MUKADIMAH

Praise be to Allah, the Lord of the Worlds, the All-Wise, the All-Giving, the Gracious, the Mighty and the Compassionate.

It is He who has created man in the most beautiful form, manifested the heavens and the earth with His kudrat (will) and governed all affairs with His wisdom in this world and the next. He created jinn and humans only to worship Him. The way to Him is very clear for those who have a strong desire to go to Him. The sign of His greatness also shines brightly for people who use their minds. However, Allah has the right to mislead whom He wills, and also to give His guidance to whom He wills. And He is the One who knows best who deserves His guidance.

May the grace of Allah be upon the master of the messengers (Muhammad, peace and blessings be upon him) and upon his family, who are good and pure inwardly and outwardly. And may Allah grant them safety and honor until the Day of Judgment.

O my brothers, (may Allah bestow His pleasure on our good fortune) know that worship is the fruit of knowledge, the gain in life, the result of the strong servants of Allah, the asset of Allah’s saints, the path of the muttagin, the portion of the noble ones, the target of the desirous, the sign of greatness, the work of the manly, and the choice of the hearty.

Worship is the path to good fortune and also the bright path to heaven.

Allah ta’ala says:

Meaning: “I am your Lord, so worship Me. (Q.S. Al-Anbiya’: 92)

And the words of Allah Ta’ala:

Meaning: “Verily, this (Paradise and its pleasures) is for you as a reward. Your deeds in this world, I have recognized and accepted. (Q.S. Al-Insan: 22)

Then I (Al-Ghazali) pondered and traced the path to it (worship) from the beginning to what is the destination of the traveler. And it turns out that worship is a very difficult path, difficult (to pass) and many risks. It is very tiring, long and winding, very dangerous, full of obstacles, covered with destruction and obstacles, many enemies that stand in the way and only a few people accompany and follow (the traveler). Indeed, this is the way it should be, because worship is the path to heaven. Thus, it is in accordance with the words of the Prophet Saw:

Meaning: “Remember that Paradise is surrounded by things that are hated. And indeed hell is surrounded by the pleasures of lust.”

The Prophet also said:

Meaning: “Remember that Paradise is like a lumpy place on a high hill. And remember that Hell is like a plain on a level place.”

In addition to the above, human beings are very weak, while time is running out, worship is deteriorating, free time for worship is very narrow, while busyness is very much and life is short and good deeds are often delayed. The All-Seeing One is very vigilant, the limit of life feels close, while the distance to be traveled is still too far and only obedience to Allah is the appropriate provision to carry. Time marches on and there is no going back.

Therefore, a person who acts obediently during his lifetime means that he will attain happiness for all eternity. On the contrary, the disobedient will be losers with the losers and wretched with the wretched.

Thus, worship is something that is very difficult to do but also very important. That’s why so few people are willing to do it. Even though there are very few who actually do it and rarely reach the destination and find what they are looking for, the one who reaches the destination is the truly noble one, chosen by Allah to know (makrifat) and love Him. Allah guides them to the right path with His guidance and providence. Then by His grace Allah delivers them to His pleasure and paradise.

Therefore, we ask Him, may He be pleased to include us and you among the fortunate ones with His mercy.

Thus. When we learned that the path was so complex, we pondered and thought about how to travel it, what provisions to make, what means to use and what techniques to use, such as knowledge and how to practice it. May Allah be pleased to provide His guidance and protect the travelers from destruction so that they do not stop in the middle of this very dangerous path. And Allah is the only refuge.

Then we compiled some books explaining how to walk that path (the way of worship) such as “Ihya Ulumiddin”, “Qurbah Ilallah”, and so on, which contain some knowledge that is subtle and difficult for ordinary people to understand, so many people criticized these books and clamored to vilify them. In fact, they are not capable of making such good books. That is not so strange. Is there any word that is more beautiful than the words of Allah, the Lord of the universe? The answer is definitely no. Even so, they (the disbelievers) think that the words of Allah are just tales of the ancients. Have you not heard the saying of Zainal Abidin, Ali bin Al-Husain bin Ali bin Abu Talib r.a. which reads:

Indeed, I have kept the pearls of my knowledge so that the ignorant may not see them and thus cause him to be tempted.

This was also the case with Hasan’s father (Ali ibn Abu Talib) up to Husayn. Before Al-Husayn, Sayyidina Hasan had also said:

“O my brothers, there is so much knowledge that is like jewels. If I were to show it, people would consider me an idolater,

The Muslims will legalize my blood and they will think it is good to kill me.”

Those who are honorable in the sight of Allah, i.e., those who are experts in practicing the religion of Allah, are of the opinion that this situation requires a compassionate view of Allah’s creatures and the abandonment of opposition to them.

I humbly beseech Allah, in Whose hand are all affairs and creatures, to make it easy for me to compile this book, which has been approved by the scholars and will benefit the readers. Then Allah granted my request, which is the prayer of a servant who truly asks Him. And by His grace I was able to find out the secrets contained in the book. He also inspired me with an amazing way of composing that I have never revealed in any previous book about some of the secrets of practicing the teachings of Allah’s religion as I am presenting them today. Allah is the only one to ask for guidance.

Indeed, the first thing that reminds a servant to worship and trace his path is a thought that comes from the sky from Allah and a special help from Him. That is what is meant by Allah’s words.

“Do you think that one whose heart is enlarged by Allah (who is happy and contented in practicing Allah’s religion) is the same as one who is not blessed with an enlarged heart? Of course not. The one who is blessed with a spacious heart behaves (lives) on the basis of the nur of his Lord.” (Q.S. Az-Zumar: 22)

The Messenger of Allah (S) signaled in this regard with his hadith:

It means “Indeed, when nur has entered the heart, the heart will become spacious.”

The companions asked: “O Messenger of Allah, does it have any signs? The Messenger of Allah replied:

Meaning “Yes. That is, the one whose heart is filled with nur will distance himself from the world, return to the realm of eternity and prepare for death before death comes to him.”

At first a servant’s heart will move and say this: “I have always been given gifts by Allah such as life, ability, thought, speech and various glories and delights, in addition to being free from disease and everything that harms me. Indeed, behind all these pleasures, the One who bestows His bounties requires me to be grateful and serve Him. Had I neglected to serve and thank Him, He would have turned these favors away from me and replaced them with torment. Yet He had sent a messenger to me, whom He had strengthened with extraordinary miracles that no one other than the messenger possessed. That messenger had informed me that I had a God who was the Great, the Almighty, the All-Knowing, the All-Living, willing, speaking, giving commands and prohibitions. That is, a God who has the power to punish me if I disobey Him and the power to reward me if I follow His commands, a God who knows all the turmoil of my mind. He has threatened and commanded me to observe the norms of Shari’ah.”

When a servant’s heart moves and speaks in this way, there will certainly be a feeling that the demand to be grateful and serve him is something that can be done. After that, the servant will definitely feel fear and worry about what if he will get the demands of Allah (in the hereafter).

This state is called khaatir faza’ (خاطرالفزع), which is the movement of the heart that reminds and moves a servant with various arguments and rejects all excuses. It also encourages one to think and search for proofs.

If this is the case, then the servant will certainly move. His heart is always restless looking for a way to be safe, secure, and serene from what is stirring in his heart or what he hears with his ears. In the end, the only way he finds is to contemplate the proofs and take Allah’s creatures as proof of the existence of the Creator so that he can attain “Ilmul Yaqin, which is knowing what the naked eye cannot see and knowing that he has a Lord who gives him obligations, commands and prohibits him.

This is the beginning of the complex path that a servant follows in worship and is called ‘aqbqtul ilmi wal ma’rifat (. ), which is the path of worship in the form of knowledge and understanding.

This path must be traveled so that in worship he is always vigilant.

Then he began to take the path of ‘aqabatul ilmi by contemplating the proofs properly, perfecting his thinking, studying and asking questions of the scholars of the Hereafter who became the guides, guides and lights of the ummah. He also asked for their prayers and benefited from them, so that Allah would make it easy and help him on this path.

Once he has traveled this path, he will attain ilmul yagin (knowledge of the obscure) and will know that he has one Lord with whom there is no partner. He is the One who created him, giving him pleasure with everything. He also burdens His servant with gratitude and commands him to serve and follow Him physically and mentally. God warns him against disbelief and disobedience. God promises eternal rewards if he is willing to obey and threatens with punishment if he disobeys and turns away from Him.

Furthermore, the knowledge and belief in something vague will encourage him to serve and worship the Great Employer, the giver of the pleasure he has been seeking.

In the end, the servant can find and recognize God after previously being ignorant and clueless. However, he does not know how to worship Him and what he should do in serving Him physically and mentally.

After he has acquired the knowledge of Allah with difficulty, he must then study hard to know the obligations of Shariah that he must perform inwardly and outwardly.

After he had perfected the knowledge of the obligations, he moved to perform them and was busy in worship. Then he thinks and finds himself wallowing in sin. This is the experience of most people. He will say to himself: “How will I perform acts of worship, when I am always sinning? I must first repent so that Allah forgives my sins, releases me from the shackles of sin and cleanses me from the filth of sinful dust so that I am fit to serve Allah and sit on the platform of approach to Him.”

Here he faces the difficult path of “Aqabatut taubat.

Inevitably he had to pass through that path in order to reach his true destination. Then he slowly passed through it by practicing repentance according to its rights and conditions until he could pass through the complicated path of repentance.

After he had truly succeeded in his repentance, he was eager to worship immediately. On the way he thought and looked around him. It turned out that he found various obstacles that surrounded and hindered him from carrying out his intention to worship.

After looking carefully, it turned out that there were four kinds of obstacles to his worship: worldly interests, the environment, the devil and lust. Inevitably he has to find a way to get rid of all four. If not, it would be very difficult for him to reach the destination he wants, which is worship.

Here he is faced with ‘aqabatul-‘awaaiq or a path full of obstacles.

To avoid these four obstacles he also needs four methods. The first is to free oneself from worldly interests. The second is to avoid the influence of the environment. The third is to face the devil. And the fourth is to destroy lust (defeat it).

The toughest of the four is lust. It is impossible to escape from it, defeat it and crush it to the ground, because lust is man’s vehicle and means to attain happiness.

The servant who wants to worship also cannot expect much from lust to agree and follow his will. Because it is the nature of lust to always oppose good and follow evil. Therefore, piety is needed to control it so that it always benefits and submits to him in worship so that the servant is not disobedient. He can use lust in various good things and prevent it from doing harm.

If this is the case, the servant must always seek Allah’s help in dealing with his passions.

After passing that way, of course he returned to his worship. That’s when he suddenly encounters new obstacles that keep him busy and hinder his worship.

After thinking clearly he discovered that there were four things that hindered his worship:

First: Sustenance.

In this case lust is always coaxing and whispering: “I must get sustenance and strengthening. I have now purged myself of the world (the necessities of life) and isolated myself from society. Then with what can I become strong (upright), and where will I get sustenance?”

Second: Worry (various impulses).

It is the feeling of fear, hope or what he hates. Meanwhile, he does not know whether what he is imagining is good or bad for him, because the consequences of everything are still vague. His heart is then busy thinking because he might fall into corruption in the future.

Third: Various disasters and catastrophes.

It was something he always found around him. Moreover, he had set himself apart from the crowd, fighting the devil and resisting the advances of lust. How many obstacles he felt. How many difficulties he faced. How much sorrow and unrest and calamity he encountered.

Fourth: God’s various decrees.

One by one, decisions (destiny) that feel sweet and bitter are tasted one after another. While lust quickly reveals hatred and makes slander.

Here the servant faces a path called ‘aqabatul ‘awaridh or a complicated path of obstacles that come suddenly.

To walk this path he needs four things.

First, tawakal (surrender) to Allah in matters of sustenance.

The second is to surrender to Allah all his worries.

Third, patience in the face of disaster. Fourth, to be content with all of Allah’s provisions.

Then the servant went on this path with Allah’s good permission and help.

After the servant has passed through it and is about to return to worship, he looks around and finds that his lust is weakened, he is not as energetic and passionate about worship as usual. He tends to forget, take it easy and be idle and even invite bad deeds, nonsense, destruction and foolishness.

In this situation the servant needs encouragement to do good, obey Allah, be passionate about goodness and needs a fortress that will restrain him from sinning and reduce the urge to do bad things.

The energizers and restraints are rajaa’ (hoping for Allah’s help) and khauf (fear of Allah’s actions).

The hope of the great reward given, namely Allah’s promise of glory, will encourage and lead the desire to do good and obey Allah. Meanwhile, the fear of a painful punishment can prevent the lust from sinning and reduce the desire to do so.

These are called ‘aqabatul bawaa’its or complex paths that give impetus. To cross and deal with them he needs raja’ and khauf. And with Allah’s permission he can cross them safely.

After successfully crossing this winding road the servant returned to worship. He felt that there were no more obstacles or hurdles in his way. In fact, he felt very enthusiastic, because there were many encouragers who encouraged him. He worshipped with such passion that he never stopped. However, he felt a bad symptom in his worship. He felt that two dangerous diseases had infected him, namely ujub and riya.

At times he pretends to do acts of worship just to be seen by people, which can ruin his worship. At other times he reproaches himself, restrains himself from feeling riya but what emerges in him instead is ujub (feeling good about himself) which can damage and destroy his worship. He is faced with ‘aqabatul gawaadih (a lumpy path that makes an act of worship defective).

To maintain the purity of worship from such defects it requires sincerity and remembering God’s bounty. Sincerity means doing good deeds for the sake of Allah alone. While remembering God’s bounty means that what she has done so far is due to God’s grace alone, not from herself. Thus ja was able to cross the road with the protection of the Sustainer of Allah and his determination and prudence. And he returned to worship.

But then a new problem arises, namely drowning in the pleasures given by Allah SWT. The pleasure, help, care and glory given by Allah make the servant forget to be grateful for it. In fact, he falls into disbelief that can plunge his high degree, which is the degree of a servant who is sincere in doing good deeds and turns this pleasure away from him.

Now he is faced with the last path, namely ‘agabatul hamdi wasy-syukri or the stage of praising and being grateful for blessings. The servant must go through it with all his might by praising and thanking Allah for His bounty.

If he passes this stage successfully, he is only one step away from reaching his destination, which is the bosom of Allah Swt. Being on the expanse of His grace, at the peak of His pleasure and the yard of His Love. He also rejoices in the garden of His pleasure, on the tapestry of tranquility, closeness and a place to plead in His presence and get glory and various gifts.

So enjoyable that it is as if his soul has drifted to the hereafter even though his body is still in the mortal world. Day after day he waits for the call of his Lord, until he grows resentful and bored with the life of the world, creatures, and those around him. He longed for death to complete his longing for Al-Malaul A’la (the highest class), the angels. It was then that the messengers from the Lord of the universe arrived. They brought him tranquillity, fragrance, glad tidings, and pure pleasure from God’s side without any of His wrath…They brought him a state of pleasure, joy, and a strong desire to leave the world of falsehood and temptation, to go into God’s presence and reside in the garden of Paradise. He found that his once weak self had gained eternal enjoyment and a great abode. There he enjoyed the bounties of a gracious God. This pleasure is in the form of gentleness, love, and closeness to Him as well as unimaginable pleasure and glory. It was indescribable and increased day by day. He felt very happy. How great is the kingdom he occupies. And indeed, it is the best place of return for the praiseworthy.

We ask Allah swt. to bestow His pleasure and bounty upon us all. Indeed, this is not difficult for Allah. May Allah not make us all people who can only see, hear, know and imagine without being able to do. May He not make our knowledge the best excuse to defeat us on the Day of Judgment. May Allah, with this knowledge, show us the way to do good deeds and worship properly. Indeed, Allah is the Most Gracious and the Most Merciful.

May peace and blessings be upon our patriarch the Prophet Muhammad and his family. As well as glory and majesty, may it be upon them.

This is the order of the path of worship that we received from God by way of inspiration with the following conclusion:

The path to heaven has seven stages:

1. Knowledge and makrifat.
2.  
3.  
4.  
5.  
6.  
7. Praise and gratitude.

With the end of the discussion of these seven stages, the book “Minhajul Abidin” is also completed.

Furthermore, we will present these stages in a brief, concise and meaningful manner. Insha Allah, we will present each stage in a separate chapter.

May Allah be pleased to bestow His guidance on us. There is no power and effort except with the help of Allah, the Most Sublime and Supreme.

Compiler

The First Stage: ILMU AND MAKRIFAT

About this stage we will start with an appeal: O people who want to be free from harm and worship, may Allah grant you His guidance, the first thing you should do is to seek knowledge, for indeed knowledge is the basis of all actions.

You should also know that knowledge and worship are two inseparable links. Everything that we see, hear and learn is basically created for these two things. For these two things, the Bible was revealed. So were the apostles and prophets. They were sent down for both. Even Allah created the heavens, the earth and everything in it only for knowledge and worship.

Reflect on the two Qur’anic verses below!

1. God’s Word:

Meaning: “It is Allah who created the seven heavens, and like them the earth, and Allah’s command is that you may know that Allah is over all things. And indeed Allah, His Knowledge encompasses all things.” (Q.S. Ath-Thalaag: 12)

This verse is proof enough that knowledge is something very noble, especially the science of tawhid.

2. God’s Word:

Meaning: “And I did not create the jinn and mankind but that they should worship Me.” (Q.S. Adz-Dzaariyaat: 56)

This verse shows the glory of worship and the obligation to always carry it out. How great is the meaning of knowledge and worship which is the main purpose of the creation of this world and the hereafter. So it is appropriate that we devote everything we have to the pursuit of knowledge and worship. Know that anything other than these two has no merit and nothing can be gained from them.

When you have learned that they are like two beautiful pearls, then know that of the two, knowledge is the better. That is why the Prophet said:

Meaning: “The superiority of the scholar over the worshipper is like my superiority over the lowest among my people.”

He also said:

It means: “Looking at the face of a pious person once is better than worshiping for a year by fasting during the day and praying at night.”

In another hadith we are told:

Meaning: “Shall I show you who is the most honorable person in Paradise?” The Companions replied: “Of course we want to know, O Messenger of Allah!” The Messenger of Allah continued: “They are the scholars from among my people.”

Thus, it is clear that knowledge is a jewel that is more noble than worship. Even so, we must not forget worship, in addition to having knowledge. Because like a tree, worship is the fruit of knowledge. Isn’t the best part of a tree the trunk and the fruit the best part?

If we do not worship with our knowledge, then it will perish like dust in the wind. That’s why a servant must have both in accordance with their respective portions.

In this connection Hasan Al-Bashri said:

Meaning: “Seek knowledge without giving up worship and worship without giving up knowledge.”

So it is clear that knowledge and worship are both emphasized to be possessed by a servant, only that knowledge is the more important. This is because knowledge is the basic principle and guidance for worship.

In this regard, the Prophet said:

It means: “Knowledge is the leader of charity, and charity is its follower.” Since knowledge is the leader, it should be given precedence. This must be done for two reasons:

Firstly, in order to be safe and successful in worship, you must know who is being worshipped, and then you can worship them. How can you worship a Deity whose asthma, obligatory and impossible attributes you do not know? Because sometimes a person believes in something that does not deserve Him. That way your worship is like dust scattered in vain.

We have explained this important point in the explanation of suul-khaatimah in the khauf chapter of Ihya Ulumiddin.

Then you have to know what to do and what to leave out. Otherwise, how can you perform an act of worship without knowing what and how it is? Is it something that should be done or something that should be left out? Which is the sin that must be forsaken? The obligations of Shari’ah such as purification, prayer, fasting and other acts of worship have their own conditions that one must know so that he can perform them properly.

Sometimes you may have practiced for years with an incorrect way of purifying and praying, for example, but you do not feel that this is incorrect and deviates from the Sunnah.

Sometimes you come across an irregularity and can’t find anyone to consult.

It should also be noted that the core of acts of worship are the movements of the heart, such as trust, surrender, contentment, patience, repentance, sincerity and other movements of the heart, which, in sha Allah, we will explain in the next section. It is also the opposite of these motions that must be avoided, such as resenting Allah’s fate, wishful thinking, pride and arrogance. These motions of the heart are among the commands and prohibitions of Allah, the Almighty, in His Noble Book and in the words of His Messenger.

Allah swt. said:

Meaning: “And put your trust in Allah alone, if you are truly believers.” (Q.S. Al-Maaidah: 23)

God’s Word:

Meaning: “Give thanks to Allah, if you are truly those who worship Him alone.” (Q.S. al-Baqarah: 172)

God’s Word:

Meaning: “Be patient. And know that your patience is for the help of Allah alone.” (Q.S. An-Nahl!: 127) Allah’s Word:

Meaning: “And worship with all diligence.” (Q.S. AlMuzammil: 8)

Diligence in that verse means being truly sincere.

And other verses that explain worship such as prayer and fasting.

Why do you pray or fast and leave these obligations of trust, patience, and so on? Even though they are both commands from the same Lord and are in the same book, you forget about them so much that you don’t even know what your heart is doing because of the fatwas of scholars who love the world. He loves the world so much that he considers bad things to be good and good things to be bad. It is also because of following those who forsake the light, wisdom and guidance of Allah in His Book, and seek knowledge in order to acquire unlawful wealth and chase after useless things.

O one who seeks guidance! Are you not afraid of wasting some of your obligations or even most of them, busy praying and fasting and ending up with nothing?

It may be that you continue to commit sins that will lead you to hell and leave permissible things such as eating and drinking that you can use to draw closer to Allah, and you gain nothing from them.

It is even worse if you are lulled into wishful thinking and wishful thinking in your worship. But that is pure sin. You think that it is a good intention because you cannot distinguish the fine difference between the two, and in other situations they can merge together.

It is the same when you hate and complain about Allah’s decree. Then you think of it as humbling yourself to Him, but that is the real arrogance. You take it as a compliment to Allah or an invitation to do good to people. This is disobedience taken as obedience and expecting reward for deeds that bring punishment. You are deceived and lulled into a false sense of hope. This is a terrible calamity for those who do good deeds without knowledge.

Behind it all, there is actually a close relationship between inner and outer deeds. Inner deeds can beautify and spoil outer deeds, including sincerity, riya, pride (pride in oneself), remembering Allah’s bounty and so on.

Whoever does not know the inner deeds, their influence on the outer deeds and how to prevent and protect the outer deeds from them, it is unlikely that he will be able to save his outer deeds. He loses both outward and inward deeds. And all he gets is pain. This is a real loss. That is why the Prophet defined knowledge in the following words:

Meaning: “Indeed, sleeping on the basis of knowledge is better than praying on the basis of ignorance.”

Because people who do deeds without knowledge mostly damage deeds rather than improve them.

He also said about knowledge:

Meaning: “Verily, knowledge is revealed to the fortunate and hindered from the wretched.”

What this means, wallahu a’lamu bimuraadih, is: The one who refuses to learn is then harmed, he takes the trouble to do acts of worship in the wrong way and what he gets is nothing but hardship. May Allah keep us all away from useless knowledge and deeds.

Therefore, how great is the merit of the scholars who are zuhud and do good with their knowledge, may Allah be pleased with them. For the essence of servitude, worship and service to the Lord of the universe is knowledge.

Such is the view of one who has the eyes of the heart and has the help of Allah.

Thus, you come to know that a servant’s obedience will not be produced safely without knowledge. That is why knowledge must take precedence over other acts of worship.

Secondly, the reason that knowledge is prior to worship is because useful knowledge will bear the fruit of fear of Allah.

Allah swt. said:

Meaning: “Verily, those who fear Allah among His servants are the people of knowledge.” (Q.S. Faathir: 28)

What this means is that a person who does not know Allah properly will not truly fear Him. He cannot glorify Allah as he should. With knowledge he can truly know, glorify and fear Him. So his knowledge results in obedience and keeps him away from disobedience with the help of Allah.

Apart from these two things (obedience and staying away from sin) there is no other desire in worship. Therefore, you should always seek knowledge. May Allah give you His guidance.

O those who walk the path to the Hereafter! As we begin our worship, may Allah bless us all with His bounty and mercy.

Perhaps you will say that the Prophet said:

It means: “Seeking knowledge is an obligation of every Muslim.”

So what knowledge should we learn and where is the limit of learning the knowledge of worship?

You should know that there are three kinds of knowledge to be learned globally: The science of tawhid, the science of sirri, which is the science of the heart, and the science of sharee’ah. The obligatory limits for studying each of these three are as follows:

1. In the science of tawhid: Just knowing the essentials of the religion that you have a God who is all-powerful, all-willing, all-living, all-speaking, all-hearing, all-seeing, one, without partners, perfect in nature, free from any flaws, not new, independent of His gidam nature, far from being new, and Muhammad (peace be upon him) is His servant and messenger, who is true in all his commands and information about the Hereafter. And then the Sunnah deeds that you should know.

Be careful! Do not make up something in the religion of Allah (swt) that has no evidence from the Qur’an and hadith, and you will be in a worrying position before Allah.

All the essential proofs of monotheism have been mentioned in the Qur’an. Then it was explained by our teachers, may Allah be pleased with them, in the books they have made on the subjects of religion.

In general, it can be said that anything for which you would not be safe from harm if you did not know about it is obligatory, and it is not permissible to neglect it.

This is the truth. May Allah bless us all with His guidance.

1. In the science of sirri: You must know what you must do and what you must leave behind, so that you can truly glorify Allah, be sincere in your deeds, and have pure intentions. Insha Allah, we will explain the details in this book.

1. in the knowledge of Shari’ah: You should know all the obligations that you have to perform and their conditions, such as prayer, purification and fasting. Hajj, zakaah and jihad (striving) in the cause of Allah are obligatory if you are obliged to perform them. If not, then it is not obligatory for you to learn them.

This is the limit of knowledge that must be learned by servants and is also a fardu ‘ain that you cannot help but do.

If you ask: “Do I have a duty to learn the science of monotheism so that I can use it to refute the arguments of the disbelievers and make them accept the proof of Islam? Or can I use it to refute the arguments of the innovators and make them accept the proof of the Sunnah?”

Know that this is fardu kifayah. What is fard for you is only to know the knowledge that strengthens your belief in the essentials of the religion, not anything else. The same applies to the branches of the science of tawheed with all its problems.

That is how it should be. But if you’re not sure about a religious point that you fear could undermine your faith, then it’s your duty to seek a satisfactory solution to the problem. But be careful! Do not argue in an unrighteous manner, for that is a disease for which there is no cure. Beware of it. It is a disease for which there is no cure, for those who are infected with it will not be saved except by the mercy and compassion of Allah.

When there is a caller from among the people of Ahlissunnah in every region who clarifies obscure beliefs, counteracts the innovators, refines the science of kalam and cleanses the hearts of the people of truth from the harassment of the innovators, then the obligation to seek knowledge is lifted for everyone else. The same applies to you.

You are not obliged to study the knowledge of sirri and all the wonders of the heart other than what can spoil worship so that you can avoid it, and the obligations that you have to do such as sincerity, praise, gratitude, tawaka, and other obligations so that you can live up to them.

As for anything else, you are not obliged to learn it. The same applies to the sciences of fiqh such as buying and selling, renting, marriage, divorce and criminal law. All of them are fardu kifayah and you are not obliged to learn them if someone has already learned them.

If you ask: “Can the science of monotheism like the above be learned on its own without a teacher to teach it?”

A teacher is only in charge of opening and facilitating the way to obtain it. Seeking knowledge with the intermediary of a teacher will be easier and more enjoyable. Then Allah, by His grace, gives grace to whom He wills. So be Allah as their guide.

Know that this stage of knowledge is a complicated path that is difficult to travel. However, by passing through it, all intentions and goals will be achieved. The benefits of this stage are great. To pass through it is also very difficult and the dangers are not small. Many people move away from this path and get lost. Not a few travelers have slipped. Many people are confused because they are lost in it. Not a few people pass through it and then stop in the middle of the road. Many pass through it in a very short time. But not a few just go round and round in it for seventy years. All are under the power of Allah.

As for the benefits of knowledge, as we have explained, it fulfills an urgent need for servants as a basis for worship, especially the knowledge of tawheed and the knowledge of sirri.

It has been narrated that Allah swt. said to Prophet Dawud a.s.: “O Dawud! Seek useful knowledge!” Prophet Dawud replied: “O my Lord, what is useful knowledge?” Allah said: “Let you know My splendor, My majesty, My arrogance and My perfect omnipotence over all things. For these are the things that can bring you closer to Me.

It is narrated from sayyidina Ali karramallahu wajhahu. He said: “I would not have been happy if I had died as a child and then been admitted to Paradise while I was still an adult. For the one who knows the most about Allah is the one who fears Him the most, worships Him the most and takes His advice the most.

You should face the difficulties of seeking knowledge with sincerity. Seek knowledge to gain knowledge and not just to hear stories.

Know that the danger of knowledge is very great. For whoever seeks knowledge only in order to be respected by people, to be able to sit with officials, to boast in the presence of experts and to gain wealth, then his life’s business will go bankrupt and lose money.

The Prophet said:

Meaning: “Whoever seeks knowledge in order to boast in the presence of the scholars, to refute the opinions of the ignorant or to turn people’s eyes away from him, then Allah will put him in Hellfire”

Abu Yazid Al-Busthami said: “I did Mujahadah for thirty years. Nothing was harder for me than knowledge and its dangers.”

Beware of the seduction of the devil. He will say to you: “If the hadith has explained the danger of studying, then you should abandon it.”

Don’t pay attention to what the devil is saying. It has been narrated that the Prophet said:

Meaning: “On the night of mi’raj I saw that most of the inhabitants of hell were poor people.” The Companions asked: “O Messenger of Allah, are they poor because they lack wealth?” The Messenger of Allah replied: “No. But they are poor in knowledge.”

People who do not study will not be able to “understand the laws of worship and carry them out according to the rules that apply properly. Even if there are people who worship Allah like the angels of heaven but are not based on knowledge, then they are also among the losers.

Roll up your sleeves in the pursuit of knowledge by discussing, teaching and repeating. Do not be lazy or bored, otherwise you are in grave danger.

May Allah swt, protect us all.

In general, if you really look at the signs of the creation of Allah the Great, you will know that we have a God who is All-powerful, All-knowing, All-living, Willing, Hearing, Seeing, Speaking, free from novelty in speech, knowledge and will, free from all defects and diseases. He cannot be attributed with the attributes of creatures, does not do what is permissible for His creatures. He does not resemble creatures at all, is not settled in any place or direction and is not subject to novelty and diseases.

If you look at the miracles of the Messenger of Allah, the verses of Allah, and the signs of his prophethood, we are certain that the Prophet Muhammad is a messenger of Allah and a trustworthy person who received His revelation. We also know what the salaf ash-shaalih scholars believed, namely that Allah will be seen on the Day of Resurrection, that Allah is the One who exists and does not stay in one place or direction, and that the Qur’an is the words of Allah, not a creature, separate letters or sounds. If this were the case, it would be the same as a creature.

We will also know that there is no movement of the heart and eye of the real world (dunia) and the unseen world (alam malakut) except by the decree, power and will of Allah Swt. From Allah also comes good, bad, benefit, harm, faith and disbelief. Allah does not have any obligations to His creatures. Those whom He rewards are due to His bounty alone. And those whom He tortures are His justice.

The teachings brought by the Messenger of Allah (S) about the Hereafter, such as the gathering (of creatures), rising from the grave, the punishment of the grave, the questioning of Munkar and Nakir, the balance (of deeds) and the passage (over the hell) are the main points of teachings that were believed and practiced by the salaf ash-shaalih before the emergence of various misleading innovations. This is also the consensus of the scholars.

May Allah keep us all away from committing innovations in religion and following our desires without any proof.

Then you should also reflect on the behavior of the heart, its inner obligations and prohibitions as will be explained in this book so that you know them. You will also know what to do such as purification, fasting, prayer and so on.

As such, you have fulfilled the obligation commanded by Allah, the One who made you a servant of knowledge. You have also become among the knowledgeable scholars of Muhammad’s followers.

If you put them into practice, you will become a servant of Allah who is knowledgeable and does good deeds for the sake of Allah, not ignorant, blind or negligent. You will also gain great honor. Your knowledge is precious and has abundant rewards. You have made it through this complicated path, leaving it behind and fulfilling its rights with Allah’s permission.

Allah is the only one we ask for guidance and ease. Indeed, He is the Most Merciful. And there is no power and effort except with the help of Allah, the Most High and the Most Great.

Second stage: TOBAT

Repentance is a must for those who wish to worship for two reasons:

First, it makes obedience easier for you. Because bad deeds of sin will hinder the coming of acts of obedience and are always followed by humiliation (unable to get closer to Allah). The snares of sin will hinder the journey of worship and hastening to serve Allah, because heavy sins will make it harder to do good and remove the passion for devotion.

Committing sins continuously makes the heart dark. You will find it dark and hard. There is no more clean, clear, delicious, and sweet taste in worship. And if Allah had not bestowed His bounty, it would have dragged its owner into the abyss of disbelief and misery.

How astonishing. How can someone with a dirty and hard heart be obedient? Is it possible for someone who is constantly sinning and arrogant to serve Allah? Can someone with a filthy mouth and uncleanliness draw near and seek Allah? The answer is of course “no”. – It was narrated from Ash-Shaadiq wal Mashduuq that the Prophet said:

Meaning: “When a servant tells a lie, the two angels who record deeds will stay away from him because of the odor of filth that comes out of his mouth.”

If this is the case, how can this lying mouth remember Allah?

Therefore, it is not surprising that people who constantly commit sins do not get guidance from Allah and their limbs feel heavy to worship. Even if he does it, he feels very bad, not with a feeling of pleasure and sincerity. This happens because of the impact of the sins he committed and the repentance he left behind.

It is very true when someone says “When you are unable to perform the night prayer and fasting during the day, you are bound by your own sins.”

Secondly, so that the worship we do is accepted by Allah.

A moneylender would not want to receive interest if the principal is not returned. Likewise, repentance and seeking the pleasure of the enemy is an obligation. Meanwhile, the acts of worship you do are mostly circumcision. How is it possible that your reward will be accepted if your overdue debt has not been paid. How can you leave the lawful and permissible for the sake of Allah, if you are always breaking the prohibitions and doing the unlawful? How can you complain, supplicate and praise Him when He is angry with you? May Allah protect us all from His wrath.

This is the state of birth of those who continually commit sin. May Allah protect us all.

If you ask: “What is pure repentance, what are its limits and what must a servant do to be free from all sins?”

My answer is this: “Repentance is one of the works of the heart. The way to produce it according to the scholars is to cleanse the heart of sin.

My teacher Shaykh Abu Bakr Al-Warraq spoke about the limits of repentance: “The limit of repentance is not repeating a past sin by not committing an equivalent sin that one has committed out of reverence for Allah and fear of His punishment.

Meeting this criterion requires four conditions:

1. Abandoning the sin wholeheartedly and having no intention of repeating it. If a person has forsaken a sin but has no intention of repeating it in the future, or there is still the possibility of repeating it, then this is not called repentance but refraining from sin.

2. Abandoning the sins that he has committed. Because if he has never committed such a sin before, then he is called one who keeps himself from sin.

Therefore, it would be correct to say that the Prophet (peace be upon him) maintained himself from disbelief. And it is a mistake if anyone says that the Prophet repented of disbelief, because the Prophet had never disbelieved. It is correct to say that ‘Umar repented of disbelief because he had disbelieved before entering Islam.

3. He should not choose to commit a sin that is equal to the one he has committed. He should not only forgive the sin but also leave the sin that is equal to it.

Think about it! An old and frail person who has committed adultery and robbery, if he wants to repent, he is certainly able to, because the door to repentance is still open to him Dra was unable to abandon the desire to commit adultery and robbery, even though he was no longer able to do so. Such a person is not called one who repents of sins and avoids them. He is unable to commit them but is still able to commit sins that are equal to adultery and robbery such as lying, accusing his wife of adultery, speaking ill of others and backbiting. All of the above differ from one another according to their measure. But all of these sins that have branches are a little lower than bid’ah, while bid’ah is a little lower than kufr. Hence, the old man has not repented of adultery, robbery and other sins that he is no longer able to commit.

4. The choice to forsake sin because of the motivation of glorifying Allah, fearing His wrath and the pain of His punishment, not because of worldly pleasures, pride in the eyes of men, hoping for praise to become famous, gaining a position because of weakness and poverty in society or other expectations.

These are the conditions and pillars of repentance.

If you succeed in completing these conditions, then that is true repentance. There are three things to do before repentance:

1. Remembering the ugliness of sin.

2 Remembering the pain and anguish of punishment and the wrath of Allah that you cannot bear.

3. Remembering your weakness and lack of ability to face the punishment of Allah, because the one who is unable to withstand the heat of the sun, the slap of the police and the bite of ants, how can he possibly withstand the heat of the fire of Hellfire, the hammer of the Zabaniyah angels and the sting of a snake as big as a camel’s neck or the sting of a scorpion as big as a khimar created from fire, being in a place of torture and destruction.

We seek protection from Allah’s wrath and punishment.

If you always remember and make a habit of remembering this day and night, then this will motivate you to truly repent of sins. Hopefully, Allah will guide us with His grace.

If it is said: “Didn’t the Prophet say:

This means: “To regret a sin is to repent.”

He didn’t mention any conditions and heavy things like you mentioned.”

The answer is: The first thing you should know is that regret is something that a person cannot do on his own.

Do you not see that sometimes a person regrets things in his heart. However, he has no desire to repent. On the other hand, repentance is something that is commanded. Then we would know that if a person regrets a sin just because it might bring him down in the eyes of society or because he is afraid of losing his livelihood, then there is no doubt that this regret is not repentance. Thus, you come to know that there is a meaning in the Hadīth that you cannot know from the surface, which is that regret for glorifying Allah and fear of His punishment are among the things that evoke true repentance, because they are the characteristics and state of those who repent. If a person remembers these three things that are preliminary, he will regret. That regret may prompt him to abandon sins. In the end, only regret will remain in the heart and it will encourage him to humble himself before Allah, because regret is one of the causes of repentance and is a characteristic of the repentant. So the Messenger of Allah (saw) called it repentance, and he said: “Regret is repentance.”

By understanding all that, insha Allah you will be guided by Allah Swt.

If you ask: “How is it possible for a human being to be completely sinless, whether minor or major, while the prophets alone, who are the noblest of Allah’s creatures, are still debated by the scholars as to whether they attained this position (of being completely sinless) or not.”

Know that this (not committing any sins at all) is not impossible. It is very easy for Allah Swt. And Allah determines His mercy for whom He wills.

Not deliberately committing a sin is one of the conditions of repentance. Even if he slipped into sin through negligence or an oversight, then he is forgiven by the grace of Allah and that is easy for a person who is guided by Allah.

If you say: “What keeps me from repenting immediately is that I know that I will definitely commit that sin again and there is no point in repenting.”

If so, then know that it is a trick of the devil. How do you know if you will commit that sin again. You could die after repenting and not have repeated the sin. As for the fear of repeating the sin, you must avoid it with a strong desire, and Allah Himself will complete it.

If Allah perfects the wish, that is what we expect from His grace. But if Allah does not complete it, then all your past sins have been forgiven. You are free and clear of those sins. You have only sinned because of the deeds you are currently doing.

This is a great advantage and a great benefit. Do not delay repentance because you fear that you will commit the same sin again. By repenting you are between two good things.

May Allah guide and guide us.

To be able to get out and be free from sin, then you must know that sin is generally divided into three:

1. Failing to do something that Allah has enjoined on us, such as praying, fasting, giving zakaah, paying expiation or other obligations.

The way out of this is that you have to tone it down as much as possible.

2. Sins between you and Allah, such as drinking alcohol, blowing a flute, eating usury money and the like.

The solution is regret and the intention not to reoffend forever.

3. Sins between fellow servants. This is the most serious and difficult sin to avoid. Sins between fellow servants of Allah are sometimes related to wealth, soul, pride, honor and religion.

To be free from sins related to wealth, the best way is to return the wealth to its owner if you can. If you are unable to return it because it has been lost or because you are poor, then you should ask for his permission. If that is not possible because the owner is gone or dead, and you are able to give in charity, then the best thing for you to do is to do more good and humble yourself before Allah, asking Him to be pleased with you on the Day of Resurrection.

To be free from sins related to the soul, you must either submit yourself to the appropriate punishment or ask for its pleasure. If you are unable to do so, then return to Allah and humble yourself before Him. Ask Allah to make him willing to you on the Day of Judgment.

Sins related to self-esteem, such as backbiting, deceiving or cursing, should be erased by telling the person you are talking to that you are lying and then asking the person (the one who was backbitten, deceived or cursed at) for forgiveness – provided that you are able to do so and are not worried about increasing his anger, causing new problems with your statement or even creating new anger for him.

If this is the case and you are worried, then the best thing to do is to ask Allah to make Him pleased with you, to give him a good deed in proportion to what you have done, and to make istighfar for him.

Sins that involve honor, such as betraying someone about a wife, child, or the like, cannot be atoned for by asking that person’s willingness, because that may incur his anger. In this case it is more appropriate to humble yourself and ask Allah to make him willing to you and give you much good in return. But if there is no fear of slander, which is rare, then asking for forgiveness is better.

Sins related to religious matters such as disbelieving, accusing others of heresy and misguidance are difficult to erase. What you need is to declare that you lied in your speech in front of the other person, apologize to the person (who was disbelieved, accused of heresy and misguidance) – provided that it is possible for you to do so. If not, then you must truly humble yourself to Allah and ask Him to make it acceptable to you.

So, in general, what you can do, such as apologizing to your enemy, then do it. If it is not possible, then return everything to Allah by humbling yourself and supplicating Him and giving charity, so that He may make it acceptable to you. Everything is up to Allah’s will on the Day of Judgment. We just have to hope that He will reward us with His great bounty. If He knows the sincerity of a servant’s heart, then He will also make his enemy willing to that servant with an abundance of His bounty and no more punishment (for him).

Study this carefully.

If you know what we’ve mentioned above, then your heart has been cleansed of the desire to commit similar sins in the future, then you’re out of the cycle of sin.

If you have managed to cleanse your heart but have not been able to fulfill the remaining fard and apologize to your enemy, then the demands of adamic rights are still on you, but the other sins have been forgiven.

The discussion on repentance is too long and it is impossible to cover it all in this short book. If you want to know more about this repentance, read the book of repentance contained in the book:

1. Ihya Ulumiddin.
2. Al-Qurbah ilallah.
3. Al-Qhaayatul Quswa.

In these books you will find many benefits and extensive explanations. What we have presented here are only the main points that Muslims should always be aware of.

Rest assured that the stage of repentance is a very difficult one, the issues are very important and the dangers are great,

We have heard Ustadz Abu Ishag AlIsfirayini (may Allah have mercy on him), who was a man of great knowledge and did good deeds with his knowledge, say: “I prayed to Allah to be granted pure repentance for thirty years. I was astonished and said to myself: “Glory be to Allah. The need I asked for for thirty years has not been fulfilled until now. Then I dreamt as if a caller had said to me: ‘Do you wonder at this? What is it that you are asking for? You are asking Allah to love you. Has not Allah said:

Meaning: “Verily, Allah loves those who repent and are clean.” (Q.S. al-Baqarah: 222)

Do you think that your request to be loved is easy? Look at the Imams who strive to make their hearts clean and truly seek provision for the Hereafter.”

The most alarming danger is delaying repentance, because at first a sin will make the heart hard and eventually make it wretched.

We must not forget the story of Iblis and Bal am bin Ba’ura. In the beginning they were just sinners and in the end became disbelievers. Both of them perished with the wretched for all eternity.

Then come to your senses and make an effort. May you be able to uproot the roots of sin that have grown in your heart, and save yourself from them. Don’t feel free from the hardness of heart that comes with sin.

Look at yourself.

Some pious people say that the heart becomes dark (black) because of sin. The signs of a darkened heart are that it does not feel fear or surprise when it commits a sin, the obedience it performs does not affect its lifestyle, and it is not receptive to advice.

Do not trivialize even the smallest sin, because it will make you feel that you have repented, while you are still continuing to commit major sins.

I have heard it reported that Kahmas bin Al-Hasan said: “I once committed a sin. Then I wept over it for forty years.” He was then asked: “What was that sin, O servant of Allah?” He replied: “One day I was visited by a Muslim friend. I bought fish to feed him. Then I went to pick up a clod of earth behind a neighbor’s fence without permission to wash his hands.”

The events that upset Kahmas above can be used as a reflection for you to correct yourself and repent as soon as possible. Because death (the limit of life) is still neatly stored and we cannot measure it. This world is only deceiving, while lust and Satan are always hostile. Humble yourself before Allah and supplicate to Him.

Try to remember the story of Prophet Adam a.s. who was created with the power of Allah, blessed him with the spirit and placed him in heaven. He did no wrong except once. Then the command came down to him to come down from heaven because of that one mistake. It is even told that Allah said to him: “O Adam! What kind of friend do you consider Me to be?” Adam replied: “The best neighbor, O my Lord.” Allah said: “Depart from My side, and remove the crown of My majesty from your head. Verily, he who disobeys Me does not deserve to be My neighbor.” So we are told that Adam wept over this sin for two hundred years until Allah forgave his one-time sin.

This was God’s attitude towards His prophet and chosen one who committed one sin. Then what about other people who commit many sins and are not prophets?

Prophet Adam’s cry was a humbling and repentant plea. Then what is Allah’s attitude towards people who always sin without thinking about the consequences? How beautiful is the poetry of a poet:

The repentant person is worried

against himself.

Then what do you think about people

who will not repent?

If you repent and sin a second time, then repent immediately. Say to yourself: “May I die before committing another sin like this.” The same applies if you commit a sin for the third and fourth time.

If you commit a sin and repeat it as a routine, then you must also make repentance a routine. Do not let your repentance be defeated by sin and do not despair. Pay no attention to the temptations of Satan that hinder your repentance, because repenting every time you commit a sin is a good sign.

Haven’t you heard the Messenger of Allah say:

Meaning: “The best among you is the one who is often tempted but always repents.”

This means that the person is often tempted to commit sins but repents a lot and returns to Allah with regret and apology (istighfar).

Remember the words of Allah:

It reads: “And whoever does evil or wrongs himself then seeks forgiveness from Allah, surely he will find Allah Forgiving, Most Merciful.” (Q.S. An-Nisaa: 110)

The conclusion from the above is that if you begin to repent then cleanse your heart of sins. This means that you strengthen the intention in your heart to never again commit that sin except what Allah in His knowledge has determined that you will do. Allah knows that your determination really comes from a sincere heart. Then forgive your enemy to the best of your ability.

Make up for past obligations to the best of your ability. And what you cannot afford should be left to Allah, hoping and humbling yourself that He will fulfill them for you.

Then clean your body and clothes. Then pray four rak’ahs as you should. Place your face on a deserted ground where no one can see you except Allah.

Sprinkle dust on the head and bury the face, the most honorable member of the body, with tears full of sadness and a loud voice, mentioning your sins one by one according to your ability. Make fun of your sin-soaked self. Say to it: “My self, don’t you feel ashamed? Has the time for repentance not come for you? Or do you have the strength to face the punishment of Allah?” Then swear at him as much as possible while crying. Then raise two hands to God, the Most Merciful, and supplicate:

Meaning: “O my Lord, Your long lost servant has returned to Your door (of mercy). Your servant who transgressed has returned to goodness. Your servant who sinned has returned with an excuse. Forgive me with Your mercy. Look upon me with Your love. Forgive me my past sins and protect me from sins in the rest of (this) life. Verily, all good is only with You and You are Most Merciful and Compassionate to us…

Then pray the following prayer for the removal of distress:

Meaning:” O the One who reveals great problems! O G-d who is the final destination of the distressed! O G-d who, when He wills something, simply says “be” and it comes into existence. My sins keep me confined, and You are the only one I look to as my avenger. O G-d who relieves every difficulty. At this time You are my only reliance, so accept my repentance. Verily, You are the Recipient of repentance and the Most Merciful.”

Then make a lot of weeping, humiliation and humbleness while praying as follows:

Meaning:” O the One who does not feel busy dealing with matters, and hears complaint after complaint. O G-d who cannot be wrong in deciding matters. O G-d who does not tire of fulfilling requests that are made continuously! Pour out the cool dew of forgiveness and the sweetness of Your forgiveness. With Your love, O G-d who is more merciful than the merciful. Verily You are all-powerful over all things…

Then recite selawat for the Prophet and his family. Ask forgiveness for all believers, both men and women. And return to obedience to Allah. Then you have truly repented well. You have also come out of the mire of sin, clean as the day you were born from your mother’s womb, loved by Allah and deserving of reward and receiving His indescribable abundance of blessings and mercy.

Then you will attain peace, safety and be free from the wrath of Allah, the bitterness of sin and calamity in this world and the next. You have actually passed this stage with the permission of Allah. Only Allah is the master of guidance with His grace and bounty.

Third Stage: ‘AWAAIQ (TEMPTATION)

The third stage is awanig (temptation).

O people who want to worship! You must be able to remove obstacles so that your worship can be firm and strong. May Allah give you His guidance.

We mentioned earlier that there are four kinds of hindrances (temptations).

1. The first hurdle: The world at large

In order to remove this obstacle, we must remove our dependence on it and turn away from it. As for what necessitates doing so, there are two:

First, so that your worship will be straight and increase. This is because the love of this world will keep you busy. The limbs are busy seeking the riches of this world, while the heart is always filled with desires and busy looking for ways (to get them). Both will hinder worship, because desire and the heart are one. If the heart has been busy thinking about something, then it will definitely forget its opposite.

The world and the hereafter are like two women who are married. If you make one happy, the other will be disappointed because she feels forgotten. They are like east and west. If you face one side, the other side will be behind you.

The evidence that being outwardly busy with worldly pursuits can hinder worship is that related by Abu Darda’ r.a. He said: “I constantly tried to unite worship and trade. It turned out that the two could not be united. Then I chose worship and left trade.”

It is also narrated that the Companion Umar r.a. said: “If the two (worship and worldly pursuits) can be united in a person, I can certainly unite them in myself with the strength and gentleness that Allah has bestowed upon me.”

If this is the case, then leave the world that is bound to be corrupt and choose (the hereafter that promises) salvation.

As for inwardly, the heart will be busy thinking about it, because the heart is the place of desire, as the hadith narrated from the Prophet. He said:

Meaning: “Whoever loves the world will lose the Hereafter. And whoever loves the Hereafter will neglect the world. Therefore, choose that which is eternal while leaving that which is guaranteed to perish.”

Now it is clear that if you are outwardly busy seeking the world and inwardly filled with the desire to obtain it, it will not be easy for you to fulfill the rights of worship. Whereas zuhud (eliminating dependence on the world) will make your mind and body spacious, easy to worship, and even the whole body will help you worship.

Narrated Salman Al-Farisi. He said: “Verily, when a person’s heart is not fixed on the world, his heart shines brightly full of wisdom and his limbs help each other in worship.”

Secondly, being zuhud will make you more valuable,

high position and increase in honor. The Prophet said:

Meaning: “Two rak’ahs performed by a pious and zuhud-hearted person are better and more beloved to Allah than the deeds performed by a worshipper throughout his life continuously.”

If acts of worship can become more noble and numerous because of zuhud, then one who wants to worship should be zuhud and turn away from the world.

If you ask: “What does zuhud mean in the world and what is the right way to do it?”

The answer is: According to the scholars, zuhud is divided into two. There is zuhud that is within the scope of human ability and zuhud that is beyond the scope of human ability.

Zahud that is below human capabilities is divided into three:

1 Not seeking something that does not belong to him.

2. Share what has been collected with others.
3. In the heart not desiring the world and trying to obtain it.

Zuhud that is beyond the reach of a servant’s ability is anything that cannot influence the heart to turn away from worship.

It should also be noted that the actual zuhud that a servant is capable of is the beginning of the emergence of zuhud that is beyond the limits of zuhud according to his ability such as not seeking something that he does not have, being willing to share the pleasures of what he has, not desiring and choosing the world and doing it for the sake of Allah, hoping for the greatness of the reward obtained by remembering a lot of the harm it causes (the world), then it will definitely make him indifferent to the world, and in my opinion this “indifferent attitude” is the real zuhud.

Then know that the hardest of the three is to remove the desire from his heart.

Many people outwardly renounce the world but inwardly still desire it. So, he is just drowning in his own exhausting struggles and sufferings. And the whole issue of zuhud actually boils down to this “ignorance of the world”.

Has not Allah swt. said:

Meaning: “That is the land of the Hereafter. We have made it for those who do not want to arrogate themselves and do mischief on earth.” (Q.S. Al-Qashshaash: 83)

God attributes the law to “absence of desire”, not “not seeking out” or not realizing desire.”

Also the following words of Allah:

Meaning: “Whoever desires the gain of the Hereafter, We will increase it for him. And whoever desires the gain of the world, We will give him a portion of the gain of the world and no portion of the Hereafter for him.” (Q.S. Ash-shuraa: 20)

God’s Word:

Meaning: “Whoever desires the present life (in this world), We hasten for him in that world what We will.” (Q.S. Al-Israa’: 18)

And He also said:

Meaning: “And whoever desires the life of the Hereafter and strives earnestly towards it, while he is a believer, then they are the ones whose efforts are well rewarded. “(QS.5 Al-lsraa 19)

Don’t you know that all these instructions lead to the issue of iradah (desire)? Hence, in a situation like Wu nadah is very important. However, if the servant is diligent in doing the first two things, i.e. dividing (the wealth he has) and not seeking (wealth that does not belong to him), then he can still hope for Allah’s grace to grant him the ability to resist desire.

As for the choice, it comes from the heart, for indeed He (Allah) is the Most Gracious and the Most Noble.

Then, the thing that can motivate you not to seek things that do not exist and to give things that are already ours and can facilitate this is to remember the bad consequences of the world and its shortcomings.

Many scholars have spoken about this. Among them is the following statement by a scholar: “I leave this world because it is of little benefit, it is tiring, it is easily corrupted, and it brings dishonor to the one who takes it as a companion.”

Our teacher (Abu Bakr Al-Warraaq) said: “This kind of question is true but still smells of love. This is because the one who complains about separation will be happy to see it again. And whoever leaves something because someone else has it will be happy if he has it alone. Therefore, the most appropriate expression is what the karhi teacher said: “This world is the enemy of Allah and you love it, and whoever loves someone will hate the enemy of his beloved.”

Al-Ghazali said: “Verily the world comes from the filth of carrion. Don’t you see that the world ends up dirty, perished, corrupted and exhausted. But because the carcass is perfumed and wrapped in jewelry, the ignorant are deceived by looking at its exterior. And those of perfect intelligence will go away from it.”

If there is a question: “What is the ruling on zuhud (renouncing the world)? Is it obligatory or recommended?”

Know that zuhud for us is aimed at halal and haram items. Abandoning the haraam is obligatory. Abandoning the lawful is Sunnah.

The position of haram goods for people who are steadfast in their obedience is exactly the same as that of disgusting carrion. They do not take it except in cases of necessity and only to ward off harm.

Zuhud towards what is halal is the position of the “Wali Abdal.” For them halal goods are like carrion. They do not take anything except what they have to eat. Whereas haram goods for them are like fire. Their hearts are not the least bit moved to get it. This is called buruudah (coldness of heart). This means that those who are zuhud certainly extinguish their desire for the world, consider it dirty and strongly deny it. In his heart there is not the slightest option or desire to get it.

If you say: “How can a world full of delights, wonders and much sought after by people be likened to a fire or a carcass that is disgusting, dirty and changing, while our self and character do not change?”

It should be noted that the one who is specially informed and knows that the world is corrupt and filthy by nature is like a carcass to him. Those who marvel at this are none other than the lovers of the world who do not see its defects and evils, those who are deceived by its outward appearance and adornment. I will give various parables about those who think that the world is like a carcass.

There was someone who made jenang with complete ingredients such as sugar and others. Then he put deadly poison into the mixture. At that time there was someone who saw the incident and there was a lapi who did not see it. Then the jenang was placed in front of these two people after being decorated and beautified. The person who saw that the jenang was poisoned would not want it. There is not the slightest desire in his heart to take it no matter what. To him the jenang was like fire and even more so because he knew there was destruction in it. He was not deceived by its outward appearance and decoration.

The other person, who did not see the making of the jenang, was deceived by its beautified exterior. He wanted the jenang so badly that he considered his friend who did not take it to be a fool.

This is how the haram goods of this world appear in the eyes of those who see things with the eyes of their hearts and are steadfast, and in the eyes of fools who love this world.

If the person who made this jenang did not put poison in it, but only spit or blew his nose and then perfumed and decorated it, the person who saw this would be disgusted and would not want to eat it. He would not take it unless he was in dire need of it. The person who does not witness the making of the jenang does not know what is happening to it. He is deceived by its outward appearance, craves it, feels engrossed in it, admires it and likes it.

This is how the lawful goods of this world are compared in the eyes of two groups: those who are vigilant (look at things with the eyes of the heart) and are istiqamah, and in the eyes of people: those who love the world and are negligent.

The states of these two people of the same character and stature differ only because of the alertness and knowledge of one of them and the ignorance and closed-mindedness of the other.

If the one who likes the world knew and saw what the zahid (one who dislikes the world) knows, he would not like it as much as the zahid. If the zahid had not known and seen what the one who loves the world does not know, he would have liked it as much as the zahid.

Thus, you know that the difference is only due to mindfulness and not in disposition.

All of this is a useful point, an explanation that is correct and can be digested by reasonable and sober people.

Only Allah is the master of guidance and guidance by His grace. If someone says: “Whether we want to or not, we have to take the wealth of this world just to make it stronger. How can we be zuhud in that case?”

Know that zuhud lies in the excess of halal goods. It is something that is not needed to uphold the organs of the body. So, what is meant here is the strength of the body so that it can worship Allah, not eating, drinking and feeling delicious.

If Allah wills, then He will establish it with a cause. And if He wishes, then He can also establish it without a cause like the angels.

Then if He wants to establish it with a cause, it may be that He establishes it with something you earn or with something you work for. But it could also be with something else that He gives you without you expecting it and without you seeking it, as Allah says:

Meaning: “Whoever fears Allah, He will make for him a way out (of the difficulty) and provide for him from where he does not expect.” (Q.S. Ath-Thalaaq: 2-3)

If that’s the case, there’s absolutely no need to look for it and want it.

If you suddenly feel that you are unable to practice such zuhud and try to get the world, then you should intend your search for the world as preparation and seeking strength for worship, not to fulfill your desires and seek pleasure. This is because if you intend it as preparation and seeking strength for worship, then that seeking and desire is essentially good and seeking the Hereafter, not seeking the world. And that will not detract from your zuhud position.

Understand this information! May you be guided.

2. The Second Obstacle: Creatures.

You should isolate yourself from society. This should be done for two reasons:

Firstly, the community environment will keep you busy and forget about worshipping Allah, as a scholar recounted that he said: “I was walking and came across a group of people who were shooting archery. There was a man sitting some distance away from them and I wanted to talk to him. But he said: “I am more interested in the remembrance (dhikr) of Allah than in your talk. I said: “Are you alone? He replied: ‘I am with God and two angels (recorders of my deeds)’ I asked: Who wins between them? He replied: ‘The one whom God forgives. I asked: ‘Where is the way to get it? He pointed with his hand towards the sky and left me muttering: ‘Most creatures have forgotten you. “

Thus, society will keep you busy and leave worship, hinder you or even lead to the bad and destructive deeds that Hatim al-Asham (may Allah have mercy on him) said: “I tried to get five things from people but could not find them. I tried to get them to be obedient and abstinent but they did not do so. I said: “If you do not do it, then help me to do it” and they did not do it. Then I said: “Let me do that.” They didn’t let me do it either. I said: “Don’t prevent me from doing both.” They prevented me instead. I said: “Do not invite me to do something that is not approved by God the Great and do not be hostile if I do not follow you”. They did not do so either. So I left them and was busy taking care of myself in particular.

Know, O brothers and sisters, that your Prophet Muhammad (peace and blessings be upon him) has described the period of ‘uzlah, described its attributes and the attributes of those who observe it, and commanded seclusion during that period. There is no doubt that he knows better and advises us more than we do ourselves.

Therefore, if you are going through a period like the one described, then follow his orders and take his advice. Do not hesitate! He is the one who better understands what is best for you at the time you are experiencing. Do not make false excuses and lie to yourself. Otherwise, you will perish and no longer have an excuse.

The above description is the information contained in the hadith reported by ‘Abd Allah b. Amr b. ‘Ash r.a. He said: “Once we were around the Messenger of Allah (S) when he was discussing the issue of fitnah. He said:

Meaning: “(That time will come) when you have seen people making promises, undermining trust and it is like this (he intertwined his hands). Abdullah asked, “What should I do in those days?” He replied, ‘Stay at home, control your speech, take what you know is good and leave what you deny. You should take care of your own affairs and leave the affairs of others.”

In another hadith it is stated that the Prophet said:

Meaning: “They are days of contention.” Someone asked, “What is meant by days of contention?” He said: “They are days when a person does not feel safe from his seatmate.”

Ibn Mas’ud explained that in another hadith narrated by Al-Harith bin ‘Umairah the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said. said:

Meaning: “If you are blessed with a long life, then there will come to you a time when there will be many orators but few scholars, many who ask but few who give. And at that time lust will be a puller in the pursuit of knowledge.”

Al-Harith asked: “When did that happen, O Messenger of Allah?

He said:

Meaning: “Later, when the congregational prayers have been stopped (abandoned), (bribes) have been accepted and religion is sold at a low price. If that is the case then seek salvation. Poor you! Seek salvation.”

Everything mentioned in this hadith you have seen with your own eyes in the age in which you live. Therefore, have mercy on yourself.

The salafash-shaalih (righteous) have agreed to preserve themselves from their evil age and those who live in that age, choosing seclusion, advocating it and reminding each other of it.

There is no doubt that they are the ones who are more vigilant and advisory. And again the time after them will not be better than before but rather worse and more bitter.

I took this opinion from what Yusuf Al. Ashbath. He said: “I debated that Sufyan Ats. Tsauri said: “By Allah, with whom there is no god but He, it is permissible to be alone at this time.”

I think that if ‘uzlah was permissible in his time, then in our time it must have become obligatory. It was also narrated from Sufyan Ats-Tsauri that he wrote to Abbad Al-Khawash (may Allah have mercy on him): “Amma ba’du. Indeed you are living in a time that the companions of the Messenger of Allah asked them not to experience. I think they had knowledge that we do not have. Then what about us if we have to experience it, while we have little knowledge, patience and people to help us in our favor. Our world is getting murky and people are getting corrupt. In fact, ‘Umar al-Khaththab said that ‘uzlah makes us comfortable and keeps us away from bad company’. “

In this case there is a poet who says:

The present is a time that we all

has been warned from him in the sayings of Ka’b and Ibn Mas’ud,

a time when all truth is rejected

while injustice and deprivation of rights are no longer denied.

It was blindness and deafness mixed together.

Demons rise and fall.

If this period continues and is not replaced by a new period,

There will be no one crying at death and happy at birth.

I heard the news that Sufyan bin ‘Uyainah said: “I said to Sufyan Ats-Tsauri, “Give me a will!” He replied, “Know people less! I said, ‘May Allah have mercy on you. Did not the Messenger of Allah say:

Meaning: “Get to know people.”

Because every believer is entitled to intercession?” Sufyan replied, “No. I guess you don’t really know that what you hate is none other than the one you know. I said, What you say is true.”

Then he (Sufyan) passed away and I met him in a dream and asked him about various matters. Then I asked: “O Abu Abdillah, give me a will!” He replied: “Know people as little as you can because it is very difficult to save yourself from them.”

There are scholars who have composed poems in the same tone as the above hadith:

Ever since my head turned gray, I’ve been investigating society.

and wanted to find out about them.

It turned out that I didn’t recognize them other than to later denounce them.

May Allah reward me with kindness to people I don’t know.

I don’t have a sin that I hate the most

other than because I love people who won’t come to their senses.”

Sufyan bin ‘Uyainah said: “Someone said that Sufyan Ats-Tsauri wrote the following above the door of his house:

Meaning: “May Allah reward with kindness those who do not know me and not reward with it my friends, having never been harmed except by them.”

The scholars recited a verse similar to Sufyan Ats-Tsauri’s saying as follows:

May Allah reward with kindness those with whom I have no love or acquaintance,

because I have never felt hardship and heartache

except for those I love and those I know.

Fudhail bin Iyadh said: “Now is the time. Keep your tongue, hide your dwelling, treat your heart, take what you know is good and leave what you deny.”

Sufyan Ats-Tsauri said: “Now is the time to be quiet, stay indoors and be content with the bare minimum until you die.”

Narrated Dawud Ath-Thaai. He said: “Fast from this world and make the Hereafter the time of breaking. Flee from people as you would from a lion.”

It was narrated from Abu ‘Ubaidah. He said: “I have never seen a master of wisdom other than he said to me after finishing his talk, If you prefer not to be known in the community, then you will have a place with Allah.”

The hadiths that speak of this issue are so numerous that they cannot all be included in this book. We have compiled a separate book called “Al-Akhlaaq Al-Abraar wan-Najaat minal Ashraar”. Study this book and you will find many wonders in it.

It is enough for the intelligent person to be signaled. It is Allah who controls taufik with His guidance and grace.

Secondly, they may ruin the acts of worship that you have done if they are not protected by Allah, because what you show them is an invitation to jealousy and self-adornment.

It is true what Yahya bin Mw’adz Ar-Raazi said: “The gaze of man is the expanse of riya.”

Those who are humble truly fear for themselves from this kind of meaning so they give up meeting and visiting each other.

It is narrated from Harim Bin Hayan that he said to Uwais Al-Qarani: “O Uwais! Connect the brotherhood to me with visits and meetings. Uwais replied: “I have connected my brotherhood to you with something that is more beneficial than both of them, namely prayer in silence and solitude, because indeed visits and meetings will only show decoration and jealousy.”

When Ibrahim bin Adham paid a visit, Sulaiman Al-Khawash was asked: “Did you not come to him?” Sulaiman replied: “Indeed, if I were to meet the devil of disobedience, that would be preferable to meeting him.”

The people did not believe that, so Sulaiman said: “I fear that when I meet him I may adorn him, and when I meet the devil I may prevent him.”

My teacher Abu Bakr Al-Warraq once met a wise man, and the two reminded each other for a long time. At the end of the conversation they prayed. My teacher said to the wise man: “I did not think I could sit in a gathering from which I expected more good than this gathering.” Then the wise man said to him: “Yet I have not sat in a gathering that I feared more than this gathering. Didn’t you deliberately improve your talk and knowledge and then tell me about it and show me? I did the same. So there has actually been an act of riya.” Then my teacher cried for a long time and then fainted. After he regained consciousness he made a parable with the following verses:

How wretched I am because of the place where I stand

which is not more worrisome than when the Wise One judges.

I showed my disobedience to Allah,

while besides Him there is none who loves me.

O my Lord! Grant Your forgiveness to those who have sinned

and that which is excessive. Remember that he has regretted,

and pray when the night has become dark:

‘Ah my sin, a sin covered by the all-knowing Lord.

This is the state of those who are experts in zuhud and riyadhah in their encounters. Then what is the state of those who love the world and are experts in doing wrong, or are experts in doing bad things and are fools?

Know that the times have become very corrupt, and people are experiencing many dangers because they are busy and have forgotten the worship of Allah, to the point that you can hardly worship. Then they spoil what you have gained so that it almost does not survive your worship.

That’s why you have to do ‘uzlah, to be alone from the crowd and seek Allah’s protection from the evils of this age and all its inhabitants.

It is Allah who sustains with His grace and mercy.

If asked: “What is the ruling on ‘uzlah and seclusion? Explain the levels of people in this regard and the limits that are obligatory in it.”

Note that there are two kinds of people in this regard. The first is one who is not needed by the community in terms of knowledge and information about the rulings. The best thing for such a person is to be alone. So, he should not mix with them except for Friday prayers, congregational prayers, Eid prayers, Hajj, classes on knowledge of circumcisions, or the necessities of life that are obligatory. If not for these things, it is better for him to close himself off and remain a person who does not know and is not known.

But if such a person prefers to cut himself off from the community, then he should never interfere with them in any matter, whether it is religion, worldly affairs, congregational prayers, Friday prayers or other acts of worship, because of the good that is seen in this. It is only permissible for him to leave the congregational prayer and so on for one of two reasons: either because he is in a place where he is not obliged to do the obligatory things (such as Friday prayers and congregational prayers), such as being on the top of a mountain, at the bottom of a valley and so on. Perhaps this is one of the reasons that draws worshipers to places far away from society.

Sometimes it is because he is absolutely certain that the harm of mixing with the community while doing these fard things is greater than leaving them. That is when he has an excuse to leave them.

I actually saw in Mecca a solitary teacher. He did not come to the Grand Mosque for congregation even though his residence was nearby and he was not sick.

I was discussing this one day when I visited him often. He gave the reason I mentioned above, namely that the reward he gets does not match the sins and demands of going to the mosque and meeting with the community.

The bottom line is that the one who has an excuse cannot be criticized, and Allah knows best about that excuse. And He is the One who knows best what is in the heart.

But the middle way in this matter is the first way, which is that he should join the community in Friday prayers, congregation, and various good deeds, and separate himself from them in other matters.

If he prefers the second way, which is to cut himself off from society completely, then the way to go is to go to a place where he will not be confronted with these obligations. If he prefers the second option, which is to cut himself off from the community completely, then the way to go is to go to a place where he will not be confronted with these obligatory duties, because the third option, which is to join the community in one city and not attend the Jumu’ah and congregational prayers because of sin or the demands placed on him, requires a great deal of thought and deliberation. In this case, there is still the fear of making a mistake. So the first two are more likely to save him and preserve him.

Only Allah is the master of guidance by His grace.

The second is a person who is a role model in the field of knowledge; people need him to explain religious matters, clarify the truth, reject innovators, invite good deeds or speech, and so on.

Such a person is not allowed to isolate himself from society, rather he must place himself in the midst of it.

They are advisors to God’s creatures, defenders of religion and enlighteners of God’s laws.

We have narrated from the Messenger of Allah. He said:

Meaning: “When the innovations become apparent and the pious person remains silent, then he deserves the curse of Allah.”

This happens when the pious person is among them. And if he is out of their midst, then it is not permissible for him to isolate himself.

It is said that Al-Ustadz Abu Bakr bin Faurak intended to be alone and worship Allah while staying away from society.

Once he was on one of the mountains when he heard a voice calling out: “O Abu Bakr! When you have become part of Allah’s proof to His creatures, then you leave the servants of Allah.” Then he returned (to the community). And that is why he associated with the people.

Makmun b. Ahmad told me that Al-Ustadz Abu Ishag said to the worshipers of Mount Lebanon: “O grass eaters, why do you leave the Ummah of Muhammad in the midst of the innovators, while here you are busy eating grass?” They replied: “We are unable to accompany the community. Since Allah has given you the power, it is you who must do that.”

After this incident, he compiled one of his books (entitled) Al-Jaami’ lil Jaliy wal khafty (the book that gathers the clear and the obscure).

These people (on Mount Lebanon) not only have a lot of knowledge but also a lot of charity and a gentle outlook on the path of the Hereafter.

Know that this kind of person who is needed by the community in the field of religion, to get along with them, he needs two very difficult things:

1. Long patience, great courtesy and a gentle gaze and forever seeking help from Allah.

2. In worship, he should be alone from them, even if they are physically gathered. If they engage him in conversation, then he should speak to them. If they visit, then he should honor them according to their position and gratitude. If they are silent and turn away from him, he should take the benefit of that action from them. If they do right and good, then he should help. If they do something useless and bad, he should abandon them, even if there is a possibility of their accepting prohibition and prevention, he should prevent and prohibit. Then he should also fulfill their rights such as visiting, visiting the sick, and fulfilling invitations extended to him to the best of his ability, not asking them for anything in return and expecting it. He should not show disappointment at not being rewarded. He holds gifts for them and refrains from accepting when given. He should refrain from doing them any harm, show happiness, fulfill his own needs and strive for them physically and mentally.

In addition to all that he also needs to take care of himself and give him special opportunities for worship as said by Umar bin Al-Khaththabr.a.: “If I sleep at night I have certainly wasted myself. And if I sleep during the day I have certainly wasted the people. How should I sleep between the two?”

With regard to this kind of meaning, I was presented with the following verses:

If you are happy to be under the guidance of the Imams, then put yourself on the path that leads you to various realities

with a calm heart in the face of displeasing things with a heart full of patience as a deterrent in the chest.

Your tongue must be guarded, your gaze restrained,

Your secret is kept only for God,

Your dhikr is hidden, your door is locked,

Your lips are smiling, your stomach is hungry,

your heart is hurt, your market (merchandise) does not sell,

Your virtues are hidden and your defects are widespread.

Every day you grieve

of time and brothers while the heart remains obedient.

You spend your days busy taking care of people for no reward.

At night you miss God so much that no one knows.

For you tonight. Take it as a means of saving

On a day when many people are surly and few are willing to help.

It is true. Outwardly he hangs out with the people but his heart stays away from them. And I swear by my age. It was a very difficult thing and a very hard life.

In this matter my teacher Abu Bakr Al-Warraq said in his will: “O my son, live with the people of your time and do not follow them.” Then he said: “How hard this life is. Gathering with people who are still breathing but following those who have passed away.”

It was narrated from Ibn Mas’ud r.a. He said: “Join the community. Leave them with your heart to Allah. Danjangan hurts your religion.”

These are all very satisfying benefits.

Furthermore, when the fitnah has erupted, following one another, religious affairs are obstructed (not taken care of), the people turn away from religion and do not care about the rights of the believers. They do not look to the pious, they do not look to those who give benefit, and religious affairs do not benefit them at all. You also see the fitnah that has spread to specific people. So that is when the pious have a reason to go into seclusion and bury their knowledge. And I fear that what he is saying is that these are difficult times.

Allah is the only one to whom we turn for help. And to Him we surrender.

This is the ruling on ‘uzlah and seclusion from society. Understand it correctly, because making a mistake in this matter is a big problem and the dangers are not insignificant.

If it is said: “Did not the Prophet say:

Meaning: “Always be in congregation because Allah’s help is given to the congregation. And Satan, to man, is like a wolf. He will eat the goat that isolates itself from its companions.”

He also said:

Meaning: “Verily, the devil accompanies the one who is alone and is more distant from two people (who are united).”

Know that such a tradition does exist. But there is also the following tradition:

Meaning: “Stay in your homes, take special care of yourself and leave public affairs.”

Then he ordered ‘uzlah in bad times. And there cannot be any contradictory traditions of the Prophet. Therefore, whether we want to or not, we must unite the two virtues by His power and guidance.

I am of the opinion that the Prophet’s words: “Stay in congregation” has three possibilities:

1. What is meant by the word “gathering” in the Hadīth is “gathering in matters of religion and law”, because it is impossible for this ummah to be told to unite in error. Thus, to deviate from the consensus of the scholars and to judge something in a way that is different from what the majority of scholars hold is wrong and misguided.

But if he isolates himself from them for the sake of his religion, then that does not affect him.

2. The meaning of the Hadīth is: Remain in congregation by not separating from them at the time of the Friday prayer and in congregation, because it contains the strength of religion, the perfection of Islam, and (provokes) the anger of the disbelievers and those who deviate from religion. This kind of congregation never escapes the blessing and attention of Allah with His mercy. Hence we are of the view that the one who is alone is the one who joins the community at large in good matters and shuns them in association and jostling in other areas, because there is all kinds of corruption in them.

The Prophet (may Allah’s peace and blessings be upon him) said this before the time of the Fitnah to those who were weak in religion. As for the one who is vigilant and adheres to the commands of Allah, when he sees the time of temptation that the Prophet (may Allah’s peace and blessings be upon him) warned the Ummah about and commanded them to observe seclusion during that time, it is best for him to observe seclusion. This is because socializing leads to corruption and danger. And it is better if he does not cut himself off from the Islamic community and the general good. And if he wants to be totally isolated from society, then he should settle on a mountain top or in the middle of a desert for the sake of the good that he sees in his religious affairs.

In my opinion this kind of person, wherever he is, is certainly given the opportunity by Allah to attend congregations, Friday prayers and other Islamic gatherings.

Therefore, one should come so as not to miss out on any part of it, as these gatherings have their own place in Allah’s sight even though most people have changed and become corrupt.

That’s what I heard from the Wali Abdal. They always attend Islamic gatherings wherever they are. They walk from place to place as they wish, for the earth is to them like a foot (a step).

In many traditions it is explained that the earth was folded for them. They pay homage to each other. They are also surrounded by various kindnesses and karamah (glory). How good is what they get.

May Allah improve the patience of the heedless who do not see themselves and help those who seek and have not reached their destination like us.

Indeed, I have been presented with some verses that explain my situation as follows:

People who seek have succeeded in getting what they seek. People who want to “wushul” (reach a degree in Allah’s sight) have been able to wushul.

And the lovers have been fortunate to meet their beloveds.

I myself was confused between the boundaries of “wushul” (reaching Allah) and “ijtinab” (moving away from Him).

I wish for closeness by distancing myself.

This is something that common sense tells us cannot happen.

Therefore, give me a sip of anxiety-relieving drink from Your side, O Allah.

Show me the way to the truth, O Cure of all sickness, O G-d who heals wounds and Healer of chronic diseases.

I do not know with what I healed my wounds or with what I achieved good fortune on the day of reckoning.

I should now stop this explanation and return to my original purpose of ‘uzlah, because I have completely gone beyond the subject of this book.

If someone says: “Didn’t the Prophet say:

Meaning: “The diligence of my Ummah’s worship is sitting in the mosque.” Isn’t there a prohibition against being alone in it?”

It should be noted that this Hadīth was not given at a time of much fitnah as we have explained. Moreover, this person sits in the mosque and does not interfere in their affairs, so when he is seen, he is with the people but in fact he is alone and far away from them.

That is the meaning of ‘uzlah and seclusion that I have described, not seclusion with the body and place. Pay attention to this. May Allah grant you mercy.

In this regard Ibrahim bin Adham said: “Be a solitary person in society. Be tame with your Lord and wild with the people.”

If asked: “What do you say about the places of education of the scholars of the hereafter, the lodges of the Sufis who pursue the path of the hereafter and what about living in them?”

You should know that this is the most honorable way for the scholars and the mujtahids, because by staying there ja will gain two benefits, one of which is seclusion from society, being alone from their company, and not participating in their affairs.

The second benefit is that he can join them in performing the Friday prayers, praying in congregation, and increasing the spread of Islam. In this way he can attain the salvation that those who are alone attain. In addition to the benefits that come from the community such as prominence, blessings and advice, he can also gain many of the benefits that are given to the Muslim community in general. Thus living in a hut is the middle way, the best and safest situation.

In order to attain this, most wise people live in the community to benefit the servants of Allah in the field of religion, and suppress their hurtful actions so that people can see their character and behavior firsthand. So that people can directly follow their steps. Because the language of action is more eloquent than the language of speech. That way these places can become the best arrangement in the field of religion. It can be a place of recitation, worship and a place to seek strong opinions.

If it is said: “What should a disciple do with the mujtahids and those who do rituals? To befriend them or to avoid them?”

If they are still living the noble way of life and the way they have inherited from the early scholars, then they are the greatest of brothers, companions and helpers in the worship of Allah. Therefore, you should not hide and be aloof from them. For as I have heard, they are like the zuhuds of Mount Lebanon and so on. Among them is a group of people who help each other in goodness and piety. They advise each other with truth and patience.

But if they have changed their ways and abandoned their way of life, and have not followed the path inherited from their righteous predecessors, then the mujtahid and the one who is practicing this kind of spirituality, living with them comes under the same ruling as living with other people (the general public). That is, he must isolate himself and join them in good matters and avoid them in other matters and the damage they cause. So he should do ‘uzlah (seclusion) from those who do ‘uzlah and be alone, away from those who are alone.

If you ask: “What if this person who is sincere and makes efforts to get out of their neighborhood, goes to another place where he feels he can do good for himself and to avoid the harm that comes from associating with them?”

Know that these places of learning and lodges (of Sufis) are like strong fortresses that will keep the mujthid safe from robbers and thieves of religion. As for him, outside the environment of the hut, it is like a desert where the armies of Satan ride around on horseback and are ready to snatch and take him captive.

Then what if he went out of the hut and gave a chance to the enemies coming from all directions by

free? Under such circumstances there is no other way for a weak person like this but to stay in the fortress.

As for the strong and vigilant person who cannot be defeated by the enemy and feels the similarity between living in a fortress and in a desert, then if he goes out there is certainly no need to worry. But if he stays in the fortress, then he must be more careful in all circumstances, because outside the fortress he will not feel safe from sudden intrusions and will have the opportunity to live with bad friends.

If this is the case, then staying with Allah’s chosen ones and patiently enduring the hardships of socialization is certainly preferable for the one who makes the effort to seek goodness in spite of his circumstances.

But the one who is strong and has attained the level of istiqamah has no reason that would prevent him from being alone with them.

Understand this information and reflect on it! You will surely be fortunate and attain salvation.

If the question is asked: “What do you think about visiting brothers and meeting with friends to remind each other?”

Know that visiting one’s brothers and sisters is one of the pearls of worship of Allah. In it there is a noble approach to Allah and various benefits in addition to kindness, but with two conditions:

1. The visit should not be too frequent. The Prophet said:

Meaning: “Visit at intervals, and love for you will increase.”

2. Preserving the rights of the visitor by refraining from boasting, embellishing speech, idle talk, backbiting and so on that will lead you and your relatives into corruption.

It is narrated that Fudhail bin Iyadh and Sufyan reminded each other. After that both of them cried. Then Sufyar said: “O Abu ‘Ali! I wish we had not gathered in a gathering from which I expected more good than this gathering.” Then Fudhail replied: “I have never sat in a gathering that I feared more than this gathering.” Sufya” asked: “Why is that, O Abu ‘Ali?” Fudhail replied: “Didn’t you devise the best speech and speak it to me? I also devised the best speech and spoke it to you. You sweeten the mouth for me and I sweeten the mouth for you.” Then Sufyan wept.

You should meet with your religious brothers only in moderation, with care and deep thought, so that it does not spoil your ‘uzlah and isolation from society. And you do not return with harm and damage, but with much good and great benefit.

Only Allah can provide guidance.

If you ask: “What can arouse me to do ‘uzlah and I can easily do it?”

Know that what makes it easier for you to do so are three things:

First, spend all the time you have in worship. This is because worship is busy, and socializing with people is a sign of bankruptcy.

If you find yourself wanting to meet people and talk to them without any need and without any compulsion, then know that this is fudhuul (unwholesome behavior) that arises from being motivated by idle time and being overly impressed by pleasures.

What a beautiful poem about this kind of meaning:

Empty time leads me to your salvation

Sometimes people who are idle do something useless.

When you have practiced worship as it should be, you will feel the sweetness of meditation, feel at peace with the book of Allah, forget about society and not feel comfortable making friends and talking with them.

In a hadith, it is narrated that when Prophet Moses (a.s.) returned from supplication (to Allah), he became restless and did not feel comfortable when he had to gather with the people. He put his two hands in his ears so as not to hear what they were saying. At that time their voices were to him exactly like the sound of a khimar in the midst of silence.

Therefore, you should always follow what our teacher Abu Bakr Al-Warraq (may Allah have mercy on him) has commanded:

Let your God be your friend

and leave society as far away as possible.

Love Allah with all sincerity,

Whether in the community or away from them.

Treat them as you wish,

then you will surely find them like scorpions.”

Secondly, it is to take away hope from them. That way they become trivial to you. This is because if you do not expect anything from them and do not fear harm, then their presence or absence is the same for you.

Thirdly, seeing their dangers, remembering them, and repeating them in your heart.

When you have these three components in place, you will naturally be compelled to leave the company of society for the door of Allah, to be alone to worship Him, to make Him love you and place you at His door.

Only Allah is the master of guidance and providence.

3. The Third Obstacle: Satan

Then you should fight the devil and defeat him for two reasons:

First, he is a clearly misleading enemy. There is not the slightest hope of good from him. He will never let you off the hook and is not even satisfied unless he sees the damage done to you. As such, there is no reason to feel safe from an enemy of this nature nor should we let our guard down. Reflect on two verses from Allah’s book, one of which is as follows:

Meaning: “Have I not promised (commanded) you (children of Adam) not to worship Satan. Indeed, he is a real enemy to you all.” (Q.S. Yaa Siin: 60)

The second is the verse:

Meaning: “Indeed, Satan is an enemy to you, so regard him as an enemy.” (Q.S. Faathir: 6)

These two verses are a stern warning to us all.

Secondly, it has been given a disposition to always be hostile to you. It has also prepared itself to fight you forever. Day and night it throws arrows at you when you are off guard. Then what happens?

On the other hand, there is an important thing that is happening, which is that you are practicing the worship of Allah and inviting people to His door with your deeds and words While this kind of thing is contrary to the work, ideals, desires and deeds of the devil. Once in a while you will get ready and roll up your sleeves to provoke the devil’s anger, fight him and try to defeat him. Surely he will also get ready, roll up his sleeves to antagonize, fight and try in various ways until he succeeds in ruining your worship, or even destroying you completely. For he will not feel safe from you after seeing what I have mentioned above, for he is a destructive being and aims to destroy those who do not anger him or resist him, but rather justify and approve of him, such as disbelievers, misguided people and those who one day love Satan.

What then is the purpose he seeks from those who anger him and concentrate their power on him?

That’s when it will antagonize society in general and antagonize you in particular.

Your business is very important. It has several helpers. The hardest helper to deal with is your lust and self-indulgence. It also has a number of causes and several entrances when you let your guard down.

Yahya bin Mu’adz is absolutely right: “Satan is a creature of leisure, whereas you are a busy person. Satan sees you, while you do not see him. Nor will he forget you, while you forget him. And within you are the devil’s helpers who will harm.

If that is the case, then inevitably you will have to fight and defeat it. Otherwise, you will not be able to be free from corruption and destruction. If you say: “With what can I fight Satan? With what can I defeat and resist it?”

Know that experts do this kind of work in two ways:

1. The way one of them said: “The best way to resist the devil is none other than to seek refuge with Allah. The devil is a dog that has been given the authority to harm you. If you are busy fighting him, you will find it difficult, your time will be wasted, and then he will gain the upper hand and may hurt you. Therefore, going back to the owner of the dog to turn it away from you is the best step.

2. The way in which other scholars have said that the correct way is to strive, always rejecting it and not following it.

I think that the correct way and the one that covers the matter better is to combine the two methods. First we seek refuge with Allah from his evil as we have been commanded. He is the One who protects us from the evil of the devil.

If we see that we always win, we know that it is a trial from Allah so that He can see the sincerity of our struggle, how strong we are in carrying out His commands and where our patience is. Just like when He puts the disbelievers in charge of us, while He is able to solve their affairs. Also the evil that they do so that we all get a share in the (reward) of struggle, patience, personal cleanliness (from sin) and martyrdom. as Allah says:

Meaning: “That Allah may know those who (truly) believe and make martyrs of those among you.” (Q.S. Ali Imran: 140)

Allah also said:

Meaning: “Do you all think that you will enter Paradise, while it is not yet clear those who fought among you and also those who were patient (in the face of trials)?” (Q.S. Ali Imran: 142)

This is also what we are talking about today.

Then to be able to fight and defeat it, according to the scholars there are three ways:

First, recognize its deception, so it won’t dare to bother you. It’s like a thief. If ja knows that the owner of the house is aware of his arrival, he will run away.

Secondly, take his invitation lightly, then your heart will not depend on him. And don’t follow him. Because he is like a barking dog. If you respond to him then ja will feel happy and continue to bark. But if you turn away, of course he will be silent.

Thirdly, constantly remember Allah with your tongue from your heart.

The Prophet, peace be upon him, said:

Meaning: “Verily, the remembrance of Allah is to the devil like a contagious disease to the human body.”

If you ask: “How can I learn of his deception, and what is the way to find out?”

Know that (first) he has misgivings. It is like an arrow that he launches. It will become apparent by knowing the movements of the heart and their various kinds.

Secondly, Satan is deceitful. This deception is like a net that he sets up to ensnare. It will become apparent by knowing his tricks, attributes and ways.

Many scholars have explained various things about the movements of the heart (khathir). And we have compiled a book which we have named “Talbiisu Ibliis.” This book (Minhajul ‘Aabidiin) does not contain much about it. But we will explain each one of them in a way that will suffice if you stick to it.

Regarding the Core of Khathir (Motion of the Heart)

Know that Allah empowers an angel who invites good deeds to the heart of a man named Mulhim. This angelic invitation is called inspiration. And in comparison He gave power to Satan who will invite a servant to do bad called was-wasas. This invitation of Satan is called was-wasah. Therefore, according to the opinion of most scholars, the angel Mulhim will not invite a servant except to good. And Was-was will not invite him except to badness.

Our teacher (may Allah have mercy on him) told us that the devil sometimes invites people to do good things, but his aim is still bad. This is the case when he invites a person to do something good so that he will not do something better. Or he invites him to do something good so that he will be dragged into sin, even though the bad things he does are not worth the good things he does, such as pride and so on. These two creatures always invite the dian to reside in the heart of a servant. The servant will listen with his heart. It has been narrated in the selected traditions that the Prophet (peace be upon him) said:

Meaning: “When a son of Adam is blessed with a child, Allah will attach to him an angel. And Satan will also accompany him with a devil. Satan will perch on his left ear. And an angel will sit on his right ear. And both of them always invite the child (to influence him).”

The Prophet also said:

Meaning: “Satan has one place in the son of Adam. And the angels also have one place.”

It means having a place to invite, based on what the scholars said: “Gathering in a place and making something while staying there.”

Then in a human being, Allah created a disposition that is inclined to lustful desires and seeking pleasure, regardless of the circumstances, whether they are good or bad.

It is called lustful desire that draws a person towards corruption. Know that after this introduction there is still more to know, that what is called khathir (motion of the heart) is the influence that arises in the heart of a servant. It is an influence that arises in the heart of a person, which either arouses him to do something or to abandon it, or draws him towards it. It is called khathir (motion of the heart) because of the stirring in the heart that comes from the passage of wind and the like.

In essence, the appearance of these things in a servant’s heart comes from Allah. However, its appearance is divided into four:

1. The motion of the heart that is first induced in the heart of a servant by Allah. This kind of motion of the heart is called “khathir”.
2. Movements of the heart that are generated in accordance with human disposition. This kind of movement of the heart is called “lust” and is attributed to him (lust).
3. The movement of the heart that is generated along with the invitation of the angel Mulhim. Then the impulse is attributed to him (Mulhim) and called “inspiration”.
4. The movement of the heart that is generated along with the invitation of the devil. Then it is attributed to him (Satan) and called “was-wasah”. This was-wasah is attributed to Satan, because the impulse comes from Satan. However, in essence, the influence comes when the devil makes his invitation. In this case, Satan is the cause, but it is also attributed to him.

These are the four kinds of impulses. Then after these divisions, know that the first impulse that comes from Allah sometimes invites to good as a glory and proof. Sometimes it also invites to doing bad things as a test and a test.

The movement of the heart that comes from the angel Mulhim always invites to do good, because he is a counselor and guide. He was not sent but only for that.

The movement of the heart that comes from Satan always invites to do bad things to mislead or to make someone slip. Sometimes he invites to do good but only as a trick.

The movement of the heart that comes from lust invites to ugliness and something that does not contain goodness as a deterrent and so that humans do not think long.

I came across the opinion of one of the salaf (prophets) that the lust sometimes calls one to do good, but the aim is to make him commit shirk (ally himself with the devil).

These are the kinds of khathir (movements of the heart).

Now that you know all this, know that you really do need to know the three articles that are imperative and that contain what you are aiming for.

1. The difference between good and bad khathir globally.
2. The difference between the bad khathir that appears at the beginning, attributed to the devil or attributed to lust and also with what distinguishes the three, as each is contradictory.
3. Differentiate between the good khathirs that appear in the beginning, those attributed to inspiration, those attributed to Satan, or those attributed to lust so that you can follow the khathirs that come from Allah or the archangel Mulhim and avoid the khathirs that come from Satan.

The same applies to the khathir that comes from lust, according to the opinion of those who say it.

First article: The scholars said: “If you want to know the good khathir and the bad khathir, and distinguish between them, then weigh that against one of the following considerations, surely the situation will become clear to you.

1. What stirs in your heart should be subjected to the rules of sharee’ah. If the desire is like its kind, it is good. If it is the opposite, because of a concession or a shubhat, then it is bad.
2. If it is still not clear to you with this kind of consideration, then you should take this motion to your role model. If in doing so it follows the righteous, then it is a good khathir. But if the opposite is the case, and it is only for the sake of following the pious, then it is a bad khathir.
3. If the matter is not clear to you by this measure, then subject the impulse to the passions. If it is something that lust abandons according to its nature, not out of fear of Allah, then it is a good khathir. If it is something that the lust inclines to, and the inclination is according to its disposition, not because of the inclination to hope in Allah, then it is a bad khathir, because lust always invites to do bad. Basically it will not tend to do good.

By looking at the various measures like this and really contemplating them, it will become clear to you the difference between good and bad khathir.

Only Allah is the master of guidance by His grace. indeed, He is the Most Generous, the Most Noble.

Second article: The scholars said: “If you want to distinguish between the bad khathir that comes from the devil, the bad khathir that comes from lust, or the bad khathir that comes from Allah in the beginning, then look at the khathir from three sides:

1. If you find it firm and settled in one state, then know that it is from Allah or from lust. If you find it swirling and changing, then know that it is from the devil.

A pious scholar said that the example of lust is that of a tiger. When it attacks it will not turn away except because of extreme resistance. Or like a rebel who fights to defend his religion. He will not go home until he is killed. The analogy of Satan is that of a wolf. If you drive him away from one side, he will enter from the other side.

2. If the khathir comes along with the sin that you have just committed, it means that the khathir is from Allah as a humiliation and punishment due to the badness of the sin. Allah says:

Meaning: “It is not so. Rather their hearts have become rusty because of what they have done.” (Q.S. AlMuthaffifiin: 74)

My teacher said: “This is so. A sin leads to hardening of the heart. At first it is only khathir (motion of the heart) and finally it reaches the hardness of the heart.”

If this impulse comes first, and does not coincide with the sins you commit, then know that it is from the devil. This happens to most people, because at first he only invites to do bad things.

3. If the khathir does not weaken or diminish with the remembrance of Allah and does not disappear, then it is from lust.

If you find your khathir weakening and diminishing because of the remembrance of Allah, then it is from the devil, as mentioned in the interpretation of Allah’s words which reads:

Meaning: “(I seek refuge in Allah) from the evil of the Satan who loves to harass and retreats.”

Indeed, the devil is perched in the heart of the son of Adam. When the son of Adam remembers Allah he will retreat. And when the son of Adam is negligent he will return to disturb him.

Third article: If you want to distinguish between the good khathir that comes from Allah and the one that comes from the angels, then look at the khathir from three sides.

1. If the khathir is firmly and firmly planted, then it is from Allah. If the khathir is only pacing, it means that it comes from the angel Mulhim. This is because the position of the angel Mulhim is like a counselor who can enter from any direction and give advice in the hope that you will want to do and like to do good.

2. If the khathir comes along with your ijtihad and obedience, then it is from Allah.

Allah said:

Meaning: “And those who strive for Our pleasure, surely We will show them Our ways.” (Q.S. Al-Ankabuut: 69)

His words also:

Meaning: “And those who are guided, Allah will increase their guidance.” (Q.S. Muhammad: 17)

If the khathir appears first (before ijtihad and obedience), then it is usually an angel.

3. When the khathir concerns the main acts of worship and inner deeds, it is from Allah. And if the khathir concerns the branches of worship and outward deeds, then most of the khathir comes from the angel Mulhim, because an angel has no way of knowing the inner self of a servant.

As for the khathir that comes from Satan, then it is only to attract someone to do bad things and increase their badness.

Our teacher said: “Know that if while performing such desires your lust seems to be active without feeling fear, haste, not being careful, feeling secure, not feeling worried, not seeing the consequences, and not being vigilant, then know that such khathir is from the devil. Therefore, stay away from it.

If your desire appears to be the opposite, i.e. doing it with fear, not eager, careful, not in a hurry, feeling afraid, not feeling safe and appearing to be wary by looking at the consequences, then know that the khathir is from Allah or from the angel Mulhim.

To me, eagerness here is a light feeling in one’s heart to do something without vigilance and without remembering the reward that makes one eager to do it.

While going slowly is a commendable move, except in certain places where it can be counted.

In a hadith narrated from the Prophet, it is stated that he said:

Meaning: “Haste is from the devil except in five things: First, marrying off a virgin when she comes of age. Second, paying a debt when it is due. Third, taking care of the body after it has actually died. Fourth, entertaining guests. Fifth, repentance after one has committed a sin.”

As for khauf (fear), it can be in the perfection of the deed, the doing of it as desired (as it should be) and Allah’s acceptance of the deed.

Being aware of the consequences that will occur can be done by being introspective and feeling confident that the deed is right and good. It can be done because of the future reward and because of the expectation of it.

Know this information and you will be guided.

These are the three articles that you should be aware of in the matter of khathir (movements of the heart). Keep them and pay attention to them to the best of your ability, for they are among the most subtle of knowledge and in this chapter are among the most noble of secrets.

It is only Allah who provides guidance with His grace.

As for the article that describes the deceit and persuasion of the devil, the applicable places and examples are as follows:

Satan’s deception of Adam’s descendants in terms of obedience was through seven ways:

1. Preventing him from performing the obedience. If Allah maintains, the servant rejects the invitation by saying: “I really need this obedience, for I must inevitably seek provisions from this transient world for the never-ending life hereafter.”

2. Satan will tell him to delay the deed. If Allah preserves, the servant rejects the devil’s invitation such as by saying: “I do not control the end of my life. If I postpone my work today and do it tomorrow morning, then when will I do my work tomorrow? For every day there is work to be done.”

3. Then the devil will do it another way. He persuades the servant to hurry by saying: “Hurry up, do it quickly so that it will be done soon and you can do this and that.” If Allah preserves the servant, the servant rejects it by saying: “A little work done perfectly is better than a lot of work that is full of flaws.”

4. Then Satan will use another method. He will persuade the servant to complete his deeds by displaying them in front of people. If Allah preserves the servant, the servant will reject his invitation by saying: “Why should I show my work in front of many people? Is not the sight of Allah sufficient for me?”

5. Another method used by Satan is that he wants the servant to slip into pride. He says: “How great, how vigilant, and how noble you are.” If Allah takes care of the servant, the servant will respond by saying: “It is the kindness of Allah that has made me this way, not me. He is the one who gave me privileges with His taufik. He is also the one who made my deeds costly with His grace.” If it were not for His grace, how could my deeds be valuable when you consider the pleasures He has given me, and the disobedience I have committed against Him.”

6. Then Satan will use another method. He will come to him in the sixth way. This is the most cunning trick that the truly vigilant do not know about, which is that Satan will say: “Work hard when no one is looking, for Allah will show you.” He will also interfere with all the deeds that the servant does. By doing so, he wants the servant to be a little shy. If Allah maintains the servant, the servant also responds by saying: “O cursed creature! Until now you have always come to me with inducements to spoil my deeds. But now you are coming with enticements to improve my deeds with the intention of ruining them. Indeed I am a servant of Allah. He is my employer. If He wills, He will reveal me. And if He wills, He will conceal me. If He wills, He will make me a person of high status. And if He wills, He will make me a lowly person. All that only returns to Him. I don’t care whether I am exposed to the people or not. And they won’t be able to do much.”

7. Then Satan will look for another way. He will approach the servant in the seventh way. He will say: “Actually, you don’t need this kind of charity. If you were created to be a fortunate person, then you will not be wretched just because you did not do this kind of deed. And if you were created to be a wretched person, then there is no point in you doing these deeds.” If Allah preserves the servant, then the servant will answer Satan’s words with: “I am only a servant. And in his devotion, a servant must follow orders. Meanwhile, God knows better with His divine nature. He decides everything according to His will. He will do what He wants. And actually whatever happens the charity is still useful for me. Because if I, indeed, was created to be lucky, then I need that charity to increase my reward. And if I was created to be wretched, then I need that charity so that I do not reproach myself. But whatever the case Allah will not torture me for my obedience, nor will He harm me. If I am put into Hell in a state of obedience, then that is more to my liking than going into it in a state of disobedience. How could I not, when His promises are always true and His words are always true? He has promised rewards for obedience. Whoever meets Allah in a state of faith and obedience will not be put into hell at all. That person will enter Paradise. It is not that he is entitled to paradise because of the deeds he has done, but solely because of the true promise of Allah. Glory be to Allah.”

It is in this sense that Allah describes the state of the fortunate ones when they have entered Paradise and says:

Meaning: “Praise be to Allah who has fulfilled His promise to us.”

Therefore, wake up! May Allah have mercy on you. For everything you have seen and heard. Take them as a metaphor to move on to other deeds. Ask Allah for help. Ask Him for protection, for everything is under His control. He is the one who gives guidance. There is no power and no effort except with the help of Allah, the Most Sublime and Supreme.

4. The Fourth Obstacle: Lust

O you who worship! You should always be careful to guard against the lust that always commands bad things. It is the most dangerous enemy, the most severe temptation, the most difficult to treat, the disease it causes is very complicated and the treatment is also very difficult. This must be done for two reasons:

1. Lust is an enemy that comes from within the body

If a burglar comes from inside the house, then the way to get around it is very difficult and the losses incurred are also great.

It’s so true what the poet said:

My lust always leads me to harmful things and increases my sickness.

How can I dodge the enemy if it’s between my ribs.

2. He is a favored enemy

Usually one does not see the flaws in one’s lover. He almost doesn’t see her flaws at all. As one poet said:

And you see no flaws in your lover and brother, Not even some of them you see if you are happy A happy gaze covers him from all flaws, But a hateful gaze will reveal various ugliness.

If that’s the case, a person will take all the bad things about their lover for granted. He barely sees her flaws. While he (lust) still remains in his enmity and temptation. Before long lust will plunge him into ridicule and corruption. That person will not feel unless Allah maintains him with His grace, and gives him help to overcome lust with His mercy.

Then ponder on its significance, which is quite satisfying. That is, if you pay attention, you will know that the base of all the slander, ridicule, humiliation, corruption, sins and afflictions that befall a creature of Allah, from the first until the Day of Resurrection is this lust. Sometimes by the lust itself, and sometimes by the help it gives.

The first disobedience to Allah was committed by Iblis. The reason for this, apart from his predetermined destiny, was lust. With pride and malice, lust plunged him into the sea of misguidance after he had worshipped according to one opinion for 80,000 years. Then he drowned for eternity, for there was no world, no other people and no devils. There was only lust along with pride and malice that would treat Iblis as it pleased.

Then the sin of Prophet Adam a.s. and Eve. Both of them were brought down by their lustful desires and gluttony for the immortality of living in paradise until they were seduced by Satan. Then with the help of lust, they were thrown away from the side of Allah, to this despicable, difficult, mortal and destructive world. Both of them experienced what he had to experience. And his descendants also experienced the same thing from that day to eternity.

Then followed by the story of Oabil and Habil. The sin they incurred was caused by envy and miserliness.

Then the story of the sin of Harut and Marut. The cause was lust. And so on until the day of kianat.

You will not find a creature’s slander, ridicule, misguidance and disobedience except from its lust and desires. Otherwise, all creatures would be safe and doing good.

If there is an enemy that brings harm like what I mentioned, then it is appropriate for a reasonable person to pay close attention to it.

Only Allah is the master of guidance and guidance and grace.

If you say: “So what measures should we take to deal with this kind of enemy and how can we get around it? Please explain the matter to us.”

We have explained that the matter of lust is very difficult, because we cannot defeat it with one step like other enemies, because it is our vehicle and equipment.

It is told that there was a rural man who wished someone well. So he prayed: “May Allah vanquish all your enemies except lust.”

It cannot be left unchecked either, because it is very dangerous. Hence, a middle ground is needed between the two, which is to educate him and give him strength just so that he is strong enough to do various good deeds. It must also be weakened and restrained to the extent that it does not go beyond its limits. Therefore, in taking care of him, you have to take good care of him and pay close attention to him.

We have also explained that it must be controlled by the control of “piety” and “wara” in order to gain two benefits at once.

If you say: “This lust is like a wild riding animal, bad-tempered and unwilling to be controlled. So how can we master it?”

Know that what you say is true,

The way to control lust is to humble it so that it can be controlled.

Our scholars said: “The way to humble lust and nullify its desires is threefold:

1. Withholding things that it likes, because a wild riding animal will become tame if its food is reduced.

2. Imposing heavy acts of worship on Him. For if a donkey is loaded and deprived of food, it will certainly submit and obey (tame).

3. Ask Allah for help and humble yourself so that He will help you. And if you do not ask for help, then you are not safe. Haven’t you heard the words of Prophet Yusuf a.s.:

Meaning: “Verily, lust always invites to evil except for those to whom my Lord gives mercy.”

When you do these three things regularly, surely with Allah’s permission your lust will be totally subdued. That’s when you must immediately master it and avoid its evils.

If you say: “Then now explain the meaning of piety so that we can know it.”

First of all, you should know that piety is a place where very beautiful treasures are stored. And when you get it, you will certainly find a variety of very noble gems and very beautiful items, a lot of goodness, noble sustenance, enormous profits, noble fortune, and magnificent palaces. It is as if all the good things of this world and the Hereafter are put together and all of them are dependent on one thing, namely piety.

Consider also the words of Allah in the Qur’an that speak of piety. How much good He has hung on it. How many promises of reward and threats of punishment are hung on it. How much good fortune He depends on it.

Here we will mention twelve things about it.

First, praise and flattery.

Allah said:

Meaning: “If you are patient and fearful, then surely that is one of the most important matters.” (Q.S. Ali Imran: 186)

Second, it is protected from enemies.

God’s Word:

Meaning: “And if you are patient and pious, their deceit will not harm them in the least.” (Q.S. Ali Imran: 120)

Third, power and help.

God’s Word:

Meaning: “Verily, Allah is with those who fear and those who do good.” (Q.S. An-Nahl: 128)

And the word of Allah:

Meaning: “And Allah is the One who loves those who fear.” (Q.S. Al-Jaatsiyah: 19)

Fourthly, to be saved from harm and receive halal sustenance.

Allah said:

Meaning: “Whoever fears Allah, Allah will make for him a way out (of the difficulty) and give him unexpected provision.” (Q.S. Ath-Thalaaq: 2-3)

Fifth, goodness in charity.

Allah said:

Meaning: “O you who believe! Fear Allah and speak the truth, and Allah will reform your deeds.” (Q.S. Al-Ahzaab: 70-71)

Sixth, forgiveness from sins.

Allah said:

Meaning: “And he will forgive you your sins. (Q.S. Al-Ahzab:71)

Seventh, the love of Allah.

Allah said:

Meaning: “Verily, Allah loves those who fear. ” (Q.S. At-Taubah: 4)

Eighth Accepted deeds.

Allah said:

Meaning: “Verily, Allah accepts only the sacrifices of the righteous.” (Q.S. Al-Maidah: 27)

Ninth, glory.

Allah said:

Meaning: “Verily, the noblest among you is the most pious among you. (Q.S. Al-Hujuraat: 13)

Tenth, the good news of death.

God’s Word:

Meaning: “Those who believe and fear, they will have good news in this world and the Hereafter.” (Q.S. Yunus: 63-64)

Eleventh, freedom from fire (hell).

God’s Word:

Meaning: “Then we saved those who feared.” (Q.S. Maryam: 72)

And the word of Allah:

Meaning: “And it (hell) is kept away from the pious.” (Q.S.Al-Lail: 17)

Twelfth, eternal in heaven.

Meaning: “Paradise is reserved for the pious.” (Q.S.Ali Imran: 133)

This is a description of the goodness and good fortune in this world and the Hereafter that is dependent on piety.

Therefore, do not forget your part, O ye men of valor.

Of these that are specifically given to the pious in relation to worship are three kinds.

1. Taufik and help that is first exclusively given to the pious. Allah’s words:

Meaning: “Verily, Allah is with those who fear.” (Q.S. At-Taubah: 76)

2. Improvement of deeds and completion of deficiencies. Allah says:

Meaning: “Undoubtedly Allah will rectify your deeds.” (Q.S. Al-Ahzaab: 71)

3. Acceptance of his deeds. The word of Allah:

Meaning: “Verily, Allah accepts only the sacrifices of the righteous.” (Q.S. Al-Maidah: 27)

So, the axis of rotation of worship is threefold. The first is taufik, which allows you to do charity. The second is to correct the shortcomings until it is perfect. And third, it is accepted by Allah after the deed becomes perfect.

These are the three things used as a means of humbling oneself to Allah by the servants. They ask as follows: “O our Lord! Guide us to obey You. Make up for our shortcomings and accept this obedience from us.”

But the truth is that Allah promises all these things to those who are pious, whether they ask or not, they will be given. Therefore, you should always be pious if you want to be able to worship Allah Swt. Or even to gain the benefits of this world and the hereafter.

So true is the poet’s phrase:

Whoever fears Allah will have something favorable brought to him, A scholar composed the following poem:

Nothing follows a person to his grave except piety and good deeds.” Another scholar quoted:

Whoever knows Allah and is not content with knowing Him,

then that’s the wretched money man.

One does not become noble because of wealth,

because all glory belongs only to the pious. The hardships that a person feels while practicing his obedience will not harm him. Neither will what he encounters.” A scholar wrote a poem on a grave (gravestone):

There is no provision but piety, so take it as a provision or leave it. O lust!

Then think about one main point, which is that if you had gone through a lifetime of hardship in worship, struggling against lust and taking great pains to get what you craved for. Isn’t the most important thing in this case “acceptance?” While you also know that Allah has said:

Meaning: “Verily, Allah accepts only the sacrifices of the righteous.” (Q.S. Al-Maaidah: 27)

That way everything comes back to piety.

It was for this reason that Aisha r.a. said: “The Messenger of Allah (saw) never felt admiration for anything or anyone in this world except the pious.”

Narrated Qatadah. He said: “In the Torah it is written:

Meaning: “O children of Adam! Fear Allah and sleep as you please.”

I once heard about “Amir bin abdi Qais. When he was about to die, he cried. Even though he prayed a thousand rak’ahs a day and a night. Then he came to the bed and said: “O place to which all evil returns! By Allah I am not at all willing to you for the sake of Allah, even for a moment.”

One day he was crying. Then he was asked: “What made you cry?”

He said: “(What made me cry was) Allah’s Word:

Meaning: “Verily, Allah accepts only the sacrifices of those who are righteous.” (Q.S. Al-Maaidah: 27)

Having said all that, also consider another important point that is at the heart of some of the issues, which is what is mentioned about one of the scholars saying to his teacher: “Give me a will!” His teacher replied: “I advise you with something that Allah advised the previous people and those who lived later. Allah said:

Meaning: “And indeed We have commanded those who were given the Book before you as well as you: ‘Fear Allah'” (Q.S. An-Nisa’: 131).

In my opinion, doesn’t Allah know the goodness of a servant more than anyone else? Is He not also the One who gives advice, is more compassionate and gentle to him than anyone else? If there is any action in this world that is better for a slave, more beneficial, more rewarding, more servile, more honorable, better for him, and more beneficial in the Hereafter than this piety, surely Allah will command His slave and advise His chosen ones with it because of the perfection of His wisdom and the extent of His mercy.

When Allah, may He be glorified and exalted, testifies to this one work and unites the earlier and later generations in doing it, and He fulfills this testament, then you know that piety is the summit that should not be missed, and there is no other goal than that.

Verily, Allah has indeed gathered all advice, signs, guidance, warnings, education, teaching and cleansing in one will according to His wisdom and breadth of mercy.

You also know that piety is what unites the good of this world and the Hereafter, fulfills all the important things and takes one to the pinnacle of servanthood.

How beautiful the following poem is:

Remember that piety means greatness and honor.

And your love for the world is humiliation and poverty.

There is no deficiency in a pious servant

when he is serious about his piety even if he is a weaver or a candlestick maker.”

This is a point that does not need to be added to. It contains sufficient information for the one who sees the light and is guided. It is also sufficient for the one who sees the light and is guided.

Only Allah controls taufik by His grace. If you say: “How great is the position of piety and how urgent is the need to know about it. Therefore, inevitably now piety must be explained in detail.”

Know that it is worthy of great importance, should be pursued and needs to be known. But you should also know that with anything that is important and big, you have to use many methods to attract it. The difficulties to be faced are also great. You must be determined and earnest. Therefore, just like the height of the degree of piety and its greatness, the struggle to seek it, to be able to fulfill its rights, and the help to be able to get it is a great thing. For all kinds of glory are measured by difficulty. And all delights are measured by the cost incurred.

Allah said:

Meaning: “And those who strive to seek Our pleasure, We will surely show them Our Ways.” (Q.S. Al-Ankabut: 69)

He is the One who is gentle. Therefore, listen, remember, and obey this information about piety well until you know it and get ready to live it. Seek Allah’s help until you are able to act upon what you know, for everything is related to that help.

Only Allah controls taufik and hidayah with His grace.

First of all, know that piety, according to our teacher, is cleansing your heart of sins that you have never committed before until you have a strong desire to leave them behind in order to keep yourself from disobedience. This is what our teacher said.

This opinion comes from the fact that the word “taqwa”, from a linguistic point of view, comes from the root word “waqwa” with a preposition of wawu, and comes from the word “wiqaayah”. The tasrif changes as follows: “waqa – yaqi – wiqaayatan – waqwan”. Then the letter wawu is changed to ta’, like the change that occurs in the word “wuklaan” to “tuklaan” and so on, hence the word “taqwan”.

If a servant has managed to keep himself from sinning by having a strong desire and determination to completely abandon it, then that servant deserves to be called a “muttaqiy.”

Thus the word “taqwa” can also mean cleansing of the heart, strong desire and determination in the heart.

Whereas in the Qur’an the word “taqwa” is used with three different meanings:

First, it is used with the meaning of fear. Allah said:

Meaning: “And only to Me (Allah) should you fear.” (Q.S. al-Baqarah: 41)

God’s Word:

Meaning: “And guard yourselves against the Day on which you will all be returned to Allah.” (Q.S. al-Baqarah: 281)

Secondly, it is used with the meaning of obedience and submission.

Allah said:

Meaning: “O you who believe! Fear Allah with true piety.” (Q.S. Ali Imran: 102)

Ibn Abbas said: “Obey allah with true obedience.”

Mujahid said: “These verses mean that Allah should always be obeyed and not disobeyed: remembered and not forgotten, and thanked and not denied.”

Thirdly, it is used with the meaning of cleansing the heart from sin. And this is the true meaning of piety, not the first and second. Don’t you see that Allah says:

Meaning: “Those who obey Allah and His Messenger, and fear Allah and fear Him, then they are the fortunate ones.” (Q.S. An-Nuur: 52)

Allah mentions the words “obey”, “fear”, and then mentions the word “piety”. This lets you know that what “piety” really means is not “obeying” and “fearing” but “purifying the heart from sin”.

Then the scholars said that the levels of piety are divided into three:

1. Cleansing oneself of shirk.
2. Ridding oneself of innovations.
3. Ridding oneself of the branches of sin.

Allah has mentioned all three in one verse, saying:

Meaning: “There is no sin on those who believe and do righteous deeds for eating the food they used to eat if they fear, believe and do righteous deeds. Then they continue to fear and believe. Then they (also) fear and do good deeds.” (Q.S. Al-Maaidah: 93)

1. 1. Cleansing oneself from shirk. Its counterpart is faith (oneness) in Allah.
2. Ridding oneself of innovation. The faith that is mentioned along with it is following the steps of the sunna and the steps of the scholars.
3. Cleansing oneself of the branches of sin. This third level of piety has no equal in recognition. Therefore, this piety must be balanced with ihsan, which is obedience and istiqamah. Thus, this third level of piety is the level of those who are steadfast in their obedience.

The above verse gathers three levels of piety, namely the levels of faith, sunnah, and istiqamah in obedience.

This is what the scholars say about the meaning of the word piety.

I also found piety which means avoiding the excess of halal things.

This meaning is found in a well-known hadith from the Prophet (peace be upon him) who said:

Meaning: “Indeed, the pious are said to be ‘muttaqiin’ because they abandon things that are not beneficial in order to protect themselves from things that are harmful.”

Then I am more inclined to combine the opinions of these scholars with the above hadith. So a more comprehensive and perfect definition is created, namely: “Piety is avoiding everything that you fear may harm your religion.”

Isn’t a person who is sick and avoiding abstinence referred to as “abstinent” if he has avoided everything that harms his body in the form of food, drinks, fruits and so on?

Then there are two kinds of things that are feared to harm religion:

1. Disobedience and something that is absolutely forbidden.
2. Excess of halal things.

Being preoccupied with the excesses of permissible things and familiarizing oneself with them can attract the doer to something haram and pure sin. This happens because of the ugliness (mischief) of lust and its outrageous desires.

Whoever wants to be safe from the harm that befalls his religion, he should avoid what is worrisome and the excess of what is lawful so as to keep himself from being dragged into what is truly haram, in accordance with what is not useful so as not to fall into something harmful.” That is, because they forsake the excess of what is lawful for fear of falling into what is unlawful.

So, the meaning of perfect piety is to avoid everything that can harm religion in the form of disobedience and excess of something that is halal.

These are the details of true piety.

Then if we want to make the boundaries of piety according to the science of sirri, the boundaries are cleansing your heart of bad things that you have never done before with a strong desire to leave them so that this desire can become a barrier between you and all bad things.

Then the ugliness is divided into two:

1. Original evil. This is something that is forbidden by Allah in a haram manner, such as pure sin,

1. Non-genuine evil, which is something that is prohibited by Allah as an effort to educate in the form of excess of something halal, such as permissible things that are done because of lustful desires.

Avoiding the first evil is fard. Failure to do so will result in punishment in Hell.

As for avoiding the second evil, it is a good. Failing to do so will result in detention, investigation, criticism and ridicule.

Whoever practices the first type of piety is in the lowest position of piety, which is the position of those who are steadfast in observing the obligatory. But the one who practices the second type of piety is in the highest position of piety, which is the position of one who is steadfast in refraining from permissible things.

When a person has put them together, i.e. avoiding disobedience and having an excess of what is lawful, he has perfected the meaning of piety, practiced it correctly (according to its rights) and accumulated all the good in it. This kind of piety is called perfect wara’ (prudence), which is the most important of religious matters. It is also called adab (manners) before Allah.

This is the meaning of piety and its global description. Understand it, insha Allah you will be guided.

When you say: “Now then please explain for us the meaning of piety and how it is used in relation to lust, because the need for it has arisen. So that we may know how to control lust with piety as you have explained the details, i.e. true piety.

I (Al-Ghazali) think it should be so. The details of piety in relation to worship are as follows:

(The first step) You have to guard it with a strong desire to prevent it from committing any sin and to keep it from surplus of anything lawful.

If that is the case, then you have feared Allah with regard to your eyes, ears, mouth, heart, stomach, private parts and all your limbs and have controlled them with the control of “takwa”.

This issue requires a great deal of explanation, and we have explained it in “Ihya Ulumiddin”. The things that need to be explained in this book are:

Whoever wants to fear Allah should look back at his five senses. These are the eyes, ears, mouth, heart and stomach.

He must guard it from everything that harms his religious affairs such as disobedience, something haram, excessive and wasteful with something that is halal.

If a person has managed to keep these five limbs, it means that he has the hope that these limbs will save the others.

He has also succeeded in practicing complete piety with all his limbs.

In this regard, it would have been necessary to write five chapters on the details of the five limbs and to write several chapters on what is forbidden for each limb just to fit the capacity of this (short) book.

First Article: Eyes

You should always take care of your eyes, because they are often the cause of all fitnah and corruption. In this regard I will explain three points that should suffice.

1. The Word of God

Meaning: “Say to the men who believe! Let them restrain their gaze and guard their private parts. That is purer for them. Verily, Allah knows best what they do.” (Q.S. An-Nuur: 30)

Although this verse is short, upon reflection it has three noble meanings: Teaching politeness (manners), warning and frightening. The meaning that educates modesty is:

Meaning: “Say to the men who believe! Let them restrain their gaze.” (Q.S. An-Nuur: 30)

A servant must follow his master’s orders and behave as his master taught him. If not, then he will be considered bad manners and prevented from the grace of his master. He is also not allowed to attend meetings and have fun in the presence of his master. Understand this information and reflect on what it implies, for there is great benefit in it. What contains the warning is the word of Allah:

Meaning: “That is more pure for them.” (Q.S. An-Nuur: 30)

This word is used for two meanings.

Firstly, “it cleanses their hearts more.”

The words “Az-zakat” mean “clean”. While “At-tazkiyat” means cleaning.

Secondly, “which increases their goodness.”

The word Az-zakat basically means “increase”.

Thus, in this verse Allah reminds us that in lowering the gaze there is purification of the heart and increasing obedience and goodness. This is because if you do not lower your gaze and let it go, your eyes will certainly look at things that are not useful. If that is the case it is not impossible that your gaze will fall on haram things. If you deliberately look at them, it is a major sin, and sometimes what you look at sticks in your heart. In that case, you will perish if you are not given mercy by Allah.

It has been told that a servant looks at something for just a glimpse, but his heart becomes corrupted because of that glimpse like a skin that is put into a tannery, and cannot be utilized forever.

If what you see is something permissible, then your heart will become busy. Then comes the anxiety and worry. You may not be able to reach what you see, so your heart remains busy and cut off from goodness.

Had you not seen any of that, you would have felt comfortable from all of it.

In connection with this kind of meaning, it is narrated that the Prophet Isa a.s. once said: “Beware of your gaze, for it instills desire in your heart. And it is sufficient as a fitnah for you.”

Dzun-Nuun Al-Mishri said: “The best barrier to lust is closing the eyes.”

This is a beautiful composition by a poet:

If one day you lose your sight as a messenger of the heart, then what is seen will make you lame.

You see something that not all of you can reach. And you can’t wait to get some of it.

In that case, you should restrain your gaze and guard your eyes. Do not look at things that are not beneficial and something that is not important, and your heart will be clean, relieved and comfortable from misgivings. You will also save yourself from any damage. And your goodness will increase. Therefore, remember this comprehensive information.

It is only Allah who gives taufik with His grace and glory.

The word of Allah, on the other hand, has the meaning of frightening:

Meaning: “Verily, Allah knows best what they do.” (Q.S. An-Nuur: 30)

He also said:

Meaning: “He is aware of the treacherous eye and what the heart conceals.” (Q.S. Al-Mu’min: 19)

This verse is sufficient as a rebuke for those who fear the power of their Lord. And this is the main basis that comes from the book of Allah SWT.

2. Hadith of the Prophet:

Meaning: “Indeed, looking at the beauty of a woman is like a poisoned arrow from Satan. Whoever abandons it will have a taste of worship that pleases him.”

The finding of the sweetness of worship and the deliciousness of supplication for servants is a position in itself.

This has been tested and proven by those who practice it. For if a person withholds his gaze from useless things, then he will find the delicacy of worship and the sweetness of obedience. His heart will also feel a calmness that he had not felt before.

3. You should look at each limb. What is appropriate to do, and what should be used for. That way, you can take care of them and maintain them.

The feet are used to walk in the gardens of Paradise and its palaces. The hands are used to hold drinking glasses and pluck fruits (paradise), and so on. While the eyes are only used to look at the Lord of the universe. Glory be to Allah. There is no greater glory in this world and the Hereafter than looking at the Lord of the universe.

So, it is only right that something as long-awaited and expected as this glory be guarded, nurtured, exalted and glorified.

These are the three main arguments that, if you really think about it, are sufficient to put this article into practice. Only Allah is the master of guidance. He is the one who fulfills me. And He is the best place to surrender to.

Second Article: Ears

You should guard your hearing from bad and useless talk. This should be done for two reasons:

Firstly, because we have been told that the one who listens is just as liable as the one who speaks.

In this regard a poet said:

Choose the middle ground between the paths.

Avoid questionable intersections.

Guard your ears from listening to bad things.

It’s like keeping your mouth from saying it.

For remember, if you listen to bad things,

then you become the partner of the one who said it.

Secondly, listening to bad things can stir up various impulses and misgivings in the heart. Then you will find yourself busy and none of your limbs will be left to worship.

Then know that speech that enters the heart through hearing is like food that enters the stomach. Sometimes it is harmful and sometimes it is beneficial. Some are a source of energy and some are poison. Even speech that has settled in the heart has a stronger effect than food. Because the influence of food can be lost from the stomach with sleep and so on. Sometimes the effect is felt for a while and then disappears. There is also an antidote to remove its influence from one’s body. But when speech enters the heart, it sometimes stays with it for the rest of its life and cannot be forgotten. If the speech is bad then it will never cease to cause distress and reproach. It can also bring worries and misgivings to the heart so that he should turn away and try not to remember it. He should also seek refuge with Allah from its evil. He will not be free from the urge to do bad things so that there will be massive destruction because of it.

If you preserve your hearing from useless things, then you will feel comfortable from them. And a reasonable person should reflect on the above information.

Allah is the only place to ask for guidance.

Third Article: Mouth

You should take care of your mouth and control it, because it is the most unruly, disobedient member of the body, and causes much harm and enmity.

It was narrated from Sufyan bin Abdullah. He said: “I asked (the Messenger of Allah), O Messenger of Allah! What do you worry about me the most? The Messenger of Allah held his own tongue and said, “This.”

It was narrated from Yunus bin Abdullah. He said: “Verily I found myself able to endure the pain of fasting during the extreme heat in the land of Bashra and unable to endure a single useless utterance.”

Therefore, you should be diligent and do your utmost (to protect it).

Here we will explain five points: 1. What was narrated from Abu Sa’id al-Khudri that when a descendant of Adam entered the morning, all his limbs rushed to his mouth and said to him: “We ask you to swear by Allah to be upright. For if you are upright, then we too will be upright. But if you are crooked (do wrong), then we will also be crooked.

According to me (Al-Ghazali) what is meant by these words is (wallahu a’lamu): The words of the mouth have an effect on all the limbs of a person in the form of blessings and disgrace.

This information is reinforced by what is narrated from Malik bin Dinar who said: “If you see hardness in your heart, weakness in your body and obstruction of your sustenance, then know that you have uttered something that is of no use.”

2. Keeping time. Most of the things one talks about are not dhikr of Allah. So, at the very least it is useless and a waste of time. An attic under construction and saying: “When did this attic start?” He immediately rebuked himself, saying: “O deceitful lust! Why are you asking about something that is of no use to you?” Then he punished himself by fasting for one year. Fortunate are those who watch themselves. How wretched are those who are negligent, let go of the reins of lust and indulge in it.

Allah is the only place to seek help.

What a true statement by the poet below:

Abillah the benefit of two rak’ahs in the darkness of the night

when you’re relaxing and taking a break.

When you want to speak uselessly in false things,

then use that time to recite tasbih.

Keeping quiet is better than talking

even if you are an articulate person.

3. Maintaining good deeds. If a person does not guard his tongue and talks a lot, then it is not impossible for him to fall into gossiping about others, as one scholar said: “Whoever talks a lot, his talk often slips.”

Backbiting is like a thunderbolt that destroys obedience, as it is said: “The example of one who backbites others is that of a cannon. He casts good toward the east and west, to the right and left.”

I have heard that Hasan Al-Bashri was once told by someone: “O Abu Said! Indeed so-and-so has backbitten you.” So Hasan sent a tray of bread to that person and said: “I heard that you have bestowed kindness upon me. Therefore, I would be pleased if I could repay your kindness.”

Once there was a gossip issued in the presence of Ibnul Mubarak. So he said: “If I were to backbite someone, I would certainly backbite my mother, for she is the one who is more entitled to my good deeds.”

It is narrated that one night Hatim Al-Asham did not perform the night prayer and was reprimanded by his wife. He replied: “Last night the people prayed the night prayer. In the morning they made fun of me. On the Day of Resurrection, the reward of their prayers will be transferred to the scales of my deeds.

4. Rescue from the dangers of the world. This is in accordance with what Sufyan Ats-Tsauri said: “Do not talk about something that could break your teeth.”

Another scholar said: “Do not run your mouth lest your worship be ruined.”

The scholars composed a poem:

Watch your mouth! Don’t say something that will bring you disaster,

for verily the calamity stems from speech.

Ibnul Mubarak composed a poem:

Remember! Watch your mouth.

Because the mouth can actually hasten death.

Indeed, the mouth is a reflection of the heart

which can show the size of one’s ratio.

Ibnul Muthi also quoted:

A person’s mouth is like a lion in a cage.

If you let it go, it will pounce.

Keep your mouth from speaking badly with the “silence” controller.

Undoubtedly the controller is a barrier from all disasters.

There is a proverb that says: “Many sayings say to their owners “Leave me alone.””

We ask Allah to guide us with His mercy.

5. Remembering the dangers of the Hereafter and their consequences.

In this regard I will make an important point, which is that your talk will never be free from two possibilities: The forbidden and the permissible one of talking excessively about something that is not beneficial.

If such talk is forbidden, then you deserve a punishment from Allah that you cannot bear.

We have narrated from the Messenger of Allah that he said:

Meaning: “On the night when I was ordained, I saw a group of people in hell who were eating bengkai. Then I asked, “O Gabriel! Who are they?” Jibril replied,

‘They are the ones who eat human flesh.’

He also said to Mu’adz:

Meaning: “Stop backbiting the people of the Qur’an, and the seekers of knowledge. Do not tear others apart with your mouth lest you be torn apart by the dogs of hell.” Narrated Abu Qilabah. He said: “Indeed, gossip harbors corruption of the heart from the guidance of Allah.”

We seek Allah’s providence with His grace.

This is the result of forbidden speech. As for permissible speech, you should pay attention to four things:

1. The angels who record deeds are busy because they have to record things that are not good and beneficial, so one should be ashamed of them and not harm them.

Allah swt. said:

Meaning: “There is not a word that he utters except that there are near him Ragib and “Atid (angels who watch and wait). (Q.S. Oaf: 19)

2. By doing so, we are sending our notebooks to Allah empty. The servant should guard himself against that and fear Allah.

It has been narrated that a scholar saw a man uttering abominable words. Then the scholar said: “O brother! What a wretch. You are writing to your Lord. Therefore, pay attention to what you write to Him.”

3. The reading of the record of deeds on the Day of Resurrection in the presence of the Mighty King, in front of witnesses, in the midst of difficult circumstances and various shocks in a state of thirst, nakedness, hunger, far from heaven and hindered from enjoyment.

4. Being reviled and ridiculed for what you say, losing your proof and shame of Allah.

There are scholars who say:

Meaning: “Do not be excessive in your speech, for the reckoning will be long.”

This should suffice as advice for those who are receptive.

We have explained this at length and satisfactorily in the book “Asraari Muaamalat Ad-Diin.” Study it! May you find a cure.

Fourth Article: Heart

You should always take care of your heart, improve it and watch over it with all your might. This is because the liver is the most worrisome, most influential, most complicated, most difficult to repair and difficult to maintain.

In this case I will explain five very urgent points.

1. Allah’s Word:

Meaning: “He is aware of the treacherous eye and what the heart conceals.” (Q.S. Al-Mu’min: 19)

Also the word of Allah:

Meaning: “And Allah knows what is hidden in your hearts.” (Q.S. Al-Ahzab: 51)

God’s Word:

Meaning: “Indeed, Allah knows all hearts.” (Q.S. Al-Anfal: 43)

How many times has Allah mentioned and repeated this issue in the Qur’an. It is enough that the supervision of the All-Knowing One is a warning to the chosen servants. This is because dealing with the One who knows the unseen is an important and dangerous matter. Therefore, pay attention to what He knows from your heart.

2. Hadith of the Prophet:

Meaning: “Verily, Allah does not look at your form and skin, but He looks only at your heart.”

This Hadīth shows that the heart is the center of the sight of the Lord of the universe. It would be surprising if a person only cares about his face, which is the center of the view of the creatures. He washes it, cleans it from dirt, and adorns it as much as he can so that others will not see any flaws in him. He does not give importance to the heart which is the center of the gaze of the Lord of the Worlds. He does not want to clean, decorate and perfume it so that God does not see it as dirty, ugly, damaged and defective. On the contrary, he fills it with shameful, dirty and vile things, which if others saw just one of them, they would certainly step aside and leave it alone, or even expel it.

Allah is the only place to seek help.

3. Verily the heart is like a king who is obeyed, Like a leader who is followed (by his men). And all the members of the body are like his followers. Isn’t it the case that if the leader is good, the people are good, and if the king is upright, the people are upright?

This information is taken from the hadith narrated from the Prophet (peace be upon him) that he said:

Meaning: “Verily in the body (of man) is a clot of blood which when it is good, it is good for the whole body. And when it is corrupted, the whole body is corrupted. Remember, that is the heart.”

If the good of everything depends on it (the heart), then we should devote all our attention to it.

4. Indeed, the heart is the repository of all kinds of beautiful jewels for a servant and also stores various important things.

The first is the intellect and its culmination is the realization of Allah, which is one of the causes of happiness in the hereafter.

This is followed by the various knowledge and wisdom that are the glory of a servant, and all the noble manners and praiseworthy deeds that are used to attain the rank of the noble ones, as we have explained at length in the book “Asraari Mu’aamalat Ad Diin.”

It is fitting that such a deposit should be preserved from dirt and damage. Guarded from thieves or robbers. And also glorified with various glories so that the jewel is not dirty and taken by the enemy.

5. As I pondered the situation, I found five things that the other limbs didn’t experience:

First, the enemy who is always lurking and trying to influence him. This is because Satan is always perched above the human heart, the abode of inspirations and was-wasahs that whisper two different invitations for eternity, namely the whispers of the angel Mulhim and Satan.

Second, the busyness that must be undertaken because reason and lust live together in it. The heart is a battlefield between two armies, the army of lust and the army of reason. Forever the heart remains in the midst of their battles and arrows. Therefore, it should be guarded, fortified and not forgotten.

Third, there are many obstacles in the heart. The various movements of the heart are like arrows that never stop shooting. It is like a never-ending rain, night and day. All the while you are unable to prevent it.

The heart is not like the eye that is in the center of the two lids. It can be closed and feel comfortable. Or it can be placed in a quiet, dark place where its vision can be obstructed.

The heart is also not the same as the tongue which is behind two partitions, the teeth and the lips. You can still hold it and keep it quiet.

But the heart is the object of various impulses that you yourself are unable to restrain and guard yourself from. It cannot escape you for a second. Meanwhile, lust is quick to follow it.

To prevent the heart from all of that with all its might is the hardest thing and the greatest test.

Fourthly, its treatment is difficult because you can’t see it, you almost don’t know about it until you slowly feel the damage in it and new things happen. For that, you have to talk about it with perfection, full strength, deep contemplation and a lot of riyadhah.

Fifthly, the damage that spreads more quickly to it, because the upheaval that occurs in it is also very fast. Some even say that the upheaval of the heart is faster than boiling water in a jug.

Hence the verse states:

It is not called the heart except for its upheaval.

As for the mind, it can create various states in humans.

Then when the heart has slipped – may Allah protect us all – then surely the slipping is harder and the fall is worse, because at least the heart becomes hard and inclined to other than Allah. But the ultimate end is to end (die) with kufr.

Have you not heard the words of God:

Meaning: “He (Iblis) disobeyed and boasted. He is among the disbelievers.” (Q.S. al-Baqarah: 34)

The pride that dwells in his heart encourages him to defy and outwardly kufr.

Have you not heard the word of God:

Meaning: “But (Bal’am) prefers to be immortal on earth and to follow his lusts.” (Q.S. Al-A’raaf: 176)

The tendency to follow lust resided in Bal’am’s heart. And it drove him to commit a despicable bad sin.

Have you not heard the word of God:

Meaning: “We turn their hearts and eyes as they first disbelieved in the Qur’an. And We left them in disobedience in a state of confusion.” (Q.S. Al-An’aam: 110)

It is because of this that the chosen servants of Allah constantly worry about their hearts, weep over them and devote all their strength to guarding them.

Allah says about their description:

Meaning: “They fear a day (on which) hearts and sights will be shaken.” (Q.S. An-Nuur: 37)

May Allah be pleased to make us all part of those who can learn from the examples and be guided in dangerous places and be guided to improve their hearts with good thoughts. Indeed, He is the most merciful of the merciful.

If someone says: “This matter of the heart is very important. So, please explain to me what kind of effort can make it better and what kind of corruption can block and ruin it. Who knows, I may be guided to take it seriously.

It should be noted that the details of this explanation are very extensive and would not fit in this book. However, the scholars of the hereafter made great efforts to explain it and compiled a book that does nothing but explain the affairs of the heart.

In this case they explained about 90 praiseworthy things and 90 blameworthy things in comparison. Then they explained about 90 obligatory steps and 90 forbidden steps, complete with details.

I swear by my life. Indeed, the one who pays attention to religious affairs, wakes up from the sleep of the forgetful and looks at himself, if he is guided by Allah, will certainly not mind seeking and practicing all this.

We have explained a little about it in the book “The Miracle of the Heart” in the book Ihya Ulumiddin and explained everything with various details and how to take care of it in the book Asraari Mu’aamalat Ad-Diini, which is a small book but its benefits are great. The benefits of this book cannot be taken except by great scholars who are very knowledgeable.

The purpose of this book is to be used by both beginners and those who have reached the top, the strong and the weak. Therefore, we thought about the main things that should be explained in order to care for the heart and that are needed in worship.

Then in it we find four things that often cause the worshipers to slip and become a disease of the mujtahids. They are a fitnah for the heart and a calamity for the passions, which will hinder, aggravate, corrupt and destroy.

We also found four things to counterbalance this, which are things that can cause servants to regulate worship and improve the heart.

The four diseases are:

1. Delusion (rambling, long-windedness)
2. Haste
3. Envy
4. Takabbur

While the four virtues (good qualities) are:

1. Wishful thinking
2. Calm in doing things
3. Giving advice to (fellow) creatures
4. Tawadhuk and khusyuk (humbling oneself) 4.

These are the points of kindness and its corruption and the benefits that are obscure and central to the discussion. Therefore, we should exert our full strength to preserve ourselves from these ills and succeed in attaining this kind of glory, so that you do not have to spend much and get what you want. God willing.

We will explain these diseases in concise but meaningful language.

1. Delusion (Wishful Thinking) | Delusion is a hindrance to a servant from all kinds of goodness and obedience. It is also a puller to commit all kinds of evil and fitnah. It is a severe disease that will plunge a person into various disasters.

Know that if your imagination has wandered, four things will come out of you.

1. Abandoning obedience and laziness.

In this case you would say: “I’ll do it later. I’ve got a long day ahead of me and it won’t get away from me.”

It was Dawud Ath-Thaai who said: “Whoever fears a threat, then according to him something far becomes near. And whoever fancies (likes to fantasize), his deeds become bad.

Yahya bin Muadz Ar-Raazi said: “Wishful thinking will cut off all goodness. And covetousness hinders the hag. Patience brings good fortune, and lust invites to all kinds of evil.

1. Abandoning repentance and delaying it. You will say: “I will repent later. The days are still long, and I am still young. I have little life, and repentance is right in front of me. I can do it whenever I want.”

Sometimes this kind of person is pounced upon by death. So death strikes him before he has time to improve his deeds.

1. Being greedy to accumulate wealth and being busy with the affairs of this world and forgetting the Hereafter. You will say: “I am worried about being poor in my old age. Sometimes I am not able to work and inevitably have to have some savings in case of illness, old age or poverty.

These and similar feelings are among the things that drive you to love the world and be greedy for it. You will also attach importance to sustenance. You will say: “What shall I eat? What am I going to drink? What am I going to wear? It is winter. It’s summer now. While I have nothing. Who knows if I’ll live a long life and need all that? But making ends meet in old age is very difficult. In the meantime, I must eat and not beg others.”

Feelings like these and similar ones will move you to seek the world, love it, accumulate and hoard it. This will at the very least keep your heart busy, waste your life, add to your useless worries and sorrows. As what is narrated from Abu Dzarr r.a. He said: “I have been killed by worrying about a day I will never see.”

Someone asked: “How can this be, O Abu Dharr! He replied: “Because my wishful thinking exceeds the limits of my age.”

1. The heart becomes hard and forgets the hereafter. Because if you fantasize about living a long life, you will no longer remember death and the grave as said by Ali bin Abu Talib r.a.: “Verily, the two things that I fear the most for you are wishful thinking and following your desires. Remember that imagining will forget the end and following one’s desires will prevent one from doing what is right.”

If that’s the case, then of course your mind or what’s important to you is talking about the world, the things that make you alive, socializing with people and so on. Then your heart will become hardened by it. What makes the heart soft and clear is remembering death, the grave, reward, punishment and the affairs of the Hereafter. If none of these are present in your heart, then how can it become soft and clear?

Allah said:

Meaning: “Then a long period passed over them, and their hearts became hardened.” (Q.S. Al-Hadid: 16)

Therefore, if you daydream, you will do very little, your repentance will be delayed, you will commit many sins, your gluttony will increase, your heart will become hard, and you will become a person who is too oblivious to the consequences of what he will get in the Hereafter. Finally, your ahkirat is lost. So what could be worse than this? What damage is greater than this? All this is caused by delusion (wishful thinking).

But if you shorten your wishful thinking, draw closer to death (keep it in mind), remember your friends and brothers who were surprised by death at a time they did not count on, you will realize that who knows you yourself may experience the same thing as them. So beware of lust! Remember what Auf bin Abdullah said: “And how many people live one day and do not have time to complete it. How many people wait for the morning and do not see it.”

If you look at the limits of his age and journey, you will surely hate his delusions and deceptions.

Have you not heard the words of Isa ibn Maryam a.s. that this world is divided into three:

1. Yesterday that has passed, and you got nothing out of it.
2. A tomorrow that you don’t know if you’ll see or not.
3. The day you are living (today). So take advantage of it.

Then remember the following words of Abu Dzar Al-Ghifari: “This world is divided into three occasions.

1. An opportunity that has passed.
2. The opportunity you are currently experiencing.
3. Opportunities that you don’t know if you’ll see or not (after this).”

So, in essence, you only have one chance. Death keeps waiting from time to time.

Then remember the words of our teacher Abu Bakr (may Allah have mercy on him): “This world is like three breaths:

1. The breath that has passed. This is the breath that you use to do anything.
2. The breath you are currently taking.
3. The breath that you don’t know if you’ll see or not. Because how many people take one breath, then they are surprised by death before they have time to take a second breath.

In reality you only have one breath, not a day or an hour. Therefore, with this one breath hasten to perform obedience before the opportunity is lost. Repent immediately. Who knows in the second breath you are already dead. Do not put too much importance on sustenance, because you may no longer be alive and need it. If that is the case, your time will be wasted and your concerns will be pointless.

Why would someone be concerned with sustenance that is only needed for a day, an hour, or a breath? Does he not remember what the Prophet said about Usamah? He said:

Meaning: “Do you not wonder at Usamah buying for a month? Verily Usamah has been delusional. By Allah I did not put down a foot and think I could pick it up again. I have not taken one bite and thought I could swallow it until death overtook me. By the One in whose hand my life is. Verily what has been promised to you will surely come. And you will not be able to weaken Allah.”

If you remember these warnings and are diligent in practicing them by repeating them, then your wish list will surely become short with Allah’s permission. At that time you will be seen hastening to obedience and repentance. In this way you forsake disobedience, abstain from this world and the pursuit of it. Then your reckoning (hisab) and responsibility become light. Your heart enters an atmosphere of remembrance of the Hereafter and the dreadful things that lie therein. All that is only because from one breath to the next, he walks towards it and sees it one by one. Then the hardness of the heart will disappear and softness and clarity will appear. That is when you will feel fear of Allah, be steadfast in worship, have a strong hope to prepare yourself for death and achieve what you want in the Hereafter. All of this is because of one thing: short-sightedness after receiving a gift from Allah.

It is narrated that after Zararah bin Aufa passed away, he was asked by someone in his dream: “What charity is more appropriate in your opinion?”

He replied: “Rida and wishful thinking (not fantasizing).”

O my brother! Look at yourself. Exert yourself for this important subject of religion. For it is indeed the most important thing to achieve the goodness of one’s heart and self.

Only Allah controls taufik with His grace and mercy.

2. Malice

Envy is something that can ruin obedience and push a person to commit various mistakes. Envy is also a contagious disease that is tested on Qur’anic scholars and scholars, more so on laymen and ignorant people. So that envy will corrupt and plunge them into hell.

Have you not heard the following saying of the Prophet:

Meaning: “Six groups enter Hell for doing six things: 1) Arabs for being fanatical about their tribe. 2) The rulers because of their tyranny. 3) The leaders for being arrogant. 4) The merchants for their treachery. 5) The villagers for their ignorance. 6) The scholars for their malice.”

A corruption whose ugliness alone can drag the scholars into hell. So we should be wary of it.

Know that malice can lead to five things: 1. Destruction of obedience. The Prophet said:

Meaning: “Malice will consume goodness like fire consumes firewood.”

2. Sinful deeds and bad things.

This is in accordance with what Wahb bin Munabbih said that people who feel spiteful have three characteristics:

1. When confronted shows pleasure (licking)
2. When far away will backbite
3. Feeling happy with the calamities that befall others (the envied)

Presumably you know well enough that Allah commands us to seek refuge from the envious. He said:

Meaning: “And from the evil of the spiteful when he is spiteful.” (Q.S. al-Falaq: 5)

He commands us to seek refuge from the envious just as He commands us to seek refuge from the evil of the devil and sorcerers. How much evil does envy cause that its perpetrators are aligned with the devil and sorcerers. In fact, there is no helper and refuge from it except Allah, the Lord of the universe.

3. Useless fatigue and concern.

Rather they are sins and disobedience, as Ibn As-Samak (may Allah have mercy on him) said: “I have never seen an oppressor who resembles the oppressed more than the one who is envious. He continues to breathe, his mind is empty and his distress is prolonged.”

4. Blindness in the heart. So that the spiteful person barely knows one law among the laws of Allah.

Sufyan Ats-Tsauri once said: “You should always remain silent. That way you will have a wara’ attitude. Do not be greedy for the world, then you will be preserved. Do not like to criticize, then you will avoid being talked about by many people. Do not be spiteful, then you will understand things quickly.”

5. Obstacles and insults.

A spiteful person can barely achieve what he wants and help to defeat his enemy. As Hatim Al-Asham said: “An envious person is not a religious person. The one who criticizes is not a worshipper. The one who slanders is not a trustworthy person. And the envious person will not receive help.”

In my opinion, how can a spiteful person achieve his desire, when what he wants is the loss of pleasure from Allah given to His believing servants. How can he get help to defeat his enemy when his enemies are the believing servants of Allah.”

How beautiful is the following saying by Abu Ya gub: “O Allah, be patient with the perfection of the favors bestowed on Your servants and also be patient with their kindness.”

Envy is a disease that will ruin your obedience and increase your vices and sins. It will also prevent you from feeling comfortable in your soul, understanding your heart, helping you to defeat your enemy and achieve your desires.

Now what disease is more dangerous than this? Therefore, you should protect your soul from these diseases.

Only Allah controls taufik with His grace and glory.

3. Haste in worship

This attitude can actually eliminate what is the goal and plunge him into various sins, because from this attitude will arise four kinds of afflictions.

1. The worshipper wants a position and sometimes he is in a hurry to get it, but the day has not yet come for him. Then he becomes discouraged and despairs. Then he ceases to strive and is prevented from attaining that position. Otherwise he overreaches and troubles himself. Then he cannot attain that position. In this way he is between negligence and exaggeration, both of which are the result of haste.

It is narrated that the Prophet said:

Meaning: “Surely our religion is a firm religion. Go slowly, for a discouraged person cannot cross the earth nor stay on the back of a riding animal.”

In a proverb there is another expression, namely: “If you are not in a hurry, you will reach your destination.”

In a poem it is expressed:

People do things slowly to achieve some of their needs.

And the one who is in a hurry sometimes misses it.”

1. A servant has a need and asks Allah for it. Then he makes supplication and perseveres. Sometimes he is in a hurry to be granted before the time comes. Then he despairs and no longer prays. In the end, his need is not fulfilled and his goal is not achieved.

1. The servant is wronged by someone. Then he immediately prays for the harm to befall the person who wronged him. So there is a Muslim who is afflicted with an accident because of that servant’s supplication. Or the servant goes too far and falls into disobedience and corruption.

Allah swt. said:

Meaning: “And a person prays for evil just as he prays for good. And man is hasty.” (Q.S. Al-Israa’: 11)

1. The essence of worship is wara’. Wara’ comes from a careful look at and careful investigation of everything one does, such as eating, drinking, speaking and doing things.

If one is hasty in matters, not slowing down and taking care to look for the bright spots in the matter, one will certainly not be able to stop at one point and see things properly as they should be.

He hastens to eat and falls into haraam and doubtful things. The same applies to other matters. He loses his wara’ attitude. Then how can the good in worship be achieved without the attitude of wara’?

If the servant is cut off from good positions, deprived of necessities, damaging the Muslims and himself, it is feared that he will lose his wara’a attitude, which is the main asset. For that reason, it is appropriate for all people to pay attention to that and try to eliminate it. And after that he should correct himself.

Only Allah controls taufik with His bounty and grace.

4. Arrogance

Pride is an attitude that can ruin everything. Have you not heard the words of Allah:

Meaning: “Iblis disobeyed and boasted. And he is among the disbelievers.” (Q.S. al-Baqarah: 34)

This attitude is not like other attitudes that only harm charity and endanger the branches of religion. Rather it jeopardizes the core of the religion (faith) and damages religion and belief.

If this kind of attitude is firmly entrenched and takes hold of the heart, then nothing else can be expected. Na’udzubillah. At least four damages will arise from this attitude:

1. Obstruction from the truth, blindness of the heart from knowledge of Allah’s verses and understanding His rulings

Allah said:

Meaning: “I will turn away those who arrogate themselves on the earth without just cause from the signs of My power.” (Q.S. Al-A’raaf: 146)

God’s Word:

Meaning: “Thus Allah locks up the hearts of the arrogant and arbitrary.” (Q.S. A-Mu min: 35)

2. God’s wrath and hatred.

God’s Word:

Meaning: “Verily, Allah dislikes those who are arrogant.” (Q.S. An-Nahl: 23)

It is narrated that Prophet Moses a.s. asked: “O my Lord, who is the creature that You hate the most?” Allah said: “The one whose heart is proud, whose mouth is harsh, whose eyes are narrow (never cry), whose hands are stingy and whose character is bad.

3. Torment and humiliation in this world and the next.

Hatim Al-Asham said: “Do not die while doing one of the three things: pride, greed and showing off. The arrogant person will not be expelled by Allah from this world until his humiliation is shown to the least of his family and servants. The glutton will not be expelled by Allah from this world until he has been made in desperate need of a piece of bread or a sip of water and cannot obtain it. Whereas the ostentatious person will not be expelled by Allah from this world until he is thrown into his urine and excrement.

A scholar said: “Whoever is arrogant out of place, Allah will bequeath him real humiliation.”

4. Hell and torment in the Hereafter as told that Allah said (in a qudsi hadith):

Meaning: “Pride is My shawl (attribute). Majesty is My garment. Whoever removes one of them from Me, I will put him in the hell of Jahannam.”

This means that majesty and arrogance are among the attributes that are specific to Me. Therefore, it is inappropriate if those attributes are placed on other than Me, just like a shawl and cloth that are specifically worn by someone is certainly inappropriate if they are worn by someone else.

If there is an attitude that makes you miss out on knowing the truth and understanding the meaning of Allah’s verses and rulings, all the things that are central to religion and earn the wrath of Allah, resulting in humiliation in this world and the punishment of hell in the Hereafter like this, then it should not be that the one who has reason forgets himself and does not correct it by eliminating this attitude, protecting himself and asking Allah for help from it. He is the One who controls providence and guidance by His grace.

This is what we can tell you about the four kinds of corruption (wishful thinking, haste, envy and arrogance).

It is enough for a reasonable person to see one of them, let alone all four, and he will be more careful to prioritize the affairs of his heart and keep them away from his religious affairs.

If you ask: “If this is the case, then it is necessary to know its nature and limits. So please explain so that we know how to protect ourselves from it.”

You should know that each of them requires a lot of information. We have explained this at length in “Ihya Ulumiddin” and “Asraari Mu’aamalat Ad-Diin”. In this book we have only outlined what is required to be known. Therefore, we will explain them one by one.

Wishful thinking

The scholars said that what is called wishful thinking is the desire to live for a long time with certainty. What is short of wishful thinking is not being certain of what one wishes for, such as by attributing the wish to exceptions, the will of Allah and His knowledge in expressing the wish, or in wishing for it with the condition that it be good.

Therefore, if you say that I will definitely live until the second breath, the next two hours, or the next two days, then you are someone who is delusional (wishful thinking).

For you, this is a sin because you are confirming something unseen.

If you attribute this to Allah’s will and knowledge and say: “If Allah wills I will still be alive” or “If Allah knows that I will still be alive”, then you have also gone beyond the law of wishful thinking and have the status of abandoning wishful thinking.

Likewise, if you definitely want to live a second life, then you are a wishful thinker, but if you make this wish conditional on the existence of goodness, then you have come out of the ruling of wishful thinking and are short of wishful thinking, because you have not included the word certainty in it.

Therefore, you should not try to ensure permanence and wish for it.

What is meant by “saying” here is the word of the heart, i.e. establishing and firming the heart on it.

Understand this information! May you be guided. God willing.

Then there are two kinds of wishful thinking: general wishful thinking and specific wishful thinking.

General wishful thinking is when you wish for an eternal life in order to accumulate the wealth of this world and revel in it. This is pure disobedience and the opposite is wishful thinking.

Allah said:

Meaning: “Let them (in this world) eat and be merry and be distracted by (empty) dreams, then they will know (the consequences of their actions).” (Q.S. Al-Hijr: 3)

The specific wish is that if you want eternal life, you should collect good deeds that you are still worried about. This is in the form of deeds that are not sure of their goodness, because sometimes a deed, whether done perfectly or not, does not bring good to a servant. It is possible that while doing the deed, the servant may fall into pride and unbalanced corruption.

This means that when a person starts an act of worship, he should not be certain that he will be able to complete it, because this is something that is unseen, and he should not be certain that he will be able to complete it, because sometimes this is not good. Rather, the servant should make the act of worship subject to exceptions or conditions of goodness, so that he will be safe from despicable wishful thinking.

Allah said:

Meaning: “And you should never say of anything, “I will do it in the morning. Except (by saying) God willing.” (Q.S. Al-Kahf: 23-24)

According to the scholars, the opposite of this kind of wishful thinking is the praiseworthy intention. They came up with this opinion because of a kind of concession, which is that people who have praiseworthy intentions usually do not like to daydream.

This is the law of wishful thinking and praiseworthy intentions, because they are necessary and need to be known. This is because this matter is very important.

The scholars mentioned something even more extensive about this. They say that the correct and praiseworthy intention is to make sure of the desire to do a deed and complete it before starting a new deed, accompanied by submission and exemption (in sha Allah) in completing it.

If someone asks: “Why is it permissible to be certain at the time of starting, but to complete it requires surrender and exclusion?”

The reason for this is because there is nothing to worry about when starting and it is not too late. It is also because of the worry of perfecting the deed. Some people, when perfecting a deed, have already done it. Then two worries arise from that: First, there is the worry of not reaching the destination. He does not know whether he will make it or not. The second is the worry that the deed will be spoiled. He does not know whether the deed is good or not.

So, he should exclude (by saying Inshallah) because he is worried about whether the deed will be accomplished or not. He should also surrender because he fears its corruption.

If your wish fulfills these conditions, then it falls into the category of praiseworthy intentions that can take one out of the realm of wishful thinking and its corruption.

Therefore, ponder this information seriously.

Know that the short fortress of wishful thinking is remembering death. And the fortress that guards it is the remembrance of death, which always comes suddenly, unexpectedly and comes in times of carelessness.

Keep all this information. May Allah give you guidance. For the need for it is urgent. Do not waste your time on idle talk and disagreements with others.

It is only Allah who provides guidance with His grace.

Malice

Envy is the desire to lose the favors given to Allah from Muslim brothers and sisters in the form of good favors.

If you do not wish for the loss of that pleasure but only wish for yourself to be like that, then that wish is called ghibthah (aspiring to be like someone else without envy).

This is the kind of ideal that the Prophet intended in the following saying:

Meaning: “It is not permissible to covet the favors of others except in two cases…

He expresses “ghibthah” with the word “hasad” only to make allowances, because they have almost the same meaning.

If the blessings that Allah has bestowed on you do not do you any good, and you want them to go away, then that is called “ghirah” (jealousy).

The opposite of jealousy is “nashihah”, which is the desire that the favors of Allah given to your brother containing goodness remain attached to him.

If there is a question: “How can we know whether a favor is good or not, so that we can feel nashih or resentment?”

Know that we must have a stronger conjecture. For us, such a strong conjecture can be compared to knowledge.

Then if it looks the same, meaning that the suspicion that it is good or not is equally strong, then you should never wish for a blessing to be taken away from you or for it to remain with you except by attributing it to Allah and on the condition that it is good, so that you will be free from the ruling on malice and will benefit from “nashihah”.

The fortress that can protect the above defense is to remember the greatness given by Allah, such as the rights of a believer and high position. In addition, there are the glories that Allah will give you in the Hereafter and other benefits that He gives you in this world such as helping each other, helping each other, congregation, and Friday prayers. Then the intercession (help) that you can expect in the hereafter.

All of these are part of the things that awaken the “nashih” in every Muslim and keep you from feeling resentful of the favors Allah has bestowed upon them.

Haste

Haste is something that is well-organized in a person’s heart and drives him to do all sorts of desires immediately without investigating them first.

The opposite of this attitude is al-anat, which is something that is neatly arranged in the heart and arouses caution in all matters, thinking about it and not rushing to follow and practice it.

Tawaquf (indecision) is the opposite of Ta’assuf (doing something thoughtlessly, carelessly – Pen).

Our teacher said: “The difference between wavering (tawaquf) and slowing down (ta’anniy) is: Hesitation is done before starting a task until one is certain that what one is about to do is the right thing to do. Whereas slowing down is done after starting it so that he can do the parts perfectly.

The beginning of “anat” (slowly) is to remember the worries that arise in everything that is presented to him. Remembering the mischief he fears, remembering the salvation gained by prudence and remembering what is gained by tawagguf and isti’jal (haste) such as regret and ridicule.

All of these and similar things are things that arouse a person to be slow and deliberate in doing things and prevent him from being hasty and careless.

Only Allah controls providence with His grace.

Vanity

Know that pride is the impulse to think highly of oneself, and consequently to be arrogant.

As for dhi’ah or low self-esteem, it is to humble oneself, and the result is tawadhu’. Each is general and specific.

Tawadhu’ of a general nature is to provide oneself with clothing, housing and vehicles that are not luxurious.

The counterpart of pride is to be extravagant in these matters.

Tawadhu’ which is specific is training oneself to accept the truth from whoever it comes from, whether the person is lowly or noble.

Comparable pride is only accepting the truth that comes from the noble ones.

This kind of arrogance is a great sin and a fatal mistake.

Then the general fortification of tawadhu’ is to remember the origin, the end and what is happening now, – such as corruption and filthy things.

Some scholars said: “Your beginning is a drop of disgusting semen. Your end is a stinking carcass, and you live between the two carrying filth.

A specific fortress of tawadhu’ is to remember the torment of those who deviate from the truth and continue in falsehood.

This is the information that a vigilant person would consider sufficient.

It is only Allah who provides guidance with His grace,

Fifth Article: Stomach and its Maintenance

O one who desires to worship! You should always take care of your stomach and repair it. Because the stomach is the most difficult member of the body to repair for one who is serious in his worship. The stomach is also costly, time-consuming, dangerous and influential. All of that is because the stomach is the source of all kinds of diseases. From it will emerge several things related to other limbs such as strength, incompetence, self-preservation (iffah) unwillingness to worship, and others.

So in the beginning you must always keep it from haram and shubhat goods. After that, only keep it from the excess of halal goods if you really have a strong desire to worship.

You have to keep them away from haram and shady things for three reasons:

1. To protect oneself from the fire of Hell. Allah swt. says:

Meaning: “Verily, those who eat the property of orphans unjustly are actually putting fire into their bellies. And they will enter the hell of sa’iir.” (QS. An-Nisaa’: 10)

The Prophet also said:

Meaning: “Any meat that grows from haram, the fire of hell is more likely to burn it.”

2. The one who eats haraam and unlawful things is denied access to Allah and will not be guided to worship, because no one is fit to serve Allah except those who are pure and clean. In my opinion, has not Allah forbidden a junub person from entering His house (mosque)? He has also forbidden a person with impurity from handling His holy book.

Allah said:

Meaning: “And (do not approach the mosque) when you are junub except by passing through until you have all taken a bath.”

Allah also said:

Meaning: “None but the pure should touch it.” (Q.S. al-Waqiah: 79)

Whereas janaubub and hadas are something that arises from something that is permitted. So what if the one who does it is a person who is covered in haram mud and unclean shubhat goods? When will that lead him to serve Allah, the Most Sublime, and remember the Most Noble?

No way. That will never happen.

Mu adz Ar-Raazi said: “Obedience is stored in the storehouse of Allah. The key to opening it is prayer. And the teeth of the key are halal goods. If the key has no teeth, then the door will not open. And if the door of the storehouse is not open, then how is it possible to reach and take the obedience that is in it?

3. One who eats haraam and doubtful food is prevented from doing good. If he happens to do so, he will be denied that good. Thus, he achieves nothing but hardship, difficulty and waste of time.

The Prophet said:

Meaning: “There are so many people who worship at night and all they get is staying up late. Many people fast and all they get out of it is hunger and thirst.”

It was narrated from Ibn ‘Abbasr.a.: “Allah will not accept the prayer of one in whose stomach there is haraam matter.”

Camlan this carefully!

As for the excess of halal goods, then know that it is a damage to the worshipers and a disaster for the one who is serious about his worship.

Then I reflected and found ten very basic corruptions in this matter:

1. Eating a lot makes one hard-hearted.

It is narrated that the Prophet said:

Meaning: “Do not kill your hearts with much eating and drinking, for the heart will die like a plant submerged in water”

The pious describe the stomach as a pot under the heart that is boiling. Its vapor rises above it (the liver). A lot of steam will make the liver cloudy and black.

2. Eating a lot of food causes fitnah (temptation) for a person, arousing him to seek excess halal goods and making mischief. This is because a person whose stomach is full will certainly abuse the blessings. His eyes always want to look at useless haram things or excess halal goods. His ears want to listen to that. His mouth wants to talk about haraam and useless things. His penis wants to get what it likes. And the feet want to go in that direction.

If a person is hungry, then all his limbs will be quiet, he, does not desire anything and there is no passion for it.

Al-Ustadz Abu Ja’far said that the stomach is a member of the body. If it is hungry, then the whole body becomes full (silent). When it is full, the whole body becomes hungry.

In essence, all of a person’s actions and speech are adjusted to his food and drink. If any haram items enter into it, then what comes out (appears) are haram actions and speech. If what goes in is an excess of halal goods, then what comes out is also an excess of halal goods (something useless). Food is like the seeds of deeds and speech that will grow and emerge from it (the stomach).

3. Eating a lot makes one low-minded and lacking in knowledge. Because a full stomach will eliminate intelligence.

This is exactly what Ad-Daarani said: “If you have a need of any kind from the needs of this world and the Hereafter, then do not eat before you get it, because eating changes the mind.”

This is all something that is obvious and known to anyone who has ever tried it.

4. Eating a lot can reduce a person’s worship. If a person eats too much, his body will become heavy, his eyes will become drowsy, his limbs will become sluggish and he will not be able to do any acts of worship. He will not make any effort except to sleep like a carcass on its back.

There are people who say: “If you are full, then consider yourself a lame person.”

It has been narrated from Prophet Yahya a.s. that Iblis appeared to him with some snares. Then Prophet Yahya asked him: “O Satan! What are you carrying?” Satan replied: “This is the lust with which I hunt the descendants of Adam.” Yahya asked again: “Have you found anything in me for you to snare?” Iblis replied: “No. It’s just that one night you were full and I made it hard for you to pray.” Yahya said: “Indeed I will not eat my fill after that incident for ever.” The devil said: “I will certainly not give such good advice to anyone forever.”

This is the situation of a person who has only one night of hunger in his entire life. What about the person who doesn’t feel hungry except for one night and wishes he could pray?

Sufyan Ats-Tsauri said: “Worship is like a company. Its tavern is seclusion and its tool is hunger.”

5. Eating a lot takes away the sweetness of worship. Abu Bakr Ash-Shiddiq r.a. said: “I have never felt full since entering Islam in order to taste the sweetness of worshipping my Lord. I have never felt the satisfaction of drinking since entering Islam because I longed to meet my Lord soon.”

These are the characteristics of one who has been unveiled. Therefore, Abu Bakr had become a person of mukasyafah, as the Messenger of Allah (S) hinted with his saying:

Meaning: “Abu Bakr’s superiority over you is not because of his fasting and praying but what is deeply ingrained in him.” Ad-Daarani said: “The worship that I taste sweetest is when my stomach is sticky with my lamb.”

6. Eating a lot raises the concern of falling into shubhat and haram goods. Because the halal goods that come to you are nothing but reinforcement.

It has been narrated from the Prophet that he said:

Meaning: “Verily, no lawful thing comes to you except as a reinforcement, while the unlawful things come to you in droves.”

7. Eating a lot causes busyness in the heart and body, At first one is busy getting it. Secondly he will be busy preparing it and thirdly busy eating it. Then fourthly he will be busy expelling it. After that he will be busy saving himself from the harm caused if the food causes harm to his body or even if the food could damage his religion.

The Prophet said:

Meaning: “The essence of all diseases is gluttony. And the essence of all medicines is to eat less.” This means being hungry and avoiding abstinence.

It is narrated from Malik bin Dinar that he said: “O my brothers, I repeatedly entered the latrine because I ate so much that I felt ashamed of my Lord. How glad I would be if my sustenance were in a pebble that I could eat until I die.”

In light of the above, the one who wants to worship must inevitably seek the world, rely on the gifts of others and waste time by eating a lot as long as he is not afraid.

8. The hardship in the afterlife is the difficulty of death.

It is narrated in some traditions that the difficulty of death is in accordance with the delights of the world. Whoever multiplies it (tastes delicious) then the sacrament becomes more difficult.

9. Decreased reward in the hereafter.

Meaning: “You have deprived yourselves of the pleasures of the life of this world and reveled in them. So on this day you will be rewarded with a humiliating punishment because of your undue pride in the earth and also because you acted unjustly.” (Q.S. Al-Ahqaaf: 20)

As a matter of fact, the size of the delights you feel in this world will reduce the delights in the Hereafter. That is why, when Allah revealed this world to Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him). He said: “And I will not in the least diminish your enjoyment in the Hereafter.” Such a prioritization indicates that anyone other than him will experience a reduction unless he is blessed by Allah.

It is narrated that Khalid bin Walid entertained the friend of Umar bin Al-Khaththab. He prepared the food. So Umar’s friend asked: “This food is for me. Then what about the poor, the muhajirin, the people who are dying of hunger and have never tasted the satisfaction of eating wheat bread?” Khalid replied: “O emirul mukminin! They have earned paradise.” Umar said: “If they have gained paradise and this food is our share, then they are clearly very different from us.”

It is narrated that one day Umar r.a. was thirsty and he asked for water. Someone gave him a cup filled with date-soaked water. When he brought the cup to his mouth, he felt the water was very cold and sweet. Then he did not drink it and sighed. So the person who brought him the cup said: “O Amirul mukminin! By Allah, I have made the drink as sweet as possible.” So Umar’s companion replied: “That is what kept me from drinking. Had there been no hereafter I would have equaled your lives.”

10. 10. Eating a lot leads to detention, reckoning, reproach and ridicule, because of taking the excess of halal goods immodestly and seeking pleasure in lust. Whereas lawful worldly possessions lead to hadeeth, unlawful ones lead to punishment, and their adornment leads to corruption.

These are the ten evils associated with the excess of lawful goods, and each of them should suffice for the one who is willing to look at himself.

Hence, you who are serious should be very careful in your search for food so that you do not fall into haraam or doubtful things that will make you liable to punishment. In addition, you should provide yourself with halal goods just to prepare for worshiping Allah, so that you do not fall into anything bad that will cause you to be detained.

It is only Allah who assigns taufik.

If you say: “Now please explain to us what is the ruling on haraam and doubtful items and what the limits are!”

My answer was this: “By Allah, I have explained it at length in the book “Asraari Mu’aamalat Ad-Diin”. I have also mentioned it in a separate chapter in the book “Ihya Ulumiddin”. But we will explain it in a few sentences, so that it will be accessible to someone who has little understanding and is just starting out, because the main purpose of this book is to be of use to beginners and to help those who are learning.

Some scholars say that anything that you are certain belongs to someone else and is forbidden by religion, then it is purely haram. As for something that you are not sure belongs to someone else but have a strong suspicion that it does, then it is shubhat.

Other scholars say that a purely haram item is something that you have a strong belief or suspicion that Allah has forbidden. For us, strong suspicion is the same as certainty in many rulings. But if the signs are evenly matched and there is no longer any doubt and there is no superiority, it is a shubhat. It may be permissible and it may be unlawful. So for you it is not clear.

Then preventing oneself from something that is purely haram is an obligation. And abstaining from something that is doubtful is piety or wara’. This is the more correct of the two opinions.

If someone asks: “What do you think about receiving bonuses given by sultans (rulers) in this day and age?”

You should know that there is a difference of opinion among the scholars concerning this matter. Some of the scholars said that anything that is not certain that it is prohibited is acceptable.

Another scholar said: “It is not permissible for a person to accept something that he is not certain is halal. This is because it is strongly suspected that the wealth possessed by the rulers of this era is haraam, and there is little or nothing halal in their hands.”

Another scholar said: “The gifts of the rulers are permissible for the rich and the poor, because it is not clear that they are haraam, and the responsibility (if they are haraam -Pen.) lies with the giver.” They dare to say this because the Prophet (peace be upon him) received a gift from Mugaugis, who was the king of Iskandariyah, and he also owed a debt to a Jew. While Allah has said:

Meaning: “They (the Jews) eat a lot of forbidden things. (Q.S. Al-Maaidah: 42)

They also said that there was a group of scholars who experienced the reign of the oppressors and accepted their gifts. Among these scholars were Abu Hurayrah, Ibn ‘Abbas, Ibn ‘Umar and other scholars, may Allah be pleased with them all.

Another scholar said: “None of their wealth is permissible for the rich or the poor, because they are usually called wrongdoers and most of their wealth is haram. Therefore, the ruling is that which is more. Therefore, it is obligatory to avoid their wealth.

Other scholars said that anything from the ruler that is not forbidden is permissible for the poor and forbidden for the rich, unless the poor person knows that it is the result of ghashab, in which case he should not take it except to return it to its owner. There is no sin on the poor person if he takes it from the ruler, because if it belongs to the ruler and was given to the poor person, then he may take it without hesitation. If it comes from the spoils of war, taxes or a tenth, then the poor person has the right to take it, and so does the scholar.

Ali ibn Abu Talib r.a. said: “Whoever enters Islam with obedience and outwardly recites the Qur’an, then every year he is entitled to a share of two hundred dirhams, or two hundred dinars from the baitul-maal of the Muslims. If ja does not take it while living in this world, then he will take it in the Hereafter.”

If that is the case, then the poor and the knowledgeable are entitled to take their rights.

The scholars said: “If this wealth has been mixed with the wealth of ghashab and it is not possible to separate it, or it is indeed ghashab wealth that cannot be returned to the owner and his family, then the ruler has no alternative but to give it in charity. Allah does not command the ruler to give charity to the poor and forbid the poor to accept it. It is not possible for Allah to order a poor person to accept something and forbid it to him. So, it is permissible for the poor person to accept gifts except those that are actually the result of ghashab or haram.

It is not possible to explain this issue without going into a long and difficult discussion, and interpreting every opinion and going beyond the main purpose of this book. If you want to know more about it, then look at the book “Halal and Haram”, which is part of the book “Ihya Ulumiddin” that we have compiled, and you will find a clear explanation in it. Insha Allah.

If asked: “What do you think about gifts from market traders and so on? Should they be rejected and discussed? You are aware of their trades, which are only estimated (without weighing) and the lack of contemplation they have in their work. The same applies to the gifts of other brothers.”

The answer is: “If people are outwardly good and their bad deeds are hidden, then there is nothing wrong with you accepting their gifts and charity. There is no need to question what you say about the times being corrupt, because that is just prejudice against the Muslim. In fact, being kind to Muslims is something that is commanded.

Then know that the most important thing in receiving this gift is two things:

1. Religious law and its birth.
2. The ruling on wara’ and its necessity.

According to religious rulings, it is permissible to accept something from someone that is outwardly good unless you are certain that it is actually ghashab or haram. As for the ruling of wara’, it is permissible to accept something from someone after questioning it in detail and discussing it properly until you are certain that it does not contain any shubhat. If not, then you should reject it.

It has been narrated from the Companion of Abu Bakr Ash-Shiddiq r.a. that one of his servants brought him milk and he drank it immediately. The servant said: “Whenever I bring you milk, you ask me about it. But this time you did not ask me about this milk.”

Abu Bakr asked: “What is the story?”

The servant replied: “In the days of ignorance I used to make an antidote for a people, and they gave me this milk.”

So Abu Bakr immediately spit out the milk and prayed: “O Allah. This is all I have. And what remains in my muscles, You are the One who judges.”

This shows that you need to question what is being presented if you have a mind to be wara’ and fulfill what is required in it.

If you say: “Then it seems as if the attitude of wara’ is different from the religion and its rulings.”

Know that syarak (religion) is made on the basis of easing and making things easy. That is why the Prophet said:

Meaning: “I have been sent with the religion of the beloved and the merciful.”

The attitude of wara’ is made on the basis of burdensomeness and caution as one scholar said that the affairs of religion for the pious person are more complicated than counting ninety-nine on the fingers.”

Wara’ also comes from religion. In the beginning, these two things were one. But religion has two rulings, one of “may” and the other of “it is better to be more careful”. The “permissible” ruling is called syarak. The “permissible” is called the law of syarak and the “more prudent” is called wara’. Although the two are different, they are only one principle.

Understand this information. May you be guided.

If you say: “If it is permissible to question something and investigate it, then everything that you accept in this day and age will be corrupted and it will be very difficult to find someone who is truly wara’, because he must have the means to reach the level of obedience.”

Know that this path of wara’ is very difficult to travel and the one who wants to pursue it is required to make himself and his heart firm enough to endure all the hardships. If not, then he will not be able to follow it perfectly. For this reason, many people who are experts in wara’ and the ancients walked to Mount Lebanon and other places. They were content with eating grass and fruits that were worthless and had no doubt about them.

So whoever aspires to reach that position should be prepared to endure hardships, endure them patiently and follow their steps in order to reach that position.

But if he stays among the people and eats the things that pass among them, then he should regard them as carrion. He should not take it except in case of necessity. He should not take it except out of necessity, and he should not seek it other than as a means of obedience. That way, he has an excuse to eat it and it will not harm him even if it is basically a haraam item, because Allah is better at accepting excuses.

Hence, Hasan Al-Bashri said: “The market has become corrupt. Therefore, let you all take food just for strength. I have actually heard that Wahb b. Al-Warid starved himself for one, two or three days. Then he took bread and said, O Allah! Verily You know that I am not strong in worship. I am also worried about becoming weak. If not for that I would not have eaten it. If there is anything impure or unlawful in it, then do not torment me for it.” Then he moistened the bread with water and ate it.

According to our knowledge, these are the two paths leading to the highest level of those who are pious.

As for those who are below this level, they have a cautious attitude according to the degree they have. They also have a share of the degree of wara’ according to their level. And according to the effort you put in, you will get what you expect.

Allah will not waste the reward of anyone who improves his deeds. And He knows best what they do.

If there is a statement: “This information is only on the haram side. So now please explain what is permissible, what is the limit of the surplus of permissible goods that does not require a person to be detained and accounted for, what is the amount of wealth that if a servant takes as a courtesy does not become fudhul and does not cause him to be detained and accounted for!”

You should know that there are three types of permissible things:

1. Something that a person takes for the purpose of boasting, increasing his wealth and showing off. Taking this kind of wealth is an action that outwardly requires the culprit to be detained, judged, reproached and ridiculed. On the other hand, internally, such taking is a wrong and bad action, which involves increasing one’s wealth, boasting, and torment in Hell.

Such a goal is an act of disobedience and a sin according to the word of Allah:

Meaning: “Verily, the life of this world is but play, games and ornaments.” to the words: “In the Hereafter, there will be a painful punishment.” (Q.S. Al-Hadiid: 20)

The Prophet said:

Meaning: “Whoever seeks the lawful wealth of this world for boasting, multiplying and showing off, then he will meet Allah while He is in a state of wrath.”

Thus, the threat is linked to the goal that is in his heart.

2. A person takes money that is not lawful because he is following his own desires. Such actions are bad deeds and require the perpetrator to be detained and accounted for, according to the words of Allah:

Meaning: “Then you will all be held accountable on that day for the favors bestowed.” (Q.S. At-Takaatsur: 8)

The Prophet said: 

Meaning: “(The wealth of the world) its provisions will be judged.”

3. A person takes lawful wealth on an excuse just to help himself so that he can worship Allah and is content with that.

Taking this kind of wealth is a good thing, it is polite, there is no accounting for it, and there is no punishment for it. Rather such wealth entails reward and praise according to the words of Allah:

Meaning: “They are the ones who will have their share of what they have labored for.” (Q.S. al-Baqarah: 202)

The Prophet said:

Meaning: “Whoever seeks lawful worldly possessions to keep din from begging, is compassionate to his neighbors and strives to provide for his family, then on the Day of Judgment he will come with a face as bright as the moon at full.”

This is because the goal he wants to achieve is for the sake of Allah.

Understand this important information.

If asked: “What is required in taking a permissible matter so that it can become a good as you said?”

Know that it basically has two conditions. The first is the condition and the second is the goal.

The situation referred to here is taking it with an excuse. This means that if he does not take the item, he will be held accountable by himself. To be clear, if he does not take the permissible thing, then he will not be able to perform the obligation or obligation. This means that taking the permissible thing is better for him than not taking it, because not taking a permissible worldly thing is a virtue. If that is the case, then this is what is called an excuse.

The purpose referred to here is to take it with the intention of preparing for and aiding in the worship of Allah. This is done by saying to oneself, “If this would not lead to the worship of Allah, I would not have taken it.” This is what is called remembering a valid reason (hujjah).

If he is able to remember the proof in the case of an excuse, then his taking of lawful worldly possessions may be a kindness and courtesy.

But if the situation is that he is excused but he does not have this aim, or he has this aim but he is not excused, then it does not come under the heading of kindness.

Then to maintain this kind of politeness you need vigilance and a firm purpose, which is not to take it at all except in preparation for worshipping Allah, so that if he forgets not to remember the hujjah, then he can just use the firm purpose without having to renew the remembrance of the hujjah.

Our teacher Abu Bakr Al-Warraq said: “These three things are the main conditions for taking permissible things from their respective sides.” This means that remembering the proof and the excuse is the main condition for making the taking something that is basically good.

As for the unanimity of purpose that comes from being cautious and occupying a degree of modesty, it is necessary for its continuity.

Understand the information. May you be guided.

If asked: “Is taking lawful worldly goods with lust an act of sin? Does he deserve to be punished? And is taking with an excuse an obligation?”

Know that this is a virtue and we call it kindness. The commandment is to teach modesty.

As for taking with lust, that is a bad thing. The prohibition is a matter of modesty and does not constitute sin. Hence he does not deserve punishment, but only detention, punishment, reproach and ridicule.

If you ask: “What is the reckoning and retribution that a servant must accept?”

You should know that the account is that you will be asked about what you worked for, what you spent it on and what you intended to achieve with it. The withholding here is the withholding from entering Paradise at the time of the reckoning, and it is done in the court of the Last Day amongst the horrible events and frightening things therein, naked and thirsty.

It is enough that it is a disaster.

If it is said: “Then Allah has made this lawful thing lawful for us. Why then is there still cursing and reviling in taking it?”

Know that the cursing and swearing is because he is not polite. It is like a person who is invited to a banquet in the house of a ruler. Then he is not polite. He will be cursed and reviled for his impoliteness, even though he is allowed to eat the food.

What is important in this chapter is that Allah created all servants for worship. He is still Allah’s servant no matter how one looks at it. Therefore, a servant must worship Allah from every direction that he is capable of. He should also make everything he does an act of worship from all aspects that he is good at. If he does not do that and chooses to indulge his lustful desires and is preoccupied with them to the point of neglecting to worship his Lord, while he is capable of doing so without any difficulty, and his current position is one of service and servitude, not pleasure and indulgence, then he deserves to be cursed and reviled by his master.

Therefore, reflect on this important point. May you be guided. There is no power and no effort except with the help of Allah, the Most High and the Most Great.

This is the comprehensive information that we are referring to in improving oneself and how to control it with the control of piety. Therefore, keep this information as much as possible correctly and guard it earnestly, then you will gain much good in this world and the Hereafter. Insha Allah.

Only Allah is the master of providence and guidance by His grace.

Based on the above information, you should do everything in your power to overcome this long stage. This is because this stage is the most difficult, costly, and full of trials and temptations. The truth is that all people become corrupt because they are cut off from the path of truth. Some are cut off because of the world, creatures, Satan, or lust. We have explained what can arouse a person to put all his energy into it in our books such as Ihya Ulumiddin, Al-Asraard and Qurbah Ilallah.

As for the purpose of this book (Minhajul Abidin), we ask Allah to show us the secret of the treatment of lust, to correct us, and to be kind to us. Hence, in this book we have simply explained in a concise but meaningful manner so that if Allah wills, the one who ponders on it will be satisfied and will be able to put him on the real path.

While the following chapter is devoted to a summary of the treatment of the self from the influences of the world, creatures, demons and passions.

1. World

When it comes to the world, you should be careful and humble in it. Because everything can never be separated from three things:

1. Sometimes you are alert and capable. You can simply deal with it by feeling that the world is the enemy of Allah while He is your beloved. The world is the destroyer of reason, while reason is your pride.
2. Sometimes you are a person who has a noble desire and is serious about worship, so you simply deal with it by feeling that the world, its ugliness alone can prevent you from worshipping, occupying your mind to the point of distracting you from worship and doing good. Then what about the world itself?
3. Sometimes you are among the heedless and lack vigilance so that you cannot see the truth. Nor do you have the lofty desires that arouse you to seek various glories. If that is the case, then you can simply cope by feeling that the world is not eternal. Sometimes you separate yourself from it, or it separates itself from you. As Hasan Al-Bashri said: If this world remains for you, then you do not live in the world forever.

So what do you get out of searching and spending your precious life to get it?

How beautiful is this saying by a poet:

Think of it as the world being led to you with ease.

But won’t it eventually disappear?

What do you expect from a life that is not eternal

and will soon be replaced by night.

Your world is nothing but shadows.

It follows you and quickly passes away (leaves you).

Therefore, it is not appropriate for people with common sense to be persuaded by it.

It’s so true what the poet said:

Like a sleeping dream or a vanishing shadow, the intelligent person will not be persuaded by such things.

1. Satan

In this matter of Satan, you only need to pay attention to the words of Allah to His Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him):

Meaning: And say O Muhammad! O my Lord. I seek refuge in You from the whispers of the devils. And I seek refuge with You, O my Lord, from their coming upon me.” (Q.S. Al-Mukminuun: 97-98)

Whereas the Prophet Muhammad is the best, smartest, most intelligent and most noble creature in the sight of Allah compared to other creatures. He was still recommended to seek protection from Allah from the evil of Satan. Then what about you who are stupid, imperfect and negligent?

1. Creatures In this matter of creatures you can simply deal with it by feeling that if you interfere and follow their wishes, then you have sinned and ruined your own affairs of the hereafter. If you leave them it will be difficult to avoid their hurtful treatment and denial. Then it could complicate your worldly affairs. You will also not feel safe from their insistence and will sometimes become hostile and hateful towards them, so that you fall into their evil. And indeed if they praise and exalt, I fear that they will make you subject to fitnah and feel good about yourself. And if they criticize and insult, I fear that one moment you will feel sad and another moment you will feel angry not for the sake of Allah, and these two things are destructive disasters.

Then remember how you were with them after being buried for three days. How they abandoned, shunned and forgot you. They barely remembered you. It is as if you have never seen them, and they have never seen you. There is only Allah Swt. Isn’t it a great loss if you waste your days with these creatures, while very few of them are faithful (fulfill promises) and not many are eternal with them. All the while you abandon service to Allah, to whom alone everything will return.

Then nothing lasts with you except Him, forever. He is the One who fulfills all needs. He is the One who completes all surrenders. All maintenance in whatever circumstances and no matter how difficult, He is the One who takes care of it. There is no partner for Him.

Therefore reflect, O poor man. May you be guided. And only Allah is the master of guidance by His grace.

1. Lust

In this matter of lust you simply look at how he is, the lowliness of his desires, and the badness of his choices.

When it has a desire it is exactly like a pet. When angry it is like a wild animal. When afflicted by calamity he is like a child. When he gets pleasure he is like Pharaoh. When hungry he is like a madman. And when full he becomes arrogant. If you make him full, then he becomes arrogant and jumps for joy. And if you make him hungry, then he will scream and complain.

He (lust) as expressed by a poet is: 

Like an evil donkey. If you make him full

he will kick others. And if hungry he whimpers.

What a pious man said is very true: Because of how bad and foolish lust is, if it wants to commit sin or arouse lust, then you turn it away, or invoke Allah, His messengers, His prophets, His books and all the righteous of old among His servants for help, and it is confronted with death, the grave, the Hour, Paradise and Hell, then it will not follow and will not abandon its desire. Then if you confront him by not giving him a piece of bread, then he will calm down and give up his desires. I say this so that you may know his lowliness and stupidity.

Therefore, be careful not to let your guard down. For lust, as its Creator, who knows better, whose majesty is great, says, is:

Meaning: Indeed, lust always commands evil (Q.S. Yusuf: 53).

This verse is sufficient as a warning to the wise.

A story has reached us that a pious scholar called Ahmad bin Argam AlBalkhi said: My lust called me out to go to war. Then I said, ‘Glory be to Allah. Verily Allah has said:

Meaning: Indeed, lust always commands evil (Q.S. Yusuf: 53).

And now he invites me to do good, something that will not happen forever. But he dislikes and desires to meet people in order to please them, to have people tell stories about him and greet him with greatness, kindness and glory. So I said to him, ‘I will not put you in front of people and let you become famous.’ He said yes, and I remained prejudiced against him. I murmured, Allah Almighty is the most trustworthy of speakers. “Then I said to him, ‘I will face the enemy without carrying a weapon so that you will be the first to be killed. He also agreed, and I exacerbated the suspicions and things to persuade him. Ja also agreed to all that.

Ahmad b. Arqam said: “Then I prayed as follows: O Lord, remember him for me. Indeed I am suspicious of him and justify You.

Then my heart was opened to him. It was as if he said: O Ahmad! Every day you repeatedly kill me by preventing me from desiring and disputing with you, while no one knows me. If you fight, then I will be killed only once, then I am free from you and people talk about me. They say, ‘Ahmad has been martyred’. I also get glory and am always remembered.

Ahmad bin Argam said: Then I stayed at home and did not go out to fight that year.

Therefore, look at the enticements and deceptions of lust. It wants to boast to people after death with deeds that it cannot find afterwards.

It’s so true what a poet says, how beautiful his words are:

Guard your lust. You will not be free from its betrayal.

For one lust is worse than seventy demons.

Therefore, -may Allah have mercy on you- beware of this kind of persuasion that always invites you to do bad things. Make up your mind not to obey them under any circumstances, and if Allah wills, you will do the right thing and be saved.

Then you should always control it with the control of piety, because there is no other way.

You should know that there is a very basic point here, which is that worship is divided into two: Doing and avoiding.

Doing means performing various acts of obedience. And avoiding means preventing oneself from various immoral and bad deeds. This is what is called piety.

Indeed, in any situation, avoiding sin is more likely to save you, better and more important for a servant than doing acts of obedience. That is why beginners who have just reached the first stage of ijtihad in worship are always busy doing acts of worship. All of them want to fast during the day, worship at night, and perform similar acts of worship.

People who have reached the pinnacle of worship and are vigilant will be occupied with avoiding sin. Their desire is to keep their hearts from inclination towards other than Allah, keep their stomachs from excess of halal goods, keep their tongues from useless words and keep their eyes from looking at what does not benefit them.

Because of this, the second of the seven worshipers said to Prophet Yunus: O Yunus. Indeed, there are those among mankind who are endowed with such a feeling of fondness for prayer that they do not choose any other act of worship to overpower it. Meanwhile, prayer is the pillar of worship. (He does it) with solemnity, earnestness and humbleness (to Him). Some of them are blessed with the love of fasting so that they do not choose another act of worship to overpower it. Some of them were blessed with the love of giving alms so that they did not choose any other act of worship that could overpower it. O Yunus. I will give you an interpretation of these circumstances.

Make patience with adversity and surrendering everything to Allah your long prayer. Make silence from all evil your fast. Make refraining from what is painful your charity. For surely you cannot give alms with anything better than that and cannot fast with anything cleaner than that.

If you have learned that avoiding sin is better than taking care of yourself and being diligent in worship, then your business is complete. If you succeed in doing both, i.e. trying and avoiding, then your business is complete. You have succeeded in achieving your goal, and you are safe and fortunate. If you cannot achieve both and can only achieve one of them, then choose to abstain from sin. Then you will be safe even if you are not lucky. If not, then you will lose out on both.

The prayers and other acts of worship you perform at night will not be beneficial if you ruin them with a single wish. The fasting you do all day will not be beneficial if you ruin it with a single word.

We have told the story of Ibn Abbas r.a. that he was asked about the position of two men. One did a lot of good and a lot of bad. The other did a little good and a little bad. He replied: I do not equate salvation with anything.

An example of what we have been talking about is the state of a sick person. There are two ways to treat a sick person. The first is with medicine. The second is by avoiding abstinence. If the two methods are combined together, then the patient will be free from illness and become healthy. If they are not combined, then abstinence during illness is better. Medicine is useless if one does not abstain, but sometimes abstinence can be useful even without medicine.

Indeed the Messenger of Allah (saw) said:

Meaning: The essence of every treatment is to avoid abstinence.

The true meaning, which only Allah knows, is: Abstinence is sufficient in place of all medicines.

Hence, it is said that the best treatment practiced by the Indians was abstinence, by forbidding the sick person from eating, drinking and speaking for a few days. Then the sufferer is freed from the disease in this way, rather than in any other way.

Therefore, it has now become clear to you that piety is the heart and jewel of all worship. The one who is expert in piety occupies the highest position among servants. Hence, put all your efforts into achieving it and use all the help available to him.

Only Allah is the master of guidance and mercy.

Then take care of the four core limbs, namely:

1. Eye

In this case you just need to maintain it by thinking that all matters of religion and the world boil down to the heart. And indeed the worries, preoccupations, and corruptions of the heart mostly come from the eyes. Hence, Sayyidina Ali bin Abu Talib karramallahu wajhahu once said: Whoever does not control his gaze does not respect his heart.

2. Mouth (Oral),

In the case of this mouth you simply maintain it by feeling that all your good fortune and the fruits of your labor are due to worship and obedience.

As for the destruction of acts of worship and the damage they cause, these are fabrications, backbiting and so on, most of which come from the tongue. It will ruin what you have worked for a year or even five years with just one word.

That’s why there’s an expression that says

Meaning: There is nothing more worthy of constant imprisonment than the mouth.

It is narrated that one of the seven worshipers said to Prophet Yunus a.s.: O Yunus! Indeed, if the servants are serious about worship, then there is no power more appropriate for it than refraining from speech for a long time. Then the worshiper repeated his words and said: Nothing should be given more importance than the preservation of your tongue. Let nothing concern you more than your own safety.

Take these words to heart.

Then remember that the breath you are using to talk about something useless would not have done any harm had it been used to say the words astaghfirullah (I ask Allah for forgiveness). Sometimes that time coincides with a noble moment. That way Allah will forgive you and your capital will make a profit. Or you use it to say Iaa ilaaha illallah (there is no God but Allah). That way, you will get unimaginable rewards and savings. Or you use it to say asalullaaha al ‘aaftyata (I ask Allah for salvation). And sometimes that coincides with a favorable view (from Allah). That way, Allah grants your request and you are saved from disasters in this world and the Hereafter.

Isn’t it a real loss if you give up these glorious benefits for nothing and spend your breath and time on useless things that will at least bring you reproach, scorn, judgment and detention on the Day of Judgment?

How beautiful are the following words of a poet:

If you wish to say something false, then take its place with tasbih.

3, Stomach

In this case you just need to maintain it by feeling that what you are aiming for is worship. Food is the seed of charity and its water. That is where charity will grow and flourish. If the seed is bad then the plant will not be good and it is even feared that the plant could damage your land, and forever you will not be lucky.

Among the worrisome things is what I heard Ma’ruf al-Karkhi say:

Meaning: When you fast, then pay attention to what you break your fast with, in whose presence you break your fast and whose food you eat. For there are many people who eat one meal and their hearts change from what they used to do, so that they cannot return to their original state. How many a bite of food has prevented a person from worshiping all night. How many glances prevent one from reciting a single surah of the Qur’an. And a servant who eats only one mouthful is sometimes prevented from performing acts of worship for a year.”

Therefore, you should look carefully and be very cautious when it comes to strengthening foods if you are concerned about matters of the heart and have a strong desire to worship your Lord.

This is a description of food fortifying so that a servant can take from the side of what is permitted.

Furthermore, you should be polite in this matter. If not, then you will only be a bearer of food and a waste of time. For we know for sure and even see clearly that no act of worship can be performed when our stomachs are too full. If you force it with all your might for any reason, then your worship will not be the least bit delicious and sweet.

Hence, it is said: No sweetness of worship can be expected by eating a lot. How can there be nur in the heart without worship. And how can there be nur in worship without a delicious and sweet taste?

It is because of this meaning that Ibrahim ibn Adham said: I was with the lovers of Allah who were in the mountains of Lebanon and they told me: If you return to those who are concerned with the world, then advise them with four things. Tell them that whoever eats much will not find pleasure and sweetness in worship. Whoever increases sleep will not find blessings in his life. Whoever seeks the favor of man will not wait for the favor of God. And whoever talks a lot about useless things and backbites, then ja will not come out of the world (die) in a Muslim state.

It was narrated from Sahl (may Allah have mercy on him) that he said: The unity of all kinds of goodness is found in four things. With them one can become an Abdal wali. These four things are a deflated stomach, silence, abstinence from social intercourse and vigil at night.

An ‘arif said: Hunger is our main asset.

This means that the things that we produce such as free time, safety, worship, the sweet taste of worship, knowledge, and beneficial deeds are due to hunger and patience in doing so for the sake of Allah Swt.

4. Heart

In this case you simply maintain it by knowing that the heart is the core of everything. If you damage it, then everything will be damaged. And if you repair it then everything becomes good. because the heart is like the trunk of a tree and the other limbs are like its branches. It is from the trunk of the tree that the branches get water and become good or damaged.

The heart is also like a king, while the branches are like his followers. If the king is good, then all the people will be good. If the king is corrupt then all the people will also be corrupt.

Then, the goodness of the eyes, tongue, stomach and so on indicates the goodness of the heart and its prosperity. If there are defects and corruption in them, then know that this indicates the defects of the heart and the corruption that occurs in it. Sometimes the corruption is even worse. Therefore, devote all your attention to repairing it, and all will be well at once and you will feel comfortable.

Then the affairs of the heart are complicated, because they are driven by various khathirs that are under your control. And to not follow the khathir with all your might is very tiring. That’s why fixing the heart is the hardest thing for someone who is serious about it. And this attention to the heart is more and greater for people who are vigilant.

It was narrated from Abu Yazid that he said: I treated my heart for ten years, treated my tongue for ten years, and treated my lust for ten years. Of these three it was the heart that was the hardest.

Keep this in mind!

Next, you should pay attention to the four things I have mentioned: delusion, haste in doing things, envy and pride.

We have dealt with these four more specifically than any other topic in this place, and we strongly advise against them, because they are diseases that specifically affect Qur’ānic scholars. They affect society in general and Qur’ānic scholars in particular. That is why they are so bad.

You see a scholar of the Qur’an whose wishful thinking is a good intention. Then he will fall into the laziness of procrastination. You see him in such a hurry to attain a degree of goodness that he is cut off from it. Or he is in such a hurry to have his prayers answered that he is prevented from doing so. Or he is in a hurry to wish someone bad and regrets it, like the story of Noah (a.s.).

You see him envying his friends on the same level for the grace that God has given them to the point of almost reaching a level of envy that would not be practiced even by the ungodly or the fnajir (wicked).

It was because of these circumstances that Sufyan Ats-Tsauri said: I do not fear for my blood except from the threat of the Qur’anists and scholars. The people who heard this did not believe him. So he then said: I did not say that, but Ibrahim AnNakha’i (may Allah have mercy on him) did.

It was narrated from ‘Atha’. He said: Sufyan Ats-Tsauri said to me, ‘Beware of the Masters of the Qur’an. Be careful when I am with them. If I have a disagreement, then I prefer to say that I think the pomegranate is sweet and they say it is sour. I do not trust my blood to be carried to an evil ruler.

It was narrated from Malik bin Dinar. He said: I accept the testimony of the Qur’anic scholars over all people. But I do not accept the testimony of some of them over others, because I see that most of them are spiteful.

Narrated Fudhail. He said to his son: Buy me a house far away from the people of the Qur’an. What is the use of living with a people who if I appear to slip, they expose me. And if they see pleasure in me they will be envious.

That’s how it is. You will see him arrogant toward people and dismissive of them. When you meet him he will turn away and be surly. It is as if he has been granted two rak’ahs more than anyone else, has a decree from Allah that he will attain Paradise or be spared from Hell, or as if he is certain of good fortune for himself and misfortune for others.

In addition, he also wears the clothes of those who are tawadhuk of wool and so on and pretends to have died (of lust).

All of this is incompatible with pride and arrogance and does not make it good, rather it contradicts it. But a blind person never sees.

It is narrated that Fargad As-Sabkhi entered Hasan Al-Bashri wearing clothes, while Hasan was fully clothed. Then Hasan Al-Bashri said: Do you not see my clothes? These are the clothes of the people of Paradise, while yours are the clothes of the people of Hell. I have indeed heard that most of the inhabitants of hell are those who have worn out clothes. Then Hasan said: They put zuhud in their clothes and put pride in their breasts. By Allah as my oath. Indeed one of you is more arrogant than the one who owns a striated cloth and wears it.

It is because of this kind of meaning that Dzun-Nuun Al-Mislri is poetic:

He wears the garb of Sufism and boasts of his fur garments because he is ignorant,

while some people wear it in jest.

He shows you contempt and arrogance.

And pride is not something equal to early humiliation.

He pretended to be a Sufi in order to be regarded as trustworthy,

and his kesuftan means nothing but trust.

He does not desire God’s pleasure with it

but only looking for a way to betray.”

Therefore, you should guard yourself against these four kinds of corruption that we have mentioned, especially when it comes to pride. The first three are slippery slopes on which, if you slip, you will surely fall into sin. Pride, on the other hand, is a slippery slope that, if you slip on it, you will surely fall into the sea of disbelief and disobedience.

Don’t forget the story of Iblis and his slander. He refused and was arrogant. Then ja became part of the disbelievers.

Let us return to God. May He be pleased to keep us all in His good sight. Verily, He is the Most Gracious, the Most Noble.

The conclusion is: If you ponder with a clear mind, you will know that nothing in this world lasts forever. Its benefits are not worth the harm and all the things that come with it such as a tired body, a busy heart, a painful punishment and a long reckoning in the Hereafter that you cannot afford.

If you had really known that, you would not have been taken in by its advantages. You would not take from it except what you inevitably have to take as a means of worshipping God. You will not indulge in pleasure and enjoyment until you get heaven, an eternal abode, a place to reside by the side of the Ruler of the universe, the All-King, the All-Powerful, the All-Rich, and again the Most Glorious.

You also know that all beings are unfaithful. The misery they cause you is more than the help they bring you. Nor will you join them except in that which has become imperative for you. You take advantage of their kindness and avoid the harm they cause.

You are friends with the One with whom you have nothing to lose by befriending Him. You will not be disappointed if you serve Him. He comforts you with His book and your devotion to Him. In any circumstance He is there for you. From Him you will see all beauty and virtue. You will find Him whenever danger threatens, both in this world and in the Hereafter, as the Prophet said in his hadith:

Meaning: Preserve (the majesty of) Allah. You will undoubtedly find Him wherever you are.

You also know that Satan is a jerk. He is always trying to antagonize you. Therefore, seek protection from your Lord, the All-Powerful, the All-Defeating, from this cursed dog. Do not be caught off guard by his tricks and traps. Drive him away with the dhikr of Allah. Do not pay attention to it, for it is very trivial.

That way you will become a real man as God says:

Meaning: He has no power over those who believe and surrender to Allah (Q.S.An-Nahl: 99).

It is so true what Abu Hazim said: What is the world? And what is Satan?

The world. What has passed is a dream, and what is to come is a daydream. As for Satan, by Allah. He has indeed been made a role model, but he does not benefit. He is also opposed, but does no harm. You also know the folly of lust and its resistance by seeking to harm and destroy it. You look at it with compassion like the view of the wise and the scholars, i.e. those who look at the apparent essence of things. Not like the view of fools and children, who only glance at it without thinking of the pain in the future. Running from a medicine that tastes bitter. Then you control it (lust) using control by preventing it from something that is really not needed such as nonsense, looking and eating. Never are you influenced by bad deeds such as wishful thinking (thuulul amal), haste, envy of Muslims, arrogance out of place or eating solely out of lust and gluttony.

You are giving him something that he does not need and you do not fear any harm from it, because there is no reason to be extravagant. Allah has expanded all matters for His slaves with His mercy, enriching them from anything harmful in matters of religion. What else is needed? Because according to a pious scholar, piety is the easiest thing. If I doubt something, then I will leave it. Because the passions will calm down and get used to it as long as you make a habit of it.

As one poet said that lust is:

Lust feels good when you please it.

And if you return it to something small, it will accept.

Another poet said:

He is lust. Whatever you put on him he can bear.

And we are told that if you make a habit of it, it will become a habit.

Another poet said:

I refrained from delicacies until my lust turned away.

I forced him to be patient and he was patient.

That lust is nothing but following what a young man does.

If it is fed then it wants it. But if it is not, then it is content.

If you know the characteristics that I have mentioned, then you will be one of those who abstain from this world and love the Hereafter.

Know that to be called a zuhud person is to be given a thousand praiseworthy names. And you are among those who isolate themselves and cut themselves off from society in order to worship Allah, the Almighty, those who are at peace and in service to the Lord of the universe.

You become the kind of person that the following poet said:

A group of people feel busy with their worldly affairs.

And another group of people retreated to their Lord.

Then Allah required them to stay at the door of His pleasure.

And He suffices them from all creatures.

They line the soles of the feet at night

and the gaze of the All-Seeing One is always upon him. So fortunate are they. And indeed they are very fortunate

with the honor that Allah bestowed upon them.

You are also part of those who are humble before Allah, being special among the servants of Allah. That is, those of whom Allah says:

Meaning: Verily, My servants, you have no power over them (Q.S. Al-Hijr: 42).

You are also among the pious, those who have good fortune in this world and the next. That is when you become His good help and ease. He is the One who is sufficient for all important matters. May Allah help you in all difficulties. In His hands are held all the affairs of creation. He is all-powerful over all things.

This is what we want to address in this chapter.

There is no power and no effort except with the help of Allah, the Most Sublime, the Most Great.

Fourth Stage: ‘AWARIDH (OBSTACLES)

O people who wish to worship! You should always prevent obstacles from keeping you busy and distracting you from worshipping Allah and close off the path to that direction so that they do not keep you busy and away from your original goal. We have mentioned that there are four such obstacles:

1, Sustenance and the Demands of Lust to Seek It

These obstacles can be overcome by putting your trust in Allah. Therefore, you should leave the matter of sustenance and all these needs to Allah, no matter what happens.

This has to be done for two reasons:

1. To gain peace in worship and do good as it should be. This is because those who do not put their trust in Allah will be preoccupied and leave worship because of their pursuit of needs, sustenance, and goodness, both physically and mentally.

Sometimes he strives by working like the usual people who love the world. And sometimes he tries with remembrance, desire, and anxiety like the mujtahideen whose hearts are still attached to the world.

Meanwhile, worship requires peace of mind and body in order to truly fulfill its rights. This tranquility is not possessed by anyone other than the one who puts his trust in Allah. In fact, in my opinion, a person whose heart is weak cannot have peace of mind except with something (sustenance) that is already known. He can hardly complete the worrisome affairs of this world and the Hereafter.

I often heard from my teacher Abu Muhammad. He said: “The affairs of this world will go well for two kinds of people, those who put their trust in it and those who do things without thinking.

I think this is the view that is more comprehensive. For the inconsiderate person wants everything to be based only on the prevailing strength and courage of the heart. He does not look to anything that would turn him away or to worries that might weaken him. So things come to pass.

Whereas the person who puts his trust in Allah wants everything with strength, vigilance and complete confidence in Allah’s promise and full trust in His assurance. So he does not turn his back on anyone who frightens him or the devil who tempts him. In this way, he can achieve his goal and get what he seeks.

As for the weak creature of Allah, it forever remains between trust, indecision, sluggishness and confusion, like a donkey in its cage or a chicken in a cage. It always sees what its owner is accustomed to and hardly ever escapes from it.

His lust no longer desires high positions. His aspirations have been dashed and he barely aims for anything noble. If he wants it then he can hardly get it, nor can he perfect it.

Do you not see how the aspiring ones of the world-loving class do not attain great degrees and high positions except by severing their hearts from themselves, their possessions, and their families?

A king, on the other hand, will be delighted with warfare and facing enemies. He may lose and may gain the kingdom until he acquires the position of king and holds the reins of power.

It is narrated that when Mu’awiyah bin Abu Sufyan saw the two armies in the battle of Shiffin, he said: “Whoever wants a high position, then he must dare to face his great misfortune.”

The merchants took the path of destruction, throwing themselves and their treasures into the midst of robbers coming from right and left, putting themselves in the position of losing their lives and gaining profits so that they could gain great profits, abundant treasures and beautiful expensive goods.

The market trader who is weak-hearted and low in desire, his heart is not free from the bonds of himself and his wealth. All his life he only walks back and forth from his house to his stall. He cannot attain a noble position like the kings. Nor can he earn much profit like the brave merchants. If he made a profit of one dirham from his merchandise, then it would have been great enough for him. This was because of his dependence on what he was accustomed to.

This description is something to do with the world and its lovers.

As for those who love the Hereafter, their main asset is piety, as I have explained, and cutting off their hearts from any dependence.

Once they were well-established and had all that, then they took the opportunity to worship Allah, set themselves apart from all creatures, traveled the earth, lived in the mountains and valleys. Then they became the strongest servants, the most religious leaders around, free men and in essence kings of the earth. They walked as they pleased and stopped as they pleased. They also wanted as many great things as they wished, for there were no obstacles or hindrances in their way. For them all places are one. All time for them is one. And this was hinted at by the Prophet with his saying:

Meaning: “Whoever prefers to be the strongest, then let him put his trust in Allah. Whoever prefers to be the most honorable, then let him fear Allah. And whoever prefers to be the richest, then let him trust in what is in the hand of Allah rather than what is in his hand.”

It was narrated from Sulaiman Al-Khawash that if there was a man who truly relied on Allah with the right intention, then he would be needed by the government leaders and all his subordinates. How could he not be needed if his master is the All-Rich and All-Praised?

It is narrated from Ibrahim Al-Khawash that he said: “I met a man in the land of Tiih who was as white as silver. Then I asked him, ‘O brother! Where are you going? The man replied, ‘To Mecca. I asked, “Without provisions and a vehicle? The man replied, O weak believer! The One who is able to preserve the heavens and the earth is able to convey me to the land of Mecca without provisions and a vehicle. When I entered Mecca the man was circumambulating while reciting a verse:

O my lust! Keep on traveling

and love no one

other than Allah, the Most Great, the Lord of requests.

O my lust, die with sorrow.

When he saw me he said: “O old man! Is it after (witnessing) that (your heart) is still weak?”

Abu Muthi’ said to Hatim Al-Asham: “I heard that you traveled the desert with reliance and without provisions.” Hatim replied: “My provisions are of four kinds.” Abu Muthi asked: “What are those four kinds?” Hatini replied: “1) I see the world and the hereafter as the kingdom of Allah. 2) I see all creatures as servants of Allah from His family. 3) I see the various sustenances and their causes as being in the hands of Allah. 4) I see that Allah’s decree is certain in all corners of the earth.” How beautiful the words of a poet:

I see those who are zuhud always calm and serene.

Their hearts are far from the jokes of the world.

If you look at them, it’s as if you see

a king on earth with a generous nature.

1. Worry and the great danger that arises if we abandon it (tawakal).

Has not Allah provided sustenance to every creature? He said:

Meaning: “Allah created you, then gave you sustenance…” (Q.S. Ar-Ruum: 40)

This verse shows that all sustenance comes from Allah, not from anything else, just as creatures come from Him. Then Allah does not simply point out, but also gives a promise. Allah says:

Meaning: “Verily Allah, He is the Giver of sustenance.” (Q.S. Adz-Dzaariyaat: 58)

Allah not only promises but also guarantees. Allah says:

Meaning: “And there is not a creeping thing on the earth except that Allah provides for it.” (Q.S. Huud: 6)

Allah also not only guarantees, but also swears (will provide sustenance). Allah says:

Meaning: “By the Lord of the heavens and the earth, indeed the provision promised by Allah is indeed what you say it will be.” (Q.S. Adz-Dzaariyaat: 23)

In addition to this, Allah also strongly commands us to put our trust in Him and also frightens us. He says:

Meaning: “And put your trust in Allah who lives forever, who does not die.” (Q.S. Al-Furqaan: 58)

He also says: .

Meaning: “And put your trust in Allah alone, if you are truly believers.” (Q.S. AlMaaidah: 23)

Whoever does not meditate on the words of Allah, is not satisfied with His promises, does not feel at ease with His assurances, does not accept His oaths and does not care about His commands, promises and threats, then wait for what will happen and what trials will befall him. This is a very big calamity but we always forget it.

The Prophet said to Ibn Umar:

Meaning: “What if you live among a people who store food for a year, because they are weak in faith?”

It was narrated from Hasan al-Bashri. He said: Allah curses a people to whom He has given an oath and they do not believe it.”

When this verse was revealed the angels said: “By the Lord of heaven and earth, woe to the descendants of Adam. They made God so angry that he swore an oath about their sustenance.”

Narrated Uwais Al-Qarani. He said: “If you worship as the inhabitants of the heavens and the earth do, Allah will not accept it until you justify Him.” It was then asked: “How do you justify it?” Uwais said: “You feel secure and at ease with the guarantee that Allah has given you in terms of your sustenance, so that you have the opportunity to worship Him.”

Once Haram bin Hayyan asked him (Uwais): “Where did you tell me to reside?” Uwais gestured with his hand towards the land of Sham. Haram asked: “What about my livelihood there?” Uwais said: “How wretched is a weak-hearted man like you, who has mixed with doubt that it is useless to give him advice.”

I (Al-Ghazali) once heard of a thief of cloth in a graveyard who repented before Abu Yazid Al-Busthami. Then Abu Yazid asked about what happened to the thief. The thief replied: “I have dug a thousand graves. None of the people I dug up faced the qiblah except two.” Abu Yazid said: “Pity them. Doubts about sustenance have turned their faces away from the qiblah.”

A friend told me that he saw a man who was a master of good deeds. Then he asked about the man’s condition: “Are you saved because of your faith?” Ja replied: “Faith is saved only by those who put their trust in it.”

We ask Allah that He may be pleased to correct us with His grace. And may He not torment us for our (bad) deeds. Verily He is the Most Merciful of the merciful towards His servants. This is an important matter.

If you say: “Explain to us what is the essence of tawakhaal, what is the ruling on it, and what a slave should do in regard to it in relation to sustenance.

It should be noted that the definition of tawakal is divided into four: the meaning of the word tawakal, its position, limitations and the stronghold of tawakal.

First Article: Meaning of the Word Tawakal

The word comes from the mashdar “wakalah” which means representation. So the person who puts his trust in someone means that he considers him a representative who carries out (takes care of) his work, who is responsible for his good and he does not need to participate in the work, burden himself, or be concerned.

This is the global meaning of the word tawakal.

Second Article: The Position of Tawakal

This word tawakal is used in three positions, namely the position in terms of the distribution of sustenance, help and sustenance itself and various needs.

1. In terms of the distribution of sustenance, tawakal means fully trusting that Allah cannot be wrong in distributing sustenance. It means trusting that Allah will not make a mistake in distributing His sustenance to that person, because Allah’s decree cannot be changed. And tawakal in this case is obligatory, based on the Qur’an and hadiths

2. In terms of help, tawakkal means full trust in His promised help as long as one truly helps and strives for His sake. Allah says:

Meaning: “Then when you have made up your minds, then put your trust in Allah.” (Q.S. Ali Imran: 159)

Allah also said:

Meaning: “If you help Allah, Allah will help you.” (Q.S. Muhammad: 7) Allah says:

Meaning: “And it is fitting that I (Allah) should help those who believe.” (Q.S. Ar-Ruum: 47)

3. In terms of sustenance and needs, in fact, Allah guarantees all the needs that you need for worship so that you are able to carry it out. This is based on the words of Allah:

Meaning: “And whoever puts his trust in Allah, Allah will provide for him.” (Q.S. Ath-Thalaq: 3)

The Prophet said:

Meaning: “If you all put your trust in Allah truly, surely Allah will provide for you as He provides for the birds. In the morning it is hungry, and in the evening it returns (to its nest) with a full stomach.”

Tawakal in this chapter is an obligation of every servant based on agli and shar’i evidence.

This is the strongest view, which is to put one’s trust in one’s sustenance. And this is what we want in this chapter.

So, the position of tawakal here is sustenance that has been guaranteed by Allah, as the scholars say. However, this will become clear once you know the different types of sustenance. Therefore, know that sustenance is divided into four:

1. Sustenance of madhmun
2. Sustenance maqsuum
3. Mamluk sustenance
4. Sustenance mau’ud

1. Sustenance of madhmun

It is sustenance that is used as strengthening and other things that make the body upright without any other cause. This kind of sustenance is the responsibility of Allah. Therefore, in this case, we must put our trust in Him, because there are agli and shar’i proofs that indicate this. This is because Allah has burdened us with the task of serving and obeying His commands using our bodies. Therefore, Allah certainly guarantees us from what can cause damage to the body so that we can carry out what He imposes on all of us.

One of the scholars from the Kiriamyah school of thought is of the view that the provision of sustenance for the servants is basically obligatory in view of the wisdom of Allah, because of three elements:

First, Allah swt. is the master and we are all servants. A master must provide for his servants just as servants are obligated to serve their masters.

Secondly, Allah makes them need sustenance and does not give them a way to seek it, because they themselves do not know what, where, and when the sustenance can be obtained so that they can search for it, take it themselves from its place and at the right time, so that they can reach the place where the sustenance is. Therefore, in this case, Allah is obliged to provide for them and bring them to the place of sustenance.

Thirdly, Allah burdened them with the command of devotion. While the work of earning sustenance is a preoccupation that can distract them from it. Therefore, He is obliged to provide for their living expenses so that they can serve (worship) in peace.

This is the word of one who is ignorant of divine secrets. The one who says that sustenance is the duty of Allah is confused. We have explained the error of this kind of speech or belief in the science of kalam. It is better now to return to the subject that is our main objective (the issue of sustenance – Pen).

2. Sustenance maqsuum

That is the sustenance distributed by Allah and written in the Book of Allah in the form of something that is eaten, drunk, and used by everyone with a predetermined size and time, neither increasing nor decreasing, neither forward nor backward from the predetermined provisions and in accordance with the existing reality. As explained in the following hadith of the Prophet:

Meaning: “All sustenance has been divided and also settled. The piety of a muttagi cannot increase his sustenance, nor can the disobedience of a disobedient person decrease it.

3. Mamluk sustenance

It is the sustenance that is owned by everyone in the form of worldly wealth with a size that has been determined by Allah and distributed so that it can be owned. This mamluk sustenance includes sustenance from Allah SWT. Allah says:

Meaning: Spend some of the sustenance We have given you (Q.S. al-Baqarah: 254).

This means that the sustenance We give you belongs to all of you.

4. Sustenance mau’ud

That is the sustenance promised by Allah for his pious servants with one condition, namely piety. The sustenance is in the form of something halal and obtained without having to struggle. Allah swt. said:

Meaning: Whoever fears Allah, Allah will make for him a way out (of the difficulty), and He will give him sustenance from where he does not expect it (Q.S. Ath-Thalaaq: 2-3).

This is the division of sustenance. But tawakal is only obligatory with regard to madhmun sustenance. Know this obligation.

The limits of tawakal, as perceived by our teachers, are: Confidence in one’s heart in Allah, hoping only in Him without expecting anything from Him.

One scholar said that tawakal is: Maintaining one’s heart in Allah in matters of goodness by abandoning one’s dependence on anything other than Allah.

Shaykh Imam Abu Amar said: Trust is giving up the dependence of the heart. Whereas dependence of the heart is remembering that your body is upright because of something other than Allah.

Our teacher Abu Bakr Al-Warraag said: Tawakal and ta’alluq are two memories. Tawakal is the remembrance that your body is upright because of Allah. Whereas ta’alluq is the memory that it is something other than Allah that keeps your body upright.

According to me (Al-Ghazali) all opinions in this matter come back to one principle, which is to place the heart in the belief that indeed the upholding of your body, the hindrance of poverty, and the sufficiency that you obtain are from Allah, not because of anyone other than Allah, not because of the treasures of this world, nor because of other causes.

Then, if Allah wills, He will provide him with a cause (because) in the form of creatures or the wealth of the world. And if Allah wills He will suffice him with His power, without any cause or intermediary.

If you contemplate that in your heart with a sense of determination, then eliminate dependence on all other creatures and causes, and go only to Allah, then you have fulfilled the rights of tawakal.

These are the limits (of) reliance.

The fortress that encourages (arouses) the desire for trust is remembering the guarantees of Allah SWT. Meanwhile, what protects the fortress is remembering the majesty of Allah, the perfection of His knowledge, power and cleanliness from betraying promises, forgetting, inability and His shortcomings. If a servant remembers this regularly, it will encourage him to put his trust in Allah in matters of sustenance.

If there is a question: Is a servant required to seek sustenance under certain circumstances?

You should know that the sustenance of madhmun, which is the source of strength that makes the body stand upright, cannot be sought, because it is one of Allah’s actions towards the servant, just like life and death. The servant cannot seek it or deny it.

As for sustenance that has a cause, a servant is not obliged to seek it, because he does not actually need it. What he needs is the sustenance of madhmun, which comes from Allah and is His responsibility. Whereas what is meant in the word of Allah:

Meaning: And seek the bounty of Allah.(Q.S. Al-Jumuah: 10)

are knowledge and reward.

Some say that the gift is a dispensation from Allah, because it is a command that comes after a prohibition, so it means that it is permissible, not obligatory.

If asked: But the sustenance of madhmun also has a cause. Are we not obliged to look for the cause?

The answer is: You are not obliged to look for the cause. Because a servant does not need one. Allah does things with or without a cause. So where does our obligation to look for a cause come from?

Then Allah guarantees you absolutely without the condition of seeking or working. Allah says:

Meaning: And there is not a creeping thing on earth except that Allah provides for it (Q.S. Huud: 6).

So is it true that Allah has commanded a slave to seek something that he does not know where it is so that he can seek it? None other than because he does not know what causes his sustenance and what makes him strong and improved.

So, each one of us does not know the true cause from which he acquired it, hence the imposition on the servant is incorrect. Ponder on it, and you will surely get guidance, for it is obvious.

It is enough for you to learn that the prophets a.s. and the trusting lovers of Allah generally did not seek sustenance and instead focused themselves on worship. And on the whole they did not forsake the commands of Allah and did not disobey Him in that regard.

Thus, it is clear to you that seeking sustenance and all its causes is not something that a servant is obliged to do.

If you ask: Can sustenance be increased by effort (seeking) and decreased by abandonment (without making effort)?

Know that the matter of sustenance has been recorded in Lauh Mahfuzh, and the amount (size) and time have been determined. Yet no one can change the law of Allah. No one can change His distribution and records.

This is the correct view according to our scholars. It is different from the view held by the disciples of Hatim and Shaqeeq. They said: Sustenance cannot increase or decrease because of what a person does. But wealth can increase and decrease because of it.

This view is wrong, because the evidence for these two things (provision and wealth) is only one, namely the decree and the distribution. And this is also what Allah signaled with His words:

Meaning: (We have explained this) so that you may not grieve for what has escaped you, and so that you may not be overjoyed for what he has given you.(Q.S. Al-Hadid: 23)

If sustenance could increase by seeking and decrease by not seeking, there would be a place of hardship and joy, because if a servant is not serious and procrastinates he will lose it. And if he is serious and eager he will gain it.

The Prophet said to a beggar:

Meaning: Take this (date). If you had not come to him, these dates would have come to you.

If there is a question: Rewards and punishments are also written in the Book of Allah, and we are obliged to seek rewards and avoid things that entail punishment. Then can the reward be increased by seeking it and decreased by leaving it?

Know that seeking reward is obligatory, that is because Allah has commanded it with a definite command! And threatens if it is neglected. Allah also does not guarantee reward without us doing something to earn it. While the increase in reward depends on the actions of the servant.

As for the difference between the two, there is one point, which is what one of our scholars said: there are two kinds of things written in the Book of Allah:

First, the things that are written absolutely, meaning without conditions and dependence on the actions of a servant, namely the various kinds of sustenance and death. Don’t you see how Allah mentions them absolutely with no conditions? Allah says:

Meaning: And there is not a creeping thing on earth except that Allah provides for it (Q.S. Huud: 6).

And Allah said:

Meaning: So when the time comes, they will not be able to delay it for a moment, nor will they be able to advance it (Q.S. Al-A’raaf: 34).

The Prophet said:

Meaning: “There are four things that have been determined, namely: Creation, character, sustenance and death.

Secondly, things that are written but are accompanied by a condition and are dependent on something, namely on the condition of a servant’s action. These are rewards and punishments.

Do you not see how Allah mentions these two things in His book by making them dependent on the actions of the servant?

Allah said:

Meaning: And if the People of the Book had believed and feared, We would have expiated their wrongs and admitted them to a paradise of bliss (Q.S. Al-Maaidah: 65).

This should be obvious, understand!

If there is a question: We have found many people who seek sustenance and they find sustenance and wealth. And we have also seen people who do not seek sustenance find nothing and become poor.

The answer to that is: You never seem to see anyone who tries and then doesn’t succeed and becomes poor.

You also don’t see people who don’t seek it and are unemployed being given sustenance and becoming rich.

It is true that mostly that is what happens so that you know that it (sustenance) is the provision (destiny) of the Great and All-Knowing God. It is also the arrangement of the wise Maharaja.

Abu Bakr Muhammad bin Saabig Al-Waa’izh Ash-Shiqli in the Levant recited a poem:

There are many strong and clear-headed people who are diligent in their work,

but the sustenance turned away from him.

Many weak people are not diligently pacing themselves to work

but it’s as if he’s just gleaning his sustenance from the shores of the sea.

This is proof that God has a secret

that is kept so tightly hidden that it cannot be uncovered by His creatures.

If you ask: Is it possible for a person to enter the hinterland without bringing supplies?

If you have a strong heart for Allah and complete trust in Allah’s promise, then enter without provisions. If you don’t, then do as most people do and bring everything they need.

I (Al-Ghazali) once heard Abu Al-Ma’aali (may Allah have mercy on him) say: Verily, whoever walks (lives) with Allah as is the custom of mankind in general, Allah will treat him as He treats mankind in terms of providing for needs.

This is a very good saying. It contains a lot of benefits for those who ponder.

If you ask: Has not Allah said:

Meaning: “And let you all carry provisions, for surely the best provision is piety.” (Q.S. Al-Baqarah: 197)

Note that there are two opinions regarding this verse:

1. What is meant by provision here is provision for the Hereafter. Hence, He says: The best provision is piety. And does not say: The wealth of this world and its various causes.
2. This verse relates to people who go on Hajj without any provisions because they rely on what others give them. They begged, complained, insulted and harmed others. Then they were commanded to bring provisions as a warning that taking provisions from one’s own wealth is better than taking it from others and relying on them.

That’s how I see it.

If you ask: Does the person of trust need to bring provisions when traveling?

Know that sometimes he carries provisions but his heart is not set on them. He does not believe that it is his sustenance and that it is from it that he gets his strength. Rather, he relies on Allah and puts his trust in Him, such as by saying that the provision has been distributed and the distribution has been completed. And if Allah wills, then He will uphold my body with the provision of envy or with something else.

And sometimes he brings provisions with other intentions, such as to help a Muslim and so on.

What is at issue here is not whether or not to bring provisions, but the heart.

Do not set your heart on anything but Allah’s promise and the goodness of His assurance. How many people carry provisions but their hearts remain dependent on Allah. And how many people do not carry provisions but their hearts are not dependent on Allah. Therefore, the most important thing here is the heart.

Understand these details. Insha Allah, you will not be short of living expenses.

If someone says: The Prophet also carried provisions. So did the Companions and the righteous predecessors.

The answer is: There is no doubt that carrying provisions is permissible and not prohibited. But what is forbidden is to rely on provisions and not to rely on Allah, the Almighty. Take note of that!

Then what do you think of the Messenger of Allah (S) when Allah said to him:

Meaning: “And put your trust in the One who lives, who will never die.” (Q.S. Al-Furqaan: 58)

Did he disobey Him and depend on food, drink, dinars and dirhams? No. That is not possible. That could not have happened. His heart remained dependent on Allah and put his trust in Him as he was commanded to do. This is because the Prophet (may Allah’s peace and blessings be upon him) was a person who did not look at the world and did not reach out to open the keys of the earth’s storages, because the taking of provisions by him and his righteous predecessors was based on various good intentions, not because of the inclination of their hearts to leave Allah and rely on provisions.

What counts is the goal as we have explained to you. Understand! Wake up from your sleep! Wake up from your negligence, surely you will understand. May Allah guide you.

If you ask: Which is the best of the two? Taking provisions or leaving them behind?

You should know that the answer differs according to different circumstances. If this person is a role model and wants to make it clear that it is permissible to carry provisions, in order to help a Muslim, or to help someone in need and so on, then it is better for him to carry provisions.

If a person is alone, and his heart is firmly committed to Allah, and the matter of provisions is making him busy and making him forget to worship, then it is best for him to leave it behind.

Understand this information and guard yourself with it. May you be guided. Only to Allah do we ask for guidance.

2. Concerns and What to aim for

This obstacle can be overcome by surrendering. Therefore, surrender to Allah in all things. This should be done for two reasons:

1. Immediate peace of mind. Because anything that is big and you are not sure of its goodness and harm will make your heart confused.

Your lust will wonder whether it is doing good or harming? If you surrender everything to Allah, then you come to know that it is impossible for Allah to place anything but good. You feel safe from worry and damage and your heart instantly becomes calm.

This kind of peace, security and inner comfort is a huge advantage.

Our teacher used to say in his majlis: “Leave everything to the One who created you, and you will feel good.

In this case he composed a poem:

Indeed, those who do not know

whether the person they love can benefit them or not,

then it is appropriate for him to hand over what he is unable to complete

to the One who will fulfill it.

Namely, God is the Most Good,

whose compassion exceeds that of his mother and father.

1. The good that comes in the future. Because everything must have an end that is still unclear. How much ugliness has the face of goodness. How much harm is found in jewelry and benefits. How much poison is in the form of honey. Meanwhile you do not know the end and various secrets.

If you want something for sure and do it the way you want, then before long you will have fallen into corruption without even realizing it.

It has been told that there was a worshipper who asked Allah to see Satan. Then someone reminded him that he should ask Allah for safety. The man refused and still asked for it. Then Allah showed him Satan. After seeing Iblis the man wanted to hit him. So Iblis said: Had it not been for the fact that you will live another hundred years, I would have destroyed and tortured you. So the man was persuaded by Iblis’ words and “said to himself I have a very long life. I will do whatever I want and then repent.” So he fell into wickedness, abandoned worship and finally perished.

From this story there is a lesson for you not to be sure of your desires and to insist on achieving what you seek. This story also warns you against delusion (wishful thinking), as it is the greatest disease.

It’s so true what the poet said:

Beware of covetousness and delusion.

How many delusions lead to death.

If you submit your affairs to Allah and ask Him to choose that which is good for you, then you will surely receive good and will not find anything but good

Allah swt. says about a righteous servant:

Meaning: And I leave my affairs to Allah. Verily, Allah is All-Seeing to all servants. Then Allah preserved the servant from the evil of his enemies and sent a terrible punishment upon the people of Pharaoh.(Q.S. Al-Mu min: 44-45)

Don’t you see how Allah sends down the result of surrender in the form of preservation from evil and help to defeat the enemy and get what one wants?

Reflect on it. May you be guided. Insha Allah.

If you say: Please explain what tafwiidh (surrender) means and how it is ruled!

Know that this has two articles that will clarify everything, namely:

1. The position of tafwidh and its ruling.
2. Meaning, limitation and inverse.

Position of Tafwidh

Know that murad (something desired) is divided into three:

1. Murad, which is definitely known to be corrupt and bad and about which there is absolutely no doubt, such as Hell and punishment. In actions, such as kufr, innovation and disobedience. So there is no way to desire it.
2. Myrrh that is definitely known to be good such as Paradise, faith, sunnah and so on. It is permissible for you to want this kind of murad with certainty. There is no need for tafwidh in this case, because there is nothing to worry about and there is no doubt that it is definitely good.
3. Murad, which you do not know for sure whether it will benefit you or harm you, such as sunnah and permissible actions. This is the appropriate place for tafwidh. It is not permissible for you to want it for sure, but you have to accompany it with exceptions, and that is called tafwidh.

If you want that without any exceptions, then such an act is called covetousness, which is condemned and forbidden.

Then the appropriate place for tafwidh is any murad that involves worry, i.e. something that you are not sure is going to be good for you.

Meaning of Tafwidh

Some of our teachers said that tafwidh is not choosing something for oneself that involves worry and leaving it to the choice of the One who rules over everything, who knows the good of all creatures, and there is no god but Him.

According to Shaykh Abu Muhammad As-Sijzi, tafwidh is leaving the choice that worries you for the Choice of the One who chooses so that He may choose what is best for you.

Shaykh Abu Amr (may Allah have mercy on him) said that tafwidh is giving up covetousness, while covetousness is the desire for something for which there is a definite fear,

These are the various opinions of our teachers.

In my opinion, tafwidh is the wish for Allah to preserve your good from things that cause you worry.

The opposite of Tafwidh

The opposite of tafwidh is covetousness.

Globally, greed applies from two sides:

1. The same side as raja’ as when you want something that does not concern you, or want something that concerns you but with exceptions. This kind of greed is praiseworthy and not blameworthy as Allah says:

Meaning: And the One whom I hope that He will forgive me of my faults on the Day of Resurrection (Q.S. Ash-Shuaraa: 82).

He also said: …

Meaning: We desire that our Lord may forgive us our sins (Q.S. Ash-Shu’araa: 51).

This kind of thing is not something that we want to explain in the matter of tafwidh.

Some say that the corruption of religion lies in covetousness and that the only thing that can overcome it is wara’.

1. Despicable greed.

The Prophet said:

Meaning: Abstain from covetousness, for it is manifest poverty. Some say that the corruption of religion and its reproach is due to covetousness, while the remedy is wara’,

Our teacher said: The despicable covetousness is divided into two: The first is being content with a benefit that is doubtful. And the second, is to desire with certainty something that is in doubt. This kind of desire is nothing but the opposite of tafwidh. Understand this explanation.

Tafwidh Fort

The fortress that guards tafwidh is remembering the worries of things and the possibility of corruption in them. The fortress that guards the fortress of tafwidh is remembering your weakness to guard yourself from various worries and prevent falling into them because of your ignorance, negligence and weakness.

By remembering these two things on a regular basis you will be encouraged to leave everything to Allah, guarding yourself against ensuring it and not desiring it except on the condition of good.

Only to Allah do we ask for guidance.

If you ask: What kind of worry requires one to surrender to God in all things?

You know, in general, worry is divided into two: First, doubtful worry, because it may or may not happen. You may get there or you may not. This kind of worry requires exclusion and overrides intentions and wishful thinking.

Secondly, fear of harm such as when you are not sure that there is any good in it for your baby, and it is this kind of fear that requires surrender (tafwidh).

The scholars have differing opinions on this matter of concern.

One scholar said that the worrisome thing about a work is that it is an action that, if left undone, will bring salvation and I will be blessed with sin. Faith, istiqamah and Sunnah are not among the worrisome things, because without faith there is no salvation at all. As for being faithful, there is no possibility of salvation at all without faith, and being faithful is not mixed with sin at all. So it is permissible to want faith and istiqamah with certainty.

Abu Ishaq said: Worrying in one’s work is something that may come up suddenly, and if one is busy doing it, it is better than continuing with the work that one was doing before. This applies to permissible, recommended and obligatory matters.

Have you not seen the time when a servant runs out of time to pray. Then he is faced with a fire or a person who is about to drown and he has the opportunity to save him. He would rather save them than pray.

So it is not permissible to want to be certain about permissible, recommended and obligatory matters.

If someone asks: Is it true that Allah, the Almighty, gives an obligation to His servant and threatens him if he fails to fulfill it, and then He does not create any good in performing it?

Know that our teacher Abu Bakr Al-Warraq said: Verily, Allah does not impose an obligation on a slave unless there is some good in it, provided there is no obstacle. Allah also does not restrict a slave to an obligation that he cannot do without, unless there is some good in it for him. But sometimes Allah gives him a reason as an excuse.

So it is better for him to move on to one of the two commandments rather than being preoccupied with the other, as we have mentioned. Thus in that case the servant gains an excuse or even a reward. He is rewarded not for abandoning this virtue, but for doing the second, better duty.

I once heard my teacher Imam Haramain say in this regard: Verily, everything that Allah has made obligatory for His servants such as prayer, fasting, Hajj and so on, there is no doubt that there is good in it for the servant. And it is justified to want that for sure.

He continued: It turns out that my opinion is very much in line with that. That leaves us with the question of how to judge what is permissible and mustahabb.

Pay attention to it, because it is a deep chapter.

Only to Allah do we ask for guidance.

If someone asks: Can anyone who surrenders himself (mufawaidh) be free (secure) from destruction and damage, while this world is a testing ground?

Know. Verily, a mufawidh (one who surrenders) will be treated kindly and sometimes he will be treated unkindly, though this is rare. That is why Allah sometimes lowers his rank so that he is thrown from the rank of tafwidh. And no good can come to a servant if he has been humiliated and fallen from the degree of tafwidh. This is what Shaykh Abu Umar said.

Someone said this: A mufawwidh will not be treated well except in that which he leaves to Allah. But the humiliation and lowering of status that comes with tafwidh does not come under the heading of tafwidh, because there is no doubt that this is a corruption. This is the best of the two opinions, according to our teacher, because otherwise there would be no reason to do so. Otherwise there would be no strong motivation for tafwidh.

If someone says: Is a mufawwidh obliged to be treated well?

Know. It is impossible to obligate anything to Allah. Allah does not have any obligations to His servants. Sometimes He treats a servant with something that is best, but not better as the wisdom of his deeds.

Do you not know that Allah ordained the Prophet and his Companions to sleep through the night until sunrise on a journey so that they missed the night prayer and the dawn prayer, whereas prayer is better than sleep.

Sometimes Allah ordains wealth and pleasure for a slave, even though poverty is preferable. Sometimes He decrees for him to be busy taking care of his wives and children even though focusing on worshipping Allah, the Almighty, is better. For He is all-seeing and all-knowing towards His servants. Just as an expert doctor will choose shaheed water for a patient even though sugar water is better and more palatable for him because the doctor knows that his illness will improve by drinking shaheed water. Meanwhile, the goal that a servant wants to achieve is salvation from destruction and damage, not superiority and glory accompanied by damage and destruction.

If asked: Is a mufawwidh entitled to vote?”

Be aware. The correct view according to our scholars is that the mufawwidh has the right to choose, and that does not detract from the goodness of his tafwidh. That is, if he finds good in what is preferred and what is preferred.

Then he wanted Allah to give him the better one. Like the patient who asks the doctor: Give me medicine from sugar water instead of poetic water if both are good for my health, so that I can simultaneously attain virtue and health. Similarly, a servant asks Allah to give him the good that is in the better thing and asks him for the cause so that he can simultaneously unite virtue and glory, but on the condition that if Allah chooses the good that is in the thing that is not better, then he will give it up.

If asked: Why is a servant only allowed to choose the better and not allowed to choose the best (more appropriate)?

The difference between the two is that a slave only knows what is better than what is better, not what is better than what is worse, so that he can desire it with certainty.

What is meant by the servant’s choice of the better thing is this: The servant who wants Allah to make good on something that is better, and Allah chooses it and decrees it for him, does not mean that the servant will definitely get what he chooses.

This is a small part of the information about the science of Sufism and its secrets. If it were not necessary, we would not have mentioned it, because it is part of the turbulent ocean of the science of mukasyafah. However, in this book we have summarized it in a small but satisfactory way with the intention of providing explanations that can be used by great scholars and beginners. God willing.

Only to Allah do we ask for guidance.

3. Qadha’ (Destiny) and Its Varieties

This kind of obstacle is enough to be faced with a willing attitude. Therefore, you should be willing to accept the fate given by Allah.

This kind of willingness must be done for two reasons:

Firstly, to be able to worship freely, because if you can’t accept Allah’s decision you will feel sad, and your heart will be busy thinking forever. It thinks why did this happen and why did it happen?

If the heart has been busy thinking about sadness like this how can it be free to worship? For you have no heart but one and you have filled it with sorrow and thinking about what has happened and what will happen in the affairs of the world.

Then where is the place to remember Allah, worship Him and think about the Hereafter? This is exactly what Sagig (may Allah have mercy on him) said: Indeed, regretting what has happened and planning what will happen can really take away the blessings of this age of yours.

The second is the fear of receiving wrath in the form of punishment from Allah. In some traditions we have narrated that one of the prophets complained to Allah about his unpleasant experience. Then Allah revealed to him: “Are you complaining about Me, while I do not deserve to be criticized and complained about? That’s it. Your knowledge of the unseen is apparent. Then why do you dislike My decision? Do you want Me to change the world for you, or change Lauh Mahfuzh for you, then I decide what you want in the form of something that I do not want? So that your pleasure could be realized, and not My pleasure? I swear by My majesty. If this kind of thought crosses your heart in the future, surely I will take off your prophetic garment and I do not care. I will definitely put you into hell.

In my opinion, it would be good for the trusting person to pay attention to the majestic diplomatic words and painful threats from Allah to His chosen prophet and beloved. What then is His attitude towards others?

Then consider the words of Allah: If such thoughts cross your mind again at another time…This threat is directed at the whispering and pacing of the heart. Then what about the person who cries out for help, complains, swears loudly about his Lord who is noble and kind, in front of people, and then takes them as helpers and friends? This is a person who has only felt wrath against Allah once. Then what is the condition of the person who is always angry (unwilling) with Allah throughout his life?

This threat is directed at those who complain to Him. Then what about those who turn to other than Him?

We seek refuge with Allah from the ugliness of our souls and the ugliness of our deeds. We also ask Him to forgive our sins and forgive our indiscretions and correct us all with His best supervision.

Indeed He is most merciful to His servants.

If asked: “What does it mean to be content with qadha (destiny), its essence and rulings?

Behold, our scholars said: Rida is the removal of hatred. Hate, on the other hand, is saying that what Allah has not ordained is better for him in a matter in which he is not certain of its harm or goodness. So, discarding hatred is a condition of being rida.

If you ask: Isn’t evil and disobedience also the destiny of Allah and under His control? Then how can Allah be pleased with His servant doing bad things and making it obligatory?

Know that it is the destiny, not the deeds, that must be relieved. A bad destiny does not mean a bad deed. What is bad is only something that is destined, so the servant is not pleased with bad deeds.

Our teachers said: There are four kinds of predestined things: pleasure, hardship, good and bad.

1. Enjoyment.

A servant must be willing to accept the Destroyer (Allah), the destiny itself, and the destined thing (enjoyment). He should also be grateful for the blessing, because it is a pleasure. And he must also show this pleasure by showing the results to Allah.

1. Difficulty.

In adversity, a servant must also be willing with the Destroyer (Allah), the destiny itself, and something that is destined. He must also be patient in facing the difficulties that befall him.

1. Kindness.

A servant must be content with the One who ordains the good (Allah), the destiny itself, and what is destined. He must also remember that it is a gift, because indeed the good has been shown to him.

1. Badness.

A servant must be willing with the One who destined the bad (Allah), the destiny itself, and something that is destined, because it is his destiny. Not because it is a bad deed.

It is something that is predestined if you look at destiny and the One who predestined it correctly. It is the same as if you are willing to accept another school of thought that you know as knowledge, not as a school of thought.

That knowledge goes back to knowledge. So, your willingness and love actually goes back to the knowledge of the madhhab, not to the madhhab itself. The same goes for being willing with something that is destined.

If someone asks: Is it permissible for a willing person to ask for more?

The answer is that it is permissible. It is permissible, provided that it is something that is good and beneficial, without being certain about it. That does not make him unwilling; rather it shows that he is willing, and that is better. If a person is impressed with something and is willing to spend on it, he will try to get more of it.

Whenever milk was offered to the Prophet, he would pray:

It means: “O Allah, bless my sustenance and give us more of it. “On another occasion he prayed:

Meaning: And give us milk better than that.

None of them indicate that he was unwilling to accept what Allah had destined for him.

If you ask: “Why did the Prophet not mention exceptions and conditions of goodness and benefit?

Know that all this has to do with the heart, and saying it is just an expression. So, he is still saying it in his heart even though he is not expressing it. Know that and be sure.

4. Various Disasters and Calamities

To deal with it you simply have to be patient. You should be patient in all aspects of life because of two things:

First, in order to be successful in worship and achieve the goal. This is because all forms of worship are built on patience and the ability to endure hardship.

Whoever is not patient will never achieve his goal properly. For the one who intends to worship Allah and focuses on it, will certainly be faced with difficulties, trials and tribulations from various aspects:

1. Difficulty

There is no act of worship that does not involve hardship. That is why the lure and promise of reward are given for it, because it is impossible for a servant to perform worship without suppressing desires and defeating passions that always avoid goodness. Disobeying desires and overcoming lust is the heaviest burden for a person.

2.Cautious attitude

A slave who finds it difficult to do good must be careful not to spoil his deeds. Keeping a deed from spoiling is harder than doing the deed itself.

3. Exam

This world is a testing ground. Anyone who lives in it inevitably has to face various difficulties and calamities. These tests vary. Some come from family, close relatives, relatives and friends, such as death, loss and separation. There are calamities that befall the self such as various diseases that infect it. There are calamities that concern self-esteem such as death threats, attempts at destruction, gossip and fraud committed by others against them. There are calamities involving property such as loss and so on.

Each of these calamities feels like a different sting and burn. Therefore, they all require patience. Otherwise, one will not feel at ease in worship, because he will always complain and be sad.

4. Ordeal

The one who wants to gain the Hereafter will forever face severe trials and tests. Whoever is closer to Allah will face more calamities and trials.

Didn’t you hear the Prophet’s words:

Meaning: “The people who are most severely tested are the prophets, then the scholars, people of similar standing to the scholars and so on.”

So, the one who wants to do good and focuses on the path to the Hereafter will be faced with various trials. If a person is impatient and does not turn away from these trials, he will be cut off in the middle of the road. Then he becomes busy and far away from worship and in the end he does not reach the destination at all.

Allah swt. has instructed us to always be cautious in the face of tests, calamities and trials that befall us. He states and corroborates this statement with His words:

Meaning: “Indeed. You will be tested with your wealth and yourselves. And you will indeed hear from those who were given the Book before you, and from those who associate partners with Allah, much distress.” (Q.S. Ali Imran: 186)

Then Allah continued His words:

Meaning: “And if you are patient and fearful, then surely that is one of the most important matters.” (Q.S. Ali Imran: 186)

As if by that verse Allah is saying: “Be strong, for you will inevitably be subjected to various trials. If you are patient, then you are all true men, and your aspirations are the aspirations of true men.”

Thus, one who aspires to worship Allah must first have a strong desire to be patient over a long period of time. He must strengthen himself to endure the great hardships that come one after another until death. Otherwise, he is seeking something without using tools and seeking it through the wrong path. It has been narrated from Fudhail bin Iyadh. He said: “Whoever wants to take the path of the Hereafter, let him make four kinds of death in himself, namely white death, red death, black death, and green death. White death means hunger. Black death means the censure of society. Red death means strife with the devil. And green death means alternating events.”

Secondly, the good of this world and the hereafter that comes with patience. Among these are salvation and success.

Allah says: :

Meaning: “Whoever fears Allah, then Allah will certainly

He will make for him a way out (of the difficulty), and He will give him sustenance from where he does not expect it.” (Q.S. Ath-Thalaaq: 2-3)

Meaning: Whoever fears Allah with patience, He will make a way out for him from any difficulty.

Among the benefits gained by patience is the defeat of enemies. Allah says:

Meaning: “So be patient. Surely a good end is for those who fear.” (Q.S. Huud: 49)

Another advantage is getting what you want. Allah says:

Meaning: “And your Lord’s good word has been completed (as a promise) to the Children of Israel because of their patience.” (Q.S, AI-A’raaf: 137)

It is narrated that Prophet Yusuf a.s. wrote an answer letter to Prophet Ya Qub a.s.: “Verily your forefathers were patient people and they got what they wanted. Therefore be patient like them and you will get what you want just as they got what they wanted.”

This also corresponds to the meaning of the expression of a poem:

“Indeed. Do not despair even though the search is very long. If you are patient, you will find a wide path.

It is only fitting that a patient person be given what he needs,

and the person knocking on the door can enter the house.

Another advantage is being ahead of others and becoming a leader. Allah says:

Meaning: “And We made them leaders who guide by Our command because they are patient.” (Q.S. As-Sajdah: 24)

Another benefit is praise from Allah. Allah says:

Meaning: “Indeed We found him (Ayyub) a patient man. He is the best of servants. Indeed he was very obedient (to his Lord).” (Q.S. Shaad: 44)

Another benefit is the good news of Allah’s mercy. He says:

Meaning: “And give good news to those who are patient.” (Q.S. al-Baqarah: 155)

to the word:

Meaning: “Those are the ones who have perfect blessings and mercy from their Lord.” (Q.S. al-Baqarah: 157)

Another benefit is the love of Allah. He says:

Meaning: “And Allah loves those who are patient.” (Q.S. Ali Imran: 146)

Another benefit is a high rank in Paradise. Allah says:

Meaning: “They are the ones who are rewarded with great dignity (in Paradise) for their patience.” (Q.S. Al Furqaan: 75)

Another benefit is great honor. Allah says:

Meaning: “Salvation is upon you for your patience.” (Q.S. Ar-Ra’d: 24)

Another benefit is an unlimited and inexhaustible reward that is beyond the reach of wishful thinking, calculations, and what is achieved by all creatures. Allah says:

Meaning: “Indeed, those who are patient will have their reward fulfilled without limit.” (Q.S. Az-Zumar: 10)

Glory be to G-d, God, the Most Gracious Lord. It is amazing His glory. All this glory in this world and the Hereafter He gives to His servant because of a moment’s patience. Then it becomes clear to you that the good of this world and the Hereafter lies in patience.

The Prophet said:

Meaning: “No one has been given a better and more extensive gift than patience.”

It was narrated from Ibn Umar r.a. that he said: “All the goodness of the believers is united in patience.”

How beautiful is this poet’s composition:

Patience is the key to all hope.

And all goodness can be realized because of it.

Be patient even if the night is too long.

Even horses that are violent sometimes become tame (because of patience).

Sometimes things are said to be impossible

happens can be obtained with patience.

Another poet said:

I’ve been patient and that’s part of my personality.

And suffice it for you that Allah praises patience.

I will continue to be patient until Allah gives us certainty, either towards ease or towards hardship.

Therefore, you should strive for this noble and praiseworthy behavior and put all your effort into it. That way you will be among the fortunate ones.

Only Allah is the master of taufik.

If you ask: “What is the true meaning of patience and what is its ruling?”

It is known that the word “ash-shabru” from the point of view of language means restraint. Allah swt. said:

Meaning: “And be patient with those who call upon their Lord.” (Q.S. Al-Kahf: 28)

It means endure your life with them.

Allah Swt. is also patient. This means that He endures the torment of those who sin. Therefore He is not in a hurry to punish them.

Then the work done by the heart is also called patience, because it also refrains from complaining.

According to scholarly opinion, complaining is mentioning the agitation of the heart in the face of adversity.

A scholar said: “Complaining is the desire to get out of the difficulty with certainty. Whereas patience is not desiring this (escape from hardship).

The bulwark of maintaining patience is to remember the extent of the hardship and how long it will last. The difficulty will not increase, decrease, advance or retreat. And there is no point in complaining. In fact it is dangerous and very worrying.

What protects this fortress is the remembrance of the good that Allah will give in return. Also the great store of rewards that is with Him in return.

Understand and keep this in mind.

This difficult and obstructive stage is one that you should go through by removing the four kinds of obstacles (sustenance, worry, qada and calamity) as well as clearing the disease. Otherwise, they will not allow you to remember the purpose of worship and think about it, let alone carry it out and be successful (an impossible feat). Because each obstacle has something to occupy you both in the present and in the future.

Then, among these four obstacles, the most difficult and difficult is the matter of sustenance and its management. The matter of sustenance is a great test for most people. It exhausts them, preoccupies their hearts, increases their sorrow, takes up their time, and increases their mistakes and sins. It makes them move away from the door of Allah and serving Him towards devotion to the world and other creatures. Then they live in the world in a state of negligence, darkness, hardship, difficulty, humiliation and disgrace. And they come to the Hereafter bankrupt, faced with reckoning and torment, if they do not get mercy from Allah by His grace.

Look at how many verses Allah has revealed in this regard. How many times has Allah revealed the promise, assurance, and distribution of this matter of sustenance. The prophets and scholars never ceased to advise the people, to enlighten them about their ways, to compile various books, to make various parables and to frighten them with the punishment of Allah. Yet they did not accept guidance, did not fear, and did not feel at ease. In fact, they were always tormented by it. They were constantly worried about losing their morning and evening meals, all of which stemmed from their lack of contemplation of the verses of Allah. The lack of thinking about Allah’s creation and not remembering the words of the Messenger, not contemplating the sayings of the righteous, allowing the whispers of the devil, listening to the talk of fools and being deceived by the habits of the ignorant. Satan has control over them, and the habits of the ignorant are firmly planted in their hearts and that causes the heart to become weak and thin in belief.

As for the chosen ones who are vigilant, earnest and devoted, they will certainly see the way of the heavens to the extent that they do not pay attention to the causes on earth. They hold fast to the rope of Allah, do not care about any dependence on the creatures, are confident in the signs of Allah and pay attention to His ways. Nor do they turn their backs on the temptations of the devil, others and themselves. If there is a temptation from the devil, others, or the self (lust), then it stands firm, resists, repels and deviates so that others who tempt will turn away. The demons will go their separate ways. Lust will comply (tame), and the straight path to worship is wide open. That’s how it is. As narrated from Ibrahim bin Adham (may Allah have mercy on him). When he intended to go to the interior (forest), the devil came to scare him that this forest was very dangerous. While you do not carry provisions and other tools. Then he remained determined to enter it and would not stop praying a thousand rak’ahs every time he traveled one mile. It turned out that he succeeded in doing what he wanted and stayed in the forest for twelve years, until one day Harun Al-Rashid performed the pilgrimage during those years and found him praying under a signpost. Then someone said: “This is Ibrahim bin Adham praying.” Then Harun Al-Rashid came to him and asked: “What happened to you, Abu Ishaq?” Ibrahim answered him in verse:

“I patched up my world by tearing up my religion

and there is nothing left of my religion and what I have patched up (my world).

Lucky is the servant who chooses Allah as his Lord

and being generous with his wealth for something that will happen.

It is said that there was a pious man who lived in a rural area. Then Satan came to tempt him by saying that here you have nothing and this place is dangerous. There is no life and no other people in it. He insisted on leaving himself without provisions. He avoided the public roads so as not to beg from others and did not eat anything until he had ghee and honey placed in his mouth. He moved away from the public roads and wandered. I was walking according to the will of Allah and suddenly a group strayed from the road. They kept walking, and when I saw them, I threw my body to the ground so that they would not see me. Then Allah ran them until they all stopped before me. I closed my eyes, and they approached. They said: “This man got separated from the group and fainted from hunger and thirst. Please get some ghee and honey and let me put it in his mouth. Who knows, he might wake up.” They came with ghee and honey. Then I put my mouth and teeth in. They took a knife to rip my mouth open. I laughed and opened my mouth. Seeing that they asked me: “Are you crazy?” I answered: “No. Praise be to Allah.” Then I told them part of what happened between me and the devil and they were amazed at it,

It is narrated from one of our teachers. He said: “Once I went to teach in a mosque far away from the people. I did not take any provisions with me, as was the custom of our saints. Then the devil came and told me that this mosque was far from the people, and if you would walk to the mosque that was in the midst of the people, the people would see you and provide for you. I said: “I will not stay other than in this place. I promise not to eat anything other than sweets.

And I will not eat it until it is put into my mouth mouth mouthful by mouthful.” Then I prayed Isha and locked all the doors. After midnight I was startled by someone knocking on the door with a lamp. After knocking repeatedly I opened the door. I found an old woman with a young man. The grandmother entered and placed a tray of food in front of me and said: “This young man is my son. I made this meal for him. There was a conversation between us and she vowed not to eat unless she was with a stranger. The grandmother said: “The stranger is in the mosque. Therefore eat. May Allah have mercy on you.” Then she began to put one morsel of food in my mouth and another morsel in her son’s mouth until we both had enough. Then they both left and she closed the door for me, wondering what had happened.

All of these are examples of the struggle of the righteous and their resistance to Satan.

You can take away three useful things from it:

1. You must know that sustenance, no matter what happens, will not disappear from the person who is destined to receive it.

2. You should know that sustenance and trust are very important. Indeed, the devil is always tempting and indecisive, to the extent that such a zuhud person cannot escape his temptations. The devils will not despair of them after a long period of training and persistent struggle. So much so that to drive them away they need this kind of resistance. Indeed. I swear by my life. A person who has trained for seventy years will not be free from the temptations of the devil and lust. Just as they also tempt beginners in worship. Let alone a reasonable person who has not practiced at all. If they are caught by the devil and the lusts, then both will treat and corrupt them like the corrupt people who are negligent and deceived. This is a lesson for the vigilant,

3, You should also know that everything will not be perfect without maximum effort and struggle. They (the righteous) also have flesh, blood, bodies and lives. Even their bodies are thinner, their limbs are more fragile and their bones are smaller than yours. But they have the power of knowledge, the light of conviction, and high ideals in matters of religion. So they were able to do mujahadah (struggle against lust) and remain in that position. Therefore, take a look at yourself. May Allah have mercy on us all. Cure yourself of this incurable disease. May you be fortunate.

Having said all this we will explain the important thing that can reside in the heart, if you are willing to remember it and provide the necessary expenses for it. In addition, you will also see the clear path of truth if you are willing to contemplate and act upon it.

May Allah guide us all.

First, you should know that Allah Swt. has guaranteed all sustenance for His servants in Lauh Mahfuzh. Allah has guaranteed sustenance and borne it for you. What would you say if a ruler of the world were to entertain you tonight and he had invited you to eat. Meanwhile, you have a good opinion that he is an honest person, who never lies and breaks promises. Even if there is a market trader who promises that, or perhaps a Jew, Christian or even a Mussulman whom you do not know for sure and still need to be careful with his words, do you not believe in his promise and feel at ease with his words. Then you would no longer care about food, because you fully trust that person on that night.

Then what happens to you? Hasn’t Allah promised to guarantee your sustenance and take care of it for you? In fact, He has sworn to it over and over again. Why are you not reassured by His promise and not reassured by His word and decree? You do not see how He divides the provision. Instead your heart shakes and you feel sad. What a shame it would be if you saw the truth. How great this calamity would be if you knew the true situation.

It is narrated from the Companion Ali ibn Abu Talib. He said:

Are you seeking Allah’s sustenance from others

and feel safe from a fearful end.

Are you willing to have a money changer vouch for you even if he is a polytheist?

and are not willing to accept the assurance given by your Lord? It is as if you have not read what is written in His book so that you have changed your belief openly in the morning.

If we look at the meaning of all this, it is clear that the matter of sustenance can lead a person to indecision and doubt, which can cause him to lose his understanding and religion.

It is because of this meaning that Allah, the Almighty, says:

Meaning: “And to Allah alone should you put your trust if you are truly believers.” (Q.S. Al-Maaidah: 23)

He also said:

Meaning: “And to Allah alone should the believers put their trust.” (Q.S. At-Taubah: 51)

This brief explanation is sufficient for a believer who is concerned about his religious affairs.

There is no power and no effort except with the help of Allah, the Most Sublime, the Most Great.

Secondly, you should know that sustenance has been divided. This is clearly mentioned in the Qur’an and various traditions of the Prophet.

You should also know that this sustenance cannot be replaced or changed. If you deny the distribution and think it might be reduced, then you have knocked on the door of kufr. Naudzubillah. If you know that it is absolutely unchangeable, then what is the point of giving importance to and seeking (sustenance). Nothing is gained but humiliation and disgrace in this world and hardship and loss in the Hereafter.

That is why the Apostle Saw. Said:

Meaning: “It has been written on the backs of fish and cattle, sustenance for so-and-so. So the greedy person will get nothing but pain.”

In this regard our teacher said: “Verily what you are destined to chew will not be chewed by others. Therefore, eat your sustenance with honor and do not eat it ‘with dishonor.

This is a concise explanation that is satisfactory for those who are virile.

Thirdly, what I heard our teacher Imam Haramain narrate from Al-Ustadz Abu Ishag (may Allah have mercy on him). He said: “In fact, one of the things that makes me satisfied in the matter of sustenance is that I remember and say to myself. Isn’t this sustenance meant for the living? But the dead do not receive sustenance.” If the life of a servant is in Allah’s storehouse and under His control, then so is the matter of sustenance. If He wills, He will certainly give me sustenance. But that is not yet clear to me. I leave it to Allah who will arrange it as He wills. I will be at ease in this matter.

This brief description is very gentle and satisfies the tahqiq scholars.

Indeed, Allah guarantees the sustenance of all servants and what He guarantees is the sustenance of madhmun, in the form of reinforcement and education. It is this madhmun sustenance that is the reinforcement and preparation for obedience.

As for the various causes such as food and rain, if a person focuses on worshipping Allah and putting his trust in Him, these causes may be held back from him.

He didn’t need to prepare for that and was weary of it, because ja knew full well that the assurance of bodily strengthening and reliance on Allah had only to do with the uprightness of the body, and nothing else. That was the only thing he was waiting for from Allah. Indeed, Allah must give him strength so that he can fulfill the rights of worship and devotion as long as life and the demands of worship are still on him. This kind of help is the goal. And Allah is powerful over what He wills. If He wills, He will strengthen His servant’s body by means of food and drink. Or with clay and dust. Or with tasbih and tahlil like the angels. And if He wills, He will give strength without any of those intermediaries. What a servant seeks is nothing but the strength of the body and the strength to worship, not food and drink, lust and desire and feeling pleasure. So, all these causes are beyond his reckoning. Hence, those who are diligent in worship and dhuhud are able to travel and fold the night and day. Some of them do not eat for ten days. Some do not eat for a month or two and they remain strong as ever.

Some of them swallowed sand, then Allah made it into strengthening material, like the story of Sufyan Ats-Tsauri. He ran out of provisions in Makkah and lived on sand for fifteen days.

Abu Mu’awiyah Al-Aswad said: “I saw Ibrahim bin Adham eating clay for twenty days.”

It was narrated from Al-A’masy, who said: “Ibrahim At-Taimi said to me, ‘I have not eaten for one month'” I asked: “One month?” Ibrahim replied: “No. In fact, it was two months, except that someone swore by Allah that I should eat a grape, so I ate it and my stomach hurt.”

I don’t think you should be surprised at this kind of thing. Indeed Allah is able to bring about what He wills just like a person who is sick. He does not eat for a month and appears to be alive. Whatever happens

A sick person is certainly weaker and more flabby than a healthy person.

As for the one who dies of hunger, that is the death that comes to him, just like the one who dies of gluttony.

I heard Abu Sa’id al-Kharraz (may Allah have mercy on him) say: “As usual, Allah fed me once every three days. Then I went into the countryside. I did not eat for more than three days. On the fourth day I felt weak and sat where I was. Suddenly there was a hatif (formless voice): “O Abu Said! What do you prefer, cause or strength?” I replied: “Neither. I need nothing but power.” Then I stood up slowly and was able to lift my body. I went twelve days without eating, and I felt no pain from it.”

Whereas if a servant sees a cause that is held back for him and knows there is a feeling of trust in him, then be assured that Allah will give him strength. He should not be bored with such things, but he should thank Allah in this regard with as much gratitude as possible. For in fact he was blessed and treated kindly at no cost but received help. He succeeds in getting to the point and goal, avoiding the heavy things and intermediaries, detached from dependence on habits.

Allah showed him the way of power and equated him with the angels. Allah raised him from the level of animals and other people in general with this honor.

Reflect on this important point and you will, insha Allah, gain many and great benefits.

I (Al-Ghazali) added: “Perhaps you will say that I have gone too far in discussing this matter of sustenance, and have deviated from the main purpose of the book.”

In my opinion, for the sake of Allah’s Attributes of Life, what you say is too much is very little compared to the needs of this aspect. This matter is indispensable for worship, and is even central to worldly affairs and worship. Whoever attaches importance to the matter of worship should adhere to this information and protect his rights. If he does not, he will fall short of the goal.

One of the things that shows the vigilance of the scholars of the Hereafter who have attained the position of makrifat billah is that they build their affairs on trusting in Allah, devoting special time to worshipping Allah and removing all obstacles. Many of them compiled books and many of them left wills. Then Allah sent helpers in the form of leaders and companions so that pure goodness flowed to them, doing what a group of zahid Imams of the Kiriamite school could not do, because they had built their madhhab on an unrighteous foundation.

Our glory will not be lost as long as we stand on the path of the Imams who have graduated from our places of worship and madrasas. Some of them were leaders in the field of knowledge such as Al-Ustadz Abu Ishaq, Abu Hamid, Abu Ath-Thayyib, Ibn Faurak, our teacher Abu Bakr AlWarraq, and others. There are scholars who are devoted to worship such as Abu Ishag Ash-Shirazi, Abu Sa’id Ash-Shuffi, Naser Al-Muqaddasi and other imams who are superior in their knowledge and austerity to the point of reaching weak-hearted and dependent people like us, whose harm is more than their benefit.

As a result, religious affairs are set back, aspirations are dashed, blessings drift away, the delicious taste and sweetness of worship is lost, and one barely has clean worship or succeeds in gaining knowledge and essence.

The ray of light that appears in us today is none other than the one who still stands on the path of the salaf scholars and our previous teachers such as Harts Alk-Muhaasibi, Muhammad ibn Idris Ash-Shafi’i, Imam Muzani, Harmalah, and other religious leaders rahimahumullah.

As one poet said, they (the scholars) are:

They are not friendly with the day unless they keep to themselves and cannot stay away from the love of their Lord.

They are noble, trustworthy and well-guided people.

They make the Lord of lords (God) the goal.

The bonds of patience will unravel for the one who is patient.

And none of the bonds of their days are unraveling.

At first we were kings, then we became subjects. At first we were horsemen, then we became pedestrians. May we not be cut off from the path of Allah at all.

Allah is the only place to ask for help, in the face of various calamities. He is the place to ask. May He not deprive you of this knowledge. Indeed, He is the Most Gracious, the Most Noble, the Bestower of grace, and the Most Compassionate. There is no power and effort except with the help of

Allah, the Most Sublime and Supreme.

As for tafwidh (surrender), then think of two important things in it.

Firstly, you should know that choosing is not appropriate except for those who know a matter from all sides, both physically and mentally, the circumstances and the consequences. Otherwise, he would not know that he has chosen harm and destruction and left behind that which is good and beneficial.

Do you not see how it would be if you said to a villager or a sheepherder: “Please select these dirhams and distinguish between the good and bad ones for me!” The person would not be able to tell the difference. Even if you say that to a market trader who is not accustomed to exchanging money, he will sometimes find it difficult to distinguish between them. In that case, you have no peace of mind but to leave the job to the money changers who are familiar with gold and silver and their characteristics.

This kind of all-encompassing, all-encompassing knowledge does not belong to anyone other than the Lord of the universe. Thus, no one has the right to choose and manage other than Allah, who is One and has no partner.

Hence Allah says:

Meaning: “And your Lord creates what He wills and chooses it. there is no choice for them.” (Q.S. Al-Qashash: 69) Then He continued:

Meaning: “And your Lord knows what is concealed (in) their breasts and what they declare.” (Q.S. Al-Qashash: 69)

It is said that a pious man received inspiration from God: “Ask, you shall be given.” Dania was one of those who received the inspiration. Therefore he said. “Surely the One who knows everything speaks to one who knows nothing.” Allah said: “Ask, and you shall be given.” He replied: “I do not know what is good for me to ask for, but choose it for me.”

Keep this in mind.

Secondly, what do you say when a man says to you: “I will take care of all your affairs and organize the good things you need. So leave all your affairs to me and occupy yourself with something that will help you.” That man is the smartest among the people of your time, the wisest, the strongest, the most compassionate, the most guarded, the most truthful and the most faithful among them. Did you not take the opportunity and regard it as the greatest pleasure, as the greatest gift and thank him appropriately and flatter him with the best praise?

Then, if he chooses something that you see no good in, you do not feel disgusted but even more trust and confidence in his arrangement. You know that he will not choose anything but the best and will see nothing but good in you. What happens when you leave everything to him and he vouches for it?

Then why don’t you leave everything to Allah, the Lord of the universe. He is the One who manages all affairs from the heavens to the earth, the cleverest of the scientists, the most capable of the capable, the most compassionate of the compassionate, and the richest of the rich, so He chooses for you with the gentleness of His knowledge and the kindness of His way of managing, something that is untouched by your knowledge and does not come to your mind. Then occupy yourself with work that will help you tomorrow.

If He chooses for you something that you do not know the secret of, you should let it go and be at peace with it no matter what, because Allah’s choice is certainly the best. So think about it, may you be guided. Allah is the only one to ask for guidance.

Relate to Fate

Try to think of two main things that can satisfy this.

Firstly, the benefits of voluntariness that are gained immediately and those that will be gained later on.

The benefit gained immediately is the emptying of the heart and the lessening of pointless concerns. That is why most of the zuhud say: “If the destiny of Allah had been realized, there would have been no need for concern.” The basis for this statement is the Prophet’s hadith. He said to Ibn Mas’ud r.a.:

Meaning: “Worry less. What is destined to happen will happen, and what is not destined will not come to you.”

This is a prophetic utterance that is general but adequate, concise and to the point.

The benefit that will be obtained in the future is the reward and pleasure of Allah. Allah says:

Meaning: “Allah was pleased with them, and they were pleased with Him.” (Q.S. At-Taubah: 100)

Hatred of destiny will lead to immediate concern, sorrow and disgust as well as sin and torment in the future which are useless, for Allah’s destiny is sure and cannot be turned away because of your concern and hatred, as a poet said:

O lust! Be patient of what has been destined,

surely you are free from something that is not destined.

Look at reality! Surely the thing that has been destined

will definitely materialize for you whether you are patient or not.

One who has reason will certainly not choose useless concerns, earning sin and punishment, leaving behind a comfortable heart and rewards in paradise.

Secondly, the fear that there is hatred, danger, disbelief and hypocrisy in it if it is not followed by mercy from Allah.

Reflect also on the words of God below:

Meaning: “So by your Lord. They (in fact) do not believe until they make you judges of the cases they dispute. Then they feel no objection in their hearts to your judgment, and they accept it fully.” (Q.S. An-Nisaa’: 65)

In this verse faith is negated and Allah swears that the one who hates and objects to the decision of the Messenger of Allah does not have faith. Then what about the one who hates Allah’s decree?

We have narrated that Allah Almighty said (in a Qudsi Hadith):

Meaning: “Whoever is not willing to accept My decision, is not patient with My trials and is not grateful for My favors, let him seek a god besides Me.”

Some say that it is as if Allah is saying: “This man does not let Me be his Lord when he is angry, so let him make another god that he can let.”

This verse is a very sharp and frightening threat for people of reason.

This is exactly what one of the salaf scholars said when he was asked: “What is devotion and divinity?” He replied: “God has the right to decide and the servant has the right to give up.” If God decides and the servant does not, then there is no devotion and no divinity. Therefore, reflect on this important matter and look at yourself, may you be saved with Allah’s help and guidance.

Patience is a bitter medicine and an unpleasant drink that is blessed, brings many uses and repels every harm from you. Therefore, if there was a medicine with these characteristics, a reasonable person would force himself to drink and swallow it, endure its bitter taste and pungent odor and then say: “A moment’s bitterness is a year’s comfort.”

Benefits Gained by Patience

Know that there are four kinds of patience:

– Patiently practicing obedience

– Patience in avoiding sin

– Patiently avoiding the excesses of the world

 – Patience in facing trials and calamities.

If a person is able to endure the bitterness of patience and he is patient in these four places, then he has succeeded in obedience and its various levels such as istiqamah and receiving a great reward on the next day. He will not fall into disobedience and its calamities in this world and its consequences in the Hereafter. He is not tested with worldly pursuits, not preoccupied in this world and the demands of the Hereafter because of it. The reward of what he is tested with and what he leaves behind will not be erased. Thus, because of his patience, he can get obedience, various noble levels, rewards, piety, dhuhudan, substitutes and great rewards from Allah.

The details above are something that only Allah knows.

Dangers Rejected by Patience

First he will be relieved of his complaining and suffering in this world, then relieved of his sin and torment in the hereafter.

As for the one who is unable to be patient and chooses the path of complaining, then he will lose all benefits and encounter various dangers. This is because he does not have patience for the hardships of obedience, so he does not do it. He is not patient in maintaining his obedience, then he melts it. Or he is impatient in continuing his obedience so that it does not reach the highest position, which is istiqamah. Or he is impatient in avoiding sin, and then falls into it. Or he is unable to keep away from the excesses of this world, so he seeks it. Or he is impatient in the face of calamity and is prevented from the reward of patience.

Sometimes he complains so much that he loses his substitute. He also gets two calamities, namely losing something and losing the reward, substitute, receiving unpleasant things and being prevented from patience.

Some say: “Losing patience in the face of calamity is harder than the calamity itself.”

So what good is something that can eliminate what already exists and cannot restore something that has been lost? So if you lose one, try not to lose the other.

Among the expressions that cover this is what we narrate from the Companion Ali ibn Abu Talib k.w. that he visited a man and said: “If you are patient then Allah’s destiny will happen to you and you will be rewarded. If you complain then Allah’s fate will befall you and you will bear sin.”

The conclusion is: Indeed, cutting off the heart from its habitual dependencies will prevent the passions from being firmly entrenched with the purity of tawakkal to Allah, the Exalted, His Asma, not planning things and leaving them to Allah without knowing the secrets hidden in them, restraining the passions from hatred and grievances that it always hunts for, forcing the passions with the control of “willing” and swallowing the bitterness of patience that it always shuns is a bitter thing, a very harsh treatment and a heavy burden, but also the right rule and a straight path. The result is also praiseworthy and experiences favorable circumstances.

What would you say if a loving and wealthy parent prevented his beloved child from eating dates or apples because he was suffering from eye pain? Then he hands him over to a strict teacher, who teaches him and holds him all day in his presence until he gets bored and then takes him to a candlestick maker until he is in pain and restless? Did the old man prevent him because he was stingy? How could that be, when he gives to others and provides for them. Or could it be because he is hard on his child? Even though he saves what he has for his child.

Or could it be that the parent intended to hurt the child out of anger? How could it be, when the child is the apple of his eye and the fruit of his heart that if he were to blow in the wind he would feel very sorry for him?

No, they don’t. The parent is doing all this because he sees that it is best for his child. With this little effort the child will gain a lot of good and benefit greatly.

What do you say if there is a skilled doctor who gives advice and loves his patient, then he forbids the patient to drink water, while he is very thirsty and his throat is burning and instead gives him bitter medicine that he hates and makes himself complain? Did the doctor do that because he was hostile and wanted to hurt him? No, he didn’t. But he meant to advise and do good, because he knew for sure that if he gave in to his patient’s desires then that would be the moment of his destruction and he was giving him perdition. And by preventing it, it is the cure and the survival of his life.

Reflect on this, O manly man. If Allah withholds a piece of bread or a dirham from you, while you know for a fact that He has what you want and is able to determine it for you. He also has mercy, grace and knows your situation so that nothing is hidden from Him.

Allah is not poor, not weak and there is nothing hidden from all that. Glory be to Allah. He is richer than the rich, more able than the able, more clever than the scholars and more generous than the generous.

So with all that you are right that indeed He will not prevent you except because it is good and His choice. How could He not when He has said: 

Meaning: “He created for you all that is on the earth.” (Q.S. al-Baqarah: 29)

How could He not be so generous as to bestow upon you a sacredness, something that could corrupt the world with its secrets?

In a hadith it is explained:

Meaning: “Verily Allah says, “Indeed I protect My beloved from the pleasures of this world just as a loving shepherd protects his camels from the breeding ground of ringworm.””

If He tests you with a difficulty then rest assured that He does not need your trials and tribulations. He knows your situation, He sees your weaknesses and He loves you more. Didn’t you hear the Prophet say:

Meaning: “Verily, Allah loves His believing servant more than a mother loves her child.”

If you had known then you would have understood that He does not send these unpleasant things except for the sake of good, but you do not know the good while He knows it. Hence you see that He often multiplies tests for His chosen ones, His noblest servants. So much so that the Prophet said:

Meaning: “When Allah loves a people, He tests them.”

He also said:

Meaning: “Verily, the people who have received the most trials are the prophets, then the messengers, then those who are equal to them, and so on.”

If you see Allah withholding the world from you or multiplying hardships and trials upon you, then know that you are truly honorable in His sight and occupy a high position with Him. He placed you on the path of His beloved. He sees you and does not need any of that.

Do you not hear His words:

Meaning: “And wait patiently for the judgment of your Lord, then surely you are in Our sight.” (Q.S. AthThuur: 48)

Look at the grace He has bestowed upon you and the good He has preserved for you. He also multiplies your rewards and places you in the rank of the good and noble before Him. You also see the praiseworthy end and the great reward.

Only Allah controls taufik with His grace.

In short, if you already know and feel confident that Allah is the One who fully guarantees the sustenance that you inevitably need for the preservation of your life and the performance of worship to Him. He is able to do whatever He wants whatever He wants. He sees your needs, situation by situation and time by time. So you trust in His tangible assurances, in His precise promises and your heart is at ease. You also turn away, not remembering the various dependencies and causes and the dependency of the heart on various causes. Because these dependencies cannot suffice you without Allah, because He is the One who makes us eat and drink. Then Allah is the One who makes it taste good and makes it comfortable. He is also the One who brings you together with His strength and tan, rejects His objections and dangers. He is the One who enriches and suffices you with it if He wishes. Thus everything returns to Him, the One and Only, with whom there is no partner. Therefore, put your trust in Him, do not put your trust in anything else.

You also don’t need to plan your affairs. Leave everything to Allah, the One who rules over the heavens and the earth. Empty yourself of anything that is beyond your knowledge and mind, namely the affairs of tomorrow morning. Also from thinking about what will or will not happen the next day, and how it will happen.

You should be content with yourself, and not daydream and wishful thinking, because that only keeps your heart busy and wastes the precious time in it. You may come across something that you had not thought of at all. Then what you have thought of, what you have designed, what you have wasted your precious time on is useless, useless, and even a loss that you will regret. You also lose because you have occupied your heart and wasted your life in it.

A zuhud scholar quoted a verse in connection with the above meaning:

Allah’s decision and certainty have preceded. Rest (empty) your hearts from the word ‘if’ and the word ‘if only.’

Another scholar said:

What has been established will happen in due time.

Fools labor and grieve.

Maybe something you were afraid of didn’t happen and maybe

Also what you hoped for did not materialize.”

Then quickly you say to yourself: “O me! Nothing can happen to us except what Allah has destined for us. He is our Lord. He is the One who provides for us and He is the best One to surrender to, for He is the Almighty and His power is unlimited. He is the All-Wise and His wisdom is infinite, and the All-Loving is infinite.

A person who has the above attributes has truly put his trust in Allah and surrendered all affairs to Him. Therefore, you should always put your trust in Allah.

Similarly, you should make up your mind that what Allah has decided is the most suitable and best even if it is beyond our comprehension as to how and what the secret is. Then you say to yourself: “O me, what is predestined must happen. Therefore there is no point in feeling resentment. The choice still falls on what Allah has made and there is no way to hate it. Didn’t you once say: ‘I am willing for Allah to be my Lord. Why are you not willing with His decision (destiny)? But destiny is a divine affair and it is a divine right. So let it go.”

Likewise, if you are struck by calamity and experience unpleasant things, you should restrain your passions and limit your heart so as not to complain. Do not show complaints and sadness especially when you first experience it. Because everything depends on when it all starts, while at that time lust is always in a hurry with its habit of complaining.

Then you say to yourself: “O me! All this has happened. No amount of effort could have prevented it, Allah has prevented a greater danger from it, for indeed the forms of trials that are in His storehouse are more numerous. All this will come to an end, it is not eternal, it is like a cloud that will be revealed, so endure. The little calamity you experience will lead to long happiness and great reward after you have found no place to prevent it.”

There is no point in complaining. In fact there is no calamity if it is faced with a contented heart and patience. Then your mouth is busy with istirja’ and your heart is busy remembering the reward received from Allah. Then you remember how patient the prophets were who were steadfast in accepting great calamities and the saints (lovers) who were noble before Allah.

If at any time you are held back from the world, say to yourself: “O me! He knows better than you, loves you more and is more Noble. He is the One who feeds the lowly dog and feeds the disbeliever who is hostile to Him. While I am His servant, know Him and glorify Him. Do I not deserve to be exchanged for a piece of bread? An impossible thing. Therefore, know that He will not withhold it unless there is a greater benefit. And Allah will make ease after hardship. Therefore, be patient for a while and you will surely see the wonders of the gentleness of His creation. Have you not heard a poet say:

Wait for what your Lord does, and then there will come to you what you desire, a way out (of difficulties) that is near.

Do not despair if you encounter a disaster,

because of the many miraculous and wondrous occurrences of the supernatural realm.

Another poet’s expression that is almost the same is as follows:

Remember O one who is troubled by a concern.

If the hardship has peaked on you

then think of surah “Alam Nasyrah.”

One misery between two pleasures.

If you want to repeat it, you will be happy.

If you have practiced these commandments and the like, then by continually repeating and training yourself, then indeed it will make things easier for you in a short period of time if you have a strong desire and sincerity in your heart. In this way you have actually prevented these four kinds of obstacles from happening to you and removed their dangers. Before Allah you are among those who have put their trust in Him, surrendered to His will, and patiently accepted His trials. You also succeeded in gaining comfort of heart and body in this world, gaining the majesty of rewards and savings in the Hereafter. You will be honored and loved by Allah, the Lord of the universe. Then you also accumulate two benefits, namely this world and the hereafter.

Your path of worship stretches straight as there are no more obstacles and busyness. That’s when you successfully pass one difficult stage.

Allah is the only place to ask. May He be pleased to help you and all of us with His kindness, for everything is under His control. He is the most merciful of the merciful. There is no power and no effort except with the help of Allah, the Most Sublime and Supreme.

Fifth Stage: PUSHERS

Then you should continue on when the path is straight, easy to travel, the obstacles have been removed and the sudden trials have disappeared.

You will not be able to walk uprightly if you do not have fear and hope in Allah, fulfilling the rights and within the limits of both.

The need to fear Allah is due to two things:

First, to prevent disobedience. This is because the lust that always commands to do bad things, tends to invite towards badness, looks at the act of slander and does not want to stop unless it is frightened with something very terrible and threatened with a serious threat because the lust does not have the character of a free person who is concerned with loyalty and hardness of heart can be prevented by shame.

Lust, as one poet put it, is:

(Lust) is like a slave who must be beaten with a stick, while a free person can only use reproach.

To regulate lust forever you have to hit it with the whip of takhwif (making it afraid) in the form of speech, action and thought. As it is told of a pious man that his lust was calling him to sin. He immediately went and took off his clothes and rolled himself on the hot sand and said to his lust: “Taste it! Hell is hotter than this, O carrion by night and unemployment by day.”

Secondly, not to be proud of his obedience. This is because pride is destructive. Rather it should be overpowered by the insults, reproaches, defects and shortcomings that it contains such as bad things and sins, all of which entail various worries and so on.

It is as narrated from the Prophet that he said:

Meaning: “If I and Prophet Isa (a.s.) were to be tortured for something done, we would both be tortured with something that has never been inflicted on anyone in this universe.” And he gestured with his two fingers.

Narrated Al-Hasan. He said: “One of us will not feel safe if he commits a sin and the door of forgiveness is closed to him. He also does charity out of place.

It is narrated from Abdullah Ibnul Mubarak who reproached himself: “O me! You say what the zuhud people say. You act like the hypocrites and you hope for Paradise. It is very far for you. Paradise already has other inhabitants. Their deeds are not the same as yours.

This is the kind of thing that a servant must warn himself about. The warning is always repeated to him so that he does not feel proud of his obedience or fall into disobedience. Allah is the only one to ask for guidance.

The necessity of this expectation (raja’) is due to two things:

First, it encourages obedience. Because goodness is something that is hard. Satan forbids it and the passions always urge to do the opposite (evil). Ignorant people have the habit of following their passions openly. The reward expected through obedience is not visible to the eye, while achieving the reward he hopes for is still far away.

If that were the case, then the passions would not be motivated to do good, love rightly, and delight in it except for something that is comparable to the things that hinder it or even more than that. That something is a strong raja’ (hope) for the mercy of Allah and the tantalizing lure of the goodness of the reward and the greatness of the reward.

Our teacher said: “Sorrow can take away one’s appetite, fear can prevent one from sinning, hope can strengthen one to worship, and remembrance of death can make one stay away from the excesses of the world.

Secondly, it makes it easier for you to endure various hardships,

You know that one who knows what he is looking for will easily give up something. One who has tasted the sweetness of something and loves it fervently is willing to endure hardship and does not care about the cost. Whoever truly loves someone will gladly endure his trials, to the extent that he will taste various kinds of delights.

Don’t you see how the person who takes honey. He does not care about bee stings because he remembers the sweetness of honey. A laborer does not care if he has to climb a tall ladder with a heavy load all day long on a hot day because he remembers that he will get two dirhams in the afternoon. A farmer does not think of suffering heat and cold and encountering misfortune throughout the year because he remembers the harvest.

So are the servants of Allah. They are the ones who strive when they remember Paradise with its beautiful scenery, its various kinds of pleasures, its angels, its palaces, its food, its drink, its jewelry and all that Allah has promised to its inhabitants. They feel lightened by the burdens they have to bear, such as the weariness of worship or what is missing from their world such as delights and pleasures. Or the dangers they have to face such as humiliation, torment and suffering to obtain it.

It has been narrated that Sufyan Ats-Tsauri’s disciples spoke about him in terms of what they saw of his piety, earnestness and bad circumstances. They said: O ustadz! If only you would reduce all envy insha Allah you would still get what you want.” Sufyan replied: “How can I not be earnest, when I have heard that the possessors of Paradise were in their dwellings, and a light appeared in the eight heavens. They thought that it was light from God. So they fell down and prostrated themselves. Then they were told to raise their heads, for what you thought was God was the light of a woman in Paradise smiling before her husband.”

Then he (Sufyan Ats-Tsauri) said:

One who has a home in paradise has nothing to lose.

with its burdens such as misery and lack of wealth. You see him walking towards the mosque in distress, worry and fear. He walks in worn-out clothes.

O lust! You will not endure the blazing fire.

It’s time to face heaven after you turned your back on it.

If this is the case, then I think that the matter of worship revolves around two things, namely obeying and refraining from sin. Neither of them will be perfect with the lust that always invites to do bad things on its side except by targhiib (lure) and tarhiib (fear), giving hope and giving fear. For a ferocious riding animal needs a guide to direct it and a herdsman to encourage it. If it is close to going into the sometimes it should be whipped with a whip on one side and on the other side shown the wheat until it rises up and is saved from what is about to happen to it.

A stubborn little child will not go to school except with the hope given by his parents and the fear given by a teacher. So too with lust. Ja is a violent (mischievous) vehicle that is about to fall into the abyss of the world. Khauf (fear) is its whip and guide while raja’ (hope) is its wheat and shepherd.

Lust is like a naughty child, brought to school, worship and piety. Whereas mentioning hell and torment is to frighten him and mentioning heaven and its rewards is a hope and lure for him.

Likewise, a servant who wants to worship and train himself must feel two things in his nafs, namely khauf (fear) and raja’ (hope). If not, then don’t expect the lust to help your worship.

In this case, the Qur’ān always brings two things together in one place, such as a promise that becomes one with a threat and a lure that becomes one with a frightening thing. Allah gives an exaggerated description. He describes reward with something that everyone is impatient to attain and describes hell with something that everyone is incapable of experiencing.

If that is the case, then always hold on to these two things (raja’ and khauf), and you will find that you are eager to worship and feel light in bearing heavy burdens.

Only Allah controls taufik with His grace and mercy.

If you say: “What is the nature of raja’ and khauf and what is the ruling on them?”

According to our scholars, khauf and raja’ go back to the movement of the heart (khanthir). Whereas a servant is only able to master the muqaddimah (initial stage). They said: “Khauf is the rumbling in the heart that arises because of the thought of experiencing (getting) something disliked.

Khasyyah (fear) is also similar to khauf, but this feeling requires a kind of reverence and awe. The opposite of the word “khauf” is “jara’ah” (courage), but it can also be “security” as people say “coward” as opposed to “secure person” or “fear” and “security”. This is because the one who feels secure is the one who is brave (defiant) towards Allah. So, the correct opposite of the word ‘khauf’ is ‘jara’ah’ (courage).

The preamble (initial stage) of khauf is fourfold:

1. Remembering the many sins of the past and the many enemies, namely those who continue to do wrong. Meanwhile, you have been pawned and there is no way you can escape after that.
2. Remembering the painful punishment of Allah Swt. that you cannot bear.
3. Remembering your weaknesses when you have to endure torture.
4. Remember God’s power over you, when and where He wills.

Raja’, on the other hand, is the feeling of pleasure in the heart after knowing the grace of Allah and seeking pleasure in the expanse of His mercy. And this kind of raja’ is among the movements of the heart that are not controlled by a servant.

There is another raja’ that must be mastered by a servant, which is remembering Allah’s grace and the extent of His mercy.

Expecting something alarming with exceptions is also called raja’.

What is desired in this chapter is the former, namely memories that correspond to feelings of pleasure and expectation of pleasure.

The opposite of the word “raja” is “ya’s” (despair), which is remembering the loss of Allah’s mercy and grace and cutting off hope in the heart. This despair is a pure disobedience.

Raja’ becomes obligatory when a servant has no other recourse to prevent despair. If he has recourse then it becomes Sunnah for him after believing in Allah’s grace and mercy globally.

The preamble of the raja’ is four:

1. Remembering the grace of God that was given to you long ago without any preceding deeds and helpers.

2 Remembering that the rewards promised by Allah are abundant and glorious, measured by His grace and glory, not measured by the rights you have because of your deeds. For if the reward were measured according to deeds, it would be very little and very small.

3. Remembering the many blessings that Allah has bestowed upon you in the form of religious and worldly affairs, as well as the many favors and favors that He has bestowed upon you without claiming rights and asking for them.
4. Remembering the vastness of Allah’s mercy that overcomes His wrath. And indeed He is the Most Compassionate, the Most Merciful, the Most Rich, the Most Noble and loves His believing servants.

If you constantly remember these two things, it will lead you to feelings of raja’ and khauf in all circumstances.

Only Allah controls taufik with His bounty and grace.

At this stage you should go through it with great care, taking care of yourself and using the boundaries of the rules. This is because this stage is very difficult to reach and full of dangers because the path is between two frightening and destructive paths, namely security and despair. Raja’ and khauf are the middle way between the two intersections.

If the feeling of kingship dominates you so much that you don’t feel any fear at all then you have slipped down the path of security. But no one feels safe from Allah’s deception except those who are losers.

If the feeling of khauf dominates you so much that you have no hope (raja’) at all then you have slipped down the path of “despair”. Whereas no one despairs of Allah’s mercy except the disbelievers.

If you walk between khauf and raja’ and refrain from both, that is the straight middle path, the path of Allah’s saints and His chosen ones, those whom He has characterized by His word:

Meaning: “Verily, they are those who hasten to (do) good deeds, and they pray to Us with hope and anxiety. And they are those who are devoted to Us.” (Q.S. Al Anbiya’: 90)

With that, it should be clear to you that this stage has three paths:

1. A sense of security and courage (in Allah).
2. Desperate.
3. Fear and hope, which lie in between.

If you take a step to the right or to the left, then you have fallen into the path of destruction and will perish with those who perish.

Then what must be noted is that the destructive deviant path is wider in diameter, has more things to attract attention and is easier to travel than the straight middle path. For if you look in the direction of security, you will see the vastness of Allah’s mercy, abundant grace, and extreme generosity. Something that does not leave the slightest fear so that you rely on it and feel secure.

If you look in the direction of khauf, then you will see the magnitude of Allah’s power, His arrangements, His many splendors, His foresight and precision towards His beloved and chosen ones so that there is almost no hope and you despair.

That’s when you don’t just look at the vastness of God’s mercy and rely on it and feel secure. Or see only Allah’s greatness, prowess and rigor and despair. But you also need to see them as a whole, take some of one and some of the other, tread the complex path between them, and then walk on it to be safe.

The path of pure nya’ is easy, wide and spacious (flat), but eventually leads you to a place of security and loss. The path of pure khauf is also wide and spacious but ultimately leads you to misguidance. While the middle path between the two, namely the path of khauf and raja’, although small and difficult to take, is the path that makes it safe, the straight path that leads you to forgiveness and goodness, then to heaven and pleasure and meeting the Merciful King. Have you not heard Allah’s words about those who travel this path which read:

Meaning: “And they pray to their Lord with fear and expectation.” (Q.S. As-Sajdah: 16)

Then He also said:

Meaning: “And no one knows what has been concealed for them, which is (a variety of favors) pleasing to the eyes as a reward for what they have done.” (Q.S. As-Sajdah:17)

Take all this information to heart, roll up your sleeves and remember everything because it is not easy. Allah is the only one to ask for guidance.

You should know that you will not be able to walk this path while carrying a mischievous desire, being lazy to do good by avoiding its pleasures and trying to fulfill the obedience that you feel is difficult except by maintaining the three essentials and keeping them in mind continuously and not stopping or letting your guard down at all.

First, remembering the words of Allah which contain both pleasant things (lure) and fearful things.

Secondly, remembering the work that Allah does when He punishes and forgives.

Thirdly, remembering the rewards He will give to His servants on the Day of Judgment in the form of rewards and punishments.

The details of each chapter of these three would require many pages. For this purpose we have compiled a book called “Tanbrih Al-Ghaafiliin.”

In this book we have only explained a few sentences that can take you to your destination, insha Allah. And Allah is the only one to ask for guidance.

The first point is Allah’s Word.

Reflect on the words of Allah in the Qur’an in the form of verses that please, frighten, hope and fear.

Among the verses that give hope are:

Meaning: “Do not despair of the mercy of Allah. Verily, Allah forgives all sins.” (Q.S. Az-Zumar: 53)

Meaning: “And who else can forgive sins but Allah.” (Q.S. Ali Imran: 135)

Meaning: “Who forgives sins and accepts repentance.” (Q.S, Al-Mu’min: 3)

Meaning: “And He is the One who accepts the repentance of His servants and forgives mistakes.” (Q.S. Ash-Shuura: 25)

Meaning: “Your Lord has established over Himself compassion.” (Q.S. Al-An’aam: 54)

Meaning: “And My mercy covers all things. So I will establish My mercy for those who fear.” (Q.S. Al-A ‘raaf: 156)

Meaning: “Verily, Allah is merciful to mankind.” (Q.S. al-Baqarah: 143)

Meaning: “And He is Most Merciful to those who believe.” (Q.S. Al-Ahzaab: 43)

These are the verses that contain raja’ (hope).

Among the verses that evoke fear (khauf) are:

Meaning: “So fear Me, O My servants.” (Q.S. Az-Zumar: 16)

Meaning: “Do you think, then, that We created you playfully, and that you will not be returned to Us?” (Q.S. Al-Mukminuun: 115)

Meaning: “Do men think that they will be left alone (without being held accountable)?” (Q.S. Al-Qiyaamah: 36)

Meaning: “The reward of Allah is not according to your imagination nor according to the imagination of the people of the Book. Whoever does evil will be rewarded for it, and he will find no protector or helper besides Allah.” (Q.S. An-Nisaa’: 123)

Meaning: “And they thought that they had done well.” (Q.S. Al-Kahf: 104)

Meaning: “And there will be clear to them a punishment from Allah which they had not foreseen.” (Q.S. Az-Zumar: 47)

Meaning: “And We face what they have done, then We make it (like) dust that flies away.” (Q.S. Al-Furqaan: 23)

We ask God to save us all with His mercy.

Among the verses that include khauf and raja’ together are:

Meaning: “Tell My servants that I am indeed the Most Forgiving, the Most Merciful” (Q.S. Al-Hijr: 49).

Then He continued the verse:

Meaning: “And that surely My punishment is a very painful punishment.” (Q.S. Al-Hijr: 50)

The words above are meant to prevent you from being consumed by raja’ (hope). Another word of God:

Meaning: “Severe is His punishment.” (Q.S. Al-Mu’min: 3)

Then He continued with the words:

Meaning: “Who has the bounty, there is no God but He.” (Q.S. Al-Mu’min: 3)

The words above are meant to prevent you from being overwhelmed by khauf (fear).

Even more amazing is His following words:

Meaning: “And Allah warns you from Himself.” (Q.S. Ali Imran: 30)

Then He continued with His words:

Meaning: “And Allah is very merciful to His slaves” (Q.S. Ali Imran: 30).

There is an even more amazing verse which is:

Meaning: “(That is) the one who fears the Merciful Lord while He is invisible (to him).” (Q.S. Qaaf: 33)

Allah attributes a servant’s feeling of fear to the asma “Ar-Rahmaan” (Most Compassionate) not to the asma “AlJabbaar” (Most Bold), “Al-Muntaqiim” (Most Retaliating), “Al Mutakabbir” (Most Arrogant) and the like, so that the feeling of fear is united with remembering His compassion. That way the fear doesn’t blow your heart away, but rather makes you fear with a sense of security or moves something while calming you down. It is the same if you say: “Do you feel afraid of a loving mother? Do you feel afraid of a compassionate father? Or do you feel afraid of a generous king?”

What is desired here is a middle ground, so you should not choose the path of “security” or the path of “despair.”

May Allah make us all people who are willing to think about these wise verses and be able to practice what they contain. Indeed, He is the Most Giving and the Most Gracious. There is no power and no effort except with the help of Allah, the Most Sublime, the Most Great.

Second subject, God’s deeds and His dealings

In terms of khauf (fear), know that the devil worshipped for eighty thousand years. According to one opinion he never left an inch of land except after prostrating to Allah once in that place. Then he refused a command. Then Allah threw him out of His door. Allah threw his eighty thousand years of worship in his face. He cursed him until the Day of Resurrection and prepared a painful punishment for all eternity.

It is even told that the Prophet saw the angel Gabriel a.s. clinging to the mosquito net of the Kaaba while praying loudly: “O my Lord, do not change my name and alter my body.”

Then Prophet Adam a.s. He was Allah’s chosen man and also His prophet. Allah created him with His “hands, ordered the angels to prostrate and carry him on their shoulders to reach Him. Then he ate one food that He did not permit, and it was announced: “Remember, he who disobeys Me shall not dwell near Me.”

Allah ordered the angels who were supporting his seat to bring him down from the sky until they placed him on the earth and Allah did not accept his repentance.

According to one narration, he wept over it for a hundred years.

He was humiliated and endured many trials that his descendants will also experience forever.

Then Prophet Noah a.s. He was the elder of the apostles. The one who bore the burden of the religious commandments. He said nothing but one out-of-place sentence when it was later announced:

Meaning: “Do not ask of Me anything of which you have no knowledge. Indeed, I advise you so that you may not be among the ignorant.”

It is said that he did not raise his head towards the sky for forty years because he was ashamed of Allah.

Then Prophet Ibrahim a.s., the beloved of Allah. He had committed no sin other than a misunderstanding. Then he repeatedly felt fear and humbled himself while praying:

Meaning: “By the Lord whom I hope will forgive me of my faults on the Day of Resurrection.”

To the extent that it is told that he cried because he was so afraid. Then Allah sent the angel Gabriel to him. Gabriel said: “O Ibrahim! Have you ever seen a lover who tortures his own lover with fire?” He replied: “O Gabriel! When I remember my sin, I forget His mercy.”

Then Prophet Musa bin Imran a.s. He did no wrong other than one slap to someone. Again and again he felt fear, humbled himself and asked for forgiveness. He said:

Meaning: “O Lord! Indeed I have wronged myself, so forgive me.”

At that time (Prophet Moses a.s.) also lived a Bal am bin Ba’ura who if he looked up to the sky he could see the Throne, he is the one referred to in the word of Allah:

Meaning: “And recite to them the story of a man to whom We gave signs of Our greatness and he disengaged himself from it.” (OQS. Al-A’raaf: 175)

He did nothing wrong except that he felt inclined towards the world and its inhabitants and left (disrespected) His beloved (i.e. Prophet Moses a.s.) Then Allah took away his infamy and made him like a dog that was driven away.

Then Allah said:

Meaning: “His example (Bal’am) is that of a dog. If you chase it, it will stick out its tongue.” (Q.S. Al-A’raaf: 176)

Allah plunged him into the sea of misguidance and destruction forever. I once heard a scholar say that in the beginning when Bal am taught in a gathering, there were twelve thousand inkwells on which his students would write his knowledge. Then he became the first person to compose a book in which it was written that this world was not made.

We seek refuge with Allah from His wrath, painful torment and humiliation from Him that none of us will be able to bear.

Then look at the ugliness of the world. With what they attract the scholars in particular.

Remember that the affairs of this world are very worrisome, while this age is very short. In charity there are many shortcomings while the All-Seeing is always watching.

If Allah ends our deeds with good and erases our mistakes, then it is not difficult for Him.

Then there is the story of Prophet David a.s. who became the caliph of Allah on earth. He made a mistake and then he cried over it to the point that grass grew from his tears. He said: “O my Lord, do You not feel pity for my crying and humbling myself?”

Then the speech was answered: “O David! You forget your sins and remember your weeping.” Then his repentance was not accepted by Allah for forty days. Some even say forty years.

Then the story of Prophet Yunus a.s. He was once so angry that Allah locked him up in the belly of a fish at the bottom of the sea for forty days. Then he called out:

Meaning: “Indeed there is no God but You. Glory be to You. Indeed, I am one of the wrongdoers.”

The angels heard his voice and they said: “O our Lord! We hear a familiar voice from an unknown place.”

Allah said: “That is the voice of My servant Yunus.” Then the angels pleaded for his help. And because of that, Allah changed his name to “DzunNuun”. A name that was attached to the place where he was locked up. Then Allah said:

Meaning: “Then he (Jonah) was swallowed by a fish, while he was reproached (for doing something out of place). Had he not been one of those who purify their Lord, he would have remained in the belly of the fish until the day when all people are resurrected.”

After that Allah mentions His pleasure and bounty. He said:

Meaning: “Had he not been overtaken by the pleasure of his Lord, he would have been banished to an empty place and become a despicable person.”

Look at this kind of stratagem, O man to be pitied!

Such was the case, until what happened to the leader of the messengers, the noblest of Allah’s creatures. Allah said to him:

Meaning: “Be steadfast as you are commanded. Those who repent are with you and do not all of you transgress. Verily, He is All-Seeing of what you do.”

In fact, the Prophet said:

Meaning: “Surah Huud and the like are making my head gray.”

Some say that what the Prophet was referring to was this verse and others like it in the Qur’an.

Then Allah said:

Meaning: “And seek forgiveness for your sins.” (Q.S. Al-Mu’min: 55)

Until Allah granted him forgiveness and said:

Meaning: “And we will take away from you the sin that weighs on your backs.” (Q.S. Al-Inshiraah: 2-3)

He also said:

Meaning: “So that Allah may forgive the sins you have committed and those you will commit.” (Q.S. Al-Fath: 2)

After that, he would pray at night until his feet swelled up.

The Companions asked: “Why do you do all this, O Messenger of Allah? When Allah has forgiven the sins you have committed and those you have not committed.”

He replied: “Do I not deserve to be a grateful servant? Then he said:

Meaning: “Had I and Isa b. Maryam a.s. been tortured because of these two people, we would have been tortured with a torture that has never been inflicted on anyone in the entire universe.”

He performed night prayers, cried and prayed:

It means: “I seek refuge with Your forgiveness from Your punishment, with Your pleasure from Your anger. And I seek refuge in You from Your punishment. My praise of You is not counted as much as Your praise of Your Essence.”

Consider the Companions who lived in the best of times and were among the best of people. They did not joke much. Then the word of Allah was revealed:

Meaning: “Has the time not come for those who believe to bow in their hearts for the remembrance of Allah?” (Q.S. Al-Hadiid: 16)

Then Allah created limits of rules and decorum for this mercy-filled ummah to the extent that Yunus bin Ubaid said: “Do not feel safe from the punishment of having your hand cut off for stealing five dirhams, for the punishment of that deed will also be like this.

We ask Allah, the Most Merciful, the Most Gracious. Glory be to Allah. May He not treat us except with His pure mercy. Verily He is the Most Merciful of the merciful.

In terms of raja’ (hope) then speak of Allah’s vast mercy, for it is not a dangerous thing.

Who knows the end of His mercy or knows His nature and end? It is He who erases seventy years of disbelief with a moment of faith.

Allah said:

Meaning: “Say to the disbelievers, if they would cease (from their disbelief), surely their past sins would be forgiven.” (Q.S. Al-Anfaal: 38)

Don’t you see what happened to Pharaoh’s sorcerers. They came against Allah and swore by the majesty of Pharaoh who was His enemy, none other than Him. When they saw the signs of Prophet Moses and knew the truth, they said: “We believe in the Lord of the Worlds.” And Allah does not mention that after that they increased their deeds.

Then look at how many times Allah repeats their story in praise in His glorious book? How many of their major and minor sins were forgiven by Him just because of a moment’s faith, or even a fleeting moment. They simply said: “We believe in the Lord of the Worlds.” An utterance that came from the right heart.

How Allah accepted them and forgave their past sins. How did He make them the leaders of the martyrs in Paradise forever?

This is only the state (story) of one who recognizes and glorifies Him a short time after committing sorcery, disbelief, heresy and corruption. Then what about the one who spends his life glorifying Him and sees no one but Him as family for glorifying Him?

Did you not see how the Ashaabul Kahf were and their disbelief during their lives?

Meaning: “When they stood up and said, “Our Lord is the Lord of the heavens and the earth, and we will not make a Lord besides Him.””

They take refuge in Him.

How did God receive them and give them His grace, then glorify them?

Then Allah said:

Meaning: “And We turn their bodies to the right and to the left.” (Q.S. Al-Kahf: 18)

How Allah honored them, clothed them with greatness and terrified them. To the extent that He said to the noblest of creatures (Prophet Muhammad, peace be upon him):

Meaning: “Had you seen them, you would have turned away from them as you ran and you would have been filled with fear of them.” (Q.S. Al-Kahf: 18)

Even look at how He honored a dog that followed them. So much so that He mentioned it in His Noble Book repeatedly, then made it in this world with them in a state of haram and then put it in Paradise in a state of honor?

Such was the grace of Allah bestowed on a dog that walked several times following a group of people who realized Him and glorified Him for several days without worshipping or serving.

Then what is the grace He gives to a believing servant, who serves, reveres and worships Him for seventy years? And what if that servant lived for seventy thousand days? Of course, his only goal is worship.

Do you not see how Allah reproached Prophet Ibrahim a.s. for the supplication for destruction he made for the sinners? How did Allah reproach Prophet Musa a.s. regarding Oarun? He said: “Oarun asked you for help and you did not help him. And I swear by My majesty that had he asked Me for help, I would have helped him and forgiven him.”

How about when Allah reproached Prophet Yunus a.s. with regard to his people: “Indeed, you are grieved over a gourd tree that I grow in a moment and make dry in a moment. Yet you do not feel grief over a hundred thousand or more (of your followers).”

How then did He accept their excuses and turn away their punishment after He had previously misled them?

Then see how Allah reproaches the chief of the messengers (Muhammad, peace be upon him) as it is narrated that he entered the Sacred Mosque through the door of Banu Shibah. Then he saw a group of people laughing. He then said to them: “Why are you all laughing? May I never see you laughing again.” Then when he reached Hajar Aswad he stepped back and said to them: “The angel Gabriel came to me and said: ‘O Muhammad! Verily Allah says to you: “Why do you cut off the hope of My servants from My mercy?

Meaning: “Let My servants know that I am indeed Oft-Forgiving, Most Merciful.” (Q.S. Al-Hijr: 49)

Then the Prophet said:

Meaning: “Verily, Allah loves His servants more than a mother loves her child.”

In a well-known hadith the Prophet also said:

Meaning: “Verily Allah has a hundred mercies. Then one of those hundred mercies He distributed to the jinn, humans, and animals. By the grace of that one mercy they love and care for each other. And He still keeps the ninety-nine (99) for Himself to love His servants on the Day of Resurrection.”

And when Allah has indeed given you a blessing, which is all the glorious gift of knowing Allah and belonging to the beloved community and knowing all the Sunnah of the Prophet and the Companions, to other pleasures that are before you both physical and mental, then what we should also expect from His great gift is that He will be pleased to perfect it. For he who gives something well should perfect it. And may He grant you a generous share of His 99 mercies. And we ask Allah, may He not waste our hope in His great grace. Verily He is a Gracious and Merciful Lord.

The third point, Promises and Threats on the Last Day

We should remember five things that have to do with promises and threats, namely death, the grave, the Hour, Paradise and Hell, including what happens in them, such as the extreme worry for those who obey, disobey, neglect or are serious.

First, death.

In discussing this issue of death I (Al-Ghazali) will bring up the story of two men. One of them is the one told from Ibn Shabramah. He said: “I once visited a sick man with Ash-Shafi bi. Near him was another man who was teaching him the recitation of ‘Lan ilaaha Illallaahu wahdahu laa shariika lahu’. Then Ash’Sha’ bi said: “Teach it slowly” The sick man said: “Whether you teach it or not, I will not leave that sentence.”

Then he recited Surah Al-Fath verse 26 as follows:

Meaning: “And Allah established the sentence of piety, and they are the ones who are entitled to it and deserve it.”

Ash-Shafi’bi said: “Praise be to Allah. He is the One who saved some of us.”

The other is the story of a student of Fudhail bin ‘Iyadh. On the eve of his death Fudhail came to visit him and sat by his head while reciting surah “Yaasiin”. The student said: “O my teacher, do not recite this surah.” Fudhail was silent. Then he taught him the recitation of tahlil (laa Unaha illallaah). He said: “I will never recite it because I have washed my hands of it.” Then he died in that state.

Then Fudhail entered his house and wept for forty days and did not come out. Then he saw his disciple in a dream being dragged to Hellfire. Fudhail asked: “What is the reason why Allah has deprived you of this infamy when you were my smartest student?” The student said: “All that happened because of three things:

1. Sheepfighting.

I told my friends something different from what I told you.

2. Irihati.

Because I often feel jealous of my friends.

3. I was suffering from an illness. Then I asked a doctor about it. He said: “Once a year you must drink a bowl of wine. If you do not do so, the disease will remain in your body.” That’s why I’ve been drinking wine ever since.”

Al-Ghazali said: “I seek refuge with Allah from His wrath that we cannot bear.”

Next I (Al-Ghazali) will tell you about two other men. One of them is about Abdullah Ibnul Mubaarak (rahimahullah). When his death was imminent he looked up to the sky. He laughed and said: “Those people should have done something like this.”

I also heard that Imam Haramain told me about Al-Ustadz Abu Bakr. Abu Bakr actually said: “When I was studying I had a friend who was very keen on learning, piety and worship. Through his diligence he managed to acquire only a little knowledge. I was astonished by this.

Once he became ill and stayed in his own lodging which was among the lodgings of the guardians (inside the pesantren). He was not hospitalized and continued to study despite his illness. After his illness was really bad I sat near him. It was then that he suddenly raised his gaze to the sky and said: “O Ibn Faurak! Those people should have done something like this.” And he died after saying that.”

The other is the story of Malik bin Dinar. He went to a neighbor who was dying. The man said: “O Malik! Before me are now two mountains of fire and I am required to climb them.” He said: “Hearing that I asked the family (his wife and children). They said that he had two measures, one for weighing for others and the other for weighing from others. So I asked for them and struck them against each other until they broke. Then I asked the man. He replied: “What I am facing is getting bigger.”

Secondly, the realm of the grave and the events experienced after death.

In this case I (Al-Ghazali) will tell you about two men. One of them is the story of a pious man who said: “I met Sufyan Ats-Tsauri in a dream after his passing. I said: “How are you, O Abu Abdullah?” He turned away from me and said: “It is not yet time to call people by their kuniyahs (nicknames that use the words “abu” and “ummu”). Then I said: “How are you, O Sufyan?” So he replied with a verse:

I could see my Lord clearly. Then He spoke to me:

“Congratulations. You have earned My pleasure, Abu Said! You worshipped when the night was dark with deep longing and love.

This is all for you. So choose which palace you want.

and come to Me for I am not far from you.

The second is a man who was dreamt of (seen in a dream) by a pious person. The man had a pale face and his hands were bound around his neck. Then he was asked: “What has Allah done to you?” He replied with a poem:

The time I played with has passed

and right now that time is playing tricks on me.

There is another story of two men. One of them is narrated from a pious man. He said: “I had a son who was martyred and had never seen him in a dream until one night, when Umar bin Abdul Aziz died, I saw him. I asked: “O my son, are you not dead?” Ja replied: “No. I am a martyr and am alive in the sight of Allah and am provided with sustenance.” I said: “What made you come here?” He answered: “There is an announcement for the people of the heavens, Attention! No prophet, no siddiq, and no martyr should not attend the funeral prayer of ‘Umar ibn ‘Abdul Aziz. That is why I have come to pray for him and to meet you to offer my greetings.”

The second is the man who was narrated from Hisham b. Hasan. He said: “I had a son who died young. Afterwards I saw him in a dream full of gray hair and I asked him, ‘O my son! Why are you gray?’ He replied, ‘When so-and-so came to me, Hellfire spewed heat to welcome him. There was not a single one of us who did not turn gray because of that torrent.”

We seek refuge in Allah, the Most Gracious, from a painful torment. Third, the apocalypse.

In this regard, consider the words of Allah Swit..:

Meaning: “(Remember) the day (when) We will gather those who fear God, the Most Gracious, as an honorable mission, and We will drive those who disobey to Hellfire in a state of thirst.” (Q.S. Marayam: 85-86)

Then someone rose from his grave. Suddenly a Bourag was on the grave with a crown and clothes. So he immediately changed his clothes and rode the Bourag to the blissful paradise. Because of his glory he was not allowed to go to heaven on foot.

In another place a man rose from his grave. Suddenly, the Angel of Zabaniyah was in front of him with shackles and chains in his hands. The wretched person will not be allowed to go to hell on foot but will be dragged into the middle of Jahim hell face down.

We seek refuge with Allah from His wrath.

I once heard a scholar narrate a hadith from the Messenger of Allah. He said:

Meaning: “When the Hour occurs, there will be a group of people who will rise from the grave. They will have camels which they will use as vehicles. The camels have green wings and take them to the field of mahshar so that when they come to the wall of heaven and are seen by the angels, they (the angels) ask each other, “Who are they?” The others replied, “We do not know. Perhaps they are followers of Muhammad (peace be upon him). Then one of the angels came and asked them, “Who are you and whose followers are you?” They replied, “We are the followers of Muhammad (peace be upon him). The angels asked, “Have you been judged?” They replied, “No.” The angels asked, “Have your deeds been weighed?” They replied, “No. The angels asked, “Have you brought your books (records of deeds)?” They replied, “No. The angels said, ‘Come back! It is all behind you.’ They said, ‘Have you given anything to us to be weighed?'”

In another hadith it is said:

Meaning: “They said, “We have nothing to cause us to do injustice or transgression, but we worship our Lord until we are all summoned and fulfill His call.’ Then came the cry, ‘What My servants say is true. There is no way to hold back those who do good. And Allah is Forgiving, Merciful.”

Have you not heard the word of God:

Meaning: “Is the one who is thrown into hell better or the one who comes safely on the Day of Resurrection?” (Q.S. Fushshilat: 40)

How great is the person who witnesses all the terrible, shocking and other events but feels safe. There is no feeling of fear and heaviness in his heart.

We ask Allah that He may be pleased to include us among such fortunate people. And it is not difficult for Allah (to do so).

Fourth, heaven and hell.

In this regard, consider the words of Allah, the Almighty, in His book.

The first is:

Meaning: “And God gave them a clean drink. Surely this is a reward for you and your efforts are to be thanked (rewarded).” (Q.S. Al-Insaan: 21-22)

Allah also tells of another person with the words:

Meaning: “O our Lord. Take us out of it (and return us to the world). If we return to disbelief, then we will have done wrong. Allah says: “Dwell therein in humiliation and do not speak to Me again.” (Q.S Al-Mukminuun: 107-108)

It is said that at that time they had turned into dogs barking at each other in hell. na’uzu billaahi, the Most Gracious and Merciful Lord, from His painful punishment.

Everything that happens, according to what Yahya bin Mu’adz Ar-Raazi said is: We do not know which is the greater calamity, losing Paradise or entering Hell. This is because a person is impatient to enter Paradise and also impatient if he has to stay in Hell. Regardless of the circumstances, losing a favor is certainly lighter than having to endure the pain of the torment of hell.

Then the greatest disaster and the most severe calamity is eternity in hell. Because anything that happens separately (disconnected) is certainly easier. But what happens then is an endless eternity. Whose heart can bear it? Whose feelings can patiently feel it? That is why the Prophet Jesus a.s. said: “The memory of the eternity of the immortal (in hell) can break the hearts of those who fear.”

It was told to Hasan Al-Bashri that the last person to come out of hell was a man named Hannad. He was tortured for a thousand years while calling out with the words Ya Hannan, Ya Mannaan (O God of Mercy, O God of Grace). Hearing this Hasan Al-Bashri said: “How glad I would be if I were Hannad.” The people were astonished at that. Hasan said: “Wretched. Didn’t he get out (of hell) one day?”

I (Al-Ghazali) said: “So, everything boils down to one thing that can make the backs break, the faces turn pale, the hearts become broken, despair and tears of blood for the servants, namely the fear of losing makrifat (faith). This is the peak of the fears of those who fear and the cry of those who weep.

A scholar said: “There are three kinds of sadness: Sadness in doing obedience for fear of not having one’s obedience accepted, sadness in committing sins for fear of not being forgiven, and sadness about realization (faith) for fear of being deprived of it.”

Those who are sincere (mukhlishuun) say that all sorrows are basically only one, namely the uprooting of makrifat (faith). Any other sorrow is trivialized because it is bound to come to an end.”

We have also heard that Yusuf bin Al-Asbath said: “I came to Sufyan Ats-Tsauri’s place and he was crying all night. I asked, ‘Do you weep at the remembrance of sins?” Yusuf said, ‘For Allah those sins are lighter than this. But what I fear more is if Allah were to remove Islam from my heart.”

We ask Allah, the Most Gracious, that He may not test us with His calamity, that He may be pleased to complete His bounty by giving us much pleasure and taking our lives in a Muslim state. Verily He is the Most Merciful of the merciful.

We have mentioned the causes of suu-ul khaatimah and their explanations in the book “Ihya Ulumiddin”. Therefore, reflect on the information contained therein. This is because the nature of the explanation in this book will lead to rambling. Reflect on this global description. May you be guided, for the details are more than what comes to mind and is mentioned by someone. May you be fortunate with Allah’s help and guidance.

If you ask: “Which is better, taking the path of khauf (fear) or raja’ (hope)?”

The best is the path that lies between the two. The one who is too hopeful will think that sin is harmless, and it is even feared that he will think that everything forbidden by Allah can be done, because he thinks that all his sins will be forgiven. A person who is too fearful will have no hope. This means that he becomes hopeless. So, what is meant here is a middle way, not to emphasize one or the other. This is because true hope cannot be separated from fear and true fear cannot be separated from hope. Hence, it is said that hope is only for those who are comfortable and fear is only for those who have hope, not those who are desperate.

If you ask: “Is one of the two superior to the other? Or should one of them be remembered more because of certain circumstances?”

If a servant is healthy and strong, then the best thing for him is fear. But if he is sick and weak, especially before his death, then it is best for him to hope.

That’s what I heard the scholars talking about.

According to me (Al-Ghazali) such an opinion is based on the words of Allah (in Hadith Qudsi):

Meaning: “I am on the side of the one whose heart breaks for fear of Me”

So hope was better for him at that time, because his heart had been broken and the fear he had practiced had been endured while he was healthy, strong and able. That is why it was said to them: “Do not be afraid and grieve.”

If you ask: “Aren’t there many traditions that explain about being favorable to Allah and the lure of it?”

Do you know that part of being kind to Allah is to avoid sin, to fear His punishment, and to be diligent in serving Him?

It should also be noted that in this case there are two very principle issues and also important information. Many people misunderstand the difference between “hope” and “imagination”.

Hope is something that involves a fundamental issue, whereas imagination does not involve that issue at all. For example, a man plants rice. He takes great pains and gathers the rice husks and says: “I hope to get a hundred sacks from it”. For that person, this is raja’ (hope).

There is another person who does not plant any rice at all, does not do anything for a day, and then he goes to sleep. He is negligent throughout the year and when it comes time to harvest he says: “I hope to get a hundred sacks from the crop.” Then the man was asked: “Where did your hope come from?” Indeed this is a baseless delusion.

The same applies to a servant. If he is sincere in worshipping Allah, avoiding sin and saying: “I hope that Allah will accept this little deed of mine, make up for my negligence, increase my reward and forgive my mistakes, and I am prejudiced against Him.” This is what is called raja’ (hope) from him.

But if he neglects worship, does not obey, commits disobedience, does not care about the wrath of Allah, His pleasure, promises and threats, then suddenly he says: “I hope for Paradise from Allah and freedom from Hell”. Then that is what is called delusion. There is nothing to be gained from it. People call it hope and expectation. Indeed, that is a mistake and misguidance,

One poet expressed this kind of meaning in the following verse:

You hope to be safe and not go down his path,

There really are no boats sailing on land.

Among those that shed light on this important matter is the hadith that we have narrated from the Prophet. He said:

Meaning: “The clever person is the one who humbles himself and does something as a provision after death. And the weak one is the one who follows his desires and fantasizes about Allah.”

In this regard Hasan Al-Bashri said: “Many people get carried away with the delusion of forgiveness until they come out of this world bankrupt and without any good deeds. Then one of them will say: ‘I had believed in my Lord. And He has lied.’ Had he truly thought well of his Lord, he would have improved his deeds for Him.”

Then Hasan Al-Bashri recited the verse:

Meaning: “Whoever wishes to meet Allah then let him do righteous deeds.” (Q.S. Al-Kahf: 110)

Continue with the recitation of the verse:

Meaning: “That is because of your wrongful suppositions about Allah, which will harm you. So you are among the losers.” (Q.S. Fushshilat: 23)

It was narrated from Ja’far Adh-Dhab’i (may Allah have mercy on him). He said: “I saw Abu Maisarah. He was a worshipper and his ribs were clearly visible because he was very earnest. I said: ‘May Allah have mercy on you, for Allah’s mercy is wide.’ He became angry and said: ‘Is there anything that Allah has mercy on? He became angry and said: ‘Do you see in me any sign of despair of Allah’s mercy? Verily the mercy of Allah is very near to those who do good.”

Ja’far said: “What made me cry was this statement of his: If all the messengers, wali abdal and aulia were like this in their earnestness in obedience and avoidance of disobedience as well as their perseverance, would they not have had favor with Allah? Of course, because they know more about the extent of Allah’s mercy and are more favorable towards His grace than you are. But they also know that all of that without ijtihad would be mere fantasy and deception.

Take a lesson from these descriptions, reflect on their circumstances and rise from your slumber.

Only Allah is the master of all guidance.

The conclusion is: If you remember the vastness of Allah’s mercy that precedes His wrath and is wider than all things, remembering that you are among the noble people in the sight of Allah, remembering the greatness of His bounty and His perfect and glorious mercy, then He made the beginning of His noble book for you by mentioning the Asma of Allah, the Most Merciful, the Most Compassionate. Remembering the many gifts and pleasures given to you, both visible and invisible without any help or deeds you have done.

On the other hand you also remember the splendor, majesty, greatness of His kingdom and greatness. Remembering the enormity of His wrath that the heavens and the earth are incapable of perceiving. Remembering your gross negligence and the multitude of sins and carelessness in addition to the gentleness of Allah’s dealings, the anxiety of relating to Him because of the scope of His knowledge and view of sins and the unseen. Remembering the inconceivable goodness of His promises and rewards, the sting of His threats and punishments that cannot be expressed with the heart.

One moment you see His majesty, and another moment you see His punishment. At one moment you see His gentleness and mercy, and at another moment you see yourself and your denial and wrongdoing.

With these you will have reached the position of khauf and raja’. You have also treaded the straight middle path, deviating from the two destructive paths of security (from Allah’s punishment) and despair (from Allah’s mercy). You will not go astray with those who go astray and perish with those who perish. You are drinking a drink that has been properly mixed so that it is not spoiled by the cold purity of raja’ and the hot purity of khauf.

It seems to me (Al-Ghazali) that you have achieved what you wanted with profit, recovered from the two diseases safely, your passions have risen to obedience and drawn near to serve (Allah) day and night without weariness and carelessness. You have stayed away from sin and despicable things and abandoned them altogether, as Nauf Al-Bukhali said: “Indeed, if Nauf remembers Paradise, he longs for it: And if he remembers Hell, he loses the desire to sleep.”

In this state you have become a chosen and special person and are among the people of worship, those whom Allah has called by His word:

Meaning: “Indeed, they hasten to do good and worship Me with pleasure and fear. And they are solemn for the sake of My majesty.” (Q.S. Al-Anbiyaa’: 90)

You have also passed through this dangerous stage and left it behind with Allah’s permission and good fortune.

You will experience a lot of sweetness and peace of mind in this world and a rich store of rewards in the hereafter.

Allah is the only place to ask. May He be pleased to help us all with His guidance and vindication. Verily He is more merciful and gracious of the merciful and gracious. There is no power and no effort except with the help of Allah, the Most Sublime and the Most Great.

Sixth Stage: DEFECTS (SHORTCOMINGS)

Then once you see the path clearly and your steps are straight, you should distinguish and maintain them from things that spoil them and make them futile. You should do that by being sincere, remembering Allah’s bounty and avoiding the opposite of these two things for the following purpose:

In order to get the benefits that are in it, namely good acceptance from Allah and gaining reward (sincerity). Otherwise, the deed will be rejected and its reward will be lost, either in whole or in part, according to a popular hadith narrated from the Prophet:

Meaning: “Verily Allah Almighty says, “I do not need anything from anyone. Whoever does a deed and attributes it to something other than Me, then my share belongs to that something else. So I will not accept any deed other than that which is pure (sincere) for Me.

It is also said that Allah will say to His servant on the Day of Judgment when he asks for the reward of his deeds: “Were the assemblies not enlarged for you? Were you not leaders in this world? Were your trades not made easy, and were you not honored?”

This kind of thing is alarming and dangerous.

According to me (Al-Ghazali) among the dangers of riya is the exposure of two disgraces and the onset of two calamities.

1. Two Open Disgraces
2. A disgrace that is uncovered, i.e. uncovered in the presence of the angels. This is based on a hadith that relates that the angels flew to bring the deeds of a servant before Allah with joy. Then Allah said:

Meaning: “Throw the deed into the hell of Sijjin, for surely he did not want Me with his deed (not sincere for the sake of Allah).” The servant was humiliated in front of the angels.

2. Disgrace that is openly exposed, that is, in front of all creatures on the Day of Judgment, according to the Hadith narrated from the Prophet (peace be upon him) that he said:

Meaning: Verily, the one who is jealous will be called by four names on the Day of Resurrection: “Kafir”, “Criminal”, “Liar”, and “Loser”. Your deeds have gone astray, your reward has perished, and today there is no portion for you. Ask for the reward of the one for whom you did charity, O deceiver!

It is also said that he will be called by the caller on the Day of Resurrection with a call heard by all creatures: Where are those who worship man? Take the reward of those for whom you have done deeds, for I will not accept deeds mixed with anything (other than Me).

1. Two Calamities

The first calamity is the loss of Paradise, according to the hadith narrated from the Prophet:

Meaning: Verily, Paradise can speak and say, ‘I am forbidden to the miserly and boastful.'”

The above Hadith has two meanings.

1. What is meant by bakhildi here is the one who refuses to say the best words, namely the words “Laa ilaaha illallaah, Muhammadur Rasulullaah” (There is no God but Allah, Muhammad is the messenger of Allah).

What is meant by riyadi here is one who flaunts the most heinous thing, which is hypocrisy. He flaunts his faith and oneness.

This means that opinions like this give us hope.

2. If he does not stop his miserliness and jealousy, nor does he nurture his lust, then he has two worrisome things:

The first is met with the ugliness of miserliness, falling into disbelief, and the second is denied Paradise altogether. We seek refuge with Allah from the wrath and violence of His anger.

The second calamity is entering hell,

This is in accordance with the hadith narrated by Abu Hurairah r.a. from the Prophet. He said:

Meaning: On the Day of Resurrection, the first people to be called will be those who memorized the Qur’an, those who fought in the cause of Allah and those who had much wealth.

Allah asked the one who memorized the Qur’an: Have I not taught you by what I have sent down to my messenger? He replied: Yes, O my Lord.Allah asked: “What have you done with your knowledge?” He replied: With it I have risen to worship in the middle of the night and at twilight. “Allah said: You lie! The malatkat said: You lie!”Allah said: “You only want it to be said that so-and-so is a reciter of the Qur’an and it has been said.

Then the man who had much wealth was confronted and Allah asked him: Have I not given you so much wealth that you have no need of others? “He replied: You are right, O my Lord. “Allah said: Your lie.The angels also said: Your lie.Allah said: What have you done with the wealth I have given you? He replied: I used it for friendship and charity.Allah said: You lie! The angels said: Allah says: You lied! Allah says: You did all that just because you wanted to be called a philanthropist, and that has been said.

After that the one who was killed while fighting in the cause of Allah was confronted and Allah asked: What have you done? He replied: I was ordered to fight in Your way. I went to fight and was killed.Allah said: “You are lying!” The angels said: You lie! Allah said: You did all that just because you wanted people to say ‘So-and-so is a brave man, and it has been said.

Then the Messenger of Allah put his hand on my knee and said: O Abu Hurairah! They are the first to be burned with the fire of Jahannam.

It was narrated from Ibn Abbas r.a. who said that I heard the Messenger of Allah say:

Meaning: Verily, Hell and its inhabitants cry out because of the people who love to show off. Then someone asked, “Why do they scream, O Messenger of Allah?” The Messenger of Allah replied, “Because of the heat of the fire that is used to torture them.” The Prophet replied, “Because of the heat of the fire that is used to torture them.

With the revelation of this kind of disgrace, people who are vigilant can learn a lesson.

Only Allah is the master of guidance by His grace.

If you say: Now explain to me the nature of ikhlas and riya, their rulings, and the effects (traces) they have in relation to knowledge!

Know that according to our scholars, sincerity is divided into two: Sincerity in doing good deeds and sincerity in seeking rewards.

Ikhlas in charity means the desire to get closer to Allah, to glorify (fulfill) His commands and fulfill His call. The driver of this desire is a healthy belief.

The opposite of this kind of sincerity is hypocrisy, which is to draw closer to other than Allah.

Our teacher (Abu Bakr) said: Hypocrisy is a false (corrupt) belief. It is something that the hypocrite has about Allah.

This kind of belief does not count as iradah, because of the defect that we have explained in the chapter.

As for sincerity in the hope of reward, it is the desire to benefit in the Hereafter by means of a good deed that cannot be rejected for any reason, if one expects benefit from it.

We have explained the conditions for this kind of sincerity.

The Hawariyyin said to Prophet Isa ibn Maryam a.s.: Who is the person who is sincere in his deeds? Prophet Isa replied: One who does good deeds for the sake of Allah and does not take pleasure in being praised by someone.

This kind of expression is just an appeal to abandon riya, Prophet Isa only mentioned it because riya is the strongest cause that interferes with sincerity.

Imam Al-Junaid said: “Sincerity is cleansing oneself of impurities.”

Fudhail bin ‘Iyadh said: Sincerity is to be in constant muragabah with Allah and to forget all one’s own desires.

This is the perfect explanation.

There are many opinions on this issue, and there is no point in quoting much after the truth has been revealed.

The Prophet, the leader of the ancients and those who lived later, when asked about sincerity said:

Meaning: “Say ‘My Lord is Allah’, then do so continuously as you are commanded.”

That is, do not worship your lusts. Do not worship other than your Lord and be steadfast in worshiping Him as you are commanded.

This hadith is a hint that we should cut off everything other than Allah from our perspective. This is the true ikhlas.

The opposite of ikhlas is riya, which is wanting benefits in the world with charity in the hereafter. And this riya is also divided into two, pure riya and mixed riya.

Pure riya is when you want benefit in this world from the deed and have no other desires.

Mixed riya is when you want both at the same time. This means wanting the benefits of this world and the benefits of the hereafter.

This is the limit of ikhlas and riya,

Ikhlas and riya also have an influence, because ikhlas in doing charity will make you make all deeds as an approach to Allah. While being sincere in seeking rewards makes the charity you do accepted, rewarded and becomes great.

Hypocrisy can destroy all deeds, making them no longer an approach that can earn the reward promised by Allah.

According to one scholar, pure riya will not arise in a person who has realized Allah, even though it can destroy half of the reward.

According to other scholars, pure riya can sometimes appear in a person who has realized and erase half of the multiple rewards. Whereas mixing up the intentions can remove a quarter of the multiple of reward.

According to our teacher, the correct view is: Pure riya will not arise in the one who has realized when he is remembering the Hereafter and may arise when he is forgetting.

One of the effects of riya, according to a scholarly view, is that the deed is not accepted and the reward is diminished. It is not clear whether it is half or only a quarter, because the explanation of this is very long and we have explained it in the book of Ihya Ulumiddin more extensively and satisfactorily in the chapter on mu’aamalat ad-diin,

If you ask: Now where is sincerity and what kind of obedience requires sincerity and what is obligatory sincerity in it?

Be aware that according to a scholar, all deeds are divided into three:

1. A deed that can be occupied by two sincerities at the same time, i.e. a basic external act of worship.
2. A deed that cannot be occupied by one of sincerity, which is the basic bathiniyyah worship.
3. Charities for which sincerity in seeking reward is possible but not sincerity in doing, i.e. permissible deeds that are prepared before worship.

Our teacher said: Any deed that has the possibility of being deflected towards other than Allah such as the principal acts of worship can be occupied by sincerity of deeds. The bathiniyyah acts of worship, on the other hand, can mostly be occupied by sincerity of action.

The teachers of the Kiriamiyah school are of the opinion that sincerity in seeking reward cannot be found in bathiniyyah acts of worship, because they cannot be seen by anyone other than Allah. Hence, there cannot be any invitation to make-believe in them. That is why there is no need for sincerity in seeking reward.

Our teacher said: If a servant who draws close to Allah desires to gain benefit in this world with an act of worship, then that is also riya.

I think that if this is the case, then the possibility of dual sincerity in the bathiniyyah acts of worship is not far off. The same applies to acts of worship. He must accompany them with two sincerities at the same time when starting them. However, the permissible acts of worship that are used as preparation can only be occupied by sincerity in seeking reward, not sincerity in doing the deed. This is because the permissible acts of worship are not meant to be used as a means of drawing closer to Allah.

If you say: These are just two kinds of sincerity. Now please explain when is the time to feel sincere in a deed?

Know that the sincerity of doing charity must be accompanied by the charity itself and should not feel sincere after completing it. Meanwhile, sincerity in seeking reward can be done after the charity is completed.

According to one scholar, the time they set for sincerity in seeking reward is when the deed is completed. If the deed is completed with a sense of sincerity or riya, then it is over and there is no way it can be followed by sincerity again.

According to the scholars of the Kiriamiyah school, if the servant has not received the benefit that he hoped for with riya, then he still has the opportunity to follow the deed with sincerity. But if he has gained a benefit, then the opportunity to feel sincere is gone.

According to a scholar, in fard acts of worship a person has the opportunity to feel sincere until he dies. As for the voluntary acts of worship, then you have no recourse other than what has been mentioned above. The difference is: Allah includes a servant in an obligation. So, there is the hope that Allah will give him grace and ease. Whereas in a voluntary act of worship the servant himself enters into it and burdens himself with it. Therefore, he must fulfill the rights that he imposed on himself.

I think that there is a benefit in this matter, which is that the one who has already felt riya or abandoned sincerity can still follow it up with sincerity in one of the ways that we mentioned earlier.

The main purpose of explaining the scholars’ choice of opinion in this difficult matter is to let us all know that there are very few people today who are sincere, and not many people are following this path, and to make it easier for beginners in worship. If he does not find a cure in this one opinion, then he will find it elsewhere, because of the differences in illnesses, goals, shortcomings in various deeds and their corruption. Understand this and you will be among the smart ones. Insha Allah.

If you ask: Does every deed require its own sincerity?

Note that the scholars have their own opinions on this matter.

Some say that every deed requires its own sincerity.

Some say that one sincerity can cover a variety of acts of worship.

As for deeds that have various pillars, such as prayer and ablution, they should be done with sincerity, because they are related to each other in terms of good and bad. In this way, it is as if these two things have become one deed.

If you ask: Does it mean that if a person does good deeds for the benefit of Allah and does not want praise, fame or benefit from others, then he is doing riya?

Know that this is what is called pure riya.

Our teacher said that what counts in this case is the desire, not what is expected from it.

If you want worldly benefits from your deeds, either from Allah or from others, then it is called riya. Allah swt. says:

Meaning: “Whoever desires gain in the Hereafter, We will increase it for him. And whoever desires the gain of the world, We shall give him a share of the gain of the world, and he shall have no share in the Hereafter” (Q.S.Ash-Shu’araa’:20).

What counts here is not the word riya, and the word is taken to mean ru’yah (sight), but this untrue desire is called riya, because it mostly happens from the side of people and their sight.

If you say: If the purpose of gaining this world is only to keep oneself from begging people and to prepare oneself for worshipping Allah, would that be riya?

It is not necessary to protect oneself from asking people for money, high positions and useless things. Rather it is found in being content with Allah’s bounty and trusting in His assurance of sufficiency.

As for preparing to worship Allah, if the purpose is to worship, then it is not called riya.

What is meant by preparation here is something related to the affairs of the hereafter and its various causes. So, the purpose is none other than that. If this kind of preparation is intended as a preparation for doing good, then it is not called riya. This is because with this intention, it becomes a good deed or is considered a deed of the Hereafter. So, the desire for good is not called riya.

The same applies if you want to be respected by the people or loved by teachers and imams. If you want to be honored by the people or loved by the teachers and imams, then you should do that in order to strengthen the madhhab of the ahl al-ha, to reject the opinions of the innovators, to spread knowledge, to encourage others to worship, or for any other purpose of that kind, not for the glory that you will gain from it, or the wealth that you will gain from it.

This is a righteous desire and a praiseworthy intention. There is nothing about it that is riya, because the real purpose of it is the affairs of the Hereafter.

You know that I asked one of my teachers about the practice of our saints of reciting Sūrat al-Wagi ah in times of financial hardship. Isn’t what they (the saints) want is for Allah to endure the hardship and expand one part of the worldly life, as is the custom? Is it permissible to desire the wealth of this world by means of charity in the Hereafter? The Prophet (may Allah’s peace and blessings be upon him) replied that what they (the saints) wanted was for Allah to provide for them in the form of qana’ah (contentment with what one has been given) or strength in preparation for worshipping Allah and strength to learn knowledge. This is a good wish, not a wish for worldly possessions.

And it should be noted that such work as reciting Sūrat al-Waqi’ah at the time of hardship is a custom emulated by the Prophet and the Companions r.a. Even when Ibn Mas’ud was criticized for not leaving any inheritance to his sons, he replied: “I have left them Sūrat al-Waqi’ah.” And from this point of view, this kind of behavior has been adopted by our scholars. Otherwise, they would not have cared about the difficulty or sufficiency of worldly affairs and would have praised Allah. They are the ones who take advantage of the narrowness of worldly affairs and boast about it among themselves. They also regard the narrowness as a great gift from Allah and are worried if there are signs of breadth of sustenance that most people consider to be good and enjoyable. They feared that it might be a trick and a calamity from Allah. How can they not feel fortunate if all they have in their hearts is the desire to walk and starve on ordinary occasions? Their predecessors, said that hunger is our main asset. This is the reality that the masters of Sufism, our choice, and the choice of our teachers have chosen.

This is the practice of our predecessors. As for the deviations made by the scholars of later times, there is no need to take them into account.

We explain all this so that those who disagree with us will not criticize us because they are ignorant of what the people are aiming for when it comes to their own acts of worship. Or so that beginners in worship who are still pure in heart and have not studied knowledge properly will not make the wrong judgment.

If someone says: Is that appropriate for someone who is a scholar, someone who focuses on worship, someone who is humble, patient and likes to train himself?

Know that all of this is taken from the Prophet’s behavior. The aim is to get a sense of gana’ah and preparation for worship. It is not to indulge in gluttony, lust and not because one is unable to bear hardship. Most of what you see after doing that is a sense of contentment in the heart, the disappearance of the hunger that is greedy like a dog. The heart gets weaker, feels comforted and away from food and its pleasures. All of that has actually been felt by people who have tried it.

Take this information to heart and you will be guided. Insha Allah.

The second defect is the feeling of ujub (admiration of oneself). You should stay away from such feelings for two reasons:

Firstly, such feelings may hinder Allah’s guidance and help. This is because the wub is left unhelped. If a person does not receive help and guidance from Allah, he will soon be doomed. That is why the Prophet said:

Meaning: “Three things are destructive: miserliness that is indulged in, lust that is followed, and admiration for oneself.”

Secondly, it can ruin good deeds. In relation to this, Jesus a.s. said: “O Hawariyyin, many lamps are extinguished because of the wind and many worshipers have their worship spoiled because of ujub.

If the purpose and benefit of worship is worship, and this kind of pride hinders the servant to the extent that he does not get any results, or if he does get good, with a little pride the good is destroyed, then the servant should be careful and guard against this kind of pride.

If someone says: What is the essence of ujub, its meaning, effects and rulings? Please explain everything for us!

Know that the essence of ujub is to think highly of a good deed.

According to our scholars, ujub is the description of a person’s glorification of a good deed without attributing it to Allah, others or himself.

Sometimes the attitude is guarded towards all three, i.e. speaking of good deeds by attributing them to Allah, others or oneself. Sometimes the attitude of ujub is ambiguous, such as attributing it to two directions, or it is solitary, attributing it to one of the three, namely Allah, the Jain and oneself.

The opposite of ujub is to remember Allah’s grace. That is, remembering that all of it was obtained with the help of Allah SWT. And that He is the One who honors and magnifies the reward and status of the deeds. This remembrance of grace should be done when there is an interest in feeling ujub, and it is mustahabb to do it on other occasions.

The effect of ujub on deeds, according to one of our scholars is: A person who is arrogant is waiting for the destruction of a deed. if he repents before dying, then he will be saved. But if not then the deed will be destroyed.

This is the view taken by Muhammad Ibn Shabir, a scholar of the Kiriamite school. The destruction of a deed, for him, is the loss of all the good that was in the deed, so that the servant does not deserve any reward or praise.

Other scholars said that the effect of ujub is the loss of multiples of reward, and the others do not change at all.

How can the one who realizes not see clearly that it is Allah who guides good deeds, elevates their status and increases their reward with His grace and bounty?

Know that in this matter of ujubub there is an important meaning and a noble deposit. Namely that all humans in terms of this ujub are divided into three groups:

1: Those who are eternally conceited. These are the people who follow the Mu tazilah and Qadariyah sects. They do not at all see that Allah is the one who gives grace in the work they do. They deny the existence of Allah’s help, special guidance and tender mercy. This is because of the obscurity that overcomes them.

2. People who are forever mindful of the gifts that Allah has given them. They are the ones who are istiqamah. They are not the least bit impressed with even one job. This is because of the open eyes of their hearts and the special help given to them.

3. People who mix. That is, the people of the Sunnah, one moment they are enlightened and receive a blessing from Allah. At other times they are negligent and amazed by their good deeds. This happens because of sudden negligence, inattention to ijtihad, and lack of vigilance.

If you ask: What is the state of the Qadariyah and Mu tazilah with regard to what they do?

You should know that there is a difference of opinion among the scholars concerning that.

Some say that the deeds are destroyed because of their beliefs. There are those who say that the deeds are not totally destroyed because of a belief that generally concerns parts of Islam, unless all the deeds are accompanied by ujub, such as the belief of the followers of the Sunnah that ujub cannot be avoided from all deeds unless specializing in them by remembering the grace of Allah.

If someone asks: Is there anything that can ruin a deed other than ujub and riya?

The answer is: There are many corruptions in charity besides ujub and riya. But we have mentioned these two in particular, because they are the core of most of the destructive things that surround them.

A teacher said that a servant, in his deeds, must guard against ten things, namely hypocrisy, riya, mixing between sincerity and riya, bringing up the deeds that have been done, hurting others, regret, ujub, complaining, trivializing and fear of being reproached by people.

Then our teacher, Shaykh Abu Bakr Al-Warraq mentioned the opposite of these ten things and the harm they cause charity.

1. The opposite of hypocrisy is sincerity in charity.

2.The opposite of riya is sincerely seeking reward.

3. The opposite of mixing ikhlas and riya is to state the purpose (of an act).
4. The opposite of prying is to leave all deeds to Allah.
5. The opposite of being hurtful to others is being kind.
6. The opposite of regret is self-esteem.
7. The opposite of pride is to remember the grace of God.
8. The opposite of complaining is making the most of opportunities for good.
9. The opposite of trivializing is taking Allah’s guidance for granted.

10 The opposite of fearing reproach is fearing Allah alone.

Know that hypocrisy can destroy charity. The feeling of riya requires that the charity be returned or not accepted. Prying and hurting others can destroy charity until there is nothing left in an instant. And according to one of our teachers, both eliminate the multiplication of rewards. Regret will destroy charity in its entirety. Ujub will eliminate the multiplicity of rewards. Whereas complaining, belittling and fear of being criticized by others will lighten a deed and take away its weight.

According to scholars, whether a deed is accepted or rejected depends on whether the deed is exalted and whether it is lighthearted.

What is meant by ihbath (destruction) is the loss of benefit that comes out of a work and its various causes. Sometimes this loss is the loss of the reward, and sometimes it is the loss of multiples of the reward.

What is meant by reward is a benefit that can be perceived by the intellect, regardless of its form, signs or circumstances.

The multiple of the reward is in addition to this (reward).

What is meant by razanah (the weight of a deed) is the addition given according to the signs of other works such as doing good to a good person, both parents, and one of the prophets. So, it is possible for a deed to have weight but not have multiples of reward,

We have said all this to summarize what we have said in this regard. Keep that in mind. Only to Allah do we ask for guidance.

You should complete this very worrisome, hindering and destructive stage by taking maximum care of yourself. This is because the one who is in the business of obedience can actually complete this stage and endure the hardships so that he succeeds in gaining the merchandise of noble worship of high value. He will not be afraid of losing his merchandise except on this complicated path (stage), because there are many robbers in it who are afraid that they will take his merchandise on the way. In addition, there are also many places that are damaged and there is a fear that they may cause harm and spoil his obedience.

Then the biggest and most frequent concern is that there are two obstacles or robbers in the form of ujub and riya. And we should explain a number of points, each of which is explained individually, so that it will be satisfactory and you will feel that you have had enough.

Riya problem

The first point we will make is that Allah, the Almighty, says:

Meaning: “It is Allah who has created the seven heavens, and like them the earth, and the command of Allah is upon it, that you may know that Allah is over all things. And indeed, Allah, His Knowledge truly encompasses all things.” (Q.S. Ath-Thalaaq: 12)

With this verse, it is as if Allah is saying: I have created the heavens and the earth and all that is between them in all their goodness and beauty. It is enough for me that you look at them and know that I am all-powerful and all-knowing. You only pray two rak’ahs that have flaws and without thinking (doing it carelessly) but you do not feel enough of My sight and knowledge, praise and thanks from Me so you prefer if the prayer is known to others so that they praise you for it. Is that what is called keeping a promise? Is that the kind of mind that one wants for oneself? Wretch. Do you not think?

The second point is that a person has a beautiful diamond that would sell for one million dinars and he sells it for one copper coin. Isn’t that a great loss, being deceived by a very bad trick, clear evidence of his low aspirations, limited knowledge, weakness in thinking and thin sense of servitude.

What a person gets from others in relation to his deeds, such as praise and other useless things, when measured against Allah’s pleasure, gratitude, flattery and reward, is worth less than a piece of copper compared to a million dinars, two million, or many millions. In fact, it is still smaller even if that single piece is compared to the whole world, more of it, or more of it.

Isn’t it a real loss to lose such glory over such a trivial and lowly matter?

Furthermore. If you can’t help but think such vile thoughts, then let your goal be the Hereafter, and the world will follow you. In fact (if possible) try to seek the pleasure of the One True God, surely you will be given the benefits of this world and the Hereafter because He is the master of both.

This is in accordance with the words of Allah:

Meaning: Whoever seeks the gain of this world (will lose it), for with Allah is the reward of this world and the Hereafter (Q.S. An-Nisaa’: 134).

The Prophet also said:

Meaning: Verily, Allah will indeed give the worldly life on account of one’s doing the deeds of the Hereafter. But He will not give the Hereafter for doing the deeds of this world.

If you purify your intentions and thoughts for the Hereafter, then you will get the rewards of the Hereafter and the World at the same time. If you want to get only the world, then the hereafter will flee immediately and sometimes you don’t get the world you want. Even if you get it, it will not last. That way you will lose the world hereafter. Keep that in mind.

The third point is that the creature for whom you are doing charity and hoping to gain favor, if he knew that you were doing charity for him, he would be angry, displeased, contemptuous and disdainful of you.

How can a person with a mind work for someone who, if he knew that he was expected to volunteer, would hate and despise him?

O one who needs to be pitied! Work for the One who, if you work for Him, desiring Him with it and expecting His pleasure with it, will love, give and honor you to the extent that He will relieve and provide for you from all your needs.

Look at this information and think about it if you are a reasonable person.

The fourth point is that if a person succeeds in the things that can be used to seek the favor of the great king of this world, then he still seeks the favor of a sweeper who is looked down upon by many people, then that is evidence of his foolishness and low level of thinking and the poor share he gets. It is worth asking what is the need to seek the favor of this sweeper, when you were able to gain the favor of the king and then you lost it all?

This is the state of the one who does riya. What then is the need for you to seek the favor of a creature who is trivial, weak and despised, when you can earn the favor of Allah, the Lord of the Worlds, who is sufficient for all needs? If your desire is weak and your vigilance is lacking and you are forced to seek the pleasure of creatures, then the best way is to purify your desires and steps for the sake of Allah. This is because the heart and crown of man are in His grasp. He is the One who makes people’s hearts incline towards you and gathers themselves to you. Allah also fills them with love for you so that from them you get what your earnestness and purpose cannot get.

If you do none of that and seek the favor of creatures other than Allah with your deeds, then He will turn their hearts away from you, make themselves distant from you, and all creatures scold you. That way you earn the wrath of both Allah and mankind. Remember, O you who are losers and deprived of Allah’s mercy.

We have narrated that Hasan al-Bashri said: There was a man who said By Allah. Then he would be the first to enter the mosque and the last to leave it, and no one would see him unless he was praying, fasting but not breaking his fast, and sitting among those who were remembering. No one saw him unless he was praying, fasting but not breaking his fast and sitting among those who were in remembrance. He did all that for seven months. Then after that he did not walk in public unless people said May Allah do something to the envious.

Then the man cursed himself and said to him: Indeed, I see myself getting nothing. Indeed. I will make all my deeds for the sake of Allah. Then he did not add any deeds to what he had done before. It is just that his intentions have changed for the good.

After that he walks in front of the crowd and they say May Allah have mercy on so-and-so because now he has turned good.

Then Hasan Al-Bashri recited the verse:

Meaning: Those who believe in Allah and do righteous deeds, Allah, the Merciful, will make love for them (Q.S. Maryam: 96).

Hasan Al-Bashri said: Allah loves them and makes them love the believers.

It’s so true what the poet said:

O you who seek praise and reward

in charity. You are looking for something impossible.

Allah will disregard those who are riya

As well as undoing his steps and fatigue.

Whoever hopes to meet God,

he will certainly purify his work out of fear of him.

Eternity in hell is within the grasp of Allah,

So show Him your deeds, and He will reward you.

Whereas humans do not have anything,

Then why do you show charity before them?

Ujub

We should explain a few points about ujub:

First, a servant’s work becomes valuable because it is in the pleasure of Allah and accepted by Him. Otherwise, you would have seen a laborer who worked all day only earning two dirhams. Whereas a security guard who doesn’t sleep all night gets two dinars. It is the same with people who have companies and jobs. All of them work day and night and the wages they get are only a few dirhams.

If you divert the work to earn Allah’s favor, such as fasting for the sake of Allah for one day, then the fast is priceless if Allah is pleased and accepts it.

Allah swt. said:

Meaning: Indeed, those who are patient have their reward unlimited (Q.S. Az-Zumar: 10).

In a hadith qudsi it is explained:

Meaning: I (Allah) have prepared for those who fast, something (reward) that has never been seen by the eye, heard by the ear, or thought of in the human heart.

Today is a day that is only worth two dirhams, while you have to endure extreme hardship. All of that could be made more valuable by delaying lunch until the afternoon. If you are willing to spend a night in worship for the sake of Allah and purify that worship for His sake, then the act is priceless in its glory and beauty.

Allah said:

Meaning: No one knows what has been concealed for them, which is a variety of pleasures that please the eyes in return for what they have done (Q.S. As-Sajdah: 17).

This is how work that used to cost two coins or two dirhams becomes so expensive. Even if you spend a minute for the sake of Allah by praying two short rak’ahs, or even one breath that you take reciting Laa Ilaaha Illallah, it is also expensive.

Allah said:

Meaning: And whoever does righteous deeds, whether male or female, while he is a believer, they will enter Paradise. They will be given sustenance in it without reckoning (Q.S. Ghaafir: 40).

Like this is just one breath among your breaths that are not worth a dime according to the world’s experts and according to yourself. How many such breaths have you wasted on something useless. How much time passes from you uselessly. All this can become noble because it is pleased by Allah. Then they become high and costly because of the grace of Allah. Thus the reasonable person should see the insignificance of his deeds and the lack of ability he has compared to Allah. And let him see nothing but the bounty that Allah has bestowed upon him in terms of a glory equal to his deeds and greater than the reward He gives. And let him take care that his work does not slip into a place that is not appropriate for Allah and does not occupy His pleasure, which causes the loss of the value that you get, then it returns to its origin. The lowest value is a few dirhams or a few coins, or even less than that.

One example: A bunch of grapes and a flower, in the market, are only worth one piece of money. But if a person gives them to a king, even though the price is low, the king’s heart is pleased. Perhaps the king will give him a thousand dinars, because the gift occupies the king’s favor or pleasure. Thus, one grape is worth one thousand dinars. But if the king is not pleased and returns the gift to him, then the item returns to its original low value, which is a seed or a piece of money.

So is what we are talking about here. So remember, see the grace of God and keep your deeds from anything that defiles them before God.

Second: As you know, if a king in this world were to give a person something to eat, drink, wear, wear, or give him money (dirhams) or dinars that can be counted and can be damaged, he would make him his servant all night and day in a state of humiliation and disgrace. Then he would stand on his head until his legs were tired. He would also walk in front of the king when the king was riding. Sometimes he had to stand at the door of the king’s house as a guard all night. Sometimes he saw the king’s enemy. So he had to fight the enemy. He also gave his life for which he had no compensation to the king. All this devotion, heavy burdens, worries and dangers seemed to be only to gain a troublesome and very trivial benefit. Whereas in reality the benefit comes from Allah. The king in this case is only the cause. So, it was God who created you when you were nothing, nurtured and educated you well. After that, Allah gives you both visible and invisible blessings such as in your religion, self and worldly affairs. Something that your mind and intellect cannot comprehend.

Allah swt. said:

Meaning: And if you were to count the favors of Allah, you would not be able to determine their number.(Q.S. An-Nahl: 18)

Then you pray two rak’ahs that have defects and shortcomings, while you know what Allah has promised for them in the future such as good rewards and various kinds of glory. You regard them as great and you admire them. If you think about it, this is not the attitude of a man of understanding.

Take this information to heart.

Third: A king has the habit of being served by other kings and princes. Before him stand masters, great men and are served by scholars and masters of wisdom. Clever people and scholars seek his praise. Dignitaries and leaders escort him before him.

Suppose such a king allowed a market trader or a villager out of pity or a desire to help him, to appear before him so as to urge kings, masters, princes and noble people, so that he could serve and praise him. The king also gave him his appointed place in front of him and looked upon his service with a pleased look even though the service was still lacking. Would it not be appropriate for someone to say: How great was the bounty given to this lowly servant from the king. How much help was given to him.

If that lowly servant brings up the king’s lack of devotion and thinks highly of that devotion and is in awe of it, is that person not extremely foolish, crazy, and not thinking at all?

Once all this is understood, then indeed our Holy Lord is Maharaja. The heavens, the earth and everything in them recite tasbih for Him. There is not a single creature that does not recite tasbih in praise of Him. He is the One who is always worshipped. All the inhabitants of the heavens and the earth prostrate to Him, either out of obedience or out of compulsion.

The servants who are at His side include: Archangel Gabriel Al-Amin, Archangel Mikail, Archangel Israfil, Archangel Izrail, the bearers of the Aarash, Archangel Karubiyyun, Archangel Ruhaniyyun and other angels who are not far from the side of Allah. And the number of them cannot be counted except by Allah Himself. They reside in their own glorious places. Their souls are pure and their worship is great.

Other creatures who serve by His side include Prophet . Adam, Noah, Abraham, Moses, Jesus, and Muhammad. The best chosen one in all of nature along with all prophets and messengers a.s.. They occupy a very high position, have noble honor, high rank and their worship is also great and very valuable.

After that come the scholars, the good leaders and the zuhud people. They occupy a high and magnificent position. Their bodies are clean and pure and their acts of worship are many, pure and helpful.

The lowest servants at His side include: The kings of the earth, and arbitrary rulers. They prostrate their chins and feel humiliated. They smear their faces with dust while bowing down, making supplications while crying, wailing and humbling themselves. They acknowledge their servitude to Allah, realizing their shortcomings while prostrating and humbling themselves until one day Allah looks at them, and by His grace He gives them what they need. Or in His glory He forgives them their mistakes.

With all His majesty and perfection, He is willing to give permission to you who are despicable, full of blemishes and dirty. Even if you ask for permission from a village chief, he may not give you permission. If you ask a regent to talk to you, he may not even want to talk to you. And if you prostrate yourself before a king, sometimes he won’t even turn his head.

Right now, the Great God is giving you permission so that you can worship, praise and talk to Him. Sometimes you make requests. Sometimes for various reasons you try to get what you need and be able to achieve your goals.

Then He is also pleased with your two less-than-perfect prayers. He even prepared a great reward for them for you. Rewards that have never dawned on the human heart.

All the while you are still marveling at those two incomplete rak’ahs, thinking that it is a great and great deed. You do not see that it is a gift from Allah given to you. How awful is such a servant. What a foolish person this is.

Allah is the only place to plead and complain from the foolishness of the passions. And to Him I surrender.

From another point of view, if a great king gives permission to his subjects to present gifts, there will be many rulers, princes, heads of state, nobles and millionaires who will come before him with gifts of expensive jewels, beautiful treasures and a great deal of wealth. Then if a vegetable merchant came with a bundle of vegetables or a villager came with a basket of grapes worth a farthing and entered before him, jostling with the princes and millionaires who brought many gifts and good things. Then the king would accept the gift of the lowly man, looking at it with an accepting and willing gaze. Then he ordered his subordinates to give the most beautiful clothes to the man and give him honor. Isn’t that a great gift and honor given by a king?

Then if this lowly person brings up the gift to the king, takes pride in the gift and considers it to be something significant and forgets about the gift given by the king, can he not be said to be crazy, foolish, stupid, impolite and extremely stupid?

So, now if one night you have finished praying two rak’ahs for the sake of Allah, then you should think. On this night how many people got up to pray the night prayer in all corners of the earth on land, at sea, on mountains, or in cities. They are the ones who are istiqamah, honest, fear Allah, yearn for Him, warriors (people who are earnest) and also humble themselves. How many deeds reach Him at this time in the form of clean acts of worship and sincere devotion, offered by solemn souls, clean mouths, tearful eyes, pious hearts, clean chests and pious limbs.

Whereas your prayer, in spite of all your efforts to improve, tidy up and make it sincere, does not look the least bit good in the presence of the King of Glory, nor does it stand out in the midst of the worship that is spread out before Him. How can it be appropriate when the prayer comes from a careless heart, mixed with all kinds of defects, from a dirty body full of the mud of sin, from a mouth filled with sin and useless things. Should such a thing be presented to such a (great) offering? Should it be presented to the supreme ruler?

Our teacher said: O one who wants to think! Ponder. Is it appropriate that you send one of your prayers. As you send one dish to some rich man’s house.

Abu Bakr Al-Warraaq said: Every time I finish praying I feel very ashamed, more ashamed than a woman who has committed adultery.

Then Allah, the Most Holy and Glorious, with His purity, glory and grace has raised the status of this two-rakat prayer and established the reward He has promised in return. You are just a servant who acts according to His will, doing everything with His help and ease. Yet you still feel proud and forget the blessings that Allah has given you. Indeed, this is something very astonishing. This kind of thing is not done except by fools who cannot think, forgetful people who cannot remember at all or people whose hearts are dead, empty and devoid of the slightest goodwill.

Keep this in mind. We ask Allah to be well-sufficient with His grace and bounty.

Now that we’ve explained all this, wake up from your sleep as you go through this stage. If you do not, then you will definitely lose out. This is because this stage is the most difficult, hard, bitter and dangerous of all the stages that lie ahead of you. The fruit of the stages you go through will end here. If you survive this stage, then you will definitely be lucky. And if you do not survive, then all your efforts have been in vain, all your daydreams are gone and your life is wasted.

Then the most important thing is that in this stage there are three things that must be known:

First, this is a very complicated stage. The harm caused is huge and very worrying. This stage is considered complicated, because the path through which riya and ujub pass is very small and can be seen with inayah (help) from Allah. It is almost invisible unless it is seen by those whose religious knowledge is deep, whose eyes are guarded and who take care of themselves. Those who are foolishly playful, negligent and sleep a lot cannot possibly see it.

We once heard one of our teachers in Naisabur tell us that ‘Atha’ As-Salami wove a piece of cloth that was as neat and fine as possible. Then he took it to the market and showed it to a cloth merchant. The merchant offered it at a low price and said: This cloth has such and such defects.’Atha’ took back the cloth and sat down weeping bitterly. The merchant regretted his words and admitted his mistake. Then the merchant gave him whatever price he asked for. ‘ Atha’ replied: What I owe you is not what you think it is. But it is because I have done this work earnestly. I tried to make this cloth as neat and good as possible until I thought there was no flaw. When I showed the cloth to a skilled person, it appeared that there were still defects that had been overlooked because of my negligence. Then what if I show my deeds in the future before Allah. How many defects and shortcomings will be seen, which I neglected today?

It was narrated from a pious man. He said: One night I was in a room by the roadside. Toward morning I read Surah Thaha. After finishing I fell asleep for a while and dreamed that I saw someone coming down from the sky carrying a sheet and spreading it before me. On the sheet was the writing of Surah Thaha. Under each sentence there were ten predetermined merits except for one sentence which was erased and under which there was nothing. Then I said, By Allah I have read this sentence and have not seen its reward and the reward has not been determined. Then the man said, ‘You are right. You have read the sentence and we have written down the reward. But there was a call from behind the Throne to erase the writing and cancel the reward, and we erased the writing.

Then I cried myself to sleep and asked: Why did you do all that? The person replied: While you were reciting, someone passed by and you raised your voice. So the reward for reciting the verse is lost.” Take note.

This stage is considered very detrimental, because riya and ujub are malignant diseases that occur in an instant and can ruin the worship you do for seventy years.

It is narrated that there was a man who entertained Sufyan Ats-Tsauri and his companions. The man said to his family: “Bring here that tray. Not the one I brought from the first Hajj, but the one I brought from the second Hajj.” Sufyan Ats-Tsauri looked at the man and said: “Poor fellow. This man has spoiled both his Hajjs with words like this.”

The other side of the coin is this: A small amount of obedience that is free from riya and ujub will be of infinite value to Allah. However, a lot of deeds, if they are affected by this kind of jealousy, are worthless, unless they are followed by a gift from Allah, as narrated from the Companion Ali r.a. He said: “The reward of a deed that is accepted by Allah will certainly not decrease. Then how can the deeds received be diminished?

An-Nakha’i was once asked about such and such a deed and what is its reward. He replied: “The reward is incalculable if the deed is accepted (by Allah).”

Narrated from Wahb. He said: “In ancient times there was a man who worshiped for seventy years by fasting. He only broke his fast on Saturdays. Then he asked Allah for a favor, and it was not granted. He cursed himself, saying: ‘Because of you, it will be fulfilled. Had you been good, the need would have been fulfilled. Then Allah sent down the angel Gabriel. Then (to the man) Gabriel said: “O son of Adam. The short time you spent insulting your lust is better than the worship you have done.”

I think it would be good for people with intelligence to reflect on this conversation (story). Wouldn’t it be a calamity if there is a person who has been earnestly and painstakingly worshiping for seventy years and then there is another person who has only a momentary thought. And in the end that fleeting thought is more important in the sight of Allah than the seventy years of worship. Isn’t it a great loss if you have a moment of time that is better than seventy years but leave it for something you don’t need? Of course it is. By Allah that is a very big loss. And if it is forgotten, it is a great loss, because of its great value and high status. You have to be careful and stay away from it.

It is because of this kind of meaning that the gaze of the vigilant is drawn to this complicated matter. And attach importance to such secrets in order to know them first and abstain from them as a second step. They do not feel rich from the number of external deeds, saying that it is the clarity of the heart that is important, not the number of deeds. They also say that a single gem is better than a thousand plastic necklaces.

As for those whose knowledge is shallow and they are not clear in seeing such things, they will not understand this kind of meaning, forgetting the defects in their hearts and busy themselves with bowing, prostrating, refraining from food, drink and so on. They are lulled by the amount and do not think about grace and clarity of heart. A lot of nutmeg is useless if there is no nutmeg inside. A high roof is meaningless if the foundation is not strengthened.

No one thinks of such a reality except those who do good deeds for the sake of Allah and have the eyes of their hearts opened (those who are mukasyafah). Only Allah is the master of guidance by His grace.

The stage is very worrying because it is seen from several sides:

First: The Lord to be worshipped is a Maharaja whose glory and majesty are limitless. He has given an infinite amount of wisdom, and you only have a body with many defects, still vague (not visible), full of diseases and frightening things. If you slip, while the passions are pursuing and you have to produce a clean and intact deed from a body full of defects and passions that tend to want to do bad things and invite to do evil, to be brought before the Lord of the Worlds with His high glory and the abundance of His help and grace (given) and must occupy His pleasure and acceptance. If not, then you will miss out on a huge gain and sometimes your lust will not tolerate not getting it, or even you will get a calamity that you cannot afford. Indeed, for the sake of Allah. This is a very important matter and a great encouragement.

The glory and majesty of the king (can be proven) by the angels Mugarrabiin who stand upright to serve Him throughout the day. To the point that some of them have been standing since they were created until now. Some are always bowing, prostrating, reading tahlil and tahajud. Angels who stand do not complete their standing, those who bow do not complete their bowing, those who prostrate do not complete their prostration, those who recite tasbih do not complete their tasbih, and those who recite tahlil do not complete their tahlil. Each one prolonged his voice until the trumpet of doomsday. Then after completing this great devotion they exclaim in unison:

Meaning: Glory be to You. O Allah. We do not worship you as we should.

The Prophet Muhammad, the leader of the apostles, the best person in the universe, and the most pious and superior of all creatures, said:

This means that I am not able to count as many praises to You as You praise Your Essence.”

He said:

This means that I am unable to praise You with the praise that You deserve, let alone worship You with something that You deserve.

He is someone who once said:

It means that no one enters Paradise because of his deeds. The Companions asked, Including you, O Messenger of Allah? “He replied, Including me unless I am overwhelmed with the mercy of Allah.

Allah’s pleasure and grace are as He says:

It means And if you were to count the favors of Allah, you would not be able to determine their number.(Q.S. An-Nahl: 18)

It is also like what has been told that on the Day of Judgment humans will be gathered while carrying three records: A record of good deeds, a record of bad deeds and a record of enjoyment. The record of good deeds is compared to the favors (he has received). For every good deed there is a favor, until all the good deeds cover all the favors. All that remains is the bad deeds and sins and it is up to Allah (to forgive or not).

Regarding the defects and illnesses in a person, we have explained earlier in its own chapter.

The concern is: There is a servant who has gone to great lengths to perform acts of worship and endured hardships for seventy years and has not paid attention to his defects and illnesses. It may be that none of these acts of worship are accepted. Sometimes he works hard for a few years and is ruined by (deeds done in) a short time.

What is more worrying than all of that is if Allah sees a servant who is doing riya to others with his worship and devotion. That is, outwardly done for the sake of Allah, but inwardly done for the sake of others. Then Allah expels that person until he finds no way back.

May Allah protect us all.

I once heard that a scholar told a story about Hasan al-Bashri after he passed away. In a dream he was asked about the state he was in. He replied: Allah placed me before Him. Then He said O Hasan! Do you still remember? One day you were praying in the mosque. Suddenly people looked at you, and you increased the goodness of your prayer. Had it not been for your pure intention for My sake at the time of starting it, I would have expelled you from My side and cut off your relationship with Me once.

Because this matter is generally very complicated and difficult, the vigilant people reflect and worry about themselves. To the extent that some of them do not look at the deeds that are visible to others.

It is also narrated that Rabiah Al-Adawiyah said: The deeds that appear to me I do not count at all.

Another scholar said: Keep your good deeds secret just as you keep your bad deeds secret.

Another said: If you can make a place to hide good deeds then do so.

It is also told that Rabiah Al-Adawiyah was once asked: With what charity do you often hope? She replied: With my despair (lack of hope) in the greatest charity.

It is also narrated that Muhammad bin Waasi gathered with Malik bin Dinar. Malik said: There is no other choice, obey Allah or hell.Muhammad bin Wasi’ said: There is no other option, the mercy of Allah or hell.Then Malik bin Dinar said: How marvelous. I really need a teacher like you.

Narrated Yazid Al-Bushthami. He said: “I had labored in worship for thirty years. Then I saw someone who said to me: O Abu Yazid! The storehouses of Allah are full of worship. If you want to wushuul (reach) Him, then always humble yourself and feel needy.

We also heard Al-Ustadz Abu Al-Hasan narrate Al-Ustad Abu Al-Fadhl. Abu Al-Fadhl said: Actually, I know that my obedience is not accepted by Allah.Then he was asked: Why is that? He replied: Because I knew what the obedience required to be accepted and I knew that I could not do it. That is why I knew that it was not acceptable.

He was asked again: Why do you keep doing it?

He replied: Who knows, one day Allah will make it good for me and I will be so used to doing good that I won’t have to start from scratch.

This is the state of those scholars who are experts in endeavor, have worries, and are advanced in the field of religion.

You should be the kind of person that a poet would say you are:

Find a friend for yourself besides them

who despair and fail to achieve their goals.

It’s too far if you want to catch up with the leaders through laziness

who have troubled themselves and are fortunate to be able to face (Allah).

I thought of putting a hadith narrated from Ash-Shaadiq wal mashduuq Muhammad. May Allah’s mercy and peace be upon him and his family. We have described that tradition in more than one book.

It is narrated from Ibnul Mubarak that there was a man named Khalid bin Ma and said to Mu’adz: Please tell me a tradition that you heard from the Messenger of Allah (S) that you have memorized and always remember about his gentleness and hardness of thought.

Mu’adz replied: Yes. Then he cried for a long time. Then he uttered words of longing for the Messenger of Allah and longing to see him, and said:

Meaning: “One day I was with the Messenger of Allah. Suddenly he mounted a camel and told me to sit behind him. We were walking. After some time he lifted his gaze towards the sky and said: ‘Praise be to Allah who determines whatever He wills for His creatures, O Mu’adz!’ I replied, “Absolutely right. Yes Rasululllah.’ He said, ‘I will tell you a story.

If you memorize them then they will benefit you. And if you waste it then you will have no proof before Allah.

O Mu ‘adz. Verily, Allah created seven angels before He created the heavens and the earth, and each of the heavens has a doorkeeper who keeps watch. Then He created angels who guard all the doors of the heavens according to the size of the doors and their majesty.

One day the angel hafazhah ascended carrying the deeds of a servant. These deeds had a light like the sun. They took the charity to the heavens of the world and considered it to be much and clean. Upon reaching the door, an angel said to him, Strike this charity on the face of its owner. I am an angel who guards against gossip. God ordered me not to let the charity of the gossip pass me by.’

The next day the hafazhah angels bring good deeds that are luminous and they consider them to be many clean ones. Arriving at the door of the second heaven, an angel said, Stop! Strike this charity in the face of its owner. Because with this charity he expects the treasures of the world. God commanded me not to let that person’s charity pass me by.”

The angels cursed the person until the afternoon.

Then the hafazah angels brought the servant’s charity with excitement because it contained alms, fasting and many kindnesses. They thought the deeds were many and clean. After reaching the door of the third heaven, the angel guarding the door said, Stop! Strike this charity in the face of its owner. I am the angel who guards pride. God ordered me not to let the man’s charity pass me by. Indeed, this person is arrogant in front of the people in all their gatherings.”

Then the hafazah angels bring the servant’s deeds that shine like bright shining stars. The charity thunders and recites tasbih. The charity contains fasting, prayer, Hajj, and Umrah. Upon reaching the door of the fourth heaven, the angel guarding the door said, Stop! Strike this charity on the face of its owner. I am the angel who guards ujub. God ordered me not to let the person’s deeds pass me by. The truth is that when a person does a deed, he also puts ujub (pride) into it.”

Then the hafazah angel brings the servant’s deeds quickly like a bride being brought to her husband’s house. Arriving at the door of the fifth heaven with good deeds in the form of jihad, Hajj and Umrah, which shine like the sun, an angel says, “I am the guardian of hasud. Verily, he is always envious of the favors that Allah has bestowed on others out of His mercy. He also really dislikes what Allah approves of. God commanded me not to let that person’s deeds pass me by.’

Then the hafazah angels ascend carrying the servant’s deeds of perfect ablution, numerous prayers, fasting, Hajj and Umrah. After they had brought the good deeds to the sixth door, an angel guarding the door said, “I am the guardian of mercy. Strike this charity on the face of its owner, for he feels no pity for anyone. If someone suffers a calamity he rejoices in it. That is why God has commanded me not to let this person’s charity pass me by.’

Then the hafazah angels bring the servant’s deeds in the form of a large amount of sustenance, fasting, prayer, jihad, and wara’. These deeds boomed like thunder and shone like lightning. Arriving at the door of the seventh heaven, the angel guarding the door said, ‘I am the guardian of the trait of sum’ah (wanting to stand out and be famous in the community). The person who possesses this charity wants to be famous in the meeting places, to be in high standing before the companions, and to be honored before the dignitaries. God commands me not to let that person’s charity pass me by.’

Any deed that is not sincere for the sake of Allah is riya. Meanwhile, He also does not accept the deeds of those who do riya. Then the hafazah angel ascends again carrying the servant’s deeds such as prayer, zakat, fasting, hajj, umrah, noble character, silence, and remembrance of Allah. These deeds are carried by the angels of the seven heavens so that they pass through all the walls of cover and stop before God the Great. They testify that the deeds are good and are dedicated to Allah. Then Allah said, “You are the guardians of My servant’s deeds. And I am the One who always watches over his heart. Verily he does not want Me with this deed, but wants someone else. He is not sincere for My sake, while I know better what he wants with his deeds. He deserves My curse. He can deceive the descendants of Adam and deceive you all, but he cannot deceive me. I am the All-knowing with the unseen things, seeing all the contents of the heart. For me there is no vague thing. My knowledge of what has happened is the same as My knowledge of what will happen. My knowledge of what has passed is the same as My knowledge of what is to come. My knowledge of the former is the same as My knowledge of the latter. I know all secrets and things unseen. How could a servant possibly deceive Me with his deeds? He can only deceive the creatures who do not know. Whereas I am the All-Knowing of unseen things. He deserves My curse.

Then the angels numbering 3007, who delivered the charity said, O our Lord! May he receive your curse and our curse.”

And the people of the sky said, May he receive the curse of Allah and the curse of all creatures that can curse. “Then Mu’adh wept bitterly and said, O Messenger of Allah, how can we be saved from what you said?”

The Prophet replied, “Follow the belief of your prophet.”

I (Mu’adz) said, “You are the messenger of Allah. While I am Mu’adz bin Jabal. How can I be saved?

The Messenger of Allah said, “You are right, Mu’adz. If there is a shortcoming in your deeds, then keep your tongue away from talking about the state of others, more so than the memorizers of the Qur’an. You should return their situation to the shortcomings that you find in yourself. Do not purify yourself by criticizing your brothers. Do not raise your status by putting your brothers down. Do not show off your deeds in order to be recognized by many people. Do not drown yourself in the affairs of this world that would make you forget the affairs of the Hereafter. Do not talk to someone alone if there is someone else beside you. Do not feel great in the presence of many people so that your worldly and hereafter good is cut off. Do not speak badly in a gathering so that they leave you because of your bad character. Do not speak ill of others and tear their hearts apart so that you will be torn apart by the dogs of Jahannam. This is what is meant by Allah’s words: “For the sake of the dogs that tear with actual shreds.” (An-Naazi’aat: 2).

Allah says that the dogs tore the flesh from the bones.

I (Mu’adz) said, ‘O Messenger of Allah! Who is able to do all this?”

The Prophet replied, “O Mu’adz! All that I am telling you is very easy for one who is given ease by Allah. All you have to do is love others as you love yourself and hate what befalls them as much as it befalls you. Then you will be saved.

Khalid b. Ma’dan said: In every gathering Mu’adh ibn Jabal recited and explained this hadith more than the Qur’an.

If you hear this hadith or someone tells you about this hadith whose story is so great and so alarming and whose effects are so grievous that your heart flies and your mind is confused and your chest feels cramped as you take it in and people complain that it is frightening then you should seek refuge with your Master the Lord of the universe. Remain at His door, with humility, weeping all night and at the end of the day, along with those who humble themselves and pray. For it is not possible to survive this affair except by His grace. And it is not possible to be free from this sea except with help from Him. Arise from the sleep of the heedless. Do everything right. Fight your lusts in order to pursue this alarming stage. Who knows you may not perish with those who perish.

Allah is the only one to ask for help in all matters. He is the best of helpers. He is the Most High. More compassionate of the compassionate. There is no power and no effort except with the help of Allah, the Most Sublime, the Most Great.

In short, if you reflect well and see the high degree of obedience to Allah and the inability of all creatures, their limitations and ignorance, then you should ignore them. Do not get carried away with their flattery, praise and adoration, for they are meaningless. Do not desire anything from them by means of your obedience. And if you see how vile the world is, how despicable and quickly perishing, then do not desire it by means of your obedience to Allah. Say to your own lust: O lust! The praise and gratitude of Allah is better than the praise given by weak and ignorant creatures. They do not know the degree of your deeds and what you feel in them. They do not fulfill the rights that you deserve with your deeds. Sometimes they even give preference to those who actually have degrees below you by giving a thousand degrees, wasting you who are in great need and forgetting you. Even if they don’t do all that, what do they have? They are also in the grasp of Allah’s power who will treat them according to His will. Do not waste the glory of your obedience because of them. Do not lose His glorious flattery. And do not lose the grace of Allah which will be a deposit (for you).

It was a poet who said:

Eyes that do not sleep all night for other than You are useless.

And any crying other than for loss other than You will be in vain.

Tell your lust!: O lust! Which is better, an eternal paradise or being covered in the forbidden things of this world and useless things that are easily corrupted? Meanwhile, the obedience you do is capable of producing eternal pleasure. Do not be a person of low aspirations, unkind desires, and despicable actions. Have you never seen a pigeon that can fly high? How does it become expensive and its position increase?

Raise your aspirations as high as the sky. And purify your heart for Allah, the One and Master of all affairs. Don’t waste your obedience for nothing.

It is the same if you reflect well and see the great help and graces of Allah, which are given to you for practicing obedience.

He first gives you the opportunity and means to do it. Then He removes the obstacles until you finish doing it as the second step. The third step is to privilege you with His help, giving you an easy path and decorating it in your heart so that you can do it.

Then with His majesty, His needlessness for obedience, and the many pleasures He gives you, He still exchanges that little deed for excessive flattery and great reward, which you do not deserve as the fourth step.

Plus Allah is still praising you, flattering you with excessive flattery and loving you for such a small deed as the fifth step.

All this is nothing but His great grace. Otherwise, what right do you have to all this? How high is the degree of your lowly and flawed charity?

Remember all the gifts of your Noble Lord, who made you good by this obedience. You should feel ashamed if you look at your deeds. But look at the bounty and grace of Allah given to you under any circumstances.

After successfully performing this obedience, do not occupy yourself with anything other than humbling yourself and asking Him to accept it.

Did you not hear the words of His beloved Abraham after he completed his devotion by building the Ka’bah? How did he ask Allah’s grace for his devotion to be accepted? He prayed this:

Meaning: O our Lord! Accept (this deed) from us. Indeed, You are the All-Hearing, the All-Knowing.

After finishing his prayer, he asked for this:

Meaning: O our Lord! Please accept our supplication.

If Allah is pleased to reward you by accepting this mixed merchandise (charity), then He is perfecting the pleasure and magnifying His grace. How fortunate, how noble, how sublime, how exalted, and how adorned you are. For to you they are crowns, pleasures, deposits, and glory.

And if the opposite is the case, then what a loss, how you are deceived and hindered. So be diligent and occupy yourself with these things. And if you are diligent in doing these things, repeating them in your heart at the end of each act of obedience and asking Allah for help, then He will turn you away from looking at all creatures and at yourself, from being preoccupied with pride and boasting, and awaken in you sincerity and sincerity for the sake of Allah in performing obedience, and always remembering Allah in all circumstances.

You will also succeed in performing obedience that is more expected, cleaner, and has no flaws. It is pure goodness, with no mixture in it, and the worship received is not lacking in the least.

Even if this kind of obedience is done only once in a lifetime, then in essence it is very much.

I swear on my life. Indeed, even if the charity is only a small amount, it is very meaningful, has a high position, is very useful and ultimately becomes fragrant.

Is there any reward more noble than that given by the Lord of the universe? Is there any endeavor that is more honorable than that which is praised by the One who meets the needs of the needy, and praised by the Lord of the universe? Is there any trade that is more valuable than the trade that is chosen and approved by the Lord of the universe?

Reflect, you people who need to be pitied! Be careful. Do not be among the losers.

If everything is as described above, then you are among those who purify their deeds for the sake of Allah, fear Him, remember His grace and are pleased by Him.

You have passed this frightening stage and survived its dangers. You are the one who is the first to attain goodness and the fruit of obedience, and to be blissfully happy forever, with its glory and good fortune.

It is only Allah who provides guidance and providence by His grace and glory.

There is no power and no effort except with the help of Allah, the Most Sublime and the Most Great.

Seventh Stage: PRAISE AND GRATITUDE

Once you have gone through these stages and achieved what you set out to do, which is worship that is free from taint, then you should praise and thank Allah for this great favor and noble gift.

It must be done for two reasons: Continuity of favor and gaining more.

Gaining continuity of enjoyment because gratitude is the rope of enjoyment. With that rope, pleasure will remain forever and not go away. If the rope is not there, the pleasure will disappear and move away.

Allah swt. said:

Meaning: “Verily, Allah will not change what is in a people unless they change what is in themselves.” (Q.S. Ar-Ra’d:11)

He also said:

Meaning: “And the people of the land denied the favors of Allah, so Allah tasted on them the garments of hunger and fear because of what they had done.” (Q.S. An-Nahl: 112)

His words also:

Meaning: “Allah will not inflict torment on you if you are grateful and believe.” (Q.S. An-Nisaa’: 147)

The Prophet said:

Meaning: “Verily, pleasure is as wild as wild animals. So bind it with the rope of gratitude.”

You will also gain more, because if gratitude is a rope of favor, then it will result in more.

Allah said:

Meaning: “Indeed, if you are grateful, I will surely make it possible for you.” (Q.S. Ibrahim:7)

And the word:

Meaning: “And those who take guidance, surely Allah will add guidance to them.” (Q.S. Muhammad: 17)

And He also said:

Meaning: “And those who fight in Our way, surely We will indeed show them Our ways.” (Q.S. Al-Ankabuut: 69)

A wise master, if he sees that his servant has truly earned the right to a pleasure, will certainly give the servant another pleasure and consider him as someone who deserves such a pleasure.

If the servant does not fulfill the rights of enjoyment, then He will stop the enjoyment from him.

Furthermore, the favor is divided into two: Worldly pleasures and religious pleasures.

Worldly enjoyment is divided into two: The pleasure of expediency and the pleasure of being denied (held back).

The pleasure of expediency is the provision of various goodness and benefits.

This benefit is divided into two, namely a perfectly healthy and intact body, and the taste of something that is pleasing such as food, drink, clothing, marriage, and various benefits.

The pleasure of being rejected is the rejection of various harms and dangers from you.

This rejected favor is also divided into two.

The first is the rejection that happens to the soul such as saving it from languishing, and all kinds of illnesses that can happen to it.

The second is the rejection of things that harm you such as obstacles, and things that have ill intentions towards you such as humans, jinn, wild animals, creeping things, and so on.

Enjoyment in the field of religion is also divided into two: The favor of help and the favor of preservation.

The blessing of help is the help given by Allah. First you embrace the religion of Islam. Then you do the Sunnah and obey.

As for the blessing of providence, it is the providence of Allah. First He guards you from disbelief, then from polytheism, from misguided novelties and other sins.

The details of all this information can be counted by no one other than the All-Knowing Lord, the One who gives you pleasure, as Allah says:

Meaning: “If you were to count the blessings of Allah, you would not be able to determine their number.” (Q.S. An-Nahi: 18)

The continuation of all these pleasures, after Allah has previously bestowed them and added to them from every avenue of entry, is a pleasure beyond your imagination. Everything depends on one thing, namely “Thanks and praise be to Allah.”

If there is such a precious and beneficial action as this, then it should be practiced without ever forgetting it, for it is a very expensive gem and a very rare chemical product.

Only Allah controls taufik with His grace and mercy.

If there is a question: “What is the nature of praise and thanksgiving, what does it mean, and what is the ruling?”

Know that the scholars differentiate between the ways of generating praise and gratitude.

They say that praise comes from the forms of purification (tasbih) and tahlil. Hence it is a zhahur endeavor.

As for gratitude, it comes from patience and surrender. Hence it is an inner effort, because gratitude is a comparison to disbelief, and praise is a comparison to reproach.

Praise has a more general and numerous meaning, whereas gratitude has a lesser and specific meaning.

Allah said:

Meaning: “And very few of My servants are grateful.” (Q.S. Saba’: 13)

So they have two different meanings.

Praise is flattery given to someone because of a good deed. This is the view of our Sury (may Allah have mercy on him).

As for gratitude, the scholars discussed its meaning at length.

It is narrated from Abdullah bin Abbas r.a. He said: “Gratitude is obedience with the use of the limbs to the Lord of all creatures secretly or openly.”

One of our teachers was of the same opinion. He said: “Gratitude is fulfilling obedience physically and mentally.”

Then he reiterated by saying that gratitude is avoiding sin physically and mentally.

Another scholar said: “Gratitude is taking care not to choose disobedience.” You must guard your heart, your tongue and your limbs, lest you disobey Allah by using any of them.

The difference between this scholarly opinion and the previous one is that: He took maintenance as a corroborative meaning, as an amplification of the words “abstaining from sin.”

Avoiding sin does not happen unless a person does not do it when there is something that attracts him. Avoiding sin is not an acquired taste, which makes a person busy with it and keeps him from disbelief.

Our teacher said: “Indeed, gratitude is glorifying the giver of favors in return for the favors he gives so that he is considered not to have denied the giver of favors.

If you say that glorifying a person who does good in return for his good deeds, in order to show gratitude to Allah for His servant, is correct, then this is good, and there are some details in this regard, which we have explained in the book “Ihya Ulumiddeen”. But what is clear is that a slave’s gratitude is an exaltation that prevents him from thinking that he is denying the One who has benefited him. This is because of the repetition of the good, the good of the grateful person because of his gratitude, and the bad of the one who denies the favor because of his denial.

In my opinion, a giver of favors at least requires that the pleasure given not be used as a means of committing sin. How ugly is someone who uses pleasure as a weapon to disobey the giver.

In terms of the actual obligation of gratitude, then, the servant must do something to glorify Allah, which is something that stands between the servant and his disobedience, according to his remembrance of Allah’s favors.

If he does this kind of thing then he has done something important in giving thanks. Then compensate for it by being diligent in obedience and earnest in his service. Because that is one of the rights of enjoyment.

So, keeping oneself from disobedience is a must.

If you ask: “What are the goals of gratitude?”

Know that the object of gratitude is both religious and worldly favors according to the measure of each.

As for the various hardships and calamities in the world that befall the self, family or property, it is still debatable whether a servant is obliged to be grateful for them or not.

A scholar said: “A servant is not obliged to be grateful for it, but he is obliged to be patient with it.”

Gratitude is done because of a favor, not because of anything else.

The scholars said: “Every difficulty must be accompanied by the favors of Allah. It is for the accompanying favors that a servant should be grateful, not for the hardship itself.

These pleasures are as Ibn Umar said: “I have never been tested with a calamity except in it Allah gives four kinds of pleasure:

1. The disaster did not happen to my religion.
2. The disaster was not the bigger one.
3. I was not prevented from letting go of the disaster.

4 I can expect to be rewarded (by patiently) accepting it.

It is also said that the blessings in calamity include:

– The calamity will disappear because it does not last forever.

– The calamity is from Allah, not anyone else. If the calamity is given through a creature, then it is beneficial to you and harmful to him, not harmful to you and beneficial to him.

That way a servant must be grateful for the pleasures that come with a disaster.

Other scholars are of the view that the hardships of this world are something that a person should be grateful for, because in essence, hardship is pleasure. The proof is that it is presented to the servant so that he may receive great benefits, great rewards, and noble rewards in the future, something that is not worth the hardship of the one who experiences this hardship. Which is the greater pleasure of all this?

This is the more correct view, according to our teacher Abu Bakr al-Warraaq.

An example of the above is: Someone gives you a nasty, bitter herbal medicine to treat a serious illness, or they bandage you for a serious illness that is very worrying. All this makes your body healthy and your life clean.

So, the pain that he gives you with the bitterness of medicine or the scratch of a candhuk is in fact a perfect pleasure, a gift that is obvious even though it is annoying, feared by the human nature, and hated by the fiafsu. Therefore you praise the person who does it, or even give him various kinds of kindness according to your ability.

That’s what the various disasters mean.

Don’t you see how the Prophet praised Allah and thanked Him for hardships as much as he praised Him for pleasures by saying: “Praise be to Allah for the bad and the good.”

Don’t you see that Allah says:

Meaning: “Who knows if you hate something while Allah has made of it much good.” (An-Nisaa’: 19)

What Allah calls “Goodness” is certainly more than what your imagination can reach.

Among the things that support this view are: Pleasure is not a good that comes from delicacy and what the passions like because it suits their nature, but it is something that adds to the elevation of status, hence it is called pleasure in the sense of “addition”.

If a hardship is one of the causes of a servant’s glory and the elevation of his status, then in essence it is a blessing, even though it may be considered a hardship and a test on the outside.

If you say: “Who is better, the one who is “Thankful or the one who is patient?””

You know, there are those who say that the one who is grateful is better, based on the words of Allah:

Meaning: “And very few of My servants are grateful.” (Q.S. Saba’: 13)

Allah made them the most special people.

In praising Prophet Noah a.s. Allah said:

Meaning: “Indeed, he (Noah) was a grateful servant.” (Q.S. Al-Israa’: 3)

About Prophet Ibrahim He said:

Meaning: “(Ibrahim was) one who was grateful for His favors.” (Q.S. An-Nahl: 121)

Because gratitude takes the place of various pleasures and prosperity, there are scholars who say: “If I am given a blessing and I am grateful for it, that is more pleasing to me than if I am tested and I am patient about it.”

Some say that the one who is patient is better, because patience is greater in difficulty, so the reward is greater and the position is higher.”

Allah said:

Meaning: “We found Ayyub to be a patient man. And the best of servants is Ayyub.” (Q.S. Shaad: 44)

Allah also said:

Meaning: “Indeed, those who are patient have their reward fulfilled without reckoning.” (Q.S. Az-Zumar: 10)

God’s Word:

Meaning: “And Allah loves those who are patient.” (Q.S. Al-Imran: 146)

For me, in essence, a grateful person is none other than a patient person. And a patient person is essentially a grateful person. Because a grateful person in this place full of trials is certainly never free from trials that inevitably must be endured patiently and not feel bored.

Gratitude is honoring the giver of wisdom within the limits of not disobeying him. Boredom, on the other hand, is a disobedience.

People who are patient are not free from enjoyment. As we explained earlier, difficulty is in fact a blessing. Therefore, if he is patient, then he is in fact grateful, because he is refraining from boredom in order to glorify Allah. This is considered gratitude because refraining from boredom is an exaltation that prevents sinful deeds. In addition, the one who is grateful certainly prevents himself from denying (kufr). Then he refrains from sinning and invites his desires to be grateful and to be patient in obedience. So, in essence, he is a patient person.

The patient person will glorify Allah to the extent that this glorification prevents him from becoming bored with what befalls him, leads him to patience, and he is truly grateful to Allah. So, in essence he is a grateful person. For he refrains from denying (favors), while the passions crave them. And that can only be held back by a grateful person.

Being helped by the patient and being saved from disbelief is a blessing for which the patient is grateful. Therefore, one of the two cannot be separated from the other, because the eye of the heart that drives it is only one, namely vigilance and istiqamah – this is according to the opinion of one of our scholars.

This is how I can say that the two cannot be separated from each other. Look at this statement.

You should do everything in your power to pass this low-cost but highly beneficial, high-powered and exalted stage.

Note the following two key points:

First, pleasure is only given to those who know their position. And the one who knows the position of pleasure is the one who is grateful.

The basis for my statement is the words of Allah, which describe the disbelievers and reject their opinions, namely:

Meaning: “Have the poor been given pleasure by Allah from us? Does Allah not know better those who are grateful?” (Q.S. Al-An’aam: 53)

Those foolish people thought that great pleasures and noble gifts were given to those who had the most wealth, the most position and the noblest offspring. Then they said: “What do you think is the need for the poor with the leaders of the servants and the free to be given such great enjoyment?

They said in an arrogant and contemptuous tone: “Have the poor been given pleasure by Allah from us?”

Then Allah answered him in a subtle and luminous manner:

Meaning: “Does Allah not know better those who are grateful?” (Q.S. Al-An’aam: 53)

The explanation of the above conversation is: A noble master will only give his pleasure to one who understands the position of the pleasure. The one who understands the status of pleasure is the one who accepts it with his self and heart. He chooses this pleasure and leaves everything else. He does not care about the burden that must be borne such as the cost that must be incurred to get it. He does not move from the door to fulfill the gratitude of the blessing.

According to My foreknowledge (gadiim), the weak know better the position of this favor. They never cease to be grateful. And they are more deserving of this favor than you. Your wealth, position, anger and descent (nobility) do not count. You consider that enjoyment is only in this world and the useless things in it. Also the height and glory of descent, not religion, science, truth and knowledge of the truth. You regard them as greatness and take pride in them.

Do you not realize that you could hardly have accepted this religion, knowledge and truth without the grace attached to the one who came to bring it to you. All because of your contempt and your lack of concern for him. And indeed those weak people are willing to kill themselves to get all that. They give up their souls and bodies and do not care what they lose, and who they are dealing with. Just so you know that they are people who understand the position of such favors. They have a strong sense of reverence for it in their hearts, and they consider it light to lose everything in order to gain it. They gladly endure the hardships of it and spend their entire lives in its enjoyment.

For all that, according to Our foreknowledge, they are entitled to this noble boon and great pleasure. And We favored them, not you. Keep this information in mind.

For me (Al-Ghazali), this is the group of people whom Allah has favored with one of the blessings of religion in the form of knowledge or charity. And in fact you will find that they are actually the people who understand the position of this blessing the best, have greater reverence for it, are more determined to obtain it, have greater respect for it, and are more regularly grateful for it.

As for those who are prevented by Allah from obtaining it, it is because of their lack of attention and exaltation of the right to such favors in addition to Allah’s predetermined destiny.

If the reverence for knowledge and worship in the hearts of the common people and market traders was the same as that in the hearts of the scholars and worshipers, then they would not choose their markets and override the reverence for favors and find it easy to leave the market.

Don’t you know when a scholar of jurisprudence finds a solution to a problem that used to be unclear? How excited he would be, how happy he would be, how much it would affect his heart. If he were to find a thousand dinars, it would not be able to compensate for that happiness. Sometimes he would be concerned about a religious matter. Then ja thinks about it for a year, ten years, twenty years, or even more. They do not consider it a long time and do not get tired of it until Allah finally gives them an understanding of the matter. He considers this understanding to be the greatest gift and the greatest pleasure. With it he feels himself to be the richest and noblest. Sometimes this is even seen in a market trader or a lazy student who thinks he is equal to a scholar of jurisprudence in his love of knowledge. He does not want to listen to the rights of a scholar of jurisprudence.

Sometimes if the discussion of the matter is too long he gets bored or falls asleep. If the matter has become clear, he does not consider it a big deal.

The same applies to the one who returns to Allah. How long he is earnest and diligent in training himself, keeping his lusts from desires and delights, restraining his limbs in motion and silence, hoping that one day Allah will perfect two rak’ahs that have adab and purity for him.

Again and again he humbled himself to Allah, hoping that He would give him a moment to commune with a clean heart and taste sweetness. Indeed if he gets that once a month, once a year, or even once in a lifetime, then he considers it the greatest of gifts and the greatest of pleasures. How happy he would be, how grateful to Allah. He does not care about the labor he goes through at night and the delicacies of producing it.

We have also seen people who consider themselves fond of worship and want to get a share of it. If one of them needed to cut down on the evening meal or give up idle talk, or prevent their eyes from sleeping for a moment, surely their passions would not be relieved by any of that. Their hearts would not be at ease. And if by chance they manage to get clean worship, although this rarely happens, they do not consider it a great thing. And he would not offer much gratitude.

Such people will be very happy and outwardly praiseful if they manage to earn one dirham, gather up the scattered things, have a good side dish, or have a long comfortable sleep. That is when they will say “Praise be to Allah”. All this comes from the bounty of Allah.

How can the forgetful and incapable be equal to the fortunate, who are diligent and earnest. That is why the poor are deprived of the good and those who are helped succeed in obtaining this good and are fortunate because of it. And this is how the All-Wise One divides things. And He is the One who knows better than all the worlds. These are the details of Allah’s words

Meaning: “Does not Allah know better those who are grateful.” (Q.S. Al-An’aam: 53)

Know that you will in no way be prevented from the good you desire unless it comes from yourself. Do everything in your power to know the position of Allah’s favors and to glorify them properly, and you will be the one who deserves them. Then Allah will bestow upon you an everlasting favor just as He started it for you in accordance with what we have explained in the second point.

Verily, Allah is the Most Compassionate and Merciful.

Secondly, the favor will only be taken away from people who do not know their position. As for those who do not know their position, they are those who deny a lot, that is, those who deny the blessing and are not grateful for it.

The evidence for this statement is the words of Allah:

Meaning: “And recite to them (the Jews) the story of the man to whom I gave My verses, and he went out of the favor and was followed by the devil and became a misguided people. Had I willed, I would have exalted him with that verse.” (Q.S. Al-A’raaf: 175-176)

The description of the above verse is as follows:

I am the One who gives pleasure to this servant with great favors and great help in the field of religion by giving them the opportunity to attain a lofty degree and a high position in My sight, so that in My sight he may have a high position and a noble rank. But he does not know the position of My favors and tends to the lowly and trivial world, choosing the lowly pleasures of his lust, Yan does not know that this entire world in the sight of Allah is not comparable to the lowest pleasure in the field of religion. It is not worth the wing of a mosquito to Him.

In this case the person is like a dog that cannot distinguish between glory and comfort and humiliation and distress. between elevation and humiliation. He will stick out his tongue for both.

For him, the perfect pleasure lies in the bit of food he eats, the piece of meat that is thrown at him. For him it is the same. You sit him on a throne with you, or you make him stand on the dirty ground before you. His desire, glory, and enjoyment lie only in what I mentioned above.

Such is the example of a bad pest. That way he does not know the position of My favors, does not know the right of glory that I give. The eyes of his heart cannot see and is disrespectful before Me by turning to other than Me, forgetting My favors because he is busy with the lowly world and lowly delights. Then, I look at him strategically, present him in the expanse of My justice and I order him to be punished by the Almighty.

Then We took away all the garments of Our greatness and glory. We removed the impurity from his heart. He was naked of all the gifts I had given him. He became a dog that was driven away or a devil that was stoned for disobedience.

May Allah protect us from His wrath and the pain of His punishment. Indeed He is very merciful and compassionate to us.

Then be satisfied with the example of a king who honored his servant, dressed him in special clothes himself, brought him close to his side, elevated him above his servants and doorkeepers, and ordered him to remain in his presence. The king had ordered that the servant be made a palace elsewhere. His throne was made high, a variety of dishes were provided, and he was given beautiful maids and young servants.

When the servant returns from serving the king, he is placed in a kingdom, served and honored.

The distance between his service and the palace was only an hour or less.

If the servant, at the door of the king’s house, sees a horse nurse eating bread, or sees a dog nibbling on a bone, then the servant is so busy looking at it that he forgets about serving the king. Nor does he see the royal garments and glory that he wears. The servant runs and asks for a piece of bread – to the horse’s nurse, or fights over a bone with the dog and considers the bread or bone a great thing. Wouldn’t the king, seeing all that the servant does, say: “What a fool this man is, how lowly he wants to be, not knowing how high my glory is, not seeing how much honor I gave him in the form of great clothes, honoring him at my side, and what I did for him such as help and various savings and gifts that I ordered for him. Such a person is nothing but a lowly aspirant, a foolish and undiscerning person. Strip him of his clothes and throw him out of my sight!”

This is the state of the pious person if he is inclined to look at the world, and the state of the worshipper who follows his lusts after he has been honored by Allah by worshipping Him, knowing the help He provides, and knowing the Shari’ah and its rulings.

Then he does not know the position of these things, so he is the most despicable person before Allah. He loves the world and is greedy for it. The world becomes something great in his heart, more beloved than the noble favors given to him such as knowledge, worship, wisdom, and various truths.

Such is the state of the person whom Allah has privileged with various kinds of guidance, providence, and adorned with the lights of service and worship to Him, always noticed by Him with a look of mercy, on many occasions, praised among His angels, given leadership in His presence, placed in the place of intercession and seated by Him in a high position. To the extent that if one calls out to Him, He will answer and say yes. If you ask Him, you will be given. If he intercedes for others, he will be interceded for and He will be pleased with him. If he makes an oath in His name, it will be fulfilled. If he has a wish in his heart, He will give it to him before he asks for it with his mouth.

Whoever is like this, then does not understand the position of high degrees and then moves to obey the desires of low desires and has no shame, or licks the lowly and impermanent world, does not see the glories, clothes of greatness, gifts, graces, gifts, great rewards prepared for him in the hereafter, and perfect enjoyment forever. How despicable this state of self is, how bad the servant is, how alarming it would be if he knew and how heinous it would be if he understood.

We ask Allah, the Most Beneficent and the Most Compassionate. May He be pleased to make us better with His abundant grace and wide mercy. Verily He is more merciful of the merciful.

So, you should do your best to know the position of the favors that Allah has bestowed upon you.

If He gives you the pleasure of religion, then be careful. Do not look to the world and the useless things in it. For such an act would only be an insult to the grace that Allah has bestowed upon you in the form of the pleasures of religion. Have you not heard the following words of Allah addressed to the leader of the messengers:

Meaning: “And indeed I have revealed to you seven repeated verses (Al-Faatihah) and the Qur’an Al-‘Azhim. Do not lengthen your eyes on the pleasures I have given to the disbelievers.” (Q.S. Al-Hjjr: 87-88)

The description of this verse is as follows:

Whoever is given the Holy Qur’an should not look at this lowly world as sweet or good, let alone love it. He should continue to thank Allah for the blessing (of being given the Qur’an). It is the very honor that His beloved Ibrahim a.s. wanted to bestow on his father but Allah did not.

It was also desired by His beloved Muhammad (peace be upon him) to be bestowed upon his uncle (Abu Talib) but it was not done (by Allah).

As for the useful treasures of this world, it is something that is inflicted upon the disbelievers, the Pharaohs, the misguided, the zindig disbelievers, the ignorant and the wicked. They are the most despicable of Allah’s creatures before Him, so he drowns in it. The world kept him away from the Prophet, the chosen one Shaadiq, the pious and the abid, who are the noblest of beings before Allah. So much so that they barely got a piece of bread or a piece of cloth. Allah gave them the grace of not defiling them.

In fact, Allah said to Moses and Aaron a.s.: “Had I wished to adorn you both with jewelry, which if Pharaoh saw he would know that his power is incapable of bringing such adornment, I could have done so. But I forbade it for both of you and made you hate it. That is how I treat those whom I love.

Indeed I prevent them from the favors of the world, as a loving shepherd prevents his camels from the places where scabies breed. I keep them away from the tranquility and life (movement of life) of the world, not because of their humiliation in My sight, but so that they may perfect My glory which is their portion.”

Allah said:

Meaning: “And if all mankind were not one people, We would have made a house with a silver roof for those who disbelieve in the Most Merciful.” (Q.S. Az-Zukhruf: 33)

See the difference between the two if you are a vigilant person. And say: “Praise be to Allah, who has bestowed upon us a boon like that bestowed upon His beloved and chosen ones, turning away the slander of His enemies from us, so that we may obtain a share.” And you should devote yourself to perfect gratitude, the greatest praise for the great gift and great pleasure, which is the religion of Islam, because the blessing of Islam is better and more deserving, by constantly being grateful for it day and night. If you do not know this, then you should know that if you had been created from the beginning of the world and had been grateful for the blessing of Islam from the beginning of your life until the end of your life, you would not have been able to fulfill this gratitude, and you would not have been able to fulfill some of the rights of Allah, because there is virtue and greatness in that.

Know that this book cannot contain the explanation of what I know about pleasure. And if I were to write a million pages about it, my knowledge would still be superior to it. While I also know that what I have known when compared to things I do not know is like a single easel compared to the sea of the world with all its secrets.

Have you not heard the following words of Allah to the leader of the messengers, Muhammad (peace be upon him):

Meaning: “O Muhammad! You do not know what is the Book and what is faith.” (Q.S. Ash-Shuuraa: 52)

Up to the word of Allah:

Meaning: “And Allah teaches you what you do not know. And Allah’s grace upon you is great.” (O.S. An-Nisaa’: 113)

Allah said to a people:

Meaning: “On the contrary, Allah gives grace to the kalun after He has guided them to believe.” (Q S. Al-Hujuraat: 17)

Did you not hear the Prophet’s words after he heard a man say “Praise be to Allah for the blessing of Islam.” He said: “Indeed you have praised Allah for a great favor.”

When the giver of glad tidings came to the Prophet Ya gub a.s. he said: “What religion did [Joseph] embrace when you left him?” The messenger replied: “He embraced Islam.” Prophet Ya’gub said: “Now Allah’s favor is complete (for me).”

Someone said: “There is no phrase more beloved to Allah and more perfect in His sight in the matter of gratitude than that of a slave: “Praise be to Allah, Who has given us pleasure and shown us Islam.””

Be careful not to forget to be grateful for the blessings of Islam and be deceived by what you are currently embracing such as Islam, makrifat, taufik and providence. For with all of that there is no place for security and complacency, for everything has consequences.

Sufyan Ats-Tsauri said: “No one feels secure in his religion except that it will be taken away from him.”

My teacher said: “If you hear about the state of the disbelievers and their eternity in hell then you will not feel at ease thinking about yourself, because everything is very worrying, and you do not know what consequences will be obtained and what Allah has determined in the unseen world. Do not be deceived by the cleanliness of time, for beneath it are unseen diseases.”

A scholar said: “O those who are deceived by Allah’s providence! Remember that underneath this providence there are various punishments. Allah adorns the devil with various kinds of providence, while in front of Him he is truly cursed. Allah adorned Bal am b. Ba’uraa with the lights of guardianship, but in reality he was an enemy of Allah.”

It is narrated from the Companion Ali. He said: “How many people are deceived by being given good. Many a man has been slandered by his good words. And many people are deceived by covering up their ugliness.”

Dzun-Nuun Al-Mislri was asked: “What temptation is used to deceive a servant?” He replied: “With mercy and glory.”

That is why Allah says:

Meaning: “I will deceive those who deny My verses from a direction they do not know.” (Q.S. Al-A’raaf: 182)

An ‘Arif said: “We bestowed favors upon them and we made them neglect gratitude.”

A poet said:

You are favorable in your days because he does good,

but you don’t worry about the ugliness of the fate that will come to him.

You are saved by the nights and you are deceived by them.

And when your nights are clear there will be turbidity.

Know that when you are closer to Allah, your affairs are more worrisome and more difficult. Relating to Him is harder and gentler. Your worries increase because every matter that is higher when reversed is more difficult.

The bird will not fly and rise except as it flies and falls.” So, there is no way to feel secure, forget gratitude, and abandon an inferior attitude when it comes to nurturing, no matter what the circumstances.

Ibrahim bin Adham said: “Can it be that you feel secure, while Prophet Ibrahim Al-khalil says (in the word of Allah):

Meaning: “And keep myself and my son away from worshipping idols.” (Q.S. Ibrahim: 35)

Yusuf Ash-Shaadiq said: “O Allah! May You take my life in the state of Islam.”

Sufyan Ats-Tsauri constantly prayed as follows: “O Allah! Save me. Save me.” It was as if he was on a boat and was afraid of drowning.

The story of Muhammad ibn Yusuf (may Allah have mercy on him) also reached us. He said: “One night I contemplated Sufyan Ats-Tsauri. He cried all night. I asked him: ‘Is your crying a sin? Muhammad said that he then picked up a brick and said: ‘To Allah, sins are lighter than this (brick). But what I fear is that Allah will take Islam away from me.”

I have also heard an “Arif say: “One of the Prophets asked about Bal am bin Ba uraa and his expulsion after he had acquired various signs and glory (sacredness). So Allah said: “One day he would not thank Me for the favors I gave him. Had he thanked Me for that favor just once I would not have taken it away.”

Therefore, wake up and take care of the pillars of gratitude seriously. Praise Allah for His favors in the field of religion. The highest blessings are Islam and realization, and the lowest are blessings similar to taufik (help), tasbeeh, or being protected from useless speech. Who knows, Allah may perfect His favors upon you and not test you with the bitterness of losing them. For the most bitter and difficult thing is to be humiliated after being honored, to be driven away after being brought near, and to be separated after being met.

Only Allah is great, merciful and compassionate.

In conclusion, if you would reflect well on the great graces given to you by Allah, the help that is glorious and unquantifiable, unreachable by the heart, until you finally pass through the tough stages, succeed in finding knowledge and opening the eyes of the heart. You are also free from minor sins and major sins, can overcome obstacles and temptations that come later, find motivations for worship and are saved from things that make defects.

How many noble deeds have you done. How many high and majestic degrees have you attained. The first thing you gain is awareness and realization of Allah. While the peak is closeness and glory with Him.

Then you reflect on it according to your capacity for reason and insight. You also thank Allah to the best of your ability by occupying your tongue in praising and honoring Him. You also fill your heart with His majesty and splendor, which brings you to the place that stands between you and disobedience to Him. It also encourages you to serve Him to the best of your ability or to the best of your ability while recognizing your limitations in fulfilling His rights of enjoyment and kindness.

If at any time you forget to be grateful, feel lax (when worshiping) or make a mistake, you should immediately go back to repeating, being serious and humbling yourself to Him. You should also make tawassul and pray:

Meaning: “O Allah, my Lord. Just as You initiated kindness to me with Your grace without claiming rights, so complete that kindness with Your grace also without claiming rights.”

Then you call Him as His lovers call Him, those who have found the crown of guidance and tasted the sweetness of makrifat so that they fear being expelled and humiliated. They feel the sorrow of being away from their beloved, of being lost, of the bitterness of disconnection and loss. Then they humble themselves before Him, begging for help, stretching out their hands while humbled and calling out in loneliness for help:

Meaning: “O our Lord! Do not incline our hearts (from the truth) after You have guided us. And grant us mercy from Your side. Indeed, You are the Most Giving.” (Q.S. Ali Imran: 8)

The description of this verse is: Verily we have found favor from You and expect another favor (which You will give) for only You are the Most Gracious, the Most Giving. So as in the beginning You gave me an excess of favors, give me the grace of perfection in the end.

Have you not heard that the first supplication taught by the Lord of the universe to His Muslim servants, the chosen ones among His creatures, was the following supplication (the word of Allah):

Meaning: “Show us the straight path.” (Q.S. Al Faatihah: 6)

Or what is meant is: Establish us on that path and keep it for us.

This is how a servant should humble himself before Allah, for the worries are great.

It has been said that the jurists pondered over the calamities that befall the pious and the trials for him, and they put them down to five things: (Sickness in a foreign land, poverty in old age, death in youth, blindness after sight, and uncertainty after knowledge.

Even better is the poet’s composition below:

Everything you leave behind will be replaced.

But if what you leave behind is God, then nothing can replace Him.

Another poet said:

If the world still fixes a person to his religion,

then whatever is missing from that world will not make him destitute.

The same goes for every pleasure He has given you and the help you have been given to get through these stages. Ask Him to establish what has been given. And ask Him to give you more than what you want and expect.

When you have done that, you have left (passed) this very worrisome stage. You have gained the two noble treasures of istiqamah and istizadah (addition). The favors that have been given to you become eternal. You will not be afraid of losing them and He will give you more of what you lost before, which was not given to you because you did not ask for it properly. So you are not afraid of losing the extra.

That’s when you become one of the people of insight (‘arif), people who are very knowledgeable in religion. You will be among those who are repentant, pure, zuhud in this world, diligent in serving Allah, able to defeat the devil, pious with proper use of heart and limbs, short of wishful thinking (as opposed to thuulul amal), giving advice, solemn, tawadhuk, trusting, surrendering, willing, patient, fearful (of punishment), hoping (for mercy), mukhlish, remembering the grace of Allah, and grateful for the favors given by their Lord, the Lord of the universe.

Having achieved all of that means that you will be an upright, noble and true believer.

Reflect on what I am saying. May you be guided.

If you say: “If that is the case, then there are very few people who worship Allah and reach the goal. And who would be able to bear the cost of this worship and fulfill its conditions and requirements?”

Know that Allah also says so. He said:

Meaning: “And very few of My servants are grateful.” (Q.S. Saba’: 13)

He also said:

Meaning: “But most people are not grateful.”

In another place He said:

They don’t want to think.

And in another place He said:

They don’t know.

And indeed it becomes easy for those to whom Allah has made it easy.

The obligation of a servant is only to try hard, and it is Allah who provides guidance. Allah says:

Meaning: “And those who earnestly seek My pleasure, I will surely show them the way to Our pleasure.” (Q.S. Al-Ankabuut: 69)

If a weak servant has fulfilled his obligation, then what do you think Allah, the Almighty, the Rich, the Noble, and the Compassionate, will do?

If you say: “The lifespan is very short, while these stages are long and difficult. How can I make my (short) life sufficient to fulfill the conditions and pass through these (long) stages?”

I swear by my age. Indeed, the stages are long and the conditions are heavy. But if Allah really wanted to take His servant, He would have shortened the long stages for him and eased the heavy conditions for him. So that after successfully passing through it the servant will say: “Wonder. How close this path is, and how short it is. How light it is and how easy it is.”

It was the same with me. Having arrived at this kind of peak I said:

The signs of the path to goodness are obvious to those who desire it

and I see that the hearts of men have become blind from this path.

I marvel at those who perish, when salvation has appeared.

and indeed I am in awe of the survivor.

To the extent that some of them made it through these stages after 70 years. Some succeeded after 20 years. Some after 10 years. Some after a year. Some in a month. Some even made it in one week, one day or even the blink of an eye with special guidance and help that has been determined by Allah.

Don’t you remember the story of Ashhaabul-Kahf who got it in the blink of an eye when they saw the change in the face of their king Diqyanus? Then they said:

Meaning: “Our Lord is the ruler of the heavens and the earth, and we will never acknowledge a Lord besides Him.” (Q.S. Al-Kahf: 14)

They succeeded in attaining martyrdom and saw the truths that are on this path and crossed it, then they became people who surrendered, put their trust and were istiqamah when they said:

Meaning: “Go forth into the cave, and your Lord will spread His mercy upon you all.” (O.S. AlKahf: 16)

All of which they managed to get within an hour or so.

Remember the magicians of Pharaoh. Their time to get it was nothing but an instant, when they saw the miracle of Prophet Musa a.s. They said:

Meaning: “We believe in the Lord of the universe, the Lord of Moses and Aaron.” (Q.S. Ash-Shu’araa: 47-48)

They see the path (to Allah) and take it moment by moment. So they became people who were content with Allah’s decision, patient with His trials, grateful for His bounty, and longing to meet Him. They cried out:

Meaning: “It is nothing. Surely we shall all return to our Lord.” (Q.S. Ash-Shu’araa: 50)

We have told you that Ibrahim bin Adham was a man of great wealth. Then he moved towards this road. Not long into his walk from Ablakh to Marwirudz, he saw a man who had fallen from a bridge into the rushing water. He shouted “Stop!”. Instantly the man stopped in midair, and was saved.

Rabi ah Al-Bashriyyah was an old slave girl. She was offered around the marketplace of Bashra. No one liked her because of her old age. A merchant took pity on her and bought her for about a hundred dirhams and set her free. He then chose this path and presented himself for worship. Less than a year later, the zuhud people of Bashra had come. So did the gurraa’ and scholars of the country. They came because of the height of his status.

As for those who are destined to be unhelped and unattended with grace and guidance, then it is on themselves. Sometimes he remains on a difficult path of one of the stages for 70 years and cannot cross it. Again and again he cries out and screams: “How dark this path is. How heavy and difficult it is. And how dangerous.”

This is because all affairs return to one point, namely the destiny of the All-Powerful, All-Knowing, All-Just and All-Wise.

If you ask: “Why is this person privileged with taufik and this one hindered. While both are holding on to the ropes of worship?”

In answer to this kind of question there is an appeal from the Great Pour of Splendor: “You should remain polite. Understand the secret of divinity and the essence of servitude. Verily He (Allah) is not questioned about what He has done, but they will be questioned (by Allah).

The path (to worship) that exists in this world is like the straight path (shiraathalMustagiim) in the Hereafter, in terms of stages, distance, and obstacles. The circumstances of those who cross it are also different. Some walk on it like lightning striking. Some walk on it like the wind blowing. Some are like tiger horses, others like birds. Still others walk on foot. Some crawl until they are black as charcoal. There are those who hear the cries of Jahannam. And there are those who are taken with a hook and put into Jahannam.

Such is the state of this path (worship) and its travelers. So, they are two kinds of paths, this world and the Hereafter.

The path of the Hereafter is for the souls of those who are vigilant and can see the dreadful things therein. The way of the world is for the heart. Only those who have the eyes of the heart and the intelligence to think can see its fears. The difference in the state of those who walk the path of the Hereafter is due to the difference in their state in the world.

Reflect on them properly.

Know the truth in this chapter.

In fact, this path is not as long and short as the journey that people often take on foot, and the way it is completed is measured by the strength and weakness of the body. Rather, it is a spiritual path that is traversed by the heart and pursued by the mind, in accordance with the beliefs and visions of the eyes of the heart. The path comes from the light of the heavens and the divine vision that falls on the heart of a servant, after which he reflects for a while and with that reflection he can see the affairs of this world and the hereafter correctly. This kind of light is sometimes sought by a servant for a hundred years but he cannot find it, and its effect is not apparent. This is because he is wrong in his search, lacks sincerity and is ignorant of this path.

Another servant could find it within 50 years. There are others who find it within 10 years. And there are others who find it within an hour or an instant with the help of the Most Glorious Lord.

Only Allah is the master of guidance.

In addition, a servant is commanded to be diligent. Therefore, a servant must do what he is told. All affairs have been divided and determined, while God is a very wise and very Just Being. He does whatever is His will and arranges things as He pleases.

If you say: “What a big worry this is. How difficult this affair is. And how many things this weak servant needs. Then what is the use of all this work, earnestness and effort to get these things?”

I swear by my life. You are right in saying that this affair is a very heavy one and the worries are very great. That is why Allah says:

Meaning: “I created man always in difficulty.” (Q.S. Al-Balad: 4)

Allah also said:

Meaning: “Indeed, We offered a trust to the heavens, the earth, and the mountains, but they refused to accept it, and they were afraid of it. But man is willing to bear the trust. Indeed, he is both unjust and foolish.” (Q.S. Al-Ahzaab: 72)

It is also because of this that the Prophet said:

Meaning: “If you all knew what I know, you would cry a lot and laugh a little.”

It is also said that there was an exclamation from the direction of the heavens that read: “If only all beings were not created. If only when they were created they knew what they were created for. And if only when they knew they would do good with what they knew.”

The salaf scholars said: “It is narrated from Abu Bakr Ash-Shiddiq r.a. that he said “I would rather be a green leaf that animals eat, for I fear the punishment of Allah.

It is narrated from Umar bin Al-Khaththab r.a. that he once heard someone reciting a verse:

Meaning: “Has there come to mankind a time from which there is no mention at all?” (Q.S. Al-Insaan: 1)

Umar said: “Let us hope that time is over.”

Ubaidah bin Al-Jarrah r.a. said: “I prefer to be a sheep for my family. They chop up my meat and gulp down my gravy and I will not be recreated.”

It was narrated from Wahb bin Munabbih. He said: “The son of Adam was created in a state of ignorance. Had it not been for his ignorance he would not have enjoyed life.”

It was narrated from Fudhail bin Iyadh r.a. He said:” I do not aspire and envy an angel who is close to Allah, a prophet who is sent, nor a righteous servant. Will they not also be reproached on the Day of Judgment? Rather I aspire and envy the uncreated.”

It was narrated from Atha’ As-Sulami. He said: “If a fire were lit and it were said that whoever threw himself into it would become nothing, then I would fear that I would die before reaching the fire because of my excitement.”

So, it is indeed very heavy as you said. In fact, it is heavier and more devastating than you might expect. But that has been decreed in the previous “knowledge”, the rules that have been enacted by the Glorious and Omniscient One. There is no other way for a servant but to do all he can in worship and to hold fast to the rope of Allah and forever humble himself to Him. May Allah have mercy on him and save him with His grace.

As for your statement “What is all this for”, it shows that you are a very forgetful person. What is correct is for you to say “If it is something that a weak servant is looking for, then what does it all mean?”

Do you know what a servant is looking for?

In short, what he seeks is at least two things: salvation in this world and the next, and a kingdom in this world and the next.

The weak servant seeks safety in this world, for it is with its calamities and trials that even the angels who are close to Allah cannot avoid.

I’ve heard stories starting from Harut and Marut. It goes so far as to say that when the soul of a servant was raised to the sky. The angels in the sky cried out in awe.

How can this person be saved from a place where our chosen angels are corrupted?

And indeed because of the seriousness and difficulty of the Hereafter, the prophets and messengers cried out: “Myself oh myself. I ask You for nothing but my own salvation.”

It has been said: “If a man had the charity of 70 prophets, he would think he would not be saved.”

If anyone wants to be saved from the trials of this world, let him come out of it in a state of Islam with safety and no disaster. If he wants to be saved from the distress of the life of this world, let him enter Paradise safely and not be afflicted with any danger. Is that something easy?

A weak servant desires kingdom and glory. What is meant by kingdom here is the continuity of power and will. It belongs to the lovers (wali) of Allah and His chosen ones, those who are willing to accept His decree. For them, the land, the sea and the earth are only footsteps. Stones and hard soil can become gold and silver. Jinn, humans, cattle and birds submit to them. They do not desire anything unless it is realized for them, because what they desire is in accordance with the will of Allah, which must be realized. They do not fear any creature, rather creatures fear them. They do not serve a single creature, not even Allah. Then which king in this world has one-tenth of this? Even belonging, they are less and despicable than that.

Regarding the kingdom of the hereafter, Allah says:

Meaning: When you look there (at Paradise) you will surely see unlimited favors and a great kingdom (Q.S. Al-Insaan: 20).

Allah glorifies what He says, namely that the kingdom in heaven is great. Meanwhile you also know that the world and all that it holds is little. Even if what is in this world were eternal and collected from beginning to end, it would still be little. From this little we only get a little share.

Sometimes one of us gives up his wealth and his life so that he can get a little of the goods that are few in number and for a short time. Even though he has earned it he still makes excuses, feels jealous and considers what he gave up of his wealth and person to be a lot. This is in accordance with the words of Imruul Qais. He said:

My friend cried when he saw the road leading to him.

He was confident that the two of us would meet the emperor.

I said: Don’t let your eyes cry.

We both seek a kingdom or die and be forgiven.

Then what is the situation of the one who seeks a great kingdom that is in a place of pleasure, eternal and always there (residing). In view of all this, is it appropriate for him to consider as much the prayers that he performs only two rak’ahs, to consider as much the charity that he gives only two dirhams, or to not sleep for two days? Don’t do that. Even if you have a million bodies, a million lives and a million lifetimes. Each age is equal to the age of the world or longer. Then you use all the lifespan it has to seek this great pleasure, of course it would still be considered small. :

And indeed if the servant is able to find this great favor after having done (given up everything) then it is a great benefit and a gift from the One who has given him so much.

Therefore, O one who needs to be pitied, awaken from the sleep of the heedless.

Then I pondered what God would give to a servant if he obeyed, served Him always and walked this path all his life. Then I found 40 special glories and bounties. 20 of them are in this world and the other 20 are in the Hereafter.

The glory that exists in the world is:

1. The mention and praise that Allah has bestowed upon him. How honorable is a servant whom Allah has favored with His mention and flattery.
2. To be thanked and honored by the Supreme Being.

If a weak creature were to thank you and honor you, you would be honored for it. So what if it is the Lord of the past and those who come after?

3, The love of God.

If you are loved by a village head or regent, of course you feel proud of that and utilize that love in noble places. But what about the love of the ruler of the universe?

4. Allah is the representative in managing all his affairs.
5. Allah is the bearer of his sustenance. He brings the servant to his sustenance from one state to another without difficulty and boredom.
6. Allah becomes a helper to defeat all enemies and rejects everyone who harbors ill will towards him.
7. For him, God became a comforter who never complained and feared change and replacement.
8. Self-glorification.

He will not meet with the humility of serving the world and its inhabitants. In fact, he will not be willing to be served by the kings of the world and their princes.

9. Lofty ideals.

He elevates himself so as not to be covered with the filth of the world and its inhabitants. He did not turn his back on its glitter and games as a discerning boy would leave the playground of little boys and girls.

10 Rich in heart.

He is richer than the rich people of the world. His soul is tranquil and his chest is expansive. He is not surprised by anything that happens and is not distressed by nothing.

11 The light of the heart. With the light of his heart he is guided to seek knowledge, secrets and wisdom, something that others are not guided to except by the earnestness of a very earnest and long-lived person.

12 Chastity.

His chest will not narrow just because of a trial, calamity, the burden of society and their deception.

13 Gain authority and a place in the hearts of the community.

The good and the bad all revered him, respected those who behaved like Pharaoh and those who were haughty.

14.Community love.

Allah created love for him so that the hearts of the people were seen to love him and they were made to respect and honor him.

15. Blessedness in all aspects of his life such as speech, breath, work, clothing and residence. to the point that even the ground on which he stands is blessed. The same applies to where he sits, who he talks to and who he sees when he is alive.
16. The submission of the earth.

From land to sea. To the extent that if he wanted to, he could walk on air or on water and circumnavigate the earth in less than an hour.

17. The submission of beasts, wild animals and creeping things.

The wild animals will love him and the lions will joke with him.

18. Master the keys to earth storage.

If he wants, he can hit with pliers once and get property out. One stomp of the foot will bring forth spring water if ja needs it. And wherever he stops there will be food, if he wants it.

19. Being a role model and having a high place before God, many people hope and use him as an intermediary to reach God by serving Him and asking God for needs through his position and blessings.
20. Fulfillment of prayers. He does not ask Allah for anything unless He grants it. He does not intercede for someone unless He grants him intercession. If he swears by Allah, He will surely fulfill his wish. To the extent that there was one among them who if he pointed at a mountain, it would crumble so that he would not have to pray using his tongue. If a desire arises in his heart, it will surely appear without having to point to it with his hand.

They are all glory in the world.

The glories in the Hereafter are:

21. The ease that begins with death, which is an event that frightens the prophets so much that they ask Allah to make it easy for them so that some of them taste death like a sip of water to quench their thirst.

Allah said:

Meaning: (The pious are) those whose lives the people take with pleasure and comfort.(Q.S. An-Nahl: 32)

22. The decree of realization and faith. A fearful decree, full of weeping and groaning. Allah says:

Meaning: Allah establishes the faith of those who believe with a fixed utterance in the life of this world and the Hereafter.(Q.S. Ibrahim: 27)

23. Delivery of good and pleasant taste, good news, willingness and security

Allah said:

Meaning: Do not be afraid and do not be sad. And give good news of the paradise that has been promised to you all.(Q.S. Fushshilat: 30)

He is not afraid of what he will face in heaven and what he will leave behind in this world.

21. Immortal in heaven and in the company of the Merciful God.
22. The adornment of his soul in the unseen world. Then the soul flies above the angels of the sky with glory, gentleness and pleasure. He also gets bodily adornment by glorifying his corpse, people crowding to pray for him and quickly taking care of him. With all that people hope to gain a lot of reward and consider what they are doing as a great benefit.
23. Free from the temptation of grave questions and taught the correct answers so that he is free from this danger.
24. His grave is enlarged and illuminated. It is as if he is in one of the gardens of Paradise until the Day of Judgment.
25. Comforted and ennobled his spirit, then placed in the cache of the green bird with his righteous brothers with great joy at being given news of the bounty to be bestowed upon him.
26. Gathered in a glorious state with jewelry, crowns and riding the Bouraq.
27. A white and radiant face. Allah says:

Meaning: On that Day their faces will be bright and they will see their Lord.(Q.S. Al-Qiyaamah: 22-23) And He also said:

Meaning: On that day their faces will be bright, laughing and rejoicing (Q.S.’Abasa: 38-39).

31. Freedom from the awfulness of the Day of Judgment. Allah says:

Meaning: Is the one who comes safely on the Day of Resurrection the same as the one who does not feel safe?(Q.S. Fushshilat: 40)

32. Receiving the record book of charity with the right hand. And among them there are those who find it sufficient to receive the record with the head.
33. Ease of hyaab.

Some of them are not accounted for at all.

34, The weight of the scales of charity and some whose deeds are not weighed at all.

35. When he reached the Prophet’s lake, he took a sip, after which he was not thirsty at all for ever.
36. Passing through the sirath safely and not being exposed to the fire of hell. To the extent that some of them do not hear his hissing, always feel what is his pleasure and the fire of hell subsides for him.
37. Interceding in the court of doomsday like the prophets and messengers did.
38. The eternal kingdom in heaven.
39. Great pleasure.
40. Meeting the Lord of the universe, the God who rules over those who came before and those who come after without us knowing how to meet.

I explained just what I understood and that reached the peak of my limited knowledge and still fell short. Even so I have explained at length. I have only mentioned the points and information globally and if I had gone into detail it would not have been included in this book. Did I not explain the eternal kingdom in only one part? If I had itemized it, it would have swelled to forty glories in the form of various angels, palaces, clothes and so on. Then each of them has details that are not known except by the One who knows the unseen and the manifest, namely the One who created and owns them.

How can we expect to know, when Allah has said:

Meaning: So no one knows what is kept for them in the form of whatever pleases the eye, (Q.S. As-Sajdah: 17)

Then the Messenger of Allah also said:

Meaning: In Paradise Allah has created what no eye has seen, no ear has heard and no human heart has ever thought of.

The mufassirs interpret the words of Allah:

Meaning: Undoubtedly the sea will dry up before the words of my Lord are finished (Q.S. Al-Kahf: 109): with the following explanation: What is meant by the words here are the words that Allah speaks to the dwellers of Paradise in a gentle and honoring manner. And this is the case. We cannot possibly reach one part of a million parts when we are only human beings. Or how could a creature’s knowledge possibly cover it? Of course not. Even one’s aspirations are bound to come to a halt and minds are too short to think about it. Indeed, that is the reality.

Such is the grace of God, the Glorious and All-Knowing, in accordance with His great grace and in proportion to His great mercy.

Let those who are eager to do good hasten to do so, and those who are determined to do so exert all their strength to attain a great position. And they should also know that all of that is very little compared to what they need, what they seek and what they strive for.

They should also know globally that a servant must have four things: Knowledge, charity, sincerity and fear.

First he must know the way. Otherwise he becomes blind. Then he should act using his knowledge. If not, he will definitely be blocked. Next he must be sincere. If not, then he will be a loser. And next he is fearless and avoids taints until he feels safe. Otherwise he will be deceived.

It is very true what Dzun-Nuun said: All these creatures die except the scholars. All the scholars are asleep except the scholars of deeds. Those who do good deeds are all deceived except those who are sincere. And the sincere ones are all in great worry.

Even more astonishing are four things

First, people who have reason but no knowledge.

Does he not concern himself with knowing what is before him? Does he not try to find out what he will see after death by contemplating the proofs, parables, hearing the verses and warnings, feeling anxious about the things that worry him and having blind courage within him? Allah says: …

Meaning: And have they not considered the kingdoms of the heavens and the earth and all that Allah has created.(Q.S. AlA’raf: 185)

God’s Word:

Meaning: Do they not think that they will be raised up on a great day?” (Q.S. Al-Muthaffifiin: 4-5).

Secondly, a scholar who does not act upon his knowledge. Does he not know for certain that grave and great things and difficult stages are ahead of him?

News like this is the kind of news that you all turn away from.

Third, people who do charity but are not sincere.

Did he not think about the word of God:

Meaning: Whoever hopes to meet his Lord, let him do righteous deeds and let him associate no partner in worshiping his Lord (Q.S. Al-Kahf: 110).

Fourth, people who are sincere but not afraid.

Does he not contemplate what He does to His chosen ones and His beloveds and servants that shows the distance between Him and His creatures. To the extent that He says to His most noble creature:

Meaning: And verily it has been revealed to you and to the prophets who were before you.”(Q.S. Az-Zumar: 65)

And so on, until it is narrated that the Prophet said:

Meaning: What gives me gray hair is Surah Huud and the like. “

So, the heart of the matter and its details are found in four verses of Allah’s words found in the Al-Aziz Qur’an. The word of Allah:

Meaning: “Then do you think that Kara created you playfully, and that you will not be returned to us?” (Q.S. Al-Mukminuun: 115)

Then He said:

Meaning: And let each one of you consider what he has done for tomorrow (hereafter). And fear Allah. Indeed, Allah knows best what you do (Q.S. Al-Hasyr. 18).

Meaning: And those who earnestly seek My pleasure, I will surely show them the way to Our pleasure (Q.S. Al-Ankabuut: 69).

Then He collected them in one verse:

Meaning: And whoever strives, then surely his Jihad is for himself. Verily, Allah is indeed All-Rich (in need of nothing) of the universe (Q.S. Al-Ankabuut: 6).

We seek forgiveness from Allah for every footstep that slips and every pen stroke that goes wrong. We also seek forgiveness from Him for words that do not match our deeds. We seek forgiveness from Him for what I professed and displayed of knowledge of Allah’s religion, while I was rash in practicing it. I seek His forgiveness from the impulses of my heart that led me to make things up, to adorn myself in the books I wrote, the speech I composed, and the thoughts I taught.

We ask Him to make us and you, my brothers and sisters, people who do good with their knowledge and seek His face, and do not make their knowledge a disaster.

May He be pleased to place it in the balance of good deeds when they are returned to us. Verily, He is Most Gracious, Most Noble.

Al-Ghazali said: “This is what we wanted to explain in the book describing the way to the Hereafter, and we have fulfilled that purpose. Praise be to Allah, by whose pleasure good deeds are completed and by whose grace various blessings are revealed.

Allah’s mercy may be showered on the chosen man who invited his people to worship the best worship, the prophet Muhammad, and his family.

May Allah grant him and his family much, good and blessed prosperity in all circumstances.