Chapter on A Man Who Attends a Congregation at Prayer
And likewise your parents: you only seek their pleasure for the pleasure of God, Exalted and Glorious. And in the pleasure of God, Exalted and Glorious, is the abandonment of riya' (ostentation) for Him, Exalted and Glorious.
It is as if you said: I seek the pleasure of God, Exalted and Glorious, through the displeasure of God, Exalted and Glorious.
This is contradictory and vain — it does not stand up to scrutiny, and no intellect would affirm it. And perhaps it only increases His wrath upon you, because you delude Him by what you outwardly display to Him while inwardly you [claim to] obey God, Exalted and Glorious. So God, Exalted and Glorious, meets you in that state with punishment in his heart, and He increases in loathing and hatred of you, burdened upon his heart, as you do not fear God, Exalted and Glorious, in your innermost conscience. So purify your deed sincerely for Him.
So be mindful of taqwa (God-consciousness) toward God, Exalted and Glorious, for this is a deception: that you seek the pleasure of your parents through what does not please God, Exalted and Glorious, and you seek — so you claimed — the pleasure of God, Exalted and Glorious, while you intend His pleasure through that which brings the displeasure of God, Exalted and Glorious.
Chapter on the man who is present when people stand to pray
And the intention for the deed comes to him, though he would not have done that in seclusion; or he finds himself unable to weep.
I say: A man stays the night with people at the house of one of them or at his own house, and they rise and one of them recites, and they pray the whole night or part of it. And he is one who does not stand [to pray] in his house at night as they stand; rather he only prays a few rak'at then prays witr. Or perhaps he stands in his house less than their prayer. Then the intention and desire to stand with them come to him, and he feels misgiving about himself, since he would not stand in his house the like of that. Should he leave the prayer and not add to what he used to pray in his house, or should he pray with them?
And likewise if he were present with them during the day in a house or a mosque?
He said: The causes of this world are preoccupying, enervating, and cut one off from deeds, while the causes of the works of the Hereafter are stirring and invigorating toward deeds. When a man is in his house, the causes cut him off: from love of sleep with his wife and his family, or on his bed — if he has a place to sleep on it — or eating food, or being occupied with his child, or looking into accounts or other matters. These causes and the like of them cause him to slacken.
And another: that his station may be upright, yet he is unable to persist in constancy along with abundance. So when he moves to a place other than his [usual] station, these causes—which are the ones that distract him from the night prayer and cause him languor—are removed from him, and causes that stir him to that and move him toward it come upon him. That is: his seeing them while they are praying, and so they move him by their prayers. He wishes it were a gain, that he might come [to pray] with their prayers, putting on a show. Or sleep overtakes him due to the unfamiliarity of the place, or due to their voices and their movements, and so he welcomes the departure of sleep and makes his wakefulness into prayer. And it may be that he does not find the place unfamiliar and sleep is possible for him, but they have stirred his qalb (heart) toward the night prayer, and the distracting causes have been removed from him. But it is only for a night, or an hour, or a few nights, or a single day—then it ceases.
He fears for the nafs (soul) due to the scarcity of persistence in that, and he welcomes that when he finds helpers for himself—others whose movement stirs him to the night prayer by their prayers. Then a sincere intention comes upon him for that.
Yet that may be a deception from his own self, entering upon him [the thought] that he is sincere, wanting God—exalted and glorified—by that, since they moved him by their night prayer. But it is only his dread of their blame of him and their looking upon him with deficiency—that they might say to themselves: "He is not among those who stand in the night, or we do not think he is one who stands [in prayer], or a person of books," or "We think he prays most of what he prays at night," or his dread that they might deem him lazy when he does not pray this night—and so his movement is stirred by their movement.
I said: What is the distinction between the two? For they are two meanings.
He said: The distinction between them is that he should examine himself [to see] whether, had he been alone and the causes that used to distract him in his place were removed from him, and he saw them praying with their prayers from where they neither see him nor know of him—would he fear their blame if he did not pray as they pray, being among them from behind a wall while they do not [see him]—would they move him with the like of what moved him when they could see him, whether he was standing or not? If his soul is content with that, then let him pray what seems fit to him. And even if his soul is not content, let him not increase beyond what
"if it stirred him" — and likewise the one fasting. He used to pray a rak'ah (unit of prayer) in his dwelling.
And likewise if he does not pray, but he attended with them a recitation of the Quran or an exhortation, and his heart was stirred by that, and he wished to pray — let him not, rather it suffices him [not to].
And likewise if he had not attended with them a recitation of the Quran or any dhikr (remembrance), except that sleep flew from him, then let him examine himself: if he were in a place where they do not see him, and he heard that same recitation or exhortation, or an act of obedience from him [prompted him] — if his soul found it agreeable and was content with that, then let him pray. Otherwise, let him not increase beyond what he used to pray before.
I said: If he finds from his soul a stirring to rise — while they see him — and the time is when what stirred him was an eagerness from his heart, then let him not rise, either out of laziness on the part of his soul — and you should say to his soul: "Exert yourself!" — that you restrain his soul from the inclination to rise; or a caller from his heart calls him, saying: "Rising is not sound for you, because you do not rise to the like of this rising in your dwelling."
He said: If it is laziness and lassitude from the soul, while the heart is generous with rising with them, seeking the pleasure of God alone — exalted is His mention — not for any other limit, then let him rise with them. For what is the caller [saying] that this is not sound for you with them? — for it may be from the enemy, and it may be from God, mighty and exalted. If he finds from his soul that what predominates over his heart is the love of rising for God alone, and his soul is generous that if he were alone and they stirred him with the like of this stirring from where they do not see him, he would have risen — then let him rise. Otherwise, let him not rise, if he finds that what predominates over his heart is that rising is not sound for him, and he does not find his soul agreeable to rising if he were alone behind them — and that what he heard from the recitation and exhortation was while they see him — then let him not pray, not even one rak'ah, from where they do not see him.
I said: What if the love of their praise presents itself along with whatever intention is present to him?
He said: If what predominates over his heart is the love of rising for God, mighty and exalted, and he is averse to the love of their praise, and the contending element from his soul is the love of their praise, while his soul is generous that if he were alone where no one sees him and they stirred him with the like of that, he would have prayed — then let him pray with them, and let him not abandon the prayer on account of that contention toward their praise. Or if he finds from his heart that what predominates over him is the will of God alone, mighty and exalted —
And he said: Were he alone, he would have performed the same standing [in prayer].
A servant may become energized by other than himself, as in the Friday prayer: the preoccupying causes are removed from the servant, and he sees those around him praying, so he becomes energized for that. Yet during the rest of the days he barely prays. So if such an intention presents itself to him, let him pray, for it is indeed for God, Almighty and Glorious. Likewise at night with others, except that [praying] with others is closer to the deception of the nafs (self). So let him examine upon his heart what I have described to you.
I said: If he is present among a group who are weeping (or trying to weep), and weeping does not come to him, and he finds himself hard-hearted among them, should he force himself to weep through reflection and remembrance?
He said: Let him examine upon his heart — were he alone and heard their weeping and saw them from where they do not see him, would he be distressed that he was hard-hearted while God, Almighty and Glorious, sees him in that state, while others weep out of khashya (reverential awe) of God, Almighty and Glorious? And if they were more fearful of God, Almighty and Glorious, than he, while he knows from himself more sins than what he knows of them? Then let him force himself to that. And if he finds that in his heart, let him not cease forcing himself to that until what he does not [yet] possess comes to him.
For if he does not find that in his heart, I am not safe that his self may have become distressed, such that they might say: "What a hard-hearted person! How little is his time [in devotion], how little is his fear and grief!" For the self strives that fear should appear from it so that it may be honored thereby. Do you not see the saying of Luqman, may God's mercy be upon him: "O my son, do not let people see that you fear God so that they may honor you, while your heart is corrupt."
I said: The cry or the intense sighing that comes from the servant at the time of remembrance that the servant hears, or from his reflection — does that occur?
He said:
That is of two aspects — from one who seeks [spiritual] finding, not from an agitated fear: one of them is forcing oneself to weeping or distress, so that what he hears or what reaches him about it from people [moves him].
it is said: How hardened it is! And the least is a flutter of his qalb (heart) at the moment of remembrance, or it takes him by surprise upon a sin and shortcoming in his religion. And [the least is] like jesting or laughter, or he suspects that they have learned of a sin or a deficiency in his religion, so he sighs or cries out in grief so that what came from him may be effaced, and were it not that this would diminish him in their eyes — either to make them doubt what came from him, if it admitted of doubt, or so that his standing not be lowered to indicate scarcity of fear of God, Mighty and Glorious, and scarcity of wara' (scrupulous piety) and scarcity of grief, and that it was from him on account of fear in his heart and grief — so to this he returns.
The Second Aspect:
That he reflects, or remembers, or hears the remembrance from another, and his heart grieves with a grief that does not overcome his heart, so he forces himself to cry out, to sigh with groaning and moaning, magnifying what he reflects upon and hears. When he sees that his heart does not soften as it ought, he cries out and groans and weeps in grief over it, and as a summoning of grief from his heart. Then at the moment when what appears from him appears, affectation overtakes him, so that they may infer thereby that his heart is fearful and grieved. If he rejects both [the affectation and the sincerity] together and does not accept the passing thought, that is purified for him from it. But if he accepts it after what has passed is concluded, it does not nullify that, yet it is a deficiency — when his heart preferred the estimation of created beings over obedience to God, Mighty and Glorious. And if he accepts the passing thought together with the cry and increases in it, his reward in it is nullified. And if he accepts it along with it but does not increase in it, it is feared for him that it will not be accepted from him.
Another Aspect:
That the crying out, sighing, groaning, and moaning are stirred by reflection upon khawf (fear), or by listening to what causes fear, or by gazing upon what is frightening and saddening — such as looking at death, or at graves, or at something by which one takes admonition that indicates the punishment of God, Mighty and Glorious, or a meaning from the meanings of the Hereafter. If that is stirred from an overpowering from his mind, then that is stirred purely for God, Mighty and Glorious, out of fear, its verification being in the heart.
Yet — at the moment when the crying out and sighing appear — the enemy may cast a passing thought along with the scales
out of anxiety that the created beings might look upon his qalb (heart) with hardness, lack of tenderness, and khawf (fear) — its sincerity is negated.
And if he accepts it before that, then you have already been told what is done regarding that.
And how should he handle it if it is made to appear feeble to him on several occasions, when it has already become apparent to him on other than [this basis], and [it involves] the creation of affectation?
And likewise with salah (prayer) and other things — he enters into it, then a thought occurs to him: it is indeed being done with it before it is completed. He said: Then the enemy calls him to riya' (ostentation), and he accepts that from him, and it is done with it.
And more grave than that is the shouting, sighing, breathing heavily, moaning, and groaning that are stirred up on account of khawf (fear). When this becomes apparent to the worshippers, it is done with the servant's exertion, and he increases in it — until he prolongs his voice or intensifies his sorrow. Likewise his breathing heavily, or his moaning and groaning — that which admits no disagreement that it is riya' (ostentation), for the increase is like its initiation, because that is his affecting it in seeking the praise of created beings.
But if he does not accept it — until his shouting and groaning are completed — and no thought occurred in his qalb (heart) of love for their praise over that, and he did not accept it, then that does not nullify [his deed]. However, if he accepted the thought after the completion of the shouting, that is nonetheless a deficiency from him.
Likewise with weeping — it occupies this same position in all his affairs. He may affect it as a contrivance for the worshippers, and he accepts it. He may also be stirred by khawf (fear) to that which is not his [ordinary] weeping, and then the thought of riya' (ostentation) occurs alongside that, and he accepts it, and increases upon it — by repeating sobs, or making the voice sorrowful through weeping, or raising it.
And he may accept the thought and hold the conviction that love of their praise is upon his weeping, yet not add anything further upon that — and this is the category in which there is disagreement, like prayer: he enters into it, and the thought of riya' begins with him therein, and then he accepts it. Likewise self-enumeration [of deeds] occupies this same position.
So the falling [unconscious]: you said:
That is not so, for it may be that such speech was said out of fear of something else. The falling unconscious [may occur], and one who claims falsely — but that is because it may be due to weakness overwhelming the body, or a departure from his reason, which was cast upon him. As for what may befall him: that he remains seated or standing while his reason has not departed, and there may attach to him in that the affectation of it so that he may be praised for what appeared of his condition as being among the signs of khawf (fear).
And there may attach to him in that something greater than affectation with what outwardly appeared of his falling unconscious: namely, that his soul dreads that they perceive that he fell unconscious without loss of his reason, and so his dread of that leads him to feign that his reason has departed — while he is truthful that his falling unconscious along with that was from weakness — yet his soul dreads that they see he fell unconscious without loss of reason. So the appearance of loss of reason emerges, and he resorts to affectation not out of the intensity of fear, but as contrivance and riya' (ostentation).
And he may fall unconscious from loss of reason, then recover quickly, and he fears that they think he fell unconscious without overwhelming of his reason — for had he fallen from an overwhelming upon his reason, he would have been slow to recover. So he falls unconscious for God, Exalted and Glorious, out of his fear of Him, possessing nothing of that. Then the Enemy finds the place of his trial and summons him to prolong his lingering, so that they might suppose he did not fall unconscious without overwhelming of his reason — so that he may be magnified in their esteem through the length of his lingering in his falling unconscious, as evidence thereby that the predominant fear in his heart is powerful.
Likewise, when he falls unconscious from weakness and recovers quickly, his soul dreads that they think he fell unconscious without overwhelming, since had it been from an overwhelming upon his reason, he would not have recovered quickly.
And he may rise up the moment he recovers, not lingering after the recovery is dispatched, then recover and not display strength quickly, but rather conceal it from appearing, and weaken his voice and display weakness in his body, lest they think of him that he fell unconscious without overwhelming upon his reason.
Likewise, he may fall unconscious from loss of his reason, then recover and display weakness, so as to remove their ill suspicion of him, that they may deduce from what appears of weakness after recovery that he fell unconscious from loss of his reason.
Chapter on What is Prohibited Regarding Affected Comportment for Those Who Bear [Grief]
On Affected Comportment and Sorrow
I said: Who then negates all of that regarding crying out, sighing, and falling down?
He said:
As for one whose soul calls him to do that as an affectation for the servants [of God], let him remember the awareness of God, Exalted and Majestic, upon his body, his intellect, and his heart, with His loathing of him, since He sees him affecting the outward display of khawf (fear) while possessing security from God, Exalted and Majestic — when he does that desiring the servants [i.e., people's attention] with no fear in his heart. That is a characteristic among the characteristics of the hypocrites: that he affects obedience not desiring God, Exalted and Majestic, thereby, and were it not for the servants he would not have done that. And he makes it appear that he is one who fears God, Exalted and Majestic, while possessing security from God, Exalted and Majestic, because his affectation of that and his intention therein are from security against the anger of God, Exalted and Majestic, and His loathing. Even if it were an affectation for God, Exalted and Majestic, or he were overcome in that, fear would not have stirred his heart.
So let him remember the gaze of God, Exalted and Majestic, upon him, and that He is not pleased except with one who does that out of fear of Him, or out of reverence and magnification of Him — not as an affectation by which he seeks to summon fear.
Let him reflect that he is exchanging that by which he hopes for the good pleasure of God, Exalted and Majestic, away from him — through exposing himself to His displeasure — without gaining any increased benefit from the servants in religion or worldly matters, nor the avoidance of any harm from them. And perhaps God, Exalted and Majestic, will remove His favor from their hearts and make His punishment of him a source of blame in their hearts, when God exposes him, Exalted and Majestic, by what He detests in his innermost conscience.
So when he fears the loathing and remembers the swindling and the loss — that he is exchanging that which began as sidq (sincerity), by which he hopes for the good pleasure of God, Exalted and Majestic, away from him, for exposure to His displeasure and security from His punishment through the deprivation of His good pleasure and His contentment thereby from him —
then if he is not a loser and swindled [in this exchange], then no one is ever a loser in anything, nor is anyone swindled. For if he remembers this with intellect concerning God, Exalted and Majestic, and does not add to what he has affected for God, Exalted and Majestic, nor to what has stirred in him — while it does not overwhelm him — and does not love their praise for that, and does not increase therein with displays of sorrow, and does not prolong his state of falling down, nor display weakness in his recovery [from that state].
And likewise the lowering of the head and the outward display of brokenness in one's will, one's voice, one's prayer, and one's supplication. When remembrance (dhikr) surges from the heart, a fear that breaks him, he lowers his head to Him and is broken before Him, and his body becomes humble, and his heart becomes humble (khushū') to Him — without affecting modesty from God's gaze, or seeking safety by not looking at what does not bring him closer. These are the deeds of the hypocrites.
It has come in the hadith:
"Seek refuge in God from the humility of hypocrisy (nifāq)."
It was asked: What is the humility of hypocrisy? He said:
"That the body shows humility while the heart is not humble."
And likewise the outward display of seeking forgiveness (istighfār) and seeking refuge in God, Mighty and Majestic, from His punishment and His wrath.
'Umar, may God be pleased with him, said: "Humility does not exceed what is in the heart."
I said: Then what negates that?
He said: By remembering God's, Mighty and Majestic, gaze upon him and the fear of His displeasure (maqt). And little of that returns to Him from the servants — nay, nothing of it returns to Him from them.
So who is the one whose soul finds it agreeable to expose himself to the displeasure of God, Mighty and Majestic, and to have his deeds rendered void in the Hereafter, for no benefit — neither in religion nor in worldly matters? None does this except a disbeliever, or one whose intellect has departed, or one who is defiantly disobedient (fājir) against God, obstinate (mutamarrid), caring neither for His anger nor His punishment.
I said: Humility presents itself to me when I see some of the creation, and I forget what initially stirred it.
He said: You were, before you became humble, in a state other than humility. When the gazes of the servants overcame you, and your soul wanted to change from the state it had been in to the state of humility, then look at what was stirred in your heart from that remembrance — was it from awareness of God, Mighty and Majestic, looking upon you, or from remembrance of the Hereafter, or from a concern that you manufactured — did they see that? If it was for God, Mighty and Majestic, then proceed with it, and beware of inclining toward any one of them after your humility had been upon sincerity (sidq).