When he was told that the Kharijites had crossed the bridge of Nahrawan
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وقال (عليه السلام) لمّا عزم على حرب الخوارج وقيل له: إن القوم قد عبروا جسر النهروان
When Amīr al-mu’minīn showed his intention to fight the Khārijites he was told that they had crossed the bridge of Nahrawan and gone over to the other side. Amīr al-mu’minīn said :
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مَصَارِعُهُمْ دُونَ النُّطْفَةِ، وَاللهِ لاَ يُفْلِتُ مِنْهُمْ عَشَرَةٌ، وَلاَ يَهْلِكُ مِنْكُمْ عَشَرَةٌ.
Their falling place is on this side of the river. By Allāh, not even ten of them will survive while from your side not even ten will be killed. [1]
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قال الشريف: يعني بالنطفة: ماء النهر، وهي أفصح كناية عن الماء وإن كان كثيراً جماً، وقد أشرنا إلى ذلك فيما تقدم عند مضيّ ما أشبهه.
as-Sayyid ar-Raḍī says: In this sermon “nuṭfah” implies the River Euphrates, and for water this is the nicest expression even though water may be much.