وَمِنۡ كَلَامٍ لَهُ عَلَيۡهِ السَّلَامُ
From one of his statements
يَجۡرِي مَجۡرَى الۡخُطۡبَةِ
Amīr al-Muʾminīn’s utterance which runs like a sermon
وَفِيهِ يَذۡكُرُ فَضَائِلَهُ عَلَيۡهِ السَّلَامُ قَالَهُ بَعۡدَ وَقۡعَةِ النَّهۡرَوَانِ
in which he speaks about his own steadfastness in religion and his precedence in (acceptance of) faith. It was spoken after the Battle of Nahrawān
فَقُمۡتُ بِالۡأَمۡرِ حِينَ فَشِلُوا، وَتَطَلَّعۡتُ حِينَ تَقَبَّعُوا، وَنَطَقۡتُ حِينَ تَعۡتَعُوا، وَمَضَيۡتُ [في بعض النسخ: حِينَ تَعۡتَعُوا، وَمَضَيۡتُ] بِنُورِ اللهِ حِينَ وَقَفُوا،
I discharged duties when others lost courage (to do so), and I came forward when others hid themselves. I spoke when others remained mum. I stroke with Divine light when others remained standing.
وَكُنۡتُ أَخۡفَضَهُمۡ صَوۡتاً، وَأَعۡلَاهُمۡ فَوۡتاً، فَطِرۡتُ بِعِنَانِهَا، وَاسۡتَبۡدَدۡتُ بِرِهَانِهَا، كَالۡجَبَلِ لَا تُحَرِّكُهُ الۡقَوَاصِفُ، وَلَا تُزِيلُهُ الۡعَوَاصِفُ. لَمۡ يَكُنۡ لِأَحَدٍ فِيَّ مَهۡمَزٌ، وَلَا لِقَائِلٍ فِيَّ مَغۡمَزٌ.
I was the quietest of them in voice but the highest in going forward. I cleaved to its rein and applied myself solely to its pledge, like the mountain which neither sweeping wind could move nor storm could shake. No one could find fault with me nor could any speaker speak ill of me.
الذَّلِيلُ عِنۡدِي عَزِيزٌ حَتَّى آخُذَ الۡحَقَّ لَهُ، وَالۡقَوِيُّ عِنۡدِي ضَعِيفٌ حَتَّى آخُذَ الۡحَقَّ مَنۡهُ، رَضِينَا عَنِ اللهِ قَضَاءَهُ، وَسَلَّمۡنَا لِلّٰهِ [في بعض النسخ: لَهُ] أَمۡرَهُ.
The oppressed is, in my view, worthy of honour till I secure (his) right for him, while the strong is, in my view, weak till I take (other’s) right from him. We are happy with the destiny ordained by Allāh and have submitted to the command of Allāh.
أَتَرَانِي أَكۡذِبُ عَلَى رَسُولِ اللهِ صَلَّى اللّٰهُ عَلَيۡهِ وَآلِهِ؟ وَاللهِ! لَأَنَا أَوَّلُ مَنۡ صَدَّقَهُ فَلَا أَكُونُ أَوَّلَ مَنۡ كَذَبَ عَلَيۡهِ. فَنَظَرۡتُ فِي أَمۡرِي، فَإِذَا طَاعَتِي قَدۡ سَبَقَتۡ بَيۡعَتِي، وَإِذَا الۡمِيثَاقُ فِي عُنُقِي لِغَيۡرِي.
Do you think I would speak a lie about the Prophet of Allāh? By Allāh, I am surely the first to testify him, so I will not be the first to falsify him. I looked at my affairs and found that my obedience should have precedence over my allegiance, while my pledge with him is a burden on my neck.
