وَمِنۡ خُطۡبَةٍ [في بعض النسخ: كَلَامٍ] لَهُ عَلَيۡهِ السَّلَامُ
From one of his sermons
وَفِيهَا عِلَّةُ تَسۡمِيَةِ الشُّبۡهَةِ شُبۡهَةً، ثُمَّ بَيَانُ حَالِ النَّاسِ فِيهَا
About naming of doubt as such, and disparagement of those in doubt
وَإِنَّمَا سُمِّيَتِ الشُّبۡهَةُ شُبۡهَةً لِأَنَّهَا تُشۡبِهُ الۡحَقَّ، فَأَمَّا أَوۡلِيَاءُ اللهِ فَضِيَاؤُهُمۡ فِيهَا الۡيَقِينُ، وَدَلِيلُهُمۡ سَمۡتُ الۡهُدَى، وَأَمَّا أَعۡدَاءُ اللهِ فَدُعَاؤُهُمۡ الضَّلَالُ، وَدَلِيلُهُمُ الۡعَمَى [الۡعَمۡى]، فَمَا يَنۡجُو مِنَ الۡمَوۡتِ مَنۡ خَافَهُ، وَلَا يُعۡطَى الۡبَقَاءَ مَنۡ أَحَبَّهُ.
“Doubt” is named doubt because it resembles truth. As for friends of Allāh, in time of doubt, their conviction serves them as light, and the direction of the right path (itself) serves as their guide; while the enemies of Allāh, in time of doubt, call to misguidance in the darkness of doubt, and their guide is blindness (of intelligence). One who fears death cannot escape it, nor can one who seeks eternal life secure it.
