Lessons from Nahjul Balagha [Electronic resources] نسخه متنی

Sermons
Sermon
4

SERMON 143

Deputation of Prophets

Allah deputed prophets
and distinguished them with His revelation. He made them as pleas
for Him among His creation, so that there should not remain any
excuse for people. He invited people to the right path through a
truthful tongue. You should know that Allah fully knows creation.
Not that He was not aware of what they concealed from among their
hidden secrets and inner feelings, but in order to try them as to
whom from among them performs good acts, so that there is reward
in respect of good acts and chastisement in respect of evil acts.

The position of
Ahlu'l-bayt (the Household of the Holy Prophet)

Where are those who
falsely and unjustly claimed that they are deeply versed in
knowledge, as against us, although Allah raised us in position and
kept them down, bestowed upon us knowledge but deprived them, and
entered us (in the fortress of knowledge) but kept them out. With
us guidance is to be sought and blindness (of misguidance) is to
be changed into brightness. Surely Imams (divine leaders) will be
from the Quraysh. They have been planted in this line through
Hashim. It would not suit others nor would others be suitable as
heads of affairs.

A part of the same
sermon about those who are against the Ahlu'l-bayt

They have adopted this
world and abandoned the next world; left clean water and drunk
stinking water. I can almost see their wicked one (1)
who committed unlawful acts, associated himself with them,
befriended them and accorded with them till his hair grew grey and
his nature acquired their tinge. He proceeded onward emitting foam
like a torrential stream not caring whom he drowned, or, like fire
in straw, without realising what he burnt.

Where are the minds
which seek light from the lamps of guidance, and the eyes which
look at minarets of piety? Where are the hearts dedicated to
Allah, and devoted to the obedience of Allah? They are all
crowding towards worldly vanities and quarrelling over unlawful
issues. The ensigns of Paradise and Hell have been raised for them
but they have turned their faces away from Paradise and proceeded
to Hell by dint of their performances. Allah called them but they
showed dislike and ran away. When Satan called them they responded
and proceeded (towards him).

(1).
Here the reference is to Abd al-Malik ibn Marwan who committed
extreme atrocities through his officer al-Hajjaj ibn Yusuf
ath-Thaqafi.