وَمِنۡ كَلَامٍ لَهُ عَلَيۡهِ السَّلَامُ
From one of his statements
وَقَدۡ أَشَارَ عَلَيۡهِ أَصۡحَابُهُ بِالِاسۡتِعۡدَادِ لِلۡحَرۡبِ بَعۡدَ إِرۡسَالِهِ [في بعض النسخ: لِحَرۡبِ أَهۡلِ الشَّامِ بَعۡدَ إِرۡسَالِهِ] جَرِيرَ بۡنَ عَبۡدِ اللهِ الۡبَجَلِيِّ إِلَى مُعَاوِيَةَ وَلَمۡ يَنۡزِلۡ مُعَاوِيَةُ عَلَى بَيۡعَتِهِ
After Amīr al-Muʾminīn had sent Jarīr ibn ʿAbd Allāh al-Bajalī to Muʿāwiyah (to secure his allegiance), some of his companions suggested preparing to fight him. Then he said:
إِنَّ اسۡتِعۡدَادِي [اسۡتَعۡدَادِي] لِحَرۡبِ أَهۡلِ الشَّامِ وَجَرِيرٌ [وَجِرِيرٌ] عِنۡدَهُمۡ، إِغۡلَاقٌ لِلشَّامِ، وَصَرۡفٌ لِأَهۡلِهِ عَنۡ خَيۡرٍ إِنۡ أَرَادُوهُ، وَلَكِنۡ قَدۡ وَقَّتُّ لِجَرِيرٍ وَقۡتاً لَا يُقِيمُ بَعۡدَهُ إِلَّا مَخۡدُوعاً أَوۡ عَاصِياً، وَالرَّأۡيُ مَعَ [في بعض النسخ: وَالرَّأۡيُ عِنۡدِي مَعَ] الۡأَنَاةِ، فَأَرۡوِدُوا، وَلَا أَكۡرَهُ لَكُمُ الۡإِعۡدَادَ.
My preparation for war with the people of Syria (ash-Shām), while Jarīr ibn ʿAbd Allāh al-Bajalī is still there, would be closing the door for Syria and prevention of its people from good action (i.e. allegiance), if they intend doing it. However, I have fixed a time limit for Jarīr, after which he would not stay without either deception or in disobedience. My opinion is in favour of patience, so wait a while. (In the meantime,) I do not dislike your getting ready.
وَلَقَدۡ ضَرَبۡتُ أَنۡفَ هَذَا الۡأَمۡرِ وَعَيۡنَهُ، وَقَلَّبۡتُ ظَهۡرَهُ وَبَطۡنَهُ، فَلَمۡ أَرَ لِي [في بعض النسخ: أَرَ لِي فِيهِ] إِلَّا الۡقِتَالَ أَوِ الۡكُفۡرَ بِمَا جَاءَ مُحَمَّدٌ صَلَّى اللّٰهُ عَلَيۡهِ وَآلِهِ. إِنَّهُ قَدۡ كَانَ عَلَى الۡأُمَّةِ وَالٍ أَحۡدَثَ أَحۡدَاثاً، وَأَوۡجَدَ النَّاسَ مَقَالًا، فَقَالُوا، ثُمَّ نَقَمُوا فَغَيَّرُوا.
I have observed this matter thoroughly from all sides, but I do find any way except war or heresy. Certainly, there was over the people a ruler (before me) who brought about new (unIslāmic) things and compelled the people to speak out. So they did speak, then rose up, and thereafter changed the whole system.
