The Heart in Quran
The phrase heart carries special importance and has
been used extensively in the Holy Quran and narrations. But what is meant
with this phrase is not the pine-shaped physical heart located in the left
side of the chest which support the animal life system by
continuously pumping fresh blood into various parts of the body. Because,
the Holy Quran relates things to heart which are not comparable with this
pine-shaped heart. e.g.:
1. Reasoning and Comprehension
The Holy Quran said:
"Have they not traveled in the land and have they
hearts wherewith to feel and ears wherewith to hear." -the Holy- Quran
(22:46)
2. Un-comprehending and Reasoning
The Holy Quran said:
"Having hearts wherewith they understand not, and
having eyes wherewith they see not." -the Holy Quran
(7:179)
And said:
“And their hearts are sealed, so that they
apprehend not.” -the Holy Quran
(9:87)
3. Faith
The Holy Quran said:
“These are they into whose hearts He has impressed
faith and strengthened them with a spirit from Him." -the Holy Quran
(58:22)
4. Blasphemy and Disbelief
The Holy Quran said:
"And as for those who believe not in the Hereafter
there hearts refuse to know, for they are proud." -the Holy Quran
(16:22)
And said:
“Such are they whose hearts and ears and eyes God
hath sealed. And such are the
heedless.”
-the Holy Quran (16:108)
5. Dissension
The God-Almighty said in the Holy Quran.
"The Hypocrites fear lest a surah should be revealed
concerning them, proclaiming what is in their
hearts."
-the
Holy Quran (9: 64)
6. To Receive Guidance
The God-Almighty said:
"And whosoever believeth in God, He guideth his
heart. And God is knower of all
things."
-the
Holy Quran (4:11)
And God said:
“Most surely there is a reminder in this for him who
has a heart or he gives ear and is a
witness.”
-the Holy Quran (50: 37)
7. Negligence
The God-Almighty said:
"And obey not him whose heart we have made heedless
of Our Remembrance, who followeth his own
lust."
-the Holy Quran (18:28)
8. Certainty and Tranquility
The God-Almighty has said:
"Verily in the remembrance of God do hearts find
rest." -the Holy Quran
(13:28)
And said:
"He it is who sent down peace of reassurance into
the hearts of the believers that they might add faith unto their
faith."
-the Holy Quran (48:4)
9. Anxiety and Conflict
The God-Almighty has said:
“They alone ask leave of thee who believe not in God
and the Last Day, and whose hearts feel doubt, so in their doubt they
waver." -the Holy Quran
(9:45)
10. Blessing and Kindness
The God-Almighty has said:
"And places compassion and mercy in the hearts of
those who followed him." -the Holy Quran
(57:27)
And said:
"He it is who supporteth thee with His Help and with
the believers. And (as for the believers) hath attuned their
hearts."
-the Holy Quran (8: 62-63)
11. Hot-temper and Cruelty
The God-Almighty said:
"If thou hadst been stern and fierce of heart they
would have dispersed from round about
thee." -the Holy Quran (3:159)
Therefore, heart in the Holy Quran has been assigned
the most important privileged position, and various psychic tasks have
been related to it, namely: faith, blasphemy, hypocrisy, reasoning,
understanding, not understanding, acceptance of truth, unacceptance of
truth, guidance, deviation, sin, intention, purification, corruption,
benevolence, aggravation, love, invocation, negligence, fear, anger,
doubt, conflict, mercy, cruelty, regret, assurance, arrogance, jealousy,
rebellion, offense, and other similar acts. Since the pine shaped
piece of flesh called heart could not be the origin of these effects,
instead these effects are the consequences of human self and spirit.
Therefore, it could be said: What is meant with heart is the same
"Celestial Jewel" which controls the degree of human-ness within a human
being :
The heart possesses such exalted position in the Holy
Quran that it is mentioned when the topic of revelation i.e. communication
between God and men is discussed. God-Almighty said to Holy Prophet (S):
"Which is the true spirit hath brought down, upon
the heart, that thou mayest be (one) of the warners." -the Holy Quran
(26:193-194)
And said:
"Say (O Muhammad, to mankind) who is enemy to
Gabriel! For he it is who hath revealed (this scripture) to thy heart by
God's leave." -the Holy Quran
(2:97)
The heart's position is so eminent that it sees the
revealing angel and hears his voice. The God-Almighty has said:
"And He revealed unto His slave (Prophet Muhammad)
that which he revealed. The Heart lied not (in seeing the angel) what it
saw." -the Holy Quran
(53:10-11)
5.1. Soundness and Sickness of Heart
Our living depends upon spirit and heart because, they
are the ones who manage the bodies. All the parts of the body obey their
command and all deeds and action initiate from the heart. Therefore, the
salvation and cruelty of a person depends upon his hearts condition. It
has been inferred from the Holy Quran and narrations that like the human
bodies which are healthy and sick at different times, his heart's
condition may also follow the same cycle (i.e. some times it is healthy
while at other times it is sick).
God-Almighty in Holy Quran said:
"The day when wealth and sons avail not (any man).
Save him who bringeth unto God a whole heart -the
Holy Quran (26: 88-89)
And said:
"Lo! therein verily is a reminder for him who hath a
heart” -the Holy Quran
(50:37)
And said:
"And the Garden is brought nign for those who kept
from evil, no longer distant. (And it is said): that is that which ye were
promised, (it is) for every pertinent and heedful one, who feareth the
Beneficent in secret and cometh with a contrite heart." -the Holy Quran
(50: 21-33)
Therefore, the above verses make it explicit that
health of a person is related to his heart's condition and his eternal
salvation depends upon his return to God-Almighty with a pure and humble
heart. On the other side the Holy Quran introduces some examples of hearts
which are sick as follows:
"In their hearts is a disease, and God increaseth
their disease." -the Holy Quran
(2:10)
And said:
"But as for those in whose hearts is disease, it
only addeth wickedness to their wickedness." -the Holy Quran
(9:125)
And said:
"And when the hypocrites, and those in whose hearts
is a disease were saying: God and His Messenger promised us naught but
delusion." -the Holy Quran
(33:12)
And said:
"And thou seest those in whose heart is a disease
race towards them, saying: We fear lest a change offortune befall
us." -the Holy Quran
(5: 52)
In these verses the blasphemy, hypocrisy, and
friendship with the pagans have been introduced as heart's sicknesses.
Similar verses and hundreds of authentic traditions narrated by Holy
Prophet (S) and infallible Imams (A) of his Holy Progeny had stated that
human heart and soul are susceptible to sickness like human bodies.
God-Almighty the Creator of heart and soul, the Holy
Prophet (S), and Infallible Imams (A) who are the specialists of human
beings and their hearts had informed us about the sickness of some of the
hearts. Why should we ignore this reality? The real human specialists
after identifying the symptoms namely: blasphemy, dissension, unacceptance
of truth, arrogance, revenge, anger, criticizing, slander, treason,
self-conceit, fear, malevolence, defamation, ill-speaking, back-biting,
harshness, oppression, felony, misery, avarice, fault-finding, lying,
ambitiousness, hypocrisy, deceit, suspicion, cruelty, self-weakness and
many other indecent characteristics, have introduced them as the sickness
of heart and soul. Therefore, those who leave this world with such
contaminated hearts will not be returning to God with a pure and sound
heart to be worthy of the verse:
"The day when wealth and sons avail not (any man).
Save him who bringeth unto God a whole
heart."
-the Holy Quran (26: 88-89)
The sicknesses of heart and self could not be
considered as small or insignificant rather they are much more dangerous
and incurable as compared to bodily diseases. In case of bodily diseases
the physical order of the body looses its equilibrium thus, causing pain,
discomfort, and inflicting damage upon a specific part of the body. But
this is rather limited and in any case these effects cannot go on beyond
the physical life span of the inflicted person. However, the sickness of
heart and self are accompanied with continuous anguish, torture, and
eternal punishment; the pain and punishment which penetrate until the very
depths of heart engulfing the soul with eternal flames.
The heart which remained completely ignorant of God’s
existence without witnessing His signs by spending a life of disbelief,
deviation, and sins in reality is blind and dark, which will be raised on
the Day of Judgment with similar condition, and will have no other choice
except to be condemned into Hell to live a painful eternal life full of
anguish and torture. The God-Almighty in Holy Quran said:
"But he who turneth away from remembrance" of Me,
his will be a narrow life, and I shall bring him blind to the assembly on
the Day of Resurrection. He will say: 'My Lord! wherefore hast thou
gathered me (hither) blind, when I was wont to see?' He will say: 'so (it
must be) our revelations come unto thee but thou didst forget them. In
like manner thou art forgotten this Day." -the Holy Quran
(20:124-126)
And said:
"Have they not traveled in the land, and have they
hearts where with to feel and ears wherewith to hear ? For indeed it is
not the eyes that grow blind, but it is the hearts, which are within the
bosoms, that grow blind." -the Holy Quran
(22:46)
And said:
"Whoso is blind in here will be blind in the
Hereafter, and yet further from the road." -the Holy Quran
(17:22)
And said:
"And he whom God guideth, he is led aright, while,
as for him whom He sendeth astray, for them thou wilt find no protecting
friends beside Him, and We shall assemble them on the Day of Resurrection
on their faces, blind, dumb, and deaf " -the Holy Quran
(17:97)
May be you will find the above, something strange and
may ask: How the esoteric eyes will become blind on the Day of Judgment?
Do we have eyes and ears other than these apparent bodily eyes and ears?
The reply is: Yes! The Creator of human beings and Divine human doctors
had informed that human heart and also soul, have their own eyes, ears,
and tongue but of their own kind.
Human self is a mysterious existence possessing a
special life in his inner essence. Self has his own world in which there
is light as well as darkness, there is purity and cleanliness as well as
indignation and contamination, and there is seeing and hearing as well as
blindness and deafness. But the light and darkness of that special world
is not similar to the light and darkness of this world, rather the belief
in God-Almighty, Day of Judgment, Prophethood, and the Holy Quran is the
illumination for self's world.
The God-Almighty has said:
"Then those who believe in him (Muhammad) honor him,
help him, and follow the light which is sent down with him: They are the
successful." -the Holy Quran
(7:157)
And said:
"Now hath come unto you light from God and a plain
scripture." -the Holy Quran
(5:15)
And said:
"Is he whose bosom God hath expanded for the
surrender (unto Him), so that he followeth a light from His Lord (as he
who disbelieveth) ? Then woe unto those whose hearts are hardened against
remembrance of God. Such are in plain error." -the Holy Quran
(39: 22)
God-Almighty has informed that Islam, Quran, faith, and
Divine obligations are all illumination and their obedience makes the
heart enlightened; although, in reality this happens in this same world
but its final result is declared in the Next World. Also, He had informed
us that blasphemy, hypocrisy, sinning, non-acceptance of truth all are
darkness and make the heart dark and contaminated, which would certainly
become manifested in the Next World. The Divine Prophets were dispatched
by God-Almighty with the mission of leading human beings out of darkness
of blasphemy towards the environment of illumination and belief.
The God-Almighty has said:
"We have revealed unto thee (Muhammad) that thereby
thou mayst bring forth mankind from darkness unto light." -the Holy Quran
(14:1)
The believers, by means of illumination of faith,
self-purification, good moral conducts, God's-Remembrance, and righteous
deeds make their heart and souls illuminated; witness the sublime
realities through their esoteric eyes and ears; and ascend toward God's
Nearness through various stages of perfection. Such souls when leaving
this world will turn into absolute illumination, joy, cheerfulness,
beauty, and in the Next World will be utilizing the same illumination
accumulated by them in this material world. The God-Almighty has said:
"On the day when thou (Muhammad) wilt see the
believers, men and women, their light shining forth before them and on
their right hands (and will hear it said unto them): Glad news for you
this day: Gardens underneath which rivers flow, wherein ye are immortal.
That is the supreme triumph." -the Holy Quran
(57:12)
Yes! The illumination for the eternal world must be
arranged in this world, and it is because of this reason that the pagans
and hypocrites do not have illumination in the Next World. The
God-Almighty has said:
"On the Day when the hypocritical men and the
hypocritical women will say unto those who believe, look on us that we may
borrow from your light! It will be said: Go back and seek for
light!" -the Holy Quran
(57:13)
5.2. Heart in Traditions
The pioneers of religion and real human specialists
have left many interesting narrations about the heart. Following are some
of the examples: In some of the narrations the hearts have been classified
into three categories:
Imam al-Baqir (A) said:
"There are three kinds of hearts:
a: First type: Reversed heart which lacks feelings
for any sort of righteous deeds. Such heart is the heart of a
unbeliever.
b. Second Type: The heart which contains a black
spot in which a war is being waged between the truth and falsehood, and
whichever becomes victorious will take over the heart's control.
c. Third type: The conquered heart in which there is
a lighted lamp which is never going to be turned off. Such a heart
is the heart of a believer." -Bihar al-Anwar, vol. 70, p-51.
Imam al-Sadiq (A) has quoted from his learned
father:
"There is nothing worst than sinning for the heart.
When the heart is encountered with sin, it struggles against the sin until
sin becomes victorious thus, making the heart as a reversed heart."
-Bihar al-Anwar,
vol. 70, p-54.
Imam al-Sajjad (A) has said:
"A man possesses four eyes, with two apparent eyes
he sees the affairs relevant to his world, and with two esoteric eyes sees
the affairs related to the Next World. Therefore, whenever God-Almighty
desired the good for a believer, He opens his heart's eyes to enable him
to witness the hidden world and its mysteries. But when He does not desire
his welfare, leaves the heart with his esoteric eyes closed." -Bihar al-Anwar,
vol. 70, p-53.
Imam al-Sadiq (A) has said:
"The heart possesses two ears, the spirit of belief
slowly invites him towards righteous deeds, while the Satan slowly invites
him towards evil deeds. Therefore, whoever becomes victorious in this
struggle takes over heart's control.” -Bihar al-Anwar
vol. 70, p-53.
Imam al-Sadiq (A) quotes from the Holy Prophet (S)
"The darkness of the heart is the worst kind of
darkness.” -Bihar al-Anwar,
vol. 70, p-51.
Imam al-Baqir (A) said:
"Initially there is a white spot and light within the
heart of a human being and as a result of his committing sin, a block spot
appears. If the person repents the black spot gets wiped out, but if he
persisted in sinning, the blackness gradually increases ultimately
covering the entire white spot, When this happens the owner of such heart
will never return towards goodness and become manifestation of the Quranic
verse:
‘Nay, but that which they have earned is rust upon
their hearts.’" -al-Kafi, vol, 2,
p-273.
The Commander of the Faithful Imam" Ali (A) has
said:
"Every one who lacks self restraint and piety will
have a dead heart; whoever have a dead heart will enter inside the
Hell." -Nahjul Balagha,
saying 324
He further emphasized this matter in his last will
addressing to his son:
“Oh my son! The poverty is one of the most horrible
calamity,. But still severe than poverty is the bodily sickness; and the
sickness of soul is harsher than the bodily sickness. Plenty of wealth is
one of the God's blessing, but sound health is better than that, and the
piety of heart is even superior than sound health." -Bihar al-Anwar,
vol. 70, p-51.
There is a narration quoted from Anas bin Malik from
the Holy Prophet (S) who said:
"The prophet David (A) asked God; ‘Oh God! All the
emperors possess treasure then where is Your treasure ? God-Almighty
replied: ‘I possess a treasure which is greater than the sky; vaster than
the Heaven's firmaments; smells better than the perfumes of
Paradise, and is beautiful than the Celestial Kingdom. Its earth is enlightenment; its sky is belief, its
sun is enthusiasm; its moon is love,. its stars are inspiration and
attention towards Me; its clouds are reason,. its rain is blessing, its
fruits are obedience; and its yield is wisdom. My Treasure has four doors,
the first one is the door of knowledge, the second one is the door of
reason, the third one is the door of patience, and the fourth one is the
door of contentment. Know that My Treasure is -the heart of a believer'
". -Bihar al-Anwar,
vol. 70, p-59.
The Divine Heart Specialists have described many
interesting topics in these traditions. They have divided the hearts into
following three categories:
5.2.1. The Heart of an Unbeliever
These Divine Specialists have described that the heart
of an infidel is a reversed or over-turned heart which does not contain
any goodness in it. Such heart' is deviated from its primordial nature;
does not look towards the Upper-Heavens and keeps itself amused and
preoccupied into worldly affairs, therefore, it does not witness the
existence of God-Almighty and I. Eternal-World. It lacks the proper
imagination for goodness and righteous deeds, because, the righteous
deeds reach the perfection stage and Gods-Nearness only in cases when they
are performed with the intention of attaining His pleasure. But since an
infidel has reversed his heart, he does not see God-Almighty any more, and
therefore, does not have any other aim except this world in all his
affairs.
Such an heart in his primordial nature was blessed with
esoteric eyes which now have been blinded because, he cannot witness the
most explicit shinning realities i.e. the Creator of the Universe. He is
blind and will be raised as blind in the Next World too. In this world he
is attached to worldly affairs, and will be raised in the Next World
possessed with the same attachment, but since the Eternal-World lacks
these worldly amusements, he will burn with the fire of separation. In
such heart the light of faith has been extinguished and therefore, it is
totally filled with absolute darkness.
5.2.2. The Heart of a Believer
Just opposite to the heart of an unbeliever is the
heart of a perfect righteous believers; whose doors are open towards the
Upper-Heaven and Unseen-World; is illuminated with the light of faith
which will never be turned off; and through its two esoteric eyes
witnesses the mysteries of the Hidden-World. Such a heart continuously
strives for achieving absolute t perfection, beauty and salvation and
seeks God's Pleasure and Blessing. Since he wants God-Almighty therefore,
continuously strives to move in His Direction by means of good moral
conduct and righteous deeds. Such heart is wider than the Celestial Sky
and Divine Thrown, beautiful than the Paradise, is the Divine Treasure and
center of manifestation of Heavenly Light; his earth is enlightenment, his
sky is faith; his sun is enthusiasm for God's countenance; his moon is
God's love; where the wisdom rules and absorbs the rain of Divine
Blessings for producing the fruits of worship and obedience; is filled
with absolute light, joy, cheerfulness, purity, and will be raised in the
next world in the similar state.
5.2.3. The Heart of a Believer- Occasionally
Contaminated
The heart of a believer which occasionally gets
contaminated with sin is not dark and confined rather is illuminated with
the light of faith and remained open for receiving guidance and Divine
Blessings. But as a result of sinning it has developed a black spot and
Satan has succeeded to make an entry into it. Although, the esoteric eyes
are not quite yet blinded but because of sinning have caught a disease
which might render them blind. Both angels as well as Satan have access
within such heart. The angels enter through the doors of faith and invite
him towards goodness while the Satan influences through the black spot
inviting him towards evil.
In such a heart both Satan and angel are engaged in a
continuous confrontation. Angle wants to take over the control of entire
heart forcing Satan out through good deeds on the other side Satan through
seduction and sins makes the darker heart further darkest and strives to
take over the control of entire heart by forcing out the angel and
permanently closing the gateway of belief forever. These two are
permanently engaged in a continuous war until one of them become
victorious over his opponent, and what is the magnitude of victory
achieved. The esoteric life and eternal destination of human being depends
upon this struggle. It is here that the struggle with the self becomes of
crucial importance, which will be discussed later on in the book.
5.3. Hard-heartedness
In his initial primordial nature the heart is bestowed
upon with special virtues such as purity, enlightenment, kindness, and
blessing. He is sensitive towards other people's difficulties and feels
un-comfortable while seeing others in pain even animals. He desires that
others should live a pleasant and comfortable life and takes pleasure in
doing favors towards them. In accordance with his pure nature is inclined
and pays attention towards God-Almighty; takes pleasure in performing
worship, prayer, supplication, and other righteous deeds, while
immediately feels ashamed and offer repentance if commits sins.
In case the heart accepted invitation of his pure
primordial nature and acted accordingly, he becomes purest, kindest,
sincerest, and enlightened, because of the effects of worship and prayers
his enthusiasm and love for these things increases day by day. But if he
neglects and acts against his inner natural feelings and sentiments, they
gradually get subdued and eventually become completely silenced and
eventually annihilated.
If after seeing the horrible tragic scenes involving
others does not show any reaction, gradually becomes used to such things
to the extent that further repetition of such encounters will produce
least reaction. Also, it is possible that one may reach to a point where
seeing the poverty, hunger, and wretchedness involving others not only
produce any disturbance with in his conscience on the contrary while
seeing the painful scenes of imprisonment, torture, and murders feels
happy and pleased. [1]
If someone commits a sin for the first time, he feels
guilty and ashamed about it, but having committed a sin for the first
time, to repeat it for the second and third time relatively becomes easier
for him, and in case of his persistence in sinning reaches to a point,
where not only he does not feel any sense of guilt and shame, on the
contrary considers himself victorious and feels happy.
The heart of such persons has become dark and reversed
and in the words of the Holy Quran and narrations has acquired
hard-heartedness. Satan has occupied these hearts forcing the God's Angels
out, and the doors of salvation have been closed permanently leaving no
hope for repentance and return towards God-Almighty.
The God-Almighty said in the Holy Quran:
"If only, when our disaster came on them, they had
been humble! But their hearts were hardened and the devil made all that
they used to do seem fair unto them!" -the Holy Quran
(6:43)
And said:
"Then woe unto those whose hearts are hardened
against remembrance of God. Such are in plain error.” -the Holy Quran
(39:22)
Imam aI-Baqir (A) said:
"There is a white spot inside the heart of each
believer. Once he commits a sin or repeats it, a black spot appears inside
the heart. In case of persistence of sins, the black spot, increases,
gradually in size filling the entire heart with blackness. When this
happens the owner of such heart never returns towards goodness, and this,
is what God meant in the verse:
"Nay, but that which they have earned is rust upon
their hearts." -Bihar al-Anwar,
vol. 73, p-361.
The Commander of the Faithful Imam' Ali (A) said:
"The tears of eye never get dried but for the sake
of hardheartedness,. the heart never acquires hard-heartedness but for the
sake of excess of sins." -Bihar al-Anwar,
vol. 73, p-354.
The Holy Prophet (S) said:
"The following four things are the indicators of
human cruelty:
1) Dryness of eyes (ii) Hard-heartedness (iii)
Excessive greed for earning a living (iv) And persistence of sins. -Bihar al-Anwar,
vol. 73, p-349.
It was because of this reason that the Infallible Imams
(A) of prophet's progeny in their supplications took shelter in
God-Almighty against hard-heartedness.
Imam al-Sajjad (A) said:
"Oh God! I do complain to you against
hard-heartedness –the heart which by means of whims and passions is in the
state of continuous revolution and has become contaminated. And I do
complain to you against the dryness of eye which does not cry and is not
afraid of you, and instead takes pleasure in looking towards whatever
makes it pleased."
--Bihar al-Anwar,
vol. 94, p-143.
Therefore, a human being who desires his own prosperity
and soundness of heart must prevent himself from committing any sin
however small it might seems; should gradually motivate his self for
performing righteous deeds namely: worship, prayer, communications with
God, sincerity, kindness and help towards others, defense of oppressed and
deprived, benevolence, and cooperation for achieving social welfare and
social justice, so that it performs them as a matter of habit. His inner
purity and illumination continues striving for perfection and purification
fill his heart becomes a special center of God's favorite angels.
5.4. Heart's Physicians
It has already been explained earlier that like human
bodies, hearts could also be healthy and sick, and the eternal prosperity
or salvation of a person depends upon his returning to the Next World with
a pure and sound heart. It is therefore, important for us to be
knowledgeable about the health and sickness of the heart; must identify
the symptoms of the disease; and should understand the causes and factors
in order to implement all the health care hygienic measures to
prevent its spread.
Do we possess self-sufficiency in this matter or do we
need the prophets? There is absolutely no doubt that we lack sufficient
knowledge about the special creation of human-self and the secrets and
mysteries which have been incorporated by the Creator in this Celestial
existence. In fact we are ignorant about our psychological and esoteric
life; do not well recognize the factors and causes responsible for the
self's sickness; cannot properly diagnose the symptoms of the disease; and
are not well aware about various kinds of diseases, preventive measures
required against their spread, and the available methods of their
treatment. Therefore, the presence of Divine Prophets is really required
in order to provide guidance and lead us in solving the above mentioned
problems.
The prophets are the real physicians and specialists of
the souls, who through Divine Blessing and revelations understands very
well about the pain as well as the treatment of self. They have been
educated and trained in various disciplines dealing with human beings and
their souls in the school of revelation, and are thoroughly
knowledgeable about the secret and mysteries of this special
celestial existence. They understand the straight path of guidance and
ascend towards the God-Almighty as well as the causes and factors of
deviations, and therefore, are in a position to help lead the human beings
in following the straight path and can prevent their deviations.
Yes! the prophets are God's physicians who have
rendered most valuable services for humanity throughout the history, which
are relatively more valuable than the services rendered by physicians of
the human bodies. The prophets were able to discover the mysterious
abstract (i.e. Celestial Spirit) for themselves, and by introducing this
"Celestial Jewel" to human beings succeeded in reviving their human
personality. They were the ones who introduced and enlightened human
beings with learning, spirituality, and moral ethics by showing them the
path of journey leading towards God's Nearness.
They are the ones who made the humanity familiar with
the unseen world and strived for self-purification, self-nourishment and
self-refinement of human beings. If there are marks of meaningness,
sentiments, love, moral ethics, and other virtues found among human beings
it is all due to the blessing of painstaking continuous efforts and
endeavors of all God's physicians and specially the Last Divine Messenger
Prophet Muhammad (S). If the Divine Prophets would not have been
dispatched for human-guidance, certainly the conditions of human beings
would have been something different. Yes! The prophets are real
distinguished personalities of the humanity, and because of this
distinction have been called as physicians of self in the traditions.
The Commander of the Faithful Imam 'Ali (A) said about
the Holy Prophet (S).
"Muhammad (S) was a traveling physician who
continuously endeavored for the treatment of souls. He had prepared
ready-made ointments and arranged other tools of surgery for the treatment
of wounds and disinfecting the diseases at suitable occasions. He cured
the heart's blindness, ear's deafness, tongue's dumbness, and prescribed
medicine for all those who were living in the state of confusion and
wandering because, they did not utilized the light of wisdom for
abstraction of realities and thus, were forced to live like grazing
animals." -Nahjul Balagha,
sermon,108.
The Holy Quran has been described as a health-giving
medicine for the diseased hearts.
God-Almighty has said:
"There hath come unto you an exhortation from your
Lord. A balm for that which is in the breasts." -the Holy Quran
(10-57)
And said:
"And We reveal of the Quran that which is a healing
and a mercy for believers." -the Holy Quran
(17:82)
The Commander of the Faithful Imam 'Ali (A) said about
the Holy Quran:
"Learn the Holy Quran because, it is the best of
learning; pay attentions towards its verses because they are like
the springs rain; its recital revives the heart; and utilize the Quranic
illumination for the healing of your hearts." -Nahjul
al-Balagha, sermon-110.
At some other place he said:
"Know that anyone who possesses the Holy Quran would
not require any thing else, and whoever is deprived of it will never be
free from want. By means of the Holy Quran heal the sickness of your
hearts and strengthen yourself through it while confronting hardships.
Because, it contains the cure for the most severe diseases namely:
blasphemy, hypocrisy , and deviations." -Nahjul
al-Balagha, sermon-176.
Yes! the Prophet of Islam is the best physician of the
souls. He recognized well our pain and its treatment; brought the Holy
Quran and presented it to us which the best program of healing for our
internal pains. Apart from that various kind of psychic disease and their
treatments have been explained for us through the Holy Prophet (S) and
Infallible Imams (A) of his Holy progeny Ahlul Bayt which have been
preserved for us in the form of traditions.
Therefore, if we are interested in the happiness and
soundness of our self, we must practice the hygienic measures for the
psychic and physical health of our self. We must identify these
diseases within our souls through Quranic verses and guidelines issued by
the Holy Prophet (S) and Infallible Imams (A) and must seriously strive
for their treatments. Any negligence shown in this important and crucial
task would result in serious damage inflicted upon ourselves, which will
become manifested in the Next World.
5.5. Refinement and Perfection of Self
It was already discussed that the self-building and
self-nourishment are the most important crucial tasks, because, the
happiness and prosperity of both worlds depends upon them. All of the
God's Prophets were dispatched for accomplishment of this aim.
Self-building must be undertaken into two stages:
- The first stage of self-refinement consists of
cleansing of heart from indecent moral conduct and avoiding sins. This
act is called refining and evacuation.
- The second stage of self-nourishment and perfection
consists of acquiring higher learning for abstraction of absolute truth,
attaining moral excellence in conduct, and undertaking of righteous
deeds. This act is called nourishment and perfection.
Both the above mentioned stages are necessary for
achieving self-building, because, unless and until the heart's ground is
not thoroughly cleansed from evilness, it would not be available for
acquiring higher learning, attaining moral excellence, and performance of
righteous deeds. A heart which is contaminated with Satan's presence, how
could become a center for the manifestation of Divine Light? How can God's
intimate angels enter into such a heart? On the other hand if faith,
enlightenment, moral excellence, and righteous deeds do not exist,
through, which means the human self will attain nourishment and
perfection?
Therefore, for self building both these stages must be
attempted simultaneously. On one side the heart must be thoroughly
cleansed and purified from all sort of impurities and falsies, and on the
other side it should be encouraged and motivated for performance of
righteous and virtuous deeds. Satan must be forced out and God's Intimate
Angel should be welcomed. Any sort of foreign material other than God's
should be thrown out from it, and God's Blessing and Illumination must be
absorbed. These two stages are complimentary to each other.
It is not possible to purify the heart and let postpone
the performance of righteous deeds for a later opportunity, and likewise
we can not ignore the heart's internal impurities and evilness before
undertaking the performance of righteous deeds. Therefore, it is necessary
that both of these stages must be coordinated, and should be undertaken
simultaneously. Avoiding sins and shameful moral deeds invites human being
towards goodness, and similarly performance of righteous and virtuous
deeds result in his acquittal of sins and obscene deeds. But in order to
continue detailed discussion for the both stages it would be better to
divide them into separate chapter. Firstly the stage of self-refinement
will be discussed.
Footnotes:
[1] The video tapes commercially produced by the Serb
criminals showing the most horrible brute crime scenes of mass killings,
torture, and raping in recent ethnic cleansing in Bosnia-Herzegovina under
the very nose of the United Nations, in the heart-land of civilized
Europe, and their welcome by the sadists in the Western countries proves
the authenticity of this statement [Tr].