Final Will of Imam Ali (as)
ومن وصية له
للحسن والحسين (عليهم السلام)
لما ضربه ابن ملجم لعنه الله
I advise you (both) to fear Allah and that you should not hanker after the (pleasures of this) world even though it may run after you. Do not be sorry for anything of this world that you have been denied. Speak the truth and act (in expectation) for reward. Be an enemy of the oppressor and helper of the oppressed.
I advise you (both) and all my children and members of my family and everyone whom my writing reaches, to fear Allah, to keep your affairs in order, and to maintain good relations among yourselves for I have heard your grand-father (the Holy Prophet - p.b.u.h.a.h.p.) saying, "Improvement of mutual differences is better than general prayers and fastings."
أُوصِيكُمَا بِتَقْوَى اللهِ، وَأنْ لاَ تَبْغِيَا الدُّنْيَا وَإِنْ بَغَتْكُمَا، وَلاَ تَأْسَفَا عَلَى شَيْء مِنْهَا زُوِيَ عَنْكُمَا، وَقُولاَ بِالْحَقِّ، وَاعْمَلاَ لِلاْجْرِ، وَكُونَا لِلظَّالِمِ خَصْماً، وَلِلْمَظْلُومِ عَوْناً. أُوصِيكُمَا، وَجَمِيعَ وَلَدِي وَأَهْلِي وَمَنْ بَلَغَهُ كِتَابِي، بِتَقْوَى اللهِ، وَنَظْمِ أَمْرِكُمْ، وَصَلاَحِ ذَاتِ بَيْنِكُمْ، فَإِنِّي سَمِعْتُ جَدَّكُمَا ـ صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَآلِهِ وَسَلَّمَ ـ يَقُولُ: "صَلاَحُ ذَاتِ الْبَيْنِ أَفْضَلُ مِنْ عَامَّةِ الصَّلاَةِ الصِّيَامِ".
(Fear) Allah (and) keep Allah in view in the matter of orphans. So do not allow them to starve and they should not be ruined in your presence.
(Fear) Allah (and) keep Allah in view in the matter of your neighbours, because they were the subject of the Prophet's advice. He went on advising in their favour till we thought he would allow them a share in inheritance.
اللهَ اللهَ فِي الاْيْتَامِ، فَلاَ تُغِبُّوا أَفْوَاهَهُمْ، وَلاَ يَضِيعُوا بِحَضْرَتِكُمْ. وَاللهَ اللهَ فِي جِيرَانِكُمْ، فَإِنَّهُمْ وَصِيَّةُ نَبِيِّكُمْ، مَا زَالَ يُوصِي بِهِمْ حَتَّى ظَنَنَّا أَنَّهُ سَيُوَرِّثُهُمْ
(Fear) Allah (and) keep Allah in view in the matter of the Qur'an. No one should excel you in acting upon it. (Fear) Allah (and) keep Allah in view in the matter of prayer, because it is the pillar of your religion.
(Fear) Allah (and) keep Allah in view in the matter of your Lord's House (Ka'bah). Do not forsake it so long as you live, because if it is abandoned you will not be spared.
(Fear) Allah (and) keep Allah in view in the matter of jihad with the help of your property, lives and tongues in the way of Allah.
وَاللهَ اللهَ فِي الْقُرْآنِ، لاَ يَسْبِقْكُمْ بِالْعَمَلِ بِهِ غَيْرُكُمْ. وَاللهَ اللهَ فِي الصَّلاَةِ، فَإِنَّهَا عَمُودُ دِينِكُمْ. وَاللهَ اللهَ فِي بَيْتِ رَبِّكُمْ، لاَ تُخْلُوهُ مَا بَقِيتُمْ، فَإِنَّهُ إِنْ تُرِكَ لَمْ تُنَاظَرُوا. وَاللهَ اللهَ فِي الْجِهَادِ بِأَمْوَالِكُمْ وَأَنْفُسِكُمْ وَأَلْسِنَتِكُمْ فِي سَبِيلِ اللهِ.
You should keep to a respect for kinship and spending for others. Avoid turning away from one another and severing mutual relations. Do not give up bidding for good and forbidding from evil lest the mischievous gain positions over you, and then if you will pray, the prayers will not be granted.
وَعَلَيْكُمْ بِالتَّوَاصُلِ وَالتَّبَاذُلِ، وَإِيَّاكُمْ وَالتَّدَابُرَ وَالتَّقَاطُعَ. لاَ تَتْرُكُوا الاْمْرَ بِالْمَعْرُوفِ وَالنَّهْيَ عَنِ الْمُنْكَرِ فَيُوَلَّى عَلَيْكُمْ أَشْرَارُكُمْ، ثُمَّ تَدْعُونَ فَلاَ يُسْتَجَابُ لَكُمْ.
Then he said: O sons of `Abd al-Muttalib, certainly I do not wish to see you plunging harshly into the blood of Muslims shouting "Amir al-mu'minin has been killed." Beware, do not kill on account of me except my killer.
Wait till I die by his (Ibn Muljam's) existing stroke. Then strike him one stroke for his stroke and do not dismember the limbs of the man, for I have heard the Messenger of Allah (S) saying, "Avoid cutting limbs even though it may be a rabid dog."
ثمّ قال: يَا بَنِي عَبْدِ الْمُطَّلِبِ، لاَ أُلْفِيَنَّكُمْ تَخُوضُونَ دِمَاءَ الْمُسْلِمِينَ خَوْضاً، تَقُولُونَ: قُتِلَ أَمِيرُالْمُؤْمِنِينَ. أَلاَ لاَ تَقْتُلُنَّ بِي إِلاَّ قَاتِلِي. انْظُرُوا إِذَا أَنَا مِتُّ مِنْ ضَرْبَتِهِ هذِهِ، فَاضْرِبُوهُ ضَرْبَةً بِضَرْبَة، وَلاَ يُمَثَّلُ بِالرَّجُلِ، فَإِنِّي سَمِعْتُ رَسُولَ اللهِ (صلى الله عليه وآله) يَقُولُ : "إِيَّاكُمْ وَالْمُثْلَةَ وَلَوْ بَالْكَلْبِ الْعَقُورِ".
