( 666 )

SERMON 177

About the two arbiters (after the battle of Siffin)

Your party had decided to select two persons and so we took their pledge that they would act according to the Qur'an and would not commit excess that their tongues should be with it and that their hearts should follow it. But they deviated from it abandoned what was right although they had it before their eyes. Wrong-doing was their desire and going astray was their behaviour. Although we had settled with them to decide with justice. to act according to the light and without the interference of their evil views and wrong judgement. Now that they have abandoned the course of right and have come out with just the opposite of what was settled we have strong ground (to reject their verdict).

* * * * *

SERMON 178

Praise of Allah transience of this world and causes of the decline of Allah's blessings. (Delivered at the beginning of his caliphate

One condition does not prevent Him from (getting into) another condition time does not change Him place does not locate him and the tongue does not describe Him. The number of drops of water of stars in the sky or of currents of winds in the air are not unknown to Him nor the movements of ants on rocks or the resting place of grubs in the dark night. He knows the places where leaves fall and the secret movements


( 667 )

[ 177 ] ومن كلام له عليه السلام

في معنى الحكمين

فأَجْمَعَ رَأْيُ مَلَئِكمْ عَلَى أَنِ اخْتَارُوا رَجُلَيْنِ، فَأَخَذْنَا عَلَيْهِمَا أَنْ يُجَعْجِعَا (1) عِنْدَ الْقُرْآنِ، ولاَ يُجَاوِزَاهُ، وَتَكُونَ أَلْسِنَتُهُما مَعَهُ وَقُلُوبُهُمَا تَبَعَهُ، فَتَاهَا عَنْهُ، وَتَرَكَا الْحَقَّ وَهُمَا يُبْصِرَانِهِ، وَكَانَ الْجَوْرُ هَوَاهُمَا، وَالْإِعْوِجَاجُ رَأْيَهُمَا. وَقَدْ سَبَقَ اسْتِثْنَاؤُنَا عَلَيْهِمَا فِي الْحُكْمِ بِالْعَدْلِ وَالْعَمَلِ بِالْحَقِّ سُوءَ رَأْيِهِمَا وَجَوْرَ حُكْمِهِمَا، وَالثِّقَةُ فِي أَيْدِينَا لِأَنْفُسِنَا، حِينَ خَالفَا سَبِيلَ الْحَقِّ، وَأَتَيَا بِمَا لاَ يُعْرَفُ مِنْ مَعْكُوسِ الْحُكْمِ.

[ 178 ] ومن خطبة له عليه السلام

في الشهادة والتقوى وقيل: إنّه خطبها في أول خلافته

الله و رسوله

لاَ يَشْغَلُهُ شَأْنٌ، وَلاَ يُغَيِّرُهُ زَمَانٌ، وَلاَ يَحْوِيهِ مَكَانٌ، وَلاَ يَصِفُهُ لِسَانٌ، وَلاَ يَعْزُبُ (1) عَنْهُ عَدَدُ قَطْرِ الْمَاءِ، وَلاَ نُجُومِ السَّماءِ، وَلاَسَوَافِي الرِّيحِ (2) فِي الْهَوَاءِ، وَلاَ دَبِيبُ النَّمْلِ عَلَى الصَّفَا (3) ، وَلاَ مَقِيلُ الذَّرِّ (4) فِي اللَّيْلَةِ الظَّلْمَاءِ. يَعْلَمُ مَسَاقِطَ الْأَوْرَاقِ، وَخَفِيَّ طَرْفِ


( 668 )

of the pupils of the eyes.

I stand witness that there is no god but Allah Who has no parallel Who is not doubted Whose religion is not denied and Whose creativeness is not questioned. My witnessing is like that of a man whose intention is free whose conscience is clear whose belief is pure and whose loads (of good actions) are heavy. I also stand witness that Muhammad - the peace and blessings of Allah be upon him and his progeny - is His slave and His Messenger chosen from His creations selected for detailing His realities picked for His selected honours and chosen for His esteemed messages. Through him the signs of guidance have been lighted and the gloom of blindness (misguidance) has been dispelled.

O' people surely this world deceives him who longs for it and who is attracted towards it. It does not behave niggardly with him who aspires for it and overpowers him who overpowers it. By Allah no people are deprived of the lively pleasures of life after enjoying them except as a result of sins committed by them because certainly Allah is not unjust to His creatures. Even then when calamities descend upon people and pleasures depart from them they turn towards Allah with true intention and the feeling in their hearts that He will return them everything that has fled from them and cure all their ills.

I fear about you lest you fall into ignorance (that prevailed before the appearance of the Prophet). In the past there were certain matters in which you were deflected and in my view you were not worthy of admiration; but if your previous position could be returned to you then you would become virtuous. I can only strive; but if I were to speak I would (only) say may Allah forgive your past actions.

* * * * *


( 669 )

الْأَحْدَاقِ (5) . وَأَشْهَدُ أَنْ لاَ إِلَهَ إِلاَّ اللهُ غَيْرَ مَعْدُولٍ بِهِ (6) ، وَلاَ مَشْكُوكٍ فِيهِ، وَلاَ مَكْفُورٍ دِينُهُ، وَلاَ مَجْحُودٍ تَكْوِينُهُ (7) ، شَهَادَةَ مَنْ صَدَقَتْ نِيَّتُهُ، وَصَفَتْ دِخْلَتُهُ (8) ، وَخَلَصَ يَقِينُهُ، وَثَقُلَتْ مَوَازِينُهُ. وَأَشْهَدُ أَنَّ مُحَمَّداً عَبْدُهُ وَرَسُولُهُ، الْمُجْتَبَى (9) مِنْ خَلاَئِقِهِ، وَالْمُعْتَامُ (10) لِشَرْحِ حَقَائِقِهِ، وَالْمُخْتَصُّ بِعَقَائِلِ (11) كَرَامَاتِهِ (12) ، وَالْمُصْطَفَى لِكَرَائِمِ رِسَالاَتِهِ، وَالْمُوَضَّحَةُ بِهِ أَشْرَاطُ الْهُدَى (13) ، وَالْمَجْلُوُّ بِهِ غِرْبِيبُ (14) الْعَمَى.

أَيُّهَا النَّاسُ، إنَّ الدُّنْيَا تَغُرُّ الْمُؤَمِّلَ لَهَا وَالْمُخلِدَ إِلَيْهَا (15) ، وَلاَ تَنْفَسُ (16) بِمَنْ نَافَسَ فِيهَا، وَتَغْلِبُ مَنْ غَلَبَ عَلَيْهَا. وَايْمُ اللهِ، مَا كَانَ قَوْمٌ قَطُّ فِي غَضِّ (17) نِعْمَةِ مِنْ عَيْشٍ فَزَالَ عَنْهُمْ إِلاَّ بِذُنُوبٍ اجْتَرَحُوهَا (18) ، لاَِنَّ (اللهَ لَيْسَ بِظَلاَّمٍ لِلْعَبِيدِ) وَلَوْ أَنَّ النَّاسَ حِينَ تَنْزِلُ بِهِمُ النِّقَمُ، وَتَزُولُ عَنْهُمُ النِّعَمُ، فَزِعُوا إِلَى رَبِّهِمْ بِصِدْقٍ مِنْ نِيَّاتِهمْ، وَوَلَهٍ مِنْ قُلُوبِهمْ، لَرَدَّ عَلَيْهِمْ كُلَّ شَارِدٍ، وَأَصْلَحَ لَهُمْ كُلَّ فَاسِدٍ، وَإنِّي لَأَخْشَى عَلَيْكُمْ أَنْ تَكُونُوا فِي فَتْرَةٍ (19) . وَقَدْ كَانَتْ أُمُورٌ مَضَتْ، مِلْتمْ فِيهَا مَيْلَةً، كُنْتُمْ فِيهَا عِندِي غَيْرَ مَحْمُودِينَ، وَلَئِنْ رُدَّ عَلَيْكُمْ أَمْرُكُمْ إنَّكُمْ لَسُعَدَاءُ، وَمَا عَلَيَّ إلاَّ الْجُهْدُ، وَلَوْ أَشَاءُ أَنْ أَقُولَ لَقُلْتُ: عَفَا اللهُ عَمَّا سَلَفَ!