Keeping balance between internal\nemotions and external behavior enables the individual to preserve one\u2019s\npositive traits during the ups and downs of life. This refers to the ability to\nneither become egocentric or on the other hand loose one\u2019s self esteem and self\ndignity. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
Keeping such balance is a capability\nof a virtuous person. But how can one achieve that balance? Referring to the\nprayers narrated from the Ahl al-Bait (PBUT) is one of the ways which we can\nlearn about the method to the moral principles including internal balances. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
One of the most magnificent sets of\nprayers available to the Muslims is the Sahifa Sajjadiah that is comprised of\n54 prayers from Imam Sajjad (PBUH). Imam Sajjad (PBUH) in the prayer known as\n\u201cMakarim al-Akhlagh\u201d introduces internal disgrace or, in other words,\nhumbleness as the remedy for egocentrism. Humbleness or obsceneness is\nmentioned in the prayer:<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cO Allah, send\nsalutations upon Muhammad and the Ahl al-Bait and don\u2019t add to my rank among\nthe people unless you equally make me feel unimportant for myself.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
We can conclude from this verse that\nworldly rank or in other words external glamour can cause egocentrism and make\none forget the modesty one once enjoyed while being an ordinary person among\npeople and make one look down upon people.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The following is the story of a\nfaithful officer that had come up with some questions after reading that verse.\nHe went to visit one of the scholars and asked:<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cAfter the morning Salat\nI was reading the Makarim al-Akhlagh prayer that this verse caught my\nattention. It mentions \u201crank\u201d that in our profession is the criterion for\nshowing one’s status; the military officers reach to higher positions by\nachieving the \u201cranks.\u201d I wondered that if military ranks are somehow relevant\nto the meaning of the verse?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The scholar replied that: \u201crank in\nthis part of the prayer is the worldly glamour and the respect an elite enjoys\namong people. But one can depict the concept implied in this verse by Imam\nSajjad (PBUH) in your profession like the following:<\/p>\n\n\n\n
If you are a brigadier general, when\nthe ordinary people come to your office, you should stand with them humbly and\nshake hands with them; then sit with them. If you received promotion and became\na colonel, you must become more humble and become more respectful toward them.\nWhen they refer to you, you should come from your desk and shake hands, and\nthen sit after when they sat.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
If you received more promotion and\nbecame a major general, your humbleness must become even more. Stand up from\nyour seat, come to the middle of the office and shake hands with him. When he\nsat, you sit too beside him and don\u2019t return to your desk.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
In brief the more your worldly rank\ngets high you must become more and more humble in your own mind. In this case\nthe worldly success will not hinder your path toward virtue and your human duty\nand greatness.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Therefore glamour and worldly\npopularity in life is one of God\u2019s blessings. The one who enjoys this blessing\nmust be grateful and act in accordance to one\u2019s religious and sensible duty,\nand remember that, similar to other blessings, worldly rank is temporary too.\nTherefore one must keep in mind its impermanence and ask God to make one\nequally humble from within.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The greatest merit of the glamour\nwhich is balanced by such humbleness is that it will not lead to pride and\nignorance; for that one knows that with a small turn things might change\nradically. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
(The above is a\nselection taken from \u201cExplanation and Interpretation of Prayer Makarim”,\nby Hujjat al-Islam Muhammad Taqi Falsafi)<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The Roshd Website congratulates all\nMuslims, especially you dear friend, upon 5th of Sha\u2019ban, the birthday\nanniversary of the adornment of worshipers, and the Leader of prostration, Imam\nAli ibn Hussain (PBUH).<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
Keeping balance between internal emotions and external behavior enables the individual to preserve one\u2019s positive traits during the ups and downs of life. This refers to the ability to neither become egocentric or on the other hand loose one\u2019s self esteem and self dignity. Keeping such balance is a capability of a virtuous person. But […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[28248],"tags":[20841,17778,20842,20840,20431,17890,17990,18418,19370],"class_list":["post-4307","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-occasional-letters","tag-2013-06-14","tag-allah","tag-balance","tag-grandeur-accompanied-by-disgrace","tag-imam-sajjad","tag-life","tag-muhammad","tag-occasion-letters","tag-prayers"],"yoast_head":"\n