The Shaykh said:

 

He is called an ascetic (zaahid) whose asceticism, steadfastness (taqwa) and deeds (amal) are so dominant that within his soul, heart and mind, sin has no effect. He is called a zaahid. And the one who is always free from sin and whose fate comes from where the light of virtue shines, that is the rank (maqaam) of the devotee (aashiq).

 

Jami (the poet) said:

Where, for forty years of performing sajda, the servant was unable to reach,

The devotee passed through with just one sigh.

 

Which person is this? It is the person who says: my life is for Allah, my body is a trust from Him, my wealth is a trust from my Lord. If I speak, I speak for Him; if I see, then it is for Him. Certain people say: “My wealth is for Him, my existence is for Him, my honour is for Him, my dying is for Him, my living too is for Him.” And the wise say: “We have nothing except that it is He, it is He, it is He!”

 

That is the way of Jami, who says:

You ask about the limits of my longing and love (muhabbat),

If you ask, then it is that the whole universe is a mirror in which I see my Beloved (Allah).

 

Respected ones, they are those for whom, whilst living in this world, when the wind blows, it blows from there (the Divine Realm) and when they enter the grave, the entire graveyard becomes Jannati (of Paradise). And when they approach the field of the Hereafter, the doors of Jannah will open and Jannah will approach them in peace.

They are such people, whichever clothes they may wear – for, does Allah look at one’s clothing? The Messenger of Allah, the Master of the Worlds (Sayyid al Kainaat), Distributor of Jannah and the Kawthar (Qaasim e Jannat o Kawthar), may Allah bless him and grant him peace, said: “Allah does not look at your appearances” - Allah does not look at your clothing, Allah does not look at your food, Allah does not look at your food, drink, abode – “wa la kin yanzuru ila quluubikum”, if He wishes to, He looks only at your heart. He does not look at your clothing. Otherwise, the Command would be: from east to west, keep only the clothing which Allah prefers; there would be no other garment!

 

People think that Allah is only pleased with dry bread (referring to poverty), so then what of this entire world filled with food? Thus, it is said: the food is yours, the land is yours, the skies are yours, the sun and moon, the autumn, the winds, all of these are yours; honour, wealth, prosperity are all yours – only, that heart of yours should belong to Me.

 

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