Peak of Eloquence Nahjul Balagha By Imam Ali ibn Abu Talib - English Translation - Sermon 156

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Urging People Towards Piety (Taqwa)

Praise be to Allah Who made praise the key for His remembrance, a means for an increase of His bounty and a guide for His Attributes and Dignity.

O servants of Allah! Time will deal with the survivors just as it dealt with those gone by. The time that has passed will not return and whatever there is in it will not stay for ever. Its later deeds are the same as

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the former ones. Its trouble try to excel one another. Its banners follow each other. It is as though you are attached to the last day which is driving you as rapidly as are driven the she-camels which are dry for seven months. He who busies himself with things other than improvement of his own self becomes perplexed in darkness and entangled in ruination. His evil spirits immerse him deep in vices and make his bad actions appear handsome. Paradise is the end of those who are forward (in good deeds) and Hell is the end of those who commit excesses.

Know O servants of Allah! that piety is a strong house of protection while impiety is a weak house which does not protect its people and does not give security to him who takes refuge the rein. Be informed that the sting of sins is cut by piety and the final aim is achieved by conviction of belief.

O servants of Allah! (fear) Allah, (fear) Allah, in the matter of your own selves, which are the most beloved and dear to you because Allah has clarified to you the way of truthfulness and has lit its paths. So (you may choose) either ever-present misfortune or eternal happiness. You should, therefore, provide in these mortal days for the eternal days. You have been informed of the provision, ordered to march and told to make haste in setting off. You are like staying riders who do not know when they will be ordered to march on. Beware, what will he, who has been created for the next world, do with this world? What will a person do with wealth which he will shortly be deprived of while only its ill effects and reckoning will be left behind for him?

O servants of Allah! the good which Allah has promised should not be abandoned and the evil from which He has refrained should not be coveted. O servants of Allah! fear the day when actions will be reckoned; there will be much quaking and even children will get old.

Be informed, O servants of Allah! that your own self is a guard over you; limbs are watchmen and truthful vigil-keepers who preserve (the record of) your actions and the numbers of your breaths. The gloom of the dark night cannot conceal you from them, nor can closed doors hide you from them. Surely tomorrow is close to today.

Today will depart with all that is has and tomorrow will come in its wake. It is as though everyone of you has reached that place on earth where he will be alone, namely the location of his grave. So, what to say of the lonely house, the solitary place of staying and the solitary exile. It is as though the cry(of the Horn) has reached you, the Hour has overtaken

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you and you have come out (of your graves) for the passing of judgement. (The curtains of) falsehood have been removed from you and your excuses have become weak. The truth about you has been proved. All your matters have proceeded to their consequences. Therefore, you should (now) take counsel from examples, learn lessons from vicissitudes and take advantage of those who warn.