Sermons · Learning from history, al-Mahdi

al-Sharif al-Radi (d. 406 AH) · Thaqalayn library edition, reproduced verbatim

2

Arabic text

بَلْ إِنْ كُنْتَ صَادِقاً أَيُّهَا الْمُتَكَلِّفُ لِوَصْفِ رَبِّكَ، فَصِفْ جَبْرَئيلَ وَمِيكَائِيلَ وَجُنُودَ الْمَلاَئِكَةِ الْمُقَرَّبِينَ، فِي حُجُراتِ الْقُدُسِ مُرْجَحِنِّينَ، مُتَوَلِّهَةً عُقُولُهُمْ أَنْ يَحُدُّوا أَحْسَنَ الْخَالِقينَ. وَإنَّمَا يُدرَكُ بِالصِّفَاتِ ذَوُوالْهَيْئَاتِ وَالاْدوَاتِ، وَمَنْ يَنْقَضِي إِذَا بَلَغَ أَمَدَ حَدِّهِ بِالْفَنَاءِ، فَلاَ إلهَ إلاَّ هُوَ، أَضَاءَ بِنُورِهِ كُلَّ ظَلاَم، وَأَظْلَمَ بِظُلْمَتِهِ كُلَّ نُور.

Translation

O you who exert yourself in describing Allāh if you are serious then (first try to) describe Gabriel, Michael or the host of angels who are close (to Allāh) in the receptacles of sublimity; but their heads are bent downwards and their wits are perplexed as to how to assign limits (of definition) to the Highest Creator. This is because those things can only be perceived through qualities which have shape and parts and which succumb to death after reaching the end of their times. There is no god but He. He has lighted every darkness with His effulgence and has darkened every light with the darkness (of death).

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