Alhassanain(p) Network for Heritage and Islamic Thought

Part 17

﴿يَا أَيُّهَا الَّذِينَ آمَنُوا اجْتَنِبُوا كَثِيرًا مِنْ الظَّنِّ، إِنَّ بَعْضَ الظَّنِّ إِثْمٌ، وَلا تَجَسَّسُوا، وَلا يَغْتَبْ بَعْضُكُمْ بَعْضًا، أَيُحِبُّ أَحَدُكُمْ أَنْ يَأْكُلَ لَحْمَ أَخِيهِ مَيْتًا؟ فَكَرِهْتُمُوهُ﴾

“O you who believe! Avoid most of suspicion, for surely suspicion in some cases is a sin, and do not spy nor let some of you backbite others. Does one of you like to eat the flesh of his dead brother? But you abhor it… (49:12)”

Satan’s regret for misguiding a believer

The Holy Qur’an, the Command of the Lord of the Worlds, is great in the eyes of every monotheist believer. It is the ordinance issued by the King of Kings. It is the duty of every man to understand this Command, to study it, interpret it properly and to act according to what is mentioned in it. Take care that it is obeyed correctly, lest it be otherwise. Allah orders: It is your duty to refrain from many conjectures. Why? Because, according to one explanation, some conjectures are sins. So never indulge in them. Since this command is addressed to all of us, it is our duty to know the meaning of suspicion (Soo-e-Zann) and to fully understand what it involves. Though we had spoken about these two three verses yesterday, I feel enough was not discussed about this important matter. So, today I will speak at length about the meaning of suspicion or bad opinion and then divide it into two: One, bad opinion about the Creator and, two: Thinking badly about the creation.

Conjecture, between certainty and doubt

Conjecture stands between certainty and doubt, a state of hesitation. It is in the midst of total certainty and total refusal or rejection. In Arabic, it is called ‘Zann’ and in Persian ‘Gumaan’. For example, you see a person at a distance and you cannot make out whether he is a man or a woman. In these days it so happens a number of times you look at these youths but do not understand whether they are male or female, boys or girls! Woe unto these men of today. What calamity has come to mankind? It is prohibited for men to look like (make up oneself like) women and for women to appear like men.

Woe unto the society that has gone down so much. So this doubt is called uncertainty. You have a doubt about one’s being a male or a female. When that fellow comes near, you observe that he wears long hair, a gold ring on the finger and also there is a necklace round the neck. You give preference to the opinion that it is a girl, but you are not quite sure because there also is a possibility that it’s a male.

However from outward appearance you are inclined to think that it is a female. This is called conjecture. It means, after seeing that this person has outward signs of a girl, you imagine that it is a girl. But you also have some doubt. Perhaps, these days, there also has come about a change whereby boys make up their appearance like girls. It could also be a eunuch who makes up like females. You have an opposite opinion but you feel more that the person is a female.

Thereafter, the person comes very near to you and sits by your side. You talk with that person and ask, “May I know your good name?” The reply is Miss Zahrmaaryaan. When you hear this you become sure that she is a female. You come out of doubt and suspicion and become sure that she is a girl.

This was a simple example of ‘opinion’ (Zann), that is, to give preference to one side of doubt. But the meaning of Husn-e-Zann (good opinion) and Soo-e-Zann (bad opinion) is what whenever a man looks at someone’s deeds, the looking has two sides; one is the good aspect and the other bad. If you think nicely about it, it is called Husn-e-Zann. If you form a bad conjecture, it is Soo-e-Zann. For example: A man approaches you from a distance and speaks a word, which was not clear. You could not follow what he said. There are two doubts: Either he abused you or praised you. This is good and bad (imagination). If you think that he praised you, as there was no reason (he did not have any ailment) for him to abuse me, then this is called Husn-e-Zann (good opinion). But if you say that since we were not at good terms in the past, he must have abused me. You imagined that he abused you. This is called Soo-e-Zann (having a bad opinion).

Another example: Suppose a man came out of a den of vice. Here also are two possible doubts. One is that he went there to obstruct corruption and to give advice to concerned people. Likewise there also is a possibility to imagine that he went there to take part in evil deeds. If you say: By the permission of Allah, he might have gone there to make reforms, then it is called Husn-e-Zann. But if you give preference to the doubt that he might have gone there to participate in bad deeds, it is Soo-e-Zann.

The prohibited Soo-e-Zann is of two kinds. First, having bad opinion about the deeds of God. If you, God forbid, think that a deed of God is not good then it is Soo-e-Zann towards the Lord of the Worlds. To think that the world (what happens in the world, as allowed by God), that is, the affair of God has no regularity or wisdom, then this is like imagining that God’s deeds are, May God forgive, aimless or meaningless!

Unwise worshipper and his deeds of less value

Once two angels saw a worshipper the weight of whose worship was less, that is, though he was worshipping much, its value was less. They came to try him and said, “O Worshipper gentleman! How are you? How is the condition of things here?” He replied, “Everything is all right but there is one thing amiss. God makes so much grass to grow here. I wish God had a donkey so that all this grass would not be wasted.” The two angels looked at one another and went up to heaven. It became known that the worshipper had no intelligence as he had a bad opinion about the management of the universe.

He must have a good opinion about the working of this world. He should never object to it. He must consider himself too low to raise any objection concerning the best management of the universe. If he feels anything worth criticism, it is due to a fault in his own way of looking at things. He must realize that he is too insignificant to interfere in the secrets of the management of the world and in the world of existence. He should understand that whatever he is able to understand is also because of the Grace of God. He had made this wonderful universe in such excellent manner that if all the wisest people of the world come together to make the world better, they would never be able to do so.

Not a blade of grass grows without any wisdom behind it. No vein in a living creature is aimless. Look at this human body having so many parts and organs. The sum total of its major parts number more than a thousand and the number of its secondary parts exceed millions. Ever since the first day in which man started to study human body till today, when he gained a lot of knowledge in any age, no scholar or physical scientist has ever said that any part of the body is extra, that it has no use or benefit.

The surplus intestine or a danger signal!

In ancient medical science it was called “Qulinj” and now they call it “Appendicitis.” Sometimes it causes stomachache. It is a small intestine having a length of about three finger joints. It is also a blind gut, that it does not allow food to pass through and rejects it. Sometimes it retains it and then it gives much pain. They say there is no way out except to have it operated upon. Formerly they called it a surplus intestine (of no use). But now, when medical science has advanced, they have succeeded in understanding the wisdom behind the construction of the human body by Omniscient Allah.

They have now changed its name saying it is not correct to call it surplus intestine. It is not surplus, but is an important part of the intestine. What is it? They have now named it Appendix. If this part were not there it would not be possible to know the problem in intestines. It is possible that the patient may die if this danger remains undetected. To make the default known this part (appendix) produces pus, gives pain and warns the patient to go to a doctor who cuts of this part and the patient gets relief. So, do not say that it is surplus. Finally they all are convinced that it is necessarily an import part, which should be there.

Everything is very well in its place

So if all the intelligent persons of the entire world come together to think about the construction of human body, they will never be in a position to say that it would have been better had it been in a somewhat different form. In this construction, everything is good and in proper place. It is the same in the huge body of the whole universe made by Almighty and All-knowing God.

Look at anything. Everything is proper and well in its place. In the world of outer space above our heads, millions of huge spheres are circling and moving continuously in this unending outer space. Two of them never collide. What would happen if two of them collide with this planet of ours, the world, with the tremendous speed of 24 kms per second!

The spacious atmosphere of the outer world, protects life

According to one of the modern discoveries of science, nearly twenty million celestial rock pieces break away from planets and come continuously rushing towards our earth at a tremendous speed of a hundred thousand kms per hour. If they collide with our earth at this speed what will happen to this world? No atom bomb can equal the power of these rushing rocks. If this imagined collision occurs, say for an hour, will any house remain standing on our earth? Will any man or animal remain alive? All and everything will be destroyed. The planet earth itself will be disintegrated totally. What an organization of the Almighty!

The Lord of the Universe is the Omniscient Manager and Director of this universe, this atmosphere and outer space. The atmosphere, which God has created around our huge globe of earth, has a wonderful effect on the life on our planet of earth. One of its effects is the adjustment of the heat of the sun. The radiation of sun, which gathers in this part of the atmosphere, does not come directly to the planet of earth. If it reaches the earth directly and if it is not taken care of in the space and if it is not adjusted properly do you know what would happen to our earth? All rivers would overflow. The temperature of the earth would reach a hundred degrees above zero. Even blood in your body would boil up. Milk in the breast of mothers would boil. After such heat there will remain no drop of water on the earth and all and everything would vaporize.

Moreover, if the said sector of the atmosphere were not to be there, what would happen at night? The temperature would drop down to 160 degrees below zero. Everything and everybody would freeze. If days were to be so hot and nights so cold, will any life be possible on earth?

So the said strata of the atmosphere around our earth is made by the Almighty to take absorb sun’s heat and adjust the temperature in such a way that neither nights become so cold nor days so hot. Moreover, the intense heat in space dilutes and dissolves the rocks raining from the sky.

I intend to draw attention towards the organization of the affairs of the universe. Now let us proceed. To how many things will man pay attention?

Death, a great bounty of God

Take for example the subject of death. It is one of the divine bounties having several wisdoms. Generally man does not like it. Man dislikes death. But, for instance, suppose that death is kept away from all of us for a hundred years from now. You will see in what condition men would be. What would the aged men and women, being badly disabled, do? Their children and grand children will not find any time beyond attending to the old people’s needs, their maintenance, their food, their clothing, their cleanliness and their residences. How then will the younger ones earn their livelihood and when will they take rest? Consequently, they too will become like the aged ones and fall in bed. Life would be upset totally. At that time, all the young and the old will pray to God: O Lord! Kindly do what You consider appropriate. Though we dislike death, we are pleased with what You arrange, in the death destined by You.

Having bad opinion about God’s decree and decision, finding faults with the wise administration of the universe is unlawful. Whatever God has done or ordered is proper and good. Rest assured that whatever you have understood is a sample for what you could not comprehend. You may dwell deeply in it or not, rest assured that God is the All-knowing Creator. He is Wise. “Does the One Who created, not know?” He knows all the aspects of good and bad. You have not the slightest right to raise any objection.

Remove the spectacles of ill-view

Here is an example to make this matter more comprehensible. Suppose one has a new pair of shoes. Very nice shoes but too tight fitting. He wears these shoes and walks around on a nice asphalted road, viewing green trees and beautiful flowers all around. Air is nice and there is not much heat. After a while, the pressure on his feet gives him pain. His feet get hurt. Then he begins to scream; what a bad road is this. It has made me ill. It has blistered my feet. It has wounded me. I am unable to walk any more.

Now he should be told: Take off these troubling shoes so that you may be able to enjoy the beauty of a free walk on this comfortable road. The road is not bad. It is very nice and convenient for so many people. The fault is within you.

O the one who looks at the deeds of God but with a lot of ignorance and foolishness! Until and unless you pull off from your feet the narrow tight shoes, you will never be able to enjoy the comfort of walking on a good road nor will you ever be able to understand and appreciate the wisdom behind what God Omniscient has done in this universe. One of His wise decrees is death. It makes life possible for mankind. Here is another example showing the wisdom behind death.

Death, a preliminary to reception by God

If the powerful King invites some people to come to a city full of beautiful gardens and palaces of highest quality where a number of preparations are made for the entertainment of the invitees. But for time being, he has also fixed a place or compound where the invitees may wait till they are called in as many wonderful and delightful things are under preparation inside.

Now is it not very ridiculous if the waiting people, sitting in the outer compound begin to contend with one another on trifling matters. You ate in a nicer vessel. You sat on a nicer chair etc. The fact is that it is matter of a day or two. It is not worthwhile to fight over such things during that period.

Death is the end of lifespan in this temporary world. It prepares man to receive the Grand Entertainment readied by Almighty God for man in the other lasting world. Till that time, you are in this cage or confinement for a while. Here you are unable to appreciate and imagine the great bounties readied by God for you in the everlasting life after death in Paradise. This world of matter cannot provide those great bounties of heavens.

This matter is very much worthy of attention. A number of guests, as mentioned in the example, in this compound are not prepared to enter the grand hall of Divine entertainment having wonderful gardens, rivers and palaces. They say: We are better off here. We do not like to move from here. Why? Because, they are not aware of the place, which is better and higher than what they can imagine.

But those who have became “believers in the unseen”, the eye of their understanding is open. They have put trust in what God and His Messenger have said. They have put faith in the Divine Word that no one is in a position to comprehend fully the conditions in the world after death.

﴿فَلا تَعْلَمُ نَفْسٌ مَا أُخْفِيَ لَهُمْ مِنْ قُرَّةِ أَعْيُنٍ جَزَاءً بِمَا كَانُوا يَعْمَلُونَ﴾

“So, no soul knows what is hidden for them of that which will refresh the eyes; a reward for what they did.”1

It is also not possible till they are in this world. Now, is the death, which we do not like, bad? Does it not have wisdom behind it? It is the door for entering the delights and joys.

You have unduly imagined that this (world) is the place for rest and comfort. It is temporary. You are kept here purposely so that, by performing good deeds, you become entitled to the most comfortable permanent house, which is being prepared for you in Paradise. When that palace is ready, you will be told: Welcome. Even if you say: I do not want to come, they will carry you and finally you will have to go. This is not a place to live forever.

Even if man is like the greatest goblet, the stone of death will break it into pieces like a little begging cup.

Death is a decoration for man

It is Husain who says: Just as a necklace is a decoration for a young girl, so is death a necessary ornament for every human being.2 When the body of a deceased person is being washed, according to narrations, he is asked: Would you like to return to the world with this body? The dead one replies: Well! I have just been delivered and liberated.3

Today it is enough in the matter of bad opinion about God and its prohibition. Tomorrow, God willing, we shall talk about the prohibition of having a bad opinion about the creation. Know that it is the duty of a Faithful believer to obey the Commands of God. One must have a good opinion about God and what God decrees and administers, about the universe created by God. Woe unto the one who thinks adversely about God’s creation, about whatever God has created or decreed. He forms an adverse opinion about God’s deeds.

Woe unto such a blind fellow. Woe unto you if you see injustice, oppression or unfairness in what God does – May He forgive us if we ever thought so. This is a very dangerous thinking. It is incumbent on you to know that whatever God has done, it is full of wisdom. A young man dies. How do we know? It is possible that if he had lived longer, calamities could have fallen on him whereby he might have left this world in a state of disbelief and thus he would have been totally destroyed. So it was better for this youth to pass away from here at this age. Are you more merciful and kind than God! The One Who created him knows more and He is certainly more full of love for him than you are and He knows best what is in everybody’s interest.

Ali is happy and pleased with death

Man must know that death is not a monstrosity wherein he may see injustice and oppression. If you want to become a man of religious recognition (having knowledge of God and His deeds), if you are a Shia of Ali, then you should know what Amirul Momineen has said, “By God! My liking for death is more than a baby’s liking for its mother’s breast.” You see, when a child becomes restless, when it is uneasy, mother’s breast is put at its mouth and it gets instant relief. So Ali says, “Whenever I became restless and uneasy I remember my death and thereby I get relief and comfort. I get peace. I remember my original place of residence.”

Help the legatee of Muhammad or give death

Tonight is the 19th night of the holy month of Ramadhan. Shaykh Waram, teacher of Sayyid Ibn Tawus, writes in his book Tanwirul Khawatir and quotes this tradition. It is from a companion of Prophet, Ismail bin Abdullah who says: After the assassination of Uthman and resulting chaos and confusion among Muslims, I took to a corner to protect myself from this turmoil. I took to the bank of river Euphrates and refrained from having any contact with people. I was there during the 19th night of the holy month of Ramadhan. It was dark but I could see a man praying to God near the water. I could hear two or three words of his prayer, which moved my heart. He was praying: O My Lord! You are the Creator of the skies and the earth. You have sent Your Messenger Muhammad. I beseech You for the sake of Muhammad. Please help the legatee of Muhammad or take his life.

Then he returned from the riverfront. I followed him and requested him on oath to show me the truth. He said: If you want to see the truth, look behind. Look at the legatee of Muhammad. Submit your religious affair before him. (Perhaps this gentleman was Khizr). I came back to Kufa and when I reached the city gates it was still dark and no one was visible. After a while, I saw a man coming out of the city. He offered four units prayer. Then I heard him praying: O My Lord! After the departure of Your Messenger, I acted according to the tradition of Your Messenger among these people, but these people are annoyed with me. They no more like Ali. What to do?

They dislike what Ali does. Truth is not with them. They are fed up with me and I am fed up with them. (These people are passion worshippers, world-lovers. What have they to do with Ali who is spirit from head to foot? He is total truth. They do not like Ali’s actions. His cousin, the Messenger of God, likes his deeds). Then he prayed: O My Lord! My cousin, the Messenger of Allah, has promised me and said: O Ali! Whenever you become restless and uneasy, pray for death and God will grant it. My Lord! Now, I have become quite restless and uneasy. I need nothing but the viciousness of Ibn Muljim. I want to reach my aim. I want to be killed in Your Path.

This was in earnest. There is a narration that whenever Ali returned from a battlefield he looked sorrowful. On enquiring about the reason, he replied, “I had gone with a hope to be martyred in God’s Way, but I have returned alive. I am afraid I will not have my wish fulfilled. Since being killed on the path of Allah is a very great fortune, Ali always desired it earnestly until the Prophet gave him glad tidings that finally his beard would be colored by the blood of his head and that he would certainly be killed in Allah’s path.

In brief, Ismail narrates: I saw that my master (Ali) concluded his prayer and went back to the town. I also followed him, to ascertain who was this gentleman and for what was all this weeping and desire for death. I followed him and saw that he entered the house of Amirul Momineen. I now understood that he was Ali bin Abi Talib. Then I went to the mosque to stay there till next morning, to meet him personally. Then came the call for prayer. Ali engaged himself in prayer. Within a short time, they cried, “They killed Ali.”

Notes

1. Surah Sajdah 32:17

2. Nafasul Mahmoom

3. Biharul Anwar

Part 15

﴿يَا أَيُّهَا الَّذِينَ آمَنُوا لا يَسْخَرْ قَومٌ مِنْ قَوْمٍ عَسَى أَنْ يَكُونُوا خَيْرًا مِنْهُمْ، وَلا نِسَاءٌ مِنْ نِسَاءٍ عَسَى أَنْ يَكُنَّ خَيْرًا مِنْهُنَّ، وَلا تَلْمِزُوا أَنفُسَكُمْ، وَلا تَنَابَزُوا بِالأَلْقَابِ، بِئْسَ الاِسْمُ الْفُسُوقُ بَعْدَ الإِيمَانِ، وَمَنْ لَمْ يَتُبْ فَأُوْلَئِكَ هُمْ الظَّالِمُونَ﴾

“O you who believe! Let not (one) people laugh at (another) people perchance they may be better than they, nor let women (laugh) at (other) women, perchance they may be better than they; and do not find fault with your own people nor call one another by nicknames; evil is a bad name after faith, and whoever does not turn, these it is that are the unjust. (49:11)”

Thabit recalls a Muslim’s mother in bad light

It is written in commentaries of Holy Qur’an about the circumstances in which the above verse was revealed. According to a narration, a companion of Prophet, Thabit bin Qais was an attendant of the congregation and he was hard of hearing. Therefore he always sat near the Prophet, so that he could hear him properly.

One morning he arrived late for prayers and the Prophet was offering the second unit of the Morning Prayer. So he joined the congregation and standing in the last row, completed his second unit alone. The Prophet used to give admonitions after prayer, reciting Qur’anic verses. Thabit tried for the place where he used to sit daily (near the Holy Prophet). In his effort he pushed some people aside. No one told him anything thinking that being somewhat deaf he was trying to sit near the Holy Prophet. So they gave him room to move forward. There remained only one gentleman, who, if he moved slightly, Thabit could get his usual place.

But that man did not oblige and told Thabit, “Sit where you are.” Thabit helplessly sat there. As the Holy Prophet was speaking, Thabit looked at the person who did not utter a word until the former stopped his sermon. Then Thabit looked at the person who did not allow him space and asked, “Who are you?” The person replied, “I am son of so and so.” He took the name of his father, as he knew that his mother had a bad name in society before the advent of Islam. Thabit said, “But you are son of such and such woman, who was notorious for her bad deeds.” This poor Muslim became very sad and felt ashamed in front of the Holy Prophet and all the Muslims. Thabit did an unwise thing referring to his mother. He did give way; even then, he must not have been mocked and insulted and Thabit should not have said that he was son of such and such woman.

So, these were the circumstances in which this verse under our study was revealed.

Who is addressed?

God has issued a general command for all time to come till Judgment Day: First He addressed the believers. The first part of the verse and the earlier order, which later on refers to suspicion (having bad opinion). He addresses the believers that they must act upon this order and fulfill their responsibility. As regards the one who is disbeliever, who has no faith in Allah and the Hereafter, it is said that do not make a mockery of anyone on account of his disbelief. Though he has no faith, all are servants of Only One God. All are made of dust. There is no cause for mockery. He has no faith to understand these words. He does not accept what is said about Judgment Day, Hereafter, ranks and reward. But how do you know that you are better than him? These very words are mocking for him. There is no benefit in such words. So this address must be made to you. O those who say: There is no god except Allah, Muhammad is the messenger of Allah.

﴿وَأَنَّ السَّاعَةَ آتِيَةٌ لا رَيْبَ فِيهَا﴾

“Most surely, the hour is coming, there is no doubt therein,”1

Do you believe in Judgment Day? Have you accepted belief in reward and punishment? Then:

﴿لا يَسْخَرْ قَومٌ مِنْ قَوْمٍ﴾

“…let not (one) people laugh at (another) people…”

A group may not mock another, men must not mock men, and women should not mock women. Of course, there is no inconsistency in this. It is also unlawful if, for once, a man mocks a woman and vice versa. This verse mentions men by way of generality. Mostly men mock men, but the command is general. It makes no difference. In short, a Muslim has no right to mock a Muslim. Also: Do not find faults in one another nor use bad words for one another, do not give bad titles to one another. Do not, for example, say: You are the son of such and such mother. Do you intend to disgrace a Muslim? You have no right to do so. You cannot perturb another Muslim.

Akrama, son of Abu Jahl, better than Muslims

Here is the example of Akrama bin Abu Jahl. This gentleman was a pious and a pure Muslim. Yet some unwise people sometimes used to taunt him saying that this is the son of Abu Jahl. A Muslim’s honor is his Islam to which one has turned sincerely. Even if his father was what he was. Abu Jahl, a pagan, a disbeliever, wretched, vicious, Hell dweller etc., but what is important is the condition of Akrama himself. Look at his honor and respect, his Islam: Do not give him ugly titles.

Thereafter, He gives a logical reason also. Logical, because it is against human wisdom to mock someone or to give a bad name to somebody. When someone belittles or humiliates a Muslim, what is the meaning of such humiliation? To pull down another and to think high of oneself. When somebody insults and belittles another person does it mean anything else but that the former imagines himself higher and the latter, lower. He disgraces another man.

Maybe the mocked one is better than you

Almighty Allah says:

﴿يَا أَيُّهَا الَّذِينَ آمَنُوا لا يَسْخَرْ قَومٌ مِنْ قَوْمٍ عَسَى أَنْ يَكُونُوا خَيْرًا مِنْهُمْ، وَلا نِسَاءٌ مِنْ نِسَاءٍ عَسَى أَنْ يَكُنَّ خَيْرًا مِنْهُنَّ ﴾

“O you who believe! Let not (one) people laugh at (another) people perchance they may be better than they, nor let women (laugh) at (other) women, perchance they may be better than they… (49:11)”

O ignorant one! On what criterion did you measure yourself higher and pulled down another one? Is it due to the apparent reason that, for example, you have wealth and he does not have; your dress is new and his old, you are handsome and he is ugly? If so, then this is not a criterion to measure good and evil. Real good and bad must be measured by one’s distance from God. In God’s sight, rich and poor, handsome and ugly are alike. The ignorant one who looks at only the outer things is not wise. They do not know what is behind the apparent dress and appearance.

The Messenger of God is reported to have said that several chairless persons who sit on ground and a number of persons who do not have new and shining dress are honorable in the sight of God. If they seek anything from God, God grants it to them; that is, their prayers are accepted. What do you know? Do not look at others with contempt as it is possible that some of them are really good servants of God.

One may appear of no value apparently, but it is quite possible that from within God likes him or her. Apparent deeds also are no criterion. You are looking at only outward things and deeds and imagine that you are pious, clean and righteous. You consider yourself a religious scholar and look down at others, as they do not have knowledge; that he is not careful enough and so you look at him hatefully. If he says something, you retort: Go and obtain knowledge. Do you know what all this is?

O Servant of God! The one whom you looked with contempt may be better than what you imagined. You may have apparent righteousness. You perform ablution but how is it that you do not keep yourself away from impermissible things! O pious gentleman! You, in your own opinion are knowledgeable and he, ignorant of religious affairs. But he avoids the illegal things more than you! Now, who is more honorable, you or he? You dip your hands in water ten times for cleaning and he does only once, but when unlawful income comes, you fall on it like a cat falling on a rat. But he never indulges in impermissible things. Now, who is better, you or he?

According to some narrations, if a man lies once, its foul smell rise upto high heavens and angels curse the liar. Such a man puts on nice clothes and applies scent and perfume. But he also has utterly foul smell, the smell of sins and miserliness. His forehead does have a mark of prostration but of what use is that piety when he also is a miser. He indeed belongs to hell even if he makes innumerable ablutions. Another man who makes ablution by dipping his hands in water only once is certainly better than this fellow if he is not a miser.

If one considers himself better than others, one is certainly an ignorant man. It is possible that he avoids impurities, which you do not avoid. You do not avoid impurities, the bad smell of which is much more than common impurities. You may think that the other person is careless and hence belongs to hell. But from inside, that person may have much more love for Ahle Bait whereby he gets Paradise earlier than you. But you, the unlucky one, you have much attraction for wealth. Your love for money such, that finally it drives you to hell. How does one know that the other person has a warm heart, he has a kind heart, he is just and equitable? Only God knows how many persons he helped during his life? How one knows what kind of a man he will be at the end of his life?

Forgiven for giving water to a dog

It is mentioned2 that a woman of ill fame once reached a pit of water during her journey. She saw that a thirsty dog came to the water, which was deep (beyond its reach) and turned back and again came and turned back. Its tongue was hanging, as it was very thirsty in the hot atmosphere of the sandy land. This woman of loose character however became restless on seeing the poor and helpless condition of the thirsty dog and thought of doing something to help this creature of God. She observed that there was some water in the pit but it was very far down. What to do? From where to get a rope to fetch the water? She cut off her hair to make a sort of cup, tied it with her hands, fetched some water in this way and put it before the thirsty dog. She did not move away till the dog was gratified.

The most merciful God pardoned that lady for this kind act towards one of His creatures. As her character was loose, you imagined she belonged to hell. Perhaps, the one whom you imagine as belonging to hell may become aware and repent. It is also possible, that God forbid, you and I become proud and move away from the path of God’s service. How do we know? His Hereafter may be good and our bad! No one knows this.

There are many instances of such change. If I want, I may relate many examples. Let me tell you only a story from the book Hayatul Haiwan by Damiri. In how much danger man is.

Christian youths become rightly guided through Qur’an

There were two persons formerly Christians but later on they became Muslim. They lived in a city called Taleetah, perhaps in Morocco. I asked them the cause of their conversion. I asked them how you, former Christians, are now in deep search of Islamic truths. They replied: A few years ago, we were imprisoned in a jail. An Iraqi Muslim was also with us in our cell. Everyday he used to read Qur’an. As we did not know Arabic language, by and by we learned some words from that gentleman and began to understand a little from what he recited. One day he recited the verse:

﴿وَاسْأَلُوا اللَّهَ مِنْ فَضْلِهِ﴾

“…and ask Allah of His grace…3

Then he also recited the verse:

﴿ادْعُونِي أَسْتَجِبْ لَكُمْ﴾

“Call upon Me, I will answer you…”4

And he said that it was God’s Word. God also says:

﴿وَإِذَا سَأَلَكَ عِبَادِي عَنِّي فَإِنِّي قَرِيبٌ أُجِيبُ دَعْوَةَ الدَّاعِي إِذَا دَعَانِ﴾

“And when My servants ask you concerning Me, then surely I am very near; I answer the prayer of the suppliant when he calls on Me…”5

If you want anything, say: O Allah, yourself. You don’t have to come to the Mosque. He does not order to come and to give hand in the hand of a scholar, but He says: “Anyone from My servants who wants Me, I am near him.” God is not far. He even does not want you to complain. He only asks to seek from Him whatever you want. You can even remember Him from your heart. He knows what is there in your heart. He says it is better if you recite supplication, as it is more effective.

When I heard these two or three verses of the Holy Qur’an, I told my companion, “See what the Prophet of Islam says; being Christians, we do not have such belief. The Christian faith has ceremonies, protocols, and formalities. They say that man cannot approach God unless he comes to the priests and the priests seek forgiveness for his sins. So the helpless person is compelled to come to the church priests, who is the representative of their religion and makes a confession of his sin and gives him money of getting pardoned (whereas this priest himself has no approach to God).”

They also have lengthy machinery for this purpose in all Christian cities. One of the companions said, “Once I had gone to a Church in Paris to observe things. It is a very big church.” He said the segments of pardoning were worth seeing. First were people who had sinned. They sat with humility in that section of the church having a pen and paper in their hands. They wrote about the sin committed by them and took that piece of paper to another section from where they got instructions about the amount of money to be paid for the forgiveness of his sin. Then he pays the amount and gets a receipt for it and then proceeds to the last place where he is informed that his sin has been pardoned!

Those two Christian gentlemen said that when they heard the above two or three verses of Qur’an wherein Almighty God conveys through His Prophet, that God is very near; that He needs no mediation; that He is not far; that ask for whatever you want from God, Who answers your request, we became very much astonished. Does Muhammad really tell the truth? Can everybody reach God? We were wondering about this matter in jail when we became very thirsty. There was no water and our thirst was very hard. There was no one to come to our help. We wished to die rather than remain in that condition. Then I recalled this verse and said: O God! If this verse:

﴿وَاسْأَلُوا اللَّهَ مِنْ فَضْلِهِ﴾

“…and ask Allah of His grace…”6

Is Your Word, and if Muhammad has told the truth:

﴿ادْعُونِي أَسْتَجِبْ لَكُمْ﴾

“Call upon Me, I will answer you…”7

Then O Almighty! Help us as we are dying of severe thirst. Suddenly, before our eyes, from the wall in front of us, water began to flow. We drank it and quenched our thirst with full gratification. Then and there, we decided to become Muslims. So, after our release from jail, we embraced Islam and put total faith in the Holy Qur’an.

Guidance for some and misguidance for others

The so-called Muslim who used to recite the Holy Qur’an and who had taught some Arabic grammar, saw that these two Christians, who were thirsty got water from an unexpected place in the wall. So he put the Qur’an aside and thought that the Christian faith was true; that truth was with Christianity and hence this miracle. The unwise fellow could not realize that it was due to the Qur’an. He thought that, as they were Christians, their prayer was answered. He fell down in front of them saying: I want to embrace your religion. They asked, “Why?”

The man replied, “I saw, with my own eyes that water flew for you from this wall. So it seems your religion is true.” They (the two former Christians) replied, “We were helpless and we clung to the Holy verse of Qur’an.” That fellow said, “I do not accept your word. Do you want deprive me and to prevent me from becoming a Christian?” In short, that fellow converted to Christianity and put the Holy Qur’an aside. It was all because of a faulty imagination and an imaginary illusion.

End of a learned Haji

These two gentlemen again said: O God! By the truthfulness of Qur’an and by the honor of Muhammad guide us on the true path. That night, in a dream they were told: Go to Syria and contact scholars of Islam. Subsequently they became very nice people. In one moment two Christians become true Muslims but a Muslim becomes a disbeliever. Man is unaware of his end.

Fortunate is one who looks at his end. (Persian saying)

One of my friends once told me: I myself have seen a man who used to stand in the first row in Mosque for prayer, in those hard days, he had also performed Hajj. He also had religious knowledge and used to answer relevant problems to people. The same Haji gentleman, after some years was seen engaged in house construction work. I was also there. Laborers and masons were busy doing building work in a corner of his garden. Then we saw the Haji was passing water standing facing Qibla. See what is this? I could not restrain myself from asking. I asked him, “O Haji! What are you doing?” He replied, “O sir! We actually did not understand. For several years we prayed in mosque and went to Hajj where Arabs usurped our money.” In short, he spoke up his disbelief himself. This man was once praying in the first row. He had performed Hajj. No one knows what and how his end will be. How he can lose Faith!

Pray, so that we die in a good condition

I have repeatedly heard that whenever students and scholar used to visit the late great scholar Mirza Hujjatul Islam Shirazi and also to visit graves, the said gentleman was recommending and requesting everyone: Please pray so that Allah may make my end a good end. How do you know what is going to happen the next moment, or after two days or after two years? In your own view you are a very good person and you look at others with contempt. You are not afraid that maybe in a slip your heart becomes stony and dark. Then you may, by and by, stop attending the mosque and give up supplications and the recitations of Qur’an etc.

We should always seek God’s refuge against a bad end. O the one who mocks others! How do you know, he may be better than you. You may not recognize him. How do you know, he may be a friend of God. Woe unto the one who mocks a friend of God. None except God knows a friend of God. There also is no criterion to know who is nearer to God? No one knows. Only God does.

Three things hidden in three things

Allah has kept three things hidden in three things: First, he has kept his friends hidden from the eyes of the creation so that no one may not mock others and look at them with contempt for fear of the possibility of the other being God’s friend. For the preservation of one’s honor He has kept His friend hidden from the eyes of people. Second, God has concealed His anger in sins. There are some sins, which draw God’s anger. It is mentioned in al-Kafi. There comes a voice: O one who committed this sin! Now you will not be forgiven. The late Majlisi says explaining this tradition: It means that after committing this sin you will not able to repent. It is not that one repents but is not forgiven. What is meant is that, that person is not inclined to repent. Now what is that sin? Neither the Imam tells it nor anyone else knows it. It is kept hidden. Just know only that among sins there are some which, if one commits them it is certain that one will have a bad end and that his Hereafter is destroyed. God’s mercy is not to reach him.

But what sin is that? I do not know. Nor the Imam has pointed it out. Why? So that people may fear all sins and may not go near any sin fearing that it could be the sin which attracts God’s wrath and anger and then man may not be able to find a way to salvation.

Thirdly, among worships also there are some worship acts, which if performed, will give one salvation for sure. What is that act of God’s obedience? It is also not clearly mentioned. We do not know anything. Nor should we know, as it is a hidden matter.

In short, a friend of God (Wali of Allah) is hidden. Nobody is able to find him out. Why? So that man may look at everyone and imagine that perhaps he is a friend of God. Of course, one has no right to imagine that one (he himself) is the friend of God. God forbid, we may be friends of Satan instead! But we must imagine about others that God might like them and they might love God; that they might be obeying God in the right way. So they are better.

O Women! You have no right to look with contempt at other women. You should not mock other women. How do you know? It is quite likely that some of them, who have sinned, may get guidance to repent. They might be having good deeds in their scroll of deeds, which draw Allah’s mercy. How do we know her actual condition? You see that a lady has no veil that she moves in streets and markets without her head wear. Do prevent her, but never mock her. Never consider yourself higher than her. It is possible that her condition may change with God’s guidance and she may become righteous after repenting and may become much better than a number of old women who are ashamed of showing their gray hair.

On the other hand, it is likely that this lady who is not wearing Islamic modest dress (Hijab) may make amends after repentance and conceal her breast, head, legs and feet of God’s sake and may become more honorable in the sight of God than that aged woman who mocked others. The old lady may rank behind the young woman in the most supreme court of Almighty Allah.

Those whose grief will be more

There are three groups of people whose grief in the grand gathering field (Mahshar), tomorrow on the Judgment Day will be more than that of the entire gathering. Firstly, those scholars and orators who advise people to do good and refrain from evil, but who do not act according to what they say. You can see that such and such Haji lady admonished another woman to wear veil or Hijab. That lady did accept her advice and acted accordingly, wearing a veil. But the adviser lady proved so unlucky that she did not conceal herself from a stranger male. Tomorrow, on the Judgment Day, she burns in fire, but the lady who accepted her advice is in a high bliss. Most fear some burning is for the scholars whose sermons made many people benefit and provided salvation to them but they (the admonishers) went to hell, as they did not act themselves in the way desired by God Almighty.

Secondly, in a more severe grief is a rich man who, till he was in this world, did not pay dues from his wealth but only kept it in front of his eyes and finally all of it went to his heirs. Then the latter spent it as liked by God and helped the needy. Tomorrow, on Judgment Day, the former will look at his heirs and see that they are in Paradise. But with the help of whose wealth? With the riches of their unfortunate father! The father burns in hell. He is most grievous and terribly unhappy.

The unwise man only bore the burden and the wise benefited fully. (Persian saying)

He fanned fire for himself with this wealth. How fortunate was his heir who acted wisely and got full benefit from his wealth.

The third group: The master and his servant, the lady and her mistress, the employer and his employee. O Master and servants, you ladies and your maidservants, employers and employees, workers, students! Know that, tomorrow in the Hereafter, the lower cadre will be in Paradise and the higher ups in hell. The master who looked with contempt in this world at his servant will see that the servant is on a high rank and he himself is in the lowest pits. How much he himself burns! How much sorrowful and in grief! So these are the three kinds of groups you are told about. Their grief is terrible. So never look down at your servant, peon, worker or slave.

﴿عَسَى أَنْ يَكُونُوا خَيْرًا مِنْهُمْ﴾

“Perchance they may be better. (49:11)”

The lowly became high

I shall relate another narration. Waram, teacher of Sayyid bin Tawus has, in his compilation Majmae Waram written that a Messenger of God, in olden days asked God to show him His friend and, as per another quotation, he asked Almighty Allah to inform him as to who will be his (the Prophet’s) companion in the Hereafter. A revelation reached the Prophet indicating that such and such shoemaker would be his companion in the other life; that he was God’s friend. This messenger went to the person indicated in the revelation, sat by his shop to observe what special virtues he had which made him a friend of God. Then he talked with him and asked some questions only to find that neither he has much knowledge nor any intelligence.

Also, he was not a great worshipper either. In short, he could not find any extraordinary virtue in him. At last, the Prophet asked, “My friend! I want to know what virtue is there in you?” The man replied, “Sir, I do not possess anything. I have no knowledge and no specialty in my deed. I am what you see.” The Prophet again asked, “No, it cannot be so. You must be having something very extraordinary in your character. Please tell me truly.” Finally that man replied, “I have neither any knowledge nor perfection. My condition is that whenever I meet anyone, I imagine that he has much higher rank in the sight of God.” The Prophet replied, “This is the virtue which made you high-ranking in the Hereafter.”

Such is the humility, lowliness, and courtesy for God. Man considers himself low, weak and servile in front of Almighty Allah. Since he considers God as the greatest, he imagines himself to be nothing. Then, seeing anyone, he says, “Perhaps he is better than me; that he may have a standing in the sight of God.” One who is a friend of God considers himself worthless.

Once, angel Jibraeel came to Prophet Ibrahim and gave him good tidings that he was a friend of God. Ibrahim expressed wonder saying, “Me and God’s friend?” The angel replied, “Yes, you are God’s friend.” Ibrahim asked again, “I do not have any special deed at my credit. How is it that God made me His friend?” The angel said, “O Ibrahim! You have two virtues, which God likes very much and hence He made you His friend (Khalil). (These two virtues make one lovable). First, you do not ask anything from anyone except God. You seek help only from Him. You never put your need before His creation. Secondly, you never turned away any beggar from your door. You never turned away a needy person empty-handed from your door.”

O Lord! It is now known that You do not like the one who turns away the needy empty handed. We also have extended our begging hands before You. Please do not deprive us.

Imam Zainul Abideen, in Dua Abu Hamzah, which you recite in these holy nights, prays: O Lord! You have ordered us not to turn away a needy from our door. Now, we are the needy beggars who have come to Your Door of Mercy. Your Honor will certainly not make us return empty handed. Our need is that kindly, do not leave any of our sins unforgiven by Your Mercy.

Notes

1. Surah Momin 40:59

2. Biharul Anwar, vol. 4

3. Surah Nisa 4:32

4. Surah Momin 40:60

5. Surah Baqarah 2:186

6. Surah Nisa 4:32

7. Surah Momin 40:60