469. Tārikh Dimashq – narrating from Ibn `Abbās: “Women fail to give birth to the like of the Commander of the Faithful Ali ibn Abi Tālib (a.s.). By God, I have neither seen nor heard of any chief to be compared to him. I saw him at the Battle of Siffin wearing a turban with the folders on both sides let down. His two eyes looked [glazing] like two fiery lights. He was standing before a small group and inciting them to fight until he reached me while I was standing amid the people. Then he said: “O Gathering of the Muslims! Let your heart feel the fear of God, lower the voices, put on tranquility, make use of the spears and before drawing your sword give it a good shake. Wave your swords to the left and right and strike them with their sharp edges. Coordinate your swords with your steps and your arrows with your spears. Certainly you are in the sight of God and in the company of the Prophet’s cousin. Launch your assaults consecutively and be ashamed of deserting, for it is a great shame that will remain in generations and it is fire on the Day of Account.
Keep yourselves lively and delighted. Step toward death readily and lightheartedly. Take care of (concentrate on) the bulk of the [enemy’s] troop and the tent whose ropes are stretched around and aim at their hearts, for the Satan has mounted the unruly camel and has extended his arms, holding one hand forward to attack and a foot backward to run away. So stay firm and persevere, so as the Light of God may shine on you, as: “…and when you have the upper hand and God is with you, and He will not stint [the reward of] your works.”¹²

470. Imām Ali (a.s.): “Do not let your banners bend down, nor leave it alone. Do not give it to anyone except the brave and the defenders of honor among you because they alone endure the befalling of troubles. And know that the guardians are those
who surround the banners and encircle them on all sides and do not let it be ruined. They do not remain behind lest they give them over to the enemy, nor they go ahead of them lest they leave them alone.”³

469. تاريخ دمشق عن ابن عبّاس: عَقِمَ النِّساءُ أن يَأتينَ بِمِثلِ أميرِ المُؤمِنينَ عَلِيِّ بنِ أبي طالِب، وَاللهِ، ما رَأَيتُ ولا سَمِعتُ رَئيساً يُوزَنُ بِهِ، لَرَأَيتُهُ يَومَ صِفّينَ وعَلى رَأسِهِ عِمامَةٌ قَد أرخى طَرَفَيها، كأَنَّ عَينَيهِ سِراجاً سَليط، وهوَ يَقِفُ عَلى شِرذِمَة يَحُضُّهُم، حَتّى انتَهى إلَيَّ وأنَا في كَنَفٍ مِنَ النّاسِ فَقالَ:
مَعاشِرَ المُسلِمينَ! استَشعِرُوا الخَشيَةَ، وغُضُّوا الأَصواتَ، وتَجَلبَبُوا السَّكينَةَ، وَاعملوا¹ الأَسِنَّةَ، وأقلِقوا² السُّيوفَ قَبلَ السَّلَّةِ، وَاطعُنوا الرّخرَ،³ ونافِحواِالظُّبا، وصِلُوا السُّيوفَ بِالخُطا، وَالنِّبالَ بِالرِّماحِ، فَإِنَّكُم بِعَينِ اللهِ ومَعَ ابنِ عَمِّ نَبِيِّهِ صلی الله علیه وآله .
عاوِدُوا الكَرّ، وَاستَحيوا مِنَ الفَرِّ؛ فَإِنَّهُ عارٌ باقٍ فِي الأَعقابِ وَالأَعناقِ، ونارٌيَومَ الحِسابِ. وطيبوا عَن أنفُسِكُم أنفُساً، وَامشوا إلَى المَوتِ أسححاً⁴. وعَلَيكُمبِهذَا السَّوادِ الأَعظَمِ، والرِّواقِ المطيّبِ،⁵ فَاضرِبوا ثَبَجَهُ؛⁶ فَإِنَّ الشَّيطانَ راكِبٌصَعبَةً، ومُفرِشٌ ذِراعَيهِ، قَد قَدَّمَ لِلوَثبَةِ يَداً، وأخَّرَ لِلنُّكوصِ رِجلاً، فَصَمداًصَمداً حَتّى يَتَجلّى لَكُم عَمودُ الدّينِ: (وَأَنتُمُ الاَْعْلَوْنَ وَ اللهُ مَعَكُمْ وَ لَن يَتِرَكُمْأَعْمَــلَكُمْ) ⁷.⁸

470. الإمام عليّ علیه السلام: لا تَميلوا بِراياتِكُم، ولا تُزيلوها، ولا تَجعَلوها إلّا مَعَ شُجعانِكُم؛ فَإِنَّ المانِعَ لِلذِّمارِ وَالصّابِرَ عِندَ نُزولِ الحَقائِقِ هُم أهلُ الحِفاظِ... وَاعلَموا أنَّ أهلَ الحِفاظِ هُمُ الَّذَينَ يَحُفّونَ بِراياتِهِم، ويَكتَنِفونَها، ويَصيرونَ حِفافَيها، ووَراءَها، وأمامَها، ولا يُضَيِّعونَها، لا يَتَأَخَّرونَ عَنها فَيُسَلِّموها، ولا يَتَقَدَّمونَ عَلَيها فَيُفرِدوها.⁹