[By Shaikh Muḥammad Ashraf ‘Alī (Allah have mercy on him)]

[Rendered in to English by Muftī Sufyān]

He^[3] said that I have seen a dictum of Khwājāh Muʿīn al-Dīn Chishtī (Allah have mercy on him) that is the essence of all paths^[4]. I am mentioning it so that my friends take benefit from it. He says that it is sufficient for a person to adopt three things. One is fear, the second is hope and the third is love^[5].

This is from the sunnah. Through fear, one will not commit sin. Through hope, one will be encouraged to do good deeds. And through love, one will be able to bear hardship. Those actions that one does not have control over, such as calamities, one will bear them due to love. Those actions that one has control over, such as good deeds or sins, through fear and hope one will be able to act accordingly. If one does nothing other than adopting these three things, it is sufficient. What a great thing Khwājāh Ṣāḥib has mentioned. After all, he is esteemed and there is a reason he is esteemed. These are the words of an esteemed one. I have become very happy with this dictum of mine today because there is a need to save oneself from sin, hence there is fear. There is a need to do good deeds, for which there is hope. And there is a need to be resolute at the time of sin and calamity, for which there is love. By looking at this dictum, it seems as if I have gained a great fortune.

(Al ifāḍāt al yawmiyyah min al ifādāt al qawmiyyah, V 3, Pg 225)

^[1] The science of purification of the heart which is also known as tazkiyah.

^[2] I.e. Fear of Allah, hope in Allah and love for Allah.

^[3] Shaikh Muḥammad Ashraf ‘Alī (Allah have mercy on him).

^[4] I.e. all paths of tasawwuf.

^[5] Like mentioned in the second footnote, fear, hope and love is in reference to Allah, meaning fear of Allah, hope in Allah and love for Allah.