Sermon 6: By Allah, I shall not be like the badger that ...

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

وَاللهِ لاَ أَكُونُ كالضَّبُعِ:

By Allah, I shall not be like the badger,

تَنَامُ عَلى طُولِ اللَّدْمِ،

that feigns sleep on continuous (sound of) stone-throwing

حَتَّى يَصِلَ إِلَيْهَا طَالِبُهَا،

till he who is in search of it finds it

وَيَخْتِلَهَا رَاصِدُها،

or he who is on the look out for it overpowers it.

وَلكِنِّي أَضْرِبُ بِالمُقْبِلِ إِلَى الحَقِّ المُدْبِرَ عَنْهُ،

Rather, I shall ever strike the deviators from truth with the help of those who advance towards it,

وَبِالسَّامِعِ المُطِيعِ العَاصِيَ المُريبَ أَبَداً،

and the sinners and doubters with the help of those who listen to me and obey,

حَتَّى يَأْتِيَ عَلَيَّ يَوْمِي.

till my day (of death) comes.

فَوَاللهِ مَا زِلتُ مَدْفُوعاً عَنْ حَقِّي،

By Allah I have been continually deprived of my right,

مُسْتَأْثَراً عَلَيَّ،

with others being given preference to me,

مُنْذُ قَبَضَ اللهُ تعالى نَبِيَّهُ (صلى الله عليه وآله) حَتَّى يَوْمِ النَّاسِ هذَا.

from the day the Prophet died till today.