Desires make slaves out of kings and patience makes kings out of slaves.
Al-GhazaliRead
If you see Allah, Mighty and Magnificent, holding back this world from you, frequently trying you with adversity and tribulation, know that you hold a great status with Him. Know that He is dealing with you as He does with His Awliya’ and chosen elite, and is watching over you.
Interpretation
What this quote means
Adversity can signify a deeper connection with the divine.
This quote by Al-Ghazali emphasizes the idea that facing challenges and hardships is not merely a test of endurance, but rather a sign of one's elevated spiritual status in the eyes of God. It suggests that if someone experiences difficulties, it may indicate that they are being specially regarded by Allah, similar to the way He treats His chosen ones, implying that such experiences can lead to greater spiritual growth and closeness to the divine.
Themes
AdversitySpiritualityDivineTrialsGrowth
In practice
Example use cases
In a speech about resilience, one might quote this to inspire others to view their struggles as part of their spiritual journey.
More from Al-Ghazali
All quotes →The happiness of the drop is to die in the river.
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To completely trust in Allah is to be like a child who knows deeply that even if he does not call for the mother, the mother is totally aware of his condition and is looking after him.
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Do not fix hopes on your health, and do not laugh away life. Remember how they walked and now all their joints lie separately, and the tongue with which they talked lightly is eaten away by the worms
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A man of bad character punishes his own soul.
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The mere physical man is like the ant crawling on the paper, who observes black lettering and attributes its production to the pen and nothing more.
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