أَمَّا بَعْدُ، فَإِنَّ اللهَ سُبْحَانَهُ قَدْ جَعَلَ الدُّنْيَا لِمَا بَعْدَهَا،
Now, Allah, the Glorified, has made this world for what is to come hereafter,
وَابْتَلَى فِيهَا أَهْلَهَا،
and put its inhabitants to trial
لِيَعْلَمَ أَيُّهُمْ أَحْسَنُ عَمَلاً،
as to which of you is good in action,
وَلَسْنَا لِلدُّنْيَا خُلِقْنَا،
and we have not been created for this world,
وَلاَ بِالسَّعْيِ فِيهَا أُمِرْنَا،
nor ordered to strive for it,
وَإِنَّمَا وُضِعْنَا فِيها لِنُبْتَلَى بِهَا،
but we have been made to stay in it to stand trial therein.
وَقَدِ ابْتَلاَنِي اللهُ بِكَ وَابْتَلاَكَ بِي:
So, Allah has tried me with you and tried you with me.
فَجَعَلَ أَحَدَنَا حُجَّةً عَلَى الاْخَرِ،
He has therefore made either of us a plea for the other.
فَعَدَوْتَ عَلَى طَلَبِ الدُّنْيَا بَتَأْوِيلِ الْقُرْآنِ،
Now, you have leapt on the world by a wrong interpretation of the Qur'an,
فَطَلَبْتَنِي بِمَا لَمْ تَجْنِ يَدِي وَلاَ لِسَانِي،
and wanted me to account for what neither my hand nor tongue was responsible,
وَعَصَيْتَهُ أَنْتَ وأَهْلُ الشَّامِ بِي،
but you and the Syrians put the blame on me,
وَأَلَّبَ عَالِمُكُمْ جَاهِلَكُمْ،
and your scholar incited against me the ignorant
وَقَائِمُكُمْ قَاعِدَكُمْ.
and one who is standing incited the one who is sitting.
فَاتَّقِ اللهَ فِي نَفْسِكَ،
You should fear Allah about yourself
وَنَازِعِ الشَّيْطَانَ قِيَادَكَ،
and not allow Satan to lead you.
وَاصْرِفْ إِلَى الاْخِرَةِ وَجْهَكَ،
Turn your face towards the next world
فَهِيَ طَرِيقُنَا وَطَرِيقُكَ.
because that is our path and your path,
وَاحْذَرْ أَنْ يُصِيبَكَ اللهُ مِنْهُ بِعَاجِلِ قَارِعَة تَمَسُّ الاْصْلَ،
and fear that Allah may not entangle you in any sudden infliction which may destroy the root
وَتَقْطَعُ الدَّابِرَ،
as well as cut away the branches.
فَإِنِّي أُولِي لَكَ بِاللهِ أَلِيَّةً غَيْرَ فَاجِرَة،
I swear to you by Allah an oath which will not be broken
لَئِنْ جَمَعَتْنِي وَإِيَّاكَ جَوَامِعُ الاْقْدَارِ لاَ أَزَالُ بِبَاحَتِكَ
that if destiny brings me and you together I shall steadfastly hold before you
( حَتَّى يَحْكُمَ اللهُ بَيْنَنَا وَهُوَ خَيْرُ الْحَاكِمِينَ).
until Allah judges between us, and He is the Best of the judges. (Qur'an, 7:87)
