Pearls of Wisdom 330

1. Fools exult in life while the pious prepare for the journey ahead. A major portion of their wealth is spent in God's way, and they themselves suffice with the bare minimum, striving toward the hereafter. They even sacrifice fine victuals confident in the faith that they shall be blessed with better in the hereafter. Even God cherishes them because of their conviction and devotion.

2. Once the ego is overcome peace follows. "Only God and no living creature has the power to control destinies." With that conviction entrust all your cares to the Lord and follow the path of the Truth, conforming to the divine edicts, until you attain union with Him and become as pure as Adam before whom all creatures prostrated.

3. God bestows good fortune on whom He will. Then why do you feel jealous and wish that another be dispossessed of all his property? Do you know in your wrath you deem yourselves equal to God? Behold, you will be depraved, because envy corrodes faith and leads to the ultimate fall. Bear in mind Joseph, who despite his brothers' loathsome schemes, remained the illustrious. And who but the brothers were disgraced. Take heed, time and again our Lord warns us against the ills of envy.

4. Do not be ruled by lust; seek freedom by following the righteous. Mere claims of piety will not earn you inner freedom. Remain patient in adversity to attain peace, for adversity is the threshold to freedom. Those who cannot persevere are held back from the doors of Mercy.

5. When you purify your hearts just as you purify your raiment, union with God will follow. You cannot become a sufi by merely wearing coarse woolen shirts and and following strict rituals, pretending to be pious while inside your hearts you bear malice and avarice. A real Sufi has attained a state of perfection on the inside. If you sincerely seek union with God, then seek Him inside your hearts and leave the world alone. [Shaykh Abdul Qadir Jilani]