The Twelfth Type: Loving the Life of this World

It is the head of every sin, as he, peace and blessings be upon him and his progeny, said. The life of this world is all that engages and preoccupies the person and makes him too busy to remember Allah before death. The summarization of what was mentioned in the Takmila is that the life of this world that is forbidden to be loved is the honour and the money that are required for the ostentatious display, haughtiness, and bragging over others. Although most of what is previously mentioned is allowed, loving it and being devoted to it leads to sins. The exception is what was intended only to please Allah, exalted be He. It makes one too busy to remember Allah and the next life, and it leads to every malicious thing. Therefore, a wise one should limit himself to the sufficient from it, and it must be religiously permissible.

The conclusion is that the evil of the present life is a result of three matters: loving money, prestige and desires. Regarding money, he must take only the amount that is sufficient for him. Regarding prestige, he must leave it and omit it, and he must stop tending to it, except only if it was for religious reasons and if he decreased it then it shall decrease also. Regarding desires, the religiously permitted desires are enough for him, and it dispenses him with the forbidden desires. He must limit himself to the necessary needs only. The slave is to struggle with the self and must ask Allah for help, mercy, provision, and kindness.