al-Tusatri on ‘Unless You Give of What You Love’

Peace, one and all…

In a recent post, I shared a verse that has stuck with me throughout this Ramadan. I also shared the evocative commentary of Imam al-Qushayri. In this post, I would like to share the exegesis of another important Muslim spiritual master, Sahl al-Tustari.

‘None of you will attain true piety (al-birr) unless you give out of what you cherish: whatever you give, God knows about it very well’ (Quran 3:92)

al-Tustari’s commentary runs thus:

‘It means, ‘You will not attain full mindfulness of God until  you go to war with your lower selves and expend some of what you love.’ Furthermore, there is no spending (infāq) like  consuming (infāq) the lower self by opposing it, and by  seeking the good pleasure of God, Mighty and Majestic is He.
Then he related a story of Jesus:

Once he passed by three people whose bodies were emaciated and faces pale. He asked them, ‘What has brought you to this state I see you in?’ They said, ‘The fear (khawf) of our Creator and wariness (ḥadhr) of punishment for our disobedience.’ He responded, ‘God made it incumbent upon Himself to grant safety to the one who fears [Him].’

Then he moved on until he came to three other people who were even more emaciated. He asked them, ‘What has brought you to this state I see you in?’ They answered, ‘The yearning (shawq) for our Lord.’ He replied, ‘God made it incumbent upon Himself to grant you what you wish for.’

Then he moved on until he came to three people who were even more emaciated, whose faces were like full moons.
He asked, ‘What has brought you to this state I see you in?’ They replied: ‘Love (ḥubb).’ He said, ‘You are the people of proximity [with God] (muqarrabūn)’, and he said it thrice. Thus, whoever loves God, Exalted is He, is one of the people of proximity [with God], for if anyone loves something they hasten towards it.

So the first level is the rank of the repentant (tawwābūn); the second is that of the people of longing (mushtāqūn), and then the servant reaches the third rank which is that of love. Do you
not see how they gave their all for the sake of the One who possesses all, turned their backs on all, and faced the direction of the One who possesses all?’

Tafsir al-Tustari 3:92