Nahj al-Balāgha

ومن كلام له (عليه السلام) يجري مجرى الخطبة [وفيه يذكر فضائله (عليه السلام) قاله بعد وقعة النهروان]

Amīr al-mu’minīn’s utterance which runs like a Sermon about his own steadfastness in religion and precedence in (acceptance of) belief. Spoken after the Battle of Nahrawān

فَقُمْتُ بِالاْمْرِ حِينَ فَشِلُوا وَتَطَلَّعْتُ حِينَ تَعْتَعُوا وَمَضَيْتُ بِنُورِ اللهِ حِينَ وَقَفُوا، وَكُنْتُ أَخْفَضَهُمْ صَوْتاً، وَأَعْلاَهُمْ فَوْتاً فَطِرْتُ بِعِنَانِهَا وَاسْتَبْدَدْتُ بِرِهَانِهَا كَالْجَبَلِ لاَ تُحَرِّكُهُ الْقَوَاصِفُ، وَلاَ تُزِيلُهُ الْعَوَاصِفُ. لَمْ يَكُنْ لاِحَدٍ فيَّ مَهْمَزٌ، وَلاَ لِقَائِلٍ فيَّ مَغْمَزٌ.

I discharged duties when others lost courage (to do so), and I came forward when others hid themselves. I spoke when others remained mum. I stroke with Divine light when others remained standing. I was the quietest of them in voice but the highest in going forward. I cleaved to its rein and applied myself solely to its pledge, like the mountain which neither sweeping wind could move nor storm could shake. No one could find fault with me nor could any speaker speak ill of me.

الذَّلِيلُ عِنْدِي عَزِيزٌ حَتَّى آخُذَ الْحَقَّ لَهُ، وَالْقَوِيُّ عِنْدِي ضَعِيفٌ حَتَّى آخُذَ الْحَقَّ مَنْهُ، رَضِينَا عَنِ اللهِ قَضَاءَهُ، وَسَلَّمْنَا له أَمْرَهُ. أَتَرَاني أَكْذِبُ عَلَى رَسُولِ اللهِ صلى الله عليه وآله ؟ وَاللهِ لاَنَا أَوَّلُ مَنْ صَدَّقَهُ فَلاَ أَكُونُ أَوَّلَ مَنْ كَذَبَ عَلَيْهِ. فَنَظَرْتُ في أَمْرِي، فَإِذَا طَاعَتِي قَدْ سَبَقَتْ بَيْعَتِي، وَإِذَا الميِثَاقُ في عُنُقِي لِغَيْرِي.

The low is in my view worthy of honour till I secure (his) right for him while the strong is in my view weak till I take (other's) right from him. We are happy with the destiny ordained by Allāh and have submitted to the command of Allāh. Do you think I would speak lie about the Prophet of Allāh? By Allāh, I am surely the first to testify him, so I will not be the first to falsify him. I looked at my affairs and found that my obedience should have precedence over my allegiance while my pledge with him is a burden on my neck.

ومن خطبة له (عليه السلام) وفيها علة تسمية الشبهة شبهة، ثم بيان حال الناس فيها

About naming of doubt as such and disparagement of those in doubt

وَإِنَّمَا سُمِّيَتِ الشُّبْهَةُ شُبْهَةً لاِنَّهَا تُشْبِهُ الْحَقَّ، فَأَمَّا أَوْلِيَاءُ اللهِ فَضِيَاؤُهُمْ فِيهَا الْيَقِينُ، وَدَلِيلُهُمْ سَمْتُ الْهُدَى وَأَمَّا أَعْدَاءُ اللهِ فَدُعَاؤُهُمْ الضَّلالُ، وَدَلِيلُهُمُ الْعَمْى، فَمَا يَنْجُو مِنَ المَوْتِ مَنْ خَافَهُ، وَلا يُعْطَى الْبَقَاءَ مَنْ أَحَبَّهُ.

Doubt is named doubt because it resembles truth. As for lovers of Allāh, their conviction serves them as light and the direction of the right path (itself) serves as their guide; while the enemies of Allāh, in time of doubt call to misguidance in the darkness of doubt and their guide is blindness (of intelligence). One who fears death cannot escape it nor can one who fears for eternal life secure it.

ومن خطبة له (عليه السلام) [خطبها عند علمه بغزوة النعمان بن بشير صاحب معاوية لعين التمر] [وفيها يبدي عذره، ويستنهض الناس لنصرته]

In disparagement of those who shrink from fighting

مُنِيتُ بِمَنْ لاَ يُطِيعُ إِذَا أَمَرْتُ وَلا يُجِيبُ إِذَا دَعَوْتُ، لاَ أَبَا لَكُمْ! مَا تَنْتَظِرُونَ بِنَصْرِكُمْ رَبَّكُمْ؟ أَمَا دِينٌ يَجْمَعُكُمْ، وَلاَ حَمِيَّةَ تُحْمِشُكُمْ؟! أَقُومُ فِيكُمْ مُسْتَصْرِخاً، وَأُنادِيكُمْ مُتَغَوِّثاً، فَلاَ تَسْمَعُونَ لي قَوْلاً، وَلاَ تُطِيعُون لِي أَمْراً، حَتَّى تَكَشَّفَ الاْمُورُ عَنْ عَوَاقِبِ الْمَساءَةِ، فَمَا يُدْرَكُ بِكُمْ ثَارٌ، وَلاَ يُبْلَغُ بِكُمْ مَرَامٌ، دَعَوْتُكُمْ إِلَى نَصْرِ إِخْوَانِكُمْ فَجَرْجَرْتُمْ جَرْجَرَةَ الْجَمَلِ الاْسَرِّ، وَتَثَاقَلْتُمْ تَثَاقُلَ الْنِّضْوِ الاْدْبَرِ، ثُمَّ خَرَجَ إِلَيَّ مِنْكُمْ جُنَيْدٌ مُتَذَائِبٌ ضَعِيفٌ ﴿كَأَنَّمَا يُسَاقُونَ إِلَى الْمَوْتِ وَهُمْ يَنظُرُونَ﴾.

I am faced with men who do not obey when I order and do not respond when I call them. May you have no father! (Woe to you!) What are you waiting for to rise for the cause of Allah? Does not faith join you together, or sense of shame rouse you? I stand among you shouting and I am calling you for help, but you do not listen to my word, and do not obey my orders, till circumstance show out their bad consequences. No blood can be avenged through you and no purpose can be achieved with you. I called you for help of your brethren but made noises like the camel having pain in stomach, and became loose like the camel of thin back. Then a wavering weak contingent came to me from amongst you: “as if they are being led to death and they are only watching.” [1] (Qur’ān, 8:6)

قال السيد الشريف: أقول: قوله (عليه السلام): «مُتَذَائِبٌ» أي: مضطرب، من قولهم: تذاءبت الريح أي: اضطرب هبوبها، ومنه سمّي الذئب، لاضطراب مشيته.

as-Sayyid ar-Raḍī says: Amīr al-mu’minīn’s word “mutadhā‘ib” means “muḍṭarib” (i.e. moved or troubled), as they say “tadhā‘abat ar-rīḥ” (i.e. the winds blow in troubled manner). Similarly the wolf is called “dhi‘b” because of its trouble movement.

ومن كلام له (عليه السلام) في الخوارج لما سمع (عليه السلام) قولهم: «لا حكم إلاّ لله» قال (عليه السلام):

When Amīr al-mu’minīn heard the cry of Khārijites that “Verdict is only that of Allāh” he said:

كَلِمَةُ حَقٍّ يُرَادُ بِهَا بَاطِلٌ! نَعَمْ إِنَّهُ لا حُكْمَ إِلاَّ للهِ، ولكِنَّ هؤُلاَءِ يَقُولُونَ: لاَ إِمْرَةَ، فَإِنَّهُ لاَبُدَّ لِلنَّاسِ مِنْ أَمِير بَرّ أَوْ فَاجِر، يَعْمَلُ فِي إِمْرَتِهِ الْمُؤْمِنُ، وَيَسْتَمْتِعُ فِيهَا الْكَافِرُ، وَيُبَلِّغُ اللهُ فِيهَا الاْجَلَ، وَيُجْمَعُ بِهِ الْفَيءُ، وَيُقَاتَلُ بِهِ الْعَدُوُّ، وَتَأْمَنُ بِهِ السُّبُلُ، وَيُؤْخَذُ بِهِ لِلضَّعِيفِ مِنَ الْقَوِيِّ، حَتَّى يَسْتَرِيحَ بَرٌّ، وَيُسْتَرَاحَ مِنْ فَاجِر.

The sentence is right but what (they think) it means, is wrong. It is true that verdict lies but with Allāh, but these people say that (the function of) governance is only for Allāh. The fact is that there is no escape for men from ruler good or bad. The faithful persons perform (good) acts in his rule while the unfaithful enjoys (worldly) benefits in it. During the rule, Allāh would carry everything to end. Through the ruler tax is collected, enemy is fought, roadways are protected and the right of the weak is taken from the strong till the virtuous enjoys peace and allowed protection from (the oppression of) the wicked.