At the outset, nothing is harder for a person than this resolution, for his lower self, his desires, his natural inclinations, Satan, and even his friends and companions all call him to what is immediate. When he resists them, they rally to wage war against him. Yet if he bears patiently and stands firm, help will come to him from Allah: what was difficult will become easy, and what was painful will turn into delight. The Lord is Most Appreciative; He will assuredly make him taste the sweetness of siding with Allah and His Messenger, and will show him the honor that accompanies it. His joy and contentment will then intensify, his heart will exult, and he will gain strength, happiness, and gladness. Those who once fought him will shift: some will stand in awe of him, others will make peace, some will lend support, and still others will simply desist. His own army will grow stronger while the enemy’s forces will weaken.
Therefore, do not find it daunting to differ from people and take the side of Allah and His Messenger, even if you are alone; for Allah is with you. You are under His gaze, His protection, and His safeguarding. He is merely testing the firmness of your certainty and your patience.
After Allah’s help, the greatest support in this matter is to free yourself from greed and fear. Once you have cast off both, it will be easy for you to align yourself with Allah and His Messenger, and you will always remain on their side. But if greed and fear take hold of you, do not aspire to this station, nor even entertain it in your thoughts.
You may ask, “By what means can I rid myself of greed and fear?” I reply: through tawḥīd (pure monotheism), reliance upon Allah, trust in Him, and the knowledge that none brings good deeds but He, none removes sins but He, and that the entire affair belongs to Allah alone; no one shares anything with Him.
A Counsel
Come, then, and enter the presence of Allah, settling near Him in the Abode of Peace, without toil, hardship, or fatigue—by one of the nearest and easiest paths.