Pearls of Wisdom....200

1. Some of the most sublime bestowals of God are contentment with the reliance upon God in hardships, and recourse to Him in reverses of fortune.

2. Love is a seizure that God grants to the heart of His servant and that distracts him from seeing everything save Him, so that you can see the soul inclining to obey Him.

3. If anyone would abide strictly by the command of God, let him do it by remembrance, reflection, promptness, and submission to the command of God.

4. Allow not your soul to be attached to anything, and you will be one of those well rooted in religious knowledge from whom no secret or knowledge is hidden.

5. If thoughts of disobedience and the world occur to your heart, caste them under your feet with disdain and indifference, and your heart will be filled with knowledge and the right guidance.

6. There is no guidance at all except for one who fears God, and there is no fear of God (taqwa) except who shuns the world.

7. He who neglects his heart despises his religion, and he who is preoccupied with his outer behavior is taking his religion as a jest.

8. The grace of God in the matter of contentment with His decree is that it causes you to forget your misfortunes by looking forward to the Day of Rendezvous.

9. Good intention in relation to matters between God and you means turning the heart respectfully toward God, with respect for the commanding of God, and with respect to what He has commanded.

10. The understanding man is one who has an understanding from God of His signs and whose occupation is dhikr and reflection upon His favors, taking refuge in and avowing dire need of Him, and seeking protection with Him. He appeals to God, and so God responds to him. [Above quotes by Shaykh Abul Hasan al Shadhili]