Flowers for the Women Wearing Veils - Volume I — Page 197
! ! 197 The habit which is good in its essence leads to other good habits ; and the habit which is bad in its nature creates other bad habits. Thus, a person instinctiv ely endorses and respects those good virtuous habits which lead to further good virtuous habits. W hen he associates himself with a good habit, his sense of honor stops him [upon realizing his bad habits] and reprimands him and he is obliged to straighten his direction. If a person advertises on his sh op sign that shoes are sold here, but inside he only has rice he will be reprimanded by the angry customer who came in to buy shoes but is only met with rice. The shopkeeper will have no choice but to remain quiet , for there is such an enormous difference between rice and shoes , leaving n o room for excuses or explanati o ns. However, if he had advertised rice on his sign, there would have been room for discussion regarding its quality. Therefore, some matters are so simple, obvious, and clear that they leave no room for argument. For example , if the Shariah did not dictate congregational prayer to be obligatory , then those who do not say Salāt could excuse themselves by saying they would offer it at home. However, given the way congregational prayer has been rendered obligatory, if he does not go to the mosque for congregational prayers, he cannot excuse himself by claiming to offer his prayer s at home. Therefore, by maintaining their gaze upon such clear and prominent commandments, the followers of these dictates establish a collective sense of honor , which results in safeguarding a person from straying morally for fear of being reviled by society. One of these issues is the keeping of one’s beard. I am always amazed at why people shave th eir beards. I also keep a beard and see no reason to shave it off. I have never witnessed a person walking with his head bowed down and who upon inquiry he repl ies that the weight of his beard draws his head down. Nor have I ever come across any man feeling restless and agitated who repl ies upon inquiry that he is feeling very hot, and he is now going to shave off his beard. Similarly, I have never seen anyone shave off his beard out of necessity. They shave it off to imitate others , simp ly because people ridicule them or because no one else keeps a beard. If there is no reason to shave off a beard , then why is it don e? Keeping a beard