The second part of the sacred verse 164 from the Surah A'lay Imran (the Family of Imran) which we will start to describe shortly, deals with the purification of he self:
يَتْلُو عَلَيْهِمْ آيَاتِهِ وَيُزَكِّيهِمْ.
“Reciting to them His communications and purifying them.”
By the use of “Self” (or soul), which the Great Prophet(s) was intended to purify through God's communication or verse from the Holy Quran, is the impetus for man's concupiscensce, lust, rage, instincts and his other wills and desires. If these drives are not properly taken care of and do not get purified they will turn into whims and caprices which will in turn send pernicious storms toward man's wisdom, heart, spirit and body; and this will ruin one's world and his hereafter.
The libertines, liars, crooks, wicked ones, oppressors, tyrants, criminals, wrong-doers, devils and ignorant ones, come to being because of engagement in whims and unrealistic desires.
Man's instincts, desires and lusts should be curbed and delimited by the Islamic educational codes; otherewise there would occur irrepairable damages to humanity as such.
If these whims and desires are controlled, however, then the manifestations of justice would be felt everywhere.
In his Madarejol Qods, Qazzali says:
يُطْلَقُ النَّفْسُ عَلَى الجامِعِ الصّفاتِ المّذْمُةمَةِ المُضادَّةِ لِلقُوَى العَقْلِيَّةِ.
“Self is the place in which all rascalities and vices are gathered to oppose the divine forces.”
If these rascalities are not cured in time , they will get momentum to the destruction of one's wisdom.
The control of instincts and lusts are among divine's and man's significant issues. This is so important that a struggle against lusts and wrong instincts are called a major holy war and the best of wars.
Sheikh Bahaee writes:
اِنَّ رَسُولَ اللهِ 2 بَعَثَ سَرِيَّةً فَلَمّا رَجَعُوا قالَ: مَرْحَباً بِقَومٍ قَضَوُا الْجِهادَ الأصْغَرَ وَبَقِيَ عَلَيْهِمُ الْجِهَادُ الأكْبَرُ قَيْلَ: يا رَسُولَ اللهِ وَمَا الْجِهادُ الأكْبَرُ؟ قالَ: جِهادُ النَّفْسِ. ثُمَّ قالَ صَلّى اللهُ عَلَيهِ وَآلِهِ: أفْضَلُ الْجِهادِ مَنْ جَاهَدَ نَفْسَهُ الَّتِي بَيْنَ جَنْبَيهِ.
The Great prophet of Islam(s) dispatched a group of men to the battle field. When they returned from the front, the Prophet(s) admired them, saying: you brave men took part in the minor holy war, but do not forget your major holy war. The men asked: O Prophet of Allah, what do you mean by major holy war? The Prophet(s) answered: a struggle against “Self”. Then he added: The best holy war is a war against one's lust.
The divine philosophers tell us: struggle against one's lusts should take place since these lusts take on beastly, brutal and satanic traits.
The beastly characteristics of the lusts
وَالَّذِينَ كَفَرُوا يَتَمَتَّعُونَ وَيَأْكُلُونَ كَمَا تَأْكُلُ الْأَنْعَامُ وَالنَّارُ مَثْوًى لَهُمْ.
“And those who disbelieve enjoy themselves and eat as the beasts eat, and the fire is their abode. 47:12”
وَاتْلُ عَلَيْهِمْ نَبَأَ الَّذِي آتَيْنَاهُ آيَاتِنَا فَانسَلَخَ مِنْهَا فَأَتْبَعَهُ الشَّيْطَانُ فَكَانَ مِنْ الْغَاوِينَ. وَلَوْ شِئْنَا لَرَفَعْنَاهُ بِهَا وَلَكِنَّهُ أَخْلَدَ إِلَى الْأَرْضِ وَاتَّبَعَ هَوَاهُ فَمَثَلُهُ كَمَثَلِ الْكَلْبِ إِنْ تَحْمِلْ عَلَيْهِ يَلْهَثْ أَوْ تَتْرُكْهُ يَلْهَثْ ذَلِكَ مَثَلُ الْقَوْمِ الَّذِينَ كَذَّبُوا بِآيَاتِنَا فَاقْصُصْ الْقَصَصَ لَعَلَّهُمْ يَتَفَكَّرُونَ.
“And recite to them the narrative of him to whom We give Our communications, but he withdraws himself from them, so the Shaitan overtakes him, so he is of those who go astray. And if We had pleased, We would certainly have exalted him thereby; but he clung to the earth and followed his low desire, so his parable is as the parable of the dog; if you attack him he holls out his tongue; and if you leave him alone he holls out his tongue; this is the parable of the people who reject our communications; therefore relate the narrative that they may reflect. 7:175-176”
The Satanic traits of the Lusts
كَمَثَلِ الشَّيْطَانِ إِذْ قَالَ لِلْإِنسَانِ اكْفُرْ فَلَمَّا كَفَرَ قَالَ إِنِّي بَرِيءٌ مِنْكَ إِنِّي أَخَافُ اللَّهَ رَبَّ الْعَالَمِينَ.
The hypocrites are like satan:
“Like the shaitan when he says to man: Disbelieve, but when he disbelieves, he says: I am surely clear of you; surely I fear Allah, the Lord of the worlds. 69:16”
Or else, if we put aside the satanic traits of human nature, what we are left with is pure wisdom. Man will keep his divine characteristics if these acute lusts are taken away from him.
We should put forth a lot of energy to struggle against these beastly, tyranic and satanic traits of our lusts in order to put down turbulences in our spirits.
Saadi, the famous Iranian poet writes: Somebody was asked the meaninig of the following expression:
أعْدى عَدُوّكَ نَفْسُكَ الّتي بَيْنَ جَنْبَيْكَ.
He answered: This expression simply means the following: You will turn any foe into friend if you do him a favor; but this rule does not apply to the self because the more you do it favors, the more aggressive it will get.
How few are those who have engaged in struggling against their lusts through the instructions which the Great Prophet(s) have provided them with.
Once Bohlul was asked: Can you tell us the number of the insanes of the city? He answered: To count the lunatics in the City is difficult. Ask me how many wise ones there are.
We have got to get ourselves free from sins, wrong-doings, and lusts. We should add to our spiritual dimension. A ship which has got the essential loads and has got the sufficient weights would not get disturbed by the tornadoes or sea storms: rather, it will remain steady in the face of storms and turbulences. When man gets heavy with the major weight which is the Holy Quran, and the minor weight which are the Infallibe Ones, he will become assured of himself and will stay unbroken by any tempest or typhoon.
If you could get yourself free from any bodily and spiritual weight and if you could put aside lusts and whims by resorting to the Holy Quran and Prophethood and Imamate, you would ascend to the unseen Heavens.
The great and well-known philosopher, Allameh Tabatabaee, in his excellent work “Al-Mizan” writes: I was busy praying at Sahle Mosque, at the Edris position. After Hamad, I was reciting from the sacred surah Suad (Quran: 38) when I noticed my spirit rose high in the heaven but my body was still resting on the ground. From up I could easily see my body. After a while I came to myself.
Almighty Allah, in His Holy Quran, concerning the dignity of Edris says:
وَرَفَعْنَاهُ مَكَانًا عَلِيًّا.
“And we raised him high in the heaven.”
The Gnostics, divine lovers, the vigilants, based on the Quranic knowledge assert:
There are two types of trees in the unseen world:
1) The Tube tree.
2) The Zoqqum tree.
For each of these two trees there are certain branches. Any one of the ethical trait belongs to the Tuba tree and any aspect of vices belongs to one branch of the Zoqqum tree.
If man would not rise to struggle with his whims and unrealistic desires and let them remain active, each one of them will eventually turn into a pernicious babit.; They would penetrate into his soul and would permanently stay there. Then man would become one of the branches of the Zoqqum tree to furnish the necessary firewood of the hell. The story of the blessed works is the reverse of this. We will read in kafi:
السَّخاءُ شَجَرَةٌ فِي الجَنَّةِ، فَمَنْ كانَ سَخيّاً أخَذَ بِغُصْنٍ مِنْها، فَلَمْ يَتْرُكْهُ ذلِكَ الغُصْنُ حَتّى يُدْخِلَهُ الجَنَّةَ. وَالشُّحُّ شَجَرَةٌ فِي النّارِ، فَمَنْ كانَ شَحِيحاً أخَذَ بِغُصْنٍ مِنْها، فَلَم يَتْرُكْهُ حَتّى يُدْخِلَهُ النّارَ.
Generosity is a tree in the paradise, and a generous one has a branch of it in his hand. That branch will not let him go unless he enters the paradise. And stinginess is a tree in the hell and a stingy one is hanging from this tree. That tree will not let him go until he is in the hell.
One who suffers from lusts and rascalities not only destroys himself but he will as well endanger other people's rights. From here we will appreciate the Prophet's endeavors to help us extinguish the fire of lusts in ourselves.
The superficial pain of one's heart may kill him; but the hidden pain, which is brought about by getting involved in sins is even more devastating and destructive:
فِي قُلُوبِهِمْ مَرَضٌ فَزَادَهُمْ اللَّهُ مَرَضًا.
“There is a disease in their hearts, so Allah added to their disease (and they shall have a painful chastisement because they lied). 2:10”
It is considered a great worship to think about one's past and to realize that the pleasure taken out of a sin is not eternal, but that its consequences remain for ever. It is also a worship to ponder on the fatal nature of this world and the eternal nature of the next world and to think about those who wished for some unrealistic items in life but never got them and it is a worship to consider the fate of the well-wishers and the ill-fate of the wrong-doers.
In the sixth volume of Beharol Anwar, Imam Baqir(s) reports from the Great Prophet(s) an important narration concering people's death.
قالَ رَسُولُ اللهِ2: النَّاسُ اثْنانِ: واحِدٌ أراحَ، وآخَرُ اسْتَراحَ. فأمّا الَّذي اسْتَراحَ فَالمُؤمِنُ، إذا ماتَ اسْتَراحَ مِنَ الدُّنيا وَبَلائِها. وَأمّا الَّذي أراحَ فَالكافِرُ، إذا ماتَ أراحَ الشَّجَرَ وَالدَّوابَّ وَكَثِيراً مِنَ النّاسِ.
“Concerning death there are two sorts of people: Those who get rid of the world through their death, and those who through their death relieve others from misery. The first group consists of the believers who, through their death get rid of much troubles. The second group or the infidels are those who through their own death get people out of troubles. In fact, these will set free people, beasts and trees by their death.
Trees and animals in their own language tell us they would not like to serve the disbelievers. They say they will get rid of the disbelievers or infidels if these people would not exist any more.
There is a well-known narration reported from the Prophet of Islam(s):
دَخَلَ رَجُلٌ عَلى رَسُولِ اللهِ2 اسْمُهُ مُجاشِعٌ فَقالَ: يا رَسُولَ اللهِ كَيْفَ الطَّرِيقُ إلى مَعْرِفَةِ الحَقِّ؟ فَقالَ: مَعْرَفَةُ النَّفْسِ.
فَقالَ: يا رَسُولَ اللهِ كَيْفَ الطَّرِيقُ إلى مُوافَقَةِ الحَقِّ؟ قالَ: مُخَالَفَةُ النَّفْسِ.
فَقالَ: يا رَسُولَ اللهِ فَكَيْفَ الطَّرِيقُ إلى رِضَا الحَقِّ؟ قالَ: سَخَطُ النَّفْسِ.
فَقالَ: يا رَسُولَ اللهِ فَكَيْفَ الطَّرِيقُ إلى وَصْلِ الحَقِّ؟ قالَ: هَجْرُ النَّفْسِ.
فَقالَ: يا رَسُولَ اللهِ فَكَيْفَ الطَّرِيقُ إلى طَاعَةِ الحَقِّ؟ قالَ: عِصْيانُ النَّفْسِ.
فَقالَ: يا رَسُولَ اللهِ فَكَيْفَ الطَّرِيقُ إلى قُرْبِ الحَقِّ؟ قالَ: التَّباعُدُ مِنَ النَّفْسِ.
فَقالَ: يا رَسُولَ اللهِ فَكَيْفَ الطَّرِيقُ إلى ذِكْرِ الحَقِّ؟ قالَ: نِسْيانُ النَّفْسِ.
فَقالَ: يا رَسُولَ اللهِ فَكَيْفَ الطَّرِيقُ إلى اُنْسِ الحَقِّ؟ قالَ: الوَحْشَةُ مِنَ النَّفْسِ.
فَقالَ: يا رَسُولَ اللهِ فَكَيْفَ الطَّرِيقُ إلى ذلِكَ؟ قالَ: الاِسْتِعانَةُ بِالحَقِّ عَلَى النَّفْسِ.
A man named Mojashe' asked the Prophet(s):
How could we recognize Allah?
Prophet(s): By recognizing your self.
The man: How could we be in agreement with Allah?
Prophet(s): Through disagreeing with the self.
The Man: How could we get Allah's Satisfaction?
Prophet(s): By being angry with the self.
The Man: How could we meet with Allah?
Prophet(s): To distance from self.
The Man: How could we remember Allah?
Prophet(s): by forgetting your self.
The Man: How could we get all of these?
The Prophet(s): By asking God to let you fight against your self.
عَنْ أبي عَبْدِاللهِD قالَ: كُنْتُ مَعَ أبي حَتّى انْتَهَيْنا إلى القَبْرِ وَالمِنْبَرِ وَإذا اُناسٌ مِنْ أصْحَابِهِ، فَوَقَفَ عَلَيْهِمْ فَسَلَّمَ وَقالَ: وَاللهِ إنّي لَاُحِبُّكُمْ وَاُحِبُّ رِيحَكُمْ وَأرْوَاحَكُمْ، فَأعِينُونِي عَلى ذلِكَ بِوَرَعٍ وَاجْتِهادٍ، فَإنَّكُمْ لَنْ تَنالُوا وَلايَتَنا إلاّ بِالوَرَعِ وَالإجْتِهادِ.
Imam Sadiq(s) says: I was accompanying my father, Imam Baqir(s), to the Holy grave of the Great Prophet(s). There we found a group of my father's friends. Imam Baqir(s) stood near them, and greeted them. He then said, “I swear to God I love you, your odor, and your souls. Through your Friendship help me to arrive at our growth. It is only through your trials and devotion that you will understand us and be loved by us.[1]
Staying on the right path is impossible except through your struggle against your self.
أَفَمَنْ شَرَحَ اللَّهُ صَدْرَهُ لِلْإِسْلَامِ فَهُوَ عَلَى نُورٍ مِنْ رَبِّهِ فَوَيْلٌ لِلْقَاسِيَةِ قُلُوبُهُمْ مِنْ ذِكْرِ اللَّهِ أُوْلَئِكَ فِي ضَلَالٍ مُبِينٍ.
“What! Is he whose heart Allah has opened for Islam so that he is in a light from his Lord (like the hard-hearted)? Nay, woe to those whose hearts are hard against the remembrance of Allah; those are in clear error. 39:22”
In Islam all that make our hearts glimmer are clearly referred to and all that make our hearts hurt are also mentioned. What make our hearts mirky are sins and letting our whims and desires free. Our struggle against our desires makes the Allah's light enter our souls.
The Purification of self was among the Prophet's duties. And the Prophet(s) put forth lots of effort concerning the carrying out of this task.
The Prophet(s) let people realize the good and bad things about the self and taught people how to equip themselves with the necessary means to fight the self. He could train great numbers of men and women believers. Not any school could have been more successful in this regard than the Prophet(s).
When the Prophet(s) was raised to the holy position of the Prophethood he was given a Book which was a healing for the pains of the heart, self and rational abilities. Allah describes that Book in the following words:
يَا أَيُّهَا النَّاسُ قَدْ جَاءَتْكُمْ مَوْعِظَةٌ مِنْ رَبِّكُمْ وَشِفَاءٌ لِمَا فِي الصُّدُورِ وَهُدًى وَرَحْمَةٌ لِلْمُؤْمِنِينَ.
“O men! There has come to you indeed an admonition from your Lord and a healing for what is in the breasts and a guidance and a mercy for the believers. 10:57”
قَدْ جَاءَكُمْ مِنْ اللَّهِ نُورٌ وَكِتَابٌ مُبِينٌ يَهْدِي بِهِ اللَّهُ مَنْ اتَّبَعَ رِضْوَانَهُ سُبُلَ السَّلَامِ وَيُخْرِجُهُمْ مِنْ الظُّلُمَاتِ إِلَى النُّورِ بِإِذْنِهِ وَيَهْدِيهِمْ إِلَى صِرَاطٍ مُسْتَقِيمٍ.
“Indeed, there has come to you light and a clear Book from Allah; with it Allah guides him who will follow His pleasure into the ways of safety and brings them out of utter darkness into light by His will and guides them to the right path. 5:15-16”
Through the Holy Quran, the Prophet(s) could make the hearts luminous and the self purified. He could train Balal out of the colored ones, Sohaib out of the slaves, Abuzar out of the desert-dwellers, Salman out of the non-Arabs, and Khadijeh, Zahra and Zeinab out of the class of women.
In the book “The Perfect Man” we will see the following topic: Man's ascension is only possible through four means:
1) Divine Knowledge: The Holy Quran, the statements of the Prophet, Imams and the Infallible ones(s);
2) Good speech;
3) Good deeds;
4) Good morality.
These four items, which are attainable only through the struggle against whims and desires, are so significant that the following judgements are made around them:
One who lacks these four is not a human being at all; one who has them all is a man and he who makes complete use of them is a perfect man.
Only when you recognized the Quranic truth and the Divine knowledge and when you could spiritually benefit from the Holy Quran and the narrations, and when you put up worship, could you then set the stage for a thorough struggle against whims and desires and for the purification of your self. Remember the light which comes out of this endeavor will lighten all facets of your life. This was the light which the Great Prophet(s) was asking Allah for:
اللّهُمَّ اجْعَلْ لي في قَلْبِي نُوراً، وَفي لِسانِي نُوراً، وَفي بَصَري نُوراً، وَفي سَمْعي نُوراً، وَعَنْ يَمِيني نُوراً، وَعَنْ يَساري نُوراً، وَمِنْ فَوْقي نُوراً، وَمِنْ تَحْتِي نُوراً، وَمِنْ أمَامي نُوراً، وَمِنْ خَلْفِي نُوراً، وَاجْعَل لي في نَفْسِي نُوراً، وَأعْظِم لي نُوراً.
O God! Let there be light in my heart, on my tongue, in my eyes, in my ears, on my right side, on my left, over my head, under my feet, in front of me, behind me and in my breath, and I beg you to magnify that light for me.”
The divine scholars inform us that by “light” here is meant the Holy Quran and Allah's special favor. The great Prophet(s) begs Allah to fill him with the truth contained in the Holy Quran. This wish of the Prophet(s) was fullfiled by Allah on his creation and this light was revealed to the Prophet through the descent of the Holy verses.
قالَ أميرُ المُؤْمِنينD: الْعارِفُ مَنْ عَرَفَ نَفْسَهُ فَأعْتَقَها وَنَزَّهَها عَنْ كُلِّ ما يُبْعِدُها.
A genuine Gnostic is the one who has recognized his own self and its potentials for good or evil and who has freed it of all rascalities and vices and has purified it so that it could not come between him and his God.
If you recognized your true self, you would get rid of your deceptive sefl-concept and would try to rectify it through the instructions of the Holy Quran, Prophethood and Imamate and would arrive at the conclusion that your self and spirit are God's assets given to you and that you should protect it against the evils and rascalities.
Our self-interest, haughtiness, pride, greed and jealousy are obstacles between the self and Allah and would hinder the radiation of God's rays of favor towards the self.
In his “Fath thaleth”, Meybody writes: Sheikh Sa'd Al-din Homovi arrived at a river while he was riding a horse. The horse could not cross the river. He ordered to make the water mirky and muddy. The horse, then, could cross the river. He said: At first he could not cross the river since he only saw himself. As soon as the self-worshipping is cured and man could distance himself from it, the movement of self towards Allah starts and would arrive at a place which Imam Sadiq(s) has predicted and this prediction is reported by Koleyni in kafi:
إنَّ رُوحَ المُؤْمِنِ لأشَدُّ اتّصالاً بِرُوحِ اللهِ مِنِ اتّصالِ شُعاعِ الشَّمْسِ بِها.
The connection of a believer's spirit to Allah is closer than the connection of the sun's rays to the sun itself.
Imam Ali(s), concerning the virtuous believers, says in his Nahjolbalaqa:
صَحِبُوا الدُّنْيا بِأبْدانٍ أرْواحُها مْعَلَّقَةٌ بِالمَحَلِّ الأعْلى.
“They are present here with their bodies, but their spirits belong to the heavens.”
These spirits are obedient towards Allah's commands and what He prohibits. Whatever engagement they have is for Him and they endeavor to meet with Him.
Imam Baqir(s) reports: Some people come up to the Prophet(s), telling him:
السَّلامُ عَلَيْكَ يا رَسُولَ اللهِ، فَقالَ2: مَنْ أنْتُم؟ قالُوا: مُؤْمِنُونَ، قالَ: فَما حَقيقَةُ إيمانِكُمْ؟ قالُوا: الرّضا بِقَضاءِ اللهِ، وَالتَفْويضُ إلى اللهِ، وَالتَسْلِيمُ لِأمْرِ اللهِ، قالَ: عُلَماءُ حُكِماءُ كادُوا أنْ يَكُونُوا مِنَ الْحِكْمَةِ أنْبياءَ، فَإنْ كُنْتُمْ صادِقِينَ فَلا تَبْنُوا مالا تَسْكُنُونَ، وَلا تَجْمَعُوا مالا تَأكُلُونَ، وَاتَّقُوا اللهَ الَّذي إلَيْهِ تُرْجَعُونَ.
They greeted the Prophet(s). The Prophet(s) asked them who they were. They replied: we are believers. The Prophet(s) asked: what is the essence of your conviction? They answered: Our satisfaction with Allah's commands and our consent towards the fate which Allah has arranged for us. Then the Prophet(s) said: these are men of wisdom and knowledge. They want to be like the Prophets. If you are telling the truth, do not construct a building in which you are not willing to reside and do not pile up anything which you do not wish to eat and be frightened towards the God to whom you will return.
Amali Tusi narrates from Imam Baqir(s) who has said: When the great Prophet performed the religious service at Hajj, he said:
لا يَدْخُلُ الْجَنَّةَ إلاّ مَنْ كانَ مْسْلِماً. قالَ أبُوذَرٍ: يا رَسُولَ اللهِ، مَا الْإسلامُ؟ قالَ: الإسلامُ عُرْيانٌ، وَلِباسُهُ التَّقْوى، وَزِينَتُهُ الْحَياءُ، وَمِلاكُهُ الْوَرَعُ، وَكَمالُهُ الدِّينُ، وَثَمَرُهُ العَمَلُ الصَالِحُ، وَلِكُلِّ شَئٍ أساسٌ وَأساسُ الإسْلامِ حُبُّنا أهْلَ البَيْتِ.
Nobody will enter the paradise except for the Moslem. Abuzar asked the Prophet(s): O Messenger of Allah, what is Islam? He replied: Islam is naked; its dress is piety; its embellishment is modesty; its strength and perfection lie in religion and its fruit is good deeds. There is a base for everything and the base of Islam lies in one's love towards the Infallible(s).
Concerning the perfection of self and spirit, Abu Hamzeh Thamali reports the following statement from Imam Baqir(s):
أرْبَعٌ مَنْ كُنَّ فيهِ كَمُلَ إسْلامُهُ، وَاُعِينَ عَلى إيمانِهِ، وَمُحِقَتْ ذُنُوبُهُ، وَلَقِيَ رَبَّهُ وَهُوَ عَنْهُ راضٍ، وَلَو كانَ فيما بَيْنَ قَرْنِهِ إلى قَدَمِهِ ذُنُوبٌ حَطَّهَا اللهُ تَعالى عَنْهُ، وَهِيَ: الوَفاءُ بِما يَجْعَلُ للهِ عَلى نَفْسِهِ، وَصِدْقٌ اللِّسانِ مَعَ النّاسِ، وَالحَياءُ مِمّا يَقْبَحُ عِنْدَ اللهِ وَعِنْدَ النّاسِ، وَحُسْنُ الخُلْقِ مَعَ الأهْلِ وَالنّاسِ.
There are four traits in a Moslem which will make his Islam perfect: these traits will strenghen his faith, will obliterate his sins and will prepare him to meet Allah while Allah is satisfied with him: the fulfillment of what Allah has set for him, being honest with people; being shameful of doing the forbidden acts; and being amicable towards one's family and people.
The writer of Adeb Al-Nafs says: A good human being has got four characteristics: Chastity of self, piety, abstinence towards worldly possessions, and abstention from performing sins.
Do not ever associate with the internal untameable self and its wishes, whims and the external satan. Always be prepared to defy these two since both of them give you chances ninety nine times out of one hundred but they would catch you on the hundredth time.
If these two call you to depend on life, tell them this world is just fatal; If they entice you towards the wrong lusts, tell them they are the source of despair; if these two force you to engage in false pride, just see how you came into this world; Allah is the owner, and you are just His servant, nothing more.
One Gnostic says: I heard about the virtues of a religious individual. I decided to meet him. When I saw him, I started to talk to him. He was silent. I tried once more. He was still silent. I said: For God's sake look at me. He raised his face while his eyebrows were long enough to cover his eyes. I begged him: please give me a piece of advice. By body gesture he let me understand that he could not talk. He let me understand that talking leads us towards committing sins. I spent a day with him. He uttered only two sentences:
1) O God! One who knows You, why should he bother about somebody else?
2) O God! One who knows that the treasure of everything is with you, why should he rely on some body else?
I answered: These two sentences are enough for me. I returned to the village next. I asked people how long that man was living there. They answered: 90 years. I asked them why he did not talk to me. They informed me that for the previous fifty years he had said nothing except of God.[2]
A Strange Story on Fazli and Harun
Harun came to Hajj together with his entourage with a lot of magnanimity and arrogance, displaying pompous behaviors. When he was going round the Kaaba, he kicked a grasshopper under his foot but did not know the consequences of this action of his or what kind of obligations this might incur on him.
Harun heard Fazil Ayyaz had been in Masjed Al-Haram. In order to find a religious solution for the crime he had committed at the House of God, Harun sent Ma'mun to invite Fazil to come to Harun. Ma'mun came up to Fazil and greeted him, saying: Harun asks you to come over. Fazil did not reply. Ma'mun returned telling Harun: you sent me to somebody who does not care about your words.
Harun moved furiously towards Fazil, while his entourage were frightened. When he saw Fazil, he told him: O fazil, you had to come and pay me a visit. Am I not your governor? While I was performing pilgrimage I accidentally killed a grasshopper. What should I do now? Fazil burst crying, telling him: what kind of shephered are you when you ask your sheep a question? It is upto the shepherd to secure the place and life conditions for his cattle, to supply them with proper grass and fresh, sweet water. Now that you are unable to solve a religion problem, how could you ever guide this cattle?
A Strange Point Regarding Imam Ali(s)
One of Followers of the Infallible Ones(s) says he had heard the sacred verse:
أَمَّنْ هُوَ قَانِتٌ آنَاءَ اللَّيْلِ.
“What! He who is obedient during hours of the night, 39:9” was revealed to the Prophet(s) describing Imam Ali's status. Then I decided to observe his worships and traits closely. At the dusk Imam Ali(s) prayed to gether with his followers. Then he performed his Asha (night) prayer. I got his permission, then, to attend his home. Most of the night he spent his time either praying or reciting the Holy Quran. Early in the morning he performed his morning prayer at the mosque. Then he got himself engaged in the people's affairs. Then it was time for his noon and afternoon prayers. After that he was busy communicating with people. I told him “You do not have any free time to spend on yourself.” He replied “If I rest during the day, I will spoil the affairs of the people. If I rest at night, my hereafter will be spoilt. Thus, during the day I am busy with people's affairs and at night I am busy with mine.”
The Effects of Good works and Evil-doings
Man's good works which are at issue in the Holy Quran and the Islamic knowledge lead to the heart's strength and glory and to the stability in one's faith. And evil-doings will bring about the heart's murkiness and weakness in one's conviction.
قالَ رَسُولُ اللهِ2: وَجَدْتُ الحَسَنَةَ نُوراً في القَلْبِ وَزَيْناً في الوَجْهِ وَقُوَّةً فِي العَمَلِ. وَوَجَدْتُ الخَطِيئَةَ سَواداً في القَلْبِ وَوَهْناً في العَمَلِ وَشَيْناً في الوَجْهِ.
The Prophet(s) has said: “I found the performance of good actions as a light for one's heart, a grace and prestige for one's face and strength in one's action. I also found the performing of evil as a darkness in one's heart, a weakness in one's activities and a cause for one's disgrace.”
سَألَ رَجُلٌ رَسُولَ اللهِ2 فقالَ: أيُّ حَسَنَةٍ أفْضَلُ عِنْدَ اللهِ؟ قالَ: حُسْنُ الْخُلْقِ، وَالتَّواضُعُ، وَالصَّبْرُ عَلَى البَلِيَّةِ، وَالرِّضا بِالقَضاءِ. قالَ: أيُّ سَيِّئَةٍ أعْظَمُ عِنْدَ اللهِ؟ قالَ: سُوءُ الخُلْقِ، وَالشُّحُّ الْمُطاعُ.
A man asked the Prophet(s): which good thing is the best one in God's view? The Prophet(s) answered: good-temper, modesty, patience and perseverance at the time of calamity and contentment with what God sends on us. Then the man asked the Prophet(s): which evil doing is the worst in God's view? He answered: bad-temper and jealousy.
Good temper, modesty, and perseverance are among man's heavenly nature and bad-temper and jealousy stem from man's evil self. In order to equip our self with heavenly traits and to cleanse our self from the evil traits, we will need to put forth a lot of endeavors and as the Prophet(s) says, it will require a major struggle on our part.
Ibn Arabi's strange story on his struggle against self
Ibn Arabi reports: A prince accompanied by his entourage was passing a road when he met with a God's genuine believer. The prince asked the scholar: O sheikh, Is my prayer accepted by God in my present dress? The scholar burst in laughter. The prince asked for the reason for his laughter. The scholar said: I was laughing at your stupidity. O prince, you resemble a dog who has fed on a corpse and his body is covered with blood and excrement and now needs to pass urine but he is careful not to receive any excretion of urine so that he may stay clean.
Your stomach is filled with filth, you have done the believers a lot of injustices; you are not frightened of the mischiefs you have performed and now your only worry is for you to perform your prayer dressed in this costume?
The prince climbed down from his palfrey, sat humbly on the ground, crying. He abandoned his social position and accompanied the scholar. After three days the sheikh gave him a piece of a rope, telling him; now you are my guest no more; take this rope, go to the desert and collect some firewood and sell it for your sustenance. He went to the desert and gathered some firewood and started selling it. When people saw him, they were sorry for him and wept for him. Ibn Arabi says: that prince was my uncle. His case resembles the issue brought out in the following holy verse:
وَأَمَّا مَنْ خَافَ مَقَامَ رَبِّهِ وَنَهَى النَّفْسَ عَنْ الْهَوَى.
“And as for him who fears to stand in the presence of his Lord and forbids the soul from Low desires” (Then surely the garden will be his abode). 79:40”
In Musabih Al-qolub we see an account of Mahmud Qaznavi who had gone to the hunting with his entourage. Suddenly there appeared a phoenix (the fabulous bird of good omens) in the air. The troops decided to rest under the bird's shadow. All of them hurried to take shelter against heat under its feathers. The only one who refused to go under the bird's feather was Ayaz. Mahmud asked him: why didn’t you go there to shelter against the neat? He answered: which prosperity is greater for me than staying under the protection of a king like you?
This story is told so that you could be aware that anybody who abandons everything except Him, and walks on the road of His service will get the genuine prosperity and will receive God's favors in six stages:
1- وَهُوَ مَعَكُمْ أَيْنَ مَا كُنْتُمْ.
“And He is with you wherever you are. 57:4”
2- المُؤمِنُ يَمُرُّ عَلَى الصِراطِ كالبَرْقِ الخاطِفِ اللّامِعِ
A believer's passage from the Path is like a stunning and dazzling light.
3- حَتَّى إِذَا جَاءُوهَا وَفُتِحَتْ أَبْوَابُهَا.
“Until when they come to the Garden and its doors shall be opened. 39:73”
4- وَقَالَ لَهُمْ خَزَنَتُهَا سَلَامٌ عَلَيْكُمْ.
“And the keepers of it shall greet them warmly.39:71”
5- وَحُورٌ عِينٌ كَأَمْثَالِ اللُّؤْلُؤِ الْمَكْنُونِ.
“And pure, beautiful women, the like of the hidden pearls. 56:22-23”
6- وَرِضْوَانٌ مِنْ اللَّهِ أَكْبَرُ.
“And best of all is Allah's goodly pleasure which they will enjoy. 9:72”
قالَ رَسُولُ اللهِ2: إنَّ اللهَ تعالى يُباهِي بِالشّابِّ الْعابِدِ المَلائِكَةَ، يَقُولُ: انْظُرُوا إلى عَبْدِي تَرَكَ شَهْوَتَهُ مِن أجْلِي.
The Prophet(s) said: when Allah observes a young believer, He takes pride in saying to the angles: O angels! Have a look at my young servant who has abandoned engaging in whims and desires for My sake.
وَقالَ2: إنَّ أحَبَّ الخَلائِقِ إلى اللهِ عَزَّوَجَلَّ شابٌّ حَدَثُ السِنِّ في صُورَةٍ حَسَنَةٍ جَعَلَ شِبابَهُ وَجَمَالَهُ للهِ وَفي طاعَتِهِ، ذَلِكَ الَّذي يُباهي بِهِ الرَّحْمانُ مَلائِكَتَهُ، يَقُولُ: هذا عَبْدي حَقّاً.
The Great Prophet(s) has also said: The most beloved creature for the Almighty God is the beautiful Jouvenile who has spent his youth and beauty for God and has worshipped Him. He is the same person in whose case Allah takes pride in saying to the Angels: this is my true servant.
Imam Baqir(s) asked Soleymna Ibn Jaafar: Who is a generous one? He answered: In our view they are the young ones. Imam Baqir(s) replied: the kahf followers were old ones but Allah called them the youth:
يا سُلَيمَانُ، مَنْ آمَنَ بِاللهِ وَاتَّقى فَهوَ الفَتى.
O Solomon, He who believes in Allah and stays away from all sins, he is a generous one, no matter at what age he is.
Abuzar, the honorable and generous student of the Great Prophet(s), who had acquired his knowledge from the Prophet(s), used to give advice to people concerning the purification of self:
Let us assume that this world consists only of two sessions: then
1) One session is for the acquisition of legal sustenance;
2) One session is for the provision for the hereafter. The third session is hazardous.
Assume also that your speech consists of only two words:
1) One word is for the hereafter;
2) One word is for the acquisition of legal sustenance.
Assume, as well that your wealth consists of two portions:
1) One Derhame for your dependants.
2) One Derhame as the provisions for your hereafter. A third Derham is dangerous to keep.
Assume too that this world consists of two hours only.
1) One hour which has already passed, and you lack the power to return it.
2) Another hour which you might not have the hope to enjoy it. Now that you are still living spend your time in worshipping God and spend it in doing good and refrain from committing sins; or else you would be destroyed.
In a significant narration, the Great Prophet(s) of Islam has stated:
زينَةُ الدُّنيا ثَلاثَةٌ: المَالُ، وَالوَلَدُ، وَالنِّساءُ.
وَزينَةُ الآخِرَةِ ثَلاثَةٌ: الْعِلْمُ وَالوَرَعُ وَالصَّدَقَةُ.
وَأمّا زينَةُ البَدَنِ: قِلَّةُ الأكْلِ وَقِلَّةُ النَّوْمِ وَقِلَّةُ الكَلامِ.
وَأمّا زينَةُ القَلْبِ: فَالصَّبْرُ وَالصَّمْتُ وَالشُّكْرُ.
We have three embellishments in this world: wealth, children, wife.
We have three ornaments for the other world: Knowledge, piety, poor-rate.
There are three embellishments for the body: eating, sleeping, and speaking meagerly. There are three embellishments for the heart: Patience, silence and thanking God.
From the Prophet(s) we should learn the principles of growth, education and the ways of combat against whims and unrealistic wishes. This is because the Prophet(s) was the messenger for blessings, the instructor for the Holy Quran and the Polisher of the hearts.
قالَ رَسُولُ اللهِ2: أرْبَعَةُ جَواهِرَ تُزِيلُها أرْبَعَةٌ: أمَّا الْجَواهِرُ، فَالعَقْلُ وَالدِّينُ وَالحَياءُ وَالعَمَلُ الصّالِحُ. أمَّا الغَضَبُ فَيُزِيلُ العَقْلَ، وَأمَّا الحَسَدُ فَيُزِيلُ الدِّينَ، وَأمَّا الطَّمَعُ فَيُزِيلُ الحَياءَ، وَأمّا الْغِيبَةُ فَيُزِيلُ العَمَلَ الصَّالِحَ.
“The Prophet(s) has said: there are four precious jewels for which there are four destroyers. Those four priceless jewels are: wisdom, religion, modesty, and good deeds. The destroyer of wisdom is anger; the demolisher of religion and one's conviction is jealousy; the obliterator of modesty is greed and the remover of the good deeds is back-biting.”[3]
It was revealed to Isa Ibn Imran: I have included six items within six other things but people look for them in six other locations, but each time they fail to find them.
1) I have set comfort and security in the paradise, but people look for them on the earth;
2) I have placed knowledge in hunger; but people look for them in satiety;
3) I have located honor in rising for prayer at night time, but people wish to get it from the statesmen;
4) I have put exaltation in meekness; but people look for it in their pride;
5) I hare stipulated the legally earned sustenance as the precondition for the suppliant's supplication to be answered; but people look for it in commotion;
6) I have put freedom from want (=wealth) in contentment; but people look for it in the multiplicity of possessions.
The sixth Imam(s), who had got his insight and knowledge from the Great Prophet(s), one day asked one of his students who had been purified by him: During your stay with me, what did you learn? The student answered: I learned eight issues from you. Imam(s) told him: tell me what you have learned. The student answered:
1) Every lover departs from his beloved one at the time of his death. But during my life I did my best to fall in love with something which could never leave me alone: That is the good actions.
وَمَنْ يَعْمَلْ خَيْراً يُجْزَ بِهِ.
Imam replied: Well done!
2) I have seen some people who take pride in their genealogy; some others are proud of their wealth. But I have noticed that these do not deserve my full attention. Rather, a sign for great pride rests in the place where Allah has said:
إِنَّ أَكْرَمَكُمْ عِنْدَ اللَّهِ أَتْقَاكُمْ.
“Surely the most honorable of you with Allah is the one among you most careful of his duty. 49:13”
I tried to do my duties so that I would be honored with Allah. Imam answered: well done.
3) I noticed some people indulge in pleasures and give way to their whims and desires, then I noticed what Allah says:
وَأَمَّا مَنْ خَافَ مَقَامَ رَبِّهِ وَنَهَى النَّفْسَ عَنْ الْهَوَى فَإِنَّ الْجَنَّةَ هِيَ الْمَأْوَى.
“And as for him who fears to stand in the presence of his Lord and forbids the soul from low desires, then surely the garden-then is the abode.” I tried not to let my self be carried away with unrealistic desires. Imam(s) answered: well done. 79:40-41”
4) I have seen anybody who could put his hand on something valueable, he would not let it go. But I noticed what Allah has said:
مَنْ ذَا الَّذِي يُقْرِضُ اللَّهَ قَرْضًا حَسَنًا فَيُضَاعِفَهُ لَهُ وَلَهُ أَجْرٌ كَرِيمٌ.
“Who is there that will offer to Allah a good gift so He will double it for him, and he shall have an excellent reward? 57:11”
5) I saw some people show jealousy towards one another. Then I noticed what Allah has said:
نَحْنُ قَسَمْنَا بَيْنَهُمْ مَعِيشَتَهُمْ فِي الْحَيَاةِ الدُّنْيَا وَرَفَعْنَا بَعْضَهُمْ فَوْقَ بَعْضٍ دَرَجَاتٍ لِيَتَّخِذَ بَعْضُهُمْ بَعْضًا سُخْرِيًّا وَرَحْمَةُ رَبِّكَ خَيْرٌ مِمَّا يَجْمَعُونَ.
“We distribute among them their livelihood in the life of this world, and we have exalted some of them above others in degrees, that some of them may take others in subjection; and the mercy of your Lord is better than what they amass. 43:32”
I did not envy anybody and I did not regret for anything I had Lost. Imam then said: Well done.
6) I noticed some people show enemity towards one another over the worldly issues and I noticed what a calamity the hatred was. But I noticed what Allah has stated:
إِنَّ الشَّيْطَانَ لَكُمْ عَدُوٌّ فَاتَّخِذُوهُ عَدُوًّا.
“Surely the Shaitan is your enemy, so take him for an enemy. 35:6”
So I engaged myself in showing hatred towards Shaitan (Satan), and I did not leave any empty room in my heart for hatred towards the Moslems. Imam, hearing this, replied: well done.
7) I have noticed people do a lot of damage to others in their hard struggle to prepare their livelihood. To reach their financial interests, they would disregard lawful and legal ways of getting their sustenance. But I noticed what Allah has stated:
وَمَا خَلَقْتُ الْجِنَّ وَالْإِنسَ إِلَّا لِيَعْبُدُونِي مَا أُرِيدُ مِنْهُمْ مِنْ رِزْقٍ وَمَا أُرِيدُ أَنْ يُطْعِمُونِي إِنَّ اللَّهَ هُوَ الرَّزَّاقُ ذُو الْقُوَّةِ الْمَتِينُ.
“And I have not created the jinn and the men except that they should serve Me. I do not desire from them any sustenance and I do not desire that they should feed Me. Surely Allah is the Bestower of sustenance, the Lord of Power, the Strong. 51:56-58”
I realized that His Promise is right and His statement is righteous. I became calm and became delighted upon hearing His promise. Therefore, I went after lawful subsistence and I was content in what He had given me and I spent my extra time worshipping Allah. Imam(s) replied: Well done.
8) I noticed some people depend on their health, some rely on their wealth and some have confidence in their peers. But I relied on what Allah has said:
وَمَنْ يَتَّقِ اللَّهَ يَجْعَلْ لَهُ مَخْرَجًا وَيَرْزُقْهُ مِنْ حَيْثُ لَا يَحْتَسِبُ وَمَنْ يَتَوَكَّلْ عَلَى اللَّهِ فَهُوَ حَسْبُهُ.
“And whoever is careful of his duty to Allah, He will make for him an outlet And give him sustenance from whence he thinks not; and whoever trusts in Allah, He is sufficient for him. 65:2-3”
Then I stopped depening on anybody except Allah. Imam(s) then said: All the heavenly Books: i.e. Old testament, New testament (Bible), Zobur, and Furqan all refer to these eight issues of yours.[4]
Relying on the sacred verses of the Holy Quran and the Prophet's tradition and the knowledge of the Infallible ones(s), all the vigilant Gnostics, the watchful God-Lovers and those who are determined to purify their very selves have stated that the main roots of immoral actions rest on three things: lust, anger and whims and wishes.
And from these three vices there grow the seven off shoots of: greed, stinginess, self-interest, false pride, illegal innovations, blasphemy, and jealousy.
The Treatment of the Ethical Fouls
The treatment of these vices relies on the application of the sacred surah of Hamd. In the expression “بسم الله” there are three names: Allah, Rahman (The Beneficient) and Rahim (The Merciful). One who tries to recognize the knowledge related to Allah and who realizes That Allah is the merger of all good attributes and who is convinced that there is no beloved, and world and universe director except Him and that the whole existence relies on Him, will be free from worshipping wishes and whims and will engage in anything except Allah. This is a proven fact that giving way to wishes is being away from knowledge and is the result of disregarding the great Love.
يا مُوسى خَالِفْ هَواكَ فإنّي ما خَلَقْتُ خَلْقاً نازَعَنِي في مُلْكِي إلاّ الهَوى.
O Moses, struggle against your wishes since there is no opponent in the whole world except whims.
To cut from the truth results in the engagement of wishes and desires. When the whims dominate over your existence, they will create both iternal and external turbulences against which nothing may resist.
One who pays heed to the truth of the Beneficent Allah, his heart will be decorated with this attribute and his wisdom will be illuminated. His spirit, heart and soul will be safe against the satanic fire of whims and wishes.
One of the consequences of rage is wishing for superiority. If we consider the sacred verse:
الْمُلْكُ يَوْمَئِذٍ الْحَقُّ لِلرَّحْمَانِ.
“The kingdom on that day shall rightly belong to the Beneficient God, 25:26”
There will remain no place for wrath or rage.
One who realizes the truth of God's being Merciful, and tries to let his heart shine with this attribute will remain safe from others' injustices toward himself.
With a regard for the truth of اَلْحَمْدُ للهِ “All praises are due to Allah,” man will arrive at the position of praising Allah and thanking Him. This is because an asset, such as thanking , should be used in the proper position which Allah, the Giver, has stipulated. Only under such conditions will he stay away from wrong desires. And since an appreciater is not bound by his lusts, he will stay immune against jealousy, and greed. These two vices of man's lust.
With the assistance of الرحمن (The Beneficient), and الرحيم (The Merciful) and مالِكِ يَوْمِ الدّينِ (Master of the Day of Judgment) the rage will be rooted out and with the help of إيّاكَ نَعْبُدُ وَإيّاكَ نَسْتَعِينُ (Thee do we serve and thee do we beseech for help) the two pernicious branches of self-conceipt and pride will be broken off, for ever.
When man is on the right path, he will get rid of his wishes and when wishes and whims are gone the plague of blasphemy and heresy will be demolished. By considering the hazardous conditions of those upon whom God's wrath is leveled and those who have gone astray, who have risen against godly truth due to their jealousy towards men of Allah, and who then have encountered Allah's wrath, the pernicious aliment of Jeasousy, like a bird, will fly away from the cage of our heart.
If we did not pay the due attention to our self and nature, they will then be at the mercy of all fouls and will be away from all virtues. At that time then all windows of deliverance and salvation will be closed on man and nothing is left of him except for evil and mischief and loss.
It is urgent that we privately try our self and examine it carefully.
Ibn Semak used to address his self everyday telling it:
يا نَفْسُ تَقولِينَ قَوْلَ الزّاهِدِينَ، وَتَعْمَلِينَ عَمَلَ المُنافِقِينَ، وَفي الْجَنَّةِ تَطْمَعِينَ! هَيْهاتَ، هَيْهاتَ، إنَّ لِلجَنَّةِ قََوْماً آخَرِينَ، وَلَهُمْ أعْمالٌ غَيْرُ ما تَعْمَلِينَ.
O Self, you talk like the pious ones, but act out like the hypocrites and mischief-makers. And then you wish to enter the paradise! How far away you are from the truth! The paradise is for those whose actions are different from yours.
If the man's self is not taken care of, it will fall prey to the external and interal satans and it will cause man to stay away from God and turn into firewood for the hell. The Holy Quran, in this regard, says:
قَالَ فَبِمَا أَغْوَيْتَنِي لَأَقْعُدَنَّ لَهُمْ صِرَاطَكَ الْمُسْتَقِيمَ ثُمَّ لَآتِيَنَّهُمْ مِنْ بَيْنِ أَيْدِيهِمْ وَمِنْ خَلْفِهِمْ وَعَنْ أَيْمَانِهِمْ وَعَنْ شَمَائِلِهِمْ وَلَا تَجِدُ أَكْثَرَهُمْ شَاكِرِينَ قَالَ اخْرُجْ مِنْهَا مَذْءُومًا مَدْحُورًا لَمَنْ تَبِعَكَ مِنْهُمْ لَأَمْلَأَنَّ جَهَنَّمَ مِنْكُمْ أَجْمَعِينَ.
“The Sheitan told God: As thus hast caused me to remain disappointed I will certainly lie in wait for them [Your servants] in thy strait path. Then I will certainly come to them from before them and from behind them, and from their right-hand side and from their left-hand side; Until thou shalt not find most of them thankful. 7:16-18”
Then Sheitan was told: Get out of this state, despised, driven away; whoever of them will follow you, I will certainly fill hell with you all.”
Imam Baqir(s) has excellently interpreted the above sacred verse: in front (in adavance), behind you (behind), from right (from your right side), and left (From the left). Thus, the meaning of the above verse will be the following:
مِنْ بَيْنِ أيْدِيهِمْ، مَعْناهُ اُهَوِّنُ عَلَيْهِمْ أمرَ الآخِرَةِ.
“From the front”, means I will make the issue of hereafter seem so insignificant in their view that they would forget it altogether. And when they forgot it, then they would engage in all sort of vices.
مِنْ خَلْفِهِمْ: آمُرُهُمْ بِجَمْعِ الأمْوالِ وَالبُخْلِ بِها عَنِ الْحُقُوقِ لِتَبْقى لِوَرَثَتِهِمْ.
“From the behind” means I will encourage them to amass wealth and to be parsimonious so that all the wealth shall go to the heirs and they themselves shall be deprived of the spiritual benefits of their wealth.
عَنْ أيْمانِهِمْ: اُفْسِدُ عَلَيْهِمْ أمْرَ دِينِهِمْ بِتَزْيينِ الضَّلالَةِ وَتَحسينِ الشُّبْهَةِ.
“From the right” means I will adorn deception and perversion and admire doubt and dubiety so that the issue of faith and religion shall never be raised.
عَنْ شَمائِلِهِمْ: بِتَحْبِيبِ اللَّذّات إلَيْهِم وَتَغْلِيبِ الشَّهْواتِ عَلى قُلُوبِهِمْ.
By the expression “From the left”[5] I mean I shall make them Love wrong wishes and unfounded lusts so that they get drowned in materialistic issues. That is the time when they will abandon thankfulness and will spend all their material and spiritual assets in wrong ways. Then if this is done, the family and society will perish.
If the self is not rectified and not educated with godly principles, it will undergo many devastating and strange conditions, which are sometimes hard to correct.
Those conditions make the self to befriend the Satan and go astray and do all sorts of mischiefs.
The Holy Quran has defined and divided those conditions and states of mind in seven stages:
1. The self commanding to do evil
2. The disillusioned self
3. The pledged self
4. the wishful self
5. The corruptible self
6. The stupefying self
7. The displayer self
إِنَّ النَّفْسَ لَأَمَّارَةٌ بِالسُّوءِ إِلَّا مَا رَحِمَ رَبِّي.
“Most surely man's self is wont to command him to do evil, except such as my Lord has had mercy on. 12:53”
وَاتَّبِعُوا أَحْسَنَ مَا أُنْزِلَ إِلَيْكُمْ مِنْ رَبِّكُمْ مِنْ قَبْلِ أَنْ يَأْتِيَكُمْ العَذَابُ بَغْتَةً وَأَنْتُمْ لَا تَشْعُرُونَ أَنْ تَقُولَ نَفْسٌ يَا حَسْرَتَا عَلَى مَا فَرَّطْتُ فِي جَنْبِ اللَّهِ وَإِنْ كُنْتُ لَمِنْ السَّاخِرِينَ.
And Follow the best that has been revealed to you from your Lord before there comes to you the punishment all of a sudden while you do not even perceive; Lest a soul should say: O woe me! For what I fell short of my duty to Allah, and most surely I was of those who laughed to scorn. 39:55-56”
كُلُّ نَفْسٍ بِمَا كَسَبَتْ رَهِينَةٌ إِلَّا أَصْحَابَ الْيَمِينِ.
“Every soul is held in pledge for what it earns Except the people of the right hand. 74:38-39” who are the active students and followers of the prophets and Imams, who are immune in Day of Judgment against any pain and torture.
وَأَمَّا مَنْ خَافَ مَقَامَ رَبِّهِ وَنَهَى النَّفْسَ عَنْ الْهَوَى فَإِنَّ الْجَنَّةَ هِيَ الْمَأْوَى.
“And as for him who fears to stand in the presence of his Lord and forbids the soul from Low desires, then surely the garden shall be his abode. 79:40-41”
وَقَدْ خَابَ مَنْ دَسَّاهَا.
“And he will indeed fail who corrupts it. 91:10”
وَمَنْ يَرْغَبُ عَنْ مِلَّةِ إِبْرَاهِيمَ إِلَّا مَنْ سَفِهَ نَفْسَهُ.
“And who forsakes the religion of Ibrahim but (except for) he who makes himself a fool. 2:130”
قَالَ بَلْ سَوَّلَتْ لَكُمْ أَنفُسُكُمْ أَمْرًا فَصَبْرٌ جَمِيلٌ وَاللَّهُ الْمُسْتَعَانُ.
“[And they brought his shirt with false blood upon it] He said: Nay, your souls have made the matter light for you, but patience is good and Allah is He whose help is sought for against what you describe. 12:18”
Man's self, which is the center for wishes, whims, instincts and lusts, should be controlled by Divine rules. It is because only godly rules may restrict the refractory self. If those rules are not made use of, then storms like those of Adz and Thamud may be created inside man to the extent that man's spiritual, godly features may be demolished altogether.
One of the merchants of Hamadan [homeland of Baba Tahir, the Iranian well-knowen poet] came to visit Baba Taher. He said: God has made me affluent. Select this girl so that I may help you financially to marry her. Baba's age was not suitable for the young girl. He could have accepted. However, he thought his marriage might destroy the fate of another man who could enjoy the girl more emotionally. So he refused. Then, he told the merchant:
I have the Love for Ali(s) in my mind,
I have the dream to go to the garden;
I have cut with this world,
I dream of the other world, instead.
أوْحَى اللهُ تَعالى إلى عيسىD: يَا بْنَ مَرْيَمَ، عِظْ نَفْسَكَ، فَإنَّ اتَّعَظْتَ فَعِظِ النّاسَ وّإلا فَاسْتَحْي مِنّي.
Allah revealed onto Jesus(s): O son of Mary, preach your self. If you are ready to be preached, then preach to others, or else you should be ashamed of yourself.
Man's diseased self should be treated with the Holy Quran and the Prophet's tradition and we should be serious in this affair.
Woe be to those who humiliate God's and His Prophet's speech and refrain from accepting advice and preaches. How miserable is the one who takes people's material warnings, but forgets about God's spiritual warnings.
Feiz, the great philosopher and scholar says:
“If a Jewish physician warns you against taking a delicious food, you would accept his advice, but you would not believe the Prophet's statements which are safe and sound because they are miraculous and are approved by God.
“It is strange that you would take off all your clothes if a child tells you there is a scorpion in your clothes. You would accept his statement without asking for logical reasons. But the acceptance of the Prophet's statements are heavy on you. Are their statements less valid than a child's statements.
You would refrain from a burning match, but you are not afraid of the hell's fire?”
If a man would not accept God's statements easily and if he were to imitate the satanic affairs in place of taking lessons from logic and truth, he would not be allowed to say that he is a Moslem, neither may he claim that he is the Prophet's follower.
قالَ رَسُولُ اللهِ2: سَيأتي زَمانٌ عَلى اُمَّتي يُحِبُّونَ خَمْساً، وَيَنْسَونَ خَمْساً: يُحِبُّونَ الْدُّنيا وَيَنْسَونَ الآخِرَةِ، وَيُحِبُّونَ الْمالَ وَيَنْسَوْنَ الْحِسابَ، وَيُحِبُّونَ النِّساءَ وَيَنْسَونَ الْحُورَ، وَيُحِبُّونَ القُصُورَ وَيَنْسَونَ القُبُورَ، وَيُحِبُّونَ النَّفْسَ وَيَنْسَونَ الرَّبَّ، اُولئِكَ بَرِيئُونَ مِنّي وَأنا بَرِئٌ مِنْهُمْ.
The Prophet(s) has said: A time will come that my followers will fall in love with five things and will forget five other things: They would love the world but would forget the Hereafter; they would be fond of gathering wealth but would forget that they would be asked to account for it later; they would fall in love with women but would forget the angels (Hura); they would like to possess strong constructions, but would forget the graves; and finally they would love their selves but would forget Allah. They hate me and I hate them.
Sadr Al-Mote'lehin in his book called Hedayat Al-Talebin says: Man's self is:
1. Either honorable, which is opposed to miser,
2. Or is strong, as opposed to being weak
3. Or it is a mixture of these two: man's self is both honorable and strong.
The honorable self, which is earned only through his owner's hard attempts and trials is trained by God's knowledge and is both wise and free.
Opposed to it is the miserable self which is deprived of wisdom and freedom and virtues, and as a whole is deprived of God's favors.
Man's strong self is the one which yields to truth and facts and is an agent in carrying out God's truth; opposed to it is man's weak self which is at satan's services.
The mixed self belongs to the Prophets and Imam and the infallible ones(s).
لَقَدْ كَانَ لَكُمْ فِي رَسُولِ اللَّهِ أُسْوَةٌ حَسَنَةٌ.
“Certainly you have in the Apostle of Allah an excellent exemplar. 33:21”
قالَ رَسُولُ اللهِ2: اللّهُمَّ إنّي أعُوذُ بِكَ مِنْ عِلْمٍ لا يَنْفَعُ، وَقَلْبٍ لا يَخْشَعْ، وَعَمَلٍ لا يُرْفَعُ، وَدُعاءٍ لا يُسْمَعُ، وَنَفْسٍ لا تَشْبَعُ.
The Prophet(s) has said: O God please protect me against a knowledge which can not be applicable and would not result in any benefit; protect me against a heart which is not humble before you; protect me, too, against an action which is not acceptable by you; protect me against a supplication which would not be answered by you; And finally protect me against a self which is insatiable regarding the worldly wishes and whims.
Sahl Ibn Abdollah has said: There are three attributes for man's self: Either it is inflicted by blasphemy, or hyocricy, or discord. These attributes would not let the self be free except when man is engaged in self-discipline, carrying out the obligations and abandoning the illegal actions.
Observing the truths has a tremendous effect on man's vigilance, growth and movement.
There was a Jew, named Mokhayariq. He used to deliberate on the Prophet(s). When the Ohod Holy War was going to occur, he went to see the Jewish wise men, asking them: Is this the man who Moses has foreseen to arrive? They replied: No, he resembles him. He asked: What do you mean by resemblance? He is the one, but you cowards deny the truth. He came up to the Prophet(s) and accepted Islam and devoted his immense wealth onto the Prophet(s). His wealth helped the Prophet(s) a lot. Later, to defend the truth, he took part in Ohod's holy war and got martyrd.
When man's self is not properly educated, his possessor would be tyrant if he is a governor, would be a miser if he is wealthy, and he would be a hypocrite if he is a scientist.
It is reported in narrations: At the resurrection The Hell's Fire would speak to three kinds of people:
1) It will tell the politicians: You are the ones who got power from Allah, but you refused to use justice and the tyrant went unpunished. Then the fire swallows them, as the birds do with seeds.
2) It will tell the rich: You were the ones who were affluent but did not give away from what you had. Then it will swallow them up, too.
3) It will tell the scholars: you sere the ones who were tidy outside, but guilty inside. And then it swallows them up.
These regulations are mentined regarding self-discipline.
الأوَّلُ تَرْكُ الْمَعاصي، وَهذا هُوَ الَّذي بُنِيَ عَلَيْهِ قِوامُ التَّقْوى وَاُسِّسَ عَلَيْهِ أساسُ الآخِرَةِ وَالأوْلى. وَما تَقَرَّبَ المُتَقَرِّبُونَ بِشّئٍ أعْلى وَأفْضَلَ مِنْهُ.
The first thing you are supposed to carry out is to abandon your sins. Being virtuous relies heavily on it. It is the root of the world actions and the Hereafter. Those who are loved by God did not find anything better than abandoning the sins.
Moses asked the man whose story is mentioned in the holy surah of kahf (The cave: Quran:18): What have you done so that I am supposed to learn from you? How did you arrive at this stage? He answered: I abandoned engaging in sins.
الْثّاني الاِشْتِغالُ بِالطاعاتِ مَعَ حُضُورِ الْقَلْبِ.
الثَالِثُ عَدَمُ الْغَفْلَةِ.
الرّابِعُ الْحُزْنُ الدّائِمُ، قالَ: إنّي لا أسْكُنُ إلا في قَلْبٍ مَحْزُونٍ.
In self-discipline, the second stage is to be honest when you perform your prayers; the third stage is to abandon negligence; the fourth stage is the deep sorrow in you heart for what you have done wrong. God says: I am only in the worried hearts.
Sheikh Bahaee in his book “Arba'in,” narrates from the Prophet(s) the following ten programs for the ethics of the right-doers, i.e., those who have adorned their selves with prudence. Sheikh adds: If you delve into these ten programs, you will find the most significant attributes of the infallible and the Gnostics. The most advanced God's servants and worshippers enjoy these attributes:
1) Silence in those occasions when truth is not the issue;
2) Eathing little;
3) Forcing one's self to worship;
4) Delibrating on life
5) Supplication: by tongue, by heart and in action;
6) Taking lessons from your past;
7) Speaking logic;
8) Satisfying people's needs;
9) Fear from sins and their punishment;
10) Hope in God.
As soon as man Is qualified with these traits, he is ready to Join the heavenly positions.
يا عَليُّ، سَبْعَةٌ مَنْ كُنَّ فِيهِ فَقَدْ اسْتَكْمَلَ حَقيقَةَ الْإيمانِ وَأبْوابُ الْجَنَّةِ مُفَتَّحَةٌ لَهُ: مَنْ أسْبَغَ وُضُوءَهُ، وَأحْسَنَ صَلاتَهُ، وَأدّى زَكاةَ مالِهِ، وَكَفَّ غَضَبَهُ، وَسَجَنَ لِسانَهُ، وَاسْتَغْفَرَ لِذَنْبِهِ، وَأدّى النَّصيحَةَ لِأهْلِ بَيْتِ نَبِنِّهِ.
The Prophet(s) told Imam Ali(s): Any body who carries the following seven programs, has reached to the root of faith and the doors of heaven are open to him: One who (1) performs ablution in the right manner; (2) carries out the prayer peroperly; (3) pays the alms as prescribed by Islam; (4) does not engage in rage; (5) keeps his tongue from non-truth; (6) repents for his guilts; and (7) rises to preach in favor of the Infallible(s) and the prophet(s).
عَنْ أميرِ المؤمِنينD: طْوبى لِمَنْ عَصى فِرْعَوْنَ هَواهُ وَأطاعَ مُوسى تَقْواهُ، طُوبى لِمَنْ ذَكَرَ الْمَعادَ وَاسْتَكْثَرَ مِنَ الزّادِ، طُوبي لِمَنْ راقَبَ رَبَّهُ وَخافَ ذّنْبَهُ، طُوبى لِمَنْ أشْعَرَ التَّقْوى قَلْبَهُ، طُوبى لِمَنْ حافَظَ عَلى طاعَةِ رَبِّهِ، طُوبى لِمَنْ خَلا مِنَ الْغِلِّ صّدْرُهُ وَسَلِمَ مِنَ الْغِشِّ قَلْبُهُ.
It is narrated from Imam Ali(s): How lucky is the person who rises against his Faraoh of whims and obeys his Moses of virtues; how prosperpous is the one who remembers the resurrection and adds up to his provisions; how lucky is the one who cares for God and fears his sins; how happy is the one who makes his self appreciate virtue and how prosperous is the one who cares for his obedience towards his God; and how lucky is the one whose breast is free form deception and his heart is void of spite.
The Gnostics have said:
مَنْ أماتَ نَفْسَهُ يُلَفُّ في كَفَنِ الرَّحْمَةِ وَيُدْفَنُ في أرْضِ الْكَرامَةِ، وَمَنْ أماتَ قَلْبَهُ يُلَفُّ في كَفَنِ اللّعْنَةِ وَيُدْفَنُ في أرْضِ العُقُوبَةِ.
Any body who kills lusts and whims and wishes in his self, will be wrapped up in the shrouding of blessing and will be buried in the ground of magnanimity; and anybody who makes his heart empty of God's life and terminates his spiritual and heavenly life, will be wrapped up in the shrouding of curses and will be buried in the tomb of torture and chastisement.
A Delicate Point
The Honorable Prophet(s) was asked:
Are you more handsome than Joseph (Yusef)?
The Prophet(s) replied:
هُوَ أصْبَحُ مِنّي وَأنا أمْلَحُ مِنْهُ.
From the viewpoint of face, he was more handsome than I am, but I am more charming [I have more salt] and witty than he was.
The use of salt in this expression is based on two points:
1) salt melts itself in other materials so that those materials can stay fresh and tasty. The Prophet(s), too, melted himself in all sorts of had-ships and sufferings so that men could stay away from vices, and injustices.
2) Dogs are among filthy and unclean beasts. They would not come out clean even if they are washed in seven seas: rather, they would become more unclean. But if they stay in the salty land, they will change their nature and will become clean.
If this dog of our commanding self stayed in the salty land of Shariat of the Prophet(s), which is a mixture of opinions, ethics and action, it would come out clean.
The accounts of those individuals who rose, due to the blessings of the Prophet(s) and his blessed traditions, to struggle with their self, and reached to the highest ranks of austerity, patience, reliance on Allah, being content with God, and monotheism, are worth reading.
The following story depicts some exemplars of the struggles of God's men under the guidance of the Prophet(s) against wishes and whims.
The Amazing Story of Fazil Ayyaz and Davoud Ta'ee
One day, Fazi Ayyaz came up to the door of Davoud Ta'ee. He heard Davoud's mourning and lamentation. He shouted: O Davoud, If you had heard the Prophet's statement:
لا يَدْخُلُ النّارَ مَنْ بَكى مِنْ خَشْيَةِ اللهِ.
“One who seeps from God's fear shall never enter the hell-fire,” and had known that one drop of such tears would extinguish the fire of torture, you would never have weeped to this extent. What is the matter with you? Open the door because I have come to meet you.
Davoud answered: My fear of God stops me from talking to people. Now I am busy cleansing my spirit and rectifying my heart.
A woman from Davoud's neighborhood came up to the door, telling Fazil: be patient till the prayer time arrives. He will go to the mosque then. Meet him there since he will not spend his time talking to people.
Now it was the prayer time. Davoud attended the mosque and Fazil followed him. Then he asked Davoud to attend his house. He saw a broken jar full of water, under the sun. The man lived in a small room, with meager furniture.
Fazil told Davoud: Put this jar in a cool place so that its water becomes cool. Davoud answered: I am not confident of my self; the cold water might lead me towards satisfying my other wishes.
Fazil then advised him: Davoud, why don’t' you make your house more attractive? He replied: The elegance of a house depends the elegance of your self. It is enough for me. I would not need any elegant residence.
Fazil says: Prior to this visit, Davoud was very handsome. There was nobody as handsome as he was. But this time I found him pale, thin, and wretched. I asked him: what is the matter? He replied: O Fazil: there are eight sorrows which would not let me live properly and have put me under these conditions:
1) The time of death: we read in the Holy Quran:
كُلُّ نَفْسٍ ذَائِقَةُ الْمَوْتِ.
“Every soul shall taste of death. 3:185”
أَيْنَمَا تَكُونُوا يُدْرِكُّمْ الْمَوْتُ وَلَوْ كُنتُمْ فِي بُرُوجٍ مُشَيَّدَةٍ.
“Wherever you are, death will over-take you, although you are in lofty towers. 4:78”
كَلَّا إِذَا بَلَغَتْ التَّرَاقِي وَقِيلَ مَنْ رَاقٍ وَظَنَّ أَنَّهُ الْفِرَاقُ وَالْتَفَّتْ السَّاقُ بِالسَّاقِ إِلَى رَبِّكَ يَوْمَئِذٍ الْمَسَاقُ.
“Nay! When it comes up to the throat, And it is said: Who will be a magician? And he is sure that it is the hour of parting, And affliction is combined with affliction; To your Lord on that day shall be the driving. 75:26-30”
فَلَوْلَا إِذَا بَلَغَتْ الْحُلْقُومَ وَأَنْتُمْ حِينَئِذٍ تَنظُرُونَ.
“Why is it not then that when the soul comes up to the throat, And you at that time look on? 56:83-84”
2) To stay in the tomb: it is a house with no doors, a narrow, and dark place, a place of terror, a house where your pillow is a piece of rock, where your dress is a shrouding; it is a place from which you may not escape. I do not know which of the two following signs will be assigned to me:
1- رَوْضَةٌ مِنْ رِياضِ الْجَنَّةِ.
2- حُفْرَةٌ مِنْ حُفراتِ النّيران.
A garden from the paradise or a well of the hell-fires.
3) The voice of the two angels who will ask: “Who is your God?”
مَنْ رَبُّكَ؟
I wonder if I could ever answer. To answer this question properly, one needs to know whether he has irrigated the sapling of monotheism with his conviction, ethics and proper action or not. If I have already wasted my time, what answer should I supply?
4) The sorrow of being exposed to the blowing of the trumpet:
وَنُفِخَ فِي الصُّورِ فَإِذَا هُمْ مِنْ الْأَجْدَاثِ إِلَى رَبِّهِمْ يَنسِلُونَ قَالُوا يَا وَيْلَنَا مَنْ بَعَثَنَا مِنْ مَرْقَدِنَا هَذَا مَا وَعَدَ الرَّحْمَانُ وَصَدَقَ الْمُرْسَلُونَ.
“And the trumpet shall be blown, when lo! From their graves they shall hasten on to their Lord. They shall say: O woe to us! Who has raised us up from our sleeping-place? This is what the Beneficient God promised and the apostles told the truth. 36:51-52”
O Fazil: at that time my body shall be returned to me and they will make me ready in the tomb to attend the resurrection ritual. But I wonder in what shape and form I will attend there because there are two verses concerning this in the Holy Quran
يَوْمَ تَبْيَضُّ وُجُوهٌ وَتَسْوَدُّ وُجُوهٌ فَأَمَّا الَّذِينَ اسْوَدَّتْ وُجُوهُهُمْ أَكَفَرْتُمْ بَعْدَ إِيمَانِكُمْ فَذُوقُوا الْعَذَابَ بِمَا كُنْتُمْ تَكْفُرُونَ وَأَمَّا الَّذِينَ ابْيَضَّتْ وُجُوهُهُمْ فَفِي رَحْمَةِ اللَّهِ هُمْ فِيهَا خَالِدُونَ.
“On that day when some faces shall turn white and some faces shall turn black; then as to those whose faces turn black: Did you disbelieve after your believing? Taste therefore the chastisement because you disbelieved. And as to those whose faces turn white, they shall be in Allah's mercy; in it they shall abide. 3:106-107”
5) When I attend the doomsday (the day of judgment), I do not yet know if they would assign me to the fire attendant or to the angel of blessings, who will announce:
ادْخُلُوهَا بِسَلَامٍ آمِنِينَ.
“Enter them in peace, secure. 15: 46”
6) The accountability makes me tremble:
إِنَّ اللَّهَ لَا يَظْلِمُ مِثْقَالَ ذَرَّةٍ وَإِنْ تَكُنْ حَسَنَةً يُضَاعِفْهَا وَيُؤْتِ مِنْ لَدُنْهُ أَجْرًا عَظِيمًا.
“Surely Allah does not do injustice to the weight of an atom, and if it is a good deed He multiplies it and gives from Himself a great reward. 4:40”
فَمَنْ يَعْمَلْ مِثْقَالَ ذَرَّةٍ خَيْرًا يَرَه وَمَنْ يَعْمَلْ مِثْقَالَ ذَرَّةٍ شَرًّا يَرَه.
“So, he who has done an atom's weight of good shall see it. And he who has done an atom's weight of evil shall see it. 99:7-8”
7) My sorrow is for the moment when my actions and deeds will be weighed, and measured:
وَالْوَزْنُ يَوْمَئِذٍ الْحَقُّ فَمَنْ ثَقُلَتْ مَوَازِينُهُ فَأُوْلَئِكَ هُمْ الْمُفْلِحُونَ وَمَنْ خَفَّتْ مَوَازِينُهُ فَأُوْلَئِكَ الَّذِينَ خَسِرُوا أَنفُسَهُمْ بِمَا كَانُوا بِآيَاتِنَا يَظْلِمُونَ.
“And the measuring out on that day will be just; then as for him whose measure of good deeds is heavy, those are they who shall be successful. And as for him whose measure of good deeds is light, those are they who have made their souls suffer loss because they disbelieved in Our communications. 7:7-8”
فَأَمَّا مَنْ أُوتِيَ كِتَابَهُ بِيَمِينِهِ فَيَقُولُ هَاؤُمْ اقْرَءُوا كِتَابِيه.
“Then as for him who is given his book in his right hand, he will say: Lo! Read my book. 69:19”
وَأَمَّا مَنْ أُوتِيَ كِتَابَهُ بِشِمَالِهِ فَيَقُولُ يَا لَيْتَنِي لَمْ أُوتَ كِتَابِيه.
“And as for him who is given his book in his left hand he shall say: O would that my book had never been given me. 69:25”
8) Allah uses both mercy and anger. The realization of His mercy in this world are the Holy Quran, Prophethood, our duties; and his mercy is manifested in the other world as the heaven and the paradise. The realization of Allah's anger and rage in the other world is the severe chastisement and the eternal hell. And this is the final stage of which I know nothing.
قالَ عَلِيٌّD: أكْثَرُ مَصارِع الْعُقُولِ تَحْتَ بُرُوقِ الْمَطْامِعِ.
Imam Ali(s) has stated: the main factor behind the failure of the wisdoms is the thunder of lusts, wishes and whims.
The Prophet(s) has said:
لَولا أنَّ الشَّياطينَ يَحُومُونَ عَلى قُلُوبِ بَني آدَمَ لَنَظَرُوا إلى مَلَكُوتِ السَّماءِ.
If the devils of wishes and whims did not surround the hearts of Adam's children, then they would look upward towards the secrets of the heavens.
The Prophet(s) was passing a grave yard when he pointed to a grave, saying: the residents of these two graves are now under torture for the sins they had committed. They, he added:
لَولا تَكْثيرٌ في كَلامِكُمْ وَتَمريجٌ في قُلُوبِكُمْ لَرَأيْتُمْ ما أرى وَلَسَمِعْتُمْ ما أسْمَعُ.
If you did not speak but the truth, and if your hearts were not replete with improper traits, then you could see what I can see and you would hear what I hear.[6]
Imam Ali(s) has stated:
فَاعْمَلُوا وَالعَمَلُ يُرْفَعُ، وَالتَّوْبَةُ تَنْفَعُ، وَالدُّعاءُ يُسْمَعُ، وَالْحالُ هادِيَةٌ، وَالأقْلامُ جارِيَةٌ، وَبادِرُوا بِالأعْمالِ عُمُراً ناكِساً، أو مَرَضاً حابِساً، أوْ مَوْتاً خالِساً.
Now that you are healthy and capable, do what is good. Now repentance is in your favor and your supplications are answered to; now it is the quiet time. Your deeds are being recorded by God's agents. Do whatever is good prior to the time when you are bed-ridden and would not be able to rise, since the death would arrive at any moment.[7]
The Strange Story of a Clear-Sighted Youth and Salman Farsi
Ibn Abi Amir narrates from Imam Sadiq(s): In the Bazar of Kufeh, Salman reached the location of the blacksmiths. He saw a young man fallen on the ground and people were gathering around him. People asked Salman to say something in the ear of the youth so that he might rise. Salman sat beside the man. When the youth regained his consciousness he said to Salman: When I was crossing this section and saw the blacksmiths lowering their hammers down over the anvils, I remembered this verse:
وَلَهُمْ مَقَامِعُ مِنْ حَدِيدٍ.
“And for them are whips of iron. 22:21”
I lost my senses from the fright of the doom's day. Salman told him: you deserve to be my brother. Salman was enchanted by him. They were together up to the day when the youth fell ill. He was dying when Salman was beside him. Salman said loudly:
يا مَلَكَ الْمَوتِ ارْفُقْ بِأخي.
“O Angel of Death, have mercy on my brother”
He heard it said:
اِنّي بِكُلِّ مُؤْمِنٍ رَفيقٌ.
“I will have mercy on any believer.”
Kashf Al-Qammeh narrates from Imam Sadiq(s): A man came up to Jesus Christ(s), telling him: I have committed adultery; make me pure and clean. Christ asked people to stone him. The guilty man shouted: only those innocent ones may stone me. Everybody went away except for Christ and yahya (John).
John came nearer and asked Salman: give me a piece of advice. He replied: Do not let your self be free with wishes and whims. He asked for more advice: Do not blame a guilty one; John insisted for more advice. He said: Do not engage in rage. John said: That would be enough for me.
The clear-sighted men of God have declared:
One's heart is the rider of the body, which is its palfrey. If the rider is intelligent and far-sighted, he will guide the palfrey in the right path so that it will not fall into the pits. But if the rider were ignorant and negligent, it would let the palfrey go at any direction it wished to and would leave its rider lonely in the desert of life.
Amir kabir was one of the famous politicians in the history of Iran. He was one of the greatest politico-religious personalities of Iran who did his best to let this nation prosper.
If the devil of colonialism had not annihilated that clear-sighted and intelligent and devoted citizen of Iran, Iran would have prospered tremendously and would have been free from all the calamities which befell Iran upto the Islamic Revolution of Iran, headed by Imam Khomeini(s).[8]
Amir kabir was a free man, a realistic, well-wisher, individual, and a sympathizer for others. He controlled his self severely. He would hinder injustice towards the innocent citizens.
Abdollah Mostoufi writes: A man complained to Amir Kabir that he had given to the Judge to keep for him a pack of cashmere scarf containing gold coins. But when he came back from his trip he asked the judge for his package. Upon opening it up he noticed that the gold coins were gone but silver coins were placed for them. The strange thing was that the package had not been opened up, nor had it been torn. The man added he could not say anything to the judge because he did not have any valid reasons to prove his point.
Amir Kabir realized that he was telling the truth. He took the package and studied it and told the man to go away and return sometime later but be mouth-shut.
At night, Amir went to his bed. At mid-night, he woke up and burned the cashmere quilt the size of a big coin.
The following night Amir noticed the quilt was changed. He did not say anything. After several nights he noticed the cashmere quilt was once more in its place. It was darned so skillfully no body could distinguish anything wrong. He compared the repaired part of the man's package with the quilt and realized both repairs had been done by the same expert. He asked the Janitors what they had done to the quilt. The Janitors became fearful. But he told them: Do not get frightened. I did it on purpose myself. Take the darner to me. When the darner was present, Amir asked him: Did you darn it yourself. The man said: yes. Then Amir summoned the judge and took the gold coins back and gave them to the owner. Later he punished the judge.
مَنْ غَضَّ بَصَرَهُ عَنِ الْمَحارِم، وَأمْسَكَ نَفْسَهُ عَنِ الشَّهَواتِِ، وَعَمَّرَ باطِنَهُ بِدّوامِ الْمُراقَبَةِ، وَظاهِرَهُ باتِّباعِ السُّنَّةِ وَجَدَ حَلاوَةَ النَّجاةِ.
One who protects his self against lusts, wishes and whims, and constructs his deep inside and adorns his face with his obedience of the prophet's traditions, will be salvaged both here and in hereafter.
سُئِلَ عَنْ أحمَدَ بْنِ رُويْمِ كَيفَ حالُكَ؟ قالَ: كَيفَ حالُ مَنْ كانَ دِينُهُ هَواهُ، وَهِمَّتُهُ دّنْياهُ، لَيْسَ بِصالِحٍ تَقِيٍّ وَلا بِعارِفٍ نَقيِّ.
Ahman Ibn Rovaim was asked: How are your? He replied: How could a person be whose religion is his self, his determination is the world and when the scholar is not pious and the Gnostic is not clean.
قيمَةُ كُلِّ إنْسان بِقُدْرِ هِمَّتِهِ، فَإنْ كانَتْ هِمَّتُهُ الُّدنيا فَلا قيمَةَ لَهُ، وَإنْ كانَتْ هِمَّتُهُ رِضى اللهِ فَلا يُمْكِنُ اسْتِدراكُ غايَةِ قيمَتِهِ وَلا الوُقوفُ عَلَيْها.
Any person's value depends on the degree of his determination. If the objective of his determination is materialistic, then he is valueless. If he is resolute to satisfy God, then his value is so high you may never find out its extent.
God's men, who rely on the Holy Quran, and on the Prophet's statements and on the sayings of the infallible ones(s) make the following suggestions for the cleansing of self:
اُوصِيكُمْ بِتَقْوى اللهِ فِي السرِّ والعَلانيَةِ، وَبِقَلّةِ الطعامِ، وَقِلَّةِ الْمَنامِِ، وَقِلَّةِ الْكَلامِ، وَهِجْرانِ المَعاصي وَالآثامِ، وَمُواظَبَةِ الصِّيامِ، وَدَوامِ الْقِيامِ، وَتَرْكِ الشَّهَواتِ عَلَى الدَّوامِ، وَاحْتِمالِ الجَفا مِنْ جَميعِ الأنامِ، وَتَرْكِ مُجالَسَةِ السُّفَهاءِ والْعَوامِّ، ومُصاحبَةِ الصَّالحين والكِرامِ، وإنَّ خَيْرَ النًََاس مَنْ يَنْفَعُ النّاسَ، وَخَيرَ الكَلامِ، ما قَلَّ وَدلِّ والحمدُ لله وَحْدَهُ.
I advise you to engage in the following:
1. Piety both openly and in private;
2. Eating little;
3. Sleeping little;
4. Speaking little;
5. Avoiding sins;
6. Taking care of fasting; and
7. Continuation of nightly prayers;
8. Permanent abandon of ungrounded wishes and whims;
9. Tolerating the people who are hurting you and the offending neighbors;
10. Severing friendship with the fools;
11. Associating with the dignitaries;
12. Indeed the best people are the most beneficent ones, and the best speech is the shortest and the most meaningful one. Thanks are due to Allah.
The beloved prophet of Islam(s) was standing next to a tomb when they took a corpse into the grave. He wept so much that the ground became wet with his tears. He then said:
ما هذِهِ الدّاهيةُ العُظْمى!
“How difficult and hard it is to enter this program”
Then he addressed his followers, saying:
إخْواني لِمِثْلِ هذا فَأعِدُّوا.
“My brothers, prepare yourself for such a moment.” They asked the Prophet(s) how they could prepare themselves. The Prophet(s) replied:
إتْيانُ الفَرائِضِ، وَاجْتِنابُ الْمَحارِمِ، وَاحْتِمالُ الْمَكارِمِ.
“Perform the religious precepts and obligations; Avoid performing the taboos and equip yourselves with the righteous things.”
The great Prophet(s) once asked who a poor person was. They replied: One who does not have wealth. The Prophet(s) answered: No; a poor person is the one who enters the hell on the Doom's Day although he has done some right things. They asked the Prophet(s): How come a man who has done good things has still got to go to the hell.? The Prophet(s) replied: He has to go to the hell because:
1. He owed people, but did not pay back;
2. He used to curse;
3. He had done injustice to some; and
4. He owed to some people their poor-rate
The honorable Luqman, who is praised by God in the Holy Quran for his wisdom, stood at the apex of the pyramids of the pious people at his time, was once asked: were you not a slave of so and so tribe? He answered: yes, I was. He asked him: How did you arrive at such a position?
Luqman answered: By telling the truth, by keeping people's deposits, by abandoning futile activities, by disregarding women whom I was not allowed to look at, by keeping my tongue and being pious in eating. Any body who does not possess these traits is meaner than me; any body who has more traits of this kind than me is superior to me, and finally, anybody who just carries these things is equal to me.[9]
Jesus Christ(s) says: I saw Shaitan with five donkeys with five kinds of merchandise and goods on them. I asked Shaitan: What are they? Shaitan answered: these are goods. I am looking for customers. I asked shaitan: what are your goods? It answered:
1. Tyrany, and its customers are the governors;
2. False pride, and its customers are those who possess titles;
3. Jealousy, and its customers are the scientists;
4. Treason, and its customers are the merchants.
5. Deception and slyness and its customers are women.[10]
قالَ رَسُولُ اللهِ2: مَنْ خَزَنَ لِسانَهُ سَتَرَ اللهُ عَوْرَتَهُ، وَمَنْ كَفَّ غَضَبَهُ كَفَّ اللهُ عَنْهُ عَذابَهُ، وَمَنِ اعْتَذَرَ إلى اللهِ عَزَّوَجَلَّ قَبِلَ عُذْرَهُ وَتَجاوَزَ عَنْهُ.
The honorable Prophet(s) has said: Anybody who refrains from speaking nonsense, God will cover his evils; anybody who refrains from getting involved in rage, God will protect him against chastisement; and anybody who asks God for forgiveness, God will pardon him.
In order to be able to move towards purity, there are said to be seven obligations:
1. Accepting the truth which is called “Islam;”
2. Believing in the truth, Nobovvat (Prophethood) Imamate, the Holy Quran, the Doom's Day, these are called “faith;”
3. Carrying out the commands and orders which are stipulated for the welfare of man both here and in the hereafter; this is called “action”
4. Avoiding the forbidden which is stipulated to keep man clean; this is termed “struggle”.
5. Getting involved in true and genuine repentance which will include compensating for the past, returning to people their possessions, and asking God for forgiveness;
6. Getting involved in lawful business in order to free oneself from greed, poverty and wretchedness;
7. Piety which stands on top of anything else.
قالَ رَسُولُ اللهِ2: ألا اُنَبِّئُكُمْ بِالْمُؤْمِنِ؟ الْمُؤْمِنُ مَن ائتَمَنَهُ الْمُؤْمِنُونَ عَلى أمْوالِهِمْ وَاُمُورِهِم، وَالْمُسْلِمُ مَن سَلِمَ الْمُسْلِمُونَ مِنْ لِسانِهِ وَيَدِهِ، وَالْمُهاجِرُ مَنْ هَجَرَ السَّيّئاتِ وَتَرَكَ ما حَرَّمَهُ اللهُ عَلَيْهِ.
“The great Prophet(s) has stated: Let me tell you who a pious person is. A pious person is the one who is trusted by all pious people regarding their possessions and affairs. A true Moslem is the one whose tongue and hands do not hurt other Moslems, and an abandoner is the one who refrains from angaging in anything wrong.”
The section on purification, which is one of the greatest objectives of the Prophet(s), is not the one to be dealt with thoroughly in such a small space which is available to us. What we saw concerning this grave topic was just a glimpse of the content of the expression وَيُزكّيهم from the sacred surah A'lay Imran (The Family of Imran), the verse 164 (Quran 3:164).
Teaching them the Book and the wisdom in the next section, we will read
وَيُعَلِّمُهُمْ الْكِتَابَ وَالْحِكْمَةَ وَإِنْ كَانُوا مِنْ قَبْلُ لَفِي ضَلَالٍ مُبِينٍ.
“And teaching them the Book and the wisdom, although before that they were surely in manifest error. 3:164”
By “Teaching them the Book” is meant to get the surface meaning contained there.
Concerning the teaching of wisdom, the scholars have said: Some have said by “Wisdom” is meant “The deep structure of the verses and concepts of which only the Prophets and the Infallibles are aware.” Some others say by “Wisdom” is meant “Shariat,” which the great Prophet(s) tried to teach people through his actions and behavior. Some others contend that teaching wisdom is a way to prepare people to get the convincing science which is the science of religion, and by the science of religion is meant the foundations of belief, ethics, practice and heavenly knowledge.
Some others have said: by wisdom is meant to get similar to the truth, and the Prophet(s) is the teacher of this assimilation: This is shown in his belief and action:
تَخَلَّقُوا بأخْلاقِ اللهِ.
“Equip yourselves with God's manners.”
However, some others have declared: By wisdom is meant the true knowledge whose effects are felt in every piece of worldly affairs. For a wise man, the world is not a place for pleasure-taking, or ornament, or taking pride or adding up to one's wealth or having children. Rather, for him, the world is a place where there are all means of progress, development and getting at perfection and man could, by making proper use of assets, form the frame of his eternal prosperity.
To sum up: the wise God, send the wise Quran to the wise Prophet(s) to make a wise nation out of an ignorant one:
يُعَلِّمُهُمْ الْكِتَابَ وَالْحِكْمَةَ.
Upon having shown the heavenly features of Mohammad(s), the Holy Quran persists strongly on people's following of his instructions:
قُلْ أَطِيعُوا اللَّهَ وَالرَّسُولَ فَإِنْ تَوَلَّوْا فَإِنَّ اللَّهَ لَا يُحِبُّ الْكَافِرِينَ.
“Say: Obey Allah and the Apostle; but if they turn back; then surely Allah does not love the unbelievers. 3:32”
... ثُمَّ جَاءَكُمْ رَسُولٌ مُصَدِّقٌ لِمَا مَعَكُمْ لَتُؤْمِنُنَّ بِهِ وَلَتَنْصُرُنَّهُ.
“Then an apostle comes to you verifying that which is with you, you must believe in him, and you must aid him. 3:81”
وَأَطِيعُوا اللَّهَ وَالرَّسُولَ لَعَلَّكُمْ تُرْحَمُونَ.
“And obey Allah and the Apostle, that you may be shown mercy. 3:132”
أَطِيعُوا اللَّهَ وَأَطِيعُوا الرَّسُولَ وَأُوْلِي الْأَمْرِ.
“(O you who believe) Obey Allah and obey the Apostle and those in authority from among you. 4:59”
وَمَنْ يُطِعْ اللَّهَ وَالرَّسُولَ فَأُوْلَئِكَ مَعَ الَّذِينَ أَنْعَمَ اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِمْ مِنْ النَّبِيِّينَ وَالصِّدِّيقِينَ وَالشُّهَدَاءِ وَالصَّالِحِينَ وَحَسُنَ أُوْلَئِكَ رَفِيقًا.
“And whoever obeys Allah and the Apostle, these are with those upon whom Allah has bestowed favors from among the Prophets and the truthful and the martyrs and the good, and a goodly company are they! 4:69”
مَنْ يُطِعْ الرَّسُولَ فَقَدْ أَطَاعَ اللَّهَ.
“Whoever obeys the Apostle, he indeed obeys Allah. 4:80”
وَمَا آتَاكُمْ الرَّسُولُ فَخُذُوهُ وَمَا نَهَاكُمْ عَنْهُ فَانْتَهُوا.
“And whatever the Apostle gives you, accept it, and from whatever he forbids you, keep back and be careful of your duty to Allah. 59:7”
وَمَا كَانَ لِمُؤْمِنٍ وَلَا مُؤْمِنَةٍ إِذَا قَضَى اللَّهُ وَرَسُولُهُ أَمْرًا أَنْ يَكُونَ لَهُمْ الْخِيَرَةُ مِنْ أَمْرِهِمْ وَمَنْ يَعْصِ اللَّهَ وَرَسُولَهُ فَقَدْ ضَلَّ ضَلَالًا مُبِينًا.
“And it behoves not a believing man and a believing woman that they should have any choice in their matter when Allah and His Apostle have decided a matter; and whoever disobeys Allah and His Apostle, he surely strays off a manifest straying. 33:36”
وَمَنْ يُطِعْ اللَّهَ وَرَسُولَهُ فَقَدْ فَازَ فَوْزًا عَظِيمًا.
“And whoever obeys Allah and His Apostle, he indeed achieves a mighty success. 33:71”
A main section of Nahjolbalaqa is devoted to introducing the personality of Mohammad(s) and his aims in his prophethood. Here only a small portion of that introduction is presented:
إلى أن بَعَثَ اللهُ سُبْحانَهُ مُحَمَّداً رَسُولَ اللهِ2 لإنجازِ عِدَتِهِ، وَتَمامِ نُبُوَّتِهِ، مَأْخوذاً عَلَى النَّبيينَ ميثاقُهُ، مَشْهورَةٌ سِماتُهُ، كَريماً ميلادُهُ، وَأهْلُ الأرْضِ يَوْمَئِذٍ مِلَلٌ مُتَفرِّقَةٌ، وَأهواءٌ مُنْتَشِرَةٌن وَطَرائِقَ مُتَشَتِّتَةٌ بَيْنَ مُشّبِّهٍ لِلّهِ بِخَلْقِهِ، أو مُلْحِدٍ في اسْمِهِ، أو مُشيرٍ إلى غَيْرِهِ، فَهَداهُم بِهِ مِنَ الضَّلالَةِ، وَأنْقّذَهُم بِمَكانِهِ مِنَ الجَهالَةِ.
Then Allah appointed Mohammad(s) as His Prophet to fulfill the promise He had given to other prophets, to terminate the issue of prophethood with Mohammad's appointment. This happened while Allah had got the confession of other Apostles prior to Mohammad(s) regarding his prophethood and this confession showed that Mohammad(s) was unique. His name and fame spread all over the universe; his birth was generous. In those days, world people had different religions which were not acceptable. They were replete with strange innovations. Some indicated that God had human traits and some used blasphemy regarding His names and some associated another god with Him. Thus, God, through sending Mohammad(s) as His Apostle, saved people from wretched ness and going astray.[11]
وَأشْهَدُ أنَّ مُحَمَّداً عَبْدُهُ وَرَسُولُهُ، أرْسَلَهُ بِالدّينِ الْمَشْهُورِ، وَالْعَلَمِ الْمَأثُورِ، وَالْكِتابِ الْمَسْطُورِ، وَالنَّورِ السّاطِعِ، وَالضِّياءِ اللامِعِ، وَالأمْرِ الصّادِعِ، إزاحَةً لِلشُّبُهاتِ، وَاحْتَجاجاً بالبَيِّناتِ، وَتَحْذيراً بِالآياتِ، وَتَخْوِيفاً بِالمَثُلاتِ، وَالنّاسُ فِي فِتَنٍ انْجَذَمَ فيها حَبْلُ الدّينِ، وَتَرَعْرَعَتْ سوارِي الْيَقِينِ، وَاخْتَلَفَ النَّجْرُ، وَتَشَتَّتَ الأمرُ، وَضاقَ الْمَخْرَجُ، وَعَمِيَ الْمَصْدَرُ، فَالهُدى خامِلٌ، وَالعَمى شامِلٌ، عُصِيَ الرَّحْمانُ، وَنُصِرَ الشَّيْطانُ، وَخُذِلَ الإيْمانُ...
I truly and wholeheartedly confess to the fact that Mohammad(s) is God's servant who is sent by Allah with a religion which is perfect. God accompanied him with miracles. God sent him with the Holy Quran. God sent him with brilliant light and with illuminated brightness and with discrete command to suppress the blasphemy and to talk logic with people and to manifest his miracles and illuminate them with the verses of the Holy Quran and to frighten them of the tortures that the previous nations were inflicted with.[12]
Allah appointed Mohammad(s) as a prophet when the nations of the world were encountered with numerous calamities in which the chord of religion and faith had broken. The pillars of faith had been trembling. There was disagreements regarding the religion; the escape from the disasters was pericarious. There was no means in the world to guide people out of their predicament. The light to the right path was out, misguidance prevailed. Man was an enemy of God and a friend to Shaitan. Faith was considered worthless and its bases were wrecked.
إنَّ اللهَ بَعَثَ مُحَمَّداً2 نَذِيراً لِلْعالَمِينَ، وَأميناً عَلى التَّنْزِيلِ، وَأنْتُم مَعْشَرَ الْعَرَبِ عَلى شَرِّ دِين وَفي شَرِّ دارٍ، مُنيخُونَ بَيْنَ حَجارَةٍ خُشْنٍ وَحَبّاتٍ صُمٍّ، تَشْرَبُونَ الْكَدَرِ، وَتَأكُلُونَ الجَشِبِ، وَتَسْفِكُونَ دِماءَكُمْ، وَتَقْطَعونَ أرْحامَكُمْ، الأصْنامُ فيكُم مَنصُوبَةٌ، وَالآثامُ بِكُمْ مَعْصُوبَةٌ.
Allah appointed Mohammad(s) as the Prophet who warned people against God's chastisement. God trusted him on what He revealed unto him you Arabs, at that time you were the followers of the worst kind of faith and lived under the worst kind of environment. You used to live in stony locations among most poisonous snakes. You used to drink the muddy water and to eat coarse foods and to murder one another and used to keep distance from your relatives. You used to have idols of all sorts and you did not refrain from committing sins.
This was how the Arabs lived in those adversity stricken conditions. They used to be influenced by evil faith, beliefs and ethics. How hard did the generous leader of Islam try to put these people on the right path! Only God knows!
إنَّ الله سُبْحانَهُ بَعَثَ مُحَمَّداً2 وَلَيسَ أحَدٌ مِنَ العَرَبِ يَقْرأُ كِتاباً، وَلا يَدَّعي نُبُوَّةً، فَساقَ النّاسَ حَتّى بَوَّأهم مَحَلَّتَهُم وَبَلَّغَهُم مَنْجاتَهُم، فَاسْتَقامَت قَناتُهُم، وَاطْمأنَّت صَفاتُهُمْ.
When Allah appointed Mohammad(s) as a prophet, there was nobody among Arabs who could read. Nobody did claim to be the Prophet. That sacred being guided them onto the right path so that they could stand in human position. He placed them at ease and saved them from calamities. He gave them freedom. He quelled their worries.[13]
أرْسَلَهُ عَلى حينِ فَتْرَةٍ مِنَ الرُّسُلِ، وَطُولِ هَجْعَةٍ مِنَ الاُمَمِ، وَاعْتِزامٍ مِنَ الْفِتَنِ، وَانْتِشارٍ مِنَ الاُمورِ، وَتَلَظٍّ مِنَ مِنَ الحُرُوبِ، وَالدُّنيا كاسِفَةُ النُّورِ، ظاهِرَة، الْغُرُورِ، عَلى حينِ اصْفِرارٍ مِنْ وَرَقِها، وَإياسٍ مِنْ ثَمَرِها، واغْوِرارٍ مِنْ مائِها، قَدْ دَرَسَتْ مَنارُ الْهُدى، وَظَهَرَتْ أعْلامُ الرَّدى، فَهيَ مُتَجَهّمَةٌ لِأهْلِها، عابِسَةٌ في وَجْهِ طالِبِها، ثَمَرُها الْفِتْنَةُ، وَطِعامُها الجِيفَةُ، وَشِعارُها الْخَوفُ، وَدِثارُها السَّيفُ...
When Allah appointed Mohammad(s) as a prophet to lead those who had gone astray, there was no prophet available. Different sects have spent their time in a prolonged duration of sleep and negligence. There were calamities spread everywhere; there was chaos everywhere. The fire of wars was still on and the light in the world had gone behind thick, dark clouds. People did not benefit from their life, their nature, their wisdom, knowledge and sciences. There was no sign of salvage, either. Rather, the flags of destruction and misery were erected. The world had turned into the enemy of men. The result was wide-spread corruption.
There was nothing left on the earth except for fear and insecurity. Nothing ruled over people except swords.
حَتّى أفْضَتْ كَرامَةُ اللهِ سُبْحانَهُ إلى مُحَمَّداً2 فأخْرَجَهُ مِن أفْضَلِ الْمَعادِنِ مَنْبَتاً، وَأعَزَّ الاُرُوماتِ مَغْرَساً، مِنَ الشَّجَرَةِ الّتي صَدَعَ مِنْها أنْبياءَهُ، وَانْتَخَبَ مِنْها اُمَناءَهُ. عِتْرَتُهُ خَيْرُ العِتَرِِ، وَاُسْرَتُهُ خَيْرُ الاُسَرِ، وَشَجَرَتُهُ خَيْرُ الشَّجَرِ، نَبَتَتْ في حَرَمٍ، وَبَسَقَتْ في كَرَمٍ، لَها فُروعٌ طِوالٌ، وَثَمَرةٌ لا تُنالُ، فَهُوَ إمامُ مَنِ اتَّقى، وَبَصيرةُ مَنِ اهْتَدى، سِراجٌ لَمَعَ ضَوؤُهُ، وَشِهابٌ سَطَعَ نُورُهُ، وَزَنْدٌ بَرَقَ لَمْعُهُ، سِيرَتُهُ الْقَصْدُ، وَسُنَّتُهُ الرُّشْدُ وَكَلامُهُ الفَصْلُ، وَحُكْمُهُ الْعَدْلُ؛ أرْسَلَهُ عَلى حينِ فَتْرَةٍ مِنَ الرُّسُلِ وَهَفْوَةٍ عَنِ العَمَلِ، وَغَباوَةٍ مَنَ الاُمَمِ.
Allah then appointed Mohammad(s) as a prophet. God got Mohammad(s) out of the best mines, from the dearest roots. Allah got Mohammad(s) out of the sacred tree from which He had produced His previous Prophets. He had chosen His dependable and trustable prophets from that tree. Mohammad's household was among the noblest, his relatives were among the most generous ones. His pedigree was among the best ones. That pedigree has got high branches with noble fruits to which no body could have access.[14]
That sacred being is the leader of the pious ones, is the light of the seeing people, is a burning candle, is a twinkling star and a flint from which brilliant lights scatter around.
His method is perseverance, his way is the right path, his speech is the distinguisher between the right and the wrong and his orders and commands are compatible with justice.
When he arrived at the lofty position of Prophethood, there was no other Prophet. People were misled away from the right path; the nations of the previous prophets were living in dire ignorance.
بَعَثَهُ وَالنّاسُ ضُلالٌ في حَيرَةٍ، وَخابِطُونَ في فِتْنَةٍ، قَدِ اسْتَهوَتْهُمُ الأهْواءُ، وَاسْتَزَلَّتهُمُ الْكِبْرِياءُ، وَاسْتَخَفَّتهُم الجاهِلِيَّةِ الْجَهلاءُ، حَيارى في زَلْزالٍ مِنَ الأمْرِ، وَبَلاءٍ مِنَ الجَهْلِ، فَبالَغَ في النَّصيحَةِ، وَمَضى عَلى الطَّرِيقَةِن وَدَعا إلى الحِكْمَةِ وَالْمَوعِظَةِ الْحَسَنَةِ.
When Allah sent Mohammad(s) to people as a prophet, people had been misled and were wondering. They were on the path of errors; they were driven by their unfounded wishes and whims; they were misguided by false pride and haughtiness; they had become light-headed due to their ignorance and their distance from the right way.
While these people were exposed to misery and all sorts of corruption and ignorance, the generous prophet of Islam(s) did not spare a moment in advising them and did his best to drive them towards wisdom, and rightly advice.[15]
مُسْتَقَرُّهُ خَيْرُ مُسْتَقَرٍّ، وَمَنْبَتُهُ أشْرَفُ مَنْبَتٍ، في مَعادِنِ الْكَرامَةِ، وَمَماهِدِ السَّلامَةِ، قَدْ صُرِفَتْ نَحْوَهُ أفْئِدَةُ الأبْرارِ، وَثُنِيَت إلَيهِ أزِمَّةُ الأبصارِ، دَفَنَ اللهُ بِهِ الضغائِنِ، وَأطْفأ بِهِ النَّوائِرِ، ألَّفَ إخْواناً، وَفَرَّقَ أقْراناً، أعَزَّ بِهِ الذِّلَّةَ، وَأذَلَّ بِهِ العِزَّةَ، كَلامُهُ بَيانٌ، وَصَمْتُهُ لِسانٌ.
The location out of which the Prophet(s) emerged was the noblest place. He was raised in the mines of health and magnanimity. The hearts of the benevolent ones were absorbed by him and the eyes were turned towards his amazing personality.
Through Mohammad's appointment to the lofty position of Prophethood, Allah annihilated the roots of ancient hatred and enmity; Allah put off the fire of animosities, and established friendship among people and let there be disagreement between faith and blasphemy. Through His prophet, Allah turned the believers' wretchedness into prosperity and changed the infidels' glory into dire misery. His speech was the indicator of truth and his silence was equal to his speech.[16]
أمّا بَعْدُ فَإنَّ اللهَ سُبْحانَهُ بَعَثَ مُحَمَّداً وَلَيسَ أحَدٌ مِنَ الْعَرَبِ يَقْرأُ كِتاباً، وَلا يَدَّعي نُبُوَّةً وَلا وَحْياً، فَقاتَلَ بِمَنْ أطاعَهُ مَنْ عَصاهُ، يَسُوقُهُمْ إلى مَنْجاتِهِم, وَيُبادِرُ بِهِمْ السّاعَةَ أنْ تَنْزِلَ بِهِمْ، يَحْسِرُ الْحَسيرُ، وَيَقِفُ الْكَسِيرُ، فَيُقيمُ عَلَيهِ حَتّى يُلْحِقَهُ غايَتَهُ، إلا هالِكاً لا خَيْرَ فيهِ، حَتّى أراهُمْ مَنْجاتَهُمُ، وَبَوّاهُمْ مَحَلَّتَهُم، فَاسْتَدارَتْ رَحاهُم، وَاسْتَقامَت قَناتُهُم...
The Benevolent Allah selected the pure and sacred being of Mohammad(s) among the Arabs as a Prophet while none of them could read or write. There was no claimer among them for the position of Prophethood.
Then, Mohammad(s), assisted by the believers, fought against the aggressors and helped them find their way to salvage. He helped them out of their sinful ways prior to their inevitable and imminent death.
The Prophet(s) helped out of their plight those who had been bent under the weight of their sins and assisted them to find their ways to prosperity. This applied to all except for those who were mean by nature. He did all his best to show them the way of salvage on the mountain of knowledge so that the wanderers could find their way. In the indoctrination of his prophethood he is reliable. He is a witness over the believers on the Doom's Day. You have appointed the Prophet(s) as an asset for the people of the world. He is your true messenger to bring blessings to people. [17]
اِخْتارَهُ مِنْ شَجَرَةِ الأنْبِياءِ، وَمِشْكاةِ الضّياءِ، وَذُؤابَةِ العَلْياءِ، وَسُرَّةِ البَطحاءِ، وَمَصابيحِ الظُّلْمَةِ، وَيَنابِيعِ الْحِكْمَةِ.
Allah selected Mohammad(s) out of the pedigree of prophets. He elected him out of the best ones, from the land of Mecca and out of the darkness abolishers and out of the fountain-head of wisdom.
طَبيبٌ دَوّارٌ بِطِبِّهِ، قَدْ أحْكَمَ مَراهِمَه، وَأحمى مَواسِمَهُ، يَضَعُ مِنْ ذلِكَ حَيْثُ الحاجَةُ إليهِ، مِنْ قُلُوبٍ عُمي، وآذانٍ صُمٍّ، وَألْسِنَةٍ بُكْمٍ، مُتَتَبِّعٌ بِدَوائِهِ مَواضِعَ الغَفلَةِ، وَمَواطِنَ الحَيرَةِ، لَمْ يَسْتَضِيئُوا بِأضْواءِ الْحِكْمَةِ، وَلَم يَقْدَحوا بِزِنادِ العُلُومِ الثّاقِبَةِ، فَهُم في ذلِكَ كَالأنْعامِ السَائِمَةِ، وَالصُّخُورِ القاسِيَةِ.
The Prophet(s) is a physician who goes around steadily. He has his ointments and his equipments ready to treat the sick ones. Those hearts which are void of intelligence and those ears which are unable to listen to the truth and those tongues which are tight in explaining the reality, all need salvation, to lead them towards their true natures. Then their affairs became orderly and their direction was the straight way.
حَتّى بَعَثَ اللهُ مُحَمّداً2 شَهِيداً وَبَشِيراً وَنَذِيراً، خَيرَ البَرِيَّهِ طِفلاً، وَأنْجَبَها كَهْلاً، وَأطْهَرَ الْمُطَهَّرِينَ شيمَةً، وَأجْوَدَ المُسْتَمْطِرِينَ ديمَةً.
(Prior to the Advent of Islam, the world population were under the worst kind of wretchedness and deviation) Allah appointed the Prophet(s) to be witness to the world dewellers and to give the benevolent the good news of salvation and to warn the wrong-doers of the horrible chastisement.[18]
At his youth, Mohammad(s) was of the highest rank in creation and at his old age, he was the most magnanimous creature in the world. His nature and creation was the noblest and his generosity was beyond expectation.
حَتّى أوْرى قَبَساً لِقابِسٍ، وَأنارَ عَلَماً لِحابِسٍ، فَهُو أمينُكَ الْمَأمُونُ، وَشَهيدُكَ يَومَ الدّينِ، وَبَعيثُكَ نِعْمَةًن وَرَسُولُكَ بَالحَقِّ رَحْمَةً.
Your generous Prophet put forth his best trials to kindle the candle of salvation so that the world dwellers could benefit from it and lit the sign of treatments which the Prophet can supply.
This heavenly physician, with his medicines and treatment, can treat the illness of ignorance, and wandering. Some of the sick ones have not made use of the lights of wisdom and Gnostics and have not lit the bright candles of knowledge. Therefore, they are like the grazing beasts and the motionless rocks.[19]
قد حَقّرَ الدُّنيا وَصَغَّرها، وَأهْوَنها وَهَوَّنها، وَعَلِمَ أنَّ اللهَ زّواها عَنْهُ اخْتياراً، وَبَسَطَها لِغَيرِهِ احْتَقاراً، فَاعْرَضَ عَنِ الدُّنيا بِقَلْبِهِ، وَأماتَ ذِكْرها عَنْ نَفْسِهِ، وَأحبَّ أنْ تَغِيبَ زِينَتُها عَن عَينَيهِ، لِكيلا يَتَّخِذَ مِنها رِياشاً، أو يَرْجو فيها مُقاماً. بَلَّغَ عَن رَبِّهِ مُعْذِراً، وَنَصَحَ لأمّتِهِ مُنْذِراً، وَدَعا إلى الجَنَّةِ مُبَشّراً.
The Holy and Sacred Prophet(s) belittled this world and considered it insignificant. He did not give any great value to it. It was evident for him that the Almighty God has optionally decided to keep Mohammad(s) away from this world and has given this meager and insignificant world to others. Therefore, that superman showed his unwillingness towards it and kept his inward desires distant from it. He did not desire to watch the ornaments of the world; neither did he want to stay there long.
He, on behalf of God, let people know the religions obligations and warned his followers against the tortures and chastisement of the other world. He gave people the good news of the godly rewards.
أرْسَلَهُ دعياً إلى الْحَقِّ، وَشاهِداً عَلَى الْخَلْقِ، فَبَلَّغَ رِسالاتِ رَبِّهِ غَيْرَ وانٍ وَلا مُقَصِّرٍ، وَجَاهَدَ في اللهِ أعْداءَهُ غَيْرَ واهِنٍ وَلا مَعذِّرٍ، إمامُ مَنِ اتَّقى، وَبَصَرُ مَنِ اهْتَدى.
Allah sent the sacred being of Mohammad(s) to invite people towards truth and with his actions, behaviors, ethics, and speech, be a witness for the world dwellers. He wasted no time in letting the world know of God's commands. He fought the foes of Islam without showing any sign of weakness. He is the leader of the pious ones.[20]
فَبَعَثَ اللهُ مُحَمَّداً4 بالْحَقِّ لِيُخْرِجَ عِبادَهُ مِنْ عِبادَةِ الأوْثانِ إلى عِبادَتِهِِ، وَمِنْ طاعَةِ الشَّيطانِ إلى طاعَتِهِ، بِقُرآنٍ قَد بَيَّنَهُ وَأحْكَمَهُ، لِيَعْلَمَ الْعِبادُ رَبَّهُم إذ جَهِلُوهُ، وَلِيُقِرُّوا بِهِ بَعْدَ إذْ جَحَدُوهُ، وَلِيُثْبِتُوهُ بَعْدَ إذْ أنكَرُوهُ.
Allah appointed Mohammad(s) as His true and rightful prophet to save His servants from worshiping the idols and call them to pray Him and to be His obedient servants. Allah sent him to prohibit them from following Shaitan and to lead them towards Allah. This He made possible through the Holy Quran so that the servants should recognize their Allah since they were previously unaware of Him. Allah sent Mohammad(s) to confess to Him while they denied him before and to solidify God's position in their hearts while they did not believe before.
أرْسَلَهُ عَلى حينِ فَتْرَةٍ مِنَ الرُّسُلِ، وَطُولِ هَجْعَةٍ مِنَ الاُمَمِ وَانْتِقاصٍ مِنَ الْمُبْرَمِ، فَجاءَهُم بِتَصْدِيقِ الَّذي بَيْنَ يَدَيْهِ، وَالنُّورِ الْمُقْتَدى بِهِ، ذلِكَ الْقُرآنُ فَاسْتَنْطِقُوهُ، وَلَنْ يَنْطِقَ، وَلكِنْ اُخْبِرُكُمْ عَنْهُ: إلا إنَّ فيهِ عِلْمَ ما يأتي وَالْحَدِيثَ عَنِ الْماضي، وَدَواءَ دائِكُم، وَنَظْمَ ما بَيْنَكُم.
It was long after the arrival of other prophets when Allah decided to appoint Mohammad(s) as His Messenger. Different religious sects of the world had been in a prolonged sleep and a state of ignorance. The very foundation of the religion had been shattered. Then the Prophet(s) came to people while he was confirming the previous heavenly Books and presented people with the Quran and asked people to follow it. Ask the Quran to present to you the truth. Be aware that Quran contains knowledge of all sorts, for instance the knowledge about the past. It is panacea for all ailments and it puts in order all that pertains to you.[21]
فَإنَّ اللهَ جَعَلَ مُحَمَّداً4 عَلَماً لِلساعَةِ وَمُبَشِّراً بِالْجَنَّةِ، وَمُنْذِراً بِالْعُقُوبَةِ. خَرَجَ مِنَ الدُّنيا خَميصاً، وَوَرَدَ الآخِرَةَ سَلِيماً...
Allah let Mohammad(s) be a sign and icon of the resurrection, the giver of the good news of the paradise, and the warner of the chastisement. He passed away while he was hungry and entered the other world in good health.[22]
اِبْتَعَثَهُ بِالنُّورِ الْمُضئ، وَالبُرْهانِ الجَلِيِّ، وَالمِنْهاجِ البادي، وَالكِتابِ الهادي، اُسْرَتُهُ خَيْرُ اُسْرَةٍ، وَشَجَرَتُهُ خَيْرُ شَجَرَةٍ، أغْصانُها مُعْتَدِلَةٌ، وَثِمارُها مُنْهَدِلَةِ، مَولِدُهُ بِمَكَّةَ، وَهِجْرَتُهُ بِطَيبَةَ، عَلا بِها ذِكْرُهُ, وَامْتَدَ مِنها صَوتُهُ، أرْسَلَهُ بِحُجَّةٍ كافِيَةٍ، وَمَوعِظَةٍ ضافِيةٍ، وَدَعْوَةٍ مُتَلافِيَةٍ، أظْهَرَ بِهِ الشَّرايع المَجْهُولَةَ، وَقَمَعَ بِهِ البِدَعَ المَدْخُولَةَ، وَبَيَّنَ بِهِ الأحْكامَ المَفْصُولَةَ...
Allah, the Almighty, sent the Prophet(s) with illuminating light. He appointed him with vivid and explicit reasons. Mohammad(s) was the vivid way and a book of guidance.
His household was the best one and his pedigree the best. The branches of that tree (pedigree) are straight and erect and its fruits (which are the knowledge) are available to everybody. He was born in Mecca and he migrated to Medina. There he became well-known and started inviting people to his faith.
Allah sent him with sufficient reasons and let him invite people to the worldly prosperity and success in the next world. He made the Shariat commands become known and the innovations obsolete. He made evident to His servants those commands which should obligatorily be carried out by the believers.[23]
أمينٌ وَحْيهِ، وَخاتَمُ رُسُلِهِ، وَبَشيرُ رَحْمَتِهِ، وَنَذِيرُ نِقْمَتِهِ.
Mohammad(s) was the reliable conveyer of Allah's revelation; he was the last one of the prophets; he was the giver of the good news of the paradise; and he was the warner of the chastisement of the Resurrection Day.[24]
ثُمَّ إنَّ اللهَ سُبْحانَهُ بَعَثَ مُحَمَّداً4 بِالحقِّ حينَ دَنا مِنَ الدُّنيا الإنْقِطاعُ، وَأقْبَلَ مِنَ الآخِرَةِ الإطِّلاعُ، وَأظْلَمَت بَهْجَتُها بَعْدَ إشْراقٍ، وَقامَتْ بِأهْلِها عَلى ساقٍ، وَخَشُنَ مِنْها مِهادٌ، وَأزِفَ مِنها قِيادٌ، فِي انْقِطاعٍ مِن مُدَّتِها، وَاقْتَرَابٍ مِنْ أشْراطِها، وَتَصَرُّمٍ مِنْ أهْلِها، وَانْفِصامٍ مِنْ حَلْقَتِها، وانْتِشارٍ مِنْ سَبَبِها، وَعَفاءٍ مِنْ أعلامِها، وَتَكَشُّفٍ مِنْ عَوْرَاتِها، وَقِصَرٍ مِنْ طُولِها.
جَعَلَهُ اللهُ سُبْحانَهُ بَلاغاً لِرِسالَتِهِ، وَكَرامَةً لِاُمَّتِهِ، وَرَبيعاً لأهْلِ زَمانِهِ، وَرِفْعَةً لأعْوانِهِ، وَشَرَفاً لأنْصارِهِ... [25]
Then the Almighty God appointed Mohammad(s) equipped with righteous ness and honesty while the world was nearing its end and the Hereafter was shortly coming and when the pleasure of this world was fading and when the world had inflicted its dwellers with all sorts of hardships and the world was no more a steady place. Allah appointed Mohammad(s) while the world was heading towards destruction. And all these were the signs for the annihilation of the chord, the disappearance of the signs, the manifestation of the faults and the shortening of its duration.
The Almighty God appointed the Prophet(s) to let people get acquainted with Shariat. He sent the Prophet(s) to bring about prosperity for people, and to cause them to feel exalted.
أرْسَلَهُ بِالضِّياءِ، وَقَدَّمَهُ فِي الاِصْطِفاءِ، فَرَتَقَ بِهِ الْمَفاتِقَ، وَساورَ بِهِ الْمُغالِبِ، وَذَلَّلَ بِهِ الصُّعُوبَةَ، وَسَهَّلَ بِهِ الحُزُونَةَ، حَتّى سَرَّحَ الضَّلالَ عَنْ يَمينٍ وَشِمالٍ. [26]
The Almighty God sent to men His Messenger equipped with the light of knowledge and Nobovvat (Prophethood). He put Mohammad(s) in front of all creatures. Through him, God bridged the gaps, and through him defeated those who had gone astray. He made easy the hardships through him. Allah, through His prophet(s) resolved man's problems. Allah sent mischievousness away from man through him.
Here, The description and analysis of the first sentence of the second supplication of Sahifeh comes to an end. I will, God willing, deal with the other parts of the supplication.
فَخَتَمَ بِنا عَلى جَمِيعِ مَنْ ذَرَأ، وَجَعَلَنا شُهّداءَ عَلى مَنْ جَحَدَ، وَكَثَّرَنا بِمَنِّهِ عَلى مَنْ قَلَّ.
“Then Allah let us be the last ommah; the Almighty God let us be the witness and reason for those who deny the truth. Allah considered our spiritual significance very high.”
Those people whose hearts are based resurrection and those spirits whose ethics rely on the Quranic verses and those bodily actions which are based on the commands of the Holy Quran are all witnesses over all the world dwellers. These people are the true followers of Mohammad(s).
A true believer should be a witness for all other nations in the ethical issues, directions and applications as stipulated by the Holy Quran, God's Prophet(s) and the Infallible(s). Other nations and Non-Moslem peoles should realize the magnificence of truth, ethic, faith, the Prophet's behaviors and the Infallibles traits by just looking at a Moslem.
In one of the most significant books on narration, Imam Sadiq(s) is reported to have stated:
كُونُوا دُعاةً لِلنّاسِ بِغَيرِ ألْسِنَتِكُم، لِيَرَوا مِنْكُمُ الْوَرَعَ وَالاِجْتِهادَ وَالصَّلاةَ وَالْخَيْرَ، فَإنَّ ذلِكَ داعيةٌ.
Through your behaviors you should invite others towards the truth. Others should see in you honesty, chastity, trial on God's way at all phases of life and prayers. It is because these actions, etics, faith, and beliefs will lead all towards the straight way.
Concerning Safvan Ibn Yahya, who was a witness on others, we read in important books on personalities:
1. He was the close follower of Imam Musa Ibn Ja'afar(s) and Imam Reza(s) and Imam Javad(s) and he made the best use of Divine Blessings.
2. He was considered by Imam Reza(s) a man of dignity, benevolence and honor;
3. In the worldly affairs and issues related to the other world, he was at the service of Imam Reza(s) and the ninth Imam(s).
4. He was the most authoritative, the most reliable and the most pious of all people of his time.
5. He was considered an authority in piety and service to God.
6. The Vaqefiyyeh took a large amount of money to seduce him into their sect, but they failed because of the strength of his faith.
7. He, and Abdollah Ibn Jandab, and Ali Ibn No'aman, vowed in front of Mecca, that any one of those three who lived longer should perform fasting, praying, and giving the alms to the poor. Those two died and Safvan performed one hundred and fifty roka't of prayers for himself and for those two. He paid three portions of alms each year.
8. On a hajj pilgrimage, one of his neighbors gave him some money to give to his wife and child in Kufeh. He said: Wait a minute. Then he went to the camel driver, asking him: the weight of this much money will be added to my weight; Do you let me carry it?
9. When Safvan passed away in Medina, Imam Javad(s) sent him his special shroud, to be wrapped in.
There is a significant narration with the following content, from Sheikh Saduq, related to the issue that a believer should be a sample of piety for others:
قالَ أبُوعبداللهC: لَيْسَ مِنْ شِيعَتِنا مِنْ قالَ بِلِسانِهِ وَخالَفَنا في أعْمالِنا وَآثارِنا، وَلَكِنْ شِيعَتُنا مَنْ وافَقَنا بِلِسانِهِ وَقَلْبِهِ، وَاتَّبَعَ آثارَنا، وَعَمِلَ بِأعْمَالِنا، اُولئِكَ شيعَتُنا.
The individual who only verbally declares that he is a Shiite, but practically he is against us, does not belong to us. A true Shiite is the one who agrees with us with his heart and tongue; the one who follows us closely and does as we do act: these are among our Shiites.
Amr Ibn Saeed asked Imam Sadiq(s): please give me a piece of advice. Imam(s) answered: I suggest that you perform piety and honesty and go the straight path. Be aware that little trial without piety is of no use.”
The Holy Quran depicts the features of a true believer in the following manner:
إِنَّمَا الْمُؤْمِنُونَ الَّذِينَ إِذَا ذُكِرَ اللَّهُ وَجِلَتْ قُلُوبُهُمْ وَإِذَا تُلِيَتْ عَلَيْهِمْ آياتُهُ زَادَتْهُمْ إِيمَانًا وَعَلَى رَبِّهِمْ يَتَوَكَّلُونَ الَّذِينَ يُقِيمُونَ الصَّلَاةَ وَمِمَّا رَزَقْنَاهُمْ يُنفِقُونَ أُوْلَئِكَ هُمْ الْمُؤْمِنُونَ حَقًّا لَهُمْ دَرَجَاتٌ عِنْدَ رَبِّهِمْ وَمَغْفِرَةٌ وَرِزْقٌ كَرِيمٌ.
“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. Those who keep up prayer and spend benevolently out of what we have given them. These are the believers in truth; they shall have from their Lord exalted grades and forgiveness and an honorable sustenance. 8:2-4”
At the end of the surah Bayyinah, Allah says:
إِنَّ الَّذِينَ آمَنُوا وَعَمِلُوا الصَّالِحَاتِ أُوْلَئِكَ هُمْ خَيْرُ الْبَرِيَّةِ جَزَاؤُهُمْ عِنْدَ رَبِّهِمْ جَنَّاتُ عَدْنٍ تَجْرِي مِنْ تَحْتِهَا الْأَنْهَارُ خَالِدِينَ فِيهَا أَبَدًا رَضِيَ اللَّهُ عَنْهُمْ وَرَضُوا عَنْهُ ذَلِكَ لِمَنْ خَشِيَ رَبَّهُ.
“As for those who believe and do good, surely they are the best of men. Their reward with their Lord is gardens of perpetuity beneath which rivers flow, abiding therein forever; Allah is well pleased with them and they are well pleased with Him; that is for him who fears his Lord. 98:7-8”
In the following verses, the Holy Quran insists that you nation should be the bearers of witness to other nations in your beliefs; ethics and in your actions and being a bearer of witness is possible only in the light of the Holy Quran and by following Mohammad(s) in all phases of your life.
وَكَذَلِكَ جَعَلْنَاكُمْ أُمَّةً وَسَطًا لِتَكُونُوا شُهَدَاءَ عَلَى النَّاسِ وَيَكُونَ الرَّسُولُ عَلَيْكُمْ شَهِيدًا.
“And thus we have made you a medium (Just) nation that you may be the bearers of witness to the people and that the Apostle may be a bearer of witness to you. 2:143”
لِيَكُونَ الرَّسُولُ شَهِيدًا عَلَيْكُمْ وَتَكُونُوا شُهَدَاءَ عَلَى النَّاسِ.
“That the Apostle may be a bearer of witness to you and you may be bearers of witness to the people. 22:78”
In some narrations the word “witness” is translated as the Infallible ones(s) and some of the interpreters will refer the meaning and the content of this kind of verses to the Doom's Day, i.e., that this nation will be the bearers of witness to the actions of other nations on the Doom's Day. These senses are not in contradiction, however.
In the treasury of creation there is no jewel more precious than Islam and Islam means the true beliefs, ethical, good deeds. Islam was well presented by the Prophet(s) and through the Velayat of the Infallible(s):
الْيَوْمَ أَكْمَلْتُ لَكُمْ دِينَكُمْ وَأَتْمَمْتُ عَلَيْكُمْ نِعْمَتِي وَرَضِيتُ لَكُمْ الْإِسْلَامَ دِينًا.
“This day have I perfected for you your religion and completed My favor on you and chosen for you Islam as a religion. 5:3”
We may read in one of the sacred narrations:
أوْحى اللهُ عَزَّوجَلَّ إلى مُوسىC أن يا موسى، ما خَلَقْتُ خَلْقاً أحَبُّ إلىَّ مِنْ عَبْدِيَ المُؤْمِنِ...
It was revealed onto Moses(s): O Musa I have not created a more beloved creature than a believing servant.[27]
مَثَلُ المُؤْمِنِ عِنْدَ اللهِ عَزَّوَجَلَّ كَمَثَلِ مَلَكٍ مُقَرَّبٍ، وَإنَّ الْمُؤْمِنَ عِنْدَ اللهِ عَزَّوجَلَّ أعْظَمُ مِنْ ذلِكَ...
For God a believer is like an angel who is beloved to God, and indeed a believer is even more highly regarded by God than such an angel.[28]
The Prophet(s) has stated:
إنَّ الْمُؤْمِنَ أعْظَمُ حُرْمَةً مِنَ الكَعْبَةِ
The reverence for a believer is more superior than that for Ka'aba.
Imam Ali(s) has stated:
وَفَضَّلَ حُرْمَةَ المُسْلِمِ عَلى الحُرَمِ كُلِّها.
And God increased a Moslem's reverence due to his being equipped with Islam.[29]
Concerning the obedient Moslem, we will read in the Holy Quran:
وَمَنْ يُطِعْ اللَّهَ وَالرَّسُولَ فَأُوْلَئِكَ مَعَ الَّذِينَ أَنْعَمَ اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِمْ مِنْ النَّبِيِّينَ وَالصِّدِّيقِينَ وَالشُّهَدَاءِ وَالصَّالِحِينَ وَحَسُنَ أُوْلَئِكَ رَفِيقًا.
“And whoever obeys Allah and the Apostle, these are with those upon whom Allah has bestowed favors from among the prophets and the truthful and the martyrs and the good, and a goodly company are they! 4:69”
Thus, the magnanimous traits of a believers are vividly depicted in the sacred verses of the Holy Quran and in the narrations. You may refer to those verses and narrations in Osul Kafi, Man La Yahtharahol Faqih, Touhid, Thavab Al-A'mal, Khethal, Majmu'eh Varram, Tohaf Al-Oqul, Mahjattol Beitha;, Shafi, Vafi, and the like. Such a book will not be able to carry all those verses or narrations, however.
الَّلهُمَّ فَصَلِّ عَلى مُحَمَّدٍ أمينِكَ عَلى وَحْيكَ، وَنَجيبِكَ مِنْ خَلْقِكَ، وَصَفِيِّكَ مِنْ عِبادِكَ، إمامِ الرَّحْمَةِ، وَقائِدِ الْخَيرِ، وَمِفْتاحِ البَرَكَةِ.
“O God, Send your blessings to Mohammad(s) since he was trustworthy of Your revelation and was the selected one out of your creatures. He was your noblest and most distinguished servant. He was the leader of blessings, the pioneer in goodly actions and the key to magnanimity”
Indeed, Mohammad(s) was the trustworthy of God's revelation; he brought to people for twenty three years as a prophet all the rules and regulations of Islam concerning good and evil actions, although he was confronted with the worst kind of hardships.
On his farewell hajj, on the day of Sacrifice (Qorban), at Khayf Mosque, as an introduction to a significant lecture, Mohammad(s) stated:
“O God, be my witness that I stated for people all those things which will take them to the paradise and will keep them from your chastisement.”
The Holy Quran ordered Mohammad(s) to tell people:
وَأُوحِيَ إِلَيَّ هَذَا الْقُرْآنُ لِأُنذِرَكُمْ بِهِ وَمَنْ بَلَغَ.
“And this Quran has been revealed to me that with it I may warn you and whomsoever it reaches. 6:19”
يَا أَيُّهَا الرَّسُولُ بَلِّغْ مَا أُنزِلَ إِلَيْكَ مِنْ رَبِّكَ وَإِنْ لَمْ تَفْعَلْ فَمَا بَلَّغْتَ رِسَالَتَهُ وَاللَّهُ يَعْصِمُكَ مِنْ النَّاسِ إِنَّ اللَّهَ لَا يَهْدِي الْقَوْمَ الْكَافِرِينَ.
“O Apostle! Deliver what has been revealed to you from your Lord; and if you do it not, then you have not delivered His message, and Allah will protect you from the people; Surely Allah will not guide the unbelieving people. 5:67”
In accordance with the belief of the interpreters, of course disregarding those who are not just in their statement and therefore are lacking in humanity, and according to the unanimous belief and view of the narrators in hundreds of books verse was revealed onto Mohammad(s) to announce the Velayat and Caliphate of Imam Ali(s). Although its announcement could have made all sorts of dangers for Mohammad(s), the keeper of God's revelation, at a place called Qadir Khom, while tens of thousands observers, based on the above verse, introduced Imam Ali(s) as his successor, and while doing so, he uttered those heavenly, eloquent sentences:
مَنْ كُنْتُ مَولاهُ فَعَليٌ مَولاهُ، الَّلهُمَّ والِ مَن والاهُ، وَعَادِ مَن عاداهُ، وَاْنصُر مَنْ نَصَرَهُ، وَاخْذُل مَنْ خَذلَهُ.
“Anybody who follows me should follow Ali(s). O God, Let his friends be yours and his foes be your foes. Help those who help him, and leave alone those who choose to betray him. Cease helping them, O God.”
الَّذِينَ يُبَلِّغُونَ رِسَالَاتِ اللَّهِ وَيَخْشَوْنَهُ وَلَا يَخْشَوْنَ أَحَدًا إِلَّا اللَّهَ وَكَفَى بِاللَّهِ حَسِيبًا.
“Those who deliver the messages of Allah and fear Him, and do not fear any one but Allah; and Allah is sufficient to take account. 33:39”
In all aspects of the delivery of God's message, i.e., oral, ethical, practical and educational, Mohammad(s) was an evidence for this sacred verse.
وَإِنْ تَوَلَّوْا فَإِنَّمَا عَلَيْكَ الْبَلَاغُ وَاللَّهُ بَصِيرٌ بِالْعِبَادِ.
“(If they submit then indeed they follow the right way;) and if they turn back, then upon you is only the delivery of the message and Allah sees the servants.3:20”
Mohammad's delivery of God's message was based on logic, and reasoning and did not leave anything ambigious. While the world mongers, materialists, pleasure-seekers, libertines, and some jews and Christians, due to their hatred towards Mohammad(s) left him, he did not leave the delivery of God's message and let people know godly commands and heavenly knowledge.
Mohammad(s) was God's Apostle for the following traits that he had: because of his honesty, and worships; his knowledge and his wisdom; his sobriety and piety; his generosity; truthfulness and magnanimity; his loyalty; his faith and ethical considerations; his personality and benevolence; his insight; his personality and benevolence; his insight; his care and blessings; his heart and spirit; his humbleness; his cleanliness of spirit; his perseverance; his services to God; his nobovvat (Prophethood).
Mohammad(s) was Allah's blessings among people and was the giver of good news from Allah to people.
The Holy Quran, on the one hand, introduces Mohammad(s) as the source of mercy:
وَمَا أَرْسَلْنَاكَ إِلَّا رَحْمَةً لِلْعَالَمِينَ.
“And We have not sent you but as a mercy to the worlds. 21:107”
And as the bearer of Good news, on the other hand:
وَمَا أَرْسَلْنَاكَ إِلَّا كَافَّةً لِلنَّاسِ بَشِيرًا.
“And We have not sent you but to all the men as a bearer of good news. 34:28”
He was the blessing of God. His Quran, his statements and his instructions and commands were all the providers of man's prosperity both here and in Hereafter. A blessed life in this world is a life which is immune against wishes and whims, shaitan and aggression, enemity and disgrace. Rather, it is God's mercy which by itself is the product of following that Prophet(s). Paradise and paradise garden which is loftier than paradise and which is available only through obeying the prophet(s) is God's blessing. Imam Zain Al-Abedin has called the Prophet(s) as “the Imam of mercy.”
Indeed the Holy Quran and the Prophet's explanations on this heavenly book, which is the most precious jewel of the treasury of the creation, and which was preached by the honorable Prophet of Islam(s) is the true blessing of God, a blessing which got to people because the Prophet(s) was a blessing.
The pure and clean life means man's arrival at God's mercy in this world and God's blessing in the Hereafter means the paradise and the garden of paradise. We will never reach God's blessing in the Hereafter unless we are connected to the Holy Quran, which is Mohammad's heavenly Book, and we related to the Prophethood of Mohammad(s), and we are obedient to his orders.
Mohammad(s) was the manifestation of God's vast source of blessings both from the point of view of his character and his Prophethood.
His nobovvat (Prophethood) was the terminator of Prophethood; relgion became perfect due to his Prophethood; God's spiritual blessing became prefect in the light of his blessed existence; his religion became a means for worldly blessing and prosperity in the Hereafter; because of his heavenly mercy the Holy Quran was revealed to man. All of these are the manifestations of God's blessings.
Now, we will delve into the concept of God's blessings as it is explained in the Holy Quran:
God's special blessing manifests itself in this and is translated into action in the form of ethical behavior. Its result is eternal security. God's special blessing is translated into the paradise in the other world. Mohammad(s) has made all of this possible for humanity.
Nobody in this world will ever get God's blessings unless he complies with Mohammad's rules and regulations.
The Ways to Get the God's Blessings
Now we will deal with some of those sacred verses of the Holy Quran which are concerned with the ways to get the blessings of God.
وَأَطِيعُوا اللَّهَ وَالرَّسُولَ لَعَلَّكُمْ تُرْحَمُونَ. وَسَارِعُوا إِلَى مَغْفِرَةٍ مِنْ رَبِّكُمْ وَجَنَّةٍ عَرْضُهَا السَّمَاوَاتُ وَالْأَرْضُ أُعِدَّتْ لِلْمُتَّقِينَ. الَّذِينَ يُنْفِقُونَ فِي السَّرَّاءِ وَالضَّرَّاءِ وَالْكَاظِمِينَ الْغَيْظَ وَالْعَافِينَ عَنْ النَّاسِ وَاللَّهُ يُحِبُّ الْمُحْسِنِينَ. وَالَّذِينَ إِذَا فَعَلُوا فَاحِشَةً أَوْ ظَلَمُوا أَنْفُسَهُمْ ذَكَرُوا اللَّهَ فَاسْتَغْفَرُوا لِذُنُوبِهِمْ وَمَنْ يَغْفِرُ الذُّنُوبَ إِلَّا اللَّهُ وَلَمْ يُصِرُّوا عَلَى مَا فَعَلُوا وَهُمْ يَعْلَمُونَ. أُوْلَئِكَ جَزَاؤُهُمْ مَغْفِرَةٌ مِنْ رَبِّهِمْ وَجَنَّاتٌ تَجْرِي مِنْ تَحْتِهَا الْأَنْهَارُ خَالِدِينَ فِيهَا وَنِعْمَ أَجْرُ الْعَامِلِينَ.
“And obey Allah and the Apostle, that you may be shown mercy. And hasten to forgiveness from your Lord; and a Garden, the extensiveness of which is as the heavens and the earth, it is prepared for those who guard against evil. And those who when they commit an indecency or do injustice to their souls remember Allah and ask forgiveness for their faults-and who forgives the faults but Allah, and who do not knowingly persist in what they have done. As for these-their reward is forgiveness from their Lord, and gardens beneath which rivers flow, to abide in them, and excellent is the reward of the Laborers. 3:131-136”
Within these sacred verses certain stipulations are set to gain the God's one has to be obedient to Him and to the Apostle, and the Garden is reserved for those who guard against evil. To get the God's Love, one has to be bound by good ethics. To be forgiven by God, one has to do decent things and refrain from evil. And in order to enter the paradise, one has to obey God's commands. And all these blessings are the direct consequences of the Prophethood of Mohammad(s).
وَهَذَا كِتَابٌ أَنزَلْنَاهُ مُبَارَكٌ فَاتَّبِعُوهُ وَاتَّقُوا لَعَلَّكُمْ تُرْحَمُونَ.
“And this is a Book We have revealed, blessed; therefore follow it and guard against evil that mercy may be shown to you. 6:155”
وَإِذَا قُرِئَ الْقُرْآنُ فَاسْتَمِعُوا لَهُ وَأَنصِتُوا لَعَلَّكُمْ تُرْحَمُونَ.
“And when the Quran is recited, then listen to it” and remain silent, that mercy may be shown to you. 7:204”
وَأَقِيمُوا الصَّلَاةَ وَآتُوا الزَّكَاةَ وَأَطِيعُوا الرَّسُولَ لَعَلَّكُمْ تُرْحَمُونَ.
“And keep up prayers and pay the poor-rate and obey the Apostle, so that mercy may be shown to you. 24:56”
إِنَّمَا الْمُؤْمِنُونَ إِخْوَةٌ فَأَصْلِحُوا بَيْنَ أَخَوَيْكُمْ وَاتَّقُوا اللَّهَ لَعَلَّكُمْ تُرْحَمُونَ.
“The believers are but brethren, therefore make peace between your brethren and be careful of your duty to Allah that mercy may be had on you. 49:10”
وَلَنَبْلُوَنَّكُمْ بِشَيْءٍ مِنْ الْخَوْفِ وَالْجُوعِ وَنَقْصٍ مِنْ الْأَمْوَالِ وَالْأَنفُسِ وَالثَّمَرَاتِ وَبَشِّرْ الصَّابِرِينَ الَّذِينَ إِذَا أَصَابَتْهُمْ مُصِيبَةٌ قَالُوا إِنَّا لِلَّهِ وَإِنَّا إِلَيْهِ رَاجِعُونَ أُوْلَئِكَ عَلَيْهِمْ صَلَوَاتٌ مِنْ رَبِّهِمْ وَرَحْمَةٌ وَأُوْلَئِكَ هُمْ الْمُهْتَدُونَ.
“And We will most certainly try you with somewhat of fear and hunger and loss of property and lives and fruits; and give good news to the patient, who, when a misfortune befalls them, say: Surely we are Allah's and to Him we shall surely return. Those are they on whom are blessings and mercy from their Lord, and those are the followers of the right course. 2:155-157”
إِنَّ الَّذِينَ آمَنُوا وَالَّذِينَ هَاجَرُوا وَجَاهَدُوا فِي سَبِيلِ اللَّهِ أُوْلَئِكَ يَرْجُونَ رَحْمَةَ اللَّهِ وَاللَّهُ غَفُورٌ رَحِيمٌ.
“Surely those who believed and those who fled their home and strove hard in the way of Allah those hope for the mercy of Allah and Allah is Forgiving, Merciful.”
فَأَمَّا الَّذِينَ آمَنُوا بِاللَّهِ وَاعْتَصَمُوا بِهِ فَسَيُدْخِلُهُمْ فِي رَحْمَةٍ مِنْهُ وَفَضْلٍ وَيَهْدِيهِمْ إِلَيْهِ صِرَاطًا مُسْتَقِيمًا.
“Then as for those who believe in Allah and hold fast by Him, He will cause them to enter into His mercy and grace and guide them to Himself on a right path. 4:175”
فَقَدْ جَاءَكُمْ بَيِّنَةٌ مِنْ رَبِّكُمْ وَهُدًى وَرَحْمَةٌ...
“So indeed there has come to you clear proof from your Lord, and guidance and mercy. 6:157”
وَلَقَدْ جِئْنَاهُمْ بِكِتَابٍ فَصَّلْنَاهُ عَلَى عِلْمٍ هُدًى وَرَحْمَةً لِقَوْمٍ يُؤْمِنُونَ.
“And certainly We have brought them a Book which We have made clear with knowledge, a guidance and a mercy for a people who believe. 7:52”
وَلَا تُفْسِدُوا فِي الْأَرْضِ بَعْدَ إِصْلَاحِهَا وَادْعُوهُ خَوْفًا وَطَمَعًا إِنَّ رَحْمَةَ اللَّهِ قَرِيبٌ مِنْ الْمُحْسِنِينَ.
“And do not make mischief in the earth after its reformation, and call on Him fearing and hoping; surely the mercy of Allah is nigh to those who do good to others. 7:56”
قُلْ إِنَّمَا أَتَّبِعُ مَا يُوحَى إِلَيَّ مِنْ رَبِّي هَذَا بَصَائِرُ مِنْ رَبِّكُمْ وَهُدًى وَرَحْمَةٌ لِقَوْمٍ يُؤْمِنُونَ.
“Say: I only follow what is revealed to me from my Lord; these are clear proofs from your Lord and a guidance and a mercy for a people who believe. 7:203”
الَّذِينَ آمَنُوا وَهَاجَرُوا وَجَاهَدُوا فِي سَبِيلِ اللَّهِ بِأَمْوَالِهِمْ وَأَنفُسِهِمْ أَعْظَمُ دَرَجَةً عِنْدَ اللَّهِ وَأُوْلَئِكَ هُمْ الْفَائِزُونَ يُبَشِّرُهُمْ رَبُّهُمْ بِرَحْمَةٍ مِنْهُ وَرِضْوَانٍ وَجَنَّاتٍ لَهُمْ فِيهَا نَعِيمٌ مُقِيمٌ خَالِدِينَ فِيهَا أَبَدًا إِنَّ اللَّهَ عِنْدَهُ أَجْرٌ عَظِيمٌ.
“Those who believed and fled their homes, and strove hard in Allah's way with their property and their souls, are much higher in rank with Allah; and those are they who are the achievers of their objects. Their Lord gives them good news of mercy from Himself and His good pleasure and gardens, wherein Lasting blessings shall be theirs. Abiding therein for ever; surely Allah has a Mighty reward with Him. 9:20-22”
يَا أَيُّهَا النَّاسُ قَدْ جَاءَتْكُمْ مَوْعِظَةٌ مِنْ رَبِّكُمْ وَشِفَاءٌ لِمَا فِي الصُّدُورِ وَهُدًى وَرَحْمَةٌ لِلْمُؤْمِنِينَ قُلْ بِفَضْلِ اللَّهِ وَبِرَحْمَتِهِ فَبِذَلِكَ فَلْيَفْرَحُوا هُوَ خَيْرٌ مِمَّا يَجْمَعُونَ.
“O men! There has come to you indeed an admonition from your Lord and a healing for what is in the breasts and a guidance and a mercy for the believers. Say: In the grace of Allah and in His mercy-in that they should rejoice; it is better than that which they gather. 10:57-58”
وَنَزَّلْنَا عَلَيْكَ الْكِتَابَ تِبْيَانًا لِكُلِّ شَيْءٍ وَهُدًى وَرَحْمَةً وَبُشْرَى لِلْمُسْلِمِينَ.
“We have revealed the Book to you explaining clearly everything, and a guidance and mercy and good news for those who submit. 16:89”
فَلَوْلَا فَضْلُ اللَّهِ عَلَيْكُمْ وَرَحْمَتُهُ لَكُنتُمْ مِنْ الْخَاسِرِينَ.
“So were it not for the grace of Allah and His mercy on you, you would certainly have been among the Losers. 2:64”
وَلَوْلَا فَضْلُ اللَّهِ عَلَيْكُمْ وَرَحْمَتُهُ لَاتَّبَعْتُمْ الشَّيْطَانَ إِلَّا قَلِيلًا.
“And were it not for the grace of Allah upon you and His mercy, you would have certainly followed the Shaitan save a few. 4:83”
فَأَمَّا الَّذِينَ آمَنُوا وَعَمِلُوا الصَّالِحَاتِ فَيُدْخِلُهُمْ رَبُّهُمْ فِي رَحْمَتِهِ ذَلِكَ هُوَ الْفَوْزُ الْمُبِينُ.
“Then as to those who believed and did good, their Lord will make them enter into His mercy; that is the manifest achievement. 45:30”
The generous Prophet(s) of Islam in all phases of his life was a true guide and torch towards humanity and good deeds.
That unique person, through the Holy Quran, showed to man every program for engaging in good deeds. He translated the meaning of blessing and good deeds through his deeds, actions, ethical values and eloquent speeches.
One can not achieve any blessing either here or in the Hereafter without the help of that great Prophet(s).
Prior to his Prophethood, the world people were unaware of the meaning of blessing and good deeds. What they considered a blessing was in fact a mischief. That burning torch of guidance, i.e., Mohammad(s), taught people the true meaning of blessing. He invited all people to equip themselves with blessings at all phases of their lives.
The life-giving instructions of the Prophet of Islam(s) were a light which glimmered in the dark life of humanity.
The vigilance of the east was due to his Prophethood and the world civilization has a deep root in his Prophethood.
It is necessary for us, now, to delve into the issue of blessing in the verses of the Holy Quran as well as in the narrations handed down to us so that we get better acquainted with the meaning of blessing which was put forth by the great prophet(s) of Islam.
The Issue of Blessing in the Holy Quran
The Holy Quran considers as a blessing anything which is to the benefit of man, family and society and ultimately leads to the right reward in the hereafter.
وَلَوْ أَنَّهُمْ آمَنُوا وَاتَّقَوْا لَمَثُوبَةٌ مِنْ عِنْدِ اللَّهِ خَيْرٌ لَوْ كَانُوا يَعْلَمُونَ.
“And if they had believed and guarded themselves against evil, reward from Allah would certainly have been better; had they but known this. 2:103”
In this sacred verse, the Holy Quran considers faith and piety as two sources of blessing. This blessing manifests itself as an eternal reward for those who are faithful to Allah. In this sacred verse the presence of faith in a way is interpreted as his prosperity and lack of it is regarded as man's calamity.
It is the faith and piety which leads to one's mental health. It will cause a man's welfare and prosperity. And by faith is meant love towards truth and belief in the resurrection. Piety will stop a man from getting involved in wrong doing.
وَأَقِيمُوا الصَّلَاةَ وَآتُوا الزَّكَاةَ وَمَا تُقَدِّمُوا لِأَنفُسِكُمْ مِنْ خَيْرٍ تَجِدُوهُ عِنْدَ اللَّهِ إِنَّ اللَّهَ بِمَا تَعْمَلُونَ بَصِيرٌ.
“And keep up prayer and pay the poor-rate and whatever good you send before for yourselves, you shall find it with Allah; surely Allah sees what you do. 2:110”
وَأَنْ تَصُومُوا خَيْرٌ لَكُمْ إِنْ كُنتُمْ تَعْلَمُونَ.
“And that you fast is better for you if you know. 2:184”
In this sacred verse the important issue of fasting is brought out and is considered a source of blessing for man.
وَتَزَوَّدُوا فَإِنَّ خَيْرَ الزَّادِ التَّقْوَى وَاتَّقُونِي يَا أُوْلِي الْأَلْبَابِ.
“And make provision, for surely the provision is the guarding of oneself, and be careful of your duty to Me, o men of understanding. 2:197”
يَسْأَلُونَكَ عَنْ الْيَتَامَى قُلْ إِصْلَاحٌ لَهُمْ خَيْرٌ وَإِنْ تُخَالِطُوهُمْ فَإِخْوَانُكُمْ.
“And they ask you concerning the orphans, say: to set right for them their affairs is good, and if you become co-partners with them, they are your brethren. 2:220”
قَوْلٌ مَعْرُوفٌ وَمَغْفِرَةٌ خَيْرٌ مِنْ صَدَقَةٍ يَتْبَعُهَا أَذًى وَاللَّهُ غَنِيٌّ حَلِيمٌ.
“Kind speech and forgiveness is better than charity followed by injury; and Allah is Self-sufficient, Forbearing. 2:263”
إِنْ تُبْدُوا الصَّدَقَاتِ فَنِعِمَّا هِيَ وَإِنْ تُخْفُوهَا وَتُؤْتُوهَا الْفُقَرَاءَ فَهُوَ خَيْرٌ لَكُمْ ...
“If you give alms openly, it is well, and if you hide it and give it to the poor, it is better for you. 2:271”
To dispense with money and to help the needy and to assist the honorable ones are considered of high value in the Holy Quran.
يَوْمَ تَجِدُ كُلُّ نَفْسٍ مَا عَمِلَتْ مِنْ خَيْرٍ مُحْضَرًا ...
“On the day that every soul shall find present what it has done of good and what it had done of evil. 3:30”
وَلْتَكُنْ مِنْكُمْ أُمَّةٌ يَدْعُونَ إِلَى الْخَيْرِ وَيَأْمُرُونَ بِالْمَعْرُوفِ وَيَنْهَوْنَ عَنْ الْمُنْكَرِ وَأُوْلَئِكَ هُمْ الْمُفْلِحُونَ.
“And from among you there should be a party who invite to good and enjoin what is right and forbid the wrong, and these it is that shall be successful. 3:104”
وَمَا يَفْعَلُوا مِنْ خَيْرٍ فَلَنْ يُكْفَرُوهُ وَاللَّهُ عَلِيمٌ بِالْمُتَّقِينَ.
“And whatever good they do, they shall not be denied it, and Allah knows those who guard against evil. 3:115”
وَأَنْ تَصْبِرُوا خَيْرٌ لَكُمْ وَاللَّهُ غَفُورٌ رَحِيمٌ.
“And that you abstain is better for you, and Allah is forgiving, Merciful. 4:25”
يَا أَيُّهَا الَّذِينَ آمَنُوا أَطِيعُوا اللَّهَ وَأَطِيعُوا الرَّسُولَ وَأُوْلِي الْأَمْرِ مِنْكُمْ فَإِنْ تَنَازَعْتُمْ فِي شَيْءٍ فَرُدُّوهُ إِلَى اللَّهِ وَالرَّسُولِ إِنْ كُنتُمْ تُؤْمِنُونَ بِاللَّهِ وَالْيَوْمِ الْآخِرِ ذَلِكَ خَيْرٌ وَأَحْسَنُ تَأْوِيلًا.
“O you who believe! Obey Allah and obey the Apostle and those in authority from among you; then if you quarrel about anything, refer it to Allah and the Apostle, if you believe in Allah and the Last day; this is better and very good in the end. 4:59”
What is better in this world than obeying Allah and His Apostle? In solving our feuds or quarrels there is no judgment better than that of Allah's or His Apostle's.
If the nations had gone through the conditions that are stipulated in the above sacred verse, they would never have met with calamities that they are faced with now.
قُلْ مَتَاعُ الدُّنْيَا قَلِيلٌ وَالْآخِرَةُ خَيْرٌ لِمَنْ اتَّقَى.
“Say: the provision of this world is short, and the hereafter is better for him who guards against evil. 4:77”
وَلِبَاسُ التَّقْوَى ذَلِكَ خَيْرٌ.
“(We have sent down to you) Clothing that guards against evil; that is the best. 7:26”
وَإِلَى مَدْيَنَ أَخَاهُمْ شُعَيْبًا قَالَ يَا قَوْمِ اعْبُدُوا اللَّهَ مَا لَكُمْ مِنْ إِلَهٍ غَيْرُهُ قَدْ جَاءَتْكُمْ بَيِّنَةٌ مِنْ رَبِّكُمْ فَأَوْفُوا الْكَيْلَ وَالْمِيزَانَ وَلَا تَبْخَسُوا النَّاسَ أَشْيَاءَهُمْ وَلَا تُفْسِدُوا فِي الْأَرْضِ بَعْدَ إِصْلَاحِهَا ذَلِكُمْ خَيْرٌ لَكُمْ إِنْ كُنتُمْ مُؤْمِنِينَ.
“And to Madyan We sent their brother Shu'aib. He said: O my people! Serve Allah, you have no god other than Him; clear proof indeed has come to you from your Lord, therefore give full measure and weight and do not diminish to men their things, and do not make mischief in the land after its reform; this is better for you if you are believers. 7:85”
فَإِنْ تُبْتُمْ فَهُوَ خَيْرٌ لَكُمْ.
“Therefore if you repent, it will be better for you. 9:3”
انفِرُوا خِفَافًا وَثِقَالًا وَجَاهِدُوا بِأَمْوَالِكُمْ وَأَنفُسِكُمْ فِي سَبِيلِ اللَّهِ ذَلِكُمْ خَيْرٌ لَكُمْ إِنْ كُنتُمْ تَعْلَمُونَ.
“Go forth light and heavy, and strive hard in Allah's way with your property and your persons; this is better for you, if you know. 9:41”
وَإِلَى مَدْيَنَ أَخَاهُمْ شُعَيْبًا قَالَ يَا قَوْمِ اعْبُدُوا اللَّهَ مَا لَكُمْ مِنْ إِلَهٍ غَيْرُهُ وَلَا تَنقُصُوا الْمِكْيَالَ وَالْمِيزَانَ إِنِّي أَرَاكُمْ بِخَيْرٍ وَإِنِّي أَخَافُ عَلَيْكُمْ عَذَابَ يَوْمٍ مُحِيطٍ.
“And to Madyan We sent their brother Shu'aib. He said: O my people! Serve Allah, you have no god other than Him, and do not give short measure and weight: surely I see you in prosperity and surely I fear for you the punishment of an all-encompassing day. 11:84”
بَقِيَّةُ اللَّهِ خَيْرٌ لَكُمْ إِنْ كُنتُمْ مُؤْمِنِينَ.
“What remains with Allah is better for you if you are believers. 11:86”
وَلَأَجْرُ الْآخِرَةِ خَيْرٌ لِلَّذِينَ آمَنُوا وَكَانُوا يَتَّقُونَ.
“And certainly the reward of the hereafter is much better for those who believe and guard against evil. 11:86”
Although faith and piety are usually accompanied by all sorts of hardships, they are ultimately to the benefit of man. This is because, based on the Holy Quran and the Islamic supreme knowledge, the only way for man's salvage both here and in hereafter, is the way of piety and faith.
وَقِيلَ لِلَّذِينَ اتَّقَوْا مَاذَا أَنْزَلَ رَبُّكُمْ قَالُوا خَيْرًا لِلَّذِينَ أَحْسَنُوا فِي هَذِهِ الدُّنْيَا حَسَنَةٌ وَلَدَارُ الْآخِرَةِ خَيْرٌ وَلَنِعْمَ دَارُ الْمُتَّقِينَ.
“And it is said to those who guard against evil: What is it that your Lord has revealed? They say: Good for those who do good in this world is good and certainly the abode of the hereafter is better; and certainly most excellent is the abode of those who guard against evil. 16:30”
وَأَوْفُوا الْكَيْلَ إِذَا كِلْتُمْ وَزِنُوا بِالْقِسْطَاسِ الْمُسْتَقِيمِ ذَلِكَ خَيْرٌ وَأَحْسَنُ تَأْوِيلًا.
“And give full measure when you measure out, and weigh with a true balance; this is fair and better in the end. 17:35”
الْمَالُ وَالْبَنُونَ زِينَةُ الْحَيَاةِ الدُّنْيَا وَالْبَاقِيَاتُ الصَّالِحَاتُ خَيْرٌ عِنْدَ رَبِّكَ ثَوَابًا وَخَيْرٌ أَمَلًا.
“Wealth and children are an adornment of the life of this world; and the ever-abiding, the good works, are better with your Lord in reward and better in expectation. 18:46”
وَلَا تَمُدَّنَّ عَيْنَيْكَ إِلَى مَا مَتَّعْنَا بِهِ أَزْوَاجًا مِنْهُمْ زَهْرَةَ الْحَيَاةِ الدُّنيَا لِنَفْتِنَهُمْ فِيهِ وَرِزْقُ رَبِّكَ خَيْرٌ وَأَبْقَى.
“And do not stretch you 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 you Lord is better and more abiding. 20:131”
ذَلِكَ وَمَنْ يُعَظِّمْ حُرُمَاتِ اللَّهِ فَهُوَ خَيْرٌ لَهُ عِنْدَ رَبِّهِ.
“That shall be so; and whoever respects the sacred ordinances of Allah, it is better for him with his Lord. 22:30”
يَا أَيُّهَا الَّذِينَ آمَنُوا لَا تَدْخُلُوا بُيُوتًا غَيْرَ بُيُوتِكُمْ حَتَّى تَسْتَأْنِسُوا وَتُسَلِّمُوا عَلَى أَهْلِهَا ذَلِكُمْ خَيْرٌ لَكُمْ لَعَلَّكُمْ تَذَكَّرُونَ.
“O you who believe! Do not enter houses other than your own houses until you have asked permission and saluted their inmates; this is better for you, that you may be mindful. 24:27”
فَلَمَّا جَاءَ سُلَيْمَانَ قَالَ أَتُمِدُّونَنِي بِمَالٍ فَمَا آتَانِي اللَّهُ خَيْرٌ مِمَّا آتَاكُمْ بَلْ أَنْتُمْ بِهَدِيَّتِكُمْ تَفْرَحُونَ.
“So when he came to Sulaiman, he said: what! Will you help me with wealth? But what Allah has given me is better than what He has given you. Nay, you are exultant because of your present. 27:36”
وَمَا أُوتِيتُمْ مِنْ شَيْءٍ فَمَتَاعُ الْحَيَاةِ الدُّنْيَا وَزِينَتُهَا وَمَا عِنْدَ اللَّهِ خَيْرٌ وَأَبْقَى أَفَلَا تَعْقِلُونَ.
“And whatever things you have been given are only a provision of this world's life and its adornment, and whatever is with Allah is better and more lasting; do you not then understand? 28:60”
وَقَالَ الَّذِينَ أُوتُوا الْعِلْمَ وَيْلَكُمْ ثَوَابُ اللَّهِ خَيْرٌ لِمَنْ آمَنَ وَعَمِلَ صَالِحًا وَلَا يُلَقَّاهَا إِلَّا الصَّابِرُونَ.
“And those who were given the knowledge said: Woe to you! Allah's reward is better for Him who believes and does good, and none is made to receive this except the patient. 28:80”
يَا أَيُّهَا الَّذِينَ آمَنُوا هَلْ أَدُلُّكُمْ عَلَى تِجَارَةٍ تُنجِيكُمْ مِنْ عَذَابٍ أَلِيمٍ تُؤْمِنُونَ بِاللَّهِ وَرَسُولِهِ وَتُجَاهِدُونَ فِي سَبِيلِ اللَّهِ بِأَمْوَالِكُمْ وَأَنفُسِكُمْ ذَلِكُمْ خَيْرٌ لَكُمْ إِنْ كُنتُمْ تَعْلَمُونَ.
“O you who believe! Shall I lead you to a merchandise which may deliver you from a painful chastisement? 61:10-11”
قُلْ مَا عِنْدَ اللَّهِ خَيْرٌ مِنْ اللَّهْوِ وَمِنْ التِّجَارَةِ وَاللَّهُ خَيْرُ الرَّازِقِينَ.
“Say: what is with Allah is better than sport and better than merchandise, and Allah is the best Sustainers. 62:11”
فَاقْرَءُوا مَا تَيَسَّرَ مِنْهُ وَأَقِيمُوا الصَّلَاةَ وَآتُوا الزَّكَاةَ وَأَقْرِضُوا اللَّهَ قَرْضًا حَسَنًا وَمَا تُقَدِّمُوا لِأَنْفُسِكُمْ مِنْ خَيْرٍ تَجِدُوهُ عِنْدَ اللَّهِ هُوَ خَيْرًا وَأَعْظَمَ أَجْرًا وَاسْتَغْفِرُوا اللَّهَ إِنَّ اللَّهَ غَفُورٌ رَحِيمٌ.
“Therefore read as much of it as is easy to you, and keep up prayer and pay the poor-rate and offer to Allah a goodly gift, and whatever of good you send on before-hand for yourselves, you will find it with Allah; that is best and greatest in reward; and ask forgiveness of Allah; surely Allah is Forgiving, Merciful. 73:20”
يُؤْتِي الْحِكْمَةَ مَنْ يَشَاءُ وَمَنْ يُؤْتَ الْحِكْمَةَ فَقَدْ أُوتِيَ خَيْرًا كَثِيرًا.
“He grants wisdom to whom He pleases, and whoever is granted wisdom, he indeed is given a great good. 2:269”
وَلَوْ آمَنَ أَهْلُ الْكِتَابِ لَكَانَ خَيْرًا لَهُمْ.
“And if the followers of the Book had believed it would have been better for them. 3:110”
وَلَوْ أَنَّهُمْ فَعَلُوا مَا يُوعَظُونَ بِهِ لَكَانَ خَيْرًا لَهُمْ وَأَشَدَّ تَثْبِيتًا.
“And if they had done what they were admonished, it would have certainly been better for them and best in strengthening them. 4:66”
يَا أَيُّهَا النَّاسُ قَدْ جَاءَكُمْ الرَّسُولُ بِالْحَقِّ مِنْ رَبِّكُمْ فَآمِنُوا خَيْرًا لَكُمْ.
“O people! Surely the Apostle has come to you with the truth from your Lord, therefore believe, it shall be good for you. 4:170”
طَاعَةٌ وَقَوْلٌ مَعْرُوفٌ فَإِذَا عَزَمَ الْأَمْرُ فَلَوْ صَدَقُوا اللَّهَ لَكَانَ خَيْرًا لَهُمْ.
“Obedience and a gentle word was proper; but when the affair become settled, then if they remain true to Allah it would certainly be better for them. 47:21”
فَاتَّقُوا اللَّهَ مَا اسْتَطَعْتُمْ وَاسْمَعُوا وَأَطِيعُوا وَأَنفِقُوا خَيْرًا لِأَنْفُسِكُمْ.
“Therefore be careful of your duty to Allah as much as you can, and hear and obey and spend, it is better for your souls. 64:16”
فَمَنْ يَعْمَلْ مِثْقَالَ ذَرَّةٍ خَيْرًا يَرَه.
“So, he who has done an atom's weight of good shall see it. 99:7”
The pre-Islamic world was a world inflicted by injustice and was void of divine truth.
The Prophet's mission and a burning torch such as the Holy Quran which he had to guide the nations of the world with brought about drastic changes in all aspects of human's life.
The wisdoms had stopped working, the Prophet(s) enlivened them. Man's knowledge was restricted to certain boundaries, he widened those borders. Man was unaware of the divine world, he made him aware of such a world. The acquisition of knowledge was the prerogative of a selected few, he widened the scope of its acquisition. The very bases of civilization were shaking, he founded a civilization in which our modern civilization has its roots. The ways to progress were shown and depicted by him and his successors, i.e., the Imams(s).
The Moslems, thanks to his very existence, achieved the highest points of progress and development. There arose among them some great scholars in all branches of science. They set out some great libraries and for this, all nations are indebted to them.
One of the famous European scientist, Called Lepry, writes, “If the names of Islam and Moslems had been deleted from the history of the world, the European Renaisance would have lagged behind for centuries.”
In his book called “the History of the Islamic civilization”, Gustav Le Bon writes, “During the ninth and tenth centuries AD, i.e., at the time when the Islamic civilization had reached its peak of success in Andelos, the so-called European scientic centers included some clumsy castles in which our European ancestors used to live a semi-nomadic life and took pride in not being able to read or write. Among them the most learned ones were the ignorant monks who wasted their time in digging for the ancient Greek or Roman books in order to engrave their letters on the animal skins and to write their nonsense words on them.
This nomadic state remained with the Europeans for a long time. There was a little degree of vigilance among the European people towards the end of the twelfth century but this was due to some connections which had taken place with the Moslems.”
Gostav Le Bon, then, continues, “In the year 1130 AD, there was founded a translation house at a place called Tolaitaleh in Europe by the Bishop Rimond. They translated the Arabic books into Latin. These translations had a tremendous impact over Europeans who became able to observe new horizons in science.
In this translation house both the books of Mohammad Zakarya Razi and those of Ave Sina, Ibn Roshd of Andelos, who were among the Islamic scholars, were translated into latin. Above all, the works of Galenus, De'mocrite, Plato, Aristotle, Euclide, Archimede, and Claudius, which had been previously rendered into Arabic from Greek, were translated from Arabic into Latin.”
In his book called, “The History of Medicine,” Dr Le Kirk, after having mentioned the names of more than three hundred famous Arabic books which had been translated into latin, writes:
“The knowledge we have of the Greek sciences in the Middle Ages were through these translations. Through these translations we were able to get hold of the ancient Greek books. This could not have been done through the monks who were even ignorant of the name of Greece. Thus, all the nations of the world should be appreciative and indebted to the Moslems who have done a great service to the world knowledge and have done a lot to keep this treasure out of hazards.”
Regarding the degree of the thought deterioration and degeneration of the European nations, Gustav Le Bon writes, “In 999 AD, Gerbert carried out some studies and got to the position of the pope under the name of Sylvester. But when he wanted to spread his knowledge in Europe people thought his ideas were unnatural and accused him of having been driven out of the Jesus circle. They thought Shaitan had possessed his soul.”
This French Scholar continues to report. “Up to the fifteenth century a narration did not have any significance unless it was takn out of the Moslem Scholars' works.” Then he adds, “George Bacon, Leonardo de piez, Arnovilano, Rimond Lul, Saint Thomas, Albert the Great, Alfonse the tenth, all of these were either direct students to the Moslem Scholars or they were the narrators of their ideas.”
Monsieur Renant writes. “What Albert the Great (Whose researches had a tremendous effects on the thoughts of the Europeans) possessed was due to Ave Sina, the Great scholar of the Moslem world. All the philosophical ideas of Saint Thomas were adopted from the philosophy of Ibn Roshd of Andelos, the great scientist of the world of Islam. All the European colleges were based on the Islamic books for five hundred years. In some branches of science, notable in medicine, the views of the Moslem physicians are still valid. Up to the end of the 19th century, Ave Sina's books were used in France and there were some commentaries written on them.
Since the beginning of the thirteenth century, the philosophy of Ibn Roshd of Andelos was taught in the European schools. When in 1473 AD, Lewis, the eleventh, issued the order for general education, he ordered for the Ibn Roshd's philosophical books to be taught. In the Italian universities, especially at the Pad u university, the influence of the Islamic sciences was not less than that in other parts of Europe.”
Gustav Le Bon continues to write, “Our European ancestors gradually dispensed with their barbaric mannerisms through their relations with Moslems and learned from Moslems such human traits as mercy, Love towards wives and children and loyalty towards one's promises.”
During the Crusades, the Europeans proved to be ways behind the Moslems in human traits.
Saint Barthe'lemy in his book called “Quran”, writes: Through their relations with the Arabs and Moslems, our European nobility put aside their vicious customs and manners and rectified them through their imitation of the Moslems in the Middle Ages. Those proper mannerisms now active in Europe were adopted from the Moslems. The Islamic civilization had a tremendous impact on the world; as a result, the nomadic European tribes adopted human traits. The Moslems opened up the gates of sciences and philosophy to the European nations who were entirely illiterate and ignorant. Moslems had been our masters for six hundred years.
The same crusades made the Europeans leave their viscious mannerisms and nomadic of the Renaissance which was the direct result of the propagation of the Islamic knowledge and sciences and literature at the European colleges.
At the end of his book, Gustave Le Bon summarizes his discussions by writing, “Firstly, we should be aware that no nation in the world could ever excel the Islamic civilization. Secondly, the advancement the Moslems got was impossible for other nations. This was because Moslems had a great progressive religion which is still the most lively religion in the world. One of the prerogatives of the Moslems was the training of the European scholars.”[30]
Mrs Dr Ziggrid Hunkeh has written a three-volume book called “The Islamic culture in Europe”, which is translated into Persian by Morteza Rohbani. Ziggrid in the introduction of this book writes, “This book intends to express a long-delayed thankfullness and appreciation which we owe to the Moslems.”
Dr Ziggrid, through her elaborate research, has proved that the whole world owes their progress and advancement of sciences to the Moslems, the Islam whose founder was the honorable Mohammad(s).
Let us believe that nobody, except God, is ever able to describe the generosities of the sacred being, called Mohammad(s).
[1] The collection of Worram, Vol.2, P 90.
[2] Adab Al-Nafs, P58.
[3] Al-Mawe'z Al-Adiden, P 122.
[4] Al-Mawae'z Al-Adidah, P 208.
[5] Majma'ol Bayan, Vol 4, P 403.
[6] Masnad Ahmad, Vol 5, P 266.
[7] Nahjobalaqa, Sermon 221.
[8] The edition of this section coincided with the demise of Ayatollah Imam Khomeini(s), the leader of the Islamic Revolution of Iran, when all the world mourned for him. This writer took part in that enormous procession, mourning for his death. I took part in those rituals, being highly depressed.
[9] Al-Mava'ez Al-A'didah, P 67.
[10] Mava'ez, P 276.
[11] The First Sermon.
[12] Sermon 2.
[13] Sermon 33.
[14] Sermon 93.
[15] Sermon 94.
[16] Sermon 95.
[17] Sermon 103.
[18] Sermon 104.
[19] Sermon 105.
[20] Sermon 115.
[21] Sermon 157.
[22] Sermon 159.
[23] Sermon 160.
[24] Sermon 172.
[25] Sermon 172.
[26] Sermon 204.
[27] Tohid, Saduq, P 416.
[28] Javame' Hadith.
[29] Nahjolbalaqa, Sermon 166.
[30] "The Islamic Ideology and cultare from jule La Boom's Perspective." P 345.
source : THE LAND OF THE LOVERS An Exposition on Imam Zainol Abedin’s Sahifeh Sajjadieh VOLUME 1 BY Shaykh Husayn Ansariyan
