The Sermon on Piety

Sermon 192 in Nahjul Balagha, also called the Sermon of the Pious, is my favourite. It also scares me very, very much (though lest anyone think I know the Nahj like the back of my hand, I will point out I only know of a handful of the sermons, if that).

Without any aforethought, Imam Ali (AS) was asked to define the pious "in such a way as though I see them". He declined, but was asked again, and came out with what I've pasted below. An incredible number (101 by my count) of attributes are listed below, and if ever you want to know where you are with regard to piety, measure yourself against these. Which is what I'm about to do.

I've broken the sermon into individual sentences, and where I see an attribute mentioned, I'm going to put either a yes, or a no next to them. It will be easy to put the "no" tags but a lot harder to put the "yes" tags, for two reasons - (i) - I don't want to show off, and (ii) - I'm going to be extremely critical of myself, so if I'm not sure, or can think of any recent (or not so recent) example of any contrary behaviour, then I'll put a "no" tag.

Anyway - to begin. I've focused on the core of the sermon only, so there will be a bit missing from the beginning, and the end. Read the sermon in its entirety here.

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Thus, the God-fearing, in it are the people of distinction.

Their speech is to the point (no), their dress is moderate (no) and their gait is humble (no).

They keep their eyes closed to what Allah has made unlawful for them (no), and they put their ears to that knowledge which is beneficial to them (no).

They remain in the time of trials as though they remain in comfort (no).

If there had not been fixed periods (of life) ordained for each, their spirits would not have remained in their bodies even for the twinkling of an eye because of (their) eagerness for the reward and fear of chastisement (no).

The greatness of the Creator is seated in their heart (no), and, so, everything else appears small in their eyes (no).

Thus to them Paradise is as though they see it and are enjoying its favours (no).

To them, Hell is also as if they see it and are suffering punishment in it (no).

Their hearts are grieved (no), they are protected against evils (no), their bodies are thin (no), their needs are scanty (no), and their souls are chaste (no).

They endured (hardship) for a short while (no), and in consequence they secured comfort for a long time (no).

It is a beneficial transaction that Allah made easy for them.

The world aimed at them, but they did not aim at it (no).

It captured them, but they freed themselves from it by a ransom (no).

During a night they are upstanding on their feet reading portions of the Qur'an and reciting it in a well-measured way (no), creating through it grief for themselves and seeking by it the cure for their ailments (no).

If they come across a verse creating eagerness (for Paradise) they pursue it avidly, and their spirits turn towards it eagerly, and they feel as if it is in front of them (no).

And when they come across a verse which contains fear (of Hell) they bend the ears of their hearts towards it, and feel as though the sound of Hell and its cries are reaching their ears (no).

They bend themselves from their backs, prostrate themselves on their foreheads, their palms, their knees and their toes, and beseech Allah, the Sublime, for their deliverance (no).

During the day they are enduring (no), learned (no), virtuous (no) and God-fearing (no).

Fear (of Allah) has made them thin like arrows (no).

If any one looks at them he believes they are sick, although they are not sick, and he says that they have gone mad. In fact, great concern (i.e., fear) has made them mad (no).

They are not satisfied with their meagre good acts (yes!!), and do not regard their major acts as great (no).

They always blame themselves (yes) and are afraid of their deeds (no).

When anyone of them is spoken of highly, he says: "I know myself better than others, and my Lord knows me better than I know. O' Allah do not deal with me according to what they say, and make me better than they think of me and forgive me (those shortcomings) which they do not know. (no)"

The peculiarity of anyone of them is that you will see that he has strength in religion (no), determination along with leniency (no), faith with conviction (no), eagerness in (seeking) knowledge in forbearance (no), moderation in riches (no), devotion in worship (no), gracefulness in starvation (no), endurance in hardship (no), desire for the lawful (yes), pleasure in guidance (no) and hatred from greed (no).

He performs virtuous deeds but still feels afraid (no).

In the evening he is anxious to offer thanks (to Allah). (no)

In the morning his anxiety is to remember (Allah). (no)

He passes the night in fear and rises in the morning in joy - fear lest night is passed in forgetfulness (no), and joy over the favour and mercy received by him (no).

If his self refuses to endure a thing which it does not like he does not grant its request towards what it likes (no).

The coolness of his eye lies in what is to last for ever (no), while from the things (of this world) that will not last he keeps aloof (no).

He transfuses knowledge with forbearance (no), and speech with action (no).

You will see his hopes simple (no), his shortcomings few (no), his heart fearing (no), his spirit contented (no), his meal small and simple (no), his religion safe (no), his desires dead (no) and his anger suppressed (no).

Good alone is expected from him (no).

Evil from him is not to be feared (no).

Even if he is found among those who forget (Allah) he is counted among those who remember (Him), but if he is among the rememberers he is not counted among the forgetful (no).

He forgives him who is unjust to him (yes), and he gives to him who deprives him (no).

He behaves well with him who behaves ill with him (no).

Indecent speech is far from him (yes), his utterance is lenient (no), his evils are non-existent (no), his virtues are ever present (no), his good is ahead (no) and mischief has turned its face (from him) (no).

He is dignified during calamities (no), patient in distresses (no), and thankful during ease (yes).

He does not commit excess over him whom he hates (yes), and does not commit sin for the sake of him whom he loves (no).

He admits truth before evidence is brought against him (no).

He does not misappropriate what is placed in his custody (yes), and does not forget what he is required to remember (no).

He does not call others bad names (yes), he does not cause harm to his neighbour (no), he does not feel happy at others misfortunes (yes), he does not enter into wrong (no), and does not go out of right (no).

If he is silent his silence does not grieve him (no), if he laughs he does not raise his voice (no), and if he is wronged he endures till Allah takes revenge on his behalf (no).

His own self is in distress because of him (no), while the people are in ease from him (no).

He puts himself in hardship for the sake of his next life (no), and makes people feel safe from himself (no).

His keeping away from others is by way of asceticism and purification (no), and his nearness to those to whom he is near is by way of leniency and mercifulness (no).

His keeping away is not by way of vanity or feeling of greatness (no), nor his nearness by way of deceit and cheating (no).

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10 "yes" tags. Some of which I barely feel I merited, though after all those "no" tags in the beginning, it felt good to get my first "yes" hence the exclamation marks. Going over them again, it could easily be 5, or even less. But, let's be generous, and give me 10.

10 our of 101 is still less than acceptable. Though, obviously, these don't exactly translate numerically - I'm not 9.9% pious. But can anything less than 101/101 ever be acceptable?

The thing to bear in mind is that these are specific attributes, which manifest the all-encompassing trait of piety. So in situation X, a pious person would demonstrate [insert attribute from the sermon here], whereas in another situation, another attribute may manifest itself. Point being, that to aim for these specific attributes without aiming for piety in general is like trying to build a house without a foundation.

I need to work on piety first, and the rest, inshaAllah, will follow. Pray for me, please.