The Devils Deception by Imam Ibn AL-Jawzi

Chapter Eleven: The Devil's Deception ef the $iijis
What is the motive for the endurance of these trials, supposing that
the man counts upon the ordinary happening-meeting some individual,
or to eat grass? What merit is therein such a condition, so
that a man should risk his life for it? Where is man commanded to
eat grass? And which ef the Salef prtu:tised this? It is as if these people
want to compel Allah to grant them sustenance while in the desert.
Do you not see how, when the people of Musa ('altryhis-sa/am) asked
for some of its vegetables, cucumbers, garlic, lentils, and onions,
Allah revealed to Musa ('alayhis-sa/dm):
LJ.•i
"Go down to Egypt"
[al-Baqarah (2): 61]
This was because vegetables were in the city (not the desert in
which they were) . So, these people are utterly mistaken in that they
contradict the law (al-sharj and sound logic (al- 'aq, acting (al-'ama
on their own desires (muwdfaqdt al-najs) .
Mu}:iammad Ibn Musa al-JurjanI said: I asked Mu}:iammad Ibn
Kathir al-San'anI concerning those ascetics (al-Zfihhad) who take no
provision, and wear neither sandals nor shoes.
He replied: You have asked me about the children of devils, not
about ascetic.
I said: Then what is asceticism (al-Zfihd)?
He replied: Holding fast to the Sunnah and imitating the Companions
of the Prophet (:i)·
A}:imad Ibn I:lanbal was asked about a man who wanted to travel
through the desert carrying no provisions. He condemned this severely
and said: "Uff, VJ!, no, no ... he must only travel with provision
and companionship."
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