Word 21: The one who dominated the material life to his intellect and spirit, is condemned by every wise man.
Word 21: The one who dominated the material life to his intellect and spirit, is condemned by every wise man.
As we discussed, humans are beings that have three main degrees of existence. Material Existence (which is made of matter and shapes), Methali Existence (which has shape without matter), Intellectual Existence (which has no matter and no shape like love, knowledge, etc.). The highest degree of existence for humans is their intellectual level and then the Methal level and the lowest level is the Material level.
Humans have two common powers with animals, and the two common powers are lust and anger. These powers have different degrees in humans and animals. The lust power creates interest in money, house, child, marriage, and so on and the anger power creates interest in superiority, presidentialism, corruption, etc. These two powers in humans and animals’ nature have different degrees and they are also essential for living. Humans also have intelligence that animals do not have, instead, they have another power called “illusion power” (Wahm Power) which is a weaker version of intelligence power. In some people, lust power is stronger; for example, they like to eat so much or like money so much. In others, anger power is stronger, for example, they quickly become angry and attack other people, but a real human being is the one who uses intelligence power to control his lust and anger power and use them appropriately.
A tradition says, “Intellect is the one that God will be worshiped by, and heaven will be obtained”. Wise humans utilize their intellect higher up than their animal attributes in worldly life. When someone verbally insults wise humans, what they should do? “And the servants of the Most Merciful are those who walk upon the earth easily, and when the ignorant address them [harshly], they say [words of] peace” (Al-Furqan:63).
A tradition says, “We talk with people as much as their intellect”. Another Tradition says, “Understand the dignity of our followers from the hadiths they tell you”. Another tradition says, “Intellect is the inner prophet, and the Prophets are outer prophets”. In many places in the Holy Quran mentioned that some people killed their prophets. Similarly, people who kill their intellects are also killing and jailing their inner prophets. If you noticed, when people sin, at first their inner prophet preaches to them that it was a bad deed. But some people kill their inner prophets by repeating bad deeds.
If we dominate our intellect over our lust power, then we eat food to get energy not because it is delicious, and we like it. If there were two types of food, one delicious and one healthy and full of vitamins, wise men choose healthy food. Just try it for once, when you like to eat ice cream, avoid eating it and see what will happen and how the lust power (part of your animal attributes) mess with you. If we follow our intellect, we will become wise people. Our intellect power is always in fight with our animal attributes such as lust and anger. Once, the companions of Prophet Muhammad (S) returned from war and arrived home. Prophet Muhammad (S) told them; it is the time for the “bigger war”. They asked, “What is it?”. Prophet replied, “Fight with your Nafs (“I” / “selfishness”)”.
The only way to fight with your “I” is to follow a master’s order. When we try to do austerity, we make some part of our “I” (Nafs) weak and some strong because it is not possible to fight with our “I” with our “I”. When we obey the commands of our complete master, Guardian of God, Imam, and God, in fact, we would be able to fight with our selfishness. “And remind, for indeed, the reminder benefits the believers” (Adh-Dhariyat:55). So, if become angry with a remembrance then you are not a believer.
It always had a question in my mind which was, why Allameh Hassan Zadeh narrated from other scholars, not from his intuitions. I found the answer in one of the Ibn Arabi books where it said, “Kummal” (a superior master who grow seekers to become perfect human) are the people that have high divine intuitions and visions but hide behind the words of other scholars because they do not like to be famous and to be known.
All praise is to God to the extent that He deserves it.