21 Characteristics of the Zuhd (7 characteristics for each letter z-h-d)
- Adornment (zīnah) of the heart with wisdom and knowledge.
- Disappearance (zuhūq) of falsehood and the imaginations of the world and what is in it. “And say: Truth has come, and falsehood has vanished away. Lo! falsehood is ever bound to vanish.” (17:81)
- Nearness in rank (zulfa) in this life and the Hereafter, “He has a place of nearness in Our presence, and an excellent end.” (38:40)
- Increase (ziyādah) of guidance, “Allāh increases those who have been guided in guidance.” (19:76) They are guided to that Allāh is The Truth and that the Hereafter remains, and that this world is ephemeral.
- Vanishing (zawāl) of the love of this world from the hearts as they know it to be a carcass sought by wild dogs.
- The heart restraining (zajr) the lower self from turning to the ruins of this world and its pleasures.
- Dressing (zayy) it with the garments of the pious from the people of God-consciousness, success, and religion.
- Guidance (hidāyah) to the paths of Allāh that lead to His Sacred Grounds.
- Gifting (hibāt) of the persisting good deeds after renouncing the ephemeral forms.
- Fleeing (hijrah) to the Essence after giving up on pleasures.
- Being dazzled (haymān) in love with Allāh at the expense of anything other than Him.
- Comfort (huwaynah) after hardness.
- Focus (hamm) on the Hereafter and what is in it after renouncing this lower world and what is in it.
- Falling (hubūṭ) to the land of humility, “Lo! My earth is spacious. Therefore, serve Me only.”(29:56) “The (faithful) slaves of the Beneficent are those who walk upon the earth modestly.”(25:63)
- Indicating (dilālah) toward Allāh when he vanishes from his ephemeral self.
- Habituating oneself (daydan) to consistent remembrance of Allāh, for this world distracts the one who connects with it from remembering his Lord.
- Calling to (daʿwā) the praise of Allāh when he sees others in delusion and distraction.
- Constantly (dawām) directing to Allāh with enjoyment in intimate converse and recitation of His Remembrance.
- Proximity (dunuww) to the Sacred Presence through frequent remembrance that is the standard of sainthood.
- Entering (dukhūl) in the assembly of Divine Proximity and standing there at the encompassing call
- that is perceived (idrak) through spiritual experience, a moment of which is better than a thousand years.
These are twenty-one characteristics, from multiplying three by seven, and are the number of the necessary and possible Divine Attributes in theology. For whoever realizes these aforementioned attributes, it will be possible to enter into the Sacred Presence which is the Divine Presence.