Selections from Nahjul Balaaghah By A S Hashim
Selections from Nahjul Balaaghah By A. S. Hashim. MD
Supplication ﺑـﺴـــﻢ ﺍﻟﻠﻪ ﺍﻟﺮﺣﻤﻦ ﺍﻟﺮﺣﻴﻢ In the Name of God, Lord of Mercy and Lord of Grace
Nahjul Balaaghah, a highly valued book, consists of: 1. 2. 3. 254 sermons, 48 letters, and 212 sayings of Imam Ali Nahjul Balaaghah is unique to Imam Ali None of the Sahaaba was ever able to produce anything like it: neither in substance nor in literary eloquence. No wonder Ali was referred to as: 1. 2. Sayyid al-Bulaghaa' (Pinnacle of Literary Expression) and Sayyid al-Fu'qahaa, (Pinnacle of the Jurisprudents)
Content of the Slide Show The slide show contains 16 selections from Nahjul Balaaghah. The quotes appear in various sermons, said at variable occasions and about different subjects. The quotes in Arabic are from the book of Nahjul Balaaghah, by Dr. Subhi Al-Salih, and so is the numbering of the sermons and pages, 1 st Edition, Beirut 1967. The Number of the sermons may differ by a factor of 1 in other volumes of Nahjul Balaaghah
Ali’s Unique Birth Ali was born inside the Ka’ba
In Sermon 186, Ali: about Allah manifests Himself over the earth with His Might and Authority, and perceives of its works by his skill and knowledge. He is Mighty over everything by His Eminence and Glory. Nothing on earth defies Him, nor does it oppose Him so as to overpower Him. And no swift-footed creature can run away as to surpass Him. Nor does He need wealth of anyone to sustain Him. All things bow to Him, and in humility they give in before His greatness. They cannot flee away from His Might to someone else so as to escape His reward or pain. No parallel for Him is there to match Him, nor any like Him so as to equal Him…… . ﺍﺍﻟﻲ ﻯ ﺀ ﻧﺍ ﻻ ، ﺍﻟﺍ ﺍ ﺍ ﺍﺍ ﺍ l ﻻ ﺍ ﻯ ، ﻻ ﻭ ﺍﻟ ﻳ ﺍ ، ﻻ ، ﻻ ﺍ l. ﻱ ﺍﻝ ﻻﻓ ، ﻻ ﻳ ﺍ ﺍ ﻯ ، ﻳ ، ﺍﻻ ﺍ l …… ﻻ ﻳ ﺍ ، ﺍ
In Sermon 1, Ali: about Tawhid Foremost in Faith is to acknowledge Allah, and to acknowledge Him is to attest to Him. The height of attesting is to believe in His Oneness. The height of believing in His Oneness is sincerity to Him. The height of sincerity to Him is to disavow descriptions of Him (since every description is unlike the described), and to attest that descriptions attributed to Him are not His. Thus he who describes Allah would have associated with Him, and he who associates would have duplicated Him; and he who duplicates Him would have subdivided Him; and he who subdivides Him would have mistaken Him; and he who mistakes Him would have alluded to Him; and he who alludes to Him would have limited Him, and he who admits limitations for Him would have numbered Him… ﺍ ﻳ ، ﺍ ﺍﻟ ﻳ ﻳ ، ﺍ ﺍﻟ ﺩﻳ ، ﺍﻟ ﻳ l ﺍ ﺓ ﻫﺎ ، ﺍ ﺍﻻ ﻻ ﺍﻟ ﺍ ، ﺍﻻ ﻻ ، ﺍ ﻭﻑ ﺍﻟ ، ﺍﻟﻭ ، ، ﺍ ﺩ ، ﺍ ، ﺍﻟﻠ ﺍ l …. ، ، ﺃﺍ ، ﺃﺍ
In sermon #96, page 141, ، ، ﺕ ، ﻱ ﺍ ﺍﺍ . ﺍ ﺍﻟ ﻻ ، ﺍﻻ ﺍ ﻭ ، ﺍﻟ ﺍ ، ]ﺍﻟﻠ[ ﺍﻟ ﺍ ، ﺍﻧ ، ﺍ ، ﺍﻟ . ﺍ ، ﻻ ﺍ Ali about the Prophet Muhammad is of the highest station, and his origin is the noblest, in the mines of honor and the cradles of peace. Allah made the hearts of the virtuous incline towards him and the reins of eyes turn towards him. Through Muhammad, Allah buried mutual rancor and put off the flame of rebellion. And through him Allah instilled affection in the hearts of believers, to become like brothers; And through him Allah had secluded the disbelievers all together. Through Muhammad Allah conferred honor to the lowly, and humiliation to the arrogant with disbelief. Muhammad (pbuh) spoke with wisdom and even his silence was an indication of speech.
Ali speaks about the Status of Muhammad is of the highest station, and the noblest origin Allah made: The hearts of the virtuous incline towards him and The eyes of those seeking Wisdom turn towards him. Through Muhammad, Allah buried mutual rancor And Instilled affection in the hearts of believers, to become like brothers; And through him Allah had secluded the disbelievers all together Through Muhammad Allah conferred honor to the lowly, and humiliation to the arrogance of disbelief. Muhammad (pbuh) spoke with wisdom and even his silence was an indication of speech.
In Sermon 165, Ali: in awe of creation Glory be to Allah when the minds are too feeble to explain the creation put before their eyes, and which they see bounded, shaped, arranged and colored. And He enfeebled the tongues from describing His attributes, or expanding enough in its praise of His qualities. Glory be to Allah who has assigned feet even to the ants and gnats, as well as to those above them of His creatures. And He made it incumbent on Himself that no creature in which He infuses the spirit, would move but that death is ahead of it, and cessation is its final end ، ﻓ ﻧ ، ﻭﺩ ﻧ ، ﺍ ﺍﻱ ﺍﻭ ﻕ ﻻ ﻭ l ! ﺍ ، ﺍﻻ ﻳ l ! ﺍ ﺍ ﺍﻟ ﺍ ﺇﻯ ﺍ ﺍ ﺍﻳﺍ ﺍﻻ l ﺍﺍ ، ﻻ ﺍﺍ ، ﻯ ﻯ ﻻ ﺍ ﻳ ﺍﻟ ﻭ l ﺍ
In Sermon 120, page 176, Ali refers to himself and his background ﺍ ـ ﺍ. ﺍ ﺍﺍ ، ﺍﻟﻠ ﻳ ﺍﻟ ﺍﻻ l. ﺍ ﺍ ﺍﻻ . ﺍ ﻡ ، ﺍ ﺍ ، ﻻ ﺍ ﺍﻟ ﻳ ﺍ l ﻻ ﺍ ﺍ ، ﻯ ﻳ ﺍﻟ ﺍ ، ﺍﻭﺍ ﻡ ﺍﻟ ﺍ l ﺍﺍ ﻳ ، ﺍ ﻭﺍ ﺍﺭ ﺍ ﻳ. ﺍ ، l. By Allah, I have been taught the knowledge: –to convey the messages, –to fulfill the promises, and –to express with eloquence. We the people of the house [Ahlul Bayt] maintain the doors of wisdom and the authority to govern. O people! Look out, since the paths of religion are one, and its highways are forthright. l. The one who follows them will have achieved and secured, As to the one who shuns the way, he would be in anguish for going astray. O people! Prepare for your Hereafter, work hard for that Day for you will be either well rewarded or in jeopardy of the wrath of the Almighty.
Ali Describes himself By Allah, I have been taught the knowledge: to convey the messages, to fulfill the promises, and to express with eloquence. Ahlul Bayt maintain the doors of wisdom and the authority to govern. The one who follows them will achieve and secure his objective to gain heaven. As to the one who shuns their way, he would surely be in anguish, for he will have gone astray. O people! Prepare for your Hereafter, work hard for that Day for you will be either well rewarded or in jeopardy of the wrath of the Almighty.
In Sermon 239, page 357, ، ﺍ ، ، ، ﻻ ﺍﻭ ﺍ ﻻ ﻭ ﻳ ، ﻻ ﺍﻻﺍ ، ﺍ ﺍﻻ ﻻ ، ﺍ ﺍ ، ﺍﺍ ﺍﺍ ﺍ ، ﺍ ﺍ ﻱ ﺍ ﻭﺍ ﺍﻟ ﻳ ﺍﺓ ﺍﺓ ، ﻻ ﺍﻉ ﺍﺓ ، ﺍ ﺍ ﻳ Ali about Ahlul Bayt They [Ahlul Bayt] are the life for [Divine] knowledge and the death keel to ignorance. l. Their forbearance tells you of their knowledge, and their behavior about their integrity l. Their silence tells you of their wisdom. l. Never do they deviate from Truth, nor [among themselves] will they differ about it. l. Ahlul Bayt are the pillars in support of Islam. They are the haven to take protection in. l. With them the Right has returned to its proper place, and because of them Falsehood has retreated from its place and its tongue rooted out. l. Ahlul Bayt understood the correct spirit of Islam, attentively and painstakingly. l. They carried Islam's precepts into practice. And all this was not by heresy or from narrators. l. Lo! The narrators of knowledge are many but those who truly understand it are only few.
In Sermon 110, Ali: about The Quran Learn the Quran for it is the fairest of discourses and understand it thoroughly for it is the best blossoming of hearts. Seek cure with its light for it is the cure for hearts. Recite it beautifully for it is the most beautiful narration. Certainly, a scholar who acts not according to his knowledge is like the off-headed ignorant who does not find relief from his ignorance, But on the learned the plea of Allah is greater and grief more incumbent, and he is more blameworthy before Allah. ، ﻭﺍ ﻳ ﻳ ﺍﻭ ، ﻭﺍ ﺍﻗآﻦ ﺍﻳ l ، ﺍﻭﺍ ﻭ ﺍ ﺍﻟ ﻭ l. ﻭﺍ ﻻ ﺍ l ، ﺍﺍ ﺍﺍ ﺍﻱ ﻻ ﻳ l. ﺍﻟﻠ ، ﺍ l
In Sermon 157, Ali: Praising Allah Praise be to Allah Who made His praise the Key to His remembrance, a means to increase His bounties, and a direction for His Sovereignty and Glory. O' creatures of Allah! Time will deal with the survivors just as it had dealt with others gone by. The earlier times will not return, nor what they offered would remain for good. The value of its deeds are the same, be they the former or the later ones, whose adversity tries to excel one another. ﻳﻼ ﻯ ، ﺑ ﻳ ، ﺍ ﻟﻠ ﺍﻱ ﺍ ﺍﺣ l. آﻼ ، ﺍﻟ ﻱ ﺍﺍﻳ ، ﺍ ﺍﻟﻠ l. ﻻ ﻯ ﺩ ﺍ ﻳ ، ﻻ ﻭ ﺍ ﻯ l . ﺍ ﻻ ، ﺍ ﻭ ، آ ﺍ
In Sermon 203, Ali: about Life O' people, this world is a pathway while the next world is the permanent abode. So, utilize the pathway to keep achieving for the permanent abode. Do not tear away your curtains before Allah Who is aware of your secrets. Shun from this world your hearts before your bodies go out of them, because in this world you are to be tested, and for the other world you have been created. When a man dies people ask what property he has left; while the angels ask what good actions he has forwardly sent. May Allah bless you; ─Send forward something, it will be a loan for you, and do not leave everything behind, for that would be a burden on you. ﻭﺍ ، ﺍﻻ ﺍ ﺍﺭ ، ﺍ ﺍﻟ ﺍ ﺩﺍ ﺍﺯ ، ﺍ ﺍﻟ ﺍ l ، ﻻ ﻭﺍ ﺍ ﺍﻡ ،. ﻭﺍ ، ﻳﺍ ﺍ ، ﻭﺍ ﺍﻟ ﺍ ﻭ ﺍ ﺍ l ! ﺍ ؟ ﻟﻠﻪ آﺍ : ﺍ ؟ ﺍ ﺍﻻ : ﺍ ﺍﻟ ﺍ l. ﻻ ﻭﺍ ﻻ ﻭ ، ﻭﺍ ﺿ
In Sermon 154, Ali: Acting with wisdom The one who sees with his heart and acts with insight should assess: Does the deed go for me or against me? If the deed goes for him he should proceed, otherwise he should avoid it. For, he who acts without knowledge is like one who treads without a map. His deviation from the path will do nothing but increase his distance from his goal. But a person who acts according to knowledge is like the one who treads the clear path. Therefore, let the one who can perceive: should he proceed or should he go back. ﺍ ﻟ ، ؟! ﺍ ﻯ ﻳ : ﻭ ، ﺍﺍ ﺍ ، ﺍﻟﺍ ﺍ l. ﻻ ﻳ ﺍﻟ ﻳ ﺍﺍ ، ﺍﺍ ﻡ ﺍﻟ ﺍ ﻯ ﻏ ﻳﻖ l ، ﻻ ﺩ ﺍ ، ﺍﺍ ﺑﺎ ﺍﻟ ﺍ ﻯ ﺍﻟ ﻳ ﺍﺍ l ! ﺍ ﺍ : ﺍ l
In Sermon 191, Ali: About Taq’wa (Piety) I advise you, O' servants of Allah, to heed Allah because heeding Him is His right over you, and through it, it creates your right over Him. Seek Allah's help in Taq’wa to assist you by it on meeting Him. Fearing of Allah is a protection and a shield, and for the Hereafter it is the road to Heaven. The Heeding path is without blemish and its implementer truly gains, and the one who holds to it should closely guard it. Heeding Allah had presented itself to the people who had already passed and to those coming after for their need to it for the morrow (Day of Judgment) ─when Allah will revive His creation again, take back what He has given, and take into account of what He has bestowed. ﺍﻭ ﻯ ﺍﻟﻠ ، ﺍ ﺍﻟﻠ ، ﻭﻳ ﺍ ﺍﻟﻠ ﻯ ﺍﻟﻠ l ، ﻳﻭﺍ ﺍ ﻯ ﺍﻟﻠ ، ﻳﻭﺍ ﺍ ﺍﻟﻠ ، ﺍ ، ﻱ ﺩ ﺍﻟ ﻳ ﻯ ﺍ ، ﺍ ﻯ ﻱ ﺍ ﺍ ﺍ l ، ﺍ ﺍ ، ﺍﺍ ﺍﺑ ، ﺍ ﺍ ﺍ ﺍﻟﻠ ، ﺍ ﺍ ﻯ ﺍﻻ ﺍﺍﻳ ﺍﺍﺭﻳ ﺍ ﺍ ﺩ l. ﺍ ﻯ ، ﺍ ﻯ
In Sermon 5, Ali: about Sedition & Discord O’ people! Avoid the malice of discord by the vessels of deliverance, And turn away from the path of dissension and dispense with the crowns of pride. Prosperous is the one who rises with wings of power, or else remains peaceful so others enjoy ease. The aspiration for Khilaafah is like turbid water or a morsel that suffocates the one who swallows it. One who plucks fruits before ripening is like one who cultivates in another's field. ، ﻭﺍ ﺍ ﺍﻟ ﺍﻟ ﺍ ، ﻫﺎ ﺍﻟ ﺍ l. ﻭﺍ ﻳﺍ ﺍﻟـﺍ ، ﻭﺍ ﺭﻳ ﺍﻟـﺍ l ، ﺃ ﺍ ﺭﺍ ، ﺍﺡ l ، ﺍ آﺍ ، ﺍ آ l. ﻱ ﺍﺛ ﻳﺍﺍ ﻛﺎﻟ ﺍﺭ
In Sermon 97, Ali: about the oppressor And if Allah gives respite to the oppressor, His catch would not spare the oppressor. Allah will track the oppressor whenever and wherever he be, even at positions so close as to suffocate throats. By Allah in whose power my life lies, these people of Mu'awiya will surely overcome you, not because they have a higher claim over the Truth than you have, But because they hasten to the wrong of their leader, while you are tardy toward my right to be followed. Strange it is that people become fearful of their rulers’ oppression, and I become fearful of my followers oppressing me! ﺿ ﺍﻟ ﺍ ، ﺍﻟﺍ ﻯ ﺍ ﻳ ، ﺍﻟﻠ ﺍﻟ ﺍ ﻭ l. ﺍ ﻳ ، ﻻ ﻯ ﺍ ، ﻫﻻ ﺍ ، ﺍ ﺍﻱ ﻱ l. ﺍ ﻱ ، ﻟ ﻻ ﺍ ﻯ ﺍ ﺍ l ﺍ ﻱ ، ﺍﻻ ﺍ ﺍﺍ l
In Sermon 93, Ali: about Benu Umayya By Allah, you will find Benu Umayya (after me) the worst people to deal with, just like an unruly camel biting, beating with its forelegs, kicking with its hind legs, and refusing to be milked. Benu Umayya will persist till they leave only those who benefit them or of no harm to them. Their adversity would continue till your asking help from them becomes like a slave seeking help from his master, or the laborer from his superior. Benu Umayya’s mischief would come like a feared evil or Jahiliyah practice, wherein there is no beacon of guidance nor a flag to be seen. ، ﻳﺍ : ﺍﻟ ﺍ ﺍﻟ ﻭ ، ﺍ ﺀ ﻱ ﺍ ﺍﻟﻠ ﻱ l ، ﺍ ، ﻭ ﺍ ، ﺍ ﻻ ، ﺍﺭ ، ﻻ ﺍﻭ ﻯ ﻻ ﻭﺍ ﻻ ﺍﻋ l ﺍﻟ ﺍ ، ﺍ ﻻ ﻯ ﻻ ﻭ ﺍﺍ ﻻ ﻣﺜﻞ ﺍﺍ ﺍ ، ﻻ ﻯ ، ﻳﺍ ﺍ ﺩ ، ﻋ ﺍ ، ﺍ l
In Sermon 156, Ali: about Death By faith guidance to virtuous deeds is sought while by virtuous deeds guidance to faith is achieved. Knowledge prospers through faith, and due to knowledge is the dread of death. By death this world comes to an end, and through this world you secure the next by virtue of your deeds. There is no escape from resurrection, heading for this ending in its appointed course. A part of the same sermon: They get up from their graves and set off for the final target. Every house has its own people, they do not exchange it nor will they be shifted from there. Commanding for good and refraining from evil are two dimensions of Allah, Glory be to Him, they can neither bring death near nor lessen sustenance. ، ﺍﻟ ﺍﺍ ﻯ ﺍﻻ ﻳﺍ ، ﺍﻻ ﻳﺍ ﻯ ﺍﻟ ﺍﺍ l ﺍ ﺍ ، ﺍﻻ ﻳﺍ ﺍ ﻳ ﻱ ، ﺍ ﻻ ﺍﺍ ، ﺍﻟ ﺍ ﺍﻻ ، ﺍ ﺍﻟ ﺍ l. ﻣﺎﺍ ﻯ ﺍﺍ ﺍﻯ ]ﻓﻲ ﺣﺎﻝ ﺃﻬﻞ ﺍﻟﻘﺒﻮﺭ ﻓﻲ : ﻣﻨﻪ l [ ﺍﻟﻘﻴﺎﻣﺔ ﻻ ﻭ ، ﺍﺭ ﺍ ، ﺍﻭﺍ ﻟﻰ ﺍ ﺍﺍﺍ ، ﻭﺍ ﺍﻻ ﺍ . ﺍ ﻻ ﻭ ﺍ
In Sermon 193, Ali: about Heaven The God-fearing in it are the people of distinction: They speak to the point, dress modestly, and walk not arrogantly. They close their eyes to the unlawful, and devote their ears to knowledge of good use to them. They remain in the time of trials as though they remain in times of ease. Were it not for their ordained span of life, their spirits would have instantly left their bodies, for such is their eagerness for the reward, and the fear of torment. Seated in their heart is the Might of the Creator, so, everything else to them appears small. Thus to them as if they visualize and enjoy Paradise, and the torment of Hell to be avoided. : ﺍ ﻭ ﻳﺍ ﺍﺍ l. ﺍﻟ ﺍ ، ﺍﻻﺍ ، ﺍﻟ ﺍ . ﻭﺍ ﺍ ﻯ ﺍ ﺍﻟ ﺍ ، ﻭﺍ ﺍ ﺍ ﺍﻟﻠ l. ﻱ ﺍﻻ ﺍﻱ ﻱ ﺍﻟ ﺍ ﻓ ، ﻗ ﻯ ﺍﻟ ﺍ ، ﻻ ﺍﻻ ﺍﻱ ﺍﻟﻠ ﺍ ﻱ ﺍ ﻥ l. ﺍﺍ ﺍﻟ ﺍ ، ﻳﺍ ﻭ ، ﺍ آﺍ ، ﺍﺍ ﻱ ﺃ ﺍ ﻭ ﻱ l ﻳﺍ ﻭ ، آﺍ
Replica of Ali’s House
Replica of Ali’s House
Site of Ali’s Martyrdom: Kufa Ali killed while in Sujood, on Leilatul Qadr
Ali’s Burial Place: Najaf
Visitation for Imam Ali l. O Allah bless Ali, Amir of the faithful, the virtual brother of Thy Prophet, who is his successor, his supporter, and his vicegerent, the custodian of his knowledge, and the repository of his privileged matters ─the gateway for his wisdom, the inviter to his arguments and to his system, who took charge of the affairs of his followers after him, l. He who was comfort to the Prophet, who removed his anguish, who broke the back of the infidels, and demolished evil ones, whom You made as Thy Prophet as Haroon was attached with Musa. l. O Allah befriend those who befriend him, and discard those who are hostile to him, help those who support him, and abandon them who forsake him…. ﻳ ﻟ ﻯ ﻳ ﺍﻳ ﻱ ﺍ ﻱ l ﺍ ﺍﻟ ﺍﻱ ﻯ ﻳ ﻳ ﻱ l ﺍ ﺍﻭ ﻭﻯ ﺍ ﺍﻱ l …. . ﺍﻟ ﺍ ﺍﻻ ﺍ ﺍﺍ ﺍ ﺍ l
Be in Allah’s Care Thank you and May God Bless you. Dr. A. S. Hashim
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