From Abu Khalid al-Kabuli, from Abu Ja'far Muhammad ibn Ali al-Baqir (AS), who said: When the Commander of the Faithful (AS) had finished washing the body of the Messenger of God (PBUH), shrouding him, and applying the camphor, he gave the people leave and said: "Let ten of you enter at a time to pray over him." So they entered, and the Commander of the Faithful (AS) stood between him and them and said: "Indeed God and His angels send blessings upon the Prophet; O you who believe, send blessings upon him and salute him with a worthy salutation" [Qur'an 33:56], and the people would say as he said. Abu Ja'far (AS) said: Thus was the prayer over him (PBUH). (al-Amali of al-Mufid, vol. 1, p. 31)
Abu Khalid al-Kabuli says: Imam al-Baqir (AS) said: When the Commander of the Faithful (AS) had finished the washing, shrouding, and embalming of the Messenger of God (PBUH), he gave the people leave and said: "Enter ten by ten and pray over the Prophet!" They entered, and the Imam himself stood between the body of the Messenger of God (PBUH) and the people and recited this verse: "Indeed God and His angels send blessings upon the Prophet; O you who believe, send blessings upon him and salute him with a worthy salutation" [Qur'an 33:56]. The people likewise recited this verse and sent blessings. Imam al-Baqir (AS) said: This is how the prayer over the Messenger of God (PBUH) was performed.
From Hisham ibn Muhammad, from the Commander of the Faithful (AS), in what he wrote to Malik ibn al-Harith al-Ashtar: "Seek God's help in whatever concerns you; mingle severity with gentleness; be gentle so long as gentleness is the more effective, and resolve upon severity when nothing will avail you but severity." (al-Amali of al-Mufid, vol. 1, p. 79)
The narrator says: Among the counsels of the Commander of the Faithful (AS) to Malik al-Ashtar, when he sent him to Egypt, was this: In your affairs seek help from God constantly; always blend severity with gentleness; so long as kindness serves, advance your work with kindness; and when there is no remedy but severity, allow yourself no hesitation in employing it.
From an elder of the people of Hadramawt, from Muhammad ibn al-Hanafiyya (mercy be upon him), who said: While the Commander of the Faithful, Ali ibn Abi Talib (AS), was circumambulating the House, there was a man clinging to the coverings [of the Ka'ba], saying: "O He whom one hearing does not distract from another hearing; O He whom the petitioners cannot confuse; O He whom the insistence of the importunate does not weary — let me taste the coolness of Your pardon and the sweetness of Your mercy." The Commander of the Faithful (AS) said to him: "Is this your supplication?" The man said to him: "Did you hear it?" He said: "Yes." He said: "Then supplicate with it after every prayer; for by God, no believer supplicates with it after the prayers but that God forgives him his sins, though they be as many as the stars of the sky and its raindrops, and the pebbles of the earth and its soil." The man — who was al-Khidr (AS) — said to him: "And above every possessor of knowledge is One who knows" [Qur'an 12:76]. (al-Amali of al-Mufid, vol. 1, p. 91)
An old man of Hadramawt relates from Muhammad ibn al-Hanafiyya that the Commander of the Faithful (AS) was performing the circumambulation when he came upon an old man who had grasped the covering of the Ka'ba and was saying: "O He whom one hearing does not distract from another; O He whom the petitioners cannot confuse; O He whom the insistence of the importunate does not weary — let me taste the coolness of Your pardon and the sweetness of Your mercy." The Commander of the Faithful (AS) said to him: "Is this your supplication?" The old man replied: "Did you hear it?" He said: "Yes!" The old man said: "Recite this supplication at the end of every prayer! By God, no believer recites this supplication at the end of his prayer but that God forgives his sins, even if they be as numerous as the stars of the sky and the drops of rain, and as the sands of the sand-dunes and the particles of the earth's soil." Then that old man — who was al-Khidr (AS) — said: "And above every possessor of knowledge is One who knows" [Qur'an 12:76].
From Abu Ubayda al-Hadhdha, from Abu Ja'far al-Baqir, Muhammad ibn Ali (AS), who said: In the book of the Commander of the Faithful (AS) it is written: "Three traits — their doer will not die until he sees their evil consequence: oppression, severing the ties of kinship, and the false oath. And truly the act of obedience swiftest in reward is maintaining the ties of kinship; indeed a people may be wicked, yet they maintain their mutual ties, and so their wealth grows and they prosper." (al-Amali of al-Mufid, vol. 1, p. 98)
The Commander of the Faithful (AS) said: There are three sins whose perpetrator will see their evil consequence in this very world, before his death: oppression; severing the ties of kinship; and the false oath.
From Abu Ubayda al-Hadhdha, from Abu Ja'far al-Baqir, Muhammad ibn Ali (AS), who said: In the book of the Commander of the Faithful (AS) it is written: "Truly the act of obedience swiftest in reward is maintaining the ties of kinship; indeed a people may be wicked, yet they maintain their mutual ties, and so their wealth grows and they prosper." (al-Amali of al-Mufid, vol. 1, p. 98)
The Commander of the Faithful (AS) said: The act of obedience with the swiftest effect in changing one's destiny is maintaining the ties of kinship. Even people given to wickedness and vice, when they maintain their kinship ties, find their wealth increased and become prosperous.
Sa'id, from Jabir, who said: The Commander of the Faithful, Ali ibn Abi Talib (AS), heard a man reviling Qanbar, and Qanbar was about to answer him back. The Commander of the Faithful, Ali (AS), called out to him: "Gently, O Qanbar! Leave your reviler in his disgrace — you will please the All-Merciful, enrage Satan, and punish your enemy. For by Him who split the seed and created the soul, the believer pleases his Lord with nothing like forbearance, nor enrages Satan with anything like silence, nor is the fool punished by anything like keeping silent toward him." (al-Amali of al-Mufid, vol. 1, p. 118)
The narrator says: The Commander of the Faithful (AS) heard a man insulting Qanbar, and Qanbar wished to answer him. The Imam called out to him and said: "O Qanbar! Be calm! Leave your abuser in his abjection, so that you may please the All-Merciful God, anger Satan, and chastise your enemy. I swear by Him who split the seed and created all living beings: the believer does not please his God with anything like forbearance and patience, does not anger Satan with anything like silence, and no fool is chastened by any response like being met with silence."
Al-Hasan ibn Abi al-Hasan al-Basri said: When the Commander of the Faithful, Ali ibn Abi Talib (AS), came to us in Basra, he passed by me while I was performing the ablution and said: "O young man, perfect your ablution, and God will be good to you." (al-Amali of al-Mufid, vol. 1, p. 118)
The narrator says: When the Commander of the Faithful (AS) was in Basra, he passed by me while I was performing the ablution. He looked at me and said: "O young man, perform your ablution well, that you may see goodness from God!"
The Commander of the Faithful (AS) said: "Seeking one's livelihood by lawful means does not distract one from the work of the Hereafter." (al-Amali of al-Mufid, vol. 1, p. 118)
The Commander of the Faithful (AS) said: Seeking one's livelihood through lawful means is no impediment to working for the Hereafter.
Suwayd ibn Ghafala, from Ali ibn Abi Talib (AS), who said: The Messenger of God (PBUH) said: "No servant attends carefully to the times of the prayer and the stations of the sun but that I guarantee for him ease at death and the cessation of worries and sorrows." (al-Amali of al-Mufid, vol. 1, p. 136)
The Commander of the Faithful (AS) relates from the Messenger of God (PBUH): If anyone gives due attention to the stations of the sun (such as dawn, sunrise, midday declination, and sunset) and to prayer at the beginning of its time, I guarantee for him ease and the end of griefs and sorrows from the moment of death onward.
From Hisham, from Abu Abdillah [al-Sadiq] (AS), who said: The Commander of the Faithful, Ali ibn Abi Talib (blessings of God be upon him), used to say to the people in Kufa: "O people of Kufa! Do you suppose I do not know what would set you right? Indeed I do; but I am loath to set you right by corrupting myself." (al-Amali of al-Mufid, vol. 1, p. 207)
The Commander of the Faithful (AS) would say repeatedly: O Kufans! Do you imagine that I do not know how to bring you into line?! I do know; but I do not wish to bring you to order in such a way that I myself suffer the loss.
(We say: That is — I could, like Mu'awiya, bring you along with me by cunning, by force, or by money. But I hold none of these methods to be right, and were I to commit what is not right, I would have wronged my own self.)
Al-Fuja'i al-Uqayli said: Al-Hasan ibn Ali ibn Abi Talib (AS) related to me: "When death approached my father, he began to give his final counsels, among which were the following:"
The narrator says: I heard from Imam al-Mujtaba (AS): When my father, the Commander of the Faithful (AS), lay on his deathbed, he gave counsels, among which was this:
"I counsel you, my son, to humility, for it is among the most excellent forms of worship."
My son! Be always humble; humility itself is among the most excellent acts of worship.
"I forbid you haste in word and deed. When something of the affair of the Hereafter presents itself, begin with it; and when something of the affair of this world presents itself, proceed deliberately until you discern your right course in it."
My son! I warn you against haste in speech and action! In every encounter, give the affairs of the Hereafter precedence over the affairs of this world; and in worldly matters do not rush — rather, proceed with deliberation until you are certain the matter is to your good.
"Guard your religion from the corrupt man by dealing with him tactfully; detest him in your heart, and part company with him in your deeds."
Deal tolerantly with the corrupt man and do not expose your religion to his plunder; but in your heart regard his conduct as evil, and in practice act contrary to him.
"Be moderate in your worship, and hold in it to the constant practice that you can sustain."
In worship take the middle way, and give precedence to that worship which you can perform with constancy.
"Never eat any food until you have given some of it in charity before eating it."
Before eating, always give a little of that very food in charity. (We say: or set the charity aside.)
"Patience, patience — until God Himself takes charge of the affair." (al-Amali of al-Mufid, vol. 1, p. 220)
Be patient — so long that God becomes the guardian of the affair! (We say: that is, persevere in your affairs until the hand of God's guardianship becomes manifest in that matter and God Himself directs your affair; then move in step with what has been decreed.)
From Abu Ali al-Hamdani, that Abd al-Rahman ibn Abi Layla related from the Commander of the Faithful, Ali ibn Abi Talib (AS): "When I am silent, excuse me; for should a matter arise in which you need an answer, I will answer you. So refrain from me so long as I refrain from you." (al-Amali of al-Mufid, vol. 1, p. 223)
The Commander of the Faithful (AS) said: When I keep silent, do not you ask anything either; for whenever it is necessary, I shall speak of my own accord. Otherwise, leave me be and hold me excused. When I do not concern myself with your affairs, do not concern yourselves with mine.
From Hanash ibn al-Mu'tamir, who said: I came in to the Commander of the Faithful, Ali ibn Abi Talib (AS), while he was in the Rahba, reclining. I said: "Peace be upon you, O Commander of the Faithful, and the mercy of God and His blessings — how have you entered the morning?" He raised his head, returned my greeting, and said: "I have entered the morning loving those who love us and patient under the hatred of those who hate us. Truly one who loves us cannot hate us, and one who hates us cannot love us." (al-Amali of al-Mufid, vol. 1, p. 232)
The narrator says: I went to the Commander of the Faithful (AS) in the Rahba of Kufa (the central square of the city, adjoining the Mosque of Kufa). I found him seated, reclining. I said: "God's peace be upon you, O Commander of the Faithful! How have you entered the morning?!" He raised his head and said: "Loving my friend and bearing patiently with the enemy!" Then he said: "One who loves us cannot hold us in enmity, and our enemy cannot love us."
From al-Asbagh ibn Nubata (God have mercy on him), who said: The Commander of the Faithful (AS) said: "By God, no community has fallen into discord after its prophet without its falsehood prevailing over its truth — except as God wills." (al-Amali of al-Mufid, vol. 1, p. 232)
The Commander of the Faithful (AS) said: Such is the way of God: when a community falls into discord after its prophet, those who stand on falsehood gain the upper hand over those who stand on truth.
Abu Ishaq al-Hamdani, from his father, from the Commander of the Faithful, Ali ibn Abi Talib (AS), who said: The Messenger of God (PBUH) said: "Three sins whose punishment is hastened and not deferred to the Hereafter: undutifulness to one's parents, oppression of people, and ingratitude for kindness." (al-Amali of al-Mufid, vol. 1, p. 237)
The Commander of the Faithful (AS), relating from the Messenger of God (PBUH), said: There are three sins whose perpetrator will see their punishment in this very world, before the Hereafter: hurting one's parents; oppressing people; and ingratitude.
Abu Ishaq al-Sabi'i, from Masruq ibn al-Ajda', from the Commander of the Faithful: "There is no servant among the servants of God whose heart God has tested for faith but that he finds love for us upon his heart, and so he loves us." (al-Amali of al-Mufid, vol. 1, p. 237)
The Commander of the Faithful (AS) said: When a believer has been tested — that is, when God has tried his heart for faith and he has come through the trial with honor — he finds our love in his heart and becomes one who loves us.
From al-Harith ibn Hasira, who said: A group of the companions of the Commander of the Faithful (AS) related to me that he said one day: "Summon for me [the tribes of] Ghani and Bahila, and another clan he named, that they may take their stipends. For by Him who split the seed and created the soul, they have no share in Islam — and I am a witness, and my station is at the Pool and at the Praiseworthy Station, that they are enemies in this world and the Hereafter. I shall surely seize Ghani with such a seizing that Bahila will break wind in terror! And if my feet stand firm, I shall surely restore clans to clans and clans to clans, and I shall expose sixty tribes as counterfeit, having no share in Islam." (al-Amali of al-Mufid, vol. 1, p. 339)
The narrator says: One day the Commander of the Faithful (AS) said: Summon the men of the tribe of Ghani and the tribe of Bahila to come and take their share from the public treasury. Yet, by God, they are not Muslims, and I am witness to their having no portion in Islam! And tomorrow, at the Pool and in the Praiseworthy Station, I shall count them among the enemies. On that day I shall seize the tribe of Ghani in such a way that the tribe of Bahila will soil itself in terror! Then he said: If my cause prevails and I triumph over the enemies and obtain the caliphate as it ought to be obtained, I know what I shall do with sixty tribes that, like these two, have no share in Islam.
From al-Asbagh ibn Nubata al-Abdi, who said: When Ibn Muljam struck the Commander of the Faithful, Ali ibn Abi Talib (AS), a group of our companions went to him early in the morning — myself, al-Harith, Suwayd ibn Ghafala, and a company with us. We sat at the door and heard weeping, so we wept too. Al-Hasan ibn Ali (AS) came out to us and said: "The Commander of the Faithful says to you: return to your homes." So everyone left except me, and the weeping from his house grew louder, and I wept. Al-Hasan (AS) came out and said: "Did I not tell you to leave?" I said: "No, by God, O son of the Messenger of God; my soul will not obey me and my legs will not carry me away until I see the Commander of the Faithful (blessings of God be upon him)." He said: "Then wait." He went in, and it was not long before he came out and said to me: "Enter." So I entered upon the Commander of the Faithful (AS) and found him propped up, his head bound with a yellow turban, drained of blood, his face gone yellow — I could not tell which was the yellower, his face or the turban. I bent over him, kissed him, and wept. He said to me: "Do not weep, Asbagh, for it is — by God — Paradise." I said to him: "May I be your ransom! I know, by God, that you are going to Paradise; I weep only for losing you, O Commander of the Faithful. May I be your ransom — relate to me a hadith you heard from the Messenger of God (PBUH), for I think that after this day I shall never hear a hadith from you again." He said: "Yes, O Asbagh. One day the Messenger of God (PBUH) summoned me and said to me: 'O Ali, go to my mosque, mount my pulpit, call the people to you, praise God, the Mighty and Majestic, and extol Him, invoke abundant blessings upon me, and then say: O people, I am the messenger of the Messenger of God to you, and he says to you: Behold, the curse of God, the curse of His angels brought near and His prophets sent forth, and my curse, is upon whoever attributes himself to other than his own father, or claims for himself other than his own patrons, or wrongs a laborer of his wage.' I went to his mosque and mounted his pulpit, and when Quraysh and those in the mosque saw me, they gathered toward me. I praised God and extolled Him, invoked abundant blessings upon the Messenger of God (PBUH), and then said: 'O people, I am the messenger of the Messenger of God to you, and he says to you: Behold, the curse of God, the curse of His angels brought near and His prophets sent forth, and my curse, is upon whoever attributes himself to other than his own father, or claims for himself other than his own patrons, or wrongs a laborer of his wage.' No one among the people spoke except Umar ibn al-Khattab, who said: 'You have delivered the message, O Abu al-Hasan, but you have brought words without explanation.' I said: 'I shall convey that to the Messenger of God (PBUH).' So I returned to the Prophet (PBUH) and told him the news. He said: 'Return to my mosque, mount my pulpit, praise God and extol Him, invoke blessings upon me, and then say: O people, we would never bring you anything without possessing its interpretation and explanation. Behold — I am your father; behold — I am your mawla (master); behold — I am your laborer.'" (al-Amali of al-Mufid, vol. 1, p. 339)
Asbagh ibn Nubata al-Abdi says: When Ibn Muljam struck the Commander of the Faithful (AS), a few of us companions — I, al-Harith ibn Abdullah al-A'war, Suwayd ibn Ghafala, and a group of others — went early in the morning to see the Imam. We sat at the door of the house and heard weeping from within, and we too wept. Imam Hasan al-Mujtaba (AS) came out of the house and said: "The Commander of the Faithful (AS) says: return to your homes!" All left except me, while the sound of weeping and lament rose from the Imam's house, and I wept too. Imam Hasan (AS) came out and said: "Did I not tell you to go?" I said: "No, by God, O son of the Messenger of God; my soul does not aid me, and my legs will not carry the weight of my body to depart, until I see the Commander of the Faithful (AS)." He paused a while and went inside the house. Before long he came out and said to me: "Enter." I came in to the Commander of the Faithful (AS) and saw him propped up, a yellow cloth bound about his blessed head, the color of his blessed face turned yellow from the great loss of blood. I threw myself upon him, kissed him, and wept. He said to me: "Asbagh! Do not weep! By God, I am going to Paradise." I said: "May I be your ransom — I know it; my weeping is because I am losing you." Then I said: "May I be your ransom, recount to me one of the hadiths you heard from the Messenger of God (PBUH), for I think that from this day on I shall no longer be able to hear a hadith from you." He said: "Yes, O Asbagh. One day the Messenger of God (PBUH) called me and said: 'O Ali, go to my mosque, then mount the pulpit and call the people to yourself. Then offer praise and glorification of God, send abundant blessings upon me, and say: O people, I am the messenger of the Messenger of God to you, and he says: Know that the curse of God, the curse of the angels brought near and the prophets sent forth, and my curse, is upon anyone who attributes himself to other than his own father, or counts himself as belonging to other than his own masters, or stints a laborer's wage and wrongs him.' I went to the mosque and did so. None of the people said a word except Umar ibn al-Khattab, who said: 'O Abu al-Hasan, you have delivered the message; but you have brought a sealed statement, without commentary or explanation!' I said: 'I shall tell the Messenger of God (PBUH).' So I returned to the Prophet (PBUH) and reported the matter to him. He said: 'Go back to my mosque, mount the pulpit, offer praise and glorification of God, and send blessings upon me. Then say: O people! We bring you nothing without having its interpretation and explanation with us. Know that I am your father; know that I am your mawla and the master of your affair; know that I am your hired laborer.'"