Nahjul Balagha Part 1, The Sermons
Sermon 148: Both of these two….
About Talhah and az-Zubayr and the people of Basrah
ومن خطبة له (عليه السلام)
في ذكر أهل البصرة
Both of these two (Talhah and az-Zubayr) wishes the Caliphate for himself, and is drawing towards himself as against the other fellow. They do not employ any connection for getting access to Allah nor proceed towards Him through any means. Both of them bear malice against the other. Shortly his veil over it will be uncovered. By Allah, if they achieve what they aim at, one of them will kill the other, and one will finish the other. The rebellious party has stood up. Where are the seekers of virtue, for the paths have already been determined and they have been given the news? For every misguidance there is a cause and for every break of pledge there is a misrepresentation. By Allah, I shall not be like him who listens to the voice of mourning, hears the man who brings news of death and also visits the mourner, yet does not take lesson.
كُلُّ وَاحِد مِنْهُمَا يَرْجُو الاْمْرَ لَهُ، وَيَعْطِفُهُ عَلَيْهِ دُونَ صَاحِبِهِ، لاَ يَمُتَّانِ إِلَى اللهِ بِحَبْل، وَلاَ يَمُدَّانِ إِلَيْهِ بَسَبَب. كُلُّ واحِد مِنْهُمَا حَامِلُ ضَبٍّ لِصَاحِبِهِ، وَعَمَّا قَلِيل يُكْشَفُ قِنَاعُهُ بِهِ! وَاللهِ لَئِنْ أَصَابُوا الَّذِي يُرِيدُونَ لَيَنْتَزِعَنَّ هذَا نَفْسَ هذَا، وَلَيَأْتِيَنَّ هذَا عَلَى هذَا، قَدْ قَامَتِ الْفِئَةُ الْبَاغِيَةُ، فَأَيْنَ الْـمُحْتَسِبُونَ؟! قَدْ سُنَّتْ لَهُمُ السُّنَنُ، وَقُدِّمَ لَهُمُ الْخَبَرُ، وَلِكُلِّ ضَلَّة عِلَّةٌ، وَلِكُلِّ نَاكِث شُبْهِةٌ. وَاللهِ لاَ أَكُونُ كَمُسْتَمِعِ اللَّدْمِ، يَسْمَعُ النَّاعِيَ، وَيَحْضُرُ الْبَاكِيَ، ثُمَّ لاَ يَعْتَبِرُ!
Alternative Sources for Sermon 148
(1) Abu Mikhnaf, al-Jamal, see Ibn Abi al-Hadid, Sharh, I, 78;
(2) al-Mufid, al-'Irshad, 142.