Nahjul Balaaghah about Allegiance for Ali’s Khilaafah

1. Nahjul Balaaghahabout Allegiance for Ali’s Khilaafah By A.S. Hashim. MD

2. Supplicationبـســـم الله الرحمن الرحيم In the Name of God, Lord of Mercy and Lord of Grace

3. 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. References about Ali’s Khilaafah • Nahjul Balaaghah contains 11 references about Ali’s Khilaafah • 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. 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. In Sermon 3, Ali: sermon of Shiqshiqiyah, Part 1 • See next slide please • Other sources: • Al-Mufid, al-Jamal, 62; • Ibn Qubbah, al-'Insaf, see Ibn Abi al-Hadid, Sharh, I, 69, • al-Saduq, Ma`ani, 344; • al-Hasan ibn `Abd Allah al-`Askari, from him al-Saduq in Ma`ani; • Ibn `Abd Rabbih, al-`Iqd, IV, see `Abd al-Zahra', I, 311-312 and al-Majlisi, Bihar, vol.8, 160; • al-Ka`bi (d.319/931) - see Ibn Abi al-Hadid, Sharh, I, 69; • Ibn al-Jawzi, al-Manaqib, see Bihar, vol.8, 160; • al-Mufid, al-'Irshad, 135; • al-Saduq, `Ilal, bab al-`illat allati min ajliha taraka Amir al-Mu'minin (A) mujahadat ahl al-khilaf; • al-Tusi, al-'Amali, I, 392; • Qutb al-Din Rawandi, Sharh, from Ibn Mardawayh and al-Tabarani; • Sibt ibn al-Jawzi, Tadhkirah, 133; al-Harrani, Tuhaf, 313;

7. In Sermon 3, Ali Part 2 continued • See next slide please • Other sources: • al-Saduq, `Ilal, bab al-`illat allati min ajliha taraka Amir al-Mu'minin (A) mujahadat ahl al-khilaf; • Abu Sa`id al-'Abi, Nathr al-durar and Nuzhat al-'adib, see `Abd al-Zahra', I, 313; • al-Murtada, al-Shafi, 203, 204; • al-Haffar, al-'Insaf from him al-Tusi in al-'Amali; • al-Tusi, al-'Amali, I, 392; • Qutb al-Din Rawandi, Sharh, from Ibn Mardawayh and al-Tabarani; • Sibt ibn al-Jawzi, Tadhkirah, 133; • al-Harrani, Tuhaf, 313; • al-Murtada, Sharh al-Khutbat al-Shiqshiqiyyah, see A`yan al-Shi`ah, vol. 41, p. 195; • al-Tabarsi, al-'Ihtijaj; I, 95; for a detailed discussion of sources, see `Abd al-Zahra', I, 309-324.

8. Sermon of Shiqshiqiyah • Sermon of al Shiqshiqiyah is counted among the most famous sermons of Ali. It was delivered at al-Ruhba. • And the events alluded to in this sermon are preserved in the annals of history which testifies them word by word and sentence by sentence. • If the memory of discouraging circumstances faced by Ali soon after the death of the Prophet appeared unpalatable to him it should not be surprising. • No doubt this sermon hits at the prestige of some personalities and gives a setback to the faith and belief in them, yet its annals are recorded in history.

9. In Sermon 3, page 49 Ali: sermon of Shiqshiqiyah, Part 1

10. In Sermon 3, page 49Ali: sermon of Shiqshiqiyah, Part 2

11. In Sermon 3, page 49Ali: sermon of Shiqshiqiyah, Part 3

12. In Sermon 3, page 49Ali: sermon of Shiqshiqiyah, Part 4

13. In Sermon 3, page 49 Ali: sermon of Shiqshiqiyah, Part 5

14. In Sermon 16, page 57 When allegiance was sworn to Ali at Medina • Al-Sharif Al-Radhi says: In this speech there is more beauty than can be appreciated, and the quantity of amazement aroused by it is more than the appreciation accorded to it. It has aspects of eloquence that cannot be expressed nor can anyone reach its depth, and no one can understand unless one has attained this art and known its depth. • See next slide please • Other sources: • Al-Jahiz, al-Bayan, I, 170; • Ibn al-'Athir, al-Nihayah, I, 132; • al-Mufid, al-'Irshad, 139; • Ibn Qutaybah, `Uyun, II, 236; • Ibn `Abd Rabbih, al-`Iqd, II, 162; • al-`Askari, al-'Awa'il, 102; • al-Kulayni, Usul al-Kafi, I, 369and Rawdat al-Kafi, 67; • al-Tusi, al'Amali, * 147.

15. In Sermon 16, page,When allegiance was sworn to Ali at Medina

16. In Sermon 26, Page 68 Ali about the enticement between Mu'awiya and Amr ibn al-Aas • Ali delivered a sermon before setting off for Nahrawan. In its first part Ali described the condition of Arabia before the Mission of Prophethood; in the second part he referred to circumstances that forced him to keep quiet, and in the third he described the enticement between Mu'awiya and Amr ibn al-Aas. • See next slide please • Other sources: • Ibn Qutaybah, al-'Imamah, I, 154; • al-Thaqafi, al-Gharat, I, 303, II, 633; • al-Tabari, al-Mustarshid, 95; • Ibn Tawus, Kashf, 173; • al-Kulayni, al-Rasa'il, mentioned by Ibn Tawus, op. cit.

17. In Sermon 26, Ali about the enticement between Mu'awiya and ibn al-Aas

18. In Sermon 74, Page 102 When Shura intended for Uthman • When the Consultative Committee (or Shura) decided to swear allegiance to Uthman, Ali said:…. • (See next slide please) • Other sources: • Al-Tabari, Ta'rikh, chronicles of the year 23; • al-'Azhari, Tahdhib, I, 341; • al-Harawi, al-Jam`; • al-Shaykh Warram, Tanbih; • Ibn al-'Athir, al-Nihayah, events of the year 23.

19. In Sermon 74,,When Shura intended for Uthman

20. In Sermon 92, Page136 During swearing allegiance to Ali • When with the murder of Uthman the seat of Khilaafah became vacant, Muslims rushed to Ali to swear allegiance. Ali’s remarkable conduct and adherence to principles have been witnessed by them. Consequently, people rushed to him for swearing allegiance just as a rushing traveler who had lost his way then at last caught sight of his objective, as historian at-Tabari says. • See next slide please • Other sources: • Al-Tabari, Ta'rikh,* VI, 3066 (events of the year 35); • Ibn al-'Athir, al-Nihayah (events of the year 35); • Ibn Miskawayh, Tajarib al-'umam, I, 508.

21. In Sermon 92, During swearing allegiance at Ali

22. In Sermon 136, Page194 Ali about his own intention • Here Ali points to the view of Omar on the allegiance of Abu Bakr on the day of Saqifa when he said: “ . . . the allegiance with Abu Bakr was a fault on the spur of the moment (faltah) but Allah saved us from its evil.” (as-Sahih, al-Bukhari, vol. 8, p. 211; as-Sirah an-Nabawiyyah, Ibn Hisham, vol. 4, pp. 308-309 • In this sermon Ali alludes to the sincerity of his intention and support of the oppressed • See next slide please • Other sources: • Al-Mufid, al-'Irshad, 142; • (2) Ibn al-'Athir, III, 467 (f.l.t).

23. In Sermon 136,,Ali about his own intention

24. In Sermon 137, Page194Ali about Talha and Zubair • See next slide please • Other sources: • Ibn `Abd al-Birr, al-'Isti`ab, II, 211; • Ibn al-'Athir, Usd al-ghabah, II, 61; • al-Mufid in al-'Irshad, 146, 142, and al-Jamal, 143, from al-Waqidi; • Ibn al-'Athir, al-Nihayah, III, 318 (`a.w.dh); • Ibn Qutaybah, al-'Imamah, I, 154; • al-Thaqafi, al-Gharat, I, 310; • al-Tabari, al-Mustarshid, 95; • Ibn Tawus, Kashf, 173; • Safwah, Jamharah; • al-Tabari, Ta'rikh, * VI, 3143.

25. In Sermon 137,Ali about Talha and Zubair

26. In Sermon 229, Page350 About allegiance to Ali for the Khilaafah • See next slide please • Other sources: • Al-Mufid, al-'Irshad, 142; • al-Mufid, al-Jamal, 128, from (3); • al-Waqidi, al-Jamal; • al-Thaqafi, al-Gharat, I, 310; • Ibn Tawus, Kashf, 173; • Ibn Qutaybah, al-'Imamah, I, 154; • al-Tabari, Ta'rikh, V, 28; • Ibn `Abd Rabbih, al-`Iqd, II, 165; • al-Kulayni, al-Rasa'il; • al-Tabari, al-Mustarshid, 95.

27. In Sermon 229,,About allegiance to Ali for the Khilaafah

28. In Sermon 34, page 79 Ali’s rights versus people’s rights See next slide Other references: • Al-Tabari, Ta'rikh, VI, 51; • Ibn Qutaybah, al-'Imamah, I, 150; • al-Baladhuri, Ansab, 380; • al-Mufid, al-Majalis, 79; • Nasr ibn Muzahim, see Ibn Abi al-Hadid, I, 179.

29. In Sermon 34,Ali about his rights as Imam

30. Be in Allah’s Care Thank you and May God Bless you. Dr. A.S. Hashim