Disbelief Despite Knowledge

Disbelief despite knowledge indicates that man recognizes the truth but if he accepts it will create hurdles in achieving his selfish desires. Therefore he is not attracted towards it. He does not accept it. Since this person is involved in jealousy and arrogance he strives to falsify the truth. Diseases like selfish desires, jealousy and arrogance compel him to avoid defeat by accepting truth and find excuses for it. He recognizes the truth. He knows that truth is such a kind adviser that desires nothing other than his well-being. It advises him for his owned good. But these advices are not like by his self. So he fights the truth and does not accept its advice.

Irreligious People

The disbelief of most of the irreligious people is of this kind. Their conscience believes in the existence of Allah and also accepts the Day of recompense. How can their conscience agree that this vast universe came into being without a creator? Their inner feelings testify that there exists a being who is Wise, Powerful, Hearing and Seeing. Conscience does not accept that man will be annihilated after death. He cannot believe that this life of a few days and this toy world is the permanent abode of man.

It is mentioned in the biography of the Russian Prime Minister, Stalin that, “When he found some difficult political problem that he could not solve, he used to very agitated. He used to go to the grave of Lenin and seek his help. Ultimately he used to find a solution.” This was despite the fact that Stalin did not believe in religion and Hereafter. But his nature and conscience knew that the spirit is not annihilated even after death.

Yes! Man knows that if he accepts that truth he would have to obey the religious commandments. He shall be reining his desires due to the fear of Allah and the Day of recompense. He would have to be careful in word and deed. He will lose the freedom of his selfish desires. That is why he does not desire to submit to the truth. He designs baseless objections and satanic excuses and becomes happy by falsifying the truth.

Such people are mentioned in the following words in the Quran,

وَجَحَدُوا بِهَا وَاسْتَيْقَنَتْهَا أَنفُسُهُمْ ظُلْمًا وَعُلُوًّا فَانظُرْ كَيْفَ كَانَ عَاقِبَةُ الْمُفْسِدِينَ

“And they denied them unjustly and proudly while their soul had been convinced of them.”

(Surah Naml 27:14)

The Infidels of Makkah and the Jews of Madinah

That was the case of the infidels of Makkah. They knew Muhammad Ibne Abdulla (s.a.w.s.) very well. They were certain that he is truthful and sane. And the Holy Quran is not the speech of a mortal. Bu pride, arrogance and jealousy instigated them to deny the Prophet (s.a.). They heaped false allegations upon him that he was a liar, a magician and a mad man. They opposed him and fought battles with him.

The Jews of Madinah were also similar. They used to consider themselves from the progeny of Ishaq (a.s.). Therefore they used to think that they alone were deserving of Prophethood and post guidance. They could bear to see a prophet being raised from the progeny of Ismail (a.s.). That is why they did not accept the Messenger (s.a.) as a Prophet. Rather they waged battles against him. They knew that the Prophet (s.a.) was speaking the truth. The Prophethood of the Messenger of Allah (s.a.w.s.) was os clear to them and some of them had settled in Madinah because they had seen the prophecy that a Prophet will migrate to Madinah. They used to pray for his arrival in Madinah and that they become his supporters and defeat the infidels. But when the Holy Prophet (s.a.w.s.) did arrive they remained firm on their previous ignorance. Jealousy and pride did not allow them to accept Eimaan.

وَلَمَّا جَاءهُمْ كِتَابٌ مِّنْ عِندِ اللّهِ مُصَدِّقٌ لِّمَا مَعَهُمْ وَكَانُواْ مِن قَبْلُ يَسْتَفْتِحُونَ عَلَى الَّذِينَ كَفَرُواْ فَلَمَّا جَاءهُم مَّا عَرَفُواْ كَفَرُواْ بِهِ

“And when there came to them a Book from Allah verifying that which they have, and aforetime they used to pray for victory against those who disbelieve, but when there came to them (Prophet) that which they did recognize, they disbelieved in him.”

(Surah Baqarah 2:89)

Worldly Punishment

If the disease of Kufr is not cured it results in the death of humanity and the conditions worsens to a limit when the disease becomes incurable. No kind of advisory medicine can cure it.

سَوَاءٌ عَلَيْهِمْ أَأَنذَرْتَهُمْ أَمْ لَمْ تُنذِرْهُمْ لاَ يُؤْمِنُونَ

“It being alike to them whether you warn them, or do not warn them, will not believe.”

(Surah Baqarah 2:6)

Now their heart is no more receptive to advice. Their eyes and ears are no more capable of perception. The Holy Quran is evocative as regards their blindness, deafness and the closure of the way into their hearts. So much so that Allah has himself taken the responsibility of making them blind and deaf and putting seals over their hearts. Allah says that he has dealt with them in this manner. They are also continuously punished in this world in the following way:

Allah says:

اللّهُ عَلَيْهَا بِكُفْرِهِمْ

“Allah set a seal upon them owing to their unbelief.”

(Surah Nisa 4:155)

أُوْلَئِكَ الَّذِينَ لَعَنَهُمُ اللَّهُ فَأَصَمَّهُمْ وَأَعْمَى أَبْصَارَهُمْ

“Those it is whom Allah has cursed so He has made them deaf and blinded their eyes.”

(Surah Muhammad 47:23)

فَلَمَّا زَاغُوا أَزَاغَ اللَّهُ قُلُوبَهُمْ

“But when they turned aside, Allah made their hearts turn aside.”

(Surah Saff 61:5)

In other words we can say that initially Allah does not seal the heart of a disbeliever. He doest not blind or make deaf any person. But when a man remains in disbelief for a long time, by his own wish and will and does not desire to come out of it, Allah increases his disease.

وَلَا يَزِيدُ الْكَافِرِينَ كُفْرُهُمْ عِندَ رَبِّهِمْ إِلَّا مَقْتًا وَلَا يَزِيدُ الْكَافِرِينَ كُفْرُهُمْ إِلَّا خَسَارًا

“And their unbelief does not increase the disbelievers with their Lord in anything except hatred.”

(Surah Fatir 35:39)

This continues till the time the path to a disbeliever’s heart is completely barred. Allah removes from him the tawfeeq of guidance. It is a sort of spiritual retribution. And this type of punishment begins in this life itself.

Two Inner Eyes

We should know that blindness, deafness and the sealing of the heart are not metaphorical. Rather the inside of man becomes like this. He in reality becomes like his inner being. Just as man has a pair of apparent eyes and ears each and a heart, in the same way he also has inner things like these organs. The traditions of the Purified Imams (a.s.) testify to this fact. For example in Shaykh Sadooq’s Tawheed there is a tradition of Imam Zainul Aabedeen (a.s.) that he said,

“Know that! Every person has two pairs of eyes. With one pair he sees the affairs of the Hereafter and with the other pair he sees the worldly affairs. When Allah intends goodness for a slave He opens his second pair of eyes that is the eyes of his heart. Thus from these eyes Allah shows him the unseen secrets. However, when Allah desires the opposite he leaves his heart on its own.”

An Objection and its Reply

The Holy Quran says,

وَنَحْشُرُهُمْ يَوْمَ الْقِيَامَةِ عَلَى وُجُوهِهِمْ عُمْيًا وَبُكْمًا وَصُمًّا

“And We will gather them together on the day of resurrection on their faces, blind and dumb and deaf.”

(Surah Bani Israel 17:97)

And,

قَالَ رَبِّ لِمَ حَشَرْتَنِي أَعْمَى وَقَدْ كُنتُ بَصِيرًا

“He shall say: My Lord! Why hast Thou raised me blind and I was a seeing one indeed?”

(Surah Taha 20:125)

These types of verses prove that one who is spirituality bind, dumb and deaf will be raised in the Hereafter while his apparent form will be blind, dumb and deaf. However, according to other verses it seems that this person will be able to see, hear and speak.

For example,

اقْرَأْ كَتَابَكَ كَفَى بِنَفْسِكَ الْيَوْمَ

“Read your book, this day”

(Surah Bani Israel 17:14)

This shows that he is not blind. His eyes will be open and he could read.

In the same way another ayat says,

وَلَوْ تَرَى إِذِ الْمُجْرِمُونَ نَاكِسُو رُؤُوسِهِمْ عِندَ رَبِّهِمْ رَبَّنَا أَبْصَرْنَا وَسَمِعْنَا فَارْجِعْنَا نَعْمَلْ صَالِحًا

“And could you but see when the guilty shall hang down their heads before their Lord: Our Lord! We have seen and we have heard, therefore send us back, we will do good.”

(Surah Sajdah 32:12)

This makes it clear that on the Qiyamat these people will be able to see, hear and speak.

The objection can be replied as follows:

The conditions of disbeliever in Qiyamat will depend upon the place and group in which they are included. In some instance they shall be blind, deaf and dumb and in other places only their speaking ability shall be lost, while they could see and her.

الْيَوْمَ نَخْتِمُ عَلَى أَفْوَاهِهِمْ

“On that day we will set a seal upon their months.”

(Surah Yasin 36:65)

They would be allowed to speak in some places.

وَأَقْبَلَ بَعْضُهُمْ عَلَى بَعْضٍ يَتَسَاءلُونَ

“And some of them shall advance towards others, questioning each other.”

(Surah Saffat 37:27)

Blindness and Deafness

If can be said that the disbelievers will not be able to see the signs of Divine Mercy and His unlimited bounties on the day of Qiyamant, that shall be offered to the pious and the believing people. The infidels will not be able to Paradise, its inmates and its bounties. They shall be blind from this aspect. In the same way they would be unable to hear the melodious songs of Paradise. They shall be deaf in this regard. (Except when the almighty desires. The inmates of Heaven and Hell shall, staying in their respective places will be able to see each other through windows and exchange words.)

فِي جَنَّاتٍ يَتَسَاءلُونَ عَنِ الْمُجْرِمِين َمَا سَلَكَكُمْ فِي سَقَرَقَالُوا لَمْ نَكُ مِنَ الْمُصَلِّينَ

“In gardens, they shall ask each other. About the guilty: What has brought you into hell? They shall say: We were not of those who prayed.”

(Surah Muddassir 74:40 – 43)

Here it must be clarified that like the Muslims, Unbelievers will also be questioned about Prayers and other obligatory acts. That is they should have become Muslims and performed these acts.

Just as the unbelievers fail to see success and truth in this world, in the Hereafter also their condition will be similar. They shall be blind and deaf there too. In Qiyamat their blindness and deafness will be a kind of punishment upon them.

O Irreligiousness!

Perhaps you are wondering why I am emphasizing on this so much? While the readers of this book and other books like this are Muslims. They are believers in the matter regarding the beginning of creation and the Hereafter.

The fact is that the flood of infidelity has surrounded the Muslim society from all sides. Especially the new generation is in a precarious position. Using various propagands the infidels are trying to remove faith from the hearts of young Muslims. Even if our young men remain Muslims they have scanty knowledge of religion and they have a very weak faith. Muslims should plan a systematic propagation of their religion. Every one of us must try to assure that our young men are well-versed in the articles of faith and do not go astray in matters of religion. They should be immune to the deceit of enemies. But O irreligiousness! What you can you say about their deplorable attitude that they are not prepared to listen to any advice? They are attracted toward something else!