A Sermon of 'Amir al-Mu'minin during Siffin — Hadith 1

us, and they would yearn for the survival of the government, and the enemies would despair from their ambitions. And if the citizens overcome the governor and the governor seeks to overcome them that are where the differences of speech emerge. The yearning of tyranny appears, and abundance of the lawlessness in the Religion, and the landmarks of the Sunnah are left. So they act by the desires, effects vanish, and illnesses of the souls abound. There is no fear of the penalties for infringement of the Laws, nor does confronting the falsehood seem great. So that is where the humiliation of the righteous and the honour for the evil ones is, and the ruination of the cities, and the greater the consequences will be for the servants in the presence of Allah (azwj) Mighty and Majestic. So come, o you people, to the co-operation to the obedience to Allah (azwj) Mighty and Majestic, and the establishment by His (azwj) Justice, and the loyalty to His (azwj) Covenant, and the fairness to Him (azwj) is all of His (azwj) Rights, for there is nothing more needed for the servants than for advising with regards to that, and the beautiful co-operation to Him (azwj), and there is no one who intensifies his passion for striving for the Pleasure of Allah (azwj) to be able to reach its deserving point of fulfilling the Rights to Allah (azwj). But, from the obligatory Rights of Allah (azwj) Mighty and Majestic, upon the servants is the advice to each other with maximum efforts, and the co-operation upon the establishment of the truth among them. Then there is person, no matter how great his status regarding the truth, how magnified his preference regarding the truth is, would not be needless from the co-operation upon what Allah (azwj) Mighty and Majestic has Burdened him with from His (azwj) Rights. And there is no person, no matter how low he is in the affairs, and the eyes are looking down upon him, can remain without being helped upon or given support. And the people of the merits and the people of the Favours are more frequently in need of that, and everyone is in need of Allah (azwj) Mighty and Majestic equally’. A man from his (asws) army answered him (asws). No one knew who he was and it is said that he had never been seen in his (asws) army before that day, nor was he seen after it. So he stood up and beautifully Extolled Allah (azwj) Mighty and Majestic by what the afflictions He (azwj) had Placed upon them, and His (azwj) Favours from the Obligation of His (azwj) rights against them, and accepted all what had been mentioned of the changing conditions with hi