Sufyan al-Thawry on dervishes and the wealthy

Bismillah.

Dervishes (fuqara) have accepted five things and the wealthy (another) five things. The things which the dervishes accepted are:

1. peace of mind,

2. generosity of heart,

3. obedience to God,

4. easy accounting on the Day of Judgment and

5. exalted positions in the Next World.

The things that wealthy people accepted are:

1. restless minds,

2. busy hearts in worldly affairs,

3. worldliness (worship of dunya),

4. difficult accountings on the Day of Judgment and

5 the lowest rankings in the Next World.

Then again, we know the Sufis are those to whom dunya reach out to them yet they only take what they need. So it is little wonder that Saidina Abu Bakar as-Siddiq made this du'a:

"O Lord, grant me the riches of the world and then enable me to renounce them."

And this du'a taught by Shaykh Abul Hassan as-Shadhilly:

Nas alukal faqra mimma siwaka

wal ghinna bika hatta

la nash hada illa iyaka

"O Lord make us poor apart from You

and rich with You

until we see nothing but You."

O son, how not to have peace of mind when all that one witness is He (Hu)?

Allahu Allahu Allahu Haq!

___________________________________________

Reference: Al-Munabbihat (The Counsel)