The Removal of Cares [1]
Taken from the book “The Removal of Cares”, “Jala’ al-Khawatir” by Shaykh Abd al-Qadir al-Jilani, translated by Muhtar Holland.
“O young man! Be sensible! You are getting nowhere. Most of you will follow anyone who makes a noise or clamor. What most speakers have to say comes from their tongues, not from their hearts. The noises made by the hypocrite [munafiq] come from his tongue and his head, while the noises made by the honest person come from his heart and his innermost being [sirr]. His heart is at the door of his Lord (Almighty and Glorious is He), while his innermost being is entering His presence. He goes on shouting at the door until he enters the house. You are a liar, by Allah, under all circumstances! You do not recognize the path to the door of Allah (Almighty and Glorious is He), while his innermost being is entering His presence.
He goes on shouting at the door until he enters the house. You are a liar, by Allah, under all circumstances! You do not recognize the path to the door of Allah (Almighty and Glorious is He), so how can you point it out? You are blind, so how can you guide others? You have been blinded by your passions [hawa] and your natural inclinations [tab’], by following your lower self [nafs] and by your love of this world, your prominent position and your desires.
[pullquote_left]You would dearly love to remain in this world forever[/pullquote_left]Woe unto you! You would dearly love to remain in this world forever, but nothing will fall into your hands until such time as you put the ritual prayer [salat] before the business of your shop; until such time as you put the hereafter before your worldly interests; until such time as you put the Creator [Khaliq] before His creatures [khalq]; until such time as you put the beggar before yourself; until such time as you give priority to carrying out the commandments of Allah (Almighty and Glorious is He), to observing His prohibitions, and to enduring with patience the misfortunes that come from Him, instead of to your passionate desires [hawa] and your habitual patterns of behaviour [adat]; until such time as you put your response to Him ahead of your response to His creatures.