18. BLAMING THE “SELF’ THAT INCLINES TO EVIL PERSISTENTLY
I wonder at a person who knows his Lord but still disobeys Him even if that will cause his destruction!
Indeed, life cannot be except with Him and truly this life and the Hereafter are His to own!
Woe to a person who allows himself to do what Allah dislikes just to attain what he likes! By Allah, the pleasure he lost is times the pleasure he attained. Heed to the words I say, O intelligent man! Have you noticed how your life becomes disturbed and difficult only when you disobey Him?! Did you not know the story of one of the righteous predecessors who narrated that he saw a young man in the city of Beirut remembering Allah, Most High, so I said to him, ‘do you need anything?’ He replied: ‘If I ever need something, I ask from my Lord in my heart and He will fulfil it for me.’
O worshippers! I ask for Allah’s sake not to pollute the water your drink from! Guard the gate of minding Allah [in all your affairs] (muraqaba) and prevent anything that is inappropriate from entering the gate [into your heart]. Abandon your wants and desires for the sake of doing what your Loved one loves, and He will suffice you and fulfil your wants.
I say: ‘How pitiful it is when a person leaves something for the hope of receiving a reward! This contravenes the true state of servitude [to Allah] (‘ubudiyya) because a servant obeys just to please his master and not so that he receives a reward. Yet if you are truthful and really love Him, then discard all your wants, your wishes and concentrate on pleasing Him.
O you whose purpose deceives him, heed to my advice! When you are unable to handle His trials then seek His Help. When you are in pain due to the choice He made for you, remember that you are standing before Him, and do not despair from His Mercy even if the grip of hardship becomes harder on you. Indeed, when a servant dies during his service, it is something that intelligent people consider a praiseworthy act [for it shows committed determination],
O my brothers! I will now address my “self’ (,nafs) but whoever would like to drink with me from the same cup, let him join in:
O self! Allah granted you what you never thought to have and gave you what you have not asked for. He covered your ugly defects and shortcoming whose smell would have disturbed the noses if they had a smell! Yet despite all that, you whine for not attaining everything you want!
Do you think you are under no control or do you forget that you are a servant [of Allah]? Do you not understand that you are placed in a world where you have to fulfil duties He Ordained? This advice should be given to the ignorant, so where is the knowledge you claim to have? Tell me, would you still enjoy this life if you are made blind?
I really pity you! The insight (basira) of your heart has become blind though it is more statuesque than the sight of your eyes. 1 kept giving you excuses saving you may return or perhaps you come to realise but you moved forward with your err.
The ship of life is about to dock on the wharf of your grave while you still have no merchandise that you can gain some profit from. The wind of weakness played with the sea of life causing the exhaustion of your strength. The ship is docking and life is about to end, all the while, your eyes still look at the times of youthfulness!
I ask you for the sake of Allah, not to let your enemies gloat! This is the least request I bring forth but it is even more fulfilling to demand from you, for the sake of Allah, not to stay behind in the race when you are able to win the race!
Resort to solitude (khalwa) and bring along your sense of intellect (‘aql) to then wander in the world of thoughts (fikar) making a win before your time ends and before the urge of youth deviates you from the truth.
I wonder at you! The further you advance in age the lower in rank you become, and when death becomes more serious and close at hand, the more ridiculous you become!
Is it possible that your life will conclude with a tempting trial, and towards the end of your life it was decreed you endure hardship?! Truly the beginning of your life is much better than its end….you were better when young than you are now after old age.
“And these examples We present to the people, but none will understand them except those of knowledge.” [al-Ankabut (29):43]
I ask Allah, Glorified be He, to grant me what cannot be achieved except with His Permission; His Guidance towards success, indeed He is All Hearing and All Answering.
(Source: al-Hafiz Abu’l-Faraj ibn al-jawzl [d. 597AH] “CAPTURED THOUGHTS being” a translation of his masterpiece ‘Sayd al-K hatir)
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