ابْتَعَثَهُ بِالنُّورِ الْمُضِىءِ،
Allah deputed the Prophet with a sparkling light,
وَالْبُرهَانِ الْجَليِّ،
a clear argument,
وَالْمِنْهَاجِ الْبَادِي،
an open path
وَالْكِتَابِ الْهَادِي.
and a guiding book.
أُسْرَتُهُ خَيْرُ أُسْرَة،
His tribe is the best tribe
وَشَجَرَتُهُ خَيْرُ شَجَرَة،
and his lineal tree the best lineal tree
أَغصَانُهَا مُعْتَدِلَةٌ،
whose branches are in good proportion
وَثِمَارُهَا مُتَهَدِّلَةٌ.
and fruits hanging (in plenty).
مَوْلِدُهُ بِمَكَّةَ،
His birth-place was Mecca,
وَهِجْرَتُهُ بِطَيْبَةَ،
and the place of his immigration Taybah (Medina),
عَلا بِهَا ذِكْرُهُ،
from where his name rose high
وَامْتَدَّ مِنْهَا صَوْتُهُ.
and his voice spread far and wide.
أَرْسَلَهُ بِحُجَّة كَافِيَة،
Allah sent him with a sufficing plea,
وَمَوْعِظَة شَافِية،
a convincing discourse
وَدَعْوَة مُتَلافِيَة .
and a rectifying announcement.
أَظْهَرَ بِهِ الشَّرائِعَ الْـمَجْهُولَةَ،
Through him Allah disclosed the ways that had been forsaken,
وَقَمَعَ بِهِ الْبِدَعَ الْمَدْخُولَةَ،
and destroyed the innovations that had been introduced.
وَبَيَّنَ بِهِ الاْحْكَامَ الْمَفْصُولَةَ.
Through him He explained the detailed commands. Now,
فَـ(مَنْ يَبْتَغِ غَيْرَ الاسْلامِ دِيناً)
“..whoever adopts a religion other than Islam” (3:85),
تَتَحَقَّقْ شِقْوَتُهُ،
his misery is definite,
وَتَنْفَصِمْ عُرْوَتُهُ،
his stick (of support) will be cracked,
وَتَعْظُمْ كَبْوَتُهُ،
his fate will be serious,
وَيَكُنْ مَآبُهُ إلَى الْحُزْنِ الطَّوِيلِ
his end will be long grief
وَالْعَذَابِ الْوَبيلِ.
and distressing punishment.
وَأَتَوَكَّلُ عَلَى اللهِ تَوَكُّلَ الانَابَةِ إلَيْهِ،
I trust in Allah, the trust of bending towards Him,
وَأَسْتَرْشِدُهُ السَّبِيلَ المُؤَدِّيَةَ إلى جَنَّتِهِ،
and I seek His guidance for the way that leads to His Paradise
الْقَاصِدَةَ إلى مَحَلِّ رَغْبَتِهِ.
and takes to the place of His pleasure.
النصح بالتّقوى
Drawing lessons from this world (and counseling piety)
أُوصِيكُمْ عِبَادَاللهِ،
I advise you, O creatures of Allah,
بِتَقْوَى اللهِ وَطَاعَتِهِ،
to exercise fear of Allah and to obey Him
فَإنَّهَا النَّجَاةُ غَداً،
because it is salvation tomorrow
وَالْمَنْجَاةُ أَبَداً.
and deliverance for ever.
رَهَّبَ فَأبْلَغَ،
He warned (you of chastisement) and did so thoroughly.
وَرَغَّبَ فَأَسْبَغَ،
He persuaded (you towards virtues) and did so fully.
وَوَصَفَ لَكُمُ الدُّنْيَا
He described this world,
وَانْقِطَاعَهَا،
its cutting away from you,
وَزَوَالَهَا وَانْتِقَا لَهَا.
its decay and its shifting.
فَأَعْرِضُوا عَمَّا يُعْجِبُكُمْ فِيهَا
Therefore, keep aloof from its attractions,
لِقِلَّةِ مَا يَصْحَبُكُمْ مِنْهَا،
because very little of it will accompany you.
أَقْرَبُ دَار مِنْ سَخَطِ اللهِ،
This house is the closest to the displeasure of Allah
وَأَبْعَدُهَا مِنْ رِضْوَانِ اللهِ!
and the remotest from the pleasure of Allah.
فَغُضُّوا عَنْكُمْ ـ عِبَادَاللهِ ـ
So close your eyes, O creatures of Allah,
غُمُومَهَا وَأَشْغَا لَهَا،
from its worries and engagements,
لِمَا قَدْ أَيْقَنْتُمْ بِهِ مِنْ فِرَاقِهَا وَتَصَرُّفِ حَالاَتِهَا.
because you are sure about its separation and its changing conditions.
فَاحْذَروُهَا حَذَرَ الشَّفِيقِ النَّاصِحِ،
Fear it like a sincere fearer
وَالْـمُجِدِّ الْكَادِحِ،
and one who struggles hard,
وَاعْتَبِرُوا بِمَا قَدْ رَأَيْتُمْ مِنْ مَصَارعِ الْقُرُونِ قَبْلَكُمْ:
and take a lesson from what you have seen about the falling places of those before you,
قَدْ تَزَايَلَتْ أَوْصَالُهُمْ،
namely that their joints were made to vanish,
وَزَالَتْ أسْمَاعُهُمْ وَأَبْصَارُهُمْ،
their eyes and ears were destroyed,
وَذَهَبَ شَرَفُهُمْ وَعِزُّهُمْ،
their honour and prestige disappeared
وَانْقَطَعَ سُرُورُهُمْ وَنَعِيمُهُمْ;
and their pleasure and wealth came to an end.
فَبُدِّلُوا بِقُرْبِ الاَوْلاَدِ فَقْدَهَا،
The nearness of their children changed into remoteness.
وَبِصُحْبَةِ الاَزْوَاجِ مُفَارَقتَهَا.
The company of their spouses changed into separation with them.
لاَ يَتَفَاخَرُونَ، وَلاَ يَتَنَاصَرُونَ،
They do not boast over each other,
وَلاَ يَتَنَاسَلُونَ،
nor do they beget children
وَلاَ يَتَزَاوَرُونَ،
nor meet each other
وَلاَ يَتَجَاوَرُونَ.
nor live as neighbours.
فَاحْذَروُا، عِبَادَاللهِ،
Therefore, fear O creatures of Allah,
حَذَرَ الْغَالِبِ لِنَفْسِهِ،
like the fear of one who has control over himself,
الْمَانِعِ لِشَهْوَتِهِ،
who can check his passions
النَّاظِرِ بِعَقْلِهِ;
and perceive with his wisdom.
فَإنَّ الاْمْرَ وَاضِحٌ،
Surely, the matter is quite clear,
وَالْعَلَمَ قَائِمٌ،
the sign is manifest,
وَالطَّرِيقَ جَدَدٌ،
the course is level
وَالسَّبِيلَ قَصْدٌ .
and the way is straight.
Alternative Sources for Sermon 161: Al-Majlisi, Bihar, XVIII, 222.
