Verifying the Source of What Comes to the Heart
A sālik (traveler on the Sufi path) may at times feel certain inspirations in his qalb (the heart), or attractive worldly blessings may appear before him. Distinguishing whether these come from the Rahmānī (from Allah), or whether they are shayṭānī (from Satan) or nafsānī (from the nafs—the lower self), is the most fundamental rule of spiritual health. al-Ghaylānī (may Allah sanctify his secret) offers a tremendous mechanism of self-control in this regard: "If a food from the world comes to you, consult the two viziers you have: the Book and the Sunnah. Present your state to them." The Word of Allah (the Qur'an) and the Sunnah of the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) are two absolute viziers that a believer can never abandon. If a matter cannot pass through these two filters, it must be immediately abandoned.
External Fatwa and the Approval of the Inner Realm
Sometimes, an issue may outwardly (in the sharia—the sacred law) appear permissible (mubāḥ) or lawful (ḥalāl); an external fatwa may have been given. However, for a believer possessing taqwa (God-consciousness), an external fatwa alone is not sufficient. "Even if the muftis issue a fatwa, do not act without consulting your inner realm..." One must turn to his qalb (the heart) and ask: "Am I truly doing this for the riḍā (contentment with God's decree) of Allah, or is there a hidden benefit or pride of my nafs (the lower self)?" Unless the mirror of Sharia outwardly and the mirror of ikhlas (sincerity) and ḥaqīqa (inner reality) inwardly are in harmony, the perfect dervish does not reach out to that deed.
Deliverance from the Greed of the Nafs
Even a deed that passes the approval of the two viziers and is confirmed by the inner realm should not be immediately seized with greed. The command, "Do not desire for it to become yours in haste out of greed," points to the servant's need to maintain dignity under all circumstances. Thanks to this meticulous and careful method, the insidious games of the nafs (the lower self) are foiled. The servant who unites both the outward aspect of sharia and the inward aspect of the qalb (the heart) on the same line of truthfulness reaches his Lord by the safest path (the Ṣirāṭ al-Mustaqīm—Straight Path), without falling into any of Satan's traps.