Aslam

STAGES OF THOSE WHO WILL MEET WITH DESTRUCTION

The perons who will meet with destruction are those who will be deprived of God's mercy. They are like those persons whom a king kills on account of their opposition and who have been deprived of king's mercy. Those who deny the existence of God, those who are engaged in worldly persuits and those who disbelieve Gpd, His Prophets and His books are included within this class. Fortune in the next world means gaining nearness of God and meeting with Him. This nearness cannot be gained without knowledge of God. This knowledge arises out of faith and there is its corroboration. Those who deny the existence of God are the disbelievers deprived of God's mercy. The lovers of God said: We don't fear the fire of Hell, nor do we hope for the black-eyed Hurs. Our only hope is meeting with our Lord and the lifting of screen from us. They say: He who serves God in exchange of getting something is dishonourable, despaired and subject of hatred, He serves God only to get Paradise or to ward off punishment of Hell, but a lover of God serves Him only to meet with Him. Fire burns only the body but the fire of separation burns both the body and soul. The fire of separation is enkindled by God which rises up to the heart. A poet said:

Fire of separation in a lover's heart is high and severe.
Fire of Hell in comparison is trifling and like snow.

He on whom the fire of love is enkindled walks upon fire and runs over the bamboo points and cannot feel pangs owing to the urge of love. You will see an angry man fighting even after receiving wounds but not feeling any pain.

Second Stage: Those who will get punishment. They are the people who have got faith but have got short-comings for neglect to act according to it. The root of faith is Tauhid or faith in the

Vol-IV THE BOOK OF CONSTRUCTIVE VIRTUES 29

unity of God, He who follows his passion accepts it as his deity and not God. He is not a true unitarian. God says: Say God and then leave them in their useless talks. The real meaning of this is :
Give up everything except God. God says in its support: Those who say 'God is our Lord' and then they firmly stand on it- -60 :
30. This means that this is the straight path without which Tauhid is not perfect. This path is more slender than hair and more sharp than sword. This is like the bridge of the next world.
Man strays away little or more from this straight path as he is not free from the propensities of nature. He goes away from Tauhid in proportion to his going away from this path. This occurs for two reasons— strength of faith and its weakness and following low desires, more or little. God said : There is nobody among you who will not come to it (Hell). It is a decree of God. God said :
Then I will give those who are God-fearing salvation and I will make the sinners turned down— 19 : 71.