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Worship, Obedience of God
Here, by worship we mean worship in the general sense which includes obedience of God, acting upon the injunctions and religious laws (Shariat), remembering God, invocation ('Dua'), seeking forgiveness, contemplating, having sincerity and in general all the aspects of obedience of God.
(*) (Usul-e-Kafi; vol. 2; Pg. 83)
About the importance of worship, suffice it is to say that it has been propounded as the goal of creation.
(*)
“And I have not created the Jinn and the man except that they should serve Me.” (Holy Quran: Zaariyat: 56)
The fundamental role of worship will be clear when the meaning of worship and its diverse dimensions and various effects are clearly explained.
Whatever will be referred to in this place will be the masculine aspect of worship.
After receiving the common guidance from the afore-mentioned ways, man becomes prepared for achieving the special guidance and the journey towards God i.e. more remembrance with regards to innate Ma'refat and a much higher level of heedfulness towards the gifted Ma'refat which has been given to the human beings in the previous worlds.
Now the question which arises is that how and by what means these remembrances and intensification of innate Ma'refat are achievable? Is it possible by producing more imaginations about God? Or it is assured through various ascetism and keeping one's self aloof from the people and going into seclusion?
In this regard, the divine religions have propounded the path of remembrance (of God) through the method of worship and have stated that the only way of journey towards God and His proximity and the only way of achieving the most sublime Ma'aref of God and the highest guidance is through the channel of worship and obedience.
(*)
“…And if you obey him, you are on the right way” (Holy Quran: Nur: 54)
In the verses of Quran and traditions of the Holy Imams worship has been mentioned as “Remembrance” (Holy Quran: Taha: 14, Jumsh: 9, Maedeh: 91, A'ala: 14 & 15), “The straigth path” (Holy Quran: Ale-Imran: 51, Zukhruf: 64, Yasin: 61), “The light and splendour of heart” (Dua-e-Kumail, Ghurar al-Hakam, Dharul Kutub, Qum; vol. 2; Pg. 479),
“The pleasure of the lovers” (Ghurar al-Hakam; vol. 1; Pg. 25),
“The path of the Prophets” (Shaikh Saduq 'Al-Khisal' Pg. 621),
“The path of reaching to God” (Behar al-Anwar; vol. 84; Pg. 134) and “Confession of His Divinity.” (Shaikh Saduq “Elal ush Sharaye,” Pg. 114)
Among the effects of worship we find such expressions as “Guidance” (Holy Quran: Nur: 54 and 'A1-Khisal' Pg. 621),
“Faith and light of Ma'refat” (A1-Khisal; Pg. 621),
“Increase in religion and un-forgetfulness of God” (Elal ush Sharayeh; Pg. 114),
“Fear of God and heartly satisfaction” (Usul-e-Kafi; vol. 2; Pg. 83),
“Salvation” (Holy Quran: A'ala: 14 & 15, Jumah: 10),
“Proximity” (Dua-e-Kumail) and “Satisfaction of God” (Al-Khisal; Pg. 621) Moreover, the devotees on the path of submission and remembrance have been called under the titles of “Ahl of God” (Ghurar al Hakam; vol. 1; Pg. 54) and “Companion of the Beloved”. (Ghurar al-Hakam; vol. 1; Pg. 15)
As such, worship is the path of illumination of the heart, the receiving of the lustre of Ma'refat of God and His remembrance and in short the path of special guidance and the highest recognition of God.
Similarly, prayers and other religious worships are the only way for reaching towards God. Compare this point with the following view: “At the time of unveiling of the inner part and its discovery and opposition with the apparent form of Shariat (religious laws), the duties are rendered null. This is because there exists no duty for the enchanted ones.[38]
The difference of these two sayings is the difference between divine path (reaching to God) and the human path.
From the above discussions, the role of religious precepts and teachings as a path of special guidance and intensification of innate Ma'refat becomes clear in religion and it becomes known that religion without precepts and teachings is imperfect. It is by keeping trace of this discussion and making clear its various angles that one can reveal the firm relation between the gnostic and convictional dimension and the practical and obligational dimension of religion and in the final analysis reach to this conclusion that the teachings of Prophets and Imams (A.S.) are collectively inter-woven and connected to each other while separation between its elements and lack of faith in some will bear no result other than remaining aloof from the school of revelation and stepping on the path of deviation.
Basically, one should confront the assault on culture and the alien information and give reply to their queries. If the Muslim society is possessing some problem it should strive in eliminating it by applying religious jurisprudence (Ijtehad) in religious sources and by taking the temporal and spatial conditions into view. If as a reaction to the cultural assault of the west and the phenomenon of blast of information, this method engages in summarizing religion in ethics or beliefs and deletes or limits the Shariat or shows less importance to it, then not only we have not done any service to religion but have also weakened it.
The matter is not that the (religious) precepts and Shariat are reckoned to be the essence of religion but the whole point is that Shariat and Worship are the only way for reaching to the essence of Ma'refat.
(*)
“And they were not enjoined anything except that they should serve Allah, being sincere to Him in obedience, upright, and keep up prayer and pay the poor-rate, and that is the right religion.” (Holy Quran: Baiyena: 5)
Third Stage: Submission in Divine Theology
At the time when man, by going through the stage of 'definition' (of God) and 'remembrance' sees the gifted and granted Ma'refat (gnosis) of God in the light of 'Fitrat' (innate disposition) and perceives with reality its essence he finds himself in front of two ways: “Submission and gratitude” and the other “denial and infidelity”
(*)
“Surely we have shown him the way: he may be thankful or unthankful.” (Holy Quran: Insaan: 3)
At this very halting place it is crucial that the fundamental and decisive choice of man in his guidance becomes clear. It is not improper to pursue the matter by setting forth a question. From the one side, Holy Quran attributes guidance to God and from the other side it severely emphasizes the choice of man and his position in his prosperity.[39]
Regarding the first set, one can mention the following verses:
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“Surely ours is it to show the way” (Holy Quran: Lail: 12)
(*)
“To make them walk in the right way is not incumbent on you, but Allah guides aright whom He pleases.” (Holy Quran: Bagarah: 272)
(*)
“Surely the (true) guidance is the guidance of Allah.” (Holy Quran: Bagarah: 73)
(*)
“Surely the guidance of Allah, that is the (true) guidance” (Holy Quran: An'am: 71)
The following verses on the other hand reveal the second point:
(*)
“So if they submit then indeed they follow the right way; and if they turn back, then upon you is only the delivery of message” (Holy Quran: Ale-Imraan: 20)
(*)
“Nay! It is surely an admonition. So whoever pleases may mind it.” (Holy Quran: Muddasir: 55 and 55)
Now, how should these verses be interpreted so that they are in harmony with each other and with respect to the other verses, reveal the position of Quran in this matter? By deliberating and reflecting over the verses it will become clear that discovery and perception of guidance is related to the discovery of the two stages of 'definition' and 'Submission' and guidance is consisting of two inseparable parts: One is the help and favour of God and the other is the acceptance and submission of man.
(*)
“Say: Surely the guidance of Allah, that is the (true) guidance, and we are commanded that we should submit to the Lord of the worlds.” (Holy Quran: An'aam: 71)
(*)
“It is upon God to introduce Himself to the people and it is upon them to accept Him after introduction” (Usul kafi; vol. 1; Pg. 164)
As such, introducing Himself and showing the path of goodness and righteousness and guiding towards the true path is from God's side. In contrast, seeking and searching the truth, accepting and bowing down before God and traversing the path of bondage and perfection are the duties of man.
(*)
“So if they submit then indeed they follow the right way” (Holy Quran: Ale-Imran: 20)
Guidance by way of 'definition' (of God) and being guided by means of 'submission' are in reality the two pillars from the pillars of logic of theology and the school of divine prophets which if linked together with 'reminding(s)', the pillar of divine theology becomes completed and the means of submission and servitude reach perfection. We have already spoken about 'definition' and 'reminding' in the past and the topic of this stage is the discussion of 'submission'.
Right over here it, we emphasize that the discussion of submission, like the discussion of definition and reminding is from the special qualities of divine religions and is from the specialities of the school of revelation. In the logic of Greek confirmation the talk is not about faith and belief or denial and disobedience towards Ma'refat and certitude. First of all in that logic, the criterion and basis is 'rational Ma'refat.' Secondly, in the course of this Ma'refat nothing such as heartly contract and faith or elusion from Ma'refat is imagined.
The philosophy of Greece reckons the real value and the true part of man to be the faculty of speech i.e. the faculty of thought. It does not speak about the acquaintance of heart in a person and about the heart which is the place of belief and disbelief and nor about free will and authority which is the basis of these two (i.e. belief and disbelief). These matters will gradually be mentioned in these very writings. So it is better to return back to the main topic and be after the discussion of 'submission'. This discussion will be set forth in two chapters: One is the basis of confession and denial and the other is the consequence and outcome of the path of submission.
The first part will reveal this matter that how man shows reaction in front of the clear path and the manifest Ma'refat and basically why and how man turns away from Ma'refat and reality and chooses obstinacy and transgression.
Chapter One: Obstacles and Stimulations of Submission
In verses and traditions much has been spoken about the obstacles of guidance and its manifold conditions and stimulation. Throughout Quran and the heavenly books the matter of moral vices and sensual habits have been propounded as the basis of belief and disbelief.
On the other hand, what can be insignificantly seen in the human gnostics is the effects of such kind of matters in theology and basically in every kind of Ma'refat and recognition. The source of these two viewpoints should each be looked for in the logic of theology.
After this, we shall strive to discuss the essential differences between these two viewpoints and explain them commensurate with our discussion and as per our ability.
1-Will Power and Driving Force[40]
Considering that man is having the means and the power to choose, he is therefore able to select each of the ways, which are opened before him. In instances when the behaviour of man has become endowed with goodness and evilness and reward and punishment are derived from them, free will and authority play a special and decisive role. Although, various internal and external factors too are having an effect on the behaviour of man, yet the free will of man, due to its special cause has reigned over the other factors and conditions and plays a basic and fundamental role.
The basic and fundamental point is that from the viewpoint of divine religions the driving forces and the different ground words like spiritual conditions, companionship and social relations, merely encourage and call man towards fulfillment or abandonment of an affair. These incentives will be effective in the emanation of action only when man himself selects through free will, one of them and pursues it.
In reality, the internal incompatible stimulation and the environment of man with its diversified conditions opens various ways before man and invites him to traverse them. However, selection will be fulfilled when man chooses through his will power one of the many ways and becomes determined in fulfilling it. In more precise terms, the strength of will-power is placed at the top of motives and stimulation and reigns over them and not that it is the effect and decree of the external conditions or according to some the very same conditions and desires. (In continuation, we shall have another reference of the discussion of free will and authority).
2-Relation of Ethics and Will-Power with Belief and Deed
Just as it was pointed out, the role of ethical virtues and vices in faith and deed and similarly the underlining on the matter of free-will and sovereignty of human-will upon the realm of faith and deed is among the outstanding points and criterions of divine Ma'aref. One of the matters which at times has been referred to in verses and traditions and which can be said to be from the indisputables of revelation and the certainties of religion is these very two matters. Incidentally this matter is reckoned to be one of the pivots of differences between the logic of confirmation of Greece and the innate logic of religions. For clarifying the matter, we have to discuss a little more about it.
Submission or denial occurs in places and degrees when man has traversed from the two stages of 'definition' and 'reminding', has witnessed God in the light of 'Fitrat' (innate disposition) and the divine argumentation has reached its perfect manifestation. As mentioned before, the innate Ma'refat is so intense in its lucidity and powerful in manifestation that it has been referred in Quran and traditions under such titles and names as 'heartly vision' and 'observation'. Similarly the Glorious Quran reckons the reminding and the innate proofs to be the 'clear signs' and illuminatory and indubitable reminders. Therefore, from the viewpoint of Islamic Ma'aref after man becomes reminded and conscientiously perceives the reality of the Exalted God, his soul and life gets cleansed from doubt and uncertainty and finds his Creator with His perfect and glorious Attributes just as He Himself has introduced.[41]
Here man's duty begins and it is here that the role of man in faith and disbelief becomes clear and this question arises that what is the reason of the disbelief of the disbeliever? In reply it should be said that even though free-will and authority is the actual reason and the fundamental factor in giving direction to man, yet other determinant factors are having an opening in this regard and prepare the ground of evil free-will and or good free-will without negating it. What are these determinants?
From the viewpoint of Quran, these driving forces are moral feebleness and heartly indignation since a gloomy heart never accepts light and is weary of it.
The verses of Quran reckons the reason for disbelief of the disbeliever and polytheism of the polytheists and their not being guided as “haughtiness and arrogance”, “injustice and jealousy”, “hatred and cruelty”, “lust and seeking superiority” and “debauchery and denial.” (These verses will come later on). Such kind of terms and concepts which can be seen throughout Quran indicates on the one hand that from the view-point of Quran, man in his actions possesses will and power of selection and the most important basis for unworthy choice is the ethical feebleness and spiritual vices which has grown from the past evil choices. On the other hand it reveals this meaning that the condition for reaching the path of guidance and religious belief is keeping pure the substance ('Teenat') and safeguarding the purity of heart and soul.
This matter relates the firm relation of the realm of ethics and beliefs from divine viewpoint and this relation is the same thing which the Greek philosophy was unable to explain and even explicitly rejected it.
“Relation between Ma'refat and virtue is the distinctive ethics of Socrates. According to him, Ma'refat and virtue are one, meaning that a learned man who knows what is the truth, also acts upon it. In other words, no person knowingly and intentionally will commit an evil act.” (Fredrik Kapilstan “History of Philosophy”; vol. 1; Pg. 155)
The analysis of Aristotle from the ethical viewpoint of Socrates too shows the same point. “According to some, when someone is possessing knowledge it is impossible and rather surprising that he gets influenced by some other power and like a curtain gets pulled towards any direction. This is the view of Socrates.” (Aristotle: Good Morals)
Therefore, Aristotle has severely overrun this view and said: “However, this Socratic view is clearly discordant with the reality.”[42]
Plato too took away this view exactly from his master. “Plato accepted Socrates view that virtue and Ma'refat are one.” (History of Kapilstan's philosophy; vol. 1; Pg. 298)
“He has been loyal to this thought that virtue is Ma'refat and that virtue is capable of being learnt just as he believed that nobody knowingly and intentionally performs an evil act.” (History of Kapilstan's philosophy; Pg. 299)
On the basis of ethical views of Socrates and Plato, there exists a necessary and indispensable relation between Ma'refat and action and the only motive and driving force of man's behaviour is his acquaintance and knowledge.
These two philosophers have reckoned knowledge to be the factor which gives shape to action and they have not considered any role for the spiritual instigation and internal desires in knowledge and Ma'refat. Moreover, they do not even take note of the free will and the created freedom of man. Basically, free will in its true sense is vague and indipictable in Greek philosophy. (In this connection, more will be said later on).
Because of the fact that the ethics of Socrates does not consider any role for 'desire', 'lust' and 'anger' in the behaviour of man, Aristotle has strongly condemned it and considers it to be far from truth. He recognizes the two factors of 'intellection' and 'desire' as the mechanism in man's behaviour and action and names both of them collectively as 'selection'.
“As such, the basis of ethical deed is free selection and the basis of selection is desire and an order which pays attention to ultimateness.” (Morals of Nikumakhs; Vol. 2; Pg. 5)
“As such we can say that selection of the determinant is an intellection based on desire and or a desire founded on reason” (Morals Nikumakhs; vol. 2; Pg. 5)
In accordance with what was said, Aristotle goes one step ahead than his predecessors. In addition to recognition and intellection, he refers to inclination and enthusiasm as an effective factor in ethical deed. This very point made Aristotle efficient enough to re-introduce the role of ethical feebleness and carnal desires. In spite of all these, he too like his predecessors was unable to depict and make clear free will, freedom and man's power and ability in action and inaction.
In spite of the fact that Aristotle had severely strived to explain free-will and selection in the Greek philosophy and has discussed about it in various chapters of his book of ethics,[43] yet in the fine analysis he reckons the 'act of free-will' to arise from desire (lust and anger) (Morals of Nikamakhs; vol. 1; Pg. 63) I and introduces 'selection' as 'desire' based upon 'reason'. (Same reference; vol. 2; Pg. 5 and vol. 1; Pg. 67)
As such, Aristotle does not believe in an independent identification for free-will separate from notion, confirmation and enthusiasm. The identification which makes man efficient (despite his inner desire) in relation to a special deed and the best knowledge, is resorting to the abandonment of that work and seeing his recognition as insignificant. In other words, the Greek philosophers have not depicted free will as being instrumental in man's sovereignty over his desire and Ma'refat. Rather they were adjudging man's free will to his own knowledge (in Socrates ethics) or to his rational desire (in Aristotle's ethics).
It seems that the unacceptable depiction of free will and authority by the Greek philosophers was having a root in their study of 'psychology' and 'humanities'. Aristotle who is the most eminent representative of Greek reflection believes in three outstanding powers for the soul.
“Soul is having three outstanding powers which are indicative of the truth as well as the basis for action.
They are sensation, intellection and desire”. (Same reference; vol. 2; Pg. 4)
When the sensual powers are confined to these three powers, the other human powers and qualities are described in such manner that they return back to these three powers. As such, free-will is not set forth as one of the primary qualities and characteristics of the soul and it is for this reason that in the analysis of behaviour, the free-will and selection returns back to the same intrinsic qualities and primity of soul i.e. intellection and desire.
Undoubtedly any philosopher who has not brought 'free-will' as one of the 'primary qualities of the sour' in his study of humanities and does not consider it to be derived from 'definition of man' and does not set or rather make it dominant over the other powers, will not be able to specifically describe free-will. Consequently compulsion and determinism will put on the garb of freedom and authority and it is obvious that such a philosophy will be entangled in all the necessities and effects of compulsion and coercion.
As against the Greek philosophical schools, the divine religions while emphasizing knowledge and awareness to be the effective factors, introduce carnal and sensual desires as the most important factor of man's turning away from the truth and stress upon the created freedom, ability and authority of man in his destiny. From the viewpoint of religions, after passing the two stages of 'definition' and 'reminding' man succeeds in conscientious comprehension and lofty recognition of God. As such, the only reason why man does not submit before God is the evil free will and following of desires by utilizing the voluntary and created power.
In other words, the recognition of God is a heartly Ma'refat (gnosis), not a mental and imaginary feature and this Ma'refat is the gift of God, not the discovery of man. Similarly, the real Ma'refat is manifested by reminding (and the argumentation is completed) and not by philosophical proof and confirmation. Therefore, the reason of disbelief of the disbeliever is evil morals and their evil free will, not mistake in imagination and error in the method of confirmation.
Undoubtedly, the successive stipulations and emphasizes of Quran regarding moral virtues and vices and their role in belief and disbelief is not capable of perception and explanation except from this viewpoint. Some of the Orientalist and some of the thinkers who are not acquainted with the logic of Quran in the matters of belief, when coming across such verses and traditions, depict religion merely in ethical and exhortative manner. According to the logic and ways of monotheistic religions in the matter of theology, ethics is one of the important basis of achieving the truth and not merely in the meaning of advice and exhortation. From the viewpoint of Quran and traditions, moral vices and the darkness resulting from it are counted to be one of the barriers of recognition and prepare the ground for the evil free will of man. In contrast, the moral virtues prepares the soul and the self of man in receiving the divine Ma'refat and the light of guidance.
Unfortunately, the religious sources and evidences have been less scrutinized and analyzed from this aspect. The result of such inattention is that the logic of theology of revelation is intermixed with the alien elements and most of the truths of Quran has been vaguely hidden behind the curtain. It should be known that most of the objections of the westerners and the deviators in religion are in reality in these very non-religious elements which in the course of time have become inter-mixed with Ma'aref and revelation in an unsuitable and un-matchable manner. The bedecking of religion from the non-religious elements (whether those elements be correct or incorrect) is one of the pressing duties of the Theological Centers in the field of Islamic research and one should look for the process of reforms in Islamic reflection in this area.
Notes:
[38] 38-Sharafuddin Dawud Qaisari - Rasa’el Qaisari - resalat-e-tawheed wa Nabuwwat wal Vilayat, chapter one Pg. 24. The scholar Laahiji, in compiling the matter says commonly: “If the absolute enchanted one is intoxicated or has become exterminated then there remains no religious duties for him, and if he is from the perfect ones (which was referred to in the third section) then even though from the view-point of un-official guidance he is charged with the injunctions of the Shariat and the commandments and prohibitions are not removed from him yet, he is no more in need of following any means for his perfection because he has reached to the extreme end of his perfection: “Commentary of Gulistan-e-Raaz”
[39] 39-The same question and want of its reply is the very one of the means of appearance of the two views of ‘Efraat wa Tafreet’ (going to two extremes) i.e. compulsion and freedom in the Theological centers of the Muslims. Of course, compulsion and freedom is having an ancient record among the human gnositcs and right from ancient times has drawn man’s thoughts towards it. However the apparent two-foldness of some of the verses of Quran especially in the matter of guidance on the one hand and the non-presentation of a plan comprehensive in this regard and the lack of separation between ‘divine guidance’ and ‘being guided’ on the other hand has not been ineffective in giving shape and intensifying the two schools of ‘Qadari’ (Free will) and ‘Jabri’ (determinists).
[40] 40-Driving Force: (*) By Driving Force is meant everything, which impels man towards his goal. We have selected this term for the reason that in it, there does not exist a causal coercion meaning. In the traditions too, this term has been used in this same meaning. (*) Injustice and encroachment drives man towards destruction. Commentary of Ibn-Mitham on hundred sayings of Amir ul Mo’meneen Ali (A.S.) Pg. 129.
[41] 41-Holy Quran: Baqarah: 89, l46, 2l3, 253, 254.
[42] 42-More discordant is that some are still intending to collect the views of Greek philosophers. If this method is having no objection for the ancients it is unforgivable for the modern ones. The view of “philosophical Unity” (of God) which was having a splended past is now having no attraction for the researchers of history of philosophy. Nowadays the works of Plato and Aristotle have been translated into various languages and their contradictions and differences have become clear and obvious for all. Aristotle in ‘Metaphysics’ has himself with decisiveness great vigor made an inroad in the belief of his predecessors like his master Plato and Socrates and criticizes their views severely which one of the cases is the above saying. Those who, for various reasons engage in explaining and collecting the opinions of the Greek sages, unwillingly impart this point that the philosopher have not understood their own and others views and so they criticize each other.
[43] 43-For example the same above reference Pg. 60 to 80.
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