Nahj al-Balagha (Peak of Eloquence)
نهج البلاغة
Letter #48
ومن كتاب له (عليه السلام) إلى معاوية
فَإِنَّ الْبَغْيَ وَالزُّورَ يُوتِغَانِ الْمَرْء فِي دِينِهِ وَدُنْيَاهُ، وَيُبْدِيَانِ خَلَلَهُ عِنْدَ مَنْ يَعِيبُهُ، وَقَدْ عَلِمْتُ أَنَّكَ غَيْرُ مُدْرِكٍ مَا قُضِيَ فَوَاتُهُ، وَقَدْ رَامَ أَقْوَامٌ أَمْراً بِغَيْرِ الْحَقِّ، فَتَأَوَّلوا [فَتَأَلَّوْا] عَلَى اللهِ فَأَكْذَبَهُمْ، فَاحْذَرْ يَوْماً يُغْتَبطُ فِيهِ مَنْ أَحْمَدَ عَاقِبَةَ عَمَلِهِ، وَيَنْدَمُ مَنْ أَمْكَنَ الشَّيْطَانَ مِنْ قِيَادِهِ فَلَمْ يُجَاذِبْهُ.
وَقَدْ دَعَوْتَنَا إِلَى حُكْمِ الْقُرْآنِ وَلَسْتَ مِنْ أَهْلِهِ، وَلَسْنَا إِيَّاكَ أَجَبْنَا، وَلَكِنَّا أَجَبْنَا الْقُرْآنَ فِي حُكْمِهِ، وَالسَّلَامُ.
English Translation
To Mu‘āwiyah
Surely, revolt and falsehood abase a man in his religious as well as worldly matters and manifest his shortcomings before his critic. You know that you cannot catch what is destined to remain away from you. Many people had aims other than right (ones) and began to swear by Allāh (that they will attain their goal) but He falsified them. Therefore, fear the Day when happy is he who made his end happy (by good actions) while repentant is he who allowed Satan to lead him and did not resist him.
You called us to a settlement through the Qur’ān although you were not a man of the Qur’ān, and we responded to the Qur’ān through its judgement, and not to you; and that is an end to the matter.
اردو ترجمہ
امیر المؤمنین حضرت علی بن ابی طالبؑ کا مکتوبِ گرامی نمبر 48: مکتوب 48: To Muawiya۔
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