Intend to get out of the way

Allah does what He intends to do. (Al Baqara:253)

Everybody is responsible with intention, which is linked to action. The Prophet (peace be upon him) said, “We are responsible for our action but our action is joined to our intention.” So, Allah looks at your intentions. Sometimes you fail but if your intention is good, then it may be accepted.

With regard to your oaths, Allah will not hold you responsible for your unintentional oaths. But He will hold you responsible for the oaths you take with intention. (Al Ma’ida:89)

There is no sin for you in mistakes that are unintentional, but rather only what your hearts intend, because truly, Allah is Ghafur [Tolerant] and Rahim [Full of Mercy and Kindness]. (Al Ahzab:5)

Get out of the way

There is no goodness in much of their secret conferences, except those who promote sadaqa [charity], kindness and peacemaking among people. Whoever does this with the intention of pleasing Allah, We will bestow on them a vast reward. (Al Nisa:114)

As Sufis, we intend that we do everything for Allah’s sake. You want to get out of the way and let Allah do it through you and that is the highest intention, the intention of the Abdals, who are the highest walis. The Sufi training is to bring you to that state by cutting your attachments to your nafs [ego] and desires so you can surrender yourself to Allah so Allah shows Himself through you.

And among human beings are those who would trade their nafs [themselves], seeking the goodwill of Allah. Allah is Ra’uf to His devotees. (Al Baqara:207)

When you get out of the way, you are not losing anything. You are getting more, you get Allah and what He wants to share with you.

Carrying Allah’s Message

Allah is your boss, the shaykh is not your boss but you have to respect the shaykh because the shaykh is giving Allah’s messages to you and the shaykh is doing it for free. When you are in a position to give messages, you must get yourself out of the way and give the message as it is, whatever you receive from your heart, your shaykh, your pirs, the Prophet (peace be upon him), you give it as it is. Do not worry about the consequences because this is Allah’s business. Do not care about what people will say. Your job is not to think about yourself. Let Allah carry the message as He wishes and you just watch. You are shaahid [witness]. All you have to intend is to hear and feel Allah’s love. This is not going to happen as long as you are you, as long as you are trying to look bigger and more important than others. It will happen only if you intend to give Allah’s love to people.

This is an edited excerpt of the Online Saturday Sohbet given on November 10, 2007 by Murshid Shaykh Taner Vargonen Ansari and published on sufiview.com on April 19, 2021. The translation of the Qur’an verses are also from Murshid Shaykh Taner Vargonen Ansari.

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