وَمِنۡ كَلَامٍ لَهُ عَلَيۡهِ السَّلَامُ
From one of his statements
كَانَ يَقُولُهُ لِأَصۡحَابِهِ فِي بَعۡضِ أَيَّامِ صِفِّينَ [في بعض النسخ: فِي تَعۡلِيمِ الۡحَرۡبِ وَالۡمُقَاتَلَةِ، وَالۡمَشۡهُورُ أَنَّهُ قَالَهُ لِأَصۡحَابِهِ لَيۡلَةَ الۡهَرِيرِ، أَوۡ أَوَّلَ اللِّقَاءِ بِصِفِّينَ]
On one of the days of the Battle of Ṣiffīn, Amīr al-Muʾminīn spoke to his companions about the conduct of warfare
مَعَاشِرَ الۡمُسۡلِمِينَ! اسۡتَشۡعِرُوا الۡخَشۡيَةَ وَتَجَلۡبَبُوا السَّكِينَةَ، وَعَضُّوا عَلَى النَّوَاجِذِ فَإِنَّهُ أَنۡبَى لِلۡسُّيُوفِ عَنِ الۡهَامِ، وَأَكۡمِلُوا اللَّأۡمَةَ، وَقَلۡقِلُوا السُّيُوفَ فِي أَغۡمَادِهَا قَبۡلَ سَلِّهَا، وَالۡحَظُوا الۡخَزۡرَ، وَاطۡعُنُوا الشَّزۡرَ، وَنَافِحُوا بِالظُّبَا [في بعض النسخ: بِالظُّبَى]، وَصِلُوا السُّيُوفَ بَالۡخُطَا،
O crowd of Muslims! Make fear of Allāh the routine of your life. Cover yourselves with peace of mind and clinch your teeth, because this makes the sword slip off from the skull. Complete your armour and shake your swords in their sheathes before showing them out. Have your eyes on the enemy. Use your spears on both sides and strike (the enemy) with swords.
وَاعۡلَمُوا أَنَّكُمۡ بِعَيۡنِ اللهِ، وَمَعَ ابۡنِ عَمِّ رَسُولِ اللهِ صَلَّى اللّٰهُ عَلَيۡهِ وَآلِهِ، فَعَاوِدُوا الۡكَرَّ، وَاسۡتَحۡيُوا مِنَ الۡفَرِّ فَإِنَّهُ عَارٌ فِي الۡأَعۡقَابِ، وَنَارٌ يَوۡمَ الۡحِسَابِ،
Keep in mind that you are before Allāh and in the company of the Prophet’s cousin. Repeat your attacks and feel ashamed of running away, because it is a shame for posterity and (cause of awarding you) fire on the Day of Judgement.
وَطِيبُوا عَنۡ أَنۡفُسِكُمۡ نَفۡساً، وَامۡشُوا إِلَى الۡمَوۡتِ مَشۡياً سُجُحاً، وَعَلَيۡكُمۡ بِهَذَا السَّوَادِ الۡأَعۡظَمِ، وَالرِّوَاقِ المُطَنَّبِ، فَاضۡرِبُوا ثَبَجَهُ، فإِنَّ الشَّيۡطَانَ كَامِنٌ فِي كِسۡرِهِ، قَدۡ [في بعض النسخ: وَقَدۡ] قَدَّمَ لِلۡوَثۡبَةِ يَداً، وَأَخَّرَ لِلنُّكُوصِ رِجۡلًا؛ فَصَمۡداً صَمۡداً! حَتَّى يَنۡجَلِيَ لَكُمۡ عَمُودُ الۡحَقِّ؛ ﴿وَأَنتُمُ ٱلۡأَعۡلَوۡنَ وَٱللّٰهُ مَعَكُمۡ وَلَن يَتِرَكُمۡ أَعۡمَٰلَكُمۡ﴾.
Give your lives (to Allāh) willingly and walk towards death with ease. Beware of this great majority and the pitched tent, and aim at its centre, because Satan is hiding in its corner. He has extended his hand for assault and has kept back his foot for running away. Keep on enduring till the light of Truth dawns upon you. “While ye have the upper hand, and Allāh is with you, and never will He depreciate your deeds.” (Qur’ān, 47:35)
