Welcome toWelcome to

ALI 132: Characteristics of the Human ALI 132: Characteristics of the Human Being in Nahjul BalaghaBeing in Nahjul Balagha

Session OneSession One________________________________________________________________________________________

Questions to think aboutQuestions to think about

1) They say: Nature is born, character is built, and 1) They say: Nature is born, character is built, and personality is developed. Do you agree or disagree?personality is developed. Do you agree or disagree?

2) Does a human being have inbuilt characteristic 2) Does a human being have inbuilt characteristic traits or are they situation specific? traits or are they situation specific?

AgendaAgenda

Hadith on CharacterHadith on Character Relationship of thought and actionRelationship of thought and action The HeartThe Heart

- The heart and faith- The heart and faith

- understanding of the heart- understanding of the heart

- the diseased heart- the diseased heart

- death of the heart- death of the heart

- reviving the heart- reviving the heart

CharacterCharacter

Hadith on Good CharacterHadith on Good Character

1) Character is the vessel of religion.1) Character is the vessel of religion.

2) A praiseworthy character is the fruit of 2) A praiseworthy character is the fruit of

intelligence and a despised character is intelligence and a despised character is the fruit of the fruit of

ignorance.ignorance.

3)The most perfect of believers in faith are 3)The most perfect of believers in faith are those those

who are best in their characters.who are best in their characters.

Relationship of Thought and Relationship of Thought and ActionAction

Heart

Speech

Action

Have you not considered how Allah sets Have you not considered how Allah sets forth a parable forth a parable

of a pleasant word being like a pleasant of a pleasant word being like a pleasant treetree

its root is firm and its branches are in its root is firm and its branches are in Heaven (14: 24)Heaven (14: 24)

The HeartThe Heart

A wonderous creationA wonderous creation

In man there is a piece of flesh attached to him with a vein and it isIn man there is a piece of flesh attached to him with a vein and it isthe strangest thing in him. It is the heart. It has a store of wisdom the strangest thing in him. It is the heart. It has a store of wisdom and things contrary to wisdom. If it sees a ray of hope, eagerness and things contrary to wisdom. If it sees a ray of hope, eagerness humiliates it and when eagerness increases, greed ruins it. If humiliates it and when eagerness increases, greed ruins it. If disappointment overtakes it, grief kills it. If anger rises in it, a disappointment overtakes it, grief kills it. If anger rises in it, a serious rage develops. If it is blessed with pleasure, it forgets to be serious rage develops. If it is blessed with pleasure, it forgets to be cautious . . . If trouble befalls it impatience makes it humble . . . If cautious . . . If trouble befalls it impatience makes it humble . . . If hunger attacks it, weakness makes it sit down, if its eating hunger attacks it, weakness makes it sit down, if its eating

increasesincreasesheaviness of stomach pains it. Thus, every shortness is harmful to heaviness of stomach pains it. Thus, every shortness is harmful to it, and every excess is injurious to it.it, and every excess is injurious to it.Saying 108Saying 108

The Heart and FaithThe Heart and FaithAnd from belief is that which is firm and steadfast in the And from belief is that which is firm and steadfast in the

heartheartand from it is that which remains temporarily in the heart and from it is that which remains temporarily in the heart and the chest up to a certain time.and the chest up to a certain time.Khutba 189Khutba 189

The dwellers of the desert say we believe. Say you do not The dwellers of the desert say we believe. Say you do not believe but say we believe but say we

submit, and faith has not yet entered into your heartssubmit, and faith has not yet entered into your hearts (49:14)(49:14)

Eyes do not see Him face to face, but hearts perceive Him Eyes do not see Him face to face, but hearts perceive Him through the realities of faith.through the realities of faith.Khutba 179Khutba 179

Understanding of the HeartUnderstanding of the Heart

Every possessor of a heart is not understandingEvery possessor of a heart is not understandingevery ear does not hear and every eye does not see.every ear does not hear and every eye does not see.Khutba 88Khutba 88

He who has an understanding heart looks towards He who has an understanding heart looks towards his goal. his goal. Khutba 154Khutba 154

Surely in the creation of the heavens and the earthSurely in the creation of the heavens and the earthand the alternation of the night and the day and the alternation of the night and the day are signs for a people who understandare signs for a people who understand. . (3:189)(3:189)

The Diseased HeartThe Diseased HeartKnow that poverty is an affliction, but worse than poverty is Know that poverty is an affliction, but worse than poverty is

sickness of the body, and worse than sickness of the body is sickness of the body, and worse than sickness of the body is

sickness of the heart. Know that wealth is a blessing, but sickness of the heart. Know that wealth is a blessing, but betterbetter

than wealth is the health of the body, and better than the than wealth is the health of the body, and better than the healthhealth

of the body is piety of the heart.of the body is piety of the heart.

Saying 388Saying 388

Hearts are imbued with passion and the power of advancing Hearts are imbued with passion and the power of advancing andand

retreating. Therefore approach them for action at the time of retreating. Therefore approach them for action at the time of

their passion and when they are in a mood of advancing, their passion and when they are in a mood of advancing, becausebecause

if hearts are forced to do something, they will be blinded.if hearts are forced to do something, they will be blinded.

Saying 193Saying 193

Death of the HeartDeath of the Heart

They are from among the people of the worlds but They are from among the people of the worlds but are not its are not its

people, because they remain in it as though they do people, because they remain in it as though they do not belongnot belong

to it . . . They see that the people of this world attach to it . . . They see that the people of this world attach

importance to the death of their bodies but they importance to the death of their bodies but they themselves themselves

attach more importance to the death of the hearts of attach more importance to the death of the hearts of those those

who are living.who are living.

Sermon 230Sermon 230

Reviving the HeartReviving the Heart

Certainly God Almighty has made His remembrance a means for Certainly God Almighty has made His remembrance a means for

cleansing and polishing the hearts. It makes them hear after cleansing and polishing the hearts. It makes them hear after

deafness, see after blindness, and makes them submissive to deafness, see after blindness, and makes them submissive to

guidance after being stubborn and resisting. In all periods of guidance after being stubborn and resisting. In all periods of time time

when there were no Prophets there were individuals to whom when there were no Prophets there were individuals to whom He He

whispered through their thoughts and spoke to them through whispered through their thoughts and spoke to them through their their

intellects. As a result they were enlightened with a light intellects. As a result they were enlightened with a light awakening awakening

their hearts, their vision and their hearing.their hearts, their vision and their hearing.

Khutba 222Khutba 222

Even if the body should lie amidst Even if the body should lie amidst fragrance and muskfragrance and muskOn death it will petrify On death it will petrify and give out its stinkand give out its stinkSo scent not the body So scent not the body but perfume the soul with muskbut perfume the soul with muskWhat is that musk What is that musk except the name of the Glorious Lord?except the name of the Glorious Lord?

RumiRumi