Nahj al-Balāgha

ومن خطبة له (عليه السلام) وفيها يصف الله تعالى ثمّ يبين فضل الرسول الكريم وأهل بيته ثمّ يعظ الناس

Allāh’s praise and eulogy of the prophets

[اللّه تعالى] فَتَبَارَكَ اللهُ الَّذِي لاَ تَبْلُغُهُ بُعْدُ الْهِمَمِ، وَلاَ يَنَالُهُ حَدْسُ الْفِطَنِ، الاْوَّلُ الَّذِي لاَ غَايَةَ لَهُ فَيَنْتَهِيَ، وَلاَ آخِرَ لَهُ فَيَنْقَضِيَ.

Exalted is Allāh Whom heights of daring cannot approach and fineness of intelligence cannot find. He is such First that there is no extremity for Him so that He be contained within it, nor is there an end for Him where He would cease.

[ومنها في وصف الأنبياء] فَاسْتَوْدَعَهُمْ فِي أَفْضَلِ مُسْتَوْدَع، وَأَقَرَّهُمْ فِي خَيْرِ مُسْتَقَرّ، تَنَاسَخَتْهُمْ كَرَائِمُ الاْصْلاَبِ إِلَى مُطَهَّرَاتِ الاْرْحَامِ; كُلَّمَا مَضَى سَلَفٌ، قَامَ مِنْهُمْ بِدِينِ اللهِ خَلَفٌ.

[A part of the same sermon about the Prophet] Allāh kept the Prophets in deposit in the best place of deposit and made them stay in the best place of stay. He moved them in succession from distinguished fore-fathers to chaste wombs. Whenever a predecessor from among them died the follower stood up for the cause of the religion of Allāh.

[رسول اللّه وآل بيته] حَتَّى أَفْضَتْ كَرَامَةُ اللهِ سُبْحَانَهُ إِلَى مُحَمَّد (صلى الله عليه وآله)، فَأَخْرَجَهُ مِنْ أَفْضَلِ الْمَعَادِنِ مَنْبِتا، وَأَعَزِّ الاْرُومَاتِ مَغْرِساً، مِنَ الشَّجَرَةِ الَّتِي صَدَعَ مِنْهَا أَنْبِيَاءَهُ، وَانْتَجَبَ مِنْهَا أُمَنَاءَهُ. عِتْرَتُهُ خَيْرُ الْعِتَرِ، وَأُسْرَتُهُ خَيْرُ الاْسَرِ، وَشَجَرَتُهُ خَيْرُ الشَّجَرِ; نَبَتَتْ فِي حَرَم، وَبَسَقَتْ فِي كَرَم، لَهَا فُرُوعٌ طِوَالٌ، وَثَمَرٌ لاَيُنَالُ.

[About the Holy Prophet and his Descendants (‘Itrah)] Until this distinction of Allāh, the Glorified, reached Muḥammad — peace and blessing of Allāh be upon him and his descendants. Allāh brought him out from the most distinguished sources of origin and the most honourable places of planting, namely from the same (lineal) tree from which He brought forth other Prophets and from which He selected His trustees. Muḥammad’s descendants are the best descendants, his kinsmen the best of kin and his lineal tree the best of trees. It grew in esteem and rose in distinction. It has tall branches and unapproachable fruits.

فَهُوَ إِمَامُ مَنِ اتَّقَى، وَبَصِيرَةُ مَنِ اهْتَدَى، وسِرَاجٌ لَمَعَ ضَوْؤُهُ، وَشِهَابٌ سَطَعَ نُورُهُ وَزَنْدٌ بَرَقَ لَمْعُهُ; سِيرَتُهُ الْقَصْدُ، وَسُنَّتُهُ الرُّشْدُ، وَكَلاَمُهُ الْفَصْلُ، وَحُكْمُهُ الْعَدْلُ; أَرْسَلَهُ عَلَى حِينِ فَتْرَة مِنَ الرُّسُلِ، وَهَفْوَة عَنِ الْعَمَلِ، وَغَبَاوَة مِنَ الاْمَمِ.

He is the leader (Imam) of all who exercise fear (of Allah) and light for those who seek guidance. He is a lamp whose flame is burning, a meteor whose light is shining and a flint whose spark is bright. His conduct is upright, his behaviour is guiding, his speech is decisive and his decision is just. Allāh sent him after an interval from the previous Prophets when people had fallen into errors of action and ignorance.

[عظة الناس] اعْمَلُوا، رَحِمَكُمُ اللهُ، عَلَى أَعْلاَم بَيِّنَة، فَالطَّرِيقُ نَهْجٌ يَدْعُو إلَى دَارِ السَّلاَمِ، وَأَنْتُمْ فِي دَارِ مُسْتَعْتَب عَلَى مَهَل وَفَرَاغ، والصُّحُفُ مَنْشُورَةٌ، وَالاْقْلاَمُ جَارِيَةٌ، وَالاْبْدَانُ صَحِيحَةٌ، والاْلْسُنُ مُطْلَقَةٌ، وَالتَّوْبَةُ مَسْمُوعَةٌ، وَالاْعْمَالُ مَقْبُولَةٌ.

May Allāh shower His mercy on you! Do act according to the clear signs, because the way is straight and leads to the house of safety while you are in the place of seeking Allāh’s favour, and have time and opportunity. The books (of your doings) are open and pens (of angels) are busy (to record your actions) while your bodies are healthy, tongues are free, repentance is accepted and deeds are accorded recognition.

ومن خطبة له (عليه السلام) يقرر فضيلة الرسول الكريم

About the condition of the people at the time of the Prophet’s proclamation and his actions to do with the dissemination of his message

بَعَثَهُ وَالنَّاسُ ضُلاَّلٌ فِي حَيْرَة، وَحَاطِبُونَ فِي فِتْنَة، قَدِ اسْتَهْوَتْهُمُ الاْهْوَاءُ، وَاسْتَزَلَّتْهُمُ الْكِبْرِيَاءُ، وَاسْتَخَفَّتْهُمُ الْجَاهِلِيِّةُ الْجَهْلاَءُ: حَيَارَى فِي زَلْزَال مَنَ الاْمْرِ، وَبَلاَء مِنَ الْجَهْلِ، فَبَالَغَ (صلى الله عليه وآله) فِي النَّصِيحَةِ، وَمَضَى عَلَى الطَّرِيقَةِ، وَدَعَا إِلَى الْحِكْمَةِ وَالْمَوْعِظَةِ.

Allāh sent the Prophet at a time when the people were going astray in perplexity and were moving here and there in mischief. Desires had deflected them and self-conceit had swerved them. Extreme ignorance had made them foolish. They were confounded by the unsteadiness of matters and the evils of ignorance. Then the Prophet — blessing of Allāh be upon him and his descendants — did his best in giving them sincere advice, himself trod on the right path and called (them) towards wisdom and good counsel.

ومن خطبة له (عليه السلام) في الله وفي الرسول الاكرم

In eulogy of the Holy Prophet

الْحَمْدُ للهِ الاْوَّلِ فَلاَ شَيْءَ قَبْلَهُ، وَالاخِرِ فَلاَ شَيْءَ بَعْدَهُ، وَالظَّاهِرِ فَلاَ شَيْءَ فَوْقَهُ، وَالْبَاطِنِ فَلاَ شيَ دُونَهُ.

Praise be to Allāh who is such First that nothing is before Him and such Last that there is nothing after him. He is such Manifest that there is nothing above Him and such Hidden that there is nothing nearer than He.