God Most High has said, "Is the reward of virtue aught save virtue?" . . . Know, O man, that the covenant of servanthood is incumbent upon you, and that the covenant of Lordship is incumbent upon His magnanimity, as He Most High has said, ". . . and fulfill your covenant, I shall fulfill My covenant."
Interpretation
This quote emphasizes the principle of reciprocity in relationships with the divine and the importance of fulfilling one's commitments.
Ibn Ata Allah highlights the idea that living virtuously is rewarded with virtue in return, indicating a reciprocal relationship between the individual's actions and divine grace. The quote also stresses the duty of human beings to uphold their commitments as part of their servanthood, while God, in His generosity, promises to honor His own covenant with those who are faithful in fulfilling theirs.
In practice
In a sermon on moral integrity, a speaker might reference this quote to emphasize the importance of honorable behavior.
Whosoever is determined to seek guidance and follow a path of right conduct must search for a shaykh from amongst those who have realization, one who follows a path methodically, who has abandoned his passions, and who has firmly established his feet in the service of his Lord.
Actions are but lifeless forms whose soul is the secret of sincerity in them
Extinction is the beginning of the path: it is traveling to God Most High. Guidance comes afterwards. What I mean by guidance is the guidance of God, as described by the Friend of God, Abraham: "Lo! I am going unto my Lord Who will guide me."
. . . persist in that invocation until the unity of the world is subsumed for you in a single sphere, so that with the eye of your heart you will see naught in the two worlds save the One.
The most excellent of those who perform good deeds are those who most often remember God in all situations.
If you do not think well of Him because His qualities are beautiful then think well of Him because of the way He treats you.
In social policy, when we provide a safety net, it should be designed to help people take more entrepreneurial risks, not to turn them into dependents. This doesn't mean that we should be callous to the underprivileged.
In Christ there is no East nor West.
To be realistic today is to be visionary. To be realistic is to be starry-eyed.
The history of thought may be summed up in these words: it is absurd by what it seeks and great by what it finds.
I confused gender identity with sexual orientation. Your gender identity is about who you are, how you feel, the sex that you feel yourself to be. Sexual orientation is who you're attracted to.
The modern world is full of the old Christian virtues gone mad. The virtues have gone mad because they have been isolated from each other and are wandering alone. Thus some scientists care for truth; and their truth is pitiless. Thus some humanitarians only care for pity; and their pity (I am sorry to say) is often untruthful.
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