Sermon 99: We praise Allah for what has happened...

About abstinence of the world and vicissitudes of time

نَحْمَدُهُ عَلَى مَا كَانَ،

We praise Allah for what has happened

وَنَسْتَعِينُهُ مِنْ أَمْرِنا عَلَى مَا يَكُونُ،

and seek His succour in our affairs for what is yet to happen,

وَنَسْأَلُهُ الْمُعَافَاةَ في الاْدْيَانِ، كَمَا نَسَأَلُهُ الْمُعَافَاةَ فِي الاْبْدَانِ.

and we beg Him for safety in the faith just as we beg Him for safety in our bodies.

أُوصِيكُمْ عِبادَاللهِ بِالرَّفْضِ لِهذهِ الدُّنْيَا

O creatures of Allah! I advise you to keep away from this world

التَّارِكَةِ لَكُمْ وَإِنْ لَمْ تُحِبُّوا تَرْكَهَا،

which is (shortly) to leave you even though you do not like its departure,

وَالْمُبْلِيَةِ لاَجْسَامِكُمْ وَإِنْ كُنْتُمْ تُحِبُّونَ تَجْدِيدَهَا،

and which would make your bodies old even though you would like to keep them fresh.

فَإِنَّمَا مَثَلُكُمْ وَمَثَلُهَا كَسَفْر(1) سَلَكُوا سَبِيلاً فَكَأَنَّهُمْ قَدْ قَطَعُوهُ،

Your example and its example is like the travellers who travel some distance

وَأَمُّوا(2) عَلَماً فَكَأَنَّهُمْ قَدْ بَلَغُوهُ،

and then as though they traverse it quickly or they aimed at a sign and reached it at once.

وَكَمْ عَسَى الْـمُجْرِي إِلَى الْغَايَةِ(3) أَنْ يَجْرِيَ إِلَيْهَا حَتَّى يَبْلُغَهَا!

How short is the distance to the aim if one heads towards it and reaches it.

وَمَا عَسَى أَنْ يَكُونَ بَقَاءُ مَنْ لَهُ يَوْمٌ لاَ يَعْدُوهُ،

And how short is the stage of one who has only a day which he cannot exceed

وَطَالِبٌ حَثِيثٌ يَحْدُوهُ(1) فِي الدُّنُيَا حَتَّى يُفَارِقَهَا!

while a swift driver is driving him in this world till he departs from it.

فَلاَ تَنَافَسُوا فِي عِزِّ الدُّنْيَا وَفَخْرِهَا،

So do not hanker after worldly honour and its pride,

وَلاَ تَعْجَبُوا بَزِينَتِهَا وَنَعِيمِهَا،

and do not feel happy over its beauties and bounties

وَلاَ تَجْزَعُوا مِنْ ضَرَّائِهَا وَبُؤْسِهَا،

nor wail over its damages and misfortunes because its honour

فَإِنَّ عِزَّهَا وَفَخْرَهَا إِلَى انْقِطَاع، وَزِينَتَهَا وَنَعِيمَهَا إِلَى زَوَال،

and pride will end while its beauty and bounty will perish,

وَضَرَّاءَهَا وَبُؤْسَهَا إِلَى نَفَاد،

and its damages and misfortunes will pass away.

وَكُلُّ مُدَّة فِيهَا إِلَى انْتِهَاء،

Every period in it has an end

وَكُلُّ حَيٍّ فِيهَا إِلَى فَنَاء.

and every living being in it is to die.

أَوَلَيْسَ لَكُمْ في آثَارِ الاْوَّلِينَ مُزْدَجَرٌ،

Is not there for you a warning in the relics of the predecessors

وَفِي آبَائِكُمُ الْمَاضِينَ تَبْصِرَةٌ وَمُعْتَبَرٌ،

and an eye opener and lesson in your fore-fathers,

إِنْ كُنْتُمْ تَعْقِلُونَ!

provided you understand?

أَوَلَمْ تَرَوْا إِلَى الْمَاضِينَ مِنْكُمْ لاَ يَرْجِعُونَ،

Do you not see that your predecessors do not come back

وَإِلَى الْخَلَفِ الباقِي لاَ يَبْقَوْنَ!

and the surviving followers do not remain?

أوَلَسْتُمْ تَرَوْنَ أَهْلَ الدُّنْيَا يُمْسُونَ ويُصْبِحُونَ عَلَى أَحْوَال شَتَّى:

Do you not observe that the people of the world pass mornings and evenings in different conditions?

فَمَيِّتٌ يُبْكَى،

Thus, (somewhere) the dead is wept for,

وَآخَرُ يُعَزَّى،

someone is being condoled,

وَصَرِيعٌ مُبْتَلىً،

someone is prostrate in distress,

وَعَائِدٌ يَعُودُ،

someone is enquiring about the sick,

وَآخَرُ بِنَفْسِهِ يَجُودُ،

someone is passing his last breath,

وَطَالِبٌ لِلدُّنْيَا وَالْمَوْتُ يَطْلُبُهُ،

someone is hankering after the world while death is looking for him,

وَغَافِلٌ وَليْسَ بِمَغْفُول عَنْهُ;

someone is forgetful but he is not forgotten (by death),

وَعَلَى أَثَرِ الْمَاضِي مَا يَمْضِي الْبَاقِي!

and on the footsteps of the predecessors walk the survivors.

أَلاَ فَاذْكُرُوا هَادِمَ اللَّذَّاتِ،

Beware! remember the destroyer of joys,

وَمُنَغِّصَ الشَّهَوَاتِ،

the spoiler of pleasures,

وَقَاطِعَ الاْمْنِيَاتِ،

and the killer of desires (namely death).

عِنْدَ الْمُسَاوَرَةِ لِلاْعْمَالِ الْقَبِيحَةِ،

At the time of committing evil deeds

وَاسْتَعِينُوا اللهَ عَلَى أَدَاءِ وَاجِبِ حَقِّهِ،

Seek assistance of Allah for fulfilment of His obligatory rights,

وَمَا لاَ يُحْصَى مِنْ أَعْدَادِ نِعَمِهِ وَإِحْسَانِهِ.

and for (thanking Him) for His countless bounties and obligations.

 

Alternative Sources for Sermon 99: Al-Saduq, Ma’ani, 184; al-Saduq, Man la yahduruh, I, 270; al-Tusi, al-'Amali, II, 50; al-Tabarsi, Mishkat, 107.