Chapter 5.4. The Types of Reaching Allah

Reaching Allah is of two types, one that occurs in this world and one that occurs in the Hereafter. The meaning of reaching Allah in this world is that the heart attains cognisance of Him, and when it does so, it loves Him, takes solace with Him, realises His closeness to it, and finds Him readily answering its supplications. One narration mentions, "Son of Adam, seek Me and you will find Me. When you find Me you will have found everything, and if you do not find Me, you will have lost everything."

Seek Us and you will find Us.
In hearts large enough to contain Us:
Patient and content
With all that comes to them from Us.

Dhu'l-Nun would go out by night and frequently look up at the sky and say the following lines of poetry until morning,

Seek for yourselves
The likes of what I have found.
I have found a place of rest wherein
He never falters in His love:
If I move away, He draws me close
And if I move closer, He draws nigh.

Reaching Allah in the Hereafter means entering Paradise: the abode of Allah's grace. However Paradise is of many levels and the closeness of its inhabitants to Allah will depend upon the level of cognisance realised in their hearts in this world, their closeness and their witnessing,

And you will be three kinds: (First) the Companions of the Right Hand; what of the Companions of the Right Hand? And (then) the Companions of the Left Hand; what of the Companions of the Left Hand? And the Foremost in the race, the Foremost in the race: Those are they who will be brought nigh. [Quran, 56:7-11]

While in his house, Shibli would become agitated and recite the following couplets,

One cannot be patient when You are afar
When to closeness is he familiar.
From You one cannot suffer being veiled
When in love is he immersed.
Even if the eye does not see You,
For sure the heart beholds You.

• The Excellence of Drawing Close to Allah
• Islam, Iman, Ihsan

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