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Shiavault - a Vault of Shia Islamic Books Nahjul Balagha Part 1, The Sermons Sermon 67: Why didn't you argue ... When after the death of the Prophet, news reached Amir al-mu'minin about the happening in Saqifah of Bani Sa`idah, [^1] he enquired what the Ansar said.

People said that they were asking for one chief from among them and one from the others, Amir al-mu'minin said: ومن كلام له (عليه السلام) في معنى الانصار قالوا: لمّا انتهت إلى أميرالمؤمنين (عليه السلام) أنباء السقيفة بعد وفاة رسول الله(صلى الله عليه وآله)، قال(عليه السلام): ما قالت الانصار؟ قالوا: قالت: منا أمير ومنكم أمير، قال عليه السلام: .

Why did you not argue against them ( ansar ) that the Prophet had left his will that whoever is good among Ansar should be treated well and whoever is bad should be forgiven. People said: "What is the proof against them in it?" Amir al-mu'minin said: "If the Government was for them there should have been no will in their favour." Then he said: "What did the Quraysh plead?" People said: "They argued that they belong to the lineal tree of the Prophet.

Then Amir al-mu'minin said: "They defended themselves with the plea of the tree but neglected the fruit." قال (عليه السلام): فَهَلاَّ احْتَجَجْتُمْ عَلَيْهِمْ: بِأَنَّ رَسُولَ اللهِ(صلى الله عليه وآله) وَصَّى بِأَنْ يُحْسَنَ إِلَى مُحْسِنِهمْ، وَيُتَجَاوَزَ عَنْ مُسِيئِهِمْ؟ قالوا: وما في هذا من الحجّة عليهم؟ فقال(عليه السلام): لَوْ كَانَتِ الامارة فِيهمْ لَمْ تَكُنِ الْوَصِيَّةُ بِهِمْ. ثم قال: فَمَاذَا قَالَتْ قُرَيْشٌ؟ قالوا: احتجت بأَنها شجرة الرسول (صلى الله عليه وآله).

فقال (عليه السلام): احْتَجُّوا بِالشَّجَرَةِ، وَأَضَاعُوا الَّثمَرَةَ. Alternative Sources for Sermon 67 (1) Al-Nuwayri, Nihayah, VIII, 168; (2) al-'Amidi, Ghurar, 326; (3) al-Karajiki, al-Ta`ajjub, 13; (4) al-Jawhari, al-Saqifah, see Ibn Abi al-Hadid, II, at the beginning; (5) al-Tabari, Ta'rikh, VI, 263; (6) Ibn `Abd al-Birr, al-'Isti`ab, in the account of `Awf ibn Athathah; (7) al-Mas`udi, Muruj ; (8) al-Tawhidi, al-Basa'ir , 59; (9)al-Murtada, al-'Amali, I, 198.

[^1]: From what happened in the Saqifah of Bani Sa`idah it appears that the greatest argument of muhajirun against ansar and the basis of the former's success was this very point that since they were the kith and kin of the Prophet no one else could deserve the Caliphate. On this very ground the big crowd of ansar became ready to lay down their weapons before three muhajirun, and the latter succeeded in winning the Caliphate by presenting their distinction of descent.

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