安萨里——致塞尔柱苏丹桑贾尔的信

May Allah bless you with the dominion and grant you a kingdom in paradise before which the kingdoms of the whole world stand insignificant. The borders of this earthly kingdom cannot extend beyond the East and West. Generally speaking, the average life of a man on this planet rarely exceeds the age of a hundred years. In comparison to the kingdom of heaven, which is so vast, the whole world appears to be but a dust particle. May it please your most excellent Majesty and I realize that for an ambitious man it is very hard to lead a pious life but as I find you very honest and careful, I would have you do this out of wisdom and kindness to yourself. Our Holy Prophet, praise and peace be upon him said: "A day spent administering justice by a monarch who fears Allah is equal to sixty years spent by a pious man in devotion and prayers." If you would ponder over the nature of this world, it would appear dreadfully contemptible. Some mystics have said: "If this world could be likened to a picture which is unstable and frail, and the next world could be compared to a pitcher which is unbreakable and durable, wise men would certainly prefer the latter to the former. As a matter of fact, the reality of this quote otherwise. This world is a pitcher made of earth, while the next is a pitcher of gold. Wouldn't you condemn the folly in a man who holds the former to be superior to the latter. If you like a good life and fix your dearest hopes on Paradise, a day of your life would be worth sixty years spent by others in worship, and Allah would certainly open to you sources of happiness to which you are a stranger.