Forgotten Acts are Accepted

بِسۡمِ ٱللهِ ٱلرَّحۡمَـٰنِ ٱلرَّحِيمِ 

Imam Abu ‘Abdullah Muhammad ibn Abu Ishaq Ibrahim ibn ‘Abbad ar-Rundi (r.a.) wrote Sharh al-Hikam ‘Atha’illah, a commentary on Shaykh Taj ad-Din Abu al-Fadhl Ahmad ibn Muhammad ibn ‘Atha’illah as-Sakandari’s (q.s.) Hikam. 

On Shaykh ibn ‘Atha’illah as-Sakandari’s (q.s.) statement, “No action is more likely to be accepted than that which you become absent from and whose presence you deem insignificant,” Imam ibn ‘Abbad ar-Rundi (r.a.) commented that the manuscripts he read had, “No action is more likely to benefit hearts than that which you become absent from and whose presence you deem insignificant.”  He said that the meaning of this version is that the heart does not turn towards nor consider significant the action described by what Shaykh ibn ‘Atha’illah as-Sakandari (q.s.) mentioned.  In not turning towards it and disregarding it, the heart remains proper and is free the slavery of seeing the action.  In such a case, the heart remains with its Lord and not with the action. 

He said that this discrepancy could have arisen when the copyist inadvertently transposed “qabul”, “accepted”, with “qulub”, “hearts”  The meaning of this version is that the safety of the works from internal calamities is a condition for their acceptance - as their performer in such a case is actually cognisant of Allah (s.w.t.). 

سُوۡرَةُ المَائدة

۞ وَٱتۡلُ عَلَيۡہِمۡ نَبَأَ ٱبۡنَىۡ ءَادَمَ بِٱلۡحَقِّ إِذۡ قَرَّبَا قُرۡبَانً۬ا فَتُقُبِّلَ مِنۡ أَحَدِهِمَا وَلَمۡ يُتَقَبَّلۡ مِنَ ٱلۡأَخَرِ قَالَ لَأَقۡتُلَنَّكَ‌ۖ قَالَ إِنَّمَا يَتَقَبَّلُ ٱللَّهُ مِنَ ٱلۡمُتَّقِينَ (٢٧) 

Recite to them the truth of the story of the two sons of Adam.  Behold!  They each presented a sacrifice (to Allah): it was Accepted from one, but not from the other.  Said the latter, “Be sure I will slay you.”  “Surely”, said the former, “Allah does Accept of the sacrifice of those who are righteous.” (Surah al-Ma’idah:27) 

Actions are only saved from internal calamities by accusing the self of not fulfilling their rights and seeing its shortcomings in it.  Consequently, the performer becomes absent from the action and considers its presence insignificant.  So, he does not find rest in it nor depend on it.  If the performer of the action is not described by such, but rather looks up towards it, considers it great, and forgets about Allah’s (s.w.t.) Favour in giving him the success to perform it, this makes him fall into self-conceit causing his action to become worthless and his effort wasted. 

Shaykh Abu Sulayman ad-Darani (q.s.) said, “Every time I find an action of mine pleasing, I search it out for faults.” 

Imam Abu al-Hasan ‘Ali ibn Husayn Zayn al-‘Abidin (q.s.) said, “Your seeing an action is a proof that it will not be accepted from you.  This is because an Accepted action is Raised Up beyond your sight.  Likewise, your not seeing an action is a proof for its acceptance.” 

A gnostic was asked about the sign of an Accepted action and he answered, “Your forgetting about it and your disregarding it totally.”  The evidence for this is in Allah’s (s.w.t.) Statement: 

سُوۡرَةُ فَاطِر

… إِلَيۡهِ يَصۡعَدُ ٱلۡكَلِمُ ٱلطَّيِّبُ وَٱلۡعَمَلُ ٱلصَّـٰلِحُ يَرۡفَعُهُۚ ۥ وَٱلَّذِينَ يَمۡكُرُونَ ٱلسَّيِّـَٔاتِ لَهُمۡ عَذَابٌ۬ شَدِيدٌ۬ۖ … (١٠) 

... To Him mount up (all) words of purity: it is He Who Exalts each Deed of Righteousness. ... (Surah Fathir:10) 

So the sign of Allah (s.w.t.) Raising Up an action is that nothing of it remains with us.  If something of it remains in our sight, it has not been Raised Ip to Him - for there is a great difference between our presence and His Presence.  Thus, it is fitting for the servant that when he performs an action it becomes forgotten over twice according to what we have mentioned about accusing the self and seeing its shortcomings until the servant’s action is Accepted.