Lessons from Nahjul Balagha [Electronic resources] نسخه متنی

Sermons
Sermon
133

SERMON 133

Delivered when Caliph Umar ibn
al-Khattab consulted (1) Amir
al-mu'minin about himself, taking part in the march towards Rome (
Byzantine Empire ).

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.

(1).
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.