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(2) Second matter: is that the calamity or disease is in this world and not in his religion. Once a man asked the saint Sahal Tastari: A thief stole all my household properties. He said: Be grateful to God. If the devil entered your heart, he would have robbed your Tauhid. Which thing do you prefer? Jesus Christ used to Pray: O God, don't give me trouble in my religion. Hazrat Omar said: God granted me four gifts out of each calamity that befell on me. (1) It has not entered into my religion, (2) a greater calamity has not come and (3) I have not been deprived of pleasure therein. (4) I hoped for rewards therein. He who has got power over you to inflict 100 stripes should get gratefulness from you if he inflicts on you only ten stripes. Once a pious man was walking on the road. Some one threw a basketful of refuges over his head. At once he expressed gratefulness to God and fell in prostration. Being asked the reason of his prostration, he said: I was awaiting to be thrown into Hell fire but as only ashes were thrown on me, I had prostration of gratefulness. God however gives respite to the unbelievers and the great sinners. God says: I give them respite, so that their sins may increase.-

(3) Third matter. There is no such sin of which punishment is not delayed upto the next world. The calamities of this world reduce the punishment of the next world though the latter will last for long. It is true that he who is given punishment for a sin in this world will not be punished in the next world for the same for the second time as the Prophet said: When a man commits any sin and suffers for that in the world, God is more honourable to inflict on him punishment for the second time for the same.

(4) Fourth matter. These disasters and calamities were recorded in original book of fate which must come.

(5) Fifth matter. The rewards of disasters and calamities are more than them. The worldly calamities show path towards the next-world for two reasons:

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First reason: It is that though medicine is bitter and distasteful, it is a bliss for a patient. Similarly medicine to remove a sin is bitter but it is a bliss in the end. When he will see the rewards of calamities in the next world he will be grateful to God just as a boy when he attains age expresses gratefulness \,Q a teacher for beating him and teaching him lessons of good behaviour. Calamities are just like bitter lessons to a -man

108 PATIENCE AND GRATEFULNESS Vol-IV

walking in the path of God. Once the Prophet looked at the sky and laughed. On being asked the reason, he said: I wonder at the fate of a believer. If He recorded happiness in his book of fate, he is pleased with it and that is better for him. If He recorded sorrows for him, he is also pleased with it and that is better for him.