The Hikam of Ibn Ata’Illah - Chapter 12

Hikam 112
No one disdains regular spiritual works except an utter fool.
Their fruits are in the Final Abode, while works end with the end of this one; and the most fitting to be concerned with is that which nothing else will ever follow.
It is He who is asking regular spiritual works from you, while their fruits are what you are asking from Him;
And where is what He Himself seeks of you from what you seek of Him?

Hikam 113
The coming of divine help is in the measure of one’s preparedness;
And the dawning of illuminations, of the purity of inmost souls.

Hikam 114
The unaware considers in the morning what he will do;
While the wise considers what Allah will do with him.

Hikam 115
Devotees and ascetics are but alienated from everything because they are absent from Allah in everything.
If they beheld Him in everything, they would not be alienated by anything.

Hikam 116
He has ordered you in this abode to reflect upon created things; but shall reveal to you in that abode the very perfection of Himself.

Hikam 117
He knew you could not bear to be without Him, so He gave you to see what proceeds from Him.

Hikam 118
As the Real knew of impatience in you, He made spiritual works diverse in kind;
And as He knew of greediness in you, He withheld them from you at certain times;
So that your concern might be to fulfill the prayer not the mere occurrence of the prayer.
For not everyone at prayer is fulfilling it.

Hikam 119
The prayer is a purifying of hearts from the foulnesses of sins and a seeking to open the door
upon matters that cannot be seen.

Hikam 120
The prayer is a place of holding intimate converse, and a mine-lode of sincerity of love;
In which the vistas of secrets extend before one, and there appear at its horizons dawnings of illuminations.
He knew of weakness from you, so made them few in number;
And knew your need for His bounty, so made them prodigious in spiritual succors.

Hikam 121
Whenever you seek recompense for a deed, you are called upon to have genuineness in it;
While merely getting off free is enough for someone defending his case.

Hikam 122
Do not seek a reward for a work you are not the doer of;
It suffices you as a reward for works that it is He who accepts them.

Hikam 123
When He wants to manifest His favor to you, He creates and then attributes to you.

Hikam 124
There will be unending things to blame you for, should He return you to yourself;
And no finish to things to praise you for, should He manifest His bounty upon you.