Islamic Morals

Peace and Tranquillity Under the Shade of Worship

The clamour of the material world has spread so much that its lustre has invited the attraction of everybody who is careless about God. It has deviated men both physically and mentally and turned them into its slaves. As a result of forgetting God, and of excessive attention to matter, makes man's heart gradually black and unclean. It makes his spiritual like hard and dark.

In this condition man becomes motiveless and a felling which is futile turns his entire life foolishly futile. In such circumstances the only thing that can provide peace and relieve man from worries, fears and enhances his attention toward Allah and for an intimate talk with Him through heart. When this talk worship takes place in isolation and away from public attention it gives more joy to man. As the Holy Quran says about the midnight prayer:

And during a part of the night, pray Tahajjud beyond what is incumbent on you; maybe your Lord will raise you to a position of great glory. Also in the beginning of Islam the Holy Prophet (s.a.w.s.) nourished the souls of Muslims who action as per the said schedule involving spirit and raised their personalities to such a high position that as if they were no more the earlier fellows. In other words, he created new men in a new form with a new essence who became unwavering, courageous, faithful, pious and honest and…

And perhaps, the glorious position mentioned in the above quoted verse is perhaps, in the same meaning s described above, though some narrations say it means shaft or intercession. Also it is quite like that Muqaame Mehmood the glorious position in extreme nearness the Allah as has been said by the Holy Prophet (s.a.w.s.) in a hadith that: I have a status in relation to God which neither the nearest angel nor any Prophet can ever endure.

Worship raises man to a position wherein his hands and eyes and tongue become divine. In a hadith related from Imam Baqir (a.s.) it is mentioned:

The Lord Almighty has said: None of My slaves ever nears Me so much that I love him but though deeds I have made obligatory for him and surely my slave comes so near to Me through voluntary good deeds that I befriend him and when I this happens I become an ear for him by which he hears and an eye by which he sees and a tongue by which he talks and a hand by which he attacks and when he calls Me, I answer and if he request from Me, I grant.

Under the effect of worship and prayer man gets such a rise that, as said in the Holy Quran: Only they believe in Our communications who, when they are reminded of them, fall down making obeisance and celebrate the praise of their Lord, and they are not proud. Their sides draw away from their beds, they call upon their Lord in fear and in hope, and they spend benevolently out of what We have given them. So no soul knows what is hidden for them of that which will refresh the eyes; a reward for what they did. Is he then who is a believer like him who is a transgressor? They are not equal. As for those who believe and do good, the gardens are their abiding-place; an entertainment for what they did.

Some Points Regarding Worship

Worship is not limited to chantings and recitations but obeying all the orders of Allah revealed to His Messenger, be they compulsory or non-obligatory, is considered worship. Rather, according to some of the narrations, the most worshipping and the best worshippers and those who perform their duties which are obligatory.

Ali bin Husain (a.s.) said: The greatest worshipper is he who carries out his obligations.

Also it is recorded from the Holy Prophet (s.a.w.s.) Do whatever Allah has made obligatory for you so that you may be among the most pious. Imam Sajjad (a.s.) says in this connection: Whoever carries out the obligatory deeds is the best among people.

Hence, on the basis of this, we should not cheat ourselves and should not give up what has been made obligatory for us like jihad, ordering the good and stopping the evil… and should not keep ourselves busy in merely some sorts of recitations and chantings and prayers. We must realise that the fundamental base religion is based on fulfilment of duties obligations and on refraining from the impermissible. Performing voluntary good deeds and giving up the undesirable things is like beautifying religion. Beautification can be carried out when the foundation is sound.

Man must not do anything which may make him tired of worship. Rather he must adopt the middle path so that he may continue to worship with ease and with happiness. It is reported that the Holy Prophet (s.a.w.s.) has said: Truly this religion is both sound and dignified. So enter it in a gentle manner and do not impose Gods worship with aversion so that it may not be like over burdened rider who is unable either to travel or to ride his horse stops in the way due to over speed in riding.

It has also been reported from Imam Sadiq (a.s.): Do not consider worship or prayer distasteful and forcible.

It is often observed that clean hearted youths of our society with profound love for Allah give up all the tasteful things of their lives and turn toward centres of worship or toward social service but with scant attention to the revolutionary spirit. But due to absence of correct programme and as a result of not having followed the orders of the sinless Imams (a.s.) develop such a delusion in themselves that they show a sort of non-commitment to the Islamic issues.

Let us try to have endurance and continuity in our worship. It should not be that we worship once so much as to become tired. It is recorded from Ali bin Husain (a.s.): I like a deed that continues even if it is little.

Also Imam Baqir (a.s.) has said: Nothing is more dearer to Allah than a continuous good deed.

Man must take care to ensure that while worshipping he does not develop self-conceit This matter has been discussed at page_____ of this books volume one because no matter how much he prays or worships he is unable to do enough regarding even a single divine bounty. Hazrat Moosa bin Ja'far (a.s.) is reported to have said this to some of his sons: O my child! Remember that you should make effort and endeavour but not to kill yourself for a shortcoming in prayer or worship because then it is no proper worship as it should be.

When man intends to do a good deed he must make haste in doing it. In this connection Quran says: And hasten to forgiveness from your Lord. It also says: And everyone has a direction to which he should turn, therefore hasten to do good works.

And it is recorded from Imam Sadiq (a.s.) that his father said, When you intend to do a good deed make haste to perform it as you do not knew what would happen thereafter, that is incidents may hinder it.

Also the Holy Prophet (s.a.w.s.) has said: Truly Allah likes a good deed which is done hastily.

We must know that the condition for the acceptance of all good deeds is faith and Wilayat. Hence the Holy Quran says: Therefore whoever shall do of good deeds and he is a believer, there shall be no denying of his exertion, and surely We will write It down for him. And so also: And whoever desires the hereafter and strives for it as he ought to strive and he is a believer; as for these, their striving shall surely be accepted.

There are many narrations stating that a man's efforts without Wilayat have no value. For example you can refer to the book p. 11, volume: 1.

Lesson: 45 : The Importance of Thinking

One of the principles of the Holy Quran is an invitation for thinking and pondering: pondering over the creation of God so as to follow the secrets of its creation, thinking about our conditions and deeds for doing our duty, contemplating in the history and life of earlier people so as to understand the Divine laws and commandments for the socials life of mankind.

In other words, in the schedule of Islam, so that the nature and intelligence of man may awake, an emphatic order has been given for thinking and contemplating. Islam has given much importance to this. Here we suffice to quote some verses and some narrations:

Verses

1- Do they not reflect within themselves: Allah did not create the heavens and the earth and what is between them two but with truth, and for an appointed term? And most surely most of the people are unbelievers of the meeting of their Lord.

2- Most surely in the creation of the heavens and the earth and the alternation of the night and the day there are signs for men who understand. Those who remember Allah standing and sitting and lying on their sides and reflect on the creation of the heavens and the earth: Our Lord! Thou has not created this in vain! Glory be to Thee; save us then from the chastisement of the fire.

Traditions

1- Imam Sadiq (a.s.) said:??? worship is pondering constantly about the Lord Almighty Allah and His Power.

2- Muammar says he heard from Imam Reza (a.s.): It is no worship to indulge more and more in praying and fasting Rather it is ponder over Almighty Allah's command.

3- Imam Sadiq (a.s.) has said: Most of the worship of Abu Zar was contemplating and taking admonition therefrom.

4- Again Imam Sadiq (a.s.) says: One hour's contemplation is better than worship of one year. Intelligent people are aware of this.

Some points regarding reason

The subject of reasoning is one of those subjects which have been mooted about the creation of this universe and the creation of man as we have seen in the above quoted ayats . This thing is pointed out in the following verse also: Most surely in the creation of the heavens and the earth and the alternation of the night and the day, and the ships that run in the sea with that which profits men, and the water that Allah sends down from the cloud, then gives life with it to the earth after its death and spreads in it all kinds of animals, and the changing of the winds and the clouds made subservient between the heaven and the earth, there are signs for a people who understand.

The Lord of the Universe has, in this verse, invited attention to some issues

The creation of the skies and the earth. Only in the galaxy which is a part of our solar system and which is considered to be one of the thousand of the galaxies in the outer space there are millions of bright suns and bright stars. Moreover, according to calculations of space experts, in between them there are millions of inhabitative planets with milliards of living things therein.

A- Outcome of the day and the night with a distinct regularity. B- Regular winds that blow over the surface of oceans perennially thereby making ships move. C- Order has been given to think over the life-giving and the blessed drops of rain. D- Reminds the reader of the winds that blow on earth besides oceans. E- The Quran orders us to ponder over the folded clouds over our head that move constantly and keep hanging against the law of gravity millions of tons of pure water and move in every direction.

Thinking about the Hereafter life after death.

Someone asked Imam Sadiq (a.s.) what is the reality behind saying that one hour of thought is better than one your of worship? He replied: So that man may look at his ruined houses and the abodes they have lost and take admonition from their end.

Man must also think about the powerful men who had oppressed people for a long time and take lesson from their fateful end. Indeed there have been examples before you; therefore travel in the earth and see what was the end of the rejecters. And also says the Holy Quran: So those are their houses fallen down because they were unjust, most surely there is a sign in this for a people who know.

Lesson: 46 : Love and eagerness for Allah

Hubb the root of Muhabbat means inclination toward a thing and being interested therein. Hubb is a branch of knowledge and familiarity. Familiarity or knowledge or acquaintance is gained sometimes through apparent senses and sometimes through the internal sight of the heart. The latter recognition is more impressive than the former.

Love for Allah means lifting up of the veil from the heart in such a way that whatever one looks at one finds therein the beauty of God. Rather he sees, through the inner eye, beyond the material or physical world.

Signs of love of Allah

A- The Holy Quran says: Say: If you love Allah, then follow me, Allah will love you and forgive you your faults, and Allah is Forgiving, Merciful. In the verse following, the Prophet (s.a.w.s.) is mentioned as a sign of love for Allah.

B- O you who believe! Whoever from among you turns back from his religion, then Allah will bring a people, He shall love them and they shall love Him, lowly before the believers, mighty against the unbelievers, they shall strive hard in Allah's way and shall not fear the censure of any censurer; this is Allah's Face, He gives it to whom He pleases, and Allah is Ample-giving, Knowing.

The above ayat describes some of the virtues of the lovers of God as given below:

A: Lowly and kind before the Faithful and hard, though and mighty against the enemies and the oppressors. B: Jihad in the way of Allah is permanently in their schedule. C: They never care for anyone's objection or opposition while carrying out the orders of Allah.

  1. Imam Sadiq (a.s.) is recorded to have said: One who sins does not love Allah. Then he recited the couplet: You disobey the Lord while making a show of love for Him? By your life! This is a strange thing! Were you true in loving Him you would have certainly obeyed Him because one follows whom one loves.

  2. Amirul Mo-mineen (a.s.) said: One who likes to know his position in the sight of God should check what is the position of the Lord in his sight? So, verily, Allah loves the one who gives preference to the Hereafter over this world. And Allah has no position in the eyes of the one who gives preference to the world over the Hereafter.

  3. Husain bin Saif says he heard Imam Sadiq (a.s.) saying: Man's faith in Allah does not become pure until God becomes dearer to him than his life, his father, his mother, his children, his wife, his wealth and all people.

  4. Imam Sadiq (a.s.) said: It was a part of revelation of Prophet Moosa (a.s.) O son of Imran! He told a lie who thinks that he loves Me and goes to sleep at night. Does he not know that every friend likes to retire with his friend? O son of Imran! I am aware of My friends. They become different at night, as if they have been uprooted from their place. Requital almost comes before their eyes. Then they address Me as if they see Me and they talk to Me from the near. O son of Imran! Seek from Me lowliness of your heart and of your body and of tears from your eyes in the darkness of night and call me. They really you will find He near you, answering.

How To earn love of Allah

A: Through the knowledge of finding out the eternal and everlasting Might of Allah. B: Cleansing the soul of worldly material attachments. C: Paying attention to the Holy favours of Almighty Allah. It should be remembered that the heart is like a vessel. If there is air in it water cannot remain therein. This fact is explained in narrations like this: God has not given two hearts to a man.

So long as our heart is attached to the worldly affairs there is no room for Almighty Lord. In the words of Imam Sadiq (a.s.): The human heart is the abode of the Lord. So do not let it to any other than God.

In conclusion, If in the course of life, when we have to adopt either God or the world, we give preference or priority to the world, then we should know that we do not love Allah. Not only this we become the subject mater of the verse: Say: If your fathers and your sons and your brethren and your mates and your kinsfolk and property which you have acquired, and the slackness of trade which you fear and dwellings which you like, are dearer to you than Allah and His Apostle and striving in His way, then wait till Allah brings about His command: and Allah does not guide the transgressing people.

D: Paying attention to the lives and manners of the Holy Imams (a.s.) and great men of religion. Since half of the worship of the innocent Imams (a.s.) was in the form of night prayers and this their talk with the Lord used to be in solitude and as, fortunately, these prayers have till today lasted for us, which we recite as supplications, we give here some of their phrases as a gift:

In the famous and popular Dua-e-Kumail we read: Then suppose, My Allah, my Master, my Protector and my Lord, that I am able to endure Your chastisement, how can I endure separation from You?

Imam Husain (a.s.) appeals in his Dua-e-Arafa: My Lord! It is you Whose kindness removed the kindness of all others from the heart of Your friends in such a way that they do not love anyone except You and seek shelter in none but You.

And also says: O you High! Who made the mouths of Your friends the sweetness of Your love till they cling to Your Court.

Imam Sajjad (a.s.), in his Munaajaat-e-Inkiliya, cries: By Thy Honour! And by Thy esteem! I love you so much that the sweetness of Your love is retained on my heart and I have habituated myself with its tidings. I consider it far from Your justice that You will close the door of Your mercy for one who considers himself Your friend.

In another supplication he says: My Lord! Make me one of those in whose hearts the tree of your love has born fruits and the fire of Your friendship is raging in the centres of their souls.

And at another place: My Lord! Make me one of the those who won Your nearness and selected your friendship and whom You made the admirers of Your vision and whom You made contented at Your decisions and to whom You gifted Your mercy and gave them Your pleasure and whom You prevented from being away from You.

The late Faiz, in Haqaiq, discussing love, quotes Amirul Mo-mineen (a.s.) that Almighty Allah has a distinct drink. When His friends taste it they become ecstatic and when they become intoxicated they become joyful and when they rejoice they become clean of swooning and clattering and when they become clean they melt and when they melt they become pure and when they become pure they become desirous and when they desire they find Allah and when they find Allah they join Him and when they join Him they find no distance between them and their beloved as we read in the supplication of mid-Shabaan: At the end of this discussion we should remember that among the ranks of love for Almighty Allah is the love for His religion and His Holy Prophet (s.a.w.s.) and the sinless Imams (a.s.). In a number of traditions it is said clearly that religion is nothing but love. Thereafter this verse is quoted: Say: If you love Allah, then follow me, Allah will love you.

What is desired through these traditions is that the spirit of the reality of religion is the same faith and love for Allah. That love and admiration which enlightens the entire being of man and affects each and every limb of his body. Its apparent lustre is obedience to the commands of Allah. In other words, it is the natural effect of love that attracts man towards the beloved and His pleasure. Of course, it is possible that, in cases of weak love, the radiance does not go beyond the heart. Truly such love does not deserve to be called love. A cardinal love positively joins the lover with the beloved and makes him endeavour in a fruitful manner.

The proof of this claim is clear, because, the love and liking of a person for something is surely because of the fact that he has found perfection and excellence in the latter. Man never lives and admires a thing which is mightless. Thus the love of man for God is because He is the fountainhead of all kinds of excellence and perfection. Doubtlessly all the schedules and programmes of such a Being are also perfect. In such circumstances how is it possible that one who loves perfection lags behind in fulfilling Divine orders. If he so lags behind, it shows that he lacks the knowledge of love and admiration. In this matter we also find several narrations:

One who dies when he is the friend of the progeny of the Holy Prophet (s.a.w.s.) leaves this world like a martyr and the one who dies while being the friend of the progeny of the Holy Prophet (s.a.w.s.) is pardoned, and know that one who dies with the friendship of the Aale Muhammad (s.a.w.s.) at his heart dies the death of a Mo-min Faithful and he also has left this world with the ultimate degree of faith.

Hence the Imams (a.s.) also have addressed their friends in this way:

Imam Baqir (a.s.) said: O Shias of the progeny of Muhammad! There is no kinship between us and God and we have no plea over God and nearness to God is not gained except by following the divine commandments. Our friendship will benefit only those who obey Allah. One who does not obey god will not get any benefit from our friendship.

Now that here ends the description of some virtues, which enable man to reach excellence our next discussion, will be regarding mean vices.

Lesson: 47 : Anger

The state of anger is one of the most dangerous states that overtake man and if he is unable to control himself in this condition he is likely to become almost a lunatic whereby he fails to check himself. Consequently he commits such serious deeds that can put him to a life long shamefulness and restlessness. Islamic traditions have censured this state of mind. We suffice here with the following few:

  1. Imam Sadiq (a.s.) said: Anger destroys the heart of a wise man.
  2. And he also said: One who is unable to control his anger also fails to maintain his wisdom.
  3. He is a so reported to have said: Anger is the key of every evil.
  4. Amirul Mo-mineen (a.s.) is reported to have said: Furious behaviour is a kind of madness because a furious man feels ashamed and if he does not become ashamed it shows that his madness has become deep rooted.
  5. Imam Baqir (a.s.) said: Verily an angry man does not become pleased until he enters fire.

That is, he does indecent works in a fit of anger. Sometimes he commits murder or puts false allegation on a faithful man thereby inviting Gods anger.

Perhaps that is why the Holy Prophet (s.a.w.s.) has said: Anger spoils faith just as vinegar spoils honey. It is likely that here the reader may be inclined to ask if anger is so much condemned in the philosophy of Islam then why at all God Almighty has created such an instinct in man's nature?

In reply it must be said that anger in itself, like all other natural instincts in their selves, like passion, desire, self-respect … is not only not condemned in Islam but is also considered desirable in some situations. But what has been censured in Islam is inability to control instincts one of which is also anger. So also the taking of undue benefit from conditions like being angry, for the sake of worldly affairs material things. Scholars of the science of morals also have expressed their view about anger. They have divided anger in three categories:

A: Tafreet in anger meaning the hearts being totally empty of the instinct of anger.

B: Ifraat in anger, meaning the instinct of anger is so intense it may deprive man of intelligence and religion. C: Etedall in anger means moderation wherein man is able to benefit from this power in appropriate situations when it becomes essential to become angry. So also he is able to control his anger when it is inappropriate to be angry. This is a desirable state concerning which Allah says to His Prophet (s.a.w.s.): O Prophet! strive hard against the unbelievers and the hypocrites and be unyielding to them.

And doubtlessly, harshness and unyieldingness are the signs of the faculty of anger. In another verse He says: and let not pity for them detain you in the matter of obedience to Allah, if you believe in Allah and the last day. Further regarding the attribute of the Holy Prophet (s.a.w.s.) says: Muhammad is the Apostle of Allah, and those with him are firm of heart against the unbelievers, compassionate among themselves…

And it is recorded from the Amirul Mo-mineen (a.s.): The Holy Prophet (s.a.w.s.) did not ever become angry for this world, and whenever he became angry for the sake of truth, he never recognised anyone and never slackened his anger until he helped him who was truthful. The Holy Prophet (s.a.w.s.) has also said: My best follower is the one who is furious for the sake of religion.

Summary: The reality of anger, the faculty that God has created in man's nature is very praiseworthy. But man must control himself so as not to get out of what is truth. Amr bin Aas asked the Holy Prophet (s.a.w.s.): Should we note down whatever you says while you are calm and also when you are in anger? The Holy Prophet (s.a.w.s.) replied: Do write. By the one who made me His Apostle nothing comes out of my mouth except what is true. In other words, God Almighty has created in man what is needed for his development and perfection. But being benefited from it depends on the training that must be under the supervision of the divine guides.

Otherwise man grows like grass, plunges into the sea of passions and desires thereby losing his precious faculties. Negative attitude grows in him. Therefore, if the above-mentioned condition is fulfilled he developed the positive aspects mentioned in the Holy Quran. The Quran says: Surely man is created of a hasty temperament; being greatly grieved when evil afflicts him, and niggardly when good befalls him, except those who pray.

Remedy

Whatever sin is committed by us gets committed by us is either because we do not know its evil or we are yet unable to build our character. What can be done in order prevent this disease is as described below:

A: Hadiths or narrations or traditions regarding the evil of anger should be studied attentively to become aware of its dangerous consequences. B: We must also study the traditions regarding patience and forbearance and keeping control over anger and think deeply about its results for example:

  1. Holy Prophet (s.a.w.s.) has said: God has never loved an ignorant person and never humiliated a patient person.
  2. Imam Baqir (a.s.) said: Whoever, despite being able to act with anger controls himself, God fills his heart with peace and faith. It can be gathered from this hadith that suppressing anger is extraordinarily effective in making man spiritually perfect and strong at heart.
  3. Imam Sadiq (a.s.) said: There is no slave of God was controls his anger and God does not increase his honour in this world as well as in the Hereafter. In fact Allah has said: Successful are those who suppress their anger and forgive people and God befriends the good-doers. God gives this reward to them for suppression of anger. He loves them.

C: One should keep in mind the result of anger and that, sometimes, it is likely to end in enmities and quarrels and troubles thereby spoiling man's personality.

D: It must also be remembered that if man is unable to control his anger, he must subsequently make excuse and will have to be ashamed of his deed and condemn himself.

Imam Baqir (a.s.) says: Feeling ashamed due to pardon is better and easier than the feeling of shame over chastisement and punishment That is to say, if you have forgiven a man who had oppressed you and thereafter you realised that it was not proper as that person did not get cautioned and so you felt ashamed. This feeling of shame is better and easier than in the case when you punish the oppressor and thereafter realise that it would have been better to forgive him. Hence some scholars have said: Keep away from anger, because surely your anger makes you dishonoured by requiring you to make excuse.

The narration reaching us through the Holy progeny of the Holy Prophet (s.a.w.s.) give us other rules also for suppressing anger. For example, when angry, man should sit down if he was standing or shed water on his face or try not to speak.

In summary, we should, in all conditions, especially in the state of anger and excitement, seek Allah's shelter and pray to Him that by way of the blessings of His pure friends, He protects us from the evil of our own soul.

Lesson: 48 : The hardening of heart

The people in a society can be divided into two kind one group is moderate who except the truth and the another of those whose hearts are full of hardness and Harshness. In this matter the Holy Quran says: 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.

Has not the time yet come for those who believe that their hearts should be humble for the remembrance of Allah and what has come down of the truth? And that they should not be like those who were given the Book before, but the time became prolonged to them, so their hearts hardened, and most of them are transgressors.

But on account of their breaking their covenant We cursed them and made their hearts hard; they altered the words from their places and they neglected a portion of what they were reminded of; and you shall always discover treachery in them excepting a few… Does God become the cause of someone being hard-hearted?

The answer is certainly in the negative because, in many cases, it is due to their wrong deeds that people deprive themselves of the mercy and guidance of God. In fact, their misdeeds become a fountainhead of mental deviation and demoralisation which renders them unable to save themselves from their ill effects and they are never inclined to accept the truth as the Holy Quran explains:

And We reveal of the Quran that which is a healing and a mercy to the believers, and it adds only to the perdition of the unjust. This is because the unjust oppressors who usually oppress their own selves adopt a wrong meaning effect from the Holy Quran, that is, as a result of their denial, unbelief, oppression and hypocrisy the essence of their being turns into a totally different being and hence they get up to fight with the light of the truth where ever they find it. This fight with truth adds to the dirt and uncleanness of their hearts and strengthens their inclination toward rebellion.

However, the reason why Allah says that He caused the aforesaid misguidance or hard-heartedness or some other evils is that the effect of every cause is as per the Divine wish. This does not negate the freedom and choice of action granted to man because the concerned cause has been provided by man himself. They see what is bound to be seen in a valley wherein they desired to walk.

Signs of Hard-heartedness

In a hadith mentioning Almighty's Allah's revelation to Moosa (a.s.) we see: O Moosa ! Do not lengthen they ambitions in this world that may harden your heart. The one whose heart hardens gets away from Me.

And this hard-heartedness resulting from lengthy ambitions and consequent sins becomes even harder than stone as mentioned in the Holy Quran: Then your hearts hardened after that, so that they were like rocks, rather worse in hardness; and surely there are some rocks from which streams burst forth, and surely there are some of them which split asunder so water issues out of them, and surely there are some of them which fall down for fear of Allah, and Allah is not at all heedless of what you do.

This verse was sent down by God about Bani Israel's hard-heartedness. They had observed all the miracles from Moosa (a.s.). Their hearts were so stony that no admonition affected their hearts!

Lesson: 49 : The Ugliness of Ignorance, Doubt and Confusion

In the Shariat of Islam it has been ordained that it is the duty of the Islamic society to be either a learning one or a teaching group of people. Ignorance should never take over an Islamic society. The ignorant and ignorance have been severely censured in Islam. In the beginning we must know that the teachers of morals have divided ignorance in two categories: 1- Simple or common ignorance and 2- Compound ignorance.

Common ignorance means man's remaining without knowledge. Though this sort of ignorance is not as bad as the compound jahl, the continuance of simple ignorance also results in dangers. The late Naraqi writes in Jami al-Sadat: This ignorance can be removed in three ways:

A: It should be know that an ignorant man is no man at all, because the superiority of man over all other creation is only due to his knowledge. If he has no knowledge, then how is he superior to animals?

B: One should pay attention to what has been said about ignorance in the Shariat of Islam. The Holy Prophet (s.a.w.s.) is reported to have said: There are six groups who will enter hell due to six things even before accounting in the Hereafter and among them are the residents of deserts and villages who will go to hell because of their being ignorant.

C: Quranic verses and the words of the Holy Prophet (s.a.w.s.) and Imams (a.s.) should be studied and acted upon.

What is meant by compound ignorance is that, despite having no knowledge a man considers himself to be knowledgeable. In other words, he does not know and yet thinks that he knows and is wise. And this kind of ignorance is ailment which is difficult to cure. It is narrated that the Prophet Isa (a.s.) is reported to have said that: Though I cure the illnesses like Akmah and leprosy and blindness I am unable to remedy a fool, because if he believes in falsity, it is very difficult to remove that false belief and to replace it by a true one. This couplet is also very famous:

The one who does not know and yet does not know that he does not know remains in his compound ignorance forever.

Yet, if, even despite this, one prepares himself for getting the knowledge truth, eve if he had understood it wrongly, he is likely to learn the truth sooner.

Doubt and confusion

Doubt and confusion means being unable to extract truth and to reject the untruth and these defects too are considered dangerous for man. But the initial doubt, in the opinion of Martyr Mutahhari (r.a.), is not only not undesirable but is also desirable because it is a means of finding the fact. What has been censured is to continue in doubt, not the doubt itself.

Verses

  1. He it is Who created you from clay, then He decreed a term; and there is a term named with Him; still you doubt.

  2. And among men is he who serves Allah standing on the verge, so that if good befalls him he is satisfied therewith, but if a trial afflict him he turns back headlong; he loses this world as well as the hereafter; that is a manifest loss.

  3. The believers are only those who believe in Allah and His Apostle then they doubt not and struggle hard with their wealth and their lives in the way of Allah; they are the truthful ones.

Traditions

  1. The Holy Prophet (s.a.w.s.) has reportedly said: The best deed in the sight of God is Faith in which there is no doubt.

  2. Amirul Mo-mineen (a.s.) has said: Really those who are in doubt and sin are in hell these two are not from us and they do not come toward us.

  3. Hazrat Sadiq (a.s.), while explaining the verse In this way the Lord Almighty puts impurity on these who do not believe says here impurity means doubtfulness.

From these verses we conclude that doubtfulness is very condemnable and it is not compatible with Faith is God and in the Hereafter. Of course, doubt is different from Vaswasaa (enticement) which sometimes is created by satan in the heart of man. So we read in a narration; Someone asked Imam Moosa bin Ja'far (a.s.): and in another instance said: A man asked the Imam: I feel big enticements in my heart. The Imam replied: Say: laa ilaaha illallah or laa hula walaa quwwata illa billah.

Lesson: 50 : Remedy for removing doubtfulness and ignorance

The way of removing this dangerous disease is the tearing apart the veils of ignorance and doubts and implanting Faith and certainty in heart. That is why the scholars of Islam have said that certainty is the opposite of compound ignorance and confusion and doubt. For this reason certainty is considered the best of human virtues. In the Holy Quran also Yaqueen (Certainty) is mentioned as one of the virtues of the Muttaqueen Pious, Mumineen Faithful and Muhsineen Benevolent.

Surah Baqarah: 2, Surah Naml: 3, Luqman: 4. Verses:

  1. And we made of them Imams to guide by our command when they were patient, and they were certain of our communications.
  2. Nay! if you had known with a certain knowledge, You should most certainly have seen the hell; Then you shall most certainly see it with the eye of certainty.

Traditions

  1. Washaa says, he heard from Hazrat Moosa bin Ja'far (a.s.): Eemaan is one stage higher than Islam and Taw is one stage higher than it and Yaqueen is one stage higher than Taw and among people nothing is less distributed than Yaqueen. It is scarce.

  2. Abdullah bin Sanaan says Imam Sadiq (a.s.) has said: One of the signs of the correctness of the certainty of a Muslim is that he does not make people happy and glad through Gods anger that is, he does not overlook Gods commandments for pleasing people and he does not rebuke people for what God did not give to him, because, sustenance is not obtained either by the jealousy of a jealous or on his man's asking. And if anyone of your runs away from his sustenance it follows him just as his death follow him. Then said: and catches hold of him. Then said: God has, due to His justice, kept ease and happiness in Yaqueen certainty of faith and sorrow and grief in doubt and discontent.

  3. Hishaam bin Saalim quotes Imam Sadiq (a.s.): A small but continues virtuous act with Yaqueen is dearer to God than a big deed which is without certainty.

  4. Imam (a.s.) heard the voice of a khaariji who was busy in midnight worship and recitation of the Holy Quran. He told him a sleep with faith is better than a prayer with doubt.

Signs of certainty

Imam Sadiq (a.s.) has said: one day the Holy Prophet (s.a.w.s.) offered the morning prayers with people. Then his eye fell on a youth who was dozing. His complexion was yellowish and body very thin. His eyes had gone deep in sockets. Addressing him the Holy Prophet (s.a.w.s.) said: O youth! How you passed your night? He replied: I passed my night in a way which provided me certainty the Holy Prophet (s.a.w.s.) became pleased with his reply and said: Verily every certainty has a reality. What is the reality of your certainty? He answered: O Prophet of Allah!

It is the certainty that has made me gloomy. It has made me bear wake fullness during night and the hot sun during days. It has made me disinterested in whatever is there in this world. It has almost enabled me to observe the Throne of Allah as if I am standing in His Presence to account for my deeds that people have gathered all around; as if I am seeing the people of the paradise who are living happily and are reclining on their chairs talking pleasantly with one another and similarly, as if I can also see the people of the hell who are being chastised therein, crying and wailing and as if the nose of the leaping flames of the hell-fire is rigging in my ears.

the Holy Prophet (s.a.w.s.) said: This youth is a slave of Allah whose heart is lit up with the light of Faith. Thereafter, the Holy Prophet (s.a.w.s.) himself said to that youth: continue in the state and condition wherein you are now. The youth appealed: O Prophet of Allah! Pray to Allah so that He may grant me martyrdom with your attendants. The Holy Prophet (s.a.w.s.) prayed for him and it so happened that after some time that youth, who was fighting a battle along with the Holy Prophet (s.a.w.s.) turned out to be the tenth martyr of that Holy war.

The late Naraqi has also described signs of certainty in this background:

A: Man does not pay attention to anything except Allah Who alone is his reliance in every matter for him. He believes that whatever God has destined for him will surely reach him. In this condition he reaches a state when everything becomes equal and same for him whether it is existence or non-existence, less or more, praise or condemnation, poverty or richness, health or illness, honour or disrespect… One day one of his companions told Imam Sadiq (a.s.): I give preference to illness over health and poverty over wealth. The Imam (a.s.) replied: We are not like that. Rather we like all that God likes for us.

B: Man, in all situations, remains happy and pleased and submissive and meek and content before his Lord and continues to perform all of his duties with a pleasant mood because he possesses certainty, he knows his Lord well and is aware of His Greatness, Majesty and Power and also knows that He, the Omniscient knows all, sees all of his movements and actions and inactions including whatever passes in is his heart.

C: One who has certainty is such that his prayers are answered. Rather sometimes his actions are miraculous. The more man's certainty the more his power grows so much so that at last he is able to rule over matter too in the material world. Once there was a discussion about the walk of Hazrat Isa (a.s.) on water when the Holy Prophet (s.a.w.s.) said: Had his certainty grown further he would have flied in the air also.

Stages or certainty

The wise scholars of Islam have described stages of certainty Yaqueen that are serially as under:

  1. Ilmul Yaqueen is the same solid and sound belief that confirms truth and which can be obtained through arguments.
  2. Ainul Yaqueen means looking at observing the celestial world through the inner eye of the heart. Amirul Mo-mineen (a.s.) refers to it when he says: I do not adore a god whom I have not seen.
  3. Haqqul Yaqueen which means whenever man sees anything in the world be observes the rays permeating therefrom in such a manner that the relation between the aaquil (wise) and the Maaqool (rational) continues perpetually without break.
  4. Nihayat Darja Haqqul Yaqueen extreme stage of certainty. This is a degree imagined by ahle sulook soofis where in the aarif gnostic considers himself lost in the radiance of God in such a manner that he no more believes in the stability of things. Imagination of such stages are, maybe, easy but it is obvious that it cannot be reached through arguments and evidences. But it needs many kinds of tiring exercises and endeavours for gaining which first of all man has to remove all lowly instincts from his heart and to fill the heart with the angel-like virtues until the heart becomes as bright as a mirror. Then the more clean and bright it becomes the more it is able to attract Divine radiance.

The Holy Prophet (s.a.w.s.) said: Had not the satans put doubts in man's heart he man would have been able to observe the reality of the heaven and the earth.

For reaching the above-mentioned realities and in order to understand it, it is necessary to cross some stages:

  1. The soul of man must have ability.
  2. The heart must become clean. All impurities must be removed.
  3. Man's mind must not be involved in worldly affairs.

When these stages are reached then he will be able to show tajalliyaat (manifestations) and (Makaashifaat) illuminations.

Kinds of makaashifaat

First: Material physical and natural miracles. It includes information of the hidden which man obtains in the physical world like the science of nature, mathematics, astrology etc…

Second: Perceptions of the heart. These are observations which the Saalik (gnostic) and the Aarif (learned) obtain after crossing the material world and entering the world of Misaal likeness, just as personification of some of the meaning in similar shapes forms in the states of wakefulness. For example, dreams and visions which man sees in his sleep.

Third: Revelations which agnostic gets after passing through the world of Misaal and entering the world of spirits and intelligence. They are called spiritual revelations. This condition is created through the power of spirit soul and its domination in the world. For example proficiency of mind, thoughts, travel on earth or in air or walking on fire, knowledge of future events, appropriation of soul health or illness and control over common thoughts etc…

Fourth: Revelations of the mysteries which are obtained by the gnostic in the world of pure heartedness and the spirit, after passing through soul and majesty like the unfolding of the secrets of the universe of existence and enlightenment on the total meaning and the knowledge of the Noble Names and Attributes of Almighty God.

Fifth: These are revelations which a gnostic gets after perfection and after passing through the stages of selflessness, purity of soul and on reaching the stage of Tawheed-e-Mutlaq absolute monotheism and Baqaa-e-Billaah nearness to God. They are called Personal Revelations like the understanding of the reality of existence and its effects and the order of commandments on earth and the source of Divine decision and the Heavenly will and the fountain of religion and revelation and coverage of all the descending disasters and the quality of the certainty of the novelties and their relation with the Heavens and the unity and oneness and multiplicity and….

From what has been said above it is understood that the spiritual revelations are obtained before entering the world of Godworship and monotheism and they are common for a mo-min and a mushrik and they never prove the perfection nor do they negate non-perfection.

Lesson: 51 : Hatred and animosity

Hiqd (hatred) and Keeneh (animosity) are two sins of the soul which sprout from envy and anger. They have been censured in verses and narrations. Man, sometimes, cultivates hatred and animosity toward the Lord and sometimes toward His creation. Regarding the first kind the Holy Quran says: And they denied them unjustly and proudly while their soul had been convinced of them; consider, then how was the end of the mischief-makers. And when Allah alone is mentioned, the hearts of those who do not believe in the hereafter shrink, and when those besides Him are mentioned, lo! they are joyful.

That is the reward of the enemies of Allah - the fire; for them therein shall be the house of long abiding; a reward for their denying Our communications.

Whoever thinks that Allah will not assist him in this life and the hereafter, let him stretch a rope to the ceiling, then let him cut it off, then let him see if his struggle will take away that at which he is enraged. And in the matter of Hiqd and Keenah for the servants of God, the author of Majmaul Bayan says: Doubtlessly, anyone who considers a faithful his enemy because of the latters faith and who desires to harm him is a Al Kafir But if he has animosity for him due to something else then he is a Sinner.

In this connection the Holy Quran says: And those who come after them say: Our Lord! forgive us and those of our brethren who had precedence of us in faith, and do not allow any spite to remain in our hearts towards those who believe, our Lord! Surely Thou art Kind, Merciful. Narrations in Connection with Hiqd and Keenah The Holy Prophet (s.a.w.s.) said: A believer is never hateful.

Imam Sadiq (a.s.) is recorded to have said: A faithful's animosity or hatred is merely at the time of embroilment and when they get separated nothing remains in his heart but the hatred and animosity of an unbeliever is permanent.

Imam Sadiq (a.s.) has said: Keep away from animosity for others because enmity results in loneliness and in the exposition of man's defects. Amirul Mo-mineen (a.s.) has said: Root out the evil from others heart by digging out the will from your own heart. That is, if you do not antagonise others will not antagonise you.

Islam has strongly recommended that if someone hurts you forgive him so that is this way animosity and hatred with be removed and difficulties coming in the way of the Islamic society will be rooted out and Muslims may be able to live peacefully and at ease with one another continuously. Of course it is necessary to remind that this recommendation is regarding the Muslims. Otherwise, in case of the disbelievers whose hearts are full of hatred and enmity for Muslims and who are always in await for a chance to hit the Muslims it is not practicable.

As the Holy Quran says: O you who believe! do not take for intimate friends from among others than your own people; they do not fall short of inflicting loss upon you; they love what distresses you; vehement hatred has already appeared from out of their mouths, and what their breasts conceal is greater still; indeed, We have made the communications clear to you, if you will understand. Lo! you are they who will love them while they do not love you,

and you believe in the Book in the whole of it; and when they meet you they say: We believe, and when they are alone, they bite the ends of their fingers in rage against you. Say: Die in your rage; surely Allah knows what is in the breasts. If good befalls you, it grieves them, and if an evil afflicts you, they rejoice at it; and if you are patient and guard yourselves, their scheme will not injure you in any way; surely Allah comprehends what they do.

A warning to the faithful

Almighty Allah cautions the believers in this verse that they should recognise their enemies and should not tell them their secrets. but, alas, many believers in the Quran have neglected this Quranic warning and consequently are suffering all these calamities. Now what troubles the Muslims societies are now facing is only the result of neglecting the Divine commandments. Until the Muslim states and rulers do not come to their senses and do not obey the Quranic commandments bad days will always await them.

As we see today, it is only the consequence of this disregard for the Divine orders and due to distancing themselves from the Quranic directives, that they have thrown themselves in the laps of world imperialism and Zionism. So they have been deprived of their natural resources. Let us hope that the day will soon arrive when they will come to their senses and will know their real enemies, who are the very enemies of Allah. Then only they will get up to retrieve their rights.

Lesson: 52 : Undue prejudice

It is obvious that undue prejudice exists to some extent among almost all the nations and groups of the world and truth loving people do dislike undue favouritism, be it related to an individual or group or belief. Wise men regard such attitude a proof of the weakness of logic and of inhuman tendency. Such prejudiced people try to present their deeds as proper so that they can cover them in good clothing to make them appear lovely. This type of people make endeavours perhaps to relieve themselves from internal pressure of their soul.

The meaning of prejudice

Prejudice Tassub in the Arabic language is from the root A Sa Ba which means vein nerve. In the past the Arabs used to call every kind of favouritism based on blood-relation Tassub. Their tribes based on such family-relations were also called Usbah. But now, these two wards have lost their limited meaning. That is why they call all false and illogical tendencies Tassub prejudice. Accordingly whenever it is seen that a group be it blood-related or not favours unreasonable or illogical thing it is called prejudiced Usbah.

Verses

When those who disbelieved harboured in their hearts feelings of disdain, the disdain of the days of ignorance, but Allah sent down His tranquillity on His Apostle and on the believers, and made them keep the word of guarding against evil, and they were entitled to it and worthy of it; and Allah is Cognisant of all things.

It is not fit for the Prophet and those who believe that they should ask forgiveness for the polytheists, even though they should be near relatives, after it has become clear to them that they are inmates of the flaming fire. And Ibrahim asking forgiveness for his sire was only owing to a promise which he had made to him; but when it became clear to him that he was an enemy of Allah, he declared himself to be clear of him; most surely Ibrahim was very tender-hearted forbearing.

Regarding the circumstances preceding the revelation of these verses great scholars say:

A group of Muslims inquired from the Holy Prophet (s.a.w.s.): Do you not pray pardon for our forefathers who passed away from this world in the time of ignorance? Then the above verses were revealed and all were cautioned that no one has a right to ask pardon for polytheists and the istigfaar seeking of pardon of Ibrahim (a.s.) for Aazar was during his life time and the intention of Ibrahim (a.s.) was that he might not die as a polytheist. But when he knew that Aazar was an enemy of God and that his Aazars animosity was based on hatred he separated from him and announced his estrangement and aversion.

And when Our communications are recited to them, they say: We have heard indeed; if we pleased we could say the like of it; this is nothing but the stories of the ancients. And when they said: O Allah! if this is the truth from Thee, then rain upon us stones from heaven or inflict on us a painful punishment.

Under the influence of their extreme prejudice and stubbornness they imagined that the Shariat of Islam was hundred percent baseless. Otherwise, anyone in whose mind there is even a little possibility of its being the truth never curses himself like this!

In Majmaul Bayan, below this verse, it is recorded thus from Imam Sadiq (a.s.): after the Holy Prophet (s.a.w.s.), in Ghadeer-e-Khum, appointed Ali (a.s.) as his caliph and said Man Kuntu Maulaahu fa Aliyyun Maulahu this problem arose there and Noman bin Haaris Fahri who was a hypocrite approached the Holy Prophet (s.a.w.s.) and said: You asked us to give witness to the oneness of the God and to negate the idols and to testify your Prophethood we agreed and complied with. Then you gave us the command regarding jihad and Hajj and fasting and namaz and Sakata and we accepted. But you did not suffice with this and made this boy that is, Ali son of Abu Talib the caliph and said Man Kuntu Maulaahu fa Aliyyun Maulahu. Well, is this the word of your own or is it the Order of Allah?

The Holy Prophet (s.a.w.s.) said: By Allah, except Whom there is no God, this is the order of Allah. Noman who was enraged due to his extreme dislike said: O God! If this is true than send a stone one me from heaven and…. Within no time a stone fell on him and he got killed.

This hadith-e-Ghadeer does not negate that the said verse was revealed in the matter of the unbelievers of Holy Quran because the revelation of this verse was not due to the event O Noman. Rather it was Noman who cursed himself by extracting words from a verse which was revealed earlier. It is just as we extract our prayers from the Holy Quran and, for example, say: When he said to his father and his people: What are these images to whose worship you cleave? They said: We found our fathers worshipping them. He said: Certainly you have been, both you and your fathers, in manifest error.

Traditions

The Holy Prophet (s.a.w.s.) said: The one who resorts to prejudice or who is the subject of prejudice that is, if he is pleased with that prejudicial attitude of others have thrown off the relation of Faith from their hearts.

The Holy Prophet (s.a.w.s.) is quoted: Anyone who has prejudice in his heart even to the extent of a little mustard seed will be raised by God, with the Bedouins of the days of ignorance.

Imam Sadiq (a.s.) has said: The Holy Prophet (s.a.w.s.) used to seek Gods protection daily from six things: Doubt, polytheism, prejudice, Anger, Rebellion and oppression and Jealousy.

Amirul Mo-mineen (a.s.) is reported to have said: Verily God punished six groups due to six qualities: Arab for his prejudice, the rich for their pride, Ameers for their oppression, the Faqueehs for their jealousy and the traders for their dishonesty, and the villagers for their ignorance.