5. Adab al Nufoos: The Disciplines of the Souls by Al Muhasibi part 5

آدَابُ النُّفُوسِ

ʾĀdābu al-Nufūsi

The Disciplines of the Souls  (that is, the education by which the lower selves are disciplined and made upright)

الْحَارِثُ بْنُ أَسَدٍ الْمُحَاسِبِيُّ

Al-Ḥārithu bnu ʾAsadin al-Muḥāsibiyyu

Al-Ḥārith ibn Asad al-Muḥāsibī

Source page 111

دَلَائِلُ وَعَلَامَاتٌ

Dalāʾilu wa-ʿalāmātun

Indications and signs

بِسْمِ اللَّهِ الرَّحْمٰنِ الرَّحِيمِ. يُرْوَى عَنْ بَعْضِ الْحُكَمَاءِ أَنَّهُ قَالَ:

Bismi Allāhi al-raḥmāni al-raḥīmi. Yurwā ʿan baʿḍi al-ḥukamāʾi ʾannahu qāla:

In the name of God, the All-Merciful, the Ever-Merciful. It is related that one of the sages said:

إِذَا ظَنَّ بِكَ النَّاسُ أَنَّكَ تَعْمَلُ عَمَلًا مِنَ الْخَيْرِ وَلَسْتَ تَعْمَلُهُ، أَوْ كُنْتَ تَعْمَلُ عَمَلًا مِنَ الْخَيْرِ وَظَنُّوا أَنَّكَ تَعْمَلُ أَكْثَرَ مِنْهُ وَرَفَضْتَ أَنْ يَطَّلِعُوا عَلَى حَقِيقَةِ عَمَلِكَ، فَأَنْتَ مِمَّنْ يُحِبُّ أَنْ يُحْمَدَ بِمَا لَمْ يَفْعَلْ.

ʾIdhā ẓanna bika al-nāsu ʾannaka taʿmalu ʿamalan mina al-khayri wa-lasta taʿmaluhu, ʾaw kunta taʿmalu ʿamalan mina al-khayri wa-ẓannū ʾannaka taʿmalu ʾakthara minhu wa-rafaḍta ʾan yaṭṭaliʿū ʿalā ḥaqīqati ʿamalika, fa-ʾanta mimman yuḥibbu ʾan yuḥmada bimā lam yafʿal.

If people think you perform a good deed that you do not perform, or you do some good and they think you do more, and you refuse to let them know the true extent of your deeds, you are among those who love to be praised for what they have not done.

وَإِنْ أَحْبَبْتَ أَنْ يَطَّلِعُوا عَلَيْهِ فَأَنْتَ تُحِبُّ أَنْ تُحْمَدَ بِمَا قَدْ فَعَلْتَ.

Wa-ʾin ʾaḥbabta ʾan yaṭṭaliʿū ʿalayhi fa-ʾanta tuḥibbu ʾan tuḥmada bimā qad faʿalta.

If you want them to know about it, you love to be praised for what you have done.

وَقَالَ: عَلَامَةُ حُبِّ اللَّهِ: حُبُّ جَمِيعِ مَا أَحَبَّ اللَّهُ.

Wa-qāla: ʿalāmatu ḥubbi Allāhi: ḥubbu jamīʿi mā ʾaḥabba Allāhu.

He said: the sign of loving God is loving everything God loves.

وَعَلَامَةُ الْخَوْفِ مِنَ اللَّهِ: تَرْكُ جَمِيعِ مَا كَرِهَ اللَّهُ.

Wa-ʿalāmatu al-khawfi mina Allāhi: tarku jamīʿi mā kariha Allāhu.

The sign of fearing God is abandoning everything God dislikes.

وَعَلَامَةُ الْحَيَاءِ مِنَ اللَّهِ: أَلَّا تَنْسَى الْوُرُودَ عَلَى اللَّهِ، وَأَنْ تَكُونَ مُرَاقِبًا لِلَّهِ فِي جَمِيعِ أُمُورِكَ عَلَى قَدْرِ قُرْبِ اللَّهِ تَعَالَى مِنْكَ، وَاطِّلَاعِهِ عَلَيْكَ.

Wa-ʿalāmatu al-ḥayāʾi mina Allāhi: ʾallā tansā al-wurūda ʿalā Allāhi, wa-ʾan takūna murāqiban li-llāhi fī jamīʿi ʾumūrika ʿalā qadri qurbi Allāhi taʿālā minka, wa-iṭṭilāʿihi ʿalayka.

The sign of shame before God is never forgetting your arrival before Him, and remaining watchfully aware of Him in all your affairs in proportion to His nearness to you, exalted is He, and His knowledge of you.

وَمِنْ عَلَامَةِ حُسْنِ الظَّنِّ بِاللَّهِ: شِدَّةُ الِاجْتِهَادِ فِي طَاعَةِ اللَّهِ.

Wa-min ʿalāmati ḥusni al-ẓanni bi-Allāhi: shiddatu al-ijtihādi fī ṭāʿati Allāhi.

One sign of thinking well of God is striving intensely to obey Him.

وَعَلَامَةُ النُّصْحِ لِلَّهِ: شِدَّةُ الْإِقْبَالِ عَلَى اللَّهِ، وَفَهْمُ كِتَابِهِ، وَالْعَمَلُ بِهِ، وَاتِّبَاعُ سُنَنِ نَبِيِّهِ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ، وَأَنْ يُحِبَّ أَنْ يُطَاعَ فَلَا يُعْصَى، وَأَنْ يُذْكَرَ فَلَا يُنْسَى.

Wa-ʿalāmatu al-nuṣḥi li-llāhi: shiddatu al-ʾiqbāli ʿalā Allāhi, wa-fahmu kitābihi, wa-al-ʿamalu bihi, wa-ittibāʿu sunani nabiyyihi ṣallā Allāhu ʿalayhi wa-sallama, wa-ʾan yuḥibba ʾan yuṭāʿa fa-lā yuʿṣā, wa-ʾan yudhkara fa-lā yunsā.

The sign of sincere devotion to God is turning wholeheartedly toward Him, understanding His Book and acting upon it, following the ways of His Prophet, may God bless him and grant him peace, and loving that God should be obeyed and not disobeyed, remembered and not forgotten.

وَعَلَامَةُ النُّصْحِ لِلنَّاسِ: أَنْ تُحِبَّ لَهُمْ مَا تُحِبُّ لِنَفْسِكَ مِنْ طَاعَةِ اللَّهِ تَعَالَى، وَأَنْ تَكْرَهَ لَهُمْ مَا تَكْرَهُ لِنَفْسِكَ مِنْ مَعْصِيَةِ اللَّهِ تَعَالَى.

Wa-ʿalāmatu al-nuṣḥi li-al-nāsi: ʾan tuḥibba lahum mā tuḥibbu linafsika min ṭāʿati Allāhi taʿālā, wa-ʾan takraha lahum mā takrahu linafsika min maʿṣiyati Allāhi taʿālā.

The sign of goodwill toward people is loving for them the obedience to God Most High that you love for yourself, and disliking for them the disobedience to God Most High that you dislike for yourself.

وَعَلَامَةُ الصَّبْرِ: أَلَّا تَشْكُوَ مِنْ جَمِيعِ الْمَصَائِبِ إِلَى أَحَدٍ مِنَ الْمَخْلُوقِينَ شَيْئًا.

Wa-ʿalāmatu al-ṣabri: ʾallā tashkuwa min jamīʿi al-maṣāʾibi ʾilā ʾaḥadin mina al-makhlūqīna shayʾan.

The sign of patience is not complaining to any created being about any of your afflictions.

وَالصَّبْرُ هُوَ: الصَّبْرُ عَلَى الطَّاعَةِ، وَالصَّبْرُ عَنِ الْمَعْصِيَةِ، وَالصَّبْرُ عَلَى كِتْمَانِ الْمَعْصِيَةِ، وَهُوَ مِنْ كُنُوزِ الْبِرِّ، وَالصَّبْرُ عَلَى كِتْمَانِ الطَّاعَةِ، وَالصَّبْرُ: حَبْسُ النَّفْسِ عَنْ ذٰلِكَ كُلِّهِ.

Wa-al-ṣabru huwa: al-ṣabru ʿalā al-ṭāʿati, wa-al-ṣabru ʿani al-maʿṣiyati, wa-al-ṣabru ʿalā kitmāni al-maʿṣiyati, wa-huwa min kunūzi al-birri, wa-al-ṣabru ʿalā kitmāni al-ṭāʿati, wa-al-ṣabru: ḥabsu al-nafsi ʿan dhālika kullihi.

Patience means perseverance in obedience, restraint from disobedience, perseverance in concealing disobedience, which is among the treasures of goodness, and perseverance in concealing obedience. Patience is restraining the self from all these impulses.

Source pages 111–112

وَمِنْ عَلَامَةِ الرِّضَا عَنِ اللَّهِ: الرِّضَا بِقَضَاءِ اللَّهِ. وَهُوَ: سُكُونُ الْقَلْبِ إِلَى أَحْكَامِ اللَّهِ، وَالتَّفْوِيضُ إِلَى اللَّهِ قَبْلَ الرِّضَا، وَالرِّضَا بَعْدَ التَّفْوِيضِ.

Wa-min ʿalāmati al-riḍā ʿani Allāhi: al-riḍā biqaḍāʾi Allāhi. Wa-huwa: sukūnu al-qalbi ʾilā ʾaḥkāmi Allāhi, wa-al-tafwīḍu ʾilā Allāhi qabla al-riḍā, wa-al-riḍā baʿda al-tafwīḍi.

One sign of contentment with God is contentment with His decree: the heart rests at peace with His judgments. Entrusting one's affairs to God comes before contentment, and contentment follows that entrusting.

Source page 112

وَمِنْ عَلَامَةِ صِدْقِ الرَّجَاءِ: شِدَّةُ الطَّلَبِ، وَالْجِدُّ وَالِاجْتِهَادُ لِيُدْرِكَ مَا رَجَا.

Wa-min ʿalāmati ṣidqi al-rajāʾi: shiddatu al-ṭalabi, wa-al-jiddu wa-al-ijtihādu liyudrika mā rajā.

One sign of truthful hope is intense seeking, earnestness, and effort to attain what one hopes for.

وَمِنْ عَلَامَةِ مَعْرِفَةِ النَّفْسِ: سُوءُ الظَّنِّ بِهَا.

Wa-min ʿalāmati maʿrifati al-nafsi: sūʾu al-ẓanni bihā.

One sign of knowing the self is distrusting it.

وَمِنْ عَلَامَةِ الشُّكْرِ: مَعْرِفَةُ النِّعْمَةِ بِالْقَلْبِ أَنَّهَا مِنَ اللَّهِ لَا مِنْ غَيْرِهِ، وَالْحَمْدُ عَلَيْهَا بِاللِّسَانِ، وَأَلَّا يُسْتَعَانَ بِهَا عَلَى شَيْءٍ مِمَّا يَكْرَهُ الْمُنْعِمُ.

Wa-min ʿalāmati al-shukri: maʿrifatu al-niʿmati bi-al-qalbi ʾannahā mina Allāhi lā min ghayrihi, wa-al-ḥamdu ʿalayhā bi-al-lisāni, wa-ʾallā yustaʿāna bihā ʿalā shayʾin mimmā yakrahu al-munʿimu.

One sign of gratitude is recognizing in the heart that a blessing comes from God and no other, praising Him for it with the tongue, and never using it to assist in anything the Giver dislikes.

قُلْتُ: فَمَا تَصْدِيقُ مَعْرِفَتِي هٰذِهِ؟

Qultu: fa-mā taṣdīqu maʿrifatī hādhihi?

I asked, “What confirms this recognition of mine?”

قَالَ: الْقِيَامُ بِالْمُكَافَأَةِ بِهَا، وَإِنْ كَانَتْ ‹لأنكا›، وَلٰكِنْ إِعْطَاءُ الْمَجْهُودِ فِي شُكْرِهَا.

Qāla: al-qiyāmu bi-al-mukāfaʾati bihā, wa-ʾin kānat ‹lʾnkā›, wa-lākin ʾiʿṭāʾu al-majhūdi fī shukrihā.

He replied, “Undertaking to requite the blessing, even if it is [unresolved wording], but giving one's utmost in gratitude for it.”

وَمِنْ عَلَامَةِ مَعْرِفَةِ الدُّنْيَا: التَّرْكُ لَهَا، وَالزُّهْدُ فِيهَا، وَالْوَحْشَةُ مِنْهَا، وَمِمَّنْ رَكَنَ إِلَيْهَا وَأَحَبَّهَا وَآثَرَهَا وَعَظَّمَ قَدْرَهَا.

Wa-min ʿalāmati maʿrifati al-dunyā: al-tarku lahā, wa-al-zuhdu fīhā, wa-al-waḥshatu minhā, wa-mimman rakana ʾilayhā wa-ʾaḥabbahā wa-ʾātharahā wa-ʿaẓẓama qadrahā.

One sign of knowing this world is leaving it, renouncing it, and feeling estranged from it and from those who rely on it, love it, prefer it, and magnify its worth.

وَمِنْ عَلَامَةِ مَعْرِفَةِ الْآخِرَةِ: هَيَجَانُ الرَّغْبَةِ فِيهَا، وَشِدَّةُ الشَّوْقِ إِلَيْهَا، وَالْأُنْسُ بِكَثْرَةِ ذِكْرِهَا، وَمُؤَانَسَةُ مَنْ صَدَقَ فِي الْعَمَلِ لَهَا.

Wa-min ʿalāmati maʿrifati al-ʾākhirati: hayajānu al-raghbati fīhā, wa-shiddatu al-shawqi ʾilayhā, wa-al-ʾunsu bikathrati dhikrihā, wa-muʾānasatu man ṣadaqa fī al-ʿamali lahā.

One sign of knowing the next life is surging desire for it, intense longing for it, delight in remembering it often, and companionship with those who work truthfully for it.

وَمِنْ عَلَامَةِ الْعَقْلِ: حُسْنُ التَّدْبِيرِ، وَوَضْعُ الْأَشْيَاءِ مَوَاضِعَهَا، مِنَ الْقَوْلِ وَالْفِعْلِ. وَتَصْدِيقُ ذٰلِكَ: وَإِيثَارُ الْأَكْثَرِ عَلَى الْأَقَلِّ.

Wa-min ʿalāmati al-ʿaqli: ḥusnu al-tadbīri, wa-waḍʿu al-ʾashyāʾi mawāḍiʿahā, mina al-qawli wa-al-fiʿli. Wa-taṣdīqu dhālika: wa-ʾīthāru al-ʾakthari ʿalā al-ʾaqalli.

One sign of understanding is sound management and putting words and deeds in their proper places. This is confirmed by preferring the greater to the lesser.

وَمِنْ عَلَامَةِ الْعَدْلِ: أَلَّا تَجْعَلَ فِي نَفْسِكَ حُكْمَيْنِ، فَتَحْكُمَ لِنَفْسِكَ بِحُكْمٍ، وَلِلنَّاسِ بِآخَرَ، حَتَّى يَكُونَ الْحُكْمُ فِي نَفْسِكَ وَفِي غَيْرِهَا حُكْمًا وَاحِدًا، وَإِنْصَافُ النَّاسِ مِنْ نَفْسِكَ.

Wa-min ʿalāmati al-ʿadli: ʾallā tajʿala fī nafsika ḥukmayni, fa-taḥkuma linafsika biḥukmin, wa-li-al-nāsi bi-ʾākhara, ḥattā yakūna al-ḥukmu fī nafsika wa-fī ghayrihā ḥukman wāḥidan, wa-ʾinṣāfu al-nāsi min nafsika.

One sign of justice is not holding two standards within yourself, judging yourself by one and other people by another. The judgment you apply to yourself and others should be the same, and you should grant people their due against yourself.

وَمِنْ عَلَامَةِ التَّوَاضُعِ: أَلَّا يَدْعُوَكَ أَحَدٌ إِلَى حَقٍّ إِلَّا قَبِلْتَهُ وَلَمْ تَرُدَّهُ، وَلَا تَرَى أَحَدًا مِنَ الْمُسْلِمِينَ إِلَّا رَأَيْتَ نَفْسَكَ دُونَهُ.

Wa-min ʿalāmati al-tawāḍuʿi: ʾallā yadʿuwaka ʾaḥadun ʾilā ḥaqqin ʾillā qabiltahu wa-lam taruddahu, wa-lā tarā ʾaḥadan mina al-muslimīna ʾillā raʾayta nafsaka dūnahu.

One sign of humility is accepting the truth from anyone who calls you to it, never rejecting it, and seeing yourself as beneath every Muslim you encounter.

Source pages 112–113

وَالنَّاسُ يَتَفَاضَلُونَ فِي الْمَعْرِفَةِ بِالْإِيثَارِ وَالرِّضَا وَالشُّكْرِ وَالْحُبِّ وَالثِّقَةِ وَالْخَوْفِ وَالْيَقِينِ وَالصَّبْرِ، وَأَدْنَى الدَّرَجَاتِ: الصَّبْرُ، وَأَكْثَرُهَا كُلِّهَا: الْيَقِينُ.

Wa-al-nāsu yatafāḍalūna fī al-maʿrifati bi-al-ʾīthāri wa-al-riḍā wa-al-shukri wa-al-ḥubbi wa-al-thiqati wa-al-khawfi wa-al-yaqīni wa-al-ṣabri, wa-ʾadnā al-darajāti: al-ṣabru, wa-ʾaktharuhā kullihā: al-yaqīnu.

People differ in the excellence of their knowledge through preference, contentment, gratitude, love, trust, fear, certainty, and patience. The lowest of these degrees is patience, and the greatest of all is certainty.

Source page 113

وَمِنْ عَلَامَةِ حُسْنِ الْخُلُقِ: احْتِمَالُ الْأَذَى فِي ذَاتِ اللَّهِ، وَكَظْمُ الْغَيْظِ، وَكَثْرَةُ الْمُوَافَقَةِ لِأَهْلِ الْحَقِّ عَلَى الْحَقِّ، وَالْمَغْفِرَةُ، وَالتَّجَافِي عَنِ الزَّلَّةِ.

Wa-min ʿalāmati ḥusni al-khuluqi: iḥtimālu al-ʾadhā fī dhāti Allāhi, wa-kaẓmu al-ghayẓi, wa-kathratu al-muwāfaqati li-ʾahli al-ḥaqqi ʿalā al-ḥaqqi, wa-al-maghfiratu, wa-al-tajāfī ʿani al-zallati.

One sign of good character is bearing harm for God's sake, restraining anger, readily agreeing with people of truth upon the truth, forgiving, and overlooking slips.

وَمِنْ عَلَامَةِ سُوءِ الْخُلُقِ: كَثْرَةُ الْخِلَافِ، وَقِلَّةُ الِاحْتِمَالِ.

Wa-min ʿalāmati sūʾi al-khuluqi: kathratu al-khilāfi, wa-qillatu al-iḥtimāli.

One sign of bad character is frequent disagreement and little forbearance.

وَمِنْ عَلَامَةِ الْأُلْفَةِ: قِلَّةُ الْخِلَافِ، وَبَذْلُ الْمَعْرُوفِ.

Wa-min ʿalāmati al-ʾulfati: qillatu al-khilāfi, wa-badhlu al-maʿrūfi.

One sign of affection is little disagreement and freely offered kindness.

وَعَلَامَةُ الصِّدْقِ: إِرَادَةُ اللَّهِ وَحْدَهُ بِالْعَمَلِ وَالْقَوْلِ، وَتَرْكُ التَّزَيُّنِ وَحُبِّ ثَوَابِ الْمَخْلُوقِينَ، وَالصِّدْقُ فِي الْمَنْطِقِ.

Wa-ʿalāmatu al-ṣidqi: ʾirādatu Allāhi waḥdahu bi-al-ʿamali wa-al-qawli, wa-tarku al-tazayyuni wa-ḥubbi thawābi al-makhlūqīna, wa-al-ṣidqu fī al-manṭiqi.

The sign of truthfulness is seeking God alone through deed and word, giving up self-adornment and the love of reward from created beings, and speaking truthfully.

وَأَطْيَبُ الْعَيْشِ: الْقَنَاعَةُ. وَالْعِلْمُ: خَشْيَةُ اللَّهِ. وَهِيَ إِيثَارُ الْآخِرَةِ عَلَى الدُّنْيَا، وَمَعْرِفَةُ الطَّرِيقِ إِلَى اللَّهِ.

Wa-ʾaṭyabu al-ʿayshi: al-qanāʿatu. Wa-al-ʿilmu: khashyatu Allāhi. Wa-hiya ʾīthāru al-ʾākhirati ʿalā al-dunyā, wa-maʿrifatu al-ṭarīqi ʾilā Allāhi.

The sweetest life is contentment with what one has. Knowledge is reverent fear of God: preferring the next life to this world and knowing the path to God.

وَصَلَاحُ الْقَلْبِ: الرَّأْفَةُ وَالرِّقَّةُ، وَفَسَادُ الْقَلْبِ: الْقَسْوَةُ وَالْغِلْظَةُ.

Wa-ṣalāḥu al-qalbi: al-raʾfatu wa-al-riqqatu, wa-fasādu al-qalbi: al-qaswatu wa-al-ghilẓatu.

The heart's soundness is compassion and tenderness; its corruption is hardness and harshness.

وَأَلَذُّ الْعَيْشِ: الْأُنْسُ بِاللَّهِ.

Wa-ʾaladhdhu al-ʿayshi: al-ʾunsu bi-Allāhi.

The most delightful life is intimacy with God.

وَالْأُنْسُ اجْتِمَاعُ الْهِمَّةِ.

Wa-al-ʾunsu ijtimāʿu al-himmati.

Intimacy is the gathering of one's whole purpose.

وَأَشَرُّ الشَّرِّ الَّذِي لَا خَيْرَ فِيهِ، وَلَا قِوَامَ لِخَيْرٍ مَعَهُ: الْكِبْرُ. وَخَيْرُ الْخَيْرِ الَّذِي لَا شَرَّ فِيهِ: التَّوَاضُعُ. وَهُوَ: أَنْ تَضَعَ نَفْسَكَ دُونَ النَّاسِ.

Wa-ʾasharru al-sharri alladhī lā khayra fīhi, wa-lā qiwāma likhayrin maʿahu: al-kibru. Wa-khayru al-khayri alladhī lā sharra fīhi: al-tawāḍuʿu. Wa-huwa: ʾan taḍaʿa nafsaka dūna al-nāsi.

The worst evil, with no good in it and alongside which no good can stand, is pride. The best good, with no evil in it, is humility: placing yourself beneath other people.

وَالْكِبْرُ: أَنْ تَرْفَعَهَا فَوْقَ النَّاسِ. وَمَا خَيْرٌ لِعَبْدٍ آثَرَ عَلَى التَّوَاضُعِ شَيْئًا.

Wa-al-kibru: ʾan tarfaʿahā fawqa al-nāsi. Wa-mā khayrun liʿabdin ʾāthara ʿalā al-tawāḍuʿi shayʾan.

Pride is raising your self above people. There is no good for a servant who prefers anything to humility.

وَالْحَزْمُ: الْفِرَارُ مِنْ كُلِّ مَوْضِعٍ فِيهِ مِحْنَةٌ.

Wa-al-ḥazmu: al-firāru min kulli mawḍiʿin fīhi miḥnatun.

Prudence is fleeing every situation that contains a trial.

وَالصَّبْرُ: مُخَالَفَةُ الْمَحَبَّةِ. وَلَا يَصْعُبُ مَعَ قُوَّةِ الصَّبْرِ شَيْءٌ مِنَ الْعِبَادَةِ حَتَّى تَرْتَفِعَ مِنْ دَرَجَةِ الصَّبْرِ إِلَى دَرَجَةِ الْخَوْفِ، ثُمَّ مِنْ دَرَجَةِ الْخَوْفِ إِلَى دَرَجَةِ الْمَحَبَّةِ.

Wa-al-ṣabru: mukhālafatu al-maḥabbati. Wa-lā yaṣʿubu maʿa quwwati al-ṣabri shayʾun mina al-ʿibādati ḥattā tartafiʿa min darajati al-ṣabri ʾilā darajati al-khawfi, thumma min darajati al-khawfi ʾilā darajati al-maḥabbati.

Patience is opposing what one loves. With strong patience, no act of worship is difficult, until you rise from the degree of patience to that of fear, then from fear to love.

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وَكَمَا لَا يَطِيبُ لِعَبْدٍ شَيْءٌ أُعْطِيَهُ مِنَ الدُّنْيَا إِلَّا بِالْقُنُوعِ، كَذٰلِكَ لَا يَطِيبُ لَهُ عَمَلُ الْآخِرَةِ إِلَّا بِالْخَوْفِ وَالْمَحَبَّةِ. فَإِذَا صَارَ الْعَبْدُ إِلَى ذٰلِكَ سَقَطَتْ عَنْهُ مُؤْنَةُ الصَّبْرِ، وَتَنَعَّمَ بِالْخَوْفِ وَالشَّوْقِ.

Wa-kamā lā yaṭību liʿabdin shayʾun ʾuʿṭiyahu mina al-dunyā ʾillā bi-al-qunūʿi, ka-dhālika lā yaṭību lahu ʿamalu al-ʾākhirati ʾillā bi-al-khawfi wa-al-maḥabbati. Fa-ʾidhā ṣāra al-ʿabdu ʾilā dhālika saqaṭat ʿanhu muʾnatu al-ṣabri, wa-tanaʿʿama bi-al-khawfi wa-al-shawqi.

Just as nothing a servant receives in this world is pleasant to him without contentment, deeds for the next life are not pleasant to him without fear and love. When he reaches this state, the burden of patience falls away, and he delights in fear and longing.

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نَعِيمُ الْخَوْفِ وَالشَّوْقِ

Naʿīmu al-khawfi wa-al-shawqi

The delight of fear and longing

الْمَعْرِفَةُ وَنَعِيمُ الْخَوْفِ

Al-maʿrifatu wa-naʿīmu al-khawfi

Knowledge and the delight of fear

قُلْتُ: فَبِأَيِّ شَيْءٍ يَنْتَقِلُ مِنْ دَرَجَةِ الصَّبْرِ إِلَى دَرَجَةِ النَّعِيمِ؟

Qultu: fa-bi-ʾayyi shayʾin yantaqilu min darajati al-ṣabri ʾilā darajati al-naʿīmi?

I asked, “By what means does he pass from the degree of patience to the degree of delight?”

قَالَ: بِحُسْنِ الْمَعْرِفَةِ.

Qāla: biḥusni al-maʿrifati.

He replied, “Through sound knowledge.”

قُلْتُ: فَمِمَّ حُسْنُ الْمَعْرِفَةِ؟

Qultu: fa-mimma ḥusnu al-maʿrifati?

I asked, “What does sound knowledge arise from?”

قَالَ: افْتِقَارُ الْقَلْبِ إِلَى اللَّهِ، وَاقْتِرَابُهُ مِنْهُ، وَمِنْ دَارِ الْآخِرَةِ، حَتَّى كَأَنَّهُمَا رَأْيُ الْعَيْنِ، وَيَجْعَلُ الذُّنُوبَ الَّتِي سَلَفَتْ مِنْهُ فِيمَا بَيْنَهُ وَبَيْنَ اللَّهِ نُصْبَ عَيْنَيْهِ،

Qāla: iftiqāru al-qalbi ʾilā Allāhi, wa-iqtirābuhu minhu, wa-min dāri al-ʾākhirati, ḥattā kaʾannahumā raʾyu al-ʿayni, wa-yajʿalu al-dhunūba allatī salafat minhu fīmā baynahu wa-bayna Allāhi nuṣba ʿaynayhi,

He replied, “The heart's need for God and its nearness to Him and to the next abode, as though both were before its eyes. The person keeps before his eyes the sins he has previously committed between himself and God.

وَيَجْعَلُ النِّعْمَةَ الَّتِي قَدْ أَنْعَمَ اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ بِهَا، وَالَّتِي لَا يُحْصِيهَا وَلَا يَقْدِرُ عَلَى شُكْرِهَا فِي إِقْرَارِ قَلْبِهِ بِذٰلِكَ. وَإِجْلَالِ اللَّهِ وَتَعْظِيمِهِ وَقُدْرَتِهِ، وَوَعِيدِهِ، وَأَهْوَالِ الْقِيَامَةِ وَمَا بَعْدَهَا وَمَا قَبْلَهَا، مِنَ الْبَرْزَخِ وَالْمَوْتِ.

wa-yajʿalu al-niʿmata allatī qad ʾanʿama Allāhu ʿalayhi bihā, wa-allatī lā yuḥṣīhā wa-lā yaqdiru ʿalā shukrihā fī ʾiqrāri qalbihi bi-dhālika. Wa-ʾijlāli Allāhi wa-taʿẓīmihi wa-qudratihi, wa-waʿīdihi, wa-ʾahwāli al-qiyāmati wa-mā baʿdahā wa-mā qablahā, mina al-barzakhi wa-al-mawti.

He brings into his heart's acknowledgment the blessings God has bestowed upon him, which he can neither count nor adequately thank Him for, along with reverence and glorification of God, His power and warning, the terrors of the Resurrection, and what follows and precedes it: the intermediate state and death.”

فَإِذَا اسْتَقَرَّ ذٰلِكَ فِي قَلْبِهِ، وَسَكَنَ الْقَلْبُ إِلَى ذٰلِكَ كَذٰلِكَ، أَنَارَ الْقَلْبُ وَعُمِرَ بَعْدَ الْخَرَابِ، وَأَضَاءَ بَعْدَ الظُّلْمَةِ، ثُمَّ لَانَتِ الْمَفَاصِلُ عِنْدَ ذٰلِكَ، وَوَثَبَتِ الْجَوَارِحُ إِلَى الطَّاعَاتِ. فَعِنْدَ ذٰلِكَ تَسْقُطُ مُؤْنَةُ الصَّبْرِ، وَيَصِيرُ فِي دَرَجَةِ الْخَوْفِ وَالْمَحَبَّةِ لِلْعِبَادَةِ، وَعِنْدَ ذٰلِكَ يَجِدُ حَلَاوَةَ مَا هُوَ فِيهِ، فَتِلْكَ الْعِبَادَةُ بِحُسْنِ الْمَعْرِفَةِ.

Fa-ʾidhā istaqarra dhālika fī qalbihi, wa-sakana al-qalbu ʾilā dhālika ka-dhālika, ʾanāra al-qalbu wa-ʿumira baʿda al-kharābi, wa-ʾaḍāʾa baʿda al-ẓulmati, thumma lānati al-mafāṣilu ʿinda dhālika, wa-wathabati al-jawāriḥu ʾilā al-ṭāʿāti. Fa-ʿinda dhālika tasquṭu muʾnatu al-ṣabri, wa-yaṣīru fī darajati al-khawfi wa-al-maḥabbati li-al-ʿibādati, wa-ʿinda dhālika yajidu ḥalāwata mā huwa fīhi, fa-tilka al-ʿibādatu biḥusni al-maʿrifati.

When this settles in his heart and the heart rests in it, the heart becomes radiant and is rebuilt after ruin; it shines after darkness. Then the joints become supple and the limbs spring toward acts of obedience. The burden of patience falls away, and he reaches the degree of fear and love for worship. He tastes the sweetness of his state. This is worship through sound knowledge.

فَلَا يَزَالُ كَذٰلِكَ حَتَّى يَعْرِضَ لَهُ مِنْ دَوَاعِي الدُّنْيَا، وَوَسَاوِسِ النَّفْسِ مَا إِنْ مَالَ إِلَيْهِ قَطَعَهُ عَنْ تِلْكَ الْحَلَاوَةِ، وَرَدَّهُ إِلَى دَرَجَةِ الصَّبْرِ.

Fa-lā yazālu ka-dhālika ḥattā yaʿriḍa lahu min dawāʿī al-dunyā, wa-wasāwisi al-nafsi mā ʾin māla ʾilayhi qaṭaʿahu ʿan tilka al-ḥalāwati, wa-raddahu ʾilā darajati al-ṣabri.

He remains like this until some worldly lure or whisper of the self arises which, if he inclines toward it, cuts him off from that sweetness and returns him to the degree of patience.

وَلَسَاعَةٌ وَاحِدَةٌ مِنْ تِلْكَ السَّاعَاتِ خَيْرٌ مِنْ أَيَّامٍ كَثِيرَةٍ مِنْ أَيَّامِ الصَّبْرِ، لِأَنَّ فِيهَا الْخَوْفَ، وَفِيهَا الْحُبَّ، وَفِيهَا الشُّكْرَ، وَفِيهَا النَّدَمَ، وَهُوَ: التَّوْبَةُ، وَتَعْظِيمَ مَا عَظَّمَ اللَّهُ، وَتَصْغِيرَ الدُّنْيَا، وَالْأُنْسَ بِاللَّهِ.

Wa-lasāʿatun wāḥidatun min tilka al-sāʿāti khayrun min ʾayyāmin kathīratin min ʾayyāmi al-ṣabri, li-ʾanna fīhā al-khawfa, wa-fīhā al-ḥubba, wa-fīhā al-shukra, wa-fīhā al-nadama, wa-huwa: al-tawbatu, wa-taʿẓīma mā ʿaẓẓama Allāhu, wa-taṣghīra al-dunyā, wa-al-ʾunsa bi-Allāhi.

A single hour of those hours is better than many days of patience. Within it are fear, love, gratitude, remorse, which is repentance, magnifying what God has magnified, regarding this world as small, and intimacy with God.

فَلَا يَلْحَقُ صَاحِبَ هٰذِهِ الدَّرَجَةِ صَاحِبُ الصَّوْمِ الْكَثِيرِ، وَالصَّلَاةِ الْكَثِيرَةِ، وَالْحَجِّ وَالْغَزْوِ، وَهٰكَذَا الْعَمَلُ إِذَا كَانَ بِالْمَعْرِفَةِ الْقَوِيَّةِ.

Fa-lā yalḥaqu ṣāḥiba hādhihi al-darajati ṣāḥibu al-ṣawmi al-kathīri, wa-al-ṣalāti al-kathīrati, wa-al-ḥajji wa-al-ghazwi, wa-hākadhā al-ʿamalu ʾidhā kāna bi-al-maʿrifati al-qawiyyati.

Someone devoted to abundant fasting, much prayer, pilgrimage, and military campaigning cannot catch up with the person at this degree. Such is action when it rests on strong knowledge.

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كَيْفَ غَفَلَ النَّاسُ عَنْ هٰذِهِ الدَّرَجَةِ

Kayfa ghafala al-nāsu ʿan hādhihi al-darajati

How people neglected this degree

قُلْتُ: فَأَيْنَ الْمُرِيدُونَ عَنْ هٰذِهِ الدَّرَجَةِ؟ (وَلِمَ) لَا يَكُونُ اهْتِمَامُهُمْ وَعِنَايَتُهُمْ بِهَا أَكْثَرَ مِنْ عِنَايَتِهِمْ بِغَيْرِهَا مِنَ الدَّرَجَاتِ؟

Qultu: fa-ʾayna al-murīdūna ʿan hādhihi al-darajati? (Wa-lima) lā yakūnu ihtimāmuhum wa-ʿināyatuhum bihā ʾakthara min ʿināyatihim bighayrihā mina al-darajāti?

I asked, “Where are the seekers in relation to this degree? (Why) is their concern and care for it not greater than their care for other degrees?”

فَقَالَ: هٰذِهِ الدَّرَجَةُ فِي الدَّرَجَاتِ كَالْجَوْهَرَةِ فِي الْأَشْيَاءِ، وَاللُّؤْلُؤَةِ الْفَائِقَةِ فِي أَلْفِ لُؤْلُؤَةٍ، وَالْجِنْسُ وَاحِدٌ، وَإِنَّمَا قَلَّ أَهْلُ هٰذِهِ الدَّرَجَةِ وَعَزُّوا، لِأَنَّ مِنَ الْأَشْيَاءِ مَا صُعُوبَتُهُ فِي الْمَسْلَكِ إِلَيْهِ، فَإِذَا صِرْتَ إِلَيْهِ صِرْتَ إِلَى سُهُولَةٍ وَرَخَاءٍ وَأُنْسٍ، وَمِنَ الْأَشْيَاءِ مَا سُهُولَتُهُ وَشَهْوَتُهُ فِي طَرِيقِهِ، وَصُعُوبَتُهُ وَشِدَّتُهُ فِي نَفْسِ ذٰلِكَ الشَّيْءِ إِذَا صِرْتَ إِلَيْهِ.

Fa-qāla: hādhihi al-darajatu fī al-darajāti ka-al-jawharati fī al-ʾashyāʾi, wa-al-luʾluʾati al-fāʾiqati fī ʾalfi luʾluʾatin, wa-al-jinsu wāḥidun, wa-ʾinnamā qalla ʾahlu hādhihi al-darajati wa-ʿazzū, li-ʾanna mina al-ʾashyāʾi mā ṣuʿūbatuhu fī al-maslaki ʾilayhi, fa-ʾidhā ṣirta ʾilayhi ṣirta ʾilā suhūlatin wa-rakhāʾin wa-ʾunsin, wa-mina al-ʾashyāʾi mā suhūlatuhu wa-shahwatuhu fī ṭarīqihi, wa-ṣuʿūbatuhu wa-shiddatuhu fī nafsi dhālika al-shayʾi ʾidhā ṣirta ʾilayhi.

He replied, “Among degrees, this is like a jewel among objects, or the outstanding pearl among a thousand pearls, although all are of one kind. Its people are few and rare because some things are difficult on the way to them, but once you arrive, you find ease, comfort, and intimacy. Other things offer ease and attraction on the way, but their difficulty and hardship lie in the thing itself once you reach it.”

وَالْعَامَّةُ يُعْنَوْنَ بِالشَّيْءِ الَّذِي فِيهِ السُّهُولَةُ، فَإِذَا صَارُوا إِلَى الشِّدَّةِ وَالْمَرَارَةِ كَاعُوا، وَتَحَيَّرُوا وَخَسِرُوا، وَقَدْ كَانُوا قَبْلَ ذٰلِكَ يُسْرِعُونَ إِلَيْهِ لِمَا فِيهِ مِنَ السُّهُولَةِ.

Wa-al-ʿāmmatu yuʿnawna bi-al-shayʾi alladhī fīhi al-suhūlatu, fa-ʾidhā ṣārū ʾilā al-shiddati wa-al-marārati kāʿū, wa-taḥayyarū wa-khasirū, wa-qad kānū qabla dhālika yusriʿūna ʾilayhi limā fīhi mina al-suhūlati.

Most people attend to what is easy. When they reach hardship and bitterness, they shrink back, become bewildered, and lose, although previously they hurried toward it because of its ease.

أَوَلَا تَرَاهُمْ يَطْلُبُونَ الْعِلْمَ فَإِذَا صَارُوا إِلَى اسْتِعْمَالِ الْعِلْمِ وَالْوَرَعِ لَا تَرَى مَنْ يَسْتَعْمِلُهُ، وَلَا مَنْ يُرِيدُهُ إِلَّا الْوَاحِدَ بَعْدَ الْوَاحِدِ؟

ʾAwalā tarāhum yaṭlubūna al-ʿilma fa-ʾidhā ṣārū ʾilā istiʿmāli al-ʿilmi wa-al-waraʿi lā tarā man yastaʿmiluhu, wa-lā man yurīduhu ʾillā al-wāḥida baʿda al-wāḥidi?

Do you not see them seeking knowledge? Yet when it comes to practicing knowledge and scrupulousness, you find only an occasional person who practices it or even wants to.

أَوَلَا تَرَاهُمْ يَتَعَلَّمُونَ السِّيَرَ، وَفَضَائِلَ الْجِهَادِ، فَإِذَا صَارُوا إِلَى شُرُوطِ الْجِهَادِ لَا تَرَى مَنْ يَقُومُ بِعَمَلِهِ؟

ʾAwalā tarāhum yataʿallamūna al-siyara, wa-faḍāʾila al-jihādi, fa-ʾidhā ṣārū ʾilā shurūṭi al-jihādi lā tarā man yaqūmu biʿamalihi?

Do you not see them learning accounts of conduct and the merits of struggle? Yet when it comes to the requirements of struggle, you find no one carrying them out.

هٰذِهِ الدَّرَجَةُ شَدِيدَةٌ فِي الطَّرِيقِ إِلَيْهَا، وَلَا تَرَى فِي طَرِيقِهَا إِلَّا الْوَاحِدَ بَعْدَ الْوَاحِدِ مِنَ الْكَثِيرِ، فَلِذٰلِكَ قَلَّ أَهْلُ هٰذِهِ الدَّرَجَةِ، وَكَثُرَ طُلَّابُ غَيْرِهَا مِنَ الدَّرَجَاتِ، لِأَنَّهَا هِيَ الدَّرَجَةُ الَّتِي اسْتَعْبَدَتِ الْعِبَادَ، وَهِيَ دَرَجَةُ الصِّدْقِ وَصَارَ عِلْمُهَا مَهْجُورًا،

Hādhihi al-darajatu shadīdatun fī al-ṭarīqi ʾilayhā, wa-lā tarā fī ṭarīqihā ʾillā al-wāḥida baʿda al-wāḥidi mina al-kathīri, fa-li-dhālika qalla ʾahlu hādhihi al-darajati, wa-kathura ṭullābu ghayrihā mina al-darajāti, li-ʾannahā hiya al-darajatu allatī istaʿbadati al-ʿibāda, wa-hiya darajatu al-ṣidqi wa-ṣāra ʿilmuhā mahjūran,

The road to this degree is hard, and among the many you see only an occasional person traveling it. That is why its people are few and seekers of other degrees numerous. It is the degree that brings servants into true servitude, the degree of truthfulness, and knowledge of it has been abandoned.

وَصَارَ النَّاسُ إِنَّمَا يُرِيدُونَ مِنَ الْعَمَلِ مَا خَفَّ مَحْمِلُهُ، وَقَلَّتْ فِيهِ مُفَاتَشَةُ الْهِمَّةِ، وَنَقَاءُ الضَّمِيرِ، وَالتَّيَقُّظُ، وَمُحَاسَبَةُ النَّفْسِ، وَمُخَالَفَةُ الْهَوَى، وَمُجَاهَدَةُ الْعَدُوِّ.

wa-ṣāra al-nāsu ʾinnamā yurīdūna mina al-ʿamali mā khaffa maḥmiluhu, wa-qallat fīhi mufātashatu al-himmati, wa-naqāʾu al-ḍamīri, wa-al-tayaqquẓu, wa-muḥāsabatu al-nafsi, wa-mukhālafatu al-hawā, wa-mujāhadatu al-ʿaduwwi.

People now want only deeds whose burden is light, requiring little scrutiny of purpose, purity of conscience, wakefulness, self-accounting, opposition to desire, or struggle against the enemy.

وَاعْلَمْ أَنَّ رِضَا الْعَبْدِ بِالْحَالَةِ الَّتِي هُوَ عَلَيْهَا مُقِيمٌ ضَعْفٌ وَبَلِيَّةٌ نَزَلَتْ بِهِ.

Wa-iʿlam ʾanna riḍā al-ʿabdi bi-al-ḥālati allatī huwa ʿalayhā muqīmun ḍaʿfun wa-baliyyatun nazalat bihi.

Know that the servant's contentment with the state in which he remains is weakness and an affliction that has befallen him.

Source page 117

الْمُحِبُّ مُسَارِعٌ إِلَى الْقُرُبَاتِ

Al-muḥibbu musāriʿun ʾilā al-qurubāti

The lover hastens toward deeds of nearness

وَقَالَ: الْمُحِبُّ يُنَازِعُ إِلَى الْقُرْبَةِ أَبَدًا مَا عَاشَ، وَالْخَائِفُ يَتَعَرَّضُ لِلنَّجَاةِ، فَلَمَّا اسْتَيْقَنَ بِالرَّحِيلِ صَارَ مُخَادِعًا لِنَفْسِهِ، وَمُؤْثِرًا لِمَا قَدَّمَ عَلَى مَا خَلَّفَ.

Wa-qāla: al-muḥibbu yunāziʿu ʾilā al-qurbati ʾabadan mā ʿāsha, wa-al-khāʾifu yataʿarraḍu li-al-najāti, fa-lammā istayqana bi-al-raḥīli ṣāra mukhādiʿan linafsihi, wa-muʾthiran limā qaddama ʿalā mā khallafa.

He said: the lover strives toward nearness for as long as he lives, while the fearful person seeks deliverance. When he becomes certain of departure, he begins to outwit his self, preferring what he sends ahead to what he leaves behind.

وَلَا أَعْلَمُ فِي النَّاسِ شَيْئًا أَقَلَّ مِنَ الْغَضَبِ لِلَّهِ، وَالرِّضَا لِلَّهِ، وَالْحُبِّ لِلَّهِ، وَالْبُغْضِ لِلَّهِ، وَأَقَلَّ مِنْ ذٰلِكَ الرِّضَا عَنِ اللَّهِ تَعَالَى، وَالتَّسْلِيمَ لِأَمْرِهِ، وَتَفْوِيضَ الْأُمُورِ إِلَى اللَّهِ.

Wa-lā ʾaʿlamu fī al-nāsi shayʾan ʾaqalla mina al-ghaḍabi li-llāhi, wa-al-riḍā li-llāhi, wa-al-ḥubbi li-llāhi, wa-al-bughḍi li-llāhi, wa-ʾaqalla min dhālika al-riḍā ʿani Allāhi taʿālā, wa-al-taslīma li-ʾamrihi, wa-tafwīḍa al-ʾumūri ʾilā Allāhi.

I know nothing rarer among people than anger for God's sake, approval for God's sake, love for God's sake, and hatred for God's sake. Rarer still are contentment with God Most High, submission to His command, and entrusting one's affairs to Him.

وَأَكْثَرُ سَلَامَةِ النَّاسِ مِنَ الشَّرِّ بِالصَّبْرِ، وَأَكْثَرُ طَلَبِهِمْ لِلْخَيْرِ بِمَا وَافَقَ الْهَوَى، وَالْإِنْسَانُ فِي أَكْثَرِ النِّعَمِ مُخَالِفُ الشُّكْرِ، وَأَقْرَبُ خِصَالِ الْخَيْرِ مِنَ اللَّهِ أَثْقَلُهَا عَلَى الْعَبْدِ، وَلَوْ قَبِلَهَا بِشُكْرٍ كَانَ أَقْرَبُهَا إِلَى اللَّهِ أَحَبَّهَا إِلَيْهِ.

Wa-ʾaktharu salāmati al-nāsi mina al-sharri bi-al-ṣabri, wa-ʾaktharu ṭalabihim li-al-khayri bimā wāfaqa al-hawā, wa-al-ʾinsānu fī ʾakthari al-niʿami mukhālifu al-shukri, wa-ʾaqrabu khiṣāli al-khayri mina Allāhi ʾathqaluhā ʿalā al-ʿabdi, wa-law qabilahā bishukrin kāna ʾaqrabuhā ʾilā Allāhi ʾaḥabbahā ʾilayhi.

People's safety from evil comes mostly through patience, and their pursuit of good mostly through what agrees with desire. In most blessings, the human being acts contrary to gratitude. The good qualities nearest to God are the heaviest upon the servant. If he received them gratefully, those nearest to God would be dearest to him.

فَهٰذَا الْعَبْدُ يَرْجُو رَحْمَةَ اللَّهِ بِالْيَسِيرِ مِنَ الْبِرِّ، كَمَا يَرْجُوهُ بِالْكَثِيرِ مِنَ الْبِرِّ سَوَاءً، وَيَخَافُ سَخَطَ اللَّهِ بِالْيَسِيرِ مِنَ الذُّنُوبِ، كَمَا يَخَافُ سَخَطَهُ بِالْكَثِيرِ مِنَ الذُّنُوبِ سَوَاءً، وَلَا يَكُونُ حَسَنَ الرَّغْبَةِ فِي كَثِيرٍ مِنَ الْحَسَنَاتِ إِلَّا كَانَ فِي الْقَلِيلِ كَذٰلِكَ.

Fa-hādhā al-ʿabdu yarjū raḥmata Allāhi bi-al-yasīri mina al-birri, kamā yarjūhu bi-al-kathīri mina al-birri sawāʾan, wa-yakhāfu sakhaṭa Allāhi bi-al-yasīri mina al-dhunūbi, kamā yakhāfu sakhaṭahu bi-al-kathīri mina al-dhunūbi sawāʾan, wa-lā yakūnu ḥasana al-raghbati fī kathīrin mina al-ḥasanāti ʾillā kāna fī al-qalīli ka-dhālika.

Such a servant hopes for God's mercy through a little goodness just as through much, and fears God's anger over a few sins just as over many. He cannot have a fine desire for many good deeds without having the same desire for a few.

وَقَالَ: إِذَا أَرَدْتَ أَنْ تُصْلِحَ مِنْ أَمْرِكَ شَيْئًا فَاشْتَدَّ عَلَيْكَ، فَخَلِّ عَنْ جَمِيعِ أَعْمَالِ الْبِرِّ مِنَ التَّطَوُّعِ كُلِّهَا، وَاجْعَلْ شُغْلَكَ كُلَّهُ فِيهِ، فَإِنَّكَ تُعَانُ عَلَيْهِ إِنْ شَاءَ اللَّهُ.

Wa-qāla: ʾidhā ʾaradta ʾan tuṣliḥa min ʾamrika shayʾan fa-ishtadda ʿalayka, fa-khalli ʿan jamīʿi ʾaʿmāli al-birri mina al-taṭawwuʿi kullihā, wa-ijʿal shughlaka kullahu fīhi, fa-ʾinnaka tuʿānu ʿalayhi ʾin shāʾa Allāhu.

He said: if you wish to correct something in your condition and find it difficult, set aside all your voluntary good deeds and make it your entire occupation. You will be helped in it, God willing.

Source page 118

مَرَاتِبُ الْعَمَلِ لِلَّهِ

Marātibu al-ʿamali li-llāhi

The ranks of acting for God

وَقَالَ: النَّاسُ يَعْمَلُونَ عَلَى أَرْبَعَةِ وُجُوهٍ:

Wa-qāla: al-nāsu yaʿmalūna ʿalā ʾarbaʿati wujūhin:

He said: people act in four ways:

فَأَشْرَفُهَا وَأَفْضَلُهَا: قَوْمٌ عَمِلُوا لِلَّهِ عَلَى التَّعْظِيمِ لَهُ، فَحَسُنَتْ أَعْمَالُهُمْ، وَكَرُمَتْ فِعَالُهُمْ عَلَى وَجْهِ عَظَمَتِهِ فِي صُدُورِهِمْ، وَعِظَمِ قَدْرِهِ فِي قُلُوبِهِمْ، فَلَمْ يَكُنْ شَيْءٌ أَحَبَّ إِلَيْهِمْ، وَلَا أَلَذَّ عِنْدَهُمْ مِنْ شَيْءٍ يَتَقَرَّبُونَ بِهِ إِلَيْهِ.

Fa-ʾashrafuhā wa-ʾafḍaluhā: qawmun ʿamilū li-llāhi ʿalā al-taʿẓīmi lahu, fa-ḥasunat ʾaʿmāluhum, wa-karumat fiʿāluhum ʿalā wajhi ʿaẓamatihi fī ṣudūrihim, wa-ʿiẓami qadrihi fī qulūbihim, fa-lam yakun shayʾun ʾaḥabba ʾilayhim, wa-lā ʾaladhdha ʿindahum min shayʾin yataqarrabūna bihi ʾilayhi.

The noblest and finest are people who act for God out of reverence for Him. Their deeds become beautiful and their actions noble because of His greatness within their breasts and His immense worth in their hearts. Nothing is dearer or more delightful to them than something through which they draw near to Him.

وَآخَرُونَ عَمِلُوا عَلَى وَجْهِ الرَّغْبَةِ، وَالْحِرْصِ عَلَى جِوَارِهِ، فَلَمْ تَكُنْ لَهُمْ هِمَّةٌ إِلَّا تَرْكُ مَا نَهَاهُمْ عَنْهُ، لِتَعْظِيمِ ثَوَابِهِ، وَخَافُوا فَوَاتَ خَيْرِ مَا عِنْدَهُ مِنْ عَظِيمِ مَا أَعَدَّ مِنَ الثَّوَابِ لِأَهْلِ وِلَايَتِهِ.

Wa-ʾākharūna ʿamilū ʿalā wajhi al-raghbati, wa-al-ḥirṣi ʿalā jiwārihi, fa-lam takun lahum himmatun ʾillā tarku mā nahāhum ʿanhu, litaʿẓīmi thawābihi, wa-khāfū fawāta khayri mā ʿindahu min ʿaẓīmi mā ʾaʿadda mina al-thawābi li-ʾahli wilāyatihi.

Others act out of longing and eagerness to dwell near Him. Their only concern is to abandon what He has forbidden, because they hold His reward in such high regard. They fear missing the goodness He possesses, the immense reward He has prepared for those close to Him.

وَآخَرُونَ عَمِلُوا مَخَافَةً مِنْهُ وَمِنْ عِقَابِهِ، فَكَانَتْ هِمَّتُهُمْ (فِي) الرَّهْبَةِ مِنَ الْعِقَابِ قَدْ حَالَتْ بَيْنَهُمْ وَبَيْنَ الرَّغْبَةِ فِي الثَّوَابِ. وَكَانَتِ الْأَعْمَالُ مِنْهُمْ عَلَى وَجْهِ الْفِرَارِ مِنَ الْعِقَابِ، وَلَيْسَ يَخْطُرُ الثَّوَابُ عَلَى قُلُوبِهِمْ لِعِظَمِ الْعِقَابِ فِي صُدُورِهِمْ، وَيَقُولُونَ فِي أَنْفُسِهِمْ: إِنْ بَلَغَتْنَا أَعْمَالُنَا إِلَى الْخَلَاصِ مِنَ الْعِقَابِ لَقَدْ ظَفِرْنَا بِالْفَوْزِ الْعَظِيمِ.

Wa-ʾākharūna ʿamilū makhāfatan minhu wa-min ʿiqābihi, fa-kānat himmatuhum (fī) al-rahbati mina al-ʿiqābi qad ḥālat baynahum wa-bayna al-raghbati fī al-thawābi. Wa-kānati al-ʾaʿmālu minhum ʿalā wajhi al-firāri mina al-ʿiqābi, wa-laysa yakhṭuru al-thawābu ʿalā qulūbihim liʿiẓami al-ʿiqābi fī ṣudūrihim, wa-yaqūlūna fī ʾanfusihim: ʾin balaghatnā ʾaʿmālunā ʾilā al-khalāṣi mina al-ʿiqābi laqad ẓafirnā bi-al-fawzi al-ʿaẓīmi.

Others act in fear of Him and His punishment. Their concern, centered (on) dread of punishment, blocks their longing for reward. Their deeds are a flight from punishment. Reward does not enter their hearts because punishment looms so great within them. They say inwardly, “If our deeds bring us deliverance from punishment, we have achieved a tremendous victory.”

فَخَرَجَتِ الرَّغْبَةُ مِنْ قُلُوبِهِمْ، مِنْ كَثْرَةِ الرَّهْبَةِ، فَمَا تَخْطُرُ الْجَنَّةُ بِقُلُوبِهِمْ مِنْ عِظَمِ الْعِقَابِ فِي صُدُورِهِمْ.

Fa-kharajati al-raghbatu min qulūbihim, min kathrati al-rahbati, fa-mā takhṭuru al-jannatu biqulūbihim min ʿiẓami al-ʿiqābi fī ṣudūrihim.

Their great dread drives longing from their hearts. Paradise does not enter their hearts because punishment looms so great within them.

وَآخَرُونَ عَمِلُوا عَلَى وَجْهِ الْحَيَاءِ مِنَ اللَّهِ سُبْحَانَهُ، اسْتَحْيَوْا فِي لَيْلِهِمْ وَنَهَارِهِمْ، إِذَا غُلِّقَتِ الْأَبْوَابُ، وَأُرْخِيَتِ السُّتُورُ عَلَيْهِمْ، لِمَا أَيْقَنُوهُ أَنَّهُ هُوَ الَّذِي يَلِي عَرْضَهُمْ وَمُسَاءَلَتَهُمْ.

Wa-ʾākharūna ʿamilū ʿalā wajhi al-ḥayāʾi mina Allāhi subḥānahu, istaḥyaw fī laylihim wa-nahārihim, ʾidhā ghulliqati al-ʾabwābu, wa-ʾurkhiyati al-sutūru ʿalayhim, limā ʾayqanūhu ʾannahu huwa alladhī yalī ʿarḍahum wa-musāʾalatahum.

Others act out of shame before God, glory be to Him. They feel shame night and day, when doors are shut and curtains drawn around them, because they are certain that He is the One who will oversee their presentation and questioning.

فَاسْتَحْيَوْا مِنْ كُلِّ قَبِيحٍ يَعْمَلُونَهُ فِي سَرَائِرِهِمْ، حَتَّى كَأَنَّهُمْ يَنْظُرُونَ إِلَيْهِ، وَلَمَّا اسْتَيْقَنُوا بِنَظَرِهِ إِلَيْهِمْ قَالُوا: سَوَاءٌ عَلَيْنَا نَظَرَ إِلَيْنَا أَوْ نَظَرْنَا إِلَيْهِ. وَأَيْقَنُوا أَنَّهُ أَقْرَبُ إِلَيْهِمْ مِنْ حَبْلِ الْوَرِيدِ.

Fa-istaḥyaw min kulli qabīḥin yaʿmalūnahu fī sarāʾirihim, ḥattā kaʾannahum yanẓurūna ʾilayhi, wa-lammā istayqanū binaẓarihi ʾilayhim qālū: sawāʾun ʿalaynā naẓara ʾilaynā ʾaw naẓarnā ʾilayhi. Wa-ʾayqanū ʾannahu ʾaqrabu ʾilayhim min ḥabli al-warīdi.

They feel shame over every ugly deed they commit in secret, as though they were looking at Him. Certain that He looks upon them, they say, “For us, it is the same whether He looks at us or we look at Him.” They are certain that He is nearer to them than the jugular vein.

Source pages 118–119

فَلَمَّا أَيْقَنُوا بِذٰلِكَ حَالَ يَقِينُهُمْ بَيْنَهُمْ وَبَيْنَ مَثَاقِيلِ الذَّرِّ، وَمَوَازِينِ الْخَرْدَلِ، مِمَّا يَكْرَهُ الْمُطَّلِعُ عَلَيْهِمْ. وَكَانَ الْحَائِلُ بَيْنَهُمْ وَبَيْنَ اعْتِقَادِ الْقَلْبِ عَلَى شَيْءٍ مِمَّا يَكْرَهُ سَيِّدُهُمْ: مَعْرِفَتُهُمْ بِأَنَّهُ مُطَّلِعٌ فِي ضَمَائِرِهِمْ، وَيَنْظُرُ إِلَيْهِمْ فِي كُلِّ حَرَكَةٍ تَكُونُ مِنْهُمْ، وَكُلِّ سُكُونٍ، وَكُلِّ خَطْرَةٍ، وَكُلِّ طَرْفَةِ عَيْنٍ، وَكُلِّ هِمَّةٍ، وَكُلِّ إِرَادَةٍ، وَكُلِّ نِيَّةٍ، وَكُلِّ مَحَبَّةٍ، وَكُلِّ شَهْوَةٍ.

Fa-lammā ʾayqanū bi-dhālika ḥāla yaqīnuhum baynahum wa-bayna mathāqīli al-dharri, wa-mawāzīni al-khardali, mimmā yakrahu al-muṭṭaliʿu ʿalayhim. Wa-kāna al-ḥāʾilu baynahum wa-bayna iʿtiqādi al-qalbi ʿalā shayʾin mimmā yakrahu sayyiduhum: maʿrifatuhum bi-ʾannahu muṭṭaliʿun fī ḍamāʾirihim, wa-yanẓuru ʾilayhim fī kulli ḥarakatin takūnu minhum, wa-kulli sukūnin, wa-kulli khaṭratin, wa-kulli ṭarfati ʿaynin, wa-kulli himmatin, wa-kulli ʾirādatin, wa-kulli niyyatin, wa-kulli maḥabbatin, wa-kulli shahwatin.

Once certain of this, their certainty keeps them from particles' and mustard seeds' weights of anything displeasing to the One who sees them. What prevents their hearts from settling upon anything their Master dislikes is their knowledge that He sees into their consciences and watches every movement, every stillness, every passing thought, every blink, every purpose, intention, resolve, love, and craving.

Source page 119

وَأَمَّا نَحْنُ فَلَمْ يُهَيِّجْنَا عَلَى عَمَلِنَا التَّعْظِيمُ لَهُ، وَلَمْ تُهَيِّجْنَا رَغْبَتُنَا فِي عَظِيمِ الثَّوَابِ، فَنَتَقَرَّبَ بِحُسْنِ الْفِعَالِ. وَلَمْ تَدْعُنَا الرَّهْبَةُ مِنَ الْعِقَابِ إِلَى تَرْكِ مَسَاوِئِ الْأَعْمَالِ، وَلَمْ يَحُلِ الْحَيَاءُ مِنْهُ بَيْنَنَا وَبَيْنَ قَبِيحِ الْأَعْمَالِ فِيمَا بَيْنَنَا وَبَيْنَهُ.

Wa-ʾammā naḥnu fa-lam yuhayyijnā ʿalā ʿamalinā al-taʿẓīmu lahu, wa-lam tuhayyijnā raghbatunā fī ʿaẓīmi al-thawābi, fa-nataqarraba biḥusni al-fiʿāli. Wa-lam tadʿunā al-rahbatu mina al-ʿiqābi ʾilā tarki masāwiʾi al-ʾaʿmāli, wa-lam yaḥuli al-ḥayāʾu minhu baynanā wa-bayna qabīḥi al-ʾaʿmāli fīmā baynanā wa-baynahu.

As for us, reverence for Him has not stirred us to act, nor has longing for immense reward moved us to draw near through beautiful deeds. Dread of punishment has not called us to abandon evil deeds, nor has shame before Him kept us from ugly deeds in what lies between Him and us.

فَنَسْأَلُ اللَّهَ الْمَنَّانَ الَّذِي مَنَّ عَلَيْهِمْ: أَنْ يَمُنَّ عَلَيْنَا بِمَا مَنَّ بِهِ عَلَيْهِمْ، وَأَنْ يَهَبَ لَنَا مِثْلَ فِعَالِهِمْ، فَإِنَّهُ فَعَّالٌ لِمَا يُرِيدُ.

Fa-nasʾalu Allāha al-mannāna alladhī manna ʿalayhim: ʾan yamunna ʿalaynā bimā manna bihi ʿalayhim, wa-ʾan yahaba lanā mithla fiʿālihim, fa-ʾinnahu faʿʿālun limā yurīdu.

We ask God, the Bestower who favored them, to grant us the favor He granted them and bestow on us deeds like theirs. He does whatever He wills.

وَقَالَ: الصِّدْقُ عِنْدَ الْعَبْدِ عَلَى قَدْرِ إِرَادَتِهِ، وَالشُّكْرُ عِنْدَهُ عَلَى قَدْرِ مَوْقِعِ النِّعْمَةِ مِنْهُ.

Wa-qāla: al-ṣidqu ʿinda al-ʿabdi ʿalā qadri ʾirādatihi, wa-al-shukru ʿindahu ʿalā qadri mawqiʿi al-niʿmati minhu.

He said: the servant's truthfulness is in proportion to his intention, and his gratitude in proportion to the place the blessing holds within him.

Source page 120

السُّلُوكُ السَّلَفِيُّ

Al-sulūku al-salafiyyu

Conduct in the way of the early generations

ذِكْرُ الْآخِرَةِ

Dhikru al-ʾākhirati

Remembering the next life

بِسْمِ اللَّهِ الرَّحْمٰنِ الرَّحِيمِ. يُرْوَى عَنْ بَعْضِ الْحُكَمَاءِ أَنَّهُ كَتَبَ إِلَى أَخٍ لَهُ:

Bismi Allāhi al-raḥmāni al-raḥīmi. Yurwā ʿan baʿḍi al-ḥukamāʾi ʾannahu kataba ʾilā ʾakhin lahu:

In the name of God, the All-Merciful, the Ever-Merciful. It is related that one of the sages wrote to a brother of his:

سَلَامٌ عَلَيْكَ. أَمَّا بَعْدُ، فَاذْكُرْ مَا أَنْتَ عَنْهُ زَائِلٌ، وَعَلَيْهِ قَادِمٌ، وَإِلَيْهِ صَائِرٌ، كَذِكْرِ مَنْ نَظَرَ فَاعْتَبَرَ، وَأَخَذَ حِذْرَهُ فَازْدَجَرَ، وَتَعَوَّذْ بِاللَّهِ مِنْ مَوْتِ الْقَلْبِ عَنْ شِدَّةِ الْعِنَايَةِ لِلسَّدَادِ وَالرَّشَادِ، وَحُسْنِ الِاسْتِعْدَادِ لِلْمَعَادِ.

Salāmun ʿalayka. ʾAmmā baʿdu, fa-udhkur mā ʾanta ʿanhu zāʾilun, wa-ʿalayhi qādimun, wa-ʾilayhi ṣāʾirun, kadhikri man naẓara fa-iʿtabara, wa-ʾakhadha ḥidhrahu fa-izdajara, wa-taʿawwadh bi-Allāhi min mawti al-qalbi ʿan shiddati al-ʿināyati li-al-sadādi wa-al-rashādi, wa-ḥusni al-istiʿdādi li-al-maʿādi.

Peace be upon you. Now then: remember what you are leaving, what you are approaching, and what you will come to, as one who looks and takes a lesson, takes precautions, and heeds restraint. Seek God's protection from a heart dead to earnest care for soundness, guidance, and proper preparation for the return.

فَلَوْ فَكَّرَ الْعِبَادُ وَعَلِمُوا أَنَّهُمْ لَا يَسَعُهُمْ أَنْ يَرِدُوا عَلَى اللَّهِ إِلَّا بِمَا لَهُ فِيهِ رِضًا، عَلِمُوا أَوْ جَهِلُوا، وَأَلَّا يَطَّلِعَ اللَّهُ عَلَى ضَمَائِرِهِمْ فَيَرَى فِيهَا شَيْئًا مِمَّا يَكْرَهُ، وَأَنْ يَكُونُوا نَادِمِينَ عَلَى مَا كَانَ مِنْهُمْ مَا لَمْ يَكُنْ فِيهِ رِضَاهُ، مِمَّا عَلِمُوا أَوْ جَهِلُوا، إِذَنْ لَاجْتَهَدَ مَنْ كَانَ يَخَافُ اللَّهَ مِنْهُمْ بِالْغَيْبِ أَنْ يَكُونَ مَجْهُولُهُمْ مَعْلُومًا، وَمَعْلُومُهُمْ مَعْمُولًا بِهِ، وَأَنْ يَكُونُوا نَادِمِينَ عَلَى مَا فَاتَ مِنْهُمْ مِنْ ذٰلِكَ.

Fa-law fakkara al-ʿibādu wa-ʿalimū ʾannahum lā yasaʿuhum ʾan yaridū ʿalā Allāhi ʾillā bimā lahu fīhi riḍan, ʿalimū ʾaw jahilū, wa-ʾallā yaṭṭaliʿa Allāhu ʿalā ḍamāʾirihim fa-yarā fīhā shayʾan mimmā yakrahu, wa-ʾan yakūnū nādimīna ʿalā mā kāna minhum mā lam yakun fīhi riḍāhu, mimmā ʿalimū ʾaw jahilū, ʾidhan la-ijtahada man kāna yakhāfu Allāha minhum bi-al-ghaybi ʾan yakūna majhūluhum maʿlūman, wa-maʿlūmuhum maʿmūlan bihi, wa-ʾan yakūnū nādimīna ʿalā mā fāta minhum min dhālika.

If servants reflected and knew that they may come before God only with what pleases Him, whether they know it or not; that when God looks into their consciences He must find nothing He dislikes; and that they must regret whatever they have done that did not please Him, whether known to them or not, then those among them who fear God unseen would strive to make what they do not know known, to act upon what they know, and to regret what they have failed to do of this.

وَاعْلَمْ يَا أَخِي أَنَّ اللَّهَ سُبْحَانَهُ جَعَلَ نَجَاةَ الْعِبَادِ بِرَحْمَتِهِ فِي الْمَعْرِفَةِ، ثُمَّ فِي الْإِرَادَةِ، ثُمَّ فِي تَرْكِ مَا أَمَرَهُمْ بِتَرْكِهِ، ثُمَّ فِي الْعَمَلِ بِمَا أَمَرَهُمْ بِهِ، ثُمَّ فِي شُكْرِ نِعَمِهِ الَّتِي أَنْعَمَ بِهَا عَلَيْهِمْ قَدِيمًا وَحَدِيثًا، ظَاهِرًا وَبَاطِنًا.

Wa-iʿlam yā ʾakhī ʾanna Allāha subḥānahu jaʿala najāta al-ʿibādi biraḥmatihi fī al-maʿrifati, thumma fī al-ʾirādati, thumma fī tarki mā ʾamarahum bitarkihi, thumma fī al-ʿamali bimā ʾamarahum bihi, thumma fī shukri niʿamihi allatī ʾanʿama bihā ʿalayhim qadīman wa-ḥadīthan, ẓāhiran wa-bāṭinan.

Know, my brother, that God, glory be to Him, in His mercy has placed the servants' salvation in knowledge, then intention, then abandoning what He commands them to abandon, then doing what He commands, then thanking Him for the blessings He has bestowed upon them, old and new, outward and inward.

مَعْرِفَةُ اللَّهِ

Maʿrifatu Allāhi

Knowing God

فَأَوَّلُ مَا أَرَادَ اللَّهُ تَعَالَى مِنَ الْعِبَادِ: أَنْ يَعْرِفُوهُ عَنِ الْوُجُوهِ الَّتِي تَعَرَّفَ إِلَيْهِمْ مِنْهَا، فَإِنَّهُ قَدْ تَعَرَّفَ إِلَيْهِمْ مِنْ خَلْقِهِ لِلْخَلْقِ، وَتَدْبِيرِهِ فِي الْخَلْقِ، وَمِنْ قُدْرَتِهِ عَلَى الْخَلْقِ، وَتَكَفُّلِهِ بِأَرْزَاقِ الْخَلْقِ، وَإِمَاتَتِهِ الْخَلْقَ، وَإِحْيَائِهِ الْخَلْقَ، أَلَا لَهُ الْخَلْقُ وَالْأَمْرُ، تَبَارَكَ اللَّهُ أَحْسَنُ الْخَالِقِينَ.

Fa-ʾawwalu mā ʾarāda Allāhu taʿālā mina al-ʿibādi: ʾan yaʿrifūhu ʿani al-wujūhi allatī taʿarrafa ʾilayhim minhā, fa-ʾinnahu qad taʿarrafa ʾilayhim min khalqihi li-al-khalqi, wa-tadbīrihi fī al-khalqi, wa-min qudratihi ʿalā al-khalqi, wa-takaffulihi bi-ʾarzāqi al-khalqi, wa-ʾimātatihi al-khalqa, wa-ʾiḥyāʾihi al-khalqa, ʾalā lahu al-khalqu wa-al-ʾamru, tabāraka Allāhu ʾaḥsanu al-khāliqīna.

The first thing God Most High wants from His servants is that they know Him through the ways in which He has made Himself known to them. He has made Himself known through creating creation, governing it, exercising power over it, undertaking to provide its sustenance, causing it to die, and bringing it to life. Surely creation and command belong to Him. Blessed is God, the finest of creators.

إِرَادَةُ اللَّهِ بِالْعَمَلِ

ʾIrādatu Allāhi bi-al-ʿamali

Seeking God through deeds

Source pages 120–121

وَأَرَادَ مِنْهُمْ بَعْدَ الْمَعْرِفَةِ: أَنْ يُرِيدُوهُ بِكُلِّ مَا عَمِلُوا مِنْ أَعْمَالِ الْبِرِّ، وَلَا يَرَوْا غَيْرَهُ، وَلَا يَطْلُبُونَ الثَّوَابَ إِلَّا مِنْهُ، فَلَوْ كَانَ يُمْكِنُ أَنْ يَكُونَ قَبْلَ الْمَعْرِفَةِ شَيْءٌ لَكَانَتِ الْإِرَادَةُ قَبْلَ الْمَعْرِفَةِ، وَلَوِ اسْتَغْنَى عَنِ الْمَعْرِفَةِ بِشَيْءٍ لَاسْتَغْنَتِ الْإِرَادَةُ عَنِ الْمَعْرِفَةِ.

Wa-ʾarāda minhum baʿda al-maʿrifati: ʾan yurīdūhu bikulli mā ʿamilū min ʾaʿmāli al-birri, wa-lā yaraw ghayrahu, wa-lā yaṭlubūna al-thawāba ʾillā minhu, fa-law kāna yumkinu ʾan yakūna qabla al-maʿrifati shayʾun lakānati al-ʾirādatu qabla al-maʿrifati, wa-lawi istaghnā ʿani al-maʿrifati bishayʾin la-istaghnati al-ʾirādatu ʿani al-maʿrifati.

After knowledge, He wants them to seek Him through every good deed they do, to see no other, and to seek reward only from Him. If anything could come before knowledge, intention would come before it; and if one could dispense with knowledge through anything, intention would dispense with it.

Source page 121

فَالْمَعْرِفَةُ قَبْلَ كُلِّ شَيْءٍ، وَأَصْلُ كُلِّ شَيْءٍ، ثُمَّ الْإِرَادَةُ، وَهِيَ مِنْهَا. وَهِيَ: تَحْقِيقُ التَّرْكِ، وَتَحْقِيقُ الْعَمَلِ، وَالْأَخْذِ وَالْإِعْطَاءِ، وَالْحُبِّ وَالْكُرْهِ فِي الْأَعْمَالِ كُلِّهَا.

Fa-al-maʿrifatu qabla kulli shayʾin, wa-ʾaṣlu kulli shayʾin, thumma al-ʾirādatu, wa-hiya minhā. Wa-hiya: taḥqīqu al-tarki, wa-taḥqīqu al-ʿamali, wa-al-ʾakhdhi wa-al-ʾiʿṭāʾi, wa-al-ḥubbi wa-al-kurhi fī al-ʾaʿmāli kullihā.

Knowledge precedes everything and is the root of everything. Then comes intention, which arises from it: making renunciation and action genuine, and likewise taking and giving, loving and disliking, in all deeds.

وَهِيَ وَلِيَّةُ عَقْدِ مَنَافِعِ أَهْلِ الْأَعْمَالِ فِي أَعْمَالِهِمْ.

Wa-hiya waliyyatu ʿaqdi manāfiʿi ʾahli al-ʾaʿmāli fī ʾaʿmālihim.

Intention governs the bond securing the benefits that people derive from their deeds.

شُكْرُ النِّعَمِ

Shukru al-niʿami

Gratitude for blessings

وَالشُّكْرُ عَلَى قَدْرِ الْمَعْرِفَةِ، فَمِفْتَاحُ النِّعَمِ وَأَفْضَلُهَا كُلِّهَا وَأَوَّلُهَا، هِيَ نِعْمَةُ الْمَعْرِفَةِ.

Wa-al-shukru ʿalā qadri al-maʿrifati, fa-miftāḥu al-niʿami wa-ʾafḍaluhā kullihā wa-ʾawwaluhā, hiya niʿmatu al-maʿrifati.

Gratitude is in proportion to knowledge. The key to blessings, the finest of them all and the first, is the blessing of knowledge.

وَلَا أَعْلَمُ بَعْدَ نِعْمَةِ الْمَعْرِفَةِ أَعْظَمَ قَدْرًا مِنْ نِعْمَةِ الْعَقْلِ، وَنِعْمَةُ الْإِرَادَةِ نِعْمَةٌ يَعْسُرُ مَبْلَغُ شُكْرِهَا.

Wa-lā ʾaʿlamu baʿda niʿmati al-maʿrifati ʾaʿẓama qadran min niʿmati al-ʿaqli, wa-niʿmatu al-ʾirādati niʿmatun yaʿsuru mablaghu shukrihā.

After the blessing of knowledge, I know none of greater worth than the blessing of understanding. The blessing of intention is one for which adequate gratitude is difficult to attain.

وَآخِرُ النِّعَمِ نِعْمَةُ الْحِكْمَةِ. فَنَسْأَلُ اللَّهَ خَاتِمَةَ خَيْرٍ، وَنَسْأَلُهُ أَنْ يُعَرِّفَنَا جَمِيعَ نِعَمِهِ، وَأَنْ يُوزِعَنَا الشُّكْرَ عَلَى ذٰلِكَ، فَقَدْ يَنَالُ الْعَبْدُ بِالْمَعْرِفَةِ وَالْإِرَادَةِ مِنَ الْخَيْرِ وَالْقُرْبِ مِنَ اللَّهِ سُبْحَانَهُ وَتَعَالَى مَا لَا يَنَالُهُ صَاحِبُ الْعَمَلِ الْكَثِيرِ.

Wa-ʾākhiru al-niʿami niʿmatu al-ḥikmati. Fa-nasʾalu Allāha khātimata khayrin, wa-nasʾaluhu ʾan yuʿarrifanā jamīʿa niʿamihi, wa-ʾan yūziʿanā al-shukra ʿalā dhālika, fa-qad yanālu al-ʿabdu bi-al-maʿrifati wa-al-ʾirādati mina al-khayri wa-al-qurbi mina Allāhi subḥānahu wa-taʿālā mā lā yanāluhu ṣāḥibu al-ʿamali al-kathīri.

The final blessing is wisdom. We ask God for a good ending, and ask Him to make all His blessings known to us and inspire us to thank Him for them. Through knowledge and intention, a servant may attain goodness and nearness to God, glory be to Him and exalted is He, that someone with many deeds does not attain.

مَعْرِفَةُ مَا يُحِبُّ اللَّهُ وَمَا يَكْرَهُ

Maʿrifatu mā yuḥibbu Allāhu wa-mā yakrahu

Knowing what God loves and dislikes

وَإِنَّهُ لَيْسَ شَيْءٌ أَوْلَى بِالْعَبْدِ بَعْدَ مَعْرِفَةِ اللَّهِ مِنْ مَعْرِفَةِ مَا يَكْرَهُ اللَّهُ، وَهُوَ الَّذِي نَهَاهُ عَنْهُ، وَتَقَدَّمَ فِيهِ بِالْوَعِيدِ، وَالزَّجْرِ وَالتَّحْذِيرِ.

Wa-ʾinnahu laysa shayʾun ʾawlā bi-al-ʿabdi baʿda maʿrifati Allāhi min maʿrifati mā yakrahu Allāhu, wa-huwa alladhī nahāhu ʿanhu, wa-taqaddama fīhi bi-al-waʿīdi, wa-al-zajri wa-al-taḥdhīri.

After knowing God, nothing deserves the servant's attention more than knowing what God dislikes: what He has forbidden and against which He has issued threats, restraint, and warning.

ثُمَّ مَعْرِفَةُ مَا أَحَبَّ اللَّهُ وَهُوَ: الَّذِي أَمَرَ بِهِ، وَرَغَّبَ فِيهِ.

Thumma maʿrifatu mā ʾaḥabba Allāhu wa-huwa: alladhī ʾamara bihi, wa-raghghaba fīhi.

Then comes knowing what God loves: what He has commanded and encouraged.

فَأَبْلَغُ الْأَعْمَالِ إِلَى رِضْوَانِ اللَّهِ: مُفَارَقَةُ مَا يَكْرَهُ اللَّهُ، ثُمَّ مُبَاشَرَةُ مَا يُحِبُّ اللَّهُ تَعَالَى، وَمَا رَغَّبَ فِيهِ.

Fa-ʾablaghu al-ʾaʿmāli ʾilā riḍwāni Allāhi: mufāraqatu mā yakrahu Allāhu, thumma mubāsharatu mā yuḥibbu Allāhu taʿālā, wa-mā raghghaba fīhi.

The deeds that lead most effectively to God's pleasure are leaving what He dislikes, then undertaking what God Most High loves and has encouraged.

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فَانْظُرْ يَا أَخِي، إِذَا أَصْبَحْتَ فَلَا يَكُنْ شَيْءٌ أَهَمَّ إِلَيْكَ مِنْ أَنْ تُمِيتَ خَصْلَةً تَهْوَاهَا نَفْسُكَ مِمَّا يَكْرَهُ اللَّهُ تَعَالَى فَإِنَّهُ يَحْيَا لَكَ مَكَانَهَا خَصْلَةٌ مِمَّا يُحِبُّ اللَّهُ، وَلَكَ بَعْدَ ذٰلِكَ التَّضْعِيفُ، مِنَ النُّورِ السَّاطِعِ فِي قَلْبِكَ، وَالْفَهْمِ.

Fa-unẓur yā ʾakhī, ʾidhā ʾaṣbaḥta fa-lā yakun shayʾun ʾahamma ʾilayka min ʾan tumīta khaṣlatan tahwāhā nafsuka mimmā yakrahu Allāhu taʿālā fa-ʾinnahu yaḥyā laka makānahā khaṣlatun mimmā yuḥibbu Allāhu, wa-laka baʿda dhālika al-taḍʿīfu, mina al-nūri al-sāṭiʿi fī qalbika, wa-al-fahmi.

Consider, my brother: when morning comes, let nothing matter more to you than killing a trait your self desires but God Most High dislikes. In its place, a trait God loves will come alive within you. Beyond that, you will receive a multiplied increase in the light shining in your heart and in understanding.

وَاعْلَمْ يَا أَخِي أَنَّ الدُّنْيَا مِنْهَا حَلَالٌ مُبَاحٌ، وَمِنْهَا شُبُهَاتٌ، وَمِنْهَا حَرَامٌ.

Wa-iʿlam yā ʾakhī ʾanna al-dunyā minhā ḥalālun mubāḥun, wa-minhā shubuhātun, wa-minhā ḥarāmun.

Know, my brother, that some worldly things are lawful and permitted, some doubtful, and some forbidden.

فَإِذَا كَانَ فِي قَلْبِ الْعَبْدِ عُقْدَةٌ مُتَمَكِّنَةٌ مِنْ عُقَدِ حُبِّ الْحَلَالِ الْمُبَاحِ، لَمْ تَنْقَطِعْ عَنْهُ مَوَادُّ نَوَازِعِ الشُّبُهَاتِ وَالْمَكْرُوهَاتِ.

Fa-ʾidhā kāna fī qalbi al-ʿabdi ʿuqdatun mutamakkinatun min ʿuqadi ḥubbi al-ḥalāli al-mubāḥi, lam tanqaṭiʿ ʿanhu mawāddu nawāziʿi al-shubuhāti wa-al-makrūhāti.

If the servant's heart contains a firmly rooted attachment to what is lawful and permitted, the impulses drawing him toward doubtful and disliked things will not cease to be supplied.

وَإِذَا كَانَ فِي قَلْبِهِ عُقْدَةٌ مُتَمَكِّنَةٌ مِنْ عُقَدِ حُبِّ الشُّبُهَاتِ وَالْمَكْرُوهَاتِ، لَمْ تَنْقَطِعْ عَنْهُ مَوَادُّ نَوَازِعِ الْحَرَامِ. وَقَدْ رُوِيَ عَنِ النَّبِيِّ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ أَنَّهُ قَالَ: «مَنْ وَقَعَ فِي الشُّبُهَاتِ فَأَوْشَكَ أَنْ يُوَاقِعَ الْحَرَامَ، كَالرَّاعِي يَرْعَى حَوْلَ الْحِمَى يُوشِكُ أَنْ يَقَعَ فِيهِ».

Wa-ʾidhā kāna fī qalbihi ʿuqdatun mutamakkinatun min ʿuqadi ḥubbi al-shubuhāti wa-al-makrūhāti, lam tanqaṭiʿ ʿanhu mawāddu nawāziʿi al-ḥarāmi. Wa-qad ruwiya ʿani al-nabiyyi ṣallā Allāhu ʿalayhi wa-sallama ʾannahu qāla: «man waqaʿa fī al-shubuhāti fa-ʾawshaka ʾan yuwāqiʿa al-ḥarāma, ka-al-rāʿī yarʿā ḥawla al-ḥimā yūshiku ʾan yaqaʿa fīhi».

If his heart contains a firmly rooted attachment to doubtful and disliked things, the impulses drawing him toward the forbidden will not cease to be supplied. It is related that the Prophet, may God bless him and grant him peace, said: “Whoever falls into doubtful things is close to falling into the forbidden, like a shepherd grazing around a protected enclosure, close to entering it.”

فَكُلُّ مَنْ تَمَكَّنَتِ الشُّبُهَاتُ مِنْ قَلْبِهِ، وَاطْمَأَنَّ إِلَى أَخْذِهَا، وَقَعَ فِي الْحَرَامِ، لِأَنَّ الشُّبُهَاتِ أَقْرَبُ إِلَى الْحَرَامِ مِنْهَا إِلَى الْحَلَالِ.

Fa-kullu man tamakkanati al-shubuhātu min qalbihi, wa-iṭmaʾanna ʾilā ʾakhdhihā, waqaʿa fī al-ḥarāmi, li-ʾanna al-shubuhāti ʾaqrabu ʾilā al-ḥarāmi minhā ʾilā al-ḥalāli.

Everyone whose heart is firmly held by doubtful things and who feels at ease taking them falls into the forbidden, because doubtful things are nearer to the forbidden than to the lawful.

قُلْتُ: فَكَيْفَ يَصْنَعُ النَّاسُ بِمَرَافِقِهِمْ وَحَوَائِجِهِمْ؟

Qultu: fa-kayfa yaṣnaʿu al-nāsu bimarāfiqihim wa-ḥawāʾijihim?

I asked, “What, then, are people to do about their means of support and their needs?”

فَقَالَ: إِنِّي لَمْ أَنْهَكَ عَنْ كَسْبِكَ وَحَوَائِجِكَ، وَمَا تَحْتَاجُ إِلَيْهِ مِنْهَا، وَإِنَّمَا أُحَذِّرُكَ أَخْذَ مَا لَا تَحْتَاجُ إِلَيْهِ مِنْهَا. وَنَهَيْتُكَ عَنِ اعْتِقَادِ الْحُبِّ لِمَا تَحْتَاجُ إِلَيْهِ مِنْهَا،

Fa-qāla: ʾinnī lam ʾanhaka ʿan kasbika wa-ḥawāʾijika, wa-mā taḥtāju ʾilayhi minhā, wa-ʾinnamā ʾuḥadhdhiruka ʾakhdha mā lā taḥtāju ʾilayhi minhā. Wa-nahaytuka ʿani iʿtiqādi al-ḥubbi limā taḥtāju ʾilayhi minhā,

He replied, “I have not forbidden you to earn your living, meet your needs, or take what you require. I warn you only against taking what you do not need, and have forbidden you to become inwardly attached to what you do need.

حَتَّى تَكُونَ تَأْخُذُهَا مِنَ الْمُبَاحِ وَهِيَ رَاغِمَةٌ، وَأَنْتَ عَالِمٌ بِهَا، وَبِصِغَرِ قَدْرِهَا عِنْدَ خَالِقِهَا، إِذْ يَقُولُ لِنَبِيِّهِ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ: ﴿قُلْ مَتَاعُ الدُّنْيَا قَلِيلٌ وَالْآخِرَةُ خَيْرٌ لِمَنِ اتَّقَى﴾.

ḥattā takūna taʾkhudhuhā mina al-mubāḥi wa-hiya rāghimatun, wa-ʾanta ʿālimun bihā, wa-biṣighari qadrihā ʿinda khāliqihā, ʾidh yaqūlu linabiyyihi ṣallā Allāhu ʿalayhi wa-sallama: ﴿qul matāʿu al-dunyā qalīlun wa-al-ʾākhiratu khayrun limani ittaqā﴾.

Take it from permitted sources while it is humbled, knowing its nature and how little it is worth to its Creator, who says to His Prophet, may God bless him and grant him peace: ‘Say: the enjoyment of this world is little, and the next life is better for whoever is mindful of God.’”

وَإِذْ يَقُولُ نَبِيُّهُ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ: «لَوْ عَدَلَتِ الدُّنْيَا عِنْدَ اللَّهِ جَنَاحَ بَعُوضَةٍ مَا سَقَى كَافِرًا مِنْهَا شَرْبَةَ مَاءٍ».

Wa-ʾidh yaqūlu nabiyyuhu ṣallā Allāhu ʿalayhi wa-sallama: «law ʿadalati al-dunyā ʿinda Allāhi janāḥa baʿūḍatin mā saqā kāfiran minhā sharbata māʾin».

And His Prophet, may God bless him and grant him peace, says: “If this world equaled a mosquito's wing in God's sight, He would not give an unbeliever even a drink of water from it.”

وَاعْلَمْ أَنَّ الْمُعْتَقِدَ لِحُبِّهَا وَهُوَ عَالِمٌ بِهَا لَا يُؤْمَنُ عَلَيْهِ أَنْ تَسْتَوْلِيَ عَلَى قَلْبِهِ، فَتَمْلِكَهُ، فَيَأْخُذَ بَعْدَ الْحَلَالِ الشُّبُهَاتِ، وَبَعْدَ الشُّبُهَاتِ الْحَرَامَ.

Wa-iʿlam ʾanna al-muʿtaqida liḥubbihā wa-huwa ʿālimun bihā lā yuʾmanu ʿalayhi ʾan tastawliya ʿalā qalbihi, fa-tamlikahu, fa-yaʾkhudha baʿda al-ḥalāli al-shubuhāti, wa-baʿda al-shubuhāti al-ḥarāma.

Know that someone inwardly attached to loving this world, even while knowing its nature, is not safe from its taking possession of his heart and mastering it, so that after taking the lawful he takes doubtful things, and after those, the forbidden.

وَاعْلَمْ أَنَّ الْمُعْتَقِدَ لِحُبِّهَا وَغَيْرَ الْمُعْتَقِدِ يَأْتِيَانِ عَلَى حَاجَتِهِمَا. وَاعْتِقَادُ حُبِّ الدُّنْيَا مِنَ الْحَلَالِ وَهَنٌ فِي قُلُوبِ الْعَارِفِينَ، وَلَا يَزِيدُ ذٰلِكَ فِي رِزْقِ الْمُعْتَقِدِ، وَلَا يَنْقُصُ مِنْ رِزْقِ الَّذِي لَا يَعْتَقِدُ الْمَحَبَّةَ.

Wa-iʿlam ʾanna al-muʿtaqida liḥubbihā wa-ghayra al-muʿtaqidi yaʾtiyāni ʿalā ḥājatihimā. Wa-iʿtiqādu ḥubbi al-dunyā mina al-ḥalāli wahanun fī qulūbi al-ʿārifīna, wa-lā yazīdu dhālika fī rizqi al-muʿtaqidi, wa-lā yanquṣu min rizqi alladhī lā yaʿtaqidu al-maḥabbata.

Know that both the person attached to loving it and the person without that attachment meet their needs. Attachment to loving even the lawful things of this world is a weakness in the hearts of those who know. It neither increases the attached person's provision nor decreases the provision of one without such love.

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وَاعْلَمْ أَنَّ الْعِبَادَ إِنَّمَا أُمِرُوا بِالِاشْتِغَالِ بِالْعَمَلِ مِنَ الْجَهْلِ، وَبِالْعَمَلِ بِالْإِخْلَاصِ وَلَا تُنَالُ هٰذِهِ الدَّرَجَةُ حَتَّى تَكُونَ بِحَالَةٍ لَوْ قَدَرْتَ أَنْ تَتْرُكَ مَا تَحْتَاجُ إِلَيْهِ مِنْهَا لَتَرَكْتَهُ.

Wa-iʿlam ʾanna al-ʿibāda ʾinnamā ʾumirū bi-al-ishtighāli bi-al-ʿamali mina al-jahli, wa-bi-al-ʿamali bi-al-ʾikhlāṣi wa-lā tunālu hādhihi al-darajatu ḥattā takūna biḥālatin law qadarta ʾan tatruka mā taḥtāju ʾilayhi minhā lataraktahu.

Know that servants have been commanded to occupy themselves with action “from ignorance” [the printed construction is unclear], and to act sincerely. This degree is not attained until you reach a state in which, if you could relinquish even what you need of this world, you would relinquish it.

آفَةُ حُبِّ الْجَاهِ عِنْدَ الْمَخْلُوقِينَ

ʾĀfatu ḥubbi al-jāhi ʿinda al-makhlūqīna

The harm of loving status among created beings

وَأَمَّا الشُّبْهَةُ الْأُخْرَى الَّتِي يَكْرَهُهَا اللَّهُ سُبْحَانَهُ وَتَعَالَى، فَطَمَعُكَ فِي الْقَدْرِ وَالْجَاهِ وَالثَّنَاءِ عِنْدَ الْمَخْلُوقِينَ، وَخَوْفُكَ مِنْ سُقُوطِ مَنْزِلَتِكَ عِنْدَ الْمَخْلُوقِينَ، وَذٰلِكَ مِمَّا يُسْقِطُ مَنْزِلَتَكَ عِنْدَ اللَّهِ عَزَّ وَجَلَّ.

Wa-ʾammā al-shubhatu al-ʾukhrā allatī yakrahuhā Allāhu subḥānahu wa-taʿālā, fa-ṭamaʿuka fī al-qadri wa-al-jāhi wa-al-thanāʾi ʿinda al-makhlūqīna, wa-khawfuka min suqūṭi manzilatika ʿinda al-makhlūqīna, wa-dhālika mimmā yusqiṭu manzilataka ʿinda Allāhi ʿazza wa-jalla.

The other doubtful thing that God, glory be to Him and exalted is He, dislikes is your craving for esteem, standing, and praise among created beings, and your fear of losing your position with them. This is among the things that lower your position with God, mighty and majestic.

فَأَهْلُ الْمَعْرِفَةِ بِاللَّهِ، وَأَهْلُ الْإِرَادَةِ، يَكْرَهُونَ أَنْ يَرَاهُمُ اللَّهُ سُبْحَانَهُ وَقَدِ اعْتَقَدُوا مِنْ ذٰلِكَ شَيْئًا.

Fa-ʾahlu al-maʿrifati bi-Allāhi, wa-ʾahlu al-ʾirādati, yakrahūna ʾan yarāhumu Allāhu subḥānahu wa-qadi iʿtaqadū min dhālika shayʾan.

Those who know God and possess true purpose dislike God, glory be to Him, seeing them inwardly attached to any of this.

حَمَلَتْهُمُ الْمَعْرِفَةُ بِالْإِجْلَالِ لِلَّهِ، وَإِيثَارِ مَحَبَّتِهِ عَلَى أَلَّا يَنْظُرَ إِلَيْهِمْ سَيِّدُهُمْ وَفِيهِمْ شَيْءٌ مِمَّا يَكْرَهُهُ فِي مَبْلَغِ عِلْمِهِمْ، فَهُمْ يَكْرَهُونَ مَا يَكْرَهُ اللَّهُ فِي غَيْرِهِمْ، فَكَيْفَ يَرْضَوْنَ بِهِ فِي أَنْفُسِهِمْ؟

Ḥamalat-humu al-maʿrifatu bi-al-ʾijlāli li-llāhi, wa-ʾīthāri maḥabbatihi ʿalā ʾallā yanẓura ʾilayhim sayyiduhum wa-fīhim shayʾun mimmā yakrahuhu fī mablaghi ʿilmihim, fa-hum yakrahūna mā yakrahu Allāhu fī ghayrihim, fa-kayfa yarḍawna bihi fī ʾanfusihim?

Knowledge, through reverence for God and preference for His love, moves them to ensure that their Master does not look upon them and find anything He dislikes within the limits of their knowledge. They dislike in others what God dislikes; how could they accept it within themselves?

أَبَتْ مَعْرِفَةُ اللَّهِ أَنْ يُسَاكِنَهَا شَيْءٌ مِنْ مَكَارِهِ اللَّهِ، وَأَبَتِ الْإِرَادَةُ أَنْ تَشْتَغِلَ بِغَيْرِ مَا أَحَبَّ اللَّهُ.

ʾAbat maʿrifatu Allāhi ʾan yusākinahā shayʾun min makārihi Allāhi, wa-ʾabati al-ʾirādatu ʾan tashtaghila bighayri mā ʾaḥabba Allāhu.

Knowledge of God refuses to share its dwelling with anything God dislikes, and true purpose refuses to occupy itself with anything other than what God loves.

قَدْ شَغَلَتْهُمُ الْمَعْرِفَةُ بِالْفِكْرِ فِي كَثْرَةِ نِعَمِ اللَّهِ عَزَّ وَجَلَّ عَلَيْهِمْ، وَعَجْزِهِمْ عَنْ أَدَاءِ شُكْرِهَا، مَعَ عَجْزِهِمْ عَنْ إِحْصَاءِ عَدَدِهَا، وَبِاسْتِكْثَارِ ذُنُوبِهِمْ، وَكَثْرَةِ ذِكْرِهِمْ لِلْحَيَاءِ مِنَ اللَّهِ أَنْ يَسْأَلُوا الْجَنَّةَ، فَلَيْسَ تَخْطُرُ الْجَنَّةُ لَهُمْ عَلَى بَالٍ، وَقَدْ حَالَ بَيْنَهُمْ وَبَيْنَ مَسْأَلَتِهَا الْحَيَاءُ مِنَ اللَّهِ، وَالْخَوْفُ مِنْهُ،

Qad shaghalat-humu al-maʿrifatu bi-al-fikri fī kathrati niʿami Allāhi ʿazza wa-jalla ʿalayhim, wa-ʿajzihim ʿan ʾadāʾi shukrihā, maʿa ʿajzihim ʿan ʾiḥṣāʾi ʿadadihā, wa-bi-istikthāri dhunūbihim, wa-kathrati dhikrihim li-al-ḥayāʾi mina Allāhi ʾan yasʾalū al-jannata, fa-laysa takhṭuru al-jannatu lahum ʿalā bālin, wa-qad ḥāla baynahum wa-bayna masʾalatihā al-ḥayāʾu mina Allāhi, wa-al-khawfu minhu,

Knowledge keeps them reflecting on the abundance of blessings that God, mighty and majestic, has bestowed upon them, their inability to thank Him adequately or even count them, their many sins, and their frequent remembrance of their shame before God at asking for Paradise. Paradise scarcely enters their minds: shame before God and fear of Him stand between them and asking for it.

وَمُصِيبَتُهُمْ فِي أَنْفُسِهِمْ مِمَّا يَخَافُونَ مِنْ فَوْتِ رِضْوَانِ اللَّهِ عَنْهُمْ، وَسَخَطِهِ عَلَيْهِمْ، أَعْظَمُ فِي أَنْفُسِهِمْ، وَأَوْجَعُ لِقُلُوبِهِمْ مِنْ فَوْتِ الْجَنَّةِ وَخَوْفِ النَّارِ، وَمِنَ الَّذِي يَجِدُونَ مِمَّا يُلْقِي الشَّيْطَانُ مِنَ الْخَطَرَاتِ، وَعَوَارِضِ الدُّنْيَا، وَحُبِّ التَّزَيُّنِ لِأَهْلِهَا عِنْدَ عِبَادَتِهِمْ وَطَاعَتِهِمْ، وَكَثْرَةِ فَسَادِ النِّيَّةِ، وَالْآفَاتِ الَّتِي تُعَارِضُهَا،

wa-muṣībatuhum fī ʾanfusihim mimmā yakhāfūna min fawti riḍwāni Allāhi ʿanhum, wa-sakhaṭihi ʿalayhim, ʾaʿẓamu fī ʾanfusihim, wa-ʾawjaʿu liqulūbihim min fawti al-jannati wa-khawfi al-nāri, wa-mina alladhī yajidūna mimmā yulqī al-shayṭānu mina al-khaṭarāti, wa-ʿawāriḍi al-dunyā, wa-ḥubbi al-tazayyuni li-ʾahlihā ʿinda ʿibādatihim wa-ṭāʿatihim, wa-kathrati fasādi al-niyyati, wa-al-ʾāfāti allatī tuʿāriḍuhā,

Their inward affliction over the fear of losing God's pleasure and incurring His anger is greater and more painful to their hearts than losing Paradise and fearing the Fire, and than what they experience of the thoughts Satan casts, worldly distractions, the wish to adorn themselves for worldly people during worship and obedience, the frequent corruption of intention, and the defects opposing it.

فَهُمْ بِذٰلِكَ مَغْمُومُونَ مَكْرُوبُونَ، مَخَافَةَ أَنْ يَرَاهُمُ اللَّهُ وَقَدْ تَزَيَّنُوا لِأَحَدٍ غَيْرِهِ.

fa-hum bi-dhālika maghmūmūna makrūbūna, makhāfata ʾan yarāhumu Allāhu wa-qad tazayyanū li-ʾaḥadin ghayrihi.

These leave them grieved and distressed, afraid that God may see them adorned for someone other than Him.

فَلَا تَكُنْ يَا أَخِي بِشَيْءٍ أَعْنَى مِنْكَ بِالْمَعْرِفَةِ وَالْإِرَادَةِ، فَإِنَّ الْخَيْرَ تَبَعٌ لَهُمَا، وَهُمَا عَلَامَةُ نَظَرِ اللَّهِ لِعَبْدِهِ، وَبِاللَّهِ التَّوْفِيقُ.

Fa-lā takun yā ʾakhī bishayʾin ʾaʿnā minka bi-al-maʿrifati wa-al-ʾirādati, fa-ʾinna al-khayra tabaʿun lahumā, wa-humā ʿalāmatu naẓari Allāhi liʿabdihi, wa-bi-Allāhi al-tawfīqu.

My brother, care for nothing more than knowledge and intention. Goodness follows them, and they are a sign of God's regard for His servant. Enabling grace comes through God.

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السَّمْعُ عَنِ اللَّهِ، وَالْعَقْلُ عَنِ اللَّهِ

Al-samʿu ʿani Allāhi, wa-al-ʿaqlu ʿani Allāhi

Listening to God and understanding from God

ثُمَّ أُوصِيكَ يَا أَخِي بَعْدَ مُرَاقَبَةِ اللَّهِ عِنْدَ هِمَّتِكَ إِذَا هَمَمْتَ، وَعِنْدَ كُلِّ حَرَكَةٍ تَكُونُ مِنْكَ، وَكُلِّ سُكُونٍ: أَنْ تَسْتَمِعَ مِنَ اللَّهِ، وَتَعْقِلَ عَنْهُ، فَإِنَّ فِي هٰذَا الْقُرْآنِ الَّذِي أُنْزِلَ عَلَيْنَا تِبْيَانَ كُلِّ شَيْءٍ، وَعِلْمَ كُلِّ شَيْءٍ.

Thumma ʾūṣīka yā ʾakhī baʿda murāqabati Allāhi ʿinda himmatika ʾidhā hamamta, wa-ʿinda kulli ḥarakatin takūnu minka, wa-kulli sukūnin: ʾan tastamiʿa mina Allāhi, wa-taʿqila ʿanhu, fa-ʾinna fī hādhā al-Qurʾāni alladhī ʾunzila ʿalaynā tibyāna kulli shayʾin, wa-ʿilma kulli shayʾin.

Then, my brother, after watchful awareness of God when you form a purpose and at every movement and stillness, I counsel you to listen to God and understand from Him. This Qurʾān sent down to us contains an explanation of everything and knowledge of everything.

فَعَلَيْكَ بِتَدَبُّرِهِ وَتَأَمُّلِهِ فِي اللَّيْلِ وَالنَّهَارِ، وَأَعْمِلْ نَفْسَكَ فِي فَهْمِهِ، وَالْعَمَلِ بِهِ، أَوَلَا تَسْمَعُ إِلَى قَوْلِهِ تَعَالَى: ﴿وَمَا تَكُونُ فِي شَأْنٍ وَمَا تَتْلُوا مِنْهُ مِنْ قُرْآنٍ وَلَا تَعْمَلُونَ مِنْ عَمَلٍ إِلَّا كُنَّا عَلَيْكُمْ شُهُودًا إِذْ تُفِيضُونَ فِيهِ وَمَا يَعْزُبُ عَنْ رَبِّكَ مِنْ مِثْقَالِ ذَرَّةٍ فِي الْأَرْضِ وَلَا فِي السَّمَاءِ وَلَا أَصْغَرَ مِنْ ذٰلِكَ وَلَا أَكْبَرَ﴾.

Fa-ʿalayka bitadabburihi wa-taʾammulihi fī al-layli wa-al-nahāri, wa-ʾaʿmil nafsaka fī fahmihi, wa-al-ʿamali bihi, ʾawalā tasmaʿu ʾilā qawlihi taʿālā: ﴿wa-mā takūnu fī shaʾnin wa-mā tatlū minhu min Qurʾānin wa-lā taʿmalūna min ʿamalin ʾillā kunnā ʿalaykum shuhūdan ʾidh tufīḍūna fīhi wa-mā yaʿzubu ʿan rabbika min mithqāli dharratin fī al-ʾarḍi wa-lā fī al-samāʾi wa-lā ʾaṣghara min dhālika wa-lā ʾakbara﴾.

Reflect upon it and contemplate it night and day. Apply your self to understanding it and acting upon it. Do you not hear what He Most High says: “You are engaged in no affair, nor do you recite any Qurʾān from it, nor do you perform any deed, without Our being witnesses over you as you enter into it. Not a particle's weight on earth or in heaven escapes your Lord, nor anything smaller or greater than that”?

فَلَا تَغْفُلْ عَنْ مُرَاقَبَةِ مَنْ لَا يَعْزُبُ عَنْهُ أَصْغَرُ مِنْ مِثْقَالِ ذَرَّةٍ، وَلَا تَشْبَعْ وَلَا تَمَلَّ مِنْهَا، فَإِنَّهُ تَعَالَى لَا يَغْفُلُ عَنْهَا، يَنْظُرُ إِلَيْكَ، وَيَطَّلِعُ عَلَى ضَمِيرِكَ، وَيُحْصِي عَلَيْكَ مَثَاقِيلَ الذَّرِّ، وَمَوَازِينَ الْخَرْدَلِ، حَتَّى يَجْزِيَكَ بِذٰلِكَ.

Fa-lā taghful ʿan murāqabati man lā yaʿzubu ʿanhu ʾaṣgharu min mithqāli dharratin, wa-lā tashbaʿ wa-lā tamalla minhā, fa-ʾinnahu taʿālā lā yaghfulu ʿanhā, yanẓuru ʾilayka, wa-yaṭṭaliʿu ʿalā ḍamīrika, wa-yuḥṣī ʿalayka mathāqīla al-dharri, wa-mawāzīna al-khardali, ḥattā yajziyaka bi-dhālika.

Do not neglect watchful awareness of the One from whom less than a particle's weight cannot escape. Never have your fill of it or grow weary of it, for He, exalted is He, never neglects it. He looks upon you, sees into your conscience, and counts against you particles' and mustard seeds' weights, to repay you accordingly.

أَوَلَا تَسْمَعُ إِلَى قَوْلِ اللَّهِ: ﴿إِنَّ اللَّهَ لَا يَظْلِمُ مِثْقَالَ ذَرَّةٍ وَإِنْ تَكُ حَسَنَةً يُضَاعِفْهَا وَيُؤْتِ مِنْ لَدُنْهُ أَجْرًا عَظِيمًا﴾.

ʾAwalā tasmaʿu ʾilā qawli Allāhi: ﴿ʾinna Allāha lā yaẓlimu mithqāla dharratin wa-ʾin taku ḥasanatan yuḍāʿifhā wa-yuʾti min ladunhu ʾajran ʿaẓīman﴾.

Do you not hear God's words: “God does not wrong anyone by a particle's weight. If it is a good deed, He multiplies it and grants an immense reward from Himself”?

كَمَالُ الْمُرَاقَبَةِ

Kamālu al-murāqabati

Perfecting watchful awareness

وَاعْلَمْ يَا أَخِي أَنَّهُ لَا يَكَادُ يَحْسُنُ الشَّيْءُ إِلَّا بِشَيْءٍ قَبْلَهُ وَشَيْءٍ بَعْدَهُ.

Wa-iʿlam yā ʾakhī ʾannahu lā yakādu yaḥsunu al-shayʾu ʾillā bishayʾin qablahu wa-shayʾin baʿdahu.

Know, my brother, that a thing is scarcely made good without something preceding it and something following it.

فَأَمَّا مَا تَحْسُنُ بِهِ الْمُرَاقَبَةُ قَبْلَهَا: فَالِانْقِطَاعُ إِلَى اللَّهِ، وَلُزُومُ طَاعَتِهِ، بِالْمُرَاقَبَةِ لَهُ فِي السِّرِّ وَالْعَلَانِيَةِ.

Fa-ʾammā mā taḥsunu bihi al-murāqabatu qablahā: fa-al-inqiṭāʿu ʾilā Allāhi, wa-luzūmu ṭāʿatihi, bi-al-murāqabati lahu fī al-sirri wa-al-ʿalāniyati.

What precedes and perfects watchful awareness is exclusive devotion to God and constancy in obeying Him, with watchful awareness of Him secretly and openly.

وَأَمَّا مَا يَحْسُنُ [بِهِ] الِانْقِطَاعُ إِلَى اللَّهِ قَبْلَ الِانْقِطَاعِ فَأَرْبَعَةُ أَشْيَاءَ: التَّوْبَةُ، وَإِيثَارُ مَا يُحِبُّ اللَّهُ عَلَى مَا يَكْرَهُ، وَأَنْ تَكُونَ بِهِ آنَسَ مِنْكَ بِخَلْقِهِ، وَلَا تَفْرَحَ بِمَا زَادَكَ مِنَ الدُّنْيَا وَلَا تَحْزَنَ عَلَى مَا نَقَصَكَ مِنْهَا وَهِيَ دَرَجَةُ أَهْلِ الْوَرَعِ وَالْقُنُوعِ.

Wa-ʾammā mā yaḥsunu [bihi] al-inqiṭāʿu ʾilā Allāhi qabla al-inqiṭāʿi fa-ʾarbaʿatu ʾashyāʾa: al-tawbatu, wa-ʾīthāru mā yuḥibbu Allāhu ʿalā mā yakrahu, wa-ʾan takūna bihi ʾānasa minka bikhalqihi, wa-lā tafraḥa bimā zādaka mina al-dunyā wa-lā taḥzana ʿalā mā naqaṣaka minhā wa-hiya darajatu ʾahli al-waraʿi wa-al-qunūʿi.

As for what precedes exclusive devotion to God and [by which] it is perfected, there are four things: repentance; preferring what God loves to what He dislikes; finding greater intimacy with Him than with His creation; and neither rejoicing over an increase in worldly things nor grieving over a decrease. This is the degree of those who are scrupulous and content.

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وَالَّذِي يُقَوِّيكَ عَلَى ذٰلِكَ: التَّصْدِيقُ بِوَعْدِ اللَّهِ تَعَالَى، وَالثِّقَةُ بِضَمَانِهِ، وَالتَّرَجِّي بِمَا يَكْفِيكَ مِنْهَا، وَلُزُومُ سُرْعَةِ الِانْتِقَالِ عَنِ الدُّنْيَا.

Wa-alladhī yuqawwīka ʿalā dhālika: al-taṣdīqu biwaʿdi Allāhi taʿālā, wa-al-thiqatu biḍamānihi, wa-al-tarajjī bimā yakfīka minhā, wa-luzūmu surʿati al-intiqāli ʿani al-dunyā.

What strengthens you in this is believing the promise of God Most High, trusting His guarantee, hoping for enough of this world to meet your needs, and holding fast to the thought of your swift departure from it.

وَأَمَّا إِيثَارُ مَا يُحِبُّ اللَّهُ عَلَى مَا يَكْرَهُ، فَسُبْحَانَهُ لَيْسَ أَحَدٌ أَحَقَّ وَلَا أَوْلَى بِذٰلِكَ مِنْهُ تَبَارَكَ اسْمُهُ. وَهُوَ إِيثَارُ مَحَبَّتِهِ عَلَى هَوَاكَ، وَهُوَ فَرْضٌ عَلَى الْمُدْبِرِينَ عَنْهُ وَالْأُبَّاقِ، أَنْ يَرْجِعُوا إِلَيْهِ وَيُعَامِلُوهُ. وَكَيْفَ لَا يُؤْثِرُهُ مَنْ تَعَوَّدَ الْقُرْبَ مِنْهُ، وَالِانْقِطَاعَ إِلَيْهِ؟

Wa-ʾammā ʾīthāru mā yuḥibbu Allāhu ʿalā mā yakrahu, fa-subḥānahu laysa ʾaḥadun ʾaḥaqqa wa-lā ʾawlā bi-dhālika minhu tabāraka ismuhu. Wa-huwa ʾīthāru maḥabbatihi ʿalā hawāka, wa-huwa farḍun ʿalā al-mudbirīna ʿanhu wa-al-ʾubbāqi, ʾan yarjiʿū ʾilayhi wa-yuʿāmilūhu. Wa-kayfa lā yuʾthiruhu man taʿawwada al-qurba minhu, wa-al-inqiṭāʿa ʾilayhi?

As for preferring what God loves to what He dislikes, glory be to Him, no one is more deserving or worthy of this than He, blessed be His name. It is preferring His love to your own desire. Even those who turn away from Him and flee are obliged to return to Him and deal with Him. How, then, could someone accustomed to nearness and exclusive devotion to Him fail to prefer Him?

أَمَّا الْأُنْسُ بِهِ فَهُوَ: أَنْ تَكُونَ بِهِ أَشَدَّ أُنْسًا مِنْكَ بِخَلْقِهِ، فَمَنْ عَرَفَهُ وَعَرَفَ لُطْفَهُ وَكَثْرَةَ أَيَادِيهِ، وَحِكْمَتَهُ، وَبِرَّهُ وَعَطْفَهُ، وَتَفَضُّلَهُ، أَنِسَ بِهِ.

ʾAmmā al-ʾunsu bihi fa-huwa: ʾan takūna bihi ʾashadda ʾunsan minka bikhalqihi, fa-man ʿarafahu wa-ʿarafa luṭfahu wa-kathrata ʾayādīhi, wa-ḥikmatahu, wa-birrahu wa-ʿaṭfahu, wa-tafaḍḍulahu, ʾanisa bihi.

Intimacy with Him means finding greater intimacy with Him than with His creation. Whoever knows Him and knows His gentleness, abundant favors, wisdom, goodness, compassion, and generosity finds intimacy with Him.

وَكَيْفَ يُرَاقِبُ الْعَبْدُ مَنْ لَا يَعْرِفُهُ؟ وَكَيْفَ يَنْقَطِعُ إِلَى مَنْ لَا يَثِقُ بِهِ، وَلَا يَأْنَسُ بِهِ؟

Wa-kayfa yurāqibu al-ʿabdu man lā yaʿrifuhu? Wa-kayfa yanqaṭiʿu ʾilā man lā yathiqu bihi, wa-lā yaʾnasu bihi?

How can the servant remain watchfully aware of someone he does not know? How can he devote himself exclusively to someone he neither trusts nor finds intimacy with?

وَأَمَّا الَّذِي يُحْسِنُ الشَّيْءَ بَعْدَهُ فَالشُّكْرُ. وَأَشْهَدُ أَنَّكَ لَوْ عَقَلْتَ مَا تَقْرَأُ، وَكُنْتَ مُرِيدًا لِهٰذِهِ الْمَنْزِلَةِ، لَنَظَرْتَ إِلَيْهِ بِعَيْنِ الْمَحْزُونِينَ الْخَائِفِينَ أَلَّا يَقْبَلَكَ، وَأَنْ يَسْتَقْذِرَ إِرَادَتَكَ وَسِيرَتَكَ، وَأَنْ يَرُدَّكَ عَنْ بَابِهِ، وَأَنْ تَقْدَمَ عَلَيْهِ وَأَنْتَ كَذٰلِكَ.

Wa-ʾammā alladhī yuḥsinu al-shayʾa baʿdahu fa-al-shukru. Wa-ʾash-hadu ʾannaka law ʿaqalta mā taqraʾu, wa-kunta murīdan li-hādhihi al-manzilati, lanaẓarta ʾilayhi biʿayni al-maḥzūnīna al-khāʾifīna ʾallā yaqbalaka, wa-ʾan yastaqdhira ʾirādataka wa-sīrataka, wa-ʾan yaruddaka ʿan bābihi, wa-ʾan taqdama ʿalayhi wa-ʾanta ka-dhālika.

What follows a thing and makes it good is gratitude. I testify that, if you understood what you read and truly sought this station, you would look toward Him with the eyes of the sorrowful, who fear that He may not accept you, may find your intention and conduct repulsive, may turn you away from His door, and that you may come before Him in that state.

الِاعْتِبَارُ

Al-iʿtibāru

Reflective discernment

وَاسْتَعِنْ فِي أَمْرِكَ كُلِّهِ بِالِاعْتِبَارِ، فَإِنَّ الْأَمْرَ لَا يَزَالُ مَسْتُورًا مِنْكَ، أَوْ غَائِبًا عَنْكَ. فَإِذَا نَظَرْتَ إِلَيْهِ نَظَرَ الْمُعْتَبِرِ كَادَ أَنْ يَقُومَ لَكَ الِاعْتِبَارُ مَقَامَ الْمُخْبِرِ الْمُعَايِنِ لِمَا قَدْ غَابَ عَنْكَ، وَمَقَامَ الْكَاشِفِ لَكَ عَنِ الْمَسْتُورِ عَنْكَ،

Wa-istaʿin fī ʾamrika kullihi bi-al-iʿtibāri, fa-ʾinna al-ʾamra lā yazālu mastūran minka, ʾaw ghāʾiban ʿanka. Fa-ʾidhā naẓarta ʾilayhi naẓara al-muʿtabiri kāda ʾan yaqūma laka al-iʿtibāru maqāma al-mukhbiri al-muʿāyini limā qad ghāba ʿanka, wa-maqāma al-kāshifi laka ʿani al-mastūri ʿanka,

Seek the help of reflective discernment in all your affairs, for a matter remains concealed from you or absent from your sight. When you examine it as someone who takes a lesson, reflection can almost serve you as an eyewitness reporting what you have not seen and as someone unveiling what was concealed.

حَتَّى تَنْظُرَ إِلَى زَيْنِ الْأُمُورِ وَشَيْنِهَا، وَحُسْنِهَا وَقُبْحِهَا، وَتَعْرِفَ مِنْ أَيْنَ صَارَ الْحَسَنُ حَسَنًا، وَالْقَبِيحُ قَبِيحًا، فَتَتَّبِعَ مِنْ ذٰلِكَ مَا فِيهِ نَجَاتُكَ، وَتَجْتَنِبَ مَا فِيهِ هَلَكَتُكَ،

ḥattā tanẓura ʾilā zayni al-ʾumūri wa-shaynihā, wa-ḥusnihā wa-qubḥihā, wa-taʿrifa min ʾayna ṣāra al-ḥasanu ḥasanan, wa-al-qabīḥu qabīḥan, fa-tattabiʿa min dhālika mā fīhi najātuka, wa-tajtaniba mā fīhi halakatuka,

You come to see what adorns and mars affairs, their beauty and ugliness, and recognize why the beautiful is beautiful and the ugly ugly. You then follow what brings deliverance and avoid what brings ruin.

وَتَعْرِفَ النَّاسَ بِالِاعْتِبَارِ عَلَى مَنَازِلِهِمْ فِي لَحْنِ الْقَوْلِ، وَلَحْنِ الْفِعْلِ، وَتَعْرِفَهُمْ، وَتَعْرِفَ مَنَازِلَهُمْ، وَمَذَاهِبَهُمْ، بِنُورِ الِاعْتِبَارِ، وَمَوَاهِبِ الْإِلْهَامِ إِنْ شَاءَ اللَّهُ تَعَالَى.

wa-taʿrifa al-nāsa bi-al-iʿtibāri ʿalā manāzilihim fī laḥni al-qawli, wa-laḥni al-fiʿli, wa-taʿrifahum, wa-taʿrifa manāzilahum, wa-madhāhibahum, binūri al-iʿtibāri, wa-mawāhibi al-ʾilhāmi ʾin shāʾa Allāhu taʿālā.

Through reflection, you recognize people's stations in the implications of their words and deeds; you know them, their stations, and their paths by the light of discernment and the gifts of inspiration, if God Most High wills.

Source page 126

الِاقْتِصَادُ وَالْحَزْمُ

Al-iqtiṣādu wa-al-ḥazmu

Moderation and prudence

وَعَلَيْكَ يَا أَخِي بِالِاقْتِصَادِ وَالْحَزْمِ فِي أُمُورِكَ كُلِّهَا، فَإِنَّ الِاقْتِصَادَ أَرْجَى لِلثَّبَاتِ، وَأَسْلَمُ مِنَ الْآفَاتِ، وَالْحَزْمُ يَنْفَعُ أَهْلَهُ عِنْدَ الشِّدَّةِ، وَلَا يَضُرُّهُمْ عِنْدَ الرَّخَاءِ.

Wa-ʿalayka yā ʾakhī bi-al-iqtiṣādi wa-al-ḥazmi fī ʾumūrika kullihā, fa-ʾinna al-iqtiṣāda ʾarjā li-al-thabāti, wa-ʾaslamu mina al-ʾāfāti, wa-al-ḥazmu yanfaʿu ʾahlahu ʿinda al-shiddati, wa-lā yaḍurruhum ʿinda al-rakhāʾi.

My brother, practice moderation and prudence in all your affairs. Moderation offers greater hope of constancy and greater safety from defects. Prudence benefits those who possess it in hardship and does not harm them in ease.

فَاسْتَكْثِرْ مِنَ الْمَعْرِفَةِ مَا قَدَرْتَ، فَلَيْسَتِ الْمَعْرِفَةُ كَالْعَمَلِ، لِلْعَمَلِ حَدٌّ يَنْتَهِي إِلَيْهِ، وَلَيْسَ لِلْمَعْرِفَةِ حَدٌّ تَنْتَهِي إِلَيْهِ، لِأَنَّكَ تُرِيدُ بِالْمَعْرِفَةِ اسْتِكْمَالَ أَمْرِ اللَّهِ، وَإِقَامَةَ حَقِّهِ، وَلَا يَبْلُغُ ذٰلِكَ أَحَدٌ، لِأَنَّهُ سُبْحَانَهُ وَتَعَالَى أَجَلُّ وَأَعْظَمُ مِنْ أَنْ يَبْلُغَ الْآدَمِيُّونَ كُنْهَ حَقِّهِ.

Fa-istakthir mina al-maʿrifati mā qadarta, fa-laysati al-maʿrifatu ka-al-ʿamali, li-al-ʿamali ḥaddun yantahī ʾilayhi, wa-laysa li-al-maʿrifati ḥaddun tantahī ʾilayhi, li-ʾannaka turīdu bi-al-maʿrifati istikmāla ʾamri Allāhi, wa-ʾiqāmata ḥaqqihi, wa-lā yablughu dhālika ʾaḥadun, li-ʾannahu subḥānahu wa-taʿālā ʾajallu wa-ʾaʿẓamu min ʾan yablugha al-ʾĀdamiyyūna kunha ḥaqqihi.

Increase your knowledge as much as you can. Knowledge is unlike action: action has a limit at which it ends, but knowledge has no such limit. Through knowledge you seek to fulfill God's command completely and uphold His due. No one attains this, for He, glory be to Him and exalted is He, is too majestic and great for human beings to reach the full extent of His due.

غَيْرَ أَنَّهُمْ مُتَبَايِنُونَ فِيهِ بِزِيَادَةِ الْمَعْرِفَةِ وَنُقْصَانِهَا، مَعَ الْمَعْرِفَةِ وَالْأُنْسِ، وَالرَّوْحِ وَالْفَرَحِ وَالرَّاحَةِ، لَزِيَادَتُهَا نِعْمَةٌ مِنَ اللَّهِ، وَنُقْصَانُهَا عُقُوبَةٌ مِنَ اللَّهِ بِذَنْبٍ، أَوْ تَضْيِيعِ شُكْرٍ.

Ghayra ʾannahum mutabāyinūna fīhi biziyādati al-maʿrifati wa-nuqṣānihā, maʿa al-maʿrifati wa-al-ʾunsi, wa-al-rawḥi wa-al-faraḥi wa-al-rāḥati, laziyādatuhā niʿmatun mina Allāhi, wa-nuqṣānuhā ʿuqūbatun mina Allāhi bidhanbin, ʾaw taḍyīʿi shukrin.

They nevertheless differ in this through the increase or decrease of knowledge, together with knowledge, intimacy, relief, joy, and rest. Its increase is indeed a blessing from God, and its decrease a punishment from God for a sin or neglected gratitude.

احْذَرْ صَغَائِرَ الذُّنُوبِ، وَارْغَبْ فِي صَغَائِرِ الْخَيْرِ

Iḥdhar ṣaghāʾira al-dhunūbi, wa-irghab fī ṣaghāʾiri al-khayri

Beware of small sins and desire small acts of good

وَاحْذَرْ مَا يَكْرَهُ اللَّهُ مِنْ عَمَلِكَ وَنِيَّتِكَ، وَسِرِّكَ وَعَلَانِيَتِكَ، فِي الصَّغِيرِ، كَمَا تَحْذَرُهُ فِي الْكَبِيرِ، وَإِنَّ كُلَّ شَيْءٍ يُفْسِدُ عَلَيْكَ مِثْقَالَ ذَرَّةٍ قَدَّمْتَهُ لِلَّهِ يُفْسِدُ عَلَيْكَ مِائَةَ أَلْفِ دِينَارٍ، وَالدُّنْيَا كُلَّهَا مِثْلَ مَا أَفْسَدَ عَلَيْكَ مِثْقَالَ ذَرَّةٍ، فَسَادًا سَوَاءً، لَا فَضْلَ بَيْنَهُمَا.

Wa-iḥdhar mā yakrahu Allāhu min ʿamalika wa-niyyatika, wa-sirrika wa-ʿalāniyatika, fī al-ṣaghīri, kamā taḥdharuhu fī al-kabīri, wa-ʾinna kulla shayʾin yufsidu ʿalayka mithqāla dharratin qaddamtahu li-llāhi yufsidu ʿalayka miʾata ʾalfi dīnārin, wa-al-dunyā kullahā mithla mā ʾafsada ʿalayka mithqāla dharratin, fasādan sawāʾan, lā faḍla baynahumā.

Beware of what God dislikes in your deeds, intention, inward life, and outward conduct, in small matters just as in great ones. Anything that corrupts a particle's weight you have offered to God will also corrupt a hundred thousand dinars, or the entire world, just as it corrupted that particle's weight. The corruption is the same, with no difference between them.

ثُمَّ هٰكَذَا فِي سَائِرِ الْأَعْمَالِ. يَأْتِي الْفَسَادُ عَلَى كَثْرَتِهَا كَمَا يَأْتِي عَلَى قِلَّتِهَا سَوَاءً.

Thumma hākadhā fī sāʾiri al-ʾaʿmāli. Yaʾtī al-fasādu ʿalā kathratihā kamā yaʾtī ʿalā qillatihā sawāʾan.

So it is with all other deeds. Corruption overtakes many of them just as it overtakes a few, equally.

وَارْغَبْ فِي الصَّغِيرِ مِنَ الْخَيْرِ، كَمَا تَرْغَبُ فِي الْكَبِيرِ، رَغْبَةً وَاحِدَةً، لِأَنَّهُ يَقْبَلُ الْقَلِيلَ مِنَ الْعَبْدِ كَمَا يَقْبَلُ الْكَثِيرَ قَبُولًا وَاحِدًا سَوَاءً، وَهٰكَذَا فِي سَائِرِ الْأَعْمَالِ.

Wa-irghab fī al-ṣaghīri mina al-khayri, kamā targhabu fī al-kabīri, raghbatan wāḥidatan, li-ʾannahu yaqbalu al-qalīla mina al-ʿabdi kamā yaqbalu al-kathīra qabūlan wāḥidan sawāʾan, wa-hākadhā fī sāʾiri al-ʾaʿmāli.

Desire small acts of good as you desire great ones, with the same longing. God accepts a little from the servant just as He accepts much, with the same acceptance. So it is with all other deeds.

وَكَفَى بِقَبُولِ اللَّهِ الصَّغِيرَ مِنْ عَبْدِهِ لِعَبْدِهِ فَوْزًا، مَعَ أَنَّ أَعْمَالَ بَنِي آدَمَ كُلَّهَا صِغَارٌ، إِلَّا مَا قَبِلَ اللَّهُ مِنْهَا، فَإِذَا قَبِلَ مِنْهَا شَيْئًا صَارَ عَظِيمًا، وَإِنْ كَانَ قَبْلَ ذٰلِكَ صَغِيرًا.

Wa-kafā biqabūli Allāhi al-ṣaghīra min ʿabdihi liʿabdihi fawzan, maʿa ʾanna ʾaʿmāla banī ʾĀdama kullahā ṣighārun, ʾillā mā qabila Allāhu minhā, fa-ʾidhā qabila minhā shayʾan ṣāra ʿaẓīman, wa-ʾin kāna qabla dhālika ṣaghīran.

God's acceptance of something small from His servant is victory enough for the servant. All the deeds of Adam's children are small except those God accepts. When He accepts one of them, it becomes great, even if it was small before.

وَاعْلَمْ أَنَّ صِغَارَهَا أَسْلَمُ مِنْ كِبَارِهَا فِي الرِّيَاءِ وَالْإِعْجَابِ وَالِامْتِنَانِ. فَانْتَبِهْ لِذٰلِكَ، وَلَا تَغْفُلْ عَنْهُ.

Wa-iʿlam ʾanna ṣighārahā ʾaslamu min kibārihā fī al-riyāʾi wa-al-ʾiʿjābi wa-al-imtināni. Fa-intabih li-dhālika, wa-lā taghful ʿanhu.

Know that small deeds are safer than great ones from showing off, self-admiration, and making claims of favor. Attend to this and do not overlook it.

Source pages 126–127

وَاعْلَمْ أَنَّ لَكَ فِي عَمَلِكَ إِرَادَةً وَأَمَلًا، فَانْظُرْ إِرَادَتَكَ فِي أَعْمَالِكَ كُلِّهَا، كَإِرَادَةِ أَهْلِ الشُّكْرِ وَالرِّضَا، وَأَمَلَكَ فِيهِ كَأَمَلِ الْمُسْرِفِينَ عَلَى أَنْفُسِهِمْ،

Wa-iʿlam ʾanna laka fī ʿamalika ʾirādatan wa-ʾamalan, fa-unẓur ʾirādataka fī ʾaʿmālika kullihā, kaʾirādati ʾahli al-shukri wa-al-riḍā, wa-ʾamalaka fīhi kaʾamali al-musrifīna ʿalā ʾanfusihim,

Know that you have both an intention and a hope in your deed. Examine your intention in all your deeds, making it like that of the grateful and content, and your hope like that of those who have transgressed against themselves.

Source page 127

فَلَيْسَ شَيْءٌ أَحَبَّ إِلَى أَهْلِ الرِّضَا مِنْ شَيْءٍ يَرْضَى اللَّهُ بِهِ، وَلَا شَيْءٌ أَحَبَّ إِلَى أَهْلِ الشُّكْرِ مِنْ شَيْءٍ يَشْكُرُونَ اللَّهَ عَلَيْهِ، وَلَا شَيْءٌ أَوْلَى بِأَهْلِ الْإِسْرَافِ عَلَى أَنْفُسِهِمْ مِنْ شَيْءٍ يَرْجُونَ بِهِ عَفْوَ اللَّهِ.

fa-laysa shayʾun ʾaḥabba ʾilā ʾahli al-riḍā min shayʾin yarḍā Allāhu bihi, wa-lā shayʾun ʾaḥabba ʾilā ʾahli al-shukri min shayʾin yashkurūna Allāha ʿalayhi, wa-lā shayʾun ʾawlā bi-ʾahli al-ʾisrāfi ʿalā ʾanfusihim min shayʾin yarjūna bihi ʿafwa Allāhi.

Nothing is dearer to the content than what pleases God, or to the grateful than something for which they thank Him. Nothing is more fitting for those who have transgressed against themselves than something through which they hope for His pardon.

وَاعْلَمْ أَنِّي لَسْتُ مِنْ قِلَّةِ الْعَمَلِ أَخَافُ عَلَيْكَ وَعَلَى مِثْلِكَ، وَلٰكِنْ أَخَافُ عَلَيْكَ مِنْ قِلَّةِ الْمَعْرِفَةِ، وَضَعْفِ الْإِرَادَةِ.

Wa-iʿlam ʾannī lastu min qillati al-ʿamali ʾakhāfu ʿalayka wa-ʿalā mithlika, wa-lākin ʾakhāfu ʿalayka min qillati al-maʿrifati, wa-ḍaʿfi al-ʾirādati.

Know that what I fear for you and those like you is not too little action. I fear too little knowledge and weakness of intention.

لَا أَجِدُنِي أَخَافُ عَلَيْكَ وَعَلَى مِثْلِكَ مِنْ قِلَّةِ التَّطَوُّعِ، وَلَسْتُ أَخَافُ مِنَ الْوَرَعِ أَلَّا تَنْظُرَ فِيهِ كَمَا يَنْظُرُ غَيْرُكَ، أَوْ لَا تَتْرُكَ شَهَوَاتٍ أَحَلَّهَا اللَّهُ لَكَ، وَتُؤْثِرَ بِهَا عَلَيْكَ غَيْرَكَ.

Lā ʾajidunī ʾakhāfu ʿalayka wa-ʿalā mithlika min qillati al-taṭawwuʿi, wa-lastu ʾakhāfu mina al-waraʿi ʾallā tanẓura fīhi kamā yanẓuru ghayruka, ʾaw lā tatruka shahawātin ʾaḥallahā Allāhu laka, wa-tuʾthira bihā ʿalayka ghayraka.

I do not find myself fearing for you and those like you because you perform too few voluntary deeds. Nor, regarding scrupulousness, do I fear that you will fail to examine it as others do, or fail to relinquish lawful pleasures and prefer others to yourself in them.

إِلَّا أَنِّي أَخَافُ عَلَيْكَ: أَنْ تُنَازِعَ فِي أَمْرٍ يَكْرَهُهُ اللَّهُ وَلَا يَنْفَعُكَ، قَدْ خَفِيَ عَنِ النَّاسِ، وَهُوَ عِنْدَ اللَّهِ ظَاهِرٌ، فَيُفْسِدَ عَلَيْكَ جَمِيعَ مَا أَرَدْتَ، أَوْ تَرَى أَنَّ لَكَ فَضْلًا عَلَى غَيْرِكَ، فَيُحْبِطَ ذٰلِكَ جَمِيعَ مَا كُنْتَ فِيهِ.

ʾIllā ʾannī ʾakhāfu ʿalayka: ʾan tunāziʿa fī ʾamrin yakrahuhu Allāhu wa-lā yanfaʿuka, qad khafiya ʿani al-nāsi, wa-huwa ʿinda Allāhi ẓāhirun, fa-yufsida ʿalayka jamīʿa mā ʾaradta, ʾaw tarā ʾanna laka faḍlan ʿalā ghayrika, fa-yuḥbiṭa dhālika jamīʿa mā kunta fīhi.

What I fear is that you may strive over something God dislikes and that does not benefit you, concealed from people but apparent to God, and it may corrupt everything you intended; or that you may see yourself as superior to another, nullifying everything you were engaged in.

وَأَخَافُ عَلَيْكَ أَلَّا تَقُومَ بِصِيَانِهَا، كَمَا قُمْتَ بِعِلْمِهَا، فَيَهْدِمَ ذٰلِكَ جَمِيعَ مَا كُنْتَ فِيهِ، وَمَا بَنَيْتَ عَلَيْهِ. أَوْ لَا تُؤَدِّيَ مَا يَجِبُ عَلَيْكَ مِنَ الشُّكْرِ فِيهَا، فَيَلْزَمَكَ مِنَ الذَّمِّ فِي كُفْرَانِ النِّعَمِ أَكْثَرُ مِمَّا رَجَوْتَ مِنَ الْحَمْدِ فِيهَا.

Wa-ʾakhāfu ʿalayka ʾallā taqūma biṣiyānihā, kamā qumta biʿilmihā, fa-yahdima dhālika jamīʿa mā kunta fīhi, wa-mā banayta ʿalayhi. ʾAw lā tuʾaddiya mā yajibu ʿalayka mina al-shukri fīhā, fa-yalzamaka mina al-dhammi fī kufrāni al-niʿami ʾaktharu mimmā rajawta mina al-ḥamdi fīhā.

I fear that you may fail to safeguard these deeds as you have come to know them, thereby demolishing everything you were engaged in and built upon; or fail to render the gratitude you owe for them, incurring more blame for ingratitude toward blessings than the praise you hoped for through them.

أَوْ تَكُونَ تُدِلُّ عَلَى اللَّهِ عَزَّ وَجَلَّ بِعَمَلِكَ، فَيُسْقِطَكَ ذٰلِكَ مِنْ عِنْدِ اللَّهِ.

ʾAw takūna tudillu ʿalā Allāhi ʿazza wa-jalla biʿamalika, fa-yusqiṭaka dhālika min ʿindi Allāhi.

Or you may presume upon God, mighty and majestic, because of your deeds, causing you to fall from His regard.

أَوْ تَمُنَّ بِهِ عَلَى أَحَدٍ، أَوْ تُؤْذِيَ بِسَبَبِهِ أَحَدًا. فَقَدْ عَلِمْتَ مَا قَالَ اللَّهُ عَزَّ وَجَلَّ فِي ذٰلِكَ: ﴿يَا أَيُّهَا الَّذِينَ آمَنُوا لَا تُبْطِلُوا صَدَقَاتِكُمْ بِالْمَنِّ وَالْأَذَى كَالَّذِي يُنْفِقُ مَالَهُ رِئَاءَ النَّاسِ وَلَا يُؤْمِنُ بِاللَّهِ وَالْيَوْمِ الْآخِرِ فَمَثَلُهُ كَمَثَلِ صَفْوَانٍ عَلَيْهِ تُرَابٌ فَأَصَابَهُ وَابِلٌ فَتَرَكَهُ صَلْدًا﴾.

ʾAw tamunna bihi ʿalā ʾaḥadin, ʾaw tuʾdhiya bisababihi ʾaḥadan. Fa-qad ʿalimta mā qāla Allāhu ʿazza wa-jalla fī dhālika: ﴿yā ʾayyuhā alladhīna ʾāmanū lā tubṭilū ṣadaqātikum bi-al-manni wa-al-ʾadhā ka-alladhī yunfiqu mālahu riʾāʾa al-nāsi wa-lā yuʾminu bi-Allāhi wa-al-yawmi al-ʾākhiri fa-mathaluhu kamathali ṣafwānin ʿalayhi turābun fa-ʾaṣābahu wābilun fa-tarakahu ṣaldan﴾.

Or you may remind someone of your favor through the deed, or hurt someone because of it. You know what God, mighty and majestic, says about this: “You who believe, do not nullify your charitable gifts through reminders of favor and injury, like someone who spends his wealth to be seen by people and does not believe in God or the Last Day. He is like a smooth rock with soil upon it: a downpour strikes it and leaves it bare.”

وَرُبَّمَا يَعْزِمُ عَلَى الْعَمَلِ الَّذِي أَرَادَهُ فَلَا يَجِدُهُ كَمَا وَجَدَهُ بِغَيْرِ عَزْمٍ عَلَيْهِ.

Wa-rubbamā yaʿzimu ʿalā al-ʿamali alladhī ʾarādahu fa-lā yajiduhu kamā wajadahu bighayri ʿazmin ʿalayhi.

A person may resolve upon a deed he wishes to do, yet fail to find it as he found it without resolving upon it.

كَمَالُ الْعَزْمِ

Kamālu al-ʿazmi

Perfecting resolve

قُلْتُ: فَمَا بَالُ الرَّجُلِ يَأْتِيهِ الْأَمْرُ مِمَّا يُحِبُّ مِنْ غَيْرِ طَلَبٍ وَلَا عَزْمٍ عَلَيْهِ، حَتَّى رُبَّمَا أَخَافُ مِنْ عَزْمِهِ أَنْ يَكُونَ عَلَيْهِ أَكْثَرَ مِمَّا يَكُونُ لَهُ؟

Qultu: fa-mā bālu al-rajuli yaʾtīhi al-ʾamru mimmā yuḥibbu min ghayri ṭalabin wa-lā ʿazmin ʿalayhi, ḥattā rubbamā ʾakhāfu min ʿazmihi ʾan yakūna ʿalayhi ʾakthara mimmā yakūnu lahu?

I asked, “Why does something a person loves come to him without his seeking or resolving upon it, so that I sometimes fear his resolve may count more against him than for him?”

Source page 128

قَالَ: هٰذَا مِنَ الَّذِي قُلْنَا: لَا يَصْلُحُ الشَّيْءُ إِلَّا بِشَيْءٍ قَبْلَهُ وَشَيْءٍ بَعْدَهُ، فَإِذَا لَمْ يَكُنْ عَزْمٌ بِمَعْرِفَةٍ كَانَ عَاقِبَتُهُ نَحْوَ الَّذِي ذَكَرْتَ.

Qāla: hādhā mina alladhī qulnā: lā yaṣluḥu al-shayʾu ʾillā bishayʾin qablahu wa-shayʾin baʿdahu, fa-ʾidhā lam yakun ʿazmun bimaʿrifatin kāna ʿāqibatuhu naḥwa alladhī dhakarta.

He replied, “This belongs to what we said: a thing is not made sound without something preceding it and something following it. When resolve is not accompanied by knowledge, its outcome is like what you describe.”

وَمَعْرِفَتُهُ: أَنْ يَكُونَ بَدْؤُهُ بِالِافْتِقَارِ إِلَى اللَّهِ سُبْحَانَهُ وَتَعَالَى، وَلَا يَكُونَ كَالتَّأَلِّي عَلَى اللَّهِ.

Wa-maʿrifatuhu: ʾan yakūna badʾuhu bi-al-iftiqāri ʾilā Allāhi subḥānahu wa-taʿālā, wa-lā yakūna ka-al-taʾallī ʿalā Allāhi.

Its knowledge consists in beginning with need for God, glory be to Him and exalted is He, rather than something like presuming to bind God by an oath.

وَالتَّوَكُّلُ: أَنْ يَنْفَرِدَ بِإِشْعَارِ قَلْبِهِ فِي تَفْوِيضِ الْمَقْدِرَةِ إِلَى اللَّهِ سُبْحَانَهُ وَتَعَالَى، وَالتَّبَرِّي مِنَ الْحَوْلِ وَالْقُوَّةِ، أَوَلَا تَسْمَعُ إِلَى قَوْلِهِ تَعَالَى: ﴿وَلَا تَقُولَنَّ لِشَيْءٍ إِنِّي فَاعِلٌ ذٰلِكَ غَدًا إِلَّا أَنْ يَشَاءَ اللَّهُ﴾. فَهٰذَا زِيَادَةٌ عَلَى التَّوَكُّلِ أَمْرٌ أَمَرَكَ اللَّهُ بِهِ.

Wa-al-tawakkulu: ʾan yanfarida bi-ʾishʿāri qalbihi fī tafwīḍi al-maqdirati ʾilā Allāhi subḥānahu wa-taʿālā, wa-al-tabarrī mina al-ḥawli wa-al-quwwati, ʾawalā tasmaʿu ʾilā qawlihi taʿālā: ﴿wa-lā taqūlanna lishayʾin ʾinnī fāʿilun dhālika ghadan ʾillā ʾan yashāʾa Allāhu﴾. Fa-hādhā ziyādatun ʿalā al-tawakkuli ʾamrun ʾamaraka Allāhu bihi.

Trust consists in devoting the heart's awareness solely to entrusting capacity to God, glory be to Him and exalted is He, and disclaiming one's own power and strength. Do you not hear what He Most High says: “Never say of anything, ‘I will do that tomorrow,’ unless God wills”? This is something beyond trust, a command God has given you.

وَقَوْلِهِ تَعَالَى: ﴿وَشَاوِرْهُمْ فِي الْأَمْرِ فَإِذَا عَزَمْتَ فَتَوَكَّلْ عَلَى اللَّهِ﴾. وَالْمَشُورَةُ مِنَ الْحَاجَةِ لَا مِنَ الْغِنَى. أَمَرَ اللَّهُ نَبِيَّهُ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ أَنْ يَسْتَعِينَ بِمَنْ لَيْسَ هُوَ مِثْلَهُ، وَأَنْ تَبْقَى سُنَّتُهُ سُنَّةً لِمَنْ هُوَ بَعْدَهُ.

Wa-qawlihi taʿālā: ﴿wa-shāwirhum fī al-ʾamri fa-ʾidhā ʿazamta fa-tawakkal ʿalā Allāhi﴾. Wa-al-mashūratu mina al-ḥājati lā mina al-ghinā. ʾAmara Allāhu nabiyyahu ṣallā Allāhu ʿalayhi wa-sallama ʾan yastaʿīna biman laysa huwa mithlahu, wa-ʾan tabqā sunnatuhu sunnatan liman huwa baʿdahu.

And what He Most High says: “Consult them in the matter; then, when you have resolved, put your trust in God.” Consultation arises from need, not self-sufficiency. God commanded His Prophet, may God bless him and grant him peace, to seek help from people who were not his equals, so that his practice would remain a practice for those after him.

فَكَيْفَ بِمَنْ هُوَ مِثْلِي وَمِثْلُكَ إِذَا سَهَا عَنِ اللَّهِ فِيمَا لَا يَسَعُهُ إِلَّا التَّضَرُّعُ إِلَيْهِ؟

Fa-kayfa biman huwa mithlī wa-mithluka ʾidhā sahā ʿani Allāhi fīmā lā yasaʿuhu ʾillā al-taḍarruʿu ʾilayhi?

What, then, of someone like me or you who forgets God in a matter in which nothing is fitting but humble pleading to Him?

أَوَلَا تَسْمَعُ إِلَى قَوْلِهِ عَزَّ وَجَلَّ فِي قِصَّةِ يَعْقُوبَ: ﴿إِنِ الْحُكْمُ إِلَّا لِلَّهِ عَلَيْهِ تَوَكَّلْتُ﴾.

ʾAwalā tasmaʿu ʾilā qawlihi ʿazza wa-jalla fī qiṣṣati Yaʿqūba: ﴿ʾini al-ḥukmu ʾillā li-llāhi ʿalayhi tawakkaltu﴾.

Do you not hear what He, mighty and majestic, says in the account of Jacob: “Judgment belongs to God alone. In Him I have put my trust”?

فَكَانَ عَاقِبَةَ يَعْقُوبَ تَمَامُ مَا أَرَادَ.

Fa-kāna ʿāqibata Yaʿqūba tamāmu mā ʾarāda.

The fulfillment of what Jacob wished was therefore his final outcome.

وَقَوْلِ يُوسُفَ فِي الْقُرْآنِ: ﴿قَالَ رَبِّ السِّجْنُ أَحَبُّ إِلَيَّ مِمَّا يَدْعُونَنِي إِلَيْهِ وَإِلَّا تَصْرِفْ عَنِّي كَيْدَهُنَّ أَصْبُ إِلَيْهِنَّ وَأَكُنْ مِنَ الْجَاهِلِينَ. فَاسْتَجَابَ لَهُ رَبُّهُ فَصَرَفَ عَنْهُ كَيْدَهُنَّ﴾.

Wa-qawli Yūsufa fī al-Qurʾāni: ﴿qāla rabbi al-sijnu ʾaḥabbu ʾilayya mimmā yadʿūnanī ʾilayhi wa-ʾillā taṣrif ʿannī kaydahunna ʾaṣbu ʾilayhinna wa-ʾakun mina al-jāhilīna. Fa-istajāba lahu rabbuhu fa-ṣarafa ʿanhu kaydahunna﴾.

And Joseph's words in the Qurʾān: “He said: my Lord, prison is dearer to me than what they invite me to. Unless You turn their scheming away from me, I will incline toward them and become one of the ignorant. His Lord answered him and turned their scheming away from him.”

وَتَمَّمَ لَهُ أَمْرَهُ حِينَ أَخْرَجَ نَفْسَهُ مِنَ الْقُدْرَةِ، وَأَقَرَّ بِالِافْتِقَارِ، وَفَوَّضَ الْأُمُورَ إِلَى رَبِّهِ.

Wa-tammama lahu ʾamrahu ḥīna ʾakhraja nafsahu mina al-qudrati, wa-ʾaqarra bi-al-iftiqāri, wa-fawwaḍa al-ʾumūra ʾilā rabbihi.

God brought his affair to completion when he disclaimed power for himself, acknowledged his need, and entrusted his affairs to his Lord.

وَقَوْلِ الْآخَرِ فِي الْقُرْآنِ: ﴿لَئِنْ أَنْجَيْتَنَا مِنْ هٰذِهِ لَنَكُونَنَّ مِنَ الشَّاكِرِينَ﴾. فَسَأَلُوهُ وَلَمْ يُفَوِّضُوا إِلَيْهِ أَمْرَهُمْ، لَا قَبْلَ الْمَسْأَلَةِ وَلَا بَعْدَهَا. قَالَ: ﴿فَلَمَّا أَنْجَاهُمْ إِذَا هُمْ يَبْغُونَ فِي الْأَرْضِ بِغَيْرِ الْحَقِّ﴾. وَلَمْ يُتَمِّمْ لَهُمْ أَمْرَهُمْ.

Wa-qawli al-ʾākhari fī al-Qurʾāni: ﴿laʾin ʾanjaytanā min hādhihi lanakūnanna mina al-shākirīna﴾. Fa-saʾalūhu wa-lam yufawwiḍū ʾilayhi ʾamrahum, lā qabla al-masʾalati wa-lā baʿdahā. Qāla: ﴿fa-lammā ʾanjāhum ʾidhā hum yabghūna fī al-ʾarḍi bighayri al-ḥaqqi﴾. Wa-lam yutammim lahum ʾamrahum.

And the words of another in the Qurʾān: “If You save us from this, we will surely be among the grateful.” They asked Him but did not entrust their affair to Him, either before or after asking. He says: “When He saved them, they at once behaved outrageously on earth without right.” He did not bring their affair to completion for them.

Source pages 128–129

وَقَوْلِ الْآخَرِ أَيْضًا فِي الْقُرْآنِ: ﴿لَئِنْ آتَيْتَنَا صَالِحًا لَنَكُونَنَّ مِنَ الشَّاكِرِينَ. فَلَمَّا آتَاهُمَا صَالِحًا جَعَلَا لَهُ شُرَكَاءَ فِيمَا آتَاهُمَا﴾.

Wa-qawli al-ʾākhari ʾayḍan fī al-Qurʾāni: ﴿laʾin ʾātaytanā ṣāliḥan lanakūnanna mina al-shākirīna. Fa-lammā ʾātāhumā ṣāliḥan jaʿalā lahu shurakāʾa fīmā ʾātāhumā﴾.

And the words of another, also in the Qurʾān: “If You grant us a sound child, we will surely be among the grateful. But when He granted them a sound child, they assigned Him partners in what He had granted them.”

Source page 129

ثُمَّ انْظُرْ إِلَى قَوْلِ آدَمَ حِينَ تَقَدَّمَ عَلَى حَمْلِ الْأَمَانَةِ بِغَيْرِ افْتِقَارٍ وَلَا اسْتِكَانَةٍ، فَلَمْ يُتَمَّمْ لَهُ أَمْرُهُ، وَعُيِّرَ بِالْجَهْلِ وَالظُّلْمِ.

Thumma unẓur ʾilā qawli ʾĀdama ḥīna taqaddama ʿalā ḥamli al-ʾamānati bighayri iftiqārin wa-lā istikānatin, fa-lam yutammam lahu ʾamruhu, wa-ʿuyyira bi-al-jahli wa-al-ẓulmi.

Then consider Adam's statement when he stepped forward to bear the trust without neediness or humble submission. His affair was not brought to completion, and he was reproached for ignorance and wrongdoing.

وَمَاذَا يُغْنِي الْعَزْمُ مِنَ الَّذِي لَيْسَ بِيَدِهِ الْأَمْرُ؟

Wa-mādhā yughnī al-ʿazmu mina alladhī laysa biyadihi al-ʾamru?

What use is resolve from someone who does not control the affair?