Material and spiritual lifestyle, the attitude of Islam
Imam Ar-Ridha’ (a.s.) said:
إِعْمَلْ لِدُنْياكَ كَأَنَّكَ تَعِيشُ أَبَداً وَ إِعْمَلْ لاِخِرَتِكَ كَأَنَّك تَمُوتُ غَدَاً
Translation
Work for the world as if you would be alive forever, and work for the hereafter as if you would die tomorrow! 1
Brief Description
This tradition clarifies the attitude of Islam towards the matters concerned with material and spiritual life. A positive and responsible Muslim should observe discipline in the matters concerned with material life as if he would abide there forever. This clearly rejects the idea that one has to shun this world to be a true ascetic.
At the same time he should be extremely concerned about the state of his readiness for the life after death. So much so that he should be convinced that if he were to die tomorrow, he would not be found wanting or deficient in any aspect. In other words, he should keep himself ready for death at any moment by ensuring that he has purified himself with the water of real repentance for his misdeeds and has settled his dues and made arrangements such that he leaves the world without any loose ends in matters of his obligations and rights of others.[divider]
• 1. Sayings of the Imams volume 2, page 277. Men La Yahtharuhu AlFaqih, vol 3, page 156. Wasa’il Al-Shia, vol 17, page 76.
Your intellect will be tried by these three
Imam ‘Ali (a.s.) said:
ثَلاثٌ يُمْتَحَنُ بِهَا عُقُولُ الرِّجالِ هُنَّ المالُ وَ الْوِلايَةُ و الْمُصِيبَةُ
Translation
There are three things based on which intellect of dignified individuals is tried: wealth, rank, and calamity. 1
Brief Description
Divine trials are the means of development and improvements and they do not have special tools.
Man may be tested by any means, but three of them are more important than the others:
– whether or not he loses his intellect and wisdom when he gains property and wealth?
– when a rank is awarded to him, whether his capacity is so fragile that he forgets everything?
– and when an unpleasing event happens to him, does he become impatient and ungrateful ?[divider]
• 1. Ghurar al-Hakam
What is the true asceticism in Islam?
The Holy Prophet of Islam (peace be upon him and his progeny) said:
اَلزُّهدُ فى الدُّنْيا قَصْرُ الأَمَلِ وَ شُكْرُ كُلّ نِعْمَة وَ الوَرَعُ عَنْ كُلِّ ما حَرَّمَ اللّهُ
Translation
Asceticism in this world is based on three things: curtailment of desires, thanksgiving for blessings, and avoiding the prohibited things. 1
Brief Description
Most people misunderstand the concept of Islamic asceticism and consider it as isolation and separation from material and social life. They define ascetics as those who practice seclusion from society and abstention from all material pleasures of social life.
True asceticism is in fact based on a corrective social concept as stipulated in the above tradition.
It includes protection of rights of others , keeping away from illegitimate and unlawful wealth, and using one’s resources for worthy and humanitarian purposes (which is the real concept of thanksgiving) as well as minimizing one’s desires for material things which , if unchecked, can lead man to dissociate from everything other than the pursuit of money, position and lust.[divider]
• 1. Tuhaful Uqul, page 58. Al-Kafi, vol 5, page 71. Wasa’il Al-Shia, vol 17, page 15. AlKhisal, vol 1, page 14.
Hasty action is a kind of insanity
Imam ‘Ali (a.s.) said:
اَلْحِدَّهُ نَوْعٌ مِنَ الْجُنُونِ لاِنَّ صاحِبَها يَنْدَمُ فَإن لَمْ يَنْدَمْ فَجُنُونُها مُسْتَحْكَمٌ
Translation
Hastiness and precipitance is a kind of insanity and those having this attribute repent of their actions very soon, or (if they continue on this path) it shows that their insanity is perpetual and firmly ingrained in them.1
Brief Description
Intellect and wisdom dictate that one avoids undue haste and precipitance because in this condition one often fails to adequately study all the relevant aspects to make a correct decision. And soon one has to repent for the consequences of his naive and impulsive actions.
Sometimes, man dissipates the worth of all of his good speeches by one hasty inappropriate remark, and loses his old intimate friends and that jolts him into sincere repentance.
As for those who do not desist even after observing the bad consequences of their hasty actions, they can be said to suffer from insanity that is ongoing and well entrenched.[divider]
• 1. Nahjul Balaghah