Sermon 15

After returning to the Muslims the land grants made by 'Uthman ibn 'Affan, he said:

By Allah, even if I had found that by such money women have been married or slave-maids have been purchased I would have returned it (to its owners) because there is wide scope in dispensation of justice, and he who finds it hard to act justly will find it harder to deal with injustice.

Arabic Text

ومن كلام له (عليه السلام) فيما ردّه على المسلمين من قطائع عثمان وَاللهِ لَوْ وَجَدْتُهُ قَدْ تُزُوِّجَ بِهِ النِّسَاءُ، وَمُلِكَ بِهِ الاْمَاءُ، لَرَدَدْتُهُ; فَإِنَّ في العَدْلِ سَعَةً، وَمَنْ ضَاقَ عَلَيْهِ العَدْلُ، فَالجَوْرُ عَلَيْهِ أَضيَقُ!

Alternative Sources

(1) Al-'Askari, al-'Awa'il, 102; (2) al-Qadi al-Nu'man, Da'a'im, I, 396; (3) al-Mas'udi, *Ithbat,*120.