p. 173). Kinds of Sin The Ima`m speaks about the kinds of sin which bring about Allahs wrath and chastisement. He warns man against them, that he may lead sound religion and world. He, peace be on him, said: The sins which alter blessings are: aggression against men, turning away from good habits, affected charity, showing ingratitude toward blessings, and leaving thanksgiving. Allah, the Exalted, said: Surely, Allah does not change the condition of a people until they change their own condition. The sins which bring about remorse are: murdering the soul which Allah has made unlawful (When Cain killed his brother Abel and was unable to bury him, Allah said: Hence he became among the remorseful.), leaving tightening bonds of kin until they are free from need, leaving the prayers until their times pass, leaving will and complaints, refraining from giving zaka`t until death comes and the tongue stops. The sins which draw down diversities are: disobeying the knowledgeable, showing insolence toward men, and ridiculing them. The sins which repel blessings are: displaying poverty, sleep during noon and evening prayers times, disdaining blessings, and complaints against Allah. The sins which tear apart safeguards are: drinking wine, playing gamble, chatter and joking which make men laugh, mentioning the defects of men, and sitting with the people of doubt. The sins which draw down tribulations are: leaving relieving the grieved, leaving helping the wronged, refraining from enjoining the good and forbidding the evil. The sins which empower the enemies are: declaring oppression and dissoluteness publicly, making the prohibited permissible, showing disobedience toward the good, and following the evil. The sins which hasten annihilation are: cutting the ties of the womb, sinful oath, false words, fornication, obstructing the path of the Muslims, and claiming the Ima`mate without right. The sins which cut off expectations are: despair of Allahs repose, desperation of Allahs mercy, trust in other than Allah, and denying Allahs promise. The sins which make air black are: magic, soothsaying, faith in the stars, denying (Allahs) decree, and showing disobedience to parents. The sins which remove the covering are: borrowing a loan without intention to repay it, spending lavishly on falsehood, showing stinginess toward family, children, and the blood relations, misconduct, the paucity of patience, employing boredom, and disdaining the people of religion. The sins which hold back supplication are: evil intention, wicked inner self, showing hypocrisy toward brothers, leaving giving truthful answer, delaying the obligatory prayers until their times pass, leaving nearness to Allah through charity and alms, employing obscene words, untruth, concealing witness, refraining from giving zaka`t, loan, and food, displaying curliness toward the poor and the needy, oppressing orphans and widows, scolding and repelling the beggar at night.(Al-Sadu`q, Maa`ni al- Akhba`r, p. 78). The Ima`m, peace be on him, warned (men) against committing these sins and crimes, which deviate mans behavior from the right path and make him far from his Creator. He has mentioned their mean results in this world and the next. This is indeed one of the traditions of the pure Ima`ms, peace be on them, who spared no effort to educate mans soul. The Reality of Death The Ima`m, peace be on him, described the reality of death of believers and unbelievers with these words of him: The death of a believer is like taking off dirty garments and replacing them with excellent ones. It is like riding the lowest mounts and untying heavy fetters. The death of an unbeliever is like taking off excellent garments and replacing them with the dirtiest and most coarse ones. It is like moving from intimate houses to lonely ones.(Al-Sadu`q, Maa`ni al-Akhba`r, p. 136). Many traditions have been narrated on the authority of the Ima`ms of guidance. They say: The world is the prison of a believer and garden of an unbeliever. When the believer is about to die, he finds no difficulty in death. He finds the greatest comfort; for he will soon move to Paradise. When the unbeliever faces death, he finds it unhappiness and tribulation. He faces it with regret and pain; for he will move from a garden to a lasting chastisement in a prison. The Most Important Degrees of Asceticism A person questioned Ima`m Zayn al-Abidin, peace be on him, about asceticism, and he replied: Asceticism is of ten degrees: The highest degree of asceticism is the lowest degree of piety. The highest degree of piety is the lowest degree of certainty. The highest degree of certainty is the lowest degree of satisfaction. Asceticism is in one verse of Allahs Book: Hence that you may not grieve for what has escaped you, nor be exultant at what He has given you. This tradition contains some gnostic realities. They are as follows: A. The highest degree of asceticism does not equal the lowest degree of abstaining from the things which Allah has made unlawful. Abstaining from such things results from setting right soul and controlling it. B. Piety is the highest degree of faith (in Allah), yet the highest degree of it is the lowest degree of certainty of Allah, the Exalted. C. Certitude is the essence of faith, yet the highest degree of it is lowest degree of satisfaction with what Allah has apportioned. D. The Holy Verse includes the reality of asceticism. It warns man against grief and sorrow for the interests which escape him in this world. Besides it warns him against rejoicing over the pleasures he earns. The Best Deeds in the View of Allah The Ima`m, peace be on him, was asked about the best deeds in the view of Allah, and he answered: After recognizing Allah and His Messenger, the best deed in Allahs eyes is detesting the world. This has many branches. Disobedience has also many branches. Self- admiration was the first act of disobedience. It made Satan refuse to (prostrate himself for Adam), show haughtiness, and unbeliever. Envy was the sin of Adams son. It made him kill his brother. From this branched love for women, the world, presidency, ease, words, superiority, and wealth. They have become seven qualities and come together in love for the world. After recognizing these qualities, the prophets and the scholars said: Love for the world is the root of every sin, and the world is an abode of tribulation. Surely, love for the world is the foundation of tribulation, source of discords and dangers which befall man. It leads man to sins and offenses and throws him into great evil. The Ima`m, peace be on him, has mentioned the blights which result from love for the world. Some of them are as follows: 1. Self-admiration. 2. Envy. 3. Love for men and presidency. 4. Love for ease. 5. Love for words (which do not concern and mean the person). 6. Love for superiority over the others. 7. Love for wealth. These blights deviate man from the right path, and throw him into sins. Recognizing Justice The following tradition is one of the Ima`ms wise sayings. In it the Ima`m defines mans justice and reliability. He, peace be on him, said: If you see a man show good appearance and guidance, goes too far in his words, and pretends obedience through his movements, then be slow, let him not deceive you. Many are those who are incapable of obtaining the world and committing the unlawful therein. As he is frail in body, abased, and fainthearted, he sets up religion as snare for himself. He is still deceiving men through his appearance. When he is capable of an unlawful thing, he plunges into it. If you see him show chastity toward unlawful property, then be slow, let him not deceive you. For the desires of the creatures are various. Many are those who affect refusal toward the unlawful, though be it much. He carries himself on an ugly, ill-omened horse, and commits an unlawful thing through it. If you see him in such a state, then be slow, let him not deceive you, until you see the firmness of his intellect. Many are those who leave all of this, then they do not return to firm intellect, hence what they corrupt through their ignorance is more than what they set right through their intellects. If you find his intellect firm, then be slow, let him not deceive you, until you see whether his caprice overcomes his intellect or his intellect overcomes his caprice, whether he loves false presidency or abstains from it. For some people leave the world for the world. They think that the pleasure of false presidency is better than that of lawful properties and blessings, hence they leave all of this and seek presidency. When it is said to him, fear Allah; pride carries him off to sin; therefore hell is sufficient for him; and certainly it is an evil resting-place. He behaves at random. His first falsehood leads him to the utmost loss. His farfetched demand take him to what he cannot accomplish through his tyranny. Hence he makes lawful what Allah has made unlawful. He makes unlawful what Allah has made lawful. He pays no attention to his religion when it escapes him, as long as he assumes presidency, for which he has tired himself. Then, it is those with whom Allah has become angry, whom He has cursed, and for whom He has prepared a painful chastisement. However, the best man is he who makes his caprice follow Allahs command, uses his abilities according to Allahs decree, regards abasement during the truth as nearer to immortal glory than false glory, and knows that its little ordeal, which he bears, leads to permanent bliss in an abode which does not perish nor does it run out, whose plentiful joy will follow him. When he follows his caprice, it leads him to a chastisement which does not cease nor does it remove. Hence cling to this man, follow his sunna (practices), and seek access through him to Allah, for his supplication is not refused nor does his demand fail. (Tafsïr al-Ima`m al-Askari, p. 19. Tanbïh al-Khawa`tir, p. 316. Al-Ihtija`jj, vol. 2, p. 175) This tradition of the Ima`m, peace be on him, aims at recognizing justice, which is among the greatest psychological talents, for through it man becomes sublime, and gets free from material things and pleasures to the extent that evil inclinations will have no power over him. Some jurists depend on this tradition when the say that the general authority should be the most generous one. The tradition clearly indicates that recognizing the just man, perfect in piety and Allah-fearingness, should stands on an exact test and full experience, not on a quick glance of which is the following: A. Good appearance, for it is not proof for justice and Allah-fearingness. B. Displaying righteousness, it also is not proof for justice, for he may be a deceiver and hypocrite, using the religion as means to obtain his objectives, his ambitions, and his desires after he has become unable to obtain them through other means. C. Abstaining from unlawful properties, this also is not proof for Allah-fearingness, for he may force himself to prevent from this in order to accomplish his objectives and purposes, which have no relationship with the religion. As for the qualities through which perfect piety and reliability are recognized, they are as follows: A. Man should overcome his caprice and desires through his intellect. B. He does not show love for false presidency; he should renounce it, for this is among the most reliable proofs for justice and Allah-fearingness. C. He should follow Allahs commandments and yield completely to Him, the exalted, to the extent that he employs all his abilities to attain Allahs good pleasure and nearness to Him. This is indeed a just man, whose justice results from thanksgiving, contemplation, and faith. The Qualities of Hypocrites and Believers The Ima`m, peace be on him, stated the following tradition, explaining some qualities of hypocrites and believers. He said: The hypocrite prohibits (men from doing evil deeds), but he does not (refrain from them). He enjoins (men to do good deeds), but he does not do (them). When he stands for prayers, he objects (its legislation). When he bows down (in prayer), he shows laziness. When he prostrates himself (in prayer), he pecks (i.e. he performs prostration as quick as bird peck at the corn). When he enters into evening, his concern is dinner. He does not fast. When he rises in the morning, his concern is sleep. He does not stay awake at night. As for the believer, he mixes his knowledge with his clemency. He sits in order to learn and listens in order to be free (from faults). He does not tell anyone about trust even his friends. He does not conceal witness for those far. He does not do any of the truth for dissimulation nor does he leave it out of modesty. When men praise him, he is afraid of their words. He asks Allahs forgiveness for what they do not know. Those who ignore him do not harm him.1 This tradition of the Ima`m, peace be on him, includes the most prominent qualities of hypocrites and believers. As for the qualities of hypocrites, they are as follows: A. The hypocrite forbids (men) from doing evil deeds, but he does not abstain from doing them. He enjoins (men) to do good deeds, but he himself does not do them. This is because he does not believe in such deeds. He forbids (men) from the evil and enjoins (them) to do the good in order to deceive and mislead them and in order to show himself as a good person. B. When he stands for prayers, he opposes its legislation. Besides, when he bows down in prayer, he kneels down as sheep do. When he prostrates himself in prayer, he is restless. He is like bird when it pecks at the corn. C. He is like the cattle whose concern is fodder. In this manner he rises in the morning and enters into evening, and has no concern except food. As for the qualities of the believer, they are as follows: A. His character is composed of two elements: knowledge and clemency. Hence he is scholar and clement. He who has these two qualities reaches the highest degree of perfection. B. He does not sit with any person except those from whom he takes knowledge and wisdom. He never joins useless amusement and unemployment assemblies. C. He listens to men in order to save himself from their wickedness and enmity. D. He conceals deposits; he does not tell anyone about them even his friends. E. He gives witness; he never conceals it. F. When he does any of the truth, he does not do it for dissimulation or reputation; rather he does it for the sake of Allah, the Most High. G. When men praise or describe him with some noble qualities, he is afraid of being void of such qualities. Hence he asks Allah to forgive them. H. He pays no attention to those who ignore him and regards them as not important. These qualities indicate that the believer has a exalted soul and perfect character. Some excellent Pieces of Advice The Ima`m, peace be on him, gave his companions these excellent pieces of advice: You have no right to sit with whomever you like, for Allah (the Blessed, the Exalted) says: And when you see those who enter into false discourses about Our communications, withdraw from them until they enter into some other discourse, and if Satan causes you to forget, then do not sit after recollection with the unjust people. You have no right to say whatever you like, for Allah, the Exalted, says: And follow not what you have no knowledge of. And for Allahs messenger, may Allah bless him and his family, says: May Allah have mercy on a servant who says good (words) and wins (them) or he keeps silent and is safe. You have no right to listen to whatever you like, for Allah, the Most High, says: Surely the hearing and the sight and the heart, all of these, shall be questioned about that. If Muslims put into effect these excellent pieces of advice, they will earn immense good and be safe from evil. Help and Beneficence Ima`m Zayn al-Abidin, peace be
Posted on: Thu, 28 Nov 2013 14:32:30 +0000
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