The Imams' Prayers and Proscriptions Pertaining to the Pitfall of Pernicious and Poisonous Pride!
Sacred Utterances of Mawlana Zayn al-‘Abidin⁽ᶜ⁾, Mawlana Sultan Muhammad Shah⁽ᶜ⁾ and Mawlana ‘Ali⁽ᶜ⁾ Advising the Jama‘at about the Worst of all Vices.
“The servants of the Most Merciful
are those who walk humbly on the earth,
and when the ignorant address them,
they reply, ‘Peace’; those who pass the night
prostrating and standing
[in worship] before their Lord.”
— Holy Qur’an, 25:63-64
Abstract
This article explores the spiritual and moral teachings of Mawlana Zayn al-‘Abidin⁽ᶜ⁾, his descendant Mawlana Sultan Muhammad Shah⁽ᶜ⁾, and the great ancestor of both Shi‘i Imams, Mawlana ‘Ali⁽ᶜ⁾, focusing on the detrimental effects of pride and vanity on worship and personal conduct. Drawing from the prayers, supplications and authoritative guidance of these Imams, the article underscores how pride corrupts one’s worship (‘ibadat) and leads to spiritual ruin. It contrasts the spiritually toxic nature of egotism with the virtues of humility and self-awareness, emphasizing that pride not only disrupts harmonious social interactions but also leads to divine disapproval. The article further delves into ethical and theological interpretations, drawing upon medieval and modern scholars like the 13th-century Persian polymath and Ismaili da‘i, Nasir al-Din Tusi, and Dr. Reza Shah-Kazemi, who argue that pride constitutes a form of hidden polytheism (shirk) and a rebellion against God’s supreme authority. By examining the Imams’ pronouncements and scriptural references, it highlights the necessity of cultivating humility to safeguard one’s faith and spiritual integrity.
The article also features, in the footnotes, a clarification of the true meaning of la‘nat (commonly understood as “cursing”) and how it relates to one’s reception of Divine mercy through Prophets and Imams, an alternative Shi‘i reading of Qur’an 15:41 indicating the salvific significance of ‘Ali⁽ᶜ⁾, an Ismaili ta’wil (esoteric interpretation) of the seven gates of Paradise and Hell, and insight into the ethical vision of His Highness the Aga Khan, Mawlana Shah Karim⁽ᶜ⁾, the 49th Shi‘i Ismaili Imam.