Zgodba druge mladenke

Besedilo

Zgodba druge mladenke

Luqman said to his son, “Three kinds of men are known only on three occasions: the forbearing man is known only in anger, the brave man only in war, and your brother only when you need him.” It has been said, “The oppressor is beset by remorse, though people praise him, while the oppressed is free from blame, though people condemn him.” God Most High has said, “Do not suppose that those who rejoice in what they have done and love to be praised for what they have not done—do not suppose that they will escape punishment. Theirs shall be a painful torment.” And the Prophet, blessings and peace be upon him, said, “Deeds are judged only by intentions, and each person shall have only what he intended.” Know, O King, that the most wondrous thing in man is his heart, for it holds the reins of all his affairs. If covetousness stirs within it, greed destroys it; if sorrow masters it, grief kills it; if anger swells within it, grievous harm befalls it; if contentment brings it happiness, it is safe from discontent; if fear overtakes it, sadness engrosses it; if calamity strikes it, anguish takes possession of it; if it acquires wealth, this may distract it from remembering its Lord; if poverty chokes it, care preoccupies it; and if anguish exhausts it, weakness lays it low. In every state, then, it can find well-being only through remembering God and occupying itself with what secures its livelihood and sets right its life to come. A certain scholar was asked, “Who is happiest in his condition?” He replied, “He whose integrity overcomes his desires, whose aspirations reach far toward noble things, whose understanding thus grows broad, and whose excuses grow few.” How fine are these words of Qays:

“I spare people the need of a pretender who deems them all astray, though he himself is not rightly guided. Wealth and outward manners are but borrowed things; each man is clothed in what he hides within his breast. If you approach a matter by any way but its proper door, you will go astray; enter by the door, and you will find your way.” Then the slave girl said, “As for accounts of renunciation, Hisham ibn Bishr said: I asked Umar ibn Ubayd, ‘What is the true nature of renunciation?’ He replied, ‘The Messenger of God, blessings and peace be upon him, made it clear when he said: The true renunciant is one who does not forget the grave and bodily decay, who prefers what endures to what passes away, who does not count tomorrow among his days, and who reckons himself among the dead.’ It is said that Abu Dharr used to declare, ‘Poverty is dearer to me than wealth, and sickness dearer to me than health.’ One of those who heard this said, ‘May God have mercy on Abu Dharr! For my part, I say that whoever trusts in the goodness of God Most High’s choice will be content with whatever condition God has chosen for him.’ A trustworthy man related: Ibn Abi Awfa led us in the dawn prayer and recited, ‘O you who are wrapped in your cloak,’ until he reached the words of the Most High, ‘When the trumpet is sounded,’ whereupon he fell down dead. It is related that Thabit al-Bunani wept until he nearly lost his sight. They brought a man to treat him, who said, ‘I will treat him on condition that he obeys me.’ Thabit asked, ‘In what?’ The physician replied, ‘You must not weep.’ Thabit said, ‘Then what use are my eyes if they cannot weep?’ A man said to Muhammad ibn Abd Allah, ‘Give me counsel.’” But morning overtook Shahrazad, and she fell silent, leaving her permitted tale untold.

When it was the eighty-first night

She said: It has reached me, O fortunate King, that the vizier Dandan said to Daw al-Makan: “The second slave girl said to your late father, Umar al-Numan: ‘A man said to Muhammad ibn Abd Allah, “Give me counsel.” He replied, “I counsel you to be in this world a master who renounces, and in the next a servant who hopes.” The man asked, “How is that?” He answered, “He who renounces this world possesses both this world and the next.” Ghawth ibn Abd Allah said: There were two brothers among the Children of Israel. One asked the other, “Of all the deeds you have done, which fills you with the greatest fear?” He replied, “I once passed a nest of young birds, took one out, and put it back there, but among chicks other than those from which I had taken it. That is the deed that fills me with the greatest fear. And what deed of yours fills you with the greatest fear?” His brother replied, “For my part, what I fear most is that when I rise to pray, I may be doing so only for the reward.” Their father was listening to their conversation and said, “O God, if they are truthful, take them to Yourself.” A certain wise man said, “These two are among the finest of sons.” Said ibn Jubayr said: I kept company with Fadala ibn Ubayd and asked him, “Give me counsel.” He replied, “Remember these two things from me: associate nothing with God, and harm none of God’s creatures.” And he recited these two verses:

“Be as you will, for God is generous; banish your cares, for there is no cause for fear, save in two things, which you must never approach: associating partners with God, and doing harm to others.” How fine, too, are the poet’s words:

“If you carry no provision of piety, and after death meet one who has laid in his store, you will regret that you were not like him, and that you did not prepare as he prepared.”