The sweet taste of freedom

 

Ar-Raashid wrote in Al-Masaar:

 

"Whoever possesses three hundred sixty loaves, a canister of oil, and one thousand six hundred dates (i.e., enough provision for one year), then none can enslave him."

 

One of our pious predecessors once said:

"The one who is satisfied with dry bread and water will be free from slavery except the slavery to Allah.

 

(And have in his mind no favor from anyone for which a reward is expected in return)   (Qur'an 92: 19)

 

"My aspirations and desires enslaved me since I obeyed them, lf I had only been contented, I would have been free."

 

Those who seek to make wealth or status a means to happiness will come to know in the end how futile and fruitless their efforts were.

 

(And truly you have come unto Us alone [without wealth, companions or anything else] as We created you the first time. You have left behind all that which we had bestowed on you.)  (Quran 6: 94)

 

(Nay you prefer the life of this world; although the Hereafter is better and more lasting)   (Qur'an 87: 16-17)

 

Dirt was the pillow of Sufyan ath-Thawri

 

The lives of eminent scholars of the past are filled with lessons in humility. During the pilgrimage season, Sufyan ath-Thawri wanted to rest for the night, so he placed his cheek on a tiny mound of dirt. The people said to him, "You rest your head on dirt, yet you are the greatest scholar of hadith in the world." ‌He answered, "This pillow of mine is indeed better than that of the Caliph."

 

(Say: Nothing shall ever happen to us except what Allah has ordained for us.)  (Quran 9: 51)