At this point...

At this point, there are some issues mentioned in the tradition which must be noted: The tradition uses the phrase “إحذروا” or “to be aware” and does not say, “do not obey (the lower desires).” When one is aware of something, it means that he is always alert and conscious of what he is doing such that he does not fall prey to the lower desires, and this is a much higher level than just saying not to follow something.

The tradition also uses the phrase “أعداء للرجال” or “…an even greater enemy to a person…” and in our opinion this 'person' refers to the one who possesses character and true faith. Thus, this part of the tradition means that the greatest enemy for the true believer is his lower desires and passions and he must fear this enemy more than all others.

There is a well-known tradition which may also relate to this tradition under discussion which states: أَلنَّاسُ كُلُّهُمْ هَالِكُونَ إِلاَّ الْعَالِمُونَ وَ الْعَالِمُونَ كُلُّهُمْ هَالِكُونَ إِلاَّ الْعَامِلُونَ وَ الْعَامِلُونَ كُلُّهُمْ هَالِكُونَ إِلاَّ الْمُخْلِصُونَ وَ الْمُخْلِصُونَ فِي خَطَرٍ عَظِيمٍ.

“All people shall be destroyed except for those with knowledge; and all of those who are endowed with knowledge shall be destroyed except for the ones who act according to their knowledge; and all of those who act according to their knowledge shall also be destroyed except the ones with sincerity and the ones who possess sincerity are in the greatest danger.” and it is possible that this refers to the following of the lower desires.

The word “حصائد” is the plural of the word “حصيدة” and refers to something used to reap crops (such as a sickle that is used in the field to clear the crops). In the tradition under discussion, the tongue is compared to a sickle that is used to reap the crops. The sins which the tongue performs fall under the category of following the lower desires, however why it is that they have been mentioned separately in this tradition? This has been done so as to show the importance of this issue.

The sins which the tongue performs do not require any special tool to perform them, can be done night and day and in any state a person is in. Thus, the dangers which come from the tongue are much greater than any other organ of the body. In addition, the scholars have stated that there are approximately thirty major sins which can be done by the tongue! There is no sin greater in the eyes of the people than those which the tongue performs as these are the most dangerous.

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