{"id":5465,"date":"2021-10-27T08:59:35","date_gmt":"2021-10-27T07:59:35","guid":{"rendered":""},"modified":"2021-10-27T08:59:35","modified_gmt":"2021-10-27T07:59:35","slug":"characteristics-of-those-who-eat-haram","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/shiastudies.com\/en\/5465\/characteristics-of-those-who-eat-haram\/","title":{"rendered":"Characteristics of those Who Eat Haram"},"content":{"rendered":"

Characteristics of those Who Eat Haram<\/strong><\/h1>\n

Characteristics of those Who Eat Haram: <\/strong>A characteristic feature of earnings by Har\u0101m means the money and wealth so acquired. It is narrated from Imam Ja\u2019far as-Sadiq (a.s.) that he said, \u201cThe madness of (acquiring or constructing) buildings. Mud and water occupies the head of one who earns by unlawful means.\u201d (Bih\u0101r al-Anw\u0101r)<\/p>\n

It means that a person with unlawful earnings is constantly worried about his wealth and strives to convert it into fixed property so that it is not lost. The buildings of mud and water neither benefit the owner in the Hereafter nor do they provide peace in this world. Such a person spends every bit of his wealth for pieces of land. Finally, Allah (S.w.T.) orders the land to swallow all his wealth.
\nUnlawful gains are harmful both from the worldly point of view as there is no barakat in such gain and also from the spiritual point of view as these form obstacles in the acceptance of acts of worship.
\nThe Holy Prophet (S) says: \u201cWhen a single morsel of Har\u0101m enters the stomach of a person and becomes a part of his body, the angels of the sky and the earth curse him.\u201d (Safinat\u2019ul-Bih\u0101r)
\nThe Messenger of Allah (S) has also said: \u201cActs of worship accompanied by the acquiring of Har\u0101m are like buildings that rest on (crumbling) sand.\u201d (Safinat\u2019ul-Bih\u0101r)
\nThey lack a firm foundation and hence are of no use. Such buildings can never remain intact and are soon destroyed.<\/p>\n

Invocations are not accepted<\/strong>
\nThe noble Messenger of Allah (S) has remarked, \u201cPrayers of the one who eats a single morsel of Har\u0101m are not accepted for forty nights nor are his invocations accepted for forty days. Every piece of flesh that grows by consuming Har\u0101m is most deserving of being burnt in hell-fire and even a single morsel consumed causes some growth of flesh.\u201d (Safinat\u2019ul-Bih\u0101r)
\nThe Holy Prophet (S) has also stated, \u201cOne who wishes to have his invocations accepted must keep aloof from Har\u0101m food and unlawful earnings.\u201d (al-K\u0101fi)
\nA man asked the Holy Prophet (S): \u201cI wish for the acceptance of my deeds.\u201d The Prophet (S) told him, \u201cKeep your food purified from Har\u0101m and do not let any unlawful thing enter your stomach.\u201d (al-K\u0101fi)
\nThe Almighty Allah (S.w.T.) revealed to Janabe Isa Ibn Maryam (a.s.): \u201cInform the oppressors of Bani Israel that they must not call Me and invoke Me as long as they are involved in unlawful earnings. And if they call Me and invoke Me in this condition, I will curse them.\u201d (al-K\u0101fi)<\/p>\n

Hardening of the heart<\/strong>
\nWhatever man eats is like a seed sown in the earth. If the seed is good it will bear sweet fruits. If the seed is bitter and poisonous, so is the fruit that grows from it. If the food is good and lawful it has beneficial effects on the heart. It is purified from every blemish and impurity. The organs of this person perform good deeds, but if one consumes food obtained through unlawful means it causes the heart to harden. The symptoms are soon obvious. A hard hearted person is unaffected by any kind of preaching and remains absolutely impenitent. Such a man is not moved even when he sees clear injustice. No good can be expected from him. Not a trace of goodness is visible in his dark heart. He refuses to accept what is right and is immune to every kind of moral advice. The tragedy of Karbala is the perfect example of this phenomenon. These are the characteristics clearly pointed out by Imam Husain (a.s.) in his address to the troops of Ibn S\u0101d: \u201cYou bellies are filled with unlawful (wealth). Now you will not accept the truth. Why don\u2019t you deal with justice? Why don\u2019t you listen to me?\u201d (Nafasul Mahm\u016bm)
\nIn other words, when a person\u2019s heart becomes hard and darkness occupies it.
\nDuring the rule of the Abbasid King Mahdi, there was a Qazi named Shar\u012bk bin Abdullah. He was an honest and upright Judge, till the time he was summoned by the king. The Abbaside King forced him to choose one from three things :
\n(1) Either he should accept the post of the Royal Qazi
\n(2) He should become the teacher of the King\u2019s son
\n(3) or he should dine with the king, at least once.
\nThe Qazi thought that easiest of the Three was to eat with the king once, so he agreed to dine with King Mahdi. The ruler ordered the royal chef to prepare the best of the dishes. When the Qazi had eaten the food, the cook remarked to his companions, \u201cNow, Qazi Shar\u012bk will never achieve salvation.\u201d
\nThe prediction came to be true. The Har\u0101m food affected the Qazi to the extent that he also accepted the other two conditions. He became the special Qazi of the King and the tutor of his children. It is said that Qazi Shar\u012bk used to be very strict and unflinching with the treasurers while obtaining his share from the royal treasury.
\nOne day the treasurer protested, \u201cYou have not sold me grain that you act so ruthless in recovering its price.\u201d Qazi Shar\u012bk replied, \u201cYes, I have sold something more valuable! I have sold my religion.\u201d
\nOne day a tray filled with delicious dishes was sent by Har\u016bn al-Rash\u012bd for Bahl\u016bl. Bahl\u016bl did not accept it. The servants of the king said, \u201cIt is not possible to reject the present of the Caliph.\u201d Bahl\u016bl, the wise, pointed towards the stray dogs and said, \u201cGive it to the dogs.\u201d
\nThe servants became angry and said, \u201cYou have insulted the royal gifts.\u201d Bahl\u016bl became silent then said, \u201cBe quiet, if the dogs learn that this food is sent by the king, they will not touch it.\u201d<\/p>\n

Ethical Values<\/a><\/p><\/blockquote>\n