Hadith 120

The book of Husayn Bin Saeed and ‘Al Nawadir’ – From Ibn Ulwan, from Ibn Tareyf, from Ibn Nubata who said, ‘I was seated in the presence of Amir Al-Momineen-asws. A man came to him-asws and complained to him-asws of the world and condemned it. Amir Al-Momineen-asws said: ‘The world is a house of sincerity for the one who is sincere with it, and a house of riches for the one who provides from it, and a house of consequence for the one who understands about it. (It is) a Masjid (prostration place) of loves ones of Allah-azwj, and descent place of the Revelation of Allah-azwj, and prayer mat of His-azwj Angels, and a market of His-azwj friends they can be earning the Paradise in it and be hopeful of the Mercy in it. So what is that you are condemning it for, and it has proclaimed of its irrevocable divorce, and called for its termination, and obituarised itself and its people? It represents with its afflictions to the (more) affliction and makes yearn with its happiness to the (more) happiness, and comfort with devastation. And you wake up early morning in good health in cautiousness, and desire and fear. So men tend to condemn it tomorrow of the regret, and others will praise it on the Day of Qiyamah. It reminded them so they were reminded, and it narrated to them, so they ratified. So, O you condemner of the world, the one afflicted with its deceptions! When did the world become condemnable to you, and deceived you? Is it by the houses of your fathers from the soil, or with the graves of your mothers from the decay? How many you have treated with your hands, and how many illnesses with your hands did you seek the healing for it, and the physicians prescribed for him, (but) your cure did not benefit him, and your seeking did not save him? The world resembled yourself to you with it, and your death with his death. It is worthy for you that your crying should not stop with it, and you have known that it has not benefited your loved ones’’. [168]