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AlGhazalisIhya-Book_of_knowledge, page : 33
though only to those who apply themselves to it. If, however, man does not for
the most part refrain from the impulses of evil, hypocrisy and envy, he should
seek to acquire whatever knowledge he may feel he needs from the „Quarter of
the Destructive Matters of Life‟. How can he neglect this obligation when the
Messenger of Allah, praise and peace be upon him, said: “Three things in life are
destructive: sordid avarice, vehement passion and self conceit.” And no man can
refrain from these. The rest of what we shall mention of the reprehensible
conditions of the heart such as pride, conceit, etc., all follow from these three
aforementioned destructive matters of life. Their eradication is a fard ayn. It is,
however, not possible except through a knowledge of the nature of these
destructive matters of life, as well as their causes, symptoms and cure; as the
one who does not know evil falls into it. A cure is, in reality, confronting a cause
with its opposite. How could such a thing be possible without knowledge of both
cause and effect? Most of the things we have mentioned in the Quarter on the
Destructive Matters of Life belong to the fard ayn class, which have been totally
neglected by the people in favor of pursuing things, which do not matter.
the most part refrain from the impulses of evil, hypocrisy and envy, he should
seek to acquire whatever knowledge he may feel he needs from the „Quarter of
the Destructive Matters of Life‟. How can he neglect this obligation when the
Messenger of Allah, praise and peace be upon him, said: “Three things in life are
destructive: sordid avarice, vehement passion and self conceit.” And no man can
refrain from these. The rest of what we shall mention of the reprehensible
conditions of the heart such as pride, conceit, etc., all follow from these three
aforementioned destructive matters of life. Their eradication is a fard ayn. It is,
however, not possible except through a knowledge of the nature of these
destructive matters of life, as well as their causes, symptoms and cure; as the
one who does not know evil falls into it. A cure is, in reality, confronting a cause
with its opposite. How could such a thing be possible without knowledge of both
cause and effect? Most of the things we have mentioned in the Quarter on the
Destructive Matters of Life belong to the fard ayn class, which have been totally
neglected by the people in favor of pursuing things, which do not matter.