Contentment with What God Wills

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فَصْلٌ إِذَا اسْتَغْنَى النَّاسُ بِالدُّنْيَا فَاسْتَغْنِ أَنْتَ بِاللَّهِ

If people become content with the world, be content with God.

وَإِذَا فَرِحُوا بِالدُّنْيَا فَافْرَحْ أَنْتَ بِاللَّهِ

If they rejoice in the world, rejoice in God.

وَإِذا أنسوا بأحبابهم فَاجْعَلْ أنسك بِاللَّه

If they find comfort in their loved ones, make your comfort in God.

وَإِذَا تَعَرَّفُوا إِلَى مُلُوكِهِمْ وَكُبَرَائِهِمْ وَتَقَرَّبُوا إِلَيْهِمْ لِيَنَالُوا بِهِمُ العِزَّةَ وَالرِّفْعَةَ فَتَعَرَّفْ أَنْتَ إِلَى اللَّهِ وَتَوَدَّدْ إِلَيْهِ

And if they seek to know their kings and leaders and draw close to them to obtain honor and elevation through them, you seek to know God and draw close to Him.

تَنَلْ بِذَلِكَ غَايَةَ الْعِزِّ وَالرِّفْعَةِ

In doing so, you achieve the ultimate honor and elevation.

قَالَ بَعْضُ الزُّهَّادِ

Some ascetics said,

مَا علمت أَن أحدا سمع بِالْجنَّةِ وَالنَّار تَأتي عَلَيْهِ سَاعَة لَا يُطِيع الله فِيهَا بذكرا وَصَلَاة أَو قراة أَو إِحْسَان

I have not known anyone who has heard of Paradise and Hell to have an hour pass without obeying God through remembrance, prayer, reading, or charity.

فَقَالَ لَهُ رَجُلٌ إِنِّي أُكْثِرُ الْبُكَاءِ

A man said to him, 'I cry often.'

فَقَالَ إِنَّكَ إِن تَضْحَكْ وَأَنْتَ مُقِرٌّ بِخَطِيئَتِكَ خَيْرٌ مِنْ أَنْ تَبْكِيَ وَأَنْتَ مُدِلٌّ بِعَمَلِكَ

He said, 'It is better for you to laugh while acknowledging your sins than to cry while boasting of your deeds.'

وَإِنَّ المُدِلَّ لَا يَصْعَدُ عَمَلُهُ فَوْقَ رَأْسِهِ

Indeed, the boastful person's deeds do not rise above his head.

فَقَالَ أَوْصِنِي

He said, 'Advise me.'

فَقَالَ دع الدُّنْيَا لأَهْلهَا كَمَا تركوهم الْآخِرَة لأَهْلهَا

He said, 'Leave the world to its people, as they have left the Afterlife to its people.'

وَكُنْ فِي الدُّنْيَا كَالنَّحْلَةِ

And be in the world like a bee.

إِنْ أَكَلَتْ أَكَلَتْ طَيِّبًا وَإِنْ أَطْعَمَتْ أَطْعَمَتْ طَيِّبًا

If it consumes, it consumes from the good, and if it gives, it gives from the good.

وَإِنْ سَقَطَتْ عَلَى شَيْءٍ لَمْ تَكْسِرْهُ وَلَمْ تَخْدِشْهُ

And if it lands on something, it does not break it or scratch it.