Concerning Sufism [tasawwuf].
When someone asked him about Sufism [tasawwuf], the Shaikh (may Allah be well pleased with him) explained:
"The Sufi is someone who makes that which the Lord of Truth wishes from him the object of his own wish. He renounces this world, so it serves him, and his allotted shares [aqsam] coincide with his needs. He achieves his purpose in this world, before the Hereafter, for his well-being is ensured by his Lord."
Concerning the difference between exultation [ta'azzuz] and arrogance [takabbur].
When the Shaikh (may Allah be well pleased with him) was asked to explain the difference between sheer exultation [ta'azzuz] and boastful arrogance [takabbur], he said:
"Sheer exultation [ta'azzuz] is taking pride for the sake of Allah, and in Allah. It entails the abasement of the lower self [nafs] and the raising of the aspiration [himma] toward (Exalted is He). As for boastful arrogance [takabbur], it is taking pride for the sake of the lower self, and in passionate desire. It entails the excitement of natural instinct, and the predominance of self-will, instead of respect for Allah (Almighty and Glorious is He). Natural pride is so much easier than pride that must be earned."
Concerning thankfulness [shukr].
When someone asked him about thankfulness [shukr], the Shaikh (may Allah be well pleased with him) explained:145
"The true nature of thankfulness [haqiqat ash-shukr] is the acknowledgment of the benefaction of the Benefactor [ni'mat al-Mun'im], with an attitude of humility, an overt recognition of the blessing, and a reverential confession of one's inability to give adequate thanks. Thankfulness can be subdivided into several categories, namely:
1. Thankfulness expressed by the tongue [shukr al-lisan]. This constitutes the acknowledgment of the benefaction [ni'ma] with an attitude of humble acceptance [istikana].
2. Thankfulness expressed by the body and the limbs [shukr bi'l-badan wa 'l-arkan]. This is the characteristic indication of loyalty and readiness to serve [al-wafa' wa 'l-khidma].
3. Thankfulness expressed by the inner feeling [shukr bi'l-qalb]. This requires a careful balance between the visible display of
appreciation and the constant preservation of a sense of reverence.
"Beyond this stage, thankfulness passes from the realm of the visible to the realm of the invisible [ghaiba], where the focus of attention is the Benefactor [Mun'im], rather than the benefaction [ni'ma].
"The person who is simply thankful [shakir] is someone who gives thanks for what is available [mawjud], while the person who is very thankful [shakur] is someone who gives thanks for what is unavailable [mafqud].
"The person who gives praise [hamid] is someone who regards withholding as a gift, and views harm as a benefit, and in whose sight the two qualities eventually become equal.
"The glory [majd] that exhausts all expressions of praise [mahamid] is the witnessing of perfection [kamal], in the quality of Beauty [Jamal] and the attribute of Majesty [Jalal], with the eye of direct perception, on the carpet of nearness [to the Lord]."
Concerning patience [sabr].
In response to a question concerning patience [sabr], the Shaikh (may Allah be well pleased with him) said:
"Patience [sabr] means coping with misfortune by remaining on your best behavior. It means welcoming His decrees, and accepting them in accordance with the statutes [ahkam] of the Book and the Sunna.
Patience [sabr] can be subdivided into several categories, namely:
1. Patience for the sake of Allah [sabr li'llah] (Exalted is He). This is the kind of patience [sabr] that is exercised in the course of carrying out His commandments and respectfully observing His prohibitions.
2. Patience in bearing with Allah [sabr ma'a 'llah] (Exalted is He). This is the kind of patience [sabr] that is exercised by calmly enduring the effects of His decree and His actions within you, and by demonstrating indifference to the advent of poverty, without a scowl or a frown.
3. Patience in anticipation of Allah [sabr 'ala 'llah] (Exalted is He). This is the kind of patience [sabr] that is exercised through steadfast reliance on that which He has promised, and that which He has threatened, in all things.
"The journey from this world to the Hereafter should be easy for the true believer [mu'min], but separation from creatures, even for love of the Truth, is difficult. The journey from what is known by hearsay [naqli] to [the direct experience of] Allah (Exalted is He) is very hard, and patience in bearing with Allah [sabr ma'a 'llah] is even more difficult.
"The patient pauper is worthier than the grateful rich man, and the grateful pauper is worthier than either. As for the pauper who is both patient and thankful, he is worthier than any of them.
"No one courts misfortune, with the exception of him who knows its spiritual reward."
Concerning goodness of moral character [husn al-khulq].
When someone asked him about goodness of moral character [husn al-khulq], the Shaikh (may Allah be well pleased with him) explained:
"What it signifies is that you are not affected by the rudeness of creatures [khalq], once you have become acquainted with the Truth [Haqq]. It means that you belittle your own lower self [nafs] and whatever arises from it, in full recognition of its faults. It means that you honor your fellow creatures, and what arises from them, by showing respect for what has been entrusted to them, in the way of faith and wisdom. That is the most excellent of all the virtues of the servant [of the Lord], and the jewels of the men of valor become manifest therein."
Concerning acceptance [akhdh] and rejection [radd].
When the Shaikh (may Allah be well pleased with him) was asked about the acceptance and rejection [of gifts and opportunities], he said:
"So long as passionate desire is present, voluntary acceptance is an act of wilfullness and discord. In the absence of passionate desire, on the other hand, acceptance is an act of compliance and concord, to refrain from which would amount to ostentation [riya'] and hypocrisy [nifaq]."
Concerning truthfulness [sidq].
When someone asked him about truthfulness [sidq], the Shaikh (may Allah be well pleased with him) explained:
"There is truthfulness in words, and there is truthfulness in deeds, provided they are exposed to examination by the Lord of Truth (Glory be to Him, and Exalted is He). As for truthfulness in spiritual states, it is practiced by presenting to the Truth all the notions [khawatir] that occur, so that no outside influence can confuse them, and no remnant of doubt can challenge them."
Concerning personal extinction [fana'].
In response to a question concerning personal extinction [fana'], the Shaikh (may Allah be well pleased with him) explained:
"It is experienced when the Lord of Truth discloses Himself to the innermost being [sirr] of His saint [wali], with a most immediate manifestation [tajalli]. Under the impact of that demonstration, the whole universe is annihilated, and the saint [wali] becomes extinct. The extinction [fana'] he thereby undergoes is actually his survival in perpetuity [baqa'], but he will only survive under the direction of the Everlasting One [Baqi], for it is He who has rendered him extinct, and it is He who has granted him perpetual existence."
Concerning survival in perpetuity [baqa'].
When someone asked the Shaikh (may Allah be well pleased with him) about survival in perpetuity [baqa'], he said:
"It comes about only through the Meeting that is not accompanied by extinction [fana'], nor by separation. This only happens like the twinkling of the eye, or even more immediately. The mark of the people of perpetuity [ahl al-baqa'] is that nothing accompanies them in that capacity, because the two are opposites."
Concerning fulfillment of duty [wafa'].
In answer to a question concerning fulfillment of duty [wafa'], the Shaikh (may Allah be well pleased with him) explained:
"It is careful attention to the rights [huquq] of Allah (Exalted is He), even in deprivation, strict observance of the limits [hudud] set by Allah (Exalted is He), in word and in deed, and making haste to earn His good pleasure, in every situation, both in privately and in public."
Concerning contentment [rida].
When someone asked the Shaikh (may Allah be well pleased with him) about contentment [rida], he said:
"It is the removal of the desire for favorable attention, satisfaction with whatever has been predestined in the foreknowledge of Allah (Exalted is He) in His eternity-without-beginning [azal], and contentment [rida] with what has been foreordained in destiny's decree [qadar]."
Concerning self-will [irada].
In response to a question concerning self-will [irada], the Shaikh (may Allah be well pleased with him) explained:
"It is the repetition of thought [fikr] within the heart [fu'ad]."
Concerning Divine providence ['inaya].
When someone asked him about Divine providence ['inaya], the Shaikh (may Allah be well pleased with him) explained:
"It is sempiternal [azaliyya], for it is one of the Attributes [Sifat] of Allah (Exalted is He). He has not divulged it to anyone, and it cannot be reached by any device. It cannot be impaired by any means. No deficiency can corrupt it, and nothing can disrupt it. It is the secret of Allah (Exalted is He), kept in the presence of Allah. No one is privy to it, and the universe cannot find access to it.
"Divine providence ['inaya] is eternal, not temporal. Allah (Exalted is He) qualifies whomever He wills among His creatures as worthy to receive it. The mark of one who is worthy of Divine providence is captivity, then imprisonment, then confinement in chains, then being deprived by Him of all connection with creatures."
Concerning the state of ecstasy [wajd].
When someone asked him about the state of ecstasy [wajd], the Shaikh (may Allah be well pleased with him) explained:
"It is the state in which the spirit [ruh] is preoccupied with the sweetness of the remembrance [dhikr], and the lower self [nafs] is preoccupied with the pleasure of the entertainment [tatrib], while the innermost being [sirr] remains wholly devoted to the Beloved Friend [Habib], impervious to any outside influence, in its dedication to the Truth, in the presence of the Truth [Haqq].
"The experience of ecstasy is a beverage which the Master [Mawla] gives his saint [wali] to drink, on the pulpit of His Noble Grace [Karama]. When he drinks, he becomes light-headed, and when he becomes light-headed, his heart flies on the wings of intimate friendship [uns] in the gardens of Holiness [Quds]. Then it falls into the ocean of awe, and is thrown into a trance, so the ecstatic [wajid] swoons into unconsciousness."
When someone asked him about Sufism [tasawwuf], the Shaikh (may Allah be well pleased with him) explained:
"The Sufi is someone who makes that which the Lord of Truth wishes from him the object of his own wish. He renounces this world, so it serves him, and his allotted shares [aqsam] coincide with his needs. He achieves his purpose in this world, before the Hereafter, for his well-being is ensured by his Lord."
Concerning the difference between exultation [ta'azzuz] and arrogance [takabbur].
When the Shaikh (may Allah be well pleased with him) was asked to explain the difference between sheer exultation [ta'azzuz] and boastful arrogance [takabbur], he said:
"Sheer exultation [ta'azzuz] is taking pride for the sake of Allah, and in Allah. It entails the abasement of the lower self [nafs] and the raising of the aspiration [himma] toward (Exalted is He). As for boastful arrogance [takabbur], it is taking pride for the sake of the lower self, and in passionate desire. It entails the excitement of natural instinct, and the predominance of self-will, instead of respect for Allah (Almighty and Glorious is He). Natural pride is so much easier than pride that must be earned."
Concerning thankfulness [shukr].
When someone asked him about thankfulness [shukr], the Shaikh (may Allah be well pleased with him) explained:145
"The true nature of thankfulness [haqiqat ash-shukr] is the acknowledgment of the benefaction of the Benefactor [ni'mat al-Mun'im], with an attitude of humility, an overt recognition of the blessing, and a reverential confession of one's inability to give adequate thanks. Thankfulness can be subdivided into several categories, namely:
1. Thankfulness expressed by the tongue [shukr al-lisan]. This constitutes the acknowledgment of the benefaction [ni'ma] with an attitude of humble acceptance [istikana].
2. Thankfulness expressed by the body and the limbs [shukr bi'l-badan wa 'l-arkan]. This is the characteristic indication of loyalty and readiness to serve [al-wafa' wa 'l-khidma].
3. Thankfulness expressed by the inner feeling [shukr bi'l-qalb]. This requires a careful balance between the visible display of
appreciation and the constant preservation of a sense of reverence.
"Beyond this stage, thankfulness passes from the realm of the visible to the realm of the invisible [ghaiba], where the focus of attention is the Benefactor [Mun'im], rather than the benefaction [ni'ma].
"The person who is simply thankful [shakir] is someone who gives thanks for what is available [mawjud], while the person who is very thankful [shakur] is someone who gives thanks for what is unavailable [mafqud].
"The person who gives praise [hamid] is someone who regards withholding as a gift, and views harm as a benefit, and in whose sight the two qualities eventually become equal.
"The glory [majd] that exhausts all expressions of praise [mahamid] is the witnessing of perfection [kamal], in the quality of Beauty [Jamal] and the attribute of Majesty [Jalal], with the eye of direct perception, on the carpet of nearness [to the Lord]."
Concerning patience [sabr].
In response to a question concerning patience [sabr], the Shaikh (may Allah be well pleased with him) said:
"Patience [sabr] means coping with misfortune by remaining on your best behavior. It means welcoming His decrees, and accepting them in accordance with the statutes [ahkam] of the Book and the Sunna.
Patience [sabr] can be subdivided into several categories, namely:
1. Patience for the sake of Allah [sabr li'llah] (Exalted is He). This is the kind of patience [sabr] that is exercised in the course of carrying out His commandments and respectfully observing His prohibitions.
2. Patience in bearing with Allah [sabr ma'a 'llah] (Exalted is He). This is the kind of patience [sabr] that is exercised by calmly enduring the effects of His decree and His actions within you, and by demonstrating indifference to the advent of poverty, without a scowl or a frown.
3. Patience in anticipation of Allah [sabr 'ala 'llah] (Exalted is He). This is the kind of patience [sabr] that is exercised through steadfast reliance on that which He has promised, and that which He has threatened, in all things.
"The journey from this world to the Hereafter should be easy for the true believer [mu'min], but separation from creatures, even for love of the Truth, is difficult. The journey from what is known by hearsay [naqli] to [the direct experience of] Allah (Exalted is He) is very hard, and patience in bearing with Allah [sabr ma'a 'llah] is even more difficult.
"The patient pauper is worthier than the grateful rich man, and the grateful pauper is worthier than either. As for the pauper who is both patient and thankful, he is worthier than any of them.
"No one courts misfortune, with the exception of him who knows its spiritual reward."
Concerning goodness of moral character [husn al-khulq].
When someone asked him about goodness of moral character [husn al-khulq], the Shaikh (may Allah be well pleased with him) explained:
"What it signifies is that you are not affected by the rudeness of creatures [khalq], once you have become acquainted with the Truth [Haqq]. It means that you belittle your own lower self [nafs] and whatever arises from it, in full recognition of its faults. It means that you honor your fellow creatures, and what arises from them, by showing respect for what has been entrusted to them, in the way of faith and wisdom. That is the most excellent of all the virtues of the servant [of the Lord], and the jewels of the men of valor become manifest therein."
Concerning acceptance [akhdh] and rejection [radd].
When the Shaikh (may Allah be well pleased with him) was asked about the acceptance and rejection [of gifts and opportunities], he said:
"So long as passionate desire is present, voluntary acceptance is an act of wilfullness and discord. In the absence of passionate desire, on the other hand, acceptance is an act of compliance and concord, to refrain from which would amount to ostentation [riya'] and hypocrisy [nifaq]."
Concerning truthfulness [sidq].
When someone asked him about truthfulness [sidq], the Shaikh (may Allah be well pleased with him) explained:
"There is truthfulness in words, and there is truthfulness in deeds, provided they are exposed to examination by the Lord of Truth (Glory be to Him, and Exalted is He). As for truthfulness in spiritual states, it is practiced by presenting to the Truth all the notions [khawatir] that occur, so that no outside influence can confuse them, and no remnant of doubt can challenge them."
Concerning personal extinction [fana'].
In response to a question concerning personal extinction [fana'], the Shaikh (may Allah be well pleased with him) explained:
"It is experienced when the Lord of Truth discloses Himself to the innermost being [sirr] of His saint [wali], with a most immediate manifestation [tajalli]. Under the impact of that demonstration, the whole universe is annihilated, and the saint [wali] becomes extinct. The extinction [fana'] he thereby undergoes is actually his survival in perpetuity [baqa'], but he will only survive under the direction of the Everlasting One [Baqi], for it is He who has rendered him extinct, and it is He who has granted him perpetual existence."
Concerning survival in perpetuity [baqa'].
When someone asked the Shaikh (may Allah be well pleased with him) about survival in perpetuity [baqa'], he said:
"It comes about only through the Meeting that is not accompanied by extinction [fana'], nor by separation. This only happens like the twinkling of the eye, or even more immediately. The mark of the people of perpetuity [ahl al-baqa'] is that nothing accompanies them in that capacity, because the two are opposites."
Concerning fulfillment of duty [wafa'].
In answer to a question concerning fulfillment of duty [wafa'], the Shaikh (may Allah be well pleased with him) explained:
"It is careful attention to the rights [huquq] of Allah (Exalted is He), even in deprivation, strict observance of the limits [hudud] set by Allah (Exalted is He), in word and in deed, and making haste to earn His good pleasure, in every situation, both in privately and in public."
Concerning contentment [rida].
When someone asked the Shaikh (may Allah be well pleased with him) about contentment [rida], he said:
"It is the removal of the desire for favorable attention, satisfaction with whatever has been predestined in the foreknowledge of Allah (Exalted is He) in His eternity-without-beginning [azal], and contentment [rida] with what has been foreordained in destiny's decree [qadar]."
Concerning self-will [irada].
In response to a question concerning self-will [irada], the Shaikh (may Allah be well pleased with him) explained:
"It is the repetition of thought [fikr] within the heart [fu'ad]."
Concerning Divine providence ['inaya].
When someone asked him about Divine providence ['inaya], the Shaikh (may Allah be well pleased with him) explained:
"It is sempiternal [azaliyya], for it is one of the Attributes [Sifat] of Allah (Exalted is He). He has not divulged it to anyone, and it cannot be reached by any device. It cannot be impaired by any means. No deficiency can corrupt it, and nothing can disrupt it. It is the secret of Allah (Exalted is He), kept in the presence of Allah. No one is privy to it, and the universe cannot find access to it.
"Divine providence ['inaya] is eternal, not temporal. Allah (Exalted is He) qualifies whomever He wills among His creatures as worthy to receive it. The mark of one who is worthy of Divine providence is captivity, then imprisonment, then confinement in chains, then being deprived by Him of all connection with creatures."
Concerning the state of ecstasy [wajd].
When someone asked him about the state of ecstasy [wajd], the Shaikh (may Allah be well pleased with him) explained:
"It is the state in which the spirit [ruh] is preoccupied with the sweetness of the remembrance [dhikr], and the lower self [nafs] is preoccupied with the pleasure of the entertainment [tatrib], while the innermost being [sirr] remains wholly devoted to the Beloved Friend [Habib], impervious to any outside influence, in its dedication to the Truth, in the presence of the Truth [Haqq].
"The experience of ecstasy is a beverage which the Master [Mawla] gives his saint [wali] to drink, on the pulpit of His Noble Grace [Karama]. When he drinks, he becomes light-headed, and when he becomes light-headed, his heart flies on the wings of intimate friendship [uns] in the gardens of Holiness [Quds]. Then it falls into the ocean of awe, and is thrown into a trance, so the ecstatic [wajid] swoons into unconsciousness."
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