Way of The Seekers — Page 82
82 THE found the annual trade of silver utensils and 'Shawls' at an ebb. It had come down from ten million rupees annually to 1. 7 million owing mainly to the dishonesty of those engaged in this trade and industry. 13 To criticize workers in front of those who are not connected with the matter. 14 Publicly to denounce the whole nation without naming the guilty: To denounce the whole nation because of a particular evil without identifying the guilty is bad. For instance, to declare that the whole nation is a nation of cheats. As a result the nation does, in fact, become a nation of cheats. 15 To grudge contributing to national ends. 16 To cultivate friendship and closeness with those who harm the nation. 17 Non-cooperation with the representatives of the Government or of the community. 18 Poor standard of obedience. Now I shall enumerate evils which relate to God: 1. Swearing and taking oaths in the name of God unnec- essarily. A solemn oath may be taken before a magistrate, or on occasions when an oath is prescribed or is permissible; otherwise swearing in the name of God as a matter of habit amounts to an insult to God. 2. Despair: When one loses all hope of ever solving one's difficulties. This is the result of lack of reliance on and faith in God. 3. To harbor evil in the heart: God created the human heart to make it His home. That is why the heart is called the House of God. He who tarnishes the heart, stops God from entering His house. 4. Refusal to submit to the Law of Shariah.