• The Word as a medium of Instruction Question: In the light of the bequest of Luqman to his son as he was exhorting him, what is the value of direct

education in terms of guidance, perspective, and advice?

• Abrahamic education

• Corrupt woman and society

• Studies on Noah's experience

• The Problem of Jealousy

• Friendship and Friends

• Parents and their Guardianship over

their Children

• Worship in its Broad Conception

• Quranic Youth

The issue of education is subject to many influences arising from the various dimensions of human perception-regardless of whether the forum of education is intellectual, emotional, or pertains to the general environment of the person. Therefore, it is natural that the word-which is the medium that communicates the idea from one human being to another-should be significant and dynamic enough to convey thought, spirit, and work. Throughout the history of human communication, words have often been suggestive of things which are not immediately apparent from the language itself.

This is because the word becomes associated with certain references which either widen the focus from or narrow it to the core meaning.

Hence, the word has been the divine medium of instruction, God having sent His prophets with sacred books, which He revealed to them. We see that the movement of human education is the long path of the word in human history, embracing every negative and positive erect in this history.

EXHORTATION BY WORDS

In light of the above, let us continue in the same general framework with respect to words. The words of exhortation used in the Quran, wherein Luqman counsels his son, are designed to expand his horizons on matters of doctrine and life.

We notice that the exhortation concerns ideas which carry aspects related to the senses and the perception. Ideas are not mere abstractions to be contemplated purely for their intellectual content, but contain aspects grasped by sensory experience.

COMBINING INTELLECT AND EMOTIONS

Exhortation carries along with its ideational aspect, certain elements of human sentiment and feeling, so that the issue becomes one of combining the intellect and emotions. In this manner it penetrates into the heart and mind of the person. For

mixing the intellect with emotions causes a state which grips and transforms the person. The various dimensions involved make a given concept something that tugs at the innermost core of the person.

This is what we observe in every exhortation where the intellectual aspect is in concert with the sensory and emotional facet. When applied to exhortation or nurturing, this method is probably the most effective in transforming a person. This is because the error committed by many in planting an idea is to focus on the purely cerebral aspect of their concept, rendering it much like a lifeless engineering formula which addresses the human intellect without in any way harnessing the other

dimensions of the human perception.

On the other hand, there are those who deal only with the emotional aspect which does not spur a person to intellectual contemplation. This leaves a gap between the concept and faith. And so we find that many carry a certain thought, but do not really believe in it, since the aspect of faith requires that an idea changes itself into something that has to do with feelings.

QURANIC METHOD OF EXHORTATION

The value of the Qur'anic method is that it attempts to articulate life issues. Therefore, we see that it presents the idea in respect of what a person sees, hears, and touches. It implants the concept in the deepest and sincerest parts of the person's being, by process of fear, hope, hate, etc.

When we contemplate this, we find that the most successful and effective exhortation is that which is well planned, which is delivered by those who use the forcefulness of the intellect and the gracefulness of the emotion, and which uses all that appeals to cerebral and emotional faculties.

EXHORTATION BY EXAMPLE

A point which needs to be elaborated upon is that speech may form the greater part of exhortation, but that the two may in fact be far apart. There is the saying that he who does not have an exhorter within himself, cannot benefit from an exhorter. This means that a person can exhort himself by himself, in terms of his experience. This is what Imam Ali spoke about in Nahj al-Balagha: "The best of what you experience is that which exhorts you." For your experience is what may teach you a lesson, concept, and contemplation of your current situation, with respect to what intellectual and sentimental aspects it possesses. On this basis, therefore, we find that one type of homily is when a person preaches by his actions before words.

In this fashion, we can put exhortation as an umbrella term, encompassing every means of intellectual or behavioural experience, or that which is related to the reactions of others.

All this shows that there is a broad outline for the process of exhortation. Briefly, it is a functional method, different in its means of delivery, which puts the concept to the person and corrects what is corrupt in his life, straightens out what needs to be in his character, or opens up to horizons hitherto closed to him in his life.

ADDRESSEE'S ROLE

Homiletic address is the purpose of the preacher, in that he presents his arguments to the best of his efforts in order to push the idea he intended to stress. As such, the person who accepts exhortation must have the ability, responsibility, and desire to

do everything mentioned in this homily. This is because exhortation is a response by words, by action, by example, by any means that reaches the intellect. A person who does not react to exhortation is no different from a corpse which has lost all the sense faculties. Loss of the sensory faculties may be a natural state in a dead person; it may be that a living person has frozen all sensation in his being.

God speaks about this repeatedly in the Quran:

"They have hearts with which they think not, they have eyes that see not, as they have ears that hear not"(al-A 'raf, 7:179).

This means that the human being may paralyze his sensory faculties and perception, emotions or ambitions thus becoming as a living dead: "It is the same whether you warn them or do not warn them: they do not believe"(al-Baqara, 2:6); God has placed a seal on their hearts and hearing, and in their sight a blindness (al-Baqara, 2:7)-i.e., how can you incite a person to act on exhortation from within himself when he rejects good preaching?

ABRAHAMIC EDUCATION

O my father! Do as you are commanded!

Al-Safat, 37:102

These are the words uttered by Ismael as he was submitting to the divine will. Is it possible to emulate this submission and obedience?

When we study the personality of Abraham from his early rearing, we find a personality of human responsiveness to God. This typified his reaction to every truth in life. When we wish to study the noble Quran rhetorically, we find that Abraham

was a man who challenged corrupt ideas, whether of non-belief or of polytheism. His challenges emerged directly from the disquiet he felt when he learned about the people around him. This is what we observe in him in his innermost thoughts, when reflecting upon the personality of those who worshipped the stars, moon, or sun. He expressed awe before the stars, the moon, and the sun in all their glory. Challenging the idea of worshipping them, however, he declared that they could not be gods, for God is present in every aspect of life.

In our view, this indicates how his function of guiding the community towards faith had caused a shockwave in the midst of the community. It is demonstrated by his act of breaking the idols and blaming the largest of these idols. His action was

based on the principle of forcing them to admit that the idols could not speak: "Certainly you know that they do not speak" (al-Anbiya, 21:65).

In the course of his action, he debated their doctrine and ideology, and showed these to be baseless. This indicated where he stood before his father, whom he dared in words which sometimes evince empathy, sometimes reflect harsh reality.

His attitude is equally reflected in his opposition to the tyrant of his time, when the latter declared, "I give life and I cause to die." My Lord is He who gives life and causes to die . . . Abraham said: God causes the sun to rise from the east, then make it rise from the west. And so the one who disbelieved was confounded. Al-Baqara, 2:258

THE MAN OF GOD

We may note-from the foregoing-the condition which makes Abraham a man of God, someone intensely aware of his responsibility that he should live for God and far from every other attachments, and all difficulties, in order to find himself a servant of God. So much so that he felt it is incumbent upon him to dedicate his entire life to God.

This is what we infer from God's words, "And God took Abraham as a friend'(al-Nisa', 4:125). God's friendship for Abraham was due to Abraham's friendship for God, being reciprocal in kind: "He loves them and they love

Him" (al Ma'ida, 5:54). This relationship of worship is the highest connection that a mortal can have with his Lord. This expands and develops into friendship.

The friendship between Abraham and God, an inevitable result of active worship, led to the realization that Abraham's presence depended on God. Concomitant with this is the knowledge, too, that the entire universe is dependent on God. This made Abraham perceive one of the ways towards God when he asked Him to bring the dead back to life: Show me how You give life to the dead. [God] said: Do you not

believe? [Abraham] said: Most certainly! But only that my heart be at ease. Al-Baqarah, 2:260

This shows that when Abraham spoke to his Lord, when he lived with Him, he perceived a life of spontaneity and inspiration, mixed with the observation of faith in worship, on the one hand, and love and obedience, on the other.

From this perspective, we find that Abraham lived Islam for God, and we are likely to understand from the Quran that he was the first to use the term al-Islam:

The milla of your father Abraham, who called you Muslims from before . . .al-Hajj, 22:78

When his Lord told him: Submit [aslim], he said: I submit to the Lord of all the Worlds. And Abraham left a legacy to his children, as did Jacob, saying thus: O my children! God has chosen for you the religion, and die only as Muslims!

al-Baqarah, 2:131-32

It was Abraham who coined the word Islam ["submission to God"] after hearing it from God (Exalted). As a result of this, every Abrahamic prophethood-if this term can be used-took the name of Islam in its inclusive sense: "Verily the religion with

God is al-Islam" (al-Imran, 3:19); "And whoever follows other than Islam, it will not be accepted from him" (al-Imran, 3:85). It is this comprehensive Islam which is carried in every prophethood; it is the line of tawhid.

Naturally, we may note that Abraham was a man who lived with God in his entire being and in all his actions. He worked to establish an instructional modus in his particular environment. This was so he could transmit to his descendants this realized elevated Islam which he lived with God. He also worked towards transmitting this Islam to all of humankind.

This is the message of the glorious verse: "And Abraham left as a legacy to his children, as did Jacob, saying thus: O my children! God has chosen for you the religion, and die only Muslims!"(al-Baqarah, 2:132).

ISLAM AS A MEDIUM OF INSTRUCTION

Islam then was a method of instruction which Abraham wanted his children to exemplify. It would appear that this method of instruction insinuated itself as a practical application in the case of Ismael and as a policy in the case of Jacob.

When we read the words of God-"We gave him tidings of a forbearing son" (al-Saffat, 3 7:101)-we see that Abraham had hoped for a son after his trials, and God granted him a forbearing, far-sighted and patient son, who was responsive of heart, and did not feel complicated regardless of how pressing or difficult the circumstances. The verse "And when he reached the age when he could go forth with his father"

(al-Saffat, 37:102) tells us that Ismael lived in close attachment to his father in the time that they had spent together. For any man blessed with a handsome son after enduring suffering, this was only natural. Abraham gave his entire heart and faith to

his Lord, and he taught his son his spiritual contemplation, which reflected every aspect of thought, spirit, worship, and deed. Ismael's state was, therefore, transformed into one of Islamism being totally submissive to God just like his father.

THE CHALLENGE TO AFFECTION AND THE SELF

From this comes the experience in which God ( The Exalted) wishes the father and the son to live in order to give example of Islam in its highest essence. This was realized in such a way that the affection of the father was severely tested, when Abraham was called to sacrifice his son, and not stand by and watch others sacrifice his son. He had to subdue his own sense of affection, mercy, love, and any loving

attachment-sentiments which reside in every father towards his only and beloved child.

On the other hand, Ismael's love for himself was also challenged. The faith of both was challenged. And this dared them to respond to the subjection of one's affections for one's own child (Abraham), and the killing of one's feelings towards

himself (Ismael). They both succeeded in this, and this is what we note in God's words, for Abraham said to his son: "O my son, 1 see in my sleep that 1 sacrifice you, so what do you think? (al-Saffat, 37:102). According to the Quranic text, Ismael did not stop once to think or reflect about this matter: "He said: O my father! Do as you are commanded; You will find me, God willing, among the forbearing! "(ibid.).

FATHERHOOD AND PROPHETHOOD

The foregoing analysis tells us that Abraham succeeded in rearing his son to this degree of spiritual Islam, where a human being can subjugate his own feelings in deference to God's commands. We can equally perceive that Abraham did not behave as would many fathers whom God has blessed with a son after trial, by spoiling and giving such a son a twisted and abused freedom; so much so, the errors of the child come to be seen as holy, his evil as good-in the light of the doting, blind affection which does not permit the father to endure the pain of such a child.

We understand that there was some readiness on the part of Ismael, and a sort of dedication from Abraham in his prophetic test. Abraham did not see his son through the lens of mortals' sentimentality; he saw him from a prophetic vantage point. A man like Abraham has to comport himself in life as a slave of God, absolutely dedicated to Him. It is not for me then to determine my fatherly or paternal feelings towards my child, or to make his filial relation to me a pretext for drowning myself in selfish feelings. Rather, I must know that the son is a slave of Allah, and I must emphasize the worship of God. I have to realize that he is a member of the human community, and that I am obligated to make him a man, strengthened by the human trials of faith and uprightness.

BLENDING HUMANNESS AND PROPHETHOOD

Abraham was able to blend his human with his prophetic dimension. He did so from the perspective of fatherhood in relation to prophethood, for he focused his human sentiments on making his son truly elevated before God. He created a proximity between the boy and God to achieve the overwhelming abundance of divine mercy and paradise. In respect of prophethood, he directed himself to being a prophet as much for his son as for all of humankind. Abraham did not do as would many have: making his message one for humankind at the expense of being distant and isolated from his own family and children, leaving them on their own.

Indeed, Abraham succeeded in rearing prophetic personalities after him. While building the House of God, he formed the personality of Ismael by letting him accompany him in that task: "And when Abraham and Ismael raised the foundations of the House" (alBaqara, 2:127). He made Ismael live in the spiritual atmosphere surrounding the construction of the House, an undertaking at once spiritual and physical. Isaac and Jacob were able to perceive things in this same light:

Were you not witnesses when Jacob was about to die, as he asked his children: What will you worship after me? They said: We worship your God, the God of your fathers, Abraham and Ismael and Isaac, the One God, and to Him do we submit.

Al-Baqara, 2:133

Jacob, the grandson of Abraham, lived this prophetic life under the aegis of Islam, and spoke to his children in exactly the same manner as Abraham had done to his.

We find in the Quran no details as to the method of instruction which Abraham followed with Ismael and Isaac, and which Isaac used with Jacob. In the spiritual environment which Abraham created for his children and by which the response of these children was to be influenced, if we consider legacy as one facet and the example another, and if we follow the same spiritual path they lived, then all this plainly led to the efficacious results in the Islam of Ismael, Isaac, and Jacob.

CHILDREN OF PROPHETS ARE LIKE ANY OTHER HUMANS

Contrasting with the story of Abraham and Ismael is the Quran's story of Noah and his son. In the former, there is an invitation to sacrifice, in the latter an invitation to salvation.

On the one hand, there is obedience and submission; on the other, rejection and rebellion. What can we learn from all this? The children of prophets, Imams, and the `ulama [religious scholars] are all human, like the rest of homo sapiens, molded as much by positive influences as by negative ones. They probably live, too, within the arena of conflict, where positive forces confront negative ones, that each may learn and experience internal conflict by wrestling with powerful external conflict.

On this basis, it is not a foregone conclusion that the child of a prophet will be righteous, or that the child of an Imam or a `alim or an activist will be like the parent. The father forms part of the environment, and he is simply one of several factors which condition the personality of the child. The father may live a sort of existence that is unstable or weak, in the course of which he cannot exert any strong influence on his family which might offset opposing forces or pressures impinging on his own activities.

All this may constitute a problem for those who call to Islam, whether they be prophets, guardians, or `ulama. This is because the pressure of belief and challenge in calling others to Islam can engage man's full attention at the expense of his household. He is open to the entire world and closed to his family. This is the course required by this lifestyle; he distances himself from personal matters, on the view that his family is one of those "personal matters".

INFLUENCES OF A CORRUPT COMMUNITY

One thing that deserves mentioning is that a corrupt community may take away a prophet's family from him without any resistance. This is because resistance (by the

prophet) is directed against the greater community, and it may very well be that the force of the opposition represents enough material strength and challenge to undermine the basic elements of prophethood, as the mundane circumstances work themselves out. The prophet-no matter which one-when delivering his message in the face of this great obstacle, does not possess every medium. Only some media apply: with respect to personal charisma and ability. The world of prophethood is not the world of the unseen, but the world of human abilities, which may be connected with the unseen in some instances or respects, but not in the full sense suggested by such knowledge.

In this setting, the community may be transformed into a powerful force even on the household of a prophet, guardian, or scholar. This is because such a community possesses the influences of a deviant society which can entice a household,

enough to destroy a prophetic message. Some prophets, scholars, and saints have even been tested through their spouses who take an opposite stance to the prophetic message, opposing the actions of the prophet. This is what the Quran tells us about

the wives of Noah and Lot:

God sets forth as an example to the disbelievers the wife of Noah and the wife of Lot. They were under two of our righteous servants, but they betrayed them so that they [the husbands] availed them naught against God. It was said to them: Enter the fire with those who go therein.

Al-Tahrim, 66:10

BETRAYAL OF THE MESSAGE

We understand from the above that the falseness was not one of sexual honor and fidelity; but rather of betrayal of the message-betrayal of the trust of such a message.

Naturally, such a situation has a negative effect on the children of prophets, Imams, and scholars.

The above verses also show that the influence of the mother is great, and can be negative in both thought and conduct, if she follows the trends and corruption of infidelity. The reason is that she brings her ideas into the household, where a prophet may be beset by her, much the same way he is beset in the community. He is unable to protect his home, since his own wife is a part of that home, and she may have such an effect from which he cannot rescue himself.

The Quran does not provide any biography of Noah's son, but we note that his father encouraged him to board with them, and not to be from among the losers: "Embark with us, and do not be with unbelievers" (Hud, 11:42).

It seems however, that the son was rebellious. He neither respected his father nor paid heed to his warnings. He did not believe in what his father was shown of the unseen, nor in his ability to face matters in a way no one else could. He said, "1

will go to a mountain which will protect me from the water" (Hud, 11:43). Noah, at that moment losing all hope in his son, replied, "On this day, there is no saving from God's command" (ibid.). When Noah called upon his Lord, it was not in confrontation, but in supplication, for God ( The Exalted) promised to help his son: "He said, "My Lord! My son is from my household and your promise is true! " God replied, "O Noah! He is not from your household, for his deeds are unrighteous" (Hud, 11:45-46).

INFLUENCE OF THE MOTHER

Why was the son of Noah not among the believers? By asking ourselves this question, we can, according to the Quranic text, relate the son to the mother. We find that the son was more under his mother's than his father's influence, for his father was alone. On the other hand, the mother was very much a part of the community, whether they were relatives or not. It is natural then for a child to live in this community and to function according to its conditioning, without his father being capable of most of his responsibility or of living with a minority of believers who can influence his son. We can understand the difference between the case of Ismael and that of the son of Noah; Ismael lived in an environment where Abraham was able to remove his son from pressure. Hence, the boy lived in an environment where the

negative influences of society exerted no pressure. At that time, his mother was also a righteous believer. In the one case, the boy's learning process was protected, in the other (son of Noah) it was not.

This is what Islam focuses on in the case of marriage-namely, that the believer should marry someone who is religiously observant. So much so that a person, according to a hadith, had once said to the Prophet, "Who should I marry?" The Prophet replied, "You must marry one who is religiously observant." This is the issue that concerns the spouse. Indeed "if there comes to you someone whose character and religion please you, marry him, for if you do not calamity and great evil will prevail in the earth." Islam then focuses on the correctness of the household, that the wife should be a religious woman, and that the husband should be a man of religion. An Islamic nursery is primarily for the child, whose senses and perceptions are molded to such a degree that, in the face of corruption, he will resort to this primary conditioning as the basis.

However, when there are different forces in the household, where the father wants the child to incline towards faith, and the mother wants the child to incline towards

non-belief and corruption, or vice versa, then the issue will normally be one which does affect the harmony of the two parents. We do not wish to hold that the parents are everything, but it must be emphasized that their role is tremendous.

In the light of this, it is possible for us to learn from the case of Noah that the father should not be confident that because he is righteous, his son shall be righteous as well. In fact, it is a duty of the father to be cautious about the lack of righteousness in his wife, for that could adversely affect his child. It is the duty of the father in this respect, not to believe that there are corrupting influences too powerful for him to

fight. People should also avoid using the corruption of a child as a mirror of the corruption of the parent, in the manner which some people claim, "Go and look after your son!" It is true that God charges a man with responsibility for his family and for

himself, along with his relatives as well. But this does not mean that such responsibility is one hundred per cent. Rather, it is a responsibility proportional to the abilities that he possesses in this regard.

TRUTH REFUTES DISTORTIONS

Is prophetic influence not negated, or its power undermined, if the house is torn from within? This issue can leave adverse effects in the eyes of the public against those who call to God, even for a prophet, guardian, or believer. Those who wish to exploit this issue try to portray the negative aspect, as follows:

This man cannot be truly serious about his call; his undertaking could be for ulterior motives-probably for recognition, position, or wealth. We see this in what God has told us about the tribes of the prophets who told them that they wanted influence, as in the case of Moses. The people said that were he serious, truthful, and believing in his call, the sign of his belief would have been to call his family, to make them believe in him. This is exactly what people say to someone who calls to certain views and does not abide by them, "Were he serious, he would have exhorted himself and disciplined himself, and truly devoted himself to his cause." This may create a bad influence in the general atmosphere. But in my view, regardless of whether one is a religious scholar , or a caller, when he exudes confidence, allowing people to perceive the seriousness in his movements, noting that he does not abandon his children to corruption; nor does he assume any special privileges for them over others, or take a lax view in this regard then people realize the seriousness of his call. The Prophet’s uncle, Abu Lahab, who opposed the Prophet, was unable to influence him because all the elements of prophethood were in the being of the Prophet, who was serious in his undertaking. His preference for non relatives (if they were Muslim) over his own kin made people see that his lack of influence on his own family was resulted from no lack of commitment. Rather, is was because of deep-seated elements present in the personality of Abu Lahab and other relatives. As a result, Abu Lahab left no negative influence on him.

I believe that if those who call to God were to concentrate on this facet of confidence in their sentiments regarding their children, and to convince the people that they do not stumble in submission to their personal sentiments regarding their

children when the latter go astray, then any negative effect that this would have on their movement would effectively be nullified.

TEMPTATION VERSUS STRENGTH OF CHARACTER

In Sura Yusuf, we find a youth who is pressed by a lady of rank resisting that temptation. How can we get our youths to understand Yusuf's resistance?

When we study the position of Yusuf, in his difficult trial, we find that it was far more difficult than any our youths normally undergo. This is because the atmosphere of incitement in which youths of today live has many sources, but there is the option of choice. For the most part, these incitements are not present in the inner longings of youths, in the sense of losing all decision in the matter or all freedom of action. In the case of Yusuf, we find that he was a slave, bought by the husband of the woman with whom he resided night and day before that difficult element in the attractive personality of Yusuf was ever discovered. In the light of this, we find that Yusuf was not attracted to this woman in any normal sense, for it is nowhere mentioned that he was attracted by any aspect of her beauty, or any sexuality. This means that Yusuf possessed the inner resistance against this temptation. Someone may state that Yusuf was a slave, and as such was unable to lookup to his lady-owner, since the barriers of

class status would have made this improbable. We note, however, that while these barriers may sometimes exist, they were not always accepted, especially by the woman, who was prepared to break those barriers.

FAITH AS A BARRIER TO TEMPTATION

It is probable that the trial Yusuf faced when the wife of the `Aziz tried to seduce him, makes it clear that his refusal to succumb was not as a result of any psychological barrier, but rather of a barrier of faith. Consequently, we observe the words of God: "And she desired him, and he would have desired her, too, had he not seen the clear sign of his Lord "(Yusuf, 12:24). These words are usually said to signify that Yusuf wanted to hit her. However, the explanation to which we incline, is enticement without feeling. This is exactly as when a man is enticed by food and his body reacts when he is hungry. This attraction did not last long. It is a natural reaction, not one of calculated innate desire-had he not seen the clear sign of his

Lord and was his faith not awakened? Infallibility does not mean lack of attraction to unlawful food, drink, or desires. Rather, it means not indulging in such unlawful things, for the instinctive, natural attraction in these cases are not transformed into action.

This experiment explains itself further when it puts Yusuf with the women who said, "This is not a mortal but a noble angel! (Yusuf, 12:31). By then, Yusuf‘s strength was beginning to weaken, impelling him in a way that he could not ignore, for he had used up all his power to resist the temptations of this woman. This is why he said: "If You do not turn away their snares from me, I should yearn unto them"

(Yusuf, 12:33).

FORTITUDE OF CHARACTER

From the foregoing, we know that what saved Yusuf from his predicament was the dimension of his strong faith. This we may see and understand when we examine his life with his father, a time during which he reflected upon God. Yusuf had lofty spiritual aspirations, and so we see that Jacob, in his affection and sentiments for him, was able to raise him and to mold him into a strong human being with fortitude in his character. Perhaps this is the reason why he loved his child so much, and not because of the boy's physical beauty. For when we study the attitude of Jacob towards his children, we find his pride and joy in them have been because they were Muslims.

From this we understand that Jacob found in Yusuf a boy who was unique in his faith in God and in harmony with prophetic conduct. This made his other sons jealous, and caused them to conspire to rid themselves of Yusuf.

THE APOSTOLIC SPIRIT

Perhaps what indicates to us the apostolic spirit which permeated Yusuf’s being is that from the time his brothers plotted against him to the time he was imprisoned, he underwent no instruction in the faith, learned no apostleship or piety from anyone. Instead, he endured the schooling of evil, encountering it at home and in the society he lived in.

When we reflect upon his life in jail, we find that he entered it to call to the way of God, the Glorious: "O my two fellow prisoners! Are many different lords better, or is God the One, the Irresistible? (Yusuf, 12:39). This indicates that Yusuf possessed the apostolic mentality, which must not only permeate the apostle himself but also influence those around him. The apostolic spirit in which Yusuf comported himself in his own right and in his community is what made him take his stand. This is what we must emphasize about the necessary steps in an upbringing that is spiritual, full of faith, and effective. I would almost say that a dynamic personality can be more effective in teaching a believer the power of resistance and self-protection from the influences of others than a believing man who is little concerned about faith or his

community.

Yusuf was certainly a dynamic person in the apostolic path, and I presume that his effective Islamic upbringing-where the facets of contemplation of spirituality, action, and the call to God were so vital was what made him take the strong position he did. He perceived within himself that his duty was to guide the people among whom he lived, rather than be influenced by them. It was this sterling spirit that enabled him to achieve his strong resistance.

THE FORTITUDE OF A WOMAN

Up to this point, the discourse has been about the strength of character in a man like Yusuf. What about the fortitude of a woman or her role in strengthening character?

When discussing Yusuf, we did not deal with his fortitude as a man, but only as a believing, apostolic human calling towards God and struggling in His cause. Thus, this discourse may just as well be directed to a believing Muslim woman, whose heart is open to Islam. For it is absolutely essential that there be an atmosphere of proper training and righteousness. And for proper method, appropriate setting, and dynamic mentality with the intention of establishing the power to resist temptation in a believing woman, no less than in a man one must realize that the humanness of a person is not the product of instinct. It is that towards which this person's training guides him.

This agrees with what Ali, Amir al-mu 'minin, had taught in his letter to Ibn Abbas: "You should not regard the attainment of pleasure and the satisfaction of the desire for revenge as the best that this world can offer. Rather, it should be the destruction of evil and the revival of truth. Your pleasure should be in that which you send forth; your grief that which you leave behind; your desire is that in what is after death." From this, we may conclude emphatically that one should not follow the path of natural inclination, but rather that of training and education. This does not mean that instinct is to be totally denied, but that we should let it take the direction in which God guides it, and confine it to the bounds which Allah has prescribed for it. We must see ourselves in our role as Muslims, doers, and callers to the path of God, working in His path to save humankind from the chaos of instincts, instead of adding to such chaos by letting our own instincts go unchecked.

THE PROBLEM OF ENVY

In Surat Yusuf, there is another point for reflection. Yusuf's brothers had plotted against him, although they all lived under the same shelter of Prophet Jacob. How can we explain their stance against their brother?

Perhaps the problem for many people, whether they are the children of prophets, Imams, scholars, or true believers who live in a special spiritual environment, is that they live the aspect of faith as some specific personal trait. Under this condition, their faith is devoid of many deep-rooted, active motivational dimensions, quite unlike the situation where their faith constitutes the prime motive, pervading their innermost

being. Therefore, as far as they are concerned, religion is obviously restricted to worship, or imitative spirituality. Morality, however, is an aspect which requires certain self-discipline and self-control in the battle against the animal instincts that rage between the two elements in the psyche-that of the believer and that of self. Their moral and ethical being might not be lived with any deep-rooted conviction, their instruction in these matters being an integral part of their personalities.

THE ERA OF THE IMAMS

We may find several negative traits associated with the moral values of many people described above, as seen from the examples of the era of the Imams. History tells us about the stance of Banu al-Hasan regarding the Imams from Banu al-Husayn, from which we can perceive a condition that may be likened to envy or some such vice. We also see that some of the children of the Imams betrayed Imam al-Kazim to Harun al-Rashid, just as they did with Ja'far b. al-Hadi. There are some situations where inner workings do not correspond to the positive responses, but in some cases they may reflect negative attitudes. This is because human beings lose many of their values in certain situations. Likewise the case with the children of Jacob, for they lived with selfishness regarding Yusuf and his brother, whose mother was not theirs.

It is possible, too, that the problem was a conflict between the two mothers, on the one hand, and between them and their two brothers, on the other hand. The other brothers became envious of Yusuf whom Jacob preferred not for emotional reasons, but because Yusuf's righteousness was so much more than his brothers. This was an issue that caused them to become envious and to contemplate their attack on him in the manner it transpired.

If there is one question that must be raised, it is that are these "prophets"-it is not confirmed that they were and the Quran apparently does not present them as such. They probably were reformed after the events unfolded selfish motives which had influenced them were obliterated.

THE ISSUE ON THE ASPECT OF DAAWA

We would like to present information on this subject relating to the situation in which we live. We will, therefore, focus on work which the scholars , believing fathers, and those who guide to the path of Allah should embark upon. They should not succumb to the atmosphere of faith in which the believers now live, whether inside or outside their homes. It may appear to them that the presence of Muslim boys and girls outside, in the broader Islamic context, reflecting an environment of faith is enough to qualify for an upbringing which possesses all the elements that will ensure they will take the right path. Rather, there must be concerted attempts to innovate the method of instruction and the education of ethics and morals. This should point to different approaches and perspectives.

We feel that a variety of approaches, renewal, and opportunities for implementation of the doctrine of faith in this area would be a stark contrast to the routine that normally causes concepts to stagnate in the mind of the believer, and thus become ineffective. For, like anything to which people have become accustomed, there is need for dynamism, which makes an issue effective in the life of the person.

We should be able to deduce from Surat Yusuf the milieu of upbringing where envy results in enmity towards whoever is envied. We see that when Yusuf’s brothers experienced envy towards Yusuf and his brother, and plotted to kill him, the outcome was that Yusuf looked after them, adopted them, and cared for them in a most elevated and lofty spirit. He had this spirit when God caused him to be reunited with his parents and his brothers after a long absence and severe complications. His brothers discovered that he had a broad vision when he assessed things and that he harboured no vengefulness after reaching this lofty position. He did not seek to harm them or seek any retribution. Instead, he took them close to him, keeping them in exile according to the apostolic spirit which he possessed, asking God to unite his brothers with himself in the best manner possible.

Whoever then prefers to be jealous of a good person who is a doer and a facilitator, whether he is a relative or not, should recall that the desired positive results can still be attained. He should examine himself in the light of the spirituality of this man from the outset, without resorting to inimical measures in any way. We see that the brothers of Yusuf, had they opened up to Yusuf and his brother, and engaged in discourse, would have found that the element of spirituality in Yusuf's personality was abundant. So abundant was this element that it was enough to ward off most of their negative feelings, because of the preference Jacob had for Yusuf and his brother.

Every believer must understand that envy does not yield any functional result of the kind they would like to see afflict the person of whom they are jealous. This is especially true when the sense of faith awakens inside, and they realize that the entire matter is with God. For it is God who changes the situation and, as such, the person of whom they are envious cannot be affected negatively by their feelings. Moreover, their enmity towards the person can never result in anything which God does not will, for nothing can take place without His permission and desire, even indirectly.

THE ENVIOUS PERSON MUST TAKE A POSITION OF CONTEMPLATION

These persons need to reflect on an issue and to realize that God can perhaps bestow on them what He has bestowed on the person of whom they are envious, without taking anything away from them. This is because God's bounty is without limit; it is sufficient for them and the person of whom they are envious. God's storehouses are never depleted, and this is what is termed "rapture", whereby a person feels that his Lord will give him as much or even more than He has given others.

Consequently, I think that the story of Yusuf serves as a living example, when we reflect on it from beginning to end. When we study the life of Yusuf, we must reflect on his reaction towards his brothers and on how God paved the way for this weak human, who was pawned and exposed to death; how God paved his way to becoming a judge in Egypt. This is what Yusuf was referring to when he said: "My Lord You

have given me kingdom, and taught me the interpretation of sayings. You are my Guardian in this world and the hereafter; make me die as a Muslim and join me with the righteous" (Yusuf, 12:101). For Yusuf showed he was aware that all of this was due to God's bounty for him.

From this, the person afflicted by envy should think, when plotting against another, that God (Exalted) will raise the standard of the sincere so high that the envious person will wish that the other person had remained in his original position. A person holding such a grudge will not be spared the rising agitation of viewing this great blessing that God confers on the target of his envy.

Those who work in the path of God, whether they are `ulama or believers with these negative traits, must open themselves to the dynamics of faith in God in their life, so that they may realize that "jealousy consumes faith just as fire eats wood."

SPIRITUAL WEAKNESS

There are those who believe that the conduct of Yusuf’s brothers was due to a lack of proper understanding. Others assume that their shortcomings was the result of spiritual emptiness.

Spirituality is the main factor in this issue; whether there is complete or only partial understanding, the aspect of intellectual contemplation is not sufficient to motivate the life of human beings to act properly. This is because motivation stems from a human being's spirituality, which allows him to endure deprivation in important areas of life, and to assume the moral obligations which God has imposed on him.

I, therefore, assume that the aspect of spirituality is the basis. From this perspective, the aspect of imitative religion for the person living in a complete religious atmosphere makes religion "the roof of the house," as it were. As such, there are many scholars who, when people draw their attention to these negative traits of conduct, will pounce on these people, saying, "You are trying to teach us, when we are the ones who write books, the ones who preach, the ones who guide!" It is as if they were saying, "These things are our specialty, and thus we understand them better than you do." The fact of the matter, however, is that they may well understand better, but sadly they may not be better in their spiritual contemplation in

respect of function than those they criticize