Rida Billah
Definition
Rida billah — contentment with God — is the culminating station of this book and one of the highest stations in the entire spiritual hierarchy of the Ihya. It is the state in which the heart has so fully surrendered to God's will that it prefers whatever God decrees over whatever it might have chosen for itself. This is not resignation or passivity but a profound, joy-filled trust: the heart knows that God's will is wiser, more merciful, and more loving than anything it could desire on its own, and so it rests in whatever comes. The Quran promises: 'God is pleased with them, and they are pleased with Him' — and al-Ghazali takes this mutual pleasure as the definition of the highest spiritual arrival.
As understood in the classical tradition of Imam al-Ghazali and the scholars of his school.
How the scholars use Rida Billah.
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"You reach the utmost of the utmost, leaving behind all desires and pursuits, with no deeds to marvel at, no closeness to perceive, nor any rank to aspire to, becoming like a cracked vessel that cannot hold any liquid, so no will, character, or ambition for anything in this world or the next remains within you. You are purified of all but God Almighty, granted contentment with God, and promised God's pleasure with you. And you are delighted and blessed with all the actions of God, the Almighty."
— Shaykh Abd al-Qadir al-Jilani, Futūḥ al-Ghayb — Revelations of the Unseen
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"and even if all creation were admitted to Paradise and I were to be cast into Hell, I would be content with that." Another sage was asked if he had reached the utmost level of contentment with God. He said, "Not the utmost level, but I have reached the station of contentment. If He were to make me a bridge over Hell for creation to cross into Paradise, then fill Hell with me to fulfill His promise and replace His creatures, I would love that judgment and be content with it.""
— Imam al-Ghazali, Book 36: The Book of Love, Longing, Intimacy, and Contentment
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"preventing any doubt from taking root and hindering their spiritual journey. The Second Degree: The Taste of Contentment with the Decree The second degree involves tasting contentment with God's decree. This is a state where the believer accepts whatever comes their way, whether it aligns with their desires or not. It is a profound acceptance that transcends personal preferences, rooted in the understanding that God's wisdom is beyond human comprehension."
— Ibn al-Qayyim, Volume Three
Appears in
1 book in the library
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