Journey of the Unseen World
(Siyahat-e Sharq)

Ayatullah Sayyed Mohammad Hassan Najafi Quchani
Translated by: Ghulam Hussain

Chapter 8
The Last Station: The Valley of Peace

When I returned I saw that my mount was ready for the journey and Haadi was packing a portmanteau on it. I asked him where it had come from. He said that an angel had just delivered it saying that it contained a gill from Hazrat Fatema Zehra (AS). This was the result of Soora Dukhan as this Soora was related to her and the other contained a gift from Hazrat All as Soora-e-Dahr was connected to him. They had sent these gifts and had requested that we take a path well away from Valley of Barhoot (Valley of Punishment) so that the hot air from it would not bother me.

I asked, "Is it possible to open them and see the contents?" He said "Not Now, they pre not required yet. When it becomes necessary, they will open by themselves.'

I was dazed With happiness. I climbed my mount and started". After some time, we reached the Land of Greed and Avarice. There we saw people with faces like dogs, some of them were healthy and strong, others weak and trail. There were dead bodies lying here and there. The dogs would approach these in order to eat them, but would fall to fighting amongst themselves. They would light each other fiercely until they were almost dead with the fatigue and tension; and the carcasses remained untouched. Fresh packs would then approach. The stronger ones would attack tr1e weaker once and make them run away but were also unable to enjoy the carcasses because of their own internal competition for supremacy and each one's desire to have all of it alone, without sharing The whole ground seemed to be one big battlefield 'The world is a dead body and those who desire it, dogs.'

Some dogs were eating these carcasses but smoke was bellowing from their heads and fire from their behinds and even other dogs would not approach them. Haadi informed me that they used to take bribes and used to embezzle or steal wealth belonging to orphans.

"Those who eat the wealth of orphans eat fire in their stomachs."

The real value of worldly goods in the eyes Of Gad and the Infallibles In Nahjul Balagha, Hazrat All (A.S.) calls the world and its possessions "dead bodies. "

There is a famous tradition of the Holy Prophet (Peace be upon him) which describes almost similar conditions. This is quoted in the book 'RobheRehan' from the book 'Kafi quoting Hazrat Ali (A.S.) as saying that he and Hazrat Fatima (A.S.) once visited the Holy Prophet (Peace be upon him) and found him in tears. They asked him the cause and he replied. -O Ali the night that I went for Meraj (Ascension I saw same women of my Ummah who were being so severely punished that I became concerned for them and started crying. I saw a woman who had been hung by her breasts, Then I saw a second woman who was eating her own flesh and a fire raged below her A third woman was hanging by her tongue and biding water was being poured down here throat. A fourth was bent double, hands and feet tied together, snakes and scorpions crawling all over her A fifth was deaf, dumb and blind, enclosed in a cage of tire, her brains oozing out of holes in hero skull Her body was breaking into pieces due to leprosy.

Another was hung by her feet, inside over Yet another woman's body was being shredded to pieces by scissors made of fire. One woman had a head of a pig and a body of a donkey and was being given several kinds of punishments. Another had the face of a dog, fire was entering her body from her behinds and coming out of her mouth and the angels were giving her a beating with iron rods,"

Hazrat Fatima (A.S.) then inquired other father (Peace be upon him) "Pray, tell me, what had these women done?"

He (Peace be upon him) replied: Listen, beloved One. she who was hanging by her breasts used to deny her husband his rightful pleasure. The one hanging by her feet used to go out or her house without her husband's permission. The one eating her own flesh used to beautify herself and show her body to men other then her husband, The one who was tied hands and feet together, with snakes and scorpions on her, never used to care about the filthy and unclean, or 'Najaasat', and was not careful about bathing regularly after menses, intercourse etc. thus taking her prayers lightly. The deaf, dumb and blind used to bear children through adultery but would claim they were her husband S. The one whose body was being cut by scissors made of fire never took care of her Hijab in front of non-Mahrams (men other than those allowed to see her). The one whose body was being burned and who was eating her own intestines used to provide other women to men for sex. The one with the face of a pig and body of a donkey was back-biter and a liar, And the one with the face of a dog, with fire entering from her behinds and coming out of her face, was a jealous woman. - Then the Prophet (Peace be upon him), sorrowful is the plight of the woman who makes her husband angry and happiness awaits her who makes him happy."

These conditions are description of the sufferings (of the soul) to be borne in Barzakh. The Day of Judgement will be even more severe and harsh.)

I remarked to Haadi, Haadi, we had decided to travel well away from the Valley of Punishment. How is it then that we are here? Have we lost our way?" He said, this is just the image of that Valley. Its hot smoke won't reach you."

We came out of the Land of Greed to enter the Land of Jealousy. In this there were numerous workshops. Dark men resembling Darkies were at work. The machinery was making such a deafening roar that one could not hear anything else. Dust and smoke had covered everything. The robot like machines looked like huge giants and were made at a metal harder than steel, and these were moving all about the place. One of these approached us and stopped just in front, Suddenly Darky too flew in, looking like black smoke. I turned around and much to my dismay, could see no sign of Haadi anywhere. Darky said. "Want to see the machines at work? I bet you have never seen anything like this on Earth.-

Though I wished to see the workshops in detail but since the suggestion came from Darky and since all his previous suggestions had landed me in trouble, I turned a deaf ear, and whipped my mount on, reading the Soora-e-Falaq: "In the name of Allah, the Beneficent, the Merciful. Say. 'I seek refuge with the Lord of the dawn, From the evil of what he has created, From the evil of darkness when it overspreads, From the evil of malignant witchcraft, And from the evil of the envier when he envies

Darky remarked, "Pity. You used to recite it on Earth, but never tried to put it in practice. It’s not going to help you now."

Fear overcame me. I saw Darky approach the machine and then he disappeared. I hoped that he had gone away, and was wondering where Haadi had gone when suddenly Darky reappeared in the form of a fearful creature. My horse shied at the sight and went off-track, falling and throwing me down also lust near the machine. I was hurt so badly that my body lost all feelings and I could not even get up. The dreadful turning machines were approaching nearer and nearer, as if they were going to engulf me. Darky was screaming with laughter and saying, "Go on, read 'From the envier when he envies,' O Fool, name me one scholar and learned man who has been free of jealousy. You managed to escape from my previous traps and this has made my heart bleed. I'll see to it that you don't ever get out of this one." So saying, he caught me and tried to crush me.

His making fun of me angered me. Though I was weak I strianed to tight. But he was stronger and I could see that he was overpowering me. When I saw this I involuntarily I started calling Hazrat Ali (A.S.) for help: -"Ya Ali Madad". No sooner had I said this, all the machines which had been about to crush 'me, suddenly started a disorderly retreat and in the process crashed into each other, breaking into pieces Darky too tried to run away, but was crushed under the wheels of a giant roller. I said, "Wretched person, you were making fun of me. Now you are in the same boat that I was in. And nobody deserves it more this you do. This was my last encounter with Darky.

I managed to come back to the Main Road which was the straight road and the correct path. It had only been Darky's mischief that my mount had gone astray.

But though back, I was too weak to go on or even get up. ~ Each and every joint ached, and I was extremely thirsty. It was hot and the atmosphere was lull of the stink and smoke. Suddenly I saw Haadi running towards me. As he approached, he took out the portmanteau which contained Hazrat Ali's (A.S.) gift and from it took out a crystal-glass bottle. From it he poured out some clean, cool and sweet water which he offered to me. The water quenched my thirst and refreshed me physically. Mentally and spiritually: 'Verily, the righteous shall drink a cup tempered with camphor (Kafur).

I saw that all the ordeal had been too much for the mount. He suddenly felt down and died. Now I was left without a horse.

I picked up the back-pack and put it on my back. Haadi picked up the portmanteau and we resumed our journey. The desert was larger than our Sahara Desert and had become dark and gloomy due to the constant emission of fumes by the machines. I noticed that men made of fire balls were tumbling out of the machines and falling down onto the ground just like cigarettes from a vending machine.

(Mistakes and sins (like jealousy for example) leave their effect on the soul and hinder man's natural pro grass on the straight path by weakening his resolve and intention.)

Haadi informed me that on Earth these people had been jealous of the faithful, due to one cause or another and used to show their jealousy by word or deed. Sorrowful fate awaited them inside these machines and due to constriction, this fire of jealousy came out from their within. He quoted the tradition that Jealousy is like fire and 'It devours faith like tire devours wood.'

The route being dark, Haadi walked in front and I followed. I remarked to him, "it seems to me that we are off track Hazrat Ali's recommendation had been that I should not be troubled at all, but I have never before faced such troubles as these."

Haadi replied, "No, no, we are not lost. The fact is that hardly anybody is completely free of jealousy. Everybody experiences it, Through in varying degrees. Had you not had Hazrat Fatema Zahra's recommendation with you, your fate would have been no different from the people you saw. But remember, most of these unfortunate people after serving their time here will be released and will loin the ranks of the blessed and happy ones,"

(In this world our traits and feelings remain hidden in our heart; in the hereafter, however; they will become obvious even to others, embarrassing the sinner in front of all.)

As the air was hot and stuffy and my back bark was also troubling me, we walked fast in order to cross this land as soon as possible, The fear that Darky might stilt be alive and following me, urged me on yet faster. Rank and stinking sweat oozed from my body and wet my clothes. My ankles were dead tired and painful. It was with the utmost difficulty that we managed to emerge from this land at last, and then we heaved a sigh of relief. A cool breeze started blowing and fountains of sweet water erupted. mountains and valleys were lush green. We sat down to rest by a fountain. said, "Haadi, it seems that my Darky has been crushed under the wheels of the machines and has been killed." He replied, No, certainly not. He never dies. However, in this particular land he won't approach you because now we are quite far from the Valley or Barhoot. In front of us lies the land where people are being punished for their pride and arrogance. As you had managed to rid yourself of these traits in your lifetime, you will not be troubled there. From here the Valley of Peace is not far,"

As we went on the atmosphere kept on becoming pleasant. There was sweet scent in the air, luscious trees were in abundance and mountains covered with dense trees and waterfalls of sparkling water could be seen. In the mountain plains. k numerous tents of fine white silk were visible.

(After the soul has been cleansed of its vices and punished for its past sins. it will be able to enjoy the blessings and bounties. The Quran says, "Each of you will enter it (hell): Then we will send salvation for the God-fearing ones".)

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