65. Imām Ali (a.s.) – from what he said after being sworn allegiance to for the caliphate. Some people from among the companions of the Prophet (s.a.w.) said to him: “You should punish the people who assaulted `Uthmān.” He (a.s.) answered: “O My brothers! I am not ignorant of what you know, but how do I have the power for it while those who assaulted him are in the height of their power? They have power over us and we do not have power over them.
They are those with whom your slaves have risen and the Bedouins have joined. They are now among you and harming you as they like. Do you see that you have any power to gain what you want? This is certainly an act of the pre-Islamic period (al-jāhiliyya) and these people have still roots in that period. When the matter is taken up, people will have different views about it. One group will see as you do, but another will see what you do not see and there will be still another group who will be neither this way nor that way. Be patient till the people calm down and hearts settle in their places so that rights can be easily achieved for the people. Let me be calm, and see what comes to you from me [wait for my order]. Do not do anything that can shatter your power, weaken your strength and create feebleness and disgrace. I shall control this affair as far as possible [not resorting to a war], but if I find it necessary, the last treatment will of course be branding with a hot iron [through war].”¹

65. عنه علیه السلام ـ مِن كَلامٍ لَهُ بَعدَما بويِعَ بِالخِلافَةِ، وقَد قالَ لَهُ قَومٌ مِنَ الصَّحابَةِ ـ: لَو عاقَبتَ قَوماً مِمَّن أجلَبَ عَلى عُثمانَ؟: يا إخوَتاه! إنّي لَستُ أجهَلُ ما تَعلَمونَ، ولكِن كَيفَ لي بِقُوَّةٍ وَالقَومُ المُجلَبونَ¹ عَلى حَدِّ شَوكَتِهِم، يَملِكونَنا ولا نَملِكُهُم؟!وهاهُم هؤُلاءِ قَد ثارَت مَعَهُم عِبدانُكُم، وَالتَفَّت إلَيهِم أعرابُكُم، وهُم خِلالَكُم يَسومونَكُم ما شاؤوا. وهل تَرَونَ مَوضِعاً لِقُدرَةٍ عَلى شَيءٍ تُريدونَهُ؟! إنَّ هٰذَا الأَمرَ أمرُ جاهِلِيَّةٍ. وإنَّ لِهٰؤُلاءِ القَومِ مادَّةً. إنَّ النّاسَ مِن هٰذَا الأَمرِ ـ إذٰا حُرِّكَ ـ عَلىٰ أُمورٍ: فِرقَةٌ تَرىٰ ما تَرَونَ، وفِرقَةٌ تَرىٰ ما لا تَرَونَ، وفِرقَةٌ لا تَرىٰ هٰذا ولا ذٰاكَ، فَاصبِروا حَتّىٰ يَهدَأَ النّاسُ، وتَقَعَ القُلوبُ مَواقِعَها، وتُؤخَذَ الحُقوقُ مُسمَحَةً، فَاهدَؤوا عَنّي، وَانظُروا ماذا يَأتيكُم بِهِ أمري، ولا تَفعَلوا فَعلَةً تُضَعضِعُ قُوَّةً، وتُسقِطُ مُنَّةً، وتورِثُ وَهناً وذِلَّةً. وسَاُمسِكُ الأَمرَ مَا استَمسَكَ. وإذا لَم أجِد بُدًّا فَآخِرُ الدَّواءِ الكَيُّ.²