Chapter VIII: Music and Ecstasy
RULES AND REGULATIONS OF JOURNEY
Journey is a means to ward off undesirable thing or to get objects of love, it is of two kinds — )1) Physical journey from one's native place to a distant country and (2) mental or spiritual journey to God in heaven. The latter is better, but it is fraught with dangers and difficulties and the path is unknown and unacquainted. The sojourners are indifferent to the wealth of this path. Hence the so journers in this pathare few. God says of this path : I shall show them My signs in the vacant regions and in yourselves . God says : There are signs in the world and in yourselves for the believers. Don't you mind ? He who keeps away from this journey is said by God in the following verse as an unbveliever : You pass by these sings morning and evening.
Don't you understand ? God says : How many sign there are in the heavens and the earth which appear to them always but they remain heedless from them. He who remains satisfied with this journey, roam in such a paradise cheefully which extends to the heavens and the earth, though his body remains in his house.
RULES OF JOURNEY FROM BEGINNING TO END
Journey means to go from one place to another. There are benefits and harms of journey. One is to shift from his place, of residence on account of religion or for search of livelihood . There are therefore two kinds of Objects of search— worldly and next worldly, name and fame, wealth and riches, power and influence etc. are the worldly objects of search. Acquisition of knowledge is a religious matter and the journey for this purpose is of two kinds — journey for acquisition of religious knowledge and for correction of one's own character and conduct or journey for acquisition of knowledge of the wonderful creations of God, such as journey of Alexander. Journey for actions with learning is of two kind — to visit the holy places, such as Mecca, Medina, Baitul Moqaddas or journey for defense of the frontiers of Islamic state. Journeys are also undertaken for visiting the holy shrines of the religious leaders and friends of God and of those religious people who are alive. Thus it is seen that there are different purposes of journey.
152 The Book of Wordly Usages Vol-II