hadith
851
۞
[An account of past peoples and about learning from them :] I advise you, creatures of Allāh, to practise fear of Allāh Who gave you good clothing and bestowed an abundance of sustenance on you. If there was anyone who could secure a ladder to everlasting life or a way to avoid death it was Sulaymān ibn Dāwūd (a.s.) who was given control over the domain of the jinn and men along with prophethood and great position (before Allāh), but when he finished what was his due in food (of this world) and exhausted his (fixed) time the bow of destruction shot him with arrow of death. His houses became vacant and his habitations became empty. Another group of people inherited them. Certainly, the by-gone centuries have a lesson for you.
[الوصية بالتقوى :] أُوصِيكُمْ عِبَادَ اللهِ بِتَقْوَى اللهِ الَّذِي أَلْبَسَكُمُ الرِّيَاشَ، وَأَسْبَغَ عَلَيْكُمُ الْمَعَاشَ; فَلَوْ أَنَّ أَحَداً يَجِدُ إلَى الْبَقَاءِ سُلَّماً، أَوْ لِدَفْعِ الْمَوْتِ سَبِيلاً، لَكَانَ ذلِكَ سُلَيْمانُ بْنُ دَاوُدَ(عليه السلام)، الَّذِي سُخِّرَ لَهُ مُلْكُ الْجِنِّ وَالاْنْسِ، مَعَ النُّبُوَّهِ وَعَظِيمِ الزُّلْفَةِ، فَلَمَّا اسْتَوْفَى طُعْمَتَهُ، وَاسْتَكْمَلَ مُدَّتَهُ، رَمَتْهُ قِسِيُّ الْفَنَاءِ بِنِبَالِ المَوْتِ، وَأَصْبَحَتِ الدِّيَارُ مِنْهُ خَالِيَةً، وَالْمَسَاكِنُ مُعَطَّلَةً، وَرِثَهَا قَوْمٌ آخَرُونَ، وَإِنَّ لَكُمْ فِي الْقُرُونِ السَّالِفَةِ لَعِبْرَةً!
Similar narrations
- Nahj al-Balāgha #1004 [Advantages of fear of Allāh :] Now then, I advise you to fear Allāh, Who created you for the first time; towards Him is your return, with...
- Nahj al-Balāgha #1326 Fear Allāh regarding what you have amassed and find out your true right therein, and turn to understand for what you will not be excused on...
- Nahj al-Balāgha #496 [Enjoining people to Piety :] O creatures of Allāh ! I advise you to have fear of Allah which is the provision (for next world) and with it...
- Nahj al-Balāgha #731 [Drawing lessons from this world :] I advise you, O creatures of Allāh, to exercise fear of Allāh and to obey Him because it is salvation...
- Nahj al-Balāgha #298 [Enjoining people to Piety] O creatures of Allāh I advise you to have fear of Allāh Who has furnished illustrations and Who has timed for...
- Nahj al-Balāgha #955 You should also fear what calamities befell peoples before you on account of their evil deeds and detestable actions. Remember, during good...
- Nahj al-Balāgha #958 [Learning lessons from the past nations :] You should take a lesson from the fate of the progeny of Ismael, the children of Isaac and the...
- Nahj al-Balāgha #993 I advise you, O creatures of Allāh, to have fear of Allāh, for it is the rein and the mainstay (of religion). Hold fast to its salient...