The Notion of Certainty

بِسۡمِ ٱللهِ ٱلرَّحۡمَـٰنِ ٱلرَّحِيمِ 

The following is extracted from Shaykh Muhyi ad-Din Abu Muhammad ibn Abu Swalih ‘Abd al-Qadir al-Jilani’s (q.s.) al-Ghunya li-Thalibi Thariq al-Haqq. 

As for the khathir al-yaqin, notion of certainty, this is the spirit of faith and the source of true knowledge, for it comes from Allah (s.w.t.).  It is peculiar to a special few of sure conviction who are champions of the truth.  It comes to those who are loved, to those who are sought, to those who are specially selected, to those who pass beyond their own existence because of Allah (s.w.t.) into Him, out of them, to those who are absent from their outer beings, to those whose outer worship has been transformed into the inner kind, apart from the observance of the obligatory duties and those custom based on the exemplary practice of the Prophet (s.a.w.) that are firmly established. 

Such people are always in a state of vigilant awareness of their inner beings, while Allah (s.w.t.) is Taking Care of the development of their outer beings, as He has said in His Splendid Book: 

سُوۡرَةُ الاٴعرَاف

إِنَّ وَلِـِّۧىَ ٱللَّهُ ٱلَّذِى نَزَّلَ ٱلۡكِتَـٰبَ‌ۖ وَهُوَ يَتَوَلَّى ٱلصَّـٰلِحِينَ (١٩٦) 

“For my protector is Allah, Who Revealed the Book, (from time to time) and He will Choose and Befriend the righteous.” (Surah al-A’araf:196) 

He Befriends them and He Provides for all their needs.  He Keeps their hearts occupied with the study of the secrets of the invisible realms and He Enlightens them through the Divine Manifestation in everything that is near.  For He has Chosen them to enjoy His Conversation, and Granted them the special favour of His Intimate Friendship, of being at ease with Him, and of calm repose in His presence.