Part 13

When the Glorious Qur'an, and the Sunnah are abandoned, because it is thought that they are insufficient, and when human opinions, analogy, discretion, and the words of scholars are sought, people's natures are corrupted, their hearts become dark, their understandings become confused, and their minds become distorted. All the previously mentioned matters had a great impact on their lives to the extent that the young and the old lived under these circumstances, thinking them to be allowed. Alternative conditions prevailed, in which innovated matters replaced Prophetic traditions, inclination replaced wisdom, vain desires replaced reason, going astray replaced guidance, the wrong replaced the good, ignorance replaced knowledge, hypocrisy replaced devotion, the unlawful replaced the lawful, lying substituted truthfulness, flattery substituted advice, and injustice replaced justice, thus these evils reigned supreme, and their holders became privileged, despite the prevalence of their opposite in the past, where their holders were the privileged ones. If you

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see the superiority of such evils, and their slogans are set up where their armies are invading, surely the bottom of the earth would be much more desirable than its surface, the peaks of mountains would be more preferable than the plains, and accompanying beasts would be better than accompanying people.

The earth trembles, the heavens have darkened, evil has appeared on land and on sea because of the injustice of the wicked, evil doers. Blessings have disappeared, good deeds are less, and the beasts have become powerless, life has become corrupted because of the wickedness of the wrong-doers. The morning light and the night's darkness shed tears, because of the awful deeds that are committed. Honorable writers among the angels and others from among them have complained to their Lord because of the prevalence of misdeeds and the supremacy of atrocities. By Allah! This is a warning of approaching torment, and forthcoming afflictions, so you have no resort except sincere repentance as long as repentance is still available. Do not wait until there is no escape in which Allah says,

which means, "And those who do wrong will come to know by what overturning they will be overturned." (Ash-Shu'ara’,

Buy success for yourself today, for the market still exists, and the price is affordable, and goods are low-priced, and do not wait until the market and the goods are inaccessible, in which Allah says,

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which means, "That will be the Day of mutual loss and gain." (At-Taghabun, 64:9)

which means, "when the Z&lim (wrong-doer, oppressor, polytheist, etc.) will bite at his hands." (Al-Furqan, 25:27)

e Insincere effort is like the traveler who fills his bag with sand, it just overburdens him for no good reason. If you have overburdened your heart with the grief and sorrows of this worldly life, neglecting prayers, which are the heart's provision and power, you would be like the traveler who overloaded his riding animal, while depriving it of its food, so it would not be able to continue on the journey.

¢ He who tastes the pleasure of good health, surely the bitterness of patience will become easy for him.

* The aim has the priority in estimation, it is the last in existence, it is the principle according to the mind, and it is the end of the journey.

* The disparity of people is based on their determination rather than their images.

¢ Feeling powerless is a deceptive excuse.

e The difference between you and the righteous people are the influence of vain desires, so if you want to approach the righteous, overpower your desires. This worldly life is like a racetrack, but the dust is overwhelming and the race cannot

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be seen. The people therein are either mounted or dismounted, or the owners of slaughtered beasts.

There is evil in human nature, but enthusiasm is the best. Greed is not overcome except in overcoming vain desires.

Being determined to reach your aim entails the exertion of your utmost effort, and being cautious for fear of losing hope.

The stingy person is the poor one, whose poverty is unrewarded.

Patience during distress is better than yielding to others.

The noble woman prefers hunger rather than immorality. Resort to no one but your Lord, for resorting to others is a disgrace.

Worshipping in solitude brings about pleasure. Resort to the eternal, but never resort to the mortal.

The solitude of the ignorant is corruption while the solitude of the knowledgeable is fruitful.

\f wisdom and conviction are combined (in seclusion), and deep thought is gained, a fruitful conversation will take place.

If your enemy abuses you, do not respond to his abuse for the result will be degradation.

Avenging oneself is not wise, for if you know the reality of your soul, you might inadvertently help your enemy against yourself.

If the blaze of revenge is derived from the blaze of wrath, the wrathful will burn first.

Restrict your anger with tolerance, for anger is like a dog: if you set it free, it will cause damage.

He, whose destiny is happiness, will be guided without having to inquire.

If success is preordained to anyone, the seeds of good fortune would be implanted in his heart, and then they would be watered with hope and fear of Allah, then self-control will be granted, and knowledge will be the guardian that will protect him, and as a result, the plant will stand straight on its stem.

If determination is adopted in the state of powerlessness, which is followed by strong resolution, surely the heart will be enlightened by the light of Allah.

When night descends, sleep and sleeplessness struggle, fear of Allah and ionging for Allah are the soldiers of wakefulness, while idleness and delaying are the soldiers of heediessness. If determination is adopted, and negligence is defeated, then by the time day breaks, every party will take his share.

A night rider undergoes hardship; in a marching army, the cavalry come in the front, while those who carry supplies are at the rear.

Do not feel weary of standing by His door (i.e. Allah) even if you are driven away, and never stop asking His forgiveness even if you feel it is rejected. When the door is opened for the accepted ones, do not miss this chance and rush therein intruding, and stretch forth your hands saying,

which means, " Be charitable to us." (Ydsuf, 12:88)

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If your aim is piety, other aims are never missed.

Misdeeds stand as a block for earning. Surely, one can be deprived of provision by committing sins.

Animals kept for reproduction are not on the same level as those meant for racing.

The worker, who wants to know his degree in the master's eye, should first observe how much he works for him.

Be the son of the Hereafter, and do not be the son of this worldly tife, verily, the son follows his mother.

This worldly life is not worth the movement of your footsteps thereon, so it is not wise to be misled by it.

This worldly life is like the carrion, and indeed the lion hesitates to seize it.

This worldly life resembles a passageway, and the Hereafter resembles the homeland, and indeed the wishes of pious men are directed toward the homelands.

There are two kinds of meetings between friends:

The first kind is a meeting based on sociability and spending time, in which there are more disadvantages than advantages, the least of which is corruption of the heart, and wasting time.

The second kind is a meeting for the sake of supporting one another, and recommending one another to the truth and to patience. This is the best kind, yet there are still three disadvantages therein,

1) Flattering each other.

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2) Being excessively talkative.

3) That such meetings become a habit or routine and they fail to achieve their aims.

In general, the result of social meetings will be derived from the source, which is either for the soul inclined to evil, or for the heart and the peaceful soul. If the source is good, surely the fruit will also be good. Pure souls derive their nature from their Lord, while evil ones derive their nature from the devil. Hence, Allah, the Exalted and Ever Majestic, renders good women for good men and bad men for bad women.

An Important Rule: There is no Power or Strength except with Allah

In this physical world, there is no force that can influence independently; and not only that, there is no force that has influence on its own, unless another force is joined to it and all that hinders its effect is gone. This is true of the forces that can be seen. Unseen and abstract forces depend on other forces, like the influence of the sun on animals and plants. In the same way, having a child depends on a number of forces other than sexual intercourse.

This is the truth of forces and their effects. Therefore, is anything is feared or hoped for from anything in creation, it must be remembered that the extent of its capacity is that it is a part of a force that does not alone possess the ability to influence. Moreover nothing possesses the ability to independently influence anything else, without depending on others, except Allah, the One, the Irresistible.

Therefore, we should not expect anyone or anything to benefit us nor should we fear anyone or anything except Allah. Surely depending on others or fearing them is worthless. If it is supposed that it is an independent force, capable of influencing

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alone, there would still be another force from something otter than it. It has no ability that enables it to do anything by itself, for there is no power or strength except with Aliah.

He is the only One Who has entire power and_ strength. and what mankind hopes and fears from the power and strength he sees in people are in reality owned and controlled by Allah alone. So, why should we hope for and fear that which does not possess either power or strength? The reality is that fearing anything in creation and hoping for it, are the causes that deprive and afflict the person who hopes for it or fears it. This is so according to the degree that you fear anything other than Allah, as you will be under its influence. And you will also be deprived according to the degree that you hope for other than Him. This applies to all people both in the levels of knowledge and status.