Lessons from Nahjul Balagha [Electronic resources] نسخه متنی

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Sermon
221

SERMON 221

Amir al-mu'minin recited the
verse:

O' thou man! what hath
beguild thee from thy Lord, the Most Gracious One. (Qur'an,
82:6)

Then he said:

The addressee (in this
verse) is devoid of argument and his excuse is most deceptive. He
is detaining himself in ignorance.

O' man! what has
emboldened you to (commit) sins, what had deceived you about your
Allah and what has made you satisfied with the destruction of
yourself. Is there no cure for your ailment or no awakening from
your sleep? Do you not have pity on yourself as you have on
others? Generally, when you see anyone exposed to the heat of the
sun you cover him with shade, or if you see anyone afflicted with
grief that pains his body you weep out of pity for him. What has
then made you patient over your own disease, what has made you
firm in your own afflictions, and what has consoled you from
weeping over yourself although your life is the most precious of
all lives to you, and why does not the fear of an ailment that may
befall you in the night keep you wakeful although you lie on the
way to Allah's wrath due to your sins?

You should cure the
disease of languor in your heart by determination, and the sleep
of neglectfulness in your eyes by wakefulness. Be obedient to
Allah, and love His remembrance, and picture to yourself that you
are running away while He is approaching you. He is calling you to
His forgiveness and concealing your faults with His kindness,
while you are fleeing away from Him towards others. Certainly,
Great is Allah the powerful, Who is so generous, and how humble
and weak are you and still so bold to commit His disobedience
although you live in His protection and undergo changes of life in
the expanse of His kindness. He does not refuse you His kindness
and does not remove His protection from you. In fact, you have not
been without His kindness even for a moment, whether it be a
favour that He conferred upon you or a sin of yours that He has
concealed or a calamity that He has warded off from you. What is
your idea about Him if you had obeyed Him? By Allah, if this had
been the case with two persons equal in power and matching in
might (one being inattentive and the other showering favours upon
you) then you would have been the first to adjudge yourself to be
of bad behaviour and evil deeds.

I truthfully say that
the world has not deceived you but you have had yourself deceived
by it. The world had opened to you the curtains and divulged to
you (everything) equally. And in all that it foretold you about
the troubles befalling your bodies and the decay in your power, it
has been too true and faithful in promise, and did not speak a lie
to you or deceive you. There are many who advise you about it but
they are blamed, and speak the truth about it but they are
opposed. If you understand the world by means of dilapidated
houses and forlorn abodes, then with your good understanding and
far reaching power of drawing lessons you will find it like one
who is kind over you and cautious about you. It is good abode for
him who does not like it as an abode, and a good place of stay for
him who does not regard it a permanent home for stay.

Only those who run
away from this world today will be regarded virtuous tomorrow.
When the earthquake occurs, the Day of Resurrection approaches
with all its severities, the people of every worshipping place
cling to it, all the devotees cling to the object of their
devotion and all the followers cling to their leader. Then on that
day even the opening of an eye in the air and the sound of a
footstep on the ground will be assigned its due through His
Justice and His Equity. On that day many an argument will prove
void and a contention for excuses will stand rejected.

Therefore, you should
now adopt for yourself the course with which your excuse may hold
good and your plea may be proved. Take from the transient things
of this world that which will stay for you (in the next world),
provide for your journey, keep (your) gaze on the brightness of
deliverance and keep ready the saddles (وor setting off).