The sermon of ‘Amir al-Mu’minin, Ali, ‘Alayhi al-Salam, called the Sermon of Means and Connections

4. Muhammad Bin Ali Bin Ma’mar, from Muhammad Bin Ali Bin Ukaayat Al-Tamimy, from Al-Husayn Bin Al-Nazar Al-Fahry, from Abu Amro Al-Awzaiy, from Amro Bin Shimr, from Jabir Bin Yazeed who said: ‘I came up to Abu Ja’far عليه الصلاة والسلام, so I said, ‘O son عليه الصلاة والسلام of the Messenger صلى الله عليه وعلى آله وسلم of Allah عز وجل, the differing among the Shiites in this Doctrine causes me pain’. He عليه الصلاة والسلام said: ‘O Jabir, shall I عليه الصلاة والسلام not suffice you with the meanings of their differences, from where they are differing, and from which perspective they are separating?’ I said, ‘Yes, O son عليه الصلاة والسلام of the Messenger صلى الله عليه وعلى آله وسلم of Allah عز وجل’. He عليه الصلاة والسلام said: ‘So do not differ if they differ, O Jabir. The one who fights against the Master عليه الصلاة والسلام of the Era (Imam عليه الصلاة والسلام of his time) is like the one who has fought against the Messenger صلى الله عليه وعلى آله وسلم of Allah عز وجل in his صلى الله عليه وعلى آله وسلم days. O Jabir, listen attentively’. I said, ‘As you عليه الصلاة والسلام like’. He عليه الصلاة والسلام said: ‘Listen attentively, and make it reach to wherever your ride takes you, that Amir-ul-Momineen عليه الصلاة والسلام preached to the People at Al-Medina, seven days after the passing away of the Messenger صلى الله عليه وعلى آله وسلم of Allah عز وجل, and that was when he عليه الصلاة والسلام was free from collecting the Quran and compiling it. He عليه الصلاة والسلام said: ‘Praise be to Allah عز وجل Who has Prevented the imaginations to grasp Him عز وجل except for His عز وجل Existence, and Veiled the intellects to think about His عز وجل Essence due to the restrictions of Him عز وجل having no similarities or images. But He عز وجل is the One in Whose Essence there are not differences nor any division into a number of parts due to the Perfection. He عز وجل is separate from the things, not due to being in a different place, and He عز وجل is in things, not being mixed within them, and He عز وجل Knows these, not by the use of tools. And He عز وجل is not Knowledgeable except by it, and there is nothing between Him عز وجل and His عز وجل Knowledge, any other knowledge. He عز وجل is the Knowledgeable by Himself عز وجل. If it is said that He عز وجل was, it would be interpreted as the eternal existence, and if it is said that He عز وجل will never cease (to exist), it would be interpreted as the negation of the non-existence. He عز وجل is Glorious, and higher than the words of those who worship other than Him عز وجل and have taken a god other than Him عز وجل. He عز وجل is Higher and Greater. We عليه الصلاة والسلام Praise Him عز وجل with a Praise of those of His عز وجل creatures who has Pleased Him عز وجل, and He عز وجل has Made it to be more than Obligatory upon Himself عز وجل to Accept it. And I عليه الصلاة والسلام hereby testify that there is no God but Allah عز وجل, One, with no Associates for Himself عز وجل, and I عليه الصلاة والسلام testify that Muhammad صلى الله عليه وعلى آله وسلم is His عز وجل servant and His عز وجل Messenger. These two testimonies elevate the words and increase the deeds. Light is the Scale from which these two are raised from, and heavy is the Scale on which these two are placed. And by these two is the victory of the Paradise, and the salvation from the Fire, and the Permission upon the (crossing of) the Bridge. And it is by the testimony that you will be entering the Paradise, and by the Prayers that you will be consuming the Mercy. Send the greetings frequently upon your Prophet صلى الله عليه وعلى آله وسلم “[33:56] Surely Allah and His angels bless the Prophet; O you who believe! call for (Divine) blessings on him and salute him with a (becoming) salutation”. O you people! There is no nobility higher than Al-Islam, nor a prestige more honourable than the piety, nor a stronghold better than devoutness, nor an intercessor more excellent than repentance, nor a robe more majestic than good health, nor a protection more secure than safety, nor a wealth better at dispelling poverty than contentment with conviction/cetainity, nor a treasure more enriching than being satisfied. And the one lives at the subsistence level and the reduction in comfort, so he has made the preparations for the rest, and the desires is the key to the fatigue, and the monopolisation follows from affliction, and the jealousy is a scourge on the Religion, and the greed is an invitation to the indulgence in the sins and the reason for the deprivation, and the transgression is a driver to the destruction, and greed gathers all the defects. Perhaps a failed greed, a false hope leads to the dispossession and a business trade to incur a loss. The one who gets involved in the matters without looking at the consequences will be exposed to misfortunes, and the most evil of the collars (humiliation) for a Believer is the sin. O you people! There is no treasure more beneficial than the knowledge, and no honour higher than the forbearance, and no nobility more eloquent than the ethics, and no affliction greater than anger, and no majesty more decorative than the intellect, and nothing is more disgraceful than the lies, and no protection safer than silence, and no absentee which is nearer than the death. O you people! The one who looks at his own faults will be too pre-occupied to look at the faults of the others, and the one who is contented with the sustenance of Allah عز وجل will not despair upon what is in the hands of the others, and the one who unsheathes the sword of rebellion will be killed by it, and the one who drills a pit for his brother will fall into it himself, and the one who discloses the veiled (privacy) of others will uncover the privacy of his own house, and the one who forgets his own mistakes will magnify the mistakes of the others, and the one who wonders at his own opinion will go astray, and the one who considers himself to be needless due to his intellect will make mistakes, and the one who is arrogant to the people will be humiliated, and the one who is a fool to the people will be hated, and the one who mixes with the villains will be degraded, and the one who burdens himself with what he cannot endure will be frustrated. O you people! There is no wealth more valuable than the intellect, and no poverty which is more intense than the ignorance, and no preacher which is more profound than the sound advice, and no reasoning like the contemplation, and no worship like the pondering, and no demonstration more reliable than the consultation, and no isolation more severe than the self-conceit, nor piety like refraining from the Prohibitions, and no forbearance like patience and silence. O you people! In the human being there are ten qualities, which are revealed by his tongue and becomes witness to his hidden thoughts, it is a ruler by which he decides between what to be said, and the words by which he returns the answer, and an intercessor (limbs) by which he achieves the needs, and a describer (senses) by which he recognises the things, and a commander (decision) by which he commands for the good, and a preacher by which he prohibits from the ugly (deeds), and a consoler by which he gives solace to the sorrows, and a conscious by which he clears the malice, and an articulator by which he gives pleasure to the ears. O you people! There is no good in keeping silent about the ‘الْحُكْمِ’ (the Command) just as there is no good in speaking out of ignorance. And know, O you people, that the one who does not control his tongue will regret, and the one who does not learn will be ignorant, and the one who does not forbear will not content, and the one who is not deterred does not learn, and the one who does not know is insulted, and the one who is insulted is not respected, and the one who is not respected is taunted, and the one who acquires wealth from where he has no right to do so will spend it extravagantly in other that the right way, and the one who does not desist when he is praised will desist when he is condemned, and the one who does not give in comfort will also be refused when in the need, and the one who seeks the honour without being deserving of it will be disgraced, the one who overcomes with injustice will also be overpowered, and the one who opposed the truth will necessitate weakness for himself, and the one who ponders will be dignified, and the one who is arrogant will be belittled, and the one who is not good will not be praised. O you people! The death is (better) before the lowliness, and the endurance before the apathy, and the accounting before the Punishment, and the grave is better than the poverty, lowering the sight is better than looking at a great deal, and the time, a day is for you and a day against you. So if it is for you, do not be ungrateful, and if it is against you, observe patience. So with both of them you will be Examined. (And in another copy – ‘And with both of them you will be Tested’) O you people! The strangest of what is in the human being is his heart, and in it are matters of wisdom and the antibodies to the one who opposes it. When there is prosperity for him, greed humiliates him, and if greed excites him, the thriftiness destroys him, when despair overpowers him, the remorse kills him, and when the anger presents itself, the rage intensifies, and when he is happy and satisfied he forgets to conserve, and when fear seizes him he gets preoccupied by caution, and when security is widened for him his honour makes him complacent (and in another copy ‘pride takes him over’), and when new bounties come up for him pride takes him over, and when he is benefitted by money his richness makes him oppressive, and when poverty bites him he is preoccupied by the affliction (and in another copy ‘he strives in the weeping’), and when he is inflicted by hardship anxiety injures him, and when the hunger exhausts him he is disabled by the weakness, and when he over-eats he is upset by indigestion, so every deficiency is harmful to him, and every excess spoils him. O you people! The one who is miserly will be disgraced and the one who is generous will be the master, and the one who increases his wealth becomes the leader and the one who increases his forbearance becomes noble, and the one who ponders regarding the Essence of Allah عز وجل becomes an Atheist, and the one who frequents in something becomes known for it, and the one frequently jokes will be taken lightly, and the one who frequently laughs his prestige goes away, the one who has no ethics will corrupt. The best deed is the maintenance of honour by wealth. There is none who sits with the ignorant ones who is reasonable, for the one who sits with the ignorant ones should ready himself for (a lot of) talk (against him)’. And he عليه الصلاة والسلام said: ‘Neither did the rich one obtain salvation from death by his wealth, nor did the poor one due to his scarcity’. O you people! Had the death been (a commodity) which could be bought, the good and the honourable ones of the world, as well as the wicked and the greedy ones would have bought it. O you people! There are witnesses for the hearts which hold them back from being the people of excesses, and there is insight for the understanding, which alerts the self and caution it from the danger. And for the heart there are memories of desires, and the intellect admonishes and prohibits from it. And in the experiences there is an appellant, which is a reliable guide to the right way. It is sufficient for yourself what you would not like it to happen to others, and it is upon you that the same should be for your believing brother, and in it upon him, likewise. The one who considers his own opinion to be self-sufficing from him would endanger him, and the pondering before the deeds would keep you safe from remorse. And the one who welcomes different opinions would understand the places of mistakes. And the one who refrains from the useless matters his opinion would balance the intellects. The one who fortifies his carnal desires so he has kept his respect, and the one who restrains his tongue is trusted by the people and will achieve his needs. And in the alteration of the situations the jewels of the men become known, and the passing days make apparent the inner selves. And there is no enjoyment in the swiftness of lightning for the one who goes through darkness. And the one who is recognised by the wisdom, the eyes will notice him with reverence and prestige. The most noble of riches is the avoidance of wishes, and the patience is a shield against poverty, and the greed is a sign of poverty, and the stinginess is the gown of destitution, and the cordiality with the relatives is beneficial, and the sympathy of the poor is better than the disloyal rich. Counselling is like a cave for the one who listens to it, and the one who does not restrain his eyes, his regrets increase. And the (passage of) time has made it to be more than obligatory for the one who avails it, to thank it. The tongue does very little justice in displaying the ugly and the good. The one who constricts his ethics, his family get tired of him. And the one who seeks, achieves it for a long time, and very little of what is wished is sincere. Modesty clothes you with dignity, and in the extensiveness of the morals is a treasure for the sustenance, and how many from the people remain in their sins until the end of their days. And the one who robes himself with bashfulness as his clothing his faults are hidden from the people. And intend moderation in your speech, for the one who intends it will incur light expenses, and in the opposition to the ego is guidance for you. And the one who recognises the ‘days’ (his end) will never be oblivious from the preparation. Nay! Along with every sip (of drink) is (possibility of) choking, and in every morsel is (the possibility of) suffocation. Bounties cannot be achieved except by the decline of other (bounties), and for every breath is life, and for every grain is a consumer, and you are the morsel of the death. And know, O you people! The ones who walks upon the face of the earth will end up in its belly, and the nights and the days, they dispute (they accelerate) regarding the destruction of the life-span. O you people! Ingratitude for the bounties is wickedness, and the company of the ignorant is ominous. The softness of the speech is from the prestige. And from the (acts of) worship are displayed by the tongue (make it heard) and increase the greetings. Beware of deceit for it is from the manners of the villains. Every seeker does not get a share, nor does every absentee return. Its not certain that one will get what he wishes and the lost is recovered. Seek (the company) of friends before setting of and ensure (good) neighbourhood before (moving into) the house. Indeed! The one who moves fast will catche up with the slower ones. Conceal the private (matters) of your brother just as he knows regarding you. Forgive the mistakes of your friend for the day that your enemy comes to dominate you. The one who is angry with the one over whom he has no power to injure, his grief would be prolonged and it will punish his soul. The one who fears his Lord عز وجل will refrain from committing injustices. The one who is good with the words would display his pride. And the one who does not recognise the good from the evil, is like an animal. Indeed the corruption destroys the provisions (of the Hereafter). How little is the difficulty (of today) as compared with the great destitution tomorrow. Far it is! Far it is from being compared. And what is your antipathy due to, except for your indulgence in acts of disobedience and the sins. So how close is the rest to the tiredness, and the misery from the Bounties. The hardships are not painful after which there is the Paradise, and the goodtime is not the (lasting) comfort after which there is the Fire. And every bounty apart from the Paradise is insignificant, and every affliction apart from the Fire is healthy. And turning away from correcting the consciences leads to the major sins. Purification of the deeds is more difficult than the deed itself, and the sincerity of the intention from the corruption is more difficulty upon the performer of the deed than the lengthy Jihaad. Far it is! Had it not been for the piety I عليه الصلاة والسلام would have been the shrewdest of the Arabs. O you people! Allah عز وجل the High Promised His عز وجل Prophet صلى الله عليه وعلى آله وسلم Muhammad صلى الله عليه وعلى آله وسلم the Means (Al-Waseela), and His عز وجل Promise is True, and Allah عز وجل does not Go against His عز وجل Promise. Surely Al-Waseela is on the steps of the Paradise and is at the peak of the nearness (to Allah عز وجل), and is a total security at the very end of it. There are a thousand staircases, and what is in between one staircase and the other there is a travel distance by a fine horse of a hundred years. And in between these is a staircase of gems going up to a staircase of jewels, to a staircase of aquamarines, to a staircase of pearls, to a staircase of rubies, to a staircase of emeralds, to a staircase of corals, to a staircase of camphor, to a staircase of ambergris, to a staircase of aloe, to a staircase of gold, to a staircase of clouds, to a staircase of air, to a staircase of Light which encompasses all of the Gardens. And on that Day the Messenger صلى الله عليه وعلى آله وسلم of Allah عز وجل would be seated wearing two Garments – a Garment of the Mercy of Allah عز وجل and a Garment of the Light of Allah عز وجل. On him صلى الله عليه وعلى آله وسلم will be a Crown of the Prophet-hood and a Garland of the Message, the Light of which will illuminate the whole of the Pausing Place (Station in the Hereafter). And on that Day, I عليه الصلاة والسلام will be upon the High Level, and it will be lower than his صلى الله عليه وعلى آله وسلم Level, and on me عليه الصلاة والسلام would be two Garments – a Garment of purple Light and a Garment of Camphor. And the Messengers عليه السلام and the Prophets صلى الله عليه وعلى آله وسلم would have paused upon my عليه الصلاة والسلام staircase, with the Flags of the Eras and the Proof of the ages on our عليه الصلاة والسلام right, and they عليه السلام will have Majestic Garments of Light and the Prestige. There is no Angel of Proximity, and no Messenger Prophet صلى الله عليه وعلى آله وسلم who will look at us عليه الصلاة والسلام except that he will be stunned by our عليه الصلاة والسلام Light. And stranger than our عليه الصلاة والسلام Illumination and our عليه الصلاة والسلام Majesty is the Al-Waseela on our عليه الصلاة والسلام right, and on the right of the Messenger صلى الله عليه وعلى آله وسلم of Allah عز وجل will be a cloud stretching out as far as the eye can see. A Call will come out from it: ‘O people of the Pausing Place! Goodness is for the ones who loved the successor عليه الصلاة والسلام and believed in the Prophet صلى الله عليه وعلى آله وسلم, the ‘Ummy’ of the Arabs. And the one who disbelieved, so the Fire is Prepared for him. And on the left of Al-Waseela, from the left of the Messenger صلى الله عليه وعلى آله وسلم of Allah عز وجل will be a shade. A Call will come out from it: ‘O people of the Pausing Place! Goodness is for the ones who loved the successor عليه الصلاة والسلام and believed in the ‘Ummy’ Prophet صلى الله عليه وعلى آله وسلم, the one صلى الله عليه وعلى آله وسلم for whom is the High Kingdom. There is no success for anyone, nor happiness for the soul, and the Paradise except for the one who is meeting his Creator عز وجل with the sincerity for these two عليه الصلاة والسلام and the follower of the stars (Imams عليه الصلاة والسلام) from these two عليه الصلاة والسلام. Be convinced, O people of Al-Wilayah of Allah عز وجل, of the whitening of your faces, and the prestige of your seating, and the honour of your return and your success today, with bliss, facing each other. And O people of the deviation, and the diverters from Allah عز وجل, Mighty is His عز وجل Remembrance, and from His عز وجل Messenger صلى الله عليه وعلى آله وسلم, and from His عز وجل Path, and the Flags of the eras, be convinced of the blackening of your faces, and the Wrath of your Lord عز وجل, a Recompense of what you used to do before. And there is none from the Messengers عليه السلام who preceded and none from the Prophets عليه السلام of the past except that he عليه السلام had informed his عليه السلام community of the Messenger صلى الله عليه وعلى آله وسلم to come after him عليه السلام, and the good news of the Messenger صلى الله عليه وعلى آله وسلم of Allah عز وجل, and bequeathed to his عليه السلام community, and described him صلى الله عليه وعلى آله وسلم to his عليه السلام community his صلى الله عليه وعلى آله وسلم qualities, and that they should follow him صلى الله عليه وعلى آله وسلم and be upon his صلى الله عليه وعلى آله وسلم Law, so that they would not stray with regards to him صلى الله عليه وعلى آله وسلم after him عليه السلام. So the ones who would face destruction and straying afterwards would only be after the occurrence of the reasons and the warnings, and having been acquainted with the evidence, and the arguments having been established. So the communities lived in hope about the Messengers عليه السلام and the Prophets عليه السلام to come, if they were in difficult circumstances in the absence of a Prophet عليه السلام after their Prophet عليه السلام, in their great difficulties and disasters, so they were at the time in a state of hope. And there have never been a difficulty which was greater, and nor a disaster greater like the difficulties with the Messenger of Allah صلى الله عليه وعلى آله وسلم, because Allah عز وجل Ended the Warnings, and the Reasons, and Cut-off through him صلى الله عليه وعلى آله وسلم the Arguments, and the Reasons between Him عز وجل and His عز وجل creatures, and Made him صلى الله عليه وعلى آله وسلم to be His عز وجل Door which was between Him عز وجل and His عز وجل servants, and as His عز وجل Authority which nothing would be Acceptable except by him صلى الله عليه وعلى آله وسلم, nor any nearness to Him عز وجل except by being obedient to him صلى الله عليه وعلى آله وسلم. And He عز وجل Said Decisively in His عز وجل Book: “[4:80] Whoever obeys the Messenger, he indeed obeys Allah and whoever turns back, so We have not sent you as a keeper over them”. So He عز وجل Joined obedience to Himself عز وجل with obedience to him صلى الله عليه وعلى آله وسلم, and disobedience to Himself عز وجل with disobedience to him صلى الله عليه وعلى آله وسلم. So that was the Evidence which was Delegated to him صلى الله عليه وعلى آله وسلم, and a Testimony against the one who obeys him صلى الله عليه وعلى آله وسلم, and disobeys him صلى الله عليه وعلى آله وسلم, and between that in other places from the Great Book. So the Blessed and the High Said in the Incitement to follow him صلى الله عليه وعلى آله وسلم, and the Exhortation with regards to his صلى الله عليه وعلى آله وسلم ratification, and the acceptance of his صلى الله عليه وعلى آله وسلم Call: “[3:31] Say, (O Muhammad, tell to mankind): If you love Allah, follow me; Allah will love you and forgive you your sins”. So following him صلى الله عليه وعلى آله وسلم achieves the Love of Allah عز وجل and His عز وجل Pleasure, and the Forgiveness of the sins, and the completeness of the success, and the necessitation of the Paradise. And in the turning away from him صلى الله عليه وعلى آله وسلم achieves the Enmity of Allah عز وجل, and His عز وجل Wrath, and His عز وجل Harshness, and remoteness from Him عز وجل, and a dwelling in the Fire and that is His عز وجل Statement: “[11:17] and whoever of the (different) parties disbelieves in it, the Fire will be their promised meeting-place”, meaning the striving against him صلى الله عليه وعلى آله وسلم and disobedience to him صلى الله عليه وعلى آله وسلم. Allah عز وجل, Blessed is His عز وجل Name, Tested His عز وجل servants by me عليه الصلاة والسلام, and killed those that opposed Him عز وجل by my عليه الصلاة والسلام hand, and annihilated those that strived against Him عز وجل by my عليه الصلاة والسلام sword, and Made me عليه الصلاة والسلام to be a Means of nearness to Him عز وجل (Zulfat) for the Believers, and a ground of death for the toughest tyrants, and His عز وجل Sword against the criminals, and Strengthened by me عليه الصلاة والسلام the back of His عز وجل Messenger صلى الله عليه وعلى آله وسلم, and Honoured me عليه الصلاة والسلام by helping him صلى الله عليه وعلى آله وسلم, and Privileged me عليه الصلاة والسلام with his صلى الله عليه وعلى آله وسلم knowledge, and Gifted me عليه الصلاة والسلام with his صلى الله عليه وعلى آله وسلم Laws, and Favoured me عليه الصلاة والسلام for his صلى الله عليه وعلى آله وسلم successorship, and Chose me عليه الصلاة والسلام for his صلى الله عليه وعلى آله وسلم Caliphate in his صلى الله عليه وعلى آله وسلم community. So he صلى الله عليه وعلى آله وسلم said when he صلى الله عليه وعلى آله وسلم mobilised the Emigrants and the Helpers in their gathering: ‘O you people! Surely, Ali عليه الصلاة والسلام is from me صلى الله عليه وعلى آله وسلم like Haroun عليه السلام was from Musa عليه السلام except that there is no Prophet عليه السلام to come after me صلى الله عليه وعلى آله وسلم. So the Believers understood that the Messenger صلى الله عليه وعلى آله وسلم was speaking on behalf of Allah عز وجل. They recognised me عليه الصلاة والسلام that I عليه الصلاة والسلام was not his صلى الله عليه وعلى آله وسلم brother by his صلى الله عليه وعلى آله وسلم father عليه السلام or his صلى الله عليه وعلى آله وسلم mother عليه السلام as was the case with Haroun صلى الله عليه وعلى آله وسلم who was the brother of Musa عليه السلام from his عليه السلام father and his عليه السلام mother عليه السلام, nor was I عليه الصلاة والسلام a Prophet عليه السلام. The Prophet-hood has ended. But, that was from him صلى الله عليه وعلى آله وسلم appointing me عليه الصلاة والسلام as the Caliph just as Musa عليه السلام had appointed Haroun عليه السلام as the Caliph when he عليه السلام said: “[7:142] Take my place among my people, and act well and do not follow the way of the mischief-makers.” And his صلى الله عليه وعلى آله وسلم words when a group spoke saying, ‘We are the friends of the Messenger of Allah عز وجل’. So the Messenger صلى الله عليه وعلى آله وسلم of Allah عز وجل went out to the Farewell Pilgrimage, then came up to Ghadeer Khumm. So he صلى الله عليه وعلى آله وسلم ordered for something resembling a Pulpit to be prepared to him صلى الله عليه وعلى آله وسلم. Then he صلى الله عليه وعلى آله وسلم ascended it, grabbed my عليه الصلاة والسلام arm and raised it to the extent that the whiteness of his صلى الله عليه وعلى آله وسلم armpits were seen, and said in a raised voice in that forum: ‘The one to whom I صلى الله عليه وعلى آله وسلم was the Master of, so Ali عليه الصلاة والسلام is his Master. Our Allah عز وجل! Befriend the one who befriends him عليه الصلاة والسلام, and be Inimical to the one who is an enemy to him عليه الصلاة والسلام. Thus, upon my عليه الصلاة والسلام Wilayah is the Wilayah of Allah عز وجل, and upon my عليه الصلاة والسلام enmity is the enmity against Allah عز وجل. And Allah عز وجل, Mighty and Majestic Revealed in that day: “[5:3] This day have I perfected for you your religion and completed My favor on you and chosen for you Islam as a religion”. So upon my عليه الصلاة والسلام Wilayah was the completion of the Religion, and the Pleasure of the Lord عز وجل, Majestic is His عز وجل Remembrance. And Allah عز وجل, Blessed and High, Revealed it especially for me عليه الصلاة والسلام and Honoured the Gifting it for me عليه الصلاة والسلام as (a sign of) greatness, and its gifting from the Messenger of Allah صلى الله عليه وعلى آله وسلم, and it is the Statement of the High: “[6:62] Then are men returned unto Allah, their protector, the (only) reality: Is not His the command? and He is the swiftest in taking account.” If I عليه الصلاة والسلام were to mention my عليه الصلاة والسلام merits, its loftiness would be great, and it’s listening prolonged. And about me عليه الصلاة والسلام, two miserable ones before me عليه الصلاة والسلام disputed with me عليه الصلاة والسلام regarding that in which they had no rights over it, and they rode its misguidance, and believed in the ignorance. So evil is what was to them, what they returned to, and evil is what they made as a cradle for themselves. They cursed each other in their own houses, and each one of them distanced himself from his companion saying to him when he met him, ‘Alas! If only there was the distance between the East and the West between me and between you’. So evil is the friend who answered him, the miserable one upon his ragged condition, “[25:28] O woe is me! would that I had not taken such a one for a friend. [25:29] He verily led me astray from the Reminder after it had reached me. Satan was ever man’s deserter in the hour of need”. So I عليه الصلاة والسلام am the Reminder from which he went astray, and the Way from which he deviated, and the Belief which he denied, and the Quran from which he fled, and the Religion which he belied, and the Path from which he digressed. And the debris which they lived upon in their constant pride, they were on it on the verge of the Fire (prepared) for them - an evil return amongst the wicked group, to a condemned destination. They will be shouting curses at each other grumbling in regret. There will be no rest for these two; nor a respite from their inevitable Punishment. The people never ceased to be the worshippers of the idols and being the custodians of the idols, establishing rituals for them, and designated certain offerings for them in order to seek nearness to them. And they made for them titles such as ‘Al-Baheyra, and Al-Waseyla, and Al-Sa’ebat, and Al-Haam’. They distributed these idols by casting lots by arrows, wondering about Allah عز وجل Mighty is His عز وجل Remembrance. They were confused about the guidance, hastening to the remoteness, and they had been overcome by Satan (la) who had flooded them with the darkness of ignorance, having breastfed them with ignorance and weaned them with misguidance. Allah عز وجل Brought us عليه الصلاة والسلام out to them as a Mercy, and Informed about us عليه الصلاة والسلام as being higher than them, and Removed the Veil of Light from us عليه الصلاة والسلام for those that sought us عليه الصلاة والسلام, and Preferred the ones who followed it (the Light), and we عليه الصلاة والسلام were a support for the ones who ratified it. So honour followed after the disgrace, and the plenty after the scarcity. And their hearts and their eyes revered them, and the tyrants yielded to them, and its respective communities became the people of the Bounties, being worthy of mention, and prestigious, and ease, and security after fear, and ‘جَمْعٍ’ union after having been separated. And Ma’d Bin Adnan was illuminated (famous) due to us عليه الصلاة والسلام and we عليه الصلاة والسلام inserted them in the Door of Guidance, and we عليه الصلاة والسلام entered them into the House of Peace, and we عليه الصلاة والسلام clothed them with the garment of Belief, and they became famous due to us عليه الصلاة والسلام in the worlds, and the effects of the righteous people appeared for them in the days of the Messenger صلى الله عليه وعلى آله وسلم, from a striving protector, and an obedient worshipper, and an ascetic retreater, and they preserved the trusts and became as such until when Allah عز وجل Mighty and Majestic Called back His عز وجل Prophet صلى الله عليه وعلى آله وسلم and Raised him صلى الله عليه وعلى آله وسلم to Himself عز وجل. That was not after him صلى الله عليه وعلى آله وسلم except like a moment of pulse, or a glimmer of lightning for them to return back and turn back upon their heels, and sought revenge by forming battalions, and they blocked the Door and destroyed the houses, and changed the effects of the Messenger of Allah صلى الله عليه وعلى آله وسلم, and turned away from his صلى الله عليه وعلى آله وسلم rulings, and distanced themselves from his صلى الله عليه وعلى آله وسلم Light, and they changed his صلى الله عليه وعلى آله وسلم Caliph with an alternate. They took to him, and they were unjust in doing so, and they thought that the one whom they had chosen from the descendants of Abu Kohafa (Abu Bakr) is higher in status than the one عليه الصلاة والسلام whom the Messenger صلى الله عليه وعلى آله وسلم of Allah عز وجل had chosen to be in his صلى الله عليه وعلى آله وسلم place, and that the Emigrants from the progeny of Abu Kohafa were better than the Emigrants and the Helpers of the Rabbi of the Law Hashim Bin Abd Manaf عليه السلام. Nay! The first false testimony which occurred in Al-Islam was their testimony that their companion (Abu Bakr) is the one whom the Messenger صلى الله عليه وعلى آله وسلم of Allah عز وجل had made to be the Caliph. So when the matter of Sa’d Bin Ubada was what it was, they retracted from that and said that the Messenger صلى الله عليه وعلى آله وسلم of Allah عز وجل passed away and did not appoint a Caliph. So the Messenger of Allah صلى الله عليه وعلى آله وسلم, the good, the Blessed, was the first one in Al-Islam against who the false testimony was borne. And after a little while they found out the evil of what (they came to know and found out the consequences of the evil of what) the former ones had established. And they had an alternative and an opportunity to recover from the death, and had the time to turn around from the lure of pride, and be in a tranquil condition, and the realisation of the deeds. Allah عز وجل had respited Shaddaad Bin Aad, and Thamud Bin Abbuwad, and Bal’am Bin Ba’our, and Bestowed upon them His عز وجل Favours, both apparent as well as hidden, Supplied them with the wealth, and the (prolongation) of their lives, and Granted them the land, so that due to these Blessings they would Remember the Signs of Allah عز وجل, and they would recognise and be awed by Him عز وجل, and turn to Him عز وجل, and bring an end to their arrogance. So before they reached their (allocated) time, and enjoy their meal, Allah عز وجل Mighty and Majestic Grabbed them and cut them down. Some of them from sandstorm, some were overtaken by a scream, and some from being burned by the shadow, and some from the tremors, and some from sinking of the earth. Allah عز وجل was not Unjust to them, but they had been unjust to their own selves. Indeed! For every term there is a writing. So when the writing reaches its term, and it is uncovered for you about what would befall the unjust ones, and what the greatest losers have got to, you will run towards Allah عز وجل Mighty and Majestic from what they had been involved in and to what they are proceeding to. Nay! And I عليه الصلاة والسلام am among you, O you people, like Haroun عليه السلام was in the people of the Pharaoh (la), and like the Door of Hitta in the Children of Israel, and like the Ark of Noah عليه السلام in the people of Noah عليه السلام. I عليه الصلاة والسلام am the Great News (Al-Nabaa Al-Azeem), and the Great Truthful (Al-Siddique Al-Akbar), And after a little while you will come to know what had been Promised to you. And is this anything else but (was committed) for a morsel of food, and a sip of drink, light sleep. Then the disgrace will be necessitated upon them in the world, and on the Day of Judgement they will be returning to intense Punishment. And Allah عز وجل is not Oblivious (forgetful) of what they have done. So what is the Recompense for the one who turned away from His عز وجل Proof عليه الصلاة والسلام, and denied His عز وجل Argument, and opposed His عز وجل Guides عليه الصلاة والسلام, and turned away from His عز وجل Light and stormed (his way) into the darkness, and exchanged water for the mirage, and Bounties for the Punishment, and the success for the misery, and prosperity for the poverty, and the ease for the hardship. Nay! This is the Recompense of what they had sown and done before. So be certain of the Promise and of its reality, and be assured of what has been Promised on the Day of the coming of the ‘Scream’ (Dooms Day), with the Truth. “[50:42] The day when they shall hear the cry in truth; that is the day of coming forth. [50:43] Surely We give life and cause to die, and to Us is the eventuAl-coming [50:44] The day on which the earth shall cleave asunder under them, they will make haste; that is a gathering together easy to Us”.