In the Name of Allah, the Beneficent, the Merciful

Brine Water

One of the best methods that the holy Quran offers to purify the soul of the humankind is to avoid negligence. For instance, The holy Quran refers to this world as a plaything: “The life of the world is just play and diversion”.⁽¹⁾ By putting the two facts together, it can be concluded that negligence and being obsessed with this world would not lead to purification of one`s soul and ascend to Allah (SWT).

This world is being described in the holy Quran as a toy. There are also narrations from the infallible Imams (PBUH) that this world is entertainment. Satan and Nafs al-Ammarah (carnality) endeavor to make the people entertained by this world. If anyone gets captivated by the glamor of this world and it`s temporal titles and positions, would become a toy in their hands. They would make him laugh or cry, they could drive him crazy or make him pleased.

Imam Musa ibn Jaffar (PBUH) declared to one of his close companions:

 “This world is like the sea water. (Which is salty) No matter how much a thirsty person drinks, he becomes thirstier and it ultimately kills him.” ⁽²⁾

One who is thirsty and drinks clean and clear water, is the superior who absorbs and digests the water. On the other hand, once a thirsty drinks salty water, he becomes it`s captive; since it is in fact the salty water which takes the control of the digestive system, increases the thirst, and makes him drink more. Moreover, if he drinks from the salty water again, it is not going to quench his thirsty.

A person who is totally engaged by the world is not going to be pleased by what he has. No matter how much he benefits from the world, he greedily wants more. To avoid being captivated by the thirst of this world, we have to fight this insatiable greed. Attachment to this world is the major and the mostly significant obstacle on the path of growth towards Allah (SWT). We have to eliminate this barrier to achieve integrity. The holy Quran, in some cases in a subtle manner, implies some virtues but then, it frequently reminds certain subjects.  What Allah (SWT) tells us in the holy Quran over and over is refraining from the world. This is because any danger, which the human is in risk of, results from the attachment to this world. Therefore, the infallible Imams (PBUH) have reminded us of refraining from this world. As mentioned in Imam Musa ibn Jaffar`s (PBUH) quotation this world is being referred to as brine water and we have been warned about it.

 (The above is a selection taken from “Interpretation of the Holy Quran” (vol.11/ morality levels in Quran) by Ayatullah Jawadi Amuli

The Roshd Website commemorates the 7^th of Safar,

The birthday of the paradigm of patience and gentleness, and the seventh leader of salvation and felicity,

Imam Musa ibn Ja'far al-Kadhim (PBUH)

Roshd Islamic Shia Website

Footnotes:

1.     The holy Quran, 47:36

2.     “Tohaf al- Uqul”,  p.417 / “Bihar al-Anwar”, vol. 1, p. 152