On Spiritual Discipline and Sincerity
Imam Shar’ani radiAllahu anhu writes:
Imam Abu al-Mawahib al-Shadhili, radiAllahu used to say: “Whoever wishes to abandon the company of bad companions should begin with himself—by forsaking his own bad traits. His soul is the closest thing to him, and those who are closest to you have the greatest right to your goodness.”
He also said: “One of the signs of hypocrisy in a seeker is that he defends himself when accused of insincerity, arrogance, or pride in his deeds. However, this response is acceptable for spiritual masters, as they are followed by disciples, and they fear that if their reputation is tarnished, their students may lose trust in them and be deprived of the blessings of their companionship.”
And he said: “If a seeker desires fame for his piety among people, he will inevitably fall into hypocrisy for their sake. This will lead him to unjustified resentment toward them and cause him to commit deeds that displease his Lord.”
-Al Qutb Imam Abd al Wahab al Sharani radiAllahu anhu ❤️
