Aslam

The saint Abu Hazem said : I see two things about the world.
One of the these two is that the combined strength of the heavens and earth will not be able to bring before time and has been decreed for me. The other thing is for others. I did not get it in the past, nor can I hope to get it in future. I will never get what has not been decreed for me. What has been decreed for me must come to me. I don't know in which of these two things my life will end.

The third prescription of removing greed is to know what merits there are in contenment, what honour there is in not depending on other and what disgrac there is in greed. When knowledge of these things will grow, eagerness for contentment will grow, as there is difficulty in greed buyt there is no difficulty in contentment except patience. The Prophet said : The honour of a believer lies is not depending on others but there is freedom and honour in contentment. A certain sage said : You will become an ideal for one from whom you hope unless you depend on him and you will be confined to one from whom you hope if ' you depend on him. If you do benefit to one from whom you hope, you will become his master.

The fourth prescription of removing greed is to think about the wealth of the irreligious people of the Jews, Christians, Beduins and then to look to the prophets and friends of God and their sayings and wise counsels and then adopt a way for yourself. You will then say to your intellect : Will you be like the prophets and the friends of God or like the irreligious and low class people ? If you feel happiness in getting your belly full of dishes, an ass is more happy than you in that respect as it eats more than you. If you feel happiness in copulation, a swine is more happy than ;you in that respect. If you feel happiness in dresses, buildings and conveyances, the jews are more happy than you in those respects. If you feel happy in having little, you will get on less status than others expect the prophets and friends of God.

186 The Book of Destructive evils Vol-III

The fifth Prescription of removing greed is not to hoard wealth and riches. If wealth is hoarded, there is fear of theft and looting. If the hands remain empty, there is security and leisure.
A rich religious man will enter Paradise 500 years after a poor religious man. One should look to those who are superior in religion than him and to those who are inferior to him in worldly riches Hazrat Abu Zarr said that the Prophet had given him this instruction : Look to your inferiors in worldly matters and don't look to your superiors. The root of all affairs is to have patience, to curtail hopes and to have this knowledge that he will enjoy for long if he keeps patience for a fewdays in this world.