Nahjul Balagha Part 1, The Sermons
Sermon 106: Praise belong to Allah, who established Islam...
About Islam
ومن خطبة له (عليه السلام)
وفيها يبيّن فضل الاسلام ويذكر الرسول الكريم ثمّ يلوم أصحابه
Praise belong to Allah, who established Islam and made it easy for those who approach it and gave strength to its columns against any one who tries to overpower it. So Allah made it (a source of) peace for him who clings to it, safety for him who enters it, argument for him who speaks about it, witness for him who fights with its help, light for him who seeks light from it, understanding for him who provides it, sagacity for him who exerts, a sign (of guidance) for him who perceives, sight for him who resolves, lesson for him who seeks advice, salvation for him who testifies, confidence for him who trusts, pleasure for him who entrusts, and shield for him who endures.
الْحَمْدُ للهِ الَّذِي شَرَعَ الاْسْلاَمَ فَسَهَّلَ شَرَائِعَهُ لِمَنْ وَرَدَهُ، وَأَعَزَّ أَرْكَانَهُ عَلَى مَنْ غَالَبَهُ، فَجَعَلَهُ أَمْناً لِمَنْ عَلِقَهُ، وَسِلْماً لِمَنْ دَخَلَهُ، وَبُرْهَاناً لِمَنْ تَكَلَّمَ بِهِ، وَشَاهِداً لِمَنْ خَاصَمَ بِهِ، وَنُوراً لِمَنِ اسْتَضَاءَ بِهِ، وَفَهْماً لِمَنْ عَقَلَ، وَلُبّاً لَمِنْ تَدَبَّرَ، وَآيَةً لِمَنْ تَوَسَّمَ، وَتَبْصِرَةً لِمَنْ عَزَمَ، وَعِبْرَةً لِمَنِ اتَّعَظَ، وَنَجَاةً لِمَنْ صَدَّقَ، وَثِقَةً لِمَنْ تَوَكَّلَ، وَرَاحَةً لِمَنْ فَوَّضَ، وَجُنَّةً لِمَنْ صَبَرَ.
It is the brightest of all paths, the clearest of all passages. It has dignified minarets, bright highways, burning laps, prestigious field of activity, and high objective. It has a collection of race horses. It is approached eagerly. Its riders are honourable. Testimony (of Allah, Prophet etc.) is its way, good deeds are its minarets, death is its extremity, this world is its race-course, the Day of Judgement is its horses and Paradise is its point of approach.
فَهُوَ أبْلَجُ الْمَنَاهجِ وَ اوضِحُ الْوَلاَئِجِ مُشْرَفُ الْمَنَارِ مُشْرِقُ الْجَوَادِّ مُضِيءُ الْمَصَابِيحِ، كَرَيمُ الْمِضْمارِ رَفِيعُ الْغَايَةِ، جَامِعُ الْحَلْبَةِ مُتَنَافِسُ السُّبْقَةِ، شَرِيفُ الْفُرْسَانِ. التَّصْدِيقُ مِنْهَاجُهُ، وَالصَّالِحَاتُ مَنَارُهُ، وَالْمَوْتُ غَايَتُهُ، وَالدُّنْيَا مِضْمارُهُ، وَالْقِيَامَةُ حَلْبَتُهُ، وَالْجَنَّةُ سُبْقَتُهُ
A part of the same sermon about the Holy Prophet
منها: في ذكر النبي (صلى الله عليه وآله)
The Prophet lighted flames for the seeker and put bright signs for the impeded. So he is Thy trustworthy trustee, Thy witness on the Day of Judgement, Thy deputy as a blessing and Thy messenger of truth as mercy. My God, distribute to him a share from Thy Justice and award him multiples of good by Thy bounty. My God, heighten his construction over the constructions of others, honour him when he comes to Thee, dignify his position before Thee, give him honourable position, and award him glory and distinction, and bring us out (on the Day of Judgement) among his party, neither ashamed, nor repentant, nor deviators, nor pledge-breakers, nor strayers, nor misleaders nor seduced.
حَتَّى أَوْرَى قَبَساً لِقَابِس، وَأَنَارَ عَلَماً لِحَابِس، فَهُوَ أَمِينُكَ الْمَأْمُونُ، وَشَهِيدُكَ يَوْمَ الدِّينِ، وَبَعِيثُكَ نِعْمةً، وَرَسُولُكَ بِالْحقِّ رَحْمَةً.
اللَّهُمَّ اقْسِمْ لَهُ مَقْسَماً مِنْ عَدْلِكَ، وَاجْزِهِ مُضَعَّفَاتِ الْخَيْرِ مِنْ فَضْلِكَ. اللَّهُمَّ أَعْلِ عَلَى بَنَاءِ الْبَانِينَ بَنَاءَهُ، وَأَكْرِمْ لَدَيْكَ نُزُلَهُ، وَشَرِّفْ عِنْدَكَ مَنْزِلَهُ، وَآتِهِ الْوَسِيلَةَ، وَأَعْطِهِ السَّنَاءَ وَالْفَضِيلَةَ، وَاحْشُرْنَا فِي زُمْرَتِهِ غَيْرَ خَزَايَا، وَلاَ نَادِمِينَ، وَلاَ نَاكِبِينَ، وَلاَ نَاكِثِينَ، وَلاَ ضَالِّينَ، وَلاَ مَفْتُونِينَ.
As-Sayyid ar-Radi says: This sermon had already appeared earlier but we have repeated it here because of the difference between the two versions.
قال الشريف: وقد مضى هذا الكلام فيما تقدم، إلاّ أنّنا كرّرناه هاهنا لما في الروايتين من الاختلاف.
A part of the same sermon addressed to his followers
منها: في خطاب أصحابه
By bounty of Allah over you, you have acquired a position where even your slave maids are honoured, your neighbours are treated well. Even he over whom you enjoy no distinction or obligation honours you. Even those people fear you who had no apprehension of attack from you or any authority over you. You now see pledges to Allah being broken but do not feel enraged although you fret and frown on the breaking of the traditions of your forefathers. Allah's matters have been coming to you, and going from and again coming back to you; but you have made over your place to wrong-doers and thrown towards them your responsibilities, and have placed Allah's affairs in their hands. They act in doubts and tread in (fulfilment of) desires. By Allah, even if they disperse you under every star Allah would surely collect you on the day that would be worst for them.
وَقَدْ بَلَغْتُمْ منْ كَرَامَةِ اللهِ لَكُمْ مَنْزِلَةً تُكْرَمُ بِهَا إِمَاؤُكُمْ، وَتُوصَلُ بِهَا جِيرَانُكُمْ، وَيُعَظِّمُكُمْ مَنْ لاَ فَضْلَ لَكُمْ عَلَيهِ، وَلاَ يَدَلَكُمْ عِنْدَهُ، وَيَهَابُكُمْ مَنْ لاَ يَخَافُ لَكُمْ سَطْوَةً، وَلاَ لَكُمْ عَلَيْهِ إِمْرَةٌ، وَقَدْ تَرَوْنَ عُهُودَ اللهِ مَنْقُوضَةً فَلاَ تَغْضَبُونَ! وَأَنْتُمْ لِنَقْضِ ذِمَمِ آبَائِكُمْ تَأْنَفُونَ! وَكَانَتْ أَمُورُ اللهِ عَلَيْكُمْ تَرِدُ، وَعَنْكُمْ تَصْدُرُ، وَإِلَيْكُمْ تَرْجِعُ، فَمَكَّنْتُمُ الظَّلَمَةَ مِنْ مَنْزِلَتِكُمْ، وَأَلْقَيْتُمْ إِلَيْهِمْ أَزِمَّتَكُمْ، وَأَسْلَمْتُمْ أُمُورَ اللهِ فِي أَيْدِيهمْ، يَعْمَلُونَ بِالشُّبُهَاتِ، وَيَسِيرُونَ في الشَّهَوَاتِ، وَايْمُ اللهِ، لَوْ فَرَّقُوكُمْ تَحْتَ كُلِّ كَوْكَب، لَجَمَعَكُمُ اللهُ لِشَرِّ يَوْم لَهُمْ!
Alternative Sources for Sermon 106
(1) Al-Ghazali, Ihya';
(2) al-Harrani, Tuhaf, 126;
(3) al-Kulayni, Usul al-Kafi, II, 49;
(4) al-Qali, al-'Amali, 171;
(5) Abu Talib al-Makki, Qut, I, 382, 407;
(6) Abu Nu`aym, Hilyah, I, 74, 75;
(7) al-Saduq, al-Khisal, I, 108;
(8) al-Qadi al-Quda`i, Dustur, 121;
(9) al-Tusi, al-'Amali, * 23.