Releasing the Spirit from Fears

It is doubtless that fear scatters one’s activity, and paralyzes his mental and bodily energy. Man before Islam had been in a lasting fear of his brother, and his intrigues, of the nature around him and its disasters of the inevitable death of poverty and drought of diseases and the pains accompanying it. The Islamic ideology enlightens the severness of the feeling of fear which paralyzes one’s energy and prevents him from movement and production and makes him a target for fears and grieves.

DEATH IS A GIFT: The Holy Qur’an draws peoples’ attention to an eternal truth that Man should make himself ready to meet, it is “every spirit tastes death” 149

So death is inevitable, it is something that one can not avoid, and it will had the living human as it has caught those before him, Allah Has said: “Wherever you are, death will overtake you, though you are in lofty towers” 150 He also says: “say, feed shall not do you any good if you feed from death…” 151

Qur’an, then emphasizes that death is inevitable, then it is a mater at the hand of Allah (be exalted) and not at the hand of other than Him. This truth has suggestive reflections on man’s spirit that there is no earthly or heavenly power-what ever powerful it is- can not deprive him of his life Allah (be exalted) has said: “And a soul will not die but with the permission of Allah, the term is fixed…” 152

Qur’an has showed the falsity of the Jews’ allegations. In spite of their extreme desire for this life, the claim that they are the lovers of Allah without other people the Qur’an uncovered the falsity of their allegations by this challenge which addresses the hidden secrets of souls as the real believer doesn’t fear death when he meets him. Death is a passing from a transient residence to an eternal life. Due to what they are characterized of extreme material tendency the Jews fear death and hold by this life. Hence the Holy Qur’an confronted them with this grave challenge Allah has said:

“Say: O you, who are Jews, if you think that you are the favors of Allah with the exclusion of people, then invoke death if you are truthful. And they will never invoke it because of what their hands have sent before; and Allah is cognizant of the unjust” 153

Imam Ali (A.S.) says: “…He who fears death doesn’t get away from it, and he who loves staying will not have eternity” 154 what is wonderful in the matter is that at the time the ideology enlightens Man’s fear of death it depicts death to the believer as a gift! To which he has to setout. The prophet (S.W.A.) says: “Death is the gift of the believer” He said that because this life is a prison for the believer as he is still in a strive and tiredness of training himself, resisting his lusts and withstanding the Satan. Death then is a release to him from the chastisement and this release is a gift to him to pass to the eternal blessing” 155

Imam Abuabdullah (A.S.) said to his proponents on the day of “Aashouraa”: “Be patient O’ nobles, death in nothing but an arch you pass through it from poverty and suffering to immense paradises and the eternal blessing. Which of you dislike to shift from a prison to a palace?…” 156

From another side the school of “Ahlilbait” calls to know the death as knowing a thing may eradicate he fears of it. Ameeralmu’amineen says: “ When you fear something fall in it because the difficulty of guarding against it is greater than what you fear” 157

It is narrated from Imam Ali Ebna Mohammaad Al-Haadi (A.S.) that he said to a sick person of his companions when he entered to him and found him crying impatiently for fear of death: “O’ servant of Allah, you fear death because you do not know it, can you suppose that you have become dirty and filthy and you have suffered from the plentiness of dirtiness and ugliness and you suffered from wounds and scabies, if you know that taking a bath eliminates all that; do you not want to enter that bathroom and wash all that or do you not like to enter it so that dirtiness and filthiness remain with you? He said: certainly yes, O’ son of the prophet.

He (A.S.) said: that death is that bathroom, it is the last stage to pass to be purified of your sins, when you reach it and pass through it you will then be saved from all sorrow, grieves and suffering, and will reach to all happiness and blessing”. The man became calm, submitted, inspired, he shut his eyes and passed away…” 158

In this concern Imam Alsaadiq says, as he was asked to describe death for them: “Death for the believer is like the sweetest perfume he smells and so becomes sleepy, and all tiredness and pain are shutoff, but it is for infidels like the sting of snakes and the bite of scorpions or severer…” 159

Thus, the Islamic ideology introduces a light of safety which enlightens the hardness of death, as it is for the believer a gift and comfort. The prophet (S.W.A.) says “Two things are disliked by a human being: he dislikes death while death is a comfort for the believer from the trouble, he also dislikes the littleness of property while littleness of property is easier in accounting (at Doomsday) 160.

Imams insist on remembering death so much, for the educational influences it includes. It subdues the lusts enlightens the calamities of life which blow Man away like the storms. The prophet (S.W.A) says: “Remember death too much as it purifies you of sins and induces to abstain from worldly appetites” 161

Imam Ali (A.S.) says: “Remember death very much and the day of your coming-out of your graves, and your call to be present before Allah on the day of judgment, then your calamities become easy.” 162

In some of Ameeralmu’amineen’s recommendations to his son Alhassan (A.S.): “O my son’ remember death so much, and remember what you will meet, and what you come after death, till it comes to you in a state you have made your preparations, and tightened your back for it, do not let it comes to you suddenly so it overwhelms you” 163. He also says, “He who remembers death very much will be satisfied with the little of this world” 164

We return to say that the Islamic ideology releases spirits from fear of death by insisting on that it is a truth, which can not be denied, we must submit to it and make up with it by knowing its truth, and that it is for the believer a comfort. Instead of forgetting or pretending to have forgotten it we must remember it continuously for the good results it has, which we have mentioned previously.

Notes:

149. Aal Aumraan 3: 185.

150. Alnesa’a 4: 78.

151. Alahzaab 33: 16.

152. Aalaumraan: 3:145.

153. Aljuma’aa 62: 6-7.

154. Nehjilbalagha, Subhi Alsaalih 81/ sermon 38.

155. Tenbeehil Khawaatir, Ameer Warraam 1-2/ 268/ baab Zekrelmawt.

156. Ma’ani Alakhbaar: Alsadouq: 288, Jama’at Almuderriseen, edition of 1379 h.

157. Nehjilbalagha, short hekam/ 175.

158. Ma’ani Alakhbaar, Al-Sadouq: 290.

159. Auyoun Akhbaar Alreza, Ebin babawaih 2: 248 Ala’alemi foundation edition: 1.

160. Rawzatel Waaeizeen, Alfattal Alneeisaabouri 486, in remembering death.

161. Tenbeehilkhawaatir 1: 269.

162. Alkhesaal Alsadouq 2: 616, the hadeth of 400.

163. Nehjilbalagha 400: letter 31.

164. Rawzatelwaeizeen: 490.

Adapted from: "The Role of Ideology in Constructing The Human Being" by: "Ar-Risaleh Center"