Kitab Al-irshad 1

Supplement /1

(This is an extract) from his speech, peace be on him, when Talha had been killed and the Basrans scattered."17

"Through us you were raised to nobility. Through us you broke into a new dawn of light out of darkness like the darkness of a moonless night. Through us you were guided amid darkness. Ears which do not comprehend the severe warning (given them) have become deaf. How does one who is deaf to the loud cries (of God) hear a weaker call (of myself)? The heart which palpitation (out of fear of God) never leaves is strengthened. I have always expected the consequences of treachery from you and I have perceived in you the quality of the deceitful. The garments of religion have concealed me from you but the true nature of my purpose revealed you to me. I established the right way for you where you might recognize it. Yet without a guide, you were digging (aimlessly for the water of truth) and did not find such water.

"Today I am making things unknown to you speak out to you with clarity. The understanding of a man who has kept apart from me, has deserted him. I have never doubted in the truth from the time it was shown to me. The sons of Jacob were provided with the greatest evidence (for the truth) until they disobeyed their father and sold their brother (into slavery). Their repentance came after their confession of guilt, and through seeking the forgiveness of their father and their brother they were forgiven."

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Some of his words, peace be on him, spoken on his walking around the corpses (after the Battle of the Camel):

"Here are (members of) Quraysh who have cut off my kinship with them (literally, my nose). Yet my life has been restored. I had come forward to you warning you against seizing hold of the sword but you were like young men: You did not have any (real) knowledge of what you were seeing. However, it was destruction and an evil end. I seek refuge with God from an evil end."

He passed Mu'id b. al-Miqdad and said: "May God have mercy on the father of this man. If he had been alive, his judgement would have been better than this man's."

"Praise be to God Who brought him down and made his side the inferior one," said 'Ammar b. Yasir. "Indeed, by God, Commander of the faithful, we do not esteem those who obstinately resist the truth, whether father or son."

"May God have mercy on you and reward you well for your (adhering to the) truth," replied the Commander of the faithful, peace be on him.

He passed 'Abd Allah b. Rabi'a b. Darraj who was among the slain. He said: "This hopeless man, what brought him out (in revolution)? Was it religion or support for 'Uthman which brought him out (in revolution)? By God, 'Uthman had an unfavourable opinion of him and his father."

Then he passed Mu'id b. Zuhayr b. Umayya and said: "If the sedition had been at the top of the Pleiades, this young man would have grasped at it. By God, he was not there with a (brave) shout. The one who met him told me that he screamed with fear of the sword."

Then he passed Muslim b. Quraza and said: "Piety brought this man out (in revolution). Yet by God he asked me to ask 'Uthman about something which he used to claim (as his) before in Mecca. 'Uthman gave it to him and said to me: 'If it had not been for you, I would not have given it to him.' Indeed this is what I knew. How sad for the brother of the clan. Then came the time for destruction as a result of helping 'Uthman."

He went by 'Abd Allah b. Hamid b. Zuhayr and he said: "This is also one of those who went into battle against us with the claim that he was seeking God by that. Yet he had written letters to me in which he made accusations against 'Uthman. Then he gave him something and he was satisfied with that."

He went beside 'Abd Allah b. Hakim b. Hizam and said: "This man opposed his father in coming out in revolution even when his father would not help us. For the latter remained loyal in his pledge of allegiance to us even though he had held back (from helping us) and remained at home when he had doubts about the battle. The man who held back from us and the others today is not as blameworthy as he who fought against us is blameworthy."

Then he passed 'Abd Allah b. al-Mughira b. al-Akhnas and he said: "This man's father was killed on the day 'Uthman was killed in his house. He came out in revolt enraged at the killing of his father. He is a young man and he became afraid because of his being killed."

Then he came to 'Abd Allah b. Abi 'Uthman b. al-Akhnas b. Shariq and said: "As for this man, it is just as if I was looking at him. The people had seized their swords as he fled running from the ranks. I turned away from him but he did not listen to the man who called to him until he killed him. This is one of the things which were hidden to the young inexperienced men of Quraysh. They had no knowledge of war. They were deceived and led into error. When they stopped, they were struck down and killed."

He walked on a little way and came to Ka'b b. Sur. He said: "This is a man who came out against us with the Qur'an (moshaf) around his neck, claiming that he was a supporter of the community and urging the people to what was in (the Qur'an) without himself knowing what was in it. Then he opened the Qur'an for a decision at: 'Every obstinate tyrant is disappointed' (XIV 15) (which he understood) as meaning God had called (him) to kill me. However, God killed him. Make Ka'b b. Sur sit." So he was put in a sitting position.

Then the Commander of the faithful, peace be on him, said: "Ka'b, you have now discovered what my Lord truly promised me. Have you found what your Lord truly promised you?" Then he said, "Lay Ka'b to rest."

He came upon Talha b.'Ubayd Allah and he said: "This is the man who broke the pledge of allegiance to me, the man who produced discord in the community, the man who gathered the people against me, the man who urged them to kill me and kill my offspring. Make Talha b. 'Ubayd Allah sit." So he was put in a sitting position. Then the Commander of the faithful, peace be on him, said to him: "Talha, you have discovered what my Lord truly promised me. Have you discovered what my Lord truly promised you?" Then he said, "Lay Talha to rest." . He went on and one of those who was with him said to him: "Commander of the faithful, were you speaking to Ka'b and Talha after they had been killed?"

"By God, he replied, "they heard my words just as the people of Qulayb heard the words of the Apostle of God, may God bless him and his family, on the day of the Battle of Badr."

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(This is some of) his speech at Basra after the defeat of the enemy. After praising and glorifying God, he said:

"God is One Who possesses extensive mercy, eternal forgiveness and abundant pardon, (as He possesses) dread punishment. He dispenses His mercy and forgiveness to those of His creatures who obey Him and by His mercy those who are rightly guided are guided. He dispenses His vengeance, His severity and His punishment on those of His creatures who are disobedient. After guidance and clear explanations, those who have gone astray should not go astray. What is your view, people of Basra? You have reneged on your pledge of allegiance; you have publicly declared yourselves enemies against me."

A man stood up before him and said: "We think better now, for we see you have conquered and are powerful. If you punish us, that (would be because) we have committed a crime. If you forgive us, then forgiveness is more lovable to God, the Exalted."

He said: "I forgive you but beware of sedition. You are the first subjects to have broken the pledge of allegiance and spread sedition in this community."

Then he sat down before the people and they pledged allegiance to him.

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He, peace be on him, wrote about the victory to the Kufans:

In the name of God, the Merciful, the Compassionate,

From the servant of God 'Ali b. Abi Talib, Commander of the faithful.

To the people of Kufa.

Greetings, I commend to you the praise of God, other than Whom there is no god. God is a just arbitrator who does not change what is in people until they change what is in themselves. If God wants evil for a people, there is no escape from it and they do not have a friend other than Him. I will tell you about ourselves and about those whom we went against -(that is) groups of the Basrans and the men of Quraysh and others who mixed with them in support of Talha and al-Zubayr --and about their breaking of the agreement made with their oaths. I left Medina when news came to me about the men who had set off for (Basra), and about their gathering there and what they had done to my governor 'Uthman b. Hunayf. (I went on) until I came to Dhaqan. There I sent al-Hasan b. 'Ali, 'Ammar b. Yasir and Qays b. Sa'd (to you) and I summoned you to (support) the right of God and His Apostle, may God bless him and his family, and my right. Your brothers soon set out to come to me. I went with them until we reached the outskirts (zahr) of Basra. I sought to excuse them through summoning them, and I presented them with proof. I (endeavoured to) diminish the stumbling and slipping caused by the apostates among Quraysh and others. I summoned them to repent from breaking their pledge of allegiance to me and the covenant which they had made to God. They refused (everything) except to fight against me and to fight against those with me, and to persist in their quarrelsome error. I rose against them in battle. God killed those of them who were killed as perjurers and He drove back those who withdrew to their town. Talha and al---Zubayr were killed as a result of their perjury and rebellion. The woman (i.e.'Aisha) was worse for them than the she-camel of Thamud. They deserted and turned their backs (in flight). They were cut off from all means of protection. When they saw what had happened to them, they asked me to forgive them. I accepted that from them and sheathed the sword from them. I carried out (the requirements of) truth and the sunna among them and appointed 'Abd Allah b. al-'Abbas as governor of Basra. Now I am coming to Kufa, God, the Exalted, willing. I have sent Zahar b. Qays al-Ju'fi to you so that you can ask him and he will tell you about us and them. Truth has brought them back to us and God has been restored to them while they were reluctant. Greetings and the mercy and blessings of God.

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Among the words he, peace be upon him, spoke when he came to Kufa from Basra (are the following):

"Praise be to God Who has aided His friend (wali), deserted His enemy, Who has given power to the truthful who was entitled and has brought low the false liar. People of the city, it is your duty to show respect to God and obedience to those of the family of Your Prophet to whom God has enjoined obedience. They are more appropriate (awla) to be obeyed than those who make false claims saying,' Come) to us. (Come) to us.' Such men were pretending to have our merit and were striving against our authority and sought to divest us of our right and keep it away (from us). They have tasted evil misfortune for what they dared (to do) and they will discover the error. (There are) among you men who have desisted from supporting us. I blame them. Desert them and make them hear (words) which they will dislike until they admit their bad behaviour towards us. Then we will see in such men things which we will like."

His Words about the Campaign against Mu'awiya and the Battle of Siffin

Among the speeches which he, peace be on him, made when he undertook to set out for Syria to fight Mu'awiya b. Abi Sufyan (is the following):

After praising and glorifying God and calling for blessings on the Apostle of God, may God bless him and his family, (he said):

"Servants of God, fear God and obey Him and your Imam. Righteous subjects are saved by the just Imam. But sinful subjects are destroyed by the sinful Imam. Mu'awiya has begun to usurp the right which belongs to me, and to break the pledge of allegiance to me, seeking to harm the religion of God, the Mighty and High. Muslims, you know what the people did before when you came to me seeking for me to be in authority over you, so that you took me out of my house to pledge allegiance to me. I was reluctant with you in order to test your integrity. Then you repeated your words many times and I repeated (my reluctance) with you. You crowded upon me like thirsty camels at their pools of water in your anxiety to pledge allegiance to me so that I was afraid that some of you would kill others. When I beheld this from you, I considered my position and your position. I said: If I do not agree to their request, to undertake authority over them, they will not find anyone among them to take my place and act with my (degree of) justice among them. So I said: By God, that I should rule them while they acknowledge my right and my merit is preferable to me than that they should rule me without acknowledging my right and my merit. Therefore I stretched out my hand to you and you pledged allegiance to me.

"O Muslims, among you are Emigrants and Ansar and those who follow good practice. I have received from you the covenant of your pledge of allegiance and I respond with my agreement through a covenant and agreement (mithaq) made before God. It was stronger than covenants and agreements made to prophets; (you pledged) that you would support me, listen to my command, obey me, and consult me, that you would fight with me against every tyrant, aggressor or one who deviated, if he deviated. You all gave me that (pledge). I demanded from you all the covenant and promise made before God and (under) the protection of God and His Apostle and you responded to me by (giving me) that. I made God the witness to your (words) and I made some of you witnesses to others. Then I applied the Book of God and the sunna of His Prophet, may God bless him and his family, among you. Then surprisingly Mu'awiya b. Abi Sufyan disputes the succession (khilafa)with me and denies me the (right to) the Imamate. He claims that he has more right to it than me, an act of boldness against God and His Apostle concerning something which he has no right to and no argument for. None of the Emigrants have pledged allegiance to him for it, nor have the Ansar and Muslims submitted to him.

"O men of the Emigrants and Ansar, people who hear my words, have you made obedience to me something required of yourselves, whether you have pledged allegiance to me as subjects, or I have received a promise from you to accept my words. On that day your pledge to me was more certain than the pledge to Abu Bakr and 'Umar. Therefore why did those who have opposed me not revoke (their pledge) to those two until they had departed, while they have revoked (their pledge to me) and have not carried out the instructions which I was entitled to expect them (to obey) and they have not kept to my commands? Do you now know that the pledge of allegiance to me is required of those of you who are present and those of you who are absent? Who do Mu'awiya and his followers find fault with in the pledge of allegiance to me and why do they not fulfil it since my close relationship (to the Prophet), my priority (as a Muslim), and my being son-in-law (of the Prophet) makes me more entitled to authority than those who came before me. Have you not heard the words of the Apostle of God, may God bless him and his family, at Ghadir concerning my authority (wilaya) and my being the one entitled to rule (mawla)?

"Muslims, fear God and rise to battle against Mu'awiya, the one who has broken his pledge and the unjust man, and (rise) against his unjust followers. Listen to what I recite to you from the Book of God which was sent down to His Prophet, the man He sent (to you), so that you may understand. By God it is a warning to you, so take advantage of God's warning and hold back from disobedience to God. God warned you through (His warning to others) when He said to His Prophet, may God bless him and his family: Have' you not considered the leaders of the Banu Isra'il after Moses when they said to one of their prophets: Send us a king so that we may fight on the path of God. He replied: Perhaps if fighting was ordained for you, you would not fight. They answered We have no other (idea) than to fight on the path of God and we have been brought out of our houses and our villages. When fighting was ordained for them, they turned their backs except a few of them. God is aware of wrong-doers. Their prophet said to them: God has sent Talut to you as a king. They asked: Shall he have (the right of) kingship over us when we are more entitled to kingship than he is? He has not brought any extent of wealth. He said: God has chosen him to be over you and has increased him extensively in knowledge and substance. God gives His kingship to whomsoever He wishes. God is all-embracing, knowing (II 246-7).

"People, in these verses is an example so that you may learn that God has given the succession (khilafa) and the command after prophets to their progeny. He favoured Talut and brought him forward over the people (jama'a) by His choice of him and by increasing him in abundance of knowledge and substance. Do you think that God has chosen the Banu Umayya over the Banu Hashim and has increased Mu'awiya extensively in knowledge and substance? Therefore, servants of God, fear God and strive on His path before His anger takes hold of you for your disobedience. God said: May those of the Banu Isra'il be cursed by the tongue of David and Jesus. son of Mary, because they have disobeyed and transgressed. They forbade them from doing evil. Yet they did it. How evil was what they were doing! Only the believers who believe in God and His Apostle and then have not doubted and have striven with their wealth and their lives on the path of God, only they are the truthful ones (V 77-79). O you who believe, shall I show you a trade which will grant you escape from dread punishment. You should believe in God and His Apostle and you should strive with your property and your lives on the path of God. That is better for you if you would (only) realise it. That will bring forgiveness of your sins and cause you to enter gardens beneath which flow rivers and in the gardens of Eden are beautiful houses. That is the great triumph. (LXI 10-12).

"Servants of God, fear God and rise to fight on behalf of your Imam. If I had a group of you only the number of the men (who fought) at Badr, when I ordered them, they would obey me. When I urged them to rise, they would rise with me so that with them I could dispense with many of you and hurry to rise in battle against Mu'awiya and his followers. For it is a required battle."

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Among his speeches, peace be on him, (which he delivered) when he heard about Mu'awiya and the Syrians and the harmful words they were saying, (is the following):

"Praise be to God, the Eternal yet the New. However the sinful men have become my enemy, God becomes their enemy. Are you not amazed that this is a great matter. Indeed sinners, not satisfied and turning aside from Islam and its followers, have deceived some of this community and have filled their hearts with the love of discord. They have inclined their passions towards lying and slander. They have prepared for war against us and have embarked on putting out the light of God. Yet God is the one who terminates His light even though the unbelievers may dislike it. O God, they have rejected the truth, so scatter their army, break up their words and destroy them for their sins. May him whom I have befriended not be humiliated and may him whom I fight against not be made strong."

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From his words, peace be on him, urging battle at Siffin, (are those when he said) after praising and glorifying God:

"Servants of God, fear God, lower your glances and your voices, be sparing in your words, make yourselves ready for battle, dispute and combat, and to pave the way and make the place ready, to be friendly and to be generous. Be strong and mention God much. Perhaps you will be successful. Obey God and His Apostle. Do not dispute with one another, for then you will fail and lose your spirit. Be steadfast. Indeed God is with those who are steadfast. O God, inspire them with steadfastness, grant them victory and make the reward for them great."

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Another of his speeches, peace be on him, in the same sense (is the following):

"Muslims, God has shown you a trade by which He will grant you an escape from dread punishment and which will bring you great good. It is faith in God and His Apostle and striving on His path. He has made the reward for it forgiveness of sin and beautiful (houris) in the gardens of Eden. Therefore I told you that He loves those who fight on His path in ranks like a tightly-packed building. Therefore bring forward the man clad in armour and keep back the one who loses (his spirit), bite hard on the teeth. This makes swords stronger (to shield) against the head. Twist the edges of lances; this is a matter for the points of spears. Lower your glances; it is a firmer bond of the brave and surer for (men's) hearts. Deaden your voices; for that is the pursuit of failure and (quiet) is more appropriate for dignity. As for your standard, do not incline it and do not desert it. Only put it in the hands of the brave among you. Those who defend honour and are steadfast at the revelation of truth are the defenders who are right in their opinions and make them public. May God have mercy on any man of you who comforts his brother with his own life and does not leave his opponent with his brother so that his own opponent and his brother's opponent gather against (his brother). For by that he will acquire blame and inferiority will come upon him. Do not expose yourselves to the loathing of God and do not flee from death. God, may He be exalted, says:" Say: Flight will never benefit you. If you flee from death or being killed, then you will only enjoy it for a little "(XXX 16).

"I swear by God that if you flee from the sword which is at hand, you will not be safe from the sword of the next world. Therefore seek help in steadfastness, prayers, truthfulness of intention. For God, the Exalted, will grant victory after steadfastness (is shown)."

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Among his words, peace be on him, (are those) when he passed the standard of the Syrians and the followers of it did not withdraw from the positions (but remained) steadfast to fight the Commander of the faithful. He said to his followers:

"These men will never withdraw from their positions without a successful attack by which life will be taken (from them) and a blow which will split their heads, chop down their bones and cut off their wrists and hands. (They will not do it) until their brows are beaten down by iron rods and (the blood from) their brows is scattered over chests and their chins. Where are the people of victory? Where are those who seek reward?"

Immediately a group of Muslims rose against them and defeated them.

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Among his words, peace be on him, in the same sense (are the following):

"These people have not been acting for truth nor have they responded to the words of an equal, until the vanguard attacks, followed by the front line ('asakir), until phalanxes are hurled against them, followed by the reserves (jala'ib), until army after army drives through their land, until the cavalry remains in areas of their land with its reins over their river beds and lands, until raids will be made in every direction and their standards will shake in their hands. A true people will come against them. Their steadfastness will only increase the destruction of those of their killed and dead who will be destroyed in the path of God (by those) renewing obedience to God and anxious to meet God. By God, we were with the Prophet, may God bless him and his family, when our fathers, our sons, our brothers and our uncles fought together. That has only served to increase us in faith, submission and endurance in face of the tribulations of suffering and (to increase us) in bravery to fight against the enemy and to scorn fighting anyone except equals. One of our men and one of our enemies will assault each other ferociously and contend with each other to take each other's life. Which one of the two will make his opponent drink the cup of death? At one time it could be for us (to do it) to our enemy, at another for our enemy (to do it) to us. Yet when God beholds our endurance and our faith, He will send down the decrees against the enemy and He will send down victory to us. However, by my life, if we were to give an example like the one you have just given, neither would religion be sustained nor Islam strengthened. I swear by God, that you will lose fresh blood (as a result of your inactivity). So remember what I say."

His Words about the Truce and the Revolt

of the Kharijites

Among his words, peace be on him, when his followers had returned from the battle at Siffin after Mu'awiya had deceived them by raising copies of the Qur'an and thus they withdrew from the fight (is the following):

"You have committed an action which has pulled down the power from Islam, reduced its strength and bequeathed (it) weakness and humiliation. When you were successful and your enemy was afraid of being destroyed, for the fighting was crushing them and they felt the pain of wounds, they raised copies of the Qur'an and called you to (accept) something which was only so that they might turn you away from themselves and bring to an end the battle between you and them and that they might cause the suspicion of death to lay in wait for you. It was deception, trickery. What have you done? You have agreed to what they wanted and have given it to men who only asked for it out of deception. I swear by God, I do not consider you have any guidance after (failing to obey) my views nor any resolution (after failing to follow) my purpose."

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Among his words, peace be on him, (spoken) after the writing of the document for a truce and arbitration and the dispute about it among the Iraqis (are those when) he said:

"By God, I did not consent (to do this) and I did not want you to consent. However you refused everything except giving consent. So I consented. Since I have consented, it is not proper to withdraw after giving consent and to change after acceptance. Indeed we would rebel against God by breaking the covenant and by transgressing its text through abrogating its agreement. Therefore fight against whoever abandons the command of God. As for what you have mentioned about al-Ashtar having abandoned my command to put his signature to the document and being opposed to it, he is not such a man and I have no fear of him doing that. I wish there were two men like him among you. Indeed I wish there was a single man like him among you, who could see in your enemy what he sees. Then your burden would be lightened for me. I hope that he will straighten some of your crookedness for me. I forbade you (from doing) what you did and you disobeyed me. Myself and you are as the man of Hawazin described:

Am I anything with regard to Ghuzzaya?

If she is mistaken, I am mistaken. If Ghuzzaya are right, I am right."

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(The following is) among his speeches to the Kharijites when he returned to Kufa. He was on the outskirts (of Kufa) before entering it. After praising and glorifying God and calling for blessings on Muhammad, His Apostle, may God bless him and his family, he said:

"O God, this is a position where whoever succeeds in it, will be more entitled to succeed on the Day of Resurrection and whoever is wrong and commits a crime in it will be blind and lose the path in the next world. I commend God to you. You know that when they raised the copies of the Qur'an, you said: We will answer their call to the Book of God. I told you then: I know these people better than you. They are not followers of religion nor of the Qur'an. I have been with them and I have known them as children and as men. They were evil children and they are evil men who seek to exploit your right and your belief. The people have only raised these copies of the Qur'an before you as a deception, as a sign of weakness and as a trick. You rejected my opinion and said: No, rather you accept (this call) from them. I told you: Remember my words to you and your disobedience of me. Then when you refused everything except to make a truce (kitab). I made the condition on the two arbitrators that they should allow to revive whatever the Qur'an revives and make obsolete whatever the Qur'an makes obsolete. None of us can oppose the judgement of

anyone who judges according to what is in the Book. However if (the two arbitrators) rejected that, then we would be exempt from their judgement."

One of the Kharijites said: "Tell us, do you regard the arbitration of men concerning blood (which has been shed) as just?"

"We do not judge men," he, peace be on him, answered. "The Qur'an judges us. This Qur'an is only lines of writings between two covers. It does not speak. It is only men who speak it."

Then (the Kharijite) said to him: "Tell us about the time-limit you made in what is between you and them"

He answered: "Let the ignorant learn and let the one who knows be confirmed (in his knowledge). Perhaps God will set right the community during this armistice. Go into your city, may God have mercy on you."

They departed to the last man.

His Words concerning the Syrian Raids after the Truce

(The following is) among the words which he spoke, peace be on him, when Mu'awiya broke the covenant and sent al-Dahhak b. Qays on a raid against the Iraqis. 'Amr b. 'Abs b. Mas'ud had met him and al-Dahhak had killed him and some of his men. After praising and glorifying God, he said:

"People of Kufa, go out to a good man, to your army. Part of it has been struck down. Therefore go out and fight your enemy. Protect your women if you are men who act."

[The narrator reported:]

They rejected him weakly and he perceived weakness and failure in them. Then he said: "By God, I wish I had one man of them for every eight of you. Woe upon you, go out with me. Then withdraw from me, if it seems good to you. By God, I am not unwilling to meet my Lord as a result of my resolution and perception. In that I would have a spirit which is great and a release from your (malicious) whispering, your ill-treatment and your deceit which is like the deceit of wilful brides and nagging women; whenever they sew one side, they tear the other for their husbands."

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(Here is) another of his speeches, peace be on him, summoning the people and finding them slow to go to war. (When) he learnt that Busr b. Arta'a had gone to Yemen, (he said)

"People, the beginning of your unseemly talk and your refusal was the loss of the men of influence and authority (ra'y) among you. These were men who would meet and speak the truth; they would discuss and follow the just course; they would ask and they would answer. By God, I have summoned a second time and a first, secretly and aloud, at night and by day, in the morning and in the afternoon. Yet my call to you does nothing except increase your flight and (your turning) your backs. Does not warning and a call to guidance bring you benefit?

"Indeed I am one who knows what is of advantage to you and what will straighten your crookedness for me. Yet, by God, I will bring you no (worldly) advantage by the corruption of my soul. Grant me a respite. By God, it is as if you are with a man (i.e. Mu'awiya) who has come to you, forbidding you and punishing you. Then God will punish him just as He will punish you. Indeed (his actions) are the humiliation of the Muslims and the destruction of religion. Indeed the sons of Abu Sufyan summon (men) to wicked vices and (their call) is answered. I summon you as virtuous and good men and you are deceitful and put me off. This is not the action of pious men."

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Another of his speeches, peace be on him, concerning the dilatoriness of those who held back from supporting him, is:"18

"People, whose bodies are gathered together but whose inclinations are diverse, your words would weaken the firmest of hard-hearted men. Yet your actions would make your doubting enemy full of confidence against you. In your gatherings you say 'such and such' but when the battle comes, you say 'turn aside'. The call of the one who calls you (away) is not strong. The heart of the one who will make you endure uncertainties and weaknesses will not rest. You ask me to delay defending religion. Holding back (from its defence) will not prevent humiliating oppression. Nor will right be achieved except by serious endeavour. What house will you defend after your own house (is destroyed)? With what Imam will you fight after I (am killed)? By God, deluded is the one whom you have deluded. Whoever acquires you, acquires the most deceitful partner.

By God, I have come not to believe in your words nor to aspire to your help. May God make a separation between me and you. May He give me in exchange for you those who will be better for me than you. By God. I wish I had for every ten of you, one man from the tribe of Firas b. Ghanam. It would be exchanging dirhams for dinars."

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In a further speech of his, peace be on him. concerning the same idea, after praising and glorifying God, (he said):

"I can only think that these people - meaning the Syrians - will overcome you."

"Why is that, Commander of the faithful?" they asked.

"I can see their affairs in the ascendancy," he said, "while your fires are dying away. I see them as in earnest while I see you as being weak. I see them as united while I see you as divided among yourselves. I see them obedient to their leader while I see you as disobedient. By God, if they overcome you, you will find them evil masters for you after me. It is as if I was looking at them now. They have become partners of you in your land. They carry off your share of the booty held by the central government to their land. It is as if I was looking at you rustling like lizards without taking your due and without protecting those sacred to God. It is as if I was looking at them killing the righteous men among you and terrorising your reciters of the Qur'an; they are forbidding you and hindering you; they are bringing other people close to themselves apart from you. If you could see the privation, the selfishness, the blows of the swords and the coming of terror, you would regret and be sorry for your neglect in going to war and you would remember the ease and well-being you had today when the memory will no longer benefit you."

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(This is) from his words, peace be on him, when Mu'awiya b. Abi Sufyan broke the terms of the truce and began to launch attacks against the people of Iraq. He said, after he had praised and glorified God:

"What is (the intention) of Mu'awiya, may God kill him. He wants me (to involve myself) in a dreadful matter. He wants me to act as he has acted. Then I would have broken my compact and revoked my covenant. He would use that as a proof against me and it would be disgrace against me until the Day of the Resurrection whenever (my name) was mentioned. If it was said to him, 'You began it', he would reply: 'I did not know about (those raids) and I did not order them' Then some will say, 'He is truthful' and others will say, 'He is lying.' By God, indeed God is the (true) possessor of compassion and great forbearance. Forbearance was shown by many of the first Pharaohs and by those who followed the Pharaohs. If God gives him a respite now, He will never let him escape. He is at the watch-tower looking down on the path he follows. Let him do what seems appropriate to him. We will not break our compact, we will not revoke our covenant. We will not terrorize a man who has submitted, nor one who has made a covenant until the terms of the truce between us are proved to be nothing, if God wishes."

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The following is from his speech in another place:

"Praise be to God and peace be on the Apostle of God, may God bless him and his family. Indeed the Apostle of God, may God bless him and his family, was pleased to make me his own brother and he described me as his helper (wazir). People, I am the very nose of guidance and its eyes. Do not keep yourselves isolated from the path of guidance because of the small numbers of those who come to it. Whoever claims that the one who will kill me is a believer (is wrong). It is time which will kill me. Indeed at some time there is an avenger for all blood that is shed. The avenger of our blood, the judge concerning the rights of himself and the right of those who are kin, of orphans, of the poor, and the traveller, is the one who does not fail to get what he searches for and whom no one who flees will escape. Those who do wrong will be aware of it. By what kind of change shall they be changed (XXVI 227). I swear by God, Who split the seed and created man, you will be seized by the throat, Banu Umayya, en account of it (i.e. dominion) and you will recognize it in the possession of others and in the house of your enemy after (only) a short while. You will be aware of His prophecy after a time."

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This is another speech with the same idea as the previous one. (He said:)

"People of Kufa, make your preparations to fight against your enemy, Mu'awiya and his followers."

"Give us a respite, Commander of the faithful," they said. "He will leave the land."

He said: "By God, Who split the seed and created man, let these people overcome you. It is not because they have greater right than you but because of their obedience to Mu'awiya and your disobedience of me. By God, all the nations have come to fear the tyranny of their rulers but I have come to fear the tyranny of my subjects. I have appointed to office men from among you and they have been treacherous and betrayed (me). Some have gathered the booty which they were entrusted with for distribution to the Muslims and carried it off to Mu'awiya while others took it to their own Thus they have ignored the Qur'an and have been bold before the Merciful. (It has come to such a state) that if I entrusted anyone with the handle of a whip, he would betray it. 'You have made me tired."

Then he raised his hand to heaven and said: "O God, I loathe life amid these people, I am weary of hope. Let my companion (i.e. the angel of death) come home so that I may rest from them and they may rest from me. They will never be successful after me."

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This is a speech which he, peace be on him, made on another occasion: 19

"People, I have summoned you to fight against these people and you have not helped. I have asked you to listen and you have not answered. I have given you sincere advice and you have not accepted. You are present and you are like absent people. I have recited to you (God's) wisdom and you have turned aside from it. I have given you eloquent warnings and you have refused them. It is as if you were scared donkeys who had fled from a lion (LXXI v 50). I urge you to fight against men of oppression and I do not reach the end of my words before I see you scattering from me like the people of Saba' (after the breaking of the dam) in Yemen. You go back to your own councils, you sit in your circles, you coin maxims, you recite poetry. You know the news yet when you leave, you are asking about poetry, ignoring any other kind of knowledge, careless of any other conduct and distracted from fear, you have forgotten the war, the need to prepare for it. Your hearts become empty of any talk of it. You occupy them with diversion and idle (chatter). It is wonderful, completely wonderful. But it is not for me to feel wonder that people have agreed on the wicked plan and to deprive you of your rights.

"People of Kufa, you are like the mother of Mujalid: She became pregnant and gave birth. Then her husband died and her widowhood was long. Her inheritance was lost to her. By Him Who split the seed and created man, behind you, who are one-eyed and keep turning away, is the hell of the present life which does not remain and does not leave anything. After it are wolves and lions in various packs. So Banu Umayya will inherit from you. Their number from first to last will not treat you with compassion except for one man. It is a tribulation which God has decreed for the community which is inescapable. They will kill your choice men and enslave the wicked among you. They will take out your treasure and your stores even from within the bridal chamber as a punishment for what you have abandoned of your affairs, the goodness of your own souls and your religion.

"People of Kufa, I tell you of what will happen before it happens so that you may be on your guard against it and warned of it; whoever (of you) will be warned and consider. Sometimes you say that 'Ali is a liar, just like Quraysh said of their Prophet, may God bless him and his family, their master, Muhammad b. 'Abd Allah, beloved of God. Woe to you, it is I who am accused of lying. May God be exalted, I was the first to worship Him, to believe in His unity. Or (is it) the Apostle of God, may God bless him and his family (who is accused of lying)? I was the first who had faith in him, who believed in him, who helped him. No, by God, they are deceitful words. You would be better without them. By Him Who split the seed and created man, you will know their news after a time but that will be when your ignorance has brought you to it. Then your knowledge will not benefit you. Disgrace upon you, you mere images, you are not men but dreams of children with the minds of the ladies of the bridal chamber. By God, their bodies are present but their minds are absent from them and their inclinations are diverse. God has not strengthened the support of the one who calls to you (to desert). Nor will the hearts of those who will treat you harshly take rest. There is no joy for anyone who seeks refuge with you. Your words would weaken the firmest of hardhearted men.

"Yet actions would make your doubting enemy full of confidence against you. Woe upon you, what house will you defend after your own house (is destroyed)? With what Imam will you fight after I (am killed)? By God, deluded is the one whom you have deluded. Whoever acquires you, acquires the most deceitful partner. I have not come to aspire in your help or believe in your words. May God make a separation between me and you. May He give me in exchange for you, those who will be better for me than you. May he give you in exchange for me one who will be worse for you than me. Your Imam obeys God and you disobey him. The Imam of the Syrians disobeys God and they obey him. By God, I wish Mu'awiya would agree with me to exchange you: it would be exchanging dirhams for dinars. He could take ten of you and give me one of them. By God, I wish that I did not know you and that you did not know me. For it is a knowledge that flows with regret. You have wounded my breast with anger, you have brought my affair to nought through your desertion and disobedience so that Quraysh have begun to say: 'Ali is a brave man but he has no knowledge of war.' Yet is there anyone among them who has been longer engaged in it than I and are there any of them fiercer in battle than me? I was involved in it when I had not reached twenty and I am still in it now when I am more than sixty. However a man who is not obeyed has no power. By God, I wish that my Lord had taken me from among you to His Paradise. Indeed death is looking down on me. There is nothing preventing the most wicked of (the community) from dyeing (this)" - he put his hand on his head and his beard - "It is a promise which the unlettered prophet made to me. Whoever makes false statements is lost, whoever is pious and is truthful about the good is saved.

"People of Kufa, I have summoned you to fight these people at night and during the day, secretly and in public. I have said to you: Attack them before they attack you. Only men who are humiliated are attacked in the ruins of their own home. You rely on one another and desert one another. My words weigh heavily on you. My command is difficult for you. You put it behind you as something to be neglected until attacks have been launched against you and abominations and detestable things appear in your midst which will be with you at night and in the morning. (This is) just as happened to the people of the stories of old (matholaat) before you, where God gave information about haughty tyrannous despots and those weakened by seducers in His words, the Mighty and High: They slaughter your sons and disgrace your women. In that there is great tribulation from your Lord (XIV 6). By Him who split the seed and created man, what you were promised has happened to you.

"People of Kufa, I have remonstrated with you by reminding you of the warning of the Qur'an, yet I have not benefited you. I have punished you with the whip, yet have not corrected your attitude towards me. I have flogged you with the lash, with which the revealed criminal punishments (hudud) are carried out, yet you have not abstained from unlawful things. I know that the only thing suitable for you is the sword but I would not bring about your righteousness at the cost of the destruction of my own soul. However, after me a harder authority will have domination over you. It will not show respect to the old among you, nor be merciful to the children among you. It will not honour the learned among you, nor will it distribute the booty for distribution fairly among you. It will strike you down, humiliate you and kill the wounded among you in battles. It will hinder your path and block you at its door so that it may gorge itself on your strong men, on your weak men. God will only destroy those of you who do wrong. Rarely can one turn one's back on something and then go forward. I think you are in a period (where there is no prophetic help). It is only my duty to give you sincere advice.

"People of Kufa, I have been tested by two or three among you who are deaf while having ears, who are dumb yet have tongues, who are blind but have eyes, brothers who are not trustworthy at a meeting, brothers who are not reliable in a test. O God! I make them bored and they bore me. I disgust them and they disgust me. O God! Let no commander please them and let them please no commander. Mix their hearts as salt is mixed with water. By God, if I could find an escape from your words and your correspondence, I would use it. I have remonstrated with you for your guidance until life has become distasteful. (Despite) all that you repeat the sneering at my words, fleeing from the truth and deviating to the false. God will not strengthen the religion of those who support (the false). I know that the only thing you do more of for me is to cause me loss. Whenever I order you to fight against your enemy, you lower your heads to the ground and ask me to postpone the defence of the religion which is being nullified. When I say to you in the winter 'give me assistance', you say 'this is (impossible) in such a cold time.' If I say to you in the summer 'give me assistance', you say 'this (is impossible) in such intense heat. Call us when the heat has left us.' All that is fleeing from Heaven since you were unable (to act) because of the heat and the cold, by God, you are more unable because of the heat of sword, much more unable. We belong to God and to Him do we return.

"People of Kufa, an Arab has come to me to tell me that a man of the tribe of Ghamid has descended on the people of al-Anbar at night with four thousand men and attacked them as if he was attacking the Byzantines or the Khazars. He killed my governor there, Hassan, and with him he killed righteous men of merit, devotion and courage, may God make a home for them in the blessed gardens (of Heaven). Indeed He has declared it to be permitted (for them). I have learnt that a group of Syrians broke in on a Muslim woman and another who was protected by treaty. They tore off her veil and took her scarf from her head, the earrings from her ears, the bracelets from her wrists and legs and upper arms, and the silver-bands and waistwrapper from her legs. She was unable to defend herself except by the repetition of the verse of return to God and by calling out: 'O Muslims.' But no one gave her help. No one gave her assistance. If a believer died in sorrow at this, I would not blame him. On the contrary in my view he would be pious and good. The strangest of all is the gathering of these people in support of their falsehood and your failure to support your truth. You have become a target which is shot at and you do not shoot back. You are attacked and you do not fight back. (The enemy) rebels against God and you are content. May your hands be filled with dust, O men like camels whose masters are absent from them so that as soon as they gather at one side, they begin to split up on the other side."

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[Among his speeches complaining of his enemies and defending his rights is the speech reported by al-'Abbas b. 'Abd Allah al-'Abdi, on the authority of 'Amr b. Shamir on the authority of his narrators, who said:]

We (i.e. the narrators of 'Amr b. Shamir) heard the Commander of the faithful, peace be on him, say:

"Since God sent Muhammad, may God bless him and his family, I have never seen (a time of) ease. Praise be to God. By God, as a little one I lived in fear. When I was bigger, I fought in battle against the polytheists and made war on the hypocrites until God took His Prophet to Himself. Then tribulations were worse. I have not ceased being careful and cautious. I was afraid that something would happen which would make me rise up. I have seen only good, praise be to God. By God I have not ceased striking with my sword from the time I was a boy until I have become an old man. What gives me endurance for what I am involved in is that all that is for the sake of God and His Apostle. I am hopeful that the Spirit is near at hand. I have seen its threads."

[They reported:]

Only a few days after this speech he, peace be on him, was struck down.

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['Abd Allah b. Bukayr al-Ghamawi reported on the authority of Hakim b. Jubayr, who said: One who was present when 'Ali-spoke at al-Rahaba told us:]

Among the things he said was:

"People, you have refused me. I say, by the Lord of the heavens and the earth, my bosom friend promised me: 'The community will betray you after me.' "

[Isma'il b. Salim reported on the authority of Abu Idris al-Awdi, who said:]

I (i.e. Abu Idris) heard 'Ali, peace be on him, say: "Among the things which the unlettered Prophet, may God bless him and his family, promised me was: 'The community will betray you after me' "

His Words about the Succession and Men's Desertion of him

[Among his words, peace be on him, about the consultative committee (shura) (for the election of a successor to 'Umar b. al-Khattab) at the house is (the conversation) which is reported by Yahya b. 'Abd al-Hamid al-Himmani, on the authority of Yahya b. Salama b. Kuhayl, on the authority of his father, on the authority of Abu Sadiq, who said:]

When 'Umar made a consultative committee (to elect a successor) consisting of six, he said: "If two make the pledge to one man (of the six) and two to another (of the six), the people must be with the three (i.e. the two men and their candidate) among whom is 'Abd al-Rahman (b.'Awf) and kill the three who do not include 'Abd al-Rahman ."

The. Commander of the faithful, peace be on him, came out of the house, leaning on the arm of 'Abd Allah b. al-'Abbas. He said: "Ibn al-'Abbas, the people have opposed you after your Prophet just as they used to oppose your Prophet, may God bless him and his family, during his life. By God, nothing will bring them back to the truth except the sword."

"How is that?" Ibn al-'Abbas asked him.

He answered: "Haven't you heard 'Umar's statement: If two make the pledge to one man (of the six) and two to another (of the six), (the people) must be with the three among whom is `Abd al-Rahman and kill the three who do not include 'Abd al-Rahman?" .

"Yes," replied Ibn al-'Abbas.

"Don't you realise," he went on, "that 'Abd al-Rahman is the cousin of Sa'd and 'Uthman is the brother-in-law of 'Abd al-Rahman?"

"Yes," he replied.

"'Umar knew," he said, "that Sa'd, 'Abd al-Rahman and 'Uthman would not differ in their view. Therefore whoever among them they make the pledge of allegiance to, will have two of them (as supporters). Then he ordered that those who oppose them should be killed. He does not care if Talha is killed as long as he kills me and al-Zubayr is killed. By God if 'Umar lives, I will make known to him his evil attitude toward us which has existed of old and recently. If he dies there will be a day which will bring him and me together and on which will be the Last Judgement."

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[ 'Amr b. Sa'id reported on the authority of Jaysh al-Kinani, who said:]

When 'Abd al-Rahman struck the hand of 'Uthman as (a token of) his pledge of allegiance to him on the day of (the meeting at) the house, the Commander of the faithful, peace be on him, said: "Marriage relationship has made and encouraged you (to do) what you have done. By God what you expected from him is what your colleague (i.e.'Umar) expected from his colleague (i.e. Abu Bakr). May God spread among you the perfumes of death."