الْحَمْدُ لله الْمَعْرُوفِ مِنْ غَيْرِ رُؤْيَة،
Praise be to Allah Who is recognised without being seen
وَالْخَالِقِ مِنْ غَيْرِ مَنْصَبَة،
and Who creates without trouble.
خَلَقَ الْخَلاَئِقَ بِقُدْرَتِهِ،
He created the creation with His Might,
وَاسْتَعْبَدَ الاْرْبَابَ بِعِزَّتِهِ،
and receives the devotion of rulers by virtue of His dignity.
وَسَادَ الْعُظَمَاءَ بِجُودِهِ،
He exercises superiority over great men through His generosity.
وَهُوَ الَّذِي أَسْكَنَ الدُّنْيَا خَلْقَهُ،
It is He who made His creation to populate the world
وَبَعَثَ إِلَى الْجِنِّ وَالاْنْسِ رُسُلَهُ،
and sent towards the jinn and human beings His messengers
لِيَكْشِفُوا لَهُمْ عَنْ غِطَائِهَا،
to unveil it for them,
وَلِيُحَذِّرُوهُمْ مِنْ ضَرَّائِهَا،
to warn them of its harm,
وَلِيَضْرِبُوا لَهُمْ أَمْثَالَهَا،
to present to them its examples,
وَلِيُبَصِّرُوهُم عُيُوبَهَا،
to show them its defects
وَلِيَهْجُمُوا عَلَيْهِمْ بِمُعْتَبَر مِنْ تَصَرُّفِ مَصَاحِّهَا وَأَسْقَامِهَا،
and to place before them a whole collection of matters containing lessons about the changings of health and sickness in this world,
وَحَلاَلِهَا وحَرَامِهَا،
its lawful things and unlawful things
وَمَا أَعَدَّ سُبْحَانَهُ لِلْمُطِيعِينَ مِنْهُمْ وَالْعُصَاةِ مِنْ جَنَّة وَنَار،
and all that Allah has ordained for the obedient and the disobedient, namely, Paradise and Hell
وَكَرَامَة وَهَوَان.
and honour and disgrace.
أَحْمَدُهُ إِلَى نَفْسِهِ كَمَا اسْتَحْمَدَ إِلَى خَلْقِهِ،
I extend my praise to His Being as He desires His creation to praise Him.
وَجَعَلَ لِكُلِّ شَيْء قَدْراً،
He has fixed “..for everything a measure” (65:3),
وَلِكُلِّ قَدْر أجَلاً،
for every measure a time limit,
وَلِكُلِّ أَجَل كِتَاباً.
and “..for every time limit a document” (13:38).
منها: في ذكر القرآن
A part of the same Sermon about the greatness and importance of the Holy Qur'an
فَالْقُرآنُ آمِرٌ زَاجِرٌ،
The Qur'an orders as well as refrains,
وَصَامِتٌ نَاطِقٌ،
remains silent and also speaks.
حُجَّةُ اللهِ عَلَى خَلْقِهِ،
It is the proof of Allah before His creation.
أَخَذَ عَلَيْهِمْ مِيثاقَهُ، وَارْتَهَنَ عَلَيْهِ أَنْفُسَهُمْ،
He has taken from them a pledge (to act) upon it.
أَتَمَّ نُورَهُ،
He has perfected its effulgence,
وَأكْرَمَ بِهِ دِينَهُ،
and completed through it His religion.
وَقَبَضَ نَبِيَّهُ (صلى الله عليه وآله)
He let the Prophet leave this world
وَقَدْ فَرَغَ إِلَى الْخَلْقِ
when he had conveyed to the people
مِنْ أَحكَامِ الْهُدَى بِهِ.
all His commands of guidance through the Qur'an.
فَعَظِّمُوا مِنهُ سُبْحَانَهُ مَا عَظَّمَ مِنْ نَفْسِهِ،
You should therefore regard Allah great as he has held Himself great,
فَإِنَّهُ لَمْ يُخْفِ عَنْكُمْ شَيئاً مِنْ دِينِهِ،
because He has not concealed anything of His religion from you,
وَلَمْ يَتْرُكْ شَيئاً رَضِيَهُ أَوْ كَرِهَهُ
nor has He left out anything which He likes or which He dislikes,
إِلاَّ وَجَعَلَ لَهُ عَلَماً بَادِياً،
but He made for it a clear emblem (of guidance)
وَآيَةً مُحْكَمَةً،
and a definite sign
تَزْجُرُ عَنْهُ،
which either refrains from it
أَوْ تَدْعُو إِلَيْهِ،
or calls towards it.
فَرِضَاهُ فِيَما بَقِيَ وَاحِدٌ، وَسَخَطُهُ فِيَما بَقِيَ وَاحِدٌ.
His pleasure is the same for all time to come.
وَاعْلَمُوا أَنَّهُ لَنْ يَرْضَى عَنْكُمْ بِشَيء سَخِطَهُ عَلَى مَنْ كَانَ قَبْلَكُم،
You should know that He will not be pleased with you for anything for which He was displeased with those before you,
وَلَنْ يَسْخَطَ عَلَيْكُمْ بِشَىْء رَضِيَهُ مِمَّنْ كَانَ قَبْلَكُمْ،
and He will not be displeased with you for anything for which He was pleased with those before you.
وَإِنَّمَا تَسِيرُونَ فِي أَثَر بَيِّن،
You are treading on a clear path,
وَتَتَكَلَّمُونَ بِرَجْعِ قَول قَدْ قَالَهُ الرِّجَالُ مِنْ قَبْلِكُمْ،
and are speaking the same as the people before you had spoken.
قَدْ كَفَاكُمْ مَؤُونَةَ دُنْيَاكُمْ،
Allah is enough for your needs in this world.
وَحَثَّكُمْ عَلَى الشُّكْرِ،
He has persuaded you to remain thankful,
وَافْتَرَضَ مِنْ أَلْسِنَتِكُمُ الذِّكْرَ.
and has made it obligatory on you to mention Him with your tongues.
الوصية بالتقوى
Warning against punishment on the Day of Judgement
وَأَوْصَاكُمْ بِالتَّقْوَى،
He has advised you to exercise fear
وَجَعَلَهَا مُنْتَهَى رِضَاهُ،
and has made it the highest point of His pleasure
وَحَاجَتَهُ مِنْ خَلْقِهِ.
and all that He requires from His creatures.
فَاتَّقُوا اللهَ الَّذِي أَنْتُمْ بِعَيْنِهِ،
You should therefore fear Allah, who is such that you are as though just in front of Him,
وَنَوَاصِيكُمْ بِيَدِهِ،
and your forelocks are in His grip,
وَتَقَلُّبُكُمْ فِي قَبْضَتِهِ،
and your change of position is in His control.
إِن أَسْرَرْتُمْ عَلِمَهُ،
If you conceal a matter, He will know of it.
وَإِن أَعْلَنْتُمْ كَتَبَهُ،
If you disclose a matter, He will record it.
قَدْ وَكَّلَ بِذلِكَ حَفَظَةً كِرَاماً،
For this He has appointed honoured guards (angels)
لاَ يُسْقِطُونَ حَقّاً،
who do not omit any rightful matter
وَلاَ يُثْبِتُونَ بَاطِلاً.
nor include anything incorrect.
وَاعْلَمُوا أَنَّهُ
You should know that
(مَنْ يَتَّقِ اللهَ يَجْعَلْ لَهُ مَخْرَجاً) مِنَ الْفِتَنِ،
“..whoever fears Allah, He will make for him a way out” (65:3) of troubles and (grant him)
وَنُوراً مِنَ الظُّلَمِ،
a light (to help him) out of darkness.
وَيُخَلِّدْهُ فِيَما اشْتَهَتْ نَفْسُهُ،
He will ever keep him in whatever condition he wishes,
وَيُنْزِلْهُ مَنْزِلَ الْكَرَامَةِ عِنْدَهُ،
and will make him stay in a position of honour near Himself,
فِي دَار اصْطَنَعَهَا لِنَفْسِهِ،
in the house which He has made for Himself.
ظِلُّهَا عَرْشُهُ،
The shade of this house is His throne,
وَنُورُهَا بَهْجَتَهُ،
its light is His effulgence,
وَزُوَّارُهَا مَلاَئِكَتُهُ،
its visitors are His angels
وَرُفَقَاؤُهَا رُسُلُهُ.
and its companions are His prophets.
فَبَادِرُوا الْمَعَادَ،
Therefore, hasten towards the place of return
وَسَابِقُوا الاْجَالَ،
and go ahead of (your) deaths (by collecting provision for the next world).
فَإِنَّ النَّاسَ يُوشِكُ أَنْ يَنْقَطِعَ بِهِمُ الاْمَلُ،
Shortly, the expectations of the people will be cut short
وَيَرْهَقَهُمُ الاْجَلُ،
and death will overtake them
وَيُسَدَّ عَنْهُمْ بَابُ التَّوْبَةِ،
while the door of repentance will be closed for them.
فَقَدْ أَصْبَحْتُمْ فِي مِثْلِ مَا سَأَلَ إِلَيْهِ الرَّجْعَةَ مَنْ كَانَ قَبْلَكُمْ،
You are still in a place to which those who were before you have been wishing to return.
وَأَنْتُمْ بَنُو سَبِيل،
you are just a traveller in motion.
عَلَى سَفَر مِنْ دَار لَيْسَتْ بِدَراِكُمْ،
In this world, which is not your house,
وَقَد أُوذِنْتُمْ مِنهَا بِالارْتِحَالِ،
You have been given the call to leave from here,
وَأُمِرْتُمْ فِيهَا بِالزَّادِ.
and you have been ordered to collect provision while you are here.
وَاعْلَمُوا أَنَّهُ لَيْسَ لِهذَا الْجِلْدِ الرَّقِيقِ صَبْرٌ عَلَى النَّارِ،
You should know that this thin skin cannot tolerate the Fire (of Hell).
فَارْحَمُوا نُفُوسَكُمْ،
So, have pity on yourselves
فَإِنّكُمْ قَدْ جَرَّبْتُمُوهَا فِي مَصَائِبِ الدُّنْيَا.
because you have already tried it in the tribulations of the world.
أَفَرَأَيْتُمْ جَزَعَ أَحَدِكُمْ مِنَ الشَّوْكَةِ تُصِيبُهُ،
Have you ever seen the crying of a person who has been pricked with a thorn
وَالْعَثْرَةِ تُدْمِيهِ،
or who bleeds due to stumbling
وَالرَّمْضَاءِ تُحْرِقُهُ؟
or whom hot sand has burnt?
فَكَيْفَ إِذَا كَانَ بَيْنَ طَابَقَيْنِ مِنْ نَار،
How would he feel when he is between two frying pans of Hell
ضَجِيعَ حَجَر،
with stones all round
وَقَرِينَ شَيْطَان؟!
with Satan as his companion?
أَعَلِمْتُمْ أَنَّ مَالِكاً إِذَا غَضِبَ عَلَى النَّارِ
Do you know that when Malik (the guard-in-charge of Hell) is angry with the fire,
حَطَمَ بَعْضُهَا بَعْضَاً لِغَضَبِهِ،
its parts begin to clash with each other (in rage),
وَإِذَا زَجَرَهَا
and, when he scolds it,
تَوَثَّبَتْ بَيْنَ أَبوَابِهَا جَزَعاً مِنْ زَجْرَتِهِ؟!
it leaps between the doors of Hell crying on account of his scolding.
أَيُّهَا الْيَفَنُ الْكَبِيرُ،
O you who are advanced in years,
الَّذِي قَدْ لَهَزَهُ الْقَتَيرُ،
whom old age has made hoary,
كَيْفَ أَنْتَ إِذَا الْتَحَمَتْ أَطْوَاقُ النَّارِ بِعِظَامِ الاْعْنَاقِ،
how will you feel when rings of fire will touch the bones of your neck,
وَنَشِبَتِ الجَوَامِعُ حَتَّى أَكَلَتْ لُحُومَ السَّوَاعِدِ؟
and handcuffs hold so hard that they eat away the flesh of the forearms? (Fear)
فَاللهَ اللهَ مَعْشَرَ الْعِبَادِ!
Allah! Allah! O crowd of men,
وَأَنْتُمْ سَالِمُونَ فِي الصِّحَّةِ قَبْلَ السُّقْمِ،
while you are in good health before sickness (grips you)
وَفِي الْفُسْحَةِ قَبْلَ الضِّيقِ،
and you are in ease before straitness (overtakes you).
فَاسْعَوْا فِي فَكَاكِ رِقَابِكُمْ مِنْ قَبْلِ أَنْ تُغْلَقَ رَهَائِنُهَا،
You should try for the release of your necks before their mortgage is foreclosed,
أَسْهِرُوا عُيُونَكُمْ،
keep your eyes awake at night,
وَأَضْمِرُوا بُطُونَكُمْ،
make your bellies lean, use your feet,
وَاسْتَعْمِلُوا أَقْدَامَكُمْ،
spend your money,
وَأَنْفِقُوا أَمْوَالَكُمْ،
take your bodies
وَخُذُوا مِنْ أَجْسَادِكُمْ تَجُودُوا بِهَا عَلَى أَنْفُسَكُمْ،
and spend them over yourselves,
وَلاَ تَبْخَلُوا بِهَا عَنْهَا،
and do not be niggardly about them,
فَقَدْ قَالَ اللهُ سُبْحَانَهُ:
because Allah the Glorified, has said:
(إِنْ تَنْصُرُوا اللهَ يَنْصُرْكُمْ وَيُثَبِّتْ أَقْدَامَكُمْ) ،
... if you help (in the way) of Allah, He will (also) help you, and will set firm your feet. (Qur'an, 47:7)
وَقَالَ تَعَالَى:
and He, the Sublime. has said:
(مَنْ ذَا الَّذِي يُقْرِضُ اللهَ قَرْضاً حَسَناً فَيُضَاعِفَهُ لَهُ وَلَهُ أَجْرٌ كَرِيمٌ)،
Who is he who would loan unto Allah a goodly loan so that He may double it for him, and for him shall be a noble recompense. (Qur'an, 57:11)
فَلَمْ يَسْتَنْصِرْكُمْ مِنْ ذُلٍّ،
He does not seek your support because of any weakness,
وَلَمْ يَسْتَقْرِضْكُمْ مِنْ قُلٍّ،
nor does He demand a loan from you because of shortage.
اسْتَنْصَرَكُمْ وَلَهُ (جُنُودُ السَّماوَاتِ وَالاْرْضِ)
He seeks your help, although He possesses all ..the armies of the skies and the earth (48:7)
وَ(هُوَ الْعَزِيزُ الْحُكِيمُ)،
and He is the All-mighty, the All-wise (14:4).
وَاسْتَقْرَضَكُمْ وَلَهُ (خَزَائِنُ السَّماوَاتِ وَالاْرْضِ)
He seeks a loan from you, although He owns ..the treasuries of the skies and the earth (63:7)
وَ(هُوَ الْغَنِيُّ الْحَمِيدُ)،
and ..He is the All-sufficient, the All-laudable (22:64).
وَإِنَّمَا أَرَادَ أَنْ (يَبْلُوَكُمْ أَيُّكُمْ أَحْسَنُ عَمَلاً).
(Rather) He intends to try you as to which of you is best in conduct (11:7).
فَبَادِرُوا بِأَعْمَالِكُمْ تَكُونُوا مَعَ جِيرَانِ اللهِ فِي دَارِهِ،
You should therefore be quick in performance of (good) acts so that you may be with His neighbours in His abode;
رَافَقَ بِهِمْ رُسُلَهُ،
He made His Prophet's companions of these neighbours
وَأَزَارَهُمْ مَلاَئِكَتَهُ،
and made the angels to visit them.
وَأَكرَمَ أَسْمَاعَهُم أَنْ تَسْمَعَ حَسِيسَ نَار أَبَداً،
He has honoured their ears so that the sound of Hell fire may never reach them,
وَصَانَ أَجْسَادَهَمْ أَنْ تَلْقَى لُغُوباً وَنَصَباً،
and He has afforded protection to their bodies from weariness and fatigue.
(ذلِكَ فُضْلُ اللهِ يُؤتِيهِ مَنْ يَشَاءُ وَاللهُ ذُوالْفَضْلِ الْعَظِيمِ)
. . . that is the grace of Allah, He bestoweth it upon whomsoever He willeth; and Allah is the Lord of Mighty Grace. (Qur'an, 57:21)
أَقُولُ مَا تَسْمَعُونَ،
I say what you are hearing.
وَاللهُ الْمُسْتَعَانُ عَلى نَفْسِي وَأَنْفُسِكُمْ،
I seek Allah's help for myself and yourselves.
وَهُوَ حَسْبُنَا (وَنِعْمَ الْوَكِيلُ)!
He is enough for us and He is ..an excellent trustee (3:173).
Alternative Sources for Sermon 183: Al-Zamakhshari, Rabi’, I, 53; Ibn al-'Athir, al-Nihayah, V, 299; al-Bahrani, Tafsir al-burhan, I, 9, from a source other than Nahj.
