When repeated reports reached the Imam (peace be upon him) that the forces of Muawiya had seized several towns, and that his appointed governors in Yemen — Ubayd Allah ibn Abbas and Saeed ibn Nirman — had been defeated by Busr ibn Artat and had returned to Kufa, Imam Ali (peace be upon him) ascended the pulpit and declared:
“By God, with the way you conduct yourselves, nothing remains under my control except Kufa — which is a small gate.
O Kufa! If you alone are my only resource against the enemy — with all your storms and troubles — then cursed be your fate, and may you not remain!
It has reached me that Busr has seized Yemen. By God, I knew this day would come, for they are united in supporting their falsehood, while you are divided in defending your truth.
You disobey your Imam in the path of righteousness, while they obey their leader in the path of falsehood. They fulfill their trust to their commander, while you betray yours. They labor to improve their cities, while you corrupt your own.
By God, if I entrusted even a simple drinking vessel to one of you, I would fear that you would steal its strap.
O’ Allah! I have wearied of them, and they have wearied of me. I have exhausted them, and they have exhausted me. So grant me better followers in their place, and place over them a leader worse than myself.
O’ my Allah melt their hearts as salt melts in water. By Allah I wish I had only a thousand horsemen of Banu
Firas ibn Ghanm (as the poet says): “If