ومن كلام له (عليه السلام) في معنى الحكمين

About the two arbiters (after the battle of Ṣiffīn)

فأَجْمَعَ رَأْيُ مَلَئِكمْ عَلَى أَنِ اخْتَارُوا رَجُلَيْنِ، فَأَخَذْنَا عَلَيْهِمَا أَنْ يُجَعْجِعَا عِنْدَ الْقُرْآنِ، ولاَ يُجَاوِزَاهُ، وَتَكُونَ أَلْسِنَتُهُما مَعَهُ وَقُلُوبُهُمَا تَبَعَهُ، فَتَاهَا عَنْهُ، وَتَرَكَا الْحَقَّ وَهُمَا يُبْصِرَانِهِ، وَكَانَ الْجَوْرُ هَوَاهُمَا، وَالاْعْوِجَاجُ دَأْبَهُمَا، وَقَدْ سَبَقَ اسْتِثْنَاؤُنَا عَلَيْهِمَا فِي الْحُكْمِ بِالْعَدْلِ وَالْعَمَلِ بِالْحَقِّ سُوءَ رَأْيِهِمَا وَجَوْرَ حُكْمِهِمَا، وَالثِّقَةُ فِي أَيْدِينَا لاِنْفُسِنَا، حِينَ خَالفَا سَبِيلَ الْحَقِّ، وَأَتَيَا بِمَا لاَ يُعْرَفُ مِنْ مَعْكُوسِ الْحُكْمِ.

Your party had decided to select two persons, and so we took their pledge that they would act according to the Qur’ān and would not commit excess, that their tongues should be with it and that their hearts should follow it. But they deviated from it, abandoned what was right although they had it before their eyes. Wrong-doing was their desire, and going astray was their behaviour. Although we had settled with them to decide with justice, to act according to the light and without the interference of their evil views and wrong judgement. Now that they have abandoned the course of right and have come out with just the opposite of what was settled, we have strong ground (to reject their verdict).

Extrait de ses paroles sur le sens des deux arbitres

La multitude parmi vous s’est accordée sur le choix de deux hommes qui nous ont promis de se limiter au texte du Coran» de ne pas l'outrepas- ser ni en paroles ni en opinions. Ils s’en sont égarés en délaissant la justice qu’ils voyaient. Leurs passions les menèrent vers l’injustice et leurs opinions n’étaient pas droites. Nous avions déclaré d’avance nos réserves contre toute décision injuste qui n’est pas prise dans un esprit de justice et de vérité, car nous connaissions leur mauvaise foi et l’iniquité de leur jugement. Nous nous considérons maîtres de nos décisions après qu’ils se sont déviés du chemin de la vérité et de la justice en édictant un jugement contraire à l’équité.

Nahj al-Balāgha

Chapter #177