Aslam

God and silver are two gifts of God and by their help all the worldly acts are smoothly done. These are nothing but stones and have got no value of their own. People want to have them as by their exchange commodities of the world can be purchased.
There are several thing which he cannot gather and several things for which he has got no necessity. For example, a man has got food, but has got no riding camel. He who has got a camel has got necessity of food. So between them there is the necessity of exchange of these two things and fixation of their value. But value of these things are not equal. Therefore gold and silver work as judges for all things for fixation of value and for getting the things through their medium. Then it is said that a camel's price is one hundred dinars and that the price of 100 fowls is the same. So by the help of gold and silver their values are adjusted, although they have got no value of their own. God appointed them as judges for ascertainment of values and prices of all things and for their exchange. For this reason, these gold and silver are dear to men. He who has got gold and silver possesses as it it were all things. A mirror has got no value of its own, but its value lies in the fact that it assumes picture of all things. Similar is the case with gold and silver, as by their exchange all necessary things can be purchased. There are other plans, just as a word has got no meaning unless it is conjoined with other words.

Misuse of gold and silver. He who by these gold and silver does such an act which is opposed to the above plan of God, commits sin and is ungrateful to the gift of God. If instead of using them one buries them underground or hoards them for long, he does opperssion to them and make inoperative the object of God. These gold and silver have not been created specially for Zaid or Amir but as medium for exchange of things. They are however not been created for food but for getting food. There is writing of God on everything without words. God says (in 9 :
34Q)-Those who hoard up gold and silver and do not spend in the way of God give them news of grievous punishment.

Gold and silver used as utensils. If anybody uses gold and silver for utensils, reservoirs and cups or for anything else like these, acts contrary to the object for which these are created and is ungrateful to God and he commits sins. His condition is worse than that of the man who keeps them buried, Cups can be made

84 PATIENCE AND GRATEFULNESS VoI-IV

of iron or copper but they have no value of exchange and all things cannot be purchased through their medium. For this purpose gold and silver have been created. For this reason, the Prophet said : He who drinks in cup of gold and silver, enkindles as it were the fire of Hell in his belly.