The Transience of People’s Evaluations
One of the most challenging obstacles for a servant to overcome on the spiritual path is the tendency to act according to what society thinks. People naturally enjoy being praised and fear being criticized. However, Abdülkadir Geylânî (q.s.) emphasizes that one who does not view praise and criticism from the people as equal cannot attain true sincerity. Geylânî Hazretleri said, “Being praised and being condemned should be the same. Wealth and poverty carry no difference.” He states that the appreciation of mortal people adds nothing to a person in the sight of Allah, nor can their criticism cause them to fall from Allah’s pleasure. Because people’s hearts and thoughts are constantly changing; they can elevate someone to the heavens today and cast them into the depths of the earth tomorrow.
Hidden Shirk: The Affliction of Showing Off and Deception
Performing an act of worship or kindness solely for people to see, like, and appreciate is a insidious form of shirk (polytheism) that kills the soul of the action. Geylânî Hazretleri exposes this hypocrisy by saying, “Woe! You are drawing back the curtain so that the servants won’t see you. But you don’t see the Creator.” Placing people’s approval above Allah’s approval is a spiritual blindness. Whoever lives only to please the eyes of people, Allah will leave them in the hands of those very people in the Hereafter and subject them to eternal disappointment. A true believer aims for nothing but the pleasure of Him (May He be exalted) while performing good deeds or acts of worship; becoming completely deaf to society’s applause or disapproval.
Seeking Value in Allah’s Eyes
A perfect believer feels like the most fortunate person in the world, even if all people on earth turn their backs on them, as long as Allah is pleased with them. “If you love the Exalted Allah, He will love you… His protection is sufficient for you.” Finding value in His sight is superior to billions of false applauses. Those who possess gnosis (irfan) view unjust criticism directed towards them as a rasp that trains their egos, and consider unwarranted praise as a trap of Satan, seeking refuge with Allah from it. A dervish whose heart is completely bound to Allah is not like a leaf blown by the wind, but rather an unshakeable mountain firmly rooted in the divine pleasure.