Servant hood and Self-direction.

[Abu Fauzi]

As-Salaam alaikum,

"Glory to (God)
who transported His servant by night.."
(17:1)

".. and in what We bestowed from
on high upon Our servant" (8:41)

"Whenever a servant of God stands
forth in prayer to him" (72:19)

According to one of the earliest thinkers among the 'Ulama, Sheikh Sahl ibn Abdullah al-Tustari (d. 283/896), the mark of true servant-hood is that the individual "gives up his own management (tadbir) and becomes satisfied with the management of God, Exalted is He, for him."

Whether the servant stands to commune with, receives bestowal from or is moved by Allah Ta'ala, it is imperative to understand that the spirit of servitude and its secret is to abandon self-choice (Ikhtiyar), and not to contest Divine Decrees.

By denying or abrogating self-choice upon ourselves in anything we seemingly have authority, you/we are effaced through a denial of self-reliance and, in turn, the alternative is trust in, reliance on and contentment with Allah Ta'ala. On this point, Ibn Ata' Allah writes that "if you wish to enter into the Presence of God... then that will not be possible for you so long as other than God lords it over your heart, for Verily, you belong to whosoever has authority over you."
And in the Qur'an, we have it :--
"Your Sustainer creates whatever He
wills, and He chooses (for mankind)
Whatever is best for them." (28:68).