Sermons
Al-Gharra (literally, "the brilliant"), in which Ali enjoined people to piety
[تنبيه الخلق] عِبَادٌ مَخْلُوقُونَ اقْتِدَاراً وَمَرْبُوبُونَ اقْتِسَاراً وَمَقْبُوضُونَ احْتِضَاراً وَمُضَمَّنُونَ أَجْدَاثاً وَكَائِنُونَ رُفَاتاً وَمَبْعُوثُونَ أَفْرَاداً وَمَدِينُونَ جَزَاءً وَمُمَيَّزُونَ حِسَاباً قَدْ أُمْهِلُوا فِي طَلَبِ الْمَخْرَجِ وَهُدُوا سَبِيلَ الْمَنْهَجِ وَعُمِّرُوا مَهَلَ الْمُسْتَعْتِبِ وَكُشِفَتْ عَنْهُمْ سُدَفُ الرِّيَبِ وَخُلُّوا لِمِضْمَارِ الْجِيَادِ وَرَوِيَّةِ الِارْتِيَادِ وَأَنَاةِ الْمُقْتَبِسِ الْمُرْتَادِ فِي مُدَّةِ الْأَجَلِ وَمُضْطَرَبِ الْمَهَلِ.
[The limitation of Life] People have been created as a proof of (His) power, have been brought up with authority, they are made to die through pangs, and placed in graves where they turn into crumbs. Then they would be resurrected one by one, awarded their recompense and would have to account for their actions, each one separately. They had been allowed time to seek deliverance, had been shown the right path and had been allowed to live and seek favours, the darkness of doubts had been removed, and they had been let free in this period of life as a training place in order to make preparation for the race on the Day of Judgement, to search for the objective with thoughtfulness, to get time necessary to secure benefits and provide for the next place of stay.
[فضل التذكير] فَيَا لَهَا أَمْثَالًا صَائِبَةً وَمَوَاعِظَ شَافِيَةً لَوْ صَادَفَتْ قُلُوباً زَاكِيَةً وَأَسْمَاعاً وَاعِيَةً وَآرَاءً عَازِمَةً وَأَلْبَاباً حَازِمَةً فَاتَّقُوا اللَّهَ تَقِيَّةَ مَنْ سَمِعَ فَخَشَعَ وَاقْتَرَفَ فَاعْتَرَفَ وَوَجِلَ فَعَمِلَ وَحَاذَرَ فَبَادَرَ وَأَيْقَنَ فَأَحْسَنَ وَعُبِّرَ فَاعْتَبَرَ وَحُذِّرَ فَحَذِرَ وَزُجِرَ فَازْدَجَرَ وَأَجَابَ فَأَنَابَ وَرَاجَعَ فَتَابَ وَاقْتَدَى فَاحْتَذَى وَأُرِيَ فَرَأَى فَأَسْرَعَ طَالِباً وَنَجَا هَارِباً فَأَفَادَ ذَخِيرَةً وَأَطَابَ سَرِيرَةً وَعَمَّرَ مَعَاداً وَاسْتَظْهَرَ زَاداً لِيَوْمِ رَحِيلِهِ وَوَجْهِ سَبِيلِهِ وَحَالِ حَاجَتِهِ وَمَوْطِنِ فَاقَتِهِ وَقَدَّمَ أَمَامَهُ لِدَارِ مُقَامِهِ.
[No happiness without Piety] How appropriate are these illustrations and effective admonitions provided they are received by pure hearts, open ears, firm views and sharp wits. Fear Allāh like him who listened (good advice) and bowed before it, when he committed sin he admitted it, when he felt fear he acted virtuously, when he apprehended he hastened (towards good acts), when he believed he performed virtuous acts, when he was asked to take lesson (from the happenings of this world) he did take the lesson, when he was asked to desist he abstained (from evil), when he responded to the call (of Allāh) he leaned (towards him), when he turned back (to evil) he repented, when he followed he almost imitated and when he was shown (the right path) he saw it. Such a man was busy in search of truth and got rid (of the worldly evils) by running away. He collected provision (of good acts) for himself, purified his inner self, built for the next world, and took with himself provision for the day of his departure, keeping in view his journey, his requirement and the position of his need. He sent ahead of him for the abode of his stay (in the next world).
فَاتَّقُوا اللَّهَ عِبَادَ اللَّهِ جِهَةَ مَا خَلَقَكُمْ لَهُ وَاحْذَرُوا مِنْهُ كُنْهَ مَا حَذَّرَكُمْ مِنْ نَفْسِهِ وَاسْتَحِقُّوا مِنْهُ مَا أَعَدَّ لَكُمْ بِالتَّنَجُّزِ لِصِدْقِ مِيعَادِهِ وَالْحَذَرِ مِنْ هَوْلِ مَعَادِهِ.
O creatures of Allāh, fear Allāh keeping in view the reason why He created you and be afraid of Him to the extent He has advised you to do. Make yourself deserve what He has promised you, by having confidence in the truth of His promise and entertaining fear for the Day of Judgement.
ومنها [التذكير بضروب النعم] جَعَلَ لَكُمْ أسْمَاعاً لِتَعِيَ مَا عَنَاهَا، وَأَبْصَاراً لِتَجْلُوَ عَنْ عَشَاهَا، وَأَشْلاَءً جَامِعَةً لاِعْضَائِهَا، مُلاَئِمَةً لاِحْنَائِهَا في تَرْكِيبِ صُوَرِهَا، وَمُدَدِ عُمُرِهَا، بِأَبْدَان قَائِمَة بِأَرْفَاقِهَا، وَقُلُوب رائِدَة لاِرْزَاقِهَا، فِي مُجَلِّلاَتِ نِعَمِهِ، وَمُوجِبَاتِ مِنَنِهِ، وَحَوَاجِزِ عَافِيَتِهِ.
[A part of the same sermon Reminding people of Allāh’s bounties] He has made for you ears to preserve what is important, eyes to have sight in place of blindness and limbs which consist of many (smaller) parts, whose curves are in proportion with the moulding of their shapes and lengths of their ages, and also bodies that are sustaining themselves and hearts that are busy in search of their food, besides other big bounties, obliging bestowings and fortresses of safety.
وَقَدَّرَ لَكُمْ أَعْمَاراً سَتَرَهَا عَنْكُمْ، وَخَلَّفَ لَكُمْ عِبَراً مِنْ آثَارِ الْمَاضِينَ قَبْلَكُمْ، مِنْ مُسْتَمْتَعِ خَلاَقِهِمْ، وَمُسْتَفْسَحِ خَنَاقِهِمْ. أَرْهَقَتْهُمُ الْمَنَايَا دُونَ الاْمَالِ، وَشَذَّبَهمْ عَنْهَا تَخَرُّمُ الاْجَالِ، لَمْ يَمْهَدُوا فِي سَلاَمَةِ الاْبْدَانِ، وَلَمْ يَعْتَبِرُوا فِي أُنُفِ الاْوَانِ. فَهَلْ يَنْتَظِرُ أَهْلُ بَضَاضَةِ الشَّبَابِ إِلاَّ حَوَانِيَ الْهَرَمِ؟ وَأَهْلُ غَضَارَةِ الصِّحَّةِ إِلاَّ نَوَازِلَ السَّقَمِ؟ وَأَهْلُ مُدَّةِ الْبَقَاءِ إِلاَّ آوِنَةَ الْفَنَاءِ؟ مَعَ قُرْبِ الزِّيَالِ، وَأُزُوفِ الانتِقَالِ، وَعَلَزِ الْقَلَقِ، وَأَلَمِ الْمَضَضِ، وَغُصَصِ الْجَرَضِ، وَتَلَفُّتِ الاِسْتِغَاثَةِ بِنُصْرَةِ الْحَفَدَةِ وَالاْقْرِبَاءِ، وَالاْعِزَّةِ وَالْقُرَنَاءِ!
He has fixed for you ages that are not known to you. He has retained for you remains of the past people for your instruction. Those people enjoyed themselves fully and were completely unhampered. Death overtook them before (satisfaction of) their desires, from which the hands of death separated them. They did not provide for themselves during health of their bodies, and did not take lesson during pendency of youth. Are these people who are in youth waiting for the back-bending old age, and those enjoying fresh health waiting for ailments, and these living persons looking for the hour of death? When the hour of departure would be close and the journey at hand, with pangs of grief an trouble, suffering of sorrows and suffocation of saliva, and the time would arrive for calling relations and friends for help and changing sides on the bed.
فَهَلْ دَفَعَتِ الاْقَارَبُ، أَوْ نَفَعَتِ النَّوَاحِبُ؟ وَقَدْ غُودِرَ فِي مَحَلَّةِ الاْمُوَاتِ رَهِيناً، وَفِي ضِيقِ الْمَضْجَعِ وَحِيداً، قَدْ هَتَكَتِ الْهَوَامُّ جِلْدَتَهُ، وَأَبْلَتِ النَّوَاهِكُ جِدَّتَهُ، وَعَفَتِ الْعَوَاصِفُ آثَارَهُ، وَمَحَا الْحَدَثَانُ مَعَالِمَهُ، وَصَارَتِ الاْجْسَادُ شَحِبَةً بَعْدَ بَضَّتِهَا، وَالْعِظَامُ نَخِرَةً بَعْدَ قُوَّتِهَا، وَالاْرْوَاحُ مُرْتَهَنَةً بِثِقَلِ أَعْبَائِهَا مُوقِنَةً بَغَيْبِ أَنْبَائِهَا، لاَ تُسْتَزَادُ مِنْ صَالِحِ عَمَلِهَا، وَلاَ تُسْتَعْتَبُ مِنْ سَيِّىءِ زَلَلِهَا! أَوَلَسْتُمْ أَبْنَاءَ الْقَوْمِ وَالابَاءَ، وَإِخْوَانَهُمْ وَالاْقْرِبَاءَ؟ تَحْتَذُونَ أَمْثِلَتَهُمْ، وَتَرْكَبُونَ قِدَّتَهُمْ، وَتَطَؤُونَ جَادَّتَهُمْ؟! فَالْقُلُوبُ قَاسِيَةٌ عَنْ حَظِّهَا، لاَهِيَةٌ عَنْ رُشْدِهَا، سَالِكَةٌ في غَيْرِ مِضْمارِهَا! كَأَنَّ الْمَعْنِيَّ سِوَاهَا، وَكَأَنَّ الرُّشْدَ في إحْرَازِ دُنْيَاهَا.
Could then the near ones stop death, or the mourning women do any good? He would rather be left alone in the graveyard confined to the narrow corner of his grave. His skin has been pierced all over by retiles, and his freshness has been destroyed by these tribulation. Storms have removed his traces and calamities have obliterated even his signs. Fresh bodies have turned thin and withered and bones have become rotten. The spirits are burdened with the weight of sins and have become conscious of the unknown things. But now neither the good acts can be added to nor evil acts can be atoned for by repentance. Are you not sons, fathers, brothers and relations of these dead and are not to follow their footsteps and pass by their paths? But hearts are still unmoved, heedless of guidance and moving on wrong lines, as though the addressee is someone else, and as though the correct way is to amass worldly gains.
[التحذير من هول الصراط] وَاعْلَمُوا أَنَّ مَجَازَكُمْ عَلَى الصِّراطِ وَمَزَالِقِ دَحْضِهِ، وَأَهَاوِيلِ زللِ ه، وَتَارَاتِ أَهْوَالِهِ; فَاتَّقُوا اللهَ تَقِيَّةَ ذِي لُبٍّ شَغَلَ التَّفَكُّرُ قَلْبَهُ، وَأَنْصَبَ الْخَوْفُ بَدَنَهُ، وَأَسْهَرَ التَّهَجُّدُ غِرَارَ نَوْمِهِ، وَأَظْمَأَ الرَّجَاءُ هَوَاجِرَ يَوْمِهِ، وَظَلَفَ الزُّهْدُ شَهَوَاتِهِ، وَأَوْجَفَ الذِّكْرُ بِلِسَانِهِ، وَقَدَّمَ الْخَوْفَ لاِمَانِهِ، وَتَنَكَّبَ الْمخالجَ عَنْ وَضَحِ السَّبِيلِ، وَسَلَكَ أَقْصَدَ المَسَالِكَ إِلَى النَّهْجِ الْمَطْلُوبِ; وَلَمْ تَفْتِلْهُ فَاتِلاَتُ الْغُرُورِ، وَلَمْ تَعْمَ عَلَيْهِ مُشْتَبِهَاتُ الاْمُورِ، ظَافِراً بِفَرْحَةِ الْبُشْرَى، وَرَاحَةِ النُّعْمَى، في أَنْعَمِ نَوْمِهِ، وَآمَنِ يَوْمِهِ.
[Preparation for the Day of Judgement] And know that you have to pass over the path way (of ṣirāṭ) where steps waver, feet slip away and there are fearful dangers at every step. O creatures of Allāh, fear Allāh, like the fearing of wise man whom the thought (of next world) has turned away from other matters, fear (of Allāh) has afflicted his body with trouble and pain, his engagement in the night prayer has turned even his short sleep into awakening, hope (of eternal recompense) keeps him thirsty in the day, abstention has curbed his desires, and remembrance of Allāh is ever moving his tongue. He entertains fear before dangers. He avoids uneven ways in favour of clear ones. He follows the shortest route to secure his purpose, wishfulness does not twist his thinking and ambiguities do not blind his eyes. He enjoys deep sleep and passes his day happily because of the happiness of good tidings and pleasure of (eternal bounties).
قَدْ عَبَرَ مَعْبَرَ الْعَاجِلَةِ حَمِيداً، وَقَدَّمَ زَادَ الاْجِلَةِ سَعِيداً، وَبَادَرَ مِنْ وَجَل، وَأَكْمَشَ فِي مَهَل، وَرَغِبَ فِي طَلَب، وَذَهَبَ عَنْ هَرَب، وَرَاقَبَ فِي يَوْمِهِ غَدَهُ، وَنَظَرَ قُدُماً أَمَامَهُ. فَكَفَى بِالْجَنَّةِ ثَوَاباً وَنَوَالاً، وَكَفى بَالنَّارِ عِقَاباً وَوَبَالاً! وَكَفَى بِاللهِ مُنْتَقِماً وَنَصِيراً! وَكَفَى بِالكِتَابِ حَجيجاً وَخَصِيماً.
He passes the pathway of this world in praiseworthy manner. He reaches the next world with virtues. He hastens (towards virtue) out of fear (for vice). He removes briskly during the short time (of life in this world). He devotes himself in seeking (eternal good), he runs away from evil. During today he is mindful of tomorrow, and keeps the future in his view. Certainly Paradise is the best reward and achievement, which hell is appropriate punishment and suffering. Allāh is the best Avenger and Helper and the Qur’ān is the best argument and confronter.
[الوصية بالتقوى] أُوصِيكُمْ بِتَقْوَى اللَّهِ الَّذِي أَعْذَرَ بِمَا أَنْذَرَ وَاحْتَجَّ بِمَا نَهَجَ وَحَذَّرَكُمْ عَدُوّاً نَفَذَ فِي الصُّدُورِ خَفِيّاً وَنَفَثَ فِي الْآذَانِ نَجِيّاً فَأَضَلَّ وَأَرْدَى وَوَعَدَ فَمَنَّى وَزَيَّنَ سَيِّئَاتِ الْجَرَائِمِ وَهَوَّنَ مُوبِقَاتِ الْعَظَائِمِ حَتَّى إِذَا اسْتَدْرَجَ قَرِينَتَهُ وَاسْتَغْلَقَ رَهِينَتَهُ أَنْكَرَ مَا زَيَّنَ وَاسْتَعْظَمَ مَا هَوَّنَ وَحَذَّرَ مَا أَمَّنَ.
[Warning against Satan] I enjoin upon you fear of Allāh Who has left no excuse against what He has warned, has exhausted argument (of guidance) about the (right) path He has shown. He has warned you of the enemy that steals into hearts and stealthily speaks into ears, and thereby misguides and brings about destruction, makes (false) promises and keeps under wrong impression; He represents evil sins in attractive shape, and shows as light even serious crimes. When he has deceived his comrades and exhausted the pledge he begins to find fault with what he presented as good, and considers serious what he had shown as light, and threatens from what he had shown as safe.
[ومنها في صفة خلق الإنسان] أَمْ هذَا الَّذِي أَنْشَأَهُ فِي ظُلُمَاتِ الاْرْحَامِ، وَشُغُفِ الاْسْتَارِ، نُطْفَةً دِفاقاً، وَعَلَقَةً مِحَاقاً، وَجَنِيناً وَرَاضِعاً، وَوَلِيداً وَيَافِعاً ثُمَّ مَنَحَهُ قَلْباً حَافِظاً، وَلِساناً لاَفِظاً، وَبَصَراً لاَحِظاً، لِيَفْهَمَ مُعْتَبِراً، وَيُقَصِّرَ مُزْدَجِراً؛ حَتَّى إِذَا قَامَ اعْتِدَالُهُ، وَاسْتَوَى مِثالُهُ، نَفَرَ مُسْتَكْبِراً، وَخَبَطَ سَادِراً، مَاتِحاً فِي غَرْبِ هَوَاهُ، كَادِحاً سَعْياً لِدُنْيَاهُ، فِي لَذَّاتِ طَرَبِهِ، وَبَدَوَاتِ أَرَبِهِ؛ لاَ يَحْتَسِبُ رَزِيَّةً،
[Part of the same sermon dealing with creation of man] Or look at man whom Allāh has created in the dark wombs and layers of curtains from what was overflowing semen, then shapeless clot, then embryo, then suckling infant, then child and then fully grown up young man. Then He gave him heart with memory, tongue to talk and eye to see with, in order that he may take lesson (from whatever is around him) and understand it and follow the admonition and abstain from evil. When he attained the normal growth and his structure gained its average development he fell in self-conceit and got perplexed. He drew bucketfuls of his desires, got immersed in fulfilling his wishes for pleasures of the world and his (sordid) aims.
