Alhassanain(p) Network for Heritage and Islamic Thought

DUA FOR FENDING OFF DISTRESS, GRIEF, AND FEAR

Twelve in number, the following supplicatory prayers are said for imploring Almighty Allah for protection against distress, grief, fear, and the like things.

First: Imam al-Baqir (‘a) is reported to have said: Whenever a horrifying matter inflicts you, you may turn your face towards the kiblah direction and offer a two-unit prayer. Upon accomplishment, you may say this supplicatory prayer seventy times, and submit your requests each time you come to its end:

يا ابصر النّاظرين يا اسمع السّامعين يا اسرع الحاسبين يا ارحم الرّاحمين‏

Second: The Holy Prophet (s) has said: Whoever is inflicted by a distress, a grief, angst, or a hardship, may say the following statement:

اللّه ربّى لا اشرك به شيئا،توكّلت على الحىّ‏ الّذى لا يموت

Third: Imam al-Sadiq (‘a) is reported to have said: When his brothers threw (Prophet) Joseph in the well, Archangel Gabriel came to him and said, “O boy, what are doing here?”

Joseph answered, “My brothers have thrown me in this well.”

“Do you like to come out of it?” asked the archangel.

“This is up to Allah the Almighty and All-majestic.” answered Joseph, “If He wishes, He will do.”

“Allah the All-exalted says to you that if you pray me with this supplicatory prayer, I will take you out of this well,” taught Gabriel.

“What is this supplicatory prayer?” asked Joseph.

“It is this one,” taught Archangel Gabriel:

اَللّهُمَّ اِنّى اَسْئَلُكَ بِاَنَّ لَكَ الْحَمْدَ لا اِلهَ اِلاّ اَنْتَ الْمَنّانُ بَديعُ السَّمواتِ وَالاَرْضِ ذُوالْجَلالِ وَالاِكْرامِ اَنْ تُصَلِّىَ عَلى مُحَمَّدٍ وَ آلِ مُحَمَّدٍ وَ اَنْ تَجْعَلَ لى مِمّا اَنَا فيهِ فَرَجَاً وَ مَخْرَجَاً

After that, the caravan came and took Prophet Joseph out of the well, as the Holy Qur’an has related.

Fourth: Imam al-Sadiq (‘a) is reported to have said: Whenever you fear something, you may say the following supplicatory prayer:

اللّهمّ انّك لا يكفى منك احد،و انت تكفى من كلّ احد من خلقك فاكفنى كذا و كذا

(You may now mention the thing that terrifies you.)

According to another tradition, you may say the following supplicatory prayer (whenever you fear something):

یا كافِياً مِنْ كُلِّ شَىْءٍ وَلايَكْفى مِنْكَ شَىْءٌ فِى السَّمواتِ وَالاَرْضِ اِكْفِنى ما اَهَمَّنى مِنْ اَمْرِ الدُّنْيا وَالاْ خِرَةِ وَ صَلِّ عَلى مُحَمَّدٍ وَ آلِهِ

Imam al-Sadiq (‘a) has also said: Whoever comes to a ruler whom he fears, may say the following supplicatory prayer (before presence before the ruler):

بِاللّٰهِ اَسْتَفْتِحُ وَ بِاللّٰهِ اَسْتَنْجِحُ وَ بِمُحَمَّدٍ صَلَّى اللّٰهُ عَلَيْهِ وَ آلِهِ اَتَوَجَّهُ اَللّهُمَّ ذَلِّلْ لى صُعُوبَتَهُ وَ سَهِّلْ لى حُزُونَتَهُ فَاِنَّكَ تَمْحُو ما تَشآءُ وَ تُثْبِتُ وَ عِنْدَكَ اُمُّ الْكِتابِ حَسْبِىَ اللّٰهُ لا اِلهَ اِلاّ هُوَ عَلَيْهِ تَوَكَّلْتُ وَ هُوَ رَبُّ الْعَرْشِ الْعَظيمِ وَ اَمْتَنِعُ بِحَوْلِ اللّٰهِ وَ قُوَّتِهِ مِنْ حَوْلِهِمْ وَ قُوَّتِهِمْ وَ اَمْتَنِعُ بِرَبِّ الْفَلَقِ مِنْ شَرِّ ما خَلَقَ وَ لا حَوْلَ وَ لا قُوَّةَ اِلاّ بِاللّٰهِ

Fifth: This supplicatory prayer is reported to have said by Imam al-Baqir (‘a) whenever a distressing matter would take place:

اَللّهُمَّ صَلِّ عَلى مُحَمَّدٍ وَ آلِ مُحَمَّدٍ وَاغْفِرْلى وَارْحَمْنى وَزَكِّ عَمَلى وَ يَسِّرْ مُنْقَلَبى وَاهْدِ قَلْبى وَ آمِنْ خَوْفى وَ عافِنى فى عُمْرى كُلِّهِ وَ ثَبِّتْ حُجَّتى وَ اغْفِرْ خَطاياىَ وَ بَيِّضْ وَجْهى وَاعْصِمْنى فى دينى وَ سَهِّلْ مَطْلَبى وَ وَسِّعْ عَلَىَّ فى رِزْقى فَاِنّى ضَعيفٌ وَ تَجاوَزْ عَنْ سَيِّئِ ما عِنْدى بِحُسْنِ ما عِنْدَكَ وَلاتَفْجَعْنى بِنَفْسى وَلاتَفْجَعْ لى حَميماً وَهَبْ لى يا اِلهى لَحْظَةً مِنْ لَحَظاتِكَ تَكْشِفُ بِها عَنّى جَميعَ مابِهِ ابْتَلَيْتَنى وَ تَرُدُّبِها عَلَىَّ ما هُوَ اَحْسَنُ عادَتِكَ عِنْدى فَقَدْ ضَعُفَتْ قُوَّتى وَ قَلَّتْ حيلَتى وَانْقَطَعَ مِنْ خَلْقِكَ رَجآئى وَ لَمْ يَبْقَ اِلاّ رَجآؤُكَ وَ تَوَكُّلى عَلَيْكَ ، وَ قُدْرَتُكَ عَلَىَّ يا رَبِّ اَنْ تَرْحَمَنى وَ تُعافِيَنى كَقُدْرَتِكَ عَلَىَّ اَنْ تُعَذِّبَنى وَ تَبْتَلِيَنى اِلهى ذِكْرُ عَوآيِدِكَ يُؤْنِسُنى وَ الرَّجآءُ لاِِنْعامِكَ يُقَوّينى وَ لَمْ اَخْلُ مِنْ نِعَمِكَ مُنْذُ خَلَقْتَنى فَاَنْتَ رَبّى وَ سَيّدِى وَ مَفْزَعى وَ مَلْجَاى وَ الْحافِظُ لى وَالذّآبُّ عَنّى وَالرَّحيمُ بى وَ الْمُتَكَفِّلُ بِرِزْقى وَ فى قَضآئِكَ وَ قُدْرَتِكَ كُلُّ ما اَنَا فيهِ فَلْيَكُنْ يا سَيِّدى وَ مَوْلاىَ فيما قَضَيْتَ وَ قَدَّرْتَ وَ حَتَمْتَ تَعْجيلُ خَلاصى مِمّا اَنَا فيهِ جَميعِهِ وَالْعافِيَةُ لى فَاِنّى لا اَجِدُ لِدَفْعِ ذلِكَ اَحَداً غَيْرَكَ وَلا اَعْتَمِدُ فيهِ اِلاّ عَلَيْكَ فَكُنْ ياذَا الْجَلالِ وَالاِكْرامِ عِنْدَ اَحْسَنِ ظَنّى بِكَ وَ رَجآئى لَكَ وَارْحَمْ تَضَرُّعى وَاسْتِكانَتى وَ ضَعْفَ رُكْنى وَ امْنُنْ بِذلِكَ عَلَىَّ وَ عَلى كُلِّ داعٍ دَعاكَ يا اَرْحَمَ الرّاحِمينَ وَ صَلَّى اللّٰهُ عَلى مُحَمَّدٍ وَ آلِهِ

REPELLING THE EVILS OF JINN & HORRIFYING AUTHORITIES

Sixth: Imam al-Sadiq (‘a) is reported to have said: ‘Ali ibn al-Husayn (‘a) used to say: After I say these words, I do not care even if all men and jinn support each other against me:

بِسْمِ اللّٰهِ وَ بِاللّٰهِ وَ مِنَ اللّٰهِ وَ اِلَى اللّٰهِ وَ فى سَبيلِ اللّٰهِ وَ عَلى مِلَّةِ رَسُولِ اللّٰهِ صَلَّى اللّٰهُ عَلَيْهِ وَ آلِهِ اَللّهُمَّ اِلَيْكَ اَسْلَمْتُ نَفْسى وَ اِلَيْكَ وَجَّهْتُ وَجْهى وَ اِلَيْكَ اَلْجَاْتُ ظَهْرى وَ اِلَيْكَ فَوَّضْتُ اَمْرى اَللّهُمَّ احْفَظْنى بِحِفْظِ الاْيمانِ مِنْ بَيْنِ يَدَىَّ وَ مِنْ خَلْفى وَ عَنْ يَمينى وَ عَنْ شِمالى وَ مِنْ فَوْقى وَ مِنْ تَحْتى وَ ما قِبَلى وَادْفَعْ عَنّى بِحَوْلِكَ وَ قُوَّتِكَ فَاِنَّهُ لا حَوْلَ وَلاقُوَّةَ اِلاّ بِكَ

Seventh: The following supplicatory prayer of the Ahl al-Bayt (i.e. the Holy Prophet’s Household) may be said to fend off agonies, horrifying matters, and sways of ruling authorities:

يا كائِناً قَبْلَ كُلِّشَىْءٍ وَ يا مُكَوِّنَ كُلِّشَىْءٍ وَ يا باقِياًبَعْدَ كُلِّشَىْءٍ صَلِّ عَلى مُحَمَّدٍ وَ آلِ مُحَمَّدٍ وَ افْعَلْ بى كَذا وَ كَذا

You may now submit your requests.

TAWASSUL WITH HOLY PROPHET (S) AND H. ALI (S)

Eighth: Imam Muhammad al-Taqi (‘a) is reported to have said: In order to reach at relief (from a trouble), it is recommended to say this supplicatory prayer regularly:

يا مَنْ يَكْفى مِنْ كُلِّشَىْءٍ وَلايَكْفى مِنْهُ شَيْى ءٌ اِكْفِنى ما اَهَمَّنى

Ninth: Imam Zayn al-’Abidin (‘a) is reported to have said to his sons: Whenever one of you is inflicted by a misfortune or troubled by a crisis, he should perform the ritual ablution (wuzu’) as perfectly as possible, offer a two-unit or four-unit prayer, and say the following supplicatory prayer thereafter:

يا مَوْضِعَ كُلِّ شَكْوى وَ يا سامِعَ كُلِّ نَجْوى وَ يا شاهِدَ كُلِّ مَلاٍَ وَ يا عالِمَ كُلِّ خَفِيَّةٍ وَ يا دافِعَ ما يَشآءُ مِنْ بَلِيَّةٍ يا خَليلَ اِبْراهيمَ وَ يا نَجِىَّ مُوسى وَ يا مُصْطَفِىَ مُحَمَّدٍ صَلَّى اللّٰهُ عَلَيْهِ وَ آلِهِ اَدْعُوكَ دُعآءَ مَنِ اشْتَدَّتْ فاقَتُهُ وَ قَلَّتْ و حيلَتُهُ وَ ضَعُفَتْ قُوَّتُهُ دُعآءَ الْغَريبِ الْغَريقِ الْمُضْطَرِّ الَّذى لايَجِدُ لِكَشْفِ ما هُوَ فيهِ اِلاّ اَنْتَ يا اَرْحَمَ الرّاحِمينَ

No one uses this supplicatory prayer but that Almighty Allah, if He wills, shall relieve him from what he is suffering.

Tenth: Imam al-Sadiq (‘a) is reported to have said: To remove any distress and grief, you may bathe yourself, offer a two-unit prayer, and say the following supplicatory prayer:

يا فارِجَ الْهَمِّ وَ يا كاشِفَ الْغَمِّ يا رَحْمنَ الدُّنْيا وَالاْخِرَةِ وَ رَحيمَهُما فَرِّجْ هَمّى وَاكْشِفْ غَمّى يا اَللَّهُ الْواحِدُ الاَحَدُ الصَّمَدُ الَّذى لَمْ يَلِدْ وَ لَمْ يُولَدْ وَ لَمْ يَكُنْ لَهُ كُفُواً اَحَدٌ اِعْصِمْنى وَ طَهِّرْنى وَ اذْهَبْ بِبَلِيَّتى

You may then recite Ayah al-Kursi, Surah al-Falaq, and Surah al-Nas.

Eleventh: To pray for removing agony, it is reported that one may repeat the following supplicatory prayer one hundred times in a position of prostration:

يا حَىُّ يا قَيُّومُ يا لا اِلهَ اِلاّ اَنْتَ بِرَحْمَتِكَ اَسْتَغيثُ فَاكْفِنى ما اَهَمَّنى وَلا تَكِلْنى اِلى نَفْسى

Twelfth: Imam Musa ibn Ja’far (‘a) is reported to have said to Suma’ah: If you have an urgent need to be granted by Almighty Allah, you should say this supplicatory prayer:

اَللّهُمَّ اِنّى اَسْئَلُكَ بِحَقِّ مُحَمَّدٍ وَ عَلِي فَاِنَّ لَهُما عِنْدَكَ شَاْناً مِنَ الشَّاْنِ وَ قَدْراً مِنَ الْقَدْرِ فَبِحَقِّ ذلِكَ الْشَّاْنِ وَ بِحَقِّ ذلِكَ الْقَدْرِ اَنْ تُصَلِّىَ عَلَى مُحَمَّدٍ وَ آلِ مُحَمَّدٍ وَ اَنْ تَفْعَلْ

You may now submit your request.

Indeed, on the Resurrection Day, all archangels, missioned prophets, and tested faithful believers will be in need for Muhammad and ‘Ali, Allah’s peace be upon them and their Household.

[The author of the book] Let me, the poor, refer to this tradition on this occasion:

Ibn Abi’l-Hadid has reported the following incident from Imam ‘Ali Amir al-Mu’minin (‘a): One day, I asked the Holy Prophet (s) to implore God to forgive me. Responding to me, the Holy Prophet (s) stood up, offered a prayer, and raised his hands for supplicating. Listening carefully to him, I heard him saying:

اَللّهُمَّ بِحَقِّ عَلِي عِنْدَكَ اِغْفِرْ لِعَلِي

Surprisingly, I said to him, “O Allah’s Messenger, what kind of supplication is this?” He (s) answered, “Can I find any other person who is dearer to Allah than you are so that I can beseech Him in his name?”

Within the supplicatory prayers of the Thanksgiving Prostration in the first section of the book, I have mentioned a number of related supplicatory prayers.

DUA FOR AILMENTS AND ILLNESSES

First: Imam al-Sadiq (‘a) is reported to have advised of the following: For all ailments, you may say this supplicatory prayer:

بسم اللّه و باللّه‏ كم من نعمة للّه فى عرق ساكن و غير ساكن،على عبد شاكر و غير شاكر

Upon accomplishing an obligatory prayer, you may grasp your beard with your right hand and repeat the following supplicatory prayer three times:

اللّهمّ فرّج عنّى كربتى‏ و عجّل عافيتى و اكشف ضرّى.

Make sure that you associate this supplicatory prayer with tears and weeping.

Second: Imam al-Sadiq (‘a) is also reported to have advised: Put your hand on the ailed organ and say this:

بسم اللّه و باللّه،و محمّد رسول اللّه صلّى اللّه عليه و آله،و لا حول و لا قوّة الاّ باللّه،اللّهمّ امسح عنّى ما اجد.

You may then rub your right hand over the ailed organ three times.

Third: Imam al-Baqir (‘a) is reported to have said: When Imam ‘Ali (‘a) was ailed, the Holy Prophet (s) came to him and advised him to say this supplicatory prayer:

اللّهمّ انّى اسالك تعجيل عافيتك و صبرا على بليّتك،و خروجا الى رحمتك‏

Fourth: Imam al-Sadiq (‘a) is reported to have advised of the following:

You may put your hand on the ailed organ and repeat this supplicatory prayer three times:

اللّهمّ انّى اسالك بحقّ القران العظيم،الّذى نزل به الرّوح الامين،و هو عندك فى‏ امّ الكتاب علىّ حكيم،ان تشفينى بشفائك و تداوينى بداوائك،و تعافينى من بلائك و تصلي علي محمد و آل محمّد

Fifth: Abu-Hamzah is reported to have said: One day, I felt pain in my knee. When I complained about it to Imam al-Baqir (‘a), he advised me, saying: Upon accomplishment of a prayer, you may say this supplicatory prayer:

يا اجود من اعطى،يا خير من سئل،و يا ارحمن‏ من استرحم،ارحم ضعفى و قلّة حيلتى،و اعفنى من وجعى.

Abu-Hamzah added: When I did, I was healed.

It is worth mentioning that I have referred in Section Three to other supplicatory prayers against ailments and illnesses.

EVIL-REPELLING PRAYERS AND SUPPLICATORY AMULETS

First: It is reported that when a man complained to Imam al-Sadiq (‘a) about loneliness, the Imam (‘a) said: May I lead you to a prayer that if you say, you will not feel lonely neither at nights nor in daytimes? It is this prayer:

بِسْمِ اللّٰهِ وَ بِاللّٰهِ وَ تَوَكَّلْتُ عَلَى اللّٰهِ اِنَّهُ مَنْ يَتَوَكَّلْ عَلَى اللّٰهِ فَهُوَ حَسْبُهُ اِنَّ اللّٰهَ بالِغُ اَمْرِهِ قَدْ جَعَلَ اللّٰهُ لِكُلِّ شَيْئٍ قَدْراً اَللّهُمَّ اجْعَلْنى فى كَنَفِكَ وَ فى جِوارِكَ وَاجْعَلْنى فى اَمانِكَ وَ فى مَنْعِكَ

It is reported that a man used to say this supplicatory prayer for thirty years incessantly, but when he ignored it at a certain night, he was stung by a scorpion at that night.

Second: It is reported that whoever spends a night alone in a house or in a room, should recite Ayah al-Kursi and say this supplicatory prayer:

اللّهمّ انس وحشتى،و امن روعتى،و اعنّى على وحدتى.

Third: The Holy Prophet (s) is reported to have used these words as evil-repelling prayer (‘udhah) for Imam al-Hasan and Imam al-Husayn (‘a):

اُعيذُ كُما بِكَلِماتِ اللّٰهِ التآمَّةِ وَاَسْمآئِهِ الْحُسْنى كُلِّها عآمَّةً مِنْ شَرِّ السّآمَّةِ وَالْهامَّةِ وَ مِنْ شَرِّ كُلِّ عَيْنٍ لامَّةٍ وَ مِنْ شَرِّ حاسِدٍ اِذا حَسَدَ

Commenting, the Holy Prophet (s) added, “Thus did (Prophet) Abraham use to repel evil from Ishmael and Isaac.”

PROTECTION FROM FLEAS & BEASTS

Fourth: The companions of the Holy Prophet (s) are reported, in one of the military expeditions, to have complained to him about fleas that annoyed them. Instructing them, the Holy Prophet (s) said: When you go to sleep, you may say this supplicatory prayer:

اَيُّهَا الاَسْوَدُ الْوَثّابُ الَّذى لايُبالى غَلَقاً وَلاباباً عَزَمْتُ عَلَيْكَ بِاُمِّ الْكِتابِ اَنْ لاتُؤْذِيَنى وَ اَصْحابى اِلى اَنْ يَذْهَبَ اللَّيْلُ وَ يَجيئَ الصُّبْحُ بِما جآءَ

Fifth: Imam ‘Ali Amir al-Mu’minin (‘a) is reported to have said: When you see a beast, you should say this:

اعوذ بربّ دانيال و الجبّ،من كلّ اسد مستأسد

Imam al-Sadiq (‘a) is reported to have said: When you face a beast, you should recite in its face Ayah al-Kursi and these words:

عَزَمْتُ عَلَيْكَ بِعَزيمَةِ اللّٰهِ وَعَزيمَةِ مُحَمَّدٍ صَلَّى اللّٰهُ عَلَيْهِ وَ آلِهِ وَ عَزيمَةِ سُلَيْمانَ بْنِ داوُدَ وَ عَزيمَةِ اَميرِالْمُؤْمِنينَ عَلِىِّ بْنِ اَبى طالِبٍ عَلَيْه السَّلام وَالاَئِمَّةِ الطّاهِرينَ عَلَيْهِمُ السَّلامُ مِنْ بَعْدِهِ

If you do so, the beast will go away, by the will of Allah the All-exalted.

Sixth: The Holy Prophet (s) is reported to have said to Imam ‘Ali Amir al-Mu’minin (‘a): When you fall in a trouble or an ordeal, you may say the following words. Once you do, Allah the Almighty and All-exalted will ward off from you whatever sort of misfortune He wills:

بسم اللّه الرّحمن الرّحيم و لا حول و لا قوّة الاّ باللّه العلىّ العظيم.

BRIEF SUPPLICATIONS FOR THIS WORLD AND OTHER WORLDLY DESIRES

Although they are numerous, I will mention only thirty supplicatory prayers for this-worldly and otherworldly requests:

First: Imam al-Sadiq (‘a) is reported to have advised of saying this supplicatory prayer:

اَللّهُمَّ اجْعَلْنى اَخْشاكَ كَاَنّى اَراكَ وَ اَسْعِدْنى بِتَقْويكَ وَلاتُشْقِنى بِنَشْطى لِمَعاصيكَ وَ خِرْلى فى قَضآئِكَ وَ بارِكْ لى فى قَدَرِكَ حَتّى لا اُحِبَّ تَاءْخيرَما عَجَّلْتَ وَلاتَعْجيلَ ما اءَخَّرْتَ وَاجْعَلْ غِناىَ فى نَفْسى وَ مَتِّعْنى بِسَمْعى وَ بَصَرى وَ اجْعَلْهُمَا الْوارِثَيْنِ مِنّى وَانْصُرْنى عَلى مَنْ ظَلَمَنى وَاَرِنى فيهِ قُدْرَتَكَ يا رَبِّ وَ اَقِرَّ بِذلِكَ عَيْنى

Second: Imam al-Sadiq (‘a) is also reported to have advised of saying this supplicatory prayer:

اَللّهُمَّ اَعِنّى عَلى هَوْلِ يَوْمِ الْقِيمَةِ وَاَخْرِجْنى مِنَ الدُّنْيا سالِماً وَ زَوِّجْنى مِنَ الْحُورِ الْعينِ وَاكْفِنى مَؤُنَتى وَ مَؤْنَةَ عِيالى وَ مَؤُنَةَ النّاسِ وَاَدْخِلْنى بِرَحْمَتِكَ فى عِبادِكَ الصّالِحينَ

THE ALL INCLUSIVE SUPPLICATORY PRAYER (یا من اظهر الجمیل)

Third: This supplicatory prayer wards off sinning and brings about all this-worldly and otherworldly requests overall:

بِسْمِ اللّٰهِ الرَّحْمنِ الرَّحيمِ يا مَنْ اَظْهَرَ الْجَميلَ وَ سَتَرَ الْقَبيحَ وَ لَمْ يَهْتِكِ السِّتْرَ عَنّى يا كَريمَ الْعَفْوِ يا حَسَنَ التَّجاوُزِ يا واسِعَ الْمَغْفِرَةِ وَ يا باسِطَ الْيَدَيْنِ بِالرَّحْمَةِ يا صاحِبَ كُلِّ نَجْوى وَ يا مُنْتَهى كُلِّ شَكْوى يا كَريمَ الصَّفْحِ يا عَظيمَ الْمَنِّ يا مُبْتَدِءَ كُلِّ نِعْمَةٍ قَبْلَ اسْتِحْقاقِها يا رَبّاهُ يا سَيِّداهُ يا مَوْلَياهُ يا غايَتاهُ يا غِياثاهُ صَلِّ عَلى مُحَمَّدٍ وَ آلِ مُحَمَّدٍ وَ اَسْئَلُكَ اَنْ لاتَجْعَلنى فِى النّارِ

Fourth: Imam al-Sadiq (‘a) is reported to have said this supplicatory prayer:

اَللّهُمَّ اَنْتَ ثِقَتى فى كُلِّ كُرْبَةٍ وَ اَنْتَ رَجآئى فى كُلِّ شِدَّةٍ وَ اَنْتَ لى فى كُلِّ اَمْرٍ نَزَلَ بى ثِقَةٌ وَعُدَّةٌ كَمْ مِنْ كَرْبٍ يَضْعُفُ عَنْهُ الْفُؤ ادُ وَ تَقِلُّ فيهِ الْحيلَةُ وَ يَخْذُلُ عَنْهُ الْقَريبُ وَ الْبَعيدُ وَ يَشْمَتُ بِهِ الْعَدُوُّ وَ تُعْيينى فيهِ الاُمُورُ اَنْزَلْتُهُ بِكَ وَ شَكَوْتُهُ اِلَيْكَ راغِباً فيهِ عَمَّنْ سِواكَ فَفَرَّجْتَهُ وَ كَشَفْتَهُ وَ كَفَيْتَنيهِ فَاءنْتَ وَلِىُّ كُلِّ نِعْمَةٍ وَ صاحِبُ كُلِّ حاجَةٍ وَ مُنْتَهى كُلِّ رَغْبَةٍ فَلَكَ الْحَمْدُ كَثيراً وَ لَكَ الْمَنُّ فاضِلاً

DUA OF IMAM HUSAYN (A) ON THE DAY OF ASHURA

This is the supplicatory prayer the Holy Prophet (s) said on the days of the Battle of Badr and the Battle of the Allies (i.e. al-Ahzab). The chief of martyrs; namely, Imam al-Husayn (‘a), also said this supplicatory prayer in Karbala’ on the ‘Ashura’ Day.

Furthermore, two more supplicatory prayers were said by Imam al-Husayn (‘a) on that day. The first one is the supplicatory prayer he taught to his son Imam Zayn al-’Abidin (‘a) when he embraced him to his chest while blood was gushing from his body. Used in urgent cases, intense grief, harsh times, and difficult matters, the supplicatory prayer intended is as follows:

بِحَقِّ يسَّ وَالْقُرْآنِ الْحَكيمِ وَ بِحَقِّ طه وَ الْقُرْآنِ الْعَظيمِ يا مَنْ يَقْدِرُ عَلى حَوآئِجِ السّآئِلينَ يا مَنْ يَعْلَمُ ما فِى الضَّميرِ يا مُنَفِّساً عَنِ الْمَكْرُوبينَ يا مُفَرِّجاً عَنِ الْمَغْمُومينَ يا راحِمَ الشَّيْخِ الْكَبيرِ يا رازِقَ الطِّفْلِ الصَّغيرِ يا مَنْ لايَحْتاجُ اِلَى التَّفْسيرِ صَلِّ عَلى مُحَمَّدٍ وَ آلِ مُحَمَّدٍ وَافْعَلْ بى كَذا و كَذا

One may now submit his requests.

Fifth: Imam al-Sadiq (‘a) is reported to have raised his hands towards the sky and said this supplicatory prayer:

رَبِّ لاتَكِلْنى اِلى نَفْسى طَرْفَةَ عَيْنٍ اَبَدَاً لا اَقَلَّ مِنْ ذلِكَ وَلا اَكْثَرَ

Sixth: Imam al-Sadiq (‘a) is also reported to have advised of saying this supplicatory prayer:

اِرْحَمْنى مِمّا لاطاقَةَ لى بِهِ وَلاصَبْرَ لى عَلَيْهِ

Seventh: Imam al-Sadiq (‘a) is also reported to have advised of saying this supplicatory prayer:

اَللّهُمَّ اِنّى اسْئَلُكَ بِجَلالِكَ وَ جَمالِكَ وَ كَرَمِكَ اَنْ تَفْعَلَ بى كَذا وَ كَذا

One may now submit his requests.

Eighth: Fazl ibn Yunus has reported that Imam al-Kazim (‘a) advised him to repeat this supplicatory prayer very much:

الّلهمّ لا تجعلنى من المعارين‏ و لا تخرجنى من التّقتصير

To explain, the first statement is a prayer for not including with those whose faith is as irregular as loans, which means that faith is not fixed in their hearts. However, the statement may also stand for a prayer for not including with those whom are relegated to themselves and Allah the Almighty has no interference in their affairs, just like a horse whose rein is thrown freely on its wither and is left to graze uncontrollably.

The second statement is a prayer for not including with those who feel themselves to have carried out their duties towards their Lord flawlessly. In fact, one must always feel that he cannot carry out his duties towards his Lord fully whatever efforts he would exert.

Ninth: Imam al-Baqir (‘a) is reported to have said: Almighty Allah has forgiven a Bedouin man for two words he said in his supplicatory prayer. These two words are as follows:

اَللّهُمَّ اِنْ تُعَذِّبْنى فَاَهْلٌ لِذلِكَ اَنَا وَ اِنْ تَغْفِرْلى فَاَهْلٌ لِذلِكَ اَنْتَ

Tenth: Dawud al-Raqqi has said: Whenever he insisted in prayers, Imam al-Sadiq (‘a) would pray Almighty Allah in the name of the Five Persons: the Holy Prophet, Imam ‘Ali, Lady Fatimah, Imam al-Hasan, and Imam al-Husayn, peace be upon them.

Eleventh: Yazid al-Sa’igh is reported to have said: I asked Imam al-Sadiq (‘a) to pray Almighty Allah for our good. He therefore said:

اللّهمّ ارزقهم صدق الحديث،و اداء الامانة،و المحافظة على الصّلوات،الّلهمّ انّهم احقّ خلقك‏ ان تفعله بهم،الّلهم افعله بهم.

Twelfth: Say this supplicatory prayer, which Imam ‘Ali Amir al-Mu’minin (‘a) used to say:

اَللّهُمَّ مُنَّ عَلَىَّ بِالتَّوَكَّلِ عَلَيْكَ وَالتَّفْويضِ اِلَيْكَ وَالرِّضا بِقَدَرِكَ وَ التَّسْليمِ لاَِمْرِكَ حَتّى لا اُحِبَّ تَعْجيلَ ما اَخَّرْتَ وَ لاتَاْخيرَ ما عَجَّلْتَ يا رَبَّ الْعالَمينَ

Thirteenth: It is reported that Archangel Gabriel came to the Holy Prophet (s) and conveyed to him the following message from Almighty Allah: If you want to worship Me a whole night and a whole day perfectly, you may raise your hands towards Me and say this supplicatory prayer:

اَللّهُمَّ لَكَ الْحَمْدُ حَمْداً خالِداً مَعَ خُلُودِكَ وَ لَكَ الْحَمْدُ حَمْداً لا مُنْتَهى لَهُ دُونَ عِلْمِكَ وَ لَكَ الْحَمْدُ حَمْداً لا اَمَدَ لَهُ دُونَ مَشِيَّتِكَ وَ لَكَ الْحَمْدُ حَمْداً لاجَزآءَ لِقآئِلِهِ اِلاّ رِضاكَ اَللّهُمَّ لَكَ الْحَمْدُ كُلُّهُ وَ لَكَ الْمَنُّ كُلُّهُ وَ لَكَ الْفَخْرُ كُلُّهُ وَ لَكَ الْبَهاَّءُ كُلُّهُ وَلَكَ الْنُّورُ كُلُّهُ وَ لَكَ الْعِزَّةُ كُلُّها وَ لَكَ الجَبَروُتُ كُلُّها وَ لَكَ الْعَظَمَةُ كُلُّها وَ لَكَ الدُّنْيا كُلُّها وَ لَكَ الاْخِرَةُ كُلُّها و لَكَ اللَّيْلُ وَالنَّهارُ كُلُّهُ وَ لَكَ الْخَلْقُ كُلُّهُ وَ بِيَدِكَ الْخَيْرُ كُلُّهُ وَ اِلَيْكَ يَرْجِعُ الاَمْرُ كُلُّهُ عَلانِيَتُهُ وَ سِرُّهُ اَللّهُمَّ لَكَ الْحَمْدُ حَمْداً اَبَداً اَنْتَ حَسَنُ الْبَلاَّءِ جَليلُ الثَّناءِ سابِغُ النَّعْم آءِعَدْلُ الْقَضآءِ جَزيلُ الْعَطآءِ حَسَنُ الاْلاَّءِ اِلهٌ فِى الاَرْضِ وَ اِلهٌ فِى السَّمآءِ اَللّهُمَّ لَكَ الْحَمْدُ فِى السَّبْعِ الشِّدادِ وَ لَكَ الْحَمْدُ فِى الاَرْضِ الْمِهادِ وَ لَكَ الْحَمْدُ طاقَةَ الْعِبادِ وَ لَكَ الْحَمْدُ سَعَةَ الْبِلادِ وَ لَكَ الْحَمْدُ فِى الْجِبالِ الاَوْتادِ وَ لَكَ الْحَمْدُ فِى اللَّيْلِ اِذا يَغْشى وَ لَكَ الْحَمْدُ فِى النَّهارِ اِذا تَجَلّى وَ لَكَ الْحَمْدُ فِى الاْخِرَةِ وَ الاُولى وَ لَكَ الْحَمْدُ فِى الْمَثانى وَالْقُرْآنِ الْعَظيمِ، وَ سُبْحانَ اللّٰهِ وَ بِحَمْدِهِ وَالاَرْضُ جَميعاً قَبْضَتُهُ يَوْمَ الْقِيمَةِ وَالسَّمواتُ مَطْوِيّاتٌ بِيَمينِهِ سُبْحانَهُ وَ تَعالى عَمّا يُشْرِكُونَ سُبْحانَ اللّٰهِ وَ بِحَمْدِهِ كُلُّ شَيْئٍ هالِكٌ اِلاّ وَجْهَهُ سُبْحانَكَ رَبَّنا وَ تَعالَيْتَ وَ تَبارَكْتَ وَ تَقَدَّسْتَ خَلَقْتَ كُلَّ شَيْئٍ بِقُدْرَتِكَ وَ قَهَرْتَ كُلَّ شَيْئٍ بِعِزَّتِكَ وَ عَلَوْتَ فَوْقَ كُلِّ شَيْئٍ بِارْتِفاعِكَ وَ غَلَبْتَ كُلَّشَيْئٍ بِقُوَّتِكَ وَ ابْتَدَعْتَ كُلَّشَيْئٍ بِحِكْمَتِكَ وَ عِلْمِكَ وَ بَعَثْتَ الرُّسُلَ بِكُتُبِكَ وَ هَدَيْتَ الصّالِحينَبِاِذْنِكَ وَ اَيَّدْتَ الْمُؤْمنينَ بِنَصْرِكَ وَ قَهَرْتَ الْخَلْقَ بِسُلْطانِكَ لا اِلهَ اِلاّ اَنْتَ وَحْدَكَ لا شَريكَ لَكَ لا نَعْبُدُ غَيْرَكَ وَلانَسْئَلُ اِلاّ اِيّاكَ وَلانَرْغَبُ اِلاّ اِلَيْكَ اَنْتَ مَوْضِعُ شَكْوانا وَ مُنْتَهى رَغْبَتِنا وَ اِلهُنا وَ مَليكُنا

LIGHTENING FAST PRAYER (FOR WORLDLY DESIRES)

Fourteenth: It is reported that a man came to Imam ‘Ali Amir al-Mu’minin (‘a) and complained about the delay in response of his prayers.

“Have you tried the swift-responded prayer?” Imam ‘Ali (‘a) asked.

“What prayer do you mean?” asked the man.

Imam ‘Ali (‘a) thus taught him to say this supplicatory prayer:

اَللّهُمَّ اِنّى اَسْئَلُكَ بِاسْمِكَ الْعَظيمِ الاَعْظَمِ الاَجَلِّ الاَكْرَمِ الْمَخْزوُنِ الْمَكْنُونِ النُّورِ الْحَقِّ الْبُرْهانِ الْمُبينَ الَّذى هُوَ نُورٌ مَعَ نُورٍ وَ نُورٌ مِنْ نُورٍ وَ نُورٌ فى نُورٍ وَ نُورٌ عَلى كُلِّ نُورٍ وَ نُورٌ فَوْقَ كُلِّ نُورٍ وَ نُورٌ تُضيئُ بِهِ كُلُّ ظُلْمَةٍ وَ يُكْسَرُ بِهِ كُلُّ شِدَّةٍ وَ كُلُّ شَيْطانٍ مَريدٍ وَ كُلُّ جَبارٍ عَنيدٍ لا تَقِرُّبِهِ اَرْضٌ وَلايَقُومُ بِهِ سَمآءٌ وَ يَاْمَنُ بِهِ كُلُّ خآئِفٍ وَ يَبْطُلُ بِهِ سِحْرُ كُلِّ ساحِرٍ وَ بَغْىُ كُلِّ باغٍ وَ حَسَدُ كُلِّ حاسِدٍ وَ يَتَصَدَّعُ لِعَظَمَتِهِ الْبَرُّ وَالْبَحْرُ وَ يَسْتَقِلُّ بِهِ الْفُلْكُ حينَ يَتَكَلَّمُ بِهِ الْمَلَكُ فَلا يَكُونُ لِلْمَوْجِ عَلَيْهِ سَبيلٌ وَ هُوَ اسْمُكَ الاَعْظَمُ الاَعْظَمُ الاَجَلُّ الاَجَلُّ النُّورُ الاَكْبَرُ الَّذى سَمَّيْتَ بِهِ نَفْسَكَ وَاسْتَوَيْتَ بِهِ عَلى عَرْشِكَ وَ اَتَوَجَّهُ اِلَيْكَ بِمُحَمَّدٍ وَ اَهْلِ بَيْتِهِ وَاَسْئَلُكَ بِكَ وَ بِهِمْ اَنْ تُصَلِّىَ عَلى مُحَمَّدٍ وَ آلِ مُحَمَّدٍ وَ اَنْ تَفْعَلَ بى كَذا وَ كَذا

You may now submit your requests.

Fifteenth: ‘Amr ibn Abi’l-Miqdam has reported the following: Imam al-Sadiq (‘a) dictated this supplicatory prayer, which achieves benefits for this world and the other world: After praising and thanking Almighty Allah, you may say this:

اَللّهُمَّ اَنْتَ اللّٰهُ لا اِلهَ اِلاّ اَنْتَ الْحَليمُ الْكَريمُ وَ اَنْتَ اللّٰهُ لا اِلهَ اِلاّ اَنْتَ الْعَزيزُ الْحَكيمُ وَ اَنْتَ اللّٰهُ لا اِلهَ اِلاّ اَنْتَ الْواحِدُ الْقَهّارُ وَ اَنْتَ اللّٰهُ لا اِلهَ اِلاّ اَنْتَ الْمَلِكُ الْجَبّارُ وَ اَنْتَ اللّٰهُ لا اِلهَ اِلاّ اَنْتَ الرَّحيمُ الْغَفّارُ وَ اَنْتَ اللّٰهُ لا اِلهَ اِلاّ اَنْتَ الشَّديدُ الْمِحالُ وَ اَنْتَ اللّٰهُ لا اِلهَ اِلاّ اَنْتَ الْكَبيرُ الْمُتَعالِ وَ اَنْتَ اللّٰهُ لا اِلهَ اِلاّ اَنْتَ السَّميعُ الْبَصيرُ وَ اَنْتَ اللّٰهُ لا اِلهَ اِلاّ اَنْتَ الْمَنيعُ الْقَديرُ وَ اَنْتَ اللّٰهُ لا اِلهَ اِلاّ اَنْتَ الْغَفُورُ الشَّكُورُ وَ اَنْتَ اللّٰهُ لا اِلهَ اِلاّ اَنْتَ الْحَميدُ الْمَجيدُ وَ اَنْتَ اللّٰهُ لا اِلهَ اِلاّ اَنْتَ الْغَنِىُّ الْحَميدُ وَ اَنْتَ اللّٰهُ لا اِلهَ اِلاّ اَنْتَ الْغَفُورُ الْوَدُودُ وَ اَنْتَ اللّٰهُ لا اِلهَ اِلاّ اَنْتَ الْحَنّانُ الْمَنّانُ وَ اَنْتَ اللّٰهُ لا اِلهَ اِلاّ اَنْتَ الْحَليمُ الدَّيّانُ وَ اَنْتَ اللّٰهُ لا اِلهَ اِلاّ اَنْتَ الْجَوادُ الْماجِدُ، وَ اَنْتَ اللّٰهُ لا اِلهَ اِلاّ اَنْتَ الْواحِدُ الاَحَدُ وَ اَنْتَ اللّٰهُ لا اِلهَ اِلاّ اَنْتَ الْغائِبُ الشّاهِدُ وَ اَنْتَ اللّٰهُ لا اِلهَ اِلاّ اَنْتَ الظّاهِرُ الْباطِنُ وَ اَنْتَ اللّٰهُ لا اِلهَ اِلاّ اَنْتَ بِكُلِّشَيْئٍ عَليمٌ تَمَّ نُورُكَ فَهَدَيْتَ وَ بَسَطْتَ يَدَكَ فَاَعْطَيْتَ رَبَّنا وَجْهُكَ اَكْرَمُ الْوُجُوهِ وَجَهَتُكَ خَيْرُ الْجِهاتِ وَ عَطِيَّتُكَ اَفْضَلُ الْعَطايا وَ اَهْنَاُها تُطاعُ رَبَّنا فَتَشْكُرُ وَ تُعْصى رَبَّنا فَتَغْفِرُ لِمَنْ شِئْتَ تُجيبُ الْمُضْطَرّينَ وَ تَكْشِفُ السُّوءَ وَ تَقْبَلُ التَّوْبَةَ وَ تَعْفُو عَنِ الذُّنُوبِ لا تُجازى اَياديكَ وَلاتُحْصى نِعَمُكَ وَلايَبْلُغُ مِدْحَتَكَ قَوْلُ قآئلٍ. اَللّهُمَّ صَلِّ عَلى مُحَمَّدٍ وَ آلِ مُحَمَّدٍ وَعَجِّلْ فَرَجَهُمْ وَ رَوْحَهُمْ وَ راحَتَهُمْ وَ سُرُورَهُمْ وَاَذِقْنى طَعْمَ فَرَجِهِمْ وَ اَهْلِكْ اَعْدآئَهُمْ مِنَ الْجِنِّ وَالاِنْسِ وَ آتِنا فِى الدُّنْيا حَسَنَةً وَ فِى الاْخِرَةِ حَسَنَةً وَ قِنا عَذابَ النّارِ وَاجْعَلْنا مِنَ الَّذينَ لاخَوْفٌ عَلَيْهِمْ وَلاهُمْ يَحْزَنُونَ وَاجْعَلْنى مِنَ الَّذينَ صَبَرُوا وَ عَلى رَبِّهِمْ يَتَوَكَّلُونَ وَ ثَبِّتْنى بِالْقَوْلِ الثّابِتِ فِى الْحَيوةِ الدُّنْيا وَ فِى الاْخِرَةِ وَ بارِكْ لى فِى الْمَحْيا وَ الْمَماتِ وَالْمَوْقِفِ وَالنُّشُورِ وَ الْحِسابِ وَالميزانِ وَ اَهْوالِ يَوْمِ الْقِيمَةِ وَ سَلِّمْنى عَلَى الصِّراطِ وَ اَجِزْنى عَلَيْهِ وَارْزُقْنى عِلْماً نافِعاً وَ يَقيناً صادِقاً وَ تُقىً وَ بِرّاً وَ وَرَعاً وَ خَوْفاً مِنْكَ وَ فَرَقاً يُبَلِّغُنى مِنْكَ زُلْفى وَلايُباعِدُنى عَنْكَ وَاحْبِبْنى وَلاتُبْغِضْنى وَ تَوَلَّنى وَلاتَخْذُلْنى وَ اَعْطِنى مِنْ جَميعِ خَيْرِ الدُّنْيا وَالاْخِرَةِ ما عَلِمْتُ مِنْهُ وَ مالَمْ اَعْلَمْ وَ اَجِرْنى مِنَ السُّوءِ كُلِّهِ بِحَذا فيرِهِ ما عَلِمْتُ مِنْهُ وَ مالَمْ اَعْلَمْ

Sixteenth: Mu’awiyah ibn ‘Ammar has reported that he once asked Imam al-Sadiq (‘a) to teach him exclusively a special supplicatory prayer. The Imam (‘a) therefore taught him to say this:

يا واحِدُ يا ماجِدُ يا اَحَدُ يا صَمَدُ يا مَنْ لَمْ يَلِدْ وَ لَمْ يُولَدْ وَ لَمْ يَكُنْ لَهُ كُفُواً اَحَدٌ يا عَزيزُ يا كَريمُ يا حَنّانُ يا سامِعَ الدَّعَواتِ يا اَجْوَدَ مَنْ سُئِلَ وَ يا خَيْرَ مَنْ اَعْطى يا اَللَّهُ يا اَللَّهُ يا اَللَّهُ قُلْتَ (وَ لَقَدْنا دانا نُوحٌ فَلَنِعْمَ الْمُجيبُونَ )

Commenting on this sentence, Imam al-Sadiq (‘a) said, “Upon hearing this verse, the Holy Prophet (s) used to say:

نَعَمْ لَنِعْمَ الْمُجيبُ اَنْتَ وَ نِعْمَ الْمَدْعُوُّ وَ نِعْمَ الْمَسْؤُلُ اَسْئَلُكَ بِنُورِ وَجْهِكَ وَ اَسْئَلُكَ بِعِزَّتِكَ وَ قُدْرَتِكَ وَ جَبَروُتِكَ وَ اَسْئَلُكَ بِمَلَكُوتِكَ وَ دِرْعِكَ الْحَصينَةِ وَ بِجَمْعِكَ وَ اَرْكانِكَ كُلِّها وَ بِحَقِّ مُحَمَّدٍ وَ بِحَقِّ الاَوْصِيآءِ بَعْدَ مُحَمَّدٍ اَنْ تُصَلِّىَ عَلى مُحَمَّدٍ وَ آلِ مُحَمَّدٍ وَ اَنْ تَفْعَلَ بى كَذا وَ كَذا

You may now submit your requests.

Seventeenth: A man from al-Kufah city, named Abu-Ja’far, is reported to have asked Imam al-Sadiq (‘a) to teach him a supplicatory prayer to say. The Imam (‘a) thus taught him to say this:

يا مَنْ اَرْجُوهُ لِكُلِّ خَيْرٍ وَ يا مَنْ امَنُ سَخَطَهُ عِنْدَ كُلِّ عُسْرَةٍ وَ يا مَنْ يُعْطى بِالْقَليلِ الْكَثيرَ يا مَنْ اَعْطى مَنْ سَئَلَهُ تَحَنُّناً مِنْهُ وَ رَحْمَةً يا مَنْ اَعْطى مَنْ لَمْ يَسْئَلْهُ وَ لَمْ يَعْرِفْهُ صَلِّ عَلى مُحَمَّدٍ وَ آلِ مُحَمَّدٍ وَ اَعْطِنى بِمَسْئَلَتى مِنْ جَميعِ خَيْرِ الدُّنْيا وَ جَميعِ خَيْرِ الاْخِرَةِ فَاِنَّهُ غَيْرُ مَنْقُوصٍ ما اَعْطَيْتَنى وَ زِدْنى مِنْ سَعَةِ فَضْلِكَ يا كَريمُ

Eighteenth: Imam al-Baqir (‘a) is reported to have instructed his brother, ‘Abdullah ibn ‘Ali, to say this supplicatory prayer:

اَلّلهُمَّ ارْفَعْ ظَنّى صاعِدا وَلاتُطْمِعْ فِىَّ عَدُوّاً وَ لاحاسِداً وَاْحْفَظْنى قآئِماً وَ قاعِداً وَ يَقْظانَ وَ راقِداً اَللّهُمَّ اغْفِرْلى وَارْحَمْنى وَاهْدِنى سَبيلَكَ الاَقْوَمَ وَ قِنى حَرَّ جَهَنَّمَوَاحْطُطْ عَنِّى الْمَغْرَمَ وَ الْمَاْثَمَ وَاجْعَلْنى مِنْ خِيارِ الْعالَمِ

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