VIRTUES OF THE RIGHTEOUS
VIRTUES OF THE RIGHTEOUS
- When Abu Abdullah al-Qurshi was asked about trust in God, he replied, "It is being attached to God in every state."
- When a scholar was asked what trust was, he replied, “Taking your provisions from Almighty Allah.” [1]
- It is also said, “One who puts his trust in God goes through three stages: trust in God (tawakkul), self-surrender to God (taslim) and relegating one’s affairs to God (tafwiz)]. One who trusts in God finds serenity in the promises of the Almighty.”
- It is said, “One who surrenders himself to God (taslim) is content with his knowledge of God and one who relegates his affairs to God (tafwiz) is satisfied with His decree.”
- Abu Darda said, "The pinnacle of faith (iman) is sincerity, trust in God and complete obedience to the Lord, Almighty and Great."
- One of the scholars said, “When Almighty Allah presents you with a choice in something, then be fearful of choosing it yourself. Flee from your own choice to the choice of the Lord, for you see, you do not know what the outcome of the matter will be.”
- In the Torah is written, “Doomed is he who relies on a person like himself rather than putting his trust in God."
- Scholars said, “For someone who relies on Allah and resorts to Him for assistance, the Lord will devise it so that people will need him and will put wisdom in his mouth.”
- Abu Yazid was asked, "What is trust in God?" He replied, "And what do you say about it?" His questioner explained, “Our companions say that trust is even if beasts of prey and poisonous snakes were on your right and left, your innermost being would not waver on their account.” Then Abu Yazid continued, “Yes, this is a definition close to the truth. However, if you were to observe the inhabitants of Paradise enjoying its blessings and the inhabitants of Hell being tormented by its fire and then it occurred to you to prefer one to the other, you would leave the realm of trust in God.” [2]
- Abu Bakr al-Warraq said, “If they asked of greed who is its parent, it would answer that it is doubt in destiny predetermined by Allah [3]. If they asked it what its craft was, it would answer - acquiring humiliation. If they asked it what its goal was, it would answer – deprivation.”
- Sheikh ash-Shadhili said, “If a person lacks at least one of these five qualities, he does not possess true faith: surrender to Allah’s commands, contentment with His decree, relegating all his affairs] to the Creator, trust in the Lord and manifesting patience at the very inkling of impending misfortune.”
- They said, "Cease hoping for what may be in cities and put your trust in Allah instead."
THE VIRTUE OF TRUST IN GOD
Know that there is no higher degree before Allah than trust. Whoever trusts in the Almighty, submits to His decree, entrusts all matters to Him and is content with His destiny, has established religion. Whoever challenges trust challenges faith, and he who loves the people of trust also loves God Almighty.
The genesis of trust in God is the knowledge of the trustee that He is the Mighty, the Wise. When a servant realises that there is a great Sovereign Who establishes justice and regulates and predetermines all matters, to Whom belong the treasures of the earth and heaven, then he reflects on his omnipotent Lord and also becomes strong because of this contemplation. Thanks to the Almighty, the servant is elevated and is contented with becoming closer to the Creator, the Mighty and Sublime. Then the worship of the servant becomes definite and his monotheism is purified.
The believer knows people through his knowledge of their Creator and he seeks his sustenance in Allah whom he worships and he does not praise and does not reproach others for anything they gave him or deprived him of. For, you see, a servant is convinced that Almighty Allah is the Guardian and Giver of everything. He does not thank the creation except because his Creator commanded him to give thanks to them, imbued with His morals, the Most High, and following the Sunna of His Messenger ﷺ.
O Muslims, be steadfast in the detachment of the heart from worldly life and in putting your trust in Allah. Asceticism is a principle in all actions, and trust in God is the root of all spiritual states. Bear witness to Allah and resort to His protection in words, deeds, morals and spiritual states. Whoever cleaves to Allah and seeks help from Him will be guided to the right path. Beware of doubting in Allah, of attributing a partner to Him, of greediness or of objecting to Allah about anything at all.
Worship God with the greatest closeness and you will enjoy love, favouring, designation and authority from God and God is the Guardian of the pious.
Imam ash-Sha`rani asked his mentor Ali al-Khawwas , “Is putting victuals aside in reserve so as not to be worried about sustenance a laudable action?” His mentor replied, “A murid should not put aside anything in reserve, except when he knows that this really is his sustenance and there is no one else’s share in it. Otherwise, he is not allowed to lay up reserves. This is because the miserliness of his nature is what impels one to do this.” Ash-Sha`rani then asked, “If a murid knows that this is sustenance for his family which they will receive only through his hands, then can it be placed in reserve?” His mentor replied, "Yes." Imam ash-Sha`rani asked, “And if a murid knows that this is his family’s lot but Allah did not enlighten him whether or not it would come to them through him specifically, could he then lay up a reserve?” The sheikh answered, "No." Then the imam asked, “And if Allah enlightened the murid that those closest to him receive their lot only through him, but at a specified time he did not receive it?” His mentor replied, “Then he has the right to either maintain a reserve until that specified time or to consume it. He is the custodian of this lot for them."
Ash-Sha`rani also asked his mentor, “Some muridin go on the Hajj every year without having the necessary provisions. Is this praiseworthy or reproachable?” His mentor replied, “This is reprehensible. This is because Almighty Allah imposed the availability of facilities for the performance of the pilgrimage, so as to protect a person from having to endure inconveniences on the journey and embarrassment in front of others (because of insufficient means and need to turn to them) and from having ill disposition and grudges towards those who did not help him with sustenance or transport. For you see, falling into such a situation is inevitable, and this is conveyed from our righteous predecessors. And as for those who harm others with their tongue by exaggerating in insults, their travel is prohibited.”
He also asked his mentor, "Can I be engaged in some sort of craft in order to feed myself?" He replied, “Entrust everything to Almighty Allah and do not choose anything yourself without asking His permission and until He so permits. Sustenance spins in search of the servant for whom it is intended. But the servant, searching for his sustenance is at a loss, not knowing where to go. If either of them (sustenance or servant) stops, the other will seek it out. Therefore, they say that chasing after one’s sustenance is not a good thing because it is equivalent to rejecting toiling for one's sustenance. The sustenance of a servant is classified into two kinds:
- Sustenance that comes to you without your own efforts, such as, for example, an inheritance. Concerning this kind of sustenance, they say that its pursuit is unworthy.
- Sustenance to receive which it is necessary to exert effort. Therefore, with regard to such a sustenance, they say that toiling to attain it is more valued.”
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[1] The realisation that means and causes in themselves give nothing and the assuredness that everything that one receives comes from Allah only.
[2] For a slave, there should be no difference in whether Allah leads him to Paradise or Hell; in everything he must rely on Allah. Having lost all choice for himself, he should be like a dead person before the corpse-washer.
[3] This is because, if a person who craved the property of others trusted in Almighty Allah and knew that the Lord’s repositories were overflowing and could never be exhausted, no matter how much He gave to others, he would not covet someone else’s property, for what Allah has is enough for everyone.
FROM THE BOOK “VIRTUES OF THE RIGHTEOUS”
BY SHEIKH AHMAD-AFANDI MUFTI DAGESTAN
