And such utterances, spoken by someone in a spiritual state who has not considered their implications and consequences, must not be made into a method or adopted as a path to follow. They may, however, indicate the speaker’s contentment, love, and similar qualities, as well as his deficient understanding of the requirements of the path, and what he can and cannot bear in the way of piety and patience.

The Messengers—may Allah’s blessings be upon them—know the path to Allah best, are the best guided, and give the most sincere counsel. Whoever departs from their Sunnah and their way is deficient, mistaken, and deprived, even if he is not sinful, defiantly disobedient, or an unbeliever.

A similar case is that of the Bedouin whom the Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, visited when he was ill and as frail as a fledgling. He asked him, “Had you been asking Allah for anything?” He replied, “I used to say, ‘O Allah, whatever punishment You would inflict upon me in the Hereafter, hasten it for me in this world.’” The Prophet said, “Glory be to Allah! You cannot bear it—or, you cannot endure it. Why did you not say, ‘Our Lord, give us good in this world and good in the Hereafter, and protect us from the punishment of the Fire’?”