Nahj al-Balāgha

ومن خطبة له (عليه السلام) [يحث الناس على الجهاد للعودة إلى صفين] : رُوِيَ عَنْ نَوْفٍ الْبَكَالِيِّ قَالَ خَطَبَنَا بِهَذِهِ الْخُطْبَةِ أَمِيرُ الْمُؤْمِنِينَ عَلِيٌّ (عليه السلام) بِالْكُوفَةِ وَهُوَ قَائِمٌ عَلَى حِجَارَةٍ نَصَبَهَا لَهُ جَعْدَةُ بْنُ هُبَيْرَةَ الْمَخْزُومِيُّ وَعَلَيْهِ مِدْرَعَةٌ مِنْ صُوفٍ وَحَمَائِلُ سَيْفِهِ لِيفٌ وَفِي رِجْلَيْهِ نَعْلَانِ مِنْ لِيفٍ وَكَأَنَّ جَبِينَهُ ثَفِنَةُ بَعِيرٍ فَقَالَ (عليه السلام) :

It has been related by Nawf al-Bikālī that Amīr al-mu’minīn ‘Alī (p.b.u.h.) delivered this sermon at Kūfah standing on a stone which Ja‘dah ibn Hubayrah al-Makhzūmī had placed for him. Amīr al-mu’minīn had a woollen apparel on his body, the belt of his sword was made of leaves, and the sandals on his feet too were of palm leaves. His forehead had a hardened spot like that of a camel (on its knee, due to too many and long prostrations).

[حمد اللّه و استعانته :] الْحَمْدُ لله الَّذِي إلَيْهِ مَصَائِرُ الْخَلْقِ، وَعَوَاقِبُ الاْمْرِ، نَحْمَدُهُ عَلَى عَظِيمِ إِحْسَانِهِ، وَنَيِّرِ بُرْهَانِهِ، وَنَوَامِي فَضْلِهِ وَامْتِنَانِهِ، حَمْداً يَكُونُ لِحَقِّهِ قَضَاءً، وَلِشُكْرِهِ أَدَاءً، وَإلَى ثَوَابِهِ مُقَرِّباً، وَلِحُسْنِ مَزِيدِهِ مُوجِباً.

Praise be to Allāh to Whom is the return of all creation and the end of all matters. We render Him praise for the greatness of His generosity, the charity of His proofs, the increase of His bounty and His favours, — praise which may fulfil His right, repay His thanks, take (us) near His reward and be productive of increase in His kindness.

وَنَسْتَعِينُ بِهِ اسْتِعَانَةَ رَاج لِفَضْلِهِ، مُؤَمِّل لِنَفْعِهِ، وَاثِق بِدَفْعِهِ، مُعْتَرِف لَهُ بِالطَّوْلِ، مُذْعِن لَهُ بِالْعَمَلِ وَالْقَوْلِ. وَنُؤْمِنُ بِه إِيمَانَ مَنْ رَجَاهُ مُوقِناً، وَأَنَابَ إِلَيْهِ مُؤْمِناً، وَخَنَعَ لَهُ مُذْعِناً، وَأَخْلَصَ لَهُ مُوَحِّداً، وَعَظَّمَهُ مُمَجِّداً، وَلاَذَ بِهِ رَاغِباً مُجْتَهِداً.

We seek His help like one who is hopeful of His bounty, desirous of His benefit, and confident of His warding off (calamities), who acknowledges His gifts and is obedient to Him in word and deed. We believe in Him like him who reposes hope in Him with conviction, inclines to Him as a believer, humbles himself before Him obediently, believes in His oneness exclusively, regards Him great, acknowledging His dignity, and seeks refuge with Him with inclination and exertion.

[اللّه الواحد :] لَمْ يُولَدْ سُبْحَانَهُ فَيَكُونَ فِي الْعِزِّ مُشَارَكاً، وَلَمْ يَلِدْ فَيَكُونَ مُوْرُوثاً هَالِكاً، وَلَمْ يَتَقَدَّمْهُ وَقْتٌ وَلاَ زَمَانٌ، ولَمْ يَتَعَاوَرْهُ زِيَادَةٌ وَلاَ نُقْصَانٌ، بَلْ ظَهَرَ لِلْعُقُولِ بِمَا أَرَانَا مِنْ عَلاَمَاتِ التَّدْبِيرِ الْمُتْقَنِ، وَالْقَضَاءِ الْمُبْرَمِ.

Allāh the Glorified has not been born so that someone could be (His) partner in glory. Nor has He begotten anyone so as to be inherited from after dying. Time and period have not preceded Him. Increase and decrease do not occur to Him. But He has manifested Himself to our understanding through our having observed His strong control and firm decree.

فَمِنْ شَوَاهِدِ خَلْقِهِ خَلْقُ السَّماوَاتِ مُوَطَّدَات بِلاَ عَمَد، قَائِمَات بِلاَ سَنَد، دَعَاهُنَّ فَأَجَبْنَ طَائِعَات مُذْعِنَات، غَيْرَ مُتَلَكِّئَات وَلاَ مُبْطِئَات، وَلَوْ لاَ إقْرَارُهُنَّ لَهُ بِالرُّبُوبِيَّةِ وَإِذْعَانُهُنَّ بِالطَّوَاعِيَةِ، لَمَا جَعَلَهُنَّ مَوْضِعاً لِعَرْشِهِ، وَلاَ مَسْكَناً لِمَلائِكَتِهِ، وَلاَ مَصْعَداً لِلْكَلِمِ الطَّيِّبِ وَالْعَمَلِ الصَّالِحِ مِنْ خَلْقِهِ.

Among the proofs of His creation is the creation of the skies which are fastened without pillars and stand without support. He called them and they responded obediently and humbly without being lazy or loathsome. If they had not acknowledged His Godhead and obeyed Him He would not have made them the place for His throne, the abode of His angels and the destination for the rising up of ‘the pure utterances and the righteous deeds’ (ref. 35:10) of the creatures.

جَعَلَ نُجُومَهَا أَعْلاَماً يَسْتَدِلُّ بِهَا الْحَيْرَانُ فِي مُخْتَلِفِ فِجَاجِ الاْقْطَارِ، لَمْ يَمْنَعْ ضَوْءَ نُورِهَا ادْلِهْمَامُ سُجُفِ اللَّيْلِ الْمُظْلِمِ، وَلاَ اسْتَطَاعَتْ جَلاَبِيبُ سَوَادِ الْحَنَادِسِ أَنْ تَرُدَّ مَا شَاعَ فِي السَّماوَاتِ مِنْ تَلاَلُؤِ نُورِ الْقَمَرِ.

He has made the stars in the skies by way of signs by which travellers wandering the various routes of the earth may be guided. The gloom of the dark curtains of the night does not prevent the flame of their light, nor do the veils of blackish nights have the power to turn back the light of the moon when it spreads in the skies.

فَسُبْحَانَ مَنْ لاَ يَخْفَى عَلَيْهِ سَوَادُ غَسَق دَاج، وَلاَ لَيْل سَاج، فِي بِقَاعِ الاْرَضِينَ الْمُتَطَأْطِئَاتِ، وَلاَ في يَفَاعِ السُّفْعِ الْمُتَجَاوِرَاتِ، وَمَا يَتَجَلْجَلُ بِهِ الرَّعْدُ فِي أُفُقِ السَّماءِ، وَمَا تَلاَشَتْ عَنْهُ بُرُوقُ الْغَمَامِ، وَمَا تَسْقُطُ مِنْ وَرَقَة تُزِيلُهَا عَنْ مَسْقَطِهَا عَوَاصِفُ الاْنْوَاءِ وَانْهِطَالُ السَّماءِ ! وَيَعْلَمُ مَسْقَطَ الْقَطْرَةِ وَمَقَرَّهَا، وَمَسْحَبَ الذَّرَّةِ وَمَجَرَّهَا، وَمَا يَكْفِي الْبَعُوضَةَ مِنْ قُوتِهَا، وَمَا تَحْمِلُ مِنْ أُنْثَى فِي بَطْنِهَا.

Glory be to Allāh from Whom neither the blackness of dark dusk or of gloomy night (falling) in the low parts of the earth or on high dim mountains is hidden, nor the thundering of clouds on the horizons of the skies, nor the sparking of lightning in the clouds, nor the falling of leaves blown away from their falling places by the winds of hurricanes or by downpour from the sky. He knows where the drops. fall and where they stay, where the grubs leave their trails or where they drag themselves, what livelihood would suffice the mosquitoes and what a female bears in its womb.

[عود إلى الحمد :] وَالْحَمْدُ لله الْكَائِنِ قَبْلَ أَنْ يَكُونَ كُرْسِيٌّ أَوْ عَرْشٌ، أَوْ سَمَاءٌ أَوْ أَرْضٌ، أَوْ جَانٌّ أَوْ إنْسٌ، لاَ يُدْرَكُ بِوَهْم، وَلاَ يُقَدَّرُ بِفَهْم، وَلاَ يَشْغَلُهُ سَائِلٌ، وَلاَ يَنْقُصُهُ نَائِلٌ، وَلاَ يَنْظُرُ بِعَيْن، وَلاَ يُحَدُّ بِأَيْن، وَلاَ يُوصَفُ بِالاْزْوَاجِ، وَلاَ يُخْلَقُ بِعِلاَج، وَلاَ يُدْركُ بِالْحَوَاسِّ، وَلاَ يُقَاسُ بِالنَّاسِ، الَّذِي كَلَّمَ مُوسى تَكْلِيماً، وَأَرَاهُ مِنْ آيَاتِهِ عَظيماً، بِلاَ جَوَارِحَ وَلاَ أَدَوَات، وَلاَ نُطْق وَلاَ لَهَوَاتٍ.

Praise be to Allāh Who exists from before the coming into existence of the seat, the throne, the sky, the earth, the jinn or human being. He cannot be perceived by imagination nor measured by understanding. He who begs from Him does not divert Him (from others), nor does giving away cause Him diminution. He does not see by means of an eye, nor can He be confined to a place. He cannot be said to have companions. He does not create with (the help of) limbs. He cannot be perceived by senses. He cannot be thought of after the people. It is He who spoke to Mūsā clearly and showed him His great signs without the use of bodily parts, the organ of speech or the uvula.

بَلْ إِنْ كُنْتَ صَادِقاً أَيُّهَا الْمُتَكَلِّفُ لِوَصْفِ رَبِّكَ، فَصِفْ جَبْرَئيلَ وَمِيكَائِيلَ وَجُنُودَ الْمَلاَئِكَةِ الْمُقَرَّبِينَ، فِي حُجُراتِ الْقُدُسِ مُرْجَحِنِّينَ، مُتَوَلِّهَةً عُقُولُهُمْ أَنْ يَحُدُّوا أَحْسَنَ الْخَالِقينَ. وَإنَّمَا يُدرَكُ بِالصِّفَاتِ ذَوُوالْهَيْئَاتِ وَالاْدوَاتِ، وَمَنْ يَنْقَضِي إِذَا بَلَغَ أَمَدَ حَدِّهِ بِالْفَنَاءِ، فَلاَ إلهَ إلاَّ هُوَ، أَضَاءَ بِنُورِهِ كُلَّ ظَلاَم، وَأَظْلَمَ بِظُلْمَتِهِ كُلَّ نُور.

O you who exert yourself in describing Allāh if you are serious then (first try to) describe Gabriel, Michael or the host of angels who are close (to Allāh) in the receptacles of sublimity; but their heads are bent downwards and their wits are perplexed as to how to assign limits (of definition) to the Highest Creator. This is because those things can only be perceived through qualities which have shape and parts and which succumb to death after reaching the end of their times. There is no god but He. He has lighted every darkness with His effulgence and has darkened every light with the darkness (of death).

[الوصية بالتقوى :] أُوصِيكُمْ عِبَادَ اللهِ بِتَقْوَى اللهِ الَّذِي أَلْبَسَكُمُ الرِّيَاشَ، وَأَسْبَغَ عَلَيْكُمُ الْمَعَاشَ; فَلَوْ أَنَّ أَحَداً يَجِدُ إلَى الْبَقَاءِ سُلَّماً، أَوْ لِدَفْعِ الْمَوْتِ سَبِيلاً، لَكَانَ ذلِكَ سُلَيْمانُ بْنُ دَاوُدَ(عليه السلام)، الَّذِي سُخِّرَ لَهُ مُلْكُ الْجِنِّ وَالاْنْسِ، مَعَ النُّبُوَّهِ وَعَظِيمِ الزُّلْفَةِ، فَلَمَّا اسْتَوْفَى طُعْمَتَهُ، وَاسْتَكْمَلَ مُدَّتَهُ، رَمَتْهُ قِسِيُّ الْفَنَاءِ بِنِبَالِ المَوْتِ، وَأَصْبَحَتِ الدِّيَارُ مِنْهُ خَالِيَةً، وَالْمَسَاكِنُ مُعَطَّلَةً، وَرِثَهَا قَوْمٌ آخَرُونَ، وَإِنَّ لَكُمْ فِي الْقُرُونِ السَّالِفَةِ لَعِبْرَةً!

[An account of past peoples and about learning from them :] I advise you, creatures of Allāh, to practise fear of Allāh Who gave you good clothing and bestowed an abundance of sustenance on you. If there was anyone who could secure a ladder to everlasting life or a way to avoid death it was Sulaymān ibn Dāwūd (a.s.) who was given control over the domain of the jinn and men along with prophethood and great position (before Allāh), but when he finished what was his due in food (of this world) and exhausted his (fixed) time the bow of destruction shot him with arrow of death. His houses became vacant and his habitations became empty. Another group of people inherited them. Certainly, the by-gone centuries have a lesson for you.

أَيْنَ الْعَمَالِقَةُ وَأَبْنَاءُ آلْعَمَالِقَةِ! أَيْنَ الْفَرَاعِنَةُ وَأَبْنَاءُ الْفَرَاعِنَةِ! أَيْنَ أَصْحَابُ مَدَائِنِ الرَّسِّ الَّذِينَ قَتَلُوا النَّبِيِّينَ، وَأَطْفَأُوا سُنَنَ الْمُرْسَلِينَ، وَأَحْيَوْا سُنَنَ الْجَبَّارِينَ! أَيْنَ الَّذِينَ سَارُوا بِالْجُيُوشِ، وَهَزَمُوا الاُلُوفَ، وَعَسْكَرُوا الْعَسَاكِرَ، وَمَدَّنُوا الْمَدَائِنَ؟!

Where are the Amalekites [1] and the sons of Amalekites? Where are the Pharaohs? [2] Where are the people of the cities of ar-Rass [3] who killed the prophets, destroyed the traditions of the divine messengers and revived the traditions of the despots? Where are those who advanced with armies, defeated thousands, mobilised forces and populated cities?

[وَمِنْهَا :] قَدْ لَبِسَ لِلْحِكْمَةِ جُنَّتَهَا، وَأَخَذَهَا بِجَمِيعِ أَدَبِهَا، مِنَ الاْقْبَالِ عَلَيهَا، وَالْمَعْرِفِةِ بهَا، وَالتَّفَرُّغِ لَهَا، فَهِيَ عِنْدَ نَفْسِهِ ضَالَّتُهُ الَّتِي يَطْلُبُهَا، وَحَاجَتُهُ الَّتِي يَسْأَلُ عَنْهَا، فَهُوُ مُغْتَرِبٌ إِذَا اغْتَرَبَ الاْسْلاَمُ، وَضَرَبَ بِعَسِيبِ ذَنَبِهِ وَأَلْصَقَ الاْرْضَ بِجِرَانِهِ، بَقِيَّةٌ مِنْ بَقَايَا حُجَّتِهِ، خَلِيفَةٌ مِنْ خَلاَئِفِ أَنْبِيَائِهِ.

[A part of the same sermon about the Imām al-Mahdī :] He will be wearing the armour of wisdom, which he will have secured with all its conditions, such as full attention towards it, its (complete) knowledge and exclusive devotion to it. For him it is like a thing which he had lost and which he was then seeking, or a need which he was trying to fulfil. If Islam is in trouble he will feel forlon like a traveller and like a (tired) camel beating the end of its tail and with its neck flattened on the ground. He is the last of Allāh’s proofs and one of the vicegerents of His prophets.

ثم قال (عليه السلام) : أَيُّهَا النَّاسُ، إِنِّي قَدْ بَثَثْتُ لَكُمُ الْمَوَاعِظَ الَّتِي وَعَظَ بِهَا الاْنْبِيَاءُ أُمَمَهُمْ، وَأَدَّيْتُ إِلَيْكُمْ مَا أَدَّتِ الاْوصِيَاءُ إِلَى مَنْ بَعْدَهُمْ، وَأَدَّبْتُكُمْ بِسَوْطِي فَلَمْ تَسْتَقِيمُوا، وَحَدَوْتُكُمْ بالزَّوَاجِرِ فَلَمْ تَسْتَوْسِقُوا. لله أَنْتُمْ! أَتَتَوَقَّعُونَ إِمَاماً غَيْرِي يَطَأُ بِكُمُ الطَّرِيقَ، وَيُرْشِدُكُمُ السَّبِيلَ؟

[On the method of his ruling, and grief over the martyrdom of his companions :] Then Amīr al-mu’minīn continued : O people! I have divulged to you advice which the prophets used to preach before their peoples, and I have conveyed to you what the vicegerents (of the prophets) conveyed to those coming after them. I tried to train you with my whip but you could not be straightened. I drove you with admonition but you did not acquire proper behaviour. May Allāh deal with you! Do you want an Imām other than me to take you on the (right) path, and show you the correct way?

أَلاَ إِنَّهُ قَدْ أَدْبَرَ مِنَ الدُّنْيَا مَا كَانَ مُقْبِلاً، وَأَقْبَلَ مِنْهَا مَا كَانَ مُدْبِراً، وَأَزْمَعَ التَّرْحَالَ عِبَادُاللهِ الاْخْيَارُ، وَبَاعُوا قَلِيلاً مِنَ الدُّنْيَا لاَ يَبْقَى، بِكَثِير مِنَ الاْخِرَةِ لاَيَفْنَى. مَا ضَرَّ إِخْوَانَنَا الَّذِينَ سُفِكَتْ دِمَاؤُهُمْ ـ وَهُمْ بِصِفِّينَ ـ أَلاَّ يَكُونُوا الْيَوْمَ أَحْيَاءً؟ يُسِيغُونَ الْغُصَصَ، وَيَشْرَبُونَ الرَّنْقَ! قَدْ ـ وَاللهِ ـ لَقُوا اللهَ فَوَفَّاهُمْ أُجُورَهُمْ، وَأَحَلَّهُمْ دَارَ الاْمْنِ بَعْدَ خَوْفِهمْ.

Beware, the things in this world which were forward have become things of the past, and those of which were behind are going ahead. The virtuous people of Allāh have made up their minds to leave and they have purchased, with a little perishable (pleasure) of this world, a lot of such (reward) in the next world that will remain. What loss did our brothers whose blood was shed in Ṣiffīn suffer by not being alive today? Only that they are not suffering choking on swallowings and not drinking turbid water. By Allāh, surely they have met Allāh and He has bestowed upon them their rewards and He has lodged them in safe houses after their (having suffered) fear.

أَيْنَ إِخْوَانِي الَّذِينَ رَكِبُوا الطَّريقَ، وَمَضَوْا عَلَى الْحَقِّ؟ أَيْنَ عَمَّارٌ؟ وَأَيْنَ ابْنُ التَّيِّهَانِ؟ وَأَيْنَ ذُوالشَّهَادَتَيْنِ؟ وَأَيْنَ نُظَرَاؤُهُمْ مِنْ إِخْوَانِهِمُ الَّذِينَ تَعَاقَدُوا عَلَى الْمَنِيَّةِ، وَأُبْرِدَ بِرُؤوسِهِمْ إِلَى الْفَجَرَةِ؟

Where are my brethren who took the (right) path and trod in rightness. Where is ‘Ammār? [4] Where is Ibn at-Tayyihān? [5] Where is Dhu’sh-Shahādatayn? [6] And where are others like them [7] from among their comrades who had pledged themselves to death and whose (severed) heads were taken to the wicked enemy.

قال: ثُمَّ ضَرَبَ (عليه السلام) بِيَدِهِ عَلَى لِحْيَتِهِ الشَّرِيفَةِ الْكَرِيمَةِ، فَأَطَالَ الْبُكَاءَ، ثُمَّ قَالَ (عليه السلام):

Then Amīr al-mu’minīn wiped his hand over his auspicious, honoured beard and wept for a long time, then he continued:

أَوْهِ عَلَى إِخْوَانِي الَّذِينَ تَلَوُا الْقُرْآنَ فَأَحْكَمُوهُ، وَتَدَبَّرُوا الْفَرْضَ فَأَقَامُوهُ، أَحْيَوُا السُّنَّةَ، وَأمَاتُوا الْبِدْعَةَ، دُعُوا لِلْجِهَادِ فَأَجَابُوا، وَوَثِقُوا بِالْقَائِدِ فَاتَّبَعُوا.

Oh! my brothers, who recited the Qur’ān and strengthened it, thought over their obligation and fulfilled it, revived the sunnah and destroyed innovation. When they were called to jihād they responded and trusted in their leader then followed him.

ثُمَّ نَادَى بِأَعْلَى صَوْتِهِ : الْجِهَادَ الْجِهَادَ عِبَادَ اللهِ! أَلاَ وَإِنِّي مُعَسْكِرٌ فِي يَوْمي هذَا، فَمَنْ أَرَادَ الرَّوَاحَ إِلَى اللهِ فَلْيَخْرُجْ.

Then Amīr al-mu’minīn shouted at the top of his voice : al jihād, al jihād (fighting, fighting), O creatures of Allāh ! By Allāh, I am mobilizing the army today. He who desires to proceed towards Allāh should come forward.

قَالَ نَوْفٌ : وَعَقَدَ لِلْحُسَيْنِ (عليه السلام) فِي عَشَرَةِ آلَافٍ، وَلِقَيْسِ بْنِ سَعْدٍ رَحِمَهُ اللَّهُ فِي عَشَرَةِ آلَافٍ، وَلِأَبِي أَيُّوبَ الْأَنْصَارِيِّ فِي عَشَرَةِ آلَافٍ، وَلِغَيْرِهِمْ عَلَى أَعْدَادٍ أُخَرَ، وَهُوَ يُرِيدُ الرَّجْعَةَ إِلَى صِفِّينَ، فَمَا دَارَتِ الْجُمُعَةُ حَتَّى ضَرَبَهُ الْمَلْعُونُ ابْنُ مُلْجَمٍ لَعَنَهُ اللَّهُ فَتَرَاجَعَتِ الْعَسَاكِرُ، فَكُنَّا كَأَغْنَامٍ فَقَدَتْ رَاعِيهَا، تَخْتَطِفُهَا الذِّئَابُ مِنْ كُلِّ مَكَانٍ.

Nawf says : Then Amīr al-mu’minīn put Ḥusayn (a.s.) over (a force of) ten thousand, Qays ibn Sa‘d (mercy of Allāh be upon him) over ten thousand, Abū Ayyūb al-Anṣārī over ten thousand, and others over different numbers, intending to return to Ṣiffīn, but Friday did not appear again and the accursed Ibn Muljam (May Allāh curse him) killed him. Consequently, the armies came back and were left like sheep who had lost their shepherd while wolves were snatching them away from all sides.