Letter 75: To Mu`awiyah, soon after Amir al-mu'minin was sworn in

After the Muslims took oath of allegiance to Imam Ali (AS), he wrote the following letter to Muawiya. (Muhammad ibn `Umar) al-Waqidi has mentioned this in his Kitab al-Jamal

مِنْ عَبْدِ اللهِ عَلِيّ أَمِيرِالْمُؤْمِنِينَ إِلَى مُعَاوِيَةَ بْنِ أَبِي سُفْيَانَ:

From the servant of Allah, `Ali Amir al-mu'minin to Mu`awiyah son of Abu Sufyan:

أَمَّا بَعْدُ،

Now,

فَقَدْ عَلِمْتَ إِعْذَارِي فِيكُمْ،

you are aware of my excuses before you people

وَإِعْرَاضِي عَنْكُمْ،

and my shunning you

حَتَّى كَانَ مَا لاَ بُدَّ مِنْهُ وَلاَ دَفْعَ لَهُ،

till that happened which was inevitable and which could not be prevented.

وَالْحَدِيثُ طَوِيلٌ،

The stroy is long

وَالْكَلاَمُ كَثِيرٌ،

and much is to be said.

وَقَدْ أَدْبَرَ مَا أَدْبَرَ،

What was to pass has passed

وَأَقْبَلَ مَا أَقْبَلَ،

and what was to come has come.

فَبَايِعْ مَنْ قِبَلَكَ،

Therefore, secure (my) allegiance from those who are with you

وَأَقْبِلْ إِلَيَّ فِي وَفْد مِنْ أَصْحَابِكَ،

and come in a deputation of your people to me;

وَالسَّلاَمُ.

and that is an end to the matter.