[vanillawafer]

The origin of renunciation is the heart's knowledge of the vileness and insignificance of the world, and that 'had it been worth so much as a gnat's wing to God He would not have given a disbeliever a sip of its water,' and that 'it is accursed and all that it contains except that which is for God;' and that anyone who takes more than is necessary from it is unwittingly taking his own destruction.

The intended result of such knowledge is to abandon inwardly desire for the world, and to abandon outwardly delighting in its pleasures. The lowest degree of renunciation is that one is not induced by the world to commit a sin, nor to neglect any act of obedience, while the highest degree is that you take nothing from it unless you know that to take it is more pleasing to God than to leave it. There are many degrees between these two.

Sincere renunciation has many marks. Among these is that one does not rejoice for what one has nor mourn for what one has not, and that the pursuit and enjoyment of the world do not distract one from that which is better for one in the sight of his Lord.

Remove the love of dinars and dirhams from your heart until they become as pebbles and sand in your eyes. Remove the wish to be thought highly of from your heart until you are indifferent to people's praise and condemnation, and to whether they are attracted or repulsed by you. For the love of prominence is more harmful than that of money, and both indicate desire for the world. [The Book of Assistance]

salam

[vanillawafer]

The basis of the love of prominence is to love being considered great by others. Now greatness is one of God's attributes, and this thing is therefore disputing His Lordship.

The basis of the love of money is the love of enjoying one's desires, and this is an attribute of animals. The Prophet, may blessings and peace be upon him, has said: 'God the Exalted says: "Greatness is My lower garment and Pride My upper garment. I shall cast anyone who disputes with Me with regard to either of them into the Fire of Hell." And: 'Two hungry wolves let loose into the sheep's fold will not devastate it more than do the love of prominence and money a Muslim's religion'.

Take little from the world always, and confine yourself to your needs, whether it be in the matter of clothes, food, marriage, housing, or any other comfort. Beware of indulgently seeking its pleasures while claiming to renounce it, using arguments unacceptable to God, and contriving interpretations which are far moved from truth. [The Book of Assistance]

salam

[vanillawafer]

You must rely on God, for He suffices, enriches, and concerns Himself with those who do so. And the one who relies on God, God will suffice him.

Reliance on God is one of the fruits of sincere monotheism which is well established and has prevailed in the heart. The Messenger of God, may blessings and peace be upon him, has said: 'Were you to rely on God as He rightly should be relied on, He would provide for you as He provides for the birds which go off hungry in the morning and return full in the evening.'

Know that the basis of reliance on God is the heart's knowledge that all matters are in God's Hand, whether beneficial or harmful, unpleasant or pleasant, and that were all creatures to unite to be of benefit to someone they would benefit him only in the way which God has already written for him; and that if they were to unite to harm him they would do so only in that which God has already written for him.

It is a condition for sound reliance that it does not lead you to disobey God, and that you avoid what He has forbidden and perform what He has commanded, relying in all this on Him. Seeking only His assistance and committing yourself to Him. Using any of the world's means does not invalidate your reliance as long as you rely on God and not on that which you use.

Certainly, for the one whose reliance is sincere, his use of worldly means will become meager. As for totally divesting oneself of them, this is praiseworthy only for those whose approach to God is uninterrupted, whose hearts are purified from attending to anything other than Him, and who do not by so doing cause those of God's creatures whom they support to be lost. Know that storing things and the treatment of illnesses do not compromise the essence of reliance for those who know that the One Who enriches, benefits, and harms is God alone.

The one whose reliance is sincere has three marks. The first is that he neither has hopes in nor fears other than God. The sign of this is that he upholds the truth in the presence of those in whose regard people usually have hope or fear, such as princes and rulers.

The second is that worrying about his sustenance never enters his heart, because of his confidence in God's guarantee, so that his heart is as tranquil when in need as when his need has been fulfilled, or even more.

The third is that his heart does not become disturbed in fearful situations, knowing that that which missed him could never have struck him, and that which has struck him could never have missed him. God is our sufficiency and He is the best of Patrons (3:173). [The Book of Assistance]

salam

[vanillawafer]

You must love God until He becomes dearer to you than all else, and until you have no other beloved but Him. Know that the basis of love is knowledge, and that its fruit is contemplation. Its lowest degree is that the love of God should be supreme in your heart, and the test of sincerity here is to disobey the person whom you love should he invite you to that which incur God's anger such as sins or the neglect of acts of obedience.

Know that the love for the Messenger of God, and all of God's other Prophets, angels, and virtuous servants, and all who assist in His obedience, is part of one's love for Him. God has said: "My love is due to those who love each other for My sake, who visit each other for My sake, and who give to each other for My sake."

Sincere love has signs, the greatest and highest of which is perfection in one's following the Messenger in his speech, acts, and attributes. God the Exalted has said: Say: If you love God, then follow me and God will love you. (3: 31). Following God's Beloved is in proportion to one's love for God; if the latter is abundant then the former will be abundant likewise, while if the latter is little, the former will be little also. And God is witness to what we say. [The Book of Assistance]

salam

[vanillawafer]

You must be content with God's decrees, for this contentment is among the most noble consequences of His love. It is the attribute of the lover to be pleased with the acts of His beloved, whether they be sweet or bitter. Contentment is to be content inwardly with God's acts, and outwardly to do what pleases Him.

Should one wish to know how much contentment he has, then let him search for it when hardships arrive, afflictions descend, and sickness become severe, for in these circumstances he will either find it or not.

Know that supplication even with insistence does not compromise contentment; on the contrary, it is part of it. How can it not be so when prayer expresses true faith in God's unity, in the language of servitude. and the hall mark of realization of helplessness, neediness, humility, and poverty? Anyone who has realized these attributes has attained to knowledge and arrival, and to the utmost nearness to God. [The Book of Assistance]

salam

[vanillawafer]

assalamu alaikum,

I'm done posting excerpts from the book. InshAllah some have enjoyed and benefited from it. I didn't post everything so I recommend getting the book if you liked the parts I posted. I'll try and bump it up every so often inshAllah.

[IbnMardhiyah]

Originally Posted by vanillawafer

assalamu alaikum,

I'm done posting excerpts from the book. InshAllah some have enjoyed and benefited from it. I didn't post everything so I recommend getting the book if you liked the parts I posted. I'll try and bump it up every so often inshAllah.

Alhamdulillaah. You had another book or two as well, hint hint.

[zzze]

assalamu alaykum

jazakallahkhair This thread was kinda a replacement for the book as I havent been able to get hold it it. May Allah swt reward you for all your efforrts, ameen

[RestlessSoul]

Originally Posted by vanillawafer

assalamu alaikum,

I'm done posting excerpts from the book. InshAllah some have enjoyed and benefited from it. I didn't post everything so I recommend getting the book if you liked the parts I posted. I'll try and bump it up every so often inshAllah.

jazakAllah khair. inshAllah this acts as a sadaqah jaariyah for you.