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SERMON 72

Herein Amir al-mu'minin tells people how to pronounce "as-salat" (to invoke Divine blessing) on the Prophet.

My Allah the Spreader of the surfaces (of earth) and Keeper (intact) of all skies Creator of hearts on good and evil nature send Thy choicest blessings and growing favours on Muhammad Thy servant and Thy Prophet who is the last of those who preceded (him) and an opener for what is closed proclaimer of truth with truth repulser of the forces of wrong and crusher of the onslaughts of misguidance. As he was burdened (with responsibility of prophethood) so he bore it standing by Thy commands advancing towards Thy will without shrinking of steps of weakness of determination listening to Thy revelation preserving Thy testament proceeding forward in the spreading of Thy commands till he lit fire for its seeker and lighted the path for the groper in the dark.

Hearts achieved guidance through him after being ridden with troubles. He introduced clearly guiding signs and shining injunctions. He is Thy trusted trustee the treasurer of Thy treasured knowledge Thy witness on the Day of Judgement Thy envoy of truth and Thy Messenger towards the people.

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[ 72 ] ومن خطبة له عليه السلام

علّم فيها الناس الصلاة على رسول الله صلى الله عليه وآله

وفيها بيان صفات الله سبحانه وصفة النبي والدعاء له

صفات الله

اللَّهُمَّ دَاحِيَ الْمَدْحُوَّاتِ (1) ، وَدَاعِمَ الْمَسْمُوكَاتِ (2) ، وَجَابِلَ الْقُلُوبِ (3) عَلَى فِطْرَتِهَا (5) : شَقِيِّهَا وَسَعِيدِهَا.

صفة النبي

اجْعَلْ شَرَائِفَ (5) صَلَوَاتِكَ، وَنَوَامِيَ (6) بَرَكَاتِكَ، عَلَى مُحَمَّدٍ عَبْدِكَ وَرَسُولِكَ، الْخَاتمِ (7) لِمَا سَبَقَ، وَالْفَاتِحِ لِمَا انْغَلَقَ (8) ، وَالْمُعْلِنِ الْحَقَّ بِالْحَقِّ، وَالدَّافِعِ جَيْشَاتِ الْأَباطِيلِ (9) ، وَالدَّامِغِ صَوْلاَتِ الْأَضَالِيلِ (10) ، كَمَا حُمِّلَ فَاضْطَلَعَ (11) ، قَائِماً بِأَمْرِكَ، مُسْتَوْفِزاً (12) فِي مَرْضَاتِكَ، غَيْرَ نَاكِلٍ (13) عَنْ قُدُمٍ (14) ، وَلاَ وَاهٍ (15) فِي عَزْمٍ، وَاعِياً (16) لِوَحْيِكَ، حَافِظاً لِعَهْدَكَ، مَاضِياً عَلَى نَفَاذِ أَمْرِكَ; حَتَّى أَوْرَى قَبَسَ الْقَابِسِ (17) ، وَأَضَاءَ الطَّرِيقَ لِلْخَابِطِ (18) ، وَهُدِيَتْ بِهِ الْقُلُوبُ بَعْدَ خَوْضَاتِ (19) الْفِتَنِ، وَالْآثَامِ وَأَقَامَ بِمُوضِحاتِ الْأَعْلاَمِ (20) ، وَنَيِّرَاتِ الْأَحْكَامِ، فَهُوَ أَمِينُكَ الْمَأْمُونُ، وَخَازِنُ عِلْمِكَ الَْمخْزُونِ (21) ، وَشَهِيدُكَ (22) يَوْمَ الدِّينِ، وَبَعِيثُكَ (23) بِالْحَقِّ، وَرَسُولُكَ إِلَى الْخَلْقِ.


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My Allah prepare large place for him under Thy shade and award him multiplying good by Thy bounty.

My Allah give height to his construction above all other constructions heighten his position with Thee grant perfection to his effulgence and perfect for him his light. In reward for his discharging Thy prophetship grant him that his testimony be admitted and his speech be liked for his speech is just and his judgements are clear-cut. My Allah put us and him together in the pleasures of life continuance of bounty satisfaction of desires enjoyment of pleasures. ease of living peace of mind and gifts of honour.

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SERMON 73

Amir al-mu'minin said about Marwan ibn al-Hakam at Basrah. When Marwan was taken on the day of Jamal he asked Hasan and Husayn (p.b.u.t.) to intercede on his behalf before Amir al-mu'minin. So they spoke to Amir al-mu'minin about him and he released him. Then they said "O' Amir al-mu'minin he desires to swear you allegiance" Whereupon Amir al-mu'minin said:

Did he not swear me allegiance after the killing of 'Uthman? Now I do not need his allegiance because his is the hand of a Jew. If he swears me allegiance with his hand he would violate it after a short while. Well he is to get power for so long as a


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الدعاء للنبي

اللَّهُمَّ افْسَحْ لَهُ مَفْسَحاً فِي ظِلِّكَ (24) ، وَاجْزِهِ مُضَاعَفَاتِ الْخَيْرِ (25) مِنْ فَضْلِكَ. اللَّهُمَّ أَعْلِ عَلَى بِنَاءِ الْبَانِينَ بِنَاءَهُ، وَأَكْرِمْ لَدَيْكَ مَنْزِلَتَهُ، وَأَتْمِمْ لَهُ نُورَهُ، وَاجْزِهِ مِنَ ابْتِعَاثِكَ لَهُ مَقبُولَ الشَّهَادَةِ، مَرْضِيَّ الْمَقالَةِ، ذا مَنْطِقٍ عَدْلٍ، وخُطْبَةٍ فَصْلٍ. اللَّهُمَّ اجْمَعْ بَيْنَنَا وَبَيْنَهُ فِي بَرْدِ الْعَيشِ، وَقَرَارِ النِّعْمَةِ (26) ، وَمُنَى الشَّهَوَاتِ (27) ، وَأَهْوَاءِ اللَّذَّاتِ. وَرَخَاءِ الدَّعَةِ (28) وَمُنْتَهَى الْطُّمَأْنِينَةِ، وَتُحَفِ الْكَرَامَةِ (29)

[ 73 ] ومن كلام له عليه السلام

قاله لمروان بن الحكم بالبصرة

قالوا: أُخِذَ مروان بن الحكم أَسيراً يوم الجمل، فاستشفع (1) الحسن والحسين عليهما السلام إلى أَميرالمؤمنين عليه السلام، فكلّماه فيه، فخلّى سبيله، فقالا له: يبايعك يا أميرالمؤمنين؟ فقال عليه السلام:

أَفَلَمْ يُبَايِعْنِي بَعْدَ قَتْلِ عُثْمانَ؟ لاَ حَاجَةَ لِي في بَيْعَتِهِ! إِنِّهَا كَفٌّ يَهُودِيَّةٌ (2) ، لَوْ بَايَعَنِي بِكَفِّهِ لَغَدَرَ بِسُبَّتِهِ (3) . أَمَا إِنَّ لَهُ إِمْرَةً


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dog licks his nose. He is the father of four rams (who will also rule). The people will face days through him and his sons. (1)

(1). Marwan ibn al-Hakam was the nephew (brother's son) and son-in-law of 'Uthman. Due to thin body and tall stature he was known with the nickname "Khayt Batil" (the thread of wrong). When 'Abd al-Malik ibn Marwan killed 'Amr ibn Sa'id al-Ashdaq his brother Yahya ibn Sa'id said:

O' sons of Khayt Batil (the thread of the wrong) you have played deceit on 'Amr and people like you build their houses (of authority) on deceit and treachery.

Although his father al-Hakam ibn Abi al-'As had accepted Islam at the time of the fall of Mecca but his behaviour and activities were very painful to the Prophet. Consequently the Prophet cursed him and his descendants and said "Woe will befall my people from the progeny of this man." At last in view of his increasing intrigues the Prophet externed him from Medina towards the valley of Wajj (in Ta'if) and Marwan also went with him. Prophet did not thereafter allow them entry in Medina all his life. Abu Bakr and 'Umar did likewise but 'Uthman sent for both of them during his reign and raised Marwan to such height as though the reins of caliphate rested in his hands. Thereafter his circumstances became so favourable that on the death of Mu'awiyah ibn Yazid he became the Caliph of the Muslims. But he had just ruled only for nine months and eighteen days that death overtook him in such a way that his wife sat with the pillow on his face and did not get away till he breathed his last.

The four sons to whom Amir al-mu'minin has referred were the four sons of 'Abd al-Malik ibn Marwan namely al-Walid Sulayman Yazid and Hisham who ascended the Caliphate one after the other and coloured the pages of history with their stories. Some commentators have regarded this reference to Marwan's own sons whose names are 'Abd al-Malik 'Abd al-'Aziz Bishr and Muhammad. Out of these 'Abd al-Malik did become Caliph of Islam but 'Abd al-'Aziz became governor of Egypt Bishr of Iraq and Muhammad of al-Jazirah.

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كَلَعْقَةِ الْكَلْبِ أَنْفَهُ، وَهُوَ أَبُو الْأَكُبُشِ الْأَرْبَعَةِ، وَسَتَلْقَى الْأُمَّة مِنْهُ وَمِنْ وَلَدِهِ يَوْمَاً أَحْمَرَ!

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