In the Name of God, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful Purifying the Imagination Arman Rahmim Imagination is an irreplaceable human faculty. It acts as a mediator between the material and intellectual realms. Imaginary constructs possess a number of material traits, and at the same time, they transcend other ones. According to Muslim philosophers, the imagination has ‘intermediary abstractness’ (tajarrud barzakhi): barzakh literally is a thing that intervenes between two things, and mediates between them, neither being this or that, and at the same time somehow resembles each. Imaginary constructs are material in that they have shape and quantity, and yet distance themselves from the material plane since they do not occupy weight, volume, space or time, and are beyond them. As such, the sphere of imagination is an intermediary between the realms of the material and the pure abstract (sense and intellect). [1] The faculty of imagination has also been referred to as “the camera of the intellectual self” as it captures images from entities in the material domain, conceiving them, and allocating these forms to the intellect. On the other hand, imagination enables intellectual conceptions, which are general and abstract, to descend from pure abstraction to specific forms and shapes, in order to enhance explanation and experience. Now, if the imagination is tainted and infected by illusions, it betrays its role as an intermediary, deceiving and defrauding the individual who is misled to believe that his contemplation and deeds have been based on correct conceptions. In the words of Rumi [2]:

The imagination in the mind brings out nothingness; Notice how an entire world runs upon it.

From a fancy, their peace and war; And from a fancy, their pride and shame.

In discussions of purity and purification, it is asserted that after ranks of outward purity (e.g. outward cleanliness and ablution for prayers), it is the turn for inner purity, whose beginning is purification of the imagination, and is one of the most critical steps, since the contaminated imagination acts unfaithfully, and distances one from inner purity and clarity. Consider the following beautiful hadith attributed to the Holy Prophet – may God bless him and his progeny:

ب إإني انيأأحبب منن االص هھمم االباكوونن؛ االث لل أأن اابع علي يیانن خمسة خصالل: ااالوو الثث يیختصموونن منن غيیرر حقدد؛ االرر رراابب يیجتمعوونن؛ االث االتخرروونن لغدد؛ االخامسس بوونن اليیدد رروونن ثمم يیخرر يیعم

Indeed I love five qualities in children: first, that they cry; second, they gather upon the soil; third, they fight without grudge; fourth, they do not store for tomorrow; fifth, they build then demolish. [3]

Each and every one of these statements can uncover new horizons to purity. The common denominator between all these states of being appears to be a lack of grip by mental creations and speculations upon children, and children are not manipulated by these. Indeed, (i) children do not imagine themselves as independent and autonomous, and as such demand their needs

with cries. (ii) The silliness of status and ostentation has not captivated them. (iii) They have not been trapped into suspicion and misgivings towards others. (iv) They have not sold the present, which exists, to the future, which does not. And, (v) they have not been affixed like a spider to their own web. God Almighty says:

خذذتت بيیتا ووإإنن أأووهھھھنن االبيی هھ أأووليیاء كمثلل االعنكبووتت اات خذذوواا منن ددوونن االلـ ووتت لبيیتت االعنكبووتت لوو كانوواا يیعلمووننمثلل االذذيینن اات The parable of those who take guardians besides Allah is as the parable of the spider that takes (for

itself) a house; and most surely the frailest of the houses is the spider's house, if they but knew. (29:41)

According to a scholar [4], interpreting the above narration: “As children are nearer to (their divine) disposition (fitrah), i.e. nearer to monotheism, there are void of absurd egotism, fallacious arrogance and artificial personality. As such, since they do not possess neglectful laughs, gleeful constructs, nonsensical yet deep-seated resentments, storage and pile-up of wealth according to baseless fancies, and reliance upon this world and attachment to it, i.e. they are all by disposition monotheists and by disposition their annihilation in God’s Essence is more, [because of these,] they are more beloved by the Prophet. However, when they arrive at adolescent pride and vanity, and decline and the years of old age, and [when] the conceit of desires, anger, mental constructs and artificialities capture them, and the love of wealth, status and esteem in the old age fills their minds, they become deprived of all those pure instincts and [such] wholesome authentic disposition, and fall in love with Falsehood in the face of the Truth, and sell and trade their time on earth, life and livelihood (consisting) of knowledge, power, safety and security, to nothing, in fact to the opposite of profit, and for monumental losses. And this brings about distance and remoteness from God’s mercy, as He repels them from the sphere of love; except those whom God safeguards [from all this] and they are few.” [4]

***** Since a pure and unaltered imagination is the gateway to enter into and persist within the spiritual realm, many great beings devoted resolute years, and tireless efforts and endeavors, to this matter. This is because having authority over the imagination, and detaching it from filths and irrelevant affairs, is utterly difficult: “The revered Sayyid Mahdi Bahr-al-Uloom purified the imagination after thirty four years. After thirty-four year, he performed a two rak’a prayer of thanks, saying: ‘O Allah! I am grateful to you that I was able to quickly purify my imagination’ (!) The revered Mulla Husayn-Gholi Hamadani purified it after twenty-four years of labor.” [5] Indeed, it requires remarkable blessing and resolve for one to wholly and persistently act according to the following instructions by the Commander of the Faithful, Imam Ali - peace be upon him:

ااقصرر رراايیک علی ما يیلززمک تسلمم ووددعع االخووضض فيیما ال يیعنيیک تکررممCurb your thinking to what is necessary upon you, you shall be safe; and abandon entry into what does

not concern you, you shall be honored. [6]

One manner to assess oneself in this field is to compare one’s mode of being with the transparency and innocence of children, as was outlined. For instance, one ought to evaluate whether he or she is affected by arrogance and conceit. God Almighty says:

هھ ال يیحبب كلل مختالل فخوورر ووااللـAllah does not love any arrogant (mukhtaal) boaster (fakhur). (57:23)

In the words of the great Allamah Tabatabai in al-Mizaan when interpreting this verse: “Mukhtaal refers to one that is affected by khuyalaa’, arrogance. And arrogance is referred to as khuyalaa’ [from the same root word as khiyaal that is imagination] because the one who is arrogant, [when encountering] something that he has found in himself, he imagines it as a virtue …. And fakhur denotes one who frequently performs fakhr, boastings. Arrogance [as mentioned first] … and also boasting [as mentioned second] are born out when the human being imagines that what he has of bounties is because he deserves them, and this is contrary to the truth, because he has taken a deed which he must attribute to God’s destination [and empowerment], and instead made it attributed to his own autonomy. And both arrogance and boasting are vices of the self, which God does not love.” Another means to self-assess is to refer to our dreams: “The dream is the best indicator of the human being. The self in sleep, via the imagination, bring out and beholds everything that it has in store, of distinct shapes, forms and textures. All of these are related to you yourself.” [7] If one’s deeds are corrupt and adulterated, one’s imagination is entrapped by them. Instead of performing its duty, as in the case of a trustworthy hunting dog, to hunt the realities of the universe and to pass them faithfully to its owner, it becomes like an astray dog, which instead of being under control, disobeys, attacks and harasses its owner: “The dream is the television of the intellectual self of the human being. As soon as you close your eyes and ears, and relinquish your faculties of sense, taste and smell, and fall asleep, the imagination begins to project your inner movie. Whatever you witness, it exists in your own self. These are displays of the deeds that you have committed during the day.” [8]

*****

A question now is how to purify the imagination. We outline seven points as related by the people of depth: 1) As was implicitly mentioned, the most significant condition for purification of the imagination is to renounce sins as outlined in the blessed and liberating Shari’a of Islam. This is because doing so emancipates the human being, and specifically the imagination, from the various chains and shackles, and it enables one to take flight and soar towards the divine:

ووررااةة ووااإلنج ي االذذيي يیجددوونهھ مكتووبا عنددهھھھمم في االت بي ااألم سوولل االن بعوونن االرر يیلل يیأمررهھھھمم بالمعررووفف وويینهھاهھھھمم عنن االمنكرر وويیحلل لهھمم االذذيینن يیتمم عليیهھمم االخبائثث وويی باتت وويیحرر يی ب االطط ررووهه وونصررووهه وواات عوواا االنوورر االذذيي ضع عنهھمم إإصررهھھھمم ووااألغاللل االتي كانتت عليیهھمم فالذذيینن آآمنوواا بهھ ووعزز

ئكك هھھھمم االمفلحوونن ـ أأنززلل معهھ أأوول

Those who follow the Messenger, the unlettered Prophet, whom they find written down with them in the Torah and the Gospel; he commands them what is just, and forbids them what is evil, and makes lawful

to them what is good (and pure), and makes unlawful to them from what is bad (and impure), and removes from them their heavy burden and shackles which were upon them. So (as for) those who

believed in him, honored him, helped him, and followed the light which was sent down with him, it is they who are the triumphant. (7:157)

A notable example includes sins of the eye, which if refrained from can truly emancipate the human being. We read in the Blessed Quran:

ددوورر يیعلمم خائنة ااألعيینن ووما تخفي االص (Allah) knows the betrayal of the eyes and what the hearts conceal. (19:40)

What the eyes commit in only a blink of an eye can be stored within the hearts until the Day of Judgement. God Almighty says:

ددوورر ما في االقبوورر أأفال يیعلمم إإذذاا بعثرر لل ما في االص هھمم بهھمم يیوومئذذ لخبيیرر * إإنن رر * ووحص بBut does he not know that when all that is in the graves is raised and brought out * and all that is [hidden]

in the hearts is made apparent * that on that Day their Lord shall be fully aware of them. (100:9-10)

The Commander of the Faithful, Imam Ali - peace be upon him - said:

منن غضض ططررفهھ ااررااحح قلبهھ Whoever lowered his glance, calmed his heart. [9]

Moreover, the Blessed Prophet - peace and blessings be upon him - said:

ظظرر سهھمم مسموومم منن سهھامم اابليیسس نا يیجدد حالووتهھ فی قلبهھاايیما فمنن تررکهھا خووفا منن هللا ااعططاهه هللا االن The look is a poisoned arrow amongst the arrows of Satan; so whoever abandons it out of fear from

Allah, Allah shall grant him a faith (imaan) he shall find its sweetness in his heart. [10] He - peace and blessings be upon him - also said:

وواا اابصاررکمم ترروونن االعجائببغض

Lower your gazes, you shall see wonders! [11] And the Blessed Imam Ja’far Saadiq - peace be upon him - said:

ماء ااوو غمضض بصررهه جهھ هللا منن االحوورر منن نظظرر االی اامررأأةة فررفع بصررهه االی االس االعيیننلمم يیررتدد االيیهھ بصررهه حتی يیززوو

Whoever looks at a woman, then raises his look towards the sky, or lowers his look, his look does not return to him before God has wed to him of (heavenly) companions with large, lovely eyes. [12]

Thus, lowering of the gaze is associated with calm of the heart, sweetness of faith, seeing of wonders, and of wedding with heavenly companions. On the latter, a blessed verse 55:72 refers to: " قصوورر ااتت في االخيیامم حووررم " (Beautiful companions confined to the pavilions). This can refer to spiritual depths and beauties, hidden from the gaze of strangers, that only manifest themselves to those

worthy of beholding such realities, those who did not submit their eyes, imagination and heart to lowly desires. 2) The comprehensive moral teachings in Islam, including those that are outside the domain of the obligatory and the prohibited in jurisprudence, enable further liberation of the imagination and of the heart. Consider the following notable narration:

عنهھ صص أأ قالل أأبوو ذذرر ررضي هللا االميیززاانن في ال أأعلمكك بعملل خفيیفف على االبددنن ثقيیلل قالل لي ررسوولل هللا متت وو حسنن االخل عليیكك قالل هھھھوو االص صلى هللا قق وو ترركك ما ال يیعنيیككقلتت بلى يیا ررسوولل هللا

Abu-Dhar - may Allah be pleased with him - said, “The Apostle of Allah - may Allah bless him and his progeny - said to me, ‘Should I not teach you of a deed, [that is] light upon the body, heavy in the scale [of

deeds in the hereafter]?’ I replied, ‘Yes, O Apostle of Allah - may Allah bless you.’ He said, ‘It is silence, and goodness of character, and leaving that which does not concern you.’ ” [13]

There is significant Islamic literature concerning the merits of each of these three qualities. They are remarkably easy yet hard: easy on the body (e.g. not speaking is indeed easier, physically, than speaking!) yet can be very difficult mentally. One common outcome that they share is to emancipate the imagination by keeping one away from unnecessary discussions and preoccupations and by minimizing unnecessary complications and entanglements. How important is the third mentioned quality of minding one’s own business, especially in the present day and age when we are bombarded with so much unimportant information and when our imagination has become the target of so many concerted and vicious attacks! On the second quality, an important component of good character is forbearance (hilm). In the remarkable narration of Unwan Basri [14], the Blessed Imam Saadiq - peace be upon him - instructs “seekers of the path to God Almighty” with nine things, three of which are on forbearance:

ةة!فمنن قالل لكك: إإنن قلتت ووااحددةة سمعتت عشرراا فقلل: إإنن قلتت عشرراا لمم تسمع ووااحدد ؛ وو إإنن كنتت كاذذبا فيیما تقوولل فا0 أأسألل أأنن يیغفرر لكك. وو منن شتمكك فقلل لهھ: إإنن كنتت صاددقا فيیما تقوولل فأسألل هللا أأنن يیغفررلي

عآء. وو منن ووعددكك بالخني صيیحة وو االرر فعددهه بالن[i] whoever says to you: ‘if you say one [foul thing to me], you will hear ten, then say: ‘if you say ten, you will not hear one!’ [ii] And one who swears at you, say to him: ‘if you are truthful in what you say, then I

ask Allah to forgive me, and if you are lying in what you say, then I ask Allah to forgive you!’ [iii] And one who promises you profanity, promise him good counsel and consideration!

How far off we are from observing these instructions! How often we justify our reactions as necessary to uphold justice! There can be amazing fruits in observing this important Islamic principle of forbearance, which includes minimizing unnecessary confrontations that are detrimental to the fabric of society, and significantly, to the mind of the seeker of the path. Furthermore, those who have acutely observed this principle have reaped amazing rewards, one of which is to attain tajarrud (spiritual elevation in which one sees one’s true self, that is aloof from any insult, injury or sorrow). A notable example is the story of Sayyed Hashim Haddad, who following advised of his spiritual instructor, the revered Sayyed Ali Qadhi, continually tolerated the insults of his mother-in-law, and ultimately, following a very harsh

incidence, and his continued forbearance, was able to see himself split into two: the one who had been insulted, and another one, a truly sublime, elevated and encompassing being, his real being, whom insults never reached, in a place unapproachable by worldly sorrows and miseries [15]. God Almighty says:

هھا االذذيینن آآمنوواا عليیكمم أأنفسكمم ال يیضرر هھ مرر يیا أأيی ئكمم بما كنتمم تعملوونن كمم منن ضلل إإذذاا ااهھھھتدديیتمم إإلى االلـ جعكمم جميیعا فيینب O you who believe! Upon you is yourselves: no harm can come to you from those who stray if you are on the right way. To Allah is your return, all (of you), then He will inform you of what you used to do. (5:105)

3) Another important instruction is for one to be preoccupied with oneself and one’s own shortcomings, and not those of others; i.e. to be suspicious of oneself and unsuspecting of others. It is far easier for one, by God’s grace and will, to remedy and rectify himself than others. The outcome of this mindset is that the imagination is triggered to search within the self and to discover one’s own faults and failings. How frequently people are entangled and entrapped by speculations towards others and in pursuit of others’ faults and shortcoming, consuming and exhausting their own souls. God Almighty says:

هھا اا سوواايیا أأيی نن إإثمم ووال تجس نن إإنن بعضض االظظ نن االظظ لذذيینن آآمنوواا ااجتنبوواا كثيیرراا م

O you who believe! Avoid most of suspicion: for surely suspicion in some cases is a sin, and do not spy. (49:12)

Chapter 49 (Surah al-Hujurat) of the blessed Qur’an contains remarkably emancipative directives, such as the one just outlined, which, if understood and observed, enable the human being to observe and address his own gaps and deficiencies, and to experience amazing spiritual growth. 4) A principal means to take command of the imagination is through the intellect and through contemplation. It is pertinent for the human being to compel and immerse himself into deep reflections, and to withdraw from speculations and semi-thoughts (!). God Almighty warns:

نن ال يیغني منن االحقق شيیئا نن ووإإنن االظظ بعوونن إإال االظظ ووما لهھمم بهھ منن علمم إإنن يیتAnd they have no knowledge therein. They follow (none) but conjecture; and conjecture does not avail

against the Truth at all. (53:28) Amongst the practice of the Blessed Prophet and the Righteous Imams – peace be upon them – was to recite the following Qur’anic verses after getting up for the night prayers, from which one may derive the significance of attention and contemplation prior to and during ritual deeds:

وولي ااأللبابب * هھارر آليیاتت أل ماووااتت ووااألررضض ووااختالفف االليیلل وواالن رروونن إإنن في خلقق االس هھ قيیاما ووقعوودداا ووعلى جنووبهھمم وويیتفك االذذيینن يیذذكرروونن االلـنا ما خلق ماووااتت ووااألررضض ررب ذذاا باططال سبحانكك فقنا عذذاابب االناررفي خلقق االس ـ تت هھھھ

Behold! in the creation of the heavens and the earth, and the alternation of night and day, there are indeed signs for people of understanding, * Those who remember Allah, standing, sitting, and lying on

their sides, and reflect on the creation of the heavens and the earth: Our Lord! You did not create this in vain! Glory to You! Save us from the chastisement of the Fire. (3:190-191)

Deep reflections can salvage the imagination from discord and disobedience: “Contemplation enables the human being to associate with and reach intimacy with the universe. If the human being reaches intimacy with the universal system, and creates a link of companionship … he can arrive at its secrets, because a companion never hides his secret from his companion.” [16] Aside from contemplating the created universe, one must also center one’s reflections, as much as possible, on one’s own character and deeds, and to take full account and reckoning of the self. In the words of the Commander of the Faithful, Imam Ali - peace be upon him:

عبادد هللا٬، ززنوواا أأنفسكمم منن قبلل أأنن تووززنوواا ووحاسبووهھھھا منن قبلل أأنن تحاسبوواا

God’s servants! Weight yourselves before you are weighed, and take account from it before you are taken account of. [17]

This deed, i.e. taking reckoning from oneself every day, can imprint a deep mark on the soul, so much so that the Blessed Imam Musa al-Kaazim - peace be upon him – said:

ئا وو إإنن عملل سيی ا منن لمم يیحاسبب نفسهھ في كلل يیوومم فإنن عملل حسنا ااستززاادد هللا منهھ وو تابب إإليیهھ ااستغفرر هللا ليیسس من ◌

One is not from us who does not take account of himself every day: that if he performs a good (deed), he asks Allah to increase (it), and if he performs a bad (deed), he asks Allah forgiveness from it and returns

to Him. [18]

In the sweet words of the great contemporary scholar, Allaamah Hassanzadeh Amuli, to his disciples, “Dears! Take account of yourselves so you realize in you [the Quranic verse], ‘they enter the Garden [of Bliss], wherein they are provided sustenance without any account.’ (40:40) Seek forgiveness from evils and be praiseful (to God) for the goods; this is because taking account (muhaasibah) brings about mindfulness (muraaqibah), and mindfulness brings about presence (huzoor), and presence is followed by victories (futooh)!” [19] 5) Lack of physical balance can interfere with a trustworthy imagination. An extreme example is one who is very sick which may hallucinate. Meanwhile, imagining that we are healthy, we actually hallucinate many nights in our dreams, for it is quite likely that we might have had too much to eat! Specifically, modesty in eating is extremely critical. In the remarkable narration of Unwan Basri [14] (which was previously mentioned), three other items recommended to the seekers of the path to observe are as follows:

ا االلووااتي يیاضة في فقالل: أأم هھ يیووررثث االحماقة وو االبلهھ؛ وو ال تأكلل إإال عندد االج االرر اكك أأنن تأكلل ما ال تشتهھيیهھ٬، فإن ووعع؛ وو إإذذاا أأكلتت فكلل حالال وو : فإيی

سوولل صلي هللا عليیهھ وو ءاالهھ: سمم هللا وو ااذذكرر حدديیثث االرر اا منن بططنهھ؛ فإنن كانن وو البدد فثلثث لططعامهھ وو ثلثث لشرراابهھ وو ثلثث لنفس ما مال ء هھ.ااددمي ووعآءاا شرر

As for the ones with regards to self-discipline: [i] be careful of not eating what you do not crave, for that inherits stupidity and foolishness, and [ii] do not eat except when you are hungry, and [iii] when you eat, eat of that which is legitimate (halaal) and mention the name of Allah and remember the narration of the

Apostle – may Allah bless him and his progeny: ‘No human filled a container worse than his stomach, and if he has to [eat more than few bites [20]], then a third for his food, a third for his drink and a third for his

breath.’

A great person once said, “The amount of food which is necessary for your body, you eat it; that which is more, it eats you!” [21] It may consume one’s ability to be transparent in imagination, blocking numerous blessings. In another narration we read, “Wisdom does not enter (one with a) stomach filled with food,” [22], and in another that God Almighty informed the Holy Prophet - “I never despised a container as I despised a stomach that is full!” [23]. 6) It has also been emphasized that seeking unity and harmony is incongruent with distraction and discord. The distracted and discordant heart cannot be a venue for the manifestation of the secrets of the universe, and only its unity can accommodate the showering of divine blessings. The individual must preserve unity and harmony even in his studies, and to channel the heart and the imagination in one direction. In other words, even though there are numerous channels to the truth, it is appropriate for the seeker at the beginning of the path to be surrounded with teachings with a harmonious and unified theme, and even from the same speaker and writer, so that the teachings penetrate one’s soul and the blessings descend upon one from that particular channel and opening. Then, when the seeker becomes more capable and vigorous, he will be able to simultaneously digest multiple topics and teachings, and to unify them all in the same point. [24] 7) In point #2, we mentioned refraining from that which does not concern one. Ultimately, anything that is not pleasing to God Almighty and not of benefit in the path of guidance does not concern one! This includes: (i) Involvement in useless thoughts and vain speculations (point #3); such activities bring about divide and distraction, and prevent proper manifestation of divine realities via the imagination; (ii) Involvement with (e.g. group) games that preoccupy and consume the mind even well after such activity is over; and (iii) Association with lowly and ignoble things; it is remarkable, as an example for this, how today’s entertainment industry is dominated (rated) by three such things: sexuality, profanity and violence. If we are careful, we may avoid the first item, and maybe the second, but often, unfortunately, not the last. Is it more proper to be entertained by dark violence or by the beautiful imagery of nature? By contrast, one must strive to be associated with and surrounded by sublime and noble beings and entities. They in turn can act as bridges to secrets, in the sense that hidden realities will then descend onto the human being embodied and represented by the imagination in the form of such familiar structures and faces. In particular, in order for one to witness divine realities, it is most proper for one to deeply love the form and face of a lofty human being such as one’s spiritual mentor and teacher, and from then on, one may, by the will of God, witness realities in that form and face. [25] Love indeed breaks unbreakable barriers. We conclude by the following words of Rumi:

اايینن هھھھمهھ گفتيیمم ليیک اانـددرر بسيیج بي عنايیــاتت خــدداا هھھھيیچيیمم هھھھيیــچ بی عنــايیاتت حــقق وو خاصانن حقق گــرر ملک بــاشدد سيیاهھھھستت ااشش ووررقق پيیشش يیووسفف ناززشش وو خووبی مکنن جـــزز نيیـــازز وو آآهه يیعقـــووبی مکـــنن تا ددمم عيیسی تــوو رراا ززنـــددهه کندد هھھھمچوو خوويیشتت خووبب وو فررخنددهه کندد

هھارراانن کی شوودد سررسبزز سنگ خـــاکک شوو تا گـلل برروويیی ررنگ ررنگاازز ب

We said all this, yet in all preparation and effort, Without the graces of God, we are nothing, nothing. Without the graces of God and His Chosen Ones,

Even an angel has a dark scroll! In the company of Joseph, do not play spoiled and hard-to-get;

Do none save expressing need and yearning. So that the breath of Jesus makes you come to life;

Making you beautiful and blessed like himself. A stone never turns green from the spring;

Become dirt so you grow abundantly colorful flowers!

References: [1] http://www.hawzah.net/fa/Question/View/63224/ (in Farsi) [2] Masnavi of Rumi; First book; Story of the King and the Maid. The text reads:

نيیستت ووشش باشدد خيیالل اانددرر رروواانن توو جهھانـــي برر خيیالی بيینن٬، رروواانن برر خيیالی صلحشانن وو جنگشانن وو زز خيیالی فخررشانن وو ننگشانن

[3] Zahr al-Rabi’, Sayyid Ne’matullah al-Jazaayeri, vol. 259. [4] Rooh-e Mujarrad (“The Elevated Soul”), p. 597-598 (in Farsi), written by Ayatullah Tehraani in remembrance of his spiritual guide, Sayyid Hashim Haddad (the Blacksmith): http://www.maarefislam.com/ [5] Sharh-e Maraatib-e Tahaarat (“Exegesis on the Stages of Purification”), by Ayatollah Samadi Amoli (in Farsi), p. 91. [6] Ghurar al-Hikam, vol. 1, p. 113. [7] Ref 5, p. 165. [8] Ref 5, p. 180. [9] Sharh-e Ghurar al-Hikam, vol. 5, p. 449. [10] Bihaar al-Anwaar, vol. 101, p. 38. [11] Bihaar al-Anwaar, vol. 101, p. 41. [12] Bihaar al-Anwaar, vol. 101, p. 37. [13] Tanbih al-Khawaatir wa Nuzhah al-Nawaadhir (also known as the “Warraam collection”) by Sheikh Warram ibn Abi-Furaas al-Hilli, vol. 1, p. 108. This hadith is originally narrated by Ibn Abi al-Dunya in al-Samt wa Aadaab al-Lisaan. [14] Bihar al-Anwar, vol. 1, p. 224-226, Book of Knowledge, Sec. 7: “Etiquettes of seeking knowledge and its rulings”, hadith 17. This is a long and extraordinary narration (which we have translated elsewhere), in which critical issues related to seeking knowledge, servanthood and obedience to God Almighty, and struggling against the lower self are mentioned. Some of the inspired scholars were highly mindful of this narration: for instance the revered Qadhi (spiritual teacher of the late Allamah Tabataba’i) would instruct his students to write this hadith and practice it, and also to have it with them in their pocket and study it once or twice a week. [15] Ref 4, p. 172-176. [16] Ref 5, p. 197. [17] Nahj al-Balaaghah, sermon 90. [18] Al-Kaafi, vol. 2, p. 453, Section, “Reckoning of the deed”. [19] Seraat-e Solook, p. 49. [20] To better understand this part of the hadith, consider the following very similar hadith, as narrated by the Holy Prophet – may Allah bless him and his progeny:

لثث لططعامهھ وو ثلثث لشرراابهھ وو ثلثث لنفسهھما مأل آآددمي ووعاء شرراا منن بططنن بحسبب اابنن آآددمم أأكالتت يیقمنن صلبهھ فإنن كانن ال محالة فث No human filled a container worse than the stomach. Enough for the son of Adam is bites of food that uphold his back. But if he

must, then a third for his food, and a third for his drink, and a third for his breath (Narrated by Ahmad, Tirmidhi, Nisaai and Ibn Maajah).

[21] Ref. 4, p. 184. [22] ‘Awaali al-La’aali, vol. 1, p. 425.

ء ططعاما قالل عليیهھ االسالمم ال تدخل االحکمة جوفا ملی [23] Amaali of Sheikh Mufid, session 23, hadith 21, p. 192:

◌ يیقوولل لكك رربكك يیا محمدد ما أأبغضتت ووعاء قطط كبغضي بططنا مآلناAlso narrated with some difference in Bihaar al-Anwaar, vol. 63, p. 336. [24] Ref 5, p. 250. [25] Ref 5, p. 267.