By His Mercy, you are liberated from having to secure outcomes in the world. Ultimately, if you measure success or failure by means of outcomes, you have entered a lottery that only sporadically pays out. It is purely His Mercy, otherwise understood as ‘good fortune’, that delivers the ending you desire. Your task is to interact with the universe in an appropriate manner in accordance with the knowledge that you currently have. To do so is a victory regardless of the consequent outcome. You must play the role He has assigned for you with sincerity and honesty. That is far easier said than done. We rarely truly know ourselves. We seldom complete the prerequisite inner-examinations required to make authentic, liberated decisions. The human being is a mine laced with explosives, toxins, and daunting boulders that discourage further exploration. But persist we must. Embark on the path of inner-transformation. Dig deep into the soul, shining light into corners darkened by egoic greed and self-interest. Treat the moment as an experiment. Analyse the situation He is presenting to you carefully, exploring every facet, seeking out the Divine Message that is often not immediately apparent. Evaluate the options available to you. Consult with those who know. Seek the support of the Divine. Then, act in the interests of the other, not the self. Your sincerity will ensure the decision results in consequences that were Willed in Pre-Eternity. Things may not turn out as you had hoped, but they always end in the manner He Knows to be best. Relax. It is all under control. Just not yours.
Upon one of my numerous visits to the mosque of Sheikh Muhiyidin Ibn Arabi, I made the acquaintance of a striking elder by the name of Abu Muhammad. His name, which literally translated indicates that he is the ‘father of Muhammad’, is a perfect expression of anonymity. On those rare occasions in which he enters my thoughts, I like to consider his name as some profound expression of spirituality, that his desired obscurity was the result of some yearning to renounce the trappings of the ephemeral world, and embrace the ancient existence of an unknown dervish. Yet almost certainly nearer the truth is that in modern Syria, if often pays to remain unidentified. I was blessed by his company on a number of occasions, and we often engaged in a stuttering, graceless, yet well intentioned conversation that was to repeat itself (in form) at numerous junctures during my time in Syria. His face truly was alight with faith, and he wore the genuine smile of a man whose existence was good. We s...
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