those outside your ranks, who will spare no effort to harm you,” up to His words:

“But if you remain patient and mindful of Allah, their plotting will not harm you at all. Surely Allah encompasses all that they do.”

Allah Most High also says:

“Yes, if you remain patient and mindful of Allah, and they come upon you in this sudden rush, your Lord will reinforce you with five thousand specially marked angels.”

Allah Most High also says:

“You will surely be tested in your possessions and yourselves, and you will surely hear much abuse from those who were given the Scripture before you and from the polytheists. But if you remain patient and mindful of Allah, that is indeed a matter requiring firm resolve.”

Joseph said:

“I am Joseph, and this is my brother. Allah has indeed been gracious to us. Whoever is mindful of Allah and remains patient—Allah certainly does not let the reward of those who do good go to waste.”

For this reason, Shaykh Abd al-Qādir and other upright spiritual masters would generally urge these two principles in their teachings: hastening to do what is commanded and refraining from what is forbidden; and patience and contentment with what has been decreed.

Many ordinary people—and even spiritual wayfarers—have erred on this point. Some perceive only the divine decree, contemplating the reality of the created order but not the reality of religion. They recognize that Allah is the Creator and Lord of everything, but do not distinguish between what Allah loves and is pleased with and what angers Him and He hates, even though He has decreed and ordained it. Nor do they distinguish between Allah’s exclusive right to worship and His oneness in lordship. Thus they perceive the common ground shared by all created beings—the blessed and the wretched alike—a commonality shared by the believer and the disbeliever, the righteous and the wicked, the truthful prophet and the false claimant to prophethood, the people of Paradise and the people of Hell, Allah’s allies and His enemies, and the angels brought near to Allah and the rebellious devils.