Nahj al-Balāgha

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

To the people of Kūfah at the time of his march from Medina to Baṣrah

أَمَّا بَعْدُ، فَإِنِّي خَرَجْتُ مِنْ حَيِّي هذَا: إِمَّا ظَالِماً، وَإِمَّا مَظْلُوماً، وَإِمِّا بَاغِياً، وَإِمَّا مَبْغِيّاً عَلَيْهِ.

Now, I have come out of my city either as an oppressor or as the oppressed, either as a rebel or one against whom rebellion has been committed.

وَأنا [وَإِنِّي] أُذَكِّرُ اللَّهَ مَنْ بَلَغَهُ كِتَابِي هذَا لَمَّا نَفَرَ إِلَىَّ، فَإِنْ كُنْتُ مُحْسِناً أعَانَنِي، وَإِنْ كُنْتُ مُسِيئاً اسْتَعْتَبَنِي.

In any case, to whomsoever this letter of mine reaches, I appeal to him in the name of Allāh that he should come to me and if I am in the right he should help me; but if I am in the wrong then he should try to get me to the right according to his view.