In the Name of God, the Most Compassionate, the Most Merciful
Introduction
In a noble hadith narrated from Imam Ja'far al-Sadiq (peace be upon him), it is said:
“The world appeared to Jesus (peace be upon him) in the form of a blue-eyed woman. He asked her: ‘How many husbands have you had?’ She replied: ‘Many.’ He said: ‘Did they all divorce you?’ She answered: ‘No, I killed them all.’ Jesus said: ‘Woe to your current husbands! Why do they not take heed from those before them?’”
The world can be distilled into two main elements:
Human beliefs are composed of values accepted by the general public—values that are supported and guided by divinely appointed proofs. Every person has two proofs:
These two lights—intellect and divine guidance—call a person toward righteousness and sound beliefs.
Human values and moral principles are, more or less, recognizable to all. Each individual, according to their capacity, and with the help of their inner and outer guides, can distinguish between right and wrong. These guides serve not only as navigators in this life, but also as witnesses for or against the individual on the Day of Judgment.
The second dimension of worldly life is human desire, which pulls a person toward whatever aligns with their worldly inclinations—no matter the cost. These desires may lead to oppression, slander, or even destroying others.
A person ignited by anger may act recklessly. One who is ensnared by lust may trample many values in the pursuit of their cravings. And a person seeking fame and self-display may disregard many truths and human values to achieve their goals.
This is not a new phenomenon. From the earliest days of humanity's existence on Earth, people have been subject to their desires. Our ancestors—fathers and grandfathers—also had their inner drives, and many of them fell prey to their lower selves. Rulers, merchants, and others lived for a time, then passed on. Their successors, without taking heed of those who came before them, repeated the same mistakes.
Sadly, it seems that most people do not learn from the past and continue to make the same errors. But if a person would take the time to reflect on the lives of those before them, they would find countless lessons that could benefit their own life greatly.
It is narrated that a man once came to Imam Ja'far al-Sadiq (peace be upon him) and confessed that he had worked as an agent for the Umayyad government, tasked with collecting money from the people. He admitted that while doing so, he had shown no regard for whether someone was rich or poor—a metaphor to express his complete disregard for people’s circumstances—and that he had oppressed many and instilled fear in countless individuals. He told the Imam that he had amassed this wealth unjustly and now wished to repent.
Imam al-Sadiq (peace be upon him) replied:
“If people like you had not supported the Umayyads—by collecting money for them and aiding them—they would not have been able to usurp our rights and oppress us. In that sense, you share in their sins.”
The man then asked, “Is there any path to repentance for me?”
The Imam replied, “If I tell you the way, will you follow it?”
The man said, “Yes.”
The Imam told him:
“You must part with everything you possess.”
The man fell silent, lost in thought. It was not an easy command—he would have to give up his home, his properties, his wealth—even his clothing. After some time, he raised his head and said, “I will do it.”
The wealth he had acquired was entirely illicit, and its rightful owners were unknown—it was majlul al-malik (of unknown ownership), a term in Islamic jurisprudence. According to narrations, such wealth is considered part of the Imam’s share, and in the time of an infallible Imam, it is to be distributed among the needy and the poor. During the occultation, the same principle of charitable redistribution applies.
The man was from Kufa. He returned there, and after a while, a group of Shia believers gathered to provide him with clothing, shelter, and basic necessities. He lived for a while longer and then passed away.
In just one moment of reflection, he followed his conscience. Though he endured some hardship, he achieved eternal salvation. His story is a powerful lesson and can serve as a guiding example for us all.
The Other Side of the Coin
What is truly astonishing is that the man who brought the Umayyad official to Imam Ja'far al-Sadiq (peace be upon him) was none other than Ali ibn Abi Hamza al-Bata’ini, one of the Imam's own appointed representatives. After the martyrdom of Imam al-Sadiq, he became one of the agents of Imam Musa ibn Ja’far (peace be upon him). And yet, despite this trusted position, he succumbed to the lure of the world and became one of the founders of the Waqifi sect—a group that denied the death of Imam Musa ibn Ja’far and refused to acknowledge the Imamate of his successors.
A narration from Imam al-Ridha (peace be upon him) describes a terrifying punishment:
The angels Nakir and Munkar struck him with a column of fire, the flames of which cannot be extinguished. Indeed, his grave caught fire, and even after over twelve centuries have passed since his death, he continues to burn in the flames of God's wrath—and will remain in that torment until the Day of Judgment.
The life and downfall of Ali ibn Abi Hamza al-Bata’ini are in themselves a powerful lesson. Despite being the one who brought the remorseful Umayyad official to the Imam and witnessed the profound story of repentance, he failed to take heed and was ultimately captivated by the world.
The reasons for this tragic reversal are many, and their full exploration would require extensive discussion.
Ultimately, the essence of Jesus (peace be upon him)’s words to the woman who represented the world is this:
“Strange are those who live in the world today and still fail to learn from the fate of those before them.”
The world has been full of tyrannical rulers who carved disgraceful ends for themselves—yet new rulers come and follow the very same paths. Pharaohs, Nimrods, and Shaddads came one after another, but none took heed from the ruin of those who preceded them.
The wealthy were no different—those who withheld their religious dues, only to be followed by their children, relatives, and friends who continued their ways without the slightest reflection on the outcomes of those before them.
The lustful and fame-seeking, too, are no better.
The world is overflowing with lessons, but those who take heed are few. If a person would even briefly look around with insight, they would see numerous examples:
To repeat their patterns, no matter how well they align with one’s personal desires, is both foolish and disgraceful.
This Is What a Lesson Truly Means
Taking lessons (‘ibrah) is not something limited to a particular stage in life—such as its end. A person, at any point in their life, can look back at their past and the years they have lived, and find that they seem to have passed in nothing more than an hour.
The Holy Qur’an expresses this idea beautifully:
“It will be as though they had not remained [in the world] except for an hour of the day.”
([Surah Yunus, 10:45])
At the moment of death—or even well before it—a person sees their entire life, no matter how long, with all its joys and sorrows, ups and downs, as no more than a fleeting hour. So brief, so ephemeral, so temporary.
Is it not a shame that this hour of life should be spent in disobedience to God, leading to millions of years of regret and remorse?
May God, the Blessed and Exalted, through the blessed intercession of the Ahl al-Bayt (peace be upon them), grant us all the success to:
And peace and blessings of God be upon our Master and Prophet Muhammad and his pure family.
