The strong man is the one who is happy when this world leaves his hands, departs from him and flees from him, and he is happy when people blame him and accuse him. He is content with it because of his knowledge of God. Shaykh Ibn ‘Atā’Illah, may God be pleased with him, said in his Hikām, “If you are pained because people do not turn to you or direct blame towards you, then go back to the knowledge of God in you. If you are not content with His knowledge. then your affliction by your lack of contentment with His knowledge is worse than your affliction by their abuse. Abuse is channelled through them so that you will not rely on them. He wants to rouse you and move you away from everything so that nothing distracts you from Him.”
Shaykh Muhammad al-’Arabī ad-Darqāwī
Rasā’il Mawlāy al-’Arabī ad-Darqāwī
Very Malamati. I read in this book once (i dont remember the name) about this wali who sat under a tree during the month of Ramadhan. He broke some bread and put it in front of him. People wanted to cull him cos they thought he broke his fast in daylight. Turns out, he purposely broke the bread to draw blame upon himself.
Masha’Allah. For the Mutasawwif, that kind of act would definitely subdue his ego.