الْحَمْدُ للهِ النَّاشِرِ فِي الْخَلْقِ فَضْلَهُ،
Praise be to Allah Who spreads His bounty throughout the creation,
وَالْبَاسِطِ فِيهمْ بِالْجُودِ يَدَهُ،
and extends His hand of generosity among them.
نَحْمَدُهُ فِي جَمِيعِ أُمُورِهِ،
We praise Him in all His affairs
وَنَسْتَعِينُهُ عَلَى رِعَايَةِ حُقُوقِهِ،
and seek His assistance for fulfilment of His rights.
وَنَشْهَدُ أَنْ لاَإِلهَ غَيْرُهُ،
We stand witness that there is no god except He
وَأَنَّ مُحَمَّداً عَبْدُهُ وَرَسُولُهُ،
and that Muhammad (p.b.u.h.a.h.p. ) is His slave and Prophet.
أَرْسَلَهُ بِأَمْرِهِ صَادِعاً،
He sent him to manifest His commands
وَبِذِكْرِهِ نَاطِقاً،
and speak about His remembrance.
فَأَدَّى أَمِيناً،
Consequently, he fulfilled it with trustworthiness,
وَمَضَى رَشِيداً،
and he passed away while on the right path.
وَخَلَّفَ فِينَا رايَةَ الْحَقِّ،
He left among us the standard of right.
مَنْ تَقَدَّمَهَا مَرَقَ، وَمَنْ تَخَلَّفَ عَنْهَا زَهَقَ،
Whoever goes further from it goes out of Faith, whoever lags behind it is ruined.
وَمَنْ لَزِمَهَا لَحِقَ،
Whoever sticks to it would join (the right).
دَلِيلُهَا مَكِيثُ الْكَلامِ،
Its guide is short of speech,
بَطِيءُ الْقِيَامِ
slow of steps,
سَرِيعٌ إِذَا قَامَ،
and quick when he rises.
فَإِذَا أَنْتُمْ أَلَنْتُمْ لَهُ رِقَابَكُمْ،
When you have bent your necks before him
وَأَشَرْتُمْ إِلَيْهِ بِأَصَابِعِكُمْ،
and pointed towards him with your fingers
جَاءَهُ الْمَوْتُ فَذَهَبَ بِهِ،
his death would occur and would take him away.
فَلَبِثْتُمْ بَعْدَهُ مَا شَاءَ اللهُ
They would live after him as long as Allah wills,
حَتَّى يُطْلِعِ اللهُ لَكُمْ مَنْ يَجْمَعُكُمْ وَيَضُمُّ نَشْرَكُمْ،
till Allah brings out for you one who would collect you together and fuse you after diffusion.
فَلا تَطْمَعُوا فِي غَيْرِ مُقْبِل،
Do not place expectations in one who does not (1) come forward
وَلاَ تَيْأَسُوا مِنْ مُدْبِر،
and do not lose hope in one who is veiled,
فَإِنَّ الْمُدْبِرَ عَسَى أَنْ تَزِلَّ بِهِ إِحْدَى قَائِمَتَيْهِ،
because it is possible that one of the two feet of the veiled one may slip
وَتَثْبُتَ الاْخْرى، فَتَرْجِعَا حَتَّى تَثْبُتَا جَمِيعاً.
while the other may remain sticking, till both return to position and stick.
أَلاَ إِنَّ مَثَلَ آلِ مُحَمَّد (صلى الله عليه وآله وسلم)،
Beware! The example of the descendants (Ali) of Muhammad - peace and blessing of Allah be upon him and his descendants –
كَمَثَلِ نُجُومِ السَّماَءِ:
is like that of stars in the sky.
إِذَا خَوَى نَجْمٌ طَلَعَ نَجْمٌ،
When one star sets another one rises.
فَكَأَنَّكُمْ قَدْ تَكَامَلَتْ مِنَ اللهِ فِيكُمُ الصَّنَائِعُ،
So you are in a position that Allah's blessings on you have been perfected
وَأَتَاكُم مَا كُنْتُمْ تَأْمُلُونَ.
and He has shown you what you used to wish for.
Alternative Sources for Sermon 100: ‘Abd al-Zahra', II, 198-199.
1. The implication is that if for the time being your expectations are not being fulfilled, you should not be disappointed. It is possible matters may improve, the impediments in the way of improvement may be removed and matters may be settled as you wish.
