali's Contemporaries In Sermon 119, page 176,Ali on urging people for Jihad

35. Nahjul Balaaghah about Ali's Contemporaries In Sermon 121, Ali in answer about Arbitration • A man from among the companions of Ali stood up and said, "O' Amir al-Mu'minin, you first stopped us from Arbitration and thereafter gave order for it. We do not know which of these two was more appropriate." Ali struck one hand over the other and said (See next slide): • Other Sources: • Ibn `Abd Rabbih, al-`Iqd, II, 165; • Ibn Talhah, Matalib, I, 100; • al-Mufid, al-'Irshad, 139; • al-Mufid, al-'Ikhtisas, 153, quoted from Ibn Da'b's work; • al-Tabarsi, al-'Ihtijaj, I, 273; • al-Zamakhshari, Rabi`, I, 130; • al-'Amidi, Ghurar; • al-Tusi, al-'Amali,

36. Nahjul Balaaghah about Ali's Contemporaries In Sermon 121, page 177,Ali in answer about Arbitration

37. Nahjul Balaaghah about Ali's Contemporaries Be in Allah’s Care Thank you and May God Bless you. Dr. A.S. Hashim