Nahj al-Balaghah
The sermons, letters and sayings attributed to Imam Ali, read from the published Shia library edition with the Arabic and the published English translation side by side.
Topical chapters
Numbers below are this edition's record sequence. Short sayings and long sermons are both split into records, so a sequence number is not the printed sermon, letter or saying number.
46 passages
ومن خطبة له عليه السلام تسمّي القاصعة. وهي تتضمن ذم إبليس لعنة اللّه، عَلى استكباره، وتركه السجود لآدم (عليه السلام)، وأنه أول من أظهر العصبية وتبع الحمية، وتحذير الناس من سلوك طريقته.
Known as “al-Khuṭbah al-Qāṣi‘ah” (Sermon of Disparagement). It comprises disparagement of Satan [Iblīs] for his vanity and his refusing to prostrate before Adam [a.s.], and his being the first to display bigotry and to act through vanity; it comprises a warning to people treading in Satan’s path.
Open record →الْحَمْدُ لله الَّذِي لَبِسَ الْعِزَّ وَالْكِبْرِيَاءَ، وَاخْتَارَهُمَا لنَفْسِهِ دُونَ خَلْقِهِ، وَجَعَلَهُمَا حِمىً وَحَرَماً عَلَى غَيْرِهِ، وَاصْطَفَاهُمَا لِجَلاَلِهِ
Praise be to Allāh who wears the apparel of Honour and Dignity and has chosen them for Himself instead of for His creation. He has made them inaccessible and unlawful for others. He has selected them for His own great self.
Open record →[رأس العصيان :] وَجَعَلَ اللَّعْنَةَ عَلَى مَنْ نَازَعَهُ فِيهِمَا مِنْ عِبَادِهِ، ثُمَّ اخْتَبَرَ بِذلِكَ مَلاَئِكَتَهُ الْمُقَرَّبِينَ، لِيمِيزَ المُتَوَاضِعيِنَ مِنْهُمْ مِنَ الْمُسْتَكْبِرِينَ، فَقَالَ سُبْحَانَهُ وَهُوَ الْعَالِمُ بِمُضْمَرَاتِ القُلُوبِ، وَمَحْجُوبَاتِ الْغُيُوبِ ﴿إِنِّي خَالِقٌ بَشَرًا مِّن طِينٍ. فَإِذَا سَوَّيْتُهُ وَنَفَخْتُ فِيهِ مِن رُّوحِي فَقَعُوا لَهُ سَاجِدِينَ. فَسَجَدَ الْمَلَائِكَةُ كُلُّهُمْ أَجْمَعُونَ. إِلَّا إِبْلِيسَ﴾
[Allāh’s trial and the vanity of Iblīs :] and He has hurled a curse on him who contests with Him concerning them. Then He put His angels on trial concerning these attributes in order to distinguish those who are modest from those who are vain. Therefore, Allāh, who is aware of whatever is hidden in the hearts and whatever lies behind the unseen said: “. . . ‘Verily I am about to create man from clay,’ And when I have completed and have breathed into him of My spirit, then fall ye prostrating in obeisance unto him. And did fall prostrating in obeisance the angels all together, Save lblis;...” (Qur’ān, 38:71-74)
Open record →اعْتَرَضَتْهُ الْحَمِيَّةُ، فَافْتَخَرَ عَلَى آدَمَ بَخَلْقِهِ، وَتَعَصَّبَ عَلَيْهِ لاِصْلِهِ. فَعَدُوُّ اللهِ إِمَامُ الْمُتَعَصِّبِينَ، وَسَلَفُ الْمُسْتَكْبِرِينَ، الَّذِي وَضَعَ أَسَاسَ الْعَصَبِيَّةِ، وَنازَعَ اللهَ رِدَاءَ الْجَبْرِيَّةِ، وَادَّرَعَ لِبَاسَ التَّعَزُّزِ، وَخَلَعَ قِنَاعَ التَّذَلُّلِ. أَلاَ تَرَوْنَ كَيْفَ صَغَّرَهُ اللهُ بِتَكَبُّرِهِ، وَوَضَعَهُ بِتَرَفُّعِهِ، فَجَعَلَهُ فِي الدُّنْيَا مَدْحُوراً، وَأَعَدَّ لَهُ فِي الاْخِرَةِ سَعِيراً؟!
His vanity stood in his way. Consequently, he felt proud over Adam by virtue of his creation and boasted over him on account of his origin. Thus, this enemy of Allāh is the leader of those who boast, and the fore-runner of the vain. It is he who laid the foundation of factionalism, quarreled with Allāh about the robe of greatness, put on the dress of haughtiness and took off the covering of humility. Do you not see how Allāh made him low on account of his vanity and humiliated him for his feigning to be high? He discarded him in this world and provided for him burning fire in the next world.
Open record →[ابتلاء اللّه لخلقه :] وَلَوْ أَرَادَ اللهُ سُبْحَانَهُ أَنْ يَخْلُقَ آدَمَ مِنْ نُور يَخْطَفُ الاْبْصَارَ ضِيَاؤُهُ، وَيَبْهَرُ الْعُقُولَ رُوَاؤُهُ، وَطِيب يَأْخُذُ الاْنْفَاسَ عَرْفُهُ، لَفَعَلَ، وَلَوْ فَعَلَ لَظَلَّتْ لَهُ الاْعْنَاقُ خَاضِعَةً، وَلَخَفَّتِ الْبَلْوَى فِيهِ عَلَى المَلائِكَةِ. وَلكِنَّ اللهَ سُبْحَانَهُ يَبْتَلِي خَلْقَهُ بِبَعْضِ مَا يَجْهَلُونَ أَصْلَهُ، تَمْيِيزاً بِالاخْتِبَارِ لَهُمْ، وَنَفْياً لِلاْسْتِكَبَارِ عَنْهُمْ، وَإِبْعَاداً لِلْخُيَلاَءِ مِنْهُم.
[Allāh’s trial of His creatures :] If Allāh had wanted to create Adam from a light whose glare would have dazzled the eyes, whose handsomeness would have amazed the wits and whose fragrance would have caught the breath, He could have done so; and if He had done so, people would have bowed to him in humility and the trial of the angels through him would have become easier. But Allāh, the Glorified, tries His creatures by means of those things whose real nature they do not know in order to distinguish (good and bad) for them through the trial, and to remove vanity from them and keep them and keep them aloof from pride and self-admiration.
Open record →[طلب العبرة :] فَاعْتَبِروا بِمَا كَانَ مِنْ فِعْلِ اللهِ بِإِبْلِيسَ، إِذْ أَحْبَطَ عَمَلَهُ الطَّوِيلَ، وَجَهْدَهُ الْجَهِيدَ، وَكَانَ قَدْ عَبَدَ اللهَ سِتَّةَ آلاَفِ سَنَة، لاَ يُدْرَى أمِنْ سِنِي الدُّنْيَا أَمْ مِنْ سِنِي الاْخِرَةِ، عَنْ كِبْرِ سَاعَة وَاحِدَة. فَمَنْ بَعْدَ إِبْلِيسَ يَسْلَمُ عَلَى اللهِ بِمِثْلِ مَعْصِيَتِهِ؟ كَلاَّ، مَا كَانَ اللهُ سُبْحَانَهُ لِيُدْخِلَ الْجَنَّةَ بَشَراً بِأَمْر أَخْرَجَ بِهِ مِنْهَا مَلَكاً، إِنَّ حُكْمَهُ فِي أَهْلِ السَّماءِ وأَهْلِ الاْرْضِ لَوَاحِدٌ، وَمَا بَيْنَ اللهِ وَبَيْنَ أَحَد مِنْ خَلْقِهِ هَوَادَةٌ فِي إِبَاحَةِ حِمىً حَرَّمَهُ عَلَى الْعَالَمينَ.
You should take a lesson from what Allāh did with Satan; namely He nullified his great acts and extensive efforts on account of the vanity of one moment, although Satan had worshipped Allāh for six thousand years - whether by the reckoning of this world or of the next world is not known. Who now can remain safe from Allāh after Satan by committing a similar disobedience? None at all. Allāh, the Glorified, cannot let a human being enter Paradise if he does the same thing for which Allāh turned out from it an angel. His command for the inhabitants in the sky and of the earth is the same. There is no friendship between Allāh and any individual out of His creation so as to give him license for an undesirable thing which He has held unlawful for all the worlds.
Open record →[التحذير من الشيطان :] فَاحْذَرُوا عَدُوَّ اللهِ أَنْ يُعْدِيَكُمْ بِدَائِهِ، وَأَنْ يَسْتَفِزَّكُمْ [بِنِدَائِهِ، وَأَنْ يُجْلِبَ عَلَيْكُمْ] بِخَيْلِهِ وَرَجِلِهِ. فَلَعَمْرِي لَقَدْ فَوَّقَ لَكُمْ سَهْمَ الْوَعِيدِ، وَأَغْرَقَ لَكُم بِالنَّزْعِ الشَّدِيدِ، وَرَمَاكُمْ مِنْ مَكَان قَرِيب، و﴿قَالَ رَبِّ بِمَا أَغْوَيْتَنِي لَأُزَيِّنَنَّ لَهُمْ فِي الْأَرْضِ وَلَأُغْوِيَنَّهُمْ أَجْمَعِينَ﴾
[Warning against Satan :] Therefore, you should fear lest the enemy of Allāh (Satan) infects you with his disease, or ‘leads you astray through his call, or marches on you with his horsemen and footmen’, (ref. 17:64) because, by my life, he has put the menacing arrow in the bow for you, has stretched the bow strongly, and has aimed at you from a nearby position, and: “He (Satan) said: My Lord! Because Thou hast left me to stray, certainly will I adorn unto them the path of error, and certainly will I cause them all to go astray.” (Qur’ān, 15:39)
Open record →قَذْفاً بِغَيْب بَعِيد، وَرَجْماً بِظَنٍّ غَيْرِ مُصِيب، صَدَّقَهُ بِهِ أَبْنَاءُ الْحَمِيَّةِ، وَإِخْوَانُ الْعَصَبِيَّةِ، وَفُرْسَانُ الْكِبْرِ وَالْجَاهِلِيَّةِ. حَتَّى إِذَا انْقَادَتْ لَهُ الْجَامِحَةُ مِنْكُمْ، وَاسْتَحْكَمَتِ الطَّمَاعِيَّةُ مِنْهُ فِيكُمْ، فَنَجَمَتِ الْحَالُ مِنَ السِّرِّ الْخَفِىِّ إِلَى الاْمْرِ الْجَلِيِّ، اسْتَفْحَلَ سُلْطَانُهُ عَلَيْكُمْ، وَدَلَفَ بِجُنُودِهِ نَحْوَ كُمْ،
Although he (Satan) had said so only by guessing about the unknown future and by wrong conjecturing, yet the sons of vanity, the brothers of haughtiness and the horsemen of pride and intolerance proved him to be true, so much so that when disobedient persons from among you bowed before him, and his greed about you gained strength; and what was a hidden secret turned into a clear fact, he spread his full control over you and marched with his forces towards you.
Open record →فَأَقْحَمُوكُمْ وَلَجَاتِ الذُّلِّ، وَأَحَلُّوكم وَرَطَاتِ الْقَتْلِ، وَأَوْطَأُوكُمْ إِثْخَانَ الْجِرَاحَةِ، طَعْناً فِي عُيُونِكُم، وَحَزّاً فِي حُلُوقِكُمْ، وَدَقّاً لِمَناخِرِكُمْ، وَقَصْداً لِمَقَاتِلِكُمْ، وَسوقاً بِخَزَائمِ الْقَهْرِ إِلَى النَّارِ المُعَدَّةِ لَكُمْ، فَأَصْبَحَ أَعْظَمَ فِي دِينِكُمْ جَرْحاً، وَأَوْرَىفِي دُنْيَا كُمْ قَدْحاً، مِنَ الَّذِينَ أَصْبَحْتُمْ لَهُمْ مُنَاصِبِينَ، وَعَلَيْهِمْ مُتَأَلِّبِين.
Then they pushed you into the hollows of disgrace, threw you into the whirlpools of slaughter, and trampled you, wounding you by striking your eyes with spears, cutting your throats, tearing your nostrils, breaking your limbs and taking you in ropes of control towards the fire already prepared. In this way he became more harmful to your religion and a greater kindler of flames (of mischief) about your worldly matters than the enemies against whom you showed open opposition and against whom you marched your forces.
Open record →فَاجْعَلُوا عَلَيْهِ حَدَّكُمْ، وَلَهُ جَدَّكُمْ، فَلَعَمْرُ اللهِ لَقَدْ فَخَرَ عَلَى أَصْلِكُمْ، وَوَقَعَ في حَسَبِكُمْ، وَدَفَعَ فِي نَسَبِكُمْ، وَأَجْلَبَ بِخَيْلِهِ عَلَيْكُمْ، وَقَصَدَ بِرَجِلِهِ سَبِيلَكُمْ، يَقْتَنِصُونَكُمْ بِكُلِّ مَكَان، وَيَضْرِبُونَ مِنْكُمْ كُلَّ بَنَان، لاَ تَمْتَنِعُونَ بِحِيلَة، وَلاَ تَدْفَعُونَ بِعَزِيمَة، فِي حَوْمَةِ ذُلّ، وَحَلْقَةِ ضِيق، وَعَرْصَةِ مَوْت، وَجَوْلَةِ بَلاَء.
You should therefore spend all your force against him, and all your efforts against him, because, by Allāh, he boasted over your (i.e., Adam’s) origin, questioned your position and spoke lightly of your lineage. He advanced on you with his army, and brought his footmen towards your path. They are chasing you from every place, and they are hitting you at every finger joint. You are not able to defend by any means, nor can you repulse them by any determination. You are in the thick of disgrace, the ring of straitness, the field of death and the way of distress.
Open record →فَأَطْفِئُوا مَا كَمَنَ فِي قُلُوبِكُمْ مِنْ نِيرَانِ الْعَصَبِيَّةِ، وَأَحْقَادِ الْجَاهِلِيَّةِ، وإنَّمَا تِلْكَ الْحَمِيَّةُ تَكُونُ فِي الْمُسْلِمِ مِنْ خَطَرَاتِ الشَّيْطَانِ وَنَخَواتِهِ، وَنَزَغَاتِهِ وَنَفَثَاتِهِ. وَاعْتَمِدُوا وَضْعَ التَّذَلُّلِ عَلَى رُؤُوسِكُمْ، وَإِلْقَاءَ التَّعَزُّزِ تَحَتْ أَقْدَامِكُمْ، وَخَلْعَ التَّكَبُّرِ مِنْ أَعْنَاقِكُمْ. وَاتَّخِذُوا التَّوَاضُعَ مَسْلَحَةً بَيْنَكُمْ وَبَيْنَ عَدُوِّكُمْ إِبْلِيسَ وَجُنُودِهِ، فَإِنَّ لَهُ مِنْ كُلِّ أُمَّة جُنُوداً وأَعْوَاناً، وَرَجِلاً وَفُرْسَاناً، وَلاَ تَكُونُوا كالْمُتَكَبِّرِ عَلَى ابْنِ أُمِّهِ مِنْ غَيْرِ مَا فَضْل جَعَلَهُ اللهُ فِيهِ سِوَى مَا أَلْحَقَتِ الْعَظَمَةُ بِنَفْسِهِ مِنْ عَدَاوَةِ الْحَسَدِ، وَقَدَحَتِ الْحَمِيَّةُ فِي قَلْبِهِ مِنْ نَارِ الْغَضَبِ، وَنَفَخَ الشَّيْطَانُ فِي أَنْفِهِ مِنْ رِيحِ الْكِبْرِ الَّذِي أَعْقَبَهُ اللهُ بِهِ النَّدَامَةَ، وَأَلْزَمَهُ آثَامَ الْقَاتِلِينَ إِلَى يَوْمِ الْقِيَامَةِ.
You should therefore put out the fires of haughtiness and the flames of intolerance that are hidden in your hearts. This vanity can exist in a Muslim only by the machinations of Satan, his haughtiness, mischief and whisperings. Make up your mind to have humility over your heads, to trample self-pride under your feet and to cast off vanity from your necks. Adopt humility as the weapon between you and your enemy, Satan and his forces. He certainly has, from every people, fighters, helpers, footmen and horsemen. Do not be like him who feigned superiority over the son of his own mother without any distinction given to him by Allāh except the feeling of envy which his feeling of greatness created in him and the fire of anger that vanity kindled in his heart. Satan blew into his nose his own vanity, after which Allāh gave him remorse and made him responsible for the sins of all killers up to the Day of Judgement.
Open record →[التحذير من الكبر :] أَلاَ وَقدْ أَمْعَنْتُمْ فِي الْبَغْيِ، وَأَفْسَدْتُمْ فِي الاْرْضِ، مُصَارَحَةً لله بِالمُنَاصَبَةِ، وَمُبَارَزَةً لِلْمُؤْمِنِينَ بِالُمحَارَبَةِ. فَاللهَ اللهَ في كِبْرِ الْحَمِيَّةِ، وَفَخْرِ الْجَاهلِيَّةِ! فَإِنَّهُ مَلاَقِحُ الشَّنَآنِ وَمَنَافِخُ الشَّيْطانِ، اللاِتي خَدَعَ بِهَا الاْمَمَ الْمَاضِيَةَ، والْقُرُونَ الْخَالِيَةَ، حَتّى أَعْنَقُوا فِي حَنَادِسِ جَهَالَتِهِ، وَمهَاوِي ضَلاَلَتِهِ، ذُلُلاً عَنْ سِيَاقِهِ، سُلُساً فِي قِيَادِهِ، أَمْراً تَشَابَهَتِ الْقُلُوبُ فِيهِ، وَتَتَابَعَتِ الْقُرونُ عَلَيْهِ، وَكِبْراً تَضَايَقَتِ الصُّدُورُ بِهِ.
[Caution against vanity and boasting about ignorance :] Beware! you strove hard in revolting and created mischief on the earth in open opposition to Allāh and in challenging the believers over fighting. (You should fear) Allāh! Allāh! in feeling proud of your vanity and boasting over ignorance, because this is the root of enmity and the design of Satan wherewith he has been deceiving past peoples and bygone ages, with the result that they fell into the gloom of his ignorance and the hollows of his misguidance, submitting to his driving and accepting his leadership. In this matter the hearts of all the people were similar, and centuries passed by, one after the other, in just the same way, and there was vanity with which chests were tightened.
Open record →[التحذير من طاعة الكبراء :] ألاَ فَالْحَذَرَ الْحَذَرَ مِنْ طَاعَةِ سَادَاتِكُمْ وَكُبَرَائِكُمْ! الَّذِينَ تَكَبَّرُوا عَنْ حَسَبِهِمْ، وَتَرَفَّعُوا فَوْقَ نَسَبِهِمْ، وَأَلْقَوُا الْهَجِينَةَ عَلَى رَبِّهِمْ، وَجَاحَدُوا اللهَ مَا صَنَعَ بِهمْ، مُكَابَرَةً لِقَضَائِهِ، وَمُغَالَبَةً لاِلائِهِ، فَإِنَّهُمْ قَوَاعِدُ أَسَاسِ الْعَصَبِيَّةِ، وَدَعَائِمُ أَرْكَانِ الْفِتْنَةِ، وَسُيُوفُ إعْتِزَاءِ الْجَاهِلِيَّةِ فَاتَّقُوا اللهَ وَلاَ تَكُونُوا لِنِعَمِهِ عَليْكُمْ أَضْدَاداً، وَلاَ لِفَضْلِهِ عِنْدَكُمْ حُسَّاداً، وَلاَ تُطِيعُوا الاْدْعِيَاءَ الَّذِينَ شَرِبْتُمْ بِصَفْوِكُمْ كَدَرَهُمْ، وَخَلَطْتُمْ بِصِحَّتِكُمْ مَرَضَهُمْ، وَأَدْخَلْتُمْ فِي حَقِّكُمْ بَاطِلَهُمْ،
[Caution against obeying haughty leaders and elders :] Beware! Beware of obeying your leaders and elders who felt proud of their achievements and boasted about their lineage. They hurled the (liability for) things on Allāh and quarrelled with Allāh in what He did with them, contesting His decree and disputing His favours. Certainly, they are the main foundation of obstinacy, the chief pillars of mischief and the swords of pre-Islamic boasting over forefathers. Therefore, fear Allāh, do not become antagonistic to His favours on you, nor jealous of His bounty over you [1] and do not obey the claimants (of Islam) whose dirty water you drink along with your clean one, whose ailments you mix with your healthiness and whose wrongs you allow to enter into your rightful matters.
Open record →وَهُمْ أَسَاسُ الْفُسُوقِ، وَأَحْلاَسُ الْعُقُوقِ، اتَّخَذَهُمْ إِبْلِيسُ مَطَايَا ضَلاَل، وَجُنْداً بِهمْ يَصُولُ عَلَى النَّاسِ، وَتَرَاجِمَةً يَنْطِقُ عَلَى أَلْسِنَتِهِمْ، اسْتِرَاقاً لِعُقُولِكُمْ، وَدُخُولاً فِي عُيُونِكُمْ، وَنَفْثاً فِي أَسْـمَاعِكُمْ، فَجَعَلَكُمْ مَرْمَى نَبْلِهِ، وَمَوْطِىءَ قَدَمِهِ، وَمأْخَذَ يَدِهِ.
They are the foundation of vice and the linings of disobedience. Satan has made them carriers of misguidance and the soldiers with whom he attacks men. They are interpreters through whom he speaks in order to steal away your wits, enter into your eyes and blow into your ears. In this way he makes you the victim of his arrows, the treading ground of his footsteps and source of strength for his hands.
Open record →فَاعْتَبِرُوا بَمَا أَصَابَ الاْمَمَ المُسْتَكْبِرِينَ مِنْ قَبْلِكُمْ مِنْ بَأْسِ اللهِ وَصَوْلاَتِهِ، وَوَقَائِعِهِ وَمَثُلاَتِهِ، وَاتَّعِظُوا بِمَثَاوِي خُدُودِهِمْ، وَمَصَارعِ جُنُوبِهِمْ، وَاسْتَعِيذوا بِاللهِ مِنْ لَوَاقِحِ الْكبْرِ، كَمَا تَسْتَعِيذُونَهُ مِنْ طَوَارِقِ الدَّهْرِ،
[Taking lessons from the past peoples :] Take instruction from how Allāh’s wrath, violence, chastisement and punishment fell upon the arrogant nations before you. Take admonition from the resting places of their cheeks and their bodies, and seek Allāh’s protection from the dangers of pride, as you seek His protection from calamities.
Open record →فَلَوْ رَخَّصَ اللهُ فِي الْكِبْرِ لاِحَد مِنْ عِبَادِهِ لَرَخَّصَ فِيهِ لِخَاصَّةِ أَنبِيَائِهِ [وَأَولِيائِهِ]، وَلكِنَّهُ سُبْحَانَهُ كَرَّهَ إِلَيْهِمُ التَّكَابُرَ، وَرَضِيَ لَهُمُ التَّوَاضُعَ، فَأَلْصَقُوا بِالاْرْضِ خُدُودَهُمْ، وَعَفَّرُوا فِي التُّرَابِ وُجُوهَهُمْ، وَخَفَضُوا أَجْنِحَتَهُمْ لِلْمُؤمِنِينَ، وَكَانُوا قَوْماً مُسْتَضْعَفِينَ، قَدِ اخْتَبَرَهُمُ اللهُ بالْـمَخْمَصَةِ، وَابْتَلاَهُمْ بِالْـمَجْهَدَةِ، وَامْتَحَنَهُمْ بِالْـمَخَاوِفِ، وَمَخَضَهُمْ بِالْمَكَارِهِ،
Certainly, if Allāh were to allow anyone to indulge in pride He would have allowed it to his selected prophets and vicegerents. But Allāh, the Sublime, disliked vanity for them and liked humbleness for them. Therefore, they laid their cheeks on the ground, smeared their faces with dust, bent themselves down for the believers and remained humble people. Allāh tried them with hunger, afflicted them with difficulty, tested them with fear, and upset them with troubles.
Open record →فَلاَ تَعْتَبِرُوا الرِّضَى وَالسُّخْطَ بِالمَالِ وَالْوَلَدِ جَهْلاً بِمَوَاقِعِ لْفِتْنَةِ، وَالاْخْتِبَارِ فِي مَوَاضِعِ الْغِنَى وَالاْفْتِقارِ، فَقَدْ قَالَ سُبْحَانَهُ ﴿أَيَحْسَبُونَ أَنَّمَا نُمِدُّهُم بِهِ مِن مَّالٍ وَبَنِينَ. نُسَارِعُ لَهُمْ فِي الْخَيْرَاتِ ۚ بَل لَّا يَشْعُرُونَ﴾، فَإِنَّ اللهَ سْبْحَانَهْ يَخْتَبِرُ عِبَادَهُ الْمُسْتَكْبِرِينَ فِي أَنْفُسِهمْ بِأَوْلِيَائِهِ الْمُسْتَضْعَفِينَ فِي أَعْيُنِهِمْ.
Therefore, do not regard wealth and progeny the criterion for Allāh’s pleasure and displeasure, as you are not aware of the chances of mischief and trials during richness and power as Allāh, the Glorified, the Sublime, has said: “What! Think they that what We aid them with of wealth and children, We are hastening unto them the good things? Nay! They (only) perceive not.” (Qur’ān, 23:55-56) Certainly, Allāh the Glorified, tries His creatures who are vain about themselves through His beloved persons who are humble in their eyes.
Open record →[تواضع الأنبياء :] وَلَقَدْ دَخَلَ مُوسَى بْنُ عِمْرَانَ وَمَعَهُ أَخُوهُ هَارُونُ(عليهما السلام) عَلَى فِرْعَوْنَ، وَعَلَيْهِمَا مَدَارِعُ الصُّوفِ، وَبِأَيْدِيهِمَا الْعِصِيُّ، فَشَرَطَا لَهُ ـ إِنْ أَسْلَمَ ـ بَقَاءَ مُلْكِهِ، وَدَوامَ عِزِّهِ، فَقَالَ: أَلاَ تَعْجبُونَ مِنْ هذَيْنِ يَشْرِطَانِ لِي دَوَامَ الْعِزِّ، وَبَقَاءَ الْمُلْكِ، وَهُمَا بِمَا تَرَوْنَ مِنْ حَالِ الْفَقْرِ وَالذُّلِّ، فَهَلاَّ أُلْقِيَ عَلَيْهِمَا أَسَاوِرَةٌ مِنْ ذَهَب؟ إِعْظَاماً لِلذَّهَبِ وَجَمْعِهِ، وَاحْتِقَاراً لِلصُّوفِ وَلُبْسِهِ!
[The humility of the Prophets (peace be on them) :] When Mūsā son of ‘Imrān went to Pharaoh along with his brother Hārūn (Aaron) wearing (coarse) shirts of wool and holding sticks in their hands, they guaranteed him retention of his country and continuity of his honour if he submitted; but he said: “Do you not wonder at these two men guaranteeing me the continuity of my honour and the retention of my country although you see their poverty and lowliness. Otherwise, why do they not have gold bangles on their wrists?” He said so feeling proud of his gold and collected possessions, and considering wool and its cloth as nothing.
Open record →وَلَوْ أَرَادَ اللهُ سُبْحَانَهُ بأَنْبِيَائِهِ حَيْثُ بَعَثَهُمْ أَنْ يَفْتَحَ لَهُمْ كُنُوزَ الْذِّهْبَانِ، وَمَعَادِنَ الْعِقْيَانِ، وَمَغَارِسَ الْجِنَانِ، وَأَنْ يَحْشُرَ مَعَهُمْ طَيْرَ السَّماءِ وَوُحُوشَ الاْرَضِينَ لَفَعَلَ، وَلَوْ فَعَلَ لَسَقَطَ الْبَلاَءُ، وَبَطَلَ الْجَزَاءُ، وَاضْمَحَلَّتِ الاْنْبَاءُ، وَلَمَا وَجَبَ لِلْقَابِلِينَ أُجُورُ الْمُبْتَلِينَ، وَلاَ اسْتَحَقَّ الْمُؤمِنُونَ ثَوَابَ الْـمُحْسِنِينَ، وَلاَ لَزِمَتِ الاْسْمَاءُ مَعَانِيَهَا، وَلكِنَّ اللهَ سُبْحَانَهُ جَعَلَ رُسُلَهُ أُولِي قُوَّة فِي عَزَائِمِهِمْ، وَضَعَفَةً فِيَما تَرَى الاْعْيُنُ مِنْ حَالاَتِهِمْ، مَعَ قَنَاعَة تَمْلاُ الْقُلُوبَ وَالْعُيُونَ غِنىً، وَخَصَاصَة تَمْلاَ الاْبْصَارَ وَالاْسْمَاعَ أَذىً.
When Allāh, the Glorified, deputed His prophets, if He had wished to open for them treasures and mines of gold and (surround them with) planted gardens and to collect around them birds of the skies and beasts of the earth, He could have done so. If He had done so then there would have been no trial, nor recompense and no tidings (about the affairs of the next world). Those who accepted (His message) could not be given the recompense falling due after trial and the believers could not deserve the reward for good acts, and all these words [2] would not have retained their meanings. But Allāh, the Glorified, makes His Prophets firm in their determination and gives them weakness of appearance as seen from the eyes, along with contentment that fills the hearts and eyes resulting from care-freeness, and with want that pains the eyes and ears.
Open record →وَلَوْ كَانَتِ الاْنْبِيَاءُ أَهْلَ قُوَّة لاَ تُرَامُ، وَعِزَّة لاَ تُضَامُ، وَمُلْك تُمَدُّ نُحْوَهُ أَعْنَاقُ الرِّجَالِ، وَتُشَدُّ إِلَيْهِ عُقَدُ الرِّحَالِ، لَكَانَ ذلِكَ أَهْوَنَ عَلَى الْخَلْقِ فِي الاْعَتِبَارِ، وَأَبْعَدَ لَهُمْ مِنَ الاْسْتَكْبَارِ، وَلامَنُوا عَنْ رَهْبَة قَاهِرَة لَهْمْ، أَوْ رَغْبَة مَائِلَة بِهِمْ، فَكَانَتِ النِّيَّاتُ مُشْتَرَكَةً، وَالْحَسَنَاتُ مُقْتَسَمَةً. وَلكِنَّ اللهَ سْبْحَانَهُ أَرَادَ أَنْ يَكُونَ الاْتِّبَاعُ لِرُسُلِهِ، وَالْتَّصْدِيقُ بِكُتُبِهِ، وَالْخُشُوعُ لِوَجْهِهِ، وَالاْسْتِكَانَةُ لاِمْرِهِ، وَالاْسْتِسْلاَمُ لِطَاعَتِهِ، أُمُوراً لَهُ خَاصَّةً، لاَ تَشُوبُهَا مِنْ غَيْرِهَا شَائِبَةٌ، وَكُلَّمَا كَانَتِ الْبلْوَى وَالاْخْتِبَارُ أَعْظَمَ كَانَتِ الْمَثُوبَةُ وَالْجَزَاءُ أَجْزَلَ.
If the prophets possessed authority that could not be assaulted, or honour that could not be damaged or domain towards which the necks of people would turn and the saddles of mounts could be set, it would have been very easy for people to seek lessons and quite difficult to feel vanity. They would have then accepted belief out of fear felt by them or inclination attracting them, and the intention of them all would have been the same, although their actions would have been different. Therefore, Allāh, the Glorified decided that people should follow His prophets, acknowledge His books, remain humble before His face, obey His command and accept His obedience with sincerity in which there should not be an iota of anything else; and as the trial and tribulation would be stiffer the reward and recompense too should be larger.
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