The story has related to us the delusion of angels, who have regarded themselves as the most pious beings. Allah The Almighty had clarified their misconception: they are pious, because they have been devoid of lustful lower soul, considered to be an earthly element. Similarly many people who indulge into devotion or excess of praying consider themselves superior beings and they look down upon others. It is sinful, because �purification� means freeing oneself from all self-conception and delusion �I-ness� to regard Allah the Master and guide of us all. The duty of the blessed one is to be empathetic towards the less blessed or the wretched not in terms of money and status only but regarding intellect, proper social skills, morality and character as well.
Much of this false egoism and delusions are generated into one�s heart because of �Narcissism� a psychological state characterized by indulging in too much �self-love�, a strong preoccupation with thoughts centered around oneself, and valuing oneself worthy of every �good�. Sometimes it accompanies another psychological state �denial� disclaiming oneself being capable of any wrongdoing, and thus disregarding oneself worthy of any punishment. Unable to see �wrong� in one�s own action and thoughts one may tend to �project� it onto others: others think ill of us, others provoke us, they blame me etc. Ultimately one starts building strong walls around oneself with a strong desire to protect one�s vulnerability. This state may lead to �avoidance� of certain emotions and relationship or one may indulge oneself in complete �social isolation�. Here begins pathological deviance in behavior, either in paranoia or rapid mood swings of a bipolar personality.
What is �ma�asiyyah�? It is disobedience a state of non-conformity to social norms and disregarding code of ethics. We only do so when our behavior is charged by our personal whims and selfish desires, i.e. it is under direct command of lower soul. It is more common for people of lower intelligence, i.e. faculty facilitating human mind in logical analysis and synthesis. Still there is another kind of �Ma�asiyyah� � all kinds of disregard and disobedience to Divine Law, i.e. disobedience to Allah The Almighty: exhibited in disrespect to Divine Revelation, Prophets or other Divine beings such as angels or saints, failure to observe moral discipline, and negligence towards religious obligations. This kind of state is more common in people having high intelligence analytical and logical power that they fail to see the original Divine source where it is emanating from. All such ideas mislead us and let us indulge ourselves in deviance and disruption. However, the Sunnah of God is unalterable (Qu�ran: 33:62, 35:43, 48:32) so none shall spare the due recompense, as Harut and Marut were ultimately punished for committing adultery. Therefore all should �seek� help and guidance, whenever one soul overpowers others, the balance is disturbed, a balance should be achieved by better control of the lower and the rational soul, so that one may aspire towards the angelic � Nafs-i Muttmaina.
The story also alludes towards the history of intellectual evolution of mankind. It is no more blind following but beginning of experiential learning, i.e. learning by doing. It indicates the beginning of an era of reason, where man shall command fellowmen with this wild and brute force ignoring Divine Law. Whether they shall ever be able to spread Knowledge and Justice in society? The angelic soul has lost vision of paradise, and is now more inclined towards worldly pleasures. It is gradually loosing its purity and innocence and is rapidly blackened with viciousness. The spirits are no more heavenly and they shall not ascend back to heaven, but shall remain stuck topsy tervy in pits of earthly satisfaction.
The Universe is being operated by universally coded Divine Law, each religion or theology explains almost in same permanent values. Some times they are in strong clash with our personal needs. At such conjuncture we do not want ourselves to be tuned or modified according to demands of situation, but demand �others� to change. It calls for suffering and is hard to overcome; one constantly finds oneself in face of hardship, adversity, trouble, difficulty, distress, vicissitude, trial, tribulation, hard knocks or anything similar, as if one is caught in a vicious circle.
The way of Deen is Islam leading to peace and stability much demanded by human soul. What are the means to fulfill this objective: Blind following to the tradition or carefully evolving for oneself the best of practices in the �Light� of Divine Law? It has remained forever a poignant challenge to fight for throughout history of mankind. What are the best practices and how they may be evolved in one�s being. These practices have more to do with everyday human dealing than just physical and verbal naming of �names� of God. The salvation is for active practitioners and not for blind followers. The blind following of a tradition may not serve our purpose as the story of Artists tells us. Presenting your skill in the best possible way in a repeated tradition does not always wins success. It is the �Will to surpass� which is the gateway, and the key is cleaning oneself thoroughly of delusions and pretentious and false self assumptions. Only then we are able to �see� our pathway to salvation cleared unto us without any doubt and confusion or lustful desires confounding it. Otherwise we may be proclaiming to ourselves in the end, �How very vicious has been my vicissitude?� |
