SERMON 150
About future events and some activities of
the hypocrites
They took to the right and
the left piercing through to the ways of evil and leaving the paths of
guidance. Do not make haste for a matter which is to happen and is
awaited, and do not wish for delay in what the morrow is to bring for you.
For, how many people make haste for a matter, but when they get it they
begin to wish they had not got it.
How near is today to the
dawning of tomorrow. O' my people, this is the time for the occurrence of
every promised event and the approach of things which you do not know.
Whoever from among us will be during these days will move through them
with a burning lamp and will tread on the footsteps of the virtuous, in
order to unfasten knots, to free slaves, to divide the united and to unite
the divided.
He will be in concealment
from people. The stalker will not find his footprints even though he
pursues with his eye.
Then a group of people will
be sharpened like the sharpening of swords by the blacksmith. Their sight
will be brightened by revelation, the (delicacies of) commentary will be
put in their ears and they will be given drinks of wisdom, morning and
evening.
A part of the same sermon
Their period became long in
order that they might complete (their position of) disgrace and deserve
vicissitudes, till the end of the period was reached, and a group of
people turned towards mischief and picked up their arms for fighting.
The virtuous did not show
any obligation to Allah but calmly endured, and did not feel elated for
having engaged themselves in truthfulness. Eventually the period of trial
came to an end according to what was ordained. Then they propagated their
good views among others and sought nearness to Allah according to the
command of their leader.
When Allah took the Prophet
(to himself) a group of men went back on their tracks. The ways (of
misguidance) ruined them and they placed trust in deceitful intriguers,
showed consideration to other than kinsmen, abandoned the kin whom they
had been ordered to love, and shifted the building from its strong
foundation and built it in other than its (proper) place.
They are the source of every
shortcoming and the door of gropers in the dark. They were moving to and
fro in amazement and lay intoxicated in the way of the people of the
Pharaohs. They were either bent on this world and taking support on it or
away from the faith and removed from it.
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