SERMON 51
When in siffin the men of Mu`awiyah overpowered the
men of Amir al-mu’minin and occupied the bank of River
Euphrates and prevented them from taking its water, Amir
al-mu’minin said:
They(1) are asking you morsels of battle. So either you remain in ignominy and the lowest position or drench your swords with blood and quench your thirst with water. Real death is in the life of subjugation while real life is in dying as subjugators. Beware, Mu`awiyah is leading a small group of insurgents and has kept them in dark about the true facts with the result that they have made their bosoms the targets of death.
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(1). Amir al-mu’minin had not reached siffin when Mu`awiyah posted forty thousand men on the bank of the River to close the way to the watering place, so that none except the Syrians could take the water. When Amir al-mu’mimin’s force alighted there they found that there was no watering place except this one for them to take water. If there was one it was difficult to reach there by crossing high hillocks. Amir al-mu’minin sent sa`sa`ah ibn suhan al-`Abdi to Mu`awiyah with the request to raise the control over water. Mu`awiyah refused. On this side Amir al-mu’minin’s army was troubled by thirst. When Amir al-mu’minin noticed this position he said, “Get up and secure water by dint of sword.” Consequently, these thirsty persons drew their swords out of sheaths, put arrows in their bows and dispersing Mu`awiyah’s men went right down into the River and then hit these guards away and occupied the watering place themselves.
Now, Amir al-mu’minin’s men also desired that just as Mu`awiyah had put restriction on water by occupation of the watering place, the same treatment should be accorded to him and his men and no Syrian should be allowed water and everyone of them should be made to die of thirst. But Amir al-mu’minin said, “Do you want to take the same brutal step which these Syrians had taken? Never prevent anyone from water. Whoever wants to drink, may drink and whoever wants to take away may take away.” Consequently, despite occupation of the River by Amir al-mu’minin’s army no one was prevented from the water and everyone was given full liberty to take water.
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SERMON 52
(This sermon has already appeared earlier but due to the
difference between the two versions we have quoted it
again here). Its subject is the downfall of the world and
reward and punishment in the next world.
Beware, the world is wrapping itself up and has announced its departure. Its known things have become strangers and it is speedily moving backward. It is advancing its inhabitants towards destruction and driving its neighbours towards death. Its sweet things (enjoyments) have become sour, and its clear things have become polluted. Consequently, what has remained of it is just like the remaining water in a vessel or a mouthful of water in the measure. If a thirsty person drinks it his thirst is not quenched.
O’ creatures of Allah get ready to go out of this world for whose inhabitants decay is ordained, and (beware) heart’s wishes should overpower you, nor should you take your stay (in life) to be long. By Allah, if you cry like the she-camel that has lost its young one, call out like the cooing of pigeons, make noise like devoted recluses and turn to Allah leaving your wealth and children as a means to secure His nearness and high position with Him or the forgiveness of sins which have been covered by His books and recorded by His angels it would be less than His reward that I expect for you or His retribution that I fear about you.
By Allah, if your hearts melt down thoroughly and your eyes shed tears of blood either in hope for Him or for fear from Him and you are also allowed to live in this world all the time that it lasts even then your actions cannot pay for His great bounties over you and His having guided you towards faith.
A part of the same sermon on the description of the Day of Sacrifice (`Id al-A_ha) and the qualities of the animal for sacrifice
For an animal to be fully fit for sacrifice it is necessary that both its ears should be raised upwards and its eyes should be healthy. If the ears and the eyes are sound the animal of sacrifice is sound and perfect, even though its horn be broken or it drags its feet to the place of sacrifice.
as-Sayyid ar-Ra_i says: Here place of sacrifice means place of slaughter.
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SERMON 53
On the swearing of allegiance
They leapt upon me as the camels leap upon each other on their arrival for drinking water, having been let loose after unfastening of their four legs till I thought they would either kill me or kill one another in front of me. I thought over this matter in and out to the extent that it prevented me from sleeping. But I found no way except to fight them or else to reject whatever has been brought by Muhammad (PBUHAHP). I found that to face war was easier for me than to face the retribution, and the hardships of this world were easier than the hardships of the next world.
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SERMON 54
When Amir al-mu’minin’s men showed impatience on his delay in giving them permission to fight in siffin , he said:
Well, as for your idea whether this (delay) is due to my unwillingness for death, then by Allah I do not care whether I proceed towards death or death advances towards me. As for your impression that it may be due to my misgivings about the people ofSyria
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SERMON 56
Amir al-mu’minin said to his companions about Mu`awiyah
Soon after me there would be put on you a man with a broad mouth and a big belly. He would swallow whatever he gets and would crave for what he does not get. You should kill him but (I know) you would not kill him. He would command you to abuse me and to renounce me. As for abusing, you do abuse me because that would mean purification for me and salvation for you. As regards renunciation, you should not renounce me because I have been born on the natural religion (Islam) and was foremost in accepting it as well as in Hijrah ( migrating from Mecca to Medina
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(1). About the person to whom Amir al-mu’minin has alluded in this sermon some people hold that he is Ziyad ibn Abih; some hold that he is al-hajjaj ibn Yusuf ath-Thaqafi and some hold that he is Mughirah ibn Shu`bah. But most of the commentators have held him to be Mu`awiyah and this is correct because the qualities that Amir al-mu’minin has described prove true fully on him alone. Thus Ibn Abi’l-hadid has written about the gluttonous quality of Mu`awiyah that once the prophet sent for him and he was informed that Mu`awiyah was busy eating. Then a second and third time a man was sent to call him but he brought the same news. Thereupon the Prophet said , “May Allah never satisfy his belly.” The effect of this curse was that when he felt tired of eating he would say , “Take away, for, by Allah I am not satiated but I am tired and disgusted.” Similarly, his abusing Amir al-mu’minin and ordering his officers for it are such accepted facts of history about which there is no scope of denying. In this connection such words were used on the pulpit that even Allah and the Prophet were hit by them. Thus, Umm al-mu’minin Umm Salamah wrote to Mu`awiyah, “Certainly you people abuse Allah and the Prophet, and this is like this that you hurl abuses on `Ali and those who love him, while I do stand witness that Allah and the Prophet did love him.” (al-`Iqd al-Farid, Vol. 3, p. 131)
Thanks to `Umar ibn `Abdil-`Aziz who put a stop to it, and introduced the following verse in place of abuse in the sermons:
Verily Allah enjoineth justice and benevolence (to others) and giving unto the kindred, and forbidden lewdness, and evil, and rebellion; He exhorteth you that ye may take heed (Qur’an 16:90)
In this sermon Amir al-mu’minin has ordered his killing on the basis of the Prophet’s order that “When you (O’ Muslims) see Mu`awiyah on my pulpit, kill him.” (Kitab siffin, pp. 243, 248; Sharh of Ibn Abi’l-hadid, Vol. 1, p.348; Ta’rikh Baghdad, Vol. 12, p. 181; Mizan al-I`tidal, Vol. 2, p. 128; Tahdhib at-tahdhib, Vol. 2, p. 428; Vol. 5, p. 110; Vol. 7, p. 324)
*****
SERMON 57
Addressing the Kharijites, Amir al-mu’minin said:
Storm may overtake you while there may be none to prick you (for reforms). Shall I be witness to my becoming heretic after acceptance of Faith and fighting in the company of the Prophet?! “In that case I shall be misguided and I shall not be on the right path.” (Qur’an, 6:56). So you should return to your evil places, and get back on the traces of your heels. Beware! Certainly you will meet, after me, overwhelming disgrace and sharp sword and tradition that will be adopted by the oppressors as a norm towards you. (1)
As-Sayyid ar-Ra_i says: In the words “wala baqiyah minkum abirun” used by Amir al-mu’minin the“abir” has been related with “ba’” and “ra’” and it has been taken from the Arab saying “rajulun abirun” which means the man who prunes the date-palm trees and improves them. In one version the word is “athir” and its meaning is “relator of good news.” In my view this is more appropriate, as though Amir al-mu’minin intends to say that there should remain none to carry news. In one version the word appears as “abiz” with “za’” which means one who leaps. One who dies is also called“abiz”.
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(1). History corroborates that after Amir al-mu’minin, the Kharijites had to face all sorts of ignominy and disgrace and wherever they raised their heads for creating trouble, they were met with swords and spears. Thus Ziyad ibn Abih, `Ubaydullah ibn Ziyad, al-hajjaj ibn Yusuf, Mus`ab ibn az-Zubayr and al-Muhallab ibn Abi Sufrah left no stone unturned in annihilating them from the surface of the globe, particularly al-Muhallab chased them for nineteen years, routed them thoroughly and rested only after completing their destruction.
At-Tabari writes that when ten thousand Kharijites collected in Silla wa sillibra (the name of a mountain in Ahwaz ) then al-Muhallab faced them so steadfastly that he killed seven thousand Kharijites, while the remaining three thousand fled towards Kirman for life. But when the Governor of Persia noticed their rebellious activities he surrounded them in Sabur and killed a good number of them then and there. Those remained again fled to Isfahan
*****
SERMON 58
When Amir al-mu’minin showed his intention to fight the Kharijites he was told that they had crossed thebridge of Nahrawan
Their falling place is on this side of the river. By Allah, not even ten of them will survive while from your side not even ten will be killed. (1)
As-Sayyid ar-Ra_i says: In this sermon “nutfah”implies the River Euphrates, and for water this is the nicest expression, even though water may be much.
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(1) This prophecy cannot be attributed to wit and farsightedness, because farsighted eyes may forecast victory or defeat and preconceive the outcome of war but to tell about the correct figures of the killed on either side is beyond their capacity. This can be done only by one who can unveil the unknown future and see the coming scene with his eyes and who sees the sketches yet to appear on the page of the future with the help of the light of knowledge possessed by him as Imam.
Consequently, events occurred just according to what this inheritor of the Prophet’s knowledge had said, and from among the Kharijites all except nine persons were killed. Two of them fled away to `Uman, two to Sijistan, two to Kirman and two to al-Jazirah while one escaped to Tall Mawzan. Of Amir al-mu’minin’s party only eight men fell as martyrs.
*****
SERMON 59
When Amir al-mu’minin was told that the Kharijites had been totally killed, he said:
By Allah, no, not yet. They still exist in the loins of men and wombs of women. Whenever a chief would appear from among them, he would be cut down till the last of them would turn thieves and robbers. (1)
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(1) This prophecy of Amir al-mu’minin also proved true word by word. Every chief of Kharijites who rose was put to sword. A few of their chiefs who were badly put to death are mentioned here:
1) Nafi` ibn Azraq al-hanafi: the largest group of the Kharijites namely al-Azariqah is named after him. He was killed by Salamah al-Bahili during encounter with the army of Muslim ibn `Ubays.
2) Najdah ibn `Amir: the an-Najadat al-`Adhiriyyah sect of Kharijites is named after him. Abu Fudayk al-Khariji got him killed.
3) `Abdullah ibn Iba_ at-Tamimi: the sect Iba_ite (Iba_iyyah) is named after him. He was killed during encounter with `Abdullah ibn Muhammad ibn `Atiyyah.
4) Abu Bayhas Haysam ibn Jabir a_-¬uba`i: the sect of al-Bayhasiyyah is named after him. `Uthman ibn hayyan al-Murri the governor of Medina
5) `Urwah ibn Udayyah at-Tamimi: Ziyad ibn Abih killed him during the reign of Mu`awiyah.
6) Qatari ibn al-Fuja’h al-Mazini at-Tamimi: when he encountered the army of Sufyan ibn al-Abrad al-Kalbi in Tabarastan then Sawrah ibn al-hurr ad-Darimi killed him.
7) Abu Bilal Mirdas ibn Udayyah at-Tamimi: was killed in encounter with `Abbas ibn Akh_ar al-Mazini.
8) Shawdhab al-Khariji al-Yashkuri: was killed during encounter with Sa`id ibn `Amr al-harashi.
9) hawtharah ibn Wada` al-Asadi: was killed at the hands of a man of Banu Tayyi’
10) al-Mustawrid ibn `Ullafah at-Taymi: was killed by Ma`qil ibn Qays ar-Riyahi in the reign of Mu`awiyah.
11) Shabib ibn Yazid ash-Shaybani: died by being drowned in river.
12) `Imran ibn al-harith ar-Rasibi: was killed in the battle of Dulab.
13, 14) Zahhaf at-Ta’i and Qurayb ibn Murrah al-Azdi: were killed in encounter with Banu Tahiyah.
15) az-Zubayr ibn `Ali as-Saliti at-Tamimi: was killed in encounter with `Attab ibn Warqa’ ar-Riyahi.
16) `Ali ibn Bashir ibn al-Mahuz al-Yarbu`i: al-hajjaj ibn Yusuf ath-Thaqafi got him killed.
17) `Ubaydullah ibn Bashir: was killed in encounter with al-Muhallab ibn Abi sufrah in the battle of Dulab.
18) Abu’l-Wazi` ar-Rasibi: a man in the graveyard of Banu Yashkur felled a wall on him and killed him.
19) `Abdu Rabbih as-saghir: was killed in encounter with al-Muhallab ibn Abi sufrah.
20) Al-Walid ibn Tarif ash-Shaybani: was killed in encounter with Yazid ibn Mazyad ash-Shaybani.
21-24) `Abdullah ibn Yahya al-Kindi, al-Mukhtar ibn `Awf al-Azdi (Abu hamzah ash-Shari), Abrahah ibn as-sabbah and Balj ibn `Uqbah al-Asadi: were killed by `Abd al-Malik ibn `Atiyyah as-Sa`di in the reign of Marwan ibn Muhammad (the last of the Umayyad caliphs).
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SERMON 60
Amir al-mu’minin also said:
Do not fight(1) the Kharijites after me, because one who seeks right but does not find it, is not like one who seeks wrong and finds it.
as-Sayyid ar-Ra_i says: Amir al-mu’minin means Mu`awiyah and his men.
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(1). The reason for stopping people from fighting the Kharijites was that Amir al-mu’minin was clearly perceiving that after him authority and power would devolve on people who would be ignorant of the proper occasion of jihad, and who will make use of sword only to maintain their sway. And there were those who excelled even Kharijites in holding and calling Amir al-mu’minin bad. So those who are themselves in the wrong have no right to fight others in the wrong. Again, those who are wilfully in the wrong can be allowed to fight those who are in the wrong by mistake. Thus, Amir al-mu’minin’s words make this fact clear that the misguidance of Kharijites was not wilful but under Satan’s influence. They mistook wrong as right and stuck to it. On the other hand, the position of misguidance of Mu`awiyah and his party was that they rejected right realising it as right and appropriated wrong as the code of their conduct fully knowing that it was wrong. Their audacity in the matter of religion reached the stage that it can neither be regarded as a result of misunderstanding nor can it be covered under the garb of error of judgement, because they openly transgressed the limits of religion and paid no heed to the Prophet’s injunctions in comparison with their own view. Thus, Ibn Abi’l-Hadid has written (vol. 5, p. 130) that when the Prophet’s companion Abu’d-Darda’ saw utensils of gold and silver being used by Mu`awiyah he said he had heard the Prophet saying, “One who drinks in vessels of gold and silver will feel flames of the fire of Hell in his stomach” whereupon Mu`awiyah said, “As for me, l do not find any harm in it.” Similarly, creating Ziyad ibn Abih’s blood relationship with himself by his own opinion in total disregard of the Prophet’s injunction, abusing the descendants of the Prophet over the pulpit, transgressing the limits of shari`ah, shedding blood of innocent persons and placing over Muslims (as so called Khalifah) a vicious individual and thus opening the way to disbelief and atheism are events that to attribute them to any misunderstanding is like wilfully closing eyes to facts.
*****
SERMON 61
When Amir al-mu’minin was warned of being
killed by deceit, he said:
Surely, there is a strong shield of Allah over me. When my day would come it would get away from me and hand me over to death. At that time neither an arrow would go amiss nor a wound would heal up.
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SERMON 62
About the transience of the world
Beware ! surely this world is a place from which protection cannot be sought except while one is in it. The action which is performed only for this world cannot secure salvation. People are tested in it through calamities. Those who have taken worldly pleasures here will be taken out from them (by death) and will be questioned about them. And whatever (good actions) they have achieved for the other world, they will get them there and stay in them. For the intelligent this world is like the shade - one moment it is spread out and extended but soon it shrinks and contracts.
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