Gradual Progress

قَالَ أَبُو عَبْدِ اللَّهِ ع‌ إِنَّ اللَّهَ إِذَا أَرَادَ بِعَبْدٍ خَيْراً فَأَذْنَبَ ذَنْباً أَتْبَعَهُ بِنَقِمَةٍ وَ يُذَكِّرُهُ الِاسْتِغْفَارَ وَ إِذَا أَرَادَ بِعَبْدٍ شَرّاً فَأَذْنَبَ ذَنْباً أَتْبَعَهُ بِنِعْمَةٍ لِيُنْسِيَهُ الِاسْتِغْفَارَ وَ يَتَمَادَى بِهَا وَ هُوَ قَوْلُ اللَّهِ عَزَّ وَ جَلَّ- سَنَسْتَدْرِجُهُمْ‌ مِنْ حَيْثُ لا يَعْلَمُونَ‌[2] بِالنِّعَمِ عِنْدَ الْمَعَاصِي.

“Abu ‘Abd Allah (a.s.) has said, ‘When Allah wills good for a servant upon his committing a sin He causes it to be followed by a misfortune to remind him of the need to plead for forgiveness. When Allah wills evil for a servant upon his committing a sin He causes it to be followed by his gaining bounties that make him

سُئِلَ أَبُو عَبْدِ اللَّهِ ع عَنِ الِاسْتِدْرَاجِ فَقَالَ هُوَ الْعَبْدُ يُذْنِبُ الذَّنْبَ فَيُمْلَى لَهُ‌[3] وَ تُجَدَّدُ لَهُ عِنْدَهَا النِّعَمُ فَتُلْهِيهِ عَنِ الِاسْتِغْفَارِ مِنَ الذُّنُوبِ فَهُوَ مُسْتَدْرَجٌ مِنْ حَيْثُ لَا يَعْلَمُ.

“Abu ‘Abd Allah (a.s.) was asked about al-‘Istidraj, (gradual steps). The Imam said, ‘It happens when a servant (of Allah) commits a sin he is given respite, new bounties come to him and he overlooks beseeching forgiveness for sins, thus, he is taken in gradual steps but he has not taken any notice of it.’”

سَأَلْتُ أَبَا عَبْدِ اللَّهِ ع عَنْ قَوْلِ اللَّهِ عَزَّ وَ جَلَّ- سَنَسْتَدْرِجُهُمْ مِنْ حَيْثُ لا يَعْلَمُونَ‌[4] قَالَ هُوَ الْعَبْدُ يُذْنِبُ الذَّنْبَ فَتُجَدَّدُ لَهُ النِّعْمَةُ مَعَهُ تُلْهِيهِ تِلْكَ النِّعْمَةُ عَنِ الِاسْتِغْفَارِ مِنْ ذَلِكَ الذَّنْبِ.

“Once I asked Abu ‘Abdillah (a.s.) about the words of Allah, the Most Majestic, the Most Holy, ‘We gradually lead those who have called Our revelations mere lies to destruction. Their destruction will be such that they will not even notice how it seized them.’ (7:182) The Imam said, ‘It happens when a servant (of Allah

كَمْ مِنْ مَغْرُورٍ بِمَا قَدْ أَنْعَمَ اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَ كَمْ مِنْ مُسْتَدْرَجٍ بِسَتْرِ اللَّهِ عَلَيْهِ‌[5] وَ كَمْ مِنْ مَفْتُونٍ بِثَنَاءِ النَّاسِ عَلَيْهِ.

“How many are those who suffer losses due to the bounties that Allah grant them! How many are those who gradually move to destruction due to Allah’s covering their sins! How many are of the people misled due to other’s prais and applause for them!”’