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
violation of Shan-.ah. We have been ordered to preserve money not
to waste it. The Prophet (;i) forbade from wasting wealth.
Claiming that this was a miracle given to him by Allah is nonsense.
Allah never grants the ability to perform miracles to someone who
disobeys Him.
Once al-NurI's feet became swollen. When asked for the reason,
he said: "My 'se!f asked me to have some dates. I kept trying to
control it, but it insisted. So I went and bought some dates and ate
them. Then I asked my 'se!f to stand up and pray. It refused. So I
promised Allah not to sit down for forty days except during
tashahhud"
Ignorant people who listen to such stories marvel at the level of
struggle. Little do they know that this action is not permissible, because
one must give rest to his body and never prevent it from getting
its due rest.
Abu I:{amid al-Ghazal! narrated in his book "al-lf!yd"' many such
stories. He said that a Shaikh stood on his head for an entire night
to punish himself for feeling too lazy to pray the night prayer.
And he said that a man cured himself from loving money by selling
all of his things and throwing the money in the river. He did not
donate them to the poor out of fear of showing off.
And one .)iifi used to hire someone to curse him in public in order
to train himself to forgive.
And another used to ride on a boat in the winter while the waves
were high in order to become brave.
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