Imam Khomeini's declaration about

this world

        Imam Khomeini states, “Which world is bad and which one is good?”

        1.  That world is bad which stops man from obeying Allah.

        2.  That world is bad which stops man from loving Allah.

        3.  That world is bad which stops man from gathering provisions for the Hereafter.

The world can be used to bring man nearer to Allah, such as by feeding one’s children.  This act may seem to be worldly, but if the intention is to seek Allah’s pleasure, then this is worship and a provision for the Hereafter.  Another example is how everyone brings up their children.  If this is also for Allah’s pleasure, then it is also an action for the Hereafter.  However, if the purpose of our actions is the world, then it is hypocrisy.  For example, apparently Prayer is for the Hereafter, but if its purpose is not Allah’s pleasure, then it is a worldly act, of the world which is blameworthy.  Therefore, if the intention is to attain Allah’s nearness, then it is for the Hereafter.  Yet, if that is not the case, and the purpose is for this world, its evil has been mentioned.  Thus, hypocrisy and other similar acts that are performed for this world greatly distance man from Allah; hence, he cannot attain nearness to Allah. 

        The world is defective in its existence, and whatever is in it is temporary.  Nevertheless, this is the place where the self can be purified and this world is the place where the self can be illuminated.  In the Hereafter, meaning after death, it is impossible to purify or illuminate yourself.  The world is the place for training (tarbeeyat).  High ranks can only be achieved in this world; man’s rank can even be higher than that of the angels.  The world is not evil in itself; it is man who uses it for wrong gains.  The love of the world makes man lazy and, because of this love, man cannot practically achieve his resolution.  The purpose of all worship is to strengthen man’s determination.  There are two powers in man’s life; one power is worldly (nasuti), concerning worldly affairs, while the other is spiritual, meaning worship and servitude (bondage).    

 

Love of the Everlasting (baqa) and

Hate of the Transient (fana)

        What causes love of the world?  Man wants what is everlasting and loves the immortal, but while man is in this world immortality (unending) is not possible.  He thinks death to be mortal, but death wants to take man from a temporary place to a permanent place. 

        However much man will love the world and however much his heart will be inclined toward the world, that much will he fear death.  If one does not remove the love of the world from his heart, then his death may be one of unbelief.  Man has faith in the Hereafter, but not heartfelt (sincere) faith.  As a result of not having heartfelt faith, man loves the world.  If man attains heartfelt faith, then he will regard this world as a base place, perceiving (discovering) this world as if there is a dark well and man is shackled (bind) in chains.  He will see this world as a prison and will hope for death to free him from such a prison. 

Defeating the evil self (Nafs-e-Ammara)[1] marks the commencement (start) of the seeker of knowledge’s life.  It is in the Koran,      

“Do you not see that Allah has made what is in the heavens and what is in the earth subservient to you, and made complete to you His favours outwardly and inwardly?”  (Al-Luqman: 20).

        The above holy verse is informing man of his greatness, on condition that man under- stands the purpose of his life.  O man the heavens and what is in the earth are made subservient (obedient) to you, but man can achieve this greatness only when he becomes a model (mazhar) of divine attributes.  Meaning, the characteristics of divine glory and beauty govern his heart; then man’s heart become the Divine (Holy) Throne (Arsh).  It is in Hadith-e-Qudsi, “O My servant obey Me so that I make you like Me; so that whatever you say will be.”

        In the universe only man is Allah’s trustee.  Man has been charged with Allah’s trust.  The Koran has informed us of two types of trusts—one is all the blessings Allah has bestowed upon man. 

“And give them of the wealth of Allah which He has given you” (Al-Nur: 33).

        O man this wealth which We have given you is a trust and Allah has made you a trustee.  Thus, attain benefit from this wealth for yourself, but also convey its benefits to others.  Sound intellect is also a trust; benefit from this intellect yourself and also convey its benefit to others.  Whatever information, wealth, or guidance you acquired by means of your intellect, allow others to also benefit from it.  Allah mentions apparent and hidden blessings,

“And made complete to you His favours outwardly and inwardly?”  (Al-Luqman: 20).

The second type of trust is mentioned in the following verse,

“Surely We offered the trust to the heavens and the earth and the mountains, but they refused to be unfaithful to it and feared from it, and man has turned unfaithful to it; surely he is unjust, ignorant”  (Al-Ahzab:72).

        Allah wanted to bestow a trust, but everything refused to accept; however, man accepted.  This trust is so precious (of great value) that if man safeguards these trust, he can ascend (rise) to such a station that even angels will not be able to compete with his flight.  Every angel’s flight is according to his station, and the flight of angels has established limits.  Yet, the human being who safeguards the Divine Trust does not have a limit to his flight.  Safeguarding the Divine Trust is possible when man can control lusts, desires of the self, Satanic and selfish wants. 

How can man control the self?   

      Since man’s heart has been given the level of the Throne (Arsh), when man commits a sins, its filthiness falls upon his heart, the Divine Throne.  As a result of this filthiness and un-clean-li-ness, instead of becoming Allah’s home, it becomes Satan’s home.

Knowledge is a weapon or a means by which man can control the desires of the self.  According to Plato, if man becomes a scholar and becomes aware of Satanic attributes and Divine attributes, i.e. he becomes aware of the harm in Satanic attributes and the benefit in Divine attributes, then man will stop himself from committing sin.  The Apostle of Allah was passing by a place where the people had gathered for the Koran.  He passed by.  Then there happened to be a gathering for supplication (du’a).  He passed by.  In front of that meeting there was a congregation for the remembrance of Allah (dhikr).  He passed by them as well.  In front of that was an assembly for knowledge.  There the Apostle of Allah sat down and declared thrice, “I was sent to spread knowledge.”  It is a saying of the Prophet that where knowledge is being given, and there are people to receive that Islamic knowledge, angels spread their wings for them.  Furthermore, when the angels go back they boast that those who were seekers of knowledge sat on our wings. 

It is found in tradition, “Whoever does not acquire knowledge of religion is a Bedouin (Aa'rabi) and on the Day of Judgement, Allah will not glance at him.”  According to Ayatollah Mazahari, saying Aa'rabi is worse than saying un-believer (kafir).  Furthermore, the second part that Allah will not even glance is more terrible than the first part, because the Apostle of Allah says, “O Allah do not leave me to myself even for the flash of an eye (without You being with me).”

        It is in tradition that the Perfect Man (Insan-e-Kamil) has three characteristics:

        1.  Possesses knowledge of religion.

        2.  Patience in the face of calamities.

        3.  Moderate (mayani rawi?) not selfish or miserly.

The greatness of everything is accomplished (achieved) through knowledge.

 

Knowledge transformed village into a city

        Surah Ya Sin reveals a strange point,

“And set out to them an example of the people of the town, when the messengers came to it” (Ya Sin: 13).

        Here Allah has given the example of a village.  The Koran called this place a village; however, when the possessors of knowledge entered that village, then Allah did not refer to it as a village. 

“And from the remote part of the city there came a man running” (Ya Seen: 20).

        Hence, in the view of Allah, the greatness of a place is not linked to its buildings, but rather with those possessors (owner) of knowledge who live there.  If the people of knowledge, or just one superior scholar, live in a small village, then that village in the view of the Koran is a city.  On the contrary, if in some big city there is not a single scholar, then that city is equal to a village in the view of the Koran. 

        Hazrat Ali (peace be upon him) says that this ignorant man passes his time in two extremes, one he may do too much and the other is that he may do too little.  In order to become perfect, he will have to eliminate both extremes,   in both extreme cases, he involves himself or others in hardship.  If man does not follow a scholar, he commits oppression or he passes life under the effects of oppression.  An ignorant man acts in order to achieve reward, but ends up committing sin.  For example, an ignorant person saw a mosquito sitting on his friend’s face, sucking blood.  In order to remove it, he threw a stone at it.  Instead of doing a good deed, he performed a bad action.  This is the example of an ignorant person.

        Sheikh Sadooq narrates that it was asked in an assembly of jurisprudents (mujtahidin) what is the best act in the Night of Great Blessing (Lailatul Qadr), in the latter part of the night?  Everyone replied acquiring knowledge (ta’lim).  Knowledge is a good way to control the self.  If the likeness of a flood is created in the evil self[2] (Nafs-e-Ammara), then even a learned man takes on the likeness of an ass, i.e. knowledge becomes only a weight for him, as stated in the Koran,

“The likeness of those who were charged with the Taurat, then they did not observe it, is as the likeness of the ass bearing books” (Al-Jummah: 5).

 

A True Scholar and Anger

        This is the story of a scholar.  At prayer time poor Sayed came and asked that scholar for some money. Unfortunately, he did not have any money.  Disappointed, the beggar spat upon the scholar’s face.  The scholar arose and spread his garment before the gathering.  He said, “Whoever respects me should also respect my beard as much and should give some money.”  Everyone gave money, and, while giving that money to the poor descendant of the Prophet, the scholar said, “Forgive me, I angered you.”  The whole gathering was shocked at this act and asked the reason that, although this descendant of the Prophet disrespected you, you did not become angry, gave money to the descendant of the Prophet, and even asked forgiveness.  He replied that for forty years I have not even performed discouraged acts.

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