Nahjul Balagha Part 1, The Sermons
Sermon 158: Allah deputed the Prophet (S) at a time….
About the Holy Prophet and the Holy Qur'an
ومن خطبة له (عليه السلام)
ينبّه فيها على فضل الرسول الاعظم، وفضل القرآن، ثم حال دولة بني أميّة
Allah deputed the Prophet (S) at a time when there had been no prophets for some time. People had been in slumber for a long time and the twist of the rope had loosened. The Prophet came with (a Book containing) testification to what (books) were already there and also with a light to be followed. It is the Qur'an. If you ask it to speak it won't do so; but I will tell you about it. Know that it contains knowledge of what is to come about, stories of the past, cure for your ills and regulation for whatever faces you.
أَرْسَلَهُ عَلَى حِينِ فَتْرَة مِنَ الرُّسُلِ، وَطُولِ هَجْعَة مِنَ الاْمَمِ، وَانْتِقَاض مِنَ الْمُبْرَمِ، فَجَاءَهُمْ بِتَصْدِيقِ الَّذِي بَيْنَ يَدَيْهِ، وَالنُّورِ الْمُقْتَدَى بِهِ. ذلِكَ الْقُرْآنُ فَاسْتَنْطِقُوهُ، وَلَنْ يَنْطِقَ، وَلَكِنْ أُخْبِرُكُمْ عَنْهُ: أَلاَ إِنَّ فِيهِ عِلْمَ مَا يَأْتي، وَالْحَدِيثَ عَنِ الْمَاضِي، وَدَوَاءَ دَائِكُمْ، وَنَظْمَ مَا بَيْنَكُمْ.
A part of the same sermon about the autocracy of the Umayyads
منها: في دولة بنى أمية
At that time there will remain no house or tent but oppressors would inflict it with grief and inject sickness in it. On that day no one in the sky will listen to their excuse and no one on the earth will come to their help. You selected for the governance (caliphate) one who is not fit for it, and you raised him to a position which was not meant for him. Shortly Allah will take revenge from every one who has oppressed, food for food and drink for drink, namely (they will be given) colocynth for eating, myrrh and aloes for drinking, and fear for an inner and the sword for an outer covering.
فَعِنْدَ ذلِكَ لاَ يَبْقَى بَيْتُ مَدَر وَلاَ وَبَر إِلاَّ وَأَدْخَلَهُ الظَّلَمَةُ تَرْحَةً، وَأَوْلَجُوا فِيهِ نِقْمَةً، فَيَوْمَئِذ لاَ يَبْقَى لَهُمْ فِي السَّماءِ عَاذِرٌ، وَلاَ فِي الاْرْضِ نَاصِرٌ. أَصْفَيْتُمْ بِالاْمْرِ غَيْرَ أَهْلِهِ، وَأَوْرَدْتُمُوهُ غَيْرَ مَوْرِدِهِ، وَسَيَنْتَقِمُ اللهُ مِمَّنْ ظَلَمَ، مَأْكَلاً بِمَأْكَل، وَمَشْرَباً بِمَشْرَب، مِنْ مَطَاعِمِ الْعَلْقَمِ، وَمَشَارِبِ الصَّبِرِوَالْمَقِرِ، وَلِبَاسِ شِعَارِ الْخَوْفِ، وَدِثَارِ السَّيْفِ
They are nothing but carrier-beasts laden with sins and camels laden with evil deeds. I swear and again swear that the Umayyads will have to spit out the caliphate as phlegm is spat and thereafter they will never taste it nor relish its flavour so long as day and night rotate.
وَإِنَّمَا هُمْ مَطَايَا الْخَطِيئَاتِ وَزَوَامِلُ الاْثَامِ. فَأُقْسِمُ، ثُمَّ أُقْسِمُ، لَتَنَخَّمَنَّهَا أُمَيَّةُ مِنْ بَعْدِي كَمَا تُلْفَظُ النُّخَامَةُ، ثُمَّ لاَ تَذُوقُهَا وَلاَ تَطْعَمُ بِطَعْمِهَا أَبَداً مَا كَرَّ الْجَدِيدَانِ
Alternative Sources for Sermon 158
(1) Ibn al-'Athir, al-Nihayah, (`a.dh.r, m.q.r and n.kh.m) I, 46, III, 198, IV, 347, V, 34;
(2) al-Kulayni, Rawdah, 62;
(3) al-Mufid, al-'Irshad, 173.