ومن كلام له (عليه السلام) بعد ليلة الهرير وقد قام رجل من أصحابه فقال: نهيتنا عن الحكومة ثمّ أمرتنا بها، فما ندري أيّ الامرين أَرشد؟ فصفق (عليه السلام) إحدى يديه على الاخرى ثمّ قال:
A man from among the companions of Amīr al-mu’minīn stood up and said, “O Amīr al-mu’minīn, you first stopped us from Arbitration and thereafter gave order for it. We do not know which of these two was more appropriate.” Amīr al-mu’minīn struck one hand over the other and said :
هذا جَزَاءُ مَنْ تَرَكَ الْعُقْدَةَ! أَمَا وَاللهِ لَوْ أَنِّي حِينَ أَمَرْتُكُمْ بِما أَمَرْتُكُمْ بِهِ حَمَلْتُكُمْ عَلَى الْمَكْرُوهِ الَّذِي يَجْعَلُ اللهُ فِيهِ خَيْراً، فَإِنِ اسْتَقَمْتُمْ هَدَيْتُكُمْ وَإِنِ اعْوَجَجْتُمْ قَوَّمْتُكُمْ وَإِنْ أَبَيْتُمْ تَدَارَكْتُكُمْ، لَكَانَتِ الْوُثْقَى، وَلكِنْ بِمَنْ وَإِلَى مَنْ؟ أُرِيدُ أَنْ أُدَاوِيَ بِكُمْ وَأَنْتُمْ دَائي، كَنَاقِشِ الشَّوْكَةِ بِالشَّوْكَةِ، وَهُوَ يَعْلَمُ أَنَّ ضَلْعَهَا مَعَهَا! اللَّهُمَّ قَدْ مَلَّتْ أَطِبَّاءُ هذَا الدَّاءِ الدَّوِيِّ، وَكَلَّتِ النَّزْعَةُ بِأَشْطَانِ الرَّكِيِّ!
This is the reward of one who breaks pledge. By Allāh, when I gave you my orders (namely) to abide by arbitration I had led you to an undesirable thing (namely war) in which Allāh had ordained good. If you had been steadfast I would have guided you, if you had been bent I would have straightened you and if you had refused I would have rectified you. This was the surest way. But with whom and to whom. I wanted my treatment from you but you proved to be my disease, like the extractor of thorn with the thorn when he knows that the thorn bends towards itself. My Allāh, the physicians have despaired of this fatal ailment and water-drawers have become tired with the rope of this well.
أَيْنَ الْقَوْمُ الَّذِينَ دُعُوا إِلَى الاِسْلاَمِ فَقَبِلُوهُ؟ وَقَرَأُوا الْقُرْآنَ فَأَحْكَمُوهُ؟ وَهِيجُوا إِلى الْجِهَادِ فَوَلَّهُوا اللِّقَاحَ أَوْلاَدَهَا، وَسَلَبُوا السُّيُوفَ أَغْمَادَهَا، وَأَخَذُوا بِأَطْرَافِ الاْرْضِ زَحْفاً زَحْفاً وَصَفّاً صَفّاً؟! بَعْضٌ هَلَكَ، وَبَعْصٌ نَجَا. لاَيُبَشَّرُونَ بِالاْحْيَاءِ، وَلاَ يُعَزَّوْنَ عَنِ الْمَوْتَى، مُرْهُ الْعُيُونِ مِنَ الْبُكَاءِ، خُمْصُ الْبُطُونِ مِنَ الصِّيَامِ، ذُبُلُ الشِّفَاهِ مِنَ الدُّعَاءِ، صُفْرُ الاْلْوَانِ مِنَ السَّهَرِ، عَلَى وَجُوهِهمْ غَبَرَةُ الْخَاشِعيِنَ، أُولئِكَ إِخْوَاني الذَّاهِبُونَ، فَحَقَّ لَنَا أَنْ نَظْمَأَ إِلَيْهِمْ وَنَعَضَّ الاْيْدِيَ عَلَى فِرَاقِهمْ!
Where [1] are those who were invited to Islam and they accepted it? They read the Qur’ān and decided according to it. They were exhorted to fight and they leapt (towards it) as she-camels leap towards their youngs. They took their swords out of the sheaths and went out into the world in groups and rows. Some of them perished and some survived. The good news of survival does not please them nor do they get condoled about the dead. Their eyes have turned white with weeping. Their bellies are emaciated because of fasting. Their lips are dry because of (constant) praying. Their colour is pale because of wakefulness. Their faces bear the dust of God-fearing. These are, my comrades who have departed. We should be justified if we feel eager for them and bite our hands in their separation.
إِنَّ الشَّيْطَانَ يُسَنِّي لَكُمْ طُرُقَهُ، وَيُرِيدُ أَنْ يَحُلَّ دِينَكُمْ عُقْدَةً عُقْدَةً، وَيُعْطِيَكُمْ بَالْجَمَاعَةِ الْفُرْقَةَ، وَبِالْفُرْقَةِ الْفَتْنَةَ; فَاصْدِفُوا عَنْ نَزَغَاتِهِ وَنَفَثَاتِهِ، وَاقْبَلُوا النَّصِيحَةَ مِمَّنْ أَهْدَاهَا إِلَيْكُمْ، وَاعْقِلوهَا عَلَى أَنْفُسِكُمْ.
Certainly, Satan has made his ways easy for you and wants to unfasten the knots of religion one by one and to cause division among you in place of unity. Keep away from his evil ideas and enchantments and accept good advice of one who offers it to you and preserve it in your minds.
