We shouldn’t spoil good attributes, virtues with inappropriate actions/ We should be hopeful, not arrogant: Ayatollah Hadavi Tehrani

News News of the Members of the Supreme Council

Tuesday, 18 April 2023

The professor of Kharij courses and higher levels of Qom seminary stated, “We should hope that our actions will be accepted by God. But at the same time, we should not become arrogant and think that the actions we have done will definitely be accepted by Him, and Paradise is definitely guaranteed for us.”

ABWA Official Website – One of the questions and concerns of fasting people and believers is, “What should we do after the month of Ramadan to preserve the good and spiritual mood of the Month of God’s Feast?”

In this regard, ABNA News Agency conducted an interview with Ayatollah Hadavi Tehrani, professor of Kharij courses and higher levels of Qom seminary, and a member of the Supreme Council of the AhlulBayt (a.s.) World Assembly as follows:

ABNA – As the first question, what should we do to maintain the good and spiritual mood of Ramadan in other months of the year?

Ayatollah Hadavi Tehrani – The holy month of Ramadan is an opportunity to practice good deeds and virtues. In this month, a person experiences salah, fasting, supplication, recitation of the Quran, as well as honesty and purity of hands, and good behavior.

If these good attributes and virtues have permeated into the human soul during the month of Ramadan, they will continue after this holy month. But if this has not been permeated during this month, one should try to preserve it, otherwise, as long as it has not reached the level of internalization, these effects will not remain.

One should try to maintain the habits one found during this month, such as salah on time, concentration and attention while performing salah, reciting the Quran, supplication, and saying zikr; most importantly, honesty in speech, respecting the rights of others, especially public rights, for someone who has power. One should try to continue these behaviors after the holy month of Ramadan. Also, if less slander, and backbiting, have been said in public during this month, it should be continued after the holy month of Ramadan.

One should pay attention that “the world is in the presence of God” and God is aware of everything we do, and it is recorded in the eternal world.

According to the verses: “فَمَنْ يَعْمَلْ مِثْقَالَ ذَرَّةٍ خَيْرًا يَرَهُ* وَمَنْ يَعْمَلْ مِثْقَالَ ذَرَّةٍ شَرًّا يَرَهُ” (Whosoever has done an atom's weight of good shall see it* and whosoever has done an atom's weight of evil shall see it) (Holy Quran, Surah: Al-Zalzalah, Verses: 7 and 8), the smallest good thing, as well as the smallest bad thing we do, is recorded. If a person pays attention to these points, he can preserve the good deeds that he had succeeded to do in the holy month of Ramadan, and God willing, they will be internalized in his soul.

In Surah An-Naml, Verse: 89, God Almighty says, “مَنْ جَاءَ بِالْحَسَنَةِ فَلَهُ خَيْرٌ مِنْهَا وَهُمْ مِنْ فَزَعٍ يَوْمَئِذٍ آمِنُونَ” (Whosoever comes with a good deed shall have better than it, and shall be secure from the terrors of that Day.) whoever brings good deeds with him on the Day of Resurrection, and virtues are internalized in his soul, he will be rewarded better than that. On the other hand, in the same Surah, Verse: 90, He says, “وَمَنْ جَاءَ بِالسَّيِّئَةِ فَكُبَّتْ وُجُوهُهُمْ فِي النَّارِ هَلْ تُجْزَوْنَ إِلَّا مَا كُنْتُمْ تَعْمَلُونَ” (But those who come with an evil deed shall have their faces thrust into the Fire: 'Are you recompensed except for your deeds?) The one whose life is united with sins and vices will fall with his face in the fire.

If we pay attention to these points, we can preserve the effects of the holy month of Ramadan even after it.

ABNA – How a person can know that his deeds, such as prayer, fasting, reciting the Quran, etc., are accepted by God?

Ayatollah Hadavi Tehrani – For now, it is not necessary to judge whether our actions are accepted by God or not. We should hope that our actions will be accepted, God willing. But at the same time, we should not become arrogant and think that the good deed we have done must have been accepted, and as a result, heaven must be guaranteed for us. We may do a good deed, but, God forbid, destroy its reward with a bad deed.

The Holy Prophet (p.b.u.h) was asked: “What is the reward of this zikr that we said?”

The Prophet replied that for the zikr “Subhan Allah” a certain amount and for the zikr “Alhamdulillah” a certain amount of reward is given by God.

“So, we are very felicitous!” the person replied.

Prophet (p.b.u.h) said in response, “Yes, as long as you don’t send a flame (a sin) to destroy all this.”

We should be careful that don’t destroy our good deeds, even if they are accepted by God, which God willing are. As I said in the previous section, if we have respected people’s rights during the month of Ramadan, but, God forbid, we don’t preserve it after this month, this will cause us to lose all rewards we have achieved. We should hope that our actions will be accepted by God. But at the same time, we should not become arrogant. God willing, may God save us all from trouble and pride, which are the means of Satan's tricks and deception.

ABNA – Thank you for your precious time.

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AhlulBayt (a_s_) World Assembly Hadavi Tehrani Ramadan Supreme Council