Aslam

deceit and treachery. Treasures of the world were presented to 0ur Prophet. Had he accepted them, he would not have received honour like the wing of a fly.

There is in Hadis Qudsi that God said to Moses : When you see some wealth coming to you, tell it: Punishment of sin will soon come. When you see poverty coming to you, say : Welcome to you, thanks to the sign of the religious men. If you like, follow Jesus Christ as he used to say : Hunger is my curry, God-fear is my sign, Sufi cloth is my dress, sun-rays in cold season is my provision, morning is my lamp, my feet are my conveyances, what the earth grows is my food. I pass nights having nothing and I pass my days having nothing. Who is a richer man than myself?

Hazrat Ohab-b-Munabbah said : When God sent Moses and Haron to Pharaoh, He said : Don't fear him, his forelock is in my hand. He cannot move his tongue without My permission and cannot breathe. Hazrat Ali said in his sermon : O people, know that you are dead and you will be raised up after you are deal. Let not the world's life deceive you. This world's life is surrounded by dangers and difficulties, its destruction and its treachery are well known to all. What is therein will pass away along with the world and the world will roam in the midst of its votaries.

ILLUSTRATIONS OF THE WORLD

(1) First illustration: The world is moving towards destruction. The world promises that it is lasting, but it breaks its promise immediately after that, Look to the world. It is motionless and steady, but really it is always moving.

(2) Second illustration: The world is like a shade. Shade seems to be steady at its outward look, but really it is moving and constantly drifting. ■

(3) Third illustration: The world is like dream of night and like the different ideas in dream. The Prophet said : The world is like a dream and like happiness and punishment in dream.
Eunus-b- Obaaid said : I found myself like a sleeping man in the world. He sees what he likes and does not like and then he wakes up from sleep in this condition. Similarly the people are asleep and rise up at death.

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164 The Book of Destructive evils

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(4) Fourth illustration: The world is like an unchaste woman The world at first treats well and then leads to destruction. The world dresses itself like an unchaste woman and calls the peopie towards her. Whenever she takes the people to her house, she ruins them. Jesus Christ saw the world in his mind's eye like an old woman dressed nicely and asked her : How many husbands have you taken ? She said : There is no limit. He asked : Have a]] of them died during your life time or have they divorce you once after another ? The Woman said : I have ruined all of them. Jesus Christ said : Woe to your remaining husbands. Thy do not take lessons seeing the condition of your previous husbands. They do not take care even tough you have runined them one after another.