You claim that you want to reform peoples’ relations.

You claim that you want to reform peoples’ relations. Tell me what have women to do with the leading of armies and challenging men!? You requested, as you claimed, Uthman’s blood, and Uthman is one of Banu Umayiah while you are from Taim. Then, yesterday, you were saying before a group of the prophet’s companions: “Kill Na’athal (i.e Uthman), may Allah kill him as he has become a disbeliever!”, then you are, today, demanding his blood!

Fear Allah and return to your house, and drop your veil on yourself. Wassalam. Come out of your Den His letter to Abu Musa Al-Ashari, his Governor of kufa, when he learned that he was dissuading the people of Kufa joining the battle of Jamal. From the slave of Allah, Amir Al-Mu’minin to Abdullah bin Qays: Now, I have come to know of words uttered by you which go in your favour as well as against you.

So, when my messenger reaches you prepare yourself and get ready, come out of your den and call those who are with you. Set your mind in order, take a grip on your affairs and acquire your share. If you do not like it then go away to where neither you are welcomed nor can you find a salvation. By Allah, it is a matter of right with a rightful person and I do not care about what heretics do!

The Clear Argument When Imam approached Basrah an Arab met him – He is known as Kulayb Al-Jarmi – and spoke to him, as he had been sent to him by some people of Basrah to enquire from him on their behalf his position vis-à-vis the people of Jamal. Imam explained to him his position with respect to them, from which he was convinced that Amir Al-Mu’minin was in the right.

Then Imam asked him to swear allegiance, but he replied “I am just a messenger of some people and shouldn’t do any thing till I return to them.” Upon this Imam said this wonderful saying: Suppose that those who have sent you as a forerunner to search out a rain-fed area for them, and your return to them and apprise them of herbage and water but they disagree with you and went towards dry and barren land, what would you do then? He said: I would leave them and go towards herbage and water.

Imam said: So then strech forth your hand. This man said: By Allah, by such a clear argument I could not refrain from swearing allegiance to Amir Al-Mu’minin. And at one time, Imam was asked: with what thing you have overcame your mated challengers? He answered: I have not encountered any man except he helped me to kill him.