أَيُّهَا النَّاسُ...

أَيُّهَا النَّاسُ، أَلْقُوا هذِهِ الاْزِمَّةَ الَّتِي تَحْمِلُ ظُهُورُهَا الاَثْقَالَ مِنْ أيْدِيكُمْ، وَلاَ تَصَدَّعُوا عَلَى سُلْطَانِكُمْ فَتَذُمُّوا غِبَّ فِعَالِكُمْ، وَلاَ تَقْتَحِمُوا مَا اسْتَقْبَلْتُمْ مِنْ فَوْرِ نَارِ الْفِتْنَةِ، وأَمِيطُوا عَنْ سَنَنِهَا، وَخَلُّو قَصْدَ السَّبِيلِ لَهَا، فَقدْ لَعَمْرِي يَهْلِكُ فِي لَهَبِهَا الْمُؤْمِنُ، وَيَسْلَمُ فِيهَا غَيْرُ الْمُسْلِمِ. I am among you like a lamp in the darkness. Whoever enters by it will be lit from it.

So listen, O men, preserve it and remain attentive with the ears of your hearts so that you may understand. إِنَّمَا مَثَلي بَيْنَكُمْ مَثَلُ السِّرَاجِ فِي الظُّلْمَةِ، يَسْتَضِيءُ بِهِ مَنْ وَلَجَهَا. فَاسْمَعَوا أَيُّهَا النَّاسُ وَعُوا، وَأَحْضِروا آذَانَ قُلُوبِكُمْ تَفْهَمُوا. Alternative Sources for Sermon 187 (1) Al-Mada'ini, Siffin, see `Abd al-Zahra', II, 478; (2) al-Zamakhshari, Rabi`, bab al-mal wa al-kasb.

[^1]: In that period the reward of the beggar who takes will be higher than that of the giver because the ways of earning livelihood of the rich will be unlawful, and whatever he will donate of it, its purpose will be showing himself, hypocrisy and seeking fame, for which he will not be entitled to any reward, while the poor who take it by force of their poverty and helplessness, and to spend it in the right manner, will deserve more reward and recompense.

The commentator, Ibn Abi'l-Hadid has written another meaning of it also, namely if the beggar does not take the wealth from the rich and it remains with him he will spend it on unlawful matters and enjoyments, and since his taking it from him prevents him from using it in unlawful manner; therefore, for this prevention of evil, the beggar will deserve more reward and recompense. (Sharh Nahjul Balaghah, vol. 13, p. 97) Previous…

✦ ✦ ✦