In the name of Allah
The All compassionate, the All-Merciful
2nd Jamadial-Awwal 1447 (24th October 2025)
Islamic Universal Association
20 Penzance Place, Holland Park
London, W11 4 PG
Imam Ali (a.s.)’s advice in the Nahjal-Balagha – Part 106
The second part of Imam Ali (a.s.)’s Sermon 114, quoted below, emphasizes the importance of fearing Allah (s.w.t.), which is the ultimate provision for the hereafter, thereby ensuring a successful return to the Creator:
“O creatures of Allah! I advise you to fear of Allah, which is the provision for the return to the next world. The provision will take you to your destination and the return will be successful. The best is one who has called people towards it and made them listen to it and the best listener has listened to it. So the caller has proclaimed and the listener has listened and preserved it.
O creations of Allah! Certainly fear of Allah has saved the lovers of Allah from unlawful deeds and instilled fear in their hearts. Their nights are passed in wakefulness and at noon in thirst. They get comfort in their trouble and they quench their thirst. They regard death to be near and therefore they hasten towards (good) actions. They rejected their worldly desires by keeping death in their sight.
This world is a place of destruction, tribulations, changes and lessons. As for destruction, its bow is in readiness, its dart does not go amiss and its wounds does not heal; it afflicts the living with death, the healthy with ailment and the protected with distress. It is an eater who is not satisfied and a drinker whose thirst is never quenched. As for tribulation, a man collects what he does not eat and builds where he does not live. Then he goes to Allah without carrying his wealth or shifting the building.”
The above text highlights how fear of Allah (s.w.t.) leads to righteous actions, self-restraint, and a constant remembrance of death and accountability. It describes that this world is a transient place of trials and tribulations and warns against attachment to worldly possessions, as they are ultimately left behind.
Key Points:
- Fear, aweand reverence of Allah (s.w.t.) inspire good deeds and spiritual preparedness and ultimate provision for the afterlife.
- It urges the believers to focus on righteous deeds and to avoid sinful behavior that could have negative outcomes.
- This world is described as a place of destruction and tribulation, where worldly pursuits like wealth and possessions are ultimately meaningless.
- Fear of Allah (s.w.t.) encourages people to control their desires and to resist temptations and unlawful pleasures.
- By constantly remembering death, believers are motivated to perform good deeds and to avoid evil deeds.
- Those who embrace the path of piety find comfort in trials and achieve success in their ultimate return to Allah (s.w.t.). To be continued
Second Sermon
Birth anniversary of Hazrat Zainab (a.s)
On the auspicious birth anniversary of Hazrat Zainab (a.s.), I offer my congratulations to Imam Mahdi (a.s.) and the followers of the Ahlul Bait. I will commemorate this marked occasion, by summarily discussing her great personality.
According to a tradition, Zainab was born on the 5th of Jamadial-Awwal, 5 Hijri in Medina to the two most pious and spiritual personalities in the history of Islam, Imam Ali and Fatima (a.s). Her name is a combination of two words, Zain (adornment) and Ab (father), which means father’s adornment.
The environment that she was brought up was the best of its kind, and that is why she received the best possible training and developed invaluable virtues. Her father, Imam Ali (a.s.) was the perfect human being after the Holy Prophet (s.a.), which no one can truly deny. He was the first to accept Islam. His entire life is a role model for us to look at and emulate. Her mother, Fatima (a.s), was the grand lady of Islam, whose exemplary life is a lesson for us all and the Holy Quran has portrayed her purity and righteousness. Her grandfather was the Holy Prophet (s.a.), the most outstanding figure in history. His wife, Khadija a devoted woman, was her maternal grandmother and her paternal grandmother was Fatima, daughter of Asad, who mothered and nursed the Holy Prophet (s.a.). Her two brothers Imam Hasan and Hussain (a.s) were excellent role models. She was raised in a house where Gabriel used to bring revelations from Allah (s.w.t) and on his visits he would convey Allah (s.w.t.)’s greetings to the residents.
Her life was always laden with hardship, but she never feared coping with difficulties which enhanced her endurance and elevated her soul. After the demise of the Holy Prophet (s.a.), there came the period of distress and hardship in her life. She stood by her mother as far as the question of supreme mandate of her father was concerned. When her mother delivered the Fadak sermon, she was merely a child, but she narrated the sermon so lucidly and expressively and that is why she is called Zainab the narrator of traditions. She was a pillar of strength in Karbala to Imam Hussain (a.s.) and the protector and guardian to the surviving members of their family after his martyrdom.
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