Pearl of Wisdom

'Poor man! Every day he is given three trials whereof he does not even take lesson from a single one. If he contemplated and drew a lesson thereof, these trials and this world would cease to be of importance to him. The first trial is the very day which is deducted from his life if it was a loss in his wealth that befell him, he would fall into great distress, even though the dirham [i.e. money] can always be substituted but the days of his life will never again return to him. The second trial is the way in which he goes to great lengths to procure his sustenance, when he will have to account for it all if acquired by lawful means, and he will be punished for it all if acquired by unlawful means. The third trial is the greatest: every day that draws to an end has brought him a step closer to the Hereafter whether to Paradise or Hellfire, he does not know!'

Imam Ali ibn Hussain Zayn al-'Abidin [as]
Bihar al-Anwar, v. 78, p. 160, no. 20

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Library » The Lantern of the Path » Taking Heed
Taking Heed E-mail

The Messenger of Allah said, 'He who learns his lessons in this world lives in it like a man asleep: he sees it but does not touch it.' Abhorrence is increased in his heart and in his self by the behaviour of those who are deceived by this world, which can only bring the reckoning and punishment. He exchanges that world for what will bring him near to Allah's pleasure and pardon. He washes himself free of those things to which the world invites him, and of its worldly adornments, with the water of the world's extinction.

Taking heed brings three things to the person who does so: knowledge of what he does, acting by what he knows, and knowledge of what he does not know. The root of taking heed lies in one's fear of its outcome, when he sees that he has fully realized abstinence at the beginning. Taking heed is only successful for those who have purity and insight.

Allah said,


Take a lesson, O you who have eyes! (59:2)

and again,


For surely it is not the eyes that are blind, but blind are the hearts which are in the breasts. (22:46)

Then Allah opens the eye of someone's heart and insight by means of consideration, then He has given him a high station and an immense fortune.
 
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