kindness to him; they will sell good quality things in inexpensive prices or free to him; for his work they will bow in submission to show respect. Nafs gets much pleasure by such devotional manners of people and this is that pleasure which dominates all the desires. Due to the pleasure of such devotions, he considers sins a trivial thing to be given up because Nafs instead of making this patient of love for fame and respect commit a sin advises that if you commit a sin your devotees will get away from you.

Thus by the cooperation of Nafs and in order to maintain honour amongst the devotees he feels ease in the intensity of steadfastness of worship because he internally recognizes the best pleasure of all and the biggest lust of all (i.e. the pleasure which is obtained by the devotion of people). He falls in this misconception that he is spending his life for the sake of Allah عَزَّوَجَلَّ and according to His will, though he spends it according to that hidden desire (love for fame and respect) which even extremely wise people could not understand. He considers himself sincere in worshipping Allah عَزَّوَجَلَّ and the one who abstains from acts declared Haraam by Allah عَزَّوَجَلَّ. As a matter of fact, it is not like this, he is attaining lots of pleasure in front of people by adornment and pretence. He is very content with whatever respect and popularity he attains. In this way, he loses the reward of acts of worship and good deeds and his name is written in the list of hypocrites and this naïve is getting it that he has attained the closeness of Allah عَزَّوَجَلَّ.

(‘Aashiqan-e-Rasool ki 130 Hikayaat ma’ Makkay Madinay ki Ziyaratayn, pp. 103-107)

Avoid displeasure of Allah for the sake of people

Umm-ul-Mu`mineen, Sayyidatuna ‘Aaishah Siddiqah رَضِیَ اللهُ تَعَالٰی عَنْهَا has said that I heard the Beloved Prophet صَلَّى اللهُ تَعَالٰى عَلَيْهِ وَاٰلِهٖ وَسَلَّم saying, ‘The person who seeks Allah’s pleasure, along with the displeasure of people (i.e. Allah عَزَّوَجَلَّ be pleased whether people are pleased or displeased, he does not care.) Allah عَزَّوَجَلَّ will save him from the harm of the people and the person who wants to please people, along with the displeasure of Allah عَزَّوَجَلَّ, Allah عَزَّوَجَلَّ will hand him over to the people.’ (Sunan-ut-Tirmizi, Bab: 65, vol. 4, pp. 186, Hadees 2422)

Hujjat-ul-Islam, Sayyiduna Imam Abu Haamid Muhammad Bin Muhammad Bin Muhammad Ghazali عَـلَـیۡـهِ رَحْـمَـةُ الـلّٰـهِ الۡـوَالِی has written: The person whose heart is