Domestic Issues and Their Solutions — Page 234
234 become the voice of his or her heart and he or she wishes to practice it, then the root for achieving all this is righteousness. Without it, neither can pledges be fulfilled nor can a true believing man and a true believing woman affirm the condition of their faith. If it is established, then one will attain the faith and also this world. Whe n a man or a woman claims to have faith and claims to be a true believer , then certainly it is his or her wish and biggest of all wishes, and indeed it should be so, that he or she finds God so that his or her world and faith are both adorned. Thus, it is extremely important to practice righteousness if God is to be attained and His pleasure is sought. R ighteousness is to forsake the smallest of ills with disgust and to adopt the smallest of virtues with deepest sincerity of heart. One is not to define vic es and virtues oneself; rather, it is also righteousness to look for the definitions in the commandments of Allah the Exalted, to look for them in the Sayings and Sunnah (practice) of the Holy Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be on him). One should re ad the pronouncements of the Promised Messiah (on whom be peace) who was sent as the Imam of the Age to clarify the true teachings of Islam to people. Read them and also note them and try and put them in practice, and see which matters are forbidden becaus e they are vices, and see whi ch matters have been enjoined upon us because they are virtues and merits.