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Shiavault - a Vault of Shia Islamic Books Islamic Ethics Lecture 8: Lust Results In The Continuation Of Human Life Lust and anger are two traits, two powers that Allah put inside man. The continuation of mankind is dependent on these two traits. Lust is used to attract benefits and anger is used to keep away loss. If one did not have any lust or desire he would not go after the things that his body needs.

One would not eat if he did not have a desire for food, and when he does not eat he would die. So, it is a blessing that one has this desire for food that forces him to struggle to obtain something to eat. Sexual desires are also necessary for the prolongation of human life. Nobody would get married if sexual desires did not exist, because married life has its difficulties and bad times. For this reason there must be a desire, a lust in man for him to marry and have children.

So, sexual desires are necessary for the continuation of human life. Spiritual Growth Is Also Found In Anger and Lust The social order of man would become destroyed if man did not get angry, if man was indifferent to his property being stolen, to his life being taken or to the life of his loved one's being taken. That person would not do anything; he would not protect his money or his honor. So, anger is necessary to protect him from all sorts of losses that he would be faced with.

These traits, lust and anger are necessary in this world and are also necessary for the next world. One's religion is also dependent on these two traits. One must choose the middle course in these traits; one must not become, for example, too angry or not angry enough. Both becoming too angry or not angry enough are mistakes. Determining the middle course is dependant on the intellect and religious decrees.

One's intellect, when it has grown enough to be able to determine right from wrong, and divine laws guide man to finding the middle course. Becoming Too Angry Or Lustful Or Not Angry Or Lustful Enough Is Dangerous A man who becomes too angry or too lustful or not angry enough or not lustful enough will be lower than any animal. The middle course of these two traits is the straight path ( sirāt al-mustaqīm ).[^1] One's state in the hereafter depends on his state in this world.

The person who falls off the middle course in this world will fall in the next world as well.