Inspiration 53: Two People
A folk the Real has established for His service, and another He has favoured with His love. The “folk of service” are the people of proofs and evidences, while the “folk of love” are the people of seeing and witnessing.
“To each of them We extend from the favours of your Lord, and verily the favours of your Lord are unrestricted.” (Quran 17:20)
Thus, whoever Allah, the Most Exalted, occupies with His worship has indeed earned His pleasure and blessings, and whoever He has privileged with His love has indeed been favoured with the grace of His privileged company. The one who is loved is of a higher station and is surely dearer on the Day of Judgement. The station of service consists of toil (ʿanāʾ), while the station of love is under God’s care (ʿināya). The station of service is the station of the seeker (man arād), while the station of love is of one who is sought (al-murād). The station of service is the station of accountability (taklīf), while the station of love is the station of divine honour (tashrīf). The station of service is a station that is earned (kasb), while the station of love is one that is bestowed (wahb).
Allah, the Most Exalted, has looked upon the hearts of His servants, and whoever is not fit for His love and proximity, He occupies with His worship and service.
The folk of service seek from Him, while the folk of love seek Him.
And Allah places the servant in the station that is similar to that which he himself has caused Him to descend. If you magnify His command, He magnifies you. If you love Him, He loves you. If you are pleased with Him, He is pleased with you. If you regard Him as near, then you are surely near.
The recompense is to the extent of one’s purity, and whoever excels in his preparedness, attains the One he seeks.
The manifestation of divine beauty in what is witnessed is in accordance with the current state of the witnesser, and the illumination of divine lights is in accordance with the purity of inner secrets.
“I have not come to bestow upon you something new; I have rather come to bring out a beauty which you did not know you possessed.”