In the name of Allah, Most Gracious, Most Merciful.
A wise man once said to his son, “My son, do not become resentful when you are afflicted with trials, for indeed that is tantamount to having bad thoughts about one’s Lord, and also, it gives pleasure to one’s enemy. Do not mock others, for indeed by Allah, every time I ever mocked anyone, I was afflicted in the same way as the person who I mocked. In this world, man is a target of arrows that come to him successively: some pass him by, some fall short, some fall to his right and others to his left, and some strike him. Know that for every deed, you are rewarded, and how you deal with others is how you will be dealt with. And whoever is dutiful to his parents, his children will be dutiful to him. Avoid greed and ambition, for both represent poverty in the present. Fear Allah as much as you are able. And if you are able to make today better than yesterday and tomorrow better than today and your secrets better than your outward deeds, then do so. Beware of deeds that you have to apologize for, for one never has to apologize for goodness. When you stand for prayer, perform the prayer of one who is saying farewell, as if you feel that you will never afterwards pray again (i.e., that you will die). Adhere to modesty, and you will be of its people. Do not inflict harm upon others; rather give them good, and forgive if you are able to. Do not be miserly if you are asked for something and do not tarry when one seeks help from you. Whoever is stingy, then Allah will make things narrow for him; and whoever gives, then Allah will give him a replacement for what he gave.”
Gems and Jewels
Compiled by: Abdul-Malik Mujahid
Publisher: Maktaba Dar-us-Salam
ISBN: 9960-897-59-1
Page 141