Aslam

DANGERS OF RICH WIFE: There are five dangers of a rich wife-(l) her dower is increased, (2) she makes delay in mixing with her husband, (3) her service is rarely found, (4) her expanse becomes more, (5) she cannot be devout for fear of losing her property. This is not the case in case a poor lady is married. A wise man said: A husband should have four things more than those of his wife, in default, his wife will look down upon him-age, stature being long, riches and pedigree. A female should have four things more than those of her husband-beauty character and conduct, piety and behaviour. Anything which creates forgetfulness of God is harmful. If a man can remember God more in an unmarried state, it is good for him. Once very rich man wanted to marry the saint Rabia Basri. She declined his offer saying: 'If God gives me wealth like yours or more than that, it is not better for me to be forgetful of God even for a moment.' There are medicines for controlling sexual passion. These are hunger, restraint of sight and engagement in some work or other.
If no benefit accrues from these three methods, it is better to marry. For this reason, the earlier sages hastened to marry and got their daughters married without delay.

SECTION 8

Rewards of opposing passions. Know, O dear readers, that sexual passion is stronger in human mind than other passions and curbs intellect at the time of excitement. At that time, one runs after some affairs which are shameful. Few people can control it. Most people refrain from it owing to inability, fear shame and illness. There is no merit in it. If one has got ability to commit fornication an if there is no obstruction, he will acquire merit provided he commits no sin. This is the rank of the truthful. The Prophet said: He who refrains from committing sin even though he is enamored of love of anybody and dies in that condition keeping it secret, is a martyr. He also said: God will

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Vol-lH Greed and suxual passion 89

-ive shade to seven persons under His Throne on1 the Judgment nay on which there will be no shade except the shade of His Throne. One of them is he who refrains from satisfying the sexual desire of a beautiful woman coming from a respectable family when she calls him and says: I fear the Lord of the universe. In this connection, the story of Josep and Julaikha is a brilliant example- He refrained from satisfying the carnal desire of julaikha, the wife of the king of Egypt.