Following Sufism III, this volume presents writing of the great sufi masters concerning nine spiritual 'stations' and ‘states’. 'Repentance' is viewed as return toward God. Thus unswerving repentance leads to 'abstinence' from distractions, and the 'renunciation' of everything but God, creating the'wariness' that guards the wayfarer's heart from association with other than God. 'Humility' purifies the wayfarer of pride and anger. 'Humbleness' or abject humility describes the heart bent low before God's threshold, prepared for obedience. 'Sincerity', the key to the Path, purifies the seeker's intention.
Ask the heart to give witness
     to our sincerity, then look:
Everything there shows itself
     in the mirror of my face.-Hafez
Sincerity (ekhlas) is that, without paying attention to any creature or taking into account the gratification of your own self, you think, do, and act for God.
"The difference between sincerity and truthfulness (sedq) is that sinerity is the root and the principle, while truthfulness is the branch and the corollary. Another difference is that sincerity becomes manifest after a person begins to act."
-Tahanawi. Kashshaf Estelahat al-fonun
