Al-Hikam001. Wisdom 1: Signs Do Not Depend on Allah SWT
Shaykh Ibn Athaillah As-Sakandari, may Allah sanctify his secret, said:
“One of the signs of relying on deeds rather than Allah SWT is the diminishing of hope when mistakes occur.”
Ibn Abbad elaborates: Relying on Allah Ta’ala is a characteristic of those who truly know Him (al-‘arifin) and those who affirm His oneness (al-muwahhidin). Conversely, reliance on anything other than Allah is a trait of the ignorant and heedless, regardless of whether the reliance is on knowledge, actions, or spiritual states.
As for the ‘arifin and muwahhidin, they stand on the prayer mat of closeness and witnessing, focusing on their Lord and experiencing self-effacement (fana). When they fall into mistakes or experience moments of heedlessness, they perceive these as part of Allah’s decree and management of their affairs. Similarly, when they engage in acts of obedience or experience spiritual enlightenment, they do not see themselves as the source of these acts nor do they attribute them to their own strength or abilities.
This is because their hearts are initially preoccupied with remembering their Lord. They submit entirely to His will, and their hearts find tranquility in His light. For them, there is no distinction between states of disobedience or obedience—they remain immersed in the ocean of Divine Oneness. They balance fear and hope equally, such that their avoidance of sin does not diminish their sense of awe, nor does their engagement in goodness inflate their sense of hope.
Their perspective reflects profound submission to Allah’s will and the realization that all matters, whether seemingly good or bad, are orchestrated by Him alone.
Shaykh Ibn Athaillah As-Sakandari, may Allah sanctify his secret, stated in Sharh al-Majalis:
“The ‘arifin stand firmly with Allah. Allah has taken over their affairs. If obedience appears from them, they do not hope for its reward, as they do not perceive themselves as its doers. If mistakes manifest from them, the consequences rest upon the Most Wise (Allah), as they witness nothing besides Him, whether in hardship or ease. Their reliance is upon Allah, their gaze is fixed on Him, their fear stems from His Majesty, and their hope is inspired by His Nearness.”
In contrast, those who are not from this group remain reliant upon themselves, attributing their deeds and actions to their own efforts, seeking worldly gains through them. They rely on their actions and take satisfaction in their states. If they fall into error, their hope diminishes. When they engage in acts of obedience, they regard these as their primary capital and the foundation of their trust. They cling to worldly causes and are thus veiled from Allah, the Lord of all causes.
Whoever recognizes these traits within themselves should acknowledge their rank and not claim the spiritual station (maqam) of those who are close to Allah. Such a person belongs to the general masses, namely, the ashab al-yamin (companions of the right). Indications of this meaning will be referenced at various points by the author, may Allah sanctify his secret.
Shaykh Abu Abdurrahman al-Sulami and Al-Hafiz Abu Nu’aim al-Asbahani narrated from Yusuf ibn al-Husain al-Razi (may Allah be pleased with him), who said:
“A man once opposed my words, saying to me, ‘You will not achieve your goal through your deeds unless you repent.’ I replied, ‘If repentance knocks on my door, I will not permit it entry on the assumption that I will attain salvation through repentance before my Lord. If truthfulness and sincerity were my servants, I would sell them, as I have no need for them. For if I am, in Allah’s unseen knowledge, among the happy and accepted, then I will not be hindered by sins and mistakes. But if I am among the wretched and rejected, then neither repentance, sincerity, nor truthfulness will save me. Allah created me as a human being without any actions or intercession from myself, yet He guided me to the religion He is pleased with for Himself.’”
Allah Ta’ala says:
“And whoever seeks a religion other than Islam, it will never be accepted of him, and in the Hereafter, he will be among the losers.” (Ali ‘Imran: 85)
Thus, I prefer to rely upon His grace and generosity rather than depend upon my deficient deeds and flawed attributes. Comparing Allah’s grace and generosity with our actions reflects a lack of recognition of the Most Gracious One.
I say: Stories like this may reach the ears of those who do not understand the reality of the path of the people of truth, leading them to reject or disbelieve it. Alternatively, they may acknowledge it but wrongly claim such a maqam for themselves. Both cases place the individual at risk and difficulty.
Let every servant who has not grasped this path fear Allah and refrain from rejecting what is mentioned, lest they fall into opposition against Allah’s saints and become distanced from Him. Alternatively, they may claim this maqam without substantiating it with observation, verification, and the standards we have outlined.
This maqam cannot be achieved by anyone who has not attained self-effacement (fana) from their own ego. Otherwise, they risk committing acts that incur Allah’s wrath, violating His limits, and ignorantly justifying such actions. This opens the door to hidden disbelief (zindiq), from which we seek Allah’s protection.