SERMON OF AYESHA, MAY ALLAH BE PLEASED WITH HER, TO THE PEOPLE OF BASRA

وكتبت عائشة رضي الله عنها إلى رجال من أهل البصرة وكتبت إلى الأحنف بن قيس وصبرة بن شيمان وأمثالهم من الوجوه ومضت حتى إذا كانت بالحفير انتظرت الجواب بالخبر ولما بلغ ذلك أهل البصرة دعا عثمان بن حنيف عمران بن حصين وكان رجل عامة وألزه بأبي الأسود الدؤلي وكان رجل خاصة فقال انطلقا إلى هذه المرأة فاعلما علمها وعلم من معها فخرجا فانتهيا إليها وإلى الناس وهم بالحفير فاستأذنا فأذنت لهما فسلما وقالا إن أميرنا بعثنا إليك نسألك عن مسيرك فهل أنت مخبرتنا فقالت والله ما مثلي يسير بالأمر المكتوم ولا يغطي لبنيه الخبر إن الغوغاء من أهل الأمصار ونزاع القبائل غزوا حرم رسول الله صلى الله عليه و سلم وأحدثوا فيه الأحداث وآووا فيه المحدثين واستوجبوا فيه لعنة الله ولعنة رسوله مع ما نالوا من قتل إمام المسلمين بلا ترة ولا عذر فاستحلوا الدم الحرام فسفكوه وانتهبوا المال الحرام وأحلوا البلد الحرام والشهر الحرام ومزقوا الأعراض والجلود وأقاموا في دار قوم كانوا كارهين لمقامهم ضارين مضرين غير نافعين ولا متقين لا يقدرون على امتناع ولا يأمنون فخرجت في المسلمين أعلمهم ما أتى هؤلاء القوم وما فيه الناس وراءنا وما ينبغي لهم أن يأتوا في إصلاح هذا وقرأت لا خير في كثير من نجواهم إلا من أمر بصدقة أو معروف أو إصلاح بين الناس . ننهض في الإصلاح ممن أمر الله عز و جل وأمر رسول الله صلى الله عليه و سلم الصغير والكبير والذكر والأنثى فهذا شأننا إلى معروف نأمركم به ونحضكم عليه ومنكر ننهاكم عنه ونحثكم على تغييره

تاريخ الطبرى

VOCABULARY

They two proceeded	اِنطلقا	He joined him	ألزه
journey	مسير	They two finished (their journey)	اِنتهيا
hidden	مكتوم	informer	مخبرة
Strife, quarrel	نزاع	Noise, mob	غوغاء
They became deserving of	اِستوجبوا	They provided shelter	آووا
Spill blood	سفكَ	remorse	ترة
Ripped, tore	مزقوا	Seized, robbed	اِنتهبوا
detrimental	ضارين	honor	اعراض
We have stood up	ننهض	Harmful, hurtful	مضرين
We encourage you	نَحثكم	We exhort you	نَحضكم
		change	تغيير

ENGLISH TRANSLATION

Ayesha, may Allah be pleased with her, wrote letters to the (prominent) men of Basra among whom were Ahnaf son of Qais, Sabra son of Sheman, and others like them. She moved along and stayed at Hafeer awaiting their response.

When the news reached the people of Basra , Uthman son of Hanif sent Imran son of Husain and Abul Aswad Waili as messengers to her. Imran son of Husain was one of the common men while Abul Aswad Waili was among the special companions of Ali, may Allah be pleased with him. Uthman told that to go to Ayesha, may Allah be pleased with her, and found her views and the views of those with her as well. The two reached Hafeer and sought permission to meet with her. Once allowed, they entered upon her and greeted her. They mentioned that they had been sent by their commander to find out the reason for her arrival. Ayesha may Allah be pleased with her said, “One like me does not travel secretly and does not hide anything from her sons. The fact is that some people have started a war in the sanctuary of the Holy Prophet, peace be upon him. They have created mischief and introduced innovations. They have provided shelter to the innovators in the sanctuary of the Holy Prophet, peace be upon him. They have made themselves deserving of the curse from Allah and His Messenger, peace be upon him. They killed the leader of the Muslims who had not committed any crime, without any remorese. They allowed for themselves to spill the blood that was forbidden and usurped the property that was not allowed for them. They did not pay any respect to the forbidden month. They attacked the honor of people and inflicted physical harm on them. They occupied the houses of people where they were not welcome. Those whose houses were occupied did not have the power to stop the occupiers because of fear for their lives.

I have traveled to let the Muslims know who that party is and what trouble people are going through because of them. These people are beyond reformation now. “

Then she recited the following Quranic verse.

In most of their secret talks there is no good: But if one exhorts to a deed of charity or justice or conciliation between men, (Secrecy is permissible)

We have come out for the sake of reformation that has been ordered by Allah and His Messenger, peace be upon him, reformation of young and old, men and women. This is our state that we have come out to urge you to do good, prevent you from what is forbidden and encourage you to change the conditions.