قَالَ:He said:
He said:
مَنِWhoالنَّاكِثُونَ؟are the oath-breakers?
Who are the oath-breakers?
قَالَ:He said:الَّذِينَThose whoبَايَعُواpledged allegiance toعَلِيّاًAliبِالْمَدِينَةِin Medinaثُمَّthenنَكَثُواbroke itفَقَاتَلَهُمْso he fought themبِالْبَصْرَةِat Basraأَصْحَابُthe companions ofالْجَمَلِ،the Camel,وَالْقَاسِطُونَand the unjust areمُعَاوِيَةُMuawiyahوَأَصْحَابُهُ،and his companions,وَالْمَارِقُونَand the renegades areأَهْلُthe people ofالنَّهْرَوَانِNahrawanوَمَنْand thoseمَعَهُمْ.with them.
He said: 'Those who pledged allegiance to Ali in Medina then broke it, so he fought them at Basra: the companions of the Camel; and the unjust are Muawiyah and his companions; and the renegades are the people of Nahrawan and those with them.'
فَقَالَSo saidالشَّامِيُّ:the Syrian:يَاOابْنَson ofعَبَّاسٍAbbas,مَلَأْتَyou have filledصَدْرِيmy chestنُوراًwith lightوَحِكْمَةًand wisdomوَفَرَّجْتَand relievedعَنِّيme,فَرَّجَmay relieveاللَّهُGodعَنْكَ،you,أَشْهَدُI bear witnessأَنَّthatعَلِيّاً،Ali,رَضِيَmay God be pleasedاللَّهُwith him,عَنْهُ،with him,مَوْلَايَis my masterوَمَوْلَىand the master ofكُلِّeveryمُؤْمِنٍbelieving manوَمُؤْمِنَةٍ.and believing woman.
The Syrian said: 'O son of Abbas, you have filled my chest with light and wisdom and relieved me, may God relieve you. I bear witness that Ali, may God be pleased with him, is my master and the master of every believing man and believing woman.'
وَيُرْوَىAnd it is narratedأَنَّthatابْنَIbnعَبَّاسٍ،Abbas,رَحِمَهُmay God have mercyاللَّهُ،on him,قَالَ:said:عَقِمَتِWomen are barrenالنِّسَاءُofأَنْgiving birth toيَجِينَthe like ofبِمِثْلِthe like ofعَلِيِّAliبْنِson ofأَبِيAbiطَالِبٍ،Talib,رَضِيَmay God be pleasedاللَّهُwith him.عَنْهُ،with him,
And it is narrated that Ibn Abbas, may God have mercy on him, said: 'Women are barren of giving birth to the like of Ali bin Abi Talib, may God be pleased with him.'
مَاI haveرَأَيْتُnot seenمِحْرَباًa sanctuary/warriorيُزَنُّsuspectedبِهِthereinلَرَأَيْتُهُbut I saw himيَوْمَon the day ofصِفِّينَSiffinوَعَلَىand uponرَأْسِهِhis headعِمَامَةٌwas a turbanبَيْضَاءُwhiteوَكَأَنَّand as ifعَيْنَيْهِhis eyesسِرَاجَاwere two lamps ofسَلِيطٍoil
I never saw a warrior suspected [of cowardice] but I saw him on the day of Siffin with a white turban on his head, and as if his eyes were two lamps of oil,
وَهُوَwhile heيَقِفُwas standingعَلَىuponشِرْذِمَةٍgroupبَعْدَafterشِرْذِمَةٍgroupمِنَofالنَّاسِthe peopleيَعِظُهُمْadmonishing themوَيَحُضُّهُمْand urging themوَيُحَرِّضُهُمْand encouraging themحَتَّىuntilانْتَهَىhe reachedإِلَيَّmeوَأَنَاwhile I wasفِيinكَثَفٍa dense crowdمِنَofالنَّاسِthe people
standing by group after group of people, admonishing, urging, and encouraging them, until he reached me while I was in a dense crowd of people.
فَقَالَ:He said:مَعَاشِرَO assembly ofالْمُسْلِمِينَMuslims,اسْتَشْعِرُواclothe yourselves inwardly withالْخَشْيَةَreverenceوَأَكْمِلُواand completeاللَّأْمَةَthe armorوَتَجَلْبَبُواand wrap yourselves inبِالسَّكِينَةِtranquilityوَغُضُّواand lowerالْأَصْوَاتَvoicesوَالْحَظُواand cast sidelong glances atالشَّزَرَthe enemyوَأَطْعِنُواand thrust withالْوِجَرَthe spearpointsوَصِلُواand joinالسُّيُوفَswordsبِالْخُطَىwith pacesوَالرِّمَاحَand spearsبِالنَّبْلِ،with arrows,
He said: 'O assembly of Muslims, clothe yourselves inwardly with reverence, complete your armor, wrap yourselves in tranquility, lower your voices, cast fierce sidelong glances at the enemy, thrust with the spearpoints, and join swords with paces and spears with arrows,
فَإِنَّكُمْfor you areبِعَيْنِunder the eye ofاللَّهِGodوَمَعَand withابْنِthe son ofعَمِّthe paternal uncle ofرَسُولِthe Messenger ofاللَّهِ،God,صَلَّىmay God's blessings beاللَّهُupon himعَلَيْهِupon himوَسَلَّمَ،and peace,تُقَاتِلُونَyou are fightingعَدُوَّthe enemy ofاللَّهِGod.
for you are under the eye of God and with the cousin of the Messenger of God, may God bless him and grant him peace, fighting the enemy of God.
عَلَيْكُمْUpon youبِهَذَاis thisالسَّوَادِblack multitudeالْأَعْظَمِgreatestوَالرِّوَاقِand the canopyالْمُطَنَّبِ،pitched with ropes,فَاضْرِبُواso strikeثَبَجَهُits centerفَإِنَّfor indeedالشَّيْطَانَSatanرَاكِسٌis crouchingفِيinكَسْرِهِits cornerمُفْتَرِشٌspreadingذِرَاعَيْهِhis armsقَدْhavingقَدَّمَput forwardلِلْوَثْبَةِfor the leapيَداًa handوَأَخَّرَand held backلِلْنُّكُوصِfor retreatرِجْلًا،a foot,
Attack this great black multitude and the pitched canopy, strike at its center, for Satan is crouching in its corner, spreading his arms, having put forward a hand for the leap and held back a foot for retreat,
فَصَمْداًso press onصَمْداًpress onحَتَّىuntilيَنْجَلِيَbecomes clearلَكُمُto youالْحَقُّthe truthوَأَنْتُمُand you areالْأَعْلَوْنَthe uppermostوَاللَّهُand Godمَعَكُمْis with youوَلَنْand He will notيَتِرَكُمْdeprive you ofأَعْمَالَكُمْ.your deeds.
so press on, press on until the truth becomes manifest to you, and you are the uppermost, and God is with you and will not deprive you of your deeds.'
وَعَنِAnd fromابْنِIbnعَبَّاسٍAbbasأَنَّهُthat heقَالَ:said:لَقَدْIndeedسَبَقَprecededلِعَلِيٍّ،for Ali,رَضِيَmay God be pleasedاللَّهُwith him,عَنْهُ،with him,سَوَابِقُprecedencesلَوْifأَنَّthatسَابِقَةًone precedenceمِنْهَاfrom themقُسِمَتْwere dividedعَلَىamongالنَّاسِthe peopleلَوَسِعَتْهُمْit would have sufficed them inخَيْراً.goodness.
And from Ibn Abbas that he said: 'Ali, may God be pleased with him, has precedents of virtue such that if one precedence among them were divided among the people, it would have sufficed them in goodness.'
وَعَنْهُAnd from himقَالَ:he said:كَانَThere wereلِعَلِيٍّ،for Ali,رَضِيَmay God be pleasedاللَّهُwith him,عَنْهُ،with him,خِصَالٌqualitiesضَوَارِسُfirmly rootedقَوَاطِعُdecisiveسِطَةٌprominent/nobleفِيinالْعَشِيرَةِthe clanوَصِهْرٌand a relative by marriageبِالرَّسُولِto the Messengerوَعِلْمٌand knowledgeبِالتَّنْزِيلِof the revelationوَفِقْهٌand deep understandingفِيinالتَّأْوِيلِthe interpretationوَصَبْرٌand patienceعِنْدَatالنِّزَالِthe encounterوَمُقَاوَمَةُand resistance toالْأَبْطَالِ،the heroes,وَكَانَand he wasأَلَدَّfiercest in contentionإِذَاwhenأَعْضَلَ،matters became difficult,ذَاpossessor ofرَأْيٍsound opinionإِذَاwhenأَشْكَلَ.matters were ambiguous.
And from him, he said: 'Ali, may God be pleased with him, possessed firm, decisive qualities: noble status in the clan, kinship with the Messenger, knowledge of the revelation, deep understanding of the interpretation, patience at the encounter and resistance to heroes, and he was fiercest in contention when matters became difficult, and a possessor of sound opinion when matters were ambiguous.'
قِيلَ:It was said:وَدَخَلَAnd enteredابْنُIbnعَبَّاسٍAbbasعَلَىuponمُعَاوِيَةَMuawiyahفَقَالَ:so he said:يَاOابْنَson ofعَبَّاسٍAbbas,صِفْdescribeلِيto meعَلِيّاً،Ali,قَالَ:he said:كَأَنَّكَAs ifلَمْyou did notتَرَهُ؟see him?قَالَ:He said:بَلَىYes,وَلَكِنِّيbut IأُحِبُّloveأَنْthatأَسْمَعَI hearمِنْكَfrom youفِيهِconcerning himمَقَالاً،an account,قَالَ:he said:كَانَHe wasأَمِيرُthe Commander ofالْمُؤْمِنِينَ،the Faithful,رِضْوَانُmay the pleasure ofاللَّهِGod beعَلَيْهِ،upon him,غَزِيرَabundant inالدَّمْعَةِtearsطَوِيلَprolonged inالْفِكْرَةِ،thought,يُعْجِبُهُhe likedمِنَofاللِّبَاسِclothingمَاwhatخَشُنَwas coarseوَمِنَand ofالطَّعَامِfoodمَاwhatجَشِبَ،was plain,يُدْنِينَاhe brought us closeإِذَاwhenأَتَيْنَاهُwe came to himوَيُجِيبُنَاand answered usإِذَاwhenدَعَوْنَاهُ،we called upon him,
It was said: Ibn Abbas entered upon Muawiyah, who said: 'O son of Abbas, describe Ali to me.' He said: 'As if you did not see him?' He said: 'Yes, but I love to hear an account of him from you.' He said: 'The Commander of the Faithful, may the pleasure of God be upon him, was abundant in tears, prolonged in thought; he liked of clothing what was coarse and of food what was plain; he brought us close when we came to him and answered us when we called upon him,
وَكَانَand despiteمَعَhisتَقَرُّبِهِdrawing us closeإِيَّانَاto himوَقُرْبِهِand his closenessمِنَّاto usلَاwe didنَبْدَأُهُbegin himبِالْكَلَامِwith speechحَتَّىuntilيَتَبَسَّمَhe smiledفَإِذَاso whenهُوَheتَبَسَّمَsmiledفَعَنْthen it was likeمِثْلِthe like ofاللُّؤْلُؤِpearlsالْمَنْظُومِ،strung together.
and despite his drawing us close and his closeness to us, we would not initiate speech with him until he smiled, and when he smiled, it was like pearls strung together.
أَمَاVerily,وَاللَّهِby GodيَاOمُعَاوِيَةُMuawiyah,لَقَدْI indeedرَأَيْتُهُsaw himفِيinبَعْضِsomeمَوَاقِفِهِof his situationsوَقَدْwhenأَرْخَىhad loweredاللَّيْلُnightسُدُولَهُits curtainsوَغَارَتْand had setنُجُومُهُits stars,وَهُوَwhile heقَابِضٌwas holdingعَلَىontoلِحْيَتِهِhis beardيَبْكِيweepingوَيَتَمَلْمَلُand tossing aboutتَمَلْمُلَlike the tossingالسَّلِيمِof one stung by a snake
Verily, by God, O Muawiyah, I saw him in some of his situations when the night had lowered its curtains and its stars had set, while he was holding onto his beard, weeping and tossing about like one stung by a snake,
وَهُوَand heيَقُولُ:was saying:يَاOدُنْيَاworld,إِيَّايَis it meتَغُرِّينَ؟you are trying to deceive?أَمِثْلِيIs it the likes of meتُشَوِّقِينَ؟you are enticement-seeking?لَاNo,حَانَhas comeحِينُكِyour timeبَلْnay,زَالَhas goneزَوَالُكِ،your disappearance,قَدْI haveطَلَّقْتُكِdivorced youثَلَاثاًthriceلَاwith noرَجْعَةَreturnفِيهَا،in it,فَعَيْشُكِfor your lifeحَقِيرٌis baseوَعُمْرُكِand your ageقَصِيرٌis shortوَخَطَرُكِand your danger/valueيَسِيرٌ،is trivial,آهٍahآهٍahمِنْfromبُعْدِthe length ofالسَّفَرِthe journeyوَوَحْشَةِand the desolation ofالطَّرِيقِthe pathوَقِلَّةِand the scarcity ofالزَّادِ!provisions!
and saying: 'O world, is it me you are trying to deceive? Is it the likes of me you are seeking to entice? No, may your time not come, or rather, may your disappearance be swift! I have divorced you thrice with no return in it; for your life is base, your age is short, and your danger is trivial. Ah, ah from the length of the journey, the desolation of the path, and the scarcity of provisions!'
قَالَ:He said:فَأَجْهَشَSo burstمُعَاوِيَةُMuawiyahوَمَنْand thoseمَعَهُwith himبِالْبُكَاءِ.into weeping.
He said: 'Muawiyah and those with him burst into tears.'
وَقَالَAnd saidخُزَيْمَةُKhuzaimahبْنُson ofثَابِتٍThabitذُوthe possessor ofالشَّهَادَتَيْنِthe two testimoniesيَصِفُdescribingمَحَاسِنَthe virtues ofأَمِيرِthe Commander ofالْمُؤْمِنِينَthe FaithfulعَلِيِّAliبْنِson ofأَبِيAbiطَالِبٍTalibوَمَنْand thoseحَضَرَهُ،who attended him,كَرَّمَmay God honorاللَّهُGodوَجْهَهُ،his face,فِيinقَصِيدَةٍa poemلَهُ:of his:
And Khuzaimah bin Thabit, the possessor of the two testimonies, describing the virtues of the Commander of the Faithful Ali bin Abi Talib and those who attended him, may God honor his face, said in a poem of his:
رَأَوْاThey sawنِعْمَةًa blessingلِلَّهِfrom Godلَيْسَتْnotعَلَيْهِمْupon them......عَلَيْكَupon youوَفَضْلاًand a graceبَارِعاًsurpassingلَاnotتُنَازَعُهُcontended for
They saw a blessing from God not upon them... [but] upon you, and a surpassing grace that is not contended for
فَعَضُّواSo they bitمِنَout ofالْغَيْظِrageالطَّوِيلِprolongedأَكُفَّهُمْtheir hands......عَلَيْكَat youوَمَنْand whoeverلَمْdoes notيَرْضَbe pleasedفَاللَّهُthen Godخَادِعُهُwill outwit him
So they bit their hands in prolonged rage at you, and whoever is not pleased, God will outwit him
مِنَOfالدِّينِreligionوَالدُّنْيَاand the worldجَمِيعاًaltogetherلَكَfor you isالْمُنَىwhat is desired......وَفَوْقَand aboveالْمُنَىwhat is desired areأَخْلَاقُهُhis moralsوَطَبَائِعُهُand his innate traits
Of religion and the world altogether, you have all that is desired, and above what is desired are his morals and his innate traits.