Peak of Eloquence Nahjul Balagha By Imam Ali ibn Abu Talib - English Translation - Sermon 108

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About the Might of Allah :

Everything submits to Him and everything exists by Him. He is the satisfaction of the poor, the dignity of the low, the energy for the weak and shelter for the oppressed. Whoever speaks, He hears his speaking and whoever keeps quiet, He knows his secret. On Him is the livelihood of everyone who lives and whoever dies returns to Him.

(O Allah!) The eyes have not seen You, so as to be aware of You, but You were before the describers of Your creation. You did not create the creation on account of loneliness, nor did You make them work for gain. He whom You catches cannot go farther than You and he whom You holds cannot escape You. He who disobeys You does not decrease Your authority and he who obeys You does not add to Your Might. He who disagrees with Your judgement cannot turn it and he who turns away from Your command cannot do without You. Every secret before You is open and for You every absent is present.

You are everlasting, there is no end to You. You are the highest aim, there is no escape from You, You are the promised (point of return) from which there is no deliverance except towards You. In Your hand is the forelock of every creature and to You is the return of every living being. Glory to You! How great is Your creation that we see, but how small is this greatness by the side of Your Might. How awe-striking is Your realm that we notice, but how humble is this against what is hidden from us out of Your authority. How extensive are Your bounties in this world, but how small are they against the bounties of the next world.

Part of the Same Sermon about the Angels:

You (O Allah) made angels reside in Your skies and placed them high above from Your earth. They have the most knowledge about You and Your whole creation, the most fearing from You and the nearest to You. They never stayed in loins nor were retained in wombs. They were not created Afrom mean water (semen) (Holy Quran, 32: 8; 77: 20). They were not dispersed by vicissitudes of time. They are on their places (distinct) from You and in their positions near You. Their desires are concentrated in You. Their worship for You is much. Their neglect from Your command is little. If they witness what remains hidden about You they will regard their deeds as very little, they will criticize themselves

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and will realize that they did not worship You according to Your right for being worshipped and did not obey You as You has the right for being obeyed.

About the Bounties and Guidance of Allah and Those Who Are Ungrateful:

Glorified are You, O Creator, the One worshipped by all, on account of Your good trials of Your creatures. You created a house (the Paradise) and provided in it for feasting, drinks, foods, spouses, servants, places, streams, plantations and fruits. Then You sent a messenger to invite towards it. But the people did not respond to the caller and did not feel persuaded to what You persuaded them nor showed eagerness towards what You desired them to eagerly feel. They jumped on the carcass (of this world), earned shame by eating it and became united in loving it.

When one loves a thing it blinds him and sickens his heart. Then he sees but with a diseased eye, hears but with unhearing ears. Desires have cut asunder his wit and the world has made his heart dead, while his mind is all longing for it. Consequently, he is a slave of it and of everyone who has any share in it. Wherever it turns, he turns towards it and wherever it proceeds, he proceeds towards it. He is not desisted by any disaster from Allah, nor takes admonition from any preacher. He sees those who have been caught in neglect whence there is neither rescission nor reversion (repentance).

About Death:

Whatever they were ignoring has befallen them, separation from this world, from which they took themselves safe, has come to them and they have reached that in the Hereafter which they had been promised. Whatever has befallen them cannot be described. Pangs of death and grief for losing (this world) have surrounded them. Consequently their limbs become languid and their complexion changes. Then death increases its struggle over them.

In some it stands in between him and his power of speaking although he lies among his people, looking with eyes, hearing with his ears, with full wits and intelligence. He then thinks over how he wasted his life and in what (activities) he passed his time. He recalls the wealth he collected when he had blinded himself in seeking it and acquired it from fair and foul sources. Now the consequences of collecting it have overtaken him. He gets ready to leave it. It will remain for those who are behind him. They will enjoy it and benefit by it.