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The Book of Constructive Virtues Sign in to save

Chapter VII: Intention, Sincerity and Truth

livelihood. The Prophet said : God loves the middle course in all affairs. He also said : He who incurs just expense does not fall in want. The Prophet said : There is salvation in three things-(l) to fear God openly and secretly, (2) to adopt middle course in expense in poverty and solvency, (3) and to be just in happiness and wrath, The Prophet said : Adoption of middle course, good ■■ treatment and true guidance are a little over one- twentieth part ' of prophethood. He also said : Expense with good arrangement is half of livelihood. He said : God saves one from depending on others who spends moderately and He throws one in want who is extravagant. God loves one who remembers the Almighty. He said : Make delay if you wish to do a thing till God makes out for you a way and means. To make delay in expense is very necessary.

The second prescription of removing greed is that one should not be anxious for fortune if he gets his present necessary things at ease. He should curtail his hope. He shoulkd have this much of faith that the provision which has been pre-decreed must come to him. Greed cannot take provision. He should put faith in the following verses of the Quran - There is not a single animal in the earth whose provision is not upon God - 11 : 6Q.
God says : The devil threatens you with poverty and enjoins on you to do indecent things - 2 : 218Q A sage said : Once two sons of Khaled came to the Prophet who said to them : Don't be despaired of livelihood till your heads move (till you live). Man is born sound from his mother's womb without any defect, and before his birth God prescribed his provision. The Prophet once passed by Ibn Mas'ud and finding him troubled in mind said :
Don't increase your thoughts. What has been decreed must come to pass. The Prophet said : O people, search for your livelihood in a just manner, as nobody will get except what has been decreed for him. Nobody will leave the world till he enjoys fully the provision that has been decreed for him, while the world is an object of hatred. Nobody will be free from greed till he believes firmly in the good arrangement of God regarding the measure of .
provisions. That can be earned in good search after it. He should* know that God provides one with provision from where he does not even conceive. God says : Whoever fears God, He finds out a way for him and provides him from where he does not even conceive- 65 : 3Q. When one door of his livelihood is closed, another door is opened up for him. The Prophet said : God

Vol-HI Love of wealth 185

provides the provision of a believer from a place which he cannot even conceive. Sufiyan Saori said : Fear God. I have never found a God-fearing man to fall in want. In other words, God gives the necessary things to the God-fearing man and does not leave him.
God instils in the minds of the Muslims such feeling that they are led to take their provisions to him.

Source: Imam Al-Ghazali, Ihya Ulum al-Din (Revival of the Islamic Sciences)
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