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Third Article
Concerning the virtues, benefits, signs, and aspects of being pleased with divine decree.
Beloved! Know that the friends of Allah have said: Acceptance is that one desires nothing from the Exalted One and seeks refuge in Him for no adversity. Whoever possesses true acceptance of divine decree, his patience in calamity is complete. He who is content with his destiny feels sorrow for nothing. Whoever seeks Allah’s acceptance by disregarding the displeasure of people, the Exalted One will cause even those servants who speak against him to speak in his favor. Acceptance is beautiful, [260/b] and discontentment is ugly.
A person finds safety from trials only through submission and acceptance. He who is pleased with divine decree becomes a sultan of the world. How excellent are submission and acceptance! He who is pleased with divine decree finds his Lord. There is no Islam like submission, nor delight like acceptance. How can one who is not pleased with Allah desire His pleasure? Acceptance before the trial is the greatest acceptance. Acceptance after the trial is acceptance itself. The limit of acceptance is for the servant to say: “O Allah! If You give it to me, I accept. If You do not, I am content. If You invite me, I accept.”
He who possesses these three qualities is counted among the company of the saints: One of these qualities is fleeing to Allah from everything. Another is finding rest in Him with every thing. The third is being pleased with Him in all things.
Acceptance is finding joy in affliction as well as blessing. The character of the saints is acceptance of divine decree, communion with Allah, and love for Allah. Acceptance is the ultimate degree of patience. To be pleased with Allah is superior to all obedience. Acceptance is equality between bitterness and sweetness, not receiving a reward. Acceptance is surrendering the self to Allah’s rulings. Showing acceptance of that which comes from Allah and showing mercy to people are among the stations of sainthood. The sign of acceptance is rising from the prison of heedlessness to the expanse of witnessing. Acceptance is the field of love and the soul, a great spoil. Acceptance is a means to attaining eternal life. A perfect man, in his supplication, implored: “O Allah! If You do not grant me what I desire, be pleased with me with that which You will.” (See Hud, 11/107)
Acceptance is more virtuous than every deed and contains all beautiful qualities within itself. Acceptance is finding justice in Allah’s decree, knowing wisdom in His ruling. Acceptance is not objecting to Allah’s predestination. The sign of acceptance is health when sick, wealth when poor, and not desiring blessings.
They informed a perfect man that: “So-and-so says this: Poverty is more beloved to me than wealth. Sickness is more valuable to me than health.” That perfect man said to those who told him: "May Allah have mercy on him who says so." But I say: Whoever trusts in the beautiful choice which Allah has made for him, he does not desire anything but Allah’s choice and submits to that which His Lord has chosen for him, and attains the station of acceptance. For trust is reliance upon Allah and dependence upon Him. Delegation is abandoning measures and choices. Submission is bowing to the rulings of divine decree. Acceptance is being content and joyful with that which Allah wills. Allah has divided acceptance into two parts: The first part is His Exaltedness being pleased with His servant, and the second part is the servant being pleased with Allah. (Indeed He) has preferred His own pleasure over the displeasure of the servant, saying: “Allah is pleased with them, and they are pleased with Allah.” (Bayyina, 98/8)
Just as Allah, when declaring the actions of the body—the deeds—mentions the servant first, saying: "Remember Me, and I will remember you" (Baqara, 2/152), and when declaring the states of the heart, He first mentions His Exaltedness, saying: “Allah loves them, and they love Allah.” (Ma’ida, 5/54) and announces that He is the One who transforms hearts. Thus, Allah's acceptance is among the states (wahbi) that come to the servant's heart. The servant's acceptance is among the stations (kasbi) that are attained through effort. He who is honored with acceptance is the most valued and possesses the greatest closeness. For trust, delegation, and submission end in acceptance.
Poem
1- I have taken Allah as a friend
And left people aside
2- I relish in His love
Indeed, healing is in His love [261/a]
3- Then surrender to His command
And be content with whatever He decrees
(Translation of the poem)
1- Take Allah as your friend. Leave people behind.
2- Find delight in loving Him. Healing is within His love.
3- Then entrust your affairs to Him. Be pleased with His decree.
Trust is knowing that the strength of the body comes from Allah. Delegation is entrusting matters to their Lord and trusting in His measures. Submission is obeying His command, even in actions contrary to nature. Acceptance is not changing one’s state with whatever befalls one, but being content and pleased with it.
Verses
1- Should a delight vanish from you, do not become sorrowful
For another form comes to you with certainty
2- That delight is an elixir of meaning that comes in every pattern
The heart finds pleasure from that meaning; let the garment be gone
3- It comes in the form of a lion and a mother beast
If the lion goes, the cub’s delight is more valuable than anemone
4- Sometimes it comes in the form of water, sometimes in effort and toil
That is the veil of the beloved and jewels and adornments
5- That delight gives pleasure to the heart free from these veils
Should outward things vanish, may the heavens and earth disappear
6- While the body sleeps, the soul departs to the world beyond
The body becomes abandoned and useless; another form is evident
7- In a dream I saw myself, like a slender cypress’s likeness
My face like a garden, my body like jasmine
8- Abandoning the form of a cypress, the soul comes in this form
Indeed, in this contemplation there is a lesson for the world.
9- O faithful guardian of the secret of Allah, may you always
May He, the Helper, grant your soul delight and acceptance.
1. If you miss a moment of joy (safā), do not grieve; it will come to you in another form, know this with certainty!
2. This joy is a wine of meaning, arriving in every design. Let the vessel be mud; the heart finds solace within that meaning.
3. A child’s joy comes from milk and a nurturing nursemaid. Even if the milk dries up one day, honey will arise for the infant's joy.
4. Joy sometimes comes from water, bread, or meat. The veils of joy are beautiful; gold, horses, and saddles.
5. That joy which brings pleasure to the heart without veils – then cast aside the external world; banish skies and earth from the heart.
6. While the body sleeps, the soul departs from it; the world goes into a liminal state. The body remains empty at that moment; it finds a different form.
7. I saw myself in a dream; one would think it was like a swaying cypress tree. My face seemed like a garden; my entire being fragrant jasmine.
8. The soul casts off the cypress form and returns to its own shape. For within that form are countless meanings, lessons for all worlds.
9. O Truth! Being secure with the secret of Truth is enough for you. The Sovereign who satisfies all worlds bestows pleasure and joy upon your spirit.