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In the Name of Allah, the Beneficent, the Merciful
I am Guilty of Being Free...
The truthful Joseph is thrown into a well; he is sent to jail. What has happened? Is he guilty of anything but being loved by his father, innocence, piety, and loyalty? The history repeats itself; this time, Imam Kadhim (PBUH) is sent to jail. It is as if there has been no sin greater than faith, piety, truthfulness, and loving people throughout the history.
But how could truthful men and truthful thoughts be imprisoned!? Prison is a good place for the men of God, as long as they are imprisoned due to a misconduct, crime, misbehavior, or wrongdoing. In some cases, a thief, a betrayer, or a murdered is imprisoned by justice. However, if a person is imprisoned due to his personality, greatness, telling the truth, seeking the truth, or opposing oppression and cruelty, this is something to be proud of.
This type of imprisonment turns the copper of one’s essence into gold. Those who are imprisoned due to their personality, greatness, and telling the truth become purer and more determined, and a virtue is added to their virtues. This is because the difficulties, constraints, and tortures one suffers due to his humane and spiritual personality are not causes of shame, but things to be proud of. In this regards, it is sufficient to look at the history. The history is full of honorable imprisonments and slains. These difficulties are honorable not only for those who suffer, but also for humanity.
Another point is that suffering such difficulties and pressures means for further accomplishment, sanitization of the soul, and purification of one’s essence. In contrast, one of the things which weaken the spirits and corrupt the morale is pampering and coddling. Difficulties and problems exercise the sole, strengthen it, and purify and reinforce one’s essence. Therefore, growth and accomplishment of human is not achieved except through facing difficulties and problems. Such difficulties are the causes which create heroes, produce ingenuity, and offer the world with great geniuses and huge movements.
That is why Imam Kadhim (PBUH) has told to his Shiites, ”Save yourself from the wrath of Allah (SWT), and do not speak the truth recklessly, even though it (apparently) causes your destruction. Know that truth does not lead into your annihilation; rather it is a saviour. Always let go of the untruth; even though it (apparently) saves you. Untruth is never a saviour, and it eventually leads into annihilation (1)”.
Indeed, this is Imam Kadhim’s (PBUH) guilt: freedom! The history repeats itself, but with a difference. Joseph was freed from jail; however, Imam Kadhim (PBUH) was eventually poisoned and martyred in jail by Aaron’s agents.
(Selection taken from “Twenty Speeches”, by Scholar Murtada Mutahhari (with some changes))
The Roshd Website offers condolences to all Muslims, especially your dear friend, upon the 25th of Rajab, the martyrdom anniversary of the symbol of patience and the seventh argument of Allah (SWT), Imam Musa ibn Ja’far (PBUH).
Roshd Islamic Shia Website
Footnote:
1- Tuhaf al-Uqul, p. 408
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