Word 53: The one whose speaking soul’s gem has reached its perfection and development views graves as the burial place of corpses and material bodies as the graves of souls…

Word 53: The one whose speaking soul’s gem has reached its perfection and development views graves as the burial place of corpses and material bodies as the graves of souls. “You cannot make hear those in the graves” (Fatir:22). He considers voluntary death to be the perfection of the rational soul and natural death to be the completion of this perfection. “Whoever dies, his resurrection will arrive”.

Most times, the term “perfect human” refers to the 14 infallibles, but sometimes, it refers to a person who has attained perfection in the divine path.

Allamah said that when the one who becomes perfect views graves as the burial place of corpses and material bodies as the graves of souls. We have discussed many times that the punishment for the grave mentioned in the narrations is related to Barzakh (the Intermediate world between material and the resurrection) and not the grave where our body is buried. The human body is a representation of ourselves. When a person dies, the soul separates from the body, and the body becomes like a stone with no effect. To honor the fact that the body belongs to a Muslim, Islam requires that it be washed, cleaned, buried, and poured soil over. Perishing and decomposition are normal processes that should not take place in the presence of others. As a result, it should be placed in the grave and covered in order to maintain Muslims’ dignity and respect.

We know that people will be resurrected from their graves on the Day of Resurrection. The question is: which graves are we referring to? Does this refer to the graves in which our corpses are buried? Sometimes, after 50 years of decomposition, the bulldozer moves the earth for new burials, and sometimes, over centuries, floods, wind, and rain wash the graves away. The graves from which individuals will be revived on the Day of Resurrection are from their Barzakh, not the graves associated with their material bodies.

Allameh said that perfect humans see material bodies as the graves of souls. People’s souls are buried in their bodies, like the body hidden inside the grave. The Nafs is buried and trapped by the attachments and affections of the material body. Our soul is captive and obedient to the body and its desires. We have been ordered to “‌Audit yourself before you are audited” and “Die before you die”.

We have two types of death, “voluntary death” and “natural death”. Natural death fully separates the soul from the body, whereas voluntary death frees the soul from the body’s attachments. In the same way that in natural death, a person is separated from all worldly attachments, in voluntary death, a person voluntarily separates himself from worldly temptations. That is, a person dies by his own will before he dies naturally, and a person can reach a stage where his death is under his control. This is not suicide, so understand it deeply.

Attar Neishaburi, a prominent Islamic mystic, was born around 1146 AD in Neishabur. He owned a drugstore. During his day, pharmacists performed nearly the same duties as general practitioners. They evaluated the patient and, based on the description of the patient’s condition, wrote a prescription for medications accessible at the drugstore. The tale behind Sheikh Attar’s spiritual development is equally noteworthy. It is stated that one day, Attar was doing business in his shop when a dervish approached him and requested help, saying, “Give something to me for God’s sake,” but Attar did not give him anything. Dervish asked him: Sir, how do you want to die? Attar remarked, “Just as you leave this world”. Dervish asked: Can you die like me? Attar said yes. The dervish died with his wooden bowl under his head, repeating the phrase “Allah”. When Attar witnessed this, he was profoundly transformed, leaving the business and altering his life forever. Following this incident, Attar becomes a follower of Sheikh Rakn al-Din Nishaburi. He is regarded as one of the most prolific Iranian poets and mystics; according to his novel, he left more than 180 books, around 40 of which are poems, and the remainder are prose. He also held a significant position in the realm of mysticism. Until the end of his life, Attar spoke with many of his era’s mystics and compiled Sufi and mystic anecdotes. His most significant work, Tazkiratu al-Awaliya, is a biography of several mystics.

In a sermon, Amir al-Mu’minin Ali (A) explained the status of the pious, “Almighty God created the creatures while He did not need their obedience and was safe from their sins, because neither the sinners’ disobedience harms Him nor the obedient’s obedience benefits Him. After creating them, He distributed their nourishment and livelihood wisely among them and assigned everyone to his worldly station. But the pious in this world have virtues. They speak truthfully, dress modestly, and walk humbly. They have committed their ears to listening to good knowledge while closing their eyes to what God has prohibited them. Their state in hardship is identical to their condition in comfort and prosperity. If it had not been their destiny to live a worldly existence, their spirits would not be in their bodies even for a blink of an eye due to the longing for heavenly reward and dread of retribution. Because the creator manifested with greatness for them, therefore others become small. They are like those who have seen paradise and enjoyed it, as well as those who have seen hellfire and are tormented by it! Their emotions are heavy, and others are safe from them. (it is continued. This is one of the best sermons of Imam Ali (A)).

Therefore, for a voluntary death, the bonds that tie a person to the material world must be cut. Rumi presents a magnificent metaphor in the form of poetry. He compares the soul to a bird with a strong yearning to soar, but its claws, which are the world’s possessions or attachments, are trapped in the ground. Worldly attachments and dependencies are like a bird’s claw stuck in the material world. They make our soul a prisoner of this world and prevent the soul from flying to its original home, the immaterial world.

When a person dies, his soul is separated from his body and material ties, and he can see other worlds. As a result, if someone loses attachments to the body in this worldly life, which is voluntary death, he can have the same vision while he is still alive. The more joy we get from the material world, the more we grow attached to it. As a result, the longer a person lives, the more connected he or she becomes to the material world. Young people are not as connected to the material world as older people are. As a result, they can achieve perfection far more quickly.

Our Imams used to send some of their Shia followers to various cities to teach people. They used to say to the followers, “Go to the young people because the old people are rooted in this world like an old tree, and it is very difficult to make them straight. But a seedling that does not have strong roots in the soil can be straightened with a little help”. According to a narration, when someone reaches the age of 40 and does not follow God’s path, Satan will kiss their forehead and say, “You will never see the face of happiness again”.

We will all die one day, and our bodies will turn to dust, but our souls will travel through the Barzakh. “Indeed, you are to die, and indeed, they are to die” (Az-Zumar:30). However, voluntary death means that a person dies before he dies. One of the medieval mystics, Najmuddin Kobari, once said, “Imagine yourself dead. Do you care what you wear? Is it important to you if the price of gasoline goes up or down? Think you’re dead. Does it matter how much you are paid or what your job title is? If we believe we are dead, all useless and worldly attachments lose their value for us. We’ll discover real asceticism and freedom in our life.

Amir Al-Mu’minin Ali (A) in Nahj Al-Balaqa said, “Look at the world like those who have no desire for the world and those who are sick from it because, by God, the world will soon destroy its residents, and it will cause calamities to the careless revelers. What is lost from the world and left behind will not return. Its future is not clear what will happen to wait for it. Its happiness is mixed with sadness, and the strength and power of its men are becoming weak. So do not be deceived by the abundance of what pleases you because what will be with you in this world is little …”. When we see a beautiful car or house, let’s not be greedy for it; let’s be like dead people who are not interested in them. We all will die sooner or later.

Angel Gabriel (A) said to Prophet Muhammad (S), “O Muhammad! Live what you want, and you will die in the end; make friends with whomever you want, and you will be separated from him; do what you want, and its reward will come to you; do what you want and strive to meet it and (reward) You will receive it. O Muhammad! The honor and character of a believer is in his night prayer, and his honor is in refraining from hurting people”.

This is an inn. No matter how beautiful it is, our time to leave will come soon. Prophet Juses (A) said, “The world is like a bridge that we have to cross rather than standing on it and making it beautiful”. He also said, “Be a stranger in the world or be like a passer-by who doesn’t settle down in one place and doesn’t fall in love with worldly life”. The world does not deceive anyone; rather, individuals deceive themselves. The world responds, “If I showed you the beauties, I showed you the cemetery!” If I showed you life, I also showed you death! Have you not seen any of your family die? Have you not seen your sister, brother, father, mother, aunt, uncles, and pals die? Nobody will stay here forever. Everyone must travel to another world. You did not want to believe it. Finally, we must leave this world. We should prepare ourselves so that when they say, “Let’s go,” we may answer, “Yes, I am ready”.

Fasting is one of the practical ways to practice voluntary death. All prophets were cautious about their dietary habits. We have several narrations from our Imams concerning this. Amir Al-Mu’minin Ali (A) said, “Curse be upon the one who goes to hell because of his belly”.

The one whose only concern is what to eat; his price is what comes out of him. People were sitting in a hall. One person said, “I’m tired; how long should I work and this belly eat?!” Someone turned back and said, “Let’s reverse this. From now on, let the stomach work, and you eat!”.

It is enough for you that the Prophet Muhammad (S) be your role model and guide to understand the ugliness and defects of this world and the multitude of scandals and evils in it. The world was taken from him from all sides and given to others than him easily. He was abandoned, cut off from the world like a child from his mother’s milk. And gold and jewelry were taken away from him. And if you want to put the second person as a role model, this is Moses (A), Where he said: “Lord, I need what you give me of good things”. I swear to God; he did not ask God for anything but bread to eat. For a while, he was only eating the plants to the point where the greenness of the plant was visible through the thin membrane of his stomach. And if you want to put a third person at the head of your lesson, this is Prophet David (A). The owner of psalms and the singer of the people of heaven. He used to weave a basket with his hand from palm leaves, and he would say to his companions, “Which of you will help me in selling these and will eat bread”. And if you want, tell about Prophet Jesus (A). He used to put a stone as his pillow, and he wore rough clothes, and he ate unpalatable food. His bread was hunger, and his night lamp was the moon, and his shelter in the winter of the east and the west of the earth, and his fruit and vegetables were plants that the earth grows for cattle. He had no wife to seduce him, no child to make him sad, no wealth to prevent him from the Hereafter, and no greed to humiliate him. His feet were his ride, and his servant had two hands (narration).

It would be quite dishonorable to go to hell because of our stomachs. “Indeed, those who devour the property of orphans unjustly are only consuming into their bellies fire. And they will be burned in a Blaze” (An-Nisa:10). Those who devour orphanage property and unlawful property are unknowingly swallowing fire in their stomachs.

Another way to reach voluntary death is not to pay attention to clothes. We should not care what clothes we wear, not wear fancy clothes, and not care about the brand and style of clothes. Of course, this does not mean wearing torn and dirty clothes. Cleanliness is strongly encouraged in Islam. One of the well-known women mystics (Rabi’a) went to buy a rug for herself. The shopkeeper asked what color she liked. Rabi’a regretted shopping and threw the money into the Dijlah River. She said, “Now, when the debate about color starts, ignore it”. How should the furniture be? How big should our house be? These belong to the souls who are busy in this world and forget about the hereafter”. Rabi’a was asked what the best thing that a servant can do to get closer to God Almighty is? She replied, “Knowing that His servant does not love anyone other than Him in this world and the Hereafter”.

One day, the Messenger of Allah (S) saw a wooden bracelet in the hand of Siddiqa Tahira, his daughter Bibi Fatima Zahra (A). When the Messenger of God saw the bracelet, his face turned red, and he said: “My dear Fatima, be careful not to let the world deceive you!!”. It is not forbidden, and it is not a sin; don’t let the world occupy your heart with these things. You belong to another place; you are created for another purpose. Don’t be fooled by these things. The world is forbidden to the family of Muhammad (S). Fatima (A) soon after that removed the bracelet and gave it in the way of God.

Another way to achieve voluntary death is to ensure people’s harassment. It implies that we should disregard what others say behind our backs. God the Almighty must be pleased with me and the Imam of my time. Others may say anything they wish. Monotheistic people have neither hope nor fear of anything other than God. Imam Sadiq (A) said, “When you hold a diamond in your hand, do you get upset if people say that you have a walnut in your hand? No because you know what you have in your hand”. We should attempt not to get upset when someone swears. We should ignore what he says since I know I’m not like that. These are the air that comes out of the mouth.

There was a sick, impoverished scholar who was dying. Whatever his companion said, “Say: There is no god but Allah”. He merely gazed without saying anything! They repeatedly ordered him to proclaim, “There is no god but Allah”. He just glanced at them and didn’t say anything. He eventually healed and awoke from his deathbed. “Why didn’t you say: “There is no god but Allah”?” he was questioned. He said, “I had a brass pane, and I really love it. The devil appeared and threatened, “If you say ‘There is no god but Allah,’ I will take this from you”. So, I was terrified to utter anything in case the devil took it away from me. The key lesson is that the heart should not be connected to material life. Perhaps a poor person who feels very connected to the world or a wealthy person whose heart is not connected to the world. Our hearts should be free no matter what our wealth is.

Imam Hussain (A) preached in Karbala to Omar Saad’s troops, but they ignored him. Finally, he replied, “I, the prophet’s grandson, am preaching to you, but you are not listening. Do you understand why? Because your tummies are filled with Haram (forbidden)”. “And not equal are the living and the dead. Indeed, Allah causes to hear whom He wills, but you cannot make hear those in the graves”  (Fatir:22).

Therefore, the perfection of the soul is to be free from attachments of this world. Prayer is separation from something other than God. It is separation from the material world, and that is why prayer is heavy. It is difficult for most people because they have to be separated from worldly life. When the sword struck his head as he was praying, Ali (A), Amir Al-Mu’minin, said, “I swear by the Lord of the Kaaba, I am saved”.

Muhammad Mahdi Me’marian

All praise is to God to the extent that He deserves it.