Advantages Of Trust In God

Man, in this life, is exposed to calamities, problems, and crises against which he fights. He, once, overcomes, and is overcome in other situations. In most cases, such calamities knock man down and make him helpless and brokenhearted. Thus, man lives in permanent worry because he anticipates loss, poverty, and ailment. It is true that modern civilization has helped in alleviating burdens of life by the availability of means of comfort, but it has failed to supply mentalities with tranquility. Worry is still casting its shadows on people and collaring the necks resulting in multiplication of mental diseases and events of suicide and insanity in the most civilized countries.
Through its moral constitution, the Islamic Sharia could alleviate the worries of people and supply them with huge spiritual energies, such as tolerance, steadfastness, trust, and confidence. To adhere to this fact achieves peace of mind and replaces fear with security.
After all, trust in God is one of the most important factors that attain self-dignity, self-respect, and peace of conscience. People that are worthiest of adhering to trust in God are the celebrities and reformists. They are in need for willpower and self-determination for facing others' obstinacy and overstepping many obstacles and barriers.

How to Acquire Trust in God?

We can acquire trust in God by:
(1) Keeping in mind the Verses and traditions that confirm the virtues of trust in God.
It is narrated that Imam al-Hussein (a) composed

( 121 )
the following: "If calamities of time bite you, do not seek the refuge of the creatures. Do not ask anybody except God the Distributor of the sustenance. If you live for a long time and wander in this world from the west to the east, you will not find anybody who is able to give you happiness or remove your unhappiness."
It is also narrated that Amir ul-Mu'minin (a) composed: "I have satisfied myself with that which God has decided for me, and I have entrusted my affairs with my Creator. As He used to treat me charitably in the past, He will keep on in the rest.
(2) Strengthening belief in God, trust in His good turn, and considering His being the source of goodness, originator of reasons, and able to do everything.
(3) Paying attention to the nice doing of God and His outstanding care for man all over stages of life, and keeping in mind that God will surely guard him who depends upon Him and save him who seeks His help.
(4) Learning lessons from the changeability of this life. Many poor people have become rich, many rich people have become poor, many celebrities have become paupers, and many paupers have become celebrities.
Finally, to gain true trust in God is to satisfy oneself with His acts in situations of joy and misery.

FEAR OF GOD

Fear of God stands for the mental pains arisen from the anticipation of God's punishment for the commitment of acts of disobedience to Him. It enjoins holding on straightforwardness and forbids vices and sins. For that reason, the Sharia has paid a considerable attention to fear of God:
"Only Allah's knowledgeable servants fear Him. Allah is Majestic and All-pardoning. (35:28)" "Those who fear their Lord in secret will receive forgiveness and a great reward (67:12)."

( 122 )
"However, those who had feared their Lord and restrained their souls from acting according to their desires, Paradise will be their dwelling (79:41)."
The Prophet (s) said: "For those who avoid acts of disobedience or the illegal desire that is shown before them out of fear of Allah, Allah will prevent the fire of Hell from consuming them, save them on the Day of the Grand Horror, and fulfill His promise to them that He cites in His Book as He says: "Those who fear their Lord will have two gardens (55:46)." ²²³
Imam as-Sadiq (a) said: "Fear Allah as if you can see Him before you. If you cannot see Him before you, then it is surely that He can see you. If you think that He cannot see you, then you disbelieve Him. If you realize that He can see you and, yet, you commit acts of disobedience to Him, then you consider Him as the humblest among those who can see you." ²²⁴
"The believer should live between two fears-the past sin that he does not know what Allah will do about it and the remaining days that he does not know what misfortunes he will encounter through them. Thus, the believer begins his day fearfully and ends his day fearfully. Except fear, nothing mends the believer." ²²⁵
"You will not be true believer unless you are fearful (of God's punishment) and hopeful (for His reward). You will not be true fearful and true hopeful unless you avoid what you fear and work for what you hope." ²²⁶
A wise man said: "How poor man is! Had he feared the fire of Hell in the same way as he feared poverty, he would have been saved from the both. And had he desired for Paradise in the same way as he desired for the worldly pleasures, he would have won the both. And had he feared God secretly in the same way as he feared people openly, he would have achieved happiness in this world and the world to come."

( 123 )
A wise man said to al-Mahdi the Abbasid caliph who asked for an advice: "This seat that you are in now was occupied by your father and uncle before you, was it not?" "Yes, it was," answered the caliph. "They had done some acts because of which you expect they will be saved, had they not?" asked the wise man. "Yes, they had," answered the caliph. "They also had done some acts for which you are afraid they will be punished, had they not?" asked the wise man. "Yes, they had," answered the caliph. "Now," said the wise man, "you should do these acts because of which you expect they will be saved and you should avoid these acts for which you are afraid they will be punished."

Fear between Ebb and Flow

The previous texts have depicted the importance of fear and its contribution in rectifying man and qualifying him to have the honor of God's contentment. Like the other noble traits, fear does not deserve praise unless it is characterized by moderation away from shortage and excess. Excess fear impoverishes the personality and deprives of hope. Moreover, it causes despair, which, in turn, brings about perpetual deviation. Shortage of fear, also, causes negligence, shortcoming, and rebel against acts of obedience to God. By the balance of fear and hope, one's self nourishes, conscience towers up, and the spiritual energies go forward. Referring to this point, Imam as-Sadiq (a) said:
"Hope for Allah in a form that does not draw you to the commitment of acts of disobedience to Him, and fear Him in such a way that does not make you despair of His mercy." ²²⁷

Advantages of Fear

The values of the noble traits depend on levels of the virtuous concepts and principals of righteousness that they leave on personalities. Accordingly, fear occupies the first place among the noble traits. It has played a big role in the fields of belief since it is the main reason

( 124 )
encouraging acts of obedience to God. Feelings of fear enhance the souls and take them to a lofty angelic position that imparts to the ideality of the angels. As he compared among angels, human beings, and animals, Amir ul-Mu'minin (a) said:
"Surely, Allah has characterized the angels by intellect without sexual desire, and characterized animals with desire without reason. He exalted man by bestowing upon him both qualities. Accordingly, if man's reason dominates on his desire, he rises to a state above that of the angels (because this state is attained by man in spite of the existence of hurdles which do not vex the angels), and if man's desire dominates on his reason, he drops to a state bellow that of the animals."²²⁸
Consequently, we notice that the fearful deem easy the sufferings they encounter because of acts of obedience to God and deem bitter the sweetness of the sins and acts of disobedience to Him, because they fear His wrath.
This in fact achieves mental and physical happiness in the same way as this cosmos, along with its components, is organized because of its submission to God:
"All righteously believing male or female will be granted a blessed happy life and will receive their due reward and more. (16:97)"
All the current calamities, such as commonness of disorder, spread of crimes, prevalence of mental perplexity, that humankind is suffering is only the result of going away from the course of the Creator and neglecting His constitution:
"Had the people of the towns believed (in Our revelations) and maintained piety, We would have certainly showered on them Our blessings from the sky and the earth. But they called Our revelations lies, thus Our torment struck them for their evil deeds. (7:96)"

( 125 )

How to Feel Fearful?

It is necessary to fix the belief in God as well as the concepts of the Judgment Day, divine rewards, punishment, Paradise, and Hell. Fear is in fact one of the fruits of faith:
"When Allah is mentioned, the true believers begin to feel fear of Him in their hearts and when His revelations are recited to them their faith strengthens. In Allah alone do they trust (8:2)."
It is necessary to listen to the touching sermons and words of wisdom that creates fear and reverence.
It is necessary to survey the manners of the fearful, including their states of reverence and submission.
Let us now provide the most fascinating picture of fear of God that is painted by Imam as-Sejjad (a) in one of his supreme supplications:
"I weep, and why do I not weep, while I do not know what will my destiny be? And I see my soul cheat me and my days deceive me and the wings of death are flapping near my head. Why then do I not weep? I weep for the departure of my soul, for the gloomy of my grave, for the narrowness of my sepulcher, for the interrogation of Munkar and Nakeer, ²²⁹ for my going out of my grave naked, humble, and overburdened. I will look once to my right and another to my left while the creatures each will have his own concern:
"For on that day everyone will be completely engrossed in his own concerns. Some faces on that day will be radiant, laughing and joyous, but others will be gloomy and covered by darkness (80:37-41)."

Stories of the Fearful

Imam al-Baqir (a) narrated:
"A very charming prostitute could charm some young Israelites one of whom said, 'Had the worshipper so-and-so seen this lady, she would have surely seduced him.' As she heard this statement,

( 126 )
she decided to visit that worshipper for seducing him. That night, she went to his house. He refused to let her in, but she claimed that some young people were chasing her, and that they would rape her if they would catch her. Because of this claim, the man let her in. As soon as she entered his house, she undressed herself. When he saw her beauty and charm, he was seduced. He therefore struck her with his hand. Suddenly, he regained his conscience; hence, he ran to the hearth and put his hand in fire. 'What are you doing?' she cried. 'I am burning my hand because it committed an ill deed,' answered he. The woman left him hurriedly and told some people that she met of that worshipper's deed. They ran to him, but found his hand was burnt." ²³⁰
Imam as-Sadiq (a) narrated:
"One of the ladies of the Israelites tried to seduce the worshipper who hosted her. He wanted to reach her, but whenever he tried to do it, he was putting one of his fingers in fire. He kept on doing so until morning. 'Go out,' he dismissed her, 'you were the worst guest I have ever had.'"

HOPE FOR GOD

Hope is the expectation of a dear thing the arrangements of which are already done, such as hope for the yield of a land after it was seeded, watered, and superintended. In case the arrangements of a thing are not done, hope for it will be foolhardiness, just like hope for the yield of a derelict land that was not superintended properly. Hope, furthermore, is the second wing with which, along with fear, the believers fly in the horizons of the obedience of God. Although fear and hope support each other in disciplining the believers, hope is sweeter and fresher than fear, because its source is trust in God and the assurance of the extent of His mercy. To obey out of hope is better than obeying out of fear. In view of that,

( 127 )
good tidings of hope are carried through numerous texts from the Quran and Sunna:
Warning against Despair
"(Muhammad), tell my servants who have committed injustice to themselves, 'Do not despair of the mercy of Allah. Allah certainly forgives all sins. He is All-forgiving and All-merciful.' (39:53)"
"…And do not despair of receiving comfort from Allah; only the unbelievers despair of receiving comfort from Him. (12:87)"
The Prophet (s) said: "On the Day of Resurrection, Allah will gather the despondent of His mercy with their faces blackened. They will be given the name of 'the despondent of Allah's mercy.'" ²³¹
Amir ul-Mu'minin (a) said to the man who was prevailed by despair of God's mercy out of his many sins: "You, to despair of the mercy of Allah is the greatest sin that you have ever committed." ²³²
Vastness of God's Mercy and Pardon
"Your Lord's mercy is completely overwhelming. (6:147)"
"Your Lord, certainly, has forgiveness for the injustice of the people. (13:6)"
"Allah does not forgive the sin of considering others equal to Him, but He may choose to forgive other sins. (4:48)"
"When the faithful come to you, say to them, "Peace be upon you. Your Lord has decreed for Himself to be All-merciful. Anyone of you who commits a sin out of ignorance, then repents, and reforms himself will find that Allah is All-forgiving and All-merciful." (6:54)" Imam as-Sadiq (a) said: "On the Day of Resurrection, Allah will extend His mercy so vastly that even Eblis will expect himself to be included with that mercy." ²³³
"…On the Day of Resurrection, the guilty believers

( 128 )
will be stopped before Allah Who will personally interrogate him. He will display before him his sins in details, and the believer will confess of them all. The Lord will then say: 'In the worldly life, I covered these sins and, now, I will cover them for you.' He then will order to change them into virtues. As the record of that believer will be shown to people, they will say, 'How admirable this man is! He did not commit a single sin!' This is the meaning of God's saying:
But only those who repent and believe and act righteously will have their sins replaced by virtue, (25:70)" ²³⁴
Favorable Judgment about God
Imam as-Sadiq (a) said: "The last servant who will be sent to Hell will turn his face towards Allah. The Lord then will order the angels to bring him back. 'Why did you turn your face, servant?' the Lord will ask. 'Lord,' the servant will say, 'I had another idea about You.' 'What did you think of Me, servant?' the Lord will ask. The servant will answer, 'I thought You would forgive me and allow me to live in Your Paradise.' The Lord then will say, 'My angels, I swear by My power, majesty, favors, tests, and exaltation, this servant had never thought good about Me for a single hour of his lifetime. Had he done so, I would not have sent him to Hell. Nevertheless, I will regard the lie that he has just told as true and allow him to be in Paradise.'
Allah will live up to the servant who thinks well of Him:
'This was how you considered your Lord, but He knows you better than you know yourselves. Thus, you are now lost (41:23).'" ²³⁵
Imam ar-Rida (a) said: "Have favorable judgment about Allah, for He says: I am as My servant thinks of Me, whether good or bad." ²³⁶
Intercession of the Prophet and the Imams for their

( 129 )
Adherents
The Prophet (s) said: "On the Day of Resurrection, we will be responsible for interrogating our adherents. Regarding the wrongdoings that are committed against Allah, we will issue a judgment about them and Allah will accept it for us. Regarding the wrongdoings that are committed against people, we will interfere so that the wronged party will forgive for our sake. Regarding the wrongdoings that are committed against us, we are the worthiest of forgiveness." ²³⁷
"He who dies on the love for Mohammed's family will be treated as shahid. He who dies on the love for Mohammed's family will be forgiven. He who dies on the love for Mohammed's family will be (regarded as) repentant. He who dies on the love for Mohammed's family will be perfectly faithful believer. He who dies on the love for Mohammed's family will be given the good tidings of being in Paradise by the angel of death, first, and Munkar and Nakeer, second. He who dies on the love for Mohammed's family will be carried in procession to Paradise like brides. He who dies on the love for Mohammed's family will have two doors taking to Paradise opened from his grave. As for him who dies on the love for Mohammed's family, Allah will make the angels of mercy visit his grave regularly. He who dies on the love for Mohammed's family will be regarded as follower of the Sunna and community of Muslims. But for him who dies on the hatred for Mohammed's family, he will attend on the Day of Resurrection with the script, -written on his forehead-- 'This one is excluded from the mercy of Allah."²³⁸
The Prophet (s) once, came to his companions with bright face like the halo of the moon. When Abdurrahman ibn Awf asked him, the Prophet said: "I have just received the good tidings about my brother and cousin and about my daughter. I have

( 130 )
just been told that Allah gave my daughter Fatima in marriage to Ali and ordered Ridwan; the doorkeeper of Paradise, to shake the Tree of Tuba, which carried muniments as many as those who have love for my family. Under that tree, Allah has created angels of light and given each one of them one of these muniments. When the Day of Resurrection will come and the angels will call at all the creatures, they will give each of those who have love for The The Ahl ul-Bayt one of these muniments that will be documents of acquittance from Hell. Hence, my brother and my daughter will set many men and women of my umma free from Hell." ²³⁹
When God's saying, "The righteously striving believers are the best of all creatures, (98:9)" was revealed, the Prophet (s) said to Ali: This is you and your Shia. ²⁴⁰ On the Day of Resurrection, you will be content and pleased, while your enemies will be angry and depressed. ²⁴¹
Calamities and Diseases Cancel the Believers' Sins
The Prophet (s) said: "God says: By My power and majesty I swear, I will not make the servant upon whom I want to have mercy depart this world before I punish him for every sin that he committed. I will punish him by means of an ailment that inflicts him, poverty that befalls him, or a state of fear that controls him. If this is not enough, I will make him suffer the agonies of death." ²⁴²
"Depression and grief will not depart the believer before they eradicate all of his sins." ²⁴³
Imam as-Sadiq (a) said: "Mufaddal, beware of committing sins and warn our adherents against so. By God I swear, you are the most targeted by sins. You may suffer the persecution of the ruling authorities. This is because of your commitment of sins. You may be ailed. This is because of your commitment of sins. Your sustenance may be stopped. This is because of your commitment of sins.

( 131 )
You may suffer the agonies of death so severely. This is also because of your commitment of sins."
As the Imam noticed that al-Mufaddal was highly touched by these words, he (a) commented: "You suffer all the previous in order that you will not be interrogated about your sins on the Day of Resurrection, since the punishment for such sins befall you in this world." ²⁴⁴
"The believer may suffer troubles in sleep as a punishment for his commitment of sins. He also may suffer a physical defect as a punishment for his commitment of sins." ²⁴⁵

Reality of Hope

Hope is meaningless unless reasons of its success are available. It is hence foolish to leave the courses of obedience and take in the courses of deviation and depend totally on hope. Such hope is surely void. It is noticeable that the great personalities, such as prophets, their successors, and the saints, spared no efforts in the fields of the obedience to God and devoted themselves to the acts of worship while they were the most favorable to God:
As he was told that some people were engrossed in the acts of disobedience to God while they claim that they hope for the mercy of Him, Imam as-Sadiq (a) said:
"They are liars. They are not our Shia. Those are the people whom are deceived by false hopes. He who hopes for something should work for it, and he who fears something should escape it." ²⁴⁶

Purpose of Hope and Fear

Some people can be mended only by means of hope while others can be rectified by means of fear. The disobedient who have felt regret for their excessive sins but they have despaired of His pardon should be treated by means of hope for God's immense mercy. Those who destroyed themselves because of excessive performance of

( 132 )
acts of worship should also be treated by means of hope for God. On the other side, the sinful tyrants who are plunging in acts of disobedience to God and are deceived by false hope should be treated by means of fear of God as well as severe reproach and painful punishment.

DECEPTION

Deception means to be deceived by a devilish trickery or a wrong idea, such as spending the usurped property in fields of charity. It causes many people to believe in the validity of their acts, but if they examine them precisely, they will understand that their deeds were only delusion. Thus, deception is the most dangerous snare, weapon, and trickery of the Devil.
There are however different forms of deception varying according to the trends of the deluded individuals. Some people are deluded by the charming pleasures of this world and others are deluded by knowledge, leadership, wealth, worship, and the like.

Forms of Deception

Worldly Deception
Faithless individuals are mostly deceived by the false charms of this world. They neglect the inevitable termination of this world and forget that there is an endless life to come; therefore, they put two inaccurate reasons as the justification of their being deceived by this world:
FIRST, they claim that this world is cash while the life to come is credit.
SECOND, they claim that the pleasures of this world are certain, while the pleasures of the world to come are uncertain.
This is in fact a big mistake. Regarding the first claim, it is true that cash is better than credit if they are equal in the measurement of benefit. But when the credit is preponderant to the cash, it becomes preferable. This is

( 133 )
the big difference between the pleasures of this world and these of the world to come. As a matter of fact, the pleasures of this world will come to an end, while those of the world to come are everlasting.
Regarding the second claim, it is also inaccurate to doubt the life to come. The prophets, their successors, scholars, and many nations proved undoubtedly the existence of the life to come. Hence, to doubt it is insanity denied by religion and reason.
In the same manner, the sick believes in the benefit of the medicine that is prescribed unanimously by physicians. If he belies them, he is then dull and foolish.
"Know that the worldly life is only a game, a temporary attraction, a means of boastfulness among yourselves and a place for multiplying your wealth and children. It is like the rain, which produces plants that are attractive to the unbelievers. These plants flourish, turn yellow, and then become crushed bits of straw. In the life hereafter there will be severe torment or forgiveness and mercy from Allah. The worldly life is only an illusion (59:20)."
"The example of the worldly life is like the water sent down from the sky, which becomes mixed with the earth's produce that people and cattle consume. When the land becomes fertile and pleasant, people think that they have control over it. At Our command during the night or day, the land becomes as barren as if it had no richness the day before. Thus, do We explain the evidence (of the truth) for the people who reflect. (10:24)"
"Those who have rebelled and preferred the worldly life, Hell will be their dwelling. However, those who had feared their Lord and restrained their souls from acting according to its desires, Paradise will be the dwelling (79:37-41)."
Imam as-Sadiq (a) said: "For him who begins and ends his day considering this world as his main

( 134 )
concern, Allah will put poverty between his eyes, scatter his affairs, and he will not gain anything of this world except that which is decided for him. For him who begins and ends his day considering the world to come as his main concern, Allah will install richness in his heart and will manage all his affairs." ²⁴⁷
Imam al-Kadhim (a) said: "Husham, the intelligent have abstained from the worldly pleasures and desired for the world to come because they have known that world, as well as the world to come, is demanding and demanded ²⁴⁸. This world will surely trace the seeker of the world to come to give him his provisions perfectly. The world to come will trace the seeker of the worldly pleasures when death overcomes him to deprive him of the pleasures of this world and the world to come." ²⁴⁹
The Everlasting Law
Unanimously, people have complained about this world, because they suffer its pains. Any pleasure in this world is roiled by griefs and any rest is roiled by sufferance. It does not conform to anybody and no man can find true happiness in it. However, they have different courses about it. Some loved it maniacally, rushed madly upon its transient wreckage; therefore, they lived in states of enmity and wrangle. Others disregarded it and sought the refuge of the temples and places of worship escaping its charms and pleasure; therefore, they changed into scattered groups that lived in the margins of life.
In the midst of such two different tendencies, Islam, out of its comprehensive reformation, came to enact the everlasting law that combines the world and religion and unites the purposes of this life with the spiritual desires in such a high method befitting man's nature and guaranteeing pleasure and comfort.
In some situations, Islam has warned the adorers of this world against its deceptions so that they will be freed from slavery. In other situations, Islam has brought

( 135 )
gradually the extremists who escape the charms of this world near its innocent sweets and pure desires so that they will not withdraw from the caravans of life and become the subject of poverty and humility.
Imam as-Sadiq (a) said: "He who dedicates his worldly life totally to the world to come is not one of us, and he who ignores his world to come for sake of enjoying his worldly life is, too, not one of us."²⁵⁰
One of the Imams (a) said: "Work for your worldly life as if you will live forever, and work for the world to come as if you will die tomorrow." ²⁵¹
Following this law, the Islamic civilization flourished, and Muslims could find themselves places in the scales of perfection. In the light of this law, we can conclude the following facts:
To have the pleasures and legal desires of this world is not discommended so long as it does not contain a forbidden matter or extravagance:
"(Muhammad), ask them, "Who has made it unlawful to maintain beauty and to eat the pure foods which Allah has created for His servants? They are made for the believers in this world and are exclusively for them in the life hereafter." Thus do We explain Our revelations to the people who have knowledge. (7:32)"
Amir ul-Mu'minin (a) said: "Know, creatures of Allah, that the God-fearing have shared the joys of this transient world as well as the next coming world, for they shared with the people of this world in their worldly matters while people did not share with them in the matters of the next world. They lived in this world in the best manner of living and ate the choicest food and consequently they enjoyed herein all that the people with ease of life enjoyed, and secured from it what the haughty and the vain secured. Then, they departed from it after taking provision enough to take them to the end of their journey and after doing a profitable transaction. " ²⁵²

( 136 )
To have the precious acquisitions of this world is not discommended unless they are usurped, ill-gotten, or diverting from the reference and the acts of obedience to God. To acquire such things for dispensing with people or seeking the contentment of God, such as regarding the relatives, aiding the poor, or establishing charitable projects like schools, mosques, and hospitals, is among the best acts of obedience.
Imam as-Sadiq (a) said: "He who does not collect fortunes legally for dispensing with people, repaying his debts, and regarding his relatives is worthless." ²⁵³
As a man said he sought the worldly pleasures and hope he would collect them for sake of spending them on his dependants and himself, regarding others, and performing the hajj and umrah, Imam as-Sadiq (a) commented:
"This is not the seeking for this world. It is surely the seeking for the life to come." ²⁵⁴
The desire to survive in this world is not discommended at all, since its purposes are acceptable. He who desires for survival in this world so as to provide more acts of obedience to God or have more virtues is praised, but he who desires for survival so as to commit sins is surely dispraised.
Imam as-Sejjad (a) said: "(O Allah) give me long life in this world so that I will spend it in the fields of Your obedience. But if it will be a hotbed for the Shaitan, then grasp my soul."
Disadvantages of the Worldly Deception
(1) The most serious danger of deception is that it casts a screen between the intellect and reality and, therefore, the defects and shortcomings, such as gluttony, greed, madly rushing upon the false pleasures that cause disrespect, cannot be noticed.
(2) Deception causes unhappiness because it pushes into the midst of the life sufferance and closes the eyes before satisfaction.

( 137 )
(3) Deception is on the top in the list of the matters that distract from being ready for the life to come and taking along provisions of righteous deeds:
"Those who have rebelled and preferred the worldly life, Hell will be their dwelling. However, those who had feared their Lord and restrained their souls from acting according to its desires, Paradise will be the dwelling (79:37-41)."

القائمة

البحث

تسجیل

Send your Question

Advantages Of Trust In God