The Second Matter
The meaning of good and evil and that evil is absolute non-existence, and a non-existent matter is not a creation of God.
This is because it is known that whatever emanates from the Necessary Existence must be good. It must be known that the essence of good is existence and the essence of evil is absolute non-existence. This is because it has been researched and examined regarding good and evil and their essences and both things are known (1) that good is essentially existence and (2) evil is essentially non-existence. This premise is necessary and axiomatic. If someone has an issue or contention with this premise, it is due to not having realized the essence of good and evil. In short, good is equal to absolute existence and evil is equal to absolute non-existence. What this means is that existence being absolutely good is that the good of that thing is something chosen and liked by those who are wise. And (existent) things must yearn for it and existent beings must by nature and will and predisposition seek it. It is also apparent that things are not seeking the meaning of a source of secondary existence and rationality, this quest is to perceive the emergence of sublimity. The invalidity of this must not remain hidden to the prime human intellects. So, it is proven that the existence of everything to those who are wise is chosen and desired in way of the emergence of that thing in addition to the light of existence to that thing from the direction of the Sustainer (God) who is necessary by Himself.
المنور للماهيات ومخرجها من ظلمات العدم إلى نور الوجود
The illuminator of essences and the one who took them out from the darkness of non-existence to the light of existence.[1]
Hence, in reality, it returns to the reality. This is the case even when it is mixed with evil which means it is existentially weak. When existence lacks perfection from the perfections of essence or lacks an attribute from the perfect attributes of existence i.e., evil. Hence, evil has no actual existence in the real world. As for the contingent essences and immutable entities in the intellects, they are in their own restrictions and are not described as being good or evil because in regard to themselves in that level they are neither existent nor non-existent. And that which has a completer and more perfect existent has greater goodness than what is below it. Hence, the best of all good things from all aspects and facets which is an existence without non-existence, an action without power, a reality without invalidity, a necessity without contingency, a perfection without defect, a constant without change, and a permanence without renewal is the holy existence of the Necessary Existence. After that, the existence most proximate to the Necessary Existence is the best of all goods in addition. Similarly, is the affair of the closest to the closest and the farthest to the farthest and the most complete of the most complete to the most defective of the most defective till it reaches farthest level of descent which they call matter. And its matter is the part of existence that it gets, which is a defect in its essence from existence. And its activity is the power of the existence of things. And its completion is its defect, its nobility is its lowliness, its action its acceptance, and its gaining is its vagueness. And this is the source of evils and non-existence and the mine of defects and pains. In fact, it is a net which traps the heavenly birds i.e., the rational souls of humans which have elemental cages. Know that existent things remain in their default goodness so long as they do not descend to the world of conflict and clashes and its chain does not end up in the realm of time and space. As when the chain of existence is pulled to the realm of bodies, darkness, constraints of beings and congestions, some existent entities despite being absolutely good in their essence and accidental properties are described as evil by themselves due to their accidental properties. This is because it leads to the non-existence of the essence or of perfection of the essence. Thus, evil is either of these two non-existent things and not existence as existence itself because it is absolute existence.[2] Hence, evil is not an actual creation or necessity of a thing and the unreal evil is a necessity albeit by being an accidental property because it is necessary for actual goodness, and actual goodness is by default essentially existence in origin and nature. And this is a proven and demonstrated matter in itself that the necessities of the essences of the creation are not leaning on the maker.[3]
The inquiry into this matter is that the name of evil is applied according to the common custom to that which is absolutely non-existent like death, poverty, plain ignorance etc. Because they are all sheer non-existence and they are based on two types.
The first type is the non-existence which has no existence due to its own weakness that it may be able to obtain perfections and goodness e.g., the deficiency of contingency from the Necessary Existence and necessary essence. Also like the deficiency of whatever comes after the active intellects from the originated existence preceding it. Also like the deficiency of the souls from the level of the intellects and the deficiency of the bodies from the level of the souls and the deficiency of matter from all the essences. Hence, the good that is opposite to this evil is excluded in existence. Because it comes from its Creator Who is absolute perfection and the true existence without any aspect of contingency. Whatever there is apart from the Necessary Being from the accidental essences is an existence based on the difference of contingencies and the difference of degrees of distance from the spring of existence and source of good and generosity, which means they are not free of an evil defect or darkness. Hence, the source of this evil is the intrinsic contingency.
The second type is the required non-existence of a thing or the non-existence of a thing that can possibly obtain secondary perfections etc. This type of evil cannot be imagined in immaterial things. Thus, created things and those separate from matter (mufāriqāt) have a more complete existence in their favor, and, therefore, do not have this type of evil at all. Whatever is apart from the immaterial and abstract things which are affairs related to matter, are not free of this type of evil according to the difference they have in contingencies and capacity and according to the difference in their levels in relation to substance. Thus, the source of evil is substance, and the source of substance is contingency. This is since it has emanated from the first principles due to the aspect of contingency in them.
Hence, the source of evil is assuredly contingency, as has been mentioned in their (the philosophers) sayings. Other than that, it can be applied to something that prevents another thing from reaching possible goodness from existence or from the perfection of existence. Just like how cold spoils fruits and hotness makes them rot, and how rain prevents the bleacher from whitening the clothes as well as disapproved morals which prevent the soul from reaching the rational perfection such as stinginess, cowardliness, extravagance, foolishness and absolute ignorance etc. and blameworthy acts such as adultery, theft, gossiping and the likes of them from pains, sadness and griefs and other such things which have the meaning of existence but are followed by them being made non-existent. Hence, we say that the word evil – to the philosophers – applied on the first meaning is a reality and on the second meaning it is metaphorical since evil has no actual essence in reality. Rather, actual evil is essentially non-existence or the absence of the perfection of essence. The proof for this is that the evil has no actual essence and if evil had been an actual existent thing it would not have either been evil for itself or for something else and the first case is invalid, otherwise it would not have existed. This is because something cannot necessitate non-existence for itself or lack perfection for itself. How can it necessitate its own non-existence or its own lack of perfection despite everything seeking perfections, not necessitating their non-existence? The second case is also invalid, because for an existential affair to be evil for something else it would devoid the existence of other things or some of its perfections. If it does not devoid the other thing or its perfection, it is not evil. This is self-evident, that whatever does not devoid something of its existence or its perfection, it is not called evil. If that existential affair is devoid of existence, something or some of its perfections, then it is evil in reality. It is the absence of that thing or some of its perfections and not the existential affair itself which has devoid something of its existence. Rather, that existential matter is a perfection from the personal and bodily perfections such as oppression which albeit is evil for the oppressed but is good in its relation to the strength of anger which is a perfection for vengeance. Similarly, burning fire is its perfection and is good and its relation to the loss of safety for that which is burnt is evil.
Henceforward, evil, in reality, is the absence of safety of that which is burnt and not the fire and burning itself. Thus, it is known that evil is either the absence of quiddity or the absence of the perfection of quiddity and existence since existence is pure goodness and non-existence is pure evil. From this inquiry, it becomes manifest that the claim of the philosophers is necessary and self-evident. And the examples mentioned for clarification are for a matter that is vague for certain minds. Moreover, it is proven for some essences for which evil has become necessary that these are not called evil. This is because these are existential affairs and evil is necessary for them, and these are not necessities of the essences of a creation and effect. This is because it is known that essences being contingent beings need a complete and sustaining maker. They do not have a cause and reason in deficiency of contingency from the level of the necessary and their difference in level of lacking. Rather, these affairs are necessities of their essences and the difference in essences are in the restrictions of themselves, not due to an external factor. This is because if all essences were in the same rank, multiple essences would be impossible. Instead, all essences would have become just one essence.[4]
Further, it is up to this extent that we restrict our inquiry. The details of these matters have been explained in the commentary of Ishārāt by the investigator al-Ṭūsī – may God’s mercy be on him – and Shawāriq al-Ilhām of ʿAbd al-Razzaq Lāhīji, as well as al-Shifāʾ of al-Shaykh al-Raʾīs and other books of wisdom and theology. Now it should not remain hidden or concealed because with the aforementioned preamble it has become clear and evident that whatever emanates from the Necessary Existence is good, and that nothing more noble than that is possible, and that pure good is pure existence, and sheer evil is sheer non-existence, and a non-existent affair is not a creation of effect, and that the source of evil is devoid of things of existence as well substance, and that whatever comes from the Necessary One is good. This is because it is mentioned in the divine scripture:
… بِيَدِكَ الْخَيْرُ إِنَّكَ عَلَىٰ كُلِّ شَيْءٍ قَدِيرٌ ﴿آل عمران: ٢٦﴾
…In your hands[5] is (all) good. Surely, you are capable of everything. [3:26]
It has also been narrated from the infallible ones, peace be upon them, that they said:
…وَالْخَيْرُ فِي يَدَيْكَ وَالشَّرُّ لَيْسَ إِلَيْكَ…
… And (all) good is in your hands, and evil is not attributed to you…[6]
In short, it means that emanation of evil from you is impossible. Hence, this is evidence of the negation of the attribution of evil to God, the Exalted, since evil has no quiddity and reality. It is merely a non-existent affair. And if it had an external existence, it would have been in the hands of God, because in His Hand is the dominion of everything. He himself thus says in the pure book:
…بِيَدِهِ مَلَكُوتُ كُلِّ شَيْءٍ… ﴿المؤمنون: ٨٨﴾ و ﴿يس: ٨٣﴾
… In His Hand is the dominion of everything… [23:88 & 36:83]
And He says:
…هُوَ خَالِقُ كُلِّ شَيْءٍ… ﴿الأنعام: ١٠٢﴾، ﴿الرعد: ١٦﴾، ﴿الزمر: ٦٢﴾ و ﴿غافر: ٦٢﴾
…He is The Creator of everything… [6:102, 13:16, 39:62, 40:62]
If the concept of “a thing” had also been applied to evil, it would have been impossible to negate the attribution of evil to the Necessary Being. It has thus been proven that evil is a non-existent affair and that the source of evils (shurūr) and subtracting something of its existence (iʿdām) is substance (ḥayūlā).
Thus, we return to solving the ḥadīth of the clay. Firstly, we say that the committing of a good deed from a believer and a bad deed from a disbeliever is not an effect of the pure or impure clay. Rather, it is due to the free will of man. The effect of the clay is a mere inclination of nature towards good deeds or bad deeds, not the committing of the deed. Thus, the text of the ḥadīth itself bears witness to this. The Imām, peace be upon him, states:
فَقُلُوبُ الْمُؤْمِنِينَ تَحِنُّ إِلَى مَا خُلِقُوا مِنْهُ وَقُلُوبُ الْكَافِرِينَ تَحِنُّ إِلَى مَا خُلِقُوا مِنْهُ.
“So, the hearts of the believers yearn for what they were created from, and the hearts of the disbelievers yearn for what they were created from.”
This text of the ḥadīth is conclusive evidence that the effect of the clay is mere inclination of nature, not the committing of the deed. The committing of the deed is due to man’s will and choice, and man can oppose his natural inclination with his will and choice. Hence, this meaning is known intuitively and does not need an argument or proof.
Secondly, that which is mentioned must be heard by the heart and must be accepted with certainty. This being the crux of this ḥadīth that we are explaining. All this labor for a preamble is only so we could explain this concept that you understand the meanings of the ḥadīth correctly. So, the Imām (as) says:
إِنَّ الله عَزَّ وَجَلَّ خَلَقَ النَّبِيِّينَ مِنْ طِينَةِ عِلِّيِّينَ قُلُوبَهُمْ وَأَبْدَانَهُمْ
“Allāh, The Exalted, created the prophets from the clay of the ʿillīyyūn, their hearts and bodies.”
We say that ʿillīyyūn means the realm of God’s dominion (malakūt). This is of two types: (1) The higher dominion and (2) the lower dominion which is purely material without forms. Thus, the hearts of the Prophets are created from the higher dominion meaning the realm of the intellects (ʿuqūl) and souls (arwāḥ). The bodies of the Prophets are created from the lower realm i.e., that of the souls (nufūs) and specters (ashbāḥ). Therefore, Shaykh al-Kulaynī, in another chapter via his chain, narrates from Imām al-Ṣādiq (as):
إِنَّ الله خَلَقَنَا مِنْ عِلِّيِّينَ وَخَلَقَ أَرْوَاحَنَا مِنْ فَوْقِ ذَلِكَ
“God created us from the ʿillīyyūn and created our souls from above that.”[7]
What is meant by the ʿillīyyūn is the lower dominion which is the realm of the souls and specters. In this ḥadīth of the clay the word ʿillīyyūn is general to the higher and lower dominion. So, his saying:
وَخَلَقَ قُلُوبَ الْمُؤْمِنِينَ مِنْ تِلْكَ الطِّينَةِ وَجَعَلَ خَلْقَ أَبْدَانِ الْمُؤْمِنِينَ مِنْ دُونِ ذَلِكَ
“And He created the hearts of the believers from that same clay. And He made the bodies of the believers from below that.”
Meaning, He created the hearts of the believers from the clay of the lower dominion which is the realm of the souls and specters. And He created the bodies of the believers from what is below that clay. Hence, in the rest of the mentioned ḥadīth in the other chapter we quoted from, the Imām (as) states:
وَخَلَقَ أَرْوَاحَ شِيعَتِنَا مِنْ عِلِّيِّينَ وَخَلَقَ أَجْسَادَهُمْ مِنْ دُونِ ذَلِكَ
“And He created the spirits of our followers (Shia) from the ʿillīyyūn and created their bodies from what is below that.”
Meaning, He created the spirits of our Shia from the lower dominion and created their bodies from what is below the lower dominion. What is meant by “what is below that” is the clay that is a composite of the realm of the lower dominion and the elemental world. This is because the rational souls of humans are attached to both. As they are in the realm of kingship, they are also attached to a luminous body as well as being attached to a material and elemental body. After departing from the purely elemental world, they are attached to a non-elemental and luminous body. This totally cuts off their relation to the elemental body. In the realm of kingship and being attached to matter, they are not completely immersed in matter as well. So, the Imām’s saying is:
وَخَلَقَ الْكُفَّارَ مِنْ طِينَةِ سِجِّينٍ قُلُوبَهُمْ وَأَبْدَانَهُمْ
“And He created the disbelievers from the clay of sijjīn, their hearts and bodies.”
What is meant by sijjīn is the material realm. The attribution of the creation of the hearts of the believers to sijjīn is because of their intense inclination and immersion in the lower realm, which is the material realm. They are eternally in matter, which is equal to sijji4n for them. The reason for their immersion in the material and elemental realm, which is the source of evils and devoid of existence and the root of tribulations and misfortunes, is due to their inattention towards the heavenly realm. They have become such that it is as if they are created from that prison and have no share or reward from the heavenly realm. Since matter and substance is the root of evils and misfortunes and the souls of the disbelievers are immersed in matter and they are inattentive towards the holy realm, disapproved and wicked deeds have been attributed to them.[8]
The souls of believers are not immersed in matter, and they are attentive towards the Holy realm. The Holy realm is the source of good and thus good deeds have been attributed to them. The mixture between both clays is an indication towards the attachment of souls in the purgatory (barzakh) to the elemental bodies and the growth of the souls from the bodies from one thing to another as has been proven in its own place. So, both types of growth i.e., the growth of abstraction and the growth of matter that prevails over man, a person becomes as such. So, if a person makes the spiritual growth prevail over him and is attentive towards the Holy realm and the heavenly dominion, he becomes a true believer and good deeds emanate from him. If he makes the material growth prevail over him and is immersed in matter, he becomes a true disbeliever and wicked deeds emanate from him. If he has both spiritual and material growth in him equally and is attentive towards both realms equally, both good and wicked deeds will emanate from him according to the levels of belief and disbelief. It must be known that in the ḥadīth of the clay, the Imām, peace be upon him, did not mention the elemental bodies of the prophets. The reason for not mentioning the elemental bodies of the prophets is that the souls of the prophets are not attached to the elemental bodies and due to their intense attachment to the otherworldly realm and spiritual growth it is as if they have removed the cloak of elemental bodies from themselves as well as due to them not being reliant on bodies, they have become free of them, so their hereafter is united in body. Therefore, the Commander of the Faithful ʿAlī b. Abi Talib, may the blessing of God be upon him, says:
لَوْ كُشِفَ اَلْغِطَاءُ مَا اِزْدَدْتُ يَقِيناً
If the cover (of the unseen) is lifted, I would not increase in certainty.[9]
So, their reward is the same as their action, and their life is connected such that it has no death. Therefore, it is mentioned in the ḥadīth of the Prophet (ṣ) regarding the believer:
المؤمن حي في الدارين
The believer is alive in both abodes (i.e., this world and the hereafter).[10]
Hence, Prophets are more entitled to perpetual life. Moreover, it is narrated from the infallible Imāms, peace be upon them, that they said:
يموت الميت منا وليس بميت
When someone dies from amongst us, he is not deceased.[11]
And God, The Exalted, says in the noble Qurʾān:
وَلَا تَحْسَبَنَّ الَّذِينَ قُتِلُوا فِي سَبِيلِ اللَّـهِ أَمْوَاتًا بَلْ أَحْيَاءٌ عِندَ رَبِّهِمْ يُرْزَقُونَ فَرِحِينَ بِمَا آتَاهُمُ اللَّـهُ مِن فَضْلِهِ… ﴿آل عمران: ١٦٩ – ١٧٠﴾
And do not think of those killed in the way of Allāh as dead. Rather, they are alive with their Lord, receiving sustenance, they are rejoicing for what Allāh has given them from His grace… [3:169-170]
Thus, prophets are possessors of voluntary death and eternal life such that they witness the hereafter in both forms and go to heaven from the world without a stoppage in transfer.
One may ask the question: how is it possible that the souls of the prophets are not attached to elemental bodies even when they used to partake in material necessities such as eating, drinking, sitting, standing, sleeping, waking up, marriage and other affairs that are related to elemental bodies?
We say: the relation of the spirits of the prophets to the elemental bodies is not like the relation of the rational souls (nufūs-i-nāṭiqah) of humans to the elemental bodies that it may be intrinsic. Rather, the relation of their souls to the bodies is accidental and external such that removing the cloak of these bodies is possible for them at every time and place.
In conclusion, it is said that the souls of the Prophets and the Infallible Imāms, may the blessings of God be on them all, do not wait for resurrection, reckoning and reward. Rather, they do not have a resurrection, reckoning and reward at all. They are in heaven from the aspect of their abode, albeit they are outside it from the aspect of their form. The details of this issue cannot be stated in this short treatise. Moreover, understanding these issues is dependent upon luminosity of the heart, clarity of mind and the lifting of the veils of darkness. Where is that (trait) to be found? Thus, we suffice on this much.
And all praise is to God, the Lord of the worlds.
[1] Al-Asfār al-Arbaʿah, vol. 2, p. 341.
[2] This means that evil does not exist, it is merely the absence of something from an existent being that leads it to be called evil. The existential weakness of something due to it being far away from the absolute good cause in the chain of ontology and causation leads it to weakness and not being able to fully manifest the absolute goodness due to a lack of capacity to do so.
[3] This part has been taken from Mullā Ṣadrā’s four Asfār. See: Al-Asfār al-Arbaʿah, vol. 2, pp. 341 – 342.
[4] This part can also be found in Mullā Ṣadrā’s Sharḥ al-Hidāyah al-Athīrīyyah. See: Sharḥ al-Hidāyah al-Athīrīyyah, pp. 399 – 400.
[5] Note that the hands of God are a reference to the power and authority of God as well as something being in his possession, this has come in multiple reports from the infallible Imāms of the Ahl al-Bayt.
[6] Al-Kāfī, vol. 3, p. 310, Man Lā Yaḥḍuruh al-Faqīh, vol. 1, p. 304, no. 916, Tahdhīb al-Aḥkām, vol. 2, p. 67.
[7] Al-Kāfī, vol. 1, p. 389.
[8] What this means is that the more materialistic a person becomes, the further away they are from God due to being attached to the material realm. And the more spiritual a person becomes, the more they are attached to God due to their distance from the material realm and proximity to the heavenly realm. Moreover, according to the ḥadīth of the clay, every person is born with a different inclination or psychological state. We thus have our own test to go through and will individually be judged based on our own individual situation and the cards that we were delt with by God instead of all of us being judged by the same criteria despite having different situations, psychology, upbringing, IQ, genetics, economic conditions, etc. Thus, judging each person based on their own situation would be true justice
[9] Biḥār al-Anwār, vol. 40, p. 153 as well as in vol. 46, p. 135, vol. 64, p. 321, vol. 66, p. 209, vol. 67, p. 142 & vol. 84, p. 304 etc.
[10] Mashāriq Anwār al-Yaqīn, p. 305.
[11] Nahj al-Balāgha, vol. 1, p. 154, Baṣāʾir al-Darajāt, p. 295 etc. with a different wording (يموت من مات منا وليس بميت).
مطلب دوم در بيان معنى خير و شر و اينکه شر عدم محض است و امر عدمي مخلوق خدا نيست چون دانسته شد که آنچه از واجب الوجود صادر مي شود خير است بايد دانست که ماهيه خير وجود است و ماهيه شر عدم محض است. زيرا که چون بحث کرده شود و تفحص نموده شود ازخير و شر ذاتيات آن هر دو معلوم ميشود که خير بالذات وجود است و شر بالذات عدم است. اين مقدمه ضروري و بديهي است و اگر کسي در اين مقدمه اشتباهي و خفاي داشته باشد آن بسبب عدم تحقق ماهيه خير و شر است. حاصل کلام اين است که خير وجود محض است و شر عدم محض است و بيان آنکه وجود خير محض است اين است که خير آن چيزي است که عند العقلاء مختار و پسنديده باشد و اشياء مشتاق او باشند. و موجودات بالطبع و ارادة و جبلّة طالب او باشند. و مبيّن است که اشياء طالب معني مصدري وجود و معقول ثانوي نيستند و اين مطلب در غايت ظهور و جلا است و مخفي نخواهد بود بطلان آن بر اوائل عقول انسانيه . پس متحقق شد که هر شيء که عند العقلاء مختار و پسنديده باشد نحوي از ظهور آن شيء است باضافه نور وجود بر ان شيء از ناحيه قيوم واجب بالذات المنوّر للماهيات و مخرجها من ظلمات العدم الى نور مبدعات و مفارقات حقيقة حقيقت [5]_____ ذات يا عدم کمالي از کمالات ذات يا عدم صفتي از صفات کماليه وجوديه ذات پس شر اصلا ذات و حقيقة خارجيه ندارد. اما ماهيات امکانيه داعيان ثابته در عقول في حدود انفسها موصوف بخيرية و شرية نمي شوند زيرا که آنها در ان مرتبه باعتبار انفسها نه موجودند و نه معدوم. و آنچه وجود او اتم و اکمل باشد خيريت او اشد و اعلى ميباشد از مادون او. پس خير الخيرات از جميع جهات و حيثيات که وجود بلا عدم و فعل بلا قوة در حقيقة بلا بطلان و وجوب بلا امکان و کمال بلا نقص و بقا بلا تغيّر و دوام بلا تجدّد باشد وجود مقدس واجب الوجود است. و بعد از ان وجوديکه اقرب بواجب الوجود است خير الخيرات اضافيه است. و همچنان اقرب فالاقرب الى الابعد فالابعد و الاتم فالاتم الى الانقص فالانقص تا اقصاي مراتب نزول که آنرا هيولي ميگويند. و هيولي آن است که حظ آن از وجود عريان او است في ذاتها از وجود. و فعليت آن قوه وجود اشياء است و تمام آن نقصان آن است. و شرف آن خسّت آنست و فعل آن قبول آن است. و تحصل آن ابهام آن است. و همين است منبع شرور و اعدام و معدن نقائص و آلام بلکه شبکه ايست که بآن طيور سماويه يعني نفوس ناطقه انسانيه را که اقفاس عنصريه دارند شکار کرده ميشود بدانکه موجودات مادام که در عالم تصادم و تضاد نازل نشوند و سلسله آنها تا حيز مکان و زمان منتهي نشود بر خيريت اصليه و عرضيه خود باقي اند. اما چون سلسله وجود بسوي عالم اجسام و ظلمات و مضايق اکوان و ازدحامات منجر شود پس بعض وجودات با آنکه خير محض اند بالذات و بالعرض ليکن بحسب ذات خود موصوف مي شوند بشرية بالعرض . زيرا که مودّي مي شوند بسوي عدم ذات يا عدم کمال ذات. پس شر بالذات يکي از اين دو عدم است نه وجود بما هو وجود زيرا که وجود خير محض است . پس شر حقيقي مخلوق و مقتضاي چيزي نيست و شر غير حقيقي مقتضا است اما بالعرض. زيرا که لازم خير حقيقي است و خير حقيقي و مقتضا بالذات وجود است بسنخيه و طبيعيه. و اين که امر ثابت و مبرهن شده است در مقام خود که لوازم ماهيات مخلوق و مستند بجاعل نمي باشند. و تحقيق اين مطلب اين است که اسم شر اطلاق کرده مي شود بحسب عرف عام بر دو معنى يکي بر عدم محض مثل موت و فقر و جهل بسيط و امثال آنها. زيرا که آنها عدم محض اند. و آن بر دو قسم است قسم اول عدم است که بازاء خود وجود ندارد که ممکن الحصول باشد از کمالات و خيرات مثل قصور ممکن از وجود واجبي و وجوب ذاتي. و مثل قصور هرتالي از عقول فعاله از وجود متلوّد سابق خود. و مثل قصور نفوس از رتبه عقول و قصور اجسام از نفوس. و قصور هيولي از جميع جواهر. پس خير که در مقابل اين شر است منحصر است در واجب. زيرا که از براي اوست کمال مطلق و جود حق بلا جهة امکانيه . و ما عداي واجب از ماهيات معروضه وجود على حسب تفاوت امکانات و حسب تفاوت طبقات در بعد از ينبوع وجود مطلع الخير و الجود خالي از شائبه شرية و ظلمة نيستند. پس منبع اين شر امکان ذاتي است قسم دوم عدم مقتضاي شيء يا عدم چيزي که ممکن الحصول باشد از کمالات ثانيه وغيرها. و اين قسم شر در غير ماديات متصور نمي شود. پس مبدعات و مفارقات چون وجود آنها اکمل است در حق آنها لهذا اين قسم شرية را اصلا ندارند. و ما عداي مفارقات و مجردات که امور متعلقه بماده اند خالي نيستند. از اين قسم شرية على حسب تفاوت امکانات استعداديه و بحسب تفاوت مراتب آنها در تعلق بهيولي پس منبع شر هيولي است. و منبع هيولي امکان است زيرا که صادر شده است از مبادي بسبب جهة امکانيه در ان. پس منبع شرّ مطلقا امکان است. کما وقع في عباراتهم. و ديگر اطلاق کرده ميشود بر آن چيزي که مانع شود چيزي را از وصول الى الخير الممکن از وجود يا کمال وجود مثل برد که مفسد شمار است. و حرارت که معفن شمار است. و مطر که مانع است قصار را از تبيّض ثياب و اخلاق مذمومه که مانع است نفس را از وصول آن بسوي کمال عقلي آن مثل بخل و جبن و اسراف و سفاهت و جهل مرکب و امثال آنها و افعال ذميمه مثل زنا و سرقه و نميمه و اشباه آن از آلام و احزان و غموم وغير ذالک از اشياء که معاني وجوديه دارند وليکن اعدام تابع آنها شده است پس مي گوئيم که اطلاق لفظ شر عند الحکماء بر معني اول حقيقة است. و بر معني ثاني مجاز. زيرا که شر حقيقي ذات در حقيقه ندارد. بلکه شر حقيقي عدم ذات است يا عدم کمال ذات. و برهان برين مطلب که شر حقيقي ذات ندارد اين است که اگر شر حقيقي امر وجودي بوده باشد خالي از اين نيست که آن امر وجودي شرّ لنفسه است يا لغيره و شق اول باطل است . و الا موجود نمي شد. زيرا که شيء لذاته مقتضي عدم خود يا عدم کمال خود نمي باشد. و چه طور مقتضي عدم خود يا عدم کمال خود باشد حالانکه جميع اشياء طالب کمالات خود مي باشند و مقتضي _____[6] و شق ثاني هم باطل است. زيرا که بودن آن امر وجودي شرا لغيره يا بجهت اعدام آن غير است يا اعدام بعض کمالات آن غير. زيرا که اگر آن امر وجودي معدم وجود شيء باشد اصلا نه معدم کمال آن شيء پس نخواهد بود و شر از براي ان شيء و بديهي است که هر چه موجب عدم شي يا موجب عدم کمال شيء نباشد آنرا شرّ نمي گويند. و اگر بوده باشد آن امر وجودي موجب عدم شيء يا عدم بعض کمالات شيء پس شرّ در حقيقة عدم آن شيء است يا عدم کمالات آن نه نفس امر وجودي که موجب عدم شده است. بلکه آن امر وجودي في نفسه کمالي است از کمالات نفسانيه يا جسمانيه. مثل ظلم که آن اگرچه نسبت بمظلوم و نفس ناطقه ظالم شر است ليکن نسبت بقوة غضبيه که کمال آن در انتقام است خير است. و همچنين احراق نار کمال نار است و خير است و نسبت بفقدان سلامتي آن شيء محترق شر است. پس شر در حقيقة عدم سلامتي آن شيء محترق است نه نفس نار و احراق. پس معلوم گرديد که شر يا عدم ذات است يا عدم کمال ذات و وجود من حيث انه وجود خير محض است و عدم من حيث انه عدم شرّ محض است. و از اين تحقيق ظاهر شد که اين دعوي حکماء ضروري و بديهي است. و آنچه مذکور است از امثله براي ايضاح آن امري است که مشتبه بوده است بر بعض اذهان و نيز ثابت شد که بعض ماهيات را که شر لازم آنها شده شر گفته نمي شود. زيرا که آنها امر وجوديه اند و شر لازم آنها است. و لوازم ماهية مخلوق و معلول نمي باشند . زيرا که معلوم است که ماهيات در بودن آنها ممکن الوجود و در احتياج آنها بسوي جاعل تام قيومي و قصور ممکن از مرتبه واجب و در تفاوت مراتب نقصان علة و سبب ندارند ، بلکه اين امور از لوازم ماهيات است. و اختلاف ماهيات في حدود انفسها است نه بسبب امر خارجي. زيرا که اگر جميع ماهيات در مرتبه واحده مي بودند تعدد ماهيات ممتنع بود. بلکه جميع ماهيات مي شدند ماهية واحده و ما بر همين قدر تحقيق اقتصار ميکنيم و تفصيل اين مطالب را در شرح اشارات محقق طوسي عليه الرحمه و شوارق الالهام عبد الرزاق لاهجي و شفا شيخ الرئيس وغيره کتب حکمت و کلام ملاحظه فرمايند . اکنون مخفي و مستور نماند که چون از تمهيد مذکور واضح و لائح گرديد که آنچه از واجب الوجود صادر مي شود خير است. و اشرف از ان امکان ندارد و خير محض وجود است و شرّ محض عدم است و امر عدمي مخلوق و معلول نيست و منبع شرور اعدام هيولي است. و آنچه از ناحيه واجب مي آيد خيرات است. چنانچه در صحيفه آلهيه وارد شده بيدک الخير انک على کل شيء قدير و نيز از ائمه معصومين عليهم السلام وارد است و الخير کله بيدک و الشرّ ليس اليک يعني تمام و کمال خير در دست تو است و شر نيست بسوي تو. خلاصه آنکه صدور شر از تو ممتنع است پس نفي نسبت شر بسوي خدا وند تعالى دلالت ميکند که شرّ ذات و حقيقة ندارد بلکه امر عدمي است و اگر ذات و حقيقة خارجيه داشتي ميشدي بدست خدا بودي . زيرا که در دست اوست ملکوت هر چيز. چنانچه در کتاب پاک خود فرموده است بيده ملکوت کل شيء وهو خالق کل شيء يعني در دست اوست ملکوت هر شيء و آن خالق هر چيز است. و اگر مفهوم شيء بر شر هم اطلاق ميشد نفي اضافه شر بسوي واجب ممتنع بودي از اين ثابت شد که شر امر عدمي است ذات ندارد. و منبع شرور و اعدام هيولي است. پس رجوع مي کنيم بسوي حل حديث طينة . اولا ميگوئيم که صدور حسنه از مومن و صدور سئيه از کافر اثر طينة طيبه و خبيثه نيست بلکه باراده و اختيار انسان است. و اثر طينة صرف ميلان طبع است بسوي حسنه يا سيئه نه صدور فعل . چنانچه متن حديث بران شهادت ميدهد. في قوله عليه السلام فقلوب المومنين تحنّ الى ما خلقوا منه. و قلوب الکافرين تحنّ الى ما خلقوا منه. يعني دلهاي مومنين ميلان ميکنند بسوي چيزيکه مخلوق اند از ان. و دلهاي کفار ميل ميکنند بسوي چيزيکه مخلوق اند از ان. اين متن حديث دلالت قطعي ميکند برينکه اثر طينة صرف ميلان طبع است نه صدور فعل و صدور فعل باراده و اختيار انسان است و انسان باراده و اختيار خود مخالفت ميلان طبع کرده مي تواند چنانچه اين معنى بوجدان معلوم است. محتاج بدليل و برهان نيست.
و ثانيا آنچه مذکورمي شود بگوش دل بايد شنيد. و قبول آن بيقين بايد فرمود که لب لباب اين حديث بيان مي کنيم و اين همه زحمت تمهيد را محض بجهة اداي اين مطلب کشيده بوديم تا مطالب حديث خوب برسي فقوله ان الله تعالى خلق النبيّين من طينة علّيين قلوبهم و ابدانهم يعني خدا خلق فرموده است قلوب و ابدان انبيا را از طينة علّيين ميگوئيم که مراد بعلّيين عالم ملکوت است آن بر دو قسم است. ملکوت اعلى و ملکوت اسفل. ملکوت اعلى آن است که مجرد است از ماده و صورت هر دو. و ملکوت اسفل آن است که مجرد است از ماده فقط نه صورت پس خلق فرموده است قلوب انبيا را از ملکوت اعلى يعني عالم عقول و ارواح و خلق فرموده است ابدان انبيا را از ملکوت اسفل يعني عالم نفوس و اشباح چنانچه شيخ يعقوب کليني در باب ديگر باسناد خود از ابي عبد الله عليه السلام روايت نموده قال ان الله خلقنا من علّيين و خلق ارواحنا من فوق ذلک يعني فرمود بدرستيکه خدا تعالى خلق فرمود ما را يعني ابدان ما را از علّيين . و خلق فرمود ارواح ما را از ما فوق علّيين. مراد از علّيين ملکوت اسفل است که عالم نفوس و اشباح است و مراد از فوق علّيين ملکوت اعلى است که عالم عقول است و در اين حديث طينة لفظ علّيين عام است از ملکوت اعلى و اسفل . فقوله و خلق قلوب الومنين من تلک طينة و جعل خلق ابدان المومنين من دون ذالک يعني خلق فرموده است قلوب مومنين را از ان طينة که ملکوت اسفل است. و آن عالم نفوس و اشباح است. و خلق کرده است ابدان مومنين را از ما دون آن طينة . چنانچه امام عليه السلام در بقيه حديث مذکور که از باب ديگر نقل کرديم ميفرمايد و خلق ارواح شيعتنا من علّيين و خلق اجسادهم من دون ذالک يعني خلق فرموده است ارواح شيعه ما را از ملکوت اسفل و خلق کرده است اجسام ايشان را از ما دون ملکوت اسفل. مراد از ما دون آن طينة است که مرکب است از عالم ملکوت اسفل و عالم عنصري. زيرا که نفوس ناطقه انسان بهر دو متعلق ميباشند و مادام که در عالم ملک ميباشند ببدن نوري هم متعلق مي شوند چنانکه ببدن مادي و عنصري متعلق ميباشند. و بعد از انتقال از اين عالم عنصري صرف ببدن غير عنصري و جسم نوري متعلق مي مانند. و علاقه بدن عنصري را بالکليه قطع مي کنند. و در عالم ملک و تعلق بماده هم مستغرق در ماده نمي باشند. فقوله و خلق الکفار من طينة سجّيين قلوبهم ابدانهم يعني خلق کرده است کفار را از طينة سجيين دلهاي ايشان را و ابدان ايشان را. مراد بسجّيين عالم مادي است. و نسبت خلقت قلوب کفار بسوي سجّين بجهة آن است که ايشان ميلان شديد و استغراق قوي دارند بعالم ادنى که عالم مادي است. و مخلد اند در ماده که بمنزله سجن است براي ايشان. و بسبب استغراق ايشان در عالم مادي و عنصري که منبع شرور و اعدام و مصدر آفات و اعلام است و بسبب عدم توجه ايشان بسوي عالم ملکوت چنان شده اند که گويا مخلوق شده اند از ان سجن و از عالم ملکوت نصيب و بهره ندارند. و چون ماده هيولي منبع شرور و آفات است. و ارواح کفار مستغرق در ماده هستند. و توجه بعالم قدس ندارند لهذا افعال شنيعه و اعمال سيئه را نسبت بايشان داده شد. و ارواح مومنين چون مستغرق در ماده نمي باشند و توجه بعالم قدس دارند. و عالم قدس منبع خيرات است. لهذا افعال حسنه را نسبت بايشان داده شد. و خلط ميان هر دو طينة اشاره است بسوي تعلق ارواح برزخيه بابدان عنصريه. و نشو ارواح از ابدان شيئا فشيئا چنانکه مبرهن است در مقام خود. پس هر يکي از اين دو نشاء يعني تجرد و نشاء مادي که بر انسان غالب شود اهل آن مي شود. پس اگر نشاء روحاني را بر خود غالب کند و توجه بعالم قدس و عالم ملکوت داشته باشد مومن حقيقي ميشود و اعمال حسنه از او صادر مي شوند و اگر نشاء مادي را بر خود غالب کند و استغراق در ماده داشته باشد کافر حقيقي مي شود و اعمال سئيه از او صادر ميشوند و اگر هر دو نشاء روحاني و مادي در او مساوي باشند و توجه بهر دو عالم على السّواء داشته باشد هر دو قسم اعمال حسنه و سئيه از او صادر مي شوند على حسب مراتب الايمان و الکفر و بايد دانست که امام عليه السلام در حديث طينة متعرض ذکر ابدان عنصريه انبيا نشده . و وجه عدم تعرض بذکر ابدان عنصريه انبياء اين است که ارواح انبياء بابدان عنصريه علاقه ندارند و بسبب شدة شوق ايشان بعالم اخروي و نشاء روحاني گويا که رداء ابدان عنصريه را از خود دفع نموده اند. و بسبب عدم رکون شان بابدان از ان مجرد شده اند و آخرت ايشان بدنيا متحد مي باشد چنانکه امير المومنين علي بن ابي طالب سلام الله عليه مي فرمايد لو کشف الغطاء لما ازددت يقينا پس ثواب شان عين عمل ايشان است. و حيات ايشان متصل است که موت ندارد. چنانچه در حديث نبوي در حق مومن وارد شده است که المومن حيّ في الدارين پس انبياء بالاولى زندگي دائمي دارند. و نيز از ائمة معصومين عليهم السلام وارد است که يموت الميت منا و ليس بميت و خداوند تعالى در قرآن شريف مي فرمايد و لا تحسبن الذي قتلوا في سبيل الله امواتا بل احياء عند ربهم يرزقون فرحين بما اتهم الله من فضله پس انبياء صاحبان موت اختياري و حيات ابدي اند که هر دو نشاء دنيا و آخرت در هر دو نشاء مشاهده ميکنند و از دنيا بجنت بدون توقف انتقال مي نمايند و اگر گفته شود که چه طور امکان دارد که ارواح انبياء بابدان عنصريه تعلق ندارند و حالانکه انبياء از لوازم ماديه مثل اکل و شرب و نشستن و برخواستن و خواب و بيداري و نکاح وغيره امور که تعلق بابدان عنصريه دارند خالي نيستند. ميگوئيم که تعلق ارواح انبيا بابدان عنصريه مثل تعلق نفوس ناطقه انسانيه بابدان عنصريه نيست که ذاتي باشد بلکه تعلق ارواح ايشان بابدان تعلق عرضي خارجي است که خلع رداء اين ابدان براي ايشان در هر آن و هر زمان امکان دارد . و لهذا گفته مي شود که ارواح انبياء و ائمه معصومين صلوات الله عليهم اجمعين انتظار قيامت و بعث و ثواب ندارند. بلکه ايشان عين قيامت و بعث و ثواب نداند بلکه ايشان در جنت هستند من حيث المحل. اگر چه خارج اند از ان من حيث الصورة. و تفصيل اين مطالب را اين مختصر گنجائش ندارد. و نيز فهميدن آنها موقوف است بر نورانيه قلب و صفاي ذهن و ارتفاع حجاب ظلمت. و آن کجاست لهذا بر همين قدر اکتفا مي نمائيم و الحمد لله رب العالمين.
[1] در نسخه اصلي اين عبارت محو شده است.
[2] در نسخه اصلي قابل خواندن نيست.
[3] در نسخه اصلي قابل خواندن نيست.
[4] در نسخه اصلي قابل خواندن نيست.
[5] در نسخه اصلي قابل خواندن نيست.
[6] در نسخه اصلي قابل خواندن نيست.