Pearls of wisdom 239

1. You should know that no one has adorned himself with anything as beautiful as the intellect, and no one has worn a garment more beautiful than knowledge, because God is only known through the intellect, and He is only obeyed with knowledge.

2. Knowledge leads to greater fear and greater adherence to the prophetic example. Whenever a person increases in knowledge he increases in fear, and each time he increases in action he increases in humility.

3. Seek the way of people whose knowledge increased their reverence, whose actions increased their heart-vision, and whose intellect increased their gnosis.

4. Any knowledge not characterized by three things increases the proof against you -- it prevents you from harming people by cutting off your desire for what they posses; it leads you to act with humility; and it leads you to give your utmost for the sake of fairness and mutuality.

5. Only those who struggle against the base impulses of their souls, for the sake of God, attain the lofty stations and spiritual excellence.

6. When the knowledge of the intelligent person is sound and his certitude is firm he knows that nothing will save him from his Lord except truthfulness. He therefore strives diligently in its quest and searches for the characteristics of its people, longing to know true life before his death.

7. He now has knowledge after ignorance, he is enriched after being impoverished, he has conviviality after being estranged, he is drawn near after being distant, and he rests after being exhausted.

8. The source of the heart's corruption is failing to take account of the soul and being deceived into expecting a long life.

9. If you want to rectify your heart take time to question your desires and thoughts. Engage in only those things that are strictly undertaken for the pleasure of God and leave everything else.

10. Help yourself conquer the expectation of longevity by constantly remembering death. [Above quotes by Imam Harith al Muhasibi]