Nahj al-Balāgha

أَمَّا بَعْدُ، فَقَدْ عَلِمْتُما، وَإِنْ كَتَمْتُمَا، أَنِّي لَمْ أُرِدِ النَّاسَ حَتَّى أَرَادُونِي، وَلَمْ أُبَايِعْهُمْ حَتَّى بَايَعُونِي، وَإِنَّكُمَا مِمَّنْ أَرَادَنِي وَبَايَعَنِي، وَإِنَّ الْعَامَّةَ لَمْ تُبَايِعْنِي لِسُلْطَانٍ غَالِبٍ، وَلَا لِعَرَضٍ حَاضِرٍ، فَإِنْ كُنْتُمَا بَايَعْتُمانِي طَائِعَيْنِ، فارْجِعَا وَتُوبَا إِلَى اللهِ مِنْ قَرِيبٍ، وَإِنْ كُنْتُمَا بَايَعْتُمَانِي كَارِهَيْنِ، فَقَدْ جَعَلْتُمَا لِي عَلَيْكُمَا السَّبِيلَ بِإِظْهَارِكُمَا الطَّاعَةَ، وَإِسْرَارِكُمَا الْمَعْصِيَةَ.

Now, both of you know, although you conceal it, that I did not approach the people till they approached me, and I did not ask them to swear allegiance to me till they themselves swore allegiance to me, and both of you were among those who approached me and swore me allegiance. Certainly, the common people did not swear me allegiance under any force put on them or for any money given to them. If you two swore allegiance to me obediently, come back and offer repentance to Allāh soon, but if you swore allegiance to me reluctantly, you have certainly given me cause for action, by showing your obedience and concealing your disobedience. [2]

وَلَعَمْرِي مَا كُنْتُمَا بِأَحَقِّ الْمُهَاجِرِينَ بِالتَّقِيَّةِ وَالْكِتْمَانِ، وَإِنَّ دَفْعَكُمَا هَذَا الْأَمْرَ مِنْ قَبْلِ أَنْ تَدْخُلَا فِيهِ، كَانَ أَوْسَعَ عَلَيْكُمَا مِنْ خُرُوجِكُمَا مِنْهُ، بَعْدَ إِقْرَارِكُمَا بِهِ، وَقَدْ زَعَمْتُمَا أَنِّي قَتَلْتُ عُثْمَانَ، فَبَيْنِي وَبَيْنَكُمَا مَنْ تَخَلَّفَ عَنِّي وَعَنْكُمَا مِنْ أَهْلِ الْمَدِينَةِ، ثُمَّ يُلْزَمُ كُلُّ امْرِئٍ بَقَدْرِ مَا احْتَمَلَ.

By my life, you were not more entitled than other muhājirūn to conceal and hide the matter. Your refusing allegiance before entering into it would have been easier than getting out of it after having accepted it. You have indicated that I killed ‘Uthmān; then let someone from among the people of Medina who supported neither me nor you decide the matter between me and you. Then one of us shall face (the command of law) according to (their) involvement.

فَارْجِعَا أَيُّهَا الشَّيْخَانِ عَنْ رَأْيِكُمَا، فَإِنَّ الْآنَ أَعْظَمَ أَمْرِكُمَا الْعَارُ، مِنْ قَبْلِ أَنْ يَجْتَمِعَ [يَتَجَمَّعَ] الْعَارُ وَالنَّارُ، وَالسَّلَامُ.

You should give up your way now, when the great question before you is only one of shame, before you face the question of shame coupled with the Hellfire; and that is an end to the matter.

ومن كتاب له (عليه السلام) إلى معاوية

To Mu‘āwiyah

أَمَّا بَعْدُ، فَإِنَّ اللهَ سُبْحَانَهُ قَدْ جَعَلَ الدُّنْيَا لِمَا بَعْدَهَا، وَابْتَلَى فِيهَا أَهْلَهَا، لِيَعْلَمَ أَيُّهُمْ أَحْسَنُ عَمَلًا، وَلَسْنَا لِلدُّنْيَا خُلِقْنَا، وَلَا بِالسَّعْيِ فِيهَا أُمِرْنَا، وَإِنَّمَا وُضِعْنَا فِيها لِنُبْتَلَى بِهَا، وَقَدِ ابْتَلَانِي اللهُ بِكَ وَابْتَلَاكَ بِي: فَجَعَلَ أَحَدَنَا حُجَّةً عَلَى الْآخَرِ، فَعَدَوْتَ عَلَى [طَلَبِ] الدُّنْيَا بِتَأْوِيلِ الْقُرْآنِ، فَطَلَبْتَنِي بِمَا لَمْ تَجْنِ يَدِي وَلَا لِسَانِي، وَعَصَيْتَهُ أَنْتَ وأَهْلُ الشَّامِ بِي، وَأَلَّبَ عَالِمُكُمْ جَاهِلَكُمْ، وَقَائِمُكُمْ قَاعِدَكُمْ.

Now, Allāh, the Glorified, has made this world for what is to come hereafter, and put its inhabitants to trial as to which of you is good in action, and we have not been created for this world, nor ordered to strive for it, but we have been made to stay in it to stand trial therein. So, Allāh has tried me with you and tried you with me. He has therefore made either of us a plea for the other. Now, you have leapt on the world by a wrong interpretation of the Qur’ān, and wanted me to account for what neither my hand nor tongue was responsible, but you and the Syrians put the blame on me, and your scholar incited against me the ignorant and one who is sitting incited the one who is standing.

فَاتَّقِ اللهَ فِي نَفْسِكَ، وَنَازِعِ الشَّيْطَانَ قِيَادَكَ، وَاصْرِفْ إِلَى الْآخِرَةِ وَجْهَكَ، فَهِيَ طَرِيقُنَا وَطَرِيقُكَ. وَاحْذَرْ أَنْ يُصِيبَكَ اللهُ مِنْهُ بِعَاجِلِ قَارِعَةٍ تَمَسُّ الْأَصْلَ، وَتَقْطَعُ الدَّابِرَ، فَإِنِّي أُولِي لَكَ بِاللهِ أَلِيَّةً غَيْرَ فَاجِرَةٍ، لَئِنْ جَمَعَتْنِي وَإِيَّاكَ جَوَامِعُ الْأَقْدَارِ لَا أَزَالُ بِبَاحَتِكَ ﴿حَتَّىٰ يَحْكُمَ اللهُ بَيْنَنَا ۚ وَهُوَ خَيْرُ الْحَاكِمِينَ﴾.

You should fear Allāh about yourself and not allow Satan to lead you. Turn your face towards the next world because that is our path and your path, and fear that Allāh may not entangle you in any sudden infliction which may destroy the root as well as cut away the branches. I swear to you by Allāh an oath which will not be broken that if destiny brings me and you together I shall steadfastly hold before you: Until Allāh judges between us, and He is the Best of the judges. (Qur’ān, 7:87)

ومن وصيته له (عليه السلام) وصى بها شريح بن هانئ لما جعله على مقدمته إلى الشام

When Amīr al-mu’minīn placed Shurayḥ ibn Hānī (al-Madhḥijī) at the head of the vanguard preceding towards Syria, he issued this document of instruction to him.

اتَّقِ اللهَ فِي كُلِّ صَبَاحٍ وَمَسَاءٍ، وَخَفْ عَلَى نَفْسِكَ الدُّنْيَا الْغَرُورَ، وَلَا تَأْمَنْهَا عَلَى حَالٍ، وَاعْلَمْ أَنَّكَ إِنْ لَمْ تَرْدَعْ نَفْسَكَ عَنْ كَثِيرٍ مِمَّا تُحِبُّ، مَخَافَةَ مَكْرُوهٍ، سَمَتْ بِكَ الْأَهْوَاءُ إِلَى كَثِيرٍ مِنَ الضَّرَرِ. فَكُنْ لِنَفْسِكَ مَانِعاً رَادِعاً، وَلِنَزْوَتِكَ عِنْدَ الْحَفِيظَةِ وَاقِماً قَامِعاً.

Fear Allāh every morning and evening and remain apprehensive about yourself of this deceitful world and do not regard it safe in any case. Know that if for fear of some evil you do not refrain yourself from things which you love, then passions will fling you into a lot of harm. Therefore, be for yourself a refrainer and protector, and for your anger a suppressor and killer.

ومن كتاب له (عليه السلام) إلى أهل الكوفة عند مسيره من المدينة إلى البصرة

To the people of Kūfah at the time of his march from Medina to Baṣrah

أَمَّا بَعْدُ، فَإِنِّي خَرَجْتُ مِنْ حَيِّي هذَا: إِمَّا ظَالِماً، وَإِمَّا مَظْلُوماً، وَإِمِّا بَاغِياً، وَإِمَّا مَبْغِيّاً عَلَيْهِ.

Now, I have come out of my city either as an oppressor or as the oppressed, either as a rebel or one against whom rebellion has been committed.