On the day of Eid al-Adha, Amir al-Muminin (peace be upon him) delivered a comprehensive and profound sermon containing deep religious knowledge, legal rulings, and moral advice. This sermon begins with boundless praise and glorification of God and emphasizes the greatness of the Lord’s attributes, the necessity of piety, the impermanence of the world, and the duties of believers towards the Creator and creation.
Praise and Glorification of Almighty God
Abd al-Rahman ibn Jundab, a narrator of hadith from his father Jundab ibn Abdullah, is considered one of the scholars among the Tabi’un (followers of the Companions) and one of the companions of Amir al-Muminin (peace be upon him).
He narrates from his father that:
“Amir al-Muminin (peace be upon him) delivered a sermon on the day of Eid al-Adha. Then he said the Takbir (Allahu Akbar) and said :God is the Greatest, God is the Greatest, there is no god but God, and God is the Greatest, God is the Greatest, and all praise belongs to God). Praise be to God who guided us to this; gratitude is also due to Him for testing us, and all praise belongs to God for what He has provided us from livestock.”
The Greatness and Attributes of God
The Master of the Pious continued:
“Allahu Akbar (God is the Greatest) — to the weight of the Divine Throne, to the extent of His pleasure, to the measure of His words, and to the number of the drops of the heavens and the trickles of the seas. To Him belong the Most Beautiful Names, and all praise in this world and the next is for Him; until He is pleased, and even beyond His pleasure, for He is Exalted and Great. God is greater than everything. He is the Great and the Proud; a Mighty Lord, the Possessor of Glory, and a Compassionate Merciful One whose mercy encompasses all things. He is the One who accepts repentance, overlooks mistakes, and when His servants still have the power (to sin), He, through His forgiveness, draws the pen of pardon over their sins. None despairs of God’s mercy except the misguided.”
Testimony to Oneness and Prophethood
After praising and glorifying the Lord, Amir al-Muminin (peace be upon him) spoke about the Oneness of God:
“God is Great, very Great, and I sincerely affirm that there is no god but the One God. I glorify and supplicate to Him every morning and evening. All praise is for God; we praise Him, seek His help, and ask for His forgiveness and guidance. I bear witness that there is no god but the One God, without any partner, and I bear witness that Muhammad is His servant and Messenger. Whoever obeys God and His Messenger has undoubtedly been guided and attained great salvation; and whoever disobeys God and His Prophet has certainly fallen into far and deep misguidance.”
Warning Regarding the Impermanence of the World
Amir al-Muminin (peace be upon him) continued in his sermon on the day of Eid al-Adha:
“O servants of God! I enjoin you to have piety of God and to remember death often. Beware of a world from which those before you took no lasting pleasure and which will not remain for anyone after you; and know that the fate of those in it is the same as the fate of those who passed before.
Be aware; it is as if the world has ended and announced its farewell. Its goodness has remained unrecognized, it quickly turns its back on its lovers and passes away; destruction is mingled with it, and it drives its close ones towards death.”
Call to Prepare for the Eternal Journey
Amir al-Muminin (peace be upon him), with poetic expressions about the mortality of this world and the lasting reward, continued:
“What seemed sweet from the world becomes bitter; and what was clear and pure becomes dark. Nothing remains of the world except a leftover like the dregs at the bottom of a water vessel or a sip of water — so little that if a thirsty person drinks it, his thirst is not quenched. So, O servants of God, prepare to depart from it and resolve to leave the world; for no living being clings to hope of permanence, and there is no soul except that it has submitted to the command of death. Beware lest desires overcome you and you consider the end of life and your appointed term to be far off; for as a result, you will become hard-hearted. Do not be deceived by hopes, the plots, and the promises of Satan, for Satan is your enemy and is eager for your destruction and ruin.”
Worship of God During the Opportunity of Life
Amir al-Muminin (peace be upon him) then explained:
“O servants of God, worship God as long as you are alive. By God, even if you wail like camels that have been branded or have lost their young, and lament so loudly that your voices rise like mournful doves, and withdraw from the world like secluded monks, crying out and wailing, and sacrifice your wealth and children in the way of God to seek nearness to Him, to elevate your rank and station before Him, or for the forgiveness of a sin that the divine scribes have recorded and the angels have registered — it would still be little in comparison to the reward you hope for from Almighty God and in comparison to His punishment that you fear.”
The Inability of Human Deeds Compared to Divine Blessings
Amir al-Muminin (peace be upon him), describing the greatness of God’s blessings, said:
“By God, if your hearts were completely melted from fear of Him and your eyes shed blood out of awe of Him, and then you lived for the entire lifespan of the world and performed the best deeds, your actions still would not equal the great blessings that God has given you. You only become worthy of Paradise through His mercy and grace. May God make us and you among the people of justice, repentance, and those who return to Him.”
The Blessing and Sanctity of This Day
The Master of the Pious considered the day of Eid al-Adha as a great day and reminded everyone of its rituals and practices as follows: “Know that today is a day that holds great sanctity, whose blessing is hoped for, and on this day, the forgiveness of sins is anticipated.
So remember God often, and through repentance, turning back to Him, humility, and supplication, expose yourselves to His reward. For He is the One who accepts the repentance of His servants, overlooks sins, and is Kind and Loving to the believers.
Rulings and Etiquette of Sacrifice and Thankfulness for Blessings
Amir al-Muminin (peace be upon him) continued his sermon:
“If any of you offers a sacrifice, he should sacrifice a lamb from the sheep; and sacrificing a young goat does not equal it.
Among the signs of a complete sacrifice is that its eye and ear are sound.
If its eye and ear are sound, the sacrifice is correct and complete; but if its horn is broken or it drags its foot on the ground while being sacrificed, it does not suffice. When you have performed the sacrifice ritual, eat from the meat of the sacrifice, feed others, store some, and thank God who has provided you with the meat of livestock.”
Recommendation of Prayer, Zakat, and Other Obligations
Amir al-Muminin (peace be upon him) said:
“Establish prayer, pay zakat, and perform worship completely and excellently.
Keep alive the testimony to truth and justice, and willingly adhere to what God has made obligatory upon you.
Perform Hajj, fasting, prayer, zakat, and the signs and symbols of faith that He has made obligatory upon you; for God’s reward is great and its goodness and blessing are abundant.
Enjoin good and forbid evil. Help the weak, assist the oppressed, and restrain and stop the oppressor and the one who causes doubt and uncertainty among the people.”
Good Conduct, Truthfulness, and Jihad
Near the end of the sermon, the Master of the Pious invited those present to treat women kindly and said:
“Be kind to your women and slaves. Be truthful in speech, return trusts to their owners, and fulfill covenants. Be steadfast in safeguarding truth and justice, and give full measure and weight.
Strive in the way of God as He deserves to be striven for. Let not the life of this world deceive you, and let not the deceitful Satan make you proud and deluded about God.”
Conclusion of the Sermon with Recitation of the Quran
Amir al-Muminin (peace be upon him) concluded his important sermon with these words:
“Indeed, the most eloquent sermon and the best speech is the word of God.” Then he said, “I seek refuge with God from Satan, the accursed,” recited Surah al-Ikhlas, and sat down like one who is in a hurry. Then he stood up and said: “All praise is for God. We praise Him, seek His help and guidance, ask for His forgiveness, and put our trust in Him.”
Then he delivered a short sermon in the manner of the Friday prayer sermon.
Bihar al-Anwar, Volume 88, Page 99; Misbah al-Mutahajjid, Page 363
