…repents nor seeks forgiveness, this is a sign of wretchedness. He may even despair of the mercy of Allah, and the shaytan will come to him and say, “You have no repentance.” These three states—when given, he is grateful; when tried, he is patient; and when he sins, he seeks forgiveness—are the hallmarks of felicity. Whoever is granted them attains happiness, and whoever is deprived of them, in whole or in part, is wretched. 2- “Know—may Allah guide you…” is a supplication from the shaykh, and this is how a teacher should pray for the student. Obedience to Allah means carrying out His commands and avoiding His prohibitions. “Indeed, the ḥanifiyya is the creed of Ibrahim.” Allah, majestic and exalted, ordered our Prophet to follow the creed of Ibrahim: “Then We revealed to you: Follow the creed of Ibrahim, the hanif, who was not among the polytheists” (al-Nahl 123). Al-ḥanifiyya is the religion of the hanif, namely the religion of Ibrahim, peace be upon him. The hanif is the one who turns wholeheartedly to Allah and turns away from everything else—whose heart, actions, intentions, and aims are devoted entirely to Allah, renouncing whatever is other than Him. Allah commanded us to follow the creed of Ibrahim: “He has placed no hardship upon you in religion—the creed of your father Ibrahim” (al-Hajj 78). The creed of Ibrahim is “that you worship Allah, devoting the religion sincerely to Him.” This is al-ḥanifiyya. It is not merely “to worship Allah,” but to worship Him with exclusive devotion, that is, while shunning shirk; for if worship is tainted by shirk, it is nullified and cannot…