Ethics and Training

1- Avoiding poisonous and suspicious associations
Surely, a lot of moral deviations are caused by association, and just like contagious and epidemic diseases, particularly in cases that mental condition is ready for acceptance of morality of others, due to little age or little knowledge or weak belief and such like, association with immoral individuals is a fatal and noxious poison.
It is seen in a lot of cases that destiny of a man is completely changed due to such associations and thereby, direction of life is changed.
Effects of association in correcting man’s personality are so significant that it is said for knowing someone; look at the companions and friends he keeps. Imam Ali (A.S.) says:
When you are uncertain about someone and do not know his religion, look at his friends. 7
The Prophet (S) says:
A man has the same religion of his friend and companion. 8
Association with evil doers darkens soul, and weakens moral sense, and reduces ugliness of evil deeds and ill-humour, and it is interpreted as “heart death” in the traditions. The Prophet (S) says:
Four things extinguish heart …, including association with the dead. They asked: O God’s messenger! Who are the dead? He said: lavish rich men. 9
Association with evil doers stimulates sense of suspicion in man and makes him pessimistic to everybody.
Imam Ali (A.S.) says:
Association with evil doers causes suspicion on good doers. 10
In brief, the issue of association is so critical that God even premonishes His messenger from association with evil doers in Qur’an.
In contrary, association with good doers is one of the most important means of training, purification and developing moral virtues and reviving heart and acquiring personality.
Islam emphasizes greatly on association with good individuals and righteous doers. Holy Qur’an says:
Restrain thyself along with those who cry unto their Lord at morn and evening, seeking His Countenance; and let not thine eyes overlook them, desiring the pomp of the life of the world; and obey not him whose heart We have made heedless of Our remembrance, who followeth his own lust and whose case hath been abandoned.(18:28)
The Prophet (S) says:
The most prosperous people are those who associate with good and honourable people.11
2- Correcting Environment
Tainted environments, particularly those in which display of sin and vice is popular, increase the risk of involvement to moral vices, and this is an undeniable truth. Thus, one of the actions for hygiene of morality is conflicting vices in the environment and preventing display of sin and vice.
Basically, one of the most important hindrances for involvement in sin and moral vice is the importance and greatness of vice and sin in view of man and his hatred towards them. Display of moral vices and sins decreases its importance in view of people and lessens its hatred and prepares soul for accepting it.
And on this account, for renewing importance of sin in public opinion, it is instructed in Islam to punish evil doers publicly and in presence of people:
And let a party of believers witness their punishment. (24:2)
Thereby, the significance of sin is renewed for people and the barrier which was violated, is restored.
Islam has put a great emphasis on open sin and vice, and has assumed immodesty and open debauchery as the causes of a person’s defamation. Imam As-Sadiq (A.S.) says:
Whenever an evil doer debauches openly, is defamed.12
Imam Al-Baqir (A.S.) says:
There shall be no respect for three persons: Innovator, unjust leader, and evil doer debauching openly. 13
Even the narration of stories in respect to vice and adultery which taints minds and prepares environment for accepting vice, is forbidden in Islam’s view. Prophet (S) says:
One, who hears an evil deed and divulges it, is like the one who has performed it, and one, who hears a good deed and divulges it, is like the one who has performed it.14
And as for fighting with physical diseases, we shall first destroy centres tainted with microbe and purify life environment and restrain contamination of air, water, food and such like, it is necessary to purify social life environment from morality deviation means.
3- Emigration and escaping from tainted environments
We shall do our best for correction of tainted and corrupted environments, but if, for any reason, it is not possible to correct the environment, and there is the possibility of being tainted in case of staying there, and we can immigrate to another healthier place, there is no alternative save immigration.
The same is observed in most of physical diseases, when those interested in their health immediately immigrate from the contaminated environment.
“Emigration” enjoys a special concern in Islam and it is interesting that it constitutes the foundation of Islamic Epic. Emigration of Islam’s Prophet (S) from Mecca to Medina was nothing else than escaping from a tainted and unfavourable environment to a more favourable one for spreading belief and virtue.
The immigrants at the beginning of Islam enjoy a special privilege and prominence in Islam’s history, and several verses are found in Qur’an concerning them. Several traditions are narrated in respect to immigration from parts tainted to sin and polytheism towards healthy parts indicating importance of the matter.
In Majmaol Bayan interpretation under verse:
Whoso migrateth for the cause of Allah will find much refuge and abundance in the earth. (4:100)
It is narrated from Islam’s Prophet (S):
Whoso emigrates for his religion from a territory to another territory, although it may be as much as one palm of land, deserves paradise and will be companion of Abraham and Mohammad (two great emigrant prophets).15
Emphasis is indicated by the phrase “although it may be as much as one palm of land”, and friendship and companionship with these two great prophets is for their immigration. Abraham (A.S.) departed from Babylon, the centre of idolaters and Nimrod, to Syria and Palestine, and Islam’s Prophet from Mecca to Medina.
In Ali Ebne Abraham interpretation, under the verse:
O my bondmen who believe! Lo! My earth is spacious. Therefore serve Me only. (29:56)
It is narrated from Imam Al-Baqir (A.S.):
Do not follow sinful rulers and if you fear of being deviated from your pure religion (do emigrate) because My Earth is wide.16
Not participating in sin and vice meetings, which is mentioned in Islamic ordinances, and non-privacy with strangers and such like are all considered as sort of short term immigration from sin and mistake and risk area, and surely it is for preventing transmission of moral vices and not being tainted with sin.
Notes:
1. Al-Majlisi, Bihar al-Anwar, 61/65, tradition 51
2. Naraghi, Jami’ as-Saadat 67/1
3. Hurr al-Amili, Wasa’il ash-Shi’a, 122/11, narration 1
4. Wasa’il ash-Shi’a, 123, narration 9
5. Nahjul Balaghah, aphorisms, no. 390
6. Hurr al-Amili, Wasa’il ash-Shi’a, 447/11
7. Al-Majlisi, Bihar al-Anwar, 197/74
8. Kulayini, Kafi 375/2
9. Al-Majlisi, Bihar al-Anwar, volume 2, page 128
10. Al-Majlisi, Bihar al-Anwar, 191/74
11. Al-Majlisi, Bihar al-Anwar, 185/75
12. Hurr al-Amili, Wasa’il ash-Shi’a, 604/8
13. Wasa’il ash-Shi’a,page 605
14. Hurr al-Amili, Wasa’il ash-Shi’a, 609/8
15. Al-Majlisi, Bihar al-Anwar, 31/19
16. Ali Ebne Ebrahim commentary, vol. 2, page 151