The Path of Worshipful Servants

 ".....You must realise, Oh my brethren (may God favour you and me with His Good Pleasure), that worshipful service [ibada] is the fruit of knowledge ['ilm], the benefit of life ['umr], the income of strong servants, the stock in trade of the saints [awliyah], the path of the truly devout, the allotted portion of the mighty, the goal of those endowed with aspiration, the emblem of the noble, the vocation of real men and the choice of those with faculties of vision. It is the way of good fortune and the path [minhaj] of the Garden of Paradise. God has told us; "And I am your Lord, So Worship Me" (21:92).  He has also said" "Behold: this is a reward for you. And I am your Lord, so worship Me" (76:22)

The path of worshipful service is indeed a rugged path and a hard road, fraught with many obstacles, serious hardships, remote distances, enormous difficulties, frequent hindrances and impediments. It is beset with deadly perils and interruptions. This is exactly how it needs to be, since it is the path of the Garden of Paradise and this represents a confirmation of the saying of The Prophet (peace be upon him),  "The Garden of Paradise is indeed surrounded by things that are repugnant [makarih], while the Fire of Hell is surrounded by objects of lustful desire [shahawat]". He (peace be upon him) also said, "The Garden of Paradise is indeed a rugged ground on a hill, while the Fire of Hell is indeed a smooth ground in a sequestered courtyard."

Then in addition to al of that, the servant [of the Lord] is weak, the time is difficult and religious commitment is subject retrogression....."

~Al Ghazali - The Path Of The Righteous Servants - To the Garden of the Lord of the Worlds
Translated by Muhtar Holland

Fear, Hope, Love

Abu Bakr al Siddiq (ra) said, "Worshippers are of three groups, each group has three signs by which it is known- a group who worship Allah The Exalted out of fear, a group who worship Allah out of hope and a group who worship Allah out of love.

For the first group, there are three signs; they disparage themselves, they deem their righteous deeds to be few, they deem their evil deeds to be plenty.

For the second group, there are three signs; they are an example to others in all situations, they are the most generous of all people in spending their wealth, and they have the best of opinions amongst creatures regarding Allah.

For the third group, there are three signs; they give away what they love most and do not care as long as their Lord is pleased with them, they do that which will displease their nafs and please their Lord, and they are with their Lord in every situation, whether it be in following His commandments or avoiding His prohibitions."

- as cited in "Preparing for the Day of Judgement" - Imam ibn Hajar al Asqalani


[ on a side, yet smile rendering note, my older brother, May Allah grant him the best of both worlds, gifted me this book. In books which he gifts me, he always writes something on the first page, usually a dua. In the front of this book, with words of sincerity, one finds:

"This book is a gem. Gems are looked after and seen as precious for their value. When disheartened, a look at the beautiful raises the spirit. Allah is Beautiful and Loves beauty."

May Allah allow us all to realise the worth of the pearls of the deen, and be among this who are granted the opportunity to look at beauty, and associate it with The Truth, ameen!! ]