Lessons For Life part twenty Four
Lesson One Hundred Twenty Nine: Place Of Knowledge And Wisdom
Imam Al-Kadhim (a.s.) said:
اِنَّ الزَّرْعَ يَنْبُتُ فِى السَّهْلِ وَ لايَنْبُتُ فِى الصَّفا فَكَذلِكَ الْحِكْمَةُ تَعْمُرُ فِى قَلْبِ الْمُتَواضِعِ وَ لا تَعْمُرُ فى قَلْبِ الْمُتَكَبِّرِ الْجَبّارِ!
Translation
Cultivation grows on soft land, not on the stones! Similarly knowledge and wisdom sprout on the heart of modest people, not on the heart of the unjust arrogant persons!1
Brief Description
The first step in acquiring knowledge is humility: humility towards truth, humility towards the teacher and anyone who knows more than us and could teach us something.
For this reason, ignorance and arrogance usually go hand in hand. Arrogant ones never admit their ignorance, and if a reality happens to be different from that which serves their pride and arrogance, they would deny it and oppose it. They do not accept the truth from anyone and remain engulfed in their ignorance.
1. Tuhaful Uqul, page 296. Mustadrak Alwasail, vol 11, page 299.
Lesson One Hundred Thirty: Heavy Duties Of Imam
Imam Ar-Ridha’ (a.s.) said:
اَلإِمامُ أَمينُ اللّهِ فِى أَرْضِهِ وَ خَلْقِهِ وَ حُجَّتُهُ عَلَى عِبادِهِ وَ خَلِيفَتُهُ فى بِلادِهِ وَ الدّاعِى اِلَى اللّهِ وَ الذابُّ عَنْ حَرِيمِ اللّهِ.
Translation
The Imam is the trustee of God on earth and among His people, and His proof for the servants and His representative in the cities and summoner towards Him and protector of divine sanctuaries.1
Brief Description
In this tradition, which is part of a detailed tradition on the concept of Imamate, reference is made to five aspects of the heavy and important duties of an Imam :
1- Imam is a treasurer and trustee of revelation and protector of all sciences, commands and knowledge of religion.
2- Imam is a living proof of divine religion.
3- Imam is a divinely appointed supervisor and authority and God’s representative among people.
4- Imam is the one who calls people towards goodness and forbids evil and is the greatest emissary of religion.
5- Imam is a protector of divine sanctuaries against the invasion of enemies .
To carry out such tasks requires someone who has access to divine knowledge and is infallible. True Imams are the ones with these qualities and nobody except God can appoint them.
1. Tuhaful Uqul, page 328. Al-Kafi, vol 1, page 198. Al-Ihtijaj, vol 2, page 434. AlAmali, page 677. Ayoon Akhbar Ar-Ridha, vol 1, page 219. Kamalu Al-Deen. Vol 2, page 677.
Lesson One Hundred Thirty One: Piety Opens All Doors
Imam Muhammad At-Taqi (al-Jawad) (a.s.) said:
لَوْ كانَتِ السَّماواتُ وَ الاَرْضُ رَتْقاً عَلَى عَبْد ثُمَّ اتَّقى اللّهَ تَعالَى جَعَلَ اللّهُ لَهُ مِنْها مَخْرَجاً
Translation
If the doors of heavens and Earth are closed to someone, and he then adopts piety, God shall provide relief to him.1
Brief Description
Sometimes in life all doors are closed to man and wherever he turns, he finds himself surrounded by problems and difficulties.
Such events in fact present an opportunity . They are a wake-up call, reminding him of realities of life and coaxing him to change direction , take corrective actions and return to the right path prescribed by God. At this time, if he reverts to God with sincerity and full concentration and seeks assistance from His pure essence, divine assistance shall be given to him, breezes of God’s mercy would embrace him and the closed doors would be opened in wonderful ways.
1. Noural Absar, page 150
Lesson One Hundred Thirty Two: Beware Of Mean People!
Imam ‘Ali Ibn Muhammad At-Taqi (a.s.) said:
مَنْ هانَتْ عَلَيْهِ نَفْسُهُ فَلا تَأْمَنْ شَرَّهُ
Translation
Beware of malady of one who does not assume a dignity for himself! 1
Brief Description
In fact, one of the most important factors preventing corruption and malevolence is dignity or at least a feeling of dignity. Dignified people or those who assume a dignity for themselves even though others do not consider them dignified, tend to avoid evils and bad deeds in order to preserve their status . But those who feel that they do not have any reputation, respect and dignity, would heed nothing. Hence the need to be wary of such people!
For this reason, one of the important goals of education especially for children is to inculcate in them the awareness of dignity and a feeling that they possess a special dignity.
1. Tuhaful Uqul, page 362.
Lesson One Hundred Thirty Three: Greater Jihad
Imam Hasan Al-’Askari (a.s.) said:
أَشَدُّ النّاسِ اِجْتِهاداً مَنْ تَرَكَ الذُّنُوبَ
Translation
The strongest warrior for the faith among people is one who gives up the sins.1
Brief Description
We know that struggle against one’s rebellious and sensual desires that lead to sins is called the ‘greater jihad’ in Islam, being more important and valuable than struggle with enemies. This warfare is the means of purification of the soul and requires a strong will to achieve victory .
In societies stained with sin, the value of this warfare is more obvious and its importance in achievement of social objectives cannot be denied.
Victories of the Prophet (peace be upon him and his progeny) in Medina were actually the direct result of purification of souls and spiritual struggles of his companions.
1. Bihar al-Anwar, volume 78, page 373
Lesson One Hundred Thirty Four: Occultation Of Imam Al- Mahdi (a.s.)
Imam Mahdi (a.s.) said:
اَمَّا الْحَوادِثُ الْواقِعَةُ فَارْجِعُوا فيها اِلى رُواةِ اَحادِيثِنا
Translation
In regards to the various events happening during the major occultation, refer to the narrator of our traditions.1
Brief Description
Human societies cannot be optimally organized without proper leadership. For this reason, God has never left his servants without a leader. Divine leaders have always existed among them.
Even during the occultation of Imam Mahdi (a.s.), may our soul be sacrificed for him, first special deputies, and after termination of their period, common deputies were selected by him for leadership of people.
The leadership continues to be provided by those determined and faithful men who are well versed in the knowledge of Islam’s holy book, the Qur’an, as well as the teachings and practices of the Prophet (peace be upon him and his progeny) and the school of the Prophet’s household. Anyone who does not possess such credentials , under whatever name and title , who assumes himself to be worthy of such a rank, must be rejected.
