Nahjul Balagha English (Sermon 34-37)

SERMON 34

To prepare the people for fighting with the people of Syria

(ash-Sham)(1) Amir al-mu’minin said:

            Woe to you. I am tired of rebuking you. Do you accept this worldly life in place of the next life? Or disgrace in place of dignity? When I invite you to fight your enemy your eyes revolve as though you are in the clutches of death, and in the senselessness of last moments. My pleadings are not understood by you and you remain stunned. It is as though your hearts are affected with madness so that you do not understand. You have lost my confidence for good. Neither are you a support for me to lean upon, nor a means to honour and victory. Your example is that of the camels whose protector has disappeared, so that if they are collected from one side they disperse away from the other side.

            By Allah, how bad are you for igniting flames of war. You are intrigued against but do not intrigue (against the enemy). Your boundaries are decreasing but you do not get enraged over it. Those against you do not sleep but you are unmindful. By Allah, those who leave matters one for the other are subdued. By Allah, I believed about you that if battle rages and death hovers around you, you will cut away from the son of Abi Talib like the severing of head from the trunk. (2)

            By Allah, he who makes it possible for his adversary to so overpower him as to remove the flesh (from his bones), crush his bones and cut his skin into pieces, then it means that his helplessness is great and his heart  surrounded within the sides of his chest is weak. You may become like this if you wish. But for me, before I allow it I shall use my sharp edged swords of al-Mushrafiyyah which would cut as under the bones of the head and fly away arms and feet. Thereafter, Allah will do whatever He wills.

            O’ people, I have a right over you and you have a right over me. As for your right over me, that is to counsel you, to pay you your dues fully, to teach you that you may not remain ignorant and instruct you in behaviourism that you may act upon. As for my right over you, it is fulfilment of (the obligation of) allegiance, well-wishing in presence or in absence, response when I call you and obedience when I order you.

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(1).       The word “ash-Sham” was a name used for a vast geographical area occupied by Muslim countries in those days. This area included present-day Syria,Lebanon and Palestine. Its capital was Damascus. Wherever the word Syria is mentioned (in this book) it should be understood in its larger meaning.

(2).       This sentence is employed for such severance after which there is no occasion or possibility of joining. The author of Durrah Najafiyyah has quoted several views in its explanation:

i) Ibn Durayd’s view is that it means that. “Just as when the head is severed its joining again is impossible, in the same way you will not join me after once deserting me.”

ii) al-Mufa__al says ar-ra’s (head) was the name of a man, and a village of Syria,  Bayt ar-ra’s is named after him. This man left his home and went away somewhere and never again returned to his village after which the proverb sprang up “you went as ar-ra’s had gone.”

iii) One meaning of it is that “Just as if the joints of the bones of the head are opened they cannot be restored, in the same way you will not join me after cutting from me.

iv) It has also been said that this sentence is in the sense of separating completely. After copying this meaning from the Sharh of ash-Shaykh Qutbu’d-Din ar-Rawandi, the commentator Ibn Abi’l-hadid has written that this meaning is not correct because when the word “ar-ra’s” is used in the sense of whole it is not preceded by “alif” and “lam”

v) It is also taken to mean that “You will so run away from me as one (fleeing for life) to save his head.” Besides this, one or two other meanings have also been stated but being remote they are disregarded.

            First of all it was used by the philosopher of Arabia Aktham ibn @ayfi while teaching unity and concord to his children. He says:

O’ my children do not cut away (from each other) at the time of calamities like the cutting of head, because after that you will never get together.

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SERMON 35

Amir al-mu’minin said after Arbitration. (1)

            All praise is due to Allah even though time has brought (for us) crushing calamity and great occurrence. And I stand witness that there is no god but Allah the One, there is no partner for Him nor is there with Him any god other than Himself, and that Muhammad is His slave and His Prophet (May Allah’s blessing and greeting be upon him and his progeny).

            So now, certainly the disobedience of sympathetic counsellor who has knowledge as well as experience brings about disappointment and result in repentance. I had given you my orders about this arbitration and put before you my hidden view, if Qasir’s (2) orders were fulfilled but you rejected it (my orders) like rough opponents and disobedient insurgents till the counsellor himself fell in doubt about his counsel and the flint (of his wit) ceased to give flame. Consequently, mine and your position became as the poet of Hawazin says:

I gave you my orders at Mun`araji’l-liwa but you did not see the good of my counsel till the noon of next day (when it was too late) . (3)

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(1).       When the Syrians’ spirit was broken by the bloody swords of the Iraqis, and the incessant attacks of the night of al-harir lowered their morale and ended their aspirations `Amr ibn al-`As suggested to Mu`awiyah the trick that the Qur’an should be raised on spears and shouts urged forth to treat it as the arbitrator. Its effect would be that some people would try to stop the war and others would like to continue it. We would thus divide them and be able to get the war postponed for another occasion. Consequently, copies of the Qur’an were raised on spears. The result was that some brainless persons raised hue and cry and created division and disturbance in the army and the efforts of simple Muslims turned slow after having been near victory. Without understanding anything they began to shout that they should prefer the verdict of the Qur’an over war.

            When Amir al-mu’minin saw the Qur’an being the instrument of their activities, he said:

            “O’ people do not fall in this trap of deceit and trickery. They are putting up this device only to escape the ignominy of defeat. I know the character of each one of them. They are neither adherents of the Qur’an nor have they any connection with the faith or religion. The very purpose of our fighting has been that they should follow the Qur’an and act on its injunctions. For Allah’s sake do not fall in their deceitful device. Go ahead with determination and courage and stop only after vanquishing the dying foe.” Nevertheless, the deceitful instrument of wrong had worked. The people took to disobedience and rebellion. Mis`ar ibn Fadaki at-Tamimi and Zayd ibn husayn at-Ta’i each with twenty thousand men came forward and said to Amir al-mu’minin, ‘O’ `Ali, if you do not respond to the call of the Qur’an we will deal with you in the same manner as we did with `Uthman. You end the battle at once and bow before the verdict of the Qur’an. Amir al-mu’minin tried his best to make them understand but Satan was standing before them in the garb of the Qur’an. He did not allow them to do so, and they compelled Amir al-mu’minin that he should send someone to call Malik ibn al-harith al-Ashtar from the battlefield. Being obliged, Amir al-mu’minin sent Yazid ibn Hani to call Malik back. When Malik heard this order he was bewildered and said, “Please tell him this is not the occasion to leave the position. He may wait a bit then I will come to his audience with the tidings of victory.” Hani conveyed this message on return but people shouted that Amir al-mu’minin must have sent word to him secretly to continue. Amir al-mu’minin said he never got any occasion to send any secret message to him. Whatever he said was said before them. People said he should be sent again and that if Malik delayed his return Amir al-mu’minin should forsake his life. Amir al-mu’minin again sent Yazid ibn Hani and sent word that rebellion had occurred, he should return in whatever condition he was. So Hani went and told Malik “You hold victory dear or the life of Amir al-mu’minin. If his life is dear you should raise hands off the battle and go to him.” Leaving the chances of victory Malik stood up and came to the audience of Amir al-mu’minin with grief and disappointment. Chaos raged there. He rebuked the people very much but matters had taken such a turn that could not be corrected.

            It was then settled that either party should nominate an arbitrator so that they should settle the (matter of) Caliphate according to the Qur’an. From Mu`awiyah’s side `Amr ibn al-`As was decided upon and from Amir al mu’minin’s side people proposed the name of Abu Musa al-Ash`ari. Seeing this wrong selection Amir al-mu’minin said, “Since you have not accepted my order about arbitration at least now agree that do not make Abu Musa the arbitrator. He is not a man of trust. Here is `Abdullah ibn `Abbas and here is Malik al-Ashtar. Select one of them.” But they did not at all listen to him and stuck to his name. Amir al-mu’minin said, “All right, do whatever you want. The day is not far when you will cut your own hands through your misdeeds.”

            After the nomination of arbitrators when the deed of agreement was being written, then with `Ali ibn Abi Talib (p.b.u.h.) the word Amir al-mu’minin was also written. `Amr ibn al-`As said, “This should be rubbed off. If we regarded him Amir al-mu’minin why should this battle have been fought?” At first Amir al-mu’minin refused to rub it off but when they did not in any way agree, he rubbed it off and said, “This incident is just similar to the one at al-hudaybiyah when the unbelievers stuck on the point that the words ‘Prophet of Allah’ with the name of the Prophet should be removed and the Prophet did remove it.” On this `Amr ibn al-`As got angry and said, “Do you treat us as unbelievers?” Amir al-mu’minin said, “On what day have you had anything to do with believers and when have you been their supporters?” However, after this settlement, the people dispersed, and after mutual consultation these two arbitrators decided that by removing both `Ali and Mu`awiyah from the Caliphate the people should be accorded the power to choose whomever they desired. When time came to its announcement there was a meeting at Dumatu’l-Jandal, a place between Iraq and Syria, and then two arbitrators also reached there to announce the judgement on the fate of the Muslims. Acting cunningly `Amr ibn al-`As said to Abu Musa, “I regard it ill manner to precede you. You are older in years and age so first you make the announcement.” Abu Musa succumbed to his flattery and came out proudly and stood before the gathering. Addressing them he said, “O’ Muslims we have jointly settled that `Ali ibn Abi  Talib and Mu`awiyah should be removed and the right to choose a Caliph be accorded to the Muslims. They should choose whomever they like.” Saying this he sat down. Now the turn was for `Amr ibn al-`As and he said, “O’ Muslims you have heard that Abu Musa removed `Ali ibn Abi Talib. I also agree with it. As for Mu`awiyah, there is no question of removing him. Therefore I place him in his position.” No sooner that he said this there were cries all round. Abu Musa cried hoarse that it was a trick, a deceit and told `Amr ibn al-`As that, “You have played a trick, and your example is that of a dog on which if you load something he would gasp, or leave him he would gasp.” `Amr ibn al-`As said, “Your example is like the ass on whom books are loaded.” However `Amr ibn al-`As’s trick was effective and Mu`awiyah’s shaking feet were again stabilised. This was the short sketch of the Arbitration whose basis was laid in the Qur’an andsunnah. But was it a verdict of the Qur’an or the result of those deceitful contrivances which people of this world employ to retain their authority? Could these pages of history be made a torch-guide for the future and the Qur’an and sunnah be not used as a means of securing authority or as an instrument of worldly benefits.

            When Amir al-mu’minin got the news of this lamentable result of arbitration, he climbed on the pulpit and delivered this sermon every word of which savours of his grief and sorrow and at the same time it throws light on soundness of his thinking, correctness of his opinion and foresighted sagacity.

(2).       This is a proverb which is used on an occasion where the advice of a counsellor is rejected and afterwards it is repented. The fact of it was that the ruler of al-hirah namely Jadhimah al-Abrash killed the ruler of al-Jazirah named `Amr ibn |arib whereafter his daughter az-Zabba’ was made the ruler of al-Jazirah. Soon after accession to the throne she thought out this plan to avenge her father’s blood, that she sent a message to Jadhimah that she could not alone carry on the affairs of the state and that if he could become her patron by accepting her as his wife she would be grateful. Jadhimah was more than puffed up at this proposal, and prepared himself to set off for al-Jazirah with a thousand horsemen. His slave Qasir advised him much that this was just a deceit and trick and that he should not place himself in this danger; but his wit had been so blinded that he could not think over why az-Zabba’ should select the Murderer of her father for her life companionship. Anyhow, he set off and when he reached the border of al-Jazirah although az-Zabba’s army was present for his reception but she neither gave any special reception nor offered any warm welcome. Seeing this state Qasir was again suspicious and he advised Jadhimah to get back, but nearness to the goal had further fanned his passion. He paid no heed and stepping further entered the city. Soon on arrival there he was killed. When Qasir saw this he said, “Had the advice of Qasir been followed.” From that time this proverb gained currency.

(3).       The poet of Hawazin implies Durayd ibn as-@immah. He wrote this couplet after the death of his brother `Abdullah ibn as-@immah. Its facts are that `Abdullah along with his brother led an attack of two groups of Banu Jusham and Bani Nasr who were both from Hawazin, and drove away many camels. On return when they intended to rest at Mun`araji’l-liwa, Durayd said it was not advisable to stay there lest the enemy attacks from behind, but `Abdullah did not agree and stayed there. The result was that as soon as dawn appeared the enemy attacked and killed `Abdullah on the spot. Durayd also received wounds but he slipped away alive, and after this he wrote a few couplets out of which one couplet is this wherein he has referred to the destruction resulting from his advice having been rejected.

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SERMON 36

Warning the people of Nahrawan (1) of their fate

            I am warning you that you will be killed on the bend of this canal and on the level of this low area while you will have no clear excuse before Allah nor any open authority with you. You have come out of your houses and then divine decree entangled you. I had advised you against this arbitration but you rejected my advice like adversaries and opponents till I turned my ideas in the direction of your wishes. You are a group whose heads are devoid of wit and intelligence. May you have no father! (Allah’s woe be to you!) I have not put you in any calamity nor wished you harm.

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(1).       The cause of the battle of Nahrawan was that when after Arbitration Amir al-mu’minin was returning to Kufah, the people who were foremost in pleading acceptance of Arbitration began to say that appointment of anyone other than Allah as arbitrator is heresy, and that, Allah forbid, by accepting the Arbitration Amir al-mu’minin turned heretic. Consequently, by distorting the meaning of “There is no authority same with Allah” they made simple Muslims share their views and separating from Amir al-mu’minin encamped at hanira’ near Kufah. When Amir al-mu’minin learned of these plottings he sent @a`sa`ah ibn @uhan al-`Abdi and Ziyad ibn an-Na_r al-harithi in the company of Ibn `Abbas towards them and afterwards himself went to the place of their stay and dispersed them after discussion.

            When these people reached Kufah they began to spread the news that Amir al-mu’minin had broken the agreement of Arbitration and that he is again ready to fight against the Syrians. When Amir al-mu’minin learned this he contradicted it whereupon these people stood up in rebellion and encamped twelve miles from Baghdad in the low area of the canal called Nahrawan.

            On the other side, after hearing the verdict of Arbitration Amir al-mu’minin rose for fighting the army of Syria and wrote to the Kharijites that the verdict passed by the two arbitrators in pursuance of their heart’s wishes instead of the Qur’an andsunnah was not acceptable to him, that he had therefore decided to fight with them and they should support him for crushing the enemy. But the Kharijites gave him this reply, “When you had agreed to Arbitration in our view you had turned heretic. Now if you admit your heresy and offer repentance we will think over this matter and decide what we should do.” Amir al-mu’minin understood from their reply that their disobedience and misguidance had become very serious. To entertain any kind of hope from them now was futile. Consequently, ignoring them he encamped in the valley of an-Nukhaylah with a view to marching towards Syria. When the army had been arrayed he came to know that the men desired to deal with the people of Nahrawan first, and to move towardsSyria afterwards. Amir al-mu’minin, however, said that they should be left as they were, that they themselves should first move towards Syria while the people of Nahrawan could be dealt with afterwards. People said that they were prepared to obey every order of his with all their might whether he moved this way or that way. The army had not moved when news about the rebellion of Kharijites began to reach, and it was learnt that they had butchered the governor of Nahrawan namely `Abdullah ibn Khabbab ibn al-Aratt and his slave maid with the child in her womb, and have killed three women of Banu Tayyi and Umm Sinan as-@aydawiyyah. Amir al-mu’minin sent al-harith ibn Murrah al-`Abdi for investigation but he too was killed by them. When their rebellion reached this stage it was necessary to deal with them. Consequently, the army turned towards Nahrawan. On reaching there Amir al-mu’minin sent them word that those who had killed `Abdullah ibn Khabbab ibn al-Aratt and innocent women should be handed over to him for avenging blood. Those people replied that they had killed these persons jointly and that they considered it lawful to shed the blood of all the people on his side. Even at this Amir al-mu’minin did not take the initiative for the battle, but sent Abu Ayyub al-Ansari with a message of peace. So he spoke to them aloud, “Whoever comes under this banner or separates from that party and goes to Kufah or al-Mada’in would get amnesty and he would not be questioned. As a result of this Farwah ibn Nawfal al-Ashja’i said that he did not know why they were at war with Amir al-mu’minin. Saying this he separated along with five hundred men. Similarly group after group began to separate and some of them joined Amir al-mu’minin.  Those who remained numbered four thousand, and according to at-Tabari’s account they numbered two thousand eight hundred. These people were not in any way prepared to listen to the voice of truth, and were ready to kill or be killed. Amir al-mu’minin had stopped his men to take the initiative but the Kharijites put arrows in their bows and broke and threw away the sheathes of their swords. Even at this juncture Amir al-mu’minin warned them of the dire consequences of war and this sermon is about that warning and admonition. But they were so brimming with enthusiasm that they leapt on Amir al-mu’minin’s force all of a sudden. This onslaught was so severe that the foot men lost ground but they soon fixed themselves firmly that the attack of arrows and spears could not dislodge them from their position and they soon so cleared away the Kharijites that except for nine persons who fled away to save their lives not a single person was left alive. From Amir al-mu’minin’s army only eight persons fell as martyrs. The battle took place on the 9th safar, 38 A.H.

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SERMON 37

Amir al-mu’minin’s utterance which runs like a Sermon

About his own steadfastness in religion and precedence in (acceptance of) belief.

            I discharged duties when others lost courage (to do so), and I came forward when others hid themselves. I spoke when others remained mum. I stroke with Divine light when others remained standing. I was the quietest of them in voice but the highest in going forward. I cleaved to its rein and applied myself solely to its pledge, like the mountain which neither sweeping wind could move nor storm could shake. No one could find fault with me nor could any speaker speak ill of me.

            The low is in my view worthy of honour till I secure (his) right for him while the strong is in my view weak till I take (other’s) right from him. We are happy with the destiny ordained by Allah and have submitted to the command of Allah. Do you think I would speak lie about the Prophet of Allah? By Allah, I am surely the first to testify him, so I will not be the first to falsify him. I looked at my affairs and found that my obedience should have precedence over my allegiance while my pledge with him is a burden on my neck.

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