Enduring Sentences Volume 1

Ayatollah Nekounam's books

Enduring Sentences | Volume 1

His Eminence Ayatollah al-Uzma Muhammad Reza Nekounam

Author’s Name: Nekounam, Muhammad Reza, 1327-
Title and Creator: Jomelgān Jāvid / Volume 1 / Muhammad Reza Nekounam
Publication Information: Tehran: Sobhe Farda Publications, 1403 (2025).
Physical Description: 2 volumes
ISBN: 978-600-397-600-3
Library Classification: CIP
Dewey Classification: 62/1 FA 8
National Bibliography Number: 5233279
Publisher: Sobhe Farda
First Edition, Year of Publication: 1403 (2025)
Print Run: 1000 copies
Price: To be determined
Distribution Center: Qom, Amin Boulevard, Alley 24, Branch 1, Left side, No. 76
Phone: 025-032-901578
Foreword
Experience is invaluable, especially for others. While personal experience often holds more immediate significance for the individual, others find it less tangible, making it harder to apply directly. People who experience events first-hand possess more insight and can often provide significant benefits by sharing their stories, even though this usefulness may be less readily realized. Once an experience is gained, the person has inevitably expended part of their own energy and effort towards acquiring that wisdom. In this book, I aim to recount my own direct, firsthand experiences. If others pay attention to these experiences and truly grasp them, they will not be surprised or confused by similar situations. On the contrary, neglecting them may lead to regret and sorrow.

This book primarily addresses the tricks and traps of life in the era of the occultation of the Wilaya (Guardianship). It is designed to make the reader more knowledgeable and worldly, so they avoid naivety and the deceitful tricks of life—even when those tricks appear in new and unfamiliar forms. Over the course of my short life, I have witnessed various events and interacted with people from all walks of life—ranging from the worst to the best, from the religious to the non-religious, from scholars to the ignorant, and from the rich to the poor. I have observed them all in their own contexts. I have sought out diverse communities, listened to their stories, and traveled with them on their paths.

Though I do not wish to elaborate on where I have been or whom I have met, as it would be tedious and not suitable for this context, suffice it to say that I have seen what was necessary to see and have observed these events with a perspective of reflection and careful observation. I have detailed many of the most significant experiences in these two volumes. This book discusses various types of people and offers insights into religion and religious practice, both quantitatively and qualitatively.

While I have not traveled the entire world, and have seen only a small portion of it, I have used logical comparison to expand my understanding of unseen aspects of life, making them clearer through experience and general insight.

The three key lessons that have emerged from my experiences are as follows:
First, the entire universe is governed by a wise and powerful truth that provides order, guidance, and control without being easily recognized by those within it. Every particle, from the smallest to the largest, is in the grasp of this power, unnoticed by those it encompasses.

Second, I have observed that every individual, in the highs and lows of life, faces the results of their actions, both good and bad. These results manifest in their lives, whether or not they are aware of the fine details of existence’s mechanisms. Every action, whether sweet or bitter, leaves an imprint. Although the consequences of actions may take time, they are inevitable. The idea that all rewards and punishments are relegated to the afterlife is a misconception, for many of them occur in the here and now. Even when someone’s visible actions escape scrutiny by society or the law, the hidden effects—good or bad—are never truly concealed from the individual’s soul.

Third, human potential flourishes through direct experience and understanding, bringing an individual’s latent abilities to the forefront. Much of human development occurs through societal interaction, where the community shapes the individual just as the individual shapes the community. However, it is essential for a person to actively seek out their own path in life, without merely observing the lives of others, but instead pursuing their own journey—whether in academic, artistic, practical, or everyday contexts.

Reflection on Life and Society
In the course of one’s brief lifetime, it is not enough to merely observe the lives of others; one must actively seek to understand and shape their own existence. Each individual must be an independent traveler on their own path, driven by their nature and essence. Whether in scientific, artistic, or mundane daily life, each person should carve their own distinct path.

Those who do not engage actively in life—who are indifferent, directionless, or passive—lack value and contribute nothing to society. It is the act of having a clear direction, a purpose, and an opinion that defines the human being. Although such a journey may be fraught with difficulty, it is in this struggle that a person’s true essence is honed and their spirit is refined.

To think is not an art, but to affirm one’s own understanding and to add value through wisdom is what truly defines a human. Simply parroting the ideas of others, hiding behind their truths, only leads to self-deception and ultimately a hollow existence.

Jomelgān Jāvid was written in the third and fourth decades of my life, during the peak of my experiential maturity. It encapsulates the essence of my views, presented in a simple and accessible language.

Sunday, 1st of September 1366 (29th of Rabi’ al-Awwal 1408 AH)
Praise be to God.

Selected Propositions from the Text

The Silence of the Savage Wolf:
If I were to represent all the people of the world, I would organize a conference with two groups: one for the suffering masses and another for the leaders and those in charge of the community. I would ask the latter to remain silent throughout the entire conference. This would, in my opinion, be the most truthful conference in history.
The Best of All Worlds:
Despite its flaws, this world remains the best of all possible worlds. One should not always evaluate quality based solely on quantity.
The Truth of Love:
Everyone loves, but not all are truly sincere in their love. The one who is free has wasted their life, while the one who is devoted is nothing but stagnant water.
1. Wisdom, Knowledge, and Spiritual Perception
The scholar without wisdom and the wise without knowledge are both misguided. Wisdom cannot be acquired through imitation, and an imitator is not wise. The scholar gains certainty from appearances, the wise from intellect, and the mystic from direct experience. We are superior to our predecessors in thought and reflection, but less so in action; thought has evolved while action has stagnated. The scholar comprehends difficulties, the wise contemplates possibilities, and the mystic perceives certainties. Although there are those superior to us and some inherently inferior, who is ultimately revered remains unclear. If you encounter superiority, do not envy it, and if you encounter inferiority, express gratitude; both pride before the inferior and despair before the superior lead to misguidance. Envy in the face of the superior and gratitude in the face of the inferior are both signs of faith. Gratitude and envy signify faith, while despair and pride signify disbelief.
Quality has always been the painter of time, while quantity is nothing. Quantities will depend on qualities, and qualities themselves will create quantities, requiring none. If our words are judged on the Day of Resurrection, we will be condemned. Someone who speaks sweetly yet has no actions is like a butcher who slaughters a thousand sheep at midday but cannot eat a single piece of his own meat—he spills blood while speaking words; he kills souls while uttering religious matters; he consumes bread while heading toward hell.
Philosophy, mysticism, poetry, and aestheticism, without jurisprudence and principles, will lead one towards asceticism, vagabondage, or disbelief and denial. In truth, the ascetic and vagabond remain as they were, while the disbeliever is driven away, and the one who reaches the goal will become everything.
2. Diversity and Proportion
Not every sin suits every individual. The fact that not everyone commits the same sins is not commendable. Some individuals create fire, others extinguish it, and some do both. Just beyond fear lies treasure. Some are men, others are not, and this distinction is clear; however, some are neither men, nor non-men, nor women, nor eunuchs.
I suffer from the beautiful words of the human world, such as “goal,” “end,” “freedom,” “justice,” and “honesty.” The frequent use of these words often equates to their absence. If the prophets had not come, what would the condition of humankind be: better, worse, or the same? Is death something to be seen, or is the act of seeing death what is truly to be seen?
In this world, everyone does something, but some choose their actions. Some benefit from reading, others from writing, and some would be better off doing neither. Everyone is fortunate if they understand. Everyone is distinguished if they know. Every problem passes, so there is no real problem unless it does not pass. My liver burns, but there is no sigh; my eyes see, but there is no gaze. A cry is ineffectual; what is truly effective is courage. Mansur was executed, but he did not awaken the people. I lack the soul to meet death. This, in itself, is peace. I know what I am saying, but who is there to understand it? I see what I see, but who will reach it?
Death is good for the poor and disgraceful for the great. The pessimist makes mistakes, and so does the optimist; likewise, the group of both must be realists. A person is often deceitful, and humanity itself is deceitful. Deceit is either born of malice or reason. The inner world of humans and the outward reality of everyone, although complex, is not always so beautiful.
3. Human Tradition
The truth of humanity is not accessible to everyone. The essence of man is the manifestation of the essence of God. Faith does not arise from weakness. Power is distinct from might; what is attributed to God is power, and what is attributed to falsehood is might. Uselessness is abundant in human life. Who can say that they are good, or that another is bad? On the surface, it seems that all people are good, yet alas! When does a person truly become human, and what is a human?
Traditions have played the largest role in either constraining or liberating humanity. Traditional superstitions in human societies have often been more effective than scientific insights. Divine religions have accepted the good traditions of humanity. Man is a traditional being. Politicians, with complete disregard for belief, gladly embrace human traditions. A complete person sees the kingdom within themselves. Through traditions, humans have often been deceived and misled. Ordinary people have always been distanced from truths. Those who understand the truths cannot do much about them.
The true human state is devoid of desire. The desires, lusts, and lack of desire are all stages in human growth. Desire causes a person to lose themselves. Both loss of self and desire are in close proximity to one another. Desire will never be satisfied in humanity.
4. The Harshness of Time
The twists and turns of life polish the essence of humanity. In the clash of time, a person truly discovers themselves. Human individuality is defined by the ability to endure life’s difficulties. Through grief, one becomes old, but it is better to die without grief. The lack of grief in an individual is a sign of their foolishness. Humans are problem-solvers, and they cannot be formed without problems. Difficulties torment the human soul. Do not honor the wounded spirits, for they have lost their hearts.
The poor always die, and the rich lament over their graves. Joy arises from gain, and sorrow from loss—both are forms of deprivation. A burning heart makes no sound. Achieving perfection requires no movement; it demands the renunciation of greed. What sustains humanity is perseverance. Perseverance allows a person to overcome all challenges. Challenges only yield to perseverance. Perseverance reveals the true nature of humanity and manifests it. Anyone without perseverance is bound to fail and be destroyed. Our society’s culture is such that people will not assist one unless they are fallen and lamenting. Those with reputation are not helped, but those who have lost their dignity are further disgraced. Just as respect and titles are paid after one’s death, the same applies to dignity.
5. Clarity and Directness
Being clear and direct is very difficult, and not everyone possesses it, nor is it necessarily something worth striving for. Each of these two qualities, if possessed, will have a significant impact. If it is difficult, it is because others do not pursue it, and those who do achieve it must have accomplished something important. If it is without reward and full of struggle, it must have been pursued by those who are short-sighted or lacking in wisdom.
Truth is that honesty and sincerity are difficult and will never be universally accessible. A person cannot be truly honest with themselves, let alone with others. One must not only be straightforward with friends or loved ones but also with their enemies, showing them as they are, much like clear water which reflects both beauty and ugliness equally.
6. Patience
The heart is either a cemetery of arrogance or a village of joy. A heart devoid of grief would be better replaced by mud. Joy is often a form of human negligence. The good ones among humanity spend most of their time in negligence. Debt shortens a person’s life, makes them old, and brings anxiety. A person who is resolute in their lack of debt or one who is not burdened by debt exemplifies strength. Poverty dries the human soul. Poverty demands resilience to endure it. Joy makes poverty unbearable, and poverty devalues joy. Poverty breaks the backs of the weak and the helpless. Poverty and destitution are a heavy burden.
7. The Pain of Poverty
The greatest ignorance of truths stems from immaturity. The poor are scholars who only know poverty. The lesson of the poor is always one of pain and suffering. Poverty renders all human excellence meaningless. Titles for the poor are hard to come by. Aggressors make others poor and then praise their own creation. Is it unimaginable to die in poverty? The angel of death for the poor remains hungry. Unconsciousness in hunger and drunkenness in satiety are both the same, yet they are two different states with two titles. The definition of poverty does not lessen the pain of poverty. The burning heart of the poor and their suffering are deeply connected. The cry of the suffering and the silence of the hungry are united.
Courage and Bravery
True courage and bravery are exhibited by those who consider failure to be a form of victory and never cease their efforts and striving. ( ) Weakness and incapacity are attributed to those whose success leads to their downfall. ( ) For the courageous, failure brings about victory, while for the weak, success leads to defeat. ( ) One can never truly appreciate the taste and joy of success and achievement without enduring hardship, adversity, and the coldness of failure. ( ) For the knowledgeable fighter, failure is the groundwork for overall success. ( ) In worldly matters, one cannot find an entirely accurate or complete definition of failure or victory. ( ) Since the blessings of this world are temporary, victory will not bring lasting pleasure, and true and constant joy can only be found in the eternal. ( ) The joy of victory for the wise is a foundation of hope, whereas for the ignorant, it becomes a source of pride and decay. ( ) Work is defined not by the act of doing, but by the context in which it is done. Some actions are appropriate and fruitful, finding their place, while others, despite great effort, fail to achieve anything and may even lead to harm. This can generate both natural and unnatural factors. The doer should always focus more on the success of their actions in their rightful purpose, and carefully consider the ultimate objectives. ( ) Time and life are the only things that gain value when properly appreciated. ( ) A few comparisons are provided here:
a. If one calculates the number of breaths taken in five minutes and then extends this calculation to five times that period, five months, or five years, one will realize that time is not as scarce as it may seem, and much of it is spent in vain or wasted.
b. Observe how many times the eyelashes flutter in five minutes and consider how often the lover and the beloved meet in the same short time, then extend this consideration to five months, five years, or fifty years.
c. One should count the pulse rate, the heartbeats, the shifts in thought and focus, the movement of blood, and bodily functions—essentially everything that can be measured—to gain a sense of the fleeting nature of life and time. Although this will not be completely precise, it will provide an approximation of a restless reality. ( )
Promoting Goodness
The manner and method of promoting and guiding others is one of the subtlest psychological and spiritual matters. ( ) To illustrate this subtlety, two examples are sufficient:
a. A mother opens her eyes to find her two-year-old child near a well or body of water, with the child’s hands dangerously close to the water. If the mother makes any noise or movement, the child will fall in. The mother must quietly, without any sound, slowly crawl toward the child, holding her breath to avoid alarming the child, and only then should she firmly grasp the child and pull them away. This is how guidance must be carried out in society—slowly, without force, and with great care.
b. Just as a pigeon keeper patiently crawls on the ground to approach a pigeon without scaring it away, a guide or teacher must do the same in their efforts to guide others. The guide must be aware of the constant presence of the ‘devil’—the forces that mislead people—and remain prepared to liberate the souls of the misguided. This concept is expressed in the Qur’an: “If you had been harsh-hearted, they would have dispersed from around you.” (Qur’an, 3:159). ( )
End Times and Leadership
The “end times” refers to the final phase of this era of Imamate; a time when the eleventh Imam has been martyred, there is no thirteenth Imam, and the twelfth Imam remains in occultation. ( ) Those who experience and understand the descriptions of the end times are those who are among the estranged members of the community, awaiting the coming of the Imam, as the Prophet Muhammad said: “Blessed are the strangers of my community.” ( ) A person from the community of the estranged has five characteristics: they have not followed the Prophet, have been distanced from the truth, but remain firm on the path of righteousness, enduring solitude and sorrow as their defining features. ( ) Ali (peace be upon him) was the only one who was neither born into this world nor died in it. He entered the House of God (the Kaaba) and left from the prayer niche (mihrab), without being touched by the world. This is the unique trait of Ali, as reflected in his words renouncing the world. ( ) All worldly scales measure quantity, not quality, whereas the divine scales measure the quality of deeds. ( )
The Unworthy Drunkard
An unworthy person is one who is intoxicated by the virtues of others. ( ) The complete person is one who understands virtue as coming from themselves, without becoming proud or boastful of it. Showing off in worldly and religious matters is a sign of a small and incomplete soul. ( ) The root cause of a person’s carelessness is ignorance or despair in the truth. ( ) False personalities are the primary cause of the deviation and misguidance of many people. ( ) Infidelity has historical roots, and understanding it is complex; the essence of infidelity is oppression, though not all oppression is infidelity. ( ) The ignorant person is one who takes pride in the qualities of others, while remaining oblivious to their own virtues. ( ) Committing a sin is different from creating sin, just as repeating a sin is different from spreading it. The spread of sin is a far greater wrongdoing. ( ) The wholeness of religion and its practical embodiment has always been distorted by unworthy individuals, as it has been throughout history, just as all religions have been consistently misrepresented. ( )
The Nature of Human Beings and Their Corruption: The Path to Escape
The original nature of humans is corrupt, but what is the way to escape it? The nature of any human, regardless of their status—whether young or old, learned or ordinary, male or female—is caught in desires, rebellion, and sin. This is because the original nature of a human being is composed of semen, clotted blood, and a developed lump that has formed sharp claws, emerging in the lap of matter and the shadowy nature, where it first finds its being. () The way to escape from this material condition is by precisely and methodically revealing oneself, distancing desires seriously, and gradually recognizing oneself without material or temporal constraints, which requires a great deal of effort and struggle. () Ordinary people, since they approach this matter in a conventional way, can, in turn, distance themselves from vice in a conventional manner. Just as they grow in the lap of multiplicity and generality, their avoidance of rebellion will also be through this multiplicity and generality. When such factors are absent, or momentarily removed, there is nothing to prevent rebellion, and the incentive becomes complete. () It is rare for an individual to truly free themselves from these external preventions and to be solely guided by divine and spiritual qualities. () Although the discourse may sound pleasant, it remains at the level of these titles. If these factors are set aside, every human is, in essence, a savage and a daring predator. () Those who can truly place themselves among the pure ones are those who, without these external and general factors, can observe within themselves the strength to refrain from sin and rebellion, and who see themselves prepared to avoid sin and disobedience without these external veils. () This statement, in its truest sense, might be found relatively in a few humans, and others should not be expected to achieve this, nor should we expect such an act from them. () To preserve the social order and prevent any potential harm, Islamic individual and social orders must be enforced seriously and universally at a very wide scale, and no one should be complacent, thinking that they can disregard their duties or that the wolf within them is powerless. They must not ignore the dangers of this dormant dragon and must maintain the boundaries and outer forms of the law. This is the very source of their downfall. The observance of individual and social laws—ranging from acts of obligation to recommendations, and from the forbidden to the disliked—must be applied universally. For example, when the lawgiver commands that men and women who are not related by marriage should not stay together in a house, or that two young people should not sleep under the same blanket, or that a man should not take the place of a woman in warmth, or that looking at someone who is not permissible should be avoided, and countless other examples—these commandments stem from the Qur’anic verses like, “Indeed, the soul is inclined to evil, except those whom my Lord has mercy upon” (Qur’an 12:53), and “Indeed, mankind is in loss, except those who have believed and done righteous deeds and advised each other to truth and advised each other to patience” (Qur’an 103:2-3). ()
The nature of humans is rooted in matter, and they become accustomed to it. As they progress and reach higher stages, they still recognize higher and broader forms of matter, until they die, where they again become bound to this same matter. () Human semen is material; the place it is cast is material, and all of it is material—nothing exists outside of matter. As it grows, the material aspect of the embryo becomes flesh and bones, and still, it is only matter. Although a person’s restless nature carries a potential connection to higher realms, this awareness is not easily attained. It is possible for a person to be born, pass through childhood, and still remain as a child. They may grow taller, expand their chest, and gain weight, yet remain unaware of their spiritual or inner strength. It is possible that one might be deceived by their own height, beauty, and outward appearance, thinking themselves to be a true human, even though they are not. They might possess an identity card but not truly be a person. They may have reached the physical growth stages but never develop in spiritual or psychological realms, or perhaps only their animalistic tendencies have flourished. () It is essential for each person to truly know themselves and not be deceived by their outward appearance. One must not become oblivious to their own imperfections and should not be confused between appearance and essence. (____)
Psychological and Abstract Diseases in Modern Medicine
Contemporary medicine (in 1983 CE) regards issues from a purely material perspective. Leading psychologists and neurologists treat the human psyche as something that can be dealt with through physical medications and endless talk therapy. This approach is prevalent in developed countries, whereas in third-world countries like ours, psychotherapy remains in its early stages. () While traditional medicine, with its unique approach, may not hold much scientific or practical value today, supporting it merely out of attachment to the past is not useful. At the same time, modern medicine, focused primarily on industrial tools and advanced machinery, lacks sufficient skilled practitioners. Despite addressing certain issues, modern medicine cannot fundamentally resolve various illnesses. Beyond this, it often overlooks the psychological aspect, attempting to treat diseases purely as material issues. () While drugs and medication are indeed effective and necessary in both medicine and psychotherapy, the treatment of human diseases should not be solely grounded in materialistic methods. Medicine and psychotherapy should recognize their spiritual and abstract dimensions as well. Psychological issues should be explored in terms of their deeper, intangible qualities and the philosophical foundations of these fields should not be neglected. If the spiritual and intangible aspects of human nature are acknowledged, we can better understand and treat the soul’s diseases, which today’s scientific community sadly neglects. () If contemporary medicine and psychotherapy were to recognize these aspects, they would be better equipped to employ spiritual and religious practices, and make greater use of the advantages found in divine wisdom, prayer, and sacred rituals. () Many psychological and even physical issues can be alleviated through spiritual practices and the invocation of divine names and attributes. When implemented with seriousness and proper conditions, these practices can have a profound impact. It is essential that competent and devout practitioners discover these methods and apply them to their practice. (____)
Divine Law, Divine Implementer
If people in modern societies, from any nation, religion, or background, were to truly follow the laws of the jungle, the state of the general population would likely be better than it currently is in our so-called modern world. () The discussion of laws or what makes a law good and comprehensive is a superfluous one, as the importance of any law lies in its implementation. If a law is not properly executed, it remains ineffective. () Any law you make will be followed in whatever way the enforcers choose, except for the law that is not enforced. () In fact, those who make laws are often well aware of how to evade them. () In every society, laws tend to favor those who create them. () The ones who bear the consequences of laws are those who are not involved in their creation. () Those who follow the law are often unaware of its making. () The only true law is divine law, but it requires a divine enforcer. () True divine enforcers are very few, as only the infallible and righteous saints of God can truly fulfill this role. () The law is the best weapon for violating the law. () The law does not solely violate itself; rather, lawlessness is the greatest form of lawlessness. Laws always claim to protect the weak, but this very claim can lead to the suffering of those very weak. () Even the best laws can often result in the worst actions and intentions. () I take issue with the term “law,” although lawlessness is undoubtedly worse. Law often does not act against those in power. () Relative to society, law-makers have often been the most respectable thieves. () The rope of the law easily strangles the weak. () Law-makers often sully the term “law.” () The best thieves in society are often the ones who wear the cloak of law enforcement. () Up until today, humanity has spent far more time creating laws than they have achieved results. () The disillusionment with law stems primarily from its deviation, inaction, and ineffectiveness. However, the law, in itself, holds intrinsic value, and it must be recognized that the true law is the one revealed by God, not man-made laws, which are either incomplete or serve as mere instruments. () Making laws is the domain of God alone. Even the prophets, if they are law-givers, do so by the will of God and through their infallibility, which distinguishes them from ordinary human beings. ()
Faith and Religious Law
Religion encompasses the entire history of humanity and the life of the individual. () Religion is the most important and noble social principle known to humankind. () Religion, in its entirety, has no true foundation outside of God’s commandments. () True religious figures have dedicated their entire being to this truth. () The only path that can lead humanity to the road of salvation is religion. () Religion is the best leader for the human caravan. The only regret humanity should have is its failure to fully utilize the benefits of religion. () Every religion and divine belief, after a period, becomes entangled in the hands of powerful humans who claim
The Completeness of Human Perfection:
The completeness of human perfection is comprised of four essential aspects: the heart, faith, love, and perseverance. The heart is the life and essence of a person, while faith is the result and reflection of this life. Love is the manifestation and revelation of both the heart and faith, observable in their union. Perseverance is the means to attain and realise oneself through all stages of perfection, and when it is not fully achieved, it reveals weakness in the three preceding stages.
Complete belief in the Divine is the knowledge of the Divine through direct spiritual perception in all aspects of existence. This stage of knowledge requires an understanding of both good and evil, and the power to reject the latter.
The radiance of a woman comes from her healthy husband. The presence or absence of the husband fundamentally alters the meaning of all existential concepts and titles for a woman. A woman’s feminine identity, or lack thereof, is contingent upon this.
A wife’s disobedience to her husband, unless it involves disobedience to God, leads to the emergence of immorality and sets the stage for various other corruptions that can result in the complete destruction of a woman’s well-being.
The submission or taming of either a wife or a husband, or anyone else, depends on increasing love and affection, for this governs all the laws of nature. Complete harmony and companionship with another person form the foundation of closeness and intimacy, and living without this unity, in any environment or with any characteristic, essentially means gradual death and silent extinguishment.
A man and a woman, by recognising their mutual need for each other, will attain unity, perfection, and the completeness of humanity.
The avoidance of slowness, harshness, and aggression in actions, and agility in intellectual and practical matters, is a sign of an individual’s health and success.
It is narrated: “The woman’s jihad is the excellence of her marriage.” Due to the various hardships encountered in social life, a man becomes highly vulnerable, and a woman is the only force capable of alleviating these harsh events. However, this should not be used as an excuse for male oppression or unreasonable expectations.
The Three Stages of Knowledge:
The three stages of knowledge are sensory perception, intellect, and the heart. The first pertains to the majority of people, who are predominantly materialistic, and the second involves knowledge, intellect, philosophy, and wisdom. The third, which is the attainment of true knowledge, is referred to as mysticism. The first perceives form, the second grasps meaning, and the third touches upon truth. The third stage, which pertains to the heart, itself contains three phases: arriving, becoming, and being. Arrival comes without change, becoming involves change but lacks permanence, and perfection in humanity lies in being, as exemplified by fire. One who approaches the fire feels warmth but is not in it, whereas one who is in the fire burns but is not the fire itself. The final stage, the state of purity and the “mukhlis,” represents true being, and all these stages correspond to the earlier four stages: heart, faith, love, and perseverance.
On Servitude and Humility:
If a person wishes to become a servant, let them not become a servant of shame.
Narrow-mindedness distances a person from the external world, and they come to believe themselves to be the entirety of the external world, although only in imagination. Narrow-mindedness shrinks a person to the point where they see themselves as small and insignificant.
Some people make the most of the smallest opportunities, while others squander the greatest opportunities. Many waste opportunities entirely, while some, despite making the most of the smallest opportunities, fail to benefit from abundant opportunities.
The Presence of Shiite Scholars:
The Shiite scholar can be identified by certain qualities and characteristics, which can be briefly listed. In addition to knowledge, virtue, and general piety, the distinguishing Shiite marks are practices such as the recitation of prayers and pilgrimages; for example, the visitation of Ashura and the community prayer, Dua-e-Kamil, Dua-e-Simaat, the reverence for the descendants of the Prophet, and the continual practice of supererogatory prayers. Those who disregard these matters are guilty of ingratitude and will face dire consequences. Avoiding the remembrance and mourning for the Imams, especially Imam Hussein, will have harmful effects, influencing the individual’s life, death, and their punishment. Those who neglect these matters are, in fact, neglecting their own path and, if not, they may not even possess such a path.

29. Reason and Love

The conflict often depicted between reason and love lacks a solid foundation, and there is no true opposition between them. When reason reaches its peak and demonstrates its true stature, love emerges. Thus, the bloom known as love is, in fact, reason itself, and the brilliance and high stature of reason should be named love. Reason and love are not two distinct truths; rather, they represent a single longitudinal truth that assumes different forms within the scope of its manifestation. Reason is light, and love is the full manifestation of this light. (….) Reason is not from restraint (ʿuqāl), and the views of those who portray a conflict between reason and love have caused a misrepresentation. (….) Reason is light, and love is nothing but light itself. (….) When it is narrated: “The intellect is that which worships the Merciful and through which paradise is attained,” it does not refer to the calculative intellect, but rather describes the spiritual light that reaches its highest stage in the verse: (وَالَّذِينَ آمَنُوا أَشَدُّ حُبًّا لِلَّهِ)[9]. The calculative intellect is one that binds and restricts, while the light of reason is boundless, and its flight is love. The lover does not become a calculating soul; rather, they cast aside the calculating pursuit of self-interest, not abandoning reason, for the abandonment of reason is ignorance and non-being, not love and purity. (….) The lover is inherently rational, though not calculative, selfish, or egotistical. (….) When it is stated: “The first thing God created was the intellect,” this is both the first and the last; the first is one that has no second, while the second is non-being. So where does love lie if it is not the essence of reason? Love is the truth of reason, and its agent is reason, just as the goal of reason is love, even though there is no agent or recipient; it is merely a multiple manifestation of a single truth that, upon its actualization and representation, reveals its essence. (….) What the divine saints, lovers of the truth, and martyrs of beauty possess is love, but not a love devoid of reason, for love without reason is not true love, and the saints are entirely composed of both reason and love. (….) Both reason and love are true, and neither possesses a metaphorical or non-essential form. (….) If there is doubt, reason and love are two stages of the manifestation of a single matter, and metaphorical love is itself a truth that has become confused in its application. (….) The one who enters the beloved’s heart and the one who submits to the enemy both have the same ultimate goal, though their outward manifestations are different. (….) Here, reason and love no longer have a metaphorical or real distinction, and truth will not be corrupted, even if a servant, by their own choice, tarnishes it. (….) When doubt is dispelled and the groundless truth reveals itself, the very stage of deficiency is shown, and deficiency will not occur in goodness. This is where the servant will no longer tarnish the truth, and all that is created will be the unified truth, which is the source of all praise and blame. Hence, the rational and the lover are not separate, even though love retains its higher station and reason, in its true form, is light, having no second. When it becomes calculative, it is no longer rational; rather, as the infallibles have stated, “That is ignorance, and that is devilish, resembling reason but not reason.” Calculating and reckoning are themselves signs of the individual’s descent, and no longer reflect light. Even if, based on unity, they adopt the name of light and existence, they remain merely a manifestation of light and existence, as previously described in their significant differences. (….)

It is good for a person to repent each moment and to encourage others to repent as well. Just as it is good for a person to make repentance the foundation of their actions and to repent of every inappropriate deed, it is even better to repent of all the good deeds and realizations of their soul, for this attachment to the self, even in stages of perfection, is still a deficiency and imperfection. It is good to encourage those who have wronged or harmed others to repent, as well as to place all obligatory and recommended religious rights, as well as every ethical relationship with others, in the context of repentance, with the understanding that one is absolved of all rights, whether known or unknown, large or small, visible or hidden. “O God, I do not hold any right over anyone, and I do not demand anything from anyone.” This act of repentance, to forgive all rights, is the highest act of compassion, as it frees both oneself and others from any burdens. (….) Repentance and forgiveness represent the nobility and honor of a person who cleanses others of all sins and transgressions, offering the plea for divine forgiveness and mercy. (….)

30. Awareness in the Night and the Graveyard

By day, a person is absorbed in worldly matters, noise, paper, books, and conversation, as each individual spends their daily life and gradually transitions from daylight into the darkness of night. However, what is truly important and should not be neglected is the story of the night and the effect of darkness. For many, night passes in sleep and rest, or rather, in a temporary death. Others may fall into heedlessness, sin, or indulgence in physical pleasures, yet what is important is waking up and becoming conscious in the night. (….) How should one spend the night and how can its true nature be discovered? Some pass the night contemplating, reading, or writing, while others pray, engage in devotion, and unite their place of prostration with the earth, sometimes in abundance and at other times in long-lasting unity, keeping themselves absorbed in this state. What troubles me, what disturbs me, and what pains my soul is the thought of what I should do. As the night falls, and I pass through its initial stages, as my eyes begin to close and the preparations for the coming day are set aside, I ask myself, what should be done? All the activities I previously mentioned either lie behind me or ahead of me, but the pain I feel is that, O God, none of these things ease my suffering, and I fear that all these distractions and preoccupations serve merely to pass the night and the darkness. I fear that in my prostration, bowing, reciting, and remembrance, the call of dawn will break my slumber and steal the night from me. I fear that all of this may simply provide the grounds for a complete heedlessness. What should I do and what should I say? Suddenly, this phrase rises to my lips: “O God, may it not be that You have distracted me so that my night becomes my day!” O God, guide me on what to do, prayer, remembrance, prostration, or recitation—what should I do so that my action is meaningful? (….) O God, You have no need, and I am the one who is in need. What shall I do to make my night truly meaningful? (….)

31. Congregational Prayer

Congregational prayer, like learning and study, holds great importance and brings about spiritual growth. The benefits of congregational prayer are not limited to its social and political advantages, though these too are significant. Congregational prayer, like a lesson from a teacher, should provide the foundation for the manifestation of perfection, just as a lesson from a teacher brings about growth. (….) The ideal state for a congregational prayer is that the follower becomes an imam themselves, just as the student becomes a teacher. If a prayer does not lead to growth, it remains a mere formality. The congregational leader should create imams, and those congregations which the imam fosters are not simply a superficial assembly. (….)

32. Voluntary Death

It is narrated: “Die before you die.” What is inevitable for every individual is death, and preparation for it must occur beforehand so that, when its time comes, one is neither anxious nor confused. One of these inevitable matters is death itself, from which there is no escape for anyone or anything. Therefore, the wise person must prepare themselves for death and die before they physically die. Before the ritual purification, shrouding, and burial, they must practice this often, so that when the actual moment arrives, it will not be completely foreign. (….)

The Nature of Human Life and Sin

Human life itself is profound. Sin, although it has its own realm, offers no peace or certainty in this world. While we may not live in a world devoid of knowledge, the world of sin and disobedience is a realm of ignorance, because no matter how lowly a person may be, in their essence, they do not see a world more luminous than human existence. In fact, for such a person, the world does not exist, and by losing human life through sin, a person falls into ignorance and is deprived of the realms of light.

The realm of obedience, although in comparison to the realm of sin, may appear as a trade, because trade is a quality of the wise, while disobedience is the characteristic of the ignorant. One who plunges themselves into sin and disobedience is, in fact, jeopardising their own existential and moral position. A person who defiles themselves with sin and disobedience either has no knowledge of the Truth and cannot perceive God, or, though they believe in God, they do not see Him as a witness and overseer, or even if they accept this, they do not believe in God’s might and dominion. Alternatively, they may not feel any deficiency from the Creator, or they may be deceived by the mercy and forgiveness of God, or perhaps they do not believe in God’s justice, or there may be various other factors contributing to the commission of sin.

Many sins can stem from other factors such as a weak soul, the influence of the environment, habits, physical traits, inherited factors, or other secrets of fate, each with its own specific characteristics. The proximity or distance from sin and disobedience is never simple, as the environment, position, and conditions must necessarily contain many other characteristics. In the manifestation of acts of obedience or sin, many psychological conditions or incidental motives may be involved.

Not every sin can be committed by just anyone, and like acts of obedience, they require structure and a framework. Some sins are so exceptional that only a few can engage in them. These are the kinds of sins that have foundational and structural consequences in different societies. The avoidance of sins that are inherently wrong, as perceived by human nature, is easier. Many are also protected from the harm of certain sins by religious submission. Religious submission or human nature has different applications for different people. In some cases, neither works; in others, both have an effect, and in some, one of these shows itself.

The inner nature of sins contains mysterious secrets, and regarding many of them, we have little information or are negligent about them. It can be said that many acts of obedience contain the seeds of sin. One should not be too content with acts of obedience, just as one should not be negligent about sin. Obedience has a limited application, whereas disobedience creates a storm. Though we should not allow the existence of sin to lead to despair, because these matters are interrelated in a broader sense and are mutually vulnerable, one should compensate for each through its relationship with the other. However, distancing oneself from all or desiring them entirely at the same time is not feasible.

Sin is one thing, and what is more significant than sin is its repetition. The repetition of sin gradually darkens the soul of a person and, the more frequent it becomes, the more fatal and devoid of vitality it makes the individual. Repeated sin ultimately leads one to deny the very sinful nature of the act itself. As sin increases, it deepens within the soul, until, through the act of sin, it penetrates into the core of one’s being, leaving no way out except death.

It is not that avoiding sin or refraining from repeating it is impossible; however, the reality is that it is an extremely difficult task, and ordinarily, it is not easy to free oneself from it. Sometimes, an event, motivation, or particular traits may cause an individual to distance themselves from even the deepest of sins. Concealing a sin causes its repetition, although its disclosure can have the same effect.

To avoid a sin that has caught someone, one must see through what path or nature it appeared in the individual, and the best way out is to identify this very thing. A sin that someone does not know the origin of, the time, or manner in which it overtook them is difficult to avoid. What defeats sin is hard work, discipline, and avoiding ordinary pleasures. Excessive eating and sleep make the body stronger, but they weaken the willpower of an individual. Similarly, the indulgence in pleasures and comforts creates fertile ground for sin.

The delicacy and charm of life, though good to an extent, in excess becomes the very groundwork for sin and disobedience. Dirtiness, gloom, and neglect of cleanliness and purity, form a strong foundation for the contamination of the soul and the actualisation of sin.

The spread of immorality and the propagation of sin by some is the worst sin and the most significant cause of the contamination of society and its people. One who reveals the sin of another is undoubtedly spiritually deficient and is themselves stained with sin and disobedience. Sin has many forms, so much so that some acts of worship can themselves be counted as sins.

There is no boundary for sin, though the boundary for obedience is clear. However, the boundary for both must be understood in terms of the individual’s focus, motivation, and alignment with the apparent actions of the individual. Obedience and sin are both relative, to the extent that one individual’s disobedience may appear beautiful, while another’s obedience may be seen as repugnant.

In the end, one might argue that some sins, though grave, do not pose a greater challenge than actions of obedience. However, we must understand that sin, and obedience alike, exist on a relative scale and must be perceived accordingly.

It has rendered one blind and deaf, confused and dazed. Each person perceives something as good, while another believes it to be bad. ( ) Some say God is sacred, others call this very God Truth, or acknowledge His existence, while some argue there is a truth which we do not know but recognize as something beyond all things. Others are repelled by the concepts of good, God, existence, and truth, and never concern themselves with such matters. ( ) Some consider idols as sacred, in various forms, and many revere the cow as holy, even going so far as to say that gods exist in the form of male genitalia, which young women sanctify themselves with during marriage. Some regard idols as intermediaries to the divine, and people of faith consider saints to be intercessors. Curiously, both groups sometimes find fulfillment in their path, while at other times, both fail. ( ) One says that women are sacred, their honour must be protected, while another dismisses this notion as heresy. One claims women should be veiled, while another insists that veiling is misguided; one argues that shaving the beard is wrong, another says the moustache should be left unshaven. Some say neither should be shaved, while others maintain both should be. Some say the beard should not be shaved, while still others hold that it must be shaved. In short, opinions differ, and many are concerned with determining the right course of action, but who can say what is truly correct? ( ) Some take pleasure in eating pork, crabs, locusts, and other creatures both harmful and harmless, while others are disgusted by such foods. Some consider the dog to be the best of animals, holding it dearer than wife or children, while many regard it as filthy, impure, and unclean. ( ) Some people are concerned with outward appearances, others with inner qualities, some with both, and some with neither. Which group should be considered worthy or unworthy? ( ) In one region, certain foods, items, or practices are held in reverence, while in another, they are disregarded. Every group criticizes the others, immersed in their own views, without considering the perspectives of others. ( ) Some regard something as obligatory, others as forbidden; some see it as recommended, while others deem it undesirable, and what is not known by all is considered permissible. ( ) One person says it should be purified, another says it should be washed with water, a third insists it must be washed with water and then bathed, while another says it must be rubbed with earth, three times or even seven. ( ) Another embraces this dirty, dangerous creature, becoming attached to it, finding companionship in it, and ultimately, leaving instructions for all their wealth to be inherited by this very creature. ( ) One seeks knowledge, another pursues wealth, and a third is absorbed in pleasure; each is preoccupied with their own concerns. ( ) This is the world of waves, and the wave is exactly this. When there is no governing principle, overseer, or divine guide, things cannot be any better. ( ) One claims that truth is absolute, another insists it is relative, and a third says that truth does not exist at all, neither absolute nor relative. Although all seek truth, they err in their pursuit of it, for they do not listen to the voice of truth, nor do they seek the essence of truth from it. Instead, they interpret their own desires as truth, whether in thought, action, belief, or disobedience. ( ) A person can test and come to understand themselves amidst the struggles and challenges of life. However, it is not true that they can fully understand themselves unless they are thoroughly tested. ( ) The very challenges and problems of life are what reveal the true nature of a person. ( ) Many people, although entangled in life’s challenges, will not experience deeply complex problems, and such individuals will not possess great wisdom, if they possess any at all, for their souls may not be firmly grounded. Therefore, their essence should be considered small. ( ) Those who experience profound, confusing, and directionless problems are better able to assess themselves. ( ) Through challenges, a person can clearly see how difficult it is to be on the path of truth, to walk with integrity, and to remain steadfast in the right. ( ) The serenity of the soul should not be the measure of virtues, for the true test is in the storm, when the soul flees from truth and reality amidst the turmoil. ( ) In moments of peace and stillness, every old man is a lion, and every child is wise, but in times of difficulty, fewer wise men find their way, and fewer retain their strength. Amid the turmoil of life, they might find a way to reach the shore. ( ) Many people, like worthless planks on an unstable raft, drift aimlessly on the sea of life, with no direction. Though they may seek some path, they rarely stay on it, and only a few will ever find their way. ( ) Those who oppose the course of life find no peace for themselves. ( ) Human qualities and divine virtues are fragile in the face of difficulties, and one should not rely on them until they have been truly tested and reached their peak. ( ) A person may only truly know themselves when it is already too late, although this knowledge, if found, is invaluable. ( ) In many cases, even the good deceive themselves, let alone those who present themselves as good. Few people abandon worldly things, and abandoning goodness is far harder than abandoning badness, though even that is not easy. ( ) Reaching God and becoming one with Him depends on cutting ties with creation and not seeing creation at all, not merely escaping from it. Although for the weak, escape can be a preliminary step towards separation and invisibility. ( )

Obedience in the Time of Occultation

The time of revelation and infallibility is better in two ways than the time of occultation and the cessation of revelation. In the time of occultation, when we have no apparent Prophet or Imam, the situation becomes difficult, and it is one of the worst of times. For if there is any good, it is with a righteous believer, though even this is rare and precious. The time of revelation and the presence of an infallible Imam is ideal for the righteous, for they quickly reach their desired goal, and even for the wicked, it is beneficial, for they too soon reach their end. ( ) Obedience to the infallible is obedience to reality and truth, while disobedience to them is fleeing from the truth. Obedience brings about reality, while disobedience brings impurity, deprivation, and hell. But during the time of occultation, this is not necessarily the case. If the obedience is to a duty and a righteous, scholarly believer, it is a legal obligation, but it does not necessarily bring about the same truth. Similarly, disobedience to a scholar may not result in the same consequences unless that scholar themselves is the true representative of the truth. ( ) “Rejecting them is like rejecting us” signifies that rejecting the legitimate scholars of religion is equivalent to rejecting the essence of the faith. If one rejects true scholars, they have rejected the path of the infallibles themselves. ( )

True Spiritual Alienation

A scholar, cleric, or any other designation one might choose, is a reality within our society. Although every community and people has their own distinct types of clergy, what is meant here is the Shia clergy and our own scholars. The scholars and clergy of the Shia originate from the Imams, and beyond the fact that their existential philosophy and being stem from the Imams, the ultimate purpose of their creation is to support, preserve, and protect the line of Shia, religion, and guardianship. ( ) This generality, however, is not uniform in reality and has many variations, both highs and lows. Among the scholars and clergy, there are often those who are undoubtedly among the saints of God, belonging to the rightful heirs of the prophets. Although this will not always be the case, and such individuals are rare, there are few instances within the Shia clergy where an individual has turned entirely bad. ( ) However, many ordinary individuals, though far from perfect, have good qualities. Their goodness may not be outstanding, and not all of them live up to their own words, though some exceed their own expectations, albeit rarely. Among them, there have been many great scholars, worthy individuals, and hardworking researchers. Yet, this group often finds itself at odds with superficial and shallow individuals. Indeed, these worthy scholars and hardworking researchers have often been hindered and isolated by these others. ( )

Overwork and Detachment from the World

In unhealthy societies, the more a person works, the less reward they receive, and the less a person works, the more they acquire from the world, to the extent that the one who does no work at all ends up with everything, while the one who works tirelessly has nothing. ( ) Ignorance, and the absence of wisdom, may hurt someone less, but the one who has received a portion of divine wisdom will suffer from its lack. ( ) It is far more painful to experience poverty and financial hardship than to suffer from a lack of intelligence, even though intelligence is scarce, and everyone is in need of it. ( )

Dignity and Bliss with Truth
During the Pahlavi monarchy, under the rule of the tyrannical regime, we would say that the “great civilization” is not a capsule that the tyrannical monarchy can force down the throats of the people; rather, it is the people themselves who must seek the great civilization. Apart from the fact that the meaning of “the people” and “the great civilization” is not entirely clear to everyone, today, under the ruby-colored government, we must state that Islam and its lofty ideals are not something that can be imposed by a state, faction, or group upon the people; it is the people who must seek these ideals themselves. Moreover, the meaning of “the people” and the “lofty ideals of Islam” does not reveal itself as it should, amidst contradictory statements and impractical actions. ( ) The foundation of religion consists of two dimensions: theoretical and practical, namely, “understanding” and “justice.” Religion, and the miracles of the prophets which themselves express the essence of religion, are presented to the wise and learned, not to the mad and ignorant. Just as the realization of religion and the practice of its principles is measured by the fairness and uprightness of the individuals involved. ( ) Therefore, any individual, community, or people who are deprived of understanding and justice cannot be true supporters of religion or effective agents for it, even if they claim to be religious or Muslim or adopt any other title for themselves. ( ) By “religion” here, we mean true religion in its entirety, for even those devoid of understanding and justice can present themselves as superficially Muslim by uttering the two shahadas and may enjoy the outward benefits of purity, safety, and other aspects derived from these two words. ( ) At this point, the question arises: if the two phrases of the shahada and superficial religiosity have so many apparent effects and characteristics, what real effect could the truth and completeness of religion have on learned and just individuals? Its recognition requires deep reflection. The true effects and inner characteristics of religion can only be understood by the saints of religion, and no one else. Therefore, it can easily be concluded that individuals who lack understanding and justice do not possess religion, even if they appear to be Muslim and pure, whether they are ordinary people or figures like Shamir, Ibn Muljam, Harmala, or others, since all of these individuals, despite their claims to religiosity, enjoyed the outward benefits of religion. Thus, if we see that people in the world, both today and in the past, have been constantly exploited by various factions and groups, it is only due to a lack of understanding and justice, both on the part of the claimants and the people themselves. Our people, who have been constantly involved in such situations, have done so because of these traits. The weak understanding of the people and the injustice of the leaders have been the two main factors leading to the sacrifice of all. Among them, those who understood or were just were the first to endure all misfortunes and often sacrificed their lives on this path. In every movement, the true and sincere founders and leaders have taken steps with purity and honesty, even though they might have made many mistakes. In contrast, subsequent figures, lacking sincerity and honesty, imposed their own goals, as the saying goes, “Others sowed, and we reaped; we do not plant so that others can reap,” because, apart from the fact that we do not have the opportunity to plant, we see no necessity for the effort. ( ) The same has been true in scientific work, inventions, and discoveries. Those who put in tremendous effort in science have always faced hardship and often had their scientific efforts stolen, with the clever ones taking advantage of these efforts in subsequent times. ( ) In general, one cannot rely too much on ordinary people. These ordinary people have often been the firewood for the flames of destruction in every rightful movement. ( )
45. The Struggles of Womanhood
Had God not created woman, many men would have claimed divinity. With the creation of woman and man’s dependence on her, many such claims have vanished. No matter what man is or who he is, he finds himself in need of woman and, with all his pride and ambition, bows before her. God proved His divinity through this, for He has no equal, no companion, no partner, and man, in his nature, sees himself dependent on the source, especially on woman. ( ) Woman is the most important factor in understanding man in many respects. ( ) Woman is a real being who nurtures false situations within herself. ( ) Distance from woman is not perfection, just as closeness to woman is not complete perfection either. ( ) Woman is a suitable standard for understanding man in many respects. ( ) Woman is one of the most important factors for stirring movement, growth, and hope in a man’s life. ( ) Woman, like everything else in the world, has both good and bad. The good is very good, and the bad is very bad. ( ) A good woman is more precious than alchemy, though she is rare, and a bad woman is a hell in this world and, indeed, very common. ( ) He who has a good and suitable wife has everything, and he who does not have one, what does he have? ( ) A woman’s outward appearance is a reflection of her inner self, and one can discern a woman’s inner qualities from her appearance. ( ) A woman who has a pleasant and beautiful appearance is indeed fortunate, but a woman who has a well-adorned inner self is even better. The woman who is truly a woman is one who shows both faces—outward beauty and inner virtue. Woe to the one who is trapped by a woman who has neither beauty nor virtue. ( ) A woman without appearance is better than one without inner quality, though enduring either absence will be difficult. Most women fall into this category, and fewer still have both qualities, though women who lack both are extremely rare. Such women, who have neither appearance nor virtue, are, in truth, the embodiment of hell on earth. ( ) One should not trust women too much. While one must appear to be very close to them, one must also maintain a proper and balanced distance. ( ) If women are told to keep something secret and not to share it with anyone, they will likely reveal it to others faster than anything that they were not specifically told to keep secret. ( ) The weakness of women’s faith stems from their lack of self-confidence and reliance on themselves. ( ) It is rare to find a woman who can maintain her faith during critical moments, especially in matters of the heart and emotions. ( ) Many women constantly immerse themselves in imaginary issues, and it is difficult to find anyone who consistently considers reality. ( ) Among the dreamers, there are some who cultivate imagination within themselves so thoroughly that they do not even engage in imaginary thinking. ( ) Many people preoccupy themselves with life’s pleasures, food, sleep, and desires, and see happiness only in these things. ( ) There are some who even set aside such matters in order to properly marry their illusions. ( ) Those who pursue leadership, authority, and praise are all from the class of those whose illusions are married to their imagination. Many are constantly slaves to doubt and desire, and some feign actions for people’s praise, surrendering themselves to them. ( ) Knowledge, perfection, and the path to wisdom are far removed from these actions, unless knowledge and perfection are truly sought and imagination is not mistaken for them. ( ) A person who delights in a simple greeting or is satisfied by having their shoes fetched by someone else is a being without substance. ( ) Sometimes, a minor act like adjusting a hookah, offering a greeting, or even stepping through a door can lead to arguments, disputes, and insults. ( ) Occasionally, a person who claims to be learned and perfect will feel such satisfaction from a kiss on their hand by an ignorant person, as though they have ascended to the heavens. ( ) When the spit of an ignorant person has such an effect on an individual, how weak must the effect of the learned person’s spit be? ( ) If kissing someone’s hand is perfection and status, then a prostitute, who has her other parts kissed as well, is certainly more successful, for her hand is not the only part of her kissed. ( ) Greetings, praises, and bowing before a learned person or presenting their shoes, kissing their hand, or other forms of subservience are signs of their greatness and purity, but the effect on the so-called scholar is an indication of their lack of perfection. ( ) What remains is perfection alone, and everything else is mere illusion. ( ) What a strange world it is: one person clings to their shoes and hat, another to the waistband of their robe, another to their turban, another to their beard, and another to their mustache; one person pours water in their heart, another is concerned with air, one plays with dolls, and one plays with mud, and yet another plays with none of these things at all! Some find joy in the new, others are tormented by the old. Some suffer from the bad, while others take pride in their own goodness. One speaks of money, another of knowledge; one entrusts their heart to pigeons and flowers, while another to paper and books. All these individuals are tied to the world of old age, as if they are submerged under water, earth, and fire. The one who ties his heart to the eternal, who is only concerned with the truth and detached from all else, has truly reached the truth, tasted the truth, and severed ties with falsehood. ( )

49. The Art of Speaking and the Etiquette of Speech

It would be wonderful if a person could, at least, keep their own secrets and those of others, just as a toilet does. Although a toilet encounters many people and various individuals, it never reveals anyone’s secrets to another. ( ) Those who fail to maintain the privacy of a gathering and disclose the secrets of others are, beyond the fact that they are not friends and will never be, devoid of the basic qualities of any living being. ( ) We are always taught how to speak, the art of oratory, how to express words and meanings eloquently and gracefully, but we are never taught how to learn the method and nature of not speaking. ( ) Lying is wrong, but always telling the truth is not always good either, and there are times when one should say nothing at all—neither a lie nor the truth. ( ) Few people can control their own speech, and sometimes it happens that another person’s eyes have more influence over a person’s mouth than their own will. ( ) Although the way to control the mouth and speech is well established in religious law, people are not much affected by these teachings. Some of this is inherent, familial, and related to public family upbringing, and it has no connection to individuals’ religion and faith. ( ) People speak of the evil of betrayal, but some of them commit various forms of betrayal to some degree. The worst form of betrayal is the transmission of personal words and actions to another. ( ) A person’s words and actions are a trust with you, and revealing them to others is irreparable. ( ) Few people are diligent in keeping others’ secrets or even in being discreet with their own secrets. ( ) A person who does not keep their own secrets will never have the ability to keep others’ secrets. ( ) One of the best ways to succeed in this matter is to speak less and to be able to be silent. ( )

50. Hatred and Forgiveness

The only defect and flaw that kills a person’s soul is hatred and animosity towards others. ( ) Hatred and animosity are the dirtiest and most corrupt forms of moral impurity. ( ) Hatred corrupts the heart and turns a person’s spirit into a swamp of filth. ( ) It is good for a person to have a heart full of forgiveness and leniency. ( ) Forgiveness of every harm and injury is of greater value. ( ) The only truth that best demonstrates the greatness and the true path of personal perfection is the ability to forgive and show mercy without limits. ( ) Although forgiveness can be difficult in some situations, forgiving brings the sweetest fruits. ( ) People who are endowed with abundant forgiveness, though few in number, can be found. ( ) The one who cannot free their heart from hatred for a person has found hatred within themselves, and the one who cultivates and nurtures hatred for an individual is killing themselves. ( ) Repentance from sins is good, but better than this is making others repent. Making others repent is about forgiving them. ( ) People with false personalities and less substantial identities tend to have more hatred. ( )

51. The Islamic Revolution, Revolutionary Islam

Which of the two phrases is more complete: “Islamic Revolution” or “Revolutionary Islam”? It should be said: the second is the more accurate, not the first. In the first case, the subject and foundation of the revolution is Islamic in color, and Islam is described as the revolution; but in the second, Islam is the foundation, and the revolution is described as an attribute of it. This addition is similar to “silver ring,” where the ring is made of silver, and silver is the ring. These two descriptions do not have the distinction of an object and its quality. ( ) Now the question arises: if Islam is revolutionary, then what is non-revolutionary Islam? It should be said that such a thing is no longer Islam, because stagnation, passivity, and weakness never have a place in Islam, just as we see that all the Prophets, saints, Islam itself, the noble Messenger of Islam, and the Imams of guidance all had this stance. Which Prophet or Imam, which divine religion and heavenly character, can one find that was not revolutionary and did not place passivity before themselves and others? And who can be found who would say that they have seen or heard of anyone more revolutionary than Amir al-Mu’minin, Imam Hussein, or the noble Muslim and other saints of God? The Imams who sacrificed their very existence for the sake of truth and virtue, acting with deeds and not just words, and even did not withhold their children or offspring from the path of sacrifice. Therefore, Islam is entirely revolutionary, but the question here is: which is the Islamic Revolution? ( ) The Islamic Revolution has been seen with many layers and Islamic colors, just as we have seen it with other layers. Islam is revolutionary, but not every revolution is Islamic, and a revolution can be Islamic if its essence is not superficial or temporary, but rather rooted in the spirit of Islam, its culture, and the ideals of the saints of Islam. Revolutionary Islam can be defined as a truth that in the soul of an individual or society seeks the submission and servitude to God in the light of culture, consciousness, and principles. Any deficiency in its components will lead to meaninglessness. If submission is absent or if culture, thought, and the intellectual framework are absent or if stagnation and regression accompany it, it is all a severance. True thought and a complete understanding of truths, the accurate recognition of existing realities, and their realization in a firm stance toward the divine goals and the perfect saints of the religion is the correct way. Ignorance, negligence, audacity, and rebellion have no place in the pursuit of divine goals. One who does not understand and does not reach, or one whose findings do not resonate with reality, is incomplete. Therefore, there is no doubt in the concept and meaning of Islamic and revolutionary. As is often said, the doubt that exists is about its application. The question is what we possess, otherwise, Islam is revolutionary and there is no question about it, at least not for us. ( )

52. The Seekers of Truth and the Others

In general, human beings can be divided into three main categories: First, the people of truth and reality; second, those who seek existing realities and are content with them; and third, the ignorant and the unaware. These three groups differ greatly in both quality and quantity. The people of truth and reality are few in number, and they have always been few. The second group is not very prominent either, and what is most abundant, historically speaking, and has always been prevalent, is the third group. Let me provide an example to distinguish these three categories, and then it will become clear how necessary and significant this distinction is. ( ) The people of truth are those who seek the truths of existence and the essential realities of beings, and in their journey, they have never hesitated to offer anything, even themselves. These are the ones who are concerned with finding the truth and nothing else. ( ) The third group consists of those who do not have the capacity and nature of the first group and are not necessarily committed to finding the truth, though they seek to recognize and understand what they find, so that they are not in the darkness of ignorance. For example, what they eat may not matter to them, as long as they know what it is: is it dog meat, donkey meat, or chicken? What matters is knowing what they eat, not whether it is good or bad. This group argues that it is better to know if one is eating dog meat or donkey meat than to eat lamb without knowing. ( ) In contrast to these two groups, the third group consists of the ignorant and foolish people of the world, who are intoxicated with appearances and claims, content with shallow ideas. For these people, donkey and dog meat, or lamb, are all the same, because they do not have the ability to distinguish one from the other. They are pleased as long as they think they are eating lamb, even if it is disguised as dog meat. And if they are told that the meat is donkey meat, they will react with disgust, as if donkey meat is far worse than dog meat. ( ) Therefore, these people are only swayed by appearance, fantasy, and claims, whereas the second group at least understands the difference between what is good and what is not, and the first group seeks the truth and is unwavering in its pursuit, regardless of personal cost. ( )

The Destruction of Rivals

In Islam, power is granted to the ruler, judge, and all authorities to ensure the smooth functioning of society. However, all of this must be exercised in the path of justice and infallibility. Without these, the position of the ruler is invalid, and any wrongdoing is considered oppression. Islam empowers the ruler, but this is only valid if the ruler is infallible or, at the very least, just. Otherwise, according to Islam, an unjust ruler is a sinner, not a legitimate leader.

The people must be the criterion for judging all these matters, though they are often not. The faith adjusts the situation such that the shepherd would be more fit for leadership than the leader for shepherding. Those appointed to governmental, judicial, or advisory positions must be individuals who not only possess sound mental and physical health but also have the necessary moral virtues and knowledge.

A worthy individual appointed to significant national positions must avoid any extreme biases or psychological limitations, ensuring they can perform their duties effectively without internal distractions. Unjustified expectations from righteous leaders can lead to their deviation and hypocrisy. However, the expectation that good and righteous leaders will be found in a society is not always realistic, and if they do appear, the expectations from them should be natural and balanced, avoiding both excess and deficiency.

A leader, judge, or scholar who feels deprived or inadequate will never remain entirely sound in their duties. Just as such individuals cannot perform their roles effectively if they are unhealthy, the people will not be able to get along with them.

The Captivity of the Occultation

Shiism, during the time of the occultation, can be likened to captivity. It can be said that the occultation represents a form of imprisonment, even though the term does not exactly align with the traditional concept. A believer during the occultation experiences conditions similar to those of a prisoner. Otherwise, it is meaningless to claim this label. The statement “Blessed are the strangers of my Ummah” reflects this notion, where the Prophet spoke of the hardships faced by individuals like Abu Dharr, Miqdad, Ammar, and Salman in relation to their isolation.

Furthermore, the statement “What befell us also befalls them” is a subtle one, as it implies that whatever trials and tribulations we experience also affect them. This is not to be taken lightly, for it doesn’t apply universally and encompasses even the least of trials, such as the repression and suffering of a true believer during the occultation, who may have no voice or power to act.

Just as a prisoner lives in concealment and constantly seeks liberation, so too must a Shi’a during the occultation live in complete taqiyya (precautionary concealment), anticipating any possible harm from anyone, while always waiting for deliverance. If a believer lacks these qualities, they will have a relatively weaker attachment to the Wilayah (authority of the Imam) and love for the Imam, and this serves as the best criterion for determining their own spiritual condition.

In underdeveloped societies, average and ordinary individuals are better able to grow, while exceptional talents and geniuses often find their growth hindered, and in many cases, their brilliance becomes a source of their destruction or suffering. In these stagnant and ignorant societies, gifted individuals are often treated like the mentally handicapped, disappearing in the crowd or living lives full of misery.

The Effects of Backbiting and Inquisition

The negative effects of backbiting, slander, and the invasion of others’ privacy include heart hardness and animosity toward everyone. Such animosity and hardness of heart are among the worst forms of degradation and are far worse than private or concealed sins. This is why it is stated: “Backbiting is worse than adultery.”

Adversities of Life

In times of prosperity or hardship, one must not lose control and must maintain balance. Many people fall into weakness or corruption during periods of success, and many lose their integrity in times of adversity. A wise and capable person is one who stands firm in hardship, allowing it to temper and refine them, rather than succumbing to destruction. Some are burned by hardship like wood, while others are illuminated like candles by it.

In the most difficult times in our lives, we whispered this sentiment from within: “You have destroyed my home, made my wine pure, how delightful is the torment you caused me, to give me grapes, and through the sweet punishment, you have brought me sweetness.”

The Return (Raj’ah)

The concept of Raj’ah (return) is a necessary corollary of infallibility. The deaths of the Imams were not natural deaths; infallibility demands a natural death, and for a natural death, return (Raj’ah) is essential. The statements made by the Imams, such as Amir al-Mu’minin’s declaration about the heavens’ ways, are only fulfilled through the return, and each Imam will realise their mission, including the Imam of the Time.

Recognising People

A madman is one who does not recognise the rational person, and a wise person is one who recognises the madman. It is good for a wise person to have a clear distinction from everyone and a distinct sense of self-worth. One who has not experienced the depth of good and bad, honour and disgrace, can never truly recognise people, no matter how much time they spend among them.

As long as one is with the people, the people will be with them, for this is the only standard in human relations. People, while they may offer love, can also strike with a staff, and where there are tears and sighs, there is also cursing and condemnation. There is no more effective tool in social matters than the people themselves. When such people fall into the hands of the unworthy, even the slowest tools and the most indifferent ones are ineffective.

The Heart’s Vision and Existence

The heart is a stranger, always keeping secrets with the eye, even though the eye is more of a stranger than the heart. One must hide oneself even from one’s own gaze. Sometimes, appearing to be something is a type of spiritual growth, although sometimes spiritual growth compels one to appear to be something they are not. It is not in the best interest of worldly people to think much about their welfare, sacrificing their eternal life for temporary benefits, as many do.

The heart often preoccupies itself with what it lacks, remaining oblivious to its own wealth. When a person is absorbed in their own being, they rarely realise what they possess and make their existence tasteless through an imaginary sense of nothingness. However, if one focuses on their own existence and is aware of it, no absence or void will affect them.

The relationship between people is generally based on ignorance. Friendships and affections are built on illusions. The motivations that establish friendships and the factors that bring people closer typically arise from a general selfishness, and this selfishness accompanies all these situations without any outward indication of its presence. These relationships, based solely on this principle of selfishness, cannot sustain themselves or have true, lasting connections. They only form a semblance of affection, which remains as long as the selfishness stays hidden, and the superficiality of the relationship becomes apparent. Once this selfishness surfaces, all affection and kindness vanish, and the foundation of harmony and the root of the bond fades like smoke.

When people meet unexpectedly at crossroads or in difficult situations in life, they realize that the bond of affection or the relationship they once shared had no real substance. It was only driven by personal gain and situational benefits. They easily pass each other by, turning their backs, and sometimes even confront each other, engaging in conflicts as though they were true enemies. Relationships built on ignorance or selfish, deceitful intentions can never bear fruit and should not be expected to.

Affection, when based on selfishness and malicious intentions, or driven by worldly desires without genuine spiritual motivations, is unstable, fleeting, and short-lived. These facades of affection, even if they last for years and are accompanied by numerous exchanges of pleasantries, lack a solid foundation and do not stand the test of time. They eventually fade and disappear. Such relationships can manifest at all levels of friendship: between friends, spouses, and others, all of which may be based on self-interest and opportunism. If the relationship is formed through genuine faith, righteousness, health, purity, sincerity, and conscious love and passion, it will never falter. It will endure and persist beyond mere survival, bringing eternal satisfaction. However, this requires a true understanding of the words and not simply their superficial form. Otherwise, these relationships, too, will fade into nothingness.

Claims and superficial displays of affection should not be mistaken for true love or friendship. People must be tested to see how they truly relate to one another. A wife may love her husband and find her life in him, or she may fall in love with a material life that is devoid of spiritual depth. When wealth, status, position, and appearance disappear, many people leave without looking back. This is the reality of worldly people who remain unaffected by changes, whereas true followers of righteousness—believers, prophets, saints, and sincere individuals—will never allow trials to break their bond. Instead, adversity strengthens their love and connection, bringing them closer and enhancing their mutual affection.

This distinction between worldly people and the righteous is not brief; it is significant. The righteous, though few, do exist and their way is inevitable.

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Library

Significant Sciences and Perspectives (Volume One)

The Scroll of Love

Attributes of Health and Prosperity

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