بسم اللہ الرحمن الرحیم
TENDERNESS
.الإمامُ عليٌّ (عَلَيهِ الّسَلامُ): لا يُستَعانُ على السُّرورِ إلّا باللِّينِ
“Happiness is useless without tenderness."
Imam Ali (a)
(Matalib al-Sa’ul)
If happiness is the sun, tenderness is water. No matter how bright the sun shines, a flower will not bloom until it’s watered. This saying is so subtle yet very clear. Most of the time, we forget to nurture ourselves and our loved ones, we ignore the importance of the Yin (feminine energy) in our lives. One cannot simply feel bliss minus gentleness, as the ultimate happiness is fragmented without the element of softness.
Imam Ali (a) said: ‘Through gentleness, the souls feel at ease.’ [Ghurar Al-Hikam Wa Durar Al-Kalim]
When the soul feels at ease, it naturally goes to where it came from, it elevates and flows in the direction of the source, the higher self, the Creator. Softness in a spiritual pursuit matters because the world has no shortage of aggressive certainty. People are sure that their self, sports team, idea, country, religion, or way of life is way better than the others. And they will plead their case with anything from a loud cheer to murder. Surely, there’s something of a luxury and privilege in the ability to value softness over a more directly survival-enhancing martial style.
Imam al-Sadiq (a) said, ‘When any of you feels softness and compassion, then he should supplicate, for no sooner does the heart soften than it becomes pure and sincere.’[al-Kafi, v. 2, p. 477, no. 5]
Imam Ali (a) said: ‘Make your demeanor gentle and humble yourself in front of Allah, He will elevate you.’ [Ghurar Al-Hikam Wa Durar Al-Kalim]
Softening ourselves, and interacting with the world from a place of gentleness, is a prime way to be of service. Softness is kind, generous, and humble. It offers before it asks, and it rarely demands anything. Those traits describe the role one should seek to play in the world.
Imam Ali (a) said: ‘One whose nature is gentle, loving her/him is unavoidable.’ [Ghurar Al-Hikam Wa Durar Al-Kalim]
Tenderness cannot be separated from happiness for even a second, for the moment you part from your soft side, you lose the Lord. And let alone happiness, one’s life is useless if away from the Merciful.
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