Sermon 208

When Amir al-mu'minin's companions expressed displeasure about his attitude concerning Arbitration,

he said:

O people, matters between me and you went as I wished till war exhausted you. By Allah, it has overtaken some of you and left others, and has completely weakened your enemy. Till yesterday I was giving orders but today I am being given orders, and till yesterday I was dissuading people (from wrong acts) but today I am being dissuaded. You have now shown liking to live in this world, and it is not for me to bring you to what you dislike.

ومن كلام له (عليه السلام) قاله لمّا اضطرب عليه أصحابه في أمر الحكومة أَيُّهَا النَّاسُ، إِنَّهُ لَمْ يَزَلْ أَمْري مَعَكُمْ عَلَى مَا أُحِبُّ، حَتَّى نَهَكَتْكُمُ الْحَرْبُ، وَقَدْ، وَاللهِ أَخَذَتْ مِنْكُمْ وَتَرَكَتْ، وَهِيَ لِعَدُوِّكُمْ أَنْهَكُ. لَقَدْ كُنْتُ أَمْسِ أَمِيراً، فَأَصْبَحْتُ الْيَوْمَ مَأْمُوراً! وَكُنْتُ أَمْسِ نَاهِياً، فَأَصْبَحْتُ الْيَوْمَ مَنْهِيّاً! وَقَدْ أَحْبَبْتُمُ الْبَقَاءَ، وَلَيْسَ لِي أَنْ أَحْمِلَكُمْ عَلَى مَا تَكْرَهُونَ!