Impermissible lusts

Impermissible lusts

Impermissible lusts include the pleasures of the abdomen and the private parts, bodily and mental pleasures which are contrary to the will of Allah and opposite to His contentment.

Man has to remember Allah, the afterlife and the severe punishment he will face on the Day of Resurrection if he satisfies his lusts and desires in unlawful way and against the orders of the Sharia. But if man refrains from unlawful lusts and desires, he will be fit to win Paradise and he will not be rewarded except with Paradise;

“And as for him who fears to stand in the presence of his Lord and forbids the soul from low desires, then surely the garden that is the abode.” Qur'an, 79:40-41

The Prophet (s) has said, ‘Blessed is he who turns away from a present lust to a promise that he has not seen!’[1]

He has also said, ‘Three things that I fear for my nation after me; deviation after knowing, misleading seditions and the lusts of the abdomen and private parts.’[2]

Imam Ali (s) has said, ‘The slave of lusts is meaner than the slave of bondage.’[3]

The Prophet (s) has said, ‘The truth is heavy and bitter and the untruth is light and sweet. Perhaps a lust of a moment may cause a lasting sorrow.’[4]

He has also said, ‘If a sin or a lust happens to someone and he refrains from it for fear of Allah, Allah will save him from Fire and secure him from the Great Fear.’

Injustice and oppression

Injustice, violating the rights of others, preventing others from getting their rights, bad doings and conducts that cause harm to other people, contradicting the law, heresy, haughtiness and the likes are among the items of injustice, oppression and aggression.

The Holy Qur'an sees that as long as the unjust persons are still in the circle of oppression and aggression against people they are away from guidance and not worthy of it.

“And who is more unjust than he who forges a lie against Allah and he is invited to Islam, and Allah does not guide the unjust people.” Qur'an, 61:7

The Qur'an also sees that injustice and oppression are the reasons behind perishment and extinction of goodness and that the unjust society deserves misfortunes, torment and perishment;

“And when Our messengers came to Ibrahim with the good news, they said: Surely we are going to destroy the people of this town, for its people are unjust.” Qur'an, 29:31

The Qur'an declares that the unjust people on the Day of Resurrection will be deprived of intercession and the support of their assistants and relatives and they will live in Hell alone in horrible isolation. It is the punishment that will await for them on that day.

“And warn them of the day that draws near, when hearts shall rise up to the throats, grieving inwardly; the unjust shall not have any compassionate friend nor any intercessor who should be obeyed.” Qur'an, 40:18

The Qur'an declares too that the unjust people deserve the eternal torment and their suitable place will be in Hell and this punishment will not be limited to them only but to their followers and assistants too.

“…Surely the losers are they who have lost themselves and their followers on the resurrection day. Now surely the iniquitous shall remain in lasting chastisement.” Qur'an, 42:45

And the Qur'an announces that Allah does not love the unjust and it is clear that if someone is driven out of the circle of the love of Allah, will be afflicted with distress and wretchedness in this life and the afterlife.

“…surely He does not love the unjust.” Qur'an, 42:40

The Prophet (s) has said, ‘Between Paradise and Hell there are seven punishments the easiest of which is death.’ Anass asked, ‘O messenger of Allah, what is the most difficult of them?’ The Prophet (s) said, ‘Standing before Allah when the wronged will catch the wrongdoers.’[5]

In a Qudsi tradition it has been narrated, ‘My wrath has become too great against people who have wronged those who have not found any supporter save Me.’[6]

The Prophet (s) has said, ‘Avoid injustice because it is the darkness of the Day of Resurrection.’[7]

He has also said, ‘The one who is aware of the injustice, the one who assists in it and the one who is pleased with it are all partners in it.’[8]

Ameerul Mo'mineen (s) has said, ‘By Allah if I am given the seven continents and what there is under their horizons to disobey Allah just by extorting a shell of a barleycorn from an ant, I will never do.’[9]

Anger and violence

Anger, which is not for the sake of the truth, and violence in facing different events and in dealing with others or because of a mistake of one’s wife or children are satanic states and devilish powers that move the possibilities of deviation in the inner feelings of man.

Controlling one’s anger and suppressing rage are among the good morals that are necessary for every Muslim. Man at anger and violence becomes as a captive of these satanic motives and he involves in the quicksand of deviation. He acts just to relieve the latent rage inside him and then he may commit bad doing that he will not be able to repair later on.

Suppressing one’s anger, pardoning the others and being kind to them are from the signs of piety and they cause one to be beloved by Allah Who has said in the Qur'an;

“…and those who restrain (their) anger and pardon people; and Allah loves the doers of good (to others).” Qur'an, 3:134

The Prophet (s) has said, ‘If one of you becomes angry while he is standing, let him sit down and if his anger will not be relieved, let him lie down.’[10]

The Prophet (s) has said to Imam Ali (s), ‘Do not be angry! When you become angry, sit down and think of the power of Allah over the people and His patience with them. If it said to you “fear Allah”, get rid of your anger and go back to your patience!’[11]

Imam Ali (s) has said, ‘Beware of anger for its beginning is madness and its end is regret!’[12]

Imam al-Baqir (s) has said, ‘Whoever suppresses his anger while he is able to carry it out Allah will fill his heart with security and faith.’[13]

Imam as-Sadiq (s) has said, ‘Anger is the key of every evil.’[14]

Spite and hatred

Spite, hatred and enmity towards people without a legal excuse are outcomes of malevolence and diseased inners; therefore they are prohibited in the Sharia.

One, who bears spite and hatred towards others, will wrong and oppress them and then involve in sins and disobediences to satisfy his hatred and to relieve his hidden complexes.

A spiteful man lives in spiritual dryness and this dryness reflects on his human relations with the others. He becomes unkind and unloving to people. The Qur’anic verses and the traditions have declared that such a person is far away from the mercy of Allah in this life and the afterlife.

Imam Ali (s) has said, ‘Spite is the meanest of defects.’[15]

‘Spite is one of the natures of evildoers.’[16]

‘Spite is a hidden fire that cannot be put out except by death or a victory.’[17]

‘Pluck evil out of the others’ chests by plucking it out of your own chest!’[18]

‘The cause of seditions is spite.’[19]

‘Whoever discards spite his heart and mind will be at ease.’[20]

‘A spiteful person has no brothers.’[21]

We read in the dua’ (supplication) of Nudba that after the death of the Prophet (s) distresses and ordeals from every side have attacked Ahlul Bayt (s) and all what has happened of great seditions and deviations in the religion and in the life of people which cannot be repaired until the Day of Resurrection were the results of spite, hatred and envy rooted in the hearts of some of the unjust people.

Stinginess

Stinginess is a negative psychological state that prevents man from spending his money, position or honor for the sake of Allah or caring for the problems of the others in order to solve them or helping the needy or fulfilling the needs of his fellows and the likes.

Stinginess is a satanic feature and moral coming out of one’s dark inners away from the exalted human morals. It is one of the features of evildoers and enviers.

The Qur'an denies stinginess strongly, dispraises the stingy and declares that they will deserve severe torment and painful punishment on the Day of Resurrection.

“And let not those deem, who are niggardly in giving away that which Allah has granted them out of His grace, that it is good for them; nay, it is worse for them; they shall have that whereof they were niggardly made to cleave to their necks on the resurrection day.” Qur'an, 3:180

“…and (as for) those who hoard up gold and silver and do not spend it in Allah's way, announce to them a painful chastisement. On the day when it shall be heated in the fire of hell, then their foreheads and their sides and their backs shall be branded with it; this is what you hoarded up for yourselves, therefore taste what you hoarded.” Qur'an, 9:34-35

The Prophet (s) has said, ‘The least comfortable people are the stingy.’[22]

Imam Ali (s) has said, ‘Stinginess contains all the defects and it is a rein with which it is led to every bad.’[23]

Imam as-Sadiq (s) has said, ‘A stingy person is one who becomes stingy with what Allah has imposed on him.’[24]

Monopoly

Monopoly is to retain the goods that people are in need of especially foods and medicines so that the prices may be raised and then great wealth may be got in this way. In fact, this is a great injustice against people and especially the weak.

A monopolist by this doing and by being unkind to the people causes himself to be deprived of the mercy of Allah in this world and in the afterworld. In doing so he just acts selfishly.

Besides that selling monopolized goods itself is prohibited and its price is considered as ill-gotten property. This doing has been dispraised strongly by the Qur'an and the traditions.

About getting wealth unlawfully the Qur'an says,

“And whoever does this aggressively and unjustly, We will soon cast him into fire; and this is easy to Allah.” Qur'an, 4:30

The Prophet (s) has said, ‘Whoever keeps food for forty days intending that it may be expensive has disavowed Allah and Allah has disavowed him.’[25]

‘Whoever monopolizes foods for forty days and then gives them as charity it will be not accepted from him.’[26]

‘The worst of people is the monopolist; when Allah makes the prices become low, he becomes unhappy and when the prices become high, he becomes delighted.’[27]

‘The monopolists and the killers will be thrown into Hell at the same degree.’[28]

Imam Ali (s) has said, ‘Monopoly is one of the features of evildoers.’[29]