Nahj al-Balāgha

ومن كلام له (عليه السلام) في وجوب اتباع الحقّ عند قيام الحجّة كلّم به بعض العرب، وقد أرسله قوم من أهل البصرة لما قرب (عليه السلام) منها ليعلم لهم منه حقيقة حاله مع أصحاب الجمل لتزول الشبهة من نفوسهم، فبيّن له (عليه السلام) من أمره معهم ما علم به أنّه على الحقّ. ثمّ قال له: بايع. فقال: إني رسول قوم، ولا أحدِث حدثاً حتى أرجع إليهم. فقال (عليه السلام):

When Amīr al-mu’minīn approached Baṣrah an Arab met him and spoke to him, as he had been sent to him by a group of people of Baṣrah to enquire from him on their behalf his position vis-à-vis the people of Jamal. Amīr al-mu’minīn explained to him his position with respect to them, from which he was convinced that Amīr al-mu’minīn was in the right. Then Amīr al-mu’minīn asked him to swear allegiance, but he replied “I am just a message carrier of a people and shall not do anything until I get back to them.” Upon this Amīr al-mu’minīn said to him:

أَرَأَيْتَ لَوْ أَنَّ الَّذِينَ وَرَاءَكَ بَعَثُوكَ رَائِداً تَبْتَغِي لَهُمْ مَسَاقِطَ الْغَيْثِ، فَرَجَعْتَ إلَيْهِمْ وَأَخْبَرْتَهُمْ عَنِ الْكَلاَ وَالْمَاءِ، فَخَالَفُوا إلى الْمَعَاطِشِ وَالْـمَجَادِبِ، مَا كُنْتَ صَانِعاً؟

If those at your back send you as a forerunner to search out a rain-fed area for them, and you return to them and apprise them of greenery and water but they disagree with you and go towards dry and barren land, what would you do then?

قال: كُنْتُ تَارِكَهُمْ وَمُخَالِفَهُمْ إلى الْكَلاَءِ وَالْمَاءِ.

He said: I would leave them and go towards greenery and water.

فَقَالَ لَهُ ـ عَلَيْهِ السَّلاَمُ ـ : فَامْدُدْ إذاً يَدَكَ.

Amīr al-mu’minīn then said: So then extend your hand.

فَقَالَ الرَّجُلُ: فَوَاللهِ مَااسْتَطَعْتُ أَنْ أَمْتَنِعَ عِنْدَ قِيَامِ الْحُجَّةِ عَلَيَّ، فَبَايَعْتُهُ عَلَيْهِ الْسَّلاَمُ.

This man related that: By Allāh, by such a clear argument I could not refrain from swearing allegiance to Amīr al-mu’minīn.

وَالرّجلُ يُعْرَفُ بِكُلَيْب الجَرْمِيّ.

This man was known as Kulayb al-Jarmī.

ومن كلام له (عليه السلام) لما عزم على لقاء القوم بصفين

When Amīr al-mu’minīn decided to fight the enemy face to face at Ṣiffīn he said:

[الدعاء :] اللَّهُمَّ رَبَّ السَّقْفِ الْمَرْفُوعِ، وَالْجَوِّ المَكْفُوفِ، الَّذِي جَعَلْتَهُ مَغِيضاً لِلَّيْلِ وَالنَّهَارِ، وَمَجْرىً لِلشَّمْسِ وَالْقَمَرِ، وَمُخْتَلَفاً لِلنُّجُومِ السَّيَّارَةِ، وَجَعَلْتَ سُكَّانَهُ سِبْطاً مِنْ مَلاَئِكَتِكَ، لاَ يَسْأَمُونَ مِنْ عِبَادَتِكَ. وَرَبَّ هذِهِ الاْرْضِ الَّتي جَعَلْتَهَا قَرَاراً لِلاْنَامِ، وَمَدْرَجاً لِلْهَوَامِّ والاْنْعَامِ، وَمَا لاَ يُحْصَى مِمَّا يُرَى وَمَا لاَ يُرَى. وَرَبَّ الجِبَالِ الرَّوَاسِي الَّتي جَعَلْتَهَا لِلاْرْضِ أَوْتَاداً، وَلِلْخَلْق اعْتِماداً. إِنْ أَظْهَرْتَنَا عَلَى عَدُوِّنَا فَجَنِّبْنَا الْبَغْيَ وَسَدِّدْنَا لِلْحَقِّ، وَإِنْ أَظْهَرْتَهُمْ عَلَيْنَا فَارْزُقْنَا الشهَادَةَ وَاعْصِمْنَا مِنَ الْفِتْنَةِ.ِ

O my Allāh ! Sustainer of the high sky and the suspended firmament which Thou hast made a shelter for the night and the day, an orbit for the sun and the moon and a path for the rotating stars, and for populating it Thou Nast created a group of Thy angels who do not get weary of worshipping Thee. O Sustainer of this earth which Thou hast made an abode for people and a place for the movement of insects and beasts and countless other creatures seen and unseen. O Sustainer of strong mountains which Thou hast made as pegs for the earth and (a means of) support for people. If Thou givest us victory over our enemy, save us from excesses and keep us on the straight path of truth. But if Thou givest them victory over us, then grant us martyrdom and save us from mischief.

[الدعوة للقتال :] أَيْنَ الْمَانِعُ لِلذِّمَارِ، وَالْغَائِرُ عِنْدَ نُزُولِ الْحَقَائِقِ مِنْ أَهْلِ الحِفَاظِ؟! العَارُ وَرَاءَكُمْ، وَالْجَنَّةُ أَمَامَكُمْ!

[Calling men to battle :] Where are those who protect honour, and those self-respecting persons who defend respectable persons in the time of hardship? Shame is behind you while Paradise is in front of you.

ومن خطبة له (عليه السلام)

About the Consultative Committee and the Battle of Jamal