Ethics and Spirituality

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.

The image of a mountain collapsing in the words of Imam Ali (AS) suggests that the majesty of his love and affection—or the awe of God that stands in its place—exceeds what even a mountain can bear. Just as a mountain would crumble from fear of God if the Quran or the divine trust were placed upon it.

We can bear the wait for the Reappearance by striving to know God’s Proof, purifying our inner selves, and seeking God’s help. Self-watchfulness and self-examination, fostering the practice of enjoining good and forbidding wrong, and offering spiritual gifts to the Imam can also help us along the way.

The interpretation of Letter 45 of Nahj al-Balagha—that throwing away a morsel of doubtful permissibility is not wasteful and is permissible—is correct. In this letter, Imam Ali (AS) advises Uthman ibn Hunayf to discard anything whose permissibility or prohibition is unclear and to eat only wholesome, lawful food. This advice reflects the Imam’s (AS) contentment and avoidance of attachment to worldly life.

When our daily lives are crowded with responsibilities, it is recommended that we give priority to caring for our mother for the sake of God, recite Supplication 24 of al-Sahifa al-Sajjadiyya wholeheartedly, and place our trust in God. The Compassionate Lord may bless our time as a gift, and these practices can help us find room for personal matters and worship.

When we are certain that an offering is doubtful, it is best to explain our concern to the person who brought it. If we are certain that the money or its source is unlawful, we must avoid it. Embarrassment should not keep us from fulfilling our religious duties, and we should steer clear of spiritually harmful food.

When dealing with thieves, one should first admonish them and enjoin what is right and forbid what is wrong, while investigating the reasons behind the theft. If they are stealing out of need, efforts should be made to address that need. If these measures have no effect and theft has become a profession, there is no objection to revealing the thieves’ names in order to protect the property of the faithful.