The Preacher's Legacy

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كَانَ اِبْنُ الْجَوْزِيِّ أَنِيقًا فِي مَظْهَرِهِ نَزْهًا نَظِيفًا مُتَنَعِّمًا فِي مَعِيشَتِهِ

Ibn al-Jawzi was elegant in his appearance, modest and clean, and enjoyed the comforts of his life,

كَمْ كَانَ رَحِمَهُ اللَّهُ مُتَحَدِّثًا بَارِعًا،

How eloquent a speaker he was, may God have mercy on him.

إِنْ أَرَادَ أَنْ يُضْحِكَ

If he wanted to make them laugh

أَضْحَكَ الثَّكَالَى بِمَا يُسْرَدُ مِنْ أَخْبَارِ البُخَلَاءِ وَالْحَمْقَى وَالْمُغْفَلِينَ وَالْمُتَمَاجِنِينَ وَالظُّرَافِ

He made the bereaved woman laugh with tales recounted about the misers, the fools, the gullible, those who spar, and the witty.

وَإِذَا أَرَادَ أَنْ يَبْكِيَ

And if he wanted to make them weep.

أَبْكَى الصَّخْرُ الأصم بِمَا يَقُصُّ مِنْ وَصْفِ الآخِرَةِ وَأَهْوَالِ يَوْمِ الْقِيَامَةِ

He made even the unresponsive rock weep by what he recounted of the description of the Hereafter and the terrors of the Day of Resurrection.

وَسَيْرِ الصَّالِحَيْنِ الزَّاهِدَيْنِ وَخَوْفِهِمْ مِنَ اللَّهِ تَعَالَىٰ

The conduct of the two pious ascetics and their fear of God the Exalted.

فَكَانَ يَمْزِجُ بَيْنَ هَذَا وَ ذَاكَ لِيَجْذِبَ الْقُلُوبَ

He would mix this with that to win hearts.

يُرَوِّحُ عَنْ النُفُوسِ لِتَسْتَعِدَّ لِسَمَاعِ مَواعِظِهِ

He soothes the souls so that they may prepare to hear his admonitions.

فَهُوَ خَبِيرٌ بِمَا يُصْلِحُ النُّفُوسَ وَيَتَأَلَّفُهَا

He is an expert in what reforms the souls and brings them into harmony.

كَمَا تَمَيَّزَ اِبْنُ الْجَوْزِيِّ رَحِمَهُ اللَّهُ تَعَالَى إِضَافَةً إِلَى

Moreover, Ibn al-Jawzi, may God have mercy on him, was distinguished, in addition to