“Is there anyone who has achieved closeness to God and not found that with Him is everything that they need and desire?

“No one has attained [spiritual] success except by going against their ego’s desires, and no one has suffered [spiritual] failure except by preferring the worldly life over the afterlife.

“O one whose hopes are in the worldly life, your life has been wasted.

“Do not befriend one who knowingly rebels against God, for one who betrays his first Giver of blessings is not going to be loyal toward you.

“By the amount that you honor God, glory to Him, He will honor you, and by the amount that you magnify His greatness in your esteem and increase your respect for Him, He will magnify your status and the respect you receive.

“I reflected upon the envy that exists among the scholars, and saw that its source is the love of the worldly life, because the scholars of the afterlife engage in love and do not envy others. What separates the two groups is that the scholars of the worldly life seek power and leadership in it, and they love to accumulate wealth and praise, while the scholars of the afterlife live in seclusion from these things, they fear them and have mercy toward those who are being tested by them.

“[The one who follows the Quran and the Sunnah] will not live a life of suffering. This is illustrated by His saying, glory to Him: “Whosoever fears God, God will create for him a way out.” [The Quran, verse 65:2] If you see them suffer, then surely there is for them in recompense that which will turn any bitter drink into honey.

“Never busy yourself completely with worship, abandoning the seeking of knowledge.

“When true fear of God is realized in your heart, all good things will come to you.

“I never tire of reading books. If I see a book I have not seen before, it is as if I have found a treasure.

“The worldly life has been created as a place of testing. The wise person should fully habituate himself to patience.

“We have seen so many who wear coarse clothing, and show off their devotion to God, yet no one turns to them, and others who wear good clothing, and who smile, and the hearts love them.

“No one can claim to know Him except one who fears Him. The one who feels safe from Him does not know Him.