وَمِنۡ خُطۡبَةٍ لَهُ عَلَيۡهِ السَّلَامُ
From one of his sermons
وَفِيهَا مَبَاحِثُ لَطِيفَةٌ مِنَ الۡعِلۡمِ الۡإِلَهِيِّ
About Allāh’s attributes
الۡحَمۡدُ للهِ الَّذِي لَمۡ تَسۡبِقۡ لَهُ حَالٌ حالاً، فَيَكُونَ أَوَّلًا قَبۡلَ أَنۡ يَكُونَ آخِراً، وَيَكُونَ ظَاهِراً قَبۡلَ أَنۡ يَكُونَ بَاطِناً.
Praise be to Allāh, for Whom one condition does not proceed another, so that He may be the First before being the Last, or He may be Manifest before being Hidden.
كُلُّ مُسَمًّى بِالۡوَحۡدَةِ غَيۡرَهُ قَلِيلٌ، وَكُلُّ عَزِيزٍ غَيۡرَهُ ذَلِيلٌ، وَكُلُّ قَوِيٍّ غَيۡرَهُ ضَعِيفٌ، وَكُلُّ مَالِكٍ غَيۡرَهُ مَمۡلُوكٌ، وَكُلُّ عَالِمٍ غَيۡرَهُ مُتَعَلِّمٌ، وَكُلُّ قَادِرٍ غَيۡرَهُ يَقۡدِرُ وَيَعۡجَزُ، وَكُلُّ سَمِيعٍ غَيۡرَهُ يَصَمُّ عَنۡ لَطِيفِ الۡأَصۡوَاتِ، ويُصِمُّهُ كَبِيرُهَا، وَيَذۡهَبُ عَنۡهُ مَا بَعُدَ مِنۡهَا، وَكُلُّ بَصِيرٍ غَيۡرَهُ يَعۡمَى عَنۡ خَفِيِّ الۡأَلۡوَانِ وَلَطِيفِ الۡأَجۡسَامِ، وَكُلُّ ظَاهِرٍ غَيۡرَهُ [في بعض النسخ: غَيۡرَهُ غَيۡرُ] بَاطِن، وَكُلُّ بَاطِنٍ غَيۡرَهُ غَيۡرُ ظَاهِرٍ.
Everyone called one (alone), save Him, is by virtue of being small (in number); and everyone enjoying honour other than Him is humble. Every powerful person other than Him is weak. Every master (owner) other than Him is slave (owned). Every knower other than Him is seeker of knowledge. Every controller other than Him is sometimes imbued with control and sometimes with disability. Every listener other than Him is deaf to light voices, while loud voices make him deaf, and distant voices also get away from him. Every onlooker other than Him is blind to hidden colours and delicate bodies. Every manifest thing other than Him is hidden, but every hidden thing other than Him is incapable of becoming manifest.
لَمْ يَخْلُقْ مَا خَلَقَهُ لِتَشْدِيدِ سُلْطَانٍ، وَلَا تَخَوُّفٍ [تَخْوُّفٍ] مِنْ عَوَاقِبِ زَمَانٍ، وَلَا اسْتِعَانَةٍ عَلَى نِدٍّ مُثَاوِرٍ، وَلَا شَرِيكٍ مُكَاثِرٍ وَلَا ضِدٍّ مُنَافِرٍ؛ وَلكِنْ خَلَائِقُ مَرْبُوبُونَ، وَعِبَادٌ دَاخِرُونَ، لَمْ يَحْلُلْ فِي الْأَشْيَاءِ فَيُقَالَ: هُوَ [في بعض النسخ: هُوَ فِيهَا] كَائِنٌ، وَلَمْ يَنْأَ عَنْهَا فَيُقَالَ: هُوَ مِنْهَا بَائِنٌ.
He did not create what He created to fortify His authority, nor for fear of the consequences of time, nor to seek help against the attack of an equal, or a boastful partner, or a hateful opponent. On the other hand, all the creatures are reared by him and are His humbled slaves. He is not conditioned in anything so that it be said that He exists therein, nor is He separated from anything so as to be said that He is away from it.
لَمۡ يَؤُدۡهُ خَلۡقُ مَا ابۡتَدَأَ، وَلَا تَدۡبِيرُ مَا ذَرَأَ، وَلَا وَقَفَ بِهِ عَجۡرٌ عَمَّا خَلَقَ، وَلَا وَلَجَتۡ عَلَيۡهِ شُبۡهُةٌ فِيمَا قَضَى وَقَدَّرَ، بَلۡ قَضَاءٌ مُتۡقَنٌ، وَعِلۡمٌ مُحۡكَمٌ، وَأَمۡرٌ مُبۡرَمٌٌ. الۡمَأۡمُولُ مَعَ النِّقَمِ، الۡمَرۡهُوبُ مَعَ النِّعَمِ.
The creation of what He initiated, or the administration of what He controls, did not fatigue Him. No disability overtook Him against what He created. No misgiving ever occurred to Him in what He ordained and resolved. But His verdict is certain, His knowledge is definite, His governance is overwhelming. He is wished for at time of distress, and He is feared even in bounty.
