Lessons from Nahjul Balagha [Electronic resources] نسخه متنی

Sermons
Sermon
6

SERMON
6

Delivered on being advised not
to chase Talhah ibn Ubaydillah and az-Zubayr ibn al-Awwam
for fighting. (1)

By Allah I shall not
be like the badger, which feigns sleep on continuous (sound of)
stone-throwing till he who is in search of it finds it or he who
is on the look out for it overpowers it. Rather, I shall ever
strike the deviators from truth with the help of those who advance
towards it, and the sinners and doubters with the help of those
who listen to me and obey, till my day (of death) comes. By Allah
I have been continually deprived of my right from the day the
Prophet died till today.

(1).
When Amir al-mu'minin showed intention to chase Talhah and
az-Zubayr, he was advised to leave them on their own lest he
received some harm from them. Amir al-mu'minin uttered these words
in reply, the sum total whereof is: "How long can I be a mere
spectator to my right being snatched and keep quiet. Now, so long
as I have breath of life I shall fight them and make them suffer
the consequences of their conduct. They should not think that I
can be easily over-powered like the badger."

Dabu means badger.
Its nickname is Umm Amir and Umm Turrayq. It is also called
"the glutton", because it swallows everything and eats
up whatever it gets as if several bellies were contained in one,
and they do not have their fill. It is also called Nathal. It is
a very simple and silly animal. Its slyness is apparent from the
way it is easily caught. It is said that the hunter surrounds its
den and strikes it with his foot or a stick, and calls out softly,
"Bow you head Umm Turrayq, conceal yourself Umm Amir."
On repeating this sentence and patting the ground, it conceals
itself in a corner of the den. Then the hunter says, "Umm
Amir is not in its den, it is sleeping." On hearing this it
stretches its limbs and feigns sleep. The hunter then puts the
knot in its feet and drags it out, and if falls like a coward into
his hand without resistance.