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Sermons
Sermon
70
SERMON 70
In condemnation of the people
of Iraq
Now then, O ' people(1)
of Iraq! You are like the pregnant woman who, on completion of the
period of pregnancy delivers a dead child and her husband is also
dead and her period of widowhood is long while only remote
relation inherits her. By Allah, I did not come to you of my own
accord. I came to you by force of circumstances. I have come to
know that you say Ali speaks lie. May Allah fight you! Against
whom do I speak lie? Whether against Allah? But I am the first to
have believed in him. Whether against His Prophet? But I am the
first who testified to him. Certainly not. By Allah it was a way
of expression which you failed to appreciate, and you were not
capable of it. Woe to you. I am giving out these measures of nice
expression free of any cost. I wish there were vessels good enough
to hold them.
Certainly, you will
understand it after some time. (Qur'an, 38:88)
(1).
When after Arbitration the Iraqis displayed lethargy and
heartlessness in retaliating the continuous attacks of Muawiyah,
Amir al-mu'minin delivered this sermon abusing and admonishing
them. Herein he has referred to their being deceived at Siffin and
has likened them to a woman who has five qualities:
- i)
- Firstly, she is
pregnant. This implies that these people had full capability
to fight, and were not like a barren woman from whom nothing
is expected - ii)
- Secondly, she has
completed the period of pregnancy. That is they had passed
over all difficult stages and had approached near the final
goal of victory. - iii)
- Thirdly, she
wilfully miscarries her child. That is after coming close to
victory they came down to settlement and instead of achieving
the coveted goal faced disappointment. - iv)
- Fourthly, her
period of widowhood is long. That is they fell in such a state
as though they had no protector or patron and they were
roaming about without any ruler. - v)
- Fifthly, her
successors would be distant persons. That is the people of
Syria who had no relationship with them would occupy their
properties.
