they turn to Allah with a sincere sense of their need for Him and seek His aid, devoting their worship sincerely to Him, He answers their supplication, removes their suffering, and opens the doors of mercy to them. Such a person has tasted the reality of reliance upon Allah and supplication to Him in a way that others have not. Likewise, whoever has tasted sincere devotion to Allah and sought His countenance alone experiences spiritual states, results, and benefits unknown to those who have not done so.

By contrast, whoever follows his desires—seeking leadership and supremacy, becoming attached to beautiful forms, or amassing wealth—experiences, in the process, indescribable worry, distress, sorrow, pain, and anguish. His heart may refuse to relinquish its desires, yet he obtains nothing that brings him happiness. Rather, he lives in constant fear and sorrow: while pursuing what he desires, he is sorrowful and pained because he has not yet attained it; once he attains it, he fears losing it and being parted from it. But the allies of Allah have nothing to fear, nor will they grieve.

If this person, or anyone else, tastes the sweetness of sincere devotion to Allah, of worshipping Him, of remembering Him and speaking privately to Him; understands His Book; and submits himself to Allah while doing good, so that his deeds are righteous and sincerely performed for Allah’s sake, then he experiences happiness, delight, and joy greater than that experienced by someone whose supplication and reliance upon Allah have secured some worldly benefit or warded off some harm. For the sweetness of that is proportionate to what he has received in the way of