Nahj al-Balāgha

وفي رواية أُخرى أنّه (عليه السلام) لمّا سمع تحكيمهم قال: حُكْمَ اللهِ أَنْتَظِرُ فِيكُمْ. وقال:

Another version : When Amīr al-mu’minīn heard the cry of the Khārijites on the said verdict he said : I am expecting the verdict (destiny) of Allāh on you. Then he continued:

أَمَّا الاْمْرَةُ الْبَرَّةُ فَيَعْمَلُ فيها التَّقِيُّ، وَأَمَّا الاْمْرَةُ الْفَاجرَةُ فَيَتَمَتَّعُ فِيهَا الشَّقِيُّ، إلى أَنْ تَنْقَطِعَ مُدَّتُهُ، وَتُدْرِكَهُ مَنِيَّتُهُ.

As for good government the pious man performs good acts in it, while in a bad government the wicked person enjoys till his time is over and death overtakes him.

ومن خطبة له (عليه السلام) وفيها ينهى عن الغدر ويحذر منه

In condemnation of treason

إِنَّ الْوَفَاءَ تَوْأَمُ الصِّدْقِ، وَلاَ أَعْلَمُ جُنَّةً أوْقَى مِنْهُ، وَمَا يَغْدِرُ مَنْ عَلِمَ كَيْفَ الْمَرْجِعُ، وَلَقَدْ أَصْبَحْنا في زَمَان اتَّخَذَ أَكْثَرُ أَهْلِهِ الْغَدْرَ كَيْساً، وَنَسَبَهُمْ أَهْلُ الْجَهْلِ فِيهِ إِلى حُسْنِ الْحِيلَةِ، مَا لَهُمْ! قَاتَلَهُمُ اللهُ! قَدْ يَرَى الْحُوَّلُ الْقُلَّبُ وَجْهَ الْحِيلَةِ وَدُونَهَا مَانِعٌ مِنْ أَمْرِ اللهِ وَنَهْيِهِ، فَيَدَعُهَا رَأْيَ عَيْن بَعْدَ الْقُدْرَةِ عَلَيْهَا، وَيَنْتَهِزُ فُرْصَتَهَا مَنْ لاَ حَرِيجَةَ لَهُ فِي الدِّينِ.

O people! Surely fulfilment of pledge is the twin of truth. I do not know a better shield (against the assaults of sin) than it. One who realises the reality of return (to the next world) never betrays. We are in a period when most of the people regard betrayal as wisdom. In these days the ignorant call it excellence of cunning. What is the matter with them? Allāh may destroy them. One who has been through thick and thin of life finds the excuses to be preventing him from orders and prohibitions of Allāh but he disregards them despite capability (to succumb to them and follows the commands of Allāh), while one who has no restraints of religion seizes the opportunity (and accepts the excuses for not following the commands of Allāh).

ومن خطبة له (عليه السلام) وفيها يحذر من اتباع الهوى وطول الامل في الدنيا

About heart’s desires and extended hopes

أَيُّهَا النَّاسُ! إِنَّ أَخْوَفَ مَا أَخَافُ عَلَيْكُمُ اثْنَانِ: اتِّبَاعُ الْهَوَى، وَطُولُ الاَْمَلِ ; فَأَمَّا اتِّبَاعُ الْهَوَى فَيَصُدُّ عَنِ الْحَقِّ، وَأَمَّا طُولُ الاْمَلِ فَيُنْسِي الاْخِرَةَ. أَلاَ وَإنَّ الدُّنْيَا قَدْ وَلَّتْ حَذَّاءَ، فَلَمْ يَبْقَ مِنْهَا إِلاَّ صُبَابَةٌ كَصُبَابَةِ الاْنَاءِ اصْطَبَّهَا صَابُّهَا، أَلاَ وَإِنَّ الاْخِرَةَ قَدْ أَقْبَلَتْ، وَلِكُلٍّ مِنْهُمَا بَنُونَ، فَكُونُوا مِنْ أَبْنَاءِ الاْخِرَةِ، وَلاَ تَكُونُوا مِنْ أَبْنَاءِ الدُّنْيَا، فَإِنَّ كُلَّ وَلَد سَيُلْحَقُ بأُمِّهِ يَوْمَ الْقِيَامَةِ، وَإِنَّ الْيَوْمَ عَمَلٌ وَلاَ حِسَابَ، وَغَداً حِسَابٌ وَلاَ عَمَلَ.

O people what I fear most about you are two things — acting according to desires and extending of hopes. As regards acting according to desires, this prevents from truth; and as regards extending of hopes, it makes one forget the next world. You should know this world is moving rapidly and nothing has remained out of it except last particles like the dregs of a vessel which has been emptied by some one. Beware, the next world is advancing, and either of them has sons i.e. followers. You should become sons of the next world and not become sons of this world because on the Day of Judgement every son would cling to his mother. Today is the Day of action and there is no reckoning while tomorrow is the Day of reckoning but there would be no (opportunity for) action.

قال السيد الشريف: اَقُولُ: الْحَذّاءُ: السَّريعَةُ. وَ مِنَ النّاسِ مَنْ يَرْويهِ جَذّاءَ، بِالْجيم وَ الذّالِ، اَىِ انْقَطَعَ دَرُّها وَ خَيْرُها.

as-Sayyid ar-Raḍi says: “al-ḥadhdhā’” means rapid but some people have read it “jadhdhā’”. According to this version the meaning would be that the cycle of worldly enjoyments would end soon.

ومن كلام له (عليه السلام) وقد أشار عليه أصحابه بالاستعداد لحرب أهل الشام بعد إرساله جرير بن عبدالله البجلي إلى معاوية

After Amīr al-mu’minīn had sent Jarīr ibn ‘Abdillāh al-Bajalī to Mu‘āwiyah (for securing his allegiance) some of his companions suggested preparation to fight with him then he said :

إِنَّ اسْتَعْدَادِي لِحَرْبِ أَهْلِ الشَّامِ وَجِرِيرٌ عِنْدَهُمْ، إِغْلاَقٌ لِلشَّامِ، وَصَرْفٌ لاِهْلِهِ عَنْ خَيْر إِنْ أَرادُوهُ، وَلكِنْ قَدْ وَقَّتُّ لِجَرِير وَقْتاً لاَ يُقِيمُ بَعْدَهُ إِلاَّ مَخْدُوعاً أَوْ عَاصِياً، وَالرَّأْيُ مَعَ الاْنَاةِ، فَأَرْوِدُوا، وَلاَ أَكْرَهُ لَكُمُ الاْعْدَادَ.

My preparation for war with the people of Syria (ash-Sham) while Jarīr ibn ‘Abdillāh al-Bajalī is still there would be closing the door for Syria and prevention of its people from good action (i.e. allegiance) if they intend doing it. However, I have fixed a time limit for Jarīr after which he would not stay without either deception or in disobedience. My opinion is in favour of patience, so wait a while. (In the meantime) I do not dislike your getting ready.

وَلَقَدْ ضَرَبْتُ أَنْفَ هذَا الاْمْرِ وَعَيْنَهُ، وَقَلَّبْتُ ظَهْرَهُ وَبَطنَهُ، فَلَمْ أَرَلِي إِلاَّ الْقِتَالَ أَوِ الْكُفْرَ بِمَا جَاءَ مُحَمَّدٌ صَلَّي اللّهُ عَلَيْهِ. إِنَّهُ قَدْ كَانَ عَلَى الاْمَّةِ وَال أَحْدَثَ أَحْدَاثاً، وَأَوْجَدَ النَّاسَ مَقَالاً، فَقَالُوا، ثُمَّ نَقَمُوا فَغَيَّروا.

I have observed this matter thoroughly from all sides but I do find any way except war or heresy. Certainly, there was over the people a ruler (before me) who brought about new (unIslamic) things and compelled the people to speak out. So they did speak, then rose up and thereafter changed the whole system.