Sermon 134
Delivered when Caliph 'Umar ibn al-Khattab consulted
Amir al-mu'minin about himself, taking part in the march towards Rome (Byzantine Empire).
ومن كلام له (عليه السلام)
وقد شاوره عمر بن الخطاب في الخروج إلى غزوالروم
Allah has taken upon Himself for the followers of this religion the strengthening of boundaries and hiding of the secret places. Allah helped them when they were few and could not protect themselves. He is Living and will not die. If you will your self proceed towards the enemy and clash with them and fall into some trouble, there will be no place of refuge for the Muslims other than their remote cities, nor any place they would return to. Therefore, you should send there an experienced man and send with him people of good performance who are well-intentioned. If Allah grants you victory, then this is what you want. If it is otherwise, you would serve as a support for the people and a returning place for the Muslims.
وَقَدْ تَوَكَّلَ اللهُ لاِهْلِ هَذا الدِّينِ بِإِعْزَازِ الْحَوْزَةِ، وَسَتْرِ الْعَوْرَةِ، وَالَّذِي نَصَرَهُمْ وَهُمْ قَلِيلٌ لاَ يَنْتَصِرُونَ، وَمَنَعَهُمْ وَهُمْ قَلِيلٌ لاَ يَمتَنِعُونَ، حَيٌّ لاَ يَمُوتُ. إِنَّكَ مَتَى تَسِرْ إِلَى هذَا الْعَدُوِّ بِنَفْسِكَ، فَتَلْقَهُمْ بِشَخْصِكَ فَتُنْكَبْ، لاَ تَكُنْ لِلْمُسْلِمِينَ كَانِفَةٌ دُونَ أَقْصَى بِلاَدِهِمْ، وَلَيْسَ بَعْدَكَ مَرْجِعٌ يَرْجِعُونَ إِلَيْهِ، فَابْعَثْ إِلَيْهِمْ رَجُلاً مِحْرَباً، وَاحْفِزْ مَعَهُ أَهْلَ الْبَلاَءِ وَالنَّصِيحَةِ، فَإِنْ أَظْهَرَ اللهُ فَذَاكَ مَا تُحِبُّ، وَإِنْ تَكُنِ الاْخْرَى، كُنْتَ رِدْءاً للنَّاسِ وَمَثَابَةً لِلْمُسْلِمِينَ.
Alternative Sources for Sermon 134
(1) Ibn al- 'Athir, al-Nihayah, IV, 250;
(2) Abu 'Ubayd, al-'Amwal, 252*.*
- About Amir
al-mu'minin, the strange position is adopted that on the one hand,
it is said that he was ignorant of practical politics and
unacquainted with ways of administration from which it is intended
that the revolts created by the Umayyad's lust for power should be
shown to be the outcome of Amir al-mu'minin's weak administration.
On the other hand, much is made of the various occasions when the
then Caliphs consulted Amir al-mu'minin in important affairs of
State in the matter of wars with unbelievers. The aim in this is not
to exhibit his correctness of thinking and judgement or deep
sagacity but to show that there was unity and concord between him
and the Caliphs so that attention should not be paid to the fact
that in some matters they also differed and that mutual clashes had
also occurred. History shows that Amir al-mu'minin did have
differences of principles with the Caliphs and did not approve every
step of theirs. In the sermon of ash-Shiqshiqiyyah he has expressed
in loud words his difference of opinion and anger about each regime.
Nevertheless, this difference does not mean that correct guidance
should be withheld in collective Islamic problems. Again, Amir
al-mu'minin's character was so high that no one could imagine that
he would ever evade giving counsel which concerned the common weal,
or would give such counsel which would damage public interests. That
is why, despite differences of principle, he was consulted. This
throws light on the greatness of his character and the correctness
of his thinking and judgement. Similarly, it is a prominent trait of
the Holy Prophet's character that despite rejecting his claim to
prophethood the unbelievers acknowledged him the best trustee and
could never doubt his trustworthiness. Rather, even during clashes
of mutual opposition they entrusted to him their property without
fear and never suspected that their property would be
misappropriated. Similarly, Amir al-mu'minin was held to occupy so
high a position of trust and confidence that friend and foe both
trusted in the correctness of his counsel. So, just as the
Prophet's conduct shows his height of trustworthiness, and just as
it cannot be inferred from it that there was mutual accord between
him and the unbelievers, because trust has its own place while the
clash of Islam and unbelief has another, in the same way, despite
having differences with the Caliphs, Amir al-mu'minin was regarded
as the protector of national and community interests and as the
guardian of Islam's wellbeing and prosperity. Thus when national
interests were involved he was consulted and he tendered his
unbiased advice raising himself above personal ends and keeping in
view the Prophet's tradition to the effect that "He who is
consulted is a trustee" never allowed any dishonesty or duplicity
to interfere. When on the occasion of the battle of Palestine, the
Caliph `Umar consulted him about his taking part in it himself,
then, irrespective of whether or not his opinion would accord with
`Umar's feelings, he kept in view Islam's prestige and existence
and counselled him to stay in his place and to send to the
battlefront such a man who should be experienced and wellversed in
the art of fighting, because the going of an inexperienced man would
have damaged the established prestige of Islam and the awe in which
the Muslims were held which had existed from the Prophet's days
would have vanished. In fact, in the Caliph `Umar's going there
Amir al-mu'minin saw signs of defeat and vanquishment. He therefore
found Islam's interest to lie in detaining him and indicated his
view in the words that:
"If you have to retreat from the battlefield, it would not be your personal defeat only, but the Muslims would lose heart by it and leave the battle-field and disperse here and there, because with the officer in command leaving the field the army too would lose ground. Furthermore, with the centre being without the Caliph there would be no hope of any further assistance from behind which could sustain courage of the combatants."
This is that counsel which is put forth as a proof of mutual accord although this advice was tendered in view of Islam's prestige and life which was dearer to Amir al-mu'minin than any other interest. No particular individual's life was dear to him for which he might have advised against participation in the battle.]