Nahjul Balaaghah about Man

Nahjul Balaaghahabout Man

By A.S. Hashim. MD

Nahjul Balaaghah about Man

Supplication

الرحيم الرحمن الله بـســـم

In the Name of God,

Lord of Mercy and

Lord of Grace


Nahjul Balaaghah

Nahjul Balaaghah, a highly valued book, consists of:– 254 sermons, – 48 letters, and – 212 sayings of Imam Ali

Nahjul Balaaghah is unique to Imam Ali

None of the Sahaaba was ever able to produce anything like it:1. neither in substance

2. nor in literary eloquence.

No wonder Ali was referred to as:1. Sayyid al-Bulaghaa' (Pinnacle of Literary Expression) and

2. Sayyid al-Fu'qahaa, (Pinnacle of the Jurisprudents)


References about Man

Nahjul Balaaghah contains 9 references about Man, some of which appear here

The quotes appear in various sermons, – said at variable occasions and – about different subjects.

1. The Arabic quotes are from the book of Nahjul Balaaghah, by Dr. Subhi Al-Salih, and so is the numbering of the sermons and pages, 1st Edition, Beirut 1967.

2. The Number of the sermons may differ by a factor of 1 in other volumes of Nahjul Balaaghah

3. The references are quotes by Abd al-Zahra' al-Husayni in vols. I & IV of his work (see Al-Islam.org, internet)


Time Element

The majority of Ali's sayings and speeches were stated:– During his Khilaafah when in Kufa, – At Different Places– At Different Occasions– Often at Khutba of Jumu’ah


In Sermon 1, Page 42 Ali: about Man #1

See next slide pleaseOther sources:

1. Al-Harrani, Tuhaf, 57;

2. al-Kulayni, Usul al-Kafi, I, 140;

3. al-Qadi al-Qudaì, Dustur, 153;

4. al-Razi, Tafsir, II, 164;

5. Ibn Talhah, Matalib;

6. al-Zamakhshari, Rabi`, I, bab al-sama' wa al-kawakib;

7. al-Wasiti, Ùyun, see al-Majlisi, Bihar, vol.77, 300, 423;

8. al-Rawandi, Sharh, see Kashif al-Ghita', Madarik, 69;

9. al-Tabarsi, al-'Ihtijaj, I, 150


In Sermon 1, Ali: about Man #1

Then Allah blew into it out of His Spirit whereupon it took the form of a human with a mind that governs, intelligence to make use of, limbs to serve him, and organs that sustain him, and:

Knowledge that differentiates between truth and untruth, tastes and smells, colors and species. He is a mixture of clays of different colors, and:

Cohesive materials, divergent matters and differing properties like heat, cold, softness and hardness.

Then Allah asked the angels to fulfill His promise with them and to accomplish the pledge of His injunction to them by acknowledging Him through bowing to Him and submitting to His glorious position.

��ل�ت ف�م�ث وح"ه" ر� �م"ن ف"يها ��ف�خ ن �م+ ث�ر و�ف"ك �ه�ا، �جيل ي �ذ�ه�ان أ ذ�ا 5 �سانا "ن إ

�د"م�ه�ا، ت ��خ ي �و�ج�و�ار"ح "ه�ا، ب ف� �ص�ر+ �ت ي�ه�ا، @ب �ق�ل ي د�و�ات

� و�أالح�ق@ ��ن �ي ب "ه�ا ب ق� �ف�ر� ي و�م�ع�ر"ف�ة ، ام@ �وال�مش �ذ�و�اق" واال ، �اط"ل" و�الب

5 م�ع�ج�ونا �اس، ن ��ج� و�اال �لو�ان"� و�اال"ف�ة"، �ل ت ��مخ ال �لو�ان"� اال �ة" بط"ين

�ض�د�اد" � و�اال "ف�ة"، �ل الم�ؤ�ت �اه" ب ��ش و�اال�ة"، "ن �اي �ب الم�ت �خ�الط"� واال �ة"، �ع�اد"ي الم�ت

+ة" �ل و�الب د"، ��ر والب الح�ر@ �م"نور"، ر� Yالس�و �م�ساء�ة" و�ال �ج�م�ود"، و�ال

�ه� ان ��ح ب س� الله� د�ى� �أ ت �و�اس

�و�ع�ه�د ، ��ه"م �د�ي ل �ه� و�د"يع�ت ��ة الم�الئك�ذ�ع�ان" " اال في ، ��هم �ي "ل إ "ه" +ت و�ص"ي

"ه"، �ر"م�ت �ك "ت ل �وع" ن و�الخ� �ه�، ل ج�ود" Yبالس





2. al-Kulayni, Usul al-Kafi, I, 140;

3. al-Qadi al-Qudaì, Dustur, 153;

4. al-Razi, Tafsir, II, 164;

5. Ibn Talhah, Matalib;

6. al-Zamakhshari, Rabi`, I, bab al-sama' wa al-kawakib;

7. al-Wasiti, Ùyun, see al-Majlisi, Bihar, vol.77, 300, 423;

8. al-Rawandi, Sharh, see Kashif al-Ghita', Madarik, 69;

9. al-Tabarsi, al-'Ihtijaj, I, 150



And from Adam's progeny Allah chose Prophets, taking their pledge to carry out His Message as their Trust. But when people digressed from Allah's Trust, ignoring His position and conjoined other deities with Him:

Satan impeded them from knowing Him and tempted them away from His worship. So, Allah sent His Messengers and a series of His Prophets to them:

To fulfill the pledges of His creation, to remind them of His bounties, to exhort them by preaching, to unveil for them the hidden virtues of wisdom and show them the signs of His Power: from the skies raised over them, the earth beneath them, the means to sustain them, deaths that overtakes them, ailments and incidents that successively betake them.

�د�ه" و�ل �م"ن �ه� ان ��ح ب س� و�اص�ط�فى�و�ح�ي" ال ع�ل�ى ��خ�ذ أ ��اء �بي �ن أ

�ة" ال �س الر@ �ليغ" �ب ت و�ع�ل�ى ، ��اق�ه�م م"يث�ق"ه" ل �خ �ر� �ث ك

� أ ��د+ل ب �م+ا ل ، ��ه�م �ت م�ان� أ

ح�ق+ه�، �وا ف�ج�ه"ل ، ��ه"م �ي "ل إ الله" �ع�ه�دم�ع�ه�، ��د�اد �ن� اال +خ�ذ�وا وات

�ع�ن �اط"ين� ي الش+ �ه�م� �ت �ال ت �و�اج �ع�ن ��ه�م �ط�ع�ت و�اقت "ه"، م�ع�رف�ت

�ه�، ل س� ر� �ف"يهم ��ع�ث ف�ب "ه"، �اد�ت ب ع""ياء�ه�، �ب ن

� أ ��ه"م �ي "ل إ ��ر و�و�ات"ه"، ت �ف"ط�ر ��اق م"يث ��د�وه�م �أ ت ��س "ي ل

"ه"، "ع�م�ت ن �س"ي+ م�ن �وه�م @ر� �ذ�ك و�ي ، "يغ" �ل +ب �الت ب ��ه"م �ي ع�ل �جYوا ت ��ح و�ي

، �ع�ق�ول" ال �"ن د�ف�ائ ��ه�م ل وا "ير� �ث و�ي : �م"ن ة" ��م�ق�د"ر ال �ات" آي �وه�م �ر� و�ي

و�م"ه�اد ف�وع، �م�ر �ف�و�ق�ه�م ق�ف �س �"ش و�م�ع�اي م�و�ض�وع، ��ه�م ت ��ح ت

، �"يهم �ف�ن ت و�آج�ال ، �"يه"م ي ��ح ت�ح�د�اث و�أ ، ��ه�ر"م�ه�م ت و�ص�اب

� و�أ ، ��ه"م �ي ع�ل �ع� �اب �ت ……ت





2. al-Qudaì, Dustur, 59,

3. al-'Amidi, Ghurar;

4. al-Wasiti, Ùyun al-hikam;

5. Abu Nuàym, Hilyah, I, 77;

6. Ibn al-'Athir, al-Nihayah, I, 132 (b.d.d), II, 287 (à.a.z).



People were created as evidence of Allah’s Might, been impelled by His authority, made to die with pangs, and in graves to turn into crumbs,

Then resurrected one by one, to be awarded their recompense, and have to account for their actions, each one separately.

They had been given time to seek deliverance, shown the right path and allowed to live and seek favors, ─and the darkness of doubts had been removed. They had been let free in this period of life as a training place to make preparation for the Hereafter, to search for the objective with thoughtfulness,

To get time necessary to secure benefits and provide for the next place of stay.

،5 "د�ارا اق�ت ��وق�ون م�خ�ل rاد� ب ع"ارا، �"س اق�ت ��ون �وب ب �و�م�ر

،5 "ض�ارا ت �اح ��وض�ون و�م�ق�ب ،5 �ج�د�اثا أ ��ون و�م�ض�م+ن

،5 ف�اتا ر� ��ون "ن �ائ و�ك ،5 ادا ��ف�ر أ ��ون �ع�وث و�م�ب

�ون +ز� و�م�م�ي اء5، �ج�ز �ون و�م�د"ين;5 ابا �ح"س

ط�ل�ب" في م�ه"ل�وا� أ �ق�د

�"يل ب �س و�ه�د�وا ، ج" �م�خ�ر �ـ ال �م�ه�ل وا و�ع�م@ر� ، �ه�ج" �م�ن ال �ف�ت �ش" و�ك ، "ب" �ع�ت ت ��م�س ال ، �ب" ي الر@ د�ف� س� ��ه�م ع�ن

�اد"، ي �ج" ال �ر" لم"ض�ما Yوا ل و�خ��اة" �ن و�أ �اد"، "ي ت �االر +ة" و"ي �و�ر

�اد"، ت ��م�ر ال "س" �ب �م�ق�ت ال ، �ج�ل"� اال م�د+ة" ف"ي

�م�ه�ل" ال ب" �. و�م�ض�ط�ر












Or look at man whom Allah has created in the dark wombs with multiple layers, from father’s discharge, was a shapeless clot, then embryo, then an infant, then a child, and then a fully grown man.

Allah gave him a mind with memory, a tongue to speak, an eye to see, so as to take lesson and understand and follow the admonition and from evil to abstain.

When he became a young man and his structure matured, he fell in arrogance and was beholden to his passions, in perplexity.

Immersed in fulfilling his impulse for the pleasures or sordid aims. He does not consider its mishaps, nor fear its misgivings. He dies infatuated with his vices, spending his life in trashy pursuits. He earns no reward nor fulfills any obligation.

ف"ي ه�� أ ��ش �ن أ +ذ"ي ال هذ�ا ��م أ

غ�ف" و�ش� ،" ح�ام ��ر� اال �م�ات" ظ�ل�ق�ة5 و�ع�ل ،5 د"فاقا �ط�ف�ة5 ن �ار"، ت ��س� اال

5 "يدا و�و�ل ،5 اض"عا �و�ر 5 "ينا ن �و�ج ،5 م"ح�اقا5 �اف"عا .و�ي

5 و�ل"سانا ،5 ح�اف"ظا 5 �با ق�ل �ح�ه� م�ن �م+ ث ��ف�ه�م "ي ل ،5 �ح"ظا ال 5 �ص�را و�ب ،5 �ف"ظا ال

; 5 د�ج"را �م�ز ��ق�ص@ر و�ي ،5 "را �ب م�ع�ت�ه�، "د�ال اع�ت �ق�ام "ذ�ا إ +ى ت �ح

،5 "را �ب �ك ت �م�س ��ف�ر ن �ه�، م"ثال �و�ى ت �و�اسب" �غ�ر ف"ي 5 "حا م�ات ،5 اد"را �س ��ط و�خ�ب

�اه�، �ي "د�ن ل 5 ع�يا �س 5 �اد"حا ك ه�و�اه�،�د�و�ات" و�ب "ه"، ب �ط�ر �ذ+ات" ل ف"ي ;� و�ال +ة5، ز"ي �ر �س"ب� ت ��ح ي � ال "ه" ب �ر

� أ ; "ه" �ت �ن ف"ت ف"ي �ف�م�ات +ة5 �ق"ي ت ع� ��خ�ش ي

"ه" ه�ف�و�ت ف"ي �و�ع�اش ،5 غ�ر"يرا ��م و�ل ،5 ع"و�ضا ��ف"د ي ��م ل ،5 أسيرا

. 5 ضا ��ر م�ف�ت �ق�ض" ي












Where are the aged men to enjoy the bounty, ─who were taught so they learned; given time yet passed it in vain; kept at peace yet forgot their duty, allowed long life, given a plenty, warned of grievous punishment and promised big rewards?

O’ People, Avoid sins that lead to ruin and vices that attract Allah’s wrath.

O' people who see and hear, with health and wealth! Is there a place of protection, a shelter of safety, an asylum or haven, or an occasion to run away or to come back to this world?

If not, "how are you then turned away" and wither are you averting? By what things have you been deceived? For certainly yours is a hole measured, with your cheek on the dirt of its floor!

] وا ] ع�م@ر� �+ذ"ين ال ��ن �ي أ الله"، ��اد ب ع"ف�ف�ه"م�وا، @م�وا و�ع�ل �ع"م�وا، ف�ن@م�وا ل و�س� �ه�و�ا، ف�ل وا �ظ"ر� �ن و�أ

"ح�وا و�م�ن ،5 ط�و"يال �وا م�ه"ل� أ وا؟ �س� ف�ن

و�و�ع"د�وا ،5 "يما أل وا و�ح�ذ@ر� ،5 "ال ج�مي !5 يما ج�س"

،�ط�ة �م�و�ر@ ال ��وب الذYن وا اح�ذ�ر�. ��م�س�خ"ط�ة ال ��وب �ع�ي و�ال

، م�اع" ��س� واال �ص�ار" �ب� اال �ول"ي أ �م"ن �ه�ل ، �اع" و�الم�ت �ة" �ع�اف"ي و�ال

�و� أ م�ع�اذ �و

� أ �ص، خ�ال �و� أ �اص م�ن

! م�ح�ار �أو مجاز �و� أ ار �ف"ر �و

� أ �ذ، م�ال�؟ ال ��م أ

!( ) ��ن �ي أ ��م أ ��ون �ؤ�ف�ك ت +ى �ن ف�أون�؟! Yر� �غ�ت ت "م�اذ�ا ب ��م أ �ف�ون ��ص�ر ت

�ر�ض"، � اال �م"ن ��م �ح�د"ك أ Yظ�ح +م�ا "ن و�إق"يد� �ع�ر�ض"، و�ال الطYول" ذ�ات"

! خ�د@ه" ع�لى 5 �ع�ف@را م�ت ق�د@ه"،





2. al-Wasiti, Ùyun al-hikam, see al-Majlisi, Bihar, vol.77, p.306;

3. al-Zamakhshari, Rabi`, I, bab al-mala'ikah.



O' creature, equitably created, nurtured, and looked after in the darkness of wombs of multiple layers. You were started from elements of clay, placed in a safe place for an ordained time. You moved in the womb as an embryo, not responding to a call nor hearing a voice.

Then you were delivered to a place you had not seen, nor were you acquainted with its flavors and bounties, so who has guided you to eke out your sustenance from the breast of your mother, and who has appraised you of your needs and aims.

Alas! He who does not understand the qualities of the physical is the more unable to understand the qualities of the Creator; and the more remote from appreciating Him because of the limitations of the creatures.

� أ ��ش �م�ن و�ال ،Yو"ي الس+ م�خ�ل�وق� �ـ ال Yه�ا ي� أ

،" ح�ام ��ر� اال �م�ات" ظ�ل ف"ي ،Yع"ى ��م�ر ال �م"ن ��ت �د"ئ ب �ار"، ت ��س� اال و�م�ض�اع�ف�ات"ف"ي �و�و�ض"ع�ت ط"ين، �م"ن �ة �ل ال س�

�ج�ل و�أ م�ع�ل�وم ق�د�ر "ل�ى إ م�ك"ين ار �ق�ر �م@ك

� أ �ط�ن" ب ف"ي �م�ور� ت م�ق�س�وم،"د�اء5، ن م�ع� ��س ت � و�ال د�ع�اء5، �ح"ير� ت � ال 5 "ينا ن �ج

د�ار "ل�ى إ �ك م�ق�ر@ �م"ن ��خ�ر"ج�ت أ �م+ ث ��ل ب س� ��ع�ر"ف ت ��م و�ل ه�د�ه�ا، ��ش ت ��م لار"; �"ر ت �"ج ال �ه�د�اك �ف�م�ن �اف"ع"ه�ا م�ن

��د ن ع" �ف�ك و�ع�ر+ ؟ �م@ك� أ �د�ي" ث �م"ن �غ"ذ�اء" ال

! ؟ �"ك اد�ت �"ر و�إ �"ك �ب ط�ل �م�و�اض"ع �ح�اج�ة" الص"ف�ات" �ع�ن �ع�ج"ز� ي �م�ن "ن+ إ ، ��ه�ات ه�ي

�ع�ن �ف�ه�و �د�و�ات"� و�اال �ة" �ئ �ه�ي ال ذ"ي"ه" �او�ل �ن ت �و�م"ن ، �ع�ج�ز� أ "ق"ه" خ�ال ص"ف�ات"

! �ع�د� �ب أ ��وق"ين �مخ�ل� ال "ح�د�ود" ب





2. al-Wasiti, Ùyun al-hikam, see al-Majlisi, Bihar, vol.77, p.306;

3. al-Zamakhshari, Rabi`, I, bab al-mala'ikah.



Allah did not create things from early matters eternal nor from after examples previously existing,

But He created that which He created and thereto fixed the creation limits, and He shaped what He shaped and thereto gave the best shape.

Nothing can disobey Him, yet the obedience of something is of no benefit to Him.

Allah’s knowledge of those who died in the past is the same as His knowledge about the survivors remaining,

And His knowledge of what there is in the high heavens is like His knowledge of what there is in the earth down below.

�م"ن ��اء ي ��ش اال �خ�ل�ق" ي ��م ل �م"ن � و�ال +ة، "ي ل ��ز أ ص�ول

� أ+ة، �د"ي �ب أ �"ل و�ائ

� أ ��ق�ام ف�أ �ل�ق �خ م�ا �خ�ل�ق ��ل ب

�ص�و+ر م�ا �و�ص�و+ر ح�د+ه�،�ه�، ت �ص�ور �ح�س�ن

� ف�أ�ه� م"ن ي�ء �ل"ش ��س �ي ل

"ط�اع�ة" ب �ه� ل � و�ال ،rاع� "ن ام�ت ،rاع�"ف �ت ان ي�ء �ش

�م�و�ات" � "اال ب �م�ه� ل ع"�اء" ي ��ح "اال ب �م"ه" �ع"ل ك ��م�اض"ين ال

، ��اق"ين �ب الف"ي "م�ا ب �م�ه� و�ع"ل

�م"ه" �ع"ل ك �ع�ل�ى ال السماو�ات" �ض"ين ��ر اال ف"ي "م�ا ب

ف�ل�ى Yالس




1. Ibn al-'Athir, al-Nihayah, II, 510 (sh.w.l);

2. al-'Amidi, Ghurar, 97;

3. al-Wasiti, Ùyun al-hikam, see Bihar, vol. XVII, 113.



Know, O' servant of Allah! that yourself is a guard over you; the watchmen are your limbs and the Truthful Vigil ─keepers who register your deeds and even the number of your breaths.

Nothing conceals you from them, neither the gloom of the dark nor even a door behind which you hide. Surely tomorrow is not far from today.

Today will depart with all deeds that it has and tomorrow will come in its wake. Soon it is as though you have reached that place on earth where you will be alone, the grave. So, what would you say of a house of loneliness, the place of solitary stay, and the lonesome exile.

�ن+ أ الله"، ��اد ب ع" �م�وا، اع�ل ، ��م ك �ف�س" �ن أ �م"ن 5 ص�دا �ر ��م �ك �ي ع�ل

، ��م ج�و�ار"ح"ك �م"ن 5 �ونا و�ع�ي ��ح�ف�ظ�ون ي ص"د�ق �و�ح�ف+اظ

، ��م ك �ف�اس" �ن أ �و�ع�د�د ، ��م �ك �ع�م�ال أ�م�ة� ظ�ل ��ه�م م"ن ��م ك �ر� ت ��س ت � ال ��ه�م م"ن ��م Yك "ن �ك ي � و�ال د�اج، �ل �ي ل �م"ن 5 غ�دا "ن+ و�إ �اج، ذ�ور"ت rاب� ب

. rر"يب�ق " �و�م �ي الف"يه"، "م�ا ب �و�م� �ي ال �ذ�ه�ب� ي"ه"، ب 5 ح"قا � ال �غ�د� ال �ج"يء� و�ي

�ق�د ��م �ك م"ن ام�ر"ىء �ل+ ك ن+� �أ ف�ك

��ز"ل م�ن �ر�ض"� اال �م"ن ��غ �ل ب"ه"، ت �ح�ف�ر و�م�خ�ط+ "ه"، و�ح�د�ت

و�ح�د�ة، �ت" �ي ب �م"ن �ه� �ال ف�يد" �و�م�ف�ر ة، �و�ح�ش �ز"ل" و�م�ن

�ة! ب � غ�ر


Be in Allah’s Care

Thank you and May God Bless you.

Dr. A.S. Hashim

Documents

Nahjul Balaaghah about Man