11/03/2026
In the name of Allāh, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful. This is what ʿAlī bin Abī Ṭālib has left as his waṣiyyah (last will and final testament), that he bears witness that there is no God but Allāh alone, without any partner, and that Muḥammad is His slave and Messenger, whom He sent with guidance and the religion of truth to establish and manifest it over all religions, even if the polytheists detest it. May Allāh bless him and his family. Then, ‘verily, my prayers, my rites, my living, and my dying are for Allah, the Lord of all the worlds. He has no partner, and with this, I have been commanded, and I am one of the Muslims’.
Next, I advise you, O Ḥasan, and all the members of my household, my children, and whoever receives my message, to observe and exercise taqwā (piety) towards Allāh, your Sustainer. Do not die except as Muslims!
‘Hold firmly to the rope of Allāh, all of you, and do not be divided.’ Verily, I heard the Messenger of Allāh (peace be upon him) saying: “Reconciliation of differences is better than general prayers and fasting, and the destroyer which ruins the religion is sowing discord and division. There is no power except with Allāh, the Exalted, the Great.
Look after your close relatives, and make things easy for them. So that Allāh may make the ḥisāb (reckoning and accountability to Allāh) easy for you.
(Remember) Allāh! (and fear) Allāh in the matter of orphans, do not subject them to neglect, and do not let them perish in your presence. I have heard the Messenger of Allāh (peace be upon him) saying: ‘He who brings up an orphan until he (i.e. the orphan) becomes self-sufficient, Allāh will make entering Paradise obligatory for him, just as He has made the fire obligatory for the one who devours the wealth and property of the orphan.
(Remember) Allāh! (and fear) Allāh in the matter of the Qur’ān; no one should surpass you in acting upon it.
(Remember) Allāh! (and fear) Allāh in the matter of your neighbors, for the Prophet (peace be upon him) gave lots of advice and recommendations in their favour, and the Messenger of Allāh (peace be upon him) kept recommending kindness to them until we thought he would give them a share in our inheritance.
(Remember) Allāh! (and fear) Allāh in the matter of the House of your Lord, see to it that it is never empty of you completely, for if you leave it unattended, you will not be granted respite, and the least reward that the one who visits it (i.e the House of Allāh) gets is forgiveness of all past sins.
(Remember) Allāh! (and fear) Allāh in the matter of ṣalāh (prayer), for it is the best of deeds; it is the pillar of your religion.
(Remember) Allāh! (and fear) Allāh in the matter of zakāt (obligatory charity), for paying it extinguishes the wrath of your Lord.
(Remember) Allāh! (and fear) Allāh in the matter of the month of Ramaḍān, for its fasting is a shield from the Hellfire.
(Remember) Allāh! (and fear) Allāh in the matter of the poor and the destitute, so make them partners in your livelihood (i.e. share some of what Allāh has given you with them).
(Remember) Allāh! (and fear) Allāh in the matter of jihād with your wealth, yourselves, and your tongues, for verily, only two men strive, one being an imām who calls to guidance, and the other following him in his guidance.
(Remember) Allāh! (and fear) Allāh in the matter of the offspring of your Prophet, so do not wrong them in your presence and don’t let them be oppressed while you have power and are able to defend them.
(Remember) Allāh! (and fear) Allāh in the matter of women and in what your right hands possess, for the last thing your Prophet spoke of was: ‘I advise you to be kind to the weaker s*x, the women, and the slaves’, as that was the last thing he spoke of. Say good to people as Allāh has commanded you, and do not abandon enjoining good and forbidding evil, for if you do, Allāh will allow the evil ones among you to rule over you, then you will supplicate, but your supplications will not be answered. I enjoin upon you mutual goodwill, generosity, and giving precedence to others over yourselves. Beware of breaking off relations, hating each other, and being slow in good-doing and cooperation. ‘Seek assistance in virtue and piety, and do not seek assistance in sin and aggression. Fear Allāh, for verily, Allāh is severe in punishment.’ May Allāh protect you from the people of my household and preserve in you my Prophet. I entrust you to Allāh and read the peace, mercy, and blessings of Allāh upon you. Then, he kept saying, ‘Lā ilāha illa Allāh’ until he passed away; Allāh’s prayers and mercy be upon him.4
