The Sermon for Marriage

“Abu ‘ Abd Allah (a.s.), has said that one day a group of banu ‘Umayyah during the time of the government of ‘Uthman came together in Masjid of the Messenger of Allah, O Allah, grant compensation to Muhammad and his family worthy of their services to Your cause, on a Friday and they wanted to solemnize marriage for one of their people and ’Amir al-Mu’minin, Alayhi al-Salam, was nearby. They said to each other. If you want to embarrass Ali, call him now to give a speech and we will keep talking. He will feel embarrassed and will not be able to speak. They went to him (the Imam) and said, ‘O abu al-Hassan we want you to deliver for us a speech.’ He (the Imam) asked, ’Are you waiting for someone?’ They replied, ’No, we are not waiting for anyone.’ He (the Imam) by Allah, without delay said, ‘All praise belongs to Allah who is special in oneness, who advances with warning, who does whatever He wants, who is curtained with light from His creatures, who has aspiring horizon, who in mystification is lofty, whose Kingdom is high and is worshipped for His bounties, Lord of the earth and sky. I praise Him for His good trial, generous charity, and abundant favor and for our Lord’s diverting afflictions from us. I praise Him in a way that servants worship Him, lands become fertile and I testify that no one deserves worship except Allah alone who has no partner. There was nothing before Him and there will be nothing after Him. I testify that Muhammad (SAW), is His servant and His Messenger whom He chose with excellence and guided through him people from straying. He chose him especially for Himself and sent him to His creatures with His message, and statements. He calls people to worship Him, believe in His oneness, and acknowledge that He is the Lord and confirm that he is His Holy Prophet, O Allah, grant compensation to Muhammad and his family worthy of their services to Your cause, whom He has sent at a time of lapse of the presence of the messengers of Allah among people, when people had turned away from the truth, had become ignorant about their Lord, denied the resurrection and warnings. He delivered His message, strove hard for His cause, gave good advice to his followers and worshipped Him until death approached him, O Allah, grant compensation to Muhammad and his family worthy of their services to Your cause, a great deal. I advise you and myself to become pious before Allah, most Great. Allah, most Majestic, most Glorious, has assigned a way out for the pious ones out of what they dislike, and sustenance from sources that they do not expect. So complete the promise of Allah and seek what is with Him through worshipping Him and working for what He loves because goodness cannot be achieved without Him and nothing that is with Him can be achieved without obeying Him. There is no protection against the creatures except His protection and there is no means and power without the power of Allah. ‘Thereafter, Allah has settled things and has approved them in measures and they do not stop in their channels without reaching their goals as they are determined for them. Of the things He had determined of His inevitable issues and His decisions measured and determined is that the successors come in branches and the means continue. He has determined the end of issues to take place about us and you to be present here in this gathering for which He has given us the opportunity that we speak of His bounties and of His good trial and describe His blessings. We ask blessings from Allah for you and for us. It is the blessing which has made us to come together here for its benefits. Thereafter, so and so has mentioned so and so and he as far as his status is as you know him and as matters of genealogy is not unknown to you. He has paid mahr (dower) of an amount that you know so return good, you will be praised for it and ascribe to it (good), O Allah, grant compensation to Muhammad and his family worthy of their services to Your cause.

“Abu Ja‘far (a.s.), has said that ’Amir al-Mu’minin (a.s.), once addressed with the following speech: ‘All praise belongs to Allah, I praise Him, beg assistance from Him, ask forgiveness from Him, seek His guidance, believe in Him and place my trust with Him and I testify that no one deserves worship except Allah alone who has no partners and I testify that Muhammad (SAW), is His servant and His Messenger. He sent him with guidance and true religion to make it dominant over all other religions, as a guide to Him and calling to Him. So he destroyed the pillars of disbelief and lit up the beacon of belief. Whoever obeys Allah and the Messenger of Allah, the right guidance becomes his path and the light of piety becomes his guide. Whoever disobeys Allah and His Messenger misses the straight path altogether and harms no one except himself. I recommend you, O servants of Allah, to become pious before Allah with an advice from an adviser and a preaching of one who delivers and strives. Thereafter, Allah, most Majestic, most Glorious, has made Islam the bright landmarks with shining light houses. In it hearts come together and on its basis are brotherhood and what is between us and you, of such facts are to love Him and old memories among us and everyone knowing everyone else of that on which we are based. May Allah forgive us and you and peace be with you and the blessing of Allah and His kindness.’”