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SERMON 220

Qualities of the God-fearing and the pious

He (the believer) kept his mind alive and killed (the desires of) hisheart till his body became thin his bulk turned light and an effulgenceof extreme brightness shone for him. It lighted the way for him andtook him on the (right) path. Different doors led him to the door ofsafety and the place of (his permanent) stay. His feet balancing hisbody became fixed in the position of safety and comfort because hekept his heart (in good acts) and pleased his Allah.

* * * * *

SERMON 221

Amir al-mu'minin recited the verse

Engage (your) vying in exuberance until ye come to the graves. (1) (Qur'an 102:1-2)

Then he said:

How distant (from achievement) is their aim how neglectful are these visitors and how difficult is the affair. They have not taken lessons from things which are full of lessons but they took them from far off places. Do they boast on the dead bodies of their fore-fathers or do they regard the number of dead persons as a ground for feeling boastful of their number? They want to revive the bodies that have become spiritless and the movements that have ceased. They are more entitled to be a source of lesson than a source of pride. They are more suitable for being a source of humility than of honour.


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[ 220 ] ومن كلام له عليه السلام

في وصف السالك الطريق إلى الله سبحانه

قَدْ أَحْيَا عَقْلَهُ (1) ، وَأَمَاتَ نَفْسَهُ (2) ، حَتَّى دَقَّ جَلِيلُهُ (3) ، وَلَطُفَ غَلِيظُهُ (4) ، وَبَرَقَ لَهُ لاَمِعٌ كَثِيرُ الْبَرْقِ، فَأَبَانَ لَهُ الطَّرِيقَ، وَسَلَكَ بِهِ السَّبِيلَ، وَتَدَافَعَتْهُ (5) الْأَبْوَابُ إِلَى بَابِ السَّلاَمَةِ، وَدَارِ الْإِقَامَةِ، وَثَبَتَتْ رِجْلاَهُ بِطُمَأْنِينَةِ بَدَنِهِ فِي قَرَارِ الْأَمْنِ وَالرَّاحَةِ، بِمَا اسْتَعْمَلَ قَلْبَهُ، وَأَرْضَى رَبَّهُ.

[ 221 ] ومن كلام له عليه السلام

قاله بعد تلاوته: (أَلْهَاكُمُ التَّكَاثُرُ (1) * حَتَّى زُرْتُمُ الْمَقَابِرَ)

يَا لَهُ مَرَاماً (2) مَا أَبْعَدَهُ! وَزَوْراً (3) مَا أَغْفَلَهُ (4) ! وَخطراً مَا أَفْظَعَهُ! لَقَدِ اسْتَخْلَوْا (5) مِنْهُمْ أَيَّ مُدَّكرٍ (6) ، وَتَنَاوَشُوهُمْ (7) مِنْ مَكَانٍ بَعِيدٍ! أَفَبِمَصَارِعِ آبَائِهِمْ يَفْخَرُونَ! أَمْ بِعَدِيدِ الْهَلْكَى يَتَكَاثَرُونَ! يَرْتَجِعُونَ مِنْهُمْ أَجْسَاداً خَوَتْ (8) ، وَحَرَكَاتٍ سَكَنَتْ، وَلْأَنْ يَكُونُوا عِبَراً، أَحَقُّ مِنْ أَنْ يَكُونُوا مُفْتَخَراً، وَلِأَن يَهْبِطُوا بِهِمْ جَنَابَ ذِلَّةٍ، أَحْجَى (9) مِنْ أَنْ يَقُوموُا بِهِمْ مَقَامَ عِزَّةٍ! لَقَدْ نَظَرُوا


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They looked at them with weak-sighted eyes and descended into the hollow of ignorance. If they had asked about them from the dilapidated houses and empty courtyards they would have said that they went into the earth in the state of misguidance and you too are heading ignorantly towards them. You trample their skulls want to raise constructions on their corpses you graze what they have left and live in houses which they have vacated. The days (that lie) between them and you are also bemoaning you and reciting elegies over you.

They are your fore-runners in reaching the goal and have arrived at the watering places before you. They had positions of honour and plenty of pride. They were rulers and holders of positions. Now they have gone into the interstice where earth covers them from above and is eating their flesh and drinking their blood. They lie in the hollows of their graves lifeless no more growing and hidden not to be found. The approach of dangers does not frighten them and the adversity of circumstances does not grieve them. They do not mind earthquakes nor do they pay heed to thunders. They are gone and not expected back. They are existent but unseen. They were united but are now dispersed. They were friendly and are now separated.

Their accounts are unknown and their houses are silent not because of length of time or distance of place but because they have been made to drink the cup (of death) which has changed their speech into dumbness their hearing into deafness and their movements into stillness. It seems as though they

(1). The genesis of the descending of this verse is that the tribes of Banu 'Abd Manaf and Banu Sahm began to boast against each other over the abundance of their wealth and the number of their tribesmen and in order to prove they had a greater number each one began to include their dead as well whereupon this verse was revealed to the effect that abundance of riches and majority in numbers has made you so forgetful that you count the dead also with the living. This verse is also taken to mean that abundance of riches and progeny has made you forgetful till you reached the graves but the utterance of Amir al-mu'minin supports the first meaning.


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إِلَيْهِمْ بِأَبْصَارِ الْعَشْوَةِ (10) ، وَضَرَبُوا مِنْهُمْ فِي غَمْرَةِ جَهَالَةٍ، وَلَوِ اسْتَنْطَقُوا عَنْهُمْ عَرَصَاتِ تِلْكَ الدِّيَارِ الْخَاوِيَةِ (11) ، وَالْرُّبُوعِ (12) الْخَالِيَةِ، لَقَالَتْ: ذَهَبُوا فِي الْأَرْضِ ضُلاَّلاً (13) ، وَذَهَبْتُمْ فِي أَعْقَابِهِمْ جُهَّالاً، تَطَأُونَ فِي هَامِهِمْ (14) ، وَتَسْتَنْبِتُونَ (15) فِي أَجْسَادِهِمْ، وَتَرْتَعُونَ (16) فِيَما لَفَظُوا، وَتَسْكُنُونَ فِيَما خَرَّبُوا، وَإِنَّمَا الْأَيَّامُ بَيْنَكُمْ وَبَيْنَهُمْ بَوَاكٍ (17) وَنَوَائِحُ (18) عَلَيْكُمْ.

أُولئِكُمْ سَلَفُ غَايَتِكُمْ (19) ، وَفُرَّاطُ (20) مَنَاهِلِكُمْ (21) ، الَّذِينَ كَانتْ لَهُمْ مَقَاوِمُ (22) الْعِزِّ، وَحَلَبَاتُ (23) الْفَخْرِ، مُلُوكاً وَسُوَقاً (24) ، سَلَكُوا فِي بُطُونِ الْبَرْزَخِ (25) سَبِيلاً سُلِّطَتِ الْأَرْضُ عَلَيْهِمْ فِيهِ، فَأَكَلَتْ مِنْ لُحُومِهِمْ، وَشَرِبَتْ مِنْ دِمَائِهِمْ، فَأَصْبَحُوا فِي فَجَوَاتِ (26) قُبُورِهِمْ جَمَاداً لاَ يَنْمُونَ (27) ، وَضِماراً (28) لاَ يُوجَدُونَ، لاَ يُفْزِعُهُمْ وُروُدُ الْأَهْوَالِ، وَلاَ يَحْزُنُهُمْ تَنَكُّرُ الْأَحْوَالِ، وَلاَ يَحْفِلُونَ (29) بِالرَّوَاجِفِ (30) ، وَلاَ يَأْذَنُونَ (31) لِلْقَوَاصِفِ (32) ، غُيَّباً لاَ يُنْتَظَرُونَ، وَشُهُوداً لاَ يَحْضُرونَ، وَإِنَّمَا كَانُوا جَمِيعاً فَتَشَتَّتُوا، وَآلاَفاً (33) فافْتَرَقُوا، وَمَا عَنْ طُولِ عَهْدِهِمْ، وَلاَ بُعْدِ مَحَلِّهِمْ، عَمِيَتْ أخْبَارُهُمْ، وَصَمَّتْ (34) دِيَارُهُمْ، وَلكِنَّهُمْ سُقُوا كَأْساً بَدَّلَتْهُمْ بِالنُّطْقِ خَرَساً، وَبِالسَّمْعِ صَمَماً، وَبِالْحَرَكَاتِ سُكُوناً، فَكَأَنَّهُمْ فِي ارْتِجَالِ الصِّفَةِ (35)


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are fallen in slumber. They are neighbours not feeling affection for each other or friends who do not meet each other.

The bonds of their knowing each other have been worn out and the connections of their friendship have been cut asunder. Everyone of them is therefore alone although they are a group and they are strangers even though friends. They are unaware of morning after a night and of evening after a day. The night or the day when they departed has become ever existent for them. (2) They found the dangers of their placed of stay more serious than they had apprehended and they witnessed that its signs were greater than they had guessed. The two objectives (namely paradise and hell) have been stretched for them upto a point beyond the reach of fear or hope. Had they been able to speak they would have become dumb to describe what they witnessed or saw.

Even though their traces have been wiped out and their news has stopped (circulating) eyes are capable of drawing a lesson as they looked at them ears of intelligence heard them and they spoke without uttering words. So they said that handsome faces have been destroyed and delicate bodies have been smeared with earth. We have put on a worn-out shroud. The narrowness of the grave has overwhelmed us and strangeness has spread among us. Our silent abodes have been ruined. The beauty of our bodies has disappeared. Our known features have become hateful. Our stay in the places of strangeness has become long. We do not get relief from pain nor widening from narrowness.

(2). This means that for him he who dies in the day it is always day whereas for him who dies in the night the darkness of night never dispels because they are at a place where there is no turning of the moon and the sun and no rotation of the nights and the days. The same meaning has been expressed by a poet like this:

There is sure to be a day without a night

Or a night that would come without a day.


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صَرْعَى (36) سُبَاتٍ (37) ، جِيرَانٌ لاَ يَتَأَنَّسُونَ، وَأَحِبَّاءُ لاَ يَتَزَاوَرُونَ، بَلِيَتْ (38) بَيْنَهُمْ عُرَا (39) التَّعَارُفِ، وَانْقَطَعَتْ مِنْهُمْ أَسْبَابُ الْإِخَاءِ، فَكُلُّهُمْ وَحِيدٌ وَهُمْ جَمِيعٌ، وَبِجَانِبِ الْهَجْرِ وَهُمْ أَخِلاَّءُ، لاَ يَتَعَارَفُونَ لِلَيْلٍ صَبَاحاً، وَلاَ لِنَهَارٍ مَسَاءً.

أَيُّ الْجَدِيدَيْنِ (40) ظَعَنُوا فِيهِ كَانَ عَلَيْهِمْ سَرْمَداً، شَاهَدُوا مِنْ أَخْطَارِ دَارِهِمْ أَفْظَعَ مِمَّا خَافُوا، وَرَأَوْا مِنْ آيَاتِهَا أَعْظَمَ مِمَّا قَدَّرُوا، فَكِلا الْغَايَتَيْنِ (41) مُدَّتْ لَهُمْ إِلَى مَبَاءَةٍ (42) ، فَاتَتْ مَبَالِغَ الْخَوْفِ وَالرَّجَاءِ. فَلَوْ كَانُوا يَنْطِقُونَ بِهَا لَعَيُّوا (43) بِصِفَةِ مَا شَاهَدُوا وَمَا عَايَنُوا.

وَلَئِنْ عَمِيَتْ آثَارُهُمْ، وَانْقَطَعَتْ أَخْبَارُهُمْ، لَقَدْ رَجَعَتْ فِيهِمْ أَبْصَارُ الْعِبَرِ (44) ، وَسَمِعَتْ عَنْهُمْ آذَانُ الْعُقُولِ، وَتَكَلَّمُوا مِنْ غَيْرِ جِهَاتِ النُّطْقِ، فَقَالُوا: كَلَحَتِ (45) الْوُجُوهُ النَّوَاضِرُ (46) ، وَخَوَتِ (47) الْأَجْسَادُ النَّوَاعِمُ، وَلَبِسْنَا أَهْدَامَ (48) الْبِلَى، وَتَكَاءَدَنَا (49) ضِيقُ الْمَضْجَعِ، وَتَوَارَثْنَا الْوَحْشَةَ، وَتَهَكَّمَتْ (50) عَلَيْنَا الرُّبُوعُ (51) الصُّمُوتُ (52) ، فَانْمَحَتْ مَحَاسِنُ أَجْسَادِنَا، وَتَنَكَّرَتْ مَعَارِفُ صُوَرِنَا، وَطَالَتْ فِي مَسَاكِنِ الْوَحْشَةِ إِقَامَتُنَا، وَلَمْ نَجِدْ مِنْ كَرْبٍ فَرَجاً، وَلاَ مِنْ ضِيقٍ مُتَّسعاً!


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Now. if you portray them in your mind or if the curtains concealing them are removed from them for you in this state when their ears have lost their power and turned deaf their eyes have been filled with dust and sunk down their tongues which were very active have been cut into pieces their hearts which were ever wakeful have become motionless in their chests in every limb of theirs a peculiar decay has occurred which has deformed it and has paved the way for calamity towards it all these lie powerless with no hand to help them and no heart to grieve over them (then) you would certainly notice the grief of (their) hearts and the dirt of (their) eyes.

Every trouble of theirs is such that its position does not change and the distress does not clear away. How many a prestigious body and amazing beauty the earth has swallowed although when in the world he enjoyed abundant pleasures and was nurtured in honour. He clung to enjoyments (even) in the hour of grief. If distress befell him he sought refuge in consolation (derived) through the pleasures of life and playing and games. He was laughing at the world while the world was laughing at him because of his life full of forgetfulness. Then time trampled him like thorns the days weakened his energy and death began to look at him from near. Then he was overtaken by a grief which he had never felt and ailments appeared in place of the health he had previously possessed.

He then turned to that with which the physician had made him familiar namely suppressing the hot (diseases) with cold (medicines) and curing the cold with hot doses but the cold things did nothing save aggravate the hot ailments while the hot ones did nothing except increasing the coldness nor did he


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فَلَوْ مَثَّلْتَهُمْ بِعَقْلِكَ، أَوْ كُشِفَ عَنْهُمْ مَحْجُوبُ الْغِطَاءِ لَكَ، وَقَدِ ارْتَسَخَتْ (53) أَسْمَاعُهُمْ بِالْهَوَامِّ (54) فَاسْتَكَّتْ (55) ، وَاكْتَحَلَتْ أَبْصَارُهُمْ بِالتُّرَابِ فَخَسَفَتْ (56) ، وَتَقَطَّعَتِ الْأَلْسِنَةُ فِي أَفْوَاهِهِمْ بَعْدَ ذَلاَقَتِهَا (57) ، وَهَمَدَتِ الْقُلُوبُ فِي صُدُورِهِمْ بَعْدَ يَقَظَتِهَا، وَعَاثَ (58) فِي كُلِّ جَارِحَةٍ مِنْهُمْ جَدِيدُ بِلًى (59) سَمَّجَهَا (60) ، وَسَهَّلَ طُرُقَ الْآفَةِ إِلَيْهَا، مُسْتَسْلِمَاتٍ فَلاَ أَيْدٍ تَدْفَعُ، وَلاَ قُلُوبٌ تَجْزَعُ، لَرَأَيْتَ أَشْجَانَ قُلُوبٍ (61) ، وَأَقْذَاءَ عُيُونٍ (62) ، لَهُمْ فِي كَلِّ فَظَاعَةٍ صِفَةُ حَالٍ لاَ تَنْتَقِلُ، وَغَمْرَةٌ (63) لاَ تَنْجَلِي. فَكَمْ أَكَلَتِ الْأَرْضُ مِنْ عَزِيزِ جَسَدٍ، وَأَنِيقِ (64) لَوْنٍ، كَانَ فِي الدُّنْيَا غَذِيَّ (65) تَرَفٍ، وَرَبِيبَ (66) شَرَفٍ! يَتَعَلَّلُ (67) بالسُّرُورِ فِي سَاعَةِ حُزْنِهِ، وَيَفْزَعُ إِلَى السَّلْوَةِ (68) إِنْ مُصِيبَةٌ نَزَلَتْ بِهِ، ضَنّاً (69) بِغَضَارَةِ (70) عَيْشِهِ، وَشَحَاحَةً (71) بِلَهْوِهِ وَلَعِبِهِ! فَبَيْنَا هُوَ يَضْحَكُ إِلَى الدُّنْيَا وَتَضْحَكُ إِلَيْهِ فِي ظِلِّ عَيْشٍ غَفُولٍ (72) ، إِذْ وَطِىءَ الدَّهْرُ بِهِ حَسَكَهُ (73) ، وَنَقَضَتِ الْأَيَّامُ قُوَاهُ، وَنَظَرَتْ إِلَيْهِ الْحُتُوفُ (74) مِنْ كَثَبٍ (75) ، فَخَالَطَهُ (76) بَثٌّ (77) لاَ يَعْرِفُهُ، وَنَجِيُّ (78) هَمٍّ مَا كَانَ يَجِدُهُ، وَتَوَلَّدَتْ فِيهِ فَتَرَاتُ (79) عِلَلٍ، آنَسَ مَا كَانَ بِصِحَّتِهِ، فَفَزِعَ إِلَى مَا كَانَ عَوَّدَهُ الْأَطِبَّاءُ مِنْ تَسْكِينِ الْحَارِّ بِالْقَارِّ (80) ، وَتَحْرِيكِ الْبَارِدِ بالْحَارِّ، فَلَمْ يُطْفِىءْ بِبَارِد إِلاَّ ثَوَّرَ حَرَارَةً، وَلاَ حَرَّكَ بِحَارٍّ إِلاَّ هَيَّجَ بُرُودَةً، وَلاَ


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acquire temperateness in his constitution but rather every ailment of his increased till his physicians became helpless his attendants grew loathsome and his own people felt disgusted from describing his disease avoided answering those who enquired about him and quarrelled in front of him about the serious news which they were concealing from him. Thus someone would say "his condition is what it is" and would console them with hopes of his recovery while another one would advocate patience on missing him recalling to them the calamities that had befallen the earlier generations.

In this state when he was getting ready to depart from the world and leave his beloved ones such a serious choking overtook him that his senses became bewildered and the dampness of his tongue dried up. Now there was many an important question whose reply he knew about he could not utter it and many a voice that was painful for his heart that he heard but remained (unmoved) as though he was deaf the voice of either and elder whom he used to respect or of a younger whom he used to caress. The pangs of death are too hideous to be covered by description or to be appreciated by the hearts of the people in this world.

* * * * *

SERMON 222

Delivered after reciting the verse:

. . . therein declare glory unto Him in the mornings and the evenings; Men whom neither merchandise nor any sale diverteth from the remembrance of Allah and constancy in prayer and paying the poor-rate; they fear the day when the hearts and eyes shall writhe of the anguish. (Qur'an 24:36-37)

Certainly Allah the Glorified the Sublime has made His remembrance the light for hearts which hear with its help despite deafness see with its help despite blindness and become submissive with its help despite unruliness.


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اعْتَدَلَ بِمُمَازِجٍ (81) لِتِلْكَ الطَّبَائِعِ إِلاَّ أَمَدَّ مِنْهَا كُلَّ ذَاتِ دَاءٍ، حَتَّى فَتَرَ مُعَلِّلُهُ (82) ، وَذَهَلَ مُمَرِّضُهُ، وَتَعَايَا (83) أَهْلُهُ بِصِفَةِ دَائِهِ. وَخَرِسُوا عَنْ جَوَابِ السَّائِلِينَ عَنْهُ، وَتَنَازَعُوا دُونَهُ شَجِيَّ خَبَرٍ يَكْتُمُونَهُ، فَقَائِلٌ يَقُولُ: هُو لِمَا بِهِ (84) ، وَمُمَنٍّ (85) لَهُمْ إِيَابَ (86) عَافِيَتِهِ، وَمُصَبِّرٌ لَهُمْ عَلَى فَقْدِهِ، يُذَكِّرُهُمْ أَسَى (87) الْمَاضِينَ مِنْ قَبْلِهِ. فَبَيْنَا هُوَ كَذلِكَ عَلَى جَنَاحٍ مِنْ فِرَاقِ الدُّنْيَا، وَتَرْكِ الْأَحِبَّةِ، إِذْ عَرَضَ لَهُ عَارِضٌ مِنْ غُصَصِهِ، فَتَحَيَّرَتْ نَوَافِذُ فِطْنَتِهِ (88) ، وَيَبِسَتْ رُطُوبَةُ لِسَانِهِ، فَكَمْ مِنْ مُهِمٍّ مِنْ جَوَابِهِ عَرَفَهُ فَعَيَّ (89) عَنْ رَدِّهِ، وَدُعَاءٍ مُؤْلِمٍ لِقَلْبِهِ سَمِعَهُ فَتَصَامَّ عنْهُ، مِنْ كَبِيرٍ كَانَ يُعَظِّمُهُ، أَوْ صَغِيرٍ كَانَ يَرْحَمُهُ! وَإِنَّ لِلْمَوْتِ لَغَمَرَاتٍ (90) هِيَ أَفْظَعُ مِنْ أَنْ تُسْتَغْرَقَ بِصِفَةٍ، أَوْ تَعْتَدِلَ عَلَى عُقُولِ (91) أَهْلِ الدُّنْيَا.

[ 222 ] ومن كلام له عليه السلام

قاله عند تلاوته: (يُسَبِّحُ لَهُ فِيهَا بِالغُدُوِّ وَ الْآصَالِ رِجَالٌ لاَ تُلْهِيهِمْ تِجَارَةٌ وَلاَ بَيْعٌ عَنْ ذِكْرِ اللهِ)

إِنَّ اللهَ سُبْحَانَهُ جَعَلَ الذِّكْرَ (1) جِلاَءً (2) لِلْقُلُوبِ، تَسْمَعُ بِهِ بَعْدَ الْوَقْرَةِ (3) ، وَتُبْصِرُ بِهِ بَعْدَ الْعَشْوَةِ (4) ، وَتَنْقَادُ بِهِ بَعْدَ الْمُعَانَدَةِ،


( 200 )

In all the periods and times when there were no prophets there have been persons with whom Allah precious are His bounties whispered through their wits and spoke through their minds. With the help of the bright awakening of their ears eyes and hearts they keep reminding others of the remembrance of the days of Allah and making others feel fear for Him like guide-points in wildernesses. Whoever adopts the middle way they praise his ways and give him the tidings of deliverance but whoever goes right and left they vilify his ways and frighten him with ruin. In this way they served as lamps in these darknesses and guides through these doubts.

There are some people devoted to the remembrance (of Allah) who have adopted it in place of worldly matters so that commerce or trade does not turn them away from it. They pass their life in it. They speak into the ears of neglectful persons warning against matters held unlawful by Allah they order them to practise justice and themselves keep practising it and they refrain them from the unlawful and themselves refrain from it. It is as though they have finished the journey of this world towards the next world and have beheld what lies beyond it. Consequently they have become acquainted with all that befell them in the interstice during their long stay therein and the Day of Judgement fulfils its promises for them. Therefore they removed the curtain from these things for the people of the world till it was as though they were seeing what people did not see and were hearing what people did not hear.

If you picture them in your mind in their admirable positions and well-known sittings when they have opened the records of their actions and are prepared to render an account of themselves in respect of the small as well as the big things they were ordered to do but they failed to do or were ordered to refrain from but they indulged therein and they realised the weight of their burden (of bad acts) on their backs and they felt too weak to bear


( 201 )

وَمَا بَرِحَ لِلَّه ـ عَزَّتْ آلاَؤهُ فِي الْبُرْهَةِ بَعْدَ الْبُرْهَةِ، وَفِي أَزْمَانِ الْفَتَرَاتِ (5) ، عِبَادٌ نَاجَاهُمْ (6) فِى فِكْرِهِمْ، وَكَلَّمَهُمْ فِي ذَاتِ عُقُولِهِمْ، فَاسْتَصْبَحُوا (7) بِنُورِ يَقَظَة فِي الْأَبْصَارِ وَالْأَسْمَاعِ وَالْأَفْئِدَةِ، يُذَكِّرُونَ بِأَيَّامِ اللهِ، وَيُخَوِّفُونَ مَقَامَهُ، بِمَنْزِلَةِ الْأَدِلَّةِ (8) فِي الْفَلَوَاتِ (9) ، مَنْ أَخَذَ الْقَصْدَ (10) حَمِدُوا إِلَيْهِ طَرِيقَهُ، وَبَشَّرُوهُ بِالنَّجَاةِ، وَمَنْ أَخَذَ يَمِيناً وَشِمَالاً ذَمُّوا إِلَيْهِ الطَّرِيقَ، وَحَذَّرُوهُ مِنَ الْهَلَكَةِ، وَكَانَوا كَذلِكَ مَصَابِيحَ تِلْكَ الظُّلُمَاتِ، وَأَدِلَّةَ تِلْكَ الشُّبُهَاتِ. وَإِنَّ لِلذِّكْرِ لِأَهْلاً أَخَذُوهُ مِنَ الدُّنْيَا بَدَلاً، فَلَمْ تَشْغَلْهُمْ تِجَارَةٌ وَلاَ بَيْعٌ عَنْهُ، يَقْطَعُونَ بِهِ أَيَّامَ الْحَيَاةِ، وَيَهْتِفُونَ (11) بِالزَّوَاجِرِ عَنْ مَحَارِمِ اللهِ، في أَسْمَاعِ الْغَافِلِينَ، وَيَأْمُرُونَ بِالقِسْطِ (12) وَيَأْتَمِرُونَ بِهِ (13) ، وَيَنْهَوْنَ عَنِ المُنكَرِ وَيَتَنَاهَوْنَ عَنْهُ، فَكَأَنَّمَا قَطَعُوا الدُّنْيَا إِلَى الْآخِرَةِ وَهُمْ فِيهَا، فَشَاهَدُوا مَاوَرَاءَ ذَلِكَ، فَكَأَنَّمَا اطَّلَعُوا غُيُوبَ أَهْلِ الْبَرْزَخِ فِي طولِ الْإِقَامَةِ فِيهِ، وَحَقَّقَتِ الْقِيَامَةُ عَلَيْهِمْ عِدَاتِهَا (14) ، فَكَشَفُوا غِطَاءَ ذلِكَ لِأَهْلِ الدُّنْيَا، حَتَّى كَأَنَّهُمْ يَرَوْنَ مَا لاَ يَرَى النَّاسُ، وَيَسمَعُونَ مَا لاَ يَسْمَعُونَ. فَلَوْ مَثَّلْتَهُمْ لِعَقْلِكَ فِي مَقَاوِمِهِمُ (15) الْمَحْمُودَةِ، وَمَجَالِسِهِمُ الْمَشْهُودَةِ، وَقَدْ نَشَرُوا دَوَاوِينَ (16) أَعْمَالِهِمْ، وَفَرَغُوا لِمُحَاسَبَةِ أَنْفُسِهِمْ، وَعَلَى كُلِّ صَغِيرَةٍ وَكَبِيرَةٍ أُمِرُوا بِهَا فَقَصَّرُوا عَنْهَا، أَوْ نُهوُا عَنْهَا فَفَرَّطُوا فِيهَا، وَحَمَّلُوا ثِقَلَ أَوْزَارِهِمْ (17) ظُهُورَهُمْ،


( 202 )

them then they wept bitterly and spoke to each other wile still crying and bewailing to Allah in repentance and acknowledgement (of their shortcomings) you would find them to be emblems of guidance and lamps in darkness angels would be surrounding them peace would be descending upon them the doors of the sky would be opened for them and positions of honour would be assigned to them in the place of which Allah had informed them. Therefore He has appreciated their actions and praised their position.They call Him and breathe in the air of forgiveness they are ever needy of His bounty and remain humble before His greatness the length of their grief has pained their hearts and the length of weeping their eves. They knock at every door of inclination towards Allah. They ask Him Whom generosity does not make destitute and from Whom those who approach Him do not get disappointed.

Therefore take account of yourself for your own sake because the account of others will be taken by one other than you.

* * * * *

SERMON 223

Amir al-mu'minin recited the verse:

O' thou man! what hath beguild thee from thy Lord the Most Gracious One. (Qur'an 82:6)

Then he said:

The addressee (in this verse) is devoid of argument and his excuse is most deceptive. He is detaining himself in ignorance.

O' man! what has emboldened you to (commit) sins what had deceived you about your Allah and what has made you satis-


( 203 )

فَضَعُفُوا عَنِ الْإِسْتِقلاَلِ بِهَا، فَنَشَجُوا (18) نَشِيجاً، وَتَجَاوَبُوا نَحِيباً (19) ، يَعِجُّونَ (20).

إِلَى رَبِّهِمْ مِنْ مَقَامِ نَدَم وَاعْتِرَافٍ، لَرَأَيْتَ أَعْلاَمَ هُدىً، وَمَصَابِيحَ دُجىً، قَدْ حَفَّتْ بِهِمُ الْمَلاَئِكَةُ، وَتَنَزَّلَتْ عَلَيْهِمُ السَّكِينَةُ، وَفُتِحَتْ لَهُمْ أَبْوَابُ السَّماءِ، وَأَعِدَّتْ لَهُمْ مَقَاعِدُ الْكَرَامَاتِ، فِي مَقْعَدٍ اطَّلَعَ اللهُ عَلَيْهِمْ فِيهِ، فَرَضِيَ سَعْيَهُمْ، وَحَمِدَ مَقَامَهُمْ، يَتَنَسَّمُونَ (21) بدُعَائِهِ رَوْحَ التَّجَاوُزِ، رَهَائِنُ فَاقَة إِلَى فَضْلِهِ، وَأُسَارَى ذِلَّةٍ لِعَظَمَتِهِ، جَرَحَ طُولُ الْأَسَى (22) قُلُوبَهُمْ، وَطُولُ الْبُكَاءٍِ عُيُونَهُمْ. لِكُلِّ بَابِ رَغْبَةٍ إِلَى اللهِ مِنْهُمْ يَدٌ قَارِعةٌ، يَسْأَلُونَ مَنْ لاَ تَضِيقُ لَدَيْهِ الْمَنَادِحُ (23) ، وَلاَ يَخِيبُ عَلَيْهِ الرَّاغِبُونَ.

فَحَاسِبْ نَفْسَكَ لِنَفْسِكَ، فَإِنَّ غَيْرَهَا مِنَ الأ َْنْفُسِ لَهَا حَسِيبٌ غَيْرُكَ.

[ 223 ] ومن كلام له عليه السلام

قاله عند تلاوته: (يَا أَيُّهَا الْإِنْسَانُ مَا غَرَّكَ بِرَبِّكَ الكَرِيمِ*).

أَدْحَضُ (1) مَسْؤُولٍ حُجَّةً، وَأَقْطَعُ مُغْتَرٍّ مَعْذِرَةً، لَقَدْ أَبْرَحَ (2) جَهَالَةً بِنَفْسِهِ.

يَا أَيُّهَا الْإِنْسَانُ، مَا جَرَّأَكَ عَلَى ذَنْبِكَ، وَمَا غَرَّكَ بِرَبِّكَ، وَمَا


( 204 )

fied with the destruction of yourself. Is there no cure for your ailment or no awakening from your sleep? Do you not have pity on yourself as you have on others? Generally when you see anyone exposed to the heat of the sun you cover him with shade or if you see anyone afflicted with grief that pains his body you weep out of pity for him. What has then made you patient over your own disease what has made you firm in your own afflictions and what has consoled you from weeping over yourself although your life is the most precious of all lives to you and why does not the fear of an ailment that may befall you in the night keep you wakeful although you lie on the way to Allah's wrath due to your sins?

You should cure the disease of languor in your heart by determination and the sleep of neglectfulness in your eyes by wakefulness. Be obedient to Allah and love His remembrance and picture to yourself that you are running away while He is approaching you. He is calling you to His forgiveness and concealing your faults with His kindness while you are fleeing away from Him towards others. Certainly Great is Allah the powerful Who is so generous and how humble and weak are you and still so bold to commit His disobedience although you live in His protection and undergo changes of life in the expanse of His kindness. He does not refuse you His kindness and does not remove His protection from you. In fact you have not been without His kindness even for a moment whether it be a favour that He conferred upon you or a sin of yours that He has concealed or a calamity that He has warded off from you. What is your idea about Him if you had obeyed Him? By Allah if this had been the case with two persons equal in power and matching in might (one being inattentive and the other showering favours upon you) then you would have been the first to adjudge yourself to be of bad behaviour and evil deeds.

I truthfully say that the world has not deceived you but you have had yourself deceived by it. The world had opened to you the curtains and divulged to you (everything) equally. And


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أَنَّسَكَ بِهَلَكَةِ نَفْسِكَ؟ أَمَا مِنْ دَائِكَ بُلوُلٌ (3) ، أَمْ لَيْسَ مِنْ نَوْمَتِكَ يَقَظَةٌ؟ أَمَا تَرْحَمُ مِنْ نَفْسِكَ مَا تَرْحَمُ مِنْ غَيْرِكَ؟ فَلَرُبَّمَا تَرَى الضَّاحِيَ (4) مِنْ حَرِّ الشَّمْسِ فَتُظِلُّهُ، أَوْ تَرَى الْمُبْتَلَى بِأَلَمٍ يُمِضُّ جَسَدَهُ (5) فَتَبْكِي رَحْمَةً لَهُ! فَمَا صَبَّرَك عَلَى دَائِكَ، وَجَلَّدَكَ عَلَى مُصَابِكَ، وَعَزَّاكَ عَنِ الْبُكَاءِ عَلَى نَفْسِكَ وَهِيَ أَعَزُّ الْأَنْفُسِ عَلَيْكَ! وَكَيْفَ لاَ يُوقِظُكَ خَوْفُ بَيَاتِ نِقْمَةٍ (6) ، وَقَدْ تَوَرَّطْتَ بمَعَاصِيهِ مَدَارِجَ سَطَوَاتِهِ! فَتَدَاوَ مِنْ دَاءِ الْفَتْرَةِ فِي قَلْبِكَ بِعَزِيمَة، وَمِنْ كَرَى (7) الْغَفْلَةِ فِي نَاظِرِكَ بِيَقَظَةٍ، وَكُنْ لِلَّهِ مُطِيعاً، وَبِذِكْرِهِ آنِساً، وَتَمَثَّلْ (8) فِي حَالِ تَوَلِّيكَ (9) عَنْهُ إِقْبَالَهُ عَلَيْكَ، يَدْعُوكَ إِلَى عَفْوِهِ، وَيَتَغَمَّدُكَ (10) بِفَضْلِهِ، وَأَنْتَ مُتَوَلٍّ عَنْهُ إِلَى غَيْرِهِ. فَتَعَالى مِنْ قَوِيٍّ مَا أَكْرَمَهُ! وَتَوَاضَعْتَ مِنْ ضَعِيفٍ مَا أَجْرَأَكَ عَلَى مَعْصِيَتِهِ! وَأَنْتَ فِي كَنَفِ سِتْرِهِ مُقيِمٌ، وَفِي سَعَةِ فَضْلِهِ مَتَقَلِّبٌ.

فَلَمْ يَمْنَعْكَ فَضْلَهُ، وَلَمْ يَهْتِكْ عَنْكَ سِتْرَهُ، بَلْ لَمْ تَخْلُ مِنْ لُطْفِهِ مَطْرِفَ عَيْنٍ (11) فِي نِعْمَةٍ يُحْدِثُهَا لَكَ، أَوْ سَيِّئَةٍ يَسْتُرُهَا عَلَيْكَ، أَوْ بَلِيَّةٍ يَصْرِفُهَا عَنْكَ، فَمَا ظَنُّكَ بِهِ لَوْ أَطَعْتَهُ! وَايْمُ اللهِ لَوْ أَنَّ هذِهِ الصِّفَةَ كَانَتْ فِي مُتَّفِقَيْنِ فِي الْقُوَّةِ، مُتَوَازِيَيْنِ فِي الْقُدْرَِ، لَكُنْتَ أَوَّلَ حَاكِمٍ عَلى نَفْسِكَ بِذَمِيمِ الْأَخْلاَقِ، وَمَسَاوِىءِ الْأَعَمْالِ. وَحَقّاً أَقُولُ! مَا الدُّنْيَا غَرَّتْكَ، وَلكِنْ بِهَا اغْتَرَرْتَ، وَلَقَدْ كَاشَفَتْكَ الْعِظَاتِ (12) ، وَآذَنَتْكَ (13) عَلَى سَوَاءٍ، وَلَهِيَ بِمَا تَعِدُكَ مِنْ نُزُولِ الْبَلاَءِ بِجِسْمِكَ، وَالنَّقْصِ فِي قُوَّتِكَ، أَصْدَقُ وَأَوْفَى مِنْ أَنْ تَكْذِبَكَ، أَوْ تَغُرَّكَ، وَلَرُب َّ نَاصِحٍ لَهَا عِنْدَكَ مُتَّهَمٌ (14) ، وَصَادِقٍ مِنْ خَبَرِهَا مُكَذَّبٌ، وَلَئِنْ تَعَرَّفْتهَا (15) فِي الدِّيَارِ الْخَاوِيَةِ، وَالرُّبُوعِ الْخَالِيَةِ، لَتَجِدَنَّهَا مِنْ حُسْنِ تَذْكِيرِكَ، وَبَلاَغِ مَوْعِظَتِكَ، بِمَحَلَّةِ الشَّفِيقِ عَلَيْكَ، وَالشَّحِيحِ (16) بكَ! وَلَنِعْمَ دَارُ مَنْ لَمْ يَرْضَ بِهَا دَاراً، وَمَحَلُّ مَنْ لَمْ يُوَطِّنْهَا (17) مَحَلاًّ! وَإِنَّ السُّعَدَاءَ بالدُّنْيَا غَداً هُمُ الْهَارِبُونَ مِنْهَا الْيَوْمَ. إِذَا رَجَفَتِ الرَّاجِفَةُ (18) ، وَحَقَّتْ (19) بِجَلاَئِلِهَا الْقِيَامَةُ، وَلَحِقَ بِكُلِّ مَنْسَكٍ (20) أَهْلُهُ، وَبِكُلِّ مَعْبُودٍ عَبَدَتُهُ، وَبِكُلِّ مُطَاعٍ أَهْلُ طَاعَتِهِ، فَلَمْ يُجْزَ (21) فِي عَدْلِهِ وَقِسْطِهِ يَوْمَئِذٍ خَرْقُ بَصَرٍ فِي الْهَوَاءِ، وَلاَ هَمْسُ قَدَمٍ فِي الْأَرْضِ إِلاَّ بِحَقِّهِ، فَكَمْ حُجَّةٍ يَوْمَ ذَاكَ دَاحِضَةٌ، وَعَلاَئِقِ عُذْرٍ مُنْقَطِعَة! فَتَحَرَّ (22) مِنْ أَمْرِكَ مَايَقُومُ بِهِ عُذْرُكَ، وَتَثْبُتُ بِهِ حُجَّتُكَ، وَخُذْ مَا يَبْقَى لَكَ مِمَّا لاَ تَبْقَى لَهُ، وَتَيَسَّرْ (23) لِسَفَرِكَ، وَشِمْ (24) بَرْقَ النَّجَاةِ، وَارْحَلْ (25) مَطَايَا التَّشْمِيرِ.


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in all that it foretold you about the troubles befalling your bodies and the decay in your power it has been too true and faithful in promise and did not speak a lie to you or deceive you. There are many who advise you about it but they are blamed and speak the truth about it but they are opposed. If you understand the world by means of dilapidated houses and forlorn abodes then with your good understanding and far reaching power of drawing lessons you will find it like one who is kind over you and cautious about you. It is good abode for him who does not like it as an abode and a good place of stay for him who does not regard it a permanent home for stay.

Only those who run away from this world today will be regarded virtuous tomorrow. When the earthquake occurs the Day of Resurrection approaches with all its severities the people of every worshipping place cling to it all the devotees cling to the object of their devotion and all the followers cling to their leader. Then on that day even the opening of an eye in the air and the sound of a footstep on the ground will be assigned its due through His Justice and His Equity. On that day many an argument will prove void and a contention for excuses will stand rejected.

Therefore you should now adopt for yourself the course with which your excuse may hold good and your plea may be proved. Take from the transient things of this world that which will stay for you (in the next world) provide for your journey keep (your) gaze on the brightness of deliverance and keep ready the saddles (for setting off).