One path is straight which is based on revelation. Exertion is in it because benefits of it are unseen. Other path is crooked. What is cohering in it is the benefits of it can be seen.
Path of Authority and possessions one can visually see its benefits. While faith & good actions one cannot see its benefits. One perceives success in authority & possessions but success is not there. While faith & good actions, success is concealed but its there.
The perception of ‘success’ in authority and possessions is like an example of a thirsty man who from distance sees water. Overjoyed he exclaims water!
When he gets to his destination, there is no water rather it was a shimmering mirage. In arabic its called ‘sarab’.
He exclaims “Oh this turned out to be a mirage”. After which again he sees water in further distance, he continues ahead chanting water, water, water encouraging himself to continue walking. So he reaches there and to his dismay its shimmering mirage. Path of authority and possessions is as such. One perceives there to be success but its not there.
However much authority and possessions he has, he doesn’t perceive that as success. Rather his perception of success is always to look ahead. Once he has reached that station he no longer perceives success in it rather he looks ahead.
Similar to man who possesses million pounds he doesn’t perceive that as success. A billion pounds that are in pockets of others he views that as success, a shimmering mirage! He pursues it whether through permissible or impermissible means and finally possesses billion pounds. After which he no longer views billion pounds as success rather he views trillion pounds as success. But in his pursuit to amass more meets death.
All the designs of this world are like mirage. All forms of misguidance of the past were as such. Authority, possessions, wealth, money, gold, silver, trade, position, status its perceived there is success in it but success is not in it. Its similitude is of shimmering mirage.
“their deeds are like a mirage in a desert plain, which a thirsty person deems to be water, until when he comes to it, he finds it nothing, and finds (the decree of) Allah with him, so He pays him his account in full. Allah is swift at reckoning.” (24:39)
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