نامه 6: به معاویه · Letter 6

و من كتاب له (عليه السلام) إلي معاوية

إِنَّهُ بَايَعَنِي الْقَوْمُ الَّذِينَ بَايَعُوا أَبَا بَكْرٍ وَ عُمَرَ وَ عُثْمَانَ عَلَي مَا بَايَعُوهُمْ عَلَيْهِ فَلَمْ يَكُنْ لِلشَّاهِدِ أَنْ يَخْتَارَ وَ لَا لِلْغَائِبِ أَنْ يَرُدَّ وَ إِنَّمَا الشُّورَي لِلْمُهَاجِرِينَ وَ الْأَنْصَارِ فَإِنِ اجْتَمَعُوا عَلَي رَجُلٍ وَ سَمَّوْهُ إِمَاماً كَانَ ذَلِكَ لِلَّهِ رِضًا فَإِنْ خَرَجَ عَنْ أَمْرِهِمْ خَارِجٌ بِطَعْنٍ أَوْ بِدْعَةٍ رَدُّوهُ إِلَي مَا خَرَجَ مِنْهُ فَإِنْ أَبَي قَاتَلُوهُ عَلَي اتِّبَاعِهِ غَيْرَ سَبِيلِ الْمُؤْمِنِينَ وَ وَلَّاهُ اللَّهُ مَا تَوَلَّي وَ لَعَمْرِي يَا مُعَاوِيَةُ لَئِنْ نَظَرْتَ بِعَقْلِكَ دُونَ هَوَاكَ لَتَجِدَنِّي أَبْرَأَ النَّاسِ مِنْ دَمِ عُثْمَانَ وَ لَتَعْلَمَنَّ أَنِّي كُنْتُ فِي عُزْلَةٍ عَنْهُ إِلَّا أَنْ تَتَجَنَّي فَتَجَنَّ مَا بَدَا لَكَ وَ السَّلَامُ.

verily, those who swore allegiance to Abu Baker, Umar and Uthman have sworn allegiance to me on the same basis on which they swore allegiance to them. (On this basis) he who was present has no choice (to consider), and he who was absent has no right to reject; and consultation is confined to the muhajirun and the ansar. If they agree on an individual and take him to be Caliph it will be deemed to mean Allah's pleasure. If any one keeps away by way of objection or innovation they will return him to the position from where he kept away. If he refuses they will fight him for following a course other than that of the believers and Allah will put him back from where he had run away. By my life, O Mu awiyah! If you see with your brain without any passion you will find me the most innocent of all in respect of Uthman's blood and you will surely know that I was in seclusion from him, unless you conceal what is quite open to you. Then you may commit an outrage (on me) as you like and that is an end to the matter.