Documents of the Right Word

one another’s position, possessions and knowledge, which
reminded me of an âyat-i-kerîma, which purports, ‘We have
divided all their substantial and spiritual sustenances in the world
and given them their shares.’ So I realized that kinds of
sustenance such as knowledge, property, rank position and
children which were to be allotted to everybody’s share had been
preordained in eternity, that no one could do anything about it,
that it was necessary to work since He (Allâhu ta’âlâ) had
commanded us to work, and that jealousy, alongside its multiple
harms, would be quite futile, contented myself with the
distribution Allâhu ta’âlâ had foreordained in eternity and with
what my Rabb would send me in return for my work, and thus
became friendly with all people around me, liked other people
and was liked by them.” Upon hearing these, Shâqîq said, “So
well done and so well said. Now tell me the fifth benefit, o
Hâtim!”
Hâtim said, “My fifth benefit: I observed other people and saw
that most people thought that man’s honour and value as a human
being lay in occupying a commanding post and seeing how other
people needed him and humiliated themselves in front of him and
that they boasted with such things. Some of them, on the other
hand, thought that the human value consisted of abundant
property and progeny and boasted about possessing these
qualities. And others, thinking that the honour of humanity was in
spending one’s property and money on things that would please
and entertain other people, deprived themselves of utilizing their
possessions at places and in manners prescribed by Allâhu ta’âlâ
and that in addition they were proud of this folly of theirs. I
remembered an âyat-i-kerîma, which purports, ‘The most
honourable and the most valuable one among you is the one who
fears Allâhu ta’âlâ very much’ Realizing that people were wrong,
I dedicated myself to taqwâ. In order to attain the forgiveness and
blessings of Allâhu ta’âlâ and fearing Him, I did not go out of
Islam and always avoided harâms.” Shaqîq’s response to these
words was: “Very well said. Say the sixth benefit.”
Hâtim said, “My sixth benefit is: I observed other people. I
saw that they coveted one another’s property, status and
knowledge, parted into inimical groups and parties. I thought of
an âyat-i-kerîma which purports, ‘Your enemy is the devil. That
is, the enemy is those who will strive to misguide you out of Islam.
Know them as your enemy.’ I knew Qur’ân al-kerîm as the true
word, and the devil and those who like him tried to mislead
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