Peak of Eloquence Nahjul Balagha By Imam Ali ibn Abu Talib - English Translation - Sermon 194

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Praising Allah, Advising about Fear of Allah and Providing Details about the Day of Judgement

Praise be to Allah Who has displayed such effects of His authority and the glory of His sublimity through the wonders of His might, so they dazzle the eyes and render the minds incapable of appreciating the reality of His attributes. I testify that there is no god but Allah by virtue of belief, certainty, sincerity and conviction. I also testify that Muhammad (h) is His slave and Prophet whom He deputed when

the signs of guidance were obliterated and the ways of religion were desolate. So, he threw open the truth, admonished the people, guided them towards righteousness and ordered them to be moderate. May Allah bless him and his descendants.

Be informed, O servants of Allah, that He has not created you for naught and has not left you free. He knows the extent of His favors over you and the quantity of His bounty towards you. Therefore, ask Him for success and for the attainment of objectives. Beg before Him and seek His generosity. No curtain hides you from Him, nor is any door closed before you against Him. He is at every place, in every moment and instance. He is with every man and jinn. Giving does not create any breach in Him. Gifting does not cause Him diminution. A beggar cannot wear Him out [with his persistent pleas] and giving (to others) can never exhaust Him.

One person cannot turn His attention from another, one voice does not detract Him from another, and one grant of favor does not prevent Him from refusing another. Anger does not prevent Him from mercy, mercy does not prevent Him from punishing; His concealment does not hide His manifestation and His manifestation does not prevent Him from concealing. He is near and at the same time distant. He is high and at the same time low, He is manifest and also concealed. He is concealed yet well-known. He lends but is not lent anything. He has not created creation after devising, nor did He receive any assistance on account of fatigue.

I admonish you, O servants of Allah, to fear Allah, for it is the rein and the mainstay (of religion). Hold fast to its salient tenets, keep

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hold of its realities. It would take you to abodes of ease, to places of comfort, to fortresses of safety and to houses of honor on the Day (of Judgement) when eyes will be wide open (see Holy Quran, 14:42), when there will be darkness all around and when small groups of camels pregnant for ten months will be allowed free grazing. And when the Horn is blown, every living being will then die, every voice will be muted. The high mountains and the hard rocks will crumble (to pieces) so that their hard stones will turn into moving sand and their bases will become level. (On that day) there will be none to intercede, no kinship to ward off (trouble), and no excuse will be of any avail.