Aslam

speciality regarding his secret thinking. He becomes ashamed if the people come to know of it. About these three gifts, every man knows them God made some believers and not unbelievers. He gave them life and not made them dead, made them men and not beasts, made them males and not females, made them healthy and not unhealthy, made them qualified and not guilty. It is wonderful that man considers the gifts of God as insignificant as he looks to one who is superior to him in wealth and does not look to one who is inferior to him and so does not consider God's gifts on him as great. More wonderful it is that he looks towards one who is inferior to him in religion but not to him who is superior.

For this reason, the Prophet said: He who looks to one who is inferior to him regarding worldly affairs and look's to one who is superior to him in religious matters, is recorded by God as a patient and grateful man. He who looks to one who is superior to him regarding worldly matters and inferior to him in religious matters, is not recorded as a patient and grateful man. The Holy Prophet ;said: God does not make one free from want who does ' not consider himself as above want even after getting signs from God. It has been said with a look to the gift of learning. The Prophet said: Surely the Quran is a valuable gift. There is no wealth after it. The Prophet said: If one who has been given the Quran by God thinks that another man is more fortunate than him scoffs at the gifts of God. The Prophet said: He who does not read the Quran it a melodious voice does not belong to us. He also said: Sure faith is a sufficient gift. A certain pious man of yore said: God said in a certain revealed book: I make My gift perfect on a servant when I make him free from want of three things - his having no necessity to go to a king his having no necessity to go to a physician, his having no necessity of what his brother has got. A certain poet said to this effect.

Your fixed provision must come to you, your health and security must remain.
If you get up at da wn, being brother of sorrow.
Your life will never be happy.

The Prophet said: He who gets up at dawn with peaceful mind, sound health and with the day's provision in hand is given as it were the gifts of the whole world. The people in general do not express gratefulness for these three things as well as for the

Vol-IV THE BOOK OF CONSTRUCTIVE VIRTUES 105

faith which will take them to the abode of peace. He whose insight has been opened does not remain satisfied except with Marfat and sure faith even if he is given the wealth from the east to the west.