The desires of every person are directly related to their soul and mind, and they clearly reflect their inner world. The importance of this matter is such that one of the best ways to understand an individual is by understanding their desires. Good or bad desires reflect the high or low status of a person. As a result, the true desires of a person are influenced by their inner self and stem from their character. On the other hand, a person’s desires also play a significant role in shaping their character, to the point where changing someone’s desires can create a new personality for them. But how?
A person’s desires shape their intentions to act and motivate them to follow through on those actions. Therefore, a person’s desires have a major impact on the nature of their aspirations, strengthening or weakening them. It is this aspiration that shapes and molds their character. Imam Ali (peace be upon him) said: “The worth and stature of a person are determined by the strength of their aspirations.” [1]
Thus, the higher and nobler a person’s desires, the more they are driven to undertake greater tasks, and their determination is strengthened. The impact of this is so profound that even physical weakness cannot hinder them from pursuing their decisions. Imam Sadiq (peace be upon him) said: “The human body does not feel weakness when the intention to act is strong.” [2]
In addition to the fact that a person’s desires have a direct impact on strengthening their intentions and willpower, they can also increase their benefit from divine assistance, since God’s grace is proportionate to a person’s intention. Imam Ali (peace be upon him) said: “The gifts of God are given in accordance with the strength of a person’s intentions.” [3] Therefore, whoever has noble intentions, God bestows more blessings upon them. And certainly, if a person’s desire and intention are in accordance with God’s will, then God grants the greatest successes and divine assistance in that direction.
As the Ahlul Bayt (peace be upon them) have taught us, one of the best and most beautiful desires of a person is the longing for the appearance of Imam Mahdi (may God hasten his reappearance). If someone who eagerly waits for the appearance of their master were asked what their greatest desire is, the first thing they would mention is that they hope to be granted the opportunity to witness the reappearance of Imam Mahdi (peace be upon him) and to be counted among his companions. The person whose heart is moved by the burning desire for the return of Imam Mahdi (may God hasten his reappearance) does not wish for things related to themselves or their immediate family and friends, because they have no greater beloved than their Imam. Therefore, their greatest desire is related to their greatest love, and all other desires emerge in the context of or because of this relationship.
As mentioned earlier, the stronger and purer the expectation of the appearance of Imam Mahdi (peace be upon him) in a person, the more this desire dominates their heart. So much so that the desire to support Imam Mahdi (peace be upon him) and to join him fills their entire being and becomes the driving force behind all their actions. Naturally, all personal desires of such an individual are overshadowed by this grand longing, and their thoughts and efforts take on the color and fragrance of helping the Imam. This great desire keeps them alive with the memory and love of their Imam, and the Imam never leaves their heart. All of their efforts in life are directed toward this goal.
Thus, the individual’s knowledge and devotion to Imam Mahdi (peace be upon him) grows, and this increased understanding leads to higher and more noble desires, or deepens the same desires. In fact, a person’s character ascends through these desires, and this reciprocal process of desires and character reaches its peak, elevating the person to the highest degree of perfection. And what perfection could be higher for a human, and what could elevate them more quickly?
Excerpt from the book “The Blessings of Waiting” by Dr. Seyed Mohammad Bani-Hashemi (with minor modifications and abbreviations)
Footnotes:
[1] (Bihar al-Anwar, Volume 70, Page 4)
[2] (Bihar al-Anwar, Volume 70, Page 205)
[3] (Gharar al-Hikam, Hadith 1594)