Outwardly Well-Mannered, Inwardly Devoted to God
Addressed to: Ḥājjī Muḥammad Yūsuf Kashmīrī (may Allah have mercy on him)
All praise is due to Allah, and peace be upon His chosen servants.
Divine gnosis (maʿrifah) and the love of Allah, Glorious is His Majesty, are forbidden to the one in whose heart resides even a mustard seed of love for the world, or whose inner self remains attached to worldly concerns, or in whose inward thoughts worldly ideas consistently pass.
However, the outward self, being far removed from the inner self, has come into this worldly realm from the realm of the Hereafter. It interacts and engages with the people of the world in order to develop the relationships that are necessary for giving and receiving benefit.
Therefore, for such a purpose, if a person speaks worldly words or becomes engaged in permissible worldly occupations, it is not blameworthy — in fact, it is commendable. It ensures that the rights of others are not violated, and mutual benefit is maintained.
Such a person’s inward reality is in fact superior to his outward appearance. He is like the “barley-seller in wheat’s clothing” — a metaphor used here positively. However, superficial observers, lacking insight, mistake him for a showy impostor. They think his apparent worldliness reflects inner attachment, assuming he, like them, is captivated by the love of the world.
“Our Lord, decide between us and our people with truth, and You are the best of those who give judgment.”
Peace be upon those who follow guidance and adhere to the way of the Chosen One ﷺ. Blessings and exalted salutations upon him and his family.
Clarification:
In this noble letter, Imām Rabbānī (may Allah sanctify his soul) denounces both worldly attachment and the misjudgments of ignorant people who lack insight into Sharīʿah and spirituality. Such people see well-dressed, outwardly comfortable saints and assume they are worldly, thinking sainthood requires complete detachment from wealth and worldly blessings.
However, the reality is that those who earn their livelihood lawfully, fulfill both the rights of Allah and of His creation, and remain deeply connected to Allah inwardly — such individuals are inwardly superior even if outwardly immersed in society.
The Imām likens such saints to wheat in the guise of barley, contrasting them with the hypocrites who are like barley in wheat’s guise — beautiful on the outside, empty within.
Poetic verse:
Do not judge the friends of Allah by your own standards,
Though the words “lion” and “milk” may be written the same, their meanings are vastly different.
Just as “شیر” (lion) and “شیر” (milk) appear the same in writing but have profoundly different meanings, so too are the saints of Allah outwardly human — eating, drinking, and living among us — yet inwardly exalted in rank and reality.
May Allah grant us the recognition and appreciation of the true saints. Āmīn.