Lessons from Nahjul Balagha [Electronic resources] نسخه متنی

Sermons
Sermon
149

SERMON 149

About future events and some
activities of the hypocrites

They took to the right
and the left piercing through to the ways of evil and leaving the
paths of guidance. Do not make haste for a matter which is to
happen and is awaited, and do not wish for delay in what the
morrow is to bring for you. For, how many people make haste for a
matter, but when they get it they begin to wish they had not got
it. How near is today to the dawning of tomorrow. O' my people,
this is the time for the occurrence of every promised event and
the approach of things which you do not know. Whoever from among
us will be during these days will move through them with a burning
lamp and will tread on the footsteps of the virtuous, in order to
unfasten knots, to free slaves, to divide the united and to unite
the divided. He will be in concealment from people. The stalker
will not find his footprints even though he pursues with his eye.
Then a group of people will be sharpened like the sharpening of
swords by the blacksmith. Their sight will be brightened by
revelation, the (delicacies of) commentary will be put in their
ears and they will be given drinks of wisdom, morning and evening.

A part of the same
sermon

Their period became
long in order that they might complete (their position of)
disgrace and deserve vicissitudes, till the end of the period was
reached, and a group of people turned towards mischief and picked
up their arms for fighting. The virtuous did not show any
obligation to Allah but calmly endured, and did not feel elated
for having engaged themselves in truthfulness. Eventually the
period of trial came to an end according to what was ordained.
Then they propagated their good views among others and sought
nearness to Allah according to the command of their leader.

When Allah took the
Prophet (to himself) a group of men went back on their tracks. The
ways (of misguidance) ruined them and they placed trust in
deceitful intriguers, showed consideration to other than kinsmen,
abandoned the kin whom they had been ordered to love, and shifted
the building from its strong foundation and built it in other than
its (proper) place. They are the source of every shortcoming and
the door of gropers in the dark. They were moving to and fro in
amazement and lay intoxicated in the way of the people of the
Pharaohs. They were either bent on this world and taking support
on it or away from the faith and removed from it.