Lessons from Nahjul Balagha [Electronic resources] نسخه متنی

Sermons
Sermon
137

SERMON 137

Referring to events in the
future

He will direct desires
towards (the path of) guidance while people will have turned
guidance towards desires, and he will turn their views to the
direction of the Qur'an while the people will have turned the
Qur'an to their views.

A part of the same
sermon

(Before this Enjoiner
of Good (1), matters will deteriorate)
till war will rage among you with full force, showing forth its
teeth, with udders full of sweet milk but with a sour tip. Beware,
it will be tomorrow and the morrow will come soon with things
which you do not know. The Man in power, not from this crowd, will
take to task all those were formerly appointed for their ill deeds
and the earth will pour forth its eternal treasures and fling
before him easily her keys. He will show you the just way of
behaviour and revive the Qur'an and sunnah which have become
lifeless (among people).

A part of the same
sermon

As if I see (him), he
(the Enjoiner of Evil) (2) is shouting
in Syria (ash-Sham) and is extending his banners to the outskirts
of Kufah. He is bent towards it like the biting of the she-camel.
He has covered the ground with heads. His mouth is wide open and
(the trampling of) his footsteps on the ground have become heavy.
His advance is broad and his attacks are severe.

By Allah, he will
disperse you throughout the earth till only a few of you remain,
like kohl in the eye. You will continue like this till the Arabs
return to their sense. You should therefore stick to established
ways, clear signs and the early period which has the lasting
virtues of the Prophethood. You should know that Satan makes his
ways easy so that you may follow him on his heels.

(1).
This prophecy of Amir al-mu'minin is with regard to the appearance
of the Twelfth Imam, Abu'l-Qasim Muhammad ibn al-Hasan al-Mahdi
(p.b.u.h.).

(2).
This refers to Abd al-Malik ibn Marwan who came to power in Syria
(ash-Sham) after his father Marwan ibn al-Hakam and then after the
killing of al-Mukhtar ibn Abi Ubayd ath-Thaqafi in his encounter
with Musab ibn az-Zubayr he proceeded towards Iraq. He clashed
with Musab's force at Maskin near Dayru'l-jathaliq in the
outskirts of Kufah. After defeating him he made a victorious entry
into Kufah and took allegiance from its inhabitants. Then he sent
al-Hajjaj ibn Yusuf ath-Thaqafi to Mecca to fight with Abdullah
ibn az-Zubayr. Consequently this man besieged Mecca and stoned it,
and shed the blood of thousands of innocent persons like water. He
killed Ibn az-Zubayr and hung his body on the gallows. He
perpetrated such atrocities on the people that one shudders at the
thought of them.