reliance upon Him, seeking His help, and casting oneself down before Him like an empty, cracked, and broken vessel(1) that contains nothing, yearning for its caretaker and protector to mend it,(2) gather its scattered pieces, supply it from His bounty, and conceal it. Such a person may hope that God will take charge of his guidance and unveil to him what has remained hidden from others concerning the course of this migration and its stations.

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The true capital(3) and central pillar of the whole matter is constant reflection and deep pondering over the verses of the Quran,(4) until(5) they seize the mind and occupy the heart. When the meanings of the Quran take the place of stray thoughts in his heart and dominate it, so that he turns to them for refuge and shelter, then faith becomes firmly established in his heart,(6) sits upon its throne, takes command, and its decree becomes the obeyed directive.(7) At that point his journey steadies, the path grows clear, and you behold him outwardly still while he outstrips the wind: “You see the mountains, thinking them solid, yet they pass by like clouds” (27:88).(8)