📘 �But God favours whomever He will of His servants�That is, [He favours them] with [the ability to] recite (tilāwa) His Book and understand (fahm) it.His words, Exalted is He:

📘 Have you not seen that God created the heavens and Earth in truth?...He [Sahl] said:He created all things through His omnipotence (qudra), adorned them through His knowledge (ʿilm), and governed them through His wisdom (ḥikma). Thus, to the one who contemplates the Creator through the creation, the wonders of the creation will become apparent. But to the one who contemplates the creation through the Creator, the traces of His omnipotence, the lights of His wisdom and the extent and profundity (balīgh) of His workmanship (ṣanʿa) will be unveiled.His words, Exalted is He:

📘 Have you not seen how God has coined a similitude? A goodly saying is as a goodly tree; its roots set firm and its branches in heaven.He replied:It was related from Ibn ʿAbbās y that the Prophet went out to his Companions while they were discussing the �goodly tree�, and he said: �That is the believer whose root is in the earth and whose branch is in heaven.� This means that his works are raised to the heavens and accepted. This is the similitude that God coined for the believer and the disbeliever. So He said, A goodly saying, that is, a saying of sincerity (ikhlāṣ), is as a goodly tree, that is, the date palm; its roots set firm and its branches in heaven, that is, its branches rise up to heaven. Likewise the root of the works of a believer are in the saying [which attests to] God�s oneness (kalimat al-tawḥīd), which is a firm root whose branches, his works, are raised up to the heavens and accepted, unless there is some deficiency or ill-effect (iḥdāth) in them. However, even then the root of his actions, namely the saying which attests to God�s oneness, is not removed, just as the winds shake the branches of the date palm, but its root remains firmly in place.He likened the actions of a disbeliever to a foul tree (shajara khabītha), saying but an evil saying is as a bad tree [14:26], meaning the colocynth tree (ḥanẓal). It is the foulest on the earth, for it has no roots at all beneath it. Just so is disbelief and hypocrisy, which have no endurance in the Hereafter. Thus, in the treasure houses of God, there is nothing greater than the attestation of God�s oneness (tawḥīd).Sahl was asked about the meaning of �There is no god save God� (lā ilāha illā�Llāh). He said: �There is no bestower of benefit (nāfiʿ) and no defender (dāfiʿ) except God, Exalted is He.�He was asked about islām, īmān and iḥsān. He answered:Islām is the law (ḥukm), īmān is the bond [with God] (waṣl) and iḥsān is the reward (thawāb); and for that reward there is a reward.

📘 It produces its fruit every season (ḥīn), by leave of its Lord�He [Abū Bakr al-Sijzī] said, �Ibn al-Musayyib used to say the word ḥīn is six months. A man posed the question: �I have sworn an oath that my wife will not visit her family for a ḥīn. So what is a ḥīn?� Saʿd said, �The ḥīn lasts from the time that the date palm flowers until the time that its datesripen, or from the time that its dates ripen until it blossoms.� Ibn ʿAbbās y said, �Kulla ḥīn means morning and night.� He is of the same view as Sahl Ibn ʿAbd Allāh who said, �God coined this similitude referring to the people who have gnosis (maʿrifa) of God with regard to their performing His obligations night and day.��Sahl was asked about the meaning of His words:

📘 ..If you tried to enumerate God�s favour[s] you could never calculate them�due to the fact that He has made the Emissary the most elevated, and the greatest mediator (wāsiṭa) between you and Him.His words, Exalted is He:

📘 If you are thankful then assuredly I will give you more�He [Sahl] said:Gratitude (shukr) for knowledge is acting (ʿamal) [on this knowledge]. Gratitude for acting [on this knowledge] increases [one�s] knowledge. This is how it always is, and this is its condition.He also said:Gratitude is that you should acknowledge [that] increase. Otherwise gratitude is flawed. The true realisation of weakness (ḥaqīqat al-ʿajz) is in acknowledging it. It is reported that David, said, �How can I thank You when through my gratitude I receive renewed bounty from You?� God replied, �Now you have shown true gratitude towards me.� His words, Exalted is He: