S1: Episode 3

In our discussion for the reading pages 27 – 35 of The Refinement of Souls by Imam Ibn Ata’Allah al-Sakandari, there was an emphasis on self development as well as focus on the how’s. Imam Ibn Ata’Allah shared some tips on how to take first steps and gave us some hope on the reality of attaining sweetness while doing acts of worship. Listen to our discussion ad check out the notes below that we mentioned within each category.

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QUOTES

Close Companions

• “How much humiliation have you suffered at the doors of creation! And how much have they humiliated you, yet you still do not return to your Master” – Pg. 27
• “He has ordained for you health and sickness, affluence and poverty, happiness and sadness. so that you may come to know Him by His attributes” – Pg. 27
• “Only someone who is unaware of Allah’s punishment will disobey Him; and only someone who is unaware of Allah’s reward will fail to obey him.”- pg 28
• “If you accompany those engrossed with this world. they shall attract you towards it. Yet, if you accompany those engrossed with the Hereafter, they shall attract you towards Allah.” – Pg 28
• “If you wanted to journey to Allah, you would have tied your belt. So where is your aspiration? – Pg. 29
• For whomesoever Allah does not will his betterment, then words are fatigued in [trying to convince] him.” – Pg. 29
• ‘Be with Allah like a child is with his mother; whenever his mother pushes him away [because of the child’s own bad behavior], he throws himself all over her, because he knows that there is no one else to turn to.” – Pg. 30
• “Your value is of that with which you are occupied. Thus, if you are occupied with this world, then you have no value, because the world is like a worthless carcass.” – Pg. 30
• “So seek guidance and steadfastness from Him, which is for you to be with Allah under all circumstances in [astate] which He is pleased for you, and that is [conforming with] what the Prophet ﷺ conveyed from Allah ﷻ” pg 30-31

• “And keep yourself patient [by being] with those who call upontheir Lord in the morning and the evening, seeking His countenance. And let notyour eyes pass beyond them, desiring adornments of the worldly life. And do notobey one whose heart We have made oblivious to Our remembrance and whofollows his ideological drives and whose affair is ever [in] excess.” (18:28) – Surah Kahf

Repentance

• “If you find acts of disobedience and worship burdensome and do not find any sweetness in your heart for them, while acts of disobedience are made easy for you and you find in them sweetness, then know that you are not genuine in your repentance. If the root is healthy, then the fruit will also be healthy.” (pg. 27)
• “Turn your states to the opposite of what they used to be: instead of staying awake at night in disobedience to Allah, stay awake at night in obedience to Allah, after inclining towards worldly-minded people, turn away from them and be devoted to Allah; after listening to their speech, lend an ear and listen to the speech and remembrance of Allah…” (pg.28)

On Knowing Allah

• “He has ordained for you health and sickness, affluence and poverty, happiness and sadness, so that you may come to know Him by His attributes.” (pg. 27)
• “Be with Allah like a child is with his mother: whenever his mother pushes him away [because of the child’s own bad behavior], he throws himself all over her, because he knows that there is no one else to turn to.” (pg. 30)

What is your takeaway from this section? Share with us yours in the comments below!

We hope that this episode gave you motivation to seek out the pathways where you can attain that sweetness of obedience.

-Kalimah Book Club Team