Lessons from Nahjul Balagha [Electronic resources] نسخه متنی

Sermons
Sermon
148

SERMON 148

Before his passing away (last
will)

O' people. Every one
has to meet what he wishes to avoid by running away. (1)
Death is the place to which life is driving. To run away from it
means to catch it. How many days did I spend in searching for the
secret of this matter, but Allah did not allow save its
concealment. Alas! It is a treasured knowledge. As for my last
will, it is that concerning Allah, do not believe in a partner for
Him, and concerning Muhammad (p.b.u.h.a.h.p.), do not disregard
his Sunnah. Keep these two pillars and burn these two lamps. Till
you are not divided, no evil will come to you. (2)
Every one of you has to bear his own burden. It has been kept
light for the ignorant. Allah is Merciful. Faith is straight. The
leader (Prophet) is the holder of knowledge. Yesterday I was with
you; today I have become the object of a lesson for you, and
tomorrow I shall leave you. Allah may forgive me and you.

If the foot remains
firm in this slippery place, well and good. But if the foot slips,
this is because we are under the shade of branches, the passing of
the winds and the canopy of the clouds whose layers are dispersed
in the sky, and whose traces disappeared (3)
in the earth. I was your neighbour. My body kept you company for
some days and shortly you will find just an empty body of mine
which would be stationary after (all its) movement and silent
after speech so that my calmness, the closing of my eyes, and the
stillness of my limbs may provide you counsel, because it is more
of a counsel for those who take a lesson (from it) than eloquent
speech and a ready word. I am departing from you like one who is
eager to meet (someone). Tomorrow you will look at my days, then
my inner side will be disclosed to you and you will understand me
after the vacation of my place and its occupation by someone else.

(1).
This means that during all the time spent in the attempts that a
man makes to avoid death and in the means he adopts for it, it is
only the span of life that is shortened. As the time passes the
objective of death approaches near, so much so that in one's
attempt to seek life one meets death.

(2).
"wa khalakum dhammun" (No evil will come to you). This
sentence is used as a proverb. It was first employed by Qasir,
slave of Jadhimah ibn Malik al-Abrash.

(3).
The intention is that when all these things die, how can those who
inhabit them remain safe? Certainly they too, like every thing
else, have to pass away some day or other. Then why should there
be any wonder at my life coming to an end?