Hadith 127

(The book) ‘Nahj Al Balagah’ –
From a sermon of his-asws he-asws addressed at Siffeen: ‘As for after, Allah-azwj the Glorious has Made rights upon you to be for me-asws with governing your affairs, and for you all there are rights upon me-asws similar to those which are for me-asws upon you all! The right is the widest of things in the description and narrowest of it in the completeness. It does not flow for anyone except it flows against him, nor does it flow against him except it flows for him, and if there was anyone that it flows for him and not flowing against him, that would be purely for Allah-azwj the Glorious besides His-azwj creatures, due to His-azwj Power over His-azwj servants and due to His-azwj Justice regarding all what flows upon it the incurrence of His-azwj Judgments. But He-azwj Made His-azwj Rights upon the servants that they should obey Him-azwj and He-azwj Made their Recompense upon it to be manifold Rewards, being a Grace from Him-azwj and the Capacity with what He-azwj is additionally rightful of. Then He-azwj Made certain rights from His-azwj rights, Obligatory for some of the people upon others. He-azwj made these to be sufficing in their perspectives, and Obligating some of it with others, and He-azwj did not Obligate some of these except with others. And the mightiest of what Allah-azwj the Glorious has Obligated from those rights is the right of the ruler over the citizens, and the rights of the citizens upon the ruler, being an Obligation Allah-azwj the Glorious has Obligated upon all. He-azwj Made these to be a system for their affection and an honour for their religion. Thus, it isn’t correct for the citizen except with the correctness of the ruler, nor can the ruler be correct except with the straightness of the citizens. So, when the citizens have fulfilled to the ruler of his rights, and the ruler fulfils to them of their rights, the rights would be honoured between them, and the manifesto of religion would stand, and the dealings of justice would be just, and the Sunnah would flow upon their justice. So, the times would be correct with that and the lasting of the government would be coveted, and the coveting of the enemies would be worsened. And when the citizens overcome upon their ruler, or the ruler oppresses his citizens, over there the words would differ and the dealing of tyranny would appear, and there would be a lot of mischief in the religion, and the ways of the Sunnah would be neglected, and the personal desires would be worked with, and the Ordinances would be suspended, and the diseases of the souls would be abundant. So, do not feel lonely due to the mighty rights been suspended nor due to the mighty falsehoods being acted upon. Over there, the righteous will be humiliated, and the evil ones would be honoured, and there would be great consequences of Allah-azwj the Glorious with the servants. Upon you all is to be with the advising each other during that and goodly assistance upon it, for there isn’t anyone who intensifies his eagerness upon attaining the Pleasure of Allah-azwj and prolongs his striving in the deeds, can ever reach the reality of what Allah-azwj the Glorious is rightful of the obedience to Him-azwj. But, from the Obligatory rights of Allah-azwj the Glorious upon the servants is the advising each other to the extent