Know, then, that when a servant embarks upon a word or deed seeking thereby the pleasure of Allah, all the while discerning Allah’s favor in granting him that action and His enabling him to carry it out—realizing that it is by Allah, not by himself, nor by his own knowledge, reflection, resources, or strength, but by the One who created for him the tongue, the heart, the eye, and the ear—the very One who granted those faculties is the One who has favored him with the word and the deed. So long as this awareness remains present in his mind and in the gaze of his heart, conceit never enters upon him, for its root lies in seeing oneself and in being absent from witnessing one’s Lord’s favor, facilitation, and aid.

When that awareness fades, however, the ego pounces, staking its claim, and conceit arises; thus word and deed alike become corrupted. Sometimes he is prevented from completing the act and it is cut off—this being a mercy to him so that he does not lose sight of divine favor and enablement. At other times the act is completed, yet bears no fruit; or, if it does bear fruit, it produces only a weak yield that fails to achieve the intended goal. On yet other occasions its harm outweighs its benefit, giving rise to a host of evils proportionate to his heedlessness of Allah’s facilitation and favor and to his notion that the word and deed stem from himself.

From this very point Allah—glorified be He—either rectifies His servant’s words and deeds and magnifies their fruits, or spoils them for him and withholds their fruits; for nothing is more ruinous to deeds than conceit and self-regard.

Thus, when Allah wishes good for His servant, He causes him to witness His favor, enablement, and assistance in everything he says and does, so that he is not taken with self-admiration. Then He makes him aware of his own shortcoming in that deed and his failure to render it worthy of his Lord; he therefore repents of it, seeks forgiveness, and feels too shy to ask any reward for it. But if Allah does not show him that and veils it from him, he beholds himself in the deed, seeing it through the lens of perfection and satisfaction; such a deed will never attain the station of acceptance, pleasure, or love.

Accordingly, the knower of Allah performs his works purely for His sake, all the while witnessing His favor, bounty, and facilitation,