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SERMON 35Amir al-mu'minin said after Arbitration. (1)All praise is due to Allah even though time has brought (for us) crushing calamity and great occurrence. And I stand witness that there is no god but Allah the One there is no partner for Him nor is there with Him any god other than Himself and that Muhammad is His slave and His Prophet (May Allah's blessing and greeting be upon him and his progeny). So now certainly the disobedience of sympathetic counsellor who has knowledge as well as experience brings about disappointment and result in repentance. I had given you my orders about this arbitration and put before you my hidden view if Qasir's (2) orders were fulfilled but you rejected it (my orders) like rough opponents and disobedient insurgents till the counsellor himself fell in doubt about his counsel and the flint (of his wit) ceased to give flame. Consequently mine and your position became as the poet of Hawazin says: I gave you my orders at Mun'araji'l-liwa but you did not see the good of my counsel till the noon of next day (when it was too late). (3)
(1). When the Syrians' spirit was broken by the bloody
swords of the Iraqis and the incessant attacks of the night of al-Harir lowered
their morale and ended their aspirations 'Amr ibn al-'As suggested to Mu'awiyah
the trick that the Qur'an should be raised on spears and shouts urged forth to
treat it as the arbitrator. Its effect would be that some people would try to
stop the war and others would like to continue it. We would thus divide them and
be able to get the war postponed for another occasion. Consequently copies of
the Qur'an were raised on spears. The result was that some brainless persons
raised hue and cry and created division and
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him. Therefore I place him in his position." No sooner that he said this there
were cries all round. Abu Musa cried hoarse that it was a trick a deceit and
told 'Amr ibn al-'As that "You have played a trick and your example is that of a
dog on which if you load something he would gasp or leave him he would gasp."
'Amr ibn al-'As said "Your example is like the ass on whom books are loaded."
However 'Amr ibn al-'As's trick was effective and Mu'awiyah's shaking feet were
again stabilised.
This was the short sketch of the Arbitration whose basis was laid in the Qur'an
and sunnah. But was it a verdict of the Qur'an or the result of those deceitful
contrivances which people of this world employ to retain their authority? Could
these pages of history be made a torch-guide for the future and the Qur'an and
sunnah be not used as a means of securing authority or as an instrument of
worldly benefits.
When Amir al-mu'minin got the news of this lamentable result of arbitration he
climbed on the pulpit and delivered this sermon every word of which savours of
his grief and sorrow and at the same time it throws light on soundness of his
thinking correctness of his opinion and foresighted sagacity.
(2). This is a proverb which is used on an occasion where
the advice of a counsellor is rejected and afterwards it is repented. The fact
of it was that the ruler of al-Hirah namely Jadhimah al-Abrash killed the ruler
of al-Jazirah named 'Amr ibn Zarib whereafter his daughter az-Zabba' was made
the ruler of al-Jazirah. Soon after accession to the throne she thought out this
plan to avenge her father's blood that she sent a message to Jadhimah that she
could not alone carry on the affairs of the state and that if he could become
her patron by accepting her as his wife she would be grateful. Jadhimah was more
than puffed up at this proposal and prepared himself to set off for al-Jazirah
with a thousand horsemen. His slave Qasir advised him much that this was just a
deceit and trick and that he should not place himself in this danger; but his
wit had been so blinded that he could not think over why az-Zabba' should select
the Murderer of her father for her life companionship. Anyhow he set off and
when he reached the border of al-Jazirah although az-Zabba's army was present
for his reception but she neither gave any special reception nor offered any
warm welcome. Seeing this state Qasir was again suspicious and he advised
Jadhimah to get back but nearness to the goal had further fanned his passion. He
paid no
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heed and stepping further entered the city. Soon on arrival there he was killed.
When Qasir saw this he said "Had the advice of Qasir been followed." From that
time this proverb gained currency.
(3). The poet of Hawazin implies Durayd ibn as-Simmah. He
wrote this couplet after the death of his brother 'Abdullah ibn as-Simmah. Its
facts are that 'Abdullah along with his brother led an attack of two groups of
Banu Jusham and Bani Nasr who were both from Hawazin and drove away many camels.
On return when they intended to rest at Mun'araji'l-liwa Durayd said it was not
advisable to stay there lest the enemy attacks from behind but 'Abdullah did not
agree and stayed there. The result was that as soon as dawn appeared the enemy
attacked and killed 'Abdullah on the spot. Durayd also received wounds but he
slipped away alive and after this he wrote a few couplets out of which one
couplet is this wherein he has referred to the destruction resulting from his
advice having been rejected.
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