Nahjul Balagha Part 2, Letters and Sayings
Letter 32: To Mu'awiyah
ومن كتاب له (عليه السلام)
إلى معاوية
You have ruined a large group of people whom you have deceived by your misguidance, and have flung them into the currents of your sea where darkness has covered them and misgivings toss them about. As a result they have strayed from the right path and turned on their backs. They turned their backs and pushed forward except those wise ones who came back because they left you after understanding you and ran towards Allah away from your assistance when you put them to troubles and deviated them from the middle path. Therefore, O Mu'awiyah, fear Allah about yourself and take away your rein from Satan, since this world is shortly to be cut off from you and the next world is near you; and that is an end to the matter.
وَأَرْدَيْتَ جِيلاً مِنَ النَّاسِ كَثِيراً، خَدَعْتَهُمْ بِغَيِّكَ، وَأَلْقَيْتَهُمْ فِي مَوْجِ بَحْرِكَ، تَغْشَاهُمُ الظُّلُمَاتُ،تَتَلاَطَمُ بِهِمُ الشُّبُهَاتُ، فَجاروا عَنْ وِجْهَتِهِمْ، وَنَكَصُوا عَلَى أَعْقَابِهِمْ، وَتَوَلَّوْا عَلَى أَدْبَارِهِمْ، وَعَوَّلُوا عَلَى أحْسَابِهِمْ، إِلاَّ مَنْ فَاءَ مِنْ أَهْلِ الْبَصَائِرِ، فَإِنَّهُمْ فَارَقُوكَ بَعْدَ مَعْرِفَتِكَ، وَهَرَبُوا إِلَى اللهِ سُبحانَهُ مِنْ مُوَازَرَتِكَ، إِذْ حَمَلْتَهُمْ عَلَى الصَّعْبِ، وَعَدَلْتَ بِهِمْ عَنِ الْقَصْدِ.
فَاتَّقِ اللهَ يَا مُعَاوِيَةُ فِي نَفْسِكَ، وَجَاذِبِ الشَّيْطَانَ قيَادَكَ، فَإِنَّ الدُّنْيَا مُنْقَطِعَةٌ عَنْكَ، وَالاْخِرَةَ قَرِيبَةٌ مِنْكَ، وَالسَّلاَمُ.