THE TRUE PATH IS THAT WHICH...

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There are paths that lead straight —
They reach the Truth and make one reach it.
There are paths that are crooked —

They stray from the Truth and make one stray.

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The true path is the one that leads to gratitude… To give thanks for the capital of life…To give thanks for the blessing of health…To give thanks for the gift of reason…To give thanks for the strength of the body…To give thanks for the jewel of Islam…To give thanks for the light of faith…
Say “All praise be to God,” for ingratitude is no path at all.

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The true path is the one that leads to patience…To endure affliction with patience…To bear illness with patience…To forbear those who harm you…
To be patient with those who slander you…To be patient with the envious…To be patient until every work reaches its end…
Be patient, brother — impatience is no path at all.

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The true path is the one that leads to knowledge…To know yourself through knowledge…To observe the universe through knowledge…To comprehend wisdom through knowledge…To marvel through knowledge…To step into mystery through knowledge…To reach the Truth through knowledge…
Seek knowledge — ignorance is no path at all.

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The true path is the one that leads to gnosis (marifah)…To perceive divine wisdom in every happening…To understand it in every trial…To attain it through worship…To capture it within your essence…To strive for it in every direction…
Attain gnosis — heedlessness of it is no path at all.

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The true path is the one that leads to humility…To know your limits through humility…To discipline your soul through humility…To demolish the wall of arrogance through humility…To earn the pleasure of God through humility…To understand your helplessness through humility…
Beware — pride is no path at all.

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The true path is the one that leads to remembrance (dhikr)…To polish the mirror of the heart through remembrance…To wipe away the rust of heedlessness through remembrance…To understand the divine commandments through remembrance…To perceive the crown of Power through remembrance…To feel nearness to God through remembrance…
Remember, O rememberer — forgetfulness is no path at all.

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The true path is the one that leads to contentment (rida)…To pass through many trials with contentment…To cross many trenches with contentment…
To see the wisdoms hidden in all with contentment…To find peace in the delicate heart with contentment…To reach serenity with contentment…
Truly, protesting fate is no path at all.

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The true path is the one that leads to servitude (’ubudiyyah)…To perform every deed with servitude…To understand yourself through servitude…
To know your rank through servitude…To open your understanding through servitude…To hold fast to God’s commands through servitude…To abstain from His prohibitions through servitude…
In vain — rebellion is no path at all.

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The true path is the one that leads to the Book…To understand the Book of God rightly…To crown your head with its judgments…To find in it the enduring address of Truth…
To take its words as your guide always…
Surely, ignorance of the Book is no path at all.

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The true path is the one that leads to the Messenger…To recognize the worth of the Messenger…To understand the wisdom of his being sent…To open the most beautiful corner of your heart to him…To take his life as your example…To hold fast to the counsels in his sayings…
Alas, failing to understand the Messenger is no path at all.

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The true path is the one that leads to the Truth (Haqq)…To seek the Truth day and night…To observe the Truth in every direction…To perceive the Truth in every wisdom…
To turn to the Truth in every way…To feel the Truth in every subtlety…To say “Truth!” and remember the Truth with every breath…
Beware — forgetfulness of the Truth is no path at all.

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There are paths that are straight —
They make one cross the highest peaks.
There are paths that are crooked —
They make one lose his way in the plain.

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