Paranoia is a chronic spiritual illness that disrupts a person’s ability for reasoning, balanced thinking, and judgment. Paranoia is a symptom of psychopathy. People who exhibit signs of paranoia often display the following four symptoms:

1. They ascribe an extraordinary value to themselves, expect others to do the same towards them, demonstrate attitudes of egoism and egocentrism, and look down on others. Their ego is puffed up even more when others give them what they want;
2. Suspicious of everything, they are constantly distrustful and apprehensive about being wronged;
3. They always see alternative developments around them as conspiracies against themselves, and based on these presumptions they develop extreme strategies just to be cautious;
4. In fits of delirium, they cause social disharmony and see themselves as the only one behaving correctly.

Such people make paranoia one of their ingrained character traits. They are perpetually afraid of losing the things they have somehow obtained. They invent imaginary villains and rebels, and crush those whom they take as opponents, if they have the power. If they are weak, they side with those who were nothing but a nemesis the day before; they seek to cause perpetual discord and commit the gravest atrocities.

They don’t merely commit hundreds of evils; as if possessed by evil spirits and devils, they block the good deeds of those who walk on the path of the Prophets. They seek to make those good souls seem like rebels and bandits, while also turning the masses into pawns for their evil purposes. By doing such things they also seek to prevent a global revival of humanity sought by those who strive to represent universal human values in all corners of the world.

On account of what they commit under the urges of the carnal soul and passing fancies, such people disrupt society; ironically they also cannot obtain their goals, either. To the contrary, with their paranoia-based acts, they have turned their lives and the lives of those around them into Hell.

As a paranoid individual operates based on destruction, which is easily done, they also ascribe favorable outcomes to their own insight and sagacity. They see others as abnormal—like lunatics do—while continually exhibiting different kinds of insanity. By considering those who do not think like them as traitors and terrorists, they live in fear of losing what they possess. They order special troops to guard them, but they still don’t feel safe.

Paranoids who come from poor backgrounds and obtain important positions and titles later on with a turn of fate are especially seized by every kind of delirium—partially due to their inferiority complex—and a paranoia about losing their power and fortune to others. They are agonized by successions of misgivings. They see angels, and angel-spirited people, as if they are snakes and set about complimenting devils.

The Pharaoh was one such paranoid individual. Uneasy of the possibility that one day Moses (pbuh) and the Children of Israel could become stronger, he did not only make life a misery for himself and the unwise ones behind him, but also shed the blood of so many people—just like contemporary pharaohs do—and committed manifold atrocities. When his time was up, destiny removed him from the stage.

History gives us many such examples, and it marks a route of caution for those with insight. Although times have their relevant differences of color, pattern, name, and titles, within the cycle of historical recurrences, no era was free of such human-like creatures. From the Pharaoh to Haman, from Nebuchadnezzar to Shapur, from Stalin to Hitler, and to those like Yazid in their footsteps, so many paranoid individuals have come to the fore, performing the same evils and disgracing humanity. They built villas and palaces for themselves, employed the same wicked ways, and followed the same devilish path. They kept living with misgivings, were haunted by fears of losing the power they had, and to prevent this they defamed and persecuted thousands and millions of decent countrymen.

Recent history is full of examples. Hitler left behind ruins in Germany and killed millions of innocents. In Iran, the Shah – fearing the loss of his power – ruthlessly massacred dissidents. Saddam Hussein, afraid of facing the same fate as the Shah, mowed down those he thought-to-be his opponents. And Qaddafi was no different either. He ravaged his country, all to preserve his own power, in fear of an illusory opponent.

Other paranoids who emerged like hellish zaqqum trees in the Islamic world act no differently: people are thrown in prison for trivial reasons, mothers and their children are separated from one another, innocent people are killed by torture, law and justice are trampled underfoot. So-called “scholars” serve as henchmen to these modern-day pharaohs. Killings and torture go unpunished. Creatures in human form gawk at these, mute devils (who do not object to injustice) simply watching wicked atrocities without any emotion or action.

Now, what falls to those oppressed is to fix their eyes beyond the horizons and pray for God’s help to come and free them from their chains. Above all, if only we—as all oppressed and suffering believers—could learn to say “goodness lies in what God has decreed and brought to being,” and thus not complain about Divine destiny.… If only we could internalize the meaning of the prayer “we are pleased with God as our Lord,” as expressed in:

Even if it is a hardship from Your Majesty,
Or ease from Your Beauty,
For our soul, both are serenity
Your Grace is so good, and so is Your wrath.
Yunus Emre

If only we could feel this sentiment at every breath. If only we could have a deep respect for God and live satisfied with the creed of:

Whatever Divine Destiny decreed is surely bound to happen,
Commit your affairs to God; neither be grieved nor suffer any pain.
nderuni Vasif

If only we could see what we go through as pools of spiritual purification, as expressed in:

God lets those whom He loves be purified by means of troubles,
Just as pure waters wash away impurities

If only we could murmur with this consideration and find consolation. If only we said, “Every oppression and wicked act has a certain term until it incurs Divine retribution,” and as a respect to that appointed term, if only we said:

A day will come when God will make oppressors say,
God has indeed preferred you above us.”
(Ziya Pasha, with reference to Yusuf 12:91)

Then, we could commit everything to their true Owner. If only we could see the end but not the present, with the belief that, “Those who rise with oppression are bound to face a terrible end,” based on the truth, “unbelief will continue, but oppression will not.”

If only we could leave everything (beyond our capability) to the All-Knowing One with the belief expressed in:

For the oppression of a tyrant,
there is God for the oppressed
Tormenting people today is easy,
only to stand trial tomorrow on the Day of Judgment….

If only we did not complain while going through temporary misfortunes, and be reassured by the meaning of “God is sufficient for us; what a beautiful guardian is He.”

This was the very guideline and constant recitation of great personages; it must be ours as well. Let us say “these too will come to pass,” and without paying attention to the aspersions published by the oppressors’ media allies, we must turn our surroundings into fragrance centers with the rose gardens in our hearts and thus make everyone enraptured and elated.

May God the Kind, Caring, Bounteous and Favoring of infinite Mercy bless us with unshakeable will on this path, a resolute stance, and continuity in our resoluteness.

Though less known than drug addictions, status addiction can cause serious harm to individuals and society.

One of the essential mistakes some people who attain a certain status in our time make is their failure to see how transitory worldly positions are; they act as if this world is permanent. Why do some people’s characters change when they are promoted to a certain position? Why do some character flaws surface after gaining a certain status? It is known that the human carnal soul has different forms of weakness, and is inclined to develop certain forms of worldly addictions, and love of status is one of them. When a person comes to a high position, he or she often gains a different mood with the new power and means they’ve obtained. Sometimes, this means maintaining one’s internal balance – and sometimes it means losing that balance. The latter situation might stem from negative feelings that had, until then, been suppressed.

Some people develop an addiction to substances that stimulate their sense of reward. In time, psychological addiction is accompanied by the biological addiction, and the dose demanded for satisfaction increases. If it is not achieved, feelings of deprivation can arise, and from this, crises surface. . Consequently, the person becomes totally addicted. Addiction for status develops in the same pattern. The only difference is that what causes the addiction is not a chemical substance, but the status itself.

The person is virtually drugged with the effects of power and the opportunities in hand, along with the respect and interest shown by others. Therefore, one does not only fear losing the opportunities, but also this respect and interest. The person does whatever one can in order to make things continue as they are. Similar to a drug addict who resorts to illegal means for the sake of finding drugs, the person will use any means to retain power. What matters is only the continuity of the position and the status possessed.

After one chair, the status-addict looks for the next chair like a drug addict craving drugs. As the body develops a tolerance for narcotic substances, and the person seeks higher doses, the status-addict looks for an increase in interest and respect from others. The least degree of indifference or being normal treatment makes the status-lover lose their temper. For this reason, he does not like to keep around those who fail to show excessive respect and who make occasional warnings about his behavior. He continually looks for people to behave like servants at his beck and call. In the end, the status-lover will be surrounded by flatterers instead of sound advisers, who might bring him to his senses. This only adds to his pleasure more, as he needs higher doses for satisfaction.

People with good qualifications, whom appear to be potential rivals, evoke a great disturbance in status-addicts. Such individuals are quickly destroyed, before they can prove themselves. Therefore, both the addict’s position is retained and the ones who might discover their mistakes are handled. Status-addicts sometimes make unjust decisions and enforce them for the sake of intimidation. He is the most successful and rightful person, because his own potential and intelligence come before everything. Consultation and meetings are routine tasks to let pass. The status-addict does not accept anybody’s opinion but his own, does not listen to different ideas, and uses meetings as shows of power to satisfy his ego. After some time, this dizzying mood causes serious mistakes. However, as nobody to bring them to their senses remains, the consequences are grim.

The treatment process for status-addicts requires balancing the heart and mind, and also activating the spiritual dynamics. Otherwise, the person totally goes astray, both materially and spiritually. The egotistic behavior of the status-addict harms the addict, first of all, and also harms those around them.

All worldly positions are temporary, and being aware of this might be helpful in treating status-addiction. God Almighty will call people to account for all of the blessings He gave. There are other people who are more talented, or who have better capacities, than we do. Graveyards are full of people who once assumed that everything depended on them. When one is dismissed from a certain position, the extremeness of that person’s reaction is in direct proportion with the degree of addiction. All that matters here is a person’s continuing one’s relation with God, not upsetting the balance of the heart, not forgetting that this world is temporary, and giving this world and the next as much value as they deserve.