The following short, insightful and challenging passage is from The Book of Love, Longing, Intimacy and Contentment by Abu Hamid al Ghazali (1058-1111 CE). For more about Al Ghazali, see this earlier post.

In the Traditions of Moses (peace be upon him) it is recorded that the Children of Israel said to him, “Ask your Lord on our behalf what we may do to please Him.” Moses said, “My God! You have heard what they said!” God replied, “O Moses, say to them that they should be pleased with Me and then I will be pleased with them.”

In further witness to this is what has been reported on the authority of our Prophet (may God bless him and grant him peace) when he said, “Whoever would like to know where he stands with God should consider how God stands with him. Indeed, God places him at the level at which he himself has placed God.”

Tr. Eric Ormsby