Sermon 107

I have seen your flight and your dispersal from the lines. You were surrounded by rude and low people and Bedouins of Syria (ash-Sham), although you are the chiefs of Arabs and summit of distinction, and possess dignity as that of the high nose and big hump of the camel. The sigh of my bosom can subside only when I eventually see you surrounding them as they surrounded you, and see you dislodging them from their position as they dislodged you, killing them with arrows and striking them with spears so that their forward rows might fall on the rear ones just like the thirsty camels who have been turned away from their place of drink and removed from their water-points.

Arabic Text

ومن خُطْبَة له (عليه السلام) في بعض أيام صفين وَقَدْ رَأَيْتُ جَوْلَتَكُمْ، وَانْحِيَازَكُمْ عَنْ صُفُوفِكُمْ، تَحُوزُكُمُ الْجُفَاةُ الطَّغَامُ ، وَأَعْرَابُ أَهْلِ الشَّامِ، وَأَنْتُمْ لَهَامِيمُ الْعَرَبِ، وَيَآفِيخُ الشَّرَفِ، وَالاْنْفُ الْمُقَدَّمُ، وَالسَّنَامُ الاْعْظَمُ، وَلَقَدْ شَفَى وَحَاوِحَ صَدْرِي أَنْ رَأَيْتُكُمْ بِأَخَرَة، تَحُوزُونَهُمْ كَمَا حَازُوكُمْ، وَتُزِيلُونَهُمْ عَنْ مَوَاقِفِهمْ كَمَا أَزَالُوكُمْ; حَسّاً بالنِّصَالِ، وَشَجْراً بِالرِّمَاحِ، تَرْكَبُ أُولاهُمْ أُخْرَاهُمْ كَالاْبِلِ الْهِيمِ الْمَطْرُودَةِ، تُرْمَى عَنْ حِيَاضِهَا، وَتُذَادُ عَنْ مَوَارِدِهَا!

Alternative Sources

(1) Al-Tabari, Ta'rikh, VI, 14, events of 37 H.; (2) al-Kulayni, Furu' al-Kafi, V, 40; (3) Nasr ibn Muzahim, Siffin, 256.