What is Faith?

Giving up this world for the next When it was time to give a meal to some visitors from Iraq, Umar, the second Caliph brought them a bowl of food-some coarse bread and olive oil-and requested them to eat. Slowly reluctantly-they complied. Seeing what tiny morsels they were taking, Umar said to them, “You know, if I wished, I could also prepare for myself fine, rich food of the kind to which you are accustomed. But it is our practice here to be sparing of things in this world so that we may receive them in the next. Have you not seen how Almighty God has chastised a people for having received good things in their worldly life?” By another account, Umar asked them what they wanted: “Things which are sweet and spicy, hot and cold? Whatever you eat will go to waste in your stomachs.” (HILYAT AL-AULIYA)