298. Imām Ali (a.s.): “By God, even if I was given all the seven domains and all that exists under the skies in order to disobey God to the extent of snatching one grain of barley from an ant I would not do so. For me your world is inferior than the leaf in the mouth of a locust that is chewing it. What has Ali to do with bounties that will pass away and pleasures that will not last?”1
299. Imām Ali (a.s.): “On the Day of Resurrection I will argue with people regarding nine things: Performing of prayers (salāt), paying alms tax (zakāt), enjoining good and forbidding wrong, doing justice among people, equal distribution, fighting in the path of God, implementing punishments, and the like.”2
300. Tārikh Dimashq – narrated by Ali ibn Rabi`a: “Ja`da ibn Hubayra came to Ali (a.s.) and said: “O Commander of Faithful! If two men come to you and you are more likeable to one of them than his own soul or his household or his wealth and the other one would kill you if he could, then would you judge in favor of the first man and against the second one?!”
He struck me on my chest and said: “Indeed, if it were up to me, I would do so; but this is an affair pertaining to God.”3
301. Al-Kāmil fi al-Tārikh – in a report about `Ubaydullah ibn al-Hurr al-Ju`fi: 4 “When `Uthmān was killed and the war broke
out between Ali (a.s.) and Mu`āwiya, he [`Ubaydullah] went towards Mu`āwiya and remained with him because of his love for `Uthmān. He and Mālik ibn Misma` accompanied Mu`āwiya in the battle of Siffin. `Ubaydullah stayed with Mu`āwiya and his wife was in Kufa and since his separation lasted long, his brother-in-law married her off to someone called `Ikrama ibn Khabis. When `Ubaydullah was informed about this, he left for Kufa and went to Ali (a.s.) to make a complaint against `Ikrama.
Ali (a.s.) told him: “You helped out the enemy and now you are infuriated?
`Ubaydullah said: “Will this deprive me of your justice?”
The Imām said: “No.”Then he told his story to Ali (a.s.) and he returned his wife to him. She was pregnant, so he left her with someone whom he trusted until she gave birth to her child and he handed the child to `Ikrima and returned the woman to `Ubaydullah. He [`Ubaydullah] went back to Shām where he stayed until Ali (a.s.) was killed.”5
1.. Nahj al-Balāghah, Sermon ۲۲۴, al-Sirāt al-Mustaqim, vol. ۱, p. ۱۶۳, Yanābi’ al-Mawadda, vol. ۱, p. ۴۴۲, h. ۶
2.. Fadā'il al-Sahāba, vol. ۱, p. ۵۳۸, h. ۸۹۸, al-Khisāl, p. ۳۶۳, h. ۵۳.
3.. Tārikh Dimashq, vol. ۴۲, p. ۴۸۸, al-Bidāya wa al-Nihāya, vol. ۸, p.۵, Manāqib al-Imām Amir al-Mu'minin, vol. ۲, p. ۵۷, h. ۵۴۵.
4.`Ubaydullah ibn Hurr al-Ju`fi was a brave warrior and one of the companions of `Uthmān. When the latter was killed, `Ubaydullah became inclined towards Mu`āwiya and said: “God knows that I love `Uthmān and I will help him until I die.”
He therefore left for Shām and attended the Battle of Siffin along with Mu`āwiya and remained beside him until Ali (a.s.) was killed. After the uprising of Imām Husain (a.s.), he left Kufa so that the Imām would not enter Kufa while he was there, as he said: “By God, I do not want to see him nor should he see me.”
When Imām Husain (a.s.) entered Qasr Bani Maqātil (one of the rest areas between Mecca and Kufa) and saw his tent, he sent one of his companions to him [`Ubaydallah] to call him for his assistance, but he did not reply. Imām Husain (a.s.) put on his shoes and went to him, he greeted him and sat down. Then he invited him to join the uprising, but he did not accept.
After Imām Husain (a.s.) was killed, `Ubaydallah went to visit Ibn Ziyād who had reprimanded him for not helping the troops of Yazid against Imām Husain (a.s.). He then held back his tears and left for the land of Karbala. He observed the battlefield and asked for God’s forgiveness for them and composed a long poem in which he praised Imām Husain (a.s.) and his martyred companions, showing his repentance and pity for not joining them in the uprising against the trickster tyrants of the time.
He and his children rose up and turned to fighting and robbery. He robbed not only private but also public property. His uprising continued through the time of Mukhtār and Mus`ab, ending up to his cooperation with `Abd al-Malik ibn Marwān. He was killed when confronting the troops of Mus`ab. [Tārikh al-Tabari, vol. ۶, p. ۱۲۸-۱۳۸]
5.. al-Kāmil fi al-Tārikh, vol. ۳, p. ۲۵.
