Paradise Over Pleasure

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لَا خَيْرَ فِي لَذَّةٍ مِنْ بَعْدِهَا النَّارُ

There is no good in a pleasure after which comes the Fire.

كَمْ مِنْ لَذَّةٍ حَصَّلَهَا الْإِنْسَانُ فِي سَاعَةٍ فَكَانَتْ سَبَبًا لِشَقَائِهِ الْأَبَدِيِّ

How many a pleasure has a person gained in an hour, which then became a cause of his eternal misery!

وَكَمْ مِنْ أَلَمٍ احْتَمَلَهُ فِي سَاعَةٍ فَكَانَ سَبَبًا لِنَعِيمِهِ الدَّائِمِ

And how many a pain has someone endured in an hour, which then became a cause of his everlasting bliss!

فَالْعَاقِلُ لَا يَنْظُرُ إِلَى حَلَاوَةِ اللَّذَّةِ وَعُذُوبَتِهَا وَلَكِنْ يَنْظُرُ إِلَى مَا تَؤُولُ إِلَيْهِ

So the wise person does not look at the sweetness of the pleasure and its delight, but rather looks at what it leads to.

فَإِنْ كَانَتْ تَؤُولُ إِلَى النَّارِ فَهِيَ مَرَارَةٌ فِي الْحَقِيقَةِ وَإِنْ كَانَتْ حُلْوَةً فِي الْمَذَاقِ

If it leads to the Fire, then it is bitterness in reality, even if it is sweet in taste.

وَإِنْ كَانَتْ تَؤُولُ إِلَى الْجَنَّةِ فَهِيَ حُلْوَةٌ فِي الْحَقِيقَةِ وَإِنْ كَانَتْ مُرَّةً فِي الْمَذَاقِ

And if it leads to Paradise, then it is truly sweet, even if it is bitter in taste.

فَالْمُؤْمِنُ يَزِنُ الْأُمُورَ بِمِيزَانِ الْعَاقِبَةِ وَلَا يَغْتَرُّ بِحَلَاوَةِ الشَّهْوَةِ الْعَاجِلَةِ

The believer weighs matters with the scale of the outcome and is not deceived by the sweetness of immediate desire.

أَلَمْ تَرَ إِلَى الْمَرِيضِ كَيْفَ يَمْتَنِعُ عَنِ الطَّعَامِ اللَّذِيذِ خَوْفًا مِنْ زِيَادَةِ الْمَرَضِ وَيَشْرَبُ الدَّوَاءَ الْمُرَّ رَجَاءَ لِلشِّفَاءِ

Have you not seen how a sick person refrains from delicious food fearing an increase in illness, and drinks bitter medicine hoping for a cure?

فَكَذَلِكَ الْعَاقِلُ يَمْتَنِعُ عَنْ لَذَّاتِ الْمَعَاصِي خَوْفًا مِنْ عَذَابِ الْآخِرَةِ وَيَصْبِرُ عَلَى مَرَارَةِ الطَّاعَةِ رَجَاءً لِثَوَابِ اللَّهِ تَعَالَى

Similarly, the wise person refrains from the pleasures of sins fearing the torment of the Hereafter, and bears the bitterness of obedience hoping for the reward of Allah Almighty.