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Shiavault - a Vault of Shia Islamic Books Nahjul Balagha Part 1, The Sermons Sermon 82: How should I describe this house ... About the world and its people ومن كلام له (عليه السلام) في صفة الدنيا In what way shall I describe this world whose beginning is grief and whose end is destruction?[^1] The lawful actions performed here have to be accounted for, while for the forbidden ones there is punishment. Whoever is rich here faces mischief and whoever is poor gets grief.

One who hankers after it does not get it. If one keeps away from it then it advances towards him. If one sees through it, it would bestow him sight, but if one has his eye on it then it would blind him. مَا أَصِفُ مِنْ دَار أَوَّلُهَا عَنَاءٌ وَآخِرُهَا فَنَاءٌ! فِي حَلاَلِهَا حِسَابٌ، وَفِي حَرَامِهَا عِقَابٌ.

مَنِ اسْتَغْنَى فِيهَا فُتِنَ، وَمَنِ افْتَقَرَ فِيهَا حَزِنَ، وَمَنْ سَاعَاهَا فَاتَتْهُ، وَمَنْ قَعَدَ عَنْهَا وَاتَتْهُ، وَمَنْ أَبْصَرَ بِهَا بَصَّرَتْهُ، وَمَنْ أَبْصَرَ إلَيْهَا أَعْمَتْهُ.

A s-Sayyid ar-Radi says: If a thinker thinks over this phrase of Amir al-mu’minin “ waman absara biha bassarat’hu” (“If one sees through it, it would bestow him sight”) he would find thereunder very amazing meaning and far-reaching sense whose purpose cannot be appreciated and whose aim cannot be understood particularly when he joins it with Amir al-mu’minin’s phrase “waman absara ilayha a`mat’hu” (“If one, has his eye on it, them it would blind him) he would find the difference between “absara biha” and “absara laha”, clear, bright, wonderful and shining.

قال الشريف: أقول: وإذا تأمل المتأمل قوله (عليه السلام): «وَمَنْ أبْصَرَبِهَا بصّرَتْهُ» وجد تحته من المعنى العجيب، والغرض البعيد، ما لا تُبلغ غايته ولا يدرك غوره، لا سيما إذا قرن إليه قوله: «ومَن أبْصَرَ إليها أعْمَتْهُ»، فإنه يجد الفرق بين «أبصر بها» و«أبصر إليها» واضحاً نيراً عجيباً باهراً!

Alternative Sources for Sermon 82 (1) Al-Mubarrad, al-Kamil, I, 88; (2) al-Qali, al-'Amali, II, 117; (3) Ibn Durayd, al-Mujtana, 31; (4) al-Harrani, Tuhaf, 138; (5) Ibn `Abd Rabbih, al-`Iqd, III, 172; (6) al-Murtada, al-'Amali, 153; (7) Sibt ibn al-Jawzi, Tadhkirah, 136; (8) al-Tabarsi, Mishkat, 243; (9) al-'Amidi, Ghurar, 86; (10) al-Karajiki, Kanz, 160.

[^1]: "The beginning of the world is grief and its end is destruction." This sentence contains the same truth which the Qur'an has presented in the verse: Indeed We have created man (to dwell) amidst hardship.

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