FADHÎLAH- فضيلة

 

An excellent quality. Superiority. Eminence. The exalted degree arising from virtue, goodness, ma’rifat, ‘ilm, shajâ’ah and îmân. The degree of obedience to the duties pertaining to religion and morality. The conditions that give anything superiority and preference over other things in terms of beauty, perfection and benefit.

 

The comparison between the hikmah of Al-Qur’an Al-Hakîm, the tarbiyyah of morality it gives to the personal life and the lesson that the hikmah of philosophy gives:

A sincere student of philosophy is a pharaoh. But he is a despicable pharaoh who performs ‘ibâdah to the most vile things for his benefit. He considers every profitable thing to be a “Rabb” for himself. Also, that irreligious student is rebellious and obstinate. But he is an abject rebel who accepts infinite abasement for a single pleasure. He is a vile obstinate who displays abasement by kissing the feet of individuals like shaytan for a contemptible benefit. Also, that irreligious student is a cruel, proud man. But since he cannot find any point of support in his heart, in essence, he is a cruel, boastful man who is impotent with utter impotence. Also, that student only worries about himself and worships to benefit; the aim of his endeavour is to gratify the desires of the nafs, abdomen and perineum; he is a devious, self-conceited man, who seeks his personal benefits within certain benefits of the nation.

As for the sincere student of the hikmah of the Qur’an, he is an ‘abd. But he does not stoop to performing ‘ibâdah, even to the greatest of creatures. He is also an esteemed (‘azîz) ‘abd who does not consider an immense benefit like Jannah the aim of his ‘ibâdah. Its true student is also humble; he is virtuous and mild. But he does not willingly stoop to abasing himself before anything other than his Fâtir outside the sphere of His permission. He is also poor and weak; he knows his poverty and weakness. But, through the wealth belonging to the âkhirah, which his Mâlik, Who is Karîm, has treasured for him, he has no need, and since he relies on the infinite Qoudrah of his Sayyîd, he is strong. He also acts and strives only for the sake of Allah, for gaining the pleasure and acceptance of Allah and fadhîlah.

Thus, the tarbiyyah the two hikmahs give can be understood through the comparison of the two students.

The Twelfth Word/Second Principle