The Third Treaties
He said (May Allah be pleased with him):
When he was asked with regard to the Prophets words, “And my eye’s refreshment (qurrat ‘aynee) has been made to be in ritual prayer (as-salaat),” whether that was particular with the Prophet or whether anyone else had a share or part in it, he answered:
In truth, the eye’s refreshment through contemplation (ash-shuhood) is commensurate with the gnosis (al-marifa) of the Object of contemplation (at-mashhood). The gnosis of the Messenger is not like the gnosis of someone else; accordingly, someone else’s refreshment of the eye is not like his.
We have said that the refreshment of his eye in his ritual prayer was through his contemplating the Majesty of the Object of contemplation (bi-shuhoodihi jalaala mashhoodihi) only because he himself indicated as much by his words, “in ritual prayer.” For he did not say, “by means of ritual prayer”, since his eye was not refreshed by means of something other than this Lord. How could it be otherwise? For the points to this station and commands others to realize it, with his words, “Adore Allah as if you were seeing Him,” since it would have been impossible for him to see Him and at the same time to witness someone other than He alongside Him.
Suppose someone were to say, “The refreshment of the eye can be by means of ritual prayer because it is a grace of Allah and emerges from Allah’s blessing itself. So, how is it one cannot ascent by means of it, or how is it the eye’s refreshment cannot he had by means of it? For Allah says, ‘Say; In the grace of Allah and in His mercy, in that, they should rejoice’” [Quran 10:58]
If that were said, then you must know that the significance of the verse, for those who meditate on the secret of the statement, is to be found in the main clause, for He says, “in that they should rejoice,” and not, “in that you should rejoice, O Muhammad.” In other words, “Say to them: Let them rejoice by means of generous acts of kindness, but let your rejoicing be with Him who is kind,” just as, in another verse, He says, “Say: Allah! Then leave them prattling in their vain talk.” [Quran 6:92]