Going
Beyond the Minimum
Muhammad
ibn Ahmad al-Saffarini al-Hanbali (d. 1188)
Sheikh `Abd
al-Qadir al-Jilani clarifies the importance of going beyond the bare minimum
in an allegory he mentions in Ghunya li Talibi Tariq al-Haqq. Hanbalis
sometimes mention it in their books-but without attribution to Sheikh `Abd
al-Qadir. One of these is al-Saffarini's Ghudha al-Albab, a commentary
on general refined behavior (adab). The translation appears below:
The allegory
of belief [iman] is that of a land that has five walls. Al-Hajjawi said
in its commentary: It is said that the allegory of belief is that of a
land that has five walls. The first wall [the innermost wall] made from
gold, the second from silver, the third from iron, the forth from cooked
clay [aajurr], and the fifth [the outermost wall] from brick. As long as
the people of the brick wall are diligent in protecting the brick, the
enemy does not aspire [destroying] the second; but if they neglect this
[brick wall], they will aspire for the second and then the third, until
they demolish all of the walls. And like belief [iman] has five walls:
certainty, then sincerity, then performing what is obligatory, then the
recommended [sunan], and then refined behavior [aadab]. As long as one
holds to and is diligent with having refined behavior, Satan does not scheme
[to destroy] him. But if one forsakes refined behavior, Satan aspires to
[destroying] the recommended works, then the obligatory, then sincerity,
and then certainty.
Source:
Al-Saffarini, Ghudha al-Albab. 1:27
And Allah knows
best.