As for his servitude with regard to the decree of moral defects, it is to hasten to repentance, to disclaim any attachment to them, and to stand in the station of apology and humble brokenness—knowing full well that no one can remove them from him but Allah, that none can protect him from their evil but Him, and that, should they persist, they will drive him far from nearness to Him and bar him from His door. He therefore views them as a true affliction that none can lift but Allah, even graver in his eyes than bodily harm.
Thus he seeks refuge in Allah’s good pleasure from His wrath, in His pardon from His punishment, and by Him from Him; he flees to Him from Him and takes shelter with Him against Him. He realizes that if Allah were to abandon him and leave him to his own devices, he would fall into the like of those sins—and worse. He also knows that there is no way for him to desist or to repent except through Allah’s enabling grace and assistance, and that this lies solely in His hand, not in the servant’s. The servant is far too powerless, weak, and insignificant to guide himself or earn his Master’s good pleasure without His permission, will, and aid.
Accordingly he throws himself upon Allah, pleading and humbled, destitute, casting his soul before Him, prostrate at His threshold—submissive, the most abased and broken of creatures, the poorest and most in need of Him, the most eager for Him, the most loving toward Him. His body may be busied with its occupations, but his heart is prostrate before Him. He is certain that there is no good in him, for him, by him, or from him, while every good belongs to Allah, is in His hands, is by Him, and proceeds from Him. Allah is the Patron of His favor, initiating it without the servant’s deserving, and He continues to pour it upon him even though the servant makes himself loathsome to Him by turning away, by heedlessness, and by disobedience.
Hence, Allah’s due is praise, thanks, and commendation, whereas the servant’s portion is blame, deficiency, and fault. Allah has laid exclusive claim to all laudable qualities, praise, and exaltation, while the servant shoulders censure, shortcomings, and defects. All praise is His, all good is in His hands, all bounty is His, all exaltation is His, and all favor is His. From Him comes beneficence, from the servant offense; from Him affectionate approach through blessings, from the servant estrangement through sins; from Him sincere counsel to His servant, from the servant deception in dealing with Him.
As for servitude in relation to blessings, it begins with recognizing them and openly acknowledging them, and then seeking refuge with Allah lest one’s heart attribute them to anyone other than Him—even if that other is merely a secondary cause, for Allah alone is the One who brings that cause into being.