SERMON 103
About abstemiousness and fear of Allah
O' people! look at the world
like those who abstain from it, and turn away from it. By Allah, it would
shortly turn out its inhabitants and cause grief to the happy and the
safe.
That which turns and goes
away from it never returns and that which is likely to come about is not
known or anticipated. Its joy is mingled with grief. Herein men's firmness
inclines towards weakness and languidness. The majority of what pleases
you here should not mislead you because that which would help you would be
little.
Allah may shower His mercy
on him who ponders and takes lesson thereby, and when he takes lesson he
achieves enlightenment. Whatever is present in this world would shortly
not exist, while whatever is to exist in the next world is already in
existence.
Every countable thing would
pass away. Every anticipation should be taken to be coming up and every
thing that is to come up should be taken as just near.
A part of the same sermon on the attributes of a learned person
Learned is he who knows his
worth. It is enough for a man to remain ignorant if he knows not his
worth. Certainly, the most hated man with Allah is he whom Allah has left
for his own self. He goes astray from the right path, and moves without a
guide. If he is called to the plantation of this world he is active, but
if he is called to the plantation of the next world he is slow.
As though what he is active for is
obligatory upon him whereas in whatever he is slow was not required of
him.
A part of the same sermon concerning future times
There would be a time
wherein only a sleeping (inactive) believer would be safe (such that) if
he is present he is not recognised but if he is absent he is not sought
after. These are the lamps of guidance and banners of night journeys. They
do not spread calumnies nor divulge secrets, nor slander.
They are those for whom
Allah would open the doors of His mercy and keeps off from them the
hardships of His chastisement.
O' people ! a time will come
to you when Islam would be capsized as a pot is capsized with all its
contents. O' people, Allah has protected you from that He might be hard on
you but He has not spared you from being put on trial. Allah the Sublimest
of all speakers has said:
Verily in this are signs
and We do only try (the people). (Qur'an, 23:30)
as-Sayyid ar-Radi says: As
regards Amir al-mu'minin's words "kullu mu'minin nuwamah" (every sleeping
believer), he implies thereby one who is talked of little and causes no
evil. And the word "al-masayih" is the plural of "misyah". He is one who
spreads trouble among people through evils and calumnies.
And the word "al-madhayi" is
the plural of "midhya". He is one who on hearing of an evil about some one
spreads it and shouts about it. And "al-budhur" is the plural of "badhur".
He is one who excels in foolishness and speaks rubbish.
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