Chapter VII: Intention, Sincerity and Truth
There is a story in the anecdotes of the children of Israel. A saint had at his credit divine service for long long year. One day some people were worshipping a tree besides Allah, At this, the saint Got angry and went to cut it with an axe. In the mean time, the devil came in the form of an old man and asked him : Where are you going? The saint said : I am going to cut off this tree. The devil said: Are you in this thought? You have come down to do this leaving aside your Divine service? The saint said : This work is also included in Divine service. The devil said : I will not permit you to cut down this tree. At this he fell down upon the saint but the latter overpowered him, threw him down on the ground and sat upon his chest. The devil said : Desist from this action or I will kill you. At this he let off the devil who said to him : O saint, Allah has taken over this responsibility from you. He has not made it compulsory for you. You yourself do not worship this tree and the affairs of others have not developed on you. This is the duty of Prophets. Had he willed, He would have certainly sent a Prophet to the inhabitants of this place and ordered him to cut down this tree. Then the saint said : To cut down this tree is also a part of my duty.
The saint then fell upon the devil and threw him away and got on his chest. The devil again having been discomfitted said to him : There is an affair between you and me which is good and beneficial for you. The saint asked him what it was. The devil said : Let me be secure and then I will tell you of it. Thereafter he let him off and the devil said to him : You are a poor man, you have got no property. You are a burden upon your friends and relatives. Perhaps you wish to get more honour than your brethren, to get more sympathy from your religious men and you do not want to depend on the people The saint said : Yes I hope for that. The devil said : In that case, turn away from this affair. I will place two dinars every night near your head. When you will get up at dawn. You will take them and spend them for you and your family and gift a portion to your brothers. This act of yours will be more beneficial to you and the Muslim public than the cutting down of this tree. This tree was planted and there will be
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no good if you cut down this tree. At this, the saint began to ponder and said : This old man has spoken the truth. I have not been ordered to cut down this tree by God. I will incur no sin if I do not cut down this tree. Then he turned his mind from this action of cutting down the tree.