The Slaves of Passions

بِسۡمِ ٱللهِ ٱلرَّحۡمَـٰنِ ٱلرَّحِيمِ

The following is taken from Shaykh Muhyi ad-Din Abu Muhammad ibn Abu Swalih ‘Abd al-Qadir al-Jilani’s (q.s.) Futuh al-Ghayb. 

“O you slave of your passions!  Do not claim for yourself the position of the people of God.  You serve your passions, and they are worshippers of the Lord.  Your desire is the world, and the desire of these people is the hereafter.  You see this world and they see the Lord of the earth and the Heavens.  Your comfort lies in the creation and the comfort of these people lies in God.  Your heart is bound with what is in this earth and the hearts of these people with the Lord of the Divine Throne.  You are the victim of whatever you see, and they do not see what you see, but they see the Creator of things, Who cannot be seen.  These people achieve the object of their life and secure salvation for themselves, whereas you remain pawned to your desires of this world. 

These people vanish from Creation and from their desires of the world and their wishes, and thus they secure an access to the Great Master Who Gives them strength to achieve the end of their existence, such as obedience and praise of the Lord.  This is the Favour of God; He Gives it to whomever He Pleases.  They made this obedience and praise incumbent on themselves and persevered therein with the help of the strength and ease, Given by Him, and this without experiencing any hardship.  Thus, obedience becomes their soul and food, so to speak. 

Accordingly, the world becomes a blessing and an enjoyable thing for them, as if it is a veritable heaven, because when they see anything, before they see it, they see behind it the Acts of Him Who has Created them.  These people thus supply the staying power to the earth and the heavens, and comfort to the dead and the living, because their Lord has Made them like pegs for the earth which He has Spread.  Thus, every one of them is like a mountain which stands firm.  So, keep away from their path and do not stand in the way of these people whom their parents and children have not been able to divert from their purpose.  These people are the best among those whom the Lord has Created and Spread in the world; the Peace of God be on them and His Greetings and Blessings as long as the earth and the heaven last.”