Nahj al-Balāgha

٤٦٤. وَقَالَ (عليه ‏السلام): إِنَّ لِبَنِي أُمَيَّةَ مِرْوَدَاً يَجْرُونَ فِيهِ، وَلَوْ قَدِ اخْتَلَفُوا فِيَما بَيْنَهُمْ ثُمَّ كَادَتْهُمُ الضِّبَاعُ لَغَلَبَتْهُمْ.

464. Amīr al-mu’minīn, peace be upon him, said: The Banū Umayyah (Umayyids) have a fixed period (mirwad) wherein they are having their way. But when differences arise among them then even if the hyena attacks them it will overpower them.

قال السيد الرضي: وَالْمِرْوَدُ هاهنا مفعَل من الإرْوَاد، وهو الإمهال وَالإظهار، وهذا من أفصح الكلام وأغربه، فكأنه (عليه السلام) شبّه المهلة التي هم فيها بالمضمار الذى يجرون فيه إلى الغاية، فإذا بلغوا مُنقَطَعها انتقضَ نظامُهم بعدها.

as-Sayyid ar-Raḍī says: Herein “mirward” is a form derived from “irwād” which means to allow time, to wait for. It is an extremely eloquent and wonderful expression. It is as though Amīr al-mu’minīn, peace be upon him, has likened the period of Banū Umayyah to a limited area meant for the training of horses for racing where they are running towards the limit, so that when they reach its extremity their organization will be destroyed. [1]

٤٦٧. وَقَالَ (عليه ‏السلام) فِي كَلَامٍ لَهُ: وَوَلِيَهُمْ وَالٍ فأَقَامَ واسْتَقَامَ، حَتَّى ضَرَبَ الدِّينُ بِجِرَانِهِ.

467. Amīr al-mu’minīn, peace be upon him, said in one of his speeches: A ruler came into position over them. He remained upright and made them upright till the entire religion put its bosom on the ground.

٤٧٠. وَسُئِلَ عَنِ التَّوْحِيدِ وَالْعَدْلِ فَقَالَ (عليه السلام): التَّوْحِيدُ أَلَّا تَتَوَهَّمَهُ وَالْعَدْلُ أَلَّا تَتَّهِمَهُ.

470. Amīr al-mu’minīn, peace be upon him, was asked on the Unity of Allāh and His justice, when he replied: Unity means that you do not subject Him to the limitations of your imagination and justice means that you do not lay any blame on Him. [1]

٤٧٣. وَقِيلَ لَهُ (عليه السلام) : لَوْ غَيَّرْتَ شَيْبَكَ يَا أَمِيرَ الْمُؤْمِنِينَ. فَقَالَ (عليه السلام) :

473. It was said to Amīr al-mu’minīn, peace be upon him: We wish you had changed your grey hair, O’ Amīr al-mu’minīn. Then he said:

الْخِضَابُ زِينَةٌ، وَنَحْنُ قَوْمٌ فِي مُصِيبَةٍ!

Dye is a way of adornment while we are in a state of grief.

قال السيد الرضي: يُرِيدُ وَفَاةَ رَسُولِ اللَّهِ (صلى الله عليه وآله).

as-Sayyid ar-Raḍī says: Amīr al-mu’minīn, peace be upon him, is referring to the death of the Messenger of Allāh, peace be upon him and his descendants.

٤٧٦. وَقَالَ (عليه ‏السلام) لِزِيَادِ ابْنِ أَبِيهِ. وَقَدِ اسْتَخْلَفَهُ لِعَبْدِ اللَّهِ بْنِ الْعَبَّاسِ عَلَى فَارِسَ وَأَعْمَالِهَا، فِي كَلَامٍ طَوِيلٍ كَانَ بَيْنَهُمَا، نَهَاهُ فِيهِ عَنْ تَقَدُّمِ الْخَرَاجِ:

476. When Amīr al-mu’minīn, peace be upon him, put Ziyād ibn Abīh in place of ‘Abdullāh ibn al-‘Abbās over Fārs (in Persia) and its revenues, he had a long conversation with him in which he prohibited him from advance recovery of revenue. Therein he said:

اسْتَعْمِلِ الْعَدْلَ، وَاحْذَرِ الْعَسْفَ والْحَيْفَ فَإِنَّ الْعَسْفَ يَعُودُ بِالْجَلاَءِ، وَالْحَيْفَ يَدْعُو إِلَى السَّيْفِ.

Act on justice and keep aloof from violence and injustice because violence will lead them to forsake their abodes while injustice will prompt them to take up arms.

٤٧٨. وَقَالَ (عليه ‏السلام): مَا أَخَذَ اللهُ عَلَى أَهْلِ الْجَهْلِ أَنْ يَتَعَلَّمُوا حَتَّى أَخَذَ عَلَى أَهْلِ الْعِلْمِ أَنْ يُعَلِّمُوا.

478. Amīr al-mu’minīn, peace be upon him, said: Allāh has not made it obligatory on the ignorant to learn till He has made it obligatory on the learned to teach.