يَعْلَمُ عَجِيجَ الْوُحُوشِ فِي الْفَلَوَاتِ،
Allah knows the cries of the beasts in the forest,
وَمَعاصِيَ الْعِبَادِ فِي الْخَلَوَاتِ،
the sins of the people in seclusion,
وَاخْتِلاَفَ النِّينَانِ فِي الْبِحَارِ الْغَامِرَاتِ،
the movements of the fishes in the deep seas
وَتَلاَطُمَ الْمَاءِ بِالرِّيَاحِ الْعَاصِفَاتِ.
and the rising of the water by tempestuous winds.
وَأَشْهَدُ أَنَّ مُحَمَّداً نَجِيبُ اللهِ،
I stand witness that Muhammad is the choice of Allah,
وَسَفِيرُ وَحْيِهِ،
the conveyor of His revelation
وَرَسُولُ رَحْمَتِهِ.
and the messenger of His mercy.
الوصية بالتقوى
Advantages of fear of Allah
أَمَّا بَعْدُ،
Now then,
فَإِنَّي أُوصِيكُمْ بِتَقْوَى اللهِ
I advise you to fear Allah,
الَّذِي ابْتَدَأَ خَلْقَكُمْ،
Who created you for the first time;
وَإِلَيْهِ يَكُونُ مَعَادُكُمْ،
towards Him is your return,
وَبِهِ نَجَاحُ طَلِبَتِكُمْ،
with Him lies the success of your aims,
وَإِلَيْهِ مُنْتَهْى رَغْبَتِكُمْ،
at Him terminate (all) your desires,
وَنَحْوَهُ قَصْدُ سَبِيلِكُمْ،
towards Him runs your path of right
وَإِلَيْهِ مَرَامِي مَفْزَعِكُمْ،
and He is the aim of your fears (for seeking protection).
فَإِنَّ تَقْوَى اللهِ دَوَاءُ دَاءِ قُلُوبِكُمْ،
Certainly, fear of Allah is the medicine for the sickness of your hearts,
وَبَصَرُ عَمَى أَفِئِدَتِكُمْ،
sight for the blindness of your spirits,
وَشِفَاءُ مَرَضِ أَجْسَادِكُمْ،
the cure for the ailments of your bodies,
وَصَلاَحُ فَسَادِ صُدُورِكُمْ،
the rectifier of the evils of your breasts,
وَطُهُورُ دَنَسِ أَنْفُسِكُمْ،
the purifier of the pollution of your minds,
وَجِلاَءُ عَشَا أَبْصَارِكُمْ،
the light of the darkness of your eyes,
وَأَمْنُ فَزَعِ جَأْشِكُمْ،
the consolation for the fear of your heart
وَضِيَاءُ سَوَادِ ظُلْمَتِكُمْ.
and the brightness for the gloom of your ignorance.
فَاجْعَلُوا طَاعَةَ اللهِ شِعَاراً دُونَ دِثَارِكُمْ،
Therefore, make obedience to Allah the way of your life and not only your outside covering,
وَدَخِيلاً دُونَ شِعَارِكُمْ،
make it your inner habit instead of only outer routine,
وَلَطِيفاً بَيْنَ أَضْلاَعِكُمْ،
subtle enough to enter through your ribs (up to the heart),
وَأَمِيراً فَوْقَ أُمُورِكُمْ،
the guide for all your affairs,
وَمَنْهَلاً لِحِينِ ورْدِكُم،
the watering place for your getting down (on the Day of Judgement),
وَشَفِيعاً لِدَرَكِ طَلِبَتِكُمْ،
the interceder for the achievement of your aims,
وَجُنَّةً لِيَوْمِ فَزَعِكُمْ،
asylum for the day of your fear,
وَمَصَابِيحَ لِبُطُونِ قُبُورِكُمْ،
the lamp of the interior of your graves,
وَسَكَناً لِطُولِ وَحْشَتِكُمْ،
company for your long loneliness,
وَنَفَساً لِكَرْبِ مَوَاطِنِكُمْ،
and deliverance from the troubles of your abodes.
فَإِنَّ طَاعَةَ اللهِ حِرْزٌ مِنْ مَتَالِفَ مُكْتَنِفَة،
Certainly, obedience to Allah is a protection against encircling calamities.
وَمَخَاوِفَ مُتَوَقَّعَة،
expected dangers
وَأُوَارِ نِيرَان مُوقَدَة.
and the flames of burning fires.
فَمَنْ أَخَذَ بِالتَّقْوَى
Therefore, whoever entertains fear of Allah,
عَزَبَتْ عَنْهُ الشَّدَائِدُ بَعْدَ دُنُوِّهَا،
troubles remain away from him after having been near,
وَاحْلَوْلَتْ لَهُ الاْمُورُ بَعْدَ مَرَارَتِهَا،
affairs become sweet after their bitterness,
وَانْفَرَجَتْ عَنْهُ الاْمْوَاجُ بَعْدَ تَرَاكُمِهَا،
waves (of troubles) recede from him after having crowded over him,
وَأَسْهَلَتْ لَهُ الصِّعَابُ بَعْدَ إِنْصَابِهَا،
difficulties become easy for him after occurring,
وَهَطَلَتْ عَلَيْهِ الْكَرَامَةُ بَعْدَ قُحُوطِهَا،
generosity rains fast over him after there had been famine,
وَتَحَدَّبَتْ عَلَيْهِ الرَّحْمَةُ بَعْدَ نُفُورِهَا،
mercy bends over him after it had been loath,
وَتَفَجَّرَتْ عَلَيْهِ النِّعَمُ بَعْدَ نُضُوبِهَا،
the favours (of Allah) spring forth on him after they had been dried,
وَوَبَلَتْ عَلَيْهِ الْبَرَكَةُ بَعْدَ إِرْذَاذِهَا.
and blessing descends over him in showers after being scanty.
فَاتَّقُوا اللهَ الَّذِي نَفَعَكُمْ بَمَوْعِظَتِهِ،
So, fear Allah Who benefits you with His good advice,
وَوَعَظَكُمْ بِرِ سَالَتِهِ،
preaches to you through His Messenger,
وَامْتَنَّ عَلَيْكُمْ بِنِعْمَتِهِ،
and obliges you with His favours.
فَعَبِّدُوا أَنْفُسَكُمْ لِعِبَادَتِهِ،
Devote yourselves to His worship,
وَاخْرُجُوا إِلَيْهِ مِنْ حَقِّ طَاعَتِهِ.
and acquit yourselves of the obligation of obeying Him.
فضل الاسلام
About Islam
ثُمَّ إِنَّ هذَا الاْسْلاَمَ دِينُ اللهِ الَّذِي اصْطَفَاهُ لِنَفْسهِ،
This Islam is the religion which Allah has chosen for Himself,
وَاصْطَنَعَهُ عَلى عَيْنِهِ،
developed it before His eyes,
وَأَصْفَاهُ خِيْرَةَ خَلْقِهِ،
preferred it as the best among His creations,
وَأَقَامَ دَعَائِمَهُ عَلَى مَحَبَّتِهِ،
established its pillars on His love.
أَذَلَّ الاْدْيَانَ بِعِزّه،
He has disgraced other religions by giving honour to it.
وَوَضَعَ الْمِلَلَ بِرَفْعِهِ،
He has humiliated all communities before its sublimity;
وَأَهَانَ أَعْدَاءَهُ بِكَرَامَتِهِ،
He has humbled its enemies with His kindness
وَخَذَلَ مُحَادِّيهِ بِنَصْرِهِ،
and made its opponents lonely by according it His support.
وَهَدَمَ أَرْكَانَ الضَّلاَلَةِ بِرُكْنِهِ،
He has smashed the pillars of misguidance with its columns.
وَسَقَى مَنْ عَطِشَ مِنْ حِيَاضِهِ،
He has quenched the thirst of the thirsty from its cisterns,
وَأَتْأَقَ الْحِيَاضَ بِمَوَاتِحِهِ.
and filled the cisterns through those who draw its water.
ثُمَّ جَعَلَهُ لاَ انْفِصَامَ لِعُرْوَتِهِ،
He made Islam such that its constituent parts cannot break,
وَلاَ فَكَّ لِحَلْقَتِهِ،
its links cannot separate,
وَلاَ انْهِدَامَ لاِسَاسِهِ،
its construction cannot fall,
وَلاَ زَوَالَ لِدَعَائِمِهِ،
its columns cannot decay,
وَلاَ انْقِلاَعَ لِشَجَرَتِهِ،
its plant cannot be uprooted,
وَلاَ انْقِطَاعَ لِمُدَّتِهِ،
its time does not end,
وَلاَ عَفَاءَ لِشَرَائِعِهِ،
its laws do not expire,
وَلاَ جَذَّ لِفُرُوعِهِ،
its twigs cannot be cut,
وَلاَ ضَنْكَ لِطُرُقِهِ،
its parts do not become narrow,
و َلاَ وُعُوثَةَ لِسُهُولَتِهِ،
its ease does not change into difficulty,
و َلاَ سَوَادَ لِوَضَحِهِ،
its clarity is not affected by gloom,
وَلاَ عِوَجَ لاِنْتِصَابِهِ،
its straightness does not acquire curvature,
وَلاَ عَصَلَ فِي عُودِهِ،
its wood has no crookedness,
وَلاَ وَعَثَ لِفَجَّهِ،
its vast paths have no narrowness,
وَلاَ انْطِفَاءَ لِمَصَابِيحِهِ،
its lamp knows no putting off
وَلاَ مَرَارَةَ لِحَلاَوَتِهِ.
and its sweetness has no bitterness.
فَهُوَ دَعَائِمُ أَسَاخَ فِي الْحَقِّ أَسْنَاخَهَا،
It consists of columns whose bases Allah has fixed in truthfulness
وَثَبَّتَ لَهَا آسَاسَهَا،
and whose foundation He has strengthened,
وَيَنَابِيعُ غَزُرَتْ عُيُونُهَا،
and of sources whose streams are ever full of water and of lamps,
وَمَصَابِيحُ شَبَّتْ نِيرَانُهَا،
whose flames are full of light,
وَمَنَارٌ اقْتَدَى بِهَا سُفَّارُهَا،
and of beacons with whose help travellers get guidance,
وَأَعلاَمٌ قُصِدَ بِهَا فِجَاجُهَا،
and of signs through which a way is found to its highways
وَمَنَاهِلُ رَوِيَ بِهَا وُرَّادُهَا.
and of watering places which provide water to those who come to them.
اللهُ فِيهِ مُنْتَهَى رِضْوَانِهِ،
Allah has placed in Islam the height of His pleasure,
وَذِرْوَةَ دَعَائِمِهِ،
the pinnacle of His pillars
وَسَنَامَ طَاعَتِهِ،
and the prominence of His obedience.
فَهُوَ عِنْدَ اللهِ وَثِيقُ الاْرْكَانِ،
Before Allah, therefore, its columns are strong,
رَفِيعُ الْبُنْيَانِ،
its construction is lofty,
مُنِيرُ الْبُرْهَانِ،
its proofs are bright,
مُضِيءُ النِّيرَانِ،
its fires are aflame,
عَزِيرُ السُّلْطَانِ،
its authority is strong,
مُشْرِفُ الْمَنَار،
its beacons are high
مُعْوِذُ الْمَثَارِ.
and its destruction is difficult.
فَشَرِّفُوهُ وَاتَّبِعُوهُ،
You should therefore honour it, follow it,
وَأَدُّوا إِلَيْهِ حَقَّهُ،
fulfil its obligations
وَضَعُوهُ مَوَاضِعَهُ.
and accord the position due to it.
الرسول الاعظم (صلى الله عليه وآله)
About the Holy Prophet
ثُمَّ إِنَّ اللهِ سُبْحَانَهُ بَعَثَ مُحَمَّداً(صلى الله عليه وآله) بالْحَقِّ
Then, Allah, the Glorified, deputed Muhammad - the peace and blessing of Allah be upon him and his descendants - with truth
حِينَ دَنَا مِنَ الدُّنْيَا الانْقِطَاعُ،
at a time when the destruction of the world was near
وَأَقْبَلَ مِنَ الاْخِرَةِ الاْطِّلاَعُ،
and the next life was at hand,
وَأَظْلَمَتْ بَهْجَتُهَا بَعْدَ إِشْرَاق،
when its brightness was turning into gloom after shining,
وَقَامَتْ بِأَهْلِهَا عَلَى سَاق،
it had become troublesome for its inhabitants,
وَخَشُنَ مِنْهَا مِهَادٌ،
its surface had become rough,
وَأَزِفَ مِنْهَا قِيَادٌ،
and its decay had approached near.
فِي انْقِطَاع مِنْ مُدَّتِهَا،
This was during the exhaustion of its life
وَاقْتِرَاب مِنْ أَشْرَاطِهَا،
at the approach of signs (of its decay),
وَتَصَرُّم مِنْ أَهْلِهَا،
the ruin of its inhabitants,
وَانْفِصَام مِنْ حَلْقَتِهَا،
the breaking of its links,
وَانْتِشَار مِنْ سَبَبِهَا،
the dispersal of its affairs,
وَعَفَاء مِنْ أَعْلاَمِهَا،
the decay of its signs,
وَتَكَشُّف مِنْ عَوْرَاتِها،
the divulging of its secret matters
وَقِصَر مِنْ طُولِهَا.
and the shortening of its length.
جَلَعَهُ اللهُ تعالى بَلاَغاً لِرِسَالَتِهِ،
Allah made him responsible for conveying His message
وَكَرَامَةً لاِمَّتِهِ،
and (a means of) honour for his people,
وَرَبِيعاً لاِهْلِ زَمَانِهِ،
a period of bloom for the men of his days,
وَرِفْعَةً لاِعْوَانِهِ،
a source of dignity for the supporters
وَشَرَفاً لاِنْصَارِهِ.
and an honour for his helpers.
القرآن الكريم
About the Holy Qur'an
ثُمَّ أَنْزَلَ عَلَيْهِ الْكِتَابَ نُوراً
Then, Allah sent to him the Book as a light
لاَ تُطْفَأُ مَصَابِيحُهُ،
whose flames cannot be extinguished,
وَسِرَاجاً لاَ يَخْبُو تَوَقُّدُهُ،
a lamp whose gleam does not die,
وَبَحْراً لاَ يُدْرَكُ قَعْرُهُ،
a sea whose depth cannot be sounded,
وَمِنْهَاجاً لاَ يُضِلُّ نَهْجُهُ،
a way whose direction does not mislead,
وَشُعَاعاً لاَ يُظْلِمُ ضَوْؤُهُ،
a ray whose light does not darken,
وَفُرْقَاناً لاَ يُخْمَدُ بُرْهَانُهُ،
a separator (of good from evil) whose arguments do not weaken,
وَتِبْيَاناً لاَ تُهْدَمُ أَرْكَانُهُ،
a clarifier whose foundations cannot be dismantled,
وَشِفَاءً لاَ تُخْشَى أَسْقَامُهُ،
a cure which leaves no apprehension for disease,
وَعِزّاً لاَ تُهْزَمُ أَنْصَارُهُ،
an honour whose supporters are not defeated,
وَحَقّاً لاَ تُخْذَلُ أَعْوَانُهُ.
and a truth whose helpers are not abandoned.
فَهُوَ مَعْدِنُ الاْيمَانِ وَبُحْبُوحَتُهُ،
Therefore, it is the mine of belief and its centre,
وَيَنَابِيعُ الْعِلْمِ وَبُحُورُهُ،
the source of knowledge and its oceans,
وَرِيَاضُ الْعَدْلِ وَغُدْرَانُهُ،
the plantation of justice and its pools,
وَأَثَافِيُّ الاْسْلاَمِ وَبُنْيَانُهُ،
the foundation stone of Islam and its construction,
وَأَوْدِيَةُ الْحَقِّ وَغِيطَانُهُ.
the valleys of truth and its plains,
وَبَحْرٌ لاَ يَنْزِفُهُ الْمُسْتَنْزِفُونَ،
an ocean which those who draw water cannot empty,
وَعُيُونٌ لاَ يُنضِبُهَا الْمَاتِحُونَ،
springs which those who draw water cannot dry up,
وَمَنَاهِلُ لاَ يَغِيضُهَا الْوَارِدُونَ،
a watering place which those who come to take water cannot exhaust,
وَمَنَازِلُ لاَ يَضِلُّ نَهْجَهَا الْمُسَافِرُونَ،
a staging place in moving towards which travellers do not get lost,
وَأَعْلاَمٌ لاَ يَعْمَى عَنْهَا السَّائِرُونَ،
signs which no wayfarer fails to see
وَآكَامٌ لاَ يَجُوزُ عنْهَا الْقَاصِدُونَ.
and a highland which those who approach it cannot surpass it.
جَعَلَهُ اللهُ رِيّاً لِعَطَشِ الْعُلَمَاءِ،
Allah has made it a quencher of the thirst of the learned,
وَرَبِيعاً لِقُلُوبِ الْفُقَهَاءِ،
a bloom for the hearts of religious jurists,
وَمَحَاجَّ لِطُرُقِ الصُّلَحَاءِ،
a highway for the ways of the righteous,
وَدَوَاءً لَيْسَ بَعْدَهُ دَاءٌ،
a cure after which there is no ailment,
وَنُوراً لَيْسَ مَعَهُ ظُلْمَةٌ،
an effulgence with which there is no darkness,
وَحَبْلاً وَثِيقاً عُرْوَتُهُ،
a rope whose grip is strong,
وَمَعْقِلاً مَنِيعاً ذِرْوَتُهُ،
a stronghold whose top is invulnerable,
وَعِزّاً لِمَنْ تَوَلاَّهُ،
an honour for him who loves it,
وَسِلْماً لِمَنْ دَخَلَهُ،
a peace for him who enters it,
وَهُدىً لِمَنِ ائْتَمَّ بِهِ،
a guidance for him who follows it,
وَعُذْراً لِمَنِ انْتَحَلَهُ،
an excuse for him who adopts it,
وَبُرْهَاناً لِمَنْ تَكَلَّمَ بِهِ،
an argument for him who argues with it,
وَشَاهِداً لِمَنْ خَاصَمَ بِهِ،
a witness for him who quarrels with it,
وَفَلْجاً لِمَنْ حَاجَّ بِهِ،
a success for him who argues with it,
وَحَامِلاً لِمَنْ حَمَلَهُ، وَمَطِيَّةً لِمَنْ أَعْمَلَهُ،
a carrier of burden for him who seeks the way,
وَآيَةً لِمَنْ تَوَسَّمَ، وَجُنَّةً لِمَنِ اسْتَلاْمَ،
a shield for him who arms himself (against misguidance),
وَعِلْماً لِمَنْ وَعَى،
a knowledge for him who listens carefully,
وَحَدِيثاً لِمَنْ رَوَى،
worthy story for him who relates it
وَحُكْماً لِمَنْ قَضَى.
and a final verdict of him who passes judgements.
Alternative Sources for Sermon 198: Al-Harrani, Tuhaf, 126; al-Kulayni, Usul al-Kafi, II, 49; al-Qali, al-'Amali, 171; Abu Talib al-Makki, Qut, I, 382; Abu Nu’aym, Hilyah, I, 74, 75; al-Saduq, al-Khisal, I, 108.
