Aslam

(13) Thirteenth illustration: Know, O dear readers, that the worldly men are like the people in their carelessness who got on a boat and the boatman held it up with an island and asked the boarders to clear their natural calls. Some of them returned soon after their calls of nature and some sat in the island heartily enjoying the songs of birds, seeing the beautiful brids and beasts and other charming things of the island. They returned after sometime only to find their places in the boat made too narrow.
Some of them totllay forgot the boat and settled in the island without heeding the boatman's words that they should return soon to their boat. As a result they stayed in the island and died soon after without getting food and drink. This is the illustration of the world. Those who forgot their permanent abode and are engrossed in worldly enjoyments, they meet with spiritual death and destroy themselves. Nothing will go tight them at the time of their death except good deeds.

(14) Fourteenth illustration: Hazrat Hasan Basari reported : I heard that the Prophetgave advice to his companions : The world is like a company of people who were travelling through a desert.
Their provisions ran short and they faced death. When they where in this this condition, they found a man coming towards them from a distance. When he came, he said to them : If I can take you to a fountains and a good garden, will you obey me ?
they said : Yes, we shall not disobey you. We swear in the name of Cod. He then took them to a fountain and a garden full of vegetables and fruits. Thus they saved their lives after eating them. The man said : O people, now you may go. Some of them

Vol-IH Attachment of the world 167

obeyed him and went away from that place. Those who disobeyed were soon caught by enemies and were either killed or made captives.

(15) Fifteenth illustration. This world is like guest or rest house built for the travellers and not for permanent residence therein. The rest house is to be enjoyed only temporarily. This world is similarly a rest house for the travellers of the next world who will take benefit therefrom for their permanent residence.

SPECIAL KNOWLEDGE OF THE WORLD

What is the world? Which portion of the world is to be accepted and which to be rejected ? Which is good in the world and which is bad ? This world and the next world are two conditions of your mind, everything before death is world and everything after death is next world. The thing which gives you pleasure before death increases your greed and gives you taste is the world for you and the thing which will give you pleasure after death is the next world. *