Among the Truths of Spiritual Knowledge

Among the truths of spiritual knowledge: that whatever imaginings, plans, and wishes you turn away from your mind come to you walking in reality, easy and effortless —if Allah wills—.

And if you plan for every detail and forget the One who plans, in whose hand are the decrees, with whom are the treasuries, and in whose hand are the keys, and you took everything into account and made calculations for everything; then how will He provide for you from where you do not expect!?

Yes, we take the means, and not taking them is incapacity and laziness. Provided that your soul does not become intensely attached to these wishes, for this attachment is a kind of greed and covetousness, and that is what does not befit one who truly knows Allah. Have you not heard the saying of the Exalted (So We will surely turn you to a qiblah with which you will be pleased)?

He said tarḍāhā (“with which you will be pleased”) and did not say tahwāhā (“which you desire”); because his soul ﷺ was more perfect and more noble than to become attached to a wish or a dream.

And Moses (peace be upon him), when he listed what his staff does: (He said, “It is my staff; I lean upon it, and I bring down leaves for my sheep and I have therein other uses.”)

(He said, “Throw it down, O Moses.”) He wanted to train him not to let the soul become attached to a means, so He made him feel estranged from it (So he threw it down, and thereupon it was a snake, moving swiftly).

(He said, “Seize it and fear not; We will return it to its former condition.”)

Now! Take it by My permission and My will, not by your permission and your choice!

And when he let go of it and turned away from it, Allah placed in it the miracle and the victory, so it devoured the ropes of the magicians, and split the sea, and they were given victory by it even after his death.

So whatever we let go of most, He compensated us with better than it, beyond anything we imagine.

And Allah, the Mighty and Majestic, when He nurtures those who truly know Him, nurtures them upon the most perfect of souls, and the purest freeing of oneself, and then being freed.

— Shoroog Almehmadi