( 56 )

SERMON 153

About negligent persons and the characteristics of beasts carnivores and women

He has been allowed time by Allah. He is falling into error along with negligent persons and goes early in the morning with sinners without any road to lead or any Imam to guide.

A part of the same sermon

At last when Allah will make clear to them the reward for their sins and take them out from the veils of their neglectfulness they will proceed to what they were running away from and run away from what they were proceeding to. They will not benefit from the wants they will satisfy or the desires they would fulfil.

I warn you and myself from this position. A man should derive benefit from his own self. Certainly prudent is he who hears and ponders over it who sees and observes and who benefits from instructive material and then treads on clear paths wherein he avoids falling into hollows and straying into pitfalls and does not assist those who misguide him by turning away from truthfulness changing his words or fearing truth.

O' my listener! Be cured from your intoxication wake up from your slumber decrease your hasty activity and ponder over what has come to you through the Holy Prophet the Um-


( 561 )

[ 153 ] ومن خطبه له عليه السلام

صفة الضال

وَهُوَ فِي مُهْلَةٍ مِنَ اللهِ يَهْوِي مَعَ الْغَافِلِينَ. وَيَغْدُومَعَ الْمُذْنِبِينَ، بلاَ سَبِيلٍ قَاصِدٍ، وَلاَ إِمَامٍ قَائِدٍ.

صفات الغافلين

منها: حَتَّى إِذَا كَشَفَ لَهُمْ عَنْ جَزَاءِ مَعْصِيَتِهِمْ، وَاسْتَخْرَجَهُمْ مِنْ جَلاَبِيبِ غَفْلَتِهِمُ، استَقْبَلُوا مُدْبِراً، وَاسْتَدْبَرُوا مُقْبِلاً، فَلَمْ يَنْتَفِعُوا بَمَا أَدْرَكُوا منْ طَلِبَتِهِمْ، وَلاَ بِمَا قَضَوْا مِنْ وَطَرِهِمْ.

إِنِّي أُحَذِّرُكُمْ، وَنَفْسِي، هذِهِ الْمَنْزِلَةَ، فَلْيَنْتَفِعِ امْرُؤٌ بِنَفْسِهِ، فَإِنَّمَا الْبَصِيرُ مَنْ سَمِعَ فَتَفَكَّرَ، وَنَظَرَ فَأَبْصَرَ، وَانْتَفَعَ بِالْعِبَرِ، ثُمَّ سَلَكَ جَدَداً وَاضِحاً يَتَجَنَّبُ فِيهِ الصَّرْعَةَ فِي الْمَهَاوِي، وَالضَّلاَلَ في الْمَغَاوِي (1) ، وَلاَ يُعِينُ عَلَى نَفْسِهِ الْغُوَاةَ بِتَعَسُّفٍ فِي حَقٍّ، أَوْ تَحَرِيفٍ في نُطْقٍ، أَوْ تَخَوُّفٍ مِنْ صِدْقٍ.

عظة الناس

فَأَفِقْ أَيُّهَا السَّامِعُ مِنْ سَكْرَتِكَ، وَاسْتَيْقِظْ مَنْ غَفْلَتِكَ، وَاخْتَصِرْ مِنْ عَجَلَتِكَ، وَأَنْعِمِ الْفِكْرَ فِيَما جَاءَكَ عَلَى لِسَانِ النَّبِيِّ الْأُمِّيّ


( 562 )

mi (1) which is inevitable and inescapable. You should turn away from him who opposes him and leave him and leave whatever he has adopted for himself. Put off your vanity drop your haughtiness and recall your grave because your way passes over it. You will be dealt with as you deal with others you will reap what you sow and what you send today will meet you tomorrow. So provide for your future and send (some good acts) for your day (of reckoning). Fear fear O' listener! Act act O' careless! No one will warn you like him who knows.

One of the firm decisions of Allah in the Wise Reminder (Qur'an) upon which He bestows reward or gives punishment and through which He likes or dislikes is that it will not benefit a man even though he exerts himself and acts sincerely if he leaves this world to meet Allah with one of these acts without repenting namely that he believed in a partner with Allah during his obligatory worship or appeased his own anger by killing an individual or spoke about acts committed by others or sought fulfilment of his needs from people by introducing an innovation in his religion or met people with a double face or moved among them with a double tongue. Understand this because an illustration is a guide for its like.

Beasts are concerned with their bellies. Carnivores are concerned with assaulting others. Women are concerned with the adornments of this ignoble life and the creation of mischief herein (2). (On the other hand) believers are humble believers are admonishers and believers are afraid (of Allah).

(1) . The word "ummi" has been used in the Holy Qur'an with reference to the Holy Prophet in chapter 7:157-158. For better understanding of the word refer to the books of commentary on the Holy Qur'an.

(2) . The intention is to say that the cause of all mischief and evil is the passion to satisfy bodily needs and the passion to subdue. If a human being is subjugated by the passion to satisfy bodily needs and considers filling the stomach as his aim there will be no difference between him and


( 563 )

ِ- صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَآلِهِ وَ سَلَّمِ- مِمَّا لاَبُدَّ مِنْهُ وَلاَ مَحِيصَ عَنْهُ، وَخَالِفْ مَنْ خَالَفَ ذلِكَ إِلَى غَيْرِهِ، وَدَعْهُ وَمَا رَضِيَ لِنَفْسِهِ، وَضَعْ فَخْرَكَ، وَاحْطُطْ كِبْرَكَ، وَاذكُرْ قَبْرَكَ، فَإِنَّ عَلَيْهِ مَمَرَّكَ، وَكَمَا تَدِينُ تُدَانُ، وَكَمَا تَزْرَعُ تَحْصُدُ، وَمَا قَدَّمْتَ الْيَوْمَ تَقْدَمُ عَلَيْهِ غَداً، فَامْهَد (2) لِقَدَمِكَ، وَقَدِّمْ لِيَوْمِكَ. فَالْحَذَرَ الْحَذَرَ أَيُّهَا الْمُسْتَمِعُ! وَالْجِدَّ الْجِدَّ أَيُّهَا الْغَافِلُ! (وَلاَ يُنَبِّئُكَ مِثْلُ خَبِيرٍ).

إِنَّ مِنْ عَزَائِمِ اللهِ فِي الذِّكْرِ الْحَكِيمِ، الَّتِي عَلَيْهَا يُثِيبُ وَيُعَاقِبُ، وَلَهَا يَرْضَى وَيَسْخَطُ، أَنَّهُ لاَ يَنْفَعُ عَبْداً ـ وَإِنْ أَجْهَدَ نَفْسَهُ، وَأَخْلَ صَ فِعْلَهُ ـ أَنْ يَخْرُجَ مِنَ الدُّنْيَا، لاَقِياً رَبَّهُ بِخَصْلَةٍ مِنْ هذِهِ الْخِصَال لَمْ يَتُبْ مِنْهَا: أَنْ يُشْرِكَ بِالله فِيَما افْتَرَضَ عَلَيْهِ مِنْ عِبَادَتِهِ، أَوْ يَشْفِيَ غَيْظَهُ بِهَلاَكِ نَفْسٍ، أَوْ يَعُرَّ (3) بِأَمْرٍ فَعَلَهُ غَيْرُهُ، أَوْ يَسْتَنْجِحَ (4) حَاجَةً إِلَى النَّاسِ بِإِظْهَارِ بِدْعَةٍ فِي دِينِهِ، أَوْ يَلْقَى النَّاسَ بِوَجْهَيْنِ، أَوْ يَمْشِيَ فِيهِمْ بِلِسَانَيْنِ. اعْقِلْ ذلِكَ فَإِنَّ الْمِثْلَ دَلِيلٌ عَلَى شِبْهِهِ.

إِنَّ الْبَهَائِمَ هَمُّهَا بُطُونُهَا، وَإِنَّ السِّبَاعَ هَمُّهَا الْعُدْوَانُ عَلَى غَيْرِهَا، وَإِنَّ النِّسَاءَ هَمُّهُنَّ زِينَةُ الْحَيَاةِ الدُّنْيَا وَالْفَسَادُ فِيهَا; إِنَّ الْمُؤْمِنِينَ مُسْتَكِينُونَ (5) ، إِنَّ الْمُؤْمِنينَ مُشْفِقُونَ، إِنَّ الْمُؤْمِنينَ خَائِفُونَ.


( 564 )

SERMON 154

About the Ahlu'l-bayt (of the Holy Prophet) and their opposers

He who has an intelligent mind looks to his goal. He knows his low road as well as his high road. The caller has called. The shepherd has tended (his flocks). So respond to the caller and follow the shepherd.

They (the opposers) have entered the oceans of disturbance and have taken to innovations instead of the Sunnah (the Prophet's holy deeds utterances and his unspoken approvals) while the believers have sunk down and the misguided and the liars are speaking. We are the near ones companions treasure holders and doors (to the Sunnah). Houses are not entered save through their doors. Whoever enters them from other than the door is called a thief.

a beast because a beast too has no aim except to fill its belly. But if he is over-powered by the passion to subdue others and takes to killing and devastation there will be no difference between him and a carnivorous beast because the latter's aim is also tearing and devouring. If both the passions are at work in him then he is like a woman because in a woman both these passions act side by side and because of this she is extremely eager of adornment and is active in fanning mischief and disturbance. However a true believer will never agree to adopt these habits as his mode of behaviour rather he keeps his passions suppressed so that he neither allows pride and vanity to approach near him nor does he fan mischief or disturbance for fear of Allah.

Ibn Abi'l-Hadid has written that Amir al-mu'minin delivered this sermon at the time of marching towards Basrah and since the trouble of Basrah was the result of a woman's instigation Amir al-mu'minin has after mentioning beasts and carnivore held a woman also to possess such qualities. Thus the battle of Basrah was the result of these qualities whereby thousands of persons were involved in death and destruction.


( 565 )

[ 154 ] ومن خطبة له عليه السلام

يذكر فيها فضائل أهل البيت

وَنَاظِرُ قَلْبِ (1) اللَّبِيبِ بِهِ يُبْصِرُ أَمَدَهُ، وَيَعْرِفُ غَوْرَهُ (2) وَنَجْدَهُ (3) . دَاعٍ دَعَا، وَرَاعٍ رَعَى، فَاسْتَجِيبُوا لِلدَّاعِي، وَاتَّبِعُوا الرَّاعِيَ.

قَدْ خَاضُوا بِحَارَ الْفِتَنِ، وَأَخَذُوا بِالْبِدَعِ دُونَ السُّنَنِ، وَأَرَزَ (4) الْمُؤْمِنُونَ، وَنَطَقَ الضَّالُّونَ الْمُكَذِّبُونَ. نَحْنُ الشِّعَارُ (5) وَالْأَصْحَابُ، وَالْخَزَنَةُ وَالْأَبْوَابُ، وَلاَ تُؤْتَى الْبُيُوتُ إِلاَّ مِنْ أَبْوَابِهَا، فَمَنْ أَتَاهَا مِنْ غَيْرِ أَبْوَابِهَا سُمِّيَ سَارِقاً.


( 566 )

A part of the same sermon

The delicacies of the Qur'an are about them (Ahlu'l-bayt the descendants of the Prophet) and they are the treasurers of Allah. When they speak they speak the truth but when they keep quiet no one can speak unless they speak. The forerunner should report correctly to his people should retain his wits and should be one of the children (a man) of the next world because he has come from there and would return to it.

The beginning of the action of one who sees with heart and acts with eyes it is to assess whether the action will go against him or for him. If it is for him he indulges in it but if it is against him he keeps away from it. For he who acts without knowledge is like one who treads without a path. Then his deviation from the path keeps him at a distance from his aim. And he who acts according to knowledge is like he who treads the clear path. Therefore he who can see should see whether he should proceed or return.

You should also know that the outside (of every thing) has a similar inside. Of whatever the outside is good its inside too is good and whatever the outside is bad its inside too is bad. The truthful Prophet (peace and blessing of Allah be upon him and his progeny) has said that: "Allah may love a man but hate his action and may love the action but hate the man." You should also know that every action is like a vegetation and a vegetation cannot do without water while waters are different. So where the water is good the plant is good and its fruits are sweet whereas where the water is bad. the plant will also be bad and its fruits will be bitter.


( 567 )

منها: فِيهِمْ كَرَائِمُ (6) الْقُرْآنِ، وَهُمْ كُنُوزُ الرَّحْمنِ، إِنْ نَطَقُوا صَدَقُوا، وَإِنْ صَمَتُوا لَمْ يُسْبَقُوا. فَلْيَصْدُقْ رَائِدٌ أَهْلَهُ، وَلْيُحْضِرْ عَقْلَهُ، وَلْيَكُنْ مِنْ أَبْنَاءِ الْآخِرَةِ، فَإِنَّهُ مِنْهَا قَدِمَ، وَإِلَيْهَا يَنْقَلِبُ. وَالنّاظِرُ بِالْقَلْبِ، الْعَامِلُ بِالْبَصَرِ، يَكُونُ مُبْتَدَأُ عَمَلِهِ أَنْ يَعْلَمَ: أَعَمَلُهُ عَلَيْهِ أَمْ لَهُ! فَإِنْ كَانَ لَهُ مَضَى فِيهِ، وَإِنْ كَانَ عَليْهِ وَقَفَ عِنْدَهُ. فَإِنَّ الْعَامِلَ بَغَيْرِ عِلْمٍ كَالسَّائِرِ عَلَى غيْرِ طَرِيقٍ، فَلاَ يَزِيدُهُ بُعْدُهُ عَنِ الطَّرِيقِ الْوَاضِحِ إِلاَّ بُعْداً مِنْ حَاجَتِهِ، وَالْعَامِلُ بالْعِلْمِ كَالسَّائِرِ عَلَى الطَّرِيقِ الْوَاضِحِ، فَلْيَنْظُرْ نَاظِرٌ: أَسَائِرٌ هُوَ أَمْ رَاجِعٌ!

وَاعْلَمْ أَنِّ لِكُلِّ ظَاهِرٍ بَاطِناً عَلى مِثَالِهِ، فَمَا طَابَ ظَاهِرُهُ طَابَ بَاطِنُهُ. وَمَا خَبُثَ ظَاهِرُهُ خَبُثَ بَاطِنُهُ، وَقَدْ قَالَ الرَّسُولُ الصَّادِق _صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَآلِهِ_: «إِنَّ اللهَ يُحِبُّ الْعَبْدَ وَيُبْغِضُ عَمَلَهُ، وَيُحِبُّ الْعَمَلَ وَيُبْغِضُ بَدَنَهُ».

وَاعْلَمْ أَنَّ كُلَّ عَمَلٍ نَبَاتٌ، وَكُلَّ نَبَاتٍ لاَ غِنَى بِهِ عَنِ الْمَاءِ، وَالْمِيَاهُ مُخْتَلِفَةٌ، فَمَا طَابَ سَقْيُهُ, طَابَ غَرْسُهُ وَحَلَتْ ثَمَرَتُهُ، وَمَا خَبُثَ سَقْيُهُ خَبُثَ غَرْسُهُ وَأَمَرَّتْ ثَمَرَتُهُ.