في ذمّ أهل العراق

[1] When after Arbitration the Iraqis displayed lethargy and heartlessness in retaliating the continuous attacks of Mu‘āwiyah, Amīr al-mu’minīn delivered this sermon abusing and admonishing them. Herein he has referred to their being deceived at Ṣiffīn and has likened them to a woman who has five qualities : i) Firstly, she is pregnant. This implies that these people had full capability to fight, and were not like a barren woman from whom nothing is expected. ii) Secondly, she has completed the period of pregnancy. That is they had passed over all difficult stages and had approached near the final goal of Victory. iii) Thirdly, she wilfully miscarries her child. That is after coming close to victory they came down to settlement and instead of achieving the coveted goal faced disappointment. iv) Fourthly, her period of widowhood is long. That is they fell in such a state as though they had no protector or patron and they were roaming about without any ruler. v) Fifthly, her successors would be distant persons. That is the people of Syria who had no relationship with them would occupy their properties.