The Sermon of The Pious (part 5)

7. If there had not been fixed periods (of life) ordained for each, there spirits would not have been remained in their bodies even for the twinkling of an eye because of their eagerness for the reward and fear of chastisement.

Their thirst towards divine rewarding and their fear of divine tribulation is to the extent that if the lifetime was not specified and written, their soul wouldn’t be tranquil in their body. It is obvious that if this aspiration and fear becomes part of a person’s personality it is a cause for permanent effort. The amount of fear and hope depends on the perception of God’s Grandeur and we should consider that fear and hope are two big doors of the Heaven. Those people, who know that this world is nothing more than mirage, are interested in God’s visage.

8- The greatness of the Creator is seated in their hearts and so everything else appears small in their eyes.

The perception of the greatness of God is based on divine incentive which activates men towards God’s love and cognition. Different people have different perception of God’s Glory. When anything except God becomes great in our heart, there is no place for God. 9. To them paradise is as though they have seen it and are enjoying its favors. To them Hell is also as if they have seen it and are suffering punishment in it.

Religious people see Paradise and its serendipity, although they are physically in this world, and they see Hell and its calamity with their insight. A God-fearing sees Paradise and is pampered and sees Hell and is tribulated.

10. Their hearts are grieved.

There are two kinds of grief: physical grief and spiritual grief. The former is cheap and inexpensive while the latter is expensive and costly. The pious are not concerned about the grief of body and they don’t have ecstasy for mundane affairs; that is why they do not have sorrow for losing them. But without grief which is a divine bounty, our humanity will be in danger. We cannot see difficulties and disorganization and at the same time remain silent, if so, our humanity will be questioned.

This grief should be in the heart of a pious not in their face and this is the result of overcoming the fear of chastisement.

11. They are protected against evils.

Evil is the opposite of good. Human beings abscond from evil. The God-fearing don’t think of anything except goodness. They only want goodness with others.

Muslim is a person whom everyone is in security from his /her blasphemy and denunciation.

12. Their bodies are thin.

Due to fasting a lot and being awake for praying at midnight, the pious are thin. They are not concerned about eating too much. They eat moderately only to the extent that is necessary for their body.

13. Their needs are scanty.

They control their needs and wishes. Their needs are little because they are not avaricious and they suffice mundane apparatus, the pious are not after a luxurious life.

14. Their souls are chaste.

Purity is a sensual feature. A pious has control over his/her sexual affairs. When we talk about lust, we do not only mean sexual desire but the generic meaning is intended, lust towards wealth, eminence, eating, speech, and etc.15. They endured (hardship) for a short while and in consequence they secured comfort for a long time.

God-fearing are patient against poignancy and difficulties of life and the time of encountering a nuisance. Patience is resisting against the citing soul so that one doesn’t get unchaste. The pious endure hardship for a short while and then they will reach great comfort which is the felicity that they will achieve in Paradise.

To be continued...

^{* Fahimeh Mahdavi}