Answered by Shaykh Faraz Rabbani
Renunciation and Scrupulousness [from the SunniPath Academy Course on Imam Bayhaqi’s 77 Branches of Faith]
In the Name of Allah, Most Merciful and Compassionate. May His blessings and peace be on His Beloved Prophet, the best of creation, and his family, companions, and followers
Ibn Ajiba explained that the definition of renunciation (zuhd) is:
- For the heart not to be attached to other than Allah.
Then, he stated that,
Renunciation is a means for Love, for the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said, “Have renunciation of worldly matters, and Allah will love you.” [Ibn Maja, Hakim, and Bayhaqi]
Renunciation is the means of travelling to Allah and reaching Him, for there is no spiritual travelling for a heart that is attached to anything other than the Beloved. [Ibn Ajiba, Mi`raj al-Tashawwuf, 14]
As for scrupulousness (wara`), Ibn Ajiba defined it as,
- Restraining oneself from anything whose end result may be blameworthy.
He quotes Ibn Ata’illah’s Tanwir, in which the latter said,
It is not vast knowledge or consistency in spiritual practices that points to a person having deep understanding. Rather, what points to their spiritual illumination and deep understanding is their finding sufficiency in their Lord; their fleeing to Him with their hearts; their being free from the slavehood of avidness; and their adorning themselves with the adornment of scrupulousness. [Ibn Ajiba, Mi`raj al-Tashawwuf, 12-13]
And Allah alone gives success.
Faraz Rabbani