FOURTH POINT

The answer to a number of suspicious questions:

T h e  F i r s t : The worldly say to me: “How do you live? What do you live on since you do not work? We don’t want people in our country who sit around idly and live off the labour of others.”

T h e  A n s w e r : I live through frugality and the resulting plenty. I am not obliged  to anyone  other  than the One who  Provides  for me and  I have taken the decision  not  to  become  indebted  to  anyone  else.  Yes,  someone  who  lives  on  a hundred para, or even forty para, does not become indebted to anyone. I do not want to explain this matter. To do so is most disagreeable to me, as it may make me feel a sort of pride or egotism. But since the worldly ask about it suspiciously, I reply as follows: since my childhood, throughout my life, it has been one of my guiding principles not to accept anything from people, even zakat, and not to accept a salary – only I was compelled to accept one for one or two years in the Darü’l-Hikmeti’l- Islamiye on the insistence of my friends – and not to become obliged to people for a worldly livelihood. The people of my native region and those who have known me in other places know this. During these five years of exile, many friends have tried earnestly to make me accept their gifts, but I have accepted none of them. And so, if it is  asked  me,  “So  how  do  you  manage  to  live?”,  I reply:  “I  live  through  divine bestowal and blessings.” For sure, my soul deserves every sort of insult and contempt, but the plenty and blessings, a divine bestowal, I receive as sustenance are a wonder resulting from service of the Qur’an. In accordance with the verse,

But the bounty of your Sustainer rehearse and proclaim,(93:11)

I shall cite the bounties Almighty God has bestowed on me, and give a few examples by way of thanks. To do so is thanks, but I am still frightened that it will induce hypocrisy and pride, and that blessed plenty will be cut. For to make known a secret divine gift of plenty causes it to cease. But what can I do? I have to describe them.