ভূমিকা

Shiavault - a Vault of Shia Islamic Books Ethical Discourses: Volume 2 Discourse 4: Good Of This World And The Next Life قَالَ الصَّادِقُ: حَدَّثَنِي أَبِي عَنْ أَبِـيهِ أَنَّ رَجُلاً مِنْ أَهْلِ الْكُوفَةِ كَـتَبَ إِلـى الْحُسَينِ بْنِ عَلِيٍّ: يَا سَيِّدِي أَخْـبِرْنِي بِخَيْرِ الدُّنْـيَا وَ الآخِرَةِ. فَكَتَبَ: بِسْمِ اللٌّهِ الرَّحْمٌنِ الرَّحِيمِ.

أَمَّا بَعْدُ فَإِنَّ مَنْ طَلَبَ رِضى اللٌّهَ بِسَخَطِ النَّاسِ كَفَّاهُ اللٌّهُ أُمُورُ النَّاسِ وَ مَنْ طَلَبَ رِضى النَّاسَ بِسَخَطِ اللٌّهِ وَكَلَّهُ اللٌّهُ إِلـى النَّاسِ، وَ السَّلاَمُ. Imam Ja’far b. Muhammad as-Sadiq (as) has said, “My father narrated to me from his father (as) that a man from Kufah wrote a letter to Husayn b. ‘Ali (as) which stated: “O' my master!

Inform me of a program (to follow) which would contain the goodness of the world and the next life.” The Imam (as) wrote back to the man, 'In the name of Allah, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful. Whoever seeks to please Allah by displeasing the people, surely Allah will be sufficient for him in his affairs with the people; the person who seeks to please the people through displeasing Allah, Allah will leave him to the whims of the people.

And peace (be upon you).'”[^1] In many instances, we see that the pleasure of the Creator and the creations are at opposite ends of the spectrum. If we seek to earn the pleasure of the creations, then we end up distancing ourselves from the pleasure of Allah (SwT); if we seek the pleasure of the Creator, then we must distance ourselves from the pleasure of the creations. In this instance, what must one do?

The Imam has stated that, “Hasten towards the pleasure of Allah and do not sell the anger of Allah for the meagre price of earning the pleasure of the people. If you truly seek His pleasure, then He will pull the hearts of the people towards you and will repair the problems that the people may encounter with you. However, if you seek the pleasure of the creations, then Allah will leave you at the whims of the people such that you will have to ask them for whatever you need.

You will need to ask from people who: لاَ يَمْلِكُونَ لِأَنْفُسِهِمْ نَـفْعاً وَلاَ ضَرًّا… “They neither possess the ability to bring any profit nor harm to their selves…”[^2] These are people who do not have the power to do anything in this world of the next.” The issue mentioned can sometimes be seen within a person's life, and at other times within the countries of the world.

✦ ✦ ✦