7.2. Comments About the Effects of Deeds
Perhaps acceptance of such narrations which contain matters
requiring pause and thinking might be
harder for some people and they might interpret them
as
uncorrect. Such behavior is nothing except not understanding
properly about the actions and effects, especially, if they happend to be
smaller and insignificant. Otherwise from the point of view
origin and basis what is the difference between the effect of fire
which every one believe and do not feel surprised than the effects of deeds and
actions? Or what is the difference between the effects of movement of
heavenly bodies than the effects of action and movement of human beings?
Except that, since human beings have heard a lot about the effects of
movement of heavenly bodies, and have become used to it, they do not
feel astonished and surprised, but since they have heard and known very
little about the effects of human actions and movements, and are not
familiar with it, feel surprised, astonished, and are at war. Because the
less people know about a thing, and the less they are familiar with it, the
more antagonized and disgusted they are. And the more knowledgeable and
familiar about a matter they are, the less antagonized and disgusted they
feel. How come know one feel antagonized about the impact of great
and wonderful words or orders relevant to world affairs?
Didn't sometimes a word, for example, a word uttered by a tyrant
emperor produce thousands of effects like devastation, murders, bloodshed,
and plundering ...etc., that their remnant effects remained for
quite some time or forever? Why no one reject the effects of these things?
Is it not because they understand these effects and can discover the
secret and mysteries of these things through their faculty of reason
and mind, therefore, accept them without any antagonism?
The prophets and the saints who possess a better sense of recognition
than our own senses and whose sight is much sharper than our own's, see,
identify, and report to us — the effect and impact of things like taking
bath
(ghusl) which can not be seen and identified by us. Therefore,
( 120 )
whoever believes in Allah (the
glorious, the exalted), divine prophets, and considers them as His righteous
and exalted servants, should not show any slight doubt about the traditions
which have been reported by them, even
though they con not comprehend them through their sense of limited
appreciation. Because contradictions and doubts shown about their sayings
is a branch of blasphemy which is not compatible with their righteous belief.
Also, it must be understood that to accept and obey these traditions
and relevant commands which are far deeper than to be comprehended by
our limited sense of perception and level of understanding deserve more
worth and merit as compared to acceptance and obedience of those traditions
and commands which could be easily understood by our
knowledge and thinking. Likewise the sincerity relevant to such deeds
which are beyond comprehension through human mind is far superior
than the sincerity related to other usual deeds. Therefore, from these
considerations we should not act
negligently in their performance or may wish to quite them, instead,
we should make our best endeavors in their commitments much more than the
performance of other deeds.
Yes! the Holy Qur'an and traditions have confirmed the authenticity of the effects of
ablutions
(wadhu) and bath
(ghusl) upon the behavior and affairs of human
beings, and it was from this consideration that in proportion to their effects,
some of them were made compulsory while others were proposed as recommended deeds.
From some of the traditions it can be derived that some of these rituals of
cleanings
(taharat) contain celestial illumination which would be
beneficial to their owners especially on
the Judgment-Day. In accordance with some of the traditions, they possess
celestial physical existence like the physical existence of human
beings and things, who would become manifested to their own masters, would
approach them and would release them from Hell's punishments as well as from
other hardships on the Judgment-Day. It
has been mentioned about a perfect gnostics that his
celestial illumination of ablutions
(noon—e-wadhu) became manifested for him in this world, and he had seen
it in the form of a wonderful illumination.
( 121 )
Yes! There are plenty of traditions confirming the actions and deeds of a human
being acquiring features, body, life, conscience, and awareness
in the hidden world; they visit their masters, speak to them, become
affectionate with them, interceded for them, and encourage them
reducing their fear...etc. And the one
who believes in Allah (the glorious, the exalted), the Holy Prophet
(S.A.W.), the Judgment-Day, and believes
about whatever has been told about the Psychic-world
(Barzakh), must also believe
about such effects of human's actions and deeds which have been
reported in traditions.
7.3. Fast-breaking (Iftar)
Earlier it was described that in accordance
with their intentions and wishes the
fast-observers could be classified into few categories, here it
should be added that also their fast-breaking differs and could be
classified into following categories based upon their intentions and wants.
1. The one who considers fasting only as a
mandatory obligation — a burden
upon his shoulders — and in order to be freed from the Hell's
punishment or attaining Paradise, somehow tolerates it till fast-breaking,
as well as during fasting limits himself to the extent of
renunciation of eating, drinking, and
other jurisprudential limitations
whose violation would result in fast's cancellation, inevitably his
fast-breaking too would be — feeling relieved from the burden of
obligation assigned upon his shoulders,
escaping from the pain of hunger and thirst, getting rid from the
limitations of fasting, and being able to be benefited from the pleasures of
eating and drinking.
2.
The one who
observes fast for the sake of Allah's pleasure and
attaining higher exalted spiritual
stations, and not simply renouncing
eating and drinking and observing other
jurisprudential limitations responsible for fast's cancellation —
would abstinence himself from every
forbidden and undesirable deed, after fast-breaking, would allow upon
himself only a portion of things renounced during fasting like eating and
drinking, but would continue to abstinence from a portion of other acts
( 122 )
and
deeds. His aim from eating and drinking in addition of pleasure would
be — that Allah (the glorious, the exalted), has permitted their
consumption, and because of the fact that eating and drinking increases
man's strength, thus, making him
better readied for worship and
enlightenment, which further provides a background for obedience of
divine commands.
3.
The one whose fasting have been described superior than the
abstinence already mentioned is — the abstinence from whatsoever
prevents him from Allah's remembrance even thoughts and ideas which
are
perfectly legitimate and allowable. Inevitably the fast-breaking of such
a preson will be for the sake of Allah, in the path of Allah, and with
remembrance of Allah; neither he would eat any thing with the intention
of enjoying its taste, nor he would eat any thing with the intention of
enjoying its taste, nor
he would eat it more than his requirement, also this would not prevent him
from Allah's remembrance.
Now let us take a pause and think that if our fast-breaking, eating,
and drinking are done for the sake of pleasure, especially, if they are
accompanied with over-eating, then this will be tantamount to an animal
of course, if it was arranged through lawful means and lawful income,
and if it consists of forbidden means and forbidden money, then in that
case it will be even lower and degrading. But this same fast-breaking,
eating, and
drinking, if is done with the intention of obedience of divine
command, for having required physical
strength in order to be able to
engage in worship, thus, attaining Allah's nearness, then in that case it
will be tantamount to the deeds of prophets, imams, and angels.
Therefore, we must be careful and must strive that our eating and
drinking should be like those of the
prophets and imams and not like those
of the animals and beasts, because, the
prophets and imams even though enjoy from eating and drinking as per
dictates of their human nature,
nevertheless, pursue far deeper intentions and objectives. As their wordly
lives, utilization from wordly bounties, and looking at world — all
indicate some thing very different; i.e.
even though these exalted personalities live in this same world, and in
accordance with their human nature, inevitably take advantage from
world's bounties, but their worldly lives and
( 123 )
utilization of worldly bounties and pleasures never make them negligent
from Allah (the glorious, the exalted),
and His remembrance, seeing Him and thanking Him.
Because they do not look upon wordly bounties and material pleasures
from the point of view of their being bounties and pleasures,
rather see in them, manifestation of
Allah's glory, affection, providence,
and mercy rather see Allah (the glorious,
the exalted), Himself and recite the following verse:
(
Beh har che benegram tu padidar budai ) " I
see Your's manifestation in every thing. "
And the following:
be daiya benagram darya tu beenam
be sehra benagram sehra tu beenam be harja benagram kuho dam dasht
nishane az .qamate rana tu beenam
" When I look at the ocean, I see You in
the ocean, When I look at the desert, I see You in the desert.
wherever I look at the plain and mountain,I see the manifestations
of your elegant stature in them. "
—Baba Tahir.
That is the way they see the manifestation of Allah's glory in the
universe, and it is because of their
seeing Him, in the world and its - bounties that never makes their
eyes tired, instead gives them pleasure and
( 124 )
joy. Yes! Their pleasure and joy from wordly manifestations, and their
point of view regarding material phenomenons is nothing except the
above-mentioned interpretation. If they are happy with the world — it is
because of the fact that they see this
world's happiness from Him, and if
they look at the world with affection —
it is because of seeing their
beloved's glory in the mirror of this world as the famous mystic poet Sa'di
has said:
(be jahun khurram az anam ke jahun khurram az oost,
ashiqam bar hame alum ke hame alam az oost.)
" I am happy with the world because I see this world's happiness
from Him,
I am the lover of this whole world
because this whole world is from Him. "
And if they sit to enjoy the beauty of the world's garden, it is because
of their plucking the flowers of His
glory, as has been described by the most celebrated mystic poet
Hafiz-e-Shirazi (R.A.):
(Morade man az
tamashai bughe alam cheest?
be daste mardume chasham az rukhe to gul
chidan).
" What is my desire from looking at the
world's garden? it is to pluck the flowers of Your's glory through the eyes." Hafiz-e-Shirazi 1
____________
1— Hafiz-e-Shirazil: the Supreme master of Parsian lyrical poetry, 726/1325-792/1390.
His verse is marked by a rich interplay between different levels of
meaning — mystical and profane, personal, and political [Tr].
( 125 )
7.4. Eating Before the Dawn (Saheri)
Eating before the dawn is a recommended deed of fasting, and it has been
narrated in a tradition:
"
Eat before the dawn even if it be
only a drink of water, because,
Allah sends salutations upon those who eat before the dawn for
fasting. "
During awakening for eating before dawn,
in addition to the recitals of invocations
(dhikr) and special prayers,
recital of Surah Power
(Qadr)
carries plenty of reward, and it has been narrated:
" Every believer
who observes fast, and at dawn (saher), and
fast-breaking (iftar) recites the Surah
Power, during the period between
dawn and fast-breaking is like the martyr who is wallowed in his own
blood. "
Of course, we should keep in mind that
our aim for eating at dawn is to perform a recommended religious act,
as well as it provides us required strength in order to enable us to observe
the fasting.
( 126 )
7.5. Prayer for Understanding the Nights of Qadr
and Fitr
One of the most important prayer and request
which a fast-observer should not forget,
and from the very beginning of the Holy Month every night, day, and
at every available opportunity should beseech Allah (the
glorious, the exalted), is to bestow
upon him the divine grace for worshiping, servitude, and night-vigil
during the nights of Qadr and
Fitr.
And if a fast-observer beseech Him
honestly and sincerely undoubtedly
He will respond to his request and would
not deny him his desire for
having the divine grace — the grace which is so great that deserves merit
— and the one who has trust in Allah (the glorious, the exalted), and
the Holy Qur'an, in order to be sure for its attainment would be ready to
spend that entire year in worshiping, night-vigil and asceticism. Did not
the Holy Qur'an consider that night
better than thousand months which are longer
than eighty years? Did not by efforts
and endeavors of one year — he would accomplish the bonus and reward
of eighty years?
Which is
indeed a great profit, what to say to accomplish that same profit of eighty
years during a period of less than a month. From this consideration, if some
one does not has even so much courage to pray and request for the divine
grace of apprehension of the Night-of-Power
(Lailatul-Qadr) during the span
of approximately twenty days (from the beginning of the Holy Month untill
the Night-of-Power), then he should
realize that his heart is sick and his faith is unstable, and therefore it
is up to him to seek the treatment for his heart's sickness and
faith's unstability. Whatever has been said about the Night-of-Power
(Lailatul-Qadr) is also
valid for the day and night of
Eid-ul-Fitr
because Imam al-Sajjad (A.S.)
has narrated that:
"
this night (Night-of-Fitr) is not less
valuable than the Night-of-Power (Lailatul-Qadr). "
( 127 )
Yes! Allah's devoted servants whose desire and courage is that
through their prayer, worship, and
preparation reach to the point whereby
their esoteric eyes become opened during
these nights so that they could
witness the descent of angels, Arch-angel Gabriel, and destinies which
descend from the
Celestial-Kingdom towards the earth during this night.
And as compared to those great ones, we
are — who do not possess even the courage to pray and request for the divine
grace of worshiping during these
nights.
7.6. Night-of-Power (Lailatul-Qadr) and Appreciation of its Merits
It is true
that we do not know exactly, as to which night is the
Night-of-Power
(Lailatul-Qadr),
but this should not prevent us
from praying and requesting for
its apprehension, of course to identify as to which night is the
Night of Power, it has been narrated that from the
beginning of the Holy Month till the
night of twenty third, Surah-44,
al-Dukhan
should be recited one hundred times or
Surah-97,
al-Qadr should be recited one
thousand times every night.
Also, for
better apprehension of the Night-of-Power
(Lailatul-Qadr),
there is a narration in the book of
Iqbal, whose authenticity although is questionable, nevertheless, because of
the profound importance of the Night-of-Power
(Lailatul-Qadr),
to act in accordance with the
tradition, assuming its
authenticity as correct would be reasonable. The summary of
the tradition is as follows:
Ibne Abbas has quoted from the Holy Prophet( SAW.):
"
I teach you a prayer (salat) that if
you performed it, you will see the Night-of-Power (LailatulQadr) — every
night, twenty times or even more in the following manner:
( 128 )
Four rak'at prayer with one salutation (Salam), in every rakat
one time, Sarah al-Fatihah (the Opening),
three times, Sarah al-Kafirun (the Disbelievers), and three times,
Sarah al-Ikhlas (the Sincerity). After finishing salutation, recite the
praise (tasbeeh) of Fatimeh al-Zahra
(S.A.) thirteen times, and recite
invocation —Astaghferullahi (oh Allah, forgive me) — thirteen times.
"
The aim of
the narration is not explicitly clear for us, and perhaps
what is meant by seeing twenty times or
even more Night-of-Power could be, that for some one like this, there
is a reward, which is equivalent to the
pleasure of seeing the twenty Nights-of-Power or even more. For example,
it has been narrated that the
reward of recital of one praise
(tasbeeh)
is
greater than the Prophet Solomon's
(A.S.) Kingdom. But the interpretation of those who think that the
reward of this prayer
(saint)
is equivalent of the reward of worship and night-vigil of twenty or even
more Night-of-Power
(Lailatul-Qadr)
is not correct.
7.7. Witnessing of the Night-of-Power (Lailatul-Qadr)
If it is
asked what is meant from seeing the Night-of-Power
(Lailatul-Qadr) and its pleasure?
The reply is — that seeing the Night of-Power means witnessing, whatever is
being revealed during that night, seeing
the descent of angels and destination of affairs, exactly as they are
seen by the Imam of the Age (Vali-Asr A.S.) during this night.
Here it
should be briefly explained that Allah (the glorious, the exalted),
has created between the World-of-Spirits
(Arwah)
and the
World-of-Bodies (Ai's/7m) another world known as the Psychic-World
(Barzakh or Mithal)
which neither possesses the
darkness and narrowness of the World-of-Bodies nor has the brightness
and vastness of
( 129 )
the World-of-Spirits. It is neither like the World-of-Spirits which is
completely separate and abstract from
the darkness of matter, confinement of physical bodies, and limits of
quantity, nor it is like the Material-World which is completely confined
into the darkness of matter, confinement
of physical bodies and quantitative limits, rather it is free from
the darkness of matter, but still is confined to the limits of shape and
quantity, it is a world free from matter
but with shape and quantity and in itself contains many worlds.
Every existence which exists in the
Material-World, in addition to the
physical and material existence of his own world also, possesses
different kinds of existences in the
Psychic-Worlds. And every existence
before his being created in this
Material-World possesses relevant
existence in the Psychic-World and before that in the World-of-Spirits in
its
appropriate form. In other words
every existence, first exists in the
hidden divine treasures as has been
described in the following verse:
"
And there
is not a thing but with us are stores thereof
And We
send it not down save in appointed measure. "
—the Holy Qur'an (15:21).
From there this existence descends into
the Psychic-World and from there, through divine angels further descends
into the Material-World, i.e.
whatever exists in this Material-World was descended from the Psychic
-World and whatever exists in the
Psychic-World was descended from the hidden divine treasures.
Therefore, every human being whatever
destiny or gains he possesses, are from these three worlds; although,
majority of the people are negligent
about their own Psychic and Hidden Worlds, and are not
even aware of about their negligence,
i.e. they neither know about the
existence of these Hidden Worlds nor are aware that they themselves
possess existence in these worlds, except
those upon whom Allah (the
glorious, the exalted), has bestowed His special grace to recognize them
( 130 )
and their selves, and through the path of self-recognition could also
recognize their psychic and spiritual hidden existences.
Because the reality of human self is rooted in the Spiritual-World,
therefore, from this consideration, the
one who has received the divine grace, is able to remove the material
curtain from his spirit and self, thus,
seeing the self's reality, without matter, in the psychic from, and may go
even further deeper than this stage, whereby being able to see the
spiritual reality of his self without
any shape. Such recognition of the self is the
meanings of the following narration
quoted from the Commander of Faithful Imam' Ali (AS.) as follows:
" Whoever
has identified his self in reality has recognized his
creator. "
Therefore,
only those who have discovered the reality of their selves
in this manner may truly appreciate the
link and interface between the
self's-identification
(khud-shanasi)
and Allah's-identification
(khuda-shanasi).
It will be
sufficient to conclude this explanation at this point, and
would be appropriate to return to
earlier discussion. It should be added
that from the traditions it can be
derived that commands, and destinations
for every year i.e. sustenance,
provisions, age, and one year lives of all
wordly and earthly creatures are assigned
during the Night-of-Power and
through the divine angle are descended to this Material-World, and the
one who is Allah's Vice-regent
(Khalifa-tullah) upon the earth
sees and identifies these descend
of destinies upon earth i.e. it becomes clearly
manifested upon him, and this very
manifestation and seeing and identifying the descent of destinies upon earth
though angeles is called — seeing
the Night-of-Power and the joy and ecstasy felt by the
seer, is the result of this
manifestation, which could only be described by
those who have experienced such
phenomenon, and perhaps seeing of the Kingdom-of-Heaven (Malakut) by the
Prophet Abrahim (A.S.) which has
( 131 )
been mentioned in the following verse of the Holy
Qur'an might resemble to such manifestations.
"
So also did We show Abraham the power
and laws of the heavens and the earth. "
— the Holy Qur'an (6:75).
