[الاعتبار بالأمم :] فَاعْتَبِرُوا بِحَالِ وَلَدِ إِسْمَاعِيلَ وَبَنِي إِسْحَاقَ وَبَنِي إِسْرَائِيلَ (عليهم السلام)، فَمَا أَشَدَّ اعْتِدَالَ الاْحْوَالِ، وَأَقْرَبَ اشْتِبَاهَ الاْمْثَالِ! تَأَمَّلُوا أَمْرَهُمْ فِي حَالِ تَشَتُّتِهِمْ، وَتَفَرُّقِهِمْ، لَيَالِيَ كَانَتِ الاْكَاسِرَةُ وَالْقَيَاصِرَةُ أَرْبَاباً لَهُمْ، يَحْتَازُونَهُمْ عَنْ رِيفِ الاْفَاقِ، وَبَحْرِ الْعِرَاقِ، وَخُضْرَةِ الدُّنْيَا، إِلَى مَنَابِتِ الشِّيحِ، وَمَهَا فِي الرِّيحِ، وَنَكَدِ الْمَعَاشِ، فَتَرَكُوهُمْ عَالَةً مَسَاكِينَ إِخْوَانَ دَبَر وَوَبَر، أَذَلَّ الْأُمَمِ داراً، وَأَجْدَبَهُمْ قَرَاراً، لَا يَأْوُونَ إِلَى جَنَاحِ دَعْوَة يَعْتَصِمُونَ بِهَا، وَلاَ إِلَى ظِلِّ أُلْفَة يَعْتَمِدُونَ عَلَى عِزِّهَا، فَالاْحْوَالُ مُضْطَرِبَةٌ، وَالاْيْدِي مُخْتَلِفَةٌ، وَالْكَثْرَةُ مُتَفَرِّقَةٌ، فِي بَلاَءِ أَزْل، وأَطْبَاقِ جَهْل! مِنْ بَنَات مَوْءُودَة، وَأَصْنَام مَعْبُودَة، وَأَرْحَام مَقْطُوعَة، وَغَارَات مَشْنُونَة.
[Learning lessons from the past nations :] You should take a lesson from the fate of the progeny of Ismael, the children of Isaac and the children of Israel. How similar are their affairs and how akin are their examples. In connection with the details of their division and disunity, think of the days when Kisrās of Persia and the Caesars of Rome had become their masters. [4] They turned them out from the pastures of their lands, the rivers of Iraq and the fertility of the world, towards thorny forests, the passages of (hot) winds and hardships in livelihood. In this way they turned them into just herders of camels. Their houses were the worst in the world and their places of stay were the most drought-stricken. There was not one voice towards which they could turn for protection, nor any shade of affection on whose strength they could repose trust. Their condition was full of distress. Their hands were scattered. Their majority was divided. They were in great anguish and under layers of ignorance. They buried their daughters alive, worshipped idols, disregarded kinship and practised robbery.