Introduction

Some of those who know little about Islamic culture evaluate man’s acts on the basis of superficial standards and pay no attention to the importance of one’s motivation or intention. In other words, they ignore ‘the doer’ in favor of ‘the action’. Such people may also think of a deserving act in relation to the extent to which it affects other peoples’ happiness. The advocates of such an idea will, nevertheless, deviate in their analysis of Islamic beliefs and thoughts or may misunderstand them.

For instance, in realizing the role of faith and its relation to good deeds, and on the other hand, the destructive role of disbelief and dualism they will face deviation. Similarly, they misunderstand the priority of some small short term acts over larger long term ones, and will, for example, suppose that the great inventors who brought tranquility to others or the liberals who struggled for their nation’s freedom should possess an exalted position in the Hereafter even though they have no belief in God or Resurrection. In some cases, they claim that the necessary faith for true prosperity is belief in humanitarian values and labors’ final victory in this world. For them, the concept of God equals a cultural value and an ethical ideal.

Although our discussions in previous lessons can distinguish weak and deviated points in the above thoughts, it seems reasonable, due to their spread, and at the same time, dangerous for the future generations, to explain them more.

However, detailed and comprehensive discussions need more time and space; therefore, what I present below is the most fundamental points with reference to their ideological aspect. I will, nevertheless, try to present my arguments so that the style of this book is not violated.

Man’s True Perfection

If we compare an apple-tree with a fruitless one, we will find the apple-tree more worthy; this is not merely because man uses the fruit of a fruitful tree, rather the fact that such a tree is a more complete organism and is more effective, causes it to be naturally more valuable. However, if the same apple-tree faces disease and changes its way towards complete development, it will lose its value and may even become the origin of pollution and harm for others.

The same case applies to man in comparison with other animals. If man reaches his deserving perfection and presents the characteristics relevant to his creation, he will be more valuable than other animals. However, if he meets deviation, he will become inferior and more harmful than the animals. That is why the Holy Qur’an refers to some people as ‘worse than all living things’ (Holy Qur’an, 8:22), and ‘more astray than four- legged animals’ (Holy Qur’an, 7:179).

Moreover, if somebody observes the apple-tree up to when it blossoms, he may think it is at the highest stage in its development. Similarly, those who observe man’s middle stages of perfection will not be able to realize his true and final perfection.

Only those who are familiar with man’s final perfection will be able to understand his true values.

In addition, man’s true perfection is not the same as material or natural perfection because as I discussed earlier, the humanitarian aspect of man depends on his heavenly soul. Similarly, his evolution is in fact the evolution of his soul, which is performed through his own free deeds, happening either in his inside (heart) or outside and by means of different parts of his body. Such a kind of perfection cannot be recognized by means of experiments neither can it be measured through quantitative scales. Thus, it will not naturally be understood through laboratory tools.

Therefore, one who has not reached such perfection and has not realized it through his innate knowledge and ability, should try to understand it by means of intellectual theorem, revelation or Divine book.

Furthermore, revelation, Qur’anic teachings and traditions from the Prophet’s family members, ascertain that man’s final perfection is a stage in his life called ‘living close to God’ which is together with eternal blessings and Divine paradise presented to him in the Hereafter. The general way to this type of perfection is that worship of God and piety should dominate all aspects of one’s individual and social life.

From an intellectual point of view, more complicated theorems can be employed in this discussion, which necessitates a detailed philosophical introduction. However, in this section, I have attempted to provide a simplified explanation of the topic.

Intellectual Clarification

Man naturally desires infinite perfection whose manifestations are knowledge and power; approaching such perfection results in endless pleasure and eternal prosperity.

However, infinite perfection is attainable when it is linked with the origin of infinite knowledge, power and absolute perfection - God; this link is called ‘closeness to God’1.

Therefore, man’s true perfection, which is the aim of his creation, is achieved by means of his relationship and closeness to God. Thus, one who has not reached the first or the lowest level of faith is similar to a tree, which is not fully developed and has not born its first fruit. Such a tree will lose its capability for bearing fruit and will become worse than a fruitless tree if it faces disease.

Finally, the importance of faith’s role in man’s perfection and prosperity is because of his soul’s main characteristic - the intentional and free relationship with God - without which he will be deprived of deserving perfection and its traces; in other words, his humanitarian dimension will not be fulfilled. However, if man makes the wrong choice, he spoils such vital talents and damages his dignity; this, therefore, necessitates him to be punished forever. In this relation, the Holy Qur’an maintains:

“Indeed the worst of beasts in Allah’s sight are those who are faithless; so they will not have faith” (Holy Qur’an, 8:55).

To summarize, both faith and disbelief determine man’s main way either towards perfection and prosperity or towards decline and adversity; the more powerful any one of them is in one’s life the more influential and determining it will be.

The Role Of Motivation And Intention

The above principle clarifies that the true value of man’s arbitrary deeds depends on their role in his approaching true perfection (i.e., closeness to God). Although the deeds, which promote one’s evolution in one way or another or even through some mediators undergo virtue and excellence, their effect on the doer’s eternal prosperity depends on the extent to which they affect his soul’s evolution.

Moreover, one’s own intention mediates his deeds and soul. Intention originates from one’s tendency, eagerness, and love towards the end or result of something. It, at the same time, causes movement within one’s soul towards its aim and is manifested as intention. Therefore, the value of an arbitrary act depends on the motivation and intention of its doer, and one’s good deeds without good intention will have no effect on the promotion of his soul neither will they affect his eternal prosperity. That is why deeds performed on the basis of material and worldly motivations will not affect eternal prosperity. Even causing the greatest benefit to society will be of no benefit to the performer, had they been done in a hypocritical way2. Such deeds may even cause spiritual loss and decline. This is the reason why the Holy Qur’an has conditioned the effect of good deeds on eternal prosperity on faith and the intention of gaining closeness to God.3

In conclusion, firstly good deeds are not limited to working for the benefit of others.

Secondly, working for other people’s benefit like other individual acts of worship will be effective on one’s perfection and eternal prosperity provided that it originated from Divine motivation.

Questions

1. What does one’s true value depend on?

2. How is man’s final perfection recognized?

3. Prove that man’s final perfection is achievable only if his life relates to God and being close to Him.

4. Prove that the effect of good deeds on man’s eternal prosperity depends on his Divine motivation.

• 1. See the book: Self-Recognition for Self-Improvement by the same author, Ayatullah Muhammad Taqi Misbah Yazdi, available online at:
  https://www.al-islam.org/self-recognition-self-improvement-muhammad-taqi...
• 2. Refer to the Holy Qur’an, 2:245, 4:38, 4:142, 8:47, 107:6.
• 3. Refer to the Holy Qur’an, 4:124, 16:97, 17:19, 20:112, 21:94, 40:40, 6:52, 18:28, 30:38, 2:207, 2:265, 92:20.