The Last Will And the Testament

The following is one piece of advice offered to his sons, Imam Hasan (pbuh) and Imam Hussain (pbuh), as well as to his people, the nation and coming generations:

"I advise you to fear Allah, and not to run after (the pleasure of) the world, even if it may run after you. Do not be sorry for anything from it which you have been denied. Say the truth and act for (Allah"s) reward. Be an enemy of the oppressor, and be a helper of the oppressed."

"I advise you, my children, my household and all those who may receive my message, to fear Allah, to arrange your affairs well, to maintain good relations among yourselves, for I have heard your grandfather (pbuh) saying: "Good relations are better than prayer and fasting in general."

"(Fear) Allah when handling matters of orphans. Do not let them starve, nor allow them to be lost as long as you are there."

"(Fear) Allah in respect to your neighbors, for they were the trust of your Prophet (pbuh). He went on asking us to take care of them, so much that we thought he would make them heirs (of our heritage)."

"(Fear) Allah in respect to the Holy Quran, (take care that) no one may excel you in following its tenets."

"(Fear) Allah in respect to prayer, as it is the pillar of your religion."

"(Fear) Allah in respect to your Lord's House (Kaaba), do not forsake it so long as you live, because if you do you will not be looked upon with respect."

"(Fear) Allah in respect to Jihad, fight with your wealth, your lives and your tongues, in the way of Allah."

"Have mutual liaison and give-and-take. Beware of turning your faces from, and of renouncing, one another. Do not abandon bidding good and forbidding evil, lest vicious people may overrule you, and then in such a case, your invocations will not be responded to (by Allah)."

Then he said: "O, Banu Abdul Muttalib, certainly I do not want you to wade through the blood of the Muslims, crying: Amir al-Muminin was murdered. You certainly kill for me no one but my killer."

"Wait till I die by this stroke of him (Abd-al-Rahman ibn Muljam), then strike a single stroke against him, and do not disfigure his body, for I had heard the Holy Prophet (pbuh) saying: "Avoid mayhem even with a rabid dog.""

other links:

Eulogy to Amir Al Momenin

Women in the Nahj Ul Balagha

Imam Ali’s Ziyarat

Imam Ali’s Biography

The Last Will and the Testament

Imam Ali’s Martyrdom

Self-Sacrifice and Devotion of Imam Ali ibn Abu Talib (as)

Imam Ali (as), First youth to accept Islam

Imam Ali (as), Unique Leader in the History of Mankind

“Ahya” Reviving the Hearts

Imam Ali (a.s) in the words of non Muslim Scholars