Beware! Though other nations have progressed far in their worldly designs, do not envy them and seek to follow in their footsteps. Listen and know well that they are wholly unaware and unmindful of the God who calls you to Himself. What is their god? Only a helpless mortal. Thus, they are languishing in heedlessness. I do not forbid you from the trade and business of the world; rather, I exhort you not to imitate those who have considered the world to be everything. In all that you do, whether material or religious, continue to supplicate God so that you may be granted strength and ability. Your supplications should not be confined to mere lip service, but you ought to truly believe that every blessing descends from heaven. You will become righteous only when, in every time of need or difficulty, prior to employing any plan, you shut your door and fall down at the threshold of God with your difficulty, and supplicate to Him so that He may resolve it by His Grace. You will then be helped by the Holy Spirit and a path will be opened for you from the unseen. Have mercy on your souls and do not follow those who have completely cut themselves off from God and depend wholly on material means, to the extent that they do not even seek strength from Allah by saying insha’Allah1. May God open your eyes so that you should realise that He is the central beam of all your plans. If this beam should fall, can the rafters continue to support the roof ? Indeed not, for they would suddenly fall and would perhaps even cause a loss of life. In the same way, your plans cannot succeed without the help of God.
If you do not seek His assistance, and do not make it your rule to seek strength from Him, you will never achieve anything and will die in immense sorrow. Do not wonder why other nations seem to succeed, while they are not even aware of the existence of God who is your Perfect and Mighty Lord. The answer is that they have been subjected to the trial of the world on account of their abandoning God. At times, He opens the doors of the world to a person who forsakes Him and seeks the joys and pleasures of the world and runs after its riches, in order to try him. Such a one is wholly bereft and deprived in respect of religion. In the end, he dies with his mind devoted wholly to the world and is cast into an eternal hell. At other times, the trial of God is such that a person is deprived of this world as well. But this latter kind of trial is not as dangerous as the former, for the one who is subjected to the former is more arrogant. In any case, both these groups are described as those who have incurred the wrath of God.
God is the fountainhead of true prosperity. How can people attain true prosperity if they are unaware of the Ever-Living and All-Sustaining God and are ignorant and heedless of Him, and even turn away from Him? Blessed is one who understands this secret and ruined is one who does not.
Similarly, do not follow the philosophers of this world and do not be overawed by them, for they only pursue follies. True philosophy is that which God has taught you in His Word. Those who are in love with secular philosophy are in ruin and truly successful are those who have sought true knowledge and philosophy in the Book of God. Why do you follow the paths of foolishness? Will you teach God that which He does not know? Do you hasten to follow the blind so that they should guide you? O foolish ones! How will he, who is himself blind, guide you? True philosophy is, in reality, acquired through the Holy Spirit as has been promised. Through it you will be carried to the acquisition of pure knowledge, to which others have no access. Ultimately, you will obtain such knowledge by sincerely seeking it. Then will you come to know that this is the very knowledge which revitalises and revives the heart and guides you to the pinnacle of certainty. How is it possible to receive pure nourishment from he who feeds upon carrion? How can he who is blind help you see? All pure wisdom descends from heaven. What then do you seek from the people of this world? Those whose souls ascend to heaven are the true heirs of wisdom. He who is not satisfied himself cannot bestow satisfaction upon you, but first purity of heart is required; sincerity and purity are needed, after which, everything will be bestowed upon you.
1 If Allah so wills, [Publisher]