Lessons from Nahjul Balagha [Electronic resources] نسخه متنی

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Sermon
142

SERMON 142

Praying for rain

Beware; the earth
which bears you and the sky which overshadows you are obedient to
their Sustainer (Allah). They have not been bestowing their
blessings on you for any feeling of pity on you or inclination
towards you, nor for any good which they expect from you, but they
were commanded to bestow benefits on you and they are obeying, and
were asked to maintain your good and so they are maintaining it.

Certainly, Allah tries
his creatures in respect of their evil deeds by decreasing fruits,
holding back blessings and closing the treasures of good, so that
he who wishes to repent may repent, he who wishes to turn away
(from evils) may turn away, he who wishes to recall (forgotten
good) may recall, and he who wishes to abstain (from evil) may
abstain. Allah, the Glorified, has made the seeking of (His)
forgiveness a means for the pouring down of livelihood and mercy
on the people as Allah has said:
... Seek ye the
forgiveness of your Lord! Verily, He is the Most-forgiving, He
will send (down) upon you the cloud raining in torrents, and
help you with wealth and sons (children) . . . (Qur'an,
17:10-12)

Allah may shower mercy
on him who took up repentance, gave up sins and hastened (in
performing good acts before) his death.

O' my Allah! we have
come out to Thee from under the curtains and coverings (of houses)
when the beasts and children are crying, seeking Thy Mercy, hoping
for the generosity of Thy bounty an fearing Thy chastisement and
retribution. O' my Allah! give us to drink from Thy rain and do
not disappoint us, nor kill us by years (of drought) nor punish us
for what the foolish among us have committed, O' the Most Merciful
of all.

O' my Allah! we have
come out to Thee to complain to Thee who is (already) not hidden
from Thee, when the seven troubles have forced us, droughty
famines have driven us, distressing wants have made us helpless
and troublesome mischiefs have incessantly befallen us. O' my
Allah! we beseech Thee not to send us back disappointed nor to
return us with down-cast eyes, nor to address us (harshly) for our
sins, nor deal with us according to our deeds.

O' my Allah! do pour
on us Thy mercy, Thy blessing, Thy sustenance and Thy pity, and
make us enjoy a drink which benefits us, quenches our thirst,
produces green herbage with which all that was lost gets a growing
and all that had withered comes to life again. It should bring
about the benefit of freshness and plentifulness of ripe fruits.
With it plains may be watered, rivers may begin flowing, plants
may pick up foliage and prices may come down. Surely, Thou art
powerful over whatever Thou willest.