The Samiri Look-Alike

The Samiri Look-Alike

God says: {Recite unto them the tale of him to whom We had given Our revelations, but he was peeled off it,^[106] so Satan overtook him, and he became one of those who were led astray. Had We willed, We could have raised him by its means, but he clung to the earth and followed his own desires. His example is like that of a dog: if you attack him he pants with his tongue out, and if you leave him he pants with his tongue out. Such is the likeness of the people who deny Our revelations. Narrate unto them the history, that perhaps they may contemplate.}^[107]

Balam bin Baora was a scholar and an ascetic who used to witness some of the unseen. A disbelieving, tyrannical king called for him to supplicate against Moses^℗. He supplicated against Moses, despite knowing that Moses was a great prophet, because he envied him. He also knew that this tyrant king disbelieved in God, His messengers, and His religion. Although he testified with his declaration “There is no deity but God,” waging war against the guardians and religion of God was proof of his disbelief. Nevertheless, Balam bin Baora and his like use ambiguous matters as an excuse for their failures, and sometimes make the explicit [rulings] out to be allegorical and the allegorical ones explicit in order to violate the sanctities of God Almighty.

The Torah states that Balam bin Baora did not supplicate against Moses, which is most likely due to distortion by the Jews, as a narration from Imam Al-Rida^℗ says:

Balam bin Baora was given the Greatest Name [of God], with which he used to

supplicate, and the supplications were [always] answered. He inclined toward Pharaoh (this was not the pharaoh of Egypt, may God curse him), and when Pharaoh was searching for Moses and his companions, he said to Balam bin Baora, “Supplicate to God for us to imprison Moses and his companions.” He got on his donkey to search for Moses, but it would not move. After he hit it, God allowed it to speak and it said, “Woe unto you for hitting me! Do you want me to come with you so you can supplicate against Moses, the Prophet of God, and his faithful followers?” He kept hitting the donkey until it died. The Greatest Name was peeled from his tongue. . .^[108]

This was a scholar who became aware of a part of the unseen. He was in a state of certitude, but it did not benefit him at all because he supported the unjust ruler and desired superiority and ascension. He was not sincere to God since his soul embraced arrogance, love of the ego, and envy toward the chosen guardians of God.

The moment he faced this divine test,^[109] he turned away from the signs of God and abandoned them. He showed his dark side and his character was exposed-a dog panting after this temporal life, though he pretended to be a working and worshipping scholar of God. This is how he was seduced and ruined by Satan. He became a loyal follower of Satan by following his example-Satan possessed knowledge with certainty, yet he was arrogant toward Adam^℗ and rebelled against God. Similarly, despite his knowledge and certitude, this cursed person envied Moses^℗ and supplicated against him instead of joining his banner and becoming his follower. Thus, knowledge was a reason for Balam bin Baora’s arrogance and envy of Moses^℗! He rendered knowledge into resentment that threw him into the abyss, even though knowledge is a mercy with which people work to reach God.

It is narrated that the Prophet^℗ said: “The scholars are all destroyed except the working ones, and the working ones are all destroyed except the sincere ones, and the sincere ones are at risk [also].”^[110]

Unfortunately, many consider themselves to be scholars despite not knowing how to interpret two chapters from the Holy Quran, according to what has been narrated by the family of Muhammad^℗. They only read the simple narrations from the infallible ones^℗, limiting themselves mostly to some of the jurisprudential narrations. How can they consider themselves scholars? Is it because they use the logic that Aristotle established thousands of years ago? Perhaps there are atheists who know this logic better than we do. Or, is it because of debates and arguments of logic and other discussions that have no scientific or practical benefit and are little more than scientific indulgence and a waste of time?^[111]

Do we not narrate from the Prophet^℗ to this effect: “A person is accountable for the time he wasted in his life?”^[112] Does God Almighty not say: {When We intend to destroy a city, We command its affluent but they defiantly disobey therein; so the word comes into effect upon it, and We destroy it with (complete) destruction}?^[113]

Let this be a warning for those who sit for hours in mosques arguing, disputing, and filling the place with words that are far from the truth and guidance that God wants.

We have gone very far away from the [straight] path, and that is why Goliath and his likes have dominated us. The Prophet of God^℗ said: “A time will come for my nation when the only thing remaining of the Quran is its calligraphy, and the only thing left of Islam is its name. They are called Muslims but are the people furthest from it. Their mosques are well built, yet they are ruins of guidance. The clerics of that time are the worst under the shade of the sky. From them the test emerged, and to them it will return.”^[114]

The hadith indicates that even though mosques are full of people, they are not on the guidance of the family of Muhammad^℗. Do we consider ourselves as workers while we do not command good and forbid evil? It has reached a point where people see evil as good and good as evil! The duty of the scholar is to reform the Islamic communities. God says: {And warn their people.}^[115] This is not one or two people. Sadly, many of them are saying: “People do not want religion,” but they do not notice that the people have fallen between the hammer and the anvil. The tyrant stops the authentic Islamic religion from reaching them, and you do not even make an effort to deliver the religion to them, with the excuse of taqiyya.^[116] Al-Sadiq^℗ said to the effect: “If you were called to support us, taqiyya would become more beloved to you than your fathers and mothers.”^[117]

An ignorant person is perhaps excused in many cases, but you, scholars of Islam, what is your excuse?

The Prince of Believers^℗ said: “The Messenger of God^℗ was like an itinerant physician [of guidance] with his medicines.”^[118]

So, are you working by the traditions of your Prophet^℗? People are asleep; when they die, they will pay attention.^[119]