وَمِنۡ خُطۡبَةٍ [في بعض النسخ: كَلَامٍ] لَهُ عَلَيۡهِ السَّلَامُ
From one of his sermons
لَمَّا غَلَبَ أَصۡحَابُ مُعَاوِيَةَ أَصۡحَابَهُ عَلَيۡهِ السَّلَامُ عَلَى شَرِيعَةِ الۡفُرَاتِ بِصِفِّينَ وَمَنَعُوهُمُ مِنَ الۡمَاءَ [في بعض النسخ: وَمَنَعُوهُمُ الۡمَاءَ]
When, in Ṣiffīn, the men of Muʿāwiyah overpowered the men of Amīr al-Muʾminīn, and occupied the bank of River Euphrates, and prevented them from taking its water, Amīr al-Muʾminīn said:
قَدِ اسۡتَطۡعَمُوكُمُ الۡقِتَالَ، فَأَقِرُّوا عَلَى مَذَلَّةٍ، وَتَأۡخِيرِ مَحَلَّةٍ، أَوۡ رَوُّوا السُّيُوفَ مِنَ الدِّمَاءِ تَرۡوَوۡا مِنَ الۡمَاءِ، فَالۡمَوۡتُ فِي حَيَاتِكُمۡ مَقۡهُورِينَ، وَالۡحَيَاةُ فِي مَوۡتِكُمۡ قَاهِرِينَ.
They [1] are asking you morsels of battle. So either you remain in ignominy and the lowest position, or drench your swords with blood and quench your thirst with water. Real death is in the life of subjugation, while real life is in dying as subjugators.
أَلَا وَإِنَّ مُعَاوِيَةَ قَادَ لُمَةً مِنَ الۡغُوَاةِ، وَعَمَّسَ عَلَيۡهِمُ الۡخَبَرَ، حَتَّى جَعَلُوا نُحُورَهُمۡ أَغۡرَاضَ الۡمَنِيَّةِ.
Beware, Muʿāwiyah is leading a small group of insurgents and has kept them in dark about the true facts, with the result that they have made their bosoms the targets of death.
Notes:
[1] Amīr al-Muʾminīn had not reached Ṣiffīn when Muʿāwiyah posted forty thousand men on the bank of the River to close the way to the watering place, so that none except the Syrians could take the water. When Amīr al-Muʾminīn’s force alighted there, they found that there was no watering place except this one for them to take water. If there was one, it was difficult to reach there by crossing high hillocks. Amīr al-Muʾminīn sent Ṣaʿṣaʿah ibn Ṣūḥān al-ʿAbdī to Muʿāwiyah with the request to raise the control over water. Muʿāwiyah refused. On this side, Amīr al-Muʾminīn’s army was much troubled by thirst. When Amīr al-Muʾminīn noticed this position, he said, “Get up and secure water by dint of sword.” Consequently, these thirsty persons drew their swords out of sheaths, put arrows in their bows, and, dispersing Muʿāwiyah’s men, went down right into the River and then hit these guards away, and occupied the watering place themselves.
Now, Amīr al-Muʾminīn’s men also desired that, just as Muʿāwiyah had put restriction on water by occupation of the watering place, the same treatment should be accorded to him and his men, and no Syrian should be allowed water, and everyone of them should be made to die of thirst. But Amīr al-Muʾminīn said, “Do you want to take the same brutal step which these Syrians had taken? Never prevent anyone from water. Whoever wants to drink may drink, and whoever wants to take away may take away.” Consequently, despite occupation of the River by Amīr al-Muʾminīn’s army, no one was prevented from the water, and everyone was given full liberty to take water.
[1] Amīr al-Muʾminīn had not reached Ṣiffīn when Muʿāwiyah posted forty thousand men on the bank of the River to close the way to the watering place, so that none except the Syrians could take the water. When Amīr al-Muʾminīn’s force alighted there, they found that there was no watering place except this one for them to take water. If there was one, it was difficult to reach there by crossing high hillocks. Amīr al-Muʾminīn sent Ṣaʿṣaʿah ibn Ṣūḥān al-ʿAbdī to Muʿāwiyah with the request to raise the control over water. Muʿāwiyah refused. On this side, Amīr al-Muʾminīn’s army was much troubled by thirst. When Amīr al-Muʾminīn noticed this position, he said, “Get up and secure water by dint of sword.” Consequently, these thirsty persons drew their swords out of sheaths, put arrows in their bows, and, dispersing Muʿāwiyah’s men, went down right into the River and then hit these guards away, and occupied the watering place themselves.
Now, Amīr al-Muʾminīn’s men also desired that, just as Muʿāwiyah had put restriction on water by occupation of the watering place, the same treatment should be accorded to him and his men, and no Syrian should be allowed water, and everyone of them should be made to die of thirst. But Amīr al-Muʾminīn said, “Do you want to take the same brutal step which these Syrians had taken? Never prevent anyone from water. Whoever wants to drink may drink, and whoever wants to take away may take away.” Consequently, despite occupation of the River by Amīr al-Muʾminīn’s army, no one was prevented from the water, and everyone was given full liberty to take water.
