The first chapter of the book
explains forty of the most important vices and their remedies. All of the
following information is translated from the first chapter of the famous
Islamic book Berîqa written by Abű Sa’id Muhammad
Hâdimî ‘rahimahullâhu ta’âlâ’. This book, originally written in two volumes in
Arabic, was published in 1284 Hijrî [1868 A.D.] in Istanbul and was reproduced
in 1411 Hijrî [1991 A.D.] by Hakîkat Bookstore. Muhammad Hâdimî ‘rahimahullâhu
ta’âlâ’, passed away in 1176 Hijrî Qamarî [1762 A.D.] in his birth place Hâdim
village of the city of Konya, Turkey.
Things that harm men in this
world and in the next are due to vices. The essence of man’s spiritual loss is
his having vices. Man’s avoidance of vices is called taqwâ. Taqwâ is the most precious of all worships. Decorating something
requires that the thing first should be cleansed from all dirt and stain.
Similarly, neither any reward (thawâb) will be
given nor any benefit will occur for the worships unless the man who does those
worships cleanses himself from the sin. The worst of all vices is disbelief (kufr). The good deeds of a person who does not have belief will not
bear any fruit for him in the Hereafter. [A disbeliever who is killed unjustly
does not become a martyr and will not go to Paradise.] The foundation of all
virtues is taqwâ. One should try hard to obtain taqwâ and advise others to do
the same. Living in this world peacefully with others and obtaining the best of
eternal blessings could only be accomplished by having taqwâ.
Vices cause disease in the heart
or soul. Any increase in this disease will cause the death of the soul, i.e. it
will cause kufr. Disbelief (shirk), which is the worst of
all vices, is a fatal poison of the soul. Some people who do not have belief
claim: “My heart (spiritual) is clean. You should look at my heart.” Their
claim is no more than empty words. A dead heart cannot be clean.
There are many types of
disbelief. The worst of all is polytheism. Any variety of a certain vice is
mostly specified with its most outstanding characteristic. For that matter, the
word shirk used in âyat-i-kerîmas[1] and in (our blessed Prophet’s utterances termed) hadîth-i-sherîfs represents all sorts of kufr (disbelief). Allâhu ta’âlâ, in the 48th and 116th âyats of
the Sűra Nisâ of the Qur’ân states that He will never forgive the polytheists (mushriks). These verses point out that disbelievers will burn forever in
the Hell fire.
[“Shirk” means to attribute
partners to Allâhu ta’âlâ. A person
who does the attributing is called a polytheist and the thing which is
attributed is called partner (sharîk). To believe
that someone possesses one of the attributes of Divinity means to make him a
partner (sharîk). The attributes possessed exclusively by Allâhu ta’âlâ are called “Attributes of
Divinity.”Some Divine Attributes are the
following: Existing eternally, creating, all-knowing, and healing the sick. To
believe that a human being or the sun or a cow or any other creature possesses
a divine attribute, and thus to respect or beg that being or creature, is
called to worship them. Those things become an idol. To say words that mean
deification of such people or to speak respectfully before statues, pictures or
graves of disbelievers assumed to be possessing divine attributes means to
worship them and therefore it is polytheism. If one believes that a person does
not possess a divine attribute but instead he is a person loved by Allâhu ta’âlâ or alternately if one believes
that that person has served his nation much and therefore deserves respect,
paying respect to his statues or pictures is not disbelief or polytheism.
Nevertheless, since paying respect to any person’s picture is forbidden (harâm), anyone doing so becomes a sinner (fâsiq). If he slights the fact that it is forbidden, he will become an
apostate (murtad), and so will those who flout a
prohibited action (harâm). Since those Jews and Christians who are not
“mushriks” do not believe in the prophethood of Muhammad ‘alaihis-salam’, they are disbelievers. They are
called “Disbelievers with a heavenly book.” Presently, most Christians are
polytheists because theyattribute divinity to prophet “Îsâ”, that is, Jesus ‘alaihis-salam’. Christians belonging to
the sects of Barnabas and Arius
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[1] Verses of the Qur’ân al-kerîm.
(Arians) were among the People of the Book. However, they have not
survived to the present time.
The second worst disease of the
soul after shirk is to hold and practise (heretical beliefs which are called) bid’at, which is followed by looseness in abstaining from sins, in the
order of evil. A person who dies without making tawba[1] for venial or grave
sins other than disbelief may be forgiven by Allâhu ta’âlâ either through intercession (shafâ’at) or directly by His Mercy. If a venial sin is not forgiven then
there will be punishment in Hell. Sins that involve violating rights of other
human beings will not be forgiven easily. Most likely, people who commit them
will be punished more severely. For example, not giving wife’s due money (mahr) regarding the marriage contract or prohibiting human beings from
learning their correct religion, which is their right (haqq), is the gravest gross violation of human rights. Rasűlullah ‘sall-Allâhu ’alaihi wa sal-lam’
stated as follows: “A time will come when people will not care whether they earn the
money by permissible (halâl) means or not,” and “A time will come when
practicing Islam will be as difficult as holding a fire ball with bare hands.” Therefore, to avoid committing all prohibited actions (harâms)
and those actions that are called makrűh tahrîmî (because they are quite close
to harâms) is (taqwâ). Not to perform obligatory
duties (fards)
and strongly recommended actions (wâjibs) is forbidden (harâm). According to some information, not
peforming “muakkad Sunnats,” i.e., acts of worship which our blessed Prophet practised regularly, without an
excuse, is strongly disliked (makrűh tahrîmî). People who do not carry out commandments of Islam with respect
to belief (i’tiqâd), ethics (akhlâq), and deeds (’amal) will be
punished. Logically, one must avoid doing things that will cause punishment.
For example, not performing five daily “salâts” and women’s and girls’ not
covering themselves is a grave sin. It would be a strong requirement for one to
abstain from the grave sin by performing the five daily “salâts.” Nevertheless,
in this book, we will not deal with the subject matter regarding the things
that must not be omitted; instead, we will communicate the things
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[1] Penitence; to make tawba means to repent for your sin(s), to beg Allâhu ta’âlâ for forgiveness, and to be resolved
not to commit the same sin(s) again.
that should be avoided, i.e., prohibited actions and vices.
The things we should not do
(prohibited actions) are committed either with a particular organ or with the
entire body. The following eight organs are very well known for committing
sins: spiritual heart, ears, eyes, tongue, hands, stomach, sexual organs, and
feet. The spiritual heart (qalb) is a spiritual grace
blown upon the material heart of human beings. It is incorporeal, not made of
matter, like the soul. These organs themselves do not commit the sin. The
sensing power of these organs commits the sin. Anyone who wants to attain
happiness in this world and the next must prevent these organs from committing
sins. The spiritual heart has to be developed into a state wherein not
committing sins will be its natural habit (malaka). Anyone who can achieve this
state is called Allah-fearing (muttaqî) or
pious (sâlih) person. He has now attained Allâhu ta’âlâ’s love and approval and become Walî[1] to Him. It would also be piety [taqwâ] to avoid sins by exerting
yourself without its becoming the heart’s natural habit. Yet being a Walî
reguires its being a natural habit not to commit sins, which in turn requires
purifying the heart. And to purify the heart requires obedience to the rules of
Islam. Islam consists of three parts: knowledge (’ilm), practice (’amal), and sincerity (ikhlâs). (1) To learn the knowledge teaching the commandments, i.e.,
Fards, Wâjibs, Sunnats, and forbidden actions (harâms and makrűhs), (2) To practise them in accordance with this knowledge, and (3)
To do them only for the sake of Allâhu ta’âlâ. The Qur’ân al-kerîm commands and praises all these three parts. In this book, we will
only communicate those sins that are to be abstained from in order to cleanse
the heart. They are called vices, unethical behavior, or immoral acts.
A Muslim as a first priority
should strive to cleanse his (spiritual) heart because heart is the leader of
the body and all organs are under its command. Our Prophet Muhammad ‘sall-Allâhu ’alaihi
wa sal-lam’ once said: “There is a piece of flesh in the human body. If this is
good, all the organs will be good. If this is evil, all the organs will be
evil. This piece of
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[1] Walî (pl. Awliyâ) means a person close and beloved to Allâhu ta’âlâ.
flesh is the heart.” What is described in this hadîth is not the physical heart but the
spiritual heart which is located in the physical heart. The goodness of the
flesh, as explained above, means its being cleansed from vices and its
assimilation of good morals (virtues). The physical appearance of a human being
is called (khalq). The power or state that exists
in the heart is called habits (khulq). Vices in
the heart are called “maladies of the heart” or unacceptable morals (akhlâq al-zamîma). Their cure is a very difficult task. Correct treatment requires
extremely sophisticated knowledge about the maladies and correct methodology to
apply this knowledge. Habits are the faculties (malakas) or states or desires in the heart. It is this power in the
spiritual heart which generates man’s belief, words, actions. His optional
behaviour also is the work of (this power which is called his) khulq.
Changing or transforming the
state of the heart from undesirable, unwanted, unacceptable morals or habits to
desirable, good habits is possible. Our Prophet ‘sall-Allâhu ’alaihi wa sal-lam’ once said, “Improve your morals
(habits or character).” Islam does not contain
commandments that cannot be accomplished. Experiences also show that this is
the case. [Experience is only one of the three true-knowledge-acquirement
methods. The other two true-knowledge-acquirement-methods are understanding
through calculation and information passed to us by our Prophet.] Human beings do not share
equal abilities to correct their unacceptable, deficient morals.
Origin or source or fountain of morals is
three powers inherent in the human soul. The first one is the power of
understanding (comprehension) of the soul. This is also called “nutq”
or wisdom (’aql). The first and second powers of “nutq” are
theoretical knowledge (hikmat al-nazarî) and practical knowledge
(hikmat
al-’amalî) respectively. Theoretical knowledge which
exists in average proportions is called reason (hikmat).
Reason is the power that differentiates between virtue and vice; right and
wrong; and good and evil. A state of excess in this power is termed jarbaza
(the state of being a wiseacre). A person who suffers from this excess tries to
understand things beyond comprehension. For example, he tries to interpret
verses of the Qur’ân with hidden or metaphorical meanings (mutashâbîh âyats)
or talks about fate and destiny
or
occupies himself with futile pursuits such as deceit, trickery, and sorcery.
Conversely, inadequacy of this power is termed idiocy (balâdat).
A person suffering from this inadequacy cannot differentiate between vice and
virtue. When the practical power of nutq (wisdom) exists in an average
intensity, this state is called justice (’adâlat). There cannot be
paucity or plentitude in justice.
The second power of the sources
of morals is wrath (ghadab). It is the bestial aspect of
the soul. Things which it dislikes and loathes stir its blood. When this force
is subdued to a reasonable intensity by the human aspect of the soul, it
develops into bravery (shajâ’at), which prompts man to
practical and useful enterprises. Examples of this are Muslims’ fighting
against disbelievers whose numbers are more than double theirs and their saving
the oppressed from their oppressors. An excess in this force is tahawwur, which causes aggressiveness. A person with this temperament
becomes angry fast. If this power exists in less than average proportions, it
is called cowardice (jubn). A person having this character
will not be able to attempt to do the necessary actions.
The third power of the human
soul is appetite (shahwat). It is the bestial soul’s
desiring the things that it likes. The human aspect of the soul mollifies this
desire into what we call chastity (iffat), or honor.
A person who has chastity gratifies the needs of his nature in a manner
prescibed by Islam and compatible with humanity. Excess in this is called greed
or debauchery (sharah). A person having this character
tries to obtain all his desires and wishes without regard to laws or others’
rights. When appetite is less than average proportions in one’s nature, it
causes a lazy character (huműd). A person with this
character will not even try to get things that are necessary for himself either
because of his extreme sense of shame, fear or pride, or because of his
(psychological) illness.
The aforesaid four temperate forces, i.e.
hikmat (reason), ’adâlat (justice), iffat (chastity), and shajâ’at (bravery),
are the essence of all virtues. When a person adapts himself to hikmat, which
is one of the three forces of the soul, he overcomes the other two forces of
the bestial soul, i.e., ghadab and shahwat, and attains happiness by developing
these two excesses into iffat (chastity) and shajâ’at (bravery). If the
theoretical force of wisdom fails to abide by hikmat, which is its temperate
degree,
and
overflows unto either one of the vicious extremities, vices will appear. All
six extremities are always evil. In fact, even the four temperate forces are
evil when they are employed for evil purposes. Examples of employing hikmat for
evil purposes are: to go into a religious career for the purpose of an easy
competence or a high position, and to perform (the daily prayers termed) namâz or
(the struggle for the promulgation and propagation of Islam, which should be
done only to please Allâhu ta’âlâ and which is
termed) jihâd for ostentation. On the other hand, abstention from a certain
kind of pleasure in order to gratify one’s desire to enjoy another kind of
pleasure would be a good example of misusing iffat.
Each of the four main virtues is
recognized by their attributes. For example, wisdom has seven attributes.
Bravery and chastity have eleven attributes each.
REMEDY FOR THE VICES: A medicine
that would be a common cure for all the vices is the recognition of the illness
and things that are harmful to it, its cause, its opposite case, as well as
effects of the medicine. The next step would be the diagnosis of the illness,
which is done either by self-research or under the supervision of a guide, i.e.
an ’âlim (a deeply learned Islamic scholar). A Believer is another Believer’s
mirror. Self-diagnosis of one’s faults is a difficult task. A recommendable way
of knowing your own faults, therefore, would be to consult with a dependable
friend. A faithful friend is one who will protect you against dangers and
fearful situations. Such a friend is hard to come by. It is to this effect that
Imâm Shâfi’î ‘rahmatullâhi ’aleyh’ stated:
A staunch friend and true medicine,
Are hard to find, waste not your time.
And Hadrat ’Umar ‘radiy-Allâhu
’anh’ stated:
My friend’s warned me about my fault,
This is the true essence of brotherhood.
Since your adversaries will
always be seeking ways for criticizing you, they will fling your shortcomings
to your teeth once they find them. Such inimical comments therefore can be
exploited as efficient references to learn about your faults. Good friends, by
contrast, will mostly be inclined to overlook your faults. One day, someone
begged Hadrat Ibrâhîm Ad-ham, (a great Islamic scholar and a Walî,) to tell him
about his faults
and
shortcomings. “I have made a friend of you. So, all your manners and ways
appear nice to me. Ask someone else about your faults,” was the great scholar’s
reply. Another way of recognizing your shortcomings is to observe others’
faults. When you observe others’ faults, you should try and see if you have the
same fault(s), and, if you see that you do, you should try to get rid of them. This
way of identifying vices is another method for curing the vices and is the
meaning of the following hadîth, “A Believer (Mu’min) is a mirror of another
Believer.” In other words, you identify your own
faults in others’ faults. When Jesus (Îsâ ‘alaihis-salâm’) was asked who he had
learned his virtues from, he answered: “I did not learn them from anyone. I
looked at others, observed the things I did not like and I avoided doing the
same, copying and imitating the things I liked.” When the famous doctor Lokman
was asked who he had learned manners from, he replied, “From people without
manners!” Reading about the biographies and episodes of Islamic luminaries,
such as the (blessed people called) Salaf as-sâlihîn, the Sahâba, and other
Awliyâ ‘rahmatullâhi ’alaihim ajma’în’, is another way of forming good habits.[1]
A person who has a vice should
search for the reason (cause) of his contracting that vice. He should try to
eliminating this cause and then try to get rid of it by doing its opposite. He
should try very hard to do the opposite of the vice for getting rid of it. For,
getting rid of a vice is very difficult. The nafs loves evil and ugly things.
Another useful medicine for
getting rid of vices is to establish a method of retribution. For example, when
one commits a vice, immediately afterwards, one should do some action one’s
nafs does not like. A good way of accomplishing this is to take an oath.
Namely, one should take an oath to the effect that if one commits a vice, one
will do extra goodness such as giving alms, fasting or performing salâts. Since
one’s nafs never likes to do extra prayers, one will stop committing vices.
Another useful medicine is reading or hearing from others about those vices
which produce harmful results. Many hadîths inform us about the harms of vices.
Some of them are:
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[1] For terms such as Walî, Awliyâ (pl.
of Walî), the Sahâba, Salaf as-sâlihîn, see our other publications, e.g.
Sahâba ‘The Blessed’,
available from Hakîkat Kitâbevi, Fâtih, Istanbul, Turkey.
1– “In the sight of Allâhu ta’âlâ, there is no sin
graver than vices.” For, those who commit vices are
not aware that they are committing sins. Therefore, they do not repent for
their sins so that their sins accumulate and increase many folds.
2– “The one sin which
human beings commit without any hesitation or reservation is being a person
with vices.”
3– “There is a repentance
for every sort of sin but there is none for vices. Instead of repenting for a certain vice, the
offender commits something worse.”
4– “As hot water melts an
ice cube, likewise virtues melt mistakes and errors. As vinegar destroys honey,
likewise vices destroy rewards (thawâbs) for good deeds.”
Justice (’adalat),
chastity (iffat), bravery (shajâ’at)
and wisdom (hikmat), when they are not used with evil
intentions are the sources of all virtues. One should associate with pious (sâlih)
and good-natured people in order to be a good-natured person or to protect
one’s virtues. A person’s akhlâq will be like his companion’s habits. Akhlâq is
contagious like a disease. One should not make friends with ill-humoured
people. It is stated as follows in a hadîth-i-sherîf:
“A
person’s faith will be like his companion’s.” One should
shun from useless occupations and games, harmful jokes, and quarrels. One
should learn knowledge and do useful deeds. One should not read books that
undermine one’s morals or which promotes sex and should not watch television
programs or listen to radio programs destructive of moral values or which
arouse sexual desires. One should constantly remind oneself of the benefits of
virtues and harmful effects of Islam’s prohibitions and the punishment they
will incur in Hell. None of the pursuers of wealth and position has attained
his wish. However, those who have wanted rank and worldly possessions to do
good deeds with them have lived comfortably and happily. Worldly ranks and
possessions should not be one’s goals but instead they should be vehicles to do
goodness to others. Worldly ranks and possessions are like an ocean and many people
are drowned in that ocean. Fear of Allâhu ta’âlâ
is the ship which one needs to survive in that ocean. Our Prophet ‘sall-Allâhu ’alaihi wa sal-lam’ once said, “One should live in the
world not like a permanent resident but like a traveler, and should never
forget that he will die!” Human beings will not live in this
world
forever.
When one is absorbed in worldly pleasures, one’s troubles, worries and distress
will increase. The following hadîths should never be forgotten:
1– “A slave of Allâhu ta’âlâ who has not performed
many acts of worship will have high grades in the Hereafter if he has good
morals.”
2– “The easiest and the
most useful worship is to talk little and to be a good-natured person.”
3– “A slave of Allâhu ta’âlâ may have many worships
but, his evil humour will deliver him into the depths of hell. It will
sometimes lead him into disbelief.”
4– It is reported that once the
Sahâba ‘radiy-Allâhu ’anhum’ told of a very devout worshipper to the Messenger
of Allah ‘sall-Allâhu ’alaihi wa sal-lam’. That person was spending his days
fasting and his nights praying, yet he was bad tempered. Rasűlullah ‘sall-Allâhu ’alaihi wa sal-lam’
answered, “It is not a good state. His destination will be Hell fire.”
5– “I was sent to
complement the virtues and to help people so that they may assimilate these
virtues.” The virtues also existed in the
previously sent monotheistic religions. Islam was sent to complement those
virtues. Since this religion exists with all the good commandments and habits,
there is no need for another source to inform us regarding the virtues.
Therefore, no other prophet will come after the Prophet Muhammad ‘sall-Allâhu ’alaihi wa sal-lam’.
6– “A good-natured person
will attain both worldly and next worldly happiness.” A person with virtues performs his obligations toward Allâhu ta’âlâ and His creatures.
7– “Hell fire will not
burn a person who has a good nature and a beautiful physical appearance.”
8– “To be good-natured
means to keep close to (and to be in good terms
with)
those who keep away from you, to forgive those who have hurt you, and to be
generous to those who have been miserly toward you.” A good-natured person will do goodness to those who keep cross
with him or he will forgive those who harm his honor or hurt him physically or
materially.
9– “Allâhu ta’âlâ will fill the heart of
a person with belief and trustworthiness if he treats others with soft manners
angry as he may be.” He will have no fears or anxieties. The best of all virtues is to
do goodness to people who treat you improperly. This behavior is a sign of
maturity and it converts your enemies into friends. Imâm Ghazâlî ‘rahmatullâhi
’aleyh’ says that he has read the following statements in the Injîl(Bible), which was revealed to Îsâ (Jesus) ‘alaihis-salâm’: “But I
say unto you, That ye resist not evil: but whosoever shall smite thee on the
right cheek, turn to him the other also.” “And if any man will sue thee at the
law, and take away thy coat, let him have thy cloak also.” (Matt: 5-39,40)[1] Books inform us about
the cruelties, oppression and torture of Muslims and Jews by Christians in
Spain during the Spanish inquisitions, in India, in Bosnia-Herzegovina and in
Jerusalem as well as against each other by the Inquisition courts. Their
uncivilized behavior proves that they are not following the true teachings of
the Injîl.
Every Muslim should get rid of
vices residing in his heart and replace them with virtues. One cannot be a
good-natured person by replacing a few vices with a few good ones. A Sufi order
is the path which makes one attain maturity, i.e., perfection in all virtues.
[A path that cannot provide this maturity cannot be called a Sufi path. As it
often happens, there are sham practitioners in every field of endeavor.
Likewise, there are some in the field of knowledge and Sufi Path (tarîqat) who represent themselves as shaikhs (spiritual guides). In
reality, they know nothing about the real Islam and beautiful moral teachings
of Islam. We should avoid these types and their traps.]
Sixty vices are well known. We translated and included forty of them in forty sub-chapters. A person who avoids these vices and does their opposites will be a virtuous or good-natured person.
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[1] Please see our book Could Not Answer for detailed information about the
interpolated copies of the Bible which Christians have been reading.