Ethics and Spirituality

Pleasures and beauties are not final destinations; they are paths and signposts leading to a higher plane. When we encounter beauty and pleasure, we should not stop there. Rather, we should recognize that they are means of reaching a nobler destination. This applies to every kind of pleasure and beauty, whatever its form or quality.

The veil is a covering that obscures knowledge and can lead to forgetfulness. Yet when the human will is aligned with the divine will, the human essence can overcome every veil. The veil is both a test and a contest, and a means of attaining knowledge beyond ordinary knowing. In encountering the veil, human growth is multiplied; ignorance and darkness become steps toward the greater reach of divine power.

To remain safe from Satan’s influence during the Occultation, especially as the time of the reappearance draws near, it is essential to recite Supplication 17 of al-Sahifa al-Sajjadiyya regularly and study its commentary, deepen one’s knowledge of Imam Mahdi (AJ), cultivate piety, flee from sin, and read the Quran and narrations reflectively.

Answering the call before the advent means being prepared and attentive with conscious, loving devotion. It is realized by performing our religious obligations with excellence—for example, offering our prayers and fasting with wholehearted devotion and spiritual awareness. True adherence to the Two Weighty Things and developing practical expertise in their teachings are also essential aspects of answering the call before the advent.

Reciting poetry in Islam—especially in mosques and during Ramadan—is generally discouraged unless it serves to defend the truth, remember God, and promote faith and righteous action. Poetry should embody truth and good character, and avoid promoting falsehood and deviation. The verses of Surah al-Shu‘ara show that misguided poets are distinguished by their followers’ misguidance, their words being at odds with their deeds, and their boastfulness. The exception is those who believe and do good works.

In a community of believers, trade should be grounded in forbearance and goodwill. It is not permissible to seek profit at another believer’s expense, especially when they are buying only what they need. This principle will reach its full expression in the age of the Appearance. A hadith from Imam al-Sadiq (AS) states that a believer’s profit from another believer is usury, except in certain cases—for instance, when the purchase exceeds one hundred dirhams or is made for trade. Even then, transactions should be conducted with kindness and forbearance.

The hadith, “Just as men like to see their women adorned and well-groomed, women too like to see men adorned and well-groomed,” means that men, like women, should guard their adornment from the eyes of unrelated members of the opposite sex and observe modesty, chastity, and decorum. Any form of grooming that puts a man on display before unrelated women is blameworthy and may give rise to sin in the heart.

Prostrating to release negative energy taints the prayer with shirk, because the sincere intention of worship, which should be directed toward God, is turned toward oneself. Although prayer and prostration have many effects and benefits, they should not be treated merely as a means to worldly ends such as releasing energy or improving health. Doing so diminishes the devotional value of prayer and takes it away from the path of tawhid.

To say, “May my life be sacrificed for you,” means that a person places the beloved above themselves and even their own parents, and is willing to give up their life and all they hold dear for them. Ultimately, this devotion reaches its highest expression: one gives one’s whole being in the path of divine love, like a sun that burns and is consumed in that love.

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.