In the name of Allah
The All-Compassionate, the All-Merciful
25th Ramadan 1445 (5th April 2024)
Islamic Universal Association
20 Penzance Place, Holland Park
London, W11 4 PG
Imam Ali (a.s.)’s advice in the Nahjal-Balagha – Part 21
With reference to Imam Ali (a.s.)’s advice, I quote below the final paragraph of Sermon 94:
“May Allah shower His mercy on you! Do act according to the clear signs, because the way is straight and leads to the house of safety while you are in the place of seeking Allah’s favor, and have time and opportunity. The books (of your doings) are open and pens (of angels) are busy recording your actions, while your bodies are healthy, tongues are free, repentance is accepted and deeds are accorded recognition.”
Valuable points
- Imam Ali (a.s.) in the sermon encourages us to tread on the straight path. But, what is the straight path? One can understand what the straight path is from Ayah 51 of Surah Ale-Imran, which reads: “Indeed, God is my Lord and yours, so worship Him. This is the straight path.” Moreover, in Ayah 61 of Surah Yasin, Allah (s.w.t.) says: “And that you should worship only Me, this is the Right Way.” Hence straight path or the right way is worshiping Allah (s.w.t.), serving Him and submitting to Him. Once we denounce all forms of idolatry and devote our life and worship to Allah (s.w.t.) alone, we are at the starting point of the straight path and we will be guided by Allah (s.w.t.), and to all means, practices, commands and ethics that enable us to stay on that path. Relevant verses from the Holy Quran are: “We shall certainly guide those who strive hard for Us and Our cause; verily God is with those who do good deeds.” (Ayah 69, Surah Al-Ankabut)
“As for those who believe in God, and hold fast to Him, He will admit them into His mercy and grace, and guide them on the straight path.” (Ayah 175, Surah An-Nisa)
In Surah Al-Fatihah, we pray to our Lord, the One we worship and the One we ask for help, to guide us to the straight path, “The Path of those upon whom You have bestowed Your bounties, not the path inflicted with Your wrath, nor of those who have strayed.” (Ayah 7)
- Repentance has been mentioned in the Holy Quran several times. Ayah 31, Surah An-Nur says “…. and turn to God all of you, O believers so that you may be successful.” Also Ayah 8 of At-Tahrim provides: “O you who believe! Turn to God with sincere repentance, haply your Lord will wipe out your sins from you and will admit you into Gardens beneath which rivers flow.” To be continued
Second Sermon
The Night of Power
The 23rd of Ramadan was Laylatul Qadr or the Night of Power, the anniversary of the revelation of the Holy Quran and the crowning glory of Ramadan and a very important occasion in Islam. However, according to some hadiths, Laylatul Qadr falls on one of the last ten nights of Ramadan, with the odd nights being more likely, and that is why the last ten nights and days of Ramadan are highly auspicious. The Shiites, however, observe the Night of Power on the 23rd night, keeping in with the traditions received through their Imams.
Indeed Laylatul Qadr is a night of mercy, a night of blessing, a night of peace and a night of guidance. It is a night of unification between our finite world and the infinite universe of the Unseen. It is the time of spiritual bliss and the best time of the year in significance and value. The importance of this night is so great that a whole chapter in the Holy Quran has been named after it. Surah Al-Qadr reads: “Verily we have revealed the Quran in the Night of Qadr (Power). And what will make you know what the Night of Qadr is? The Night of Qadr is better than a thousand months. Therein descends the angels and the spirit by the permission of their Lord with decrees of all affairs. Peace is the entire night until dawn-break.” The Quran was therefore revealed in the Night of Power during the blessed month of Ramadan as a guide to man. The value and excellence of this night is better than a thousand months (83 years and 4 months). Furthermore, Ayahs 2 and 3 of Surah Ad-Dhukhan provides: “By the manifesting Book. Verily We have revealed in on a blessed night indeed, for We intend to warn the people.” The blessed night is the Night of Glory referred to in Surah Al-Qadr quoted above.
Moreover, according to Surah Al-Baqarah Allah (s.w.t.) has sent down the Holy Quran during this month to bring man out of darkness and oppression into light and guidance. Ayah 185 of Surah Al-Baqarah provides as follows: “The month of Ramadan (is the month) in which the Quran was revealed as guidance for mankind; a clear evidence of guidance and the criterion of right and wrong…” It has been reported in Amali Sadooq on page 62 that when Hafs ibne Ghiyas asked Imam Sadeq (a.s.) how was it possible for the Holy Quran to be revealed in Ramadan whilst it is believed that it was revealed to the Holy Prophet (s.a.) in 23 years, the Imam explained: “The entire Quran was revealed in the month of Ramadan to the sky in Baitul Mamoor and thereafter from Baitul Mamoor it was revealed to the Holy Prophet over a period of 23 years.” We should therefore thank Allah (s.w.t.) for the blessings and benefits it contains and beseech Him to give us the strength, the power, the courage and the effort to obey Him and to follow His teachings and to guide us and strengthen our faith and help us to live another year with sincerity and devotion.
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