Social and Spiritual Means in Facing Crises

Social and Spiritual Means in Facing Crises: 

Social and Spiritual Means in Facing Crises http://www.alseraj.net/23/?simple&1050431272

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God Almighty presents symbols in the Holy Qur’an in order to put intellectual thoughts in concrete terms, for example when He says that the blessings of giving charity are like a growing spear of wheat. Likewise He embodies theoretical ideas using the life stories of His Prophets, Imams, and Saints. It is up to us to do research on the levels of perfection in applying these blessed lessons to our daily lives. So we shall examine the embodiment of perfected morals in the life of Imam Sajjad (A).

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The first thing one thinks about when he has a disagreement with another person is conflict, clashes, and other things that lead to the destruction of the relationship, instead of containing the problem and building the relationship. One of the greatest errors in this situation comes when the Devil encourages the individual to take revenge rather than to endure humiliation. In fact what harm is there in accepting humiliation in one stage in order to reach a stage of persistent honor. Reflect on this text which shows us the station of the Imam (A). When one of his relatives cursed him, he said (A), “If what you said about me is true, I will ask God to forgive me, and if what you said about me is not true, I will ask God to forgive you.”

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The best means to influence others is to enter their hearts and obtain their love, for the beloved always follows after the one he loves! So we have to create an atmosphere of emotional connection with the ones we live with, especially those who are close to us, in order to make it easier to cooperate with them and to influence them. If we don’t create this atmosphere, then our dealings with them will remain artificial, based in fear or desire. We can reflect upon the story which shows the inner respect a servant of the Imam (A) had for his master, much less the respect his family and friends had for him. One time the Imam called his servant twice, and the servant did not answer. The Imam said, “My son, didn’t you hear my voice?” The servant said, “Yes.” The Imam asked, “So why didn’t you answer me?” The servant said, “Because I know I am safe from you!” The Imam (A) replied, “Thanks be to God who made my servants safe from me!”

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If we want to uproot others’ faults by the root, we have to destroy the internal causes. We can do this at times by motivating them emotionally, and other times by motivating them intellectually, making them reflect on the consequences of those faults. The Prophet (S), for example, once responded to someone asking permission to fornicate by saying, “Would you be happy if someone did that with your sister?” Imam Sajjad (A) once passed by an idle man who had nothing better to do than to make people laugh, so the Imam reminded him of the Day of Judgment in order to emotionally and intellectually shake him up from his depths. The Imam (A) said, “Indeed God possesses a day when all the idle people will be losers.”

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Sometimes those who are traveling towards God receive divine inspirations and sacred blessings. But they turn away from others and live a monastic life in order to prevent that condition from slipping away. In reality the truly perfect human being is the one who lives in concern for the creatures of God, for the one who loves the Beloved will love those who He created with His hands. The Holy Family (A) were the most compassionate towards the people of the Islamic Nation, especially the oppressed amongst them. Imam Sajjad (A) used to go out veiled by night carrying a sack of food for the poor, so that he became known as the “man with the sack”!

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One of the greatest causes of spiritual happiness and contentment, especially in times of crisis, is feeling that there is a caring hand taking care of the Universe. The primary condition of the Universe is kindness and generosity, not punishment and revenge. It is clear that when the All-Wise God loves someone, He directs all things for that person’s benefit. Sooner or later things work out even if the individual thinks the opposite is going to happen. That’s why the spiritual station of complete reliance on God is one of the greatest forms of servitude to the Lord of the Universe. When Imam Sajjad (A) was severely ill during the time of his father Hussein (A), his father asked him, “What would you like?” He replied, “I would like to be one of those who does not suggest what my Lord should arrange for me.”

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One of the greatest lessons in the life of Imam Sajjad (A) is his call for supplication to Almighty God, and that is what has been preserved in the book of prayers known as the “ Sahifat al- Sajjadiyyah ”. If supplication reaches the stage of begging and complete devotion to Almighty God, it will influence the center of decision in the realm of the Heavenly Throne. For when God wants to implement His will upon His creature, He looks at his position in relation to Him, and He can deflect waves of hardship from him, even if they were about to happen. We shouldn’t ignore the fact that God could deflect hardships from this Nation by the prayers of just one of His righteous servants, as we understand from certain hadiths .