Sermon 196
The condition of the world at the time of the proclamation of prophethood, the transience of this world and the state of its inhabitants.
ومن خطبة له (عليه السلام)
بعثة النبي (صلى الله عليه وآله وسلم)
Allah deputed the Prophet when no sign of guidance existed, no beacon was giving light and no passage was clear.
بَعَثَهُ حِينَ لاَ عَلَمٌ قَائِمٌ، وَلاَ مَنَارٌ سَاطِعٌ، وَلاَ مَنْهَجٌ وَاضِحٌ.
العظة بالزهد
I advise you, O creatures of Allah, to have fear of Allah, and I warn you of this world which is a house from which departure is inevitable and a place of discomfort. He who lives in it has to depart, and he who stays here has to leave it. It is drifting with its people like a boat whom severe winds dash (here and there) in the deep sea. Some of them get drowned and die, while some of them escape on the surface of the waves, where winds push them with their currents and carry them towards their dangers. So, whatever is drowned cannot be restored, and whatever escapes is on the way to destruction.
أُوصِيكُمْ عِبَادَ اللهِ، بِتَقْوَى اللهِ، وَأُحَذِّرُكُمُ الدُّنْيَا، فإِنَّهَا دَارُ شُخُوص، وَمَحَلَّةُ تَنْغِيص، سَاكِنُهَا ظَاعِنٌ، وَقَاطِنُهَا بَائِنٌ، تَمِيدُ بِأَهْلِهَا مَيَدَانَ السَّفِينَةِ تَقْصِفُهَا الْعَوَاصِفُ فِي لُجَجِ الْبِحَارِ، فَمِنْهُمُ الْغَرِقُ الْوَبِقُ وَمِنْهُمُ النَّاجِي عَلى مُتُونِ الاْمْوَاجِ، تَحْفِزُهُ الرِّيَاحُ بِأَذْيَالِهَا، وَتَحْمِلُهُ عَلى أَهْوَالِهَا، فَمَا غَرِقَ مِنْهَا فَلَيْسَ بِمُسْتَدْرَك، وَمَا نَجَا مِنْهَا فَإِلى مَهْلَك!
O creatures of Allah, you should know now that you have to perform (good) acts, because (at present) your tongues are free, your bodies are healthy, your limbs have movement, the area of your coming and going is vast and the course of your running is wide; before the loss of opportunity or the approach of death. Take death's approach as an accomplished fact and do not think it will come (hereafter).
عِبَادَ اللهِ، الاْنَ فَاعْلَمُوا، وَالاْلْسُنُ مُطْلَقَةٌ، وَالاْبدَانُ صَحِيحَةٌ، وَالاْعْضَاءُ لَدْنَةٌ، وَالْمُنقَلَبُ فَسِيحٌ، وَالْـمَجَالُ عَرِيضٌ، قَبْلَ إِرْهَاقِ الْفَوْتِ، وَحُلُولِ الْمَوْتِ، فَحَقّقُوا عَلَيْكُمْ نُزُولَهُ، وَلاَ تَنْتَظِرُوا قُدُومَهُ
Alternative Sources for Sermon 196
(1) Al-'Amidi, Ghurar, 87.