ভূমিকা

Shiavault - a Vault of Shia Islamic Books World of Our Youth Themes 5: Our Youth ... The Shariah View Fun and Pastime in their True Extent What may be said to youths who view the state of youth as a time when they must engage in fun, chatting into the late hours, horseplay, and the like? We would like for youths to meditate deeply on the following questions: What is pastime? What is horseplay? What is lust-be it sexual, related to food, drink, or other bodily instinct or craving of human beings?

We call on youths to stop at these lusts and to ask themselves: What is their true scope? The scope of one of these transitory lusts is a mere moment. Sexual lust is that moment of sensation. The lust for food is for having it in the mouth, and so too lust for drink and the other items. For a person may have cherished visions about these lusts before experiencing them, but when he starts to do so, he feels himself at a road's end.

For these are the needs of a person, and not everything; not his craving or desire. If, therefore, the person becomes obsessed with sex, then he will quickly become bored with it, and may even suffer from repulsion after repetition. And when he is obsessed with food and drink, he becomes vile-smelling or asphyxiated.

Without exception, all this reflects aspirations which do not enrich the stage of youth, but rather give this stage sensations of lust and happiness which, if he were to meditate on them, would in reality have to eschew them after becoming satiated with them. Therefore, we say to youths, Your youth represents the strength of life, responsibility in life, a wonderful bounty from all the bounties of man.

We do not say to them "Do not respond to your needs", but " answer your needs at the level which your body requires without any negative effects. And when responding to these physical needs, you must understand that the issue of youth in life, and the issue of life in youth, are more far-reaching, widespread, and responsible than everything you are obsessed about.

In your pursuit of empty activities, there will be boredom and monotony, meaninglessness, and the feeling that you are squandering your life." For life is not simply body and flesh, nor is it without hope and life and aspirations. For there is God, the Independent, Who-when human beings stand in front of Him and live for Him-is felt as if there is no wall or barrier, but a reality which expands and keeps expanding infinitely.