Nahj al-Balāgha

ومن كلام له (عليه السلام) وَقَدْ أَرْسَلَ رَجُلًا مِنْ أَصْحَابِهِ يَعْلَمُ لَهُ عِلْمَ أَحْوَالِ قَوْمٍ مِنْ جُنْدِ الْكُوفَةِ قَدْ هَمُّوا بِاللِّحَاقِ بِالْخَوَارِجِ، وَكَانُوا عَلَى خَوْفٍ مِنْهُ (عليه السلام)، فَلَمَّا عَادَ إِلَيْهِ الرَّجُلُ قَالَ لَهُ: أَ أَمِنُوا فَقَطَنُوا أَمْ جَبَنُوا فَظَعَنُوا؟ فَقَالَ الرَّجُلُ بَلْ ظَعَنُوا يَا أَمِيرَ الْمُؤْمِنِينَ۔ فَقَالَ (عليه السلام) :

Amīr al-mu’minīn sent one of his men to bring him news about a group of the army of Kūfah who had decided to join the Khārijites but were afraid of him. [1] When the man came back Amīr al-mu’minīn said to him: “Are they satisfied and staying or feeling weak and going astray?” The man replied, “They have gone away, O’ Amīr al-mu’minīn.” Then Amīr al-mu’minīn said:

بُعْداً لَهُمْ ﴿كَمَا بَعِدَتْ ثَمُودُ﴾! أَمَا لَوْ أُشْرِعَتِ الاْسِنَّةُ إِلَيْهِمْ وَصُبَّتِ السُّيُوفُ عَلَى هَامَاتِهمْ، لَقَدْ نَدِمُوا عَلَى مَا كَانَ مِنْهُمْ، إنَّ الشَّيْطَانَ الْيَوْمَ قَدِ اسْتَقَلَّهُمْ، وَهُوَ غَداً مُتَبَرِّىءٌ مِنْهُمْ، وَمُخلٍّ عَنْهُمْ، فَحَسْبُهُمْ بِخُرُوجِهمْ مِنَ الْهُدَى، وَارْتِكَاسِهِمْ فِي الضَّلاَل وَالْعَمَى، وَصَدِّهِمْ عَنِ الْحَقّ، وَجِمَاحِهمْ فِي التِيهِ.

May Allāh’s mercy remain away from them as in the case of Thamūd. Know that when the spears are hurled towards them and the swords are struck at their heads they will repent of their doings. Surely today Satan has scattered them and tomorrow he will disclaim any connection with them, and will leave them. Their departing from guidance, returning to misguidance and blindness, turning away from truth and falling into wrong is enough (for their chastisement)