Sermon 216: So now, Allah, the Glorified, has...

Delivered at the battle of Siffin. About mutual rights of the ruler and the ruled

ومن خطبة له عليه السلام

خطبها بصفين

So now, Allah, the Glorified, has, by placing me over your affairs, created my right over you, and you too have a right over me like mine over you. A right is very vast in description but very narrow in equitability of action. It does not accrue to any person unless it accrues against him also, and right does not accrue against a person unless it also accrues in his favour. If there is any right which is only in favour of a person with no (corresponding) right accruing against him it is solely for Allah, the Glorified, and not for His creatures by virtue of His might over His creatures and by virtue of the justice permeating all His decrees. Of course, He the Glorified, has created His right over creatures that they should worship Him, and has laid upon Himself (the obligation of) their reward equal to several times the recompense as a mark of His bounty and the generosity that He is capable of.

أَمَّا بَعْدُ، فَقَدْ جَعَلَ اللهُ لِي عَلَيْكُمْ حَقّاً بِوِلاَيَةِ أَمْرِكُمْ، وَلَكُمْ عَلَيَّ مِنَ الْحَقِّ مثْلُ الَّذِي لِي عَلَيْكُمْ، فَالْحَقُّ أَوْسَعُ الاْشْيَاءِ فِي التَّوَاصُفِ، وَأَضْيَقُهَا فِي التَّنَاصُفِ، لاَيَجْرِي لاِحَدٍ إِلاَّ جَرَى عَلَيْهِ، وَلاَ يَجْرِي عَلَيْهِ إِلاَّ جَرَى لَهُ وَلَوْ كَانَ لاِحَدٍ أَنْ يَجْرِيَ لَهُ وَلاَ يَجْرِيَ عَلَيْهِ، لَكَانَ ذلِكَ خَالِصاً لله سُبْحَانَهُ دُونَ خَلْقِهِ، لِقُدْرَتِهِ عَلَى عِبَادِهِ، وَلِعَدْلِهِ فِي كُلِّ مَا جَرَتْ عَلَيْهِ صُرُوفُ قَضَائِهِ، وَلكِنَّهُ جَعَلَ حَقَّهُ عَلَى الْعِبَادِ أَنْ يُطِيعُوهُ، وَجَعَلَ جَزَاءَهُمْ عَلَيْهِ مُضَاعَفَةَ الثَّوَابِ تَفَضُّلاً مِنْهُ، وَتَوَسُّعاً بِمَا هُوَ مِنَ الْمَزِيدِ أَهْلُهُ

حق الوالي وحق الرعية

Then, from His rights, He, the Glorified, created certain rights for certain people against others. He made them so as to equate with one another. Some of these rights produce other rights. Some rights are such that they do not accrue except with others. The greatest of these rights that Allah, the Glorified, has made obligatory is the right of the ruler over the ruled and the right of the ruled over the ruler. This is an obligation which Allah, the Glorified, has placed on each other. He has made it the basis of their (mutual) affection, and an honour for their religion. Consequently, the ruled cannot prosper unless the rulers are sound, while the rulers cannot be sound unless the ruled are steadfast. If the ruled fulfil the rights of the ruler and the ruler fulfils their rights, then right attains the position of honour among them, the ways of religion become established, signs of justice become fixed and the sunnah gains currency.

ثُمَّ جَعَلَ ـ سُبْحَانَهُ ـ مِنْ حُقُوقِهِ حُقُوقاً افْتَرَضَهَا لِبَعْضِ النَّاسِ عَلَى بَعْضٍ، فَجَعَلَهَا تَتَكَافَأُفِي وُجُوهِهَا، وَيُوجِبُ بَعْضُهَا بَعْضاً، وَلاَ يُسْتَوْجَبُ بعْضُهَا إِلاَّ بِبَعْضٍ. وَأَعْظَمُ مَا افْتَرَضَ ـ سُبْحَانَهُ ـ مِنْ تِلْكَ الْحُقُوقِ حَقُّ الْوَالِي عَلَى الرَّعِيَّةِ، وَحَقُّ الرَّعِيَّةِ، عَلَى الْوَالِي، فَرِيضةً فَرَضَهَا اللهُ ـ سُبْحَانَهُ ـ لِكُلٍّ عَلَى كُلٍّ، فَجَعَلَهَا نِظَاماً لِاُلْفَتِهِمْ، وَعِزّاً لِدِينِهِمْ، فَلَيْسَتْ تَصْلُحُ الرَّعِيَّةُ إِلاَّ بِصَلاَحِ الْوُلاَةِ، وَلاَ تَصْلُحُ الْوُلاَةُ إِلاَّ بِاسْتِقَامَةِ الرَّعِيَّةِ. فَإِذا أَدَّتِ الرَّعِيَّةُ إِلَى الْوَالِي حَقَّهُ، وَأَدَّى الْوَالِي إِلَيْهَا حَقَّهَا، عَزَّ الْحَقُّ بَيْنَهُمْ، وَقَامَتْ مَنَاهِجُ الدِّينِ، وَاعْتَدَلَتْ مَعَالِمُ الْعَدْلِ، وَجَرَتْ عَلَى أَذْلاَلِهَا السُّنَنُ

In this way time will improve, the continuance of government will be expected, and the aims of the enemies will be frustrated. But if the ruled gain sway over the ruler, or the ruler oppresses the ruled, then difference crops up in every word, signs of oppression appear, mischief enters religion and the ways of the sunnah are forsaken. Then desires are acted upon, the commands (of religion) are discarded, diseases of the spirit become numerous and there is no hesitation in disregarding even great rights, nor in committing big wrongs. In such circumstances, the virtuous are humiliated while the vicious are honoured, and there are serious chastisements from Allah, the Glorified, onto the people.

فَصَلَحَ بِذلِكَ الزَّمَانُ، وَطُمِعَ فِي بَقَاءِ الدَّوْلَةِ، وَيَئِسَتْ مَطَامِعُ الاْعْدَاءِ. وَإِذَا غَلَبَتِ الرَّعِيَّةُ وَالِيَهَا، أَوْ أَجْحَفَ الْوَالِي بِرَعِيَّتِهِ اخْتَلَفَتْ هُنَالِكَ الْكَلِمَةُ، وَظَهَرَتْ مَعَالِمُ الْجَوْرِ، وَكَثُرَ الاْدْغَالُ فِي الدِّينِ، وَتُرِكَتْ مَحَاجُّ السُّنَنِ، فَعُمِلَ بِالْهَوَى، وَعُطِّلَتِ الاْحْكَامُ، وَكَثُرَتْ عِلَلُ النُّفُوسِ، فَلاَ يُسْتَوْحَشُ لِعَظِيمِ حَقٍّ عُطِّلَ، وَلاَ لِعَظِيمِ بَاطِلٍ فُعِلَ! فَهُنَالِكَ تَذِلُّ الاْبْرَارُ، وَتَعِزُّ الاْشْرَارُ، وَتَعْظُمُ تَبِعَاتُ اللهِ عِنْدَ الْعِبَادِ

You should therefore counsel each other (for the fulfilment of your obligations) and co-operate with each other. However extremely eager a person may be to secure the pleasure of Allah, and however fully he strives for it, he cannot discharge (his obligation for) obedience to Allah, the Glorified, as is really due to Him, and it is an obligatory right of Allah over the people that they should advise each other to the best of their ability and co-operate with each other for the establishment of truth among them.

No person, however great his position in the matter of truth, and however advanced his distinction in religion may be, is above co-operation in connection with the obligations placed on him by Allah. Again, no man, however small he may be regarded by others, and however humble he may appear before eyes, is too low to co-operate or to be afforded co-operation in this matter.

فَعَلَيْكُمْ بِالتَّنَاصُحِ فِي ذلِكَ، وَحُسْنِ التَّعَاوُنِ عَلَيْهِ، فَلَيْسَ أَحَدٌ ـ وَإنِ اشْتَدَّ عَلَى رِضَى اللهِ حِرْصُهُ، وَطَالَ فِي الْعَمَلِ اجْتِهَادُهُ ـ بِبَالِغٍ حَقِيقَةَ مَا اللهُ سُبْحَانَهُ أَهْلُهُ مِنَ الطَّاعَةِ لَهُ، وَلكِنْ مِنْ وَاجِبِ حُقُوقِ اللهِ عَلى العِبَادِ النَّصِيحَةُ بِمَبْلَغِ جُهْدِهِمْ، وَالتَّعَاوُنُ عَلَى إقَامَةِ الْحَقِّ بَيْنَهُمْ. وَلَيْسَ امْرُؤٌ ـ وَإنْ عَظُمَتْ فِي الْحَقِّ مَنْزِلَتُهُ، وَتَقَدَّمَتْ فِي الدِّينِ فَضِيلَتُهُ ـ بِفَوْقِ أَنْ يُعَانَ عَلَى مَا حَمَّلَهُ اللهُ مِنْ حَقِّهِ. وَلاَ امْرُؤٌ ـ وَإِنْ صَغَّرَتْهُ النُّفُوسُ، وَاقْتَحَمَتْهُ الْعُيُونُ ـ بِدُونِ أَنْ يُعِينَ عَلى ذلِكَ أَوْ يُعَانَ عَلَيْهِ

One of Amir al-mu'minin's companions replied to him by a long speech wherein he praised him much and mentioned his own listening to him and obeying him, whereupon Amir al-mu'minin said:

فأجابه عليه السلام رجل من أصحابه بكلام طويل، يكثر فيه الثناء عليه، ويذكر سمعه وطاعته فقال عليه السلام :

If a man in his mind regards Allah's glory as being high and believes in his heart that Allah's position is sublime, then it is his right that on account of the greatness of these things he should regard all other things small. Among such persons, he on whom Allah's bounty is great and Allah's favours are kind has a greater obligation, because Allah's bounty over any person does not increase without an increase in Allah's right over him.

إِنَّ مِنْ حَقِّ مَنْ عَظُمَ جَلاَلُ اللهِ فِي نَفْسِهِ، وَجَلَّ مَوْضِعُهُ مِنْ قَلْبِهِ، أَنْ يَصْغُرَ عِنْدَهُ ـ لِعِظَمِ ذلِكَ ـ كُلُّ مَا سِوَاهُ، وَإِنَّ أَحَقَّ مَنْ كَانَ كَذلِكَ لَمَنْ عَظُمَتْ نِعْمَةُ اللهِ عَلَيْهِ، وَلَطُفَ إِحْسَانُهُ إِلَيْهِ، فَإِنَّهُ لَمْ تَعْظُمْ نِعْمَةُ اللهِ عَلَى أَحَدٍ إِلاَّ ازْدَادَ حَقُّ اللهِ عَلَيْهِ عِظَماً،

In the view of virtuous people, the worst position of rulers is that it may be thought about them that they love glory, and their affairs may be taken to be based on pride. I would really hate that it may occur to your mind that I love high praises or to hear eulogies. By the grace of Allah, I am not like this. Even If I had loved to be mentioned like this, I would have given it up in submissiveness before Allah, the Glorified, rather than accept greatness and sublimity to which He is more entitled.

Generally, people feel pleased at praise after good performances; but do not mention for me handsome praise for the obligations I have discharged towards Allah and towards you, because of (my) fear about those obligations which I have not discharged and for issuing injunctions which could not be avoided, and do not address me in the manner despots are addressed.

Do not evade me as the people of passion are (to be) evaded, do not meet me with flattery and do not think that I shall take it ill if a true thing is said to me, because the person who feels disgusted when truth is said to him or a just matter is placed before him would find it more difficult to act upon them. Therefore, do not abstain from saying a truth or pointing out a matter of justice because I do not regard myself above erring1 .

I do not escape erring in my actions but that Allah helps me (in avoiding errors) in matters in which He is more powerful than I. Certainly, I and you are slaves owned by Allah, other than Whom there is no Lord except Him. He owns our selves which we do not own. He took us from where we were towards what means prosperity to us. He altered our straying into guidance and gave us intelligence after blindness.

وَإِنَّ مِنْ أَسْخَفِ حَالاَتِ الْوُلاَةِ عِنْدَ صَالِحِ النَّاسِ، أَنْ يُظَنَّ بِهِمْ حُبُّ الْفَخْرِ، وَيُوضَعَ أَمْرُهُمْ عَلَى الْكِبْرِ، وَقَدْ كَرِهْتُ أَنْ يَكُونَ جَالَ فِي ظَنِّكُمْ أَنِّي أُحِبُّ الاْطْرَاءَ، وَاسْتِماعَ الثَّنَاءِ، وَلَسْتُ ـ بِحَمْدِ اللهِ ـ كَذلِكَ، وَلَوْ كُنْتُ أُحِبُّ أَنْ يُقَالَ ذلِكَ لَتَرَكْتُهُ انْحِطَاطاً لله سُبْحَانَهُ عَنْ تَنَاوُلِ مَا هُوَ أَحَقُّ بِهِ مِنَ الْعَظَمَةِ وَالْكِبْرِيَاءِ. وَرُبَّمَا اسْتَحْلَى النَّاسُ الثَّنَاءَ بَعْدَ الْبَلاَءِ فَلاَ تُثْنُوا عَلَيَّ بِجَمِيلِ ثَنَاءٍ، لاِخْرَاجِي نَفْسِي إِلَى اللهِ وَ إِلَيْكُمْ مِنَ التَّقِيَّةِ فِي حُقُوقٍ لَمْ أَفْرُغْ مِنْ أَدَائِهَا، وَفَرَائِضَ لاَ بُدَّ مِنْ إِمْضائِهَا فَلاَ تُكَلِّمُونِي بَمَا تُكَلَّمُ بِهِ الْجَبَابِرَةُ، وَلاَ تَتَحَفَّظُوا مِنِّي بِمَا يُتَحَفَّظُ بِهِ عِنْدَ أَهْلِ الْبَادِرَةِ وَلاَ تُخَالِطُونِي بالْمُصَانَعَةِ وَلاَ تَظُنّوا بِيَ اسْتِثْقَالاً فِي حَقٍّ قِيلَ لِي، وَلاَ الْتمَاسَ إِعْظَامٍ لِنَفْسِي، فَإِنَّهُ مَنِ اسْتَثْقَلَ الْحَقَّ أَنْ يُقَالَ لَهُ أَوْ الْعَدْلَ أَنْ يُعْرَضَ عَلَيْهِ، كَانَ الْعَمَلُ بِهِمَا أَثْقَلَ عَلَيْهِ. فَلاَ تَكُفُّوا عَنْ مَقَالةٍ بِحَقٍّ، أَوْ مَشُورَةٍ بِعَدْلٍ، فَإِنِّي لَسْتُ فِي نَفْسِي بِفَوْقِ أَنْ أُخْطِىءَ، وَلاَ آمَنُ ذلِكَ مِنْ فِعْلِي، إِلاَّ أَنْ يَكْفِيَ اللهُ مِنْ نَفْسِي مَا هُوَ أَمْلَكُ بِهِ مِنِّي فَإنَّمَا أَنَا وَأَنْتُمْ عَبِيدٌ مَمْلُوكُونَ لِرَبٍّ لاَ رَبَّ غَيْرُهُ، يَمْلِكُ مِنَّا مَا لاَ نَمْلِكُ مِنْ أَنْفُسِنَا، وَأَخْرَجَنَا مِمَّا كُنَّا فِيهِ إِلَى مَا صَلَحْنَا عَلَيْهِ، فَأَبْدَلَنَا بَعْدَ الضَّلاَلَةِ بِالْهُدَى، وَأَعْطَانَا الْبصِيرَةَ بَعْدَ الْعَمَى

Alternative Sources for Sermon 216

(1) Al-Kulayni, Rawdah,352 .

Notes

1. That the innocence of angels is different from the innocence of man needs no detailed discussion. The innocence of angels means that they do not possess the impulse to sin, but the innocence of man means that, although he has human frailties and passions, yet he possesses a peculiar power to resist them and he is not over-powered by them so as to commit sins. This very ability is called innocence and it prevents the rising up of personal passions and impulses. Amir al-mu'minin's saying that "I do not regard myself above erring" refers to those human dictates and passions, and his saying that "Allah helps me in avoiding 'errors'" refers to innocence. The same tone is found in the Qur'an in the words of Prophet Yusuf that:

I exculpate not myself, verily (one's) self is wont to bid (him to) evil, except such as my Lord hath had mercy on; verily my Lord is Oft- forgiving, All-merciful. (12:53)

Just as in this verse, because of the existence of exception, its firstpart cannot be used to argue against his innocence, similarly, due to the existence of the exception "but that Allah helps me in avoiding errors" in Amir al-mu'minin's saying, its first part cannot be used to argue against his innocence, otherwise the Prophet's innocence too will have to be rejected. In the same way, the last sentence of this sermon should not be taken to mean that before the proclamation of prophethood he had been under the influence of pre-Islamic beliefs, and that just as others had been unbelievers he too might have been in darkness and misguidance, because from his very birth Amir al-mu'minin was brought-up by the Prophet and the effect of his training and up-bringing permeated him. It cannot therefore be imagined that he who had from infancy trod in the foot-prints of the Prophet would deviate from guidance even for a moment. Thus, al-Mas`udi has written:

Amir al-mu'minin never believed in any other god than Allah so that there could be the question of his accepting Islam. He rather followed the Prophet in all his actions and (virtually) initiated him, and in this very state he attained majority. (Muruj adh-dhahab, vol. 2, p. 3).

Here, by those whom Allah led from darkness into guidance, the reference is to the persons whom Amir al-muíminin was addressing. Ibn Abiíl-Hadid writes in this connection:

The reference here is not to his own self because he had never been an unbeliever so as to have accepted Islam after that, but in these words he is referring to those group of people whom he was addressing. (Sharh Nahjul Balaghah, vol. 11, p. 108)

Sermon 217: O My God! I beseech Thee...

About the excesses of the Quraysh

ومن كلام له (عليه السلام)

في التظلم والتشكي من قريش

O My God! I beseech Thee to take revenge on the Quraysh and those who are assisting them, for they have cut asunder my kinship and over-turned my cup and have joined together to contest a right to which I was entitled more than anyone else. They said to me: “If you get your right, that will be just, but if you are denied the right, that too will be just. Endure it with sadness or kill yourself in grief.” I looked around but found no one to shield me, protect me or help me except the members of my family. I refrained from flinging them into death and therefore closed my eyes despite the dust, kept swallowing saliva despite (the suffocation of) grief and endured pangs of anger although it was more bitter than colocynth and more grievous than the bite of knives.

اللَّهُمَّ إِنِّي أَسْتَعْدِيكَ عَلَى قُرَيْش، فَإِنَّهُمْ قَدْ قَطَعُوا رَحِمِي، وَأَكْفَأُوا إِنَائِي، وَأَجْمَعُوا عَلَى مُنَازَعَتِي حَقّاً كُنْتُ أَوْلَى بِهِ مِنْ غَيْرِي، وَقَالُوا: أَلاَ إِنَّ فِي الْحَقِّ أَنْ تَأْخُذَهُ، وَفِي الْحَقِّ أَنْ تُمْنَعَهُ، فَاصْبِرْ مَغْمُوماً، أَوْ مُتْ مُتَأَسِّفاً

فَنَظَرْتُ فَإِذَا لَيْسَ لِي رَافِدٌ، وَلاَ ذَابٌّ وَلاَ مُسَاعِدٌ، إِلاَّ أَهْلَ بَيْتِي، فَضَنِنْتُ بِهِمْ عَنِ الْمَنِيَّةِ، فَأَغْضَيْتُ عَلَى الْقَذى، وَجَرِعْتُ رِيقِي عَلَى الشَّجَا، وَصَبَرْتُ مِنْ كَظْمِ الغَيْظِ عَلى أَمَرَّ مِنَ العَلْقَمِ، وَآلَمَ لِلْقَلْبِ مِنْ خَزِّ الشِّفَارِ

As-Sayyid ar-Radi says: This utterance of Amir al-mu’minin has already appeared in an earlier Sermon (172), but I have repeated it here because of the difference of versions.

قال الشريف رضي الله عنه: وقد مضى هذا الكلام في أثناء خطبة متقدمة، إلاّ أنّني كرّرتُهُ هاهنا لاختلاف الروايتين

A part of the same sermon about those who went to Basrah to fight Amir al-Mu’minin

ومنه :

في ذكر السائرين إلى البصرة لحربه (عليه السلام)

They marched on my officers and the custodians of the public treasury which is still under my control and on the people of a metropolis, all of whom were obedient to me and were in allegiance to me. They created division among them, instigated their party against me and attacked my followers. They killed a group of them by treachery, while another group took up swords against them and fought with the swords till they met Allah as adherents to truth.

فَقَدِمُوا عَلَى عُمَّالِي، وَخُزَّانِ بَيْتِ مَالِ الْمُسْلِمِينَ الَّذِي في يَدَيَّ، وَعَلى أَهْلِ مِصْر، كُلُّهُمْ فِي طَاعَتِي وَعَلَى بَيْعَتِي، فَشَتَّتُوا كَلِمَتَهُمْ، وَأَفْسَدُوا عَلَيَّ جَمَاعَتَهُمْ، وَوَثَبُوا عَلى شِيعَتِي، فَقَتَلُوا طَائِفَةً مِنْهُمْ غَدْراً، وَطَائِفَةٌ عَضُّوا عَلى أَسْيَافِهِمْ، فَضَارَبُوا بِهَا حَتَّى لَقُوا اللهَ صَادِقِينَ

Alternative Sources for Sermon 217

(1) Al-Kulayni, al-Rasa'il, see(2)

(2) Ibn Tawus, Kashf,173 ;

(3) Ibn Qutaybah, al-'Imamah, I,154 ;

(4) al-Thaqafi, al-Gharat;

(5) al-Tabari, al-Mustarshid, 95;

(6) Safwah, Jamharah.

Sermon 218: Abu Muhammad (Talhah) lies....

When Amir al-mu’minin passed by the corpses of Talhah ibn `Ubaydullah and `Abd ar-Rahman ibn `Attab ibn Asid who were both killed in the battle of Jamal, he said:

ومن كلام له (عليه السلام)

لمّا مر بطلحة وعبدالرحمن بن عتاب بن أسيد وهما قتيلان يوم الجمل

Abu Muhammad (Talhah) lies here away from his own place. By Allah, I did not like that the Quraysh should lie killed under the stars. I have avenged myself with the descendants of `Abd Manaf, but the chief persons of Banu Jumah1 have escaped me. They had stretched their necks towards a matter for which they were not suited, and therefore their necks were broken before they reached the goal.

لَقَدْ أَصْبَحَ أَبُو مُحَمَّد بِهذَا الْمَكَانِ غَرِيباً! أَمَا وَاللهِ لَقَدْ كَنْتُ أَكْرَهُ أَنْ تَكُونَ قُرَيْشٌ قَتْلَى تَحْتَ بُطُونِ الْكَوَاكِبِ! أَدْرَكْتُ وَتْرِي مِنْ بَنِي عَبْدِ مَنَاف، وَأَفْلَتَتْنِي أَعْيَانُ بَنِي جُمَحَ، لَقَدْ أَتْلَعُوا أَعْنَاقَهُمْ إِلَى أَمْر لَمْ يَكُونُوا أَهْلَهُ فَوُقِصُوا دوُنَهُ

Alternative Sources for Sermon 219

(1) Abu al-Faraj, al-'Aghani, XXI,246 ;

(2) al-Mubarrad, al-Kamil, I,126 ;

(3) al-Bayhaqi, al-Mahasin, II, 53;

(4) Ibn `Abd Rabbih, al-`Iqd, II,279 ;

(5) Ibn al-'Athir, al-Nihayah, I,192 ;

(6) al-Baladhuri, Ansab, II,261 ;

(7) al-Mas`udi, Muruj, II,371 .

Notes

1. In the battle of Jamal a group of Banú Jumah was with `Á’ishah, but the chief men of this group fled away from the battle-field. Some of them were: `Abdulláh al-Tawíl ibn Safwán, Yayá ibn Hakím, `Ámir ibn Mas`úd and Ayyúb ibn Habíb. From this group (Banú Jumah) only two persons were killed.

Sermon 219: He (the believer) kept his mind alive...

Qualities of the God-fearing and the pious

ومن كلام له (عليه السلام)

في وصف السالك الطريق إلى الله سبحانه

He (the believer) kept his mind alive and killed (the desires of) his heart till his body became thin, his bulk turned light and an effulgence of extreme brightness shone for him. It lighted the way for him and took him on the (right) path. Different doors led him to the door of safety and the place of (his permanent) stay. His feet, balancing his body became fixed in the position of safety and comfort, because he kept his heart (in good acts) and pleased his Allah.

قَدْ أَحْيَا عَقْلَهُ، وَأَمَاتَ نَفْسَهُ، حَتَّى دَقَّ جَلِيلُهُ، وَلَطُفَ غَلِيظُهُ، وَبَرَقَ لَهُ لاَمِعٌ كَثِيرُ الْبَرْقِ، فَأَبَانَ لَهُ الطَّرِيقَ، وَسَلَكَ بِهِ السَّبِيلَ، وَتَدَافَعَتْهُ الاَبْوَابُ إِلَى بَابِ السَّلاَمَةِ، وَدَارِ الاْقَامَةِ، وَثَبَتَتْ رِجْلاَهُ بِطُمَأْنِينَةِ بَدَنِهِ فِي قَرَارِ الاْمْنِ وَالرَّاحَةِ، بِمَا اسْتَعْمَلَ قَلْبَهُ، وَأَرْضَى رَبَّهُ

Alternative Sources for Sermon 219

(1) Al-'Amidi, Ghurar,233 .

Sermon 220: How distant (from achievement) is their aim...

Amir al-mu'minin recited the verse:

Engage (your) vying in exuberance, until ye come to the graves.1 (Qur'an, 102:1-2)

ومن كلام له (عليه السلام)

قال بعد تلاوته: (ألهاكُمُ التَّكاثُر * حَتَّى زُرتُمُ المَقابِرَ)

Then he said:

How distant (from achievement) is their aim, how neglectful are these visitors and how difficult is the affair. They have not taken lessons from things which are full of lessons, but they took them from far off places. Do they boast on the dead bodies of their fore-fathers, or do they regard the number of dead persons as a ground for feeling boastful of their number? They want to revive the bodies that have become spiritless and the movements that have ceased. They are more entitled to be a source of lesson than a source of pride. They are more suitable for being a source of humility than of honour.

يَا لَهُ مَرَاماً مَا أَبْعَدَهُ! وَزَوْراً مَا أَغْفَلَهُ! وَخطراً مَا أَفْظَعَهُ! لَقَدِ اسْتَخْلَوْا مِنْهُمْ أَيَّ مُذّكر، وَتَنَاوَشُوهُمْ مِنْ مَكَان بَعِيد! أَفَبِمَصَارِعِ آبَائِهِمْ يَفْخَرُونَ! أَمْ بِعَدِيدِ الْهَلْكَى يَتَكَاثَرُونَ! يَرْتَجِعُونَ مِنْهُمْ أَجْسَاداً خَوَتْ، وَحَرَكَات سَكَنَتْ، وَلاَنْ يَكُونُوا عِبَراً، أَحَقُّ مِنْ أَنْ يَكُونُوا مُفْتَخَراً، وَلاَن يَهْبِطُوا بِهِمْ جَنَابَ ذِلَّة، أَحْجَى مِنْ أَنْ يَقُوموُا بِهِمْ مَقَامَ عِزَّة !

They looked at them with weak-sighted eyes and descended into the hollow of ignorance. If they had asked about them from the dilapidated houses and empty courtyards, they would have said that they went into the earth in the state of misguidance and you too are heading ignorantly towards them. You trample their skulls, want to raise constructions on their corpses, you graze what they have left and live in houses which they have vacated. The days (that lie) between them and you are also bemoaning you and reciting elegies over you.

لَقَدْ نَظَرُوا إِلَيْهِمْ بِأَبْصَارِ الْعَشْوَةِ، وَضَرَبُوا مِنْهُمْ فِي غَمْرَةِ جَهَالَة، وَلَوِ اسْتَنْطَقُوا عَنْهُمْ عَرَصَاتِ تِلْكَ الدِّيَارِ الْخَاوِيَةِ، وَالْرُّبُوعِ الْخَالِيَةِ، لَقَالَتْ: ذَهَبُوا فِي الاْرْضِ ضُلاَّلاً، وَذَهَبْتُمْ فِي أَعْقَابِهِمْ جُهَّالاً، تَطَأُونَ فِي هَامِهِمْ، وَتَسْتَنْبِتُونَ فِي أَجْسَادِهِمْ، وَتَرْتَعُونَ فِيَما لَفَظُوا، وَتَسْكُنُونَ فِيَما خَرَّبُوا، وَإِنَّمَا الاْيَّامُ بَيْنَكُمْ وَبَيْنَهُمْ بَوَاك وَنَوَائِحُ عَلَيْكُمْ

They are your fore-runners in reaching the goal and have arrived at the watering places before you. They had positions of honour and plenty of pride. They were rulers and holders of positions. Now they have gone into the interstice where earth covers them from above and is eating their flesh and drinking their blood. They lie in the hollows of their graves lifeless, no more growing, and hidden, not to be found. The approach of dangers does not frighten them, and the adversity of circumstances does not grieve them. They do not mind earthquakes, nor do they pay heed to thunders. They are gone and not expected back. They are existent but unseen. They were united but are now dispersed. They were friendly and are now separated.

أُولئِكُمْ سَلَفُ غَايَتِكُمْ، وَفُرَّاطُ مَنَاهِلِكُمْ، الَّذِينَ كَانتْ لَهُمْ مَقَاوِمُ الْعِزِّ، وَحَلَبَاتُ الْفَخْرِ، مُلُوكاً وَسُوَقاً، سَلَكُوا فِي بُطُونِ الْبَرْزَخِ سَبِيلاً سُلِّطَتِ الاْرْضُ عَلَيْهِمْ فِيهِ، فَأَكَلَتْ مِنْ لُحُومِهِمْ، وَشَرِبَتْ مِنْ دِمَائِهِمْ، فَأَصْبَحُوا فِي فَجَوَاتِ قُبُورِهِمْ جَمَاداً لاَ يَنْمُونَ، وَضِماراً لاَ يُوجَدُونَ، لاَ يُفْزِعُهُمْ وُروُدُ الاْهْوَالِ، وَلاَ يَحْزُنُهُمْ تَنَكُّرُ الاْحْوَالِ، وَلاَ يَحْفِلُونَ بِالرَّوَاجِفِ، وَلاَ يَأْذَنُونَ لِلْقَوَاصِفِ، غُيَّباً لاَ يُنْتَظَرُونَ، وَشُهُوداً لاَ يَحْضُرونَ، وَإِنَّمَا كَانُوا جَمِيعاً فَتَشَتَّتُوا، وَآلاَفاً فافْتَرَقُوا،

Their accounts are unknown and their houses are silent, not because of length of time or distance of place, but because they have been made to drink the cup (of death) which has changed their speech into dumbness, their hearing into deafness and their movements into stillness. It seems as though they are fallen in slumber. They are neighbours not feeling affection for each other, or friends who do not meet each other. The bonds of their knowing each other have been worn out and the connections of their friendship have been cut asunder.

Everyone of them is therefore alone although they are a group, and they are strangers, even though friends. They are unaware of morning after a night and of evening after a day. The night or the day when they departed has become ever existent for them.2 They found the dangers of their placed of stay more serious than they had apprehended, and they witnessed that its signs were greater than they had guessed. The two objectives (namely paradise and hell) have been stretched for them upto a point beyond the reach of fear or hope. Had they been able to speak they would have become dumb to describe what they witnessed or saw.

وَمَا عَنْ طُولِ عَهْدِهِمْ، وَلاَ بُعْدِ مَحَلِّهِمْ، عَمِيَتْ أخْبَارُهُمْ، وَصَمَّتْ دِيَارُهُمْ، وَلكِنَّهُمْ سُقُوا كَأْساً بَدَّلَتْهُمْ بِالنُّطْقِ خَرَساً، وَبِالسَّمْعِ صَمَماً، وَبِالْحَرَكَاتِ سُكُوناً، فَكَأَنَّهُمْ فِي ارْتِجَالِ الصِّفَةِ صَرْعَى سُبَات، جِيرَانٌ لاَ يَتَأَنَّسُونَ، وَأَحِبَّاءُ لاَ يَتَزَاوَرُونَ، بَلِيَتْ بَيْنَهُمْ عُرَا التَّعَارُفِ، وَانْقَطَعَتْ مِنْهُمْ أَسْبَابُ الاْخَاءِ، فَكُلُّهُمْ وَحِيدٌ وَهُمْ جَمِيعٌ، وَبِجَانِبِ الْهَجْرِ وَهُمْ أَخِلاَّءُ، لاَ يَتَعَارَفُونَ لِلَيْل صَبَاحاً، وَلاَ لِنَهَار مَسَاءً. أَيُّ الْجَدِيدَيْنِ ظَعَنُوا فِيهِ كَانَ عَلَيْهِمْ سَرْمَداً، شَاهَدُوا مِنْ أَخْطَارِ دَارِهِمْ أَفْظَعَ مِمَّا خَافُوا، وَرَأَوْا مِنْ آيَاتِهَا أَعْظَمَ مِمَّا قَدَّرُوا، فَكِلتا الْغَايَتَيْنِ مُدَّتْ لَهُمْ إِلَى مَبَاءَة، فَاتَتْ مَبَالِغَ الْخَوْفِ وَالرَّجَاءِ. فَلَوْ كَانُوا يَنْطِقُونَ بِهَا لَعَيُّوا بِصِفَةِ مَا شَاهَدُوا وَمَا عَايَنُوا،

Even though their traces have been wiped out and their news has stopped (circulating), eyes are capable of drawing a lesson, as they looked at them, ears of intelligence heard them and they spoke without uttering words. So, they said that handsome faces have been destroyed and delicate bodies have been smeared with earth. We have put on a worn-out shroud. The narrowness of the grave has overwhelmed us and strangeness has spread among us. Our silent abodes have been ruined. The beauty of our bodies has disappeared. Our known features have become hateful. Our stay in the places of strangeness has become long. We do not get relief from pain, nor widening from narrowness.

وَلَئِنْ عَمِيَتْ آثَارُهُمْ، وَانْقَطَعَتْ أَخْبَارُهُمْ، لَقَدْ رَجَعَتْ فِيهِمْ أَبْصَارُ الْعِبَرِ، وَسَمِعَتْ عَنْهُمْ آذَانُ الْعُقُولِ، وَتَكَلَّمُوا مِنْ غَيْرِ جِهَاتِ النُّطْقِ، فَقَالُوا: كَلَحَتِ الْوُجُوهُ النَّوَاضِرُ، وَخَوَتِ الاَْجْسَادُ النَّوَاعِمُ، وَلَبِسْنَا أَهْدَامَ الْبِلَى، وَتَكَاءَدَنَا ضِيقُ الْمَضْجَعِ، وَتَوَارَثْنَا الْوَحْشَةَ، وَتَهَكَّمَتْ عَلَيْنَا الرُّبُوعُ الصُّمُوتُ، فَانْمَحَتْ مَحَاسِنُ أَجْسَادِنَا، وَتَنَكَّرَتْ مَعَارِفُ صُوَرِنَا، وَطَالَتْ فِي مَسَاكِنِ الْوَحْشَةِ إِقَامَتُنَا، وَلَمْ نَجِدْ مِنْ كَرْب فَرَجاً، وَلاَ مِنْ ضِيق مُتَّسعاً !

Now. if you portray them in your mind, or if the curtains concealing them are removed from them for you, in this state when their ears have lost their power and turned deaf, their eyes have been filled with dust and sunk down, their tongues which were very active have been cut into pieces, their hearts which were ever wakeful have become motionless in their chests, in every limb of theirs a peculiar decay has occurred which has deformed it, and has paved the way for calamity towards it, all these lie powerless, with no hand to help them and no heart to grieve over them, (then) you would certainly notice the grief of (their) hearts and the dirt of (their) eyes.

فَلَوْ مَثَّلْتَهُمْ بِعَقْلِكَ، أَوْ كُشِفَ عَنْهُمْ مَحْجُوبُ الْغِطَاءِ لَكَ، وَقَدِ ارْتَسَخَتْ أَسْمَاعُهُمْ بِالْهَوَامِّ فَاسْتَكَّتْ، وَاكْتَحَلَتْ أَبْصَارُهُمْ بِالتُّرَابِ فَخَسَفَتْ، وَتَقَطَّعَتِ الاْلْسِنَةُ فِي أَفْوَاهِهِمْ بَعْدَ ذَلاَقَتِهَا، وَهَمَدَتِ الْقُلُوبُ فِي صُدُورِهِمْ بَعْدَ يَقَظَتِهَا، وعَاثَ فِي كُلِّ جَارِحَة مِنْهُمْ جدِيدُ بِلىً سَمَّجَهَا، وَسَهَّلَ طُرُقَ الاْفَةِ إِلَيْهَا، مُسْتَسْلِمَات فَلاَ أَيْد تَدْفَعُ، وَلاَ قُلُوبٌ تَجْزَعُ، لَرَأَيْتَ أَشْجَانَ قُلُوب، وَأَقْذَاءَ عُيُون،

Every trouble of theirs is such that its position does not change and the distress does not clear away. How many a prestigious body and amazing beauty the earth has swallowed, although when in the world he enjoyed abundant pleasures and was nurtured in honour. He clung to enjoyments (even) in the hour of grief. If distress befell him he sought refuge in consolation (derived) through the pleasures of life and playing and games.

While he was laughing at the world and the world was laughing at him in his life full of forgetfulness, time trampled him like thorns, the days weakened his energy and death began to look at him from near. Then he was overtaken by a grief which he had never felt, and ailments appeared in place of the health he had previously possessed.

لَهُمْ فِي كَلِّ فَظَاعَة صِفَةُ حَال لاَ تَنْتَقِلُ، وَغَمْرَةٌ لاَ تَنْجَلِي. فَكَمْ أَكَلَتِ الاْرْضُ مِنْ عَزِيزِ جَسَد، وَأَنِيقِ لَوْن، كَانَ فِي الدُّنْيَا غَذِيَّ تَرَف، وَرَبِيبَ شَرَف! يَتَعَلَّلُ بالسُّرُورِ فِي سَاعَةِ حُزْنِهِ، وَيَفْزَعُ إِلَى السَّلْوَةِ إِنْ مُصِيبَةٌ نَزَلَتْ بِهِ، ضَنّاً بِغَضَارَةِ عَيْشِهِ، وَشَحَاحَةً بِلَهْوِهِ وَلَعِبِهِ! فَبَيْنَا هُوَ يَضْحَكُ إِلَى الدُّنْيَا وَتَضْحَكُ إِلَيْهِ فِي ظِلِّ عَيْش غَفُول، إِذْ وَطِىءَ الدَّهْرُ بِهِ حَسَكَهُ، وَنَقَضَتِ الاْيَّامُ قُوَاهُ، وَنَظَرَتْ إِلَيْهِ الْحُتُوفُ مِنْ كَثَب، فَخَالَطَهُ بَثٌّ لاَ يَعْرِفُهُ، وَنَجِيُّ هَمٍّ مَا كَانَ يَجِدُهُ، وَتَوَلَّدَتْ فِيهِ فَتَرَاتُ عِلَل، آنَسَ مَا كَانَ بِصِحَّتِهِ،

He then turned to that with which the physician had made him familiar, namely suppressing the hot (diseases) with cold (medicines) and curing the cold with hot doses, but the cold things did nothing save aggravate the hot ailments, while the hot ones did nothing except increasing the coldness. Nor did he acquire temperateness in his constitution but rather every ailment of his increased till his physicians became helpless, his attendants grew neglectful and his own family lacked the ablility to describe his disease, and were unable to answer those who enquired about him.

They disputed in front of him about the serious news which they were concealing from him. Thus, someone would say "his condition is what it is" and would console them with hopes of his recovery, while another one would advocate patience on missing him, recalling to them the calamities that had befallen the earlier generations.

فَفَزِعَ إِلَى مَا كَانَ عَوَّدَهُ الاْطِبَّاءُ مِنْ تَسْكِينِ الْحَارِّ بِالْقَارِّ، وَتَحْرِيكِ الْبَارِدِ بالْحَارِّ، فَلَمْ يُطْفِىءْ بِبَارِد إِلاَّ ثَوَّرَ حَرَارَةً، وَلاَ حَرَّكَ بِحَارٍّ إِلاَّ هَيَّجَ بُرُودَةً، وَلاَ اعْتَدَلَ بِمُمَازِج لِتِلْكَ الطَّبَائِعِ إِلاَّ أَمَدَّ مِنْهَا كُلَّ ذَاتِ دَاء، حَتَّى فَتَرَ مُعَلِّلُهُ، وَذَهَلَ مُمَرِّضُهُ، وَتَعَايَا أَهْلُهُ بِصِفَةِ دَائِهِ، وَخَرِسُوا عَنْ جَوَابِ السَّائِلِينَ عَنْهُ، وَتَنَازَعُوا دُونَهُ شَجِيَّ خَبَر يَكْتُمُونَهُ، فَقَائِلٌ [يَقُولُ] هُو لِمَا بِهِ، وَمُمَنّ لَهُمْ إِيَابَ عَافِيَتِهِ، وَمُصَبِّرٌ لَهُمْ عَلَى فَقْدِهِ، يُذَكِّرُهُمْ أُسَى الْمَاضِينَ مِنْ قَبْلِهِ

In this state when he was getting ready to depart from the world and leave his beloved ones, such a serious choking overtook him that his senses became bewildered and the dampness of his tongue dried up. Now, there was many an important question whose reply he knew about he could not utter it, and many a voice that was painful for his heart that he heard but remained (unmoved) as though he was deaf to the voice of either an elder whom he used to respect or of a younger whom he used to caress. The pangs of death are too hideous to be covered by description or to be appreciated by the hearts of the people in this world.

فَبَيْنَا هُوَ كَذلِكَ عَلَى جَنَاح مِنْ فِرَاقِ الدُّنْيَا، وَتَرْكِ الاْحِبَّةِ، إِذْ عَرَضَ لَهُ عَارِضٌ مِنْ غُصَصِهِ، فَتَحَيَّرَتْ نَوَافِذُ فِطْنَتِهِ، وَيَبِسَتْ رُطُوبَةُ لِسَانِهِ، فَكَمْ مِنْ مُهِمّ مِنْ جَوَابِهِ عَرَفَهُ فَعَيَّ عَنْ رَدِّهِ، وَدُعَاء مُؤْلِم لِقَلْبِهِ سَمِعَهُ فَتَصَامَّ عنْهُ، مِنْ كَبِير كَانَ يُعَظِّمُهُ، أَوْ صَغِير كَانَ يَرْحَمُهُ! وَإِنَّ لِلْمَوْتِ لَغَمَرَات هِيَ أَفْظَعُ مِنْ أَنْ تُسْتَغْرَقَ بِصِفَة، أَوْ تَعْتَدِلَ عَلَى عُقُولِ أَهْلِ الدُّنْيَا

Alternative Sources for Sermon 220

(1) Al-Wasiti, `Uyun al-hikam, see Bihar, vol. 77,432 ;

(2) Ibn al-'Athir, al-Nihayah, II,398 ;

(3) Abu Nu`aym, Hilyah, II,132 .

Notes

1. The genesis of the descending of this verse is that the tribes of Banu `Abd Manaf and Banu Sahm began to boast against each other over the abundance of their wealth and the number of their tribesmen, and in order to prove they had a greater number each one began to include their dead as well, whereupon this verse was revealed to the effect that abundance of riches and majority in numbers has made you so forgetful that you count the dead also with the living. This verse is also taken to mean that abundance of riches and progeny has made you forgetful till you reached the graves, but the utterance of Amir al-mu'minin supports the first meaning.

2. This means that for him he who dies in the day it is always day whereas for him who dies in the night the darkness of night never dispels, because they are at a place where there is no turning of the moon and the sun and no rotation of the nights and the days. The same meaning has been expressed by a poet like this:

There is sure to be a day without a night,

Or a night that would come without a day.