Chapter VI: Love, Longing, Contentment
on all people in a general manner and on Abu Bakr in a special manner. The saint Rabia was asked about paradise. She replied :
First neighbour and then abode. It appears that her goal was not paradise but the Lord of paradise. He who did not recognise God in the world will not be blessed with His vision in the next world.
He who did not enjoy the pleasure of God's Marfat in the world will not get God's vision in the next world. A man will be resurrected upon the condition in which he lived in the world. So Marfat is the foundation of fortune.
Question. If the pleasure of sight is connected with Marfat, it seems that the pleasure will be little, as little pleasure is gained in Marfat in this world.
Answer. The argument is not correct and the pleasure of Marfat is not little in the world. How can he who is free of Marfat realise that pleasure ? The gnostics feel immense pleasure in Marfat but it js pot to be compared with that pleasure to be gained by direct sight in the next world. The pleasure in thoughts of the beloved is hundred times less than that of direct sight, and the pleasure of hand touch is thousand times less than that gained by cohabitation. There is a great deal of difference between these two.
Pleasure differs with the difference of the causes of happiness. The first cause is the degree of beauty of the beloved.
The most beautiful gives great pleasure. The second cause is perfection of the power of love. The pleasure of one whose love is very deep is more than that of one whose love is moderate. The third reason is perfect knowledge. If the beloved is seen in darkness, it gives Ies§ pleasure than what is got if seen in light.
The fourth reason is mental sorrow and happiness. If the beloved is seen by a mind free from sorrows, the pleasure is certainly greater than that gained by a mind full of sorrows.
The life of the next world is a real life. God says : The life of the next world is a real life if you had known — 29 : 64. He who reaches this stage loves meeting with God and loves death. But he who waits for increase of his Marfat is like a seed which is yet to grow into a tree. There is no limit to the sea of Marfat. To reap fruits is impossible without the next world. For this reason, the Prophet said : To live long in divine service is the best fortune, as Marfat becomes perfect through training during this long time.
Vol-IV THE BOOK OF CONSTRUCTIVE VIRTUES 263
This requires time. He who loves death loves it because he himself is experienced in Marfat. He who dislikes death makes delay in Marfat. Ignorance and negligence are the basis of misfortune and knowledge and Marfat are the basis of fortune.