Renunciation of the world

Imam Ghazali Rahmatullahi'alayh sayas, "There are three distinguishing characteristics of someone who has truly turned away from worldliness, which one should try to develop within oneself:

1. He does not take pleasure in what he possesses in the world, nor grieves over being deprived of the things he does not possess. Or better still, he grieves over having worldly things in his possession and feels happy when he is bereft of such things. This signifies the renunciation of wealth.

2. In his sight, the one who praises him and the one who berates him are alike. This signifies the renunciation of status and worldly renown.

3. He is possessed of a true love for Allah ta'alaa, enjoys intimacy with Him, and is capable of experiencing a peculiar bliss and sweetness in acts of devotion. This signifies the love of the company of men/women and a true love for communion with Allah.

The benefits of renouncing this world is, according to a verse (Syura: 20) in the Quran, Allah says:
"Whoever desires the harvest of the world Hereafter, We grant increase in his harvest: and whoever desires the harvest of this world we give him the fruit thereof but there is no portion for him in the Hereafter".


A hadith of this meaning says, "The heart of a Muslim whose object is the life Hereafter does not care for the worldly pleasures, yet the world is brought to his feet. On the other hand, whoever goes after the world, he is overpowered by miseries and calamities, yet he cannot receive more than his allotted portion."

The court of Allah Taala

Rasulullah SAW has said that "He who has violated the honour, or harmed the property of a brother (Muslim) should better seek forgiveness from the aggrieved today; for a time is soon coming when he will have neither gold coins nor silver coins (and, on that Day, all reckoning will be made in terms of virtues and sins). If a wrongdoer is found to possess some virtues, a proportionate amount of these will be taken away from him and given to the wronged person as a compensation; but if he is found to possess no virtues; a proportionate amount of the wronged person's evil deeds will be added to the account of the wrongdoer. (Thus, the wrong doer may have to remain in Jahannam for a longer time, for he will also have to do penance for the sins of the wronged person)
(Mishkaat al-Masaabeeh)

The Sunnah of eating

It is said that a philosopher doctor was told about a hadith of Rasulullah SAW, which says that one should fill one third of one's stomach with food, keep one third of it for water and one third empty for air. He was greatly surprised and said, "I do not know of a sounder and saner view about eating less food. These are, undoubtedly, the words of a great sage."