نَحْمَدُهُ عَلَى مَا وَفَّقَ لَهُ مِنَ الطَّاعَةِ،
We praise Allah for the succour He has given us in carrying out His obedience
وَذَادَ عَنْهُ مِنَ الْمَعْصِيةِ،
and in preventing us from disobedience,
وَنَسْأَلُهُ لِمِنَّتِهِ تَمَاماً،
and we ask Him to complete His favours (to us)
وَبِحَبْلِهِ اعْتِصَاماً.
and to make us hold on to His rope.
وَنَشْهَدُ أَنَّ مُحَمَّداً عَبْدُهُ وَرَسُولُهُ،
We stand witness that Muhammad is His slave and His Messenger.
خَاضَ إِلَى رِضْوَانِ اللهِ كُلَّ غَمْرَة،
He entered every hardship in search of Allah's pleasure
وَتَجَرَّعَ فِيهِ كُلَّ غُصَّة،
and endured for its sake every grief.
وَقَدْ تَلَوَّنَ لَه الاَدْنَوْنَ،
His near relations changed themselves for him
وَتَأَلَّبَ عَلَيْهِ الاْقْصَوْنَ،
and those who were remote from him (in relationship) united against him.
وَخَلَعَتْ إِلَيْهِ الْعَرَبُ أَعِنَّتَهَا،
The Arabs let loose the reins (of their horses to quicken their march) against him,
وَضَرَبَتْ إِلَى مُحَارَبَتِهِ بُطُونَ رَوَاحِلِهَا،
and struck the bellies of their carriers to (rouse them) in fighting against him,
حَتَّى أَنْزَلَتْ بِسَاحَتِهِ عَدَاوَتَهَا،
so much so that enemies came to his threshold
مِنْ أبْعَدِ الدَّارِ،
from the remotest places
وَأَسْحَقِ الْمَزَارِ.
and most distant areas.
أُوصِيكُمْ عِبَادَ اللهِ،
I advise you, O creatures of Allah,
بِتَقْوَى اللهِ،
to fear Allah
وَأُحَذِّرُكُمْ أَهْلَ النِّفَاقِ،
and I warn you of the hypocrites,
فَإِنَّهُمُ: الضَّالُّونَ الْمُضِلُّونَ،
because they are themselves misguided and misguide others,
وَالزَّالُّونَ الْمُزِلُّونَ.
and they have slipped and make others slip too.
يَتَلَوَّنُونَ أَلْوَاناً،
They change into many colours,
وَيَفْتَنُّونَ افْتِنَاناً،
and adopt various ways.
يَعْمِدُونَكُمْ بِكُلِّ عِمَاد،
They support you with all sorts of supports,
وَيَرْصُدُونَكُمْ بِكُلِّ مِرْصَاد.
and lay in waiting for you at every lookout.
قُلوبُهُمْ دَوِيَّةٌ،
Their hearts are diseased
وَصِفَاحُهُمْ نَقِيَّةٌ.
while their faces are clean.
يَمْشُونَ الْخَفَاءَ،
They walk stealthily
وَيَدِبُّونَ الضَّرَاءَ. وَصْفُهُمْ دَوَاءٌ،
and tread like the approach of sickness (over the body).
وَقَوْلُهُمْ شِفَاءٌ،
Their words speak of cure,
وَفِعْلُهُمُ الدَّاءُ الْعَيَاءُ.
but their acts are like incurable diseases.
حَسَدَةُ الرَّخَاءِ،
They are jealous of ease,
وَمُؤَكِّدُوا الْبَلاَءِ،
intensify distress,
وَمُقْنِطُوا الرَّجَاءِ.
and destroy hopes.
لَهُمْ بِكُلِّ طَرِيق صَرِيعٌ،
Their victims are found lying down on every path,
وَإلى كُلِّ قَلْب شَفِيعٌ،
while they have means to approach every heart
وَلِكُلِّ شَجْو دُمُوعٌ.
and they have (false) tears for every grief.
يَتَقَارَضُونَ الثَّنَاءَ،
They eulogise each other
وَيَتَرَاقَبُونَ الْجَزَاء.
and expect reward from each other.
إِنْ سَأَلُوا ألْحَفُوا،
When they ask something they insist on it,
وَإِنْ عَذَلُوا كَشَفُوا،
if they reprove (any one) they disgrace (him),
وَإِنْ حَكَمُوا أَسْرَفُوا.
and if they pass verdict they commit excess.
قَدْ أَعَدُّوا لِكُلِّ حَقٍّ بَاطِلاً،
They have adopted for every truth a wrong way,
وَلِكُلِّ قَائِم مَائِلاً،
for every erect thing a bender,
وَلِكُلِّ حَيّ قَاتِلاً،
for every living being a killer,
وَلِكُلِّ بَاب مِفْتَاحاً،
for every (closed) door a key
وَلِكُلِّ لَيْل مِصْبَاحاً.
and for every night a lamp.
يَتَوَصَّلُونَ إِلَى الطَّمَعِ بِالْيَأْسِ لِيُقيمُوا بِهِ أَسْوَاقَهُمْ،
They covet, but with despair, in order to maintain with it their markets,
وَيُنَفِّعُوا بِهِ أَعْلاَقَهُمْ.
and to popularise their handsome merchandise.
يَقُولُونَ فَيُشَبِّهُونَ،
When they speak they create doubts.
وَيَصِفُونَ فَيُمَوِّهُونَ.
When they describe they exaggerate.
قَدْ هيّأُوا الطَّرِيقَ،
First they offer easy paths
وَأَضْلَعُوا الْمَضِيقَ.
but (afterwards) they make them narrow.
فَهُمْ لُمَةُ الشَّيْطَانِ،
In short, they are the party of Satan
وَحُمَةُ النِّيرَانِ
and the stings of fire.
(أُولئِكَ حِزْبُ الشَّيْطَانِ أَلاَ إِنَّ حِزْبَ الشَّيْطَانِ هُمُ الْخَاسِرُونَ)
..they are Satan's Party; Beware! Verily, the party of Satan are the losers. (Qur'an, 58:19)
Alternative Sources for Sermon 194: Al-Yamani, al-Taraz, II, 308; al-'Amidi, Ghurar, 54, 269.
