Of all the recommended prayers the Midnight Prayer is most effective, beneficial and meritorious. It has even more importance than the Nawafil (supererogatory) of the Daily Prayers. It consists of eleven units (Rakats) and the timing is from midnight to dawn. There are many traditions and verses that emphasize rising up early before dawn and performing this prayer, then begging Allah's pardon. In short whoever has obtained some spiritual station it is by the grace of arising early at dawn.
Whatever treasure of happiness Allah gave to Hafiz, it was because of the Midnight Prayer and recitations.[283]
And during the part of a night, pray (the midnight prayer) beyond what is incumbent on you; may be your Lord will raise you to a position of great glory.[284]
Indeed the Midnight Prayer was obligatory on the Holy Prophet (S) and is also most recommended for his followers. The “Position of great glory” (Maqam Mahmood) denotes a high station due to which people praise one. Here the lofty station of the Holy Prophet (S) signifies his great intercession.
Many concessions are given to Muslims regarding the Midnight Prayer and if one does not pray from midnight to morning, then also he would not be punished but there would be such a deprivation as cannot be recompensed. He would be deprived from reaching the greater stations and stages that are especially for the Shias of Ali Muhammad (Followers of the Progeny of Muhammad).
Emphasis on the Midnight Prayer
The following tradition of Imam Ja'far as-Sadiq (a.s.) is available in Baladul Amin of Kafami:
“He is not from our Shia that does not perform the Midnight Prayer.”
And Imam Muhammad Baqir (a.s.) says, “One who believes in Allah and the Hereafter, should not pass the whole night without performing the Midnight Prayer.”
The Imam of our time has emphasized thrice in a letter to Ibne Babawahy: “You must recite the Midnight Prayer, you must recite the Midnight Prayer, you must recite the Midnight Prayer.”
Allah has emphasized waking up at dawn and performing the Midnight Prayer at a number of places in Quran. For example He says:
Their sides draw away from (their) beds, they call upon their Lord in fear and in hope, and they spend (benevolently) out of what We have given them.[285]
So no soul knows what is hidden for them of that which will refresh the eyes, a reward for what they did. [286]
Allah also says:
What! He who is obedient during hours of the night, prostrating himself and standing, takes care of the hereafter and hopes for the mercy of his Lord! Say: Are those who know and those who do not know alike? Only the men of understanding are mindful.[287]
This verse explains in the best way that to pray the Midnight Prayer and to weep in the court of Allah in a mixed state of fear and hope is a sign of knowledge, divine recognition and wisdom. And not doing thus is ignorance and foolishness.
Anyone who has obtained a bit of insight has the habit of awaking at night.[288]
In the same way, pay attention to the following verse:
Surely those who guard (against evil) shall be in gardens and fountains. Taking what their Lord gives them; surely they were before that, the doers of good. They used to sleep but little in the night. And in the morning they asked forgiveness. And in their property was a portion due to him who begs and to him who is denied (good).[289]
Twenty-six Qualities of the Midnight Prayer
The Messenger of Allah (S) has said that the Midnight Prayer
(1) Causes Allah's happiness
(2) and friendship of angels
(3) It is the practice of the prophets
(4) It is the cause of the effulgence of divine recognition
(5) and a firm foundation of faith
(6) It is comfort for the bodies.
(7) It is the cause of disgust from Satan.
(8) It is the means of victory over the enemies.
(9) It enables the acceptance of prayers.
(10) It makes deeds worthy of acceptance
(11) Causes increase in sustenance.
(12) It intercedes with the angel of death (that he takes away the soul with ease and without causing discomfort)
(13) It is the lamp of the grave.
(14) It is the floor-spread of the grave.
(15) It will reply to Munkar and Nakir (the interrogating angels in the grave)
(16) It is a companion of its performer in the grave
(17) It would continue to visit and look after him till the doomsday and when the resurrection day will occur
(18) it would provide protective shade to its worshipper
(19) It is the crown of his head
(20) It is the garment for his body.
(21) It is effulgence that remains before him
(22) It is a curtain between him and hellfire.
(23) It is his proof in the court of Allah.
(24) It is the cause of weighing down the pan of good deeds
(25) It is the vehicle to cross the Sirat Bridge.
(26) It is a key to the door of Paradise.
Twenty-six qualities of the Midnight Prayer are mentioned in this tradition. The most important being that the Midnight Prayer strengthens the foundations of divine recognition and faith. One must not be neglectful in getting up early at dawn and praying the Midnight Prayer. On the contrary one should perform it regularly and in a proper way, so that if Allah wills, one may obtain the best of the rewards.
With the intention of performing the Midnight Prayer perform four prayers of two units each, totaling eight units (Rakats) and recite any Surah in them after the Suratul Fatiha. Then perform two units of Shaf prayer. After this pray one unit of Watr Prayer. If possible recite in the Qunut[290] of this last unit 70 or 100 times, “Astaghfirullaha rabbi wa-atoobo ilaihe”[291]) or recite “Al-Awf”[292]) 300 times. It is most emphasized to pray for the forgiveness of forty believers in Qunut. Ahlul Bayt have also narrated many supplications that can be recited at this time. Especially the 32nd supplication of Sahifa Kamila and other supplications mentioned in the 18th volume of Biharul Anwar.It is much better to recite these supplications in the Qunut. May Allah give us all the divine opportunity (Tawfeeq) to perform all these worship acts.
Imam Ali Ridha (a.s.) has stated in Usul al-Kafi in the Chapter of infidelity and faith that, “Faith is one level higher than Islam. Piety is one level higher than faith and certainty of belief is one level higher than piety. Nothing in such a less quantity has been distributed among the people as certainty of faith.”
In comparison to certainty of faith, other things are in greater volume. In another tradition, in the same chapter of Usul al-Kafi the narrator asked Imam Ali Ridha (a.s.), “What is certainty of belief?” Imam replied, “Certainty of belief means reliance on God, to submit before Allah and to entrust the results of our efforts to Allah.”
Allamah Majlisi has explained this tradition in the words of some reliable scholars as follows:
“Recognition of Allah and worship are two such gems that all the religious books, all the statements of religious scholars and all the sermons that you read or listen are all for these two only. Rather the arrival of the Prophets and the revelation of divine scriptures were for this purpose. Rather, the heavens, the earth and whatever is between them were created as means to obtain them.”
The following verse is sufficient to realize the merits of knowledge and recognition of Allah:
Allah is He Who created seven heavens, and of the earth the like of them; the decree continues to descend among them, that you may know that Allah has power over all things and that Allah indeed encompasses all things in (His) knowledge.[293]
And the following verse is sufficient to realize the excellence of worship:
And I have not created the Jinn and the men except that they should serve Me.[294]
Knowledge or recognition of Allah and worship, go hand in hand. Each is necessary for the other. If recognition is genuine, worship would also be there and if there is genuine worship, recognition will also accompany it. Recognition and worship are the causes and effects of each other. Recognition causes worship and worship becomes the cause of recognition. For example when worship is the cause of recognition, recognition is technically called the effect. Effect means that something else is the cause of it. Worship would be according to the level and grade of recognition. If recognition increases there will be increment in worship also. In the same way if worship increases, recognition would also increase.
It is clear that here knowledge and recognition denotes recognizing Allah, having faith on the angels, belief in the book of Allah (Quran), belief in the prophets, especially in the Last Prophet and his Successors and the recognition of the Day of Recompense.
Almighty Allah says:
The apostle believes in what has been revealed to him from his Lord, and (so do) the believers, they all believe in Allah and His angels and His books and His apostles.[295]
The Holy Quran also says:
O you who believe! Believe in Allah and His Apostle and the Book which He has revealed to His Apostle and the Book which He revealed before, and whoever disbelieves in Allah and His angels and His apostles and the last day, he indeed strays off into a remote error.[296]
The source of Faith is Knowledge. Faith is the verification of a factual truth. Imagination is first of all necessary for verification, and imagination and verification, both are knowledge.
And infidelity is the opposite of Faith. That is to conceal the truth or not to trust the truth; and the source of infidelity is ignorance.
According to religious law, Faith is verification of the following five mentioned in these verses
(1) Allah
(2) Angels
(3) Revealed Books
(4) Prophet
(5) and the Day of Recompense.
Therefore it is obligatory to obtain knowledge and certainty regarding them.
Faith in the Infallible Imams is included in faith on the Messenger of Allah (S). The necessary sequel of faith on the Prophet is that one also has faith in the successors appointed by the Prophet. In the same way belief in Divine Justice is included in the recognition of Allah or knowledge about the attributes of Allah.
The famous tradition of the Messenger of Allah (S) says:
“Acquisition of knowledge is obligatory on every Muslim man and woman.”
It means the same. Here obligatory knowledge means faith and recognition. Though everyone obtains faith and recognition according to his ability.
The Quran says:
Allah does not impose upon any soul a duty but to the extent of its ability.[297]
That is why there are stages of faith and knowledge. Faith can be strong as well as weak. It can be less and more. There are many stages in this regard and many traditions are recorded on this subject.
Faith is in proportion to the level of knowledge that imparts health and life to the heart. Faith is such a light that illuminates the heart. Due to this effulgence the curtain between the Lord and the slave is removed.
The Quran also says:
Allah is the guardian of those who believe. He brings them out of the darkness into the light.[298]
In the same way Allah says:
Is he who was dead then We raised him to life and made for him a light by which he walks among the people, like him whose likeness is that of one in utter darkness whence he cannot come forth?[299]
And Imam Ja'far as-Sadiq (a.s.) says, “Knowledge is not obtained by studying a lot. But it is a light that Allah bestows in the heart of one He wants to guide.”
Although when Allah wants to guide man and grant him this light, it is possible for him to study and increase it further.
The Holy Quran states:
And when His communications are recited to them they increase them in faith.[300]
That is why it is commanded to pray:
O my Lord! Increase me in knowledge.[301]
As much as the curtain is removed, the light of faith increases. Faith becomes stronger and stronger and more and more perfect. So much so that there is nothing but effulgence in the heart. Then he is endowed with the widening of the breast, that is the spiritual broadening of the heart. He begins to understand the realities of all the things with an open mind. The unseen and the non-material things become known to him. He sees everything according to its reality.
Thus the light of his heart and the expansion of his breast show him to be factual truths whatever the prophets have said. Some things are known to him in detail and some realities in brief. Then the desire to act on the divine law appears automatically. He achieves control in refraining from evil. Due to the effulgence of divine recognition there is also increase in the effulgence of his manners and good qualities. Then he becomes like those described thus in Quran:
Their light shall run on before them and on their right hands, light upon light.[302]
And also:
…light upon light…[303]
The light of worship would be increasing the light of divine recognition and the light of divine recognition would be increasing the light of worship. (Apparently the preceding light is the effulgence of faith and the light to the right is the light of good deeds.)
The first stage of faith is verification mixed with doubts. There are stages for this too. It is also possible that faith is also mixed with polytheism. The same is mentioned in the following verse:
And most of them do not believe in Allah without associating others (with Him).[304]
This level of faith is not 'faith'; it is called Islam, where there is scope for doubt.
In Surah Hujurat it is said:
The dwellers of the desert say, We believe. Say, You don't believe but say, we submit, and faith has not yet entered into your hearts.[305]
The middle stages of faith are those in whom, in addition to testimony there is no doubt or suspicion. Such believers are mentioned in the following verse:
The believers are only those who believe in Allah and His Apostles then they doubt not…[306]
When traditions and verses speak of faith, they mostly imply this level of faith:
Those only are believers whose hearts become full of fear when Allah is mentioned and when His communications are recited to them they increase them in faith and in their Lord do they trust. [307]
In the higher stages of faith also there is a faith, immune to and purified of doubt. But there is increase in them in divine realization and taste of fidelity (seeing Allah through the eye of ones faith and tasting the sweetness of faith). This is the perfect love for the Creator and a zeal for seeking His proximity. Such believers are described in verses like the following:
He shall love them and they shall love Him, lowly before the believers, mighty against the unbelievers, they shall strive hard in Allah's way and shall not fear the censure of any censurer, this is Allah's grace. He gives it to whom He pleases.[308]
This high level of faith is called utmost certainty (Iqan). As the following verse indicates:
And they are sure (yuqinoon) of the hereafter.[309]
The Messenger of Allah (S) is quoted in Usul al-Kafi that he said, “Righteousness is that you worship Allah as if you see Him.”
This is the stage of Utmost certainty (Iqan).
All the three levels of faith are mentioned in the following verse:
On those who believe and do good there is no blame for what they eat, when they are careful (of their duty) and believe and do good deeds, then they are careful (of their duty) and believe, then they are careful (of their duty) and do good (to others), and Allah loves those who do good (to others).[310]
Just as there are three levels of faith, corresponding to each level there are levels of disbelief also. As Allah says:
Surely (as for) those who believe then disbelieve, again believe and again disbelieve, then increase in disbelief, Allah will not forgive them nor guide them in the (right) path.[311]
Belief is a higher stage than Islam. In this way the higher stage than belief is fervor and certainty of faith. There are three stages: Knowledge of faith, positive knowledge and certain truth. Allah says in Surah Takathur:
Nay! If you had known with a certain knowledge. You should most certainly have seen the hell, then you shall most certainly see it with the eye of certainty.[312]
Surah Waqiah says:
Most surely this is a certain truth…[313]
Amirul Momineen (a.s.) says, “Even if the curtains are removed there would be no increase in my faith.”
Thus the three stages of belief are: Knowledge of faith (seeing smoke man knows there is fire), Positive knowledge (man sees fire with his own eyes) and Certain knowledge (man can touch it and create faith in its existence).
Like belief there are three stages of infidelity also. The first is doubts in the principles of faith; such as Allah, the Prophet, Angels, the Holy Quran and the Hereafter. The Holy Quran states about such people in Surah Tawbah:
Their hearts are in doubt, so in their doubt do they waver.[314]
The second stage of infidelity is that man remains in doubt about these five fundamental principles without even trying to verify whether they are right or wrong. Allah says in Surah Nahl:
So (as for) those who do not believe in the hereafter. Their hearts are ignorant and they are proud.[315]
The third stage of infidelity is hatred to the truth besides having doubt and refusing the truth, and here man even tries to destroy the truth. Allah says in Surah Mujadilah:
Surely those who act in opposition to Allah and His Apostle shall be laid down prostrate, and indeed We have revealed clear communications and the unbelievers shall have an abasing chastisement.[316]
Just as man earns different stages of heaven, in the same way he becomes eligible for stages of infidelity. Each stage of infidelity makes one eligible to a particular category of Hell. In the same way there are three stages of hypocrisy also:
1) If one has outward faith but doubts the truth.
2) If he manifests faith but has doubts in it, and without researching the truth he denies it in the heart.
3) He claims to follow the truth but harbors enmity in the heart.
The abode of such a one would be the lowest stage in Hell with a very painful chastisement.
Allah says:
Surely the hypocrites are in the lowest stage of the fire.[317]
A condition of a true believer
Ishaq bin Ammar says that he heard this tradition from Imam Ja'far as-Sadiq (a.s.): Once the Holy Prophet (S) saw a man in the mosque, who was sleeping with his head hanging down. He was pale and his eyes hollow. So the Prophet called him by his name and asked, “How have you started the morning?” He said, “O Messenger of Allah (S)! I have started the morning in a condition of certainty.”
The Prophet said, “Every certainty has a reality. What is the reality of your certainty?”
He said, “O Messenger of Allah (S)! This certainty of mine has aggrieved me very much. I have spent a sleepless night. My hot day (because of fasting) will pass in tolerating thirst. My soul is tired of this world and whatever is there in it, and has turned its face away. The matter has reached a stage that I can see Allah's empyrean ready to take the account of the creatures. All are gathered and I am also among them. I see heavenly people absorbed in divine blessings, greeting each other and sitting on their thrones and as if I see people in Hell getting severe punishment and crying and as if I see the flames of the fire of Hell and could hear their cries.”
The Messenger of Allah (S) told his companions, “This is the man whose heart Allah has illuminated by divine effulgence.” Then the Prophet told him, “Always remain in this same condition.”
The young man said, “O Messenger of Allah (S), as I am your devoted servant, pray for me that I am able to achieve martyrdom.” The Messenger of Allah (S) prayed for him. After a few days he was martyred in a holy war.[318]
Obligatory and Recommended deeds
In Usul al-Kafi in the same section of 'Belief and infidelity' there is a chapter denouncing the causing of hurt to the Muslims.
The Messenger of Allah (S) said: I asked my Lord on the night of Ascension, “What is the position of a believer near You?”
Allah replied, “My believer seeks My proximity only with deeds that I like most. That is, he performs whatever I made obligatory on him. Though I like that besides performing the obligatory acts he should also aim at My nearness through recommended deeds. When I begin to like all his deeds, I become his ears so he may hear with them, I become his eyes so that he can see with them, I become his tongue so that he can speak with it, I become his hand, so that he can get everything through it. If he calls me, I answer him and if he asks something from Me, I grant him.”
Allamah Majlisi writes in the explanation of this tradition, that according to Shaykh Bahai this tradition is authentic and it is famous among Shias and Sunnis with some minor differences. Some sentences of this tradition like (I become his ears so that he can hear with them) are misinterpreted by Sufis and believers in transmigration of soul.
They have gone astray themselves and they mislead others. This wrong belief says that (God forbid) Allah can come into anything and can transmigrate anything in Himself (God forbid). In the same way union with God is also a wrong belief. It means that (God forbid) Allah unites with other things and becomes one with them, and then there is no difference between Allah and that thing and (God forbid), everything became God.
Allamah Majlisi says that reasonable explanations of these traditions are available. They use metaphors and such use is common in the traditions and Quran and they are not against the faith of the true believers.
Then he gives the sayings of scholars and mentions his opinion. For the sake of brevity we narrate only the saying of Shaykh Bahai.
Shaykh Bahai says:
For the people of faith, lofty things and secrets are hidden in these statements. Such points that only people of taste can perceive. Their souls are imbued with a fragrance that strengthens their worn-out bones.
Only one who has practiced penance can adopt these points. One who has devoted his body for a holy war. Only such a one can obtain divine recognition through such statements and understand their meanings. One who does not understand them and one who is not able to obtain divine recognition from these treasures, there is nothing for him except to obtain base physical pleasures. Such a person is being tested. Generally when he hears such statements, he runs a risk and mostly deviates to transmigration and unification. Allah is much exalted and supreme than this.
This can be understood easily by all.
Such statements imply the perfection of Allah's proximity. They express the sway of love over the person's inner and outer dimensions and His being hidden and apparent. But Allah knows better. What we understand is that, “I love My servants. I grant him My attachment. He becomes completely attached to Me. I keep him in a condition of sanctity. His voice and thoughts remain fully attentive to the unseen world. I take over his five senses. As if I become his ear. That is whatever he hears, he hears for Me. As if I become his eyes. That is whatever he sees, he sees for Me only.
Many traditions are available regarding the stages of faith, grades of the people of certainty and their excellence. They can be referred to in Usul al-Kafi, chapter of 'Belief and Infidelity'.
Our intention is to remind that belief may be of any stage but a true believer must not stop here. On the contrary he should try to obtain all the honors of all the three stages of belief.
If Allah's favor and grace descends on anyone He grants him the light of certainty in his heart. This light can spread in his whole heart. In such circumstances all moral defects and evils are removed and he obtains all kinds of good attributes.
The Holy Quran says in Surah Furqan:
So these are they of whom Allah changes the evil deeds to good ones…[319]
Imam Ja'far as-Sadiq (a.s.) says:
Certainty of faith makes people scale every lofty and astonishing stage. The Messenger of Allah (S) explained the dignity and grandeur of certainty when he was told that Isa Ibne Maryam (a.s.) walked on water. He said: If his certainty had been more, he would have walked on air.[320]
In the beginning we have quoted Imam Ali Ridha (a.s.) that: The signs of certainty of faith are reliance on God, submission to Allah's will and surrendering the results of our efforts to Allah.
Amirul Momineen Ali (a.s.) has said:
Certainty of faith can be seen in the world in the paucity of hopes, in the sincerity of the deeds and in the piety and fear of God.[321]
The following is also narrated from him:
Patience and piety, and sincerity and obedience are the fruits of certainty in belief. When the tree of certainty grows in the heart, its fruits are good manners and lofty attributes.
Certainty is peace and doubt is perplexity
The following tradition of Imam Ja'far as-Sadiq (a.s.) is present in Usul al-Kafi:
“Allah the Exalted, on the basis of justice has appointed happiness and comfort in certainty of belief and sorrow and grief in doubt and unhappiness.”
A person with certainty of belief experiences heartfelt peace and comfort. He surrenders the results of all such deeds to Allah. He says: It was my duty to act and I have done my work. Now it is upto Allah whether He helps me or not through this. Allah is the Knower of everything. If the result is against his will, he does not become aggrieved. He does not become unhappy with Allah. He never says, against the will of Allah: 'If it had been so.' Such a man never becomes proud even if the result is according to his will; on the contrary he thanks Allah.
Allah says:
No evil befalls on the earth nor in your own souls, but it is in a book before We bring it into existence, surely that is easy to Allah. So that you may not grieve for what has escaped you, nor be exultant at what He has given you, and Allah does not love any arrogant boaster.[322]
This verse shows that if the people of certainty do not get something they desired, or something they had is taken away from them, they do not become sad. In the same way if they get something they do not become proud and vain. They consider themselves slaves of Allah and they do not consider themselves independent of Allah in any way.
People of certainty are satisfied in all conditions
People of certainty are never fearful and aggrieved even in the most unpleasant circumstances and severe calamities. They never feel alone. They associate all their affairs to Allah. Instead of being troubled, they repose all hopes in the Omniscient and Omnipotent Allah with utmost patience and dignity. They make efforts according to Allah's commands but leave the results of their efforts to Allah. That Allah may do as He likes.
They know that nothing happens without Allah's will, permission or leave. Whether the will of Allah is for mercy or justice, every will of God is for the good of man. Even if He puts man to tests, He intends good for him. Hence, disease or good health, prestige or disgrace, riches or poverty, honor or dishonor, whether people appreciate him or not, even life and death; all are same for the people of certainty. They know that whatever the result is, it would be for their good. Indeed true peace in the world and the Hereafter is only achieved by the people of certainty.
Allah says:
Those are they who shall have the security and they are those who go aright.[323]
Allah also says:
He it is Who sent down tranquility into the hearts of the believers that they might have more faith added to their faith.[324]
Satisfaction, tranquility, peace and security are the signs of certainty of belief. While the opposite of these are fear, loneliness and sorrow. These are the results of doubt.
A person with certainty of belief in Allah has neither hope nor fear from anyone. If he fears his sins, it is also due to the fear of Allah. He hopes only in Allah for grace and mercy and for the forgiveness of his sins. The center of his fear and expectations is only Allah. Even if he flees from a beast or an enemy, it is not due to fear. He flees from them because Allah has commanded us to defend ourselves. If he hopes from someone, it is also because Allah has commanded us to seek co-operation from each other. In fact his hope is from Allah only that Allah would accomplish his work with the help of others. Allah says in Surah Ali Imran:
Those to whom the people said: Surely men have gathered against you, therefore fear them, but this increased their faith, and they said: Allah is sufficient for us and most excellent is the Protector. So they returned with favor from Allah and (His) grace, no evil touched them and they followed the pleasure of Allah and Allah is the Lord of mighty grace.[325]
Importance of a deed is based on certainty
Imam Ja'far as-Sadiq (a.s.) has stated:
“A small deed, performed regularly with certainty of faith is better in the view of Allah than a great deed performed without certainty.”[326]
Amirul Momineen, Imam Ali (a.s.) has said:
“Man does not taste faith till he does not obtain knowledge and certainty. Because what he has got was never to leave him and whatever he has lost was never going to come to him. And the One Who gives profit or loss (and One Who tests us in all ways) is only the High and Mighty Allah.”[327]
It is better to sleep with certainty of faith
Imam Ali (a.s.) heard about a Khariji man of Naharwan that he was very constant in performing the Midnight Prayer and reciting the Holy Quran. Imam Ali (a.s.) remarked, “To sleep with certainty is better than praying in doubt.” [328]
The excellence of certainty is such that all the religious personalities, even the Prophet, used to beg Allah for its enhancement. Faith, knowledge and certainty are one and the same thing, and a huge body of Quranic verses and traditions mention its excellence.
Love of the world is one of the severe physiological diseases and the greatest sin of the heart, such that all the past Prophets have denounced it. The Holy Quran has condemned it more than any other sin and prohibited it. The Messenger of Allah (S) and the Imams have narrated about it in widely related traditions. A few of them are presented here.
First of all it is necessary to know what 'world' means and what is the 'love of the world' that is made unlawful?
If the Arabic word for 'world', 'Duniya' is on the weight of 'sughra' (small) it's meaning is clear. If its root is taken as 'd-n-w' its opposite would be 'aakhirat' (Hereafter) which means 'the most debased'. However if its root is 'd-n-y-t-' (lowliness), its opposite would be 'loftiness'. There is no doubt that the worldly life is very low, for many reasons, than the life of the Hereafter. While the position of the Hereafter is much elevated and excellent.
'World' is the period starting from the time a child is born till the time his soul is separated from the body. The world, with all its necessities, is the place which provides food, clothes, house and other comforts like health, children, property, honor, reputation, power, gaiety and a happy social life to man. In other words, the life of man from birth to his last breath denotes the 'world'.
But Prayer, fasting, Hajj, poor-rate and other worship acts are those voluntary actions of man that he performs on Allah's commands. In the same way, drinking wine, fornication, gambling and others crimes are forbidden by Allah. Though all these things are related to this world the Everlasting God has made their effects everlasting. Man must perform these acts in His name and His remembrance. Or in other words it can be said that if man performs the duties commanded by Allah and refrains from those things prohibited by Him with the intention that all this is for Allah, though related to the transient world the effects of all these actions would be everlasting. That is why they are called deeds of the Hereafter and not of the world. So much so that even if their preliminaries are for Allah, they would also be considered as deeds of the Hereafter.
Worship is an action devoid of the love of the world
For example if a person man obtains wealth and decides to save it for spending it in the way of Allah; and then later he spends it on his children and family, pays the poor rate, helps his relatives and performs Hajj with a sincere intention, this action of saving money would be construed as his asset of the Hereafter. It can be said that worship is something completely devoid of the love of the world. But since a sin is committed in the love of the world, its hatefulness is not perceptible, that is why it is necessary to hate it. In this way this topic goes out of the scope of our discussion.
In brief it can be said that love of the world denotes the worldly life and losing oneself in all its necessities, all the pleasures and sensual desires. However, worship acts and sins are different from this, in which their commands are also clear.
In the discussion about principles of beliefs we have explained in detail that it is necessary for man to bring faith in the fact that he is not going to be annihilated with death. Man is not created like animals to take birth in the world and then die and become dust. Man is not created only for this world. Rather man is a creation that has to remain forever, who after taking birth once is not annihilated. Death only creates a distance between him and his material body. His example is like that of a bird that is liberated from the confinement of a cage. After death he finds rest in a world that has no restrictions.
He would remain there without having any grief or anger. He would be in a stage of such comfort and peace that there would be no worry and trouble. It is such a success where there is no imagination of failure. Death is a source of respect and capability after which degradation and insult can never approach. In conclusion it can be said that it is a fortunate lifetime, in which happiness would never come to an end.
But success in the eternal life is only possible if you leave this world with faith and piety. Faith and piety are the two wings that carry you to that high world. Where success depends on the level of ones faith and piety.
It is obvious that obtaining faith and piety and to reach that perfection is only possible in this world. Because, after death, you only have to bear the consequences of your deeds. You will be recompensed according to your deeds in the world.
In fact man is a traveler who has to gather, in this world itself, the provisions of his success and salvation after death. It is this matter that highlights the importance of this brief worldly life.
Love the world for the Hereafter
Every person with foresight loves this life and prays for a long life. (That is the reason that traditions forbid praying for ones death. Rather it is commanded to always pray to Allah for a long life, so that there is increase in your good deeds and your faith and piety keep on increasing.) And be fearful of an early death. Because such a person knows well that good deeds, that are assets for an everlasting success, are only possible in this world. While after death no more deeds can be performed. In brief we can say that the life of this world is a channel for the everlasting life of the Hereafter. That is why intelligent people like it for themselves. Numerous traditions and verses of Quran throw light on the importance of the life of this world.
In Surah Qasas, Allah says:
And seek by means of what Allah has given you the future abode, and do not neglect your portion of this world…[329]
In the same way it is said in the blessed Surah Mominoon:
And I seek refuge in Thee! O my Lord! From their presence. Until when death overtakes one of them, he says: Send me back, my Lord, send me back…[330]
Worldly bounties for the pleasure of Allah
Since obtaining worldly bounties and pleasure causes enhancement of divine recognition; and man, after getting all these bounties, becomes attentive towards Allah Who is the source of every bounty, the man of intellect prefers it for himself. It is mentioned in Surah Ali Imran:
Who has prohibited the embellishment of Allah, which He has brought forth for His servants and the good provisions? [331]
And in Surah Araaf it is said:
Say: Who has prohibited the embellishment of Allah which He has brought forth for His servants and the good provisions? Say: These are for the believers in the life of this world, purely (theirs) on the resurrection day…[332]
Though both the believers and the disbelievers benefit from these bounties, they are actually created for the believers so that through them they can enhance their love for Allah and they can increase their divine recognition. And in this way success of the Hereafter can be assured for them.
It is better if it is for the Hereafter
In other words if the embellishments of the world, comforts and luxuries and the various kinds of bounties are lawful and there is no scope of wastage in using them, then their utilization is lawful for man. However if attachment with all these things is accompanied with an intention that through them one must achieve everlasting rewards, then this would be a praiseworthy and preferable behavior.
Like a man who loves his wife because due to her companionship his religion is safe and he does not fall into sins. Also that one should consider ones wife a bounty of Allah; that due to her one obtains peace and comfort and that she is the medium for producing offspring for him that would continue his generation.
It is also necessary to love one children because they are gifts of Allah. If the children are trained properly and become righteous, the parents also share the rewards of their good deeds.
There should be love for wealth and worldly riches because they are bestowed by Allah and through them one can obtain success in the Hereafter. There should be love for various good things because they are all expressions of the power and elegance of Almighty Allah. And through them it is possible to enhance ones faith and divine recognition. And only these kindle in ones heart the eagerness for Allah's proximity.
If one is able to achieve power, honor, wealth, official position, grandeur and reputation one should like them because through them one can perform acts that Allah likes. Like helping the oppressed and taking revenge on their behalf from the oppressors, and helping the poor and the helpless people.
Temporary love of the world is not blameworthy
Taken as a whole if the love for the world and things related to it, is for Allah and the Hereafter, it will not be considered as love of the world, which is the topic of our discussion and blameworthy in the light of Holy Quran and traditions. Because such a person does not love a thing for its own sake, permanently, and his love for the world is only due to his love for Allah and the Hereafter.
Such a person is like a traveler whose aim is just to reach his hometown. And he wants nothing more than the fulfillment of his basic needs. If during the journey he sees something that would be useful for him in his hometown he tries to obtain it. The conclusion of this discussion is that the love for the world is not a blameworthy act. However in the view of Quran and traditions the blameworthy thing is to love the world wholly and permanently.
Imam Ali (a.s.) heard someone abusing and blaming the world and said to him, “O you, who are blaming the world…Certainly, this world is a house of truth for those who look into it carefully, an abode of peace and rest for those who understand its ways and moods and it is the best working ground for those who want to procure rewards for life in the Hereafter.
It is a place of acquiring knowledge and wisdom for those who want to acquire them, a place of worship for the friends of Allah and for Angels. It is the place where prophets received revelations of Allah. It is the place for virtuous people and saints to do good deeds and to be assigned with rewards for the same. Only in this world they could trade with Allah's Favors and Blessings and only while living here they could barter their good deeds with His Blessings and Rewards. Where else could all this be done?”[333]
Signs of the love of the world for the sake of the Hereafter
It is necessary to mention that sometimes man doubts that his love for the world is only for Allah and the Hereafter and he does not love it completely and permanently. While as a fact he is completely bound in the love of the world. Because if his fondness of the world is for Allah and the Hereafter, he would hate to commit sins. He would not look at the wealth and property of others with jealousy and contempt and his heart would be pure of miserliness, pride, enmity, self-conceit and revengefulness.
In order to know the difference between natural love and independent love it would be necessary to consider the following astonishing statement of Imam Ali (a.s.). He states inNahjul Balagha: “If one sees through it, it would bestow him sight, but if one has his eye on it, it would blind him.” Therefore, look at the world keeping in mind its transient nature. Break away your hopes from it. Consider only the Hereafter as the abode of eternity and become attached to it. Make this world a medium for obtaining the Hereafter.
The world would blind one who loves it permanently and who tries to obtain it for himself. That is, he would not notice the transient and defective nature of the world. He would attach himself wholly to it and become negligent of the Hereafter. Such a person would be deprived of insight, that is, the eye for reality.
One who loves the world just for worldliness and prefers its joys, pleasures and comforts for this aim and considers himself fortunate, surely becomes negligent of Allah. Considering himself in need of worldly causes he thinks that they are everlasting. This is the reason that he harbors great hopes.
He devotes himself for achieving it. Such a person becomes neglectful for the Hereafter or he mostly denies it. Being careless of every sin and unlawful thing he considers worldly achievement a surety for his happiness and in the event of failure to obtain it, he becomes sad and disappointed.
This is the meaning of the love of the world that both reason and religious law have denounced.
There are three levels for the love of the world for its own sake.
First Level
This is the stage when a person does not love anything except the world and what it contains. He is not desirous of anything except material desires. He considers Allah and the Hereafter as useless and imaginary things and says:
There is nothing but our life in this world; we live and die and nothing destroys us but time…[334]
They mean to say that: Man has an animal existence and death annihilates him. Apart from this there is no other world for him. Thus it is necessary that as far as possible he should try to fulfill his desires.
Second level
It is of the one who loves the world completely and permanently and with it he also seeks the Hereafter. He asks for success and salvation in both the worlds and makes efforts for getting happiness in both, but in the depths of his heart he loves the world more, considers the world as higher and more important than the Hereafter and when it is time for him to choose between the two he sacrifices his Hereafter on the world, like Umar Ibne Saad martyred Imam Husain (a.s.) for the governorship of Rayy.
This example proves true for all those who seek power and fame, who are prepared to commit any crime for a position of power, even if the crimes are harmful for their Hereafter. Then consider the example of worldly wealth, that man is so greedy for it that he does not refrain from even usurping the rights of others, as a result of which his Hereafter is harmed. In brief, it can be said that such a person does not accord any importance to the loss of the Hereafter but if there is any loss to his worldly life, he is very much distraught.
Such people also exist that believe in God and the Last Day. They also make efforts for their Hereafter, but if they commit a sin that would destroy their Hereafter, they are not much concerned about it. But the same people would be highly concerned if there is some loss in their worldly life. In other words, you can say that such a person is more affected with failure in life than in the Hereafter. This proves that he loves the world more than the Hereafter.
A heart imbued with the love of Allah becomes empty of the love of the world
But here the love of the world is a thing contradictory to faith in Allah and the Hereafter. In order to strengthen faith in Allah and the Hereafter it is necessary to rid our heart of the love of the world.
This can be explained in the following way: The Almighty Allah has made the abode of the Hereafter extremely great, important and everlasting. He has also emphasized this to man and given him the good news as mentioned in Surah Yasin:
So announce to him forgiveness and an honorable reward.[335]
The Almighty has commanded the people to remember the Last Day and to hasten in obtaining it.
The Holy Quran has stated in Surah Ali Imran:
And hasten to forgiveness from your Lord, and a Garden, the extensiveness of which is the heavens and the earth; it is prepared for those who guard (against evil).[336]
In Surah Hadid Allah says:
Hasten to forgiveness from your Lord and to a Garden the extensiveness of which is as extensiveness of the heaven and the earth.[337]
Allah has also stated in Surah Mutafaffefeen:
The sealing of it is (with) musk; and for that let the aspirers aspire.[338]
On the other hand He has created the world as a temporary place of stay. He made the life of man hard and difficult and after informing him of the lowliness and the mortality of the world, enlightened him about the importance of the Hereafter.
In Surah Ankabut it is stated:
And this life of the world is nothing but a sport and a play …[339]
Allah states in Surah an-Nisa’:
Say: The provision of this world is short, and the hereafter is better for him who guards (against evil); and you shall not be wronged the husk of a date stone.[340]
The Almighty Allah has commanded the people not to consider this world as a permanent place of residence.
and let not your eyes pass from them, desiring the beauties of this world's life…[341]
So that you may not grieve for what has escaped you, nor be exultant at what He has given you…[342]
Do not lose yourself in the colorfulness of the world so much that you do not arrange for the provisions of the journey of the Hereafter. So do not be unduly happy in its joys and do not aggrieve in its calamities.
Does one become a true believer by merely claiming faith?
Respected readers! Judge this yourself. There is a person who claims to have faith in Allah, the Prophet and the Hereafter. But in his practical life he opposes the divine commands, prefers the world to the Hereafter and considers this world greater than the Hereafter. In the depths of his heart he loves the world more. Can such a person be true to his claim?
Even if this sin of his is forgiven, due to it a defect has itself occurred in his faith that prevents him from performing good deeds. Would this deserve forgiveness?
The Heart–moving words of Amirul Momineen(a.s.)
Amirul Momineen (a.s.) said, “Even if we had no other defect than loving something Allah and His Prophet dislike, it would have sufficed to make us disobey the divine commands and wage war against God.”
How, loving the world is disobedience?
Here a question arises that how the love of the world can be a sin? While this quality is under the control of the desire of the heart and till it is not performed practically it does not become a sin.
Another thing is that the love of the world is beyond the control of man. Then since it is natural for man to be attracted by the joys, pleasures and sensual desires how man is held responsible for the same?
Our reply is that as the desires for infidelity, polytheism, show-off, pride and greed take birth in the heart, in the same way the love of the world finds place in the heart of man. That is why it is prohibited to accommodate the love of the world in our hearts. However, as far as the sins committed by the physical organs of man are concerned, since these acts are not to be committed practically, thinking about them is not a sin. We have explained this topic in detail in the earlier portion of this book.
Is the love of the world natural?
It is wrong to say that the love of the world is considered as something over which man has no control. Because in such circumstances, from the time he is born till he reached the age of understanding he had no ability to recognize the desires and pleasures himself, that he could gain satisfaction from them as a result of which he may become attached to them.
Removing the love of the world from the heart
If it is said that though the love of the world is not original and inborn, but due to the passage of time as the understanding of man becomes stronger due to the attraction of desires and pleasures the love of the world becomes deep-rooted in the heart. Later it becomes so strong that it is beyond human capacity to remove it and Almighty Allah, Who is just, does not burden man with something beyond his capacity.
Since the love of the world begets poverty and destitution it is not obligatory to forgo it
In reply we would say that though it is not impossible to remove the love of the world from ones heart, for some people it is difficult because it begets poverty and decrease in wealth, then it is not obligatory, but recommended. As would be discussed in the following pages. It is necessary for every sane person to decrease the love of the world. And that which is made unlawful is that you increase the love of the world so much that it exceeds the love for the Hereafter.
It is a voluntary act to have more and more love for the Hereafter
It is an obvious fact that preferring the love for the Hereafter over the love of the world is within the control of man. It can be explained further in the following way: Man is ignorant about the Hereafter from the time of his birth till he reaches the age of maturity (15 lunar years for boys and 9 lunar years for girls). Because he is only aware of the worldly factors that end with death and he is not aware of the life after death.
That is why he loves worldly life and likes its pleasures, comforts and selfish desires and gives more importance to it. But as soon as he matures and the light of cognition shines on him, it becomes obligatory on him to bring faith in the Hereafter. That is, according to the laws of the Holy Quran it becomes obligatory on him to have certainty that an everlasting life begins after death, whose analogy cannot be drawn from the life of this world. It is that very place where the Almighty Allah rewards and recompenses the people in accordance with their deeds according to the details given in the Holy Quran.
It is obligatory for man that along with having love for this apparent world he should also make continuous efforts for the success of the Hereafter. This is the meaning of having faith in the Hereafter. As his love for the Hereafter would increase, his love for the world would go on decreasing gradually. Especially if one observes the defects and shortcomings of worldly life and the difficulties resulting from them, there would be continuous decrease in his love for the world.
If only one keeps in mind the decadence and the temporal and unreliable nature of the world, ones heart would dissociate with it and incline towards the Hereafter.
In brief, it can be said that as faith in Hereafter becomes stronger and more one contemplates on the defects of this world, his dissociation with the world goes on increasing. Since faith and contemplation is voluntary, forgoing the love of the world and purifying the heart of its roots is also a voluntary act.
The Holy Quran and traditions have prohibited the love of the world. That is why, how can it be said that it is an involuntary thing beyond the control of man? Scholars like Muhaqqiq Ardebeli and the writer of Jawahir have included the love of the world among prohibited acts. In the same way Shaykh Hurre Amili in his book Bidayatul Hidaya says regarding its unlawfulness:
Seeking worldly status and making religion a medium to get worldly things is unlawful. It is not allowed to love and be greedy for the world.
This respected scholar has mentioned many traditions on the illegality of the love of the world in his book Jihad in the chapter of 'the love of the world'.
The Universe would disintegrate if there is no love for the world
If the question is posed that how can Islam prohibit the love for the world, because if there is no love for the world and no concern with its conditions who would go out to train oneself for earning livelihood and earn ones livelihood? Then no one would have attraction to the pleasures, desires and embellishments of the world. Even the system of marriage and procreation would be destroyed and the whole world would be in chaos.
Love of the world is not absolutely unlawful
Our reply is that Islam has not completely prohibited loving the world. Rather it has made unlawful preferring the love of the world to the Hereafter. That is, if one loves the world more than the Hereafter, it is unlawful. But if on the contrary the love of the world is not overwhelming the love for the Hereafter it is not unlawful. However, if there is no love for Allah, the Prophet, his Progeny and the Hereafter or if love for them is very slight, it would be unlawful.
Piety means that the heart becomes devoid of the love of the world
Imam Ja'far as-Sadiq (a.s.) says, “Attachment to the world has been opposed so that the hearts of the people are prepared to gain the Hereafter and that they become devoid of the love of the world.”
Again we remind the readers, that the unlawful thing is to love the world for its own sake and to love it fully. However if the love is temporary and for the pleasure of Allah, as we have already discussed, then it is worthy of praise and this much is sufficient for the affairs of life, continuation of generations and to guarantee the running of the worldly systems.
In simple words it can be said that forgoing the love of the world does not mean giving up its pleasures and forsaking worldly responsibilities. It rather means that the love of Allah and the Hereafter should be cultivated in such a way that we perform all the worldly affairs for the sake of Allah and the Hereafter. It is obvious that whatever is done for the pleasure of Allah and with the intention of obeying Allah's commands would be firm and fruitful and beget more favors in the life of the world.
Deeds performed for Allah are more beneficial
For example, if marriage and family life is for the pleasure of Allah, then indeed it would be firm, free of all difficulties and full of comforts and happiness. But if the same deeds were for the fulfillment of selfish desires and sensuality, nothing would be gained except difficulties and troubles.
Or say for example, a building that is constructed on the foundation of the intention of Allah's obedience would be steady, profitable and useful. But if the intention itself were for satanic aims, it would be shaky at the foundation and prove harmful.
If a building were constructed to sell it for profit, the builder would mostly take care to beautify its exterior, but neglect its stability and firmness. But if in its construction there are noble intentions, that is, if selfish motives are absent and the builder aims to benefit the humanity with it, it is clear that Allah loves such a person who intends to benefit the people.
According to traditions: The best of the people are those from whom people benefit. In another tradition it is said that Allah loves such a person. Thus if the builder has an intention that the pleasure of Allah is to be kept in mind in making the building, he would try his utmost to make it firm and strong. So much so, if such a person even constructs graves for the dead, he makes them strong and sturdy.
When Saad bin Maaz died, the Holy Prophet (S) himself descended into the grave and lowered his dead body in it. Then he made the grave strong and said, “I know that a dead body decays, and his body would also decay, but Allah likes that whatever work is performed, it should be done perfectly.”[343]
It can be said in brief that following the teachings of the prophets, if man had not become attached to the world, and had only paid attention to Allah and the Hereafter, in such a condition, whatever he would have done in the world, had been devoid of selfish and material motives. He would have only considered the obedience of Allah and the welfare of the people in all his activities. In this way he would have been happy and successful in both this world and the Hereafter. Here we shall mention a brief incident related to the topic of our discussion.
One day, Nausherwan, the King of Iran, was passing by. He saw an old man planting an olive tree. He said, “O, old man! Now the time has passed for planting this tree for yourself because you have become aged and weak, while the olive tree bears fruits after a long time.” The old man replied, “People preceding us had planted trees the fruits of which we ate. Now we are planting the trees so that those who come after us may get their fruits.”
Nausherwan praised him, and gave him 4000 dirhams. The old man said, “Every tree bears fruits once a year, while I got fruits from my tree twice.” Nausherwan praised him again and gave him another 4000 dirhams. Then he moved away quickly saying, “If I remain here further, my whole treasure would be insufficient before his magical words.”[344]
The fact is that performing some work for Allah can be compared to a farmer who sows the seeds to obtain heaps of wheat. When the crop is ready, along with the wheat he also gets chaff and stalks. Now inspite of his protests his warehouses are filled with stalks. In the same way a person who does something for the Almighty is indeed rewarded in the Hereafter, but in addition to this he also gets worldly happiness.
In the same way consider the example of a kingdom. If rulership were for the sake of the Almighty Allah it would be like the rule of Amirul Momineen (a.s.), which was full of justice, equity and help for the poor. Where every oppressor was made to account for his oppression and everyone was restored their rights.
But if rulership is under the control of selfish and satanic desires, it would be like the rule of Muawiyah. Where, there was only the rule of injustice; trampling upon the rights of the oppressed and the oppressors were left free and the rightful people were deprived of their rights.
Love of the world is the source of all evil
If you consider all the evils in the world, all corruption and turmoil in history and all the battles, wars and mischief, you will definitely conclude that their main cause lies in the pure love of the world, and nothing else. On the contrary, the reality of all words and actions, every good deed, no matter through whom it is performed and the resulting comfort and peace are rooted in the belief on Allah and the Hereafter. While there is only temporary love for the world in such a case. How nice it had been if Muslims had made firm their belief in Allah and the Hereafter and had performed all their affairs for the pleasure of Allah. They would indeed have obtained the real comfort and peace and they would have received pleasure from this world also.
One, who being attached to the world strengthens his relationship with Allah, has a pure life. That is, his life is a model of happiness, success, honor and respect. Such a person never extends his hand to ask something from anyone except Allah and except for Allah he does not fear anyone.
The wise and understanding man, spending a life free of confusion and doubts well knows the aim of this life, which is nothing but servitude to God. And day and night he is struggling to achieve it. The Almighty Allah is pointing out towards this aspect when He says in Surah Nahl:
Whoever does good whether male or female and he is a believer, We will most certainly make him live a happy life, and We will most certainly give them their reward for the best of what they did.[345]
We have already replied to the objection that if there is no love for the world, the worldly life would go disarray and we have proved that it is not so. The fact is just the opposite. In the sense, that it is the love of the world that causes turmoil and disruption in the world. However, temporary and limited love for the world, which is necessary in religion, endows man with prosperity and peace.
Conclusion of the above discussion
Whatever has been stated in the preceding paragraphs has made absolutely clear that it is necessary to love obedience and hate disobedience, while having temporal and slight love for the world is a part of faith. On the other hand there are three levels of worldly love:
1. The heart being full of worldly love and devoid of love for Allah and the Hereafter. This is absolutely forbidden and even comes under the ambit of disbelief.
2. Loving the world intensely while having lesser love for Allah and the Hereafter. Islam has also prohibited this type of faith.
3. The third level is the opposite of the second level. That is, though there is some love for the world, there is also intense love for Allah and the Hereafter on the other hand. This level is also detestable in the view of Islam.
The unlawfulness of the first and the second kind, and the detestability of the third kind are proved from Quran and traditions. Since quoting all the verses and traditions in this regard would prolong the discussion, we present only a few below.
Promise of Chastisement for the world-worshippers
The Almighty Allah says:
Surely those who do not hope in Our meeting and are pleased with this world's life and are content with it, and those who are heedless of Our communications: (As for) those, their abode is the fire because of what they earned.[346]
That is: those who do not have hope in Our reward and punishment and are satisfied with the life of the world (They have weakened their resolve to obtain the pleasures of Paradise while succumbing to the temporal pleasures of the world). As if they never have to depart from this world. (They do not know that the hand of death is gradually approaching them).
These are the people who are oblivious of Our Signs (proving the factuality of the Return and Resurrection). These are the people whose abode is Hell, that they earn for themselves. (That is, they persist in sins like disbelief, polytheism, hypocrisy and other evils).
Four noteworthy points in this verse
There are four keywords in this verse that are complimentary to each other and necessary for each other. Also they clarify the cause for burning in the world and in Hell.
1. 'They will not return' - The Arabic word for 'return' is 'raja-a' which denotes hope or expectation in obtaining something good. That is, if man is aware about the merits of a particular thing and he intends to obtain it, then his knowledge about the goodness of that thing spurs and encourages him to continue his efforts for obtaining that thing. Then even if he has to wait for it, this condition of awaiting is called 'raja-a'. However, if there is no interest and eager expectation, it is called despair and hopelessness.
But if there is interest, but not enough that it makes him strive for it, in such a condition it is called pride. That is why, 'they would never return' denotes those who in the view of Allah are undeserving of an everlasting life after death. They do not even have faith that righteous people are recompensed for their good deeds. That is why they never performed any good deeds. In this way, neither they had any desire for a good recompense nor did they do any good works, that they could be hopeful of being rewarded for them.
Satisfied with the life of this world
2. “and are pleased with this world's life”- Man and every living creature, by nature loves life and desires that his life should be successful. Thus if he develops certainty in the everlasting life of the Hereafter he would indeed strive for success in it. Side by side he also likes his limited life in the world and he also strives for success in it, but only to the extent necessary for him. Such a person is not satisfied with only his success in his temporal life; he also struggles to obtain success in the life that is everlasting.
For example, a traveler has to stay in a particular alien place. Now he is forced to search for his needs and comforts he was having at his native place, in this alien country. But he would make efforts in this regard only to the extent that his needs are fulfilled and he is able to stay there for the required period in comfort. He would never be prepared to struggle here for the betterment of his remaining life, because in his native land everything is already provided. Thus he would also acquire from this alien land those things that may be useful for him at home and finally he would depart for his native country.
It is just the same with one who has faith in the Hereafter. But one who does not believe in life after death thinks that man is annihilated after death. Such a one would concentrate all his efforts to his mortal and limited life and would be satisfied with success in this brief lifetime. In conclusion we can say that being satisfied with the mortal limited worldly life proves that he is not hopeful of the everlasting life after death.
Peace for the world-worshippers
3. “and are content with it” - The person who is in expectation of an everlasting life and the rewards of the Almighty, till the time he is in the world, he is not at rest and in one or the other way he is striving to gather provisions for success in the Hereafter. His happiness and peace in the world is temporary. All the time he is concerned to achieve the object of his desire. But one who desires the joys of the limited and temporal life, and does not hope anymore than that, the secret of all his joy and happiness is hidden in this world and it is his sole desire.
4. “and those who are heedless of Our communications” - Fondness for the world and according it a position of ones happiness and peace proves that he has forgotten the Signs of Allah. Because if he had not been neglectful for the unlimited and innumerable signs of God, that are testimonies to the Hereafter and resurrection, and the Holy Quran has mentioned about them in a number of places, then indeed he would not have forgotten the life after death and then the worldly desires would not have given him peace and he would have remained struggling for everlasting success.
“because of what they earned.” - This phrase indicates the sins of the heart and the physical body, whose mention has been made in the foregone pages.
Place of comfort for the world-worshippers
The conclusion is that one who is desirous of the world instead of the Hereafter and is attached only to this life, he derives comfort and peace in worldly joys and forgets completely the Hereafter, the abode of such a person is Hell, and he would continue to burn in the fire that he has earned due to his physical sins and the sins of the heart.
Ignoring the Remembrance of God
The Holy Quran says:
Therefore turn aside from him who turns his back upon Our reminder and does not desire anything but this world's life.[347]
Again the Holy Quran says:
(As for) those who go astray from the path of Allah, they shall surely have a severe punishment because they forgot the day of reckoning.[348]
The gist of these two verses is that one who ignores the remembrance of Allah and the Hereafter and his only loyalty and interest is with the life of the world, he has actually deviated from the path of Allah. One who has gone astray from the path of God, and forgotten the Day of Recompense and is only satisfied with the life of the world would have a very severe chastisement.
It is worth a mention that because the matter is based on reality, that is why one who has, in reality, turned away from Allah and the Hereafter and he is not desirous of them, he is only attached to the worldly life, instead of the Hereafter he has accommodated the fondness of the world in such a way that all his efforts are devoted solely for the worldly life, then the abode of such a person is Hell, whether he denies Allah and the Hereafter verbally, that he has no belief in any other life than the life of this world or he verbally confesses belief in Allah and the Hereafter.
We have already explained before that the benefit of verbal confession of faith is only effective in purity, marriage, inheritance and other worldly affairs. It is not in any way beneficial for the Hereafter. Except for sincere faith, nothing else can save him from the chastisement of the Hereafter.
The love of the world has sealed the hearts
The Almighty Allah says:
This is because they love this world's life more than the hereafter, and because Allah does not guide the unbelieving people. These are they on whose hearts and their hearing and their eyes Allah has set a seal, and these are the heedless ones. No doubt that in the hereafter they will be the losers.[349]
The gist of these noble verses is that since these people only loved the worldly life, they used to prefer it over the Hereafter and had been deprived of divine opportunity and grace, that is why they are completely cut off from the Hereafter and only remain attached to the world. Eventually their hearts were sealed and closed up. That is, their understanding and perception remained confined only to this world and they were not able to obtain the cognition of Allah and the Hereafter.
The ears became deaf to hear advices and admonitions and their eyes became blind to see those things that could have reminded them of Allah and the Hereafter. Now neither they have the capacity to perceive or understand, nor the ability of hearing or sight. They became so unmindful that even when the Hereafter called them, they became neglectful of faith and belief that could have assured the success of their life in the Hereafter. Indeed these are the people who would suffer a great loss.
The Almighty Allah says:
(To) those who love this world's life more than the hereafter, and turn away from Allah's path and desire to make it crooked; these are in a great error.[350]
They left behind the Difficult Day
The Almighty Allah says:
Surely these love the transitory and neglect a grievous day before them.[351]
Again He says:
Then surely the hell, that is the abode.[352]
Similarly He says:
While the hereafter is better and more lasting.[353]
Also:
And that (as for) those who do not believe in the hereafter, We have prepared for them a painful chastisement.[354]
Since quoting more such verses from the Holy Quran would unduly prolong the discussion we consider these to be sufficient to prove our case.
On the crossroads of the world and the Hereafter
The gist of the above verses of Quran is that, man is standing on a junction from where he has to ultimately choose one or the other path. Whether he selects faith or the love of the world. Whether he has pure love of the world or has faith in the Hereafter. To bring faith in one of the two means denying the other. This is the reason that traditions have compared them to contradictory things like, the East and the West, water and fire etc. But as we have mentioned before, belief in the Hereafter and temporary and limited love for the world can only come together at one place, they are also necessary for each other.
People can be divided into three groups. One group is of those who remain firm and steadfast on the belief in and the love of the Hereafter till their last moments. The second group is that which has only love for the world, while it denies the Hereafter and remains firm on this till the time of death. The third group sometimes takes up the world and denies the Hereafter and sometimes does the opposite of it.
Of these, the first group is of the “people of the right hand”, whom the Almighty has conveyed glad tidings. The second group is of “the people of the left hand”, regarding whom the above verses were revealed. The decision regarding the third group is with Almighty Allah so that at the time of the reckoning of deeds it is only Allah Who would decide about them. The Almighty Allah says in Surah Tawbah:
And others have confessed their faults, they have mingled a good deed and an evil one; may be Allah will turn to them (mercifully); surely Allah is Forgiving, Merciful.[355]
Love of the world is the source of all evil
Imam Ja'far as-Sadiq (a.s.) says, “The head (or source) of all the sins is the love of the world.”
If we consider the spiritual evils like disbelief, polytheism, hypocrisy, show-off, pride, arrogance and greed, as well as the physical sins. We would conclude that the love of the world is, in relation to them, as the head is to the body. Because if the head is separated from the body, it (the body) would become devoid of any feeling or movement. In the same way if the love of the world, which is the root of all sins, were removed, the sins that are committed through it would automatically be destroyed.
Trouble from the moment of death
The Holy Prophet (S) has said, “The death! The death! Beware of it. Know well that there is no remedy for death. Death comes with happiness and comfort for the people with faith in the Hereafter, whom it takes to Paradise. These are the ones who had devoted their efforts for the Hereafter and their love and attachment had also been only for that. But those who were obsessed with this fraudulent world and all their efforts were also devoted to it, for them, death and whatever comes with it, is troublesome and full of difficulties. Those who would suffer a loss and be sent to the blazing fire.”
The tradition clarifies that those who are subjected to pain and difficulties right from the moment of death, are those who had love and fondness only for the world. They had been engrossed only in the comforts and pleasures of this life, while their hearts were devoid of the love of the Hereafter. That is why they do not perform any deed for the Hereafter.
Prophet Isa (a.s.) and his companions
It is narrated from Imam Ja'far as-Sadiq (a.s.) from reliable chains of narrators in Usul al-Kafi that he said, “One day Prophet Isa (a.s.) passed through a town, whose inhabitants, along with the birds and the animals had died at one and the same time. Isa (a.s.) said, “There is no doubt that death came to them as a result of divine chastisement, because if they had died one after the other, they would have buried each other.”
The companions said, “O Spirit of Allah! Pray to Allah that He enlivens them again, so that they may inform us what their character was (what sin has killed them?). In this way we may be able to derive a lesson and keep aloof from such sinful acts.”
So, Prophet Isa (a.s.) prayed to the Almighty and a voice came in response, “O Isa (a.s.)! Call them!” When night fell, Isa (a.s.) went to an elevated spot and called out, “O people of this town!” One of the dead ones replied, “Here I am! O Spirit of Allah!” Isa (a.s.) said, “Woe upon you! What was your behavior in the world?” He replied, “Worship of false gods (Satans), love of the world and only a little fear of God, very high aspirations and negligence by being engrossed in vain pastimes.”
Shaykh Bahai has quoted this tradition in his book, Arbaeenand also explained some of its sentences. We shall mention it in brief here. The root of the Arabic word “Taghoot” (false deities or Satans) is “Tughyan”. That is exceeding ones limits. There are many meanings of this word, like 'soothsayer', 'Satan', 'idols', 'a person who leads a group of deviated people', 'one who restrains people from the worship of Allah' or 'one who worships someone or something other than Allah'. However, in this tradition, it denotes the chiefs and leaders of the tribe, who invite people towards sin.
The dead man's words, “Worship of false gods”, imply that one who follows or obeys someone, it is, as if he has worshipped that person; because worship in the meaning of obedience implies humility and surrender. Thus Imam Ja'far as-Sadiq (a.s.) says, “One who follows someone in sin, it is as if he has worshipped him.”
Shaykh Bahai proves this with the help of Quranic verses and traditions in the following words:
Now that we know that worship in the position of obedience denotes humility, then in the present age most of the people are busy in getting comfort in their debased selves and animal desires. Actually these desires are their idols which are being worshipped and the interesting thing is that they themselves do not understand what they are doing.
Then O man! You have left Allah, Who is the true deity, and made for yourself thousands of deities, whom you worship, and it is an occasion of surprise that you even now claim monotheism?
The Almighty Allah says:
Have you seen him who takes his low desires for his god?[356]
It should be clear that in reply to the call of Prophet Isa (a.s.), the dead man who became alive and reported the qualities of the people of that town, like worship of the false gods, love of the world, lack of fear of Allah, vain pastimes, being lost in the comforts of the world and being busy in obtaining its pleasures. All these qualities that he listed are very much found in the people of today. If he contemplates more upon this, it would be known that there is not even the slightest fear of God in them and they are completely careless of divine punishment.
This tradition also indicates towards the punishment of Barzakh (the period between death and resurrection) for the sinners, while actually the subject is general. Numerous verses of Quran and widely related traditions testify the fact, and it is obligatory to have basic faith in it. But we are not obliged to know its details, that how and when it would occur etc. Rather the fact is that a greater part of this belief is higher than our understanding and intellect. But the duty that is made incumbent upon us is that along with the belief in this, we must also refrain from those sins that cause the descent of punishment. Also that character and good deeds must be acquired, that guarantee success in the world of Barzakh. On this juncture, the Shaykh relates a tradition from Imam Ja'far as-Sadiq (a.s.) in which he says:
“Indeed, between the world and the Hereafter (that is Barzakh) are one thousand valleys, among which the easiest is Death.”
The statement of the dead man to Prophet Isa (a.s.) that: “I was with them, but I did not share their deeds” is worth paying attention to. Because it is necessary for the believer to refrain the sinners from evil deeds. And if they do not accept his advice he should become aloof from them. If not, then his end would also be like theirs.[357]
Prophet Isa (a.s.) asked, “How was your love for the world, and to what extent were you fond of it?”
He replied, “We loved the world as much as a child loves its mother. When the love of the world used to be kind to us we became happy. And when it turned away from us, we used to lament and become aggrieved.” Prophet Isa (a.s.) asked, “How were you worshipping false gods?” He replied, “We used to obey the sinners.”
“Then what was your ultimate end? Upto where has your Hereafter reached?”
He replied, “We spent the night in mirth, but when morning came, we were accosted by 'hawiyah' (fire of Hell).
Isa (a.s.) asked, “What is Hawiyah?”
“It is Sijjin (another name of hellfire).”
“What is Sijjin?”
“They are twisted mountains of fire, whose flames would flare upon us till the Day of Judgment.”
“In such a condition, what did you say and what was the reply that you received?”
“We said, 'Send us back to the world so that we can perform good deeds.' We were told, 'You lie.'”
Prophet Isa (a.s.) asked, “Woe be unto you! Why did not others speak to me?”
He answered, “O Spirit of Allah! Their mouths are bridled with fire and very menacing angels are punishing them. I was living with them in the world, but I was not like them. But when the chastisement descended I was also surrounded by it. I am hanging at the side of Barzakh with a single strand of hair. I don't know whether I would continue to hang like this or get salvation.”
Prophet Isa (a.s.) turned towards his companions and said, “O devotees of Allah! To eat dry bread with salt and to sleep on a bed of hay are great deeds. The success of the world and the Hereafter also lies in this.”
The incident shows how a deadly sin, the love of the world is. In the light of this tradition it can be said that the love of the world hastens the descent of chastisement and causes everlasting destruction for a nation.
Love of the world disables reason
Amirul Momineen (a.s.) says, “Love of the world cripples the intellect. But a person does not notice the defects of that which he loves. In the same way one who loves the world does not become aware of its decadence, its temporality, its calamities and the turbidity of its pleasures. Love of the world also deafens the ears, due to which they are unable to hear good advice and wise sayings and they do not accept counsel and admonitions. Also this matter is the cause of the descent of punishment and destruction of the people.”[358]
The world and the Hereafter are deadly foes of each other
There is no doubt that they are mutual enemies that are at a distance from each other. They are two paths that lead to opposite destinations. One who loves the world, is fond of it and goes after it, would be an enemy of the Hereafter. They are like the two opposite directions of the east and the west. One who is close to one of them would continue to be further away from the other. They are like co-wives. That is, inspite of the distance between the world and the Hereafter, they are co-wives of each other. Because most of the people accord both of them the status of wife. They are fond of both of them at the same time and try to gain both of them, but they are ignorant of the fact that the two cannot come together.[359]
The above lines clearly show that the love of the world denotes detachment with the Hereafter. If one of them were accorded importance it would be negligence of the other. Being nice to one of them would be unkindness upon the other.
The Messenger of Allah (S) says, “The comforts and luxuries of the world and its sweet life, make the Hereafter bitter and bearing the bitter tastes of the world makes the everlasting life sweet.”[360]
The conclusion of the saying of the Imam is that when the world necessarily creates hatred for the Hereafter, it means that the love of the world is not only a sin; it is actually infidelity.
People are of three types. The first group is that which has no love for the world at all. This is the group that would get salvation. The second group is of those who though they love the world, if truth confronts them, they accept it with humility. They eat the sustenance of Allah but continue to fear Him. The Almighty Allah would forgive this group because of the former one.
The third group is that which is having intense love for the world. They pick whatever comes before them. In order to achieve their aim they burn the dry and the wet things together and are not ashamed of the truth. This group is going to be destroyed and for which there is no scope for salvation. Then your efforts should be for inclusion in the first group and if it is not possible, at least you must be included in the second group…[361]
The above discussion is sufficient to prove our assertions, but if one desires to study this subject further, he may refer to the traditions of al-Kafi and Biharul Anwar, Vol. 16.
The Second Level – Where the love of the world is preferable
When the love of the world exceeds the love for Allah, the Prophet, the Hereafter and the Ahlul Bayt, in such a condition, it is clear that it is unlawful and a Greater Sin. For which it is necessary to repent and one must act in a contrary way. That is, one should give preference to the love of Allah and the Hereafter. The Holy Quran and the traditions related from the Infallibles have highlighted this matter on numerous occasions. For example, we present below some of their utterances.
The Almighty Allah says in Surah Tawbah:
Say: If your fathers and your sons and your brethren and your mates and your kinsfolk and property which you have acquired, and the slackness of trade which you fear and dwellings which you like, are dearer to you than Allah and His Apostle and striving in His way, then wait till Allah brings about His command: and Allah does not guide the transgressing people.[362]
One who recognizes his Lord and benefactor, and considers oneself as His creature, under His nurturing and direction, and has certainty of belief that whatever he has from the things in his house and outside, are all given by Him and all the causes of the world revolve around Him.
The result of this recognition would be that the love of Allah would be accommodated in his heart. A love that is loftier than the fondness of all other things. The more their knowledge deepens and more the heart is purified, this love would increase proportionately. So much so, that a time will come, that he would not consider anything or anyone, not even himself, except Allah. Whatever and whoever he loves, it would only be due to the love of Allah. It would be the stage where he would yearn to sacrifice himself and everything he has in the path of Allah.
If we consider the loyalty of clever dogs for their masters, that they even sacrifice their lives on them, it would be sufficient to shame intelligent people. That their love for their Lord is even less than the fondness of a dog for its owner. The loyalty of dogs is mentioned in some incidents in the book, Dastanhai-e-Shaguft.
Love for Allah necessitates love for His friends
Love for Allah necessitates that we love His Messenger, his chosen servant, Muhammad al-Mustafa also in an appropriate manner. The Holy Prophet (S) says, “Love Allah for the bounties that He bestows on you, and love me for the love of Allah, and love my family for my love.”[363]
This tradition is quoted in Tirmidhi as follows: “Love Allah because He bestows sustenance. Love me because of Allah and love my Ahlul Bayt because of me.”
Such that, this love should be higher than the love for everything else. Because loving the beloved of Allah is actually loving Allah. In the same way the distinguishing characteristic of the love for the Messenger of Allah (S) is that one also loves his Ahlul Bayt and the people of his family. It is necessary that our love towards them is more than the love for our own relatives. The Almighty Allah says in Surah Shura:
Say: I do not ask of you any reward for it but love for my near relatives…[364]
For more traditions on the subject of the essentiality of loving the Ahlul Bayt please refer to Biharul Anwar Vol. 7. Here we only mention some traditions that are accepted authentic by both Shias and Ahle Sunnat.
The Messenger of Allah (S) said, “By the One in Whose Hand is my life, none of you can be a true believer till he does not love me more than his father, his children and other relatives.”[365]
“No one can bring faith in Allah till the time he does not love me more than himself, my Progeny more than his progeny, my family more than his family and myself more than his own self.”[366]
The Holy Prophet (S) said, “On the Day of Judgment no one would move a step till he is interrogated about four things:
1. How he spent his life.
2. In what he involved his body (according to another tradition: 'How he spent his youth').
3. The source of his income and the venues of his expenditure.
4. How was his love for us, Ahlul Bayt.”[367]
This is the reason our elders, inspite of having intense love for Ahlul Bayt used to think that they have not fulfilled this right the way it deserved. They fear that they had not accorded it a position higher than the love for other things.
And those who give what they give (in alms) while their hearts are full of fear that to their Lord they must return.[368]
Amirul Momineen (a.s.) says, “By Allah! Inspite of their exceeding love, obedience and Wilayat, they think that they have been deficient in our love and obedience.”
Love for the faith is love for Allah
Love of Allah necessitates love for His religion and obedience of its laws such that one should be more satisfied with worldly loss for the sake of faith and belief. One who sacrifices this temporal life on the life everlasting. In order to escape loss in the Hereafter he willingly agrees to loss in this world. So much so, that he has no love for the world at all. But he only loves the world because it is the preface to the love for the Hereafter.
Only those who are aware of this quality of faith would gain salvation. They would be among the “people of the right hand”, and guidance and divine grace would be in their share. But one who has the opposite qualities, in his view, the life of the world, wealth and property, status and fame and worldly comforts and luxuries are more than the love for Allah, the Prophet, Ahlul Bayt and religion he would easily ignore them for the sake of the world. He would prefer the loss of religion than bear worldly loss. In comparison to the Hereafter he would have more love for the temporal life of the world.
Such a person would be more worried about his advancement and success in the world and become careless of his abode in the Hereafter. He would concentrate all his efforts to obtain this world. If a harm is caused to his worldly life, he is worried and aggrieved and he would strive to mend the loss. But if there is some loss to his everlasting life, like a sin is committed by him, he is not worried about it.
Briefly speaking, such a person is ever prepared to sacrifice his Hereafter on the world and this is the sign of the transgressors. That is, a transgressor is that who has deviated from the path of the Hereafter. It is obvious that one who becomes a transgressor, is deprived of guidance, grace, bounties and the help of Allah.
The Quran says:
…and Allah does not guide the transgressing people.[369]
Also it is necessary that the transgressor must expect divine chastisement in the Hereafter.
…then wait till Allah brings about His command: and Allah does not guide the transgressing people.[370]
It is incumbent for each of those who believe in Allah and the Hereafter, to keep checking his or her heart. Then if his love for Allah and all those personalities related to Him is more than his love for the world he should thank Allah and continue to make efforts to increase this love. But if the situation is on the contrary, he should mourn his condition and try to correct the situation. Also, he must not rest till his love for Allah and the Hereafter becomes strongest and he has certainty of belief.
Do we seek the pleasure of Ahlul Bayt?
It is obligatory on every Muslim to accord priority to the love of Ahlul Bayt over the love of the world. Justice demands that he should interrogate his heart about the extent to which he has strived to fulfill this divine obligation. Does he have more love for Ahlul Bayt or he likes the worldly entertainments and runs after the comforts and pleasures in it? Is he desirous of the pleasure of these holy personalities or in spite of the displeasure of Ahlul Bayt he is busy in fulfillment of his sensual desires?
If after contemplating on this matter he concludes that his love for the world is deeper than that for the Progeny of Muhammad, he should know that he has been deficient in fulfilling a divine command. The need for him is to keep on trying to improve his condition. He should not become proud due to traditions in praise of the Shias of Ahlul Bayt, like:
“The love of Ali (a.s.) is a good deed with which sins do not harm one.”
Because such traditions are for those in whose hearts the love for Ali Muhammad dominates the love for the world. Others can be lovers of the world but cannot be lovers of Ahlul Bayt.
Sometimes it also happens, that the love of the world present in ones heart creates dislike in him for Allah, the Messenger and Ahlul Bayt. We quote below two narrations to prove this matter.
Ahlul Bayt consider him an enemy
Shaykh Tusi narrates from Zaid Ibne Ali that a person came to Amirul Momineen (a.s.) and said, “O Amirul Momineen (a.s.)! By Allah! I love you for the sake of Allah.”
Ali (a.s.) said, “But I hate you for the sake of Allah.”
“Why is it so?” he prayed.
Ali (a.s.) replied, “You have made calling the Azan (call for Prayer) as your profession and you take compensation for teaching the Quran. I have heard the Messenger of Allah (S) say: The reward of the one who takes compensation for teaching Quran would be only that which he has already received.”[371]
Love of Ahlul Bayt is obedience of Allah
Amirul Momineen (a.s.) said that the lover of Muhammad is one who obeys Allah even if he is not even distantly related to him (like Salman and Abu Zar) and the enemy of Muhammad is one who disobeys Allah even if he is his close relative (like Abu Jahl and Abu Lahab).[372]
Imam Muhammad Baqir (a.s.) addressed Jabir and said, “O Jabir! Our friend is one who is obedient to Allah and our enemy is that who is disobedient to Allah. And our Wilayat (mastership) cannot be achieved without good deeds and piety.”[373]
All good deeds result from love of God
The conclusion of the above is that love for Allah, Ali Muhammad and the Hereafter is the opposite of the love of the world. The strengthening of one proves the weakening of the other. Just as the love of the world is the basis of every sin, in the same way, the love of Allah and all those associated with Him is the cause for every good deed.
Because if the love of the world is completely removed from the heart and in its place is accommodated the love of Allah, then no sin can be committed by this person and he would not be deprived of a single good deed. He would be safe from every debased and degraded deed and would be imbued with every good quality and loftiness of character.
Twenty characteristics of the love for Ahlul Bayt
The respected scholar, Shaykh Saduq quotes from the Messenger of Allah (S), in his book, Khisal that he said:
“One who is blessed with the love of the Imams of my Ahlul Bayt, indeed, he is given all the good of the world and the Hereafter. No one is allowed to doubt regarding his going to Paradise. Because the love of Ahlul Bayt has twenty qualities. Of which ten are for the world and ten in the Hereafter. Those in the world are:
1. Piety (Dislike for the world)
2. Efforts for good deeds
3. Refraining from sins
4. Fondness for worship
5. Repentance before death
6. Fondness for night vigils
7. Hopelessness with that, which is in the hands of the people.
8. Obedience of divine commands and avoiding the prohibited things
9. Enmity for the world
10. Charity
The ten qualities of the Hereafter are:
1. His scroll of deeds would not be checked
2. Neither would the deeds be weighed
3. His scroll of deeds would be given in his right hand
4. Salvation from Hell would be written for him
5. His face would be bright
6. He would be made to wear the dress of Paradise
7. He would intercede for one hundred relatives of his
8. The mercy of Allah would be with him
9. The crown of Paradise would be placed on his head
10. He would be made to enter Paradise without accounting.”[374]
If the question is posed that love is a subtle feeling and that man, after reaching the age of understanding is able to distinguish between the subtle and dense feelings and naturally begins to love the subtle feelings more as a result of which this love becomes fixed in his heart. A situation is reached when it is beyond his powers to remove this love. Therefore in such a condition how is it possible to hold him responsible to remove this love from his heart? Another thing is that Allah, Prophet, Imams and the Hereafter, all are above his vision and feelings. Then how can he be held responsible to love something that he has neither seen nor felt?
Intellect of man informs about his mistake
The first question has been answered in the forgone pages, but taking into consideration the importance of the subject we are explaining it again in another way. After reaching the age of maturity and being endowed with intelligence, when in the light of his intellect and teachings of the Holy Quran he is able to distinguish between mortal and everlasting things, he realizes the reality of his eternality and finds the joys of this world unworthy of attention due to their temporality, such a person is able to realize his mistake, and he makes effort to gradually remove it from his heart.
He seeks worldly peace and comforts in the everlasting life. This is the reason that in most of the chapters of the Holy Quran, the temporality, decadence and lowliness of the world has been remembered with reference to the life of the Hereafter and examples are also presented in this connection so that Muslims may know the reality of the firm and shaky life and becoming dissociated from this temporal world they accommodate the love of an everlasting life in their hearts. We have explained in detail that it is within the power of an intelligent man to remove the love of the world from his heart.
The criterion of the love of the Creator is divine recognition, not seeing Him with our physical eyes
It is not correct to say that man cannot love something he has never seen. There are countless people who have not seen a particular person and had not been contemporary to them, but only by listening to their human perfections they have become their fans. In this way we come to know that man naturally likes perfection. Now if such a person contemplates on the creation of the universe and perceives that in every part of creation there are numerous wisdoms, mercy and never-decreasing bounties, then indeed the love of the Creator would appear in his heart.
This is the reason that the Holy Quran has reminded about the bounties of the Creator at every step, so that man recognizes the real benefactor, he can value His bounties and he becomes His ardent devotee. This is the path where man is able to get the fruits of a pure life.
Thus why does the love of Allah not inhabit the heart?
Now the question is, that what is the reason that the hearts of most of the people are devoid of the love of Allah. The reason is that, such people have not yet come out of the prison of animal desires and sensuality. People like these do not gain lesson from anything and since they have not recognized their benefactor, it is clear that they cannot love Him. The Almighty Allah says in Surah Muhammad:
Surely Allah will make those who believe and do good enter gardens beneath which rivers flow; and those who disbelieve enjoy themselves and eat as the beasts eat, and the fire is their abode.[375]
Let us now take into consideration the love of Muhammad and the Progeny of Muhammad. Who is that intelligent man that is aware of their moral and spiritual perfections and merits, and most of all, their knowledge and intelligence; who knows that they have no equal; who comes to know about their innumerable miracles and accepts them as the most proximate creatures of Allah, but even after all this, he does not love them?
Those whose hearts are devoid of their love; it is as if their existence is lacking in humanity, or they are deprived of the capacity of recognition. As much capacity of recognition there is in man, in equal proportion would be the depth of his love and attachment.
Divine Recognition and love for the Hereafter
Love for the Hereafter is also such. Now if man contemplates on these verses of Quran, that are with regard to the qualities of the Hereafter and the innumerable bounties, then indeed he would become desirous of them. But the condition is that his heart should be empty of the love of the world, because such a person would be desirous of death, as he would consider death to be the means of the fulfillment of Allah's promise.
Amirul Momineen (a.s.) enumerates the qualities of the pious and says, “If death, which Allah has made holy for them, had not been there, their souls would not have remained in their bodies for the blink of the eye due to their desire of heavenly rewards and their fear of divine chastisement.[376]
What Amirul Momineen (a.s.) says regarding Paradise and the Chosen People
Glorified art Thou, the Creator, the Worshipped, on account of Thy good trials of Thy creatures. Thou created a house (the Paradise) and provided in it for feasting, drinks, foods, spouses, servants, places, streams, plantations and fruits. Then Thou sent a messenger to invite towards it, but the people did not respond to the caller, and did not feel persuaded to what Thou persuaded them nor showed eagerness towards what Thou desired them to feel eager. They jumped on the carcass (of this world), earned shame by eating it and became united on loving it.
When one loves a thing it blinds him and sickens his heart. Then he sees but with a diseased eye, hears but with unhearing ears. Desires have cut asunder his wit, and the world has made his heart dead, while his mind is all longing for it. Consequently, he is a slave of it and of everyone who has any share in it.[377]
Additional verse on the unlawfulness of the love of the world
The Almighty Allah says in Surah Fajr:
And you love wealth with exceeding love.[378]
In this verse, the Almighty is denouncing those people who love the worldly things very intensely and all the time they are looking for means to increase them and hoard them for themselves even if they are unlawful. They are such that inspite of the obligatory nature of charity they find it painful to spend it and allow it to be separated from them.
This behavior of theirs proves their love for the world and their lack of interest with regard to the Almighty. They are always ready to sacrifice their Hereafter on the world.
This holy verse proves the fact that slight love for the world is not unlawful. But it should never overcome the love for the Hereafter. Rather, the virtue of man is that he must never have permanent love for the world.
Those who preferred the comforts of the world
Regarding those who preferred the comforts of the world to the peace of the Hereafter, we have the following verse of Surah Tawbah:
…are you contented with this world's life instead of the hereafter? But the provision of this world's life compared with the hereafter is but little.[379]
In this verse, the Almighty Allah has severely condemned those who have intense love for the comforts of the world and they do not give any credence to the life of the Hereafter. Their love for the world is such that they become absolutely unconcerned with the Hereafter, they devote themselves solely for the world and they only desire the life of the world even if there is in it, destruction of their Hereafter.
In spite of the fact that belief in Allah and the Hereafter necessitates that the situation be the opposite of this. The love of the Hereafter should be so overpowering the love of the world that he neglects the world and sacrifices his life on the Hereafter. It is clear that in such circumstances, no question arises about fondness for worldly things and worldly position and status.
1. And seek by means of what Allah has given you the future abode, and do not neglect your portion of this world, and do good (to others) as Allah has done good to you, and do not seek to make mischief in the land, surely Allah does not love the mischief-makers.[380]
2. That is because you exulted in the land unjustly and because you behaved insolently.[381]
Raghib says in Mufradat that here the Arabic word for 'exulted' is 'Faraha'. It denotes swelling up of the chest due to worldly happiness, which is caused by pleasures of eating and drinking and not due to unlawful joys. While “tamrahoon” (behaved insolently) denotes excess and extremism in happiness.
o And do not turn your face away from people in contempt, nor go about in the land exulting overmuch; surely Allah does not love any self-conceited boaster;[382]
o But when they neglected that with which they had been admonished, We opened for them the doors of all things, until when they rejoiced in what they were given We seized them suddenly; then lo! they were in utter despair.[383]
o Do not think those who rejoice for what they have done and love that they should be praised for what they have not done- so do by no means think them to be safe from the chastisement, and they shall have a painful chastisement.[384]
This last verse mentions two qualities of the infidels and polytheists and then promises divine chastisement for them. That is why it is obligatory on every Muslim to avoid these two qualities. One of them is to pride on oneself after doing something, whether that work was good or bad or done for some worldly motives. The second quality is that he likes for himself that people praise him for some quality he does not have or for doing something he has not done.
Shaykh Tabarsi says in Jameul Jawame that this verse can also be applied to the one who does a good deed and then shows-off proudly about it. One who likes for himself that people praise his piety and righteousness, while he is not having those virtues.
It is mentioned in Tafsir Maqtinatud Durar that in this verse “those” refers to the common people. This verse applies to every such person that performs a good deed and then boasts about it. He likes it for himself that people praise those virtues that are not present in him. Fakhruddin Razi says in Tafsir Kabir that this verse refers to the Jews who distorted theTaurat and interpreted it in a wrong way to mislead the people.
They were not only pleased with this activity of theirs, they were also desirous that people should praise their religiosity, truthfulness and loftiness of character. Allamah Razi further says that if you want to know the truth, the majority of the people are like this. Because most of the people try to achieve the world through fraudulent and deceitful means. When they achieve their aims they are happy about it and they like that people should extol their honesty, piety and truthfulness.
Muhaqqiq Ardebeli in his book, Zubdatul Bayan says:[385]
It is not unlikely that this verse only proves the unlawfulness of the act of the person. Whether he has performed that deed or not, in both the cases this verse has declared the illegality of boastfulness. But since the verse is general and it is not for any particular aspect, that is why it is unlawful to be boastful about something one has done. But to express joy and happiness on doing something in which there is no angle of boastfulness, is beyond the scope of this discussion.
The traditions have also prohibited boastful happiness and the holy verse also aims towards this. As the Messenger of Allah (S) has said, “Dust be on the heads of those who extol and praise the creatures.”
It is narrated in Uddatud Da’i that boastfulness is one of the things that bring destruction. The Holy Prophet (S) said, “Three things destroy a person:
1. That miserliness which is em
2. ulated
3. That sensuality which is obeyed
4. To be boastfully proud of oneself”
Boastfulness invalidates the good deed of man. To be pleased on ones good deed and to consider oneself free of defects and shortcomings is pride or conceit, that cause the destruction of man. But if one is glad on ones good deed in such a way that it is also accompanied by humility and helplessness to the Almighty, and he also thanks God for giving him the divine opportunity, then it is permissible and a good deed.
Amirul Momineen (a.s.) said that a believer is one who is glad on his good deed and aggrieved on his evil deed. Muhaqqiq Ardebeli says that Ghazzali has quoted a tradition, which if it were authentic, would indicate that all of us would be destroyed. The tradition is as follows:
A person was praised in the presence of the Messenger of Allah (S). The Prophet said, “If that person is pleased with this praise of yours, he is an inmate of Hell.”
The Muhaqqiq says: This verse is sufficient to prove the correctness of this tradition.
Allah does not like those who are proud and vain
The Almighty Allah says in Quran:
No evil befalls on the earth nor in your own souls, but it is in a book before We bring it into existence; surely that is easy to Allah: So that you may not grieve for what has escaped you, nor be exultant at what He has given you; and Allah does not love any arrogant boaster:[386]
Studying carefully the above verses and the statements of the commentators and scholars of language it is learnt that the happiness not liked by Allah is the one which tantamount to boastfulness and excess. That is, the happiness that exceeds limits and is in the sphere of pride, boastful glee and apparent show-off. In order to explain this matter further we take help of an example:
Let us suppose that one is in need of a house. If after making efforts he is able to achieve his aim, even though he knows that it is a temporary place of residence and every month he has to pay a fixed rent also, yet he is happy for getting a place to live in. This limited happiness is not inappropriate and blamable and it is not prohibited.
But if that same person after taking possession of the house, usurps it, and with utmost audacity disregards the importance of the landlord, and he considers it the fruit of his efforts and hard work and presents himself to be the actual owner of the house as if no one has any right in it. Not only is he happy on being considered the owner of the house, he also prides upon it and in his glee he exceeds the limits. The intellectuals consider such unbridled happiness worthy of blame.
Now, after this example, it would be quite appropriate to say that if one gets a bounty like money and he considers it a bounty of Allah, and has certainty that the real owner of it is Allah, and he has to fulfill some rights of Allah from this money. Also that this wealth or property are temporal and they will be taken away from him before or at the time of his death, and he is pleased that he could fulfill his needs from this wealth for sometime, then indeed this happiness, if accompanied by thankfulness to God, humility and sincerity, would be acceptable by religious law and be according to divine commandments. Allah Almighty says in Surah Yunus:
Say: In the grace of Allah and in His mercy- in that they should rejoice; it is better than that which they gather.[387]
If after gaining the wealth, he forgets Allah and considers this wealth a result of his efforts and also imagines that he is the permanent owner of it and neither does he believe anyone else has any right in it, while having this wealth he considers himself needless and does not believe that it is his, only for sometime. In this way he is not only happy, but also proud and boastful in having it, it is this unrestricted joy that is unlawful and denounced.
The love of the world explained above denotes severe and permanent love. This is the subject of our present discussion. We also quoted a few verses of Quran to prove its unlawfulness. Now, for one who is concerned about the Hereafter, Allah makes his heart self-sufficient and needless. Also He makes arrangement for all the affairs of his life.
The traditions also explain that one who prefers the love of the world over the love for the Hereafter and considers the fulfillment of the worldly desires over that of the Hereafter and gives more importance to the worldly life, Allah impoverishes him and keeps him in poverty forever.
For such a person, as much wealth he gets, greedier he becomes and his desires also keep on increasing, till the time that he never could make himself needless. While on the contrary he is also attached to the world and is always in pursuit of worldly desires. Since he would not succeed in achieving the world more, his worries and troubles go on increasing.
Also at the same time there would be decrease in his fear of God. He would become miserly in spending his money on himself and his family. (Inspite of having wealth he would spend a life of destitution). This condition is termed as true poverty.
Because such a person does not believe in giving more importance to the Hereafter, and he does not spend his money in charitable works and good deeds in the path of Allah, that is why he would reach the Hereafter empty-handed.
One who achieves the worldly desires like wealth and children and is extremely happy on them and also does not consider these bounties to be bestowed by Allah, and also does not accept that there are any rights of God on him and refuses to fulfill his responsibilities laid on him by Allah, such a person is a denier of divine bounties. It is needless to say that one who denies the bounties of Allah would become eligible for Allah's chastisement. It is necessary for such a person to be fearful of divine wrath. This very fearlessness of Allah and too much of glee (that is, he is fearless of Allah's requital) is a greater sin.
In conclusion we can say that if there is unbounded happiness on a bounty and it is also accompanied by pride, it would mean that this person is unafraid of Allah's requital. This action of his is included among the greater sins. Actually, by giving a bounty Allah intends to test a person. He intends to see whether on getting that bounty, the person would be thankful and obedient or be thankless and disobedient. The Almighty Allah says in Surah Naml, quoting Prophet Sulaiman (a.s.) that:
He said: This is of the grace of my Lord that He may try me whether I am grateful or ungrateful; and whoever is grateful, he is grateful only for his own soul, and whoever is ungrateful, then surely my Lord is Self-sufficient, Honored.[388]
Signs of the Thankful and the Denier
The sign of the thankful is that on getting the bounty there should be increase in his love for God. Humility and lowliness should appear in his character. He should thank for the bounties and fear Allah for his shortcomings. While the sign of the denier is that he becomes more distant from God and more tied to the love of the world. He makes pride and sinfulness his main occupations and is not fearful of divine punishment. One, who on getting the worldly bounties becomes more deviated, should know that he is caught in divine chastisement due to these very bounties. This is indicated in the following verse of Surah Tawbah:
Let not then their property and their children excite your admiration; Allah only wishes to chastise them with these in this world's life and (that) their souls may depart while they are unbelievers.[389]
One who becomes involved in the love of the world, and the embellishments of the world enchant him, being associated with wealth and children he becomes neglectful, due to material desires he is oblivious of Allah and his own self, always worried about the comfort and luxury for his body and is mesmerized by the material pleasures. Such a person would be subjected to the worst punishment because of those very things that he considers being the means of his success.
We have all seen that as much one is given the material wealth and bounties as much he becomes negligent of his Lord and earns for himself spiritual punishment. Such a person is always sunk in material pleasures and spiritual chastisement. Whatever he considers to be the means of his happiness, proves to be the medium of his difficulties and sorrows.
Thankfulness for a bounty is more valuable than the bounty itself
Sinan bin Tarif says that he told Imam Ja'far as-Sadiq (a.s.), “I fear that I do not become a prey of divine punishment.”
Imam asked, “What is the reason for this?”
He replied, “I prayed to Allah for a house to live in. He bestowed it to me. Then I requested for a thousand dirhams. They were also given to me. I expressed desire for servants and I got them.”
“What was your response when you were getting those bounties?” the Imam asked him.
He replied, “I used to say: Praise be to Allah (Alhamdolillah).”
Imam said, “Your thankfulness is better than the bounty that you received.” (because thankfulness endures while a bounty perishes some time or the other).[390]
Conclusion of the discussion is that if happiness resulting from getting a bounty is accompanied with thankfulness, it is rewardable and a good deed. However, if the bounty causes pride, denial and fearlessness of God, it is hateful and deserving of punishment.
Self-pride distances one from Allah
As far as despair is concerned, it denotes getting dissociated from Allah. One who achieves worldly desires and does not consider them gifts of the Almighty, instead thinking them to be the fruits of his labor, and in their presence considers himself needless of others and is proud of himself, then know that such a person is dissociated from Allah and is only connected with his material wealth and status.
While dissociating from Allah is infidelity. Because he has considered his wealth and position to be his salvation-givers and needlessness-makers and he was satisfied with this only. In other words he has made his wealth and position to be his deities. The Almighty says in Surah Ali Imran:
(As for) those who disbelieve, surely neither their wealth nor their children shall avail them in the least against Allah, and these it is who are the fuel of the fire. [391]
The discussion so far has made clear that excessive grief and sorrow on worldly difficulties earns divine displeasure and is unlawful. This can be further explained by the following example:
A person went to the Hajj with his relatives and family. On the way back the camel owner puts his son on the fastest camel so that he can reach home much before the other people and avoid a lot of hardships. Now though the father would indeed be unhappy of separation, he objects to the caravan-owner about it expressing his dissatisfaction, thinking that injustice has been done on the son while actually a favor has been done on him. Such a responsive behavior is considered blameworthy according to intellect.
In the same way, if someone is sorrowful on the death of one of his relatives, and weeps for him, it is a good deed. But if he expresses anger on divine will and objects against it, forgetting the fact that through death he has escaped worldly griefs and difficulties, and that he would also go and meet him after some time. Also that he considers death to be injustice and an unusual happening, then such a type of sorrow and despair is prohibited by reason and Islamic law. The Almighty Allah says in Surah Hadid:
So that you may not grieve for what has escaped you, nor be exultant at what He has given you; and Allah does not love any arrogant boaster:[392]
Commenting on this verse, Baidhawi says, “It denotes removing a sadness from ones heart that prevents accepting the command of Allah.” Raghib says, “Sorrow and anger go together. Sometimes, both have to be lamented. The reality of this is so clear that man is restless to take revenge. Then if the desire to seek revenge is regarding someone weaker to us, it gets transformed into anger and if it is regarding someone mightier than us, it reduces and changes into grief.
That is why when Ibne Abbas was asked regarding the definition of grief and anger, he replied, 'Both have the same basis while their names are different. If one fights a person stronger than himself, the other person will express anger and fury while in the case of a weaker opponent, the other person will express grief.' He says that it is this that denotes 'sorrow'. That is to be sad on something one has lost.”
The Almighty Allah says:
And do not stretch your eyes after that with which We have provided different classes of them, (of) the splendor of this world's life, that We may thereby try them; and the sustenance (given) by your Lord is better and more abiding.[393]
According to some commentators, the words 'try them' in this verse denote punishment. That is: We would punish them through the embellishments and fineries of the world so that excess of wealth and children cause them more problems.
It is mentioned in Kashful Asrar that the dictionary meaning of the Arabic word 'Zahra' (splendor) is 'a bud'. The Almighty has named this world as 'a bud' because the moisture and freshness of a bud does not endure for more than two or three days, and it shrivels up very soon.
Explanation of Muhaqqiq Ardebeli
The late scholar, Muhaqqiq says that in this verse, the Almighty has prohibited His Messenger from attachment to the world. As a result of this, it became unlawful for the Prophet to look at the world with love and interest. Therefore, observing this rule, the Prophet refrained from being attracted by the beauty and attraction of the world. In this way following the command of the verse:
Certainly you have in the Apostle of Allah an excellent exemplar…[394]
It becomes obligatory for the people to follow the example of the Holy Prophet (S). Due to this, it has become unlawful for the people also, that they do not accord any value to the glitter of the world. It is a different matter if one says that this command is restricted to the Holy Prophet (S). But this is not proved to be so. Also books of Islamic jurisprudence do not include this among the special qualities of the Holy Prophet (S).
The most hateful matter for Allah is that one looks at the world with hope and attachment as mentioned in Tafsir Kashaf. It is also possible that here it implies seeing the world with greed or with an intention of committing an unlawful act with regard to the world. Although there is no doubt that in these circumstances it is absolutely unlawful.[395]
According to some commentators, though this verse is addressed to the Holy Prophet (S) it implies the Muslim community, and love and attachment for the world is prohibited for all.
Conclusion derived from the above verses
Those who are content with the teachings of the Holy Quran, well know that a great portion of the Book of Allah is regarding the denouncement of the world. The secret is that the love of the world becomes the greatest hurdle on the path of faith in Allah, the Prophet and the Hereafter. It is the source of every sin and due to it, the world and the Hereafter of man are both destroyed.
Therefore it is the duty of every religious person to reform himself. He should remove the love of the world from his heart or continue to decrease it. On the other hand he should make firm the love for Allah and His closest ones. He should deeply contemplate on those verses of the Holy Quran that prohibit intense and permanent love for the world. Since we have already quoted such verses before, here we only give a few traditions in this regard for the sake of brevity.
Desiring the world brings trouble
Imam Ja'far as-Sadiq (a.s.) says, “One who spends his days and nights in such a way that his greatest sin is to obtain the world, the Almighty Allah puts poverty and difficulties between his two eyes and makes his matter difficult. He would get only as much share of the world as is destined for him. And for the one who spends his days and nights while his greatest aim is to achieve the Hereafter, the Almighty Allah gives needlessness to his heart and completes his affairs for him.”[396]
Love of the world causes fearlessness of and despair from Allah
In addition to what we have stated above to prove that the love of the world is a greater sin and an unlawful matter, it is also important to know that the love of the world is necessarily accompanied by two other greater sins. (The details of which have already been given in the book, Greater Sins.). One of them is to be unafraid of divine retribution. That is, not to be afraid of the hidden chastisement of God.
What! do they then feel secure from Allah's plan? But none feels secure from Allah's plan except the people who shall perish.[397]
'Makr' the Arabic word for 'plan' implies the act of catching someone unaware and hurting him. If one initiates 'makr' it is considered blameworthy and is unlawful. But if the intention is to award punishment or it is a reprisal, then it is allowed. If man commits a sin due to which he becomes eligible for a punishment and Allah subjects him to a punishment in such a way that man himself is unable to make out its cause, it is called as divine-deception (makr).
Thus one who denies the bounty must continue to fear the 'makr' of Allah.
Sorrows of the world and the Hereafter
When such a person after his continuous efforts is not able to fulfill his desires and needs, and he becomes a prey to worldly difficulties he has himself created, he becomes sorrowful, restless and disturbed.
As far as his deprivation of the Hereafter and his lack of provision for it are concerned, the Almighty Allah has clearly mentioned in Surah Shura:
Whoever desires the gain of the hereafter, We will give him more of that again; and whoever desires the gain of this world, We give him of it, and in the hereafter he has no portion.[398]
On the other hand there is a person such that he is always worried about the Hereafter. He makes continuous efforts to inhabit the abode of his Hereafter. He is needless of the luxuries of the world. He walks behind the world with utmost dignity and self-respect. He is not in need of anyone, neither he has hope on anyone. He does not extend his hand before anyone to ask for something. He is satisfied with whatever sustenance Allah has given him. This is an example of real peace and needlessness in the world. As the words of an Infallible imply in a supplication:
“And give needlessness in my self. That is, O Lord! Create in my self peace and needlessness.”
Such people are meant when the Almighty Allah says in Surah Talaq:
That is the command of Allah which He has revealed to you, and whoever is careful of (his duty to) Allah, He will remove from him his evil and give him a big reward.[399]
In this way there is increase in his peace and comfort. Because such a man was always worried about his Hereafter and he used to struggle to improve it and make it more beautiful. That is why the Holy Quran has given him the good news of comfort and success in the life everlasting.
In brief, it can be said that one who is always sunk in the worries about the world, he should know that his world, religion and the Hereafter, all are destroyed. For such a person the most important thing to do is to reform himself. He must wash the blemish of this sin from his garments and think about the Hereafter. Thus, Imam Sajjad (a.s.) says in a supplication:
“O Allah! Do not involve us in the calamities of religion. And do not make the acquisition of the world the main aim of our life. And neither make our knowledge and intelligence the means of acquiring the world.”
Sulaiman bin Khalid says that he asked Imam Ja'far as-Sadiq (a.s.) regarding the interpretation of the following verse of Quran:
And We will proceed to what they have done of deeds, soWe shall render them as scattered floating dust.[400]
The Imam said, “By Allah! They were of pure character - that is whiter than white Egyptian fine cloth. But when an unlawful thing came before them, they did not avoid it.”[401]
The Holy Prophet (S) said, “On the Day of Judgment a group would be brought, whose good character would be heavier than the mountains of Mecca. It would be commanded that they be taken towards Hell. It would be asked, 'Were they performing the Prayers?' The reply would be, 'Without any doubt! They used to pray, keep fasts, remain busy in prayers half the night, but as soon as a worldly thing came their way, they used to rush towards it wildly.'”[402]
Those who sacrifice the Hereafter on the world
A close study of the above two traditions and other similar narrations reveals that all these reports are regarding those who are not completely oblivious of the Hereafter, but their faith on the Hereafter is limited and slight. They perform the prayers, keep fasts and have good moral character. But their love for the world is very intense. When an unlawful thing comes before them, they ignore its harms.
They sacrifice their Hereafter on the world, and throw themselves upon it unhesitatingly. Their example is like that of a cat, which is adverse to water or moisture, but the moment it sees a fish that it can prey upon, it dives into the water without any hesitation. Love of the world and lack of interest in the Hereafter is also a similar phenomenon and it is included among the greater sins. It is a sin that destroys good deeds and makes all the charitable deeds null and void. Due to which there remains no possibility of the acceptance of their good deeds. Because:
Allah only accepts from those who guard (against evil).[403]
When a person who loves the world very intensely, performs a worship act or does a good deed there is no sincerity in it, which is a necessary condition for acceptance of it. This is because such a person does something good with the motive that he may gain some worldly benefit, the people may praise him or that they may not criticize him, that he may get an increase in his wealth etc. Such a person helplessly refrains himself from something good and gives away something that is not much valuable for him, in the path of Allah. Briefly speaking, no matter how great is his apparent action, if there is no sincerity in it, it would be rejected.
One who loves the world is not eligible for salvation
It is narrated from the Messenger of Allah (S) that he said, “Prophet Musa (a.s.) was passing on the way when he saw a person lying in prostration. He looked at that man and moved ahead. After sometime when he returned the same way he saw that he was still in the same position. Musa remarked, 'If I had the power to grant his wish, I would have done it by now.'
The Almighty Allah revealed on him, 'O Musa! Even if he dies in this prostration, I would not accept his prayers till he refrains from that which is against My pleasure and does that with which I am pleased. (That is, he leaves the love of the world and imbibes the love of the Hereafter). In another narration the same story is described in different words.
Prophet Musa (a.s.) passed by a person who was weeping. When he returned he saw him still in tears. He said, “O My Lord! Your slave is weeping in Your fear.” Allah said, “O Musa! Even if this man weeps so much that his eyeballs fall out, I would still not forgive him, because he is surrounded by the love of the world.”[404]
It should be clear that since this person was involved in the love of the world, that is why both his hope and fear are related with regard to the worldly problems even though apparently he was uttering the name of God. Thus it should be known that the Lord Almighty sees the intentions. If the intention itself is not based on the fear of Allah, how can He forgive him?
This is the reason that scholars say that the condition for acceptance of repentance is that fear of Allah and regret of having committed a sin must accompany his intention of never committing that sin in the future again. If he gives up the sin due to the fear of people or to avoid some worldly loss, his repentance would not be accepted.
Imam Ja'far as-Sadiq (a.s.) says, “There is a great distance between the servant and Allah, that the servant is not worried about anything except his belly and salvation.”[405]
Obviously, fondness for tasty foods, obtaining livelihood from lawful means and fulfilling sensual desires by legitimate channels is allowed and not blamable at all. Though the thing that comes within the ambit of sin is belly-worship and lust-worship. That is, an intense love for these two, and lack of interest in the Hereafter. That is, he is not worried if due to this his Hereafter is destroyed and he would fall into sins.
[284] Surah Bani Israel 17:79
[285] Surah Sajdah 32:16.
[286] Surah Sajdah 32:17.
[287] Surah Zumar 39:9.
[288] Persian Couplet.
[289] Surah Zariyat 51:15-19.
[290] Supplication in Ritual Prayer
[291] I seek forgiveness of Allah and to Him I turn (in repentance).
[292] One who overlooks (our sins).
[293] Surah Talaq 65:12.
[294] Surah Zariyat 51:56.
[295] Surah Baqarah 2:285
[296] Surah an-Nisa’ 4:136
[297] Surah Baqarah 2:286
[298] Surah Baqarah 2:257
[299] Surah Anam 6:122.
[300] Surah Anfal 8:2.
[301] Surah Taha 20:114.
[302] Surah Tahrim 66:8
[303] Surah Nur 24:35
[304] Surah Yusuf, 12: 106.
[305] Surah Hujurat 49:14.
[306] Surah Hujurat 49:15
[307] Surah Anfal 8:2
[308] Surah Maidah 5:54
[309] Surah Baqarah 2:4.
[310] Surah Maidah 5:93.
[311] Surah Maidah 5:137.
[312] Surah Takathur 2:5-6-7.
[313] Surah Waqiah 57:95.
[314] Surah Tawbah 9:45.
[315] Surah Nahl 16:22.
[316] Surah Mujadilah 58:5.
[317] Surah Nisa 4:145.
[318] Usul al-Kafi, Book of Belief and Infidelity.
[319] Surah Furqan 25:70
[320] Safinatul Bihar Vol. 2 Pg. 534
[321] Ghurarul Hikam
[322] Surah Hadid 57:22-23
[323] Surah Anam 6:83
[324] Surah Fath 48:4.
[325] Surah Ali Imran 3:172-173.
[326] Usul al-Kafi, Chapter of the Merits of Certainty, Tradition no. 3
[327] Usul al-Kafi
[328] Nahjul Balagha
[329] Surah Qasas 28:77.
[330] Surah Mominoon 23:98-99.
[331] Surah Ali Imran 3:51.
[332] Surah Araaf 7:32.
[333] Nahjul Balagha Saying No. 130
[334] Surah Jathiya 45:24.
[335] Surah Yasin 36:14
[336] Surah Ali Imran 3:132-134.
[337] Surah Hadid 57:21.
[338] Surah Mutafaffefeen 83:26.
[339] Surah Ankabut 29:64.
[340] Surah an-Nisa’ 4:77.
[341] Surah Kahf 18:28.
[342] Surah Hadid 57:23.
[343] Tohfatul Ahbab
[344] Anisul Odaba, Pg. 307.
[345] Surah Nahl 16:97
[346] Surah Yunus 10:7-8
[347] Surah Najm 53:29.
[348] Surah Saad 38:26.
[349] Surah Nahl 16:107-109.
[350] Surah Ibrahim 14:3.
[351] Surah Insan 76:27.
[352] Surah Naziyat 79:39.
[353] Surah Alaa 87:17.
[354] Surah Isra 17:10.
[355] Surah Tawbah 9:102.
[356] Surah Furqan 25:43
[357] Shaykh Bahai has supported his arguments with Quranic verses and traditions. For more details we may refer to his book, Arbaeen.
[358] Ghurarul Hikam.
[359] Nahjul Balagha and Ghurarul Hikam
[360] Biharul Anwar, Vol. 16
[361] Makatib
[362] Surah Tawbah 9:24
[363] Biharul Anwar, Vol. 7, Pg. 569, Sahih Tirmidhi, Vol. 13, Pg. 201
[364] Surah Shura 42:23
[365] Sahih Muslim Vol. 1 Pg. 49, Musnad Ahmad Hanbal Vol. 3, Pg. 177.
[366] Biharul Anwar Vol. 7, Pg. 569, Musnad Dailami, Qawaid Nasibi, Shabul Eiman of Baihaqi
[367] Biharul Anwar Vol. 7, Pg. 535, Kanzul Ummal Vol. 7, Pg. 212, Tafsir of Tibrani
[368] Surah Mominoon 23:60
[369] Surah Maidah 5:108.
[370] Surah Tawbah 9:124.
[371] Tahzibut Tahzib wal fiqh and Al-Kafi
[372] Nahjul Balagha.
[373] Al-Kafi, chapter of ‘Absolute Piety’ (Bab-ul-Waraa
[374] Khisal of Saduq
[375] Surah Muhammad 47:12.
[376] Nahjul Balagha
[377] Nahjul Balagha.
[378] Surah Fajr 89:20
[379] Surah Tawbah 9:38.
[380] Surah Qasas 28:77.
[381] Surah Momin 40:75.
[382] Surah Luqman 31:18.
[383] Surah Anam 6:44.
[384] Surah Ali Imran 3:188.
[385] Chapter of Zakat, Pg. 207.
[386] Surah Hadid 57:22-23.
[387] Surah Yunus 10:58
[388] Surah Naml 27:40.
[389] Surah Tawbah 9:55.
[390] Safinatul Bihar Vol. 1 Pg. 442.
[391] Surah Ali Imran 3:10.
[392] Surah Hadid 57:23.
[393] Surah Taha 20:131
[394] Surah Ahzab 33:21.
[395] Zubdatul Bayan, Kitabul Makasib, Pg. 407.
[396] Al-Kafi, Chapter of ‘Love of the world’.
[397] Surah Araaf 7:99.
[398] Surah Shura 42:20.
[399] Surah Talaq 65:5.
[400] Surah Furqan 25:23
[401] Usul al-Kafi, Chapter of Refraining from Unlawful
[402] Uddatud Da’i Pg. 295
[403] Surah Maidah 5:27.
[404] Uddatud Da’i Pg. 164.
[405] Usul al-Kafi, Chapter of the love of the world.
[406] Usul al-Kafi.
source : Qalbe-Saleem, Immaculate Conscience by Ayatullah Sayyid Abdul Husain Dastghaib Shirazi
