المطلب أنفس وأعز من أن يدرك بالمنى أو ينال بالهوينا - Al-Ghazali

كم ليال أحييتها بتكرار العلم، ومطالعة الكتب، وحرمت على نفسك النوم، ولا أعلم ما كان الباعث فيه! إن كان بنية عروض الدنيا وجذب حطامها وتحصيل مناصبها والمباهات على الأقران والأمثال فويل لك ثم ويل لك. وإن كان قصدك إحياء شريعة النبي صلى الله عليه وسلم، وتهذيب أخلاقك، وكسر النفس الأمارة بالسوء، فطوبى لك ثم طوبى لك.
ولقد صدق من قال
سهر العيون لغير وجهك باطل
وبكاؤهن لغير حسنك ضائع

The Infinitely Good is He who loves men, first by creating them; second, by guiding them to faith and to the means of salvation; third, by making them happy in the next world; and fourth, by granting them the contemplation of his noble face.

The second division concerns the definition of the path of advancing towards God (may He be exalted!). This is by devoting oneself to the service of God as He (may He be exalted!) said, “Devote yourself to Him very devoutly”[15] (وَتَبَتَّلْ إِلَيْهِ تَبْتِيلًا). Devotion to Him is achieved by advancing towards Him and turning away from things other than Him; and this is expressed in His words, “There is no God but He; so take Him for a guardian.”[16] (لَا إِلَهَ إِلَّا هُوَ فَاتَّخِذْهُ وَكِيلًا) Advancement towards Him can only be achieved by perseverance in remembrance of Him, while turning away from things other than Him is effected by opposing passion, by cleansing oneself from the troubles of this world, and by purification of the soul from them. The result of this purification is prosperity in the Hereafter[17] as God (may He be exalted!) said, “He indeed has achieved prosperity who has purified himself and remembers the name of his Lord and so performs the ritual prayer”[18] (قَدْ أَفْلَحَ مَن تَزَكَّى ■ وَذَكَرَ اسْمَ رَبِّهِ فَصَلَّى). Thus the path is supported by two matters, namely, perseverance and opposition — perseverance in remembrance of God (may He be exalted!) and opposition to that which diverts from Him. This is the journey (al-safar) to God.[19]