Peak of Eloquence Nahjul Balagha By Imam Ali ibn Abu Talib - English Translation - Sermon 82

Peak of Eloquence Nahjul Balagha By Imam Ali ibn Abu Talib - English Translation - Sermon 82

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This Sermon Is Called Al-gharra’, and it Is One of the Most
Wonderful Sermons of Imam Ali Ibn Abu Talib (􀁸):
Praise be to Allah Who is High above all else and is Near (the
creation) through His bounty. He is the Giver of all rewards and
distinction and Dispeller of all calamities and hardships. I praise Him for
His continuous mercy and His copious bounties.
I believe in Him as He is the First of all and He is Manifest. I
seek guidance from Him as He is Near and is the Guide. I seek His succor
as He is Mighty and the Subduer. I depend upon Him as He is the Sufficer
and Supporter. And I testify that Muhammad (􀁨) (blessing of Allah be
on him and his progeny) is His slave and His Prophet (􀁨). He sent him
for enforcement of His commands, for exhausting His pleas and for
presenting warnings (against eternal punishment).
Enjoining People to be Pious:
O servants of Allah! I admonish you to fear Allah Who has
furnished illustrations and Who has timed for you your lives. He has
given you the covering of outfit147 and He has scattered for you
livelihood. He has surrounded you with His knowledge. He has ordained
rewards. He has bestowed upon you vast bounties and extensive gifts. He
has warned you through far reaching arguments and He has counted you
by numbers. He has fixed for you ages (to live) in this place of test and
house of instruction.
Cautioning Against this World:
You are tested in this world and have to render an accounting.
Certainly this world is a dirty watering place and a muddy source of
drinking.
Its appearance is attractive and its inside is destructive. It is a
delible deception, a vanishing reflection and a bent pillar. When its
despiser begins to like it and he who is not acquainted with it feels
satisfied with it, then it praises and puts down its feet (in joy). It entraps
him in its trap, makes him the target of its arrows and puts round his neck
the rope of death taking him to the narrow grave and fearful abode in
order to show him his place of stay and the recompense of his acts. This
goes on from generation to generation. Neither death stops from cutting
them asunder nor do the survivors keep aloof from committing sins.
Death and Resurrection:
They are emulating each other and proceeding in groups towards
the final objective and the rendezvous of death, till when matters come to
a close, the world dies and resurrection draws near. Allah148 will take
So when they tasted (of) the tree their shameful things got displayed
unto them and they began covering themselves with leaves of the Garden.(Holy
Quran, 7: 22)
This was the punishment awarded for his committing what was better for him to
omit. When removal of outfit is punishment its putting on would be a favor and
since this is peculiar to man it has been particularly mentioned.
them out from the corners of the graves, the birds’ nests, the beasts’ dens
and the centers of death. They will hasten towards His command and run
towards the place fixed for their final return group by group, quiet,
standing and arrayed in rows. They will be within Allah’s sight and He
will hear everyone whom He calls.
They will be wearing the outfit of helplessness and the covering
of submission and indignity. (At this time) contrivances will disappear,
desires will be cut, hearts will quietly sink, voices will be curbed, sweat
will choke the throat, fear will increase and ears will resound with the
thundering voice of the announcer calling them towards final judgement,
awarding recompense, striking with punishment and paying rewards.
The Limitation of Life:
People have been created as a proof of (His) power. They have
been brought up with authority, they are made to die through pangs and
placed in graves where they turn into crumbs. Then they will be
resurrected one by one, awarded their recompense and will have to
account for their actions, each one separately. They had been allowed
time to seek deliverance, had been shown the right path and had been
allowed to live and seek favors. The darkness of doubts had been
removed. They had been let free in this period of life as a training place in
order to make preparation for the race on the Day of Judgement, to search
for the objective with thoughtfulness, to get time necessary to secure
benefits and provide for the next place of stay.
No Happiness without Piety:
How appropriate are these illustrations and effective admonitions
provided they are received by pure hearts, open ears, firm views and sharp
wits. Fear Allah like him who listened (from good advice) and bowed
before it, when he committed sin he admitted it, when he felt fear he acted
virtuously. When he apprehended he hastened (towards good deeds),
when he believed he performed virtuous acts, when he was asked to take
lesson (from the happenings of this world) he learned. When he was