revile ʾAly? Is it because his relationship to the Messenger of God was so very distant? or because of the injustice of his administration towards his subjects in this world? For if thou sayest any such thing, thou dost lie, and men will belie thee. And if thou sayest ʾAly killed ʾOthmân, verily thou dost lie, and men belie thee. And, moreover, such as thou resemble the gnat which settled on the palm-tree in the fable. The gnat cried out to the tree, 'Hold fast, for I am going to fly off!' The palm-tree replied to her, 'I was not even aware of thy presence, so how could thy taking flight harm me?' And how, O thou one-eyed Thakîfy! could thy blame hurt us?"
Then Hásan shook his garments and went out. And Muâwiyah said to them, "Did I not tell you that you could do nothing with him? And, by Allâh! verily the house was dark unto me until he departed."[1]
- ↑ The religious discord of the friends and enemies of ʾAly has been renewed in every age of the Hijrah, and is still maintained in the immortal hatred of the Persians and Turks. The former, who are branded with the appellation of Shîahs, or Sectaries, have enriched the Muslim creed with a new article of faith, viz., that if Muhammad be the Apostle, his companion ʾAly is the Vicar of God. In their private converse, in their public
