Note/Elaboration on the Dimensions of Social Training in Sahifa Sajjadiya part (1)

The Behavioral Dimension of the Social Training in Sahifa Sajjadiya

This noble book has much emphasized the behavioral dimension of the man.

News ID: 447498

Date: 15 October 2019 - 08:24

RNA - An important and reliable resource for finding a criterion for social training is the noble book of Sahifa Sajjadiya. Although the book appears to be a comprehensive collection of prayers and supplications of Imam Sajjad (AS), indeed, it is a very important resource providing valuable information on individual and social lifestyles.

According to the correspondent of Vasael, the personal states of the man are impacted by his/her surrounding environment, therefore, it should be noted that the geographical situation, living environment, the people with whom we live and etc. affect the way we behave.

Therefore, the topic of upbringing/training has to be attended if the man is going to step in the right path and if he is to recognise the right from the wrong. Because the manner of shaping and growth of each person depends on his upbringing/training, it is a very important human issue. Upbringing/training has some different types, and social training is a very important category in this regard, as the upbringing is a permanent process carried out inside society.

According to the majority of Muslim scholars, the man is naturally a social creature who tends to live a collective life [1].

An important and reliable source for finding a criterion for social training is the noble book of Sahifa Sajjadiya. Although the book appears to be a comprehensive collection of prayers and supplications of Imam Sajjad (AS), indeed, it is a very important resource providing valuable information on individual and social lifestyles.

However, as mentioned by Imam Sajjad (AS) in Sahifa Sajjadiya, for attaining the social training, firstly the meaning of this concept should be extracted. The concept of society/community encompasses the following items: conducts, social communications, family, social supervision (enjoining good and forbidding bad), rights/laws, crimes and judgement. Thereby, the discussion about the concept of social training according to the view of Imam Sajjad (AS) should deal with all the mentioned items.

The Behavioural Dimension of the Social Training in Sahifa Sajjadiya

This noble book has much emphasized the behavioural dimension of the man. This valuable resource, in addition to providing prayers and supplications, refers to the moral human conducts within the social behaviour as “و الحمد لله الذی اختار لنا محاسن الخُلق...” [Praise belongs to God, who chose for us the good qualities of creation ....] (Prayer no. 1, part 17). Imam Sajjad (AS) recommends the man to always treat others properly, “... و حسن السیرة و سکون الریح و طیب المخالقة ...” [... beauty of conduct, the gravity of bearing, agreeableness in comportment ...] (Prayer no. 20, part 10), in addition, he emphasizes the abstention from the arrogance that creates gaps among people, “و اعزنی و لا تبتلینی بالکبر و عبدنی لک و لا تفسد عبادتی بالعجب ...” [Exalt me and afflict me not with pride! Make me worship Thee and corrupt not my worship with self-admiration ...] Prayer no. 20, part 3).

The Behavioural Communications Dimension of the Social Training in Sahifa Sajjadiya

Concerning social communications, the fourth Imam of the Shiites disapproves of living in solitude, he recommends having social communications with others, however, he enumerates the components of communication with others.

Avoidance of arrogance and pride in having communications with the owners of wealth, “و مباهاة المکثرین ...” [vying with the wealthy ...] (Prayer no. 8, part 3), and abstention from cursing, using ugly words, tarnishing the image of believers or giving false testimonies and speaking ill of an absent man of faith or reviling of one present “... و ما اجری علی لسانی من لفظة فحش او هجر او شتم عرض او شهادة باطل او اغتیاب مومن غائب او سبّ حاضر ...” [Make everything he causes to pass over my tongue, - the indecent or ugly words, the maligning of good repute, the false witness, the speaking ill of an absent man of faith or the reviling of one present] (Prayer no. 20, part 13); moreover, he encourages believers to communicate with Muslims and keep away from the ones of wrong invented faiths, “و اکمل ذلک لی بدوام الطاعة و لزوم الجماعة و رفض اهل البدع و مستعمل الرأی المخترع” [Perfect this for me through lasting obedience, holding fast to the community, and rejecting the people of innovation and those who act in accordance with original opinions!] (Prayer no. 20, part 1).

[1] Tabatabaei H, Social Communications in Islam, page no. 3, Bethat Publication.

To be continued

Rasa News Agency

VoI847/940