MARF-UL-HADITH

Attachment To The World Grows With Age (167) It is related by Anas that the Apostle of God said: “Man grows old [and all his faculties are enfeebled], but two attributes of his nature become more young and vigorous, namely, desire for wealth and yearning for longevity.” -Bukhari and Muslim Commentary:- Man is a prey to countless desires and endless aspirations, some of which are positively bad and these can be realised only when one is young and has money. It is the duty of the intellect to save a man from the unhappy consequences of such wishes. But, when due to old age, the intellect, too, fails in strength and its hold on the emotions loses its firmness, some of the desires develop into a passion and begin to rule over him. Attachment to worldly possessions and the desire to have a long life, generally, grow with advancing years. But those who are truly aware of the end of this world and have disciplined their inner selves are an exception to it. (168) Abu Hurairah narrated to us that the Apostle of God [once] said: “The heart of an old man always remains young in respect of two things: love of the material world and tall desires.” -Bukhari and Muslim Commentary:- As we have seen in the preceding Tradition, fondness for the material things of life, generally, grows with age but with those who have attained a degree of God-realisation and possess a true understanding of this world and the next, it is different. In them, the love of God and yearning for the blessings of Futurity keep developing even in old age and each day of their life marks an advance on the previous one in this respect.