Leaving Ignorance is to Leave Other Than Allah’s (s.w.t.) Wishes

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. 

Regarding Shaykh ibn ‘Atha’illah as-Sakandari’s (q.s.) statement, “Whoever wishes that something other than what Allah has brought about happen in the present time, has not left ignorance a bit,” Imam ibn ‘Abbad ar-Rundi (r.a.) wrote, “When Allah (s.w.t.) Establishes the servant in a situation among the situations, which shari’ah does not blame, he should stick to good manners by choosing to remain in it and be pleased with it.  He should also be attentive of Allah by guarding over the situation's proper manners.  Let him be in accordance with Allah’s Desire for him until He is the One Who Takes him out of it.” 

Sidi Abu ‘Utsman al-Hasani (q.s.) aid, “For forty years, Allah has neither kept me in a situation which I disliked, nor put me in another one which I detested.” 

If the servant detests the condition he is in, longs to get out if it by himself, and desires that something other than what Allah (s.w.t.) has Brought about should happen, he has reached the extremity of ignorance of his Lord and shown bad manners in the presence of his Master.  The Sufis consider this desire to oppose the ruling of the present time among the greatest sins of the elect.  Thus, it is obligatory on the servant to surrender to the Ruling of Allah (s.w.t.) in the present time.  This surrender is among the manners of servanthood and what the knowledge of Allah (s.w.t.) necessitates. 

Imam Abu al-Qasim ‘Abd al-Karim ibn Huzan al-Qushayri (r.a.) said, “Sometimes, they mean by the word ‘time’ what bumps into them from the free disposal of the Truth without their own choice.  They say, ‘So and so is with the ruling of the time.’  They mean that he has surrendered his preference to what appears from the unseen.  This is for those things that Allah (s.w.t.) did not order them to do in connection with rights of shari’ah.  Leaving what one is Ordered to do, making the order a mere issue of destiny, and not caring about one’s shortcomings is a departure from Islam.”  He continued, “If one is helped by the time, then it is actually time for him.  However if one is burdened by time, then it is for him a source of loathing.”