Rafed English

The role of the ideology in identifying Man to himself

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

It is doubtless that the ideology –through its sources and symbols-played a big role in disclosing the nature of the self and specified very precisely its diseases and the effects ensued from them.

The Holy Qur’an states explicitly that the soul orders one (its holder) to commit evil: “I do not declare myself free of sin, most surely man’s self is wont to command (him to do) evil except such s my Lord had mercy on.” 188

Qur’an also states frankly that the human spirit is stingy Allah (be exalted) says “And avarice souls has been made to be presented in the people’s minds”189. He also says: “Whoever is preserved from the niggardliness of his soul, these it is that are the successful ones.” 190

There is a group of “hadeeths” which shed light on the nature of human self and recommend the remedial viewpoint to its diseases, some of them is what Imam wrote to Al-Ashter Alnekhaei when he appointed him as a governor of Egypt, it is stated: “He has ordered him to resist his lusts, to curb his self at its caprices as the “man’s soul is wont to command him to commit evils except such as Allah Had mercy…” 191

A sermon of his (A.S.) which included recommendations to people, says: “We depend on His help to tame these souls which slacken to perform what they are ordered to perform, and which hasten to commit what they are forbidden to do…” 192

He (A.S.) also says: “The self is disposed to bad manners, the servant is ordered to keep to courtesy, the self naturally runs into the field of disobedience, the servant strives to keep it from its evil demands, so when he gives it the full reins he is a partner in its corruption; and he who helps himself to follow the wishes of his self he has participated in killing himself” 193

On this level, it is worth mentioning that when the psychological disease, are not treated, they result in very dangerous consequences. For example the big confusion, which took place in “Alsakeefa” for Moslems, when the legal leadership was excluded from the center of determination, had psychological roots. It is enough here to recite the speech of Ameeralmu’amineen (A.S.) to one of his companions when he asked him: how did your people drive you back of this authority (leader ship) while you are more entitled to it?

“As to taking exclusive possession of this position while we are the more sublime in decency and the most associated with the prophet of Allah, it has been an egoism the souls of some people have refrained while the souls of others have overlooked it generously, and Allah is the Judge” 194

So the egoism which has been concealed in the souls of some people has been the reason of the first and the most dangerous deviation which the Islamic movement witnessed some hours after the prophet’s demise, therefore in spite of their achieved infallibility, Imams of Ahlilbait (A.S.) were seeking a refuge with Allah (be exalted) by supplications invoking Him to protect them from this dangerous psychological disease.

It is related from Alfazel Ebna Abi Karrah said: I saw Abbaabdullah (A.S.) circumambulating since the beginning of night till the dawn saying: “O my Lord’ protect me from egoism of my soul” I said: may I be a sacrifice for you, I have not heard you reciting other than this supplication?

He said: which thing is worse than egoism? Allah (be exalted) says: “And whoever is preserved from the niggardliness of his soul these it is that are the successful ones” 195

Notes:

188. Yousif 12: 53.

189. Alnessa’a: 4:128.

190. Alhashr 59: 9.

191. Nehjil balagha, Subhi Alsaalih: 427, letter 53.

192. Nehjilbalagha 169/ sermon 114.

193. Mizaan Alhikmah 1: 16, from Meshkaat el anwaar.

194 Nehjilbalaagha: 231.

195. Mizaanil Hikmah: 5: 33, from Noorel Thaqalain 5: 291.

 

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