Acquiring a Special Relationship and Friendship with Allah Ta‘ala

Hazrat Shaikh Moulana Muhammad Zakariyya (rahmatullahi ‘alaih) once mentioned the following:

Acquiring a special relationship and friendship with Allah Ta‘ala is extremely easy.

يعلم اللہ راہ خدا از دو قدم بيش نيست

يک قدم بر نفس خود نہ دیگرے بہِ کوۓ دوست

Allah Ta‘ala knows that the road to Him consists of taking just two steps

The first step is to trample the nafs (go against one’s ego and base desires), and on the second step one will reach the friend (Allah Ta‘ala).

In order for one to subjugate his nafs, it is not sufficient for him to only leave out committing sins, as this step is relatively easy. Rather, it is also necessary that one abandon all such enjoyments, luxuries and entertainments that will cause him to lose his friendship with Allah Ta‘ala (i.e. one should not get involved in such enjoyments, entertainments and luxuries that will cause him to be negligent of his rights to Allah Ta‘ala or the creation, or will lead him towards the disobedience of Allah Ta‘ala).

(Qutbul Aqtaab Hazrat Sheikhul Hadith Moulana Muhammad Zakariyya (rahmatullahi ‘alaih) pg. 495)