Happy are those who do good to others; miserable are those who expect good from others.
Hazrat Pir-o-Murshid Inayat Khan
Related Material by Pir-o-Murshid Inayat Khan
Compiled by Wahiduddin Richard Shelquist – wahiduddin.net
To what does the love of God lead? It leads to that peace and stillness which can be seen in the life of the tree, which bears fruits and flowers for others and expects no returns, not even thanks in return. It serves, and cares for nothing else, not even for appreciation. That is the attribute of the godly.
Humanity’s greatest enemy is the ego which manifests itself in selfishness. Even in our doing good, in our kind actions, selfishness is sometimes at work. When we do good with the thought that one day it may return to us and that we may share in the good, we sell our pearls for a price. A kind action, a thought of sympathy, of generosity, is too precious to trade with. One should give and, while giving, close the eyes. We should remember to do every little action, every little kindness, every act of generosity with our whole heart, without the desire of getting anything in return making a trade out of it. The satisfaction must be in doing it and in nothing else.
It is said that if someone asks you to go with them one mile, you should go with them two miles. That means, if someone makes use of our services, let us not think, ‘Why should I, such an important person, serve another, give my time to another?’ Let us give our services more liberally than we are asked to do. Let us give service, give our time; but when the time for receiving comes, do not let us expect to receive anything. Let us not expect our friends to be as we are to them; that will never be possible. We must then practice renunciation. We must practice virtue because we like it; do good because we like to do it and not for any return; expect no kindness or appreciation; if we do, it will become a trade. This is the right way for the world in general, and the only way of becoming happy.
( from the Sufi Message Series, Volume VI – The Alchemy of Happiness: Chapter 12 – The Struggle of Life (1) )
The principal teaching of Sufism is that the heart of humanity is the shrine of God, to recognize God in one’s own heart, to feel God’s existence, presence, virtue, goodness, all manner of beauty. It must be remembered that the whole life around us is a life of falsehood. The more you see and experience the more you see how very false it is, how much disillusionment there is. The only way of getting over it is to light the lamp in the darkness of night, and all will be cleared.
( from Religious Gatheka 13: The Message of Christ” [ unpublished ] )
Commentary by Murshid S.A.M. (Sufi Ahmed Murad)
Samuel L. Lewis
When the heart acts, it touches everything in the universe. When a heart feeds another it feeds itself, for it knows no limitation of self. The heart in its true condition expands and gives love and as it gives it receives. But one who expects to be fed by the heart of another has their own heart closed, and as their heart is closed, neither can they receive substance from another. The substance is in the very sphere, and its giving and getting are one.