Devoted Solely to Him: Lights of His Gnosis

Ja’afar As-Sadiq (may Allah be content with him) describes the noble station of ma’rifah (gnosis):

The ‘arif (person of gnosis) is with the people, while his heart is with Allah.

If his heart were to forget Allah for the time it takes to blink an eye, he would die of yearning for Him.

The gnostic is the trustee over the happenings of Allah. He is the treasury of His secrets, the repository of His lights, the proof of His mercy to creation. He is the instrument of His sciences and the measure of His favor and justice.

He needs neither people, nor a goal, nor this world. He has no intimate except Allah, nor any speech, gesture or breath except by Allah, with Allah, and from Allah, for he frequents the garden of His sanctity and is enriched by His subtlest favors to him.

Ma’rifah is a root whose branch is belief.

While we may feel this lofty station is reserved only for the prophets (peace be upon them) or for the great saints of times gone by; it is not.

For those devoted solely to Him; for those who are sincere in their search; for those who attach themselves to the noble guides and friends of Allah, this blessed gift becomes a real goal:

“We ask Allah to fill our hearts with the lights of His Gnosis so that we may witness His All-Sustaining Gatheredness flowing in all created things.”
~from the Shadhili wirid