Chapter One: The Answering of His Prayers

Encyclopedia of Imam Ali (AS), written by Muhammad Muhammadi Rayshahri, abridged by Mahdi Gholamali, translated by Zaid Alsalami and Safyullah Khan, edited by Hamid Reza Salarkia and published by NORPUB.

841. الإمام الباقر عليه السلام :

841. Imam al-Baqir (AS) said:

شَكا أهلُ الكوفَةِ إلى عَلِيٍّ عليه السلام زِيادَةَ الفُراتِ ،

“The people of Kufa complained to Ali (AS) about the rising of the Euphrates,

فَرَكِبَ هُوَ وَالحَسَنُ وَالحُسَينُ عليهماالسلام

so he along with Hasan and Husain (AS) rode

فَوَقَفَ عَلَى الفُراتِ

until they reached the Euphrates.

وقَدِ ارتَفَعَ الماءُ عَلى جانِبَيهِ ،

Its water had risen on either side.

فَضَرَبَهُ بِقَضيبِ رَسولِ اللّهِ صلى الله عليه و آله فَنَقَصَ ذِراعٌ ،

He hit [the surface] with the staff of the Messenger of God (SA), and the water level was reduced by an arms length.

وضَرَبَهُ اُخرى فَنَقَصَ ذِراعانِ .

He hit it another time, and the water was reduced by two arms length.

 فَقالوا : يا أميرَ المُؤمِنينَ ، لَو زِدتَنا !

They said: O Commander of the Faithful, if only you did us much favour!

 فَقالَ : إنّي سَأَلتُ اللّهَ فَأَعطاني ما رَأَيتُم ،

He said: I asked God, and He granted me that which you see.

وأكرَهُ أن أكونَ عَبدا مُلِحّا .

But I dislike to be a persistent servant.”

الخرائج والجرائح : ج 1 ص 173 ح 4 .

Al-Kharaij wa al-Jaraih, vol. 1, p. 173, h. 4.

842. شرح الأخبار عن الأصبغ بن نباتة:

842. Sharh al-Akhbar, reporting from Asbagh ibn Nubata, who said:

 لَمَّا انهَزَمَ أهلُ البَصرَةِ قامَ فَتىً إلى عَلِيٍّ صَلَواتُ اللّهِ عَلَيهِ ،

“When the people of Basra were defeated, a youth came to Ali (AS)

فَقالَ : ما بالُ ما فِي الأَخبِيَةِ لا تُقَسَّمُ ؟

and said: ‘Why is it that the spoils of war in the tents are not divided?’

فَقالَ عَلِيٌّ عليه السلام : لا حاجَةَ لي في فَتوَى المُتَعَلِّمينَ .

Ali (AS) said: I have not need for the verdict of learners.

قالَ : ثُمَّ قامَ إلَيهِ فَتىً آخَرُ ،

He said: Then another youth came to him

فَقالَ مِثلَ ذلِكَ ،

and said so,

فَرَدَّ عَلَيهِ مِثلَ ما رَدَّ أوَّلاً .

so he replied to him as he replied to the first.

فَقالَ لَهُ الفَتى : أمَا وَاللّهِ ما عَدَلتَ !

The youth said to him: By God you have not acted jusly!

فَقالَ لَهُ عَلِيٌّ عليه السلام :

Ali (AS) said to him:

إن كُنتَ كاذِبا فَبَلَغَ اللّهُ بِكَ سُلطانَ فَتى ثَقيفٍ .

If you are lying, may God prolong your life until you reach the rule of Thaqif youth.

 ثُمَّ قالَ عَلِيٌّ عليه السلام :

Then Ali (AS) said:

اللّهُمَّ إنّي قَد مَلَلتُهُم ومَلّوني ،

O God! I got fed up with them and they got fed up with me,

فَأَبدِلني بِهِم ما هُوَ خَيرٌ مِنهُم ،

so replace them for me with those who are better than them,

وأبدلِهُم بي ما هُوَ شَرٌّ لَهُم .

and replace me for them with one who is worse than me.

 قالَ الأَصبَغُ بنُ نُباتَةَ :

Asbagh ibn Nubata said:

فَبَلَغَ ذلِكَ الفَتى سُلطانَ الحَجّاجِ ،

That youth attained the authority of al- Hajjaj,

فَقَتَلَهُ .

and he killed him.”

شرح الأخبار : ج 2 ص 290 ح 605 .

Sharh al-Akhbar, vol. 2, p. 290, h. 605.