100 Ghazzali's Alchemy of Happiness. 



of weaving, the tailor carries out that work to perfection, 

 while the cloth-dresser adds beauty to the work. In the 

 arts, there is need of iron, skins and wood, and for these 

 many instruments are necessary. No person is able to 

 work at all kinds of trades, but by the will of God, upon 

 one is devolved one art and upon another two, and the 

 whole community is made dependent, one member upon 

 the other. When avarice, ambition and covetousness hold 

 sway in the hearts of men, because some are not pleased to 

 see others obtain honors, and because they do not endeavor 

 to quell their wants, envy and hatred arise among them. 

 Each one, dissatisfied with his own rights, plots against the 

 property and honor of his fellows. On this account there 

 was a necessity for three farther distinctions, viz : sove- 

 reignty, judicial authority, and jurisprudence, which con- 

 tains the digest of the law. But alas ! poor and wretched 

 man coming under the influence of all these causes, motives 

 and instruments, spends his life in collecting wealth and lays 

 up for himself sources of regret. And just as the pilgrim, 

 who on his way to the Kaaba of Mecca, was engaged day 

 and night in taking care of his camel, got separated from 

 the caravan, and perished in the desert, so those who know 

 not the real nature of the world and its worthlessness, and 

 do not understand that it is the place where seed is sown 

 for eternity, but spend all their thoughts upon it, are cer- 

 tainly fascinated and deceived ; as the apostle of God de- 

 clares. " The world is more enchanting than Harout and 

 Marout : let men beware of it." 1 



After you have learned that the world is delusive, en- 

 chanting and treacherous, you need to know in what way 

 its delusions and enchantment operate. I will, therefore, 

 mention some things which are illustrative of the world. 

 The world, beloved, is like an enchanter, who exhibits him- 



1 Teachers of arts of enchantment. 



