Chapter VIII: Self-Examination and Self-Accounting
19. 0 baser self, it is a wonder that inspite of this you claim to have clear insight and knowledge. You take pleasure in your wealth and property, butyou do not feel sorry in the reduction of the period of your life. If your wealth increases, but your life is shortened, what purpose will your wealth serve? You are drifting away from the next world, while the next world is advancing towards you. You are advancing towards the world, while the world is receding from you. How many of your relatives and friends you have seen who put off their duties expecting them to be done tomorrow, but they could not fulfil those duties. How many a hopeful one you have seen who thought that his hopes would be fulfilled tomorrow but he could not reach that time. You have seen many of your relatives and friends repenting at the time of their death. Will you not then turn although you have seen this? Fear the day on which God will take strict account of yourself and will examine your open and secret action.
20. 0 baser self, now look with what body and mind you will face God and with what tongue you will reply to God's queries. Be prepared for the questions and also for just answers. Engage yourself in duties although the rest of this life of yours is short for everlasting life in the hereafter leaving this short span of life here. Go on working before strength for works comes to an end. €o out of the world willingly and voluntarily as a free man before you are forcibly evicted from this world. Don't be overjoyed to think that your worldly fortunes will help you. How many a satisfied man is deceived and how many a deceived man is foolish. Alas for the man who cannot understand his good and bad.
21. O bas'er self, know that there is no exchange of religious acts, no exchange of Iman, no successor to body. He who climbs upon ignorance day and night, travels it along with it. Take lessons from him, because he who is blind to taking lessons, remains satisfied with Hell. If you are unwilling to take lessons owing to your hard mind, pray to God for help after praying regularly, fasting and praying Tahajjud. If you cannot do it, fast consequitively. If you cannot do it, curtail your company with
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the people and talk less with them. If you cannot even do it, accord good treatment to your relatives and show kindness to the orphans. If you cannot do it, know that God put a Seal to your heart and put it under lock and key. He covered its inside and outside with sins.