Nahjul Balagha [Electronic resources] نسخه متنی

About the annihilation of the
Kharijites, the mischief mongering of Umayyads and the vastness of his own knowledge

So now, praise and eulogy be to Allah, O' people, I
have put out the eye of revolt. No one except me advanced towards it when its gloom was
swelling and its madness was intense. Ask me before you miss me,⁽²⁾
because, by Allah, who has my life in His hands, if you ask me anything between now and
the Day of Judgement or about the group who would guide a hundred people and also misguide
a hundred people I would tell you who is announcing its march, who is driving it in the
front and who is driving it at the rear, the stages where its riding animals would stop
for rest and the final place of stay, and who among them would be killed and who would die
a natural death.

When I am dead, hard circumstances and distressing
events would befall you, many persons in the position of asking questions would remain
silent with cast down eye, while those in the position of replying would lose courage.
This would be at a time when wars would descend upon you with all hardship and days would
be so hard on you that you would feel them prolonged because of hardship till Allah would
give victory to those remaining virtuous among you.

When mischief come they confuse (right with wrong)
and when they clear away they leave a warning. They cannot be known at the time of
approach but are recognised at the time of return. They blow like the blowing of winds,
striking some cities and missing others.

Beware that the worst mischief for you in my view is
the mischief of Banu Umayyah, because it is blind and also creates darkness. Its sway is
general but its ill effects are for particular people. He who remains clear-sighted in it
would be affected by distress, and he who remains blind in it would avoid the distress. By
Allah. you will find Banu Umayyah after me worst people for yourselves, like the old
unruly she-camel who bites with its mouth, beats with its fore-legs, kicks with its hind
legs and refuses to be milked. They would remain over you till they would leave among you
only those who benefit them or those who do not harm them. Their calamity would continue
till your seeking help from them would become like the seeking of help by the slave from
his master or of the follower from the leader.

Their mischief would come to you like evil eyed fear
and pre-Islamic fragments, wherein there would be no minaret of guidance nor any sign (of
salvation) to be seen. We Ahlu'l-bayt (the Household of the Prophet) are free from this
mischief and we are not among those who would engender it. Thereafter, Allah would dispel
it from you like the removal of the skin (from flesh) through him who would humble them,
drag them by necks, make them drink full cups (of hardships), not extend them anything but
sword and not clothe them save with fear. At that time Quraysh would wish at the cost of
the world and all its contents to find me even only once and just for the duration of the
slaughter of a camel in order that I may accept from them (the whole of) that of which at
present I am asking them only a part but they are not giving me.
⁽¹⁾.
Amir al-mu'minin delivered this sermon after the battle of Nahrawan. In it, mischief imply
the battles fought in Basrah, Siffin and Nahrawan because their nature was different from
the battles of the Prophet. There the opposite party were the unbelievers while here the
confrontation was with those who had veils of Islam on their faces. So people were
hesitant to fight against Muslims, and asked why they should fight with those who recited
the call to the prayers and offered the prayers. Thus, Khuzaymah ibn Thabit al-Ansari did
not take part in the Battle of Siffin till the falling of Ammar ibn Yasir as martyr did
not prove that the opposite party was rebellious. Similarly the presence of companions
like Talhah and az-Zubayr who were included in the "Foretold Ten" on the side of
A'ishah in Basrah, and the prayer signs on foreheads of the Kharijites in Nahrawan and
their prayers and worships were creating confusion in the minds. In these circumstances
only those could have the courage to rise against them were aware of the secrets of their
hearts and the reality of their faith. It was the peculiar perception of Amir al-mu'minin
and his spiritual courage that he rose to oppose them, and testified the saying of the
Holy Prophet:
You will fight after me with the
breakers of allegiance (people of Jamal), oppressors (people of Syria) and deviators (the
Kharijites). (al-Mustadrak ala as-Sahihayn, al-Hakim, vol.3, p.l39,140; ad-Durr
al-manthur, vol.6, p.l8; al-Istab, vol.3, p.1117; Usd al-ghabah, vol.4 pp.32,33; Tarikh
Baghdad, vol.8, p.340; vol.13, pp.186,187; at-Tarikh, Ibn Asakir, vol. 5, p. 41;
at-Tarikh, Ibn Kathir, vol.7, pp.304,305,306; Majma az-zawa'id, vol.7, p.238; vol.9,
p.235; Sharh al-mawahib, vol.3, pp.316-317; Kanz al-ummal, vol. 6,
pp.72,82,88,155,319,391,392; vol. 8, p.215)
⁽²⁾.
After the Holy Prophet no one save Amir al-mu'minin could utter the challenge "Ask
whatever you want to." Ibn Abd al-Barr in Jami bayan al-ilm wa fadlihi, vol.1 p.58
and in al-Istiab, vol.3, p.l103; Ibn al-Athir in Usd al-ghabah, vol.4, p.22; Ibn
Abi'l-Hadid in Sharh Nahj al-balaghah, vol.7, p.46; as-Suyuti in Tarikh al-Khulafa', p.171
and Ibn Hajar al-Haytami in as-Sawaiq al-muhriqah, p.76 have written that "None
among the companions of the Holy Prophet ever said 'Ask me whatever you want to' except
Ali ibn Abi Talib." However, among other than the companions a few names do appear
in history who did utter such a challenge, such as Ibrahim ibn Hisham al-Makhzumi, Muqatil
ibn Sulayman, Qatadah ibn Diamah, Abd ar-Rahman (Ibn al-Jawzi) and Muhammad ibn Idris
ash-Shafii etc. but everyone of them had to face disgrace and was forced to take back his
challenge. This challenge can be urged only by him who knows the realities of the Universe
and is aware of the happenings of the future. Amir al-mu'minin, the opener of the door of
the Prophet's knowledge, as he was, was the only person who was never seen being unable to
answer any question on any occasion, so much so that even Caliph Umar had to say that
"I seek Allah's protection from the difficulty for the solution of which Ali would
not be available." Similarly, the prophecies of Amir al-mu'minin made about the
future proved true word by word and served as an index to his vast knowledge, whether they
be about the devastation of Banu Ummayyah or the rising of the Kharijites, the wars and
destruction by the Tartars or the attacks of the English, the floods of Basrah of the
ruination of Kufah. In short, when these events are historical realities there is no
reason why this challenge of Amir al-mu'minin should be wondered at.
.

Forward to Sermon 93.

Back to Sermon 91.