Chapter IV: Poverty and Renunciation
said : The wearing apparel of a believer hangs upto half of lower leg and there is no harm in prolonging it to the space between half of lower leg and the joints. What hangs down beyond this is in the Hell fire. On the Resurrection Day. God will not look to one who prolongs his wearing apparel. The Prophet also said : None but the fool among my followers will put on woollen cloths.
Abu Solaiman said: When God adopted Hazrat Ibrahim as friend, He revealed to him ; Keep your private parts concealed more than earth, he used to keep only one piece of cloth except Tahband. He had two Tahband, when he washed one Tahband, he put on another so that he might not remain uncovered.
Once Salman Faresi was asked: Why do you not put on good clothes? He said : Being a servant, how can I put on good clothes ?
When I shall be free, God will give me such clothes as will never perish. •
(3) Another necessary thing is house. There are three stages also regarding houses to live in. The highest stage of renunciation regarding habitation is not to search a separate house to live in and to remain satisfied by taking recourse to a corner of a mosque. The middle stage is to seek a separate place for one's habitation, such as a room made of date leaves or straw or similar things. The lowest stage is to live in a house made of bricks or stones or hire such a house. If it is spacious according to need and has got no grandeur within, it does not go beyond the lowest stage of renunciation. If the house is spacious and fine and its terrace is higher than six cubits, he surpasses the limit of renunciation regarding house. In other words, there is renunciation if the limit of necessity is not surpassed. The man of religion is not to exceed the necessary limit of a thing. If it is crossed, it is against religion. A house is necessary for removing heat and cold, rain, eye-sight and difficulties. The lowest limit is known and the highest limit is not to exceed the limit and if limit is exceeded, it is included within the worldly things. The sages said that after the demise of the Prophet, what came open about long hope includes fineries of dress and construction of houses with bricks and such materials. The Prophet said : There will come a time upon the people when they will imprint upon their clothes like Yemeni shirts, Hazrat Abbas created a lofty house.
The Prophet ordered it to be pulled down. One day while the Prophet was passing he found a dome in a house and said : Who
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