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Shiavault - a Vault of Shia Islamic Books Nahjul Balagha Part 1, The Sermons Sermon 162: O brother of Banu Asad…. One of Amir al-mu'minin's companions (from Banu Asad) asked him: "How was it that your tribe (Quraysh) deprived you of this position (Caliphate) although you deserved it most." Then in reply he said: ومن كلام له (عليه السلام) لبعض أصحابه وقد سأله: كيف دفعكم قومكم عن هذا المقام وأنتم أحق به؟ فقال O brother of Banu Asad! Your girth is loose and you have put it on the wrong way.

Nevertheless you enjoy in-law kinship and also the right to ask, and since you have asked, listen. As regards the dominance over us in this station (of caliphate) although we were the loftiest in lineage and the strongest in relationship with the Messenger of Allah, it was an act of appropriation by some who became greedy for it, while others relinquished it through their generosity. The Arbiter is Allah and to Him is the return on the Day of Judgement.

"Now leave this story of devastation about which there is hue and cry all round. – And let me know the story of what happened to the riding camels" [^1] يَا أَخَا بَنِي أَسَد، إنَّكَ لَقَلِقُ الْوَضِينِ، تُرْسِلُ فِي غَيْرِ سَدَد، وَلَكَ بَعْدُ ذِمَامَةُ الصِّهْرِ، وَحَقُّ الْمَسْأَلَةِ، وَقَدِ اسْتَعْلَمْتَ فَاعْلَمْ: أمَّا الاسْتِبْدادُ عَلَيْنَا بِهذَا الْمَقامِ وَنَحْنُ الاْعْلَوْنَ نَسَباً، وَالاشَدُّونَ بِالرَّسُولِ نَوْطاً، فَإنَّهَا كَانَتْ أَثَرَةً شَحَّتْ عَلَيْهَا نُفُوسُ قَوْم، وَسَخَتْ عَنْهَا نُفوسُ آخَرِينَ، وَالْحَكَمُ اللهُ، وَالْمَعْوَدُ إلَيْهِ الْقِيَامَةُ.

وَدَعْ عَنْكَ نَهْباً صِيحَ فِي حَجَرَاتِهِ \* وَلكِنْ حَدِيثاً مَا حَدِيثُ الرَّوَاحِلِ Come and look at the son of Abu Sufyan (Mu`awiyah). Time has made me laugh after making me weep. No wonder, by Allah; what is this affair which surpasses all wonder and which has increased wrongfulness. These people have tried to put out the flame of Allah's light from His lamp and to close His fountain from its source. They mixed epidemic-producing water between me and themselves.

If the trying hardships were removed from among us, I would take them on the course of truthfulness, otherwise: "...

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