ومن خطبة له (عليه السلام) في التزهيد في الدنيا

يُّهَا النَّاسُ، انْظُرُوا إِلى الدُّنْيَا نَظَرَ الزَّاهِدِينَ فِيهَا، الصَّادِفِينَ عَنْهَا؛ فَإِنَّهَا وَاللهِ عَمَّا قَلِيلٍ تُزِيلُ الثَّاوِيَ السَّاكِنَ، وَتَفْجَعُ الْمُتْرَفَ الاْمِنَ، لاَ يَرْجِعُ مَا تَوَلَّى مَنْهَا فَأَدْبَرَ، وَلاَ يُدْرَى مَا هُوَ آتٍ مِنْهَا فَيُنْتَظَرَ. سُرُورُهَا مَشُوبٌ بِالْحُزْنِ، وَجَلَدُالرِّجَالِ فَيهَا إِلَى الضَّعْفِ وَالْوَهْنِ فَلا يَغُرَّنَّكُمْ كَثْرَةُ مَا يُعْجِبُكُمْ فِيهَا لِقِلَّةِ مَا يَصْحَبُكُمْ مِنْهَا

O people ! look at the world like those who abstain from it, and turn away from it. By Allāh, it would shortly turn out its inhabitants and cause grief to the happy and the safe. That which turns and goes away from it never returns and that which is likely to come about is not known or anticipated. Its joy is mingled with grief. Herein men's firmness inclines towards weakness and languidness. The majority of what pleases you here should not mislead you because that which would help you would be little.

رَحِمَ اللهُ امْرَأً تَفَكَّرَ فَاعْتَبَرَ، واعْتَبَرَ فَأَبْصَرَ، فَكَأَنَّ مَا هُوَ كَائِنٌ مِنَ الدٌّنْيَا عَنْ قَلِيل لَمْ يَكُنْ، وَكَأَنَّ مَا هُوَ كَائِنٌ مِنَ الاْخِرَةِ عَمَّا قَلَيل لَمْ يَزَلْ، وَكُلُّ مَعْدُود مُنْقَض، وَكُلُّ مُتَوَقَّع آت، وَكُلُّ آت قَرِيبٌ دَان.

Allāh may shower His mercy on him who ponders and takes lesson thereby, and when he takes lesson he achieves enlightenment. Whatever is present in this world would shortly not exist, while whatever is to exist in the next world is already in existence. Every countable thing would pass away. Every anticipation should be taken to be coming up and everything that is to come up should be taken as just near.

ومنها في صفة العالم : الْعَالِمُ مَنْ عَرَفَ قَدْرَهُ، وَكَفَى بِالْمَرءِ جَهْلاً أَلاَّ يَعْرِفَ قَدْرَهُ; وَإِنَّ مِنْ أَبْغَضَ الرِّجَالِ إِلَى اللهِ لَعَبْدٌ وَكَّلَهُ اللهُ إِلَى نَفْسِهِ، جَائِرٌ عَنْ قَصْدِ السَّبِيلِ، سَائِرٌ بَغَيْرِ دَلِيل، إِنْ دُعِيَ إِلَى حَرْثِ الدُّنْيَا عَمِلَ، أوْ إِلَى حَرْثِ الاْخِرَةِ كَسِلَ! كَأَنَّ مَا عَمِلَ لَهُ وَاجِبٌ عَلَيْهِ، وَكَأَنَّ مَا وَنَى فِيهِ سَاِقطٌ عَنْهُ!

[A part of the same sermon on the attributes of a learned person :] Learned is he who knows his worth. It is enough for a man to remain ignorant if he knows not his worth. Certainly, the most hated man with Allāh is he whom Allāh has left for his own self. He goes astray from the right path, and moves without a guide. If he is called to the plantation of this world he is active, but if he is called to the plantation of the next world he is slow. As though what he is active for is obligatory upon him whereas in whatever he is slow was not required of him.

ومنها في آخر الزمان : وَذلِكَ زَمَانٌ لاَ يَنْجُو فِيهِ إِلاَّ كُلُّ مٌؤْمِنٍ نُوَمَةٍ إِنْ شَهِدَ لَمْ يُعْرَفْ، وَإِنْ غَابَ لَمْ يُفْتَقَدْ، أُولَئِكَ مَصَابِيحُ الْهُدَى، وَأَعْلاَمُ السُّرَى لَيْسُوا بِالْمَسَايِيحِ وَلاَ الْمَذَايِيعِ الْبُذُرِ أُولَئِكَ يَفْتَحُ اللهُ لَهُمْ أَبْوَابَ رَحْمَتِهِ، وَيَكْشِفُ عَنْهُمْ ضَرَّاءَ نِقْمَتِهِ

[A part of the same sermon concerning future times :] There would be a time wherein only a sleeping (inactive) believer would be safe (such that) if he is present he is not recognized but if he is absent he is not sought after. These are the lamps of guidance and banners of night journeys. They do not spread calumnies nor divulge secrets, nor slander. They are those for whom Allāh would open the doors of His mercy and keep off from them the hardships of His chastisement.

أَيُّهَا النَّاسُ، سَيَأْتي عَلَيْكُمْ زَمَانٌ يُكْفَأُ فِيهِ الاْسْلاَمُ، كَمَا يُكْفَأُ الاْنَاءُ بِمَا فِيهِ. أَيُّهَا النَّاسُ، إِنَّ اللهَ قَدْ أَعَاذَكُمْ مِنْ أَنْ يَجُورَ عَلَيْكُمْ، وَلَمْ يُعِذْكُمْ مِنْ أَنْ يَبْتَلِيكُمْ، وَقَدْ قَالِ جَلَّ مِنْ قَائِل: ﴿إِنَّ فِي ذَٰلِكَ لَآيَاتٍ وَإِن كُنَّا لَمُبْتَلِينَ﴾.

O people! a time will come to you when Islam would be capsized as a pot is capsized with all its contents. O people, Allāh has protected you from that He might be hard on you but He has not spared you from being put on trial. Allāh the Most Sublime of all speakers has said : Verily in this are signs and We do only try (the people). (Qur’ān, 23:30)

قال السيد الشريف: أما قوله (عليه السلام): «كلّ مؤمِن نُوَمَة» فإنما أَراد به: الخامل الذكر القليل الشر. والمساييح: جمع مِسياح، وهو: الذي يسيح بين الناس بالفساد والنمائم. والمذاييع: جمع مِذْياع، وهو: الذي إذا سمع لغيره بفاحشة أذاعها، ونوّه بها. والبُذُرُ: جمع بَذُور وهو: الذي يكثر سفهه ويلغو منطقه.

as-Sayyid ar-Raḍī says: As regards Amīr al-mu’minīn’s words “kullu mu'minin nuwamah” (every sleeping believer), he implies thereby one who is talked of little and causes no evil. And the word “al-masayiḥ” is the plural of “misyaḥ”. He is one who spreads trouble among people through evils and calumnies. And the word “al-madhāyi'” is the plural of “midhyā'”. He is one who on hearing of an evil about some one spreads it and shouts about it. And “al-budhur” is the plural of “badhur”. He is one who excels in foolishness and speaks rubbish.

Extrait d’un discours Renoncement au monde

O gens, regardez le monde comme font les ascètes qui le méprisent. Par Dieu, dans peu de temps il anéantit le résident tranquille et afflige Phomme aisé. Le passé révolu ne revient pas et l’on ne sait pas ce à quoi on s’attend. Les plaisirs du monde sont tachés de tristesse. La robustesse des hommes tend vers la faiblesse et la débilité. Ne vous laissez donc pas vous leurrer par ses nombreux aspects qui vous plaisent, car peu de choses vous en restent.

Que Dieu aie pitié d’un homme qui réfléchit et considère, qui considère et voit que ce qui existe dans le monde ne l’était pas peu auparavant, que l’Au-delà ne tarde pas à venir, que tout ce qu’on peut compter a une fin, que tout ce qui est attendu aura lieu dans un proche avenir.

[Qualité du savant :] Le savant est celui qui connaît sa propre valeur, car il suffit pour un ignorant de ne pas se connaître. L’homme le plus haï de Dieu est le serviteur à qui Dieu recommande de prendre soin de lui-même, mais qui s’écarte de la voie de et déambule sans guidance perspective; si on l’appelle à fructifier la vie terrestre, il consent à travailler; si on lui demande de fructifier la vie future, il agit en paresseux! Comme s’il devait travailler ici-bas et lui est permis d’être non- chalant vis à vis de l’éternité!

[La fin des temps :] En ce temps-là, seulement seront sauvé les croyants «dont la présence n’est pas observée [par les mauvais gens] et l’absence n’est pas regrettée». Il s’agit des champions de la bonne guidance et des lanternes qui éclairent la marche nocturne; ils ne rapportent pas des propos dans l’intention de nuire ou de répandre les péchés des mitres, ils ne sont pas insensés et illogiques. Dieu leur ouvre les portes de Sa miséricorde et les protège des dommages de Sa disgrâce.

O gens, un temps viendra où l’Islam recule comme un vase renversé. O gens, Dieu vous fait éviter d’être injuste envers vous, mais II ne vous a pas épargné la possibilité de vous examiner. Il a dit : «Voilà bien là des signes. Nous sommes certes celui qui éprouve» (Les Croyants, 30).

Nahj al-Balāgha

Chapter #103