Peak of Eloquence Nahjul Balagha By Imam Ali ibn Abu Talib - English Translation - Letter 62

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To the People of Egypt Sent Through Malik al-Ashtar When He Was Made Governor

Allah, the Glorified One, deputed Muhammad (h) as a warner for all the worlds and a witness for all the prophets. When the Prophet (h) expired, the Muslims quarrelled about power after him. By Allah, it never occurred to me and I never imagined that after the Prophet (h) the Arabs would snatch away the caliphate from his Ahlul-Bayt (x), nor that

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they would take it away from me after him, but I suddenly noticed how people surrounded the man to swear the oath of allegiance to him.216

I, therefore, withheld my hand till I saw that many people were reverting from Islam and trying to destroy the religion of Muhammad (h). I then feared that if I did not protect Islam and its people, and if

there occurred in it a breach or destruction, it would mean a greater blow to me than the loss of power over you which was, in any case, to last for a few days of which everything would pass away as the mirage passes away, or as the cloud scuds away. Therefore, in these eventualities, I rose till wrong was destroyed and disappeared and religion attained peace and safety.

An excerpt from the same letter:

By Allah, if I had encountered them alone and they had been so numerous as to fill earth to the brim, I will not have worried or become perplexed. I am clear in myself and possess conviction from Allah about their misguidance and my guidance. I am hopeful and expectant that I will meet Allah and get His good reward. But I am worried that foolish and wicked people will control the affairs of the entire community. The result: They will grab the funds of Allah as their own property and make His people slaves,217 fight with the virtuous and ally with the sinful. Indeed, there is among them whoever drank (wine) unlawfully218 and was consisted of several pious persons like ibn Mas`Åd, was outraged and felt further irritated when, finishing the four raka’at, al-Walid said the following: “What a pleasant morning?! I would like to extend the prayers. Furthermore, if you consent, repeated complaints had already been made to the caliph against al-Walid on account of his debauchery, but as often dismissed.” People now reproached Othman for not listening to their grievances and favoring such a scoundrel. By chance, they succeeded in taking off the signet ring from the hand of the Governor as he lay unconscious from the effects of an act of his whipped by way of punishment fixed by Islam and there is whoever did not accept Islam till he had secured financial gain through it.219 If this had not been so, I would not have emphasized gathering you, reprimanding you, mobilizing you and urging you (for jihad), but if you refuse and show weakness, I will leave you.

Do you not see that the boundaries of your cities have diminished, your populated areas have been conquered, your possessions have been snatched away and your cities and lands have been assaulted? May Allah have mercy on you, get up to fight your enemy and do not remain confined to the ground; otherwise, you will face oppression and suffer ignominy and your fate will be the worst. The warrior should be wakeful because if he sleeps, the enemy does not sleep, and that is the end of the matter.