Chapter II: Patience and Gratefulness
The great saint Junaid said: It is easy to take journey towards the next world from the world for a believer, but it is difficult to renounce the company of men in order to gain divine love, to take journey towards God from passions and low desires is very difficult, but it is much more difficult to have patience after living with God. The temptation of having name and fame is very great.
Then why will it not be a greater object of test to have Rabubiat or to have the pleasure of the attribu tes of God in one's life?
God says; Say, sou! is an order of God - 17 : 15Q. So to love God is an attribute of soul. If it does not love Him, it is the effect of the machination of the devil. As soul is a divine thing, the devil tries to misguide it. This soul searches after everlasting things, such things which never come to an end. It seeks such honour as has got no disgrace, such safety as has got no fear, such wealth as has got no want, such perfection as has got no decrease. These are the attributes of God which should be searched by all men. He who searches them attains perfection and honour. For this reason, the Prophet said: Fool is he who follows his passion and dares against God. God mentioned about the disgraceful men in this verse: Never, you love the world and give up the Hereafter.
God says: Turn your faces from those who turn away from My remembrance and who do not like except this world's life. God sent down Prophets to reclaim lost humanity and to turn their minds towards the next world. God says: O believers, when you are advised to walk swiftly in the path of God, what has become of you that you keep, attached to the world? Are you satisfied with this world in preference to the next world? The enjoyment of this world is nothing but insignificant in comparison with that of the next world.
A certain king asked a saint: Have you got any need? He replied: How can I seek my need from you when my sovereignty is greater than yours. The king asked him: How is that? He replied: He who is your master is my slave. The king asked him:
How is that? He replied: You are the slave of greed, anger,
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passions and belly, but I have overcome them all. So they are my slaves.