Check and Balance

When Does A Civilization Become The Cause Of Its Own Downfall?

The Mirror of Divine Order

In the vast expanse of creation, every motion bears witness to its Maker. The stars in their silent procession, the tides that rise and fall, the winds that wander yet never lose their way, all proclaim a truth that hearts have long forgotten: that existence itself is governed by measure, and measure is the reflection of divine justice.

The human being, placed at the center of this grand design, is not a ruler of nature but a trustee of balance. Yet, when the soul becomes intoxicated by its own power, it forgets the Hand that shaped it. The same knowledge that should lead to humility becomes the ladder of arrogance; the same blessings that should bring gratitude become instruments of pride.

This discourse is a reflection upon that forgotten harmony, a reminder that the universe is not sustained by chance, but by a law both physical and moral, visible and unseen. When mankind disturbs this balance, by oppression, by excess, or by ingratitude, the very order of creation moves to restore it.

The message of the prophets, from Moses who faced the tyranny of Pharaoh, to Jesus who healed hearts and withdrew until his appointed time, was a single call to the same truth: that divine justice governs all, and mercy is not the absence of correction but the perfection of wisdom.

In the words of Imam Ali (peace be upon him):

“He who contemplates creation shall perceive the Creator; and he who perceives justice shall know that all things stand in their proper place.”

(Nahjul Balagha, Sermon 185)

Let this writing, then, be a humble reflection upon that eternal balance, the law of check and balance that sustains both the heavens above and the conscience within.

The Law of Balance and the Mercy of the Creator:

Do you see any imbalance in the heavens above you, in the stars that travel their fixed paths, or in the sun that gives light without pride, or the moon that shines by borrowed grace? Have you seen your earth stray from its orbit, or the seas overflow their appointed shores? Look then, and reflect: if the universe stands in harmony, can it be that your Creator is unjust?

Your Lord is the One Who balanced all things with wisdom, Who set measure upon the wind and weight upon the mountain, Who made every atom obey its purpose. And yet, O child of dust, it is you who break the balance, by greed, by vanity, by rebellion against the very mercy that sustains you.

Know that the system of this world is built upon a divine law of check and balance, a constant weighing of actions upon the scales of justice. Every rise invites a counterforce; every imbalance seeks correction. Such is the rhythm by which creation sustains itself. When man transgresses beyond his limit, he invites the correction of Heaven, not as vengeance, but as mercy in disguise.

For if the Creator were not Merciful, He would have left mankind to perish by their own deeds. But He restrains the storm until repentance awakens, and He veils the punishment until the heart remembers its Lord.

As Imam Ali (peace be upon him) said:

“He who perceives the order of creation shall know the presence of justice; and he who knows justice shall never doubt the Mercy of the Creator.”

(Nahjul Balagha, Sermon 91, On the signs of divine order)

Mankind, measure yourself as the heavens are measured, by obedience, by harmony, by purpose. For the Merciful Lord who governs the stars also governs your soul, and He will not let injustice endure, neither in the universe nor within your heart.

Mankind, in pursuit of dominance, continues to test its own strength, measuring power by the ability to subdue others and the natural world. From extracting the last vein of the earth’s resources to reshaping rivers, blasting mountains, and piercing the heavens with rockets, humanity exerts its will upon creation without restraint.

Yet, every excess carries within it the seed of retribution. When knowledge becomes arrogance and innovation defies wisdom, nature responds. The pollution of air and water, the extinction of species, and the emotional estrangement within families, these are not coincidences, but consequences.

When civilization ascends to the illusion of solitary power, when it seeks to replace divine order with artificial intelligence, to command life through machines and algorithms, the balance of existence intervenes. For no empire, no invention, and no intellect can escape the laws that God has woven into the fabric of creation.

As Imam Ali (peace be upon him) said:

“Every excess brings about its own destruction.”

(Nahjul Balagha, Saying 126)

And again:

“The world is governed by justice. Whoever sows oppression shall reap ruin.”

(Nahjul Balagha, Sermon 214)

Indeed, when the measure of man exceeds the measure of mercy, the divine order restores itself through the trials of balance, reminding humanity that power without humility invites its own downfall.

References from Imam Ali’s Teachings

Nahjul Balagha, Saying 126, “Excess leads to destruction.”

Nahjul Balagha, Sermon 214, On the role of justice as the foundation of the world.

Nahjul Balagha, Sermon 203, “The affairs of the world are bound by a system, and whoever disturbs it shall perish.”

Letter 53 to Malik al-Ashtar.

On maintaining balance, fairness, and avoiding oppression.

Ghurar al-Hikam wa Durar al-Kalim “The corruption of the world begins when men seek to dominate nature rather than understand it.”

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The Divine Order of Justice:

The thinkers, Benefactor of humanity contemplate and understand the ways of your Lord, for His decree is just, and His patience is vast. Creation stands upon balance, between mercy and might, between trial and triumph. When the balance is broken by the arrogance of men, God raises His chosen ones to restore it.

When the tyrant Pharaoh claimed lordship upon the earth, he corrupted the measure of justice. He enslaved the people, divided them by fear, and exalted himself above the truth. The cry of the oppressed rose to the heavens, and divine wisdom decreed that a humble child, born under the shadow of death, would one day break the staff of tyranny.

Thus, Moses was sent not merely to part a sea but to part illusion from truth, to show that power belongs not to the throne but to the One who grants it. Yet Pharaoh, blinded by his empire, mocked the warnings, and when oppression reached its peak, justice descended. The waters that had once carried his command became the very grave of his pride.

Imam Ali, says:

“The Almighty gives respite to the oppressor until when He seizes him, He does not release him.”

(Nahjul Balagha, Sermon 192)

And so justice was served, not through vengeance, but through balance restored.

When the world drowned again in hypocrisy and hearts were hardened by ritual without spirit, Jesus, son of Mary, was sent as a breath of mercy, to revive the soul of faith. He healed the sick, awakened the dead, and spoke light to those in darkness. But when men sought to silence the truth once more, God raised him above their reach.

His disappearance was not defeat, but delay, for every messenger’s light endures beyond his presence. Just as night precedes dawn, his return awaits the appointed time when truth will stand unveiled and falsehood will crumble.

The struggle between tyranny and justice is the law of existence itself. From Pharaoh to those who rise in arrogance today, the outcome remains the same, those who defy divine justice are drowned in their own pride, and those who uphold truth shall inherit the earth.

“The world endures only through justice, even if in the hands of unbelievers, but it perishes through oppression, even if among believers.”

(Nahjul Balagha, Saying 437)

Therefore, take heed: the stories of Moses and Jesus are not tales of the past but mirrors for the present. For every Pharaoh still lives in the heart of the arrogant, and every Moses is born among the oppressed. And the awaited return of Jesus is the promise that divine justice never dies, it only waits for its hour.

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On the Law that Binds All

All things move within the measure God has set: the fly that darts on summer air, the fish that cleaves the sea, the star that climbs and falls, each obeys the ordinance written into creation. This ordinance is neither partial nor blind; it is the balance by which existence endures.

When a creature reaches its appointed height, decline follows as surely as night follows day. Gratitude is the fitting response: to bow, to remember, to steward. Yet there are some who reverse this law in their hearts. Instead of receiving bounty with thankfulness, they forcefully create a precipice, and by their pride they do not merely tumble alone; they pull others into the abyss.

There is a stubbornness that hardens into arrogance, a will that says, “I will not submit.” Its aim is not only self-exaltation but the multiplication of ruin: if I cannot rise without trampling, then I will sink and drag down the world with me. Such men make chains of people’s rights, bind the weak to their grievances, and call that dominion.

Know this: tyranny is not merely an outward act; it is a moral contagion. It corrupts the one who wields it and poisons all around him. The remedy is twofold, the revival of conscience and the courage of the oppressed to claim their due. For the One who set the scales will not abandon them; He will restore balance by means seen and unseen.

“Humility saves what arrogance destroys; justice repairs what injustice rends.”

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Thus, O human, the balance you behold in the heavens is the mirror of the balance within your soul. The sun does not rebel against its course, nor the ocean against its shore; yet man, the noblest of creation, defies the harmony written into his very being.

The mercy of your Lord is not found in indulgence but in correction, for He who allows imbalance to persist would deny His own justice. The rise and fall of nations, the trembling of the earth, the shifting of fortune, all are signs of the divine scales at work, measuring arrogance and humility, oppression and truth.

Know, then, that every excess finds its limit, every injustice meets its weight, and every proud heart shall bow before the order it tried to defy. The universe is a testament to His mercy, for even in destruction there is renewal, and in judgment there is compassion.

So be mindful of your measure before you are measured. Let gratitude temper your success, humility guard your power, and justice guide your deeds. For the One who sustains the stars also sustains your breath, and He has decreed that whoever upholds the balance shall dwell in peace, but whoever corrupts it shall perish by his own hand.

“He who corrects himself, the world shall not harm him;

but he who corrupts himself, no world can save him.”

— Nahjul Balagha, Saying 176