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LETTER 73

To Mu'awiyah

Now (in) exchanging replies and listening to your letters my view has been weak and my intelligence has been erring. When you refer your demands to me and expect me to send you written replies you are like one who is in deep slumber while his dreams contradict him or one who stands perplexed and overwhelmed not knowing whether whatever comes to him is for him or against him. You are not such a man but he is (to some extent) like you (as you are worse than him). I swear by Allah that had it not been for (my) giving you time you would have faced from me catastrophe that would have crushed the bones and removed the flesh. Know that Satan has prevented you from turning to good actions and listening to the words of counsels. Peace be upon those who deserve it.

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DOCUMENT 74

Written by Amir al-mu'minin as a protocol between the tribes of Rabi`ah and the people of Yemen. Taken from the writing of Hisham ibn (Muhammad) al-Kalbi.

This indenture contains what the people of Yemen including  the townsmen and nomads and the tribes of Rabi`ah including the townsmen and nomads have agreed upon: that they will adhere to the Book of Allah will call to it and order according to it and will respond to whoever calls to it and orders according to it.They will not sell it for any price nor accept any

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[ 73 ] ومن كتاب له عليه السلام

إلى معاوية

أَمَّا بَعْدُ، فَإِنِّي عَلَى التَّرَدُّدِ فِي جَوَابِكَ، وَالْإِسْتَِماعِ إِلَى كِتَابِكَ، لَمُوَهِّنٌ (1) رَأْيِي، وَمُخَطِّىءٌ فِرَاسَتي (2) . وَإِنَّكَ إِذْ تُحَاوِلُنِي الْأُمُورَ (3) وَتُرَاجِعُنِي السُّطُورَ (4) ، كَالْمُسْتَثْقِلِ النَّائِمِ تَكْذِبُهُ أَحَلاَمُهُ (5) ، وَالْمُتَحَيِّرِ الْقَائِمِ يَبْهَظُهُ (6) مَقَامُهُ، لاَ يَدْرِي أَلَهُ مَا يَأَتِي أَمْ عَلَيْهِ، وَلَسْتَ بِهِ، غَيْرَ أَنَّهُ بِكَ شَبِيهٌ. وَأُقْسِمُ بِاللهِ لَوْلاَ بَعْضُ الْإِسْتِبْقَاءِ (7) لَوَصَلَتْ إِلَيْكَ مِنِّي قَوَارِعُ (8) ، تَقْرَعُ (9) الْعَظْم ، وَتَهْلِسُ (10) اللَّحْمَ! وَاعْلَمْ أَنَّ الشَّيْطَانَ قَدْ ثَبَّطَكَ (11) عَنْ أَنْ تُرَاجِعَ أَحْسَنَ أُمُورِكَ، وَتَأْذَنَ (12) لِمَقَالِ نَصِيحَتِكَ، وَالسَّلاَمُ لِأَهْلِهِ.

[ 74 ] وَمن حلْف له عليه السلام

بين ربيعة و اليمن، نُقل من خط هشام بن الكلبي

هَذَا مَا اجْتَمَعَ عَلَيْهِ أَهْل الْيَمَنِ حَاضِرُهَا وَبَادِيهَا، وَرَبِيعَةُ حَاضِرُهَا (1) وَبَادِيهَا (2) أَنَّهُمْ عَلَى كِتَابِ اللهِ يَدْعُونَ إِلَيْهِ، وَيَأْمُرُونَ بِهِ، وَيُجِيبُونَ مَنْ دَعَا إِلَيْهِ وَأَمَرَ بِهِ، لاَ يَشْتَرُونَ بِهِ ثَمَناً، وَلاَ يَرْضَوْنَ


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alternative for it. They will join hands against anyone who opposes it and abandons it. They will help one another. Their voice will be one. They will not break their pledge on account of the rebuke of a rebuker the wrath of an angry person the humiliating treatment of one group to the other or the use of abusive terms by one party against the other.

This pledge is binding on those of them who are present and those of them who are absent; those of them who are forbearing  and those of them who are foolish; those of them who are learned and those of them who are ignorant. Along with this the pledge of Allah is also binding on them and the pledge of Allah is to be accounted for.

Written by: `Ali ibn Abi Talib.

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LETTER 75

To Mu`awiyah soon after Amir al-mu'minin was sworn in. (Muhammad ibn `Umar) al-Waqidi has mentioned this in his "Kitab al-Jamal"

From the servant of Allah `Ali Amir al-mu'minin to Mu`awiyah son of Abu Sufyan:

Now you are aware of my excuses before you people and my shunning you till that happened which was inevitable and which could not be prevented. The stroy is long and much is to be said. What was to pass has passed and what was to come has come. Therefore secure (my) allegiance from those who are with you and come in a deputation of your people to me; and that is an end to the matter.

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بِهِ بَدَلاً، وَأَنَّهُمْ يَدٌ وَاحِدَةٌ عَلَى مَنْ خَالَفَ ذَلِكَ وَتَرَكَهُ، أَنْصَارٌ بَعْضُهُمْ لِبَعْضٍ: دَعْوَتُهُمْ وَاحِدَةٌ، لاَيَنْقُضُونَ عَهْدَهُمْ لِمَعْتَبَةِ (3) عَاتِبٍ، وَلاَ لِغَضَبِ غَاضِبٍ، وَلاَ لِإِسْتِذْلاَلِ قَوْمٍ قَوْماً، وَلاَ لِمَسَبَّة ِ قَوْمٍ قَوْماً! عَلَى ذلِكَ شَاهِدُهُمْ وَغَائِبُهُمْ، وَسَفِيهُهُمْ وَعَالِمُهُمْ، وَحَلِيمُهُمْ وَجَاهِلُهُمْ. ثُمَّ إِنَّ عَلَيْهِمْ بِذلِكَ عَهْدَ اللهِ وَمِيثَاقَهُ، ( إنَّ عَهْدَ اللهِ كَانَ مسْؤولاً). و كتب: علي بن أبي طالب.

[ 75 ] ومن كتاب له عليه السلام

إلى معاوية في أول ما بويع له بالخلافه ذكره الواقدي في كتاب الجمل

مِنْ عَبْدِاللهِ عَلِيٍّ أَمِيرِالْمُؤْمِنِينَ إِلَى مُعَاوِيَةَ بْنِ أَبِي سُفْيَانَ: أَمَّا بَعْدُ، فَقَدْ عَلِمْتَ إِعْذَارِي (1) فِيكُمْ، وَإِعْرَاضِي عَنْكُمْ، حَتَّى كَانَ مَا لاَبُدَّ مِنْهُ وَلاَ دَفْعَ لَهُ، وَالْحَدِيثُ طَوِيلٌ، وَالْكَلاَمُ كَثِيرٌ، وَقَدْ أَدْبَرَ مَا أَدْبَرَ، وَأَقْبَلَ مَا أَقْبَلَ، فَبَايِعْ مَنْ قِبَلَكَ (2) ، وَأَقْبِلْ إِلَيَّ فِي وَفْدٍ (3) مِنْ أَصْحَابِكَ، وَالسَّلاَمُ.

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