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SERMON 41

In condemnation of treason

O' people! Surely fulfilment of pledge is the twin of truth. I do not know a better shield (against the assaults of sin) than it. One who realises the reality of return (to the next world) never betrays. We are in a period when most of the people regard betrayal as wisdom. In these days the ignorants call it excellence of cunning. What is the matter with them? Allah may destroy them. One who has been through thick and thin of life finds the excuses to be preventing him from orders and prohibitions of Allah but he disregards them despite capability (to succumb to them and follows the commands of Allah) while one who has no restraints of religion seizes the opportunity (and accepts the excuses for not following the commands of Allah).

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SERMON 42

About heart's desires and extended hopes

O' people what I fear most about you are two things - acting according to desires and extending of hopes. As regards acting according to desires this prevents from truth; and as regards extending of hopes it makes one forget the next world. You should know this world is moving rapidly and nothing has remained out of it except last particles like the dregs of a vessel which has been emptied by someone. Beware the next world is advancing and either of them has sons i.e. followers. You should become sons of the next world and not become sons of this world because on the Day of Judgement every son would cling to his mother. Today is the Day of action and there is no


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[ 41 ] ومن خطبة له عليه السلام

وفيها ينهى عن الغدر ويحذر منه

أَيُّهَا النَّاسُ، إِنَّ الْوَفَاءَ تَوْأَمُ الصِّدْقِ (1) ، وَلاَ أَعْلَمُ جُنَّةً (2) أوْقَى (3) مِنْهُ، وَمَا يَغْدِرُ مَنْ عَلِمَ كَيْفَ الْمَرْجِعُ، وَلَقَدْ أَصْبَحْنا في زَمَانٍ اتَّخَذَ أَكْثَرُ أَهْلِهِ الْغَدْرَ كَيْساً (4) ، وَنَسَبَهُمْ أَهْلُ الْجَهْلِ فِيهِ إِلى حُسْنِ الْحِيلَةِ. مَا لَهُمْ! قَاتَلَهُمُ اللهُ! قَدْ يَرَى الْحُوَّلُ الْقُلَّبُ (5) وَجْهَ الْحِيلَةِ وَدُونَهَا مَانِعٌ مِنْ أَمْرِ اللهِ وَنَهْيِهِ، فَيَدَعُهَا رَأْيَ عَيْنٍ بَعْدَ الْقُدْرَةِ عَلَيْهَا، وَيَنْتَهِزُ فُرْصَتَهَا مَنْ لاَ حَرِيجَةَ لَهُ فِي الدِّينِ (6)

[ 42 ] ومن خطبة له عليه السلام

وفيها يحذر من اتباع الهوى وطول الامل في الدنيا

أَيُّهَا النَّاسُ! إِنَّ أَخْوَفَ مَا أَخَافُ عَلَيْكُمُ اثْنَانِ: اتِّبَاعُ الْهَوَى، وَطُولُ الْأَمَلِ (1) ; فَأَمَّا اتِّبَاعُ الْهَوَى فَيَصُدُّ عَنِ الْحَقِّ، وَأَمَّا طُولُ الْأَمَلِ فَيُنْسِي الْآخِرَةَ. أَلاَ وَإنَّ الدُّنْيَا قَدْ وَلَّتْ حَذَّاءَ (2) ، فَلَمْ يَبْقَ مِنْهَا إِلاَّ صُبَابَةٌ (3) كَصُبَابَةِ الْإِنَاءِ اصْطَبَّهَا صَابُّهَا (4) ، أَلاَ وَإِنَّ الْآخِرَةَ قَدْ أَقْبَلَتْ، وَلِكُلٍّ مِنْهُمَا بَنُونَ، فَكُونُوا مِنْ أَبْنَاءِ الْآخِرَةِ، وَلاَ تَكُونُوا مِنْ أَبْنَاءِ الدُّنْيَا، فَإِنَّ كُلَّ وَلَدٍ سَيُلْحَقُ بِأَبِيهِ يَوْمَ الْقِيَامَةِ، وَإِنَّ الْيَوْمَ


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reckoning while tomorrow is the Day of reckoning but there would be no (opportunity for) action.

as-Sayyid ar-Radi says: "al-hadhdha' " means rapid but some people have read it "jadhdha' ". According to this version the meaning would be that the cycle of worldly enjoyments would end soon.

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SERMON 43

After Amir al-mu'minin had sent Jarir ibn 'Abdillah al-Bajali to Mu'awiyah (for securing his allegiance) some of his companions suggested preparation to fight with him then he said:

My preparation for war with the people of Syria (ash-Sham) while Jarir ibn 'Abdillah al-Bajali is still there would be closing the door for Syria and prevention of its people from good action (i.e. allegiance) if they intend doing it. However I have fixed a time limit for Jarir after which he would not stay without either deception or in disobedience. My opinion is in favour of patience so wait a while. (In the meantime) I do not dislike your getting ready.

I have observed this matter thoroughly from all sides but I do not find any way except war or heresy. Certainly there was over the people a ruler (before me) who brought about new (un-Islamic) things and compelled the people to speak out. So they did speak then rose up and thereafter changed the whole system.


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عَمَلٌ وَلاَ حِسَابَ، وَغَداً حِسَابٌ وَلاَ عَمَلَ.

قال الشريف: أقول: الحذاء, السريعة, و من الناس من يرويه ( جذّاء ) (5) .

[ 43 ] ومن كلام له عليه السلام

وقد أشار عليه أصحابه بالاستعداد لحرب أهل الشام بعد إرساله جرير بن عبدالله البجلي إلى معاوية:

إِنَّ اسْتَعْدَادِي لِحَرْبِ أَهْلِ الشَّامِ وَجِرِيرٌ عِنْدَهُمْ، إِغْلاَقٌ لِلشَّامِ، وَصَرْفٌ لِأَهْلِهِ عَنْ خَيْرٍ إِنْ أَرادُوهُ، وَلكِنْ قَدْ وَقَّتُّ لِجَرِيرٍ وَقْتاً لاَ يُقِيمُ بَعْدَهُ إِلاَّ مَخْدُوعاً أَوْ عَاصِياً، وَالرَّأْيُ عِنْدِي مَعَ الْأَنَاةِ (1) ، فَأَرْوِدُوا (2) ، وَلاَ أَكْرَهُ لَكُمُ الْإِعْدَادَ (3) .

وَلَقَدْ ضَرَبْتُ أَنْفَ هذَا الْأَمْرِ وَعَيْنَهُ (4) ، وَقَلَّبْتُ ظَهْرَهُ وَبَطنَهُ، فَلَمْ أَرَ لِي فِيهِ إِلاَّ الْقِتَالَ أَوِ الْكُفْرَ. بِمَا جَاءَ مُحَمَّدٌ صَلَّي اللّهُ عَلَيْهِ. إِنَّهُ قَدْ كَانَ عَلَى الْأُمَّةِ وَالٍ أَحْدَثَ أَحْدَاثاً، وَأَوْجَدَ النَّاسَ مَقَالا ً (5) ، فَقَالُوا، ثُمَّ نَقَمُوا فَغَيَّروا.

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