The most determining factor in human destiny

Are our prayers and supplications effective?


“Can we affect our destiny?” Yes. For example, you can pray. But, if the determining factor allows, your prayer will be answered. If that determining factor doesn’t allow, your prayer won’t be answered, even if you’re a good person. “Can I do good deeds and affect my destiny? For example, if I give charity, will a hardship be eliminated?” Yes, you can. But, there is a determining factor.
That factor should permit charity to eliminate this hardship, which was going to occur. If it doesn’t allow, it won’t be eliminated. “So, why do they say charity eliminates 70 hardships?” Yes, it eliminates 70 hardships, but there is a condition. “If I do good deeds, for example visit my family, will my problems lessen and my sustenance increase? Will my sustenance increase with recitations (dhikr)?” Yes, these are effective, but on one condition. The determining factor, which is the most effective determining factor for our destinies, should allow it. If it doesn’t allow it, no matter how much you repeat recitations, your sustenance will be added somewhere else. For example, it will be given to your child, or you’ll receive it in the Hereafter, or they’ll give you something else. That determining factor should allow it. That effective factor, which is the most effective factor in divine decrees, is divine testing and trials.
We have been created so that we may be tested in this world. God has not resolved on giving hardships to His servants, unless the determining factor demands this. God has not resolved on giving comfort to His servants, unless the determining factor demands this. God has not resolved on giving an opportunity to His servants, unless the determining factor demands this. God is not resolved on taking away opportunities from His servants, unless the determining factor demands this.
All of your moments and your destiny - from any angle you look at it - are under the influence of testing, the determining factor. “God, grant me a good spouse.” “Is he a good person for his prayers to always be accepted?” “No, but he pleaded a lot this time. Accept his prayer.” “Put it in the testing system first.” “The testing system says he is supposed to be tested with a bad spouse.” “So, write the reward for this praying for him, and give him a bad spouse.” “God, wait. I want to explain something.” “What explanation do you want to give?!”
Does God give sustenance to people? Yes. But He keeps some people poor? Yes. When He gives sustenance to some and doesn’t give it to others, that is their test. What is testing? Aha! It looks like we are gradually understanding some things. Our life in this world is based on testing. “It is He who has created death and life to put you to the test…” [Qur’an 67:2] It is for you to be tested. You have come into this world to be tested.
What is the most determining factor in our destiny? Tests. “So, can our prayers have an effect?” Yes, you can change your certain destiny with praying, but if the testing system allows. But, most people don’t know what the questions and answers are and what is happening. Living with God is so captivating. It’s enthralling. He’s testing you in each moment. Like a coach for ping-pong, He’s standing on the other side and wants to train you to reach the level of the national team.
He’s a professional coach. You see He smashes the ball into one side three times. This means your right side is weak. You should strengthen it. He plans. Then, He smashes it into the middle. He hits it softly. This means you can’t hit these balls, but you should hit them. Be captivated. Do your own duty!
Why do you want to know about destinies? You want this and that to be changed, and you keep giving your opinion about them. God is your coach about destinies! For example, the divine testing system now says this good servant, who usually prays the midnight prayer, the angels should keep asleep and not let him get up to pray. The angels say, “But God, actually he’s a good person. Let him pray and grow! He is motivated too. It’s Muharram and winter time with long nights. He can move forward. Why keep him asleep? He really struggled to be able to stay up these nights. The religious speakers motivate people to pray the midnight prayer. Now, you’re telling us to keep him asleep?!” God replies, “My testing system says he shouldn’t pray now. The testing system says if he wakes up, his test will be ruined.”
Why?

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A young person should know what good or bad features he has gotten from his father and mother.
Celebrate the independence of a young person from his family!

What is the purpose of our creation?

Some young people ask good questions. Sometimes their questions are very mystical. Sometimes they ask, “Sir, won’t a person become tired in Heaven?” What a question?! He asked a very good question!
We haven’t come into this world to become a good person! We haven’t even been created to not make mistakes! If you didn’t make a mistake, what’s next? God job! He didn’t make a mistake. Now he is dead and done! We haven’t been created to become successful in life! For example, you are now successful. Any position or perfection that you gain in this world, you will still feel sad. When a person gains a success, he says, “So what?!”
We haven’t been created for these things. We won’t become satisfied with any of these either. The main debate in religion is over the boundaries that God has determined for sins, for His commands, for His prohibitions, for obedience.
“Have you sinned, or not? Have you obeyed Me, or not?” We haven’t been created to be good. Don’t give us the wrong address. We have been created to have a relationship with God. Our relationship with God is the relationship between a servant and his Master. The relationship between a servant and his Master is formed with commands and obeying. It isn’t formed in any other way. The relationship between a servant and his Master is formed with commands.
“Have you sinned, or not? Have you obeyed Me, or not?” This is the main challenge in the Qur’an and the life of human beings. This is the main challenge that even when the ‘Friends of God’ cry to God, they constantly talk about this same subject. The Almighty God has defined His relationship with His servants based on this challenge. It is as if He wants it to be like this too. “Have you sinned, or not? Have you obeyed Me, or not? Will I accept your obedience, or not?”
Next to where they had slaughtered Imam Husayn (‘a), Hazrat Zaynab said, “God, accept this sacrifice from us!” Wasn’t there any more important topic for you to mention in this situation?! This great epic! This love! This sacrifice! This martyrdom! This innocence! No! The key issue was God’s command, obeying Him, and His acceptance. “God, have you accepted my actions? If not, I will be wretched.”
God has said many times, “Your sustenance is in My hands.” “So why should I work?” “Because I have commanded you to work.” “Is this really the way it is?!” “Yes, your sustenance is in My hands. When you are working, focus on your work. Don’t work to make money you poor person. I will get the money to you.” “So, why should I do business? But, I want to become rich.” “Do your job well. This is My command to you.”
We haven’t been created to become good. We have been created to have a relationship with our Master. We have been created to be “obedient.” This won’t happen by only saying it. How many classes on beliefs must I attend to understand that I am a servant and He is a Master? There is no need for that. God, I will obey Your commands so much until I feel the taste of being a servant.
The most important things a person should receive from his Master are His commands and prohibitions. The servant enjoys this. When the master orders the servant, he feels that the master has considered him to be worthy.
Some young people ask good questions. Sometimes their questions are very mystical. Sometimes they ask, “Sir, won’t a person become tired in Heaven? ‘Give him honey to eat. Honey. Throw him in the river of milk. The milk is flowing. Let him swim!’ How many times can a person swim in it?!”
God has created a creature and tells him, “See! You will become calm only with Me Myself. Heaven alone won’t satisfy you either. You have already understood from now that this alone would be boring there. I tell you, ‘Heaven is the rug beneath you. The important thing is who you are in love with when you are sitting on this rug!’” We haven’t been created to be good. We have been created to have a relationship with God. The relationship with God is the relationship between a servant and his Master. “Have you sinned, or not? Have you obeyed Me, or not?” The most important things a person should receive from his Master are His commands and prohibitions. The servant enjoys this.
When the master orders the servant, he feels that the master has considered him to be worthy. God has created a creature and tells him, “See! You will become calm only with Me Myself!” When a person wants to internalize the concept of “obedience,” he should constantly say, “Yes, yes, yes” to his Master to show he is the servant of that Master.
[From the series of speeches under the topic of, “What is sinning? How should we repent?”]

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The Nights of Destiny
Don’t miss these special nights.

These are the words of Hazrat Zahra (‘a). She said, ““Whoever sends his pure worship acts towards God, God will determine the best expedient for him.” Ayatollah Bahjat said, “If difficulties do not affect the way you worship, your problems will be resolved.” Based on this, I tell the friends who have problems to forget their difficulties when praying. After prayer, they’ll see they don’t feel so weighed down. Isn’t it time to pray? Aren’t you in debt, taking care of someone who is sick, or have to deal with thousands of problems? When saying, “Allahu Akbar” (God is the greatest) push these aside with the back of your hand and pray. “God, I don’t have any difficulties now. I’m not in debt. I don’t have thousands of pains and miseries. I am only Your servant now.” This is “pure worship.” Then say, “Allahu Akbar.”
Consider the “Jawshan Kabir Supplication” you recite in the Nights of Destiny. Can’t you just recite the “Jawshan Kabir Supplication”? “But, where can I talk about my debts in the Supplication?” “You don’t need to mention them. Just say, ‘Release us from the fire, O Lord.’” [Jawshan Kabir Supplication] Call God by His beautiful names. Say, “I am calling Your beautiful names because Your names are beautiful. You are dear, lovable and attract people.” Worship as if you are truly worshiping! Worship sincerely. Then, you’ll be given the best expedients. For example, a disease was going to cause your spiritual growth. But, they say, “A small cold is enough.”
I suggest to you honorable people that whoever has not worshiped for the last year should come. It’s the Night of Destiny. Worship this one night. Don’t let Satan mislead you on the way by saying, “You weren’t corrected during this whole year. Now, you want to travel a hundred year distance in just one night?” Satan is a dastard. He is very wrong to say these things.
Yes, one can travel a hundred year distance in just one night! “(Worship) on the Night of Destiny is better than (worship) for a thousand months.” [Qur’an 97:3] Who is Satan to come and make me hopeless! Satan says, “You want to become like Ayatollah Bahjat in one night?! Now you’re worshiping so much! You don’t even know how to make the ablution! Now, you’ve made it and want to worship till morning?!” Satan says these things to you. Say, “Yes, I want to worship tonight.”
Some reach high levels in the Nights of Destiny. A person worships one night, but he travels a distance of a 100,000 months. So why have they said a thousand months? 1,000 is a hyperbole. I’ll worship one night. Very good, you who don’t miss this night. When Fatimah Zahra’s children wanted to sleep during this night – they were young - she would pour water on their faces and wash them very kindly. She would say, “My dears, you should stay up tonight. Tonight is the Night of Destiny. You shouldn’t sleep.” Staying up is a way of being humble in front of the Lord. It’s a respect to destinies, which God is determining for you. God is very gracious. He wants to write something for you, but He sees you’re sitting in the gathering and saying “By Your right, O God,” and “Release us from the fire, O Lord.” So God says, “I don’t like to punish him anymore!” “God, he has come. He is sitting and waiting.” God says, “Ok. Don’t write this. Don’t write the other one either. Write the best expedient for him.”
The Night of Destiny is not only for praying for one’s personal destiny. The Night of Destiny is for a society’s destiny too. If for the society and community that you are living in a destiny full of suffering is determined, you’ll be hurt too, even if you are a good person. We should rescue our society from a bad destiny on the Night of Destiny. Perhaps that is why it is good to pray in a group.

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If we don’t act according to our religious knowledge and don’t appreciate it… | Ali Reza Panahian

Husayn (a) spent a lot today to bring our attention to this. We pay attention to some topics: God, the Hereafter, Husayn… The easiest one is Husayn, because Husayn himself attracts our attention to himself, may I be sacrificed for him. He himself does this. A teacher may stand in the classroom and say, “Students, pay attention.” But, a student’s attention is someplace else. He’s looking at the teacher, but he’s somewhere else. God stands up there saying, “My servant, pay attention to Me.” But, the servant’s attention is someplace else when praying. Do you know what Imam Husayn does? He is like a teacher who comes next to the student and holds his face saying, “My dear, look at me.” When mourning for Husayn, you may start thinking of your problems.
Husayn says, “I’ll resolve those for you. Leave them. Leave them. Look at me.” “Husayn, don’t let me go!” I swear, I’m not exaggerating. He holds your face and says, “Look at me.” La Ilaha Illallah! I’m torturing you today… Husayn behaves the same way even with his enemy. La Ilaha Illallah! Whoever can’t tolerate what I want to say, he can call out.
Imam Husayn, distract these people’s hearts so that they won’t be hurt. The cursed “Shimr” sat on Husayn’s chest. Husayn told him constantly, “Look at me. Look at me! Who am I? I want to talk to you!” Shimr said, “What do you want to say?!” He saw that Husayn is really trying to attract his attention! So, he turned Husayn’s face…



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I just want to get close to God!

Someone said, “O Prophet of God, I helped you in the desert.” The Prophet (s) said, “Ask, and I will give it to you.” He said, “Let me think.” He left, thought, and came back. He said, “I want to be at your level in Heaven.” He said the best thing. The Prophet (s) asked him one thing, “Did you think about it yourself? Or, did someone help you?”
If he had said, “someone helped me”, the Prophet (s) wouldn’t have accepted it. The man said, “I thought about it myself.” The Prophet (s) asked, “Explain how you came to this result?” The Prophet (s) knew he was saying the truth; but, the man had to reach this result by himself.
He said, “I thought that whatever I get from you in this world will be destroyed. In the Hereafter, God will give you the best place. I want that. No position is higher than yours.” The prophet said, “I accept. I will take you.” Because that man had thought about it.
I want to talk simply. After you think, you will come to one result. Although, this may seem like a slogan in this meeting. After you think, you will see that the most valuable thing, which you should choose for your goal, is to meet God in the best situation. Just think! Only your own thinking can rescue you.
“We thought and realized it is great to have these enjoyments.” “No, you haven’t thought about it yet. Give yourself time. Think.” Why has God created me? To enjoy what? How does he want to fill me with joy? Is it possible He put the desire for joy in me but won’t fill me with it? Not only is this below God’s dignity, it is unjust. Is it possible that God doesn’t give me the greatest excitement when He has put the desire for it in me? How will He do that? With something less than Himself? What you must choose for your goal is to get close to God. Nothing else is important. “I just want to get close to You.”
If you think a little more, other things will happen too. This becomes your only goal. If you think even more, something else will happen too. You will become in love with this goal. It is not under your control either. It is not based on people’s tastes either. At first we think and choose a goal. When we have chosen a goal it will be, “I want to get close to God.” I don’t want anything else. I just want to get close to God. Nothing else is important to me.
Think and come to this point that you say, “I just have one goal in life, to get close to God, and nothing else is important to me.” I’m studying. Does that help me to get close to You? I’m smiling. Does that help me to get close to You? Choose a high goal for your life, which is nothing but to reach to God. But, don’t take it from me.
If all the 124,000 prophets (a) tell you that this is the goal, it is worthless unless you think about it yourself and find it. Just think! Only your own thinking can rescue you.



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Becoming familiar with some of the sweet concepts of the Sha’baniya Supplication / Session 5

In the name of God, the Beneficent, the Merciful. One of the very beautiful, monotheistic sentences in the beginning of the Sha’baniya Supplication is the phrase, which I mentioned in previous sessions for another reason, “What comes to me or is taken away, benefits or loss, are in Your hands and not the hands of anyone else. My Lord, if You deprive me, who can give me sustenance? If You humiliate and leave me, who can help me?” What comes to me or is taken away, benefits or loss,
are in Your hands and not the hands of anyone else. Then, it concludes, “My Lord, if You deprive me, who can give me sustenance? If You humiliate and leave me, who can help me?”
The first point is that it’s obvious when we are asked, “Who has power and in whose hands are affairs? Is there anyone else with the Almighty God?” we give a clear answer. “Power is in God’s hands. Others besides God cannot do anything.” So why don’t these monotheistic teachings become internalized in our hearts the way they should for them to cause us to cry, moan and talk to God, and have the most intense love in our hearts for the Lord? Loving to talk to the Almighty God and feeling a need for this conversation deeply, are due to these monotheistic teachings that have become internalized in one’s heart. What is the obstacle to these monotheistic teachings becoming internalized in our hearts? The obstacle is that we give too much value to various causes. We don’t see God’s role as being more than a cause, the tools that we have, or even our own power.
It’s usually tribulations that create such a feeling for a person. Tribulations bring a person to a dead end. Then, one suddenly feels that he doesn’t have anyone except God. But, when we are at the peak of prosperity, we don’t have anyone but God either. When everything around us and all events are going smoothly, when we are on the verge of reaching all of our desires, in the same way, we don’t have anyone except God. We are not polytheists in this way that we believe in God while believing in other gods with Him. We are not polytheists in this way that we worship idols and consider both God and idols to be effective in the world. But, an amount of polytheism exists, which prevents us from having monotheism in our hearts. It takes away our feeling for wanting to talk to God. This amount of polytheism is usually in our hearts that we see causes and people to be very effective in our lives.
We should think deeply about how much power God exerts in our lives according to the verse of the Qur’an where God tells the Prophet, “…and you did not smite when you smote the (enemy), but it was Allah Who smote them!” [Qur’an 8:17] A high understanding of monotheism will become internalized in a person’s heart. We should ponder on the topic of “determinism and free will.” We should look at how involved God is in our lives in each moment.
We should consider this fact that there are no coincidences in our lives. When we get a taxi in the street or call for a taxi, which taxi and which taxi driver comes, which radio station he is listening to in the taxi, and what we are hearing, none of these are coincidences. And, God can change the minds of people around us about what they say to us. He always does this. Because, all the scenes around us should be designed in a way that are in accordance with God’s tests. Therefore, everything is in God’s hands. It’s really in His hands.
It’s fine if we do our duty with regard to the causes. It’s our duty to repel a harm that comes towards us and to go towards a benefit, which comes to us, and take that benefit, but of course using lawful ways. Otherwise, we have turned God against ourselves. It’s not that we shouldn’t care about causes at all, but we should see God to be more powerful than these causes. If this state is created within us, the feeling of wanting to talk to God will intensify.
We often talk to and supplicate God politely, which is excellent. Sometimes we talk to and supplicate God with affection. Of course, this is excellent too. But, these don’t contradict a person understanding his exigency. The Household of the Prophet talked to God politely, affectionately, and also with an intense urgency. Where does this urgency arise from? It comes from the monotheism in their hearts, not in tribulations, but in regular situations. They truly look intensely at God in regular situations.
The next point, which can be connected to this topic and strengthen it, is in the second phrase that I read for you. He says, “My Lord, if You deprive me, who can give me sustenance? If You humiliate and leave me, who can help me?” Believing that we always need God’s help is a very valuable belief. One of the greatest tribulations that God threatens bad people with in the Qur’an, is where He says, “I won’t help you!” What does this mean?

What are you hiding?

If a person hides a secret in his heart, God will reveal it one day. God turns this secret into a garment and dresses him with it. This person will show his true self one day.
Abu Basir narrated from Imam Sadiq (‘a), “There is no servant who hides a goodness within himself but that after a time God manifests this goodness.” God will manifest this goodness in his life one day. God will do this one day. “There is no servant who hides an evil within himself but that after a time God manifests this evil.” [Kafi, vol. 5, p. 181]
For example, a person likes some sins, but he is not in the situation to commit them. He thinks the grass is greener on the other side and those who are drowned in these sins are having so much fun. He wants it in his heart too, but the opportunity doesn’t come up. Also, his religiosity doesn’t allow him to commit sins, but it’s in his heart. One day, God will prepare the situation for him and he will harm himself in a bad way. He (God) won’t just prepare the environment for him to enjoy.
The Commander of the Faithful, Ali (‘a), said, “No one hides anything in his heart but that it will be revealed in the slips of his tongue or the color of his face.” [Nahj al-Balaghah, Maxim no. 26] No one hides anything but that one day he will automatically show it in his behaviour. He either shows it or it becomes destined to take place for him. He’ll become wretched with it. If on the Day of Judgment God says, “You wanted this yourself,” what will you say? You can’t say, “Ok, so I did something bad when I was ignorant. God, why did You take it seriously?!”
A tradition says, “Indeed God has ordained that He will help His servants in accordance with their intentions.” If their intentions are perfect and complete, God will deal with them in that way. If their intentions are bad, God will treat them in this way. Everything is in God’s hands, everything. And, He plans everything based on what you want. What are you hiding in your heart?
“There is no servant who hides a goodness within himself but that after a time God manifests this goodness. There is no servant who hides an evil within himself but that after a time God manifests this evil.” God will do this one day.
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