the door to knowledge, understanding, spiritual disclosures, and other things attained through the heart’s inner vision.

The third benefit is strength, steadfastness, and courage of heart. Allah grants him the power to prevail alongside the power of proof. A transmitted saying states:

“Satan fears even the shadow of one who resists his own desires.”

Thus, whoever follows his desires suffers the humiliation—abasement, weakness, and degradation of the soul—that Allah has appointed for those who disobey Him. For Allah has granted honour to those who obey Him and humiliation to those who disobey Him. The Most High says:

“They say, ‘If we return to Medina, the more honourable will surely expel the more humble from it.’ Yet honour belongs to Allah, His Messenger, and the believers.”

And the Most High says:

“Do not weaken or grieve, for you will have the upper hand, if you are believers.”

Hence the saying of the spiritual masters: “People seek honour at the gates of kings, but find it only in obedience to Allah.”

Al-Hasan al-Basrī used to say: “Though horses carry them at a graceful pace and mules clatter beneath them, the humiliation of disobedience hangs about their necks. Allah will not allow those who disobey Him to escape humiliation.”

Whoever obeys Allah has shown allegiance to Him in that obedience; whoever disobeys Him shares, to that extent, in the conduct of those who oppose Him through their sins. The qunūt supplication states:

“Indeed, none whom You befriend is humiliated, and none whom You oppose is honoured.”

The Sufis who are renowned and held in genuine esteem within the Muslim community did not favour such conduct; rather, they forbade it. They have spoken in condemnation of keeping company with young men, in refutation of those who advocate divine indwelling, and in explanation of the Creator’s distinction from creation—