Aslam

The modes of one engrossed in name and fame (1) He shall flee away from his place of name and fame. God says: Is not the world of God wide enough for the purpose of emigration? (2) He shall keep himself in actions opposed to his habits as a thing can be removed by its opposite thing, such as cold by heat. (3) He shall do these things carefully and gradually as nature can not be changed all of a sudden. Habits should be changed one by one as the Prophet said: Don't take the religion as a rigour, as he who thinks it as a rigour, it will overcome him. So habit is the second nature. A boy at first should be compelled to learn reading and writing. When he is habituated to it, he takes pleasure in education. A certain pious man asked the saint Shibli about patience - which patience is difficult? He replied: Patience about God. The pious man said: I don't ask you about it. Shibli said: Tell me then which patience is most difficult? The pious man said:
Patience from God is most difficult. The saint Shibli then raised up such a loud shriek that he was about to expire. God says: Be patient, vie in patience with one another and have perseverance therein. In other words, have patience about God and stick to Him. A certain pious man said: There is wealth in having patience for God and there is permanency in having patience about God and there is fulfillment of promise in having patience with God and there is dryness in having patience from God.

SECTION 2

MERITS OF GRATEFULNESS

Quranic verses: Know, O dear readers, that God conjoined gratefulness with Zikr and said: Zikr (remembrance) of God is most great. He says: Remember Me. I will remember you. Be grateful to me and be not ungrateful. He says: If you be grateful and have faith, what will He do in giving you punishment? He says: I will soon reward the grateful - 3:144Q. God says of the devil: The devil said: I will surely sit on the straight path for them. It has been said that the meaning of straight path is gratefulness. The devil said: You will not find most of them grateful - 7 : 17Q. God says: There are a few grateful people among My servants - 34 : 14Q. God says: If you are grateful, I will surely grant you more - 14 : 7Q. The subjects of this increase are

Vol-IV THE BOOK OF CONSTRUCTIVE VIRTUES 77

five-wealth, grant of invocation, provision, forgiveness and repentance. The Quran says about each subject in the following verses. About wealth: If God wills, He will make you free from want out of His grace. About grant of invocation: He can give you what you pray for if He wills. About provision: He gives provisions to whom He wills without account. About forgiveness of sin: He forgives what is besides that one whom He pleases. About repentance: He accepts repentance from one whom. He pleases. These are the attributes of God as He says: He accepts gratefulness and is patient.