زندگى تحت توفيقات اصول اخلاق - مكارم شيرازى، ناصر - الصفحة ١٨ - What is prosperity

misfortune, while defeat in common warfare may result inacquiring the honor of" martyrdom". That is to say, warfare with external enemy has never a real defeat, but there is a high possibility of defeat in inner warfare.

٣- Although this warfare is painful, it is the code of man'sperfection, because perfection is usually the outcome of conflictsand struggle of" negative" and" positive" powers, and this is thereason why man does not become experienced and trainedunless he is involved in the events and struggles with problemsas Imam Ali A. S. says: The wood of forest trees( which arealways exposed to a lot of incidents )is more strong and their fireis more durable.

And herein the mystery of creation of these antagonistp owers and sensual desires is manifested.

٤- Warfare with outward enemy may occasionally beperformed for material purposes( collecting booties or achievingfame and such like ), but inner warfare will be always for gainingp erfection and achieving virtue. So overcoming therein indicate sdecision, will and belief power as well as prominence of ambitionand greatness of man's personality.

Prosperity and happiness

Ethic scholars have mentioned prosperity and happiness asthe final end of ethics. This is the same reality that all men are always trying and struggling for achieving it, and are often complaining and inconvenient for not gaining it.

What is prosperity ?

We can define prosperity in one short phrase: gaining anypossible perfection that man has capacity and competence for