Al Ghazzali on Disciplining the Self by Al Ghazali

42 Alchemy of Happiness
Al-Ghazzali On Disciplining the Self 43
him so that he be moderate. Therefore, if those impulses continue
to appear in him-but he represses them by force-he is
still ill; however, he is praiseworthy because he is indeed forcing
himself to take his medicine and this compulsion is the
way that (good character) will become natural to him.
It is for this that the Messenger said: "Obey the command
of God Most High; if you cannot, then (obey Him) with displeasure,
for there is much goodness in being patient." Know
that every person who forces himself to give away wealth is
not generous; rather, generous is the person for whom giving
away wealth is easy. Whoever forces himself to retain wealth
is not a miser; rather, the miser is the person whose nature it
is to keep (things).
Therefore, all character should be natural and taking
pains should depart. Indeed, the perfection of character is that
one surrenders one's reins to the hand of the Religious Law
and that obedience to it becomes easy. No struggle remains
(against it) in one. As God Most High said: But no, by thy Lord!
They believe not until they make thee (oh Muhammad) ajudge
of what is in dispute between them, then find not any straitness
in their hearts ... (Q. 4:65) He said: "Their faith will be completed
by making you their judge, not retaining any heaviness
or narrowness in their hearts." There is a mystery for this to
which a reference has been made even though this book could
not contain (the mystery itself).
Know that the (spiritual) happiness of a human being is
that one becomes of the nature of angels; for one's essence is
of them and one has come into this world a stranger. One's
source is the world of the angels. Every foreign characteristic
that one bears from here distances one from being in conformity
with (the angels). When going to that place, one must
become of their character and not carry any attributes from
this place.
Whoever is avid for the preservation of wealth is obsessed
with wealth; and whoever is avid to spend it is also obsessed
with wealth. Whoever is intent upon being haughty is
obsessed with people; and whoever is intent upon being humble
is also obsessed with people. But the angels are neither
obsessed with wealth nor with people; indeed, because of their
love for the Divine Presence they pay attention to nothing
else.
Therefore, the connection of the human being to wealth
must be severed and cut off from people so that (the spiritual
heart) may be cleansed of all of them. Any attribute which it
is not possible for a person to eliminate, should be kept at the
(the level of) moderation so that in one way it is as though it
were eliminated. As water is not devoid of warmth or coldness,
that which is tepid and equable resembles that which is
devoid of both (extremes). Therefore, moderation and the
mean in all qualities have been commanded because they are
better.
So, the heart should be observed as to whether it is cut off
from all and immersed in God Most High. As He said: Say: I
ask you not for any reward for (the Quran). It is naught but a
Reminder to the nations. (Q. 6:91) Indeed, the reality of "there
is no god but God"is exactly this. Because it is not possible for
a human being to be free of all contamination, He said: And
there is not one of you but shall come to it. This is an unavoidable
decree of thy Lord. (Q. 19:71)
Finally, from this it is plain that end of all disciplines and
the aim of all exertions is that a person reach the Unity of
God: that he see it and naught else, that he read it and naught
else, that he be obedient to it and naught else. In his inner
being no other urge remains. When it is thus, a good character
has been achieved. Indeed, one has passed over from the
world of mankind and reached the true nature of God.