But the affairs of this world are hard because there is...

But the affairs of this world are hard because there is nothing of this world at which you may grasp that some sinner has not grabbed first, while the affairs of the other world are hard because you do not find helpers to help you toward it.”[^15] The Messiah said to the Apostles, “Verily, the eating of barley bread and the drinking of plain water today in this world is for he who would enter heaven tomorrow.”[^16] Jesus (‘a) is reported to have said, “One of the evils of this world is that Allah, the Supreme, is disobeyed in it, and the other world will not be reached except by relinquishing this one.”[^17] Jesus (‘a) is reported to have said, “How can one be of the people of knowledge if the next world is shown to him while he remains involved in this world, and what harms him is more desirable to him than what benefits him?”[^18] It is reported by Mufaddal, one of the companions of Imam Al-Sadiq (‘a) from the Imam (‘a) in a long hadith, that he said, “Jesus the son of Mary, Peace be with our Prophet and with him, used to spend some time with the disciples and advise them, and he used to say, ‘He does not know me, who knows not his soul, and he who does not know the soul between his two sides, does not know the soul between my two sides.

And he who knows his soul which is between his sides, he knows me. And he who knows me knows He Who sent me.’”[^19] It is reported that Abu ‘Abdullah [Imam Al-Sadiq (‘a)] said, “Jesus the son of Mary, may the blessings of Allah be with him, said, ‘You work for the sake of this world while it is not by work that you are provided for in it. And you do not work for the sake of the next world, while it is only by work that you will be provided for in it. Woe be unto you, evil scholars ( ‘ulama )!

You take payments and waste works. The backer[^20] comes close to accepting his work, and the people come close to leaving the narrowness of this world for the darkness of the grave. How can one be knowledgeable who is on the way to the next world and nevertheless is going after this world, and he likes the things that harm him more than the things that benefit him?’”[^21] It is reported that Jesus (‘a) said, “Woe unto you, evil scholars ( ‘ulama )! You take payments and waste works.

The Master of the work comes close to search for his work, and you come close to leaving this wide world for the darkness of the grave and its narrowness. He prohibited you from sins, likewise He ordered you to fast and say prayers.