if man’s love for himself be necessary, then his love for Him through whom, first his coming-to-be, and second, his continuance in his essential bein… - Al-Ghazali

والآفة الثانية آفة القبول: فإن من نظر في كتبهم كإخوان الصفا وغيره ، فرأى ما مزجوه بكلامهم من الحكم النبوية ، والكلمات الصوفية ، ربما استحسنها وقبلها ، وحسن اعتقاده فيها ، فيسارع إلى قبول باطلهم الممزوج بـه ، لحسن ظن حصل فيما رآه واستحسنه ، وذلك نوع استدراج إلى الباطل.
ولأجل هذه الآفة يجب الزجر عن مطالعة كتبهم لما فيها من الغدر والخطر. وكما يجب صون من لا يحسن السباحة على مزالق الشطوط ، يجب صون الخلق عن مطالعة تلك الكتب. وكما يجب صون الصبيان عن مس الحيَّات ، يجب صون الأسماع عن مختلط الكلمات وكما يجب على المعزِّم أن لا يمس الحية بين يدي ولده الطفل ، إذا علم أن سيقتدي به ويظن أنه مثله ، بل يجب عليه أن يحذّره منه، بأن يحذر هو في نفسه ولا يمسها بين يديه ، فكذلك يجب على العالم الراسخ مثله. وكما أن المعزِّم الحاذق إذا أخذ الحية وميز بين الترياق والسم ، واستخرج منها الترياق وأبطل السم فليس له أن يشح بالترياق على المحتاج إليه.

It is related that Satan came before Yahyâ . The latter saw that Satan had plucks of everything on his body. He asked him: “O Satan! What are these plucks?” He replied: “These are the desires with which I hunt mankind.” Yahyâ asked: “Do you have any of my plucks there?” He replied: “Perhaps you ate a stomach full which caused you to feel heavy and uncomfortable in offeringsalâh and remembering Allâh .” Yahyâ asked: “Is there anything else?” He replied: “No.” Yahyâ said: “I take an oath that I will never fill my stomach with food.” Satan said to him: “I take an oath that I will never advise a Muslim.” Among them is the love to have beautiful utensils, clothing and to adorn and decorate the house. When Satan sees that this quality has overpowered the heart of a particular person, he settles down and establishes himself in that person’s heart. He then continually invites him towards building the house, beautifying its roofs and walls, expanding it, etc. He also invites him towards beautifying himself with clothing and animals. He causes the person to undergo losses throughout his life in fulfilling all these demands. Once he gets him involved in all this, he does not have to go that person a second time because these very demands [and desires] lead him to fulfil other demands. This continues till his death. He thus dies in the path of Satan and in following his desires. An evil destiny is thus feared from all this. We seek refuge in Allâh

We attest that He is the Willer of all things that are, the ruler of all originated phenomena; there does not come into the visible or invisible world anything meager or plenteous, small or great, good or evil, or any advantage or disadvantage, belief or unbelief, knowledge or ignorance, success or failure, increase or decrease, obedience or disobedience, except by His will. What He wills is, and what He does not, will not; there is not a glance of the eye, nor a stray thought of the heart that is not subject to His will. He is the Creator, the Restorer, the Doer of whatsoever He wills. There is none that rescinds His command, none that supplements His decrees, none that dissuades a servant from disobeying Him, except by His help and mercy, and none has power to obey Him except by His will.