as for him who was rebellious! and preferred the life of this world,He said:That is, he forswore the rights (ḥuqūq) of God, was ungrateful for His blessings and preferred this world, following the craving of [his] lusts and pursuing his whims.Then he said:Every person upon whom the sun has risen or set is ignorant (jāhil), except for the one who prefers God, Exalted is He, over himself, his spirit, his life in this world and his Hereafter.He was asked, ‘What is the sign of hatred (bughḍ) for this world?’ He replied:It is that the afflictions (maṣāʾib) [of this world] are easy for a person to bear, even those which [affect] him personally or his children. So it is that Muslim b. Yasār said on the death of his son, ‘O my son, my grief for you has distracted me from grieving over [my loss of] you. O God, I have transferred to him the reward [which You have granted] me concerning him.’ The second sign is that the happiness of this world becomes insignificant in his eyes, even though it gives him ease. The third sign is that there is nothing closer to him than God, Mighty and Majestic is He, as [is indicated by] the saying of ʿĀmir b. ʿAbd al-Qays, ‘I never regarded anything without seeing God as closer to it than myself.’ His words, Exalted is He:
