It might have happened for you too\nthat when encountering a bad behavior we have started criticizing the person.\nInstead of confronting the individual, we can remind the unacceptable behavior\nand show distaste for that. In such a case there would be no hatred toward the\nguilty person, as well as the fact that he too won\u2019t regard that encounter as\nan offense against his personality. The teachings of the Holy Quran and the Ahl\nal-Bait (PBUH) encourage a culture of confronting the sin of an individual, not\nhis personality. (1)<\/p>\n\n\n\n
For example, we read in the Holy Quran\nthat Prophet Lout (PBUH) said to people: \u201cI am the stark enemy of your actions\n<\/p>\n\n\n
[not the enemy of yourselves.]<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201d(2)\n\n<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Or in another instance, Allah (SWT)\norders His Prophet (PBUH&HP), in his confrontation with the disobedience of\nsome people, to show aversion toward their action and not toward them. (3)<\/p>\n\n\n\n
As also narrated from the Prophet\n(PBUH&HP), \u201cThere are many cases in which Allah (SWT) loves the individuals\nthemselves, but despises their actions.\u201d (4)<\/p>\n\n\n\n
If the blameworthy person realizes\nthat his dignity is reserved and his weakness is his unacceptable behavior,\nthere would be more readiness and encouragement for him to relinquish. However,\nif he feels that he is damned, there would be less hope for him to return, and\nthe possibility of his sinking into darkness will increase. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
The same important rule applies to\nfamily issues and child rearing too. Good parents are not those whom their\nchildren fear them; good parents regard their children’s dignity. In such cases\nthe children know that when they have angered their parents they still have\ntheir parent\u2019s grace, because they know what has angered their parents are\ntheir actions and not themselves.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
For instance, when criticizing a\nchild\u2019s behavior, instead of humiliating him or comparing him to his peers, it\nis better to say: “My son, you were better last year than this year.”\nOr they say: “One must improve every day; the better you are the more you\nare loved by Allah (SWT), parents and others.” In other words, they should\ncompare him with himself rather than others. This will lead to the guidance of\nthe child. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
Therefore in our confrontation with\nbad actions, we should not introduce a rival for the blameworthy person,\nigniting the feelings of hatred and revenge; on the contrary, his good deeds\nand traits and his good past should be noticed too. We should remind him of his\nfamily, speak about his capacities and skills so that he understands that he is\nstill wanted and capable.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Lets for the ending go through this\ndignified culture in Imam Kazem\u2019s (PBUH) way of life:<\/p>\n\n\n\n
A person visited Imam Kazem (PBUH)\nsaying: \u201cOne of your followers drinks wine and sins. Should we banish him?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Imam (PBUH) said: \u201c[no, not from\nhimself, but] express distaste for his bad action, and don\u2019t shy away from his\ngood deeds. Show aversion for his bad act.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The person asked once more: \u201cSo, can\nwe call him a corrupt?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Imam Kazem (PBUH) attentively explained\nthe meaning of corruption and repeated: \u201c\u2026say that his action is bad, and he\ncommits bad actions. He is faithful but his deed is bad.\u201d (5)<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Yes, this is the behavioral pattern of\nthe Ahl al-Bait (PBUT) that when they face people\u2019s wrongdoing they separate\nbetween their personality and their behavior; how is our reactions similar to\ntheirs? <\/p>\n\n\n\n
(The above is a\nselection taken from \u201cInviting to Good and Forbidding Evil\u201d, by Hujatul Islam\nQira\u2019ati \u2013 with minor changes)<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Roshd offers its condolences to all\nMuslims, especially you dear friend on the 25th of Rajab, Martyrdom of the\nmanifestation of light and wisdom, inheritor of peace and calmness, the seventh\nImam, Imam Musa ibn Ja\u2019far al-Kadhim (PBUH).<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Footnotes:<\/p>\n\n\n\n
1-It should be\nreminded that this rule applies to the faithful; however, if the person leaves\nthe faith and joins the unbelievers or pagans, then God will first banish him\nand then detests his action. There are lots of instances mentioned in the Holy\nQuran in this regard. As an example: <\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cAnd an\nannouncement from Allah and His Messenger to the people on the day of the\ngreater pilgrimage that Allah and His Messenger are free from liability to the\nidolaters\u201d (The Holy Quran 9:3)<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cIndeed, there\nis for you a good example in Ibrahim and those with him when they said to their\npeople: Surely we are clear of you and of what you serve besides Allah;\u201d (The\nHoly Quran 60:4)<\/p>\n\n\n\n
2- \u201cHe said: I\nam in truth of those who hate your conduct.\u201d (The Holy Quran 26:168)<\/p>\n\n\n\n
3- \u201cBut if they\ndisobey you, then say: Surely I am clear of what you do.\u201d (The Holy Quran\n26:216)<\/p>\n\n\n\n
4- Peak of\nEloquence, pg. 216<\/p>\n\n\n\n
5- Kanzul Jaame\u2019\nal-Fuwadi, pg. 304, Bihar al-Anwaar, vol. 27, pg. 137<\/p>\n\n\n\n
6- Mafatih\nal-Jinan, An excerpt from the Ziarah of Imam Kazem (PBUH)<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
It might have happened for you too that when encountering a bad behavior we have started criticizing the person. Instead of confronting the individual, we can remind the unacceptable behavior and show distaste for that. In such a case there would be no hatred toward the guilty person, as well as the fact that he […]<\/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":[22127,19724,17778,22128,21824,20107,18418,19725,18536,22126],"class_list":["post-4496","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-occasional-letters","tag-2014-05-25","tag-action","tag-allah","tag-enemy","tag-imam-musa-ibn-jafar","tag-loves","tag-occasion-letters","tag-person","tag-prophet","tag-the-manner-of-criticism"],"yoast_head":"\n