1. We were told by my father, may Allah grant him mercy, that he said: We were told by Sa’d bin Abdullah, from Ahmad bin Abi Abdillah, from his father, in a narration that was ascribed to the Prophet, Allah’s blessings be upon him and his Family, that he said: Jibra’eel, peace be upon him, came to the Prophet, Allah’s blessings be upon him and his Family, and said: O Messenger of Allah, indeed, Allah, Blessed and Exalted is He, sent me to you with a gift which I have not given to anyone before you. The Messenger of Allah, Allah’s blessings be upon him and his Family, said: And what is it? He said: Patience, and better than it. I said: And what is it? He said: Satisfaction, and better than it. I said: And what is it? He said: Abstinence, and better than it. I said: And what is it? He said: Sincerity, and better than it. I said: And what is it? He said: Certainty, and better than it. I said: And what is it, O Jibra’eel? He said: Indeed, the pathway to that is to have trust in Allah, Exalted and Glorious is He. Then I said: And what is it to have trust in Allah, Exalted and Glorious is He? He said: The knowledge (of the fact) that the created does not harm, nor benefit, nor give, nor prevent, and the appliance of despair from the creation. If a servant is as such, he will not act for anyone besides Allah, nor will he seek nor fear other than Allah, nor will he aspire from anyone other than Allah. That is the one who has trust. He said: I said: O Jibra’eel, what is the interpretation of patience? He said: That you are patient during distress like how you are patient during ease, and during destitution like how during wealth, and during tribulation like how during comfort. Hence, he would not complain of his condition to the created due to what afflicts him of tribulation. I said: And what is the interpretation of contentment? He said: That he is content with what he acquires from this world; that he is content with the little and thanks for that of little value. I said: And what is the interpretation of satisfaction? He said: The one who is pleased is not angered at his Master, regardless if he acquires from this world or does not acquire, and he is not pleased for himself with little deeds. I said: O Jibra’eel, and what is the interpretation of abstinence? He said: The abstinent loves the one who loves his Creator, hates the one who hates his Creator, feels discomfort with regards to that which is permissible from this world and does not turn towards its forbidden, for indeed, its permissible is (subject to) reckoning and its forbidden is (a cause for) punishment. Moreover, he is merciful to all Muslims like how he is merciful towards himself, and he feels discomfort from speech like how he feels discomfort from the corpse whose rottenness is intensified, and he feels discomfort from the waste material of this world and its beauties like how he avoids the fire to reach him. Also, (he feels discomfort from) that his deed is shortened, and that a long lifetime is between his eyes. I said: O Jibra’eel, and what is the interpretation of sincerity? He said: The sincere who does not ask the people for anything until he finds, and if he finds he is pleased, and if something remains with him, he gives it for the sake of Allah. Hence, the one who does not ask the created, has certainly declared worship to Allah, Exalted and Glorious is He, and if he finds and is pleased then he is pleased with Allah and Allah, Blessed and Exalted is He, is pleased with him, and if he gives for the sake of Allah, Exalted and Glorious is He, he is at the edge of confidence in his Lord, Exalted and Glorious is He. I said: And what is the interpretation of certainty? He said: The certain acts for Allah as if he sees Him, and since he does not see Allah, then indeed, Allah sees him. Moreover, it is that he knows certainly that what he has acquired, he was not to miss, and that what he missed, he was not to acquire. This, all of it, are branches of having trust and is a pathway of abstinence.