ومن كلام له (عليه السلام)
From one of his statements
لَمَّا أَظْفَرَهُ اللَّهُ [في بعض النسخ: اللَّهُ تعالى] بِأَصْحَابِ الْجَمَلِ وَقَدْ قَالَ لَهُ بَعْضُ أَصْحَابِهِ: وَدِدْتُ أَنَّ أَخِي فُلَاناً كَانَ [في بعض النسخ: معك] شَاهِدَنَا [في بعض النسخ: شاهداً] لِيَرَى مَا نَصَرَكَ اللَّهُ بِهِ عَلَى أَعْدَائِكَ،
When [1] Allāh gave him (Amīr al-Mu’minīn) victory over the enemy at the Battle of Jamal one of his comrades said on that occasion, “I wish my brother so-and-so had been present and he too would have seen what success and victory Allāh had given you,”
فَقَالَ لَهُ (عليه السلام): أَهَوَى أَخِيكَ مَعَنَا؟
whereupon Amīr al-Mu’minīn said: “Did your brother hold me friend?”
فَقَالَ [في بعض النسخ: قَالَ]: نَعَمْ.
He said: “Yes.”
قَالَ: فَقَدْ شَهِدَنَا، وَلَقَدْ شَهِدَنَا فِي عَسْكَرِنَا هَذَا أَقْوَامٌ [في بعض النسخ: قَـوْمٌ] فِي أَصْلَابِ الرِّجَالِ، وَأَرْحَامِ النِّسَاءِ، سَيَرْعَفُ [سَيَرْعُفُ] بِهِمُ الزَّمَانُ، وَيَقْوَى بِهِمُ الْإِيمَانُ.
Then Amīr al-Mu’minīn said: In that case he was with us. Rather in this army of ours even those persons were also present who are still in the loins of men and wombs of women. Shortly, time will bring them out and faith will get strength through them.
Notes:
[1] If a person falls short in his good actions despite having the means and resources, this shortcoming and neglect would be indicative of the weakness of his intention. But if there is an impediment in the way of action, or his life comes to an end as a result of which his action remains incomplete, then in that case Allāh would not deprive him of the reward on the basis of “Actions are judged by intentions”. Since his intention in any case was to perform the action, therefore he would deserve reward to some extent.
In the case of action, there may be absence of reward, because action can involve show or pretence, but intention is hidden in the depth of heart. There can be neither pretense nor nor even a trace of hypocrisy in it. The intention would remain at the same level of sincerity, truthfulness, perfection and correctness where it is, even though there may be no action due to some impediment. Rather, even if there is no occasion for forming intention but there is passion and zeal in the heart, a person would deserve reward on the basis of his heart’s feelings. This is to what Amīr al-Mu’minīn has alluded in this sermon: “If your brother loved me he would share the reward with those who secured martyrdom for our support.”
[1] If a person falls short in his good actions despite having the means and resources, this shortcoming and neglect would be indicative of the weakness of his intention. But if there is an impediment in the way of action, or his life comes to an end as a result of which his action remains incomplete, then in that case Allāh would not deprive him of the reward on the basis of “Actions are judged by intentions”. Since his intention in any case was to perform the action, therefore he would deserve reward to some extent.
In the case of action, there may be absence of reward, because action can involve show or pretence, but intention is hidden in the depth of heart. There can be neither pretense nor nor even a trace of hypocrisy in it. The intention would remain at the same level of sincerity, truthfulness, perfection and correctness where it is, even though there may be no action due to some impediment. Rather, even if there is no occasion for forming intention but there is passion and zeal in the heart, a person would deserve reward on the basis of his heart’s feelings. This is to what Amīr al-Mu’minīn has alluded in this sermon: “If your brother loved me he would share the reward with those who secured martyrdom for our support.”
