Text:Al-Qasi'a Sermon

In the Name of Allah, the All-beneficent, the All-merciful	بِسْمِ اللَّـهِ الرَّ‌حْمَـٰنِ الرَّ‌حِيمِ
Praise be to Allah who wears the apparel of Honour and Dignity and has chosen them for Himself instead of for His creation. He has made them inaccessible and unlawful for others.	الْحَمْدُ لله الَّذِي لَبِسَ الْعِزَّ وَالْكِبْرِيَاءَ، وَاخْتَارَهُمَا لنَفْسِهِ دُونَ خَلْقِهِ، وَجَعَلَهُمَا حِمىً وَحَرَماً عَلَى غَيْرِهِ،
He has selected them for His own great self, and has hurled a curse on him who contests with Him concerning them.	وَاصْطَفَاهُمَا لِجَلاَلِهِ. وَجَعَلَ اللَّعْنَةَ عَلَى مَنْ نَازَعَهُ فِيهِمَا مِنْ عِبَادِهِ
Then He put His angels on trial concerning these attributes in order to distinguish those who are modest from those who are vain. Therefore, Allah, who is aware of whatever is hidden in the hearts and whatever lies behind the unseen said:	ثُمَّ اخْتَبَرَ بِذلِكَ مَلاَئِكَتَهُ الْمُقَرَّبِينَ، لِيمِيزَ المُتَوَاضِعيِنَ مِنْهُمْ مِنَ الْمُسْتَكْبِرِينَ، فَقَالَ سُبْحَانَهُ وَهُوَ الْعَالِمُ بِمُضْمَرَاتِ القُلُوبِ، وَمَحْجُوبَاتِ الْغُيُوبِ:
Verily I am about to create man from clay, And when I have completed and have breathed into him of My spirit, then fall ye prostrating in obeisance unto him. And did fall prostrating in obeisance the angels all together, save lblis	«إِنِّي خَالِقٌ بَشَراً مِنْ طِين * فَإِذَا سَوَّيْتُهُ وَنَفَخْتُ فِيهِ مِنْ رُوحِي فَقَعُوا لَهُ سَاجِدِينَ * فَسَجَدَ الْمَلاَئِكَةُ كُلُّهُمْ أَجْمَعُونَ * إِلاَّ إِبْلِيسَ»
His vanity stood in his way. Consequently, he felt proud over Adam by virtue of his creation and boasted over him on account of his origin. Thus, this enemy of Allah is the leader of those who boast, and the fore-runner of the vain.	اعْتَرَضَتْهُ الْحَمِيَّةُ، فَافْتَخَرَ عَلَى آدَمَ بَخَلْقِهِ، وَتَعَصَّبَ عَلَيْهِ لاِصْلِهِ. فَعَدُوُّ اللهِ إِمَامُ الْمُتَعَصِّبِينَ، وَسَلَفُ الْمُسْتَكْبِرِينَ،
It is he who laid the foundation of factionalism, quarreled with Allah about the robe of greatness, put on the dress of haughtiness and took off the covering of humility.	الَّذِي وَضَعَ أَسَاسَ الْعَصَبِيَّةِ وَنازَعَ اللهَ رِدَاءَ الْجَبْرِيَّةِ، وَادَّرَعَ لِبَاسَ التَّعَزُّزِ، وَخَلَعَ قِنَاعَ التَّذَلُّلِ
Do you not see how Allah made him low on account of his vanity and humiliated him for his feigning to be high? He discarded him in this world and provided for him burning fire in the next world?!	أَلاَ تَرَوْنَ كَيْفَ صَغَّرَهُ اللهُ بِتَكَبُّرِهِ، وَوَضَعَهُ بِتَرَفُّعِهِ، فَجَعَلَهُ فِي الدُّنْيَا مَدْحُوراً، وَأَعَدَّ لَهُ فِي الاْخِرَةِ سَعِيراً؟!
If Allah had wanted to create Adam from a light whose glare would have dazzled the eyes, whose handsomeness would have amazed the wits and whose fragrance would have caught the breath, He could have done so;	وَلَوْ أَرَادَ اللهُ سُبْحَانَهُ أَنْ يَخْلُقَ آدَمَ مِنْ نُور يَخْطَفُ الاْبْصَارَ ضِيَاؤُهُ، وَيَبْهَرُ الْعُقُولَ رُوَاؤُهُ، وَطِيب يَأْخُذُ الاْنْفَاسَ عَرْفُهُ، لَفَعَلَ،
and if He had done so, people would have bowed to him in humility and the trial of the angels through him would have become easier	وَلَوْ فَعَلَ لَظَلَّتْ لَهُ الاْعْنَاقُ خَاضِعَةً، وَلَخَفَّتِ الْبَلْوَى فِيهِ عَلَى المَلائِكَةِ.
But Allah, the Glorified, tries His creatures by means of those things whose real nature they do not know in order to distinguish (good and bad) for them through the trial, and to remove vanity from them and keep them and keep them aloof from pride and self-admiration.	وَلكِنَّ اللهَ سُبْحَانَهُ يَبْتَلِي خَلْقَهُ بِبَعْضِ مَا يَجْهَلُونَ أَصْلَهُ، تَمْيِيزاً بِالاخْتِبَارِ لَهُمْ، وَنَفْياً لِلاْسْتِكَبَارِ عَنْهُمْ، وَإِبْعَاداً لِلْخُيَلاَءِ مِنْهُم
You should take a lesson from what Allah did with Satan; namely He nullified his great acts and extensive efforts on account of the vanity of one moment, although Satan had worshipped Allah for six thousand years - whether by the reckoning of this world or of the next world is not known.	فَاعْتَبِروا بِمَا كَانَ مِنْ فِعْلِ اللهِ بِإِبْلِيسَ، إِذْ أَحْبَطَ عَمَلَهُ الطَّوِيلَ، وَجَهْدَهُ الْجَهِيدَ، وَكَانَ قَدْ عَبَدَ اللهَ سِتَّةَ آلاَفِ سَنَة، لاَ يُدْرَى أمِنْ سِنِي الدُّنْيَا أَمْ مِنْ سِنِي الاْخِرَةِ، عَنْ كِبْرِ سَاعَة وَاحِدَة.
Who now can remain safe from Allah after Satan by committing a similar disobedience? None at all. Allah, the Glorified, cannot let a human being enter Paradise if he does the same thing for which Allah turned out from it an angel.	فَمَنْ بَعْدَ إِبْلِيسَ يَسْلَمُ عَلَى اللهِ بِمِثْلِ مَعْصِيَتِهِ؟ كَلاَّ، مَا كَانَ اللهُ سُبْحَانَهُ لِيُدْخِلَ الْجَنَّةَ بَشَراً بِأَمْر أَخْرَجَ بِهِ مِنْهَا مَلَكاً،
His command for the inhabitants in the sky and of the earth is the same. There is no friendship between Allah and any individual out of His creation so as to give him license for an undesirable thing which He has held unlawful for all the worlds.	إِنَّ حُكْمَهُ فِي أَهْلِ السَّماءِ وأَهْلِ الاْرْضِ لَوَاحِدٌ، وَمَا بَيْنَ اللهِ وَبَيْنَ أَحَد مِنْ خَلْقِهِ هَوَادَةٌ فِي إِبَاحَةِ حِمىً حَرَّمَهُ عَلَى الْعَالَمينَ.
Therefore, you should fear lest the enemy of Allah (Satan) infects you with his disease, or ‘leads you astray through his call, or marches on you with his horsemen and footmen’;	فَاحْذَرُوا عَدُوَّ اللهِ أَنْ يُعْدِيَكُمْ بِدَائِهِ، وَأَنْ يَسْتَفِزَّكُمْ [بِنِدَائِهِ، وَأَنْ يُجْلِبَ عَلَيْكُمْ] بِخَيْلِهِ وَرَجِلِهِ.
because, by my life, he has put the menacing arrow in the bow for you, has stretched the bow strongly, and has aimed at you from a nearby position,	فَلَعَمْرِي لَقَدْ فَوَّقَ لَكُمْ سَهْمَ الْوَعِيدِ، وَأَغْرَقَ لَكُم بِالنَّزْعِ الشَّدِيدِ، وَرَمَاكُمْ مِنْ مَكَان قَرِيب،
and (Satan) said: My Lord! Because Thou hast left me to stray, certainly will I adorn unto them the path of error, and certainly will I cause them all to go astray.	و «قَالَ رَبِّ بِمَا أَغْوَيْتَنِي لاَزَيِّنَنَّ لَهُمْ فِي الاْرْضِ وَلاَغْوِيَنَّهُمْ أَجْمَعِينَ
Although he (Satan) had said so only by guessing about the unknown future and by wrong conjecturing, yet the sons of vanity, the brothers of haughtiness and the horsemen of pride and intolerance proved him to be true,	قَذْفاً بِغَيْب بَعِيد، وَرَجْماً بِظَنٍّ غَيْرِ مُصِيب، صَدَّقَهُ بِهِ أَبْنَاءُ الْحَمِيَّةِ، وَإِخْوَانُ الْعَصَبِيَّةِ، وَفُرْسَانُ الْكِبْرِ وَالْجَاهِلِيَّةِ.
so much so that when disobedient persons from among you bowed before him, and his greed about you gained strength; and what was a hidden secret turned into a clear fact, he spread his full control over you and marched with his forces towards you.	حَتَّى إِذَا انْقَادَتْ لَهُ الْجَامِحَةُ مِنْكُمْ، وَاسْتَحْكَمَتِ الطَّمَاعِيَّةُ مِنْهُ فِيكُمْ، فَنَجَمَتِ الْحَالُ مِنَ السِّرِّ الْخَفِىِّ إِلَى الاْمْرِ الْجَلِيِّ، اسْتَفْحَلَ سُلْطَانُهُ عَلَيْكُمْ، وَدَلَفَ بِجُنُودِهِ نَحْوَكُمْ،
Then they pushed you into the hollows of disgrace, threw you into the whirlpools of slaughter, and trampled you, wounding you by striking your eyes with spears, cutting your throats, tearing your nostrils, breaking your limbs and taking you in ropes of control towards the fire already prepared.	فَأَصْبَحَ أَعْظَمَ فِي دِينِكُمْ جَرْحاً، وَأَوْرَىفِي دُنْيَا كُمْ قَدْحاً، مِنَ الَّذِينَ أَصْبَحْتُمْ لَهُمْ مُنَاصِبِينَ، وَ عَلَيْهِمْ مُتَأَلِّبِين
In this way he became more harmful to your religion and a greater kindler of flames (of mischief) about your worldly matters than the enemies against whom you showed open opposition and against whom you marched your forces.	فَأَقْحَمُوكُمْ وَلَجَاتِ الذُّلِّ، وَأَحَلُّوكم وَرَطَاتِ الْقَتْلِ، وَأَوْطَأُوكُمْ إِثْخَانَ الْجِرَاحَةِ، طَعْناً فِي عُيُونِكُم، وَحَزّاً فِي حُلُوقِكُمْ، وَدَقّاً لِمَناخِرِكُمْ، وَقَصْداً لِمَقَاتِلِكُمْ، وَسوقاً بِخَزَائمِ الْقَهْرِ إِلَى النَّارِ المُعَدَّةِ لَكُمْ،
You should therefore spend all your force against him, and all your efforts against him, because, by Allah, he boasted over your (i.e., Adam's) origin, questioned your position and spoke lightly of your lineage. He advanced on you with his army, and brought his footmen towards your path.	يَقْتَنِصُونَكُمْ بِكُلِّ مَكَان، وَيَضْرِبُونَ مِنْكُمْ كُلَّ بَنَان، لاَ تَمْتَنِعُونَ بِحِيلَة، وَلاَ تَدْفَعُونَ بِعَزِيمَة، فِي حَوْمَةِ ذُلّ، وَحَلْقَةِ ضِيق، وَعَرْصَةِ مَوْت، وَجَوْلَةِ بَلاَء
They are chasing you from every place, and they are hitting you at every finger joint. You are not able to defend by any means, nor can you repulse them by any determination. You are in the thick of disgrace, the ring of straitness, the field of death and the way of distress.	فَاجْعَلُوا عَلَيْهِ حَدَّكُمْ، وَلَهُ جَدَّكُمْ، فَلَعَمْرُ اللهِ لَقَدْ فَخَرَ عَلَى أَصْلِكُمْ، وَوَقَعَ في حَسَبِكُمْ، وَدَفَعَ فِي نَسَبِكُمْ، وَأَجْلَبَ بِخَيْلِهِ عَلَيْكُمْ، وَقَصَدَ بِرَجِلِهِ سَبِيلَكُمْ،
You should therefore put out the fires of haughtiness and the flames of intolerance that are hidden in your hearts. This vanity can exist in a Muslim only by the machinations of Satan, his haughtiness, mischief and whisperings.	فَأَطْفِئُوا مَا كَمَنَ فِي قُلُوبِكُمْ مِنْ نِيرَانِ الْعَصَبِيَّةِ، وَأَحْقَادِ الْجَاهِلِيَّةِ، وإنَّمَا تِلْكَ الْحَمِيَّةُ تَكُونُ فِي الْمُسْلِمِ مِنْ خَطَرَاتِ الشَّيْطَانِ وَنَخَواتِهِ، وَنَزَغَاتِهِ وَنَفَثَاتِهِ.
Make up your mind to have humility over your heads, to trample self-pride under your feet and to cast off vanity from your necks.	وَاعْتَمِدُوا وَضْعَ التَّذَلُّلِ عَلَى رُؤُوسِكُمْ، وَإِلْقَاءَ التَّعَزُّزِ تَحَتْ أَقْدَامِكُمْ، وَخَلْعَ التَّكَبُّرِ مِنْ أَعْنَاقِكُمْ.
Adopt humility as the weapon between you and your enemy, Satan and his forces. He certainly has, from every people, fighters, helpers, footmen and horsemen.	وَاتَّخِذُوا التَّوَاضُعَ مَسْلَحَةً بَيْنَكُمْ وَبَيْنَ عَدُوِّكُمْ إِبْلِيسَ وَجُنُودِهِ، فَإِنَّ لَهُ مِنْ كُلِّ أُمَّة جُنُوداً وأَعْوَاناً، وَرَجِلاً وَفُرْسَاناً،
Do not be like him who feigned superiority over the son of his own mother without any distinction given to him by Allah except the feeling of envy which his feeling of greatness created in him and the fire of anger that vanity kindled in his heart.	وَلاَ تَكُونُوا كالْمُتَكَبِّرِ عَلَى ابْنِ أُمِّهِ مِنْ غَيْرِ مَا فَضْل جَعَلَهُ اللهُ فِيهِ سِوَى مَا أَلْحَقَتِ الْعَظَمَةُ بِنَفْسِهِ مِنْ عَدَاوَةِ الْحَسَدِ، وَقَدَحَتِ الْحَمِيَّةُ فِي قَلْبِهِ مِنْ نَارِ الْغَضَبِ،
Satan blew into his nose his own vanity, after which Allah gave him remorse and made him responsible for the sins of all killers up to the Day of Judgement.	وَنَفَخَ الشَّيْطَانُ فِي أَنْفِهِ مِنْ رِيحِ الْكِبْرِ الَّذِي أَعْقَبَهُ اللهُ بِهِ النَّدَامَةَ، وَأَلْزَمَهُ آثَامَ الْقَاتِلِينَ إِلَى يَوْمِ الْقِيَامَةِ.
Beware! You strove hard in revolting and created mischief on the earth in open opposition to Allah and in challenging the believers over fighting.	أَلاَ وَقدْ أَمْعَنْتُمْ فِي الْبَغْيِ، وَأَفْسَدْتُمْ فِي الاْرْضِ، مُصَارَحَةً لله بِالمُنَاصَبَةِ، وَمُبَارَزَةً لِلْمُؤْمِنِينَ بِالُمحَارَبَةِ.
(You should fear) Allah! Allah! in feeling proud of your vanity and boasting over ignorance, because this is the root of enmity and the design of Satan wherewith he has been deceiving past people and bygone ages,	فَاللهَ اللهَ في كِبْرِ الْحَمِيَّةِ، وَفَخْرِ الْجَاهلِيَّةِ! فَإِنَّهُ مَلاَقِحُ الشَّنَآنِ وَمَنَافِخُ الشَّيْطانِ، اللاِتي خَدَعَ بِهَا الاْمَمَ الْمَاضِيَةَ، والْقُرُونَ الْخَالِيَةَ،
with the result that they fell into the gloom of his ignorance and the hollows of his misguidance, submitting to his driving and accepting his leadership. In this matter the hearts of all the people were similar, and centuries passed by, one after the other, in just the same way, and there was vanity with which chests were tightened.	حَتّى أَعْنَقُوا فِي حَنَادِسِ جَهَالَتِهِ، وَمهَاوِي ضَلاَلَتِهِ، ذُلُلاً عَنْ سِيَاقِهِ، سُلُساً فِي قِيَادِهِ، أَمْراً تَشَابَهَتِ الْقُلُوبُ فِيهِ، وَتَتَابَعَتِ الْقُرونُ عَلَيْهِ، وَكِبْراً تَضَايَقَتِ الصُّدُورُ بِهِ.
Beware! Beware of obeying your leaders and elders who felt proud of their achievements and boasted about their lineage. They hurled the (liability for) things on Allah and quarrelled with Allah in what He did with them, contesting His decree and disputing His favours.	ألاَ فَالْحَذَرَ الْحَذَرَ مِنْ طَاعَةِ سَادَاتِكُمْ وَكُبَرَائِكُمْ! الَّذِينَ تَكَبَّرُوا عَنْ حَسَبِهِمْ، وَتَرَفَّعُوا فَوْقَ نَسَبِهِمْ، وَأَلْقَوُا الْهَجِينَةَ عَلَى رَبِّهِمْ، وَجَاحَدُوا اللهَ مَا صَنَعَ بِهمْ، مُكَابَرَةً لِقَضَائِهِ، وَمُغَالَبَةً لاِلائِهِ،
Certainly, they are the main foundation of obstinacy, the chief pillars of mischief and the swords of pre-Islamic boasting over forefathers. Therefore, fear Allah, do not become antagonistic to His favours on you, nor jealous of His bounty over you	فَإِنَّهُمْ قَوَاعِدُ أَسَاسِ الْعَصَبِيَّةِ، وَدَعَائِمُ أَرْكَانِ الْفِتْنَةِ، وَسُيُوفُ إعْتِزَاءِ الْجَاهِلِيَّةِ فَاتَّقُوا اللهَ وَلاَ تَكُونُوا لِنِعَمِهِ عَليْكُمْ أَضْدَاداً، وَلاَ لِفَضْلِهِ عِنْدَكُمْ حُسَّاداً،
and do not obey the claimants (of Islam) whose dirty water you drink along with your clean one, whose ailments you mix with your healthiness and whose wrongs you allow to enter into your rightful matters.	وَلاَ تُطِيعُوا الاْدْعِيَاءَ الَّذِينَ شَرِبْتُمْ بِصَفْوِكُمْ كَدَرَهُمْ، وَخَلَطْتُمْ بِصِحَّتِكُمْ مَرَضَهُمْ، وَأَدْخَلْتُمْ فِي حَقِّكُمْ بَاطِلَهُمْ،
They are the foundation of vice and the linings of disobedience. Satan has made them carriers of misguidance and the soldiers with whom he attacks men.	وَهُمْ أَسَاسُ الْفُسُوقِ، وَأَحْلاَسُ الْعُقُوقِ، اتَّخَذَهُمْ إِبْلِيسُ مَطَايَا ضَلاَل، وَجُنْداً بِهمْ يَصُولُ عَلَى النَّاسِ،
They are interpreters through whom he speaks in order to steal away your wits, enter into your eyes and blow into your ears. In this way he makes you the victim of his arrows, the treading ground of his footsteps and source of strength for his hands.	وَتَرَاجِمَةً يَنْطِقُ عَلَى أَلْسِنَتِهِمْ، اسْتِرَاقاً لِعُقُولِكُمْ، وَدُخُولاً فِي عُيُونِكُمْ، وَنَفْثاً فِي أَسْـمَاعِكُمْ، فَجَعَلَكُمْ مَرْمَى نَبْلِهِ، وَمَوْطِىءَ قَدَمِهِ، وَمأْخَذَ يَدِهِ.
Take instruction from how Allah's wrath, violence, chastisement and punishment fell upon the arrogant nations before you. Take admonition from the resting places of their cheeks and their bodies, and seek Allah's protection from the dangers of pride, as you seek His protection from calamities.	فَاعْتَبِرُوا بَمَا أَصَابَ الاْمَمَ المُسْتَكْبِرِينَ مِنْ قَبْلِكُمْ مِنْ بَأْسِ اللهِ وَصَوْلاَتِهِ، وَوَقَائِعِهِ وَمَثُلاَتِهِ، وَاتَّعِظُوا بِمَثَاوِي خُدُودِهِمْ، وَمَصَارعِ جُنُوبِهِمْ، وَاسْتَعِيذوا بِاللهِ مِنْ لَوَاقِحِ الْكبْرِ، كَمَا تَسْتَعِيذُونَهُ مِنْ طَوَارِقِ الدَّهْرِ،
Certainly, if Allah were to allow anyone to indulge in pride He would have allowed it to his selected prophets and vicegerents. But Allah, the Sublime, disliked vanity for them and liked humbleness for them. Therefore, they laid their cheeks on the ground, smeared their faces with dust, bent themselves down for the believers and remained humble people.	فَلَوْ رَخَّصَ اللهُ فِي الْكِبْرِ لاِحَد مِنْ عِبَادِهِ لَرَخَّصَ فِيهِ لِخَاصَّةِ أَنبِيَائِهِ [وَأَولِيائِهِ]، وَلكِنَّهُ سُبْحَانَهُ كَرَّهَ إِلَيْهِمُ التَّكَابُرَ، وَرَضِيَ لَهُمُ التَّوَاضُعَ، فَأَلْصَقُوا بِالاْرْضِ خُدُودَهُمْ، وَعَفَّرُوا فِي التُّرَابِ وُجُوهَهُمْ، وَخَفَضُوا أَجْنِحَتَهُمْ لِلْمُؤمِنِينَ، وَكَانُوا قَوْماً مُسْتَضْعَفِينَ،
Allah tried them with hunger, afflicted them with difficulty, tested them with fear, and upset them with troubles. Therefore, do not regard wealth and progeny the criterion for Allah's pleasure and displeasure, as you are not aware of the chances of mischief and trials during richness and power	قَدِ اخْتَبَرَهُمُ اللهُ بالْـمَخْمَصَةِ، وَابْتَلاَهُمْ بِالْـمَجْهَدَةِ، وَامْتَحَنَهُمْ بِالْـمَخَاوِفِ، وَمَخَضَهُمْ بِالْمَكَارِهِ، فَلاَ تَعْتَبِرُوا الرِّضَى وَالسُّخْطَ بِالمَالِ وَالْوَلَدِ جَهْلاً بِمَوَاقِعِ لْفِتْنَةِ، وَالاْخْتِبَارِ فِي مَوَاضِعِ الْغِنَى وَالاْفْتِقارِ،
as Allah, the Glorified, the Sublime, has said: "What! Think they that what We aid them with of wealth and children, We are hastening unto them the good things? Nay! They (only) perceive not."	فَقَدْ قَالَ سُبْحَانَهُ: «أَيَحْسَبُونَ أَنَّ مَا نُمِدُّهُمْ بِهِ مِنْ مَال وَبَنِينَ * نُسَارِعُ لَهُمْ فِي الْخَيْرَاتِ بَلْ لاَ يَشْعُرُونَ»،
Certainly, Allah the Glorified, tries His creatures who are vain about themselves through His beloved persons who are humble in their eyes.	فَإِنَّ اللهَ سْبْحَانَهْ يَخْتَبِرُ عِبَادَهُ الْمُسْتَكْبِرِينَ فِي أَنْفُسِهمْ بِأَوْلِيَائِهِ الْمُسْتَضْعَفِينَ فِي أَعْيُنِهِمْ.
When Musa son of ‘Imran went to Pharaoh along with his brother Harun (Aaron) wearing (coarse) shirts of wool and holding sticks in their hands, they guaranteed him retention of his country and continuity of his honour if he submitted;	وَلَقَدْ دَخَلَ مُوسَى بْنُ عِمْرَانَ وَمَعَهُ أَخُوهُ هَارُونُ (عليهما السلام) عَلَى فِرْعَوْنَ، وَعَلَيْهِمَا مَدَارِعُ الصُّوفِ، وَبِأَيْدِيهِمَا الْعِصِيُّ، فَشَرَطَا لَهُ ـ إِنْ أَسْلَمَ ـ بَقَاءَ مُلْكِهِ، وَدَوامَ عِزِّهِ،
but he said: "Do you not wonder at these two men guaranteeing me the continuity of my honour and the retention of my country although you see their poverty and lowliness. Otherwise, why do they not have gold bangles on their wrists?" He said so feeling proud of his gold and collected possessions, and considering wool and its cloth as nothing.	فَقَالَ: أَلاَ تَعْجبُونَ مِنْ هذَيْنِ يَشْرِطَانِ لِي دَوَامَ الْعِزِّ، وَبَقَاءَ الْمُلْكِ، وَهُمَا بِمَا تَرَوْنَ مِنْ حَالِ الْفَقْرِ وَالذُّلِّ، فَهَلاَّ أُلْقِيَ عَلَيْهِمَا أَسَاوِرَةٌ مِنْ ذَهَب؟ إِعْظَاماً لِلذَّهَبِ وَجَمْعِهِ، وَاحْتِقَاراً لِلصُّوفِ وَلُبْسِهِ!
When Allah, the Glorified, deputed His prophets, if He had wished to open for them treasures and mines of gold and (surround them with) planted gardens and to collect around them birds of the skies and beasts of the earth, He could have done so. If He had done so then there would have been no trial, nor recompense and no tidings (about the affairs of the next world).	وَلَوْ أَرَادَ اللهُ سُبْحَانَهُ بأَنْبِيَائِهِ حَيْثُ بَعَثَهُمْ أَنْ يَفْتَحَ لَهُمْ كُنُوزَ الْذِّهْبَانِ، وَمَعَادِنَ الْعِقْيَانِ، وَمَغَارِسَ الْجِنَانِ، وَأَنْ يَحْشُرَ مَعَهُمْ طَيْرَ السَّماءِ وَوُحُوشَ الاْرَضِينَ لَفَعَلَ، وَلَوْ فَعَلَ لَسَقَطَ الْبَلاَءُ، وَبَطَلَ الْجَزَاءُ، وَاضْمَحَلَّتِ الاْنْبَاءُ،
Those who accepted (His message) could not be given the recompense falling due after trial and the believers could not deserve the reward for good acts, and all these words 2 would not have retained their meanings. But Allah, the Glorified, makes His Prophets firm in their determination and gives them weakness of appearance as seen from the eyes, along with contentment that fills the hearts and eyes resulting from care-freeness, and with want that pains the eyes and ears.	وَلَمَا وَجَبَ لِلْقَابِلِينَ أُجُورُ الْمُبْتَلِينَ، وَلاَ اسْتَحَقَّ الْمُؤمِنُونَ ثَوَابَ الْـمُحْسِنِينَ، وَلاَ لَزِمَتِ الاْسْمَاءُ مَعَانِيَهَا، وَلكِنَّ اللهَ سُبْحَانَهُ جَعَلَ رُسُلَهُ أُولِي قُوَّة فِي عَزَائِمِهِمْ، وَضَعَفَةً فِيَما تَرَى الاْعْيُنُ مِنْ حَالاَتِهِمْ، مَعَ قَنَاعَة تَمْلاُ الْقُلُوبَ وَالْعُيُونَ غِنىً، وَخَصَاصَة تَمْلاَ الاْبْصَارَ وَالاْسْمَاعَ أَذىً.
If the prophets possessed authority that could not be assaulted, or honour that could not be damaged or domain towards which the necks of people would turn and the saddles of mounts could be set, it would have been very easy for people to seek lessons and quite difficult to feel vanity. They would have then accepted belief out of fear felt by them or inclination attracting them, and the intention of them all would have been the same, although their actions would have been different.	وَلَوْ كَانَتِ الاْنْبِيَاءُ أَهْلَ قُوَّة لاَ تُرَامُ، وَعِزَّة لاَ تُضَامُ، وَمُلْك تُمَدُّ نُحْوَهُ أَعْنَاقُ الرِّجَالِ، وَتُشَدُّ إِلَيْهِ عُقَدُ الرِّحَالِ، لَكَانَ ذلِكَ أَهْوَنَ عَلَى الْخَلْقِ فِي الاْعَتِبَارِ، وَأَبْعَدَ لَهُمْ مِنَ الاْسْتَكْبَارِ، وَلامَنُوا عَنْ رَهْبَة قَاهِرَة لَهْمْ، أَوْ رَغْبَة مَائِلَة بِهِمْ، فَكَانَتِ النِّيَّاتُ مُشْتَرَكَةً، وَالْحَسَنَاتُ مُقْتَسَمَةً.
Therefore, Allah, the Glorified decided that people should follow His prophets, acknowledge His books, remain humble before His face, obey His command and accept His obedience with sincerity in which there should not be an iota of anything else; and as the trial and tribulation would be stiffer the reward and recompense too should be larger.	وَلكِنَّ اللهَ سْبْحَانَهُ أَرَادَ أَنْ يَكُونَ الاْتِّبَاعُ لِرُسُلِهِ، وَالْتَّصْدِيقُ بِكُتُبِهِ، وَالْخُشُوعُ لِوَجْهِهِ، وَالاْسْتِكَانَةُ لاِمْرِهِ، وَالاْسْتِسْلاَمُ لِطَاعَتِهِ، أُمُوراً لَهُ خَاصَّةً، لاَ تَشُوبُهَا مِنْ غَيْرِهَا شَائِبَةٌ، وَكُلَّمَا كَانَتِ الْبلْوَى وَالاْخْتِبَارُ أَعْظَمَ كَانَتِ الْمَثُوبَةُ وَالْجَزَاءُ أَجْزَلَ.
Do you not see that Allah, the Glorified, has tried all the people among those who came before, beginning with Adam, upto the last ones in this world with stones which yield neither benefit nor harm, which neither see nor hear.	ألاَ تَرَوْنَ أَنَّ اللهَ سُبْحَانَهُ، اخْتَبَرَ الاْوَّلِينَ مِنْ لَدُنْ آدَمَ صَلَّى اللهِ عَلَيْهِ، إِلَى الاخِرِينَ مِنْ هذا الْعَالَمِ، بَأَحْجَار لاَ تَضُرُّ وَلاَ تَنْفَعُ، وَلاَ تُبْصِرُ وَلاَ تَسْمَعُ،
He made those stones into His sacred house which He made a standby for the people. He placed it in the most rugged stony part of the earth and on a highland with least soil thereon, among the most narrow valleys between rough mountains, soft sandy plains, springs of scanty water and scattered habitants, where neither camels nor horses nor cows and sheep can prosper.	فَعَجَلَهَا بَيْتَهُ الْحَرَامَ الَّذِي جَعَلَهُ لِلنَّاسِ قِيَاماً. ثُمَّ وَضَعَهُ بِأَوْعَرِ بِقَاعِ الاْرْضِ حَجَراً، وَأَقَلِّ نَتَائِقِ الدُّنْيَا مَدَراً، وَأَضْيَقِ بُطُونِ الاْوْدِيَةِ قُطْراً، بَيْنَ جِبَال خَشِنَة، وَرِمَال دَمِثَة، وَعُيُون وَشِلَة، وَقُرىً مُنْقَطِعَة، لا يَزْكُو بِهَا خُفٌّ وَلاَ حَافِرٌ وَلاَ ظِلْفٌ
Then He commanded Adam and his sons to turn their attention towards it. In this way it became the centre of their journey in seeking pastures and the rendezvous for meeting of their carrier-beasts, so that human spirits hasten towards it from distant waterless deserts, deep and low lying valleys and scattered islands in the seas. They shake their shoulders in humbleness, recite the slogan of having reached His audience,	ثُمَّ أَمَرَ آدَمَ وَوَلَدَهُ أَنْ يَثْنُوا أَعْطَافَهُمْ نَحْوَهُ، فَصَارَ مَثَابَةً لِمُنْتَجَعِ أَسْفَارِهمْ، وَغَايَةً لِمُلْقَى رِحَالِهِمْ، تَهْوِي إِلَيْهِ ثِمَارُ الاْفْئِدَةِ مِنْ مَفَاوِزِ قِفَار سَحِيقَة، وَمَهَاوِي فِجَاج عَمِيقَة، وَجَزَائِرِ بِحَار مُنْقَطِعَة، حَتَّى يَهُزُّوا مَنَاكِبَهُمْ ذُلُلاً يُهَلِّلُونَ لله حَوْلَهُ،
march with swift feet, and have dishevelled hair and dusted faces. They throw their pieces of cloth on their backs, they have marred the beauty of their faces by leaving the hair uncut as a matter of great test, severe tribulation, open trial, and extreme refining. Allah has made it a means to His mercy and an approach to His Paradise.	وَيَرْمُلُونَ عَلَى أَقْدَامِهِمْ شُعْثاً غُبْراً لَهُ، قَدْ نَبَذُوا السَّرَابِيلَ وَرَاءَ ظُهُورِهِمْ، وَشَوَّهُوا بِإِعْفَاءِ الشُّعُورِ مَحَاسِنَ خَلْقِهِمُ، ابْتِلاَءً عَظِيماً، وَامْتِحاناً شَدِيداً، وَاخْتِبَاراً مُبِيناً، وَتَمْحِيصاً بَلِيغاً، جَعَلَهُ اللهُ تَعَالَى سَبَباً لِرَحْمَتِهِ، وَوُصْلَةً إِلَى جَنَّتِهِ.
If Allah, the Glorified, had placed His sacred House and His great signs among plantations, streams, soft and level plains, plenty of trees, an abundance of fruits, a thick population, close habitats, golden wheat, lush gardens, green land, watered plains, thriving orchards and crowded streets, the amount of recompense would have decreased because of the lightness of the trial.	وَلَوْ أَرَادَ سُبْحَانَهُ أَنْ يَضَعَ بَيْتَهُ الْحَرَامَ، وَمَشَاعِرَهُ الْعِظَامَ، بَيْنَ جَنَّات وَأَنْهَار، وَسَهْل وَقَرَار، جَمَّ الاْشْجَارِ، دَانِيَ الِّثمارِ، مُلْتَفَّ الْبُنَى، مُتَّصِلَ الْقُرَى، بَيْنَ بُرَّة سَمْرَاءَ، وَرَوْضَة خَضْرَاءَ، وَأَرْيَاف مُحْدِقَة، وَعِرَاص مُغْدِقَة، وَزُرُوع نَاضِرَة، وَطُرُق عَامِرَة، لَكَانَ قَدْ صَغُرَ قَدْرُ الْجَزَاءِ عَلَى حَسَبِ ضَعْفِ الْبَلاَءِ.
If the foundation on which the House is borne and the stones with which it has been raised had been of green emerald and red rubies, and there had been brightness and effulgence, then this would have lessened the action of doubts in the breasts, would have dismissed the effect of Satan's activity from the hearts, and would have stopped the surging of misgivings in people.	وَلَوْ كَانَ الاْسَاسُ الْـمَحْمُولُ عَلَيْهَا، وَالاْحْجَارُ الْمَرْفُوعُ بِهَا، بَيْنَ زُمُرُّدَة خَضْرَاءَ، وَيَاقُوتَة حَمْرَاءَ، وَنُور وَضِيَاء، لَخَفَّفَ ذلِكَ مُضَارَعَةَ الشَّكِّ فِي الصُّدُورِ، وَلَوَضَعَ مُجَاهَدَةَ إبْلِيسَ عَنِ الْقُلُوبِ، وَلَنَفَى مُعْتَلَجَ الرَّيْبِ مِنَ الْنَّاسِ.
But Allah tries His creatures by means of different troubles, wants them to render worship through hardships and involves them in distresses, all in order to extract out vanity from their hearts, to settle down humbleness in their spirits and to make all this an open door for His favours and an easy means for His forgiveness (for their sins).	وَلكِنَّ اللهَ سُبْحَانَهُ يَخْتَبِرُ عِبَادَهُ بِأَنْوَاعِ الشَّدَائِدِ، وَيَتَعَبَّدُهُمْ بِأَلْوَانِ الْـمَجَاهِدِ، وَيَبْتَلِيهِمْ بِضُرُوبِ الْمَكَارِهِ، إِخْرَاجاً لِلتَّكَبُّرِ مِنْ قُلُوبِهِمْ، وَإِسْكَاناً لِلتَّذَلُّلِ فِي نُفُوسِهمْ، وَلِيَجْعَلْ ذلِكَ أَبْوَاباً فُتُحاً إِلَى فَضْلِهِ، وَأَسْبَاباً ذُلُلاً لِعَفْوِهِ.
(Fear) Allah! Allah! from the immediate consequence of rebellion (to accrue in this world), and the eventual consequence of weighty oppressiveness (to accrue in the next world), and from the evil result of vanity, because it is the great trap of Satan and his big deceit	فَاللهَ اللهَ فِي عَاجِلِ الْبَغْيِ، وَآجِلِ وَخَامَةِ الظُّلْمِ، وَسُوءِ عَاقِبَةِ الْكِبْرِ، فَإنَّهَا مَصْيَدَةُ إِبْلِيسَ الْعُظْمَى، وَمَكِيدَتهُ الْكُبْرَى،
which enters the hearts of the people like a fatal poison. It never goes waste, nor misses anyone - neither the learned because of his knowledge, nor the destitute in his rags.	الَّتِي تُسَاوِرُ قُلُوبَ الرِّجَالِ مُسَاوَرَةَ السُّمُومِ الْقَاتِلَةِ، فَمَا تُكْدِي أَبَداً، وَلاَ تُشْوِي أَحَداً، لاَ عَالِماً لِعِلْمِهِ، وَلاَ مُقِلاًّ في طِمْرِهِ.
This is the thing against which Allah has protected His creatures who are believers by means of prayers, and alms-giving, and suffering the hardship of fasting in the days in which it has been made obligatory,	وَعَنْ ذلِكَ مَا حَرَسَ اللهُ عِبَادَهُ الْمُؤْمِنِينَ بِالصَّلَوَاتِ وَالزَّكَوَاتِ، وَمُجَاهَدَةِ الصِّيَامِ فِي الاْيَّامِ الْمَفْرُوضَاتِ،
in order to give their limbs peacefulness, to cast fear in their eyes, to make their spirits humble, to give their hearts humility and to remove haughtiness from them. All this is achieved through the covering of their delicate cheeks with dust in humility,	تسْكِيناً لاَطْرَافِهِمْ، وَتَخْشِيعاً لاِبْصَارِهمْ، وَتَذْلِيلاً لِنُفُوسِهِمْ، وَتَخْفِيضاً لِقُلُوبِهِمْ، وَإِذْهَاباً لِلْخُيَلاَءِ عَنْهُمْ، لِما فِي ذلِكَ مِنْ تَعْفِيرِ عِتَاقِ الْوُجُوهِ بالتُّرَابِ تَوَاضُعاً،
prostrating their main limbs on the ground in humbleness, and retracting of their bellies so as to reach to their backs due to fasting by way of lowliness (before Allah), besides giving all sorts of products of the earth to the needy and the destitute by way of alms.	وَالْتِصَاقِ كَرَائِمِ الْجَوَارِحِ بِالاْرْضِ تَصَاغُراً، وَلُحُوقِ الْبُطُونِ بِالمُتونِ مِنَ الصِّيَامِ تَذَلُّلاً، مَعَ مَا فِي الزَّكَاةِ مِنْ صَرْفِ ثَمَرَاتِ الاْرْضِ وَغَيْرِ ذَلِكَ إِلَى أَهْلِ الْمَسْكَنَةِ وَالْفَقْرِ.
Look what there is in these acts by way of curbing the appearance of pride and suppressing the traces of vanity.	انْظُرُوا إِلَى مَا فِي هذِهِ الاْفْعَالِ مِنْ قَمْعِ نَوَاجِمِ الْفَخْرِ، وَقَدْعِ طَوَالِعِ الْكِبْرِ!
I cast my glance and noticed that no one in the world, except you, feels vanity for anything without a cause which may appeal to the ignorant,	وَلَقَدْ نَظَرْتُ فَمَا وَجَدْتُ أَحَداً مِنَ الْعَالَمِينَ يَتَعَصَّبُ لِشَيْء مِنَ الاْشْيَاءِ إِلاَّ عَنْ عِلَّة تَحْتَمِلُ تَمْوِيهَ الْجُهَلاَءِ،
or a reason which may cling to the minds of the foolish, because you feel vanity for something for which no reason is discernible, nor any ground.	أَوْ حُجَّة تَلِيطُ بِعُقُولِ السُّفَهَاءِ غَيْرَكُمْ، فَإِنَّكُمْ تَتَعَصَّبُونَ لاِمْر مَا يُعْرَفُ لَهُ سَبَبٌ وَلاَ عِلَّةٌ.
As for Satan, he felt proud over Adam because of his origin and taunted at him about his creation, since he said "I am of fire while you are of clay."	أَمَّا إِبْلِيسُ فَتَعَصَّبَ عَلَى آدَمَ لاِصْلِهِ، وَطَعَنَ عَلَيْهِ فِي خِلْقَتِهِ، فَقَالَ: أَنَا نَارِيٌّ وَأَنْتَ طِينِيٌّ.
In the same way the rich among the prosperous communities have been feeling vanity because of their riches, as (Allah) said: And said they: "We are more (than you) in wealth and in children, and we shall not be chastised."	وَأَمَّا الاْغْنِيَاءُ مِنْ مُتْرَفَةِ الاْمَمِ، فَتَعَصَّبُوا لاِثَارِ مَوَاقِعِ النِّعَمِ، فَـ«قَالُوا نَحْنُ أَكْثَرُ أَمْوَالاً وَأَوْلاَداً وَمَا نَحْنُ بِمُعَذَّبِينَ»
In case you cannot avoid vanity, your vanity should be for good qualities, praiseworthy acts, and admirable matters with which the dignified and noble chiefs of the Arab families distinguished themselves,	فَإنْ كَانَ لاَ بُدَّ مِنَ الْعَصَبِيَّةِ، فَلْيَكُنْ تَعَصُّبُهُمْ لِمَكَارِمِ الْخِصَالِ، وَمَحَامِدِ الاْفْعَالِ، وَمَحَاسِنِ الاْمُورِ، الَّتِي تَفَاضَلَتْ فِيهَا الْـمُجَدَاءُ وَالنُّجَدَاءُ مِنْ بُيُوتَاتِ الْعَرَبِ وَيَعَاسِيبِ الْقَبَائِلِ،
as attractive manners, high thinking, respectable position and good performances. You too should show vanity in praiseworthy habits like the protection of the neighbour, the fulfilment of agreements, obedience to the virtuous, opposition to the haughty, extending generosity to others, abstention from rebellion, keeping aloof from blood-shed, doing justice to people, suppressing anger and avoiding trouble on the earth.	بِالاْخْلاَقِ الرَّغِيبَةِ، وَالاْحْلاَمِ الْعَظِيمَةِ، وَالاْخْطَارِ الْجَلِيلَةِ، وَالاْثَارِ الَمحْمُودَةِ. فَتَعَصَّبُوا لِخِلاَلِ الْحَمْدِ مِنَ الْحِفْظِ لِلْجِوَارِ، وَالْوَفَاءِ بِالذِّمَامِ، وَالطَّاعَةِ لِلْبِرِّ، وَالْمَعْصِيَةِ لِلْكِبْرِ، وَالاْخْذِ بِالْفَضْلِ، وَالْكَفِّ عَنِ الْبَغْيِ، وَالاْعْظَامِ لِلْقَتْلِ، وَالاْنْصَافِ لِلْخَلْقِ، وَالْكَظْمِ لِلْغَيْظِ، وَاجْتِنَابِ الْفَسَادِ فِي الاْرْضِ.
You should also fear what calamities befell peoples before you on account of their evil deeds and detestable actions. Remember, during good or bad circumstances, what happened to them, and be cautious that you do not become like them.	واحْذَرُوا مَا نَزَلَ بِالاْمَمِ قَبْلَكُمْ مِنَ الْمَثُلاَتِ بِسُوءِ الاْفْعَالِ، وَذَمِيمِ الاْعْمَالِ، فَتَذَكَّرُوا فِي الْخَيْرِ وَالشَّرِّ أَحْوَالَهُمْ، وَاحْذَرُوا أَنْ تَكُونُوا أَمْثَالَهُمْ.
After you have thought over both the conditions of these people, attach yourself to everything with which their position became honourable, on account of which enemies remained away from them through which safety spread over them, by reason of which riches bowed before them and as a result of which distinction connected itself with their rope.	فَإِذَا تَفَكَّرْتُمْ فِي تَفَاوُتِ حَالَيْهِمْ، فَالْزَمُوا كُلَّ أَمْر لَزِمَتِ الْعِزَّةُ بِهِ حَالَهُمْ، وَزَاحَتِ الاْعْدَاءُ لَهُ عَنْهُمْ، وَمُدَّتِ الْعَافِيَةُ فِيهِ عَلَيْهِمْ، وَانْقَادَتِ النِّعْمَةُ لَهُ مَعَهُمْ، وَوَصَلَتِ الْكَرَامَةُ عَلَيْهِ حَبْلَهُم:
These things were abstention from division, sticking to unity, calling each other to it and advising each other about it. You avoid everything which broke their backbone and weakened their power, such as malice in the heart, hatred in the chest, turning away (from each other's help) and withholding the hand from one another's assistance.	مِنَ الاْجْتِنَابِ لِلْفُرْقَةِ، وَاللُّزُومِ لِلاْلْفَةِ، وَالتَّحَاضِّ عَلَيْهَا، وَالتَّوَاصِي بِهَا. وَاجْتَنِبُوا كُلَّ أَمْر كَسَرَ فِقْرَتَهُمْ، وَأَوْهَنَ مُنَّتَهُمْ: مِنْ تَضَاغُنِ الْقُلُوبِ، وَتَشَاحُنِ الصُّدُورِ، وتَدَابُرِ النُّفُوسِ، وَتَخَاذُلِ الاْيْدِي.
Think about the condition of people from among the believers who passed before you. What distresses and trials they were in! Were they not the most over-burdened among all the people and in the most straitened circumstances in the whole world?	وَتَدَبَّرُوا أَحْوَالَ الْمَاضِينَ مِنَ الْمُؤمِنِينَ قَبْلَكُمْ، كَيْفَ كَانُوا فِي حَالِ التـَّمحِيصِ وَالْبَلاَءِ؟ أَلَمْ يَكُونُوا أَثْقَلَ الْخَلاَئِقِ أَعْبَاءً، وَأَجْهَدَ الْعِبَادِ بَلاَءً، وَأَضْيَقَ أَهْلِ الدُّنْيَا حَالاً؟!
The Pharaohs took them as slaves. They inflicted on them the worst punishments and bitter sufferings. They continuously remained in this state of ruinous disgrace and severe subjugation. They found no method for escape and no way for protection.	اتَّخَذَتْهُمُ الْفَراعِنَةُ عَبِيداً فَسَامُوهُم سُوءَ الْعَذَابِ، وَجَرَّعُوهُمُ الْمُرَارَ، فَلَمْ تَبْرَحِ الْحَالُ بِهِمْ فِي ذُلِّ الْهَلَكَةِ وَقَهْرِ الْغَلَبَةِ، لاَ يَجِدُونَ حِيلَةً فِي امْتِنَاع، وَلاَ سَبِيلاً إِلَى دِفَاع،
Till when Allah, the Glorified, noticed that they were enduring troubles in His love and bearing distresses out of fear for Him, He provided escape from the distress of trials. So, He changed their disgrace into honour and fear into safety.	فَصَارُوا مُلُوكاً حُكَّاماً، وأَئِمَّةً أَعْلاَماً، وَبَلَغَتِ الْكَرَامَةُ مِنَ اللهِ لَهُمْ مَا لَمْ تَذْهَبِ الاْمَالُ إِلَيْهِ بِهِمْ.
Consequently, they became ruling kings and conspicuous leaders and Allah's favours over them reached limits to which their own wishes had not reached.	حَتَّى إِذَا رَأَى اللهُ جِدَّ الصَّبْرِ مِنْهُمْ عَلَى الاْذَى فِي مَحَبَّتِهِ، وَالاحْتِمالَ لِلْمَكْرُوهِ مِنْ خَوْفِهِ، جَعَلَ لَهُمْ مِنْ مَضَايِقِ الْبَلاَءِ فَرَجاً، فَأَبْدَلَهُمُ الْعِزَّ مَكَانَ الذُّلِّ، وَالاْمْنَ مَكَانَ الْخَوْفِ،
Look, how they were when their groups were united, their views were unanimous, their hearts were moderate, their hands used to help one another, their swords were intended for assisting one another, their eyes were sharp and their aims were the same.	فَانْظُرُوا كَيْفَ كَانُوا حَيْثُ كَانَتِ الاْمْلاَءُ مُجْتَمِعَةً، وَالاْهْوَاءُ مُؤْتَلِفَةً، وَالْقُلُوبُ مُعْتَدِلَةً، وَالاْيْدِي مُتَرَادِفَةً، وَالسُّيُوفُ مُتَنَاصِرَةً، وَالْبَصَائِرُ نَافِذَةً، وَالْعَزَائِمُ وَاحِدَةً،
Did they not become masters of the corners of the earth and rulers over the neck of all the worlds? Thereafter, also see what happened to them towards the end when division overtook them, unity became fractured, and differences arose between their words and their hearts. They divided into various groups and were scattered fighting among themselves.	قَدْ خَلَعَ اللهُ عَنْهُمْ لِبَاسَ كَرَامَتِهِ، وَسَلَبَهُمْ غَضَارَةَ نِعْمَتِهِ، وَبَقّى قَصَصَ أَخْبَارِهِمْ فِيكُمْ عِبَراً لِلْمُعْتَبِرِينَ.
Then Allah took away from them the apparel of His honour and deprived them of the prosperity produced by His favours. Only their stories have remained among you for the guidance of those who may learn the lesson from them.	أَلَمْ يَكُونُوا أَرْبَاباً فِي أَقْطَارِ الاْرَضِينَ، وَمُلُوكاً عَلَى رِقَابِ الْعَالَمِينَ؟ فَانْظُرُوا إِلَى مَا صَارُوا إِلَيْهِ فِي آخِرِ أُمُورِهِمْ، حِينَ وَقَعَتِ الْفُرْقَةُ، وَتَشَتَّتَتِ الاْلْفَةُ، وَاخْتَلَفَتِ الْكَلِمَةُ وَالاْفْئِدَةُ، وَتَشَعَّبُوا مُخْتَلِفِينَ، وَتَفَرَّقُوا مُتَحَارِبِينَ،
You should take a lesson from the fate of the progeny of Ismael, the children of Isaac and the children of Israel. How similar are their affairs and how akin are their examples.	فَاعْتَبِرُوا بِحَالِ وَلَدِ إِسْمَاعِيلَ وَبَنِي إِسْحَاقَ وَبَنِي إِسْرَائِيلَ (عليهم السلام)، فَمَا أَشَدَّ اعْتِدَالَ الاْحْوَالِ، وَأَقْرَبَ اشْتِبَاهَ الاْمْثَالِ!
In connection with the details of their division and disunity, think of the days when Kisras of Persia and the Caesars of Rome had become their masters. They turned them out from the pastures of their lands, the rivers of Iraq and the fertility of the world, towards thorny forests, the passages of (hot) winds and hardships in livelihood.	تَأَمَّلُوا أَمْرَهُمْ فِي حَالِ تَشَتُّتِهِمْ، وَتَفَرُّقِهِمْ، لَيَالِيَ كَانَتِ الاْكَاسِرَةُ وَالْقَيَاصِرَةُ أَرْبَاباً لَهُمْ، يَحْتَازُونَهُمْ عَنْ رِيفِ الاْفَاقِ، وَبَحْرِ الْعِرَاقِ، وَخُضْرَةِ الدُّنْيَا، إِلَى مَنَابِتِ الشِّيحِ، وَمَهَا فِي الرِّيحِ، وَنَكَدِ الْمَعَاشِ،
In this way they turned them into just herders of camels. Their houses were the worst in the world and their places of stay were the most drought-stricken. There was not one voice towards which they could turn for protection, nor any shade of affection on whose strength they could repose trust.	فَتَرَكُوهُمْ عَالَةً مَسَاكِينَ إِخْوَانَ دَبَر وَوَبَر، أَذَلَّ الاْمَمِ داراً، وَأَجْدَبَهُمْ قَرَاراً، لاَ يَأْوُونَ إِلَى جَنَاحِ دَعْوَة يَعْتَصِمُونَ بِهَا، وَلاَ إِلَى ظِلِّ أُلْفَة يَعْتَمِدُونَ عَلَى عِزِّهَا،
Their condition was full of distress. Their hands were scattered. Their majority was divided. They were in great anguish and under layers of ignorance. They buried their daughters alive, worshipped idols, disregarded kinship and practised robbery.	فَالاْحْوَالُ مُضْطَرِبَةٌ، وَالاْيْدِي مُخْتَلِفَةٌ، وَالْكَثْرَةُ مُتَفَرِّقَةٌ، فِي بَلاَءِ أَزْل، وأَطْبَاقِ جَهْل! مِنْ بَنَات مَوْءُودَة، وَأَصْنَام مَعْبُودَة، وَأَرْحَام مَقْطُوعَة، وَغَارَات مَشْنُونَة.
Now, look at the various favours of Allah upon them, that He deputed towards them a prophet who got them to pledge their obedience to him and made them unite at his call. (Look) how (Allah's) bounty spread the wings of its favours over them and flowed for them streams of its blessing,	فَانْظُرُوا إِلَى مَوَاقِعِ نِعَمِ اللهِ سُبْحَانَهُ عَلَيْهِمْ حِينَ بَعَثَ إِلَيْهِمْ رَسُولاً، فَعَقَدَ بِمِلَّتِهِ طَاعَتَهُمْ، وَجَمَعَ عَلَى دَعْوَتِهِ أُلْفَتَهُمْ، كَيْفَ نَشَرَتِ النِّعْمَةُ عَلَيْهِمْ جَنَاحَ كَرَامَتِهَا، وَأَسَالَتْ لَهُمْ جَدَاوِلَ نَعِيمِهَا،
and the whole community became wrapped in blissful prosperity.	وَالْتَفَّتِ الْمِلَّةُ بِهِمْ فِي عَوَائِدِ بَرَكَتِهَا، فَأَصْبَحُوا فِي نِعْمَتِهَا غَرِقِينَ، وَفِي خُضْرَةِ عَيْشِهَا فَكِهِينَ،
Consequently, they were submerged under its bounty and enjoyed its lush life. Their affairs were settled under the protection of a powerful ruler, and circumstances offered them overpowering honour, and all things became easy for them under the auspices of a strong country.	قَدْ تَرَبَّعَتِ الاْمُورُ بِهِمْ، فِي ظِلِّ سُلْطَان قَاهِر، وَآوَتْهُمُ الْحَالُ إِلَى كَنَفِ عِزّ غَالِب، وَتَعَطَّفَتِ الاْمُورُ عَلَيْهِمْ فِي ذُرَى مُلْك ثَابِت،
They became rulers over the world and kings in the (various) parts of the earth. They became masters of those who were formerly their masters, and began issuing commands over those who used to command them. They were so strong that neither did their spears need testing nor did their weapons have any flaw.	فَهُمْ حُكَّامٌ عَلَى الْعَالَمِينَ، وَمُلُوكٌ فِي أَطْرَافِ الاْرَضِينَ، يَمْلِكُونَ الاْمُورَ عَلَى مَنْ كَانَ يَمْلِكُهَا عَلَيْهِمْ، وَيُمْضُونَ الاَْحْكَامَ فِيمَنْ كَانَ يُمْضِيهَا فِيهِمْ! لاَ تُغْمَزُ لَهُمْ قَنَاةٌ، وَلاَ تُقْرَعُ لَهُمْ صَفَاةٌ!
Beware! You have shaken your hands loose from the rope of obedience, and broken the divine fort around you by (resorting to) pre-Islamic rules.	أَلاَ وَإنَّكُمْ قَد نَفَضْتُمْ أَيْدِيَكُمْ مِنْ حَبْلِ الطاعَةِ، وَثَلَمْتُمْ حِصْنَ اللهِ الْمَضْرُوبَ عَلَيْكُمْ، بَأَحْكَامِ الْجَاهِلِيَّةِ،
Certainly, it is a great blessing of Allah, the Glorified, on this Ummah, that He has engendered among them unity through the cord of affection in whose shade they walk and take shelter. This is a blessing whose value no one in the whole world realises, because it is more valuable than any price and higher than any wealth.	فَإِنَّ اللهَ سُبْحَانَهُ قَدْ امْتَنَّ عَلَى جَمَاعَةِ هذِهِ الاْمَّةِ فِيَما عَقَدَ بَيْنَهُمْ مِنْ حَبْلِ هذِهِ الاْلْفَةِ الَّتِي يَنْتَقِلُونَ فِي ظِلِّهَا، وَيَأْوُونَ إَلَى كَنَفِهَا، بِنِعْمَة لاَ يَعْرِفُ أَحَدٌ مِنَ الْـمَخْلُوقِينَ لَهَا قِيمَةً، لاِنَّهَا أَرْجَحُ مِنْ كُلِّ ثَمَن، وَأَجَلُّ مِنْ كُلِّ خَطَر.
You should know that you have again reverted to the position of the Bedouin Arabs after migration (to Islam), and have become different parties after having been once united. You do not possess anything of Islam except its name, and know nothing of belief save its show.	وَاعْلَمُوا أَنَّكُمْ صِرْتُمْ بَعْدَ الْهِجْرَةِ أَعْرَاباً، وَبَعْدَ الْمُوَالاَةِ أحْزَاباً، مَا تَتَعَلَّقُونَ مِنَ الاْسْلاَمِ إِلاَّ بِاسْمِهِ، وَلاَ تَعْرِفُونَ مِنَ الاْيمَانِ إِلاَّ رَسْمَهُ،
You say, "The Fire yes, but no shameful position," as if you would throw down Islam on its face in order to defame its honour and break its pledge (for brotherhood) which Allah gave you as a sacred trust on His earth and (a source of) peace among the people.	تَقُولُونَ: النَّارَ وَلاَ الْعَارَ! كَأَنَّكُمْ تُرِيدُونَ أَنْ تُكْفِئُوا الاْسْلاَمَ عَلَى وَجْهِهِ، انْتِهَاكاً لِحَرِيمِهِ، وَنَقْضاً لِمِيثَاقِهِ الَّذِي وَضَعَهُ اللهُ لَكُمْ حَرَماً فِي أَرْضِهِ، وأَمْناً بَيْنَ خَلْقِهِ.
Be sure that if you incline towards anything other than Islam, the unbelievers will fight you. Then there will be neither Gabriel nor Michael, neither muhajirun nor ansar to help you, but only the clashing of swords, till Allah settles the matter for you.	وإِنَّكُمْ إِنْ لَجَأْتُمْ إِلَى غَيْرِهِ حَارَبَكُمْ أَهْلُ الْكُفْرِ، ثُمَّ لاَ جَبْرَائِيلُ وَلاَ مِيكَائِيلُ وَلاَ مُهَاجِرُونَ وَلاَ أَنْصَارٌ يَنْصُرُونَكُمْ إِلاَّ الْمُقَارَعَةَ بِالسَّيْفِ حَتَّى يَحْكُمَ اللهُ بَيْنَكُمْ.
Certainly, there are examples before you of Allah's wrath, punishment, days of tribulations and happenings. Therefore, do not disregard His promises, ignoring His punishment, making light His wrath and not expecting His violence,	وَإِنَّ عِنْدَكُمُ الاْمْثَالَ مِنْ بَأْسِ اللهِ تَعَالَى وَقَوَارِعِهِ، وَأَيَّامِهِ وَوَقَائِعِهِ، فَلاَ تَسْتَبْطِئُوا وَعِيدَهُ جَهْلاً بَأَخْذِهِ، وَتَهَاوُناً بِبَطْشِهِ، وَيأْساً مِنْ بَأْسِهِ،
because Allah, the Glorified, did not curse the past ages except because they had left off asking others to do good acts and refraining them from bad acts. In fact Allah cursed the foolish for committing sins and the wise because they gave up refraining others from evils. Beware! You have broken the bonds of Islam, transgressed its limits, and destroyed its commands.	فَإِنَّ اللهَ سُبْحَانَهُ لَمْ يَلْعَنِ الْقَرْنَ الْمَاضِيَ بَيْنَ أَيْدِيكُمْ إِلاَّ لِتَرْكِهِمُ الاْمْرَ بِالْمَعْرُوفِ وَالنَّهْيَ عَنِ المُنكَرِ، فَلَعَنَ السُّفَهَاءَ لِرُكُوبِ الْمَعَاصِي، وَالْحُلَمَاءَ لِتَرْكِ الْتَّنَاهِيْ! أَلاَ وَقَدْ قَطَعْتُمْ قَيْدَ الاْسْلاَمِ، وَعَطَّلْتُمْ حُدُودَهُ، وَأَمَتُّمْ أَحْكَامَهُ.
Beware! Surely Allah has commanded me to fight those who revolt, or who break the pledge, or create trouble on the earth. As regards pledge-breakers, I have fought them, as regards deviators from truth, I have waged holy war against them, and as regards those who have gone out of the faith, I have put them in (serious) disgrace.	أَلاَ وَقَدْ أَمَرَنِيَ اللهُ بِقِتَالِ أَهْلِ الْبَغْي وَالْنَّكْثِ وَالْفَسَادِ فِي الاْرْضِ، فَأَمَّا النَّاكِثُونَ فَقَدْ قَاتَلْتُ، وَأَمَّا الْقَاسِطُونَ فَقَدْ جَاهَدْتُ، وَأَمَّا الْمَارِقَةُ فَقَدْ دَوَّخْتُ،
As for Satan of the pit, he too has been dealt with by me through the loud cry with which the scream of his heart and shaking of his chest was also heard. Only a small portion of the rebels has remained. If Allah allows me one more chance over them I will annihilate them except a few remnants that may remain scattered in the suburb of the cities.	وَأَمَّا شَيْطَانُ الرَّدْهَةِ فَقَدْ كُفِيتُهُ بِصَعْقَة سُمِعْتْ لَهَا وَجْبَةُ قَلْبِهِ وَرَجَّةُ صَدْرِهِ، وَبَقِيَتْ بَقِيَّةٌ مِنْ أَهْلِ الْبَغْيِ، وَلَئِنْ أَذِنَ اللهُ فِي الْكَرَّةِ عَلَيْهِمْ لاَدِيلَنَّ مِنْهُمْ إِلاَّ مَا يَتَشَذَّرُ فِي أَطْرَافِ الاْرْضِ تَشَذُّراً!
Even in my boyhood I had lowered the chest of (the famous men) of Arabia, and broken the horn points (i.e., defeated the chiefs) of the tribes of Rabi’ah and Mudar. Certainly, you know my position of close kinship and special relationship with the Prophet of Allah - peace and blessing of Allah be upon him and his descendants. When I was only a child he took charge of me. He used to press me to his chest and lay me beside him in his bed, bring his body close to mine and make me smell his fragrance. He used to chew something and then feed me with it. He found no lie in my speaking, nor weakness in any act.	أَنَا وَضَعْتُ [فِي الصِّغَرَ] بَكَلاَكِلِ الْعَرَبِ، وَكَسَرْتُ نَوَاجِمَ قُرُونِ رَبِيعَةَ وَمُضَرَ. وَقَدْ عَلِمْتُمْ مَوْضِعِي مِنْ رَسُولِ اللهِ (ص) بِالْقَرَابَةِ الْقَرِيبَةِ، وَالْمَنْزِلَةِ الْخَصِيصَةِ: وَضَعَنِي فِي حِجْرِهِ وَأَنَا وليدٌ يَضُمُّنِي إِلَى صَدْرِهِ، وَيَكْنُفُنِي فِي فِرَاشِهِ، وَيُمِسُّنِي جَسَدَهُ، وَيُشِمُّنِي عَرْفَهُ، وَكَانَ يَمْضَغُ الشَّيْءَ ثُمَّ يُلْقِمُنِيهِ، وَمَا وَجَدَ لِي كَذْبَةً فِي قَوْل، وَلاَ خَطْلَةً فِي فِعْل.
From the time of his weaning, Allah had put a mighty angel with him to take him along the path of high character and good behaviour through day and night, while I used to follow him like a young camel following in the footprints of its mother. Every day he would show me in the form of a banner some of his high traits and commanded me to follow it.	وَلَقَدْ قَرَنَ اللهُ تَعَالَى بِهِ (ص) مِنْ لَدُنْ [أَنْ] كَانَ فَطِيماً أَعْظَمَ مَلَك مِنْ مَلاَئِكَتِهِ يَسْلُكُ بِهِ طَرِيقَ الْمَكَارِمِ، وَمَحَاسِنَ أَخْلاَقِ الْعَالَمِ، لَيْلَهُ وَنَهَارَهُ، وَلَقَدْ كُنْتُ أَتَّبِعُهُ اتِّبَاعَ الْفَصِيلِ أَثَرَ أُمِّهِ، يَرْفَعُ لي فِي كُلِّ يَوْم عَلَماً مِنْ أخْلاقِهِ، وَيَأْمُرُني بِالاقْتِدَاءِ بِهِ.
Every year he used to go in seclusion to the hill of Hira', where I saw him but no one else saw him. In those days Islam did not exist in any house except that of the Prophet of Allah - peace and blessing of Allah be upon him and his descendants - and Khadijah, while I was the third after these two. I used to see and watch the effulgence of divine revelation and message, and breathed the scent of Prophethood.	وَلَقَدْ كَانَ يُجَاوِرُ فِي كُلِّ سَنَة بِحِرَاءَ، فَأَرَاهُ وَلاَ يَرَاهُ غَيْرِي، وَلَمْ يَجْمَعْ بَيْتٌ وَاحِدٌ يَوْمَئِذ فِي الاْسْلاَمِ غَيْرَ رَسُولِ اللهِ (ص) وَخَدِيجَةَ وَأَنَا ثَالِثُهُمَا، أَرَى نُورَ الْوَحْيِ وَالرِّسَالَةِ، وَأَشُمُّ رِيحَ النُّبُوَّةِ.
When the revelation descended on the Prophet of Allah - peace and blessing of Allah be upon him and his descendants - I heard the moan of Satan. I said, "O Prophet of Allah, what is this moan?" and he replied, "This is Satan who has lost all hope of being worshiped. O Ali, you see all that I see and you hear all that I hear, except that you are not a prophet, but you are a vicegerent and you are surely on (the path of) virtue."	وَلَقَدْ سَمِعْتُ رَنَّةَ الشَّيْطَانِ حِينَ نَزَلَ الْوَحْيُ عَلَيْهِ (ص) فَقُلْتُ: يَا رَسُولَ اللهِ مَا هذِهِ الرَّنَّةُ؟ فَقَالَ: «هذَا الشَّيْطَانُ قَدْ أَيِسَ مِنْ عِبَادَتِهِ، إِنَّكَ تَسْمَعُ مَا أَسْمَعُ، وَتَرَى مَا أَرَى، إِلاَّ أَنَّكَ لَسْتَ بِنَبِيّ، وَلكِنَّكَ وَزِيرٌ، وَإِنَّكَ لَعَلَى خَيْر».
I was with him when a party of the Quraysh came to him and said to him:	وَلَقَدْ كُنْتُ مَعَهُ (ص) لَمَّا أَتاهُ المَلاَ مِنْ قُريْش، فَقَالُوا لَهُ:
"O Muhammad, you have made a big claim which none of your fore-fathers or those of your family have made. We ask you one thing; if you give us an answer to it and show it to us, we will believe that you are a prophet and a messenger, but if you cannot do it, we will know that you are a sorcerer and a liar."	يَا مُحُمَّدُ، إِنَّكُ قَدِ ادَّعْيْتَ عَظِيماً لَمْ يَدَّعِهِ آبَاؤُكَ وَلاَ أحَدٌ مِن بَيْتِكَ، وَنَحْنُ نَسَأَلُكَ أَمْراً إِنْ أَجَبْتَنَا إِلَيْهِ وَأَرَيْتَنَاهُ، عَلِمْنَا أَنَّكَ نِبِيٌّ وَرَسُولٌ، وَإِنْ لَمْ تَفْعَلْ عَلِمْنَا أَنَّكَ سَاحِرٌ كَذَّابٌ.
The Messenger of Allah said: "What do you ask for?" They said: "Ask this tree to move for us, even with its roots, and stop before you."	فَقَالَ لهم (ص): «وَمَا تَسْأَلُونَ؟». قَالُوا: تَدْعُو لَنَا هذِهِ الشَّجَرَةَ حَتَّى تَنْقَلِعَ بِعُرُوقِهَا وَتَقِفَ بَيْنَ يَدَيْكَ.
The Prophet said, "Verily, Allah has power over everything. If Allah does it for you, will you then believe and stand witness to the truth?"	فَقَالَ (ص): «إِنَّ الله عَلَى كُلِّ شَيْء قَدِيرٌ، فإِنْ فَعَلَ اللهُ ذلِكَ لَكُمْ، أَتُؤْمِنُونَ وَتَشْهَدُونَ بِالْحَقِّ؟»
They said "Yes". Then he said, "I shall show you whatever you want, but I know that you won't bend towards virtue, and there are among you those who will be thrown into the pit, and those who will form parties (against me)."	قَالُوا: نَعَمْ. قَالَ: «فَإِنِّي سَأُرِيكُمْ مَا تَطْلُبُونَ، وإِنِّي لاَعْلَمُ أَنَّكُمْ لاَ تَفِيئُونَ إِلَى خَيْر، وَإِنَّ فِيكُمْ مَنْ يُطْرَحُ فِي الْقَلِيبِ، وَمَنْ يُحَزِّبُ الاْحْزَابَ».
Then the Holy Prophet said: "O tree, if you do believe in Allah and the Day of Judgement, and know that I am the Prophet of Allah, come up with your roots and stand before me with the permission of Allah."	ثُمَّ قَالَ: «يَا أَيَّتُهَا الشَّجَرَةُ إِنْ كُنْتِ تُؤمِنِينَ بِاللهِ وَاليَوْمِ الاْخِرِ، وَتَعْلَمِينَ أَنِّي رَسُولُ اللهِ، فَانْقَلِعِي بعُرُوقِكِ حَتَّى تَقِفِي بَيْنَ يَدَيَّ بِإِذْنِ اللهِ».
By Him who deputed the Prophet with truth, the tree did remove itself with its root and came with a great humming sound and a flapping like the flapping of the wings of birds, till it stopped before the Messenger of Allah and cast its higher branches over the Prophet, while some of its branches came down onto my shoulders, and I was on the right side of the Holy Prophet.	فَوَالَّذِي بَعَثَهُ بِالْحَقِّ نَبِيّاً لاَنْقَلَعَتْ بِعُرُوقِهَا، وَجَاءَتْ وَلَهَا دَوِيٌّ شَدِيدٌ، وَقَصْفٌ كَقَصْفِ أَجْنِحَةِ الطَّيْرِ، حَتَّى وَقَفَتْ بَيْنَ يَدَيْ رَسُولِ اللهِ (ص) مُرَفْرِفَةً، وَأَلْقَتْ بِغُصْنِهَا الاْعْلَى عَلَى رَسُولِ اللهِ (ص)، وَبِبَعْضِ أَغْصَانِهَا عَلَى مَنْكِبِي، وَكُنْتُ عَنْ يَمِينِهِ (عليه السلام).
When the people saw this they said by way of pride and vanity. "Now you order half of it to come to you and the other half of it remain (in its place)." The Holy Prophet ordered the tree to do the same. Then half of the tree advanced towards him in an amazing manner and with greater humming.	فَلَمَّا نَظَرَ الْقَوْمُ إِلَى ذلِكَ قَالُوا ـ عُلُوّاً وَاسْتِكْبَاراً ـ : فَمُرْهَا فَلْيَأْتِكَ نِصْفُهَا وَيَبْقَى نِصْفُهَا. فَأَمَرَهَا بِذلِكَ، فَأَقْبَلَ إِلَيْهِ نِصْفُهَا كَأَعْجَبِ إِقْبَال وَأَشَدِّهِ دَوِيّاً،
It was about to touch the Prophet of Allah. Then they said, disbelieving and revolting, "Ask this half to get back to its other half and be as it was." The Prophet ordered it and it returned.	فَكَادَتْ تَلْتَفُّ بِرَسُولِ اللهِ (ص). فَقَالُوا ـ كُفْراً وَعُتُوّاً ـ : فَمُرْ هذَا النِّصْفَ فَلْيَرْجِعْ إِلَى نِصْفِهِ كَمَا كَانَ. فَأَمَرَهُ فَرَجَعَ.
Then I said, "There is no god but Allah! O Prophet of Allah, I am the first to believe in you and to acknowledge that the tree did what it did just now with the command of Allah, the Sublime, in testimony to your Prophethood and to heighten your word”.	فَقُلْتُ أَنَا: لاَ إِلهَ إِلاَّ اللهُ، إِنِّي أَوَّلُ مْؤْمِن بِكَ يَا رَسُولَ اللهِ، وَأَوَّلُ مَنْ آمَنَ أَنَّ الشَّجَرَةَ فَعَلَتْ مَا فَعَلَتْ بِأَمْرِ اللهِ تَصْدِيقاً لِنُبُوَّتِكَ، وإِجْلاَلاً لِكَلِمَتِكَ.
Upon this all the people shouted, "Rather a sorcerer, a liar; it is wonderful sorcery, he is very adept in it. Only a man like this (pointing to me) can stand testimony to you in your affairs."	فَقَالَ الْقَوْمُ كُلُّهُمْ: بَلْ سَاحِرٌ كَذَّابٌ، عَجِيبُ السِّحْرِ خَفِيفٌ فِيهِ، وَهَلْ يُصَدِّقُكَ فِي أَمْرِكَ إِلاَّ مِثْلُ هذَا (يَعْنُونَنِي).
Certainly, I belong to the group of people who care not for the reproach of anybody in matters concerning Allah. Their countenance is the countenance of the truthful and their speech is the speech of the virtuous. They are wakeful during the nights (in devotion to Allah), and over beacons (of guidance) in the day. T	وَإِنِّي لَمِنْ قَوْم لاَ تَأخُذُهُمْ فِي اللهِ لَوْمَةُ لاَئِم، سِيَماهُمْ سِيَما الصِّدِّيقِينَ، وَكَلاَمُهُمْ كَلاَمُ الاْبْرَارِ، عُمَّارُ اللَّيْلِ، وَمَنَارُ النَّهَارِ،
hey hold fast to the rope of the Qur'an. revive the traditions of Allah and of His Prophet. They do not boast nor indulge in self conceit, nor misappropriate, nor create mischief. Their hearts are in Paradise while their bodies are busy in (good) acts.	مُتَمَسِّكُونَ بِحَبْلِ الْقُرْآنِ، يُحْيُونَ سُنَنَ اللهِ وسُنَنَ رَسُولِهِ، لاَ يَسْتَكْبِرُونَ وَلاَيَعْلُونَ، وَلاَيَغُلُّونَ وَلاَ يُفْسِدُونَ، قُلُوبُهُمْ فِي الْجِنَانِ، وَأَجْسَادُهُمْ في الْعَمَلِ!