الْحَمْدُ للهِ الَّذِي شَرَعَ الاْسْلاَمَ
Praise belong to Allah, who established Islam
فَسَهَّلَ شَرَائِعَهُ لِمَنْ وَرَدَهُ،
and made it easy for those who approach it
وَأَعَزَّ أَرْكَانَهُ عَلَى مَنْ غَالَبَهُ،
and gave strength to its columns against any one who tries to overpower it.
فَجَعَلَهُ أَمْناً لِمَنْ عَلِقَهُ،
So Allah made it (a source of) peace for him who clings to it,
وَسِلْماً لِمَنْ دَخَلَهُ،
safety for him who enters it,
وَبُرْهَاناً لِمَنْ تَكَلَّمَ بِهِ،
argument for him who speaks about it,
وَشَاهِداً لِمَنْ خَاصَمَ بِهِ،
witness for him who fights with its help,
وَنُوراً لِمَنِ اسْتَضَاءَ بِهِ،
light for him who seeks light from it,
وَفَهْماً لِمَنْ عَقَلَ،
understanding for him who provides it,
وَلُبّاً لَمِنْ تَدَبَّرَ،
sagacity for him who exerts,
وَآيَةً لِمَنْ تَوَسَّمَ،
a sign (of guidance) for him who perceives,
وَتَبْصِرَةً لِمَنْ عَزَمَ،
sight for him who resolves,
وَعِبْرَةً لِمَنِ اتَّعَظَ،
lesson for him who seeks advice,
وَنَجَاةً لِمَنْ صَدَّقَ،
salvation for him who testifies,
وَثِقَةً لِمَنْ تَوَكَّلَ،
confidence for him who trusts,
وَرَاحَةً لِمَنْ فَوَّضَ،
pleasure for him who entrusts,
وَجُنَّةً لِمَنْ صَبَرَ.
and shield for him who endures.
فَهُوَ أبْلَجُ الْمَنَاهجِ
It is the brightest of all paths,
وَ اوضِحُ الْوَلاَئِجِ
the clearest of all passages.
مُشْرَفُ الْمَنَارِ
It has dignified minarets,
مُشْرِقُ الْجَوَادِّ
bright highways,
مُضِيءُ الْمَصَابِيحِ،
burning laps,
كَرَيمُ الْمِضْمارِ
prestigious field of activity,
رَفِيعُ الْغَايَةِ،
and high objective.
جَامِعُ الْحَلْبَةِ
It has a collection of race horses.
مُتَنَافِسُ السُّبْقَةِ،
It is approached eagerly.
شَرِيفُ الْفُرْسَانِ.
Its riders are honourable.
التَّصْدِيقُ مِنْهَاجُهُ،
Testimony (of Allah, Prophet etc.) is its way,
وَالصَّالِحَاتُ مَنَارُهُ،
good deeds are its minarets,
وَالْمَوْتُ غَايَتُهُ،
death is its extremity,
وَالدُّنْيَا مِضْمارُهُ،
this world is its race-course,
وَالْقِيَامَةُ حَلْبَتُهُ،
the Day of Judgement is its horses
وَالْجَنَّةُ سُبْقَتُهُ
and Paradise is its point of approach.
منها: في ذكر النبي (صلى الله عليه وآله)
A part of the same sermon about the Holy Prophet
حَتَّى أَوْرَى قَبَساً لِقَابِس،
The Prophet lighted flames for the seeker
وَأَنَارَ عَلَماً لِحَابِس،
and put bright signs for the impeded.
فَهُوَ أَمِينُكَ الْمَأْمُونُ،
So he is Thy trustworthy trustee,
وَشَهِيدُكَ يَوْمَ الدِّينِ،
Thy witness on the Day of Judgement,
وَبَعِيثُكَ نِعْمةً،
Thy deputy as a blessing
وَرَسُولُكَ بِالْحقِّ رَحْمَةً.
and Thy messenger of truth as mercy.
اللَّهُمَّ اقْسِمْ لَهُ مَقْسَماً مِنْ عَدْلِكَ،
My God, distribute to him a share from Thy Justice
وَاجْزِهِ مُضَعَّفَاتِ الْخَيْرِ مِنْ فَضْلِكَ.
and award him multiples of good by Thy bounty.
اللَّهُمَّ أَعْلِ عَلَى بَنَاءِ الْبَانِينَ بَنَاءَهُ،
My God, heighten his construction over the constructions of others,
وَأَكْرِمْ لَدَيْكَ نُزُلَهُ،
honour him when he comes to Thee,
وَشَرِّفْ عِنْدَكَ مَنْزِلَهُ،
dignify his position before Thee,
وَآتِهِ الْوَسِيلَةَ،
give him honourable position,
وَأَعْطِهِ السَّنَاءَ وَالْفَضِيلَةَ،
and award him glory and distinction,
وَاحْشُرْنَا فِي زُمْرَتِهِ غَيْرَ خَزَايَا،
and bring us out (on the Day of Judgement) among his party,
وَلاَ نَادِمِينَ،
neither ashamed,
وَلاَ نَاكِبِينَ،
nor repentant,
وَلاَ نَاكِثِينَ،
nor deviators, nor pledge-breakers,
وَلاَ ضَالِّينَ،
nor strayers, nor misleaders
وَلاَ مَفْتُونِينَ.
nor seduced.
قال الشريف: وقد مضى هذا الكلام فيما تقدم، إلاّ أنّنا كرّرناه هاهنا لما في الروايتين من الاختلاف.
As-Sayyid ar-Radi says: This sermon had already appeared earlier but we have repeated it here because of the difference between the two versions.
منها: في خطاب أصحابه
A part of the same sermon addressed to his followers
وَقَدْ بَلَغْتُمْ منْ كَرَامَةِ اللهِ لَكُمْ مَنْزِلَةً تُكْرَمُ بِهَا إِمَاؤُكُمْ،
By bounty of Allah over you, you have acquired a position where even your slave maids are honoured,
وَتُوصَلُ بِهَا جِيرَانُكُمْ،
your neighbours are treated well.
وَيُعَظِّمُكُمْ مَنْ لاَ فَضْلَ لَكُمْ عَلَيهِ، وَلاَ يَدَلَكُمْ عِنْدَهُ،
Even he over whom you enjoy no distinction or obligation honours you.
وَيَهَابُكُمْ مَنْ لاَ يَخَافُ لَكُمْ سَطْوَةً، وَلاَ لَكُمْ عَلَيْهِ إِمْرَةٌ،
Even those people fear you who had no apprehension of attack from you or any authority over you.
وَقَدْ تَرَوْنَ عُهُودَ اللهِ مَنْقُوضَةً فَلاَ تَغْضَبُونَ!
You now see pledges to Allah being broken but do not feel enraged
وَأَنْتُمْ لِنَقْضِ ذِمَمِ آبَائِكُمْ تَأْنَفُونَ!
although you fret and frown on the breaking of the traditions of your forefathers.
وَكَانَتْ أَمُورُ اللهِ عَلَيْكُمْ تَرِدُ،
Allah's matters have been coming to you,
وَعَنْكُمْ تَصْدُرُ،
and going from
وَإِلَيْكُمْ تَرْجِعُ،
and again coming back to you;
فَمَكَّنْتُمُ الظَّلَمَةَ مِنْ مَنْزِلَتِكُمْ،
but you have made over your place to wrong-doers
وَأَلْقَيْتُمْ إِلَيْهِمْ أَزِمَّتَكُمْ،
and thrown towards them your responsibilities,
وَأَسْلَمْتُمْ أُمُورَ اللهِ فِي أَيْدِيهمْ،
and have placed Allah's affairs in their hands.
يَعْمَلُونَ بِالشُّبُهَاتِ،
They act in doubts
وَيَسِيرُونَ في الشَّهَوَاتِ،
and tread in (fulfilment of) desires.
وَايْمُ اللهِ، لَوْ فَرَّقُوكُمْ تَحْتَ كُلِّ كَوْكَب،
By Allah, even if they disperse you under every star
لَجَمَعَكُمُ اللهُ لِشَرِّ يَوْم لَهُمْ!
Allah would surely collect you on the day that would be worst for them.
Alternative Sources for Sermon 106: Al-Ghazali, Ihya'; al-Harrani, Tuhaf, 126; al-Kulayni, Usul al-Kafi, II, 49; al-Qali, al-'Amali, 171; Abu Talib al-Makki, Qut, I, 382, 407; Abu Nu’aym, Hilyah, I, 74, 75; al-Saduq, al-Khisal, I, 108; al-Qadi al-Quda’i, Dustur, 121; al-Tusi, al-'Amali, * 23.
