SERMON 214
The Prophet's nobility of descent
I stand
witness that He is just and does justice, He is the arbiter Who decides
(between right and wrong). I also stand witness that Muhammad is His
slave. His Messenger and the Chief of His creatures. Whenever Allah
divided the line of descent, He put him in the better one, and therefore,
no evil-doer ever shared with him nor was any vicious person his partner.
Beware! surely Allah, the
Glorified, has provided for virtue those who are suited to it, for truth
pillars (that support it), and for obedience protection (against
deviation). In every matter of obedience you will find Allah, the
Glorified's succour that will speak through tongues and accord firmness to
hearts. It has sufficiency for those who seek sufficiency, and a cure for
those who seek cure.
The characteristics of the virtuous whose guidance must be followed
Know that,
certainly, those creatures of Allah who preserve His knowledge offer
protection to those things which He desires to be protected and make His
springs flow (for the benefit of others). They contact each other with
friendliness and meet each other with affection. They drink water from
cups that quench the thirst and return from the watering places fully
satiated. Misgiving does not affect them and backbiting does not gain
ground with them.
In this way Allah has tied
their nature with good manners. Because of this they love each other and
meet each other. They have become superior, like seeds which are selected
by taking some and throwing away others. This selection has distinguished
them and the process of choosing has purified them.
Therefore,
man should secure honour by adopting these qualities. He should fear the
day of Doom before it arrives, and he should appreciate the shortness of
his life and the shortness of his sojourn in the place of stay which has
only to last for his change over to the next place.
He should therefore do
something for his change over and for the known stages of his departure.
Blessed be he who possesses a virtuous heart, who obeys one who guides
him, desists from him who takes to ruin, catches the path of safety with
the help of him who provides him light (of guidance) and by obeying the
leader who commands him, hastens towards guidance before its doors are
closed, gets open the door of repentance and removes the (stain of) sins.
He has certainly been put on
the right path and guided towards the straight road.
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