How to Interpret Awards?

 

How to Interpret Awards?

"How are you in prison?" Asked a Sufi in a letter to his friend.

His best friend became a prisoner of a kingdom because of a mistake. The guards once came with a Magi and chained him hand in hand with the Sufi friend. Unfortunately, the Magi are suffering from heartburn. So, every time the Magi wanted to defecate, the Sufi friend was forced to accompany him. Always. The stench that pierced the nose and the limited movement caused by the iron chains were certainly very disturbing.

The Sufi understood the condition of his friend and therefore wanted to make sure that his condition was well.

"I am grateful to God," replied the prisoner to the Sufi.

"How long are you grateful for? Is there anything worse than your current state?"

"If the Magi's belt had been attached to my stomach, the situation would have been even worse. Brother, actually I deserve more punishment than this."

The prisoner continued, "If God really forgives me through this kind of fate, shouldn't I be grateful for that?"

He then explained about the fear of the pain of punishment in hell if he did not obtain forgiveness. Such is the story recorded in the book an-Nawâdir by Sheikh Syihabuddin Ahmad ibn Salamah al-Qulyubi.

There is a unique perspective that the prisoner has. He judged the punishment he received at that time as a gift of kindness. A mindset that can only be achieved if one has a broader understanding of grace and calamity. Grace does not have to be a pleasure, and not all misery can be called a disaster.

People with future glasses will think about the education of their souls in regretting mistakes, opening their hearts to take risks, and improving themselves, to the fate of the afterlife in the future. Thus, complaining or avoiding legal responsibility, especially by making new mistakes (eg by bribing law enforcement), is petty.