HAYAT AL-QULUB: Succession to Muhammad (s.a.w.s.) Volume 3

HAYAT AL-QULUB: Succession to Muhammad (s.a.w.s.)12%

HAYAT AL-QULUB: Succession to Muhammad (s.a.w.s.) Author:
Translator: Sayyid Akhtar Husain S.H. Rizvi
Publisher: Ansariyan Publications – Qum
Category: General Books
ISBN: 964-438-462-8

Volume 1 Volume 2 Volume 3
  • Start
  • Previous
  • 81 /
  • Next
  • End
  •  
  • Download HTML
  • Download Word
  • Download PDF
  • visits: 32576 / Download: 6205
Size Size Size
HAYAT AL-QULUB: Succession to Muhammad (s.a.w.s.)

HAYAT AL-QULUB: Succession to Muhammad (s.a.w.s.) Volume 3

Author:
Publisher: Ansariyan Publications – Qum
ISBN: 964-438-462-8
English

This book is corrected and edited by Al-Hassanain (p) Institue for Islamic Heritage and Thought


1

2

3

4

PART 16

Traditions that indicate ‘good deeds’ to mean the Wilayat of Ahlul Bayt (a.s.) and ‘evil’ indicates enmity towards them

First Verse:

مَنْ جَاءَ بِالْحَسَنَةِ فَلَهُ خَيْرٌ مِنْهَا وَهُمْ مِنْ فَزَعٍ يَوْمَئِذٍ آمِنُونَ وَمَنْ جَاءَ بِالسَّيِّئَةِ فَكُبَّتْ وُجُوهُهُمْ فِي النَّارِ هَلْ تُجْزَوْنَ إِلَّا مَا كُنتُمْ تَعْمَلُونَ.

Whoever brings good, he shall have better than it; and they shall be secure from terror on the day. And whoever brings evil, these shall be thrown down on their faces into the fire; shall you be rewarded (for) aught except what you did? 27:89-90

And said in another place:

مَنْ جَاءَ بِالْحَسَنَةِ فَلَهُ خَيْرٌ مِنْهَا وَمَنْ جَاءَ بِالسَّيِّئَةِ فَلَا يُجْزَى الَّذِينَ عَمِلُوا السَّيِّئَاتِ إِلَّا مَا كَانُوا يَعْمَلُونَ.

Whoever brings good, he shall have better than it, and whoever brings evil, those who do evil shall not be rewarded (for) aught except what they did. 28:84

The context of this verse is near to that of the earlier verse and Ibne Mahyar and Ibne Shahr Aashob have stated inUmda andMustadrak from theTafsir of Thalabi and fromHilya of Hafiz Abu Nuaim from Abdullah Jadni that Amirul Momineen (a.s.) said to him: Do you want that I should tell you what is that ‘Hasana’ (goodness) that a person will come with it on the day of Judgement, and will be safe from the difficulties and fear of that day and what is that evil with which when a person comes will directly go to Hell? He said: Yes, please tell us O Amirul Momineen (a.s.).

Ibne Mahyar has narrated another from Ammar Saabti through reliable chain of narrators. He said that Ibne Abi Yafoor asked Imam Sadiq (a.s.) the explanation of this verse. Imam replied that in this verse ‘hasana’ (good) is to recognize the Imam and his obedience is the obedience of Allah and in another tradition said that ‘hasana’ is the Wilayat of Imam Ali (a.s.).

It is also related from Imam Baqir (a.s.) through another reliable chain that ‘hasana’ is the Wilayat of Imam Ali (a.s.) and evil is the hatred and enmity towards Ali (a.s.).

Shaykh Tusi quotes Ammar Sabati in bookMajalis from Imam Sadiq (a.s.) that he said: Allah does not accept the good deeds of a person who has acted by believing in a false and unjust Imam who is not appointed by Allah. Ibne Abi Yafoor said that Allah says:

Whoever brings good, he shall have better than it… 27:89

So how the good deeds will benefit him who has accepted the Wilayat of an unjust and false Imam? Imam replied: Do you know the ‘hasana’ which Allah has mentioned in this verse is the recognition (Ma’refat) and obeying of the Imam and the evil is to deny the Imam appointed by Allah. After that the Imam said: One who comes on the day of Judgement with the Wilayat of an unjust Imam, not appointed by Allah and denies the right of we, Ahlul Bayt (a.s.), Allah would send him directly to Hell.

Second Verse:

وَمَنْ يَقْتَرِفْ حَسَنَةً نَزِدْ لَهُ فِيهَا حُسْنًا.

…And whoever earns good, We give him more of good therein… 42:23

Thalabi and other commentators from the Shia and Ahle Sunnat have narrated from Imam Hasan and Ibne Abbas that ‘good’ refers to the love and Wilayat of Ahlul Bayt (a.s.). Shia and Sunni scholars have narrated that Imam Hasan (a.s.) signed a peace treaty with Muawiyah and recited a sermon in which he said: We are the Ahlul Bayt whose love is incumbent upon every Muslim. As Allah said:

قُلْ لَا أَسْأَلُكُمْ عَلَيْهِ أَجْرًا إِلَّا الْمَوَدَّةَ فِي الْقُرْبَى.

Say: I do not ask of you any reward for it but love for my near relatives… 42:23

And said:

…and whoever earns good, We give him more of good therein… 42:23

The ‘good’ is the love of us, Ahlul Bayt (a.s.).

Third Verse:

وَلَا تَسْتَوِي الْحَسَنَةُ وَلَا السَّيِّئَةُ.

And not alike are the good and the evil. 41:34

It is narrated from Imam Kazim (a.s.) that: We are the ‘good’ and Bani Umayyah are the ‘evil’, because Ahlul Bayt (a.s.) are the source of all goodness and Bani Umayyah are the source of all evils which never ends and which always continues.

It is mentioned in other traditions that ‘good’ means dissimulation (Taqaiyyah) and ‘evil’ means exposing the secrets of the Holy Imams (a.s.).

Fourth Verse:

فَأَمَّا مَنْ أَعْطَى وَاتَّقَى. وَصَدَّقَ بِالْحُسْنَى. فَسَنُيَسِّرُهُ لِلْيُسْرَى.

Then as for him who gives away and guards (against evil), and accepts the best. We will facilitate for him the easy end. 92:5-7

Commentators say that those who spend the wealth given by Allah in the way of Allah and keep away from disobeying Allah and verify the ‘good’, very soon We will arrange the means for him that give ease and peace so that they can enter the Paradise and those who are niggardly in the wealth given by Allah and instead of the bounties of Paradise is involved in worldly matters (desires) and falsifies the ‘good’ and it is finished, so for them will be created means of difficulties for them. It means that he would be put in Hell. It has come in many traditions that ‘good’ in both the places means the Wilayat of Ahlul Bayt (a.s.).

In theTafsir of Ali Ibne Ibrahim,Basairud Darajat andTawilul Aayaat there is a tradition from Imam Sadiq (a.s.) that he said in the explanation of this verse:

Then as for him who gives away…

That it means that the Khums (1/5) given to Aale Muhammad (a.s.) and: ‘and guards (against evil),’ that is to keep away from the Satans, the false and unjust Caliphs and from their love and friendship and ‘And accepts the best,’ that is the Wilayat and Imamate of the true Imams. Thus: ‘We will facilitate for him the easy end’. So that such a person when intends to do a good deed would get it by the grace of Allah. And whosoever is niggardly and does not spend in the way of Allah and due to that he becomes needless from the friends of Allah, the true Imams, and does not refer to them for the acquisition of knowledge and‘And rejects the best, 92:9’ and one who falsifies the true Imams; when such a person whenever he will intend to commit an evil bad deed, he will act on it very fast. And that person who is more pious will be soon taken away from Hell fire. The Imam said that pious denotes the Holy Prophet (s.a.w.s.) and those who follows him absolutely in words and deeds.

الَّذِي يُؤْتِي مَالَهُ يَتَزَكَّى.

Who gives away his wealth, purifying himself… 92:18

It means the one who gives Zakat from his wealth or spends to purify his soul and not for showing-off or to make people aware of it. The Imam said that it refers Ali (a.s.) who gave Zakat while bowing down (Rukoo).

وَمَا لِأَحَدٍ عِنْدَهُ مِنْ نِعْمَةٍ تُجْزَى.

And no one has with him any boon for which he should be rewarded…92:19

The Imam said that it denotes the Prophet (s.a.w.s.) who has no obligation upon him whose recompense has to be given, but in fact his obligation is on the whole creation, which is forever.

Furat Ibne Ibrahim has narrated from Imam Sadiq (a.s.) on the verse:

وَكَذَّبَ بِالْحُسْنَى

And rejects the best… 92: 9

That those who falsify and do not accept the Wilayat of Imam Ali (a.s.) ‘We will facilitate for him the difficult end.’ That is for them is the fire of Hell.

وَمَا لِأَحَدٍ عِنْدَهُ مِنْ نِعْمَةٍ تُجْزَى.

And his wealth will not avail him when he perishes. 92:19

Imam (a.s.) said that after death no deeds of his would benefit him.

إِنَّ عَلَيْنَا لَلْهُدَى.

Surely Ours is it to show the way…92:12

The Imam said the recitation of Ahlul Bayt is in this way:

Surely Ali is to show the way…

It means Ali and His Mastership is guidance.

فَأَنْذَرْتُكُمْ نَارًا تَلَظَّى.

Therefore I warn you of the fire that flames… 92:14

The Imam said that it is means the fire of Qaem Aale Muhammad (a.s.) when he will reappear with a sword and kill 1999 people.

لَا يَصْلَاهَا إِلَّا الْأَشْقَى. الَّذِي كَذَّبَ وَتَوَلَّى.

None shall enter it but the unhappiest. Who gives the lie (to the truth) and turns (his) back. 92:15-16

Imam said that only those would be put in the fire of Qaem Aale Muhammad who are the most unjust, who deny the truth and turn away.

وَسَيُجَنَّبُهَا الْأَتْقَى. الَّذِي يُؤْتِي مَالَهُ يَتَزَكَّى.

And away from it shall be kept the one who guards most (against evil). Who gives away his wealth, purifying himself… 92:17-18

Imam (a.s.) said that a true believer who imparts knowledge to those deserving it would be kept away from that fire. It means that those pious believers would be safe who are bestowed with the knowledge of Qaem Aale Muhammad.

وَمَا لِأَحَدٍ عِنْدَهُ مِنْ نِعْمَةٍ تُجْزَى.

And no one has with him any boon for which he should be rewarded… 92:19

It means that whatever he does is for the pleasure of Allah.

وَلَسَوْفَ يَرْضَى.

And he shall soon be well-pleased. 92:21

Imam said that he will get so much rewards from Allah that he would be satisfied.

PART 17

According to the interpreters of Quran, ‘bounty’ denotes the Wilayat of Ahlul Bayt (a.s.). Also that the greatest bounty are these very personalities. There are some verses about this.

First verse:

أَلَمْ تَرَ إِلَى الَّذِينَ بَدَّلُوا نِعْمَةَ اللَّهِ كُفْرًا وَأَحَلُّوا قَوْمَهُمْ دَارَ الْبَوَارِ. جَهَنَّمَ يَصْلَوْنَهَا وَبِئْسَ الْقَرَارُ.

Have you not seen those who have changed Allah’s favor for ungratefulness and made their people to alight into the abode of perdition. Into hell, they shall enter into it and an evil place it is to settle in. 14:28-29

Commentators have said that this refers to the unbelievers of Quraysh because the Holy Prophet (s.a.w.s.) was a blessing, and instead of this ‘bounty’ they accepted Disbelief, harboured hatred towards the Prophet (s.a.) and waged war against him.

This explanation is narrated from Ali (a.s.), Abbas (a.r.) and Ibne Jubair.

Some have said that the original ‘bounty’ was converted to disbelief and denied the bounty so the bounty was taken away from them and only their disbelief remained.

The author ofKashaf and all the commentators have narrated from Imam Ali (a.s.) and Umar that this verse was revealed for the two greatest sinners of Quraysh: Bani Umayyah and Bani Mughira. Bani Umayyah is having a limited period of grace, but Allah protected from the evils of Bani Mughairah in the battle of Badr, because all the relatives and friends of Abu Jahl were killed there.

It is narrated by Ayyashi and many other traditionists with many chains of narrators that some people asked the explanation of this verse from Imam Sadiq (a.s.). He said: This verse is about the two main tyrants of Quraysh, Bani Umayyah and Bani Mughairah. Allah destroyed Bani Mughairah and their relatives on the day of Badr, but Bani Umayyah remained till a certain period. Then he said: We are the bounty of Allah with which He has blessed His servants and whoever gets salvation, it is through us.

Kulaini has narrated from Amirul Momineen (a.s.) that why do they turn away from the Prophet (s.a.w.s.) and his legatee and go on other side and are not afraid that the chastisement will come on them? After that the Imam recited this same verse and said: We are the ‘bounty’ of Allah which Allah has bestowed His servants and due to our grace they will get the ‘bounty’ on the day of Judgement.

Also there is a narration from Imam Sadiq (a.s.) that this verse is for all the Quraysh who harboured enmity towards the Holy Prophet (s.a.w.s.), fought with him and denied the Imamate of his legatee.

It is related through reliable chains that people asked the Imam the explanation of this verse. The Imam asked: What do the Ahle Sunnat say about this verse? The narrator said: They say it was revealed for Bani Umayyah and Mughairah. Imam said: By Allah! This verse is revealed for all the Quraysh. The Almighty Allah addressed His Prophet: I have given excellence to Quraysh upon all the Arabs and completed My ‘bounty’ on them and have chosen the religion of Islam for them and have sent a prophet towards them. So they have turned my ‘bounty’ into disbelief and destroyed their nation and made them reach Hell.

There is a tradition from Hasani in Sahifa Kamilah by Imam Sadiq (a.s.) that Allah has given all the news and happenings to the Prophet (s.a.w.s.) which were to take place in the regime of Bani Umayyah on the Ahlul Bayt (a.s.) their friends and Shias. Then Allah revealed the following verse about them:

Have you not seen those who have changed Allah’s favor for ungratefulness… 14:28

In this verse ‘favor’ refers to the Holy Prophet (s.a.w.s.) and his Ahlul Bayt (a.s.). Their love is a part of faith which will take to Paradise and their enmity is disbelief and hypocrisy which will take to Hell.

Second verse:

ثُمَّ لَتُسْأَلُنَّ يَوْمَئِذٍ عَنْ النَّعِيمِ.

Then on that day you shall most certainly be questioned about the boons. 102:8

The commentators say that ‘boon’ means all the blessings which were given in the world and some say that it means peace and health of the body.

There is a tradition from Imams Baqir and Sadiq (a.s.) and also Shaykh Tabarsi, Ayyashi and Qutub Rawandi have narrated inDaawaat that Abu Hanifah asked Imam Sadiq (a.s.) about this verse. The Imam asked him what according to your belief is the ‘boon’? He said: Eatables and cool water. If on the day of Judgement Allah makes you stand before Him and questions you about each and every thing you have eaten and drunk and all that you have drunk, then surely you would have to stand for a long time. Abu Hanifah said: May I be sacrificed for you, what is meant by ‘boons’, The Imam said ‘boon’ is Ahlul Bayt, that Allah has made us the boon for His creatures and due to us He has given love between them, whereas there was conflict among them and due to us He has made them loving and made them brothers with each other whereas they were enemy of one another and due to us and this blessing guided them which was bestowed upon them and they are Holy Prophet (s.a.w.s.) and his Progeny.

There is a tradition inUyoon Akhbar Reza that one day a group of people was present before the Holy Prophet (s.a.w.s.). He said that there is a no real ‘bounty’ in the world. One of the Ahle Sunnat scholars who was present in this gathering asked that Allah says:

Then on that day you shall most certainly be questioned about the boons. 102:8

Whether this ‘boon’ is not in the world? The Imam replied loudly that you give this explanation and people have given different explanations about it. A group says that ‘boon’ means cold water. Some say delicious food. And the truth is what my father has told me. All these things were stated before my forefather Imam Sadiq (a.s.), by listening to which he got angry and said Allah will not question His creatures about what He has given by His grace and does not boast of His favors. Whereas the boasting of favors by the people is considered bad, so why such things are attributed to Allah, which the creatures themselves do not like to be associated with? Listen! ‘Boon’ means the love of Ahlul Bayt (a.s.) and the acceptance of our Imamate. Allah would after asking him about oneness (Tawheed) and Prophethood ask him about it and if he answers them properly, Allah would send him to the blessings of Paradise which shall never end. Surely my father from his forefathers narrated from Imam Ali (a.s.), that the Holy Prophet (s.a.w.s.) said: When a person dies, the first thing he will be questioned is about Tawheed and Prophethood and that you Ali are their Imam and ruler due to the reason that Allah and I have appointed you and whosoever confesses to it that it was his faith in the world and the hereafter, he will go towards that ‘bounty’ which will never end.

Abu Zakvan who is one of the narrators of this tradition, says that after listening to this tradition I was busy in eulogical poetry I didn’t relate this tradition to anyone and one night I saw Holy Prophet (s.a.w.s.) in the dream that people were saluting him and he was replying to their salutations. When I saluted him, he did not answer me. So I asked: Am I not from your Ummat. He said: You are also from my Ummat, but make my Ummat aware about the tradition of ‘the favor’ (Naem) which you had heard from me.

Ibrahim and Shaykh Tabarsi have narrated from Imam Sadiq (a.s.) that ‘favor’ refers to Ahlul Bayt (a.s.) and you will be questioned about it. So at some other place you have:

وَقِفُوهُمْ إِنَّهُمْ مَسْئُولُونَ.

And stop them, for they shall be questioned. 37:24

It means they will be asked about the Wilayat of Ahlul Bayt (a.s.).

Imam Sadiq (a.s.) says in the explanation of this verse that this Ummat will be questioned about our Wilayat which Allah had given and the blessings of Muhammad and his Progeny.

There is a tradition from Imam Moosa Kazim (a.s.) that: We are ‘favor’ for the believer and ‘khantal’ (a bitter fruit) in the neck of the disbeliever.

Also there is a tradition from Abu Khalid Kabuli, in which he says that he came to Imam Baqir (a.s.) and food was served for him. He says: Till now I had not tasted such delicious food. The Imam said: Abu Khalid! Did you see our food? He said: It was very good, but I remembered a verse of Quran and the delicious food becomes tasteless for me. He asked: What was that? I recited this verse and the Imam said: By Allah you will never be asked about this food. After this the Hazrat smiled, so much so that his blessed teeth showed. Then he asked: Do you know what is the ‘favor’? I don’t know, I said. Imam said: We are the ‘favor’; it means safety, health and the Wilayat of Imam Ali (a.s.).

According to other traditions of Imams Baqir and Sadiq (a.s.) ‘favor’ means the Wilayat of Amirul Momineen (a.s.).

There is a tradition inKafi from Abu Hamza Thumali in which he says that we were a group seated before Imam Baqir (a.s.). By the order of the Imam food was brought, which were delicious, smelled good, was soft and clear and so good that we were able to see our faces in it. A person from us said: O son of the Holy Prophet (s.a.w.s.) you will be asked about this ‘bounty’, which you utilize. Imam said: Allah is much greater, kind and generous than to ask you on the day of Judgement about the food He gives and makes Halaal (pure) for you and to take account of it, but you will be questioned about the blessing of Muhammad and His Progeny which He has given you as a blessing.

There is a tradition from Imam Baqir (a.s.) on this topic which says in the end that you will be asked about that right which is about Wilayat and Imamate. There are many traditions on this topic.

Shias and Ahle Sunnat have narrated that a person will be asked about five things: 1. Filling of the stomach 2. Cold water 3. Sweet sleep 4. About the houses where he lived 5. To be born without any defects.

Third verse:

وَأَسْبَغَ عَلَيْكُمْ نِعَمَهُ ظَاهِرَةً وَبَاطِنَةً.

And made complete to you His favors outwardly and inwardly? 31:20

Some have recited it in the singular and some as plural and added a pronoun to it. Some have said that it is the manifested ‘favor’. Some have said about manifest ‘favor’ which can be touched and sensed, and covered one is the ‘favor’ of Aql (intelligence). Or the open ‘favors’ are those whose which are known and the covered ‘favors’ are those which are not known.

There is a tradition inManaqib andKamaluddeen from Imam Moosa bin Ja’far (a.s.) that he said narrated from Imam Baqir (a.s.) that he said: The ‘outward favor’ means the Wilayat of we, Ahlul Bayt and to nurture our love in the heart. Then the Imam said: By Allah! Those who accepted this ‘favor’ only outwardly and did not accept it inwardly and whole heartedly about them Allah says this in this verse:

يَا أَيُّهَا الرَّسُولُ لَا يَحْزُنْكَ الَّذِينَ يُسَارِعُونَ فِي الْكُفْرِ مِنْ الَّذِينَ قَالُوا آمَنَّا بِأَفْوَاهِهِمْ وَلَمْ تُؤْمِنْ قُلُوبُهُمْ.

O Apostle! Let not those grieve you who strive together in hastening to unbelief from among those who say with their mouths: We believe, and their hearts do not believe…5:41

The Imam said that Allah is not going to accept their faith but with our love and Wilayat.

Fourth verse:

فَبِأَيِّ آلَاءِ رَبِّكُمَا تُكَذِّبَانِ.

Which then of the bounties of your Lord will you deny? 55:6

Ali Ibne Ibrahim has stated in its explanation that this address is apparently to human beings and Jinns but actually it is addressed to the first and second (caliph).

There is a tradition from Imam Sadiq (a.s.) that this verse means the two ‘bounties’, that of Muhammad (s.a.w.s.) and Ali (a.s.), and which one ‘bounty’ would you deny?

In the report of Kulaini: Do you deny the Prophet of the legatee?

According to the tradition of Ibne Mahyar of the two which ‘bounty’ do you falsify, Muhammad or Ali, because I have bestowed blessings on My servants because of these two.

Kulaini has narrated through reliable chains from Imam Sadiq (a.s.) that he recited this verse:

فَاذْكُرُوا آلَاءَ اللَّهِ لَعَلَّكُمْ تُفْلِحُونَ.

…therefore remember the benefits of Allah, that you may be successful. 7:69

The Imam asked: Do you know what is the ‘benefits of Allah’? The narrator said: No, we don’t know. Hazrat replied: It means the Wilayat of us, Ahlul Bayt, the greatest ‘benefits of Allah’ on the servants of Allah.[52]

Fifth verse:

يَعْرِفُونَ نِعْمَةَ اللَّهِ ثُمَّ يُنكِرُونَهَا وَأَكْثَرُهُمْ الْكَافِرُونَ.

They recognize the favor of Allah, yet they deny it, and most of them are ungrateful. 16:83

Ali Ibne Ibrahim said that the ‘favor’ of Allah are the Holy Imams.

Kulaini has related from Imam Sadiq (a.s.) regarding this verse:

إِنَّمَا وَلِيُّكُمْ اللَّهُ وَرَسُولُهُ وَالَّذِينَ آمَنُوا الَّذِينَ يُقِيمُونَ الصَّلَاةَ وَيُؤْتُونَ الزَّكَاةَ وَهُمْ رَاكِعُونَ.

Only Allah is your Vali and His Apostle and those who believe, those who keep up prayers and pay the poor-rate while they bow. 5:55

When it was revealed in the praise and Imamate of Amirul Momineen (a.s.), the hypocrites gathered in the mosque of Medina and asked each other: What do you say to this? Some of them said: If we refuse this verse, we have to refuse many verses of Quran and if we bring faith on this verse, it would be insulting ourselves as this verse empowers the son of Abu Talib. Ultimately they proposed: As we know that Muhammad is a truthful person, we will accept his Wilayat but we will not accept the orders of Ali. At that time this verse was revealed:

They recognize the favor of Allah, yet they deny it, and most of them are ungrateful. 16:83

It means that they are aware of the Wilayat of Ali (a.s.), but many of them are unbelievers in it.

Sixth verse:

قُلْ بِفَضْلِ اللَّهِ وَبِرَحْمَتِهِ فَبِذَلِكَ فَلْيَفْرَحُوا هُوَ خَيْرٌ مِمَّا يَجْمَعُونَ.

Say: In the grace of Allah and in His mercy… in that they should rejoice; it is better than that which they gather. 10:58

Ibne Babawayh has narrated from Imam Baqir (a.s.) inMajalis , that one day the Prophet (s.a.w.s.) mounted and came out of Medina and Amirul Momineen (a.s.) walked besides him. The Prophet (s.a.w.s.) said: O Abul Hasan! Whenever I ride you should also ride and when I walk you should also walk and whenever I sit you also sit except in those cases where there is a religious limitation. And Allah has granted me status and grandeur and the same has also been given to you. Allah chose me for Prophethood and made you my helper and assistant, as you perform difficult and hard tasks within the limits of Allah. I swear by that Allah, Who has made me the true Prophet, that person has not brought faith on me who has rejected you and the one who does not accept your Imamate is like that one who has not accepted my Prophethood. That person does not believes in Allah who disbelieves in you. Surely your grace is my grace and my grace is the grace of Allah. This is the statement of my Lord: ‘Say: In the grace of Allah…’ Thus the grace of Allah is your Prophet (s.a.w.s.) and the mercy of Allah is the Wilayat of Ali Ibne Abi Talib (a.s.). The Hazrat said: ‘in that’ means due to the Prophethood and Wilayat, and the Shias of Ali should be happy. ‘they should rejoice; it is better than that which they gather.’ It means that this is better for the Shias of Ali than what their opponents gather in the world of wealth gold and Children. O Ali you were not created but for that due to you people worship your Lord and due to you the science of religion will be known and the ways of guidance get corrected. Indeed that person is astrayed who has strayed away from your Wilayat and he shall never be guided towards Allah that does not get guidance towards you in your Wilayat, and it is the statement of my Lord:

وَإِنِّي لَغَفَّارٌ لِمَنْ تَابَ وَآمَنَ وَعَمِلَ صَالِحًا ثُمَّ اهْتَدَى.

And most surely I am most Forgiving to him who repents and believes and does good…20:82

Surely my Lord has commanded me that I make your right obligatory just as my right has become incumbent. Indeed your right is incumbent and obligatory on everyone who brings faith in me. If you were not there, Allah’s enemy would not have been recognized. One who meets Allah without your Wilayat is as if he met without anything of the world and religion, rather he has left the world sans faith. Indeed Allah has revealed this verse on me:

يَا أَيُّهَا الرَّسُولُ بَلِّغْ مَا أُنزِلَ إِلَيْكَ مِنْ رَبِّكَ.

O Apostle! Deliver what has been revealed to you from your Lord… 5:67

The Prophet (s.a.w.s.) said: O Ali! It is about your Wilayat.

وَإِنْ لَمْ تَفْعَلْ فَمَا بَلَّغْتَ رِسَالَتَهُ.

…and if you do it not, then you have not delivered His message… 5:67

The Hazrat said: Indeed, If I had not carried out what was commanded to me about your Wilayat, all my deeds would have been confiscated and anyone who meets Allah without your Wilayat, indeed on the day of Judgement all his deeds shall be confiscated. He will be away from the Mercy of Allah. And whatever I say about you is the saying of my Lord that He has revealed upon me regarding you.

Kulaini has narrated from Imam Reza (a.s.) on the explanation of this verse that it means the Wilayat of Muhammad (s.a.w.s.) and Aale Muhammad is better than what their opponents gather.

Ayyashi has also narrated similarly from Imam Ali (a.s.) that Fazl (grace) is the Holy Prophet (s.a.w.s.) and Rahmat is Amirul Momineen (a.s.). The Shias of Ali should rejoice on this because it is better than gold and silver which is accumulated by the enemies of Ali (a.s.).

Seventh verse:

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

Ayyashi has narrated through two sources from Imam Baqir (a.s.) and Imam Sadiq (a.s.) that the ‘grace’ of Allah is the Holy Prophet (s.a.w.s.) and the ‘mercy’ of Allah is the Wilayat of the Purified Imams (a.s.).

Eighth verse:

مَا يَفْتَحْ اللَّهُ لِلنَّاسِ مِنْ رَحْمَةٍ فَلَا مُمْسِكَ لَهَا.

Whatever Allah grants to men of (His) mercy, there is none to withhold it…35:2

Ibne Mahyar has narrated from Imam Sadiq (a.s.) that ‘mercy’ means knowledge and wisdom, which Allah given to the tongue of the holy Imams for guidance of the people.

Ninth verse:

وَلَوْ شَاءَ اللَّهُ لَجَعَلَهُمْ أُمَّةً وَاحِدَةً وَلَكِنْ يُدْخِلُ مَنْ يَشَاءُ فِي رَحْمَتِهِ وَالظَّالِمُونَ مَا لَهُمْ مِنْ وَلِيٍّ وَلَا نَصِيرٍ.

And if Allah had pleased He would surely have made them a single community, but He makes whom He pleases enter into His mercy, and the unjust it is that shall have no guardian or helper. 42:8

Ali Ibne Ibrahim has said that if Allah wanted He would have made all his creatures infallible like angels and the unjust are those who have done injustice on the Progeny of Muhammad.

Ibne Abbas has narrated from Imam Sadiq (a.s.) that Mercy means the Wilayat of Ali Ibne Abi Talib (a.s.).

Tenth verse:

وَاللَّهُ يَخْتَصُّ بِرَحْمَتِهِ مَنْ يَشَاءُ.

…and Allah chooses especially whom He pleases for His mercy… 2:105

Dailami has narrated from Imam Sadiq (a.s.) that ‘mercy’ means the Holy Prophet (s.a.w.s.) and his Vicegerent. Indeed Allah has created 100 mercies, of which 99 have been gathered for Muhammad and Aale Muhammad, and only one mercy is distributed among all the creatures.

Eleventh verse:

ذَلِكَ فَضْلُ اللَّهِ يُؤْتِيهِ مَنْ يَشَاءُ وَاللَّهُ وَاسِعٌ عَلِيمٌ.

That is Allah’s grace; He grants it to whom He pleases… 62:4

And also:

وَلَا تَتَمَنَّوْا مَا فَضَّلَ اللَّهُ بِهِ بَعْضَكُمْ عَلَى بَعْضٍ.

And do not covet that by which Allah has made some of you excel others…4:32

The Imam said that both these verses were revealed in praise of Ahlul Bayt (a.s.).

Twelfth verse:

وَلِتُكَبِّرُوا اللَّهَ عَلَى مَا هَدَاكُمْ وَلَعَلَّكُمْ تَشْكُرُونَ.

…and that you should exalt the greatness of Allah for His having guided you and that you may give thanks. 2:185

There is a tradition inMahasin that ‘thanks’ means the awareness of the roots of religion or the Ma’refat of the Infallible Imams (a.s.).

Also in the explanation of this verse:

وَلَا يَرْضَى لِعِبَادِهِ الْكُفْرَ وَإِنْ تَشْكُرُوا يَرْضَهُ لَكُمْ.

...and He does not like ungratefulness in His servants; and if you are grateful, He likes it in you… 39:7

The Imam says that ‘ungratefulness’ means the enmity of Ahlul Bayt (a.s.) and ‘gratefulness’ means the Wilayat of the Holy Imams and their recognition (Ma’refat).

Thirteenth verse:

وَتَجْعَلُونَ رِزْقَكُمْ أَنَّكُمْ تُكَذِّبُونَ.

And to give (it) the lie you make your means of subsistence. 56:82

There is a tradition inTawilul Aayaat , that it denotes the ‘bounty’ which Allah bestowed for the sake of Muhammad and Aale Muhammad. And with it a condition has been stipulated for you. You give thanks but falsify his Vicegerent, Ali Ibne Abi Talib (a.s.).

فَلَوْلَا إِذَا بَلَغَتْ الْحُلْقُومَ. وَأَنْتُمْ حِينَئِذٍ تَنظُرُونَ.

Why is it not then that when it (soul) comes up to the throat. And you at that time look on… 56:83-84

When at the times of death the life is pulled upto the throat, you see the Vicegerent of the Prophet, Ali Ibne Abi Talib (a.s.), who gives good tidings of Paradise to his friends and the bad news of Hell to his enemies.

وَنَحْنُ أَقْرَبُ إِلَيْهِ مِنْكُمْ وَلَكِنْ لَا تُبْصِرُونَ.

And We are nearer to it than you… 56:85

And I am nearer to you than Amirul Momineen (a.s.),

but you do not see… 56:86

But you don’t know and you see not.

VI) The Different Kinds of Love

155. I have been asked to focus on what there is to say about love, and the different kinds of love. All the different kinds of love belong to the same family. Love is characterized by longing for the loved one, horror of separation, hope of having one’s love reciprocated. It has been suggested that the sentiment varies according to its object. But the object varies only according to the lover’s desires, according to whether they are on the increase, the decrease, or are vanishing altogether. Thus, love felt for God Almighty is perfect love; that which unites beings in the quest for the same ideal, the love of a father, a son, parents, a friend, a sovereign, a wife, a benefactor, a person in whom one has placed one’s hopes, a lover, all is generally the same, all is love, but there are different species as I have just listed, differing by the amount of love inspired by what the loved one is able to give of itself. Thus love can take different forms: we have seen men die broken-hearted because of their sons exactly as a lover might have his heart broken by his loved one. We have heard of a man who burnt with such fear of God, with such love, that he died of it. We know that a man can be as jealous of them as a lover is of his mistress.

156. The least that the lover can desire of the loved one is to win her esteem, her attention, to approach her - not daring to expect more. This is how far those aspire who love each other in God Almighty.

157. The next stage is when desire grows as time is spent together, in conversation, and interest is shown by one to another. This is the level of the love of a man towards his prince, his friend or his own brother.

158. But the height of what a lover may wish from the loved one is to take her in his arms when he desires her. That is why we see a man who is passionately fond of his wife trying different positions in making love, and different places, so as to feel that he possesses her more completely. It is in this category that we should put caresses and kisses. Some of these desires may arise in a father towards his child and may drive him to [express them] in kisses and caresses.

159. Everything that we have just mentioned is uniquely the function of [extreme] desire. When for some reason, the desire for some object is suppressed, the soul is driven towards a different object of desire.

160. Thus we find that the man who believes in the possibility of seeing God Almighty longs for it, has a great yearning for it and will never be satisfied with anything less since it is that which he desires. On the other hand, a man who does not believe in it does not aspire to this ecstasy and does not wish for it, having no desire for it. He is content to bow to divine will and to go to the mosque. He has no other ambition.

161. We have observed that a man who is legally able to marry his close relatives is not satisfied with favours which would satisfy someone who is not permitted to marry them. His love does not stop at the same point as the love of a man who is forbidden by law to love them. Those, such as Magians and Jews, who are permitted to marry their own daughters and nieces, do not curb their love at the same point as a Muslim does. On the contrary, they feel the same love to their daughters or to their nieces as a Muslim does to a woman he will sleep with. One never sees a Muslim desiring his close relatives in this way, even if they are more beautiful than the sun itself, even if he is the most debauched and the most amorous of men. And if, very exceptionally, it should happen, it would be only among the impious, who do not feel the constraint of the religion, and who allow themselves every lustful thought, and who find every gate of desire open to them. It cannot be guaranteed that a Muslim might not love his cousin so excessively that his love became a passion and overstepped the affection which he bore towards his daughter and niece, even if the cousin was not so beautiful as they. In fact he might desire favours from his cousin which he would never expect from his daughter or his niece. On the other hand, a Christian will treat his cousin with equal respect, for he is not permitted to desire her. But [unlike a Muslim] he does not have to restrain himself with anyone who shared a wet nurse with him, since he may desire her without offending the laws of his religion.

162. We now see the truth of what we said earlier: love in all its manifestations forms one single generic family, but its species vary according to the different objects of its desire.

163. Having said this, human nature is the same every where but different customs and religious beliefs have created apparent differences.

164. We do not say that desire has an influence only on love. We would say that is the cause of all kinds of cares, even those which concern one’s fortune and social position. Thus it may be observed that a man who sees the death of his neighbour, or of his maternal uncle, his friend, his cousin, his great-uncle, his nephew, his maternal grandfather or his grandson, having no claim on their property, does not fret because it has escaped him, however large and considerable their fortunes might be, because he had no expectation of them. But as soon as a distant member of his father's family dies, or one of his remotest clients, he begins to covet their belongings. And with the coveting comes crowding in anxiety, regret, anger and great sorrow if some tiny part of their fortune escapes him.

165. It is the same with one’s position in society: a man who belongs to the lowest social class does not fret if he is not consulted when someone else is given charge of the affairs of the land. He does not fret if someone else is promoted or demoted. But as soon as he begins to feel an ambition to better himself, it provokes so much worry, anxiety and anger that it could make him lose his soul, his world and his position in the hereafter [lose his soul here and in the hereafter]. Thus covetousness is the cause of all humiliation and every kind of anxiety. It is a wicked and despicable kind of behaviour.

166. The opposite of covetousness is disinterest. This is a virtuous quality which combines courage, generosity, justice and intelligence. A disinterested man is truly intelligent because he understands the vanity of covetousness and prefers disinterest. His courage gives birth to a greatness of spirit which makes him disinterested. His natural generosity stops him fretting about property which is lost to him. His equitable nature makes him love reserve and moderation in his desires. Thus disinterest is composed of these four qualities, just a covetousness, its opposite, is composed of the four opposite faults, that is, cowardice, greed, injustice and ignorance.

Greed is a kind of covetousness which would like to possess everything; it is insatiable and ever increasing in its demands. If there were no such thing as covetousness, nobody would ever humiliate himself to anybody else. Abû Bakr ibn Abû ibn al-Fayyâd has told me that ‘Uthmân bin Muhâmis [died 356 AH; 966 CE] inscribed upon the door of his house in Ecija [in Seville] “‘Uthmân covets nothing”.

Other species of this kind

167. A man made unhappy by the presence of a person he detests is like a man made unhappy by the absence of the person he loves. There is nothing to choose between them.

168. When a lover wishes to forget, he is sure to be able to do so. This wish is always granted.

169. If you treat the person you live with with respect, he will treat you with respect.

170. The man who is unhappy in love is the one who is racked by a passion for one whom he can keep locked away and with whom he may be united without incurring the wrath of God or the criticism of his fellow-men. All is well when the two lovers agree in loving each other. For love to run its course freely, it is essential that the two do not feel bored, for that is a bad feeling which gives rise to hatred. Perfect love would be if destiny forgot the two lovers while they were enjoying each other. But where could that happen except in Paradise? Only there can love be sure of shelter, for that is the home of everlasting stability. Otherwise, in the world, such feelings are not protected from misfortunes, and we go through life without ever tasting pleasure to the full.

171. When jealousy dies, you may be sure that love has also died.

172. Jealousy is a virtuous feeling which is made of courage and justice; truly, a just man hates to infringe the sacred rights of others, and hates to see others infringe his own sacred rights. When courage is inborn in a person, it gives rise to a grandeur of spirit which abhors injustice.

173. A man whose fortunes I have followed during these times told me once that he himself had never known jealousy until he was racked by love. Only then did he feel jealous. This man was corrupt by nature, he was a bad character, but nevertheless he was perspicacious and generous.

174. There are five stages in the growth of love: first is to think someone pleasant, that is, someone thinks of someone else as being nice or is charmed by their character. This is part of making friends. Then there is admiration; that is the desire to be near the person that one admires. Then there is close friendship when you miss the other one terribly when they are absent. Then there is amorous affection when you are completely obsessed with the loved one. In the special vocabulary of love this is called ‘ishq, “the slavery of love”. Finally, there is passion, when one can no longer sleep, eat or think. This can make you ill to the point of delirium or even death. Beyond this, there is absolutely no place where love ends.

A note

175. We used to think that passion was found more often among lively and emotional women. But our experience has shown that this is not the case. Passion is found most often among calm women, as long as their calmness is not the placidity of stupidity.

VII) Different Kinds of Physical Beauty

When I was asked to examine this matter, this is how I responded:

176. Gracefulness consists of delicate features, supple movements, graceful gestures, a soul in harmony with the form which fate has given it, even where there is no visible beauty.

177. Allure is beauty of each feature regarded separately. But someone whose features are beautiful when considered separately can still appear cold and be without piquantness, charm, seductiveness or grace.

178. Seductiveness is the aura of the visible parts; it also goes by the name of elegance and attractiveness.

179. Charm is a certain something which has no other name to explain it. It is the soul which perceives it, and everyone knows what it is as soon as they see it. It is like a veil covering the face, a shining light which draws all hearts to it so that all agree that it is beautiful, even if it is not accompanied by beautiful features. Anyone who sees it is seduced, charmed, enslaved, and yet if you looked at each feature separately you would find nothing special. It might be said that there is a certain unknown something which you see when you look into the soul. This is the supreme kind of beauty. However, tastes do differ. Some prefer seductiveness, others prefer gracefulness. But I have never met anyone who preferred allure as such.

180. We call beauty piquant when there is a combination of some of these qualities.

VIII) Practical Morality

181. Fickleness, which is a fault, consists of switching from one way of life which is forced and senseless, to another way of life which is equally forced and senseless from one absurd state to an equally absurd state for no good reason.

182. But a man who will adopt habits which suit his capabilities and his needs, and who will reject everything that is of no use to him [will be drawing on] one of the best sources of good sense and wisdom.

183. The Prophet (Allâh grant him blessing and greeting), the model of all goodness, whose character was praised by God, in whom God gathered together the most diverse and perfect virtues, and whom He kept from sin – the Prophet was in the habit of visiting the sick, accompanied by his friends. They went to the boundaries of Medina on foot, wearing neither boots nor sandals, hat nor turban. He wore clothes woven from the hair of wild beasts when he had them, or he might equally likely be wearing embroidered cloth if he had it, never wearing anything unnecessary and never forgetting anything necessary, content with what he had and doing without whatever he did not have. Sometimes he would ride a fine mule or he would ride a horse bareback or a camel or a donkey, with a friend riding behind him. Sometimes he ate dates without bread, sometimes dry bread, sometimes he ate roast lamb, fresh melon, or halwa, taking as much as needed and sharing out the surplus, or leaving what he did not need and not forcing himself to take more than he needed. He was never angry when he found himself alone fighting for a cause, and he let nothing prevent him from anger when it was a question of God, the Almighty.

184. The perseverance which consists of keeping one’s word and the perseverance which is nothing but obstinacy are so alike that they can only be told apart by someone who knows what different characters are like. The difference between the two kinds of perseverance is that obstinacy clings to error. Its actions are the actions of someone who persists in doing what he has decided upon when he knows that he is wrong, or when he does not know for sure whether he is right or wrong. Such obstinacy is wrong. The opposite of obstinacy is fairness. As for the kind of perseverance which consists of keeping one’s word, its actions are the actions of someone who is right, or who believes himself to be right, not having seen any reason not to believe this. This quality is worthy of praise, and its opposite is inconstancy. Only the first of the two kinds of perseverance [obstinacy] is wrong, because it makes you lose the habit of thinking about a matter once it has been decided, and you stop wondering whether the decision is right or wrong.

185. Good sense is defined as the practise of obedience to God and the practice of piety and the virtues. This definition implies avoidance of rebellion and vices. God has stated this clearly more than once in His holy book (the Qur’ân), emphasizing that anyone who disobeys Him is acting unreasonably. Speaking of certain people, the Almighty has said, “They will say: if we had listened, if we had understood, we would not be among the damned”, [67:10] and He has confirmed their words as true by saying, “They have recognized their own sins, so misfortune be to the damned.” [67:11]

186. Stupidity is defined as the practice of disobedience to God and the practice of vices.

187. As for going wild, throwing stones at people, not knowing what one is saying, that is lunacy and excess of bile.

188. Stupidity is opposite of good sense, as we have shown above; and there is no middle point between good sense and stupidity unless it is ineptitude.

189. The definition of ineptitude is to work and speak in a way that neither serves religion nor the world nor a healthy morality. This is neither disobedience to God not obedience, it does not bring anybody else to such acts, it is neither a virtue nor a harmful vice. It consists only of drivelling and rambling about doing pointless things. According to whether these actions are frequent or rare, the person should be treated as more or less inept. Moreover he may be inept in one matter, sensible in another, stupid in a third.

190. The opposite of madness is the ability to discern and the ability to make free use of sciences and technical knowledge. It is what the ancients called the “faculty of reasoning". There is no middle point between these two extremes.

191. As for the art of conducting one’s affairs and flattering people by means that might win their good will and save a situation, such as false dealing, perversion or any other bad practices, and as for the tricks which allow one to amass a fortune or to increase one’s reputation or to achieve glory by means of a crime or every kind of base behaviour, these are avowed that they had lost their senses and whose words of God confirmed as true when He said that they had lost their senses, knew very well how to conduct their worldly affairs, own standing. This characteristic is called astuteness, and the opposite of it is intelligence and honesty.

192. However if, in order to achieve these same ends, someone acted with reserve and dignity, this would be firmness. Its opposite is weakness or wasting.

193. To be serious, to know how to put each word in the right place, to preserve moderation in the way that you conduct your life, to show courtesy towards anyone who comes to you, that is called steadiness and is the opposite of ineptitude.

194. The virtue of keeping one’s word is made up of fairness, generosity and courage. Because a trustworthy man thinks it is unfair to deceive anyone who has put his trust in him or anyone who has done him a good deed, he acts with fairness. Because he wishes to help to repair the injustices of fate as quickly as possible, he acts with generosity. Because he has decided to bear without flinching all the likely consequences of his fidelity, he is courageous.

195. The virtues have four roots which form all virtue. They are: fairness of justice, intelligence, courage and generosity.

196. The vices have four roots which are the basis of all faults and which are the opposite of the constituents of the virtues. They are: unfairness, ignorance, cowardice and greed.

197. Honesty and temperance are two kinds of fairness and generosity.

Here are some lines of my poetry dealing with morals. Abû Muhammad Alî ibn Ahmad says:

The spirit is the foundation

morals build the fortress upon it.

If the spirit does not adorn itself with

knowledge it will surely find itself in distress.

An ignorant person is surely blind

and does not see where he is going.

If knowledge is not paired with justice

it is deceitful.

If justice is not paired with generosity

it is oppressive.

Generosity depends on courage.

Cowardice is deceitful.

Keep yourself in check if you are jealous

A jealous person has never yet committed adultery.

All these virtues are sublimated in piety.

Truth spreads light when it is spoken.

It is from the roots of Good that springs vows

[that bring us neared to God].

And here some other lines of poetry in my style:

The reins which control all the virtues are

Justice, intelligence, generosity and strength.

The other virtues are composed of these four.

Anyone who possesses them is at the head of his people.

Likewise it is in the head that one finds

The qualities of good sense that enable one to resolve all difficulties.[1]

198. Disinterest as a human quality is a virtue which is made up of courage and generosity. The same is true of patience.

199. Magnanimity is one kind of courage. It does not have an opposite.

200. Moderation is a virtue which is made up of generosity and fairness.

201. Ruthlessness arises from covetousness, and covetousness arises from envy. Envy arises from desire, and desire arises from injustice, greed and ignorance.

202. Ruthlessness gives rise to great vices, such as servility, theft, anger, adultery, murder, passions and fear of poverty.

203. To beg for something that belongs to someone else stems from a tendency which is midway between ruthlessness and covetousness.

204. If we make a distinction between ruthlessness and covetousness, it is only because ruthlessness reveals the covetousness that is hidden in the soul.

205. The art of dealing with people is a quality composed of magnanimity and patience.

206. Truthfulness is composed of justice and courage.

207. Anyone who comes to you with lies will go away with truths; that is to say, anyone who repeats to you lies which he attributes to a third person will make you beside yourself with rage; you will respond to him, and your response is the truth that he will carry away. Therefore be careful not to behave like this, and only answer when you are certain about the provenance of the lies.

208. There is nothing worse than falsehood. For how do you regard a vice which has as one of its varieties disbelief or impiety itself? For all disbelief is falsehood. Falsehood is the genus and disbelief is one of its species. Falsehood arises from wickedness, cowardice and ignorance. Truly, cowardice debases the soul. A liar has a vile soul which is far away from achieving a greatness worthy of praise.

209. If we categorize people by the way of their speaking – and, remember, it is speech that distinguishes mankind from donkeys, dogs and vermin – we can divide them into three groups: the first kind do not worry about what they pass on, they say everything that comes into their heads, without keeping to the truth or correcting mistakes, and this is the case with the majority of people. Another group speak in order to defend their own fixed opinions, or to protest against what they believe to be false, without trying to establish the truth, merely holding their ground. This is frequently the case, but it is not so serious as the first group. The third group makes use of language in the way of God intended and this is more precious than red sulphur.

210. Endless anxiety awaits a man who is goaded or irritated by justice.

211. Two kinds of people live a life without care: one kind are extremely worthy of praise, the other kind are those who care nothing for the pleasures of this world, and those who care nothing for haya’, modesty.

212. To distance ourselves from the vanities of the world it should suffice to remember that every night every man alive, in his sleep, forgets everything that worried him during the day, all his fears, all his hopes. He no longer remembers his children or his parents, glory or obscurity, high social responsibilities or unemployment, poverty or riches, nor catastrophes. Such a lesson should be sufficient for a thoughtful person.

213. One of the most marvellous arrangements in God’s world is that He has made the thing that are most necessary also the most easily attainable, as can be seen in the case of water and the thing which is even more necessary. (i.e. air) And the less essential a thing is, the rarer it is, as can be seen in the case of sapphires and things which are even less useful.

214. With all the worries, a man is like someone walking across a desert. Every time that he crosses a certain area, he sees other areas opening in front of him. Likewise, every time that a man gets something done, he finds other tasks piling up.

215. That man was right who said that the good have a hard time in this world. But the man who said that the good are at rest was also right. The good do suffer from all the evil that they see spread over everything, dominating it, and all the appearances of justice which rear up between true justice and themselves. But their calmness comes from [their indifference to] all the vanities of this world which so worry the rest of mankind.

216. Take care not to agree with a wicked speaker, not to help your contemporaries by doing anything which might harm you in this world or the next – however little – for you will reap nothing but regret, at a time when regret will not help you at all. The man you helped will not thank you. On the contrary, he will rejoice at your misfortune, or, at least – you may be certain – he will be indifferent to the bad results [of your action] and your sad ending. But guard against contradicting the speaker and opposing your contemporaries to the extent that you harm yourself in this world or the next, however little. You will reap only loss, hostility and enmity. You may even allow yourself to take sides, and you may suffer considerable trials which will be of no benefit [to you] whatsoever.

217. If you have to choose between annoying people or annoying the Almighty, and if there is no way out except either to run away from the right or to run away from the people, you should choose to annoy the people and run away from them, but do not annoy your God, do not run away from injustice.

218. You should imitate the Prophet – peace be upon him – when he preached to the ignorant, the sinful and the wicked. Anyone who preaches drily and cheerlessly is doing wrong and is not applying the Prophet’s method. Such preaching would usually only drive his audience to persist in their wicked ways, from obstinacy, anger and rage against the insolent sermonizer. He would then have done bad with his talk, not good. But a man who exhorts in a friendly fashion, with a smile and with gentleness, putting on the appearance of offering advice and seeming to be speaking of a third person when he criticizes the faults of the one he is speaking to, then his words reach farther and have more effect. But if they are not well received, he should go on to exhort or to appeal to the man’s sense of shame, but only in private. And if [his advice] is still not taken, he should speak in the presence of someone who will make the sinner change. This is the practice which God ordains when He commands the use of “courteous terms”. The Prophet used not to address his listeners directly; instead, he would say to them “What are they thinking of, the people who do such thing?…” Peace be upon him! He praised gentleness, commended us to be tolerant and not to argue. He varied his sermons so as not to be boring. And God has said, “If you are harsh, and hardhearted, they would have scattered from about you.” [Qur’ân 3:159.] Severity and hardness should not be used except to inflict the punishment ordained by God. A man who has been given special authority to inflict such punishment must not be gentle.

219. Something which can also have a good effect in a sermon is to praise, in the presence of a wrongdoer, somebody who has acted differently. This is an incitement to behave better. I know no other benefit of the love of praise: a person who hears another being praised models himself on him. It is for this reason that we should tell stories of virtue and vice, so that anyone who hears them may turn away from the wicked deed that he hears others have done and accomplish the good deeds that he hears that others have done, so learning from history.

220. I have considered everything that lives beneath the skies, I have reflected long upon it, and I have observed that everything that exists, whether animate or inanimate, has a natural tendency to build itself up by divesting the other species of their characteristics and investing them with his own. Thus, a virtuous man hopes that all mankind will become virtuous and the sinner hopes that all mankind will become sinful. One may observe that everybody who recalls a past action of their own which they incite others to imitate says, “I always do such and such”; someone with a doctrine wishes that everybody would agree with him. This phenomenon can also be seen among the elements: when some become strong than others, they change them to their own substance: you can see how trees are formed, and how plants and trees are nourished by transforming water and the moisture in the soil to their own substance. For this may glory be given to Him who created and organized all things, the is no other God but He.

221. One of the most astonishing manifestations of God’s power is that [despite] the great number of creatures that exist, you never see one so alike another that there is no difference between them. I asked a man who was very old and had reached his eighties whether he had ever seen in the past any form that resembled somebody nowadays to the point of being identical. “No,” he replied, “on the contrary, every form has something distinctive about it.” The same is true of everything that exists in the world. Whoever makes a study of various objects and of the bodies they make up, whoever makes a long and frequent examination of them, knows this, and is able to discern the differences and to distinguish one object from another thanks to the nuances which the soul can perceive but words cannot express. Glory then to the Almighty, the Omniscient, whose power is infinite.

222. A curious thing in this world is to see people allow themselves to be dominated by perverse hopes which will bring them nothing but trouble in the short term and anxiety and sin in the long term. For example, one person will hope for a rise in the price of foodstuffs, a rise which might be fatal for some people. But, even if one has a certain interest in something happening, the fact that one hopes for it does not make it happen before its time, and nothing will happen that God has not decided. If he had wished for the good and the prosperity of other people, we would have speeded his own reward, achieved peace of mind and virtue, without fatiguing himself at all. Be amazed at the useless corruption of these characters!

Notes:

[1] This poem appears towards the end of the book in Makkî’s edition [pp. 239F].

VI) The Different Kinds of Love

155. I have been asked to focus on what there is to say about love, and the different kinds of love. All the different kinds of love belong to the same family. Love is characterized by longing for the loved one, horror of separation, hope of having one’s love reciprocated. It has been suggested that the sentiment varies according to its object. But the object varies only according to the lover’s desires, according to whether they are on the increase, the decrease, or are vanishing altogether. Thus, love felt for God Almighty is perfect love; that which unites beings in the quest for the same ideal, the love of a father, a son, parents, a friend, a sovereign, a wife, a benefactor, a person in whom one has placed one’s hopes, a lover, all is generally the same, all is love, but there are different species as I have just listed, differing by the amount of love inspired by what the loved one is able to give of itself. Thus love can take different forms: we have seen men die broken-hearted because of their sons exactly as a lover might have his heart broken by his loved one. We have heard of a man who burnt with such fear of God, with such love, that he died of it. We know that a man can be as jealous of them as a lover is of his mistress.

156. The least that the lover can desire of the loved one is to win her esteem, her attention, to approach her - not daring to expect more. This is how far those aspire who love each other in God Almighty.

157. The next stage is when desire grows as time is spent together, in conversation, and interest is shown by one to another. This is the level of the love of a man towards his prince, his friend or his own brother.

158. But the height of what a lover may wish from the loved one is to take her in his arms when he desires her. That is why we see a man who is passionately fond of his wife trying different positions in making love, and different places, so as to feel that he possesses her more completely. It is in this category that we should put caresses and kisses. Some of these desires may arise in a father towards his child and may drive him to [express them] in kisses and caresses.

159. Everything that we have just mentioned is uniquely the function of [extreme] desire. When for some reason, the desire for some object is suppressed, the soul is driven towards a different object of desire.

160. Thus we find that the man who believes in the possibility of seeing God Almighty longs for it, has a great yearning for it and will never be satisfied with anything less since it is that which he desires. On the other hand, a man who does not believe in it does not aspire to this ecstasy and does not wish for it, having no desire for it. He is content to bow to divine will and to go to the mosque. He has no other ambition.

161. We have observed that a man who is legally able to marry his close relatives is not satisfied with favours which would satisfy someone who is not permitted to marry them. His love does not stop at the same point as the love of a man who is forbidden by law to love them. Those, such as Magians and Jews, who are permitted to marry their own daughters and nieces, do not curb their love at the same point as a Muslim does. On the contrary, they feel the same love to their daughters or to their nieces as a Muslim does to a woman he will sleep with. One never sees a Muslim desiring his close relatives in this way, even if they are more beautiful than the sun itself, even if he is the most debauched and the most amorous of men. And if, very exceptionally, it should happen, it would be only among the impious, who do not feel the constraint of the religion, and who allow themselves every lustful thought, and who find every gate of desire open to them. It cannot be guaranteed that a Muslim might not love his cousin so excessively that his love became a passion and overstepped the affection which he bore towards his daughter and niece, even if the cousin was not so beautiful as they. In fact he might desire favours from his cousin which he would never expect from his daughter or his niece. On the other hand, a Christian will treat his cousin with equal respect, for he is not permitted to desire her. But [unlike a Muslim] he does not have to restrain himself with anyone who shared a wet nurse with him, since he may desire her without offending the laws of his religion.

162. We now see the truth of what we said earlier: love in all its manifestations forms one single generic family, but its species vary according to the different objects of its desire.

163. Having said this, human nature is the same every where but different customs and religious beliefs have created apparent differences.

164. We do not say that desire has an influence only on love. We would say that is the cause of all kinds of cares, even those which concern one’s fortune and social position. Thus it may be observed that a man who sees the death of his neighbour, or of his maternal uncle, his friend, his cousin, his great-uncle, his nephew, his maternal grandfather or his grandson, having no claim on their property, does not fret because it has escaped him, however large and considerable their fortunes might be, because he had no expectation of them. But as soon as a distant member of his father's family dies, or one of his remotest clients, he begins to covet their belongings. And with the coveting comes crowding in anxiety, regret, anger and great sorrow if some tiny part of their fortune escapes him.

165. It is the same with one’s position in society: a man who belongs to the lowest social class does not fret if he is not consulted when someone else is given charge of the affairs of the land. He does not fret if someone else is promoted or demoted. But as soon as he begins to feel an ambition to better himself, it provokes so much worry, anxiety and anger that it could make him lose his soul, his world and his position in the hereafter [lose his soul here and in the hereafter]. Thus covetousness is the cause of all humiliation and every kind of anxiety. It is a wicked and despicable kind of behaviour.

166. The opposite of covetousness is disinterest. This is a virtuous quality which combines courage, generosity, justice and intelligence. A disinterested man is truly intelligent because he understands the vanity of covetousness and prefers disinterest. His courage gives birth to a greatness of spirit which makes him disinterested. His natural generosity stops him fretting about property which is lost to him. His equitable nature makes him love reserve and moderation in his desires. Thus disinterest is composed of these four qualities, just a covetousness, its opposite, is composed of the four opposite faults, that is, cowardice, greed, injustice and ignorance.

Greed is a kind of covetousness which would like to possess everything; it is insatiable and ever increasing in its demands. If there were no such thing as covetousness, nobody would ever humiliate himself to anybody else. Abû Bakr ibn Abû ibn al-Fayyâd has told me that ‘Uthmân bin Muhâmis [died 356 AH; 966 CE] inscribed upon the door of his house in Ecija [in Seville] “‘Uthmân covets nothing”.

Other species of this kind

167. A man made unhappy by the presence of a person he detests is like a man made unhappy by the absence of the person he loves. There is nothing to choose between them.

168. When a lover wishes to forget, he is sure to be able to do so. This wish is always granted.

169. If you treat the person you live with with respect, he will treat you with respect.

170. The man who is unhappy in love is the one who is racked by a passion for one whom he can keep locked away and with whom he may be united without incurring the wrath of God or the criticism of his fellow-men. All is well when the two lovers agree in loving each other. For love to run its course freely, it is essential that the two do not feel bored, for that is a bad feeling which gives rise to hatred. Perfect love would be if destiny forgot the two lovers while they were enjoying each other. But where could that happen except in Paradise? Only there can love be sure of shelter, for that is the home of everlasting stability. Otherwise, in the world, such feelings are not protected from misfortunes, and we go through life without ever tasting pleasure to the full.

171. When jealousy dies, you may be sure that love has also died.

172. Jealousy is a virtuous feeling which is made of courage and justice; truly, a just man hates to infringe the sacred rights of others, and hates to see others infringe his own sacred rights. When courage is inborn in a person, it gives rise to a grandeur of spirit which abhors injustice.

173. A man whose fortunes I have followed during these times told me once that he himself had never known jealousy until he was racked by love. Only then did he feel jealous. This man was corrupt by nature, he was a bad character, but nevertheless he was perspicacious and generous.

174. There are five stages in the growth of love: first is to think someone pleasant, that is, someone thinks of someone else as being nice or is charmed by their character. This is part of making friends. Then there is admiration; that is the desire to be near the person that one admires. Then there is close friendship when you miss the other one terribly when they are absent. Then there is amorous affection when you are completely obsessed with the loved one. In the special vocabulary of love this is called ‘ishq, “the slavery of love”. Finally, there is passion, when one can no longer sleep, eat or think. This can make you ill to the point of delirium or even death. Beyond this, there is absolutely no place where love ends.

A note

175. We used to think that passion was found more often among lively and emotional women. But our experience has shown that this is not the case. Passion is found most often among calm women, as long as their calmness is not the placidity of stupidity.

VII) Different Kinds of Physical Beauty

When I was asked to examine this matter, this is how I responded:

176. Gracefulness consists of delicate features, supple movements, graceful gestures, a soul in harmony with the form which fate has given it, even where there is no visible beauty.

177. Allure is beauty of each feature regarded separately. But someone whose features are beautiful when considered separately can still appear cold and be without piquantness, charm, seductiveness or grace.

178. Seductiveness is the aura of the visible parts; it also goes by the name of elegance and attractiveness.

179. Charm is a certain something which has no other name to explain it. It is the soul which perceives it, and everyone knows what it is as soon as they see it. It is like a veil covering the face, a shining light which draws all hearts to it so that all agree that it is beautiful, even if it is not accompanied by beautiful features. Anyone who sees it is seduced, charmed, enslaved, and yet if you looked at each feature separately you would find nothing special. It might be said that there is a certain unknown something which you see when you look into the soul. This is the supreme kind of beauty. However, tastes do differ. Some prefer seductiveness, others prefer gracefulness. But I have never met anyone who preferred allure as such.

180. We call beauty piquant when there is a combination of some of these qualities.

VIII) Practical Morality

181. Fickleness, which is a fault, consists of switching from one way of life which is forced and senseless, to another way of life which is equally forced and senseless from one absurd state to an equally absurd state for no good reason.

182. But a man who will adopt habits which suit his capabilities and his needs, and who will reject everything that is of no use to him [will be drawing on] one of the best sources of good sense and wisdom.

183. The Prophet (Allâh grant him blessing and greeting), the model of all goodness, whose character was praised by God, in whom God gathered together the most diverse and perfect virtues, and whom He kept from sin – the Prophet was in the habit of visiting the sick, accompanied by his friends. They went to the boundaries of Medina on foot, wearing neither boots nor sandals, hat nor turban. He wore clothes woven from the hair of wild beasts when he had them, or he might equally likely be wearing embroidered cloth if he had it, never wearing anything unnecessary and never forgetting anything necessary, content with what he had and doing without whatever he did not have. Sometimes he would ride a fine mule or he would ride a horse bareback or a camel or a donkey, with a friend riding behind him. Sometimes he ate dates without bread, sometimes dry bread, sometimes he ate roast lamb, fresh melon, or halwa, taking as much as needed and sharing out the surplus, or leaving what he did not need and not forcing himself to take more than he needed. He was never angry when he found himself alone fighting for a cause, and he let nothing prevent him from anger when it was a question of God, the Almighty.

184. The perseverance which consists of keeping one’s word and the perseverance which is nothing but obstinacy are so alike that they can only be told apart by someone who knows what different characters are like. The difference between the two kinds of perseverance is that obstinacy clings to error. Its actions are the actions of someone who persists in doing what he has decided upon when he knows that he is wrong, or when he does not know for sure whether he is right or wrong. Such obstinacy is wrong. The opposite of obstinacy is fairness. As for the kind of perseverance which consists of keeping one’s word, its actions are the actions of someone who is right, or who believes himself to be right, not having seen any reason not to believe this. This quality is worthy of praise, and its opposite is inconstancy. Only the first of the two kinds of perseverance [obstinacy] is wrong, because it makes you lose the habit of thinking about a matter once it has been decided, and you stop wondering whether the decision is right or wrong.

185. Good sense is defined as the practise of obedience to God and the practice of piety and the virtues. This definition implies avoidance of rebellion and vices. God has stated this clearly more than once in His holy book (the Qur’ân), emphasizing that anyone who disobeys Him is acting unreasonably. Speaking of certain people, the Almighty has said, “They will say: if we had listened, if we had understood, we would not be among the damned”, [67:10] and He has confirmed their words as true by saying, “They have recognized their own sins, so misfortune be to the damned.” [67:11]

186. Stupidity is defined as the practice of disobedience to God and the practice of vices.

187. As for going wild, throwing stones at people, not knowing what one is saying, that is lunacy and excess of bile.

188. Stupidity is opposite of good sense, as we have shown above; and there is no middle point between good sense and stupidity unless it is ineptitude.

189. The definition of ineptitude is to work and speak in a way that neither serves religion nor the world nor a healthy morality. This is neither disobedience to God not obedience, it does not bring anybody else to such acts, it is neither a virtue nor a harmful vice. It consists only of drivelling and rambling about doing pointless things. According to whether these actions are frequent or rare, the person should be treated as more or less inept. Moreover he may be inept in one matter, sensible in another, stupid in a third.

190. The opposite of madness is the ability to discern and the ability to make free use of sciences and technical knowledge. It is what the ancients called the “faculty of reasoning". There is no middle point between these two extremes.

191. As for the art of conducting one’s affairs and flattering people by means that might win their good will and save a situation, such as false dealing, perversion or any other bad practices, and as for the tricks which allow one to amass a fortune or to increase one’s reputation or to achieve glory by means of a crime or every kind of base behaviour, these are avowed that they had lost their senses and whose words of God confirmed as true when He said that they had lost their senses, knew very well how to conduct their worldly affairs, own standing. This characteristic is called astuteness, and the opposite of it is intelligence and honesty.

192. However if, in order to achieve these same ends, someone acted with reserve and dignity, this would be firmness. Its opposite is weakness or wasting.

193. To be serious, to know how to put each word in the right place, to preserve moderation in the way that you conduct your life, to show courtesy towards anyone who comes to you, that is called steadiness and is the opposite of ineptitude.

194. The virtue of keeping one’s word is made up of fairness, generosity and courage. Because a trustworthy man thinks it is unfair to deceive anyone who has put his trust in him or anyone who has done him a good deed, he acts with fairness. Because he wishes to help to repair the injustices of fate as quickly as possible, he acts with generosity. Because he has decided to bear without flinching all the likely consequences of his fidelity, he is courageous.

195. The virtues have four roots which form all virtue. They are: fairness of justice, intelligence, courage and generosity.

196. The vices have four roots which are the basis of all faults and which are the opposite of the constituents of the virtues. They are: unfairness, ignorance, cowardice and greed.

197. Honesty and temperance are two kinds of fairness and generosity.

Here are some lines of my poetry dealing with morals. Abû Muhammad Alî ibn Ahmad says:

The spirit is the foundation

morals build the fortress upon it.

If the spirit does not adorn itself with

knowledge it will surely find itself in distress.

An ignorant person is surely blind

and does not see where he is going.

If knowledge is not paired with justice

it is deceitful.

If justice is not paired with generosity

it is oppressive.

Generosity depends on courage.

Cowardice is deceitful.

Keep yourself in check if you are jealous

A jealous person has never yet committed adultery.

All these virtues are sublimated in piety.

Truth spreads light when it is spoken.

It is from the roots of Good that springs vows

[that bring us neared to God].

And here some other lines of poetry in my style:

The reins which control all the virtues are

Justice, intelligence, generosity and strength.

The other virtues are composed of these four.

Anyone who possesses them is at the head of his people.

Likewise it is in the head that one finds

The qualities of good sense that enable one to resolve all difficulties.[1]

198. Disinterest as a human quality is a virtue which is made up of courage and generosity. The same is true of patience.

199. Magnanimity is one kind of courage. It does not have an opposite.

200. Moderation is a virtue which is made up of generosity and fairness.

201. Ruthlessness arises from covetousness, and covetousness arises from envy. Envy arises from desire, and desire arises from injustice, greed and ignorance.

202. Ruthlessness gives rise to great vices, such as servility, theft, anger, adultery, murder, passions and fear of poverty.

203. To beg for something that belongs to someone else stems from a tendency which is midway between ruthlessness and covetousness.

204. If we make a distinction between ruthlessness and covetousness, it is only because ruthlessness reveals the covetousness that is hidden in the soul.

205. The art of dealing with people is a quality composed of magnanimity and patience.

206. Truthfulness is composed of justice and courage.

207. Anyone who comes to you with lies will go away with truths; that is to say, anyone who repeats to you lies which he attributes to a third person will make you beside yourself with rage; you will respond to him, and your response is the truth that he will carry away. Therefore be careful not to behave like this, and only answer when you are certain about the provenance of the lies.

208. There is nothing worse than falsehood. For how do you regard a vice which has as one of its varieties disbelief or impiety itself? For all disbelief is falsehood. Falsehood is the genus and disbelief is one of its species. Falsehood arises from wickedness, cowardice and ignorance. Truly, cowardice debases the soul. A liar has a vile soul which is far away from achieving a greatness worthy of praise.

209. If we categorize people by the way of their speaking – and, remember, it is speech that distinguishes mankind from donkeys, dogs and vermin – we can divide them into three groups: the first kind do not worry about what they pass on, they say everything that comes into their heads, without keeping to the truth or correcting mistakes, and this is the case with the majority of people. Another group speak in order to defend their own fixed opinions, or to protest against what they believe to be false, without trying to establish the truth, merely holding their ground. This is frequently the case, but it is not so serious as the first group. The third group makes use of language in the way of God intended and this is more precious than red sulphur.

210. Endless anxiety awaits a man who is goaded or irritated by justice.

211. Two kinds of people live a life without care: one kind are extremely worthy of praise, the other kind are those who care nothing for the pleasures of this world, and those who care nothing for haya’, modesty.

212. To distance ourselves from the vanities of the world it should suffice to remember that every night every man alive, in his sleep, forgets everything that worried him during the day, all his fears, all his hopes. He no longer remembers his children or his parents, glory or obscurity, high social responsibilities or unemployment, poverty or riches, nor catastrophes. Such a lesson should be sufficient for a thoughtful person.

213. One of the most marvellous arrangements in God’s world is that He has made the thing that are most necessary also the most easily attainable, as can be seen in the case of water and the thing which is even more necessary. (i.e. air) And the less essential a thing is, the rarer it is, as can be seen in the case of sapphires and things which are even less useful.

214. With all the worries, a man is like someone walking across a desert. Every time that he crosses a certain area, he sees other areas opening in front of him. Likewise, every time that a man gets something done, he finds other tasks piling up.

215. That man was right who said that the good have a hard time in this world. But the man who said that the good are at rest was also right. The good do suffer from all the evil that they see spread over everything, dominating it, and all the appearances of justice which rear up between true justice and themselves. But their calmness comes from [their indifference to] all the vanities of this world which so worry the rest of mankind.

216. Take care not to agree with a wicked speaker, not to help your contemporaries by doing anything which might harm you in this world or the next – however little – for you will reap nothing but regret, at a time when regret will not help you at all. The man you helped will not thank you. On the contrary, he will rejoice at your misfortune, or, at least – you may be certain – he will be indifferent to the bad results [of your action] and your sad ending. But guard against contradicting the speaker and opposing your contemporaries to the extent that you harm yourself in this world or the next, however little. You will reap only loss, hostility and enmity. You may even allow yourself to take sides, and you may suffer considerable trials which will be of no benefit [to you] whatsoever.

217. If you have to choose between annoying people or annoying the Almighty, and if there is no way out except either to run away from the right or to run away from the people, you should choose to annoy the people and run away from them, but do not annoy your God, do not run away from injustice.

218. You should imitate the Prophet – peace be upon him – when he preached to the ignorant, the sinful and the wicked. Anyone who preaches drily and cheerlessly is doing wrong and is not applying the Prophet’s method. Such preaching would usually only drive his audience to persist in their wicked ways, from obstinacy, anger and rage against the insolent sermonizer. He would then have done bad with his talk, not good. But a man who exhorts in a friendly fashion, with a smile and with gentleness, putting on the appearance of offering advice and seeming to be speaking of a third person when he criticizes the faults of the one he is speaking to, then his words reach farther and have more effect. But if they are not well received, he should go on to exhort or to appeal to the man’s sense of shame, but only in private. And if [his advice] is still not taken, he should speak in the presence of someone who will make the sinner change. This is the practice which God ordains when He commands the use of “courteous terms”. The Prophet used not to address his listeners directly; instead, he would say to them “What are they thinking of, the people who do such thing?…” Peace be upon him! He praised gentleness, commended us to be tolerant and not to argue. He varied his sermons so as not to be boring. And God has said, “If you are harsh, and hardhearted, they would have scattered from about you.” [Qur’ân 3:159.] Severity and hardness should not be used except to inflict the punishment ordained by God. A man who has been given special authority to inflict such punishment must not be gentle.

219. Something which can also have a good effect in a sermon is to praise, in the presence of a wrongdoer, somebody who has acted differently. This is an incitement to behave better. I know no other benefit of the love of praise: a person who hears another being praised models himself on him. It is for this reason that we should tell stories of virtue and vice, so that anyone who hears them may turn away from the wicked deed that he hears others have done and accomplish the good deeds that he hears that others have done, so learning from history.

220. I have considered everything that lives beneath the skies, I have reflected long upon it, and I have observed that everything that exists, whether animate or inanimate, has a natural tendency to build itself up by divesting the other species of their characteristics and investing them with his own. Thus, a virtuous man hopes that all mankind will become virtuous and the sinner hopes that all mankind will become sinful. One may observe that everybody who recalls a past action of their own which they incite others to imitate says, “I always do such and such”; someone with a doctrine wishes that everybody would agree with him. This phenomenon can also be seen among the elements: when some become strong than others, they change them to their own substance: you can see how trees are formed, and how plants and trees are nourished by transforming water and the moisture in the soil to their own substance. For this may glory be given to Him who created and organized all things, the is no other God but He.

221. One of the most astonishing manifestations of God’s power is that [despite] the great number of creatures that exist, you never see one so alike another that there is no difference between them. I asked a man who was very old and had reached his eighties whether he had ever seen in the past any form that resembled somebody nowadays to the point of being identical. “No,” he replied, “on the contrary, every form has something distinctive about it.” The same is true of everything that exists in the world. Whoever makes a study of various objects and of the bodies they make up, whoever makes a long and frequent examination of them, knows this, and is able to discern the differences and to distinguish one object from another thanks to the nuances which the soul can perceive but words cannot express. Glory then to the Almighty, the Omniscient, whose power is infinite.

222. A curious thing in this world is to see people allow themselves to be dominated by perverse hopes which will bring them nothing but trouble in the short term and anxiety and sin in the long term. For example, one person will hope for a rise in the price of foodstuffs, a rise which might be fatal for some people. But, even if one has a certain interest in something happening, the fact that one hopes for it does not make it happen before its time, and nothing will happen that God has not decided. If he had wished for the good and the prosperity of other people, we would have speeded his own reward, achieved peace of mind and virtue, without fatiguing himself at all. Be amazed at the useless corruption of these characters!

Notes:

[1] This poem appears towards the end of the book in Makkî’s edition [pp. 239F].


8

9

10

11

12

13

14

15

16

17

18

19

20

21

22

23

24

25