الْحَمْدُ لله الَّذِي لاَ تُدْرِكُهُ الشَّوَاهِدُ،
Praise be to Allah. He is such that senses cannot perceive Him,
وَلاَ تَحْوِيهِ الْمَشَاهِدُ،
place cannot contain Him,
وَلاَ تَرَاهُ النَّوَاظِرُ،
eyes cannot see Him
وَلاَ تَحْجُبُهُ السَّوَاتِرُ،
and veils cannot cover Him.
الدَّالِّ عَلَى قِدَمِهِ بِحُدُوثِ خَلْقِهِ،
He proves His eternity by the coming into existence of His creation,
وَبِحُدُوثِ خَلْقِهِ عَلَى وجُودِهِ،
and (also) by originating His creation (He proves) His existence,
وَبِاشْتِبَاهِهِمْ عَلَى أَنْ لاَ شَبَهَ لَهُ،
and by their (mutual) similarity He proves that there is nothing similar to Him.
الَّذِي صَدَقَ فِي مِيعَادِهِ،
He is true in His promise.
وَارْتَفَعَ عَنْ ظُلْمِ عِبَادِه،
He is too high to be unjust to His creatures.
وَقَامَ بِالْقِسطِ فِي خَلْقِهِ،
He stands by equity among His creation
وَعَدَلَ عَلَيْهِمْ فِي حُكْمِهِ،
and practices justice over them in His commands.
مُسْتَشْهِدٌ بِحُدُوثِ الاْشْيَاءِ عَلَى أَزَلِيَّتِهِ،
He provides evidence through the creation of things of His being from ever,
وَبِمَا وَسَمَهَا بِهِ مِنَ الْعَجْزِ عَلَى قُدْرَتِهِ،
through their marks of incapability of His power,
وَبِمَا اضْطَرَّهَا إِلَيْهِ مِنَ الْفَنَاءِ عَلَى دَوَامِهِ،
and through their powerlessness against death of His eternity.
وَاحِدٌ لاَ بِعَدَد،
He is One, but not by counting.
وَدَائِمٌ لاَ بِأَمَد،
He is everlasting without any limit.
وَقَائِمٌ لاَ بَعَمَد،
He is existent without any support.
تَتَلَقَّاهُ الاْذْهَانُ لاَ بِمُشَاعَرَة،
Minds admit of Him without (any activity of the) senses.
وَتَشْهَدُ لَهُ الْمَرَائِي لاَ بِمُحَاضَرَة،
Things which can be seen stand witness to Him without confronting Him.
لَمْ تُحِطْ بِهِ الاَوْهَامُ،
Imagination cannot encompass Him.
بَلْ تَجَلَّى لَهَا بِهَا،
He manifests Himself to the imagination with his help for the imagination,
وَبِهَا امْتَنَعَ مِنهَا،
and refuses to be imagined by the imagination.
وَإِلَيْهَا حَاكَمَهَا،
He has made imagination the arbiter (in this matter).
لَيْسَ بِذِي كِبَر امْتَدَّتْ بِهِ النِّهَايَاتُ فَكَبَّرَتْهُ تَجْسِيماً،
He is not great in the sense that volume is vast and so His body is also great.
وَلاَ بِذِي عِظَم تَنَاهَتْ بِهِ الْغَايَاتُ فَعَظَّمَتْهُ تَجْسِيداً بَلْ كَبُرَ شَأْناً،
Nor is He mighty in the sense that His limits should extend to the utmost and so His frame be extensive.
وَعَظُمَ سُلْطَاناً.
But He is great in position and mighty in authority.
الرسول الاعظم
About the Holy Prophet
وَأَشْهَدُ أَنَّ مُحَمَّداً عَبْدُهُ الصَّفِيُّ،
I stand witness that Muhammad is His slave, His chosen Prophet
وَأَمِينُهُ الرَّضِيُّ (صلى الله عليه وآله وسلم)
and His responsible trustee -- may Allah bless him and his descendants.
أَرْسَلَهُ بِوُجُوبِ الْحُجَجِ،
Allah sent him with undeniable proofs,
وَظُهُورِ الْفَلَجِ،
a clear success
وَإِيضَاحِ الْمَنْهَجِ،
and open paths.
فَبَلَّغُ الرِّسَالَةَ صَادِعاً بِهَا،
So he conveyed the message declaring the truth with it.
وَحَمَلَ عَلَى الْـمَحَجَّةِ دالاًّ عَلَيْهَا،
He led the people on the (correct) highway,
وَأَقَامَ أَعْلاَمَ الاْهْتِدَاءِ
established signs of guidance
وَمَنَارَ الضِّيَاءِ،
and minarets of light,
وَجَعَلَ أَمْرَاسَ الاْسْلاَمِ مَتِينَةً،
and made Islam's ropes strong
وَعُرَا الاْيمَانِ وَثِيقَةً.
and its knots firm.
منها: في صفة عجيب خلق أصناف من الحيوان
A part of the same sermon about the creation of animal species
وَلَوْ فَكَّروا فِي عَظِيمِ الْقُدْرَةِ،
Had they pondered over the greatness of His power
وَجَسِيمِ النِّعْمَةِ،
and the vastness of His bounty
لَرَجَعُوا إِلَى الطَّرِيقِ،
they would have returned to the right path
وَخَافُوا عَذَابَ الْحَرِيقِ،
and feared the punishment of the Fire;
وَلكِنَّ الْقُلُوبَ عَلِيلَةٌ،
but hearts are sick
وَالاَبْصَارَ مَدْخُولَةٌ!
and eyes are diseased.
ألاَ تَنْظُرُونَ إِلَى صَغِيرِ مَا خَلَقَ اللهُ،
Do they not see the small things He has created,
كَيْفَ أَحْكَمَ خَلْقَهُ، وَأَتْقَنَ تَرْكِيبَهُ،
how He strengthened their system
وَفَلَقَ لَهُ السَّمْعَ وَالْبَصَرَ،
and opened for them hearing and sight
وَسَوَّى لَهُ الْعَظْمَ وَالْبَشَرَ!.
and made for them bones and skins?
انْظُرُوا إِلَى الَّنمْلَةِ فِي صِغَرِ جُثَّتِهَا،
Look at the ant with its small body
وَلَطَافَةِ هَيْئَتِهَا،
and delicate form.
لاَ تَكَادُ تُنَالُ بِلَحْظِ الْبَصَرِ،
It can hardly be seen in the corner of the eye,
وَلاَ بِمُسْتَدْرَكِ الْفِكَرِ،
nor by the perception of the imagination –
كَيْفَ دَبَّتْ عَلَى أَرْضِهَا،
how it moves on the earth
وَصَبَتْ عَلَى رِزْقِهَا،
and leaps at its livelihood.
تَنْقُلُ الْحَبَّةَ إِلَى جُحْرِهَا،
It carries the grain to its hole
وَتُعِدُّهَا فِي مُسْتَقَرِّهَا.
and deposits it in its place of stay.
تَجْمَعُ فِي حَرِّهَا لِبَرْدِهَا،
It collects during the summer for its winter,
وَفِي وُرُودِهَا لِصَدَرِهَا،
and during strength for the period of its weakness.
مَكْفُولٌ بِرِزْقِهَا،
Its livelihood is guaranteed,
مَرْزُوقَةٌ بِوِفْقِهَا،
and it is fed according to fitness.
لاَ يُغْفِلُهَا الْمَنَّانُ،
Allah, the Kind, does not forget it
وَلاَ يَحْرِمُهَا الدَّيَّانُ،
and (Allah the Giver) does not deprive it,
وَلَوْ فِي الصَّفَا الْيَابِسِ،
even though it may be in dry stone
وَالْحَجَرِ الْجَامِسِ!
or fixed rocks.
وَلَوْ فَكَّرْتَ فِي مَجَارِي أُكْلِهَا،
If you have thought about its digestive tracts
وَفِي عُلْوهَا وَسُفْلِهَا،
in its high and low parts,
وَمَا فِي الجَوْفِ مِنْ شَرَاسِيفِ بَطْنِهَا،
the carapace of its belly,
وَمَا فِي الرَّأسِ مِنْ عَيْنِهَا وَأُذُنِهَا،
and its eyes and its ears in its head
لَقَضَيْتَ مِنْ خَلْقِهَا عَجَباً،
you would be amazed at its creation
وَلَقِيتَ مِنْ وَصْفِهَا تَعَباً!
and you would feel difficulty in describing it.
فَتَعَالَى الَّذِي أَقَامَهَا عَلَى قَوَائِمِهَا،
Exalted is He who made it stand on its legs
وَبَنَاهَا عَلَى دَعَائِمِهَا!
and erected it on its pillars (of limbs).
لَمْ يَشْرَكْهُ فِي فِطْرَتِهَا فَاطِرٌ،
No other originator took part with Him in its origination
وَلَمْ يُعِنْهُ عَلَى خَلْقِهَا قَادِرٌ.
and no one having power assisted Him in its creation.
وَلَوْ ضَرَبْتَ فِي مَذَاهِبِ فِكْرِكَ لِتَبْلُغَ غَايَاتِهِ،
If you tread on the paths of your imagination and reach its extremity
مَا دَلَّتْكَ الدَّلاَلَةُ إِلاَّ عَلَى أَنَّ فَاطِرَ الَّنمْلَةِ هُوَ فَاطِرُ النَّخْلَةِ،
it will not lead you anywhere except that the Originator of the ant is the same as He who is the Originator of the date-palm,
لِدَقِيقِ تَفْصِيلِ كُلِّ شَيْء،
because everything has (the same) delicacy and detail,
وَغَامِضِ اخْتِلاَفِ كُلِّ حَيّ،
and every living being has little difference.
وَمَا الْجَلِيلُ وَاللَّطِيفُ،
In His creation, the big, the delicate,
وَالثَّقِيلُ والخَفِيفُ،
the heavy, the light,
وَالْقَوِيُّ وَالضَّعِيفُ،
the strong, the weak
فِي خَلْقِهِ إِلاَّ سَوَاءٌ.
are all equal. (1)
خلقة السماء والكون
The Creation of the Universe
وَكَذلِكَ السَّماءُ وَالْهَوَاءُ،
So is (the creation of) the sky, the air,
وَالرِّيَاحُ وَالْمَاءُ.
the winds and the water.
فَانْظُرْ إِلَى الشَّمْسِ وَالْقَمَرِ،
Therefore, you look at the sun and moon,
وَالنَّبَاتِ وَالشَّجَرِ،
the plants and trees,
وَالْمَاءِ وَالْحَجَرِ،
water and stone,
وَاخْتِلاَفِ هذَا اللَّيْلِ وَالنَّهَارِ،
the alternation of this night and day,
وَتَفَجُّرِ هذِهِ الْبِحَارِ،
the flowing out of these seas,
وَكَثْرَةِ هذِهِ الْجِبَالِ،
the large number of mountains
وَطُولِ هذِهِ الْقِلاَلِ،
and the height of their peaks,
وَتَفَرُّقِ هذِهِ اللُّغَاتِ،
the diversity of languages
وَالاْلْسُنِ الْـمُخْتَلِفَاتِ.
and the variety of tongues.
فَالوَيْلُ لِمَنْ جَحَدَ الْمُقَدِّرَ،
Then woe be to him who disbelieves in the Ordainer
وَأَنْكَرَ الْمُدَبِّرَ!
and denies the Ruler.
زَعَمُوا أَنَّهُمْ كَالنَّبَاتِ مَا لَهُمْ زَارعٌ،
They claim that they are like grass for which there is no cultivator
وَلاَ لاِخْتِلاَفِ صُوَرِهِمْ صَانِعٌ،
nor any maker for their diverse shapes.
وَلَمْ يَلْجَأُوا إِلَى حُجَّة فِيَما ادَّعَوا،
They have not relied on any argument for what they assert,
وَلاَ تَحْقِيق لِمَا أَوْعَوْا،
nor on any research for what they have heard.
وَهَلْ يَكُونُ بِنَاءٌ مِنْ غَيْرِ بَان،
Can there be any construction without a Constructor,
أَوْ جِنَايَةٌ مِن غَيْرِ جَان؟!
or any offence without an offender.
خلقة الجرادة
The wonderful creation of the locust
وَإِنْ شِئْتَ قُلْتَ فِي الْجَرَادَةِ،
If you wish you can reflect on the locust (as well).
إِذْ خَلَقَ لَهَا عَيْنَيْنِ حَمْرَ اوَيْنِ،
Allah gave it two red eyes,
وَأَسْرَجَ لَهَا حَدَقَتَيْنِ قَمْرَاوَيْنِ،
lighted for them two moon-like pupils,
وَجَعَلَ لَهَا السَّمْعَ الْخَفِيَّ،
made for it small ears,
وَفَتَحَ لَهَا الْفَمَ السَّوِيَّ،
opened for it a suitable mouth
وَجَعَلَ لَهَا الْحِسَّ الْقَوِيَّ،
and gave it keen sense,
وَنَابَيْنِ بِهِمَا تَقْرِضُ،
gave it two teeth to cut with
وَمِنْجَلَيْنِ بِهِمَا تَقْبِضُ،
and two sickle-like feet to grip with.
يَرْهَبُهَا الزُّرَّاعُ فِي زَرْعِهمْ،
The farmers are afraid of it in the matter of their crops
وَلاَ يَسْتَطِيعُونَ ذَبَّهَا،
since they cannot drive it away
وَلَوْ أَجْلَبُوا بِجَمْعِهِم،
even though they may join together.
حَتَّى تَرِدَ الْحَرْثَ فِي نَزَوَاتِهَا،
The locust attacks the fields
وَتَقْضِي مِنْهُ شَهَوَاتِهَا،
and satisfies its desires (of hunger)
وَخَلْقُهَا كُلُّهُ لاَ يُكَوِّنُ إِصْبَعاً مُسْتَدِقَّةً.
from them although its body is not equal to a thin finger.
فَتَبَارَكَ اللهُ الَّذِي يَسْجُدُ لَهُ (مَنْ فِي السَّماوَاتِ وَالاْرْضِ طَوْعاً وَكَرْهاً)،
Glorified is Allah before Whom bows in prostration “..whoever there is in the heavens and the earth, willingly or unwillingly.” (13:15),
وَيُعَفِّرُ لَهُ خَدّاً وَوَجْهاً،
and submits to Him by placing his cheeks and face (in the dust),
وَيُلْقِي بِالْطَّاعَةِ إلَيْهِ سِلْماً وَضَعْفاً،
casts himself down before Him (in obedience) in health and weakness,
وَيُعْطِي الْقِيَادَ رَهْبَةً وَخَوْفاً!
and hands over to Him full control in fear and apprehension.
فَالطَّيْرُ مُسَخَّرَةٌ لاِمْرِهِ،
The birds are bound by His commands.
أَحْصَى عَدَدَ الرِّيشِ مِنْهَا وَالنَّفَسَ،
He knows the number of their feathers and their breaths.
وَأَرْسَى قَوَائِمَهَا عَلَى النَّدَى وَالْيَبَسِ،
He has made their feet to stand on water and on land.
قَدَّرَ أَقْوَاتَهَا،
He has ordained their livelihoods.
وَأَحْصَى أَجْنَاسَهَا،
He knows their species:
فَهذَا غُرابٌ
this is the crow,
وَهذَا عُقَابٌ،
this is the eagle,
وَهذَا حَمَامٌ
this is the pigeon
وَهذَا نَعَامٌ،
and this is the ostrich.
دَعَا كُلَّ طَائِر بَاسْمِهِ،
He called out every bird with its name (while creating it)
وَكَفَلَ لَهُ بِرِزْقِهِ.
and provided it with its livelihood.
وَأَنْشَأَ )السَّحَابَ الثِّقَالَ(،
He created “..heavy clouds” (13:12)
فَأَهْطَلَ دِيَمَهَا،
and produced from them heavy rain
وَعَدَّدَ قِسَمَهَا،
and spread it on various lands.
فَبَلَّ الاْرْضَ بَعْدَ جُفُوفِهَا،
He drenched the earth after its dryness
وَأَخْرَجَ نَبْتَهَا بَعْدَ جُدُوبِهَا.
and grew vegetation from it after its barrenness.
Alternative Sources for Sermon 185: Abu Talib Yahya ibn al-Husayn ibn Harun al-Husayni, al-'Amali, 192; al-Zamakhshari, Rabi’, bab dawabb al-barr wa al-bahr; al-Tabarsi, al-'Ihtijaj, I, 305.
1. The meaning is that if the smallest thing in creation is examined it will be found to contain all that which is found in the biggest creatures, and each will exhibit the same reflection of natures, workmanship and performance, and the ratio of each to Allah's might and power will be the same, whether it be as small as an ant or as big as a date palm. Is it not that making a small thing is easy for Him while the making of a big thing is difficult for Him, because the diversity of colour, volume and quantity is just based on the dictates of His sagacity and expediency, but as regards creation itself there is no difference among them. Therefore, this uniformity of creation is a proof of the oneness and unity of the Creator.
