Sunday, March 8, 2009

The tax on being an eloquent speaker (15-5)

We are successful to the degree that we are dutiful to GOD, and after that, to how we interact with His slaves. We can easily combine words and embellish our speech to please an audience; the difficult thing is to back up our words with virtuous deeds and a noble character.
A severe punishment awaits a person who orders others to do good without doing it himself, and who forbids others from evil while he perpetrates it himself. The dwellers of the Fire who had known him on earth for his sermons will ask why he is being punished so painfully. He himself will answer: “I had ordered you to do good without doing it myself, and I had forbidden you from evil while perpetrating it myself.”
The poet said: “O’ you who are a teacher of others, Would that you had sought first for yourself instruction.”
“An unrighteous man ordering people to righteousness, A doctor treating people while he is sick.”
When some of our pious predecessors wanted to exhort others to give charity, they would first give it themselves. Some of them related that the people would then voluntarily respond to their call.

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