When God’s Decree Becomes Your Pleasure

When God’s decree becomes your pleasure,
you become a willing slave,
not because of burdening yourself,
not on account of recompense,
but by virtue of the nature now so pure
that wherever divine edict may take you,
living and dying will appear the same.
You live for God, not for riches;
you die for God, not from fear or pain.

-Rumi, “Mathnawi”

Sidi, how can I find Allah?

If you want to come to Allah, you will find Him beside you. If you want Allah, you must be polite because Allah is not outside of you. First look inside. Many people read about the truth (al-haqq) because they want to know, but Allah is not with a person if he does not want to know Allah from his heart. Allah will not give you this truth unless you are sincere. If you are not sincere with everything, you will not reach. This is your message.

- Sidi Shaykh Muhammad Sa‘id al-Jamal ar-Rifa‘i