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SERMON 107

Delivered during one of the days of Siffin

I have seen your flight and your dispersal from the lines. You were surrounded by rude and low people and Bedouins of Syria (ash-Sham) although you are the chiefs of Arabs and summit of distinction and possess dignity as that of the high nose and big hump of the camel. The sigh of my bosom can subside only when I eventually see you surrounding them as they surrounded you and see you dislodging them from their position as they dislodged you killing them with arrows and striking them with spears so that their forward rows might fall on the rear ones just like the thirsty camels who have been turned away from their place of drink and removed from their water-points.

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SERMON 108

It is one of the sermons about the vicissitudes of time

Praise be to Allah Who is Manifest before His creation because of themselves. Who is apparent to their hearts because of clear proof; Who created without meditating since meditating does not befit except one who has thinking organs while He has no thinking organ in Himself. His knowledge has split forth the inside of unknown secrets and covered the bottom of deep beliefs.

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A part of the same sermon about the Holy Prophet

Allah chose him from the lineal tree of prophets from the flame of light from the forehead of greatness from the best part of the valley of al-Bat'ha' from the lamps for darkness and from the sources of wisdom.

A part of the same sermon

The Prophet was like a roaming physician who has set ready his ointments and heated his instruments. He uses them wherever the need arises for curing blind hearts deaf ears and dumb tongues. He followed with his medicines the spots of negligence and places of perplexity.

Blaming Muslims

They (people) did not take light from the lights of his wisdom nor did they produce flame from the flint of sparkling knowledge . So in this matter they are like grazing cattle and hard stones. Nevertheless hidden things have appeared for those who perceive the face of right has become clear for the wanderer the approaching moment has raised the veil from its face and signs have appeared for those who search for them.

What is the matter with me! I see you just bodies without spirits and spirits without bodies devotees without good traders without profits wakeful but sleeping present but unseen seeing but blind hearing but deaf and speaking but dumb.

I notice that misguidance has stood on its centre and spread (all round) through its off-shoots. It weighs you with its weights

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and confuses you with its measures. Its leader is an out-cast from the community. He persists on misguidance. So on that day none from among you would remain except as the sediment in a cooking pot or the dust left after dusting a bundle. It would scrape you as leather is scraped and trample you as harvest is trampled and pick out the believer as a bird picks out a big grain from the thin grain.

Where are these ways taking you gloom misleading you and falsehoods deceiving you? Whence are you brought and where are you driven? For every period there is a written document and everyone who is absent has to return. So listen to your godly leader and keep your hearts present. If he speaks to you be wakeful. The forerunner must speak truth to his people should keep his wits together and maintain presence of mind. He has clarified to you the matter as the stitch-hole is cleared and scraped it as the gum is scraped (from the twigs).

Nevertheless now the wrong has set itself on its places and ignorance has ridden on its riding beasts. Unruliness has increased while the call for virtue is suppressed. Time has pounced upon like a devouring carnivore and wrong is shouting like a camel after remaining silent. People have become brothers over ill-doings. have forsaken religion are united in speaking lie but bear mutual hatred in the matter of truth.

When such is the case the son would be a source of anger (instead of coolness of the eye to parents) and rain the cause of heat the wicked would abound and the virtuous would diminish. The people of this time would be wolves its rulers beasts the middle class men gluttons and the poor (almost) dead. Truth would go down falsehood would overflow affection would be claimed with tongues but people would be quarrelsome at heart.

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Adultery would be the key to lineage while chastity would be rare and Islam would be worn overturned like the skin.

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SERMON 109

About the Might of Allah

Everything submits to Him and everything exists by Him. He is the satisfaction of every poor dignity of the low energy for the weak and shelter for the oppressed. Whoever speaks He hears his speaking and whoever keeps quiet He knows his secret. On Him is the livelihood of everyone who lives and to Him returns whoever dies.

(O' Allah!) The eyes have not seen Thee so as to be aware of Thee but Thou wert before the describers of Thy creation. Thou didst not create the creation on account of loneliness nor didst make them work for gain. He whom Thou catchest cannot go farther than Thee and he whom Thou holdest cannot escape Thee. He who disobeys Thee does not decrease Thy authority and he who obeys Thee does not add to Thy Might. He who disagrees with Thy judgement cannot turn it and he who turns away from Thy command cannot do without Thee. Every secret before Thee is open and for Thee every absent is present.

Thou art everlasting there is no end to Thee. Thou art the highest aim there is no escape from Thee Thou art the promised (point of return) from which there is no deliverance except towards Thee. In Thy hand is the forelock of every creature and to Thee is the return of every living being. Glory to Thee! How great is Thy creation that we see but how small is this

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greatness by the side of Thy Might. How awe-striking is Thy realm that we notice but how humble is this against what is hidden from us out of Thy authority. How extensive are Thy bounties in this world but how small are they against the bounties of the next world.

A part of the same sermon about the Angels

Thou (O' Allah) made angels reside in Thy skies and place them high above from Thy earth. They have the most knowledge about Thee and Thy whole creation the most fearing from Thee and the nearest to Thee. They never stayed in loins nor were retained in wombs. They were not created "from mean water (semen)" (Qur'an 32:8; 77:20). They were not dispersed by vicissitudes of time. They are on their places (distinct) from Thee and in their positions near Thee. Their desires are concentrated in Thee. Their worship for Thee is much. Their neglect from Thy command is little. If they witness what remains hidden about Thee they would regard their deeds as very little they would criticise themselves and would realise that they did not worship Thee according to Thy right for being worshipped and did not obey Thee as Thou hast the right of being obeyed.

About the bounties and guidance of Allah and those who are ungrateful

Glorified art Thou the Creator the Worshipped on account of Thy good trials of Thy creatures. Thou created a house (the Paradise) and provided in it for feasting drinks foods spouses servants places streams plantations and fruits. Then Thou sent a messenger to invite towards it but the people did not respond to the caller and did not feel persuaded to what Thou persuaded them nor showed eagerness towards what Thou desired them to

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feel eager. They jumped on the carcass (of this world) earned shame by eating it and became united on loving it.

When one loves a thing it blinds him and sickens his heart. Then he sees but with a diseased eye hears but with unhearing ears. Desires have cut asunder his wit and the world has made his heart dead while his mind is all longing for it. Consequently he is a slave of it and of everyone who has any share in it. Wherever it turns he turns towards it and wherever it proceeds he proceeds towards it. He is not desisted by any desister from Allah nor takes admonition from any preacher. He sees those who have been caught in neglect whence there is neither rescission nor reversion.

About Death

Whatever they were ignoring has befallen them separation from this world from which they took themselves safe has come to them and they have reached that in the next world which they had been promised. Whatever has befallen them cannot be described. Pangs of death and grief for losing (this world) have surrounded them. Consequently their limbs become languid and their complexion changes. Then death increases its struggle over them.

In some one it stands in between him and his power of speaking although he lies among his people looking with eyes hearing with his ears with full wits and intelligence. He then thinks over how he wasted his life and in what (activities) he passed his time. He recalls the wealth he collected when he had blinded himself in seeking it and acquired it from fair and foul sources. Now the consequences of collecting it have overtaken him. He gets ready to leave it. It would remain for those who are behind him. They would enjoy it and benefit by it.

It would be an easy acquisition for others but a burden on his back and the man cannot get rid of it. He would thereupon bite his hands with teeth out of shame for what was disclosed to

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him about his affairs at the time of his death. He would dislike what he coveted during the days of his life and would wish that he who envied him on account of it and felt jealous over him for it should have amassed it instead of he himself.

Death would go on affecting his body till his ears too would behave like his tongue (and lose functioning). So he would lie among his people neither speaking with his tongue or hearing with his ears. He would be rotating his glance over their faces watching the movements of their tongues but not hearing their speaking. Then death would increase its sway over him and his sight would be taken by death as the ears had been taken and the spirit would depart from his body. He would then become a carcass among his own people. They would feel loneliness from him and get away from near him. He would not join a mourner or respond to a caller. Then they would carry him to a small place in the ground and deliver him in it to (face) his deeds. They abandoned visiting him.

About the Day of Judgement

Till whatever is written as ordained approaches its end the affairs complete their destined limits the posteriors join the anteriors and whatever Allah wills takes place in the shape of resurrection of His creation. Then He would convulse the sky and split it. He would quake the earth and shake it. He would root out the mountains and scatter them. They would crush each other out of awe of His Glory and fear of His Dignity.

He would take out everyone who is in it. He would refresh them after they had been worn out and collect them after they had been separated. Then He would set them apart for questioning about the hidden deeds and secret acts. He would then divide them into two groups rewarding one and punishing the other. As regards the obedient people He would reward them with His nearness and would keep them for ever in His house from where those who settle therein do not move out. Their position would

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not undergo change fear would not overtake them ailments would not befall them dangers would not affect them and journey would not force them (from place to place).

As for people of sins He would settle them in the worst place would bind their hands with the necks bind the forelocks with feet and would clothe them in shirts of tar and dresses cut out of flames. They would be in punishment whose heat would be severe door would be closed on the inmates - in fire which is full of shouts and cries and rising flames and fearful voices. Its inmate does not move out of it. its prisoner cannot be released by ransom and its shackles cannot be cut. There is no fixed age for this house so that it might perish nor period for its life that might pass away.

A part of the same sermon about the Holy Prophet

He treated this world disdainfully and regarded it low. He held it contemptible and hated it. He realised that Allah kept it away from him with intention and spread it out for others by way of contempt. Therefore he remained away from it by his heart banished its recollection from his mind and wished that its attraction should remain hidden from his eye so that he should not acquire any clothing from it or hope for staying in it. He conveyed from Allah the pleas (against committing sins) counselled his people as a warner (against Divine chastisement) and called (people) towards Paradise as a conveyor of good tidings.

About the Descendants of the Holy Prophet

We are the tree of prophethood staying place of (Divine) Message descending place of angels mines of knowledge and the

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sources of wisdom. Our supporter and lover awaits mercy while our enemy and he who hates us awaits wrath.

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SERMON 110

About Islam

The best means by which seekers of nearness to Allah the Glorified the Exalted seek nearness is the belief in Him and His Prophet fighting in His cause for it is the high pinnacle of Islam and (to believe) in the kalimatu'l-'ikhlas (the expression of Divine purification) for it is just nature and the establishment of prayer for it is (the basis of) community payment of zakat (Islamic tax) for it is a compulsory obligation fasting for the month of Ramadan for it is the shield against chastisement the performance of hajj of the House of Allah (i. e . Ka'bah) and its 'umrah (other than annual visit) for these two acts banish poverty and wash away sins regard for kinship for it increases wealth and length of life to giving alms secretly for it covers shortcomings giving alms openly for it protects against a bad death and extending benefits (to people) for it saves from positions of disgrace.

About the Holy Qur'an and Sunnah

Go ahead with the remembrance of Allah for it is the best remembrance and long for that which He has promised to the pious for His promise is the most true promise. Tread the course of the Prophet for it is the most distinguished course. Follow the sunnah of the Prophet for it is the most right of all behaviours.

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Learn the Qur'an for it is the fairest of discourses and understand it thoroughly for it is the best blossoming of hearts. Seek cure with its light for it is the cure for hearts. Recite it beautifully for it is the most beautiful narration. Certainly a scholar who acts not according to his knowledge is like the off-headed ignorant who does not find relief from his ignorance but on the learned the plea of Allah is greater and grief more incumbent and he is more blameworthy before Allah.

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SERMON 111

Caution about this world

So now certainly I frighten you from this world for it is sweet and green surrounded by lusts and liked for its immediate enjoyments. It excites wonder with small things is ornamented with (false) hopes and decorated with deception. Its rejoicing does not last and its afflictions cannot be avoided. It is deceitful harmful changing perishable exhaustible liable to destruction eating away and destructive. When it reaches the extremity of desires of those who incline towards it and feel happy with it the position is just what Allah the Glorified says (in the Qur'an):

... like the water which send We down from heaven and the herbage of the earth mingleth with it then it becometh dry stubble which the winds scatter; for Allah over all things hath power. (18:45)

No person gets rejoicing from this world but tears come to

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him after it and no one gets its comforts in the front but he has to face hardships in the rear. No one receives the light rain of ease in it but the heavy rain of distress pours upon him. It is just worthy of this world that in the morning it supports a man but in the evening it does not recognise him. If one side of it is sweet and pleasant the other side is bitter and distressing.

No one secures enjoyment from its freshness but he has to face hardship from its calamities. No one would pass the evening under the wing of safety but that his morning would be under the feathers of the wing-tip of fear. It is deceitful and all that is there in it is deception. It is perishable and all that is on it is to perish. There is no good in its provisions except in piety. Whoever takes little from it collects much of what would give him safety while one who takes much from it takes much of what would ruin him. He would shortly depart from his collection. How many people relied on it but it distressed them; (how many) felt peaceful with it but it tumbled them down; how many were prestigious but it made them low and how many were proud but it made them disgraceful.

Its authority is changing. Its life is dirty. Its sweet water is bitter. Its sweetness is like myrrh. Its foods are poisons. Its means are weak. The living in it is exposed to death; the healthy in it is exposed to disease. Its realm is (liable to be) snatched away. The strong in it is (liable to be) defeated and the rich is (liable to be) afflicted with misfortune. The neighbour in it is (liable to be) plundered.

Are you not (residing) in the houses of those before you who were of longer ages better traces had bigger desires were more in numbers and had greater armies. How they devoted themselves to the world and how they showed preference to it! Then they left it without any provision that could convey them through or the back (of a beast for riding) to carry them.

Did you get the news that the world was ever generous

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enough to present ransom for them or gave them any support or afforded them good company? It rather inflicted them with troubles made them languid with calamities molested them with catastrophes threw them down on their noses trampled them under hoofs and helped the vicissitudes of time against them. You have observed its strangeness towards those who went near it acquired it and appropriated it till they depart from it for good. Did it give them any provision other than starvation or make them stay in other than narrow places or give them light other than gloom or give them in the end anything other than repentance? Is this what you much ask for or remain satisfied with or towards which you feel greedy? How bad is this abode for him who did not suspect it (to be so) and did not entertain fear from it?

You should know as you do know that you have to leave it and depart from it. While in it take lesson from those "who proclaimed 'who is more powerful than we'" (Qur'an 41 :15) but they were carried to their graves though not as riders. They were then made to stay in the graves but not as guests. Graves were made for them from the surface of the ground. Their shrouds were made from earth. Old bones were made their neighbour. They are neighbours who do not answer a caller nor ward off trouble nor pay heed to a mourner.

If they get rain they do not feel happy and if they face famine they do not get disappointed. They are together but each one apart. They are close together but do not see each other. They are near but do not meet. They are enduring and have no hatred. They are ignorant and their malice has died away. There is no fear of trouble from them and no hope of their warding off (troubles). They have exchanged the back (surface) of the earth with its stomach (interior) vastness with

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narrowness family with loneliness and light with darkness. They have come to it (this world) as they had left it with bare feet and naked bodies. They departed from it with their acts towards the continuing life and everlasting house as Allah has said:

. . . As We caused the first creation so will We get it return. (It is) a promise binding Us verily We were doing it. (Qur'an 21 :104)

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SERMON 112

About the Angel of Death and depart of spirit

Do you feel when the Angel of Death enters a house or do you see him when he takes out life of anyone? How does he take out the life of an embryo in the womb of his mother? Does he reach it through any part of her body or the spirit responded to his call with the permission of Allah? Or does he stay with him in the mother's interior? How can he who is unable to describe a creature like this describe Allah?

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SERMON 113

About this world and its people

I warn you of the world for it is the abode of the unsteady. It is not a house for foraging. It has decorated itself with deception and deceives with its decoration. It is a house which is low
before Allah. So He has mixed its lawful with its unlawful its
good with its evil its life with its death and its sweetness with

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its bitterness. Allah has not kept it clear for His lovers nor has He been niggardly with it towards His foes. Its good is sparing. Its evil is ready at hand. Its collection would dwindle away. Its authority would be snatched away. Its habitation would face desolation. What is the good in a house which falls down like fallen construction or in an age which expires as the provision exhausts or in time which passes like walking?

Include whatever Allah has made obligatory on you in your demands. Ask from Him fulfilment of what He has asked you to do. Make your ears hear the call of death before you are called by death. Surely the hearts of the abstemious weep in this world even though they may (apparently) laugh and their grief increases even though they may appear happy. Their hatred for themselves is much even though they may be envied for the subsistence they are allowed. Remembrance of death has disappeared from your hearts while false hopes are present in you. So this world has mastered you more than the next world and the immediate end (of this world) has removed you away from the remote one (of the next life). You are brethren in the religion of Allah. Dirty natures and bad conscience have separated you. Consequently you do not bear burdens of each other nor advise each other nor spend on each other nor love each other.

What is your condition? You feel satisfied with what little you have secured from this world while much of the next world of which you have been deprived does not grieve you. The little of this world which you lose pains you so much so that it becomes apparent in your faces and in the lack of your endurance over whatever is taken away from you; as though this world is your permanent abode and as though its wealth would stay with you for good. Nothing prevents anyone among you to disclose to his comrade the shortcomings he is afraid of except the fear that the comrade would also disclose to him similar defects. You have decided together on leaving the next world and loving this world. Your religion has become just licking with the tongue.

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It is like the work of one who has finished his job and secured satisfaction of his master.

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SERMON 114

About abstemiousness fear of Allah and importance of providing for the next life

Praise be to Him Who makes praise followed by bounty and bounty with gratefulness. We praise Him on His bounties as on His trials. We seek His help against these hearts which are slow to obey what they have been commended but quick towards what they have been desisted from. We seek His forgiveness from that which His knowledge covers and His document preserves - knowledge which does not leave anything and a document which does not omit anything. We believe in Him like the belief of one who has seen the unknown and has attained the promised rewards - belief the purity whereof keeps off from belief in partners of Allah and whose conviction removes doubt.

We stand witness that there is no god but Allah the One Who has no partner for Him and that Muhammad is His slave and His Prophet Allah may bless him and his descendants. These two testimonies heighten the utterance and raise the act. The scale wherein they would be placed would not be light while the scale from which they are removed would not become heavy.

Enjoining people to Piety

O' creatures of Allah! I advise you to have fear of Allah which is the provision (for the next world) and with it is (your) return. The provision would take you (to your destination) and the return would be successful. The best one who is able to make people listen has called towards it and the best listener has listened to it. So the caller has proclaimed and the listener has listened and preserved.

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O' creations of Allah! certainly fear of Allah has saved the lovers of Allah from unlawful items and gave His dread to their hearts till their nights are passed in wakefulness and their noons in thirst. So they achieve comfort through trouble and copious watering through thirst. They regarded death to be near and therefore hastened towards (good) actions. They rejected their desires and so they kept death in their sight.

Then this world is a place of destruction tribulations changes and lessons. As for destruction the time has its bow pressed (to readiness) and its dart does not go amiss its wound does not heal; it afflicts the living with death the healthy with ailment and the safe with distress. It is an eater who is not satisfied and a drinker whose thirst is never quenched. As for tribulation a man collects what he does not eat and builds wherein he does not live. Then he goes out to Allah without carrying the wealth or shifting the building.

As for its changes you see a pitiable man becoming enviable and an enviable man becoming pitiable. This is because the wealth has gone and misfortune has come to him. As for its lessons a man reaches near (realisation of) his desires when (suddenly) the approach of his death cuts them; then neither the desire is achieved nor the desirer spared. Glory to Allah how deceitful are its pleasures how thirst-rousing its quenching and how sunny its shade. That which approaches (i.e. death) cannot be sent back he who goes away does not return. Glory to Allah how near is the living to the dead because he will meet him soon and how far is the dead from the living because he has gone away from him.

Certainly nothing is viler than evil except its punishment and nothing is better than good except its reward. In this world everything that is heard is better than what is seen while of everything of the next world that is seen is better than what is heard. So you should satisfy yourself by hearing rather than

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seeing and by the news of the unknown. You should know that what is little in this world but much in the next is better than what is much in this world but little in the next. In how many cases little is profitable while much causes loss.

Certainly that which you have been commanded to do is wider than what you have been refrained from and what has been made lawful for you is more than what has been prohibited. Then give up what is less for what is much and what is limited for what is vast. Allah has guaranteed your livelihood and has commanded you to act. Therefore the pursuit of that which has been guaranteed to you should not get preference over that whose performance has been enjoined upon you.

But by Allah most certainly the position is that doubt has overtaken and certainty has been shattered and it seems as if what has been guaranteed to you is obligatory on you and what was made obligatory on you has been taken away from you. So hasten towards (good) actions and dread the suddenness of death because the return of age cannot be hoped for as the return of livelihood can be hoped for. Whatever is missed from livelihood today may be hoped tomorrow with increase but whatever is lost from the age yesterday its return cannot be expected today. Hope can be only for that which is to come while about that which is passed there is only disappointment. So "fear Allah as He ought to be feared and do not die until you are (true) Muslim." (Qur'an 3:102)

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SERMON 115

Seeking rain

O' my Allah! surely our mountains have dried up and our earth has become dusty. Our cattle are thirsty and are bewildered in their enclosures. They are moaning like the moaning of mothers for their (dead) sons. They are tired of going to their meadows and longing for their watering places.O' my Allah! have mercy

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on the groan of the groaning and yearn of the yearning. O 'my Allah! have mercy on their bewilderment and their passages and their groaning in their yards.

O' my Allah ! we have come out to Thee when the years of drought have crowded over us like (a herd of) thin camels and rain clouds have abandoned us. Thou art the hope for the afflicted and succour for the seeker. We call Thee when the people have lost hopes cloud has been denied and cattle have died that do not seize us for our deeds and do not catch us for our sins and spread Thy mercy over us through raining clouds rain-fed blossoming amazing vegetation and heavy down-pours with which all that was dead regains life and all that was lost returns.

O' my Allah! give rain from Thee which should be life giving satisfying thorough wide-scattered purified blissful plentiful and invigorating. Its vegetation should be exuberant its branches full of fruits and its leaves green. With it Thou reinvigorates the weak among Thy creatures and bringeth back to life the dead among Thy cities.

O' my Allah! give rain from Thee with which our high lands get covered with green herbage streams get flowing our sides grow green our fruits thrive our cattle prosper our far-flung areas get watered and our dry areas get its benefit with Thy vast blessing and immeasurable grant on Thy distressed universe and Thy untamed beasts. And pour upon us rain which is drenching continuous and heavy; wherein one cycle of rain clashes with the other and one rain drop pushes another (into a continuous chain) its lightning should not be deceptive its cheek not rainless its white clouds not scattered and rain not

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light so that the famine-stricken thrive with its abundant herbage and the drought stricken come to life with its bliss. Certainly Thou pourest down rain after the people lose hopes and spreadest Thy mercy since Thou art the Guardian the praiseworthy.

As-Sayyid ar-Radi says: The wonderful expressions of this sermon: Amir al-mu'minin's words "insahat jibaluna" means the mountains cracked on account of drought. It is said "insaha'ththawbu" when it is torn. It is also said "insaha'n-nabtu" or "saha" or "sawwaha" when vegetation withers and dries up.

His words "wa hamat dawabbuna" means became thirsty as "huyam" means thirst.

His words "hadabiru's-sinin". This is plural of "hidbar". It means the camel whom treading has made thin. So Amir al-mu'minin likened with such a camel the year in which drought had occurred. The Arab poet Dhu ar-Rummah has said:

These thin camels remain in their places facing hardships and move only when we take them to some dry area.

His words "wa la qaza'in rababuha". Here "al-qaza" means small pieces of cloud scattered all round.

His words "wa la shaffanin dhihabuha". It stands for "wa la dhata shaffanin dhihabuha". "ash-shaffan" means the cold wind and "adh-dhihab" means light rain. He omitted the world "dhata" from here because of the listener's knowledge of it.

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