Sermon 41

In condemnation of treason

ومن خطبة له (عليه السلام)

وفيها ينهى عن الغدر ويحذر منه

O people! Surely loyalty (fulfilment of pledge) and truthfulness are twins. I do not know a better shield (against the assaults of sin) than it. One who realises the reality of return (to the next world) never betrays. We are in a period when most of the people regard betrayal as wisdom. In these days the ignorants call it excellence of cunning. What is the matter with them? Allah may destroy them.

One who has been through thick and thin of life finds the excuses to be preventing him from orders and prohibitions of Allah but he disregards them despite capability (to succumb to them and follows the commands of Allah), while one who has no restraints of religion seizes the opportunity (and accepts the excuses for not following the commands of Allah).

إِنَّ الْوَفَاءَ تَوْأَمُ الصِّدْقِ، وَلاَ أَعْلَمُ جُنَّةً أوْقَى مِنْهُ، وَمَا يَغْدِرُ مَنْ عَلِمَ كَيْفَ الْمَرْجِعُ، وَلَقَدْ أَصْبَحْنا في زَمَان اتَّخَذَ أَكْثَرُ أَهْلِهِ الْغَدْرَ كَيْساً، وَنَسَبَهُمْ أَهْلُ الْجَهْلِ فِيهِ إِلى حُسْنِ الْحِيلَةِ، مَا لَهُمْ! قَاتَلَهُمُ اللهُ! قَدْ يَرَى الْحُوَّلُ الْقُلَّبُ وَجْهَ الْحِيلَةِ وَدُونَهَا مَانِعٌ مِنْ أَمْرِ اللهِ وَنَهْيِهِ، فَيَدَعُهَا رَأْيَ عَيْن بَعْدَ الْقُدْرَةِ عَلَيْهَا، وَيَنْتَهِزُ فُرْصَتَهَا مَنْ لاَ حَرِيجَةَ لَهُ فِي الدِّينِ.

Alternative Sources for Sermon 41

(1) Ibn Talhah, Matalib, I, 170;

(2) al-Jahiz, Rasa'il, 125.