3. Khalwah: Seclusion by Al Muhasibi Part 3

الْخَلْوَةُ وَالتَّنَقُّلُ فِي الْعِبَادَةِ وَدَرَجَاتُ الْعَابِدِينَ

Al-Khalwatu wa-al-Tanaqqulu fī al-ʿIbādati wa-Darajātu al-ʿĀbidīna

Seclusion, Movement (advancement) within Worship, and the Degrees of the Worshippers

الْحَارِثُ بْنُ أَسَدٍ الْمُحَاسِبِيُّ

Al-Ḥārithu bnu ʾAsadin al-Muḥāsibiyyu

Al-Ḥārith ibn Asad al-Muḥāsibī

Source page 28

بَابُ الصِّدْقِ وَالْإِرَادَةِ وَثِقَلِ الصِّدْقِ

Bābu al-ṣidqi wa-al-ʾirādati wa-thiqali al-ṣidqi

Chapter on Truthfulness, Intention, and the Weight of Truthfulness

قَالَ: أَرِحْ مَا ثَقُلَ عَلَيْكَ مِنْ بِرِّكَ وَعَمَلِكَ وَخَفْ مَا خَفَّ عَلَيْكَ مِنْ حَسَنَاتِكَ فَإِنَّ الصِّدْقَ ثِقَلُ خَفِيفِ الْعَمَلِ وَالْكَذِبُ مِنَ النِّيَّةِ إِلَى الْعَمَلِ يُخَفِّفُ ثَقِيلَ الْعَمَلِ.

Qāla: ʾariḥ mā thaqula ʿalayka min birrika wa-ʿamalika wa-khaf mā khaffa ʿalayka min ḥasanātika fa-ʾinna al-ṣidqa thiqalu khafīfi al-ʿamali wa-al-kadhibu mina al-niyyati ʾilā al-ʿamali yukhaffifu thaqīla al-ʿamali.

He said, “Give rest to what weighs heavily upon you of your piety and deeds [the initial verb is uncertain in context], and fear what comes easily to you of your good deeds. Truthfulness gives weight to light deeds, while falsehood, from intention through action, makes weighty deeds light.

قَلِيلُ الصِّدْقِ أَكْثَرُ مِنْ كَثِيرٍ مِنَ الْكَذِبِ وَاعْلَمْ أَنَّ إِرَادَتَكَ لِلْعَمَلِ عَمَلٌ فَانْظُرْ فِي إِرَادَتِكَ وَأَبْصِرْ إِرَادَتَكَ كَمَا تُبْصِرُ عَمَلَكَ.

Qalīlu al-ṣidqi ʾaktharu min kathīrin mina al-kadhibi wa-iʿlam ʾanna ʾirādataka li-al-ʿamali ʿamalun fa-unẓur fī ʾirādatika wa-ʾabṣir ʾirādataka kamā tubṣiru ʿamalaka.

A little truthfulness is more than much falsehood. Know that your intention to act is itself an action. Examine your intention and observe it as you observe your deeds.

وَلْيَرَكَ اللّٰهُ وَأَنْتَ عَلَى نِيَّتِكَ دَائِمًا دَائِبًا طَالِبًا لَهَا كَمَا يَرَى اللّٰهُ إِرَادَتَكَ لِعَمَلِكَ وَطَلَبَكَ لِعَمَلِكَ، فَإِنْ يَكُنْ هٰذَا مِنْ شَأْنِكَ يُظْفَرْ بِنِيَّتِكَ قَبْلَ عَمَلِكَ بِأَجْرٍ أَكْثَرَ مِنْ أَجْرِ عَمَلِكَ.

Wa-l-yaraka Allāhu wa-ʾanta ʿalā niyyatika dāʾiman dāʾiban ṭāliban lahā kamā yarā Allāhu ʾirādataka liʿamalika wa-ṭalabaka liʿamalika, fa-ʾin yakun hādhā min shaʾnika yuẓfar biniyyatika qabla ʿamalika bi-ʾajrin ʾakthara min ʾajri ʿamalika.

Let God see you constantly and diligently attending to your intention and seeking to set it right, just as He sees your intention to act and your pursuit of action. If this is your practice, through your intention before your deed a reward greater than that of your deed is attained [the printed passive construction is unusual].

وَاعْلَمْ أَنَّ عَدُوَّكَ أَعْلَمُ بِمَا بَدَا مِنْكَ وَأَعْلَمُ بِدَاءِ مَا أَخْفَيْتَ مِنْكَ وَأَعْلَمُ بِدَا صِحَّتِكَ مِنْكَ وَاعْلَمْ أَنَّ بَدَا (×) مِنْكَ وَأَعْلَمُ بِدَا خَجَلٍ مِنْكَ وَاعْلَمْ أَنَّ بِدَاءِ كُلِّ بِرِّكَ مِنْكَ.

Wa-iʿlam ʾanna ʿaduwwaka ʾaʿlamu bimā badā minka wa-ʾaʿlamu bidāʾi mā ʾakhfayta minka wa-ʾaʿlamu bidā ṣiḥḥatika minka wa-iʿlam ʾanna badā (×) minka wa-ʾaʿlamu bidā khajalin minka wa-iʿlam ʾanna bidāʾi kulli birrika minka.

Know that your enemy knows better what appears from you, knows better the illness in what you conceal, and knows better than you the illness in your soundness. ‘Know that appeared (×) from you,’ and he knows better an illness of shame from you, and ‘know that through the illness of all your piety, from you’ [the printed sequence is corrupt; its anomalous words and uncertainty mark are retained].

وَهُوَ يُخْفِي عَنْكَ مِنْ دَاءِ بِرِّكَ وَسَقَمِ نِيَّتِكَ فِي بِرِّكَ وَمَا يُرِينَا عَلَى غَيْرِكَ مِنْكَ وَهُوَ يَسْتُرُ مِنْكَ عَنْكَ مِنْ سَقَمِ نِيَّتِكَ مَا تَسْتُرُ أَنْتَ عَلَى غَيْرِكَ وَهُوَ يَسْتُرُ مِنْكَ مَا تَسْتُرُ أَنْتَ مِنْ عَيْبِ مِثْلِكَ.

Wa-huwa yukhfī ʿanka min dāʾi birrika wa-saqami niyyatika fī birrika wa-mā yurīnā ʿalā ghayrika minka wa-huwa yasturu minka ʿanka min saqami niyyatika mā tasturu ʾanta ʿalā ghayrika wa-huwa yasturu minka mā tasturu ʾanta min ʿaybi mithlika.

He hides from you the illness in your piety and the sickness of your intention in it, and ‘what he shows us upon another from you’ [the printed phrase is unclear]. He conceals from you the sickness of your intention that you conceal concerning someone else; he conceals from you what you conceal of a fault in someone like you.

فَهُوَ يُرَغِّبُكَ فِي الْحَسَنَاتِ الَّتِي قَدْ أَخْفَى عَنْكَ مَا فِيهَا مِنَ السَّقَمِ فَهُوَ لَا يُثَقِّلُ تِلْكَ الْحَسَنَاتِ عَلَيْكَ وَلَا يُكَرِّهُهَا إِلَيْكَ وَلَا يُقَبِّحُهَا عِنْدَكَ وَلَا يُقَبِّحُهَا عِنْدَ النَّاسِ مِنْكَ.

Fa-huwa yuraghghibuka fī al-ḥasanāti allatī qad ʾakhfā ʿanka mā fīhā mina al-saqami fa-huwa lā yuthaqqilu tilka al-ḥasanāti ʿalayka wa-lā yukarrihuhā ʾilayka wa-lā yuqabbiḥuhā ʿindaka wa-lā yuqabbiḥuhā ʿinda al-nāsi minka.

He makes you desire good deeds whose sickness he has hidden from you. He does not make those deeds burdensome or hateful to you, or make them look ugly in your eyes or in other people's eyes when you perform them.

وَوَدَّ أَنَّ النَّاسَ كُلَّهُمْ صَدَّقُوكَ فِي نِيَّتِكَ إِذْ أَظْهَرَ هُوَ سَقَمَ نِيَّتِكَ فِي حَسَنَاتِكَ وَوَدَّ أَنْ يُصَحِّحَ لِلنَّاسِ فِعْلَكَ إِذَا كَانَ ذٰلِكَ مِنْهُمْ يَزِيدُكَ قُوَّةً وَنَشَاطًا فِي حَسَنَتِكَ الَّتِي قَدْ سَقِمَتْ فِيهَا نِيَّتُكَ.

Wa-wadda ʾanna al-nāsa kullahum ṣaddaqūka fī niyyatika ʾidh ʾaẓhara huwa saqama niyyatika fī ḥasanātika wa-wadda ʾan yuṣaḥḥiḥa li-al-nāsi fiʿlaka ʾidhā kāna dhālika minhum yazīduka quwwatan wa-nashāṭan fī ḥasanatika allatī qad saqimat fīhā niyyatuka.

He wishes everyone would believe your intention to be sincere, ‘when he has revealed’ the sickness of your intention in your good deeds [the printed wording is unexpected]. He wishes to make your conduct seem sound to people if that will give you more strength and energy for a good deed in which your intention is sick.

فَهُوَ يُحَسِّنُ عِنْدَهُمْ أَمْرَكَ وَتَعْظُمُ عِنْدَهُمْ مَنْزِلَتُكَ لِتُدَاوِمَ عَلَى عَمَلِكَ وَذٰلِكَ الْبِرِّ وَلَيْسَ هَمُّهُ وَلَا إِرَادَتُهُ وَلَا مَحَبَّتُهُ أَنْ يُعْلَمَ مَا يَعْلَمُ هُوَ مِنْ سَقَمِ نِيَّتِكَ.

Fa-huwa yuḥassinu ʿindahum ʾamraka wa-taʿẓumu ʿindahum manzilatuka litudāwima ʿalā ʿamalika wa-dhālika al-birri wa-laysa hammuhu wa-lā ʾirādatuhu wa-lā maḥabbatuhu ʾan yuʿlama mā yaʿlamu huwa min saqami niyyatika.

He makes your condition look good to them, and your standing grows in their eyes, so that you will persist in your deed and that piety. His concern, intention, and desire are not that the sickness of your intention known to him should become known.

إِنَّمَا هَمُّهُ بِمَا تَجْهَلُ أَنْتَ مِنْ سَقَمِ نِيَّتِكَ فِي حَسَنَاتِكَ فَالْحَسَنَةُ الَّتِي تَجْهَلُ فِيهَا سَقَمَ نِيَّتِكَ وَإِرَادَتِكَ وَيَجْهَلُهَا النَّاسُ هِيَ أَحَبُّ الْحَسَنَاتِ إِلَيْهِ مِنْكَ.

ʾInnamā hammuhu bimā tajhalu ʾanta min saqami niyyatika fī ḥasanātika fa-al-ḥasanatu allatī tajhalu fīhā saqama niyyatika wa-ʾirādatika wa-yajhaluhā al-nāsu hiya ʾaḥabbu al-ḥasanāti ʾilayhi minka.

His concern is with the sickness of your intention in your good deeds that you do not know. The good deed in which you and other people remain ignorant of the sickness of your intention and purpose is the deed of yours he loves most.

لَيْسَ هَمُّهُ أَنْ يُعْلَمَ مِنْ دَا عَمَلِ الْحَسَنَاتِ وَمِنْ دَا تَرْكِ السَّيِّئَاتِ وَمِنْ دَا التَّارِكِ لِلْحَسَنَاتِ، فَإِنَّ مِنْ دَا تَرْكِهَا أَنْ تَدَعَهَا حَدَافَةَ أَنْ يُقَالَ قَدْ رَايَا لِعَمَلِهَا فَتَدَعَهَا فَيَصِيرَ دَاءً.

Laysa hammuhu ʾan yuʿlama min dā ʿamali al-ḥasanāti wa-min dā tarki al-sayyiʾāti wa-min dā al-tāriki li-al-ḥasanāti, fa-ʾinna min dā tarkihā ʾan tadaʿahā ḥadāfata ʾan yuqāla qad rāyā liʿamalihā fa-tadaʿahā fa-yaṣīra dāʾan.

He does not want the illness in doing good deeds, abandoning bad deeds, or abandoning good deeds to be known. One illness of abandoning good deeds is to leave them out of ‘ḥadāfa’ that people might say one has shown off in doing them; so one leaves them, and it becomes an illness [the printed word is unclear].

وَمِنْ دَا تَرْكِ الدُّنْيَا وَمِنْ دَاءِ أَخْذِ الدُّنْيَا مِمَّا يَعْلَمُ هُوَ مِنْ ذٰلِكَ وَلَا أَنْ يَهُمَّهُ أَنْ يَعْلَمَ النَّاسُ مِنْكَ عِلْمًا مِنْ دَاءِ سَقَمِ نِيَّتِكَ فِي ذٰلِكَ.

Wa-min dā tarki al-dunyā wa-min dāʾi ʾakhdhi al-dunyā mimmā yaʿlamu huwa min dhālika wa-lā ʾan yahummahu ʾan yaʿlama al-nāsu minka ʿilman min dāʾi saqami niyyatika fī dhālika.

Nor does he want known the illness in abandoning the world or taking from it, of which he is aware; nor is he concerned that people should know anything of the disease of your intention in that [the printed construction is irregular].

Source page 29

أَحَبُّ السَّقَمِ إِلَيْهِ الَّذِي تَجْهَلُهُ وَأَبْغَضُ السَّقَمِ إِلَيْهِ الَّذِي تَعْلَمُهُ وَيَقْطُنُ لَهُ مِنْ نَفْسِكَ فَخَفْ عَلَى حَسَنَاتِكَ مِمَّا يَعْلَمُ مِنْ ذٰلِكَ وَخَفْ عَلَى مَا قَصُرَ عَنْهُ عِلْمُكَ.

ʾAḥabbu al-saqami ʾilayhi alladhī tajhaluhu wa-ʾabghaḍu al-saqami ʾilayhi alladhī taʿlamuhu wa-yaqṭunu lahu min nafsika fa-khaf ʿalā ḥasanātika mimmā yaʿlamu min dhālika wa-khaf ʿalā mā qaṣura ʿanhu ʿilmuka.

The sickness he loves most is what you do not know, and the sickness he hates most is what you know and ‘dwells for it from your self’ [the printed verb and connection are unclear]. Fear for your good deeds because of what he knows of this, and fear concerning what lies beyond your knowledge.

وَوَدَّ عَدُوُّكَ أَنْ أَدْخَلَ عَلَيْكَ سُرُورَ الدُّنْيَا وَمُلْكَ الدُّنْيَا وَتَعْظِيمَ أَهْلِ الدُّنْيَا بِالرِّيَا وَبِالْخَطَايَا لِأَنَّهُ مَثَّلَ وَنَظَرَ وَفَكَّرَ بَيْنَ رِبْحِهِ مِنْكَ وَرِبْحِكَ الدُّنْيَا كُلَّهَا لِسَقَمِ نِيَّتِكَ فِي حَسَنَاتِكَ.

Wa-wadda ʿaduwwuka ʾan ʾadkhala ʿalayka surūra al-dunyā wa-mulka al-dunyā wa-taʿẓīma ʾahli al-dunyā bi-al-riyā wa-bi-al-khaṭāyā li-ʾannahu maththala wa-naẓara wa-fakkara bayna ribḥihi minka wa-ribḥika al-dunyā kullahā lisaqami niyyatika fī ḥasanātika.

Your enemy wishes to bring you worldly delight, worldly dominion, and the veneration of worldly people through ostentation and sins, because he has pictured, considered, and weighed his profit from you against your gaining the whole world through the sickness of your intention in your good deeds.

فَإِذَا هُوَ قَدْ رَبِحَ مِنْكَ أَكْثَرَ مِنْ رِبْحِكَ الدُّنْيَا وَأَخَذَ مِنْكَ أَكْثَرَ مِمَّا أَعْطَاكَ وَإِذَا أَنْتَ قَدْ أَعْطَيْتَهُ كَبِيرًا كَثِيرًا بَاقِيًا وَأَعْطَاكَ قَلِيلًا صَغِيرًا فَانِيًا وَأَنْتَ مِنْهُ أَيْضًا عَلَى غَيْرِ يَقِينٍ مِنَ الظَّفَرِ بِهِ.

Fa-ʾidhā huwa qad rabiḥa minka ʾakthara min ribḥika al-dunyā wa-ʾakhadha minka ʾakthara mimmā ʾaʿṭāka wa-ʾidhā ʾanta qad ʾaʿṭaytahu kabīran kathīran bāqiyan wa-ʾaʿṭāka qalīlan ṣaghīran fāniyan wa-ʾanta minhu ʾayḍan ʿalā ghayri yaqīnin mina al-ẓafari bihi.

He has gained more from you than you have gained from the world and taken more from you than he has given. You have given him something great, abundant, and lasting, while he has given you something small, slight, and perishing, and even of that you have no certainty of obtaining it.

فَأَنْتَ قَدْ أَعْطَيْتَهُ الْيَقِينَ وَصَدَّكَ عَنِ الْيَقِينِ بِالشَّكِّ وَالْمُنَى فِي الرِّيَا.

Fa-ʾanta qad ʾaʿṭaytahu al-yaqīna wa-ṣaddaka ʿani al-yaqīni bi-al-shakki wa-al-munā fī al-riyā.

You have given him certainty, while he has turned you from certainty through doubt and wishful hopes in ostentation.

فَهُوَ يُخْفِي عَلَيْكَ وَمِنْكَ مِنْ سَقَمِ نِيَّتِكَ فِي خَلْوَتِكَ وَيُخْفِي عَلَى غَيْرِكَ مِنْكَ مِنْ سَقَمِ نِيَّتِكَ فِي عُزْلَتِكَ وَيَنْفِي عَلَيْكَ مِنْ سَقَمِ نِيَّتِكَ فِي مُخَالَطَتِكَ مَا يَخْفَى عَلَى النَّاسِ مِنْكَ مِنْ سَقَمِ نِيَّتِكَ.

Fa-huwa yukhfī ʿalayka wa-minka min saqami niyyatika fī khalwatika wa-yukhfī ʿalā ghayrika minka min saqami niyyatika fī ʿuzlatika wa-yanfī ʿalayka min saqami niyyatika fī mukhālaṭatika mā yakhfā ʿalā al-nāsi minka min saqami niyyatika.

He hides from you the sickness of your intention in solitude, hides from others the sickness of your intention in withdrawal, and ‘negates upon you’ the sickness of your intention in social dealings that is hidden from people [the last printed verb is uncertain in context].

حِيلَتُهُ فِي سِتْرِكَ مِنَ النَّاسِ سَقَمَ نِيَّتِكَ أَنْتَ تُرِيدُ أَنْ يُصَحِّحَ عِنْدَ النَّاسِ أَمْرَكَ وَهُوَ يُرِيدُ أَنْ يُصَحِّحَ نَفْسَكَ عِنْدَ نَفْسِكَ.

Ḥīlatuhu fī sitrika mina al-nāsi saqama niyyatika ʾanta turīdu ʾan yuṣaḥḥiḥa ʿinda al-nāsi ʾamraka wa-huwa yurīdu ʾan yuṣaḥḥiḥa nafsaka ʿinda nafsika.

His device works within your concealment of your sick intention from people. You want him to make your condition seem sound to people; he wants to make your self seem sound to itself.

أَسَرُّ الْحَسَنَاتِ إِلَيْهِ مِنْكَ كُلُّ حَسَنَةٍ عَمِيتَ عَنْ سَقَمِ نِيَّتِكَ فِيهَا وَعَمِيَ النَّاسُ عَنْ سَقَمِ نِيَّتِكَ فِيهَا وَهُوَ أَعْلَمُ بِدَا الْخُشُونَةِ فِي الْمَلْبَسِ وَالْمَطْعَمِ مِنْكَ وَهُوَ أَعْلَمُ بِدَا الْحُزْنِ وَدَا التَّحَازُنِ مِنْكَ.

ʾAsarru al-ḥasanāti ʾilayhi minka kullu ḥasanatin ʿamīta ʿan saqami niyyatika fīhā wa-ʿamiya al-nāsu ʿan saqami niyyatika fīhā wa-huwa ʾaʿlamu bidā al-khushūnati fī al-malbasi wa-al-maṭʿami minka wa-huwa ʾaʿlamu bidā al-ḥuzni wa-dā al-taḥāzuni minka.

The good deeds of yours that delight him most are those in which you and other people are blind to the sickness of your intention. He knows better than you the illness of rough clothing and coarse food, and the illness of sorrow and affected sorrow.

حِيلَتُكَ فِي سِتْرِكَ مِنَ النَّاسِ سَقَمَ نِيَّتِكَ مِنْكَ حِيلَتُهُ فِي سَتْرِهِ مِنْكَ سَقَمَ نِيَّتِكَ.

Ḥīlatuka fī sitrika mina al-nāsi saqama niyyatika minka ḥīlatuhu fī satrihi minka saqama niyyatika.

Your device lies in hiding your sick intention from people; his device lies in hiding your sick intention from you [the printed sentence contains an awkward extra “from you”].

مَا أَسَرَّ إِلَيْهِ الْحَسَنَاتِ الَّتِي تُصِيبُهَا الدُّنْيَا أَوْ يُقَالُ الدُّنْيَا هِيَ أَسَرُّ إِلَيْهِ مِنَ الْحَسَنَاتِ الَّتِي قَدْ سَقِمَتْ فِيهَا النِّيَّاتُ لِأَنَّهُ يُرِيدُ أَنْ يُفْسِدَهَا عَلَيْكَ بَعْدَ صِدْقِ النِّيَّةِ فِيهَا بِالْقَالِ أَوْ بِالْمَالِ أَوْ بِتَعَظُّمِ النَّاسِ.

Mā ʾasarra ʾilayhi al-ḥasanāti allatī tuṣībuhā al-dunyā ʾaw yuqālu al-dunyā hiya ʾasarru ʾilayhi mina al-ḥasanāti allatī qad saqimat fīhā al-niyyātu li-ʾannahu yurīdu ʾan yufsidahā ʿalayka baʿda ṣidqi al-niyyati fīhā bi-al-qāli ʾaw bi-al-māli ʾaw bitaʿaẓẓumi al-nāsi.

How delighted he is with good deeds that the world touches, or ‘the world is said’ [the printed phrase is unclear]! These delight him more than good deeds whose intentions are already sick, because he wants to corrupt them after their intention has been truthful, through talk, money, or people's magnification of you.

فَرُبَّمَا أَفْسَدَهَا أَوَّلًا سَقَمُ النِّيَّةِ فِيهَا وَرُبَّمَا أَفْسَدَهَا بِتَعَظُّمِ النَّاسِ لَهُ بِهَا أَوْ بِالْمَالِ يَجْلِبُهُ عَلَيْهِ بِحَسَنَاتِهِ فَيُثَابِرُ عَلَى تِلْكَ الْحَسَنَاتِ لِلْمَالِ الَّذِي اكْتَسَبَهُ فِي جَنْبِ حَسَنَاتِهِ مِنْ حَجَّةٍ أَوْ عُمْرَةٍ أَوْ غَيْرِ ذٰلِكَ مِنْ بِرِّكَ.

Fa-rubbamā ʾafsadahā ʾawwalan saqamu al-niyyati fīhā wa-rubbamā ʾafsadahā bitaʿaẓẓumi al-nāsi lahu bihā ʾaw bi-al-māli yajlibuhu ʿalayhi biḥasanātihi fa-yuthābiru ʿalā tilka al-ḥasanāti li-al-māli alladhī iktasabahu fī janbi ḥasanātihi min ḥajjatin ʾaw ʿumratin ʾaw ghayri dhālika min birrika.

Sometimes sickness of intention corrupts them at the outset; sometimes he corrupts them through people's magnification of the person for them, or through money he brings him by means of his good deeds. The person then persists in those deeds for the money gained alongside them, whether through a pilgrimage, a lesser pilgrimage, or another of your acts of piety.

فَمَا أَشَدَّ حِرْصَهُ عَلَى هَاتَيْنِ الْحَسَنَتَيْنِ عَلَى حَسَنَتِكَ الَّتِي قَدْ سَقِمَتْ فِيهَا نِيَّتُكَ وَأَفْرَحَهُ بِحَسَنَتِكَ الَّتِي قَدْ لَبِسْتَ بِهَا الْمَالَ.

Fa-mā ʾashadda ḥirṣahu ʿalā hātayni al-ḥasanatayni ʿalā ḥasanatika allatī qad saqimat fīhā niyyatuka wa-ʾafraḥahu biḥasanatika allatī qad labista bihā al-māla.

How eager he is for these two kinds of good deed: for your deed in which the intention is sick, and how delighted he is with your deed through which you have ‘put on wealth’ [the printed verb is unusual]!

لِأَنَّ مَا قَدْ أَفَدْتَ مِنَ الْمَالِ يَزِيدُ فِي رَغْبَتِكَ رَغْبَةً لَمْ تَكُنْ وَفِي نَشَاطِكَ نَشَاطًا لَمْ يَكُنْ وَقُوَّةً لَمْ تَكُنْ، كُلَّ مَا زَادَ بِكَ الدُّنْيَا زِدْتَ أَنْتَ فِي الْجِدِّ.

Li-ʾanna mā qad ʾafadta mina al-māli yazīdu fī raghbatika raghbatan lam takun wa-fī nashāṭika nashāṭan lam yakun wa-quwwatan lam takun, kulla mā zāda bika al-dunyā zidta ʾanta fī al-jiddi.

The wealth you gain adds a desire you did not have, an energy you did not have, and a strength you did not have. Whenever he increases your worldly gain, you increase your effort.

وَلَوْ أُنْقِصَتْ مِنْ إِصَابَتِكَ نَقَصْتَ أَنْتَ مِنْ حِرْصِكَ وَذَهَبَتْ حَلَاوَةُ نِيَّتِكَ وَثَقُلَ عَلَيْكَ خَفِيفُ سَفَرِكَ وَطَالَ عَلَيْكَ قَصِيرُ غَيْبَتِكَ وَحَتَّى يَتَمَنَّى أَنْ لَمْ تَكُنْ سَافَرْتَ ذٰلِكَ السَّفَرَ وَلَا خَرَجْتَ فِي تِلْكَ الْخَرْجَةِ.

Wa-law ʾunqiṣat min ʾiṣābatika naqaṣta ʾanta min ḥirṣika wa-dhahabat ḥalāwatu niyyatika wa-thaqula ʿalayka khafīfu safarika wa-ṭāla ʿalayka qaṣīru ghaybatika wa-ḥattā yatamannā ʾan lam takun sāfarta dhālika al-safara wa-lā kharajta fī tilka al-kharjati.

If your gains were reduced, you would lessen your eagerness, the sweetness of your intention would disappear, an easy journey would become burdensome, and a short absence would seem long, until ‘he wishes’ you had never made that journey or gone on that outing [the printed person shifts].

Source pages 29–30

فَاحْذَرْ مَا قَدْ عَلِمْتَهُ مِنْ مَكِيدَتِهِ وَاحْذَرْ مَا لَا تَعْلَمُ مِنْ مَكَايِدِهِ وَمَا لَا تَعْلَمُ أَكْثَرُ مِمَّا قَدْ عَلِمْتَ وَمَا خَفِيَ عَلَيْكَ أَكْثَرُ مِمَّا قَدْ بَدَا لَكَ وَمَا سَتَرَ أَكْثَرُ مِمَّا أَظْهَرَ.

Fa-iḥdhar mā qad ʿalimtahu min makīdatihi wa-iḥdhar mā lā taʿlamu min makāyidihi wa-mā lā taʿlamu ʾaktharu mimmā qad ʿalimta wa-mā khafiya ʿalayka ʾaktharu mimmā qad badā laka wa-mā satara ʾaktharu mimmā ʾaẓhara.

Beware of the cunning you already know and of the schemes you do not know. What you do not know is more than what you know; what is hidden from you is more than what has appeared to you; and what he conceals is more than what he reveals.

Source page 30

إِنَّمَا هِمَّةُ مِنْكَ كُلُّ مَكِيدَةٍ يَجْهَلُهَا لَيْسَ هَمُّهُ مِنْكَ كُلُّ مَكِيدَةٍ تَعْلَمُهَا.

ʾInnamā himmatu minka kullu makīdatin yajhaluhā laysa hammuhu minka kullu makīdatin taʿlamuhā.

His concern with you is every scheme ‘he does not know’; his concern is not every scheme you know [the printed first pronoun and the form of “concern” are irregular].

وَاعْلَمْ أَنَّ أَصَحَّ مَا تَكُونُ عِنْدَكَ نَفْسُكَ أَسْقَمُ مَا يَكُونُ سَقَمُهَا مِنْ صِحَّتِهَا وَصِحَّتُهَا مِنْ سَقَمِهَا.

Wa-iʿlam ʾanna ʾaṣaḥḥa mā takūnu ʿindaka nafsuka ʾasqamu mā yakūnu saqamuhā min ṣiḥḥatihā wa-ṣiḥḥatuhā min saqamihā.

Know that when your self seems soundest to you, it is at its sickest. Its sickness comes from its apparent soundness, and its soundness from its acknowledged sickness.

إِنَّكَ إِنْ أَدْخَلْتَهَا فِي الصِّحَّةِ أَخْرَجَهَا مِنَ الصِّحَّةِ وَإِنْ أَدْخَلْتَهَا فِي السَّقَمِ أَدْخَلَهَا لِأَنَّهُ يَعْلَمُ مَا لَا تَعْلَمُ أَنْتَ مِنْ نَفْسِكَ أَعْنِي عَدُوَّكَ.

ʾInnaka ʾin ʾadkhaltahā fī al-ṣiḥḥati ʾakhrajahā mina al-ṣiḥḥati wa-ʾin ʾadkhaltahā fī al-saqami ʾadkhalahā li-ʾannahu yaʿlamu mā lā taʿlamu ʾanta min nafsika ʾaʿnī ʿaduwwaka.

If you place it among the sound, he removes it from soundness; if you place it among the sick, he brings it in, because he knows things about your self that you do not know. I mean your enemy [the destination of “brings it in” is unstated in print].

وَاعْلَمْ أَنَّهُ لَيْسَ يَسْتَوِي عِلْمُكَ بِنَفْسِكَ وَعِلْمُ اللّٰهِ تَعَالَى بِنَفْسِكَ وَإِبْلِيسُ أَعْلَمُ بِكَ مِنْكَ بِنَفْسِكَ وَاللّٰهُ أَعْلَمُ بِكَ مِنْكَ وَمِنْهُ وَلَا يَسْتَوِي عِلْمُ إِبْلِيسَ وَعِلْمُ اللّٰهِ تَعَالَى بِكَ.

Wa-iʿlam ʾannahu laysa yastawī ʿilmuka binafsika wa-ʿilmu Allāhi taʿālā binafsika wa-ʾIblīsu ʾaʿlamu bika minka binafsika wa-Allāhu ʾaʿlamu bika minka wa-minhu wa-lā yastawī ʿilmu ʾIblīsa wa-ʿilmu Allāhi taʿālā bika.

Know that your knowledge of your self is not equal to God Most High's knowledge of it. Iblīs knows you better than you know yourself, and God knows you better than either you or he does. Iblīs's knowledge of you is not equal to the knowledge of God Most High.

فَعِلْمُ اللّٰهِ أَبْطَنُ بِكَ مِنْ عِلْمِكَ وَعِلْمِ إِبْلِيسَ وَالَّذِي عَمِلْتَ لَهُ أَعْلَمُ بِعَمَلِكَ مِنْكَ بِعَمَلِكَ فَلَا تَأْمَنْ مَنْ هُوَ أَعْلَمُ بِعَمَلِكَ مِنْكَ بِعَمَلِكَ.

Fa-ʿilmu Allāhi ʾabṭanu bika min ʿilmika wa-ʿilmi ʾIblīsa wa-alladhī ʿamilta lahu ʾaʿlamu biʿamalika minka biʿamalika fa-lā taʾman man huwa ʾaʿlamu biʿamalika minka biʿamalika.

God's knowledge reaches deeper into you than your knowledge or Iblīs's. The One for whom you act knows your deed better than you know it. Do not feel safe from the One who knows your deed better than you do.

إِنَّ الْمُصِحَّ عِنْدَ نَفْسِهِ آمِنٌ وَالْأَمْنُ عَلَى الْعَمَلِ أَنَّهُ صَحِيحٌ مِنْ آفَةِ الْعَمَلِ وَالْأَمْنُ عَلَى السَّيِّئَاتِ أَضَرُّ مِنَ السَّيِّئَاتِ وَالْأَمْنُ عَلَى الْحَسَنَاتِ أَضَرُّ بِالْحَسَنَاتِ مِنَ السَّيِّئَاتِ عَلَى الْحَسَنَاتِ.

ʾInna al-muṣiḥḥa ʿinda nafsihi ʾāminun wa-al-ʾamnu ʿalā al-ʿamali ʾannahu ṣaḥīḥun min ʾāfati al-ʿamali wa-al-ʾamnu ʿalā al-sayyiʾāti ʾaḍarru mina al-sayyiʾāti wa-al-ʾamnu ʿalā al-ḥasanāti ʾaḍarru bi-al-ḥasanāti mina al-sayyiʾāti ʿalā al-ḥasanāti.

The person who thinks himself sound feels secure. Feeling secure that a deed is sound is itself a disease of action. Feeling secure about bad deeds is more harmful than the bad deeds, and feeling secure about good deeds harms those good deeds more than bad deeds do.

أَمْنُ حَسَنَةٍ إِلَى عَدُوِّكَ مِنْ سَيِّئَةٍ بَعْدَ حَسَنَةٍ وَقُنُوطٌ بَعْدَ حَسَنَةٍ أَحَبُّ إِلَيْهِ مِنْ سَيِّئَةٍ.

ʾAmnu ḥasanatin ʾilā ʿaduwwika min sayyiʾatin baʿda ḥasanatin wa-qunūṭun baʿda ḥasanatin ʾaḥabbu ʾilayhi min sayyiʾatin.

Feeling secure about a good deed is [dearer] to your enemy than a bad deed after a good one; and despair after a good deed is dearer to him than a bad deed [the first comparison is incomplete in print].

وَاسْتِصْغَارُ صَغِيرَةٍ مَعَ تَرْكِهَا أَحَبُّ إِلَيْهِ مِنْ صَغِيرَةٍ أُخْرَى تَعْمَلُ بِهَا وَأَحَبُّ إِلَيْهِ مِنْ كَبِيرَةٍ تَعْمَلُ بِهَا أَنْتَ مُتَعَظِّمٌ لَهَا وَمُسْتَصْغِرٌ مِنْهَا وَتَرْكُ الصَّغِيرَةِ عَلَى مَا وَصَفْتُ أَحَبُّ إِلَيْهِ مِنَ الْعَمَلِ بِالْكَبِيرَةِ يَتْلُوهَا الِاسْتِغْفَارُ.

Wa-istiṣghāru ṣaghīratin maʿa tarkihā ʾaḥabbu ʾilayhi min ṣaghīratin ʾukhrā taʿmalu bihā wa-ʾaḥabbu ʾilayhi min kabīratin taʿmalu bihā ʾanta mutaʿaẓẓimun lahā wa-mustaṣghirun minhā wa-tarku al-ṣaghīrati ʿalā mā waṣaftu ʾaḥabbu ʾilayhi mina al-ʿamali bi-al-kabīrati yatlūhā al-istighfāru.

Making light of a minor sin while refraining from it is dearer to him than committing another minor sin, and dearer than committing a major sin that you regard as grave and beside which you feel small. Refraining from a minor sin in the way I have described is dearer to him than committing a major sin followed by asking forgiveness.

إِنَّهُ يُعِينُ أَلْسِنَةَ النَّاسِ أَنْ تَنْطِقَ بِمَدْحِ الصَّادِقِ وَلِيُفْسِدَ عَلَيْهِ صِدْقَهُ وَيَزِيدُ فِي الصَّادِقِ قُوَّةً فِي عَمَلِهِ وَقُوَّةً فِي نِيَّتِهِ حَتَّى يُسَوِّيَ مِنَ الصَّادِقِ وَالْكَاذِبِ.

ʾInnahu yuʿīnu ʾalsinata al-nāsi ʾan tanṭiqa bimadḥi al-ṣādiqi wa-liyufsida ʿalayhi ṣidqahu wa-yazīdu fī al-ṣādiqi quwwatan fī ʿamalihi wa-quwwatan fī niyyatihi ḥattā yusawwiya mina al-ṣādiqi wa-al-kādhibi.

He helps people's tongues speak praise of the truthful person to corrupt his truthfulness. He increases that person's strength in action and in intention until he makes the truthful and the false alike.

وَاحْذَرْ تَجْدِيدَ قُوَّةِ الْمَدْحِ وَتَجْدِيدَ حَلَاوَةِ الْعَمَلِ عِنْدَ الْمَدِيحِ فَإِنَّهُ يَرُدُّ الصَّادِقَ قُوَّةً عِنْدَ حَادِثِ الْمَدْحِ فَيُفْسِدُ عَلَيْهِ صِدْقَهُ بِتَجْدِيدِ نَشَاطِهِ لَمْ يَكُنْ حَادِثَ قُوَّةٍ أَقْوَى مِنَ الْقُوَّةِ الْأُولَى.

Wa-iḥdhar tajdīda quwwati al-madḥi wa-tajdīda ḥalāwati al-ʿamali ʿinda al-madīḥi fa-ʾinnahu yaruddu al-ṣādiqa quwwatan ʿinda ḥādithi al-madḥi fa-yufsidu ʿalayhi ṣidqahu bitajdīdi nashāṭihi lam yakun ḥāditha quwwatin ʾaqwā mina al-quwwati al-ʾūlā.

Beware of the renewed strength praise brings and of a renewed sweetness in action when praised. At the arrival of praise he brings the truthful person fresh strength, corrupting his truthfulness by renewing an energy that was not there, a new strength greater than the first [the final printed connection is irregular].

وَكُلَّ مَا زَادَ مَدِيحُهُمْ وَتَجْدِيدُ إِعْظَامِهِمْ لِذٰلِكَ الْعَمَلِ جَدَّدَ لَهُ مِنْكَ جِدًّا وَفِيهِ قُوَّةً وَرَغْبَةً وَعَلَيْهِ مُدَاوَمَةً وَبِهِ عِنَايَةً.

Wa-kulla mā zāda madīḥuhum wa-tajdīdu ʾiʿẓāmihim li-dhālika al-ʿamali jaddada lahu minka jiddan wa-fīhi quwwatan wa-raghbatan wa-ʿalayhi mudāwamatan wa-bihi ʿināyatan.

Whenever their praise and renewed admiration for that deed increase, he renews your earnestness toward it, your strength and desire for it, your persistence in it, and your attention to it.

وَإِنْ ذَمُّوا ذٰلِكَ مِنْكَ غَمَّكَ مَا كَانَ يُفْرِحُكَ وَضَاقَ بِكَ فِيهِ مَا اتَّسَعَ وَأَظْلَمَ عَلَيْكَ مَا كَانَ أَنَارَ عِنْدَكَ وَصَارَ مُرًّا بَعْدَ أَنْ كَانَ حُلْوًا تَجِدُ لَهُ ثِقَلًا وَمِنْكَ فَتْرَةً وَلَهُ كَرَاهَةً.

Wa-ʾin dhammū dhālika minka ghammaka mā kāna yufriḥuka wa-ḍāqa bika fīhi mā ittasaʿa wa-ʾaẓlama ʿalayka mā kāna ʾanāra ʿindaka wa-ṣāra murran baʿda ʾan kāna ḥulwan tajidu lahu thiqalan wa-minka fatratan wa-lahu karāhatan.

If they criticize you for it, what once delighted you brings grief. What seemed spacious constricts you; what seemed bright grows dark; what was sweet turns bitter. You find it burdensome, feel listless, and dislike it.

فَيُفْسِدُ عَلَى الصَّادِقِ صِدْقَهُ مِنْ وُجُوهِ مَا وَصَفْتُ لَكَ وَيَزِيدُ الْكَاذِبَ مُدَاوَمَةً وَاجْتِهَادًا فِي كَذِبِهِ وَيُجَدِّدُ مِنَ الصَّادِقِ عِنْدَ الْمَدِيحِ اسْتِكْبَارًا لِذٰلِكَ الْعَمَلِ وَقَدْ كَانَ لَهُ مُسْتَقِلًّا حَتَّى يَصِيرَ فِي نَفْسِهِ وَغَيْرِهِ سَوَاءً.

Fa-yufsidu ʿalā al-ṣādiqi ṣidqahu min wujūhi mā waṣaftu laka wa-yazīdu al-kādhiba mudāwamatan wa-ijtihādan fī kadhibihi wa-yujaddidu mina al-ṣādiqi ʿinda al-madīḥi istikbāran li-dhālika al-ʿamali wa-qad kāna lahu mustaqillan ḥattā yaṣīra fī nafsihi wa-ghayrihi sawāʾan.

In the ways I have described, he corrupts the truthful person's truthfulness and increases the false person's persistence and effort in falsehood. Praise renews in the truthful person an inflated view of a deed he had previously considered small, until he becomes the same in his own eyes and in the eyes of others.

يُقَالُ لِلصَّادِقِ: أَكْثَرَ اللّٰهُ فِينَا مِثْلَكَ وَأَنْتَ مِمَّنْ تُرْجَى نَاحِيَتُهُ فَتَقْبَلُهَا النَّفْسُ، أَوْ يَرَى رَجُلٌ رُؤْيَا فَيَقُصُّهَا عَلَيْهِ فَيُحْدِثُ بِهَا ظَاهِرَ قُوَّةٍ وَظَاهِرَ مُدَاوَمَةٍ وَهُوَ مِنَ الرِّيَا فَيُفْسِدُ الصِّدْقَ فَيُصَيِّرُهُ كَذِبًا وَيُجَدِّدُ ذٰلِكَ كَذِبَ الْكَاذِبِ.

Yuqālu li-al-ṣādiqi: ʾakthara Allāhu fīnā mithlaka wa-ʾanta mimman turjā nāḥiyatuhu fa-taqbaluhā al-nafsu, ʾaw yarā rajulun ruʾyā fa-yaquṣṣuhā ʿalayhi fa-yuḥdithu bihā ẓāhira quwwatin wa-ẓāhira mudāwamatin wa-huwa mina al-riyā fa-yufsidu al-ṣidqa fa-yuṣayyiruhu kadhiban wa-yujaddidu dhālika kadhiba al-kādhibi.

The truthful person is told, ‘May God give us more people like you; you are someone from whom good is hoped,’ and the self accepts it. Or a man sees a dream and tells it to him, producing apparent strength and apparent perseverance. This is ostentation: it corrupts truthfulness and turns it into falsehood, while renewing the false person's falsehood.

Source pages 30–31

فَاحْذَرْ مَدِيحَ النَّاسِ وَإِعْظَامَهُمْ لَا تَدَّعِيَنَّ الْخَوْفَ مِنْ قِلَّةِ الْخَوْفِ وَهُوَ رِيَا لَطِيفٌ فَلَا يَظْهَرْ أَنَّكَ تَخَافُ إِلَّا أَنْ يُظْهِرَ ذٰلِكَ اللّٰهُ فَعَلِمَهُ اللّٰهُ مِنْ بَاطِنِكَ كَمَا يَعْلَمُهُ مِنْ ظَاهِرِكَ.

Fa-iḥdhar madīḥa al-nāsi wa-ʾiʿẓāmahum lā taddaʿiyanna al-khawfa min qillati al-khawfi wa-huwa riyā laṭīfun fa-lā yaẓhar ʾannaka takhāfu ʾillā ʾan yuẓhira dhālika Allāhu fa-ʿalimahu Allāhu min bāṭinika kamā yaʿlamuhu min ẓāhirika.

Beware of people's praise and veneration. Do not claim to fear having too little fear: that is a subtle form of ostentation. Do not let it appear that you are afraid unless God makes it appear, having known it within you as He knows it outwardly.

Source page 31

لِأَنَّهُ يُثْبِتُ لِنَفْسِكَ الْخَوْفَ حَتَّى قُلْتَ إِنِّي خَائِفٌ قِلَّةَ الْخَوْفِ لَقَدْ أَلْطَفَ فِي زِيَارَتِهِ مَنِ ادَّعَى الْمَخَافَةَ عَلَى قِلَّةِ الْمَخَافَةِ.

Li-ʾannahu yuthbitu linafsika al-khawfa ḥattā qulta ʾinnī khāʾifun qillata al-khawfi laqad ʾalṭafa fī ziyāratihi mani iddaʿā al-makhāfata ʿalā qillati al-makhāfati.

For it establishes fear for your self until you say, ‘I fear having too little fear.’ Whoever claims fear concerning too little fear has been subtle indeed ‘in his visit’ [the final printed noun is uncertain in context].”

بَابُ حَاجَةِ الْعَبْدِ إِلَى صِدْقِ النِّيَّةِ فِي الْفَرَائِضِ

Bābu ḥājati al-ʿabdi ʾilā ṣidqi al-niyyati fī al-farāʾiḍi

Chapter on the Servant's Need for Truthful Intention in Obligatory Duties

مَا أَكْثَرَ حَاجَتَكَ إِلَى فَرَائِضِكَ وَحَاجَتُكَ إِلَى أَدَبِكَ فِي فَرِيضَتِكَ مِثْلُ حَاجَتِكَ إِلَى فَرِيضَتِكَ وَصِدْقُ نِيَّتِكَ فَرِيضَةٌ عَلَيْكَ فِي فَرِيضَتِكَ مِثْلُ فَرِيضَتِكَ.

Mā ʾakthara ḥājataka ʾilā farāʾiḍika wa-ḥājatuka ʾilā ʾadabika fī farīḍatika mithlu ḥājatika ʾilā farīḍatika wa-ṣidqu niyyatika farīḍatun ʿalayka fī farīḍatika mithlu farīḍatika.

How great is your need for your obligatory duties! Your need for proper conduct within a duty is like your need for the duty itself. Truthfulness of intention in your duty is itself obligatory upon you, just like the duty.

فَرَضَ اللّٰهُ عَلَيْكَ أَنْ تُخْلِصَ لَهُ فِي عَمَلِكَ كَمَا فَرَضَ عَلَيْكَ عَمَلَكَ فَالنِّيَّةُ وَالصِّدْقُ فِي الْإِخْلَاصِ فِي الْفَرَايِضِ مِنَ الصَّلَاةِ وَالزَّكَاةِ وَالْحَجِّ وَالْبِرِّ الْمَفْرُوضِ فَرِيضَةٌ عَلَيْكَ مِنْكَ تِلْكَ الْفَرَائِضُ.

Faraḍa Allāhu ʿalayka ʾan tukhliṣa lahu fī ʿamalika kamā faraḍa ʿalayka ʿamalaka fa-al-niyyatu wa-al-ṣidqu fī al-ʾikhlāṣi fī al-farāyiḍi mina al-ṣalāti wa-al-zakāti wa-al-ḥajji wa-al-birri al-mafrūḍi farīḍatun ʿalayka minka tilka al-farāʾiḍu.

God has made sincerity toward Him in your deeds obligatory, just as He has made the deeds obligatory. Intention and truthfulness in sincerity within the duties of prayer, purifying alms, pilgrimage, and required righteousness are a duty upon you: ‘from you those duties’ [the printed ending is irregular].

لَا تُقْبَلُ الصَّلَاةُ وَلَا الزَّكَاةُ إِلَّا بِهَا كَمَا لَا يُقْبَلُ نَافِلَةٌ حَتَّى تُؤَدِّيَ الْفَرِيضَةَ وَكَمَا لَا تُقْبَلُ صَلَاةٌ بِغَيْرِ طُهُورٍ كَذٰلِكَ إِرَادَةُ اللّٰهِ وَالْإِخْلَاصُ لِلّٰهِ بِالْفَرَائِضِ وَفِي الْفَرَائِضِ.

Lā tuqbalu al-ṣalātu wa-lā al-zakātu ʾillā bihā kamā lā yuqbalu nāfilatun ḥattā tuʾaddiya al-farīḍata wa-kamā lā tuqbalu ṣalātun bighayri ṭuhūrin ka-dhālika ʾirādatu Allāhi wa-al-ʾikhlāṣu li-llāhi bi-al-farāʾiḍi wa-fī al-farāʾiḍi.

Neither prayer nor purifying alms is accepted without it, just as a voluntary act is not accepted until you fulfill the obligation, and prayer is not accepted without purification. So it is with seeking God and being sincere toward Him through and within obligatory duties.

فَاعْنَ بِتَصْحِيحِ نِيَّتِكَ فِي فَرِيضَتِكَ كَمَا تُعْنَ فَرِيضَتَكَ بِتَصْحِيحِ نِيَّتِكَ فِي فَرِيضَتِكَ فَرِيضَةٌ عَلَيْكَ وَتَصْحِيحُ نِيَّتِكَ فِي نَافِلَتِكَ فَرِيضَةٌ عَلَيْكَ.

Fa-iʿna bitaṣḥīḥi niyyatika fī farīḍatika kamā tuʿna farīḍataka bitaṣḥīḥi niyyatika fī farīḍatika farīḍatun ʿalayka wa-taṣḥīḥu niyyatika fī nāfilatika farīḍatun ʿalayka.

Attend to correcting your intention in your obligation as you attend to your obligation: correcting your intention in your obligation is itself obligatory upon you [the printed connection is irregular]. Correcting your intention in a voluntary act is also obligatory upon you.

فَصِدْقٌ فِي النَّافِلَةِ فَرِيضَةٌ وَقَدْ فَرَضَ اللّٰهُ عَلَيْكَ فِي النَّافِلَةِ أَنْ تُخْلِصَ لَهُ وَلَمْ يَفْرِضْ عَلَيْكَ النَّافِلَةَ فَاعْنَ بِتَصْحِيحِ نِيَّتِكَ فِي نَافِلَتِكَ فَإِنَّهُ فَرِيضَةٌ عَلَيْكَ وَهُوَ أَلْزَمُ لَكَ (×) لَهُ أَلْزَمُ مِنَ النَّوَافِلِ.

Fa-ṣidqun fī al-nāfilati farīḍatun wa-qad faraḍa Allāhu ʿalayka fī al-nāfilati ʾan tukhliṣa lahu wa-lam yafriḍ ʿalayka al-nāfilata fa-iʿna bitaṣḥīḥi niyyatika fī nāfilatika fa-ʾinnahu farīḍatun ʿalayka wa-huwa ʾalzamu laka (×) lahu ʾalzamu mina al-nawāfili.

Truthfulness in a voluntary act is obligatory. God has required you to be sincere toward Him in a voluntary act, though He has not required the voluntary act itself. Attend, then, to correcting your intention in it, for that is obligatory upon you and more binding upon you: ‘(×) for it, more binding than voluntary acts’ [the edition marks an uncertain connection].

فَالصِّدْقُ فِي النِّيَّةِ فَرِيضَةٌ عَلَيْكَ فِي الْفَرَائِضِ وَفَرِيضَةٌ فِي النَّوَافِلِ وَلَا تُثِيبُ وَلَا تُقْبَلُ فَرِيضَةٌ وَلَا نَافِلَةٌ إِلَّا بِهِ فَسَلْ عَنْهُ وَاطْلُبْهُ كَمَا تَطْلُبُ الْفَرَائِضَ فَإِنَّهُ فَرْضٌ لَا يَكُونُ الْفَرِيضَةُ إِلَّا بِهِ.

Fa-al-ṣidqu fī al-niyyati farīḍatun ʿalayka fī al-farāʾiḍi wa-farīḍatun fī al-nawāfili wa-lā tuthību wa-lā tuqbalu farīḍatun wa-lā nāfilatun ʾillā bihi fa-sal ʿanhu wa-uṭlubhu kamā taṭlubu al-farāʾiḍa fa-ʾinnahu farḍun lā yakūnu al-farīḍatu ʾillā bihi.

Truthfulness of intention is obligatory in both required and voluntary acts. Neither a required nor a voluntary act gives reward or is accepted without it [“gives reward” follows the printed verb]. Ask about it and seek it as you seek your duties, for it is a duty without which the duty cannot be fulfilled.

وَالْإِخْلَاصُ فِي أَعْمَالِ الْفَرِيضَةِ وَالنَّوَافِلِ وَفِي طَلَبِ الْعِلْمِ وَطَلَبِ السُّنَّةِ وَهِيَ الْإِيمَانُ بِاللّٰهِ وَبِمُحَمَّدٍ صَلَّى اللّٰهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ وَالْقُرْآنِ وَبِالْجَنَّةِ وَالنَّارِ سَوَا إِخْلَاصٌ وَاحِدٌ.

Wa-al-ʾikhlāṣu fī ʾaʿmāli al-farīḍati wa-al-nawāfili wa-fī ṭalabi al-ʿilmi wa-ṭalabi al-sunnati wa-hiya al-ʾīmānu bi-Allāhi wa-bi-Muḥammadin ṣallā Allāhu ʿalayhi wa-sallama wa-al-Qurʾāni wa-bi-al-jannati wa-al-nāri sawā ʾikhlāṣun wāḥidun.

Sincerity in obligatory and voluntary deeds, in seeking knowledge, and in seeking the Sunna, which is faith in God, in Muḥammad, may God bless him and grant him peace, in the Qurʾān, and in Paradise and Hell, is alike: one and the same sincerity.

فَرَضَ اللّٰهُ تَعَالَى الْإِيمَانَ بِذٰلِكَ وَفَرَضَ أَنْ لَا يُرَادَ غَيْرُ اللّٰهِ بِذٰلِكَ فَقَالَ: «فَمَنْ كَانَ يَرْجُوا لِقَاءَ رَبِّهِ فَلْيَعْمَلْ عَمَلًا صَالِحًا وَلَا يُشْرِكْ بِعِبَادَةِ رَبِّهِ أَحَدًا».

Faraḍa Allāhu taʿālā al-ʾīmāna bi-dhālika wa-faraḍa ʾan lā yurāda ghayru Allāhi bi-dhālika fa-qāla: «fa-man kāna yarjū liqāʾa rabbihi fa-l-yaʿmal ʿamalan ṣāliḥan wa-lā yushrik biʿibādati rabbihi ʾaḥadan».

God Most High has made faith in these things obligatory and has required that no one other than God be sought through them. He said, “Whoever hopes to meet his Lord should do righteous work and associate no one in worship of his Lord.”

لَا إِيمَانَ لِمَنْ لَا صِدْقَ لَهُ وَلَا إِيمَانَ لِمَنْ لَا يُرِيدُ اللّٰهَ تَعَالَى بِإِيمَانِهِ فَالْإِخْلَاصُ لِلّٰهِ فَرِيضَةٌ فِي الْإِيمَانِ وَالْأَعْمَالِ وَفِي التَّقْوَى كُلِّهِ.

Lā ʾīmāna liman lā ṣidqa lahu wa-lā ʾīmāna liman lā yurīdu Allāha taʿālā bi-ʾīmānihi fa-al-ʾikhlāṣu li-llāhi farīḍatun fī al-ʾīmāni wa-al-ʾaʿmāli wa-fī al-taqwā kullihi.

There is no faith for one who has no truthfulness, and no faith for one who does not seek God Most High through his faith. Sincerity toward God is therefore obligatory in faith, deeds, and all reverence for God.

وَهُوَ فَرِيضَةٌ عَامَّةٌ عَلَى حُرِّنَا وَعَبْدِنَا وَذَكَرِنَا وَأُنْثَانَا وَصَحِيحِنَا وَسَقِيمِنَا وَفِي السَّفَرِ وَالْحَضَرِ.

Wa-huwa farīḍatun ʿāmmatun ʿalā ḥurrinā wa-ʿabdinā wa-dhakarinā wa-ʾunthānā wa-ṣaḥīḥinā wa-saqīminā wa-fī al-safari wa-al-ḥaḍari.

It is a universal duty upon our free and enslaved, our men and women, our healthy and sick, in travel and at home.

Source pages 31–32

فَاسْتَوَوْا فِي فَرِيضَةِ الصِّدْقِ فِي إِخْلَاصِهِمْ فِي أَسْفَارِهِمْ وَفِي إِقَامَتِهِمْ وَفِي سَقَمِهِمْ وَفِي صِحَّتِهِمْ وَلَمْ تَسْتَوِ أَعْمَالُ فَرَائِضِهِمْ فِي أَنْفُسِ الْأَعْمَالِ وَاسْتَوَتْ عَلَيْهِمْ فَرَائِضُ اللّٰهِ فِي الصِّدْقِ لِلّٰهِ وَالْإِخْلَاصِ لَهُ.

Fa-istawaw fī farīḍati al-ṣidqi fī ʾikhlāṣihim fī ʾasfārihim wa-fī ʾiqāmatihim wa-fī saqamihim wa-fī ṣiḥḥatihim wa-lam tastawi ʾaʿmālu farāʾiḍihim fī ʾanfusi al-ʾaʿmāli wa-istawat ʿalayhim farāʾiḍu Allāhi fī al-ṣidqi li-llāhi wa-al-ʾikhlāṣi lahu.

They are equal in the obligation of truthfulness in their sincerity, whether traveling or staying at home, sick or healthy. Their obligatory deeds are not equal in the acts themselves, but God's requirements of truthfulness toward Him and sincerity for Him apply equally to them.

Source page 32

أَلَا تَرَى أَنَّ الْمُنَافِقَ تَرَكَ فَرِيضَةَ اللّٰهِ الْبَاطِنَةَ فِي نِيَّتِهِ وَإِرَادَتِهِ الْإِيمَانَ لِلّٰهِ وَبِاللّٰهِ فَلَمْ يَكُنْ مُؤْمِنًا وَإِنْ كَانَ مُقِرًّا بِاللِّسَانِ حَيْثُ تَرَكَ فَرِيضَةَ اللّٰهِ فِي تَصْحِيحِ إِرَادَتِهِ فِي بَاطِنِهِ؟

ʾAlā tarā ʾanna al-munāfiqa taraka farīḍata Allāhi al-bāṭinata fī niyyatihi wa-ʾirādatihi al-ʾīmāna li-llāhi wa-bi-Allāhi fa-lam yakun muʾminan wa-ʾin kāna muqirran bi-al-lisāni ḥaythu taraka farīḍata Allāhi fī taṣḥīḥi ʾirādatihi fī bāṭinihi?

Do you not see that the hypocrite abandons God's inward obligation in his intention and his purpose of faith for God and in God? He is not a believer, even if he professes it with his tongue, because he has abandoned God's requirement to set his inward purpose right.

فَرَضَ اللّٰهُ الْإِرَادَةَ لَهُ بِالْإِيمَانِ بِهِ كَمَا فَرَضَ الْإِيمَانَ فَأَصَابَ الْمُؤْمِنُ الصَّادِقُ بِنِيَّتِهِ الْفَرِيضَتَيْنِ جَمِيعًا الظَّاهِرَةَ وَالْبَاطِنَةَ فَرِيضَةَ النِّيَّةِ وَهِيَ الْإِرَادَةُ لِلّٰهِ بِالْإِيمَانِ بِهِ وَرُسُلِهِ.

Faraḍa Allāhu al-ʾirādata lahu bi-al-ʾīmāni bihi kamā faraḍa al-ʾīmāna fa-ʾaṣāba al-muʾminu al-ṣādiqu biniyyatihi al-farīḍatayni jamīʿan al-ẓāhirata wa-al-bāṭinata farīḍata al-niyyati wa-hiya al-ʾirādatu li-llāhi bi-al-ʾīmāni bihi wa-rusulihi.

God requires that He be sought through faith in Him, just as He requires faith itself. Through his intention, the truthful believer fulfills both duties, outward and inward: the duty of intention, which means seeking God through faith in Him and His messengers.

وَلَا يَنْفَعُ إِصَابَةُ الْفَرِيضَةِ الظَّاهِرَةِ لَا بِإِصَابَةِ الْبَاطِنَةِ فِي الْإِيمَانِ وَالْفَرَائِضِ وَالنَّوَافِلِ.

Wa-lā yanfaʿu ʾiṣābatu al-farīḍati al-ẓāhirati lā bi-ʾiṣābati al-bāṭinati fī al-ʾīmāni wa-al-farāʾiḍi wa-al-nawāfili.

Fulfilling the outward duty does not benefit, ‘not through fulfilling the inward,’ in faith, obligatory acts, and voluntary acts [the printed negation is defective; it is not silently replaced with “except”].

فَإِذَا رَحَلْتَ فِي طَلَبِ الْعِلْمِ هٰذِهِ الْفَرِيضَةِ أَوْ مَشَيْتَ فِي طَلَبِ التَّعَلُّمِ لَهَا أَوْ جَلَسْتَ فِي طَلَبِ التَّعْلِيمِ لَهَا لِغَيْرِكَ فَأَنْتَ دَاخِلٌ فِي فَرِيضَةٍ وَجَالِسٌ فِي فَرِيضَةٍ وَمَاشٍ فِي فَرِيضَةٍ.

Fa-ʾidhā raḥalta fī ṭalabi al-ʿilmi hādhihi al-farīḍati ʾaw mashayta fī ṭalabi al-taʿallumi lahā ʾaw jalasta fī ṭalabi al-taʿlīmi lahā lighayrika fa-ʾanta dākhilun fī farīḍatin wa-jālisun fī farīḍatin wa-māshin fī farīḍatin.

When you travel in search of knowledge of this duty, walk to learn it, or sit to teach it to someone else, you are entering into a duty, sitting within a duty, and walking within a duty.

وَهُوَ أَفْضَلُ مِنْ صِيَامِ يَوْمٍ نَافِلَةٍ وَأَفْضَلُ مِنْ قِيَامِ لَيْلَةٍ نَافِلَةٍ وَأَفْضَلُ مِنْ صَدَقَةٍ نَافِلَةٍ وَأَفْضَلُ مِنْ حَجَّةٍ نَافِلَةٍ وَأَفْضَلُ مِنْ غَزْوَةٍ نَافِلَةٍ وَأَفْضَلُ مِنْ عِتْقِ رَقَبَةٍ نَافِلَةٍ وَهُوَ أَفْضَلُ مَا أُطِيعَ اللّٰهُ فِيهِ.

Wa-huwa ʾafḍalu min ṣiyāmi yawmin nāfilatin wa-ʾafḍalu min qiyāmi laylatin nāfilatin wa-ʾafḍalu min ṣadaqatin nāfilatin wa-ʾafḍalu min ḥajjatin nāfilatin wa-ʾafḍalu min ghazwatin nāfilatin wa-ʾafḍalu min ʿitqi raqabatin nāfilatin wa-huwa ʾafḍalu mā ʾuṭīʿa Allāhu fīhi.

It is better than a voluntary day of fasting, a voluntary night of prayer, a voluntary charitable gift, a voluntary pilgrimage, a voluntary military expedition, or voluntarily freeing an enslaved person. It is the finest way in which God is obeyed.

فَإِنَّهَا فَرِيضَةٌ قَدْ فَرَضَهَا اللّٰهُ وَتَرَكَهَا بَعْضُ النَّاسِ وَثَقُلَتْ عَلَيْهِمْ فَمَا أَكْثَرَ حَاجَتَكَ فِي إِحْسَانِكَ إِلَى تَصْحِيحِ نِيَّتِكَ.

Fa-ʾinnahā farīḍatun qad faraḍahā Allāhu wa-tarakahā baʿḍu al-nāsi wa-thaqulat ʿalayhim fa-mā ʾakthara ḥājataka fī ʾiḥsānika ʾilā taṣḥīḥi niyyatika.

It is a duty God has imposed, though some people have abandoned it and found it burdensome. How great is your need to correct your intention in your good conduct!

وَحَاجَتُكَ إِلَى أَنْ لَا يُكْرِمَكَ النَّاسُ وَلَا يُعَظِّمُوكَ مِثْلُ حَاجَتِكَ إِلَى إِحْسَانِكَ وَحَاجَتُكَ إِلَى سَتْرِ حَسَنَاتِكَ أَكْثَرُ مِنْ حَاجَتِكَ إِلَى حَسَنَاتِكَ وَمَا أَكْثَرَ حَاجَتَكَ إِلَى جَهَالَةِ النَّاسِ بِكَ وَبِحَسَنَاتِكَ وَبِعَمَلِكَ لِهٰذِهِ الْفَرِيضَةِ.

Wa-ḥājatuka ʾilā ʾan lā yukrimaka al-nāsu wa-lā yuʿaẓẓimūka mithlu ḥājatika ʾilā ʾiḥsānika wa-ḥājatuka ʾilā satri ḥasanātika ʾaktharu min ḥājatika ʾilā ḥasanātika wa-mā ʾakthara ḥājataka ʾilā jahālati al-nāsi bika wa-biḥasanātika wa-biʿamalika li-hādhihi al-farīḍati.

Your need for people not to honor or magnify you is like your need for doing good. Your need to conceal your good deeds is greater than your need for those deeds. How great is your need for people to remain unaware of you, your good deeds, and your fulfillment of this duty!

لَيْسَ فِيهَا تَعَبُ بَدَنٍ وَلَا بُعْدُ أَثَرٍ وَلَا نَفَقَةٌ فِي ذَاتِ يَدٍ وَهِيَ أَفْضَلُ مِنْ فَرَائِضِكَ فِيمَا تَرَكُوا فَرَائِضَكَ وَأَغْنَاكَ حَاجَتَكَ إِلَى حَسَنَاتِكَ.

Laysa fīhā taʿabu badanin wa-lā buʿdu ʾatharin wa-lā nafaqatun fī dhāti yadin wa-hiya ʾafḍalu min farāʾiḍika fīmā tarakū farāʾiḍaka wa-ʾaghnāka ḥājataka ʾilā ḥasanātika.

It involves no bodily fatigue, distant journey, or expenditure of possessions. It is better than your duties ‘in what they left your duties, and made you independent of your need for your good deeds’ [the printed wording is corrupt or unclear].

إِنْ عَقَلْتَ مَا وَصَفْتُ لَكَ ثُمَّ عُرِضَتْ عَلَيْكَ الدُّنْيَا كُلُّهَا أَنْ تُظْهِرَ حَسَنَاتِكَ أَوْ تُرَى بِهَا مَا قَبِلْتَ الدُّنْيَا وَلَوْ حُمِلَتْ عَلَيْكَ عُقُوبَاتُ الدُّنْيَا كُلُّهَا عَلَى أَنْ تُرَائِيَ بِحَسَنَاتِكَ كَانَ يَنْبَغِي لَكَ أَنْ تَصِيرَ إِلَى تِلْكَ الْعُقُوبَاتِ.

ʾIn ʿaqalta mā waṣaftu laka thumma ʿuriḍat ʿalayka al-dunyā kulluhā ʾan tuẓhira ḥasanātika ʾaw turā bihā mā qabilta al-dunyā wa-law ḥumilat ʿalayka ʿuqūbātu al-dunyā kulluhā ʿalā ʾan turāʾiya biḥasanātika kāna yanbaghī laka ʾan taṣīra ʾilā tilka al-ʿuqūbāti.

If you understand what I have described, then even if the entire world were offered to you to display your good deeds or be seen through them, you would not accept it. Even if all the world's punishments were imposed upon you to make you show off your good deeds, you ought to submit to those punishments instead.

وَكَيْفَ تَرَا مَنْ لَا يَأْخُذُ مِنْهُ شَيْا فِي الدُّنْيَا وَلَا يَحْمِلُ عَنْكَ شَيْا مِنَ الْعِقَابِ وَلَمْ يَبْقَ عَلَيْكَ وَلَمْ يَعْدِلْ وَمَنْ لَا يَعْلَمُهُ مِنْكَ وَلَوْ عَلِمَهُ مِنْكَ لَمَقَتَكَ.

Wa-kayfa tarā man lā yaʾkhudhu minhu shay fī al-dunyā wa-lā yaḥmilu ʿanka shay mina al-ʿiqābi wa-lam yabqa ʿalayka wa-lam yaʿdil wa-man lā yaʿlamuhu minka wa-law ʿalimahu minka lamaqataka.

How do you ‘see’ someone from whom nothing is taken in this world, who bears none of your punishment, who has neither spared you nor acted justly, and who does not know it of you, though if he did know it he would detest you [the printed sentence, including its initial verb, is unclear]?

وَتُرَائِي مَنْ أَنْتَ عَلَى يَقِينٍ مِنْ نَظَرِهِ إِلَيْكَ وَمَنْ هُوَ أَعْلَمُ بِإِظْهَارِ حَسَنَاتِكَ دَلَّ ذٰلِكَ عَلَى جَهْلِكَ فَمَا أَحْوَجَكَ إِلَى إِخْفَاءِ حَسَنَاتِكَ وَسَتْرِ عَمَلِكَ.

Wa-turāʾī man ʾanta ʿalā yaqīnin min naẓarihi ʾilayka wa-man huwa ʾaʿlamu bi-ʾiẓhāri ḥasanātika dalla dhālika ʿalā jahlika fa-mā ʾaḥwajaka ʾilā ʾikhfāʾi ḥasanātika wa-satri ʿamalika.

You show off before the One whose watching you is certain to you, and who knows best your display of good deeds. That reveals your ignorance. How greatly you need to hide your good deeds and conceal your work!

بَابُ قِلَّةِ الْأَكْلِ وَتَصْغِيرِ الدُّنْيَا

Bābu qillati al-ʾakli wa-taṣghīri al-dunyā

Chapter on Eating Little and Making the World Small in One's Eyes

يَخَافُ اللّٰهَ تَعَالَى مِنْ تَرْكِ الْمَيْتَةِ وَهُوَ يَعَافُ أَكْلَهَا فَهُوَ يَخَافُ اللّٰهَ أَنْ يَتْرُكَهَا وَهُوَ يَخَافُ اللّٰهَ أَنْ يَأْخُذَ الْفَضْلَ مِنْهَا.

Yakhāfu Allāha taʿālā min tarki al-maytati wa-huwa yaʿāfu ʾaklahā fa-huwa yakhāfu Allāha ʾan yatrukahā wa-huwa yakhāfu Allāha ʾan yaʾkhudha al-faḍla minhā.

He fears God Most High in leaving carrion, though he recoils from eating it. He fears God in leaving it, and fears God in taking more of it than he needs.

Source pages 32–33

يَخَافُ أَنْ يَعْصِيَ اللّٰهَ فِي تَرْكِهَا إِذَا اضْطُرَّ إِلَيْهَا وَيَخَافُ أَنْ يُصِيبَ مِنْهَا أَكْثَرَ مِنْ مَعِيشَتِهِ إِنْ لَوْ أَكَلَهَا وَهُوَ غَنِيٌّ عَنْهَا فَهُوَ يَأْكُلُهَا بِحَاجَتِهِ إِلَيْهَا لَا لِشَهْوَةٍ لَهَا.

Yakhāfu ʾan yaʿṣiya Allāha fī tarkihā ʾidhā uḍṭurra ʾilayhā wa-yakhāfu ʾan yuṣība minhā ʾakthara min maʿīshatihi ʾin law ʾakalahā wa-huwa ghaniyyun ʿanhā fa-huwa yaʾkuluhā biḥājatihi ʾilayhā lā lishahwatin lahā.

He fears disobeying God by leaving it when necessity compels him to eat it, and fears taking more than his sustenance requires, as though he ate it while having no need of it. He eats it because he needs it, not because he craves it.

Source page 33

فَهٰذِهِ غَايَةُ تَصْغُرِ الدُّنْيَا فَإِذَا كَانَتْ فِي هٰذَا الْمَوْضِعِ عِنْدَ صَاحِبِهَا لَمْ يَحْزَنْ عَلَيْهَا وَلَمْ يَفْرَحْ بِهَا.

Fa-hādhihi ghāyatu taṣghuri al-dunyā fa-ʾidhā kānat fī hādhā al-mawḍiʿi ʿinda ṣāḥibihā lam yaḥzan ʿalayhā wa-lam yafraḥ bihā.

This is the furthest extent of the world's becoming small [the printed nominal form is irregular]. When the world occupies this place in someone's eyes, he neither grieves over it nor rejoices in it.

مَنْ يَفْرَحُ بِمَيْتَةٍ فَاتَتْهُ أَوْ مَنْ يَفْرَحُ بِمَيْتَةٍ أَقْبَلَتْ إِلَيْهِ بَلْ يَفْرَحُ بِهَا مُدْبِرَةً وَيَحْزَنُ بِهَا مُقْبِلَةً لِأَنَّهُ عَلَى حَدِّ عِبَادَةٍ وَاسْتِعْدَادٍ.

Man yafraḥu bimaytatin fātat-hu ʾaw man yafraḥu bimaytatin ʾaqbalat ʾilayhi bal yafraḥu bihā mudbiratan wa-yaḥzanu bihā muqbilatan li-ʾannahu ʿalā ḥaddi ʿibādatin wa-istiʿdādin.

Who rejoices over carrion that has passed him by, or over carrion coming toward him? Rather, he rejoices when it departs and grieves when it approaches, because he is committed to worship and preparation [the repeated “rejoices” follows the printed wording].

وَلٰكِنْ جُعِلَ مُحْتَاجًا إِلَى الْغَدَاءِ فَهُوَ لَا يَسْتَطِيبُ ذٰلِكَ وَهُوَ يَحْتَاجُ إِلَيْهِ فَبِحَاجَتِهِ مَدَّ يَدَهُ إِلَيْهَا لِلْمَخَافَةِ عَلَى فَوَاتِ لَذَّاتِ حَلَاوَةِ الدُّنْيَا.

Wa-lākin juʿila muḥtājan ʾilā al-ghadāʾi fa-huwa lā yastaṭību dhālika wa-huwa yaḥtāju ʾilayhi fa-biḥājatihi madda yadahu ʾilayhā li-al-makhāfati ʿalā fawāti ladhdhāti ḥalāwati al-dunyā.

But he has been made to need a meal. He does not relish it, though he needs it. Because of his need, he stretches his hand toward it, ‘for fear of missing the pleasures of the world's sweetness’ [the final printed phrase conflicts with the preceding sense and is retained].

بَابُ الْتِمَاسِ الْمَطْعَمِ فِي الْأَكْلِ وَالشُّرْبِ وَاللِّبَاسِ

Bābu iltimāsi al-maṭʿami fī al-ʾakli wa-al-shurbi wa-al-libāsi

Chapter on Seeking Sustenance in Food, Drink, and Clothing

إِذَا كَانَ لِلّٰهِ تَعَالَى مِنْ طَلَبِ الدُّنْيَا فَرِيضَةٌ فِي الْمَطْعَمِ وَالْمَشْرَبِ وَالْمَلْبَسِ مِنْ قِبَلِ أَنَّهُ لَوْ أَنَّ رَجُلًا قَالَ لَا آكُلُ وَلَا أَشْرَبُ وَهُوَ يَقْدِرُ عَلَى الْمَأْكَلِ وَالْمَشْرَبِ كَانَ لِنَفْسِهِ قَاتِلًا.

ʾIdhā kāna li-llāhi taʿālā min ṭalabi al-dunyā farīḍatun fī al-maṭʿami wa-al-mashrabi wa-al-malbasi min qibali ʾannahu law ʾanna rajulan qāla lā ʾākulu wa-lā ʾashrabu wa-huwa yaqdiru ʿalā al-maʾkali wa-al-mashrabi kāna linafsihi qātilan.

There is a duty owed to God Most High in seeking worldly food, drink, and clothing. If a man said, “I will neither eat nor drink,” while able to obtain food and drink, he would be killing himself.

قَالَ اللّٰهُ عَزَّ وَجَلَّ: «وَلَا تَقْتُلُوا أَنْفُسَكُمْ إِنَّ اللّٰهَ كَانَ بِكُمْ رَحِيمًا» فَنَهَى عَنْ أَسْبَابِ الْقَتْلِ كُلِّهَا.

Qāla Allāhu ʿazza wa-jalla: «wa-lā taqtulū ʾanfusakum ʾinna Allāha kāna bikum raḥīman» fa-nahā ʿan ʾasbābi al-qatli kullihā.

God, mighty and majestic, said, “Do not kill yourselves; God has indeed been merciful to you.” He thus forbade all means of killing.

فَمَنْ قَتَلَ نَفْسَهُ بِحَدِيدَةٍ أَوْ بِسُمٍّ أَوْ بِغَرَقٍ أَوْ بِحَرَقٍ أَوْ بِجُوعٍ أَوْ بِعَطَشٍ فَسَوَا قَتْلُهُ إِيَّاهَا.

Fa-man qatala nafsahu biḥadīdatin ʾaw bisummin ʾaw bigharaqin ʾaw biḥaraqin ʾaw bijūʿin ʾaw biʿaṭashin fa-sawā qatluhu ʾiyyāhā.

Whether someone kills himself with an iron weapon, poison, drowning, burning, hunger, or thirst, his killing himself is the same.

فَالْفَرِيضَةُ عَلَيْهِ أَنْ يُرِيحَهَا مِنْ حَدِّ قَتْلِهِ إِيَّاهَا بِمَا تَيَسَّرَ وَهَانَ فِي الدُّنْيَا مِنْ مَأْكَلِ الدُّنْيَا مِمَّا تَأْكُلُ الْا (×) وَغَيْرِ ذٰلِكَ مِمَّا لَا يَأْكُلُهُ النَّاسُ فَإِنْ أَكَلُوهُ أَمْسَكَ أَنْفُسَهُمْ وَكَانَ فِيهِ حَيَاتُهُمْ.

Fa-al-farīḍatu ʿalayhi ʾan yurīḥahā min ḥaddi qatlihi ʾiyyāhā bimā tayassara wa-hāna fī al-dunyā min maʾkali al-dunyā mimmā taʾkulu al-ā (×) wa-ghayri dhālika mimmā lā yaʾkuluhu al-nāsu fa-ʾin ʾakalūhu ʾamsaka ʾanfusahum wa-kāna fīhi ḥayātuhum.

His duty is to relieve his self from the brink of killing it with whatever worldly food is easy and readily available, of what ‘al-ā … (×)’ eats [a broken printed word], or other things people do not ordinarily eat but which, if eaten, sustain their selves and preserve their lives.

وَلَيْسَ فِي الْمَأْكَلِ شَيْ مَعْلُومٌ وَلَا مَحْدُودٌ.

Wa-laysa fī al-maʾkali shay maʿlūmun wa-lā maḥdūdun.

No particular or fixed kind of food is specified.

وَفَرِيضَةُ اللُّبْسِ لَوْ أَنَّ رَجُلًا قَالَ لَا أُصَلِّي إِلَّا عُرْيَانَ وَلَا أَمْشِي إِلَّا عُرْيَانَ كَانَ قَدْ تَرَكَ الْفَرِيضَةَ وَهِيَ لِلصَّلَاةِ وَكَانَ قَدْ تَرَكَ سَتْرَ الْعَوْرَةِ وَسَتْرُ الْعَوْرَةِ فَرِيضَةٌ فَكَانَ تَارِكًا الْفَرِيضَةَ فِي الْأَمْرَيْنِ جَمِيعًا.

Wa-farīḍatu al-lubsi law ʾanna rajulan qāla lā ʾuṣallī ʾillā ʿuryāna wa-lā ʾamshī ʾillā ʿuryāna kāna qad taraka al-farīḍata wa-hiya li-al-ṣalāti wa-kāna qad taraka satra al-ʿawrati wa-satru al-ʿawrati farīḍatun fa-kāna tārikan al-farīḍata fī al-ʾamrayni jamīʿan.

As for the duty of clothing, if a man said, “I will pray only naked and walk only naked,” he would have abandoned the obligation associated with prayer and the obligation of covering his private parts. Covering them is a duty, so he would have abandoned a duty in both respects.

فَعَلَيْهِ أَنْ يَطْلُبَ مِنَ اللُّبْسِ مَا سَتَرَ عَوْرَتَهُ وَأَدَّى فِيهِ فَرِيضَةً فَغَيْرَ لِبَاسٍ مَحْدُودٍ وَلَا جِنْسٍ مِنْ أَجْنَاسِ الثِّيَابِ مِنْ وَضِيعِهَا.

Fa-ʿalayhi ʾan yaṭluba mina al-lubsi mā satara ʿawratahu wa-ʾaddā fīhi farīḍatan fa-ghayra libāsin maḥdūdin wa-lā jinsin min ʾajnāsi al-thiyābi min waḍīʿihā.

He must therefore seek clothing that covers his private parts and in which he can fulfill an obligation, without a specified garment or a particular kind among humble clothes [the printed connection is compressed].

فَإِنِ ادَّعَى أَنَّهُ يُرِيدُ سَتْرَ الْعَوْرَةِ بِلِبَاسِ كِسْرَى وَقَيْصَرَ لَمْ يُصَدَّقْ وَإِنِ ادَّعَى أَنَّهُ يُرِيدُ سَدَّ الْجُوعِ بِمَأْكَلٍ كِسْرَوِيٍّ وَقَيْصَرَ لَمْ يُصَدَّقْ وَعُلِمَ أَنَّ هٰذَا إِنَّمَا يُرِيدُهُ لِلَذَّةٍ وَمِثْلُهَا طَالِبُ الدُّنْيَا جَمَعَ مَا أَحَبَّ مِنَ الدُّنْيَا فَافْهَمْ ـ

Fa-ʾini iddaʿā ʾannahu yurīdu satra al-ʿawrati bilibāsi Kisrā wa-Qayṣara lam yuṣaddaq wa-ʾini iddaʿā ʾannahu yurīdu sadda al-jūʿi bimaʾkalin Kisrawiyyin wa-Qayṣara lam yuṣaddaq wa-ʿulima ʾanna hādhā ʾinnamā yurīduhu liladhdhatin wa-mithluhā ṭālibu al-dunyā jamaʿa mā ʾaḥabba mina al-dunyā fa-ifham –

If he claims to want only to cover himself with the clothes of Chosroes and Caesar, he is not believed. If he claims to want only to still his hunger with Persian royal food and Caesar's fare, he is not believed. It is known that he wants this for pleasure. Likewise, the seeker of the world gathers whatever he loves of it. Understand this.

لَا تَخْلُوا الْعِبَادَةُ إِلَّا بِالْفِكْرِ وَلَا يَخْلُوا الرِّيَا إِلَّا بِالْفِكْرِ قَبْلَ الرِّيَا وَلَا يَخْلُو حُبُّ الدُّنْيَا إِلَّا بِالْفِكْرِ قَبْلَ حُبِّ الدُّنْيَا.

Lā takhlū al-ʿibādatu ʾillā bi-al-fikri wa-lā yakhlū al-riyā ʾillā bi-al-fikri qabla al-riyā wa-lā yakhlū ḥubbu al-dunyā ʾillā bi-al-fikri qabla ḥubbi al-dunyā.

Worship ‘does not become empty except through thought’; ostentation does not become empty except through thought preceding it; and love of the world does not become empty except through thought preceding it [the repeated printed verb is uncertain in context].

يَقُولُ الْعَابِدُ يَرَانِيَ اللّٰهُ تَعَالَى فِي عِبَادَتِي وَتَرَانِيَ الْمَلَائِكَةُ وَهُوَ يَقُولُ الْمُرَائِي يَرَانِيَ النَّاسُ وَيَقُولُ صَاحِبُ الدُّنْيَا إِذَا جَمَعْتُ الدُّنْيَا صَنَعْتُ كَذَا وَكَذَا فَيَقَعُ الْعِلْمُ بَعْدَ الْخَلَا بِالْفِكْرِ.

Yaqūlu al-ʿābidu yarāniya Allāhu taʿālā fī ʿibādatī wa-tarāniya al-malāʾikatu wa-huwa yaqūlu al-murāʾī yarāniya al-nāsu wa-yaqūlu ṣāḥibu al-dunyā ʾidhā jamaʿtu al-dunyā ṣanaʿtu kadhā wa-kadhā fa-yaqaʿu al-ʿilmu baʿda al-khalā bi-al-fikri.

The worshiper says, “God Most High sees me in my worship, and the angels see me.” The ostentatious person says, “People see me.” The worldly person says, “When I have gathered worldly wealth, I will do this and that.” Knowledge comes after solitude in thought [the printed connection is irregular].

Source pages 33–34

فَفِيهِ مُصَلِّي نَايِمٌ وَنَايِمٌ مُصَلِّي وَصَائِمٌ مُفْطِرٌ وَمُفْطِرٌ صَايِمٌ وَكَاسٍ عَارٍ وَمُتَطَهِّرٌ غَيْرُ طَاهِرٍ.

Fa-fīhi muṣallī nāyimun wa-nāyimun muṣallī wa-ṣāʾimun mufṭirun wa-mufṭirun ṣāyimun wa-kāsin ʿārin wa-mutaṭahhirun ghayru ṭāhirin.

Within this are one who prays but is sleeping, one who sleeps but is praying, one who fasts but is breaking the fast, one who breaks the fast but is fasting, one clothed yet naked, and one who purifies himself yet is not pure.

Source page 34

فَأَمَّا الْمُفْطِرُ الصَّايِمُ فَرَجُلٌ صَوَّمَ نَفْسَهُ فِي ضِدِّ فِطْرِهِ مِنْ آثَامِهِ فَهٰذَا الصَّوْمُ الْمَعْرُوفُ فِي ضِدِّ الصِّيَامِ وَضِدِّ الْإِفْطَارِ.

Fa-ʾammā al-mufṭiru al-ṣāyimu fa-rajulun ṣawwama nafsahu fī ḍiddi fiṭrihi min ʾāthāmihi fa-hādhā al-ṣawmu al-maʿrūfu fī ḍiddi al-ṣiyāmi wa-ḍiddi al-ʾifṭāri.

As for the one who breaks the fast yet is fasting, he is a man who makes his self fast from sins in contrast to his breaking the fast. This is the recognized fast, in contrast to fasting and in contrast to breaking the fast [the repeated contrast is retained as printed].

وَأَمَّا الصَّايِمُ الْمُفْطِرُ فَرَجُلٌ جَوَّعَ نَفْسَهُ وَأَفْطَرَ مِنْ صِيَامِهِ فِي نَهَارِهِ وَعِنْدَ فِطْرِهِ وَسَحُورِهِ فَلَيْسَ لَهُ مِنْ صِيَامِهِ إِلَّا أَلَمُ صِيَامِهِ وَجُوعُ كَبِدِهِ وَظَمَا هُوَ أَجْرُهُ.

Wa-ʾammā al-ṣāyimu al-mufṭiru fa-rajulun jawwaʿa nafsahu wa-ʾafṭara min ṣiyāmihi fī nahārihi wa-ʿinda fiṭrihi wa-saḥūrihi fa-laysa lahu min ṣiyāmihi ʾillā ʾalamu ṣiyāmihi wa-jūʿu kabidihi wa-ẓamā huwa ʾajruhu.

The one who fasts yet is breaking the fast is a man who makes himself hungry but breaks his fast through his conduct during the day, at its breaking, and at his predawn meal. All he gains from his fast is its pain, the hunger of his liver, and thirst: that is his reward.

وَأَمَّا الْكَاسِي فَرَجُلٌ يَلْبَسُ ثِيَابَهُ مِنْ آثَامِهِ فَثَوْبُهُ وَصَلَاتُهُ مِنْ آثَامِهِ فَهُوَ كَاسٍ مِنْ لِبَاسِهِ عَارٍ فِيمَا بَيْنَهُ وَبَيْنَ رَبِّهِ.

Wa-ʾammā al-kāsī fa-rajulun yalbasu thiyābahu min ʾāthāmihi fa-thawbuhu wa-ṣalātuhu min ʾāthāmihi fa-huwa kāsin min libāsihi ʿārin fīmā baynahu wa-bayna rabbihi.

The clothed person is a man who wears clothes obtained through his sins. His garment and prayer arise from his sins, so he is clothed in his dress but naked in what lies between himself and his Lord.

وَمُتَطَهِّرٌ غَيْرُ طَاهِرٍ فَرَجُلٌ اكْتَسَبَ ظُهُورَهُ لِصَلَاتِهِ مِنْ مَاءِهِ وَمَعْصِيَةٍ فَهُوَ مُتَطَهِّرٌ بِمَائِهِ غَيْرُ مُتَطَهِّرٍ مِنْ آثَامِ طُهُورِهِ فَهٰذَا طُهُورٌ مُتَطَهَّرٌ بِهِ.

Wa-mutaṭahhirun ghayru ṭāhirin fa-rajulun iktasaba ẓuhūrahu liṣalātihi min māʾihi wa-maʿṣiyatin fa-huwa mutaṭahhirun bimāʾihi ghayru mutaṭahhirin min ʾāthāmi ṭuhūrihi fa-hādhā ṭuhūrun mutaṭahharun bihi.

The one who purifies himself yet is not pure is a man who obtains his ‘appearance’ for prayer from his water and a sin [the printed word is unexpected]. He is purified with his water but not purified from the sins of his purification. This is a purification with which he purifies himself.

فَهُوَ يُطَهِّرُ قَذَرَ بَدَنِهِ بِقَذَرِ الْتِمَاسِهِ أَدِينَهُ وَيُبْقِي دَرَنَ بَدَنِهِ بِذَنْبِهِ فَالْقَذَرُ لَا يُنَقِّي مِنَ الْقَذَرِ وَالدَّرَنُ لَا يُنَقِّي مِنَ الدَّرَنِ.

Fa-huwa yuṭahhiru qadhara badanihi biqadhari iltimāsihi ʾadīnahu wa-yubqī darana badanihi bidhanbihi fa-al-qadharu lā yunaqqī mina al-qadhari wa-al-daranu lā yunaqqī mina al-darani.

He cleanses the dirt of his body with the dirt of his seeking ‘adīnahu’ [an unclear printed word], and preserves the grime of his body through his sin. Dirt does not cleanse dirt, and grime does not cleanse grime.

فَقَذَرُ بَدَنِهِ وَدَمٌ عَلَى جَسَدِهِ أَيْسَرُ فِي الْفَاحِشَةِ مِنْ دَرَنِ وُضُوءٍ وَقَذَرِ طُهُورِهِ الَّذِي اكْتَسَبَهُ مِنْ آثَامِهِ.

Fa-qadharu badanihi wa-damun ʿalā jasadihi ʾaysaru fī al-fāḥishati min darani wuḍūʾin wa-qadhari ṭuhūrihi alladhī iktasabahu min ʾāthāmihi.

The dirt on his body and blood on his flesh are less offensive than the grime of ablution and the filth of purification acquired through his sins.

فَهُوَ كَرَجُلٍ تَوَضَّأَ مِنَ الْحَدَثِ بِالدَّمِ أَوْ غَسَلَ دَمًا بِدَمٍ أَوْ رَجُلٍ بِهِ نَقَّى مَعْصِيَتَهُ فِي ثَوْبِهِ بِمَعْصِيَةٍ فِي (×) مَاءٍ غَسَلَ بِهِ ثَوْبَهُ فَمِنْ ظُهُورِهِ أَفْسَدَ أَصَلَاتَهُ مِنْ دَمِ ثَوْبِهِ وَقَذَرِ جَسَدِهِ.

Fa-huwa karajulin tawaḍḍaʾa mina al-ḥadathi bi-al-dami ʾaw ghasala daman bidamin ʾaw rajulin bihi naqqā maʿṣiyatahu fī thawbihi bimaʿṣiyatin fī (×) māʾin ghasala bihi thawbahu fa-min ẓuhūrihi ʾafsada ʾaṣalātahu min dami thawbihi wa-qadhari jasadihi.

He is like a man who performs ablution from ritual impurity with blood, washes blood with blood, or a man who ‘with it cleansed his sin in his garment’ through a sin in (×) water with which he washed the garment. ‘From his appearance he more corrupted his prayer’ than the blood on his garment and the dirt on his body [the printed sequence is defective, including its final comparison].

وَمُصَلِّي نَامَ صَلَّى لِيَنَامَ وَاسْتَجْلَبَ النَّوْمَ بِالصَّلَاةِ لَا لِثَوَابِ الصَّلَاةِ اسْتَجْلَبَ الصَّلَاةَ.

Wa-muṣallī nāma ṣallā liyanāma wa-istajlaba al-nawma bi-al-ṣalāti lā lithawābi al-ṣalāti istajlaba al-ṣalāta.

The praying person who slept prayed so that he could sleep, bringing on sleep through prayer. He did not bring himself to prayer for prayer's reward.

وَقَدْ يَكُونُ مُرِيدًا لِلنَّوْمِ بِالصَّلَاةِ وَمُرِيدًا بِالصَّلَاةِ فَصَلَاتُهُ شَطْرَانِ شَطْرٌ مِنْهَا لِنَوْمِهِ وَشَطْرٌ مِنْهَا مُسْتَجْلَبٌ لِصَلَاتِهِ فَوَاتَ الصَّلَاةِ.

Wa-qad yakūnu murīdan li-al-nawmi bi-al-ṣalāti wa-murīdan bi-al-ṣalāti fa-ṣalātuhu shaṭrāni shaṭrun minhā linawmihi wa-shaṭrun minhā mustajlabun liṣalātihi fawāta al-ṣalāti.

He may intend sleep through prayer and also intend through prayer, so his prayer has two parts: one for his sleep, and one brought about for his prayer, ‘missing prayer’ [the second intention and the closing phrase are incomplete or unclear as printed].

قَالَ: وَأَمَّا النَّايِمُ الْمُصَلِّي فَرَجُلٌ يُرِيدُ بِنَوْمِهِ الْقُوَّةَ عَلَى صَلَاتِهِ لِيَسْتَجْلِبَ بِقُوَّةِ الْمَنَامِ قُوَّةَ الصَّلَاةِ وَذٰلِكَ نِيَّتُهُ فَهٰذَا نَايِمٌ مُصَلٍّ.

Qāla: wa-ʾammā al-nāyimu al-muṣallī fa-rajulun yurīdu binawmihi al-quwwata ʿalā ṣalātihi liyastajliba biquwwati al-manāmi quwwata al-ṣalāti wa-dhālika niyyatuhu fa-hādhā nāyimun muṣallin.

He said, “The sleeping person who is praying is a man who intends through sleep to gain strength for prayer, drawing strength for prayer from the strength sleep gives. That is his intention: this is a sleeper who is praying.”

بَابُ صِدْقِ حُسْنِ الظَّنِّ وَالْخَوْفِ وَالرَّجَا

Bābu ṣidqi ḥusni al-ẓanni wa-al-khawfi wa-al-rajā

Chapter on Truthfulness in Good Expectations, Fear, and Hope

قَالَ: تَظُنُّ أَنَّكَ قَدْ ظَنَنْتَ وَتَرْجُوا أَنَّكَ قَدْ رَجَوْتَ وَلَوْ ظَنَنْتَ عَمِلْتَ وَتَهُمُّ أَنْ تَهُمَّ وَلَمْ تَهُمَّ وَظَنَنْتَ أَنَّكَ حَيْثُ هَمَمْتَ أَنْ تَهُمَّ قَدْ هَمَمْتَ وَلَوْ هَمَمْتَ عَمِلْتَ.

Qāla: taẓunnu ʾannaka qad ẓananta wa-tarjū ʾannaka qad rajawta wa-law ẓananta ʿamilta wa-tahummu ʾan tahumma wa-lam tahumma wa-ẓananta ʾannaka ḥaythu hamamta ʾan tahumma qad hamamta wa-law hamamta ʿamilta.

He said, “You think you have formed good expectations and hope that you have hoped. If you had truly expected, you would have acted. You intend to intend, but have not intended; you imagine that because you intended to intend, you have intended. If you had intended, you would have acted.

وَظَنَنْتَ حَتَّى رَجَوْتَ أَنَّكَ قَدْ رَجَوْتَ وَلَوْ رَجَوْتَ طَلَبْتَ مَا رَجَوْتَ وَظَنَنْتَ أَنَّكَ تَخَافُ وَلَمْ تَخَفْ وَلَوْ خِفْتَ هَرَبْتَ.

Wa-ẓananta ḥattā rajawta ʾannaka qad rajawta wa-law rajawta ṭalabta mā rajawta wa-ẓananta ʾannaka takhāfu wa-lam takhaf wa-law khifta harabta.

You imagine, until you hope, that you have hoped. If you had hoped, you would have sought what you hoped for. You think you fear, but you have not feared. If you had feared, you would have fled.

وَالْخَايِفُ لَيْسَ بِسَاهِي وَالَّذِي يَظُنُّ أَنَّهُ يَخَافُ سَاهِي الْمَخَافَةُ وَالْهَرَبُ مَعًا وَالظَّنُّ وَالْعَمَلُ مَعًا وَالرَّجَا وَالطَّلَبُ مَعًا مَنْ حَسُنَ ظَنُّهُ حَسُنَ عَمَلُهُ.

Wa-al-khāyifu laysa bisāhī wa-alladhī yaẓunnu ʾannahu yakhāfu sāhī al-makhāfatu wa-al-harabu maʿan wa-al-ẓannu wa-al-ʿamalu maʿan wa-al-rajā wa-al-ṭalabu maʿan man ḥasuna ẓannuhu ḥasuna ʿamaluhu.

One who fears is not heedless; the one who merely thinks he fears is heedless. Fear and flight go together, good expectations and action go together, and hope and seeking go together. Whoever thinks well acts well.”

قَالَ: مَنْ اشْتَدَّ خَوْفُهُ اشْتَدَّ هَرَبُهُ وَمَنْ اشْتَدَّ رَجَاؤُهُ اشْتَدَّ طَلَبُهُ ذَاكَ وَمَنْ رَجَا وَأَسَا فَإِنَّمَا تَمَنَّى وَاحْذَرِي فَأَبْصِرِ الْحَالَ الَّتِي يَكُونُ فِيهَا خَائِفًا مِنَ الْحَالِ الَّتِي يَكُونُ فِيهَا رَاجِيًا.

Qāla: man ishtadda khawfuhu ishtadda harabuhu wa-man ishtadda rajāʾuhu ishtadda ṭalabuhu dhāka wa-man rajā wa-ʾasā fa-ʾinnamā tamannā wa-iḥdharī fa-ʾabṣiri al-ḥāla allatī yakūnu fīhā khāʾifan mina al-ḥāli allatī yakūnu fīhā rājiyan.

He said, “The stronger someone's fear, the stronger his flight; the stronger his hope, the more earnestly he seeks that. Whoever hopes yet does wrong is only wishing. ‘Beware,’ addressed in the feminine [the printed form shifts], and distinguish the state in which he fears from the state in which he hopes.

Source pages 34–35

إِنَّهَا تُمَنِّيكَ ثُمَّ تُحْزِنُكَ فَيَظُنُّ أَنَّهُ يَرْجُوكَ وَكَذٰلِكَ فَعَلَ بِأَهْلِ الْكِتَابِ قَبْلَنَا فَمِنْ هٰذَا نَهَانَا اللّٰهُ عَزَّ وَجَلَّ.

ʾInnahā tumannīka thumma tuḥzinuka fa-yaẓunnu ʾannahu yarjūka wa-ka-dhālika faʿala bi-ʾahli al-kitābi qablanā fa-min hādhā nahānā Allāhu ʿazza wa-jalla.

It gives you wishes, then saddens you, and ‘he thinks that he hopes in you’ [the printed pronouns are unclear]. He did the same to the People of the Book before us. God, mighty and majestic, has forbidden us this.

Source page 35

فَقَالَ: «لَيْسَ بِأَمَانِيِّكُمْ وَلَا أَمَانِيِّ أَهْلِ الْكِتَابِ مَنْ يَعْمَلْ سُوءًا يَجْزِيهِ».

Fa-qāla: «laysa bi-ʾamāniyyikum wa-lā ʾamāniyyi ʾahli al-kitābi man yaʿmal sūʾan yajzīhi».

He said, ‘It is not according to your wishes or the wishes of the People of the Book. Whoever does evil, He repays him’ [the quotation's final verb differs from standard Qurʾānic wording].

وَقَالَ: الرَّاجِي سَاعِي الرَّاجِي لَيْسَ بِلَاهِي وَالرَّاجِي لَيْسَ بِمُتَوَانٍ الْمُتَمَنِّي لَاهِي سَاهِي.

Wa-qāla: al-rājī sāʿī al-rājī laysa bilāhī wa-al-rājī laysa bimutawānin al-mutamannī lāhī sāhī.

He said, ‘One who hopes strives. One who hopes is not distracted, and one who hopes does not slacken. The one who merely wishes is distracted and heedless.’

وَقَدْ نَعْرِفُ هٰذَا أَنَّ الرَّجُلَ قَدْ يَرْجُوا الشَّيْ مِنْ أُمُورِ الدُّنْيَا مَا فِيهِ طَمَعُهُ أَنَّهُ لَوْ طَلَبَهُ قَدَرَ عَلَيْهِ فَلَا يَتَوَانَى وَلَا يَسْهُوا وَلَا يَلْهُوا وَلَا يُقَصِّرُ بَلْ يَسْتَمِرُّ.

Wa-qad naʿrifu hādhā ʾanna al-rajula qad yarjū al-shay min ʾumūri al-dunyā mā fīhi ṭamaʿuhu ʾannahu law ṭalabahu qadara ʿalayhi fa-lā yatawānā wa-lā yas-hū wa-lā yalhū wa-lā yuqaṣṣiru bal yastamirru.

We know this: a man may hope for something worldly that he expects he could obtain if he sought it. He does not slacken, grow heedless, amuse himself, or fall short; he keeps going.

وَإِذَا رَجَا مَا لَيْسَ طَمَعُهُ أَنَّهُ يَظْفَرُ بِهِ فَإِذَا تَرَاهُ مُقَصِّرًا غَيْرَ مُشَمِّرٍ لِأَنَّ الَّذِي رَجَا إِنَّمَا كَانَ مُنًى وَلَوْ كَانَ رَجَا لَطَلَبَ مَا رَجَا.

Wa-ʾidhā rajā mā laysa ṭamaʿuhu ʾannahu yaẓfaru bihi fa-ʾidhā tarāhu muqaṣṣiran ghayra mushammirin li-ʾanna alladhī rajā ʾinnamā kāna munan wa-law kāna rajā laṭalaba mā rajā.

When he hopes for something he does not expect to obtain, you see him falling short and making no serious effort, because what he called hope was only wishing. Had it been hope, he would have sought what he hoped for.

فَلَمَّا كَانَ مُنًى تَقَاصَرَ عَنْ طَلَبِ الْمُنَى وَلَمْ يَحِقَّ مِنْهُ حَقَايِقُ الرَّجَا فَظَنَّ أَنَّ الْمُنَى رَجَا وَأَنَّ الرَّجَا لَا يَكُونُ إِلَّا بِالتَّعَبِ وَالتَّصَبُّبِ.

Fa-lammā kāna munan taqāṣara ʿan ṭalabi al-munā wa-lam yaḥiqqa minhu ḥaqāyiqu al-rajā fa-ẓanna ʾanna al-munā rajā wa-ʾanna al-rajā lā yakūnu ʾillā bi-al-taʿabi wa-al-taṣabbubi.

Because it was wishing, he fell short of pursuing his wishes, and hope's realities did not become true in him. He thought wishes were hope, though hope exists only with toil and pouring sweat.”

قَالَ: مَنْ رَجَا الدُّنْيَا كَانَ تَرْجَا بِهِ حَقَايِقُ حَقِيقَةِ حَدِّهَا فِي قَلْبِهِ وَحَقِيقَةٌ مِنْ ظَاهِرِهِ مِنْ عِنَايَةٍ كَذٰلِكَ الْمُنَى لِلْمُتَمَنِّي لِلْآخِرَةِ وَكَذٰلِكَ الرَّجَا.

Qāla: man rajā al-dunyā kāna tarjā bihi ḥaqāyiqu ḥaqīqati ḥaddihā fī qalbihi wa-ḥaqīqatun min ẓāhirihi min ʿināyatin ka-dhālika al-munā li-al-mutamannī li-al-ʾākhirati wa-ka-dhālika al-rajā.

He said, “Whoever hopes for the world has ‘tarjā by it realities,’ the reality of its definition in his heart and a reality of outward care [the printed opening is disordered]. So too are wishes for the one who wishes for the next life, and so too is hope.

فَالرَّاجَا لَهُ لَيْسَ لَهُ حَلَاوَةٌ فِي الْقَلْبِ وَلَا ظَاهِرُ عِنَايَةٍ عَلَى الْبَدَنِ وَكُلُّ جَاءٍ لَمْ يَكُنْ بِهٰذِهِ الصِّفَةِ فَهُوَ رَجَا أَنْ يَكُونَ رَاجِيًا.

Fa-al-rājā lahu laysa lahu ḥalāwatun fī al-qalbi wa-lā ẓāhiru ʿināyatin ʿalā al-badani wa-kullu jāʾin lam yakun bi-hādhihi al-ṣifati fa-huwa rajā ʾan yakūna rājiyan.

‘The rājā for it’ has no sweetness in the heart and no outward care upon the body. Every ‘comer’ who is not of this description has only hoped to be one who hopes [the printed nouns and the description's reference are uncertain].

وَمَنْ رَجَا وَطَلَبَ فَهٰذَا ذَاقَ حَلَاوَةَ الرَّجَا بِقَلْبِهِ وَذَاقَ مَرَارَةَ الْعِنَايَةِ عَلَى بَدَنِهِ فَهٰذَا أَصَابَ الرَّجَا فِي إِصَابَةِ نَفْسِ الرَّجَا.

Wa-man rajā wa-ṭalaba fa-hādhā dhāqa ḥalāwata al-rajā biqalbihi wa-dhāqa marārata al-ʿināyati ʿalā badanihi fa-hādhā ʾaṣāba al-rajā fī ʾiṣābati nafsi al-rajā.

Whoever hopes and seeks has tasted hope's sweetness in his heart and the bitterness of effort in his body. He has attained hope by attaining its very reality.”

بَابٌ

Bābun

Chapter

يَا أَخِي اعْرِفْ مَوْضِعَ مَا مِنْهُ الشُّكْرُ وَمَا مِنْهُ تَسْتَغْفِرُ مِنْ مَأْكَلِكَ أَوْ مَلْبَسِكَ أَوْ مَشْرَبِكَ أَوْ مَرْكَبِكَ أَوْ مَكْسَبِكَ أَوْ زَوْجَتِكَ أَوْ وَلَدِكَ أَمِنْ مَكْسَبِ طَاعَةٍ أَوْ مَكْسَبِ مَعْصِيَةٍ.

Yā ʾakhī iʿrif mawḍiʿa mā minhu al-shukru wa-mā minhu tastaghfiru min maʾkalika ʾaw malbasika ʾaw mashrabika ʾaw markabika ʾaw maksabika ʾaw zawjatika ʾaw waladika ʾamin maksabi ṭāʿatin ʾaw maksabi maʿṣiyatin.

My brother, recognize what calls for gratitude and what calls for asking forgiveness in your food, clothing, drink, mount, earnings, wife, or child. Does it come from an acquisition made in obedience or in disobedience?

فَإِنْ كَانَ مِنْ مَكْسَبِ طَاعَةٍ فَاشْكُرْهُ وَإِنْ كَانَ مِنْ مَكْسَبِ مَعْصِيَةٍ فَاسْتَغْفِرْهُ فَإِنَّكَ إِنْ تَسْتَغْفِرْ فِي هٰذَا الْمَكَانِ فَقَدِ اسْتَغْفَرْتَهُ وَشَكَرْتَهُ.

Fa-ʾin kāna min maksabi ṭāʿatin fa-ushkurhu wa-ʾin kāna min maksabi maʿṣiyatin fa-istaghfirhu fa-ʾinnaka ʾin tastaghfir fī hādhā al-makāni fa-qadi istaghfartahu wa-shakartahu.

If it was acquired in obedience, thank Him. If it was acquired in disobedience, ask His forgiveness. By asking forgiveness in this situation, you have both asked His forgiveness and thanked Him.

وَإِنْ أَنْتَ جَعَلْتَهُ مَوْضِعَ شُكْرٍ فَلَمْ تَسْتَغْفِرْهُ فَلَمْ نُصِبْ بِشُكْرِهِ طَرِيقَ شُكْرِهِ.

Wa-ʾin ʾanta jaʿaltahu mawḍiʿa shukrin fa-lam tastaghfirhu fa-lam nuṣib bishukrihi ṭarīqa shukrihi.

If you make it an occasion for gratitude without seeking forgiveness, ‘we have not reached’ the path of thanking Him through that gratitude [the printed verb shifts to the first-person plural].

فَقَدْ لَقِيَ يُونُسُ مَا لَقِيَ فَمَا زَالَ مِنْ مَوْضِعِ طَرِيقِ الْغَضَبِ لَهُ وَقَدْ غَضِبَ لَهُ وَلٰكِنْ لَمْ يَكُنْ نَصَبَ فِي الْبَاطِنِ غَضَبَ الْبَاطِنِ فَلَمْ يَنْفَعْهُ الْغَضَبُ حَيْثُ أَخْطَأَ طَرِيقَ الْغَضَبِ الْبَاطِنِ بَلْ كَانَ الْغَضَبُ فِي ذٰلِكَ الْمَوْضِعِ مَعْصِيَةً.

Fa-qad laqiya Yūnusu mā laqiya fa-mā zāla min mawḍiʿi ṭarīqi al-ghaḍabi lahu wa-qad ghaḍiba lahu wa-lākin lam yakun naṣaba fī al-bāṭini ghaḍaba al-bāṭini fa-lam yanfaʿhu al-ghaḍabu ḥaythu ʾakhṭaʾa ṭarīqa al-ghaḍabi al-bāṭini bal kāna al-ghaḍabu fī dhālika al-mawḍiʿi maʿṣiyatan.

Jonah encountered what he encountered. He did not depart from the position of anger for God's sake, and he had indeed been angry for His sake, but he had not established the proper inward anger within. His anger did not benefit him when he missed the inward path of anger; in that situation, anger was disobedience [the printed account's syntax is difficult].

فَلَا يُؤْمَنُ عَلَيْكَ أَنْ تَكُونَ أَسْوَأَ حَالًا مِنْ يُونُسَ حِينَ شَكَرَهُ عَلَى مَا كَانَ يَنْبَغِي أَنْ يَسْتَغْفِرَ مِنْهُ فَلَوْ أَنَّ أَحَدًا أَفْلَتَ مِنْ هٰذَا أَفْلَتَ يُونُسُ.

Fa-lā yuʾmanu ʿalayka ʾan takūna ʾaswaʾa ḥālan min Yūnusa ḥīna shakarahu ʿalā mā kāna yanbaghī ʾan yastaghfira minhu fa-law ʾanna ʾaḥadan ʾaflata min hādhā ʾaflata Yūnusu.

You cannot be safe from being in a worse condition than Jonah ‘when he thanked Him for what he ought to have sought forgiveness for’ [the printed person and attribution are uncertain]. If anyone could have escaped this, Jonah would have escaped it.

فَلْتَكُنِ الْإِصَابَةُ بِالشَّيْ لَهُمْ إِلَيْكَ مِنْ إِصَابَةِ الشَّيْ فَإِنَّ يُونُسَ أَصَابَ الْغَضَبَ وَلَمْ يُصِبْ بِالْغَضَبِ مَا يَكُونُ الْغَضَبُ دَاعِيَةً لِلّٰهِ تَعَالَى.

Fa-l-takuni al-ʾiṣābatu bi-al-shay lahum ʾilayka min ʾiṣābati al-shay fa-ʾinna Yūnusa ʾaṣāba al-ghaḍaba wa-lam yuṣib bi-al-ghaḍabi mā yakūnu al-ghaḍabu dāʿiyatan li-llāhi taʿālā.

Let acting rightly through a thing be ‘for them to you than’ attaining the thing [the comparison is corrupt as printed]. Jonah attained anger, but through anger he did not attain what would make anger a summons toward God Most High.

لِأَنَّهُ قَدْ غَضِبَ لِلّٰهِ فِي ظَاهِرِهِ وَقَدْ عَصَاهُ فِي بَاطِنِهِ بِالْغَضَبِ لِلّٰهِ فِي ظَاهِرِهِ حَتَّى أَغْضَبَ اللّٰهَ بِبَاطِنِهِ فِي غَضَبِهِ لِلّٰهِ فِي ظَاهِرِهِ.

Li-ʾannahu qad ghaḍiba li-llāhi fī ẓāhirihi wa-qad ʿaṣāhu fī bāṭinihi bi-al-ghaḍabi li-llāhi fī ẓāhirihi ḥattā ʾaghḍaba Allāha bibāṭinihi fī ghaḍabihi li-llāhi fī ẓāhirihi.

He was angry for God's sake outwardly, yet inwardly disobeyed Him through that outward anger for God's sake, until his inward condition angered God while his outward anger was for God.

Source pages 35–36

فَقَالَ: «إِذْ ذَهَبَ مُغَاضِبًا» عَلَى قَوْمِهِ وَيُفَسِّرُهَا «فَظَنَّ أَنْ لَنْ نَقْدِرَ عَلَيْهِ» ذٰلِكَ الْبَلَا الَّذِي أَصَابَهُ.

Fa-qāla: «ʾidh dhahaba mughāḍiban» ʿalā qawmihi wa-yufassiruhā «fa-ẓanna ʾan lan naqdira ʿalayhi» dhālika al-balā alladhī ʾaṣābahu.

He said, “When he went away angry,” meaning angry with his people, and he explains “he thought We would not constrain him” as the affliction that befell him.

Source page 36

وَهٰذَا يَدْخُلُ عَلَى أَصْحَابِ الْأَمْرِ بِالْمَعْرُوفِ وَالنَّهْيِ عَنِ الْمُنْكَرِ وَالْحَيَا وَالْبِرِّ كُلِّهِ وَالصَّمْتِ كُلِّهِ فَلْيَكُنِ الْهَمُّ فِي ذٰلِكَ كُلِّهِ الْبَاطِنَ.

Wa-hādhā yadkhulu ʿalā ʾaṣḥābi al-ʾamri bi-al-maʿrūfi wa-al-nahyi ʿani al-munkari wa-al-ḥayā wa-al-birri kullihi wa-al-ṣamti kullihi fa-l-yakuni al-hammu fī dhālika kullihi al-bāṭina.

This applies to those who command right and forbid wrong, and to modesty, all righteousness, and all silence. In all these matters, let the inward reality be your concern.

بَابُ فَضْلِ تَرْكِ الْمَعَاصِي

Bābu faḍli tarki al-maʿāṣī

Chapter on the Excellence of Abandoning Sins

تَرْكُ السَّيِّئَةِ وَإِنْ كَانَتْ صَغِيرَةً أَفْضَلُ مِنْ أَنْ لَوْ حَجَجْتَ مَايَةَ حَجَّةٍ نَافِلَةٍ فَإِنَّ تَرْكَ السَّيِّئَةِ أَفْضَلُ وَأَيْسَ رَجَاوُكَ لِتَرْكِ السَّيِّئَةِ أَعْظَمُ مِنْ رَجَاكَ لِمَايَةِ حَجَّةٍ نَافِلَةٍ.

Tarku al-sayyiʾati wa-ʾin kānat ṣaghīratan ʾafḍalu min ʾan law ḥajajta māyata ḥajjatin nāfilatin fa-ʾinna tarka al-sayyiʾati ʾafḍalu wa-ʾaysa rajāwuka litarki al-sayyiʾati ʾaʿẓamu min rajāka limāyati ḥajjatin nāfilatin.

Abandoning a bad deed, even a minor one, is better than performing a hundred voluntary pilgrimages. Abandoning the bad deed is better, and ‘aysa,’ your hope for abandoning it is greater than your hope for a hundred voluntary pilgrimages [the printed connective is unclear].

بَلْ لَوْ أَعْتَقْتَ مَعَ كُلِّ حَجَّةٍ رَقَبَةً كَانَ تَرْكُ السَّيِّئَةِ أَفْضَلَ وَأَرْجَا لَهَا أَعْظَمُ وَالثَّوَابُ مِنَ اللّٰهِ عَلَيْهَا أَكْثَرُ بَلْ لَهُ غَزَوْتَ عَشْرَ غَزَوَاتٍ كَانَ تَرْكُ السَّيِّئَةِ أَفْضَلَ لِأَنَّ تَرْكَ السَّيِّئَةِ فَرِيضَةٌ وَالْغَزَوَاتُ نَافِلَةٌ.

Bal law ʾaʿtaqta maʿa kulli ḥajjatin raqabatan kāna tarku al-sayyiʾati ʾafḍala wa-ʾarjā lahā ʾaʿẓamu wa-al-thawābu mina Allāhi ʿalayhā ʾaktharu bal lahu ghazawta ʿashra ghazawātin kāna tarku al-sayyiʾati ʾafḍala li-ʾanna tarka al-sayyiʾati farīḍatun wa-al-ghazawātu nāfilatun.

Even if you freed an enslaved person with each pilgrimage, abandoning the bad deed would be better, the hope attached to it greater, and God's reward for it more abundant. Even ‘for him you undertook’ ten military expeditions, abandoning the bad deed would be better, because abandoning it is obligatory while the expeditions are voluntary [the printed conditional wording is defective].

بَلْ لَوْ حَيِتْ عُمْرَكَ فَسَكَنْتَ فِيهِ صَايِمًا لَا تُفْطِرُ نَهَارَكَ وَقَايِمًا فِي لَيْلِكَ لَا تَفْتُرُ كَانَتْ فَرَائِضُكَ مِنْ تَرْكِ سَيِّئَاتِكَ صَغِيرِهَا وَكَبِيرِهَا وَفَرَائِضُكَ مِنْ أَعْمَالِكَ الْمَفْرُوضَةِ عَلَيْكَ أَفْضَلَ مِنْ ذٰلِكَ كُلِّهِ.

Bal law ḥayit ʿumraka fa-sakanta fīhi ṣāyiman lā tufṭiru nahāraka wa-qāyiman fī laylika lā tafturu kānat farāʾiḍuka min tarki sayyiʾātika ṣaghīrihā wa-kabīrihā wa-farāʾiḍuka min ʾaʿmālika al-mafrūḍati ʿalayka ʾafḍala min dhālika kullihi.

Even ‘if she lived your lifetime’ [the printed verb is defective], and you remained throughout it fasting every day without breaking the fast and standing in prayer every night without slackening, your duties of abandoning minor and major sins and performing the deeds required of you would be better than all of that.

وَلْيَكُنْ رَجَاوُكَ لِفَرَائِضِكَ مِنْ تَرْكِ كَذْبَةٍ إِلَى تَرْكِ فِطْرَةٍ إِلَى تَرْكِ مَدِّ شَهْوَةٍ إِلَى تَرْكِ خُلْفِ مَوْعِدٍ أَنْتَ لَهُ أَرْجَى وَهُوَ مِنْكَ أَعْظَمُ وَهُوَ عِنْدَكَ أَوْثَقُ مِنْ جَمِيعِ مَا وَصَفْتُ مِنَ النَّوَافِلِ.

Wa-l-yakun rajāwuka lifarāʾiḍika min tarki kadhbatin ʾilā tarki fiṭratin ʾilā tarki maddi shahwatin ʾilā tarki khulfi mawʿidin ʾanta lahu ʾarjā wa-huwa minka ʾaʿẓamu wa-huwa ʿindaka ʾawthaqu min jamīʿi mā waṣaftu mina al-nawāfili.

Let your hope in fulfilling your duties, from abandoning a lie to abandoning a breaking of the fast, extending an appetite, or breaking a promise, be greater, weightier to you, and more dependable in your eyes than all the voluntary acts I have described [the printed “fiṭra” is unusual in this list].

فَإِنَّكَ إِنْ وَثِقْتَ بِنَوَافِلِكَ ثِقَتَكَ بِفَرَائِضِكَ سَوَّيْتَ بَيْنَ مَا لَا يَسْتَوِي وَإِنْ كَانَتْ نَوَافِلُكَ أَرْجَى عِنْدَكَ وَأَوْثَقَ لَكَ مِنْ فَرَائِضِكَ أَضْرَرْتَ بِنَفْسِكَ فِي تَصْغِيرِكَ لِفَرَائِضِكَ.

Fa-ʾinnaka ʾin wathiqta binawāfilika thiqataka bifarāʾiḍika sawwayta bayna mā lā yastawī wa-ʾin kānat nawāfiluka ʾarjā ʿindaka wa-ʾawthaqa laka min farāʾiḍika ʾaḍrarta binafsika fī taṣghīrika lifarāʾiḍika.

If you place the same trust in voluntary acts as in obligations, you equate things that are not equal. If your voluntary acts seem more hopeful and dependable than your obligations, you harm yourself by making light of your duties.

فَلْيَرَكَ اللّٰهُ وَأَنْتَ مُعَظِّمٌ لِلْفَرِيضَةِ وَلِأَهْلِ الْفَرَائِضِ فَإِنَّ تَعْظِيمَ الْفَرَائِضِ أَوْلَى بِكَ مِنْ تَعْظِيمِ النَّوَافِلِ وَمِنَ الدَّلِيلِ عَلَى إِعْظَامِكَ الْفَرَائِضَ قِلَّةُ إِدْلَالِكَ بِالنَّوَافِلِ عَلَى أَهْلِ الْفَرَائِضِ.

Fa-l-yaraka Allāhu wa-ʾanta muʿaẓẓimun li-al-farīḍati wa-li-ʾahli al-farāʾiḍi fa-ʾinna taʿẓīma al-farāʾiḍi ʾawlā bika min taʿẓīmi al-nawāfili wa-mina al-dalīli ʿalā ʾiʿẓāmika al-farāʾiḍa qillatu ʾidlālika bi-al-nawāfili ʿalā ʾahli al-farāʾiḍi.

Let God see you honoring the obligation and those who fulfill obligations. Honoring obligatory duties is more fitting for you than honoring voluntary acts. A sign that you honor obligations is that you seldom presume superiority through your voluntary acts over those who fulfill their duties.

وَمِمَّا يَدُلُّكَ عَلَى تَصْغِيرِكَ وَتَقْلِيلِكَ الْفَرَائِضَ اسْتِطَالَتُكَ بِنَوَافِلِكَ عَلَى أَهْلِ الْفَرَائِضِ وَالْفَرَائِضُ أَعَمُّ مَنْفَعَةً وَأَعَمُّ بَرَكَةً مِنْ نَوَافِلِكَ.

Wa-mimmā yadulluka ʿalā taṣghīrika wa-taqlīlika al-farāʾiḍa istiṭālatuka binawāfilika ʿalā ʾahli al-farāʾiḍi wa-al-farāʾiḍu ʾaʿammu manfaʿatan wa-ʾaʿammu barakatan min nawāfilika.

A sign that you belittle and diminish obligations is your lording your voluntary acts over those who fulfill their duties. Obligations have broader benefit and more widespread blessing than your voluntary acts.

لَيْسَ فِي فَرَائِضِكَ عُجْبُ نَوَافِلِكَ وَلَا إِذْلَالُكَ بِنَوَافِلِكَ وَاسْتِطَالَةُ نَوَافِلِكَ وَفَرَائِضُكَ شِفَا لَيْسَ فِيهَا دَا وَهِيَ تَذْهَبُ بِالدَّاءِ فِيهَا الشِّفَا.

Laysa fī farāʾiḍika ʿujbu nawāfilika wa-lā ʾidhlāluka binawāfilika wa-istiṭālatu nawāfilika wa-farāʾiḍuka shifā laysa fīhā dā wa-hiya tadh-habu bi-al-dāʾi fīhā al-shifā.

Your obligatory duties do not contain the conceit of your voluntary acts, your humiliating others through them, or their self-exaltation. Your obligations are healing without illness; they remove illness, and healing lies within them.

وَنَوَافِلُكَ تَجْلِبُ كِبْرَكَ وَعُجْبَكَ وَإِعْرَاضَكَ وَاسْتِطَالَتَكَ وَاسْتِصْغَارَكَ الْفُقَرَاءَ وَاسْتِهْلَاكَ الْأَغْنِيَاءِ وَالْحُظْوَةَ عِنْدَ الْأُمَرَاءِ وَهِيَ أُلْفَةُ الْفَرَائِضِ وَهِيَ دَا يُصِيبُكَ وَقَدْ يَصِيرُ دَوَاءَ نَوَافِلِكَ.

Wa-nawāfiluka tajlibu kibraka wa-ʿujbaka wa-ʾiʿrāḍaka wa-istiṭālataka wa-istiṣghāraka al-fuqarāʾa wa-istihlāka al-ʾaghniyāʾi wa-al-ḥuẓwata ʿinda al-ʾumarāʾi wa-hiya ʾulfatu al-farāʾiḍi wa-hiya dā yuṣībuka wa-qad yaṣīru dawāʾa nawāfilika.

Your voluntary acts can bring arrogance, conceit, turning away, self-exaltation, contempt for the poor, ‘the destruction of the rich,’ and favor with rulers. ‘They are the familiarity of obligations,’ an illness that afflicts you and may become the remedy of your voluntary acts [the quoted wording and the last connection are unclear in print].

وَذٰلِكَ أَنَّكَ تَسْتَوِي قَدَمَاكَ وَأَقْدَامُ أُمَّتِكَ فِي فَرْضَتِكَ وَأَنْتَ لَا تَسْتَطِيلُ مِنْ عَمَلِكَ بِالْعَمَلِ الَّذِي يَكْثُرُ فِيهِ الْعُمَّالُ مَعَكَ إِنَّمَا يَجْلِبُ ذٰلِكَ عَمَلُكَ الَّذِي تَفْرُدُ بِهِ وَحْدَكَ وَتَقْصُدُ فِيهِ شُرَكَاوُكَ فَذٰلِكَ دَاؤُكَ.

Wa-dhālika ʾannaka tastawī qadamāka wa-ʾaqdāmu ʾummatika fī farḍatika wa-ʾanta lā tastaṭīlu min ʿamalika bi-al-ʿamali alladhī yakthuru fīhi al-ʿummālu maʿaka ʾinnamā yajlibu dhālika ʿamaluka alladhī tafrudu bihi waḥdaka wa-taqṣudu fīhi shurakāwuka fa-dhālika dāʾuka.

Your feet and those of your community stand on equal ground in your obligation. You do not exalt yourself through a deed in which many others work alongside you. What brings this about is a deed in which you are alone and ‘your partners aim’ [the printed verb is unclear in context]. That is your illness.

Source pages 36–37

أَلَا تَرَى أَنَّكَ لَا تُدِلُّ عَلَى الْجِيرَانِ وَلَا عَلَى الْإِخْوَانِ بِصَوْمِ رَمَضَانَ ذٰلِكَ مَا يَهُمُّ وَأَنْتَ عِنْدَ نَفْسِكَ صِيَامٌ حَالُكَ وَحَالُهُمْ سَوَا.

ʾAlā tarā ʾannaka lā tudillu ʿalā al-jīrāni wa-lā ʿalā al-ʾikhwāni biṣawmi Ramaḍāna dhālika mā yahummu wa-ʾanta ʿinda nafsika ṣiyāmun ḥāluka wa-ḥāluhum sawā.

Do you not see that you do not presume superiority over neighbors or brothers because you fast Ramadan? ‘That is what concerns, and in your own eyes you are fasting’: your condition and theirs are the same [the middle printed phrase is irregular].

Source page 37

فَإِنِ انْفَرَدْتَ بِشَيْطَانٍ جَلَبَ ذٰلِكَ عَلَيْكَ وَلَكَ عُجْبًا وَتَكَبُّرًا وَاسْتِكْبَارًا ذٰلِكَ لِأَنَّ الْإِخْوَانَ لَمْ يُسَاوُوكَ فَيَصُومُونَهُ مَعَكَ وَهٰكَذَا كُلُّ أَعْمَالِ الْبِرِّ مِنَ الْفَرَائِضِ.

Fa-ʾini infaradta bishayṭānin jalaba dhālika ʿalayka wa-laka ʿujban wa-takabburan wa-istikbāran dhālika li-ʾanna al-ʾikhwāna lam yusāwūka fa-yaṣūmūnahu maʿaka wa-hākadhā kullu ʾaʿmāli al-birri mina al-farāʾiḍi.

If you are singled out ‘with a devil,’ this brings you conceit, arrogance, and self-importance, because your brothers have not equaled you in fasting it with you [“with a devil” is the anomalous printed reading]. So it is with all obligatory works of righteousness.

فَمَا أَخَفَّهَا فِي (مُسْتَهَلِّهَا) وَمَا أَثْقَلَهَا فِي عَوَاقِبِهَا وَأَعْظَمَ أُمُورَهَا فَقَدْ تَرْتَجِي فَرَائِضَكَ لِنَوَافِلِكَ وَتَخْشَى نَوَافِلَكَ عَلَى أَنْفُسِهَا وَعَلَى فَرَائِضِكَ.

Fa-mā ʾakhaffahā fī (mustahallihā) wa-mā ʾathqalahā fī ʿawāqibihā wa-ʾaʿẓama ʾumūrahā fa-qad tartajī farāʾiḍaka linawāfilika wa-takhshā nawāfilaka ʿalā ʾanfusihā wa-ʿalā farāʾiḍika.

How light they are at their beginning, and how weighty in their consequences and great in their significance! You may hope that your obligations will benefit your voluntary acts, while fearing that your voluntary acts will harm themselves and your obligations.

فَلَا نَأْمَنُ مِنْ نَوَافِلِكَ لِلرَّدِّ لِفَرَائِضِكَ وَنَوَافِلِكَ فَإِنَّكَ مِنْهَا وَمِنْ سَقَمِ النِّيَّةِ فِيهَا عَلَى خَطَرٍ عَظِيمٍ.

Fa-lā naʾmanu min nawāfilika li-al-raddi lifarāʾiḍika wa-nawāfilika fa-ʾinnaka minhā wa-min saqami al-niyyati fīhā ʿalā khaṭarin ʿaẓīmin.

We cannot feel safe concerning your voluntary acts from the rejection of both your obligations and your voluntary acts. Through them and the sickness of intention within them, you face a grave danger.

أَنْ يَكُونَ اللّٰهُ عَزَّ وَجَلَّ رَآكَ تُرِيدُ غَيْرَهُ بِعَمَلِكَ عَبْدًا مِثْلَكَ فَتُعْطِيَهُ مِنْ ذٰلِكَ وَتُوَجِّهَ إِلَيْهِ أَكْثَرَ مِمَّا وَجَّهْتَ إِلَى رَبِّكَ أَنْ يَكُونَ حَكَمَ عَلَيْكَ مَعَ غَضَبِهِ عَلَيْكَ أَنْ قَالَ اعْمَلْ مَا شِئْتَ فَلَا أَقْبَلُ مِنْكَ.

ʾAn yakūna Allāhu ʿazza wa-jalla raʾāka turīdu ghayrahu biʿamalika ʿabdan mithlaka fa-tuʿṭiyahu min dhālika wa-tuwajjiha ʾilayhi ʾakthara mimmā wajjahta ʾilā rabbika ʾan yakūna ḥakama ʿalayka maʿa ghaḍabihi ʿalayka ʾan qāla iʿmal mā shiʾta fa-lā ʾaqbalu minka.

God, mighty and majestic, may have seen you seeking someone other than Him through your work, a servant like yourself, giving him a share of it and directing more toward him than toward your Lord. In His anger at you, He may have judged you and said, ‘Do whatever you wish; I will accept nothing from you.’

فَإِنَّكَ تَعْمَلُ فِي نَافِلَتِكَ وَفَرِيضَتِكَ فِي غَيْرِ مُعْتَمَلٍ ثُمَّ تَسْلُبُكَ مَعْرِفَةَ إِرَادَتِكَ وَمَعْرِفَةَ سَقَمِ نِيَّتِكَ فَيَسْتَدْرِجُكَ بِتَحْسِينِ ذٰلِكَ عِنْدَكَ وَقِلَّةِ صَرْفِهِ عَلَيْكَ.

Fa-ʾinnaka taʿmalu fī nāfilatika wa-farīḍatika fī ghayri muʿtamalin thumma taslubuka maʿrifata ʾirādatika wa-maʿrifata saqami niyyatika fa-yastadrijuka bitaḥsīni dhālika ʿindaka wa-qillati ṣarfihi ʿalayka.

You then perform voluntary and obligatory acts where action has no proper place. Then ‘it strips you’ of awareness of your purpose and of your intention's sickness, and he gradually leads you onward by making that seem good to you and seldom turning it back against you [the printed subject shifts].

وَيَسْتَدْرِجُكَ بِإِعْظَامِ النَّاسِ لَكَ وَخَشْيَتِهِمْ مِنْكَ وَقَبُولِهِمْ قَوْلَكَ وَيَسْتَدْرِجُكَ بِالْقُوَّةِ وَالنَّشَاطِ وَالْمُدَاوَمَةِ وَالْمُثَابَرَةِ عَلَى عَمَلِكَ الَّذِي قَصَدْتَ بِنِيَّتِكَ فِيهِ قَصْدَ مَا وَصَفْتُ لَكَ.

Wa-yastadrijuka bi-ʾiʿẓāmi al-nāsi laka wa-khashyatihim minka wa-qabūlihim qawlaka wa-yastadrijuka bi-al-quwwati wa-al-nashāṭi wa-al-mudāwamati wa-al-muthābarati ʿalā ʿamalika alladhī qaṣadta biniyyatika fīhi qaṣda mā waṣaftu laka.

He draws you on through people's magnification of you, their awe of you, and their acceptance of your words. He draws you on through strength, energy, persistence, and perseverance in the work to which you directed your intention in the way I have described.

حَتَّى يَرْمِيَنَّكَ عَدُوُّكَ بِسَهْمٍ حَدِيدٍ فَيَقُولَ لَكَ إِنَّ الصَّادِقَ يُدَاوِمُ وَالْكَاذِبَ يَفْتُرُ وَقَدْ جَاءَ أَنَّ الْمُرَائِيَ لَا يَثْبُتُ أَرْبَعِينَ لَيْلَةً.

Ḥattā yarmiyannaka ʿaduwwuka bisahmin ḥadīdin fa-yaqūla laka ʾinna al-ṣādiqa yudāwimu wa-al-kādhiba yafturu wa-qad jāʾa ʾanna al-murāʾiya lā yathbutu ʾarbaʿīna laylatan.

Then your enemy shoots a sharp arrow at you, saying, ‘The truthful persist, while the false slacken. It has been reported that someone who shows off cannot remain steadfast for forty nights.’

بَلْ أَنَا أَصِفُ لَكَ أَنَّهُ يَثْبُتُ ثَمَانِينَ سَنَةً وَأَنَّ الصَّادِقَ يَفْتُرُ وَالْفَتْرَةُ إِلَيْهِ أَسْرَعُ وَالْكَاذِبُ أَقْوَى وَالْفَتْرَةُ عَلَيْهِ أَبْطَأُ.

Bal ʾanā ʾaṣifu laka ʾannahu yathbutu thamānīna sanatan wa-ʾanna al-ṣādiqa yafturu wa-al-fatratu ʾilayhi ʾasraʿu wa-al-kādhibu ʾaqwā wa-al-fatratu ʿalayhi ʾabṭaʾu.

But I tell you that he may persist for eighty years, while the truthful person slackens and weariness comes to him sooner. The false person is stronger, and weariness comes to him more slowly.

لِأَنَّهُ قَدْ تَعَجَّلَ مِنْ عَاجِلِ حَلَاوَةِ الرِّيَا وَحَلَاوَةِ تَعْظِيمِ النَّاسِ وَحَلَاوَةِ مَا أَصَابَ بِهِ مِنَ الدُّنْيَا مَا يَقْوَى بِهِ عَلَى التَّعْظِيمِ مِنَ الْعِبَادَةِ وَالتَّطْوِيلِ مِنَ الرِّيَا.

Li-ʾannahu qad taʿajjala min ʿājili ḥalāwati al-riyā wa-ḥalāwati taʿẓīmi al-nāsi wa-ḥalāwati mā ʾaṣāba bihi mina al-dunyā mā yaqwā bihi ʿalā al-taʿẓīmi mina al-ʿibādati wa-al-taṭwīli mina al-riyā.

He has already taken the immediate sweetness of showing off, people's veneration, and the worldly gains he has acquired through it, gaining strength to magnify his worship and prolong his ostentation.

وَمِنْ أَوْجُهِ اسْتِدْرَاجِهِ لَكَ أَنْ تَرَى فِي مَنَامِكَ رُويَا تُقَوِّيكَ عَلَى عِبَادَتِكَ أَوْ تُرَى لَكَ فَتَبْلُغَكَ وَتُقَصَّ عَلَيْكَ حَتَّى تَأْمَنَ عَلَى عَمَلِكَ بِرُويَاكَ أَوْ بِرُويَا غَيْرِكَ.

Wa-min ʾawjuhi istidrājihi laka ʾan tarā fī manāmika rūyā tuqawwīka ʿalā ʿibādatika ʾaw turā laka fa-tablughaka wa-tuqaṣṣa ʿalayka ḥattā taʾmana ʿalā ʿamalika birūyāka ʾaw birūyā ghayrika.

Another way he draws you on is through a dream you see in sleep that strengthens you in worship, or a dream seen about you that reaches you and is recounted to you, until you feel secure about your deeds because of your dream or someone else's.

بَابُ الزَّجْرِ عَنِ الْقُنُوطِ

Bābu al-zajri ʿani al-qunūṭi

Chapter on the Warning against Despair

تَرْكُ الْقُنُوطِ فَرِيضَةٌ مِثْلُ تَرْكِ السَّيِّيَةِ مِنَ الْمَأْكَلِ وَالْمَشْرَبِ وَمِثْلُ الْعَمَلِ بِالْحَسَنَةِ مِنَ الصَّلَاةِ وَالصِّيَامِ وَلَيْسَ مِثْلَهَا فِي الْعَمَلِ بِهَا وَلَيْسَ مِثْلَ الصَّبْرِ.

Tarku al-qunūṭi farīḍatun mithlu tarki al-sayyiyati mina al-maʾkali wa-al-mashrabi wa-mithlu al-ʿamali bi-al-ḥasanati mina al-ṣalāti wa-al-ṣiyāmi wa-laysa mithlahā fī al-ʿamali bihā wa-laysa mithla al-ṣabri.

Abandoning despair is a duty, like abandoning sinful food and drink, and like performing good deeds of prayer and fasting. Yet putting it into practice is not like practicing them, nor is it like patience.

لِأَنَّ الصَّبْرَ أَمْرٌ تَجْزَعُ مِنْهُ النَّفْسُ وَأَنْتَ لَهَا مُسْتَكْرِهٌ وَلَهَا مُكْرِهٌ وَلَا تَسْخَطُ عَمَّا تُحِبُّ النَّفْسُ إِذْ فِيهِ صَادِقٌ وَعَادِلٌ وَمَجْرُوحٌ.

Li-ʾanna al-ṣabra ʾamrun tajzaʿu minhu al-nafsu wa-ʾanta lahā mustakrihun wa-lahā mukrihun wa-lā taskhaṭu ʿammā tuḥibbu al-nafsu ʾidh fīhi ṣādiqun wa-ʿādilun wa-majrūḥun.

Patience involves something from which the self recoils; you force and compel it. ‘You do not resent what the self loves, since within it are a truthful one, a just one, and a wounded one’ [this printed clause is unclear].

وَتَرْكُ الْقُنُوطِ حُسْنُ عَمَلِهِ بِقَلْبِكَ لَيْسَ فِيهِ تَصَبُّرٌ مِنْ نَفْسِكَ عَلَى حُسْنِ ظَنِّكَ بِهَا أَنَّهَا مُحَمَّلَةٌ حُبًّا وَتَحْمِلُهُ حَقًّا لَا صِدْقًا مِنَ النَّفْسِ وَلَا تَصَبُّرًا.

Wa-tarku al-qunūṭi ḥusnu ʿamalihi biqalbika laysa fīhi taṣabburun min nafsika ʿalā ḥusni ẓannika bihā ʾannahā muḥammalatun ḥubban wa-taḥmiluhu ḥaqqan lā ṣidqan mina al-nafsi wa-lā taṣabburan.

Abandoning despair is a good act performed with your heart. It involves no forcing of patience upon your self in your good opinion ‘of it, that it is burdened with love and bears it as a right, not truthfulness from the self or forced endurance’ [the printed pronouns and connections are uncertain].

وَقَدْ يُرْجَى لَكَ مِنْ حُسْنِ ظَنِّكَ وَتَرْكِ الْقُنُوطِ مِنْ رَبِّكَ أَفْضَلُ مِمَّا تَرَى مِنْ بَاطِنِكَ.

Wa-qad yurjā laka min ḥusni ẓannika wa-tarki al-qunūṭi min rabbika ʾafḍalu mimmā tarā min bāṭinika.

Through your good expectations and abandonment of despair of your Lord, something better may be hoped for you than what you see within yourself.

Source pages 37–38

وَقَدْ يَكُونُ الْمُؤْمِنُ عَاصِيًا لِلّٰهِ تَعَالَى فِي أَفْعَالِهِ مُطِيعًا لِلّٰهِ فِي تَحْرِيمِهِ فَعَالَهُ مُطِيعًا لِلّٰهِ تَعَالَى فِي تَرْكِهِ الْقُنُوطَ مِنَ اللّٰهِ تَعَالَى فَطَاعَتُهُ فِي الْوَجْهَيْنِ جَمِيعًا فِي الطَّاعَةِ أَعْظَمُ مِنْ تِلْكَ الْمَعْصِيَةِ فِي الْمَعَاصِي.

Wa-qad yakūnu al-muʾminu ʿāṣiyan li-llāhi taʿālā fī ʾafʿālihi muṭīʿan li-llāhi fī taḥrīmihi faʿālahu muṭīʿan li-llāhi taʿālā fī tarkihi al-qunūṭa mina Allāhi taʿālā fa-ṭāʿatuhu fī al-wajhayni jamīʿan fī al-ṭāʿati ʾaʿẓamu min tilka al-maʿṣiyati fī al-maʿāṣī.

A believer may disobey God Most High in his deeds while obeying God by recognizing those deeds as forbidden, and obeying God Most High by abandoning despair of God Most High. His obedience in both these respects is greater among acts of obedience than that disobedience is among acts of disobedience.

Source page 38

وَقَدْ يُرْجَى لَكَ مَا وَصَفْتُ وَقَدْ يَكُونُ الْمُؤْمِنُ مُطِيعًا لِلّٰهِ فِي بَرَكَةِ الْقُنُوطِ وَالْيَأْسِ مِنَ اللّٰهِ تَعَالَى فَطَاعَتُهُ لِلّٰهِ فِي ذٰلِكَ طَاعَةٌ وَفَرِيضَةٌ وَحَمْلُهُ بِالْمَعْصِيَةِ تَرْكُ الْفَرِيضَةِ.

Wa-qad yurjā laka mā waṣaftu wa-qad yakūnu al-muʾminu muṭīʿan li-llāhi fī barakati al-qunūṭi wa-al-yaʾsi mina Allāhi taʿālā fa-ṭāʿatuhu li-llāhi fī dhālika ṭāʿatun wa-farīḍatun wa-ḥamluhu bi-al-maʿṣiyati tarku al-farīḍati.

What I have described may be hoped for you. The believer may be obedient to God ‘in the blessing of despair and hopelessness toward God Most High’ [the printed phrase conflicts with the argument]. His obedience to God in this is obedience and an obligation, while his taking on disobedience is abandonment of an obligation.

فَقَدْ يُرْجَى بِمَا عَمِلَ مِنْ عَمَلٍ مِنْ فَرِيضَتِهِ فِي حُسْنِ ظَنِّهِ بِرَبِّهِ غُفْرَانُ مَا تَرَكَ مِنْ فَرِيضَتِهِ فِي طَاعَةِ رَبِّهِ فَهُوَ فَرِيضَةٌ يُرْجَى بِهَا غُفْرَانُ تِلْكَ الْفَرِيضَةِ فِي تِلْكَ الْمَعْصِيَةِ.

Fa-qad yurjā bimā ʿamila min ʿamalin min farīḍatihi fī ḥusni ẓannihi birabbihi ghufrānu mā taraka min farīḍatihi fī ṭāʿati rabbihi fa-huwa farīḍatun yurjā bihā ghufrānu tilka al-farīḍati fī tilka al-maʿṣiyati.

Through his fulfillment of the duty of thinking well of his Lord, forgiveness may be hoped for the duty he neglected in obeying his Lord. It is a duty through which forgiveness is hoped for the other duty neglected in that disobedience.

وَحَذَرُكَ مِنْ أَمَانِكَ إِيَّاهُ وَفَرْضَةٌ عَلَيْكَ تَرْكُ الْأَمَانِ عَلَى الْعِصْيَانِ بِالْإِحْسَانِ وَتَرْكُ الْأَمَانِ بِالْإِحْسَانِ عَلَى الْإِحْسَانِ كَمَا فُرِضَ عَلَيْكَ تَرْكُ الْقُنُوطِ مَعَ الْعِصْيَانِ.

Wa-ḥadharuka min ʾamānika ʾiyyāhu wa-farḍatun ʿalayka tarku al-ʾamāni ʿalā al-ʿiṣyāni bi-al-ʾiḥsāni wa-tarku al-ʾamāni bi-al-ʾiḥsāni ʿalā al-ʾiḥsāni kamā furiḍa ʿalayka tarku al-qunūṭi maʿa al-ʿiṣyāni.

Beware of feeling secure from Him. It is obligatory upon you to abandon the security you feel about disobedience because of your good conduct, and the security you feel about good conduct because of that conduct, just as you are obliged to abandon despair in the midst of disobedience.

فَحَرَامٌ الْيَأْسُ مِنَ اللّٰهِ وَحَرَامٌ الْأَمْنُ مِنَ اللّٰهِ عَلَى الْعِصْيَانِ وَعَلَى الْإِحْسَانِ فَلَا يَأْمَنُ اللّٰهَ أَنْ يَرُدَّ عَلَيْكَ إِحْسَانَكَ وَيُعَذِّبَكَ بِأَصْغَرِ عِصْيَانِكَ وَلَا تَقْنَطْ مِنَ اللّٰهِ تَعَالَى أَنْ يَغْفِرَ بِأَقَلِّ الْإِحْسَانِ أَكْثَرَ الْعِصْيَانِ.

Fa-ḥarāmun al-yaʾsu mina Allāhi wa-ḥarāmun al-ʾamnu mina Allāhi ʿalā al-ʿiṣyāni wa-ʿalā al-ʾiḥsāni fa-lā yaʾmanu Allāha ʾan yarudda ʿalayka ʾiḥsānaka wa-yuʿadhdhibaka bi-ʾaṣghari ʿiṣyānika wa-lā taqnaṭ mina Allāhi taʿālā ʾan yaghfira bi-ʾaqalli al-ʾiḥsāni ʾakthara al-ʿiṣyāni.

Despair of God is forbidden, and feeling secure from God over either disobedience or good conduct is forbidden. One must not feel secure from God's rejecting one's good conduct and punishing one's smallest disobedience. Do not despair of God Most High forgiving the greatest disobedience through the least good conduct.

فَإِنَّهُ قَدْ أَطْمَعَ فِي السَّرَفِ أَنْ يَغْفِرَهُ فَقَالَ: «يَا عِبَادِيَ الَّذِينَ أَسْرَفُوا عَلَى أَنْفُسِهِمْ لَا تَقْنَطُوا مِنْ رَحْمَةِ اللّٰهِ» وَنَهَى عَنِ الْقُنُوطِ مِنَ اللّٰهِ فِيهِ.

Fa-ʾinnahu qad ʾaṭmaʿa fī al-sarafi ʾan yaghfirahu fa-qāla: «yā ʿibādiya alladhīna ʾasrafū ʿalā ʾanfusihim lā taqnaṭū min raḥmati Allāhi» wa-nahā ʿani al-qunūṭi mina Allāhi fīhi.

He has held out hope of forgiving excess, saying, “My servants who have transgressed against yourselves, do not despair of God's mercy.” In this He forbade despair of God.

فَهُوَ ذَنْبٌ فِي الذُّنُوبِ أَعْظَمُ مِنَ الذُّنُوبِ الَّتِي نَهَى اللّٰهُ تَعَالَى عَنْهَا وَالتَّوْبَةُ مِنْهُ مِثْلُ التَّوْبَةِ مِنَ السَّيِّيَةِ الَّتِي قَنَطْتَ بِهَا مِنَ اللّٰهِ.

Fa-huwa dhanbun fī al-dhunūbi ʾaʿẓamu mina al-dhunūbi allatī nahā Allāhu taʿālā ʿanhā wa-al-tawbatu minhu mithlu al-tawbati mina al-sayyiyati allatī qanaṭta bihā mina Allāhi.

It is a sin among sins greater than the sins God Most High has forbidden. Repenting of it is like repenting of the bad deed through which you despaired of God.

فَتُبْ إِلَى اللّٰهِ مِنْ قُنُوطِكَ كَمَا تَتُوبُ إِلَيْهِ مِنْ سَيِّئَاتِكَ الَّتِي جَلَبَتْ عَلَيْكَ قُنُوطَكَ وَاسْتَغْفِرْهُ مِنْهَا وَاسْتَغْفِرِ اللّٰهَ مِنْ أَمْنِكَ وَعُدَّهُ ذَنْبًا مِنْ أَعْظَمِ ذُنُوبِكَ وَخَفْهُ كَمَا تَخَافُ أَعْظَمَ ذُنُوبِكَ.

Fa-tub ʾilā Allāhi min qunūṭika kamā tatūbu ʾilayhi min sayyiʾātika allatī jalabat ʿalayka qunūṭaka wa-istaghfirhu minhā wa-istaghfiri Allāha min ʾamnika wa-ʿuddahu dhanban min ʾaʿẓami dhunūbika wa-khafhu kamā takhāfu ʾaʿẓama dhunūbika.

Repent to God of your despair as you repent to Him of the bad deeds that brought it upon you, and ask His forgiveness for them. Ask God to forgive your sense of security, count it among your greatest sins, and fear it as you fear your greatest sins.

فَإِنَّ الْأَمْنَ عَلَى الْحَسَنَةِ كَبِيرَةٌ وَالْقُنُوطَ عَلَى السَّيِّيَةِ كَبِيرَةٌ وَالْقُنُوطُ ذَنْبٌ لَا تَكْتَسِبُهُ تَعَبَ بَدَنِكَ وَلَا سَهَرَ عَيْنِكَ وَهُوَ ذَنْبٌ تَكْتَسِبُهُ بِقَلْبِكَ لَا مَدَّ يَدِكَ وَلَا بِنَقْلِ قَدَمِكَ وَلَا مَأْكَلٍ فِي بَطْنِكَ.

Fa-ʾinna al-ʾamna ʿalā al-ḥasanati kabīratun wa-al-qunūṭa ʿalā al-sayyiyati kabīratun wa-al-qunūṭu dhanbun lā taktasibuhu taʿaba badanika wa-lā sahara ʿaynika wa-huwa dhanbun taktasibuhu biqalbika lā madda yadika wa-lā binaqli qadamika wa-lā maʾkalin fī baṭnika.

Feeling secure over a good deed is a major sin, and despairing over a bad deed is a major sin. Despair is a sin you acquire without bodily effort or wakeful eyes. You acquire it with your heart, without stretching out a hand, moving a foot, or putting food into your stomach.

قَالَ اللّٰهُ عَزَّ وَجَلَّ: «يَا عِبَادِيَ الَّذِينَ أَسْرَفُوا عَلَى أَنْفُسِهِمْ لَا تَقْنَطُوا مِنْ رَحْمَةِ اللّٰهِ» وَلَمْ يَقُلِ اقْتُلُوا أَنْفُسَكُمْ وَلَا حَرِّقُوا أَنْفُسَكُمْ.

Qāla Allāhu ʿazza wa-jalla: «yā ʿibādiya alladhīna ʾasrafū ʿalā ʾanfusihim lā taqnaṭū min raḥmati Allāhi» wa-lam yaquli uqtulū ʾanfusakum wa-lā ḥarriqū ʾanfusakum.

God, mighty and majestic, said, “My servants who have transgressed against yourselves, do not despair of God's mercy.” He did not say, “Kill yourselves,” or, “Burn yourselves.”

وَلَمْ يَقُلْ صُومُوا لِبَقِيَّةِ أَعْمَارِكُمْ وَلَمْ يَقُلْ قُومُوا فَاسْهَرُوا بَقِيَّةَ لَيْلَةٍ مِنْ أَعْمَارِكُمْ وَلَمْ يَقُلِ ابْذُلُوا كُلَّ أَمْوَالِكُمْ وَلَا شَطْرَهَا وَلَمْ يَقُلْ تَوْبَتُكُمْ تَحْرِيمُ مَا حَلَّ لَكُمْ.

Wa-lam yaqul ṣūmū libaqiyyati ʾaʿmārikum wa-lam yaqul qūmū fa-is-harū baqiyyata laylatin min ʾaʿmārikum wa-lam yaquli ubdhulū kulla ʾamwālikum wa-lā shaṭrahā wa-lam yaqul tawbatukum taḥrīmu mā ḥalla lakum.

He did not say, “Fast for the rest of your lives,” or, “Stand and remain awake for the rest of a night of your lives.” He did not say, “Give away all your wealth,” or half of it. He did not say, “Your repentance is to forbid yourselves what has been made lawful for you.”

وَلَمْ يَحْمِلْ فِي تَوْبَتِكُمْ مَا حَمَلَ عَلَى قَوْمِ مُوسَى قَبْلَكُمْ وَلٰكِنَّهُ قَالَ: «يَا عِبَادِيَ الَّذِينَ أَسْرَفُوا عَلَى أَنْفُسِهِمْ لَا تَقْنَطُوا مِنْ رَحْمَةِ اللّٰهِ» يَدْعُوهُمْ إِلَى أَنْ يَحْسُنَ ظَنُّكُمْ بِهِ.

Wa-lam yaḥmil fī tawbatikum mā ḥamala ʿalā qawmi Mūsā qablakum wa-lākinnahu qāla: «yā ʿibādiya alladhīna ʾasrafū ʿalā ʾanfusihim lā taqnaṭū min raḥmati Allāhi» yadʿūhum ʾilā ʾan yaḥsuna ẓannukum bihi.

In your repentance He did not impose what He imposed on Moses' people before you. Rather, He said, “My servants who have transgressed against yourselves, do not despair of God's mercy,” calling them toward your thinking well of Him [the printed pronoun shifts].

وَجَعَلَ فِيهِ فَرِيضَةً أَنْ حُسْنَ ظَنِّكُمْ بِرَبِّكُمْ يُرْجَى لِسَرَفِكُمْ وَلَيْسَ فِيهَا تَوْبَةٌ مِنْ سَرَفِكُمْ وَلٰكِنَّهَا طَاعَةٌ فِي سَرَفِكُمْ تُرْجَى لِشَرَفِكُمْ.

Wa-jaʿala fīhi farīḍatan ʾan ḥusna ẓannikum birabbikum yurjā lisarafikum wa-laysa fīhā tawbatun min sarafikum wa-lākinnahā ṭāʿatun fī sarafikum turjā lisharafikum.

He placed an obligation within this: your good expectations of your Lord offer hope concerning your excess. They do not in themselves constitute repentance from your excess, but they are obedience amid your excess, ‘hoped for your honor’ [the printed final word differs from the repeated “excess”].

Source pages 38–39

فَأَنْتُمْ مِنْ سَرَفِكُمْ وَمِنْ ظَنِّكُمْ فِي حُسْنِ ظَنِّكُمْ بَيْنَ أَمْرَيْنِ بَيْنَ مَا يُرْجَى وَمَا يُخْشَى وَهُوَ الْعَدْلُ وَالْفَضْلُ مِنَ اللّٰهِ نَظَرًا مِنْهُ لَكُمْ وَحَجْزًا لَكُمْ أَنْ تَقَعُوا بِسَرَفِكُمْ فِي ذَنْبٍ لَا تَعْمَلُهُ جَوَارِحُكُمْ وَهُوَ أَعْظَمُ مِنْ جِنَايَةِ جَوَارِحِكُمْ عَلَيْكُمْ.

Fa-ʾantum min sarafikum wa-min ẓannikum fī ḥusni ẓannikum bayna ʾamrayni bayna mā yurjā wa-mā yukhshā wa-huwa al-ʿadlu wa-al-faḍlu mina Allāhi naẓaran minhu lakum wa-ḥajzan lakum ʾan taqaʿū bisarafikum fī dhanbin lā taʿmaluhu jawāriḥukum wa-huwa ʾaʿẓamu min jināyati jawāriḥikum ʿalaykum.

Because of your excess and your good expectations, you stand between two things: what is hoped for and what is feared, God's justice and grace. This is His care for you and His restraint upon you, lest your excess lead you into a sin your limbs do not commit, yet one greater than the wrong your limbs do to you.

Source page 39

فَقَالَ: «إِنَّ اللّٰهَ يَغْفِرُ الذُّنُوبَ جَمِيعًا إِنَّهُ هُوَ الْغَفُورُ الرَّحِيمُ» ثُمَّ أَخْبَرَكَ أَنَّ ذٰلِكَ بِمَشِيَّتِهِ فِي قَوْلِهِ تَعَالَى: «يَغْفِرُ لِمَنْ يَشَا وَيُعَذِّبُ مَنْ يَشَا» مِنْ أَهْلِ السَّرَفِ وَمَنِ اكْتَسَبَ دُونَ السَّرَفِ.

Fa-qāla: «ʾinna Allāha yaghfiru al-dhunūba jamīʿan ʾinnahu huwa al-ghafūru al-raḥīmu» thumma ʾakhbaraka ʾanna dhālika bimashiyyatihi fī qawlihi taʿālā: «yaghfiru liman yashā wa-yuʿadhdhibu man yashā» min ʾahli al-sarafi wa-mani iktasaba dūna al-sarafi.

He said, “God forgives all sins; He is the All-Forgiving, the Ever-Merciful.” He then told you that this rests upon His will, in what He Most High says: “He forgives whom He wills and punishes whom He wills,” among those guilty of excess and those whose wrongdoing falls short of excess.

وَقَالَ: «إِنَّ اللّٰهَ لَا يَغْفِرُ أَنْ يُشْرَكَ بِهِ وَتَغْفِرُ مَا دُونَ ذٰلِكَ لِمَنْ يَشَا» وَالشِّرْكُ مِنَ السَّرَفِ غَيْرُ السَّرَفِ بِالْإِيمَانِ وَالتَّوْحِيدِ وَمَا شَا مِنْ طَاعَاتِ الْمُطِيعِ لِمَنْ يَشَا.

Wa-qāla: «ʾinna Allāha lā yaghfiru ʾan yushraka bihi wa-taghfiru mā dūna dhālika liman yashā» wa-al-shirku mina al-sarafi ghayru al-sarafi bi-al-ʾīmāni wa-al-tawḥīdi wa-mā shā min ṭāʿāti al-muṭīʿi liman yashā.

He said, “God does not forgive association with Him, and you forgive what is less than that for whom He wills” [the printed “you forgive” differs from standard Qurʾānic wording]. Association is an excess different from excess committed while retaining faith and God's oneness, ‘and whatever He wills of the obedient person's acts for whom He wills’ [the final printed connection is unclear].

فَقَوْلُهُ «لَا تَقْنَطُوا مِنْ رَحْمَةِ اللّٰهِ» نَهْيٌ وَهِيَ فَرِيضَةٌ وَهِيَ إِطْمَاعٌ فِي عَفْوِ اللّٰهِ وَلَيْسَ فِيهِ بَيَانُ غُفْرَانٍ لِذٰلِكَ السَّرَفِ.

Fa-qawluhu «lā taqnaṭū min raḥmati Allāhi» nahyun wa-hiya farīḍatun wa-hiya ʾiṭmāʿun fī ʿafwi Allāhi wa-laysa fīhi bayānu ghufrānin li-dhālika al-sarafi.

His saying, “Do not despair of God's mercy,” is a prohibition, an obligation, and an invitation to hope for God's pardon. It is not a declaration that this particular excess has been forgiven.

فَتَرْكُكَ قُنُوطَكَ مَوْقُوفٌ بِرَجَايِكَ وَيُخْشَى عَلَيْكَ مَا كَانَ مِنَ السَّرَفِ فَالسَّرَفُ يُخْشَى عَلَى تَرْكِكَ الْقُنُوطَ وَتَرْكُكَ الْقُنُوطَ يُرْجَى لِلسَّرَفِ.

Fa-tarkuka qunūṭaka mawqūfun birajāyika wa-yukhshā ʿalayka mā kāna mina al-sarafi fa-al-sarafu yukhshā ʿalā tarkika al-qunūṭa wa-tarkuka al-qunūṭa yurjā li-al-sarafi.

Your abandonment of despair remains bound to your hope, while your excess remains something to fear for you. Excess threatens your abandonment of despair, while abandoning despair offers hope concerning your excess.

وَيَدُلُّكَ ذٰلِكَ مِنْ جِهَةِ حُسْنِ ظَنِّكَ بِرَبِّكَ وَتَرْكِكَ قُنُوطَكَ وَالْيَأْسَ مِنْ رَبِّكَ قَوْلُهُ تَعَالَى: «حَبَّبَ إِلَيْكُمُ الْإِيمَانَ وَزَيَّنَهُ فِي قُلُوبِكُمْ وَكَرَّهَ إِلَيْكُمُ الْكُفْرَ وَالْفُسُوقَ وَالْعِصْيَانَ».

Wa-yadulluka dhālika min jihati ḥusni ẓannika birabbika wa-tarkika qunūṭaka wa-al-yaʾsa min rabbika qawluhu taʿālā: «ḥabbaba ʾilaykumu al-ʾīmāna wa-zayyanahu fī qulūbikum wa-karraha ʾilaykumu al-kufra wa-al-fusūqa wa-al-ʿiṣyāna».

What He Most High says points you toward this through thinking well of your Lord and abandoning despair and hopelessness toward Him: “He has made faith beloved to you and adorned it in your hearts, and made disbelief, transgression, and disobedience hateful to you.”

وَأَنْتَ لَا تَحْمِلُ الْكُفْرَ أَثْقَلَهُ عَلَى بَدَنِكَ وَلَا تَحْمِلُ الْإِيمَانَ لِثِقَلِهِ عَلَى بَدَنِكَ وَلٰكِنْ تَحْمِلُ الْحُبَّ لِلّٰهِ وَلِلْإِيمَانِ خِفَّةً بِقَلْبِكَ وَتَحْمِلُ الْكُرْهَ وَالسَّخَطَ لِلْكُفْرِ بِقَلْبِكَ.

Wa-ʾanta lā taḥmilu al-kufra ʾathqalahu ʿalā badanika wa-lā taḥmilu al-ʾīmāna lithiqalihi ʿalā badanika wa-lākin taḥmilu al-ḥubba li-llāhi wa-li-al-ʾīmāni khiffatan biqalbika wa-taḥmilu al-kurha wa-al-sakhaṭa li-al-kufri biqalbika.

You do not bear disbelief as its weight upon your body, nor bear faith because of a weight upon your body. Rather, you bear love for God and for faith lightly in your heart, and bear aversion and displeasure toward disbelief in your heart [the first printed clause is irregular].

كَذٰلِكَ تَحْمِلُ أَحْسَنَ ظَنِّكَ وَتَرْكَكَ الْقُنُوطَ خِفَّةً بِقَلْبِكَ فَيَعْظُمُ رَجَاوُكَ لِمَنْ لَمْ تَقْنَطْ مِنْ رَحْمَتِهِ وَلْيَعْظُمْ خَوْفُكَ مِنْ أَمْنِ مَكْرِ اللّٰهِ فَإِنَّهُ لَا يَأْمَنُ مَكْرَ اللّٰهِ إِلَّا الْقَوْمُ الْخَاسِرُونَ.

Ka-dhālika taḥmilu ʾaḥsana ẓannika wa-tarkaka al-qunūṭa khiffatan biqalbika fa-yaʿẓumu rajāwuka liman lam taqnaṭ min raḥmatihi wa-l-yaʿẓum khawfuka min ʾamni makri Allāhi fa-ʾinnahu lā yaʾmanu makra Allāhi ʾillā al-qawmu al-khāsirūna.

Likewise, you bear your best expectations and abandonment of despair lightly in your heart. Your hope grows great in the One of whose mercy you have not despaired. Let your fear of feeling safe from God's hidden plan also grow great, for only the losers feel safe from God's hidden plan.