REMEDY FOR THE VICES: A medicine that would be a common cure for all the vices is the
recognition of the disease and things that are harmful to it, its cause, its opposite as well as
effects of the medicine. After learning and recognizing the disease, the step of identifying the
diseases at one’s self is important. He either recognizes the disease himself or would know
through communication of a scholar (Alim) or a spiritual guide (Murshid). A believer (Mumin)
is a mirror of another believer. Recognizing one's own (spiritual) diseases, maladies, and
deficiencies are very difficult-task. However, one may learn them by asking to a dependable
friend. A dependable friend is a person who would protect him from all kinds of dangers and
fears. Finding such a friend is very difficult. For that reason Imam ash-Shafi'i, may Allahu ta’ala
be pleased with him, said:
A dependable friend and the real medicine
Very difficult to find, do not waste your time!
Hadrat Umar, may Allahu ta’ala be well pleased with him, said:
My friend warned me about my shortcomings,
This is the wisdom of being a brother.
One may also recognize his deficiencies by being alert to the remarks of his enemies. Enemies
look for a chance to bring up and talk about one's deficiencies. Good friends usually do not see
their friends' faults. When someone asked to the famous Sufi master Ibrahim bin Athham, may
Allahu ta’ala be pleased with him, if he could tell him his mistakes and faults. He answered him
by saying that he made him a friend to himself thereby he could not see any faults in him, and
advised him to ask to others. Another way of recognizing one's shortcomings is observing faults
of others. When one observes faults of others, he should look at his own affairs to see if he has
the same faults and if he has, he should try to get rid of them. This way of identifying vices is
also a method for curing the vices and is the meaning of the following hadith, "A believer
(Mumin) is a mirror of another believer." In other words, he identifies his own faults when he
sees those deficiencies in others. When Jesus (Isa), peace be upon him, was asked how he got his
virtues, he answered: "I did not learn from anyone. I looked at the others; observed the things I
did not like and I abstained doing the same. I also performed the things I liked." When they
asked famous doctor Lucman, may Allahu ta’ala be well pleased with him, how he learned his
virtues, he answered by saying that he learned them from those who did not have any virtues.
Furthermore, one may also become virtues by reading the life stories of the great companions,
may Allahu ta’ala be well pleased with them, of our Holy Prophet Muhammad, peace be upon
him, and the friend (Awliya) who lived in the centuries following the time our Prophet
Muhammad, peace be upon him.
A person who has a vice should search for the reason (cause) of catching that vice. He should try
to annihilate this cause and then try to get rid of it by doing its opposite. One should try very
hard to do the opposite of the vice for getting rid of it. Because, getting rid of a vice is very
difficult. The soul (Nafs) loves evil and ugly things.
Another useful medicine for getting rid of vices is to establish a method of retribution. For
example, when one commits a vice, immediately afterwards, one should do some action one's
soul does not like. A good way of accomplishing this is to take an oath. Namely, one should take
an oath to the effect that if one commits a vice, one will do extra goodness such as giving alms,
fasting or performing "Salats." Since one's soul never likes to do extra prayers, one will stop
committing vices. Another useful medicine is reading or listening from others about those vices
which produce harmful results. Many hadiths inform us about the harms of vices. Some of them
are:
1. "In the sight of Allahu ta'ala, there is no greater sin than vices." Because, those who
commit vices do not know that they are committing sin. Therefore, they do not repent for their
sin so that their sins accumulate and increase many folds.
2. "The one sin which human beings commit without any hesitation or reservation is being
a person with vices."
3. "There is a repentance for every sort of sin but there is none for vices."
4. "As hot water melts an ice cube, virtues with similar ease melt away the mistakes and
errors. As vinegar destroys honey, vices destroy rewards (Thawabs) of good deeds with
equal ease."
Justice (Adalat), chastity (Iffat), bravery (Shajaat) and wisdom (Hikmat) that is not used with
evil intentions are the fountain of all virtues. One should associate with pious (Salih) and goodnatured
persons in order to be a good-natured person or to protect his virtues. One's nature
(Akhlaq) would be similar to one's friend's nature. Nature is like a contagious disease. That
means, it catches on fast. Therefore, one should not become friendly with evil-natured persons. It
is reported that our Prophet, peace be upon him, once said, "One's religious beliefs will be
similar to his friend's beliefs." One should avoid, doing non-useful things, playing, making
harmful jokes or arguing with others. One should learn knowledge and do useful deeds.
One
should not read books that harm one's morals or which promotes sex or should not watch
television programs or listen to the radio programs that promote destructive morals or arouses
sexual desires. One should constantly remind oneself the benefits of virtues and harmful effects
of the prohibited actions and the punishment they will incur in the hell. No one who runs after
the possessions ever satisfied their endless desires. Nevertheless, those who wanted rank and
worldly possessions to do good deeds with them lived comfortably and happily. Worldly ranks
and possessions should not be one's goals but instead should be vehicles to do goodness to
others. Worldly ranks and possessions are like an ocean and many people are drawn in that
ocean. Having the fear of Allahu ta’ala is the ship that one needs to survive in that ocean. Our
Prophet, peace be upon him, once said, "One should live in the world not like a permanent
resident but like a traveler, and should never forget that he will die!" Human beings will not
live in this world forever. When one is absorbed with worldly pleasures, one's troubles, worries
and distress will increase. The following hadiths should never be forgotten:
1. "A slave of Allahu ta’ala who does not have much worships will have high grades in the
hereafter if he has good morals."
2. "The easiest and the most useful worship is to talk less and be a good-natured person."
3. "A slave of Allahu ta’ala may have many worships but, his evil nature will deliver him
into the depths of hell. Furthermore, will sometimes lead him into disbelief."
4. It is reported that once the companions, may Allahu ta’ala be well pleased with them,
communicated to Rasulullah, peace be upon him, that someone in the community was a very
devout person. He was spending his days with fasting and his nights with praying but also had an
evil nature. Rasulullah, peace be upon him, responded, "His state is not a good one. His
destination will be hell fire."
5. "I was sent to complement the virtues and to help the people so that they may assimilate
these virtues." The virtues also existed in the previously sent monotheistic religions. Islam was
sent to complement those virtues. Since this religion exists with all the good commandments and
habits, there is no need for another source to inform us regarding the virtues. Therefore, no other
prophet will come after the Prophet Muhammad, peace be upon him.
6. "A good-natured person will acquire both worldly and next worldly happiness." A
person with virtues fulfills his obligations toward Allahu ta’ala and His creatures.
7. "Hell fire will not burn a person who has a good nature and has a beautiful physical
appearance."
8. "Being good-natured means to approach or establish close relationship with those who
run away from you or to forgive those who oppresses you or to give away money or the like
to those persons who are stingy toward you." A good-natured person will do goodness to
those who break up with him or he would forgive those who harm his honor or him physically or
materially.
9. "Allahu ta'ala will fill the heart of a person with belief and trustworthiness if he treats
others with soft manners while he is angry." He will have no fear of anything. The best of all
virtues is doing goodness to the one who treats you improperly. This behavior is the sign of
maturity and it converts one's enemies into friends. Imam al-Ghazali, may Allahu ta’ala be
pleased with him, says that he has read the following statements in the New Testament (Injil)
which was revealed to Jesus (Isa), peace be upon him: "Do not respond ill treatment with ill
treatment! Turn your left cheek to those who hit you on the right cheek! Give your pants to those
who take away your overcoat!" [Our book Could not Answer informs us that the modified New
Testament held by Christians today also includes the same teaching. Books inform us about the
cruelties, oppression and torture of Muslims and Jews by Christians in Spain during the Spanish
inquisitions, in India, in Bosnia-Herzegovina and in Jerusalem as well as against each other by
the Inquisition courts. Their uncivilized behavior proves that they are not following the true
teachings of the New Testament.]
Every Muslim should get rid of vices residing in his heart and replace them with virtues. One
cannot be a good-natured person by replacing a few vices with a few good ones. A Sufi path is
the way that makes one to obtain this maturity, i.e., obtaining all virtues. [A path that cannot
provide this maturity cannot be called a Sufi path. As it often happens, there are some pseudo
practitioners in every field of endeavor. So, there are some in the field of knowledge and Sufi
Path (Tariqat) who call themselves as spiritual guide (Shaikh). In reality, they know nothing
about the real Islam and beautiful moral teachings of Islam. We should beware of these types and
avoid their traps.]
Sixty vices are well known. We translated and included forty of them in forty sub chapters. A
person who avoid these vices and do their opposites will be a virtues or good-natured person.
recognition of the disease and things that are harmful to it, its cause, its opposite as well as
effects of the medicine. After learning and recognizing the disease, the step of identifying the
diseases at one’s self is important. He either recognizes the disease himself or would know
through communication of a scholar (Alim) or a spiritual guide (Murshid). A believer (Mumin)
is a mirror of another believer. Recognizing one's own (spiritual) diseases, maladies, and
deficiencies are very difficult-task. However, one may learn them by asking to a dependable
friend. A dependable friend is a person who would protect him from all kinds of dangers and
fears. Finding such a friend is very difficult. For that reason Imam ash-Shafi'i, may Allahu ta’ala
be pleased with him, said:
A dependable friend and the real medicine
Very difficult to find, do not waste your time!
Hadrat Umar, may Allahu ta’ala be well pleased with him, said:
My friend warned me about my shortcomings,
This is the wisdom of being a brother.
One may also recognize his deficiencies by being alert to the remarks of his enemies. Enemies
look for a chance to bring up and talk about one's deficiencies. Good friends usually do not see
their friends' faults. When someone asked to the famous Sufi master Ibrahim bin Athham, may
Allahu ta’ala be pleased with him, if he could tell him his mistakes and faults. He answered him
by saying that he made him a friend to himself thereby he could not see any faults in him, and
advised him to ask to others. Another way of recognizing one's shortcomings is observing faults
of others. When one observes faults of others, he should look at his own affairs to see if he has
the same faults and if he has, he should try to get rid of them. This way of identifying vices is
also a method for curing the vices and is the meaning of the following hadith, "A believer
(Mumin) is a mirror of another believer." In other words, he identifies his own faults when he
sees those deficiencies in others. When Jesus (Isa), peace be upon him, was asked how he got his
virtues, he answered: "I did not learn from anyone. I looked at the others; observed the things I
did not like and I abstained doing the same. I also performed the things I liked." When they
asked famous doctor Lucman, may Allahu ta’ala be well pleased with him, how he learned his
virtues, he answered by saying that he learned them from those who did not have any virtues.
Furthermore, one may also become virtues by reading the life stories of the great companions,
may Allahu ta’ala be well pleased with them, of our Holy Prophet Muhammad, peace be upon
him, and the friend (Awliya) who lived in the centuries following the time our Prophet
Muhammad, peace be upon him.
A person who has a vice should search for the reason (cause) of catching that vice. He should try
to annihilate this cause and then try to get rid of it by doing its opposite. One should try very
hard to do the opposite of the vice for getting rid of it. Because, getting rid of a vice is very
difficult. The soul (Nafs) loves evil and ugly things.
Another useful medicine for getting rid of vices is to establish a method of retribution. For
example, when one commits a vice, immediately afterwards, one should do some action one's
soul does not like. A good way of accomplishing this is to take an oath. Namely, one should take
an oath to the effect that if one commits a vice, one will do extra goodness such as giving alms,
fasting or performing "Salats." Since one's soul never likes to do extra prayers, one will stop
committing vices. Another useful medicine is reading or listening from others about those vices
which produce harmful results. Many hadiths inform us about the harms of vices. Some of them
are:
1. "In the sight of Allahu ta'ala, there is no greater sin than vices." Because, those who
commit vices do not know that they are committing sin. Therefore, they do not repent for their
sin so that their sins accumulate and increase many folds.
2. "The one sin which human beings commit without any hesitation or reservation is being
a person with vices."
3. "There is a repentance for every sort of sin but there is none for vices."
4. "As hot water melts an ice cube, virtues with similar ease melt away the mistakes and
errors. As vinegar destroys honey, vices destroy rewards (Thawabs) of good deeds with
equal ease."
Justice (Adalat), chastity (Iffat), bravery (Shajaat) and wisdom (Hikmat) that is not used with
evil intentions are the fountain of all virtues. One should associate with pious (Salih) and goodnatured
persons in order to be a good-natured person or to protect his virtues. One's nature
(Akhlaq) would be similar to one's friend's nature. Nature is like a contagious disease. That
means, it catches on fast. Therefore, one should not become friendly with evil-natured persons. It
is reported that our Prophet, peace be upon him, once said, "One's religious beliefs will be
similar to his friend's beliefs." One should avoid, doing non-useful things, playing, making
harmful jokes or arguing with others. One should learn knowledge and do useful deeds.
One
should not read books that harm one's morals or which promotes sex or should not watch
television programs or listen to the radio programs that promote destructive morals or arouses
sexual desires. One should constantly remind oneself the benefits of virtues and harmful effects
of the prohibited actions and the punishment they will incur in the hell. No one who runs after
the possessions ever satisfied their endless desires. Nevertheless, those who wanted rank and
worldly possessions to do good deeds with them lived comfortably and happily. Worldly ranks
and possessions should not be one's goals but instead should be vehicles to do goodness to
others. Worldly ranks and possessions are like an ocean and many people are drawn in that
ocean. Having the fear of Allahu ta’ala is the ship that one needs to survive in that ocean. Our
Prophet, peace be upon him, once said, "One should live in the world not like a permanent
resident but like a traveler, and should never forget that he will die!" Human beings will not
live in this world forever. When one is absorbed with worldly pleasures, one's troubles, worries
and distress will increase. The following hadiths should never be forgotten:
1. "A slave of Allahu ta’ala who does not have much worships will have high grades in the
hereafter if he has good morals."
2. "The easiest and the most useful worship is to talk less and be a good-natured person."
3. "A slave of Allahu ta’ala may have many worships but, his evil nature will deliver him
into the depths of hell. Furthermore, will sometimes lead him into disbelief."
4. It is reported that once the companions, may Allahu ta’ala be well pleased with them,
communicated to Rasulullah, peace be upon him, that someone in the community was a very
devout person. He was spending his days with fasting and his nights with praying but also had an
evil nature. Rasulullah, peace be upon him, responded, "His state is not a good one. His
destination will be hell fire."
5. "I was sent to complement the virtues and to help the people so that they may assimilate
these virtues." The virtues also existed in the previously sent monotheistic religions. Islam was
sent to complement those virtues. Since this religion exists with all the good commandments and
habits, there is no need for another source to inform us regarding the virtues. Therefore, no other
prophet will come after the Prophet Muhammad, peace be upon him.
6. "A good-natured person will acquire both worldly and next worldly happiness." A
person with virtues fulfills his obligations toward Allahu ta’ala and His creatures.
7. "Hell fire will not burn a person who has a good nature and has a beautiful physical
appearance."
8. "Being good-natured means to approach or establish close relationship with those who
run away from you or to forgive those who oppresses you or to give away money or the like
to those persons who are stingy toward you." A good-natured person will do goodness to
those who break up with him or he would forgive those who harm his honor or him physically or
materially.
9. "Allahu ta'ala will fill the heart of a person with belief and trustworthiness if he treats
others with soft manners while he is angry." He will have no fear of anything. The best of all
virtues is doing goodness to the one who treats you improperly. This behavior is the sign of
maturity and it converts one's enemies into friends. Imam al-Ghazali, may Allahu ta’ala be
pleased with him, says that he has read the following statements in the New Testament (Injil)
which was revealed to Jesus (Isa), peace be upon him: "Do not respond ill treatment with ill
treatment! Turn your left cheek to those who hit you on the right cheek! Give your pants to those
who take away your overcoat!" [Our book Could not Answer informs us that the modified New
Testament held by Christians today also includes the same teaching. Books inform us about the
cruelties, oppression and torture of Muslims and Jews by Christians in Spain during the Spanish
inquisitions, in India, in Bosnia-Herzegovina and in Jerusalem as well as against each other by
the Inquisition courts. Their uncivilized behavior proves that they are not following the true
teachings of the New Testament.]
Every Muslim should get rid of vices residing in his heart and replace them with virtues. One
cannot be a good-natured person by replacing a few vices with a few good ones. A Sufi path is
the way that makes one to obtain this maturity, i.e., obtaining all virtues. [A path that cannot
provide this maturity cannot be called a Sufi path. As it often happens, there are some pseudo
practitioners in every field of endeavor. So, there are some in the field of knowledge and Sufi
Path (Tariqat) who call themselves as spiritual guide (Shaikh). In reality, they know nothing
about the real Islam and beautiful moral teachings of Islam. We should beware of these types and
avoid their traps.]
Sixty vices are well known. We translated and included forty of them in forty sub chapters. A
person who avoid these vices and do their opposites will be a virtues or good-natured person.
