The Commentary of Al-Qasidah — Page 70
70 The commentary of al-Qa si dah What is Islam? It is a fire that burns our sinful life and our false idols and presents the sacrifice of our life, wealth and honour before the True and Sacred God. We enter into this fountain and we drink water for a new life. All of our spiritual capacities unite with God in a manner just as a relative is connected to another. In the likeness of lightness, one fire comes forth from within us and another descends from above and when these two meet they burn the love for worldly gains and false idols, and we experience a death before our lives are over. This is the condition, which according to the Holy Qur’ a n is referred to as Islam. Islam brings death to our worldly desires and then through prayer we are born again. ( Philosophy of the Teachings of Islam, R uha n i Khaz a ’in , vol. 10, p. 394) In essence, the companions of the Holy Prophet sa did not care for their wealth or their properties, but preoccupied themselves entirely with the practice of Islam. Once they received the commandment to migrate, they left their homes without regard for their relatives and worldly riches. Hadrat S u h aib ra was a rich businessman of Mecca and was considered fairly well off. In spite of his wealth and his having been granted freedom, the Quraish would beat him until he would fall unconscious. When the Holy Prophet sa migrated to Medina, Hadrat S u h aib ra decided to migrate as well. However, the people of Mecca stopped him and told him that he could not take his wealth with him because he had earned it in Mecca. In this way they had forbidden him to leave the city. S u h aib ra asked if he could depart on the condition that he relinquished all his wealth. To this they agreed and he handed over all his wealth, and arrived in Medina empty handed. When he visited the Holy Prophet sa and explained