Khutbah 3:Shiqshiqiyyah Sermon (Khutbah-e-Shiqshiqiyyah)

Sermon ka aaghaz

Khutbah ke aham mauzuat:

Abu Bakr ki Khilafat aur Imam Ali (A.S.) ka mauqif.
Imam Ali (A.S.) ka apne ilm, maqam aur ahliyat ka bayan.
Sabr aur siyasi halaat ka saamna.
Hazrat Umar (R.A.) ke daur-e-Khilafat ka zikr.
Hazrat Usman (R.A.) ke daur-e-Khilafat aur uske halaat.
Imam Ali (A.S.) ka Khilafat ki zimmedari qabool karna.

Khutbah ka mashhoor jumla

“Amma wallahi laqad taqammusaha Ibn Abi Quhafah…”

Roman Hindi mafhoom:

“Khuda ki qasam! Ibn Abi Quhafah ne Khilafat ka libaas pehen liya, jabki woh jaanta tha ke is maqam par mera haq aur meri ahliyat kya hai.”

Khutbah ka ta’aruf

Khutbah-e-Shiqshiqiyyah Nahjul Balagha ka teesra khutbah hai. Ismein Imam Ali (A.S.) Rasool Allah ﷺ ke wisal ke baad Khilafat ke siyasi halaat, apne maqam, apne sabr aur baad ke hukmaranon ke daur ke waqiat par apna mauqif bayan farmate hain.

Is khutbah ko aam taur par teen bade hisson mein samjha ja sakta hai:

Abu Bakr ke daur-e-Khilafat ka zikr.
Umar aur Usman ke daur-e-Khilafat ka zikr.
Imam Ali (A.S.) ke apni Khilafat qabool karne aur zimmedari sambhalne ka zikr.

Neeche khutbah ko uske asal mafhoom ke mutabiq Roman Hindi mein pesh kiya ja raha hai. Yeh lafz-ba-lafz Arabic edition ka badal nahi, balki asaan Roman Hindi tarjuma hai.

Hissa 1: Abu Bakr ki Khilafat aur Imam Ali (A.S.) ka sabr

1. Khilafat par apne haq ka izhar

Khuda ki qasam! Ibn Abi Quhafah (Abu Bakr) ne Khilafat ka libaas pehen liya, jabki woh achhi tarah jaanta tha ke Khilafat mein meri haisiyat wahi hai jo chakki mein uske markazi dhure ki hoti hai.

Mujh se ilm aur hikmat ka dariya behkar nikalta hai, aur koi parinda meri bulandi tak nahi pahunch sakta.

Maine Khilafat se apna daaman samet liya aur usse alag rehne ka faisla kiya.

Tashreeh:

Chakki ka dhura poori chakki ko sambhalta hai. Imam Ali (A.S.) is misaal se apne markazi maqam ko bayan karte hain.
Ilm ka dariya unke ilm aur ma’rifat ki wus’at ko zahir karta hai.
Parinde ka unki bulandi tak na pahunchna unke rutbe aur fazilat ki misaal hai.

2. Sabr aur siyasi halaat

Phir main sochne laga ke kya main apne haq ke liye khada ho jaun, jabki mere paas zaroori madad aur quwwat nahi hai, ya phir is andheri aur pur-fitan surat-e-haal mein sabr karun?

Yeh aisi tareeki thi jismein buzurg kamzor ho jaate, bachche waqt se pehle boodhe ho jaate aur momin apne Rab se mulaqat tak musalsal takleef aur mushakkat bardasht karta rehta.

Maine gaur kiya ke aise halaat mein sabr karna zyada munasib hai.

Isliye maine sabr kiya, halanki meri aankh mein kaanta chubha hua tha aur mere gale mein haddi atki hui thi. Main apni aankhon se dekh raha tha ke mera wirasati haq loota ja raha hai.

Tashreeh:

Imam Ali (A.S.) yahan do mushkil raaston ka zikr karte hain:

Muqabla karna, jab siyasi aur samaji halaat iske liye munasib na hon.
Sabr karna, taaki ummat mein mazeed fitna aur khoon-rezi na ho.

Yeh sabr unki nazar mein kamzori nahi, balki halaat ka gehra idraak tha.

Hissa 2: Hazrat Umar ibn al-Khattab ke daur ka zikr

3. Khilafat ka doosre shakhs ko saunpna

Aakhirkar pehla shakhs (Abu Bakr) apne raaste chala gaya, lekin apne baad Khilafat Ibn al-Khattab (Hazrat Umar) ko saunp gaya.

Imam Ali (A.S.) is tabdeeli ko bayan karte hue ek sher ka mafhoom pesh karte hain:

“Mere din ab aise guzar rahe hain jaise main oont ki peeth par mushkil safar kar raha hoon, jabki ek zamana woh bhi tha jab main Hayyan ke bhai Jabir ki sohbat mein sukoon se rehta tha.”

4. Do logon ke darmiyan Khilafat ka taqseem hona

Yeh kitni ajeeb baat thi ke Abu Bakr apni zindagi mein Khilafat se nijaat paane ki tamanna zahir karte the, lekin apne inteqal ke baad isi Khilafat ko doosre shakhs ke liye pakka kar gaye.

In dono ne Khilafat ko aapas mein is tarah baant liya jaise doodh dene wali oontni ke thanon se dono apna-apna hissa le rahe hon.

Tashreeh:

Imam Ali (A.S.) is siyasi tabdeeli par tanqeed karte hain aur pehle aur doosre daur ke darmiyan Khilafat ki muntaqili par apna nazariya bayan karte hain.

5. Doosre hukmaran ke daur ki sakhti

Us shakhs ne Khilafat ko ek sakht aur mushkil mahaul mein rakh diya, jahan guftagu mein sakhti thi aur rawaiye mein karwahat.

Is daur mein ghalatiyan bhi bahut hui aur unke liye uzr bhi bahut pesh kiye gaye.

Jo shakhs us nizaam ke saath juda hota, uski haalat ek aise bad-mizaaj oont par sawar shakhs jaisi hoti:

Agar woh uski lagaam zor se kheenchta, to oont ki naak zakhmi ho jaati; aur agar lagaam dheeli chhod deta, to oont use halaakat ki taraf le jaata.

Is tarah log be-qaidgi, bad-amali, bechaini aur gumraahi mein mubtala ho gaye.

Tashreeh:

Yahan Imam Ali (A.S.) ek bad-mizaaj oont ki misaal dekar hukumat ke sakht aur mushkil intizami halaat ko bayan karte hain.

Hissa 3: Shura (Mashwarati Council) aur Hazrat Usman (R.A.) ka intikhab

6. Chhe afraad ki committee

Phir jab doosre shakhs (Hazrat Umar) ka waqt-e-rukhsat aaya, to unhone Khilafat ke maamle ko ek jamaat ke hawale kar diya aur mujhe bhi unhi logon mein shamil kar diya.

Ajeeb baat hai! Pehle shakhs ke muqable mein bhi mujhe apni ahliyat par koi shak nahi tha, phir ab mujhe in logon ke barabar kaise samjha gaya?

Mujhe kis baat par unke saath mashware mein shamil kiya gaya?

Tashreeh:

Is committee ko Shura kaha jata hai. Ismein chhe afraad shamil the:

Imam Ali ibn Abi Talib (A.S.)
Usman ibn Affan (R.A.)
Talha ibn Ubaydullah (R.A.)
Zubayr ibn al-Awwam (R.A.)
Sa’d ibn Abi Waqqas (R.A.)
Abdur Rahman ibn Awf (R.A.)

7. Shura mein apni haisiyat ka bayan

Mujhe kabhi pehle shakhs ke muqable mein apne maqam ke baare mein koi shak nahi tha, to phir ab mujhe in logon ke saath ek hi darje par rakhne ki kya wajah thi?

Lekin maine phir bhi sabr kiya aur mashware ki karwai mein hissa liya.

Jab faisla karne ka waqt aaya, to ek shakhs ne apni dushmani aur hasad ki wajah se mujh se munh pher liya, jabki doosre ne apne rishtedari ke ta’alluq aur kuch doosre siyasi asbaab ki bunyaad par apna faisla kiya.

Yahan tak ke teesra shakhs (Hazrat Usman) Khilafat par baitha.

Tashreeh:

Imam Ali (A.S.) Shura ke faisle aur uske siyasi pehluon par tanqeed karte hain. Is hisse mein Abdur Rahman ibn Awf ke faisle aur Banu Umayyah ke saath Hazrat Usman ke rishton ka zikr bhi aata hai.

Hissa 4: Hazrat Usman (R.A.) ke daur-e-Khilafat ka zikr

8. Banu Umayyah ki hukumat aur maal-e-duniya

Phir teesra shakhs Khilafat par baith gaya aur uske saath uske khandani rishtedaar bhi uth khade hue. Woh Allah ke maal ko is tarah khaane lage jaise bahaar ke mausam mein oont hari ghaas ko bade shauq se khaata hai.

Yahan tak ke uske amal ne use barbaadi ke hawale kar diya aur uski zindagi ke aakhri daur mein uske apne kaam uske khilaf khade ho gaye.

Tashreeh:

Is tashbeeh ke zariye Imam Ali (A.S.) hukumat mein maal-e-awaam ke istemal aur rishtedaron ko nawazne par apni sakht narazgi ka izhar karte hain.

9. Awam ka Imam Ali (A.S.) ke paas aana

Aakhirkar uska daur bhi khatam hua aur log mere paas is tarah umad pade jaise lakadbaghe ki gardan ke baal ya charon taraf se aane wala hujoom.

Log mere paas har taraf se aane lage, yahan tak ke Hasan aur Husayn (A.S.) bheed mein dabne lage aur mere kandhon par maujood chadar ke dono kinare phat gaye.

Log mere gird is tarah jama ho gaye jaise bhed-bakriyon ka jhund apne charwahe ke gird jama hota hai.

Tashreeh:

Yeh Imam Ali (A.S.) ki Khilafat ke liye logon ke bade paimane par aane aur bay’at karne ka bayan hai.

Hissa 5: Imam Ali (A.S.) ki Khilafat aur teen girohon ki mukhalifat

10. Khilafat ki zimmedari qabool karna

Jab maine hukumat ki zimmedari sambhali, to ek giroh ne apni bay’at tod di, doosra giroh deen se nikal gaya aur teesre giroh ne na-farmani aur zulm ka raasta ikhtiyar kar liya.

Goya unhone Allah Ta’ala ka yeh farman suna hi nahi tha:

Qur’an – Surah Al-Qasas, 28:83

“Yeh Aakhirat ka ghar hum un logon ke liye muqarrar karte hain jo zameen mein badaai aur fasad nahi chahte, aur achha anjaam parhezgaaron ke liye hai.”

Nahi! Allah ki qasam, unhone is aayat ko suna bhi tha aur samjha bhi tha, lekin duniya unki aankhon mein khoobsurat bana di gayi thi aur uski chamak-damak ne unhe apni taraf kheench liya tha.

Tashreeh: Teen giroh

Imam Ali (A.S.) ke daur-e-Khilafat mein unke muqable mein aane wale teen girohon ko aam taur par is tarah samjha jata hai:

Nakiseen: Bay’at todne wale. Isse aam taur par Jang-e-Jamal se sambandhit giroh murad liya jata hai.
Mariqeen: Deen se nikalne wale. Isse Khawarij murad liye jate hain.
Qasiteen: Zulm aur na-insafi karne wale. Isse aam taur par Muawiyah ke siyasi giroh se joda jata hai.

Yeh teen istilahaat Nahjul Balagha ki doosri riwayaton aur sharahon mein bhi tafseel se samjhai jaati hain.

Hissa 6: Imam Ali (A.S.) ne Khilafat kyun qabool ki?

11. Ummat ke huqooq aur ulama ki zimmedari

Khabardar! Us zaat ki qasam jisne daane ko phaad kar paudha nikala aur jaan-daar makhlooq ko paida kiya!

Agar log mere paas na aate, madadgaaron ki maujoodgi se mujh par hujjat qaim na hoti aur Allah ne ahl-e-ilm se yeh ahad na liya hota ke woh zalim ke zulm aur mazloom ki bhook par khamosh nahi rahenge, to main Khilafat ki lagaam uske kandhe par daal deta aur uske aakhir ko bhi usi jaam se seenchta jisse uske aaghaz ko seencha tha.

Aur tum dekhte ke tumhari yeh duniya meri nazar mein ek bakri ki chheenk se bhi zyada be-qeemat hai.

Tashreeh:

Yeh khutbah ka sabse aham usool hai.

Imam Ali (A.S.) ke nazdeek hukumat ka maqsad sirf iqtidaar hasil karna nahi, balki:

Zalim ko zulm se rokna.
Mazloom ka haq dilana.
Gareeb aur bhooke ki madad karna.
Insaf aur adal ko qaim karna.
Allah ke saamne apni zimmedari poori karna.

Yahan Imam Ali (A.S.) hukumat ki zimmedari ko ek deeni aur akhlaqi farz ke taur par bayan karte hain.

Hissa 7: Khutbah ka ikhtitam – Shiqshiqiyyah ka matlab

12. Ibn Abbas ke saath aakhri guftagu

Is maqam par Imam Ali (A.S.) ka bayan apni intehai jazbati kaifiyat tak pahunchta hai.

Riwayat ke mutabiq, Ibn Abbas kehte hain:

Jab Imam Ali (A.S.) ne apna khutbah yahan tak pahunchaya, to ek shakhs ne unki guftagu ko beech mein rok diya.

Ibn Abbas kehte hain ke mujhe Imam Ali (A.S.) ke is khutbah ke ruk jaane par itna afsos hua jitna kisi aur cheez ke chhoot jaane par nahi hua.

Jab maine Imam Ali (A.S.) se darkhwast ki ke aap apni baat aage jaari rakhein, to unhone farmaya:

“Hayhat, Ibn Abbas! Yeh to ek Shiqshiqah thi jo ubhri aur phir khamosh ho gayi.”

Shiqshiqah ka matlab kya hai?

Shiqshiqah oont ke munh se nikalne wale ek phoolne wale gosht ke tukde ko kehte hain, jo kuch waqt ke liye ubharta hai aur phir wapas andar chala jata hai.

Imam Ali (A.S.) ne apne jazbaat aur bayan ki is kaifiyat ko Shiqshiqah se tashbeeh di.

Isi wajah se is khutbah ko Khutbah-e-Shiqshiqiyyah kaha jata hai.

Khutbah 3 ke buniyadi sabaq

Mauzu	Bunyadi sabaq
Ilm	Ilm aur fazilat ka buland maqam
Sabr	Mushkil halaat mein hikmat se faisla
Khilafat	Hukumat ek badi zimmedari hai
Insaf	Zalim ke khilaf khada hona
Mazloom	Mazloom ki madad karna
Duniya	Duniya ki daulat se zyada ahmiyat haq ki hai
Ummat	Ummat ke ittehad aur bhalai ki fikr

Sermon 3: By Allah, the son of Abu Quhafah….

Known as the Sermon of ash-Shiqshiqiyah1

ومن خطبة له (عليه السلام) المعروفة بالشِّقْشِقِيَّة

وتشتمل على الشكوى من أمر الخلافة ثم ترجيح صبره عنها ثم مبايعة الناس له

Beware! By Allah, the son of Abu Quhafah (Abu Bakr)2 dressed himself with it (the caliphate) and he certainly knew that my position in relation to it was the same as the position of the axis in relation to the hand-mill. The flood water flows down from me and the bird cannot fly upto me. I put a curtain against the caliphate and kept myself detached from it.

Then I began to think whether I should assault or endure calmly the blinding darkness of tribulations wherein the grown up are made feeble and the young grow old and the true believer acts under strain till he meets Allah (on his death).

أَمَا وَالله لَقَدْ تَقَمَّصَها ابْنُ اَبى قُحافَةَ ، وَإِنَّهُ لَيَعْلَمُ أَنَّ مَحَلِّيَ مِنهَا مَحَلُّ القُطْبِ مِنَ الرَّحَا، يَنْحَدِرُ عَنِّي السَّيْلُ، وَلا يَرْقَى إِلَيَّ الطَّيْرُ، فَسَدَلْتُ دُونَهَا ثَوْباً، وَطَوَيْتُ عَنْهَا كَشْحاً، وَطَفِقْتُ أَرْتَئِي بَيْنَ أَنْ أَصُولَ بِيَد جَذَّاءَ، أَوْ أَصْبِرَ عَلَى طَخْيَة عَمْيَاءَ، يَهْرَمُ فيهَا الكَبيرُ، وَيَشِيبُ فِيهَا الصَّغِيرُ، وَيَكْدَحُ فِيهَا مُؤْمِنٌ حَتَّى يَلْقَى رَبَّهُ.

Proposes Patience in Absence of Supporters

ترجيح الصبرعلى فقد الاعوان

I found that endurance thereon was wiser. So I adopted patience although there was pricking in the eye and suffocation (of mortification) in the throat. I watched the plundering of my inheritance till the first one went his way but handed over the Caliphate to Ibn al-Khattab after himself.

(Then he quoted al-A’sha’s verse):

My days are now passed on the camel’s back (in difficulty) while there were days (of ease) when I enjoyed the company of Jabir’s brother Hayyan.3

فَرَأَيْتُ أَنَّ الصَّبْرَ عَلَى هَاتَا أَحْجَى، فَصَبَرتُ وَفي الْعَيْنِ قَذىً، وَفي الحَلْقِ شَجاً، أرى تُرَاثي نَهْباً، حَتَّى مَضَى الاْوَّلُ لِسَبِيلِهِ، فَأَدْلَى بِهَا إِلَى ابْنِ الْخَطّابِ بَعْدَهُ. ( ثم تمثل بقول الاعشى):

شَتّانَ ما يَومي عَاى كُوْرِها * و يَوْمُ حَيَّانَ أخي جابِرِ

It is strange that during his lifetime he wished to be released from the caliphate but he confirmed it for the other one after his death. No doubt these two shared its udders strictly among themselves. This one put the Caliphate in a tough enclosure where the utterance was haughty and the touch was rough. Mistakes were in plenty and so also the excuses therefore. One in contact with it was like the rider of an unruly camel. If he pulled up its rein the very nostril would be slit, but if he let it loose he would be thrown. Consequently, by Allah people got involved in recklessness, wickedness, unsteadiness and deviation.

فَيَا عَجَباً!! بَيْنَا هُوَ يَسْتَقِيلُها في حَيَاتِهِ إِذْ عَقَدَهَا لاخَرَ بَعْدَ وَفَاتِهِ ـ لَشَدَّ مَا تَشَطَّرَا ضَرْعَيْهَا ! ـ فَصَيَّرَهَا في حَوْزَة خَشْنَاءَ، يَغْلُظُ كَلْمُهَا، وَيَخْشُنُ مَسُّهَا، وَيَكْثُرُ العِثَارُ فِيهَا وَالاْعْتَذَارُ مِنْهَا، فَصَاحِبُهَا كَرَاكِبِ الصَّعْبَةِ، إِنْ أَشْنَقَ لَهَا خَرَمَ، وَإِنْ أَسْلَسَ لَهَا تَقَحَّمَ، فَمُنِيَ النَّاسُ ـ لَعَمْرُ اللهِ ـ بِخَبْط وَشِمَاس، وَتَلَوُّن وَاعْتِرَاض.

Nevertheless, I remained patient despite length of period and stiffness of trial, till when he went his way (of death) he put the matter (of Caliphate) in a group4 and regarded me to be one of them. But good Heavens! What had I to do with this “consultation”? Where was any doubt about me with regard to the first of them that I was now considered akin to these ones? But I remained low when they were low and flew high when they flew high.

One of them turned against me because of his hatred and the other got inclined the other way due to his in-law relationship and this thing and that thing, till the third man of these people stood up with heaving breasts between his dung and fodder. With him his children of his grand-father, (Umayyah) also stood up swallowing up Allah’s wealth5 like a camel devouring the foliage of spring, till his rope broke down, his actions finished him and his gluttony brought him down prostrate.

فَصَبَرْتُ عَلَى طُولِ الْمُدَّةِ، وَشِدَّةِ الْمحْنَةِ، حَتَّى إِذا مَضَى لِسَبِيلِهِ جَعَلَهَا في جَمَاعَة زَعَمَ أَنَّي أَحَدُهُمْ. فَيَاللهِ وَلِلشُّورَى! مَتَى اعْتَرَضَ الرَّيْبُ فِيَّ مَعَ الاْوَّلِ مِنْهُمْ، حَتَّى صِرْتُ أُقْرَنُ إِلَى هذِهِ النَّظَائِرِ! لكِنِّي أَسفَفْتُ إِذْ أَسَفُّوا، وَطِرْتُ إِذْ طَارُوا، فَصَغَا رَجُلُ مِنْهُمْ لِضِغْنِه، وَمَالَ الاْخَرُ لِصِهْرهِ، مَعَ هَن وَهَن. إِلَى أَنْ قَامَ ثَالِثُ القَوْمِ، نَافِجَاً حِضْنَيْهِ بَيْنَ نَثِيلهِ وَمُعْتَلَفِهِ، وَقَامَ مَعَهُ بَنُو أَبِيهِ يَخْضَمُونَ مَالَ اللهِ خَضْمَ الاْبِل نِبْتَةَ الرَّبِيعِ، إِلَى أَنِ انْتَكَثَ عَلَيْهِ فَتْلُهُ، وَأَجْهَزَ عَلَيْهِ عَمَلُهُ، وَكَبَتْ بِهِ بِطْنَتُهُ.

Allegiance paid to ‘Ali

مبايعة علي (عليه السلام(

At that moment, nothing took me by surprise, but the crowd of people rushing to me. It advanced towards me from every side like the mane of the hyena so much so that Hasan and Husayn were getting crushed and both the ends of my shoulder garment were torn. They collected around me like a herd of sheep and goats. When I took up the reins of government one party broke away and another turned disobedient while the rest began acting wrongfully as if they had not heard the word of Allah saying:

That abode in the hereafter, We assign it for those who intend not to exult themselves in the earth, nor (to make) mischief (therein); and the end is (best) for the pious ones. (Qur’an, 28:83)

فَمَا رَاعَنِي إلاَّ وَالنَّاسُ إليَّ كَعُرْفِ الضَّبُعِ، يَنْثَالُونَ عَلَيَّ مِنْ كُلِّ جَانِب، حَتَّى لَقَدْ وُطِىءَ الحَسَنَانِ، وَشُقَّ عِطْفَايَ، مُجْتَمِعِينَ حَوْلي كَرَبِيضَةِ الغَنَمِ. فَلَمَّا نَهَضْتُ بِالاْمرِ نَكَثَتْ طَائِفَةٌ، وَمَرَقَتْ أُخْرَى، وَفَسَقَ [وقسط] آخَرُونَ كَأَنَّهُمْ لَمْ يَسْمَعُوا اللهَ سُبْحَانَهُ يَقُولُ: (تِلْكَ الدَّارُ الاخِرَةُ نَجْعَلُهَا للَّذِينَ لاَ يُريدُونَ عُلُوّاً في الاَرْضِ وَلاَ فَسَاداً وَالعَاقِبَةُ لِلْمُتَّقِينَ(،

Yes, by Allah, they had heard it and understood it but the world appeared glittering in their eyes and its embellishments seduced them. Behold, by Him who split the grain (to grow) and created living beings, if people had not come to me and supporters had not exhausted the argument and if there had been no pledge of Allah with the learned to the effect that they should not acquiesce in the gluttony of the oppressor and the hunger of the oppressed I would have cast the rope of Caliphate on its own shoulders, and would have given the last one the same treatment as to the first one. Then you would have seen that in my view this world of yours is no better than the sneezing of a goat.

بَلَى! وَاللهِ لَقَدْ سَمِعُوهَا وَوَعَوْهَا، وَلكِنَّهُمْ حَلِيَتَ الدُّنْيَا في أَعْيُنِهمْ، وَرَاقَهُمْ زِبْرِجُهَا! أَمَا وَالَّذِي فَلَقَ الْحَبَّةَ، وَبَرَأَ النَّسَمَةَ، لَوْلاَ حُضُورُ الْحَاضِرِ، وَقِيَامُ الْحُجَّةِ بِوُجُودِ النَّاصِرِ، وَمَا أَخَذَ اللهُ عَلَى العُلَمَاءِ أَلاَّ يُقَارُّوا عَلَى كِظَّةِ ظَالِم، وَلا سَغَبِ مَظْلُوم، لاَلقَيْتُ حَبْلَهَا عَلَى غَارِبِهَا، وَلَسَقَيْتُ آخِرَهَا بِكَأْسِ أَوَّلِها، وَلاَلفَيْتُمْ دُنْيَاكُمْ هذِهِ أَزْهَدَ عِنْدِي مِنْ عَفْطَةِ عَنْز!

(It is said that when Amir al-Mu’minin reached here in his sermon a man of Iraq stood up and handed him over a writing. Amir al-Mu’minin began looking at it, when Ibn ‘Abbas said, “O’ Amir al-Mu’minin, I wish you resumed your Sermon from where you broke it.” Thereupon he replied, “O’ Ibn ‘Abbas it was like the foam of a Camel which gushed out but subsided.” Ibn ‘Abbas says that he never grieved over any utterance as he did over this one because Amir al-Mu’minin could not finish it as he wished to.)

قالوا: وقام إِليه رجل من أهل السوادعند بلوغه إلى هذا الموضع من خطبته، فناوله كتاباً، فأقبل ينظر فيه، فلمّا فرغ من قراءته قال له ابن عباس: يا أميرالمؤمنين، لو اطَّرَدت مَقالتكَ من حيث أَفضيتَ! فَقَالَ(عليه السلام): هَيْهَاتَ يَابْنَ عَبَّاس! تِلْكَ شِقْشِقَةٌ هَدَرَتْ ثُمَّ قَرَّتْ! قال ابن عباس: فوالله ما أَسفت على كلام قطّ كأَسفي على ذلك الكلام أَلاَّ يكون أميرالمؤمنين (عليه السلام) بلغ منه حيث أراد.

Al-Sharif al-Radi says: The words in this sermon “like the rider of a camel” mean to convey that when a camel rider is stiff in drawing up the rein then in this scuffle the nostril gets bruised, but if he lets it loose in spite of the camel’s unruliness, it would throw him somewhere and would get out of control. “ashnaq an-naqah” is used when the rider holds up the rein and raises the camel’s head upwards. In the same sense the word “shanaqa an-naqah” is used. Ibn as-Sikkit has mentioned this in Islah al-Mantiq.

Amir al-Mu’minin has said “ashnaqa laha” instead of “ashnaqaha”, this is because he has used this word in harmony with “aslasa laha” and harmony could be retained only by using both in the same form. Thus, Amir al-Mu’minin has used “ashnaqa laha” as though in place of “in rafa’a laha ra’saha”, that is, “if he stops it by holding up the reins.”

قال الشريف الرضي: قوله (عليه السلام) في هذه الخطبة: «كراكب الصعبة إن أشنق لها خرم، وإن أسلس لها تقحم» يريد: أنه إذا شدد عليها في جذب الزمام وهي تنازعه رأسها خرم أنفها، وإن أرخى لها شيئاً مع صعوبتها تقحمت به فلم يملكها، يقال: أشنق الناقة، إذا جذب رأسها بالزمام فرفعه، وشنقها أيضاً: ذكر ذلك ابن السكيت في «إصلاح المنطق». وإنما قال (عليه السلام): «أشنق لها» ولم يقل: «أشنقها»، لانه جعله في مقابلة قوله: «أسلس لها»، فكأنه (عليه السلام) قال: إن رفع لها رأسها يعني أمسكه عليها بالزمام .