A Sermon of 'Amir al-Mu'minin during Siffin

549. Ali Bin Al-Hassan Al-Mowdab, from Ahmad Bin Muhammad Bin Khalid and Ahmad Bin Muhammad, from Ali Bin Al-Hassan Al-Taymi together, from Ismail Bin Mahran who said, ‘Narrated to me Abdullah Al-Haris, from Jabir, who has narrated the following: Abu Ja’far عليه الصلاة والسلام has said: ‘Amir-ul-Momineen عليه الصلاة والسلام gave a sermon to the people at Siffeen, so he عليه الصلاة والسلام Praised Allah عز وجل and Extolled Him عز وجل, and sent greetings upon the Prophet صلى الله عليه وعلى آله وسلم, then said: ‘Having said that, Allah عز وجل the High has Made my عليه الصلاة والسلام rights to be obligatory upon you all as the Guardian of your matters (Wali-ul-Amr) and my عليه الصلاة والسلام status which Allah عز وجل Revealed for you, and similarly you have rights upon me عليه الصلاة والسلام as I عليه الصلاة والسلام have upon you. And the right is the most beautiful of the things in description; and most expansive in sharing. There is no other thing which is applied on one’s favour without being applied against him and it is not applied against him unless it is applied in his favour. The only one for whom it flows for and does not flow against is Allah عز وجل Mighty and Majestic only apart from His عز وجل creatures, for He عز وجل is Powerful over His عز وجل servants, and His عز وجل Justice regarding everything that He عز وجل Judges. But He عز وجل Made His عز وجل Rights upon the servants that they should be obedient to Him عز وجل, and Made expiation against them by the good Rewards as Grace from Him عز وجل, and the prolonged Generosity, and Expanding by increasing it for the one who is deserving of it. Then He عز وجل Made from His عز وجل ‘حُقُوقِهِ’ Rights, certain rights to be obligated for some people upon some other people. So He عز وجل Made it such that it obligates some of them for the others and does not obligate some except by the others. So the greatest of what Allah عز وجل has Necessitated from these rights is the rights of the governor upon the citizens and the rights of the citizens upon the governor, an obligation which Allah عز وجل has Obligated upon one and all. So He عز وجل has Made it to be a system for them and as strength for their Religion, and the establishment of the true Sunnah among them. The citizens will not be corrected except by the governor being correct, nor will the governor be correct except by the integrity of the citizens. So if the citizens fulfil the rights to the governor and the governor fulfils their rights as well, the truth will be strengthened between them. The manifesto of the Religion would be established, and the landmarks of justice would find fairness, and the Sunnah would flow smoothly. That would make life prosperous, and they would yearn for the survival of the government, and the enemies would despair from their ambitions. And if the citizens overcome the governor and the governor seeks to overcome them that are where the differences of speech emerge. The yearning of tyranny appears, and abundance of the lawlessness in the Religion, and the landmarks of the Sunnah are left. So they act by the desires, effects vanish, and illnesses of the souls abound. There is no fear of the penalties for infringement of the Laws, nor does confronting the falsehood seem great. So that is where the humiliation of the righteous and the honour for the evil ones is, and the ruination of the cities, and the greater the consequences will be for the servants in the presence of Allah عز وجل Mighty and Majestic. So come, o you people, to the co-operation to the obedience to Allah عز وجل Mighty and Majestic, and the establishment by His عز وجل Justice, and the loyalty to His عز وجل Covenant, and the fairness to Him عز وجل is all of His عز وجل Rights, for there is nothing more needed for the servants than for advising with regards to that, and the beautiful co-operation to Him عز وجل, and there is no one who intensifies his passion for striving for the Pleasure of Allah عز وجل to be able to reach its deserving point of fulfilling the Rights to Allah عز وجل. But, from the obligatory Rights of Allah عز وجل Mighty and Majestic, upon the servants is the advice to each other with maximum efforts, and the co-operation upon the establishment of the truth among them. Then there is person, no matter how great his status regarding the truth, how magnified his preference regarding the truth is, would not be needless from the co-operation upon what Allah عز وجل Mighty and Majestic has Burdened him with from His عز وجل Rights. And there is no person, no matter how low he is in the affairs, and the eyes are looking down upon him, can remain without being helped upon or given support. And the people of the merits and the people of the Favours are more frequently in need of that, and everyone is in need of Allah عز وجل Mighty and Majestic equally’. A man from his عليه الصلاة والسلام army answered him عليه الصلاة والسلام. No one knew who he was and it is said that he had never been seen in his عليه الصلاة والسلام army before that day, nor was he seen after it. So he stood up and beautifully Extolled Allah عز وجل Mighty and Majestic by what the afflictions He عز وجل had Placed upon them, and His عز وجل Favours from the Obligation of His عز وجل rights against them, and accepted all what had been mentioned of the changing conditions with him عليه الصلاة والسلام and with them. Then said, ‘You عليه الصلاة والسلام are our Commander, and we are your عليه الصلاة والسلام citizens. It is by you عليه الصلاة والسلام that Allah عز وجل Brought us out of the humiliation and it is by your عليه الصلاة والسلام strength that He عز وجل Freed His عز وجل servant from the chains. So choose for us, and we will go by your عليه الصلاة والسلام choice, and make a plan and we would go by your عليه الصلاة والسلام plan, for you عليه الصلاة والسلام are a truthful speaker, and the successful ruler, and the authorised king. It is not permissible for us to disobey you عليه الصلاة والسلام in anything, nor do we compare our knowledge with your عليه الصلاة والسلام knowledge. You عليه الصلاة والسلام are great in regard to that choice, in our eyes, and your عليه الصلاة والسلام virtues are majestic within us’. So Amir-ul-Momineen عليه الصلاة والسلام answered him saying: ‘It is from the Rights that the one who Magnifies the Majesty of Allah عز وجل within himself and exalts His عز وجل position in his heart, everything else would seem little to him. And the one most deserving to be like that is the one to whom the Bounties of Allah عز وجل are great as well as His عز وجل Kind Favours to him, for no one would magnify the Bounties of Allah عز وجل except that the Rights of Allah عز وجل Increase upon him. And the lowest of the conditions of the governor in the presence of the righteous people is when he thinks of the love for pride and bases his affairs upon the arrogance, and I عليه الصلاة والسلام did not like to become lost in your thoughts that I عليه الصلاة والسلام would love the praise and listening to the praise. And I عليه الصلاة والسلام am not like that. Thanks be to Allah عز وجل. And had I عليه الصلاة والسلام loved what you said, I عليه الصلاة والسلام would have abandoned it due to it lowering me عليه الصلاة والسلام for the Sake of Allah عز وجل that I عليه الصلاة والسلام should take to magnificence and greatness when He عز وجل is more deserving of it. Maybe the people consider it sweet to be praised after the affliction. So do not praise me عليه الصلاة والسلام with beautiful praises as it may take my عليه الصلاة والسلام soul out from being for the Sake of Allah عز وجل, and the remainder of the rights which I عليه الصلاة والسلام have yet to fulfill and the obligations which I عليه الصلاة والسلام have yet to perform. So, do not speak to me عليه الصلاة والسلام as you speak to the tyrants, and do not have reservations from me عليه الصلاة والسلام like you have reservations in the presence of the unresponsive people, and do not flatter me عليه الصلاة والسلام, and do not think that I عليه الصلاة والسلام consider it heavy regarding the right which is said to me عليه الصلاة والسلام, or that I عليه الصلاة والسلام seek self-greatness, for it is not correct for me عليه الصلاة والسلام. So the one who considers the rights to be a burden if they are told to him, or the justice if it is presented to him, it would become heavier for him to act in accordance with these two. So do not withhold from me عليه الصلاة والسلام speaking about the rights, or consultation with justice, for I عليه الصلاة والسلام not, with regards to myself عليه الصلاة والسلام, above mistakes, nor do I عليه الصلاة والسلام feel secure from that in my عليه الصلاة والسلام deeds except if Allah عز وجل Suffices for myself عليه الصلاة والسلام in matter which He عز وجل has more Control over than what I عليه الصلاة والسلام have. But rather, I عليه الصلاة والسلام and you all are servants, belonging to the Lord عز وجل. There is no lord apart from Him عز وجل. He عز وجل Owns us what we do not own ourselves, and Took us out from what we used to be in to be in a situation which was correct for us. So He عز وجل Protected us after straying, by the Guidance. He عز وجل Gave us the vision after the blindness. So, the man who answered him عليه الصلاة والسلام before, answered him عليه الصلاة والسلام, ‘By Allah عز وجل, you عليه الصلاة والسلام are deserving of what I said. By Allah عز وجل, you عليه الصلاة والسلام are more deserving than what I said, for His عز وجل Favours are such that we cannot deny, and Allah عز وجل Blessed and High has Burdened you عليه الصلاة والسلام with our citizens, and the Guardianship of our political affairs. So you عليه الصلاة والسلام have become (a representative of) our knowledge with which we can be guided by, and our Imam عليه الصلاة والسلام whom we follow, and every matter of yours عليه الصلاة والسلام is guidance, and every word of yours عليه الصلاة والسلام is educational. Our eyes have found delight with you عليه الصلاة والسلام in our lives, and our hearts are filled with bliss by you عليه الصلاة والسلام, and we are amazed at the qualities, which are within you عليه الصلاة والسلام and our intellects are at a loss to describe. We are not saying to you عليه الصلاة والسلام, ‘O you عليه الصلاة والسلام righteous Imam عليه الصلاة والسلام as a purification for you عليه الصلاة والسلام, nor are we exaggerating in our intentions regarding our praising you عليه الصلاة والسلام. And we are not becoming critical of your عليه الصلاة والسلام conviction, or the purity of your عليه الصلاة والسلام Religion, so we have no fear that you عليه الصلاة والسلام would innovate by the Bounties of Allah عز وجل Blessed and High, or be tyrannical, or that arrogance should enter you عليه الصلاة والسلام, but we are saying to you عليه الصلاة والسلام what we said in order to be closer to Allah عز وجل Mighty and Majestic by revering you عليه الصلاة والسلام, and Enhancing your عليه الصلاة والسلام merits, and appreciate the greatness of your عليه الصلاة والسلام command. So consider yourself عليه الصلاة والسلام and use, and give preference to the Command of Allah عز وجل over yourself عليه الصلاة والسلام and over us, for we are obedient with regards to whatever you عليه الصلاة والسلام order us for, and we submit to the commands along with that regarding what is beneficial for us’. Amir-ul-Momineen عليه الصلاة والسلام answered him, so he عليه الصلاة والسلام said: ‘And I عليه الصلاة والسلام am binding you in the Presence of Allah عز وجل to myself عليه الصلاة والسلام for your knowing that I عليه الصلاة والسلام am the guardian for your matters, for very shortly you will be gathered with me عليه الصلاة والسلام. And I عليه الصلاة والسلام warn you of the Pausing in front of Him عز وجل, and the Questioning about what we were in, then some of us will testify against the others, so do not testify today against what you will be testifying tomorrow, for there is nothing hidden from Allah عز وجل Mighty and Majestic, nor is it permitted in His عز وجل Presence except for the good advice of the chests in all of the matters’. So the man answered him عليه الصلاة والسلام, and it was said that the man was never seen again after this speech of his to Amir-ul-Momineen عليه الصلاة والسلام, and he was bursting with emotion in his chest, and he spoke, and wailed which cut off his speech, and was anxious and choking, breaking his voice, being at the verge of collapse. So he Praised Allah عز وجل and Extolled Him عز وجل, then pleaded before Him عز وجل of the horrors of what he had been cured of, from the great dangers, and the prolonged humiliation regarding the mischief to take place during his عليه الصلاة والسلام era, and the rebellions against him عليه الصلاة والسلام and the cutting off of what was from his عليه الصلاة والسلام government. Then he implored the matter to Allah عز وجل Mighty and Majestic of the Bestowing of Favours on him عليه الصلاة والسلام, and the Dispelling (dangers) from him عليه الصلاة والسلام, and then Extolled Him عز وجل in a goodly manner. So he said, ‘O Lord عز وجل of the servants, and O Giver of tranquillity to the cities! How can we speak of Your عز وجل Grace, and how can we reach Your عز وجل Attributes from Your عز وجل Actions, and for me to reach the reality of the beauty of Your عز وجل Praise, or count the beauty of Your عز وجل Favours. So how can we, and it is due to you عليه الصلاة والسلام that the Bounties of Allah عز وجل have flowed towards us, and it is upon your عليه الصلاة والسلام hands that the causes of the good have arrived to us. Did you عليه الصلاة والسلام not become a sanctuary for the lowest of the low, and a saviour for the disobedient infidels? So by whom, except for the People عليه الصلاة والسلام of your عليه الصلاة والسلام Household, and by you عليه الصلاة والسلام that Allah عز وجل Mighty and Majestic Took us out from horrors of those dangers, and by whom did he عز وجل Rescue us from the thrones of distress, and by whom except by you عليه الصلاة والسلام did Allah عز وجل Make apparent the landmarks of our Religion, and Corrected what was spoilt from our Religion until we came to be mentioned, after the tyranny. And our eyes were delighted with a prosperous life when you عليه الصلاة والسلام became our Guardian as a favour to us, and you عليه الصلاة والسلام struggled and fulfilled to us all of your عليه الصلاة والسلام promises, and stood by all of your عليه الصلاة والسلام oaths to us. So you عليه الصلاة والسلام were a witness for the ones who were absent from us, and a successor of the People عليه الصلاة والسلام of the Household for us. And you عليه الصلاة والسلام were the strength of our weak ones, and the wealth of our poor ones, and a pillar for our great ones. It was your عليه الصلاة والسلام justice that brought us together in the matters, and accommodated us regarding the truth by your عليه الصلاة والسلام patience. You عليه الصلاة والسلام were, for us a familiarity if we saw you عليه الصلاة والسلام, and a tranquillity whenever we mentioned you عليه الصلاة والسلام. So which is the good deed, which you عليه الصلاة والسلام did not perform, and which is the righteous deeds which you عليه الصلاة والسلام did not act upon? And had it not been for the matter which we fear for you عليه الصلاة والسلام from it reaching you, which our efforts could change, and our strengths could defend you عليه الصلاة والسلام from it, we would be permitted to sacrifice ourselves for your عليه الصلاة والسلام defence, and repulse it from you عليه الصلاة والسلام by ourselves and our sons, we would put ourselves and our sons before you عليه الصلاة والسلام. And we would make this choice, and reduce its danger from you عليه الصلاة والسلام, and we would stand in our efforts in an attempt to defend you عليه الصلاة والسلام from your عليه الصلاة والسلام enemies. But He عز وجل is an Authority, which cannot be stopped, and a Strength which cannot decline, and a Lord عز وجل Who cannot be overcome. So if he عز وجل was to Bestow a Favour to us by Bestowing upon you عليه الصلاة والسلام good health, and be Merciful towards us by Keeping you عليه الصلاة والسلام alive, and be Compassionate to us by Relieving you عليه الصلاة والسلام of these difficulties from your عليه الصلاة والسلام situation to Keep you عليه الصلاة والسلام safe for us, and remain with us in front of us, we would narrate appreciation to Allah عز وجل Mighty and Majestic for that, and Magnify Him عز وجل, and Mention Him عز وجل constantly, and distribute half of our wealth as charity, and free half of our slaves, and narrate to Him عز وجل with humbleness in our selves, and be submissive in all of our affairs. And when He عز وجل Takes you to the Gardens, and Makes to Flow for you عليه الصلاة والسلام that which is inevitable, so no one would be able to change that which He عز وجل has Ordained, nor repulse from you عليه الصلاة والسلام His عز وجل Favours, nor will our hearts be opposed to that for that which He عز وجل has Chosen for you عليه الصلاة والسلام of what is with Him عز وجل over what you عليه الصلاة والسلام used to be in. But, we would weep if this authority (government) were to return back to humiliation, and for the Religion and the world to be consumed and we do not see for you عليه الصلاة والسلام a successor we can take our complaints to, nor a similar government we can have hope in establishing it’.