Faith as Light

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يَا بُنَيَّ إِنَّ الإِيمَانَ قَائِدٌ

O my son, faith is a guide.

وَالْعَمَلُ سَائِقٌ وَالنَّفْسُ حَرُونٌ

And action is a driver, and the soul is stubborn.

فَإِنْ فَتَرَ سَائِقُهَا ضَلَّتْ عَنِ الطَّرِيقِ

If its driver weakens, it strays from the path.

وَإِنْ فَتَرَ قَائِدُهَا حَرَنَتْ

And if its guide weakens, it becomes stubborn.

فَإِذَا اجْتَمَعَا اسْتَقَامَتْ

But when both are together, it becomes upright.

إِنَّ النَّفْسَ إِذَا أُطْمِعَتْ طَمِعَتْ

Indeed, when the soul is given hope of something, it becomes greedy.

وَإِذَا فَوَّضْتَ إِلَيْهَا أَسَاءَتْ

And if you give it free rein, it will do wrong.

وَإِذَا حَمَلْتَهَا عَلَى أَمْرِ اللَّهِ صَلُحَتْ

And if you carry it upon the command of Allah, it becomes good.

وَإِذَا تَرَكْتَ الأَمْرَ إِلَيْهَا فَسَدَتْ

And if you leave the matter to it, it becomes corrupt.

فَاحْذَرْ نَفْسَكَ

Beware of your soul.

وَاتَّهِمْهَا عَلَى دِينِكَ

And be suspicious of it regarding your religion.

وَأَنْزِلْهَا مَنْزِلَةَ مَنْ لَا حَاجَةَ لَهُ فِيهَا وَلَا بُدَّ لَهُ مِنْهَا

Place it in the position of one who has no desire for it yet cannot do without it.

وَإِنَّ الْحَكِيمَ يُذِلُّ نَفْسَهُ بِالْمَكَارِهِ حَتَّى تَعْتَرِفَ بِالْحَقِّ

And indeed, the wise humbles his soul with difficulties until it acknowledges the truth.

وَإِنَّ الأَحْمَقَ يُخَيِّرُ نَفْسَهُ فِي الأَخْلَاقِ فَمَا أَحَبَّتْ مِنْهَا أَحَبَّ وَمَا كَرِهَتْ مِنْهَا كَرِهَ

And indeed, the foolish lets his soul choose in matters of conduct, so what it likes, he likes, and what it dislikes, he dislikes.