Sermon 137

About Talhah and az-Zubayr

ومن كلام له (عليه السلام)

في معنى طلحة والزبير

By Allah, they did not find any disagreeable thing in me, nor did they do justice between me and themselves. Surely, they are now demanding a right which they have abandoned and blood which they have themselves shed. If I partook in it with them then they too have a share in it, but if they committed it without me the demand should be against them. The first step of their justice should be that they pass verdict against themselves. I have my intelligence with me.

وَاللهِ مَا أَنْكَرُوا عَلَيَّ مُنْكَراً، وَلاَ جَعَلُوا بَيْنِي وَبَيْنَهُمْ نِصْفاً، وَإِنَّهُمْ لَيَطْلُبُونَ حَقّاً هُمْ تَرَكُوهُ، وَدَماً هُمْ سَفَكُوهُ، فَإِنْ كُنْتُ شَرِيكَهُمْ فِيهِ فَإِنَّ لَهُمْ نَصِيبَهُمْ مِنْهُ، وَإِنْ كَانُوا وَلُوهُ دُونِي فَمَا الطَّلِبَةُ إِلاَّ قِبَلَهُمْ، وَإِنَّ أَوَّلَ عَدْلِهِمْ لَلْحُكْمُ عَلَى أَنْفُسِهِمْ، وَإِنَّ مَعِي لَبَصِيرَتِي،

I have never mixed matters nor have they appeared mixed to me. Certainly, this is the rebellious group in which there is the near one (az-Zubayr), the scorpion's venom ('A'ishah) and doubts which cast a veil (on facts). But the matter is clear, and the wrong has been shaken from its foundation. Its tongue has stopped uttering mischief. By Allah, I will prepare for them a cistern from which I alone will draw water. They will not be able to drink from it nor would they be able to drink from any other place.

مَا لَبَّسْتُ وَلاَ لُبِّسَ عَلَيَّ، وَإِنَّهَا لَلْفِئَةُ الْبَاغِيَةُ، فِيهَا الْحَمأُ وَالْحُمَةُ وَالشُّبْهَةُ الْمُغْدِفَةُ، وَإِنَّ الاْمْرَ لَوَاضِحٌ، وَقَدْ زَاحَ الْبَاطِلُ عَنْ نِصَابِهِ، وَانْقَطَعَ لِسَانُهُ عَنْ شَغَبِهِ. وَايْمُ اللهِ لاَفْرِطَنَّ لَهُمْ حَوْضاً أَنَا مَاتِحُهُ، لاَ يَصْدُرُونَ عَنْهُ بِرِيٍّ، وَلاَ يَعُبُّونَ بَعْدَهُ فِي حَسْي.

A part of the same sermon

منه: في أمر البيعة

You advanced towards me shouting "allegiance, allegiance" like she-camels having delivered newly born young ones leaping towards their young. I held back my hand but you pulled it towards you. I drew back my hand but you dragged it. O My God! These two have ignored my rights and did injustice to me. They both have broken allegiance to me, and roused people against me. Unfasten Thou what they have fastened, and do not make strong what they have woven. Show them the evil in what they aimed at and acted upon. Before fighting I asked them to be steadfast in allegiance and behaved with them with consideration but they belittled the blessing and refused (to adopt the course of) safety.

فَأَقْبَلْتُمْ إِلَيَّ إِقْبَالَ الْعُوذِ الْمَطَافِيلِ عَلَى أَوْلاَدِهَا، تَقُولُونَ: الْبَيْعَةَ الْبَيْعَةَ! قَبَضْتُ كَفِّي فَبَسَطْتُمُوهَا، وَنَازَعَتْكُمْ يَدِي فَجَاذَبْتُمُوهَا. اللَّهُمَّ إنَّهُمَا قَطَعَاني وَظَلَمَاني، وَنَكَثَا بَيْعَتِي، وَأَلَّبَا النَّاسَ عَلَيَّ; فَاحْلُلْ مَا عَقَدَا، وَلاَ تُحْكِمْ لَهُمَا مَا أَبْرَمَا، وَأَرِهِمَا الْمَسَاءَةَ فِيَما أَمَّلاَ وَعَمِلاَ، وَلَقَدِ اسْتَثَبْتُهُمَا قَبْلَ الْقِتَالِ، وَاسْتَأْنَيْتُ بِهمَا أَمَامَ الْوِقَاعِ، فَغَمَطَا النِّعْمَةَ، وَرَدَّا الْعَافِيَةَ.

Alternative Sources for Sermon 137

(1) Ibn 'Abd al-Birr, al-'Isti'ab, II, 211;

(2) Ibn al-'Athir, Usd al-ghabah, II, 61;

(3) al-Mufid in al-'Irshad, 146, 142, and al-Jamal, 143, from al-Waqidi;

(4) Ibn al-*'*Athir, al-Nihayah, III, 318 ('a.w.dh);

(5) Ibn Qutaybah, al-'Imamah, I, 154;

(6) al-Thaqafi, al-Gharat, I, 310;

(7) al-Tabari, al-Mustarshid, 95;

(8) Ibn Tawus, Kashf, 173;

(9) Safwah, Jamharah;

(10) al-Tabari, Ta'rikh, * VI, 3143.