Contents
The truth and established facts are present and can be known. However, does this knowledge alone suffice? If the answer is affirmative, then why don’t many people accept the truth proven by evidence? Why do they differ and dispute over it? Why do they not submit to the truth but instead turn away from it, and not act upon it despite their awareness of it? Furthermore, why does the truth seem bitter and burdensome to many people?
Is there a deficiency or flaw in the truth, causing its supporters to be few, or should we attribute their aversion to it to human intellectual incapacity and psychological dependence? In this discussion, we will observe that the truth is pure, devoid of any extraneous elements or impurities, and that we should seek the deficiency and weakness in humans themselves and their inadequacy.
The Importance of Upholding Truth and Health Instructions Despite Human Rebellion.
Integral laws and universally accepted health principles have no deficiency, yet many people rebel against these laws and disregard health instructions. We must not attribute human violations and their evasion of the truth to the weakness or incapacity of the truth itself.
Today, with the intensive and widespread media in human societies, everyone is aware of the dangers of drug addiction, the harms of alcohol, and the perils of moral corruption. Why, then, do they not abandon these vices? Is it accurate to say that moral wrongdoings are justifiable because people engage in them? And is it valid to claim that complete and accurate health instructions are false because people turn away from them?
It is evident that the legitimacy of truth and falsehood has no connection to people’s inclinations and behavior.
Imam Ali (peace be upon him) said: “أَيها الناسُ! لاَ تَستوحِشُوا في طَرِيقِ الهُدى لقِلَّةِ أَهلِهِ” “O people! Do not be daunted by the path of guidance due to the fewness of its followers.” (1)
Types of Supporters of Falsehood
Before delving into the reasons behind embracing falsehood and evaluating them, it is essential to first identify the types and categories of those who support falsehood:
Firstly: There is a group that supports falsehood without knowing it, mistakenly believing they are on the right path.
The spread of fake news, exposure to false information, the dissemination of colonial culture, improper education, and erroneous social customs and traditions collectively shape the wrong beliefs of this group, leading them to perceive falsehood as truth. Imam Ali (peace be upon him) criticized the people of Kufa, who believed in wrong ideas, saying:
لا تَعرفُونَ الحَقّ كَمَعرِفَتِكُمُ الباطِلَ، وَلا تُبطِلُونَ الباطِلِ كإِبطالِكم الحَقَّ
“You do not recognize the truth as you recognize falsehood, nor do you reject falsehood as you reject the truth.” [2]
Had this group been exposed to proper education, raised with the right upbringing, and acquired the grace of knowledge and awareness, they would have embraced the truth and turned away from falsehood.
Secondly: There is another group that initially supports the truth, desires to assist and understand it, and strives to recognize the truth. However, halfway through their journey of seeking the truth, they fall into the deceptive traps of Satan and the allure of bad company, deviating from the right path and ending up supporting falsehood instead, believing they have discovered and reached the truth. In reality, they support falsehood disguised as truth and continue to defend their false beliefs in the name of truth until they meet their doom.
Some members of this group may eventually realize their mistake and repent, while others depart this world still entrenched in their compounded ignorance.
Imam Ali (peace be upon him) spoke about the Khawarij, who exemplify this group, saying:
لا تُقاتِلوا الخَوارِجَ بَعْدي، فَلَيْسَ مَن طَلَبَ الحَقَّ فَأَخطَأَهُ، كَمَن طَلَبَ الباطِلَ فَأَدرَكَهُ
“Do not fight the Khawarij after me, for those who seek the truth and miss it are not like those who seek falsehood and attain it.” [3]
The Khawarij prayed, fasted, and believed they had reached the truth. However, they shed the blood of innocents, blocked roads, and killed people out of their love for Imam Ali (peace be upon him), thinking they were in the right.
Thirdly: there is a group that seeks falsehood due to their psychological desires and moral deviations. They make efforts to attain falsehood and eventually find it, never considering seeking the truth even though they recognize it.
An example of this group is Yazid’s soldiers in Karbala. They witnessed one of their comrades tearing an earring from one of Imam al-Hussain‘s daughters while he cried. When asked why he was crying, he replied, “My heart is touched by your tragedy.” They told him, “If that is the case, do not rob us! Do not hurt us! Do not plunder our property!” He responded, “We came to return with spoils for our families; if I do not rob you, someone else will.”
Imam Ali (peace be upon him) described the people of Sham (the Levante), who followed falsehood, saying:
الذينَ يَلبِسوُنَ الحَقَّ بِالباطِلِ، وَيُطيعُونَ المَخلُوقَ في مَعصيَةِ الخالِقِ، وَيَحتَلِبُونَ الدُّنيا دَرَّها بِالدِّينِ
“Those who mix truth with falsehood, obey the created in disobedience to the Creator, and exploit the world by using religion as a means.” [4]
Reasons for Following Falsehood
“Nahj al-Balagha” contains numerous and profound discussions on the reasons for following falsehood and turning away from the truth. Explaining and evaluating all these topics would require a separate book.
Therefore, in this brief review of the reasons for following falsehood, we will focus on a few of these causes, such as:
Firstly, the love of life:
Some people love life and desire to remain in this world, considering it their foundation. As a result, they succumb to silence, inaction, compromise, and surrender, ignoring the truth even though they see and know it.
Those who believe that survival is the main goal do not hesitate to commit various moral vices, lies, hypocrisy, and corruption to prolong their days in this life. Consequently, there is no meaning left for them to revolt against injustice and oppression. For such people, the truth is heavy, and its implementation is bitter. Imam Ali (peace be upon him) said:
إنَّ الحَقَّ ثَقيلٌ مَرِيٌّ، وَإِنَّ الباطِلَ خفيفٌ وَبيّ
“Indeed, the truth is heavy and bitter, and indeed falsehood is light and sweet.” [5]
Secondly, self-love:
Those who love themselves to the point of self-admiration, stubbornness, and disregard for the opinions and ideas of others, turn away from the truth because their self is the center of their beliefs. If we were to try to guide such a person to the truth or apply a ruling from the principles of the truth to them, they would find it bitter and contradictory to their expectations and the demands of their selfishness.
Due to their excessive self-love, they do not want to believe that they were wrong in a particular matter and that they are guilty in it.
If they fail in raising their child, they immediately blame the corrupt times and fate, refusing to acknowledge their shortcomings and lack of attention.
Thirdly: The desire for absolute freedom from constraints:
Some people desire absolute freedom without limits or restrictions, wanting to attain everything they desire and do whatever pleases them.
However, the truth and reality come with some boundaries and rules that constrain humans, balancing individual freedom within the context of societal freedom. Therefore, it is bitter and incompatible with the spirit of liberation. Hence, we find a group of people turning away from it, bypassing the truth, and fleeing from it. Imam Ali said:
مَنْ عَشِقَ شَيئاً أعشى بَصَرَهُ وَامرَضَ قَلبَهُ، فَهُو يَنظُرُ بِعَينٍ غَيرِ صَحِيحةٍ، وَيَسمَعُ بِإذنٍ غَيرِ سًمِيعةٍ
“Whoever is infatuated with something becomes blind to it and sickens his heart. He sees with an imperfect eye and hears with an inattentive ear.” [6]
He then advises us, saying:
إنّ اللّه افتَرَضَ عَلَيكُم فَرائِضَ فَلا تُضَيِّعُوها، وَحدَّ لكم حُدُوداً فَلا تَعتَدُوها، وَنَهاكُم عَن أَشياءَ فَلا تَنتَهِكُوها
“Indeed, Allah has prescribed obligations upon you, so do not waste them; He has set limits for you, so do not transgress them; and He has forbidden you certain things, so do not violate them.” [7]
Fourthly, the difficulty of self-reformation and self-discipline:
Building one’s character and improving society comes with certain problems and difficulties. Raising a family and children creates challenges and troubles that many people find difficult to face. Some people love comfort and do not want to engage in problems, while others lack the necessary humility, patience, and endurance to confront problems and difficulties. Consequently, we see them fleeing from the truth, even though they know it because it is bitter and difficult.
In a letter to Malik al-Ashtar, Imam Ali (peace be upon him) wrote:
ولا يَدعُوَنَّكَ ضيقُ أَمرٍ لَزِمَكَ فِيهِ عَهدُ اللّهِ الى طَلَبِ انفِساخِهِ بَغَيرِ الحَقّ
“Do not let the hardship of a situation in which you are committed to Allah‘s covenant lead you to seek its dissolution without the truth.” [8]
Fifthly, arrogance:
Self-love and arrogance lead a person to want to be in control and to always see the truth by their side, even when they commit mistakes.
They strive to justify their mistakes and pretend to be right. Since accepting guilt does not align with their arrogant nature, they distance themselves from the truth and ignore it.
They condemn others, curse time and fate, talk about luck and destiny, and resort to thousands of false justifications to show that they are right. Imam Ali (peace be upon him) said:
وَاحذَر كُلَّ عَمَل يَرضاهُ صاحِبُهُ لِنَفْسِهِ ويكرهُ لِعامَّةِ المُسلِمين
“Beware of every action that its doer approves for himself but disapproves for the general Muslim population.” [9]
Sixthly, the tyranny of psychological and animalistic instincts:
Many people know what is right and what is wrong; they even support the truth. However, due to the tyranny of their instincts, they embrace falsehood, making the acceptance of truth heavy and bitter for them.
The main solution to this is to work on building our character and disciplining ourselves to stand against all forms of tyranny, controlling ourselves and our instincts. Imam Ali (peace be upon him) said:
إنَّ أَخْوَفَ ما أَخافُ عَلَيْكُم إِثْنانْ: إِتّباعُ الهَوى وَطُولُ الأمل، فَأمّا اتِّباعُ الهَوِى فَيَصُدُّ عَنِ الحَقّ
“Indeed, the two things I fear most for you are following desires and having long hopes. As for following desires, it leads you away from the truth.” [10]
Seventhly, the natural allure of falsehood, its automatic appearance, and its deception:
Animalistic instincts naturally manifest in humans, and it is difficult to tame and control them. Therefore, we often see many who follow the path of indifference and love for comfort do not submit to the difficulties of character building. Indeed, falsehood, vices, and sins have a natural alluring power, and they appear automatically. It is difficult to discipline one’s eyes not to look at what is forbidden, which is bitter but has sweet consequences. However, it is not difficult to engage in suspicious and forbidden gazes or to create problems. It is also not difficult to chase after desires, plunder people’s wealth, be negligent at work, or indulge in forbidden actions.
If we leave people to their own devices without nurturing their morals and faith, they will naturally be drawn toward corruption and sins.
Therefore, controlling desires, respecting people’s wealth and dignity, performing tasks with balance and quality, and implementing laws accurately are good deeds. However, they require education, the guidance of God‘s prophets, the infallible Imams (peace be upon them), and the revelation of heavenly scriptures.
For all these reasons, it is essential to control oneself firmly and exert pressure, not to let it run wild, and to steer it determinedly towards virtues, disciplining the self, and adhering to the law. In doing so, the self becomes obedient, accustomed to virtues, and the looming dangers fade away.
References:
1- Sermon 201
2- Sermon 69
3- Sermon 61
4- Letter 33
5- Maxim 372
6- Sermon 109
7- Maxim 105
8- Letter 53
9- Letter 69
10- Sermon 42