Nahj al-Balāgha

[عود إلى التحذير :] فَاللهَ اللهَ فِي عَاجِلِ الْبَغْيِ، وَآجِلِ وَخَامَةِ الظُّلْمِ، وَسُوءِ عَاقِبَةِ الْكِبْرِ، فَإنَّهَا مَصْيَدَةُ إِبْلِيسَ الْعُظْمَى، وَمَكِيدَتهُ الْكُبْرَى، الَّتِي تُسَاوِرُ قُلُوبَ الرِّجَالِ مُسَاوَرَةَ السُّمُومِ الْقَاتِلَةِ، فَمَا تُكْدِي أَبَداً، وَلاَ تُشْوِي أَحَداً، لاَ عَالِماً لِعِلْمِهِ، وَلاَ مُقِلاًّ في طِمْرِهِ. وَعَنْ ذلِكَ مَا حَرَسَ اللهُ عِبَادَهُ الْمُؤْمِنِينَ بِالصَّلَوَاتِ وَالزَّكَوَاتِ، وَمُجَاهَدَةِ الصِّيَامِ فِي الاْيَّامِ الْمَفْرُوضَاتِ، تسْكِيناً لاَطْرَافِهِمْ، وَتَخْشِيعاً لاِبْصَارِهمْ، وَتَذْلِيلاً لِنُفُوسِهِمْ، وَتَخْفِيضاً لِقُلُوبِهِمْ، وَإِذْهَاباً لِلْخُيَلاَءِ عَنْهُمْ، وَلِمَا فِي ذلِكَ مِنْ تَعْفِيرِ عِتَاقِ الْوُجُوهِ بالتُّرَابِ تَوَاضُعاً، وَالْتِصَاقِ كَرَائِمِ الْجَوَارِحِ بِالاْرْضِ تَصَاغُراً، وَلُحُوقِ الْبُطُونِ بِالمُتونِ مِنَ الصِّيَامِ تَذَلُّلاً، مَعَ مَا فِي الزَّكَاةِ مِنْ صَرْفِ ثَمَرَاتِ الاْرْضِ وَغَيْرِ ذَلِكَ إِلَى أَهْلِ الْمَسْكَنَةِ وَالْفَقْرِ.

(Fear) Allāh! Allāh! from the immediate consequence of rebellion (to accrue in this world), and the eventual consequence of weighty oppressiveness (to accrue in the next world), and from the evil result of vanity, because it is the great trap of Satan and his big deceit which enters the hearts of the people like a fatal poison. It never goes waste, nor misses anyone — neither the learned because of his knowledge, nor the destitute [3] in his rags. This is the thing against which Allāh has protected His creatures who are believers by means of prayers, and alms-giving, and suffering the hardships of fasting in the days in which it has been made obligatory, in order to give their limbs peacefulness, to cast fear in their eyes, to make their spirits humble, to give their hearts humility and to remove haughtiness from them. All this is achieved through the covering of their delicate cheeks with dust in humility, prostrating their main limbs on the ground in humbleness, and retracting of their bellies so as to reach to their backs due to fasting by way of lowliness (before Allāh), besides giving all sorts of products of the earth to the needy and the destitute by way of alms.

[فضائل الفرائض :] انْظُرُوا إِلَى مَا فِي هذِهِ الاْفْعَالِ مِنْ قَمْعِ نَوَاجِمِ الْفَخْرِ، وَقَدْعِ طَوَالِعِ الْكِبْرِ! وَلَقَدْ نَظَرْتُ فَمَا وَجَدْتُ أَحَداً مِنَ الْعَالَمِينَ يَتَعَصَّبُ لِشَيْء مِنَ الاْشْيَاءِ إِلاَّ عَنْ عِلَّة تَحْتَمِلُ تَمْوِيهَ الْجُهَلاَءِ، أَوْ حُجَّة تَلِيطُ بِعُقُولِ السُّفَهَاءِ غَيْرَكُمْ، فَإِنَّكُمْ تَتَعَصَّبُونَ لاِمْر مَا يُعْرَفُ لَهُ سَبَبٌ وَلاَ عِلَّةٌ. أَمَّا إِبْلِيسُ فَتَعَصَّبَ عَلَى آدَمَ لاِصْلِهِ، وَطَعَنَ عَلَيْهِ فِي خِلْقَتِهِ، فَقَالَ: أَنَا نَارِيٌّ وَأَنْتَ طِينِيٌّ.

Look what there is in these acts by way of curbing the appearance of pride and suppressing the traces of vanity. I cast my glance and noticed that no one in the world, except you, feels vanity for anything without a cause which may appeal to the ignorant, or a reason which may cling to the minds of the foolish, because you feel vanity for something for which no reason is discernable, nor any ground. As for Satan, he felt proud over Adam because of his origin and taunted at him about his creation, since he said: “I am of fire while you are of clay.”

[عصبية المال :] وَأَمَّا الاْغْنِيَاءُ مِنْ مُتْرَفَةِ الاْمَمِ، فَتَعَصَّبُوا لاِثَارِ مَوَاقِعِ النِّعَمِ، فَـ ﴿قَالُوا نَحْنُ أَكْثَرُ أَمْوَالًا وَأَوْلَادًا وَمَا نَحْنُ بِمُعَذَّبِينَ﴾

In the same way the rich among the prosperous communities have been feeling vanity because of their riches, as (Allāh) said: And said they: “We are more (than you) in wealth and in children, and we shall not be chastised.” (Qur’ān, 34:35)

فَإنْ كَانَ لاَ بُدَّ مِنَ الْعَصَبِيَّةِ، فَلْيَكُنْ تَعَصُّبُهُمْ لِمَكَارِمِ الْخِصَالِ، وَمَحَامِدِ الاْفْعَالِ، وَمَحَاسِنِ الاْمُورِ، الَّتِي تَفَاضَلَتْ فِيهَا الْـمُجَدَاءُ وَالنُّجَدَاءُ مِنْ بُيُوتَاتِ الْعَرَبِ وَيَعَاسِيبِ الْقَبَائِلِ، بِالاْخْلاَقِ الرَّغِيبَةِ، وَالاْحْلاَمِ الْعَظِيمَةِ، وَالاْخْطَارِ الْجَلِيلَةِ، وَالاْثَارِ الَمحْمُودَةِ. فَتَعَصَّبُوا لِخِلاَلِ الْحَمْدِ مِنَ الْحِفْظِ لِلْجِوَارِ، وَالْوَفَاءِ بِالذِّمَامِ، وَالطَّاعَةِ لِلْبِرِّ، وَالْمَعْصِيَةِ لِلْكِبْرِ، وَالاْخْذِ بِالْفَضْلِ، وَالْكَفِّ عَنِ الْبَغْيِ، وَالاْعْظَامِ لِلْقَتْلِ، وَالاْنْصَافِ لِلْخَلْقِ، وَالْكَظْمِ لِلْغَيْظِ، وَاجْتِنَابِ الْفَسَادِ فِي الاْرْضِ.

In case you cannot avoid vanity, your vanity should be for good qualities, praiseworthy acts, and admirable matters with which the dignified and noble chiefs of the Arab families distinguished themselves, such as attractive manners, high thinking, respectable position and good performances. You too should show vanity in praiseworthy habits like the protection of the neighbour, the fulfilment of agreements, obedience to the virtuous, opposition to the haughty, extending generosity to others, abstention from rebellion, keeping aloof from blood-shed, doing justice to people, suppressing anger and avoiding trouble on the earth.

واحْذَرُوا مَا نَزَلَ بِالاْمَمِ قَبْلَكُمْ مِنَ الْمَثُلاَتِ بِسُوءِ الاْفْعَالِ، وَذَمِيمِ الاْعْمَالِ، فَتَذَكَّرُوا فِي الْخَيْرِ وَالشَّرِّ أَحْوَالَهُمْ، وَاحْذَرُوا أَنْ تَكُونُوا أَمْثَالَهُمْ. فَإِذَا تَفَكَّرْتُمْ فِي تَفَاوُتِ حَالَيْهِمْ، فَالْزَمُوا كُلَّ أَمْر لَزِمَتِ الْعِزَّةُ بِهِ حَالَهُمْ، وَزَاحَتِ الاْعْدَاءُ لَهُ عَنْهُمْ، وَمُدَّتِ الْعَافِيَةُ فِيهِ عَلَيْهِمْ، وَانْقَادَتِ النِّعْمَةُ لَهُ مَعَهُمْ، وَوَصَلَتِ الْكَرَامَةُ عَلَيْهِ حَبْلَهُم: مِنَ الاْجْتِنَابِ لِلْفُرْقَةِ، وَاللُّزُومِ لِلاْلْفَةِ، وَالتَّحَاضِّ عَلَيْهَا، وَالتَّوَاصِي بِهَا. وَاجْتَنِبُوا كُلَّ أَمْر كَسَرَ فِقْرَتَهُمْ، وَأَوْهَنَ مُنَّتَهُمْ: مِنْ تَضَاغُنِ الْقُلُوبِ، وَتَشَاحُنِ الصُّدُورِ، وتَدَابُرِ النُّفُوسِ، وَتَخَاذُلِ الاْيْدِي.

You should also fear what calamities befell peoples before you on account of their evil deeds and detestable actions. Remember, during good or bad circumstances, what happened to them, and be cautious that you do not become like them. After you have thought over both the conditions of these people, attach yourself to everything with which their position became honourable, on account of which enemies remained away from them through which safety spread over them, by reason of which riches bowed before them and as a result of which distinction connected itself with their rope. These things were abstention from division, sticking to unity, calling each other to it and advising each other about it. You avoid everything which broke their backbone and weakened their power, such as malice in the heart, hatred in the chest, turning away (from each other’s help) and withholding the hand from one another’s assistance.

وَتَدَبَّرُوا أَحْوَالَ الْمَاضِينَ مِنَ الْمُؤمِنِينَ قَبْلَكُمْ، كَيْفَ كَانُوا فِي حَالِ التـَّمحِيصِ وَالْبَلاَءِ؟ أَلَمْ يَكُونُوا أَثْقَلَ الْخَلاَئِقِ أَعْبَاءً، وَأَجْهَدَ الْعِبَادِ بَلاَءً، وَأَضْيَقَ أَهْلِ الدُّنْيَا حَالاً؟! اتَّخَذَتْهُمُ الْفَراعِنَةُ عَبِيداً فَسَامُوهُم سُوءَ الْعَذَابِ، وَجَرَّعُوهُمُ الْمُرَارَ، فَلَمْ تَبْرَحِ الْحَالُ بِهِمْ فِي ذُلِّ الْهَلَكَةِ وَقَهْرِ الْغَلَبَةِ، لاَ يَجِدُونَ حِيلَةً فِي امْتِنَاع، وَلاَ سَبِيلاً إِلَى دِفَاع، حَتَّى إِذَا رَأَى اللهُ جِدَّ الصَّبْرِ مِنْهُمْ عَلَى الاْذَى فِي مَحَبَّتِهِ، وَالاحْتِمالَ لِلْمَكْرُوهِ مِنْ خَوْفِهِ، جَعَلَ لَهُمْ مِنْ مَضَايِقِ الْبَلاَءِ فَرَجاً، فَأَبْدَلَهُمُ الْعِزَّ مَكَانَ الذُّلِّ، وَالاْمْنَ مَكَانَ الْخَوْفِ، فَصَارُوا مُلُوكاً حُكَّاماً، وأَئِمَّةً أَعْلاَماً، وَبَلَغَتِ الْكَرَامَةُ مِنَ اللهِ لَهُمْ مَا لَمْ تَذْهَبِ الاْمَالُ إِلَيْهِ بِهِمْ.

Think about the condition of people from among the believers who passed before you. What distresses and trials they were in! Were they not the most over-burdened among all the people and in the most straitened circumstances in the whole world? The Pharaohs took them as slaves. They inflicted on them the worst punishments and bitter sufferings. They continuously remained in this state of ruinous disgrace and severe subjugation. They found no method for escape and no way for protection. Till when Allāh, the Glorified, noticed that they were enduring troubles in His love and bearing distresses out of fear for Him, He provided escape from the distress of trials. So, He changed their disgrace into honour and fear into safety. Consequently, they became ruling kings and conspicuous leaders and Allāh’s favours over them reached limits to which their own wishes had not reached.

فَانْظُرُوا كَيْفَ كَانُوا حَيْثُ كَانَتِ الاْمْلاَءُ مُجْتَمِعَةً، وَالاْهْوَاءُ مُؤْتَلِفَةً، وَالْقُلُوبُ مُعْتَدِلَةً، وَالاْيْدِي مُتَرَادِفَةً، وَالسُّيُوفُ مُتَنَاصِرَةً، وَالْبَصَائِرُ نَافِذَةً، وَالْعَزَائِمُ وَاحِدَةً، أَلَمْ يَكُونُوا أَرْبَاباً فِي أَقْطَارِ الاْرَضِينَ، وَمُلُوكاً عَلَى رِقَابِ الْعَالَمِينَ؟ فَانْظُرُوا إِلَى مَا صَارُوا إِلَيْهِ فِي آخِرِ أُمُورِهِمْ، حِينَ وَقَعَتِ الْفُرْقَةُ، وَتَشَتَّتَتِ الاْلْفَةُ، وَاخْتَلَفَتِ الْكَلِمَةُ وَالاْفْئِدَةُ، وَتَشَعَّبُوا مُخْتَلِفِينَ، وَتَفَرَّقُوا مُتَحَارِبِينَ، قَدْ خَلَعَ اللهُ عَنْهُمْ لِبَاسَ كَرَامَتِهِ، وَسَلَبَهُمْ غَضَارَةَ نِعْمَتِهِ، وَبَقّى قَصَصَ أَخْبَارِهِمْ فِيكُمْ عِبَراً لِلْمُعْتَبِرِينَ.

Look, how they were when their groups were united, their views were unanimous, their hearts were moderate, their hands used to help one another, their swords were intended for assisting one another, their eyes were sharp and their aims were the same. Did they not become masters of the corners of the earth and rulers over the neck of all the worlds? Thereafter, also see what happened to them towards the end when division overtook them, unity became fractured, and differences arose between their words and their hearts. They divided into various groups and were scattered fighting among themselves. Then Allāh took away from them the apparel of His honour and deprived them of the prosperity produced by His favours. Only their stories have remained among you for the guidance of those who may learn the lesson from them.

[الاعتبار بالأمم :] فَاعْتَبِرُوا بِحَالِ وَلَدِ إِسْمَاعِيلَ وَبَنِي إِسْحَاقَ وَبَنِي إِسْرَائِيلَ (عليهم السلام)، فَمَا أَشَدَّ اعْتِدَالَ الاْحْوَالِ، وَأَقْرَبَ اشْتِبَاهَ الاْمْثَالِ! تَأَمَّلُوا أَمْرَهُمْ فِي حَالِ تَشَتُّتِهِمْ، وَتَفَرُّقِهِمْ، لَيَالِيَ كَانَتِ الاْكَاسِرَةُ وَالْقَيَاصِرَةُ أَرْبَاباً لَهُمْ، يَحْتَازُونَهُمْ عَنْ رِيفِ الاْفَاقِ، وَبَحْرِ الْعِرَاقِ، وَخُضْرَةِ الدُّنْيَا، إِلَى مَنَابِتِ الشِّيحِ، وَمَهَا فِي الرِّيحِ، وَنَكَدِ الْمَعَاشِ، فَتَرَكُوهُمْ عَالَةً مَسَاكِينَ إِخْوَانَ دَبَر وَوَبَر، أَذَلَّ الْأُمَمِ داراً، وَأَجْدَبَهُمْ قَرَاراً، لَا يَأْوُونَ إِلَى جَنَاحِ دَعْوَة يَعْتَصِمُونَ بِهَا، وَلاَ إِلَى ظِلِّ أُلْفَة يَعْتَمِدُونَ عَلَى عِزِّهَا، فَالاْحْوَالُ مُضْطَرِبَةٌ، وَالاْيْدِي مُخْتَلِفَةٌ، وَالْكَثْرَةُ مُتَفَرِّقَةٌ، فِي بَلاَءِ أَزْل، وأَطْبَاقِ جَهْل! مِنْ بَنَات مَوْءُودَة، وَأَصْنَام مَعْبُودَة، وَأَرْحَام مَقْطُوعَة، وَغَارَات مَشْنُونَة.

[Learning lessons from the past nations :] You should take a lesson from the fate of the progeny of Ismael, the children of Isaac and the children of Israel. How similar are their affairs and how akin are their examples. In connection with the details of their division and disunity, think of the days when Kisrās of Persia and the Caesars of Rome had become their masters. [4] They turned them out from the pastures of their lands, the rivers of Iraq and the fertility of the world, towards thorny forests, the passages of (hot) winds and hardships in livelihood. In this way they turned them into just herders of camels. Their houses were the worst in the world and their places of stay were the most drought-stricken. There was not one voice towards which they could turn for protection, nor any shade of affection on whose strength they could repose trust. Their condition was full of distress. Their hands were scattered. Their majority was divided. They were in great anguish and under layers of ignorance. They buried their daughters alive, worshipped idols, disregarded kinship and practised robbery.

[النعمة برسول اللّه (صلى الله عليه وآله وسلم) :] فَانْظُرُوا إِلَى مَوَاقِعِ نِعَمِ اللهِ سُبْحَانَهُ عَلَيْهِمْ حِينَ بَعَثَ إِلَيْهِمْ رَسُولاً، فَعَقَدَ بِمِلَّتِهِ طَاعَتَهُمْ، وَجَمَعَ عَلَى دَعْوَتِهِ أُلْفَتَهُمْ، كَيْفَ نَشَرَتِ النِّعْمَةُ عَلَيْهِمْ جَنَاحَ كَرَامَتِهَا، وَأَسَالَتْ لَهُمْ جَدَاوِلَ نَعِيمِهَا، وَالْتَفَّتِ الْمِلَّةُ بِهِمْ فِي عَوَائِدِ بَرَكَتِهَا، فَأَصْبَحُوا فِي نِعْمَتِهَا غَرِقِينَ، وَفِي خُضْرَةِ عَيْشِهَا فَكِهِينَ، قَدْ تَرَبَّعَتِ الاْمُورُ بِهِمْ، فِي ظِلِّ سُلْطَان قَاهِر، وَآوَتْهُمُ الْحَالُ إِلَى كَنَفِ عِزّ غَالِب، وَتَعَطَّفَتِ الاْمُورُ عَلَيْهِمْ فِي ذُرَى مُلْك ثَابِت، فَهُمْ حُكَّامٌ عَلَى الْعَالَمِينَ، وَمُلُوكٌ فِي أَطْرَافِ الاْرَضِينَ، يَمْلِكُونَ الاْمُورَ عَلَى مَنْ كَانَ يَمْلِكُهَا عَلَيْهِمْ، وَيُمْضُونَ الاَْحْكَامَ فِيمَنْ كَانَ يُمْضِيهَا فِيهِمْ! لاَ تُغْمَزُ لَهُمْ قَنَاةٌ، وَلاَ تُقْرَعُ لَهُمْ صَفَاةٌ!

[The blessing of the Messenger of Allāh, peace be on him :] Now, look at the various favours of Allāh upon them, that He deputed towards them a prophet who got them to pledge their obedience to him and made them unite at his call. (Look) how (Allāh’s) bounty spread the wings of its favours over them and flowed for them streams of its blessing, and the whole community became wrapped in blissful prosperity. Consequently, they were submerged under its bounty and enjoyed its lush life. Their affairs were settled under the protection of a powerful ruler, and circumstances offered them overpowering honour, and all things became easy for them under the auspices of a strong country. They became rulers over the world and kings in the (various) parts of the earth. They became masters of those who were formerly their masters, and began issuing commands over those who used to command them. They were so strong that neither did their spears need testing nor did their weapons have any flaw.

[لوم العصاة :] أَلَا وَإنَّكُمْ قَد نَفَضْتُمْ أَيْدِيَكُمْ مِنْ حَبْلِ الطاعَةِ، وَثَلَمْتُمْ حِصْنَ اللهِ الْمَضْرُوبَ عَلَيْكُمْ، بَأَحْكَامِ الْجَاهِلِيَّةِ، فَإِنَّ اللهَ سُبْحَانَهُ قَدْ امْتَنَّ عَلَى جَمَاعَةِ هذِهِ الاْمَّةِ فِيَما عَقَدَ بَيْنَهُمْ مِنْ حَبْلِ هذِهِ الاْلْفَةِ الَّتِي يَنْتَقِلُونَ فِي ظِلِّهَا، وَيَأْوُونَ إَلَى كَنَفِهَا، بِنِعْمَة لاَ يَعْرِفُ أَحَدٌ مِنَ الْـمَخْلُوقِينَ لَهَا قِيمَةً، لاِنَّهَا أَرْجَحُ مِنْ كُلِّ ثَمَن، وَأَجَلُّ مِنْ كُلِّ خَطَر.

[Condemning the disobedient ones :] Beware! You have shaken your hands loose from the rope of obedience, and broken the divine fort around you by (resorting to) pre-Islamic rules. Certainly, it is a great blessing of Allāh, the Glorified, on this Ummah, that He has engendered among them unity through the cord of affection in whose shade they walk and take shelter. This is a blessing whose value no one in the whole world realises, because it is more valuable than any price and higher than any wealth.