Example given by the pious of oil & water, mixing the two, oil comes on top, water is at the bottom.
Water says I have respect and status, clouds, I purify things, flow in river, the whole world purified with me i.e. wudhu, ghusl, people utilize me so how can oil be above me in status?
Oil says that the statement of the water is correct, people run away from me (the oil), if it goes on clothes etc. I got this status because you are soft tender, from the sky, from the high clouds with ease. I was squeezed, berried and crushed, hardened. No one asked for me and with such difficulty I came out as oil. The difference is the oil struggled and strove, made effort, you (the water) had ease and reared in the hights.
Allah T'ala says Wajahidu fee, the verse of maqaam of a person and nearness attained not due to luxury, comfort and ease. The person tries, struggle strives then his maqaam is increased. The pious worked hard and struggled in their whole life to get their status.
Allah's law is whoever works hard in Allah's way, took the burden on and strives, his status will be elevated. Crush desires immediately Allah will give reward. We make effort and we ask for the dunya. When we do mujahada for the hereafter we seek and ask for the dunya and if we don't get it we leave the action.
It can never be that a person works hard in path of Allah and he isn't rewarded, even just a little bit of effort. You make effort Allah will come close to you. Do dhikr, quran, salaah Allah will come close to you.
The more effort, qurb comes DO NOT keep standard of getting dunya as criteria nor should it be the precondition of doing ibadaah, CUT IT OUT. Allah says do amaal saliha (pious/righteous deeds) and Allah will enter you in paradise, He did not say not your shops will increase or gardens. Never look for the world, look for the hereafter. Have full yakeen when you work for the akhira he is elevated in every step. Without effort you will attain nothing. You don't try you wont get qurb of Allah. Even in dunya you make effort, you will get the proportion of what you put in as effort. Example of working 4 hours you will get that much in pay, work 8 hours you will get that much in proportion.
When Allah gives tawfeeq to do amaal, understand Allah is pleased with you and wants you to be close to Him. Effort for deen, the more you make effort the more you will get tomorrow in hereafter. Shaytaan waswasa comes when a person makes effort then shaytaan says look at your condition (of the dunya) you are worse off now what is the point in doing these actions/deeds.
When a person does mujahida, he should look to the akhira NOT the dunya, that is dirty (the dunya). Shaytaan will deceive you and take you away from good amaals.
Remember, Shaytaan will make a person lazy in nafil, he will come from the small actions first. Then the sunnah then wajibs then fardh then to emaan then death comes with no emaan.
When Allah gives you tawfeeq for amaal don't consider it minor stick to it, it is reward from Allah, even tasbeeh it is a great deed the tasbeeh will testify you will leave with emaan hadrat said. If you pray 2 rakah after salaah do this all life long dont leave it.
*** Don't look to the world that you not getting the dunya from these actions, dont think like this ***
Keep trying, make effort, it will never go to waste and the deeds Allah T'ala gives you, adhere to it till you die, keep steadfast dont reject it or leave it.
May Allah T'alas blessings continuously descend upon Hadrat Sheikh Sb damat barakatuhu and grant him the highest of maqaam ameen.
