By purification of deeds we mean that
a particular deed should itself be justified and also be done with sincere
motives. In other words, motivation is something through which we can determine
the purity of a deed. Sometimes, an act appears to be very virtuous at
the outset but when scrutinized, the motives working behind it turn out
to be awfully heinous. Such an act is not accepted by God. Similarly, sometimes
a doctor removes an ailing part from a patient’s body, but his act can
never be branded as cruel because his motive was to save his patient from
fatal effects that could have spread in his entire body. A Municipality
sometimes demolishes a building, but we don’t declare it a tyrannous act
only because it aims at the welfare of that locality’s populace.
On the contrary, consider that someone
has opened an orphanage, or built a mosque, or erected a school in order
to serve the Almighty and his own people. However, if his ill motives are
disclosed to the masses as to pile up wealth or to show off no one gives
any value whatsoever to his undertakings.
This is why Islam attaches such great
importance to the motives behind an act, so much so, that even a deed very
pious and good in nature does not carry any value unless done with pure
motives. Likewise, someone may not be held responsible for a bad act which
has emanated from him unintentionally or for an evil act which he somehow
perceived good and carried it out with pure intentions.
The question regarding good or bad motives of our acts
originates from the freedom of intent. Man is not a passive entity, an
immobile tree or senseless animal whose acts must be judged in their apparent
form while no thought is given to the motives working behind them. No doubt,
ignoring the motives ultimately means that we are equating man to animal.
It is for this reason that Islam gives
importance to only those deeds which are done with freedom of intent. The
deed which one is forced to do or which one performs unintentionally or
accidentally has no importance in Islam. In other words, the question of
acceptance or rejection is only concerned with deeds carried out knowingly
and with proper intention. Allah will certainly accept an act done with
pure intent whereas the one done with impure intent will be dealt with
accordingly no matter how decent it appears to be at the outset. The following
narrative sheds light on this very reality:
‘Umar (rta) narrates that he heard the
Prophet (sws) say: Actions are judged by intentions. Every person will
be held accountable for his intention. If someone migrated really in the
way of Allah and His Messenger (sws), then his migration will be counted
so. If someone migrated to meet a mundane purpose or to marry a woman he
loves then his migration will be counted for the act before him. (Bukhari,
No: 52)
Islam attaches such importance to intention
that sometimes an evil act is added to a person’s account before he actually
commits it because of his firm intention. Similarly, a person is not deprived
of the reward of a virtuous deed which he intends to do but somehow fails
to do so. The reason being that he had full intention of carrying out that
deed, but failed because circumstances prevented him. The following two
narratives throw light on two aspects of the issue at hand:
Abu Bakrah (rta) narrates that the Holy
Prophet (sws) said: ‘If two Muslims draw their swords to slay one another,
both of them, the victim and the victor, will go to Hell’. I asked:
‘O Allah’s Prophet (sws), the murderer going to Hell is quite clear, but
how can the victim go there?’ The Prophet (sws) replied: ‘Because he also
had intended to kill his rival’. (Bukhari, No: 30)
The narrative regarding rewarding a person
for good intentions follows:
Anas (rta) narrates: ‘We were returning
from the Tabuk expedition when the Prophet (sws) said: “There behind us
in Madinah are those who despite being in their homes accompanied us in
every pass we trudged and every valley we crossed. These are the people
who were left behind because of a reasonable excuse”.’ (Bukhari,
No: 4071)
Motives of Deeds
After explaining the importance of
intentions and motives working behind deeds, it seems appropriate that
we analyze the human psyche and find out the real factors, which prompt
us on doing certain acts. There could be many motives of human activity
but a thorough study of human psyche shows that these can be arranged under
five major categories. These are:
i. Needs
ii. Desires
iii. Sexual Desires
iv. Emotions
v. Divine Spark
i. Needs
By needs we mean the basic necessities
of life on which our existence depends. These needs force a man into various
acts. For example, he eats when he feels hungry; drinks when he feels thirsty;
puts on clothes to cover himself; finds shelter and makes weapons to ensure
safety from dangers; gathers food for adverse weather conditions and builds
houses to face hot and cold weather.
ii. Desires
Desires are a developed form of needs.
Basic needs can be fulfilled by the very simplest of ingredients that can
satisfy our needs. For instance, we can do with very rough form of clothes
and very simple substance of food. However, human nature is instituted
such that man does not only want to fulfill his needs through meager and
simple resources but he has a taste for a variety of foods and loves different
kinds of drinks. Deciding to cover his body, he ends up adorning it with
the finest of attires. He does not just long for a simple shelter to protect
his self from hot and cold weather, but often yearns to live in very well-decorated
and comfortable lodgings. These desires prompt him to tread many paths
in this world. Actually, all the colors of the world are the natural outcome
of these desires. All the advancements in the fields of education and civilization
were spurred by these desires. It is these desires which are at work behind
all that is done in art and industry. These desires have developed a moral
value which renders the craving for respect and repute, the hunger for
immortality and the struggle for pre-eminence and domination, the most
important elements in life.
iii. Sexual Desire
Although sexual desire could have
been placed under the category ‘Desires’, we have portioned out a separate
place for it because the basic drive here is sex. Many other desires also
come into being as a necessary consequence of this drive. It is difficult
to list the achievements that have been influenced by man’s sexual desires
because there is much controversy as to what has really been prompted by
the desire for sex. However, it is an undeniable fact that this desire
has led man to most of the magnificent works done in the fields of art,
industry, literature, culture and civilization. Any other factor could
hardly claim such great influence on these fields.
iv. Emotions
By emotions we mean love and compassion,
hostility and hatred, envy and jealousy, honor and nobility, wrath and
revenge, etc. These emotions have deep effects on the human mind and manifest
themselves dynamically. They force a person to carry out various acts.
Many of humankind’s feats – both good and bad – are a manifestation of
these emotions. They are analogical to steam, which can be very useful
if kept controlled, but causes irreparable loss if let loose. So this force
is very useful if handled wisely, otherwise it can be a source of grave
dangers for humanity.
v. Divine Spark
By divine spark we mean the divine
spirit that the Almighty has blown into man. In the words of the Holy Qur’an:
I breathed into him of my spirit. (15:29)
This divine spark in man is the reason
that the angels prostrated before him. It enables him to differentiate
between right and wrong. He has learned to appreciate moral values because
of this quality. He is attracted to God because he has received this light
from the Almighty. It always drives him upward if mundane needs try to
overpower him. All positive qualities of man, which distinguish him from
other creatures, spring from this source. This is the spark which subsequently
made him capable of receiving revealed guidance. In short, it is this divine
motive that prompts man to do good works and, subsequently, encourages
him whenever he does so. Conversely, it rebukes him if he commits wrong.
The Qur’an has also used the term Nafs-i-Lawwamah (reproaching
self) for it. The Almighty swore by it in Surah Qiyamah of the Qur’an
and
offered it as a very important argument present within man as proof of
the Hereafter. Those who follow the theory of evolution presented by Darwin
are not aware of this divine spark in man. This ignorance either leads
to their failure to explain certain human inclinations or takes them to
wrong conclusions in this regard. These people wander in search of some
broken links in the chain of so-called evolutionary theory whereas they
should seek the link provided by God, which the Holy Qur’an alludes
to.
Role of these Motives
These motives are actually the source
of every human activity. A critical analysis of all human activities will
reveal that each of them is a direct result of one of these motives.
Once we succeed in establishing such
importance for these motives, some questions inevitably arise. Is it intellectually
and morally proper for a person to let himself be driven by these motives
in whatever direction they take him? Although most people hand their reins
over to their desires and needs, no sane person would answer the question
in the affirmative. Most will declare that none of these motives can be
trusted. The reason for this denial is that the first four motives, needs,
desires, sexual desires, and emotions, have been proven totally blind.
These only target satisfaction of their primary urge. They never account
for what is legal and what is not, nor what method should humans employ
to achieve their targets. They compel man to look for water to quench his
thirst and food to kill his hunger like an ox or a donkey would. A person
seems less concerned about moral or legal limits in fulfilling these desires.
Every avenue that can potentially fulfill their desires must be trespassed,
even if it is forbidden. People driven by these motives know no contentment,
sacrifice or moderateness. They cause people to measure things with their
stomachs, similar to a donkey. In a nutshell, those who spend their lives
under the influence of these motives seldom attach importance to moral
and legal limits. These are the people about which the Holy Qur’an
says:
They eat like animals. (12:48)
However, the fifth motive is undoubtedly
reliable in that it abides by the instructions of our sense of morality
and our faculty of reasoning. It is divine in its essence and it leads
towards Allah. Therefore, there is no danger that it will trap us in a
worldly mirth. A little deliberation here reveals that despite its good
traits it also has a negative effect upon us because it forces us to move
in a single direction. This one sidedness, if let free, does not compromise
with other drives. Thus, the fifth motive sometimes ignores the others
without giving attention to the basic needs of the person driven by it.
Consequently, it causes the combination of imbalance and extremism as we
find in the lives of monks and ascetics.
Remedies for these drawbacks
It has been made clear that none of
these motives can be trusted. They are good in one aspect but are harmful
if viewed from another. No doubt, their presence is necessary to pull the
cart of our life. However, if they are given reign over our lives we know
not where they will lead us.
Thus, the nagging question is if these
motives are necessary for life and are also harmful, then what is to be
done in order to cleanse them of imbalance and extremism. Islam has guided
us to two things that will help us avoid this extremism. First, the real
target of all these motives should be seeking the pleasure of God. Second,
these motives should be subject to the limits set by Allah and legal injunctions
of the Shari‘ah.
Setting the target of pleasing God
does not mean that all our motives would have to abandon their material
demand and wants. Rather, material demands and cravings will certainly
be present, the difference being that previously their target was satisfying
the mortal self and now it is winning the pleasure of God. Until now we
were eating and drinking to meet the bodily needs of our self, but now
we do so in order to obey our Master. Similarly, we were previously interested
in our family for self-gratification, but now it becomes a source to win
Allah’s favor. We loved and hated because of our own feelings and now our
feelings of love and hate are for the sake of Allah alone.
One must not consider this a superficial
or ordinary change. It is very important and has far-reaching consequences.
When we perform an act for the sake of someone else, their tastes and interests
are prominently reflected in that act. The liking or disliking of others
is either ignored in this act or it is only considered in accordance with
liking of the real person. If observed keenly, it becomes clear that there
is a world of difference between the anger we express because of our self
and the one we express on violation of God’s decrees.
For the reasons mentioned above, only
those of our good acts will be rewarded which are done to please God. If
the pleasure of Allah is not the real aim then an act is worth nothing,
no matter how pure it may seem. If done with this purpose in mind, even
providing for one’s wife becomes an act of worship. However, if actions
are performed for any other motive, even an act as virtuous as Jihad
becomes
a naked mundane act. Consider the following sayings of the Prophet (sws):
Whatever you spend seeking Allah’s pleasure you
will be rewarded on that, even on feeding your wives a bite. (Bukhari,
No: 54)
Abu Musa ‘Ash‘ari (rta) narrates: The
Prophet (sws) was asked: ‘A man fights to prove his gallantry, the other
does so because of his ego and yet another fights for show. Whose fight
among these can be called Jihad in the way of Allah?’ The messenger
of Allah replied: ‘Fight of that person can be declared done in the way
of Allah who fought to hold the religion of Allah high’. (Bukhari,
No: 6904)
Observing the limits prescribed by Allah
means these motives should not be left free to reign on their own. Rather
they should be governed by instructions issued by the Shari‘ah.
In short, their scope must be confined to the limits demarcated by Allah.
He has indeed prescribed some limits regarding what we eat or drink, our
sexual desires, feelings of love and hate, and even worship. These limits
differentiate between the allowed and the prohibited, permissible and intolerable,
and define every thing as obligatory, optional or recommended. It is very
important to observe these limits and conditions. Man gets closer to God
by respecting these limits. As an obvious corollary of this compliance
comes moderateness in every aspect of our lives, which transforms every
act and saying of ours into deeds of worship no matter how worldly their
nature may be.
If the foregoing explanation is kept
in view, it becomes evidently clear that the only cure for the blindness
of these motives is to become aware that our ultimate goal should always
be to seek the pleasure of God. In a nutshell, observing the limits set
by the Shari‘ah puts a check on the extremeness of these driving forces.
Two essentials
As mentioned earlier, we need to seek
the pleasure of God and follow the Shari‘ah in order to keep these motives
on the straight path. Consequently, the real task is to learn how to keep
the target of pleasing God before our eyes and never ignore it in all worldly
affairs. To my mind, two things can help us accomplish this task: remembering
Allah and keeping the thought of the Hereafter fresh in mind.
Remembering Allah
By remembering Allah we mean not only
remembering Him occasionally but also keeping this remembrance alive in
our heart. We should remember our Lord at every turn we take during a day.
This will surely prevent us from taking any wrong turns. We must remember
Him during every activity we undertake. This will surely save us from wandering
far away from the real path. This remembrance should be done with an open
mind, being fully conscious and appreciative so that it does not become
a mere verbal exercise. It is not sufficient to repeat the name of Allah
but to always keep in mind what is communicated to us through His attributes
regarding his interactions with His creatures. In addition, we should always
seek His guidance and help and also ask for His forgiveness for our mistakes.
Due to this remembrance a man’s heart is fully devoted to his God and if
by any trick of Satan he stumbles, God protects him.
Another fact that needs to be kept
in mind is that when a person forgets his Lord, he in fact forgets himself
because he no longer remains aware of the purpose of his presence in this
world. Who has created him? Where will he go after this world ends? Who
blessed him with all the blessings he enjoys? Why has he been blessed?
Who and why has bestowed upon him all the powers and abilities he has?
How do these blessings stand in conformity with his status in this world?
As soon as he forgets Allah, he forgets all these things. Once he decides
to blindly fulfill his mundane desires, he falls to a place even worst
than the one occupied by animals. The Holy Qur’an has alluded to
this reality in these words:
They forgot Allah and He made them unaware of
themselves. (59:19)
On the contrary when man remains aware
of God, he in fact remains aware of himself. He understands the significance
of every moment of his life. He knows that he is the vicegerent of Allah
on this earth and that because of his abilities angels prostrated before
him. He is clear about the fact that after this ephemeral life is over,
he will certainly get eternal joy and happiness. This creates in him awareness
of all matters in his life. He considers that all blessings are entrusted
to him and therefore he deals with all things in light of this consideration.
This remembrance must be an ongoing
process. As breathing is the basic requirement of physical life, remembrance
of Allah is necessary for our spiritual life. It does not mean that
we should leave all other activities of life and go into seclusion for
the very purpose of remembrance. We don’t need to abandon our activities
in order to remember our Master. Rather, the true nature of this remembrance
manifests itself in our financial worries, intricacies of relations with
others, and practical struggle for the establishment of the religion. This
remembrance should be kept alive while striving to keep all the activities
of life going. The Holy Qur’an indicates the matter in the following
words:
[Men] who keep remembering Allah while standing,
sitting, and lying down on their sides, and contemplate the wonders of
creation in the heavens and the earth [with the thought]: ‘Our Lord! not
for nothing have you created all this. Glory to You; give us salvation
from the torment of the Fire’. (3:191)
This verse shows that remembering Allah
keeps us on the right path when accompanied by the thought of the Hereafter.
The words: ‘while standing, sitting and lying’ indicate that this remembrance
is required to be performed in active life. Man does not need to abandon
all his worldly activities in order to remember the Master of this universe.
Concern about the Hereafter
Concern about the Hereafter is in fact an aspect of the
remembrance of the Almighty. This remembrance is useful only on the condition
that we add concern of the Hereafter to it. It means that man pays heed
to the fact that his life and the blessings of this world are mortal. All
those who came into being are bound to die. Death is certain to visit all
the infants, the young and the old. Nobody knows how long his breath will
last. The rich and the destitute, the learned and the ignorant, the weak
and the mighty all are subject to death. Every one has to face the darkness
and loneliness of the grave. Allah has not created this world without any
purpose and He is not affected by our decision of whether we spend our
life following the right path or dissipate it in worldly affairs. He will
certainly count our each and every saying and deed. We will not be able
to hide anything from Him. Our dishonesty and deception will be caught.
No interceder will be able to save us except with the permission of God.
Nothing will bring us close to God except belief and virtuous acts. Allah
is just as well as merciful and forgiving. Both His mercy and justice will
be demonstrated in a perfect balance in the court of the Hereafter. Whoever
is punished will suffer forever and whoever is blessed with Paradise will
enjoy an eternal life. The truth of the matter is that we can neither imagine
the severity of the torture nor the blessings that Allah has in store for
us in the Hereafter.
Some Obstacles
If a person keeps on remembering Allah
and remains conscious of the Day of Judgment, he will certainly be aware
of his final target – all his actions should be for the sole purpose of
pleasing God. It will also help him observe the limits set by Allah.
However certain human weaknesses obstruct
this remembrance and meditation. The most prominent of such hindrances
is our tendency towards procrastination or overlooking our obligations.
The second major obstacle is unchecked love for this worldly life and wealth.
The third one is the demand of our desires, be they sexual or otherwise.
Islam has prescribed cures for all
these diseases. Prayer cures indolence and carelessness. Spending in the
way of Allah cures the illness of undue love of this life, fasting counters
the urges of all desires. However, the most comprehensive cure of the three
is Hajj.
(Translated from ‘Tadhkiyah – i – Nafs’ by Tariq Hashmi)
|