يا همّامُ، اتقِ اللهَ وأحْسِنْ
"O Hammam, fear Allah and perform good acts
فَـ (إنَّ اللهَ مَعَ الَّذِينَ اتَّقَوْا والَّذِينَ هُمْ مُحْسِنُونَ)
because 'Verily, Allah is with those who guard (themselves against evil), and those who do good (to others)'" (Qur'an, 16:128).
فلم يقنع همّامٌ بِذَلِكَ القول حتّى عزم عليه
Hammam was not satisfied with this and pushed him to speak.
قال: فحمد الله وأثنى عليه،
Thereupon, Amir al-mu'minin praised Allah and extolled Him
وصلّى على النبي (صلى الله عليه وآله)، ثم قال (عليه السلام):
and sought His blessings on the Holy Prophet and then spoke:
أَمَّا بَعْدُ، فَإِنَّ اللهَ ـ سُبْحَانَهُ وَتَعَالَى ـ خَلَقَ الْخَلْقَ
Now then, Allah the Glorified, the Sublime, created (the things of) creation.
حِينَ خَلَقَهُمْ غَنِيّاً عَنْ طَاعَتِهِمْ آمِناً مِنْ مَعْصِيَتِهِمْ،
He created them without any need for their obedience or being safe from their sinning,
لاِنَّةُ لاَ تَضُرُّهُ مَعْصِيَةُ مَنْ عَصَاهُ،
because the sin of anyone who sins does not harm Him
وَلاَ تَنْفَعُهُ طَاعَةُ مَنْ أَطَاعَهُ،
nor does the obedience of anyone who obeys Him benefit Him.
فَقَسَمَ بَيْنَهُمْ مَعَايِشَهُمْ،
He has distributed among them their livelihood,
وَوَضَعَهُمْ مِنَ الدُّنْيَا مَوَاضِعَهُمْ.
and has assigned them their positions in the world.
فَالْمُتَّقُونَ فِيهَا هُمْ أَهْلُ الْفَضَائِلِ:
Thus, the God-fearing, in it are the people of distinction.
مَنْطِقُهُمُ الصَّوَابُ،
Their speech is to the point,
وَمَلْبَسُهُمُ الاْقْتِصَادُ،
their dress is moderate
وَمَشْيُهُمُ التَّوَاضُعُ.
and their gait is humble.
غَضُّوا أَبْصَارَهُمْ عَمَّا حَرَّمَ اللهُ عَلَيْهِمْ،
They keep their eyes closed to what Allah has made unlawful for them,
وَوَقَفُوا أَسْمَاعَهُمْ عَلَى الْعِلْمِ النَّافِعِ لَهُمْ.
and they put their ears to that knowledge which is beneficial to them.
نَزَلَتْ أَنْفُسُهُمْ مِنْهُمْ فِي الْبَلاَءِ كَالَّتِي نَزَلَتْ فِي الرَّخَاءِ.
They remain in the time of trials as though they remain in comfort.
لَوْ لاَ الاْجَلُ الَّذِي كَتَبَ اللهُ عَلَيْهِمُ لَمْ تَسْتَقِرَّ
If there had not been fixed periods (of life) ordained for each,
أَرْوَاحُهُمْ فِي أَجْسَادِهِمْ طَرْفَةَ عَيْن،
their spirits would not have remained in their bodies even for the twinkling of an eye
شَوْقاً إِلَى الثَّوَابِ،
because of (their) eagerness for the reward
وَخَوْفاً مِنَ الْعِقَابِ.
and fear of chastisement.
عَظُمَ الْخَالِقُ فِي أنْفُسِهِمْ
The greatness of the Creator is seated in their heart, and,
فَصَغُرَ مَا دُونَهُ فِي أَعْيُنِهِمْ،
so, everything else appears small in their eyes.
فَهُمْ وَالْجَنَّةُ كَمَنْ قَدْ رَآهَا،
Thus to them Paradise is as though they see it
فَهُمْ فِيهَا مُنَعَّمُونَ،
and are enjoying its favours.
وَهُمْ وَالنَّارُ كَمَنْ قَدْ رَآهَا،
To them, Hell is also as if they see it
فَهُمْ فِيهَا مُعَذَّبُونَ.
and are suffering punishment in it.
قُلُوبُهُمْ مَحْزُونَةٌ،
Their hearts are grieved,
وَشُرُورُهُمْ مَأْمُونَةٌ،
others are protected from their evils,
وَأَجْسَادُهُمْ نَحِيفَةٌ،
their bodies are thin,
وَحَاجَاتُهُمْ خَفِيفَةٌ،
their needs are scanty,
وَأَنْفُسُهُمْ عَفِيفَةٌ.
and their souls are chaste.
صَبَرُوا أَيَّاماً قَصِيرَةً
They endured (hardship) for a short while,
أَعْقَبَتْهُمْ رَاحَةً طَوِيلَةً،
and in consequence they secured comfort for a long time.
تِجَارَةٌ مَرْبِحَةٌ،
It is a beneficial transaction
يَسَّرَهَا لَهُمْ رَبُّهُم.
that Allah made easy for them.
أَرَادَتْهُمُ الْدُّنْيَا وَلَمْ يُرِيدُوهَا،
The world aimed at them, but they did not aim at it.
وَأَسَرَتْهُمْ فَفَدَوْا أُنْفُسَهُمْ مِنْهَا.
It captured them, but they freed themselves from it by a ransom.
أَمَّا اللَّيْلَ فَصَافُّونَ أَقْدَامَهُمْ،
During a night they are upstanding on their feet
تَالِينَ لاَجْزَاءِ الْقُرْآنِ
reading portions of the Qur'an
يُرَتِّلُونَهَا تَرْتِيلاً،
and reciting it in a well-measured way,
يُحَزِّنُونَ بِهِ أَنْفُسَهُمْ،
creating through it grief for themselves
وَيَسْتَثِيرُونَ بِهِ دَوَاءَ دَائِهِمْ،
and seeking by it the cure for their ailments.
فَإِذَا مَرُّوا بِآيَة فِيهَا تَشْوِيقٌ
If they come across a verse creating eagerness (for Paradise)
رَكَنُوا إِلَيْهَا طَمَعاً،
they pursue it avidly,
وَتَطَلَّعَتْ نُفُوسُهُمْ إِلَيْهَا شَوْقاً،
and their spirits turn towards it eagerly,
وَظَنُّوا أنَّهَا نُصْبَ أَعْيُنِهِمْ،
and they feel as if it is in front of them.
وَإِذَا مَرُّوا بِآيَة فِيهَا تَخْوِيفٌ أَصْغَوْا إِلَيْهَا مَسَامِعَ قُلُوبِهِمْ،
And when they come across a verse which contains fear (of Hell) they bend the ears of their hearts towards it,
وَظَنُّوا أَنَّ زَفِيرَ جَهَنَّمَ وَشَهِيقَهَا فِي أُصُولِ آذَانِهِمْ،
and feel as though the sound of Hell and its cries are reaching their ears.
فَهُمْ حَانُونَ عَلَى أَوْسَاطِهِمْ،
They bend themselves from their backs,
مُفْتَرِشُونَ لِجَبَاهِهِمْ وَأَكُفِّهِمْ،
prostrate themselves on their foreheads, their palms,
وَأَطْرَافِ أَقْدَامِهِمْ،
their knees and their toes,
يَطْلُبُونَ إِلَى اللهِ فِي فَكَاكِ رِقَابِهِمْ.
and beseech Allah, the Sublime, for their deliverance.
وَأَمَّا النَّهَارَ فَحُلَمَاءُ عُلَمَاءُ، أَبْرَارٌ أَتْقِيَاءُ،
During the day they are enduring, learned, virtuous and God-fearing.
قَدْ بَرَاهُمْ الْخَوْفُ بَرْيَ الْقِدَاحِ،
Fear (of Allah) has made them thin like arrows.
يَنْظُرُ إِلَيْهمُ الْنَّاظِرُ فَيَحْسَبُهُمْ مَرْضَى،
If any one looks at them he believes they are sick,
وَمَا بِالْقَوْمِ مِنْ مَرَض،
although they are not sick,
وَيَقُولُ: قَدْ خُولِطُوا!
and he says that they have gone mad.
وَلَقَدْ خَالَطَهُمْ أَمْرٌ عَظِيمٌ!
In fact, great concern (i.e., fear) has made them mad.
لاَ يَرْضَوْنَ مِنْ أَعْمَالِهِمُ الْقَلِيلَ،
They are not satisfied with their meagre good acts,
وَلاَ يَسْتَكْثِرُونَ الْكَثِيرَ،
and do not regard their major acts as great.
فَهُمْ لاِنْفُسِهِمْ مُتَّهِمُونَ،
They always blame themselves
وَمِنْ أَعْمَالِهِمْ مُشْفِقُونَ.
and are afraid of their deeds.
إِذَا زُكِّيَ أَحَدٌ مِنْهْمْ خَافَ مِمَّا يُقَالُ لَهُ،
When anyone of them is spoken of highly,
فَيَقُولُ: أَنَا أَعْلَمُ بِنَفْسِي مِنْ غَيْرِي،
he says: "I know myself better than others,
وَرَبِّي أَعْلَمُ مِنِّي بِنَفْسي!
and my Lord knows me better than I know.
اللَّهُمَّ لاَ تُؤَاخِذْنِي بِمَا يَقُولُونَ،
O Allah, do not deal with me according to what they say,
وَاجْعَلْنِي أَفْضَلَ مِمَّا يَظُنُّونَ،
and make me better than they think of me
وَاغْفِرْ لِي مَا لاَ يَعْلَمُونَ.
and forgive me (those shortcomings) which they do not know."
فَمِنْ عَلاَمَةِ أَحَدِهِمْ أَنَّكَ تَرَى لَهُ قُوَّةً فِي دِين،
Among the signs of anyone of them is that you will see that he has strength in religion,
وَحَزْماً فِي لِين،
determination along with leniency,
وَإِيمَاناً فِي يَقِين،
faith with conviction,
وَحِرْصاً فِي عِلْم،
eagerness for knowledge,
وَعِلْماً فِي حِلْم،
and knowledge with forbearance,
وَقَصْداً فِي غِنىً،
moderation in riches,
وَخُشُوعاً فِي عِبَادَة،
devotion in worship,
وَتَجَمُّلاً فِي فَاقَة،
gracefulness in starvation,
وَصَبْراً فِي شِدَّة،
endurance in hardship,
وَطَلَباً فِي حَلاَل،
desire for the lawful,
وَنَشاطاً فِي هُدىً،
pleasure in guidance
وَتَحَرُّجاً عَنْ طَمَع.
and hatred from greed.
يَعْمَلُ الاْعْمَالَ الصَّالِحَةَ
He performs virtuous deeds
وَهُوَ عَلَى وَجَل،
but still feels afraid.
يُمْسِي وَهَمُّهُ الشُّكْرُ،
In the evening he is anxious to offer thanks (to Allah).
وَيُصْبِحُ وَهَمُّهُ الذِّكْرُ،
In the morning his anxiety is to remember (Allah).
يَبِيتُ حَذِراً،
He passes the night in fear
وَيُصْبِحُ فَرِحاً،
and rises in the morning in joy –
حَذِراً لَمَّا حُذِّرَ مِنَ الْغَفْلَةِ،
fear lest night is passed in forgetfulness,
وَفَرِحاً بِمَا أَصَابَ مِنَ الْفَضْلِ وَالرَّحْمَةِ.
and joy over the favour and mercy received by him.
إِنِ اسْتَصْعَبَتْ عَلَيْهِ نَفْسُهُ فِيَما تَكْرَهُ لَمْ يُعْطِهَا سُؤْلَهَا فِيَما تُحِبُّ.
If his self refuses to endure a thing which it does not like he does not grant its request towards what it likes.
قُرَّةُ عَيْنِهِ فِيَما لاَ يَزُولُ،
The coolness of his eye lies in what is to last for ever,
وَزَهَادَتُهُ فِيَما لاَ يَبْقَى،
while from the things (of this world) that will not last he keeps aloof.
يَمْزُجُ الْحِلْمَ بِالْعِلْمَ،
He transfuses knowledge with forbearance,
وَالْقَوْلَ بِالْعَمَلِ.
and speech with action.
تَرَاهُ قَرِيباً أَمَلُهُ،
You will see his hopes simple,
قَلِيلاً زَللُ هُ
his shortcomings few,
خَاشِعاً قَلْبُهُ،
his heart fearing,
قَانِعَةً نَفْسُهُ،
his spirit contented,
مَنْزُوراً أَكْلُهُ،
his meal small
سَهْلاً أَمْرُهُ،
and simple,
حَرِيزاً دِينُهُ،
his religion safe,
مَيِّتَةً شَهْوَتُهُ،
his desires dead
مَكْظُوماً غُيْظُهُ.
and his anger suppressed.
الْخَيْرُ مِنْهُ مَأْمُولٌ،
Good alone is expected from him.
وَالشَّرُّ مِنْهُ مَأْمُونٌ.
Evil from him is not to be feared.
إِنْ كَانَ فِي الْغَافِلِينَ كُتِبَ فِي الذَّاكِرِينَ،
Even if he is found among those who forget (Allah) he is counted among those who remember (Him),
وَإِنْ كَانَ فِي الذَّاكِرِينَ لَمْ يُكْتَبْ مِنَ الْغَافِلِينَ.
but if he is among the rememberers he is not counted among the forgetful.
يَعْفُو عَمَّنْ ظَلَمَهُ،
He forgives him who is unjust to him,
وَيُعْطِي مَنْ حَرَمَهُ،
and he gives to him who deprives him.
وَيَصِلُ مَنْ قَطَعَهُ.
He behaves well with him who behaves ill with him.
بَعِيداً فُحشُهُ،
Indecent speech is far from him,
لَيِّناً قَوْلُهُ،
his utterance is lenient,
غَائِباً مُنْكَرُهُ،
his evils are non-existent
حَاضِراً مَعْرُوفُهُ،
his virtues are ever present,
مُقْبِلاً خَيْرُهُ،
his good is ahead
مُدْبِراً شَرُّهُ.
and mischief has turned its face (from him).
فِي الزَّلاَزِلِ وَقُورٌ،
He is dignified during calamities,
وَفِي الْمَكَارِهِ صَبُورٌ،
patient in distresses,
وَفِي الرَّخَاءِ شَكُورٌ.
and thankful during ease.
لاَ يَحِيفُ عَلَى مَنْ يُبْغِضُ،
He does not commit excess over him whom he hates,
وَلاَ يَأْثَمُ فِيمَنْ يُحِبُّ.
and does not commit sin for the sake of him whom he loves.
يَعْتَرِفُ بِالْحَقِّ قَبْلَ أَنْ يُشْهَدَ عَلَيْهِ.
He admits truth before evidence is brought against him.
لاَ يُضَيِّعُ مَا اسْتُحْفِظَ،
He does not misappropriate what is placed in his custody,
وَلاَ يَنْسَى مَا ذُكِّرَ،
and does not forget what he is required to remember.
وَلاَ يُنَابِزُ بِالاْلْقَابِ،
He does not call others bad names,
وَلاَ يُضَارُّ بالْجارِ،
he does not cause harm to his neighbour,
وَلاَ يَشْمَتُ بالْمَصَائِبِ،
he does not feel happy at others misfortunes,
وَلاَ يَدْخُلُ فِي الْبَاطِلِ،
he does not enter into wrong
ولاَ يَخْرُجُ مِنَ الْحَقِّ.
and does not go out of right.
إِنْ صَمَتَ لَمْ يَغُمَّهُ صَمْتُهُ،
If he is silent his silence does not grieve him,
وَإِنْ ضَحِكَ لَمْ يَعْلُ صَوْتُهُ،
if he laughs he does not raise his voice,
وَإِنْ بُغِيَ عَلَيْهِ صَبَرَ حَتّى يَكُونَ اللهُ هُوَ الَّذِي يَنْتَقِمُ لَهُ.
and if he is wronged he endures till Allah takes revenge on his behalf.
نَفْسُهُ مِنْهُ فِي عَنَاء،
His own self is in distress because of him,
وَالنَّاسُ مِنْهُ فِي رَاحَة.
while the people are in ease from him.
أَتْعَبَ نفسه لاِخِرَتِهِ،
He puts himself in hardship for the sake of his next life,
وَأَرَاحَ النَّاسَ مِنْ نَفْسِهِ.
and makes people feel safe from himself.
بُعْدُهُ عَمَّنْ تَبَاعَدَ عَنْهُ زُهْدٌ وَنَزاهَةٌ،
His keeping away from those who distance themselves from him is by way of asceticism and purification,
وَدُنُوُّهُ مِمَّنْ دَنَا مِنَهُ لِينٌ وَرَحْمَةٌ،
and his nearness to those who draw near to him is by way of leniency and mercifulness.
لَيْسَ تَبَاعُدُهُ بِكِبْر وَعَظَمَة،
His keeping away is not by way of vanity or feeling of greatness,
وَلاَ دُنُوُّهُ بِمَكْر وَخَدِيعَة.
nor his nearness by way of deceit and cheating.
قال: فصعق همّام رحمه الله صعقةً كانت نفسُه فيها.
It is related that Hammam passed into a deep swoon and then expired.
فقال أميرالمؤمنين (عليه السلام):
Then Amir al-mu'minin said:
أَمَا وَاللهِ لَقَدْ كُنْتُ أَخَافُهَا عَلَيْهِ.
Verily, by Allah I had this fear about him.
ثُمَّ قَالَ:
Then he added:
هكَذَا تَصْنَعُ الْمَوَاعِظُ البَالِغَةُ بِأَهْلِهَا!
Effective advice produces such effects on receptive minds.
فقال له قائل:
Someone (2) said to him:
فما بالك يا أميرالمؤمنين ؟
O Amir al-mu'minin, how is it you do not receive such an effect?
فقال(عليه السلام):
Amir al-mu'minin replied:
وَيْحَكَ، إِنَّ لِكُلِّ أَجَل وَقْتاً لاَ يَعْدُوهُ،
Woe to you! For death there is a fixed hour which cannot be exceeded,
وَسَبَباً لاَ يَتَجَاوَزُهُ،
and a cause which does not change.
فَمَهْلاً،
Now look,
لاَ تعُدْ لِمِثْلِهَا،
never repeat such talk
فَإِنَّمَا نَفَثَ الشَّيْطَانُ عَلَى لِسَانِكَ!
which Satan had put on your tongue.
Alternative Sources for Sermon 193: Kitab Sulaym ibn Qays, 211; al-Saduq, al-'Amali, 340; Ibn Qutaybah, ‘Uyun, II, 352; al-Harrani, Tuhaf, 159; Sibt ibn al-Jawzi, Tadhkirah, 148; Ibn Talhah, Matalib, I, 151; al-Karajiki, Kanz, 31; al-Mas’udi, Muruj, II, 420. ‘Abd al-Zahra' mentions 8 commentaries on this famous khutbah al-Qasi’ah.
1. According to Ibn Abi'l-Hadid this is Hammam ibn Shurayh but al-`Allamah al-Majlisi says that apparently this is Hammam ibn `Ubadah.
2. This man was `Abdullah ibn al-Kawwa' who was in the fore-front of the Kharijite movement and was a great opponent of Amir al-mu'minin.
