Nahj al-Balāgha

On eligibility for the caliphate, the need for sagacity in fighting against Muslims

Volume 1 Section 173 8 narrations

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Warfare/Jihad 8 Governance 3 God-consciousness/Piety 2 Asceticism 2 Revelation/Wahy 1

In this chapter filtered by Governance

hadith 796

On eligibility for the Caliphate

ومن خطبة له (عليه السلام) في رسول الله (صلى الله عليه وآله وسلم) ومن هو جدير بأن يكون للخلافة وفي هوان الدنيا

hadith 798

O people, the most rightful of all persons for this matter (namely the caliphate) is he who is most competent among them to maintain it, and he who knows best Allāh’s commands about it. If any mischief is created by a mischief-monger, he will be called upon to repent. If he refuses, he will be fought.

[الجدير بالخلافة :] أَيُّهَا النَّاسُ، إنَّ أَحَقَّ النَّاسِ بِهذَا الاْمْرِ أَقْوَاهُمْ عَلَيْهِ، وَأَعْلَمُهُمْ بِأَمْرِ اللهِ فِيهِ، فَإِنْ شَغَبَ شَاغِبٌ اسْتُعْتِبَ، فَإِنْ أَبَى قُوتِلَ.

hadith 799

By my life, [1] if the question of Imāmah was not to be decided unless all the people were present, then there would be no such case. But those who agreed about it imposed the decision on those who were absent, so much so that he who was present could not dissent and the one who was absent could not choose (any one else). Know that I shall fight two persons — one who claims what is not his and the other who ignores what is obligatory upon him.

وَلَعَمْرِي، لَئِنْ كَانَتِ الاْمَامَةُ لاَ تَنْعَقِدُ حَتَّى يَحْضُرَهَا عَامَّةُ النَّاسِ، فـمَا إِلَى ذلك سَبِيلٌ، وَلكِنْ أَهْلُهَا يَحْكُمُونَ عَلَى مَنْ غَابَ عَنْهَا، ثُمَّ لَيْسَ لِلشَّاهِدِ أَنْ يَرْجِعَ، وَلاَ لِلغَائِبِ أَنْ يَخْتَارَ. أَلاَ وَإِنَّي أُقَاتِلُ رَجُلَيْنِ: رَجُلاً ادَّعَى مَا لَيْسَ لَهُ، وَآخَرَ مَنَعَ الَّذِي عَلَيْهِ.