A Muslim Convert Once Before

بِسۡمِ ٱللهِ ٱلرَّحۡمَـٰنِ ٱلرَّحِيمِ The following is taken from the first chapter of Iqazh al-Himam fi Sharh al-Hikam , a commentary on al-Hikam of Shaykh Taj ad-Din Abu al-Fadhl Ahmad ibn Muhammad ibn ‘Atha’illah as-Sakandari ( q.s. ), by Shaykh Ahmad ibn Muhammad ibn ‘Ajibah ( q.s. ).   The hadits states, “There is lump of flesh in the body, the nature of which is that when it is sound, the entire body is sound, and when it is corrupt, the entire body is corrupt - it is the heart.”   It is because of this that the states of the Sufis vary.   Some of them are worshippers, some are ascetics, some are scrupulous, and some are muridun and gnostics.   Imam Ahmad ibn Ahmad az-Zarruq ( q.s. ) said, in his Qawa’id at-Taswawwuf , “Piety is adopting every way of virtue without paying attention to other than it.   If someone desires realisation of that, he is a worshipper.   If he inclines to taking states, he is scrupulous.   If he prefers to aban...