ومن خطبة له (عليه السلام) يذكر فيها ابتداءَ خلق السماءِ والاَرض، وخلق آدم (عليه الصلاة والسلام) ومنها ذكر في الحج. (وتحتوي على حمد الله، وخلق العالم، وخلق الملائكة، واختيار الانبياء، ومبعث النبي، والقرآن، والاحكام الشرعية.)

In this sermon he recalls the creation of Earth and Sky and the creation of Adam and in it he mentions the Hajj.

الحَمْدُ للهِ الَّذَي لاَ يَبْلُغُ مِدْحَتَهُ القَائِلُونَ، وَلاِ يُحْصِي نَعْمَاءَهُ العَادُّونَ، ولاَ يُؤَدِّي حَقَّهُ الُمجْتَهِدُونَ، الَّذِي لاَ يُدْركُهُ بُعْدُ الهِمَمِ، وَلاَ يَنَالُهُ غَوْصُ الفِطَنِ، الَّذِي لَيْسَ لِصِفَتِهِ حَدٌّ مَحْدُودٌ، وَلاَ نَعْتٌ مَوْجُودٌ، وَلا وَقْتٌ مَعْدُودٌ، وَلا أَجَلٌ مَمْدُودٌ. فَطَرَ الخَلائِقَ بِقُدْرَتِهَ، وَنَشَرَ الرِّيَاحَ بِرَحْمَتِهِ، وَوَتَّدَ بِالصُّخُورِ مَيَدَانَ أَرْضِهِ.

Praise is due to Allāh whose worth cannot be described by speakers, whose bounties cannot be counted by calculators and whose claim (to obedience) cannot be satisfied by those who attempt to do so, whom the height of intellectual courage cannot appreciate, and the divings of understanding cannot reach; He for whose description no limit has been laid down, no eulogy exists, no time is ordained and no duration is fixed. He brought forth creation through His Omnipotence, dispersed winds through His Compassion, and made firm the shaking earth with rocks.

أَوَّلُ الدِّينِ مَعْرِفَتُهُ، وَكَمَالُ مَعْرِفَتِهِ التَّصْديقُ بِهِ، وَكَمَالُ التَّصْدِيقِ بِهِ تَوْحِيدُهُ، وَكَمَالُ تَوْحِيدِهِ الاخْلاصُ لَهُ، وَكَمَالُ الاخْلاصِ لَهُ نَفْيُ الصِّفَاتِ عَنْهُ، لِشَهَادَةِ كُلِّ صِفَة أَنَّها غَيْرُ المَوْصُوفِ، وَشَهَادَةِ كُلِّ مَوْصُوف أَنَّهُ غَيْرُ الصِّفَةِ، فَمَنْ وَصَفَ اللهَ سُبْحَانَهُ فَقَدْ قَرَنَهُ، وَمَنْ قَرَنَهُ فَقَدْ ثَنَّاهُ،وَمَنْ ثَنَّاهُ فَقَد جَزَّأَهُ، وَمَنْ جَزَّأَهُ فَقَدْ جَهِلَهُ، وَمَنْ جَهِلَهُ فَقَدْ أشَارَ إِلَيْهِ، وَمَنْ أشَارَ إِلَيْهِ فَقَدْ حَدَّهُ، وَمَنْ حَدَّهُ فَقَدْ عَدَّهُ، وَمَنْ قَالَ: «فِيمَ» فَقَدْ ضَمَّنَهُ، وَمَنْ قَالَ: «عَلاَمَ؟» فَقَدْ أَخْلَى مِنُهُ. كائِنٌ لاَ عَنْ حَدَث، مَوْجُودٌ لاَ عَنْ عَدَم، مَعَ كُلِّ شَيْء لاَ بِمُقَارَنَة، وَغَيْرُ كُلِّ شيء لا بِمُزَايَلَة، فَاعِلٌ لا بِمَعْنَى الْحَرَكَاتِ وَالاْلةِ، بَصِيرٌ إذْ لاَ مَنْظُورَ إلَيْهِ مِنْ خَلْقِهِ، مُتَوَحِّدٌ إذْ لاَ سَكَنَ يَسْتَأْنِسُ بهِ وَلاَ يَسْتوْحِشُ لِفَقْدِهِ.

The foremost in religion is the acknowledgement of Him, [1] the perfection of acknowledging Him is to testify Him, the perfection of testifying Him is to believe in His Oneness, the perfection of believing in His Oneness is to regard Him Pure, and the perfection of His purity is to deny Him attributes, because every attribute is a proof that it is different from that to which it is attributed and everything to which something is attributed is different from the attribute. Thus whoever attaches attributes to Allah recognises His like, and whoever recognises His like regards Him two; and whoever regards Him as two recognises parts for Him; and whoever recognises parts for Him mistook Him; and whoever mistook Him pointed at Him; and whoever pointed at Him admitted limitations for Him; and whoever admitted limitations for Him numbered Him. Whoever said: ‘In what is He?’, held that He is contained; and whoever said: ‘On what is He?’, held He is not on something else. He is a Being, but not through phenomenon of coming into being. He exists but not from non-existence. He is with everything but not in physical nearness. He is different from everything but not in physical separation. He acts but without connotation of movements and instruments. He sees even when there is none to be looked at from among His creation. He is only One, such that there is none with whom He may keep company or whom He may miss in his absence.

خلق العالم : أَنْشَأَ الخَلْقَ إنْشَاءً، وَابْتَدَأَهُ ابْتِدَاءً، بِلاَ رَوِيَّة أَجَالَهَا، وَلاَ تَجْرِبَة اسْتَفَادَهَا، وَلاَ حَرَكَة أَحْدَثَهَا، وَلاَ هَمَامَةِ نَفْس اضطَرَبَ فِيهَا. أَحَالَ الاْشياءَ لاِوْقَاتِهَا، وَلاَمَ بَيْنَ مُخْتَلِفَاتِهَا، وَغَرَّزَ غَرائِزَهَا، وَأَلزَمَهَا أشْبَاحَهَا، عَالِماً بِهَا قَبْلَ ابْتِدَائِهَا، مُحِيطاً بِحُدُودِها وَانْتِهَائِهَا، عَارفاً بِقَرَائِنِها وَأَحْنَائِهَا.

The Creation of the Universe : He initiated creation most initially and commenced it originally, without undergoing reflection, without making use of any experiment, without innovating any movement, and without experiencing any aspiration of mind. He allotted all things their times, put together their variations gave them their properties, and determined their features knowing them before creating them, realising fully their limits and confines and appreciating their propensities and intricacies.

ثُمَّ أَنْشَأَ ـ سُبْحَانَهُ ـ فَتْقَ الاْجْوَاءِ، وَشَقَّ الاْرْجَاءِ، وَسَكَائِكَ الَهوَاءِ، فأَجازَ فِيهَا مَاءً مُتَلاطِماً تَيَّارُهُ، مُتَراكِماً زَخَّارُهُ، حَمَلَهُ عَلَى مَتْنِ . الرِّيحِ الْعَاصِفَةِ، وَالزَّعْزَعِ الْقَاصِفَةِ، فَأَمَرَها بِرَدِّهِ، وَسَلَّطَهَا عَلَى شَدِّهِ، وَقَرنَهَا إِلَى حَدِّهِ، الهَوَاءُ مِنْ تَحْتِها فَتِيقٌ، وَالمَاءُ مِنْ فَوْقِهَا دَفِيقٌ. ثُمَّ أَنْشَأَ سُبْحَانَهُ رِيحاً اعْتَقَمَ مَهَبَّهَا، وَأَدَامَ مُرَبَّهَا، وَأَعْصَفَ مَجْرَاها، وَأَبْعَدَ مَنْشَاهَا، فَأَمَرَها بِتَصْفِيقِ المَاءِ الزَّخَّارِ، وَإِثَارَةِ مَوْجِ البِحَارِ، فَمَخَضَتْهُ مَخْضَ السِّقَاءِ، وَعَصَفَتْ بهِ عَصْفَهَا بِالفَضَاءِ، تَرُدُّ أَوَّلَهُ عَلَى آخِرِهِ، وَسَاجِيَهُ عَلَى مَائِرِهِ، حَتَّى عَبَّ عُبَابُهُ، وَرَمَى بِالزَّبَدِ رُكَامُهُ، فَرَفَعَهُ فِي هَوَاء مُنْفَتِق، وَجَوٍّ مُنْفَهِق، فَسَوَّى مِنْهُ سَبْعَ سَموَات، جَعَلَ سُفْلاَهُنَّ مَوْجاً مَكْفُوفاً، وَعُلْيَاهُنَّ سَقْفاً مَحْفُوظاً، وَسَمْكاً مَرْفُوعاً، بِغَيْر عَمَد يَدْعَمُهَا، وَلا دِسَار يَنْظِمُها. ثُمَّ زَيَّنَهَا بِزينَةِ الكَوَاكِبِ، وَضِياءِ الثَّوَاقِبِ، وَأَجْرَى فِيها سِرَاجاً مُسْتَطِيراً، وَقَمَراً مُنِيراً: في فَلَك دَائِر، وَسَقْف سَائِر، وَرَقِيم مَائِر.

When Almighty created the openings of atmosphere, expanse of firmament and strata of winds, He flowed into it water whose waves were stormy and whose surges leapt one over the other. He loaded it on dashing wind and breaking typhoons, ordered them to shed it back (as rain), gave the wind control over the vigour of the rain, and acquainted it with its limitations. The wind blew under it while water flowed furiously over it. Then Almighty created forth wind and made its movement sterile, perpetuated its position, intensified its motion and spread it far and wide. Then He ordered the wind to raise up deep waters and to intensify the waves of the oceans. So the wind churned it like the churning of curd and pushed it fiercely into the firmament throwing its front position on the rear and the stationary on the flowing till its level was raised and the surface was full of foam. Then Almighty raised the foam on to the open wind and vast firmament and made there-from the seven skies and made the lower one as a stationary surge and the upper one as protective ceiling and a high edifice without any pole to support it or nail to hold it together. Then He decorated them with stars and the light of meteors and hung in it the shining sun and effulgent moon under the revolving sky, moving ceiling and rotating firmament.

خلق الملائكة : ثُمَّ فَتَقَ مَا بَيْنَ السَّمواتِ العُلاَ، فَمَلاَهُنَّ أَطْواراً مِنْ مَلائِكَتِهِ: مِنْهُمْ سُجُودٌ لاَيَرْكَعُونَ، وَرُكُوعٌ لاَ يَنْتَصِبُونَ، وَصَافُّونَ لاَ يَتَزَايَلُونَ، وَمُسَبِّحُونَ لاَ يَسْأَمُونَ، لاَ يَغْشَاهُمْ نَوْمُ العُيُونِ، وَلاَ سَهْوُ العُقُولِ، وَلاَ فَتْرَةُ الاَبْدَانِ، ولاَ غَفْلَةُ النِّسْيَانِ. وَمِنْهُمْ أُمَنَاءُ عَلَى وَحْيِهِ، وأَلسِنَةٌ إِلَى رُسُلِهِ، وَمُخْتَلِفُونَ بِقَضَائِهِ وَأَمْرهِ. وَمِنْهُمُ الحَفَظَةُ لِعِبَادِهِ، وَالسَّدَنَةُ لاِبْوَابِ جِنَانِهِ. وَمِنْهُمُ الثَّابِتَةُ في الاْرَضِينَ السُّفْلَى أَقْدَامُهُمْ، وَالمَارِقَةُ مِنَ السَّماءِ العُلْيَا أَعْنَاقُهُمْ، والخَارجَةُ مِنَ الاْقْطَارِ أَرْكَانُهُمْ، وَالمُنَاسِبَةُ لِقَوَائِمِ العَرْشِ أَكْتَافُهُمْ، نَاكِسَةٌ دُونَهُ أَبْصارُهُمْ، مُتَلَفِّعُونَ تَحْتَهُ بِأَجْنِحَتِهِمْ، مَضْرُوبَةٌ بَيْنَهُمْ وَبَيْنَ مِنْ دُونَهُمْ حُجُبُ العِزَّةِ، وَأسْتَارُ القُدْرَةِ، لاَ يَتَوَهَّمُونَ رَبَّهُمْ بالتَّصْوِيرِ، وَلاَ يُجْرُونَ عَلَيْهِ صِفَاتِ المَصْنُوعِينَ، وَلاَ يَحُدُّونَهُ بِالاْماكِنِ، وَلاَ يُشِيرُونَ إِلَيْهِ بِالنَّظَائِرِ.

Then He created the openings between high skies and filled them with all classes of His angels. Some of them are in prostration and do not kneel up. Others in kneeling position and do not stand up. Some of them are in array and do not leave their position. Others are extolling Allah and do not get tired. The sleep of the eye or the slip of wit, or languor of the body or the effect of forgetfulness does not effect them. Among them are those who work as trusted bearers of His message, those who serve as speaking tongues for His prophets and those who carry to and fro His orders and injunctions. Among them are the protectors of His creatures and guards of the doors of the gardens of Paradise. Among them are those also whose steps are fixed on earth but their necks are protruding into the skies, their limbs are getting out on all sides, their shoulders are in accord with the columns of the Divine Throne, their eyes are downcast before it, they have spread down their wings under it and they have rendered between themselves and all else curtains of honour and screens of power. They do not think of their Creator through image, do not impute to Him attributes of the created, do not confine Him within abodes and do not point at Him through illustrations.

صفة خلق آدم عليه‌ السلام : ثُمَّ جَمَعَ سُبْحَانَهُ مِنْ حَزْنِ الاْرْضِ وَسَهْلِهَا، وَعَذْبِهَا وَسَبَخِهَا، تُرْبَةً سَنَّهَا بالمَاءِ حَتَّى خَلَصَتْ، وَلاَطَهَا بِالبَلَّةِ حَتَّى لَزَبَتْ، فَجَبَلَ مِنْها صُورَةً ذَاتَ أَحْنَاء وَوُصُول، وَأَعْضَاء وَفُصُول: أَجْمَدَهَا حَتَّى اسْتَمْسَكَتْ، وَأَصْلَدَهَا حَتَّى صَلْصَلَتْ، لِوَقْت مَعْدُود، وَأجَل مَعْلُوم، ثُمَّ نَفَخَ فِيها مِنْ رُوحِهِ فَمَثُلَتْ إِنْساناً ذَا أَذْهَان يُجيلُهَا، وَفِكَر يَتَصَرَّفُ بِهَا، وَجَوَارِحَ يَخْتَدِمُهَا، وَأَدَوَات يُقَلِّبُهَا، وَمَعْرِفَة يَفْرُقُ بِهَا بَيْنَ الحَقِّ وَالبَاطِلِ، والاَذْوَاقِ والَمشَامِّ، وَالاْلوَانِ وَالاْجْنَاس، مَعْجُوناً بطِينَةِ الاْلوَانِ الُمخْتَلِفَةِ، وَالاَشْبَاهِ المُؤْتَلِفَةِ، وَالاْضْدَادِ المُتَعَادِيَةِ، والاْخْلاطِ المُتَبَايِنَةِ، مِنَ الحَرِّ والبَرْدِ، وَالبَلَّةِ وَالْجُمُودِ، وَالْمَساءَةِ وَالسُّرُورِ،

Description of the Creation of Adam : Allāh collected from hard, soft, sweet and sour earth, clay which He dripped in water till it got pure, and kneaded it with moisture till it became gluey. From it He carved an image with curves, joints, limbs and segments. He solidified it till it dried up for a fixed time and a known duration. Then He blew into it out of His Spirit whereupon it took the pattern of a human being with mind that governs him, intelligence which he makes use of, limbs that serve him, organs that change his position, sagacity that differentiates between truth and untruth, tastes and smells, colours and species. He is a mixture of clays of different colours, cohesive materials, divergent contradictories and differing properties like heat, cold, softness and hardness, grief and joy.

وَاسْتَأْدَى اللهُ سُبْحَانَهُ المَلائكَةَ وَدِيعَتَهُ لَدَيْهِمْ، وَعَهْدَ وَصِيَّتِهِ إِلَيْهمْ، في الاْذْعَانِ بالسُّجُودِ لَهُ، وَالخُنُوعِ لِتَكْرِمَتِهِ، فَقَالَ عزَّمِن قائِل: (اسْجُدُوا لِآدَمَ فَسَجَدُوا إِلَّا إِبْلِيسَ)، اعْتَرَتْهُ الحَمِيَّةُ، وَغَلَبَتْ عَلَيْهِ الشِّقْوَةُ، وَتَعَزَّزُ بِخِلْقَةِ النَّارِ، وَاسْتَوْهَنَ خَلْقَ الصَّلْصَالِ، فَأَعْطَاهُ اللهُ تَعالَى النَّظِرَةَ اسْتِحْقَاقاً لِلسُّخْطَةِ، وَاسْتِتْماماً لِلْبَلِيَّةِ، وَإِنْجَازاً لِلْعِدَةِ، فَقَالَ: (إِنَّكَ مِنَ الْمُنظَرِينَ إِلَىٰ يَوْمِ الْوَقْتِ الْمَعْلُومِ)

Then Allāh asked the angels to fulfil His promise with them and to accomplish the pledge of His injunction to them by acknowledging Him through prostration to Him and submission to His honoured position. So Allāh said: ‘Be prostrate towards Adam and they prostrated except Iblis (Satan).’ (Qur’ān, 2:34; 7:11; 17:61; 18:50; 20:116) Self-importance withheld him and vice overcame him. So that he took pride in his own creation with fire and treated contemptuously the creation of clay. So Allāh allowed him time in order to let him fully deserve His wrath, and to complete (man’s) test and to fulfil the promise (He had made to Satan). Thus, He said: ‘Verily you have been allowed time till the known Day.’ (Qur’ān, 15:38; 38:81)

ثُمَّ أَسْكَنَ سُبْحَانَهُ آدَمَ دَاراً أرْغَدَ فِيهَاعَيْشَهُ، وَآمَنَ فِيهَا مَحَلَّتَهُ، وَحَذَّرَهُ إِبْلِيسَ وَعَدَاوَتَهُ، فَاغْتَرَّهُ عَدُوُّهُ نَفَاسَةً عَلَيْهِ بِدَارِ الْمُقَامِ، وَمُرَافَقَةِ الاْبْرَارِ، فَبَاعَ الْيَقِينَ بِشَكِّهِ، وَالعَزِيمَةَ بِوَهْنِهِ، وَاسْتَبْدَلَ بِالْجَذَلِ وَجَلاً، وَبِالاْغْتِرَارِ نَدَماً. ثُمَّ بَسَطَ اللهُ سُبْحَانَهُ لَهُ في تَوْبَتِهِ، وَلَقَّاهُ كَلِمَةَ رَحْمَتِهِ، وَوَعَدَهُ المَرَدَّ إِلَى جَنَّتِهِ، فَأَهْبَطَهُ إِلَى دَارِ الَبَلِيَّةِ، وَتَنَاسُلِ الذُّرِّيَّةِ.

Thereafter, Allāh inhabited Adam (p.b.u.h.) in a house where He made his life pleasant and his stay safe, and He cautioned him of Iblis and his enmity. Then his enemy (Iblis) envied his abiding in Paradise and his contacts with the virtuous. So he changed his conviction into wavering and determination into weakness. He thus converted his happiness into fear and his prestige into shame. Then Allāh offered to Adam (p.b.u.h.) the chance to repent, taught him words of His Mercy, promised him return to His Paradise and sent him down to the place of trial and procreation of progeny.

اختيار الانبياء : وَاصْطَفى سُبْحَانَهُ مِنْ وَلَدَهِ أَنْبيَاءَ أَخَذَ عَلَى الْوَحْيِ مِيثَاقَهُم، وَعَلَى تَبْليغِ الرِّسَالَةِ أَمَانَتَهُمْ، لَمَّا بَدَّلَ أَكْثَرُ خَلْقِهِ عَهْدَ اللهِ إِلَيْهِمْ، فَجَهِلُوا حَقَّهُ، واتَّخَذُوا الاْنْدَادَ مَعَهُ، وَاجْتَالَتْهُمُ الشَّيَاطِينُ عَنْ مَعْرفَتِهِ، وَاقتَطَعَتْهُمْ عَنْ عِبَادَتِهِ، فَبَعَثَ فِيهمْ رُسُلَهُ، وَوَاتَرَ إِلَيْهِمْ أَنْبِياءَهُ، لِيَسْتَأْدُوهُمْ مِيثَاقَ فِطْرَتِهِ، وَيُذَكِّرُوهُمْ مَنْسِيَّ نِعْمَتِهِ، وَيَحْتَجُّوا عَلَيْهِمْ بَالتَّبْلِيغِ، وَيُثِيرُوا لَهُمْ دَفَائِنَ الْعُقُولِ، وَيُرُوهُمْ آيَاتِ الْمَقْدِرَةِ: مِنْ سَقْف فَوْقَهُمْ مَرْفُوع، وَمِهَاد تَحْتَهُمْ مَوْضُوع، وَمَعَايِشَ تُحْيِيهِمْ، وَآجَال تُفْنِيهمْ، وَأَوْصَاب تُهْرِمُهُمْ، وَأَحْدَاث تَتَابَعُ عَلَيْهِمْ،

From his (Adam’s) progeny Allāh chose prophets and took their pledge for his revelation and for carrying His message as their trust. In course of time many people perverted Allāh’s trust with them and ignored His position and took compeers along with Him. Satan turned them away from knowing Him and kept them aloof from His worship. Then Allāh sent His Messengers and series of His prophets towards them to get them to fulfil the pledges of His creation, to recall to them His bounties, to exhort them by preaching, to unveil before them the hidden virtues of wisdom and show them the signs of His Omnipotence namely the sky which is raised over them, the earth that is placed beneath them, means of living that sustain them, deaths that make them die, ailments that turn them old and incidents that successively betake them.

لَمْ يُخْلِ اللهُ سُبْحَانَهُ خَلْقَهُ مِنْ نَبِيٍّ مُرْسَل، أَوْ كِتَاب مُنْزَل، أَوْ حُجَّة لاَزِمَة، أَوْ مَحَجَّة قَائِمَة، رُسُلٌ لا تُقَصِّرُ بِهِمْ قِلَّةُ عَدَدِهِمْ، وَلاَ كَثْرَةُ المُكَذِّبِينَ لَهُمْ: مِنْ سَابِق سُمِّيَ لَهُ مَنْ بَعْدَهُ، أَوْ غَابِر عَرَّفَهُ مَنْ قَبْلَهُ.

Allāh never allowed His creation to remain without a Prophet deputised by Him, or a book sent down from Him or a binding argument or a standing plea. These Messengers were such that they did not feel little because of smallness of their number or of largeness of the number of their falsifiers. Among them was either a predecessor who would name the one to follow or the follower who had been introduced by the predecessor.

مبعث النبي (صلى الله عليه وآله وسلم) : عَلَى ذْلِكَ نَسَلَتِ القُرُونُ، وَمَضَتِ الدُّهُورُ، وَسَلَفَتِ الاْباءُ، وَخَلَفَتِ الاْبْنَاءُ. الَى أَنْ بَعَثَ اللهُ سُبْحَانَهُ مُحَمَّداً (صلى الله عليه وآله) لاِنْجَازِ عِدَتِهِ وَتَمامِ نُبُوَّتِهِ، مَأْخُوذاً عَلَى النَّبِيِّينَ مِيثَاقُهُ، مَشْهُورَةً سِمَاتُهُ، كَرِيماً مِيلادُهُ. وَأهْلُ الاْرْضِ يَوْمَئِذ مِلَلٌ مُتَفَرِّقَةٌ، وَأَهْوَاءٌ مُنْتَشِرَةٌ، وَطَرَائِقُ مُتَشَتِّتَةٌ، بَيْنَ مُشَبِّه للهِ بِخَلْقِهِ، أَوْ مُلْحِد في اسْمِهِ، أَوْ مُشِير إِلَى غَيْرهِ، فَهَدَاهُمْ بهِ مِنَ الضَّلاَلَةِ، وَأَنْقَذَهُمْ بمَكانِهِ مِنَ الجَهَالَةِ.

The Prophethood of Muḥammad : In this way ages passed by and times rolled on, fathers passed away while sons took their places till Allāh deputised Muḥammad (peace be upon him and his progeny) as His Prophet, in fulfilment of His promise and in completion of His Prophethood. His pledge had been taken from the Prophets, his traits of character were well reputed and his birth was honourable. The people of the earth at this time were divided in different parties, their aims were separate and ways were diverse. They either likened Allāh with His creation or twisted His Names or turned to else than Him. Through Muḥammad (S) Allāh guided them out of wrong and with his efforts took them out of ignorance.

ثُمَّ اخْتَارَ سُبْحَانَهُ لِمحَمَّد صلى الله عليه لِقَاءَهُ، وَرَضِيَ لَهُ مَا عِنْدَهُ، فَأَكْرَمَهُ عَنْ دَارِالدُّنْيَا، وَرَغِبَ بِهَ عَنْ مُقَارَنَةِ البَلْوَى، فَقَبَضَهُ إِلَيْهِ كَرِيماً صَلَّى اللهُ علَيهِ وآلِهِ،

Then Allāh chose for Muḥammad, peace be upon him and on his progeny, to meet Him, selected him for His own nearness, regarded him too dignified to remain in this world and decided to remove him from this place of trial. So He drew him towards Himself with honour. Allāh may shower His blessing on him, and his progeny.

وَخَلَّفَ فِيكُمْ مَا خَلَّفَتِ الاْنْبيَاءُ في أُمَمِها، إذْ لَم يَتْرُكُوهُمْ هَمَلاً، بِغَيْر طَريق واضِح، ولاَعَلَمٍ قَائِم. كِتَابَ رَبِّكُمْ [فِيكُمْ:] مُبَيِّناً حَلاَلَهُ وَحَرامَهُ، وَفَرَائِضَهُ وَفَضَائِلَهُ، وَنَاسِخَهُ وَمَنْسُوخَهُ، وَرُخَصَهُ وَعَزَائِمَهُ، وَخَاصَّهُ وَعَامَّهُ، وَعِبَرَهُ وَأَمْثَالَهُ، وَمُرْسَلَهُ وَمَحْدُودَهُ، وَمُحْكَمَهُ وَمُتَشَابِهَهُ، مُفَسِّراً جُمَلَهُ، وَمُبَيِّناً غَوَامِضَهُ.

The Holy Qur’ān and Sunnah : But the Prophet left among you the same which other Prophets left among their peoples, because Prophets do not leave them untended (in dark) without a clear path and a standing ensign, namely the Book of your Creator clarifying its permission and prohibitions, its obligations and discretion, its repealing injunctions and the repealed ones, its permissible matters and compulsory ones, its particulars and the general ones, its lessons and illustrations, its long and the short ones, its clear and obscure ones, detailing its abbreviations and clarifying its obscurities.

بَيْنَ مَأْخُوذ مِيثَاقُ عِلْمِهِ، وَمُوَسَّع عَلَى العِبَادِ في جَهْلِهِ، وَبَيْنَ مُثْبَت في الكِتابِ فَرْضُهُ، وَمَعْلُوم في السُّنَّهِ نَسْخُهُ، وَوَاجب في السُّنَّةِ أَخْذُهُ، وَمُرَخَّص في الكِتابِ تَرْكُهُ، وَبَيْنَ وَاجِب بِوَقْتِهِ، وَزَائِل في مُسْتَقْبَلِهِ، وَمُبَايَنٌ بَيْنَ مَحَارِمِهِ، مِنْ كَبير أَوْعَدَ عَلَيْهِ نِيرَانَهُ، أَوْ صَغِير أَرْصَدَ لَهُ غُفْرَانَهُ، وَبَيْنَ مَقْبُول في أَدْنَاهُ، ومُوَسَّع في أَقْصَاهُ.

In it there are some verses whose knowledge is obligatory and others whose ignorance by the people is permissible. It also contains what appears to be obligatory according to the Book but its repeal is signified by the Prophet’s action (sunnah) or that which appears compulsory according to the Prophet’s action but the Book allows not following it. Or there are those which are obligatory in a given time but not so after that time. Its prohibitions also differ. Some are major regarding which there exists the threat of fire (Hell), and others are minor for which there are prospects of forgiveness. There are also those of which a small portion is also acceptable (to Allāh) but they are capable of being expanded. [2]

و[منها:] في ذكر الحج : وَفَرَضَ عَلَيْكُمْ حَجَّ بَيْتِهِ الحَرَامِ، الَّذِي جَعَلَهُ قِبْلَةً لِلاْنَامِ، يَرِدُونَهُ وُرُودَ الاَنْعَامِ، وَيأْلَهُونَ إِلَيْهِ وُلُوهَ الحَمَامِ. جَعَلَهُ سُبْحَانَهُ عَلاَمَةً لِتَوَاضُعِهمْ لِعَظَمَتِهِ، وَإِذْعَانِهِمْ لِعِزَّتِهِ، وَاخْتَارَ مِنْ خَلْقِهِ سُمَّاعاً أَجَابُوا إِلَيْهِ دَعْوَتَهُ، وَصَدَّقُوا كَلِمَتِهُ، وَوَقَفُوا مَوَاقِفَ أَنْبِيَائِهِ، وَتَشَبَّهُوا بمَلاَئِكَتِهِ المُطِيفِينَ بِعَرْشِهِ، يُحْرِزُونَ الاْرْبَاحَ فِي مَتْجَرِ عِبَادَتِهِ، وَيَتَبَادَرُونَ عِنْدَهُ مَوْعِدَ مَغْفِرَتِهِ.

In this very sermon he spoke about Hajj : Allāh has made obligatory upon you the pilgrimage (Hajj) to His sacred House which is the turning point for the people who go to it as beasts or pigeons go towards spring water. Allāh the glorified made it a sign of their supplication before His Greatness and their acknowledgement of His Dignity. He selected from among His creation those who on listening to His call responded to it and testified His word. They stood in the position of His Prophets and resembled His angels who surround the Divine Throne securing all the benefits of performing His worship and hastening towards His promised forgiveness.

جَعَلَهُ سُبْحَانَهُ لِلاِسْلامِ عَلَماً، وَلِلْعَائِذِينَ حَرَماً، فَرَضَ حَجَّهُ، وَأَوْجَبَ حَقَّهُ، وَكَتَبَ عَلَيْكُمْ وِفَادَتَهُ، فَقَالَ سُبْحَانَهُ: (وَلِلهِ عَلَى النَّاسِ حِجُّ الْبَيْتِ مَنِ اسْتَطَاعَ إِلَيْهِ سَبِيلًا ۚ وَمَن كَفَرَ فَإِنَّ اللهَ غَنِيٌّ عَنِ الْعَالَمِينَ).

Allāh the glorified made it (His sacred House) an emblem for Islam and an object of respect for those who turn to it. He made obligatory its pilgrimage and laid down its claim for which He held you responsible to discharge it. Thus, Allāh, the Glorified, said: “. . . And (purely) for Allāh, is incumbent upon mankind, the pilgrimage to the House, for those who can afford to journey thither. And whoever denieth then verily, Allāh is Self-sufficiently independent of the worlds.” (Qur’ān, 3:97).

où il débute par la création du ciel, de la terre et d'Adam; il y parle du pèlerinage. (Le discours contient la louange de Dieu, la création du monde et des Anges, le choix des prophètes, le Message du Prophète, le Coran et les senteaces légales.)

Grâce à Dieu dont la bienveillance est ineffable et les bienfaits sont incalculables. Grâce à Celui dont les savants ne font valoi r pas son dû, étant inconcevable, indéterminable et insondable par les catégories de la pensée humaine. Ses attributs sont illimités et inqualifiables. li transcende le temps par Sa durée incommensurable. Par Sa puissance, Il a crée les êtres ex nihilo et par Sa miséricorde li sème à tout vent. Cest Lui qui a consolidé par les roches l'étendue de Sa terre.

Le commencement de toute religion est la connaissance de Dieu. Or, la connaissance parfaite est la croyance à Son unicité qu'on doit parfaire par la loyauté envers Lui et par la négation des attributs qu'on fait adhérer à Son essence, en tant que substituts. Car celui qui décrit Dieu L'associe à sa description; il s'en ressort un dualisme qui, en tin de compte, aboutit â une pluralité divisible, ce qui est une méconnaissance de Dieu . Or, le dualisme implique u ne séparation entre le sujet et l'objet de la connaissance, et cette séparation implique à son tour l'utilisation de pronoms démonstratifs. Mais quand on montre Dieu on Le limite et, par le fait mème, on Le dénombre, on Je fait contenir et vider. Pourtant, Il est l'Etre en Soi, non contingent, dont l'Essence est l'Existence. Il englobe tout sans ètre comparé à autre chose. Il est distinct de tout sans en être séparé. Il est agent sans qu'il ait recours aux mouvements et instruments. Il est clairvoyant sans être vu par Ses Créatures. Il est solitaire mais ne s'attache à aucune demeure humaine ni en regrette la séparation.

La création du monde : Dieu a vraiment créé l'univers. Sa création a eu un commencement. Sans rationalisation, li l'a dirigée sans en faire une expérimentation préalable. L'acte de la création est dépourvu de mouvement; il n'est pas précédé d'aucun bouleversement psychique. Chaque chose a été créé en son temps. Dieu a fait composer les êtres animés d'un corps et d'une âme, chacun d'après une nature qui lui est propre, et dont il connaissait d'avance les secrets, les limites, et le terme de sa vie circontanciée.

Ensuite Dieu a scindé l'atmosphère et fendu les espaces et les couches d'air des différentes sphères [troposphère, stratosphère, mesosphère et thermosphère] d'où il a fait couler des eaux aux vagues tumultueuses et superposées. Etant transportées par les vents orageux et démolissants, ces eaux sont retenues par Dieu qui les suspend et les adhère aux limites de I'atmosphère. Au-dessous de ces vents il y a l'air qu'elles peuvent percer, et au-dessus l’eau qui peut jaillir. Ensuite, Dieu a instituté un vent dont le déchaînement est toujours stérile [qui ne débite pas de pluie], bien que son courant soit orageux et son origine lointanne. II lui a ordonné d'imprimer un mouvement aux eaux tumultueuses et de stimuler les vagues des mers. Ce qui fut fait. En effet, le vent, [tel un homme qui donne des secousses continuelles au lait pour en extraire son beurre], a soufflé par intermittence des vagues successives imprimées d'un mouvement de va-etvient qui les fait monter, se superposer, s'immiscer pour former des écumes que Dieu a soulevé dans un air scindé et une atmosphère fortement ouverte. Dieu, alors, en a élaboré sept cieux dont la plus basse est formée de vagues qu'll a défendues de couler et dont la plus élevée constitue un plafond conservé, c.-à-d. une paroi supérieure soulevée sans colonnes qui la soutiennent et sans amarres qui la retiennent. Ces cieux, Dieu les a embellis par la parure des planètes et la luminosité des étoiles. En eux Il a fait circuler une lampe incandescente [le soleil] et une lune qui éclaire. Tout cela dans un firmament tournant, i.e. un soutien ambulant [constituant la voûte céleste mouvante].

La création des Anges : Ensuite il a fait fendre les hauts cieux pour les remplir de catégories d'anges dont les uns sont prosternés sans s'agenouiller, les autres agenouillés sans se dresser, les autres encore rangés sans se commuter, les derniers enfin glorifiant sans se lasser. Ces anges ne sont sujets ni au sommeil, ni à la distraction, ni à la lassitude des corps, ni au lapsus de l'oubli. Il y en a parmi eux ceux qui sont fidèles à Sa révélation, ceux qui parlent à Ses Envoyés, ceux qui vont et viennent d’après Ses jugements et Ses ordres. Il y en a aussi ceux qui gardent Ses serviteurs, ceux qui montent la garde aux portes de Son Paradis. On compte aussi parmi eux ceux dont les pieds sont ancrés dans les terres inférieures, et ceux dont les cous dépassent le ciel supérieur, ceux dont les organes débordent des pays, ayant des épaules en concordance avec le Trône. Tous baissent les yeux devant le Trône, tous s'enveloppent de leurs ailes sous lui. Entre eux et ceux qui leur sont inférieurs s'étalent des rideaux qui dévoilent la Souveraineté de Dieu et Sa puissance. Il n'y a parmi eux aucun qui se représente son Dieu par des images, aucun qui Lui attribue les qualités des êtres créés, aucun qui Le limite dans l'espace ou qui Le montre des yeux.

L’Attribut de la création d'Adam : Ensuite, Dieu a ramassé de la terre - de ses escarpements et de ses plaines, de ses régions arides comme de ses douces prairies- un amas de matériaux qu’il a trempé dans l’eau et pétri pour en former de la terre glaise visqueuse et compacte; puis il en a fait une forme ayant des déclivités et des organes avec des jointures. Il l’a fait sécher et durcir durant un certain temps. Puis II lui a insufflé de Son Esprit. Elle est devenue alors un Homme doué d’entendement qui se meut dans Ie monde des pensées, de réflexion [l’homme sait et sait qu’il sait], d’organes sensoriels au service de l’intelligence, d’une connaissance qui distingue le vrai du faux et qui conçoit la différence entre les perceptions du goût, de l’odorat, des couleurs et des genres.

Dieu recommanda aux anges d'exécuter Ses ordres, et leur demanda d’accomplir Son commandement en se prostemant devant l'Homme pour I'honorer. Les anges se prosternèrent donc devant Adam, à I'exception d'lblis [Satan] qui s'est révolté, induit par son malheureux sort, sous prétexte qu'il est créé de feu et non d'argile méprisable. Dieu lui donna le délai nécessaire afin qu'il mérite Sa colère en accomplissant son œuvre néfaste [par rapport à l'Homme] jusqu'au Jour connu [la Résurrection].

Ensuite Dieu installa Adam dans une demeure où il mena une vie heureuse, sûre et prospère. Et II le mit en garde contre l’inimitié d'Iblis. Mais celui-ci séduisit l'homme, envieux de le voir en compagnie des justes dans le Paradis. Alors l'homme substitua le doute à la croyance, la faiblesse à l’effort, la peur au bonheur et le remords à l'honnêteté. Dieu, qu'll soit loué, accepta avec largesse le repentir d’Adam, lui déclara Ia parole de Sa miséricorde et lui promit de le faire revenir à Son Paradis. Cependant, Il le fit descendre sur la terre du malheur où il multiplia sa descendance.

Le choix des Prophètes : Parmi les fils d'Adam, Dieu -qu’ll soit exalté- élit des Prophètes dont II acquit la promesse de porter Sa Révélation et de la faire parvenir à la majorité de Ses créatures qui l’avaient reçue, mais l'ont déniée et adoré des divinités rivales. Les démons les ont déviés et éloignés de Sa connaissance et du culte dû à Sa souveraineté. Dieu leur envoya alors ses Messagers, et de temps en temps Ses Prophètes pour Ieur réclamer d'exécuter le Pacte conclu avec Lui, leur rappeler Sa grâce oubliée, leur enlever toute excuse de ne pas être mis au courant, galvaniser leurs intelligences afin de voir les lumières de la connaissance, leur faire voir Ies miracles: la voûte celeste qui les surplombe, la terre qui les soutient, les ressources qui les vivifient, les délais de leur vie terrestre, les maux menant à leur vieillesse et les événements qui parsèment leur course.

Dieu -digne de louange-, n'a jamais privé Ses créatures d'un Prophète envoyé, d’un Liwe révélé, d'un argument convaincant ou d'un droit chemin qui les mène clairement à Lui. Ces Envoyés ne sont menuisés ni par la rareté de leur nombre, ni par la multitude de leurs détracteurs. A chaque précurseur est désigné un successeur: le premier prophétise I’arrivée du second, et celui-ci confirme la mission du premier.

L’envoi du Prophète : Les siècles se sont succédés, le temps s’est écoulé, les pères, auxquels succèdent les fils, sont devenus des ancêtres jusqu'à ce que Dieu envoya Mouhammad - la prière et Ia paix soient sur lui et sur les siens - comme il l'avait promis jadis par des Prophètes antérieurs. Mouhammad, qui devait accomplir la prophétie, était connu grâce aux signes auxquels avaient fait allusion les prophètes qui l'ont devancè. II est nè d’une famille noble au temps où les peuples de la terre formaient des sectes diverses, suivant chacune ses passions et ses voies. Les uns comparaissaient Dieu à Ses créatures, les autres étaient des athées, et d’autres aussi adoraient d’autres divinités. Dieu, grâce à Mouhammad, mena Ies gens vers le droit chemin et les sauva de l'ignorance.

Ensuite, Dieu agréa que Mouhammad Le rencontre dans l'Audelà, le relevant de ce monde des malheurs et le rappelant auprès de Lui.

Le Coran et les préceptes légaux : Mais Mouhammad vous a laissé, à I'instar de ses prédécesseurs les Prophètes, un message. Il ne vous a pas laissé sans voie claire et sans science établie; Il a laissé parmi vous le Livre de votre Seigneur, où Dieu distingue entre le licite et l'illicite, expose Ies devoirs, les vertus, les préceptes légaux, ce qui est permis et ce qui ne l'est pas, ce qui est absolu et ce qui est relatif, les particularités du Livre et ses généralités, ses avertissements et ses paraboles, les sens propres et les sens figurés, expliquant son contenu global, explicitant ses ambiguïtés [comme les lettres qui précèdent quelques sourates: T-H etc].

[Dieu explique aussi] les obligations rigoureuses explicitement inscrites dans le Livre ou implicitement recommandées par la Sounna, celles qui sont de rigueur ou cedes qui peuvent être dépassées par le temps. II prévoit enfin les interdictions qu'on ne doit violer sans s'exposer au Feu de la Gehenne, les différenciant des petites fautes pardonnables. II fixe même le minimum toléré et le maximum souhaité dans chaque acte humain.

rendent comme font les troupeaux en quête de l'eau, et s'y refugient comme a fait la colombe de I’arche. Cette maison, Dieu la fit un signe de la soumission des hommes à Sa grandeur et de leur abaissement devant Sa majesté. II choisit parmi ses créatures des croyants qui ont répondu à Son appel, cru en Sa parole, imité l'attitude de Ses prophètes, ressemblant aux anges qui entourent Son Trône. Ceux-ci acquièrent leur gain en s'adonnant à Son adoration et en attendant l'échéance de Son pardon.

Sa maison qu'il a faite une marque pour l’Islam et un refuge pour ceux qui demandent Son secours. Dieu rendit son dû à Sa maison qu'il vous ordonne de visiter en pèlerins en disant: «Et c'est un devoir envers Allah pour les gens qui ont Ies moyens, d’aller faire le pèlerinage de la Maison. Et quiconque ne croit pas... Allah se passe largement des mondes» (La Famille d'Imran, 97).

Nahj al-Balāgha

Chapter #1