Chapter VI: Love, Longing, Contentment
THREE KINDS OF THINGS ARE NOT WORLD.— (1) The things that will go to the next world with a man and knowledge and actions. The objects of knowledge are God, His attributes, His actions, His sovereignty over heaven and earth, etc. Actions mean the actions done for the sake of God and His pleasure. The learned man is he who possesses these two attributes. To him knowledge of the former is greatest, for which he gives up food; drink and even marriage, as the happiness of the former is greater than that of the latter. This knowledge is a portion of the world, yet it cannot be called world. It is included within the next world. A certain sage said : I fear death as it will destroy my might prayer. Another sage said : O God, give me strength in the grave to pray, to bOw and prostrate. The Prophet said : Three things of the world are dear to me-wife, scent and prayer. Even prayer was considered as belonging to the world. The things which can be perceived by the five senses are of this world.
Prayer is done by movements of bodily organs and therefore it is included within the world.
(2) Things of the second kind. These things are also not included within the world and these are such things as are absolutely necessary for a man in -this world. What is not absolutely necessary is world. What is not done for the next
168 The Book of Destructive evils Vol-III
world is world and not next world, just as to enjoy lawful things in excess of necessity, to enjoy silver and gold, horse, cattle, landed property, houses and buildings, dress and delicious foods of various kinds. Hazrat Omar reported that he had appointed Abu Darda'a as governor of the province of Hems.
The governor erected a latrine with two dirhams' expense.
Hazrat Omar wrote to him on getting this news : From Omar, Commander of the Faithful, to Abu Darda'a. You have got ample worldly adornments in the places of Chosroes and Byzantines, but God proposes to destroy them. When this letter of mine reaches you, you and your family must come to Damsscus and stay there till death. Hazrat Omar thought it even unnecessary.
(3) Things of the third kind. The things of the third kind are in the intermediary between the above two classes. This is to work with the object of doing next worldly actions, such as taking food and drink only to save life, to wear coarse cloth only to cover private parts and to do such wojks from which there is no escape. So what is necessary of food and drink to save life and health is not world.
THREE THINGS WILL GO WITH A MAN AT THE TIME OF HIS DEATH