وَمِنۡ خُطۡبَةٍ لَهُ عَلَيۡهِ السَّلَامُ
From one of his sermons
يُرِيدُ الشَّيۡطَانَ أَوۡ يُكَنَّىٰ بِهِ عَنۡ قَوۡمٍ
Regarding the incitement of Satan; alluding to a particular group of people (about Ṭalḥah and az-Zubayr)
أَلَا وَإِنَّ الشَّيۡطَانَ قَدۡ جَمَعَ حِزۡبَهُ وَاسۡتَجۡلَبَ خَيۡلَهُ وَرَجِلَهُ، وَإِنَّ مَعِي لَبَصِيرَتِي. مَا لَبَّسۡتُ عَلَى نَفۡسِي، وَلَا لُبِّسَ عَلَيَّ.
Beware! Satan [1] has collected his group and assembled his horse-men and foot-soldiers. Surely, with me is my sagacity. I have neither deceived myself nor ever been deceived.
وَايۡمُ اللّٰهِ! لَأُفۡرِطَنَّ لَهُمۡ حَوۡضاً أَنَا مَاتِحُهُ، لَا يَصۡدُرُونَ [يَصۡدِرُونَ] عَنۡهُ، وَلَا يَعُودُونَ إِلَيۡهِ.
By Allāh I shall fill to the brim for them a cistern from which I alone would draw water. They can neither turn away from it nor return to it.
Notes:
[1] When Ṭalḥah and az-Zubayr broke their pledge of allegiance and departed for Baṣrah in the company of ʿĀʾishah, Amīr al-Muʾminīn spoke in these words, which form part of a longer sermon.
Ibn Abī al-Ḥadīd has written that in this sermon “Satan” may refer either to the actual Satan or to Muʿāwiyah, because Muʿāwiyah was secretly conspiring with Ṭalḥah and az-Zubayr and instigating them to fight against Amīr al-Muʾminīn; but the reference to the real Satan is more appropriate, obvious and in accord with the situation and circumstances.
[1] When Ṭalḥah and az-Zubayr broke their pledge of allegiance and departed for Baṣrah in the company of ʿĀʾishah, Amīr al-Muʾminīn spoke in these words, which form part of a longer sermon.
Ibn Abī al-Ḥadīd has written that in this sermon “Satan” may refer either to the actual Satan or to Muʿāwiyah, because Muʿāwiyah was secretly conspiring with Ṭalḥah and az-Zubayr and instigating them to fight against Amīr al-Muʾminīn; but the reference to the real Satan is more appropriate, obvious and in accord with the situation and circumstances.
