The harm caused by wives...

The harm caused by wives, husbands, fathers, mothers, children and society's individuals to each other is the direct result of irreligiousness. The terrible fear that people in families and societies have of each other is the bitter fruit of ungodliness. The ample damage done to the affairs of people's lives results from the lack of piety. Actually, it is a divine necessity for husbands and wives to be beautified with piety so as to have a healthy society.

And it is also necessary that the parents pass on this beneficial, divine desire to their offspring. From the very beginning of training their children, parents must make sure to develop the basic environment for piety. How praiseworthy it is to pay attention to the abundant benefits of the Quranic verses and religious traditions on piety; and then begin to evaluate their benefits!

Look at the truth of the matter in this way: if all young women and men were God-fearing, and made arrangements of marriage with an angelic capital of piety, what wonderful families and societies would be established! Piety and Its Praiseworthy Degrees The enlightened ones and those who according to the Quran show insight and have made spiritual journeys mention three degrees of piety.

I - Outstanding Piety II - Especial Piety III - Ordinary Piety In a very notable tradition Imam Sadiq (Pbuh) explained these three degrees in the following manner: I - Outstanding Piety The first degree of piety is being completely absorbed by Allah and consists of the individual abstaining from religiously lawful things and actions, much more the religiously doubtful things and actions.

II - Especial Piety (In Awe of Allah) The second degree of piety is "In Awe of Allah" meaning the individual abstains from all religiously doubtful things and actions, much more the prohibited ones. III - Ordinary Piety The third degree of piety results from fear of Hell's punishment and God's painful Wrath. This degree consists of abstaining from all sins and forbidden things and actions.

[Mava'ez al-’Addadiyi, p.180] Of course, the meaning of abstaining from religiously lawful things and actions expressed in Imam Sadiq's statement has the following meaning: those having this type of piety do not pursue many of the religiously lawful affairs since they feel they do not require them. And concerning the lawful necessities they require for subsistence, they observe the utmost frugality.