Alhassanain(p) Network for Heritage and Islamic Thought

TAWEEZ AGAINST MOUTHACHE

Imam al-Sadiq(a.s.) is reported to have said: As for those who suffer from mouth ache, they may put their hands on the ached organ and say the following:

بِسْمِ اللّٰهِ الرَّحْمنِ الرَّحيمِ بِسْمِ اللّٰهِ الَّذى لايَضُرُّ مَعَ اسْمِهِ دآءٌ اَعُوذُ بِكَلِماتِ اللّٰهِ الَّتى لايَضُرُّ مَعَها شَيْئٌ قُدُّوسٌ قُدُّوسٌ قُدُّوسٌ اَسْئَلُكَ يا رَبِّ بِاسْمِكَ الطّاهِرِ الْمُقَدَّسِ الْمبارَكِ الَّذى مَنْ سَئَلَكَ بِهِ اَعْطَيْتَهُ وَ مَنْ دَعاكَ بِهِ اَجَبْتَهُ اَسْئَلُكَ يا اللّٰهُ يا اللّٰهُ يا اللّٰهُ اَنْ تُصَلِّىَ عَلى مُحَمَّدٍ النَّبِىِ وَ اَهْلِ بَيْتِهِ وَ اَنْ تُعافِيَنى مِمّا اَجِدُ فى فَمى وَ فى رَاْسى وَفى سَمْعى وَ فى بَصَرى وَ فى بَطْنى وَ فى ظَهْرى وَ فى يَدى وَ فى رِجْلى وَ فى جَوارِحى كُلِّها

TAWEEZ AGAINST TOOTHACHE

Imam al-Sadiq(a.s.) is reported to have said: As for those who suffer from toothache, they may put their hands on the ached organ and recite Surah al-Faatehah, Surah al-Tawheed, Surah al-Qadr, and the following holy verse:

وَ تَرىَ الْجِبالَ تَحْسَبُها جامِدَةً وَ هِىَ تَمُرُّ مَرَّ السَّحابِ صُنْعَ اللّٰهِ الَّذى اَتْقَنَ كُلَّ شَيْئٍ اِنَّهُ خَبيرٌ بِما تَفْعَلُونَ

Likewise, Imam Ali(a.s.) is reported to have said: You may rub the place of your prostration (in ritual prayers) with your hand, rub the ached tooth with it, and say the following:

بِسْمِ اللّٰهِ وَالشّافى اَللَّهُ وَ لا حَوْلَ وَلا قُوَّةَ اِلاّ بِاللّٰهِ الْعَلِىِّ الْعَظيمِ

ANOTHER SUPPLICATORY AMULET AGAINST TOOTHACHE

You may recite Surah al-Faatehah and Surah al-Tawheed. With each Surah, you may recite:

بسم اللّه الرّحمن الرّحيم

After Surah al-Tawheed, you may recite the following holy verses:

بِسْمِ اللّٰهِ الرَّحْمنِ الرَّحيمِ وَ لَهُ ما سَكَنَ فِى اللَّيْلِ وَالنَّهارِ وَ هُوَ السَّميعُ الْعَليمُ قُلْنا يا نارُ كُونى بَرْدَاً وَ سَلاماً عَلى اِبْرهيمَ وَ اَرادُوا بِهِ كَيْداً فَجَعَلْناهُمْ الاَخْسَرينَ نُودِىَ اَنْ بُورِكَ مَنْ فِى النّارِ وَ مَنْ حَوْلَها وَ سُبْحانَ اللّٰهِ رَبِّ الْعالَمينَ

You may then say the following supplicatory prayer:

اَللّهُمَّ يا كافِياً مِنْ كُلِّ شَيْئٍ وَ لا يَكْفى مِنْكَ شَيْئٌ اِكْفِ عَبْدَكَ وَابْنَ اَمَتِكَ مِنْ شَرِّ ما يَُخافُ وَ يَُحْذَرُ وَ مِنْ شَرِّ الْوَجَعِ الَّذى يَشْكُوهُ اِلَيْكَ

It is also reported that one who suffers from toothache may take a blade or a leaf of a date-palm tree, rub the ached place with it, and repeat the following statement seven times:

بِسْمِ اللّٰهِ الرَّحْمنِ الرَّحيمِ بِسْمِ اللّٰهِ وَ بِاللّٰهِ مُحَمَّدٌ رَسُولُ اللّٰهِ وَ اِبْرهيمُ خَليلُ اللّٰهِ اُسْكُنْ بِالَّذى سَكَنَ لَهُ ما فِى اللَّيْلِ وَ النَّهارِ بِاءِذْنِهِ وَ هُوَ عَلى كُلِّ شَيْئٍ قَديرٌ

It is also reported that one who suffers from toothache may put a stick or a piece of iron on the tooth and use this supplicatory amulet from the side of the tooth by repeating it seven times:

بِسْمِ اللّٰهِ الرَّحْمنِ الرَّحيمِ اَلْعَجَبُ كُلُّ الْعَجَبِ دُودَةٌ تَكُونُ فِى الْفَمِ تَاْكُلُ الْعَظْمَ وَ تُنْزِلُ الدَّمَ اَنَا الرّاقى وَ اللّٰهُ الشّافى وَ الْكافى لا اِلهَ اِلاّ اللّٰهُ وَالْحَمْدُلِلَّهِ رَبِّ الْعالَمينَ وَ اِذْ قَتَلْتُمْ نَفْسَاً فَادّارَ اْتُمْ فِيْهَا وَاللهُ مُخْرِجٌ مَا كُنْتُمْ تَكْتُمُوْنَ. فَقُلْنَا اضْرِبُوْهُ بِبَعْضِهَا كَذَالِكَ يُحْيِيْ اللهُ الْمَوْتَيٰ وَيُرِيْكُمْ آيَاتِهِ لَعَلَّكُمْ تَعْقِلُوْنَ.

The previous method may be repeated seven times.

TAWEEZ FOR CHEST PAINS

It is also reported that the previously mentioned verse (i.e. “and when you killed…”) may be recited by those who suffer from chest pains.

A tradition reads, “Seek healing from the Holy Qur’an, for Almighty Allah says, ‘O men! There has come to you indeed an admonition from your Lord and a healing for what is in the breasts. (10/57)’”

TAWEEZ FOR CURING OF COUGHING & AGAINST STOMACH PAINS

An all-inclusive supplicatory prayer is reported for curing of coughing. This lengthy supplicatory prayer, which is quoted from Bihar al-Anwar, Book of Supplicatory Prayers, begins with the following statement:

اللّهمّ انت رجائى و انت ثقتى‏ و عمادى ...

SUPPLICATORY AMULET AGAINST STOMACH PAINS

The Holy Prophet (s.a.w.a.) is reported to have advised those who suffer from colic to mix honey with hot water and recite Surah al-Faatehah seven times on the mixture so as to seek Almighty Allah’s protection against the pains.

As to Imam Ali(a.s.), he is reported to have directed those who suffer from stomach pains to drink hot water and say the following supplicatory prayer:

يا اَللَّهُ يا اَللَّهُ يا اَللَّهُ يا رَحْمنُ يا رَحيمُ يا رَبَّ الاَرْبابِ يا اِلهَ الاْلِهَةِ يا مَلِكَ الْمُلُوكِ يا سَيِّدَ السّادَةِ اشْفِنى بِشِفآئِكَ مِنْ كُلِّ دآءٍ وَ سُقْمٍ فَاِنّى عَبْدُكَ وَابْنُ عَبْدَيْكَ اَتَقَلَّبُ فى قَبْضَتِكَ

For a stomach pain or any other ailment, the sick is recommended to put his/her hand on the ailed place and repeat the following evil-repelling prayer:

اَعُوذُ بِعِزَّةِ اللّٰهِ وَ جَلالِهِ مِنْ شَرِّ ما اَجِدُ

The sick may then put his/her right hand on the ailed place and repeat the following three times:

بسم اللّه

TAWEEZ AGAINST COLITIS

For those who suffer from colitis, they are required to write Surah al-Faatehah, Surah al-Falaq, and Surah al-Nas on a paper or a sheet and then adds the following statement thereunder:

اَعُوذُ بِوَجْهِ اللّٰهِ الْعَظيمِ وَ بِعِزَّتِهِ الَّتى لا تُرامُ وَ بِقُدْرَتِهِ الَّتى لا يَمْتَنِعُ مِنْها شَيْئٌ مِنْ شَرِّ هذَا الْوَجَعِ وَ مِنْ شَرِّ ما فيهِ وَ مِنْ شَرِّ ما اَجِدُ مِنْهُ

Then, the sheet may be washed with rainwater and drunk (1) in the beginning of the day before eating anything and (2) before going to sleep. This is blessed and useful way.

It is narrated that a man complained to the Holy Prophet (s.a.w.a.) about colitis from which his brother had suffered. The Holy Prophet (s.a.w.a.) instructed, “Tell your brother to drink a mixture of honey and hot water.” The next day, the man returned to the Holy Prophet (s.a.w.a.) and informed that the prescription was not useful. The Holy Prophet (s.a.w.a.) commented, “Allah is truthful, but your brother’s colon is not. Go back, give him the same drink, and recite on it Surah al-Faatehah seven times as prayer for God’s protection.” When the man left, the Holy Prophet (s.a.w.a.) said to Imam Ali(a.s.), “The brother of this man is hypocrite; therefore, the drink was not effective with him.”

TAWEEZ AGAINST WARTS

To treat warts - small, benign, and hard excrescence on the skin or on the hand occasionally - for each wart, you may take seven barley seeds. Recite the verses 1-6 of Surah al-Waqiah (No. 56) seven times over each seed. Then, recite the following verse seven times over each seed, too:

وَ يَسْئَلُونَكَ عَنِ الْجِبالِ فَقُلْ يَنْسِفُها رَبّى نَسْفاً فَيَذَرُها قاعاً صَفْصَفاً لاتَرى فيها عِوَجاً وَلا اَمْتاً

You may then blow over it. Take one seed at a time and rub each seed on one wart. Then, put all of the seeds in a piece of cloth, tie up a rock on the piece of cloth, and throw it in a well.

This act is said to be advisably done in the waning of the moon.

A warty person is recommended to rub the warts with a piece of salt and recite three times the last four verses of Surah al-Hashr:

لو انزلنا هذا القران ...

The piece of salt may be then thrown in an oven and the warty person may pass over it hurriedly. Then, the warts will vanish, Allah willing.

The author of the book of al-Khaza’in has mentioned that warts may vanish when they are overlaid with the hair-removing powder.

TAWEEZ AGAINST ALL TUMORS

Recite the last four verses of Surah al-Hashr with ponderation while you are ceremonially pure after you have performed the ritual ablution (wudu’) before and after an obligatory prayer:

لو انزلنا هذا القران‏ على جبل ...

The swelling will then vanish, Allah willing.

TAWEEZ AGAINST DYSTOCIA

For women suffering from dystocia (i.e. difficult or abnormally painful childbirth), the following holy verses may be written on a parchment and tied to their right thigh. It must be untied after they give birth:

بِسْمِ اللّٰهِ الرَّحْمنِ الرَّحيمِ كَاَنَّهُمْ يَوْمَ يَرَوْنَ ما يُوعَدُونَ لَمْ يَلْبَثُوا اِلاّ ساعَةً مِنْ نَهارٍ كَاَنَّهُمْ يَوْمَ يَرَوْنَها لَمْ يَلْبَثُوا اِلاّ عَشِيَّةً اَوْ ضُحيها اِذْ قالَتِ اَمْرَاَتُ عِمْرانَ رَبِّ اِنّى نَذَرْتُ لَكَ ما فى بَطْنى مُحَرَّراً فَتَقَبَّلْ مِنّى اِنَّكَ اَنْتَ السَّميعُ الْعَليمُ

It is also reported that the following holy verse should be recited over women suffering from dystocia:

فَاَجائَهَا الْمَخاضُ اِلى جِذْعِ النَّخْلَةِ تا رُطَباً جَنِيّاً

The reciter should then raise the voice with the following holy verse and the statement following it:

وَاللّٰهُ اَخْرَجَكُمْ مِنْ بُطُونِ اُمَّهاتِكُمْ لاتَعْلَمُونَ شَيْئاً وَ جَعَلَ لَكُمُ السَّمْعَ وَ الاَبْصارَ وَ الاَفْئِدَةَ لَعَلَّكُمْ تَشْكُرُونَ كَذلِكَ اُخْرُجْ اَيُّها الطِّلْقُ اُخْرُجْ بِاذْنِ اللّٰهِ

For easy childbirth, Imam al-Sadiq(a.s.) is reported to have advised of writing the following supplicatory prayer on a sheet of paper or a parchment:

اَللّهُمَّ فارِجَ الْهَمِّ وَ كاشِفَ الْغَمِّ وَ رَحْمنَ الدُّنْيا وَالاْخِرَةِ وَ رَحيمَهُما اِرْحَمْ

You may now mention the woman’s name and her mother’s:

رَحْمَةً تُغْنيها بِها عَنْ رَحْمَةِ جَميعِ خَلْقِكَ تُفَرِّجُ بِها كُرْبَتَها وَ تَكْشِفُ بِها غَمَّها وَ تُيَسِّرُ بِها وِلادَتَها وَ قُضِىَ بَيْنَهُمْ بِالْحَقِّ وَ هُمْ لايُظْلَمُونَ وَ قيلَ الْحَمْدُلِلَّهِ رَبِّ الْعالَمينَ

TAWEEZ AGAINST BEWITCHERY

The following holy verses and statement may be written on a paper, which may be then hanged to the bewitched person (usually a man bewitched by a woman so as to make him marry her):

وَ مِنْ آياتِهِ اَنْ جَعَلَ لَكُمْ مِنْ اَنْفُسِكُمْ اَزْواجاً لِتَسْكُنُوا اِلَيْها وَ جَعَلَ بَيْنَكُمْ مَوَدَّةً وَ رَحْمَةً اِنَّ فى ذلِكَ لاَياتٍ لِقَوْمٍ يَتَفَكَّروُنَ ثُمَّ ادْخُلُوا عَلَيْهِمُ الْبابَ فَاِذا دَخَلْتُمُوهُ فَاِنَّكُمْ غالِبُونَ فَفَتَحْنا اَبْوابَ السَّمآءِ بِمآءٍ مُنْهَمِرٍ وَ فَجَّرْنَا الاَرْضَ عُيُوناً فَالْتَقَى الْمآءُ عَلى اَمْرٍ قَدْ قُدِرَ رَبِّ اشْرَحْ لى صَدْرى وَ يَسِّرْلى اَمْرى وَ احْلُلْ عُقْدَةً مِنْ لِسانى يَفْقَهُوا قَوْلى وَ تَرَكْنا بَعْضَهُمْ يَوْمَئِذٍ يَمُوجُ فى بَعْضٍ وَ نُفِخَ فِى الصُّورِ فَجَمَعْناهُمْ جَمْعاً كذلك حَلَلْتُ فُلانَ بْنِ فُلانٍ عَنْ بِنْتِ فُلانَةٍ لَقَدْ جائَكُمْ رَسُولٌ مِنْ اَنْفُسِكُمْ عَزيزٌ عَلَيْهِ ما عَنِتُّمْ حَريصٌ عَلَيْكُمْ بِالْمُؤْمِنينَ رَؤُفٌ رَحيمٌ فَاِنْ تَوَلَّوْا فَقُلْ حَسْبِىَ اللّٰهُ لا اِلهَ اِلاّ هُوَ عَلَيْهِ تَوَكَّلْتُ وَ هُوَ رَبُّ الْعَرْشِ الْعَظيمِ

TAWEEZ AGAINST FEVER

(1) It is recommended to say this supplicatory amulet, which the Holy Prophet (s.a.w.a.) taught to Imam Ali(a.s.) against fever:

اَللّهُمَّ ارْحَمْ جِلْدِىَ الرَّقيقَ وَ عَظْمِىَ الدَّقيقَ وَ اَعُوذُ بِكَ مِنْ فَوْرَةِ الْحَريقِ يا اُمَّ مِلْدَمٍ اِنْ كُنْتِ آمَنْتِ بِاللّٰهِ فَلا تَاْكُلىِ اللَّحْمَ وَلاتَشْرَبىِ الدَّمَ وَلاتَفُورى مِنَ الْفَمِ وَانْتَقِلى اِلى مَنْ يَزعَمُ اَنَّ مَعَ اللّٰهِ اِلهاً آخَرَ فَاِنّى اَشْهَدُ اَنْ لا اِلهَ اِلا اللّٰهُ وَحْدَهُ لاشَريكَ لَهُ وَاَشْهَدُ اَنَّ مُحَمَّداً عَبْدُهُ وَ رَسُولُهُ

(2) A feverish person is recommended to say repeatedly in mornings and evenings the supplicatory prayer known as Dua al-nur - a supplicatory prayer that Lady Fatimah al-Zahra’(a.s.) taught to Salman. This supplicatory prayer can be found in Mafatih al-Jinan.

(3) The Holy Imams (a.s.) are reported to have used to treated themselves against fever with cold water. Successively, they used to wet their clothes by putting one on and leaving the other in water. When the dressed one dried out, they would put on the other wet one.

(4) Handwritten by Imam al-Rida(a.s.), a feverish person may write the following inscriptions on three sheets of paper as follows:

On the first sheet, the following may be written down:

بِسْمِ اللّٰهِ الرَّحْمنِ الرَّحيمِ لاتَخَفْ اِنَّكَ اَنْتَ الاَعْلى

On the second sheet, the following may be written down:

بِسْمِ اللّٰهِ الرَّحْمنِ الرَّحيمِ لاتَخَفْ نَجْوَتَ مِنَ الْقَوْمِ الظّالِمينَ

On the third sheet, the following may be written down:

بِسْمِ اللّٰهِ الرَّحْمنِ الرَّحيمِ اَلا لَهُ الْخَلْقُ وَ الاَمْرُ تَبارَكَ اللّٰهُ رَبُّ الْعالَمينَ

On each of these sheets, Surah al-Tawheed may be recited three times. After that, the feverish person may swallow the sheets in three days; each one on a day. If this is practiced, the fever will be healed, Allah willing.

(5) The feverish person my untie the buttons of his shirt, hang his head down to his chest, say the adhan and the iqamah statements, and recite Surah al-Faatehah seven times. If this is practiced, the fever will be healed, Allah willing.

(6) The Holy Imams (a.s.) are reported to have instructed that the following supplicatory prayer should be written on a parchment and hanged to the feverish person:

اَللّهُمَّ اِنّى اَسْئَلُكَ بِعِزَّتِكَ وَ قُدْرَتِكَ وَ سُلْطانِكَ وَ ما اَحاطَ بِهِ عِلْمُكَ اَنْ تُصَلِّىَ عَلى مُحَمَّدٍ وَ آلِ مُحَمَّدٍ وَ اَنْ لا تُسَلِّطَ عَلى فُلانِ بْنِ فُلانٍ شَيْئاً مِمّا خَلَقْتَ بِسُوَّءٍ وَارْحَمْ جِلْدَهُ الرَّقيقَ وَ عَظْمَهُ الدَّقيقَ مِنْ فَوْرَةِ الْحَريقِ اُخْرُجى يا اُمَّ مِلْدَمٍ يا آكِلَةَ اللَّحْمِ وَ شارِبَةَ الدَّمِ حَرُّها و بَرَدُها مِنْ جَهَنَّمَ اِنْ كُنْتِ آمَنْتِ بِاللّٰهِ الاَعْظَمِ اَنْ لاتَاْكُلى لِفُلانِ بنِ فُلانة لَحْماً وَ لاتُمَصّى لَهُ دَماً وَلاتَنْهَكى لَهُ عَظْماً وَلاتُثَوِّرى عَلَيْهِ غَمّاً وَ لاتُهَيِّجى عَلَيْهِ صُداعاً وَانْتَقِلى عَنْ شَعْرِهِ وَ بَشَرِهِ وَ لَحْمِهِ وَ دَمِهِ اِلى مَنْ زَعَمَ اَنَّ مَعَ اللّٰهِ اِلهاً آخَرَ لا اِلهَ اِلاّ هُوَ سُبْحانَهُ وَ تَعالى عَمّا يُشْرِكُونَ

Then, it is recommended to write down the name of a non-Muslim or an enemy of Almighty Allah.

(7) On the right arm of the feverish person, it is advised to hang a sheet of paper (or the like) on which the following inscription has been written down:

بِسْمِ اللَّـهِ الرَّحْمَـٰنِ الرَّحِيمِ الْحَمْدُ لِلَّـهِ رَبِّ الْعَالَمِينَ الرَّحْمَـٰنِ الرَّحِيمِمَالِكِ يَوْمِ الدِّينِاِيَّاكَ نَعْبُدُ وَاِيَّاكَ نَسْتَعِينُاهْدِنَا الصِّرَاطَ الْمُسْتَقِيمَصِرَاطَ الَّذِينَ اَنْعَمْتَ عَلَيْهِمْ غَيْرِ الْمَغْضُوبِ عَلَيْهِمْ وَلَا الضَّالِّينَ بِسْمِ الِلَّهِ وَ بِالِلَّهِ اَعُوذُ بِكَلِماتِ اللّٰهِ التّآمّاتِ كُلِّهَا الَّتى لايُجاوِزُهُنَّ بَرُّ وَلا فاجِرٌ مِنْ شَرِّ ما خَلَقَ وَ ذَرَءَ وَ بَرَءَ وَ مِنْ شَرِّ الْهآمَّةِ وَ السّآمَّةِ وَالْعآمَّةِ وَاللاَّّمَّةِ وَ مِنْ شَرِّ طَوارِقِ اللَّيْلِ وَ النَّهارِ وَ مِنْ شَرِّ فُسّاقِ الْعَرَبِ وَالْعَجَمِ وَ مِنْ شَرِّ فَسَقَةِ الْجِنِّ وَالاِنْسِ وَ مِنْ شَرِّ الشَّيْطانِ وَ شَرَكِهِ وَ مِنْ شَرِّ كُلّ ذى شَرٍّ وَ مِنْ شَرٍّ كُلِّ دآبَّةٍ هُوَ آخِذٌ بِناصِيَتِها اِنَّ رَبّى عَلى صِراطٍ مُسْتَقيمٍ رَبَّنا عَلَيْكَ تَوَكَّلْنا وَ اِلَيْكَ اَنَبْنا وَ اِلَيْكَ الْمَصيرُ يا نارُ كُونى بَرْداً وَ سَلاماً عَلى اِبْرهيمَ وَ اَرادُوا بِهِ كَيْداً فَجَعَلْناهُمْ الاَخْسَرينَ بَرْداً وَ سَلاماً عَلى فُلانِ بْنِ فُلانةَ رَبَّنا لاتُؤ اخِذْنا اِنْ نَسينا اَوْ اَخْطَاْنا رَبَّنَا وَلَا تَحْمِلْ عَلَيْنَا اِصْرًا كَمَا حَمَلْتَهُ عَلَى الَّذِينَ مِن قَبْلِنَا رَبَّنَا وَلَا تُحَمِّلْنَا مَا لَا طَاقَةَ لَنَا بِهِ وَاعْفُ عَنَّا وَاغْفِرْ لَنَا وَارْحَمْنَااَنتَ مَوْلَانَا فَانصُرْنَا عَلَى الْقَوْمِ الْكَافِرِينَ حَسْبِىَ اللّٰهُ لا اِلهَ اِلاّ هُوَ فَاتَّخِذْهُ وَكيلاً وَ تَوَكَّلْ عَلَى الْحَىِّ الَّذى لايَمُوتُ وَ سَبِّحْ بِحَمْدِهِ وَ كَفى بِهِ بِذُنُوبِ عِبادِهِ خَبيراً بَصيراً لا اِلهَ اِلاّ اللّٰهُ وَحْدَهُ لا شَريكَ لَهُ صَدَقَ وَعْدَهُ وَ نَصَرَ عَبْدَهُ وَ هَزَمَ الاَحْزابَ وَحْدَهُ ماشآءَ اللّٰهُ لاقُوَّةَ اِلاّ بِاللّٰهِ كَتَبَ اللّٰهُ لاََغْلِبَنَّ اَنَا وَ رُسُلى اِنَّ اللّٰهَ قَوِىُّ عَزيزٌ اِنَّ حِزْبَ اللّٰهِ هُمُ الْغالِبُونَ وَ مَنْ يَعْتَصِمْ بِاللّٰهِ فَقَدْ هُدِىَ اِلى صِراطٍ مُسْتَقيمٍ وَ صَلَّى اللّٰهُ عَلى مُحَمَّدٍ وَ آلِهِ الطَّيِّبينَ الطّاهِرينَ

(8) On three pieces of sugar, the following three phrases may be written down and the feverish person may eat them in the mornings of three days as the first meal, each piece a day:

The inscription on the first piece of sugar is this:

عَقَدْتُ بِاِذْنِ اللّٰهِ

The inscription on the second piece of sugar is this:

شَدَدْتُ بِاِذْنِ اللّٰهِ

The inscription on the third piece of sugar is this:

سَكَنْتُ بِاِذْنِ اللّٰهِ

A SUPPLICATORY PRAYER AGAINST TENESMUS

It is reported that a man complained to Imam Musa al-Kazim (a.s.) about suffering from continuous tenesmus (i.e. a frequent, excessive, and painful desire to defecate). As treatment, the Imam (a.s.) taught the man to say the following supplicatory prayer after the Night Prayer:

اَللّهُمَّ ما كانَ مِنْ خَيْرٍ فَمِنْكَ لاحَمْدَلى فيهِ وَ ما عَمِلْتُ مِنْ سُوءٍ فَقَدْ حَذَّرْتَنيهِ لاعُذْرَ لى فيهِ اَللّهُمَّ اِنّى اَعُوذُبِكَ اَنْ اَتَّكِلَ عَلى مالا حَمْدَلى فيهِ اَوْ آمَنَ مِمّا لا عُذْرَ لى فيهِ

A SUPPLICATORY PRAYER AGAINST STOMACH GURGLING

Imam Musa al-Kazim (a.s.) is also reported to have advised the same previous supplicatory prayer to be said after the Night Prayer by those who suffer from stomach gurgling. [A man said to him, “I suffer from stomach gurgling that never stops. Therefore, I feel embarrassed when people to whom I speak hear the sounds of such gurgling. So, please pray Allah to cure me of it.]

Imam al-Sadiq(a.s.), advising those who suffer from stomach gurgling, said, “Black cumin may be mixed with honey and then eaten.”

A SUPPLICATORY PRAYER AGAINST LEPROSY

Yunus has reported that whitish scales between the eyes affected him. He therefore complained about this disease to Imam al-Sadiq(a.s.) who, leading him to a treatment, said: You may pure yourself ceremonially, offer a two-unit prayer, and say this (supplicatory prayer):

يا اَللَّهُ يا رَحْمنُ يا رَحيمُ يا سَميعَ الدَّعَواتِ يا مُعْطِىَ الْخَيْراتِ اَعْطِنى خَيْرَ الدُّنْيا وَ خَيْرَ الاْخِرَةِ وَ قِنى شَرَّ الدُّنْيا وَ شَرَّ الاْخِرَةِ وَ اَذْهِبْ عَنّى ما اَجِدُ فَقَدْ غاضَنىِ الاَمْرُ وَاَحْزَنَنى

Reporting the same narration, the author of ‘Uddat al-DAIhas reported Imam al-Sadiq(a.s.) as saying:

In the beginning of the last third of night, you may perform the ritual ablution (wudu’) and offer the prayer you usually offer at this time. In the second prostration of the first two units of the prayer, you may say the following (supplicatory prayer) while you are in a state of prostration:

يا عَلَىُّ يا عَظيمُ يا رَحْمنُ يا رَحيمُ يا سامِعَ الدَّعَواتِ يا مُعْطِىَ الْخَيْراتِ صَلِّ عَلى مُحَمَّدٍ وَ آلِ مُحَمَّدٍ وَاَعْطِنى مِنْ خَيْرِ الدُّنْيا وَالاْخِرَةِ ما اَنْتَ اَهْلُهُ وَاصْرِفْ عَنّى مِنْ شَرِّ الدُّنْيا وَالاْخِرَةِ ما اَنْتَ اَهْلُهُ وَاَذْهِبْ عَنّى هذَا الْوَجَعَ فَاِنَّهُ قَدْ غاظَنى وَاَحْزَنَنى

You may pray Almighty Allah so persistently.

Yunus added, “Before I returned to al-Kufah, Almighty Allah has removed from me all the traces of that disease.”

For this disease as well as hemorrhoids, it is reported to write down Surah Yasin with honey in a cup that must be then washed and drunk.

It is also reported to have the soil of Imam al-Husayn’s tomb after being kneaded with rainwater.

TAWEEZ AGAINST MANGE, FURUNCLE & HERPES

It is also reported to overlay the ailed organ with henna and hair-removing powder for those suffering from mange, furuncle, and herpes. For the same diseases, it is reported to recite, write down, and hang on the diseased person the following holy verses and supplicatory statement:

بِسْمِ اللّٰهِ الرَّحْمنِ الرَّحيمِ وَ مَثَلُ كَلِمَةٍ خَبيثَةٍ كَشَجَرَةٍ خَبيثَةٍ اجْتُثَّتْ مِنْ فَوْقِ الاَرْضِ ما لَها مِنْ قَرارٍ مِنْها خَلَقْناكُمْ وَ فيها نُعيدُكُمْ وَ مِنْها نُخْرِجُكُمْ تارَةً اُخْرى اَللَّهُ اَكْبَرُ وَ اَنْتَ لاتُكَبَّرُ اَللَّهُ يَبْقى وَ اَنْتَ لاتَبْقى وَاللّٰهُ عَلى كُلِّ شَيْئٍ قَديرٌ

TAWEEZ AGAINST PRIVATE PARTS PAINS

One of the companions of the Holy Imams (a.s.) is reported to have uncovered his private parts in a situation where it is improper to uncover one’s private parts; he was therefore affected by an ailment at that place. When he complained about this to Imam al-Sadiq(a.s.), he was taught to do this supplicatory amulet:

Put your left hand on the ailed part and repeat the following supplicatory prayer three times. If you do, you will be restored to health, Allah willing:

بِسْمِ اللّٰهِ وَ بِاللّٰهِ بَلى مَنْ اَسْلَمَ وَجْهَهُ لِلَّهِ وَ هُوْ مُحْسِنٌ فَلَهُ اَجْرُهُ عِنْدَ رَبِّهِ وَلا خَوْفٌ عَلَيْهِمْ وَلاهُمْ يَحْزَنُونَ اَللّهُمَّ اِنّى اَسْلَمْتُ وَجْهى اِلَيْكَ وَفَوَّضْتُ اَمْرى اِلَيْكَ لا مَلْجَاءَ وَ لامَنْجا مِنْكَ اِلاّ اِلَيْكَ

TAWEEZ AGAINST KNEE PAINS

Quoted from the book of Yibb al-A’immah (Medicine of the Imams), Jabir al-Ju’fi reported Imam Muhammad al-Baqir (a.s.) as saying:

I was present with al-Husayn ibn Ali(a.s.) when a man from the descendants of Umayyah, yet he was loyalist to us, came to him and said, “O son of Allah’s Messenger, I could hardly come to you walking because of a pain from which I am suffering in my leg.”

The Imam (a.s.) asked, “How are you turned back from the supplicatory amulet of al-Hasan ibn Ali(a.s.)?”

“What is that, son of Allah’s Messenger?” asked the man.

The Imam (a.s.) explained, “You may recite the first seven verses of Surah al-Fath.”

Afterwards, the man said, “As I had carried out this direction, I felt no pain at all.”

It is also reported that one who suffers from knee pains may say the following supplicatory prayer after the ritual prayers:

يا اَجْوَدَ مَنْ اَعْطى يا خَيْرَ مَنْ سُئِلَ وَ يا اَرْحَمَ مَنِ اسْتُرْحِمَ اِرْحَمْ ضَعْفى وَ قِلَّةَ حيلَتى وَ اَعْفِنى مِنْ وَجَعى

For those suffering from pains in the legs, it is reportedly recommended to recite the following holy verse seven times over the legs:

وَاتْلُ ما اُوحِىَ اِلَيْكَ مِنْ كِتابِ رَبِّكَ لا مُبَدِّلَ لِكَلِماتِهِ وَ لَنْ تَجِدَ مِنْ دُونِهِ مُلْتَحَداً

TAWEEZ AGAINST EYE ACHES

For those suffering from eye aches, many traditions have recommended saying the following supplicatory prayer after the ritual obligatory prayers of dawn (subh) and sunset (maghrib):

اَللّهُمَّ اِنّى اَسْئَلُكَ بِحَقِّ مُحَمَّدٍ وَ آلِ مُحَمَّدٍ عَلَيْكَ اَنْ تُصَلِىَّ عَلى مُحَمَّدٍ وَ آلِ مُحَمَّدٍ وَ اَنْ تَجْعَلَ النُّورَ فى بَصَرى وَالْبَصيرَةَ فى دينى وَ الْيَقينَ فى قَلْبى وَالاِخْلاصَ فى عَمَلى وَ السَّلامَةَ فى نَفْسى وَ السَّعَةَ فى رِزْقى وَ الشُّكْرَ لَكَ اَبَداً ما اَبْقَيْتَنى

Al-Bizanti reported Yunus ibn ²abyan to have said: One day, we visited Imam al-Sadiq(a.s.) and found him tensely sore-eyed; therefore, we were depressed. The next morning, we visited him while he was completely healed. Surprised by this, we asked him, “May Allah accept us as ransoms for you! Have you treated your eyes with a certain medicine?” The Imam answered, “Yes, I have. I have treated them with the best of all medicines.” “What is that?” we asked. The Imam (a.s.) answered, “It is a supplicatory amulet.” We therefore wrote down that supplicatory amulet, which is as follows:

اَعُوذُ بِعِزَّةِ اللّٰهِ وَ اَعُوذُ بِقُوَّةِ اللّٰهِ وَ اَعُوذُ بِقُدْرَةِ اللّٰهِ وَ اَعُوذُ بِنُورِ اللّٰهِ وَ اَعُوذُ بِعَظَمَةِ اللّٰهِ وَ اَعُوذُ بِجَلالِ اللّٰهِ وَ اَعُوذُ بِجَمالِ اللّٰهِ وَ اَعُوذُ بِبَهآءِ اللّٰهِ وَ اَعُوذُ بِجَمْعِ اللّٰهِ بِكُلِّ اللّٰهِ وَ اَعُوذُ بِعَفْوِ اللّٰهِ وَ اَعُوذُ بِغُفْرانِ اللّٰهِ وَ اَعُوذُ بِرَسُولِ اللّٰهِ وَ اَعُوذُ بِالاَئِمَّةِ عَلى ما تَشآءُ مِنْ شَرِّ ما اَجِدُ اَللّهُمَّ رَبَّ الْمُطيعينَ

When we asked the Imam (a.s.) about the meaning of jam’allah, he said, “It means the wholeness of Allah.”

It is also reported that one who suffers from eye pains may recite Ayah al-Kursi and believe in his inner self that the reciting of this holy verse will cure him of that pain.

Before reciting this holy verse, one suffering from eye pains is advised to put his hand on his eye and say the following:

اُعيذُ نُورَ بَصَرى بِنُورِاللّٰهِ الَّذى لايُطْفَاءُ

This will be useful.

A SUPPLICATORY AMULET AGAINST NYCTALOPIA

For those who suffer from nyctalopia (i.e. reduction or loss of vision in dim light), they are recommended to write down Ayah al-Nur several times (on a sheet of paper) in a cup, wash it, put it in a flask, and use it as eye ointment.

Ayah al-Nur is the following:

اللَّـهُ نُورُ السَّمَاوَاتِ وَالْاَرْضِ مَثَلُ نُورِهِ كَمِشْكَاةٍ فِيهَا مِصْبَاحٌ الْمِصْبَاحُ فِي زُجَاجَةٍ الزُّجَاجَةُ كَاَنَّهَا كَوْكَبٌ دُرِّيٌّ يُوقَدُ مِن شَجَرَةٍ مُّبَارَكَةٍ زَيْتُونَةٍ لَّا شَرْقِيَّةٍ وَلَا غَرْبِيَّةٍ يَكَادُ زَيْتُهَا يُضِيءُ وَلَوْ لَمْ تَمْسَسْهُ نَارٌ نُّورٌ عَلَىٰ نُورٍيَهْدِي اللَّـهُ لِنُورِهِ مَن يَشَاءُ وَيَضْرِبُ اللَّـهُ الْاَمْثَالَ لِلنَّاسِوَاللَّـهُ بِكُلِّ شَيْءٍ عَلِيمٌ

It is also reported that whoever recites the Holy Qur’an from copies of the Holy Qur’an, will enjoy strong sight.

It is also reported that whoever repeats the following holy verse every day, his eyes will be saved from all optical troubles:

فَجَعَلْناهُ سَميعاً بَصيراً

Al-Kaf’ami says: According to experiments, to seek the advocacy of Imam Musa al-Kazim (a.s.) is useful for cure of eye pains as well as the troubles of the other organs.

SUFFERING FROM NOSEBLEED

For those suffering from nosebleed, it is recommended to pour cold water on their heads and foreheads.

TAWEEZ FOR NEUTRALIZING SORCERY

Imam Ali(a.s.) is reported to have advised those who intend to neutralize the spell that is cast upon them to write down the following statements on a parchment made of an antelope’s skin and then hang it on the body:

بِسْمِ اللّٰهِ وَ بِاللّٰهِ بِسْمِ اللّٰهِ وَ ماشآءَ اللّٰهُ بِسْمِ اللّٰهِ وَ لاحَوْلَ وَلاقُوَّةَ اِلاّ بِاللّٰهِ قالَ مُوسى ما جِئْتُمْ بِهِ السِّحْرُ اِنَّ اللّٰهَ سَيُبْطِلُهُ اِنَّ اللّٰهَ لايُصْلِحُ عَمَلَ الْمُفْسِدينَ فَوَقَعَ الْحَقُّ وَ بَطَلَ ما كانُوا يَعْمَلُونَ فَغُلِبُوا هُنالِكَ وَانْقَلَبُوا صاغِرينَ

TAWEEZ FOR FENDING OFF DEVILS AND SORCERERS

For dispelling the evils of devils and sorcerers, the Holy Prophet (s.a.w.a.) is reported to have advised of reciting Ayah al-Sakharah:

AYAH AL SAKHARAH

اِنَّ رَبَّكُمُ اللَّـهُ الَّذِي خَلَقَ السَّمَاوَاتِ وَالْاَرْضَ فِي سِتَّةِ اَيَّامٍ ثُمَّ اسْتَوَىٰ عَلَى الْعَرْشِ يُغْشِي اللَّيْلَ النَّهَارَ يَطْلُبُهُ حَثِيثًا وَالشَّمْسَ وَالْقَمَرَ وَالنُّجُومَ مُسَخَّرَاتٍ بِاَمْرِهِ اَلَا لَهُ الْخَلْقُ وَالْاَمْرُ تَبَارَكَ اللَّـهُ رَبُّ الْعَالَمِينَ ادْعُوا رَبَّكُمْ تَضَرُّعًا وَخُفْيَةًاِنَّهُ لَا يُحِبُّ الْمُعْتَدِينَ وَلَا تُفْسِدُوا فِي الْاَرْضِ بَعْدَ اِصْلَاحِهَا وَادْعُوهُ خَوْفًا وَطَمَعًا اِنَّ رَحْمَتَ اللَّـهِ قَرِيبٌ مِّنَ الْمُحْسِنِينَ

According to other traditions, the second verse (i.e. call on your lord…) is not included.

HARMEL

The Holy Prophet (s.a.w.a.) is also reported to have said, “For each tree, leaf, and fruit of harmel (also harmala; a plant having aromatic seeds containing various alkaloids and used locally for medicines, oil, and dye), there is an angel entrusted with them until they are wrecked. Verily, in the root and branches of these trees is an amulet against distress and sorcery. In the grains of this plant, there is remedy of seventy-two maladies. So, treat yourselves with this plant and with olibanum.”

EPILEPSY

It is reported that when Imam al-Rida(a.s.) once passed by an epileptic person, he ordered a cup of water to be brought to him. The Imam (a.s.) then recited Surah al-Faatehah, Surah al-Falaq, and Surah al-Nas on the cup and expectorated in it. He then ordered them to pour that water on the head and face of the epileptic person. Immediately, the man restored consciousness. The Imam (a.s.) then said to him, “This will never affect you again.”

REPELLING THE EVILS OF JINN

The Holy Prophet (s.a.w.a.) is reported to have said: Whoever is thrown by a jinni with a stone, may pick up the stone, throw it to the direction from which it came, and say this:

حَسْبِىَ اللّٰهُ وَ كَفى وَ سَمِعَ اللّٰهُ لِمَنْ دَعا لَيْسَ وَراءَ اللّٰهِ مُنْتَهى

To secure oneself from jinn, it is useful to breed chickens, roosters, and young goats in one’s house.

To secure oneself from jinn in journeys, wastelands, and places expected to be haunted, Imam al-Sadiq(a.s.) is reported to have advised that one should put his hand on the center of the head and recite the following holy verse with the lowest tone:

اَفَغَيْرَ دينِ اللّٰهِ يَبْغُونَ وَ لَهُ اَسْلَمَ مَنْ فِى السَّمواتِ وَالاَرْضِ طَوْعاً وَ كَرْهاً وَ اِلَيْهِ يُرْجَعُونَ

It is also reported that when the lands expected to be haunted are entered, it is advisable to utter the adhan.

TAWEEZ AGAINST EVIL EYES

To fend off the evil eyes, it is reported to recite verse No. 51 of Surah al-Qalam (No. 68):

وَاِن يَكَادُ الَّذِينَ كَفَرُوا لَيُزْلِقُونَكَ بِاَبْصَارِهِمْ لَمَّا سَمِعُوا الذِّكْرَ وَيَقُولُونَ اِنَّهُ لَمَجْنُونٌ

Imam al-Sadiq(a.s.) is reported to have said: Once you fear lest you will be affected by an evil eye or you may affect others with it, you may repeat the following statement three times:

ما شآءَاللّٰهُ لا قُوَّةَ اِلاّ بِاللّٰهِ الْعَلِىِ الْعَظيمِ

It is also reported that whoever puts on an attractive attire, should recite Surah al-Falaq and Surah al-Nas before leaving his house. If he does, nothing will harm him by the permission of Almighty Allah.

To fend off the evil eyes, you may raise your hand to the level of your face, recite Surah al-Faatehah, Surah al-Falaq, and Surah al-Nas, and rub your forelocks with your hands.

The following supplicatory amulet may be said to fend off the evil eyes:

اَللّهُمَّ رَبَّ مَطَرٍ حابِسٍ وَ حَجَرٍ يابِسٍ وَ لَيْلٍ دامِسٍ وَ رَطْبٍ وَ يابِسٍ رُدَّ عَيْنَ الْعايِنِ عَلَيْهِ فى كَبِدِهِ وَ نَحْرِهِ وَ مالِهِ فَارْجِعِ الْبَصَرَ هَلْ تَرى مِنْ فُطُورٍ ثُمَّ ارْجِعِ الْبَصَرَ كَرَّتَيْنِ يَنْقَلِبْ اِلَيْكَ الْبَصَرُ خاسِئاً وَ هُوَ حَسيرٌ

Another supplicatory amulet against evil eyes is the following:

اَللّهُمَّ ذَا السُّلْطانِ الْعَظيمِ وَالْمَنِّ الْقَديمِ وَالْوَجْهِ الْكَريمِ ذَا الْكَلِماتِ التّامّاتِ وَالدَّعَواتِ المُسْتَجابات عافِ فُلاناً مِنْ اَنْفُسِ الْجِنِّ وَ اَعْيُنِ الاِنْسِ

Having applied this supplicatory amulet to Imam al-Hasan and Imam al-Husayn (a.s.), the Holy Prophet (s.a.w.a.) said to his companions, “Apply this supplicatory amulet to your children.”

To protect the animals and other things from the evil eyes, Imam Ali(a.s.) is reported to have advised of using this supplicatory amulet:

بِسْمِ اللّٰهِ الرَّحْمنِ الرَّحيمِ بِسْمِ اللّٰهِ الْعَظيمِ عَبَسَ عابِسٍ وَ شَهابَ قابسٍ حَجَرَ يابِسٍ رَدَدْتُ عَيْنَالعايِنِ عَلَيْهِ مِنْ رَاءْسِهِ اِلى قَدَمَيْهِ اَخَذَ عَيْناهُ قابِضٌ بِكِلاهُ وَ عَلى جارِهِ وَاَقارِبِهِ جِلْدُهُ دَقيقٌ وَ دَمُهُ رَقيقٌ وَ بابُ الْمَكْرُوهِ تَليقُ فَارْجِعِ الْبَصَرَ هَلْ تَرى مِنْ فُطُورٍ ثمَّ ارْجِعِ الْبَصَرَ كَرَّتَيْنِ يَنْقَلِبْ اِلَيْكَ الْبَصَرُ خاسِئاً وَ هُوَ حَسيرٌ

TAWEEZ AGAINST SATAN'S EVIL INSINUATIONS

Those who suffer from Satan’s evil insinuations are advised to pray for Almighty Allah’s protection and say the following:

امنت باللّه و برسوله مخلصا له الدين

Shaykh al-Shahid has quoted the Holy Prophet (s.a.w.a.) to have said: There are two kinds of devils. The jinn devils can be dispelled by this saying:

لا حول و لا قوّة الاّ باللّه العلى العظيم

The human devils can be dispelled by invoking Almighty Allah’s blessings upon the Holy Prophet and his Household.

In a previous chapter, I have referred to a prayer offered for dispelling evil self-suggestions as well as some supplicatory amulets against devilish insinuations.

TAWEEZ AGAINST THIEVES

To protect your house against theft, it is recommended to recite the following holy verses on the handle and the lock of the door of your house:

قُلِ ادْعُوا اللَّـهَ اَوِ ادْعُوا الرَّحْمَـٰنَ اَيًّا مَّا تَدْعُوا فَلَهُ الْاَسْمَاءُ الْحُسْنَىٰوَلَا تَجْهَرْ بِصَلَاتِكَ وَلَا تُخَافِتْ بِهَا وَابْتَغِ بَيْنَ ذَٰلِكَ سَبِيلًا وَقُلِ الْحَمْدُ لِلَّـهِ الَّذِي لَمْ يَتَّخِذْ وَلَدًا وَلَمْ يَكُن لَّهُ شَرِيكٌ فِي الْمُلْكِ وَلَمْ يَكُن لَّهُ وَلِيٌّ مِّنَ الذُّلِّ وَكَبِّرْهُ تَكْبِيرًا

TAWEEZ AGAINST SCORPIONS AND SERPENTS

To fend off the stings of scorpions, it is recommended to look sharply at the suha star (a dim star in Ursa Minor) and repeat the following supplicatory prayer three times:

اَللّهُمَّ رَبَّ اَسْلَمَ صَلِّ عَلى مُحَمَّدٍ وَ آلِ مُحَمَّدٍ وَ عَجِّلْ فَرَجَهُمْ وَ سَلِّمْنا مِنْ شَرِّ كُلِّ ذى شَرٍّ

It is also reported that one (who intends to evade the stings and bites of scorpions and snakes) may look at this star and repeat the following supplicatory prayer three times:

اَللّهُمَّ رَبَّ هُودِ ابْنِ اُسَيَّةَ آمِنّى شَرَّ كُلِّ عَقْرَبٍ وَ حَيَّةٍ

Imam al-Sadiq(a.s.) is also reported to have advised the following supplicatory prayer to be said at evening for fending off the stings and bites of scorpions and serpents:

بِسْمِ اللّٰهِ وَ بِاللّٰهِ وَ صَلَّى اللّٰهُ عَلى مُحَمَّدٍ وَ آلِهِ اَخَذْتُ الْعَقارِبَ وَالْحَيّاتِ كُلَّها بِاِذْنِ اللّٰهِ تَبارَكَ وَ تَعالى بِاَفْواهِها وَ اَذْنابِها وَ اَسْماعِها وَ اَبْصارِها وَ قُواها عَنّى وَ عَمَّنْ اَحْبَبْتُ اِلى ضَحْوَةِ النَّهارِ اِنْشآءَاللّٰهُ تَعالى

To protect oneself against scorpions, it is recommended to recite the following holy verses:

سلامُ عَلى نُوحٍ فِى الْعالَمينَ اِنّا كَذلِكَ نَجْزِى الْمُحْسِنينَ اِنَّهُ مِنْ عِبادِنَا الْمُؤْمِنينَ

It is also reported that when Prophet Noah (a.s.) embarked in the Ark, he refused to take the scorpion with him. Hence, the scorpion said to Prophet Noah (a.s.), “I take upon myself that I will never sting one who says these words:

سَلامٌ عَلى مُحَمَّدٍ وَ آلِ مُحَمَّدٍ وَ عَلى نُوحٍ فِى الْعالَمينَ

According to many traditions, to rub the places stung by scorpions and other insects with salt removes the effect of poison.

Slander

A Society Polluted with Sins

There is no doubt thatat the present time societies suffer from various types of spiritual deviations and psychological corruption, and have failed to develop their manners at the same pace that they were able to secure material luxuries for themselves. Such societies face a great number of acutediseases which have overwhelmed the ocean of life with pains as days go by. Those who earnestly struggle to avoid pains end up intoxicated with sins and in search of refuge in the lap of lowliness in order to their spiritual pains and anxieties. Yet, the sun of felicity shall never beam its brightrays lives.

These people have deceived themselves believing that they have become free of all restrictions and rules; and are now competing in the fields of Lowliness and failure. When we carefully examine the lives of these people who lack manners, we find that the rapid advancement of material methods the aims for which they were invented. They have made the material phenomena an axis for their hopes and wishes, and the gloominess of sins has overshadowed their societies.

It would have been more productive if they had used their vast wealth, which they spend on deviation and disarray, in the field of implementing good authentic manners, whichcannot be changed . Nevertheless, thenorms for their accepted behavior is constantly changing.

Needless to say that unless noble traits become the judging point for good personalities in any given society the members of that society will not observe them but rather will become overwhelmingly influenced by the social mind which leads them to imitate others actions, ignoring any possible adverse affects. In the light ofthis we should realize that contemporary civilizations lack the ability to bring about healthy, noble characteristics, nor can they guarantee salvation or happiness for any society.

Dr. Carl, a famous French scholar, said:“We need a world whereevery one can find a proper place forhimself without discriminating between material or spiritual needs. Withthis we are able to realize how we can live, for we realize then that advancing on the path of life without a righteous guide is a dangerous affair.

Now that we realize this danger, it is amazing how we have neglected the search for methods of reasonable thinking. The fact is that only a handful of people have really discovered this danger. Themajority of people are overtaken by their lusts and are so intoxicated with them that, regardless of how much advanced technology offers them, they are unwilling to give up any of their illegal joys for the sake of a decent civilization.

“Life today is like a magnificent river which runs down a steep slope, washing our hopes and dreams into the sea of corruption and deviation, for the sake of satisfying immediate desires and instant needs. Many people have devised new needs and now struggle hard to fulfill these needs. In addition to these needs, there are other things that bring temporary happiness to them, such as slander, backbiting, aimless conversation, etc. which are in fact more harmful than alcohol to their health.”

One of the social deviations on which we elaborate is slander; it is unnecessary to explainthe technical meaning of slander, for it is known to everyone .

The Disadvantages of Slander

The most dangerous disadvantage of slander is the destruction of the spiritual personality of the slanderer’s conscience. Those who violate the natural path of their thought will lose their thinking balance and their excellent behavioral system; in addition to harming people’s feelings by revealing their secrets and faults.

Slander destroys the throne of human morality and deprives man of his dignity and noble qualities with amazing speed. In fact, it burns the veins of morality in the hearts of the slanderer to ashes. Slander diverts pure thoughts to the point that the gates of reason and understanding come to a dead end. When we reflect on its harm to society, we discover that it has done great damage to its members.

Slander plays a devastating role in bringing about enmity and hatred among the different members of society. If allowed to spread in any nation, slander will deprive it of greatness, a good reputation and create anunamendable dissension in that nation.

It is unfortunate that we must acknowledge the fact that slander has found its way into all social classes. This point confirms the fact just as the events of life are related, so are the spiritual and psychological deviations that may appear in a social class penetrating to all other classes.

As a result of the spread of slander, pessimism and suspicion shadow the social mind; people loose trust in each other and replace it with mistrust. With this in mind, we can safely say that unless society enlightens itself with brotherly thinking and noble qualities, it will never gain harmony or unity therein. Asociety which lacks the blessings of noble traits is surely distanced from life’s real characteristics.

What Causes Slander to Spread

Regardless of the fact that slander is a manifestation of practical sins, itis directly related to human spirituality. Slander is a sign of a dangerous underlying psychological disorder for which we must search the spiritual and psychological realms.

Behavioral scholars mention a number of reasons for the spread of slander. The most important being: envy, anger, conceit,self-righteousness and suspicion. Undoubtedly, every action by any individual stems from a certain condition lying in his conscience, andas a result of a manifestation of such conditions, which are like burning coal under cold ashes, the tongue, the translator of man’s feelings, speaks out slander.

When a certain characteristic becomes deeply rooted in man’s conscience, it blinds his eyes and rules his thought. One of the reasons that slander is so widespread is that slanderers are heedless of its dangerous after-effects. We see people who refrain from most other sins butdon’t think twice about committing this miserable crime. The repetition of slander without concern as to its after-effects deprives man of control of his ability to refrain from following his lusts regardless of his knowledge of their dangerous reality.

These people endeavor to achieve integrity and perfection. Individuals like this remove themselves from reality by refusing to bear the least bit of pain in the path of obtaining happiness. In this way, they fall prey to the rule of their lowly lusts.

Those who do not observe their own or other’s dignity are not abiding by the law of ethics; and a person who makes life an arena for his lusts.encroaching upon other’s rights deserves misery.

Poor quality of manners originates from weak faith, and manners are a result, of belief (faith). If a person has no faith, he has no motive to behave well or observe moral excellence.

Everyone has an opinion as to the best method of rescuing people from deviation and moral corruption. In myopinion the most effective way is to encourage the qualities of good will in people by awakening the calls of goodness and human instincts in them and leading them to exploit the treasures of their minds on the path of obtaining happiness. By bringing people’s attention to the effects of ill manners and strengthening their will, we may become victorious over all evil characteristics, and replace the rails of darkness with noble traits.

Dr.Jago writes: “When we intend to fight an undesirable habit we must first recognize its evil results. Then we should acknowledge the habit and finally reflect on theincidents which made us victims of such a habit. If we acquaint ourselves with the stages of this habit, we will become triumphant over the inspiration of that habit by feeling the joy of eradicating it.”

With the existence of the seeds of integrity in the human soul and by providing it with the methods of defense, we are able to recognize the reasons behind misguidance and confusion and eradicate them from our souls and consciences, erecting a strong barrier in the face of our endless wants and lusts.

Actions present the actuality of people to us and therefore are reflections of their honor and reality. For this reason, if a man desires happiness he must select his righteous actions in order to transform them into valuable seeds of happiness. Men must also keep in mind that Allah is aware of all his actions no matter how minor they might seem.

According to one philosopher:

“Do not say that the universe hasno reason nor sense, for by saying so you accuse yourselves of lacking reason and/or senses. Thus, if the universe had no reason or sense, you, too, would be senseless and unreasonable.”

In the same manner that a society needs material essentials to be able to continue living, it needs a certain amount of harmony required to maintain spiritual ties between its various members. Asociety which strictly observes the heavy burden of its social duties can greatly benefit from them in obtaining integrity.

In order for us to bring our souls out of the darkness into light, we must strengthen all noble thoughts in our minds to counter any destructive ideas or inspirations. By guarding our tongues against slander, we take the first step towards happiness. In order for us to counter the wide spread of corruption, it is incumbent on us to create a psychological revolution among the people. We can do this by observing the rights ofothers which in turn will cause the roots of humanity and spirituality to grow, thus taking another step towards the advocacy of noble traits on which the survival of every society depends.

Religion Verses ill Manners

The Holy Qur’an manifests the reality of slander in one short but eloquent verse:

“Does one of you like to eat the flesh of his dead brother? But you abhor it…” (The Holy Qur’an, 49:12)

Therefore, in thesame way that it is natural for a human to reject eating the flesh of a dead person, his reason should resent slander. The religious, leaders gave as much attention to correcting the feelings and psychological characteristics of people as they gave to their struggle to eradicate polytheism and atheism.

The Messenger of Allah (S) said:

“I have not been sent save to perfect noble manners” .

Peoplehave been guided to morality by the great Islamic school, backed by strong and logical understanding. Islam considers any encroachment on the borders of morality a great and reprehensible sin.

In fact, Islam did not stop at categorizing slander as a grave sin, but has made it the duty of all Muslims to defend the honor of one whois being slandered .

“If a man is slandered while you are present, be a helper to the man, reprehend the slanderer, and depart the group.” 1

The Messenger of Allah (S) said:

“He who defends his brother’s honor in his absence, then it is his right upon Allah to safeguard him from the Fire.” 2

The Messenger (S) also said:

“He who slanders a Muslim during the month of Ramadan, will not be awarded for his fasting.” 3

The Messenger (S) also described the Muslim as follows:

“A Muslim is one who from whose hands and tongues other Muslims are safe.”

It is clear that if an individual allows his tongue to slander his Muslim brother, then he has certainly violated the rules of morality, and becomes a criminal in the eyes of humanity and Islam. All Islamic schools have unanimously agreed that slander is a major sin; for the slanderer violates the Divine commands and crouches upon the rights of others, heedless of the Creator’s commands.

Just as an absent person cannot defend his honor and dignity, a dead person is unable to defend himself; therefore, it is the duty of every one to respect the rules concerning the dignity of the dead.

Slander and backbiting are one sort of spiritual pressure. Imam ‘Ali (a.s .) said:

“Slander is the strain of the weak”. 4

Dr. H.Shakhter said:

“Disappointment in obtainingone’s needs results in spiritual torture. This spiritual torture instigates us to depict a form of defense. People differ in the kind of action they take in such situations. If a man feels that others do not give him the kind of attention he expects, for fear ofbeing rejected , he chooses isolation and loneliness over socialization. He may sit in the corner of a gathering silent and secluded, not speaking to anyone, criticizingthem ; or laughing by himself fornor reason. Or he may argue with others, slander the absent, and criticize the rest until he proves his presence in this manner.” 5

Dr. Mann, in his book entitled The Fundamentals of Psychology, writes:

“In order to preserve our honor, we may try to substitute our defeats or shortcomings by blaming others for them. For instance, if we fail anexam we blame the teacher for the questions given; or if we cannot get promoted to a position, we put the position down or slander those who occupy it. Or we may hold others responsible for our inability while in fact they are not.”

In conclusion, in order to develop good traits, we must observe ourselves and maintain pure intentions. We should start with ourselves, so that we can obtain appropriate grounds for our happiness and the happiness of our society in all fields.

Notes

1.Nahj al-Fasahah p. 48

2.Nahj al-Fasahah p. 613

3. Bihar al- Anwar v.16, p. 179

4.Ghurar al-Hikam p.36

5.Rushde Shaksiyyat

Fault-Finding

Ignorance of One’s Own Faults

One of the greatest behavioral weaknesses of man is the ignorance of his own faults. In manyinstances the soul ignores an unwanted quality which results in the subconscious adopting of such a trait as a basis of misery. When a person becomes the slave of his ignorance, he kills the spirit of morality in himself.Thus becoming the victim of his inclinations and various lusts, which isolate him from happiness and comfort. Under such conditions, neither guidance nor constructive advice can be productive.

The first requirement for the salvation of oneself is to realize your shortcomings. The only way man can eradicate ill manners and rescue himself from the dangers of his personality that may lead him to misery, is if he recognizes these manners.

A careful study of the characteristics of the human psyche,so as to educate mankind, is a vital step toward leading to both spiritual and behavioral integrity. Reflecting on oneself allows the individual to realize his shortcomings and positive points, eradicate the unwanted traits, and purify the mirror of his soul from the filth of sins by conducting a basic purification of his manners.

We commit an unforgivable mistake when we carelessly ignore the real reflection of ourselves in the mirror of our actions. It is our responsibility to discover our own characteristics in order to pinpoint the unwantedtraits which unwillingly have grown in us.Undoubtedly we will be able to eradicate the roots of such traits, even prevent them from appearing in our lives by constantly struggling against them. At any rate, achieving noble traits requires forbearance with long lasting hardships. It is not an easy matter to execute.

In order for us to eradicate the roots of dangerous and harmful habits, we not only have to recognize them but also must possess a strong will to do so. The more organization we can apply to our actions, the straighter and more productive our thoughts become.The advantages of every step in this process become manifest to us as we move on to the next stage.

Dr. Carl has written: ‘The most effective method to transform our daily program into an acceptable one is to examine it with scrutiny every morning and review the results every evening Thus, in the same manner that we anticipate to finish a certain job at a specific time, we should include in our schedule certain steps so others may benefit from our activities. We should be fair and just inOur conduct.

“Behavioral lowliness is just as repulsive as bodily dirt. Thus, it is just as important to cleanse our bodies formdirt as it is to purify our manners of filth. Some people exercise before and/or after sleeping; reflecting on our manners and thoughts is just as important as these exercises. By studying the way we should act and struggling to observe the borders of our designated limits, we can see our realities without any barrier.

Our success indecision making is directly related to our inner-selves. It is incumbent upon every one whether young or old, rich or poor, learned or ignorant.to realize what he has done in daily expenditures and earnings, as scientists write down the results of their experiments. By applying such methods with scrutiny and patience, our souls and bodies change for the better.”

The Sarcastic and the Insulters

It is the nature of some people to search for the faults, mistakes, and secrets of others and to criticize and blame them for these shortcomings. Yet in most circumstances, these people’s faults and shortcomings greatly exceed their noble traits. They ignore this and occupy themselves with the misfortunes of hers.

Insulting others is an eviltrait which pollutes man’s life and degrades his behavioral characteristics.

Theelements which motivate man to put others down become more dangerous when accompanied with conceit, arrogance and self-righteousness. These behavioral complexes instigate man to make false judgments while thinking that they are positively the right ones.

Those who constantly criticize others waste their efforts in manners unacceptable to reason or law. They give too much importance to observing their friends’ faults in order to insult and downgrade them, ignoring the fact that by doing so they deprive themselves of any opportunity to notice their own mistakes, thus leading themselves from the path of guidance and righteousness.

Those who lack courage do not observe any rule or respect the honor of others; they cannot live in harmony with the closest people to them. When these people cannot find acquaintances to insult, they turn to relatives and friends; forthis reason these people are unable to make real friends whose love and respect they can enjoy.

Men earn their honor throughout their lives; therefore, those who offend the honor of others, subject their own honor to insults and destruction.

Although those who constantly insult others may not realize the amount of damage they do to themselves, they cannot stop themselves from the social reaction to their wrongdoings.Wrongdoings which bring them nothing except hate, enmity and disgust. They feel sorry, but as it is said,“It is impossible to bring a bird back to its nest when it has flown away.”

He who wishes to socialize with others has to define his own duties and responsibilities, one of which isto always look for the virtuous traits and good deeds of others in order to be able to glorify them. He must also rid himself of thetraits which insult the dignity of others and contradict the fundamentals of love, for love only survives if it lives within the exchanges of respect and observance of both parties. He, whose habit it is to conceal the shortcomings of his loved ones and friends will enjoy more stable relationships. It is also complimentary if one is able to bring the attention of those he loves to their weak points so the individual has a chance to change.

Of course, it is necessary for an individual wishing to bring his friend’s attention to an unpleasant trait to apply special skills so as not to insult or“hurt his feelings.”

According to one educator: “It is possible to bring the attention of your listener to his mistakes by a glance or a gesture, it is usually unnecessary to speak directly. If you were to say to someone, ‘You made a mistake, he would never agree with you for you have insulted his reason, ability tothink and self-confidence. Confronting him openly makes him resist your action without adjusting his views, even if you prove to him beyond doubt that you are right. When you bring a conversation do not open it with, ‘I will prove it to you.’ or ‘I will substantiate that,’ for this means that yon are smarter or more clever than the person towhom von are speaking. The act of correcting someone’s thinking is a difficult task so why add more trouble by the wrong procedure and creating an irreversible barrier.

“When you propose to prove a point it is important that others are not aware of von attention. You should proceed towards your goal with precise steps without allowing anyone the opportunity to discover your aim. Remember the following saying when working in this field: ‘Teach people without being teachers.”’

Religious Teachings Verses Sarcasm

The Holy Qur’an warns the sarcastic of their gloomy fate, and cautions them about the results of their evil actions. Itis written :

“Woe to every slanderer, defamer.” (The Holy Qur’an, 104:1)

Islam deems it obligatory for all Muslims to observe the rules of manners and good conductso as to preserve unity. Islam also forbids slander and sarcasm in order to avoid dissension and the weakening of brotherly relationships. Therefore, it is the duty of every Muslim to observe the rights of others and to refrain from insulting or humiliating them.

Imam as-Sadiq (a.s .) said:

“A believer becomes more reassured near another believer than a thirsty man does when he finds cold water.” 1

Imam al-Baqir (a.s .) said:

“It is enough of a fault of an individual to note the faults of people and ignore that which he suffers from, criticize others for something that he himself does or to hurt an intimate friend with that which does not concern him.” 2

Their grandfather, Imam ‘Ali (a.s .) said:

“Avoid the companionship of those who search for people’s shortcomings, for their companions are not safe from their plots.” 3

Although it is part of man’s nature to refuse criticism, one should be attentive to constructive criticism. It is under the shadow of constructive advice that we are able to prepare the elements for advancing ourselves, if Allah wills.

The Commander of the Faithful (a.s .) reminded us of the above-mentioned fact when he said:

“Let the closest to you be from among people who guide you to (discover) your shortcomings, and aid you against your own wrong inspirations.” 4

The following is from Dr. Dale Carnegie’s book How to Win Friends and Influence People:

“We must listen to criticism and accept it for we should not expect two-thirds of our actions and thoughts to be accurate. Albert Einstein admitted that ninety-nine percent of his ideas and conclusions were false. When someone wants to criticize,I find myself being defensive without even knowing what he wants to say; yet, when this happens I later resent myself.

“We all prefer praise and glorification and refuse reprehension and criticism without observing the degree of appropriateness and accuracy of any of these comments. We surely are not the children of proof and logic but the children of feelings. Our minds become like sailingships which are tossed around by the waves of feelings on a dark sea. At the present time most of us are self-confident, but in forty years we shall look back at ourselves and laugh at our actions and thoughts.”

Imam ‘Ali (a.s .) said:

“He who searches for people’s shortcomings should start with himself.” 5

Dr. H.Shakhter has said:

“Instead of objecting to the utterances or actions of others it is better to reflect on your own problems and pains if possible correct them. it is incumbent upon each one of us to reflect on our problems, discover our faults and shortcomings and solve them if we can.” 6

The ignorant attempt to conceal their shortcomings instead of endeavoring to eradicate them.

According to Imam ‘Ali (a.s .):

“It is stupidity in a person which causes him to observe the faults of others and not notice that which is concealed of his own faults.” 7

Dr.Auibuty has stated:

“Because of our ignorance, we frequently ignore our shortcomings and conceal them under a veil of ignorance and unawareness so as to lure ourselves in this manner. It is amazing how people will try to conceal their shortcomings from the eyes of others without ever attempting to eradicate them. Yet, when one of their faultsis revealed and they cannot conceal it, they create thousands of excuses to satisfy themselves and others. These people attempt to downplay the importance of their faults in the eyes of people, forgetting that as days go by the importance of such faults will becomemore manifest . Exactly as a seed grows to become a mighty tree” .8

Studying the personality is the only accepted method by psychologists to diagnose and treat various illnesses. Imam ‘Ali (a.s .) advised people of this very same method. He said:

“It is incumbent on men of reason to pinpoint their shortcomings in religion, opinion, behavior, and manners and to gather them in their heart or in a book and work on eliminating them.” 9

Also according to a psychologist:

“Sit comfortable in aquite room with a clear mind and ask your family not to let anyone bother you. The more comforting the place is and the more at rest you are the better it is: because what we intend to do requires a basic rule which is not to allow your thinking to be disturbed by concentrating only on the main objective.Also , your body should not be diverted by your bodily needs.

“Take with you some dark cheap paper and a pen which you can write with easily. I mentioned dark cheap paperso as to allow you to use a large quantity without worrying about expense. I also mentioned an easy pen becauseyou will be surrounded by thousands of spiritual and psychological factors when you study yourself, you will need a pen that will not distract you.

“Make a list of the types of feelings and reactions which you encountered in yourself on this day and the day before. Now review each one of them, think deeply about them,next write down everything that comes to your mind regarding these feelings without any reservations or limitations. Do not worry if it takes a long time.

“When you have written all your actions, thoughts. feelings .and reactions, bring to mind the instincts of self-love, seclusion.conceit ,.. .etc,Now match every action or thought with the instinct which motivated it by asking yourself the simple questions: Which instinct motivated this action or utterance?

“The purpose of this psychological self-analysis is to allow the patient to change as much of his spiritual personality.as his lively and constructive spiritual powers can by eradicating his psychological reactions and nervous states. This way he will consciously feel that he is a new person. Hence, he will realize new goals and meanings in life and be able to draw a new path in life For himself other than the previous one.” 10

Notes

1. al-Kafi v.2 , p. 247

2. Al-Kafi v.2. p. 459

3.Ghurar al-Hikam p. 148

4.Ghurar al-Hikam p. 558

5.Ghurar al-Hikam p. 659

6.Rushde Shakhsiyyat

7.Ghurar al-Hikam p. 559

8. DarJostojuye Khushbakhti

9.Ghurar al-Hikam p. 448

10.Ravankavi

Slander

A Society Polluted with Sins

There is no doubt thatat the present time societies suffer from various types of spiritual deviations and psychological corruption, and have failed to develop their manners at the same pace that they were able to secure material luxuries for themselves. Such societies face a great number of acutediseases which have overwhelmed the ocean of life with pains as days go by. Those who earnestly struggle to avoid pains end up intoxicated with sins and in search of refuge in the lap of lowliness in order to their spiritual pains and anxieties. Yet, the sun of felicity shall never beam its brightrays lives.

These people have deceived themselves believing that they have become free of all restrictions and rules; and are now competing in the fields of Lowliness and failure. When we carefully examine the lives of these people who lack manners, we find that the rapid advancement of material methods the aims for which they were invented. They have made the material phenomena an axis for their hopes and wishes, and the gloominess of sins has overshadowed their societies.

It would have been more productive if they had used their vast wealth, which they spend on deviation and disarray, in the field of implementing good authentic manners, whichcannot be changed . Nevertheless, thenorms for their accepted behavior is constantly changing.

Needless to say that unless noble traits become the judging point for good personalities in any given society the members of that society will not observe them but rather will become overwhelmingly influenced by the social mind which leads them to imitate others actions, ignoring any possible adverse affects. In the light ofthis we should realize that contemporary civilizations lack the ability to bring about healthy, noble characteristics, nor can they guarantee salvation or happiness for any society.

Dr. Carl, a famous French scholar, said:“We need a world whereevery one can find a proper place forhimself without discriminating between material or spiritual needs. Withthis we are able to realize how we can live, for we realize then that advancing on the path of life without a righteous guide is a dangerous affair.

Now that we realize this danger, it is amazing how we have neglected the search for methods of reasonable thinking. The fact is that only a handful of people have really discovered this danger. Themajority of people are overtaken by their lusts and are so intoxicated with them that, regardless of how much advanced technology offers them, they are unwilling to give up any of their illegal joys for the sake of a decent civilization.

“Life today is like a magnificent river which runs down a steep slope, washing our hopes and dreams into the sea of corruption and deviation, for the sake of satisfying immediate desires and instant needs. Many people have devised new needs and now struggle hard to fulfill these needs. In addition to these needs, there are other things that bring temporary happiness to them, such as slander, backbiting, aimless conversation, etc. which are in fact more harmful than alcohol to their health.”

One of the social deviations on which we elaborate is slander; it is unnecessary to explainthe technical meaning of slander, for it is known to everyone .

The Disadvantages of Slander

The most dangerous disadvantage of slander is the destruction of the spiritual personality of the slanderer’s conscience. Those who violate the natural path of their thought will lose their thinking balance and their excellent behavioral system; in addition to harming people’s feelings by revealing their secrets and faults.

Slander destroys the throne of human morality and deprives man of his dignity and noble qualities with amazing speed. In fact, it burns the veins of morality in the hearts of the slanderer to ashes. Slander diverts pure thoughts to the point that the gates of reason and understanding come to a dead end. When we reflect on its harm to society, we discover that it has done great damage to its members.

Slander plays a devastating role in bringing about enmity and hatred among the different members of society. If allowed to spread in any nation, slander will deprive it of greatness, a good reputation and create anunamendable dissension in that nation.

It is unfortunate that we must acknowledge the fact that slander has found its way into all social classes. This point confirms the fact just as the events of life are related, so are the spiritual and psychological deviations that may appear in a social class penetrating to all other classes.

As a result of the spread of slander, pessimism and suspicion shadow the social mind; people loose trust in each other and replace it with mistrust. With this in mind, we can safely say that unless society enlightens itself with brotherly thinking and noble qualities, it will never gain harmony or unity therein. Asociety which lacks the blessings of noble traits is surely distanced from life’s real characteristics.

What Causes Slander to Spread

Regardless of the fact that slander is a manifestation of practical sins, itis directly related to human spirituality. Slander is a sign of a dangerous underlying psychological disorder for which we must search the spiritual and psychological realms.

Behavioral scholars mention a number of reasons for the spread of slander. The most important being: envy, anger, conceit,self-righteousness and suspicion. Undoubtedly, every action by any individual stems from a certain condition lying in his conscience, andas a result of a manifestation of such conditions, which are like burning coal under cold ashes, the tongue, the translator of man’s feelings, speaks out slander.

When a certain characteristic becomes deeply rooted in man’s conscience, it blinds his eyes and rules his thought. One of the reasons that slander is so widespread is that slanderers are heedless of its dangerous after-effects. We see people who refrain from most other sins butdon’t think twice about committing this miserable crime. The repetition of slander without concern as to its after-effects deprives man of control of his ability to refrain from following his lusts regardless of his knowledge of their dangerous reality.

These people endeavor to achieve integrity and perfection. Individuals like this remove themselves from reality by refusing to bear the least bit of pain in the path of obtaining happiness. In this way, they fall prey to the rule of their lowly lusts.

Those who do not observe their own or other’s dignity are not abiding by the law of ethics; and a person who makes life an arena for his lusts.encroaching upon other’s rights deserves misery.

Poor quality of manners originates from weak faith, and manners are a result, of belief (faith). If a person has no faith, he has no motive to behave well or observe moral excellence.

Everyone has an opinion as to the best method of rescuing people from deviation and moral corruption. In myopinion the most effective way is to encourage the qualities of good will in people by awakening the calls of goodness and human instincts in them and leading them to exploit the treasures of their minds on the path of obtaining happiness. By bringing people’s attention to the effects of ill manners and strengthening their will, we may become victorious over all evil characteristics, and replace the rails of darkness with noble traits.

Dr.Jago writes: “When we intend to fight an undesirable habit we must first recognize its evil results. Then we should acknowledge the habit and finally reflect on theincidents which made us victims of such a habit. If we acquaint ourselves with the stages of this habit, we will become triumphant over the inspiration of that habit by feeling the joy of eradicating it.”

With the existence of the seeds of integrity in the human soul and by providing it with the methods of defense, we are able to recognize the reasons behind misguidance and confusion and eradicate them from our souls and consciences, erecting a strong barrier in the face of our endless wants and lusts.

Actions present the actuality of people to us and therefore are reflections of their honor and reality. For this reason, if a man desires happiness he must select his righteous actions in order to transform them into valuable seeds of happiness. Men must also keep in mind that Allah is aware of all his actions no matter how minor they might seem.

According to one philosopher:

“Do not say that the universe hasno reason nor sense, for by saying so you accuse yourselves of lacking reason and/or senses. Thus, if the universe had no reason or sense, you, too, would be senseless and unreasonable.”

In the same manner that a society needs material essentials to be able to continue living, it needs a certain amount of harmony required to maintain spiritual ties between its various members. Asociety which strictly observes the heavy burden of its social duties can greatly benefit from them in obtaining integrity.

In order for us to bring our souls out of the darkness into light, we must strengthen all noble thoughts in our minds to counter any destructive ideas or inspirations. By guarding our tongues against slander, we take the first step towards happiness. In order for us to counter the wide spread of corruption, it is incumbent on us to create a psychological revolution among the people. We can do this by observing the rights ofothers which in turn will cause the roots of humanity and spirituality to grow, thus taking another step towards the advocacy of noble traits on which the survival of every society depends.

Religion Verses ill Manners

The Holy Qur’an manifests the reality of slander in one short but eloquent verse:

“Does one of you like to eat the flesh of his dead brother? But you abhor it…” (The Holy Qur’an, 49:12)

Therefore, in thesame way that it is natural for a human to reject eating the flesh of a dead person, his reason should resent slander. The religious, leaders gave as much attention to correcting the feelings and psychological characteristics of people as they gave to their struggle to eradicate polytheism and atheism.

The Messenger of Allah (S) said:

“I have not been sent save to perfect noble manners” .

Peoplehave been guided to morality by the great Islamic school, backed by strong and logical understanding. Islam considers any encroachment on the borders of morality a great and reprehensible sin.

In fact, Islam did not stop at categorizing slander as a grave sin, but has made it the duty of all Muslims to defend the honor of one whois being slandered .

“If a man is slandered while you are present, be a helper to the man, reprehend the slanderer, and depart the group.” 1

The Messenger of Allah (S) said:

“He who defends his brother’s honor in his absence, then it is his right upon Allah to safeguard him from the Fire.” 2

The Messenger (S) also said:

“He who slanders a Muslim during the month of Ramadan, will not be awarded for his fasting.” 3

The Messenger (S) also described the Muslim as follows:

“A Muslim is one who from whose hands and tongues other Muslims are safe.”

It is clear that if an individual allows his tongue to slander his Muslim brother, then he has certainly violated the rules of morality, and becomes a criminal in the eyes of humanity and Islam. All Islamic schools have unanimously agreed that slander is a major sin; for the slanderer violates the Divine commands and crouches upon the rights of others, heedless of the Creator’s commands.

Just as an absent person cannot defend his honor and dignity, a dead person is unable to defend himself; therefore, it is the duty of every one to respect the rules concerning the dignity of the dead.

Slander and backbiting are one sort of spiritual pressure. Imam ‘Ali (a.s .) said:

“Slander is the strain of the weak”. 4

Dr. H.Shakhter said:

“Disappointment in obtainingone’s needs results in spiritual torture. This spiritual torture instigates us to depict a form of defense. People differ in the kind of action they take in such situations. If a man feels that others do not give him the kind of attention he expects, for fear ofbeing rejected , he chooses isolation and loneliness over socialization. He may sit in the corner of a gathering silent and secluded, not speaking to anyone, criticizingthem ; or laughing by himself fornor reason. Or he may argue with others, slander the absent, and criticize the rest until he proves his presence in this manner.” 5

Dr. Mann, in his book entitled The Fundamentals of Psychology, writes:

“In order to preserve our honor, we may try to substitute our defeats or shortcomings by blaming others for them. For instance, if we fail anexam we blame the teacher for the questions given; or if we cannot get promoted to a position, we put the position down or slander those who occupy it. Or we may hold others responsible for our inability while in fact they are not.”

In conclusion, in order to develop good traits, we must observe ourselves and maintain pure intentions. We should start with ourselves, so that we can obtain appropriate grounds for our happiness and the happiness of our society in all fields.

Notes

1.Nahj al-Fasahah p. 48

2.Nahj al-Fasahah p. 613

3. Bihar al- Anwar v.16, p. 179

4.Ghurar al-Hikam p.36

5.Rushde Shaksiyyat

Fault-Finding

Ignorance of One’s Own Faults

One of the greatest behavioral weaknesses of man is the ignorance of his own faults. In manyinstances the soul ignores an unwanted quality which results in the subconscious adopting of such a trait as a basis of misery. When a person becomes the slave of his ignorance, he kills the spirit of morality in himself.Thus becoming the victim of his inclinations and various lusts, which isolate him from happiness and comfort. Under such conditions, neither guidance nor constructive advice can be productive.

The first requirement for the salvation of oneself is to realize your shortcomings. The only way man can eradicate ill manners and rescue himself from the dangers of his personality that may lead him to misery, is if he recognizes these manners.

A careful study of the characteristics of the human psyche,so as to educate mankind, is a vital step toward leading to both spiritual and behavioral integrity. Reflecting on oneself allows the individual to realize his shortcomings and positive points, eradicate the unwanted traits, and purify the mirror of his soul from the filth of sins by conducting a basic purification of his manners.

We commit an unforgivable mistake when we carelessly ignore the real reflection of ourselves in the mirror of our actions. It is our responsibility to discover our own characteristics in order to pinpoint the unwantedtraits which unwillingly have grown in us.Undoubtedly we will be able to eradicate the roots of such traits, even prevent them from appearing in our lives by constantly struggling against them. At any rate, achieving noble traits requires forbearance with long lasting hardships. It is not an easy matter to execute.

In order for us to eradicate the roots of dangerous and harmful habits, we not only have to recognize them but also must possess a strong will to do so. The more organization we can apply to our actions, the straighter and more productive our thoughts become.The advantages of every step in this process become manifest to us as we move on to the next stage.

Dr. Carl has written: ‘The most effective method to transform our daily program into an acceptable one is to examine it with scrutiny every morning and review the results every evening Thus, in the same manner that we anticipate to finish a certain job at a specific time, we should include in our schedule certain steps so others may benefit from our activities. We should be fair and just inOur conduct.

“Behavioral lowliness is just as repulsive as bodily dirt. Thus, it is just as important to cleanse our bodies formdirt as it is to purify our manners of filth. Some people exercise before and/or after sleeping; reflecting on our manners and thoughts is just as important as these exercises. By studying the way we should act and struggling to observe the borders of our designated limits, we can see our realities without any barrier.

Our success indecision making is directly related to our inner-selves. It is incumbent upon every one whether young or old, rich or poor, learned or ignorant.to realize what he has done in daily expenditures and earnings, as scientists write down the results of their experiments. By applying such methods with scrutiny and patience, our souls and bodies change for the better.”

The Sarcastic and the Insulters

It is the nature of some people to search for the faults, mistakes, and secrets of others and to criticize and blame them for these shortcomings. Yet in most circumstances, these people’s faults and shortcomings greatly exceed their noble traits. They ignore this and occupy themselves with the misfortunes of hers.

Insulting others is an eviltrait which pollutes man’s life and degrades his behavioral characteristics.

Theelements which motivate man to put others down become more dangerous when accompanied with conceit, arrogance and self-righteousness. These behavioral complexes instigate man to make false judgments while thinking that they are positively the right ones.

Those who constantly criticize others waste their efforts in manners unacceptable to reason or law. They give too much importance to observing their friends’ faults in order to insult and downgrade them, ignoring the fact that by doing so they deprive themselves of any opportunity to notice their own mistakes, thus leading themselves from the path of guidance and righteousness.

Those who lack courage do not observe any rule or respect the honor of others; they cannot live in harmony with the closest people to them. When these people cannot find acquaintances to insult, they turn to relatives and friends; forthis reason these people are unable to make real friends whose love and respect they can enjoy.

Men earn their honor throughout their lives; therefore, those who offend the honor of others, subject their own honor to insults and destruction.

Although those who constantly insult others may not realize the amount of damage they do to themselves, they cannot stop themselves from the social reaction to their wrongdoings.Wrongdoings which bring them nothing except hate, enmity and disgust. They feel sorry, but as it is said,“It is impossible to bring a bird back to its nest when it has flown away.”

He who wishes to socialize with others has to define his own duties and responsibilities, one of which isto always look for the virtuous traits and good deeds of others in order to be able to glorify them. He must also rid himself of thetraits which insult the dignity of others and contradict the fundamentals of love, for love only survives if it lives within the exchanges of respect and observance of both parties. He, whose habit it is to conceal the shortcomings of his loved ones and friends will enjoy more stable relationships. It is also complimentary if one is able to bring the attention of those he loves to their weak points so the individual has a chance to change.

Of course, it is necessary for an individual wishing to bring his friend’s attention to an unpleasant trait to apply special skills so as not to insult or“hurt his feelings.”

According to one educator: “It is possible to bring the attention of your listener to his mistakes by a glance or a gesture, it is usually unnecessary to speak directly. If you were to say to someone, ‘You made a mistake, he would never agree with you for you have insulted his reason, ability tothink and self-confidence. Confronting him openly makes him resist your action without adjusting his views, even if you prove to him beyond doubt that you are right. When you bring a conversation do not open it with, ‘I will prove it to you.’ or ‘I will substantiate that,’ for this means that yon are smarter or more clever than the person towhom von are speaking. The act of correcting someone’s thinking is a difficult task so why add more trouble by the wrong procedure and creating an irreversible barrier.

“When you propose to prove a point it is important that others are not aware of von attention. You should proceed towards your goal with precise steps without allowing anyone the opportunity to discover your aim. Remember the following saying when working in this field: ‘Teach people without being teachers.”’

Religious Teachings Verses Sarcasm

The Holy Qur’an warns the sarcastic of their gloomy fate, and cautions them about the results of their evil actions. Itis written :

“Woe to every slanderer, defamer.” (The Holy Qur’an, 104:1)

Islam deems it obligatory for all Muslims to observe the rules of manners and good conductso as to preserve unity. Islam also forbids slander and sarcasm in order to avoid dissension and the weakening of brotherly relationships. Therefore, it is the duty of every Muslim to observe the rights of others and to refrain from insulting or humiliating them.

Imam as-Sadiq (a.s .) said:

“A believer becomes more reassured near another believer than a thirsty man does when he finds cold water.” 1

Imam al-Baqir (a.s .) said:

“It is enough of a fault of an individual to note the faults of people and ignore that which he suffers from, criticize others for something that he himself does or to hurt an intimate friend with that which does not concern him.” 2

Their grandfather, Imam ‘Ali (a.s .) said:

“Avoid the companionship of those who search for people’s shortcomings, for their companions are not safe from their plots.” 3

Although it is part of man’s nature to refuse criticism, one should be attentive to constructive criticism. It is under the shadow of constructive advice that we are able to prepare the elements for advancing ourselves, if Allah wills.

The Commander of the Faithful (a.s .) reminded us of the above-mentioned fact when he said:

“Let the closest to you be from among people who guide you to (discover) your shortcomings, and aid you against your own wrong inspirations.” 4

The following is from Dr. Dale Carnegie’s book How to Win Friends and Influence People:

“We must listen to criticism and accept it for we should not expect two-thirds of our actions and thoughts to be accurate. Albert Einstein admitted that ninety-nine percent of his ideas and conclusions were false. When someone wants to criticize,I find myself being defensive without even knowing what he wants to say; yet, when this happens I later resent myself.

“We all prefer praise and glorification and refuse reprehension and criticism without observing the degree of appropriateness and accuracy of any of these comments. We surely are not the children of proof and logic but the children of feelings. Our minds become like sailingships which are tossed around by the waves of feelings on a dark sea. At the present time most of us are self-confident, but in forty years we shall look back at ourselves and laugh at our actions and thoughts.”

Imam ‘Ali (a.s .) said:

“He who searches for people’s shortcomings should start with himself.” 5

Dr. H.Shakhter has said:

“Instead of objecting to the utterances or actions of others it is better to reflect on your own problems and pains if possible correct them. it is incumbent upon each one of us to reflect on our problems, discover our faults and shortcomings and solve them if we can.” 6

The ignorant attempt to conceal their shortcomings instead of endeavoring to eradicate them.

According to Imam ‘Ali (a.s .):

“It is stupidity in a person which causes him to observe the faults of others and not notice that which is concealed of his own faults.” 7

Dr.Auibuty has stated:

“Because of our ignorance, we frequently ignore our shortcomings and conceal them under a veil of ignorance and unawareness so as to lure ourselves in this manner. It is amazing how people will try to conceal their shortcomings from the eyes of others without ever attempting to eradicate them. Yet, when one of their faultsis revealed and they cannot conceal it, they create thousands of excuses to satisfy themselves and others. These people attempt to downplay the importance of their faults in the eyes of people, forgetting that as days go by the importance of such faults will becomemore manifest . Exactly as a seed grows to become a mighty tree” .8

Studying the personality is the only accepted method by psychologists to diagnose and treat various illnesses. Imam ‘Ali (a.s .) advised people of this very same method. He said:

“It is incumbent on men of reason to pinpoint their shortcomings in religion, opinion, behavior, and manners and to gather them in their heart or in a book and work on eliminating them.” 9

Also according to a psychologist:

“Sit comfortable in aquite room with a clear mind and ask your family not to let anyone bother you. The more comforting the place is and the more at rest you are the better it is: because what we intend to do requires a basic rule which is not to allow your thinking to be disturbed by concentrating only on the main objective.Also , your body should not be diverted by your bodily needs.

“Take with you some dark cheap paper and a pen which you can write with easily. I mentioned dark cheap paperso as to allow you to use a large quantity without worrying about expense. I also mentioned an easy pen becauseyou will be surrounded by thousands of spiritual and psychological factors when you study yourself, you will need a pen that will not distract you.

“Make a list of the types of feelings and reactions which you encountered in yourself on this day and the day before. Now review each one of them, think deeply about them,next write down everything that comes to your mind regarding these feelings without any reservations or limitations. Do not worry if it takes a long time.

“When you have written all your actions, thoughts. feelings .and reactions, bring to mind the instincts of self-love, seclusion.conceit ,.. .etc,Now match every action or thought with the instinct which motivated it by asking yourself the simple questions: Which instinct motivated this action or utterance?

“The purpose of this psychological self-analysis is to allow the patient to change as much of his spiritual personality.as his lively and constructive spiritual powers can by eradicating his psychological reactions and nervous states. This way he will consciously feel that he is a new person. Hence, he will realize new goals and meanings in life and be able to draw a new path in life For himself other than the previous one.” 10

Notes

1. al-Kafi v.2 , p. 247

2. Al-Kafi v.2. p. 459

3.Ghurar al-Hikam p. 148

4.Ghurar al-Hikam p. 558

5.Ghurar al-Hikam p. 659

6.Rushde Shakhsiyyat

7.Ghurar al-Hikam p. 559

8. DarJostojuye Khushbakhti

9.Ghurar al-Hikam p. 448

10.Ravankavi