8 THINGS

Hatem Asem(Rahmatullah Alayh) was the student of Shaqiq Balakhi
(Rahmatullah Alayh) for a considerable period of time.
Shaqiq Balakhi(Rahmatullah Alayh) once asked Hatem: "How long are you
in my company?"
Hatem said: "For the last 33 years."
Shaqiq enquired: "What have you learnt from me during this period?"
Hatem said: "I have learnt only eight things."
Shaqiq said: "You have not learnt anything except eight things!"
Hatem replied: "Yes, O dear teacher, I have learnt nothing except
eight things. I don't wish to speak falsehood."
Shaqiq said: "Describe those eight things to me. Let me hear them."
Hatem began to describe them.

First, I looked around and beheld that every man has got an object of
love and he lives with that thing, until his death. When he goes to
the grave, it becomes separate from him. I pondered over the
following words of God: "We are from God and to Him we shall return."
So I have made good deeds as my object of love. When I will go to the
grave, my good deeds will accompany me to the grave. The sage Shaqiq
said: O Hatem, you have done well.

Secondly, I have pondered over the following words of God "As for one
who fears the majesty of his Lord and refrains his soul from lust,
Paradise is his resting place" - {79: 40 Qur'an}. I have come to know
that the words of God are true. I have tried my utmost to suppress my
lust and remained satisfied with obeying the injunctions of God.

Third, I looked around the people and found that everyone values what
he possesses. Then I turned to the following words of God: "What is
with you will end and what is with God will last" - {16:98 Qur'an}
Then I began to give unto God whatever valuable things fell into my
hands.

Fourth, I looked around and saw that everyone puts his trust in his
wealth and properties, his name and fame and his honour and glory and
found that there is nothing in them. Then I looked towards the
following words of God: "The most honourable of you to God is one who
is the most God-fearing among you" - {49: 13 Qur'an}. Then I intended
to accept God-fear in my life till I am honoured by God.

Fifth, I looked around the people and found them slandering and
cursing one another because of envy and hatred and then I looked
towards the words of God: "It is I who distributed their subsistence
among them in this world's life" - {43: 31 Qur'an}. So I gave up envy
and hatred and I realised that subsistence comes from God and then I
disliked the people no more.

Sixth, I looked to the people and found them ungrateful to one
another and even some of them kill others and then I looked towards
the following word of God: "The devil(shaytaan) is your foe and so
take him as foe" - {35. 6 Qur'an}. So I took the devil(shaytaan) as a
foe and ceased to have enmity with the people.

Seventh, I turned to the people and found everyone seeking his
livelihood and for that debasing himself and committing unlawful
things and then I looked towards the following words of God- "There
is no living Creation on earth of which the provision is not upon
God" - {11 : 6 Qur'an}. Finding that I am one of the Creation whose
provision is upon God, I turned towards the duties prescribed by God
and entrusted my fate unto Him.

Eighth, I turned to the people and found that everyone placed his
trust in something created, some in his wealth, some in his
profession, some in his industry and some in the health of his body
and then looked towards the following words of God: "If a man relies
on God, He is sufficient for him" - {65: 3 Qur'an}. Then I relied on
God and He is sufficient for me.

On hearing Hatem's replies, Shadiq(Rahmatullah Alayh) exclaimed;
Hatem, may Allah, Our Creator prosper you. I examined the Torah, the
Injeel(orignal Bible), the Zabur (Psalms) and the Glorious Qur'an and
found that all these centre around these eight things and he who puts
them into practice follows these four books(in their ORIGNAL form).

SUMMARY OF THE LESSONS:
"We are from Allah and to Him we shall return." {2:56 Qur'an}.
"As for one who fears the majesty of his Lord and refrains his soul
from lust, Paradise is his resting place" - {79: 40 Qur'an}
"What is with you will end and what is with Allah will last" - {16:98
Qur'an}
"The most honourable of you to Allah is one who is the most God-
fearing among you" - {49: 13 Qur'an}.
"It is I who distributed their subsistence among them in this world's
life" - {43: 31 Qur'an}.
"The devil(shaytaan) is your foe and so take him as foe" - {35: 6
Qur'an}.
"There is no living Creation on earth of which the provision is not
upon Allah" - {11 : 6 Qur'an}
"If a man relies on Allah, He is sufficient for him" - {65: 3 Qur'an}.

Source: Ihyaa-ul-Uloom: Imaam Ghazzali