2. OVERPOWERING IMPULSES IS AN IMMENSE
Pleasure I have noticed how the ‘self-inclines towards worldly pleasures (haw’at) and desires (shahawat) more than it should, thereby influencing the heart (,qalb), mind (‘ciqt) and thoughts (dhan) strongly. Thus making it unwilling to take benefit from any advice (nusb) when reaching such a state.
When I sought out a pleasure it desires with all the strength it has, 1 rebuked it and addressed it saying: ‘Woe to you! just hold on there for one second so I can share with you some words, then it is your choice to proceed or not.’ It replied affirmatively, ‘I am listening to you, so proceed.’ I said, ‘It is evident that you rarely incline toward lawful pleasures and most of the time you desire the forbidden.’ So, I will reveal to you two things that may change your view and so you may find the sweet as bitter:
With respect to lawful desired matters, they have all been granted to you but the path to them is rugged and uneven. Because the wealth you have may not be adequate to afford them and the money you earn may not suffice to attain them all.
All the while the precious time [i.e. your life] will be wasted in pursuit of that accordingly. The heart will also be occupied with such desires at the time of achieving them, that when such desires are achieved, you will become concerned about losing them.
Let alone such pleasures and desires being imperfect, as is known by every intelligent person, if it is desire for food then you know that a replete stomach causes sickness, and if such desire is directed towards a person then you know that over time relationships become mundane or end up with each one apart from the other, or effected by his or her ill-temperament. As for sexual intercourse, you know when the ultimate sexual pleasure a person may have is most exhausting to the body and so forth.
W ith respect to the unlawful desires— in addition to all what have been previously mentioned— they damage the honour and bring forth the punishment in this life and exposure to scandal. As well as punishment in the Hereafter and the resulting panic of the repentant whenever he remembers committing his previous sins.
Subduing whims and fanciful desires is a pleasure that no other pleasure can equal. Do you not see how those who are in love endure humiliation because they are subdued by their love of their beloved ones? Contrary to the one who overpowers his emotions, his heart will be strong and proud because he subdued his emotions and desires.
Thus, beware and be warned of seeing the desired with the eyes of commendation, |and do not be like] the thief who sees the pleasure of stealing wealth while being unable to see the fact of what he is about the face in terms of punishment leading to the cutting of his hands.
Having said that, you should open the eye of your heart to contemplate the consequences, and understand that such unlawful pleasures eventually turn into bitterness (because of due punishments]; and that such pleasures change to become the opposite of what you had sought, either because of boredom or other defects, or because the beloved lost interest. Therefore, the first sin will be like a bite eaten by a hungry person that did not extinguish the hunger but rather stimulated the appetite.
For this reason, every person should keep in mind the pleasure of overpowering desires, and ponder on the benefits of being patient to avoid them.
Whoever succeeds in this regard will ensure his safety.
(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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