Battle of Jamal

Summary:

It is narrated from Suleym Bin Qays who said, ‘I battled alongside Ali^-asws on the Day of the Camel (Al-Jamal) and we were 12,000 men, and the army and companions of the Camel had more than 120,000 men. The army was led by Aisha and it was defeated in the battle.  Talha and Zubeyr, also leaders of the army, were both killed.  After defeating them, Amir-ul-Momineen^-asws sent Aisha back to Medina in the company of female soldiers.[1]

In a Hadith, Amir ul-Momineen^-asws said:

‘And Amir ul-Momineen^-asws wrote a letter to the Shias in which he^-asws mentioned the coming out of Aisha to Al-Basra for battle and the major error of Talha and Zubeyr. He^-asws said: ‘And is there an error greater than this? They have brought out the wife of the Rasool-Allah^-saww from her house, and uncovered her veil which Allah^-azwj had Veiled upon her whilst they kept their own wives in their houses!’ They have not done justice to Allah^-azwj and His^-azwj Rasool^‑saww’.

Aisha, Talha and Zubeyr all performed three (evil) acts referenced in the Book of Allah^-azwj – The rebellion, the plotting, and the breaking (of allegiance). Allah^-azwj Said [10:23] O you people! Your rebellion is against your own souls, and Said [48:10] Therefore whoever breaks (the Covenant), he breaks it only against his own soul, and Said [35:43] and the evil plans shall not weigh down any except the planners of it. (Ali^-asws said) and they have rebelled against us^-asws, and broke their allegiance with me^-asws, and plotted against me^-asws’.[2]

 Introduction:

الأمالي للشيخ الطوسي جَمَاعَةٌ عَنْ أَبِي الْمُفَضَّلِ عَنْ عَلِيِّ بْنِ مُحَمَّدِ بْنِ مَخْلَدٍ عَنْ عَبَّادِ بْنِ سَعِيدٍ الْجُعْفِيِّ عَنْ مُحَمَّدِ بْنِ عُثْمَانَ بْنِ أَبِي الْبُهْلُولِ عَنْ صَالِحِ بْنِ أَبِي الْأَسْوَدِ عَنْ هَاشِمِ بْنِ الْبَرِيدِ عَنْ أَبِي سَعِيدٍ التَّيْمِيِّ عَنْ ثَابِتٍ مَوْلَى أَبِي ذَرٍّ رَحِمَهُ اللَّهُ قَالَ: شَهِدْتُ مَعَ عَلِيٍّ ع يَوْمَ الْجَمَلِ فَلَمَّا رَأَيْتُ عَائِشَةَ وَاقِفَةً دَخَلَنِي مِنَ الشَّكِّ بَعْضُ مَا يَدْخُلُ‏ النَّاسَ فَلَمَّا زَالَتِ الشَّمْسُ كَشَفَ اللَّهُ ذَلِكَ عَنِّي فَقَاتَلْتُ مَعَ أَمِيرِ الْمُؤْمِنِينَ ع

(The book) ‘Al Amaali’ of the sheykh Al Tusy – ‘A group, from Abu Al Mufazzal, from Ali Bin Muhammad Bin Makhlad, from Abbad bin Saeed Al Jufy, from Muhammad Bin Usman Bin Abu Al Bahloul, from Salih bin Abu Al Aswad, from Hashim Bin Al Bareed, from Abu Saeed Al Taymi,

‘From Sabit a slave of Abu Zarr^-ra who said, ‘I attended the day of (battle of) Al-Jamal. When I saw Ayesha paused there entered into me from the doubt, some of what entered into the people. When the sun declined (midday) Allah^-azwj Removed that from me and I fought alongside Amir Al-Momineen^-asws.

ثُمَّ أَتَيْتُ بَعْدَ ذَلِكَ أُمَّ سَلَمَةَ زَوْجَ النَّبِيِّ ص وَ رَحِمَهَا فَقَصَصْتُ عَلَيْهَا قِصَّتِي فَقَالَتْ كَيْفَ صَنَعْتَ حِينَ طَارَتِ الْقُلُوبُ مَطَائِرَهَا قَالَ قُلْتُ إِلَى أَحْسَنِ ذَلِكِ وَ الْحَمْدُ لِلَّهِ كَشَفَ اللَّهُ عَزَّ وَ جَلَّ عَنِّي ذَلِكِ عِنْدَ زَوَالِ الشَّمْسِ فَقَاتَلْتُ مَعَ أَمِيرِ الْمُؤْمِنِينَ ع قِتَالًا شَدِيداً

Then after that I came to Umm Salma^-ra, wife of the Prophet^-saww and I related the story to her^-ra. She^-ra said, ‘What did you do when the hearts flew its flying?’ I said, ‘I was good to that, and the Praise is for Allah^-azwj. Allah^-azwj Mighty and Majestic Removed that from me at midday and I fought alongside Amir Al Momineen^-aswsa severe fight’.

فَقَالَتْ أَحْسَنْتَ سَمِعْتُ رَسُولَ اللَّهِ ص يَقُولُ عَلِيٌّ مَعَ الْقُرْآنِ وَ الْقُرْآنُ مَعَهُ لَا يَفْتَرِقَانِ حَتَّى يَرِدَا عَلَيَّ الْحَوْضَ‏.

She^-ra said: ‘You have done well. I^-ra heard Rasool-Allah^-saww saying: ‘Ali^-asws is with the Quran and the Quran is with him^-asws. They will not separate until they return to me^-saww at the Fountain’’.[3]

Background to the Battle of Jamal:

أَقُولُ قَالَ ابْنُ أَبِي الْحَدِيدِ فِي شَرْحِ النَّهْجِ‏، قَالَ عَلِيٌّ ع لِلزُّبَيْرِ يَوْمَ بَايَعَهُ إِنِّي لَخَائِفٌ أَنْ تَغْدِرَ بِي فَتَنْكُثَ بَيْعَتِي قَالَ لَا تَخَافَنَّ فَإِنَّ ذَلِكَ لَا يَكُونُ مِنِّي أَبَداً

I (Majlisi) am saying, ‘Ibn Abi Al-Hadeed said in the commentary of Al-Nahaj (Al-Balagah), ‘Ali^‑asws said to Al-Zubeyr on the day of the allegiance: ‘I^-asws am fearful of you being treacherous with me^-asws and breaking my^-asws allegiance’. He said, ‘Do not fear, for that will not be happening from me, ever!’

فَقَالَ عَلِيٌّ ع فَلِيَ اللَّهُ عَلَيْكَ بِذَلِكَ رَاعٍ وَ كَفِيلٌ قَالَ نَعَمْ اللَّهُ لَكَ عَلَيَّ بِذَلِكَ رَاعٍ وَ كَفِيلٌ

Ali^-asws said: ‘For me^-asws, there is Allah^-azwj upon you with that, a Caretaker and a Guarantor’. He said, ‘Yes, Allah^-azwj is for you^-asws upon me with that as a Caretaker and a Guarantor’.

وَ لَمَّا بُويِعَ ع كَتَبَ إِلَى مُعَاوِيَةَ أَمَّا بَعْدُ فَإِنَّ النَّاسَ قَتَلُوا عُثْمَانَ عَنْ غَيْرِ مَشُورَةٍ مِنِّي وَ بَايَعُونِي عَنْ مَشُورَةٍ مِنْهُمْ وَ اجْتِمَاعٍ فَإِذَا أَتَاكَ كِتَابِي فَبَايِعْ لِي وَ أَوْفِدْ إِلَيَّ [في‏] أَشْرَافَ أَهْلِ الشَّامِ قِبَلَكَ

And when allegiance was pledged, he^-asws wrote to Muawiya: ‘As for after, the people have killed Usman from without any consultation being from me^-asws and they have pledged allegiance to me^-asws from a consultation from them and unity. When my^-asws letter gets to you, then pledge allegiance to me^-asws and send a delegation to me^-asws of the nobles of the people of Syria in your presence’.

فَلَمَّا قَدِمَ رَسُولُهُ عَلَى مُعَاوِيَةَ وَ قَرَأَ كِتَابَهُ بَعَثَ رَجُلًا مِنْ بَنِي عَبْسٍ وَ كَتَبَ مَعَهُ كِتَاباً إِلَى الزُّبَيْرِ بْنِ الْعَوَّامِ وَ فِيهِ‏ بِسْمِ اللَّهِ الرَّحْمنِ الرَّحِيمِ‏ لِعَبْدِ اللَّهِ الزُّبَيْرِ أَمِيرِ الْمُؤْمِنِينَ مِنْ مُعَاوِيَةَ بْنِ أَبِي سُفْيَانَ سَلَامٌ عَلَيْكَ أَمَّا بَعْدُ فَإِنِّي قَدْ بَايَعْتُ لَكَ أَهْلَ الشَّامِ فَأَجَابُوا وَ اسْتَوْثَقُوا الْحَلْفَ فَدُونَكَ الْكُوفَةَ وَ الْبَصْرَةَ لَا يَسْبِقَنَّكَ لَهَا ابْنُ أَبِي طَالِبٍ فَإِنَّهُ لَا شَيْ‏ءَ بَعْدَ هَذَيْنِ الْمِصْرَيْنِ

When his^-asws messenger arrived to Muawiya and he read his^-asws letter, he sent a man from the clan of Absi and wrote with him a letter to Al-Zubeyr Bin Al-Awwam, and in it (was written): – ‘In the Name of Allah^-azwj the Beneficent, the Merciful. To Abdullah Al-Zubeyr, commander of the faithful, from Muawiya Bin Abu Sufyan. The greetings be unto you! As for after, I have pledged allegiances of the people of Syria to you, and they have responded and are trusting with the oath, and for you is Al-Kufa and Al-Basra besides for you. Do not let the son^-asws of Abu Talib^-asws precede you to these, for there is nothing after these two cities.

وَ قَدْ بَايَعْتُ لِطَلْحَةَ بْنِ عُبَيْدِ اللَّهِ مِنْ بَعْدِكَ فَأَظْهِرَا الطَّلَبَ بِدَمِ عُثْمَانَ وَ ادْعُوَا النَّاسَ إِلَى ذَلِكَ وَ لْيَكُنْ مِنْكُمَا الْجِدُّ وَ التَّشْمِيرُ أَظْهَرَكُمَا اللَّهُ وَ خَذَلَ مُنَاوِئَكُمَا

And I have pledged allegiance to Talha Bin Ubeydullah from after you, so manifest demanding the blood of Usman, and call the people to that, and let there be diligence and the purpose from you both. May Allah^-azwjMake you victorious, and Abandon your enemies’.

فَلَمَّا وَصَلَ هَذَا الْكِتَابُ إِلَى الزُّبَيْرِ سُرَّ بِهِ وَ أَعْلَمَ بِهِ طَلْحَةَ وَ أَقْرَأَهُ إِيَّاهُ فَلَمْ يَشُكَّا فِي النُّصْحِ لَهُمَا مِنْ قِبَلِ مُعَاوِيَةَ وَ أَجْمَعَا عِنْدَ ذَلِكَ عَلَى خِلَافِ عَلِيٍّ

When this letter reached Al-Zubeyr, he was cheered by it and let Talha know of it and read it out to him. They did not have any complaints regarding the advice from the direction of Muawiya and they united at that upon opposing Ali^-asws’.

قَالَ وَ جَاءَ الزُّبَيْرُ وَ طَلْحَةُ إِلَى عَلِيٍّ ع بَعْدَ الْبَيْعَةِ لَهُ بِأَيَّامٍ فَقَالا لَهُ يَا أَمِيرَ الْمُؤْمِنِينَ قَدْ رَأَيْتَ مَا كُنَّا فِيهِ مِنَ الْجَفْوَةِ فِي وَلَايَةِ عُثْمَانَ كُلِّهَا وَ عَلِمْتَ أَنَّ رَأْيَ عُثْمَانَ كَانَ فِي بَنِي أُمَيَّةَ وَ قَدْ وَلَّاكَ اللَّهُ الْخِلَافَةَ مِنْ بَعْدِهِ فَوَلِّنَا بَعْضَ أَعْمَالِكَ

He (Ibn Abi Al-Hadeed) said, ‘And Al-Zubeyr and Talha came to Ali^-asws after the allegiance to him^-asws, by a few days, and they said to him^-asws, ‘O Amir Al-Momineen^-asws! You^-asws have seen what we both have been in from the disloyalty regarding the governance of Usman, all of it, and you^-asws know that the view of Usman was regarding the clan of Umayya, and Allah^-azwj has Made you^-asws charge of the caliphate from after it, so make us in charge of part of your^‑asws office bearers’.

فَقَالَ لَهُمَا ارْضَيَا بِقِسْمِ اللَّهِ لَكُمَا حَتَّى أَرَى رَأْيِي وَ اعْلَمَا أَنِّي لَا أُشْرِكُ فِي أَمَانَتِي إِلَّا مَنْ أَرْضَى بِدِينِهِ وَ أَمَانَتِهِ مِنْ أَصْحَابِي وَ مَنْ قَدْ عَرَفْتُ دَخِيلَهُ

He^-asws said to them both, ‘Do you both agree with the Apportionment of Allah^-azwj for you until you view my^-asws view, and you know that I^-asws will not participate in my^-asws entrustment except the one from my^-aswscompanions I^-asws am pleased with his religion, and his trustworthiness, and I^-asws know his inclusion’.

فَانْصَرَفَا عَنْهُ وَ قَدْ دَخَلَهُمَا الْيَأْسُ فَاسْتَأْذَنَاهُ فِي الْعُمْرَةِ وَ رُوِيَ أَنَّهُمَا طَلَبَا مِنْهُ أَنْ يُوَلِّيَهُمَا الْمِصْرَيْنِ الْبَصْرَةَ وَ الْكُوفَةَ فَقَالَ حَتَّى أَنْظُرَ ثُمَّ لَمْ يُوَلِّهِمَا فَأَتَيَاهُ فَاسْتَأْذَنَاهُ لِلْعُمْرَةِ

They both left from him^-asws and the despair had entered into them. They sought permission regarding performing Umrah. And it is reported they both sought him^-asws that he^-asws make them governors of the two cities, Al-Basra and Al-Kufa. He^-asws said: ‘(Wait) until I^-asws consider’. Then he^-asws did not place them in-charge. So, they came to him^-asws and sought his^‑asws permission for the Umrah.

فَقَالَ مَا الْعُمْرَةَ تُرِيدَانِ فَحَلَفَا لَهُ بِاللَّهِ مَا الْخِلَافَ عَلَيْهِ وَ لَا نَكْثَ بَيْعَتِهِ يُرِيدَانِ وَ مَا رَأْيُهُمَا غَيْرَ الْعُمْرَةِ قَالَ لَهُمَا فَأَعِيدَا الْبَيْعَةَ لِي ثَانِياً فَأَعادَاهَا بِأَشَدِّ مَا يَكُونُ مِنَ الْأَيْمَانِ وَ الْمَوَاثِيقِ فَأَذِنَ لَهُمَا

He^-asws said: ‘It is not the Umrah which you two are intending’. They swore on oath to him^-asws by Allah^-azwj, they were neither intending to oppose him^-asws, nor will they be breaking his^-asws allegiance, and they were not viewing apart from the Umrah. He^-asws said to them: ‘Then repeat the allegiance to me^-asws secondly’. They repeated it with the most intense as could be from the oath and the covenant, so he^-asws permitted to them.

فَلَمَّا خَرَجَا مِنْ عِنْدِهِ قَالَ لِمَنْ كَانَ حَاضِراً وَ اللَّهِ لَا تَرَوْنَهُمَا إِلَّا فِي فِئَةٍ يَقْتَتِلَانِ فِيهَا قَالُوا يَا أَمِيرَ الْمُؤْمِنِينَ فَمُرْ بِرَدِّهِمَا عَلَيْكَ قَالَ‏ لِيَقْضِيَ اللَّهُ أَمْراً كانَ مَفْعُولًا

When they went out from his^-asws presence, he^-asws said to the one who were present: ‘By Allah^-azwj! I^-asws do not see them except among a group fighting against me^-asws’. They said, ‘O Amir Al-Momineen^-asws! Then order for their return to you^-asws!’ He^-asws said: ‘but for Allah to Accomplish a matter which was to be done, [8:42].

فَلَمَّا خَرَجَا إِلَى مَكَّةَ لَمْ يَلْقَيَا أَحَداً إِلَّا وَ قَالا لَهُ لَيْسَ لِعَلِيٍّ فِي أَعْنَاقِنَا بَيْعَةٌ وَ إِنَّمَا بَايَعْنَاهُ مُكْرَهَيْنِ

When they both went out to Makkah, they did not meet anyone except and they said to him, ‘There is no allegiance in our necks for Ali^-asws, and rather we have pledged allegiance to him^‑asws being coerced’.

فَبَلَغَ عَلِيّاً قَوْلُهُمَا فَقَالَ أَبْعَدَهُمَا اللَّهُ وَ أَغْرَبَ دَارَهُمَا أَمَا وَ اللَّهِ لَقَدْ عَلِمْتُ أَنَّهُمَا سَيَقْتُلَانِ أَنْفُسَهُمَا أَخْبَثَ مَقْتَلٍ وَ يَأْتِيَانِ مَنْ وَرَدَا عَلَيْهِ بِأَشْأَمِ يَوْمٍ وَ اللَّهِ مَا الْعُمْرَةَ يُرِيدَانِ وَ لَقَدْ أَتَيَانِي بِوَجْهِي فَاجِرَيْنِ وَ رَجَعَا بِوَجْهِي غَادِرَيْنِ نَاكِثَيْنِ وَ اللَّهِ لَا يَلْقَيَانَنِي بَعْدَ الْيَوْمِ إِلَّا فِي كَتِيبَةٍ خَشْنَاءَ يَقْتُلَانِ فِيهَا أَنْفُسَهُمَا فَبُعْداً لَهُمَا وَ سُحْقاً.

That word of theirs reached Ali^-asws. He^-asws said: ‘May Allah^-azwj Distance them and set their houses in decline! But by Allah^-azwj, I^-asws knew they would both be getting themselves killed in the wickedest of killings, and they would be coming to one who responds upon it on an evil day. By Allah^-azwj! They did not intend Umrah, and they had come to me with immoral faces and they return with treacherous faces, breakers (of the allegiance). By Allah^-azwj! They will not meet me^-asws after today except in a rough battalion fighting in it themselves. Remoteness be for them both and annihilation’’.^[4]

Ayesha used to be the severest Critic of Usman:

أَقُولُ قَالَ ابْنُ أَبِي الْحَدِيدِ فِي شَرْحِ النَّهْجِ‏ قَالَ كُلُّ مَنْ صَنَّفَ مِنْ أَهْلِ السِّيَرِ وَ الْأَخْبَارِ إِنَّ عَائِشَةَ كَانَتْ مِنْ أَشَدِّ النَّاسِ عَلَى عُثْمَانَ حَتَّى إِنَّهَا أَخْرَجَتْ ثَوْباً مِنْ ثِيَابِ رَسُولِ اللَّهِ ص فَنَصَبَتْهُ فِي مَنْزِلِهَا وَ كَانَتْ تَقُولُ لِلدَّاخِلِينَ إِلَيْهَا هَذَا ثَوْبُ رَسُولِ اللَّهِ ص لَمْ يَبْلَ وَ عُثْمَانُ قَدْ أَبْلَى سُنَّتَهُ

I (Majlisi) am saying, ‘And Ibn Abi Al Hadeed has said in the commentary of Nahj (Al-Balagah), ‘Everyone from the types of the people of Seerah and the Ahadeeth has said that Ayesha was from the severest of the people against Usman to the extent that she brought out a cloth (shirt) of Rasool-Allah^-saww and installed it in her house, and she was saying to the ones entering it to see her, ‘This is a cloth of Rasool-Allah^-azwj not having decayed yet, and Usman has already decayed his^-saww Sunnah’.

وَ قَالُوا أَوَّلُ مَنْ سَمَّى عُثْمَانَ نَعْثَلًا عَائِشَةُ و النعثل الكثير شعر اللحية و الجسد وَ كَانَتْ تَقُولُ اقْتُلُوا نَعْثَلًا قَتَلَ اللَّهُ نَعْثَلًا

And they said, ‘The first one to name Usman as ‘No’sal’ was Ayesha. And Al No’sa is one of a lot of hair of the beard and the body, and she used to say, ‘Kill No’sal! May Allah^-azwj Kill No’sal’’.

وَ رَوَى الْمَدَائِنِيُّ فِي كِتَابِ الْجَمَلِ قَالَ لَمَّا قُتِلَ عُثْمَانُ كَانَتْ عَائِشَةُ بِمَكَّةَ وَ بَلَغَ قَتْلُهُ إِلَيْهَا وَ هِيَ بِشَرَافِ فَلَمْ تَشُكَّ فِي أَنَّ طَلْحَةَ صَاحِبُ الْأَمْرِ وَ قَالَتْ بُعْداً لِنَعْثَلٍ وَ سُحْقاً إِيهِ ذَا الْإِصْبَعِ إِيهِ أَبَا شِبْلٍ إِيهِ يَا ابْنَ عَمِّ لَكَأَنِّي أَنْظُرُ إِلَى إِصْبَعِهِ وَ هُوَ يُبَايِعُ لَهُ حَنُّوهَا لَا بَلْ وَ ذَعْذَعُوهَا-

And it is reported by Al-Madainy in the book ‘Al-Jamal’. He said, ‘When Usman was killed, Ayesha was at Makkah, and (news of) his killing reached her, and she was with nobles, and she was in no doubt that Talha was the master of the command (caliph), and she said, ‘Remoteness be for No’sal (Usman) and destruction. Where is that finger, O Abu Shibl, O cousin? It is as if I am looking at his fingers and he is being pledged to, and urging it’.

قَالَ وَ قَدْ كَانَ طَلْحَةُ حِينَ قُتِلَ عُثْمَانُ أَخَذَ مَفَاتِيحَ بَيْتِ الْمَالِ وَ أَخَذَ نَجَائِبَ كَانَتْ لِعُثْمَانَ فِي دَارِهِ ثُمَّ فَسَدَ أَمْرُهُ فَدَفَعَهَا إِلَى عَلِيٍّ ع

He said, ‘And Talha, when Usman was killed, had taken the keys of the public treasury, and he had seized the captains of Usman who were in his house, and handed these to Ali^-asws.

وَ قَالَ أَبُو مِخْنَفٍ فِي كِتَابِهِ إِنَّ عَائِشَةَ لَمَّا بَلَغَهَا قَتْلُ عُثْمَانَ وَ هِيَ بِمَكَّةَ أَقْبَلَتْ مُسْرِعَةً وَ هِيَ تَقُولُ إِيهِ ذَا الْإِصْبَعِ لِلَّهِ أَبُوكَ أَمَا إِنَّهُمْ وَجَدُوا طَلْحَةَ وَ الزُّبَيْرَ لَهَا كُفْواً فَلَمَّا انْتَهَتْ إِلَى شَرَافِ اسْتَقْبَلَهَا عُبَيْدُ بْنُ أَبِي سَلَمَةَ فَقَالَتْ لَهُ مَا عِنْدَكَ قَالَ قُتِلَ عُثْمَانُ

And Abu Mikhnaf said in his book, ‘Ayesha, when (news of) the killing of Usman reached her, and she was at Makkah, she returned quickly and she was saying, ‘Oh the one with the fingers for Allah^-azwj, is your father’. But, they had found Talha and Al-Zubeyr as matches for her. Then she ended up to the nobles, Ubeydullah Bin Abu Salama welcomed her. She said to him, ‘What (news) is with you?’ He said Usman is killed’.

قَالَتْ ثُمَّ مَا ذَا قَالَ ثُمَّ جَارَتْ بِهِمُ الْأُمُورُ إِلَى خَيْرِ مَجَارٍ بَايَعُوا عَلِيّاً فَقَالَتْ لَوَدِدْتُ أَنَّ السَّمَاءَ انْطَبَقَتْ عَلَى الْأَرْضِ إِنْ تَمَّ هَذَا انْظُرْ مَا تَقُولُ قَالَ هُوَ مَا قُلْتُ لَكِ يَا أُمَّ الْمُؤْمِنِينَ فَوَلْوَلَتْ

She said, ‘Then what?’ He said, ‘Then the matters flowed with them to goodly flow. They pledged allegiance to Ali^-asws’. She said, ‘I would love it if the sky were to fall upon the earth if this is done. Look at what you are saying!’ He said, ‘It is what I said to you, O mother of the believers’. She squealed (lamented).

فَقَالَ لَهَا مَا شَأْنُكِ يَا أُمَّ الْمُؤْمِنِينَ وَ اللَّهِ مَا أَعْرِفُ بَيْنَ لَابَتَيْهَا أَحَداً أَوْلَى بِهَا مِنْهُ وَ لَا أَحَقَّ وَ لَا أَرَى لَهُ نَظِيراً فِي جَمِيعِ حَالاتِهِ فَلِمَاذَا تَكْرَهِينَ وِلَايَتَهُ قَالَ فَمَا رَدَّتْ جَوَاباً

He said to her, ‘What is your concern, O mother of the believers? By Allah! I do not know between the two sides anyone who is foremost with it than him^-asws, nor more rightful, nor do I see any match for him^-asws in the entirety of his situations, then what is that you are disliking of his^-asws governance?’ She did not respond any answer’.

و في رواية قيس بن أبي حازم ثم ردت ركائبها إلى مكة فرأيتها في مسيرها تخاطب نفسها قتلوا ابن عفان مظلوما فقلت لها يا أم المؤمنين أ لم أسمعك آنفا تقولين أبعده الله و قد رأيتك قبل أشد الناس عليه و أقبحهم فيه قولا

And in a report of Qays Bin Abu Hazim, ‘Then she returned her rides to Makkah. I saw her in her journey addressing herself, ‘The son of Affan has been killed unjustly!’ I said to her, ‘O mother of the believers! Did I not hear you just now saying, ‘May Allah^-azwj Distance him’, and I have seen you before to be the severest of the people against him, and saying ugly words regarding him?’

فقالت لقد كان ذلك و لكني نظرت في أمره فرأيتهم استتابوه حتى إذا تركوه كالفضة البيضاء أتوه صائما محرما في شهر حرام فقتلوه

She said, ‘That has happened, but I looked into his affairs and they saw him to have repented until when then had left him like the white silver (pure of sins), they came to him when he was Fasting, in Ihraam in a sacred month, and they killed him’.

قال و كتب طلحة و الزبير إلى عائشة و هي بمكة كتابا أن خذّلي الناس عن‏ بيعة علي و أظهري الطلب بدم عثمان و حملا الكتاب مع ابن أختها عبد الله بن الزبير فلما قرأت الكتاب كاشفت و أظهرت الطلب بدم عثمان

He (the narrator) said, ‘And Talha and Al-Zubeyr wrote a letter to Ayesha, and she was at Makkah, ‘Get the people to forsake from the allegiance of Ali^-asws and manifest seeking the blood of Usman’, and they sent the letter with a son of her sister Abdullah Bin Al-Zubeyr. When she read the letter, she exhibited seeking the blood of Usman’.

قال و لما عزمت عائشة على الخروج إلى البصرة طلبوا لها بعيرا أيدا يحمل هودجها فجاءهم يعلى بن أمية [منية] ببعير يسمى عسكرا و كان عظيم الخلق شديدا فلما رأته أعجبها و أنشأ الجمال يحدثها بقوته و شدته و يقول في أثناء كلامه عسكر

He (the narrator) said, ‘And when Ayesha determined upon the going out to Al-Basra, they sought a camel for her able to carry her carriage. Ya’la Bin Amiya came to them with a camel named as ‘Askara’, and it was of a large body, strong. When she saw it she was astonished, and the cameleer prosed poems narrating its strength and its largeness, and he said in his praising speech, ‘Askar’.

فلما سمعت هذه اللفظة استرجعت و قالت ردوه لا حاجة لي فيه و ذكرت حيث سئلت أن رسول الله ص ذكر لها هذا الاسم و نهاها عن ركوبه و أمرت أن يطلب لها غيره فلم يوجد لها ما يشبهه فغير لها بجلال غير جلاله و قيل لها قد أصبنا لك أعظم منه خلقا و أشد منه قوة و أتيت به فرضيت:

When she heard this word, she said, ‘We are for Allah^-azwj and are returning to Him^-azwj’, and she said, ‘Return it, there is no need for me regarding it’, and she remembered when she has asked Rasool-Allah^-saww, he^-sawwhad mentioned this name to her and had forbidden her from riding it, and she instructed that another one be searched for her. But they could not find it for her what would resemble it. They changed the appearance of the camel with another appearance and said to her, ‘We have found for you larger than it in physique and stronger than it in strength’, and it was brought, and she was pleased’.

قال أبو مخنف: و أرسلت إلى حفصة تسألها الخروج و المسير معها فبلغ ذلك عبد الله بن عمر فأتى أخته فعزم عليها فأقامت و حطت الرحال بعد ما همت

Abu Mikhnaf said, ‘And she sent a message to Hafsa asking her for the going out and the travelling with her. That reached Abdullah Bin Umar and he came to his sister and was determined upon her, and she stayed, and unloaded the riding camel after it had been prepared.

و كتب الأشتر من المدينة إلى عائشة و هي بمكة أما بعد فإنك ظعينة رسول الله ص و قد أمرك أن تقري في بيتك فإن فعلت فهو خير لك و إن أبيت إلا أن تأخذي منسأتك و تلقي جلبابك و تبدي للناس شعيراتك قاتلتك حتى أردك إلى بيتك و الموضع الذي يرضاه لك ربك

And (Malik e) Al-Ashtar wrote to Ayesha from Al-Medina, and she was at Makkah, ‘As for after, you are a wife of Rasool-Allah^-saww and you have been Commanded that you dwell in your house. If you were to do so, it would be better for you, and if you refuse except that you will take off your scarf, and throw away your outer robe, and manifest your hair to the people, I will fight you until I return you to your house, and (to) the place which your Lord^-azwj is Pleased to be for you’.

فكتبت إليه في الجواب أما بعد فإنك أول العرب شب الفتنة و دعا إلى الفرقة و خالف الأئمة و سعى في قتل الخليفة و قد علمت أنك لن تعجز الله حتى يصيبك منه بنقمة ينتصر بها منك للخليفة المظلوم و قد جاءني كتابك‏ و فهمت ما فيه و سنكفيك و كل من أصبح مماثلا لك في غيك و ضلالك إن شاء الله:

She wrote to him in answer, ‘As for after, you are the first Arab to start the Fitna and call to the sectarianism, and oppose the leaders, and strive in the killing of the caliph, and you have known that you will never (be able to) frustrate Allah^-azwj until He^-azwj Afflicts you from Him^‑azwj with a scourge, there can be helped from you for the oppressed caliph. And your letter has come to me, and I have understood what is in it, we shall suffice you and everyone who becomes an example for you in your error and straying, if Allah^-azwj so Desires’’.

قال أبو مخنف: لما انتهت عائشة في مسيرها إلى الحوأب و هو ماء لبني عامر بن صعصعة نبحتها الكلاب حتى نفرت صعاب إبلها فقال قائل من أصحابها أ لا ترون ما أكثر كلاب الحوأب و ما أشد نباحها

Abu Mikhnaf said, ‘When Ayesha in her journey ended up to Al-Hawaab, and it is a river of the clan of Aamir Bin Sa’sah, the dogs barked at her until her difficult camel fled. A speaker from her companions said, ‘Are you not seeing how many are the dogs of Al-Hawaab, and how intense is their barking?’

فأمسكت زمام بعيرها و قالت و إنها لكلاب الحوأب ردوني ردوني فإني سمعت رسول الله يقول و ذكرت الخبر

She withheld the reins of her camel and she said, ‘And these are the dogs of Al-Hawaab? Return me! Return me, for I have heard Rasool-Allah^-saww saying’ – and she mentioned the Hadeeth.

فقال لها قائل مهلا يرحمك الله فقد جزنا ماء الحوأب فقالت فهل من شاهد فلفقوا لها خمسين أعرابيا جعلوا لهم جعلا فحلفوا لها أن هذا ليس بماء الحوأب فسارت لوجهها

A speaker said to her, ‘Shh, no, may Allah^-azwj have Mercy on you! We have already crossed over the river of Al-Hawaab’. She said, ‘Is there anyone to testify?’ They fabricated for her, fifty Bedouins, making something to be for them, and they swore that this isn’t the river of Al-Hawaab. She travelled on to her direction.

و لما انتهوا إلى حفر أبي موسى قريبا من البصرة أرسل عثمان بن حنيف و هو يومئذ عامل علي ع على البصرة إلى القوم أبا الأسود الدؤلي يعلم له علمهم فجاء حتى دخل على عائشة فسألها عن مسيرها فقالت أطلب بدم عثمان

And when they ended to a pit of Abu Musa near from Al-Basra, Usman Bin Huneyf sent a message to the people, and on that day he was an office bearer of Ali^-asws upon Al-Basra, sending Abu Al-Aswad Al-Daoul to know their information. He came until he entered to see Ayesha, and he asked her about her journey. She said, ‘I seek the blood of Usman’.

قال إنه ليس بالبصرة من قتلة عثمان أحد قالت صدقت و لكنهم مع علي بن أبي طالب بالمدينة و جئت أستنهض أهل البصرة لقتاله أ نغضب لكم من سوط عثمان و لا نغضب لعثمان من سيوفكم

He said, ‘Surely there isn’t anyone in Al-Basra who had killed Usman’. She said, ‘You speak the truth, but they were with Ali^-asws Bin Abu Talib^-asws at Al-Medina, and I have come revive the people of Al-Basra to fight against him^-asws. Did we not angered for you all from the whip of Usman, and we should not get angered for Usman from your swords?’

فقال لها ما أنت من السوط و السيف إنما أنت حبيس رسول الله أمرك أن تقري في بيتك و تتلي كتاب ربك ليس على النساء قتال و لا لهن الطلب بالدماء و إن عليا لأولى بعثمان منك و أمس رحما فإنهما ابنا عبد مناف

He said to her, ‘You are not from the whip and the sword, but rather you are a wife of Rasool-Allah^-saww. He^-saww had ordered you to dwell in your house and recite the Book of your Lord^‑azwj. Fighting isn’t upon the women nor is it for them to seek the bloods, and Ali^-asws is foremost with Usman than you are and of closer relationship, for they are both sons of Abd Manaf’.

فقالت لست بمنصرفة حتى أمضي لما قدمت له أ فتظن يا أبا الأسود أن أحدا يقدم على قتالي فقال أما و الله لتقاتلن قتالا أهونه الشديد

She said, ‘I will not be leaving until I accomplish what I have proceeded for. Are you thinking, O Abu Al-Aswad, that anyone would come forward to fight against me?’ He said, ‘But, by Allah^‑azwj! Fighting against you, the least is the severe’.

ثم قام فأتى الزبير فقال يا أبا عبد الله عهد الناس بك و أنت يوم بويع أبو بكر آخذ بقائم سيفك تقول لا أحد أولى بهذا الأمر من ابن أبي طالب و أين هذا المقام من ذاك

Then he stood up and came to Al-Zubeyr and said, ‘O Abu Abdullah! There is a pact of the people with you, and you, on the day Abu Bakr was pledged allegiance to, had grabbed the hilt of the sword saying, ‘There is no one foremost with the command and the son^-asws of Abu Talib^-asws, and where is this stance from that?’

فذكر له دم عثمان قال أنت و صاحبك وليتماه فيما بلغناه قال فانطلق إلى طلحة فاسمع ما يقول فذهب إلى طلحة فوجده‏ مصرا على الحرب و الفتنة فرجع إلى عثمان بن حنيف فقال إنها الحرب فتأهب لها

He mentioned to him the blood of Usman. He said, ‘You and your companion (Talha) had perpetrated it’. He said, ‘Then go to Talha and listen to what he is saying’. He went to Talha and found him insisting upon the war and the Fitna so he returned to Usman Bin Huneyf and said, ‘It is the war, so prepare for it’.

قال و لما نزل علي ع البصرة كتبت عائشة إلى زيد بن صوحان العبدي من عائشة بنت أبي بكر الصديق زوج النبي إلى ابنها الخالص زيد بن صوحان أما بعد فأقم في بيتك و خذل عن علي و ليبلغني عنك ما أحب فإنك أوثق أهلي عندي و السلام

He (the narrator) said, ‘And when Ali^-asws encamped at Al-Basra, Ayesha wrote to Zayd Bin Sowhan Al-Abdy, ‘From Ayesha Bint Abu Bakr the truthful, wife of the Prophet^-saww, to her son, the sincere, Zayd Bin Sowhan. As for after, ‘Stay in your house and forsake Ali^-asws and let it reach me from you what I would love, for you are the most trustworthy of my family in my presence. And the greetings’.

فكتب إليها من زيد بن صوحان إلى عائشة بنت أبي بكر أما بعد فإن الله أمرك بأمر و أمرنا بأمر أمرك أن تقري في بيتك و أمرنا أن نجاهد و قد أتاني كتابك فأمرتني أن أصنع خلاف ما أمرني الله فأكون قد صنعت ما أمرك الله به و صنعت ما أمرني الله به فأمرك عندي غير مطاع و كتابك غير مجاب و السلام.

He wrote to her, ‘From Zayd Bin Sowhan to Ayesha Bint Abu Bakr. As for after, surely Allah^‑azwj has Commanded you with a Command and has Commanded us with a Command. He^-azwj Commanded you to dwell in your house, and Commanded us that we fight. And your letter has come to me instructing me to do opposite to what Allah^-azwj has Commanded me, that I should happen to be doing what Allah^-azwj has Commanded you with it. Therefore, your instructions in my presence are not to be obeyed, and your letter is not to be answered to. And the greetings’’.^[5]

A short Account of the Battle of Jamal:

وَجَدْتُ فِي كِتَابِ سُلَيْمِ بْنِ قَيْسٍ قَالَ أَبَانٌ سَمِعْتُ سُلَيْماً يَقُولُ‏ شَهِدْتُ يَوْمَ الْجَمَلِ عَلِيّاً ع وَ كُنَّا اثْنَيْ عَشَرَ أَلْفاً وَ كَانَ أَصْحَابُ الْجَمَلِ زِيَادَةً عَلَى عِشْرِينَ وَ مِائَةِ أَلْفٍ وَ كَانَ مَعَ عَلِيٍّ ع مِنَ الْمُهَاجِرِينَ وَ الْأَنْصَارِ نَحْوٌ مِنْ أَرْبَعَةِ آلَافٍ مِمَّنْ شَهِدَ مَعَ رَسُولِ اللَّهِ ص بَدْراً وَ الْحُدَيْبِيَةَ وَ مَشَاهِدَهُ وَ سَائِرُ النَّاسِ مِنْ أَهْلِ الْكُوفَةِ إِلَّا مَنْ تَبِعَهُ مِنْ أَهْلِ الْبَصْرَةِ وَ الْحِجَازِ لَيْسَتْ لَهُ هِجْرَةٌ مِمَّنْ أَسْلَمَ بَعْدَ الْفَتْحِ وَ جُلُّ الْأَرْبَعَةِ آلَافٍ مِنَ الْأَنْصَارِ

It is found in ‘Kitab Suleym Bin Qays’ – Aban said, ‘I heard Suleym saying,

‘I battled alongside Ali^-asws on the Day of the Camel (Al-Jamal), and we were twelve thousand men, and the companions of the Camel were more than one hundred and twenty thousand men. And with Ali^-asws were approximately four thousand from the Emigrants and the Helpers from the ones who had battled alongside with the Rasool-Allah^-saww at Badr, and Al-Hudaybiyya, and his^-saww other battles, and the rest of the men were the inhabitants of Al-Kufa except for the ones who followed him^-asws from the inhabitants of Al-Basra, and Al-Hijaaz, for whom there was no emigration after having embraced Islam after the victory (of Mecca). Most of those four thousand were from the Helpers.

وَ لَمْ يُكْرِهْ أَحَداً عَلَى الْبَيْعَةِ وَ لَا عَلَى الْقِتَالِ إِنَّمَا نَدَبَهُمْ فَانْتَدَبُوا مِنْ أَهْلِ بَدْرٍ سَبْعُونَ وَ مِائَةُ رَجُلٍ وَ جُلُّهُمْ مِنَ الْأَنْصَارِ مِمَّنْ شَاهَدَ أُحُداً وَ الْحُدَيْبِيَةَ وَ لَمْ يَتَخَلَّفْ عَنْهُ أَحَدٌ وَ لَيْسَ أَحَدٌ مِنَ الْمُهَاجِرِينَ وَ الْأَنْصَارِ إِلَّا وَ هَوَاهُ مَعَهُ يَتَوَلَّوْنَهُ وَ يَدْعُونَ لَهُ بِالظَّفَرِ وَ النَّصْرِ وَ يُحِبُّونَ ظُهُورَهُ عَلَى مَنْ نَاوَاهُ وَ لَمْ يُخْرِجْهُمْ وَ لَا يُضَيِّقُ عَلَيْهِمْ وَ قَدْ بَايَعُوهُ وَ لَيْسَ كُلُّ أُنَاسٍ يُقَاتِلُ فِي سَبِيلِ اللَّهِ

No one from the people had been unwilling in pledging allegiance or unwilling to fight, but rather, they had been called, so one hundred and seventy men from the people of Badr responded, and most of them were from the Helpers from the ones who had battled at Uhud and Al-Hudaybiyya, and no one had opposed him^-asws. And there was no one from the Emigrants and the Helpers except that he was with him^-asws, befriending him^-asws and supplicating for him^-asws for the winning and the victory, and they loved for him^-asws to be successful against the ones who were against him. And neither did he^-asws request them nor did he^-asws try to convince them, and they had paid the allegiance, and it is not for every human being that he should fight in the Way of Allah^-azwj.

وَ الطَّاعِنُ عَلَيْهِ وَ الْمُتَبَرِّئُ مِنْهُ قَلِيلٌ مُسْتَتِرٌ عَنْهُ مُظْهِرٌ لَهُ الطَّاعَةَ غَيْرَ ثَلَاثَةِ رَهْطٍ بَايَعُوهُ ثُمَّ شَكُّوا فِي الْقِتَالِ مَعَهُ وَ قَعَدُوا فِي بُيُوتِهِمْ وَ هُمْ مُحَمَّدُ بْنُ مَسْلَمَةَ وَ سَعْدُ بْنُ أَبِي وَقَّاصٍ‏ وَ ابْنُ عُمَرَ وَ أَمَّا أساتر [أُسَامَةُ] بْنُ زَيْدٍ فَقَدْ سَلَّمَ بَعْدَ ذَلِكَ وَ رَضِيَ وَ دَعَا لِعَلِيٍّ ع وَ اسْتَغْفَرَ لَهُ وَ بَرِئَ مِنْ عَدُوِّهِ وَ شَهِدَ أَنَّهُ عَلَى الْحَقِّ وَ مَنْ خَالَفَهُ مَلْعُونٌ حَلَالُ الدَّمِ.

And only a few contested with him^-asws and kept away from him^-asws hiding themselves and displaying to him^-asws the obedience, apart from a group of three. They paid allegiance to him^‑asws, then doubted with regards to fighting alongside him^-asws, and they sat in their houses – Muhammad Bin Muslama, and Sa’d Bin Abu Waqqas, and Ibn Umar. And Usama Bin Zayd submitted after that and was happy, and supplicated for Ali^-asws, and repented to him^-asws, and renounced his^-asws enemies, and testified that he^-asws was on the truth, and the ones opposed to him^-asws were accursed and those whose blood is permissible to be shed’’.

قَالَ أَبَانٌ قَالَ سُلَيْمٌ‏ لَمَّا الْتَقَى أَمِيرُ الْمُؤْمِنِينَ ع وَ أَهْلُ الْبَصْرَةِ يَوْمَ الْجَمَلِ نَادَى عَلِيٌّ ع الزُّبَيْرَ يَا أَبَا عَبْدِ اللَّهِ اخْرُجْ إِلَيَّ فَقَالَ لَهُ أَصْحَابُهُ يَا أَمِيرَ الْمُؤْمِنِينَ تَخْرُجُ إِلَى الزُّبَيْرِ النَّاكِثِ بَيْعَتَهُ وَ هُوَ عَلَى فَرَسٍ شَاكٍ فِي السِّلَاحِ وَ أَنْتَ عَلَى بَغْلَةٍ بِلَا سِلَاحٍ

Aban said, ‘Suleym said, ‘When Amir Al-Momineen^-asws met the people of Al-Basra (Battle of the Camel), Ali^-asws called out to Al-Zubeyr: ‘O Abu Abdullah, come out to me^-asws’. His companions said to him^-asws, ‘O Amir Al-Momineen^-asws, you^-asws are going out to Al-Zubeyr, the breaker of the allegiance, and he is on the horse and clad in armour, and you^-asws are upon a mule without weapons?’

فَقَالَ عَلِيٌّ ع إِنَّ عَلَيَّ جُنَّةً وَاقِيَةً لَنْ يَسْتَطِيعَ أَحَدٌ فِرَاراً مِنْ أَجْلِهِ وَ إِنِّي لَا أَمُوتُ وَ لَا أُقْتَلُ إِلَّا عَلَى يَدَيْ أَشْقَاهَا كَمَا عَقَرَ نَاقَةَ اللَّهِ أَشْقَى ثَمُودَ فَخَرَجَ إِلَيْهِ الزُّبَيْرُ فَقَالَ أَيْنَ طَلْحَةُ لِيَخْرُجْ فَخَرَجَ طَلْحَةُ

Ali^-asws said: ‘A protective shield from Allah^-azwj is covering me^-asws. There is no leeway for anyone to flee from his time (death). And I^-asws will not pass away, nor killed except by the hands of the most miserable one just like the slaying of the she-camel of Allah^-azwj by the miserable one of Samud. Al-Zubeyr came out to him^-asws. He^-asws said: ‘Where is Talha? Let him come out’. So Talha came out.

فَقَالَ نَشَدْتُكُمَا اللَّهَ أَ تَعْلَمَانِ وَ أُولُو الْعِلْمِ مِنْ آلِ مُحَمَّدٍ وَ عَائِشَةُ بِنْتُ أَبِي بَكْرٍ أَنَّ أَصْحَابَ الْجَمَلِ وَ أَهْلَ النَّهْرِ مَلْعُونُونَ عَلَى لِسَانِ مُحَمَّدٍ وَ قَدْ خابَ مَنِ افْتَرى‏

He^-asws said: ‘I^-asws adjure you both to Allah^-azwj. Do you two not know (differentiate between) the one possessing the knowledge from the Progeny^-asws of Muhammad^-saww, and Ayesha the daughter of Abu Bakr, and that the companions of the Camel and that the people of Al-Nahrwaan are accursed ones by the tongue of Muhammad^-saww, and that the one who fabricates will be disappointed?’

فَقَالَ الزُّبَيْرُ كَيْفَ نَكُونُ مَلْعُونِينَ وَ نَحْنُ مِنْ أَهْلِ الْجَنَّةِ قَالَ عَلِيٌّ ع لَوْ عَلِمْتُ أَنَّكُمْ مِنْ أَهْلِ الْجَنَّةِ لَمَا اسْتَحْلَلْتُ قِتَالَكُمْ فَقَالَ الزُّبَيْرُ أَ مَا سَمِعْتَ رَسُولَ اللَّهِ ص يَقُولُ يَوْمَ أُحُدٍ أُوجِبَ طَلْحَةَ الْجَنَّةُ وَ مَنْ أَرَادَ أَنْ يَنْظُرَ إِلَى شَهِيدٍ يَمْشِي عَلَى الْأَرْضِ حَيّاً فَلْيَنْظُرْ إِلَى طَلْحَةَ أَ وَ مَا سَمِعْتَ رَسُولَ اللَّهِ ص يَقُولُ عَشَرَةٌ مِنْ قُرَيْشٍ فِي الْجَنَّةِ

Al-Zubeyr said, ‘How can we be the accursed ones whilst we are from the people of the Paradise?’ Ali^-aswssaid: ‘Had I^-asws known that you are all from the people of the Paradise, would I^-asws considered it permissible to fight against you?’ Al-Zubeyr said, ‘But have you^-asws not heard the Rasool-Allah^-saww saying on the Day of Uhud: ‘The Paradise has been obligated upon Talha, and the one who intends to look at a live martyr walking upon the earth, he should look at Talha? Or, have you^-asws not heard the Rasool-Allah^-saww say: ‘Ten from the Quraysh would be in the Paradise?’

فَقَالَ عَلِيٌّ ع فَسَمِّهِمْ فَقَالَ فُلَانٌ وَ فُلَانٌ وَ فُلَانٌ حَتَّى عَدَّ تِسْعَةً فِيهِمْ أَبُو عُبَيْدَةَ بْنُ الْجَرَّاحِ وَ سَعِيدُ بْنُ زَيْدِ بْنِ عَمْرِو بْنِ نُفَيْلٍ فَقَالَ عَلِيٌّ ع عَدَّدْتَ تِسْعَةً فَمَنِ الْعَاشِرُ قَالَ الزُّبَيْرُ أَنْتَ

Ali^-asws said: ‘So name them for me^-asws’. He (Al-Zubeyr) said, ‘So and so, and so and so, and so and so’, until he had counted nine of them. Among them were Abu Ubeyda Bin Al-Jarra, and Saeed Bin Zayd Bin Amro Bin Nufayl. Ali^-asws said: ‘You have counted nine, so who is the tenth one?’ Al-Zubeyr said: ‘You^-asws are’.

فَقَالَ أَمَّا أَنْتَ فَقَدْ أَقْرَرْتَ أَنِّي مِنْ أَهْلِ الْجَنَّةِ وَ أَمَّا مَا ادَّعَيْتَ لِنَفْسِكَ وَ أَصْحَابِكَ فَإِنِّي بِهِ لَمِنَ الْجَاحِدِينَ وَ اللَّهِ إِنَّ بَعْضَ مَنْ سَمَّيْتَ لَفِي تَابُوتٍ فِي جُبٍّ فِي أَسْفَلِ دَرْكٍ مِنْ جَهَنَّمَ عَلَى ذَلِكَ الْجُبِّ صَخْرَةٌ إِذَا أَرَادَ اللَّهُ أَنْ يُسْعِرَ جَهَنَّمَ رَفَعَ تِلْكَ الصَّخْرَةَ فَأَسْعَرَ جَهَنَّمَ

Ali^-asws said: ‘But if you are accepting that I^-asws of the people of the Paradise, but as for what you have claimed to yourself and your companions, so I^-asws am of the ones who are denying it (that you are not among those ones). By Allah^-azwj, some of the ones you have named will be in a coffin in a well at the very bottom of the levels of Hell, upon that well is a rock. Whenever Allah^-azwj Intends to (increase the) Heat of Hell, that stone is raised, and Hell is inflamed.

سَمِعْتُ ذَلِكَ مِنْ رَسُولِ اللَّهِ ص وَ إِلَّا أَظْفَرَكَ اللَّهُ بِي وَ سَفَكَ دَمِي بِيَدِكَ وَ إِلَّا فَأَظْفَرَنِيَ اللَّهُ بِكَ وَ أَصْحَابِكَ فَرَجَعَ الزُّبَيْرُ إِلَى أَصْحَابِهِ وَ هُوَ يَبْكِي

I^-asws heard that from the Rasool-Allah^-saww, and either Allah^-azwj will Make you to be victorious over me^-aswsand shed my^-asws blood by your hands, or else Allah^-azwj will Make me^-asws to be victorious over you and your companion’. Al-Zubeyr returned to his companion, and he was weeping’.

ثُمَّ أَقْبَلَ عَلَى طَلْحَةَ فَقَالَ يَا طَلْحَةُ مَعَكُمَا نِسَاؤُكُمَا قَالَ لَا قَالَ عَمَدْتُمَا إِلَى امْرَأَةٍ مَوْضِعُهَا فِي كِتَابِ اللَّهِ الْقُعُودُ فِي بَيْتِهَا فَأَبْرَزْتُمَاهَا وَ صُنْتُمَاحَلَائِلَكُمَا فِي الْخِيَامِ وَ الْحِجَالِ مَا أَنْصَفْتُمَا رَسُولَ اللَّهِ ص قَدْ أَمَرَ اللَّهُ أَنْ لَا يُكَلَّمْنَ إِلَّا مِنْ وَرَاءِ حِجَابٍ

Then he^-asws turn towards Talha, and he^-asws said: ‘Have you both brought your wives with you?’ He said, ‘No’. He^-asws said: ‘You have deliberately brought one woman to me^-asws whose place, in the Book of Allah^-azwj, is to stay at her home. You two have brought her and kept your own wives in the tents and the houses? You two have not done justice to the Rasool-Allah^‑saww from yourselves when you have made both your wives to sit in the houses, and brought out the wife of the Rasool-Allah^-saww, and Allah^-azwj has Ordered that you will not talk to them except from behind a veil?

أَخْبِرْنِي مِنْ صَلَاةِ ابْنِ الزُّبَيْرِ بِكُمَا أَ مَا يَرْضَى أَحَدُكُمَا بِصَاحِبِهِ أَخْبِرْنِي عَنْ دُعَائِكُمَا الْأَعْرَابَ إِلَى قِتَالِي مَا يَحْمِلُكُمَا عَلَى ذَلِكَ فَقَالَ طَلْحَةُ يَا هَذَا كُنَّا فِي الشُّورَى سِتَّةً مَاتَ مِنَّا وَاحِدٌ وَ قُتِلَ آخَرُ فَنَحْنُ الْيَوْمَ أَرْبَعَةٌ كُلُّنَا لَكَ كَارِهٌ

(And) Inform me^-asws about the Salat led by Abdullah Bin Al-Zubeyr which two of you, did not agree on? Inform me about the two of you calling the Bedouins to fight against me^-asws, what made you to do that?’ Talha said, ‘O this, there were six of us in the consultative council (Al-Shura), one of us died and the other one got killed, so today we are four, and all of us abhor you^-asws’.

فَقَالَ لَهُ عَلِيٌّ ع لَيْسَ ذَاكَ عَلَيَّ قَدْ كُنَّا فِي الشُّورَى وَ الْأَمْرُ فِي يَدِ غَيْرِنَا وَ هُوَ الْيَوْمَ فِي يَدِي أَ رَأَيْتَ لَوْ أَرَدْتُ بَعْدَ مَا بَايَعْتُ عُثْمَانَ أَنْ أَرُدَّ هَذَا الْأَمْرَ شُورَى أَ كَانَ ذَلِكَ لِي قَالَ لَا قَالَ وَ لِمَ

Ali^-asws said to him: ‘That is not up to me^-asws as during the consultation the command (Caliphate) was in the hands of someone else, and it was not in my^-asws hands. Do you see that if I^-asws intended – after the killing of Usman – to have this matter go into ‘Shura’ (consultation), which people have given to me^-asws (after pledging allegiance to me^-asws)?’ He said, ‘No’. He^-asws said: ‘And why not?’

قَالَ لِأَنَّكَ بَايَعْتَ طَائِعاً فَقَالَ عَلِيٌّ ع وَ كَيْفَ ذَلِكَ وَ الْأَنْصَارُ مَعَهُمُ السُّيُوفُ مُخْتَرَطَةً يَقُولُونَ لَئِنْ فَرَغْتُمْ وَ بَايَعْتُمْ وَاحِداً مِنْكُمْ وَ إِلَّا ضَرَبْنَا أَعْنَاقَكُمْ أَجْمَعِينَ

He said, ‘Because your^-asws allegiance was carried out without any opposition’. Ali^-asws said: ‘And how can that be, and the Helpers had their swords drawn and they were saying, ‘If you are free (from the consultation) and have not paid allegiance to one from among you, we will strike all of your necks’.

فَهَلْ قَالَ لَكَ وَ لِأَصْحَابِكَ أَحَدٌ شَيْئاً مِنْ هَذَا وَقْتَ مَا بَايَعْتُمَانِي وَ حُجَّتِي فِي الِاسْتِكْرَاهِ فِي الْبَيْعَةِ أَوْضَحُ مِنْ حُجَّتِكَ وَ قَدْ بَايَعْتَنِي أَنْتَ وَ أَصْحَابُكَ طَائِعِينَ غَيْرَ مُكْرَهِينَ وَ كُنْتُمَا أَوَّلَ مَنْ فَعَلَ ذَلِكَ وَ لَمْ يَقُلْ أَحَدٌ لَتُبَايِعَانِ أَوْ لَنَقْتُلُكُمَا

Did I^-asws say anything to you and to your companion anything like this when the two of you paid allegiance to me^-asws? And my^-asws argument in the abhorrence in the allegiance is clearer than your argument, and you and your companion had paid allegiance to me^-asws willingly, not with abhorrence, and the two of you were the first ones to do that, and no one said that the two of you should pay allegiance or else he will kill both of you’.

فَانْصَرَفَ طَلْحَةُ وَ نَشِبَ الْقِتَالُ فَقُتِلَ طَلْحَةُ وَ انْهَزَمَ الزُّبَيْرُ.

Talha turned and left, and the battle erupted. Talha was killed, and Al-Zubeyr was defeated’’.^[6]

Amir ul-Momineen-^asws’s detailed reply on Battle of Jamal:

كِتَابُ سُلَيْمِ بْنِ قَيْسٍ، مِنْ عَيْنِهِ بِالْإِسْنَادِ عَنْ أَبَانٍ عَنْهُ قَالَ وَ حَدَّثَنِي أَيْضاً عُمَرُ بْنُ أَبِي سَلَمَةَ وَ زَعَمَ أَبُو هُرَيْرَةَ الْعَبْدِيُّ أَنَّهُ سَمِعَهُ عَنْ عُمَرَ بْنِ أَبِي سَلَمَةَ قَالَ: إِنَّ مُعَاوِيَةَ دَعَا أَبَا الدَّرْدَاءِ وَ نَحْنُ مَعَ أَمِيرِ الْمُؤْمِنِينَ ع بِصِفِّينَ وَ دَعَا أَبَا هُرَيْرَةَ فَقَالَ لَهُمَا انْطَلِقَا إِلَى عَلِيٍّ ع فَأَقْرِئَاهُ مِنِّي السَّلَامَ وَ قُولَا لَهُ وَ اللَّهِ إِنِّي لَأَعْلَمُ أَنَّكَ أَوْلَى النَّاسِ بِالْخِلَافَةِ وَ أَحَقُّ بِهَا مِنِّي لِأَنَّكَ مِنَ الْمُهَاجِرِينَ الْأَوَّلِينَ وَ أَنَا مِنَ الطُّلَقَاءِ وَ لَيْسَ لِي مِثْلُ سَابِقَتِكَ فِي الْإِسْلَامِ وَ قَرَابَتِكَ مِنْ رَسُولِ اللَّهِ ص وَ عِلْمِكَ بِكِتَابِ اللَّهِ وَ سُنَّةِ نَبِيِّهِ عَلَيْهِ وَ آلِهِ السَّلَامُ

Kitab Suleymn Bin Qays – From Ayna, by the chain from Aban, from him who said, ‘And it is narrated to me as well by Umar Bin Abu Salama, and he claimed Abu Hureyra Al Abdy, he heard from Umar Bin Abu Salama who said,

‘Muawiya called for Abu Al-Darda, and we were with Amir-ul-Momineen^-asws at Siffeen, and he called Abu Hureira, so he said to the both of them, ‘Go to Ali^-asws and convey my greetings to him^-asws, and say to him^-asws, ‘By Allah^-azwj, I am well aware that you^-asws are first of the people for the Caliphate and more deserving of it than me, because you^-asws are from the earlier Emigrants whilst I am from the Tulaqa (freed captives at the conquest of Makkah), and there is nothing for me like your precedence in Al-Islam, and your^-aswscloseness to the Rasool-Allah^‑saww, and your^-asws knowledge of the Book of Allah^-azwj and the Sunnah of His^-azwj Prophet^‑saww.

وَ لَقَدْ بَايَعَكَ الْمُهَاجِرُونَ وَ الْأَنْصَارُ بَعْدَ مَا تَشَاوَرُوا قَبْلَ ثَلَاثَةِ أَيَّامٍ ثُمَ‏ أَتَوْكَ فَبَايَعُوكَ طَائِعِينَ غَيْرَ مُكْرَهِينَ وَ كَانَ أَوَّلُ مَنْ بَايَعَكَ طَلْحَةَ وَ الزُّبَيْرَ ثُمَّ نَكَثَا بَيْعَتَكَ ظُلْماً وَ طَلَبَا مَا لَيْسَ لَهُمَا

And the Emigrants and the Helpers have paid allegiance to you^-asws after having consulted for three days. Then they gave it to you. So, they have paid allegiance to you willingly, not with abhorrence. And the first ones of those that paid allegiance to you^-asws were Talha and Al-Zubeyr, then they broke their allegiance to you^-asws, and oppressed you^-asws, and they had both sought that which was not for them.

وَ بَلَغَنِي أَنَّكَ تَعْتَذِرُ مِنْ قَتْلِ عُثْمَانَ وَ تَتَبَرَّأُ مِنْ دَمِهِ وَ تَزْعُمُ أَنَّهُ قُتِلَ وَ أَنْتَ قَاعِدٌ فِي بَيْتِكَ وَ أَنَّكَ قَدْ قُلْتَ حِينَ قُتِلَ اللَّهُمَّ لَمْ أَرْضَ وَ لَمْ أُمَالِئْ

And it has reached me that you^-asws excused yourself^-asws from the killing of Usman and distanced yourself^-asws from his blood, and are claiming that when he was killed, you^-asws were seated in your^-asws house. And when he was killed you^-asws said: ‘Our Allah^-azwj, I^-asws am not pleased, and it is not of my^-asws deeds’.

وَ قُلْتَ لَهُ يَوْمَ الْجَمَلِ حِينَ نَادَوْا يَا لَثَارَاتِ عُثْمَانَ قُلْتَ كُبَّتْ قَتَلَةُ عُثْمَانَ الْيَوْمَ لِوَجْهِهِمْ إِلَى النَّارِ أَ نَحْنُ قَتَلْنَاهُ إِنَّمَا قَتَلَهُ هُمَا وَ صَاحِبَتُهُمَا وَ أَمَرُوا بِقَتْلِهِ وَ أَنَا قَاعِدٌ فِي بَيْتِي

And you^-asws said on the Day of the Camel (Al-Jamal) when it was announced, ‘O avengers of Usman!’ – when the rebels were around the camel – you^-asws said: ‘Those who killed Usman have been flung with their faces into the Fire, have we^-asws killed him?’ But rather he was killed by the two of them (Talha and Al-Zubeyr) and their female companion (Ayesha), who ordered for his killing, whilst I^-asws was seated in my^-asws house’.  

وَ أَنَا ابْنُ عَمِّ عُثْمَانَ وَ الْمُطَالِبُ بِدَمِهِ فَإِنْ كَانَ الْأَمْرُ كَمَا قُلْتَ فَأَمْكِنَّا مِنْ قَتَلَةِ عُثْمَانَ وَ ادْفَعْهُمْ إِلَيْنَا نَقْتُلْهُمْ بِابْنِ عَمِّنَا وَ نُبَايِعْكَ وَ نُسَلِّمْ إِلَيْكَ الْأَمْرَ هَذِهِ وَاحِدَةٌ

And I am the son of the uncle of Usman, and his guardian and am the seeker of his blood. So, if the matter was as you^-asws say it to be, if it is possible, hand over to us the ones who killed Usman so that we call kill them for the son of our uncle, and we will pay allegiance to you^-asws and submit the matter (Caliphate) to you^-asws’. This is one thing.

وَ أَمَّا الثَّانِيَةُ فَقَدْ أَنْبَأَتْنِي عُيُونِي وَ أَتَتْنِي الْكُتُبُ عَنْ أَوْلِيَاءِ عُثْمَانَ مِمَّنْ هُوَ مَعَكَ يُقَاتِلُ وَ تَحْسَبُ أَنَّهُ عَلَى رَأْيِكَ وَ رَاضٍ بِأَمْرِكَ وَ هَوَاهُ مَعَنَا وَ قَلْبُهُ عِنْدَنَا وَ جَسَدُهُ مَعَكَ و أَنَّكَ تُظْهِرُ وَلَايَةَ أَبِي بَكْرٍ وَ عُمَرَ وَ تَتَرَحَّمُ عَلَيْهِمَا وَ تَكُفُّ عَنْ عُثْمَانَ وَ لَا تَذْكُرُهُ وَ لَا تَتَرَحَّمُ عَلَيْهِ وَ لَا تَلْعَنُهُ

And as for the second, my spies have given me the news and the letter from the friends of Usman – from among those who are fighting alongside you^-asws, and you^-asws are counting them to be on your^-asws side and being pleased with (them being submitted to) your^-asws command, but they fancy us and their hearts are with us whilst their bodies are with you^-asws – You^-asws apparently display the friendship of Abu Bakr and Umar and invoking Mercy on them both, but pause the same for Usman, and do not mention him, and you are not invoking Mercy for him, nor do you^-asws curse him.

وَ فِي رِوَايَةٍ أُخْرَى وَ لَا تَسُبُّهُ وَ لَا تَتَبَرَّأُ مِنْهُ

And in another report: ‘You^-asws are neither reviling him nor disavowing from him’’.

وَ بَلَغَنِي أَنَّكَ إِذَا خَلَوْتَ بِبِطَانَتِكَ الْخَبِيثَةِ وَ شِيعَتِكَ وَ خَاصَّتِكَ الضَّالَّةِ الْمُغِيرَةِ الْكَاذِبَةِ تَبَرَّأْتَ عِنْدَهُمْ مِنْ أَبِي بَكْرٍ وَ عُمَرَ وَ عُثْمَانَ وَ لَعَنْتَهُمْ وَ ادَّعَيْتَ أَنَّكَ وَصِيُّ رَسُولِ اللَّهِ فِي أُمَّتِهِ وَ خَلِيفَتُهُ فِيهِمْ وَ أَنَّ اللَّهَ تَعَالَى جَلَّ اسْمُهُ فَرَضَ عَلَى الْمُؤْمِنِينَ طَاعَتَكَ وَ أَمَرَ بِوَلَايَتِكَ فِي كِتَابِهِ وَ سُنَّةِ نَبِيِّهِ ص

And it has reached me from you^-asws that, when you^-asws are alone with your^-asws malicious associates, and your^-asws Shias, and your^-asws special ones, the misguided thieves and liars, you^‑asws distance yourself^-aswsfrom Abu Bakr, and Umar, and Usman and curse them all. And you^-asws are claiming that you^-asws are the Caliph of the Rasool-Allah^-saww in his^-saww community, and his^-saww successor among them, and that Allah^-azwj has Obligated obedience to you^-asws upon the believers and Ordered for your^-asws ‘Wilayah’ in His^-azwjBook and the Sunnah of His^‑azwj Prophet^-saww.

وَ أَنَّهُ أَمَرَ مُحَمَّداً أَنْ يَقُومَ بِذَلِكَ فِي أُمَّتِهِ وَ أَنَّهُ أَنْزَلَ عَلَيْهِ‏ يا أَيُّهَا الرَّسُولُ بَلِّغْ ما أُنْزِلَ إِلَيْكَ مِنْ رَبِّكَ وَ إِنْ لَمْ تَفْعَلْ فَما بَلَّغْتَ رِسالَتَهُ وَ اللَّهُ يَعْصِمُكَ مِنَ النَّاسِ‏ فَجَمَعَ قُرَيْشاً وَ الْأَنْصَارَ وَ بَنِي أُمَيَّةَ بِغَدِيرِ خُمٍّ

And the Allah^-azwj Commanded Muhammad^-saww that he^-saww should stand with that in his^-saww community, and it was Sent down upon him^-saww O you Rasool! Deliver what has been Revealed unto you from your Lord; and if you don’t do so, then you have not delivered His Message, and Allah will Protect you from the people. [5:67]. So, he^-saww gathered Quraysh and the Helpers and the clan of Umayya at Ghadeer Khumm.

وَ فِي رِوَايَةٍ أُخْرَى فَجَمَعَ أُمَّتَهُ بِغَدِيرِ خُمٍّ فَبَلَّغَ مَا أُمِرَ بِهِ فِيكَ عَنِ اللَّهِ وَ أَمَرَ أَنْ يُبَلِّغَ الشَّاهِدُ الْغَائِبَ وَ أَخْبَرَهُمْ أَنَّكَ أَوْلَى بِهِمْ مِنْ أَنْفُسِهِمْ وَ أَنَّكَ مِنْهُ بِمَنْزِلَةِ هَارُونَ مِنْ مُوسَى

And in another report, so he^-saww gathered his^-saww community at Ghadeer Khumm and preached what he^-saww had been Ordered to – with regards to it from Allah^-azwj, and ordered that those who were present should make it reach to those who were absent, and informed them that you^-asws are higher to them than their own selves, and you^-asws are from him^-saww of the status which Haroun^-as had from Musa^-as’.

وَ بَلَغَنِي أَنَّكَ لَا تَخْطُبُ خُطْبَةً إِلَّا قُلْتَ قَبْلَ أَنْ تَنْزِلَ عَنْ مِنْبَرِكَ وَ اللَّهِ إِنِّي‏ لَأَوْلَى بِالنَّاسِ وَ مَا زِلْتُ مَظْلُوماً مُنْذُ قُبِضَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ ص وَ اللَّهِ لَئِنْ كَانَ مَا بَلَغَنِي عَنْكَ حَقّاً فَلَظُلْمُ أَبِي بَكْرٍ وَ عُمَرَ إِيَّاكَ أَعْظَمُ مِنْ ظُلْمِ عُثْمَانَ لِأَنَّهُ بَلَغَنِي أَنَّكَ تَقُولُ لَقَدْ قُبِضَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ وَ نَحْنُ شُهُودٌ

And it has reached me about you^-asws, that you^-asws never preach to the people except that you^-asws say before descending from your^-asws Pulpit: ‘By Allah^-azwj, I^-asws am higher to the people than their own selves, and I^-asws have never ceased to be oppressed since the Rasool-Allah^-saww passed away’. If it was as it has reached me from you^-asws from that as truth, so the injustice of Abu Bakr and Umar towards you^-asws is greater than the injustice of Usman, because Rasool-Allah^-saww had passed away and we were witnesses.

فَانْطَلَقَ عُمَرُ وَ بَايَعَ أَبَا بَكْرٍ وَ مَا اسْتَأْمَرَكَ وَ لَا شَاوَرَكَ وَ لَقَدْ خَاصَمَ الرَّجُلَانِ الْأَنْصَارَ بِحَقِّكَ وَ حُجَّتِكَ وَ قَرَابَتِكَ مِنْ رَسُولِ اللَّهِ ص وَ لَوْ سَلَّمَا لَكَ الْأَمْرَ وَ بَايَعَاكَ كَانَ عُثْمَانُ أَسْرَعَ النَّاسِ إِلَى ذَلِكَ لِقَرَابَتِكَ مِنْهُ وَ حَقِّكَ عَلَيْهِ لِأَنَّهُ ابْنُ عَمِّكَ وَ ابْنُ عَمَّتِكَ

Umar went and pledged allegiance to Abu Bakr and did not ask you^-asws, nor did he consult with you^-asws. And the two men argued by your^-asws rights, and your^-asws proofs, and your^-asws closeness to the Rasool-Allah^-saww. Had they submitted to you^-asws, and paid allegiance to you^-asws, Usman would have been the easiest of the people to come to that due to the closeness of his relation to you^-asws than them, and your^-asws right to him, because he is the son of your^‑asws uncle and your^-asws aunt.

ثُمَّ عَمَدَ أَبُو بَكْرٍ فَرَدَّهَا إِلَى عُمَرَ عِنْدَ مَوْتِهِ مَا شَاوَرَكَ وَ لَا اسْتَأْمَرَكَ حِينَ اسْتَخْلَفَهُ وَ بَايَعَ لَهُ ثُمَّ جَعَلَكَ عُمَرُ فِي الشُّورَى بَيْنَ سِتَّةٍ مِنْكُمْ وَ أَخْرَجَ مِنْهَا جَمِيعَ الْمُهَاجِرِينَ وَ الْأَنْصَارِ وَ غَيْرَهُمْ

Then Abu Bakr deliberately returned it (caliphate) to Umar before his death. He did not consult with you^-aswsnor did he ask you when he made him a Caliph and sought allegiance to him. Then Umar made you^-asws to be in the consultation council (Al-Shura) between the six of you, and kept out from it all the Emigrants and the Helpers, and others.

فَوَلَّيْتُمُ ابْنَ عَوْفٍ أَمْرَكُمْ فِي الْيَوْمِ الثَّالِثِ حِينَ رَأَيْتُمُ النَّاسَ قَدِ اجْتَمَعُوا وَ اخْتَرَطُوا سُيُوفَهُمْ وَ حَلَفُوا بِاللَّهِ لَئِنْ غَابَتِ الشَّمْسُ وَ لَمْ تَخْتَارُوا أَحَدَكُمْ لَنَضْرِبَنَّ أَعْنَاقَكُمْ وَ لَنُنْفِذُ فِيكُمْ أَمْرَ عُمَرَ وَ وَصِيَّتَهُ فَوَلَّيْتُمْ أَمْرَكُمْ ابْنَ عَوْفٍ فَبَايَعَ عُثْمَانَ وَ بَايَعْتُمُوهُ

Ibn Awf was made to be in charge of your affair on the third day, when you all saw the people had gathered and drawn their swords and had taken an oath upon Allah^-azwj that if the sun sets and you all had not chosen one of you, they would strike your necks and would carry out with regard to you^-asws, the condition of Umar. The one in charge of your affair, Ibn Awf, pledged allegiance to Usman. You^-asws had to pledge allegiance to him.

ثُمَّ حُصِرَ عُثْمَانُ فَاسْتَنْصَرَكُمْ فَلَمْ تَنْصُرُوهُ وَ دَعَاكُمْ فَلَمْ تُجِيبُوهُ وَ بَيْعَتُهُ فِي أَعْنَاقِكُمْ وَ أَنْتُمْ يَا مَعْشَرَ الْمُهَاجِرِينَ وَ الْأَنْصَارِ حُضُورٌ شُهُودٌ

Then Usman was besieged, so he asked for your^-asws help. But you^-asws did not help him, and he called out to you^-asws, and you^-asws did not answer his call, and he had a right (due to being caliph) upon your^-asws neck, and upon yours, O group of Emigrants and the Helpers who were present and witnessed it.

فَخَلَّيْتُمْ بَيْنَهُ وَ بَيْنَ أَهْلِ مِصْرَ فَخَلَّيْتُمْ حَتَّى قَتَلُوهُ وَ أَعَانَهُمْ طَوَائِفُ مِنْكُمْ عَلَى قَتْلِهِ وَ خَذَلَهُ عَامَّتُكُمْ فَصِرْتُمْ فِي أَمْرِهِ بَيْنَ قَاتِلٍ وَ آمِرٍ وَ خَاذِلٍ

You^-asws left him alone with the people of Egypt until they killed him, and your sects from among you helped them on his killing, and most of you abandoned him. So you^-asws became, with regards to his matter, between a murderer and an instructor and a forsaker.

ثُمَّ بَايَعَكَ النَّاسُ وَ أَنْتَ أَحَقُّ بِهَا مِنِّي فَأَمْكِنِّي مِنْ قَتَلَةِ عُثْمَانَ حَتَّى أَقْتُلَهُمْ وَ أُسَلِّمَ الْأَمْرَ لَكَ وَ أُبَايِعَكَ أَنَا وَ جَمِيعُ مَنْ قِبَلِي مِنْ أَهْلِ الشَّامِ

Then the people paid allegiance to you^-asws and you^-asws are more deserving of this matter than me. Hand over the ones who killed Usman so that I can kill them, and submit the command (Caliphate) to you^-asws, and I will pledge allegiance to you^-asws, and so will all those who are confronting you, from the people of Syria’.

فَلَمَّا قَرَأَ عَلِيٌّ ع كِتَابَ مُعَاوِيَةَ وَ بَلَّغَهُ أَبُو الدَّرْدَاءِ رِسَالَتَهُ وَ مَقَالَتَهُ قَالَ عَلِيٌّ ع لِأَبِي الدَّرْدَاءِ قَدْ أَبْلَغْتُمَانِي مَا أَرْسَلَكُمَا بِهِ مُعَاوِيَةُ فَاسْمَعَا مِنِّي ثُمَّ أَبْلِغَاهُ عَنِّي وَ قُولَا لَهُ

When Ali^-asws read the letter of Muawiya which had been brought by Abu Al-Darda and Abu Hureira, his message and his words, Ali^-asws said to Abu Al-Darda: ‘The two of you have brought to me what Muawiya had sent you two with, so hear from me^-asws, then take it from me^-asws to him just as you two brought it to me, and say to him that: –

إِنَّ عُثْمَانَ بْنَ عَفَّانَ لَا يَعْدُو أَنْ يَكُونَ أَحَدَ رَجُلَيْنِ إِمَّا إِمَامَ هُدًى حَرَامَ‏ الدَّمِ وَاجِبَ النُّصْرَةِ لَا تَحِلُّ مَعْصِيَتُهُ وَ لَا يَسَعُ الْأُمَّةَ خِذْلَانُهُ أَوْ إِمَامَ ضَلَالَةٍ حَلَالَ الدَّمِ لَا تَحِلُّ وَلَايَتُهُ وَ لَا نُصْرَتُهُ فَلَا يَخْلُو مِنْ إِحْدَى الْخَصْلَتَيْنِ

‘Usman Bin Affan was nothing more than one of the two men – an imam of guidance (shedding of) whose blood was forbidden, and helping him was obligatory, and it was not permissible to disobey him, nor was there any leeway for abandoning him; or he was an imam of misguidance, (the shedding of) whose blood was permissible, and befriending him and helping him was not permissible. So, he was not devoid of one of the two characteristics.

وَ الْوَاجِبُ فِي حُكْمِ اللَّهِ وَ حُكْمِ الْإِسْلَامِ عَلَى الْمُسْلِمِينَ بَعْدَ مَا يَمُوتُ إِمَامُهُمْ أَوْ يُقْتَلُ ضَالًّا كَانَ أَوْ مُهْتَدِياً مَظْلُوماً كَانَ أَوْ ظَالِماً حَلَالَ الدَّمِ أَوْ حَرَامَ الدَّمِ أَنْ لَا يَعْمَلُوا عَمَلًا وَ لَا يُحْدِثُوا حَدَثاً وَ لَا يُقَدِّمُوا يَداً وَ لَا رِجْلًا وَ لَا يَبْدَءُوا بِشَيْ‏ءٍ قَبْلَ أَنْ يَخْتَارُوا لِأَنْفُسِهِمْ إِمَاماً يَجْمَعُ أَمْرَهُمْ عَفِيفاً عَالِماً وَرِعاً عَارِفاً بِالْقَضَاءِ وَ السُّنَّةِ

And the Obligation in the Judgment of Allah^-azwj and the judgment upon the Muslims, after the death of their imam or his murder – be he upon error or on guidance, an oppressed one or an oppressor, (shedding of) whose blood was permissible or prohibited – is that they should neither take any action, nor make any event to happen, nor proceed with their hands or their feet, nor initiate anything before choosing for themselves an imam who is a chaste, devout, scholar and has the understanding of the judgments and the Sunnah.

يَجْمَعُ أَمْرَهُمْ وَ يَحْكُمُ بَيْنَهُمْ وَ يَأْخُذُ لِلْمَظْلُومِ مِنَ الظَّالِمِ وَ يَحْفَظُ أَطْرَافَهُمْ وَ يَجْبِي فَيْئَهُمْ وَ يُقِيمُ حِجَّتَهُمْ وَ جُمْعَتَهُمْ وَ يَجْبِي صَدَقَاتِهِمْ

He will gather for them their affairs and he judges between them and takes the rights of the oppressed one from the oppressor, and protects them, and levies their taxes (Fey), and establishes their arguments and their congregations, and levies their Charities (Sadaqa).

ثُمَّ يَحْتَكِمُونَ إِلَيْهِ فِي إِمَامِهِمُ الْمَقْتُولِ ظُلْماً لِيَحْكُمَ بَيْنَهُمْ بِالْحَقِّ فَإِنْ كَانَ إِمَامُهُمْ قُتِلَ مَظْلُوماً حَكَمَ لِأَوْلِيَائِهِ بِدَمِهِ وَ إِنْ كَانَ قُتِلَ ظَالِماً أُنْظِرَ كَيْفَ كَانَ الْحُكْمُ فِي هَذَا

Then he will be judging with regards to their imam who had been killed unjustly, and he will pass a judgment against the killer, judging between them with the truth. So, if their Imam was killed as an oppressed one, the judgment will be for his guardians for his blood, and if he was killed whilst being an oppressor, he will consider how the judgment will be with regards to this.

وَ إِنَّ أَوَّلَ مَا يَنْبَغِي لِلْمُسْلِمِينَ أَنْ يَفْعَلُوهُ أَنْ يَخْتَارُوا إِمَاماً يَجْمَعُ أَمْرَهُمْ إِنْ كَانَتِ الْخِيَرَةُ لَهُمْ وَ يُتَابِعُوهُ وَ يُطِيعُوهُ وَ إِنْ كَانَتِ الْخِيَرَةُ إِلَى اللَّهِ عَزَّ وَ جَلَّ وَ إِلَى رَسُولِهِ فَإِنَّ اللَّهَ قَدْ كَفَاهُمُ النَّظَرَ فِي ذَلِكَ وَ الِاخْتِيَارَ وَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ ص قَدْ رَضِيَ لَهُمْ إِمَاماً وَ أَمَرَهُمْ بِطَاعَتِهِ وَ اتِّبَاعِهِ

This is first (issue) that they should try to resolve by agreeing on an Imam who would gather their affairs, and he is their kind care taker and they should follow him and obey him. However, the choice of an Imam is from Allah^-azwj Mighty and Majestic, and for His^-azwj Rasool^‑saww, so Allah^-azwj is Sufficient for Considering with regards to that Choice, and the Rasool-Allah^-saww had chosen for them an Imam^-asws and ordered them for being obedient to him^-asws and to follow him^-asws.

وَ قَدْ بَايَعَنِي النَّاسُ بَعْدَ قَتْلِ عُثْمَانَ وَ بَايَعَنِي الْمُهَاجِرُونَ وَ الْأَنْصَارُ بَعْدَ مَا تَشَاوَرُوا بِي ثَلَاثَةَ أَيَّامٍ وَ هُمُ الَّذِينَ بَايَعُوا أَبَا بَكْرٍ وَ عُمَرَ وَ عُثْمَانَ وَ عَقَدُوا إِمَامَتَهُمْ وَلِيَ بِذَلِكَ أَهْلُ بَدْرٍ وَ السَّابِقَةِ مِنَ الْمُهَاجِرِينَ وَ الْأَنْصَارِ غَيْرَ أَنَّهُمْ بَايَعُوهُمْ قَبْلُ عَلَى غَيْرِ مَشُورَةٍ مِنَ الْعَامَّةِ

And the people had pledged allegiance to me^-asws after the killing of Usman, and so did the Emigrants and the Helpers after having consulted for three days, and they are the ones who had paid allegiance to Abu Bakr, and Umar, and Usman and held on to their imamate. And that was for me^-asws from the people of Badr and the former ones from the Emigrants and the Helpers, except that they had paid allegiance before me without consulting the general public, and that their allegiance to me^-asws was after having consulted the general public.

وَ إِنَّ بَيْعَتِي كَانَتْ بِمَشُورَةٍ مِنَ الْعَامَّةِ فَإِنْ كَانَ اللَّهُ جَلَّ اسْمُهُ جَعَلَ الِاخْتِيَارَ إِلَى الْأُمَّةِ وَ هُمُ الَّذِينَ يَخْتَارُونَ وَ يَنْظُرُونَ لِأَنْفُسِهِمْ وَ اخْتِيَارُهُمْ لِأَنْفُسِهِمْ وَ نَظَرُهُمْ لَهَا خَيْرٌ لَهُمْ مِنِ اخْتِيَارِ اللَّهِ وَ رَسُولِهِ لَهُمْ وَ كَانَ مَنِ اخْتَارُوهُ وَ بَايَعُوهُ بَيْعَتُهُ بَيْعَةُ هُدًى وَ كَانَ إِمَاماً وَاجِباً عَلَى النَّاسِ طَاعَتُهُ وَ نُصْرَتُهُ فَقَدْ تَشَاوَرُوا فِيَّ وَ اخْتَارُونِي بِإِجْمَاعٍ مِنْهُمْ

If Allah^-azwj, Majestic is His^-azwj Name, had Made the choice to be for the community to make, and they are the ones who will be choosing, and considering for themselves, and that their choosing and considering for themselves for it is better for them than the Choice of Allah^-azwj and His^-azwj Rasool^-saww for them, and that the one whom they had chosen, and paid allegiance to with an allegiance of guidance, and he would be an Imam the obedience to whom would be obligatory upon the people, and to help him. So, they have consulted with regards to me^‑asws and chosen me^-asws by consensus among them.

وَ إِنْ كَانَ اللَّهُ جَلَّ وَ عَزَّ هُوَ الَّذِي يَخْتَارُ وَ لَهُ الْخِيَرَةُ فَقَدِ اخْتَارَنِي لِلْأُمَّةِ وَ اسْتَخْلَفَنِي عَلَيْهِمْ وَ أَمَرَهُمْ بِطَاعَتِي وَ نُصْرَتِي فِي كِتَابِهِ الْمُنْزَلِ وَ سُنَّةِ نَبِيِّهِ ص فَذَلِكَ أَقْوَى بِحُجَّتِي وَ أَوْجَبُ بِحَقِّي‏

And if it was Allah^-azwj Mighty and Majestic Who would be the One to Choose, and the choice was for Him^-azwjto Make, so He^-azwj has Chosen me^-asws for the community, and Made me^-asws to be the Caliph over them and Ordered them to be obedient to me^-asws and to help me^-asws, in His^-azwj Revealed Book, and the Sunnah of His^-azwj Prophet^-saww. That is a stronger argument for me^-asws and more than Obligates my^-asws right.

وَ لَوْ أَنَّ عُثْمَانَ قُتِلَ عَلَى عَهْدِ أَبِي بَكْرٍ وَ عُمَرَ أَ كَانَ لِمُعَاوِيَةَ قِتَالُهُمَا وَ الْخُرُوجُ عَلَيْهِمَا لِلطَّلَبِ قَالَ أَبُو هُرَيْرَةَ وَ أَبُو الدَّرْدَاءِ لَا قَالَ عَلِيٌّ ع فَكَذَلِكَ أَنَا فَإِنْ قَالَ مُعَاوِيَةُ نَعَمْ فَقُولَا لَهُ إِذاً يَجُوزَ لِكُلِّ مَنْ ظُلِمَ بِمَظْلِمَةٍ أَوْ قُتِلَ لَهُ قتيلا [قَتِيلٌ‏] أَنْ يَشُقَّ عَصَا الْمُسْلِمِينَ وَ يُفَرِّقَ جَمَاعَتَهُمْ وَ يَدْعُوَ إِلَى نَفْسِهِ مَعَ أَنَّ وُلْدَ عُثْمَانَ أَوْلَى بِطَلَبِ دَمِ أَبِيهِمْ مِنْ مُعَاوِيَةَ

And if Usman had been killed during the era of Abu Bakr or Umar, would Muawiya had fought against the two of them and come out against them both for seeking (the blood)?’ Abu Hureira and Abu Al-Darda said, ‘No’. Ali^-asws said: ‘My^-asws (position) is similar to that. If Muawiya says, ‘Yes’, say to him, ‘It would then become permissible for everyone who has been oppressed by an oppressor or killed by a killer, to created discord among the Muslims, and cause disunity in their gatherings, and make a call to himself. Along with this, the children of Usman should be the first to claim the blood of their father, rather than Muawiya’.

قَالَ فَسَكَتَ أَبُو الدَّرْدَاءِ وَ أَبُو هُرَيْرَةَ وَ قَالا قَدْ أَنْصَفْتَ مِنْ نَفْسِكَ قَالَ عَلِيٌّ ع وَ لَعَمْرِي لَقَدْ أَنْصَفَنِي مُعَاوِيَةُ إِنْ تَمَّ عَلَيَّ قَوْلُهُ وَ صَدَقَ مَا أَعْطَانِي فَهَؤُلَاءِ بَنُو عُثْمَانَ رِجَالٌ قَدْ أَدْرَكُوا لَيْسُوا بِأَطْفَالٍ وَ لَا مُوَلَّى عَلَيْهِمْ فَلْيَأْتُوا أَجْمَعْ بَيْنَهُمْ وَ بَيْنَ قَتَلَةِ أَبِيهِمْ فَإِنْ عَجَزُوا عَنْ حُجَّتِهِمْ فَلْيَشْهَدُوا لِمُعَاوِيَةَ بِأَنَّهُ وَلِيُّهُمْ وَ وَكِيلُهُمْ فِي خُصُومَتِهِمْ

(Sulaym) said, ‘Abu Al-Darda and Abu Hureira were silent for a while and said, ‘You^-asws have been equitable from yourself^-asws’. Ali^-asws said: ‘By my^-asws life, Muawiya would have done justice to me if he would have kept to his words and been truthful to what he gives to me^-asws. Here are the sons of Usman, men who have understanding, and there are no children among them nor is there a guardian over them. So come, I^-asws will gather them along with the killers of their father, and if they get tired from arguing against them, let them testify that Muawiya is a guardian for them, and their representative, and fight against them for their disagreements.

 وَ لْيَقْعُدُوا هُمْ وَ خُصَمَاؤُهُمْ بَيْنَ يَدَيَّ مَقْعَدَ الْخُصُومِ إِلَى الْإِمَامِ وَ الْوَالِي الَّذِينَ يُقِرُّونَ بِحُكْمِهِ وَ يُنْفِذُونَ قَضَاءَهُ فَأَنْظُرُ فِي حُجَّتِهِمْ وَ حُجَّةِ خُصَمَائِهِمْ فَإِنْ كَانَ أَبُوهُمْ قُتِلَ ظَالِماً وَ كَانَ حَلَالَ الدَّمِ أَبْطَلْتُ دَمَهُ وَ فِي رِوَايَةٍ أُخْرَى أَهْدَرْتُ دَمَهُ وَ إِنْ كَانَ أَبُوهُمْ قُتِلَ مَظْلُوماً حَرَامَ الدَّمِ أَقَدْتُهُمْ مِنْ قَاتِلِ أَبِيهِمْ فَإِنْ شَاءُوا قَتَلُوا وَ إِنْ شَاءُوا عَفَوْا وَ إِنْ شَاءُوا قَبِلُوا الدِّيَةَ

And let them and the defendants sit in front of me^-asws, like the sitting of a litigant to the Imam^‑asws and the governor, whose judgement they accept and carry out his^-asws judgement, and I^-asws will consider their arguments and the arguments of their opponents. If their father was killed whilst being an oppressor and it was lawful for his blood to be shed, (seeking revenge for) his blood is invalidated, and if he was an oppressed one, (the shedding of) whose blood was unlawful, I^-asws will punish the one who killed their father, so if they want they can kill him, and if they want they can forgive him, and if they want they can accept the wergild.

وَ هَؤُلَاءِ قَتَلَةُ عُثْمَانَ فِي عَسْكَرِي يُقِرُّونَ بِقَتْلِهِ وَ يَرْضَوْنَ بِحُكْمِي عَلَيْهِمْ فَلْيَأْتِنِي وُلْدُ عُثْمَانَ وَ مُعَاوِيَةُ إِنْ كَانَ وَلِيَّهُمْ وَ وَكِيلَهُمْ فَلْيُخَاصِمُوا قَتَلَتَهُ وَ لْيُحَاكِمُوهُمْ حَتَّى أَحْكُمَ بَيْنَهُمْ بِكِتَابِ اللَّهِ وَ سُنَّةِ نَبِيِّهِ ص وَ إِنْ كَانَ مُعَاوِيَةُ إِنَّمَا يَتَجَنَّى وَ يَطْلُبُ الْأَعَالِيلَ وَ الْأَبَاطِيلَ فَلْيَتَجَنَّ مَا بَدَا لَهُ فَسَوْفَ يُعِينُ اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ

And here are the killers of Usman in my^-asws army, accepting that they killed him, and are happy with my^-aswsjudgement, be it against them or for them. Let the sons of Usman come to me, or Muawiya – if he was their guardian or their representative –let them present their arguments for his killing; and I^-asws will judge between the two of them until I^-asws judge by the Book of Allah^-azwj and the Sunnah of His^-azwj Prophet^-saww. But Muawiya is coming to me^-asws and he is seeking by the invalid reasons, so he can do whatever appears to him, for Allah^-azwj will Help against him’.

قَالَ أَبُو الدَّرْدَاءِ وَ أَبُو هُرَيْرَةَ قَدْ وَ اللَّهِ أَنْصَفْتَ مِنْ نَفْسِكَ وَ زِدْتَ عَلَى النَّصَفَةِ وَ أَزَحْتَ عِلَّتَهُ وَ قَطَعْتَ حُجَّتَهُ وَ جِئْتَ بِحُجَّةٍ قَوِيَّةٍ صَادِقَةٍ مَا عَلَيْهَا لَوْنٌ

Abu Al-Darda and Abu Hureira said, ‘By Allah^-azwj, you^-asws have established the truth, and have done more than the justice, and you^-asws have removed his reasons, and cut-off his arguments, and have come with strong arguments which are true and there can be no reproach against them’.

ثُمَّ خَرَجَ أَبُو هُرَيْرَةَ وَ أَبُو الدَّرْدَاءِ فَإِذَا نَحْوٌ مِنْ عِشْرِينَ أَلْفَ رَجُلٍ مُقَنَّعِينَ فِي الْحَدِيدِ فَقَالُوا نَحْنُ قَتَلَةُ عُثْمَانَ مُقِرُّونَ رَاضُونَ بِحُكْمِ عَلِيٍّ ع عَلَيْنَا وَ لَنَا فَلْيَأْتِنَا أَوْلِيَاءُ عُثْمَانَ فَلْيُحَاكِمُونَا إِلَى أَمِيرِ الْمُؤْمِنِينَ ع فِي دَمِ أَبِيهِمْ وَ إِنْ وَجَبَ عَلَيْنَا الْقَوَدُ أَوِ الدِّيَةُ اصْطَبَرْنَا لِحُكْمِهِ وَ سَلَّمْنَا

Then Abu Hureira and Abu Al-Darda went out, and there were nearly twenty thousand men covered with the iron (armaments). They (Abu Al-No’man Bin Zamaan) said, ‘We killed Usman, and we are accepting it, and are happy with the judgment of Ali^-asws, be it against us or for us. Let the guardian of Usman come to us, so that Amir-ul-Momineen^-asws can judge us with regard to the blood of their father. If punishment is obligated upon us or the blood-money (compensation), we will bear his^-asws judgment patiently, and submit to it’.

فَقَالا قَدْ أَنْصَفْتُمْ وَ لَا يَحِلُّ لِعَلِيٍّ ع دَفْعُكُمْ وَ لَا قَتْلُكُمْ حَتَّى يُحَاكِمُوكُمْ إِلَيْهِ فَيَحْكُمَ بَيْنَكُمْ وَ بَيْنَ أَصْحَابِكُمْ بِكِتَابِ اللَّهِ وَ سُنَّةِ نَبِيِّهِ ص

The two of them said, ‘You^-asws are being fair, and it is not permissible for Ali^-asws to defend you or to kill you until he^-asws passes a judgement upon you. He^-asws will judge between you and your companion by the Book of Allah^-azwj and the Sunnah of His^-azwj Prophet^-saww’.

وَ انْطَلَقَ أَبُو الدَّرْدَاءِ وَ أَبُو هُرَيْرَةَ حَتَّى قَدِمَا عَلَى مُعَاوِيَةَ فَأَخْبَرَاهُ بِمَا قَالَ عَلِيٌّ ع وَ مَا قَالَ قَتَلَةُ عُثْمَانَ وَ مَا قَالَ أَبُو النُّعْمَانِ بْنُ صمان‏

Abu Al-Darda and Abu Hureira went until they were in front of Muawiya. They informed him of what Ali^-aswshad said, and what the killers of Usman had said, and what Abu Al-No’man Bin Samaan had said.

فَقَالَ مُعَاوِيَةُ فَمَا رَدَّ عَلَيْكُمَا فِي تَرَحُّمِهِ عَلَى أَبِي بَكْرٍ وَ عُمَرَ وَ كَفِّهِ عَنِ التَّرَحُّمِ عَلَى عُثْمَانَ وَ بَرَاءَتِهِ مِنْهُ فِي السِّرِّ وَ مَا يَدَّعِي مِنِ اسْتِخْلَافِ رَسُولِ اللَّهِ ص إِيَّاهُ وَ أَنَّهُ لَمْ يَزَلْ مَظْلُوماً مُنْذُ قُبِضَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ ص قَالا بَلَى قَدْ تَرَحَّمَ عَلَى أَبِي بَكْرٍ وَ عُمَرَ وَ عُثْمَانَ عِنْدَنَا وَ نَحْنُ نَسْمَعُ

Muawiya said to both of them, ‘So what was his^-asws response to you two with regard to invoking Mercy for Abu Bakr and Umar, and pausing from (the invocation of Mercy) for Usman, and distancing himself^-asws for them in secret, and what he^-asws is claiming that the Rasool-Allah^-saww appointed him^-asws as Caliph, and that he^-asws has never ceased to be an oppressed one since the passing away of the Rasool-Allah^-saww?’ They said, ‘Yes, he^-asws had Invoked for Mercy for Abu Bakr, and Umar, and Usman in our presence, and we heard it’.

ثُمَّ قَالَ لَنَا فَمَا يَقُولُ إِنْ كَانَ اللَّهُ جَعَلَ الْخِيَارَ إِلَى الْأُمَّةِ فَكَانُوا هُمُ الَّذِينَ يَخْتَارُونَ وَ يَنْظُرُونَ لِأَنْفُسِهِمْ وَ كَانَ اخْتِيَارُهُمْ لِأَنْفُسِهِمْ وَ نَظَرُهُمْ لَهَا خَيْراً لَهُمْ وَ أَرْشَدَ مِنِ اخْتِيَارِ اللَّهِ وَ اخْتِيَارِ رَسُولِ اللَّهِ ص فَقَدِ اخْتَارُونِي وَ بَايَعُونِي فَبَيْعَتِي بَيْعَةُ هُدًى وَ أَنَا إِمَامٌ وَاجِبٌ عَلَى النَّاسِ نُصْرَتِي لِأَنَّهُمْ قَدْ تَشَاوَرُوا فِيَّ وَ اخْتَارُونِي

Then he^-asws said to us, from what he^-asws said: ‘If Allah^-azwj has Given them (the community) choice of agreeing to a leader, so they are the ones who will be choosing and considering for themselves – and their choosing for themselves and their consideration is more correct since it in accordance with the Choice of Allah^-azwj and the choice of the Rasool-Allah^-saww – so they have chosen me^-asws and have paid allegiance to me^-asws. The allegiance to me^-asws is the allegiance of guidance, and I^-asws am the Imam^-asws the obedience to me^-asws and helping me^‑asws has been Obligated upon the people, because they had consulted with regard to this and chose me^-asws.

وَ إِنْ كَانَ اخْتِيَارُ اللَّهِ وَ اخْتِيَارُ رَسُولِهِ خَيْراً لَهُمْ وَ أَرْشَدَ مِنِ اخْتِيَارِهِمْ لِأَنْفُسِهِمْ وَ نَظَرِهِمْ لَهَا فَقَدِ اخْتَارَنِي اللَّهُ وَ رَسُولُهُ لِلْأُمَّةِ وَ اسْتَخْلَفَانِي عَلَيْهِمْ وَ أَمَرَاهُمْ بِنُصْرَتِي وَ طَاعَتِي فِي كِتَابِ اللَّهِ الْمُنْزَلِ عَلَى لِسَانِ نَبِيِّهِ الْمُرْسَلِ وَ ذَلِكَ أَقْوَى بِحُجَّتِي وَ أَوْجَبُ لِحَقِّي

And if the Choice of Allah^-azwj and the choice of the Rasool-Allah^-saww is better for them and more correct than their choice for themselves and their consideration of it, so Allah^-azwj and His^-azwj Rasool^-saww have Chosen me^-asws for the community, and have Appointed me^-asws to be the Caliph over them, and Ordered them to help me^-asws and obey me^-asws, in the Revealed Book of Allah^-azwj upon the tongue of His^-azwj Messenger Prophet^-saww. And that is stronger for my^-asws argument and more than Obligates my^-asws rights’.

ثُمَّ صَعِدَ الْمِنْبَرَ فِي عَسْكَرِهِ وَ جَمَعَ النَّاسَ وَ مَنْ بِحَضْرَتِهِ مِنَ النَّوَاحِي وَ الْمُهَاجِرِينَ وَ الْأَنْصَارَ

Then he^-asws ascended the pulpit among his^-asws army, and gathered the people, and from those who were present from nearby, and the Emigrants and the Helpers.

ثُمَّ حَمِدَ اللَّهَ وَ أَثْنَى عَلَيْهِ ثُمَّ قَالَ مَعَاشِرَ النَّاسِ إِنَّ مَنَاقِبِي أَكْثَرُ مِنْ أَنْ تُحْصَى وَ بَعْدَ مَا أَنْزَلَ اللَّهُ فِي كِتَابِهِ مِنْ ذَلِكَ وَ مَا قَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ إِنِّي سَأُنَبِّئُكُمْ عَنْ خِصَالٍ سَبْعَةٍ قَالَهَا رَسُولُ اللَّهِ أَكْتَفِي بِهَا مِنْ جَمِيعِ مَنَاقِبِي وَ فَضْلِي

Then he^-asws Praised Allah^-azwj and Extolled Him^-azwj, then said: ‘O group of people! My^-asws virtues are more than what can be counted or numbered, and after (all that) is what Allah^-azwj has Revealed in His^-azwj Book from that, and what the Rasool-Allah^-saww has said. I^-asws shall inform you of seven qualities Rasool-Allah^-sawwhad said which should suffice for you to recognise all my^-asws virtues and my^-asws preferences.

أَ تَعْلَمُونَ أَنَّ اللَّهَ فَضَّلَ فِي كِتَابِهِ النَّاطِقِ السَّابِقَ إِلَى الْإِسْلَامِ فِي غَيْرِ آيَةٍ مِنْ كِتَابِهِ عَلَى الْمَسْبُوقِ وَ أَنَّهُ لَمْ يَسْبِقْنِي إِلَى اللَّهِ وَ رَسُولِهِ أَحَدٌ مِنَ الْأُمَّةِ قَالُوا اللَّهُمَّ نَعَمْ‏

Are you knowing that Allah^-azwj Preferred to Speak in His^-azwj Book, being the foremost to Al-Islam – in another Verse from His^-azwj Book over the preceded one, and there is no one from the community who preceded me^-asws to Allah^-azwj and His^-azwj Rasool^-saww?’ They said, ‘O Allah^‑azwj, yes’.

قَالَ أَنْشُدُكُمُ اللَّهَ أَ تَعْلَمُونَ مَا سُئِلَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ ص عَنْ قَوْلِهِ‏ السَّابِقُونَ السَّابِقُونَ أُولئِكَ الْمُقَرَّبُونَ‏ فَقَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ ص أَنْزَلَهَا اللَّهُ فِي الْأَنْبِيَاءِ وَ أَوْصِيَائِهِمْ وَ أَنَا أَفْضَلُ أَنْبِيَاءِ اللَّهِ وَ رُسُلِهِ وَ وَصِيِّي عَلِيُّ بْنُ أَبِي طَالِبٍ ع أَفْضَلُ الْأَوْصِيَاءِ

He^-asws said: ‘I^-asws adjure you all to Allah^-azwj, I^-asws asked the Rasool-Allah^-saww about His^-azwj Words: And the foremost are the foremost [56:10] These are the ones of proximity [56:11]. Rasool-Allah^-saww said: ‘Allah^-azwj has Sent these down regarding the Prophets^-as and their^-as successors^-as, and I^-saww am the best of the Prophets^-as of Allah^-azwj, and my^-saww brother, and my^-saww successor^-asws Ali^-asws Bin Abu Talib^-asws is the best of the successors^-as?’

فَقَامَ نَحْوٌ مِنْ سَبْعِينَ بَدْرِيّاً جُلُّهُمْ مِنَ الْأَنْصَارِ وَ بَقِيَّتُهُمْ مِنَ الْمُهَاجِرِينَ مِنْهُمْ أَبُو الْهَيْثَمِ بْنُ التَّيِّهَانِ وَ خَالِدُ بْنُ زَيْدٍ أَبُو أَيُّوبَ الْأَنْصَارِيُّ وَ فِي الْمُهَاجِرِينَ عَمَّارُ بْنُ يَاسِرٍ فَقَالُوا نَشْهَدُ أَنَّا قَدْ سَمِعْنَا رَسُولَ اللَّهِ ص قَالَ ذَلِكَ

About seventy from the participants of Badr, most of them from the Helpers and the rest of them from the Emigrants stood up. Among them were Abu Al-Haysam Bin Al-Tayhaan, and Khalid Bin Zayd Abu Ayyub Al-Ansaary, and from the Emigrants were Ammar Bin Yaaser and others, so they said, ‘We hereby testify that we have heard the Rasool-Allah^-saww say that’.

قَالَ فَأَنْشُدُكُمْ بِاللَّهِ فِي قَوْلِ اللَّهِ‏ يا أَيُّهَا الَّذِينَ آمَنُوا أَطِيعُوا اللَّهَ وَ أَطِيعُوا الرَّسُولَ وَ أُولِي الْأَمْرِ مِنْكُمْ‏ وَ قَوْلِهِ‏ إِنَّما وَلِيُّكُمُ اللَّهُ وَ رَسُولُهُ وَ الَّذِينَ آمَنُوا الَّذِينَ يُقِيمُونَ الصَّلاةَ وَ يُؤْتُونَ الزَّكاةَ وَ هُمْ راكِعُونَ‏ الْآيَةَ ثُمَّ قَالَ‏ وَ لَمْ يَتَّخِذُوا مِنْ دُونِ اللَّهِ وَ لا رَسُولِهِ وَ لَا الْمُؤْمِنِينَ وَلِيجَةً

He^-asws said: ‘I^-asws adjure you to Allah^-azwj regarding the Words of Allah^-azwj O you who believe! Obey Allah and obey the Rasool and those with (Divine) Authority from you. [4:59], and His^‑azwj Words: But rather, your Guardian is Allah, and His Rasool, and those who are believing, those who are establishing the Salat and are giving the Zakat while they are performing Ruku [5:55], then Said: and do not take as a confidant any one from besides Allah, nor His Rasool, nor the Momineen; [9:16].

فَقَالَ النَّاسُ يَا رَسُولَ اللَّهِ أَ خَاصٌّ لِبَعْضِ الْمُؤْمِنِينَ أَمْ عَامٌّ لِجَمِيعِهِمْ فَأَمَرَ اللَّهُ عَزَّ وَ جَلَّ رَسُولَهُ أَنْ يُعَلِّمَهُمْ وَ أَنْ يُفَسِّرَ لَهُمْ مِنَ الْوَلَايَةِ مَا فَسَّرَ لَهُمْ مِنْ صَلَاتِهِمْ وَ صِيَامِهِمْ وَ زَكَاتِهِمْ وَ حَجِّهِمْ

The people said, ‘O Rasool-Allah^-saww, is this especially for some of the believers or generally for all of them?’ Allah^-azwj Mighty and Majestic Commanded His^-azwj Rasool^-saww that he^-saww should teach them as to the ones^-asws for whom the Verse Came down, and that he^-saww should explain about the ‘Wilayah’ just as he^-sawwhad explained to them their Salats, and their Fasts, and their Zakaat, and their Hajj.

 فَنَصَبَنِي لِلنَّاسِ بِغَدِيرِ خُمٍّ وَ قَالَ إِنَّ اللَّهَ أَرْسَلَنِي بِرِسَالَةٍ ضَاقَ بِهَا صَدْرِي وَ ظَنَنْتُ أَنَّ النَّاسَ مُكَذِّبِي بِهَا فَأَوْعَدَنِي لَأُبَلِّغَنَّهَا أَوْ يُعَذِّبَنِي قُمْ يَا عَلِيُّ

He^-saww nominated me^-asws at Ghadeer Khumm and said that: ‘Allah^-azwj Sent me^-saww with a Message which constricted my^-saww chest and I^-saww saw that the people would not believe me^‑saww. He^-azwj Promised me^-saww that I^-saww should preach it or else He^-azwj would Punish me^‑saww. Arise! O Ali^-asws’.

ثُمَّ نَادَى بِأَعْلَى صَوْتِهِ بَعْدَ أَنْ أَمَرَ بِلَالًا أَنْ يُنَادِيَ بِ الصَّلَاةَ جَامِعَةً فَصَلَّى بِهِمُ الظُّهْرَ ثُمَّ قَالَ أَيُّهَا النَّاسُ إِنَّ اللَّهَ مَوْلَايَ وَ أَنَا مَوْلَى الْمُؤْمِنِينَ وَ أَنَا أَوْلَى بِهِمْ مِنْ أَنْفُسِهِمْ مَنْ كُنْتُ مَوْلَاهُ فَعَلِيٌّ مَوْلَاهُ اللَّهُمَّ وَالِ مَنْ وَالاهُ وَ عَادِ مَنْ عَادَاهُ وَ انْصُرْ مَنْ نَصَرَهُ وَ اخْذُلْ مَنْ خَذَلَهُ

Then he^-saww called for the congregational Salat, so we all prayed Salat with him^-asws, Al-Zohr (Midday Salat), then said: ‘O you people! Surely Allah^-azwj is my^-saww Master (Mawla), and I^-saww am the Master^-saww of the Momineen and foremost with them than their own selves. Indeed! The one to whom I^-saww am Master^-saww of, Ali^-asws is his Master^-asws. O Allah^-azwj! Befriend the one who befriends him^-asws, and be Inimical to the one who is inimical to him^-asws, and Help the one who helps him^-asws and Abandon the one who abandons him^-asws’.

فَقَامَ إِلَيْهِ سَلْمَانُ الْفَارِسِيُّ فَقَالَ يَا رَسُولَ اللَّهِ وَلَاؤُهُ فِيمَا ذَا فَقَالَ وَلَاؤُهُ كَوَلَايَتِي مَنْ كُنْتُ أَوْلَى بِهِ مِنْ نَفْسِهِ فَعَلِيٌّ أَوْلَى بِهِ مِنْ نَفْسِهِ

Salman Al-Farsi^-ra stood up in front of him^-saww and said, ‘O Rasool-Allah^-saww, be submissive to him^-asws like what?’ He^-saww said: ‘Be submissive to him^-asws like you^-ra are submissive to me^‑saww. The one to whom I^-saww am higher than his own self, so Ali^-asws is higher to him than his own self’.

وَ أَنْزَلَ اللَّهُ‏ الْيَوْمَ أَكْمَلْتُ لَكُمْ دِينَكُمْ وَ أَتْمَمْتُ عَلَيْكُمْ نِعْمَتِي وَ رَضِيتُ لَكُمُ الْإِسْلامَ دِيناً فَقَالَ سَلْمَانُ يَا رَسُولَ اللَّهِ أَ نَزَلَتْ هَذِهِ الْآيَاتُ فِي عَلِيٍّ خَاصَّةً فَقَالَ فِيهِ وَ فِي أَوْصِيَائِي إِلَى يَوْمِ الْقِيَامَةِ

And Allah^-azwj Blessed and Exalted Revealed: Today I Perfected your Religion for you and Completed My Favour upon you, and am Pleased with Al-Islam as a Religion for you [5:3]. Salman Al-Farsi^-ra said, ‘O Rasool-Allah^-saww, this Verse has Descended regarding Ali^-asws especially?’ Rasool-Allah^-saww said: ‘Indeed, it is regarding him^-asws, and regarding my^-saww successors up to the Day of Qiyamah’.

فَقَالَ سَلْمَانُ يَا رَسُولَ اللَّهِ ص بَيِّنْهُمْ لَنَا فَقَالَ عَلِيٌّ ع أَخِي وَ وَزِيرِي وَ وَصِيِّي وَ صِنْوِي وَ وَارِثِي وَ خَلِيفَتِي فِي أُمَّتِي وَ وَلِيُّ كُلِّ مُؤْمِنٍ بَعْدِي وَ أَحَدَ عَشَرَ إِمَاماً مِنْ وُلْدِهِ الْحَسَنُ ثُمَّ الْحُسَيْنُ ع ثُمَّ تِسْعَةٌ مِنْ وُلْدِ الْحُسَيْنِ ع وَاحِدٌ بَعْدَ وَاحِدٍ الْقُرْآنُ مَعَهُمْ وَ هُمْ مَعَ الْقُرْآنِ لَا يُفَارِقُونَهُ حَتَّى يَرِدُوا عَلَيَّ الْحَوْضَ

Salman Al-Farsi^-ra said, ‘O Rasool-Allah^-saww, explain it for us’. He^-saww said: ‘Ali^-asws, who is my^-saww brother, and my^-saww Vizier, and my^-saww successor, and my^-saww inheritor, and my^-saww Caliph in my^-saww community, and the Guardian of every believer after me^-saww, and eleven Imams^-asws from his sons^-asws. The first of them^-asws is my^-saww son Al-Hassan^-asws, then Al-Husayn^-asws, then nine from the sons^-asws of Al-Husayn^-asws, one after the other. The Quran is with them^-asws and they^-asws are with the Quran. Neither will it separate from them^-asws nor will they separate from it until they^-asws return to the Fountain’.

فَقَامَ اثْنَا عَشَرَ رَجُلًا مِنَ الْبَدْرِيِّينَ فَقَالُوا نَشْهَدُ أَنَّا سَمِعْنَا ذَلِكَ مِنْ رَسُولِ اللَّهِ ص كَمَا قُلْتَ سَوَاءً لَمْ تَزِدْ حَرْفاً وَ لَمْ تَنْقُصْ حَرْفاً وَ قَالَ بَقِيَّةُ السَّبْعِينَ قَدْ سَمِعْنَا ذَلِكَ وَ لَمْ نَحْفَظْهُ كُلَّهُ وَ هَؤُلَاءِ الِاثْنَا عَشَرَ خِيَارُنَا وَ أَفْضَلُنَا فَقَالَ صَدَقْتُمْ لَيْسَ كُلُّ النَّاسِ يَحْفَظُ بَعْضُهُمْ أَحْفَظُ مِنْ بَعْضٍ

Twelve men from the people of Badr stood up and said, ‘We testify that we heard that from the Rasool-Allah^-saww as you^-asws have said it exactly, neither have you^-asws added nor you^-asws have been deficient by a single letter, and the Rasool-Allah^-saww made us witnesses on that’. And the remaining seventy said, ‘We have heard that but did not memorise all of it, and these twelve are our good ones, and the best ones of us’. He^-asws said: ‘You spoke the truth. It is not for all the people to be memorisers, some of them are better at memorising than others.

فَقَامَ مِنَ الِاثْنَيْ عَشَرَ أَرْبَعَةٌ أَبُو الْهَيْثَمِ بْنُ التَّيِّهَانِ وَ أَبُو أَيُّوبَ وَ عَمَّارٌ وَ خُزَيْمَةُ بْنُ ثَابِتٍ ذُو الشَّهَادَتَيْنِ فَقَالُوا نَشْهَدُ أَنَّا قَدْ سَمِعْنَا قَوْلَ رَسُولِ اللَّهِ ص وَ حَفِظْنَا أَنَّهُ قَالَ يَوْمَئِذٍ وَ هُوَ قَائِمٌ وَ عَلِيٌّ ع قَائِمٌ إِلَى جَانِبِهِ

Four out of the twelve stood up – Abu Al-Haysam Bin Al-Tayham, and Abu Ayyub Al-Ansary, and Amaar Bin Yaaser, and Khuzayma Bin Sabit, the one with the two testimonies, may Allah^‑azwj have Mercy of them – so they said, ‘We testify that we have heard the words of the Rasool-Allah^-saww and we have preserved it that he^-saww said, one day, and he^-saww was standing, and Ali^-asws was standing beside him^-saww.

أَيُّهَا النَّاسُ إِنَّ اللَّهَ أَمَرَنِي أَنْ أَنْصِبَ لَكُمْ إِمَاماً يَكُونُ وَصِيِّي فِيكُمْ وَ خَلِيفَتِي فِي أُمَّتِي وَ فِي أَهْلِ بَيْتِي مِنْ بَعْدِي وَ الَّذِي فَرَضَ اللَّهُ عَلَى الْمُؤْمِنِينَ فِي كِتَابِهِ طَاعَتَهُ وَ أَمَرَكُمْ فِيهِ بِوَلَايَتِهِ

Then Rasool-Allah^-saww said: ‘O you people! Allah^-azwj has Commanded me^-saww that I^-saww should nominate for you an Imam^-asws and a successor^-asws who will be the successor^-asws of your Prophet^-saww among you, and my^-saww Caliph in my^-saww community, and among the People^-asws of my^-saww Household after me^-saww, and the one^-asws for whom Allah^-azwj has Obligated upon the believers, in His^-azwj book, obedience to him^-asws, and has Commanded to you all in it for his^-asws ‘Wilayah’.

فَرَاجَعْتُ رَبِّي خَشْيَةَ طَعْنِ أَهْلِ النِّفَاقِ وَ تَكْذِيبِهِمْ فَأَوْعَدَنِي لَأُبَلِّغُهَا أَوْ لَيُعَذِّبَنِّي

So I^-saww referred it back to my^-saww Lord out of fear of the hypocrites and their belying it, so He^-azwj Promised me^-saww that (He^-azwj will Protect me^-saww) but if I^-saww do not preach it, He^-azwj would Punish me^-saww’.

أَيُّهَا النَّاسُ إِنَّ اللَّهَ أَمَرَكُمْ فِي كِتَابِهِ بِالصَّلَاةِ وَ قَدْ بَيَّنْتُهَا لَكُمْ وَ سَنَنْتُهَا وَ الزَّكَاةِ وَ الصَّوْمِ وَ الْحَجِّ فَبَيَّنْتُهَا وَ فَسَّرْتُهَا لَكُمْ وَ أَمَرَكُمْ فِي كِتَابِهِ بِالْوَلَايَةِ

Then Rasool-Allah^-saww said: ‘O you people! Surely Allah^-azwj – Majestic is His^-azwj Name – has Ordered you all in His^-azwj Book for the Prayer and I^-saww have explained it for you and its mannerism, and the Zakat, and the Soam (Fasting), and the Hajj (Pilgrimage). I^-saww explained these to you and interpreted them for you all, and He^-azwj Commanded you all in His^-azwj Book for the ‘Wilayah’.

وَ إِنِّي أُشْهِدُكُمْ أَيُّهَا النَّاسُ أَنَّهَا خَاصَّةٌ لِعَلِيِّ بْنِ أَبِي طَالِبٍ ع وَ الْأَوْصِيَاءِ مِنْ وُلْدِي وَ وُلْدِ أَخِي وَ وَصِيِّي عَلِيٌّ أَوَّلُهُمْ ثُمَّ الْحَسَنُ ثُمَّ الْحُسَيْنُ ثُمَّ تِسْعَةٌ مِنْ وُلْدِ الْحُسَيْنِ ع‏ لَا يُفَارِقُونَ الْكِتَابَ حَتَّى يَرِدُوا عَلَيَّ الْحَوْضَ

And I^-saww adjure you, O you people, that it is especially for Ali^-asws Bin Abu Talib^-asws and the successors^-aswsfrom my^-saww sons^-asws and the sons^-asws of my^-saww brother and my^-saww successor^-asws. Ali^-asws is the first of them^-asws, then Al-Hassan^-asws, then Al-Husayn^-asws, then nine from the sons^-asws of Al-Husayn^-asws – my^-saww son^-asws. Neither will the Book be separated from them^-asws nor will they^-asws separate from it until they^-asws return to the Fountain.

أَيُّهَا النَّاسُ إِنِّي قَدْ أَعْلَمْتُكُمْ مَفْزَعَكُمْ وَ إِمَامَكُمْ بَعْدِي وَ دَلِيلَكُمْ وَ هَادِيَكُمْ وَ هُوَ أَخِي عَلِيُّ بْنُ أَبِي طَالِبٍ ع وَ هُوَ فِيكُمْ بِمَنْزِلَتِي

O you people! I^-saww have made known to you your shelter and your Imam^-asws after me^-saww, and your evidence and your guide, and he^-asws is Ali^-asws Bin Abu Talib^-asws, and he^-asws is among you at the status that I^-saww have among you.

فَقَلِّدُوهُ دِينَكُمْ وَ أَطِيعُوهُ فِي جَمِيعِ أُمُورِكُمْ فَإِنَّ عِنْدَهُ جَمِيعَ مَا عَلَّمَنِي اللَّهُ عَزَّ وَ جَلَّ وَ أَمَرَنِي اللَّهُ أَنْ أُعَلِّمَهُ إِيَّاكُمْ وَ أُعَلِّمَكُمْ أَنَّهُ عِنْدَهُ فَاسْأَلُوهُ وَ تَعَلَّمُوا مِنْهُ وَ مِنْ أَوْصِيَائِهِ بَعْدَهُ وَ لَا تُعَلِّمُوهُمْ وَ لَا تَتَقَدَّمُوهُمْ وَ لَا تَتَخَلَّفُوا عَنْهُمْ فَإِنَّهُمْ مَعَ الْحَقِّ وَ الْحَقُّ مَعَهُمْ لَا يُزَايِلُونَهُ وَ لَا يُزَايِلُهُمْ

So, emulate him^-asws (do his^-asws Taqleed), and obey him^-asws in all of your affairs, for in his^-asws possession is what Allah^-azwj has Taught me^-saww, and Ordered me^-saww for, and I^-saww have made it known to him^-asws, and I^-saww am letting you know that it is with him^-asws. So ask him^-asws and learn from him^-asws and from the successors^-asws after him^-asws, and do not try to teach them^‑asws nor precede them^-asws not be left behind them^-asws, for they^-asws are with the truth and the truth is with them^-asws, neither will they^-asws leave it nor will it leave them^-asws’.

ثُمَّ قَالَ عَلِيٌّ ع لِأَبِي الدَّرْدَاءِ وَ أَبِي هُرَيْرَةَ وَ مَنْ حَوْلَهُ يَا أَيُّهَا النَّاسُ أَ تَعْلَمُونَ أَنَّ اللَّهَ تَبَارَكَ وَ تَعَالَى أَنْزَلَ فِي كِتَابِهِ‏ إِنَّما يُرِيدُ اللَّهُ لِيُذْهِبَ عَنْكُمُ الرِّجْسَ أَهْلَ الْبَيْتِ وَ يُطَهِّرَكُمْ تَطْهِيراً

Then Ali^-asws said to Abu Al-Darda and Abu Hureira and those who were around them: ‘O you people! Do you know that Allah^-azwj Blessed and High Sent down in His^-azwj Book: But rather, Allah Intends to Keep the uncleanness away from you, People of the Household, and Purify you (with) a Purification [33:33].

فَجَمَعَنِي رَسُولُ [اللَّهِ‏] ص وَ فَاطِمَةَ وَ الْحَسَنَ وَ الْحُسَيْنَ فِي كِسَاءٍ وَ قَالَ اللَّهُمَّ هَؤُلَاءِ [أَحِبَّتِي‏] وَ عِتْرَتِي وَ حَامَّتِي وَ أَهْلُ بَيْتِي فَأَذْهِبْ عَنْهُمُ الرِّجْسَ وَ طَهِّرْهُمْ تَطْهِيراً

Rasool-Allah^-saww gathered me^-asws, and Fatima^-asws, and Al-Hassan^-asws, and Al-Husayn^-asws along with himself^-saww in his^-saww Blanket (Kisaa), and said: ‘O Allah^-azwj! These^-asws are my^-saww Family, and my^-sawwspecial ones, and the People^-asws of my^-saww Household, never let uncleanliness come near them^-asws and Keep them^-asws Purified with a thorough Purifying.

فَقَالَتْ أُمُّ سَلَمَةَ وَ أَنَا فَقَالَ إِنَّكِ إِلَى خَيْرٍ وَ إِنَّمَا أُنْزِلَتْ فِيَّ وَ فِي أَخِي عَلِيٍّ وَ ابْنَتِي فَاطِمَةَ وَ ابْنَيَّ الْحَسَنِ وَ الْحُسَيْنِ صَلَوَاتُ اللَّهِ عَلَيْهِمْ خَاصَّةً لَيْسَ مَعَنَا غَيْرُنَا وَ فِي تِسْعَةٍ مِنْ وُلْدِ الْحُسَيْنِ مِنْ بَعْدِي

Umm Salama^-ra said: ‘And I^-ra, O Rasool-Allah^-saww?’ So he^-saww said: ‘You^-ra are upon good, but this has Descended regarding myself^-saww, and regarding my^-saww brother Ali^-asws, and my^-saww daughter Fatima^-asws, and regarding my^-saww sons Al-Hassan^-asws and Al-Husayn^-asws, and regarding nine Imams^-asws from the sons^-asws of Al-Husayn^-asws from after me^-saww.

فَقَامَ كُلُّهُمْ فَقَالُوا نَشْهَدُ أَنَّ أُمَّ سَلَمَةَ حَدَّثَتْنَا بِذَلِكَ فَسَأَلْنَا عَنْ ذَلِكَ رَسُولَ اللَّهِ ص فَحَدَّثَنَا بِهِ كَمَا حَدَّثَتْنَا أُمُّ سَلَمَةَ

All of them stood up and said, ‘We bear witness that Umm Salama^-ra narrated that to us, so we asked the Rasool-Allah^-saww, and he^-saww narrated to us just as Umm Salama^-ra had narrated it’.

ثُمَّ قَالَ أَنْشُدُكُمُ اللَّهَ هَلْ تَعْلَمُونَ أَنَّ اللَّهَ جَلَّ اسْمُهُ أَنْزَلَ‏ يا أَيُّهَا الَّذِينَ آمَنُوا اتَّقُوا اللَّهَ وَ كُونُوا مَعَ الصَّادِقِينَ‏ فَقَالَ سَلْمَانُ يَا رَسُولَ اللَّهِ أَ عَامَّةٌ أَمْ خَاصَّةٌ

Then Ali^-asws said: ‘I^-asws adjure you all to Allah^-azwj, do you know that Allah^-azwj, Majestic is His^‑azwj Name, Sent down in His^-azwj Book: O you who believe! Fear Allah and be with the truthful ones [9:119]?’ Salman^-ra said, ‘O Rasool-Allah^-saww, is this general or special?’

فَقَالَ أَمَّا الْمَأْمُورُونَ فَعَامَّةٌ لِأَنَّ جَمَاعَةَ الْمُؤْمِنِينَ أُمِرُوا بِذَلِكَ وَ أَمَّا الصَّادِقُونَ فَخَاصَّةٌ عَلِيُّ بْنُ أَبِي طَالِبٍ وَ أَوْصِيَائِي مِنْ بَعْدِهِ إِلَى يَوْمِ الْقِيَامَةِ

He^-saww said: ‘But rather, the ones who have been Ordered are the general, being the group of the believers who have been Ordered with that, and as for the ‘Truthful’, so it is specially for my^-saww brother Ali^-asws Bin Abu Talib^-asws, and my^-saww successors^-asws from after him^-asws up to the Day of Qiyamah’.

وَ قُلْتُ لِرَسُولِ اللَّهِ ص فِي غَزْوَةِ تَبُوكَ يَا رَسُولَ اللَّهِ لِمَ خَلَّفْتَنِي فَقَالَ إِنَّ الْمَدِينَةَ لَا تَصْلُحُ إِلَّا بِي أَوْ بِكَ وَ أَنْتَ مِنِّي بِمَنْزِلَةِ هَارُونَ مِنْ مُوسَى إِلَّا النُّبُوَّةَ فَإِنَّهُ لَا نَبِيَّ بَعْدِي‏

Ali^-asws said: ‘And I^-asws said to the Rasool-Allah^-saww during the (military) expedition of Tabuk: ‘O Rasool-Allah^-saww, why did you^-saww leave me^-asws behind?’ He^-saww said: ‘O Ali^-asws, Al-Medina cannot be in a correct state except by me^-saww and by you^-asws, and you^-asws are from me^-saww of the status which Haroun ^-as had from Musa^-as except for the Prophet-hood, except there will be no Prophet^-as after me^-saww’.

فَقَامَ رِجَالٌ مِمَّنْ مَعَهُ مِنَ الْمُهَاجِرِينَ وَ الْأَنْصَارِ فَقَالُوا نَشْهَدُ أَنَّا سَمِعْنَا ذَلِكَ مِنْ رَسُولِ اللَّهِ ص فِي غَزْوَةِ تَبُوكَ

Some men from the Emigrants and the Helpers stood up and said, ‘We testify that we heard that from the Rasool-Allah^-saww during the (military) expedition of Tabuk’.

فَقَالَ أَنْشُدُكُمُ اللَّهَ أَ تَعْلَمُونَ أَنَّ اللَّهَ أَنْزَلَ فِي سُورَةِ الْحَجِ‏ يا أَيُّهَا الَّذِينَ آمَنُوا ارْكَعُوا وَ اسْجُدُوا وَ اعْبُدُوا رَبَّكُمْ‏ إِلَى آخِرِ السُّورَةِ

He^-asws said: ‘I^-asws adjure you all to Allah^-azwj, do you know that Allah^-azwj Mighty and Majestic Revealed in Surah Al-Hajj: O you who believe! Perform Ruku and Sajdah and worship your Lord, [22:77] – up to the end of the Surah.

فَقَامَ سَلْمَانُ فَقَالَ يَا رَسُولَ اللَّهِ مَنْ هَؤُلَاءِ الَّذِينَ أَنْتَ عَلَيْهِمْ شَهِيدٌ وَ هُمْ شُهَدَاءُ عَلَى النَّاسِ الَّذِينَ اجْتَبَاهُمُ اللَّهُ وَ مَا جَعَلَ عَلَيْهِمْ‏ فِي الدِّينِ مِنْ حَرَجٍ‏مِلَّةَ أَبِيهِمْ إِبْرَاهِيمَ

Salman^-ra stood up and said, ‘O Rasool-Allah^-saww, who are these^-asws over whom you^-saww are a witness and they^-asws are witnesses over the people, whom Allah^-azwj has Chosen, and did not Make anything wrong to them in the Religion, the Nation of their^-asws father Ibrahim^-as?’

قَالَ عَنَى بِذَلِكَ ثَلَاثَةَ عَشَرَ إِنْسَاناً أَنَا وَ أَخِي وَ أَحَدَ عَشَرَ مِنْ وُلْدِي قَالُوا اللَّهُمَّ نَعَمْ

Rasool-Allah^-saww said: ‘But it means by that thirteen humans – I^-asws, and my^-saww brother Ali^‑asws Bin Abu Talib^-asws, and eleven from his^-asws sons^-asws’. They said, ‘O Allah^-azwj, yes’.

قَالَ أَنْشُدُكُمُ اللَّهَ أَ تَعْلَمُونَ أَنَّ رَسُولَ اللَّهِ ص قَامَ خَطِيباً وَ لَمْ يَخْطُبْ بَعْدَهَا وَ قَالَ إِنِّي قَدْ تَرَكْتُ فِيكُمْ أَيُّهَا النَّاسُ أَمْرَيْنِ لَنْ تَضِلُّوا مَا تَمَسَّكْتُمْ بِهِمَا كِتَابَ اللَّهِ وَ أَهْلَ بَيْتِي فَإِنَّهُ قَدْ عَهِدَ إِلَيَّ اللَّطِيفُ الْخَبِيرُ أَنَّهُمَا لَنْ يَفْتَرِقَا حَتَّى يَرِدَا عَلَيَّ الْحَوْضَ

Ali^-asws said: ‘I^-asws adjure you all to Allah^-azwj, do you know that Rasool-Allah^-saww stood up to preach – and he^-saww never preached after it – and said: ‘O you people! I^-asws am leaving among you all two commands, you will not stray if you attach yourselves to these two – the Book of Allah^-azwj and my^-saww Family, the People^-asws of my^-saww Household, for it has been Promised to me^-saww by the Kind^-azwj, the Aware^-azwj, that these two will never separate until they return to me^-saww at the Fountain?’

فَقَالُوا اللَّهُمَّ نَعَمْ قَدْ شَهِدْنَا ذَلِكَ كُلَّهُ

They said, ‘O Allah^-azwj, yes, we have witnessed that, all of it’.

فَقَالَ حَسْبِيَ اللَّهُ فَقَامَ الِاثْنَا عَشَرَ فَقَالُوا نَشْهَدُ أَنَّ رَسُولَ اللَّهِ ص حِينَ خَطَبَ فِي الْيَوْمِ الَّذِي قُبِضَ فِيهِ قَامَ عُمَرُ بْنُ الْخَطَّابِ شِبْهَ الْمُغْضَبِ فَقَالَ يَا رَسُولَ اللَّهِ أَ كُلُّ أَهْلِ بَيْتِكَ

Ali^-asws said: ‘Allah^-azwj is Sufficient for me^-asws’. Twelve from the group of the participants of Badr stood up and said, ‘We testify that when Rasool-Allah^-saww preached on the day in which he^-saww passed away, Umar Bin Al-Khattab stood up angrily and said, ‘O Rasool-Allah^-saww, all the People^-asws of your^-saww Household?’

فَقَالَ لَا وَ لَكِنْ أَوْصِيَائِي مِنْهُمْ عَلِيٌّ أَخِي وَ وَزِيرِي وَ وَارِثِي وَ خَلِيفَتِي فِي أُمَّتِي وَ وَلِيُّ كُلِّ مُؤْمِنٍ بَعْدِي هَذَا أَوَّلُهُمْ وَ آخِرُهُمْ

He^-saww said: ‘No, but my^-saww successors^-asws. My^-saww brother among them^-asws, who is my^-saww Vizier, and my^-saww inheritor, and my^-saww Caliph in my^-saww community, and the Guardian of every believer after me^-asws, this is their first and their last.

ثُمَّ وَصِيِّي ابْنِي هَذَا وَ أَشَارَ إِلَى الْحَسَنِ ثُمَّ وَصِيُّهُ هَذَا وَ أَشَارَ إِلَى الْحُسَيْنِ ثُمَّ وَصِيِّي ابْنِي وَ سَمِيُّ أَخِي ثُمَّ وَصِيُّهُ سَمِيِّي ثُمَّ سَبْعَةٌ مِنْ وُلْدِهِ وَاحِدٌ بَعْدَ وَاحِدٍ حَتَّى يَرِدُوا عَلَيَّ الْحَوْضَ شُهَدَاءَ لِلَّهِ فِي أَرْضِهِ وَ حُجَجَهُ عَلَى خَلْقِهِ مَنْ أَطَاعَهُمْ أَطَاعَ اللَّهَ وَ مَنْ عَصَاهُمْ عَصَى اللَّهَ

Then my^-saww successor^-asws is this son^-asws of mine^-saww’ – and he^-saww gestured towards Al Hassan^-asws – ‘Then his^-asws successor^-asws is this’ – and he^-saww indicated to Al Husayn^-asws – ‘Then successor^-asws of my^-saww son^-asws’ – ‘Then my^-saww successor^-asws is my^-saww son^-asws’ – and he^-saww named, ‘Then his^-aswssuccessor^-asws, then seven from his^-asws sons^-asws, one after one, until they^-asws return to me^-saww at the Fountain. They are the witnesses of Allah^-azwj in His^-azwj earth, and His^-azwj Proofs over His^-azwj creatures. The one who obeys them has obeyed Allah^‑azwj, and the one who disobeys them^-asws has disobeyed Allah^-azwj.

فَقَامَ السَّبْعُونَ الْبَدْرِيُّونَ وَ نَحْوُهُمْ مِنَ الْآخَرِينَ فَقَالُوا أَدْرَكْنَا وَ مَا كُنَّا نَسِينَا نَشْهَدُ أَنَّا قَدْ سَمِعْنَا ذَلِكَ مِنْ رَسُولِ اللَّهِ‏

The remainder of the seventy people of Badr, and like of them from the later ones stood up and said, ‘You^-aswshave reminded us of what we had forgotten. We testify that we have heard that from Rasool-Allah^-saww’.

فَلَمْ يَدَعْ ع شَيْئاً إِلَّا نَاشَدَهُمْ فِيهِ حَتَّى أَتَى عَلَى آخِرِ مَنَاقِبِهِ وَ مَا قَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ ص فِيهِ كُلَّ ذَلِكَ يُصَدِّقُونَهُ وَ يَشْهَدُونَ أَنَّهُ حَقٌّ

He^-asws did not leave out anything except he^-asws adjured them regarding it, until he^-asws came to the last of his^-asws virtues and what Rasool-Allah^-saww had said regarding it. During all that they were ratifying him^-aswsand testifying that it was true.

فَلَمَّا حَدَّثَ أَبُو الدَّرْدَاءِ وَ أَبُو هُرَيْرَةَ مُعَاوِيَةَ بِكُلِّ ذَلِكَ وَ بِمَا رَدَّ عَلَيْهِ النَّاسُ وَجَمَ مِنْ ذَلِكَ وَ قَالَ يَا أَبَا الدَّرْدَاءِ وَ يَا أَبَا هُرَيْرَةَ لَئِنْ كَانَ مَا تُحَدِّثَانِّي عَنْهُ حَقّاً لَقَدْ هَلَكَ الْمُهَاجِرُونَ وَ الْأَنْصَارُ غَيْرَهُ وَ غَيْرَ أَهْلِ بَيْتِهِ وَ شِيعَتِهِ

When Abu Al-Darda and Abu Hureira narrated to Muawiya of all that and with what the people had responded, he got annoyed from that and said, ‘O Abu Al-Darda, and O Abu Hureira, if what you two have narrated to me from him^-asws is true, the Emigrants and the Helpers have perished, apart from himself^-asws, and the People^-asws of his^-asws Household, and his^-asws Shias’.

ثُمَّ كَتَبَ مُعَاوِيَةُ إِلَى أَمِيرِ الْمُؤْمِنِينَ ع لَئِنْ كَانَ مَا قُلْتَ وَ ادَّعَيْتَ وَ اسْتَشْهَدْتَ عَلَيْهِ أَصْحَابَكَ حَقّاً لَقَدْ هَلَكَ أَبُو بَكْرٍ وَ عُمَرُ وَ عُثْمَانُ وَ جَمِيعُ الْمُهَاجِرِينَ وَ الْأَنْصَارِ غَيْرَكَ وَ غَيْرَ أَهْلِ بَيْتِكَ وَ شِيعَتِكَ

Then Muawiya wrote to Amir-ul-Momineen^-asws: ‘If what your companions have said, and claimed, and testified to is true, Abu Bakr, and Umar and Usman have perished, and all of the Emigrants and the Helpers apart from yourself^-asws, and the People^-asws of your^-asws Household, and your^-asws Shias.

وَ قَدْ بَلَغَنِي تَرَحُّمُكَ عَلَيْهِمْ وَ اسْتِغْفَارُكَ لَهُمْ وَ إِنَّهُمْ لَعَلَى وَجْهَيْنِ مَا لَهَا ثَالِثٌ إِمَّا تَقِيَّةٌ إِنْ أَنْتَ تَبَرَّأْتَ مِنْهُمْ خِفْتَ أَنْ يَتَفَرَّقَ عَنْكَ أَهْلُ عَسْكَرِكَ الَّذِينَ تُقَاتِلُنِي بِهِمْ وَ إِنْ كَانَ الَّذِي ادَّعَيْتَ بَاطِلًا وَ كَذِباً

And it has reached me that you^-asws supplicate for them and seek Forgiveness for them, and it has for it two angles and there is no third angle to it. As for dissimulation, you^-asws distance yourself^-asws from them fearing that the people in your^-asws army would disperse from you^-asws, by whom you are fighting, or that which you^-asws are claiming is false and a lie.

فَقَدْ جَاءَنِي بَعْضُ مَنْ تَثِقُ بِهِ مِنْ خَاصَّتِكَ بِأَنَّكَ تَقُولُ لِشِيعَتِكَ وَ بِطَانَتِكَ بِطَانَةِ السَّوْءِ إِنِّي قَدْ سَمَّيْتُ ثَلَاثَةً مِنْ بَنِيَّ أَبَا بَكْرٍ وَ عُمَرَ وَ عُثْمَانَ فَإِذَا سَمِعْتُمُونِي أَتَرَحَّمُ عَلَى أَحَدٍ مِنْ أَئِمَّةِ الضَّلَالَةِ فَإِنَّمَا أَعْنِي بِذَلِكَ بَنِيَّ

And it has reached me, and it was one of your^-asws reliable and special ones who came with it, and you^-aswsare saying to your^-asws Shias who have strayed, and your^-asws devotees which is an evil entourage, that: ‘I^-asws have named three of my^-asws sons as Abu Bakr, and Umar, and Usman. So, if you hear from me^-aswssupplicating for Mercy for any one of the imams of misguidance, then I^-asws mean by that to be my^-asws son’.

وَ الدَّلِيلُ عَلَى ذَلِكَ وَ فِي رِوَايَةٍ أُخْرَى عَلَى صِدْقِ مَا أَتَوْنِي بِهِ وَ رَقَّوْهُ إِلَيَّ أَنْ قَدْ رَأَيْنَاكَ بِأَعْيُنِنَا فَلَا نَحْتَاجُ أَنْ نَسْأَلَ عَنْ ذَلِكَ غَيْرَنَا وَ إِلَّا فَلِمَ حَمَلْتَ امْرَأَتَكَ فَاطِمَةَ عَلَى حِمَارٍ وَ أَخَذْتَ بِيَدِ ابْنَيْكَ الْحَسَنِ وَ الْحُسَيْنِ إِذْ بُويِعَ أَبُو بَكْرٍ فَلَمْ تَدَعْ أَحَداً مِنْ أَهْلِ بَدْرٍ وَ السَّابِقَةِ إِلَّا وَ قَدْ دَعَوْتَهُمْ وَ اسْتَنْفَرْتَهُمْ عَلَيْهِ فَلَمْ تَجِدْ مِنْهُمْ إِنْسَاناً غَيْرَ أَرْبَعَةٍ سَلْمَانُ وَ أَبُو ذَرٍّ وَ الْمِقْدَادُ وَ الزُّبَيْرُ

And the evidence upon that and in another report upon truthfulness: ‘What they have come with and presented to me, is what I have seen you^-asws with my own eyes, so I do not need to ask about that from others. I saw you^-asws make your^-asws wife Fatima^-asws to ride upon a mule, and took the hands of your^-asws sons Al-Hassan^-asws and Al-Husayn^-asws – when they had paid allegiance to Abu Bakr – so you^-asws did not leave out anyone from the people of Badr, and the former ones, except that you called upon them for their help. You^-aswsdid not find among them any humans apart from four – Salman^-ra, and Abu Zarr^-ra, and Al-Miqdad^-ra, and Al-Zubeyr.

لَعَمْرِي لَوْ كُنْتَ مُحِقّاً لَأَجَابُوكَ وَ سَاعَدُوكَ وَ نَصَرُوكَ وَ لَكِنِ ادَّعَيْتَ بَاطِلًا وَ مَا لَا يُقِرُّونَ بِهِ وَ سَمِعَتْكَ أُذُنَايَ وَ أَنْتَ تَقُولُ لِأَبِي سُفْيَانَ حِينَ قَالَ لَكَ غَلَبَكَ عَلَيْهِ أَذَلُّ أَحْيَاءِ قُرَيْشٍ تَيْمٌ وَ عَدِيٌّ وَ دَعَاكَ إِلَى أَنْ يَنْصُرَكَ فَقُلْتَ لَوْ وَجَدْتُ أَعْوَاناً أَرْبَعِينَ رَجُلًا مِنَ الْمُهَاجِرِينَ وَ الْأَنْصَارِ مِنْ أَهْلِ السَّابِقَةِ لَنَاهَضْتُ الرَّجُلَ فَإِنَّا لَمْ نَجِدْ غَيْرَ أَرْبَعَةِ رَهْطٍ بَايَعْتُ مُكْرَهاً

By my life, if you^-asws were on truth, they would have answered you^-asws and supported you^‑asws and helped you^-asws, but your^-asws claim was false and they did not accept it. And I heard you^‑asws with my own ears and you^-asws said to Abu Sufyan – when he said to you, ‘They have overcome the kingdom of the son^-saww of your^-asws uncle^-as, O son of Abu Talib^-asws, and the ones who have overcome you^-asws are the disgraced tribes of Quraysh; Taym and Ady’, and he claimed that he will help you – so you^-asws said: ‘If I^-asws find as helpers, forty men from the Emigrants and the helpers, from the former ones, I^-asws would resist this man’. When you^-aswsdid not find any apart from a group of four, you^-asws paid allegiance abhorrently’.

قَالَ فَكَتَبَ إِلَيْهِ أَمِيرُ الْمُؤْمِنِينَ ع أَمَّا بَعْدُ فَقَدْ قَرَأْتُ كِتَابَكَ فَكَثُرَ مَا يُعْجِبُنِي مِمَّا خَطَّتْ فِيهِ يَدُكَ وَ أَطْنَبْتَ‏ فِيهِ مِنْ كَلَامِكَ وَ مِنَ الْبَلَاءِ الْعَظِيمِ وَ الْخَطْبِ الْجَلِيلِ عَلَى هَذِهِ الْأُمَّةِ أَنْ يَكُونَ مِثْلُكَ يَتَكَلَّمُ أَوْ يَنْظُرُ فِي عَامَّةِ أَمْرِهِمْ أَوْ خَاصَّتِهِ وَ أَنْتَ مَنْ تَعْلَمُ وَ ابْنُ مَنْ قَدْ عَلِمْتَ وَ أَنَا مَنْ قَدْ عَلِمْتَ وَ ابْنُ مَنْ تَعْلَمُ وَ سَأُجِيبُكَ فِيمَا قَدْ كَتَبْتَ بِجَوَابٍ

(Sulaym) said, ‘Amir-ul-Momineen^-asws wrote to him: ‘As for after, I^-asws have read your letter and was very surprised at what was written in it by your hand, and amplifying your words. And from the great afflictions and the grave matter upon this community is that there would be someone like you who would speak or consider public matters or for special ones, and you know who you are whose son you are, and I^-asws the one you have known and you know whose son^-asws I^-asws am, and I^-asws am answering you what you have written, with the answer.

لَا أَظُنُّكَ تَعْقِلُهُ أَنْتَ وَ لَا وَزِيرُكَ ابْنُ النَّابِغَةِ عَمْرٌو الْمُوَافِقُ لَكَ كَمَا وَافَقَ شَنٌّ طَبَقَةَ فَإِنَّهُ هُوَ الَّذِي أَمَرَكَ بِهَذَا الْكِتَابِ وَ زَيَّنَهُ لَكَ أَوْ حَضَرَكُمَا فِيهِ إِبْلِيسُ وَ مَرَدَةُ أَصْحَابِهِ

I^-asws do not think that you are saying it, nor your Vizier Ibn Naabiga Amro (Bin Al-Aas), who is as compatible for you just as the layers are, for he is the one who ordered you to write this letter and has decorated himself to you, and Iblees^-la was present with you two along with his^‑la renegade companions’.

وَ فِي رِوَايَةٍ أُخْرَى وَ مَرَدَةُ أَبَالِسَتِهِ وَ إِنَّ رَسُولَ اللَّهِ ص قَدْ كَانَ خَبَّرَنِي أَنَّهُ رَأَى عَلَى مِنْبَرِهِ اثْنَيْ عَشَرَ رَجُلًا أَئِمَّةَ ضَلَالَةٍ مِنْ قُرَيْشٍ يَصْعَدُونَ عَلَى مِنْبَرِ رَسُولِ اللَّهِ ص وَ يَنْزِلُونَ عَلَى صُورَةِ الْقُرُودِ يَرُدُّونَ أُمَّتَهُ عَلَى أَدْبَارِهِمْ عَنِ الصِّرَاطِ الْمُسْتَقِيمِ اللَّهُمَّ وَ قَدْ خَبَّرَنِي بِأَسْمَائِهِمْ رَجُلًا رَجُلًا وَ كَمْ يَمْلِكُ كُلُّ وَاحِدٍ مِنْهُمْ وَاحِدٌ بَعْدَ وَاحِدٍ

And in another report: ‘And his^-la renegade devils. And Rasool-Allah^-saww has informed me, and made it known to me that he^-saww saw twelve men upon his^-saww Pulpit, being imams of misguidance from the Quraysh, ascending the Pulpit of the Rasool-Allah^-saww and descending from it, who had faces of monkeys. They were reverting the community back upon its heels from the Straight Path. He^-saww informed me^-asws of their names, man after man, and for how long they will be ruling for, each one of them after the other.

عَشَرَةٌ مِنْهُمْ مِنْ بَنِي أُمَيَّةَ وَ رَجُلَيْنِ مِنْ حَيَّيْنِ مُخْتَلِفَيْنِ مِنْ قُرَيْشٍ عَلَيْهِمَا مِثْلُ أَوْزَارِ الْأُمَّةِ جَمِيعاً إِلَى يَوْمِ الْقِيَامَةِ وَ مِثْلُ جَمِيعِ عَذَابِهِمْ فَلَيْسَ دَمٌ يُهَرَاقُ فِي غَيْرِ حَقِّهِ وَ لَا فَرْجٌ يُغْشَى وَ لَا حُكْمٌ بِغَيْرِ حَقٍّ إِلَّا كَانَ عَلَيْهِمَا وِزْرُهُ‏

Ten of them are from the Clan of Umayya, and two men from different tribes of Quraysh.  Upon these two will be the like of sins of the entire community up to the Day of Judgement, and the like of their Punishments. There is no one whose blood will be shed unjustifiably, nor a woman violated, nor an unlawful command issued without right except its burden will be upon these two (Abu Bakr and Umar).

وَ سَمِعْتُهُ يَقُولُ إِنَّ بَنِي أَبِي الْعَاصِ إِذَا بَلَغُوا ثَلَاثِينَ رَجُلًا جَعَلُوا كِتَابَ اللَّهِ دَخَلًا وَ عِبَادَ اللَّهِ خَوَلًا وَ مَالَ اللَّهِ دُوَلًا

And I^-asws heard him^-saww say that: ‘When the Clan of Abu Al-Aas reaches to thirty men, they will take the Book of Allah^-azwj to deceive by, and the servants of Allah^-azwj under their authority, and the wealth of Allah^-azwj for their own.

وَ قَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ ص يَا أَخِي إِنَّكَ لَسْتَ كَمِثْلِي إِنَّ اللَّهَ أَمَرَنِي أَنْ أَصْدَعَ بِالْحَقِّ وَ أَخْبَرَنِي أَنَّهُ يَعْصِمُنِي‏ مِنَ النَّاسِ فَأَمَرَنِي أَنْ أُجَاهِدَ وَ لَوْ بِنَفْسِي فَقَالَ‏ فَقاتِلْ فِي سَبِيلِ اللَّهِ لا تُكَلَّفُ إِلَّا نَفْسَكَ‏ وَ قَالَ‏ حَرِّضِ الْمُؤْمِنِينَ عَلَى الْقِتالِ

And the Rasool-Allah^-saww said: ‘O my^-saww brother^-asws, your^-asws situation is not like mine^-saww, in that Allah^-azwj has Ordered me^-asws that I^-saww should declare the truth and Informed me^-saww that He^-azwj will Protect me^-saww from the people, and Ordered me^-saww that I^-saww should struggle even though I^-saww may be alone. He^-azwj Said: So fight in the Way of Allah; it is not encumbered except on yourself, – and Said: and encourage the Momineen, [4:84].

وَ قَدْ مَكَثْتُ بِمَكَّةَ مَا مَكَثْتُ لَمْ أُومَرْ بِقِتَالٍ ثُمَّ أَمَرَنِي بِالْقِتَالِ لِأَنَّهُ لَا يُعْرَفُ الدِّينُ إِلَّا بِي وَ لَا الشَّرَائِعُ وَ لَا السُّنَنُ وَ الْأَحْكَامُ وَ الْحُدُودُ وَ الْحَلَالُ وَ الْحَرَامُ وَ إِنَّ النَّاسَ يَدَعُونَ بَعْدِي مَا أَمَرَهُمُ اللَّهُ بِهِ وَ مَا أَمَرَهُمْ فِيكَ مِنْ وَلَايَتِكَ وَ مَا أَظْهَرْتُ مِنْ مَحَبَّتِكَ مُتَعَمِّدِينَ غَيْرَ جَاهِلِينَ مُخَالِفَةً لِمَا أَنْزَلَ اللَّهُ فِيكَ

And I^-saww have stayed at Mecca (for the duration) I^-saww stayed, then Allah^-azwj Ordered me^‑saww for the fighting because the Religion could not be recognised except by me^-saww, nor the Law, nor the Sunnah and the Regulations, and the Limits, and the Permissibles and the Prohibition. And that the people, after me^-saww, will leave what Allah^-azwj has Commanded them for, and what He^-azwj Commanded them regarding you^-aswsfrom your^-asws Wilayah, and what has been made apparent from your^-asws arguments, deliberately, not out of ignorance or their doubts with regards to you^-asws, in particular their opposition to what Allah^-azwj had Sent down regarding you^-asws.

فَإِنْ وَجَدْتَ أَعْوَاناً عَلَيْهِمْ فَجَاهِدْهُمْ فَإِنْ لَمْ تَجِدْ أَعْوَاناً فَاكْفُفْ يَدَكَ وَ احْقُنْ دَمَكَ فَإِنَّكَ إِنْ نَابَذْتَهُمْ قَتَلُوكَ وَ إِنْ تَابَعُوكَ وَ أَطَاعُوكَ فَاحْمِلْهُمْ عَلَى الْحَقِّ وَ إِلَّا فَادْعُ النَّاسَ فَإِنِ اسْتَجَابُوا لَكَ وَ وَازَرُوكَ فَنَابِذْهُمْ وَ جَاهِدْهُمْ وَ إِنْ لَمْ تَجِدْ أَعْوَاناً فَاكْفُفْ يَدَكَ وَ احْقُنْ دَمَكَ

If you^-asws were to find helpers against them, fight them, and if you^-asws do not find helpers, restrain your^-aswshand, and save your^-asws blood, for if you^-asws oppose them, they will kill you^‑asws. And if they follow you^-aswsand obey you^-asws, carry them towards the truth, otherwise let them be. If they respond to you^-asws by opposing you^-asws, so oppose them and fight them. And if you^-asws do not find helpers, then restrain your^-aswshand and save your^-asws blood.

وَ اعْلَمْ أَنَّكَ إِنْ دَعَوْتَهُمْ لَمْ يَسْتَجِيبُوا لَكَ فَلَا تَدَعَنَّ عَنْ أَنْ تَجْعَلَ الْحُجَّةَ عَلَيْهِمْ إِنَّكَ يَا أَخِي لَسْتَ مِثْلِي إِنِّي قَدْ أَقَمْتُ حُجَّتَكَ وَ أَظْهَرْتُ لَهُمْ مَا أَنْزَلَ اللَّهُ فِيكَ وَ إِنَّهُ لَمْ يُعْلَمْ أَنِّي رَسُولُ اللَّهِ وَ أَنَّ حَقِّي وَ طَاعَتِي وَاجِبَانِ حَتَّى أَظْهَرْتُ ذَلِكَ وَ أَمَّا أَنْتَ فَإِنِّي كُنْتُ قَدْ أَظْهَرْتُ حُجَّتَكَ وَ قُمْتُ بِأَمْرِكَ

And know that if you^-asws call them and they do not answer you^-asws do not let them be if you^‑asws have already established the argument against them. You^-asws, O my^-saww brother, are not (in a situation) like mine^-saww. I^-saww have established your^-asws argument and manifested to them what Allah^-azwj has Sent down regarding you^-asws, and they do not know that I^-saww am Rasool-Allah^-saww and that my^-saww rights and obedience to me^-saww are both Obligatory until I^‑saww manifested it to you^-asws, for I^-saww had already manifested your^-asws argument, and established it with your^-asws command.

فَإِنْ سَكَتَّ عَنْهُمْ لَمْ تَأْثَمْ غَيْرَ أَنَّهُ أُحِبُّ أَنْ تَدْعُوَهُمْ وَ إِنْ لَمْ يَسْتَجِيبُوا لَكَ وَ لَمْ يَقْبَلُوا مِنْكَ وَ تَظَاهَرَتْ عَلَيْكَ

If you^-asws are silent from them, you^-asws will not be sinning, but I^-saww would love it if you^-asws call them even though they do not respond to you^-asws and do not accept from you^-asws and back each other against you^-asws.

ظَلَمَةُ قُرَيْشٍ فَدَعْهُمْ فَإِنِّي أَخَافُ عَلَيْكَ إِنْ نَاهَضْتَ الْقَوْمَ وَ نَابَذْتَهُمْ وَ جَاهَدْتَهُمْ مِنْ غَيْرِ أَنْ يَكُونَ مَعَكَ فِئَةٌ تَقْوَى بِهِمْ أَنْ يَقْتُلُوكَ وَ التَّقِيَّةُ مِنْ دِينِ اللَّهِ وَ لَا دِينَ لِمَنْ لَا تَقِيَّةَ لَهُ

And the Quraysh will exhibit injustice to you^-asws, I^-saww fear for you^-asws that the people will reject you and you^-asws should only oppose them and fight against them when you^-asws find helpers with you^-asws by whom you^-asws can strengthen by, otherwise they will try to eliminate you^-asws. They would attempt to extinguish the Light of Allah^-azwj so that there will be no one worshipping Allah^-azwj in His^-azwj earth, and the dissimulation is from the Religion of Allah^-azwj, and there is no Religion to the one who has no Taqaiyya (dissimulation) for him.

وَ إِنَّ اللَّهَ قَضَى الِاخْتِلَافَ وَ الْفُرْقَةَ عَلَى هَذِهِ الْأُمَّةِ وَ لَوْ شَاءَ لَجَمَعَهُمْ عَلَى الْهُدى‏ وَ لَمْ يَخْتَلِفْ اثْنَانِ مِنْهَا وَ لَا مِنْ خَلْقِهِ وَ لَمْ يُتَنَازَعْ فِي شَيْ‏ءٍ مِنْ أَمْرِهِ وَ لَمْ يَجْحَدِ الْمَفْضُولُ ذَا الْفَضْلِ فَضْلَهُ

And that Allah^-azwj has Judged that there be sects and differences in this community, and had He^-azwj so Desired, He^-azwj would have Gathered them on Guidance and no two from them would have differed, nor would anyone from His^-azwj creatures would have disputed with regards to anything from His^-azwj Commands, and the lower ones would not have struggled against the preferred ones for their preferences.

وَ لَوْ شَاءَ عَجَّلَ مِنْهُ النَّقِمَةَ وَ كَانَ مِنْهُ التَّغْيِيرُ حِينَ يُكَذِّبُ الظَّالِمُ وَ يَعْلَمُ الْحَقَّ أَيْنَ مَصِيرُهُ وَ اللَّهُ جَعَلَ الدُّنْيَا دَارَ الْأَعْمَالِ وَ جَعَلَ الْآخِرَةَ دَارَ الثَّوَابِ وَ الْعِقَابِ‏ لِيَجْزِيَ الَّذِينَ أَساؤُا بِما عَمِلُوا وَ يَجْزِيَ الَّذِينَ أَحْسَنُوا بِالْحُسْنَى‏ فَقُلْتُ شُكْراً لِلَّهِ عَلَى نَعْمَائِهِ وَ صَبْراً عَلَى بَلَائِهِ وَ تَسْلِيماً وَ رِضًى بِقَضَائِهِ

And had He^-azwj so Desired, He^-azwj would Hasten the Revenge, and Change them until the oppressor would be falsified and they would come to know where the truth lies. And Allah^‑azwj has made the world to be a House of deeds, and made the Hereafter to be the House of Reward and Punishment. for Him to Recompense those committers of evil for what they had done, and (for) Him to Recompense those did good, with the Goodness [53:31]. I^-saww said: ‘Thanks be to Allah^-azwj for His^-azwj Favours, and I^-aswsobserve patience on His^-azwj afflictions and submit to them, and I^-saww am pleased with His^-azwj Judgement’.

ثُمَّ قَالَ يَا أَخِي أَبْشِرْ فَإِنَّ حَيَاتَكَ وَ مَوْتَكَ مَعِي‏ وَ أَنْتَ أَخِي وَ أَنْتَ‏ وَصِيِّي وَ أَنْتَ وَزِيرِي وَ أَنْتَ وَارِثِي وَ أَنْتَ تُقَاتِلُ عَلَى سُنَّتِي وَ أَنْتَ مِنِّي بِمَنْزِلَةِ هَارُونَ مِنْ مُوسَى وَ لَكَ بِهَارُونَ أُسْوَةٌ حَسَنَةٌ إِذِ اسْتَضْعَفَهُ أَهْلُهُ وَ تَظَاهَرُوا عَلَيْهِ وَ كَادُوا يَقْتُلُونَهُ

Then he^-saww said: ‘O my^-saww brother^-asws, receive good news for your^-asws life and your^-asws passing away are with me^-saww, and you^-asws are my^-saww brother, and you^-asws are my^-saww successor^-asws, and you^-aswsare my^-saww Vizier, and you^-asws are my^-saww inheritor, and you^-asws will fight upon my^-saww Sunnah, and you^-asws are from me^-asws of the status which Haroun^-as had from Musa^-as, and for you^-asws, with Haroun^-as is the best example when his^-as people considered him^-as to be weak, and prevailed upon him^-as and almost killed him^-as.

فَاصْبِرْ لِظُلْمِ قُرَيْشٍ إِيَّاكَ وَ تَظَاهُرِهِمْ عَلَيْكَ فَإِنَّهَا ضَغَائِنُ فِي صُدُورِ قَوْمٍ لَهُمْ أَحْقَادُ بَدْرٍ وَ تُرَاثُ أُحُدٍ وَ إِنَّ مُوسَى أَمَرَ هَارُونَ حِينَ اسْتَخْلَفَهُ فِي قَوْمِهِ إِنْ ضَلُّوا فَوَجَدَ أَعْوَاناً أَنْ يُجَاهِدَهُمْ بِهِمْ فَإِنْ لَمْ يَجِدْ أَعْوَاناً أَنْ يَكُفَّ يَدَهُ وَ يَحْقُنَ دَمَهُ وَ لَا يُفَرِّقَ بَيْنَهُمْ

Be patience to the injustice of the Quraysh towards you^-asws and what they will be coming up against you^-asws, for there are grudges in the hearts of the people, the malice of Badr and the animosities of Uhud. And that Musa^-as had ordered Haroun^-as when he^-as left him^-as behind among his^-as people that if they go astray and he^-as find helpers he^-as should fight against them by these (helpers), but if he^-as does not find helpers then he^-as should restrain his^-as hand and save his^-as blood, and not create differences among them.

فَافْعَلْ أَنْتَ كَذَلِكَ إِنْ وَجَدْتَ عَلَيْهِمْ أَعْوَاناً فَجَاهِدْهُمْ وَ إِنْ لَمْ تَجِدْ أَعْوَاناً فَاكْفُفْ يَدَكَ وَ احْقُنْ دَمَكَ فَإِنَّكَ إِنْ نَابَذْتَهُمْ قَتَلُوكَ

So you^-asws should do like that, and if you^-asws find helpers against them, so fight against them, and if you^-aswsdo not find helpers, so you^-asws should restrain your^-asws hand and save your^-asws blood, for if you^-aswsconfront them, they will kill you^-asws.

وَ اعْلَمْ أَنَّكَ إِنْ لَمْ تَكُفَّ يَدَكَ وَ تَحْقُنْ دَمَكَ إِذَنْ لَمْ تَجِدْ أَعْوَاناً تَخَوَّفْتُ عَلَيْكَ أَنْ يَرْجِعَ النَّاسُ إِلَى عِبَادَةِ الْأَصْنَامِ وَ الْجُحُودِ بِأَنِّي رَسُولُ اللَّهِ فَاسْتَظْهِرْ بِالْحُجَّةِ عَلَيْهِمْ وَ دَعْهُمْ لِيَهْلِكَ النَّاصِبُونَ لَكَ وَ الْبَاغُونَ عَلَيْكَ وَ يَسْلَمَ الْعَامَّةُ وَ الْخَاصَّةُ

And know that if you^-asws do not restrain your^-asws hand and save your^-asws blood when you^-asws do not find helpers for yourself^-asws, I^-saww fear for you^-asws, that the people will revert back to worshipping the idols and will dispute that I^-saww am the Rasool-Allah^-saww. So, show the arguments against them and call them, so that those who are Nasibis (hostile to you^-asws) and the rebels against you^-asws will be destroyed, whilst the general public and certain people will remain safe.

فَإِذَا وَجَدْتَ يَوْماً أَعْوَاناً عَلَى إِقَامَةِ كِتَابِ اللَّهِ وَ السُّنَّةِ فَقَاتِلْ عَلَى تَأْوِيلِ الْقُرْآنِ كَمَا قَاتَلْتَ عَلَى تَنْزِيلِهِ فَإِنَّمَا يَهْلِكُ مِنَ الْأُمَّةِ مَنْ نَصَبَ لَكَ أَوْ لِأَحَدٍ مِنْ أَوْصِيَائِكَ وَ عَادَى وَ جَحَدَ وَ دَانَ بِخِلَافِ مَا أَنْتُمْ عَلَيْهِ

So, the day you^-asws find helpers for establishing the Book and the Sunnah, fight them over the explanation of the Quran just as I^-saww fought over its Revelation. But, the one from the community who harbours hatred towards you^-asws (the Nasibis), or towards any one^-asws from your^-asws successors^-asws by being inimical will perish, for they would have made it to be a Religion all that which opposes you^-asws.

وَ لَعَمْرِي يَا مُعَاوِيَةُ لَوْ تَرَحَّمْتُ عَلَيْكَ وَ عَلَى طَلْحَةَ وَ الزُّبَيْرِ كَانَ تَرَحُّمِي عَلَيْكُمْ وَ اسْتِغْفَارِي لَكُمْ لَعْنَةً عَلَيْكُمْ وَ عَذَاباً

And by my^-asws life, O Muawiya, if I^-asws were to invoke Mercy upon you and upon Talha and Al-Zubeyr, my^-asws invocation towards you and my^-asws seeking of Forgiveness for you would not make falsehood to be truth, but Allah^-azwj would Make my^-asws invocation to you and my^‑asws seeking of Forgiveness for you to be a Curse and a Punishment upon you all.

وَ مَا أَنْتَ وَ طَلْحَةُ وَ الزُّبَيْرُ بِأَعْظَمَ جُرْماً وَ لَا أَصْغَرَ ذَنْباً وَ لَا أَهْوَنَ بِدْعَةً وَ ضَلَالَةً مِنَ الذين [اللَّذَيْنِ‏] أَسَّسَا لَكَ وَ لِصَاحِبِكَ الَّذِي تَطْلُبُ بِدَمِهِ وَ وَطَّئَا لَكُمَا ظُلْمَنَا أَهْلَ الْبَيْتِ وَ حَمَلَاكُمْ عَلَى رِقَابِنَا

And neither are you, or Talha and Al-Zubeyr any less criminal, nor are your sins any smaller, and any lesser in your heresies (innovations) and straying from the ones who facilitated these for you (Abu Bakr and Umar) and for your companion (Usman) whose blood that you seek, and made it easy for you to oppress us^-asws, the People^-asws of the Household, and burdened you upon our^-asws necks.

قَالَ اللَّهُ تَبَارَكَ وَ تَعَالَى‏ أَ لَمْ تَرَ إِلَى الَّذِينَ أُوتُوا نَصِيباً مِنَ الْكِتابِ يُؤْمِنُونَ بِالْجِبْتِ وَ الطَّاغُوتِ وَ يَقُولُونَ لِلَّذِينَ كَفَرُوا هؤُلاءِ أَهْدى‏ مِنَ الَّذِينَ آمَنُوا سَبِيلًا أُولئِكَ الَّذِينَ لَعَنَهُمُ اللَّهُ وَ مَنْ يَلْعَنِ اللَّهُ فَلَنْ تَجِدَ لَهُ نَصِيراً أَمْ لَهُمْ نَصِيبٌ مِنَ الْمُلْكِ فَإِذاً لا يُؤْتُونَ النَّاسَ نَقِيراً

Allah^-azwj Blessed and Exalted Said: Have you not seen those Given a portion of the Book? They are believing in the false god and the tyrant, and they are saying to those who are committing Kufr, ‘They are more guided of the way than those who are believing’. [4:51] They are those whom Allah has Cursed; and the one whom Allah Curses, so you will never find there being a helper for him [4:52] Or is there for them a share in the Kingdom? (If) So, they would not be giving the people (even) the speck of the date stone [4:53].

أَمْ يَحْسُدُونَ النَّاسَ عَلى‏ ما آتاهُمُ اللَّهُ مِنْ فَضْلِهِ‏ فَنَحْنُ النَّاسُ وَ نَحْنُ الْمَحْسُودُونَ قَالَ اللَّهُ عَزَّ وَ جَلَ‏ فَقَدْ آتَيْنا آلَ إِبْراهِيمَ الْكِتابَ وَ الْحِكْمَةَ وَ آتَيْناهُمْ مُلْكاً عَظِيماً

Or are they envying the people upon what Allah has Given them from His Grace? [4:54], so we^-asws are the people and we^-asws are the envied ones’. Allah^-azwj Mighty and Majestic Said: So, We have Given the Progeny of Ibrahim, the Book and the Wisdom, and have Given them a grand kingdom [4:54].  

فَالْمُلْكُ الْعَظِيمُ أَنْ جَعَلَ مِنْهُمْ أَئِمَّةً مَنْ أَطَاعَهُمْ أَطَاعَ اللَّهَ وَ مَنْ عَصَاهُمْ عَصَى اللَّهَ وَ الْكِتَابُ وَ الْحِكْمَةُ و النُّبُوَّةُ فَلِمَ يُقِرُّونَ بِذَلِكَ فِي آلِ إِبْرَاهِيمَ وَ يُنْكِرُونَهُ فِي آلِ مُحَمَّدٍ ص

The Great Kingdom is that Allah^-azwj Made Imams^-asws to be among them, the one who obeys them^-asws has obeyed Allah^-azwj, and the one who disobeys them^-asws has disobeyed Allah^-azwj, and the book, and the Wisdom, and the Prophet-hood. Why do you accept that with regards to the Progeny of Ibrahim^-as, and are denying it with regards to the Progeny^-asws of Muhammad^-saww?

يَا مُعَاوِيَةُ فَإِنْ تَكْفُرْ بِهَا أَنْتَ وَ صَاحِبُكَ وَ مَنْ قِبَلَكَ مِنْ طَغَامِ أَهْلِ الشَّامِ وَ الْيَمَنِ وَ الْأَعْرَابِ أَعْرَابِ رَبِيعَةَ وَ مُضَرَ جُفَاةِ الْأُمَّةِ فَقَدْ وَكَّلَ اللَّهُ‏ بِها قَوْماً لَيْسُوا بِها بِكافِرِينَ‏

O Muawiya, so if you are denying it along with your companions, and the ones before you from the tyrants of Syria, and Yemen, and the Bedouins, the Bedouins of Rabi’a (a tribe) and Muzar (a tribe), the betrayers of the community, so Allah^-azwj has Empowered by it a people who wouldn’t be Kafirs with it [6:89].

يَا مُعَاوِيَةُ إِنَّ الْقُرْآنَ حَقٌّ وَ نُورٌ وَ هُدًى وَ رَحْمَةٌ وَ شِفَاءٌ لِلْمُؤْمِنِينَ‏ وَ الَّذِينَ لا يُؤْمِنُونَ فِي آذانِهِمْ وَقْرٌ وَ هُوَ عَلَيْهِمْ عَمًى‏

O Muawiya, the Quran is ‘Haq’ (a Truth), and ‘Noor’ (a Light), and a Guidance, and a Mercy, and a Healing for the believers, And those who are not believing, there is a heaviness in their ears and they are blind upon it [41:44].

يَا مُعَاوِيَةُ إِنَّ اللَّهَ لَمْ يَدَعْ صِنْفاً مِنْ أَصْنَافِ الضَّلَالَةِ وَ الدُّعَاةِ إِلَى النَّارِ إِلَّا وَ قَدْ رَدَّ عَلَيْهِمْ وَ احْتَجَّ عَلَيْهِمْ فِي الْقُرْآنِ وَ نَهَى عَنِ اتِّبَاعِهِمْ وَ أَنْزَلَ فِيهِمْ قُرْآناً نَاطِقاً عِلْمُهُ مِنْ عِلْمِهِ وَ جَهْلُهُ مِنْ جَهْلِهِ

O Muawiya, Allah^-azwj Majestic is His^-azwj Majesty, did not Leave any type from the variety of misguidance and the callers to the Fire except that He^-azwj has Challenged (Rebutted) it and has Argued against them in the Quran, and has Forbidden it in His^-azwj Book to follow them, and has Sent down regarding them a Quran which cut them off and Spoken against them, so the one who knows it knows it, and the one who is ignorant of it is ignorant of it.

إِنِّي سَمِعْتُ رَسُولَ اللَّهِ ص يَقُولُ لَيْسَ مِنَ الْقُرْآنِ آيَةٌ إِلَّا وَ لَهَا ظَهْرٌ وَ بَطْنٌ وَ مَا مِنْ حَرْفٍ إِلَّا وَ لَهُ تَأْوِيلٌ‏ وَ ما يَعْلَمُ تَأْوِيلَهُ إِلَّا اللَّهُ وَ الرَّاسِخُونَ فِي الْعِلْمِ‏

And I^-asws heard from the Rasool-Allah^-saww say: ‘There is no Verse in the Quran except that it has for it an apparent, and a hidden, and there is no letter from it except that there is an explanation for it, And none knows its interpretation except Allah, and those who are firmly rooted in the Knowledge. [3:7].

وَ فِي رِوَايَةٍ أُخْرَى وَ مَا مِنْهُ حَرْفٌ إِلَّا وَ لَهُ حَدُّ مُطَّلِعٌ عَلَى ظَهْرِ الْقُرْآنِ وَ بَطْنِهِ وَ تَأْوِيلِهِ‏ وَ ما يَعْلَمُ تَأْوِيلَهُ إِلَّا اللَّهُ وَ الرَّاسِخُونَ فِي الْعِلْمِ‏ الرَّاسِخُونَ فِي الْعِلْمِ نَحْنُ آلَ مُحَمَّدٍ

And in another report: ‘And there is no letter from it except and there is a limit notifying upon an apparent of the Quran and its esoteric, and its interpretation, And none knows its interpretation except Allah, and those who are firmly rooted in the Knowledge. [3:7]. The ones^-asws firmly rooted in knowledge are us^-asws, the Progeny^-asws of Muhammad^-saww.

وَ أَمَرَ اللَّهُ سَائِرَ الْأُمَّةِ أَنْ يَقُولُوا آمَنَّا بِهِ كُلٌّ مِنْ عِنْدِ رَبِّنا وَ ما يَذَّكَّرُ إِلَّا أُولُوا الْأَلْبابِ‏ وَ أَنْ يُسَلِّمُوا إِلَيْنَا وَ يَرُدُّوا الْأَمْرَ إِلَيْنَا وَ قَدْ قَالَ اللَّهُ‏ وَ لَوْ رَدُّوهُ إِلَى الرَّسُولِ وَ إِلى‏ أُولِي الْأَمْرِ مِنْهُمْ لَعَلِمَهُ الَّذِينَ يَسْتَنْبِطُونَهُ مِنْهُمْ‏ هُمُ الَّذِينَ يُسْأَلُونَ عَنْهُ وَ يُطْلَبُونَهُ‏

And Allah^-azwj Ordered the rest of the community that they should say: They are saying, ‘We believe in it. It is all from the Presence of our Lord’. And none (would) mention except those with the understanding [3:7]. And that they should submit to us^-asws and refer their knowledge to us^-asws, and Allah^-azwj has Said: and if they had referred it to the Rasool and to the (Divine) Authority from them they would have known it, [4:83], they^-asws are the ones who should be asked about it and sought.

وَ لَعَمْرِي لَوْ أَنَّ النَّاسَ حِينَ قُبِضَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ ص سَلَّمُوا لَنَا وَ اتَّبَعُونَا وَ قَلَّدُونَا أُمُورَهُمْ‏ لَأَكَلُوا مِنْ فَوْقِهِمْ وَ مِنْ تَحْتِ أَرْجُلِهِمْ‏ وَ لَمَا طَمِعْتَ أَنْتَ يَا مُعَاوِيَةُ فَمَا فَاتَهُمْ مِنَّا أَكْثَرُ مِمَّا فَاتَنَا مِنْهُمْ

By my^-asws life, had the people – when the Rasool-Allah^-saww passed away – submitted to us^‑asws, and followed us^-asws, and emulated us^-asws (done our^-asws Taqleed) in their affairs, they would have eaten from above them and from underneath their feet, from what you coveted with regards to it. O Muawiya, when you desired for the caliphate, it did not harm us^-asws as much as the harm we^-asws are going to get from them.

وَ لَقَدْ أَنْزَلَ اللَّهُ فِيَّ وَ فِيكَ آيَاتٍ مِنْ سُورَةٍ خَاصَّةٍ الْأُمَّةُ يُؤَوِّلُونَهَا عَلَى الظَّاهِرِ وَ لَا يَعْلَمُونَ مَا الْبَاطِنُ وَ هِيَ فِي سُورَةِ الْحَاقَّةِ فَأَمَّا مَنْ أُوتِيَ كِتابَهُ بِيَمِينِهِ‏ وَ أَمَّا مَنْ أُوتِيَ كِتابَهُ بِشِمالِهِ‏ وَ ذَلِكَ أَنَّهُ يُدْعَى بِكُلِّ إِمَامِ ضَلَالَةٍ وَ إِمَامِ هُدًى وَ مَعَ كُلِّ وَاحِدٍ مِنْهُمَا أَصْحَابُهُ الَّذِينَ بَايَعُوهُ فَيُدْعَى بِي وَ بِكَ

And Allah^-azwj has Sent down Verses from the Quran regarding myself^-asws and you especially. You and those who have your vision recite it upon its apparent (meaning) and are unaware of its explanation and its hidden (Baatin), and this is in Surah Al-Haqqah: So as for one Given his book in his right hand [69:19] And as for one Given his book in his left hand, [69:25], and that He^-azwj will Call every imam of misguidance and every Imam^-asws of Guidance, and along with each one of them will be his companions who paid allegiance to him. So He^-azwj will Call me^-asws and you.

يَا مُعَاوِيَةُ وَ أَنْتَ صَاحِبُ السِّلْسِلَةِ الَّذِي يَقُولُ‏ يا لَيْتَنِي لَمْ أُوتَ كِتابِيَهْ وَ لَمْ أَدْرِ ما حِسابِيَهْ‏ سَمِعْتُ رَسُولَ اللَّهِ ص يَقُولُ ذَلِكَ وَ كَذَلِكَ كُلُّ إِمَامِ ضَلَالَةٍ كَانَ قَبْلَكَ أَوْ يَكُونُ بَعْدَكَ لَهُ مِثْلُ ذَلِكَ مِنْ خِزْيِ اللَّهِ وَ عَذَابِهِ

O Muawiya, and you are one to be bound in chains who will be saying ‘O Alas! I wish I had not been Given my book [69:25] And I had not known what my Reckoning was [69:26]. I^-asws have heard Rasool-Allah^-saww saying, and similarly for every imam of misguidance who was before you, and the ones who will be coming after you, similar words of disgrace from Allah^‑azwj and of His^-azwj Punishment.

وَ نَزَلَ فِيكُمْ قَوْلُ اللَّهِ عَزَّ وَ جَلَ‏ وَ ما جَعَلْنَا الرُّؤْيَا الَّتِي أَرَيْناكَ إِلَّا فِتْنَةً لِلنَّاسِ وَ الشَّجَرَةَ الْمَلْعُونَةَ فِي الْقُرْآنِ‏ وَ ذَلِكَ أَنَّ رَسُولَ اللَّهِ رَأَى اثْنَيْ عَشَرَ إِمَاماً مِنْ أَئِمَّةِ الضَّلَالَةِ عَلَى مِنْبَرِهِ يَرُدُّونَ النَّاسَ عَلَى أَدْبَارِهِمُ الْقَهْقَرَى رَجُلَانِ مِنْ قُرَيْشٍ وَ عَشَرَةٌ مِنْ بَنِي أُمَيَّةَ

And regarding you were Revealed the Words of Allah^-azwj Mighty and Majestic: and We did not Make the dream which We Showed you except as a Trial for the people, and the Accursed tree in the Quran; and We Scared them, but it did not increase them except in great transgression [17:60], and that was when Rasool-Allah^-saww saw (in a dream) twelve imams from the imams of misguidance upon his^-saww Pulpit, reverting the people backwards upon their heels. Two men from two different tribes from Quraysh, and ten from the Clan of Umayya.

أَوَّلُ الْعَشَرَةِ صَاحِبُكَ الَّذِي تَطْلُبُ بِدَمِهِ وَ أَنْتَ وَ ابْنُكَ وَ سَبْعَةٌ مِنْ وُلْدِ الْحَكَمِ بْنِ أَبِي الْعَاصِ أَوَّلُهُمْ مَرْوَانُ‏ وَ قَدْ لَعَنَهُ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ ص وَ طَرَدَهُ وَ مَا وَلَدَ حِينَ أُسْمِعَ‏ نَبِيُّنَا رَسُولُ اللَّهِ ص

The first of the ten is your companion whose blood you are seeking (Usman), and you, and your son, and seven from the sons of Al-Hakam Bin Abu Al-A’as, the first of them being Marwaan. And the Rasool-Allah^-sawwhas cursed him, and expelled him along with his son when they were intently listening in to (wives of) our Prophet^-saww Rasool-Allah^-saww.

إِنَّا أَهْلُ بَيْتٍ اخْتَارَ اللَّهُ لَنَا الْآخِرَةَ عَلَى الدُّنْيَا وَ لَمْ يَرْضَ لَنَا الدُّنْيَا ثَوَاباً وَ قَدْ سَمِعْتَ رَسُولَ اللَّهِ أَنْتَ وَ وَزِيرُكَ وَ صُوَيْحِبُكَ يَقُولُ إِذَا بَلَغَ بَنُو أَبِي الْعَاصِ ثَلَاثِينَ رَجُلًا اتَّخَذُوا كِتَابَ اللَّهِ دَخَلًا وَ عِبَادَ اللَّهِ خَوَلًا وَ مَالَ اللَّهِ دُوَلًا

O Muawiya, for us^-asws, the People^-asws of the Household, Allah^-azwj has Chosen the Hereafter instead of the world, and Allah^-azwj was not Pleased with the world as a Reward for us^-asws. And you and your Vizier (Amro Al-A’as) and your companions have heard the Rasool-Allah^-saww say: ‘When the Clan of Abu Al-A’as reach thirty men, they will take the Book of Allah^-azwj to deceive by, and the servants of Allah^-azwj as their followers, and the wealth of Allah^-azwj for their own’.

يَا مُعَاوِيَةُ إِنَّ نَبِيَّ اللَّهِ زَكَرِيَّا نُشِرَ بِالْمِنْشَارِ وَ يَحْيَى ذُبِحَ وَ قَتَلَهُ قَوْمُهُ وَ هُوَ يَدْعُوهُمْ إِلَى اللَّهِ عَزَّ وَ جَلَّ وَ ذَلِكَ لِهَوَانِ الدُّنْيَا عَلَى اللَّهِ إِنَّ أَوْلِيَاءَ الشَّيْطَانِ قَدْ حَارَبُوا أَوْلِيَاءَ الرَّحْمَنِ قَالَ اللَّهُ‏ إِنَّ الَّذِينَ يَكْفُرُونَ بِآياتِ اللَّهِ وَ يَقْتُلُونَ النَّبِيِّينَ بِغَيْرِ حَقٍّ وَ يَقْتُلُونَ الَّذِينَ يَأْمُرُونَ بِالْقِسْطِ مِنَ النَّاسِ فَبَشِّرْهُمْ بِعَذابٍ أَلِيمٍ‏

O Muawiya, the Prophet^-as of Allah^-azwj Zakariya was sawn by a chainsaw, and Yahya^-as was slaughtered, and his^-as people killed him^-as, and he^-as was calling them to Allah^-azwj Mighty and Majestic, and that is how disgraceful the world is to Allah^-azwj. The friends of Satan^-la have always been at war with the friends of the Beneficent^-azwj. Allah^-azwj Says: Surely, (as for) those who are disbelieving in the Signs of Allah and are killing the Prophets without right and are killing those who are enjoining with the justice, announce to them a painful Punishment [3:21].

يَا مُعَاوِيَةُ إِنَّ رَسُولَ اللَّهِ قَدْ أَخْبَرَنِي أَنَّ أُمَّتَهُ سَيَخْضِبُونَ لِحْيَتِي مِنْ دَمِ رَأْسِي وَ أَنِّي مُسْتَشْهَدٌ وَ سَتَلِي الْأُمَّةَ مِنْ بَعْدِي وَ أَنَّكَ سَتَقْتُلُ ابْنِيَ الْحَسَنَ غَدْراً بِالسَّمِّ وَ أَنَّ ابْنَكَ يَزِيدَ لَعَنَهُ اللَّهُ سَيَقْتُلُ ابْنِيَ الْحُسَيْنَ يَلِي ذَلِكَ مِنْهُ ابْنُ زَانِيَةٍ

O Muawiya, Rasool-Allah^-saww has informed me^-asws that his^-asws community will dye my^-asws beard with the blood from my^-asws head, and I^-asws will be martyred, and after me^-asws the community will follow you, and you will kill my^-asws son Al-Hassan^-asws treacherously by poison, and that your son Yazeed, may Allah^-azwj Curse him, will kill my^-asws son^-asws Al-Husayn^-asws, that (deed) will be carried out by the son of an adulteress.

وَ أَنَّ الْأُمَّةَ سَيَلِيهَا مِنْ بَعْدِكَ سَبْعَةٌ مِنْ وُلْدِ أَبِي الْعَاصِ وَ وُلْدِ مَرْوَانَ بْنِ الْحَكَمِ وَ خَمْسَةٌ مِنْ وُلْدِهِ تكلمه [تُكْمِلُهُ‏] اثْنَا عَشَرَ إِمَاماً قَدْ رَآهُمْ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ يَتَوَاثَبُونَ عَلَى مِنْبَرِهِ تَوَاثُبَ الْقِرَدَةِ يَرُدُّونَ أُمَّتَهُ عَنْ دِينِ اللَّهِ عَلَى أَدْبَارِهِمُ الْقَهْقَرَى وَ أَنَّهُمْ أَشَدُّ النَّاسِ عَذَاباً يَوْمَ الْقِيَامَةِ وَ أَنَّ اللَّهَ سَيُخْرِجُ الْخِلَافَةَ مِنْهُمْ بِرَايَاتٍ سُودٍ تُقْبِلُ مِنَ الْمَشْرِقِ يُذِلُّهُمُ اللَّهُ بِهِمْ وَ يَقْتُلُهُمْ تَحْتَ كُلِّ حَجَرٍ

And that the community, after you will flow on to seven from the sons of Abu Al-A’as, and five from the sons of Marwan Bin Al-Hakam, thereby completing the twelve Imams that the Rasool-Allah^-saww had seen jumping upon his^-saww Pulpit like the jumping of the monkeys, reverting the community from the Religion of Allah^-azwjbackwards upon its heels, and upon them will be the severest Punishment on the Day of Judgment. And that Allah^-azwj will Take the Caliphate out from them by the black flags coming from the East. Allah^-azwj will Humiliate them (clan of Umayya) by them, and they will kill them under every stone.

وَ أَنَّ رَجُلًا مِنْ وُلْدِكَ مَيْشُومٌ وَ مَلْعُونٌ جِلْفٌ جَافٍ مَنْكُوسُ الْقَلْبِ فَظٌّ غَلِيظٌ قَاسٍ قَدْ نَزَعَ اللَّهُ مِنْ قَلْبِهِ الرَّأْفَةَ وَ الرَّحْمَةَ أَخْوَالُهُ مِنْ كَلْبٍ كَأَنِّي أَنْظُرُ إِلَيْهِ وَ لَوْ شِئْتُ لَسَمَّيْتُهُ وَ وَصَفْتُهُ وَ ابْنُ كَمْ هُوَ فَيَبْعَثُ جَيْشاً إِلَى الْمَدِينَةِ

And that a man from your sons, and evil, accursed, rude, unpleasant, deficient of the heart, vulgar, harsh, and from whom Allah^-azwj has Removed leniency and mercy, whose maternal uncles will be from dogs, it is as if I^-asws can see him and had I^-asws so wished, I^-asws would have named him, and described him, and how old he will be, and he will send an army to Al-Medina.

فَيَدْخُلُونَهَا فَيُسْرِفُونَ فِيهَا فِي الْقَتْلِ وَ الْفَوَاحِشِ وَ يَهْرُبُ مِنْهُمْ رَجُلٌ مِنْ وُلْدِي زَكِيٌّ تَقِيٌّ الَّذِي يَمْلَأُ الْأَرْضَ عَدْلًا وَ قِسْطاً كَمَا مُلِئَتْ ظُلْماً وَ جَوْراً وَ إِنِّي لَأَعْرِفُ اسْمَهُ وَ ابْنَ كَمْ هُوَ يَوْمَئِذٍ وَ عَلَامَتَهُ وَ هُوَ مِنْ وُلْدِ ابْنِيَ الْحُسَيْنِ ع الَّذِي يَقْتُلُهُ ابْنُكَ يَزِيدُ وَ هُوَ الثَّائِرُ بِدَمِ أَبِيهِ

They will enter it, and there will be looting and destruction in it, including the reckless killings (of innocents) and stripping the honours of women. (After this) A man from my^-asws sons^-asws, pure and holy, who will fill the earth with justice and equity just as it was filled with injustice and inequity, they will flee from him. And I^-asws know his^-asws name, and how old he^-asws will be on that day, and his^-asws signs. And he^-asws will be from the sons^-asws of my^-asws son^-asws Al-Husayn^-asws who will be killed by your son Yazeed^-la, and he^-asws will avenge the blood of his^‑asws father^-asws.

فَيَهْرُبُ إِلَى مَكَّةَ وَ يَقْتُلُ صَاحِبُ ذَلِكَ الْجَيْشِ رَجُلًا مِنْ وُلْدِي زَكِيّاً بَرِيئاً عِنْدَ أَحْجَارِ الزَّيْتِ ثُمَّ يَصِيرُ ذَلِكَ الْجَيْشُ إِلَى مَكَّةَ وَ إِنِّي لَأَعْلَمُ اسْمَ أَمِيرِهِمْ وَ عِدَّتَهُمْ وَ أَسْمَاءَهُمْ وَ سِمَاتِ‏ خُيُولِهِمْ فَإِذَا دَخَلُوا الْبَيْدَاءَ وَ اسْتَوَتْ بِهِمُ الْأَرْضُ خُسِفَ بِهِمْ قَالَ اللَّهُ عَزَّ وَ جَلَ‏ وَ لَوْ تَرى‏ إِذْ فَزِعُوا فَلا فَوْتَ وَ أُخِذُوا مِنْ مَكانٍ قَرِيبٍ‏

He^-asws will go to Mecca, and the commander of the army (opposing him^-asws) will kill a pure man from my^-aswssons at a place with stones of oil (Ahjaar AL-Zayt). Then that army will travel to Mecca, and I^-asws know the name of its Emir (leader), and their number, and their names, and the description of their horses. When they enter Al-Bayda, the earth will spread out and Allah^-azwj will Make it to swallow them up. Allah^-azwj Mighty and Majestic has Said: And if only you could see when they will panic, and they shall not escape, and they would be seized from a nearby place [34:51].

قَالَ مِنْ تَحْتِ أَقْدَامِهِمْ فَلَا يَبْقَى مِنْ ذَلِكَ الْجَيْشِ أَحَدٌ غَيْرُ رَجُلٍ وَاحِدٍ يُقَلِّبُ اللَّهُ وَجْهَهُ مِنْ قِبَلِ قَفَاهُ

He^-asws said: ‘(The ground will shift) from underneath their feet – so there will not remain from that army anyone apart from one man, whose face will have been turned from the scruff of his neck.

وَ يَبْعَثُ اللَّهُ لِلْمَهْدِيِّ أَقْوَاماً يُجْمَعُونَ مِنْ أَطْرَافِ الْأَرْضِ قَزَعٌ كَقَزَعِ الْخَرِيفِ وَ اللَّهِ إِنِّي لَأَعْرِفُ أَسْمَاءَهُمْ وَ اسْمَ أَمِيرِهِمْ وَ مُنَاخَ رِكَابِهِمْ فَيَدْخُلُ الْمَهْدِيُّ الْكَعْبَةَ وَ يَبْكِي وَ يَتَضَرَّعُ

And Allah^-azwj will Send for Al-Mahdi^-asws a people. He^-azwj will Gather them from the corners of the earth like the gathering of the clouds in autumn. By Allah^-azwj, I^-asws know their names, and the name of their Emir (leader), and where their rides will stop. Al-Mahdi^-asws will enter the Kaabah, and he^-asws will be crying and beseeching.

قَالَ جَلَّ وَ عَزَّ أَمَّنْ يُجِيبُ الْمُضْطَرَّ إِذا دَعاهُ وَ يَكْشِفُ السُّوءَ وَ يَجْعَلُكُمْ خُلَفاءَ الْأَرْضِ‏ هَذَا لَنَا خَاصَّةً أَهْلَ الْبَيْتَ

Allah^-azwj Mighty and Majestic has Said: Or, One Who Answers the distressed one when he supplicates to Him and He Removes the evil, and He will Make you to be Caliphs of the earth! Is there a god along with Allah? Little is what you heed [27:62]. This is exclusively for us^-asws, the People^-asws of the Household.

أَمَا وَ اللَّهِ يَا مُعَاوِيَةُ لَقَدْ كَتَبْتُ إِلَيْكَ هَذَا الْكِتَابَ وَ إِنِّي لَأَعْلَمُ أَنَّكَ لَا تَنْتَفِعُ بِهِ وَ أَنَّكَ سَتَفْرَحُ إِذَا أَخْبَرْتُكَ أَنَّكَ سَتَلِي الْأَمْرَ وَ ابْنُكَ بَعْدَكَ لِأَنَّ الْآخِرَةَ لَيْسَتْ مِنْ بَالِكَ وَ إِنَّكَ بِالْآخِرَةِ لَمِنَ الْكَافِرِينَ وَ سَتَنْدَمُ كَمَا نَدِمَ مَنْ أَسَّسَ هَذَا الْأَمْرَ لَكَ وَ حَمَلَكَ عَلَى رِقَابِنَا حِينَ لَمْ تَنْفَعْهُ النَّدَامَةُ

But, by Allah^-azwj, O Muawiya, I^-asws have written to you this letter, and I^-asws know that you will not benefit by it, and you will be happy when I^-asws informed you that you will have the command, and your son after you, because the Hereafter is not in your mind, and without (securing) the Hereafter you are from the deniers (Kafir). And you will regret just like the one who gave you the command regretted it, and burdened you upon our^-asws necks, but his regret will not benefit him.

وَ مِمَّا دَعَانِي إِلَى الْكِتَابِ بِمَا كَتَبْتُ بِهِ أَنِّي أَمَرْتُ كَاتِبِي أَنْ يَنْسَخَ ذَلِكَ لِشِيعَتِي وَ أَصْحَابِي لَعَلَّ اللَّهَ أَنْ يَنْفَعَهُمْ بِذَلِكَ أَوْ يَقْرَأَهُ وَاحِدٌ مِنْ قِبَلِكَ فَخَرَجَ اللَّهُ بِهِ مِنَ الضَّلَالَةِ إِلَى الْهُدَى وَ مِنْ ظُلْمِكَ وَ ظُلْمِ أَصْحَابِكَ وَ فِتْنَتِكُمْ وَ أَحْبَبْتُ أَنْ أَحْتَجَّ عَلَيْكَ

And from what I^-asws have been invited to write to you with what I^-asws have written, I^-asws ordered my scribe to make a copy of that for my^-asws Shiites, and the chiefs of my^-asws friends, and it is for Allah^-azwj to Make them to benefit by that, or if anyone from before you were to read it, so Allah^-azwj will Take them by it and by us^-asws, out from straying and into the Guidance, and from your injustices and the injustices of your companions and their strife, And I^-asws preferred to argue against you’.

فَكَتَبَ إِلَيْهِ مُعَاوِيَةُ هَنِيئاً لَكَ يَا أَبَا الْحَسَنِ تَمَلُّكُ الْآخِرَةِ وَ هَنِيئاً لَنَا تَمَلُّكُ الدُّنْيَا.

Muawiya wrote to him^-asws, ‘Congratulations to you^-asws, O Abu Al-Hassan^-asws for the Kingdom of the Hereafter, and congratulations to us for our kingdom in the world’’.^[7]

Rasool Allah^-saww Foretold about the Battle of Jamal:

كشف اليقين مِنْ كِتَابِ الْبَهَارِ لِلْحُسَيْنِ بْنِ سَعِيدٍ عَنِ الْحُسَيْنِ بْنِ عُلْوَانَ عَنْ عَلِيِّ بْنِ خرور [حَزَوَّرٍ] عَنْ عَبْدِ الرَّحْمَنِ بْنِ مَسْعُودٍ الْعَبْدِيِّ عَنْ مَالِكِ بْنِ ضَمْرَةَ الرَّوَّاسِيِّ عَنْ أَبِي ذَرٍّ قَالَ: سَأَلْتُ رَسُولَ اللَّهِ ص ثُمَّ ذَكَرَ مَا مَعْنَاهُ أَنَّهُ سَأَلَهُ عَمَّا يَتَجَدَّدُ بَعْدَهُ مِنَ الْأُمُورِ فَأَخْبَرَهُ ثُمَّ ذَكَرَ مَا جَرَى لِعُثْمَانَ فَقَالَ يَا رَسُولَ اللَّهِ ثُمَّ يَكُونُ مَا ذَا

(The book) ‘Kashaf Al Yaqeen’, from the book ‘Al Bahar’ of Al Husayn Bin Saeed, from Al Husayn Bin Ulwan, from Ali Bin Harour, from Abdul Rahman Bin Masoud Al Abdy, from Malik Bin Zamrah Al Raqasy,

‘From Abu Zarr^-ra having said, ‘I^-ra asked Rasool-Allah^-saww’. Then he^-saww mentioned what its meaning was, then he^-ra asked him^-saww about what would be anew after him^-saww from the affairs, so he^-saww informed him^-asws. Then he^-saww flowed for Usman. He^-ra said, ‘O Rasool-Allah^‑saww!’ Then what would happen?’

قَالَ ثُمَّ يُبَايِعُ النَّاسُ أَمِيرَ الْمُؤْمِنِينَ حَتَّى إِذَا وَجَبَتْ لَهُ الصَّفْقَةُ عَلَى مَنْ صَلَّى الْقِبْلَةَ وَ أَدَّى الْجِزْيَةَ انْطَلَقَ فُلَانٌ وَ فُلَانٌ فَحَمَلَا امْرَأَةً مِنْ أُمَّهَاتِ الْمُسْلِمِينَ ثُمَّ ذَكَرَ مَا جَرَى مِنْ طَلْحَةَ وَ زُبَيْرٍ وَ عَائِشَةَ.

He^-saww said: ‘Then the people will pledge allegiance to Amir Al-Momineen^-asws until when the hand-shake is obligated upon the ones praying Salat to the Qiblah, and payment of the tax, so and so (Talha), and so and so (Zubeyr) would carry a wife (Ayesha) from the mothers of the believers’ – then mentioned what would flow from Talha, and Zubeyr and Ayesha’’ (Battle of Jamal).^[8]

[1] See for example, Nahjul Balagha

[2] تفسير القمّي 2: 210.

[3] Bihar Al-Anwaar – V 22, The book of our Prophet^-saww, P 4 Ch 3 H 2

[4] Bihar Al-Anwaar – V 32, The book of Fitna (Strife) And Ordeals, Ch 1 H 1

[5] Bihar Al-Anwaar – V 32, The book of Fitna (Strife) And Ordeals, Ch 1 H 112

[6] Bihar Al-Anwaar – V 32, The book of Fitna (Strife) And Ordeals, Ch 3 H 172

[7] Bihar Al-Anwaar – V 33, The book of Fitna (Strife) And Ordeals, Ch 16 H 421

[8] Bihar Al-Anwaar – V 37, The book of History – Amir Al-Momineen^-asws, Ch 54 H 53