Experience
Dear brothers and sisters, life is nothing but to gain experience, experience which helps people to fix their own faults, and shows them the optimal way of life; Experience which reveals the essence of life for human, leaving no ambiguities and uncertainness. Perhaps that is why some scholars asked God to grant them two lives: To gain experience in the first life, And use them in the second! However, as we know, a second worldly life is nothing more than a dream and fantasy, and it takes a person all his lifetime to gain wisdom and experience until he finds himself at the end of the line. As the insightful poet says: Regrets! In the trade of life my merchandise is raw After all when it ripens, my life is come to an end. Another path must be travelled; the same path which our great leader, Amir-al-Mumenin Ali (peace be upon him) has shown to us, and has best resolved the lack of a second life for us. When he advises his beloved son Imam Hasan Mujtaba (peace be upon him) that: “Dear son! I took great care to study the history of the people who passed away before, assiduously I went through their activities, and I contemplated over their experiences and deeds. I pondered over their lives so deeply that I felt as if I have lived and worked with them from early ages of history down to our times and I know what did them good and what brought harm to them” (1) Dear reader! Among all histories, I do emphasize on what mentioned in holy Quran about histories of prior prophets and their nations, verses in which a great truth is laid, a great help for the seekers of God. But there are some thick-witted and stubborn people who do not rely on the experience of others, but rather want to try everything themselves, while they hand over to us all they have experienced during their whole life only in a few phrases or pages. These ignorant people will end their lives having not experienced too much things, and will leave this world while being raw and unripe. Oh dear! Do not be like them but one of those who possessed of mind, as Quran describes them: (2)«لَقَدْ کانَ فى قَصَصِهِمْ عِبْرَةٌ لاُِولِى الاَْلْبابِ» “Verily there are lessons in their stories to be taken by men who are thoughtful” Don’t forget to ponder and learn from the history of your predecessors, especially from prior scholars, scientist and pious great men, the seekers of God. There are many wondering points in their life, each point more precious than jewel, and I have gained many experiences from them.
Dear brothers and sisters, life is nothing but to gain experience, experience which helps people to fix their own faults, and shows them the optimal way of life; Experience which reveals the essence of life for human, leaving no ambiguities and uncertainness.
Perhaps that is why some scholars asked God to grant them two lives:
To gain experience in the first life,
And use them in the second!
However, as we know, a second worldly life is nothing more than a dream and fantasy, and it takes a person all his lifetime to gain wisdom and experience until he finds himself at the end of the line. As the insightful poet says:
Regrets! In the trade of life my merchandise is raw
After all when it ripens, my life is come to an end.
Another path must be travelled; the same path which our great leader, Amir-al-Mumenin Ali (peace be upon him) has shown to us, and has best resolved the lack of a second life for us. When he advises his beloved son Imam Hasan Mujtaba (peace be upon him) that:
“Dear son! I took great care to study the history of the people who passed away before, assiduously I went through their activities, and I contemplated over their experiences and deeds. I pondered over their lives so deeply that I felt as if I have lived and worked with them from early ages of history down to our times and I know what did them good and what brought harm to them” (1)
Dear reader! Among all histories, I do emphasize on what mentioned in holy Quran about histories of prior prophets and their nations, verses in which a great truth is laid, a great help for the seekers of God. But there are some thick-witted and stubborn people who do not rely on the experience of others, but rather want to try everything themselves, while they hand over to us all they have experienced during their whole life only in a few phrases or pages. These ignorant people will end their lives having not experienced too much things, and will leave this world while being raw and unripe.
Oh dear! Do not be like them but one of those who possessed of mind, as Quran describes them:
(2)«لَقَدْ کانَ فى قَصَصِهِمْ عِبْرَةٌ لاُِولِى الاَْلْبابِ»
“Verily there are lessons in their stories to be taken by men who are thoughtful”
Don’t forget to ponder and learn from the history of your predecessors, especially from prior scholars, scientist and pious great men, the seekers of God. There are many wondering points in their life, each point more precious than jewel, and I have gained many experiences from them.
Footnote:
1- An adoption from Nahj-al-Balaghah, Advices to Imam Hasan (a.s), Letter 31.
2- Quran, Chapter (Yusuf), Verse 111.
