Peak of Eloquence Nahjul Balagha By Imam Ali ibn Abu Talib - English Translation - Sermon 25

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When Amir al-Mu’minin (􀁸) received successive news that
Mu`awiyah’s men were occupying cities1 and his own officers in
Yemen namely `Ubaydullah ibn `Abbas and Sa’i d ibn Imran came to
him retreating after being overpowered by Bisr ibn Abu Arta’ah, he
was much disturbed by the slackness of his own men in jihad and
Nothing (is left to me) but Kufa which I can hold and extend
(which is in my hand to play with). (O Kufa) if this is your condition that
whirlwinds continue blowing through you then Allah may destroy you.
their difference with his opinion. Proceeding on the pulpit, he said:
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Then he illustrated with this verse of a poet:
O Amr! By your good father’s life, I have received only a small
bit of fat from this pot (fat that remains sticking to it even after it has been
emptied).
Then he went on to say:
I have been informed that Bisr has overpowered Yemen. By
Allah, I have begun thinking about these people that they would shortly
snatch away the whole country through their unity on their wrong and
your disunity (from your own right) and separation, your disobedience of
your Imam in matters of right and their obedience to their leader in
matters of wrong, their fulfillment of the trust in favor of their master and
your betrayal, their god work in their cities and your mischief. Even if I
give you charge of a wooden bowl I fear you would run away with its
handle.
O Lord! They are disgusted of me and I am disgusted of them.
They are weary of me and I am weary of them. Change them for me with
better ones and change me for them with a worse one. O my Allah melt
their hearts as salt melts in water. By Allah I wish I had only a thousand
horsemen of Banu Firas ibn Ghanm (as the poet says):
If you call them the horsemen would come to you like the
summer cloud.
Thereafter, Amir al-Mu’minin (􀁸) stepped down from the
pulpit.