Chapter on Knowing Who Seeks Supererogatory Acts
Chapter on Knowing the One Who Seeks Supererogatory Works While Seeking Assistance Through What Corrupts His Deeds and the Afflictions That Befall Him Thereby
The servant may seek supererogatory works (nawafil) and closeness to God, Exalted and Glorious, through assistance by what is not lawful for him — such as acquiring wealth through holding office, oppression, betrayal, and bribery; and like engaging in commercial transactions through what is not lawful for him, involving usury (riba) and what has been prohibited regarding transactions; and like detested crafts such as painting images, or making vessels of gold and silver for people to eat and drink from; or the craft of amusements; and the sale of weapons and black garments including caps and the like; and the sale of silk to men. And he fights with what he gains from that, and performs pilgrimage, and supports his relatives, and bestows favors upon his brothers, intending thereby the voluntary act of devotion. He argues regarding that, saying: "I support young dependents with it, and needy relatives, and I direct it for the sake of God, Exalted and Glorious, in the path of goodness," while he has disobeyed God, Exalted and Glorious, (in most of it, and some of it is detestable).
So whoever earns from that and then prefers to abandon that, as Abu al-Darda', may God be pleased with him, said:
such as one who earned wealth not from a lawful source, and spent it not in a lawful manner, and accumulated wealth not from a good source. And the description of these matters:
Coming to the tyrannical sultan, glorifying him with what is not permissible, believing him in his lies, and sitting with him while engaged in munkar (wrongdoing). He intends by that—so he claims—to ward off harm from one who is wronged, or to redress an injustice, or to take [wealth] for a destitute person, or for the avenues of righteousness, or he seeks reward and seeks judicial office, or he assumes authority over grievances, intending by that voluntary devotion and drawing near [to God]—while he cannot be absolved of any of that, nor can he free himself from its consequences. If his intention was sincere in what he says, then he has erred and acted in ignorance, seeking to draw near to God—exalted and glorious—by that which distances him from Him. And if his intention was to accumulate worldly gain or to attain eminence thereby, then he has combined falsehood and error.
Likewise one who has an estate, or who comes to the sultans and aggrandizes them, or is compliant with them in wrongdoing, and likewise one who befriends the people of innovation and glorifies them—one who has standing with the sultan, or who has abundant wealth. He intends by that to seek help in repelling an injustice against another, or as an aid to one who is weak, or to take dirhams for the poor.
Likewise one who loves for the sake of God—exalted and glorious—yet becomes angry for them without right, and so he cuts off those whom they cut off, and shows enmity to those whom they show enmity to, and backbites those whom they backbite. He intends by that what appears to him as fulfilling love for the sake of God—exalted be He—while he has disobeyed God—exalted and glorious—without realizing it.
Likewise one who fasts voluntarily in the heat and otherwise, until he becomes irritable and his irritability extends to his parents and his family, or his servant, or to those who deal with him in ways not permissible for him. Yet when he breaks his fast, he does none of that. Likewise, this fasting may cut him off from seeking the livelihood that is indispensable for him. And scholars have differed regarding the obligation of seeking livelihood. This group among the reciters has become numerous—those who, by pursuing supererogatory acts, claim to abandon what is obligatory (the prescribed duty).
Likewise one who goes hungry and eats little, adopting asceticism with a mere claim, and this leads him to what is not permissible for him of irritability and incapacity, and cuts him off from his livelihood and from that which is more fitting for him among the acts of obedience to which [God] has urged him.
He leaves the acquisition of livelihood for his family, his children, and his parents, and he abandons what God, Exalted and Glorious, has made obligatory upon them to convey — while acquisition is possible for him — so they go hungry and become destitute. By this he intends tawakkul (trust in God) upon God, Exalted and Glorious, out of error and ignorance, and he seeks virtue by abandoning what is more rightful for him. His parents may become angry with him for that, «yet he does not care about their displeasure, and he neglects» their contentment and their guardianship, while that is more rightful for him and closer to him from his Lord, Exalted and Glorious.