Chapter VI: Love, Longing, Contentment
(8) There is a story of Bani-Israil that a pious man did divine service for a pretty long time. One night he dreamt that some one was telling him: Such a woman will be your companion in paradise. He inquired .about her conduct and character and stayed with her as her guest for three days to see her divine service. The pious man prayed for the whole night, but the woman slept it. He fasted the day but the woman did not fast. The pious man asked her : Have you got any other good deeds besides what I have seen ? The woman said : By God, I have got no other good deeds than what you have seen. Being pressed again the woman said : I have got one nature. 1 don't wish to return to solvency if once I fall in poverty. I don't want to come round if once I fall ill. I don't want to enjoy shade if I remain in sun. The pious man than placed the hand of the woman upon his head and said : Is this your nature ? By God, how good is this nature. This is rarely seen in divine service.
(9) An ancient sage said : When God passes order in heaven in connection with any matter, He loves that the inhabitants of the earth might remain satisfied with His decree. (10) Abu Darda'a said : to keep patience at the decree of God or to be satisfied with Taqdir is highest faith. (II) Hazrat Omar said : I don't care in what condition. I rise at morn or enter evening. Whether I remain in happiness or in difficulty. (12) Hazrat Sufyan Saori once prayed in presence of the saint Rabia : O God, be satisfied with us. Rabia said : Do you not feel ashamed to pray for God's pleasure ? He said : I seek forgiveness from God. (13) Jafar bin- Solaiman asked Rabia : When does a servant becomes pleased with God? She said: He becomes pleased with God in sorrow as he becomes pleased with Him in happiness. (14) Fazil said : When a man remains the same in case he receives gift or in case he does not receive it, he becomes pleased with God. (15)
298 LOVE AND ATTACHMENT Vol-IV
Abu Solaiman Darani said : The glorious God remains satisfied with His servant as a slave remains satisfied with his master, I asked : How does it come to pass ? He said : Has not a slave this look that his master should remain satisfied with him ? I said : Yes. He said : Be satisfied with God. (16) Sahal Tastari said : A man gets fortune on account of his sure faith as he gets it on account of his contentment. He gets such happiness on account of his contentment as he gets on account of his living with God. (17) The Prophet said : God has surely given life and happiness in contentment and sure faith by virtue of His glory and goodness, and sorrows and anxieties in doubt and displeasure.
WHAT IS CONTENTMENT ?
Know, O readers, that when love for God is established and one gets himself immerged in His love, it becomes then clear that it is love which brings contentment in the deeds of the Beloved. There are two causes for this.