One day the blessed Prophet was counselling his Companions. As they listened to his sweet words, some of them wept from fear of Allah and some from love of Him. The venerable Usama was the only one not weeping. He lamented his state to the blessed Messenger of Allah, who placed his blessed hands upon his breast and said: ‘ukhruj ya iblis (Out, O Satan!)’ Now at last Usama began to weep. The blessed Messenger turned to his Companions saying: ‘The inability to weep is caused by hardness of heart, hardness of heart is caused by multiplicity of sin, multiplicity of sin is caused by forgetfulness of death, forgetfulness of death is caused by ambitious expectations, ambitious expectations are caused by excessive love of the life in this world.’ The religion of Islam and the Noble Qur’an are censorious of this world. What is this world? It is not wealth, property, status, money, rank, clothes and children. Whatever keeps you from your Lord, that is this world. For instance, a person who owns all this world has to offer, yet does not forget his Lord and serves Him with perfect devotion, that person is no worldly materialist but Allah’s beloved servant, a member of our Prophet’s Community. A poor person, on the other hand, may deserve to be called materialistic if he becomes a beggar and lets his begging prevent him from worshipping his Lord. He is not acceptable in the sight of Allah and His Messenger. In short, while your hands are about their work your heart should be with the beloved. Let the whole world belong to you while you belong to Allah. You should work for this world as if you were immortal, while preparing for the Hereafter as if you would die tomorrow. Treat everyone well. Have compassion for every creature. Be just, loyal, honest, hardworking and upright. That is how you must be, for that is how believers are.
-Sheikh Muzaffer Ozak al-Jerrahi
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