انَّ اللهَ سُبحانَه بَعَثَ مُحَمَّداً نَذِيراً لِلْعَالَمِينَ،
Verily, Allah sent Muhammad (S) as a warner (against vice) for all the worlds
وَأَمِيناً عَلَى التَّنْزِيلِ،
and a trustee of His revelation,
وَأَنْتُمْ مَعْشَرَ العَرَبِ عَلَى شَرِّ دِينٍ،
while you people of Arabia were following the worst religion
وَفِي شَرِّ دَارٍ، مُنِيخُونَ بَيْنَ حِجارَةٍ خُشْنٍ وَحَيَّاتٍ صُمٍّ
and you resided among rough stones and venomous serpents.
تشْرَبُونَ الكَدِرَ،
You drank dirty water
وَتَأْكُلُونَ الجَشِبَ
and ate filthy food.
وَتَسْفِكُونَ دِمَاءَكُمْ،
You shed blood of each other
وَتَقْطَعُونَ أَرْحَامَكُمْ،
and cared not for relationship.
الاْصْنَامُ فِيكُمْ مَنْصُوبَةٌ،
Idols are fixed among you
وَالاْثَامُ بِكُمْ مَعْصُوبَةٌ
and sins are clinging to you.
منها:
Part of the same sermon in describing his condition before allegiance was paid to him (after the death of the Holy Prophet)
فَنَظَرْتُ فَإِذَا لَيْسَ لِي مُعِينٌ إِلاَّ أَهْلُ بَيْتِي،
I looked and found that there is no supporter for me except family,
فَضَنِنْتُ بِهمْ عَنِ المَوْتِ،
so I refrained from thrusting them unto death.
وَأَغْضَيْتُ عَلَى القَذَى،
I kept my eyes closed despite motes in them.
وَشَرِبْتُ عَلَى الشَّجَا
I drank despite choking of throat.
وَصَبَرْتُ عَلَى أَخْذِ الكَظَمِ،
I exercised patience despite trouble in breathing
وَعَلىْ أَمَرَّ مِنْ طَعْمِ العَلْقَمِ.
and despite having to take sour colocynth as food.
ومنها:
Part of the same sermon on the settlement between Mu’awiyah and ‘Amr ibn al-’As
وَلَمْ يُبَايعْ حَتَّى شَرَطَ أَنْ يُؤْتِيَهِ عَلَى البَيْعَةِ ثَمَناً،
He did not swear allegiance till he got him to agree that he would pay him its price.
فَلاَ ظَفِرَتْ يَدُ المبايِعِ،
The hand of this purchaser (of allegiance) may not be successful
وخَزِيَتْ أَمَانَةُ المُبْتَاعِ
and the contract of the seller may face disgrace.
فَخُذُوا لِلْحَرْبِ أُهْبَتَهَا وَأعِدُّوا لَهَا عُدَّتَهَا،
Now you should take up arms for war and arrange equipment for it.
فَقَدْ شَبَّ لَظَاهَا وَعَلاَ سَنَاهَا
Its flames have grown high and its brightness has increased.
وَاسْتَشْعِرُوا الصَّبْرَ فَإِنَّهُ أحْزَمُ لِلنَّصْرِ.
Clothe yourself with patience for it is the best to victory.1
Alternative Sources for Sermon 26: Ibn Qutaybah, al-'Imamah, I, 154; al-Thaqafi, al-Gharat, I, 303, II, 633; al-Tabari, al-Mustarshid, 95; Ibn Tawus, Kashf, 173; al-Kulayni, al-Rasa'il, mentioned by Ibn Tawus, op. cit.
1. Amir al-mu'minin had delivered a sermon before setting off for Nahrawan. These are three parts from it. In the first part he has described the condition of Arabia before Proclamation (of Prophethood); in the second he has referred to circumstances which forced him to keep quiet and in the third he has described the conversation and settlement between Mu`awiyah and `Amr ibn al-`As. The position of this mutual settlement was that when Amir al-mu'minin sent Jarir ibn `Abdillah al-Bajali to Mu`awiyah to secure his allegiance he detained Jarir under the excuse of giving a reply, and in the meantime he began exploring how far the people of Syria would support him. When he succeeded in making them his supporters by rousing them to avenge `Uthman's blood he consulted his brother `Utbah ibn Abi Sufyan. He suggested, "If in this matter `Amr ibn al-`As was associated he would solve most of the difficulties through his sagacity, but he would not be easily prepared to stabilise your authority unless he got the price he desired for it. If you are ready for this he would prove the best counsellor and helper." Mu`awiyah liked this suggestion, sent for `Amr ibn al-`As and discussed with him, and eventually it was settled that he would avenge `Uthman's blood by holding Amir al-mu'minin liable for it in exchange for the governorship of Egypt, and by whatever means possible would not let Mu`awiyah's authority in Syria suffer. Consequently, both of them fulfilled the agreement and kept their words fully.
