FOURTH SECTION

In this section vices (vices) which look like virtues will be explained. We will also show how they could be distinguished from each other.

Many people cannot differentiate between gold and brass because they are both yellow colored. Some may think a blue bead is a precious stone. Similarly, they may think a vice is a virtue. Hence, it is necessary to learn the knowledge of ethics and become a proficient one in order to distinguish deeds with secret deficiencies from the good deeds, and goodness from the evil in general.

1. First we will explain the vice or vice which looks like wisdom. There are many people who pick up few phrases of wisdom or few words relating to the scientific or spiritual knowledge from others or from newspapers, magazines or radio and repeat them among other less learned people or engage in debates and arguments with others so to give others a false impression regarding themselves. Many people are deceived by them and they really think of them as a valuable person such as a specialist of some branch, wise, knowledgeable or a spiritual leader (Murshid). In reality these types of persons do not possess the necessary knowledge which they talk about. All of their knowledge is a few words which they picked up here and there now and then. They would not know reality of the things they talk about. His resemblance to real scholars is no more than resemblance of a parrot's speaking like a human being. Because, the habit wisdom exists in the mind and spirit of a human being. Its effects and lights (Nurs) cannot be perceived through sense organs. There are many people who present themselves as progressive and enlightened man but in reality they do not possess any wisdom or any value. They are evil and mean people with vices. They do not possess any real knowledge or ethics. They never speak anything valuable regarding to any virtue. But they dress well and they know how to handle those people who occupy ranks and positions. They go to the parties and dance with those people and serve them in drinking parties and finally get some rank and position from them.

2. Vice which looks like chastity: persons who possess this vice do not commit evil deeds and do not run after satisfying their appetites. They seem to be matured and virtues persons who possess knowledge and good morals. Therefore, they are praised and respected everywhere by everybody. They are treated well by persons who possess wealth and ranks. They are bombarded by presents and obligatory almsgiving money (Zakat). Their bodies are weakened by doing so much voluntary prayers (Nafila) in the presence of others but they are slack to perform sunnats and obligatory (Fard) prayers. Their lower selves (Nafs al-ammara) are very strong. They are treated by human beings as trustworthy persons. But they are traitors in the sight of Allahu ta'ala. All these foregoing qualities and descriptions are attributes of pseudo Sufis and religious office holders who are dazzled by worldly pleasures.

Some of the villagers do not eat the food of the city dwellers. Some others do not purchase good food because of their stinginess. Some people observing their state of abstaining from food presumes them as "Darwishes". They give a false impression of being a person of contentment (Ahl al-qana'at). They are really without any contentment (Qana'at) and chastity (Iffat). All their doings are for show off, hypocrisy and lie.

3. The vice which looks like generosity: a person who has this habit would be one of those who doesn't earn his wealth by permissible (Halal) means. For example, he is a smuggler or he got his money without sweating for it, like from lotto or inheritance. Therefore, he does not appreciate how hard it is to accumulate wealth by permissible means. Hence, he spends his money either on prohibited (Haram) things or on unnecessary things. He spends his money on things not approved by wisdom or Islam. Stupid people seeing him spending a lot, thinks of him as a generous person. In reality, he does not possess the virtue, generosity. Earning and saving money or property is like going uphill with a full load on one's back. Spending money is like letting a spherical stone to go downhill from a mountain top. Not having necessary wealth holds back many people from becoming better human beings. Many people lose their belief because of not having the necessary means for livelihood and become apostates (Murtads). In one hadith, Rasulullah, peace be upon him, communicated, "Poverty is a blessing for my companions. Being rich will be a blessing for Muslims who will live in later times close to the Doomsday."

I understood well, after long experience:

Knowledge determines man's value,

Having wealth determines the knowledge!

It is very difficult to earn wealth through trade which is carried out according to the rules of Islam. Generally very few people earn their wealth by following the rules of Islamic laws. Permissible wealth comes like rain drops. Conversely, forbidden (Haram) wealth comes like a rushing flood water. It is a very virtue to be generous (Sahawat) while giving away money. Being wasteful while giving to charity is a vice and forbidden act. Generosity (Sahawat) means to give away some portion of one's wealth in order to form the habit of generosity and in order for getting rid of the habit of stinginess. Giving away some money or wealth by expecting better return or satisfying desires of one's soul (Nafs) is not generosity (Sahawat.).

4. The vice which looks like courage (Shaja'at): a person who is showing courage, in reality, is not acting for the purpose of forming the virtue courage and for getting rid of the vices rashness (Tahawwur) and cowardice (Jubn). Instead, he is doing it, either, to earn fame or to obtain some rank or worldly possession. He steals the property of Muslims, commits all sorts of illegal activities and even sometimes puts his life into danger in order to accomplish his goals. Some of these people, when caught by the authorities while committing their illegal activities, think that not revealing the names of their accomplices is courage or bravery. Some of them go into the extent of bearing torture, giving all of their wealth or even lives in order to protect the names of their crime-partners. In reality, these lowly people do not possess a tiny bit of bravery. A real brave person attempts to do actions which are approved by wisdom and Islam. He wants to do service to nation and government and to earn rewards (Thawabs). He loves and desires to obtain consent of Allahu ta'ala by forming the virtue bravery (Shaja'at). The attacks of wolves and panthers look like an act of a hero but it has nothing to do with bravery. They attack because of their wild nature and cause harm. They do not come forward with good thought and in order to help others and to earn rewards (Thawab). They attack the weak people who cannot defend themselves against them. A strong gunman's attack on gunless, weak, and hungry people is similar to this example and is not bravery (Shaja'at). Bravery means one's coming to the conclusion by thinking, and pondering that attacking would be proper. He desires having in his spirit the virtue bravery and getting rid of the vice rashness (Tahawwur) and cowardice (Jubn), without thinking any worldly benefits. A person with these intentions never wants to do evil deeds. He rather prefers dying than committing evil deeds. He considers dying honorably is superior to living in dishonor. He prefers to be remembered in an honorable way rather than living with a black stain on his face. Since bravery carries the risk of injury or death, in the beginning, it may not taste very well but at its conclusion it tastes infinitely sweet because it concludes with much worldly and other worldly gains and victory. Especially, the superiority of pleasures obtained by giving one's life in order to protect the religion of Islam or in order to spread the religion of Rasulullah, peace be upon him, could not be compared to any other worldly or other worldly pleasures. This meaning was expressed in the Qur'an, Chapter Imran, verse 169 as follows, "Do not ever think that those who die for the sake of Allah are dead! They are alive! They have reached the blessings of their Creator." There are innumerable hadiths which praise the value of bravery. Neither running away from the fight (Jihad) saves one from death or extends one's life nor staying and facing the enemy causes death. The hour of death cannot be changed or postponed and one's life-span cannot be changed. In many instances, escaping from the war causes one to die unexpectedly and resisting and fighting against the enemy causes one to enjoy the victory. Hadrat Muawiya, may Allahu ta'ala be pleased with him, says that he was intending to escape during the war at "Siffeen" then he says he remembered the hadith, "He who perseveres will be safe from the disasters" and stayed and continued fighting and consequently ended up being the Caliph by his persevering (Sabr).

Essence of bravery is to be content with the decree of Allahu ta'ala and to depend and have trust in Him. The lion of Allahu ta'ala, the fountain of bravery and the rose of the garden of closeness to Allahu ta'ala, Hadrat Ali, the son-in-law of Prophet Muhammad at the Siffin war was running around and attacking, without any protective armament, with his head uncovered and his sleeves rolled up and reciting the following:

Running away from death won't be proper in two instances,

If your hour of death is arrived or did not arrive,

If it did arrive, running away will not help!

If it did not arrive, being cautious would not be proper.

Those who commit suicide because either they have lost their property or rank or they become prisoners of war are coward persons. They do not possess any bravery. Persons who possess bravery would persevere against the troubles and disasters. They think that by dying they will not face any trouble or disaster. These stupid people are very ignorant indeed! They do not realize that bigger troubles and disasters are waiting for them in the next world. According to Islam, suicide constitutes a bigger sin than killing someone else. They will be punished severely. Those who lose their mind and commit suicide are not in this category. If and when one finds himself in such difficult circumstances, one should pray to Allahu ta'ala for health and mercy.

5. The vice which looks like justice: this habit is similar to the habit which looks like chastity (Iffat). A person who does not possess the virtue of justice decorates his office or walls of his home by hanging framed inscriptions praising justice or he talks about justice or writes articles on the subject. Even worse, he occupies position which is related to justice and associates with real just persons in order to give an impression that he is one of them. In reality, their real self is stained with injustice, hatred and revenge. The real meaning of justice is one's habits and deeds being in accordance with wisdom and religion or to be a person of honesty such that one's real self is reflected on his deeds. In other words, one behaves among others such a way similar to while he behaves when he is alone. Being two faced is a sign of hypocrisy which is opposite of justice.

Couplet:

Worship has to be done with good intention,

If otherwise, it will not do any good, a seed with a hollow kernel.