Nahjul Balagha Part 1, The Sermons
Sermon 15: By God, even if I had found that ...
After returning to the Muslims the land grants made by `Uthman ibn `Affan, he said:
ومن كلام له (عليه السلام)
فيما ردّه على المسلمين من قطائع عثمان
By Allah, even if I had found that by such money women have been married or slave-maids have been purchased I would have returned it (to its owners) because there is wide scope in dispensation of justice, and he who finds it hard to act justly will find it harder to deal with injustice.
وَاللهِ لَوْ وَجَدْتُهُ قَدْ تُزُوِّجَ بِهِ النِّسَاءُ، وَمُلِكَ بِهِ الاْمَاءُ، لَرَدَدْتُهُ; فَإِنَّ في العَدْلِ سَعَةً، وَمَنْ ضَاقَ عَلَيْهِ العَدْلُ، فَالجَوْرُ عَلَيْهِ أَضيَقُ!
Alternative Sources for Sermon 15
(1) Al-`Askari, al-'Awa'il, 102;
(2) al-Qadi al-Nu`man, Da`a'im, I, 396;
(3) al-Mas`udi, *Ithbat,*120.