The Essence of Islam – Volume IV — Page 13
Family and Personal Background. Last Days of His Father 13. On account of this failure my father was always restless and melancholy. Observing these conditions, I was enabled to carry out a pure change in my own life. The bitter life led by my father taught me to value a clean life free from all worldly impurities. . Although my father still owned a few villages and was in receipt of an annual stipend from the British. Government and also enjoyed a pension for his services, all this was as nothing compared to what he had experienced in his younger days. This is why he was always sad and melancholy and often said that had he striven for the faith as much as he had striven for the world he would have been a saint of some repute. He often recited the verse: عمر بگزشت و نماند است جز آیا می چند یہ کہ در یاد کے صبح کنم شامے چند. And I often saw him recite this verse which he had written, and he would be greatly moved: از در تو اے کس ہر بے کسے تا امید 10 روم نیست امیدم. Sometimes I heard him recite his own verse: 'My life is past and only a few days remain. It would be better if I were to spend my nights in the remembrance of God. [Translator] 10 O Succour of every helpless one! Surely, I can't return emptyhanded from Thy door! [Translator]