Alhassanain(p) Network for Heritage and Islamic Thought

CHAPTER 5, VERSE 105

يَا أَيُّهَا الَّذِينَ آمَنُوا عَلَيْكُمْ أَنفُسَكُمْۖ لَا يَضُرُّكُم مَّن ضَلَّ إِذَا اهْتَدَيْتُمْۚ إِلَى اللَّـهِ مَرْجِعُكُمْ جَمِيعًا فَيُنَبِّئُكُم بِمَا كُنتُمْ تَعْمَلُونَ ﴿١٠٥﴾

O you who believe! Take care of your souls; he who errs cannot hurt you when you are on the right way; to Allãh is your return, of all (of you), so He will inform you of what you did (105).

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COMMENTARY

The verse enjoins the believers to take care of themselves and adhere to the path of their guidance; they should not be worried because a group of people has gone astray; everyone is to return to Allãh, and He is to judge everyone according to his deeds.

The speech contains very deep meanings.

QUR’ÃN: O you who believe! Take care of your souls; he who errs cannot hurt you when you are on the right way; . .: ‘Alaykum anfusakum (عَلَيْكُمْ أَنْفُسَكُمْ = translated here, take care of your souls): ‘Alaykum is a verbal noun, and means, adhere; your soul is its objective; literally it means, adhere to your souls.

It is known that going astray and being on the right way - the opposites - take place when one proceeds on a way. If one adheres to the middle of the road, he reaches to the end of the road, and it is the destination that he had intended to arrive at in his life's journey. On the other hand, if he was not serious in his proceeding and deviated from the right path, then he goes astray and misses the intended goal. The verse supposes that man has got a path to tread on and a destination to arrive at; sometimes he adheres to the way and is guided aright; at other times he deviates from it and is led astray. However, there is no other destination that a man aims at except the blissful life and good end. Yet the verse declares that to Allãh is the return to Whom all have to return - those who are guided aright as well as those who go astray.

The reward that a man wants to get in his natural proceeding is only with Allãh; the guided ones achieve it and the misled ones are deprived of it. It inevitably means that all the paths used by the people of guidance and all the ways trodden upon by the people of misguid-ance finally end at Allãh, and with Him is the intended destination, although those paths and ways vary in conveying the man to desire and success or beating him with failure and loss; and likewise regarding nearness and distance; as Allãh says: O man! Surely thou art striving to thy Lord, a hard striving, so that thou art to meet Him (84:6); . now surely the party of Allãh are the successful ones (58:22); Didn't you see those who changed Allãh's favour for ungratefulness and made their people to alight into the abode of perdition (14:28); . then verily I am very near; I answer the prayer of suppliant when he calls on Me, so they should answer My call and believe in Me that they may walk in the right way (2:186); . and (as for) those who do not believe, there is a heaviness in their ears and it is obscure to them; these shall be called to from a far-off place (41:44).

Allãh has made it clear in these verses that all men are unavoid-ably proceeding to Him; the road for some of them is short and it leads to guidance and success, while that for the others is long and it does not end at bliss and happiness, but takes the walker to destruction and perdition.

In short, the verse supposes for the believers and the disbelievers two paths, both of which end at Allãh; and it directs the believers to look after their own interests and to turn away from the others, i.e., from the people of misguidance. They should not weary themselves thinking about those people; because their account is on their Lord, not on the believers; these believers will not be asked about them, so why should they involve themselves with them. Thus the verse is near in meaning to another verse:

Say to those who believe (that) they for-give those who do not hope the days of Allãh that He may reward a people for what they earn (45:14). And similar is the connotation of the verse: This is a people that have passed away; they shall have what they earned and you shall have what you earn, and you shall not be called upon to answer for what they did (2:134).

Therefore, a believer must remain occupied only in that which concerns his soul by proceeding on the path of guidance; he should not be shaken by what he sees of misguidance of the people and perva-sion of sins among them; he should not waste his time with involve-ment in their affairs. Truth is truth even if abandoned, and falsehood is falsehood even if taken up, as Allãh says: Say: “The bad and the good are not equal, though the abundance of the bad may enchant you; so fear Allãh, O men of understanding, that you may be successful.” (5:100); And not alike are the good and the evil. . (41:34).

In the light of the above discourse, the words of Allãh: “he who errs cannot hurt you when you are on the right way,” are a sort of illusion which aims at forbidding the believers to be influenced by mis-guidance of those who are misled, as it may encourage them to leave the way of guidance, and to think that the present world does not sup-port religion and does not allow them to be involved in spiritual affairs, as these things are remnants of the ancient simple customs whose time has passed away. Allãh says: And they say: “If we follow the guidance with you, we shall be carried off from our country.” . (28:57).

It forbids them also to fear the others' misguidance and neglect their own guidance; in this way they would remain engaged in the others' affairs and would forget their own selves; thus they would become like the others. Actually, what is incumbent on a believer is only to call towards his Lord, enjoin the good, and forbid the evil. In short he is to arrange the normal causes, and then he should leave the affairs of the effects in the hands of Allãh, because to Him belong all the affairs. He has not been told to put himself in perdition in trying to rescue others from peril; and he shall not be called upon to account for what others had done; he is not an overseer to check others' activities. Thus the verse is similar in meaning to what the Qur’ãn says in other places: Then may be you will kill yourself with grief, sorrowing over them, if they do not believe in this announcement. Surely We have made whatever is on the earth an embellishment for it, so that We may try them (as to) which of them is best in deed. And most surely We will make what is on it bare ground without herbage (18:6-8). And even if there were a Qur’ãn with which the mountains were made to pass away, or the earth were travelled over with it, or the dead were made to speak thereby; nay! The commandment is wholly Allãh's. Have not yet those who believe known that if Allãh had willed He would certainly guide all the people?. . (13:31)

This explanation shows that this verse is not in conflict with those of calling the people, and those telling the believers to enjoin good and forbid evil; because it only forbids the believers to remain involved in the people's misguidance, forgetting their own guidance to the right way. In other words, they should not put their own souls in perdition while endeavouring to rescue others from peril.

Moreover, calling the others to Allãh, and enjoining good and forbidding evil are a part of a believer's involvement with the affairs of his own self, and of his advancing on the path of his Lord. How can this verse be considered as going against the verses of the Call or those of enjoining good and forbidding evil, or taken to be abrogating them, while Allãh has counted these factors as the designation of this relig-ion and a foundation upon which it has been built; as Allãh says: Say: “This is my way: I invite (you) to Allãh; with clear sight (are) I and he who follows me; . .” (12:108); You are the best nation raised up for (the benefit of) men; you enjoin what is right and forbid the wrong . (3:110).

What is incumbent on a believer is this: that he should invite to Allãh with clear sight, and should enjoin the good and forbid the evil, aiming only at discharging a duty imposed upon him by Allãh. He is not expected to kill himself in grief [if they do not listen] or to exert himself beyond the limit trying to influence the misguided people, as this is not his duty.

The verse proposes that there is one path for the believers that leads them aright, and another one for the disbelievers that misleads them to error. Then it orders the believers to adhere to their souls (as it says, ‘alaykum anfusakum, which literally means, adhere to your souls). All this shows that the soul of the believer itself is the path which he should tread on and adhere to; exhorting one to a path conforms with exhortation to adhere to it, to never leave it; it does not connote adher-ence to the walker of the way; as we clearly see in verses like this: And (know) that this is my path, the right one, therefore follow it; and follow not (other) ways, for they will lead you away from His way; . (6:153).

Now, when Allãh wishes to exhort the believers to vigilantly proceed on the path of their guidance, He orders them to adhere to their souls. It makes it clear that the path, which they have to walk on and adhere to, is their own souls. That is, the soul of the believer is his path on which he proceeds to his Lord; it is the path of his guidance, and it leads him to his ever-lasting bliss.

In this way, this verse throws brilliant light on the aim and goal to which other verses point somewhat vaguely, like the words of Allãh: O you who believe! Fear Allãh, and let every soul consider what it has sent on for the morrow, and fear Allãh; surely Allãh is Aware of what you do. And be not like those who forgot Allãh, so He made them for-get their own souls; these it is that are the transgressors. Not alike are the inmates of the Fire and the dwellers of the garden; the dwellers of the garden are they that are the achievers (59:18-20).

These verses enjoin on every soul to consider what it has sent on ahead, and to vigilantly guard its good deeds, as it is its provision for tomorrow - and the best provision is piety and fear of Allãh. The soul has a today and a tomorrow, and it is proceeding ahead as it has to go a long way, and its destination is Allãh, and with Him is the best reward, and that is the garden. Therefore, every soul should continu-ously remember its Lord without forgetting Him for a single moment; because Allãh is the destination, and forgetting the destination would make one forget the path; because whoever forgets his Lord forgets his soul; such a person would not gather any provision for his tomor-row and for his future journey, which he could use to preserve his life; and it would mean perdition. This is the meaning of what both sects have narrated from the Prophet (s.a.w.a.) that he said: “Whoever knew his soul knew his Lord.”

It is the meaning that is supported by total meditation and cor-rect consideration. Man, in the journey of his life - no matter to which end it would stretch out - has really no concern at all except the good of his soul and happiness of his life, even when he sometimes is engaged in what looks like benefiting the others. Allãh says: If you do good, you do good for your own souls, and if you do evil, it is for them (only) . (17:7).

There is only this man who changes from one condition to an-other, and develops from one stage to the other: foetus, child, youth, middle aged, and old; then continues his life in barzakh, then on the Day of Resurrection, then to the Garden or the Fire. It is this distance the man completes from his first existence until he reaches his Lord. Allãh says: And that to your Lord is the end goal (53:42).

And this man does not go ahead in this journey except with some activities of mind (i.e., beliefs, etc.) and some actions of limbs - be they good or evil. Whatever he produces today will be his provi-sion tomorrow. Thus, the soul is the path of man to his Lord, and Allãh is the final destination of his journey.

This is a path man has to tread upon compulsorily, as the words of Allãh indicate: O man! Surely thou art striving to thy Lord, a hard striving, so that thou art to meet Him (84:6). This path has to be trod-den by each man, be he a believer or disbeliever, alert and cautious or oblivious and careless. The verse, when it exhorts to adhere to this path does not intend to push to it those who do not use it.

The verse's only purpose is to make the believers aware of this reality when they had become oblivious of it. Although this reality, like all other creative realities, is firmly established and is not affected by our knowledge or ignorance, yet man's attention to it does have manifest effect on his activities. And it is the actions that provide to the human soul an upbringing that is proper for its nature. When the actions are appropriate with reality and agree with purpose of creation, then the soul, which is brought up with their help, will be blissful in its endeavours; its projects will not fail and its dealings will not end in loss. We have explained it in many places in this book, which leaves no room for any doubt.

However, it may be elaborated in this background, as follows: Man, like other creatures of Allãh, is placed under divine training and rearing, His attention encompasses all his affairs. And Allãh has said: . there is no living creature but He holds it by its forelock; surely my Lord is on the straight path (11:56). This creative rearing, accord-ing to the training Allãh gives to other things, proceeds together to Him; and He has said: . now surely to Allãh do all affairs eventually come (42:53). This rearing does not change in any affair, and does not differ even a little between one thing and the other, because the path is straight, and the affair is the same and constant. Allãh has also said: . you see no incongruity in the creation of the Beneficent God; . (67:3).

The end goal of man, and the destination of his affairs where his final result (his felicity and infelicity; his success and failure) is estab-lished is based by Allãh's prescription on his character and his soul's aspects, which in their turn are based on deeds which are divided into good and evil, and piety and corruption. Allãh says: And (by) the soul and Him Who made it perfect, then He inspired it to understand what is wrong for it and right for it; he will indeed be successful who purifies it, and he will indeed fail who corrupts it (91:7-10).

As you see, these verses put the perfected soul at one end, i.e. at the start of his journey, its success, or failure at the other end, and it is the end of the journey. Then they base the two ends of success and failure on the soul's purification and its corruption, i.e. the good and evil deeds, which the verses say, are inspired to man by Allãh.

The verses in all this elaboration do not pass over the condition of soul. They look at soul as a perfected creation of Allãh; it is to which are ascribed the piety and impiety; it is, that is, purified and corrupted; and it is in which the man becomes successful and fails. As you understand, it follows the course dictated by creation.

Keep in view this creative reality: Man in journey of his life proceeds on the path of his soul; he cannot step away from it, even for one step, nor can he leave it, even for a single moment. The condition of the one who is ever alert to it and remembers its demands without being oblivious to it at all, cannot be like the position of the one who forgets it and is oblivious of the inescapable reality, as Allãh has said: . Say: “Are those who know and those who do not know alike?” Only those possessed of understanding shall bear in mind (39:9); So if there comes to you guidance from Me, then whoever follows My guidance, he shall not go astray nor be unhappy. And whoever turns away from My remembrance, his shall surely be a straitened life, and We will raise him on the Day of Resurrection, blind. He shall say: “My Lord! Why hast Thou raised me blind, and I was a seeing one indeed?” He will say: “Even so: Our signs came to you, but you forgot them; even thus shall you be forsaken this day.” (20:123-6).

When a man becomes aware of this reality and turns his atten-tion to his actual position vis-à-vis his Lord, and compares himself to all the parts of the universe, he finds his soul cut off from others (while previously he saw it in another light) and hidden behind a curtain; no one can encompass or influence it except its Lord Who manages its affairs, and pushes it from behind and pulls it forward by His power and His guidance. He finds that it is alone with its Lord, and besides Him it has no guardian or master. Then the man under-stands the implication of the divine words: “to Allãh is your return, of all (of you), so He will inform you of what you did,” coming after the words: “take care of your souls; he who errs cannot hurt you when you are on the right way;” and also he knows the meaning of the verse: Is he who was dead then We raised him to life and made for him a light by which he walks among the people, like him whose likeness is that of one in utter darkness whence he cannot come forth?. . (6:122).

At this point the soul's perception and discernment will change; and it will emigrate from the position of polytheism to the station of servitude and place of monotheism. He will be changing polytheism with monotheism, imaginary with real, distance with proximity, satanic arrogance with divine humility, imaginary self-sufficiency with devo-tional dependence - if divine care takes its hand and leads it ahead.

Regrettably, we are not in a position to perfectly understand these ideas, because we are clinging to the earth and are involved in it, and it stops us from diving to the depth of these realities, which are disclosed by the religion and to which the Divine Book points; but we are very much entangled with unnecessary scums of this transitory life, which the divine speech speaks of only as a play and idle sport, as He says: And this world's life is naught but a play and an idle sport; . (6:32); That is the (last) reach of their knowledge; . (53:30).

Even so, the correct consideration, deep investigation and ad-equate meditation leads us to general confirmation of its broader out-lines, although we fall short of encircling its details. And Allãh is the Guide.

Well, probably we have gone beyond the limits of brevity; therefore we should return to the beginning of this talk:-

The verse may be taken as addressing the community per se. That is the clause: O you who believe! may be addressed to the believers' society as a group. In this case, the clause: “take care of your souls,” will mean that the believers should reform their Islamic society by acquiring the attribute of being guided aright by divine guidance. They should preserve their religious cognition, virtuous deeds, and general Islamic symbols, as Allãh says: And hold fast by the cord of Allãh all together and be not divided . (3:103). It was described in its exegesis that this holding fast collectively means adherence to the Book and Sunnah.

Accordingly, the clause: “he who errs cannot hurt you when you are on the right way,” will mean that the erronous non-Islamic societies cannot hurt them in any way. Therefore, the Muslims are not obligated to exert most strenuously for speading Islam among the non-Muslim nations. They should limit themselves within normal limits, as explained earlier.

Or, it may mean that they should not let the guidance they have got slip out of their hands by looking at the misguided societies as to how they are engrossed in base desires and how they enjoy the forbid-den fruits of life; because all of them are to return to Allãh and He will inform them of what they had done. Accordingly, the verse has the same implication as the following ones: Let it not deceive you that those who disbelieve go to and fro in the cities (fearlessly). A brief enjoyment! Then their abode is hell, and evil is the resting-place (3:196-7); And do not stretch your eyes after that with which We have provided different classes of them, (of) the splendour of this world's life, . (20:131).

There may also be another meaning for the clause: “he who errs cannot hurt you when you are on the right way.” The negative may refer to the harm emanating from the persons of those who err, and not to any of their particular characteristics or actions; thus the meaning will be unrestricted. Accordingly, the verse negates the idea that the disbelievers could hurt the Islamic society by forcefully changing it to a non-Islamic society. In this case, the verse will be similar in impli-cation to the following verses: . This day have those who disbelieve despaired of your religion, so fear them not, and fear Me. . (5:3); They shall by no means harm you but with a slight distress; and if they fight you they shall turn (their) backs to you, . (3:111).

A group of ancient exegetes have said that the verse gives the believers permission to abandon the Call to religion and avoid enjoin-ing the good and forbidding the evil. According to them the verse speaks exclusively about a time or situation when the conditions are not found for the said Call, and the enjoining and forbidding - i.e. when the believer has no security against harm. They have narrated in this respect traditions, which shall be quoted under the ensuing “Traditions”.

This interpretation means that the clause: “he who errs cannot hurt you when you are on the right way,” is an illusion to removal of responsibility, i.e., you are not responsible for it. Otherwise, no one can have any doubt about the damage that the religious society suffers from spreading of misguidance, disbelief, and debauchery.

However, this meaning seems far-fetched, which does not agree with the context: If this verse is taken as particularizing the generality of the incumbency of the Call to religion and enjoining the good and forbidding the evil, then its language is not that of particularization; and if it is taken as an abrogator, then the verses of the Call and en-joining and forbidding confute abrogation. This topic has some addenda, which you will later see.

TRADITIONS

al-Ãmidī narrates from ‘Alī (a.s.) that he said, “He who knew his soul knew his Lord.” (al-Ghurar wa 'd-durar)

The author says: Both sects have also narrated it form the Prophet (s.a.w.a.); and it is a well-known hadīth. Some scholars have said that it uses the style of attaching an impossible to an impossible; and that it means that it is impossible for man to know his soul because it is impossible for him to comprehend Allãh. But this view has been refuted: First, because of another Prophetic tradition: The more one of you knows his soul, the more he knows his Lord; and Second, because the hadīth gives a meaning of contradistinction to the verse: And be not like those who forgot Allãh, so He made them forget their own souls [59:19].

‘Alī (a.s.) has also said, “Astute is he who knows his soul and purifies his deeds.” (ibid.)

The author says: In previous explanation it was described how purification is interconnected with gnosis of soul.

He (a.s.) has also said, “Gnosis through the soul is the more beneficial of the two gnosis.” (ibid.)

The author says: Apparently, the two gnosis refers to the gnosis through the signs of the soul and the one through the signs of the universe. Allãh says: We will soon show them Our signs in the uni-verse and in their own souls, until it will become quite clear to them that it is the truth. Is it not sufficient as regards your Lord that He is a witness over all things? (41:53). And in the earth there are signs for those who are sure, and in your own souls (too); will you not then see? (51:20-21).

How is the progress of soul more beneficial than the progress of universe? It is because the gnosis of the soul is usually not separate from the reform in its characteristics and activities, unlike the gnosis of the universe; gnosis of the signs is beneficial only because the signs per se lead to the gnosis of Allãh, and of His names and attributes. For example, Allãh is Living, death does not touch Him; Powerful, help-lessness does not vitiate Him; All-knowing, ignorance does not mix with Him; He is the Creator of all things, Owner of everything; He is the Lord who takes care of everything by what it has earned; He created the creatures not because He had any need of them, but in order that He should bestow His favours on them as they deserve; then He will gather them for the day of gathering, there is no doubt in it: so that He may reward those who do evil according to what they did, and He may reward those who do good with goodness [53:31].

This and similar verses describe such true realities which, if man were to receive and master them, would represent before him the reality of his life; he would understand that it is an eternal life having ever-lasting bliss or never-ending misery; that it is not this temporary fantasy, this distracting passtime. This academic stand leads man to realize that he does have responsibilities and duties vis-à-vis his Lord and vis-à-vis his fellow human beings in this world as well as in the hereafter. No one is devoid of this thought, not even a bedouine, in a sort of a life after death - whatever details they may attach to it - and they strive to practise good deeds in order to make that life happy and blissful. This factor is very clear to all.

The life which man adopts for himself, presents before his eyes the necessities and requirements which that life demands. Thus he is guided to the deeds, which normally guarantee the fulfilment of those needs. So he acts keeping his actions in conformity with those require-ments. And it is what we call custom or religion.

In short, looking at the signs in the souls and in the universe, and arriving through them at the knowledge and gnosis of Allãh, leads man to adhere to the true religion and the divine sharī‘ah, inasmuch as the said gnosis represents the eternal human life, and it shows this life's connection with Oneness of God, Resurrection and Prophethood.

This guidance to belief and piety is shared by both ways, i.e. the way of looking at the universe and that of looking at the souls. Both of these methods are useful; however that of looking at the signs of the soul is more beneficial. It is because in this process man has every chance to discover his own soul and its powers as well as its spiritual and physical instruments; he will also perceive if its affairs are in a moderate position or are inclined to this or that extreme; which virtu-ous or evil traits it has acquired, and which good or bad situations it has adhered to.

When man is involved in investigation of these affairs and be-comes sure of the security or danger, the felicity or infelicity which are attached to them, he is bound to diagnose his malady and know its treatment from close proximity. Then he can easily be engaged in mending the defective parts and preserving the good ones. It is unlike to looking at the signs in the universe: Although that too calls to the reform of the soul and its purification from inferior and depraved characteristics (and to adorning it with spiritual virtues), but that call comes from a far away place, and it is clear.

The tradition has another deeper meaning which is derived from the results of real researches in psychology, and it is this: Observation of the signs of the universe and the gnosis acquired through it are aca-demic observation based on process of reasoning and acquired knowl-edge. They are unlike to the observation of the soul, its powers and stages of its existence, and to the gnosis manifested from it, because it is a witnessing observation and automatic (unacquired) knowledge. A reasoned proposition depends for its existence on arrangement of anal-ogous deductions and logical proofs; it continues as long as the man is attentive to its premises, is not oblivious to them, nor has his attention diverted from them. That is why the knowledge disappears as soon as attention is diverted from its proof; and then doubts raise their heads and controversies start.

It is contrary to the gnosis the soul has of its own entity, its own powers and the stages of its existence, because this knowledge is manifest. When man becomes engaged in looking at the signs of his own soul, and witnesses its poverty to its Lord and its neediness in all stages of its existence, he sees an amazing reality. He finds his soul attached to the divine grandeur and majesty, connected in its exist-ence, life, knowledge, power, hearing, sight, will, love and all its attributes and activities, to the infinite splendour and brilliance, beauty and perfection of the [divine] existence, life, knowledge, power and other perfections.

He will then see manifestly what we have described earlier that the human soul has no concern except with itself, and never goes out of itself. Its only occupation is the compulsive progress in its own path; and that it is separated from everything it ever thought that it was joined to and mixed with - except its Lord who encompasses its inner and outer self as well as all things besides it. The soul now finds that it is always in private audience with its Lord, even if it happens to be surrounded by a multitude of the people.

At this stage, it turns away from everything and fixes its atten-tion to its Lord; it forgets everything and remembers only its Lord; now no curtain hides Him from it, nor does any screen conceal Him from it; it is the height of gnosis ordained for man.

This knowledge deserves to be called knowledge of Allãh by Allãh. As for the knowledge acquired through reasoning process, which results from observation of the signs of the universe - be it through analogy, conjecture or some other ways - it is the knowledge of an image in mind through an image in mind. Far be it from Allãh to be encompassed by a mind, or that His Person could be equated to an image fabricated by any of His creatures: . and they do not compre-hend Him in knowledge [20:110].

Bihãru 'l-anwãr quotes from al-Irshãd and al-Ihtijãj, from ash-Sha‘bī that the Leader of the Faithful (a.s.) said, inter alia, in a talk: “Verily Allãh is too great to be hidden from anything, or for anything to be hidden from Him.”

Mūsã ibn Ja‘far (a.s.) said, inter alia, in a talk: “There is no curtain between Him and His creation except the creation (itself); He is hidden without any covering curtain; and is concealed without any hiding veil; there is no god except He, the Great, the Sublime.” (at-Tawhīd)

[as-Sadūq] narrates from ‘Abdu 'l-A‘lã from as-Sãdiq (a.s.) inter alia in a hadīth, that he said, “And whoever thinks that he knows Allãh through a curtain, or form, or image, is an idolator; because curtain, form and image are other than Him, and He is only One, professed to be One; how can be he a monotheist who thinks that he declares Him to be One through one other than Him? Only he knows Allãh who knows Him through Allãh; so whoever does not know Him through Him, he [in fact] does not know Him, he only knows someone other than Him . .” (ibid.). The traditions narrated from the Imãms of Ahlu 'l-Bayt (a.s.) on this topic are very numerous; probably Allãh will give us tawfīq to quote and explain them, God willing, in the tafsīr of chapter seven, “The Battlements”.

It has indeed come out from the above that observation in the signs of the souls is the most precious and valuable; and only that leads to the real gnosis. Therefore, when ‘Alī (a.s.) counted the gnosis through the soul as the more beneficial of the two gnosis, and not as the only appointed way of gnosis, he (a.s.) knew that the general public was incapable of attaining to that gnosis. The Book of Allãh and the Sunnah of the Prophet (s.a.w.a.) are agreed, and the custom of the Prophet and his Ahlu 'l-Bayt has established, that the belief of the one who believes in Allãh through observation of His creation, is fully accepted; and it is the outlook that is prevalant among the believers; so the ways are beneficial, although the benefit in the way of the soul is more complete and comprehensive.

‘Alī (a.s.) said, “The gnostic is he who knows his soul and liberates it and purifies it from all that removes it far.” (ad-Durar wa 'l-ghurar)

The author says: That is, liberates the soul from captivity of desire and slavery of lust.

[The author has quoted here many sayings of the same Imãm (a.s.) from the same book, which are enumerated below. (tr.)]:-

- The biggest ignorance is a man's oblivion to affairs of his soul.

- The biggest wisdom is man's knowledge of his soul.

- The most knowledgeable of people regarding his soul is the one who fear his Lord most.

The author says: It is because he is the most knowledgeable of all about his Lord, and Allãh has said: . verily fear Allãh only those of His servants who are possessed of knowledge; . [35:28].

- The best understanding is man's knowledge of his soul; so whoever knows his soul is possessed of understanding, and whoever is ignorant of it, has gone astray.

- I am surprised about the man who searches for his lost item, while he has lost his own soul and does not search for it.

- I am surprised about the man who is ignorant of his soul, how does he know his Lord.

- The end goal of knowledge is that man should know his soul.

The author says: It has been explained earlier, why it is the end goal of knowledge, because it is the knowledge in reality.

- How can he know another person who is ignorant of his own soul?

- Enough is for man in knowledge that he should know his soul, and enough is for him in ignorance that he should not know his soul.

- Whoever knew his soul, became free.

The author says: That is, became free from worldly entangle-ment; or became free from people being secluded from them; or became free from everything through sincere devotion to Allãh.

- Whoever knows his soul fights it, and whoever does not know it leaves it unfettered.

- Whoever knows his soul, his affair (rank) becomes great.

- Whoever knows his soul, shall be more knowledgeable about others; and whoever is ignorant of his soul, shall be more ignorant of others.

- Whoever knows his soul, he has indeed reached the end goal of all gnosis and knowledge.

- Whoever does not know his soul, goes far away from the path of deliverance, and wanders at random in error and ignorance.

- Knowledge of soul is the most beneficial of all knowledge.

- He attained the great success who achieved the knowledge of the soul.

- Don't be ignorant of your soul, because he, who is ignorant of his soul, is ignorant of everything.

as-Sãdiq (a.s.) said inter alia in a hadīth: “Whoever thinks that he knows Allãh through mind's imagination, is a polytheist; and who-ever thinks that he knows Allãh by name, not meaning, has indeed agreed to calumny, because the name is of a later appearance; and whoever thinks that he worships the name and the meaning, has indeed made a partner for Allãh; and whoever thinks that he worships through attribute, not through perception, refers to an absentee; and whoever thinks that he joins the characterized [entity] to the attribute, has belittled the great one; and they esteem not Allãh with the estima-tion due to Him [6:91].”

He was asked: “Then how is the path of monotheism?” He said, “The door of search is possible, and the pursuit of the way out exists; verily the knowledge of a present person comes before his attributes, and knowledge of the attributes of an absent one comes before his person.”

It was said (to him): “And how can the knowledge of a present person come before his attributes?” He said, “You know him, and know (about) his knowledge, and you know your own self through him and do not know your self through your self; and you know that whatever is found in him is for him and through him. As they said to Yūsuf: 'Are you indeed Yūsuf?' He said: 'I am Yūsuf and this is my brother.' [12:90]. So, they knew him through him, and did not know him through someone else, nor did they assert his identity by them-selves through imagination . .” (Tuhafu 'l-‘uqūl)

The author says: We have described under the second42 hadīth of this section ('Gnosis through the soul is the more beneficial of the two gnosis') that when man becomes engaged with signs of his soul and leaves all other things for it, he becomes exclusively connected to Allãh and forgets everything; it brings in its wake the gnosis of his Lord, a direct knowledge without intervention of any intermediary, without causation by any cause. It is because when one adheres exclus-ively to Allãh, then every curtain is raised; and at this juncture man looks at the arena of Divine Greatness and Majesty which makes him so dazzled and perplexed that he forgets his own self, his own soul. This gnosis, this knowledge truly deserves to be called the Knowledge of Allãh through Allãh.

And then the reality of his soul will be clear to him that it is totally dependent on Allãh, and completely owned by Him in such a way that it is not independent of Him in any affair. And this is the im-plication of the Imãm's words, “and you know your own self through him and do not know your self through your self; and you know that whatever is found in him is for him and through him.”

al-Mas‘ūdī has narrated a similar theme in Ithbãtu 'l-wasiyyah from the Leader of the Faithful (a.s.) that he said inter alia in a sermon:

“So, glory be to Thee! Thou hast filled everything and hast separ-ated from everything; so Thou art such that nothing misses Thee; and Thou art the doer of whatever Thou wishest; Blessed art Thou, O He that every comprehender is of His creation, and every limited is from His make. . .

“Glory be to Thee! Which eye can stand opposite the splendour of Thy light, or can rise to the light of Thy power's reflection, or which understanding can comprehend (even) what is below it? Except the eyes from which curtains have been removed and the blinding covers have been torn away; thus their spirits have soared high on the wing-tips of the spirits; they talked with Thee in whisper under Thy pillars, and entered in middle of the lights of Thy splendour; they looked from the steps of dust to Thy Majesty; so the people of (heavenly) Kingdom have named them visitors, and the people of (worldly) power have called them settlers.” (Ithbãtu 'l-wasiyyah)

[al-Majlisī] has quoted from Irshãdu 'l-qulūb of ad-Daylamī (and has written after that two chains of narration for this hadīth) which inter alia says:

“So whoever acts according to My pleasure, I attach to him three characteristics: I introduce to him a thankfulness which is not mixed by ignorance, and a remembrance which is not mingled by forget-fulness, and a love that he does not prefer love of the creatures to My love.

“So when he loves Me, I love him, and I open the eye of his heart towards My greatness; and do not keep hidden from him My special creation; I talk to him in secret in darkness of night and light of day, until his talk with the creatures and his social intercourse with them are discontinued; I make him hear My talk and that of My angels; and I let him know the secret which I have kept hidden from My creatures; I dress him in modesty until all the creation feels shy of him; he walks on the earth while [his sins are] forgiven to him; I make his heart attentive and seeing; I do not hide from him anything of the Garden and the Fire; and let him know what fright and hardship will afflict the people in resurrection, and how I'll take account of wealthy and poor, ignorant and knowledgeable. I shall make him sleep in his grave and send to him Munkar and Nakīr in order that they should question him; he will not see (feel) the sorrow of death, darkness of grave and lahad43 and terror of the observing place; then I shall set up for him his balance, and spread his book of accounts, then I'll put his book in his right hand, which he shall read spread about; then I shall not ap-point any interpreter between Me and him. So these are the attributes of the lovers.

“O Ahmad! Keep your concern, and make your tongue one tongue, and keep your body alive which is never inattentive; whoever is heed-less of Me, I don't care in which valley he perishes.”

[The author says:] Although the last three traditions are not related to this topic of uprightness and rectitude, we have quoted them here to let the scholars with critical insight see for themselves, as we have described earlier, that true gnosis of Allãh is not fully acquired through thoughtful knowledge. These traditions mention many items of divine gifts, which can never be attained through rational process.

These are upright and correct traditions, correctness of which is witnessed by the Divine Book, as we shall fully explain, God willing, in exegesis of the seventh chapter, “The Battlements”.

al-Qummī narrates in his at-Tafsīr, under the verse: O you who believe! Take care of your souls; (he who errs cannot hurt you when you are on the right way), that the Imãm (a.s.) said, “Keep your souls good, and do not pursue the people's shortcomings, nor should you remind them [of their defects]; because their misguidance will not harm you when you are good.”

The author says: The tradition supports what we have explained earlier that the verse aims at forbidding too much involvement in society's reform, more than is usual for such call and for enjoining good and forbidding evil; but it does not allow negligence of that call and enjoining and forbidding.

as-Sãdiq (a.s.) said: “This verse was revealed concerning taqiyyah (dissimulation).” (Nahju 'l-bayãn)

The author says: The tradition explains that the verse speaks particularly for the situation when one is afraid of the people of mis-guidance in calling to the truth, enjoining good and forbidding evil, because in sharī‘ah this duty is conditional on there being no danger in it. But we have earlier explained that the apparent meaning of the verse does not support it.

Of course, as-Suyūtī has quoted in ad-Durru 'l-manthūr words of a group of ancient exegetes giving the same meaning, like Ibn Mas‘ūd, Ibn ‘Umar, Ubayy ibn Ka‘b, Ibn ‘Abbãs and Makhūl, but the traditions narrated from the Prophet (s.a.w.a.) on this topic do not support it.

The said tradition is the one narrated by at-Tirmidhī (and he has said that it is correct), Ibn Mãjah, Ibn Jarīr, al-Baghawī (in his Mu‘jam), Ibnu 'l-Mundhir, Ibn Abī Hãtim, at-Tabarãnī, Abu 'sh-Shaykh, Ibn Marduwayh, al-Hãkim (and he has said that it is correct), and al-Bayhaqī (in Shu‘abu 'l-’īmãn) from Abū ‘Umayyah ash-Sha‘bãnī that he said, “I came to Abū Tha‘labah al-Khashanī and said to him, 'How do you make (i.e. interpret) this verse?' He said, 'Which verse?' I said, 'The word of Allãh: O you who believe! Take care of your souls; he who errs cannot hurt you when you are on the right way.' He said, 'Indeed, by Allãh! You have asked a man who fully knows it. I had asked the Messenger of Allãh (s.a.w.) about it. He had said, “Rather you should enjoin each other the good and forbid each other the evil; [continue in this way] until when you see that niggardliness is obeyed, base desire is followed, worldly [attraction] is preferred, and every opinion-holder admires his opinion, then you should take care of your own soul especially, and leave alone the affairs of the general people; because there are ahead of you the days of patience, the one patient in those days will be like the one holding live coal in hand; the one doing (good) deeds in those days shall have the reward of fifty men doing (good) deeds like yours.” ' “

The author says: The same is the theme of what Ibn Marduwayh has narrated from Ma‘ãdh ibn Jabal from the Prophet (s.a.w.a.). The tradition shows that enjoining the good and forbidding the evil were not eliminated by this verse.

[as-Suyūtī] narrates from Ahmad, Ibn Abī Hãtim, at-Tabarãnī and Ibn Marduwayh, from Abū ‘Ãmir al-Ash‘arī, that there was some-thing among them, and he was restrained from (coming to) the Messenger of Allãh (s.a.w.); then he came to him; (The Prophet) said, “What had kept you away?” He said, “O Messenger of Allãh! I read this verse: O you who believe! Take care of your souls; he who errs cannot hurt you when you are on the right way.” (Abū ‘Ãmir) says, “Then the Prophet (s.a.w.) said, 'Where have you gone? It only means: He who errs from among the disbelievers cannot hurt you when you are on the right way.' “ (ad-Durru 'l-manthūr)

The author says: As you see, the tradition reserves the order of the verse particularly to the permission of abandoning the call of dis-believers to the truth; and diverts it from the permission of discarding enjoining the good and forbidding the evil in matters of sharī‘ah. Moreover, the verses which show obligatoriness of the call to truth, and its related verses regarding jihãd and so on make it crystal clear that the verse under discussion does not go against the verses of en-joining the good and forbidding the evil.

[as-Suyūtī] narrates from Ibn Marduwayh, from Abū Sa‘īd al-Khudrī that he said, “I mentioned before the Messenger of Allãh (s.a.w.) the word of Allãh, the Mighty, the Great: O you who believe! Take care of your souls; he who errs cannot hurt you when you are on the right way. The Prophet of Allãh (s.a.w.) said, 'Its interpretation has not come yet; its interpretation will not come until ‘Īsã son of Maryam (a.s.) comes down.' “ (ibid.)

The author says: The same comment, as the above are appli-cable here too.

[as-Suyūtī] narrates from Ibn Jarīr, Ibnu 'l-Mundhir and Ibn Abī Hãtim from Hudhayfah about the verse: Take care of your souls; he who errs cannot hurt you when you are on the right way, that he said: “When you have enjoined the good and forbidden the evil.”

The author says: It is a moderate interpretation that in the end returns to what we have explained; and Sa‘īd ibn al-Musayyab also has narrated like it.

AN ACADEMIC DISCOURSE

Composed of historical indications and other psychological discussions, etc.; in various sections:

1. Man, even the primitive one, has always been saying, 'I' and 'my soul'; he uses these words to point to a reality of creation; and inevi-tably he comprehends what he says and knows what he intends. However, his attention is fully focused on mobilization of the basic elements of his physical life, and he remains engaged in bodily works for fulfilling his material needs. This factor prevents him from think-ing deeply on the affairs of this soul to which he refers with the words, 'I' and 'my soul'; and sometimes he imagines that it refers to the body and nothing else.

And sometimes he finds that the distinction between a living person and a dead is apparently the breathing which continues as long as a man is alive; and when it is discontinued, or the breathing system is blocked, he turns dead, he loses all his perceptions, his existence is nullified and his personality is negated. For this reason, he comes to believe that the soul is the breath, which is a wind or a special type of wind; that is why he calls it spirit; and believes that man is a sum total of spirit and body.

Alternatively, he sees that the bodily perception and movement depend on the blood which is retained in the body, circulates in its limbs and flows in his veins and arteries; also he realizes that the life is related to this red liquid and that man dies when blood is completely taken out his body. Keeping these factors in view, he decides that the soul is the blood; so he calls the blood soul, and divides it into a blood, which comes out with a gush and that which does not come out with a gush.

Also, he looks at the changes taking place in semen, when it is swallowed by womb and goes on developing from one stage to the next until it becomes a man. This observation makes him believe that the human soul is the basic ingredients, which are gathered in the semen; and these ingredients continue in the human body throughout his life. May be someone would think that these parts are safe from change and nullity; and humanity continues with continuity of these ingredients, and nullity and change does not affect it. However, if the human soul were the ingredients mentioned above - whether we said that they should combine in a particular form or did not say it - it would entail a lot of impossibilities, described in its place.

These and similar views do not refute what man, per se, com-prehends from his words, 'I' and 'my soul'; and makes no mistake in it at all. It is not unimaginable that we may correctly comprehend a reality from among the creative ones as a general principle; but we fall into error when we study its quiddity in detail. There are many academic subjects, like exterior or interior perceived objects which we clearly comprehend - not withstanding the sophists and agnostics - and the scholars go on disputing about them generations after generations.

Likewise, the general public, beyond the circle of research scholars, observes in their souls what the specialists do without any difference, and even then are ignorant of its details, unable to explain the particulars of its existence.

In short, there is no doubt that man at all stages of his existence is aware of a thing, not outside himself, to which he points with the words 'I' and 'my soul'. When he acquires penetrating sight and deep understanding, he finds that it is totally different from what he perceives of physical affairs, which are subject to change and division and are related to time and space. Also, he finds it totally different from this material body which with its limbs and ingredients is governed by the matter's laws; he may sometimes forget one of his limbs or become oblivious of his body altogether, but he never forgets his soul, nor does he become oblivious of it. Don't be misled by such expressions which you may occasionally use, as: 'I forgot myself;' 'I became oblivi-ous of my soul,' or 'I was distracted from my soul;' because they are metaphorical expressions throwing light on different psychological considerations. Don't you see that even now you ascribe this forget-fulness, obliviousness and distraction to your soul, and you say that your perceiving soul had perceived an item?

Also, put aside what some people think that an unconscious person becomes oblivious of his person and soul. Because what he realizes after returning to consciousness is that he does not remember perceiving his soul at the time of unconsciousness, not that he remem-ber that he did not perceive it - and there is a great difference between the two. Also, some people do remember what they had experienced during their unconsciousness like the dream, which we remember after getting up from sleep.

In any case, there is no doubt that man, per se, is never devoid of this psychological perception which represents before his eyes the reality of his soul to which he refers as 'I'. If he becomes a little fam-iliar with what he observes about his soul and turns aside from his bodily functions and material desires, he will certainly come to the conclusion that his soul is something different from the root of matter and materials, as he finds that the particulars of his soul and its effects are quite different from the particulars of material things and their effects.

However, its involvement with daily engagements, and concen-trating the attention to desires of material life and fulfilling the physical needs lead him to neglect this aspect and to agree with those simple primitive ideas, stopping at general observation.

2. Although a normal man is deeply involved in affairs of food, clothes and abode and in marital relations, which prevent him from con-templating the reality of his soul and researching various aspects of his person; but various happenings which overwhelm him during his life, are often not devoid of factors which turn away his attention from other than himself and concentrate it to his soul - for example, intense fear which makes him forget everything and turn to his soul as if he were holding it fast lest it perishes and disappears; or like happiness or grief which attracts the soul to what it is pleased with; or like intense love which causes him to cling to his beloved or his remembrance, so much so that he has no care except that of his beloved; or like a high emerg-ency in which man is cut off from everything and turns to himself; and many similar factors.

These various factors and diverse causes, sometimes, place a man (or men) in a position where such things appear before him, which are not conceived by manifest senses or empty thoughts. For example, a man who is locked in a dark desolate place is over-whelmed by fear and often sees dreary things or hears terrible voices that threaten him to utmost degree. It is this phenomenon that they sometimes attribute to ghoul, jinn, or an invisible caller, and so on.

Sometimes he is so overwhelmed by intense love, or sharp grief and sorrow that they block his manifest senses and concentrate his perception on what he loves or what he grieves for, and he sees during sleep or in a condition between sleep and wakefulness various past events or future happenings, or such hidden phenomena which other people's senses do not perceive.

Often, when will power is strengthened with certainty, intense belief, and decisive surity, then he accomplishes such feats which a normal man cannot do, nor can usual causes lead to them.

These minor happenings, which are rare in comparison to gen-erally common events, take place because of various factors indicated earlier. However, there is no need to offer proofs to establish that they do take place, because each of us remembers such incidents, which he, or others known to him, has experienced. As for the real cause that brings it into being, this is not the place to look into it.

What we should be aware of is this: All these affairs depend for their occurance on a sort of diversion of the soul from involvement with outside affairs - and particularly physical enjoyments - and its inclination to its own self. That is why the foundation of all psycho-logycal regime with all its innumerable divergences and differences - is contradiction of the soul in general; and it is only because devotion of soul to the obedience of its desires diverts it from being engaged with itself, and leads it to its extraneous desires. Thus its attention is divided and it adheres to those base desires and forgets its own self.

3. There is no room for doubt that the factors leading to the psy-chological effects happen to some people temporarily and for short periods, and in the same way happen to some others permanently or for a longer period. Often we find ascetic people abstaining from worldly enjoyments and material objects of desire; their attention is concentrated on training the soul and remaining engaged in proceed-ing on the path of the inner self.

Also, it should not be imagined that this psychological avocation is a newly invented phenomenon of this time of ours. Reports and observation prove that it was prevalent in the society from ancient times. Go back to the earliest days of humanity and you will see this phenomenon present in their midst.

4. Research about various nations, meditation on their customs and traditions and analysis of their beliefs and actions make us aware that engagement in cognition of the soul - with its various ways - for attaining to its wonderful effects, was prevalent among them; rather it was a well-coveted prize for which they spent best of the times and highest prices since ancient eras. For proof, look at the primitive nations in various parts of the Earth, like Africa, etc. and you will find among them even today the remnants of the myths of witchcraft and oracular prophecies, and they firmly believe in their reality and their truth.

Deep consideration of what has been reported to us of old religions and sects, like Hinduism, Buddhism, Sabiism, Manichaeism, Zoroastrianism, Judaism, Christianity and Islam, indicates that their main concern is cognition of the soul and attainment to its effects. This is deeply ingrained in them, although they may differ in its description, teaching and training.

Although Hinduism - and it is the ancient religion of India - differs from the religions of the Book in monotheism and affairs of prophethood, yet it calls to purification of the soul and cleanliness of the inner self, and especially for the Brahmins themselves.

It has been quoted from al-Bīrūnī (from his book, Mã lil Hind min maqūlah) that he said: “A Barahim's life, after completing seven years, is divided into four stages:

“At the beginning of the first stage, i.e. in his eighth year, the Brahmins gather around him to make him aware and teach him his responsibilities and to enjoin him to hold fast to them and follow them all his life.”

He says: “When he enters the first stage upto 25 to 48 years of his age, it is incumbent upon him to abstain from the world; he should make the earth his foothold and proceed to the study of Veda and its explanation, the scholastic theology and jurisprudence, from a teacher whom he should serve day and night, he should take bath three times a day and offer sacrifices to the fire in the morning and the evening, and should prostrate before his teacher after offering the sacrifice; he should fast on alternate day and should abstain from eating meat alto-gether; he should stay in the house of the teacher, coming out of it only once at noon or evening for begging; whatever he gets from begging, he would put before his teacher in order that he may take what he likes from it, allowing him to use whatever is left, and he eats from it; and he should carry firewood to the fire because fire has a high honour in their eyes, and the lights are in proximity with each other.

“The same was the situation in other nations, as they considered a sacrifice accepted if fire came down to it; and the worship of idols, stars, cow, donkeys or images did not turn them away from fire-worship.”

He (al-Bīrūnī) said: “As for the second stage, it was from 25 years to 50 or 70 years of his age. At that time the teacher allows him to marry; so he marries and seeks offspring.” Then he describes how he lives with his family and the people, how he earns his livelihood, and how he behaves in the society.”

Then he said: “As for the third stage, it is from 50 to 70 or 90 years of his life. In this stage, he practices self-denial and asceticism, discards all worldly adornments, entrusts his wife to his children (if she does not accompany him into wilderness); he lives outside civili-zation as he did in the first stage; he does not stay under a roof and does not wear except that which covers his shame from bast of a tree; he does not sleep except on earth without bedding, he takes only fruit and vegetable for his food; he lets his hair grow without putting oil in it.”

Then he continued: “As for the fourth stage it continues to the end of his life. He wears red robe, keeps in hand a walking stick, and concentrates on thinking and making his heart free of friendships and enmities; he discards desire, greed and anger, and always remains alone.

“If he intends to go to a place where he would get some spiritual reward, he does not stay in any wayside village longer than a day, nor in a wayside town more than five days; if someone gives him anything he does not keep from it for tomorrow. He has no choice but to persevere in the conditions of the path that leads to deliverance and conveys to a state from which there is no return to the world. Then he describes the general laws which a Brahmin is obligated to follow throughout his life.”

As for other sects of the Hindus, like the Yogis who exercise breath control and imaginations, and the spiritualists and the philos-ophers, etc., each of these groups do have systems of very tough prac-tical regimes, none of which is free from seclusion and solitude and forbidding enjoyable desires to the self.

As for the Buddhists, their religion is based on cleansing of the soul and opposition to its desires; they forbid soul's desires to it in order to attain the real cognition. This was the path trodden by Buddha himself in his life. It is reported that he was a prince or a son of a noble man; he rejected adornments of life and discarded the throne for a desolate jungle in the peak of his youth. He left the company of the people and denied to himself privileges of life. He proceeded to train his soul and to think over the secrets of creation, until the true cogni-tion was thrown into his heart, when he was thirty-six years old. Then he went forth to the people and called them to train their souls and attain cognition. He remained in this mission for about forty-four years, as the history books say.

As for the Sabians, i.e. the people of spirituality and its idols: Although they do not believe in prophethood, yet they do have various ways for reaching the perfect cognition of soul, which do not differ much from the ways of the Hindus and the Buddhists. Their views according to the book, al-Milal wa 'n- nihal are as follows:

“It is incumbent on us to cleanse our souls from the filth of physical desires, and to clear our characteristics from the relations of our desire and anger, in order there happens an affinity between us and the spiritual powers, so that we may ask our requirements from them, present our conditions before them and direct our attention in all our affairs towards them; then they would intercede on our behalf before our and their Creator and our and their Sustainer; this purifica-tion is not attained but through our earning and endeavours when we wean our souls from base desires seeking help from the spiritual world. This help is sought with entreaty, supplication and invocation, keeping up prayer, paying zakãt, fasting, offering sacrifices, burning incenses and enchanting spells; thus our souls acquire ability without any medium.”

Although all these groups differ somewhat among themselves in general beliefs related to creation, they however agree that it is incumbent to train the soul for attaining the perfect cognition and happiness of [next] life.

As for the Manichaeans (from the dualists), their religion is known to be based on the belief that the soul is from the sublime illuminated world, which has descended to this material darkened net which is called 'body'; its bliss and perfection depends on the release from this dark house to the sphere of the light, either by choice through psychological regimes, or by compulsion through natural death.

As for the People of the Book, i.e.; the Jews, the Christians and the Zoroastrians, their holy books, i.e. the Old Testament, the New Testament and the Zend-Avesta, are full of the Call to redemption and restoration of the soul and opposition to its desires.

The two Testaments always speak about denial of this world and involvement in cleansing the inner self, and there have been appearing among them large groups of monks and ascetics generation after generation, and especially among the Christians, as monasticism is a well-adopted system of theirs.

The noble Qur’ãn has mentioned their monasticism in two places: . this is because there are priests and monks among them and because they do not behave proudly. (5:82); . and (as for) monasticism, they innovated it - We did not prescribe it to them - only to seek Allãh's pleasure, but they did not observe it with its due observance; . (57:27). Also, it has mentioned devout worshippers from among the Jews, as it says: They are not all alike; of the People of the Book there is an up-right party; they recite Allãh's communi-cations in the night time and they prostrate (to Him). They believe in Allãh and the Last Day, and they enjoin what is right and forbid the wrong, and they strive with one another in hastening to good deeds, and those are among the good (3:113-4).

As for various other groups from among the people who observe tough regimes and psychological exercises, like those who indulge in witchcraft and natural magic, use talismans, strive to subdue the spirits and jinn, and delve in cryptic letters and stars, etc; also those who [claim to] call the spirits and subdue the souls, all of them have their particular psychological regimes which produce a sort of control over affairs of souls.44

In short, what is understood from all the above is this. The ultimate goal of all the people of religions is to purify the soul by rejecting its desires and with engagement in cleansing it from filthy characteristics and undesirable conditions.

5. Probably, you might say that what has been proved from the customs of the people of religions and sects and from their traditions is voluntary renunciation of the world, and it is quite different from the issue of cognition of soul or engagement in its affairs which is the main topic.

In more clear words, what the religions and sects (which call men to servitude towards God in one way or the other) exhort the man, is to abstain from worldly enjoyments by doing good deeds, leaving aside base desires, sins and evil characteristics, in order that he should prepare himself for the best rewards, either in the next world as is clearly indicated by the prophetic religions like Judaism Christianity and Islam, or in this world as maintained by idol-worship-pers and believers in transmigration of souls, etc.

Thus, a man who devoutly worships according to the direction given by religion, follows what he is called to, a sort of self-denial, without ever thinking that there was an immaterial soul, and that that soul may attain to a sort of cognizance which guarantees its happiness and perfection of existence.

Likewise, the people who follow the tough regimes of various ways and systems, indulge in very tough [mental and psychological] exercises, indulge in them only for attaining the promised status and acquiring the result of their activities, like effectiveness of the will for example; and they remain oblivious of the affairs of the said soul from the start to the finish of the said exercise.

Moreover, among these people there are those who believe that soul is merely a material and physical item like blood, or steam mingled with blood, or original ingredients of man's body. There are also those who think that soul is a fine body similar to this physical one, which resides inside it and it is the carrier of life. In this back-ground how can it be said that all people intend with it attainment of cognizance of soul?

However, you should remember what has been stated earlier that man (in all these stations where he indulges in activities which prevent the soul from being engaged in external affairs and various material enjoyments and turn its attention to its own self in order to attain to such characteristics and effects which are not reached through material causes and physical normal factors) desires nothing except to be separated from external causes and factors and to become indepen-dent by himself, so that he may get the particular results to which material and normal factors cannot reach.

Therefore, a devoutly religious person, who lives an ascetic life, believes that it is incumbent on man to choose for himself his real bliss and happiness, and that it is the good life of the next world (according to those who believe in resurrection) or the good worldly life which gathers all good for him and repluses every evil from him (according to those who do not believe in the next world like idol-worshippers and believers in transmigration of soul). Then he finds that wallowing in animalistic enjoyments does not gain for him his happiness, nor does it take him forward to his end-goal. Thus, he has no alternative but to discard his desires and abandon his journey to his soul's crazes. He should be attracted to a cause or causes above the normal material ones, by going near it and joining it; this proximity and joining is achieved by submitting to him and surrendering to his orders. This is a spiritual and psychological affair that can be pre-served through body's commissions and omissions - and these are the acts of religious worship like prayer, hajj, and so on.

The actions, regimes and various exercises prescribed by relig-ion, ultimately return to a sort of involvement with affairs of the soul. Man sees by his nature that he neither takes nor leaves anything but for his own benefit. We have stated earlier that man is never oblivious - not for a single moment of his existence - of observing his soul and seeing his person, and that he never commits mistake in this percep-tion at all; if there ever occurs a mistake it does in its interpretation based on rational thinking and academic research. It is now clear from this discourse that religions and denominations, in spite of the differ-ences in their customs and ways, do not intend except being involved with affairs of the soul in general, no matter whether they were aware of this fact or not.

Likewise, a man from among those who indulge in various re-gimes and spiritual exercises - even if they do not follow any religion nor they believe in reality of soul - do not aim through the said exer-cises except obtaining the promised result. And that promised result is not connected with commissions and omissions which he does, in a physical connection, as it appears between the physical causes and their effects; it is rather an immaterial connection emanating from [human] will, which is related to the exerciser's perception and will which are preserved by the sort of activity done by it, it extends from the soul of the exerciser to the promised result. Thus the reality of the said exercise is that it strengthens the soul and completes it in its perception and will for the said result. In other words, it is the effect of the exercise that the soul acquires the condition where it knows that the desired result is within its power. Thus when correct exercise is done and completed, the soul acquires the power that if it wishes to get the result unconditionally, or wishes it with certain conditions (as for example when a child is made to see a spirit in a mirror), that result will certainly appear.

To this aspect points the traditions narrated from the Prophet (s.a.w.a.) that the people said to him that some disciples of ‘Īsã (a.s.) walked on water. The Prophet (s.a.w.a.) said, “If he had stronger con-viction he would have walked on air.” As you see, this tradition indi-cates that the whole affair depends on the conviction and certitude about Allãh, when all creative causes are effaced and stripped of inde-pendent effectiveness. The greater the reliance of man on the absolute divine power, the greater the submission of worldly things to his will. Understand it.

The most comprehensive saying on this affair is the word of as-Sãdiq (a.s.): “The body does not feel weak from doing what the inten-tion is strong about.” Also the Prophet (s.a.w.a.) has said: “The actions are only according to intentions.”

It is now clear that the religious effects of rites and worships as well as those [spiritual and psychological] exercises and regimes are related with human soul only through its inner affairs. When one is engaged in any aspect of its, one is engaged in affairs of the soul.

A man deceives himself if he thinks that the relationship of cause-and-effect exists between the bodies of these good deeds and the goals of the next world; or between them and the strange worldly goals which are not affected by physical causes, like manipulating the souls' perceptions and their various kinds of will, setting things in motion without a mover; acquiring knowledge of hidden ideas of the others, or of things to appear in future; establishing connections with the spiritual world and spirits, etc.; or thinks that action engenders an effect without there being a real link between them, or merely by divine will without there being any particular reason.

6. Be careful, lest you fall in error of deducing from above dis-cussions that religion is but the cognition and Sūfīsm, i.e. cognition of the soul, as some materialist scholars have wrongly inferred, and have divided ways of life prevalent among the people into two branches: materialism and cognition i.e. religion.

It is because what religion teaches is that there is a real happi-ness for man, which he cannot get except by surrendering to super-natural and refusal to concentrate on material enjoyments. And the preceding discourses have shown that religions, whichever they might be - right or wrong - use the reform of soul and its cleansing in an appropriate way, for training the people and leading them to the happi-ness which it promises them and calls them to. And where is this from the idea that cognizance of the soul is religion?

Religion calls man to the worship of Allãh directly or through interceders and partners, because therein is found the human bliss and happiness and the good life which is the only goal of the man; and the man does not acquire it, and shall never acquire it, except through a pure soul which is cleansed of material connections and animalistic unbridled enjoyments. Thus the need arises to include reform of the soul and its cleansing among the parts of its call, in order that the one with that characteristics becomes ready to be covered with good and blessings; and does not become like someone who takes a thing with one hand and throws it away with the other. Thus religion is one thing and cognizance of the soul is quite another, although religion is insep-arable from cognizance to a certain extent.

This same discourse also makes it clear that the systems of exer-cises and regimens used for diverse and unusal goals too are separate from cognizance of the soul, although some are connected somehow with some others.

Of course, we may come to the conclusion that the cognizance of the soul - whatever the path taken to reach it - is a thing taken from religion. Also, independent research shows that the religions - with all their diversities and differences, have sprouted from one deep-rooted religion to which the human nature invites, and it is the religion of monotheism.

Thus, when we refer to our simple nature, leaving aside the pre-judices which come to us by heredity or are transmitted from environment, we will know with certainty, without a shade of doubt, that the universe, with its unity in plurality, and interconnectedness of its parts in diversity, ends at the one cause above all causes, and it is the Truth to which one must submit and manage the life according to its teach-ing and management - and it is the Religion based on monotheism.

Deep consideration of all religions and customs makes us aware that all of them contain somewhat this living spirit [i.e. monotheism], even idolatry and dualism; what discord there is, it is in fitting the religious system on this fundamentalism, and by hitting the target and missing it. For example, there are those who say: 'He is indeed nearer to us than our life-vein, and He is with us wherever we might be, we do not have beside Him any guardian or intercessor; therefore it is incumbent on us to worship Him alone without ascribing any partner to Him.' Also there are those who say: 'Man's earthly lowliness and baseness of his nature does not leave any way to him to establish any connection with the divine courtyard; what a distance there is between dust and the Lord of lords? Therefore, we have no alternative but to seek proximity with some of His honoured servants, who are freed of the curtain of matter, are pure and cleansed from the dirt of nature, and they are the spirituality of the stars, or lords of species, or nearer humans, and we do not worship them except that they may make us nearer to Allãh. However, because they are beyond our perceptions, far above our sides, it is necessary that we should represent them bodily in stones and idols, so that the matter of nearness in worship may be completed.' The same is the case with all other religions and traditions; and we do not find in their books except that which shows in reality its direction towards divine monotheism.

It is well known that the customs prevalent among the people, no matter how many branches there may be in it and how much serious diversities may appear in it, are all inclined towards unity, when we retreat backwards to its earliest times, and it ultimately ends at the natural and simple human religion, and it is monotheism. Thus the religion of monotheism is the father of all religions, and these in their turn are its sons - good or evil.

Again, the natural religion looks into the cognizance of the soul only to use it to arrive at the human blessings to which it invites, and it is the cognizance of God which is its ultimate goal. In other words, religion invites to the cognizance of the soul as the way, not the desti-nation. In fact, religious taste is not pleased with involvement in any-thing except in the way of servitude; verily the religion with Allãh is the Islam, and He is not pleased with unbelief in His servants; there-fore how can He be pleased with cognizance of the soul if it acquires the status of independent wantedness.

It is seen from this that the cognizance ultimately ends at the natural religion, because it is not in itself an independent matter to which the human nature might be calling, until its branches and sprouts end at the one root, which is natural cognizance.

This fact may possibly be understood through another way: Al-though humanity proceeds by nature to civilization and grouping for blissfulness of the life, and reports and research have proved that some people or communities called their groups to the ways of nationalism, or laid down civil systems and enforced them among them, like the tribal customs, monarchical traditions, democratic systems and so on; but neither any report nor any research has claimed that during all the long human history anyone other than the people of religion had called to the cognizance of the soul and reform of its ethics.

Yes, it is possible that some adherents to those irreligious ways, like people of witchcraft and spiritualists, etc, might have awakened to this type of the cognizance of the soul through a path other than relig-ion, yet they would not reach it through the nature, because nature has nothing to do or say in this matter, as you have seen; rather it would have been through accidental observation of some unusual psycholog-ical effects; then his soul yearns to attain to a psychological position with which he can perform wonderous deeds and rare manipulations in the world which souls consider strange; this yearning pushes him to hunt for it and proceed to it stage by stage until the desired goal is achieved.

7. We are often told about many of our good people of religion that they had got, through their religious regimes, super-natural miracles and extraordinary events that were especially bestowed on them. For example, they could see somethings or affairs which were not seen by the others, or they could observe some people or episodes which were not perceived by other persons, or their prayers were answered, some hopelessly sick persons were cured, men were rescued from dangers and perils in other than usual way. Such things sometimes happen even on the hands of a person who is not virtuous, if his intention is true and his soul detached [from worldly involvements]. These people see what they see but they are oblivious of its immediate cause, and they ascribe it directly to Allãh without seeing any intermediary. Although ascription of the affairs and things to Allãh is true and one has no alternative but to accept it, yet negation of intermediary cause cannot be coveted.

Sometimes a spiritualist brings forth someone's spirit in a mirror or water and so on, by manipulating a child's soul - as is generally known - and he himself, like the others, observes that the child sees [that spirit] with his physical eyes, and that there is a curtain between the said spirit and the eyes of the others, and if that curtain was lifted off, the others too would be able like the child to see it.

Sometimes they find the procured spirit telling lies in its infor-mation, and it seems very strange, because the spiritual world is the one of purity and clarity; there is no way for lie, falsity and untruth to reach it.

Sometimes they bring forth a living person's spirit and make it describe his secrets and inner thoughts, and that person is awake and engaged in his daily activities without realizing that his spirit has been procured and is disclosing what he is not pleased with its disclosure.

Sometimes a person is put under hypnotic trance, and is directed to perform a deed and he in the same condition agrees to it. Then on waking up, he performs the same deed with all the conditions told to him; yet he is not aware of what was taught to him, nor does he know that he had agreed to it.

Some spiritualists, after seeing some spiritual apparitions similar to human form or like an animal's, thought that these forms are parts of the material world and receptacles of ever-changing nature. It es-pecially applies to those who do not believe that any immaterial thing exists; so much so that some of them had tried to invent some artificial apparatus to catch the spirits. All this relied on a hypothesis which they had about the soul: that it has a material starting point, or is a characteristic of a material starting point, which acts with perception and will. However, they have not solved the question of life and perception even today.

Similar to it is the hypothesis of those who believe that spirit is a fine body, similar to the physical body in its forms and appearance. It is because they found that man sees himself in dream in the same form, which he sees of himself while awake. Sometimes the people exercising spiritual regimes see their own forms outside their bodies - and it looks totally similar to their bodies' form; so they said that spirit is a fine body which remains incarnated in the physical body as long as man remains alive; when it leaves the body it is death.

But they have failed to realize that this perceived form is found in the man's senses, like his form, which he perceives of his body, and like the forms of all extraneous things, which are separate from his body. Also, occasionally this separate form appears to some people of exercised regime as more than one, or in a form other than his own form; and sometimes he sees his soul exactly as soul of some another person. Now, if they do not say about the said form that it is the form of the spirit, they also should not say for a form, which is seen by people of exercised regime that it is the form of the spirit.

The fact is that these people did get a part of the cognizance of the soul, but they lost the cognizance of the soul's true nature as it is, so they erred in explanation of what they had got and went astray in directing its affair. However, the truth, to which the proof and experi-ment lead, is that the soul's true perceived nature which is referred to by the word, 'I', is a thing which is quite separate in its essence from these material things, as explained earlier; and its various perceptions and senses - feelings, thought or understanding - inasmuch as they are perceived are settled in their own world and receptacle, other than the physical characteristics which appear in the organs of feeling and perception of the body, because they are material commissions and omissions and have no life or perception in themselves. So these affairs which are especially seen by good people and those who undergo spiri-tual exercises and regimes, are not beyond the grasp of their souls; the only question is: How did this cognizance settle in the soul and where in the soul is its place? And the soul has a sublime sign for all happen-ings and affairs which are somewhat connected to them. So all these strange affairs, which are compliant to the people of exercise and regime, are nourished by their will and intention; and intention emanates from perception. Thus, the human perception has some intervention in all events connected to, and all affairs touching him.

8. Thus, it is proper to divide into two, the people who are gen-erally involved in cognizance of soul: One, those who are engaged in it by acquiring some unusual effects of soul, which are beyond the circle of material cause-and-effect like the people indulging in magic and talisman, or those who subdue the spirituality of stars, jinn or men's spirits, or those who recite invocations or incantations.

Two, those who are engaged in cognizance of the soul by turning away from extraneous things and being attracted towards it for deeply thinking over it and observing its essence and conditions, like the Sūfīs in their various categories and paths.

Sūfīsm is not something invented by the Muslims on their own. It is found even in those nations which had appeared before them, like the Christians and even the Hindus and Buddhists; there are in those religions even today those who proceed on this path; it is rather an hereditary way they have inherited from their ancestors.

However, it is not as the usual imitation as people inherit vari-ous types of civilization, one from the other, a later generation follow-ing in the footstep of an earlier one, as is believed by some researchers in religions and sects. You have seen in previous discourses that the natural religion leads to asceticism, and asceticism guides to the cog-nizance of the soul. When religion is settled in a nation and is firmly rooted in their hearts, it adapts and prepares them for inevitable growth in them of the way of cognizance of the soul; and then follow it some of those people who are fully affected by its factors. Thus, if religious life continues for sometime in a nation, this way [of Sūfīsm] is bound to appear among them, whether correct or incorrect, even if they remain totally cut-off from other religious nations and groups. An affair of this type should not be counted as a hereditary custom, which is passed on from generation to generation.

9. Now, we should further divide the second category of the people (i.e. those who are engaged in cognizance of the soul) into two groups:

One group proceeds on this way for the soul's own sake, so they are given some of its knowledge, but they fail to get its comprehensive cognizance. It is because their only aim was to know the soul; so they remain oblivious of its Maker, and He is Allãh, Great is His name, Who is the True Cause, Who takes the soul by its forelock in its existence and effects of existence. How can a man fully know a thing when he is oblivious of the knowledge of the causes of its existence? Especially the cause, which is the Cause of every cause? Is he but like someone who claims to have the knowledge of a bed while he is ignorant of the carpenter and his visit, does know nothing of his saw or the purpose of its making, and likewise other causes of the bed's existence.

This type of the soul's cognizance deserves to be called sooth-saying, as it entails acquirement of a little information regarding the soul and its effects.

The other group goes ahead on the path of the soul's cognizance in order that it would lead to the cognizance of the Lord. This way of theirs is the one which religion is somehow pleased with. The man be-comes engaged in the cognition of his soul because it is one of the signs of his Lord, and the nearest sign. The soul becomes the path trodden, and Allãh is the destination towards which he proceeds: and that to your Lord is the end goal [53:42].

These are the different groups, having various beliefs. We do not have much information about the non-Muslims' views and of the paths they tread. As for the Muslims, they have got numerous paths, basic among them are counted to twenty five chains, and each of them is branched out to other smaller chains; all of them (except one) reach in the end to ‘Alī (a.s.). There are some people who are not connected to any of these chains; they call themselves al-Uwaysiyyah (linking themselves to Uways al-Qaranī). Also, there are others who do not have any name nor do they demonstrate with any slogan.

They have their own books and tracts in which they have described their chains and paths, the laws and ethics, which apply to them and have been narrated from their people. In these books they have recorded their narrated revelations, and elaborated their proofs and purposes based on them. Anyone wanting to understand it should consult them. This is not the place for detailed discussion of those paths and ways and confirmation of what is correct and critique of what is incorrect. Also, a discussion was given in the fifth volume of this book, which is not without benefit in this respect. This is in short what we had intended to write here concerning the discussion of the cognizance of the soul.

You should know that cognizance of the soul has a practical purpose, and its full knowledge cannot be attained except through the way of practical, not theoretical, proceeding. As for the knowledge of the soul written by the ancients it is totally useless; and the practical psychology invented by the later scholars is merely a branch of the ethics according to the ancients' categorization. And Allãh is the Guide.

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