Part 49

In general, the heart is never void of thought. It is either concerned with a duty concerning the Hereafter, or worldly pleasures.

We have previously mentioned that the mind is like a mill that runs with that which is thrown into it. If some grain is thrown in, it would run with it. And if glass, pebbles or dung is thrown in, it would run with it too. It is Allah, the Almighty Who is the Lord, the Owner and Manager of that mill. He has appointed an angel to throw in it that, which is beneficial to run with it, and Satan throws. that which harms it.

The angel visits it one time, and Satan visits it at another time. The grain that the angel throws is an indication of goodness and _ belief in the promise. And the grain that Satan throws is an indication of evil and disbelief in the promise.

The mill runs according to the grain. And the owner of the harmful grain would not be able to throw it except if he finds the mill void of useful grain, and the one who is running it has

AL-FAWA'ID : A Collection of Wise Syaings * 295

neglected it and turned away from it. By then, he would take the initiative to throw that, which he likes.

In general, if the one who runs the mill abandons it and gives up taking care of it by not throwing useful grain, the enemy would find the way to ruin it and run it with that which he has. And the way to reform this mill is by being preoccupied with that which concerns you. And as for its destruction, it is by being preoccupied with that which does not concern you.

How excellent the statement of a wise man is, as he put it: when | found that worldly pleasures are more likely to spoil the Hereafter, and saw that it is bound to be ruined, | turned away from it all to that which people of understanding do not differ in opinion.

their being preoccupied with grace without being grateful. their interest in knowledge and neglecting action. rushing to sin and delaying repentance.

being attracted by the company of the righteous but failing to follow their deeds.

This worldly life is turning away from them. while they strongly desire it.

The Hereafter is drawing near to them, while they are turning away in heedlessness.

| said, the source of that is lack of desire for (Paradise) and lack of fear of Hellfire, as well as weakness of certainty and insight,

296 * AL-FAWA'ID: A Collection of Wise Sayings

and disgrace and lowness of the self, and exchanging that, which is better for that which is lower. Otherwise, if the self was truly noble and great, it would not accept such lowness.

Therefore, the source of all good with success is from Allah and His Will. And this is also the source of nobility of the self and its greatness. And the source of evil is its lowness and pettiness. Allah, the Almighty said in the Glorious Qur'an,

which means, “Indeed he succeeds who purifies his ownself (i.e. obeys and performs all that Allah ordered, by following the true Faith of Islamic Monotheism and by doing righteous good deeds). And indeed he fails who corrupts his ownself (i.e. disobeys what Allah has ordered by rejecting the true Faith of Islamic Monotheism or by following polytheism, etc. or by doing every kind of evil wicked deeds).” (Ash-Shams, 91:9-10)

That is to say that the successful one is he, who honors it, invests it by obeying and performing all that Allah ordered. And the unsuccessful one is the one who belittles it and degrades it by disobeying what Allah has ordered.

Therefore, honored servants are only pleased with the highest, best and most praised matters. But the inferior servants hover about lowness and fall upon them just as a fly falls upon the dirt.

The honored and high self does not accept wrongdoing or immorality, theft or treason, for it is greater and higher than them. And the despised and low self is the opposite of that, for every self inclines to that which suits and resembles it. The following verse illustrates this fact,

Bi lS So ads Hee op

AL-FAWA'ID : A Collection of Wise Syaings * 297

which means, “Say (O Muhammad to mankind): "Each one does according to Shakilatihi (ie. his way or his religion or his intentions, etc.)” (Al-Isra’, 17:84)

That is to say that everyone performs deeds according to that which suits and corresponds to him. He performs deeds according to the way that coincides with his character and nature. Everyone follows his way, his faith and habits that he got used to and was created with.

Therefore, the immoral person performs deeds according to that which resembles his way of life, as repaying grace with sins, and turning away from the Benefactor. And the believer performs deeds according to his way of life, as being grateful to the Benefactor, showing his love and praise to Him, making himself loved by Him, being shy of Him, observing Him, glorifying Him and exalting Him.

Chapter: He who does not Know himself, does not Know his Creator

How can the one who does not know himself, know His creator? Know that Allah, the Exalted created a heart within your chest. Allah, the Almighty established Himself on the Throne by Himself and is clear to His creatures if their hearts are pure. On the bed of the heart there is a carpet of content and on its right and left sides there are utilities of its laws and commands. There is a door that is opened to it hoping for Paradise, His mercy, and longing to meet Him. It was rained on with truth, which planted all kinds of fruitful trees from among the forms of worship and remembering Allah. In the middle of this garden there is a tree of knowledge which brings forth its fruit at all times by the leave of its Lord, which are things like loving, repentance, piety, fearing, and happiness at being close to Him. He watered it with meditation, understanding, and working according to His words. Inside the house a lamp is hung that is lit with knowing and believing in Allah. After that

298 * AL-FAWA'ID: A Collection of Wise Sayings

he built a wall around it that prevents any disease and corruption from entering. Whoever seeks to harm the garden will not succeed. He appointed guards from the Angels to protect him in his wakefulness and repose. Then he let the owner of the house and the garden know about the dweller; as his aim is always to repair the house so as to gain the satisfaction of the dweller and if he felt any problem in the house, he would repair it at once fearing that the dweller may leave. How good the house is and how good the dweller is.

Glorified be Allah, the Lord of all the worlds. There is a great difference between this house and another house that is captured by destruction and has become a shelter for insects and bugs; a place for all that is dirty. Whoever wants relief, can find this ruined house without a dweller or a keeper. It is not prepared for relief, it is dark and has a foul odor, and is full of dirt and destruction. No one wants to be in it except insects and worms. Satan is on its bed, the bed has a carpet of ignorance accompanied with desires, its right and left sides have utilities of desires, a door is opened to it and it leads to betrayal, loneliness, seeking this worldly life, and neglecting the Hereafter, and it is rained upon by a heavy rain of ignorance, desire, polytheism, and innovations, which planted all kinds of thorns, colocynth, and fruitful trees from among sins and breaches that provoke committing what is forbidden and neglecting worship. In the middle of the garden there is a tree of ignorance and neglecting Allah which brings its fruit at all times in the form of sins, debauchery, amusements, impudence, and following every desire. From among its fruit is distress, sadness, and pain, but they are hidden because the soul is busy with amusements. But when it wakes up from its drunken state it suffers from all kinds of distress, sadness, hardship, and anxiety. He watered this tree by following desires, deceptive hope, and pride.

AL-FAWA'ID : A Collection of Wise Syaings * 299

Then he abandons this house with its darkness and destruction in a way that did not prevent any corrupt, animal, harmful, or dirty thing from entering. Whoever knows his house, the value of he who dwells in it, the value of its treasures and the supplies he benefits from in his life and himself, and whoever is ignorant of these, would be ignorant about himself and would loose his happiness.

At-Tastary was asked once, "A man eats one meal during his day.’ He said, ‘The way of truthful people.' They said, 'What about two meals?' He said, 'The way of the believers.' They said, 'What about three?’ He said, ‘Tell his family to build a place of fodder for him."

Al-Aswad bin Salim said: to perform two rak'ahs is preferred to me than Paradise and all that it contains. It was said to him: this is wrong. He said: neglect your words and listen: Paradise will please me and the two rak'ahs will please My Lord; pleasing My Lord is more important that pleasing myself.

e A learned man on earth is like basil from Paradise, if one of his followers smells it, his soul will long — for Paradise.

A Precious Gem: Levels of Knowing Allah

There are among people those who know Allah through His favors, blessings, and grace, others know Him through His forgiveness and mercy, others know Him through revenge and force, others know Him through knowledge and wisdom, pride and glory, mercy, piety, and kindness, overpowering and ownership, and through answering supplications, helping in grief, and fulfilling needs.