My query is the quote of Sayyiduna ‘Ali (radiyallahu ‘anhu) on Taqwa [a lengthy one] I was wondering if you can provide the Arabic text for this:
The quote commences:
“When Allah created His creation, He did so while He was completely independent of their obedience towards Him and of their disobedience towards Him. No disobedience can hurt Him and no obedience can benefit Him. Then He distributed amongst them their means of sustenance and placed them on earth.
The people of taqwa on earth are those of virtue; their speech is correct [true], their garments are of moderate nature and their walk is one of humility. They lower their gazes when they see something that Allah has forbidden them to see and they give ear to beneficial knowledge. They maintain their integrity in both adversity and prosperity.
Had it not been for the appointed time that Allah has written for them [death], their souls would not remain an extra second in their bodies out of yearning for reward and fear of punishment. The Creator ranks Supreme in their eyes, so everything else becomes immaterial to them. They are with Paradise as if they had already witnessed it and enjoyed its presence. They are with Hell as if they have already seen it and its torment. Their hearts grieve and their evil [if any] is non-contagious. Their bodies are lean, their needs are few and their souls chaste.”
Answer
This narration is cited in Nahjul Balagah, without a chain of narrators. ‘Allamah Ibn Taymiyyah and Hafiz Dhahabi (rahimahumallah) have both cautioned that this book contains fabrications and quotations falsely attributed to Sayyiduna ‘Ali (radiyallahu ‘anhu)
(Nahjul Balaghah, pg. 412-417. Refer: Minhajus Sunnah, vol. 8 pg. 55 and Siyaru A’alamin Nubala, vol. 17 pg. 589)
Nevertheless, the Arabic text for the part in question is as follows:
أما بعد، فإن الله سبحانه وتعالى خلق الخلق حين خلقهم غنيا عن طاعتهم، آمنا من معصيتهم، لأنه لا تضره معصية من عصاه ولا تنفعه طاعة من أطاعه. فقسم بينهم معيشتهم، ووضعهم من الدنيا مواضعهم. فالمتقون فيها هم أهل الفضائل. منطقهم الصواب وملبسهم الاقتصاد ومشيهم التواضع. غضوا أبصارهم عما حرم الله عليهم، ووقفوا أسماعهم على العلم النافع لهم. نزلت أنفسهم منهم في البلاء كالتي نزلت في الرخاء . ولولا الأجل الذي كتب لهم لم تستقر أرواحهم في أجسادهم طرفة عين شوقا إلى الثواب، وخوفا من العقاب. عظم الخالق في أنفسهم فصغر ما دونه في أعينهم، فهم والجنة كمن قد رآها فهم فيها منعمون، وهم والنار كمن قد رآها فهم فيها معذبون. قلوبهم محزونة، وشرورهم مأمونة. وأجسادهم نحيفة، وحاجاتهم خفيفة، وأنفسهم عفيفة
And Allah Ta’ala Knows best.
Answered by: Moulana Suhail Motala
Approved by: Moulana Muhammad Abasoomar