Chapter VIII: Self-Examination and Self-Accounting
What is taking account? The obligatory duties are the principals of religion and the additional or optional duties are the profits and the sins are the losses of actions. The season of this business is the full day and night. At first, accounts shall have to be taken for the obligatory duties. If these are performed daily, he shall express gratefulness to Allah. If he destroys the principal, he must sit in judgement over himself. In that case, he must compel himself to do optional duties. If he does sinful acts, he must give punishment to himself.
It is reported of Taubah-b-Samah that he used to take account of himself. When he was 60 years old, he counted twenty one thousand and nine hundred days during these sixty years. Then he raised a shriek and said: Alas! if I committed one sin everyday, I met with angels with 21,900 sins. If I committed ten thousand sins, what will be my condition? At this thought, he at once fell down senseless and breathed his last. An unseen voice was heard by the people: He went to the highest Ferdous. If a man fills up his courtyard with a stone for each sin, it will soon be filled up. Sins are preserved more easily than virtues by the two angels, but the people forget it.
(4) Fourth Matter-Muaqabah. In this stage, punishment is given to self. If the self commits sin, it is improper to give him time as it will be easier for him to commit sin again if it is given time and ultimately passion will go beyond control. That will be the cause of destruction. When he eats with satisfaction any doubtful food, he must given punishment to stomach by keeping it hungry. When he looks with passion at any strange woman, he
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must give punishment to eyes by withholding the eyes from sight. In this way all the limbs of the body should be given punishment if they are involved in sin. This was the habit of those who were treading the path of the next world.
Below are some instances of self-inflictment of punishment for sins committed. (1) Mansur-b-Ibrahim stated that a man, while talking with a woman, placed his hand suddenly upon her thigh. Thereafter he became repentant and burnt his hand by placing it on fire. (2) It is said of a saint of Banu Israil that he used to make divine service at his sanctuary. One day a woman came to him and the saint expressed his desire to have sexual intercourse with her and advanced one step towards her. At once he remembered God and said: Alas! what action I am going to do with this woman! When this leg took a step to commit a sin, I won't take it back to my sanctuary. He hung it up with the door of his sanctuary till it was completely destroyed owing to sun and cold.