Protect yourself from Satan by opposing your desires.

 *`تحرز من إبليس بمخالفة هواك.`*

Protect yourself from Satan by opposing your desires.

*وتزين لله بالإخلاص والصدق في الأعمال.*

Adorn yourself for Allah with sincerity and truthfulness in your actions.

*وتعرض للعفو بالحياء منه والمراقبة.*

Show yourself deserving of forgiveness through modesty and self-awareness.

 *واستجلب زيادة النعم بالشكر، واستدم النعم بخوف زوالها.*

Attract increased blessings by showing gratitude, and preserve blessings by fearing their loss.

*ولا عمل كطلب السلامة، ولا سلامة كسلامة القلب.*

There is no deed like seeking safety, and no safety like the safety of the heart.

*ولا عقل كمخالفة الهوى.*

There is no intelligence like opposing one's desires.

*ولا فقر كفقر القلب، ولا غنى كغنى النفس.*

There is no poverty like the poverty of the heart, and no wealth like the wealth of the soul.

*ولا قوة كرد الغضب.*

There is no strength like controlling anger.

*ولا نور كنور اليقين، ولا يقين كاستصغار الدنيا.*

There is no light like the light of certainty, and no certainty like belittling the world.

*ولا معرفة كمعرفة النفس.*

There is no knowledge like self-knowledge.

*ولا نعمة كالعافية من الذنوب، ولا عافية كمساعدة التوفيق.*

There is no blessing like being free from sins, and no freedom like the help of divine guidance.

*ولا زهد كقصر الأمل.*

There is no asceticism like having modest expectations.

*ولا حرص كالمنافسة في الدرجات.*

There is no eagerness like competing in spiritual ranks.

*ولا عدل كالإنصاف، ولا تعدي كالجور.*

There is no justice like fairness, and no oppression like wrongdoing.

*ولا طاعة كأداء الفرائض، ولا تقوى كاجتناب المحارم.*

There is no obedience like fulfilling duties, and no piety like avoiding prohibitions.

*ولا عدم كعدم العقل ولا عدم عقل كقلة اليقين.*

There is no absence like the absence of intelligence, and no absence of intelligence like lack of certainty.

*ولا فضيلة كالجهاد، ولا جهاد كمجاهدة النفس.*

There is no virtue like jihad, and no jihad like struggling against one's own soul.

*ولا ذل كالطمع.*

There is no humiliation like greed.

*ولا ثواب كالعفو.*

There is no reward like forgiveness.

*`ولا جزاء كالجنة.`*

And there is no compensation like Paradise.

— Abu Sulayman al-Darani (may Allah have mercy on him)

Source:

- Hilyat al-Awliya' (270/9)

- Sifat al-Safwa (195/4)