Ethics and Spirituality

Yoga, through the worship of various deities and the stimulation of the endocrine glands, opens channels in the brain that do not necessarily lead to spiritual elevation; they may instead bring about spiritual decline or leave a person vulnerable to demonic influence. Islamic spiritual practices are undertaken to seek God’s pleasure and attain inner spiritual gifts. Sincerity in worship is a condition for drawing near to God—not bargaining over worship or turning it into a transaction.

Establishing a spiritual, heartfelt connection with the Imam of our Time (AJ) requires developing our inner capacity by fulfilling our religious obligations and avoiding what is forbidden. This connection must be constant, because neglecting the Imam hinders our spiritual progress. Through seeking God’s special grace and striving with love, we can attain such a degree of absorption that we become immersed in the being of the Imam (AJ).

Observing recommended acts of worship fosters love and knowledge of God, helping to purify the heart, strengthen our connection with Him, and prevent the mind from becoming scattered. Sincere intention and acting for God’s sake are key to sustaining this connection. Love draws the thoughts and mind together, keeping them from distraction, while taking up recommended acts creates the conditions for the heart and soul to grow all the more.

Controlling the mind begins with entrusting it to its Creator and keeping away from sin and attachment to worldly life. The purification of the heart—a matter deserving our attention—is achieved through remembrance of God, sincere intention, and acting in accordance with it. Yoga is not suited to the mind of a believer; instead, we should draw nourishment from the twin sources of the Qur’an and the Prophet’s household.

A hadith from Imam al-Baqir (AS) says that the heart sometimes has neither faith nor disbelief, but is like a piece of flesh into which God later places either faith or disbelief. This does not mean that people are compelled; through prayer and supplication, one can seek the grace of guidance. Being heedless in everyday matters can also be an instance of this state.

Reflection and reason are not worldly tools, but spiritual and celestial means that guide matter toward spirituality. When reason accompanies us, our actions and thoughts take on the character of worship and servitude, and we continually walk the path of seeking God’s pleasure. Intellectual unveilings, too, are part of this journey.

To bring worthy gifts before God, we must remain steadfast on the path of the Two Weighty Things and worship Him with sincere intent. True love of God frees a person from every preoccupation that distracts from Him and makes them one of His most sincere servants—so much so that the angels take pride in them.

To increase our capacity to help bring about the Reappearance, we need to know ourselves and know the Imam. The Imam is the perfect model for attaining human perfection. By managing our personal affairs and lives well, we can better support the Imam of Our Time, and our shortcomings in management need not prevent us from helping him.

Provided we take care to avoid extravagance and waste, there is nothing wrong with enjoying God’s blessings. God loves to see His blessings reflected in His servants’ lives. But sharing what we have with fellow believers is another matter, and we should strike a balance between genuine need and personal desire.

The hadith “Ali is enraptured by God Almighty” appears in Shi‘i hadith sources such as *Manaqib Al Abi Talib* and *Bihar al-Anwar*. It means that Imam Ali (AS) was wholly devoted to God and took the path that leads to His pleasure. The phrase does not mean madness or transformation; rather, it expresses the highest degree of servitude and spiritual wayfaring. This hadith is discussed in response to earlier questions.

Knowledge that does not shed light, cannot be put to use, or brings no benefit to others is of no value; it is a burden. Knowledge must be accompanied by action, or it loses its worth—like water that cannot quench the thirsty.

A true lover considers only the beloved’s wishes and desires in every action and decision, and calls upon God by His most beautiful names. God’s names are signs of Him among His creation. The origin and root of the name Allah—the name of God’s hidden secret—is disclosed only with the Creator’s permission and at His command; no one may reveal that name without such leave.

A believer has seven obligatory rights over another believer: to love for them what they love for themselves and dislike for them what they dislike for themselves; to support them with one’s life, wealth, words, hands and feet; to seek what pleases them and avoid what angers them; to be their eyes, guide and mirror; to feed them when they are hungry and give them water when they are thirsty; to help them when they are in need; and to affirm their oath, accept their invitation, visit them when they are ill and accompany their funeral procession. Neglecting these rights means stepping outside God’s care and guardianship.

To purify your soul, ask your friends to offer you the gift of pointing out your faults, and seek them out in solitude. Also, ask mindful believers to convey to you the awe inspired by the litanies of remembrance, and strive to experience the awe of gathering for collective remembrance. Attending classes at the “University of Spiritual Wayfaring” is also recommended for this purpose.

Guarding the eyes against sin depends on the purity of the heart, because the actions of our limbs reflect what is within us. The eye is the heart’s spy and the intellect’s emissary; it must be shielded from whatever is unworthy of our faith and unacceptable to the heart and mind. A hadith from Imam al-Sadiq (AS) describes turning one’s gaze away from forbidden things as a great gain, while the Commander of the Faithful (AS) teaches that humility before God is the way to seek His help in doing so.

Hearing unfamiliar voices at home, even when no one else is there, may be connected to the heart and the brain. The brain may generate memories or patterns of neural activity, or thoughts may come to dominate the faculty of hearing without passing through the ears. It is also possible to perceive the nonmaterial dimensions of sound. To purify the faculty of hearing from idle or harmful speech, reference is made to verse 62 of Surah Maryam.

To ease anxiety about losing blessings, it is recommended that you complete a recitation of the Ṣaḥīfa Sajjādiyya with full attentiveness and regularly recite Prayers 17 and 20. You should also perform the Night Prayer, including all its recommended acts, and ask people of piety to pray for your spiritual vigilance.

No created being can worship God in a way that fully corresponds to His worthiness of worship. But in terms of one’s religious duties, whoever worships to the best of their ability has fulfilled their duty, since God does not burden anyone beyond their capacity.

A physical meeting with Imam Ali (AS) is not the ultimate expression of devotion and love for him. True devotion depends on a heartfelt connection, knowledge of the Imam, and following him—an ongoing bond unrestricted by time or place.

Fasting and staying up at night become futile and wasted when they are not guided by reason and merely burden the body. Worship without reason is lifeless; only the discerning can free themselves from these hardships through reflection.