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
colors 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 he 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.
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