Chapter Thirteen: The Power of Will and Consolidation
Chapter Thirteen: The Power of Will and Consolidation
The second domain that enriches human life is the endeavor to possess a strong and resolute will, coupled with the capacity for consolidation and self-regulation. If the discovery of talent constitutes insight, the possession of will represents the capacity for human action. An individual endowed with will possesses an essence, substance, conviction, and intention aligned with the contemplative or sagacious content of their being.
In psychology, will is defined as the ability for self-regulation and conscious decision-making, contributing to mental health, resilience, and success. A person, in their collective capacity, can attain a will—nay, an aspiration—that shatters every facet, angle, and dimension, rendering their awareness, will, and appetite infinite and insatiable.
Infinitude, dimensionlessness, the absence of endpoints or impasses, and the attainment of absolute expansion are attributes of the willful human. Yet, ignorance and fleeting contraction, coupled with uncontrollability, stand as two formidable obstacles to achieving this infinitude. The infinitude of human will implies, for instance, the ability to voluntarily halt the functioning of the brain and heart and, after a time, revive them willfully, even if contemporary medicine deems such a duration implausible and pronounces death upon the loss of vital signs. The voluntary control of certain bodily functions, such as heart rate, is feasible in advanced mindfulness practices. Complete cessation and subsequent reactivation of the heart may also be possible for those with profound resolve, though current scientific evidence does not fully support this.
An individual’s voluntary actions and intentions are grounded in convictions, inner substance, and the degree of confidence they possess. A person who is weak, plagued by fear or apprehension, or hollow and devoid of substance cannot cultivate will or the power of consolidation.
The Meaning of Will
Derived from the root “rwd,” meaning to desire or incline voluntarily, will refers to the deliberate preference for one of the options available to practical reason, enabling the realization and application of discovered talents and human capacities. Will, as the capacity to desire or refrain, is experientially and consciously recognizable to all. Its opposite is coercion. Will differs from stubbornness or obstinacy in action, which renders endeavors forced, unnatural, and unhealthy. In psychology, will is affirmed as self-control against impulsive desires and the capacity for conscious decision-making. Weakness of will is associated with impulsive decisions and diminished resilience.
A strong and capable will fosters a healthy, robust, resilient, and rational personality, empowering an individual to choose interactions with others, avoid forced isolation, resist coercive demands, and curb excessive desires, whims, and rebellious inclinations. Conversely, a weak will leads to coldness, lethargy, indolence, apathy, frivolous thinking, reckless behavior, and unbridled, emotional, and misguided desires that rob one of fulfillment. A weak-willed individual lacks resistance against improper or illicit demands, injected or illusory fears, and harmful associations, readily succumbing to every suggestion and aligning with every demand or threat. Such a person exhibits hesitation, instability, self-doubt, and timidity in decision-making, incapable of resolute, courageous, swift, serious, innovative, or proactive action.
In personal development, it is paramount to avoid acting involuntarily or habitually, instead choosing actions with free will, awareness, and attention. Actions performed out of habit, without awareness or will, hold no value for development and are akin to weeds. An individual who falls asleep or wakes without will, or who must sleep to regain strength but lacks the capacity to willfully do so, finds their sleep and wakefulness inconsequential to their development and health. One must possess the capacity to love or resent with will, rather than whimsically approving or disapproving. A person who wills to love cannot be deterred by any force, prevailing over all obstacles. Such an individual fears neither imprisonment nor execution, for they have chosen their path with will. They love their beloved, even if the entire world speaks ill of them. No force can alter or transform such a person.
The Relativity of Will
Recognizing the relativity of will in actions is crucial. Humans perform some actions instinctively and automatically with absolute will, unmediated by inclinations or reason. However, in other actions, mental awareness or inclinations intervene, preventing the will from acting absolutely and rendering it relative. Most individuals employ will relatively, performing some actions with will and others through inclinations, whims, reason, knowledge, habits, or dispositions. By evaluating their actions, individuals must discern whether their deeds—especially those driven by whims or emotions—are willful or involuntary and subordinate involuntary actions to the will.
Involuntary actions stem from stimuli, motives, and reflexes. Some individuals, sensitive to crowds, others’ gazes, or societal opinions, act out of hypocrisy, sanctimony, or pretense. Those who perform actions in the public eye but neglect them in solitude do not act with will. Hypocrisy and sanctimony entail a disconnection from one’s natural self, masking one’s true visage, concealing one’s authentic personality, and rejecting it. Such a person loses their identity and essence. Transferred to the afterlife in this state, they cannot find themselves and remain lost.
Weak wills lead to deficiencies, regrets, complexes, or sadistic tendencies, causing individuals to sow division and conflict. Wherever division and conflict arise, there follows fracture, collapse, depletion, decline, failure, and premature aging.
The Power of Consolidation
The cornerstone of a strong will is the possession of the “power of consolidation.” Consolidation entails gathering all faculties at a single point and setting them into motion. In psychology, consolidation is akin to focus and self-regulation, but the faculties involved encompass mental capacities, memory, brain function, and the strength of each bodily member, all of which must converge to achieve a specific goal for consolidation to occur. Thus, no member must exhibit weakness or vulnerability. With the power of consolidation, one can attain unity, weep with fervent passion, laugh with boundless love, and balance affection and indignation without feeble emotions, honoring the dignity of both. Consolidation ensures that no state or manifestation impedes another, allowing an individual to pray while remaining mindful of their shoes.
The greatest capacity for consolidation and willful resilience is derived from deep sleep, as outlined in sleep hygiene practices. Nutrition quality also directly impacts the strength or weakness of will and consolidation. Deep sleep and proper nutrition positively influence cognitive function and will. Similarly, undertaking small challenges, such as fasting or regular exercise, enhances self-control, personal discipline, and mental health.
Consolidation can be understood as an exercise of the inner self and psyche. Part of this capacity is attained through worship and connection with the Divine. Consolidation unifies the infinite attributes, from divine names and qualities to the material and eschatological reserves, as well as sustenance derived from food, air, sleep, exercise, work, rational knowledge, and heartfelt wisdom. These can be summoned and harnessed through consolidation, focus, and avoidance of dispersion, ensuring nothing is lost or neglected. However, retaining or bearing all these is impossible and tantamount to death. An individual can channel them within a specific framework and under particular conditions, avoiding the burden of carrying them all, which would engender unbearable stress and pressure.
An action is attributed to an individual and reflects their characteristics only when it involves attention, focus, and consolidation. If, during conception, a parent’s attention is elsewhere, the child does not take their form. If consolidation is absent during eating, food does not harmonize with the body, burdening the digestive system with waste elimination. In worship, without consolidation, God is neither praised nor glorified.
Consolidation initially entails the capacity to summon oneself, followed by the ability to summon other potent phenomena and augment one’s energy with theirs. This summoning is the power to absorb energy, akin to a magnet within the body, which, if vibrant, dynamic, and supple, can connect with environmental phenomena and draw upon their energies. An individual with the power of consolidation and summoning embodies a reservoir of energy, restraint, and steadfastness, immune to the greed, domination, or subjugation of malevolent forces. A resolute will serves as a barrier to their influence.
Consolidation is of two types: immediate and gradual, achieved over time as conditions and prerequisites take shape. An individual can consolidate their faculties by recognizing their divine, inherent, and potential capacities and striving toward empowerment without jeopardizing their own or others’ safety and well-being.
To achieve a desire, one may lack self-mastery, grow impatient, tire quickly, forget their goal, or be swayed by fleeting pleasures or whims. Overcoming such states requires gathering all latent faculties, releasing their potential, and harnessing them for action. Consolidation is the culmination of uniting scattered forces, gradually amassed. Achieving consolidation necessitates a comprehensive self-care system, proportionately utilizing material and divine elements.
By strengthening their will, individuals can activate dormant talents or stagnant capacities. Weakness of will and submission to coercion yield no development, signaling personal frailty and powerlessness. Mere effort, perseverance, and patience in work are insufficient; the prerequisite is nurturing the body to liberate the soul through talent discovery and will reinforcement.
Fortitude and Security
Will is enabled by a sense of security and confidence, which determines an individual’s fortitude and authority. Fortitude is the requisite strength for resolute engagement in any endeavor, including entry into transcendent realms. Psychological security and emotional balance are essential for strengthening will and self-regulation.
Without security and its inner psychological sense, an individual lacks health and soundness, becoming restless, with weakened nerves, prone to fear, startled from sleep, and deprived of comfort and ease. Insecurity equates to unrest, agitation, and tension.
Fortitude requires tranquility, dignity, psychological balance, wholesome meaningful content, spiritual health, proficiency in governance and strategy, a sense of security and assurance, and the capacity to bear divine responsibility, moving steadfastly in accordance with one’s nature. It is not merely physical or confined to bodily strength. Fortitude must not be confused with severity, violence, or brute force, as it is the ability to tread a natural path. Like health, fortitude is essential for personal development, with will as one of its components.
A reserved individual possesses greater power, fortitude, capability, and efficiency than a loquacious one. The verbose individual is weak and ineffective, quickly exhausted, with feeble intellect and a superficial mind incapable of overseeing or orchestrating precise realities, often indulging in rhetoric and propaganda misaligned with their actual capabilities.
Security, Proportional Connection, and Systematic Justice
Success or failure, salvation or perdition, hinges on actions and aligns with an individual’s voluntary and balanced choices, linked to divine decree, life, and grace within a collective, communal, optimal system endowed with intelligent justice and the capacity to systematically uphold rights. This determines the ultimate reward of paradise or the punishment of hell for the actor.
The intelligent natural system collectively delivers the consequences of each person’s actions and knowledge, ensuring material security, divine equity, and justice. Without security, balance cannot be established, and security is influenced by nature’s intelligent retribution. The intelligent and conscious nature serves as the abode of rewards and punishments for humanity’s good and evil deeds, according to material capacity. In this world, what one gives, one receives in kind; what an individual metes out to others, the aware and sentient nature returns to them. For instance, one who is harsh on themselves or others will find the world harsh, subjecting them to adversities. The natural system of reward and retribution may be delayed but never falters, with every action bearing a natural consequence and every deed met with a fitting recompense.
In the system of self-care, an individual seeking immunity from calamities and harms must live humanely, naturally, scientifically, and divinely, refraining from injustice toward themselves or others. One may escape material and worldly calamities, but there is no fleeing nature’s retribution. When the intelligent nature and conscious cosmic force intend to chastise, no recourse exists save supplication to God and His saints.
In an environment abundant with resources and well-being, lofty expectations breed rampant disorders. Excessive demands, even of God, instill false hopes, irrelevance, and sensitivity in individuals. A comfort-seeking, painless individual desires everything without the slightest connection, proportion, or affinity, yet even divine mercies and graces operate on wisdom and affinity, sometimes accompanied by pain and yearning.
Irrelevance, such as expecting homeownership from reciting Ziyarat Ashura, banking prizes, lottery tickets, or smuggling goods—particularly cigarettes or narcotics—entails exploiting others and draining their resources, not generating wealth through stable work, suitable employment, lawful income, or genuine, relevant, and proportionate hope in the material context. This undermines security and erodes tranquility.
Will: The Essence of Behavior
Will is the culminating attribute of human actions, endowing behavior and conduct with meaning and identity, shaping human character. All awareness and mental content are realized through will. If an individual’s existence aligns with divine eternity and their will mirrors God’s, they attain true authority and divine fortitude.
Just as one can willfully consume two liters of lemon juice or devour a pot of rice with dozens of kebabs in one sitting, through will, one can access heartfelt inspirations, divine revelations, and intuitive insights without relying on bodily senses. Bodily senses, devoid of consolidation and will, obstruct spiritual knowledge. Hence, in sleep—when bodily senses rest, their multiplicity and interference cease, and inner, spiritual senses gain capacity for activity, attention, and awareness—will can apprehend divine revelations. Death, similarly devoid of sensory interference, connects individuals to inner talents and intrinsic awareness, including the book of deeds. With strong guardianship, one may even attend to all phenomena, their attributes, and behaviors.
With a robust will, what one apprehends in sleep can be accessed in wakefulness. Wakefulness, one of the primary centers of extrasensory intelligence, operates with a complex inner system and a fortified will, unified and detached from multiplicity and dispersion. Such a will can manage the body, fulfill its needs through inner and spiritual authority, and safeguard its health and vitality.
Self-care and upholding the right to choose and select in meaningful matters, coupled with will, are pivotal in personal development. For instance, while praying at the prescribed time is emphasized, it must be done with will, choice, and expansiveness, not under bodily coercion, contraction, or worship devoid of will and choice. The body must be prepared for prayer to perform it with will and tranquility. If the body is fatigued, hungry, weighed down by food, has a full bladder needing relief, is stressed, or owes a debt currently demanded, first-time prayer lacks attention, will, and consolidation, failing to resonate inwardly.
Will must be so strong that the body can willfully generate internal heat in cold weather and maintain equilibrium in heat. A willful individual can regulate eating and drinking, controlling appetite, satiety, and hunger.
The Volitional Nature of Rituals
In self-care, religious rituals and beliefs must be chosen, selective, voluntary, and aligned with one’s disposition and nature to ensure the health, spirituality, and eternal felicity of life. The prevailing state of life, where will and choice are feeble and entangled in habit or submission to coercion, yields no development and often results in deprivation.
In psychology, will is examined as a blend of conscious and unconscious factors. Habitual behaviors can limit personal development unless consciously reformed.
Physical Health as a Function of Willful Authority
Physical health requires the strength and capability of will and freedom of choice. An individual unable to live willfully, subject to coercion, possesses a disordered, distressed, and chaotic body. Will and self-control are linked to healthy behaviors, such as diet and exercise, which impact physical health.
An individual with the power of will and consolidation can care for their body, preventing, for example, osteoporosis. Their willful authority and consolidation prevent their bones from weakening or becoming brittle.
Will serves as the brake and regulator of the body. Without self-care, an uncontrolled body indulges in gluttony and insatiability, eating until harmed by overconsumption and indiscriminate portions. The same applies to a body lacking voluntary sleep. With a strong will, an individual can adjust their body’s strength, heat, or cold to desired levels, and the body complies with these willful changes. This capacity for choice renders the body powerful, capable, and resolute. However, a weak and feeble will prevents the body from sleeping or eating as its owner intends, dragging it toward further weakness, illness, pain, and a longing for death, stripping away joy, satisfaction, and hope.
A resolute and steadfast individual can willfully subject their body to extraordinary stress, pressure, and voluntary challenges, fortifying body and psyche and enhancing their capacity to choose the best options.
Only a willful individual can engage in dialogue and discourse, whereas a weak-willed person resorts to one-sided speech, monologue, and coercive measures.
In the self-care system, will is paramount to selectively and authoritatively choose hygiene, cleanliness, nutrition, prevention, treatment, culture, and beliefs. The power of choice is impossible without the ability to deduce, form accurate convictions, and uncover knowledge aligned with one’s inner self and disposition. This acquired, deductive, and investigative awareness, coupled with resilient will, forms the backbone of the self-care system.
A human self-care system is selective and willful, but an individual lacking will, order, attention, and thought—who acts without purpose or reason—cannot practice self-care. The desires and whims of a weak-willed person obstruct their will, leading to harmful indulgences they know to be detrimental.
A human devoid of thought and will is inferior even to animals, for animals possess choice, albeit guided by instinct and natural awareness, rarely erring in aligning their external life with their natural existence. Human choice, however, can be voluntary and selective; without exercising will, acting arbitrarily contradicts one’s inherent disposition. The prevalence of such individuals, ignorant of life’s knowledge and unskilled in its practices, escalates social conflicts, divorces, family breakdowns, and criminal cases, precipitating social crises.
To counter social crises, society’s capacity for consolidation must be elevated through cultural groundwork, leveraging films, music, concerts, books, and media.
To enhance the quality of life after discovering the purpose of existence and uncovering talents, one must learn how to live. Among the quality-enhancing and life-facilitating factors aligned with one’s authentic self are will and the power of consolidation, which can elevate human authority beyond the rank of spiritual and celestial angels.
Movement driven by whims, desires, and feeble emotions leads nowhere, as inclinations lack order. Willful movement, governed by reason, paves the way for proper education, fulfilling employment, and suitable partnerships, fostering development, perfection, and flourishing.
Whims and desires even infiltrate prayer, distinguishing solitary prayer from public or pulpit prayer. Yet, prayer and worship aim to endow body and psyche with enduring structure and a steadfast path, preventing rebellion and, through resolute will and restraint of desires, upholding the self-care system.
A willful individual does not regulate their life with whims, pressures, inclinations, interests, aspirations, dreams, or others’ temptations and mischief. They make critical life decisions consciously, accompanied by their knowledge, neither forgetting nor neglecting their learning.
Weakness of Will and Its Implications for Self-Care
The Nature of Weakness of Will
An individual with a weak will exhibits limited resilience and endurance. Such a person struggles to maintain their health, rendering them vulnerable to diseases that assail from all directions. The mere presence of physical strength, capability, and vigor fosters self-care, shielding the body from the activation of latent, dormant ailments. When the body, psyche, emotions, or faith of an individual weakens, these latent afflictions become active, manifesting as disruptive quagmires that impair the functions of the brain, stomach, and other organs, as well as the inner vitality of the person.
A weak-willed individual, upon acquiring new knowledge, lacks the capacity to retain it and feels compelled to immediately disclose it to others. Lacking fortitude, such a person finds relief in sharing newfound information, thereby unburdening themselves. This individual is prone to frequent forgetfulness; intellectual knowledge weighs heavily upon them, and they experience a sense of lightness after examinations, only to swiftly succumb to forgetfulness to avoid distress.
Being unnatural in disposition, a weak-willed person cannot conceal their frailty or refrain from expressing it, which itself constitutes a form of malady. They even openly declare enmity toward adversaries due to a lack of patience, endurance, and strength, stemming from their inherent sense of weakness. Such individuals exhibit discord with others, frequently engaging in disputes, as they are unable to assume a positive, constructive role or adapt to changing circumstances.
A weak-willed person is incapable of maintaining proportion, balance, or harmonious interaction. They lack courage, are fearful, and do not possess the authority to uphold truth, honesty, or fairness. Instead, they resort to deceit and injustice to mask their deficiencies. Lacking sincerity, they cannot embody purity, for purity is the manifestation of truth. Those living under oppression or dictatorship, burdened by feelings of weakness, often develop habits of deceit and hypocrisy, becoming duplicitous.
Due to their fearfulness, weak-willed individuals struggle to secure their sustenance or provide for the essential needs of their spouse and children, let alone practice generosity or charity. Such individuals become miserly, narrow-minded, and avaricious, as charity requires courage. They cannot champion or adhere to truth, readily abandoning it under the slightest threat or temptation, aligning themselves with falsehood. They are unable to forgive, overlook others’ shortcomings, or pardon their errors.
Driven by fear of failure or annihilation, a weak-willed person, to conceal their frailties, becomes contentious, resorting to physical elimination of opponents or character assassination through gossip and slander. Yet, no particle is ever subject to destruction, and the true pursuit is annihilation in God, proximity to the Divine, and union with the eternal abode—a journey not devoid of pain. In contrast, a strong individual has no need to execute, physically eliminate, or defame opponents.
A weak person, lacking valor, freedom, or capability, fears the strength of their subordinates and restricts their empowerment, seeking to diminish others to aggrandize themselves. Internally small and plagued by feelings of inferiority, they perceive criticism or flaws as personal attacks, becoming distressed. Conversely, a strong, noble individual never feels diminished, despite their humility, meekness, and adaptability. A weak person, however, shows no humility or kindness, though they may submit to the powerful in abject humiliation.
A weak individual pursues coercive means and fails to seek strength naturally. They are neither a source of calm nor healing for others. Incapable of compassion or kindness, they habitually engage in backbiting and maligning others. Despairing of everything, even of God, and hopeless in altering their fate, they submit to circumstances they lack the power to change. They harbor protracted, unrealistic aspirations that intensely provoke emotions such as greed, acquisitiveness, hoarding, avarice, malice, and deceit. Such aspirations hinder submission to truth, targeting their faith and will.
A weak-willed person lacks the capacity to uphold respect or honor, resorting to irreverence out of incapacity. Disrespect toward the dignity of knowledge, scholars, or laboriously crafted books leads to deprivation. Praising a weak individual risks inflating their ego, fostering arrogance and grandiose claims. Unwarranted praise can lead to retribution in the afterlife’s reckoning, where every breath is meticulously accounted for in a collective system. It must be noted that the divine manifestation in all things does not negate the contingent nature of existence, collective agency, responsibility, accountability, reward, or punishment, and this discussion requires careful consideration of these distinctions.
Anyone feels emboldened to challenge a weak person and jeopardize their interests. Health and security lie in strength and authority, which inherently deter conflict. No one provokes a strong individual. The formation of a society is for empowerment, enabling rational self-defense. Authority is a catalyst for growth and development, and preemptive strikes against adversaries may be justified to secure it.
A weak person cannot even tolerate dietary remedies; everything they consume clashes with their body, causing illness. They cannot ingest honey, saffron, or garlic without distress, and even bread may lead to constipation. They catch colds in breezes, sweat excessively in heat, and suffer heatstroke. Seeking only comfort and pleasure, they cannot endure the slightest pressure or adversity, shunning life’s challenges and fleeing from difficult events, evading responsibility. They lack the capacity for sacrifice, forgiveness, love, or respect for others, remaining selfish and self-centered.
Perpetually sorrowful, distressed, and agitated due to their lack of patience and endurance, weak-willed individuals envy and resent the strong, unable to perceive such strength within themselves. This leads to self-destructive tendencies, and they find no peace until they act against the strong. Envy targets virtues and perfections, not mundane matters. Thus, those possessing excellence should avoid proximity to the weak to evade envy. Deceit, slander, and false accusations arise from individuals with weak character who perceive themselves as powerless.
Strategies for Strengthening Will
To cultivate will and capability, a weak individual must regulate their diet and prioritize sleep. Deep, heavy sleep, extended in duration, reduces excess and fatigue, restoring their strength. Light sleep fails to alleviate exhaustion. For those with sleep disturbances, consuming yogurt with cucumber or plums before bed is beneficial, while spices like saffron, ginger, and cinnamon should be minimized and used only as necessary.
Evaluating Will
Assessing and monitoring the strength, weakness, resilience, and fragility of will is essential, observing when one abandons tasks at the first obstacle or persists resolutely. One should note how long it takes to rise from bed, whether prayers are performed promptly or delayed, and whether perseverance exists in study or research. Challenges to will manifest in the face of obstacles, and resilience, persistence, and problem-solving ability serve as measures of will. Evaluation requires impartial observation, avoiding both narcissism and undue self-criticism, maintaining realistic self-assessment free from misplaced affection or aversion.
Will may encounter obstacles in the form of desires and whims, rendering decisions involuntary and reflective of the dominance of passions. Will draws strength from reason, while desires stem from illusions and fantasies that drag a weak will along, rendering the individual wretched, enslaved, and subdued by internal impulses. In contrast, a strong will commands these impulses. A person may possess both will and inclinations, but the critical factor is that their management rests with their will, not their fleeting desires.
A weak-willed individual consumes only what pleases them, even if harmful, and rises from sleep only when inclined. Such a person eats irregularly, lacks a consistent meal schedule, and does not rise promptly. Conversely, a person with strong will eats and sleeps guided by reason, abstaining from harmful foods and avoiding excessive sleep, rising decisively and maintaining timely routines that meet the body’s needs. A strong will not only elevates reason but also instills order and a righteous path for it.
Will empowers individuals, while those driven by whims and desires lack power. When faced with hardship, they abandon tasks, as their desires reject difficulty. However, a person with will, once resolved, completes even arduous tasks, regardless of personal inclination. A person without will, driven by bodily desires, acts only on preference, consuming what they crave without regard for harm. In contrast, a person with will operates with rational approval and foresight, with desires following the will’s lead. The distinction lies in this: a person driven by desires resembles a spoiled, undisciplined child who acts impulsively, breaking, striking, and spilling, lacking will and governed by whims. A child’s will is yet to mature, and desires dominate. An adult, even at fifty, may retain this childish will, acting solely on inclinations.
To evaluate will, one must weekly assess the proportion of actions driven by whims versus will. The dominance of indulgent desires is the primary cause of human failure. A person with will, even if disinclined to eat a portion of food, sets it aside to avoid waste, acting with discernment and reason.
Khwaja Nasir al-Din Tusi, in his Akhlaq-e Naseri, offers a compelling metaphor for will. He likens a person with will to a strong, wise individual who rides a horse, tames a lion to follow, manages a dog and a flock, and orchestrates all effectively. Conversely, a weak, unwise person without will is overwhelmed: the dog barks and bites, the lion attacks, and chaos ensues, leading to ruin. A person lacking authority and will becomes entangled in myriad problems, disorders, and ailments.
Will influences even seemingly involuntary functions, such as lung movement or heartbeats. A powerful will can proportionately affect all aspects, generating heat to survive in a cold environment or producing cold beyond a freezer’s capacity. Yet, a person with weak will cannot endure a single day’s hunger or observe a fast.
A weak-willed individual, even if amassing wealth, fails to preserve or grow it, living by desires and spending unwisely, remaining weak in prosperity. The strength or weakness of bodily organs—stomach, intestines, lungs, heart—depends on the robustness of will. A strong will enables the stomach to digest any food, utilizing it effectively. However, a life driven by indulgent desires renders one wretched, enslaved to impulses, leading to obesity, excess calorie accumulation, and high weight, damaging the heart, spine, knees, and legs. Trapped in this mire, they cannot stop eating. Only a person with will can cease eating before satiety, not driven by mere pleasure.
Obesity and Excess Weight
Obesity refers to the accumulation of unhealthy, excess fat in the body. Excess weight, dead cells, accumulated waste, and surplus flesh burden the bones, damage the heart, and contribute to stroke and mortality. Excess weight, particularly excessive flesh, is detrimental to the heart and brain, reducing the body’s resilience.
For a healthy life, these excesses must be purged. Excess weight and accumulations arise in those whose body is governed by desires and whims. However, if will commands the body, even overeating does not lead to obesity, as the will takes responsibility, burning excess calories through work, thought, action, or sheer volition, without relying primarily on the stomach or intestines. The will burns calories first, followed by rapid digestion and elimination by the digestive system.
Obesity is linked to multiple factors, including genetics, environment, and dietary behaviors. Self-control and will play a role in weight management. A low-calorie diet and regular exercise increase metabolism, aiding in weight loss, obesity management, and heart health.
Maintaining a scale for continuous weight monitoring is essential for a healthy life. Balanced weight is a critical health indicator. Many diseases stem from fat, sugar, and blood pressure, all related to obesity or thinness. The body requires healthy, essential fats and beneficial cholesterol for survival, energy, warmth, brain function, and heart strength.
Obesity and excess weight, especially in older age when the body weakens, combined with gluttony and poor nutrition, hinder spiritual ascent and transcendental experiences. Obesity, high blood pressure, and irregular heartbeats increase the risk of stroke and neurological incidents. Reducing salt intake, stress, ensuring sufficient hygienic sleep, and consuming fruits and vegetables regularly mitigate these risks. A life of modesty and sufficiency, free from excessive wealth fluctuations, also stabilizes blood pressure. Living at high altitudes elevates blood pressure.
Proportional consumption of food and water is effective in controlling obesity. A ratio of approximately three to one is advisable: 300 grams of food requires about 130 cc of water. Exceeding this leads to obesity, while less causes dehydration.
Habitual Consumption of Beverages with Meals
A weak-willed person consumes excessive water with meals, and when their palate tires of food’s taste, they resort to sodas or beverages to continue eating. This leads to fat accumulation and heaviness, straining the spine and causing back pain. Without weight reduction, such individuals risk arthritis or disc issues over time.
Obesity often occurs in weak-willed individuals governed by desires rather than a robust will. For fat-burning, water consumption is beneficial, as is limited use of industrial sodas, lemon juice, vinegar, or fruits. In a self-care system, minimal consumption of industrial sodas poses no harm to a healthy stomach, which is inherently strong. While small amounts of water with meals aid digestion, water should not be consumed with fatty foods. Limited soda intake, however, assists digestion and fat-burning. Drinking water before or after meals improves digestion and reduces bloating. Limiting liquids during meals preserves digestive enzymes, enhancing digestion.
Standing on Hands
A sign of strong will is rising from the ground without using hands. An individual who places hands on the ground, lifts their back, and then stands exhibits weaker will than one who rises directly on their feet. Standing or rising on hands gradually weakens will, intellectual capacity, and cognitive ability. Thus, leg exercises are essential to strengthen legs, preserving will and brain function. Jurisprudential rulings for the weak should not be conflated with the lifestyle of the healthy and strong.
Muscular atrophy in the body leads to mental weakness. Strengthening leg muscles through exercise fosters robust will, maintaining its strength even in old age. A resolute will enables one to retain youthful vigor in old age, akin to a lion, aged yet formidable.
Entering Seawater
Another test of will is the manner of entering seawater, rivers, or springs. Individuals lacking self-assurance and afflicted by fear, with weak will, hurl themselves into the water, whereas those with strong will enter upright, stepping confidently. Swimming or walking in seawater supplies minerals, alleviating muscle pain and improving skin health.
Cultivating and Strengthening Will
Will is trainable and can be strengthened through practices like self-regulation and mindfulness. A strong will enables the body to be governed by reason, managing diseases, disorders, fluctuations, and accumulations, and purifying the body.
An individual with a fortified will gradually attains a tranquil soul, reaching divine paradise—purity of creation, comfort, joy, positive emotions, sweetness, and life satisfaction. A person who has trained and equipped their will avoids actions detrimental to bodily freedom and flourishing.
A factor weakening will is discussing intended actions. Speaking of plans diminishes resolve, leaving the individual internally weak and unable to act.
Warm Water Baths and Hydrotherapy
One method to strengthen will is bathing in lukewarm water, whether in a tub, pool, or shower, daily or at least every other day, particularly for women. Lukewarm or slightly cool showers for healthy individuals are invigorating, promoting skin vitality, beauty, immune system strength, and better sleep quality. This hydrotherapy aids in treating depression and obsessive-compulsive disorders alongside other methods. Bathing in cool water, especially at night, enlivens and strengthens the body. Natural essences and warm baths stimulate the parasympathetic system, reducing stress and improving circulation.
Devotion and Will
In Divine Management and Policy, it is stated that intention is the focused unity on a single action, unlike desire or inclination, which are mere whims lacking resolve. A person with mere desire, devoid of determination and will, becomes sensitive and easily offended. Following intention comes resolve and will. A person with will is a devoted follower, unwavering in their pursuit, rejecting whims, and standing firm. Will resides in one with a goal.
Devotion fosters both will and trust, creating an inner inclination to rely on the object of devotion, forging a steadfast connection that propels one toward success and natural progression. Without a natural affinity, devotion does not arise. An educational system requires fostering affectionate devotion between student and teacher. Without belief in the mentor, time spent in their presence yields no benefit, despite any knowledge gained. Knowledge acquired without devotion becomes mere memorized information, lacking the depth of true understanding, unable to be independently generated. A devoted individual pursues what they comprehend, undeterred by obstacles.
Divine Will
Those with strong will attain a perfection where their will aligns with God’s, moving in harmony with divine will. Their actions are not merely voluntary but stem from a serene inner state connected to divine will, driven by sacred aspiration and divine attraction. Such exemplary individuals possess a tranquil soul, a pure and sanctified heart, and a holy intellect. The Quran instructs the Prophet to declare: “Indeed, my prayer, my rites, my life, and my death are for Allah, Lord of the worlds. He has no partner. Thus I am commanded, and I am the first of the Muslims” (Al-An’am: 162–163). Only one whose entire will mirrors God’s can claim, “My life and my death are for Allah.”
Strengthening awareness, will, sincerity, courage, and faith enables one to overcome blind, misplaced, and chaotic emotions and desires. Will requires essence and autonomy, but as phenomena operate collectively, with essence belonging solely to God, human will is described as “a matter between two matters”—neither absolute freedom nor compulsion. Human phenomena possess contingent, collective agency, while non-human phenomena are contingently determined. Love governs the universe, rendering some actions driven by divine attraction and destiny. A person who tirelessly pursues scientific research, despite hardships and without reward or need, is driven by love, an inevitable destiny that compels continuation. Such actions, transcending compulsion and choice, are performed through love.
Destiny embodies justice and wisdom, though oppression and transgression are earthly contingencies. The phrase “the servant plans, and the Lord decrees” signifies that human planning is contingent upon divine decree, not independent. Divine will is the systemic, dynamic governance of affairs based on knowledge, power, wisdom, and will, rooted in divine attributes and governing creation. This divine action arises from the collective, contingent manifestation of phenomena, compatible with human collective agency. No individual can solely claim responsibility for an action, as every act involves social contexts, parental influence, sustenance, time, place, knowledge, economy, thought, culture, and unseen forces, from jinn and angels to God Himself.
Connected and Disconnected Choices
Humans possess two types of choices: general, disconnected choices driven by a calculative, utilitarian intellect with limited, short-term rational aims, and specific, connected choices rooted in a wise, enlightened, or divinely guided heart. The distinction between ordinary, materialistic individuals and divine ones lies in their mode of choice.
Disconnected choices vanish with death, potentially leaving regret and unresolved burdens in the afterlife. General, disconnected choices fulfill human needs akin to insects, offering no greater existential value. Such choices are fragile, like unformed clay dissolving in water, lacking will, order, structure, or freedom, and failing to bring salvation or felicity.
In specific, connected choices, an individual focuses on eternal salvation and the constructs of everlasting life, dedicating everything to God, thereby granting permanence to all. As Prophet Abraham declared: “Indeed, my prayer, my rites, my life, and my death are for Allah, Lord of the worlds” (Al-An’am: 162). Embracing this verse separates one from worldly individuals, softening the soul for the hereafter and rendering one divine.
A believer with connected choices relinquishes all hard-earned possessions to God, the eternal cause and inheritor, ensuring their everlasting connection. Such an individual has no concern for wealth or progeny, having entrusted all to the everlasting God. They leave home as if never to return, without need for a will, as wills are for those with general choices. Specific choices, made “for the sake of Allah,” leave nothing in the world, with no worldly or afterlife calculations.
General choices, when faced with the intermediary realm (barzakh), may possess everything yet be unusable, as they are ineffective there. Barzakh, a desolate realm without gates, renders general choices inert, imprisoning desires in the world. Such individuals must navigate the afterlife empty-handed, barefoot, or even limbless, under harsh conditions, moved forcibly amid great tribulations. General choices sustain worldly life briefly but offer no solace in death, leaving only regret that suffocates the soul. In contrast, specific choices send everything forward, leaving nothing in the world, rendering one immune to Satan’s temptations, as they possess nothing to be threatened with to deny divine unity.
Martyrdom is witnessing and affirming truth, with the martyr’s value lying in their vision, sacrifice, and devotion to truth for divine proximity. Self-care emphasizes eternal salvation, everlasting life, and union with the beloved, requiring reserves of awareness, knowledge, love, faith, and unity, recognizing God as both cause and inheritor. This perspective demands purity to avoid drowning in worldly illusions, choosing the straight path of divine saints and inner spirituality to evade regret, sorrow, and material or spiritual deprivation.
An individual with a holistic, comprehensive self-care lifestyle, like Amir al-Mu’minin, proclaims at the moment of union: “I have triumphed, by the Lord of the Kaaba,” relishing death. Or, like Imam Hussein, the prophet of love, declares: “O Lord, I am content with Your contentment,” embracing martyrdom. Or, like Zainab, sings: “I saw nothing but beauty,” perceiving all trials and majesties as immersed in divine beauty.
The pinnacle of self-care is departing the world after a life of well-being and joy, without regret, complexes, deprivation, or misery, avoiding being forcibly cast into “a pit of fire.” As the poet says: “If life passes happily, Noah’s lifespan is short; if bitterly, half a breath is too much.” Without holistic self-care, all joys and well-being become agonizing in the throes of death, stripping away every pleasure, even knowledge, as general choices lack divinity.
One who practices self-care moves toward specific, divine choices. Though they may possess only a single layer of disconnected clothing, imbued with divine connection, they live the best life. As the saying goes: “If our home lacks prosperity, it has purity; where purity exists, God’s light surely resides.” Connected choices perform every act in harmony with the inner self and soul, never externalizing or disconnecting anything.
This concept aligns partially with positive psychology, emphasizing meaning, purpose in life, and choices grounded in long-term values.