Esra International Foundation: In continuation of the ethics lessons he teaches every Thursday in the prayer room at "Esra International Foundation for Revealed Knowledges", Ayatollah Javadi Amoli stated:

Among the most wonderful words of Imam al-Askari (peace be upon him) are that

 « عند الوصول الی الله سفرٌ لایدرک الا بامتطاء اللیل »

(Surely the journey towards God shall not be traveled save through the steed of night)

 In our previous discussions on ethics, it was made clear that Man's hijrah begins with his death; as to die is not to decay; death is to shed skin and come out of the skin. One of the greatest bestowals of the Quranic culture is that Man causes death to die; it is not that death causes Man to die. Death means transformation and change; it is Man who tastes and digests death and becomes eternal; death never digests Man. The Holy Quran does not say «کلّ نفس یذوقه الموت» (Every soul is tasted by death), but it says «کلُّ نَفْسٍ ذَائِقَةُ الْمَوْتِ» (Every soul must taste of death). Every ẕāʼiq (taster) tastes its maẕuq (something fit to be tasted); it is not the other way round. When you drink a glass of water or juice, it is you who taste and absorb the liquid; the juice is not absorbing you. So, it is Man who causes death to die. The noble man who once said:

مرگ اگر مرد است گو نزد من آی

 (If death's a Man, let him come close to me)

 has borrowed it from the same verse. It is true that they are noble men, yet this fact is nobler than all. This statement has been sent down through the revelations. In Man's thoughts, no one thinks and could have ever thought of causing death to die. All have been thinking and still think that death causes Man to die and overpowers him. But when he says:

من از او عمری ستانم جاودان ٭٭٭ او ز من دلقی بگیرد رنگ رنگ

(I shall take from it a life everlasting *** It shall take from me Cassock protean)

He has borrowed the same holy verse of the Quran.

Hence, we are always on a journey. The journey is in need of provisions; it needs the insight of those who know the destination and the knowledge of those who know the goal; it needs the will of the one who finds the destination and the will of the one who seeks the goal. The journey requires that we understand the need for provision and that we seek to find it; yet, the provision is only the tool for the journey. We are ignorant of where we are to go and Who we are to meet. God said in the Holy Surah al-Baqarah:

 «تَزَوَّدُوا فَإِنَّ خَیرَ الزَّادِ التَّقْوَی»

 (…take a provision (with you) for the journey, but the best of provisions is righteousness)

To establish worship, to provide services to the society, to strengthen the Islamic system, and to fight the enemy are all provisions for the journey. The provision for the journey is either mustahab (recommended act) or wajib (obligatory). What is the use of constant prayers, fasting, and doing deeds of righteousness?! What do we need all these provisions for?! Of course, when one asks for abundant provision for this world, of it he can bestow others and gain spiritual reward; yet, there is no need for seeking extra provision; the important thing is the goal and the destination. For one who is on a pilgrimage to the city of Mashad, a package of food is enough; for such a one there is no need for a truck of food. Of course, if he takes with him a truck of food and donate it to others, he will gain spiritual reward. This is a good deed; notwithstanding, his purpose is to go on a pilgrimage to find his Imam and to know him. He is seeking his Imam who is the life of the lives. This does not happen in Khorasan [the province where the Holy Shrine of Imam Reza (pbuh) is located]; it should happen in our within. Because whatever we are to do, he is a witness. Whatever we intend, he is a witness. So, he is everywhere. We go on a pilgrimage to his holy shrine to find knowledge of the above facts manifest. We should ask for the provision as much as the journey demands.

Ayatollah Javadi Amoli further added:

Some people have the provision for the journey, but have no steed. Such a one will arrive at the destination yet for him it takes long to reach there. What should he do to arrive sooner at the destination? As for the illuminating words of Imam al-Askari (peace be upon him) that «إنّ الوصول إلی الله» (The journey towards God…); tawaṣṣul (seeking connection with) is superior to tawassul (endeavoring to recommend oneself to the notice and favor of God). It is to connect to Him that we seek the favor of God. Imam (peace be upon him) said, connection to God is a journey impossible without the night prayer, for the night prayer is as a steed to take you through the journey. How far can you go on foot?! That is why he said:

 «إنّ الوصول الی الله سفرٌ لایدرک الاّ بامتطاء اللیل»

 (The journey towards God shall not be traveled save through the steed of night)

The word "امتطاء" is a conjugation of the infinitive "افتعال" (ifti'aal); "امتطیء" means "أخذ المطیئه" (take as steed); "مطیئه" is a roadster; an easy-paced steed which knows the way, one which is not restive and mulish; one which is strong and is not overwhelmed by fatigue; such a steed is "مطیئه". He said you need a sharp steed, one which knows the way. The steed which knows the way is the night prayers. Go to bed a little earlier at nights. Eat less so that you can grasp the sahar (pre-dawn time; last portion of the night). Some noble men have said: "even if my head is gone, my sahar shall not go"; grasp the sahar; through it establish your whispered prayers and supplications. Then it is that all the world will be resolved for you and you will understand where you are about to.

It is not the case that Man lives in this village only; all the seven billion population of the world are villagers. When they enter there, they will see that there it is the city; the circles and assemblies, the orchards and the rose gardens, all the security and justice are there. Thus, unless one is a Man of sahar and unless he tastes the euphoria of the night, he will always go on foot. This of course is possible if he is a just believer; if he's not, he will not travel the journey (towards Allah). If such a just believer is to go on a steed mounted, and if he wants to arrive at the destination sooner, he is in need of مطیئه (mati'ah); امتطاء (imtitaa') therefore means to take a mati'ah and an easy-paced roadster. The easy-paced roadster for the wayfarer (in the path towards Allah) is to stay wakeful at night:

 « إنّ الوصول الی الله سفرٌ لایدرک الاّ بامتطاء اللیل »

(Surely the journey towards God shall not be traveled save through the steed of night)

The master of ethics went on to say:

In the Holy Quran, we read:

 « إِنَّ نَاشِئَةَ اللَّیلِ هِی أَشَدُّ وَطْأً وَأَقْوَمُ قِیلاً »

(Surely the rising by night is the firmest way to tread and the best corrective of speech)

The verse says, even though there is the time for prayers once in the morning, twice at noon and twice after the sunset, the euphoria of the night is superior to all and prior to all. If one gets up at night and prays for at least forty believers, then he will think about solving four hundred problems. He will solve the problems of four hundred people. If the society is one in which people rise at pre-dawn time and remember others during the night, they will not block the way of others during the day. Such a society will be the Utopia. This was a short introduction to the illuminating hadith from Imam al-Askari (peace be upon him) on the occasion of today, his auspicious birthday anniversary, and we present the rewards of all these words to his pure soul.

In continuation of his interpretation of the letter of Imam Ali (peace be upon him) to his dear son, Imam Hassan (peace be upon him), the grand master added:

And now let us go to the final section of the letter by the blessed being of that infallible Imam, the Commander of the Faithful (peace be upon him). The letter comprises some eighteen pages of Nahjul Balagha, a detailed and long letter.  While the letter was written by Imam Ali (peace be upon him) for his son, it is not meant to be for young people only. Rather, it is good also for a Divine system, for a civil society and for a religious community. It includes the obligations of the youth and the adolescents, the duties of parents, those of the spouses and the rulers as well. The illuminating letter embraces many of such obligations.

He said in some part of his letter:

 "وَ اعْلَمْ یا بُنَی، أَنّ الرِّزقَ رِزْقَانِ"

(My son, sustenance is of two types)

He said, oh my son! Sustenance is of two types; part of your sustenance is that which you pursue and part of your sustenance is what pursues you. We should all remember that God the Glorified has accepted us as his family. In the Holy Quran, He said:

"مَا مِن دَابَّةٍ فِی الْأَرْضِ إِلاَ عَلَی اللَّهِ رِزْقُهَا"

(And there is no animal in the earth but on Allah is the sustenance of it)

In the verse He said "عَلَی" (on) and said that all the animals (and living creatures) are my families; no snake nor a single scorpion is ignored in the book of His sustenance; all enjoy a portion. It is not that God considers some as a snake, a scorpion, a beast or a stinger and so He cuts their sustenance or that he denies them. That is not right; rather "مَا مِن دَابَّةٍ فِی الْأَرْضِ إِلاَ عَلَی اللَّهِ رِزْقُهَا" the sustenance of all is "بید الله" (in the hands of God). Nevertheless, the words "عَلَی اللَّهِ" (on God) illustrate God's commitment. It is similar to when a farmer performs part of the acts on his own and for some other parts he awaits the bounty of Allah. After all, he plows the land, sows the seeds, fertilizes it, and irrigates the land as much as possible. Yet, when does it rain? When does the wind blow gently? When does the sun shine? These are not in the hands of the farmer. All of us are as such. A shopkeeper is obliged to procure moderate and healthful items to present in his shop; yet, the heart of which customer is directed to make him go to his shop and buy something from him is not in the hands of anyone.

Imam Ali (pbuh) said:

"وَ اعْلَمْ یا بُنَی أَنْ الرِّزقَ رِزْقَانِ: رِزْقٌ تَطْلُبُهُ وَ رِزْقٌ یطْلُبُک"

(My son, sustenance is of two types: sustenance, which you pursue; and sustenance, which pursues you).

Nonetheless, in some narrations he is quoted as saying "the sustenance which you pursue is the outward sustenance and the sustenance which pursues you is death". This, however, is adaptation. The former narration is still unconditional. He said, sustenance is of two types; as for the second type, if you don't pursue it, it will pursue you "فَإِنْ أَنْتَ لَمْ تَأْتِهِ أَتَاک" (If you don't go after it, it will come to you). The problem is we consider God's deed as ours; the verse:

"أَفَرَأَیتَ مَنِ اتَّخَذَ إِلهَهُ هَوَاهُ"

(Have you then considered him who takes his low desire for his god) applies to the same cases. For some people their god is their lower selves. The verse says:

"مَا یؤْمِنُ أَکثَرُهُم بِاللَّهِ إِلّا وَ هُم مُشْرِکونَ"

(And most of them do not believe in Allah without associating others (with Him))

and speaks of the same problem; i.e. some of the believers associate other gods with Allah; while they are believers, they still associate gods with Him. When Imam (peace be upon him) was asked how it is possible for a believer to associate gods with Allah? He replied, the very words that they utter saying "لولا فلان لهلکتُ"; had it been not for somebody, our problem would not have been solved. Or the very unfair statement that we express "God first, somebody second"; is God a first to be followed by a second?! Is God not the Omnipotent?! Did He not provide that certain somebody as an instrument?! Why do we put the instrument against Allah?! He said, the very fact that they do not take heed of their tongue and they say "لولا فلان لهلکتُ"; "had it been not for somebody, our problem would not have been solved", or "God first, somebody second", these are not in line with monotheism and the unity of God. This applies to us too; we (wrongly) believe that we ourselves are our sustainers.

Imam Ali (peace be upon him) said:

"مَا أَقْبَحَ الْخُضُوعَ عِنْدَ الْحَاجَةِ وَ الْجَفَاءَ عِنْدَ الْغِنَی"

(To be submissive, humble, crawling and begging when one is needy, powerless and poor and to be arrogant, oppressing and cruel when in power and opulence are two very ugly traits of the human character).

It is moral meanness for one to flatter the other in time of need and ignore him once his problem is solved.

"Surely your share of your world is that by which you build your Hereafter".

He ordered us to do our best effort, yet not to act as the bankers nor storekeepers for others; you solve your own problem and live honorably in this world; and send for your Hereafter as much as necessary as provisions for your Hereafter. Both you and others will be decayed in your physique, yet are alive in your soul until you retrieve your previous state on the Day of Resurrection. In Resurrection there is a chaos; there are no identity cards nor any parentage. It is because all resurrect from the earth and no one is the son or father of the other. In the world, you have an identity card but in the Hereafter there are no ties of relationship and parentage:

"فَلاَ أَنسَابَ بَینَهُمْ"

(There shall be no ties of relationship between them)

 Once all die and become soil and resurrect from the earth, there will be no ties of relationship among people;

"مِنْهَا خَلَقْنَاکمْ وَ فِیهَا نُعِیدُکمْ وَ مِنْهَا نُخْرِجُکمْ تَارَةً أُخْرَی"

(From it We created you and into it We shall send you back and from it will We raise you a second time).

He said if you'd like to leave for your children, be the executor of your testament for one third of you wealth; then, you will not ordain what they do for you after your death: "کن وصی نَفسک" Be the executor of your own testament, i.e. you yourself resolve the issues of the one third portion of your property, and then you can go on the journey.

"وَ إِنْ کنْتَ جَازِعاً عَلَی مَا تَفَلَّتَ مِنْ یدَیک فَاجْزَعْ عَلَی کلِّ مَا لَمْ یصِلْ إِلَیک"

(If you are impatient for what you have lost, be also impatient for what you have not earned!)

So, it seems that what you have lost had not been yours. Of course, we are obliged to keep and protect it (one); refrain from extravagance, wastefulness, and luxury (two); but if through an accident one loses something, there is no lament. From an epistemological point of view, he said:

"اِسْتَدِل عَلَی مَا لَمْ یکنْ بِمَا قَدْ کانَ"

Based on experimental epistemology, you can anticipate the future events through a study of what went on in the past circumstances. This can be done, for "فَإِنَّ الْأُمُورَ أَشْبَاهٌ" for future is not going to be incongruent with the past; they are similar and the Divine Law prevails.

"وَ لاَ تَکونَنَّ مِمَّنْ لاَتَنْفَعُهُ الْعِظَةُ إِلاَّ إِذَا بَالَغْتَ فِی إِیلامِهِ"

(Do not be like persons on whom advice has no effect; they require punishment to improve them)

Do not be like the persons who should be advised repeatedly and that by exaggeration, notification, punishment and the like. Do not be like them, because a sensible Man is awakened by education and advice; one who is not awakened by words, education, thought and the like, or one who is not awakened except by force is no more human.

"«فَإِنَّ الْعَاقِلَ یتَّعِظُ بِالآدَابِ وَ الْبَهَائِمَ لاَتَتَّعِظُ إِلاَّ بالضَّرْبِ اِطْرَحْ عَنْک وَارِدَاتِ الْهُمُومِ بِعَزَائِمِ الصَّبْرِ وَ حُسْنِ الْیقِینِ"

(A sensible man acquires education and culture through advice, while brutes and beasts always improve through punishment. Overcome your sorrows, your worries and your misfortunes with patience and faith)

Occasionally it happens that one worries for the future, for what to do if some certain event happens. The event happens and one is obliged to behave properly towards it as much as he able. But for what he can do nothing, God, the All Holy, will exempt him and He will take care of it himself. He said, if you let sorrow overcome you in what happens, it will hinder your will and will prevent you from reflection and wise decision.

"مَنْ تَرَک الْقَصْدَ جَارَ"

(One who abandons moderation is oppressive)

One who abandons moderation, and the temperance which is praiseworthy, has diverted from the right path.

"وَ الصَّاحِبُ مُناسِبٌ"

 (Your companion is like your relatives)

This section has to be taken care of by our dear teenagers and youths. He said your companion should be a proper person; one who is your companion, your friend, your classmate, your roommate or your neighbor; they must be proper persons. If, God forbid, one's companion is inappropriate, and if one is trapped by a bad friend, it will be a problem not easily solved.

"وَ الصَّدِیقُ مَنْ صَدَقَ غَیبُهُ"

(A true friend is the one who observes the rights of friendship in his absence).

A friend is one with whom you behave honestly both in his absence and his presence, and he should be the same to you. A truthful friend does not pretend something before you and act the other way in your absence; if we act one way in his presence and the other way in his absence, we are not honest friends.

"وَ الْهَوی شَرِیک الْعَمَی"

(Your wishes and lusts are blind companions for you)

Lust is the companion of suffering. Sometimes a pain is from an outside source, but sometimes pride, arrogance and lust attack you from within and cripple you. If one becomes entangled with lust and desire, they will become two companions and will overpower him completely.

"وَ رُبَّ بَعِیدٍ أَقْربُ مِنْ قَرِیبٍ وَ قَرِیبٍ أَبْعَدُ مِنْ بَعِیدٍ"

(There are strangers who are closer to us than our relatives and there are relatives who are more distant to us than anybody else).

Then he added: do you know who is a stranger? One who has no friends; one who lives in such a way that there remain no friends for him and that no one can tolerate him; such a one is a stranger; even in his own neighborhood, he is a stranger

"وَ الْغَرِیبُ مَنْ لَمْ یکنْ لَهُ حَبِیبٌ"

(A real stranger and isolated person is the one who does not have friends).

"مَنْ تَعَدَّی الْحَقَّ ضَاقَ مَذْهَبُهُ"

(One who overpasses the limit of righteousness will be entangled).

The word مَذْهَبُ (madh'hab) means the place for ذهاب (dhahaab: coming and going). One who overpasses the limits of righteousness will have a difficult and complicated way. Consider the streets; they have a fast line, a slow line and a pedestrian crosswalk. For all, the line is made clear. If one, at any level, overpasses and violates the right of others, he will no longer have a way. Here madh'hab means path and ideology. The universe is a Divine system and God has created the world upon right. He said, We created the Heavens and the earth in truth, and We did not create them in vain; for every human being there is a specific way. One who overpasses the right path will be entangled in a constricted way. Where is he to go?! May God bless Late Sadr al-Muta'alihin and other sages who hold that the universe is not like the delicately architected buildings, but more delicate. If you step into the splendid and artistic works of architecture built in Iran or other countries, in case you take one piece of brick from the eastern wall and place it within the western wall, and if you take one piece of brick from the western wall and place it in the eastern wall, while it may harm the beauty of the edifice or the building to some extent, it will not destroy the building and the building will still stand in its place. If, however, in the ring and hierarchy of numbers, you take the number, let's say eight, which stands between seven and nine, it will remain in your hands; where can you place it?! As said by the great sages, the universe is orderly like the ring of numbers. For one who has done something and taken something, where is he going to put it? Everything is in its own place; it cannot be placed in the place of another; it cannot even be kept in one's hands. So, one who decides to overpass the truth will become desperate, and what he has taken will remain in his hands; it is like "سُقط فی أیدیهم". As for Abel and Cain there is a similar story in our religious literature which says "وَ لَمَّا سُقِطَ فِی أَیدِیهِمْ" (and when they repented); i.e. in his hands there has remained something; so, it shows that something must be in its place while it is not. He said one who keeps a distance from religion and truth, it will remain in his hands; where is he to put it? The universe is created orderly as such; such as the rings in the mathematical set.

"وَ مَنِ اقْتَصَرَ عَلَی قَدْرِهِ کانَ أبْقَی لَهُ"

(One who does not exceed his limits will have his values intact.)

If one does not exceed the limits, he will remain more upright and have a blessed life.

"وَ أَوْثَقُ سَبَبٍ أَخَذتَ بِهِ سَبَبٌ بَینَک وَ بَینَ اللَّهِ"

(The safest thing you can rely on is the relationship you may establish between you and your God.)

We are in need of an instrument; the "أوثق" is not a superlative adjective. We need a rope, some instrument and cause.

"أَوْثَقُ سَبَبٍ أَخَذتَ بِهِ سَبَبٌ بَینَک وَ بَینَ اللَّهِ وَ مَنْ لَمْ یبَالِک فَهُوَ عَدُوُّک"

(The safest thing you can rely on is the relationship you may establish between you and your God. One who does not consider your work as significant is your real enemy)

Let it be known to you that one who considers no respect to you is your enemy, because he does not believe in any value for your dignity and face. What a friend is he who humiliates you whenever he wishes? He who fails to treat you with respect?

"قَدْ یکونُ الْیأْسُ إِدْرَاکاً إِذَا کانَ الطَّمَعُ هَلاَکاً"

(Sometimes despair is a kind of attainment of one's objective)

Sometimes one hopes for something attainment of which is equal to his annihilation; despair at it, therefore, serves as reaching the destination. If one, God forbid, is seduced by a bad friend into taking drugs, company of such a bad friend is a cause of annihilation, and disappointment with him equals reaching the destination. Despair at one's wishes, in case reaching leads to annihilation, would equal reaching the (true) destination.

"لَیسَ کلُّ عَوْرَةٍ تَظْهَرُ وَ لاَ کلُّ فُرْصَةٍ تُصَابُ"

(Not all hidden defects will surface. Neither do all opportunities end up in results.)

Do all defects become apparent to people? Of course not, and so no need to worry about being defected. Many defects will remain veiled until they are unveiled on the Day of Resurrection. Therefore, one should endeavor to be pure from defects and not every opportunity will end up in results, for opportunities "تمرّ مرّ السّحاب" pass away just as clouds pass away. One must make the best use of the opportunities.

"وَ رُبَّمَا أَخْطَأَ الْبَصِیرُ قَصْدَهُ وَ أَصَابَ الْأَعْمَی رُشْدَهُ"

(Sometimes a seeing man goes astray, but a blind man reaches his destination.)

It is not the case that the blind always get stuck on the way and the seeing always reach the destination; you can sometimes see a blind person crossing the street using his white cane, and you see him crossing successfully; and you can see a seeing man having an accident. Not all matters rely on the superficial instruments alone.

"أَخِّرِ الشَّرَّ فَإِنَّک إِذَا شِئْتَ تَعَجَّلْتَهُ"

(Postpone doing bad because you can do it when you wish to.)

If you wish to do bad to someone, do not rush; doing bad is always possible and a bitter response can always be given; however, if you did and later change your mind and regret, it is not easy to remedy. In doing good hurry up, but in doing bitter and harsh, do not hasten.

"وَ قَطِیعَةُ الْجَاهِلِ تَعْدِلُ صِلَةَ الْعَاقِلِ"

(Cutting off an ignorant person equals keeping up relations with the wise.)

There is the well-known concept of sila al-rahim (relations with blood relatives), which has its own place (in our religion); besides, there is also relations with people. Cutting off an ignorant person, i.e. one who neither decides to learn nor to abandon his practical and theoretical ignorance equals keeping up relations with the wise.

"مَنْ أَمِنَ الزَّمَانَ خَانَهُ وَ مَنْ أَعْظَمَهُ أَهَانَهُ"

(One who feels immune against the deception of time has deceived himself. One who considers the deception of time as great will belittle it.)

One cannot consider time as his friend and yet feel immune against it. Events of time are at times ups and at times downs, in the words of Sheikh Attar; they are profit at times and loss at others. One should not feel secure against the (deceptions of) time; he should always be on the lurk. One who considers time and its happenings as great will belittle them. We should be absolutely vigilant against time. By time, we don't mean 24 hours or the so-called day and night; by time, we mean the events that might happen at any time; those which are placed in time; such events lurk around to overpower us. In the same manner that we are vigilant against the events taking place in different places, we should be cautious against the events taking place in different times too.

"لَیسَ کلُّ مَنْ رَمَی أَصَابَ"

(Not every shot always hits the target)

Does every shot hit the target?! Our thoughts, acts, and ideas are like shots; they may or may not hit the target.

"إِذَا تَغَیرَ السُّلْطَانُ تَغَیرَ الزَّمَانُ"

(When the government changes, time will also change)

Late Kuleini (God bless him) has quoted an illuminating statement from Imam Sadiq (peace be upon him) as saying "العالِم بزمانه لاتَهجم علیه اللوابس" (One who is aware of his time is not attacked by the errors); that is to say, error does not catch one who knows his time well, one who knows in what circumstances he lives and is of an up-to-date opinion and thought. Such a one is not mistaken. This is a luminous hadith narrated by Late Kuleini in al-Kafi. After the Islamic Revolution, too, this hadith has prevailed among the well-known traditions and has been quoted abundantly. The contraposition of this narration is that "مَن هَجَمت علیه اللوابس فلیس بعالِم" (One who is attacked by the circumstances of time is not a man of knowledge); one can reach the conclusion that one who is mistaken and entangled by the circumstances is not a man of knowledge. Such a contraposition, too, has been quoted for many years. But, what is time? As said in the previous sentence, time is not defined as rotation of the earth around itself, nor is it defined as the revolution of the earth around the sun; it is not days and nights; time is that which is placed within time and the time-bound events. He said, one who fails to know these will be harmed. Imam Ali (peace be upon him) divided such things into two parts. The middle part is what appeared in this letter and the end is what comes in certain sermons. The middle part is that government is time, and that when it changes, circumstances also change. Somewhere in the sermons, Imam said

"إِذَا تَغَیرَ السُّلْطَانُ تَغَیرَ الزَّمَانُ"

(When the government changes, time will also change)

Well, if one is to observe the internal affairs of his country, he should note what decisions have been made by the Arrogance and by the foreign countries; he should not draw a line around himself and live in a closed circle, while he is ignorant of beyond the borders. The final word is that he should not only be fully aware of the words and acts of the outsiders, but should also be informed of their inner intentions using external inferences. The sermons read:

"إِذَا تَغَیرَ السُّلْطَانُ تَغَیرَ الزَّمَانُ"

(When the government changes, time will also change); then:

"العالم بزمانه لاتهجم علیه اللوابس"

(One who is aware of his time is not attacked by the errors) is of several meanings: it has a simple and commonplace meaning; it also has a middle meaning. It also bears the two profound topics as said before. The above were the four inferences from this sentence.

"سَلْ عَنِ الرَّفِیقِ قَبْلَ الطَّرِیقِ"

(Before embarking on a journey, carry on research about your fellow voyager)

Before you start a journey, (bear in mind that) you should not go alone (one); you should have a good companion (two)

"وَ عَنِ الْجَارِ قَبْلَ الدَّارِ"

(And prior to the purchase of a house, make a research about the neighbors)

Before you decide to live somewhere, make a research about the neighbors and the neighborhood. In Sharh Nahjul-Balagha by Ibn Abi al-Hadid, not below this sentence but somewhere among other sentences it is quoted that one of the famous people in Baghdad sold his house; selling his house was strange as he was a wealthy man who did not need to sell his house. When he was asked about the reason why he sold his house, he replied: I did not sell my house, but I sold my neighbor; because I could not live with him, so I decided to leave that neighbor. Indeed, some people sell their neighbors, because their neighbor is a bad neighbor. Someone was a neighbor of the blessed being of Imam Kazim (peace be upon him) and was in need of selling his house. But when the house was to be purchased, he doubled the price; they said that the experts' proposed price was not as high as he said; he replied: Right and I know the price of my house; but I am the neighbor of Imam Kazim (peace be upon him); His Holiness is always caring of his neighbors. The price of this house is doubled; whoever comes here and uses this house, will use the vicinity of Imam Kazim (peace be upon him); his Holiness was always concerned and caring of his neighbors; such was their spirits (to them be thousands of greeting and praise).

"إِیاک أَنْ تَذْکرَ مِنَ الْکلاَمِ مَا یکونُ مُضْحِکاً وَ إِنْ حَکیتَ ذلِک عَنْ غَیرِک"

(Avoid uttering nonsense speech even though you report it from somebody else)

This point is worth noting especially for the youth. Human is to be dignified. Humors are, of course, abundant in books and reading witty stories bring about cheerfulness. Here, however, we are focusing on where someone becomes a jest among a group; that he makes mockery and others laugh at him. His Holiness said: You are a human being! Why do you diminish your dignity and grandeur?! Why are you a means to utter nonsense to make others laugh?! He said this to his little son. He said, lest that you do so; that you say something to make others laugh; what a shameful act is that. If someone wishes to laugh, let him go read humor books; comics are not rare, and you open your mouth to be a means to be mocked by others? Is your mouth created for this purpose?! If you have some scientific issue to say, a plan, a question or a problem, then use your tongue and your mouth; otherwise, use them for worship; if not, give good advice. See what a school it is!

"«إِیاک أَنْ تَذْکرَ مِنَ الْکلاَمِ مَا یکونُ مُضْحِکاً وَ إِنْ حَکیتَ ذلِک عَنْ غَیرِک"

(Avoid uttering nonsense speech even though you report it from somebody else)

When someone is jesting to make others laugh, such a one is among the most worthless people; that is to say he becomes everybody's fool. Sometimes one is reporting another. He said, even if it is not referring to you yourself, do not report others! You say something to make others laugh; what is the meaning of it?! Were the tongue and the mouth created for this purpose?!

"«وَ إِیاک وَ مُشَاوَرَةَ النِّسَاءِ"

(Avoid consulting with women)

Women, in particular, should pay careful attention to this statement. In some part of the illuminating statements of Imam Ali (peace be upon him) in Nahjul Balagha or somewhere in the statements of the prophet (May God bless him and his household and give them peace) or other Imams (peace be upon them all) we can read that women are imperfect in their reasoning faculty; there again he said that you should not consult with women as they are weak in their judgments. As for the above statements, boundaries have to be made clear. After all, every society is half men and half women; this is principle one. The second principle is that religion has been sent down for education and training of human beings. The third principle is that men and women are different in their physical structure, yet they are equal in their humanity (soul). The verse "یعَلِّمُهُمُ الْکتَابَ وَالْحِکمَةَ" (teaching them the Book and Wisdom) is for the soul. The word "یزَکیهِمْ" (purifying them) in the verse refers to the soul and soul is non-material; it is neither female nor male. It is the physical existence, i.e. the body, which is created such and so. Soul has no feminine or masculine properties. Education and purification is not for the body. Based on the above four principles, there is no difference between men and women. For the operative [executive or administrative] functions, there is a huge difference between women and men concerning their task division. The former is created for the more specific operative tasks and the latter for the more general operative tasks. As you can see the functions relating to Imams, prophets, and messengers are those which are on men. We have no women Imams, prophets or messengers. Wilayah (authority), however, is not an operative function; wilayah is for one to have a direction link with God (one); to have God as one's Protector and Guardian (two); to be raised up under the control of Divine will (three); as for the above, men and women are equal. You can see that the holy beings of The Greater Testifier to the Truth (Hazrat Fatima) and Mary (peace be upon them both) are far ahead of many others; perfection is for wilayah and not for risalah (messengership). The support of imamah, risalah and nubuwwah is the position of wilayah, in which there is no difference between a man and a woman; and this is the fifth point. And now, half of the population of the society is women and the other half men. In Iran, for instance, which has a 70 million population, there are almost 35 million women and 35 million men. The 35 population of women have in common with men all of the excellences including scientific excellence, education, purification, training of the souls, morality and ethics and all other virtues. All virtues of knowledge are the same concerning men and women. The sixth or the seventh point is that the other half which are to reach the destination are in need of a manager, a trainer, a head, and an authority. The other half of the population i.e. women who are to reach the destination, whether in seminaries or in universities, is in need of instructors, professors and Imams for their congregation prayers. If it was said that women cannot become legal authorities or sources of emulation, it is because this prevailed in the past circumstances. After all, people are in contact with sources of emulation, and it is unlikely that a woman cannot be a source of emulation for other women. Why not? This, of course, is not the prevailing fatwa (religious decree). Still, however, I believe the way is open if a woman who wants to be the source of emulation for other women; not in the operative functions, but in issuance of fatwa and religious injunctions. In adjudication and legal and judicial branches, there are tasks of arrest and seizure, whipping and beating and the like; such tasks are for men. In adjudication and trials such duties are performed. For the judge, the responsibility is to find, arrest and imprison, functions which are specific to men. A woman, however, can be the dean and a professor at the law school and many judges can become educated under her training and control. Such is excellence. Where excellence lies women do participate; where there are operative tasks and works such as being a judge and issuing judicial decrees, there is no excellence; it is only a mission and a duty. Excellence lies where someone knows legal and judicial fiqh and jurisprudence at the level of ijtihad (deducing conclusions with thorough discretion). Such a way is open for women; a woman may be a professor of law training many judges yet not having any judicial positions. She may be a scholar at Islamic jurisprudence and write books on jihad and its necessity and virtue, yet not go to the battle field herself. Where excellence lies, men and women share commonalities, but where there are operative functions, there is task division.

Ayatollah Javdi Amoli further added:

As with the issue of ignorance and also modern ignorance it should be noted that modern ignorance is worse than ancient ignorance. What you see in the West is a modern ignorance where woman has, unfortunately, been deprived of her grandeur and dignity, and has thus become a commodity. Such was the ancient ignorance. To speak in an atmosphere of modern or ancient ignorance, the words of Imam Ali (peace be upon him) are absolutely right when he warned not to consult with women and not to entrust women with authorities. However, where the atmosphere is that of religion and knowledge, and where the Divine system prevails, there is task division among them. Half of the population of the society is men and half women. For the half who are women, their respective requirements should be fulfilled by women, whether management, education and training, or else. If a hospital is for men, all its personnel should be men; for women's hospitals, then, all the personnel should be women. For women's colleges, all the personnel should be women; all the personnel of Jamiat al-Zahra (the main hawza for women's Islamic studies in Qom) are women. After all, women make up half of the society; they need passports; they need their photographs to be taken or their videos to be captured, which should be carried out by women. As for all the diseases and illnesses for which women go to hospitals, women themselves can take care of and the related tasks can be undertaken by women. Such excellences are in common (between men and women). Such will be an active and illuminated society. Notwithstanding the above, the most significant and the profound duty of women is to become a mother. Society is educated by women. The first seven years when a child is in the hands of a woman, such a school is more powerful than any school and faculty. All through the seven years, when the woman says her prayers, as soon as the child opens his mouth to say the first word and just as he learns to speak, the mother places the child near her prayer rug and puts there for him prayer clay and thus he will be trained prayerful. In some cities in Iran you can see that there is no word of the elderly homes. Many of you are also from the same cities or villages. In cities where the traditional beliefs still prevail, there are no such concepts. An honorable Sayyid was very old; he had built mosques, hussainias and public bathrooms. Once he was complaining to me that no matter how much he seeks their help for building elderly homes, they don't help him. I told him to be thankful to such people; to praise them for not deciding to have an elderly home in their city. Is it right to leave one's parents in an elderly home?! I have repeatedly told a story for friends that in one of the cities, which I avoid to mention by name, there was a person aged almost sixty; he came to me after the prayers to touch with my lips the glass of water which he was holding in his hands; for his mother who was sick; I asked him where he was from. And from blah blah city. Well, such a one who is almost sixty must have a mother of say ninety. He is not intending to leave her mother in an elderly home. Why not? Because he had received lessons of affection for seven years. When kindergartens opened, and affection decreased, and the child could not taste the love of his mother and father and their affection and amity; so, just as the parents grow old, the child sends them to the elderly home. He has not tasted the affection; affection is not tasted in seminaries and universities. Affection is received during the first seven years of life. When you see he is beaten by his mother and still finds refuge in her, it shows us "فَفِرُّوْا إِلَی اللَّهِ" (Therefore fly to Allah). How is it possible for one to send his parents to an elderly home?! Yes, unfortunately, in the cities where there is lack of affection and where the lives are all machinery, such is done; however:

"إِمَّا یبْلُغَنَّ عِندَک الْکبَرَ أَحَدُهُمَا أَوْ کلاَهُمَا فَلَاتَقُل لَهُمَا أُفٍّ وَ لاَتَنْهَرْهُمَا وَ قُل لَهُمَا قَوْلاً کرِیماً * وَ اخْفِضْ لَهُمَا جَنَاحَ الذُّلِّ مِنَ الرَّحْمَةِ"

(If either or both of them reach old age with you, say not to them so much as ‘Ugh' nor chide them, and speak to them a generous word * And make yourself submissively gentle to them with compassion)

Stretch your wings and cherish them! Such a life is for mothers. To educate religious young people is among the most significant tasks which can be accomplished neither by seminaries nor by universities. A young person raised in kindergartens may or may not be educated by seminaries and universities; as for a young individual brought up by his prayerful mother during the first seven years of his life, one who wherever he goes he goes in the right way, this cannot be accomplished by seminaries and universities; despite their great contributory role in this respect. When Imam says let women not enter the society, this means that let them not enter the society straightly without having passed the instructions. She is a person of affection and has not passed the serious subjects and rational issues; therefore, he said "فَإِنَّ رَأیهُنَّ إِلَی أَفَنِ" (Surely, their judgment is on weakness); "أَفَن" starting with alif is different from "عفَن" starting with ayn; the latter shows ufunah (infection); the former means wahn (feebleness). He said such are women.

Such points and the content of narratives are applicable to the societies characterized with ancient or modern ignorance. In an Islamic system when a woman, similar to a man, enjoys "یعَلِّمُهُمُ الْکتَابَ وَ الْحِکمَةَ" (teaching them the Book and the wisdom), the society changes. Some parts of Imam's statements have been mentioned below the story of Jamal (the Battle of Camel). That lady was a cause of huge bloodsheds. Many of the interpretations which assume the imperfect reasoning faculty of women refer to those cases. As a result, while it is true that academic studies are good, timely marriage, both for boys and for girls, and having healthy children, are among the best of God's blessings. Society is built by good parents. When the background is prepared, then seminaries and universities can corroborate the circumstances; seminaries have not the power to offer the innovation and bestow upon those who have nothing provided for them by their families; the same is with universities. Therefore, what appears in the statements of Imam Ali, the Commander of the Faithful, deal with what was said above.