the humility shown by some Muslims, yet it avails them nothing, for they are upon misguidance. The same is true of the people of innovation. We see, for instance, among the innovators—especially many Sufis—that they recite numerous litanies: they invoke Allah, weep, humble themselves, and their hearts grow tender. Still, none of this benefits them, because it is not in accordance with Allah’s law. The Prophet ﷺ said, “Whoever introduces into this affair of ours something that does not belong to it, it is rejected—thrown back upon him,” and he also said, “Whoever performs a deed that is not in keeping with our command, it is rejected.”

“Set right for me my religion” means: make it sound by ensuring it is both sincere and correct. His words “which is the safeguard of my affairs” mean the protection by which I take refuge from evil, trials, and so forth. “And set right for me my worldly life wherein lies my livelihood.” The world is merely a place to live; you stay in it until you die, but it is not an abode of permanence. Where are those who once settled here—where are the kings and the sons of kings, the rich, the affluent, the poor, the nobles? They have all gone and become mere stories, and one day you too will be nothing but a story.

As the wise poet said:

In this world a man is deemed present
only until he becomes a piece of news among the news—
people now say: “Such-and-such happened, so-and-so died, so-and-so was born.”