On hearing the account of what took place in Saqifah of Bani-Sa''ida
1
ومن كلام له (عليه السلام) في معنى الانصار قالوا: لمّا انتهت إلى أميرالمؤمنين (عليه السلام) أنباء السقيفة بعد وفاة رسول الله (صلى الله عليه وآله)، قال (عليه السلام): ما قالت الانصار؟ قالوا: قالت: منا أمير ومنكم أمير، قال (عليه السلام):
When after the death of the Prophet news reached Amīr al-mu’minīn about the happening in Saqīfah of Bani Sā‘idah, [1] he enquired what the anṣār said. People said that they were asking for one chief from among them and one from the others, Amīr al-mu’minīn said:
2
قال (عليه السلام): فَهَلاَّ احْتَجَجْتُمْ عَلَيْهِمْ: بِأَنَّ رَسُولَ اللهِ (صلى الله عليه وآله) وَصَّى بِأَنْ يُحْسَنَ إِلَى مُحْسِنِهمْ، وَيُتَجَاوَزَ عَنْ مُسِيئِهِمْ؟ قالوا: وما في هذا من الحجّة عليهم؟ فقال (عليه السلام): لَوْ كَانَتِ الامارة فِيهمْ لَمْ تَكُنِ الْوَصِيَّةُ بِهِمْ. ثم قال: فَمَاذَا قَالَتْ قُرَيْشٌ؟ قالوا: احتجت بأَنها شجرة الرسول (صلى الله عليه وآله). فقال (عليه السلام): احْتَجُّوا بِالشَّجَرَةِ، وَأَضَاعُوا الَّثمَرَةَ.
“Why did you not argue against them (anṣār) that the Prophet had left his will that whoever is good among anṣār should be treated well and whoever is bad he should be forgiven.” People said : “What is there against them in it?” Amīr al-mu’minīn said : “If the Government was for them there should have been no will in their favour.” Then he said : “What did the Quraysh plead?” People said : “They argued that they belong to the lineal tree of the Prophet.” Then Amīr al-mu’minīn said : “They argued with the tree but spoiled the fruits.”