Praise be to Allah to Whom is the return of all creation

s trying to fulfil. If Islam is in trouble he will feel forlorn like a traveller and like a (tired) camel beating the end of its tail and with its neck flattened on the ground. He is the last of Allah's proofs and one of the vicegerents of His prophets. Then Amir al-mu'minin continued: O people! I have divulged to you advice which the prophets used to preach before their peoples, and I have conveyed to you what the vicegerents (of the prophets) conveyed to those coming after them. I tried to train you with my whip but you could not be straightened. I drove you with admonition but you did not acquire proper behaviour. May Allah deal with you! Do you expect an Imam other than me to take you on the (right) path, and show you the correct way? Beware, the things in this world which were forward have become things of the past, and those of which were behind are going ahead. The virtuous people of Allah have made up their minds to leave and they have purchased, with a little perishable (pleasure) of this world, a lot of such (reward) in the next world that will remain. What loss did our brothers whose blood was shed in Siffin suffer by not being alive today? Only that they are not suffering choking on swallowings and not drinking turbid water. By Allah, surely they have met Allah and He has bestowed upon them their rewards and He has lodged them in safe houses after their (having suffered) fear. Where are my brethren who took the (right) path and trod in rightness. Where is ‘Ammar? 4Where is Ibn at-Tayyihan? 5Where is Dhu'sh-Shahadatayn? 6And where are others like them7from among their comrades who had pledged themselves to death and whose (severed) heads were taken to the wicked enemy. Then Amir al-mu'minin wiped his hand over his auspicious, honoured beard and wept for a long time, then he continued: Oh my brothers who recited the Qur'an and strengthened it, thought over their obligation and fulfilled it, revived thesunnahand destroyed innovation! When they were called tojihadthey responded and trusted in their leader then followed him. Then Amir al-mu'minin shouted at the top of his voice: Al-jihad, al-jihad(fighting, fighting), O creatures of Allah! By Allah, I am mobilising the army today. He who desires to proceed towards Allah should come forward. Nawf said: Then Amir al-mu'minin put Husayn (p. b. u. h. ) over (a force of) ten thousand, Qays ibn Sa’d (mercy of Allah be upon him) over ten thousand, Abu Ayyub al-Ansari over ten thousand, and others over different numbers, intending to return to Siffin, but Friday did not appear again and the accursed Ibn Muljam (may Allah curse him) killed him. Consequently, the armies came back and were left like sheep who had lost their shepherd while wolves were snatching them away from all sides.