Self-Purification, the Main Goal of Divine Messengers (5)

2023-04-06

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In this part of the article titled “Self-Purification, the Main Goal of Divine Messengers”, we shall focus on other relevant points on the topic here.

Esoteric Life

Man in this world has an outward life related to his body. He eats, drinks, sleep, moves, and walks but at the same time also possesses a spiritual life in his inner essence.

While he lives in this world, at the same time within his inner essence either journeys towards prosperity, perfection and enlightenment, or moves towards adversity, cruelty and intense darkness; either journeys on the righteous path of humanity and ascends towards God or deviates from the righteous path heading towards darkest valleys where he wanders in darkness becoming eventually lower than animals; either march up on the steps of perfection towards enlightenment, joy, perfection and God’s Countenance or falls into intense darkness for eternal punishment. Although the majority of people are ignorant of this reality it does exist. God-Almighty said in Holy Qur’an:

يَعْلَمُونَ ظَاهِرًا مِّنَ الْحَيَاةِ الدُّنْيَا وَهُمْ عَنِ الْآخِرَةِ هُمْ غَافِلُونَ

“They know only some appearance of the life of the World, and are needless of the Hereafter.”(1)

But being knowledgeable or ignorant does not change the reality on the Day of Resurrection when the dark curtain of materialism are rolled up from the human eyes thus, enabling him to witness the reality and his own state of affairs. God-Almighty said in Holy Qur’an:

لَّقَدْ كُنتَ فِي غَفْلَةٍ مِّنْ هَٰذَا فَكَشَفْنَا عَنكَ غِطَاءَكَ فَبَصَرُكَ الْيَوْمَ حَدِيدٌ

“(And unto the evil-doer it is said): Thou wast in needlessness of this. Now we have removed from thee thy covering and piercing is thy sight this day.” (2)

Therefore, from the above-quoted verses, it may be inferred that affairs related to the Next World all along did exist within human inner essence right here in this world, but unfortunately, the man was ignorant to realize it. However, since in the Next World all the materialistic curtains of ignorance shall be removed from his sight, he will be forced to see these realities clearly over there.

We may, therefore, conclude from the above-mentioned verses and traditions that the human self earns things while living in this world, and these earnings shall remain with him eventually determining his ultimate destiny in his eternal abode. Following are some examples:

God-Almighty said in the Holy Qur’an:

كُلُّ نَفْسٍ بِمَا كَسَبَتْ رَهِينَةٌ

“Every soul is a pledge for its own deeds.” (3)

And said:

ثُمَّ تُوَفَّىٰ كُلُّ نَفْسٍ مَّا كَسَبَتْ وَهُمْ لَا يُظْلَمُونَ

“Then every soul will be paid. in full what it hath earned; and they will not be wronged.” (4)

And said:

لَّا يُؤَاخِذُكُمُ اللَّهُ بِاللَّغْوِ فِي أَيْمَانِكُمْ وَلَٰكِن يُؤَاخِذُكُم بِمَا كَسَبَتْ قُلُوبُكُمْ ۗ وَاللَّهُ غَفُورٌ حَلِيمٌ

“God will not take you to task for that which is unintentional in your oaths. But He will take you to task for that which your hearts have garnered. God is forgiving, clement.”(5)

And said:

وعليها ما اكتسبت.لَا يُكَلِّفُ اللَّهُ نَفْسًا إِلَّا وُسْعَهَا ۚ لَهَا مَا كَسَبَتْ

“God tasketh not a soul beyond its scope. For it (is only) that which it hath earned, and against it (only that which it hath deserved.” (6)

And said:

يَوْمَ تَجِدُ كُلُّ نَفْسٍ مَّا عَمِلَتْ مِنْ خَيْرٍ مُّحْضَرًا وَمَا عَمِلَتْ مِن سُوءٍ تَوَدُّ لَوْ أَنَّ بَيْنَهَا وَبَيْنَهُ أَمَدًا

“On the Day when every soul will find itself confronted With all that it hath done of good and all that it hath done of evil (every soul) will long there might be a mighty space of distance between it and that evil.” (7)

And said:

ثُمَّ إِلَىٰ رَبِّكُمْ تُرْجَعُونَ وَمَنْ أَسَاءَ فَعَلَيْهَا من عمل صالحا فلنفسه

“Whoso doth right, it is for his soul. and whoso doth wrong, it is against it. And afterward unto your Lord ye will be brought back”. (8)

And said:

فَمَن يَعْمَلْ مِثْقَالَ ذَرَّةٍ خَيْرًا يَرَهُ وَمَن يَعْمَلْ مِثْقَالَ ذَرَّةٍ شَرًّا يَرَهُ

“And whoso doth good an atom’s weight will see it then, and whoso doth evil an atom’s weight will see it then.” (9)

And said:

وَأَن لَّيْسَ لِلْإِنسَانِ إِلَّا مَا سَعَىٰ وَأَنَّ سَعْيَهُ سَوْفَ يُرَىٰ

“And that man hath only that for which he maketh effort and that his effort will be seen.” (10)

And said:

وَمَا تُقَدِّمُوا لِأَنفُسِكُم مِّنْ خَيْرٍ تَجِدُوهُ عِندَ اللَّهِ

“And whatever of Good ye send before (you) for your souls, ye will find it with God.” (11)

And said:

يَوْمَ لَا يَنفَعُ مَالٌ وَلَا بَنُونَ إِلَّا مَنْ أَتَى اللَّهَ بِقَلْبٍ سَلِيمٍ

“The day when wealth and sons avail not (any man). Save him who bringeth unto God a whole heart.” (12)

The Holy Prophet (S) said to one of his companions:

قال النبي صلى الله عليه وآله: يا قيس! لا بدلك من قرين يدفن معك وهو حى وتدفن معه وانت ميت فان كان كريما اكرمك وان كان لئيما المك ثم لا تحشر الا معه ولاتسال الاعنه فلا تجعله الا صالحا فانه ان صلح آنست به وان فسد لا تستوحش أل امنه وهو فعلك

“Oh Qais! You will have no other choice except to live with a companion in your grave. He is alive and you will be buried with him. If he is good and honourable, will make you honourable, and if he is low and means, you will become low and mean as well. After that on that on the Day of Resurrection you will be associated with him and will be reprimanded. Therefore, be careful and try to select a righteous companion for yourself; because if he is righteous -you will develop affection for him. If he is corrupt be assured that all the fear and punishment inflicted upon you will be through his existence. That companion is nothing but your actions and deeds in this life.” (13)

A human being in this same world is continuously occupied with nourishing himself as well as accumulating the provisions of his life in the Next World. Through his belief and thoughts, habits and virtues, love and liking, interests and desires and by means of actions which affect his self -he gradually nourishes, trains, and builds himself.

Continue in the next article: ( Self-Purification, the Main Goal of Divine Messengers (6) )