Law of Attraction and Repulsion:

 

It is a general law, the entire system of creation is subject to it. All modem human sciences conclusively assert that not a single atom from amongst the atoms of the cosmos lies beyond the jurisdiction of universal attraction, rather all happen to be subservient to it. From the largest organism and bodies of the universe to its smallest atoms, all possess this intrinsic force called attraction, and simultaneously (some­how or the other) they happen to be under its influence.

Man of earlier ages was not cognizant of this all-pervading faculty of attraction. Nonetheless, they did discover it in some of the bodies, and recognized them as symbol of this faculty, e.g. magnet and amber. Till late man did not know that these bodies have relative attraction for everything else also, he had rather presumed a specific co-relation about them, i.e., a co-relation between magnet and iron and grass and amber:

Every  atom  which  is  in  this  atmosphere

For its own genus is a petal as well as amber

 But for these (two) we find no mention (in their volumes) of existence of faculty of attraction in the rest of the solid bodies. They have only discussed as to why the earth had hAlied amidst the heavens. They believed that the earth was held in suspension in the middle of the sky and was 3 pulled by the celestial attraction from all its sides They thought that as the attraction was comprehensive, so the sphere had to stay where it was, without leaning on any side. Some of them believed that the sky did not attract the earth, it rather repelled the sphere, and as the repulsion was equally comprehensive, so it had to stay on, at a specific point and could not change place.

They believed in the existence of the faculties of attraction and repulsion in plants and animals, in as much as they held them to possess the faculties of nutrition, growth and procreation. In the context of the faculty of nutrition they acknowledged the existence of secondary faculties of (i) attraction (ii) repulsion (iii) digestion and (iv) retention, and said that the stomach had the faculty of attraction, and because of that it pulled the food to itself and, in the same course, it excreted the diet whence it was found improper. In the same stance, they said that liver had the faculty of attrac­tion because it attracted water to itself:

"Stomach pulls food to the point. Liver pulls water to itself".

 

ATTRACTION AND REPULSION IN THE HUMAN WORLD

In the present context, by "attraction" and "repulsion" we do not mean to talk of sexual "attraction" and "repulsion", which being a special subject is not relevant here, it is rather a subject independent in itself. In fact, here we mean those attractions and repulsions which operate among human beings in sociological life. In human society, co-operation also plays a part which is based on community of interests, but that too is beyond our venue of discussion.

Finer instances of friendships and fraternities, and feuds and animosi­ties are expressions of faculties of attraction and repulsion peculiar to man. These attractions and repulsions may be based either on compatibility and resemblance or on spite and antagonism In fact we must try to find out the basic cause of attraction and repulsion in homogeneity and contrariety, as the philosopher's debate finally evolved the dictum "homogeneity is a cause of integration". Sometimes two persons attract each other with a desire to make friends and companion; and they do so impulsively. This impulse emanates from some sort of homogeneity. But for similitude and homo­geneity, they would not have attracted each other and would not have been keen to make friends. As a general rule, intimacy between two individuals is evidence of existence of some homogeneity and similitude between them.

In the Second Volume of "Masnavi", we find a sweet story about a crow and a mill-hopper: A sage saw a crow having befriended a mill-hopper. Both of them would sit and fly together. The two birds were from two different feathers: the crow having neither the complexion nor the physique of the mill-hopper, it had rather no resemblance with the latter. The sage was astonished to see a crow in the company of a mill-hopper. He went close to them and on scrutiny found that both of them were lame:-

The sage said I have seen,

In dialogue a crow with a mill-hopper,

I was astonished to observe their conduct,

I tried to find a common value between them,

I was all the more stunned and astonished when I reached them

I saw for myself that both of them were lame.

Their being single-footed brought the two birds, each from a different feather, to flock together. Men also, in the same manner, as they do not offend each other at random, do not befriend each other without a common reason. Some believe that the root of attraction and repulsion lies in necessity and succor. Man is born deficient and dependent; therefore, he perpetually strives to make up his deficiencies and cater for his lacking. These objectives can be achieved only when he enters into alliance with a group and permanently merges in a society. With this contrivance, man benefits from one formation and avoids harm from another, and we find no rebellion or recalcitrance in him except that ripened in the warmth of instinct of self-preservation. In this view of the matter, the biological elements and natural structure have blessed man both with attraction and repulsion, so as to invigorate him to struggle for what he feels is beneficial to himself and to avoid what he finds opposed to his cherished objects, and to be indifferent to whatever is neither harmful nor advantageous to him. In reality, attraction and repulsion are two fundamental pillars of human life. And if these faculties are impaired, the whole life is disturbed, and the disturbance will be proportionate to the degree of damage caused to the faculties; the result would be that he who had the potential to fill up the vacuums would absorb others, and not only will fail to fill up the vacuums but will also aggravate them. He would earn peoples' apathy and would be reckoned just as a stone beside.

DIFFERENCE IN MEN QUA ATTRACTION AND REPULSION:

For the individual attraction and repulsion, all men are not equal to one another; they are rather divisible in various groups: -

Individuals who neither have attraction nor repulsion: They are no body's friends and no body's foes. They do neither excite any body's love, devotion or friendship, nor do they instigate anybody to animosity, hatred, jealousy and vindictiveness; without being acknowledged they move about amidst men as if a stone happens to be afoot.

He is a good-for-nothing and is an infructuous being. A man without any positive point (positive herein is not confined only to virtues, it also covers wretchedness) virtue-wise or vice-wise, is an animal, feeds himself goes to sleep, and moves about amidst men. Like a sheep, he is no body's friend and no body's foe. If men care about a sheep or serve water and fodder to it, it is just as a measure preparatory to its slaughter, as and when so required. He blows neither trade wind nor otherwise. They are a group rightly called: Cheap individuals, vain and shallow. Man needs friends and needs to befriend and vice-versa, we say man needs foes and needs to be offended.

MEN WHO HAVE ATTRACTION BUT NOT REPULSION:

They are fond of every one and warm to all; they make their fans from amongst all classes of people. In their lifetime everyone is their friend and no one disowns them. When they die, the Muslims give them funeral wash with waters of Zamzam and the Hindus bum their cadavers to ashes:

"Urfi so behave with virtuous and vicious both that after your death the Muslims give you wash with Zamzam and the Hindus burn your cadaver to ashes."

As desired by this poet, if you happen to live in a bi-national society, half of which are Muslims and dispose of the dead bodies of the co-believers by respectfully washing the same and as a token of greater respect give them funeral wash with the holy waters of Zamzam, preceeding the ante-burial prayers; and the other half of this society are Hindus who put their dead a-pyre to be burnt to ashes; then in such a society, you should so conduct yourself that after your death the Muslims take you as their co-believer and give you ante-burial wash with waters of Zamzam and Hindus take you to be theirs and burn your dead body on pyre.

Probably they believe that by sweet manners and smooth co-existence or, in today's parlance, by "being social" they can befriend the whole mankind. But from the perspective of a man with principles and conviction, who wants to selflessly pursue the ideas and thoughts in multitude of humanity, it is inevitable to be one-sided, curt and out-spoken; albeit a dual personality is possessed only by a hypocrite.

As all men neither think alike nor feel alike, nor their likes and dislikes are identical, e.g. among men are avengers and offenders, good and bad, society has judges and also aggressors, it has arbiters and criminals; all of them cannot simultaneously be friendly to a man who is pursuing definite goals, because his pursuits are unavoidably detrimental to the interests of one class. Only a liar and a mendacious person can afford to carry on friendship with people of divergent classes and flirt with people of different ideas. He expresses himself in parlance and exhibits in fashion suited to the moment. A straightforward man or a man with principles has to befriend some and to offend others. Those who follow his course rush to him and those who go contrary to his way reject and oppose him.

Some of the Christians, who show themselves of and their religion as the herald of love, contend that a perfect man must he nothing but loving, and that is all. Hence man to have attraction alone. Probably some Hindus have also identical belief.

In Christian and Hindu philosophies lot has been devoted to love. They say, "We should be loving to everything and when we love all, nothing will obstruct them from reciprocating with the same to us. The vicious will also love us when they have seen love from us".

Let these gentlemen know! it does not suffice to be lover alone, one must have principles as well, as Gandhi has said, "Our religion lies in love coupled with reality; and if love is blended with reality, it becomes a commitment to principles". Commitment by a man to principles inevitably generates enmity, this, in fact, is repulsion, which instigates some to con­frontation and rejects others.

Islam no doubt is a religion of love and affinity. The Quran introduces the Prophet as a blessing for the universe: "and We commissioned you but as a blessing for all the worlds", i.e. for the worst of your enemies also you should be a blessing and affectionate. 

However, the love preached by the Quran does not mean that we should so behave as to please everyone and to act according to every one's likes and delight, so that everyone is allured by us. To let everyone loose in his own choice or to ditto his likes is of no love with him, it is in fact hypocrisy and deception. Love must be blended with reality; such a love imparts virtue and Lo! the virtue so imparted has not been adulterated with the love of the adversary. Very often, while pursuing his course, such a man comes in contact with many persons, and when they find his likes opposed to their objects, they give him an affront instead of an appreciation. Besides this, the wise and the logical love and friendship embraces the welfare and is in the interest of the whole mankind and not of an individual or a special class. There are many makings of love and deliveries of goods to individuals, which are in effect harmful and antagonistic to the society.

In the annals among reformers, we find many stalwarts who struggled for eradication of evils from society and suffered pains during their struggle, but men rewarded them with injury and vengeance. Hence love is not always an attraction, rather at times it displays the most forceful repulsion and antagonizes hosts of men against such a stalwart.

Abdur Rahman Ibne Moljum was from worst of Ali's enemies. Ali knew well that Ibn Moljum's deep animosity against him was fatal for him. People also often tried to convince Ali to do away with Ibn Moljum as he was a dangerous man. Ali would always refute them by saying: "He is my assassin. I am not his. How could I kill my own killer?" It was about him, that Ali said." I wish him life and virtue while he intends to take my life. I have tender feelings for him while he has become my enemy and nourishes grudge against me".

Finally, love alone is not a panacea for ailments of humanity. For some tastes and temperaments roughness is also needed and so is required a combat, a repulsion and an aversion. Islam too is religion of love and attrac­tion and of hatred and repulsion.

MEN WHO HAVE REPULSION BUT NOT ATTRACTION

They make enemies but do not make friends, they are deficient individuals; and this assertion is based on the fact that they lack positive human qualities, because if they would have possessed such qualities they must have made a group of friends or at least a few ones; needless to say that may be, though, very small in number yet men with virtue do live among the masses. Had all men at a time on globe, been menda­cious and tyrannical, all feuds would have been evaluated as truth and justice. However, at a time all men are not vicious, in the same manner, as all men are not virtuous at a time. Naturally, fault lies somewhere with him to whom all are foes, otherwise how is it possible that a man having merits could not win a single friend? Such persons do not have any positive point in themselves and their negative points are also totally bitter, and bitter for all; they do not have such a single point as might be cherished by any one person.

Ali says, "The weakest of men is he who is too weak to attract a friend; and still weaker is the one who loses friends and gets isolated".

Men who have attraction and repulsion both are men of principle, who struggle for the glory of their own faith and conviction; they attract groups to themselves, they are held in esteem and are loved by many a soul, and along with this they ward off and drive away many from their vicinity. They befriend and offend; they are benevolent friends and noble foes.

Attractions and repulsions have a few categories, in some case attrac­tion .and repulsion both are forceful, in others both are weak, while in the rest of the cases the degrees of the strength of attraction and repulsion are at variance interse. The dignified are those whose attraction and repulsion both are forceful, and this is relative to the strength of positive and negative values in their nature. Of course, the force also has degrees, so that it should reach the point that captivates friends who lay down their lives for his sake and may sacrifice themselves at his pleasure; on the other hand, their enemies are also headstrong and heedless about themselves while acting in their opposition. Their power of attraction and repulsion becomes so predominant that it permeates the vast canvas of the generations for centuries to come and this three dimensional attraction and repulsion is among the special charms of the saints, as to be a three-dimensional mission is the special distinction of the Apostolic missions.

Yet another aspect for us to see is what types they attract and what types they repel, e.g., sometimes the wise are attracted and the fool arc repelled and sometimes vice versa. Sometimes the noble and the virtuous are attracted and the ignoble and the vicious are repelled and sometimes vice versa. Hence the friends and the adversaries of and those attracted and repelled by a man form the irrefutable evidence of his intrinsic faculty

Only a person's having attraction and repulsion, or even his faculties being forceful, will not suffice it to say that he has a commendable persona­lity; it is rather an index of the origin of his personality, and nobody's personality alone is evidence of his virtue. All great men and leaders of the world, including the cunning criminals like Changaiz, Hajjaj and Mo'aviyha, were men having both attraction and repulsion. Without some "positive" points, no one can oblige thousands of warriors to submit to him and be subdued to his designs, unless one has the quality of leadership, one in one's time cannot muster the people around oneself.

Nadir Shah is one of such figures. How many men were beheaded and how many eyes were extracted by him from the sockets, but he had an exceptionally powerful personality. From amongst the relics of a defeated and outraged Iran of the last days of Safavide dynasty he raised an army and like magnet attracting fragments of iron, he rallied warriors around him and not only liberated Iran from the foreigners but also conquered the extremes of India. He annexed new territories to Iranian sovereignty.

Hence every person has attraction for his homogeneous and repulsion for the divergent. A personality with grace and righteousness would attract the benevolent and the righteous, to him and would repel the selfish, the mercenary and the hypocrite. A criminal personality would rally the sinners around him and would repel the virtuous. As alluded to above, another difference lies in the proportion of force of attraction. It is said about Newton's Theory of Gravitation, "Increase in force of gravitation is proport­ionate to the mass of the bodies and lessening of the distance between them". Likewise, amongst men also attraction and repulsion vary propor­tionately to their proximity.

ALI, A PERSONALITY WITH TWO FACULTIES

Ali is from among those who have both the faculties of attraction and repulsion, and both these faculties in him are extremely forceful.

Probably, throughout the bygone centuries and during all the times to come, we may fail to trace an attraction and repulsion as forceful as that of Ali. He has marvelous and historic, devoted and forbearing friends, who in his love aflame like a pyre burn and enlighten. They are fond and proud of laying down their lives for his cause; they in his love have ignored everyone else. Though years, rather centuries, have passed since his demise yet Ali's attraction perpetually intensifies, and bewilders the onlookers.

In his lifetime of his contemporaries who were God loving, devoted and selfless, kind and forbearing, just and philanthropist rallied around him. Everyone of them has left in legacy an inspiring piece of history. After his death, particularly during the rule of Mo'awiyah and the Omayyed dynasty, hosts of such people were put to the worst of victimization, but they never fell short of love and devotion for Ali and stood fast till their last, though invariably they had to lose their lives.

With the death of worldly personalities, all their belongings diminish and their merits are buried along with their dead, but the personalities of the faith, though themselves may die yet their faith and love, which they enkindled, becomes brighter and sublime by afflux of time;

We read in history that after Ali's demise, for years, rather for centu­ries, men have been abreast against the darts of his enemies. Twenty years after our Master's assassination, from amongst his devotees and those attracted to him, we see Maisam-i-Teemar reciting atop the gallows hymns of Ali's merit and superiority. Those were the days when whole of the Muslim world was gagged in suffocation, all liberties had been forfeited, souls were stifled in the bosom, dreadful silence like the dust of death had shrouded the faces, but Maisam from the top of the altar cries "Here! Here! For you I say what Ali was" people thronged around him to listen to what he might be allowed to say. The iron-fisted Omayyed government appre­hending jeopardy to its interests ordered to rein his mouth and thus within a few days his life was brought to an end. History has abundant instances of suchlike devotees of Ali. These peculiar sentiments have not worn out by the passage of time. In all the times, these forceful sentiments have been ever more effective.

The dauntless Ibn Sokayyat is from the galaxy of scholars and the stalwarts of Arabic literature and those having literary taste count him never lesser to Saiboya and the likes. He lived in the times of Motawakkil Abbassi, i.e., two centuries after the martyrdom of Ali. Sokayyat was brandished as a Shiah by Motawakkil's spying network, but as he was a distinguished and well-versed scholar, Motawakkil appointed him as tutor of his sons. One day the children came to Motawakkil's court when the tutor was also there. They had fared well in a test held earlier on the same day. Mutwakkil, either on the pretext of appreciation of Sokayyat's services or to fathom his known commitment to Shiah faith, inquired from the tutor as to whether he liked those two (his two sons) more or Hassan and Hussain, the two sons of Ali.

Ibn Sokayyat, on hearing this sentence and formulation of such a comparison, flew into rage; his blood boiled and he said to himself, "This pigmy has inflated himself so much that he compares his sons with Hassan and Hussain! It is my fault that I have undertaken to educate them". He said to Mutwakkil, "By God! I hold Qamber, the slave of Ali, in a far higher esteem than in which I find both of your sons and their father".

Mutwakkil forthwith ordered that Ibn Sikayyat's tongue be extracted through the back of his neck.

History knows many enchanted who spontaneously laid down their lives in course of Ali's love. Wherefrom to find such a forceful attraction. I doubt if the world will ever have a match to it. Likewise, Ali has obstinate enemies: Enemies who bite themselves when they hear Ali's name being mentioned. No doubt, as an individual Ali has left, but as a school he perpetuates. He in the very same manner conti­nues to pull one group to himself and push away the other. Oh! Ali is the personality with Two Faculties.