Sermon 190: I praise Him out of gratefulness for His reward...

Importance of fear of Allah, desolateless of the grave, and about the death of the lover of Ahlul Bayt being like that of a martyr

ومن خطبة له (عليه السلام)

يحمد الله ويثني على نبيّه ويعظ بالتقوى

Praise of Allah

حمد الله

I praise Him out of gratefulness for His reward, and I seek His assistance in fulfilling His rights. He has a strong army. His dignity is grand.

أَحْمَدُهُ شُكْراً لاِنْعَامِهِ، وَأَسْتَعِينُهُ عَلَى وَظَائِفِ حُقُوقِهِ، عَزِيزَ الْجُنْدِ، عَظِيمَ الْـمَجْدِ

The Prophet’s Character

الثناء على النبي

I stand witness that Muhammad - peace and blessing of Allah be upon him and his progeny - is His slave and His Prophet. He called (people) to His obedience and overpowered His enemies by fighting for the sake of His religion. People's joining together to falsify him and their attempt to extinguish His light did not prevent him from it.

وَأَشهَدُ أنَّ مُحَمَّداً عَبْدُهُ وَرَسُولُهُ، دَعَا إِلَى طَاعَتِهِ، وَقَاهَرَ أَعْدَاءَهُ جِهَاداً عَنْ دِينِهِ، لاَ يَثْنِيهِ عَنْ ذلِكَ اجْتِماعٌ على تَكْذِيبِهِ، وَالْتمَاسٌ لاِطْفَاءِ نُورِهِ

Counselling piety

العظة بالتقوى

You should therefore exercise fear of Allah because it has a rope whose twist is strong and its pinnacle is lofty and invulnerable. Hasten toward death in its pangs (by doing good acts) and be prepared for it before its approach, because the ultimate end is the Day of Judgement. This is enough preaching for one who understands and enough of a lesson for one who does not know.

What idea do you have, before reaching that end, of the narrowness of grave, the hardship of loneliness, fear of the passage towards the next world, the pangs of fear, the shifting of ribs here and there (due to narrowing of the grave), the deafness of ears, the darkness of the grave, fear of the promised punishment, the closing of the receptacle of the grave and the laying of stones?

فَاعْتَصِمُوا بِتَقْوَى اللهِ، فَإِنَّ لَهَا حَبْلاً وَثِيقاً عُرْوَتُهُ، وَمَعْقِلاً مَنِيعاً ذِرْوَتُهُ، وَبَادِرُوا الْمَوْتَ وَغَمَرَاتِهِ، وَامْهَدُوا لَهُ قَبْلَ حُلُولِهِ، وأَعِدُّوا لَهُ قَبْلَ نُزُولِهِ، فَإِنَّ الْغَايَةَ الْقِيَامَةُ، وَكَفَى بِذلِكَ وَاعِظاً لِمَنْ عَقَلَ، وَمُعْتَبَراً لِمَنْ جَهِلَ! وَقَبْلَ بُلُوغِ الْغَايَةَ مَا تَعْلَمُونَ مِنْ ضِيقِ الاْرْمَاسِ، وَشِدَّةِ الاْبْلاَسِ، وَهَوْلِ الْمُطَّلَعِ، وَرَوْعَاتِ الْفَزَعِ، وَاخْتلاَفِ الاْضْلاَعِ، وَاسْتِكَاكِ الاْسْمَاعِ، وَظُلْمَةِ اللَّحْدِ، وَخِيفَةِ الْوَعْدِ، وغَمِّ الضَّرِيحِ، وَرَدْمِ الصَّفِيحِ

Therefore, (fear) Allah, (fear) Allah, O creatures of Allah, because the world is behaving with you in the usual way and you and the Day of Judgement are in the same rope (close to each other). As though it has come with its signs, has approached with its pleas and has made you stand in its way; and as though it has come forward with all its quakings and has settled down with its chest on the ground while the world has parted from its people and has turned them out of its lap. It was like a day that has passed or a month that has gone by. Its new things have become old and the fat ones have become thin.

فَاللهَ اللهَ عِبَادَ اللهِ! فَإِنَّ الْدُّنْيَا مَاضِيَةٌ بكُمْ عَلَى سَنَن، وَأَنْتُمْ وَالسَّاعَةُ فِي قَرَن، وَكَأَنَّهَا قَد جَاءَتْ بِأَشْرَاطِهَا، وَأَزِفَتْ بِأَفْرَاطِهَا، وَوَقَفَتْ بِكُمْ عَلَى سِراطِهَا، وَكَأنَّهَا قَدْ أَشْرَفَتْ بِزَلاَزِلِهَا، وَأَنَاخَتْ بِكَلاَكِلِهَا، وَانْصَرَمَتِ الدُّنْيَا بِأَهْلِهَا، وَأَخْرَجَتْهُمْ مَنْ حِضْنِهَا، فَكَانَتْ كَيَوْم مَضَى وَشَهْر انْقَضَى، وَصَارَ جَدِيدُهَا رَثّاً، وَسَمِينُهَا غَثّاً

They are in a narrow place, in very complicated affairs and in a fire whose pain is sharp, cries are loud, flames are rising, sound is trembling, burning is severe, abatement is remote; its fuel is burning, its threats are fearful, its hollows are hidden, its sides are dark, its vessels are aflame, and everything about it is abominable.

فِي مَوْقِف ضَنْكِ الْمَقَامِ، وَأُمُور مُشْتَبِهَة عِظَام، ونَار شَدِيد كَلَبُهَا، عَال لَجَبُهَا، سَاطع لَهَبُهَا، مُتَغَيِّظ زَفِيرُهَا، مُتَأَجِّج سَعِيرهَا، بَعِيد خُمُودُهَا، ذَاك وُقُودُهَا، مَخُوف وعِيدُهَا، عُم قَرارُهَا، مُظْلِمَة أَقْطَارُهَا، حَامِيَة قُدُورُهَا، فَظِيعَة أُمُورُهَا

Those who are wary of their Lord will be led to paradise in throngs. . (Qur'an. 39:73)

They are safe from chastisement, away from punishment, and kept aloof from fire. Their abode will be peaceful and they will be pleased with their longing and their place of stay. These are the people whose acts in this world were chaste, their eyes were tearful, their nights in this world were like days because of fearing and seeking forgiveness, and their days were like nights because of feeling of loneliness and separation. Therefore, Allah made Paradise the place of their (eventual) return and a reward in recompense.... They were most eligible and suitable for it;... (Qur'an, 48:26) in the eternal domain and everlasting favours.

(وَسِيقَ الَّذِينَ اتَّقَوْا رَبَّهُمْ إِلَى الْجَنَّةِ زُمَراً)، قَدْ أُمِنَ الْعَذَابُ، وَانْقَطَعَ الْعِتَابُ، وَزُحْزِحُوا عَنِ النَّارِ، وَاطْمَأَنَّتْ بِهِمُ الدّارُ، وَرَضُوا المَثْوَى وَالْقَرَارَ، الَّذِينَ كَانَتْ أَعْمَالُهُمْ فِي الدُّنْيَا زَاكِيةً، وَأَعْيُنُهُمْ بَاكِيَةً، وَكَانَ لَيْلُهُمْ فِي دُنْيَاهُمْ نَهَاراً، تَخَشُّعاً وَاسْتِغفَاراً، وَكَانَ نَهَارُهُمْ لَيْلاً، تَوَحُشّاً وَانَقِطَاعاً، فَجَعَلَ اللهُ لَهُمُ الْجَنَّةَ مَآباً، وَالْجَزَاءَ ثَوَاباً، (وَكَانُوا أَحَقَّ بِهَا وَأَهْلَها) في مُلْك دَائِم، وَنَعِيم قَائِم

Therefore, O creatures of Allah, pay regard to all that by being regardful of which one will succeed and by ignoring which one will incur loss, and hasten towards your death by means of your (good) acts, because you are bound by what you have done in the past and you have to your credit only what (good acts) you have sent forward. (Behave in such a way) as though the feared event (death) has come upon you, so that you cannot return (to do good acts) nor can you be cleared of evil acts. May Allah prompt us and you for His obedience and obedience of His Prophet, and forgive us and you by His great mercy.

فَارْعَوْا عِبَادَ اللهِ مَا بِرِعَايَتِهِ يَفُوزُ فَائِزُكُمْ، وَبِإضَاعَتِهِ يَخْسَرُ مُبْطِلُكُمْ، وَبَادِرُوا آجَالَكُمْ بأَعْمَالِكُمْ، فَإِنَّكُمْ مُرْتَهَنُونَ بِمَا أَسْلَفْتُمْ، وَمَدِينُونَ بِمَا قدَّمْتُمْ، وَكَأَنْ قَدْ نَزَلَ بِكُمُ الْـمَخُوفُ، فَلاَ رَجْعَةً تَنَالُونَ، وَلاَ عَثْرَةً تُقَالُونَ

اسْتَعْمَلَنَا اللهُ وَإِيَّاكُمْ بِطَاعَتِهِ وَطَاعَةِ رَسُولِهِ، وعَفَا عَنَّا وَعَنْكُمْ بِفَضْلِ رَحْمَتِهِ

Remain firm in your places, keep patient in trials, do not move your hands and swords after the liking of your tongues, and do not make haste in matters in which Allah has not asked for haste because any one of you who dies in his bed while he had knowledge of the rights of Allah and the rights of His Prophet and members of the Prophet's house, will die as martyr. His reward is incumbent on Allah. He is also eligible to the recompense of the good acts he has intended to do, since his intention takes the place of drawing his sword. Certainly, for every thing there is a time and a limit.

الْزَمُوا الاْرْضَ، وَاصْبِروُا عَلَى الْبَلاءِ، وَلاَ تُحرِّكُوا بأَيْدِيكُمْ وَسُيُوفِكُمْ ]فِي] هَوَى أَلْسِنَتِكُمْ، وَلاَ تَسْتَعْجِلُوا بِمَا لَمْ يُعَجِّلْهُ اللهُ لَكُمْ، فَإِنّهُ مَنْ مَاتَ مِنْكُمْ عَلَى فِرَاشِهِ وَهُوَ عَلَى مَعْرِفَةِ حَقِّ رَبِّهِ عَزَّوَجَلّ وَحَقِّ رَسُولِهِ وَأَهْلِ بَيْتِهِ صَلَوَاتُ اللهِ عَلَيْهِ وَعَلَيْهِمْ مَاتَ شَهِيداً، وَوَقَعَ أَجْرُهُ عَلَى اللهِ، واسْتَوْجَبَ ثَوَابَ مَا نَوَى مِنْ صَالِحِ عَمَلِهِ، وَقَامَتِ النِّيَّةُ مَقَامَ إِصْلاَتِهِ لِسَيْفِهِ، فإِنَّ لِكُلِّ شَيْء مُدَّةً وَأَجَلاً

Alternative Sources for Sermon 190

(1) Ibn Nubatah (d.374 /984 ) narrated this khutbah, see Ibn Abi al-Hadid, Sharh, III,220 ;

(2) al-'Amidi, Ghurar, 20,108 .

Sermon 191: Praise be to Allah Whose praise is wide-spread...

Praise of Allah

ومن خطبة له(عليه السلام

يحمدالله ويثني على نبيه ويوصي بالزهد والتقوى

Praise be to Allah Whose praise is wide-spread, Whose army is over-powering and Whose dignity is grand. I praise Him for His successive favours and His great gifts. His forbearance is high so that He forgives and is just in whatever He decides. He knows what is going on and what has already passed.

He crafted all creation by His knowledge and produced it by His intelligence without limitation, without learning, without following the example of any intelligent producer, without committing any mistake and without the availability of any group (for help); I stand witness that Muhammad - the peace and blessing of Allah be upon him and his descendants - is His slave and His messenger whom He deputed (at a time) when people were collecting in the abyss and moving in bewilderment. The reins of destruction were dragging them, and the locks of misguidance and deviation lay fixed on their hearts.

الْحَمْدُ لله الْفَاشِي حَمْدُهُ، وَالْغَالِبِ جُنْدُهُ، وَالْمُتَعَالِي جَدُّهُ. أحْمَدُهُ عَلَى نِعَمِهِ التُّؤَامِ، وَآلاَئِهِ الْعِظَامِ، الَّذِي عَظُمَ حِلْمُهُ فَعَفَا، وَعَدَلَ فِي كُلِّ مَا قَضَى، وَعَلِمَ مَا يَمْضِي وَمَا مَضَى، مُبْتَدِعِ الْخَلاَئِقِ بِعِلْمِهِ، وَمُنْشِئِهِمْ بِحُكْمِهِ، بِلاَ اقْتِدَاء وَلاَ تَعْلِيم، وَلاَ احْتِذَاء لِمِثَالِ صَانِع حَكِيم، وَلاَ إِصابَةِ خَطَأ، وَلاَ حَضْرَةِ مَلاَ وَأَشْهَدُ أَنَّ مُحَمَّداً عَبْدُهُ وَرَسُولُهُ، ابْتَعَثَهُ وَالنَّاسُ يَضْرِبُونَ فِي غَمْرَة، وَيَمُوجُونُ فِي حَيْرَة، قَدْ قَادَتْهُمْ أَزِمَّةُ الْحَيْنِ، وَاسْتَغْلَقَتْ عَلَى أَفْئِدَتِهِمْ أَقْفَالُ الرَّيْنِ

Advice about fear of Allah and an account of this world and its people

الوصية بالزهد والتقوى

I advise you, O creatures of Allah, that you should have fear of Allah because it is a right of Allah over you and it creates your right over Allah, and that you should seek Allah's help in it, and its help in (meeting) Allah. Certainly, for today fear of Allah is a protection and a shield, and for tomorrow (the Day of Judgement) it is the road to Paradise. Its way is clear and he who treads it is the gainer.

Whoever holds it, guards it. It has presented itself to the people who have already passed and to those coming from behind, because they will need it tomorrow (on the Day of Judgement) when Allah will revive His creation again, take back what He has given and take account of what He has bestowed. How few will be those who accept it and practise it as it ought to be practised. They will be very few in number, and they are the people who correspond to the description given by Allah, the Glorified, when He says:

... And very few of My creatures are grateful! (Qur'an. 34:13)

أُوصِيكُمْ عِبَادَ اللهِ بِتَقْوَى اللهِ، فَإِنَّهَا حَقُّ اللهِ عَلَيْكُمْ، وَالْمُوجِبَةُ عَلَى اللهِ حَقَّكُمْ، وَأَنْ تَسْتَعِينُوا عَلَيْهَا بِاللهِ، وَتَسْتَعِينُوا بِهَا عَلَى اللهِ، فَإِنَّ الْتَّقْوَى فِي الْيَوْمِ الْحِرْزُ وَالْجُنَّةُ، وَفِي غَد الطَّرِيقُ إِلَى الْجَنَّةِ، مَسْلَكُهَا وَاضِحٌ، وَسَالِكُهَا رَابحٌ، وَمُسْتَوْدَعُهَا حَافِظٌ، لَمْ تَبْرَحْ عَارِضَةً نَفْسَهَا عَلَى الاُْمَمِ الْمَاضِينَ وَالْغَابِرينَ لِحَاجَتِهِمْ إِلَيْهَا غَداً، إِذَا أَعَادَ اللهُ مَا أَبْدَى، وَأَخَذَ مَا أَعْطَى، وَسَأَلَ عَمَّا أَسْدَى. فَمَا أَقَلَّ مَنْ قَبِلَهَا، وَحَمَلَهَا حَقَّ حَمْلِهَا! أُولئِكَ الاْقَلُّونَ عَدَداً، وَهُمْ أَهْلُ صِفَةِ اللهِ سُبْحَانَهُ إِذْ يَقُولُ: (وَقَلِيلٌ مِنْ عِبَادِيَ الشَّكُورُ)

Therefore, hasten with your ears towards it and intensify your efforts for it. Make it a substitute for all your past (short-comings) to take their place as a successor, and make it your supporter against every opponent. Turn your sleep into wakefulness by its help, and pass your days with it. Make it the equipment of your hearts, wash your sins with it, treat your ailments with it and hasten towards your death with it. Take a lesson from him who neglects it, so that others who follow it should not take a lesson from you (i.e., from your neglecting it). Beware, therefore; you should take care of it and should take care of yourselves through it.

فَأَهْطِعُوا بِأَسْمَاعِكُمْ إِلَيْهَا، وأكظّوا بِجِدِّكُمْ عَلَيْهَا، وَاعْتَاضُوهَا مِنْ كُلِّ سَلَف خَلَفاً، وَمِنْ كُلِّ مُخَالِف مُوَافِقاً. أَيْقِظُوا بِهَا نَوْمَكُمْ، واقْطَعُوا بِهَا يَوْمَكُمْ، وَأَشْعِرُوهَا قُلُوبَكُمْ، وَارْحَضُوا بِهَا ذُنُوبَكُمْ، وَدَاوُوا بِهَا الاْسْقَامَ، وَبَادِرُوا بِهَا الْحِمَامَ، وَاعْتَبِرُوا بِمَنْ أَضَاعَهَا، وَلاَ يَعْتَبِرَنَّ بِكُمْ مَنْ أَطَاعَهَا. أَلاَ وصُونُوهَا وَتَصَوَّنُوا بِهَا،

Keep away from this world and proceed towards the next world infatuatedly. Do not regard humble he whom fear of Allah has given a high position, and do not accord a high position to him whom this world has given a high position. Do not keep your eyes on the shining clouds of the world, do not listen to him who speaks of it, do not respond to him who calls towards it, do not seek light from its glare, and do not die in its precious things, because its brightness is deceitful, its words are false, its wealth is liable to be looted, and its precious thing are to be taken away.

وَكُونُو عَنِ الدُّنْيَا نُزَّاهاً، وَإِلَى الاْخِرَةِ وُلاَّهاً وَلاَ تَضَعُوا مَنْ رَفَعَتْهُ التَّقْوَى، وَلاَ تَرْفَعُوا مَنْ رَفَعَتْهُ الدُّنْيَا، وَلاَ تَشِيمُوا بَارِقَهَا، وَلاَ تَسْمَعُوا نَاطِقَهَا، وَلاَ تُجِيبُوا نَاعِقَهَا، وَلاَ تَسْتَضِيئُوا بِإِشْرَاقِهَا، وَلاَ تُفْتَنُوا بِأَعْلاَقِهَا، فَإِنَّ بَرْقهَا خَالِبٌ، وَنُطْقَهَا كَاذِبٌ، وَأَمْوَالَهَا مَحْرُوبةٌ، وَأَعْلاَقَهَا مَسْلُوبَةٌ

Beware, this world attracts and then turns away. It is stubborn, refusing to go ahead. It speaks lies and misappropriates. It disowns and is ungrateful. It is malicious and abandons (its lovers). It attracts but causes trouble. Its condition is changing, its step shaking, its honour disgrace, its seriousness jest, and its height lowliness. It is a place of plunder and pillage, and ruin and destruction. Its people are ready with their feet to drive, to overtake and to depart. Its routes are bewildering, its exits are baffling, and its schemes end in disappointment. Consequently, strongholds betray them, houses throw them out and cunning fails them.

أَلاَ وَهِيَ الْمُتَصَدِّيَةُ الْعَنُونُ، وَالْجَامِحَةُ الْحَرُونُ، وَالْمَائِنَةُ الْخَأُون، وَالْجَحُودُ الْكَنُودُ، وَالْعَنُودُ الصَّدُودُ، وَالْحَيُودُ الْمَيُودُ. حَالُهَا انْتِقَالٌ، وَوَطْأَتُهَا زِلْزَالٌ، وَعِزُّهَا ذُلٌّ، وَجِدُّهَا هَزْلٌ، وَعُلْوُهَا سُفْلٌ، دَارُ حَرَب وَسَلَب، وَنَهْب وَعَطَب، أَهْلُهَا عَلَى سَاق وَسِيَاق، وَلَحَاق وَفِرَاق. قَدْ تَحَيَّرَتْ مَذَاهِبُهَا، وَأَعْجَزَتْ مَهَارِبُهَا، وَخَابَتْ مَطَالِبُهَا، فَأَسْلَمَتْهُمُ الْمَعَاقِلُ، وَلَفَظَتْهُمُ الْمَنَازِلُ، وَأَعْيَتْهُمُ الْـمَحَاوِلُ

Some of them are like hocked camel, some like butchered meat, some like severed limbs, some like spilt blood, some are biting their hands (in pain) some are rubbing their palms (in remorse), some are holding their cheeks on their hands (in anxiety), some are cursing their own views and some are retreating from their determination. But the time for action has gone away and the hour of calamity has approached, while (there was no longer) the time to escape (Qur'an, 38:3). Alas! Alas! What has been lost is lost! What has gone is gone! The world has passed in its usual manner.

So wept not on them the heavens and the earth nor were they respited. (Qur'an, 44:29)

فَمِنْ نَاج مَعْقُور، وَلَحْم مَجْزُور، وَشِلْو مَذْبُوح، وَدَم مَسْفُوح، وَعَاضّ عَلَى يَدَيْهِ، وَصَافِق لِكَفَّيْهِ، وَمُرْتَفِق بِخَدَّيْهِ، وَزَار عَلَى رَأْيِهِ، وَرَاجِع عَنْ عَزْمِهِ، وَقَدْ أَدْبَرَتِ الْحِيلَةُ، وَأَقْبَلَتِ الْغِيلَةُ، (وَلاَتَ حِينَ مَنَاص) هَيْهَاتَ هَيْهَاتَ! قَدْ فَاتَ مَا فَاتَ، وَذَهَبَ مَا ذَهَبَ، ومَضَتِ الدُّنْيَا لِحَالِ بَالِهَا (فَمَا بَكَتْ عَلَيْهِمُ السَّمَاءُ وَالاْرْضُ وَمَا كَانُوا مُنْظَرِينَ).

Alternative Sources for Sermon 191

(1) Al-'Amidi, Ghurar, 87,180 ,245 ;

(2) Ibn Abi al-Hadid, Sharh, see `Abd al-Zahra', III, 28.