It has been narrated that Shaqīq al-Balkhī told al-Hātim: ‘You have accompanied me for a while now. What have you learned?’ Al-Hātim said: “Eight things:
The first: I looked at the creation and found that everyone has a beloved. When they go to their graves, they depart their beloved, so I made my good deeds my beloved so that they could be with me in my grave.
The second: I looked at the words of Allah:
“And prevented the soul from [unlawfull] inclination.” [Qur’an 79:40]
and strove to repel this lowly inclination till it became settled in obedience to Allah.
The third: I saw that everyone who owns something that he holds valuable tries to protect it. Then I looked at the words of Allah:
“Whatever you have will end, but what God has is ever lasting.” [Qur’an 16:96]
so every time I owned something of value, I directed it to Him so that it may remain mine with Him.
The fourth: I saw that people refer to money, nobility, and honour, which are all nothing. Then I looked at the words of Allah:
“Indeed, the noblest of you in the sight of God is the most righteous.” [Qur’an 49:13]
and worked deeds of righteousness in order to be noble before Him.
The fifth: I saw that people are jealous of each other. Then, I looked at the words of Allah:
“We who have apportioned among them their livelihood.” [Qur’an 43:32]
I left jealousy.
The sixth: I saw them having enmity towards each other. Then I looked at the words of Allah:
“Indeed, Satan is an enemy to you; so take him as an enemy.” [Qur’an 35:6]
and stopped having enmity towards them and made Satan my only enemy.
The seventh: I saw that they humiliate themselves in their quest for provisions. Then I looked at the words of Allah:
“And there is no creature on earth but that upon God is its provision.” [Qur’an 11:6]
and focused on His rights upon me and left my property to Him.
The eighth: I saw that they rely on their businesses, manufacture, and bodily health, so I relied on Allah.’
[The Inner Secrets Of Worship by Ibn Qudamah al-Maqdisi, p.36-38]
