ثُمَّThenكَتَبَwroteمُعَاوِيَةُMuawiyahإِلَىtoعَلِيٍّAliرَحِمَهُmay Allah have mercy on himاللَّهُAllah
Then Muawiyah wrote to Ali, may Allah have mercy on him:
أَمَّاAs forبَعْدُnowفَإِنَّاindeed weلَوْifعَلِمْنَاwe had knownأَنَّthatالْحَرْبَthe warتَبْلُغُwould reachبِنَاusوَبِكَand youمَاwhatبَلَغَتْit reached
As for after: if we had known that the war would reach us and you to the extent it did,
لَمْnotيَجْنِهَاwould have committed itبَعْضُنَاsome of usعَلَىagainstبَعْضٍeach other
none of us would have brought it upon the other.
وَإِنْAnd even ifكُنَّاwe wereقَدْindeedغُلِبْنَاovercomeعَلَىregardingعُقُولِنَاour minds
And although our minds were overcome,
فَقَدْyet indeedبَقِيَremainedلَنَاfor usمَاwhatنَرُمُّwe can mendبِهِwith itمَاwhatمَضَىhas passed
there still remains for us that by which we may mend what has passed
وَنُصْلِحُand rectifyمَاwhatبَقِيَremains
and rectify what remains.
وَقَدْAnd indeedكُنْتُI hadسَأَلْتُكَasked youالشَّامَAl-Shamعَلَىon the condition thatأَنْthatتُلْزِمَنِيyou obligate meلَكَto youطَاعَةًobedience
And I had asked you for Al-Sham on the condition that you obligate me to your obedience,
فَأَبَيْتَso you refusedذَلِكَthatعَلَيَّupon me
and you refused that upon me.
وَأَنَاAnd Iأَدْعُوكَinvite youالْيَوْمَtodayإِلَىtoمَاwhatدَعَوْتُكَI invited youإِلَيْهِto itأَمْسِyesterday
And I invite you today to what I invited you to yesterday,
وَإِنَّكَand that youلَاdo notتَرْجُوhopeمِنَfromالْبَقَاءِremainingإِلَّاexceptمَاwhatأَرْجُوI hope
for you hope for nothing from survival except what I hope for,
وَلَاand norتَخَافُdo you fearمِنَfromالْفَنَاءِdestructionإِلَّاexceptمَاwhatأَخَافُI fear
and nor do you fear from destruction except what I fear.
وَقَدْAnd indeedوَاللَّهِby Allahرَقَّتِhave thinned outالْأَجْنَادُthe soldiersوَذَهَبَتِand gone areالرِّجَالُthe men
And by Allah, the armies have become depleted and men are gone.
وَنَحْنُAnd weبَنُوsons ofعَبْدِAbdمَنَافٍManafلَيْسَis notلِأَحَدٍfor anyمِنَّاof usعَلَىoverأَحَدٍanotherفَضْلٌvirtue
And we are the sons of Abd Manaf; none of us has a virtue over another
نَسْتَذِلُّby which we humiliateبِهِtherebyعَبْداًa slaveأَوْorنَسْتَرِقُenslaveبِهِtherebyحُرّاًa free person
by which we humiliate a slave or enslave a free person.
فَأَجَابَهُSo Ali answered himعَلِيٌّAli
Ali answered him:
مِنْFromعَلِيِّAliبْنِson ofأَبِيAbiطَالِبٍTalibإِلَىtoمُعَاوِيَةَMuawiyahبْنِson ofأَبِيAbiسُفْيَانَSufyan
From Ali ibn Abi Talib to Muawiyah ibn Abi Sufyan.
أَمَّاAs forبَعْدُnowفَقَدْindeedجَاءَنِيcame to meكِتَابُكَyour letter
As for after: your letter has come to me,
وَتَذْكُرُand you mentionأَنَّكَthat youلَوْifعَلِمْتَyou had knownأَنَّthatالْحَرْبَthe warتَبْلُغُwould reachبِنَاusوَبِكَand youمَاwhatبَلَغَتْit reached
and you mention that if you had known the war would reach us and you to the extent it did,
لَمْnotيَجْنِهَاwould have committed itبَعْضُنَاsome of usعَلَىagainstبَعْضٍeach other
none of us would have brought it upon the other.
وَأَنَاAnd Iوَإِيَّاكَand youنَلْتَمِسُare seekingغَايَةًan endلَمْwe have notنَبْلُغْهَاreached itبَعْدُyet
And you and I are still seeking an end which we have not reached yet.
فَأَمَّاAs forطَلَبُكَyour request forالشَّامَAl-Shamفَإِنِّيthen indeed Iلَمْwas notأَكُنْgoingلِأُعْطِيَكَto give youالْيَوْمَtodayمَاwhatمَنَعْتُكَI withheld from youعَنْهُfrom itأَمْسِyesterday
As for your request for Al-Sham, I was not going to give you today what I withheld from you yesterday.
وَأَمَّاAnd as forاسْتِوَاؤُنَاour equalityفِيinالْخَوْفِfearوَالرَّجَاءِand hopeفَلَسْتَthen you are notبِأَمْضَىmore resoluteعَلَىuponالشَّكِّdoubtمِنِّيthan meعَلَىuponالْيَقِينِcertainty
And as for our equality in fear and hope, you are not more resolute in doubt than I am in certainty.
وَلَيْسَAnd are notأَهْلُthe people ofالشَّامِAl-Shamبِأَحْرَصَmore eagerعَلَىforالدُّنْيَاthe worldly lifeمِنْthanأَهْلِthe people ofالْعِرَاقِIraqعَلَىforالْآخِرَةِthe Hereafter
Nor are the people of Al-Sham more eager for the worldly life than the people of Iraq are for the Hereafter.
وَأَمَّاAnd as forقَوْلُكَyour sayingإِنَّاthat we areبَنُوsons ofعَبْدِAbdمَنَافٍManafفَكَذَلِكَso likewiseنَحْنُwe
And as for your saying that we are the sons of Abd Manaf, then so are we.
وَلَيْسَAnd notأُمَيَّةُUmayyahكَهَاشِمٍlike HashimوَلَاnorحَرْبٌHarbكَعَبْدِlike AbdالْمُطَّلِبِAl-MuttalibوَلَاnorأَبُوAbuسُفْيَانَSufyanكَأَبِيlike AbuطَالِبٍTalib
But Umayyah is not like Hashim, nor Harb like Abd al-Muttalib, nor Abu Sufyan like Abu Talib.
وَلَاNorالطَّلِيقُthe freed captiveكَالْمُهَاجِرِlike the Muhajirوَلَاnorالْمُحِقُّthe one upon truthكَالْمُبْطِلِlike the one upon falsehood
Nor is the freed captive like the Muhajir, nor the one upon truth like the one upon falsehood.
فِيInأَيْدِينَاour handsفَضْلُis the virtue ofالنُّبُوَّةِprophethoodالَّتِيwhichقَبِلْنَاwe receivedبِهَاtherebyالْعِزَّhonorوَنَفَيْنَاand we banishedبِهَاtherebyالْخِزْيَdisgrace
In our hands is the virtue of prophethood, by which we obtained honor and banished disgrace.
عَنِFromالشَّعْبِيِّAl-Sha'biأَنَّthatعَمْرَوAmrبْنَson ofالْعَاصِAl-AsدَخَلَenteredعَلَىuponمُعَاوِيَةَMuawiyahوَعِنْدَهُand with him wereنَاسٌpeople
It is narrated from Al-Sha'bi that Amr ibn Al-As entered upon Muawiyah while there were people with him.
فَلَمَّاSo whenرَآهُhe saw himمُقْبِلاًapproachingاسْتَضْحَكَhe smiled
When he saw him approaching, he smiled
فَقَالَand saidيَاOأَمِيرَCommander ofالْمُؤْمِنِينَthe Believersأَضْحَكَmay Allah makeاللَّهُAllahسِنَّكَyour teeth laughوَأَدَامَand perpetuateسُرُورَكَyour happinessوَأَقَرَّand refreshعَيْنَكَyour eye
and said: "O Commander of the Believers, may Allah keep you cheerful, perpetuate your happiness, and refresh your eye!
مَاWhatكُلُّis everyمَاwhatأَرَىI seeيُوجِبُnecessitatesالضَّحِكَlaughter!"
Not everything I see warrants laughter!"
فَقَالَMuawiyah saidمُعَاوِيَةُMuawiyah
Muawiyah said:
خَطَرَThere crossedبِبَالِيmy mindيَوْمَon the day ofصِفِّينَSiffinيَوْمَthe dayبَارَزْتَyou went out to duelأَهْلَthe people ofالْعِرَاقِIraq
"There crossed my mind the day of Siffin, the day you went out to duel the people of Iraq,
فَحَمَلَand attackedعَلَيْكَyouعَلِيُّAliبْنُson ofأَبِيAbiطَالِبٍTalibرَضِيَmay Allah be pleasedاللَّهُwith himعَنْهُAllah
and Ali ibn Abi Talib, may Allah be pleased with him, attacked you.
فَلَمَّاWhenغَشِيَكَhe overwhelmed youطَرَحْتَyou threwنَفْسَكَyourselfعَنْoffدَابَّتِكَyour mountوَأَبْدَيْتَand exposedعَوْرَتَكَyour private parts
When he overwhelmed you, you threw yourself off your mount and exposed your private parts.
كَيْفَHowحَضَرَكَdid it present itself toذِهْنُكَyour mindفِيinتِلْكَthatالْحَالِsituation?
How did your wit serve you in that situation?
أَمَّاAs forوَاللَّهِby Allahفَلَقَدْindeedوَاقَفْتَهُyou stood facing himهَاشِمِيّاًas a HashemiteمَنَافِيّاًManafite
By Allah, you stood facing a Hashemite Manafite,
وَلَوْand hadشَاءَhe willedأَنْtoيَقْتُلَكَkill youلَقَتَلَكَhe would have killed you
and had he willed to kill you, he would have killed you!
فَقَالَAmr saidعَمْرٌوAmr
Amr said:
يَاOمُعَاوِيَةُMuawiyahإِنْifكَانَit wasأَضْحَكَكَthat made you laughشَأْنِيmy affairفَمِنْthen atنَفْسِكَyourselfفَاضْحَكْlaugh
"O Muawiyah, if my plight made you laugh, then laugh at yourself.
أَمَّاAs forوَاللَّهِby Allahلَوْifبَدَاthere had appearedلَهُto himمِنْfromصَفْحَتِكَyour sideمِثْلُthe like ofالَّذِيwhatبَدَاappearedمِنْfromصَفْحَتِيmy side
For by Allah, had there appeared from your side the like of what appeared from my side,
لَأَوْجَعَhe would have hurtقَذَالَكَthe back of your headوَأَيْتَمَand orphanedعِيَالَكَyour dependentsوَأَنْهَبَand plunderedمَالَكَyour wealthوَعَزَلَand stripped awayسُلْطَانَكَyour authority
he would have battered the back of your head, orphaned your dependents, plundered your wealth, and stripped away your authority.
غَيْرَExceptأَنَّكَthat youتَحَرَّزْتَfortified yourselfمِنْهُagainst himبِالرِّجَالِwith menفِيinأَيْدِيهِمُwhose hands areالْعَوَالِيthe lances
Except that you fortified yourself against him with men in whose hands were lances.
أَمَّاAs forإِنِّيme indeedقَدْIرَأَيْتُكَsaw youيَوْمَon the dayدَعَاكَhe called youإِلَىtoالْبِرَازِthe duel
As for me, I indeed saw you on the day he called you to the duel:
فَاحَوْلَّتْcrossedعَيْنَاكَyour eyesوَأَزْبَدَand foamedشِدْقَاكَthe corners of your mouthوَتَنَشَّرَand flaredمِنْخَرَاكَyour nostrilsوَعَرِقَand sweatedجَبِينُكَyour foreheadوَبَدَاand appearedمِنْfromأَسْفَلِكَyour lower partمَاwhatأَكْرَهُI hateذِكْرَهُmentioning
your eyes crossed, the corners of your mouth foamed, your nostrils flared, your forehead sweated, and there appeared from your lower part what I hate to mention.
فَقَالَMuawiyah saidمُعَاوِيَةُMuawiyah
Muawiyah said:
حَسْبُكَEnough for youحَيْثُwhatبَلَغْتَyou have reachedلَمْwe did notنُرِدْwantكُلَّallهَذَاthis
"That is enough of what you have reached; we did not want all of this."
قَالَHe said
He said:
وَذُكِرَAnd it was mentionedأَنَّthatأَمِيرَthe Commander ofالْمُؤْمِنِينَthe BelieversعَلِيَّAliبْنَson ofأَبِيAbiطَالِبٍTalibرَضِيَmay Allah be pleasedاللَّهُwith himعَنْهُAllahقَالَsaid
And it was mentioned that the Commander of the Believers Ali ibn Abi Talib, may Allah be pleased with him, said:
زَعَمَAssertsابْنُthe son ofالنَّابِغَةِAl-Nabighahأَنِّيthat I amتِلْعَابَةٌplayfulتَمْزَاحَةٌjokingذُوpossessor ofدُعَابَةٍjesting
"The son of Al-Nabighah asserts that I am playful, joking, given to jesting,
أُعَافِسُengaging and strugglingوَأُمَارِسُand practicingلَاnoرَأْيَopinionلِيfor meفِيinالْحُرُوبِwars
engaging and practicing, and that I have no judgment in wars.
هَيْهَاتَFar from it!يَمْنَعُpreventsمِنَfromالْعَفَاسِidle playوَالْمِرَاسِand frivolityذِكْرُthe remembrance ofالْمَوْتِdeathوَالْبَعْثِand resurrection
Far from it! What prevents idle play and frivolity is the remembrance of death and resurrection.
فَمَنْSo whoeverكَانَhasلَهُfor himقَلْبٌa heartفَفِيthen inهَذَاthisعَنْinstead ofهَذَاthatوَاعِظٌis a warning
So whoever has a heart, in this there is a sufficient warning against that.
أَمَّاAs forوَشَرُّthe worst ofالْقَوْلِspeechالْكَذِبُis lying
Now, the worst of speech is lying.
إِنَّهُIndeed heلَيُحَدِّثُspeaksفَيَكْذِبُand liesوَيَعِدُand promisesفَيُخْلِفُand breaks his promise
He speaks and lies, and promises and breaks his promise.
فَإِذَاAnd whenكَانَthere isالْبَأْسُbattleفَأَعْظَمُthen the greatest ofمَكِيدَتِهِhis stratagemsأَنْis thatيَمْنَحَhe offersالْقَوْمَthe peopleاسْتَهُhis backside
And when battle comes, the greatest of his stratagems is that he offers the people his backside.
قَالَHe saidوَقَالَAnd saidعَمْرُوAmrبْنُson ofالْعَاصِAl-Asلِابْنِهِto his sonعَبْدِAbdullahاللَّهِAllahيَوْمَon the day ofصِفِّينَSiffin
And Amr ibn Al-As said to his son Abdullah on the day of Siffin:
تَبَيَّنْExamine closelyلِيfor meهَلْdoتَرَىyou seeعَلِيَّAliبْنَson ofأَبِيAbiطَالِبٍTalibرَضِيَmay Allah be pleasedاللَّهُwith himعَنْهُAllah
"Examine closely for me: do you see Ali ibn Abi Talib, may Allah be pleased with him?"
قَالَSaidعَبْدُAbdullahاللَّهِAllah
Abdullah said:
فَنَظَرْتُSo I lookedفَرَأَيْتُهُand saw himفَقُلْتُand saidيَاOأَبَتِfatherهَاbeholdهُوَhe isذَاكَthatعَلَىuponبَغْلَةٍa muleشَهْبَاءَgrey
"So I looked and saw him, and said, 'O father, there he is on a grey mule,'
عَلَيْهِupon him isقُبَاءٌa tunicأَبْيَضُwhiteوَقُلَنْسُوَةٌand a capبَيْضَاءُwhite
wearing a white tunic and a white cap.
قَالَHe saidفَاسْتَرْجَعَSo he recited 'Inna lillahi'وَقَالَand said
He said: So he recited 'Inna lillahi' and said:
وَاللَّهِBy Allahمَاnotهَذَاis thisبِيَوْمِthe day ofذَاتِDhatالسَّلَاسِلِAl-Salasilوَلَاnorبِيَوْمِthe day ofالْيَرْمُوكِYarmoukوَلَاnorيَوْمِthe day ofأَجْنَادِينَAjnadyn
"By Allah, this is not the day of Dhat al-Salasil, nor the day of Yarmouk, nor the day of Ajnadyn.
وَدِدْتُI wishأَنَّthatبَيْنِيbetween meوَبَيْنَand betweenمَوْقِفِيmy standing placeبُعْدُis the distance ofالْمَشْرِقَيْنِthe two easts
I wish that between me and my standing place here was the distance of the two easts."
فَنَزَلَThen descendedسَعْدُSa'dبْنُson ofأَبِيAbiوَقَّاصٍWaqqasوَعَبْدُand AbdullahاللَّهِAllahبْنُson ofعَمْرٍوAmrقَالَاThey said
Sa'ד ibn Abi Waqqas and Abdullah ibn Amr got down and said:
وَاللَّهِBy Allahلَئِنْifكَانَit isصَوَاباًrightإِنَّهُindeed it isلَعَظِيمٌgreatمَشْكُورٌand thankedوَلَئِنْand ifكَانَit isخَطَأًwrongإِنَّهُindeed it isلَصَغِيرٌsmallمَغْفُورٌand forgiven
"By Allah, if this is right, it is a great and commended thing; and if it is wrong, it is a small and forgiven thing."
فَقُلْتُSo I saidلَهُto himيَاOأَبَتِfatherفَمَنْthen whoيَمْنَعُكَprevents youمِنَfromالَّذِيthat whichفَعَلَاhe did?
I said to him: "O father, then who prevents you from doing what he did?
فَوَاللَّهِFor by Allahمَاnotيَحُولُstandsبَيْنَكَbetween youوَبَيْنَandذَلِكَthatأَحَدٌanyone!"
For by Allah, no one stands between you and that!"
فَقَالَHe saidإِنْIfيَرْجِعِturns backالشَّيْخُthe old manوَلَمْand has notيُعْذِرْexcused himselfإِذْwhenنَزَلَalightedالْقَوْمُthe peopleبِضَنْكٍin hardshipفَانْظُرْthen lookثُمَّthenتَأَمَّلْponderبَعْدَafterهَذَاthisأَوْorذَرْleave it
He said: "If the old man turns back without having given an excuse when the people have alighted in hardship, then look, and ponder after this or leave it."
وَقَالَAnd saidبَعْضُsomeالشُّعَرَاءِpoetsفِيregardingمُعَاوِيَةَMuawiyahوَمُحَارَبَتِهِand his fightingأَمِيرَthe Commander ofالْمُؤْمِنِينَthe BelieversعَلِيَّAliبْنَson ofأَبِيAbiطَالِبٍTalib
And some poet said regarding Muawiyah and his fighting the Commander of the Believers Ali ibn Abi Talib:
قَدْYou haveسِرْتَwalkedسِيرَةَthe path ofكُلَيْبٍKulaibفِيinعَشِيرَتِهِhis clan......لَوْhadكَانَthere beenفِيهِمْamong themغُلَامٌa youthمِثْلُlikeجَسَّاسٍJassas
You have walked the path of Kulaib among his clan... had there been among them a youth like Jassas
الطَّاعِنِThe striker ofالطَّعْنَةِthe blowالنَّجْلَاءِthe fatalعَانَدَهَاpersisting in it......كِطَرَّةِlike the fringe ofالْبُرْدِthe cloakأَعْيَاwhich weariedفَتْقُهَاits mendingالْآسِيthe healer
The striker of the fatal blow persisting in it... like the fringe of the cloak whose mending wearied the healer
عَبْدُAbdullahاللَّهِAllahبْنُson ofالسَّائِبِAl-Sa'ibقَالَsaid
Abdullah ibn Al-Sa'ib said:
جَمَعَgatheredزِيَادٌZiyadأَهْلَthe people ofالْكُوفَةِKufaيُحَرِّضُهُمْinciting themعَلَىtoالْبَرَاءَةِdissociationمِنْfromعَلِيٍّAliكَرَّمَmay Allah honorاللَّهُAllahوَجْهَهُhis face
Ziyad gathered the people of Kufa, inciting them to disassociate from Ali, may Allah honor his face.
فَمَلَأَSo he filledمِنْهُمُwith themالْمَسْجِدَthe mosqueوَالرَّحْبَةَand the courtyardقَالَHe said
He filled the mosque and the courtyard with them. He said:
فَغَفَوْتُSo I dozed offغَفْوَةًin a light slumberفَإِذَاand suddenlyأَنَاIبِشَيْءٍwith a creatureلَهُhavingعُنُقٌa neckمِثْلُlikeعُنُقِthe neck ofالْبَعِيرِa camelأَهْدَلُdrooping-lippedأَهْدَبُshaggy-eyelided
"So I dozed off into a light slumber, and suddenly there was a creature with a neck like the neck of a camel, drooping-lipped and shaggy-eyelided.
فَقُلْتُSo I saidلَهُto itمَنْwhoأَنْتَare you?
I said to it, 'Who are you?'
فَقَالَIt saidأَنَاI amالنَّقَّادُthe Criticذُوpossessor ofالرَّقَبَةِthe neckبُعِثْتُI was sentإِلَىtoصَاحِبِthe master ofالْقَصْرِthe palace
It said, 'I am the long-necked Critic; I have been sent to the master of the palace.'
فَانْتَبَهْتُThen I woke upفَزِعاًfrightenedفَمَاand it wasكَانَnotبِأَسْرَعَfasterإِذْthan thatخَرَجَthere came outعَلَيْنَاto usخَارِجٌsomeone coming outمِنَfromالْقَصْرِthe palace
Then I woke up frightened, and shortly after, someone came out to us from the palace
فَقَالَand saidانْصَرِفُواDisperseفَإِنَّfor indeedالْأَمِيرَthe governorفِيis inشُغُلٍoccupationعَنْكُمْaway from youالْيَوْمَtoday
and said, 'Disperse, for the governor is occupied away from you today.'
فَإِذَاAnd beholdهُوَheقَدْhasفُلِجَsuffered a stroke
And lo, he had suffered a stroke.
فَقَالَSo saidعَبْدُAbdullahاللَّهِAllahفِيregardingذَلِكَthat
So Abdullah said regarding that:
مَاNotكَانَwas heمُنْتَهِياًdesistingعَمَّاfrom whatأَرَادَhe intendedبِنَاfor us
He was not desisting from what he intended for us
حَتَّىuntilتَأَتَّىthere cameلَهُto himالنَّقَّادُthe Criticذُوpossessor ofالرَّقَبِهْthe neck
until there came to him the long-necked Critic
فَأَسْقَطَAnd struck downالشِّقَّthe sideمِنْهُof himضَرْبَةٌa blowثَبَتَتْthat was confirmed
And struck down his side a confirmed blow
لَمَّاwhenتَنَاوَلَhe assailedظُلْماًunjustlyصَاحِبَthe master ofالرَّحْبَهْthe courtyard
when he unjustly assailed the master of the courtyard.
أَرَادَHe meantأَنَّهُthat heقُتِلَwas killedفِيinرَحْبَةِthe courtyard ofالْمَسْجِدِthe mosque
He meant that he was killed in the courtyard of the mosque.