Nahjul Balagha Part 1, The Sermons
Sermon 98: By Allah, they would continue like this...
A out the oppression of the Umayyads
ومن كلام له (عليه السلام)
يشير فيه إلى ظلم بني أمية
By Allah, they would continue like this till there would be left no unlawful act before Allah but they would make it lawful and no pledge but they would break it, and till there would remain no house of bricks or of woollen tents but their oppression would enter it. Their bad dealings would make them wretched, till two groups of crying complainants would rise, one would cry for his religion and the other for this world and the help of one of you to one of them would be like the help of a slave to his master, namely when he is present he obeys him, but when the master is away he backbites him. The highest among you in distress would be he who bear best belief about Allah. If Allah grants you safety accept it, and if you are put in trouble endure it, because surely
“..(good) result is for the God-fearing” (7:128).
وَاللهِ لاَ يَزَالُونَ حَتَّى لاَ يَدَعُوا للهِ مُحَرَّماً إِلاَّ اسْتَحَلُّوهُ، وَلاَ عَقْداً إِلاَّ حَلُّوهُ، حَتَّى لاَ يَبْقَى بَيْتُ مَدَر وَلاَ وَبَر إِلاَّ دَخَلَهُ ظُلْمُهُمْ وَنَبَا بِهِ سُوءُ رَعْيِهِمْ، وَحَتَّى يَقُومَ الْبَاكِيَانِ يَبْكِيَانِ : بَاك يَبْكِي لِدِينِهِ، وَبَاك يَبْكِي لِدُنْيَاهُ، وَحَتَّى تَكُونَ نُصْرَةُ أَحَدِكمْ مِنْ أَحَدِهِمْ كَنُصْرَةِ الْعَبْدِ مِنْ سَيِّدِهِ، إِذَا شَهِدَ أَطَاعَهُ، وَإِذَا غَابِ اغْتابَهُ، وَحَتَّى يَكُونَ أَعْظَمَكُمْ فِيهَا غَناءً أَحْسَنُكُمْ بِاللهِ ظَنّاً، فَإِنْ أَتَاكُمُ اللهُ بِعَافِيَة فَاقْبَلُوا، وَإِنِ ابْتُلِيتُمْ فَاصْبِرُوا، فَإِنَّ (الْعَاقِبَة لَلْمُتَّقِينَ).
Alternative Sources for Sermon 98
(1) Ibn Qutaybah, al-'Imamah, I, 151;
(2) Sibt, Tadhkirah, 100;
(3) al-Mufid, al-'Irshad, 157.