In the Name of Allâh, the Most Beneficent, the Most
Merciful
By Ibn Qayyim al-Jawziyyah
Consider the case of the human who is deprived of the sense
of sight. Think how grave is his bereavement. He does not see where to put his
step, does not see what is in front of him, does not distinguish colours and
agreeable and disagreeable sights; he does not benefit from the scholarship of
books; he is unable to reflect and contemplate the wonders of Allah’s creation.
He cannot take note of much of what is advantageous or harmful to him; he may
not be able to avoid falling in a hole in his way, nor protect himself from a
wild animal, or an enemy intent on assailing and killing him. He cannot flee if
attacked, but will have to beat the mercy of his adversary. Had it not been for
special care from Allah, in some was similar to that given to the newborn, he
would be much more likely to perish than to survive. He is like a mass of flesh
and bones, and that is why Allah promises him, if he is resigned and patient,
that he will be rewarded with Paradise. It is an illustration of the immensity
of the Lord’s kindness that He compensated a blind person’s vision with a
mental vision, so tat you see that he has the sharpest intuition and insight.
Another grace is that he enjoys clarity of objective, so that he is not
distracted or scatter-brained. In this way he can enjoy his life, and take care
of what is good for him, and is not depressed, indignant or frustrated. This I
true of those born blind. As for the one who lost his sight after he had been
sighted, he is like all those who have had catastrophes, who have transferred
from a state of well being to one of suffering. He takes it very hard, because
he is barred from what e had always enjoyed of sights, scenes, and ways of
using his vision; his case is different.
Similarly, a person who is deprived of hearing misses the
skill of communication and talking, and misses consequently he exchange of
ideas and the pleasant experience of melodious sounds. People will be reluctant
to communicate with him and will express annoyance at his presence. He will be
cut off from people’s news and conversation; he is present but not really
present, alive but it is like death-in-life, close by but really far.
There has been much dispute concerning who is less deprived
and more normal, a blind person or a deaf-mute. There have been many supporters
of both views, and both parties have cited several points. This debate,
however, refers to a more basic one: Which of the two senses is more valuable,
hearing or seeing? I have mentioned above details of this debate [i.e. in an
earlier part of the book], and I have listed there the arguments of the
different parties and their proofs, and discussed the truth about the matter.
Here we may add that the loss of the sense that is more basic to integrity will
be graver. We can briefly say here that for an unsighted person the loss is
more serous, but his loss is less in religious matters, and his outcome will be
better. For the deaf person, on the other hand, the loss is less grave in
worldly matters, but he misses more in a religious sense, and his outcome is
worse. His deafness will deprive him of all the preaching and admonition, and
hi way is blocked o useful sciences, while the way is open to tempting desires
that are visible, while he does not have enough knowledge to deter him from
getting involved. Therefore, his religious disadvantage s greater, while the
blind man’s disadvantage in worldly maters is greater. It may be observed in
this connection that there was not among the Prophet’s Companions a deaf-mute,
while there were a number of unsighted companions. It is rare that Allah should
test his devotees with dumbness, while he may test many with blindness. This is
then the decisive statement concerning this issue: that the deaf-mute’s loss is
religious, and the blind-person’s loss is worldly. It is a real blessing if one
is spared both handicaps, and enjoys the use of both hearing and sight, and has
them intact to the end of one’s life.
Courtesy Of: Islaam.com
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