Purification of the Heart
Signs, Symptoms and Cures of
the Spiritual Diseases of the Heart
Translation and Commentary of
Imam Mawlud's Maášharat al-Qulub
by Hamza Yusuf
Vanity
POEM VERSES 125—27
Vanity is the aggrandizing of some blessing while forgetting
that it came from God.
Treat it by realizing that the Exalted is the Fashioner and the
Bestower of blessings,
[realizing] that because of your impotence, you can produce
neither benefit nor harm. Indeed vanity originates from one’s
ignorance of these two matters.
Definition and Treatment
The next disease of the heart is vanity, known in Arabic as 'ujb, which is related to arrogance. Imam al-Ghazali holds that arrogance requires two people for its outward manifestation: the arrogant one and the one to whom the arrogance is shown. But the possessor of vanity does not need a second person. He is impressed with himself, and so admires his talents, possessions, looks, and status, he considers himself better than others. He exults, for example, when looking at himself in the mirror or gazing upon his accomplishments or property. Imam Mawlud says 'ujb is a nefarious kind of vanity in which a person rejoices in the blessings he has but forgets the source of the blessings.
The fact that someone has talent and is able to develop it into a higher skill or craft and achieve remarkable things does nothing to diminish the obvious—that it still is a gift from God. It is part of the sunna of God in creation, that divine order woven in the fabric of existence, that one must toil to refine his or her skills or talent. A calligrapher, for example makes his craft appear easy to the onlooker, but one doesn’t see the years of tireless preparation, perseverance, and repetition to master the curves of one letter of the Arabic alphabet and then whole words. Then consider the various styles of calligraphy that have developed over the centuries by the great Muslim calligraphers. There are plenty of talented and refined artisans of the world who deem their work astonishing and magnificent. They think only of their long training and deceive themselves into thinking, “I worked so hard, and I did this all by myself.” Similarly, one often finds businessmen truly talented and bold in building businesses, but who admire themselves and extol their financial prowess. Undoubtedly, this invites illness to the heart, for it is God who is the bestower of success and talent.
Imam al-Bayhaqi relates a statement of the Prophet pbuh in which he said, “God makes every maker and what he makes.” In reality, God is the creator of the marvels that people admire and attribute to the glory of humankind, forgetting that it is God who created the ones who produced these marvels. Realizing that God is the source of all blessings prevents vanity from entering the heart.
A person will always find someone with more talent and more knowledge. And ultimately: Above all those who have knowledge is the All-knowing, that is, God (QURAN, 12:76). Moses pbuh was once asked if he was the most knowledgeable of people, and he answered “Yes.” Moses pbuh was then told that there was a man who had knowledge that Moses pbuh did not have. This man was Khidr, who wasn’t a prophet, but Moses pbuh, without a trace of vanity, became his student. (The story is told in Surat al-Kahf of the Quran.)
Vanity comes from the Latin word vanus, which means empty¸ implying that the source of our vanity is void of substance and will vanish. When the Roman Emperor triumphed in a battle, he put on a victory celebration in which the general of the battle paraded through the street. Behind him on his chariot a slave would hold a victory laurel and whisper in the general’s ear, “All is vanity,” thus reminding the general of the perils of vanity. It is part of ancient wisdom to remind people that all accomplishments people praise and admire will perish until no one remembers them. Charles Lindbergh, the first pilot to successfully fly across the Atlantic, was celebrated as a great hero for his famous flight. Within ten years, however, he was vilified as a criminal by the American press who falsely claimed that he was a Nazi sympathizer.
How many times have we seen major cities holding massive celebrations for the accomplishments of their sports teams, the huge parades and the hubris tradition of human glorification? How many of these celebrations end up in riots, vandalism, and even loss of life? What about the urban social morass that exists before, during, and after the celebrations? To celebrate in this way is vintage vanity.
There is foolishness in being vain about what one has accomplished, given its ephemeral nature. But when one is thankful to God and acknowledges and praises Him as the source of this goodness, then the accomplishment outlasts our earthly lives and the memories of people, for God preserves it.
Vanity originates from one’s ignorance of two matters: God alone is the Fashioner and the Giver of Blessings and we human beings are incapable of accomplishing anything without God’s will and blessings. If one accomplishes something, let him or her remember God and be grateful, and not swagger with haughtiness. For if we do not humble ourselves, God will humble us. When men and women are blessed with exceptional outward beauty, they introduce ugliness when they have vanity for it. When the Prophet pbuh saw a reflection of himself—and he was a beautiful man—he would make the following supplication: “O God, as You have made my countenance most excellent, make my character most excellent." So Imam Mawlud says that to rid oneself of vanity (or prevent it from entering one’s heart), reflect long and hard on the fact that all blessings are entirely from God and that we cannot produce any benefit or harm without His permission.
Source: Purification of Heart
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