So, he was killed in the way of a donkey { qatil al-himar }!

So, he was killed in the way of a donkey { qatil al-himar }!”[^4] Making one’s intention sincere is indeed a difficult and taxing work. Sometimes, wicked thoughts penetrate the soul of man to such an extent that he himself is unaware of it.

As such, it is narrated in the tradition that ostentation { riya’ } in matters of worship and polytheism { shirk } are more subtle and silent than the movement of a black ant on a black rock during a dark night.[^5] So many individuals imagine that their intention is nearness { qurb } to Allah, but during the ups and downs of their lives, it becomes obvious that their motive is not a hundred percent pure and sincere.

In comparing intention and action, intention is better than the act itself because it is the spirit of the action. Intention is so valuable that even if a person is unable to perform a good deed, God will reward him for he had the intention to do so.[^7] The motive for seeking nearness {qurb} to Allah The motive for nearness { qurb } means seeking proximity to the Divine Station.

When it is said, “So-and-so is near or close to a certain national official,” what is meant is not spatial, bodily and physical nearness, for if it were such, the office attendants are the closest or nearest to him. Rather, what is meant by this nearness is spiritual, emotional in status and nearness in intimacy.

Doing deeds seeking the pleasure of God does not mean that God would be influenced by our deeds and change His attitude or position toward us, and as such, He becomes the subject of events and change. Instead, “nearness to Allah” means exaltation of the spirit through the ladder of existence whose consequence is the acquisition of influence in the creation. That is, proximity to the Fountainhead of Creation and finding Him in one’s heart.

Just as there are differences in the levels of existence among inanimate objects, plants, animals, and human beings, there are also differences on the level of human beings with respect to proximity to the Fountainhead of Creation.