Lessons from Nahjul Balagha [Electronic resources] نسخه متنی

Sermons
Sermon
213

SERMON 213

The Prophet's nobility of
descent

I stand witness that
He is just and does justice, He is the arbiter Who decides
(between right and wrong). I also stand witness that Muhammad is
His slave. His Messenger and the Chief of His creatures. Whenever
Allah divided the line of descent, He put him in the better one,
and therefore, no evil-doer ever shared with him nor was any
vicious person his partner. Beware! surely Allah, the Glorified,
has provided for virtue those who are suited to it, for truth
pillars (that support it), and for obedience protection (against
deviation). In every matter of obedience you will find Allah, the
Glorified's succour that will speak through tongues and accord
firmness to hearts. It has sufficiency for those who seek
sufficiency, and a cure for those who seek cure.

The characteristics of
the virtuous whose guidance must be followed

Know that, certainly,
those creatures of Allah who preserve His knowledge offer
protection to those things which He desires to be protected and
make His springs flow (for the benefit of others). They contact
each other with friendliness and meet each other with affection.
They drink water from cups that quench the thirst and return from
the watering places fully satiated. Misgiving does not affect them
and backbiting does not gain ground with them. In this way Allah
has tied their nature with good manners. Because of this they love
each other and meet each other. They have become superior, like
seeds which are selected by taking some and throwing away others.
This selection has distinguished them and the process of choosing
has purified them.

Therefore, man should
secure honour by adopting these qualities. He should fear the day
of Doom before it arrives, and he should appreciate the shortness
of his life and the shortness of his sojourn in the place of stay
which has only to last for his change over to the next place. He
should therefore do something for his change over and for the
known stages of his departure. Blessed be he who possesses a
virtuous heart, who obeys one who guides him, desists from him who
takes to ruin, catches the path of safety with the help of him who
provides him light (of guidance) and by obeying the leader who
commands him, hastens towards guidance before its doors are
closed, gets open the door of repentance and removes the (stain
of) sins. He has certainly been put on the right path and guided
towards the straight road.