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Lesson: 43 Piety and the Pious
Piety is, originally,
in the sense of disinclination and hence the opposite of inclination. Though
these two terms zuhd and raghbat have not been used in the Holy Quran as a topic
of moral grace and its opposite, they are repeatedly found in Nahjul Balaghah
and in the words of the leaders of Islam, of course, the Holy Quran speaks of
other terms instead of zuhd while condemning attachment with the world and it
material manifestations, it does not go against what has been said, so far as
the essence is concerned, in narrations about zuhd. In order to understand the
real meaning of piety it is better to refer to the texts of the Islamic sources.
Amirul Momineen
(a.s.) said: The entire piety has been covered by two terms in the Holy Quran.
Almighty Allah says: So that you may not be sorrowful for what has passed and
you may not be overjoyed by what is or is to be for you.
Abi Tufail
says: I heard from Amirul Mo-mineen (a.s.): Zuhd means curtailing worldly ambitions
and thankfulness for every bounty and to avoid what has been prohibited by Allah.
Also it has
been noted from Ali (a.s.): O people! Zuhd means shortening of desires and gratitude
for gifts and abstinence from sins then added if you are unable to acquire all
these virtues, then beware that the prohibited thing does not overcome your
wish and patience and that you may not forget to thank Allah for His bounties
because, Almighty Allah has, removed all excuses and disposed of all pretexts
through His clear scriptures.
Imam Sadiq
(a.s.) has said: In this world piety does not mean to discard wealth and to
deny what is permissible but it means you should not think that whatever is
your possession wealth and power is safer than what is in with Allah.
These narrations
clearly show that piety in the philosophy of Islam is never being aloof and
separated from the world, but zuhd can be summarised in two sentences. First,
if man loses something, he should not sit in sorrow,. Rather ignoring that loss,
he should make efforts for a fruitful future. He must not waste away his energy
in worrying about the past.
Secondly, as
regards what he owns, he must not become so much attached to it that it may
resemble slavery so that, in that way, you may safeguard your liberty and freedom.
In other words, it can be said that abstinence in the world is opposed to lust
for the world. The first is desired whereas the second censured.
Many books
have been written in the matter of Hubb and zuhd of the world. For example we
give below the contents of the book Tawaazun baine duniyaa wa aakhirat Balance
between This World and the Hereafter:
The first section
of this book which is in praise of the world has these titles.
1. Islam has
ordered the earning of necessary requirements of the world. 2. The world and its gifts are good and desirable. 3. The worldly gifts are from the grace of the Lord. 4. Sometimes the worldly material gifts are rewards of the virtuous. 5. The world has been created for His servants and Allah likes it. 6. The world is a mercy of God. 7. The world is a divine blessing and beneficence. 8. Sometimes deprivation from worldly gifts is by way of punishment. 9. Poverty and destitution is considered undesirable.
