His attachment to Muhammad and the performance of his funeral rites
1
ومن خطبة له (عليه السلام) ينبّه فيها على فضيلته لقبول قوله وأمره ونهيه
Amīr al-mu’minīn’s attachment to the Holy Prophet. The performance of his funeral rites.
2
وَلَقَدْ عَلِمَ الْمُسْتَحْفَظُونَ مِنْ أَصْحَابِ مُحَمَّد (صلى الله عليه وآله) أَنِّي لَمْ أَرُدَّ عَلَى الله وَلاَ عَلَى رَسُولِهِ سَاعَةً قَطُّ، وَلَقَدْ وَاسَيْتُهُ بِنَفْسِي فِي الْمَوَاطِنِ الَّتي تَنْكُصُ فِيهَا الاْبْطَالُ وَتَتَأَخَّرُ الاْقْدَامُ، نَجْدَةً أَكْرَمَنِي اللهُ بِهَا.
Those companions of Muḥammad - the peace and blessing of Allāh be upon him and his descendants - who were the custodians (of divine messages) know that I never disobeyed Allāh or His Messenger [1] - the peace and blessing of Allāh be upon him and his descendants - at all, and by virtue of the courage [2] with which Allāh honoured me I supported him with my life on occasions when even the brave turned away and feet remained behind (instead of proceeding forward).
3
وَلَقَدْ قُبِضَ رَسُولُ اللهِ (صلى الله عليه وآله) وَإِنَّ رَأْسَهُ لَعَلَى صَدْرِي. وَلَقَدْ سَالَتْ نَفْسُهُ فِي كَفِّي، فَأَمْرَرْتُهَا عَلَىُ وَجْهِي. وَلَقَدْ وُلِّيتُ غُسْلَهُ (صلى الله عليه وآله) وَالْمَلاَئِكُةُ أَعْوَانِي، فَضَجَّتِ الدَّارُ والاْفْنِيَةُ، مَلاَ يُهْبِطُ، وَمَلاَ يَعْرُجُ، وَمَا فَارَقَتْ سَمْعِي هَيْنَمَةٌ مِنْهُمْ، يُصَلُّونَ عَلَيْهِ حَتَّى وَارَيْنَاهُ فِي ضَرِيحِهِ.
When the Prophet - the peace and blessing of Allāh be upon him and his descendants - died his head was on my chest, and his (last) breath blew over my palms and I passed it over my face. I performed his (funeral) ablution, may Allāh bless him and his descendants, and the angels helped me. The house and the courtyard were full of them. One party of them was descending and the other was ascending. My ears continually caught their humming voice, as they invoked Allāh’s blessing on him, till we buried him in his grave.
4
فَمَنْ ذَا أَحَقُّ بِهِ مِنِّي حَيّاً وَمَيِّتاً؟ فَانْفُذُوا عَلَى بَصَائِرِكُمْ، وَلْتَصْدُقْ نِيَّاتُكُمْ فِي جِهَادِ عَدُوِّكُمْ، فَوَالَّذِي لاَ إِلهَ إِلاَّ هُوَ إِنِّي لَعَلَى جَادَّةِ الْحَقِّ، وَإِنَّهُمْ لَعَلَى مَزَلَّةِ الْبَاطِلِ. أَقُولُ مَا تَسْمَعُونَ، وَأَسْتَغْفِرُ اللهَ لِي وَلَكُمْ!
Thus, who can have greater rights with him than I during his life or after his death? Therefore depend on your intelligence and make your intentions pure in fighting your enemy, because I swear by Him who is such that there is no god but He, that I am on the path of truth and that they (the enemy) are on the misleading path of wrong. You hear what I say; and I seek Allāh’s forgiveness for myself and for you.