The Devils Deception by Imam Ibn AL-Jawzi

T H E D E V I L ' S
D E C E P T I O N S
Section One
Devil's Deception of the Ascetics (al-Zuhhdd)
He convinces them not to seek knowledge. They exchange asceticism
with knowledge - the worse for the better. An ascetic (zdhid)
person only benefits himself, while a scholar, on the other hand,
benefits others as well.
Another example of Iblis's deception of them is making them
believe that asceticism requires not indulging in things that are permissible.
Some of them stop eating wheat bread or drinking cold
water, others never taste fruits or eat very little and torture themselves
with wearing wool.
This was not the way of Allah's Messenger (), His Companions
or their followers. They only felt hunger when they had nothing to
eat, otherwise they would not. Allah's Messenger () used to eat
meat and chicken, and used to like sweets and cold water.
A man said: "I never eat khabif (date and almond paste), since I
know I cannot not be adequately thankful (to Allah) for it."
Al-J:Iasan al-Bad said: "This man is foolish; is he able to give
proper thanks for drinking cold water?!"
And Sufyan al-ThawrI when travelled used to take with him as
provision roast meat as well as fdluthaj (a mixture of margarine and
honey).
A person must understand that his body is his ride; he must treat it
gently so it can take him where he wants. Let him do that which is
helpful to it and abandon that which harms it, including eating too
much and being excessive in indulging in lusts. All of this harms the
258