Peak of Eloquence Nahjul Balagha By Imam Ali ibn Abu Talib - English Translation - Sermon 204

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Having Sworn Allegiance to Imam Ali Ibn Abu Talib (x),

Talhah and Az-zubayr Complained to Him That He Had Not Consulted Them or Sought Their “Advice” in the Affairs (of State). Imam Ali Ibn Abu Talib (x) Replied as Follows :

You both frown over a small issue and leave aside many big ones. Can you tell me of anything wherein you have a right of which I have deprived you, or a share which was due to you and which I have held away from you, or any Muslim who has laid any claim before me and I have been unable to decide it or have been ignorant of it, or committed a mistake about it?

By Allah, I had no liking for the caliphate, nor have I had any interest in the government, but you yourselves invited me to it and prepared me for it. When the caliphate came to me, I kept the Book of Allah in my view and all that Allah had put the rein for us, all that according to what He has commanded us to decide. I followed it and also acted on whatever the Prophet (h) had laid down as his Sunnah. In this

matter, I did not need your advice nor the advice of anyone else, nor has there been any order of which I was ignorant so that I ought to have consulted you or my Muslim brethren. If it were so, I would not have turned away from you or from others. As regarding your reference to the question of equality (in the distribution of shares from the Muslim common fund), this is a matter in which I have not taken a decision according to my own opinion, nor have I done it by my caprice. But I found and you, too, (must have) found, that whatever the Prophet (h)

brought had been finalized. Therefore, I felt no need to turn towards you about a share which had been determined by Allah and in which His verdict has been passed. By Allah, in this matter, therefore, you two or anyone else can have no favor from me. May Allah keep our hearts and yours in righteousness, and may He grant us and yourselves endurance.

Imam Ali ibn Abu Talib (x) added: “May Allah have mercy on

the person who, when he sees the truth, supports it, when he sees falsehood, he rejects it and who helps the truth against anyone who is wrong.”