Nahjul Balagha Part 1, The Sermons
Sermon 95: Allah sent the Prophet at a time when the people...
About the condition of the people at the time of the Prophet's proclamation and his actions to do with the dissemination of his message
ومن خطبة له (عليه السلام)
يقرر فضيلة الرسول الكريم
Allah sent the Prophet at a time when the people were going astray in perplexity and were moving here and there in mischief. Desires had deflected them and self-conceit had swerved them. Extreme ignorance had made them foolish. They were confounded by the unsteadiness of matters and the evils of ignorance. Then the Prophet - blessing of Allah be upon him and his descendants - did his best in giving them sincere advice, himself trod on the right path and called (them) towards wisdom and good counsel.
بَعَثَهُ وَالنَّاسُ ضُلاَّلٌ فِي حَيْرَة، وَحَاطِبُونَ فِي فِتْنَة، قَدِ اسْتَهْوَتْهُمُ الاْهْوَاءُ، وَاسْتَزَلَّتْهُمُ الْكِبْرِيَاءُ، وَاسْتَخَفَّتْهُمُ الْجَاهِلِيِّةُ الْجَهْلاَءُ: حَيَارَى فِي زَلْزَال مَنَ الاْمْرِ، وَبَلاَء مِنَ الْجَهْلِ، فَبَالَغَ (صلى الله عليه وآله) فِي النَّصِيحَةِ، وَمَضَى عَلَى الطَّرِيقَةِ، وَدَعَا إِلَى الْحِكْمَةِ وَالْمَوْعِظَةِ.
Alternative Sources for Sermon 95
(1) Al-Majlisi, Bihar, XVIII, 219.