SERMON 6
Delivered on being advised not to
chase Talhah ibn `Ubaydillah and az-Zubayr ibn al-`Awwam for fighting.
(1)
By Allah I
shall not be like the badger, which feigns sleep on continuous (sound of)
stone-throwing till he who is in search of it finds it or he who is on the
look out for it overpowers it.
Rather, I shall ever strike the deviators
from truth with the help of those who advance towards it, and the sinners
and doubters with the help of those who listen to me and obey, till my day
(of death) comes.
By Allah I have been continually deprived of my right from the day
the Prophet died till today.
(1).
When Amir al-mu'minin showed intention to chase Talhah and az-Zubayr, he
was advised to leave them on their own lest he received some harm from
them. Amir al-mu'minin uttered these words in reply, the sum total whereof
is: "How long can I be a mere spectator to my right being snatched and
keep quiet. Now, so long as I have breath of life I shall fight them and
make them suffer the consequences of their conduct.
They should not think that I
can be easily over-powered like the badger."
Dabu` means badger. Its
nickname is Umm `Amir and Umm Turrayq. It is also called "the glutton",
because it swallows everything and eats up whatever it gets as if several
bellies were contained in one, and they do not have their fill.
It is also called Na`thal.
It is a very simple and
silly animal. Its slyness is apparent from the way it is easily caught. It
is said that the hunter surrounds its den and strikes it with his foot or
a stick, and calls out softly, "Bow you head Umm Turrayq, conceal yourself
Umm `Amir." On repeating this sentence and patting the ground, it conceals
itself in a corner of the den. Then the hunter says, "Umm `Amir is not in
its den, it is sleeping." On hearing this it stretches its limbs and
feigns sleep.
The hunter then puts the
knot in its feet and drags it out, and if falls like a coward into his
hand without resistance.
|