2. Say, I exhort you to one thing, that
you rise up to God.
Saba (Sheba) : 46 (partial)
3. Rising up to Allah is awakening from the
slumber of heedlessness and rising from the
difficulty of indifference. It is the first thing
that enlightens the heart of the servant of
Allah with life.
Awakening consists of three things:
4. The first is the glance of the heart at
the grace and despairing at counting it
or knowing its limits, of devoting oneself
to knowing its favour, knowing how
careless one is with respect to it
5. The second is to examine the
transgression, realizing the danger it
involves, preparing oneself to setting it
right, ridding oneself of its noose and
asking to be saved by cleansing it.
6. The third is being alert in recognizing the
increase and decrease in Allah's
privileges, to avoid wasting them and pay
attention not to hold them back, so that
what has been missed can be set right
and what has remained can flourish.
7. As to how to recognize the grace, it becomes clear
with three things: the light of the mind, the source of
the lightning of the favour and absorption of the lesson
from those who are afflicted with adversity.
As to the examination of the misdeed, it is validated by
three things: glorifying the True One, knowing oneself
and, believing in the threat.
As to discerning the increase and decrease in
privileges, it goes by three things: listening to Science,
complying with the requirement of piety and keeping
company with the righteous.
Attaining all of this is by giving up acquired habits.
