517. Waq`at Siffin – narrating from Tamim: “Whenever Ali (a.s.) set out for a battle, he would utter the name of God when mounting [his horse] and say: “Thanks be to God for His bounties to us and His immense Grace! “Immaculate is He who has disposed this for us, and we [by ourselves] were no match for it. Indeed we shall return to our Lord.”1
Then he would face the Ka`ba, raise his hands towards heaven and say: “O God! The steps were taken toward You, the bodies tired out, the hearts inclined to You, the hands raised up and the eyes turned keen. “Our Lord! Judge justly between us and our people, and you are the best of judges!”2
Then he would say: “God is the greatest! God is the greatest! There is no god save God! God is the greatest! O God! O Ahad (One)! O Samad (Everlasting Refuge)! O Lord of Muhammad! “In the Name of Allah, the All-Beneficent, the All-Merciful” There is no power and no strength save in Allah, the All-Exalted, the All-Supreme. All praise belongs to Allah, Lord of all the worlds, the All-Beneficent, the All-Merciful, Master of the Day of Retribution, You [alone] do we worship, and to You [alone] do we return for help.”3 O Lord! Repel from us the oppression of the oppressors”. This was his slogan in the battle of Siffin.4
F. Beginning the Battle in the Afternoon
518. Waq‘atu Siffin: “The Commander of the Faithful (a.s.) would not start fighting except in the afternoon and he would say: “At this time the doors of heaven will be open, mercy is accepted and victory descends.”
He would also say: “This time [the afternoon] is closer to the evening, helps reduce murder, helps the warriors to disengage [from] chasing the enemy] and the defeated to be saved.”5
1.. Qur'ān, ۴۳:۱۳-۱۴.
2.. Qur'ān, ۷:۸۹.
3.. Qur'ān, ۱:۲-۵.
4.. Waq`at Siffin, p. ۲۳۰ ۲۳۱, Bihār al-Anwār, vol. ۳۲, p. ۴۶۰, h. ۳۹۷ vol. ۱۰۰, p. ۳۶, h. ۳۱.
5.. al-Kāfi, vol. ۵, p. ۲۸, h. ۵, `Ilal al-Sharā'i`, p. ۶۰۳, p. ۷۰.
