In the Name of All{h, the Source of General Mercy to all of Humanity, the Source of Specific Grace to the Believers

Topic of Discussion: The Worst of People

âad|th 58 · Discussion 72
Lectures on Akhl{q [Isl{mic Ethics and Spirituality] Delivered by
his Eminence Ñyatull{h al-`UÉm{ al-H{jj Shaykh N{Äir Mak{rim Sh|r{z|

Translated by Saleem Bhimji

for Al-FatÅ Al-Mub|n Publications [www.al
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www.al-mubin.org]
mubin.org and Isl{mic Publishing House [www.iph.ca
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Text of âad|th:
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Translation of the âad|th:
The Prophet MuÅammad
has said, “O’ `Al|! The person whom others are scared of his tongue (what he says) shall be of the people of
the hell fire. O’ `Ali! The worst of people is the one whom people show respect to out of fear of his evilness. O’ `Al|! The worst of
people is the one who sells his next life for his life of the transient world and the one who is even worse than this is he who sells his next life
for the life of the transient world of other people!”1

Explanation of the âad|th:

Without doubt, the sentences in this Åad|th are very moving and stirring ones and if we did not have even a single proof for the truthfulness
of the status (of Prophethood) of this great individual
then still this saying would be sufficient for an individual to realize the great status
and rank of this individual
since he is definitely a person who grew up within the society of ignorance, never went to a school and never
wrote anything, however such words which grant wisdom to others have been heard to flow from his blessed lips. All of this points to his
greatness and station of Prophethood and through such sayings, a person is guided to understand that all of these words which he has
spoken are indeed miracles, and in this particular saying we see that the transient world is something which he has explained in great detail.

In the first sentence, he points us to issues in regards to the person’s tongue (and what he says with it) and as we know, whatever is said
about the tongue (and the sins and evils of what it is used for) is always not enough.

A good number of the difficulties, tribulations, bad states and even good states we find ourselves in, our victories and even defeats all come
through reforming our tongue (and that which we speak) and how difficult it truly is to reform our tongue!

The Noble Prophet
has stated, “O’ `Al|! The person whom others are scared of his tongue and what he says shall definitely be of the
people of the hell fire.” In this line of the Åad|th, the following example can be given to better explain which is that sometimes we see a
person enters into a gathering and immediately, everyone present falls into a state of fear that the person should begin to speak, since all of
them have felt the bite of his tongue and his words.

1
BiÅ{rul Anw{r, Volume 74, Page 46
Ethical Discourse # 73 – Page 1 of 4
The tongue is something very dangerous – of course however, we must realize that the importance of the pen and that which it writes is
nothing less than that of what the tongue speaks, and it actually may even be greater!2

In the second sentence, the Prophet
has stated, “O’ `Ali! The worst of people is that person whom people show respect to out of fear
of his evilness.”

As we know, people, generally show respect to two groups of individuals:

1) They show respect to one group of people due to their good characteristics and traits and since they benefit from sitting and being in the
company and presence of such people and talking to them.

2) They show respect to another group of people too since they want to repel the dangers and threats which these people can cause – by
this we mean that they are scared that if they do not show respect to a particular person, then that person shall make something evil reach to
them.

There is a story which has been related about a person in which he had stated, “I will give the treasures in the public treasury to two groups
of people: one group are those who take me by the hand (who follow and respect me since they benefit from me) and the other group are
those people who do not take my by the feet (those who respect him since they want to repel the dangers and threats which these people can
cause) - and it is this second group who respect me since they are scared of me and since they want to be protected from my evil.”

Question: Why is this person (mentioned in the Åad|th) the worst person?

Answer: His sins are actually multiplied and more compared to others since he is harming the people and he is forcing the people to act
contrary to their own desires and wishes by forcing them to show respect to such a person as himself.

If such a person was to gain wealth, profit or anything like this from his actions, then definitely his wealth would be considered forbidden
(Åar{m) and would not be permitted to make use of it. Thus for example, if he was to, as in the story mentioned above, give an amount of

2
A short discussion about the pen and its importance - The role of the pen in the life of human beings:

The movement of the pen on paper records the outcomes of humanity. The victories and defeats of the society of humanity is truly
contained and preserved in the tips of the pens. The pen is the protector and safe-guarder of the sciences and knowledge; it is the assistant
to the thoughts of the scholars and researchers; it is the link of the thoughts of the scholars and the bridge for humanity which links the past
to the present. Even the heavens and the earth are linked through the Divine Tablet and the Pen.

The pen is the instrument which unites people who have been separated by time and space; and just as it is said that all of the great scholars
and thinkers of the world of humanity throughout the entire course of history and in all areas around the world are gathered in one large
library (their thoughts and beliefs which have been preserved on paper and then published in books which are then gathered and collected in
libraries)!

The pen is the confidant of a person; it is the treasurer of the sciences and the collector of all the experiments and research of the centuries
and ,ages and if we see that the Qur`{n has sworn and taken an oath by the pen, then it is for all of these reasons since the Qur`{n only
swears and takes an oath by things which are very great and valuable!

The leaders of the faith of Isl{m , in various aÅ{d|th (Was{`il ash-Sh|`a, Volume 18, Page 56, aÅ{d|th 14 to 20) have emphatically
emphasized to their companions and close associates to not merely rely upon their memory and power of memorization. Rather, they must
write down and record the Isl{mic narrations and Divine sciences and teachings and to keep and preserve these for the future generations.

In Tafs|r Majma`ul Bay{n (Volume 1, Page 332) it has been mentioned that some of the scholars have stated:

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“Statements and expressions are of two types: statements of the tongue and statements of the pen. The statements of the tongue become
old with the passing of time and are eventually removed from memory, however the statements of the pen (that which is written and
recorded) remains for eternity.” Tafs|r-e-Namuna (summarized), Volume 24, Page 373-376

Ethical Discourse # 73 – Page 2 of 4

money from the public treasury to a person so that the person would not embarrass him in public (out of fear) then that money would be
similar to eating the flesh of a pig.

In the third sentence in the Åad|th, the Prophet
has stated, :O’ `Al|! The worst of people is the one who sells his next life for his life of
the transient world…”

By this, the Prophet
means that the person sells the true life of the next life for this transient and short-lived life even though:

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“And the life of the next world that is the (true) life…”

In reality, the transient world is a form of slow death and how bad it is that a person would trade in the perpetual and ever-lasting life of the
next world and in exchange, take the temporary, fleeting, despicable pleasures of the life of this transient world – which is, as mentioned, a
life of slow death. Such a person who does this is one who, from the point of view of his intellect, a bad person since he himself is thinking
bad thoughts (of the life of this world) and also from the point of view of his actions is also a bad person since he does bad deeds (for the
life of this world) and also from the point of view of his ambitions and aspirations is also bad since he has lowered and degraded his
ambitions and goals.

Even worse that this person mentioned above is the one who sells the life of the next world for the life of the transient world – however for
other people! These sorts of people are not few in number and in different words we mean that such a person is one who would state, “I
am ready to sell my life of this world and the next world and everything which a I possess (both materialistically and spiritually) in order to
ensure that the other person is comfortable in this life.” Truly, this is the pinnacle of stupidity and loss for a person.

Sometimes a person will fall into the trap (mentioned in this Åad|th) and wil open his eyes and see that he is now the physical manifestation
of the first part of this Åad|th (that he has sold the life of the next life for the pleasures of this world), and slowly, he would then realize that
he has also become a manifestation of the second part of the Åad|th (sold the life of the next world for others around him and for them to
be comfortable in this world)! Do not think that when this state comes upon a person that he is forewarned of this, or that some signs or
signals are given to the person to make him aware of this – no this is not the case! All of a sudden he would notice what has occurred and
at that time, he would realize that he is no drowning in this ditch and that his hands and feet are tied together and he has no way to get out
of it.

The Tongue in the Isl{mic Narrations:

1. The Noble Prophet of Isl{m
has said:

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“The salvation of the true believer lies in protecting his tongue.”4

2. It has been narrated that Im{m as-à{diq  has said, “Luqm°n said to his son:

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“O’ my son! If you think that speaking is silver, then you must know that silence is golden.”5

3. The Noble Prophet of Isl{m
has said:

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“The test and tribulation of a person is in his tongue and the protection of a person is in the protection of his tongue.”6

3
S}ratul `Ankabut (29), Verse 64
4
Was{`il ash-Sh|`a, Volume 8, Page 533
5
BiÅ{rul Anw{r, Volume 71, Page 297
6
Ibid, Volume 71, Page 286
Ethical Discourse # 73 – Page 3 of 4
4. The final Prophet of All{h
has said to Ibne Mas`}d:

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“I advise you to protect your tongue since surely All{h, the Most High has said,
On that day, We shall seal their mouths and their hands will
speak to us and their feet shall bear witness as to what they had earned”7

5. Am|r al-Mo’min|n `Al| ibn Ab| ä{lib  has said:

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“Good tidings be to that person who gives out goodness from his excess wealth and who prevents himself from speaking excess words.”8

6. It has been narrated from Im{m as-à{diq  from his fore-fathers  from the Messenger of All{h
that he has said:

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“The beauty of speaking is truthfulness (in speech).”9

7. The Messenger of All{h
has said:

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“The tribulations of the tongue (what is spoken) is greater than the striking of the sword.”10

8. It has been narrated from ``Abdull{h ibne San°n from Im{m as-à{diq  from the Messenger of All{h
that he said:

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“Shall I not inform you of the worst amongst you?” The people replied, “O’ Prophet of All{h! Go ahead!” The Prophet said, “It is those
people who go forth to as tale-bearers (hear something from one person and then go forth to tell it to other people – those who indulge in
gossip); those people who seek to cause separation amongst people who love one another; those people who seek to make excuses for sins
(which they commit).”11

9. It has been narrated from Im{m as-à{diq  that he said:

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“I advise you to stay away from joking with others since surely this act removes the respect and honour of a person.”12

10. It has been narrated from Im{m as-à{diq  that he said:

   
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“Surely the worst of creations of All{h is the servant whom other people are afraid of his tongue (what he says).”13

…and all praise belongs to All{h i – only the mistakes are mine. (Translator)

7
Ibid., Volume 77, Page 109
8
Ibid., Volume 71, Page 238
9
Ibid., Volume 71, Page 17
10
Ibid., Volume 71, Page 286
11
Al-K{f|, Volume 2, Page 369
12
Ibid., Volume 2, Page 665
13
Ibid., Volume 2, Page 323
Ethical Discourse # 73 – Page 4 of 4