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Know that modesty sometimes contradicts the acknowledging of ni’mah, and the acknowledging of ni’mah sometimes results in pride and arrogance. Therefore, it is necessary to be careful, scrutinise and avoid ifrât and tafrît. There is a measure for istiqâmah. It is as follows: Every ni’mah has two aspects:

The first aspect looks to the one on whom Allah has bestowed ni’mah; this aspect adorns and distinguishes him, and he receives pleasures with and takes pride in ni’mah bestowed on him. But sometimes, he falls into drunkenness, forgets the Owner of ni’mah, claims ownership, attributes the perfection and attainment to himself and becomes proud as if he has any right over them.

The second aspect, which looks to Al-Mun’im, displays His munificence, proclaims His rahmah, shouts His bestowal and testifies to His names, and also recites the âyahs of the manifestation of His names on the act of the bestowal of ni’mah. Modesty can be modesty if it looks at the first aspect; if it looks at the second aspect, it becomes the denial of ni’mah (kufr an-ni’mah). The acknowledging of ni’mah becomes a praised ma’nawî shukr, neither pride nor arrogance, when viewed from the second aspect.

O, Yûsuf Kishri! {(*) It was addressed to his student Mullah Yûsuf fifty-five years ago.} When you wear splendid and precious clothes belonging to your brother Yûsuf Kayshî, if Said says to you, “How beautiful you are.” You should say, “Beauty belongs to the clothes, not to me.” It will be both modesty and acknowledgement of ni’mah.