"A servant needs to persevere in three circumstances. First, before fulfilling an act of obedience, by paying attention to his sincerity in doing this act of obedience. Second, during the act of obedience, by persisting in completing it without any omissions and without being negligent, in accordance with his sincere intentions, and without allowing the physical performance of the action to distract his heart from being at rest in full submission before Allah, the Exalted. ... Third, after completing the act of obedience by patiently avoiding anything that might wipe out its reward. This kind of patience means that he must not be pleased with his having been obedient and boast about it, bringing it out from the realm of the veiled secret in to that of public scrutiny.
The act of the servant is a secret between himself and Allah, the Exalted, and it is recorded as such in the realm of secrets. If he talks about it, it is removed from there to the reality of public knowledge. So he must not think that there is no more need for perseverance once the physical action has been completed.
The Purification of the Soul - Compiled from the works of Imam ibn Rajab al-Hanbali (r.a.), Imam bn al-Qayyim al-Jawziyyah (r.a.) & Imam Abu Hamid al-Ghazali (r.a.)
The act of the servant is a secret between himself and Allah, the Exalted, and it is recorded as such in the realm of secrets. If he talks about it, it is removed from there to the reality of public knowledge. So he must not think that there is no more need for perseverance once the physical action has been completed.
The Purification of the Soul - Compiled from the works of Imam ibn Rajab al-Hanbali (r.a.), Imam bn al-Qayyim al-Jawziyyah (r.a.) & Imam Abu Hamid al-Ghazali (r.a.)
