Masterpieces of Rhetoric Methood (nahj Al-balagha)

People Are Equal in the Right

After swearing alleginace to Imam, Talhah and Al-Zubayr complained to him that he had not consulted them or sought their assistance in the affairs:

You have been angry of a small matter and left aside big ones. Can you tell me of a thing wherein you have a right of which I have deprived you? Or a share which was due to you I have held away from you, or any Muslim who has laid any claim before me and I have been unable to decide it or been ignorant of it, or mistakened its category?

By Allah, I had no desire for the Caliphate nor any interest in government, but you yourselves invited me to it. When the caliphate came to me, I looked into the Book of Allah; I did not need your view or the view point of anyone else, nor has I ignored any judgement so that I ought to have consulted you or my Muslim brethren. If it were so I would not have turned away from you or from others.

As regards to your mentioning question of equality, this is a matter in which I have not taken a decision by my own opinion, nor have I done it by my desire. But I have found, and you too found, that whatever the prophet brought had been finished with. Therefor, I felt no need to turn towards you about what Allah had been finished with its sectioning. May Allah lead our hearts and yours towards righteousness and may He grant us and you patience, May Allah have mercy on whom he seas a right and helps to get it, or that who found a wrong and rejected it! To the parties of (the Battle of) Al-Jamal

A letter sent to Talhah, Al-Zubayer, and Aai’shah before the Battle of Jamal

From the slave of Allah, Ali, the Commander of the Faithful, to Talhah, Al-Zubayer, you have known that I did not want the allegiance till I was compelled to it; and both of you were among those who accepted my homage. If you have paid homage obedi-ently, and if you have paid homage to me reluctantly, you have certainly given me the excuse to deal with you for action, by showing your obedience and concealing you disobedience.

And you, o’ Talhah, chief of Muhajirin (immigrants), and you, o’ Zubaryer, the knight of Quraysh: your repulsing this mat-ter before entering into it would have been easier than getting out of it after having accepted it.

And you, o’ Aai’shah, you went out of your house disobeying Allah and His messenger seeking a concern of whose responsibility you are free. You claim that you want to reform peoples’ relations. Tell me what have women to do with the leading of armies and challenging men!? You requested, as you claimed, Uthman’s blood, and Uthman is one of Banu Umayiah while you are from Taim.

Then, yesterday, you were saying before a group of the prophet’s companions: “Kill Na’athal (i.e Uthman), may Allah kill him as he has become a disbeliever!”, then you are, today, demanding his blood! Fear Allah and return to your house, and drop your veil on yourself. Wassalam.

Come out of your Den

His letter to Abu Musa Al-Ashari, his Governor of kufa, when he learned that he was dissuading the people of Kufa joining the battle of Jamal.

From the slave of Allah, Amir Al-Mu’minin to Abdullah bin Qays:

Now, I have come to know of words uttered by you which go in your favour as well as against you. So, when my messenger reaches you prepare yourself and get ready, come out of your den and call those who are with you.

Set your mind in order, take a grip on your affairs and acquire your share. If you do not like it then go away to where neither you are welcomed nor can you find a salvation.

By Allah, it is a matter of right with a rightful person and I do not care about what heretics do! The Clear Argument

When Imam approached Basrah an Arab met him – He is known as Kulayb Al-Jarmi – and spoke to him, as he had been sent to him by some people of Basrah to enquire from him on their behalf his position vis-à-vis the people of Jamal. Imam explained to him his position with respect to them, from which he was convinced that Amir Al-Mu’minin was in the right. Then Imam asked him to swear allegiance, but he replied “I am just a messenger of some people and shouldn’t do any thing till I return to them.” Upon this Imam said this wonderful saying:

Suppose that those who have sent you as a forerunner to search out a rain-fed area for them, and your return to them and apprise them of herbage and water but they disagree with you and went towards dry and barren land, what would you do then?

He said: I would leave them and go towards herbage and water. Imam said: So then strech forth your hand.

This man said: By Allah, by such a clear argument I could not refrain from swearing allegiance to Amir Al-Mu’minin.

And at one time, Imam was asked: with what thing you have overcame your mated challengers? He answered:

I have not encountered any man except he helped me to kill him.

He Tried to Creat Misunderstanding from his speech, rich with logic, on Talhah and his attitude towards Uthman’s case, before and after his murder.

As for me, I would never be threatened with fighting or be frightened of striking. By Allah Talhah has not hastened to draw his sword to avenge Uthman’s blood except for fear that the demand for Uthman’s blood be made against himself because the people’s idea in this matter is about him, and, in fact, he was the most anxious among them for his killing. Therefore he has tried to create misunderstanding by collecting forces in order to confuse the matter and to create doubt.

By Allah, he did not act in either of three ways about Uthman. If the son of Affan has been in the wrong, as Talhah was claiming he had to support his murderers or resist his suppo-rters. If Uthman has been the victim of oppression, then Talhah should have been among those who were keeping (the assaulters) away from him and of those who defended him and can’t be blamed.

If he was in doubt about these two states, then he had to leave him and sit aside leaving the men with him. But he has not adopted any of these three ways, and came out with a matter whose category couldn’t be known, and its excuses are not free from blame. I am their same challenger

Abdullah bin Abbas said that: I came to Amir Al-Mu’minin at Dhiqar and saw that he was stitching his shoe. Then, Amir Al-Mu’minin said to me: ‘What is the worth of this shoe?’ I said: “It has no value now”. He then said: “By Allah, it is more dear to me than your leadership but to establish a righ and ward off a wrong”. Then, he came out and delivered this speech:

I has not shown weakness or cowardice. My present march is also like those. I shall certainly pierce the wrong till right comes out of its side. What have I got to do with Quraysh? By Allah, I have fought them when they were infidels verily I shall fight them when they have been misled. I am their same challenger yesterday and today. To What I has to Responded?

From a speech about those involved in the issue of the camel battle:

Beware! Satan has certainly instigated his party and has collected his army in order that oppression return to its places, and wrong may occupy its position.

By Allah they have not blamed me for a certain atrocity nor have they dealed justly between me and themselves. They are demanding a right which they have abandoned, and a blood that they have shed. If I has been a partner with them in it then they too have their share of it. But if they have been charged with the authority of demanding the blood but me the liability is no another place but to them. Their biggest argument (against me) is - really – against themselves.

How disappointed is this challenger (of battle)? whom he has challenged? And for what I have to responded? I am satisfied with Allah’s argument against them and His knowing of them. If they refuse (to obey) I will offer them the edge of the sword which is an enough curer of wrong and a deffender of right. It is strange of them to send me a word to come out for challenging spear-fighting and to be patient for combat with swords. May the mourning women mourn over them I have not been to be frightened by fighting nor threatened by clashing. I enjoy full certainty of belief in my creator, I am not suspecious of my religon. In a Deep area of sea

**Condemning the people of Basrah after the battle of Jamal “camel” ** You have been the army of a woman and the follower of a quadruped. It grumbled you responded, and it was wounded you fled away. You morals are mean low, and your pledge is broken. Your religion is hypocrisy. Your water is bitter. He who stays with you is pledged to his sins and he who forsakes you is suplemented with Allah’s mercy. By Allah your city would cer-tainly be drowned so much so that as though I see its mosque like the bosom of a bird in a deep area of sea.

**They killed them in Captivity and by Treachery

from a sermon Describing the poeople of Jamal**

they came out dragging the wife of the Messenger of Allah – the peace and blessing of Allah be upon him and his descendants – heading with her for Basrah so they imprisoned their women in their houses and showed the imprisoned of the Messenger of Allah to themselves and to others in an army in which there was not a single individual who had not offered me his obedience and sworn to me allegiance quite obediently, without any compulsion. Here in Basrah they approached my governor and treasurers of the public treasury and its other inhabitants. They killed some of them in captivity and others assassinatedly. By Allah, even if they had wilfully killed only one individual Muslim without any offense, I would have the right to kill all that army.

**Those Who Fought Against Me

Describing the battle of Jamal**

I was afflicted, at the battle of Jamal, by the most extremely brave of all people, and the most wealthy and granting the most obeyed among people, and the most deep in cunning and pride: I was afflictted by Al-Zubayer who had not turned his face at all, by Ya’la bin Munibah who carries funds on many camels and grants everyone thirty dinars and a horse so as to fight against me, and by Aai’shah who whenever she referred as such except that people follow her and by Talha whose bottom cannot be reached and whose cunning cannot be measured. Dumb with speaking

Scolding his own companions in Kufa:

If Allah may respite the oppressor His catch would not spare him. He lie in wait for him on the passage of his way.

By Allah in whose hand my life lies, these people will overcome you not because they are more entitled to the right than you but because of their hastening towards the wrong of their leader and your slowness about my right. Nations are afraid of the oppression of their rulers while I fear the oppression of my subjects. I called upon you for war but you did not come. I made you hear but you did not listen. I called you secretly as well as openly, but you did not respond. I gave you sincere counsel, but you did not accept it. Are present people like absent ones and slaves like masters? I recite to you maxims but you turn away from them, and I preach to you with exhortaitons but you break up away from them. I rouse you for jihad against the people of revolt before I come to the end of my speech, I see you disperse like the sons of Saba. You return to your places and deceive one another to forget your maxims.

O’those whose bodies are present but their minds are absent and whose wishes are scattered. Whose rulers are afflicted with them your leader obeys Allah but you disobey him while the leader of the people of Syaria (Al-Sham) disobeys Allah but they obey him. By Allah, I wish Mu’ayiah exchange with me like dinars with dirhams. So that he takes from me ten of you and gives me one of them.

O’ people of Kufa, I have suffered from you in three things and two others: you are deaf in spite of having ears, dumb in spite of speaking, and blind in spite of having eyes. You are neither true supporters in combat nor dependable brothers in distress. Do Not Revenge on an Enemy

A letter to Abdullah bin Abbas, his governor of Basrah. He had been treating Beni Tameem hardly as they were with Talhah and AL-Zubayr at Jamal. He exiled most of them. This became very hard for Imam Ali whose big heart refuses revenge. He wrote to Ibn Abbas, preventing him, blaming him, stating a fact we are thses days overlooking: the Head of the state is responsible as well for the actions of his officers whom the statesman appo-inted on people’s affairs ... he said:

Speek to them amically of this place pleased with good treatment and loosen the knots of fear from their hearts.

I have come to know of your strictness with Benu Tameem and your harshness to them. O’ Abu Al-Abbas, may Allah have mercy on you, keep yourself restrained in whatever you say or do, good or bad about your people, as we are partners in this. Strive to be according to my good impressions about you, do not change my opinion! About you towards weakness. The Women

Delivered after Jamal on dispraising women

Beware of evil women and be on your guard even with those who are good. Do not obey them even in good thing least they may not crave for evils. Bad Masters

About the mischief mongering of Banu Umayyah

Indeed the worst trial for you in my view is the trial of Banu Umayyah, because it is blind and dark. By Allah, you will find Banu Umayyah after me the worst masters for you, like the old unruly she-camel who bites with its mouth, beats with its fore-legs, kicks with its hind legs and refuses to be milked. They will remain over you till they wouldn’t leave one of you except who benefits them. their calamity will continue till your revenging on them become like the revenge of the slave on his master or like the revenge of the fellower on his leader. Their trial will come to you distorted, ugly and frightful cut off pieces. No Bricks nor Wollen Tents

Describing Banu Umayyah

By Allah, they would continue their sinful behaviour till they would not leave an unlawful act before Allah but they commit it and no knot of contract but they would loosen it, and till there would remain no house of bricks or of woolen tents but their oppression would enter it, and till the two weepers begin to cry, the weeper for his religion and the weeper for this world; and the revengful one of you on one of them would be like the revenge of a slave on his master, namely when he is present he obeys him, but when he is absent he backbites him! A broad-pharynxed person

From a speech of him to his com-panions

Verily after me a person would overpower you with a broad mouth and a big belly. He swallows whatever he gets and craves for what he does not get! He would command you to abuse me and to renounce me. As for abusing, you do abuse me because that would mean purification for me and salvation for you. As regards renunciation, you should not renounce me because I have been born on the natural religion (Islam) and preceded to (accepting) faith and migrating.

Greediness of the Wealthy

A letter to Mu’ayiah which contain Imam’s right view to the wealthy people whose appetite for funds incre-ase when their properties increases.

So now, this world diverts man from other things. He who is devoted to it achieves nothing of it except it increases his greed and coveting for it. He who is devoted to it is not satisfied with what he gets of it to do without what he has not got. Eventually there is the separation from what he has amassed, and the undoing of what he twisted. If you had taken a lesson from the past you. Should have preserved what remained. Wassalaam. With the right

Mu’ayiah wrote to Imam to grant him Al-Sham; so Imam wrote in reply to Mu’ayih’s letter:

As for your demand to grant you Al-Shaam, I cannot give you today what I have denied you yesterday. As regards your saying that the war has eaten up the Arabs save its last breath, you should know that he whom right has eaten up goes to Paradise and he whom wrong eaten up goes to Hell. As for our equality in war and in men, certainly you aren’t more sharp in doubt (of belief) than me in certainty (of belief). The Carrier of Dates to Hajar([^1])

**In reply also to Mu’awiyah Now, your letter has reached me wherein you recall that Allah Has chosen Muhammad (s.w.a) for His religion and helped him by those companions who helped him, time has concealed from us something wonderful of you as you have started telling us of Allah’s favor for us and His bounties to us through our Prophet. In this matter you are like the person who carries dates to Hajar, or who challenges his own master to a duel in archery!

Then you have mentioned my attitude with Uthman, and in this matter you have the right to be answered because of your kinship with him. So (now tell me), which of us was more inimical to him and who had done more to bring about his killing; or who offered him his support but he asked him to sit down and stop him; or that whom he called for help but he relaxed and drew his death nearer to him till his fate overtook him? I wouldn’t offer my excuse for had been angry with him for certain action of his, for if my good counsel and guidance to him has been the sin then very often a person may be blamed without a sin. Fear Allah

A letter to Mu’awiyah

Fear Allah in what you have and consider His right on you, and turn, and turn to understand what you are not excused to ignore. Your ego has pushed you towards evil, thrown you into pitfalls, driven you to destruction and made your paths rough. You have Ruined A generation of people

A letter to Mu’awiyah

You have ruined a big generation of people whom you have deceived by your seduction, and have flung them into the currents of your sea where darkness had covered them and misgivings tossed them about. So they have strayed from the right path and turned back on their heels,. They withdrew backwards and depended on their ancesteries except some who returned of clear – sighted men. The fraud of child

From a reply to a letter to Mu’awiyah

You have stated that I have killed Talhah and Al-Zubayr, forced A’ishah out of her house and invaded the two cities (Kufa and Basrah). This has been a matter with which you have no concern as you were absent nor do the apologize in it to you.

You have said a lot about Uthman’s murderers. You first join what the people have joined i.e pay ahomage then bring the charged people to trial before me and I shall settle the matter between you and them according to the Book of Allah, the Subliem. As to that at which you aim it is the intrigue to deceive the weaned child of milk by a nipple.

Glory be to God how strange O’ Mu’awiyah

A letter to Mu’awiyah

Glory be to God! How keen do you cling to fabricated desires with ignoring the facts. As regards your prolonging the dispute about Uthman’s murder certainly you have defended Uthman when it was really your own assistance and you forsook him when the defence was his, Wassalam.

**