Chapter VIII: Self-Examination and Self-Accounting
The great saint Wahab-bin-Monabbah said: When Allah drove out Adam from Paradise to earth, he remained in such a state that there were no tears in his eyes. On the seventh day, the Almighty Allah enquired of him when he was extremely grieved, disappointed, broken-hearted and downcast. Allah sent revelation to him: O Adam, why do I see you in such mood? He said: O my Lord, my danger is severe, my sin has disgraced me and driven me out of the presence of my Lord. I have come from an abode of honour to an abode of misfortune, from an abode of fortune to an abode of sorrow, from an abode of peace to one of turmoil, from an everlasting abode to a temporary abode, from a permanent abode to one of death and destruction. Why shall I not weep over my sins? Then Allah sent revelation to him: O Adam, have I not selected you for Myself? Have I not allowed you to live in My abode? Have I not honoured you with My honour? Have I not created you with My own hand? Have I not infused into you from My spirit? Have I not compelled My angels to make obeisance to you? You have disobeyed My , orders, you have forgotten your promise with Me, you have incurred My displeasure. By oath of My Honour and Majesty, if I fill up the world with those who worship Me and obey Me like you, and then they disobey Me, I will surely include them among the transgressors. At that time Adam wept for three hundred years.
These are the ways to pray to the Lord and to rebuke one's baser self. The object of invocation of the saints is to seek pleasure of the Lord. The object of rebuking baser self is to be careful of it. He who neglects to pray to God and to rebuke his baser self does not look after his baser self with the result that Allah will not be pleased with him.