SERMON 109
About the Might of Allah
Everything submits to Him
and everything exists by Him. He is the satisfaction of every poor,
dignity of the low, energy for the weak and shelter for the oppressed.
Whoever speaks, He hears his
speaking, and whoever keeps quiet, He knows his secret. On Him is the
livelihood of everyone who lives, and to Him returns whoever dies.
(O' Allah!) The eyes have
not seen Thee so as to be aware of Thee, but Thou wert before the
describers of Thy creation. Thou didst not create the creation on account
of loneliness, nor didst make them work for gain. He whom Thou catchest
cannot go farther than Thee, and he whom Thou holdest cannot escape Thee.
He who disobeys Thee does not decrease Thy authority, and he who obeys
Thee does not add to Thy Might. He who disagrees with Thy judgement cannot
turn it, and he who turns away from Thy command cannot do without Thee.
Every secret before Thee is
open and for Thee every absent is present.
Thou art everlasting, there
is no end to Thee. Thou art the highest aim, there is no escape from Thee,
Thou art the promised (point of return) from which there is no deliverance
except towards Thee. In Thy hand is the forelock of every creature and to
Thee is the return of every living being.
Glory to Thee! How great is
Thy creation that we see, but how small is this greatness by the side of
Thy Might. How awe-striking is Thy realm that we notice, but how humble is
this against what is hidden from us out of Thy authority. How extensive
are Thy bounties in this world, but how small are they against the
bounties of the next world.
A part of the same sermon about the Angels
Thou (O' Allah) made angels
reside in Thy skies and place them high above from Thy earth. They have
the most knowledge about Thee and Thy whole creation, the most fearing
from Thee, and the nearest to Thee. They never stayed in loins nor were
retained in wombs. They were not created "from mean water (semen)" (Qur'an
, 32:8; 77:20). They were not dispersed by vicissitudes of time. They are
on their places (distinct) from Thee and in their positions near Thee.
Their desires are concentrated in Thee. Their worship for Thee is much.
Their neglect from Thy command is little.
If they witness what remains
hidden about Thee they would regard their deeds as very little, they would
criticise themselves and would realise that they did not worship Thee
according to Thy right for being worshipped and did not obey Thee as Thou
hast the right of being obeyed.
About the bounties and guidance of Allah, and those who are ungrateful
Glorified art Thou, the
Creator, the Worshipped, on account of Thy good trials of Thy creatures.
Thou created a house (the Paradise) and provided in it for feasting,
drinks, foods, spouses, servants, places, streams, plantations and fruits.
Then Thou sent a messenger
to invite towards it, but the people did not respond to the caller, and
did not feel persuaded to what Thou persuaded them nor showed eagerness
towards what Thou desired them to feel eager. They jumped on the carcass
(of this world), earned shame by eating it and became united on loving it.
When one loves a thing it
blinds him and sickens his heart. Then he sees but with a diseased eye,
hears but with unhearing ears. Desires have cut asunder his wit, and the
world has made his heart dead, while his mind is all longing for it.
Consequently, he is a slave of it and of everyone who has any share in it.
Wherever it turns, he turns
towards it and wherever it proceeds, he proceeds towards it. He is not
desisted by any desister from Allah, nor takes admonition from any
preacher. He sees those who have been caught in neglect whence there is
neither rescission nor reversion.
About Death
Whatever they were ignoring
has befallen them, separation from this world, from which they took
themselves safe, has come to them and they have reached that in the next
world which they had been promised. Whatever has befallen them cannot be
described. Pangs of death and grief for losing (this world) have
surrounded them.
Consequently, their limbs
become languid and their complexion changes. Then death increases its
struggle over them.
In some one it stands in
between him and his power of speaking although he lies among his people,
looking with eyes, hearing with his ears, with full wits and intelligence.
He then thinks over how he wasted his life and in what (activities) he
passed his time. He recalls the wealth he collected when he had blinded
himself in seeking it, and acquired it from fair and foul sources.
Now the consequences of
collecting it have overtaken him. He gets ready to leave it. It would
remain for those who are behind him. They would enjoy it and benefit by
it.
It would be an easy
acquisition for others but a burden on his back, and the man cannot get
rid of it. He would thereupon bite his hands with teeth out of shame for
what was disclosed to him about his affairs at the time of his death.
He would dislike what he
coveted during the days of his life and would wish that he who envied him
on account of it and felt jealous over him for it should have amassed it
instead of he himself.
Death would go on affecting
his body till his ears too would behave like his tongue (and lose
functioning). So he would lie among his people, neither speaking with his
tongue or hearing with his ears.
He would be rotating his
glance over their faces, watching the movements of their tongues, but not
hearing their speaking. Then death would increase its sway over him, and
his sight would be taken by death as the ears had been taken and the
spirit would depart from his body. He would then become a carcass among
his own people.
They would feel loneliness
from him and get away from near him. He would not join a mourner or
respond to a caller. Then they would carry him to a small place in the
ground and deliver him in it to (face) his deeds. They abandoned visiting
him.
About the Day of Judgement
Till whatever is written as
ordained approaches its end, the affairs complete their destined limits,
the posteriors join the anteriors and whatever Allah wills takes place in
the shape of resurrection of His creation. Then He would convulse the sky
and split it.
He would quake the earth and
shake it. He would root out the mountains and scatter them. They would
crush each other out of awe of His Glory and fear of His Dignity.
He would take out everyone
who is in it. He would refresh them after they had been worn out and
collect them after they had been separated. Then He would set them apart
for questioning about the hidden deeds and secret acts. He would then
divide them into two groups, rewarding one and punishing the other.
As regards the obedient
people He would reward them with His nearness and would keep them for ever
in His house from where those who settle therein do not move out. Their
position would not undergo change, fear would not overtake them, ailments
would not befall them, dangers would not affect them and journey would not
force them (from place to place).
As for people of sins, He
would settle them in the worst place, would bind their hands with the
necks, bind the forelocks with feet and would clothe them in shirts of tar
and dresses cut out of flames. They would be in punishment whose heat
would be severe, door would be closed on the inmates - in fire which is
full of shouts and cries and rising flames and fearful voices.
Its inmate does not move out
of it. its prisoner cannot be released by ransom and its shackles cannot
be cut. There is no fixed age for this house so that it might perish, nor
period for its life that might pass away.
A part of the same sermon about the Holy Prophet
He treated this world
disdainfully and regarded it low. He held it contemptible and hated it. He
realised that Allah kept it away from him with intention and spread it out
for others by way of contempt. Therefore, he remained away from it by his
heart, banished its recollection from his mind and wished that its
attraction should remain hidden from his eye so that he should not acquire
any clothing from it, or hope for staying in it.
He conveyed from Allah the
pleas (against committing sins), counselled his people as a warner
(against Divine chastisement) and called (people) towards Paradise as a
conveyor of good tidings.
About the Descendants of the Holy Prophet
We are the tree of
prophethood, staying place of (Divine) Message, descending place of
angels, mines of knowledge and the sources of wisdom. Our supporter and
lover awaits mercy while our enemy and he who hates us awaits wrath.
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