The original text, as I am informed, doth enumerate divers books and treatises, followed by reflections upon a celebrated work known as Nahj al-Balaghah.
The books here recounted are these:
* Al-Bayan wa al-Tabyin, composed by the learned Jahiz.
* Tarikh al-Tabari, the annals of Tabari.
* Al-Jumal, the work of Waqidi.
* Al-Maghazi, penned by Sa'id ibn Yahya Umayyi.
* Al-Maqamat, attributed to Abi Ja'far Iskafi.
* Al-Muqtadab, from the hand of Mubarrad.
* Hikayat Abi Ja'far Muhammad ibn Ali al-Baqir alayhima al-salam (A Narrative of Abi Ja'far Muhammad ibn Ali al-Baqir, peace be upon them).
* Hikayat Tha'lab 'an Ibn al-A'rabi (A Narrative of Tha'lab concerning Ibn al-A'rabi).
* Khabar Dirar al-Dabba'i (The Account of Dirar al-Dabba'i).
* Riwayat Abi Juhayfah (The Narration of Abi Juhayfah).
* Riwayat Kumayl ibn Ziyad al-Nakha'i (The Narration of Kumayl ibn Ziyad al-Nakha'i).
* Riwayat Mas'adah ibn Sadaqah li Khutbat al-Ashbah 'an al-Sadiq Ja'far ibn Muhammad (The Narration of Mas'adah ibn Sadaqah concerning the Sermon of the Phantoms, from al-Sadiq Ja'far ibn Muhammad).
* Riwayat Nawf al-Bikali (The Narration of Nawf al-Bikali).
* Ma dhakarahu Abu 'Ubayd al-Qasim ibn Sallam, min Gharib al-Hadith (That which Abu 'Ubayd al-Qasim ibn Sallam mentioned, from the rare Sayings).
* Ma wujida bi-khatt Hisham ibn al-Kalbi (That which was found in the handwriting of Hisham ibn al-Kalbi).
Then follow these words:
"From a time nigh unto the era of the late Sayyid, until this very day, more than seventy commentaries have been writ upon the Nahj al-Balaghah..."
Thereafter, each commentary is mentioned by the name of its author and the year of his demise, and with the addition of translations lately appended thereto, the count doth reach "eighty and one commentaries and translations." (1) And it is but natural that each of these commentaries (much like the interpretations of the Holy Qur'an) should regard the Nahj al-Balaghah from a particular perspective, or from divers angles. Some attend to the niceties of its literary form, whilst others delve into its historical perspective, and yet others ponder its philosophical depths or its lessons concerning education and the ordering of society.
The able author of the book Masadir Nahj al-Balaghah (Sources of the Nahj al-Balaghah) doth, in his work, name one hundred and ten commentaries and interpretations. And certain learned men, in the bibliography of the Nahj al-Balaghah, have recorded the titles of three hundred and seventy books concerning its commentary, translation, and interpretation. (2) Yet, notwithstanding all this industry, it must be acknowledged that this great book remains, as it were, untouched in its entirety, and stands in need of manifold further elucidations, that the gems of its meanings may be drawn forth from the shells of its words, and that divers may plunge into the boundless ocean of the Nahj al-Balaghah, to bring forth the pearls of its wisdom, and to satisfy the needs of this age and time, and of ages and times yet to come. For the dimensions of the Nahj al-Balaghah, like the very being of 'Ali (upon whom be peace), are so vast and expansive that they cannot be easily comprehended.
Of course, the commentaries and translations afore-mentioned are not all complete and comprehensive. Some of them address but a portion of the Nahj al-Balaghah. And amongst these commentaries, some are more extensive and complete, possessing particular merits, a selection of which shall now be indicated:
* Al-Ghadir, Volume 4, pages 186 to 193.
* Al-Mu'jam al-Mufahras li-Alfazh Nahj al-Balaghah, page 10. (It is worthy of note that in Masadir Nahj al-Balaghah, the number of commentaries listed is one hundred and one, not one hundred and ten).
* "A'lam Nahj al-Balaghah" (The important persons mentioned in the Nahj al-Balaghah), which, according to the esteemed 'Allamah Amini, is the oldest commentary upon the Nahj al-Balaghah, and its author, 'Ali ibn al-Nasir, was a contemporary of the late Sayyid Radhi.
* "Minhaj al-Bara'ah" (The Path of Eloquence), written by Sa'id al-Din Hibat Allah Qutb al-Rawandi, a scholar of the sixth century of the Hijra.
* The commentary of Ibn Abi al-Hadid Mu'tazili, a scholar of the seventh century, in twenty volumes, which is amongst the most renowned commentaries upon the Nahj al-Balaghah.
* "Sharh Ibn Maytham Bahrani" (The Commentary of Ibn Maytham Bahrani), a scholar of the seventh century, which is also a comprehensive and engaging commentary.
* Another commentary bearing the name "Minhaj al-Bara'ah", written by the late Haj Mirza Habib Allah Musawi Khu'i, a scholar of the thirteenth and fourteenth centuries of the Hijra, and known as the Khu'i commentary.
* The commentary of Shaykh Muhammad 'Abduh, a renowned scholar of the Sunni tradition, who lived in the thirteenth century.
A number of distinguished contemporary scholars and learned men have also penned engaging and noteworthy commentaries upon the Nahj al-Balaghah, the full enumeration of which would prove lengthy.
It is worthy of remark that the venerable scholar, the late Muhaddith Tehrani, in his book Al-Dhari'ah, mentions approximately one hundred and forty commentaries upon the Nahj al-Balaghah by Shi'a scholars, and sixteen commentaries by Sunni scholars, the oldest of which is the commentary written by Fakhr al-Razi (who passed away in 606 AH). (1)
* Al-Dhari'ah, Volume 14, pages 111 to 160.
A Foreword by Sayyid Radhi (May his secret be sanctified)
Why I Collected the Nahj al-Balaghah
After praise be to God, who hath made praise the price of His bounties, and a refuge from calamities, and a means of attaining grace and everlasting Paradise, and a cause for the increase of His beneficence and generosity; and blessings upon the Prophet of Mercy, the guide of divine leaders, and the illuminating lamp of the Ummah, whose roots are noble, and whose branches are of distinguished personage and ancient glory, and whose origin is wholly honourable, and whose lofty lineage is verdant and fruitful; and upon his Ahl al-Bayt (the People of his House), the illuminating lamps of darkness, the means of salvation for the nations, the clear signs of religion, and the scales of virtue and excellence – blessings be upon them all, blessings that equal their grace and nobility, and be the reward for their deeds, a reward befitting the purity of their origin and their progeny. Blessings be upon them, as long as the dawn breaks the collar of the night, and the stars rise and set.
In the freshness of my youth and the bloom of my life, I embarked upon the composition of a book concerning the "Characteristics and Distinctive Virtues of the Imams, peace be upon them," which contained remarkable accounts and their eloquent sayings.
The motive for this undertaking I mentioned at the beginning of that book, making it the very commencement of my discourse. After gathering the distinctive virtues of the Commander of the Faithful, 'Ali (peace be upon him), the difficulties and vicissitudes of the times prevented me from completing the rest of the book.
I had divided that book into several chapters, and each chapter into several sections. At the end of it was a section comprising the remarkable sayings of the Imam (peace be upon him), consisting of short admonitions, wise sayings, parables, and ethical precepts, not lengthy sermons nor extensive letters.
A number of friends deemed it remarkable and wondrous from various perspectives, and they requested of me that I compile a book wherein the choicest sayings of the Commander of the Faithful (peace be upon him) in all arts and diverse fields – from sermons, letters, admonitions, and ethical precepts – might be gathered. For they knew that this book would contain the marvels of eloquence and the precious examples of fluency, the jewels of Arabic discourse, and the brilliant insights of religious and worldly wisdom, such as had not been collected in any book nor fully encompassed in any writing. For indeed, the Commander of the Faithful is the very wellspring of eloquence, the fountainhead of fluency, and its birthplace.
The hidden treasures of eloquence were revealed through him, and its rules and principles were derived from him. Every orator and eloquent speaker has followed his example, and all eloquent preachers have sought succour from his discourse.
Yet, with all this, he ever remains the forerunner, and they the followers; he is the foremost, and they the hindmost. For his speech is a discourse that bears the traces of divine knowledge and the fragrance of the Prophet's (may God bless him and his family) utterance.
I acceded to their request and commenced this undertaking, being certain that its spiritual benefit would be immense, and that it would soon gain universal acceptance, and that its reward would be a treasure for the Hereafter.
My intention was, in addition to his countless other virtues, to illuminate the greatness of the Commander of the Faithful's stature and personality from this perspective, and to show that he is the sole individual amongst all those who have passed before, whose sayings, reaching the very zenith of fluency and eloquence, have been preserved. His discourse is a boundless ocean, which the speech of no eloquent person can equal. In this matter – in praising of the Imam (peace be upon him) – I wished to emulate and give the example of praising as the famous poet Farazdaq, who, in praising his forefathers, addressed a man named Jarir, saying:
"Those are my fathers, so bring me their like,
When we gather, O Jarir, in assemblies alike."
Sayyad Razi says that:
I observed that the utterances Imam, peace be upon him, revolve upon three principal axes:
Firstly, sermons and commands; secondly, letters and epistles; and thirdly, words of wisdom and admonitions. For this reason, with divine assistance, I resolved to select first the eloquent sermons, then the engaging letters, and thereafter his concise and wise sayings. For each of these I designated a chapter and specific pages within each chapter, so that if in the future I should come upon further material, I might add it thereto. And whenever I found a saying of his concerning debate or disputation, or in response to a question, or for some other purpose, which did not fall under any of these three categories, I placed it in the most appropriate and closest section. And perchance, amidst that which I have chosen, there appear disjointed passages and remarkable but unarranged utterances. This is because I am collecting the brilliant points and sentences of his discourse, and my aim is not to preserve all the connections and verbal relationships.
Amongst his wondrous qualities, wherein he is distinguished and unique, is this: that if one contemplates his discourse concerning asceticism and admonitions – and frees oneself from the notion that this is the speech of a personage of immense power and commanding authority, before whom all bow in reverence – one would undoubtedly deem it the utterance of a recluse who has trod no path save that of asceticism, and has had no occupation other than worship.
One would be certain that this speech emanates from one who has secluded himself in the corner of a house, far from society, or has taken refuge beside a mountain, hearing none but his own voice and seeing none but himself, and is constantly engaged in devotion.
One could never believe that this is the speech of one who, in the heat of battle, drew his sword and plunged into the sea of the enemy's forces, felling mighty warriors and strong men, and severing the necks of the arrogant. And when he returned to the encampment, his sword would drip with blood. Yet, despite all this, he is the leader of the ascetics and the most excellent of the righteous. And this is among his wondrous and astonishing virtues, and his subtle characteristics, that he combined opposites and diverse and contradictory qualities.
Oftentimes I would discuss this matter with my brethren, and their astonishment at this singular characteristic of the Imam (peace be upon him) would be aroused. And verily, this is a matter worthy of reflection and profound thought.
(It is also worthy of mention that) perchance, in the midst of the chosen utterances, there appear repeated words or concepts. My excuse for this is that there is a marked divergence in the narrations concerning the Imam's (peace be upon him) sayings. Sometimes I would find a saying in one narration and transmit it as it was. Then I would come across another narration on the same subject, but it would not be identical to the previous one, either because it contained more information or because it employed more engaging language, necessitating its inclusion as well.
Furthermore, it is possible that due to the passage of time, what I had previously written might have been forgotten, and a portion of it might have reappeared due to inadvertence and forgetfulness, and not intentionally.
Nevertheless, I never claim to have encompassed all aspects of the Imam's (peace be upon him) sayings, such that none of his utterances have escaped me. Nay, I do not deem it improbable that what I have not found is more than what I have found, and that what has come into my possession is less than what has eluded me. However, my duty is naught but to strive and exert utmost effort in seeking these lost treasures, and I beseech God to guide me in this path! After the completion of the book, I deemed it fitting to name it "Nahj al-Balaghah" (The Path of Eloquence), for this book opens the doors of eloquence to the discerning eye and brings its desires within reach.
This book is needed by both scholars and learned men, as well as by students and those who seek knowledge. And the desire of both the eloquent and the ascetic shall be found therein.
Within the folds of the Imam's (peace be upon him) words, we behold wondrous discourses concerning the Oneness of God, His Justice, and His transcendence beyond any resemblance to His creation, which quench the thirst of every seeker and heal every ailment, and remove the rust of every doubt.
I implore the Exalted God for success and preservation from error, and I beseech Him to grant me strength and ability in this undertaking, and I seek refuge in Him from the error of thought before the error of speech, and from the error of speech before the stumbling of the foot. He is my sufficiency, and the best of guardians and helpers.
The Sermons of the Imam, the Commander of the Faithful, 'Ali (peace be upon him)
In the Name of God, the Most Compassionate, the Most Merciful. And in Him do we seek aid.
The First Sermon: The Knowledge of God and Creation
The First Sermon (1)
A Glance at the Sermon
This sermon is among the most significant sermons of the Nahj al-Balaghah, placed at the very beginning of this great book, and is a clear indication of the excellent selection made by the late Radhi.
This sermon encompasses a complete Islamic worldview, commencing with the attributes of God's perfection and beauty, and wondrous subtleties concerning this matter. It then proceeds to the issue of the creation of the universe in its entirety, followed by the creation of the heavens and the earth, and thereafter the creation of the angels. It then addresses the creation of Adam (peace be upon him) and the story of the angels' prostration, the opposition of Iblis, and the descent of Adam (peace be upon him) to the earth.
* This sermon (though not in its entirety, but rather parts of it) has been narrated in many other books, both before and after the late Sayyid Radhi. Among those who alluded to parts of it before the late Sayyid Radhi, the following esteemed figures can be mentioned: 1. The late Saduq in his book Al-Tawhid (The Oneness of God). 2. The late Ibn Shu'bah Harrani in his book Tuhaf al-'Uqul (Gifts of the Intellects). And among those who narrated parts of this sermon after that noble figure, the following esteemed figures can be pointed out: 1. Wasiti in his book 'Uyun al-Hikmah wa al-Mawa'iz (The Springs of Wisdom and Admonitions). 2. The late Tabarsi in Al-Ihtijaj (The Argumentation). 3. Ibn Talhah in his book Matalib al-Su'l (The Objects of Inquiry). 4. Al-Qadhi al-Qudha'i in Dastur Ma'alim al-Hikam (The Guide to the Landmarks of Wisdom). 5. Fakhr al-Razi in Al-Tafsir al-Kabir (The Grand Commentary). 6. Zamakhshari in Rabi' al-Abrar (The Springtime of the Pious). 7. Qutb al-Rawandi in Minhaj al-Bara'ah (The Path of Eloquence). 8. The late 'Allamah Majlisi in volumes 4, 11, 18, 57, 77, 92, and 99 of Bihar al-Anwar (Oceans of Light).
It must not be forgotten, however, that the expressions found in the aforementioned books differ somewhat from what is recorded in the Nahj al-Balaghah.
Further along in the sermon, discourse turns to the mission of the prophets and its underlying wisdom, and finally to the advent of the Prophet of Islam (may God bless him and his family), the majesty of the Holy Qur'an, and the significance of the Prophet's Sunnah (way of life). And from amongst the Islamic precepts, the branches of religion as they are termed, emphasis is placed upon the matter of Hajj (pilgrimage) as a great divine obligation, and its philosophy and hidden meanings are touched upon. So much so, that a careful consideration of the content of this sermon can bestow upon us a comprehensive and holistic understanding of the most important Islamic tenets, and resolve many of the difficulties and complexities that exist within these matters.
From one perspective, this sermon serves as the Fatihat al-Kitab (the Opening Chapter) of the Holy Qur'an is to that sacred text, providing a conspectus of the array of issues addressed within the Nahj al-Balaghah. For the principal themes of the collection of sermons, letters, and concise sayings are presented within this discourse in a condensed form.
We have divided this sermon into fifteen sections, each of which shall be examined and interpreted separately, and thereafter, in a general synthesis of the whole, we shall draw our conclusions.
Section One
* And from a sermon of his (peace be upon him) wherein he mentions the beginning of the creation of the heavens and the earth and the creation of Adam, and wherein there is a mention of the Hajj, and it comprises the praise of God, the creation of the world, the creation of the angels, the selection of the prophets, the advent of the Prophet, the Qur'an, and the religious ordinances:
"Praise be to God, whom those who speak cannot encompass in their praise, nor can those who count enumerate His blessings, nor can those who strive fulfill His due. He whom the loftiness of aspirations cannot apprehend, nor the depths of understanding attain. He for whose attributes there is no defined limit, nor any existing description, nor any appointed time, nor any extended duration. He fashioned the creatures by His power, and spread forth the winds by His mercy, and steadied the expanse of His earth with firm mountains."
Translation
From the sermons of that noble personage, wherein he speaks of the commencement of the creation of the heavens and the earth, and the creation of Adam, and wherein there is also a reference to the duty of Hajj.
Praise belongs exclusively to God, whom the praisers can never reach in their laudation, and the reckoners (most skilled) can never number His bounties, and the diligent can never discharge His due right. He is the One whom lofty and profound thoughts cannot comprehend in the essence of His being, and the intelligent divers (in the sea of sciences and knowledge) cannot attain the perfection of His existence. He is the One for whose attributes there is no defined limit, and no description exists to express His qualities, and for His pure essence there is neither a fixed time nor a specified end. He created the creatures by His power, and set the winds in motion and spread them forth by His mercy, and stilled the quaking and agitation of the earth by means of the mountains.
Explanation and Interpretation
The high-soaring falcon of thought cannot reach the core of His being!
A brief glance at this passage of the sermon reveals that the Commander of the Faithful, 'Ali (peace be upon him), has expressed twelve attributes of God with beautiful coherence and a remarkable order:
Firstly, he demonstrates how servants are incapable in act of praising, lauding, and thanking God (in this stage, three attributes are mentioned).
Secondly, he states the truth of how, even in thought, humans are unable to comprehend His greatness and the essence of His being (in this stage, two attributes are mentioned).
Thirdly, he recounts the reason for this, which is that His pure essence is boundless in every respect, and consequently His blessings are also endless, and our inability to comprehend His essence or fulfill His due is precisely for this reason (in this stage, four attributes are mentioned).
Finally, in the fourth stage, he returns to the creation of the world and His creatures, as if to convey the truth that His pure essence can only be known through this means, and this is the utmost of our capacity and power (and in this part, three attributes of His actions are mentioned).
These bear witness that this great teacher of humankind chose the expressions in his eloquent sermon with careful deliberation and according to a specific order.
With this general overview, we return to the interpretation of the twelve attributes mentioned above:
The Imam (peace be upon him) begins his discourse with the praise and glorification of God, and expresses his own inadequacy in this regard, saying: "Praise belongs exclusively to God, whom the praisers can never reach in their laudation" (Al-hamdu li'llahi al-ladhi la yablughu mid'hatahu al-qa'ilun). (1)
For His attributes of "perfection" and "beauty" are beyond measure. What humans and angels utter in His praise and glorification is commensurate with their own knowledge and understanding of that incomparable essence, not with the extent of His perfections.
When the Prophet himself (may God bless him and his family), who is the greatest of God's prophets, according to the well-known tradition, expresses his inability to truly know the Exalted Creator, and utters the lament "We have not known Thee with the true knowledge due to Thee" (Ma 'arafnaaka haqqa ma'rifatika) (2), how can others claim to know Him? And when man is incapable of knowing Him, how can he fulfill the due right of His praise and glorification? Therefore, the highest degree of "praise" from us is that which the Master has stated, namely, the expression of our inadequacy and powerlessness before His praise and glorification, and the acknowledgment that no speaker has the ability to ascend to the summit of His laudation.
In a tradition from Imam Sadiq (peace be upon him) we read: "God revealed to Moses (peace be upon him): 'O Moses! Render unto Me the due thankfulness.' He submitted: 'My Lord! How can I render unto Thee the due thankfulness when every time I render thanks unto Thee, this very act is a bounty that Thou hast bestowed upon me (and Thou hast granted me the ability to be thankful, and thus I am encompassed by a new bounty for which another thanks is due)?!' He said: 'O Moses! Now thou hast thanked Me when thou knewest that this too is from Me (O Moses! Now thou hast rendered thanks unto Me when thou knewest that this also is from Me, and that thou art incapable of fulfilling its due thanks).'" (1)
Of course, from one perspective, when a person states concisely: Al-hamdu li'llah (All praise belongs to God), nothing remains of the degrees of praise and glorification except that it is exclusively for His pure essence. For this reason, we read in a tradition that Imam Sadiq (peace be upon him) came out of the mosque while his mount was lost. He said: "If God returns it to me, I will render unto Him the due thankfulness." No sooner had he spoken than the Imam's (peace be upon him) mount was brought. At this point, he said: Al-hamdu li'llah! Someone said – may I be your ransom – did you not say that you would render unto God the due thankfulness? The Imam replied: "Did you not hear me say Al-hamdu li'llah (is there anything higher than this, that I deem all praise and glorification to be exclusively His)?" (2)
In the second description, he states: "nor can those who count enumerate His blessings" (wa la yuhsi na'ma'ahu al-'addun).
For His material and spiritual, manifest and hidden, individual and collective blessings are far greater and more numerous than can be counted. The body of a single human being is composed of countless cells (37.2 trillion cells on average!), each of which is a living entity with its intricate structure, and each is a blessing from the blessings of the Lord, the enumeration of which is impossible even in tens of thousands of years. When man cannot count this small part of God's blessings, how can he count all the external blessings, whether in their material or spiritual aspects? Fundamentally, we are not even aware of all His blessings so that we might count them. Many of His blessings encompass our entire being, and because they are never taken away from us, we do not realize their existence (for the existence of a blessing is always recognized after its loss). Moreover, the more the scope of human knowledge and science expands, the more new gifts and fresh blessings from God are attained. Nevertheless, it must be accepted – just as the Master states – that the reckoners are incapable of enumerating His blessings! This sentence can serve as a reason for the preceding sentence, for when one cannot enumerate His blessings, how can one render His due praise and glorification? Although, unfortunately, a group of the ignorant and the oppressors have monopolized many of His blessings, or squandered them through extravagance and wastefulness, and have burdened a segment of God's creation with hardship, these acts are never evidence of the limitation of His blessings.
In the third description, he states: "nor can those who strive and exert themselves fulfill His due right (even if they exhaust themselves)" (wa la yu'addi haqquhu al-mujtahidun).
This sentence is in truth a consequence of the previous sentence, for when one cannot enumerate His blessings, how can one fulfill His due right? And to put it another way, His due right is commensurate with the greatness of His essence, and our thanks and praise are commensurate with our meager ability, and for this reason, the latter will not suffice for the former. Not only are they incapable in act of praising, glorifying, and fulfilling His due right, but they are also incapable in thought and reflection of comprehending His essence.
For this reason, in continuation of this discourse – while stating two other attributes – he says:
"He whom the loftiness of aspirations cannot apprehend, nor the depths of understanding attain" (al-ladhi la yudrikuhu bu'du al-himami wa la yanaaluhu ghawsu al-fitani). (1)
The expressions "bu'du al-himami (the loftiness of aspirations) and ghawsu al-fitani (the depths of understanding)" seem to allude to the truth that if lofty thoughts move in an ascending arc, and strong intellects move in a descending arc, neither will reach its destination, and both will be incapable and powerless to comprehend the essence of His being.
Then, in continuation of this discourse, the Imam (peace be upon him) himself addresses the reason why humans are incapable and powerless to comprehend the essence of His being, saying: "He for whose attributes there is no defined limit, nor any existing description, nor any appointed time, nor any extended duration!" (al-ladhi laysa li-sifatihi haddun mahdudun wa la na'tun (2) mawjoodun wa la waqtun ma'doodun wa la ajalun (3) mamdoodun).
That is, how can we reach the essence of His being when our thought, nay, our entire existence, is limited and comprehends only limited things, while the essence of God is unlimited in every respect, and His endless attributes encompass from eternity to eternity, having neither limit, nor comprehensible description, nor beginning, nor end.
Not only His essence, but His attributes are also unlimited. His knowledge is unlimited, and His power is endless, for all these are identical with His unlimited essence.
In other words, He is absolute existence and has no conditions or limitations. If conditions and limitations were to find their way into His essence, He would be composite, and we know that every composite being is contingent in existence, not necessary in existence. Therefore, the Necessary Being is an essence unlimited in all respects, and for this reason, He is unique, singular, and without peer or likeness, for two unlimited existences in every respect are impossible, because duality necessitates the limitation of both; this one lacks the existence of the other, and that one lacks the existence of this one. (Consider this carefully). After the allusions in the preceding sentences to the attributes of God's beauty and majesty (His positive and negative attributes), he refers to a facet of the Lord's active attributes, saying:
"He fashioned the creatures by His power, and spread forth the winds by His mercy, and steadied the expanse of His earth with firm mountains" (fatara (1) al-khala'iqa bi-qudratihi wa nashara al-riyaha bi-rahmatihi wa wattada (2) bi'l-sukhuri (3) midana (4) ardhihi).
Each of the above expressions alludes to one or more verses of the Holy Qur'an: The sentence "fatara al-khala'iqa bi-qudratihi" alludes to the verse "Fatir al-samawati wa al-ardhi" (The Originator of the heavens and the earth), which appears in several surahs of the Qur'an (5), and the sentence "nashara al-riyaha bi-rahmatihi" alludes to the verse "Wa huwa al-ladhi yursilu al-riyaha bushra bayna yaday rahmatihi" (And it is He who sends the winds as good tidings before His mercy) (1).
The third sentence refers to the noble verse "Wa alqa fi al-ardi rawasiya an tamida bikum" (And He has cast into the earth firmly set mountains, lest it should sway with you) (2).
Considering what has been said about the meaning of "fatara," creation is likened to the splitting of the dark curtain of non-existence, a curtain that is whole, cohesive, and devoid of any fissure. But the boundless power of the Truth cleaves it, and sends forth the creatures from it, and this is something that none but His power can accomplish.
Scientists today are in agreement on the issue that it is impossible for us to bring something into existence from nothingness, or to send something from existence to the realm of non-existence. What is within our power is merely the transformation of existing things, and nothing more!
The expression of mercy in the context of the blowing of the winds is a captivating and attractive one, highly consistent with the gentleness of the breeze and the blowing of the wind, and its various effects such as the movement of clouds towards thirsty lands, the pollination and fertilization of plants, the purification and circulation of air, the movement of ships, the moderation of the temperature of the air, and numerous other blessings.
As for how mountains and rocks prevent the earth from shaking, earlier scholars, believing in the immobility of the earth, had interpretations for this that are not acceptable today. Rather, we have clearer interpretations that are consistent with established scientific facts and in harmony with Qur'anic verses and traditions, because:
* The presence of mountains on the surface of the earth causes the effect of tides, which are the result of the moon's and sun's gravity, to be minimized on land. If the surface of the earth were covered with soft soil, tides similar to those in the seas would occur in it, and it would be uninhabitable.
* The roots of mountains are interconnected beneath the soil and encompass the earth like armor. If they did not exist, the internal pressures resulting from internal gases and molten materials would constantly move different regions, and there would be no stability. Even now, when pressures become excessive, devastating earthquakes occur, and if there were no mountains, these earthquakes would be continuous.
* Mountains, like the teeth of a wheel, sink their claws into the layer of air surrounding the earth and move it along with them. If the surface of the earth were smooth, the rapid rotational movement of the earth around itself would cause constant collision with the air layer. On the one hand, severe storms would constantly batter everything, and on the other hand, an extraordinary heat would result from this contact, making life difficult for humans.
Thus, "sukhūr" (rocks, mountains) control the "mīdān" (irregular and violent movements) of the earth. And in addition to all this, mountains are the most important source of water storage for humans, and all springs and rivers originate from the underground and surface reserves of the mountains.
From what has been said above regarding the vital role of winds and mountains in the lives of humans and all living beings, it becomes clear why the Commander of the Faithful, 'Ali (peace be upon him), after referring to the issue of creation and origination, has specifically emphasized these two matters.
Section Two
"The first of religion is the knowledge of Him, and the perfection of His knowledge is the affirmation of Him, and the perfection of His affirmation is the belief in His Oneness, and the perfection of His belief in His Oneness is the sincerity in His regard, and the perfection of sincerity in His regard is the negation of attributes from Him, because every attribute testifies that it is other than the one attributed to, and every one attributed to testifies that he is other than the attribute. So whoever describes God Almighty has associated something with Him, and whoever associates something with Him has considered Him twofold, and whoever considers Him twofold has divided Him, and whoever divides Him has been ignorant of Him, and whoever is ignorant of Him has pointed towards Him, and whoever points towards Him has limited Him, and whoever limits Him has numbered Him."
Translation
The very commencement of faith doth lie in the knowledge and apprehension of Him, and the perfection of this knowledge doth consist in the affirmation of His pure essence. The consummation of such affirmation is His Oneness, and the crown of His Oneness is sincerity directed towards Him. Yet the ultimate reach of this sincerity is the denial unto Him of the attributes which pertain to created beings. For each attribute (amongst these) doth bear witness that it is distinct from the being to which it is ascribed, and every being (amongst those created) doth testify that it is distinct from the attribute. Wherefore, whosoever doth describe God Almighty with attributes akin to those of His creatures, hath joined Him with other things. And he who joins Him with aught else hath posited a duality in His very being. He who doth posit such duality hath conceived for Him parts, and he who conceiveth parts for Him hath assuredly not known Him. And he who knoweth Him not doth point towards Him, and he who points towards Him hath deemed Him finite. Lastly, he who deemeth Him finite hath numbered Him (and wandered astray in the vale of polytheism)!
Explanation and Interpretation
The Oneness of God's Essence and Attributes
This passage, in truth, doth encompass a complete cycle of theosophy. The Commander of the Faithful, peace be upon him, hath in this section, through concise, comprehensive, and deeply meaningful expressions, introduced God in a manner beyond which no loftier conception can be imagined. And if all the lessons of divine unity and the knowledge of God were gathered, naught would surpass this.
In this excerpt are recounted five stages for the knowing and apprehension of God, which may be thus summarized:
* A knowledge that is general and imperfect.
* A knowledge that is detailed.
* The station of the Oneness of Essence and Attributes.
* The station of Sincerity.
* The station of the Negation of Likeness.
In the beginning, he doth declare: "أوّل الدّین معرفته" (The very commencement of faith doth lie in the knowledge and apprehension of Him).
Without doubt, "faith" here doth signify the entirety of divine beliefs, obligations, deeds, and morals. And it is manifest that the very beginning and fundamental basis of this entirety is "معرفة اللّه" (the knowledge of God). Thus, the knowledge of God is both the first step and the foundational basis for all principles and branches of faith, without which this fruitful tree can never bear fruit.
The notion held by some, that before the knowledge of God there exists something else, namely the issue of inquiry concerning faith and the necessity of study and reflection, is a grave error.
For though the necessity of inquiry is among the foremost obligations, yet the knowledge of God is the primal foundation of faith. Or, to speak in other terms, inquiry is the prelude, and the knowledge of God is the first stage of that which is preceded. (1)
* The late "Mughniyya," a scholar of renown, in his commentary entitled "Fi Zilal Nahj al-Balaghah" (In the Shade of Nahj al-Balaghah), hath mentioned this as obedience and submission to God's commands and prohibitions. And "Sharh Khu'i" (may God's pleasure be upon him) hath also chosen this meaning before him. If their intent is obedience in the broadest sense, encompassing even matters of belief, then it is correct. But if it pertains solely to practical aspects, then the aforementioned objection doth apply to them.
This point is also evident, that a general knowledge is ingrained within the very nature and disposition of humankind. It doth not even require propagation. That whereunto the noble prophets were sent forth is that this general knowledge and apprehension might be transformed into detailed and complete knowledge, and that its branches and leaves might grow and flourish, and that the troublesome weeds which appear as polytheistic thoughts around this fruitful tree might be eradicated.
In the next stage, he doth declare: "و کمال معرفته التّصدیق به" (And the perfection of this knowledge doth consist in the affirmation of His pure essence).
Concerning the difference between affirmation and knowledge, diverse interpretations exist. Firstly, it is suggested that knowledge here doth refer to innate apprehension, and affirmation to scientific and reasoned understanding.
Or perhaps knowledge doth allude to general apprehension, and affirmation to detailed knowledge. Or that knowledge doth point towards awareness and cognizance of God, whilst affirmation doth refer to faith. For we know that knowledge is distinct from faith; it is possible for a man to have certainty about something yet lack the heart's faith – which consists in submission to it and its inner recognition, or in other words, belief in it.
Sometimes, the venerable ones offer a simple example to distinguish between these two, saying: Many are those who fear to remain near a dead body, especially in the dark night and an empty room, even though they know with certainty that it is dead. Yet this knowledge, it seems, hath not penetrated the depths of their hearts, and that state of faith and conviction hath not been attained, and this fear is born of this very lack.
In other words, knowledge is definitive awareness concerning something, yet it may possess a superficial aspect and not penetrate the depths of man's being and his spirit. But when it doth penetrate the depths of the spirit and reach the stage of certainty and conviction, and man doth establish a heartfelt resolve to recognize it, it taketh the name of faith.
In the third stage, he doth declare: "و کمال التّصدیق به توحیده" (And the consummation of such affirmation is His Oneness).
Without doubt, when man doth know God with detailed knowledge, or in other words, through argument and proof, he hath not yet reached the stage of complete Oneness. Complete Oneness is that one deems His essence pure and free from every likeness, peer, and similitude.
For he who doth accept a likeness and similitude for Him, in truth that which he hath known is not God. For God is an existence unlimited in every respect and independent of all and everything. That which hath a likeness and similitude is naturally limited, for each of those two similar existences is separate from the other and lacks the perfections of the other. Thus, the affirmation of His pure essence doth reach the stage of perfection when man doth deem Him singular and unique, not singular and unique numerically, but singular and unique in the sense of being unparalleled and having no likeness, peer, or similitude.
Then he doth step into the fourth stage, which is the stage of sincerity, and doth declare: "و کمال توحیده الاخلاص له" (And the crown of His Oneness is sincerity directed towards Him).
Sincerity (Ikhlas) is derived from the root khulus, meaning to purify, to refine, and to cleanse from otherness.
Concerning whether sincerity here refers to practical sincerity, or heartfelt sincerity, or doctrinal sincerity, there is discourse amongst the commentators of Nahj al-Balaghah. Practical sincerity means that whoever possesses the ultimate Oneness of the Lord worships Him alone, and his motive in everything and every deed is God. This is that which the jurists emphasize in the discussion of sincerity in worship. "Sharh Khu'i" (may God's pleasure be upon him) hath mentioned this interpretation as one opinion, without reference to its proponent.
But this probability is exceedingly remote, for the sentences before and after this sentence all speak of matters of doctrine, and it is perfectly clear that this sentence also refers to doctrinal sincerity.
But heartfelt sincerity, or as "Sharh Bahrani Ibn Maytham" terms it, true asceticism, such that his entire heart is directed towards God and he thinks of none other, and nothing besides God occupies him, though it is a high and exalted station. It also doth accord with the entirety of the sentences in this passage, and it is likely that this is the meaning intended by that sentence if the meanings of sincerety refers to complete purification of the heart.
The only concept that is appropriate is the purification of belief in the heart concerning the Lord, that is, to deem Him singular and unique in every respect, unparalleled and without likeness, and to consider Him pure and free from composite parts.
In the fifth sentence, the Imam himself (peace be upon him) hath alluded to this meaning and explained it with a beautiful expression, declaring: "و کمال الاخلاص له نفی الصّفات عنه" (Yet the ultimate reach of this sincerity is the denial unto Him of the attributes which pertain to created beings).
In other words, in the preceding stage, the discourse was concerning sincerity in a general sense, and here, when sincerity doth reach the stage of perfection, it acquires a detailed aspect, and it becomes precisely clear that for sincerity in Oneness, it is necessary to negate from Him every attribute that a creature possesses, whether this attribute be the possession of composite parts or otherwise. For we know that all contingent beings, even intellects and abstract souls, are in reality composite (at least a composition of existence and quiddity), even the abstract, that is, beings beyond matter, are not exempt from this composition. But material beings all possess external parts. But the pure essence of God possesses neither external parts nor intellectual parts; it is neither divisible in the external world nor in our understanding and comprehension. And whoever doth not attend to this truth hath not attained pure Oneness. And from here it becomes clear that when he says:
The perfection of His Oneness is the negation of attributes from Him, this doth not mean the negation of the attributes of perfection, for all attributes of perfection, such as knowledge, power, life, and others, all belong to Him. Rather, the intent is those attributes with which we have always been familiar and which we have known, that is, the attributes of creatures, which are everywhere mingled with imperfection. Creatures possess knowledge and power, but a knowledge and power that are imperfect and limited and mingled with ignorance and weakness and impotence, while the pure essence of God is far removed from such knowledge and power.
The eloquent witness to this discourse is the saying of the Imam himself (peace be upon him) concerning the angels at the end of this sermon, where he declares: "لا یتوهّمون ربّهم بالتّصویر و لا یجرون علیه صفات المصنوعین" (They do not imagine their Lord with the power of fancy, nor do they ascribe to Him the attributes of created beings).
Furthermore, the attributes of creatures are always separate from their essence, or in other words, they are attributes superadded to the essence. Man is one thing, and his knowledge and power are something else, and thus his existence is composed of these two. While the attributes of God are identical with His essence, and no composition finds its way there.
In truth, the greatest danger on the path of Oneness and the knowledge of God is falling into the valley of "Qiyas" (analogy), that is, comparing the attributes of God with the attributes of creatures, which are mingled with all kinds of defects and shortcomings, or believing in the existence of attributes superadded to the essence, as the Ash'arites (a group of Muslims) have become afflicted with.
For this very reason, the Imam himself (peace be upon him) declares in the subsequent sentence: "لشهادة کلّ صفة أنّها غیر الموصوف و شهادة کلّ موصوف أنّه غیر الصّفة" (For every attribute (amongst the attributes of contingent beings) doth bear witness that it is distinct from the being to which it is ascribed, and every being (amongst those created) doth testify that it is distinct from the attribute).
This statement is in reality a clear logical argument which states: Attributes superadded to the essence, in the language of their state, testify that they are separate from the being to which they belong, and every such being testifies that it is distinct from the attribute, unless we deem His attributes to be identical with His essence and believe that God is a being whose entirety is knowledge, whose entirety is power, whose entirety is life and eternity, although the comprehension of such a meaning is very difficult for us who are only familiar with the attributes of creatures and consider man to be one thing and his knowledge and power to be something added to his essence (for when he was born from his mother, he possessed neither knowledge nor power, then he acquired knowledge and power).
* The Ash'arites, who are the followers of "Abu al-Hasan al-Ash'ari," believe in meanings (ma'ani), and by meanings they intend that the concepts of attributes such as knowledge, dominance, etc., like the essence of God, are ancient and eternal, and at the same time are other than His essence. And thus they believe in the existence of several eternal things, or in other words, they hold to the multiplicity of the eternal (ta'addud al-qudama'), a belief that certainly does not accord with pure Oneness. Therefore, the followers of the school of the Ahl al-Bayt (peace be upon them) – due to the teachings they have received from them – such as what has come in this sermon and other sermons of Nahj al-Balaghah and other words of the Infallible Ones (peace be upon them) – negate "meanings," which are the attributes superadded to the essence, from Him. And the phrase "He has no partner and no meanings" (bi sharikin wa la ma'ani) alludes to this very point.
Then, continuing this discourse and completing it, he adds very concise and deeply meaningful sentences to it, declaring: "فمن وصف اللّه سبحانه فقد قرنه و من قرنه فقد ثنّاه و من ثنّاه فقد جزّاه و من جزّاه فقد جهله" (Wherefore, whosoever doth describe God Almighty with attributes akin to those of His creatures, hath joined Him with other things. And he who joins Him with aught else hath posited a duality in His very being. He who doth posit such duality hath conceived for Him parts, and he who conceiveth parts for Him hath assuredly not known Him!).
In reality, the Imam's (peace be upon him) words allude to the meaning that the affirmation of attributes for God that are like those of creatures necessitates composition in His sacred being, that is, just as man is a composition of essence and attributes, so too must He be. And this meaning does not accord with being the Necessary Being, for every composite being is in need of its parts, and need (poverty) does not accord with being the Necessary Being.
Two other interpretations have also been given for this phrase:
* Firstly, that whenever we deem His attributes to be other than His essence, His essence will naturally also become composite, for essence and attributes, in the case of duality, certainly have a common aspect and a distinguishing aspect (which are termed "ma bihi al-ishtirak" and "ma bihi al-imtiyaz"), for both share in existence and being, and at the same time are separate from each other. And in this case, we must also consider His essence to be composed of those two different aspects.
* Secondly, that we know that the unity of God's essence is not numerical unity, but rather the concept of unity concerning the pure essence of God is that He has no likeness, peer, or similitude.
Fundamentally, an infinite existence in every respect cannot have a likeness or similitude, and if we deem God's attributes to be eternal, everlasting, and infinite like His essence, we have both limited Him and posited a likeness and similitude for Him. (Consider this carefully).
In reality, the above discourse, which the Imam (peace be upon him) has stated in explanation of sincerity, alludes to this very meaning, declaring: Whoever describes God with the attributes of creatures has associated Him with other things, and whoever associates Him with something else has believed in His duality, that is, the duality of essence and attributes, and whoever accepts this duality has considered His essence to be composed of parts, and whoever considers His pure essence to be composed of parts has not known Him at all, for he has conceived of a being like himself – in terms of composition and limitation – and has called him God.
Continuing this discourse and completing it, he declares: "و من جهله فقد اشار الیه، و من اشار الیه فقد حدّه، و من حدّه فقد عدّه" (And he who knoweth Him not doth point towards Him, and he who points towards Him hath deemed Him finite. Lastly, he who deemeth Him finite hath numbered Him (and wandered astray in the vale of polytheism)!).
Concerning what is meant by "pointing towards God" here, there are two possibilities: Firstly, that it refers to intellectual pointing, and secondly, that it encompasses both intellectual pointing and sensory pointing.
The explanation is that when man does not know God with His unlimited, boundless, and infinite reality, he conceives in his mind a specific limited concept for Him, and in other words, he points towards Him with intellectual pointing. In this state, he naturally deems Him finite, because the unlimited and infinite is not comprehensible or conceivable for man who is himself limited and finite. Man comprehends that which he encompasses and which fits within his limited thought, and such a thing is necessarily a limited being.
In this state, God is placed in the rank of enumerated things and countable objects, for the necessity of being limited is the possibility of conceiving another being like Him in another place. Only the unlimited in all respects has no second and is not contained in number and counting.
Thus, the "Master of the Unitarians" has reflected the truth of Oneness in this short and entirely logical expression, and has introduced God as transcendent beyond imagination, analogy, conjecture, and fancy.
This is the same thing that has come in the beautiful expression of Imam Baqir (peace be upon him), who declares: "کلّ ما میّزتموه بأوهامکم فی ادقّ معانیه مخلوق مصنوع مثلکم مردود الیکم" (Everything that you have distinguished with your fancies in its most subtle meanings is a created thing, fashioned like yourselves, returned to you (and is your own making and consistent with your own existence, and God is more transcendent than being consistent with a creature)).
There is also the possibility that "pointing" encompasses both intellectual and sensory pointing, for the source of belief in the corporeality of God is also ignorance, and its result is limiting His essence and placing Him in number and positing partners, likes, and peers for Him.
* Question
Here a question arises: If God is in no way susceptible to intellectual pointing, then the knowledge of God is suspended, and the doors of understanding are closed to man, and the knowledge of God will have no meaning. For whenever we reach out towards that pure essence, we arrive at a creature of our own thoughts, and the more we try to approach Him, the further we go down.
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