14. A GOOD LIFE IS CONNECTED TO PATIENCE AND CONTENTMENT
The reason for sadness in life is missing our on quick fortunes.
There is no continuous happiness in life, except for one who is occupied with the pleasure of his loved one, and being occupied in preparation to meet Him.
If he finds happiness in this life then he uses it to assist him in acquiring the Hereafter. And if he finds hardship, then he assumes patience {sabr) as a reward for the Hereafter.
He is content with all that happens to him. He believes this to be from whatever Allah has destined and understands that it is His will.
A poet said:
If me staying awake pleases you, then farewell to falling asleep.
He who seeks fortune will become frustrated if he did not achieve it. He becomes a different person if he becomes poor or humiliated. This is because he is seeking his desire.
How eloquent was what Al-HusrI said: “I owe myself nothing, and have nothing to do with myself!”
These are words of a learned person, because he contemplates the reality of ownership. A servant may not object to His master’s orders, and his wish that things were different than they are is of no consequence.
“Verily, Allah has purchased of the believers their lives and their properties for r (the price) that theirs shall be the Paradise.” [at- Tawbah (9): 111]
He looks at himself as owned by Allah. A person, who sells a lamb to another, must not object if the buyer slaughters the lamb.
By Allah! If the Owner says, ‘I have only created you as a proof of my existence, then I will make you vanish and never resurrect you’, then good souls must say: ‘We listen and obey, what do we own of ourselves for us to say anything?’
The journey requires a lot of perseverance. Once the final destination seen from a distance however, all tiredness will disappear.
So beginners! Be patient, for the destination is seen. And those who truly know Allah ought to be happy, because they will be greeted with glad-tidings.
(Source: al-Hafiz Abu’l-Faraj ibn al-jawzl [d. 597AH] “CAPTURED THOUGHTS being” a translation of his masterpiece ‘Sayd al-K hatir)
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