Maulana Ali’s (‘as) Will to Al-Hasan His (‘as) Son38
This is the will of Ali Ibn Abi Talib:
I advise the believers to declare that there is no god but Allah exclusively without any associate and that Muhammad is His servant and messenger. He sent him with guidance and the right religion so as to make it prevail all the other religions even if the polytheists detest it. Allah’s blessings and compliments be upon Muhammad. Then my prayer, sacrifice, life, and death are all for God, the Lord of the universe. Nothing is equal to Him. Thus, are the commandments, which I have received and I am the first Muslim (submitted to the will of God.)
I advise you, O Hasan, as well as all my sons, family members, and every believer who receives this will, to fear Allah your Lord and do not die before you are Muslims. Cling to the tie of God altogether and do not be discrepant for I have heard the Holy Rasulullah (SAW) saying: “Settlement of mutual differences is better than the general prayers and fasting, while the true fatal thing, which is also the shaver of the religion, is the rupture of the mutual relations.” All power belongs to God.
Look after your relatives and build good relations with them and God will make your trial on the Day of Resurrection easy.
(Fear) Allah (and) keep Allah in view in the matter of orphans. So, they should not be ruined in your presence. I heard the Rasulullah (SAW) saying: “For him whoever provides for an orphan till he attains independency, God will make Paradise his inevitable abode as He will make Hell the inevitable abode of those who wrongfully consume the property of or-phans.”
(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 your neighbors, because they were the subject of the Rasulullah’s advice. He went on advising in their favor till we thought he would allow them a share in inheritance.
(Fear) Allah (and) keep Allah in view in the matter of your Lord’s House (Kaaba). Do not for-sake it so long as you live, because if it is abandoned you will not be spared. The least thing that the pilgrim will gain after returning from hajj is the forgiveness of all his past sins.
(Fear) Allah (and) keep Allah in view in the matter of prayer, because it is the best of the deeds and the pillar of your religion.
(Fear) Allah (and) keep Allah in view in the matter of the zakat because it extinguishes the wrath of your Lord.
(Fear) Allah (and) keep Allah in view in the matter of fasting for the month of Ramadan because it is a protection against the fire of Hell.
(Fear) Allah (and) keep Allah in view in the matter of the paupers and the poor. You should make them have shares in your livings.
(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. Those who practice jihad are only two categories—either an imam of guidance or an obedient of an imam who pursues his guidance.
(Fear) Allah (and) keep Allah in view in the matter of the progeny of your Rasulullah (peace be up-on him and his family). They should never let them be wronged among you when you are able to protect them.
(Fear) Allah (and) keep Allah in view in the matter of the companions of your Rasulullah (SAW) who neither commit a dissent nor did they succor a heretic. The Rasulullah (SAW) ordered to keep them and cursed those who commit a dissent or succor a heretic whether among them or among others.
(Fear) Allah (and) keep Allah in view in the matter of your women and bondmaids. The last word of your Rasulullah was his saying: “I advise you to keep the two weak, women and bond-maids.”
Keep the prayers, keep the prayers, keep the prayers. Do not care for any blame from anybody in the sake of God so that God will protect you against whoever intends to hurt or wrong you. Use good wording with people as God ordered you. Do not give up bidding for good and forbidding from evil lest the mischievous gain positions over you, and then if you will pray to God against them, the prayers will not be granted.
O my sons, you should keep to a respect for kinship, spending for others, and mutual collaboration. Avoid turning away from one another, severing mutual relations, and discrepancy. Cooper-ate with each other in righteousness and piety, not in sin and hostility. Have fear of God; He is stern in His retribution. May God save you, as a household, and save your Rasulullah among you. I deposit you with God and recite upon you peace and God’s mercy and blessings.
He then kept saying: “There is no god but Allah,” till he passed away.