( 51 )

SERMON 137

About Talhah and az-Zubayr

By Allah they did not find any disagreeable thing in me nor did they do justice between me and themselves. Surely they are now demanding a right which they have abandoned and blood which they have themselves shed. If I partook in it with them then they too have a share in it but if they committed it without me the demand should be against them. The first step of their justice should be that they pass verdict against themselves. I have my intelligence with me.

I have never mixed matters nor have they appeared mixed to me. Certainly this is the rebellious group in which there is the near one (az-Zubayr) the scorpion's venom ('A'ishah) and doubts which cast a veil (on facts). But the matter is clear and the wrong has been shaken from its foundation. Its tongue has stopped uttering mischief. By Allah I will prepare for them a cistern from which I alone will draw water. They will not be able to drink from it nor would they be able to drink from any other place.

( 511 )

[ 137 ] ومن كلام له عليه السلام

في شأن طلحة والزبير و في البيعه

طلحه و الزبير

وَاللهِ مَا أَنْكَرُوا عَلَيَّ مُنْكَراً، وَلاَ جَعَلُوا بَيْنِي وَبَيْنَهُمْ نِصْفاً (1) ، وَإِنَّهُمْ لَيَطْلُبُونَ حَقّاً هُمْ تَرَكُوهُ، وَدَماً هُمْ سَفَكُوهُ، فَإِنْ كُنْتُ شَرِيكَهُمْ فِيهِ فَإِنَّ لَهُمْ نَصِيبَهُمْ مِنْهُ، وَإِنْ كَانُوا وَلُوهُ دُونِي فَمَا الطَّلِبَةُ (2) إِلاَّ قِبَلَهُمْ، وَإِنَّ أَوَّلَ عَدْلِهِمْ لَلْحُكْمُ عَلَى أَنْفُسِهِمْ، وَإِنَّ مَعِي لَبَصِيرَتِي، مَا لَبَّسْتُ وَلاَ لُبِّسَ عَلَيَّ. وَإِنَّهَا لَلْفِئَةُ الْبَاغِيَةُ، فِيهَا الْحَمَأُ وَالْحُمَةُ (3) وَالشُّبْهَةُ الْمُغْدِفَةُ (4) ، وَإِنَّ الْأَمْرَ لَوَاضِحٌ، وَقَدْ زَاحَ (5) الْبَاطِلُ عَنْ نِصَابِهِ، وَانْقَطَعَ لِسَانُهُ عَنْ شَغَبِهِ (6) . وَايْمُ اللهِ لِأُفْرِطَنَّ (7) لَهُمْ حَوْضاً أَنَا مَاتِحُهُ (8) ، لاَ يَصْدُرُونَ عَنْهُ بِرِيٍّ، وَلاَ يَعُبُّونَ (9) بَعْدَهُ فِي حَسْي ٍ (10) !

* * * * *

( 512 )

A part of the same sermon

You advanced towards me shouting "allegiance allegiance" like shecamels having delivered newly born young ones leaping towards their young. I held back my hand but you pulled it towards you. I drew back my hand but you dragged it. O' my Allah! these two have ignored my rights and did injustice to me. They both have broken allegiance to me and roused people against me. Unfasten Thou what they have fastened and do not make strong what they have woven. Show them the evil in what they aimed at and acted upon. Before fighting I asked them to be steadfast in allegiance and behaved with them with consideration but they belittled the blessing and refused (to adopt the course of) safety.

* * * * *

SERMON 138

Referring to events in the future

He will direct desires towards (the path of) guidance while people will have turned guidance towards desires and he will turn their views to the direction of the Qur'an while the people will have turned the Qur'an to their views.

A part of the same sermon

(Before this Enjoiner of Good ⁽¹⁾ matters will deteriorate) till war will rage among you with full force showing forth its teeth with udders full of sweet milk but with a sour tip. Beware it will be tomorrow and the morrow will come soon with things which you do not know. The Man in power not from this crowd will take to task all those were formerly appointed for their ill deeds and the earth will pour forth its eternal treasures and fling before him easily her keys. He will show you the just way of behaviour and revive the Qur'an and sunnah which have become lifeless (among people).

( 513 )

أمر البيعة

و منه: فَأَقْبَلْتُمْ إِلَيَّ إِقْبَالَ الْعُوذِ الْمَطَافِيلِ (11) عَلَى أَوْلاَدِهَا، تَقُولُونَ: الْبَيْعَةَ الْبَيْعَةَ! قَبَضْتُ كَفِّي فَبَسَطْتُمُوهَا، وَنَازَعَتْكُمْ يَدِي فَجَاذَبْتُمُوهَا. اللَّهُمَّ إنَّهُمَا قَطَعَاني وَظَلَمَاني، وَنَكَثَا بَيْعَتِي، وَأَلَّبَا (12) النَّاسَ عَلَيَّ; فَاحْلُلْ مَا عَقَدَا، وَلاَ تُحْكِمْ لَهُمَا مَا أَبْرَمَا، وَأَرِهِمَا الْمَسَاءَةَ فِيَما أَمَّلاَ وَعَمِلاَ، وَلَقَدِ اسْتَثَبْتُهُمَا (13) قَبْلَ الْقِتَالِ، وَاسْتَأْنَيْتُ بِهمَا أَمَامَ الْوِقَاعِ (14) ، فَغَمَطَا النِّعْمَةَ (15) ، وَرَدَّا الْعَافِيَةَ.

[ 138 ] ومن خطبة له عليه السلام

يومىء فيها إلى ذكر الملاحم

يَعْطِفُ الْهَوَى عَلَى الْهُدَى إِذَا عَطَفُوا الْهُدَى عَلَى الْهَوَى، وَيَعْطِفُ الرَّأْيَ عَلَى الْقُرْآنِ إِذَا عَطَفُوا الْقُرْآنَ عَلَى الرَّأْيِ.

و منها: حَتَّى تَقُومَ الْحَرْبُ بِكُمْ عَلَى سَاقٍ، بَادِياً نَوَاجِذُهَا (1) ، ممْلُوءَةً أَخْلاَفُهَا (2) ، حُلْواً رَضَاعُهَا، عَلْقَماً عَاقِبَتُهَا. أَلاَ وَفِي غَدٍ ـ وَسَيَأْتِي غَدٌ بِمَا لاَ تَعْرِفُونَ ـ يَأْخُذُ الْوَالِي مِنْ غَيْرِهَا عُمَّالَهَا عَلَى مَسَاوِىءِ أَعْمَالِهَا، وَتُخْرِجُ لَهُ الْأَرْضُ أَفَالِيذَ (3) كَبِدِهَا، وَتُلْقي إِلَيْهِ سِلْماً مَقَالِيدَهَا، فَيُرِيكُمْ كَيْفَ عَدْلُ السِّيرَة وَ يُحْيِي مَيِّتَ الْكِتَابِ وَ السُّنَّةِِ.

( 514 )

A part of the same sermon

As if I see (him) he (the Enjoiner of Evil) ⁽²⁾ is shouting in Syria (ash-Sham) and is extending his banners to the outskirts of Kufah. He is bent towards it like the biting of the she-camel. He has covered the ground with heads. His mouth is wide open and (the trampling of) his footsteps on the ground have become heavy. His advance is broad and his attacks are severe.

By Allah he will disperse you throughout the earth till only a few of you remain like kohl in the eye. You will continue like this till the Arabs return to their sense. You should therefore stick to established ways clear signs and the early period which has the lasting virtues of the Prophethood. You should know that Satan makes his ways easy so that you may follow him on his heels.

(1). This prophecy of Amir al-mu'minin is with regard to the appearance of the Twelfth Imam Abu'l-Qasim Muhammad ibn al-Hasan al-Mahdi (p.b.u.h.).

(2). This refers to 'Abd al-Malik ibn Marwan who came to power in Syria (ash-Sham) after his father Marwan ibn al-Hakam and then after the killing of al-Mukhtar ibn Abi 'Ubayd ath-Thaqafi in his encounter with Mus'ab ibn az-Zubayr he proceeded towards Iraq. He clashed with Mus'ab's force at Maskin near Dayru'l-jathaliq in the outskirts of Kufah. After defeating him he made a victorious entry into Kufah and took allegiance from its inhabitants. Then he sent al-Hajjaj ibn Yusuf ath-Thaqafi to Mecca to fight with 'Abdullah ibn az-Zubayr. Consequently this man besieged Mecca and stoned it and shed the blood of thousands of innocent persons like water. He killed Ibn az-Zubayr and hung his body on the gallows. He perpetrated such atrocities on the people that one shudders at the thought of them.

* * * * *

( 515 )

منها: كأَنَّي بِهِ قَدْ نَعَقَ بِالشَّامِ، وَفَحَصَ (4) بِرَايَاتِهِ فِي ضَوَاحِي كُوفَانَ (5) ، فَعَطَفَ عَلَيْهَا عَطْفَ الضَّرُوسِ (6) ، وَفَرَشَ الْأَرْضَ بِالرُّؤُوسِ. قَدْ فَغَرَتْ فَاغِرَتُهُ (7) ، وَثَقُلَتْ فِي الْأَرْضِ وَطْأَتُهُ، بَعِيدَ الْجَوْلَةِ، عَظِيمَ الصَّوْلَةِ. وَاللهِ لِيُشَرِّدَنَّكُمْ (8) فِي أَطْرَافِ الْأَرْضِ حَتَّى لاَ يَبْقَى مِنْكُمْ إِلاِّ قَلَيلٌ، كَالْكُحْلِ فِي الْعَيْنِ، فَلاَ تَزَالُونَ كَذلِكَ، حَتَّى تَؤُوبَ إِلَى الْعَرَبِ عَوَازِبُ أَحْلاَمِهَا (9) ! فَالْزَمُوا السُّنَنَ الْقَائِمَةَ، وَالْآثَارَ الْبَيِّنَةَ، وَالْعَهْدَ الْقَرِيبَ الَّذِي عَلَيْهِ بَاقِي النُّبُوَّةِ. وَاعْلَمُوا أَنَّ الشَّيْطَانَ إِنَّمَا يُسَنِّي (10) لَكُمْ طُرُقَهُ لِتَتَّبِعُوا عَقِبَهُ.