Section Two:
Censure of the World
The second section of this book It has been written with the assistance of some teachers. Those who are interested can refer to it for details, contains the verses and the traditions condemning the world:
1. Worldly interests cause chastisement both Here and in the Hereafter.
2. This world is a fast fading and transitory thing.
3. The world is a deceptive abode.
4. This world and the Hereafter are opposed to one another.
5. This world is a playful activity.
6. This world causes leaving of and turning against the Hereafter.
7. This world is a trifling thing and it is advisable to turn away from it.
8. Poverty is desirable and admirable and like wise, piety and power to the extent of sufficiency.
9. Lust and greed for worldly things is undesirable and so also is accumulation of wealth.
10. This world is valueless compared to the Hereafter and spiritual perfection.
Section Three: is comprised of the verses and narrations explaining meaning of the world and piety and it also discusses the relation between the two:
1. The lust for the world is condemned, not the world itself.
2. An indulgence in world which makes one forgetful of the truth is undesirable and condemnable.
3. Revelry in the world is undesirable and indecent.
4. Giving preference to this world over the Hereafter is blameworthy.
5. Hoarding of wealth and being parsimonious is undesirable and abhorrent.
6. Selling away the Hereafter in exchange of this worldly life has been condemned and, it's vice a versa, praised.
7. Extravagance over indulgence and squandering spending of wealth futilely and luxury extravagance and pomp are undesirable.
8. Refraining from spending money in what is blameworthy according to the divine commandments.
9. Reliance on and attachment with the world is censored.
10. The worldly involvement, if it is for the benefit of the Hereafter, is desirable and appreciable.
From the above narrations it becomes known that pious is one whose heart is not entangled in the material world and who also keeps away from the worldly adornments and luxuries.
Attributes or virtues of a Zahid
Amirul Momineen (a.s.) says: They were a group of people from this world but they did not live for it, that they lived in the world like those who did not belong to it. They acted on what they perceived and were ever cautious. They did not sit but with those who loved the Hereafter life after death. They knew that the worldly people give more importance to the death of the body but they understood that the death of the soul of the living was more significant.
Degrees of Piety
Ali bin Husain (a.s.) was asked: What is piety?
The Imam (a.s.) said: Piety is of ten kinds. Its highest degrees are the lowest stages of Reza Gods pleasure. Beware! Verily zuhd has been defined in a verse of the Holy Quran: Do not remain in sorrow over of what has passed and do not be overjoyed about what is to come.
The late Naraqi (r.a.) writes in Me'raj us-Saadah: Know that piety is of three categories:
1-Lower,
2- Medium and
3- High.
Verily the first and the lower kind is that man loves and likes the world but also keeps away from it through efforts and toiling exercises.
The second stage: As a whole appreciates and values the world but does not give preference to it over the Hereafter and thus discards love for the world.
Third stage: Does not focus attention on the world as an aim and, really, does not believe that it is precious.
Thereafter he has divided Zuhd in seven categories:
1. The obligatory piety: to give up what is prohibited by Allah.
2. The safe piety: to keep away from every doubtful thing.
3. Excellent piety: which also is divided into two kinds:
4. Refrains from desiring more than necessary even in the permitted but benefits from it only to the extent of need.
5. Gives up all that is like by the human heart even if essential that is he or she limits his worldly needs to the minimum.
6. Zuhde Maarefat (Piety with Insight): Gives up everything except Allah and disconnects himself or herself even from his or her life.
7. Zuhde Khaaifeen (Piety of the Afraid): This is the best kind of piety wherein one does not desire anything except nearness to and pleasure of Allah nor does not desire anything except nearness to and pleasure of Allah nor does he think about the chastisement in Hell so as to seek protection there-from. He also does not long for the paradise so as to pray for the same. Rather all and all of his or her self is for meeting the Lord Almighty.
But from what can be said after following the above narrations is that his world in itself is not against the Hereafter. It is the lust for worldly things which is against piety even if less. What testifies this is the lives of the Holy Prophet (s.a.w.s.) and Imam (a.s.).
The Holy Prophet (s.a.w.s.) said: Wearing rough clothes and eating dry food is not piety. Curtailing of ambitions is piety.
The Philosophy of Piety
Whatever explanation is given about piety also makes for us it philosophy clear It can be said that it is disconnection and freedom from the clutches of wealth and status material power , because, it gives liberation to man. This liberation is such that nobody particularly leaders cannot attain their aims without it, as what mostly stagnates the leaders of the society in the middle of their path and renders them unsuccessful in gaining their goal is this very spirit of world-worship which overcomes them. If they become careless of material wealth and status and adopt upright devotion they can sweep aside all hindrances and can advance toward their goal.
Whenever we study the history of the lives of the priest and leaders of Islam, especially the noble lives of the Holy Prophet (s.a.w.s.) and Ali (a.s.) we see that those who were the enemies and opponents of Islam had, for luring and scuttling the collective thinking of Muslims, put forward material and worldly offers in order to deviate them from the right and straight path of Islam.
Those before whom such offers were constantly put were two groups:
1. Those who were not among the pious and God fearing and devout and intelligent Muslims and hence were liable to slip when confronted by such conspiracies and tricks.
2. Those who had advanced fully in understanding Islam to such an extent that even if the sun and the moon and the stars were put in their palms they would not show any inclination to them and/or if the government of the entire world less justice and Truth was offered to them they would not value them more than a pair of shoes. The perfect example of the second kind was Amirul Mo-mineen (a.s.) and those who were trained by him as they too had kicked off such offers and fought with the offerers very toughly.
Yes, one who really owns piety is never deceived by the adorations of fast-passing wealth and status because zuhd is always against beauty worship and power lust and a pious leader always endeavours to make money serve the poor in a correct manner. Similarly a pious society never feels inferior or contempt and leads life peacefully and easily.
Amirul Momineen (a.s.), in his letter to Usman bin Haneef, governor of Basrah: Next, O son of Haneef! I have come to know that a rich man in Basrah invited you for a dinner and you too accepted it happily and went there. There came to you different colourful food one after another in attractive plates and vessels. I do not think you should have accepted that invitation because the reedy and the poor could not go there and only rich had gathered there O son of Haneef! Ponder seriously on whatever you eat whether it is permissible Halaal or prohibited Haraam. Then if you have any doubt about a things permissibility spit it out and devour only that wherein there is no doubt at all.
O son of Haneef! Be cautious and remember that every follower has a leader whom he should follow. He must learn wisdom from him. And you O son of Haneef! Know that your leader Imam has, in his life, sufficed only with these two worn out clothes and two pieces of bread. And if you are unable to be like that then, at least, assist your Imam in the path of piety and modesty and in going straight.
Do not think that I am unable to obtain the worldly tasty things. By Allah! If I so desire, I can provide for myself pure honey and the pulp of wheat and silk clothes for my food and dress. But, woe unto me if I am overpowered by lust and greed and if I indulge in passion and desire so as to select tasty eatables. Maybe when I eat tasty and colourful things when, in Hijaz or Yamama, there is someone who does not have even a piece of bread and perhaps he has never gone to be with a full belly?
Is it proper for me to fill my stomach and go to bed when, around me, there may be hungry and weak people? Should it be as a poet has said: It should be a sufficient calamity for you if you sleep with a full belly and around you are empty stomachs in thin bodies!
Should it be enough for me that people call me Amirul Momineen when I am not like them in their hardships?
Yes, it is obvious that, if the people in a society are pious and honest, there will be no opposition or it will be the least and, consequently, all will live in peace and happily away from all kinds of injustice and oppression and encroachment of the rights of one another.
Who is Zahid ?
Zahid or pious is one who has the ability to live luxuriously for himself but does not do so. One who has such ability and does not live luxuriously cannot be considered pious.
Also Zahid is one who, when he gets such wealth, spends all of it in the path of Allah for His sake and in no other way like love of power and status and praise for himself.
Definition of piety in the words of Amirul Mo-mineen (a.s.): The best piety is to hide your piety.
Some great personalities have mentioned three distinct signs of a Zahid:
1- Does not become joyful due to whatever he gents gets from worldly things and also does not turn sorrowful when it goes out of his hand. As the Lord Almighty says in the Holy Quran: So that you may not grieve for what has escaped you, nor be exultant at what He has given you.
2- His praise and his criticism Bouquets and brickbats are same for him.
3- His heart must always be full of love of Allah and not of anything else a as two affections do not join in one heart.
Lastly the love for worldly things must not pierce he soul of man. Rather man must ride on the world as a ship rides water. So long as the ship is riding on water it swims safely but drowns if water enters it. Similarly if the worldly love creeps in the soul it drowns man in ignorance and waywardness and drives him away from Allah. It is exactly like that ship which continues the voyage until it remains on the surface of water and so long as there is no hole in it. But if and when a hole appears in it and the water gets into it drowns.