MUZAKRA – 10

THE PROPER EXERCISE OF THE WILL

SOUL: Why is it that I often seem to act against my own will? And why do I
refrain from activities that I know I should do and really want to do?

SELF: We have already spoken of the necessity of controlling the mind, but it
is also necessary to control the will if you don’t want to be led astray. An uncontrolled
will follows its own inclination rather than Mine.

SOUL: Desire alone is not sufficient. Nor are mechanically following rules
and regulations. One must sincerely desire to perform his duty under the influence of My
grace and out of a sincere, exclusive desire to please Me alone.

It is at this point that the greatest struggle arises with your conditioned nature,
which is constantly hankering for its own sense pleasure. Even under the cloak of lofty
spiritual disciplines, the conditioned nature seeks self-satisfaction; unaware of the danger
it is in. Being foolishly content and peaceful in an illusion, it acts whimsically, not
knowing the great evil that is present, though not apparent. The conditioned soul’s real
motive is not to please Me and My representative, the spiritual master. Rather, it is to
indulge in sense gratification, even though its intent is masked in pious acts.

The illusion is still subtler, and therefore more dangerous, the more the act is
commendable in itself. Who would imagine that self-love – indeed, abominable envy – is
the real object and effect of the impersonal philosophy, of wanting to merge into My
existence and make everything all one? Who would believe that your desire to be
religious or pure is actually a desire to pursue your own self-interest, rather than for My
glory and to advance My mission? Factually, the only motive for those who truly love
Me is to fulfill My every desire.

SOUL: How can I avoid such a dangerous snare, Lord?

SELF: With My help, all things are possible. First, you must accustom yourself
to study the Quran and consult the great authorities of God consciousness. Do nothing
without their sanction. If you combine the external guidance with the guidance of My
Spirit within you, you will never be misled. Rather, you will know that I am both the first
cause and ultimate goal of everything.

SOUL: How can I know that I am acting according to Your desire, Lord?
 SELF: As soon as you have a chance to perform a good act, you must prevent
your mind from seizing it before you have considered Me. This will enable you to know
whether or not it is in accord with My will for you, and whether your desire is for My
pleasure only. When your will is controlled and determined by My will, you will have
perfect peace and happiness. Furthermore, such reflection will allow you to detach
yourself and reject what is contrary to My will. Always think of Me and what is pleasing
to Me, and be satisfied in that – simply because it is My will.

SOUL: How can I always remember this, Lord? I’m so small and prone to
forgetfulness. I’m so full of devious motives and sophistries. My mind flatters me into
thinking that my only motive is love for You; but, in fact, what I’m accepting and
rejecting is, in actuality, done to please myself. I’m only deluding myself when I think
that my only desire is to please You, my Lord. What can I do?

SELF: Ultimately, the only remedy is a pure heart.

SOUL: If the fault is an impure heart, and the only remedy is a pure heart,
there’s no solution. What can I do, my sweet Lord? I’m baffled.

SELF: Just abandon all your worry and surrender to Me. That’s all you need to
do. Practically, surrender means to follow My instructions as embodied in Quran-o-
Sunnah. My first and most important instruction is to always think of Me. The second is
similar: to hear submissively from Me – through My word, or My pure devotee, the bona
fide spiritual master. This is the way to arm yourself for spiritual warfare.

You must, however, simultaneously avoid those things that open you to the attack
of illusion and evil. Nevertheless, surrender can easily be accomplished if you divest
yourself of all mundane reasoning and speculations and do only what is spoken by Me or
My pure devotees. Then you will clearly know My divine will.

Unfortunately, well-meaning neophytes and converts or new believers often start

out well and good, with no other purpose than to please Me, but by degrees they allow
their devotion to slacken, like the waning moon. Unaware, the dark clouds of illusion so
deftly created by Satan cover them. Due to vanity, they forget My divine will, which had
formerly been their life and soul. Then again they become absorbed in the satisfaction of
the senses. And if, while attempting some great project, something hinders their progress
– a sickness, some accident or other apparent misfortune – they immediately become very
agitated, criticizing everyone, even Me. This is a sure indication that their motive is less
than pure.

SOUL: How can one tell the purity of someone’s motive?

SELF: Anyone acting under the impulse of My grace, having no desire other
than to serve Me, is detached in all circumstances. Or if he is spiritually attached to a
particular course of action, he will completely submit it to Me. A perfectly surrendered
soul is always resigned to whatever success or failure, praise or blame, profit or loss
attends his undertaking. He knows that everything comes from Me, and his heart has no
other desire than the accomplishment of My will.

SOUL: Who is going to tell me if I am right or wrong?

SELF: Why are you looking for someone else? Why look for anyone outside
yourself?

SOUL: I’m a conditioned soul, Lord. I’m a sinner and am prone to fall into
illusion. What good will it do to look to myself?

SELF: Don’t be so lazy, My friend. And don’t look for some philosophical
escape to avoid your responsibility. You are My faithful devotee, my very friend. Your
nature is divine: eternal, full of knowledge and bliss. Why don’t you want to realize it?

SOUL: Why me? That is the work of someone special, a saint, a Wali. I’m a
fallen soul.

SELF: My dear little friend, why are you trying to avoid the responsibility of
your existence? You are not just this material body. You are spirit-soul, Unborn,
primeval, and immortal. Don’t deny it any longer. Wake up! Come home!

Now is the time to open your heart to Me. Now is the time to devote all your
efforts to this most excellent, sublime goal of achieving My eternal loving service.
Acting only for My satisfaction may seem difficult at first, but with time and practice, it
will become easy and delightful.

Long for Me, for I am the Original and Supreme Good, the only object worth
seeking, to be valued and loved by all My creation. The more attentively you
contemplate My greatness and goodness, the more you will realize My supreme nature of
love.

Of course, it is not within man’s power to realize this high state. But it is within
Mine to give him this realization. Just desire it. Ask and ye shall receive. Seek and ye
shall find. You have not because you desire not. I have been fulfilling the desires of
everyone since time immemorial. I want to fulfill yours, too, My dear friend. Try Me
and see.