Nahj al-Balāgha

فَمَنْ ذَا أَحَقُّ بِهِ مِنِّي حَيّاً وَمَيِّتاً؟ فَانْفُذُوا عَلَى بَصَائِرِكُمْ، وَلْتَصْدُقْ نِيَّاتُكُمْ فِي جِهَادِ عَدُوِّكُمْ، فَوَالَّذِي لاَ إِلهَ إِلاَّ هُوَ إِنِّي لَعَلَى جَادَّةِ الْحَقِّ، وَإِنَّهُمْ لَعَلَى مَزَلَّةِ الْبَاطِلِ. أَقُولُ مَا تَسْمَعُونَ، وَأَسْتَغْفِرُ اللهَ لِي وَلَكُمْ!

Thus, who can have greater rights with him than I during his life or after his death? Therefore depend on your intelligence and make your intentions pure in fighting your enemy, because I swear by Him who is such that there is no god but He, that I am on the path of truth and that they (the enemy) are on the misleading path of wrong. You hear what I say; and I seek Allāh’s forgiveness for myself and for you.

ومن خطبة له (عليه السلام) ينبه على إحاطة علم اللّه بالجزئيات ثم يحث على التقوى ويبين فضل الإسلام والقرآن

Allāh’s attribute of Omniscience

يَعْلَمُ عَجِيجَ الْوُحُوشِ فِي الْفَلَوَاتِ، وَمَعاصِيَ الْعِبَادِ فِي الْخَلَوَاتِ، وَاخْتِلاَفَ النِّينَانِ فِي الْبِحَارِ الْغَامِرَاتِ، وَتَلاَطُمَ الْمَاءِ بِالرِّيَاحِ الْعَاصِفَاتِ. وَأَشْهَدُ أَنَّ مُحَمَّداً نَجِيبُ اللهِ، وَسَفِيرُ وَحْيِهِ، وَرَسُولُ رَحْمَتِهِ.

Allāh knows the cries of the beasts in the forest, the sins of the people in seclusion, the movements of the fishes in the deep seas and the rising of the water by tempestuous winds. I stand witness that Muḥammad is the choice of Allāh, the conveyor of His revelation and the messenger of His mercy.

[الوصية بالتقوى :] أَمَّا بَعْدُ، فَإِنَّي أُوصِيكُمْ بِتَقْوَى اللهِ الَّذِي ابْتَدَأَ خَلْقَكُمْ، وَإِلَيْهِ يَكُونُ مَعَادُكُمْ، وَبِهِ نَجَاحُ طَلِبَتِكُمْ، وَإِلَيْهِ مُنْتَهْى رَغْبَتِكُمْ، وَنَحْوَهُ قَصْدُ سَبِيلِكُمْ، وَإِلَيْهِ مَرَامِي مَفْزَعِكُمْ، فَإِنَّ تَقْوَى اللهِ دَوَاءُ دَاءِ قُلُوبِكُمْ، وَبَصَرُ عَمَى أَفِئِدَتِكُمْ، وَشِفَاءُ مَرَضِ أَجْسَادِكُمْ، وَصَلاَحُ فَسَادِ صُدُورِكُمْ، وَطُهُورُ دَنَسِ أَنْفُسِكُمْ، وَجِلاَءُ عَشَا أَبْصَارِكُمْ، وَأَمْنُ فَزَعِ جَأْشِكُمْ، وَضِيَاءُ سَوَادِ ظُلْمَتِكُمْ.

[Advantages of fear of Allāh :] Now then, I advise you to fear Allāh, Who created you for the first time; towards Him is your return, with Him lies the success of your aims, at Him terminate (all) your desires, towards Him runs your path of right and He is the aim of your fears (for seeking protection). Certainly, fear of Allāh is the medicine for the sickness of your hearts, sight for the blindness of your spirits, the cure for the ailments of your bodies, the rectifier of the evils of your breasts, the purifier of the pollution of your minds, the light of the darkness of your eyes, the consolation for the fear of your heart and the brightness for the gloom of your ignorance.

فَاجْعَلُوا طَاعَةَ اللهِ شِعَاراً دُونَ دِثَارِكُمْ، وَدَخِيلاً دُونَ شِعَارِكُمْ، وَلَطِيفاً بَيْنَ أَضْلاَعِكُمْ، وَأَمِيراً فَوْقَ أُمُورِكُمْ، وَمَنْهَلاً لِحِينِ ورْدِكُم، وَشَفِيعاً لِدَرَكِ طَلِبَتِكُمْ، وَجُنَّةً لِيَوْمِ فَزَعِكُمْ، وَمَصَابِيحَ لِبُطُونِ قُبُورِكُمْ، وَسَكَناً لِطُولِ وَحْشَتِكُمْ، وَنَفَساً لِكَرْبِ مَوَاطِنِكُمْ، فَإِنَّ طَاعَةَ اللهِ حِرْزٌ مِنْ مَتَالِفَ مُكْتَنِفَة، وَمَخَاوِفَ مُتَوَقَّعَة، وَأُوَارِ نِيرَان مُوقَدَة.

Therefore, make obedience to Allāh the way of your life and not only your outside covering, make it your inner habit instead of only outer routine, subtle enough to enter through your ribs (up to the heart), the guide for all your affairs, the watering place for your getting down (on the Day of Judgement), the interceder for the achievement of your aims, asylum for the day of your fear, the lamp of the interior of your graves, company for your long loneliness, and deliverance from the troubles of your abodes. Certainly, obedience to Allāh is a protection against encircling calamities. expected dangers and the flames of burning fires.

فَمَنْ أَخَذَ بِالتَّقْوَى عَزَبَتْ عَنْهُ الشَّدَائِدُ بَعْدَ دُنُوِّهَا، وَاحْلَوْلَتْ لَهُ الاْمُورُ بَعْدَ مَرَارَتِهَا، وَانْفَرَجَتْ عَنْهُ الاْمْوَاجُ بَعْدَ تَرَاكُمِهَا، وَأَسْهَلَتْ لَهُ الصِّعَابُ بَعْدَ إِنْصَابِهَا، وَهَطَلَتْ عَلَيْهِ الْكَرَامَةُ بَعْدَ قُحُوطِهَا، وَتَحَدَّبَتْ عَلَيْهِ الرَّحْمَةُ بَعْدَ نُفُورِهَا، وَتَفَجَّرَتْ عَلَيْهِ النِّعَمُ بَعْدَ نُضُوبِهَا، وَوَبَلَتْ عَلَيْهِ الْبَرَكَةُ بَعْدَ إِرْذَاذِهَا.

Therefore, whoever entertains fear of Allāh, troubles remain away from him after having been near, affairs become sweet after their bitterness, waves (of troubles) recede from him after having crowded over him, difficulties become easy for him after occurring, generosity rains fast over him after there had been famine, mercy bends over him after it had been loath, the favours (of Allāh) spring forth on him after they had been dried, and blessing descends over him in showers after being scanty.

فَاتَّقُوا اللهَ الَّذِي نَفَعَكُمْ بَمَوْعِظَتِهِ، وَوَعَظَكُمْ بِرِ سَالَتِهِ، وَامْتَنَّ عَلَيْكُمْ بِنِعْمَتِهِ، فَعَبِّدُوا أَنْفُسَكُمْ لِعِبَادَتِهِ، وَاخْرُجُوا إِلَيْهِ مِنْ حَقِّ طَاعَتِهِ.

So, fear Allāh Who benefits you with His good advice, preaches to you through His Messenger, and obliges you with His favours. Devote yourselves to His worship, and acquit yourselves of the obligation of obeying Him.

[فضل الاسلام :] ثُمَّ إِنَّ هذَا الاْسْلاَمَ دِينُ اللهِ الَّذِي اصْطَفَاهُ لِنَفْسهِ، وَاصْطَنَعَهُ عَلى عَيْنِهِ، وَأَصْفَاهُ خِيْرَةَ خَلْقِهِ، وَأَقَامَ دَعَائِمَهُ عَلَى مَحَبَّتِهِ، أَذَلَّ الاْدْيَانَ بِعِزّه، وَوَضَعَ الْمِلَلَ بِرَفْعِهِ، وَأَهَانَ أَعْدَاءَهُ بِكَرَامَتِهِ، وَخَذَلَ مُحَادِّيهِ بِنَصْرِهِ، وَهَدَمَ أَرْكَانَ الضَّلاَلَةِ بِرُكْنِهِ، وَسَقَى مَنْ عَطِشَ مِنْ حِيَاضِهِ، وَأَتْأَقَ الْحِيَاضَ بِمَوَاتِحِهِ.

[About Islam :] This Islam is the religion which Allāh has chosen for Himself, developed it before His eyes, preferred it as the best among His creations, established its pillars on His love. He has disgraced other religions by giving honour to it. He has humiliated all communities before its sublimity; He has humbled its enemies with His kindness and made its opponents lonely by according it His support. He has smashed the pillars of misguidance with its columns. He has quenched the thirst of the thirsty from its cisterns, and filled the cisterns through those who draw its water.

ثُمَّ جَعَلَهُ لاَ انْفِصَامَ لِعُرْوَتِهِ، وَلاَ فَكَّ لِحَلْقَتِهِ، وَلاَ انْهِدَامَ لاِسَاسِهِ، وَلاَ زَوَالَ لِدَعَائِمِهِ، وَلاَ انْقِلاَعَ لِشَجَرَتِهِ، وَلاَ انْقِطَاعَ لِمُدَّتِهِ، وَلاَ عَفَاءَ لِشَرَائِعِهِ، وَلاَ جَذَّ لِفُرُوعِهِ، وَلاَ ضَنْكَ لِطُرُقِهِ، و َلاَ وُعُوثَةَ لِسُهُولَتِهِ، و َلاَ سَوَادَ لِوَضَحِهِ، وَلاَ عِوَجَ لاِنْتِصَابِهِ، وَلاَ عَصَلَ فِي عُودِهِ، وَلاَ وَعَثَ لِفَجَّهِ، وَلاَ انْطِفَاءَ لِمَصَابِيحِهِ، وَلاَ مَرَارَةَ لِحَلاَوَتِهِ.

He made Islam such that its constituent parts cannot break, its links cannot separate, its construction cannot fall, its columns cannot decay, its plant cannot be uprooted, its time does not end, its laws do not expire, its twigs cannot be cut, its parts do not become narrow, its ease does not change into difficulty, its clarity is not affected by gloom, its straightness does not acquire curvature, its wood has no crookedness, its vast paths have no narrowness, its lamp knows no putting off and its sweetness has no bitterness.

فَهُوَ دَعَائِمُ أَسَاخَ فِي الْحَقِّ أَسْنَاخَهَا، وَثَبَّتَ لَهَا آسَاسَهَا، وَيَنَابِيعُ غَزُرَتْ عُيُونُهَا، وَمَصَابِيحُ شَبَّتْ نِيرَانُهَا، وَمَنَارٌ اقْتَدَى بِهَا سُفَّارُهَا، وَأَعلاَمٌ قُصِدَ بِهَا فِجَاجُهَا، وَمَنَاهِلُ رَوِيَ بِهَا وُرَّادُهَا. اللهُ فِيهِ مُنْتَهَى رِضْوَانِهِ، وَذِرْوَةَ دَعَائِمِهِ، وَسَنَامَ طَاعَتِهِ، فَهُوَ عِنْدَ اللهِ وَثِيقُ الاْرْكَانِ، رَفِيعُ الْبُنْيَانِ، مُنِيرُ الْبُرْهَانِ، مُضِيءُ النِّيرَانِ، عَزِيرُ السُّلْطَانِ، مُشْرِفُ الْمَنَار، مُعْوِذُ الْمَثَارِ. فَشَرِّفُوهُ وَاتَّبِعُوهُ، وَأَدُّوا إِلَيْهِ حَقَّهُ، وَضَعُوهُ مَوَاضِعَهُ.

It consists of columns whose bases Allāh has fixed in truthfulness and whose foundation He has strengthened, and of sources whose streams are ever full of water and of lamps, whose flames are full of light, and of beacons with whose help travellers get guidance, and of signs through which a way is found to its highways and of watering places which provide water to those who come to them. Allāh has placed in Islam the height of His pleasure, the pinnacle of His pillars and the prominence of His obedience. Before Allāh, therefore, its columns are strong, its construction is lofty, its proofs are bright, its fires are aflame, its authority is strong, its beacons are high and its destruction is difficult. You should therefore honour it, follow it, fulfil its obligations and accord the position due to it.