Les significations d'un sermon du Commandeur des Croyants, que la paix soit sur lui

1. We were told by Muhammed bin Ibrahim bin Ishaq al-Talaqani, may Allah be pleased with him, that he said: We were told by Abdul-Aziz bin Yahya al-Jaloudi, that he said: We were told by Abu Abdillah, Ahmad bin Ammar bin Khalid, that he said: We were told by Yahya bin Abdul-Hamid al-Humani, that he said: We were told by Isa bin Rashid, from Ali bin Khuzaima, from Ikrima, from Ibn Abbas, and we were also told by Muhammed bin Ali Majilawayh, from his paternal uncle, Muhammed bin Abi’l-Qasem, from Ahmad bin Abi Abdillah al-Barqi, from his father, from Ibn Abi ‘Umayr, from Aban bin Uthman, from Aban bin Taghlib, from Ikrima, from Ibn Abbas, that he said: The caliphate was mentioned in the presence of the Commander of the Believers, Ali bin Abi Talib, peace be upon him, and he said: By Allah, it was put on by the brother of Taim, and indeed, he was knowing that my place from it is (like) the place of the axis in relation to the hand mill, from which the flood declines and to which birds to not ascend. Hence, I hanged before it a cloth, and I folded away from it, with my wast. I then came to have the choice between to assault with an amputated hand or to remain patient upon a blind severe darkness, in which the small develops grey hair, and in which the big becomes old, and in which a believer is drudged until he meets Allah, his Lord. Hence, I saw that to remain patient was wiser, and so I remained patient, although there was speck in the eye and suffocation in the throat. I saw my inheritance being plundered, and until the first one went his way, he assembled it to the brother of ‘Adi after him. How strange is it that he was attempting to cast it off, during his lifetime, and then the other assembled it after his demise. He then placed it, by Allah, in a tough enclosure, whose touch was rough, whose cause of injury was harsh, and whose mistakes were plenty and so the excuses to them. Thus, the one who possessed it was like the rider of an unruly camel; if he would deal with it fiercely, he stops, and if he would deal with it loosely, he falls into darkness. Consequently, the people got afflicted by unsteadiness, deviation and tribulation along with such-a-belittled and such-a-belittled. So, I remained patient for the long period and severe ordeal until he went his way, and he made it among a group which he claimed I am one of. But by Allah, what is there to do with them and the congregation? Since when did doubt arise about me along with (their following of) the first of them, to the extent that I was made akin to these likes? A man of them then inclined his desire (to another) and another listened to his son-in-law. Then the third (leader) from the people arose, heaving his chest, between his penis and fodder spot, and the sons of Umayyah arose with him, chewing on the property of Allah like the chewing of camels for the spring’s vegetation, until his own deed delivered him the deathblow. I was then not surprised except by that people came to me like the mane of the hyena. They advanced to me from every side, to the extent Hasan and Hussain were stepped upon and the edge of my shoulder garment was torn. When I then arose with the matter, one group violated (their oath), another gravely disobeyed and others became renegades, as if they had not heard the saying of Allah, Blessed and Exalted is He: «That Home of the Hereafter, We make for those who do not seek elevation on earth, nor corruption. And the good outcome is for the godfearing.» (28:83) Sure, by Allah, they had certainly heard it. However, this world appeared as glittering in their eyes, and its ornament seduced them. By the One who split the seed and creation mankind, were it not for the attendance of the assistant, the establishment of the Proof and what Allah, Exalted is He, has taken upon the scholars that they do not acknowledge the gluttony of the oppressor, nor the famine of the oppressed, I would surely have cast its rope on its own shoulders, and I would have made its end drink by the cup of its beginning (by equal treatment). You would then have observed that this world of yours is of less value to me than the nose-fart of a goat. He said: A man from the mass handed him a book, and so he interrupted his speech and received the book. I then said: O Commander of the Believers, (it would be good) if you were to continue your saying until you are finished. He said: May such stay far, O Ibn Abbas. That is (like) a foam of a camel that gushed out, but then subsided. I have never grieved over any speech like my grievance over the speech of the Commander of the Believers, Allah’s blessings be upon him, as he did not reach what he intended.

J'ai mentionné le califat en présence de l'Imam Ali ibn Abi Talib, que la paix soit sur lui, et il a dit : "Par Allah, mon frère Tim l'a déjà endossé, et il sait que ma place parmi eux est comme celle du pôle parmi la meule d'un moulin d'où coule le torrent, où les oiseaux ne peuvent s'élever. J'ai donc abaissé mon manteau en dessous d'elle, et j'ai plié son extrémité comme un voile, et j'ai tourné autour d'elle comme un chameau aveugle, où le petit devient vieux et le vieux devient sénile, et où le croyant travaille dur jusqu'à rencontrer son Seigneur. J'ai vu que la patience dans cette situation est plus sage, alors j'ai enduré malgré la douleur dans les yeux, malgré la tristesse dans la gorge. Je vois ma succession pillée, jusqu'à ce que le premier parte sur son chemin, laissant le fardeau à mon frère Adi après lui. Quelle étrange situation, alors qu'il la transmet de son vivant à un autre après sa mort, la laissant entre les mains de gens rudes, qui la rendent rude, durcissent ses paroles, et multiplient les faux pas et les excuses. Celui qui la prend est comme un cavalier montant une monture difficile, s'il la presse, elle se cabre, et s'il la laisse aller, elle s'emballe. Les gens m'ont attaqué avec des accusations et des objections, et ils ont causé des troubles et des discordes. J'ai enduré la longue période et l'intensité de l'épreuve, jusqu'à ce que le premier parte sur son chemin et la place au sein d'un groupe prétendant que je fais partie d'eux. Par Allah, pour eux et pour le conseil, quand le doute s'élève parmi les premiers d'entre eux, comment puis-je être associé à ces semblables ? Un homme s'est détourné de son loup, un autre a écouté son beau-frère, et un troisième s'est levé parmi les gens, se faufilant entre ses compagnons et ses adversaires, et les Banu Umayya se sont comportés en dépouillant les biens d'Allah comme on dépouille les pâturages des chameaux au printemps, jusqu'à ce qu'ils aient accompli leur œuvre. Personne ne m'a surveillé sans que les gens ne m'entourent comme des loups, m'attaquant de tous côtés, jusqu'à ce que les deux parties de mon manteau soient déchirées, et quand j'ai relevé l'affaire, certains ont trahi, d'autres ont péché, et d'autres encore ont fui, comme s'ils n'avaient pas entendu la parole d'Allah, exalté soit-Il : "Voilà la demeure de l'au-delà que Nous assignons à ceux qui ne cherchent ni à s'élever sur terre ni à y semer le désordre, et la fin est aux pieux." Oui, par Allah, ils ont entendu, mais le monde s'est impos