Chapter 10: Ethics and Mysticism

In ʿAllāmah’s Presence · Questions 533–645

Spiritual Wayfaring

533. What are the stages of proceeding towards the Truth, absolute perfection, and a happy life?

Answer: Human soul is devoid of knowledge at birth, as it is mentioned in the Holy Qur’an: Allah has brought you forth from the bellies of your mothers while you did not know anything (). Humans lack perfection at birth in terms of knowledge and experience, but they are potentially in possession of all transitory states (ḥālāt) and permanent dispositions (malakāt). The way to pass through the stages of spiritual perfection towards the Truth is having faith, doing righteous deeds, connecting to God and those who are near most to Him, constant remembrance of God, and inward attentiveness to the divine presence.

God Almighty says: So whoever expects to encounter his Lord let him act righteously (); Lo! To Allah do all matters return! (). It will be at the final stage of the spiritual journey towards perfection that one will witness the truth and oneness of God by the inner eye: We have removed your veil from you, and so your sight is acute today ().

534. What are the stages and requirements of the spiritual journey towards God?

Answer: A wayfarer first departs the world of nature and multiplicities, and steps in the intermediate realm (barzakh) of archetypal images (mithāl). Then he will be guided by the master’s instructions, as we have been told and seen, to enter the world of immaterial intellects (al-tajarrud al-ʿaqlānī). And that the terminus is towards your Lord ().

In all stages of the spiritual journey, a crucial asset that a wayfarer must always maintain is detachment and giving up. That is, one should let go of everything and should see the fact of the matter: that nothing belongs to him, but God is the owner of everything. A wayfarer needs to always bear in mind that: To Allah belongs whatever is in the heavens and whatever is in the earth (, , and more).

This is the meaning of true servitude to God—that one attains a station where one regards God as absolutely needless, and oneself and all other creatures as needy in their very essence and existence. This is called annihilation (fanāʾ), where one witnesses the absolute oneness of God reflecting in all realms of existence, and sees every being as a manifestation of God, as He says: To Allah belongs whatever is in the heavens and whatever is in the earth. God Almighty also says: Lo! All creation and command belong to Him. Blessed is Allah, the Lord of all the worlds (); And one whom Allah has not granted any light has no light ().

535. How can one become Godlike in terms of one’s moral character (called takhalluq bi-akhlāq Allāh)?

Answer: All moral virtues as well as practical religious injunctions are based on the monotheistic makeup and disposition (fiṭrah) of the human being, as reflected in the verse: So set your heart on the religion as a people of pure faith, the origination of Allah according to which He originated humankind (). Accordingly, the way to be Godlike in terms of moral character is through belief and righteous deeds. One should tear the veil of doubt and advance towards the light of certitude. One must pass the darkness of hesitation and connect to one’s monotheistic disposition. If one’s pristine insight is untainted by dust, all his deeds, words, and spiritual states and stations will be in accordance with the innate human nature (as in the case of the prophets and their successors). Such person would know what to say and what not to say, what to do and what not to do, how to be and how not to be.

536. What is the path leading to spiritual excellence?

Answer: As reflected in the Holy Qur’an and the Sunnah, the path leading to spiritual excellence is to completely sever oneself from everything besides God. What this means is the removal of attachments. It means cutting away from all things, including one’s self and wants.

537. The Qur’an says: As for those who strive in Us, We shall surely guide them in Our ways (). Given the plural form of “ways” (subul), does it mean that there are multiple paths which lead to divine proximity?

Answer: According to a tradition, “The paths towards God are as many as the number [or breaths] of people.” Therefore, each and every person follows their own path towards God.

538. Could we say that there’s a particular path to be followed by each individual, a path which is different from the shariah (divine law)?

Answer: If so, then what’s the point of the shariah?! Rather, the above statement is about the paths leading to knowing God, as obtained from the words of the Prophet and the imams. There are as many paths of divine knowledge as the number of people. One of these paths is maʿrifat al-nafs (self-knowledge, knowing one’s soul), which is the best way. There are other paths as well.

In other words, we find different ways towards divine proximity in the teachings of the Prophet and the imams. All of these are part of the shariah. The way of self-knowledge is also found in the Qur’an and the Sunnah. In spite of this, some Sunni scholars have maintained that self-knoweldge is not mentioned in the shariah, even though it is the fastest way towards divine proximity. They maintain that the mystics have adopted this path on their own, but God has approved it nonetheless. In the same way, each master of spirituality and Sufism has commanded his disciples to follow a particular path which he deemed to be the best path leading to divine proximity. This is the meaning of ṭarīqah (spiritual path). This tendency [to separate between the ṭarīqah and the shariah] has eventually led to the view that shariah and ṭarīqah are at two opposite ends of the spectrum. However, the correct view is that this path [of self-knowledge] is to be found in the Qur’an and hadith.

539. What makes one qualified for God’s love?

Answer: Remembering Him at all times. Remembrance of God leads to increase in knowledge [of Him], which in turn results in increase in affection, until the wayfarer attains the stage of annihilation, where his heart will no longer entertain fear of undesirable events. God Almighty says: Lo! The friends of Allah will indeed have no fear nor will they grieve ().

540. Will it be beneficial to ask God for the “praiseworthy station” (al-maqām al-maḥmūd)? Is it possible for anybody besides the Messenger of God to be raised to such station [as mentioned in verse ]?

Answer: Yes, why not? It’s possible for the followers of the Infallibles to be raised by God to that station. The primary and essential holders of that station are the Infallibles, but their followers may also reach it by following their footsteps. Firstly, the Noble Prophet was raised to that station, who was followed by Imam ʿAlī, the other Infallible imams, and the chosen friends of God.

541. What are the degrees of certitude (yaqīn)? Could you elaborate on them?

Answer: There are three degrees of certitude: knowledge of certitude (ʿilm al-yaqīn), vision of certitude (ʿayn al-yaqīn), and certitude by realization (ḥaqq al-yaqīn). Knowledge of certitude occurs when one becomes certain of something without any doubt. In this kind of awareness, however, one fails to feel the invisible. For instance, one may know that a patient is in pain.

Vision of certitude is higher in degree, in that one understands something invisible to him with certainty. For instance, a patient feels that he is in pain and is afflicted with some disease.

Certitude by realization occurs when one’s existence unites with certitude, and one’s essence blends in with certainty. For instance, when a moth sees a candle from afar, it has knowledge of certitude [about the fire]. When it approaches the candle, it acquires vision of certitude [by feeling the heat]. Certitude by realization occurs when its certitude [about the heat and flame of the fire] is actualized, in that the moth burns in the candle flame.

(In another occasion, ʿAllāmah Ṭabāṭabāʾī illustrated this by another example as follows) When one understands for sure that fire burns, it is knowledge of certitude. When one touches the flame or a burning charcoal and feels that it burns his finger, it is vision of certitude. If the person is completely immersed in fire and thoroughly burns in it—like a charcoal that is thoroughly set aflame without leaving anything aside—that is certitude by realization.

542. What did Abraham intend by saying: And when Abraham said, “My Lord! Show me how You revive the dead” ()? Did he not believe in the Resurrection and the raising of the dead?

Answer: His question was about how the dead are raised; that is why he said, Show me how You revive the dead (). He intended to settle the wavering of his heart by witnessing the raising of the dead. Such incoming thoughts which unsettle the mind can be best wiped out by observation rather than expression. He was possessed of knowledge of certitude (ʿilm al-yaqīn), but he sought the truth of certainty (ḥaqq al-yaqīn).

When he called the birds, the entire process was unveiled to him and he realized how the dead are actually resurrected. Therefore, he did not deny the Resurrection, but he inquired about its manner and sought to perceive its process. Thus it was shown to him and he observed it.

543. What is intended by this supplication: “O Lord! Place me with them [Muḥammad and his family] in every hardship and comfort, and in every affliction and ease”?215

Answer: It implies that the followers of the Noble Prophet and his Infallible Household should follow their example in exercising fortitude in times of hardship and comfort. This it is reflected in the verse: In the Messenger of Allah there is certainly for you a good exemplar (). One needs to exercise patience in the face of vicissitudes, abstain from restlessness, and totally submit to the will of God. One needs to express gratitude to God at the time of welfare and comfort, not develop an attachment to ease, and not plunge heedlessly in pleasures. In short, one should remember God at all times. God tells us in the Qur’an: Say, “If you love Allah, then follow me; Allah will love you” ().

544. Is it permissible to perform belated obligatory prayers instead of establishing supererogatory prayers?

Answer: It’s an obligation to perform belated obligatory prayers. Nonetheless, establishing daily supererogatory prayers is not to be undervalued either. One shouldn’t argue that “instead of performing the optional night prayer, I will do my missing obligatory prayers.” The spiritual light obtained through performing supererogatory prayers would lead believers to act upon their obligations and even to avert from committing unlawful acts. Accordingly, one should not underestimate them, and should not deprive oneself of their benefits.

Assess yourself in this regard: compare a day when you had the chance to do the optional night prayer with a day that you didn’t. See how the two days differed. You will realize that on the day following a night of prayer, you have more success and ease in doing righteous deeds. On the other hand, when you haven’t done the night prayer, you’re more likely to fail during the day, and will hit a dead end in whatever you do.

545. What is intended by ḥāl (spiritual state) in the nomenclature of mystics?

Answer: That is what you and people like you experience.Ḥāl is the attraction of love. We read in Duʿāʾ Kumayl, “Make my heart infatuated with Your love!”

546. What is intended by this tradition: “One who finds himself to be great, will be cursed by angels of the heaven and the earth”?

Answer: This narration is about seeing oneself greater and better than others, which amounts to arrogance. That is what led Iblīs (Satan) to disbelief, whereby he was cursed and driven from the presence, compassion, and blessing of God, as reflected in these verses: He [Iblīs] acted arrogantly and he was one of the faithless (, ); And indeed My curse will be on you [O Iblīs] till the Day of Retribution ().

Divine compassion and bounties in the other world will be bestowed on those who do not suffer from such delusions of grandeur, as reflected in the verse: That is the abode of the hereafter which We shall grant to those who do not desire to domineer in the earth nor to cause corruption ().

547. Since we make a public display of our achievements and merits, are we all entangled with such delusions of conceit?

Answer: If we act like that, then we suffer from this vice, unless we attain a high station of monotheism, where we attribute all our achievements and merits to God, not to ourselves. That is when we realize and see that God is the sole possessor of all existential perfections in us and in others. In that case, there will no longer be any room for display of achievements, conceit, and boast. God Almighty says: To Allah belongs whatever is in the heavens and whatever is in the earth ( and more).

Sometimes we feel superiority when we ascend a pulpit, move from a small mosque to a bigger one, find more people gathering around us, and find ourselves seated in a top position in a meeting. We feel peace of mind because of these, failing to realize that: Lo! The hearts find rest in Allah’s remembrance! () and that: “God will raise one who is humble for the sake of God, and will abase one who is arrogant.”

Knowledge and Action

548. Is there a correlation between knowledge and action, as well as their degrees?

Answer: There is a certain type of correlation between knowledge and action, where [true] knowledge calls for action.

549. Is knowledge a complete cause for action?

Answer: It’s not a complete cause, nor can it be as such. God says: They impugned them though they were convinced in their hearts wrongfully and defiantly (). Knowledge is a kind of requirement for action, rather than being its complete cause. The verse says that even though Pharaoh and his people were convinced in their hearts, they denied the signs of God. Had there been some causality between knowledge and action, and had knowledge served as a [complete] cause, there would have been no violation of such chain of causality. Hence, knowledge is not the complete cause of action.

550. Perhaps if they [Pharaoh and his people] had truly attained knowledge [of the truth], they wouldn’t have denied the truth.

Answer: But God Almighty says: Though they were convinced in their hearts (). Being convinced means having knowledge.

551. What leads someone to act against one’s knowledge?

Answer: One’s desires, self-interest and carnal pleasures motivate one to act contrary to what he knows deep inside to be true. These incentives give rise to will and volition.

552. Is it possible for the human soul to act unknowingly?

Answer: The human soul is in charge of one’s faculties and emotions, and it dispenses bodily affairs [to different organs]. Accordingly, all actions, directly or indirectly, arise from the soul. However, not everything that one does is according to one’s knowledge. Some examples are: denial [of something that is known to be true] (juḥūd), commitment [of oneself to something that has not been ascertained] (iltizām), conviction [to a belief without proof] (tajazzum), and supposition [of some premise without evidence] (tabānī).

553. Doesn’t denial emanate from knowledge?

Answer: In the strict sense, it cannot be considered as a volitional act that is preceded by knowledge. It lacks the preliminary causal stages of volitional acts such as knowledge of the benefit of the act, desire for the benefit, and so on.

554. What is the sign of God’s acceptance of our devotional acts?

Answer: It is narrated that such devotional acts cause some kind of humbleness and awe before God.

555. What happens if one does an act of devotion, like pilgrimage, but then sells it to others out of derision and disdain?

Answer: In the old days, once someone spent 1,080 rials on going to pilgrimage to Mashhad, but then he disdainfully said that he would sell it for 2 rials. In such cases, the person deprives himself of God’s reward, since such person has lost his faith in divine rewards for good deeds. The good deeds of the disbelievers will be void, as God says: Then We shall attend to the works they have done and then turn them into scattered dust ().

556. Would it be possible to compensate for one’s faults and ingratitude by doing acts of worship such as prayer?

Answer: Quite so! God Almighty says: Indeed good deeds efface misdeeds (). Our acts of obedience or disobedience to God impact people, just as even a single breath would make ripples on water. Actions have impacts on every particle in the world, including one’s soul, let alone one’s body and limbs.

We Muslims fail to show our gratitude for divine blessings and fail to use our organs, particularly our hearts, to act in the way of God’s satisfaction, and to thank Him for His outward and inward blessings. However, our Wise and Compassionate Lord has rendered upon us obligations and acts of worship—such as the daily prayer, which itself is a collection of acts—to assist us with expressing our gratitude to Him through our limbs and organs. These acts are a means of effacing our self-conceit and neglect, and a way of compensating our ingratitude, through humbleness and attentiveness towards God.

It’s in so doing that we may efface the negative effects of those misdeeds and replace them with positive effects. God Almighty says: Indeed good deeds efface misdeeds (). It is narrated that every daily prayer effaces sins committed from the time of the previous daily prayer. The daily prayers are also compared to bathing water or a pure stream that flows beside one’s home, where one may bathe five times a day and purify oneself of impurities.

557. Would it be possible to donate and dedicate an act of worship to others as a gift?

Answer: One may do so for optional pilgrimage and some supererogatory acts of devotion. There are also some narrations in this regard.

558. Why do we not act despite the fact that we have heard so many teachings, advices and admonitions?

Answer: Rather man is a witness to himself, though he should offer his excuses (). We have no good deeds of ourselves, but we should set our hopes on God’s grace. When we look at ourselves, we find nothing but darkness, but we’re in the presence of God, Who is nothing but compassion and munificence.

559. Could scientific problems be solved through purification of the soul?

Answer: Many scientific problems may be solved by purification of the self and sincerity of the heart. It is reported that Ibn Sīnā reflected on a problem forty times, but he failed to find a solution to it. Then he performed two units of prayer after making ablution, whereby he found the solution.

Sin and Repentance

560. What is perfect repentance? What is true knowledge?

Answer: Perfect repentance is not possible for everyone, since repentance is to turn to God’s ʿizzah (might, glory), which amounts to the servant’s self-restraint. Due to His absolute might, God doesn’t like any creature to say “I” and be arrogant before Him. A repentant person is supposed to attain a stage where he sees nobody besides God, not even himself. Similarly, divine knowledge may not be attained without having reached the stage of ʿizzah. This is reflected in the supplication for the month of Shaʿbān (called Munājāt Shaʿbāniyyah), narrated from the infallible imams: “Admit me to the bright light of Your glory, so that I may know You and turn away from whatever is besides You!” That is, so that I may turn away from whatever is besides You and not see anything besides You.

561. What are the stages of repentance?

Answer: Repentance lies in two turnings of God towards His servant, and one tuning of the repentant servant towards his Lord. In the first stage, God causes the servant to see his sin and turn towards Him. As a result, the servant turns towards God in repentance. Then, God turns towards the servant and forgives his sin. The Holy Qur’an says: Certainly Allah turned clemently to the Prophet and the Emigrants and the Helpers, who followed him in the hour of difficulty, after the hearts of a part of them were about to swerve. Then He turned clemently to them indeed He is most kind and merciful to them ().

562. Does the sinning of humankind affect the universe? For instance, are the eclipses of the moon and the sun a consequence of our deeds?

Answer: Even a straw moving at the bottom of a well causes some ripples which affect all beings all the way to the heavens. The Qur’an says: If the people of the towns had been faithful and Godwary, We would have opened to them blessings from the heaven and the earth (). Based on this verse, there is some relationship between Godwariness (taqwá) and receiving divine blessings, and between sinning and being deprived of God’s bounties. Therefore, human deeds also have some impact on lunar and solar eclipses, which are nevertheless among the blessings of God. It is reported by astronomers that some plants and animals are adversely affected by lunar eclipses for a period of three months, let alone solar eclipses, which results in deprivation of sunlight.

563. We read in Duʿāʾ Kumayl: “O Lord! Forgive my sins which rend the veils asunder! O Lord! Forgive my sins which afflict me with torments!” Could we say that every sin entail a unique consequence?

Answer: That is true. Various sins entail various consequences and effects. Each sin causes its particular effect, as some of them are mentioned in this supplication [of Kumayl].

564. Is God’s forgiveness only applicable when some sin has been committed—as a prerequisite for God to absolve sinners of their sins?

Answer: Committing a sin is not a required condition for divine forgiveness. The Holy Qur’an also talks about forgiveness for misdeeds that are committed at the times of emergency and dire need, which are not reckoned to be sins: But should anyone be compelled by hunger [to eat what is unlawful], without inclining to sin, then Allah is indeed All-Forgiving, All-Merciful ().

565. How does repentance erase the sins such that the repenter no longer faces any torment?

Answer: Repentance causes God to be pleased with the repenter. In this sense, repentance may be compared to abundant water (called kurr) which purifies everything. God Almighty says: Indeed Allah loves those who repent, and He loves those who keep clean ().

566. For instance, how may someone who has sinned for seventy years be absolved of all his misdeeds through repentance?

Answer: When God is satisfied with a sinner’s repentance, He will turn his misdeeds into good deeds by addressing them [through a creational command]: “Turn into good deeds (kūnī ḥasanāt).” The Qur’an says: Except for those who repent, attain faith, and act righteously. For such, Allah will replace their misdeeds with good deeds, and Allah is All-Forgiving, All-Merciful (). In contrast, there is elimination of good deeds as a consequence of disbelief and polytheism (called ḥabṭ).

567. Does this not entail essential transformation (inqilāb al-māhiyyah)?

Answer: No. Initially, God is dissatisfied with the servant’s action [not with the servant’s essence]. Thus, as the person repents and qualifies for God’s satisfaction, his essence is purified. Once one’s essence is purified, the effects and actions which emanate from a pure essence will also be pure.

568. In Munājāt Shaʿbāniyyah we read: “O Lord! I would never suspect that You decline a request for which I have invoked You all my life.” What is this request which is made for a life time?

Answer: It is divine forgiveness.

Remembrance and Meditation

569. What is intended by dhikr (remembrance, recollection) in the verse: [There are] men whom neither trading nor bargaining distracts from the remembrance of Allah, and the maintenance of prayer and the giving of zakāh ()? Is it verbal remembrance or remembrance by the heart?

Answer: Remembrance by heart is here intended, since it is juxtaposed with maintenance of prayer and the giving of zakāh, which are remembrance of God by words and bodily movements. Establishing the prayer (ṣalāh), in particular, is a verbal remembrance of God, which is referred to as remembrance of Allah in the verse: Hasten towards the remembrance of Allah (, which is specifically about the Friday prayer).

Accordingly, dhikr Allāh, in contradistinction with establishing the prayer and giving zakāh (the poor-rate), implies remembrance by the heart. The verse is about those whose hearts are not preoccupied by commercial transactions and do not forget to act upon their obligations. Thus they constantly seek nearness to God. The Qur’an says: Lo! The hearts find rest in Allah’s remembrance! ().

570. In your exegesis of the verse, But whoever disregards My remembrance…() you say, “The path leading to God is to remember Him. Worshiping God without the presence of the heart is tantamount to turning away from His remembrance.” Is this an accurate understanding of your commentary?

Answer: Yes, more or less.

571. Should one also turn away from those who fail to tread the path of God; that is, those who are disobedient to Him and neglect their obligations?

Answer: Yes, one needs to turn away from them as well. God says to the Noble Prophet: So avoid those who turn away from Our remembrance and desire nothing but the life of the world ().

572. Is this addressed to others as well?

Answer: Yes. In the Messenger of Allah there is certainly for you a good exemplar ().

573. What does it mean to turn away from those who are neglectful [of God and their religious obligations]?

Answer: It means that one should abstain from keeping their company and from following their footsteps.

574. What is the meaning of murāqabah (meditation, self-vigilance, watchfulness)?

Answer: Murāqabah is to be attentive inwardly towards God, and to turn to Him in all states. It’s through this virtue that a wayfarer may approach, or even attain, his goal. It means being mindful of God from the morning when one wakes up, until the night when he goes to bed. Thus, whatever the person says or does should be for God’s satisfaction. It’s to perceive that God is omnipresent; that He sees whatever one does. It’s to feel that one is in the presence of God. There is a narration in this regard which says: “Serve God as though you see Him—and if you cannot see Him, He nonetheless sees you.” Meditation is the key to all spirituality. Without proper meditation, any other practice or instruction in the spiritual path will be void and ineffective.

575. Could we say that the purpose of worship and obedience is to be mindful of God?

Answer: Absolutely! There’s no doubt about it. God says: All rule (ḥukm) belongs only to God (, , ). An example of ḥukm (rule, judgment, sovereignty, authority) is religion, including its commands and prohibitions. Therefore, religion belongs only to God, and this is only possible by being present and mindful of God [at all times].

576. The teachers of ethics and spirituality bid their disciples to utter certain invocations (sing. dhikr) and litanies (sing. wird) in their spiritual wayfaring. Could others utter those formulas as well, without having specific instruction from a master?

Answer: No, this is not permissible. Spiritual masters bid their disciples to utter those invocations and litanies as required by the specific spiritual state of each disciple. The same formula would be like a grenade in the hands of others. It can be dangerous for them without particular instruction.

577. If uttering these invocations and litanies are so perilous, how come the masters instruct them to their disciples without posing any danger to them?

Answer: The master’s hamm (attention, will, intention) safeguards his disciples against the perils.

578. What is intended by this supplication: “I seek refuge in You from a world (dunyā) which prevents a good hereafter, from a life prevents a good death, and from an ambition which prevents doing good deeds”?

Answer: It shows that this world, life, and ambitions are not absolutely evil and harmful altogether. That is why it is said, “I seek refuge in You from a world that serves as an impediment to otherworldly life and its bounties,” not from the world in an absolute sense. Similarly, “I seek refuge in You from a life that impedes me from being granted a good death,” not from life altogether. Finally, “I seek refuge in You from a plan that impedes me from doing good deeds” rather than from all hopes and plans whatsoever.

579. What is intended by this supplication: “O Lord! Do not make me forget Your remembrance in what You have authorized me over (mā awlaytanī)”?

Answer: Beginners on the path of spiritual knowledge and servitude, and even intermediate wayfarers, tend to forget God whenever they get a position and take of some responsibility. In this prayer we ask God for the removal of this impediment. It is to be noted that this supplication refers to our God-given authorization—indicated by mā awlaytanī. This “authority” (wilāyah) includes all matters that we are in charge of, like wealth, possessions, children, responsibilities, offices, as well as our parts and organs such as our hands, feet, ears, eyes, and tongue. It even includes our most ordinary physical functions like breathing and anything that pertains to the heart. Accordingly, we are supposed to remember God in every affair and condition. God Almighty says: Do not follow that of which you have no knowledge. Indeed the hearing, the eyesight, and the heart all of these are accountable ().

580. What is intended by this supplication: “O Lord! Do not make me forget Your beneficence is things that You have granted me” ?

Answer: Sometimes one is not forgetful of God, but he is forgetful of His bounties, which results in the person being ungrateful to God and failing to thank Him. It’s to be noted that God’s bounties are innumerable, as reflected in the verse: If you enumerate Allah’s blessings, you will not be able to count them (, ). Divine bounties include both outward and inward blessings, and expressing gratitude for them is to make use of them for the satisfaction of the One Who granted them. Therefore, we need to regard everything that we have as God’s blessings and bounties, and we need to express our gratitude to Him by making use of them in such manner that would secure His satisfaction.

581. What is intended by this prophetic tradition: “Watch God and He will watch you! Keep God and you will find Him before you” ?

Answer: This is part of the Prophet’s advice to Abū Dharr. It is an instruction of murāqabah (meditation, self-vigilance, watchfulness), which is to remember God and be attentive of Him in one’s heart at all times. Such alertness results in spiritual vision (mushāhadah).

582. Imam al-Ṣādiq said: “When one of you performs the minor ablution (wuḍūʾ) but fails to say, ‘In the name of God, the All-Merciful, the Ever-Merciful,’ Satan will be his partner in his minor ablution and prayer (ṣalāh). One should say, ‘In the name of God, the All-Merciful, the Ever-Merciful’ when having food or putting on clothes or doing anything else. If one fails to do so, Satan will be his partner in that act.” What is intended by this tradition?

Answer: Minor ablution and saying “In the name of God” are both divine lights. Failing to say the formula means missing the special light that it has. Performing the prayer is itself an instance of “In the name of God,” provided that its preceding purification happens to be luminous. The same is applicable to other things, like eating, drinking, and wearing clothes, which will have a spiritual impact on the person provided that one does them in the name of God. Alas, for we have spent our lives in pursuit of desires. Whatever we do must be organized and with spirit. It’s unfortunate that they’re not like that.

583. Which one is preferable: to keep vigil an hour or two before dawn (fajr) and then sleep between dawn and sunrise (bayn al-ṭulūʿayn), or to keep vigil half an hour before the time of Morning Prayer (adhān) and then stay up between dawn and sunrise?

Answer: It is makrūh (reprehensible, disapproved) to sleep between dawn and sunrise. Meanwhile, as a general rule, a wayfarer must carefully take his own spiritual condition and capacity into account in such matters and act accordingly.

584. What acts should we do in the month of Ramadan that would help us spiritually and make the holy month fruitful for us?

Answer: (ʿAllāmah pondered for a moment and then replied) This holy month is replete with acts of devotion, and that is part of God’s munificence in this month. For a wayfarer on the spiritual path, it is required to fully observe a state of murāqabah (meditation, self-vigilance, watchfulness) as he performs any act, including both devotional acts and other tasks. While fasting, one must pay heed to remember the hunger and thirst on the Day of Resurrection. One needs to be attentive to fast with all his bodily organs and limbs, as instructed in a number of traditions.

One needs to ponder on the meaning of the verses of the Qur’an. When he recites the Book of God, he should see it as God speaking with him; as if he’s listening to the source of revelation. One needs to read the prayers that have a monotheistic theme, such as Duʿāʾ Saḥar which starts with: “My God! I ask You by the most glorious of Your glory.” This applies to other matters as well. One needs to meditate on one’s spiritual state, for reflection is the key to the gates of divine beneficence and compassion. All acts of devotion will be fruitless without meditation (murāqabah). This is according to the verse: O you who have faith! Be wary of Allah, and let every soul consider what it sends ahead for tomorrow, and be wary of Allah. Allah is indeed well aware of what you do ().

585. What is intended by this couplet by Hafez?

It’s spring, so strive to be happy and glee,
for many springs shall come while in dust you’ll be.

Answer: Spring symbolizes the prime and joyous years of life. Addressed to the spiritual wayfarers, the poet is suggesting them to take advantage of their youth before the advent of the season of old age, as the prime of life is transient. He’s saying to the wayfarers that they should make the most of their life before death approaches them. Ḥafiẓ is bidding them to realize that their life is flying by. Thus they must take some steps towards eternal perfection and true happiness, which lie in the meeting of God, and which is the goal of our creation.

This theme is mentioned in a tradition which says: “Make the most of five things before five others: your prime before your death… and your life before your death…” The poet is bidding the wayfarers to efface neglect and distress from the heart by remembering God, meditating, turning their attention towards Him, and seeking nearness to Him. Thus they would attain peace of mind, happiness, and good life, which lie in meeting God. This is according to the verse: Lo! The hearts find rest in Allah’s remembrance! ().

586. What is intended by this hemistich by Hafez?

Drink wine to the beauty of faces like the moon!

Answer: “Drinking wine” refers to remembering God in one’s heart, inward attention [to the divine], and spiritual observation [of divine visions and spiritual manifestations]. The line is saying that when you want to remember God and call Him, be mindful of the beautiful moons of the world, which would be the Infallibles, who are divine lights. The line is bidding us to invoke God to answer our prayers while remembering these beloved beauties of God, as they are the perfect manifestations of His best names. It is narrated from the Infallible Imams, “We are the best names [of God].”238 God Almighty says: To Allah belong the Best Names, so supplicate Him by them (); Say, Invoke “Allah” or invoke “the All-Merciful.” Whichever [of His Names] you may invoke, to Him belong the Best Names ().

Accordingly, the line by Hafez is bidding us to invoke God—whenever we want to remember Him and seeking nearness to Him—by those who are nearest to Him. God Almighty says: And seek the means of recourse to Him ().

As Though you See God

587. What is iḥsān (good, excellence, virtue)?

Answer: It has been interpreted in a prophetic tradition as follows: “Iḥsān is to serve God as though you see Him—and if you cannot see Him, He nonetheless sees you.”

588. Is this tradition narrated through Shia transmission authorities?

Answer: I cannot recall; I saw it a long time ago. We [Shias] should have it too. I think it’s transmitted by both Sunni and Shia authorities.

589. Is it higher rank to “receive judgment and knowledge” [, , , , ] than to “be virtuous (muḥsin, from iḥsān)” [, ] in the sense of iḥsān mentioned above—“to serve God as though you see Him”?

Answer: There are different degrees of judgment and knowledge. They also differ with regards to how they apply to different virtuous individuals.

590. Is it be possible that “as though” (ka-anna) would change to “indeed” (anna) [in the previously mentioned hadith about “serving God as though you see Him”]?

Answer: The Noble Prophet asked a young man, “How are you?” The man replied, “… It is as though I see the Throne of my Lord set before me for the reckoning of deeds [on the Day of Resurrection]. It is as though I see the dwellers of paradise visiting one another there. It is as though I hear the howling of the dwellers of hell there.” He said as though he saw paradise and its dwellers, and hell and its dwellers. He didn’t say that he actually saw them.

591. Does this mean that he was referring to his understanding [as opposed to his vision] of the reality of the hereafter?

Answer: In the same narration the Prophet tells him, “There is a reality for any certitude” and “This is a servant whose heart has been illuminated by God.” These expressions show that it was a matter of spiritual vision (shuhūd, mushāhadah).

592. Is it not that “indeed” (anna) is higher than “as though” (ka-anna)?

Answer: Had he said, “Indeed” (inna) it would have implied that he saw a physical paradise and hell, but what he saw was the imaginal (mithālī) paradise and hell [which are higher than their physical reality].

593. It is narrated from Imam al-Ṣādiq: “I continued repeating the verse until I heard it from the One Who spoke it [that is, from God].” Isn’t it true that “I heard it from the One Who spoke it” is more advanced than “as though” (ka-anna) in the preceding tradition? After all, Imam al-Ṣādiq is higher in rank than “the virtuous” (muḥsinīn)?

Answer: The late Shaykh Bahāʾī narrates at the end of his Miftāḥ al-Falāḥ that Imam al-Ṣādiq repeated the verse, You [alone] do we serve () so many times that he lost consciousness. Upon regaining consciousness he said, “I repeated it until I heard it from the One Who spoke it.” This tradition does not show that he was above the virtuous in rank. The virtuous are those who serve God in such manner as though they see Him. Imam al-Ṣādiq said, “I continued repeating the verse until I heard it from the One Who spoke it.” These two are different in wording [and thus cannot be compared].

594. Did Ḥārithah b. Mālik wish to show the dwellers of paradise and hell to the Noble Prophet and tell him about what was behind the veil?

Answer: Yes, that is why the Prophet asked him to abstain from removing the veil any further by saying, “That’s enough!”

595. Doesn’t this part of the tradition indicate that his account was about his understanding [as opposed to his vision] of the reality of the hereafter?

Answer: Yes, apparently that’s the case.

596. Who is the source of true mystical knowledge: Imam ʿAlī or the Messenger of God? Did Ḥāirthah b. Mālik owe his spiritual growth to Imam ʿAlī?

Answer: Kumayl, Rushayd, Maytham al-Tammār, and some others have narrated mystical teachings from Imam ʿAlī. However, Imam ʿAlī himself, as well as the rest of the Prophet’s Companions, owed their spiritual growth to the Noble Prophet.

Real Life

597. What is intended by “good life” (ḥayāt ṭayyibah) in the verse:Whoever acts righteously, [whether] male or female, should he be faithful, We shall revive him with a good life ()?

Answer: It means spiritual life, which consists of proximity to God and intuitive vision (mushāhadah) [of Him]. The prerequisite of such good life is to serve God sincerely. Physical life lies in eating, sleeping, and the like, but spiritual life depends on doing certain deeds which result in intuitive vision of the Truth and nearness to Him.

598. What is intended by this verse:O you who have faith! Answer Allah and the Messenger when he summons you to that which will give you life ()?

Answer: This is addressed to the believers, and the preposition li- (lit. for) in li-mā means ilá (to, towards). So it means: “when you are called towards what gives you life.” The verse is saying, “O believers! Answer the call of God and His Messenger when they call you to what incorporates your life.” Life here implies spiritual life. The Messenger of God called the people to believe in a true religion, as reflected in the verse: While the Messenger invites you to have faith in your Lord ().

Since the verse [] is addressed to the believers, it is calling them to a higher, stronger and more perfect level of faith. It means being steadfast and established in monotheism. In this sense the verse is similar to the verse: O you who have faith! Have faith in Allah (), where the second “faith” means “greater faith.” That is the belief in divine oneness, which is the essence of the prophetic message, and was also the essence of the call of all prophets. That is the foundation of spiritual life, or the life of the heart. God says: We did not send any messenger before you but We revealed to him that “There is no god except Me, so worship Me” (). Accordingly, the life of the hearts is based on perfect belief in divine oneness, and the believers are called to embrace it in this verse [].

599. How may such good life be attained? What is the way to it?

Answer: This spiritual life may be attained through acquiring beneficial knowledge and doing righteous deeds, as outlined in the verse: Whoever acts righteously, [whether] male or female, should he be faithful, We shall revive him with a good life (). The spiritual life mentioned in this verse is the blessing of meeting with God (liqāʾ Allāh), as mentioned in the verse: So whoever expects to encounter his Lord let him act righteously, and not associate anyone with the worship of his Lord (). Each of these two verses is the logical converse (ʿaks) of the other. Accordingly, the verse in question [] is saying, “O believers! Answer the call of God and His Messenger when they call you to real Islam (submission), perfection of faith, and sincere belief in divine oneness, whereon the life of hearts depends.”

600. What is the difference between ʿaql (reason, intellect) and lubb (kernel, mind, intellect)?

Answer: ʿAql (reason) is what guides us to good and evil, but lubb (intellect) is what guides us to knowing God and religious truths. Ulū al-albāb (possessors of intellects) are those who have found the truth. God says: Indeed in the creation of the heavens and the earth and the alternation of night and day, there are signs for those who possess intellects. Those who remember Allah standing, sitting, and lying on their sides ().

In the sacred tradition of qurb al-nawāfil(proximity to God by doing supererogatory acts of devotion) God says: “Then I will be his ear by which he hears, his eyes by which he sees…” In the tradition of miʿrāj (ascension) God says: “I will completely sink his reason in knowledge of Me (maʿrifatī) and I will certainly take up the position of his reason.” This implies that “I am his reason by which he reasons.”

Fear of God

601. It is narrated from Imam al-Ṣādiq, “The fear of God is the beginning of wisdom.” What is intended by this tradition?

Answer: The tradition implies that wisdom may be attained by certain means, the highest of which in rank is the fear of God, which means an inner regard and awe for God.

602. What is the difference between khawf (fear, dread) and khashyah (fear, apprehension, awe)?

Answer: The former denotes the outward aspect, and the latter the inward aspect. The Holy Qur’an says: Only those of Allah’s servants having knowledge fear (yakhshá, from khashyah) Him (). If one is inwardly humble, he will also be outwardly humble, but not vice versa.

603. There is a narration which says, “God frightens those who do not fear Him.” What is intended by this tradition?

Answer: The tradition implies that one who doesn’t fear God will be driven to the lowest depth of degradation, such that everything will be superior to him. This is in line with the verse: Then We relegated him to the lowest of the low ().

Afflictions and Vicissitudes

604. How may one know that a certain hardship is a blessing or a punishment?

Answer: The world is not governed by a single principle. It’s rather governed by several principles, including the principle of granting blessings, the principle of punishing wrongdoers, and the principle of trial. God Almighty says: And We will test you (nablūkum, from balāʾ) with good and ill by way of trial, and to Us you will be brought back (). Balāʾ implies trial, as reflected in the verse: Indeed we have tested them (balawnāhum) just as We tested (balawnā) the Gardeners ().

605. How may we know that a certain affliction—say an illness—is a blessing and is good for us, so that we would not avert it? And how can we know that it’s a punishment from God, so that we may avert it?

Answer: One may more or less distinguish between the two by considering one’s heart and inward feelings. If we feel our heart to be serene and in a state of Godwariness, presence and nearness to God, then it we would know that our affliction is a divine blessing. But if our heart distressed and agitated, then the affliction is a punishment and evil. It is narrated that sometimes God afflicts a servant with some disease for one month so that the person would utter with sincerity, “O God (yā Allāh)!” It is also narrated—apparently from the Prophet—that “if you want to know what is your position with God, think about God’s position with you.”

606. It is reported that the late Sabzawārī’s son passed away but the father was not moved by it. How can one have such inner strength?

Answer: I remember studying Ibn Sīnā’s Shifāʾ under the late Sayyid Ḥusayn Bādkūbahʾī on the roof of the Bādkūbah School in Najaf. One day, just as he started the lecture, someone came with the sad news that his child had died. He calmly said, “I’ll be with you after my class.” He was not moved a bit by this news.

The late Sayyid ʿAlī Qāḍī had a beautiful house. One of his neighbors narrates that one day he met the late Qāḍī in the street while he was smiling. He told his neighbor with a sense of joy, “My house has collapsed!”

607. How can one acquire this kind of quality?

Answer: The scholars of ethics say that these states may be acquired through practice and repetition. For instance, a coward needs to visit frightening places until courage becomes second nature to him. Similarly, in order to attain patience as a permanent disposition, one needs to think about the benefits of patience and do deeds which make this quality take root in one’s soul.

608. Gratitude (shukr) is defined as “Knowing that a blessing is from God, being happy with Him [or it], and acting in a way that leads to [eternal] happiness.” Is this not contrary to the verse: Nor should you exult for what comes your way ()?

Answer: It would be reprehensible to regard oneself as the owner of one’s blessings. However, there’s no problem in being happy for having received divine blessings.

Supplication and Prayer

609. You’ve written that “Duʿāʾ (supplication, prayer, call) means turning the One Who is called towards the caller.” What does this mean?

Answer: Duʿāʾ is “to call,” and that means attracting the attention of the hearer to the caller.

610. God Almighty says: Call Me! And I will answer you (). Could we say that this statement is unconditional, in that anybody’s prayer to God will be answered? Or is it particular to those who are driven by necessity and have no resort to material and external means?

Answer: It is an absolute promise as long as its condition is really maintained. That is: (1) One should make a sincere request, as reflected in the word call. That is different from merely uttering something on the tongue and out of habit. (2) One should truly call God [not others]: it should be an instance of Call Me!

Accordingly, when the invoker is preoccupied with too many things, “calling God” would be meaningless, since the person prays while being inattentive of his Lord. Further, when such caller relies on one of those numerous means other than God, he has not called Him, so the verse’s condition is not actualized, because the verse says, “Call Me!” An instance of such invokers would be a patient who relies on a physician and medications as effective causes in the cure of his ailment, not realizing that there is no effective cause in the world of existence except God.

There are two requirements for divine acceptance of supplications: (1) to have genuine daʿwah (call, request); and (2) to direct this request to God alone, not to anyone besides Him. These two requirements are also mentioned in another verse: When My servants ask you about Me, [tell them that] I am indeed rearmost. I answer the supplicant’s call when he calls Me (). God here says: I answer the supplicant’s call when he calls Me. So the first requirement in answering prayers is that the invoker should make an earnest call, and the second is that the invoker should call only God to answer his prayer.

Given the explicit text of the Qur’an, a prayer will certainly be answered and granted if these two conditions are met. A case of this would be a patient who has lost hope of medical treatment and is completely disappointed with all material and natural means. Otherwise, he is not considered muḍtarr (distressed, desperate), which means that a genuine state of supplication is not actualized in him.

611. What are the requirements for the granting of prayers?

Answer: God Almighty says: Call Me! And I will answer you (). This verse indicates that there are two factors leading to the answering of prayers. First, one should have a real call and request, as opposed to uttering something heedlessly or disdainfully. This is reflected in the word “call.” Second, the invoker should call God, as it is reflected in the word “Me.” The invoker should turn away from all means but God. One should not imagine that any means other than God have any effect on its own.

612. What is God’s message in this verse: When My servants ask you about Me, [tell them that] I am indeed rearmost. I answer the supplicant’s call when he calls Me. So let them respond to Me, and let them have faith in Me, so that they may fare rightly [and attain spiritual growth] ()?

Answer: Believers are encouraged in this verse to call God. It is as if God is saying: “I’m eager to hear your supplications! I love those who call Me! I invite My servants to invoke Me and express their requests to Me. So they should respond positively to My invitation: So let them respond to Me!” The verse also implies two requirements for the granting of requests: (1) it should be a real call and request, as it says: when he calls; and (2) the One Whom they invoke should be God [only], as reflected in the pronoun “Me.”

613. Under what conditions are prayers answered?

Answer: God Almighty says: When My servants ask you about Me, [tell them that] I am indeed the nearest. I answer the supplicant’s call when he calls Me (). He also says: Call Me! And I will answer you (). These two verses indicate that there are two requirements for answering prayers. First, the supplication should be genuine, as opposed to having only the form of prayer without its essence. Second, the invoker should only call God rather than anybody else besides Him.

614. Is there any disagreement between duʿāʾ (supplication, prayer, request) and the idea of submission to God and satisfaction with His ordainments? For instance, when Abraham was being cast into fire by a catapult, Gabriel inquired if he needed anything. He replied, “Not from you.” Then, Gabriel suggested that he should invoke God to deliver him from the fire, but Abraham replied, “His [God’s] knowledge of my state makes me needless to state.”

Answer: There are two kinds of prayer (duʿāʾ). One is to state one’s spiritual and psychological condition. For instance, once Abū Dharr fell sick and was visited by ʿUthmān who asked him, “Why do you not see a physician?” He replied, “The Physician [that is, God] has afflicted me with this illness.”

The other kind is to invoke God to grant one’s request, which is also desirable. God Almighty says: Call Me! And I will answer you (); Everyone in the heavens and the earth asks Him. Every day He is engaged in some work (); When My servants ask you about Me, [tell them that] I am indeed rearmost. I answer the supplicant’s call when he calls Me (). The account of Abraham, mentioned above, falls into the first category.

615. What is īmān (faith, belief)?

Answer: Īmān is a conviction in the heart to the truth of God’s oneness and its implications, which are prophethood, the hereafter, and imamate.

616. Could īmān be established by confessing the two testimonies of faith (shahādatayn)?

Answer: Confessing the two testimonies establishes islam. To establish īmān, one should also confess imamate. Note that īmān is in the heart and is needless of verbal formulas, though the verbal utterance helps to establish and fortify it. God Almighty says: Allah fortifies those who have faith with an immutable word ().

617. Is seclusion (ʿuzlah) a means of attaining divine knowledge (maʿrifah)?

Answer: Seclusion doesn’t necessarily lead to divine knowledge, nor is it correlated with it. However, one who pursues knowledge is supposed to dissociate from worldlings and neglectful people in particular. He cannot hang out with anyone that he wants, and should avoid vain sittings. A seeker of knowledge needs to abstain from vain socializations. Such person needs to exercise moderation in eating, in that one must stop eating and drinking before he has his fill. The same rule applies to sleeping and talking.

618. There is a narration which says, “One who knows oneself knows his Lord.” Does this tradition imply that self-knowledge precedes the knowledge of the Lord, or does it mean that one should first know the Lord before knowing oneself?

Answer: The narration does not include the particle qad. This means that the two forms of knowledge are concomitant. In other words, self-knowledge results in knowledge of the Lord.

619. There is a narration [from the Prophet] which says, “Had you not been talkative and had your hearts not been in agitation, you would have seen what I see and you would have heard what I hear.” What is intended by tamrīj (agitation, turmoil, unrest, distraction)?

Answer: Tamrīj here implies distraction, confusion, and anxiety, which would only settle down through servitude and obedience to God. An example of it is when we pray: from the beginning until the end when we say salām, we’re constantly distracted and immersed in our daily affairs. Obviously this kind of prayer without presence doesn’t remove agitation from the heart.

620. What is the meaning of this tradition: “Were all people of the world to be intelligent, it would fall into ruin.”

Answer: Perhaps what is meant is that had all people been intelligent, no one would bother to raise buildings and toil for this world. However, most social institutions are in the hands of ignorant individuals. It is narrated in another tradition that “people maintain a good state as long as they differ; but if they were to become equal, they would perish.”

Obedience vs. Rationality

621. Does one need a rational argument in matters pertaining to servitude and obedience to God?

Answer: Yes, one needs to believe in God’s oneness, the prophetic mission, and the principle of imamate through rational arguments. These are prerequisites for performing acts of worship.

622. Is it necessary to dive into philosophical discussions in order to establish religious beliefs?

Answer: The criterion is to attain certitude, whether through rational arguments or other ways.

623. Is it sufficient to rely on the outward aspects of religion in order to prove religious beliefs?

Answer: The outward aspects of religion fall into the category of practical obligations [not beliefs]. They compose a different category of things that one should know.

624. As we know, the outward aspects of religion are open to all people, but why different people vary in terms of certitude and divine knowledge? Why isn’t everyone like Salmān and Abū Dharr?

Answer: God Almighty says: And We draw these parables for humankind; but no one grasps them except those who have knowledge ().

625. Why are we deprived of these higher levels [of understanding]?

Answer: That is our problem that we have such low capacity.

626. What is intended by this clause of the Duʿāʾ ʿArafah, where Imam al-Ḥusayn says: “My Lord! My dealings with the beings add distance to my seeing”?

Answer: We’re all entangled with being far away from seeing God. The cause of this distance is, as stated in the same supplication: “You have not granted him a share of Your love.” The Imam also identifies the path to meeting God: “Gather my dispersion towards You through a service which would make me reach You.” This service consists of performing obligatory and supererogatory devotional acts, and abstaining from sins, which amount to sincere servitude to God. This is reflected in the same supplication where the Imam says, “Make me rise before You in true servitude.”

627. There is a tradition which says, “One who says ‘there is no god but Allah’ (la ilāha illā Allāh) will not be admitted to heavens unless he perfects his words by righteous deeds.” What is intended by this hadith?

Answer: It means that the mere testimony to the formulas of faith—including the testimony to God’s oneness—will not rise to the heaven [that is, will not be accepted] alone, but will only rise if one also does righteous deeds. God Almighty says: To Him ascends the good word, and He elevates righteous conduct (). This means that righteous deeds are the means of elevating a servant’s good word and one’s spiritual realizations of the degree of monotheism.

628. What is intended by this tradition from Imam ʿAlī: “The worthiest of people for obedience is one who never urges you to disobey God”?

Answer: It means that the worthy guide to be followed is one who never bids his disciples to disobey God.

629. What is intended by this tradition from Imam ʿAlī: “Separation is the punishment for love”?

Answer: If there’s any advice, it’s good to hear it from Imam ʿAlī! There are only five or six instances of the word ʿishq in the traditions, while ḥubb is mentioned frequently. The Imam is saying that the Beloved—that is, God—afflicts His loving wayfarer with separation (hijrān), and this is a punishment that He inflicts upon His lover.

630. What is intended by this saying by Imam ʿAlī: “One who rules over his desires, rules over reason”?

Answer: Any merit or perfection is praiseworthy only if the person who possesses it sees it from God, views God as the true owner of that merit, and shows gratitude to God for it. God says with respect to Prophets David and Solomon: Certainly We gave David and Solomon knowledge, and they said, “All praise belongs to Allah, who granted us an advantage over many of His faithful servants” (). This is contrary to regarding oneself as the source of one’s achievements and bragging about it. God says concerning Korah (Qārūn): We had given him so many treasures that their keys indeed proved heavy for a band of stalwarts (), but he said, “I have indeed been given [all] this because of the knowledge that I have” ().

Sacred Traditions (al-aḥādīth al-qudsiyyah)

631. There is a sacred tradition where God says, “O Moses! I am God Who is above the servants. The servants are less than Me, and they are all humbled before Me. Therefore, accuse your nafs (ego, carnal soul) against yourself!” What is the meaning of this hadith?

Answer: The tradition implies that once you realize that God is Omnipotent, and that all creatures are less than Him and abased before Him, you must belittle your ego and not think that you can do anything. We are nothing; we are in darkness. We need to turn to God and regard Him as our only hope for salvation. We shouldn’t assume that we’re in charge of affairs in this world.

632. In a sacred tradition God says, “One who is humble before Me, all creatures will be humble before him.” What is intended by this hadith?

Answer: The humbleness of creatures refers to their obedience to those who have attained spiritual perfection. They are humble before the friends of God who have acquired perfection and knowledge, since they are higher in rank [existentially] than the other creatures. Higher beings [in existential perfection] serve as means and channels for the flow of divine blessings upon those in the lower ranks. All creatures are obedient to the will of these friends of God. The miracles of the prophets and saints—such as emerging unscathed by blazing fire, having pebbles speak in one’s hand, not being drowned in the sea, splitting the moon, and having water gush out from rocks—are manifestations of the humbleness of the creation before the friends of God.

633. In a sacred tradition God says, “No servant of Mine seeks nearness to Me by anything more loved by Me than what I have made obligatory on him; and he also certainly comes close to Me [gradually] by supererogatory worship until I love him. Then when I love him, I become his ear by which he hears, his eye by which he sees, his tongue by which he speaks.”264 What is the difference between nearness to God through acting upon obligatory acts (al-qurb bil-farāʾiḍ) and nearness through supererogatory acts (al-qurb bil-nawāfil)?

Answer: It is so pleasant to read the word “servant” (ʿabd) in this tradition. Proximity to God through fulfilling one’s obligations results in realizing the absolute oneness of the divine essence (called al-tawḥīd al-dhātī) and witnessing manifestations of the divine essence (called shuhūd al-dhāt). Proximity to God through performing supererogatory acts leads to nearness to the beautiful names and attributes of God, and realization of the divine oneness in acts (called al-tawḥīd al-afʿālī).

634. What is intended by the sacred tradition where God says, “I obey one who obeys Me”?

Answer: “I obey” means that “I make all beings obey that person.” This theme is also reflected in another sacred tradition: “O son of Adam! I am the needless One Who will never be in need. Obey My commands and I will make you needless such that you will never be in need! O son of Adam! I am the intransient Living One. Obey my commands and I make you an intransient living being! O son of Adam! When I say, ‘Be!’ to anything, it will immediately come into being. Obey My commands, and I make you such that when you bid ‘Be!’ to anything, it will immediately come into being.” God is saying in this sacred tradition that He is essentially intransient and living, and humans can become intransient and living through the grace of God [but not essentially]. The same is true about the other qualities.

635. In a sacred tradition God says, “O son of Adam! I am the intransient Living One. Obey My commands and I will make you an intransient living being.” What is intended by “I will make you an intransient living being”?

Answer: It means that “I will not make you one of those who will be punished.” Those who are obedient will be immersed in happiness, which is true life; while those who are disobedient will plunge into misfortune and wretchedness, which is really death. God Almighty says: Whoever acts righteously, [whether] male or female, should he be faithful, We shall revive him with a good life and pay them their reward by the best of what they used to do (); O you who have faith! Answer Allah and the Messenger when he summons you to that which will give you life (); All things are to perish except His Face. All judgment belongs to Him, and to Him you will be brought back (). Those who are obedient to God and seek spiritual perfection will become manifestations of the beautiful names of God. Thus they will abide forever.

636. What is intended by God’s advice to Jesus where He says, “Make Me your like your concerns, and remember Me for your maʿād (return, hereafter)”?

Answer: It apparently means, “Make Me your companion, like your thoughts and concerns [that are always with you], and completely leave yourself and come back to Me through remembering Me and turning your attention to Me.” In other words, “Annihilate yourself in Me,” because the essence of maʿād is the removal of the veils and returning towards God.

637. God said to Jesus, “Weep for yourself and move it to the times of prayer!” What is the meaning of this tradition?

Answer: It means: “Weep in solitude for yourself [either because of your shortcoming in servitude, or because of your heedlessness and forgetfulness of Me], and weep in your prayers as well.”

Other Traditions

638. Imam ʿAlī wrote in his will to Imam al-Ḥasan: “Make your requests only from your Lord, for indeed it is only up to Him to give or deprive.” What does this mean?

Answer: This tradition is bidding us to be inwardly attentive to God in our supplications, since God is the only source of blessings, Who is also able to either give or deprive us of them. Granting blessings and not granting them are both in His Hands. One should only turn to God in invoking Him for any request. This is based on the verse: When My servants ask you about Me, [tell them that] I am indeed rearmost. I answer the supplicant’s call when he calls Me. So let them respond to Me, and let them have faith in Me, so that they may fare rightly ().

639. Once Ṣaʿṣaʿah b. Ṣawḥān asked Imam ʿAlī, “Who is the noblest of people?” The Imam replied, “One who is true in the mawāṭin (stations, places).” What does this mean?

Answer: Mawāṭin here implies degrees of Godwariness (taqwá), such as patience, submission, and so on. The noblest of people is one who truly accomplishes complete Godwariness with all its degrees and stages, as attained by those who are humble before God (khāshiʿūn), the patient (ṣābirūn), those who are obedient to God (mukhbitūn), and the believers (muʾminūn).

640. What is intended by some traditions which say, “No matter how much acts of worship one does, one should never be self-satisfied”?

Answer: Such satisfaction with one’s acts of devotion is called complacency (ʿujb). These traditions say that one needs to be dissatisfied with one’s devotional acts at all times. In another tradition we read: “God is a creditor whose due can never be paid.” That is, the servants of God can never act upon all their obligations to God as He deserves.

(In another occasion, ʿAllāmah Ṭabāṭabāʾī said) The statement, “O Lord! We have failed to know You as You are!” cannot be by the Infallibles. It is not founded in any collection of hadith, but the correct form of it is “O Lord! We have not served You as it befits You.”

641. What is intended by these clauses from Munājāt Shaʿbāniyyah: “O Lord! I would not have the ability (ḥawl) to turn away from disobedience to You, had I not been awakened by Your affection”?

Answer: The term ḥawl means “to block, to serve as a barrier.” For humans, it connotes a barrier between the person and disobedience. This may be contrasted with quwwah (strength), which is collocated with acts of obedience. Nonetheless, they are both granted by God: “There is no block [to avoid evil] (ḥawl) or strength [to do good] (quwwah) except by God.”

The above supplication emphasizes the impact of God’s love on abstaining from disobedience, as we read in the Qur’an: Say, “If you love Allah, then follow me; Allah will love you” (). According to the narrations, “a group of people obey God because of their love for Him.” We shouldn’t imagine that we can act independently of God, for we are nothing in and of ourselves; we don’t have anything of our own. We need to turn only towards God and set our hopes on His grace alone, since all blessings are granted by Him. Likewise, it’s only by His grace that we may avert losses and evil consequences. It’s incumbent on us to not turn towards anything or anyone besides God, but we need to seek assistance from Him in order to gain benefits, including acts of obedience, and in order to avert evil, including acts of disobedience.

642. What is the meaning of this narration: “Act every day according to that day so that you may be guided to your growth”?

Answer: It means putting up with ease and hardship, and being satisfied with God’s decree concerning what happens every day. It could also mean acting upon one’s religious obligations and maintaining one’s acts of devotion at all times, which would guide one to grow in the way of monotheism. Indeed, every act of devotion, whether obligatory or supererogatory, is a window that leads the servant towards divine proximity.

643. What is intended by this prophetic tradition: “The scholars of my nation are better than the prophets of the Children of Israel”?

Answer: This tradition is narrated as follows by numerous Shia transmission authorities: “The scholars of my nation (ummah) are like the messengers of the Children of Israel.” The Messenger of God is saying that the scholars of his community are like the eight thousand messengers of Israel who guided people to the path of God in accordance with the circumstances of their age.

644. Did the scholars of other nations also do what their messengers did?

Answer: Making one assertion does not negate other assertions.

645. There is a tradition that says: “One who acts upon the obligatory acts (farāʾiḍ) is of the most obedient people, and one who abstains from unlawful acts (muḥarramāt) is of the most pious people.” How may one who acts upon the obligatory acts be the most obedient of people, and one who abstains from unlawful acts be the most pious of people?

Answer: That is indeed the case. One who maintains his acts of devotion as commanded by God, and is attentive to not miss them, is the most obedient of people. Note that the narration says “of the most obedient,” where the particle min (of, from) is partitive (tabʿīḍiyyah). It means that such a person is regarded as one of the obedient people, not necessarily higher than all of them. The same goes with one who abstains from committing sins altogether. This, by the way, doesn’t include sins that are committed occasionally, without becoming a habit. God forgives these sins, as reflected in these verses: If you avoid the major sins that you are forbidden, We will absolve you of your misdeeds, and admit you to a noble abode (); Those who avoid major sins and indecencies, excepting [minor and occasional] lapses. Indeed your Lord is expansive in [His] forgiveness (). Accordingly, such person would be one of the most pious people.

---

1. See ibid., vol. 58, p. 129. ↩︎

2. See ibid., vol. 67, p. 137. ↩︎

3. This is reflected in Ziyārat al-ʿĀshūrāʾ: “I ask God to raise me to your praiseworthy station with God.” ↩︎

4. TR: This is a courteous expression by the ʿAllāmah, which indicates that the inquirer was an earnest spiritual wayfarer with mystical states. ↩︎

5. Iqbāl al-Aʿmāl, p. 709. ↩︎

6. Biḥār al-Anwār, vol. 1, p. 157, vol. 75, p. 311; Tuḥaf al-ʿUqūl, p. 397. ↩︎

7. Al-Kāfī, vol. 2, p. 122; Wasāʾil al-Shīʿah, vol. 15, p. 277, vol. 25, p. 274; Biḥār al-Anwār, vol. 11, p. 303, vol. 6, p. 265, vol. 63, p. 324. ↩︎

8. TR: All of these are cases where one adopts a certain belief or practice either contrary to what one knows to be true, or without being certain about it. ↩︎

9. TR: Volition (irādah) is meant here in its technical sense as used in Islamic philosophy. It should not be confused with free will (ikhtiyār) as opposed to compulsion (jabr). ↩︎

10. See Biḥār al-Anwār, vol. 74, p. 419, tradition 47. ↩︎

11. See al-Kāfī, vol. 3, p. 266; Man Lā Yaḥḍuruhu al-Faqīh, vol. 1, p. 473; Tahdhīb al-Aḥkām, vol. 2, p. 122. ↩︎

12. See Nahj al-Balāghah, Sermon 199; Wasāʾil al-Shīʿah, vol. 4, p. 30; Biḥār al-Anwār, vol. 33, p. 449, vol. 279, p. 224. ↩︎

13. Wasāʾil al-Shīʿah, vol. 2, p. 444, bāb 28, p. 199, bāb 33, vol. 6, p. 218, bāb 27, vol. 11, p. 175, bāb 11, p. 204, bāb 28. ↩︎

14. TR: Science here is meant in its general sense of knowledge, and perhaps more particularly acquired knowledge which is commonly taught in schools. Therefore, it also includes philosophy, theology, jurisprudence, Qur’anic exegesis, and so on. In fact, given the context, these religious sciences are what is primarily intended here, as ʿAllāmah’s answer also show. ↩︎

15. Iqbāl al-Aʿmāl, p. 687. ↩︎

16. Ibid., p. 706; al-Miṣbāḥ, p. 555. ↩︎

17. Biḥār al-Anwār, vol. 7, p. 259, tradition 5, p. 287, tradition 2, vol. 68, p. 100, tradition 5, see also vol. 5, p. 332, tradition 6, p. 248, tradition 36, vol. 6, p. 246, tradition 78, vol. 7, p. 261, tradition 12, p. 288, tradition 5, vol. 24, p. 387, tradition 111, vol. 67, p. 107, tradition 21, vol. 68, p. 60, tradition 110, p. 100, tradition 4, p. 148, tradition 97. ↩︎

18. See verses , , , and more. ↩︎

19. TR: That is, when the soul is purified, its causal link with impure acts will be severed. Then it will only be compatible with righteous deeds. ↩︎

20. Ibid., vol. 94, p. 98, tradition 13; see also ibid, vol. 94, p. 106, tradition 14, p. 166, tradition 22. ↩︎

21. Forgiveness (maghfirah) has a broad range which also includes the removal of veils [from witnessing the divine beauty]. That is why it is mentioned as one of God’s blessings in paradise in verse . ↩︎

22. TR: This corresponds more to ʿAllāmah’s discussion under verse . Both verses are to be found in volume 27 of the English translation of al-Mīzān. ↩︎

23. Ibid., vol. 25, p. 204, vol. 69, p. 279; Miṣbāḥ al-Sharīʿah, p. 7. ↩︎

24. Iqbāl al-Aʿmāl, p. 390. ↩︎

25. Biḥār al-Anwār, vol. 95, p. 121; al-Balad al-Amīn, p. 203. ↩︎

26. TR: Mā awlaytanī apparently means “what You have given me.” It does not primarily indicate the aspect of authority, but it indicates God’s blessing and bestowal. ↩︎

27. TR: “Anything that pertains to the heart” includes thoughts, feelings, inclinations, intentions, and so on. ↩︎

28. Biḥār al-Anwār, vol. 95, p. 121; al-Balad al-Amīn, p. 203. ↩︎

29. Man Lā Yaḥḍuruhu al-Faqīh, vol. 4, p. 412; Wasāʾil al-Shīʿah, vol. 7, p. 42; Biḥār al-Anwār, vol. 67, p. 183, vol. 74, p. 88, vol. 79, p. 138, vol. 90, p. 314, 339. ↩︎

30. See al-Kāfī, vol. 4, p. 87; Man Lā Yaḥḍuruhu al-Faqīh, vol. 2, pp. 108, 109. ↩︎

31. Ghazal 456. ↩︎

32. Wasāʾil al-Shīʿah, vol. 1, p. 114; Mustadrak al-Wasāʾil, vol. 12, p. 140; Biḥār al-Anwār, vol. 74, p. 75, vol. 78, p. 173. ↩︎

33. TR: This line is not found in the more credible editions of Hafiz’s Divan. ↩︎

34. See ibid., vol. 59, p. 260, tradition 35, vol. 67, p. 313, tradition 45, vol. 69, p. 203, tradition 22, p. 354, vol. 70, p. 196, tradition 2, p. 219. ↩︎

35. Ibid. ↩︎

36. Al-Kāfī, vol. 2, p. 54, traditions 2-3; Biḥār al-Anwār, vol. 22, p. 126, tradition 98, vol. 67, p. 287, tradition 9, vol. 70, p. 174, tradition 29. ↩︎ ↩︎

37. Miftāḥ al-Falāḥ, p. 292; Falāḥ al-Sāʾil, p. 211. ↩︎

38. See al-Kāfī, vol. 2, p. 54, traditions 2-3; Biḥār al-Anwār, vol. 22, p. 126, tradition 98, vol. 67, p. 287, tradition 9, vol. 70, p. 174, tradition 29. ↩︎

39. TR: Summing up the last few questions, Ḥārithah had an inner realization of the hereafter through spiritual vision. Also, the use of “as though” is meant to distinguish his vision from physical sight, not to reduce it to mental conception. ↩︎

40. Al-Wāfī, vol. 26, p. 148. ↩︎

41. Ibid., vol. 21, p. 211, tradition 2, vol. 77, p. 135, tradition 43, vol. 78, p. 453, tradition 23. ↩︎

42. See al-Kāfī, vol. 2, p. 48; Man Lā Yaḥḍuruhu al-Faqīh, vol. 4, pp. 356, 410; Biḥār al-Anwār, vol. 66, p. 406, vol. 67, pp. 289, 381. ↩︎

43. TR: See al-Maḥāsin, vol. 1, p. 252; Tuḥaf al-Uqūl, p. 287; Maʿānī al-Akhbār, pp. 236-237; Mishkāt al-Anwār, p.11; Tanbīh al-Khawāṭir, vol. 1, p. 230. ↩︎

44. Al-Mīzān, vol. 2, p. 31. ↩︎

45. As mentioned in the introduction to this book, the questions are arranged according to topic, not in the sequence that they were asked to the ʿAllāmah. ↩︎

46. See Biḥār al-Anwār, vol. 11, p. 63, tradition1, vol. 12, p. 5, tradition 12, p. 24, p. 33, tradition 8, p. 35, tradition 11, p. 38, tradition 21, p. 39, tradition 24, vol. 95, p. 188, tradition 14, vol. 71, p. 155, tradition 70. ↩︎

47. See ibid., vol. 22, p. 430, tradition 37, vol. 81, p. 210, tradition 25. ↩︎

48. Accordingly, prayers fall into two types: (1) to disclose one’s circumstances to God; and (2) to disclose one’s need and request to God. Both of them are desirable according to religious injunctions and teachings. None of the two is in disagreement with submission to the will of God and satisfaction with divine preordainments. ↩︎

49. Ibid., vol. 2, p. 32, tradition 22, vol. 61, p. 99, vol. 69, p. 293, tradition 23. ↩︎

50. Ibid., vol. 95, p. 456, tradition 1. ↩︎

51. TR: The particle qad can be translated as “already.” With it, the meaning would be: “One who knows oneself has already known his Lord.” Without it, the meaning would be: “One who knows oneself will know his Lord.” This hadith is narrated both with and without the particle qad, as cited in the previous note. Apparently ʿAllāmah means that the version without qad clarifies and interprets the meaning. ↩︎

52. Al-Mīzān, vol. 5, p. 270; see also Ṣāliḥī al-Shāmī, Subul al-Hudá wa al-Rashād, p. 12; Ṭabarānī, al-Muʿjam al-Kabīr, vol. 8, p. 217. ↩︎

53. Biḥār al-Anwār, vol. 1, p. 95, tradition 28, vol. 78, p. 377, tradition 3, p. 379, tradition 4, vol. 93, p. 372, tradition 16. ↩︎

54. Ibid., vol. 77, p. 385, tradition 10. ↩︎

55. Biḥār al-Anwār, vol. 98, p. 233, tradition 3. ↩︎

56. Ibid., p. 226. ↩︎

57. Ibid., p. 225. ↩︎

58. Ibid., p. 223. ↩︎

59. Ibid., vol. 78, p. 11, tradition 70. ↩︎

60. TR: Ḥubb and ʿishq both mean love, but ʿishq is used for intense love, while ḥubb has a broader application. ↩︎

61. Ghurar al-Ḥikam, tradition 4889. ↩︎

62. Al-Jawāhir al-Saniyyah, pp. 361-362. ↩︎

63. Biḥār al-Anwār, vol. 93, tradition 16. ↩︎

64. Ibid. ↩︎

65. Ibid., vol. 14, p. 289, tradition 14. ↩︎

66. Ibid., p. 290. The tradition originally says: “O Jesus! Weep for yourself in prayers; move your feet towards the places of prayers; and let Me hear your indulgence in the joy of remembering Me through your tongue!” ↩︎

67. Biḥār al-Anwār, vol. 77, p. 202, tradition 1, p. 220, tradition 2. ↩︎

68. Ibid., vol. 71, p. 9, tradition 12, vol. 77, p. 378, tradition 1. The narrator of the first tradition is not identified and that of the second tradition is Zayd b. Ṣawḥān al-ʿAbdī. ↩︎

69. See al-Kāfī, vol. 2, p. 72. ↩︎

70. Biḥār al-Anwār, vol. 71, p. 23, tradition 1, vol. 69, p. 292, tradition 23. ↩︎

71. See Ibid, vol. 8, pp. 215, 217, tradition 205, vol. 59, p. 217, tradition 85, vol. 60, p. 113, vol. 70, p. 338, vol. 71, p. 23, tradition 1, p. 235, tradition 16, similar tradition: vol. 77, p. 84, tradition 3. ↩︎

72. Iqbāl al-Aʿmāl, p. 685; Biḥār al-Anwār, vol. 91, p. 98. ↩︎

73. TR: Apparently the root ḥ-w-l means “to turn, to swirl.” In this case, it would mean turning away from disobedience and evil acts. Therefore, lā ḥawl wa lā quawwah illā bi-Allāh would mean, “There is no power to turn away from evil and no strength to commit good except from God.” ↩︎

74. See Maʿānī al-Akhbār, p. 21; Mustadrak al-Wasāʾil, vol. 5, p. 369; Biḥār al-Anwār, vol. 5, p. 203, vol. 90, p. 187; al-Tawḥīd, p. 242. ↩︎

75. Al-Kāfī, vol. 2, p. 84; Wasāʾil al-Shīʿah, vol. 1, p. 92; Biḥār al-Anwār, vol. 67, pp. 236, 255. ↩︎

76. Mustadrak al-Wasāʾil, vol. 1, p. 122, vol. 12, p. 151; Mīzān al-Ḥikmah, vol. 3, p. 2113. ↩︎

77. Mufīd, Awāʾil al-Maqālāt, p. 178. ↩︎

78. In other words, if you make a proposition A, it does not mean only A. In this case, saying that Muslim scholars served a certain role does not negate the possibility of the scholars of other nations also serving that role. Ed.) ↩︎

79. See Wasāʾil al-Shīʿah, vol. 11, p. 80, tradition 14293, vol. 15, p. 246, tradition 20405; Biḥār al-Anwār, vol. 77, p. 64, tradition 4, vol. 78, p. 139, tradition 3. ↩︎