THE COMPARISON MAN AND NATURE - BEAUTIFUL EXPLANATION

In Islam, the relation of man with nature resembles that of a farmer with the farm, of a merchant with the market, and of a devotee with the temple. For a farmer, land is not the goal but the means. His home is elsewhere but he uses the land to secure livelihood and the means of comfort and happiness, He ploughs it, scatters seeds, weeds it, harvests it, etc. The world is the farm of the hereafter, and this land should not be taken by a farmer for his permanent home. For a merchant, a market is a place of work in which he uses his capital and efforts to gain profit. This is how man should view the world.

Someone came to Imam Ali and began blaming the world since he had heard that the Imam did the same. He did not know that Ali (as) reproached the worship of the world, which is contrary to the worship of God and truth, and negation of all human values. Ali was angry at this and said: "O the reproaching man, O you who are deceived, the world has not deceived you, but you have deceived yourself."

As an example, I may say that an old woman deceives a young man with her make-up, and her false teeth and hair. The youth realizes suddenly that he has been deceived. Or maybe the old woman comes forward and, admitting her deficiencies makes an offer for marriage. In that case, the woman has not deceived him; rather the young man has deceived himself,

Imam Ali (as) says: "The world has not hidden anything from you to deceive you. Did the world deceive you on the day you buried your father? The world says:  "I am what you see, and I have no stability, discern me the way as I am. Why do you suppose me to be what you wish, not what I really am?" So, the world deceives no one. Let us see whether the world has betrayed you or vice versa. It is you who follow your carnal desires." Then, Ali added: "The world is the trade market of saints, and the mosque of God's friends."

The idea that the world is a prison or a cage is based on a psychological view that had been prevalent in India and in pre-Islamic Greece but is unacceptable to Islam. It says that human spirit has been created in a perfect form in another world and introduced, in a cage, to this world, in which case he has no alternative but to break the cage. But the Qur'an says:

"And certainly We created man of an extract of clay; then We made him a small life-germ in a firm resting place; then We made the life-germ a clot, then We made the clot a lump of flesh, then We made (in) the lump of flesh bones, then We clothed the bones with flesh, then We caused it to grow into another creation" (Sura al-Mu'minun,23:12-14).

The last sentence shows that man was made into something else, which is the spirit, and this spirit is produced from matter. Therefore, it has not been perfected elsewhere in order to be put in a cage here. Man lives in nature, which is like a mother's lap for him, and it is here that he undergoes evolution and perfection. Islam says; if you do not rise higher from this natural position, you will remain here in the lowest of the low, and in hell hereafter. The Qur’an says:

"What is the terrible calamity! And what will make you comprehend what the terrible calamity is? The day on which men shall be as scattered moths, and the mountains shall be as loosened wool, then as for him whose measure of good deeds is heavy, he shall live a pleasant life. And as for him whose measure of good deeds is light, his abode shall be the abyss. And what will make you know what it is? A burning fire!' (Sura al-Qari’ah, 101:1-11).

BEWARE OF WRONGDOING..........

1– The Prophet (SAWA) said, ‘Beware of wrongdoing for verily it corrupts your hearts.’[Kanz al-`Ummal, no. 7639]   2– The Prophet (SAWA) said, ‘Verily the servant will come on the Day of Resurrection having performed many good deeds which please him, when a man will come, complaining [to Allah], ‘O Lord, this man has wronged me’, whereupon some of his good deeds will be taken and transferred to the good deeds of the plaintiff. The situation will continue thus until finally he will be left with no good deeds, and then the plaintiff’s evil deeds will start being transferred to his own evil deeds, and he will continue to pay for them thus until he will enter the Fire.’[Nihayat al-Bidaya wa al-Nihaya, v. 2, p. 55]   3– The Prophet (SAWA) said, ‘Fear wrongdoing, for verily it is a source of darkness on the Day of Resurrection.’[al-Kafi, v. 2, p. 332, no. 11] 4– Imam Ali (AS) said, ‘Wrongdoing is the most painful of all vices.’[Ghurar al-Hikam, no. 804] 5– Imam Ali (AS) said, ‘Wrongdoing causes feet to slip, snatches away bounties and destroys nations.’[Ghurar al-Hikam, no. 1734] 6– Imam Ali (AS) said, seeking immunity from wrongdoing, ‘By Allah, I would rather spend a sleepless night on the thorns of the Sa`adan tree [a type of prickly tree], or be driven as a prisoner in shackles, than meet Allah and His Messenger on the Day of Resurrection having wronged any servant or having usurped any kind of worldly wealth. How can I wrong anyone for the sake of this soul that is rapidly hastening towards destruction and is to remain under the earth for a long time?’[Nahj al-Balagha, Sermon 224] 7– Imam Ali (AS) said, ‘By Allah, if I was given all the seven domains with all that exists under its celestial spheres in order that I may disobey Allah to the extent of snatching a single grain of barley from an ant, I would not do it.’[Nahj al-Balagha, Sermon 224] 8– Imam Ali (AS) said, ‘Beware of wrongdoing, for the living days of  one who wrongs others become odious.’[Ghurar al-Hikam, no. 2638] 9– Imam Ali (AS) said, ‘Nothing induces the reversal of Allah’s bounty or the hastening of His retribution than continuous injustice [to others]; for verily Allah hears the call of the oppressed and lies in wait for the oppressors.’[Nahj al-Balagha, Letter 53] 10– Imam Ali (AS) said, ‘The life of one who wrongs others is shattered.’[Ghurar al-Hikam, no. 7940] 11– Imam Ali (AS) said, ‘The one who takes wrongdoing as a mount is thrown off by it.’[Ghurar al-Hikam, no. 5391] 12– Imam Ali (AS) said, ‘The one who tyrannises others is ruined by his own tyranny.’[Ghurar al-Hikam, no. 7835] 13– Imam al-Sadiq (AS) narrated, ‘The Prophet (SAWA) forbade anyone from eating anything that an ant carries in its mouth or holds in its grip.’[al-Kafi, v. 5, p. 305, no. 11]

AFFLICTION

The Reward for (Enduring an) Affliction

1– Imam al-Hasan (AS) said, ‘Afflictions are the keys to reward.’

The Worst of Afflictions

2– Imam Ali (AS) was once asked what the worst affliction was, to which he replied, ‘To be afflicted with a blow to one’s faith.’

3– Imam Ali (AS) said, ‘The greatest affliction and source of wretchedness is infatuation with this world.’

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4– Imam Ali (AS) said, ‘The greatest affliction is ignorance.’

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5– Imam al-Sadiq (AS) said to a man who was experiencing intense grief at the loss of his son, ‘You are grieving at the minor affliction and are heedless of the major affliction! If only you prepared yourself for the place that your son has passed away to, your grief would not be so intense, for your affliction at having neglected preparation for it [i.e. the Hereafter] is much greater than the loss of your son.’[`Uyoun Akhbar al-Ridha (AS), v. 2, p. 5, no. 10]

To Say “Indeed we belong to Allah and to Him do we indeed  return” when Struck with an Affliction

6– He who is inspired to utter the words, ‘Indeed we belong to Allah, and to Him do we indeed return’ during an affliction, his entrance into Paradise is made obligatory.’[Thawab al-A`amal, p. 235, no. 2]

The Etiquette of Dealing with an Affliction

7– The Prophet (SAWA) said, ‘Wailing is an act from the pre-Islamic age of ignorance.’[Bihar al-Anwar, v. 82, p. 103, no. 50]

8– The Prophet (SAWA) said, ‘Among the hidden treasures of goodness are: concealing one’s afflictions, one’s illnesses and one’s charity [from others].’[Bihar al-Anwar, v. 82, p. 103, no. 50]

9– `Aa’isha narrated, ‘When Ibrahim [the Prophet’s son] passed away, the Prophet (SAWA) cried such that tears rolled onto his beard, so people said to him, ‘O Prophet of Allah, you dissuade people from crying and here you are now crying?!’ to which he replied, ‘This is not crying, it is compassion, for he who does not have compassion [for others] will not be treated with compassion [by Allah].’[Amali al-Tusi, p. 388, no. 227]

10– Abu Hurayra narrated, ‘A man from the family of the Prophet (SAWA) had passed away and the women were gathered around crying for him when `Aumar stood up and prohibited them from doing so, and told them to go away from there. The Prophet (SAWA) then said, ‘Leave them O `Aumar, for verily the eye feels teary [at the moment], the heart is afflicted and the pain of the incident is still fresh.’[Sunan al-Nasai, p. 4, no. 19]

11– Imam Ali (AS) narrated on the authority of the Prophet (SAWA), ‘Two voices are cursed and despised by Allah: howling when struck by an affliction, and singing when blessed with a bounty.’[Da`aim al-Islam, v. 1, p. 227]

Factors that Ease Afflictions

12– The Prophet (SAWA) said, ‘Afflictions are easy for one who is abstemious in this world.’[Kanz al-Fawa’id li al-Karajiki, v. 2, p. 163]

13– The Prophet (SAWA) said, ‘He who finds an affliction too great to bear should think about [the greatness of his affliction resulting from] my passing away from this world, and his own affliction will become easier to bear.’[Bihar al-Anwar, v. 82, p. 84, no. 26]

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14– Imam Ali (AS) said, ‘Increase your remembrance of death, the day that you will rise from your graves, and your standing before Allah, Mighty and Exalted, and your afflictions will become easier to bear.’[al-Khisal, p. 616, no. 10]

15– Imam al-Sadiq (AS) used to say the following when faced with an affliction, ‘All praise is due to Allah, Who did not afflict me in my faith, and all praise is due to Allah Who, if He had willed for my affliction to be greater than it is could have made it so, and all praise is due to Allah for the command that He willed to be and it is.’[Bihar al-Anwar, v. 78, p. 268, no. 183]

16– Imam al-Sadiq (AS) said, ‘Verily when someone dies, Allah sends an angel to the most grieved member of his family, who strokes his heart and makes him forget the agony of grief, and if it were not for this, the world would never again thrive.’[al-Kafi, v. 3, p. 227, no. 1]

Gloating at Another’s Affliction

17– Imam al-Sadiq (AS) said, ‘Whoever gloats over an affliction that has befallen his fellow brother does not leave this world until he is tried similarly.’[al-Kafi, v. 2, p. 359, no. 1]

SATAN AND HIS HYPNOTISM

Hypnosis is a trance-like condition characterized by an altered state of consciousness, diminished will power, and an increased responsiveness to suggestion. People differ in their suggestibility to hypnosis. A person cannot be hypnotized against his will; he must obey the suggestions of a hypnotist. Hypnosis has been employed to help people with physical and psychological diseases, as well as for harmful purposes. An effective hypnotist is skilled in gaining the confidence of his clients. He knows that `it takes two', the client and himself, to produce the desired effects. Our concern here is with the Master Hypnotist who misleads humanity en mass. The Master Hypnotist also gains the trust of his subjects. But, unlike human hypnotists, he is invisible.

...He (Satan) and his tribe can see you, while YOU DO NOT SEE THEM. We appoint the devils as companions of those who do not believe. [7:27]

Satan meets and even exceeds the qualifications of a hypnotist because he knows when and how to make his suggestions, according to a person's mind, character, desires and habits. He has considerable knowledge of human nature, and he has thoroughly succeeded in rendering millions of humans unable to use their minds.

(Satan said,) "I will come to them from before them, and from behind them, and from their right, and from their left, and You will find less millions of people say, 

"I believe in God," when in fact their hearts do not mean it. Their utterance is no more than lip service to go along with parents, friends, or the society at large. Whenever they have opportunities to break away from deception and doubt, they cling to fabricated falsehoods. This leaves them susceptible to Satan's hypnosis. For the Master Hypnotist is given access to the person's true intentions and innermost beliefs, not outward appearances and lip-service utterances. By going against their God-given instinct to worship God alone and uphold His word alone, people enable the Master Hypnotist to set them up for self-destruction behind an invisible barrier.

Recall that your Lord summoned all the descendants of Adam, and had them bear witness for themselves: "Am I not your Lord?" They all said, "Yes. We bear witness." Thus, you cannot say on the Day of Resurrection, "We were not aware of this." [7:172]

Some followers of the scripture wish to lead you astray, but they only lead themselves astray, without perceiving. [3:69]

They repel others from this (Quran), as they themselves stay away from it, and thus, they only destroy themselves with-out perceiving. [6:26]

As for those who reject our revelations, we lead them on without them ever realizing it. I will even encourage them; My scheming is formidable. [7:182-183]

Satan gradually instills his suggestions into the minds of his subjects; ideas counter to the worship God alone. Satan hypnotizes his subjects into doing anything that reflects disbelief, idol-worship, or hypocrisy.

They are like the devil: he says to the human being, "Disbelieve," then as soon as he disbelieves, he says, "I disown you. I fear God, Lord of the universe." [59:16]

A trained hypnotist slowly infuses his directives into the subject's mind because this "drop by drop" approach helps the subject understand the instructions. But, in Satan's case, it is a matter of making a person feel at home with negative prompts. God protects His sincere servants from the Master Hypnotist's obvious and subtle attempts to hypnotize them.

Say, "My Lord, I seek refuge in You from the whispers of the devils. And I seek refuge in You, my Lord, lest they come near me." [23:97-98]

And the devil will say, after the judgment had been issued, "God has promised you the truthful promise, and I promised you, but I broke my promise. I had no power over you; I simply invited you, and you accepted my invitation. Therefore, do not blame me, and blame only yourselves. My complaining cannot help you, nor can your complaining help me. I have disbelieved in your idolizing me. The transgressors have incurred a painful retribution." [14:22]

When you read the Quran, you shall seek refuge in God from Satan the rejected. He has no power over those who believe and trust in their Lord. His power is limited to those who choose him as their master, those who choose him as their god. [16:98-100]

(O Satan,) "You have no power over My servants. You only have power over the strayers who follow you." [15:42]

"You may entice them with your voice, and mobilize all your forces and all your men against them, and share in their money and children, and promise them. Anything the devil promises is no more than an illusion. As for My servants, you have no power over them." Your Lord suffices as an advocate. [17:64-65]

SHIAISM - JA'FARY SCHOOL OF THOUGHTS

The sun of the existence of Imam Sadiq (A.S.) arose from the lap of his mother Ome-Farwah on the 17th of Rabiul Awal, 83rd year Hijrah, in the city of Madina. His father Imam Mohammad Baqir (A.S.) was much happy and pleased by the birth of his son. His mother was the grand daughter of Mohammad Ibn-e-Abu Bakr, who was one of the friends of Ali (A.S.). Imam Ali (A.S.) repeatedly said about him that, "Mohammad is my spiritual and moral son." Asma Bint-e-Amais was the mother of Mohammad Bin Abu Bakr, and she was considered to be a pious woman. She was continuously in the service of Hazrat Zahra (S.A.) and took pride in it. Imam Sadiq (A.S.) said about her mother, "My mother was one of the pious, faithful and devoted women." Imam Sadiq (A.S.) was 15 years of age when his grandfather Imam Sajjad (A.S.) was martyred and 34 years old when his father Imam Baqir (A.S.) was martyred. Consequent upon the martyrdom of Imam Hussain (A.S.) the government of Bani Omaiyd was shaken which turned the people into their enemy and pessimist about them. This opened the avenue for the formation of Bani Abbasade government. The gap in between these two powers opened the way for the propagation of Shia ideology and school of thought. Imam Jaffer-e-Sadiq (A.S.) could, through a learning movement, propagate the learning's of Islam in such a way to extend and make it reach all the people in the World. The Characteristic distinctions of Imam We all know that the conduct of men is the reflection of their inner character and everyone can be recognized by his conduct. There are only a very few people who do not spill out their conduct and whatever they have in their interior and do not exhibit it. Whatever they have in their hearts kindles the exterior of the electric lamp like an electric switch. Whole of the life of Imam Sadiq (A.S.), like the other Imams (A.S.), was the enlightened lesson of the real and right Islam. He himself was considered to be the example and specimen of the Islamic ethic, moral and conduct. You cannot find a father and a son among all the people, of all the tribes who may resemble each other from all the angles of ideas, thoughts, character and conduct. But the family of the Prophet of Islam (P.B.U.H.) and his successors all were on the same line and performed their heavenly duty with one aim, one ideology, and did not have any kind of difference in speech, character and ethical conduct. About the ethical value and virtue of Imam Sadiq (A.S.) it is sufficient that out of four thousands of his students even a single one did not object or criticize upon the moral character and conduct of Imam (A.S.), and did not find a weak point in it. He was a practical example and specimen for the Muslims with respect to eating, relaxing and resting, walking, speaking, and conducts with others. He had the same social conduct with his friends as he had with his children.