Page 11 - Issue-27

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willed and determined individuals who will assign
burdensome tasks to the former group and deprive them
even from the fruits of their work. In addition, the strong-
willed masters will treat the degenerates in a manner that is
worse than animal treatment because the masters rightly feel
that the degenerates have degraded themselves from a status
that they had innately deserved and opted for inferiority and
debasement.

This
Classroomlassroom political reality and
C
how
is
Jamal
constituted
Al-Din
distinguished between its ranks according to the degree of
strength or weakness of the psychological motivation, which
he took as a formative rule of human nature. He did not stop
there, though. After leading his readers from the depths of
with the first step being to commit one ’s soul and money.
the human soul to the top of the political pyramid, he
Wishfulness, on the other hand, is a recline into ease and
da
ess
y Rul Rul
H da y e
Holioli
descends once more to the human psyche, albeit to another
comfort with a delusional notion that Allah would change his
aspect of it, which is the intellectual or creedal basis that
rules of creation according to the wishful thinker ’s whims.
directs the psychological motivation either upwards towards
stature, or downwards towards despondency. This is because
After completing his explanation of the formative rule and its
Al-Sayyid does not want to leave his readers frustrated by
foundations within the depths of the human psyche, Al-Sayyid
the puzzling psychological mystery of why some people
proceeds to employ this rule to build his perception of political
become desperate while others remain hopeful although
existence. Since political existence is the coming together of
seeking glory is innate to everyone. Here, Al-Sayyid touches
individuals, it will reflect and base itself upon what is deep in
upon the destiny-versus-free will debate, neither from the
these individuals ’ souls. In this way, Al-Sayyid links the
perch of a Mu ’tazil nor from that of an Ash ’ari, but from a
psychological motivation of seeking glory to the opening or
specific door that opens a distinguished and precise
closing of the political sphere; the innate drive towards glory
perception of divine activity in the human domain.
and status recognition will generate clashes and resistance as
individuals jostle amongst themselves for glory-conducive
Jamal Al-Din sees that our depressed friend, the one that
actions. Therefore, the conflictual political sphere is founded
descended from his innately-guaranteed status, believes that
via the conflict – in terms of opinions first and then actions –
all his actions emanate solely from his own abilities and
that results from the innate psychological imperative.
will, without any higher capable hand. Thus, when he
Nevertheless, Al-Sayyid was far-sighted enough to foresee the
repeatedly clashed with the more powerful obstacles that
method of settling such conflicts and consequently, clearing the
caused his failure, he weighed his capabilities against these
conflictual political sphere itself. This method consists of
obstacles and, realizing he could not overcome them,
giving a wider space for reason. However, reason should not be
succumbed to desperation and eternal misery. On the
taken to mean the Marxists ’ attempt to amputate all the innate
contrary, Jamal Al-Din sees that our other friend, the one
tendencies that they do not like. To the contrary, reason will
who believes in a grand master of the universe to whose
work to achieve the purpose of that psychological imperative
power and will every force submits and who directs his
but in a manner that does not lead to the crowding out and
worshippers however he pleases, will not put his own mortal
opposition that result from conflicting hopes and deeds. This
capabilities on the scale like the depressed person did in the
will take place as reason determines the form of work that suits
face of hardship. This believer will resort instead to Allah ’s
the nature of every individual, who can achieve the high status
force, which is above all other forces, and thus, will be
that he desires through this suitable job, resulting in a different
flying with hope towards glory and stature, facing hardships
status enjoyed by every individual that is distinct from that of
and obstacles with a determination that depends less on his
others and thus, everyone lives in glory and honor thanks to the
own ability than on that of the master of the universe. And
work that they do.
he will seek this purpose without complaining in order to
reach perfection and happiness in this life and the afterlife.
However, Al-Sayyid ’s solution does not unfold on the ground;
political reality is full of clashes and resistance that lead to a
At this point, Al-Sayyid cites the two verses from the title of
certain structure of the political sphere as hierarchical, with
the article; and they represent the backdrop against which he
each individual housed in his rank as a result of the
formulated his thought on the psychological and faith-based
psychological impact that these clashes have on him. This
origin of political existence. Yet Jamal Al-Din, in this
becomes evident in Al-Sayyid ’s account of how the repeated
article, did not present an aloof political theorization just for
clashes and failure to reach glory cause some individuals to feel
the sake of building theoretical structures; rather, he offered
desperate, despondent and convinced of their inability to
his political theorization as an anchor for the internal and
achieve their desired stature. This loss of hope leads to a change
external Muslim political movement under the dim
or distortion in the innate imperative so that it degenerates and
conditions that they were suffering at the time and are still
degrades. Signs of such degeneration include a lack of
suffering in the years after!
inhibition towards committing despicable vices, absence of
aversion to insult and humiliation to the extent of getting used
to them, and more importantly, the loss of human sentiments
and satisfying with an animalistic lifestyle oriented solely
towards nutritional and sexual needs.
While these depressed individuals are emotionally and
behaviorally degenerating, they are also falling down the
political hierarchy, paving the way for the rise of other strong-
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