Text:Al-Muttaqin Sermon

It is related that a companion of Imam 'Ali (a) called Hammam, who was a man devoted to worship, said to him, “O Amir al-Mu'minin! Describe to me the pious men in such a way as though I see them.” He (a) replied saying: “Hamman! Fear Allah and do good deeds because “Verily, Allah is with those who guard (themselves against evil) and those who do good (to others)” (Qur'an 16:128). But Hamman was not satisfied with this answer and pressured the Imam to provide more details. Thereupon, Imam Ali (a) praised Allah and extolled Him and sought His blessings on the Holy Prophet (a) then said the following:
Allah, the most Glorified One, the Sublime, created everything and everyone. He created them without any need for their obedience. The sin of any sinner does not harm Him, nor does the obedience of anyone who obeys Him benefit Him. He has distributed among them their livelihood and has assigned for them their positions in the world.	أَمَّا بَعْدُ، فَإِنَّ اللّهَ ـ سُبْحَانَهُ وَ تَعَالَى ـ خَلَقَ الْخَلْقَ حِینَ خَلَقَهُمْ غَنِیًّا عَنْ طَاعَتِهِمْ، آمِناً مِنْ مَعْصِیَتِهِمْ، لاَِنَّهُ لاَ تَضُرُّهُ مَعْصِیَةُ مَنْ عَصَاهُ، وَ لاَ تَنْفَعُهُ طَاعَةُ مَنْ أَطَاعَهُ. فَقَسَمَ بَیْنَهُمْ مَعَایِشَهُمْ، وَ وَضَعَهُمْ مِنَ الدُّنْیَا مَوَاضِعَهُمْ.
Thus, the God-fearing, in this world are the people of distinction. Their speech is to the point, their clothing is moderate and their gait is humble. They keep their eyes closed to what Allah has made unlawful for them, and they put listen to the knowledge which is beneficial to them. They remain calm during the time of trials.	فَالْمُتَّقُونَ فِیهَا هُمْ أَهْلُ الْفَضَائِلِ: مَنْطِقُهُمُ الصَّوَابُ، وَ مَلْبَسُهُمُ الاِقْتِصَادُ، وَ مَشْیُهُمُ التَّوَاضُعُ. غَضُّوا أَبْصَارَهُمْ عَمَّا حَرَّمَ اللّهُ عَلَیْهِمْ، وَ وَقَفَوا أَسْمَاعَهُمْ عَلَى الْعِلْمِ النَّافِعِ لَهُمْ. نُزِّلَتْ أَنْفُسُهُمْ مِنْهُمْ فِی الْبَلاَءِ کَالَّتِی نُزِّلَتْ فِی الرَّخَاءِ.
If there had not been fixed periods (of life) ordained for each one of them, their spirits would not have remained in their bodies even for the twinkling of an eye because of (their) eagerness for the reward [awaiting them in the Hereafter] and fear of chastisement. The greatness of the Creator is seated in their heart and; so, everything else appears small in their eyes. Thus, to them, Paradise is as though they see it and are enjoying its bliss. To them, Hell is also as if they see it and are suffering from its punishment.	وَ لَوْلاَ الاَْجَلُ الَّذِی کَتَبَ اللّهُ عَلَیْهِمْ لَمْ تَسْتَقِرَّ أَرْوَاحُهُمْ فِی أَجْسَادِهِمْ طَرْفَةَ عَیْن، شَوْقاً إِلَى الثَّوَابِ، وَ خَوْفاً مِنَ الْعِقَابِ. عَظُمَ الْخَالِقُ فِی أَنْفُسِهِمْ فَصَغُرَ مَادُونَهُ فِی أَعْیُنِهِمْ، فَهُمْ وَ الْجَنَّةُ کَمَنْ قَدْ رَآهَا، فَهُمْ فِیهَا مُنَعَّمُونَ، وَ هُمْ وَ النَّارُ کَمَنْ قَدْ رَآهَا، فَهُمْ فِیهَا مُعَذَّبُونَ.
Their hearts are grieved, they are protected against evils, their bodies are thin, their needs are scanty and their souls are chaste. They endure (hardship) for a short while; consequently, they secure comfort for a long time. It is a beneficial transaction that Allah made easy for them. The world wants them, but they do not want it. It captured them, but they freed themselves from it with a ransom.	قُلُوبُهُمْ مَحْزُونَةٌ، وَ شُرُورُهُمْ مَأْمُونَةٌ، وَ أَجْسَادُهُمْ نَحِیفَةٌ، وَ حَاجَاتُهُمْ خَفِیفَةٌ، وَ أَنْفُسُهُمْ عَفِیفَةٌ. صَبَرُوا أَیَّاماً قَصِیرَةً أَعْقَبَتْهُمْ رَاحَةً طَوِیلَةً. تِجَارَةٌ مُرْبِحَةٌ یَسَّرَهَا لَهُمْ رَبُّهُمْ. أَرَادَتْهُمُ الدُّنْیَا فَلَمْ یُرِیدُوهَا، وَ أَسَرَتْهُمْ فَفَدَوْا أَنْفُسَهُمْ مِنْهَا.
During the night, they are up standing on their feet reading portions of the Holy Quran and reciting it in a well-measured way, creating through it grief for themselves and seeking by it the cure for their ailments. If they come across a verse which creates eagerness (for Paradise), they pursue it avidly, and their spirits turn towards it eagerly, and they feel as if it is in front of them.	أَمَّا اللَّیْلُ فَصَافُّونَ أَقْدَامَهُمْ، تَالِینَ لاَِجْزَاءِ الْقُرْآنِ یُرَتِّلُونَهَا تَرْتِیلاً. یُحَزِّنُونَ بِهِ أَنْفُسَهُمْ وَ یَسْتَثِیرُونَ بِهِ دَوَاءَ دَائِهِمْ. فَإِذَا مَرُّوا بِآیَة فِیهَا تَشْوِیقٌ رَکَنُوا إِلَیْهَا طَمَعاً، وَ تَطَلَّعَتْ نُفُوسُهُمْ إِلَیْهَا شَوْقاً، وَ ظَنُّوا أَنَّها نُصْبَ أَعْیُنِهِمْ.
And when they come across a verse which inspires fear (of Hell), they bend the ears of their hearts towards it and feel as though the sound of Hell and its cries are reaching their ears. They bend their backs, prostrate on their foreheads, palms, knees and toes, beseeching Allah, the Sublime, for their deliverance.	وَ إِذَا مَرُّوا بِآیَة فِیهَا تَخْوِیفٌ أَصْغَوْا إِلَیْهَا مَسَامِعَ قُلُوبِهِمْ، وَ ظَنُّوا أَنَّ زَفِیرَ جَهَنَّمَ وَ شَهِیقَهَا فِی أُصُولِ آذَانِهِمْ، فَهُمْ حَانُونَ عَلَى أَوْسَاطِهِمْ، مُفْتَرِشُونَ لِجِبَاهِهِمْ وَ أَکُفِّهِمْ وَ رُکَبِهِمْ، وَ أَطْرَافِ أَقْدَامِهِمْ، یَطْلُبُونَ إِلَى اللّهِ تَعَالَى فِی فَکَاکِ رِقَابِهِمْ.
During the day, they endure, learn and remain virtuous and God-fearing. Fear (of Allah) has made them thin like arrows. If any one looks at them, he believes they are sick, although they are not sick at all, and he would say that they have lost their sanity. In fact, a great concern (i.e. fear) has made them look like that. They are not satisfied with [what they consider as] their minor good deeds and do not regard their major deeds as great. They always blame themselves and are afraid of their deeds. When anyone of them is spoken of highly, he says, “I know myself better than others and my Master knows me better than I know. O Allah! Do not deal with me according to what they say, make me better than they think of me and forgive me (my shortcomings) which they do not know.”	وَ أَمَّا النَّهَارَ فَحُلَمَاءُ عُلَمَاءُ، أَبْرَارٌ أَتْقِیَاءُ. قَدْ بَرَاهُمُ الْخَوْفُ بَرْیَ الْقِدَاحِ یَنْظُرُ إِلَیْهِمُ النَّاظِرُ فَیَحْسَبُهُمْ مَرْضَى، وَ مَا بِالْقَوْمِ مِنْ مَرَض; وَ یَقُولُ: لَقَدْ خُولِطُوا!. وَ لَقَدْ خَالَطَهُمْ أَمْرٌ عَظِیمٌ! لاَ یَرْضَوْنَ مِنْ أَعْمَالِهِمُ الْقَلِیلَ، وَ لاَ یَسْتَکْثِرُونَ الْکَثِیرَ. فَهُمْ لاَِنْفُسِهِمْ مُتَّهِمُونَ، وَ مِنْ أَعْمَالِهِمْ مُشْفِقُونَ إِذَا زُکِّیَ أَحَدٌ مِنْهُمْ خَافَ مِمَّا یُقَالُ لَهُ، فَیَقُولُ: أَنَا أَعْلَمُ بِنَفْسِی مِنْ غَیْرِی، وَ رَبِّی أَعْلَمُ بِی مِنِّی بِنَفْسِی! اللَّهُمَّ لاَ تُؤَاخِذْنِی بِما یَقُولُونَ، وَ اجْعَلْنِی أَفْضَلَ مِمَّا یَظُنُّونَ، وَاغْفِرْ لی مَا لاَ یَعْلَمُونَ!
The peculiarity of any of them is that you would see that he has strength in religion, determination along with leniency, faith with conviction, eagerness in (seeking) knowledge in forbearance, moderation when rich, devotion in worship, gracefulness in hunger, endurance in hardship, desire for what is lawful, pleasure with guidance and hatred for greed. He performs virtuous deeds but still feels alert. In the evening, he is anxious to offer thanks (to Allah). In the morning his anxiety is to remember (Allah). He fearfully passes his night in adoration and rises in the morning in joy - fear lest night is passed in forgetfulness, and joy over the favor and mercy which he is sure to receive. If his soul refuses to endure a thing which it does not like, he does not grant its request towards what it does like. The coolness of his eye lies in what is to last forever, while from the things (of this world) that would not last he keeps aloof. He transfuses knowledge with forbearance and speech with action.	فَمِنْ عَلاَمَةِ أَحَدِهِمْ أَنَّکَ تَرَى لَهُ قُوَّةً فِی دِین، وَ حَزْماً فِی لِین، وَ إِیماناً فِی یَقِین، وَ حِرْصاً فِی عِلْم، وَ عِلْماً فِی حِلْم، وَ قَصْداً فی غِنىً، وَ خُشُوعاً فِی عِبَادَة، وَ تَجَمُّلاً فِی فَاقَة، وَ صَبْراً فِی شِدَّة، وَ طَلَباً فِی حَلاَل، وَ نَشَاطاً فِی هُدًى، وَ تَحَرُّجاً عَنْ طَمَع. یَعْمَلُ الاَْعْمَالَ الصَّالِحَةَ وَ هُوَ عَلَى وَجَل. یُمْسِی وَ هَمُّهُ الشُّکْرُ، وَ یُصْبِحُ وَهَمُّهُ الذِّکْرُ. یَبِیتُ حَذِراً وَ یُصْبِحُ فَرِحاً; حَذِراً لَمَّا حُذِّرَ مِنَ الْغَفْلَةِ، وَ فَرِحاً بِمَا أَصَابَ مِنَ الْفَضْلِ وَ الرَّحْمَةِ. إِنِ اسْتَصْعَبَتْ عَلَیْهِ نَفْسُهُ فِیما تَکْرَهُ لَمْ یُعْطِهَا سُؤْلَهَا فِیمَا تُحِبُّ. قُرَّةُ عَیْنِهِ فِیمَا لاَ یَزُولُ، وَ زَهَادَتُهُ فِیمَا لاَ یَبْقَى، یَمْزُجُ الْحِلْمَ بِالْعِلْمِ، وَ الْقَوْلَ بِالْعَمَلِ.
You would see his hopes simple, his shortcomings few, his heart fearing, his spirit contented, his meal small and simple, his religion safe, his desires dead and his anger suppressed. Only goodness is expected from him. Evil from him is not to be feared. Even if he is found among those who forget (Allah), he is counted among those who remember (Him). But if he is among those who remember, he is never counted among the forgetful.	تَرَاهُ قَرِیباً أَمَلُهُ، قَلِیلاً زَلَلُهُ، خَاشِعاً قَلْبُهُ، قَانِعَةً نَفْسُهُ، مَنْزُوراً أَکْلُهُ، سَهْلاً أَمْرُهُ، حَرِیزاً دِینُهُ، مَیِّتَةً شَهْوَتُهُ، مَکْظُوماً غَیْظُهُ. اَلْخَیرُ مِنْهُ مَأْمُولٌ، وَ الشَّرُّ مِنْهُ مَأْمُونٌ، إِنْ کَانَ فِی الْغَافِلِینَ کُتِبَ فِی الذَّاکِرِینَ، وَ إِنْ کانَ فی الذَّاکِرِینَ لَمْ یُکْتَبْ مِنَ الْغَافِلِینَ.
He forgives whoever is unjust to him, and he gives whoever deprives him. He behaves well with whoever behaves ill towards him. Indecent speech is far from him; his utterance is lenient, his evils are non-existent, his virtues are ever present, his goodness precedes him, and mischief turns away from him. He is dignified during calamities, patient in distresses and thankful in ease. He does not commit excesses against anyone whom he may hate and does not commit sin for the sake of one who loves him. He admits the truth before testimony is brought against him. He does not misappropriate what is placed in his custody and does not forget what he is required to remember. He does not call others bad names, he does not cause harm to his neighbor, he does not feel happy at others’ misfortunes, he does not enter into wrong and does not go out of right.	یَعْفُو عَمَّنْ ظَلَمَهُ، وَ یُعْطِی مَنْ حَرَمَهُ، وَ یَصِلُ مَنْ قَطَعَهُ، بَعِیداً فُحْشُهُ، لَیِّناً قَوْلُهُ، غَائِباً مُنْکَرُهُ، حَاضِراً مَعْرُوفُهُ، مُقْبِلاً خَیْرُهُ، مُدْبِراً شَرُّهُ. فِی الزَّلاَزِلِ وَ قُورٌ، وَ فِی الْمَکَارِهِ صَبُورٌ، وَ فِی الرَّخَاءِ شَکُورٌ. لاَ یَحِیفُ عَلَى مَنْ یُبْغِضُ، وَ لاَ یَأْثَمُ فِیمَنْ یُحِبُّ. یَعْتَرِفُ بِالْحَقِّ قَبْلَ أَنْ یُشْهَدَ عَلَیْهِ، لاَ یُضِیعُ مَا اسْتُحْفِظَ، وَ لاَ یَنْسَى مَا ذُکِّرَ، وَ لاَ یُنَابِزُ بِالاَْلْقَابِ، وَ لاَ یُضَارُّ بِالْجَارِ، وَ لاَ یَشْمَتُ بِالْمَصَائِبِ، وَ لاَ یَدْخُلُ فِی الْبَاطِلِ، وَ لاَ یَخْرُجُ مِنَ الْحَقِّ.
If he is silent, his silence does not grieve him. If he laughs, he does not raise his voice and if he is wronged he endures till Allah takes revenge on his behalf. His own “nafs” is in distress because of his own demeanor, while the people are in ease from him. He exposes himself to hardship for the sake of his Hereafter while letting people feel safe from him. His keeping away from others is asceticism and purification, while his nearness to those to whom he feels close is out of his own kindness and gentleness. His keeping away from others is not out of vanity or arrogance, nor is his nearness to them is flattery or for deception.	إِنْ صَمَتَ لَمْ یَغُمَّهُ صَمْتُهُ، وَ إِنْ ضَحِکَ لَمْ یَعْلُ صَوْتُهُ، وَ إِنْ بُغِیَ عَلَیْهِ صَبَرَ حَتَّى یَکُونَ اللّهُ هُوَ الَّذِی یَنْتَقِمُ لَهُ. نَفْسُهُ مِنْهُ فِی عَنَاء. وَ النَّاسُ مِنْهُ فِی رَاحَة. أَتْعَبَ نَفْسَهُ لاِخِرَتِهِ، وَ أَرَاحَ النَّاسَ مِنْ نَفْسِهِ. بُعْدُهُ عَمَّنْ تَبَاعَدَ عَنْهُ زُهْدٌ وَ نَزَاهَةٌ، وَ دُنُوُّهُ مِمَّنْ دَنَا مِنْهُ لِینٌ وَ رَحْمَةٌ. لَیْسَ تَبَاعُدُهُ بِکِبْر وَ عَظَمَة، وَلاَ دُنُوُّهُ بِمَکْر وَ خَدِیعَة.
It is related that Hamman passed into a deep swoon then expired.
Imam Ali (a) said, “Verily, by Allah, I had this fear about him.” Then he added, “Effective advice produces such effects on receptive minds.”
Someone said to him, “O Amir al-Mu'minin! How is it you do not receive such an effect?”
Imam 'Ali (a) replied,
“Woe unto you! For death there is a fixed hour which cannot be exceeded and a cause which does not change. Now look, never repeat such talk which Satan had put on your tongue.”	وَیْحَکَ، إِنَّ لِکُلِّ أَجَلٍ وَقْتاً لاَیَعْدُوهُ، وَ سَبَباً لاَ یَتَجَاوَزُهُ. فَمَهْلاً! لاَ تَعُدْ لِمِثْلِهَا، فَإِنَّمَا نَفَثَ الشَّیْطَانُ عَلَى لِسَانِکَ!