Word 51: Whoever pays attention to his development will see that he needs two sorts of food…
Word 51: Whoever pays attention to his development will see that he needs two sorts of food: food that feeds his body and food that nurtures his spirit. Each has a unique mouth. Our physical mouth is apparent, but our spiritual mouth is our ears. The soul does not grow from the sustenance of the body, nor does the body develop from the food of the soul. Water represents the manifestation and shadow of life and knowledge, whereas the body is the lower level of the soul and its shadow. The thirsty body needs water, which is the shadow of life, but the thirsty spirit seeks knowledge, which is its essence. Imam material and immaterial world, Sadiq of the Ahl-Albayt of Prophet Muhammad (S), in the commentary on “Then let mankind look at his food” (Abas:24), remarked, “Look, how is the food of your body and soul?”. And know that food, with all the differences in its types, is a manifestation of the quality of survival, and it is one of the servants of Qayyum (Ever Lasting) Name of God. Eating is also the survival of the appearance of the Name of Zahir (outer/appearance) and its rulings.
Humans have two types of growth: physical growth and spiritual growth. Spiritual growth is different from physical growth; for example, a person may grow physically and reach the age of 40, but his spirit has not developed for more than seven years. The “spirit child” or “inner child” is a discussion in physiology. This thought inspired the creation of a film with the premise that everyone has an inner child. This is the situation with developing humans, whose spirits stay childlike.
What exactly does “inner child” mean? Suppose you have a young child. You instruct your child to bring you a glass of water. Your child responds, “No, I do not want to, or I am busy watching cartoons”. Then you say, “My dear, I love you; I bought you toys and played with you”. Then your child responds, “That’s good; I’ll go get it”. Of course, adults who are not developed are the same. A psychology technique says, “When you deal with tough people with no communication skills, try to connect with their inner child”. Of course, it is different in humans; some people’s inner child is more hidden, making communication difficult, whilst others’ inner child is more visible, making connection easier. Women’s “inner child” is more apparent than men’s. Therefore, women get deceived earlier than males. A hadith states that when a man tells his wife, “I love you,” she will never forget it for the rest of her life. Women are usually romantic. Dears, try talking passionately with your wife, telling her how much you love her, buying her a present, and telling her she is the best and most beautiful lady in the world for you.
In history books have written that “Women are fooled by hearing; on the contrary, men are fooled by sight”. As a result, there have been several instances in history where a woman had a wealthy and attractive spouse, but she divorced him and married a guy whose circumstances were inferior to hers. Why? Because the new man had begun a connection with this woman’s “inner child” and talked romantically to her. Those who have not progressed are adults in body but still children in spirit.
Consequently, you may connect with people’s inner child and win their hearts with the least bit of deceit. However, people who have been exalted and matured are no longer like this. That is the meaning of the first sentence of Allameh Hassanzadeh, “Whoever pays attention to his development will see that he needs two sorts of food: food that feeds his body and food that nurtures his spirit”.
Allmeh continued, “Each has a unique mouth. Our physical mouth is apparent, but our spiritual mouth is our ears. The soul does not grow from the sustenance of the body, nor does the body develop from the food of the soul”. That is, our appearance and our inner each have their special mouth. The ear is the mouth of the human soul. We must see what words enter from the mouth of our soul. Who are we listening to? What have we heard? Some words are very poisonous, but some words are divine. “Dreadful is the word that cometh out of their mouths” (Al-Kahf:5).
Mulawi in Masnavi said, “Every call that pulled you up knows that it came from above. Every call that makes you greedy is the howl of a wolf that tears people apart”.
That is, the superior’s voice and discourse will guide you to the Hereafter world. So be careful who we listen to. What phrases penetrate our souls? What type of knowledge enters since this is the mouth of our spirits?
Imam Ali (A) said, “Nothing develops knowledge like action”. If a person is cultivated through knowledge and practice, he will become like an angel. If he drowns in the material world and lusts, his soul will become an earth-like insect. “They come forth from the graves as they were locusts spread abroad” (Al-Qamar:7).
The grasshopper is an insect that never navigates before jumping; it simply leaps. For example, a grasshopper jumps and throws itself upon the threshing floor, even if it is in the fire. Most people lack orientation; they are unsure of where they want to go in life. This is the way they live. Whatever happens, welcome. What motivates humans to live? The majority of them don’t know, and others will claim they live for pleasure or to survive. However, we understand that living is about achieving perfection. To achieve our aim, we must first set a goal and then overcome obstacles. We must be cautious while selecting a friend. Not everyone is suitable for friendship. This dude is not worth commuting with me; he should go. This money should not enter my life; it should go. We have a goal in life, which is to achieve perfection.
Mulawi in Masnavi said, “Humans get fat through the ears, but animals get fat from swallowing and eating”. It indicates that the degree of humanity is proportional to our knowledge and what we feed our souls. Our body and soul each have their own food. No matter how much knowledge you acquire, you will not be satisfied. Dear ones, if you want to sell these discussions, people may not give you a peace of bread because there is a belly market, and people are immersed in the material world and do not understand what these teachings and truths mean at all.
Our bodies also require material nourishment since knowledge is ineffective for physical strength; we need bread to be powerful. The soul expresses the same sentiment: colorful meals, money, rank, reputation, and wealth are not beneficial for me; they are animal qualities. Being a monarch, minister, or lawyer does not benefit the soul. These are the credits of worldly existence, and they belong to the body.
Many ministers and general managers approached Mr. Keshmiri (great Islamic mystic), asking him to accept them as disciples and teach them heavenly wisdom. He answered, “I will guide you, but on the condition that you resign from your position”. They would go and never come back. When I started going to Allameh Hassanzadeh’s classes, I was studying a lot. Once, he said, “Yes, you studied a lot, you know many things, but these are like lifeless faces in you, like faces on TV. They have no life; these faces must come to life in you”.
This wisdom must dwell in our souls; as it penetrates our hearts, our souls expand. No matter how much we study and memorize mystical concepts, they do not influence us. If this knowledge resides in the heart, it leads to good deeds. We should not be like what the Holy Quran says, “The example of those who were entrusted with the Torah, but then failed to uphold it, is like the donkey carrying works of literature” (Al-Jumu’a). They are like donkeys carrying celestial books because knowledge has not entered their hearts. As a result, when lust and worldly pleasures arrive, they forget everything and pursue transient worldly joys, selling their afterlife for a very low price.
Prophet Muhammad (S) said, “There is nothing that is a thousand times better than its kind except a believer”. A believer is a thousand degrees superior to another believer, which means his soul is a thousand times greater than another’s. If we want to calculate the greatness of the soul by age, one believer will be one year old, and another will be a thousand years old. “Unto Him the angels and the Spirit ascend on a Day the duration of which is fifty thousand years” (Al-Ma’arij:4). One interpretation of the “Day” is the capacity of the human soul. A day that is 50,000 years old signifies that someone has attained the extension of existence and perfection of 50,000 years or that they are 50,000 years older than those who have grown by one year.
Allameh continued, “Water represents the manifestation and shadow of life and knowledge, whereas the body is the lower level of the soul and its shadow”. If we strive to give life and knowledge shape in this world, they will take on the form of water. One of the conditions for the emergence of life is water. On the other hand, the body is the lowest order of the Nafs, which means that the Nafs is a continuous reality. In other words, the body serves as a shadow for the spirit. Similarly, water represented the lowest degree of knowledge. When the body feels thirsty, it seeks water, which represents the shadow of life. However, the thirsty spirit seeks knowledge, which is the essence of life.
Dears, pay attention to the word “Amwat” (dead people) in the Holy Quran. “They are dead, not alive; and they do not know when they will be resurrected” (An-Nahl:21). In most hadiths, the dead represent ignorance. Some people are called dead because they lack knowledge or life, This wisdom is known as the water of life. When it is stated that he does not die, it does not imply that his body does not die, but rather that his soul does not die since many people are among the dead in the Hereafter.
In a dream, the Holy Prophet (S) saw the souls of Hamza and Jafar while they were eating food. He asked them, “What did you find most important and best over there?”. They said three things: First, to send blessings upon you, O Messenger of God. Second, the love of Amir al-Mu’minin. Third, quench the thirst. According to the hadith, the angels state that if we come to earth as humans, one of our tasks will be to quench the thirst. The apparent meaning is to give water to thirsty people; however, the inner meaning is to provide knowledge to those who yearn for it.
What was Jesus doing? He revived the dead and healed the sick. The inner meaning of a sick person is someone who has bad traits in him: he is stingy, jealous, and spiteful. In addition to resurrecting the dead, Jesus resurrected their souls and removed their ugly traits from them. The one who becomes alive with divine knowledge is eternally alive.
So, let’s revive ourselves with divine knowledge. Let’s understand who God is. What is this precise world and system of existence? Where am I? What am I doing? Where did I come from? Where do I go? What should I do? We must grasp heavenly wisdom and believe in it wholeheartedly. Many individuals follow the path of monotheism and study books, becoming literate. After a while, they become engaged in the adornments of the earthly world because they do not believe in their hearts. If we have trust in our hearts and comprehend where we came from and where we are going, we will not be overwhelmed by worldly temptations.
As a result, the human spirit needs the same nourishment as the human body. “Then let mankind look at his food” (Abas:24). Imam Sadiq (A) interpreted the preceding verse as indicating to be cautious about the knowledge we learn and from whom we get it. (Because knowledge is the soul’s diet; good knowledge promotes health, while bad knowledge promotes soul sickness).
Imam Baqir (A) said to Salama Ibn Kaheel and Hakam Ibn Otaiba, “If you go to the East and the West, you will never find the right knowledge, except that which is issued from our family (Ahl-Al Bayt)”.
We need to know from whom we are obtaining knowledge. “Then you will surely be asked that Day about pleasure” (At-Takathur:8). This is God’s certain promise that you will be questioned. Imam Sadiq asked Abu Hanifa, “What is this blessing?” Abu Hanifah states, “God has given us food, rice, stew, etc”. The Imam stated, “If you go to the home of a generous guy and he places food in front of you to eat, will he ask you later, “Why did you eat my food, and what did you do?” Abu Hanif said, “No. “The Imam said, “How can God, who is the greatest of all, question you about food?” Abu Hanifah asked, “What is the blessing which we will be questioned? “The Imam said, “The blessing that is asked is our love”. Almighty God has spared mankind from ignorance because of us. Those lights of guidance that save people from misguidedness are our lights.
If God questions me about food on the Day of Resurrection, I might say, O my Lord, you said it yourself in the Holy Quran that “And eat and drink, but be not excessive. Indeed, He likes not those who commit excess” (Al-A’raf:31).
Dears, let’s go back to our main topic and emphasis that just as the human body evolves and flourishes with nourishment, so does the human soul with science. The major distinction between a perfect person and an ignorant one is the extent of their knowledge. “Are those who know and those who do not know equal?” Only those possessed of reason will remember” (Az-Zumar:9). A knowledgeable person is never the same as an ignorant person. Knowledge has different degrees. Some knowledge is related to the material world, and some are related to the hereafter world or the origin of the world. In general, a knowledgeable person is not equal to an ignorant person; this is a general rule. For example, American and European countries are now ahead in material sciences. So, until we do not have those sciences, we will be at a disadvantage and will be defeated. According to this law, whoever is knowledgeable becomes the ruler. A knowing person reigns over an ignorant person, and this is unrelated to whether a person is a believer or an infidel. A non-believer may know worldly sciences and be able to defeat a believer. On the other hand, if a believer knows about the Hereafter, he or she will be the ruler in the Hereafter. So, conquest is accomplished by knowledge and intelligence.
This is why the Holy Prophet (S) advised, “Seek knowledge, even if it is in China”. At the time, the farthest place they wanted to set an example was China. Friends, a believer should gain knowledge, whether from a hypocrite or a non-believer. Divine sciences develop the human spirit. Of course, experimental sciences are also tied to the human spirit in some manner. Science is light, and it causes illumination. Brightness varies in intensity; it might be the light of a flashlight or the light of the sun. The science of monotheism and genetics are not the same. The science of the Hereafter cannot be compared to that of entomology and botany. The honor or level of science is determined by the “topic of science” or what is the topic of discussion for the knowledge. One science may focus on a cat, while another may explore the afterlife, God’s angels, or God Almighty. The significance of knowledge varies depending on the field of science.
In short, “science” strengthens the human soul, followed by action, but knowledge is the most important. We have a narration that says to the teacher on the Day of Judgment, “Come and intercede for your pupils in the same way that you have taught them, and promote and raise them”. At the same moment, two students might be in a class studying a scientific subject, yet one receives 10 points while the other receives 100. It signifies that one of them has 10% of the knowledge in his soul, while the other has 100%. Amir al-Mu’minin Ali (A) said, “The Messenger of God (S) whispered a phrase in my ear that opened a million doors of understanding for me. Abu Bakr and Umar inquired about what the Messenger of God said to me. When I told them that the Messenger of God stated the phrase, these two started laughing, making fun of me, and repeating the term”.
An infant who is born with the ability to drink milk exclusively will ultimately be able to eat porridge. He will be able to eat more meals as he gets older, including meat and heavier meals. The soul functions similarly. Initially, the person attends class, sits for an hour, and learns just two basic concepts; over time, the soul receives reinforcement and grows to comprehend the most significant and expansive scientific discussions. Allameh Hassanzadeh once said, “No other book can provide me with knowledge but the Qur’an”. A person can reach a place where no book can satisfy him except the Qur’an, but these things happen slowly; a person must work hard to be able to receive these types of knowledge. Because “None can grasp it except the purified” (Al-Waqa’ah:79), it is forbidden to touch the Qur’an without abolition. Another interpretation is that a soul that has not been purified does not understand the Qur’an, even if it is a brilliant scholar or produces a commentary on it. Because comprehending the Qur’an or getting to the heart of the Holy Qur’an is extremely difficult.
That is, even if a person knows Tajweed, recitation, interpretation, and other related skills, it cannot be guaranteed that he understands the Qur’an. The Qur’an is endless. When a person reaches a certain degree of purity, he notices that the Qur’an provides him with fresh meanings that others do not grasp at all. At that time, the Qur’an addresses a specific individual and delivers its inner meanings to its purified reader. When such a Qur’anic reciter sees a verse, he realizes that reciting it will, for example, open the door lock. A person asks himself, “God, how clearly this secret is written; why don’t people understand?” Why don’t people see this secret in the Quran? For example, it is plainly stated that if you recite this dhikr, the sick person will be cured, or that if you do so, God will give you a child, or that God will provide you prosperity. Why don’t people see these secrets?
Fasting is one approach to achieving spiritual purity. In his book Letters and Plans, Allameh Hassanzadeh stated, “A person who is full does not become thirsty or hungry for God”. Prophet Jesus (A), son of Lady Mary (A), said, “O apostles! Keep your tummies empty, and perhaps you will see your Lord through your heart”. The Prophet of God, may God bless him and grant him peace, said, “Make your stomachs hungry, your livers thirsty, your bodies naked, and your hearts cleansed. May you surpass the inhabitants of the sky (angels)”. According to Imam Sadiq (A), a thirsty body desires water, whereas a thirsty soul seeks knowledge.
Amir al-Mu’minin Ali (A) describes the scientist as a palm tree. Imam Ali stated: “When you are sitting in front of a divine scholar, it is like sitting under a palm tree; dates may fall at any moment”. Dears, you are aware that as a date ripens, it separates from the tree and falls. As you rest against a palm tree and enjoy its shade, a date may fall for you at any time, and you may eat it. It implies that when you sit in front of a scholar, you may learn something that broadens your spirit.
However, regarding the end of time, there is a narration from Imam Sadiq (A), who says: “There will come a time when knowledge will be entangled like a snake that crawls in its hole”. It means that knowledge will be gathered. Knowledge is no longer widespread. That is, wherever you go, you will not find a divine scholar. There are many clerics, but you will not find a true scholar who talks about monotheistic and divine truths.
So, dear ones, we must feed our souls divine wisdom. Of course, we’re not suggesting you shouldn’t learn material sciences. We should go to university and take classes, but we must also seek divine knowledge.
Allameh then stated, “And know that food, with all the differences in its types, is a manifestation of the quality of survival, and it is one of the servants of Qayyum (Ever Lasting) Name of God. Eating is also the survival of the appearance of the Name of Zahir (outer/appearance) and its rulings”.
In the mystic view, all the worlds are manifestations of divine Names, the names of Allah. Every name has servants. For example, a teacher is one of the servants of the Name “Alim” (Knower) because he spreads knowledge. Gabriel is also one of the servants of the Name “Alim”. The baker is a servant of the Name “Razaq” (Provider). Satan or evil people are among the servants of the Name “Al-Muzil” (Misleading). “Al-Muzil” is one of the Names of Allah. Prophets are manifestations or servants of the Name “Al-Hadi” (guide). Food is also a manifestation or servant of the “Al-Qayyum” (Sustainer/Ever-Lasting) Name of God. That is, creatures need food for their survival.
Every creature has its own food. Every world also has its own food. For example, we have a narration about the angels: that the food and wine of the angels is the sanctification and glorification of God. It means that they also have food, but their food is not material foods, it is not rice, meat, etc. “And certainly did Our messengers come to Abraham with good tidings; they said, “Peace.” He said, “Peace,” and did not delay in bringing [them] a roasted calf. (69) But when he saw their hands not reaching for it, he distrusted them and felt from them apprehension. They said, “Fear not. We have been sent to the people of Lot”.” (Hud:69-70) because Immaterial entities do not consume materialistic foods.
An earthworm, a firefly, a cell in your body, and mine all have one sort of nourishment. A plant has one type of food, and so does an animal. Every organism has its own form of nourishment. As a result, all organisms in the material and immaterial worlds have different types of nourishment. Food, in all its forms, represents the quality of survival. Our bodies require food to function, and the human spirit requires sustenance to be alive.
In our discussion of “Creation of Beings,” we said that creation does not occur all at once but rather that God creates us moment by moment since “Allah is the Creator of all things” (Al-Zumar: 62). God is making us moment by moment. If creation stops for a moment, we shall all be nothing. When you imagine a structure, you create it in your mind. How long can this building exist in your mind? Should you turn your focus away from the structure for even a second, it will cease to exist. You must keep creating this in your mind this in your mind, and then maintain it. Creation is in the same manner. Creation does not imply that God created the world one day , and we came into being on our own. Rather, creation is permanent; it is happening moment by moment, and God provides food to His creatures momentarily.
The discussion of “Tajadud Amthal” (the repetition of likeness) in mysticism and “Harakat Juhari” (movement in essence) in philosophy is the same. God is always bestowing grace on beings. God’s food is constantly distributed to all beings. This is the public table. Satan, man, animal, heaven and hell, believer and unbeliever, and all animals eat food.
Let’s go back to our main topic. So, the consistency of the soul depends on the food it eats and the knowledge it has. The more the human soul is fed, the more knowledge is acquired and the more human it becomes. Knowledge, which is the nourishment of the soul, comes in various degrees. For example, we can sit and read a book to learn; this is a form of nourishment. Sometimes, when we read the Holy Quran, something is revealed to us; this is a form of food. At some point, a person reaches the level of heavenly visions; it is another form of nourishment. And man can reach a point where he can receive wisdom from God even without Gabriel’s assistance. This is also a type of divine food called “Ladunni knowledge”. “And they found a servant from among Our servants to whom we had given mercy from us and had taught him from Us a [certain] knowledge” (Al-Kahf:65).
Is this knowledge mentioned elsewhere in the Qur’an? Because this position is a very high rank for a person to reach. “Recite in the name of your Lord who created – (1) Created man from a clinging substance. (2) Recite, and your Lord is the most Generous – (3) Who taught by the pen – (4) Taught man that which he knew not (5)” (Al-A’laq:1-5). God says, “He taught man what he did not know”.
In the discussion of self-knowledge, we proved that even material sciences are given by the “Aql-e-Fa’al” (active intellect) or angel Gabriel (A). Experience, reading books, teachers, and tapes are all helpers. That is, they are helping us to receive knowledge from the active intellect.
Some spiritual meals or heavenly wisdom are inappropriate for the uninformed, such as kebab, which is not recommended for newborns. It was an article that one of Allameh Hassanzadeh’s pupils wanted to write and publish. Allameh said, “No, don’t do that. The majority of people’s throats are tight; they can’t swallow, digest, or even accept this topic”. Sometimes, a person accepts one idea at a time but cannot understand or digest it, but sometimes, people do not even accept an idea. Sometimes, people swallow something, and it takes ten years for the meal to be digested in their spirit to understand it. That is why we have repeatedly advised you, dear ones, to write down and memorize these discussions; you might not be able to understand them fully now, but you might be able to understand them 10 or 20 years later. Sometimes, some topics cannot be understood in this world but can be realized in the Hereafter.
Muhammad Mahdi Me’marian
All praise is to God to the extent that He deserves it.
