ومن كتاب له (عليه السلام) إلى أهل الكوفة عند مسيره من المدينة إلى البصرة

Addressed to the people of Kūfah at the time of his march from Medina to Baṣrah [1]

مِنْ عَبْدِ اللهِ عَلِيٍّ أَمِيرِ الْمُؤْمِنِينَ إلَى أَهْلِ الْكُوفَةِ، جَبْهَةِ الْأَنْصَارِ وَسَنَامِ الْعَرَبِ.

From the servant of Allāh, ‘Alī, the Commander of the faithful, to the people of Kūfah who are foremost among the supporters and chiefs of the Arabs.

أَمَّا بَعْدُ، فَإِنِّي أُخْبِرُكُمْ عَنْ أَمْرِ عُثْمانَ حَتَّى يَكُونَ سَمْعُهُ كَعِيَانِهِ إِنَّ النَّاسَ طَعَنُوا عَلَيْهِ، فَكُنْتُ رَجُلًا مِنَ الْمُهَاجِرِينَ أُكْثِرُ اسْتِعْتَابَه، وَأُقِلُّ عِتَابَهُ، وَكَانَ طَلْحَةُ وَالزُّبَيْرُ أَهْوَنُ سَيْرِهِمَا فِيهِ الْوَجيِفُ، وَأَرْفَقُ حِدَائِهِمَا الْعَنِيفُ، وَكَانَ مِنْ عَائِشَةَ فِيهِ فَلْتَةُ غَضَب، فَأُتِيحَ لَهُ قَوْمٌ فَقَتَلُوهُ، وَبَايَعَنِي النَّاسُ غَيْرَ مُسْتَكْرَهِينَ وَلَا مُجْبَرِينَ، بَلْ طَائِعِينَ مُخَيَّرِينَ.

Now, I am apprising you of what befell ‘Uthmān so (correctly) that its hearing may be like its seeing. People criticised him, and I was the only man from among the muhājirūn (immigrants) who asked him to seek to satisfy (the Muslims) most and to offend them the least. As for Ṭalḥah and az-Zubayr, their lightest step about him was hard and their softest voice was strong. ‘Ā’ishah too was in a rage with him. Consequently, a group overpowered him and killed him. Then, people swore allegiance to me, not by force or compulsion, but obediently and out of free will.

وَاعْلَمُوا أَنَّ دَارَ الْهِجْرَةِ قَدْ قَلَعَتْ بِأَهْلِهَا وَقَلَعُوا بِهَا، وَجَاشَتْ جَيْشَ الْمِرْجَلِ، وَقَامَتِ الْفِتْنَةُ عَلَى الْقُطْبِ، فَأَسْرِعُوا إِلَى أَمِيرِكُمْ، وَبَادِرُوا جَهَادَ عَدُوِّكُمْ، إِنْ شَاءَ اللهُ عزَّ وَجَلَّ.

You should know that Medina has been vacated by its residents and they have abandoned it. It is boiling like a huge cooking pot and rebellion is fixed on its axis moving with full force. So, hasten towards your amīr (commander) and proceed forward to fight your enemy, if so wills Allāh to Whom belongs Might and Majesty.

Extrait d’une lettre adressée aux habitants de Koufat lors de sa marche de la Médine vers Al Basra

Du serviteur de Dieu, ‘Ali, Prince des Croyants, aux habitants de Koufat, le front [les avants-garde] des Ansars, et la bosse [la gloire] des Arabes.

Je vous mets au courant de l’affaire de ‘Outhman afin que vous la connaissiez comme si vous y étiez. Les gens l’ont diffamé, et moi j’étais parmi les Emigrés celui qui cherchait le plus à le contenter et le moins à le reprocher. Par contre, Talhat et Zubaïr le dénigraient et dépréciaient toutes ses actions. Quant à ‘Aïcha, elle était furieusement fâchée contre lui. C’est dans ce contexte que des hommes parvinrent à assassiner ‘Outhman et que les gens me prêtèrent le sermon d’allégeance, sans aucune contrainte mais totalement libres.

Sachez aussi que les habitants de la Médine bouillonnent comme un chaudron à cause de la discorde qui y règne, dirigée partiellement contre moi, votre Emir. Dépêchez-vous donc de vous regrouper autour de lui pour commencer votre Jihad contre votre ennemi, si Dieu, Tout-Puissant et Majestueux, le veut.

Nahj al-Balāgha

Chapter #1